= Some take 
| it fOr Althes, 
ortne marifh 
Mallow. - 
* Sifer, 
The nineteenth Booke of’. : 
September, and O&ober and that the plot where they areto grow, fhould béediggédiand dele G 
ved very deepe. This root beginneth to bee good at the firft yeeresend, but better itisif it, be 
two yeers old :howbeit both the one & the other, iscounted holfomer in Autumnethanatany, 
otherfeafon of the yeare, efpecially boiled and fetved up betweene two platters sand yet drefle 
them fo as well as youcan, they will not berid of that ftrong, ranke,-and churlithfmackewhich, 
ithath. As for*Hibifcum, it differeth from the Parfnip aforefaid onely in this, Thavit is/imore 
flender and fmaller: rejeAted alogither from the table, and condemned for no good mearshiow- 
beit medicinable,and ufed much by the Phyfician, A fourth kind there is befides,refembling al. 
fothe Parfnip, which our countreymen the Latinsname the French Parfnip, but the: Greekes 
_Daucus,{7.the yellow Douke or Carot] which they have fubdivided-into foure {peciall forts. 
The* Skirwirt root orwhite Parfnip, (which-indeed wouldbee written-among other Phyficke 
plants) was likewife in great name and credit bythe meane of theforefaid Emperour Tyberivs, - 
who was very earneft to have them yearely brought out of Germanie,and ever he would call for 
_ them at his own table, And indeed about Gelduba (acaftle fituate uponthe river Rherie in Ger- 
& Fnula, 
manie) there was anexcellent kind of them that grew to be paffing faire, from whence heewas 
ferved :whereby itappeareth that this plant loveth coldtegions well. Thefe roors havea ftring 
in manner of a pith or finew,tunning all the length thereof, which thecookeufethto take forth — 
after they bee fodden yet for all that there remaineth ftill.in thema great deale of bitternefle: 
howbeit being well tempered and delaied with a fauce of mead or honyed wine,andfo eaten with 
it,even the fame bitterneffe turneth co a good and pleafanttaft. The greater Parfnip Paftinaca, 
haththe like nerve or ftring aforefaid(fuch only I meaneas areayeareold.) Therightfeafonto , 
fow the Skitwirt or Parfnip Sifer, is in chefe moneths,to wit, Februarie,March, Aprill, Auguft, I 
September, and OGober. 3 7 iat | pac hse 
The*Elecampane hatha root fhorter than the Skitwitts or Parfnips aforefaid,but more muf- 
culous and fuller as it were of brawne ; bittereralfo: in which regards, if itbe taken fimply alone, 
it is adverfe and contrarie to the ftomacke; but joyned and confected with fome {weet things 
among, itis very hole(ome.And many devifes have ben practifed with itto take away thatharfh 
and untoward bitterneffe which it hath, whereby it is become toothfome and pleafantenough : 
for fome there be, who ftampe it drieandforeduce it into.a pouder: then they mix it with fome 
*Cariotis,fome 
read Caricis, 
#. Figs, 
{weet liquid fyrrup, and being thus tempered, ferveit up. Ochers feeth it in water and vinegre 
mingled togither,and fo keep it condite. Infufed alfo itis many waies,andthen afterwardseither 
preferved in cuit, or incorporat with honey in manner of a conferve, or els with driedRaifonsof K 
the Sun, or laft of all with faire and fat Dates. Moreover, divers there be, who after another fort 
makea confection thereof; namely with Quinces,with Sorvifes, or Plums,mixing therwith one 
while Pepper,anotherwhile Thyme. And I affure you this root thus confected (as is beforefaid) 
is fingular good for faintings ; and efpecially quickneth the dulneffe and defect of the ftomacke. 
The Emprefle iia Azgu/ta pafled nota day without eating the Elecampane root thus confe- 
ted andcondite: and thereupon came itto be in fo great name and bruit as it is. The feed therof 
is needlefle and good for nothing: therefore to maintaine and encreafe this plant, gardeners 
ufecommonly to fet the joynts cut from the root, after the order as they doe Reeds and Canes, 
The manner is to plant them as well as Parinips, Skirwirts, and Carots,at both times of Seed- 
nes,to wit,the Spring and the Fall: but there would be a good diftance betweene every feed or - 
plant, atleaft three foot, becaufethey {pread and braunch very much, and therewith take upa 
deale of ground.As forthe Skirwirt or Parfnip Sifer,it will doe the better if it be remoovedand 
replanted. fe a) . 
Itremaineth now to fpeake in the next place of plants,with bulbous or onion rootsand their 
nature, which Cato recommendeth to Gardeners, and hee would have them to beferand fowed 
aboveall others: among which, he moft eftéemeth them of Megara. Howbeit, of all this bul- 
bouskind,the Sea-onyon Squilla is reputed chiefe and principal, notwithftanding there is no 
ufe of it bucin Phyficke, and forto quicken vinegre. As there isnone that groweth witha bigger 
ait 
- head at the roor,{o there isnot any more zgre and biting thanit. Of thefe Sea-onyons, theie 14 
betwokinds medicinable ;the male,with the white leafe ; the female,with the blacke. There is _ 
athird fort alfo of Squille,which is good forto be eaten: the leaves whereof be narrower, and 
notforough and fharp as the other,and this they call Epimenidium., All the fort of thefe Squil- « 
les are plentifull in feed: howbeit they come up fooner if they be fet of clovesor bulbes which 
| : Ne a grow 
