The fifteenth Booke of 



an Olive and a Vine5^^Jhich came thither by as mcerc a chauncc^but afterwards well looked and G 

 trimmed by the whole people for to enjoy the pleafure of the ftade thcrof.And there alfo flood 

 an altar, which afterwards was taken awayby occafion of the Iblemne ihewof fword^encers, 

 which Ju/mCaftr late Empcrour,exhibited to doe the people pkafiire^whichwere the laftihat 

 plaied their prices and fought at the fharpe in the faid Forum.To concliide^wonderfull it is to 

 fee, how the fruit ofthis tree maketh haft to ripe: a man would fay that Nature therein flxweth 

 all her skill and force to rip en figs all together at oncCi 



ChAK XIX. 

 ^ of the •Aftld Fig-trees : and 'df difrijicAtm. 



THerc is a kind of wild fig-trees, which the Latines call Caprificusjthat never bringeth any 

 fruit to maturitie : but that which it felfe hath not, it procureth to oihersjand caufcth them 

 to ripen. For fuch is the interchangeable courfe & palFage of caufes in Nature^that as this 

 thing putrifiethjthatengendrcth^and the corruption of one is tiie generation ofanother.By this 

 it comes topaffe^ that the wild fig-tree brcedcth certaine flies or gnats within thefruit thereof : 

 which wanting nourifhmcntj and not having to feed upon in thole figs^ becaufe they become 

 rotten and putrified astheyhanguponthe tree^they flic unto the other kind of gentle and tame 

 fig-trees, whercthey fctde upon the figs^ and greedily nibble thereupon, untiil they have made 

 wayjand pierced into them; and by that means let in at firft the breath of the warme Sunne^ and 

 that comfortable and vegetative aire befidesjthat helpeth to ripen them. Soone after they fucke I 

 up and fpcnd the milkie humor which they find iherCj and which keepeth the figs fli)l as it were 

 in their infancie^and hindereth their fpcedie and timely maturitie.True it is,that the figs in time 

 would ripen of themfelves by the power and bencfite of Nature onely :howbeit, skilfull and in- 

 dufirious husbandmen take order alwaies to fet thefe wild fig-trees near to the place where other 

 fig-trees growjbut with due regardof the wind fide,that when thefbrcfaid gnats breakc forth and 

 are readie to flie out5a blaft of wind might carie them to the other. And hereupon came thede- 

 vife and invention to bring whole fwarmes and cafts of them as they hang one to another, from 

 other places, that they might fettle upon the figs toconfumethe raw moifture within. Now, if 

 the foile be leane and hungrie^and the fig-trees growing thereupon expoled to the North wind, 

 there is no fuch need of this help : for the figs will drie fufliciently ofihemfcivesjby reafon as well K 

 of thefituationof the placc,as the clifts&rilts in them, which will efte£f that which the gnats or 

 files abovenamed might performe.The hke cffed is to be feene alfo where miichduft isjuaniely, 

 if a fig-tree grow neare unto an high w3y,much frequented and travelled by paflTengcrs. For the 

 nature of duft is to drie and foke up the fuperfluous moifture of the milke within figges. And 

 therefore when they are thus dried, whether it be by the meanes of diiftior of the faid flies fee- 

 ding, which is called Capnfication, they fall not from the treefo eafily : by reafon they are' dis- 

 charged of that liquid fub fiance, which maketh them both tender and alfoponderous,weightie, 

 and brittle withall. 



All figges oidinarily arc tender and foft in handling.Thofe which be ripe,have fmall graines 

 lAjithin them : their fucculcnt fubftance befides^when they begin to ripen is white like milke: but ^ 

 when they are perfedly ripe^ic is of the colour of honie.They will hang upon the tree untill they 

 be old: and when they are aged, they yeeld a certaine liquor which diftilleth from them in man- 

 ner of a gum^and then in theend become drie. 



The better fort of figges have this honour and priviIedgc,to be kept in boxes and cafes for 

 the pLirpofe ; and principally thofe that come from the Hie Ebufus, which of all others are the 

 very bcff and largefti yea, and next to them thofe that growintheMarrucinescountrey. But 

 where they are in more plentie,they put them up in great vefTels called Orc^jas namely in Afia: 

 alfo inbarrels and pipes,as at Rliipina,a citie in Barbaric. And in very truth^,the people of thofe 

 countries make thatufeof them whenthey bedrie,thattheyfcrve bothforbread andmeat.For 

 C4/tffetting downc an order for diet and victuals fit and fufficient for labourers, ordained, that M 

 they fhould be cut fhort of their other pittance,when figs are ripe,and make up their full meales 

 with it . And it is not long fince the manner came up, to eat frcfh new figges with fait and 

 pondered meats, in ftead of cheefe. And for to be eaten in this fort, the figges called Co(^3na, 

 (wherof we have written beforehand the dried figs Caricss are commended ; as alfo the Caunea?, 



which 



