* Mh'me cUod 

 mirtrmtruvis, 

 Ochcr^: (^iQin- 



Plioics Natural! Hiftorie. 



A culiartaftof the ownefubftancejasthe Myrtle.-foritcametha feveralltaftbyit felfe, procee- 

 dingfrom a certain kindjiDild^and gentle nature, which cannot truly be called either fweer, fat- 

 tie, or pleafant, if we would fpeakeprecifely. Laft of all, water hath no taft at all of any juice or li- 

 quor whatfoevcr^ and yet therein is a flat taft by it felfe, which is called wateriili , that nothing 

 els befides hath : for if a man doe taft in water a rcllifh of any fap or licjuor, it is reputed for a bad 

 ^ and naughtie water. 



Furthermore, a great and principal! matter of allthefe tafts,Iyeth inthefavourandfinelh 

 which is connaturall untcyfc taft, and hath a great affinitie with it : and yet in water , is neither 

 oneorothettobepcrcei\lPorif any be felt either by tongue or nofejitisfaukiejthat is certain » 

 Finally 3 a wonderful! thing it is to confider,that the three p rincipall Elements whereofthe world 



B is mad'cj namely jWaterjAire^and Fircj ibould have no taft, no favourpor participation of any 

 fap and liquor at all. 



Chap* xxviii. 



The iujce and fip of Fniits and Trees : their colours and odours : the nature of 

 Applesyand fuch fift Fruits: and the fingukr commen- 

 dation of all Fruits, 



TO begin withalljThePearejthe Mulberrie.and the Myrtle-berrie, have a juice or fap with- 

 in thcmjrefembling wine 5 ^ no marveile thenjOfGrapeSjifthey have the like.OliveSjBay- 

 C berrieSjWaliluts^and Almondsjhave a fattie liquor in them.TheGrapCjtheFigjand the ^.^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

 Date,carie a fweet juice with them. Plums have a wateriili taft. 



There is no final! difference in thecolour alfo that the juice of fruits doe beare: Mulberries, mmc(q:sodj7}U 

 Cherries, and Corneilsjiave a fanguine and bloudie liquor : fo have the blacke grapes i^}^^^^ '^!!'^^^''"^ 

 of the white grapes, is likewife white. The juice of Figs toward the head or necke of the fruir, is whereas in 

 white like milke 3 but of another colourinalhhebodiebeiides. In Apples, it is innvmnerof a g^'^"Jf|J^J^_ 

 froth or fome : in Peaches,of no colour 5 and ye t the Duracinaof that kind^ be fui! of iiquor 5 but ^l^^ ,[,^,^ is ' 

 who was ever able to fay, what colour it was of? , nonduch. 



The odour and favour likewife of fruitSjis as ftt aiinge and admirable : for the fmell of Apples 

 isfbarpe andpiercing; ofPeaches,weakeandwateri{h.Asforfwestfruics,they havcnoneac all: 

 D for verily we fee,that fweet wines likewife have little or no fmel!, whereas the fmall and thin arc 

 more odoriferous: and all things in like manner of a fubtill fubftance , doe a&ct the n'ofthrils 

 moie,thanthethickeandgrofierdoe:forwhatfoeveris fweetinfent, is not by and bypleafant 

 and delicat in taft ; for fent & fmack are not alwaies of like Ibrt : which is the reafon that Pome- 

 citrons have a moft piercing and quicke favor, whereas in relluli they are rough and harfn : and 

 fo it fareth in fome fort with Quinces. As for Figs , they have not any odor. And thus much may 

 fuffee in general!, for the fjndry kinds and forts of fruits which are to be eaten : it remaineth 

 now to fearch more narrowly into their nature. 



To begin then with thofe that are enclofed widiin cods or husks : ye fhall have fomepf thefe 

 cods to be fweet, and the fruit or feed contained within, bitter: and coptrariwife , many of thole 

 E graines or feeds are pleafant and toochfomeenoughjbuteaten with the huskes, they beeftarke 

 naught and ioathfome. j t n n. 



As louchingberriesjthere be that have their ftone or woodie fubftance withm^and the flelhy 

 pulpe without, as 01ives,and Cherries :and there bee againe,that within the laid woodie ftone 

 have the carnofitie of the berry, as fome fruits in jEgypt, whereof wee have alreadie written . As 

 for berries carnous wi thourforth, and pulpous fruits called Apples, they be ofone nature.Some 

 havetheir meatwitliin,&:t!ieir woodie lubftance without, as nuts :others5their carnofitie with- , 

 out, and their ftone within, as Peaches and Plums. So that in them we may fay, That the faiiltie 

 fuperfluitie is environed with thegood fruit, whereas fruit otherwile is ordinanly defended by 

 the faid imperfedion ofthe (hell. Walnuts and Filberds are enclofed with a tliell : Ciieftnnts be 

 F contained under a tough rindawhich muft be pulled off before they be eaten whereas in Med- 

 lars, the carnofitie and it be eaten togitlier. Acornes,anda!i forts of maft^beclad withacruft; 

 Grapes with a skin, Pomegranats with a rind and athin pannicleorskin befides. Mulberries doe 

 confiftof a flefliie fubftance and a liquor. Cherries, ofa skin & a liquid juice.Some fruits there 

 be the fubftance whereof will foon part from their woodie ihellwithoutaor ftone within, as nuts 



