The fixteenth Booke of 



ptofcffion of our ;aunccftors and prdcccflbiirs, That it is anunlawfullandfliamefulhhingto G 

 fecme for to favc a mans life, in hope of any gainc and profit thereby* 



Ghap. v» 



^ Of Mafi^thirteene kinds, 



MAny nations there be even at this day, and fiich as enjoy peace and know not what warre 

 meancthjwhofc wealth and riches lyeth principally in Maft rycaandelfevvhcrc in time 

 of dearth and for want of other graine, folke ufc to dric their maft, grind it into mcalc, 

 temper it with water, and thereof make dough for bread . Moreover, even at this day through- 

 out Spainc, the manneds to fcrve up acorns and maft lo the table for a fecond fervice : & fwee- ^ 

 ter it is being rolled under the cinders and afhcs^than otherwifc. Over and bcfides,provided it is 

 by an cxpreSc a(5l: andlaw of the twelve tablesin Rome , That a man may gather the maft that 

 fallcth from his owne trees into another mans ground. 



Divers and fundrie forts there be of Maft^ and their difference confittcth in the forme and fa- 

 (hionof thefruit^inthefitcand fituation of the place, in the fcx, and in the taftjfor themsft 

 of the Beech tree is of one figure and making, the Acornc (which is the maft of the Oke) ano- 

 ther ; and the maft of the Holme or Ilex,differeth from them both : yea & in every one of thefe \ 

 kinds, tiiey doe varie onefrom another. Alfojfomcare of trees growing wild ; others more mild 

 and gentlealovingplaceswelltillcd and ordered by husbandrie. Some like the hillie countries, 

 others the champaine and theplaines.Semblably there is maft comming from the male trees 

 there is again that groweth on the female.In like manner,thc rcllifli and taft maketh a difference ^ 

 anddivcrfiiieinmaft. The fweeteftofaIl,is the Beech maft 'AotCornelif^ Alexander rcporteth, 

 That the inhabitants of Chios, when they were ftreightly belcaguerd,enduredthcfiegealong 

 time by the benefit and fubftance onely of tha'maft. We are not able diftin£lly to (pecifie name 

 by namcjihc fundrie forts of maft and the trees which bcare the fame, confidering that in evcric 

 counrrey they alter their names: for wee fee the Robur and the Oke to grow commonly everic 

 where,but the Efculus is not fo rife in all countries. A fourth fort there is of the fame kindjwhich 

 is not knowne ordinarily in moft places of Italy, We will therefore diftinguifb them accordin g 

 to their nature and properties : yea and when need fball rcquire,by their Grecke names alfo. 



Chap. VI. K 



the Ueech mafl^ and other Map : ef Charcsle : and the feeding of Bcgs^ 



THe Beech maft islikQto the kernell of a Cheftnut, enclofed within a three-cornered skin. 

 The leafc of the tree is thin and very light, rcfembling that of the Poplar : it turneth yel* 

 lowpaflingfoonc.Inthemiddlewhereofjforthemoftpart,and in the upper fide, itbrin- 

 '|eth forth a little greeneberjic, pointed fharpe at the top. The maft of Beech, Rats and Mice 

 are much delighted in : marke therefore when there is ftore of that maft, yee fliall have as great 

 cncreafe of thatvermin.It willfeed alfoRercmice orDormiccfat : and the Oufelsor Blackbirds 

 take a great liking thereto,and will flie unto it. Lightly, all trees are more fruitfull one year than £. 

 another, and bcare moft every fecond yearc^ but above all; Beeches keepe this courfe. As tou- 

 ching Maft Cwhicb properly is fo called) it groweth upon the Robur, the common Oke,thc Ef- | 

 cuius, Ccrrus,Ilex,and Corke tree. All kinds of maft are contcined more orlefle,within arough ^ 

 cupj which lieth clofe to the utraoft skin th€reof,&clafpcth it about.The leaves of all thefcmaft 

 trees, except the maft-Holme Ilex^ be heavie, flcfhic, large, waved or indented along die fides, 

 lieitherbe they yellow when they fall^as the Beech leaves arc s-longer alfo or ihorter, according 

 td the divers trees whcrCuporithcy grow* ' -'^^oMro^^^^ . . - ^t' ^v;, 



Of the Ilex or maft-Holme tree, there be twW ;forts.Th6{€ in Italy differ not much in leafc 

 from the Olive, Some Greekes call them Smilaccs, but in other provinces Ac|uifbli2e.Thc maft 

 of Ilex, both the one and the Other^ is fhortcrand ilenderer than of the reft : Homer calleth it ^ 

 Mcylon, by which name he diftinguifheth it fromother maft. The male Holms (menfay)b€arG 

 iib'firuit.thc beft maft and the biggeft,is the Acorne growing upon the common Oke : next to 

 te that ofthcEfculusr-as forthat oftheRobur-ic isbutfeall.The Cerrus carrieth a maft un- 

 plcaifapttothe.cic, and rough to be handled,for clad itis witha cupbefet with fharfe pricks lik^ 

 iivi.'";'i.>i'^ to 



