The Cjarden of plea) ant Flmen, 
reddidi on the outdde, and containing within it a bioudy red clammy iuyce , making 
the vrinc of them that cate of them as red as bloud, which many feeing, wcre’in doubt 
of thcmfelues, left their vrine were not very bloud • of what fweetneife, likeafigge 
in the naturali places, lamnptweli alfurcd, yetaffirmed: butthofethathauebeene 
brought vnto me, whofe colour on the outfide was greenifli, were of a reddidr purple 
within, and contained within them round, fmall,hardfeede, the tafte was flat, wate- 
ri(h,or infipide : the roote js neither great, nor difperfeth it felfe very deepe or farre, 
but (hooteth many (mail rootes vndcr the vpper cruft of the earth. 
T here is a greater kinde hereof, whofe leaues are twice or thrice as bigge, vyhickha- 
uing been often brought vs , will fcldome abide morethen one Summer with vs, our 
Winters ahvaies rotting the leaues, that it could not be longer kept. 
TIM 
The Place. 
This Indian Figgetreegroweth difperfedly in many places of Ame- 
rica, generally called the Weft Indies: The greater kinde in the more re- 
mote and hot Countries, as Mexico, Florida, &c. and in the Bermudas or 
Summer Iflands, from whence wee haueoften had it. Theleflcrin Virgi- 
nia, and thofe other Countries that are nearer vnto vs, which better endu- 
rethwithvs. 
The Time. < . -acL* 
It flowreth with vs fomerimes in May, or Iunc 5 but (as I faid) the fruit ne- 
ucr coiamethto perfciftion in this Country. 
The Names. 
Diuers doe take it to bee Of unfit Vliny , whereof hec fpeaketh in the 2 1. 
Booke and 17. Chapterofhis Naturali Hiftory : but he there faith , Ofnn- 
r/'aisan herbe, fweete and pleafant to be eaten, and that it is a wonder that 
the roote (liould come from the leafe, and fo to gro we j which words al- 
though they defeipher out the manner of thegrowing of this plant, yet be- 
caufe this is a kinde of tree, and not an herbe, nor to be eaten , it cannot bee 
the fame : but efpecially becaufe there is an herbe which groweth in the 
fame manner, or very neare vnto it, one leafe (landing on the toppe or fide 
of another, being a Sea plant, fit to be eaten with vinegar and oyle (as many 
other herbes are that growc in the fait marlhes, or neare the Sea, whereof 
Sea Purflane is one) which Clufius calleth tycbtn Mtr'mus , and (as Cludus 
faith) Cortufus very fitly called Opunfit mtrint, and out of doubt is the vc- 
rie fame Of unfit that Theophraftusmaketh mention of, and Plinic out of 
him. Our Englilh people in Virginia , and the Bermuda Ifland, where it 
groweth plentifully .becaufe of the form ofthe fruit, which is fomewhat like 
to a Peare, & not being fo familiarly acquainted with the growing of Figs, 
fent it vnto vs by the name of the prickly Peare, from which name many 
haue fuppofed it to be a Peare indeede, but were therein decciued. 
TheVertues. 
There is no other efpeciall property giuen hereunto, by any that haue 
written of the Weftlndies, thenof the colouring of the vrine, as is be- 
fore laid. 
^ IS A 
09 
