9i8 
Of the Hiftorie of Plants. 
L 
l B. 2. 
trailing branches, whereon are fet broad leaues (lightly indented about the edges, not diuidedat 
all, as are all the reft of the Melons. The fruite groweth neerevnto the ftalke, like vnto the com- 
mon Pompion, very long, not crefted or furrowed at all , but fpotted with very many fuch markes 
as are on the backefide of the Harts-tongue leafe. The pulpe or meate is not fo pleaiing in tafte as 
the other. 
T he Place. 
They delight in hot regions, notwithftanding I haue feen at the Queenes houfe at Saint lames 
very many of the firft fort ripe, through the diligent and curious nourifhing ofthem by a skilful! 
G entleman the keeper of the faid houfe,callcd W. Towle ,and in other places neere vnto the right 
Honorable the Lord of Sujfex houfe, of Bermondfey by London,where !rom yeere to yeere there is 
very great plenty, efpecially if the weather be any thing temperate. 
1 The Time. 
They are fet or fowne 'in Aprill as I haue already fhewne in the chapter of Cucumbe rs : their 
fruite is ripe in the end of Auguft.and fometimes fooner. 
The Names. 
The Muske Melon is called in Latine, Melo : in Italian, Mellont : in Spanifh , Melon ■ in French, 
Melons in High Dutch, g^ClatUt : in low Dutch, Sl^elOCneH : in Grceke,^*, which doth fignifie 
an apple ; and therefore this kinde of Cucumber is more truely called ^w^-or CMelopepon by 
reafonthat Pcpo hath the fmellofan apple, whereto the fmell of this fruit is like ; hauing withal! 
the fmell as it were of Muske : which for that caufeare alfo named Meloncs Mufchatellivi , or 
Muske Melons. 
The Temp er at tire . 
The meate of the Muske Melon, is very cold and moift. 
^y The Vert ues. 
It is harder of digeftion than is any of the reft of Cucumbers : and if it remaine long in the fto- 
mackeisputrifieth,andisoccafionof peftilent feuers : which thing alfo i^Actim witnelfeth in 
the firft bopke of his Tetrabihles , writing that the vfe of Cucumeres, or Cucumbers, breedeth pefti- 
lent feauers • for he alfo taketh Cucumis to be that which is commonly called a Melon : which is 
vfually eaten of the Italians and Spaniards rather to reprefie the rage of lull, than for any other 
' Phyficall vertue. 
I> The feed is of like operation with that of the former Cucumber. 
Chap. 34?. Of <S\ / f cions, or Tampions. 
^y The Kinder . 
'T'Herebe found diners kindes of Pompions which differ cither in bigneffe or forme: it fhall be 
-*■ therefore fufticient to deferibe fome one or two of them, and referre the reft vnto the view of 
the figures, which moft lately do cxprelfe their differences : cfpecially bccaufe this volume wax- 
cth great, the defeription of no moment, and I haften to an end. 
The Defeription. 
1 , T - 'The great Pompion bringeth forth thickeand rough prickly ftalkes, which with their 
A clafpingtendrells take hold vpon fuch things as are neerevnto them, as poles, arbours, 
pales, and ledges, which vnlelfe they were neere vnto them would creepe along vpon the ground ; 
the leaues be wilde,and great, very rough, and cut with certaine deepe gafhes, nicked alfo on the 
edges like a favv ; the floures be very great like vnto a bell cup, of a yellow colour like gold, hauing 
flue corners (landing out like teeth : rhe fruite is great, thicke, round, fet with tbickeribbes,likc 
edges flicking forth. The pulpe or meate whereof which is next vnder the rinde is white, and of 
a meanehardneflerthc pith or fubftance in the middle is fpungie, and flimie : the feed is great, 
broad, flat, fomething white, much greater than that ofthe Cucumber, otherwife not differing at 
all in forme. The colour ofthe barke or rinde is oftentimes ofan obfeure greene, fometimes gray. 
Therinde of the greene Pompion is harder, and as it were ofa woody fubftance : the rinde of the 
gray is fofter and tenderer. 
2 The fecond kinde of Melons or Pompions is like vnto the former in ftalkes and leaues, and 
alfo in clafpingtendrels : but the gafhes ofthe leaues are not fo deepe, and the ftalkes be tende- 
rer: the floures are in like manner'yellow, gaping, and cornered at the top,as be thofe ofthe former: 
but the fruite is fomewhat rounder -fometimes greater, and many times lefier : and oftentimes 
of 
