L1B.3. Of the Hiftory of Plants. 1521 
height, not pofllble to be climbed vp-, and therefore the Indians for their eafier afcendingvp, at 
fome diftances do tie round about the tree certaine wyths or ropes made of the barkes of trees, as 
maybeperceiuedbythefigure.wherebyveryeafilytheygovp anddowne to gather the fruit at 
their pleafure. The top ofthe tree is diuided into fundry branches, in fubftanceiiketo the great 
cane ; whereupon do grow faire flaggie leaues like thofe of the Palme or Date tree, whereof doubt- 
Icffe this is a wilde kinde : from the bottome of which branches commeth forth fruit in long bun- 
ches like traces of Onions, couered with a foft pulpe like vnto the Wall-nut, rough, and verie full 
ofhaire of a yellowifh colour, and like the dried Date when it is ripe : within which huske is con- 
tained fruit like vnto the Nutmeg, but greater, very hard, and ftriped oner with red and white 
veines, or finues. 
The Place, Time, andNames. 
This Date tree, which the Arabians call Faufel, that is by interpretation, Auellanx Indicate In- 
dian Nut or Filberd, ^iuicen and Serapio call Filfel, and Fufcl. It groweth in the Eall Indies in di- 
uersand fundry places, as in Malauar, where vulgarly it is called Pac • and of the Nobles and Gen- 
tlemen, Areca .-which name is vfed among!! the Portugals which dwell in thofe Indies : in Guza- 
rateand Decan it is called Cupare : inZeilan ,Poaz .- in Malaca, Pinan : in Cochin, Chacani in En- 
glifh, the drunken Date tree, which name we haue coined from his qualitic,becaufe the fruit ma- 
keth thofe drunkc that eate thereof. 
«|J The Temperature, 
■ It is cold and dry in the fecond degree. 
«(j TheVertues. 
The fruit of i^freca before it be ripe is reckoned amongft the ftiipefaftiue or aftonifhing medi- ^ 
cinesjforwhofoeuer eateththereofwaxethdrunke,becaufe it doth exceedingly amafe and afto- 
nifh the fenfes. 
When the Indians are vexed with fome intolerable ache or paine, or mull of neceflitie endure g 
fome great torment or torture, then do they take of this fruit, whereby the rigor of that pain which 
orherwife they fhould feele, is very much mitigated. 
The iuice ofthe fruit of Arecadoth ftrengthen the gums, faften the teeth, comfort the ftomack, g 
flay vomiting and loofeneffe of the belly : it doth alfo purge the body from congealed or clotted 
bloud gathered within the fame. 
Chap. 140. Of thefndian Jfut tree . 
^ The Defcription. 
1 f-r’ He Grecians haue not known, but the Arabians haue mentioned this Indian Nut tree, 
1 the hodv whereof is very great, fmooth and plaine, void of boughes or branches, of a 
greatheight; wherefore the Indians do wrap ropes about the body thereof, as they doe vponthe 
tree laft deferibed, for their more cafe in gathering the fruit : the timber whereof is verie fpongie 
within, but hard without, a matter fit tomake their Canoos and boats of: on the top ofthe tree 
<zrow the leaues like thofe of the Date tree, but broad, and fharpe at the point as thornes, whereof 
They vfeto make needles, bodkins, and fuch like inftruments, wherewith they fow thefailes of 
their (hips, and do fuch like bufinelfe : among thefe leaues come forth clutters of floures like thofe 
ofthe Cheftnut tree, which turne into great fruit of a round forme, and lomwhat fharp atone end ; 
in that end next vnto the tree isone hole, fomtimes twobored through : this Nut or fruit is wrap- 
ped in a couerture, confifting of a fub fiance not vnlike to hempe before it be beaten foft : there is 
alfo a finer and gentler ftuffe next vnto the fhell, like vnto Flax before it be made foft .-inthemid- 
dle whereof is contained a great Nut couered witha very hard fhell, of a browne colour before it 
be polifhed, afterward of a blacke fhining colour like burnifhed home : next vnto the fhell vpon 
the infide there cleaueth a white cornelly fubftance firme and follid.of the colour and tafte of a 
blanched Almond .-within thecauitie orhollownes thereof is contained a moft deleflable liquor 
like vnto milke, and of a moft pleafant tafte. , 
2 We haue ho certaine knowledge from thole that haue trauelled into the Indies, of the tree 
which beareth this little Indian Nut; neither haue we any thing of our owne knowledge, more, 
than that we fee by experience that the fruit hereof is leffer, wherein confifteth the difference. 
$ The other, expre fifed in the fame table with the former, by the name of c Mehenhetheneftufi- 
us receiued it by the fame name from Cortufm of Padua : yet ir doth not (as hee faith) well agree 
with the defetiption ; and he rather approues of their opinion who refer it to the IV«,v vngtientarta, 
Mmmmmm 3 m 
