L I B. j. 
Of the Hiftory of Plants. 
1747 
«j[ The Definition. 
3 A Viccn and Serapio make Nux vomica, and Njtx Mcthel, to be one, whereabout there hath 
/\been much cauelling ; yet the cafe is plaine,ifthe text be true, that the Thorne Apple is 
jYk.v Alet/jcl Ofthe tree that beareth the fruit that is called in {hops Nux vomica, and 
Nux Methelpne haue no certaine knowledge : fome are of opinion, that the fruit is the root ofan 
herbe,and not the nut of a tree : and therefore (incethe cafe among the learned refteth doubtful, we 
leaue the reft that might be faid to a farther confideration.The fruit is rOund,flat,likea little cake, 
of a rulfet ouerwornc colour, fat and firnie,in tafte fweet.and of fuch an oily fubftance,that it is not 
poftible to ftampe it in a mortar to powder ; butwhenitistobevfed,itmuftbegratedor feraped 
with fome inftrument for that purpofe. 
2 There be certaine Nuts brought from the Indies, called purging Nuts, of their qualitie in 
purging grofle and filthie humors, for want of good inftruction from thofe that haue trauelled the 
Indies, we can write nothing of the tree it lelfe : the Nut is fomewhat long,ouall, or in fhape like 
an egge, ofa browne colour : within the (hell is contained a kernell,in tafte fweet,and ofa purging 
facultie. 
% The Place and Time. 
Thcfe Nuts do grow in the delarts of Arabia, and in fome places ofthe Eaft Indies : tve haue no 
certaine knowledge of their fpringing,or time ofmaturitie. 
5J The Names. 
Auiccn affirmeth the vomiting Nut to be of a poifonous qualitie,coId iri the fourth degree, ha- 
uing a ftupifying nature, and bringeth deadly ileepe. 
The Verities. 
Ofthe Phyficall venues ofthe vomittingNuts we tbinkeitnotneceffarie to Write, bccaufe the A 
danger is great, and not to be giuen inward ly,but mixed with other compofitions,and that very cu- 
rioufly by the hands ofa faithfull Apothecarie. 
The pouder of the N ut mixed with fome flefh, and call vnto crowes and other rauenous fovvles, B 
doth kill and fo dull their fences at the leaft,that you may take them with your hands. 
They make alio an excellent fallet, mixed with fome meat or butter, and laied inthegarden C 
where cats vfe to ferape toburie their excrements, fpoyling both the herbes and alfo feeds new 
fowne. 
Chap. ijp. Of diners forts of Indian fruits. 
5f The Kindts. 
T Hefe fruits areof diners forts and kinds, wherof we haue little knowledge, more than the fruits 
themfelues, with the names of fome of them: therefore it fhall fuffice to fet forth vnto your 
view the forme onely, leauing vnto Time, and thofe that fhall fucceed, to write of them at large, 
which in time may know that, that in this time of infancie is vnknowne. 
£ /'"\Vr Authour formerly in this Chapter fet forth diners figures of Indian fruits, and 
I Jamongft the reft Beritinns,Cacao,Cocci Orient ales, Biina,Fcgaras,Citluha,&c.b\.nhe gaue 
but onely threedefcriptions,and thefe either falfeor to no purpofc-whereforc I haue 
omitted them, and in this chapter giuen you moll of thefe fruits which were formerly figured ther- 
in,too-ether with an addition of fundry other out of Clufius his Exorickes, whofe figures 1 haue 
made°vfe of, and here giuen you all thofe which came to my hands though nothing fo many as are 
fet forth in his Exorickes-, neither, if I fhould haue had the figures, vr oukl the fhortneffe of my time 
nor bigneffe ofthe bookc(being already growne to fo large a volume) fetf t mee tohaueinferted 
themjtherefore take in good part thofe I here giue, together with the briefehiftoriesofthem. 
*} T he Defcripi on. 
i 'T - »Hc firft and one ofthe beft knowne of thefe fruits, are the Capita, called ofthe Arabi- 
j an Phyfitions C«^?fe and £luaheh-f>ux of the vulgar ^tahehochtnip in Iaoa where they 
plentifully grow, Career the other Indians, (the Malayans excepftd)call them Cu- 
hdspni, not for that they grow in China, but becaufe the Chinois vfe to buy them in Iaoa and Sun- 
da,and fo carry them to the other ports oflndia. Thepianc which carries this fruit hath leaues 
