Tr £ b * 1 6. The Theater of ^Plants. C h a p .69. u 
Beefe that is hard, it will thereby become tender and foft, the wilde Figge me, and thetnilke chercofis more 
dfe&uall then that of the manured : if the leaves of the Figge tree be rubbed over the piles, they will open a- 
gaine and bleede: the Figges themfelves are hot and moi(l,and nourilh well, the drytd better then the greene, 
lb they be temperately taken, for the continuall ufe of them breed ill blood,puffe up the body with loofe flefh.and 
caule thorn to become loufie; yztGalen faith that the tifeof Figges and Grapes,in i'isold age.aboveall other fruit 
did him lead harme : if they be eaten while they are frelh and greene, they loofen the belly, but doe fomewhae 
trouble thedomackethe dryed Figges doe heate the ftomacke, and caufe third, yet they nourifh and are good 
for the throate, and arteries, the reignes and bladder, and to regairre a good colour to them that by long ficke- 
nefle have loft it: Figges are one of o-Mitbridatei three ingredient into his antidote, againft both poylon and 
Plague, as you have heard before in Wallnutsand Rue : the decoftion ol Figges, Fiifi'opeand Licoris, is a very 
good Ptifane drinke to helpe an old cough, hoarfenelle and fhortneff: of breach, and all the difeafes of the bred 
andlungs, and isgoodalfo indropftes, and the falling ficknefle, andforthe Quinficalfo, a flit figge tolled and 
held to an aking tooth, doth often eafe the paines; tWo or three Figges flic, and lard all night in are 
very good for thofe that are purfie and fhort winded, to take them in the morning. Figges bruiledand ap- 
plyed with Barley mcale, and the pouther of fenugretke leede doe mollifie the hard tumour s and kernells, und r 
the throate and aares,and elfetvhere, as alfo the hardnefle of the Mother, and if home leaven and (ale be put to 
them,it breakeih Plague (ores,and it may be was the fame He&echi/ts ufed : they arc mixed alfo, not as Pliny hath 
it, withfato id eft flare trie (but with zfln&vS* Culcmth*, that is. Copperae, as “Siofeorides hath the word 
being midaken by "Pliny,) againft the inveterate fores of the legges, aniallocher foulc running ulcers: bcin^ 
boyled in Wine with Wormewood, and rhenappiyedwichbarly tneale, are very profitably applyed to the belly 
of thofe that have a dropfie : and beaten with fait and applyed, takerh away the itch and Icab, and rheafhesalld 
of them being made up into afalve and applyed,healcth kibes,and chilblaines •• the dryed milke of the wild Figge 
tree,as.wcll as the tame doth curdle milke like rennet, and diffolveth it. being curdled, as vinegrr: this milke 
or the juyee taken from the younglancke branches, is moid fit to ufe inwardly agarnfl thepoyforiof § ypfnm, and 
the Pbolmgium Spider, but outwardly applyed it is good for many things, as put into an hollow tooth, ic ca- 
feth the paine, the fame mingled with the juyee of Milliard, and dropped into the eares,eafeth the paines, noife, 
and itch in them, and helpeth the deafenelTc; applyed to a place bitten or Hung, by any mad dogge urvenemous 
creatue, taketh away the paine and danger together: the lame alfo made up with Barley mcale, healetb the 
running fores of the head, and likewife helpeth the Lepry,Morphcw,the white fcutfe.and moifl feabbes, pudies, 
wheales, and all other eruptions in the skinne, or difcolourings in the face: the lye that is made of the branches 
of the wildeor tame Figgetrec, being burnc to afhes, after ic is cleered, is accounted among cauflicke medicines: 
it helpeth running cankers and Gangrenes,and confu-meth Waits and Wennes,by dipping fbme Wood or Spring 
therein, and dayly applying ic thereto, and is fotnecimes dropped into hollow Vlcets, that fret and cteepe," and 
are full of moid humours, for it clenfeth,lodereth,and bringeth up flefh therein, and clofeth up the lippes there¬ 
of, like thole plaifters that are applyed to greene wounds: it is likewife drunke by them chat have the bloody 
flixe and old defluftions; to difperfe alfo the congealed blood in the body, by any bruife or fall, adding thereto 
a little oyle and water,and fo it is taken by them that have either rupture or convulfion. 2 \ucUiiu faith, that if 
a Bull,be he never fo mad,betycd to a Figge tree,he willquickely become tame and gentle: and fume have af¬ 
firmed, that the Figge tree and the Bay.arenotblafled with lightning. The blew figge is no doubt of the fame 
operation with the whiteto all purpofes, but the fruite commech moll to maturity with us,and eaten with great 
pleafiire with fait and Pepper, 
Chap. LXIX. 
Muf**rbor, The Indian Figge or Plantains tree. 
fivers doe make this tree (or plant,whichfoever you pleafe to call it in that it dyeth yearely) one of the 
[ forts of Darts,blit very erronioufly, for it may in my judgement be more true!/ referred to the Figges,' 
fas divet9 others doe,and therefore 1 rhinkc meccell to be joyned unto them, Utifeth up cotheheighth 
of fixe or feven cubits, withadreighc (tenure or flalke, as biege as ones thigh or arme, notwooddyac 
all, but of a foft fubdance, and as it werecompofedof a numterof foulded leaves together, fo that it may eafily 
be cut downe with the blow of a fword, or with a knife, with a pith like marrow Within, not Ipteadingany 
branch at a!!,but compared about with many very large leaves.fouldiaig ihemlelves as they rife, like the leaves 
of tne fiowring Indian Reede; which when they are fpread open at large, are each of them a fathomefoiretimes 
or more,and ufually foure or five foote long,and two i’oote, or fometimes a yard broad, hanging almod quite 
downe,withagrcatthickeribrunningthrough the middle, and not cut in on the edges in anyplace: the lower 
leaves dill falling away being dryed, and broken off with the winde, leaving the demine or dalkc bare, until! ic 
hive actainedunto above a mans height, where itbufheth forth a many the like large leaves, that ate of a darke 
greene colour on the upperfibe, and paler underneath; in the mtdd whereof chrudeth forth a great long bunch of 
flowers; as bigge as an Edridge egge,of a ruffecifh purple colour, divided into many duders,each flower where- minor S' 
of faith one is LHionarcijfo major, foliomm extrema (ubflringens colore phenicena, after which fucceede the fruite fap.-Ud, 
growing in the fame manner in cluders, at feverall fpaces or didances of the great long dalkes, two or three 
hundred many times together,each whereofis long and round, in fome places greater and (mailer then in others, 
fome a fpan long or more (and one fort in the Kingdomeof Conge, is fmaller, but better relinked then theordi- 
nary, yet rare and not to be found but in very few places elfe that lean iearne) fomewhat rcfembling a lmall 
Cowcumber, of a firmer fubdance then a Figge when it is cut, and without any graine or kcrnell within it, ha¬ 
ving a little hollownelfe in the middle, where it may feeme to be parted in twaine, and aie of adatke greenifli 
colour being unripe, butofa whicifh yellow if they befufferedtogrowto the fullmacurity, butmanydcecuc 
them downe before they are through ripe, and either hang them up in their houfes to ripen, or to carry to Sea to 
Jpend afterwards,for bejng gathered ripe, they will not lad long t the outer skinne is to be pared or peeled away 
before 
