Tribe 16. The Theater of Ttant-s. Chap.^o. 1497 
i Srajpli c»\l the tree PAyeoBerr,and the ItmK B acova,Oviedw and Ecojla call It fUtaxm, lor what cattle is not 
I knowne, unleffe the largenefle of the leaves enforced that title, but from thence I thinke hath rifen the name of 
I Piancaines, whereby our Sngliflj in all places call them by. The Italians,Spaniards t French,2,nd others follow the 
1 Latine name Lfttuf, a,and fo would J it fhould be called,or the Indian dulterfigge, to dillinguidi it from the other 
1 lorts of Figges, that they be not confounded, but not Adams Apple as Gerard doth, from the fu'perltitious coti- 
: ceits of Erecardor others, for wee might as well follow that foolifh Francifcam that would tranferre it to the 
1 Mufcs.as gratefull to them. The Portugal have a conceit, that if this fruite be cuteither thwart or aflope,there 
I will appeare the forme of a croffe therein, and therefore they will not cutaiiy, but breaketbem all that they 
) eate, which vaine conceit it is likel y they have taken from the Martmite Chriftians,as Lm/cbten laith. 
The Virtues, 
It is generally held that no man ever tookeharme by eating the fruite hereof,ontly by the much eating of them 
1 they have become loofe and foluble in their bodice, but thatthey comfort the heart and retrefh the (pint.: they 
1 are alfo good torcoughes.and hoarfcneflc.and tolenifiethe fharpeneffe of humours, delcendmg on the lungs-, it 
i is alfo profitable for thole whole urine is hot and (harpe.and to provoke it being (topped, flirriiig up alio bodily 
I lull: but they that have any feavei or ague muft forbeare them, but are good for women with childe tonourifli 
1 the birth : although this may feemeto be fomewhathard of digeilion to vveake bodyes and flomackcs, yet to 
I flirting and able perfons it is not fo : the fruite being cut in the middle long wie, anddryed in theSun istheii 
1 more delicate then a Figge; being baked in an oven, itisnoleifepleafantorbbyledinbtoth, yet it will nota- 
1 bide any long boyling. The leaves being foft are commended to cooiefuch as (ball lye upon them, and keepe 
I them temperate in the great heatesi fomc alfo with good effedl apply the juyee ot the leaves to places burnt with 
1 fire. 
Chap. LXX. 
ficut Indicw Jpipofur. The prickely Indian Figge. 
S i E have obferved two forts of this Indian Figge, the or.c greater, net to be preferred a Winter in our 
l Country without a great deale of care and convemency forir, the other le Her, abiding reafonable well 
^ with us ; they that fet forth the Pcrr/Aw Hillary, doe fay that there i: two forts of wiide, one bearing 
no fruite, and another fo prickely, thacitfervethto noulc, befidcs tbemanuted which bcareth the 
gratne, but with thefe I mult declare the breeding of the Cochenike, which is that graine which the Dyers ufc, 
1 andisiaidtobegatheredfromofthefeplantsjoroneofthem. 
i , Ficui Indicw fjiinofns major. Thc.grearerlndian Figge. 
This greater Indian Figge growerh in lome parts of the Welt Indiesto.havea body or trunke asbigge as ones 
arme or thigh, ana from thence (hooteth forth his leaves, blit in other places, it croweth from a leaf: firfl fei: 
into the ground, and there {hooting 
: forth rootes,and others riling out there- C 1, inditajpinofi major vel minor. The greater or ltfTcr prickely Indian Fi'-gc. 
1 of on all fide s, and others out of them; 
and fo one out of another, being for* 
1 med into branches of fuch leaves, like 
unto branches of other trees, cadi of 
thefe leaves are very large,and as thicke 
as ones hand, and larger in many, befet 
i w ith final! fiiarpe, and fomewhatlong 
white prickesor thornes; dangerous if 
undadvil'edly they be handled, but in 
Europe they are nor fo thicke let, nor 
fo fliarpe but in many places of the 
leaves,the knots or places where they 
flood are void: the flowers come forth 
atthetoppeofth: fruite, which is at 
the firfl like untoaicale it felfc, and 
breake out on the fide of the greater 
1 eaves fomctimes,as well as on the tops 
compofedofeightor twelve pale yel¬ 
lowleaves, fetin adouble row with 
certainejeilow threds tipt with red in 
the middle: afterthe flower is withe¬ 
red, yet (fill abiding on the head of the 
fruice, it groweth greater and ibeweth 
it felfe to be long, and rounder then the 
leaves,and flatter at the head, and like 
unto a Figge, which fruite alfo'is ar¬ 
med with prickes as well as the leaves, 
andii whitifh, which is taken to be the 
better .or of a reddifil or yellowifh co¬ 
lour on the out fide, or greenifli and 
very red within, full of a watery fub- 
flance,tailing fweere and pleafant, with 
diverfe feedes therein, and by eating 
Mram mmtn 
