f K :J 
1X4. 
Experiments 
in Confort, 
touching the 
Maying Herbs 
2nd Fruits 
MedxinabJe. 
4 99 
J°o 
fhQaturall Hijiorj: 
fee whether the Seeds will fprout, and the Earth become more Mold:, and jf 
the Spunge more dry. The Experiment formerly mentioned of the Cucum - ' 
ber, creeping to the Pot of Water, is farre ftranger than this. 
T He altering ofthe Sent, Colour,or Tdfte of Fruit, by Infufing,Mixing, 
or Letting into the Barke, or Root of the Tree, Herbe, or Flower, any 
Coloured, Aromaticall, or MedicinalL Subdance - are but Fancier. The C.auje 
is, for that thole Things haue palled their Period, andnouriih not. And 
all Alteration of Vegetables, in thofe Qualities, mutt bee by fomewhat 
that is apt togoe into the Nourifhment of the Plant. But this is true $ 
that where Kine feed vpon rnlde Garlicke, their Milke tafteth plainely of 
the Garlicke • And the Flefh of Muttons is better tatted where the Sheepe 
feed vpon Wilde Thyme, and other wholefome Herbs. Galen alfo fpeakerh 
of the Curing of the Scirrus of the Liuer, bv Milke of a Cow , that fee- 
deth but vpon certaine Herbs An d Honey in Spaine Imelleth (apparent¬ 
ly) of the Rofe-Mary, or Orenge, from whence the B^gatherethi:: And 
there is an oldTradition ofa Mayden that was fed with Napellm • (which 
is counted theftrongeft Poyfonof ail Vegetables ;) which with vfe did 
not hurtthe Maid, but poiloned fomethat hadCarnali Company with 
her. So it is obferuedbyfome, that there is avertuous Eezoar, and ano¬ 
ther without vertue j which appeare to the Ihew alike $ But the Versi¬ 
ons is taken from the Bcaft, that feedeth vpon theMountaincs, where 
there are Theriacall Herbs ; And that without Vertue, from thofe that 
feed in the Valleyes, where no fuch Herbs are. Thus farre I am of Opi¬ 
nion 5 That as Steeped Wines and Beeres, are very Me die mall-, and like- 
wifeBread tempered with diuers Powders , $0 of Meat alfo (as Flefh, 
Fifh, Milke , andlEggw,) that they may bee made of great vfe for Medi¬ 
cine, and Diet, if the Beajls, Foule, or Fifh, befedwith a fpeciall kinde of 
food fit for the Difeafe. It were a dangerous Thing alfo for fecret Em- 
poyfonments. But whether it may bee applied vnto Plants, an d Herbs, I 
doubt more 5 Becaufe the Nourifhment of them is a more common 
Iuyce • which is hardly capable of any fpeciall Quality, vatilithe Plant 
doeaffimilate it. 
Bwtlett our Incredulity may preiudice any profitable Operations in 
this kinde, (efpccially ttnee Many of the Ancients haue fer them downe,) 
We thinke good briefly to propound the foure Meanes, which they haue 
detiifed of Making Plants Mcdicinable. The Firtt is by -Slitting of the 
Root, and Infufing into it the Medicine • As Hellebore, Of urn, Scuwmony, 
Triacle, &c. And then binding it vp againe. This feemeth to me the leatt 
probable • Becaufe the Root draweth immediately from the Earth ; And 
fothe Nourifhment is the more Common, and lelfe Qualified : And 
befidesitisa longtime in Going vp, ere it come to the Fruit. The Se¬ 
cond way is, to Perforate the Body of the Tree, and there to Infufe the 
Medicine : Which is fomewhat better : For if any Vertue be rcceiued. 
from the Medicine, it hath the Idle way, and the lelfe time, togoe vp. 
The Third is, the Steeping of the Seedot Kernell in fome Liquor, where - 
v 
