The Place.
They growe naturally in the hot Countries of Barbary, and Ethiopia; yet some report them to be first brought from Peru, a Prouince of the West Indies. Wee onely haue them for curiosity in our Gardens, and for the amorous aspect or beauty of the fruit.
The Time.
They flower in Iuly and August, and their fruit is ripe in the middle or end of September for the most part.
The Names.
The first is named diuersly by diuers Authors; for Lobel, Camerarius, and others, call them Poma amoris. Dodonæus Aurea Mala. Gesnerus first, and Bauhinus after him, make it to be a kinde of Solanum Pomiferum. Anguillara taketh it to be Lycopersicum of Galen. Others thinke it to bee Glaucium of Dioscorides. The last is called Mala Æthiopica parua, and by that title was first sent vnto vs, as if the former were of the same kinde and country. We call them in English, Apples of Loue, Loue-Apples, Golden Apples, or Amorous Apples, and all as much to one purpose as another, more then for their beautifull aspect.
The Vertues.
In the hot Countries where they naturally growe, they are much eaten of the people, to coole and quench the heate and thirst of their hot stomaches. The Apples also boyled, or infused in oyle in the sunne, is thought to be good to cure the itch, assuredly it will allay the heate thereof.