Blites are vsed but in some places, for there is a generall opinion held of them, that they are naught for the eyes: they are sowne euery yeare of seede.
Bloodwort once sowne abideth many yeares, if the extremity of the frosts kill it not, and seedeth plentifully.
Patience is of the same nature, and vsed in the same manner.
French Mallowes are to be sowne of seede, and will come of it owne sowing, if it be suffered to shed it selfe.
Ciues are planted onely by parting the rootes; for it neuer giueth any seede at all.
Garlicke is ordered in the same manner, by parting and planting the rootes euerie yeare.
These be all the sorts are vsed with vs for that purpose, whereas I said before, none vseth all, but euery one will vse those they like best: and so much shall suffice for pot-herbes.
Chap. VI.
The manner and ordering of many sorts of herbes and rootes for Sallets.
If I should set downe all the sorts of herbes that are vsually gathered for Sallets, I should not onely speake of Garden herbes, but of many herbes, &c. that growe wilde in the fields, or else be but weedes in a Garden; for the vsuall manner with many, is to take the young buds and leaues of euery thing almost that groweth, as well in the Garden as in the Fields, and put them all together, that the taste of the one may amend the rellish of the other: But I will only shew you those that are sown or planted in gardens for that purpose. Asparagus is a principall & delectable Sallet herbe, whose young shootes when they are a good handfull high aboue the ground, are cut an inch within the ground, which being boyled, are eaten with a little vinegar and butter, as a Sallet of great delight. Their ordering with the best Gardiners is on this wise: When you haue prouided seede of the best kinde, you must sowe it either before Christmas, as most doe, or before the end of February; the later you sowe, the later and the more hardly will they spring: after they are growne vp, they are to be transplanted in Autumne on a bed well trenched in with dung; for else they will not bee worth your labour, and set about a foote distance in sunder, and looke that the more carefull you are in the replanting of them, the better they will thriue, and the sooner growe great: after fiue or six yeares standing they vsually doe decay; and therefore they that striue to haue continually faire and great heads, doe from seede raise vp young for their store. You must likewise see that you cut not your heads or young shoote too nigh, or too much, that is, to take away too many heads from a roote, but to leaue a sufficient number vncut, otherwise it will kill the heart of your rootes the sooner, causing them to dye, or to giue very small heads or shootes; for you may well consider with your selfe, that if the roote haue not head enough left it aboue the ground to shoote greene this yeare, it will not, nor cannot prosper vnder ground to giue encrease the next yeare. The ordering of Lettice I haue spoken of before, and shall not neede here to repeate what hath beene already said, but referre you thereunto for the sowing, planting, &c. onely I will here shew you the manner of ordering them for Sallets. There are some sorts of Lettice that growe very great, and close their heads, which are called Cabbage Lettice, both ordinary and extraordinary, and there are other sorts of great Lettice that are open, and close not, or cabbage not at all, which yet are of an excellent kinde, if they be vsed after that especiall manner is fit for them, which is, That when they are planted (for after they are sowne, they must be transplanted) of a reasonable distance in sunder, and growne to be of some bignesse, euery one of them must bee tyed together with bast or thread toward the toppes of the leaues, that by this meanes all the inner leaues may growe whitish, which then are to be cut vp and vsed: for the keeping of the leaues close doth make them taste delicately, and to bee very tender. And these sorts of Lettice for the most part are spent after Summer is past, when other Lettice are not to be had. Lambes Lettice or Corne Sallet is an herbe, which abiding all Winter, is the first Sallet herbe of the yeare that is vsed before any ordinarie Lettice is ready; it is therefore vsually sowne in August, when the seede thereof is ripe. Purslane is a Summer Sallet herbe, and is to be sowne in the Spring, yet somewhat late, because it is tender, and ioyeth in warmth; and therefore diuers haue sowne it vpon those beddes of dung, whereon they noursed vp their Cowcumbers, &c. after they are taken away, which being well and often watered, hath yeelded Sallet vntill the end of the yeare. Spinach is sowne in the Spring, of all for the most part that vse it, but yet if it be sowne in Summer it will abide greene all the Winter, and then seedeth quickly: it is a Sallet that hath little or no taste at all therein, like as Lettice and Purslane, and therefore Cookes know how to make many a good dish of meate with it, by putting Sugar and Spice thereto. Coleworts are of diuers kinds, and although some of them are wholly spent among the poorer sort of people, yet some kindes of them may be dressed and ordered as may delight a curious palate, which is, that being boyled tender, the middle ribs are taken cold, and laid in dishes, and vinegar and oyle poured thereon, and so eaten. Coleflowers are to be had in this Countrey but very seldome, for that it is harde to meete with good seede: it must bee sowne on beds of dung to force it forward, or else it would perish with the frost before it had giuen his head of flowers, and transplanted into verie good and rich ground, lest you lose the benefit of your labours. Endiue is of two sorts, the ordinary, and another that hath the edges of the leaues curld or crumpled; it is to be whited, to make it the more dainty Sallet, which is vsually done in this manner: After they are grown to some reasonable greatnesse (but in any case before they shoote forth a stalke in the midst for seede) they are to be taken vp, and the rootes being cut away, lay them to dry or wither for three or foure houres, and then bury them in sand, so as none of them lye one vpon another, or if you can, one to touch another, which by this meanes will change whitish, and thereby become verie tender, and is a Sallet both for Autumne and Winter. Succorie is vsed by some in the same manner, but because it is more bitter then Endiue, it is not so generally vsed, or rather vsed but of a verie few: and whereas Endiue will seede the same yeare it is sowne, and then dye, Succorie abideth manie yeares, the bitternesse thereof causing it to be more Physicall to open obstructions; and therefore the flowers pickled vp, as diuers other flowers are vsed to be now adaies, make a delicate Sallet at all times when there is occasion to vse them. Of red Beetes, the rootes are onely vsed both boyled and eaten cold with vinegar and oyle, and is also vsed to trimme vp or garnish forth manie sorts of dishes of meate: the seede of the best kinde will not abide good with vs aboue three yeares, but will degenerate and growe worse; and therefore those that delight therein must be curious, to be prouided from beyond Sea, that they may haue such as will giue delight. Sorrell is an herbe so common, and the vse so well knowne, both for sawce, and to season broths and meates for the sound as well as sicke persons, that I shall not neede to say anie more thereof. Cheruill is a Sallet herbe of much vse, both with French and Dutch, who doe much more delight in herbes of stronger taste then the English doe: it is sowne early, and vsed but a while, because it quickly runneth vp to seede. Sweete Cheruill,or as some call it, Sweete Cis, is so like in taste vnto Anise seede, that it much delighteth the taste among other herbes in a Sallet: the seede is long, thicke, blacke, and cornered, and must be sowne in the end of Autumne, that it may lye in the ground all the Winter, and then it will shoote out in the Spring, or else if it be sowne in the Spring, it will not spring vp that yeare vntill the next: the leaues (as I said before) are vsed among other herbes: the rootes likewise are not onely cordiall, but also held to be preseruatiue against the Plague, either greene, dryed, or preserued with sugar. Rampion rootes are a kinde of Sallet with a great many, being boyled tender, and eaten cold with vinegar and pepper. Cresses is an herbe of easie and quick growth, and while it is young eaten eyther alone, or with parsley and other herbes: it is of a strong taste to them that are not accustomed thereunto, but it is much vsed of strangers. Rocket is of the same nature and qualitie, but somewhat stronger in taste: they are both sowen in the Spring, and rise, seede and dye the same yeare. Tarragon is an herbe of as strong a taste as eyther Rocket or Cresses, it abideth and dyeth not euery yeare, nor yet giueth ripe seede (as far as euer could bee found with vs) any yeare, but maketh sufficient increase within the ground, spreading his roots all abroad a great way off. Mustard is a common sawce both with fish and flesh, and the seede thereof (and no part of the plant besides) is well knowne how to be vsed being grownded, as euery one I thinke knoweth. The rootes of horse Radish likewise beeing grownd like Mustard, is vsed both of strangers and our owne nation, as sawce for fish. Tansie is of great vse, almost with all manner of persons in the Spring of the yeare: it is more vsually planted of the rootes then otherwise; for in that the rootes spread far and neere they may be easily taken away, without any hurt to the rest of the rootes. Burnet, although it be more vsed in wine in the Summer time then any way else, yet it is likewise made a sallet herbe with many, to amend the harm or weak rellish of some other herbs. Skirrets are better to be sowen of the seed then planted from the roots, and will come on more speedily, and be fairer rootes: they are as often eaten cold as a Sallet, being boyled and the pith taken out, as stewed with butter and eaten warme. Let not Parsley and Fenell be forgotten among your other Sallet herbes, whereof I haue spoken before, and therefore need say no more of them. The flowers of Marigolds pickt cleane from the heads, and pickled vp against winter, make an excellent Sallet when no flowers are to be had in a garden. Cloue Gilloflowers likewise preserued or pickled vp in the same manner (which is stratum super stratum, a lay of flowers, and then strawed ouer with fine dry and poudered Sugar, and so lay after lay strawed ouer, vntill the pot bee full you meane to keepe them in, and after filled vp or couered ouer with vinegar) make a Sallet now adayes in the highest esteeme with Gentles and Ladies of the greatest note: the planting and ordering of them both is spoken of seuerally in their proper places. Goates bearde that groweth in Gardens only, as well as that which groweth wilde in Medowes, &c. bearing a yellow flower, are vsed as a Sallet, the rootes beeing boyled and pared are eaten cold with vinegar, oyle and pepper; or else stewed with butter and eaten warme as Skirrets, Parsneps &c. And thus haue you here set downe all those most vsuall Sallets are vsed in this Kingdome: I say the most vsuall, or that are noursed vp in Gardens; for I know there are some other wilde herbes and rootes, as Dandelion &c. but they are vsed onely of strangers, and of those whose curiositie searcheth out the whole worke of nature to satisfie their desires.