| 1 | Malua crispa. French Mallowes. |
| 2 | Endiuia. Endiue. |
| 3 | Cichorium. Succory. |
| 4 | Spinachia. Spinach. |
| 5 | Lactuca crispa. Curld Lettice. |
| 6 | Lactuca patula. An open Lettice. |
| 7 | Lactuca capitata vulgaris. Ordinary cabbage Lettice. |
| 8 | Lactuca capitata Romana. The great Romane cabbage Lettice. |
| 9 | Lactuca agueno. Corne Sallet or Lambes Lettice. |
Chap. XXX.
Lactuca. Lettice.
There are so many sorts, and so great diuersitie of Lettice, that I doubt I shall scarce be beleeued of a great many. For I doe in this Chapter reckon vp into you eleauen or twelue differing sorts; some of little vse, others of more, being more common and vulgar; and some that are of excellent vse and seruice, which are more rare, and require more knowledge and care for the ordering of them, as also for their time of spending, as some in the spring, some in summer, others in autumne, and some being whited for the winter. For all these sorts I shall not neede many descriptions, but only shew you which doe cabbage, and which are loose, which of them are great or small, white, greene or red, and which of them beare white seeds, and which of them blacke. And lastly I haue thought good to adde another Sallet herbe, which because it is called Lambes Lettice of many, or Corne Sallet of others, is put in only to fill vp a number in this Chapter, and that I must speake of it, and not that I thinke it to be any of the kindes of Lettice.
All sorts of Lettice, after a while that they haue closed themselues, if they bee of the Cabbage kindes, or otherwise being loose, and neuer closing, send forth from among the middle of their leaues a round stalke (in some greater, in others lesser, according to their kinde) full of leaues like vnto the lower, branching at the toppe into sundry parts, whereon grow diuers small star-like flowers, of a pale yellowish colour; after which come seede, eyther white or blackish, as the plant yeeldeth, whereat hangeth some small peece of a cottony doune, wherewith the whole head is stored, and is carried away with the winde, if it be not gathered in time: the roote is somewhat long and white, with some fibres at it, and perisheth quickely after the seede is ripe.
The Romane red Lettice is the best and greatest of all the rest. For Iohn Tradescante that first, as I thinke, brought it into England, and sowed it, did write vnto mee, that after one of them had been bound and whited, when the refuse was cut away, the rest weighed seuenteene ounces: this hath blacke seede.
The white Romane Lettice is like vnto it, hauing long leaues like a Teasell, it is in goodnesse next vnto the red, but must be whited, that it may eate kindly: the seede hereof is white.
The Virginia Lettice hath single and very broade reddish leaues, and is not of any great regard, and therefore is kept but of a few: it beareth blacke seede.