Chap. LI.
Fabæ & Phaseoli. Garden and French Beanes.
The Garden Beane is of two colours, red or blacke, and white, yet both rise from one; the small or fielde Beanes I make no mention of in this place; but the French or Kidney Beane is almost of infinite sorts and colours: we doe not for all that intend to trouble you in this place, with the knowledge or relation of any more then is fit for a Garden of that nature, that I haue propounded it in the beginning.
Our ordinary Beanes, seruing for foode for the poorer sort for the most part, are planted as well in fieldes as in gardens, because the quantity of them that are spent taketh vp many acres of land to be planted in, and rise vp with one, two or three stalks, according to the fertilitie of the soyle, being smooth and square, higher then any man oftentimes, whereon are set at certaine distances, from the very bottome almost to the toppe, two long smooth fleshy and thicke leaues almost round, one standing by another at the end of a small footestalke: betweene these leaues and the stalke, come forth diuers flowers, all of them looking one way for the most part, which are close a little turned vp at the brimmes, white and spotted with a blackish spot in the middle of them, and somewhat purplish at the foot or bottome, of the forme almost of Broome or Pease flowers, many of which that grow vpward toward the toppe, doe seldome beare fruit, and therefore are gathered to distill, and the toppes of the stalkes cut off, to cause the rest to thriue the better; after which grow vp long great smooth greene pods, greater then in any other kinde of Pulse, which grow blacke when they are ripe, and containe within them two, three or foure Beanes, which are somewhat flat and round, eyther white or reddish, which being full ripe grow blackish: the roote hath diuers fibres annexed vnto the maine roote, which dyeth euery yeare.
The French or Kidney Beane riseth vp at the first but with one stalke, which afterwards diuideth it selfe into many armes or branches, euery one of them being so weak, that without they be sustained with stickes or poles, whereon with their winding and claspers they take hold, they would lye fruitlesse vpon the ground: vpon these branches grow forth at seuerall places long footestalkes, with euery of them three broade, round and pointed greene leaues at the end of them, towards the tops whereof come forth diuers flowers, made like vnto Pease blossomes, of the same colour for the most part that the fruit will be of, that is to say, eyther white, or yellow, or red, or blackish, or of a deepe purple &c. but white is most vsuall for our Garden; after which come long and slender flat pods, some crooked, and some straight, with a string as it were running downe the backe thereof, wherein are contained flattish round fruit, made to the fashion of a kidney: the roote is long, and spreadeth with many fibres annexed vnto it, perishing euery yeare.
The Vse of these Beanes.
The Garden Beanes serue (as I said before) more for the vse of the poore then of the rich: I shall therefore only shew you the order the poore take with them, and leaue curiosity to them that will bestow time vpon them. They are only boyled in faire water and a little salt, and afterwards stewed with some butter, a little vinegar and pepper being put vnto them, and so eaten: or else eaten alone after they are boyled without any other sawce. The water of the blossomes distilled, is vsed to take away spots, and to cleer the skin. The water of the greene huskes or cods is good for the stone.
The Kidney Beanes boyled in water huske and all, onely the ends cut off, and the string taken away, and stewed with butter &c. are esteemed more sauory meate to many mens pallates, then the former, and are a dish more oftentimes at rich mens Tables then at the poore.