The Vse of Figges.
Figges are serued to the table with Raysins of the Sunne, and blanched Almonds, for a Lenten dish.
The Figs that growe with vs when they are ripe, and fresh gathered, are eaten of diuers with a little salt and pepper, as a dainty banquet to entertaine a friend, which seldome passeth without a cup of wine to wash them downe.
In Italy (as I haue beene enformed by diuers Gentlemen that haue liued there to study physicke) they eate them in the same manner, but dare not eate many for feare of a feuer to follow, they doe account them to be such breeders of bloud, and heaters of it likewise.
The Figges that are brought vs from Spaine, are vsed to make Ptisan drinkes, and diuers other things, that are giuen them that haue coughes or colds.
It is one of the ingredients also with Nuts and Rue, into Mithridates counterpoison.
The small Figges that growe with vs, and will not ripen, are preserued by the Comfitmakers, and candid also, to serue as other moist or candid banquetting stuffe.
Chap. VIII.
Sorbus. The Seruice tree.
There are two kindes of Seruice trees that are planted in Orchards with vs, and there is also a wilde kinde like vnto the later of them, with Ashen leaues, found in the woods growing of it selfe, whose fruit is not gathered, nor vsed to bee eaten of any but birds. And there is another kinde also growing wilde abroad in many places, taken by the Country people where it groweth, to be a Seruice tree, and is called in Latine, Aria Theophrasti, whose leaues are large, somewhat like Nut tree leaues, but greene aboue, and grayish vnderneath: some doe vse the fruit as Seruices, and for the same purposes to good effect, yet both of these wilde kindes wee leaue for another worke, and here declare vnto you onely those two sorts are noursed vp in our Orchards.