The peare of Ierusalem, or the stript peare, whose barke while it is young, is as plainly seene to be stript with greene, red, and yellow, as the fruit it selfe is also, and is of a very good taste: being baked also, it is as red as the best Warden, whereof Master William Ward of Essex hath assured mee, who is the chiefe keeper of the Kings Granary at Whitehall.
Hereof likewise there is a wilde kinde no bigger then ones thumbe, and striped in the like manner, but much more.
The Choke peares, and other Wilde peares, both great and small, as they are not to furnish our Orchard, but the Woods, Forrests, Fields, and Hedges, so wee leaue them to their naturall places, and to them that keep them, and make good vse of them.
The Vse of Peares.
The most excellent sorts of Peares, serue (as I said before of Apples) to make an after-course for their masters table, where the goodnesse of his Orchard is tryed. They are dryed also, and so are an excellent repaste, if they be of the best kindes, fit for the purpose.
They are eaten familiarly of all sorts of people, of some for delight, and of others for nourishment, being baked, stewed, or scalded.
The red Warden and the Spanish Warden are reckoned among the most excellent of Peares, either to bake or to roast, for the sicke or for the sound: And indeede, the Quince and the Warden are the two onely fruits are permitted to the sicke, to eate at any time.
Perry, which is the iuyce of Peares pressed out, is a drinke much esteemed as well as Cyder, to be both drunke at home, and carried to the Sea, and found to be of good vse in long voyages.
The Perry made of Choke Peares, notwithstanding the harshnesse, and euill taste, both of the fruit when it is greene, as also of the iuyce when it is new made, doth yet after a few moneths become as milde and pleasant as wine, and will hardly bee knowne by the sight or taste from it: this hath beene found true by often experience; and therefore wee may admire the goodnesse of God, that hath giuen such faculty to so wilde fruits, altogether thought vselesse, to become vsefull, and apply the benefit thereof both to the comfort of our soules and bodies.
For the Physicall properties, if we doe as Galen teacheth vs, in secundo Alimentorum, referre the qualities of Peares to their seuerall tastes, as before he had done in Apples, we shall not neede to make a new worke; those that are harsh and sowre doe coole and binde, sweet do nourish and warme, and those betweene these, to haue middle vertues, answerable to their temperatures, &c.