_Mullin_, with the white Flower.[261]
_Q._ What became of the influence of those Planets that produce and
govern these Plants before this time!
I have now done with such Plants as grow wild in the Country in great
plenty, (although I have not mentioned all) I shall now in the Fifth
place give you to under{87}stand what _English_ Herbs we have growing
in our Gardens that prosper there as well as in their proper Soil,
and of such as do not, and also of such as will not grow there at all.
5. _Of such Garden Herbs (amongst us) as do thrive there, and of such
as do not._[262]
_Cabbidge_ growes there exceeding well.
_Lettice._
_Sorrel._
_Parsley._
_Marygold._
_French Mallowes._
_Chervel._
_Burnet._
_Winter Savory._
_Summer Savory._
_Time._
_Sage._
_Carrats._
_Parsnips_ of a prodigious size.
_Red Beetes._
{88} _Radishes._
_Turnips._
_Purslain._[263]
_Wheat._[264]
_Rye._
_Barley_, which commonly degenerates into _Oats_.
_Oats._
_Pease_ of all sorts, and the best in the World; I never heard of,
nor did see in eight Years time, one Worm eaten Pea.
_Garden Beans._[265]
_Naked Oats_,[266] there called _Silpee_, an excellent grain used
insteed of Oat Meal, they dry it in an Oven, or in a Pan upon the
fire, then beat it small in a Morter.
_Another standing Dish in New-England._
And when the Milk is ready to boil, they put into a pottle of Milk
about ten or twelve spoonfuls of this Meal, so boil it leasurely,
stirring of it every foot, least it burn too; when it is almost
boiled enough, they hang the Kettle up higher, and let it stew only,
in short time it will thicken like a Custard; they season it {89}
with a little Sugar and Spice, and so serve it to the Table in deep
Basons, and it is altogether as good as a White-pot.
_For People weakned with long Sickness._
It exceedingly nourisheth and strengthens people weakned with long
Sickness.
Sometimes they make Water Gruel with it, and sometimes thicken their
Flesh Broth either with this or _Homminey_, if it be for Servants.
_Spear Mint._[267]
_Rew_, will hardly grow.
_Fetherfew_ prospereth exceedingly.
_Southern Wood_, is no Plant for this Country. Nor,
_Rosemary_. Nor
_Bayes_.[268]
_White Satten_ groweth pretty well, so doth
_Lavender Cotton_.[269] But
_Lavender_ is not for the climate.
_Penny Royal._
_Smalledge._
_Ground Ivy_, or _Ale Hoof_.[270]
_Gilly Flowers_ will continue two Years.[271]
{90} _Fennel_ must be taken up, and kept in a warm Cellar all Winter.
_Housleek_ prospereth notably.
_Holly hocks._
_Enula Campana_, in two Years time the Roots rot.[272]
_Comferie_, with white Flowers.
_Coriander_, and
_Dill_, and
_Annis_ thrive exceedingly, but _Annis Seed_, as also the Seed of
_Fennel_ seldom come to maturity; the Seed of _Annis_ is commonly
eaten with a fly.
_Clary_ never lasts but one Summer, the Roots rot with the Frost.
_Sparagus_ thrives exceedingly, so does
_Garden Sorrel_, and
_Sweet Bryer_, or _Eglantine_.[273]
_Bloodwort_ but sorrily, but
_Patience_,[274] and
_English Roses_, very pleasantly.[275]
_Celandine_, by the West Country men called _Kenning Wort_, grows but
slowly.[276]
_Muschata_, as well as in _England_.
_Dittander_, or _Pepper Wort_, flourisheth notably, and so doth
_Tansie._[277]
_Musk Mellons_ are better than our _English_, and
{91} _Cucumbers._
_Pompions_, there be of several kinds, some proper to the
Country,[278] they are dryer then our _English_ Pompions, and better
tasted; you may eat them green.
_The ancient New-England standing Dish._
But the Houswives manner is to slice them when ripe, and cut them
into dice, and so fill a pot with them of two or three Gallons, and
stew them upon a gentle fire a whole day, and as they sink, they fill
again with fresh Pompions, not putting any liquor to them; and when
it is stew’d enough, it will look like bak’d Apples; this they Dish,
putting Butter to it, and a little Vinegar, (with some Spice, as
Ginger, &c.) which makes it tart like an Apple, and so serve it up to
be eaten with Fish or Flesh: It provokes Urin extreamly and is very
windy.
{92} Sixthly and lastly,
_Of Stones, Minerals, Metals and Earths_.[279]
As first, the _Emrald_ which grows in flat Rocks, and is very good.
_Rubies_, which here are very watry.
I have heard a story of an _Indian_, that found a stone, up in the
Country, by a great Pond as big as an Egg, that in a dark Night would
give a light to read by; but I take it to be but a story.
_Diamond_, which are very brittle, and therefore of little worth.
_Crystal_, called by our West Country Men the _Kenning Stone_; by
_Sebegug_ Pond is found in considerable quantity, not far from thence
is a Rock of Crystal called the _Moose_ Rock, because in shape like a
_Moose_, and
_Muscovy Glass_, both white and purple of reasonable content.
_Black Lead._[280]
_Bole Armoniack._
{93} Red and Yellow _Oker_.
_Terra Sigilla._
_Vitriol._
_Antimony._
_Arsnick_, too much.
_Lead._[281]
_Tin._
_Tin Glass._
_Silver._
_Iron_, in abundance, and as good bog Iron as any in the World.
_Copper._ It is reported that the French have a _Copper_ Mine at
_Port Royal_, that yieldeth them twelve Ounces of pure _Copper_ out
of a Pound of _Oar_.
I shall conclude this Section with a strange Cure effected upon a
Drummers Wife, much afflicted with a Wolf in her Breast; the poor
Woman lived with her Husband at a Town called by the _Indians_,
_Casco_, but by the _English_, _Famouth_; where for some time she
swaged the Pain of her Sore, by bathing it with strong Malt Beer,
which it would {94} suck in greedily, as if some living Creature:
When she could come by no more Beer, (for it was brought from
_Boston_, along the Coasts by Merchants,) she made use of _Rhum_,
a strong Water drawn from Sugar Canes, with which it was lull’d a
sleep; at last, (to be rid of it altogether) she put a quantity of
_Arsnick_ to the _Rhum_, and bathing of it as formerly, she utterly
destroyed it, and Cured her self; but her kind Husband, who sucked
out the Poyson as the Sore was healing, lost all his Teeth, but
without further danger or inconvenience.
[Illustration: (decorative icon)]
[Illustration: (decorative banner)]
{95} _An_ ADDITION _of some RARITIES overslipt_.
The _Star Fish_,[282] having fine points like a Star, the whole Fish
no bigger than the Palm of a Mans hand, of a tough substance like
leather, and about an Inch in thickness, whitish underneath, and of
the Colour of a Cucumber above, and somewhat ruff: When it is warm in
ones hand, you may perceive a stiff motion, turning down one point,
and thrusting up another: It is taken to be poysonous; they are very
common, and found thrown up on the Rocks by the Sea side.
_Sea Bream_, which are plentifully taken upon the Sea Coasts, their
Eyes are accounted rare Meat, whereupon the proverbial comparison,
_It is worth a Sea Breams Eye_.[283]
{96} _Blew Fish_, or _Horse_, I did never see any of them in
_England_; they are as big usually as the _Salmon_, and better Meat
by far: It is common in _New-England_ and esteemed the best sort of
Fish next to _Rock Cod_.
_Cat Fish_, having a round Head, and great glaring Eyes like a Cat:
They lye for the most part in holes of Rocks, and are discovered by
their Eyes: It is an excelling Fish.
_Munk Fish_, a flat Fish like scate, having a hood like a Fryers Cowl.
_Clam_, or _Clamp_, a kind of _Shell Fish_, a white Muscle.
_An Achariston, For Pin and Web._
_Sheath Fish_, which are there very plentiful, a delicate Fish, as
good as a _Prawn_, covered with a thin Shell like the sheath of a
Knife, and of the colour of a _Muscle_.
Which shell Calcin’d and Pulveriz’d, is excellent to take off a Pin
and Web, or {97} any kind of Filme growing over the Eye.
_Morse_, or _Sea Horse_, having a great Head, wide Jaws, armed with
Tushes as white as Ivory, of body as big as a Cow, proportioned like
a Hog, of brownish bay, smooth skin’d and impenetrable; they are
frequent at the Isle of _Sables_, their Teeth are worth eight Groats
the Pound; the best Ivory being Sold but for half the Money.[284]
_For Poyson._
It is very good against Poyson.
_For the Cramp._
As also for the Cramp, made into Rings.
_For the Piles._
And a secret for the _Piles_, if a wise Man have the ordering of it.
The _Manaty_, a Fish as big as a Wine pipe, most excellent Meat; bred
in the Rivers of _Hispaniola_ in the _West Indies_; it hath Teats,
and nourisheth its young ones with Milk; it is of a green Colour, and
tasteth like Veal.
{98} _For the Stone Collick._
There is a Stone taken out of the Head that is rare for the _Stone_
and _Collect_.
_To provoke Urine._
Their Bones beat to a Powder and drank with convenient Liquors, is a
gallant Urin provoking Medicine.
_For Wound and Bruise._
An _Indian_, whose Knee was bruised with a fall, and the Skin and
Flesh strip’d down to the middle of the Calf of his Leg; Cured
himself with _Water Lilly_ Roots boyled and stamped.[285]
_For Swellings of the Foot._
An _Indian_ Webb, her Foot being very much swell’d and inflamed,
asswaged the swelling, and took away the inflamation with our Garden
or _English Patience_, the Roots roasted. _f. Cataplas. Anno 1670.
June 28._
_To dissolve a Scirrhous Tumour._
An _Indian_ dissolv’d a _Scirrhous Tumour_ in the Arm and Hip, with a
fomentation of Tobacco, applying afterwards the Herb stamp’d betwixt
two stones.
{99} [Illustration: (decorative banner)]
A