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Of Cucumbers

The Description. 1 THe Cucumber creepes alongst upon the ground all about, with long rough branches; whereupon doe grow broad rough leaves uneven about the edges: from the bosome whereof come forth crooked clasping tendrels like those of the Vine. The floures shoot forth betweene the stalkes and the leaves, set upon tender foot-stalkes composed of five small yellow leaves: which being past, the fruit succeedeth, long, cornered, rough, and set with certaine bumpes or risings, greene at the first, and yellow when they be ripe, wherein is contained a firme and sollid pulpe or substance transparent or thorow-shining, which together with the seed is eaten a little before they be fully ripe. The seeds be white, long, and flat. 2 There be also certaine long cucumbers, which were first made (as is said) by art and manuring, which Nature after-wards did preserve: for at the first, when as the fruit is very little, it is put into some hollow cane, or other thing made of purpose, in which the cucumber groweth very long, by reason of that narrow hollownesse, which being filled up, the cucumber encreaseth in length. The seeds of this kinde of cucumber being sowne bringeth forth not such as were before, but such as art hath framed; which of their own growth are found long, and oftentimes very crookedly turned: and thereupon they have beene called Anguini, or long Cucumbers.

The Names.

The Cucumber is named generally Cucumis: in shops, Cucumer: in English, Cowcumbers and Cucumbers.

The Vertues.

The fruit cut in pieces or chopped as herbes to the pot, and boiled in a small pipkin with a piece of mutton, being made into potage with Ote-meale, even as herb potage are made, whereof a messe eaten to break-fast, as much to dinner, and the like to supper; taken in this manner for the space of three weekes together without intermission, doth perfectly cure all manner of sauce flegme and copper faces, red and shining fierie noses (as red as red Roses) with pimples, pumples, rubies, and such like precious faces. Provided alwaies that during the time of curing you doe use to wash or bathe the face with this liquor following.

Take a pinte of strong white wine vinegre, pouder of the roots of Ireos or Orrice three dragmes, searced or bolted into most fine dust, Brimmestone in fine pouder halfe a ounce, Camphire two dragmes, stamped with two blanched Almonds, foure Oke apples cut thorow the middle, and the juyce of foure Limons: put them all together in a strong double glasse, shake them together very strongly, setting the same in the Sunne for the space of ten daies: with which let the face be washed and bathed daily, suffering it to drie of it selfe without wiping it away. This doth not onely helpe fierie faces, but also taketh away lentils, spots, morphew, Sun-burne, and all other deformities of the face.