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Of Madde Apples

The Description.

RAging Apples hath a round stalke of two foot high, divided into sundry branches, set with broad leaves somewhat indented about the edges, not unlike the leaves of white Henbane, of a darke browne greene colour, somewhat rough. Among the which come the floures of a white colour, and somtimes changing into purple, made of six parts wide open like a star, with certain yellow chives or thrums in the middle: which being past, the fruit comes in place, set in a cornered cup or huske after the manner of great Nightshade, great and somewhat long, of the bignesse of a Swans egge, and sometimes much greater, of a white colour, somtimes yellow, and often brown, wherein is contained small flat seed of a yellow colour. The root is thick, with many threds fastned thereto. The Place.

This Plant growes in Egypt almost every where in sandy fields even of it selfe, bringing forth fruit of the bignesse of a great Cucumber, as Petrus Bellonius writeth, lib. 2. of his singular observations. We had the same in our London gardens, where it hath borne floures; but Winter approaching before the time of ripening, it perished: neverthelesse it came to beare fruit of the bignes of a goose egg one extraordinarie temperate yeare, as I did see in the garden of a worshipfull merchant Mr Harvy in Limestreet; but never to the full ripenesse.

The Use, and Danger.

The people of Toledo eat them with great devotion, being boiled with fat flesh, putting to it some scraped cheese, which they do keep in vineger, hony, or salt pickle all winter.

Petrus Bellonius and Hermolaus Barbarus report, That in Egypt & Barbary they use to eat the fruit of Mala insana boiled or rosted under ashes, with oile, vineger, and pepper, as people use to eat Mushroms. But I rather wish English men to content themselves with the meat and sauce of our owne country, than with fruit and sauce eaten with such perill; for doubtlesse these Apples have a mischievous qualitie, the use whereof is utterly to bee forsaken. As wee see and know many have eaten and do eat Mushroms more for wantonnesse than for need; for there are two kinds therof deadly, which being dressed by an unskilfull cooke may procure untimely death: it is therefore better to esteem this plant and have it in the garden for your pleasure and the rarenesse thereof, than for any vertue or good qualities yet knowne.