There are also 'Leekes' differeing little from ours in England that grow
in many places of the countrey, of which, when we came in places where,
wee gathered and eate many, but the naturall inhabitants neuer.
'Of Fruites.'
CHESTNVTS, there are in diuers places great store: some they vse to eate
rawe, some they stampe and boile to make spoonemeate, and with some
being sodden they make such a manner of dowebread as they vfe of their
beanes before mentioned.
WALNVTS: There are two kindes of Walnuts, and of then infinit store: In
many places where very great woods for many miles together the third
part of trees are walnuttrees. The one kind is of the same taste and
forme or litle differing from ours of England, but that they are harder
and thicker shelled: the other is greater and hath a verie ragged and
harde shell: but the kernell great, verie oylie and sweete. Besides
their eating of them after our ordinarie maner, they breake them with
stones and pound them in morters with water to make a milk which they
vse to put into some sorts of their spoonmeate; also among their sodde
wheat, peaze, beanes and pompions which maketh them haue a farre more
pleasant taste.
MEDLARS a kind of verie good fruit, so called by vs chieflie for these
respectes: first in that they are not good vntill they be rotten: then
in that they open at the head as our medlars, and are about the same
bignesse: otherwise in taste and colour they are farre differet: for
they are as red as cheries and very sweet: but whereas the cherie is
sharpe sweet, they are lushious sweet.
METAQVESVNNAVK, a kinde of pleasaunt fruite almost of the shape & bignes
of English peares, but that they are of a perfect red colour as well
within as without. They grow on a plant whose leaues are verie thicke
and full of prickles as sharpe as needles. Some that haue bin in the
Indies, where they haue seen that kind of red die of great price which
is called Cochinile to grow, doe describe his plant right like vnto this
of Metaquesunnauk but whether it be the true Cochinile or a bastard or
wilde kind, it cannot yet be certified; seeing that also as I heard,
Cochinile is not of the fruite but founde on the leaues of the plant;
which leaues for such matter we haue not so specially obserued.
GRAPES there are of two sorts which I mentioned in the marchantable
comodities.
