Of Leekes.

Porrum. Leekes.

The description (la descripción).

The leaues or the blades of the Leeke be long, somewhat broad, & very many, hauing a keele or crest in the backside, in smell and taste like vnto the Onion. The stalkes if the blades be not often cut, do in the second or thirde yeere grow vp round, bringing foorth on the top flowers made vp in a rounde head or ball, as doth the Onion: the seedes are like. The bulbe or roote is long and slender, especially of the vnset Leeke: that of the other Leeke is thicker and greater.

The place (el lugar).

It requireth a meane earth, fat, well dunged and digged. It is very common euery where in other countries as well as in England.

The time (la época).

It may be sowen in March or Aprill, and is to be remooued in September or October.

The names (los nombres).

The Græcians call it πράσον: the Latines Porrum: The Emperour Nero had great pleasure in this roote, and therefore he was called in scorne Porrophagus. But Palladius in the masculine gender calleth it Porrus: the Germaines Lauch: the Brabanders Preye: the Spaniards Puerro: the French Porreau: the Englishmen Leeke or Leekes.

The temperature (el temperamento).

The Leeke is hot and dry, and doth attenuate or make thin, as doth the Onion.

The vertues (las virtudes).

A Being boiled it is lesse hurtfull by reason that it loseth a great part of his sharpenes: and yet being so vsed, it yeeldeth to the body no good iuice. But being taken with colde herbes, his qualitie is tempered. B Being boiled and eaten with Ptisana, or barly creame, it concocteth and bringeth vp rawe humors that lie in the chest. Some affirme it to be good in a loch or licking medicine, and to clense the pipes of the lunges. C The iuice drunke with honie is profitable against the bitings of venemous beasts, and likewise the leaues stamped and laid thereupon. D The same iuice with vineger, frankensence and milke, or oile of roses dropped into the eares, mitigateth their paine, and is good for the noise in them. E Two drams, or a quarter of an ounce of the seede, with the like weight of Myrtill berries being drunke, stoppeth the spitting of bloud which hath continued a long time. The same put into wine keepeth it from sowring, and being already sower it correcteth the same as diuers write. It cutteth grosse and tough humours. * The hurts. It heateth the bodie, ingendreth naughtie blood, causeth troublesome and terrible dreames, offendeth the eies, dulleth the sight, hurteth those that are by nature hot and cholericke, and is noisome to the stomacke, and breedeth windines.