Chap. III.
Satureia siue Thymbra.
Sauorie.
There are two sorts of Sauory, the one called Summer, and the other Winter Sauorie: The Summer Sauory is a small tender herbe, growing not aboue a foote and a halfe high, or thereabouts, rising vp with diuers brittle branches, slenderly or sparsedly set with small long leaues, soft in handling, at euery ioynt a couple, one against another, of a pleasant strong and quicke sent and taste: the flowers are small and purplish, growing at the toppes of the stalkes, with two small long leaues at the ioynts vnder them: the seede is small, and of a darke colour, bigger then Tyme seede by the halfe: the roote is wooddy, and hath many strings, perishing euery yeare wholly, and must bee new sowen againe, if any will haue it.
The Winter Sauorie is a small low bushie herbe, very like vnto Hyssope, but not aboue a foote high, with diuers small hard branches, and hard darke green leaues thereon, thicker set together then the former by much, and as thicke as common Hyssope, sometimes with foure leaues or more at a ioynt, of a reasonable strong sent, yet not so strong or quicke as the former: the flowers are of a pale purplish colour, set at seuerall distances at the toppes of the stalkes, with leaues at the ioynts also with them, like the former: the roote is woody, with diuers small strings thereat, and abideth all the winter with his greene leaues: it is more vsually encreased by slipping or diuiding the roote, and new setting it seuerally againe in the Spring, then by sowing the seed.
The Vse of Sauorie.
The Summer Sauorie is vsed in other Countryes much more then with vs in their ordinary diets, as condiment or sawce to their meates, sometimes of it selfe, and sometimes with other herbes, and sometimes strewed or layde vpon the dishes as we doe Parsley, as also with beanes and pease, rise and wheate; and sometimes the dryed herbe boyled among pease to make pottage.
The Winter Sauorie is one of the (farsing) faseting herbes as they call them, and so is the Summer Sauorie also sometimes. This is vsed also in the same manner that the Summer Sauorie is, set downe before, and to the same purposes: as also to put into puddings, sawsages, and such like kindes of meates. Some doe vse the pouder of the herbe dryed (as I sayd before of Tyme) to mixe with grated bread, to breade their meate, be it fish or flesh, to giue it the quicker rellish. They are both effectuall to expell winde.