RAIfUNCULUS. 175 



of sending into the eastern parts of the world for 

 these roots, which it is evident we did in the time 

 of Queen Elizabeth, as Gerard tells us, in his 

 herbal of that reign, that one kind of Ranunculus 

 li groweth naturally in and about Constantinople, 

 and in Asia, on the further side of the Bosphorus, 

 from whence there hath beene brought plants at 

 diuers times, and by diuers persons, but they hauc 

 perished by reason of the long journey, and want 

 of skill of the bringers, that haue suffered them to 

 lie in a boxe, or such like, so long, that when we 

 haue received them, they haue beene as dry as 

 ginger ; notwithstanding, Clusius saith he receiued 

 a plant fresh and greene, the which a domesticall 

 theefe stole foorth of his garden : my lord and mas- 

 ter, the Right Honourable the Lorde Treasurer, had 

 diuers plants sent him from thence, which were drie 

 before they came as aforesaide. The other groweth 

 in Alepo and Tripolis in Syria naturally, from 

 whence we haue received plants for our gardens, 

 where they flourish as in their owne countrey." 

 This unvarnished account fixes the time of the 

 introduction of the Ranunculus into England, and 

 at the same time is a pretty satisfactory assurance 

 that it was not then growing in Paris, as Clusius 

 would not have mentioned the receipt and loss of a 

 single root, had it been common in the gardens of 

 his country. 



