Lib. 3. 



Of the HiHoric of Plants. 



14.17 



for the difference is not onely in the colour of the berries. This differs from the former in forme 



foure 



ihicke,anddiuided into fundry branches, couered for the moft part with a blackifh barke : at the 

 beginning of the Spring from thebuds at the fides of the branches it fends forth leaues all horie 

 and hairy vnderneath^nd greene aboue : from the mid ft of thefe vpon little foot-ftalkes ftand clu- 

 ttering together many little floures, confiding of fiue white leaues apiece without fmell • and then 

 the leaues by little and little vnfold them felues and caft off their downineiTe 3 and become fnipt 

 about the edges. The fruit that fucceeds the floures is round, blacke^ fomewhat like, but bigger 

 than a Haw, full of juyce of a very fvveet tafte 5 wherein lies ten or more longifh fmooth black ifh 





ripe in Augud. Clufi, 



&c- $ 



efner by diuers names^as CMyrtomalus 





4 



Wortle 



Wor 



aire, but in leaues and fruit alio. f. The leaues are long,narrow,(harpe pointed,full of veines, a lit- 

 tle hairy, and lightly fnipt about the edges, greener aboue than below : the fruit growes from the 

 tops of the branches of the former yeare, hanging vpon long foot-ftalkes, and being as big as little 

 Cherries,firft grecne,tben red,and laftly blacke,full of juyce,and that of no vnplea fant tafte,contai- 

 ning no kernels,but flat white feeds commonly fiue in number : the flalks are weake.and common- 

 ly lie vpon the ground : clufius found it vpon the Auftrian mountain Sneajbel^ with the fruit part- 

 ly ripe,and partly vnripe in Auguft. It is his Vitis Ida* 1 . 



* 



5 

 Yrfi 



vv 



blunt at the points,and of an ouertvorne greene colourramong whicb,at the tops of the ftalks come 

 forth clutters of bottle-like floures of an herby colour : the fruit followeth, growing likewifc in 

 dufters,green at the firft,and blacke when they be ripe:the root is of a wooddy fubftance. t This 

 isalwaies greene,and the floures are of a whitifh purple colour. $ 



$ 6 This differs from the fecond,in that the leaues are thinner,more full of veincs,and whitef 

 vtiderneath:the floure is like the common kind,whitifh,purplc,hollow,and diuided into fiue parts : 

 the fruit alfo is blacke, and like that of the firft defcribed. This growes on diuers mountainous pla- 





5T The Place. 



ooddy 



and then found on high hills fubje&tothewinde,and vpon mountaines : they grow plentifully in 

 both the Germanies, Bohemia, and in diuers places of France and England j namely in Middlelex 

 on Hampfted heath,and in the woods thereto ad joyning,and alfo vpon the hills in Cheftiire called 

 Broxen hills, neere Beefton caftle, feuen miles from the Nantwich - t and in the wood by Highgate 

 called Finchley wood,and in diuers other places. 

 t**Thered Wortle berry eroweth in Weftmerlandat a olacc called Crosbv Rauenfvvaith. where 



t 



Word 



Ihaue feene none of thefe bur onely the firft defcribedjgrowing vpon Hampfted heath. The 



mentioned 



T . i^vuuu uauujg wuuc ucrnes,as iar as i can gauier uy our nuiuur • i 



Wat it is not that which he figured,and I haue defcribed in the third place, t 



certainc 



Wortle 



^y ThiTiine. 



nd their fruit 



m The Names. 



Wortle berries is called in high Dutch^epDelbCCtetltin low Dutch,Ctafitbe0ttl,becaufe they 

 ttake a certaine enrcke whileftthey be broken bctwecne the teeth : of diuers, i^ailCtbeftCti: the 

 French mcn^ireffe.or Aurelle y as lohatmes de Choulmitzth : and we in England, Worts, Whortle 

 berries,Blacke berrics,BiIl berries 5 and Bull berries, and in fome places Win berries. 



Moft of the (hops of Germany do call them CMyrtilli y but properly UliyrtiHi are the fruit of u^ 

 Myrtle tree, as the Apothecaries name them at this day. This plant hath no name for ought wee 

 can leerne, either among the Greekes or antient Latines ; for whereas moft doe take it to be Vitis 



isdlexandrina 



without 



tfi 



°^tdoubthewould not haue done if hee had found ittodifferfromthe common Vine: For what 

 things foeuer receiuea name of fome plant, the fame are exprefled with fome Epetbit added to be 



known to differ from others ; as Lauras Alexanirina>Viti$ aUa y Vitis nigra y Vitis fylueftris&nd fiich Hfce. 



uer 



th 



> 



