The Corollarie to this Orchard. 603 



7. Arbutus. The Strawberry tree. 



THe Strawberry tree groweth but (lowly, and rifeth not to the height of any 

 ^rcat tree, no not in France, Italy, or Spaine: and with vs the coldncfle of our 

 country doth the more abate his vigour, to that it fcldome rifeth to the height 

 of a man : the barke of the body is rough, and fmooth in the younger branches : the 

 leaues are taire and greene, very like vnto Baye leaues, finely dented or fnipped about 

 the eil^cs, abiding alwaycs greene thereon both Winter and Summer: the flowers 

 come forth at the end ot the branches vpon long ftalkes, not cluttering thicke toge- 

 ther, but in long bunches, and are fmall, white, and hollow, like a little bottle, or the 

 flower ot Lilly Conually, which after turne into rough or rugged berries, moft like 

 vnto Strawberries (which hath giuen the name to the tree) fomewhat reddifh when 

 they are ripe, of a harm tatte, nothing pleafant, wherein are contained many fmall 

 fcedes: It hardly bringeth his fruit to ripenefle in our countrey; for in their naturall 

 places they ripen not vntill Winter, which there is much milder then with vs. 



The Vfe of the Strawberry tree. 



Amatus Lufitanus I thinke is the firft that euer recorded, that the water 

 diftilled from the leaues and flowers hereof, fhould bee very powerfull a- 

 gainft the plague and poyfons : for all the ancient Writers doe report, that 

 the fruit hereof being eaten, is an enemy to the ftomacke and head. And 

 Clufms likewife fetteth downe, that at Lifhbone, and other places in Por- 

 tingall where they are frequent, they are chiefly eaten, but of the poorer 

 fort, women and boyes. They are fomewhat aftringent or binding, and 

 therefore may well ferue for fluxes. It is chiefly nourfed with vs for the 

 beauty and rarenefle of the tree ; for that it beareth his leaues alwayes green. 



8. Alaternus. The euer greene Priuet. 



* 



THe tree which we haue growing in our country called Alaternus, groweth not 

 to be a tree of any height ; but abiding lowe, fpreadeth forth many branches, 

 whereon are fet diuers fmall and hard greene leaues, fomewhat round for the 

 forme, and endented a little by the edges : it beareth many fmall whitifh greene flow- 

 ers at the ioynts of the ftalkes, and fetting on of the lower leaues cluftering thicke toge- 

 ther, which atter turne into fmall blacke berries, wherein are contained many fmall 

 graines or feedes : the beauty and verdure of thefe leaues abiding fo frefh all the yeare, 

 doth caufe it to be of the greater refpect ; and therefore findeth place in their Gardens 

 onely, that are curious conferuers of all natures beauties. 



The Vfe of the euer greene Priuet. 



It is feldome vfed for any Phyficall property, neither with vs, nor in the 

 places where it is naturall and plentifull : but as Clufius reporteth, hee lear- 

 ned that the Portingall Filhermen do dye their nets red with the decoction 

 of the barke hereof, and that the Dyers in thofe parts doe vfe the fmall pee- 

 ces of the wood to ftrike a blackilh blew colour. 



9. Celajtrus Thcophrajli Clujto. Clufms his Celaftrus. 



ALthough the Collectour (who is thought to be loannes Molineus of the great 

 Herball or Hiftory of plants, and generally bearing Dalefchampius name, be- 

 caufe the finding and relation of diuers herbes therein exprefled, is appropriate 

 to him, and printed at Lyons) of all our moderne Writers doth firft of all others ap- 

 point the Celajlrus, whereof Theophraftus onely among all the ancient Writers of 



plants 



