168 THE OLD ENGLISH HERBALS 



that pretends to have any skill therein. Truly it is to be lamented 

 that the men of these times which pretend to so much Light 

 should goe the way to put out their owne Eyes, by trampling 

 upon that which should preserve them, to the great discourage- 

 ment of those that have any mind to bend their Studies this 

 way. Notwithstanding, for the good of my Native Countrey, 

 which everyone is obliged to serve upon all occasions of advantage 

 and in pitty to such Mistakers, I have painfully endeavoured 

 plainly to demonstrate the way of attaining this necessary Art, 

 and the usefulnesse of it, in hopes that this Embryo thrown thus 

 into the wide world, will fall into the Lap of some worthy persons 

 that will cherish it, though I knew not any to whose protection 

 I might commend it. However I have adventured it abroad, 

 and to expresse my reall affection to the publick good have in it 

 communicated such Notions, as I have gathered, either from the 

 reading of Severall Authors, or by conferring sometimes with 

 Scholars, and sometimes with Countrey people; To which I 

 have added some Observations of mine Owne, never before pub- 

 lished : Most of which I am confident are true, and if there be 

 any that are not so, yet they are pleasant." 



There is something very attractive in the last inconsequent 

 remark ! 



Coles deals mercilessly with old Culpeper. " Culpeper," 

 he says, " (a man now dead and therefore I shall speak of him 

 as modestly as I can, for were he alive I should be more straight 

 with him), was a man very ignorant in the forme of Simples. 

 Many Books indeed he hath tumbled over, and transcribed 

 as much out of them as he thought would serve his turne (though 

 many times he were therein mistaken) but added very little of 

 his own." He even comments on the fact that either Culpeper 

 or his Printer cannot spell aright — " sure he or the Printer had 

 not learned to spell." 



The Doctrine of Signatures he accepts unquestioningly. 

 " Though Sin and Sathan have plunged mankinde into an 



