BOTANICAL INVESTIGATION IN MIDDLESEX. 371 



botany had made great progress abroad during the period, as is well shown 

 by. the publication of Columna's Ecphrasis, Clusius's works, and especially 

 of Bauhin's Pinax in 1623, yet nothing but Johnson's little books bad beea 

 issued in England. The Herball, ^-c, hy John Gerarde .... very much 

 enlarged and amended hy Thomas Johnson, Citizen and Apothecarye of 

 London, may be looked upon almost as a new work, so great are the addi- 

 tions and improvements. More than 800 new plants were added, and 700 

 figures ; and, according to Pulteney, the book contains descriptions of about 

 2,850 plants and 2,717 figures. But of equal importance with the addi- 

 tions are the corrections which Gerarde's work much needed. Johnson, 

 who is very modest in his pretensions, says in his preface, it is Gerarde's 

 'matter, not method,' he endeavours to amend ; and he has so thoroughly 

 revised and corrected it throughout, that the book almost deserves the title 

 of Gerarde Emaculatus bestowed on it by Ray. A very great convenience 

 in using the book is found in the editor's additions being distinguished 

 from the original text ; yet we often find the whole book alluded to, and 

 portions quoted by modern writers, as if entirely Gerarde's. Another edi- 

 tion was printed in 1636, but with no alterations. The additions to the 

 flora of our county are not numerous in this book, and are chiefly in the 

 immediate vicinity of London and 'Westminster. 



In 1634, Johnson published Merciirius Botanicus, sive Plantarum Gratia 

 suscepti Itimris anno 1634 Descriptio, to which is added De Thermis 

 Bathonicis Tractatus; and in 1641, Mercurii Boi. Pars altera, sive Plan- 

 tarum Gratia suscepti Itineris in Cambriam seu Walliam Descriptio, ^c. No 

 Middlesex localities are found in these, but in the last many Welsh plants are 

 added to the British flora. He also translated the works of Ambrose Par6, 

 tlie great French surgeon; they were published in 1643. 



During this time we may suppose Johnson to have quietly pursued his 

 vocation, but the stirring times of the civil wars led him to show his zeal 

 for the king by entering the army. He seems to have been as good a 

 soldier as a botanist, for he distinguished himself greatly in the war, and 

 became liefitenant-colonel to Sir Marmaduke Eawdon. In 1642, the Unii- 

 versity of Oxford made him a Bachelor of Physic, and in the next year he 

 proceeded to M.D. He did not, however, live long to practise his profession 

 as a physician, for on September 14, 1644, during a skirmish with the rebels 

 under Colonel Eichard Norton, at the siege of Basing House, he received a 

 shot in the shoulder, ' whereby contracting a feaver, he died a fortnight 

 after.'* He was much regretted, being, we are informed, 'no less eminent 

 in the garrison for his valour and conduct as a soldier, than famous through 

 the kinadom for his excellency as an herbalist and physician.' + 



No less than 88 species of plants were recorded for the first time by John- 

 son in Middlesex ; amongst them Caltha,AUiaria. Drosera rotundifolia, Oxalis 

 acftoselta, Mcdicago macidata, Lathyrus Kissolia, Pyrus Aria, Hydrocoti, le, 

 Silaus. Lactuca virosa, Mtnyanthes, Digitalis, Primxda vulgaris and P. veris, 

 CaUitriche platycarpa, Carpinus, Arum, Scirpiis sylvaiiciis, and Nardus. 



* Uescnption of the Siege of Basing faxtl,', <tc. 0.\l'ord, 1044, t Ibid. 



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