EMERALD. | NATURAL HISTORY. 105 
Emerald. 
Merry Wives oF ‘Winnsor, v. 5, 74. [As adjective.] 
Or all green precious stones is the chief. Men in old 
time gave thereto the third dignity after margarites and 
unions. In no herbs nor in precious stone is more green- 
ness than in the stone Emerald. It passeth herbs and grass, 
twigs and branches. And it infecteth the air about it with 
passing green colour. And-his green colour abateth not in 
the sun in no manner wise. Nothing comforteth more their 
eyes that be gravers than this stone. Thereof be twelve 
manner of kinds, but the most noble be found in Scythia, 
and in Bactria holdeth the second place. And Emeralds be 
found among and under stones, and in chines thereof, when 
the Northern wind bloweth. For then the earth is un- 
covered, and Emerald shineth among the stones. For in 
such wind gravel and sand is most moved. Though the 
Emerald be green by kind, yet if it be meddled with wine 
or with oil, his green colour increaseth. This stone is 
taken of and from griffins, and plenty of Emeralds may 
not be found, for great griffins let the coming of men by 
the way that goeth thereto. The body thereof hath of gift 
of kind a goodness of virtue to heal divers sicknesses and 
evils. It inmcreaseth riches, and maketh men have good 
words and fair evidence in cause and in plea. If this 
stone be hanged about the neck, it maketh good mind, and 
helpeth also against all phantasies and japes of fiends, and 
ceaseth tempest. It is said that it helpeth them that use 
to divine and guess what shall befall. 
Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk. xvi. § 88. 
A TRUTHFUL and curious experimenter coming from 
Greece said that this stone is generated in the rocks which 
are under the sea, and is there found. And this is reason- 
able, for it is generated in veins of brass, and that evidently, 
but it does not come to the substance of brass; because 
it has the greenness of the rust of brass [2.c., verdigris}. 
The Emerald if put in drink is suitable ‘for deadly 
venoms, and for venomous bites and punctures of stings. 
The Emerald, if it be worn, increases substance ; causes 
persuasiveness in all business; makes men chaste and 
