292: 
7 ThefevenandtwentiethhBooke 9 © | 
thattheirfeeds benothing fo effeCtuall, if iricifion weré'made it the roots for to draw i 
of them, beforethefaid{eedisfullyripe. | isoottrhedayiire a 
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_ > Furthermore, thisis knowneand found by experience, That the ordinarie ule of allSimples 
doth alter their properties and diminifh their ftrength ;infomuch,as whofoever is daily accufto- 
_ med unto then, fhall not findwhen need requires, their vertue powerfull at all, either todoe 
good or to worke harme, as others thall who feldome or never were acquainted withthem, 
Over and befides, all hearbs be mote forcible in their operationsywhich grow in cold parts, 
expofed tothe Northeaft winds, likewife in drie places, than in the contrarie. ab cio 
Alfo there is no {mall difference to be confidered between nationandnation:for;asI have — 
heard them fay who ate of good credit, as touching worms and fuch like-vermin, the people of 
fEgypt, Arabia, Syria, and Cilicia, be troubled and infefted with them:whereas contrariwife, 
fome Grecians and Phrygians havenone atall breeding among them. Bur leffe marvailethere 
is of that, confidering how among the Thebans and Boeotians (who confine upon Attica) fuch 
vermin istife andcommon ; and yetthe Atheniens arenot given at all toengenderand breed 
them: the {peculation whereof, carrieth me away againeunto a new difcourfe of living crea- 
tures, and their natures; and namely, to fetch from thence the medicines which Nature hath 
imprinted in them, of greater proofe and certainti¢ than any other forthe remedic of all difea- 
fes, Certes, this great Mother of all things, entended not that any living creature fhouldferve 
either to feed it felfe onely, or to befood for to fatisfie others; but her will was andfheethought 
it good, to infert and engraffe in their inward bowels, holefome medicines for mans health,to _ 
countrepoife thofe medicinable vertues which fhee had engraven and beftowed: upon thofe 
furdand fenfleffe hearbs: nay her providence wasfuch, thatthefoveraigne and excellent means 
tor maintenance of our life, fhould bee had from thofe creatures which are endued with life: 
the contemplation ofwhich divinemyfterie, furpaffeth all others, and is moft admirable. 
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VADER EASA EAA DRE DEVE DR SAN SANS | 
PD EO ESS Ss i AS sR Rg A BD 
aT Go aoe) Cah Ce Ee 92 Eee Eee EL ©2679) C“ag~ a) ana? 
Sea 2G WATS Za ESM UTS sR 
CORI EAPRR LOS EO IAA 
THE OX XV ELL: BOO. Eee 
THE HISTORIE OF NATVRE,” 
WRITTEN BY C. PLINIVS 
SECVNDVS. 
Cuap, 1 
eee The medicinable vertues of living creatures. 
~&) Aving difcovered as well all thofethings which are engendred between Heaven 
2) f\| and Earth, asalfo theirnatures; there remained nothing for meto difcourfe 
|| of, fave onely the Mineralsdigged out of the ground: burthat this late Trea: 
| other plants, draweth me quite afide from my purpofe,and haleth me backe 
SSSI againe, to confider the forefaid living creatures themfelves (even the fubje& 
matterof Phyficke) in regard of greater meanes found out even in them, to advaunce Phyficke 
and cure difeafes. For,to fay atruth,fince I have defcribed and pourtraied both Herbs & Flours, 
fiace Ihave difcovered many other things,rare and difficult to be found out ; fhould I conceale 
fuch meanes for the health of man, as are to bee found in man himfelfe? or fhould I fuppreffe 
otherkind of remedies which are to bee had from creatures living amongft us,as wee doe,if they 
may benefit us? efpecially feeing chatour verielife isno better than tormentand miferie,unlefie 
4 7 i oa | we 
.|| tife of mine, as touching the medicinable properties of Hearbs, Trees, and. 
Mo 
