PKnies Naturall Hiftdrie. 



A bleth wild figs, and is of the fame nature. The gum thereof, fomc call Brochos 5 others. Mala- 

 chra-.and there be againe that nameiiMaldacon. Howbeit, when itisblacke, and brought into 

 roles or lumpes^ they give it another name, and call it Hadrobolon.But indeed the tight Bdel- 

 lium when it isin the kind, fhouldbecleare, as yellow aswaxe, pleafant to fmelluntOj in the 

 rubbing and handlingfattiejintaftbitter and nothing foure; Being wafbedand drenched with 

 wine(asthey u(eitinracrifices)itismoreodoriferous.Thereisfound of itin Arabia5lndiajMe- 

 diSjand Babylon.As for that which is brought out ofMedia, they call itPeraiicum : this is more 

 tradable and gentle in hand, more cruftie and bitter than the rell; . But the Indian Bdellium is 

 themoifterand more gummie:thisis fbphifticated with Almonds, whereas the other kinds 

 be made counterfeit with the barke of Scordaftusjatree that yeeldeth the like gum. But this 



B trumpcrie and deceit is found by the fmell, colour, weightjtafl^and fire. And let this one word 

 for all,{crvc as a gencrall rule to proove all fuch drugs and fpices by. The Badrian Bdellium 

 when it is in the fire, yeeldeth a drie and fmokiefume, and hath many white markes in it refeni- 

 blingthenailesof ones fingers :befides, it hath his juftpoife and weight that it ought to have^ 

 neither morenorlcflesforasitfhouldnotbeoverweightie/oitmay betoolight. Commonly 

 the price goeth after this rate,towit,threedenicrs a pound. 



Vponthele regions abovc-namedjConfinethPerfisj whereas the red lea (which we named m 

 our Gcographiejthe Perfiin gulfe) flowcth at certaine tides far into the land, and in ihefe fands 

 and downes arcto be feene divers trees of ftraunge natures : for when the tide is pait, you fhall 

 fee at a low water fome trees with their roots bare, as ifthey were eaten with the fait watcr;and 



C a man cannot tell whether they were brought thither with the tide, or left in the ebbe : but furely 

 the naked roots feeme to clafpe and take hold of the barren fands,as if they were Polype fiflies 

 lliould cling to anything. And yet thefame,whenthefeafloweth againe, noiwithffanding they 

 be beaten upon with the waves,lbnd faff and (firre not. Againejat lome high water and fpring- 

 tide,they be covered ail over with water ; and by good arguments it is evident to the eye , That 

 jiourifhed they be with the roughncfie of the furgingfea-water.Their heights is wonderful! : and 

 fafhionedthey beinformeof an Atbut tree s the fruit without-forth like to Almonds, but the 

 kernels within be writhed- 



D 



Chap. 



^ The trees of the llund Tyles within the Per fan fea, Moreo'oer^ of th$fe 

 trees that heare Well or Cotton. 



^Ithin the fame gulfe of Perfia,there lyeth an Hand full of woods to the Eaff fide, even 

 upon that coait which is overflowed with the tide.Bvcry tree within,is equal in bignes 

 to the figtree : the bloflTomes that they carrie, arefo fweet, as it is wonderfull and un- 

 fpeakeable : the fruit like a LupinCjyet fo rough and prickly , as no beaff will gladly touch it .In the 

 higheii part and knap of the lame Hand, there be trees bearing Wooll, but not in fuchfort as 

 thofc ot the Seres ; For whereas the leaves of thofe doe carrie a downe or cotton, thefe are alto- 

 gither without and barren thereof: and butthat they be fonicwhat lelTe, they might ieeme to be 

 E vine leaves. Howbeit they beare a fruit at the laft,Iike Gourds in failsion, and as big as Quinces : 

 which when they be full rjpe,doe open and lliew certaine balls within of downe; whereof they 

 make moil fine and cofflylinnen clothes* • 



Chap. Xii • 

 ^ of the Gojfampine trees : as nlfo of other Cotton or Bomhafe trees ^ whereof clothes ' ^v?. 

 m^dclnwhttt manner divers-trees doyeeld their fruit. 



THere is a lefler Hand named Tylos,ten miles froiri the othcr,wherebetrees called GofTain-: 

 pinesjwhich yeeld more cotton than thole in the greater. King/w^^i faith, th^t this Cottoii' 

 F groweth about thebraunches of the faidtrees,and that thehnnens made thereof be farf© 

 better than thofe of the Indians . As for thofe trees in Arabia jwhfereof they make their linneh 

 dothjheaffirmeth that they be called Cynje, and have leaves like the Date tree* Thus you fccj 

 how the Indians be clad with trees of their own. In thofe Hands qalledTyli,there is another tree 

 whicli beareth a blofTomemueh like the flower of a jvhite VioletjOr Scoek-gillofre,butfour cimcg 

 i li ij as 



