FHnjfes Naturall Hiftone. 



A bey ightcr it is than that of Syria. A pound of it is worth at Rome thirtcene deniers, The dnely 

 proofeand triallof all their leaves is this^ That they bee not britde, and rather ripe drie^ than 

 (ere or rotten-drie^ That they breake not and fall in peeces. With the Celticke or French Nard 

 there cvcJfrtiorcg^owethanother hearbc, called Hitculus, ahd it takcth that name of aftroho' 

 and Gmti(h fmell which it yecldeth-.befides, fo like it is unto the other, that it is foifted in 

 amongft the good, and fo fold with it. Yet herein is the difference 5 for that this hath no ftcmme 

 orftalkcataUjtheleaves thereof alfo are Ma : and laftof all, the root is neither bitter in 

 nor fweetin fraell 



, f jy,: Chap, xiir. 



ASarum orFolc-fbotj called dtherwifcj Afara-Bacca, hath the veric properties and vcr*^> 

 tuesbfNard : and therefore fome have called it Wild Nard* An hearbc it is, carrying 

 leaves like to y vie, iave that they bee more j-ound and fofter : it putteth foorth a pnrple 

 flower^ and hath a root like unto the French Nard. The flower is full within of feeds like grape 

 keinelsjof anhotetaft,andrefcmbling wine.Infhadowiemountaincs it flourethtwiceayeate. 

 Thebeft groweth in Pontusj the next to it for goodnefle is found in Phiygia ; that of lUyricura 

 is of a third ranke^Therootis digged up when itbeginneth to put forth leaves. Thcyufeto drie 

 it in the Sunne : foone it will vennov? and be mouldie 5 quickly alfo it waxeth o]d,and loofeth the 

 C ftrength.Of late daies there was an hearbe found in Thraciajthe leaves whereof differ in nothing 

 from the Indian Nard.. ; ;. 



As for the grape of Amomurti, which nOw is.in ufe and much cfccupied, fdme fay it gtow- 

 eth upon a wild vine in Jndia . jQthets havathoughta. that it c.ommeth from a fhrub like Myr- 

 tle, and carieth not above a hasid breadth, or foure inches in height. Plucked it is together 

 with the root : and gently mufti? be laid and couched in bunches by handRils, for if great heed 

 beenoctaken, itwiUfoQneburft and breake, .The beA Amomum and moi1 commendable, is 

 that which carrieth leaves like to thofeof thePomgranate, without rivels and wrinekles, and 

 befides, of a red colour. The next in goodnefTe is that which is pale. The grcene or gralfe co- 

 loured is not all out fo good, but the worftaf^Jl is white: and that colour commech by age, 

 P and long keeping . A pound of thefe grapes entire and whole in the clufter, is worth three- 

 fcore Romanedeniers. But if they bee crumbled and broken, it will coft but eight and fortie. 

 This Amomumgrowechlikewifeinapartof Armenia named Oteneralfojnthe kingdomes 

 of Media and Pontus . It is fbphifticated with the leaves of the Pomgranate, and with fbme 

 other liquid gum befides, that it may hang united together, and roil round into the forme of 

 grapes. 



Now as touching that which is called Amomis, it is Icfic full of veines, and nothingfo fweet 

 foelling ; but harder than Amomum : wherby it appeareth,that it is either a divers plant from it, 

 or els if it be the famejit is gathered before it be full ripCi 



. Cardamomum is like to thcle above rehearfed,boih in namCjand alfo in making and forme: 

 E but it beareth a longer grainefor feed. The manner alfo of gathering and cutting it downe, in 

 Arabia>is the famc.Foure kinds there be of it.The firft is moS greene and fattie withall : having 

 foure fharpe corners, and if a man rub it betweene his fingers^ he fhall find it very to^jgh & fiub- 

 borne:and thisismoftefleemcdof all the other. Thenext toitisfomewhacrcddifb,but encli- 

 ning to a whitilli colour.A third fort is fhorter,le{fer,and blacker th an the reft,Howbeit,thc worft 

 is that which hath fundrie colours, is pliable and gendein the rubbing,andfmelleth but a little. 

 The true Cardamomum ought to come near in refemblanee to Coftus. And it groweth in Me* 

 dia. A pound of the bctt will coft twelve deniersi 



The great affiinitie or kinred rather in name,that Cinnamon hath voith thefc fpices before re- 

 hcarfed,might induce me to write thereof in one fuitjcven in this place :but that more meet it is 

 F to ihew firft the riches of Arabia,and to fet downe the caufes why that countrie fhould be fiirna- 

 mcd Happie and Bleifed. We will begin therefore with the cheefe commodities therof, name- 

 ly, Frankincenfe andMyrrhe-. and yet Myrrhe is found as well ia theTrogloditeseountrey, as 

 ioArabia» 



li iij Chap,, 



