The twelfth Booke of 



THcrc is no region in the whole world that bringeth forth'PrankiHcerife^bm Ar^ibiff ydtid v^e 

 is it not CO be found in all parts thereof : but in that quarter onely of the AtFiS!iik%«>.'^iw 

 thcfe Atramitcs inhabite the very heart of Arabia, and at^ a cottmie^ef jhe Sabdei/iljliecau 



journey. As for Saba, (which in the Greeke tongue fignifieth3arecretmyfterie)it rcgardeth the 

 Sunne rifing in Summer^or theNorthcaftj cnclofcd on every fide with rockes inajbceffiblc : and- 

 on the right hand it is defended with high cliffes and cragst-hat bear e inrq^thi^Jea. The foile of 

 this territoric (by report) is reddifh and inclining to white . The forrefts chat carie theie Incenfe 

 trces^lie in length twentie Schasncs^and beare in breadth halfc as mudi^^Jdw'tto whi2^^e%ill 

 Scharnusjaccording to the calculation of EraUsi hem's ^com^inQxh fortie ftsdiajihat litotalj^e 

 miles: howToever fomehavc allowed buc twodnd thirtieftkifa'c^^^v^ryScJiamis . The qiiarter 

 wherein thcfe trees doc grow^is full of high hils ; hovtbcrt jgdedowile into fhe plain es aiid vailic 

 beneath,ycc lliali have plencic of the lame; tr€es,'\ivhich comeirp of their bwiie accord^aad wm 

 never planted^The earth isf at^and ilandeth much upion a ftrofig clay,a'sallwtitcrsdo agr^dM* 

 Springs are there to be foundjand thofe that bcj arc full of ^gitre. Thersiiisiaiiother crfl*^ by n 

 fdfe confronting this countreyjwherein theMinajans ddfeirth^ibite and throi^gh them there is a 

 narrowpafTage^by which the frankinccnfe is tranfported iato other part^; Thefe were f heir fir ft I 

 neigh hours that did trafficke with them for their inccnle^and found a ventftSfit :and cvcn'fb they 

 doe iUIl at this day^whereupon the Frankinccnfe it felfciscalled of their name^Min^ urn. Setting 

 this people of the Sabeans afide, there be no Arabianstbat fefe an'flicerjsfe Tree from one end 

 of the yeare to another: neither are allthefe permitted toHaiveafighc of thofe Trees. For the 

 comjiion voice is, that there bee not above three thoufand families which can claime aad chal- 

 lenge by right of fuccelTion that priviledgeito-gather Inc'chrei Arid therefore ail the race of chem 

 is called Sacred and Holy ; for looke when th^ goe about either cutting and flitting the trees^ or 

 gathering the Inccnfejthey muft not that day conte near a woman to know her carnally;nay they 

 muft not be at any funcralsjor approch a deald^cor^s^for being poliuted.By vvhicjii religion, and 

 ceremonious oblervationjthe price is railedjandthc Incenle is the dearer . Some fay^that thefe K 

 people have equal] libertie in commune, to goe into thefe woods for their commodities when 

 they will ; but others affirme,that they be divided into companies, and cake their turns by yeares. 

 As concerning the vcryTrec,! could never know yet theperfcd defcription of it. We have main- 

 tained wars in Arabia, and theRomanearmiehathentredagreat way into that coiintrey, C.C^- 

 /jr,the adopted foone of Angufl'M^ wan great honour and glorie from thence : and yet verily, to 

 my knowlcdgc,thcre was never any Latine Author ,that hath put downcin writing the forme and 

 falhion of that Tree which carieth Incenfe.As for the Greeke writers,theit bookes doe varie and 

 differ in that point.Somc give ouc,thac it hath leaves hke toa Pcare-tree,only they be fomewhac 

 lefle'.andwhentheycomeforthjthcybeof a grafl'c-greene colour. Othersfaythat they rcfcm- 

 ble the LentiskeTreSjand are foimewhat rcddifh. There bee againe who writCjthat it is the very ^ 

 Terebints, and none elfe, that giveth the Frankinccnfe .-of which opinion king AnUgomsi wasj 

 who had one of thcfe (hrubs brought unto him. King luba in thofebookes which hce wrate and 

 fent unto C^CafAr^ ibniie to the Emperour duzufiui (who was cnflamed with an ardent dcfire to 

 makeavoiageinto Arabia, forthegreac nan^ which went thereof) faith. That the Tree which 

 bearethFrankincenfe,hath a trunke or bodic writhen about,andputtcth forth boughs and bran- 

 ches,likc for all the world to the Maple of Pontus. //^Wjthat it yeeldeth a juice or liquor,as doth 

 the Almond tree : and fuch are feen commonly in Carmania: as alfo thofe in iEgypt which were 

 planted by the carcfull induflrie of the Ptelomees^dis^s there. How ever it be,this is received for ' 

 certainCjthat it hath the verv barke of a Bay tree : Some alfo have faid, that the leaves be as like. 

 And verily, fuchkind of Trees were they which were feene at Sardis .-for the kingsof Afialike- M 

 wife were at the coft and labour to tranlplant them^Sc defiroiis to have them grow in L} dia. The 

 EnibalTadours who in my time came out of Arabia to Rome,have made all that was delivered as 

 touching thcfe Trees, moredoubtfulland uncertaine than before* A ftraunge matter and won- 

 derfull indeed, confidering.thai twigs and braunches of the Incenfe tree have pafled bctweenc : 



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