Plinicg Naturall Hiftolie. 



A franke & garden Myrrhe treCjas of the wild in the woods^the Myrrhc is better that is gathered or ^ 

 runneth in Summer time.There is no allowance of Myrrhe offered and given to the ood SaHs^zs 

 there was of Incenfejbecaufeit is foundin other countries. Howbeit^the king of the'CebaniteS 

 hath paicd unto him for toll and cuftome^a fourth part of all that paffeth through his kingdomc. 

 Toconcludcjwhatfocveris bought in any market or place abroadjthcy put and thruft it hard to- 

 gether in leather bags one with another: but thcDruggifts and Apothecaries can foonelepa- 

 rate the better from theworfe, and be very cunning andreadie to digcft them accordidg to the 

 radrkcs that they goe by^as well of fmcU as fattinefie. 



-""■^ 



Chap. xvi. 



B ^ Diver fe hinds of OHyrrk. The nature ^ virtue ^ and price thereo f 



MAny forts there be of Myrrhe. Of all the wild kinds^the firft is that which growah in the 

 Troglodites countrey . Next to it is Minaea^ in which ranke you may place Attramittica 

 and Aufaritisj which both come out of the realmc of the Gebanires. In a third place rec- 

 kon that which they call Dianitis. A fourth fort is gotten here and therein all parts, and hudled 

 together. In the fift raunge is Sembraccna, fo called of a citie within the kingdome of the Sa* 

 bssans^and is next unto the fea. The Cm they name Dufaritis. Befides all thefe^a white Myrrhe 

 there is/ound but in one place, which ordinarily is brought to the citie Mefraiura,& there foldo 

 TheTrogloditike Myrrhe they chufe by the fattinefTe thereof, andfor that itfeemethto ihecie 

 Q greener ; it (heweth alfo foule, rude, and illfavoured : but fliarper it is,and more biting in moudi 

 than the reft.The Sembracene hath none of thefefaultSjbutis pleafant and chearcfuil to fee toi 

 howbeitjof fill all operation & ftrcngth. Buttofpeake in a word,& once for all the beft Myrrhe 

 is knowne by little peeces which are not round : and when they growtogethcr^they yeeld a cer- 

 taine whitifli liquor which iffuech and refolveth from them, and if a man breakc them into mor- 

 fels,it hath white veines refembling mens naileSjand in taft is fomcwhat bitter. A fecond degree 

 there is in goodnefle, when it fheweth fundrie colours within. And the worft of all is that which 

 within-forthisblackj andthefameis worfeyetjif it be as blacke without. As touching the price 

 of MyrrhCjitalterethasitismoreorlefleinrequeftjandaccordingasitmeeteth with many of 

 few chapmcn.For yee fhall have Stadefold fomeiimesfbr fixedeniers a pound^and orherwhiles 

 J) for fiftie.The greateft price of the gardenfrank-Myrrhe,or that which is let by mans hand,is two 

 and twentie deniers.The red called Ery threa,is never above fixteene ; and this is taken to bee the 

 true Myrrhe of Arabia.The kcrnell within of the Trogloditike Myrrhe, will coft thirteen deniers 

 the pound.But that which they call *Odor3ria,is fold torfouretcen. All kinds of Myrrhe be min- *ox,MorariS- 

 gled and fophifticated with peeces of Mafticke comming from the Lentiske, and with other ''^y»r,^i*^, ' 

 gums: Ttem^mih Blaterium, [/.the juice of the wild Cowcumber] to make it more bitter : as alfo for '^'erfumin^ 

 (that it might feem weightier) with the fome of lead,or litharge of filver. -^nd furely fetting afide in Ja'pisr"^ 

 thcfc two corruptionsjall the reft are found by the very taft of the gum,which alfo will ftickc unto 

 the teeth in the chewing.Butthe craftieft & fineft devife to counterfeit it,is with Indian Myrf he, 

 which is gathered there from a certaine thornie plant that groweth among them.This is the on- 

 £ ly thing that India bringeth forth worfe than other countries. And verily fo bad itis,that fooneii 

 may beeknowne from other Myrrhes. 



Chap. XVIII. 



OfMajlicke^ Ladamim^ and Bfutdaf Enhamm^trobm^and Stjrax, 



Rom the forefaid Myrrhe therefore laft namedjiet us for the affinitie pafte to Maftick rwhich 

 ^ ' cbmmeth alfo of another thornie tree in India, and likewifo in Arabia,which they call La- 

 :ma. Howbeit,of Mafticke there bee two forts : forboth in Afia, and alfo in Greece,there is 

 foiind an hcarbawhich dire£lly from the rootputteth forth leaves: and it beareth a bur or thiftlc- 

 head like an applcjfull of feeds. Cut the top of this hearbe,and there will iftiie forth a certain li- 

 quor,fb like unto the right Sctrue Maftickc,thai hardlya manrtiallknow the one from the other. 

 Over and befideSj there is a third fort of Maftitke in Pontus,more like to Bitumen. Howbeit, the 

 very beft Maftickeis brought out of thelfland Ghios,and thefameis white,anda pound of it is 

 worth at Rome tvsentie deniers ;buttheblackeyee iliall buy for twelve. AsfortheChian Ma- 



lUcke, 



