The twelfth Bookeof 



G 



Chap. xx. 

 of ifocmnAtnon^ Caticamum^ and Tarnm, 



THe huckftersand rcgratcts that buy & fell again, have another kind, which they call Daph- 

 noidcs3& they furnanic it Ifo-cinnamon : and furely they hold it at 300 deniers the pound. 

 Mingled it is and made counterfeit with Storax ; with the fmalleft and tendereft braunchcs 

 alfoof Lawrelljforthc likencsthatit hath to the barke thereof. Moreovetjit is fet and planted in 

 our part of the world here in Italic ; alfo in the utmoft marches and confines of our Empire, a- 

 long where the river Rhenc runneth, it liveth,beingfet ncare unto Bee-hives. Howbeit^becaufe 

 it wanteth the parching heat of the Sunnc, ic is nothing fo deepe coloured : and thereupon alfo ^ 

 it commeth fhort of the finell that the other hath. Out of the regions which bound upon thofc 

 parts where Cafia and Cinamon doth grow, there are brought over unto us two other Spices, 

 called Cancamum and Tarum ;but by the way of the Troglodyte Nabatha:ans : who onely of 

 the aunciencNabathsanSjthere feded and remained. 



Chap. XX I. 



of Semhatum^Gab4lium^orMyrohaUnutn^[t,Ben!\ 



1H thefame countrey , the Arabians come charged alfo with Serichatum and Gabalium : but ' 

 they make an hand with it among themfelves, and ipend it quite : in fuch fort,as their druggs \ 

 are knowne only in name to us in this part of the world, albeit they grow togither with Cinna- 

 mon and Cafia . And yet otherwhiles there is Serichatum brought unto us, which fome perfu- 

 mers ufe to put into the compofition of ointments. And a pound of it is commonly exchanged 

 for fix deniers. 



As for Myrobalanon, p. Bchen] it gtoweth ordinarily in the regions of the Troglodytes, a- 

 bout Thcbais, and that part of Arabia which divideth lurie from ^Egypt: a drugge that Nature 

 hath brought forth onely for ointment,as the vety name giveth it . Whereby it appearcth alfo, 

 that it is a very nut of a certaine treejwhich beareth leaves like to Hcliotropium ; whereof we will 

 fpeake among other hearbs.The fruit that this plant beareth,is about the bignes of a filberd nut. 

 That which groweth in Arabia,and yet called Sytiaca, is white : but contrariwifc that about The- k 

 bais, is blacke.The former of thefe two,is commended for the goodnes of the oile which is preC 

 fed out of it : but the Thebaicke Ben is in greater requeft for the plentie that it yeeldeth . As for 

 the Troglodyticke, it is the worft of all,and the cheapeft. And yet fome there be, who prefer the 

 iEthiopian Ben before all other. The Nut or fruit thereof,is blacke and fat,with a fmall and ilen- 

 der kernell within : howbeit the liquor prefled forth of itjis more odoriferous : and it groweth in 

 champion countries and plains. It is affirmed moreover,that the ^Egyptian Ben is more oleous 

 and fat, having a thicker fhell,and the fame red. And albeit that it grow in marifh grounds , yet 

 it- is a fhorter plant and more drie than the others. But contrariwife they fay,that the Arabicke is 

 greene of colour , and thinner in fubftance : and for that it groweth upon the mountaines, it is 

 more maffie and weightie. But the beft fimply by many degrees, is that Ben which is called Pe- £ 

 tfcEa,commingfrom about thetowne abovefaidjwith a blackirhririd,and white kernellNow the * 

 Perfumers and Apothecaries, doe prefTe onely the huskes and fhells s but the Phyficians extrad 

 an oile out of the vcrie kernels, which as they ftampe, they poure hot water ever and anon unto 

 it, by little and Iktle. 



Chap. xxii. 

 of PhcemcohaUnusyCdmrnodorafm^andSqumnth, 



J He Date in^gyptjcalled Adipfos,hath the like ufe in ointments,and is next in requefj for 

 fuch odoriferous compofiiions, as the Myrabalanus or Ben aforenamed . Greene it is in M 

 colour, it fmelleth like unto a Quince, and hath no woodie ftone within. But to ferve for 

 thofepurpofes above recited, it mutt be gathered fomewhat before that it bcginneth to ripen. 

 That which is left behind ungathered,is called Phoenicobalanus : this waxeth black,and maketh 

 them drunke that eat thereof* As for Myrobalanus, or Ben, it is worth two Romane deniers a 



pound. 



