The twelfth Booke of 



cinable oik called Cyprus, or Cyprinum. A pound of it will coft five Romane deniers. The heft G 

 commeth from that tree which groweth upon the bankes of that river NjIus about Canopus, 

 which isthefirft mouth where it difchargeth it felfe into thefea.The iecohd in goodnes groweth 

 about Afcalon a citie of ludaea. The third in worth for fmell and fweetncs, is had from the Hand 

 Cyprus. Some take this Cyprus to be the plant, which in Italy is called Liguftrunij [/.f^rive?.] 



In the fame trad: groweth Afpalathus : a white thornie ihrub it is, of the bignefTe of zdmli 

 tree, and beareth a flower refembling a rofe . The root of it is in requcfi for the making of fweet 

 perfumes and ointments. There goeth a common fpeechjThat every plant over which the rain- 

 bow is fcenc bcnt^will caft the fame ient that Afpalathus doth;-, but if itxzhaunce that the rainbow 

 fetde over Afpalathus, then it will yeeld a fweet favour incomparable, and fuch as cannot be es- 

 prefled. Some call it Eryfifceptrum, others Sceptrumjfimply . The good Afpalathusis red, or H 

 rather of a fiery colour, maffie and heavie in hand, with a fmeil of Caftoreum ; It is fold for fif- 

 teenedenicrs the pound, " . i , , . : : 



In ^gypt likewifetherc groweth Marura, butitistiotfogoodasthatpf Lydiajforit hath 

 greater leaves, and thofeipotted with fundrie colours whereasthe other hath htde fhorcleaves> 

 but they fmell paffingfwccc. 



Cha^, XXV. .uj: ; , ^.1:. 



^ of Baulme ^as mil the liquor thereof called O^obalfamum^ asi'ht^mod'fiamed 



Xylohalfimum, C^lfo of Star ax [Calarmta] and CalhanUmi* ^ 



BVt the Baulme is that fweet and odoriferous liquor that goeth beyond all odiers . The tree 

 that yeeldeth it. Nature hath beftowed onely upon the land of lurie . In old time it was not 

 to be found but in two parkes or hortyards,belonging both to tiiekings of lurie : wherof the 

 one contained not above twentie jugcra or acres, the other not fo much.The Emperours FeJi^A- 

 flans ^ both father and fon, brought one of thofe little Balme trees to Rome, and fliewed it open- 

 ly to the whole citie. Pompey the Great likewife madcproud boaft and vaunted much, when hee 

 faid, That trees alio by him were borne in triumph . Now this Baulme tree ferveth and doth ho- 

 mage, yea is tributarie with the whole nation whereit groweth : but it is of a nature farre different 

 from that which both our Latine writers, and thofe alio of forrein countries,have defcribed : for 

 morehke it is to a vine than a Myrtle* It is planted by flips and branches, as the vine: and of late K 

 dayes bound and tyed alfo like a young vine. It fpreadeth and fiiletb the hills where it is let, after 

 the manner of thole vines in vineyards, which without any helpe of props,fupport and beare up 

 themlelves. Cut likewife it is,pruned,andcleanled,from thofe fuper fluo us l"hoots diatir putteth 

 out. It loveth to bee well husbanded,digged about,raked, and trimmed ; and with this ordering, 

 groweth apace, fo as within three years it is fr uitfull Jt beareth a leafe much like to Ruejand cou- 

 tinueth with a greene head all the yeare long. At the facking and deftru(^ion of lerufalem, the 

 lewes in a furious rage both againft their owne perfons & their goods,would needs have wreaked 

 their anger and been revenged upon the poore Baulme trees, andiiave fpoiled them for ever: 

 but the Romans on the other fide flood in their defence, fo as about this very plant, there was a 

 cruelfbattaile fought. But now thefe trees are united unto the domaine of our Empire : and by ^ 

 orderfromthe ftatCjarefetand maintained :fo as never at any time before, werethey more in 

 number, or taller of growth :howbeit the highefl: exceedeth not two cubits. And three forts 

 there be of them. The firfl hath ilendcr braunchesand fmall,likehaires; whereupon it is called 

 EutherifloSj p. eafie to be cut or lopt.] Tjie fecondjrough and rugged to fee to,bowing and ben- 

 ding forward, full of twigs and braunches,fwecter alfo than the other to fmell unto, and this 

 they name Trachy in Greeke, which is as much to fay as Rough. The third they call Eumeces, 

 becaufe it is higher than the reft, and it h^th befides a fmooih barke : this in goodnes is the fe- 

 condj and the firfl, nanied Eutheriftos, is the worfl. The fruit or feed that the Baulme tree bea- 

 reth, refembleth wine in tail, of colour red, and it is not without a ccrtaine veine of fat. The 

 worfi part of the graine or fruit, is thelighter in weight,and the greener. It is clad withboughes M 

 and leaves thicker than the Myrtle. Now,for to draw the precious liquor out of it called Balme, 

 incifion ought to be made in the barke, with glafie-knives,with fharpc flint ftones,or lancets of 

 bones. For it may not abidcjthat any inilrument of yroh or fteele fhould come neare unto the 

 ^uickej it diethprefently if you touch the heart of it therewith rand yet she fame will fuffer all 



fuperfluous 



