Plinies NdtUr^ll Hifton^; 



A ftiperfluous boughes and branches to be cue off and pruned. Bui hce that launccth and maketh 

 incifionjinuft guide and gagelys hand very artificially in the cutting, that he go not loodeepCj 

 nor peircc a jot farther than the barke. This feat being wrought^thereiflueth out of thewound a 

 juice or liquor ,which they call Opobairamumpf an excellent and furpaffing fweet fmell : but it 

 commeth forth by finall drops : and as it thus weepethjthc teares ought to be received in wooll, 

 and then afterwards it is gathered and laid up in fmall hornes.Out of which it is poured into new 

 earthen pots that never were occupied. This Baulnie when it isfrelh and new.tnay be likened to 

 Oilejin thicknefle andconfiftenccjbutin colour it is white 5 intimeit growcthreddillijand hard 

 withalljhowbcitjcleare & tranfparentjthat a man may fee through it.During the wars that Alex. 

 Worths Great waged in lurie, itwasordinarieinafummers day to gather one fpoonefull of 



B this liquorj& that was all that might be done. And when the feafonfervedbeft for thispurpofe, 

 and that it was counted a plentiful! ycarejihe greater hort-yard or parke of the kings abovdaid^ 

 never yeelded in all above fix gallonsjand the lefler butone .-fold it was commonly for the dou- 

 ble weight in filver^ But at this day^evcry tree that may beare it^ and hath a larger veine to abide 

 incifioujis launccd thrice in a fummer time : and after thatjit is lopt and fhread . And thofe cut- 

 tings are good chaffer, and fold very well to the merchant. For being thus lopped once in five 

 yeares at the furtheft^they yeeld in braunches for wood onely^eight hundred deniers. This is cal- 

 led Xylobalfamum, & it goethinto odoriferous cojnpofiiions: tor in default of the right Baulra 

 liquor,the Apothecaries make a fliift toferve their turne with the wood alonc^called Xylobalfa- 

 mum.Asfor the very barke, it entreth alfo into many medieinable confections .- no marvell ther- 



C foreif it carie fome price. But it is the liquor onely that isfo precious, the liquor it is which yeel- 

 deth that moft fragrant finell; thenfolloweth the graineortiuitin a fecond degree, the barke in 

 a third,and the wood as it is laft, fo it hath leall: gi ace and creditc. Of the wood, the beft is that 

 which in colour refembleth Box, and giveth fv^;ceteftfent. But of ihefruirgthe greatcft graines 

 and the weightielljbe moft efteemed , fuch bite at the tongues end^ and bee bote in the mouth. 

 Howbeie,this is adulterated with the feed of ^Hypericum, that commeth from the cittie Petra. . 

 Butthc deceit isfoonedece(Stedand found, for that feed is notfobig, fo maffic and full, nor fo 

 long as the true graine of Baulme : befideSjit hath but a dull favour or none at all, and in tail le-^ 

 femblcth peppcr,Thehquouisknowntoberightorgood,if itbeoleous and fat, thin j&flieere, 

 fomewhat enclining to red , and jif in rubbing betwecne your fingers, it rendereth a pleafant fa-- 



D vour. The white Baulme may beeraungedin a fecond place of goodneffe : the greene and the 

 thicke is not fo good as it : but the blacke is worfljor Baulme as well as Oile,will be fiale & worfe 

 fortheagejif it be kept too long. This is moreover obfervcd, that in every incifion, that which 

 flowed forth before the feed is npe,is moil: precious. Over and befides^this Baulme may bee fo- 

 phifhcated with the owne feed: and hardly can this coufcnage bee found out, butthatithaih a 

 bitterer taif than that which is naturall.For the good Baulme fnould be pleafant and delicate in 

 the mouth,not foure nor tart at all : onely in rmeil it i hould have an harfli verdeur.Corrupted it 

 may be otherwifc,with Oile of RofeSjOf Cypeiusjof Lentiske or Msfhcke,ofP^n,of Terebinth, 

 and Myrtles , alfo with Rofin, G3lbanum,and Cypiian wax, asoccafionfcrveth, and according 

 as men hil to fophiflicate ic. But the greatcft knaverie of 3l],is to mingle gum among it : for be- 



E ing lb handled, it will ff icke and cleave to the palme or infide of a nlans handjnayjit will finke in 

 water to the bottomejwhich are two principal! properties of the right Baulme. For the very pure 

 and perfe<5l: Baulme ought to cleave too: but when it hath gum mingled among^ftickit williike- 

 wife,but it will gather foone a brittle roufe or crufi upon it,which quickly cracketli and breakethv 

 Alfo this fophillication is found out by the taft. But in cafe there bee any trumperie of Wax cr 

 Rofin, the fire will foone bewray it; for when itburneth, it will yeeld a moremuddie and blacke 

 flame. As for the fophiihcation made with honie, it may foone bee knowne : for prefently^yiQ 

 flies will take it.and gather thick aboutit.Over &: befides,put a drop of pure Baulm^ into wari?i^ 

 water,it will fetde to the bottome of the veffell, and congcalc : but contrariwile, the count^riqiiE 

 Baulme, will floteandlwim above likepilc. Againc,ifit haveGalbanura in it^ yee fhall fee a 

 ' p white ftreakc or circle round about it. To conclude, would you know in a word the right 

 Baulme indeed ? It will turne milkc, and cruddle it : anditwiil not ibineacloth. In fummes 

 there isnp marchandifeand commoditie in the world, wherein there is pra(J^ifed more frau4 

 and decj^itj than in the tr#icke of Baulme. For aSextareor winequart of Baulme wiilcofta 

 thoufand Rpnian deiiiersby rctaile^whicb wasbought for threehundred & no more .at thebands 

 > w Kk ii) of 



