Plimcs Naturall Hiftone. 



A with the oile CyprinurHj it lookcih grcenc 5 if with the oile of Lil]ies,it will bee fattie and un<Slu- 

 ous jif with Mcndcfium^blacke 5 with oile Rofetj white , with that of Myrrhe jpale. Lo wha t were 

 the inventions in old time of aromaticall and odoriferous ointments: loe ivhat were the devilcs 

 afterwards of the fhopkecpcrs and perfumersj to picke pence out of our purfcs, and to rob us. It 

 remaineth now to fpcake of the parangon indeed of ail thefe pleafures and delights ; of that I fay 

 wherein confifleth the very height and cheefc point of this argument in hand. 



Chap, ii, 



?f» of the Optmm called Roy all i ofdrie Perfimes^Torvders^and PomAn- 

 ders : and how they he kept i 



'T~*HeRoyall Ointment therefore (which the Parthian Kings ufedordinarilyj and of whome 

 J[ it tooke that name to be called Royall) is tempered and compofed in this manner : to wir, 

 of Ben, Coflus, AmoniumjCinamonithc Arbutor Comarus^Cadamonum^Spikcnard, 

 Maruni5lVlyrrhc5Cafia3StoraxCaiamita_,LadanumjBauImeliquor,fvveecCalamus3Squinanth 

 of Syriajthe flower of the wild VinCjMalabathrum, SerichatumjCypcruSj AfpalathuSsPanace, 

 Saffron^Cypros, Marjoram the greater, clarified or purified Honey, and Wine. As for Italic^ 

 (the ladie and conquereffe of all other nations) there groweth nothing in it good to make oint- 

 ments 5 no nor nothing throughout all Europe, unlefle it be the Floure-deluce root, & the Gel- 

 ticke Spikenard: for VVine,RofeSj Myrtle leaves, and Oile, arc well knownetobe common for 

 P all countries. 



As for thofe mixtures which be called Diapa{iiiata,they confifl of drie {pices and drug$.AI- 

 fo the dregs or grounds of Ointments,theycaliMagma.Moreover,thisistobeobfervedin the 

 mixture and compoficion of thofc Ointments, That the drugs which be put in laft, arc ever the 

 ftcongefl and mofi effccluall. 



N ow as touching the keeping of OintmentSjthey are befl preferved in pots or veffels of Ala- 

 baftte : and Odorsare flireft maintained andcontinue longeft^being incorporate in oile : which 

 the fatter that it is,ferveth better for a continuance of theirfentjasa man may fee very well in 

 the oyle of Almonds. And to fay a truth jthe older that an oyntment is, and the longer fermen- 

 ted, the more vertue it hath for the age. The funneisan enemie unto them, and therefore they 

 p muft incorporate and unite together in the fhade, and be put up in veflels of lead. The triall of 

 them is taken with the back- part of the hand/or fear leafi that the heat of the flefhie fide within, 

 fhould corrupt and marre them. 



Chap, hi, 



^ of thefiperflmt:ewexpe»ceat Romeyihoittthefe Ointments : andatwhut 

 tme they mrejirjl ufed there, 



AT this<!ay there is not in Rome any thing wherein men more exceed, than in thefe coflly 

 3ndpreGiousOintn)en.ts:andyetofallother,theyare mofl fuperfluous and may be beft 

 £ ipared.True it is,that much nioney is laid out upon Pearlcs and precious ftones^but thefg 



are in the nature of a domainc and inheritance, and fall to the next heire in fucceiTion. AgainCj 

 richandeofllyappareHflandusin agreatdealeof coinejhowbeit they are durable and laf^a 

 long time : but Perfumes and OintmentSjare foondone and gone ; they exhale and breath away* 

 quickly ; they are momentanie,they fervebut for the prefent^and die fodainly.The greatefl mat- 

 ter in them,and their commendation is thiSjTocaufe a man(what bufines foevcr he hath other- 

 wife) tocafl his eye and lookoafter a gentlewoman as fhepaffeth by perfumed in the fl:reets,and 

 fendeth a fmelifrom her as l"he goerh.This is allthe good they doe: and yet forfooth a pound of 

 this ware mufi coft 40Q deniers : fb deer is the pleafure that paffeth from our felvcs and goeth to 

 another: for the partiehimfelfe that carrieth the perfume abouthim, hath httle or no delight at 

 P all m it 5 others they-be that reapelhc benefit andpleafure thereolAnd yet among thefe odorife- 

 , roHS compofitionsifhere is choife and difference betweene one and another. We find in the wri- 

 tings of /V/. Cicero^ that hee made more account of thole ointments which favoured of the earth, 

 than thofe which fnielkd all flrorg of Saffron; as if hee meant thereby. That in this cxcefTive 

 difbrder and mo& corrupt enormitieof all others, a ccrtaine moderation yet and faddfelay 



would 



