384 The (hirteentli BooJte of 



would doe well and that a fcveritic (if I may fofay) in the vice ic felfc, were better to be liked. But G 

 fome take delight cfpecially in thick and groflcointmentSj and are not content to be perfumed, 

 yea and bathed all over^unlelle they be befincared, greafed, and dawbed alfo therewith . I have 

 myrelfefcenefomeof them to annoint the very folesof their feet with thelepretious- baulmes: 

 and (by report) it was otho that firft taught thcEmperoiiriV^ro this wanton dclicacic . Btn I 

 would gladly knowj and fome good bodie tell me^ I pray. How he could feele the fmcll thereof, 

 and what delight or contentment it might yeeld from that part of the bodie ?I have heard fay 

 befides, by fome of the inward familiars and fpeciall favorites of this prince^That he comman- 

 ded the very walls of his baincs and ftouves to be perfumed with pretious ointments ; and that 

 C.C<i%«/4 the Emperoutjcaufed the very veflelsand feats wherein he ufedtofii when hee ba- 

 thed or Gvet in his hothoule, to be in that manner annoinicd. And bccaufe this might not feem H 

 to be a Ipcciali pleafure fit for an Emperour onely,! knew one of 1iem$ fervants afterwardsjwho 

 iifed fo to doe as well as his lord and mafter.But I mufc and marveilc at nothing fo much,as that 

 this wanton delight fhould find the way and enter (o farre as into the mids of the campe.For woe 

 ye what ?I affurc you the very ftanderds and enfignes, the ^Egles (I fay) and Minotaures/o du- 

 ftie as they be otherwifc, fo foulc and ill-favoured, as being kept fo long, and Handing by unoc- 

 cupied, are wontforfooth to be annointed and perfumed upon high and fefl:ivall daies. And, fo 

 god helpc me J I would I knew who it was that firft brought up this fafhion and necdlefle fuper- 

 fluitie : Certcs,! would not defraud him of his due Iionor : 1 would (I fay) recommend his name 

 unto allpofteritie.But thus it is (no doubt) audit cannot othctwilc be ; Our iEgles and ftan- 

 derds (bribed, hired, and corrupted wiih this fo good a reward) have therefore in rccompcnie I 

 conquered the whole world. Vndcrfuch colours and prctences[(indeed) wee deceive ourfelves, 

 and cioakc the vice and riot of our times : and thus having fo good a reafon as this, to induce 

 and draw us on, we may not fticke to havepretious baulmes upon our heads, fo it be under our 

 fallats and mourrons. 



To fay for certeintie and prccifcly,when this enormitic cntrcd firft into Rome and began 

 there to raigne, I am not able. Sure i t is, as appeareth upon record,That after the fubduing of 

 K. yi;y//tf^:/^i^;^andthecon{]ueftof Afia, which was about the 5(^5 yeerc from the foundation of 

 Rome, P,L:cmus Crafjus^ and luUt^s Cafar the Cenfors, pubhfVied an edi6i;,prohibiting and 

 forbidding to fell any forrein or ftrangc ointments within Rome :for lb they tcarmed thefeftvcec 

 mixtures and compofitions . But (beiccve me) now adaics, fome there befb wanton and deli- K 

 catCjthat there is no wine or other drinke good with them, nor will goe downe their throat, un- 

 lefte it be Ipiced and aromatized with thefe baulmes: and fo little paiTe they for the bitternefle 

 of thefe odours and fmcls, that they are well content to waft and fpend a deale thereof, without 

 and within, behind and before, above and beneath, to enjoy the perfume thereof in all parts of 

 the bodie wherefoevcr. Well knownc it is, that Z, P/o////^, brother to L,Plancpis^ a man of great 

 credit and authoritic, as having been twice Confull, and Cenibrbefides,beeing outlawed and 

 *^mome. Up]- proclaimed a banifhed perfon by the decree of the* Triumvirs, was diicovered within a certain 

 dnsjU oEiAvmi. cave at Salcrnum, where he lay clo/c hidden and flire enough othcrwifCjby the very fmell onely 

 of a pretious oyntment that he had abouthim: and (b by that mcanes (befidesthefbame and 

 difgrace that he received jthus to deted himfelfe and be found of his enemies) the rigour of the 

 ad and arreft tbatpaffed againft himj was executed and performed upon his bodie . And who 

 would cverpiiiefuchperfons,& not judge them worthic to come to fo bad an end ? But to con- 

 clude all this difcourfc. There is not a country in the wotld that yceldethfucb plentie and varie- 

 tie of drugs fit for thefe compofitions, as iEgypt : and next to it,Campaine in Italic may carrie 

 the name,for theftore of Roles there growing. 



GHAp;M;[aj. 



of I>Ate$yAnd Date trees : their vatundndfeverallkindi, 



THe land of lurie is as much renowmed, or rather morc^- for the aboundancc of Palmes or M 

 Date trees which it affourdeth : the difcourfe whereof we now will enter into. True it is,and 

 .k cannot be denied verily,that there be of them found in Europe, & namely, every where 

 in Italy ; but fuch^be all of them barren* Alfo in the maritime parts and fea-coafts of Spaine^ye 

 iliaUmeet with Palmes that beareDatcs,but they are but tart and unpleafantj and indcedncvei 



' come 



