The thirteenth Booke of 



folded and enwrapped round , and thofe they call Pantherinae, [/.Panther,or Luzerne tables J G 

 There be againejwhereof the worke in waindcot refemblcth the waves of the lea : and the bet- 

 ter grace they have, and bee more efteemedj if they make ailiew of the eies appearing in Pea- 

 cockcs tailes. Next in requefl; and account tothefe abovenamcdjbee thofe that are frilled with 

 fmallfpotsftandingthicke, as if many graines were gathered togethcrjwhich they call th^reup- 

 on(oflbme refemblanceof litle beesor flies) ApiataSjas if they were fpeckled'and filed with their 

 dung.But be the worke and grain of the wood what it v\ill, the colour maketh all.Here atRome 

 weeTet moft (lore by that colour which is like to mead or honied wine, fhining and glittering in 

 the veines of the wood. After which confiderations^men regard much the breadth and largenes 

 of the whole plani^ftanding of one entirepeece which maketh the table.Some take a great plea- 

 fure to fee in one Citron bourd many of thofe faults whichbee incident to treesjto wit, the Lig- H 

 num5for fo they call the fimple,plaine,and bare wood and timber without any branched or cur- 

 led graine at all, without a fhining luftrc and glittering glofle, without worke to bcfeenein any 

 orderdigefted5oratthemoft(if any bee)reprefentingthe leavesof a Plane tree. Againe,there- 

 (emblance either of the veine or colour of a kind o| Okc wood called Ilex. Moreover, the rifts 

 and chinkes which timber is fubje<5l untOjby reafon principally of wind and Sunnes heat : or clfe 

 haiiic ftreakes that be like to fuch clifts and crevifles. Afterwards men were delighted with a kind 

 of Lamprey veine traverfing and running over a blacke crofTe way .-and with an outward skin or 

 coat marked with fpeckcsor knotiieknurs^like toPoppie heads : and generally with a colour all 

 overjcommingneare to blacke, or atleaftwiie befpotied withfundrie colours. The Barbarians 

 for to feaion the wood of this Citron tree jufe to burie the greene bourds or plankes thereof with- 1 

 in the ground^and befmeare them all over with waxe. But the artificers and workemen doe put 

 them for feven daies within heapes of corne,and flay feven daies more ere they be wroughi:and 

 a wonder it is incredibkjhow much of the weight the wood loieth by this meanes. Moreoverjof 

 late daies wee have found the experience by fhipwrackes,that this timber alfb will by nothing in 

 the world be fboner dried nor hardened to lafl: a long time without corruption jthan by feawater. 

 Howbeit J to maintaine thcfe tables bcif , and to caule them for to fhine bright, the way is to rub 

 them with a drie hand, eipecially after that a man is newly come out of the baincs or hot houfs. 

 Neither catch they any harme or If aine, if wine bee fpilt thereupon : fo as it fhould feeme they 

 werenaturally made forwine. To conclude, a tree this is ferving for the ornaments of this life, 

 and the trim furniture of our houre,fcw or none like to it : and therfore me thinks 1 do not amifle K 

 to continue the difcourfe thereof fbmewhat longer than ordinarie. 



Chap. xvi. 



^ of the tree ThjAy what it is, ^ ; ^ 



WEll knowne unto Homer was this Tree, which in Grceke is named ^ <s^^oVi butfbme 

 call it Thy a : for among other daintic odors and fweet woods^he reporteth,Thatdame 

 Circe (whome he would have to be reputed as a goddeffe) burnt of this Thyon. And 

 therefore much deceived are they, who underff and by that word Thyon, perfumes and odorife- 

 rous fpice,confidering that in one and the very fame verfe, the Poet maketh mention of the Ce- 

 dar and Larch tree togither with Thyon , whereby it appeareth plaine, that he fpake of trees on- ^ 

 ly . T heophraflm^yfiho after the daies of Alexander the Great,was the firft that wrate the hiflory of 

 thofe ads which happened about the 440 yeere from the foundation of Rome, gave great ho- 

 nour even then to this Tree, and reported. That all carpenters worke of temples in old time, 

 was made ofthe fame; as of a timber cverlaffing, and which in roufes would continue without 

 all putrefaction and corruption whatfoever. Moreover, he writeth. That the wood of the root is 

 fo curled and frifled, as none more 5 and that of no timber befides are more curious peeces of 

 workesmade, nor of greater price. Over and befidesjhefaithjThat the fairefl and goodlieff trees 

 of this kind, doe grow about the temple of lupiter Hammon : and fome of them alfo within the 

 countrey Cyrenaica toward the inland parts. But all this while not a word of the forefaid coflly 

 tables fpeaketh he in his whole hiflorie : and verily before that of Ciceroes^ there is no record in M 

 writers of any fuch tables : whereby it appeareth, that they be come up but of late daies . Ano- 

 ther tree there is like wife of that namc,bearing anappleor fruit ,which fbme cannot abide for 

 the flrong favour and bitternes withall,others againe like and love it,^? well.This tree alfo beau- 

 tifieth and fctteth out the houfe, but I purpofe not to beftow aiany^words mm thereof. 



ChAPj 



