The fixteenth Eooke of 



grove of Beeches : alfo the gate Querquetulana, bearin g the name of an Oke-row : likcwife the G 

 hillViminalis/rom whence they ufed to fetch windings and bands of ofiers ; and many other 

 grovesj whereof fome were retdoublc^and were twoot aname. Wee read in the Chronicles, 

 ih^i .SiMortenfm Didator for the time being, (when as the commons arofe , andinthatmu- 

 tinie or infurredion forfook the citie and withdrew thcmfelves to the tort laniculum) made a jaw 

 and publiilied it within a ceritine grove hard by, called Efciiletum, where there grew a nymber 

 of trees named Efculi, and the faid ftatute ran in tliis forme. That whatfoever ordinance iliould 

 be enadedby the fame Gomniinaltiejitfliould bind all citizens of Rome vjhomfoever, to ob- 

 (ervcandkecpc. 



In rhofe daics the Pine and Firre,and generally all trees that yceld Pitch,were held for ftraim- 

 gers and aliens,becaufc none of them were knownc to grow near unto the citie of Rome : whcrof H 

 now we wilifpe^ke, the rather bccanfe the beginning and the whole manner of confeding an d 

 preferving wines,might be thereby throughly knowrt.Firft and formoft,fomeof the trees afore- 

 iaid in Aiia or in the Eaft parts, doe bring forth Pitch. In Europethcre be fixe forts of trees/ee- 

 ming all of one raee,which yeeld the fame. Of which,the Pine and the Pinafter carie leaves thin 

 and (lender in manner of haires, long alfo and ftiarpe pointed at the end.The Pine beareth leaft 

 Rofin of all others, howbeit otherwile fome it hath in the verie fruit thereot^which we call Pine- 

 nuts or apples (whereof we have alreadie written) yet fo little it is, that hardly a man would rec- 

 kon the Pine among thofc kind of trees that yeeld Rofin.The Pinafter is nothing els but the wild 

 Pine:itgroweth wonderfull tall, putting forth armes from the mids of the trunkeor bodie up- 

 ward 5 whereas the other Pine,brauncheth only in the head ; this of the twaine is more plentiful! 1 

 inRofinjwhcreof wewillfpeakemore anon. Thcfe wild Pines grow alfo upon plains. There be 

 trees upon the coafts of Italie which men call Tibuli,and many think they be thefame,alihough 

 they carie another name rflender they are and fhorter,altogither without knots, and little Rofui 

 they have in them or none : but they ferve very well for fhip wrights to build frlgats & brigandins. 



The Pitch-tree loveth th^ mountains and cold grounds : a deadly and mournfuU tree it is, for 

 theyufed in old time to fticke up a braunch thereof at thedoresof thofehou(es where a dead 

 corps wasjto give knowledge thereof abroad : yea and commonly it grew greene in churchyards 

 and fuch places where the manner was to burne the bodies of the dead in funerall fires : but now 

 adaies it is planted in courtyards and gardens near our houfesjbecaufe it may be eafily kept with 

 cutting and (lireddingjitbrauncheth lb well.This tree putteth forth great abundance of Rofin, K 

 vvith white graines or kernels comming betweenCjfolike unto FrankincenfCjihat if it be mingled 

 therewith, unneth or hardly a man may difcerne the one from the other by the eye , And here* 

 upon it commeth,that druggifts and Apothecaries doe fophjfticatc Frankincenfe and deceive 

 fo'lke with it. All the fort of thefe trees are leafed with fhort,thickejand hardprickie briftles, in 

 manner of the Cyprefle.The Pitch^'tree bcginneth to fhootforth braunches even from the very 

 • root aImoft,and thofe be but fmall, bearing out like armes, and ftickingonc againft another in 

 the fides.Semblably do the Fir-trees, which arc fo much fought for tc^ferve ftipping : and yee 

 thistree delightethinthc higheft mountains,asifit fled from the fea of purpofe, andcouldnoc 

 away with it: atxl furely the forme and manner of growing is all one with the Pitch tree , The • 

 wood thereofisprincipall good timber fc^eamcsjandntteth our turnc for many other neceii^ 

 > fities of this lifeilofin if it be found in the Firre,is thought a fault in the wood, whereas the only 

 commoditie of the Pitch tree,is her Rofin ; and yet fometimc there frieth and (weateth out a Hide 

 thereof,in the extreme heat of thefun.The timber of them both \§ not alikcjfor that of the Firrc 

 is mofifairc and beautiful! ; the Pitch tree wood fcrvetb only for clAcn lath, or rent (hindles, for 

 Coopers to make tubs and barrels, and for fbme few other thin bourds and painels. 



As for the Larch trce,which is the fift kind of thofe that beareRofin : like it is to the reft, and 

 loveth to grow in the fame places : but the timber is better by ods, for it rotieth not , but will laft 

 and endure a long time : the tree will hardly be killed:befid€s,it is red ofcolor,and cavieth an ho- 

 ter and ftronger fmell than the other. There iflueth forth ofthe tree as it groweth,good ftore of li- 

 quidRofiujin colourlike to honey,fomwhat more clammic, which will never grow to be hard. M 

 ' A fixt fort there is of thefe trees, and i t is properly called Teda, [/.the Torch- tree : ] the fame 

 •yccldethmoreplcntieof moifturc andliquor than the reft : lower it is ofgfowth than the Pitch- 

 treCjbut more liquid and thin : very commendable alfo to maintain fire at facrifices, and to burn 

 an torches for to give light. Thele trees,I mcane the inale onelyjbring forth that ftrong and ftin- 



' king 



