Plinies Naturall Hiftorie, 



A ThatofthefaidcIafpinglvicHcliiCjthere be many kindSj and three principall above the refl. 

 The firft,of grafle greenc colour^ which growech moil common : the fecondj with a white leafe j 

 and the thirds called alfb the Thracian Ivie^ which hath leaves of divers colours . I he forefaid 

 greenelvie is fuller of leaves^ and choft finer an<l (etin better order than others^whcras the con- 

 traric isco befeencinthewhite kind : alfointhe third fort vyith varieticof colours^ fome have 

 fmaller and thinner leaves, couched likewifc in good order^and thicker growing, whereas in the 

 middlekindjnofuch thingmay be obfcrvcd. Ov'er and befidesj the leaves of ivieare bigger or 

 Jcflejfjjottcd alio and marked 5 in which regard one differeth fromanotheri Among the_white 

 Iviesjfonie bee whiter than other. The grcene Ivie^growcch mod of all others in length: the 

 white killeth trcesj for by fucking.and foking all the fap and moiflure out of them^ it feedeth and 

 B chrivcthfowcllitfelfe,thatit becommeth inthecndasbig asatrec. A man may know an Ivie: 

 being come to his pcrfedionjby thefe figncs : The leaves are very big and large withali : the tree, 

 pufteth foorth young fhoots flraight, whereas in others they be crooked and bend inward :tbq. 

 berries alfo f^and in their clufl:ers diredly upright<Morcover,whcrcas the branches of all oihet 

 Ivies be made like iinto roots, this hath boughs ffrong and flurdie above the refl , and next unto, 

 ir^thc blacke kind : howbeitthispropertic hath the white Ivic by it felfe, That amid the leaves Ie 

 putteth forth armes that cla/pe and embrace the tree refund on every fide: which it doth upon 

 walls like wifcj although it cannotfo wellcompafTe them* And hereupon it is^that although it be 

 cut afunder in many places^yet it continueth and liveth flill : and looke how many fuch armes it: 

 hathj fo many heads likewife of roots are to be feene, whereby it maintaineth it fclfe fafeand 

 Q found", and is betides of that force, as to fucke and choke the trees that it clafpeth.Furthermorc, 

 there is great diverfitiein the fruit, as well of the white as the blacks Jvie. As lor the reft, the be- 

 lies of them are lb exceeding bitter; as no bird will touch them. And yet there is one kind more 

 of Ivic, which is very ftiffe and ftandeth alone of it felfe without any prop to beare it up : & this 

 of all others only,is thereupon called CilIbs,or ivie in deed,Contrariwife,Chamjecifios,[/f/£y?3 

 ground-Ivie] is never knowne but to creepe along the ground. 



Chap, XXXV* 



ofths Bind-mcd or Jvie called S mi lax, 



Like unto Ivie, is that plant which they call SmilaXj or rough Bind-wced* It came firft out 

 ofCilicia,howbcit more commonly it is to be feene in Greece: it putieth forth ftalkes fee 

 thicke with joynts or knots, and thole thruft out many thornie braunches. The leafe refem- 

 blethlvicjand the fame is fliiall,and nothing cornered : from a little flelethat it hath, it fendeth 

 forth certain pretie tendrils to clafpc and wind about : the flower is white, and Imelleth like to a' 

 Lillie : it beareth cluf^ers comming nearer to thoie grapes of the wild vine Labr uica,than to the 

 berries of Ivie ^ red of colour, whcreofthe bigger containe within chem three kernels orpepins 

 apcece,thefinallcrbut one, and thole be hard and blacke withall. This Smilaxis not ufcdin 

 anyfacrificesordivineferuiccof thegodSjUor fervcthfor guirlands andchaplersjforthatitis 

 held to be dolefull and ominous, or ot an unluckie prefage, by occafion of a ccrrainc young la- 

 die or damfell of that name, who for the love of the young gallant and knight Cm/zi^, was 

 E turned into this fliiub or plant, retaining ftill her name : which the ignorant people not know- 

 ^ ing, biTt taking it for a kind of IviCjftickc not to make coronets thereof; profaning by that 

 meanes many times their high feafh and facred folcmnities : and yet who woteth not with what 

 chaplets Poets are crowned,and what guirlands \)imccBacchi^ or Stimtis ufed to weare ? Of this 

 Smilax are made certain manuell writing-tables. And this propertie moreover hath the wood 

 thereof. That if a man hold it clofe to his eare,hc ftiall hcare it to give a pretic found* 



But loreturne againeto the Ivie indeed,it hath (by report) a ftraunge aiid wonderful! vcrtue 

 to trie wines, whether they bee delaied with water orno: for make a cup of Ivie wood, and put 

 wine thereinto,all the wine will foke and run ihrough,but the water (if any be miirglcd therwith) 

 will tarie behind, 

 F Chap, xxxvi. 



^ of Reeds^Cam, And other %vaterfiruhs4 



\ N this difcourfc as touching plants that love cold places, it will not be atnifTc to treat of thofc 

 ^thatgrow in waters. Among whichjtheRccds and Canes may bee raiuigcd inthefirft place: 



It ■ tor 



