4P4 Thefixteenth Boolcedf 



Thus it hath been knownc that doore -hinges and ho0]{es made of Olive wood (which oiberwife G 

 ismofthard)if they have refted any long time^and not been wornc by fhuiting and opening too 

 and fro, have put forth frelli buds^as if they had growne ftill in the plant. As for dore-batrcs and 

 bolts, Cato would have them made of Holly, Bay-tree^and Elme. The handles and helves of ru- 

 fticall tooles^mattockc ftelcs, andfpadc trees, Byginm willeth they fhould be either of Home- 

 beamc. Holme, or CerruSi For fine painell in fret-worke, for feeling alfo and overlaying other 

 woodjthefe are the chiefc, the Citron, Terebinth, Maple of all forts, Boxe, Date tree, Hulver, 

 Holme, Elder root, and the Poplar. The Alder treelikewife (as hath beenfaid) dothaffourd 

 certaine fwelling bunches and hard knots, which may be cut and cloven into moil daintie flakes 

 and pretious leaves, as faire and pleafant to theeyefor their damaskc braunch,as either Citron 

 or Maple : ferting which three afidc^ there be no knurres and nodoflties in any tree worth ought H 

 and of account. 



Moreover, ye fhall have trees ordinarily in the mids toward the heart, carie a morecrifpcd 

 and curled wood 5 and the nearer it is to the butt or root cnd,the finer is the graine, more braun- 

 ching alfo,and the flr^akes winding in and out. Loe,from whence firft came the fuperfluoiis ex- 

 pence to cover and feele one wood with another ! See how thofe trees which for their very wood 

 were of no price^are become more coflly and deerer, when they ferve as a barke to clad others 

 that one tree forfooth by this means, fhould be fold many and fundrie times at a feverall price. 

 Thus have been devifed (I would not elfe) thin leaves of woodjlike gold or fiiver-foile. And yet 

 that is not all : for there is come up of late a devife,to paint and die in fundry colours the homes 

 of beafls, to cut and faw their teeth into thin plates : and whereas at firfl theie was fret- works on- j . 

 ly inlaid and fet out with Ivorie here and there, foone after it came to pafle, that the wood was 

 covered all over therewith. Neither hath the royot andwaflfull prodigalitieof the world flaied 

 there, but proceeded farther, even to fearchinto the deepe feafor that, which might ferve in 

 Head of wood and timber. Thus the Tortoife fhell hath been cut into flakes and leaves, for want 

 forfooth of wood upon drie land. And now of late daies, certaine monflrous fpirits, during the 

 Empire of Nero^ havefound out a devife to disfigure the Tortoife iliell alfo with paintings,that 

 it might be fold the deerer when it lookt like wood. Thus meanes are wrought, that the price of 

 beds fhould be raifed and fet up by this means : thus they would have the Terebinth wood to be 

 cxceflive deere and above the woorth : thus mufl: the Citron wood be enhaunfed to an higher 

 rate: and thus the Maple is counterfeited, Tortoife fhels are foifted in the place andboughtfor 

 ir. To conclude, of late daies the curiofitie of men was fuch,that they could not content them- 

 fclves with rich and coflly wood 5 andnow for to beautifie and fet out their woodjTortoife fhels 

 mud needs be bought, there is no remedie. 



Chap, xliiii. 



^ The Age of trees : what kind of trees they be that are of lea/I corttwitAnce, SmMaifly 

 of OHi(jeho^andthe Prtejis called Druida, 



IFamanwouldconfiderthe hidden corners of the world, andtheinacceffibledefaits that be 

 in it, he might by infallible arguments conclude and refblve, that there be fome trees which v 

 have continued time out ofmind, and lived infinitely. But to fpeake of their age only that are 

 knowne (even by the teflimonie of auncient records, & thofe faithfully delivered unto us)there 

 are to be feen fknding and growing at this dayjabout Linternum (a town in Campaine) certain' 

 Olive trees, which Sctpto Ajricmm(i\\t firfl;ofthatname)planted long fince with his own hand. 

 In the fame place alfo there is a Myrtle tree, of a rare and admirable grcatneflejand under it, a 

 cave or hole in the ground, wherein (by report) there lyeth a dragon that keepeth the ghoft and 

 fouleof ihefaidi'f//'/i>. And at Rome, in the court-yard belonging to thechappellof goddefle 

 Dhna Ludnci^ there is yet to be feene a Lote tree flanding before the faidchappell, built in the 

 yearcof the Anarchie, what time as Rome flood defolate of all magiflrates, and that was 

 yeares after the foundation of thecitie:buthow much more auncient this tree is than the f aid 

 temple,Godknoweih: for, elder it is without all queflion,confidering that of the grove or tuft 

 *GrmAiimnx ®^ ^^^^^ "^^^^ growlug, which thcLatins call Lucus, the faid goddefle Dw^^tooke her name 

 "^Luctna . Now is it 450 yeares or thereabout, fince that time, and fo old it is doubtlefle. Ano- 

 ther Lotecree there is and-elder than that, but the age thereof is like wife unccrtein: known it is 



by 



