49§ 



The feventeenth Booke of 



Millies SePa- 

 tiunuhaincrc- 

 diblc price for 

 a dwelling 

 boufe:& chcr- 

 fore as Budteus 

 thinkcch> this 

 place muft be 

 corrcfted, by 

 conference 

 with f^al.MiXx. 

 who for (mil- 

 lies) hath(/eAr- 

 (tgies) which 

 amounteth 

 little more tba 

 to the zo pate 

 of the other 

 fcimme. 



THE X V II. B O O K E O F 



THE HISTORIE O F ^ N A T Y R^;^ 



WRITTEN BY C. P L I N I V 5 ' h 



SECVNDVS. 

 Chap, 



^The mnderfull prices of fome trees ^ 



S touchingthc nature of all thofc trees^ which of their oyVnc accord doc 

 grow, as well upon the niaine land as the fea coafts^we have already trea- 

 ledfufficiently. Itremuinethnowtodifcourre of thofe^whichCtofpeake 

 more truly and properly) are made rather and forced by Art and wit of 

 man, than otherwife come by nature and of thcmfelves . But before! 

 enter into thistreatife, I cannot chufebut marveilc how it is come to V 

 pafle,That thofe trees^whichfor neceffitie&need we having taken from 

 the wild and bruit beafts, and pofTeffed in common with them (confide- 

 ring that men maintaine fight and fcramble with them for the fruits that fall, yea and otherwhilcs 

 with the foules of the airejabout thofe which hang upon the tree) l"hould grow to fo excclfive a 

 pricCjas to be cfteemed among the principall delights and dainties of this world? And that this 

 is foj appeareth by that mofl notable example (in mine opinion) of L, Crafm and C n . Vomttim 

 JEnobarbHS^ Ihis LjCra([m (a right renowmed Oratcur of Rome as any one of his time) had 

 a ftately and fumptuous dwelling upon mount Palatine: howbeit that houfe of i^^/w/^^who 

 defeated in battaile the Cimbrians togither with C.Marim) went beyond it a faire deale in mag- 

 nificenfei and ftoodlikewife within the pourprife of the fame mount. Butthegoodlieftandfai- K 

 reft pallace known in that age^ was that C,\^qmlm a gentleman orknight of Rome, fituate 

 upon the hill of Ofiersjcalled Viminalis : in regard whereof, there went a greater name of him ^ 

 than for all the skill hee had in the civile Law, which was>hisprofeflrion. Yet of al\:ihofe three^ 

 C/4/7^^f^ only was challenged and reproched for that forefaid houfe of his. And in this manner 

 is the ftorie delivered :Cr^/«/d and (great pcrfonages both, anddefcended from moft 



noble houfcs in Rome) after they had been Confuls^happened alfo to be chofen Cenfors toge- 

 ther rand this fell out to be in the yeare after the foundation of the cirtie <5<^2:buc during this 

 magiftracieof theirs, there paffed manyafoule day and bitter fit between themjfo dififonant 

 were their natures, & their conditions fo farre unlike. Now it fortuned upon a time, that C».£>^- £ 

 M!tm{'ks he was a hot and haftie man^by naturc^Sc carried an inward hatred befides in his heart, 

 which foon is kindled & fet on fire, yea &- moft infatiable, upon emulation en vie between con- 

 cuirentSjfuch as they two were)reproved Crapu very fharply for his excelTe in expcncej& name- 

 ly ,that any Cenforof Rome fhould dwell irrfo ftately and fumptuous a palace as he did;and ever 

 and anon made oifcr to buy the houfcjand pay him downright for it* i oo millions of Sefterces : 

 whereat crafm (being a man quicke of fpirir, of a prompt and prefent wit, finely conceited 

 withall^and not tofcekeforareadie anfwer) tookehim at his word and accepted of the offer ;re- 

 ferving onely fixe trees that grew about his houfe. Tufh quoth D<?w////^, replying againe^ take 

 thofe trees away^ and take all 5 if they be gone^ I will none of the houfe though I might have it 

 for a fingle denier. Then Crajfm^ having gotten the vantage and ftart of him, rejoyned & came 

 upon him thus : Tell me now, I pray you,good Domiim^ whether of us twaine giveth a fcanda- 

 ; ous example to the world ? whether am I my felfe (I fay) offenfive, and deferve to be.taxed & no- 

 ted by mine owne Cenforfhip, who can be content to live quiedy & lovingly among my neigh- 

 bours in mine owne houfe, and that houfe which came to me by way of mheritance Irom my 



father^ 



