A True and Exa& Hiftory 



them ("unlefs towards the points) two foot long, that part which tou- 

 ches the ftalk, fmallj but ftrong enough to bear the leafe, aud hath a 

 little (hortftalk, to which the leafe growes, which leafe is as exadly 

 form'd as the ftalk, growing by degrees, to make two inches broad 

 in the middle, and lofing that breadth infenfibly to the poy nt. Thefe 

 leaves are thin, but tough enough to indure the ftrongeft wind that 

 bio wesj without being broken, and not above four inches diftant one 

 from another , which multiplicity of leaves, makes the beauty of the 

 tree the fuller. About the time this tree parts with her belly ,& growes 

 to a flender kind of {hape5(he drawes up amongft her roots fbme of the 

 (byle that bred her, about two foot higher than the levell of ground 

 that is near it , and by reafon it is held in by an infinity of fmall Roots, 

 that come from the body, it there remains firm, and falls not dovm , 

 the outfideofthis earth is about a foot round about, broader than the 

 Diameter of the Tr^e , Co that if the Diameter of the Tree be a foot,the 

 Diameter of this earth is three foot at top, but fomwhat more below 3 

 for thefidesarenot fo fteep as to hold one breadth above and below. 

 If this earth were beautiful, fmooth, and large enough, it might be 

 called the Pedeftal to that Corinthian Pillar, the PaJmeto Royal. 

 But what is wanting in the Pedeftal , is fiipplyed in the dimenfions 

 of the Pillar , for, the Corinthian Pillar is allowed for length but nine 

 of her own Diameters, and this will not aske leave to take 150. which 

 makes her the more beautiful , fince the ftrength (he hath, is able to 

 fiipport the weight (he bears : And for the Architrave, Frize,and Cor- 

 nice, they are not to be compar'd to the beauty of the head of this 

 Pillar, together with the fruit and fupporters. And Ibelieve,if Vetruvi- 

 us himfelf had ever been where this Pillar greWjhe would have chang'd 

 all his deckings and garnifhings of Pillars, according to the form ofthis. 

 And though the Corinthian Pillar be a Column lalcivioufly deckt, like 

 a Curtefan , and therein participating ( as all inventions do) of 

 the place where they werefiri^ born 5 ( Cerinth having been without 

 controvcrfie, one of the wantonneft Towns in the world ) yet, this 

 wants nothing of her beauty, and yet is chaft, which makes her the 

 more admirable, andthemore worthy to be prized* One thing more 

 I have to (ay of this Tree, which is not only the Root that brings forth 

 all this beauty, but the root of much admiration and wonder, that, 

 being a tree of that height, bearing a top of (bvaftan extent, as from 

 the poynt of the branches on one (ide, to the poynt of the (talk on the 

 other fide, to be 78 foot, upon which the winde eannot but have a 

 main power and force, yet, I never (aw any of them blown down, nor 

 any root ofthis Tree bigger than a Swans quill : but there are many 

 of them, and they fatten them(elves in the Rocks, which hold them 

 very firm. The wood of this Tree is fo extream hard, and tough with- 

 all^as moft oftheaxes that are imployed to fell them, are broken in 

 the work ■> and they are well enough (ervcd for cutting down (iich 

 beauty. The u(e our Planters made of them at firft coming, before 

 they knew how to make (hingles,was,to (aw the bodies of thefe trees 

 to (udi length, as might reach to the ridge pole, to the Eves of the 

 houfe, forthcy were hollow, and then (awing them long Vv ife, there 

 weretvyo coacavesj which they laid together, (ettingthe hollow (ides 



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