George Baker, one of her edAfaieJUes chiefe Qhirurgions in 
or dinar ie } and »SMd. of the fhirurgions of the Qtie 
of London ,to the ‘Reader, 
Rifiotle, a Prince amongft the Philofophers, writing in bis Me-’ 
taphyficks of the nature of mankind, faith, that mar, is natural- 
ly inclined and defirous offcience. The which fentence doth 
teach vs, that all creatures (being vertuoully giuen) doe ftriue 
to attain to perfe&ion,and draw neare in what they can to the 
Creator ,• and this knowledge is one of the principall parts 
which doth co ncernc the perfection of vnderftanding : for of the fam e doth fol- 
low,that all fuch are generally inclined to know the meanes by the which they 
may conferue their life,health,and reputation. And although it be neceffarie for 
man to learne and know all fciences,yet neuertheleffe the knowledge of naturall 
philof'ophie ought to be preferred,as being the moll neceflarie and moreouer 
it doth bring withitafmgularpleafureand contentment. The firft inuentorof 
this know ledge was Chiron the Centaure,of great reno wne,fonne to Saturne and 
Philyre .-and others fay that it was inuented of Apollo: S< others of Ejculape his fonj 
Nf efteemingthat Co excellent a fcience could neuer proceed but from the gods im- 
tuortall,and that it was impofflblc for man to finde out the nature of P Jants, if 
the great worker, which is God,had not firft inftrudted and taught him. For, 'as 
Pliny faith, if any thinke that thefe things haue bin inuented by man, he is vngrate- 
full for the work es of God.The firft that we can learn of among the Greekes that 
haue diligently written of herbes, haue bin Orpheus yMufki/s, and Hefade, hauing 
bin taught by the /Egyptians : then Pythagoras of great renownefor his wifedom, 
which did write bookes of the nature of Plants, and did acknowledge to learne 
the fame from Apollo and Efculape.Democrite a\(o did compofe bookes of Plants, 
hauing firft trauelled ouer all Perfia, Arabia, Ethiopia, and Egypt. Many other 
excellent fpiritshaue taken greatpleafure in this fcience, which to accomplifh 
haue hazarded their liues in palling many vnknowne regions, to learne the true 
knowledge of Elleborus,and other Medicamentstof which number were Hippo- 
crates, Crateua,AriftotleyTheophraft diodes CariftiustPampbylus^AlommjHierophile , 
Hiojeorides, Galen, Pliny, and many others,which I leaue to name, fearing to be too 
long.And iflmay fpeake without parcialirie ofthe Authorofthis book, his great 
paines, his no leffeexpences in trauelling far and neereforthe attaining ot his 
skill haue bin extraordinarie.For he was neuer content with the knowledge of 
thofefimples which grow in thole parts, butvpon his proper coftand charges 
liath had out ofall parts ofthe world all the rare fimples which by anv means he 
could attaine vnto,not onely to haue them brought, but hath procured by his ex- 
cellent knowledge to bauetliem growing in his garden, which as the time ofthe 
yeare doth ferue may befeene: for there (ball you fee all manner ot (flange trees, 
herbes, roots plants, floures, and other fuch rare things, that it would make a-man 
wonder, how one of his degree, not hauing the putfeof a number, could euer 
accomplifh the fame.I proteft vpon my con(cience,I do not think for the know- 
ledge of Plants, that heisinferiourto any: for I did once fee him tried with one 
ofthe belt ft rangers that euer came into England, and was accounted in Paris 
the onely man, being recommended vnto me by that famous man Maher Amb. 
Partus, 
