ir 
To the well affedted Reader andperuferof this 
Boo^c iSt fBredvoell c PbjJttion i 
greeting. 
Plin.Tun, 
in pan. 
Tumerus. 
X)odonsas. 
Pena. 
LObclius, 
Tabernamon- 
pnns. 
Z-em.I.j'. 
wp.j. 
luuenal.y, 
§at. 
Cic.Oifc i, 
Simplic. 
com n. in 
Epi£h 
Pen is tht campe ofglorie and honour for ill men, frith the younger P 1 iny : not 
ontly men of great birth and digmtie, or men of office endue dw'ub publique 
charge and titles, arc fcene therein, and hatte the garland of praife andprefer- 
ment malting to Crowne their merits, hut euenthc common fouldicr likemjc: 
fo as he,mhofe name and note was erfl all 0 bf cure, mayby egregious ads of 
-valour obtaine a place among the noble. Thcfthoole offcience keepeth fembla . 
hie proportion ■■ tvhofe amplitude's not almaies,nor oncly, men of great titles 
and degrees, labour to illuftrate-fo whofoeuer doth, may confidently account 
of, at the leaf, his name to be immortall. What is he then that will denie his -voice of gracious com- 
mendation to the Authors of this Booke : to euery one, no doubt, there is due a condtgne meafiire. 
T he ftrft gatherers out of the o dntients,andaugmentors by their owne paines, haue alreadic fpread 
the odour of their goodnames, through all the Lands of learned habitations .D. Pri ettfor his tran - 
JlationoffomucbasDodotixas, hath thereby lejt a tomhe for his honorable fcpulture. A/.Gerard 
c otnming laft,but not the le aft, hath many mates accommodated the whole rvorke -vnto our Etigli fh 
Nation : for this Htftone of Plants, as it is richly replemjhed by thofe fiue mens labours Lied to- 
gether, fo yet could it full ill hauewantedthat new acccfiion he hath made -vnto it„ Many things hath 
he nourijhed in his garden,and ohferued inour Engl! fh fields . that neuer came into their pennes to 
mite of.Again^thegrcateft number of theft plants,. hauingneuer been written of in the Enghjh 
tongue, would hone wanted names for the -vulgar fort to call them by : in which defect he hath bin 
curtonfiy careful!, touching both old and new names to make fupply . And left the Reader fhouldtoo 
often Unguijh with frnftrate deftre, to ftndefomi plant he readeth, of rarevertue, hefpareth not to 
tell (if himfe/f ; haue feene it in England)in what wood, pafl ure or ditch the fame may he feene and 
gathered. Which when I thinks ofandtherewitlull remember, with what cheerefuU alacritie, and 
refolute attendance he hath many ycarestilledthis ground, and now brought forth the fruit of it, 
tvhet her I fhould more commend his great diligence to at tame this skill, or hii large hencuolence in 
heft owing it on his countricj cannot euftly determine. This booke-birth thus brought forth by Ge - 
tard,as it is in forme anddftoftlionfairc and comely, euery fpecies being referredto his hkelieft 
genus ,of tvhofe ftotke it came ■ Jots it accompli jhed with furpaffmg vanctie, -vnto fa eh Jpreadm g 
growth and firength of euery hm,as that it may feemefome heroicall Impeof Uluftrious race, able 
to draw the cies am exp eolation of euery man vnto it. Somewhat rare itwill be here for a man to 
moue a queft/on of this nature, and depart againe without fome good 'fat is fa ft ion. CM amfoldwiU be 
the yfe both to the Phyfttion and others: fir euery man delightcth in knowledge naturally, which (as 
Ariltotl c find) is in p rofperitiean ornament, in aducrfttie a refuge. But this books about many o- 
thers will fate with the moftfecaafs it both plcnteoufy mipiftreth knowledge, which is the food of 
the rninde ,and doth it alfo with a familiar and pleafmg tafte to entry capacitte- Now as this com - 
moditic is communicated to all, and many fall rec , me much fruit then of ,fo I an fhfome may hau c 
the mind - to returns a benefit agameyhat it might not betrut in all that Iuvenall faith, Scire vo- 
lunt omnes,tnercedem (olueienemo : (i.J All ciefire to know, none to y eel d reward. Let 
men think, that the perfection of this knowledge is the high adu ancement of the health of man that 
perfection is not to be attained, but kyftrorg indcuor ; neither canftrong indev.or be accompli jhed 
Without free maintenance. This hath not he, who is forced to labour for his daily bread : but if bee, 
who from the fhort boures of his daily and necejfanc trauett, stealing as.it were fome, for the publike 
bchoofe,andfetting at length thofe pecccs together, can bring forth fo comely a garment as this, meet 
to cotter or put away the ignorance ofmany what may bethought he would do, if pubiicke mainte- 
nance did fret him from that pr mate carc,and-vnite his thoughts to be wholly intent to the gener all 
good. 0 H eader,if fuch men as thsfilicke not to rob t hem f dues of fuck wealth as thou hafte to inrich 
thee, with that fubftancethon want eft, detract not to ftiarc out of thine aboundance to merit and en- 
courage thcirpaines : that fo fluxihle riches, an d'ptrmancdifciences, may the one become a prop vn- 
to the other. Although prafe and reward ioined as companions to fruit fuITendeuors, are (in part) 
deftredof dllmenJhat vndertake Ioffes, labours, or dangers for thcpublique behoofe ; becaufe they 
adde fnewes (as it wcre)vnto reafon,and able her more and more to refine her felfe : yet doe they 
not inter ace that honour in reft eel of it f elf e, nor in refpert ofthofe that conferredit vponthem but 
