Ebc Epiftlc ‘Dedicntorie. 
ters of ftate : Mithridates the great was famous for his knowledge herein, as Plu- 
tarch noteth. Eudx alfo King of Arabia,the happy garden of the world for princi- 
pal! Simples, wrot of this argument, as Pliny fheweth. Diocletian likewife, might 
haue had his praife,had he not drowned all his honour in the bloud of his perfe- 
ction, To conclude this point, the example of Solomon is before the reft, and 
greater, whofe wifedomeand knowledge wasfuch , that hee was able to fet out 
the nature of all plants from the higheft Cedar to the loweft Mode. But my very 
good Lord, that which fometime was the ftudy of great Philofcphers and migh- 
tie Princes, is now negle<3ed, except it be of fome few, whole fpirit and wifdome 
hath carried them among other parts of wifedome and counfell, to a care and ftu- 
die of fpeciall herbes,both for the furnifhing of their gardens, and furtherance of 
their knowledge : among whom I may iuftly affirme and publifn your Honor to 
be one, being my felfe one of your feruants,and a long time witneffe thereof : for 
vnder your Lordfhip I haue ferued, and that way employed my principall ftudy 
and almoft all my time, now by the fpace of twenty yeares. To the large and lin- 
gular furniture of this noble Ifland I haue added from forreinc p laces all the va- 
rietie ofherbes and floures that I might any way obtained haue laboured with 
thefoile to make it fit for plants , and with the plants, that they might delight in 
the foile, that fo they might liue and profper vnder our dymat, as in their natiue 
and proper countrey: what my fuccelfe hath beene.and what my furniture is, I 
leaue to the report of them that haue leene your Lordfhips gardens, and the lit- 
tle plot of myne owne efpeciall care and husbandry. But becaufe gardens are 
priuat, and many times finding an ignorant or a negligent fuccefior, come foone 
to mine, there be that haue follicited me, firft by my pen, and after by the Prefse 
to make my Labors common, and to free them from the danger whereunto a gar- 
den isfubiedt: wherein when I wasouercome, and had brought thisHiftory or 
report of the nature of Plants co a iuft volume, andhadmade it (as the Reader 
may by companion fee) richer than former Herbals, I found it no cjueftion vnto 
whom I might dedicate my Laborsjfor confidering your good Lordfhip, I found 
none of whofe fauor and goodnefse I might looner prefumejfeeing I haue found 
you euer my very good Lord and Mailer. Again, confidering my duty and your 
Honors merits, to whom may I better recommend my Labors, than to him vnto 
whom I owe my felfe, and all that lam able in any (eruice or deuotion toper- 
forme? therefore vnder hope ofyourHonorablcandaccuftomedfauorf pre- 
fent this Herbail to your Lordfhips protection j and not as an excjuifire Worke 
; for I know my meanneffe) but as the grcateft gift and chiefeft argument of duty 
that my labour and feruice canaffoord ; whereof if there be no other fruit, yet this 
is of fome vfe, that I haue miniftred Matter for Men of riper wits and deeper 
iudgements to poliih,andtoaddetonry large additions where any thing is de- 
feftiue, that in time the Worke may be perfect. Thus I humbly take my leaue, 
befeeching God to grant you yet many dayes to liue to his glory, to the fupport of 
this State vnder her Maieflie our dread Soueraigne, and that with great encreafe 
ofhonorin this world, and all fulnefse of glory in the world to come, 
Tour Lordfhips mojl humble 
and obedient Seruant, 
Iohn Gerard. 
_ X . 
