Of theHiftory ofPlants. 
152 - 5 ? 
or drops, of a moft fweet fauour, and Angular effefts, for one drop of this which thus diftiWct., out 
of the tree, is worth a pound of that which is made by decoftion : the fruit hereof is (mail in re- 
fpeft of the others - it feldome excecdeth the bignes ofaPeafe, ofa bitter talk-, inclofed in a nar- 
row huske.of the length of a finger, fomething thin, and of a white colour; which the Indians do 
vfe againft head-ache : which fruit of moft is that we haue beforedefcribed^callcd Carpobalfmum. 
It i s alfo written, that in the Ifland called HiflmioU ; there groweth a fmall tree, of the height of 
two men without the induftry of man, hailing ftalkes or fterns of the colour of aThes ; whereon do 
grow greene leaues, fharpe at both ends, but more greene on the vpper fide than on the lower ; ba- 
iling a middle rib fomewhar thicke and ftanding out ; the foot-ftalkes whereon they grow are 
fomewhatreddith : among which leaues commeth fruitgrowing by clufters, as longas a mans 
hand fingers and all : the ftones or giaines in the fruit be few, and greene ; but growing to rednefle 
more’andmoreasthe fruit waxeth ripe. From the which is gathered a juice after this manner:they 
take the youn°- fliootcs and buds of the tree, and alfo the clufters of the fruit, which they bruife, 
and boile in water to the tbickeneffe of hony, which being (trained, they keepe it for their vfes. 
They vfe it againft wounds and v!cers ; it ftoppeth and ftancheth the blond ; maketh them 
cleane • briageth vp the flefh, and healeth 'hem mightily, and with better fuccefie than true Bal- 
Eime. The branches of the tree being cur, Jo call forth by drops acertaine cleare water, more 
worth than viu, moft wholefome againft wounds, and all other difeafes proceeding from 
cold caufes, if it be drunken fome few daies together.- 
«|J The Place. 
Thefe trees grow in diners parrs of the world, fome in /Egypt, and moft of thofe countries adia- 
cent : there groweth of them in the Eaft and V\ eft Indies ; as ttaueller^ in thofe parts report. 
■ The Time. 
Thefe trees for the moft part keepe greene winter and Sommer. 
■ly The Names. 
Balfame is called in Greeke, in Latine alfo Balfammn ; of the' Arabians Balfer.i, Balejtna, 
and Belfw .- in Italian, Batfamo . in French, Baume. 
The liquor that floweth out of the tree when it is wounded, is called Opohalfamum : the wood 
Xylohalfamunt : the fruit Carpohalfamum .- and the liquor which naturally floweth from the tree iu 
^Ecrypt Balfamum . 
D ^j* The Temperature* 
Balfame is hot and dry in the fecond degree, with aftriftion. 
The Vertues. 
Naturall Balfame taken in a morning fading, with a little Rofe water or wine, to the quantise A 
of flue or fix drops, helpeth thofe that be afthmatike, or fhort of winde: itpreuaileth againft the 
paines of the bladder, and ftomacke,and comforteth the fame mightily ; and alfo amendeth a ftin- 
tincr breath- & takes away the {Baking fits of the quotidian t-gue, if it be taken two or three times. 
I? helpeth confumptions,clenfcth the barren wombe,efpecially being annomted vpon a pelTary, b 
or mother fuppofitorie, and vfed. r , , 
The ftomacke being annointed therewith,digeftion is helped thereby; it alfo preferueth the c 
ftomacke from obftruftions and windinefTe ; it helpeth the hardneffe of the fpleene ; eafeth the 
sriefesofthereines and belly, proceeding of cold caufes. 
It alfo taketh away all manner ofaches, proceeding of cold caufes, if they be annointed there- D 
with - but more fpeedily, ifalinnen cloth be wet therein, and laid thereon: vfed in the fame man- 
ner it diffolueth hard tumors, called cedematx-,m& ftrengthneth the weake members. 
The fame refrefheth the braine, and com forteth the parts adioming , it helpeth the palfie, con- E 
vulfions and all griefes ofthe finewes, if they be annoirned therewith. 
The maruellous effeftsthac it worketh in new and greene wound, were heere too long to fee F 
downe and alfofupcrfluous • confidering the skilfull Chirurgionwhom it moft concerneth, doth 
know the vfe thereof-, and as'for thebeggerly Qyackfaluers, Runnagates, and knauifli Mounti- 
banks, we are not willing to indraft them in things fo far aboue their reach, capaciric and worrhi- 
flefie. 
C h a p 0 146. Of a kinde of c Balme i or Balfame Tree; 
The Defcription. 
H is nee wh ich the people of the I ndies do call OKrf, groweth to the bignefle of a great tree, 
hauing a trunke or body of a darke greene colour, fprinkled ouer with many afh coloured 
0 ' Nnnnnn- fpots : 
