IB, 3. 
Of the Hiftory of Plants. 
^3 
and aftringent, it prouoketh vrine, cleared: the eies,and maketh fwcet breath. 
The de-coition bringeth downe the menfes, preuailethagaind the bitings of venomous beads’ £ 
the inflammation of the intedines and reines. 
The diddled water hereof is profitable to many, and for diners infirmities, it comforre h the C 
weake, cold,and feeble ftomacke, eafeth the paines and frettingsof the guts andintrailes procee- 
ding of cold caufes 3 it amendeth the euill colour of the face,maketh fweet breath, Sc giueth a mod 
pleafant taftevntodiuers forts of meats, and maketh the fame not onely more pleafant, butalfo 
more wholefome for any bodies of what conftitution foeuer they be, notwithftanding the binding 
qualitie. 
The oiledravvne chimically preuaileth againft the paines of the bred, comforteth the domacke, D 
breaketh wirtdinefle, caufeth good digedion,and being mixed with fome honie, taketh away fpots 
from the face, being annointed therewith . 
Thedidilledwaterof thefloures of the tree, as Garcias the LufitanianPhyfition wrireth, excel- E 
lethfarin fweetneiTeall other waters whatfoeuer, which is profitable for fuchjthingsas thebarke 
itfelfe is. 
Out of the berries of this tree is drawn by expreffion,asoutoftl:ebetriesof the 01iuetree,acer- F 
taineoyIe,or rather a kinde of fat like butter, without any fmell at all, except it bee made warme, 
and then it fmelleth as the Cinnamon doth, and is much vfed againft the coldnede of the finewes 
all paines of the ioints, and alfo the paines and didemperature of the domacke and bread. 
To write as theworthinedeofthe fubieit requireth, would aske more time than wehaue tobe- G 
flow vpon any one plant; therefore thefe few fhall fulfice, knowing that the thing is of great vfea- 
mong many, and knowne to mod. 
t Cajfia vfed in a larger quantitie ferueth well for the fame purpofes which Cinnamon H 
doth, f 
Chap. 141. Oj(jum Lacfy and bis rotten tree. 
Lacca cum Juts tacillu, «[[ The Dcf 'criptitm. 
Gum Lacke with his ftaffeordickc. 
r jT'He tree that bringeth forth thatexcremen- 
■* tal fubdancecalled £<i<rca,bothin the (hops 
of Europ and elfevvhere, is called of the Arabi- 
ans, Perfians andTurkes, Loc Stimutn, as who 
fhould fay, Lacca ofSumutraifomewhich haue 
fo termed it,haue thought that the fird plentie 
thereof came from Sumucra, buc herein they 
haue erred s for the abundant dore thereof came 
from Pegu, where the inhabitants therof do cal 
it Lac,ic others of the fame Prouince,7>«-: the 
hidory of which tree, according to that famous 
Hcrbarift C/ufius is as followed:. [There is in 
the countrey of Pegu and Malabar,a great tree, 
wliofe Ieaues are like them of the Plum tree, ha- 
iring many fmall twiggie branches ; when the 
trunk of body of the tree waxethold,itrotteth 
in fundry places, wherein do breed certain greac 
Antsor Pifmires,which continually work and 
labour in the time of Harued and Sommer, a- 
gaind the penurie of Winter: fuchisthe dili- 
gence of thofe Ants, or fuch is the nature ofthe 
tree wherein they harbour, or both, that they 
prouide for their winter food, a lumpeor made 
of fubdance, which is of acrimfon colour, fd 
beautiful! and fofaire, as in the whole World 
the like is not feene, which ferueth nor onely to phyficall,vfes but is a perfed-andcodiy colour for 
Painters, called by vs, Indian Lack.ThePifmires (as I faid) workeout.thiscolour,by fucking the 
fubdance or mat tut of Lacca from the tree, as Bees do make honie and wax, by fucking the matter 
Nnnnnn 3 thereof 
'.f 
