the Hiftory of Plants. ' 161^ 
blackifh.or rather i ntermixt with blackc and white veines,but much more blacke than white and 
this put to the fire will fweat out an oily moifture, and burnt, yeeld a moil fragrant odour. This ! 
cake to be the true Xylodoe of the late Greekesj and the Agalugen of Auicen and that they call Palo £ 
Agulam the Indies. 1 
The third is a wood ofmuch lefle price than the former : and I conicifuire it might well be fub- 
lhtuted for Thus . and this I take to be the Agallochum of Diofcondes ; the Lignum Mass ftflusupe of 
Garcias-^ni Again hr nun of Linfcotm. It is a firme and follid wood,fomewhat like that of the Gedar 
not fubiedt to rot or decay : the colourthcrcof is blackifh, efpcciallyon the out- fide - but on the 
ln-lidc it is oft times brown ifh and fpeckled,containingalfoinicanoiliefubl(ance, a’nd yeeldine 
a iweet and pleafing fmell when it is burnt, but not like that of the two former : the tall'e alfo of 
this is bitterer than thatoi the former : and the wood (though denfe and follid) may be eafily cleft 
long-waiesjit isalfoa farre handlomer and more fightly wood than the former, bailing not many 
knots in it. & ‘ 1 
Garcias ah Orta thus deferibes the tree that is the Lignum Alecs (l iudge. it’s that I hauc fet forth in 
the fecond place:)itis(faith he)like an Oliue tree,fometimes largerithe fruit or fioure I could net 
yet fee, by reafonofthe difficulties and dangers whicha re to be vndergonein the accurare obfer- 
uationofthistree(Tigers frequently there feeking their prey.) I had the branches with the leaues 
brought me from Malaca.Now they fay that the wood new cut downe hath no fragrant odour, nor 
till it be dried : neither the fmell to be diffufedouer the whole marter of the wood, but in the heart 
of the tree • for thebarke is thicke,and the matter of the wood without fmell. Yet may I not den ic 
butthebarke and wood putrifying thatoilieand fat moifture, may betake it felfe to the hcartof 
the tree, and make it the more odoriferous -. but there is no need of pirtrifa&ion to get a (mell ro 
th oLignum Aloesdot there are fundryfo expert and skilfull in theknowledge thereof, chat they will 
iudge of that which is new cut downe, whither it will be odoriferous or nO.For in all forts of wood 
lome are better than otherfomeithus much out of Garcias •pnhuK fuch as aredefirous may fee more 
vponthis fubiedf. The Temperature and Venues. 
It is of temperature moderate Iy hot and dry, and alfo of fomiwhat fubtill parts. Chewed it A 
makes the breath fmell fweet,and burnt it is a rich perfume, 
Taken inwardly it is good tohelpethe ftomack that is too cold and moift,as alfo the weak liner. B 
It is commended likewife in dyfenreries and pleurifies.-and put alfo into diuers Cordiall medi- C 
ciqes and Antidotes as a prime ingredient. 
Chap. i<?. Of (jcdruar. 
X Gedaar aut ) Geiduar. 2 Zeds, trig exaUicr icon. A better figure of Zedoary’ 
