The Theater of 'Plants, 
Tribe 5. 
Ch A P.IOI,, 701 
bythe daily converfation among plants, the chiefelt I can gerto enable my Judgement. I mult likewife in this 
Chapter ihew you another plant being like unto it, which Matthiolw fetceth torch for another fort of Laarus 
Alexandria, but I entitle Chamedaphne vera Diofioridis, being much controverted alfo, forfuch reafonsasyou 
Ihallhearebyandby. , 
I. Leitrim Alexandrine genuine. The true LaUrellof Alexandria. 
The true Laurell of Alexandria is very like che Hippoglojfam at Diofiorides, Horfetongue or double tongue.' 
for the manner of growing, riling up from an hard firingy roote,knotted at the head, with many greenc (lalkes 
f oflcaves (landing on both Tides thereof, the lower being larger then the upper, which are fomewhat broad and 
1 round yet pointed at the end with many ribbes therein, and of a paler grecne colour then the Horfc tongue, hut 
t almoll as hard in handling sfrom the middle rib of the leafc about the midlf of it on the upper fide, there fhooteth 
forth a (mall whitifh greenc flower ftarre fafhion, (landing upon fo fliort a footeflalke that it feemeth to have 
1: none, which being pad a (mail round berrie fuccecdeth in the place, which will bee very red when it is ripe, 
|| wherein is contained a white hard feede like unto thofe of the Butchers brooiiic. 
2, Cbamedaphne vera Diofioridis, The true Dwarfe Laurell of Diofiorides. 
This dwarfe Laurell groweth up with divers (lalkes and leaves (et thereon one above another in the fame man- 
0 ner that the former doth,but the leaves hereof are not fo broad and fliort as they, buc longer and narrower, and 
v of a little deeper greene colour on the upper fide, and paler underneath,lull ot ribbes or veinesalfo, without any 
i! ftnall leafe or tongue filch as the Horfc tongue hath,el(e (omewhatlike to it: this hath flowers and red berries in 
ij the middle of the leafe,and upon as fhort a (lalke as the former,but on the under fide o( the leafc for the molt part, 
\ which may well make it (eeme another fort of the Lauras Alexandrine ■ and for that caule I thinke Diofiorides 
c joyneth the Rnfcus, and Camedepbue (onezrc unto the Lam m Alexandrine, the 011c before it the other after, lor 
11 the likenefle the one unto the other. 
The Diace, 
Both thefe grow naturally on certaine hills in Italy, and for their raritie and ufe brought into their gardens 
i there,from whence we have received themithefirft I had by themcanesof D' .F/sd.oneof the Pbilitions of our 
! London Collcdge, who among many other rare plants he gathered in the garden ofthe great Duke of Florence at 
1 PrTiiandelfewherehadthisalfo.-theotherlhadby themcanesofmy good friend Mailer Iohn Tradefiant with 
whom it groweth,having longer and not fo broad round leaves as che former. 
The Time, 
They fcarfe beare flower much lelfe fruit in our Land, but in the warmer countries, they flower in Itme, and 
the berries are ripe in the end of September, 
The Names, 
Diofiorides calleth the firllinGrceke daiym A’xfiMpHz iJide., IDephneAlexandria and Idea, and the Latines 
therefrom Lauries Alexandrine and Idea, becaule it is likely it grew upon the mount Ida, which is nigh unto the 
Alexandria of Trees. Marcellas’ thought it Cooke that name from ^Alexander the great, who at his victories wore 
it on his head; but that is but his bare opinion without ground or reafon : the Idea radix is another differin'* 
iherbe fet before this many Chapters, which X have fhewed you in the lad Chapter, mod fitly to agree with the 
Dolygonatam latifolium cjuartum Clpsfii. Divers have thought that the Lauras Alexandrine and Hippogtoffam of 
Diofiorides were both one plant, among whom Cordm on Diofiorides is one, but UWatthiolw and Cornaritty 
doe both confute that opinion, firft for that it were a needelelfe thing in Diofiorides to write two Chapters of 
one herbe, then that Diofiorides maketh no mention of tongues in the Lauras Alexandrine, which heefpeaketh 
of in the Hippogloffam, yet Matthiolm falleth into as foule an errour himfelfe, in taking that plant to be Lauras 
Alexandrine, whichC/«/?«r calleth Poljgonatum latifolium quartern, as is fhewed in the Chapter before, bur 
Clnfim (heweth that whether he meane his Polygonatum or any other plant by the figure which he cxhibiteth for 
ir, it cannot be Lattrus Alexandria which by Diofiorides his Text is a plant whofe berries grow l>fit(is; in the 
middle ofthe leaves (and cJTfkrrfcWKjquoteth his owne Copie in the M,argent to bee fo) which that plant hath 
not, batTheophrafius lib.1.cap. 16. and lib .3 .cap. 17. exprefleth it more fully by theGreeke word tui’yoKiiiigamrf 
the figure of this Lauras Alexandrine is extant in no other author that I know of, but 111 Lobe/W15 Appendix to 
the Adverfaria, who as he there acknowlcdgethhad it from me (as he had many other plants alfo) which he there 
fet forth, and X am verily perfwaded is the true Lauriu Alexandrine of Diofiorides, who maketh the leafe there¬ 
of to belike thole of Tafias, whereiintothe leaves of this is more like then of the next: the fecond which I here 
fet downe for che Cbamadaphue vera ol Diofiorides, is the / earns Alexandrine altera of CMatthiolus and Learns 
Alexandrine of Columna, whom Lugdunenfis fTab.ermontantes and Clafias follow, and Baabinas calling it fo alfo, 
thinketh that of Label and this to be both one, which his eyes might bee judges, the one having a rounder the 
other a longer leafe are divers. The Matthiolas of Baribinas fheweth for £bamsdaphue that plant which he calleth 
in his Pinax Lyfimachia Cbamxncnon dill a latifolia or Delphinam baccinam of Label, but quoteth it there to bee 
miffe fet. Camerarias bis Epitome of Mattbio/ut fetteth forth another figure for bis Chamadaphne which is much 
fufpeftedby divers to be counterfet, a fiblionof Matthiolas owpebrainc(many luch tricks heuletli in his workes) 
no filch plant being knowne. C-efir/piMnn calleth it Rnfio afjnisaltera. Guilandinus and Columna tooke C hums- 
daphne of Diofiorides and his Lauras Alexandrines to be both one, when as his deferiptions doe evidently vary, 
exprelfing two feverallherbs; the leale hereofhc comparethto aBay leefe,whcreunto it hath morerefemblance 
then the former, for this is not fo broad and (hortasit, but longer and narrower as the bay leafe is: further Dio. 
fiorides faith, it beareth frail am annexumfolijs, which cannot be better underftood to bee joyned to the leaves, 
then growing upon them. I doe confelfe thac in my former booke I did fomewliat adhere to Lobets opinion,that 
ChameUa or Mcferecn might be the Chamadapbne of Diofiorides, yet I there fhewed Come let therein why it 
Ihould not, buc now upon better confideration and examination of the particulars,both forme and vermes,I can¬ 
not finde any plant to agree better with ‘Diofiorides his Chamadapbne then this; Let the criticke carper examine 
this anirnadverlian.but let the judicious convince me and I will yeeld. 
T- e Vertaes. 
Galen in 6 .Jimp l,me die. faith that Lauras Alexandria is of a hot temperature lharpe and fomewhat bitter in tad, 
whjch being drunke provoketh Vrine and womens coatfes ,Diofiorides faith it hallneth the hard and lore travailes 
Oo® 3 of 
