Theatmn Botamcvm , 
1396 Chaf,^ 
r r t b h 16 
with the Acornesof Phagm or Efculut -the Siveete Oke. The //c.vor Holme Oke, as Pliny and other Aurhoura 
make mention,'.s of aneternall durability or not decaying in many hundreds ofyeares, he recirethone rhar mad 
aimoft a wood alone,divided into ten bodies or trees, and contained thirty five foote in cotnpafle and each ifa 
hrgt greatneffe: and of another that grew on the Vatican, that was older then the City of Feme it febe • th 
Crowr.eor Garland that was given to a Citizen, for any worthy afl in former times, was made of the branches 
of this tree, although afterward; ir was made of Efculut that was dedicated to Inpircr , the properties of th 
letter Holme Oke, are chiefly remaining in the berries, of the Juyee whereof youfhall heart in the following 
Chapter. » 
Chap. V. 
lllicum rxcrrfantii. TheExcreffences of the Hofmc Okes, 
fjBtasvflga Here arc five (overall Excrc (fences grow ing on thefe Holme Oke , differing from the fo-trier and 
none of them found upon any of the other Okes, which are fitly referved for this place as you 
I fhallfir.de them fee downe in order: and firff of the Scarlet grame as the tnoff wor.hy. ' “ ^ 
' 1. Chcrmes [eu (foccw infcttcriue. The Scarlet graine. 
This graine or berry (is not the proper fruite of the lefler Holme Oke, for that is an Acorne as 
the others have ) is a kindeol Excitflencc that nature thrufleth forth uponthis tree, while the 
branches are young and notgrowneold or negkdtdand not ptuined,which then grow hatTtn, ai d with lew oc 
none upon ir,and growcthalt along the branches at the fcvcrall Joyntsand footed;,Ikes of t! e leases tein n as |,i»r 
as aPeafe.of a reedifh afhcolaur, before they are ripe,but of the colour of the Holly,or Afpatagus berries^w heu 
they are 1 ipc or fomewhat darker,but are gathered for the moll pert before they be too ripe, when as tliev will 
conraine witltin them a clecrc Juyee of a crimlon colour,as deepe as any pure frcfli blood,' which by the heateof 
the Sunne breede final! red worn es little bigger then fleas at the firfl, but being differed to grow ere;t,*confiime 
the inner fubdance of the berry or graine, creeping away and leaving the lit,oke or fhelleropry, w-hkh empty 
(hells are the Ktrmts brrtyes that are found in the Apothecaries andDrugil'ta fhoppes every where and which 
made cMatthiolut who never faw them gr0.ving, tothinkc that they werenotthe true Chirmes a [‘Dwfcorides 
butfoineotherkindeofbetry, becaufe Diofcttndcs iaith that they arc like unto Lentils: before theie arc ripe or 
that any wormes are bred in them,they are gathered for the Apothecaries ufc, that make the foverain"e cordiall 
confedioncalled Alkermes, vthhbiscordiamica, and preHe forth the/nyce, which being boyled up with a pro¬ 
portion of Sugar, fit to preferve it from fowring, is kept for a whole yeare after : but when they are fomewI1.1t 
more ripe, yet before the wormes are ready to breake the (hell to runneaway, they are gathered for the Dyers 
ufe to Dye fine Scarlet cloath withalfand are brought into powder in this manner. When thefe graines or berries 
are gathered in their fit time,they call them on a flieetc or other Inch thing,fprinkiing them with a little Wine or 
Vinegar,borne up from the ground by the (ides or foure corners, and fet them in the hot Sunne who feeling the; 
Iieatc of the Sunne begin toltirrc.ar.d would crccpeaway, but that one that is appointed rolooke to them, with a 
(mall wandordickeby flriking the hides of the flicete caufeth them to fall downe into the middle aeainewliich 
worke is continued folong untill they te all dead,and dryed fufficient with the heateof the Sunne, and are after¬ 
wards brought to the market and (old to the Merchants,that will buy them. Some doc this in a ba<>"e or bonl t- r 
fluking them in the Sunne,or drying them in an oven. Hetteniut fhewcrh the way that they ufe °in Candy, j, to 
make two forts of Dyes of them, the one of the pulpe the other of the bladders or lhclls and bccaufe the pulpe ma- 
keth the richer Dye it is fold at foure times the deeter rate. ‘ * 
2, There is alfo found upon the branches of the greater Holme Ok e.flat ttring' v here 3nd there, and nothing fo 
plentifully a s in the other,ccrtaine ftnsll round graines cf adarke red colour which for the mod part are neglect¬ 
ed and fo fofe. 
5. There is likewife found a kind of grayifh Moffe made like ur.toa final! long tufli or locke confiding ofgrav- 
ifli hoary ha’reshutnot Iweetc. ° 5 ' 
4, There is a gum alfo found flicking to the Acomes of the great Holme Oke, which is (omewhac hot in tafle 
butnotunpleafant. ’ 
r Thcophraftiu maketh mention of Hyphear, to grow as well as Miffellto.on the Hex, and thac on the Southfide 
thereof, which cannot be but a differing thing from Miffellto. 
T be Place and Ttme. 
The place of growing of thefe berries, hath beer, c fet downe in the Chapter be fore.and they beginne to appeare 
m Apriil, and are gathered in Ulfay, the 1 ell in Greece, Italy, Spatnc and France, and arc chictcly feenc in the 
Summer. 
The Nantes. 
The Scarlet graine i s called by Thcopbretftm in Greeks ttia& twm) Cocoa Pbanket, by “Diefccrides *«*©• in d 
Cccem Bapbic, »,in Latine of Pliny,Gramm,Caecum, QttjfyHiliam,Cufculiam, Snlnitm,vA Vertnicu- 
lttm,vj alfo Hyffinum both by him and Vitrttvim taken from the word Hys, whereby as Paufaniai faith the GaUti. 
am beyond Phrigia did call it, of the latter Wrirtrs, (’crow infedoritu Granum infedorium : j n (heppes Granatin. 
Forum, and Chcrmes or Kermis, and gratia Itermes after the Arabian name, by the Italians grata di tinteri, in 
Spanifi Gtanade tintoreros and Granaen gram, in French Vermilion, sni graine de /curtate, by the Germanes Scar- 
lackbccr, and in Englijh the Scarlet grame.or Chermes berry. The fecotid is called Granum jligneum. The third 
Alufcur lligneut .The fourth Gummi lilgneum.tcnA the lad as is faid Hyphear. 
7 he Vcrtues % 
The Scarlet graine is ufed to heale greene wounds,and finewes thac are cut,to be mixed with viregar or Oxy- 
me!l,and is much commended and given by the later Phyfitiansto women with child, who by infirmity or other 
casualty are lubjeft to tmfearry with their children,by untimely travell and birth: tut Specially the confedion 
Which is called Alky met, which is made of the juyee of thefe berryes is cffeftuall for that purpofe, andisalfoa 
foyeraigne 
