Theatmm Botanicum , 
1 rib e 16, 
1478 Chap.57. 
humours thereon, the leaves beaten with fome dry figges,doe tnollifie the hardneffe of tumours,and of the tefti- 
cles.and eonfumeth the ?o!jpus of the nofe, which is anexcreffencc or peece of flcfh growing therein : the fame 
alio boyled in vinegar and made up with the meale of Lupines,caufeth rugged nailes to fall away, and helpeth the 
tooth ache,the mouth being often walhed therewith : the fame alfo taketh away the Morphcw, freckles,lpots, 
and the like in the skinne, the nuts boyled in Wine,and the haire wafhed therewith,caufeth them to grow black, 
and if the afhes of them be mixed with the (souther of a Mules hoofc, and oyle of Myrtles, it will (lay the falling 
ofthem : the branches and nuts of the Cypreffe being burned,driveth away gnats,and other (uch like troublefomc 
flyesr the leave* being laid among feedes of any fort, will keepc them from being eaten with wormes, and the 
wood in Wardrobes will prelerve garments from Mothes: the wood it felfc is in no age fub/efttothe worme, 
neither will the lent decay in many yeares, and therefore ifiuch defired in cherts and boxes, Thevet reporteth that 
he fa w at Damiate in Egypt, a Cypreffe chert that was digged ten foote deepe out of a moarifli ground, and found 
uncorrupt in any part,which as was likely had lyen there fince Sultan Selim lubdued Egypt in the yeare. 15 >2. 
Chap. LV 11 * 
Arbor Vita. The tree of life. 
His tree being in fomc fort like unto the Cypreffe, I thought goodtojoyne next thereunto. Itri- 
fethtobcarcafonablegrcatandtalltree, ftanding long in a place, covered with a datke reddifh 
barke on the body,but more ted on the branches, fpreading many branches, and many fmall twigges 
bending downewards, which and the long leaves,that come from them, on both (ides are flat, and 
plaited or braided ,as it were like abraided lace,of a darkeyellowifh greene colour, foftand not hard 
or pricking, abiding greet,e, alwayes fmclling without falling away, and rafting fomewhac rtrongandrefinoos, 
not pleating tq many, but ready to provoke carting, 
yet very cordial!, and pefforall alfo to them that can 
endure it, at the ends of the branches come forth 
fmall moffie ycllowifh flowers, which turne into 
fmall fcaly yellowilh heads, wherein lie fmall and 
Iongbrownifh feede : the wood isfirme and hard, 
and of a brownifh colour. 
The Place and Time. 
It firft was brought iromCanada by the French, in 
King Franc it the iirft his time,and prefented to him, 
andlromthe enercafe thereof, is lpread lufficiently 
through all tire Countries neere it, and flowrethin 
Aprill ,and Oltay, and the fruite istipc in Auguft and 
September . 
The Names. 
This being a new found tree,hath no true.suncient 
Greekc or Latins name to call it by, for although 
rnort that have written of it, referre it to rhe Tl.uja 
of Theophrafim,lib. yc. y. which he compareih both 
in branches leaves and fruite, unto the Cipiefi’c tree, 
yet Omncftmilc non eft idem, and although ic hath 
fome likeneffe in the leaves, yet foie is not in the 
fruite, and 1 verily belnevc, that it is propriumfuige~ 
was, not to be parallelled, or made the fame with a- 
ry other w'e have, as moft of the trees and herbes of 
America , arenocequall to chofe that grow in 
rope, the hethcr part of Africa ind ot A/ia the Idle, 
as experience fheweth. Lugdttnenfts maketh it to 
be bis Thuya trrtium genus, Some would make it a 
kinde of Cednu Lycra, but that bearech ed berries, 
which this doth not. Some alfo have called it Ar~ 
bor paradifea : but it was prclcnted to tilt French 
King by the name of Arbor Vitafinx. upon what rea- 
lon or ground I know nor, but ever fince it hath con¬ 
tinued that name of the tree of life .Clujius and Bau- 
htniu fay, that Tome would referre it to the Bruta arbor Pliny, but that as he faith hath whitifb branches, and 
iweete being burned. 
The Virtues. 
Although we have no forraigne experience to reportunto you, yet upon tryall ofthe leaves by fomc in our 
ovine Land, we have found that they that were long time troubled with a purulentous cough, and fhortneffeof 
breath,have beer.e much releived and holpen thereof, bytheufeof the leaves taken farting with fome bread and 
butter,as the mod familiar way for fome few dayes together,thereby expefforating the flegme Huffing the lungs, 
and fo cleering the paflages.as they found much good by it,and doubtlefle the refinous fmell and tafte.abiding dry- 
ed as well as frelh, doth evidently declare the tenuity of parts therein, and a diverting and clenfing quality, which 
1 ‘ »ny would put into aftion they fhoqld foone fc$ the effefl. 
Arbor Vita. The tree of life. 
