Theatrunt ‘Botanicam 
1^.8 Chap. 33, 
Tribe vj » 
having Imnleire relufed this errour, he tell into another as bad, taking iris tuberofa, the Velvet Flowerdeluce 
to be HcrmodaHsles, for the iamecaule chat che rootes thereof runne out like fingers, which are fuch filly opinions 
that he may juttly be beaten with his ownerod, that is,be taxed as hedoth others, that in referring Plants doe 
not examine and well perpend each part, rather then any one, before they determine of any thing s for Hermo- 
dadile- >no:withftandingthe Etimology of the word,havcno (hew or likeneffe of fingers, but are fmail and 
fomewhat flat, thicke and fhort white rootes, yet fome areblackifh which are not good, of the fatbion almoft of 
an heart, as it is painted on the Gardes, of lubllance firme, yet (oft and eafie to be cut or made into pouther, and 
ot little or no tafie, butdrying, Mailer Finch our London Merchant washerun deceived, by taking the ker¬ 
nels ofthe Ti-ifo/M) aquation Water Caltroppe, for Hermodaftiles as Ithinke, as Ihave flrewedyou in that 
Chapter: Yet I would we might be better informed of the truth herein, that if any can finde that bigger fruite, 
growingin any ofthe ponds or waters in our Land or elfewhere, by breaking the wooddy (hells of them, and 
comparing the kernells with our Hermodaffiles in (hops, that fo thereby we be fully allured ofthe truth hereof. 
Jt is mod cft.ftuall in purging flegmaticke, (limy, and watery humours from the joynts, and therefore conduceth 
tohelpethe gout and other running joynt aches, it is al(o of truth ufe with other things for dyetdrinkes, chat are 
made of Gssajacam, Sarfa and the like.and to very good purpofc. 
Chap. XXXIII. 
Lacca. Gum Lake. 
Acca is no gumme didilling out of trees as other gummes doe, although it will melt with heat and burre 
withfirc as they will, but is acertaine peculiar matter, elaborate and wrought by cercainc greatwing- 
ed Ants tbatbreed in theground, and lucking out from great trees ofdivers forts but efpecially from 
that which is called Mala Iadica , hereafter let do wne, from which they take the fubdance of what they 
Work,about the (mailer branches fas Bees doe their hony and hony combes)and make this L, icca ,which is a darke 
red lubflancc, fcmewhattranfpsrenr, fomewhat like, bat harder then any Gumme, which being chewed will 
make the fpicclelboke red, andisfirll wrought on (lickes by the Natives of the Countries (the Ants Imeane) 
then melted being clecred from the [lickes,and the winges of the Ants,and made into cakes or thin pceces.which 
are fo brought tous as well as on the (lickes, andisthe originall of the hard waxe, wherewith Letters areiea- 
ledby the hclpeof a candle, whole colloures of red, grecne, yellow or blacke, are added in the new melting of 
itagaine, and making into fuch roulcs as we buy it tofpend, but fome to adulterate it, and make it cheaper, put 
ufually waxe into it, which maketh it fofter and runne quicker: it is called as garcias faith by the Indians in 
‘ 7 ’f(r»,and Atartaban, wheic thebell is made, Free, 
burelfewhere generally by the Arabians,?erftaw, and Lacca. GumLackc. 
Indians Luc, and Lot Sut/iutri, as though it were 
made in Sumatra, but that faith he is not fo, foritis 
butimported thither, and exported againe into other 
Countries. Great controverlies are extant about this 
Lucca, whether it fhculd be the Cancamum of D isles- 
rid:s or no,for the name of Lacca was neither knowne 
to him, nor any ofthe Cjrtcians or Latines, nor yet to 
Pasilw sueta, a later Greeks writer, or in the 
age wherein he lived, as Scaligcr fetteth itdowneiu 
his notes upon Carrom, alchougb Avicen and Serapso 
feenie to cite Passim to be of that opinion : but Garcias 
iaith that neither Avicra nor Scrapie knew Lacca, be- 
caufe they make it to be like Myrrhe, and that it is 
fweete f as ‘Viofccridcs faith Cancamssm is) and there¬ 
fore ufed as a perfume, both which properties are 
wanting in Lacca ,and further faith Avicen,tbit it hith 
feme properties of Carabe Amber, although unlike it 
lit fubdance, and yet Carabe is knowne to be drying 
and binding, and Lacca is an opener of ohflruftions: 
And againe he faith that Lsccst falleth from the aire, 
upon Service trees, when as neither any Service nor 
Medier trees grow in India as Garcias faith.and that it 
is the gumme ofa tree growing in Arabia, and that it 
is brought from Armenia, which things if they be true concerning Cancamum, they are not (o for Lacca, for fo 
they fry it is the Cancamum oi Diofcorides, and from their opinions have the fucceeding ages beene led to hold 
the fame errour for the mod part: for the Monkes that commented upon Alefttes, fubdituted Sanguis draconic 
for Cancamum, whom Matthiolm confuteth diffidently : Some againe tooke'Benzoin to be Caucamsim, which is 
aserroniousas any : Am.itru Lufuaum^nd Garcias doe both agree, that the true Cancamum is the Gum Anrne, 
called by fome Anijmum, efpecially that fort that iswhitilh and cleere,like unto white Amber.for there are three 
forts brought from Gimy,mi thofe parts by the Portugals s The fecond fort is blackifh, fomewhat like unto Co- 
lophonj, which Amatus taketh to be the ALj> rhx Amissea of Diofcorides. The third fort is yellowifh and dry like 
RolTin, but all fmdl fweet being burned,and are good againd cold griefes. The Lacke or Laake,which is a colour 
for Painters, is made ofBraffill or other dying (Iuffes,& hath in former times been put very ignorantly by (bine A- 
poihccariesinto the compofition called Dialacca, but that error is well reformed fince the true Lacca was brought 
and made knowne to them. Lacca is hot in thefecond degree,it drengthe-cth both the domacke and liver,and 
freeth them from obdruflions,and diffolveth the hardneffeof the Liver, hel ..h the yellow' jaundifeanddriveth 
forth 
lf!f< 
lifer" 1 ” 
