GERARDS HERBALL TABLE OF CONTENTS vii Page v TO THE RIGHT HONOKABLE
HIS SINGULAR GOOD LORD MASTER, SIR WILLIAM CECIL Knight, Baron of
Burghley, Master of the Court of Wards Liveries, Chancellor of the
Universitie of Cambridge, Knight of the most noble Order of the
Garter, one of the Lords of her Majesties most honorable Privy
Councell, and Lord high Treasurer of England. MONG the manifold
creatures of God right A Honorable, and my singular good Lord that
have all in all ages diversly entertained many excellent wits, and
drawn them to the contemplation of the divine wisdome, none have
provoked mens studies more, or satisfied their desires so much as
plants have done, and that upon just and worthy causes for if
delight may provoke mens labor, what greater delight is there than
to behold the earth apparelled with plants, as with a robe of
embroidered worke, set with Orient pearles and garnished with great
diversitie of rare and costly jewels If this varietie and
perfection of colours may affect the eye, it is such in herbs and
floures, that no Apelles, no Zcuxis ever could by any art expresse
the like if odours or if taste may worke satisfaction, they are
both so soveraigne in plants, and so comfortable that no confection
of the Apothecaries can equal1 their excellent vertue. But these
delights are in the outward senses the principal delight is in the
mind, singularly enriched with the ix The Epistle knowledge of
these visible things, setting forth to us the invisible wisdome and
admirable workmanship of Almighty God. The delight is great, but
the use greater, and joyned often with necessitie. In the first
ages of the world they were the ordinary meate of men, and have
continued ever since of necessary use both for meates to rnaintaine
life, and for medicike to recover health. The hidden vertue of them
is such, that as PZiny noteth the very bruit beasts have found it
out and which is another use that he observes from thence the byars
tooke the beginning of their ri. Furthermore, the necessary use of
those fruits of the earth doth appeare by the great charge and care
of almost all men in planting maintaining of gardens, not as
ornaments onely, but as a necessarie provision also to their
houses. And here beside the fruit, to speake again in a word of
delight, gardens, especialy such as your Honor hath, furnished with
many rare Simples, do singularly delight, when in them a man doth
behold a flourishing shew of Summer beauties in the midst of
Winters force, and a goodly spring of flours, when abroad a leafe
is not to be seene. Besides these and other causes, there are many
examples of those that have honoured this science for to passe by a
multitude of the Philosophers, it may please your Honor to call to
remembrance that which you know of some noble Princes, that have
joyned this study with their most important matters of state
Mithridates the great was famous for his know- ledge herein, as
Pbtarch noteth. Euax also King of Arabia, the happy garden of the
world for principal1 Simples, wrot of this argument, as PZiny
sheweth. Dioclesian likewise, might have had his praise, had he not
drowned all his honour in the bloud of his persecu- tion. To
conclude this point, the example of Solomon is before the rest, and
greater, whose wisdome and knowledge was such, that he was able to
set out the nature of all plants from the highest Cedar to the
lowest Mosse...
General
Imprint: |
Read Books
|
Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
Release date: |
October 2008 |
First published: |
October 2008 |
Authors: |
John Gerard
|
Dimensions: |
216 x 140 x 17mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
316 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-4437-7285-3 |
Categories: |
Books >
Health, Home & Family >
Family & health >
General
|
LSN: |
1-4437-7285-2 |
Barcode: |
9781443772853 |
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