OCR Text |
Show im @ as haning thereby an argument in themfelues, that there is fomething in them worthy eftimation antong men : which then doubleth their diligence to deferue ct more abundantly. Admirable and Bere for the imitation of vrinces, was that act of Alexander, who festeng Axiftotle to. compsle com- nae % To the well affected ‘Reader and perufer ofthis Booke,St.Bredwell Phyfition, ’ plin.tun, Aa vos WA 5 mentaries ofthe bruit creatures, allowed him for the better performance thereof, certaine thoy. greeting. *S Pen isthe campe ofglorie andhonourforall men,faith theyounger Pliny: nos = onely men of creat birth and dignitic, or men ofoffice enduedwitb publique hk & charge andtitles arefeene therein,andhaue the garland ofpraife andprefers ment waiting to crowne their merits but enen the common[ouldier likewife: B fo as he,whofe name andnotewas erft all obfcure, mayby cereeious atts of valour obtainea place among the noble. Thee{choole of(ccence keepethfemblableproportion: whofe amplitude,as not alwates nor onely, men ofgreat titles anddegreeslabour to illuftrate.(o whofoeuer doth, may confidently acconst of, at the leaft,his nameto beimmortall. What is he thenthat will denie his voice ofgracious co m- mendation tothe Authors ofthis Booke : to euery one,no doubt, there is due a condigne meafure, ae Pear. Thefirft gatherers out ofthe Antients,andaugmentors by their owne paines, haue nase fpread ‘the odour oftheir goodnamesthrough allthe Lands oflearned habitations.D. Prielt,for his tran ~ Lis. pee ‘Tabernamon- flation offo much as Dodonzus, hath thereby left a tombefor bis honorable f{epulture. M.Gerard re comming laftbut not the leaft,hath many waies accommodated rhe whole worke unto our Englifh Nation: forthis Hiftorie ofPlants,as it is richly replenifhed by thofe fiue mens labours laied to. Kether,foyet coulditfull ill have wantedthat new acceffion he hath made unto it. M.any things hath he nouriflied in his garden,andobferuedin our Englifhfields, that newer came into their‘pennes te write of. Againe,thegrcateft numberofthe/eplanishauing neuer been written of in the Engli tonguc,would have wantednamesfor the vulear (ort to call them by : in which defect he hath bin curtoufly carefull,touching both old and new names to makefupply. And left the Reader Shouldtoo ofien languifh withfruftrate defiveste findefome plant be readeth,ofrare vertue, hefpareth not to tellifhimfelfe haue (ene it in is land) in what wood,pafture or ditch thefame ~ befeene and gathered. Which when tthinke of and therewithall remember with what cheerefull LL a alacritie, and refolute attendance eT he hath man yeares tilledthisground, and now brought forth the frsit ofit, whether Ifhould more commend hisgreat diligence to attaine this skill,or his large bencuolence in beftowing tt on his countrie,I cannot cafily determine. his booke-bir th this bronghtforth by Ge tatd,as it is informe anddifpofitionfaire and comely, every {pecies being referred to his likelieft Laert.l.y, cap.x, genus,ofwhofeftocke it came : fo tt atcomplifhed with furpalfing varietic, vato [uch [ereadin growth andflrength ofeuery Lim,as thatit mayfeeme fome heroicall Impe of illuflrious race, able to draw the cies andexpectation ofeuery man-vnto it. Somewhat rave it will be bere fora man 2 moue a queftion ofthis nature,and depart acaine without fome goodfatisfaction..Manifoldwill be the vf both to the Phy (ition andothers:for enery man delighteth inknowle dce naturally which (as Ariftotl efizd)is in profperitie an ornament in aducr(itie arefuge. But this booke aboue many others willfate with the moftsbecanfe it both plenteon ly miniftreth knowledge, which is the feed of the minde,anddoth it alfo with a familiar andpleafing tafte to eucry capacities Now as this com moditie is communicatedto all,and manyfrall receine much fruit thereof (oI wifhfime may oe Yuuenal.7, Sat. Cic.Offe.1, Simplic, comm. in Epi. the minde to returne a benefit againesthat it might not be true in all that Ton enall faith, Scire vo Junt omnes,mercedem folucie nemo: ¢i.) All defire to know, noneto yeeld reward an mer thinkthat theperfection of this knowledge isthe high adutncement ofthe health ofman that perfection is not to be attained,but by (trong indewor : neither canflrong indeuor be accom lifhed without free maintenance.T his hath not hewho & forced to labour for bis daily bread : bag hee who fromthefhort houres ofhis daily and neceffarie trauell, tealing™ss it were fome Sribe ore bchooft,and [etting gt length thofe pecces together, can by ingforth fo comely a caren as a meet £0 cower ar put away the ignorance of many : what may be thought he would do, ifpublicke aeiibie. wance didfree him from that prinate care,andvnite his thone bts tobe wholly intent tothe cenerall 00d. O Reader,if fuch menas this flicke not to rob themfelue s of(uch wealth asthou ee ; im thee,with that fubflancethou wanteft detract not to fhare out ofthine aboundance to denis eeoe. courage their paines : that fofluxible riches,andpirmanen t feiences may the one become : +0 a : tothe 04 her. Althoughpra ife and reward ivinedas companio ns tofruitful endenors, are ae aefired= of all ny men,that undertak e loffes labours, or dangersfor thepublique ; : behoofe : becaufe they ° e [imemes (as 12 wereu nto reafin,andable her more andmore to refine her felfe: yet doe they vot embrace that honour in refpect ofitfelfenor in refpect ofthofe that conferredit pon thems, but a mare fands ofmen, in all Afia and Greece, moft skilfull obferuers of(uch things, togine him information touching all beasts, fifbes, foules, Serpents, andfies, What came ofit ? A booke writtenwhere. in alllearned men in all ages fince do exercife themfelues principally, for the knowledge ofthecrea: tures. Great isthe number ofthofe that oftheir owneprivate hae laboured in the fame matter, from bis age downe to our prefent time,which all do not tn comparifon[atisfie vs Whereas ifin thofe enfuing ages there hadrifen ftill new Alexanders, there (certainly) would not hagewamed Ariftotles ro bane made the euidence of thofe things an hundredfold more cleered vatovs; than now they be. Whereby you may perceiue the unequal effeéts that follow thofé vafutable canfes of publike and priwate marntenances vnto labours andfiudies Now that I might ng aifpaire tn this m exhortation,I [ec examples ofthi ificence in our age to.gine me comfort : Ferdinand the Et. cryilasin peror and Cotimus Medices Priace of Tufiane are herein regifiredforfurthering this[cience of orat. de pere= plants, in following ofit themfelues and becomining skilfull therein : which courfe oftheirs could a udij me= not be holden without thefupporiing and aduancingoffuch as werefludions to excell in this kinde, Belloniuslikewife (whomfor honours caufe 1 aame) a man ofhigh attempts in vatarall{[eience, adieu greatly extolleth he Kings liberalitie, which endued him with free leifure to follow the fudieof me ies plants fecondedalfo herein by Montmorencie the Conftable, the Cardinals Caftilion and Lortaine, with Oliucrius the Chancellor;by whofe meanes he was enabled pe orme thofe his notable peregrinationsin Italy, Africa and Afia : the fivect fruit whereof, as we hae receined[ome tafte by bis obferuations,fowe fhouldplenteou(ly hane beenfilled with them,ifviolent death by moft accurfed robbers had not cut him off.Andas i finde thefe examples ofcomfort iaforreine wations,fowe are (I confelfe) much tobe thankfull to God, for the experience we bane of thelike things at home. If (newerthelel]e) vato that Phyficke leéture lately fo well erected, menwho haue this warlds goods fall haue hearts alfo ofthat(pirit,to adde (ome ingenious labourer in the skill offimples, they hall mightily augment and adorne the whole (cience of Phyficke. But if to that likewife they wine a thirdamely the art of Chimicall preparation that out of thofé good creatures which Godhath gine n manfor his health,pure{ubftances may be procured for thofe that be ficke, (Ifearenot tofay itthough Ifee how Momusfcorneth) this prefent generation wouldpurchafemore to theperfeétionofPhyficke,than all chegenerations paftfince Galens tine hane done « that Ifaynothing ofthis onefruit that wouldgrom thereof, t0 wit,the aifcouering andabolifbing of thefepernitiows impos flares and(ophifficatjons which mount-promifing Par acelfians entry where obtrudethrough want ofa true and conftant light among vsto difterne them by. In which behalfe, remembring the mournfullpeech ofgrave Hippocrates; Theart of Phyfieke truly excellethall arts, howbeit, through the ignorancepartly of thofe that exercife it, and partly of thofe that iudgerafhly of Phyfitions,it is accounted ofall arts the moft inferiour: J/2y in Like mane nersthe art of Chimiftrie isin itfelfethe moft noble inftrumentofnaturallknowledgesbut through the ignorance cy impiety partly ofthofe that moft audaciouly profil it without skill,andpartly of them that impudently condemne that they know not, it 13 ofall others moft bafely defpifedandtarn- Sully rejected. Aprincipall remedy toremone {uch contumelious difgracefrom thee twopure vir. gins ve one flocke and linage, ts this that 1 haue now in(inuated, euen by erecting the laboratory of aninduftrious Chimift,by the fiveet zarden offlourifhing fimples. The Phyfickereader by their meanes fhallnot oncly come furnifhed with authorities of the Ancients, andfenfible probabilities for that he veacheth, but with reall demonftrationsalfoin many things, which the reafon of map without the light ofthe fornace would neuer hane reachedunto. I hane vttered my hearts defire, for promoting firft the perfection of my profefion, andnext by nece(fary confequence, the healthiclines ofmen. IfGod open menshearts to prowidefor theformer, it cannot be but that the happyfruits fhall be feene in the later. Let the ingenious learned indge whether I hane reafn on my fide ; the partial addittedfed? Ifoun, as men "that nener meane good to pofteritie. Hipp.de Lege- |