OCR Text |
Show On A eeel OAL,Wal Pareus ; and he beinghere was defirous to goe abroadwith fome ofour Herbarifts, for the which I was the meane tobring them together, and one whole day George Baker, one of her Aaiefties chiefe (hirurgions in ordinarie,and <M.ofthe (hirurgions ofthe (itie we {pentiherein, fearching the rareft Simples but whenit came to the triall,my Riffotle,a Prince amongft the Philofophers, writing in his Me. French mandid not know one tohisfoure. What doth this man deferue thar hath taken fo muchpainesfor his countrey, infetting out a booke, that to this day neuer any in what language foeuer did the like? Firft for correcting their faults in fo many hundredplaces, being falfly nanied, miftaken the one tor the other; and thenthe pictures ofa great number of plants now newly cut, Ifthis taphyficks of the nature of mankind, faith that manis natural- manhad takenthis painesnIraly and Germany, where Matthiolus did write, he of London,to the Reader, man to learne andknowall fciences,yet neuerthelefle the knowledge of naturall fhould haue fped as wellas he did: For (faith he) hadfo great a defire ever to finith my Booke, that I neuer regardedany. thing 1n refpectof the publique good; not fe muchaso thinke how 1 fhould finith fo great a charge,whichL had neuer carried out, but that by Gods ftirring vp of the renowned Emperour Ferdinando of famous memorie,and thié excellent Princes had not helped mee with great {ams of money; fo that the Commonwealth mayfay, That this bleffing doth rather proceed gt them than from me. There haue been alfo other Princes of Almaine which haue binliberal in the preferring of this Book, and the moft excel- Phillyre sand others (ay that it was inuentedofApollo:& others ofE/culape his fon; wardme I cannot conimend fufficiently.. They whichfollowed in their liberalitie were the excellent Rredericke Count Palatine of the Rhine , and the excellent mortall,and thatit was impoffible for man tofinde out the nature of Plants, if didthe reuerend Cardinall and Prince of Trent,and the Excellent Archbifhop ly inclined and defirous offcience. The which fentence doth teachys,that all creatures (being vertuoufly giuen) doe ftriue NA. SS to attain to perfection,and drawneare in what they can to the RECN Fawr Creator ; and this knowledge is one of the principall parts which-doth concerne the perfection of ynderftanding : for ofthe fame dothfol- low,thatall fuchare generally inclined to know the meanes by the which they may conferue their life,health,and reputation.Andalthough 1t be neceflarie for phildfophie ought to be preferred,as being the moft neceflarie ; and moreouer it doth bring withita fingular pleafure andcontentment, The firit inuentor of this knowledge was Chiron the Centaure,of great renowne,fonneto Saturne and LLLAEL ‘i efteemingthat fo excellent a {cience could neuer proceed but from the gods im~ the great worker,whichis God,had not firft inftru@ed and taught him ie os Pliny faith,ifany thinke tharthefe things haue bin inuented by man,heis vnerateHe eit workes of God, The firft that we can learn of among the Greekes that eee nach et pipette bin Orpheus Mufeus,and Hefiode, having Palen by the egyptans : then Pythagoras of great renowne for his wifedom whichdid write bookes of the nature ofPlants, and did acknowledce to learn : thefame fromApollo. and E/culape. Democrite alfo did compofe bookes of Pla hauing firft travelle : d ouer.all Perfia,Arabia,Ethiopia, and Egypr. Many that excellent fpirits haue taken great pleafure in this {cience, which to acta lith haute hazarded their liues in pafling many vnknowner egions, to learne th a knowledgeof Elleborus,and other Medicaments:of which Se # A crates ,Crateua,Ariftot le,Theophraf?.I Jiocles Cariftins ,Pamphylus.Monti ns Hie , ies Diofcorides,Galen,Pliny,and manyothers,which | Iinete nae ksine ;Be te longArid iff may{peake without partialitie ofthe Authorof thi ; bask etiat paines,his no feffeexpences in trauelling far and neere for the an skill haue bin extraordinarie.F or he Wonteuar content w ith ake ks on od f thofe fimples which growinthofe parts, but vpon his propet dolspeae: hath had out ofal! parts ofthe world all the fare fimples which by any m che could attaine yito,not onel y to haue them brought,but hath procureed : by his ex-: cellent know ledge to hayeeeeee iretbiegatdea, which as the time of the yeare doth ferue maybe { herbes,roots plants floures,and other fuct ‘e , hi a mannered! fang. re wonder, how one ofhis decree eae h cee a. : ueentoat itwould make Pere umber, could ever accompl;iththe fame o {t ypon I ame. I prot e S e i t i . my Re atte 4 cen{cience,I do not think Ink for for cf thek “ ledge of f lants,that heisinferiour to any : ? noti te RHlow < : for e fee hi : for I did once fee him trj i of the beit ftrange gelrs that ever came into Enngland, and niin unte tried.wi was acco d in thone Par the onely Man, being recommended vnto mene by bythat that f:amousman Maft Ad y er Amb. Pareus, lent Elector ofthe Empire the Duke ofSaxonie, which fent me by his Poft much monytowatd miycharges: the liberalitie of the which andthe magnificence to- Toachim. Marques of Brandeburg, which much fupplied my.wants: andthe like of Saltzperg; the Excellent Dukes ofBauare and Cleues,the duke ofMegapolen- CisPrince ofVandalis, the State Republique of Noremberg 1 the liberalitie of whom oughtto be celebrated for cuer :and it doth much reioice me that ! had the helpe and reward of Emperors, Kings, Electors ofthe Roman Empire, arch= dukes, Cardinalls, Bifhops, Dukes and Princes; for it giveth more credit to our Labors than any thing that can be faid. Thusfar Martbiolus his owne writing of the liberalitie of Princes towards him. What age do weliuein here that wil ful fer all yertue to go vnrewarded ? Malter Gerard hath taken morepains than euer Muatthiolus dicin his Commentaries, and hath correted a numberoffaults that he pafied ouer; and I dare affirme(in reuerencebe it {pokento that Excellent man) that Maiter’ Gerard doth know a great numberof Simples that were hot knowne in his time ¢and yet I doubr whetherhe fhall tafte of the liberalitie of either Princ, Duke, Earle, Bifhop, or publique Eftate. Letaman excell neuer fo muchin anyexcellent knowledge, neuertheles many times he is not fo much regarded asa Iefter, a Boatter, a Quackfaluer or Mountebanke : for fuch kinde of men canflatter, diflemble, make ofrifles great matters, in praifing ofthis rare fecret, or that excellentfpirit, or this Elixer or Quinteflence 5 which whenit fhall cometothe triall, nothing thal be found but boafting words. VALE. |