The herball or Generall historie of plantes. Gathered by Iohn Gerarde of London Master in Chirurgerie very much enlarged and amended by Thomas Iohnson citizen and apothecarye of London

¶ The Description.

AMong the wonders of England this is one of great admiration, and contrarie vnto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reason and capacitie, that there should be a kinde of wood alterable into the hardnesse of a stone called Stonie wood, or rather a kinde of water, which hardneth wood and other things, into the nature and matter of stones. But we know that the workes of God are

[illustration]

〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lapideum, siue in Lapides conuersum. Stonie wood, or wood made stones.

wonderfull, if we doe but narrowly search the least of them, which we dayly behold; much more if we turne our eyes vpon those that are seldome seene, and knowne but of a few, and that of such as haue painfully trauelled in the secrets of Nature. This strange alteration of nature is to be seene in sundry parts of Eng∣land & Wales, through the qualities of some waters and earth, which change such things in∣to stone as do fall therein, or which are of pur∣pose for triall put into them. In the North part of England there is a Well neere vnto Knaesborough, which will change any thing into stone, whether it be wood, timber, leaues of trees, mosse, leather gloues, or such like. There be diuers places in Bed ford shire, War∣wickshire, and Wales, where there is ground of that qualitie, that if a stake be driuen into it, that part of the stake which is within the ground will be a firme and hard stone, and all that which is aboue the ground retaineth his former sub∣stance and nature. Also my selfe being at Rougby (about such time as our fantasticke people did with great concourse and multitudes repaire and run headlong vnto the sacred Wells of Newnam 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in the edge of Warwickshire, as vnto the water of life, which could cure all diseases) I went from thence vnto these Wells, where I found growing ouer the same a faire Ash tree, whose boughes did hang ouer the spring of water, whereof some that were seare and rotten, and some that of purpose were broken off, fell into the water, and were all turned into stones. Of these boughes or parts of the tree I brought into London, which when I had broken in pieces, therein might be seene, that the pith and all the rest was turned into stones; yea many buds and flourings of the tree falling into the said water, were also turned into hard stones, still retaining the same shape and fa∣shion that they were of before they were in the water. I doubt not but if this water were proued about the hardning of some Confections Physicall, for the preseruation of them, or other special ends, it would offer greater occasion of admiration for the health and benefit of mankinde, than it doth about such things as already haue been experimented, tending to very little purpose.