Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

¶Of Papyro. cap. 126.

PApyrus is a manner Rush, that is my to kindle fire and lanternes, and is called Pabulem ••gnis, the feeding of f••e••, for fire is called Pir in Gréeke. And this hearbe is put to burne in wickets, and in tapers and is a gréene hearbe and round, and full smooth without with soft pith white and dry sucking, full of holes within. The rinde is stripped off vnto the pith, and is so dryed, and a little is lefte of the rinde on the one side, to su∣staine the tender with, & the lesse is lefte of the rinde: the more cléere the pith bur∣neth in a lampe, and is the sooner kinde∣led. And the places wherein such rush∣es growe, is as marreys and moores, by ••••eades and, water breaches: and is cal∣led Papyro papyrionis, as Isidore say∣eth.

Of rushes be rushen vessels made, for all thing that is made of Rushes, is called Papyrion. And aboue Memphis, and in Inde 〈…〉〈…〉 such great rushes, that they make boates thereof, as the Glose with Super Esa. ca. 18. And Plinius wit∣nesseth it. And Alexanders storie saith the same. And of rushes he charters made in the which were Epistles writ and sent by messengers. Also of rushes be made pauiers, bores, and cases, & bas∣kets to kéepe in letters and other things in as the Glose saith. And Plinius saith, that the pith of this rush, is good to draw water out of the earth, for it sucketh it kindly, and draweth it to it selfe.

Therefore with rushes, water is draw∣en out of wine. Lib. 13. Plinius speaketh of rushes and sayth, that in marreys of Aegypt grow rushes, and in other stan∣ding water of Nilus, where the waters passe not two cubites of height. Rooles of rushes that grow in those places and bounds, be as great as an arme, and bée thrée cornered in the side, and thereof spring Rushes, passing tenne cubites of height. And people of that countrey, vse those rushes to burne in steede of wood. Of these rushes be made diuers things, that be néedfull in households, and ther∣of they make and weaue boates & sailes, and ropes for ships, and also cloathing. And also they make thereof Paper to write with, Huc vs{que} Plinius.

(Fiue kindes of rushes are writ∣ten of: Mariscus the candle rush, Iun∣cus acutus, the hard rush and fenne rush, Hotosehaenus, the bull rush or Mat rush, Squinantum, in English Squinant, as reported D••don. in Fol. 511. Papyrus, a great rush in Aegipt growing in fe••••s or istac••th grounds, whereof the first pa∣per was made: now it is vsed for paper to write or print on. The paper that is now common, is made of olde lynnen ran•• wrought in a ni••, and brought to a perfection wheron is written the help of memorie, the bewrayer of ••••••on•• & the treasure of truth, which blusheth •••• no mans folly, bewrayeth euery one? Paper is also called Oliarta, of the ••ot∣ters therein contained. Séeing we bée come so néere the word Papirus, heate what shall be sayd of Papyrius y^e name of a young Gentleman, who being a childe, (as the manner then was) came with his father into the Senate, at such time as it happened w••••ghtie and very secret matters to be talked of. When he came home, his mother was verye car∣ness with him, to knowe what ma••de•• who handled in the Senate that daye. He séeing no other shifte, and yet loth to vtter the truth said. To saith mother, they debated that it might be lawfull for one man to haue two wiues. She thinking it to be true, the next morning, when the Senate was againe set, gathered toge∣ther the noble women, and with admi∣ration of all men, commeth into the Se∣nate and there with a solemne tale re∣questeth, that by the same law, it might be lawfull, for women also to haue two husbands. The Senate at y^e first mer∣uailed much at hir words: But when the matter was declared by the young Gentleman, they much praised his wise∣dome and towardnesse, and with rebuke dimissed the women that shewed them∣selues so foolish, and so curious to know that, which nothing appertayned to them. D. Cooper.)

Notes

• Iuncus.
• Additiō.