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 a Tree. chap. 1.

A Trée is called Arbor, and hath that name of Aruis, fieldes. For it clea∣ueth to the earth, and roots be fast there∣in, as an hearbe doth, as Isidor. sayth li. 16. ca. 5. A tree & an hearb commeth foorth in one manner, & after one way. For of one commeth the other. For if thou so∣west the séede of a tree, first it sheweth & wringeth forth as an hearbe, and is then confect, and riseth and tourneth into the kinde of a trée. And in space of short time, that y^e seemed an hearb, turneth in∣to a tender and young Trée, and is then called Arbusta, as it were the shafte of a tree. For the place wherein trées grow is called Arbustum, and where Wil∣lowes growe is called Salictum, as Isi∣dore sayth.* 1.1 In libro. de Vegitabilibus Arist. setteth these propertyes of trées and of plants, and sayth that in Trées, and in plants is lyfe and vertue, lyke as in beasts; but diuerslye. For in plantes life is hidden, and in beastes it is open∣ly knowne, perfect and complete.

For trées mooue not from place to place. as beastes doe, nor chaunge appetite and liking, nor seeieth sorrowe, though some philosophers meane other trise, as An••a∣agoras & other, that Aristotle reprooueth. In plants is life vegitatiue, and thereby humour is drawne to saue and to ••ad the trée or plant, but therin is no soule of fée∣ling, and so it sorroweth not when it is bewen or cut, nor hath any seeling when it is nourished & fed, nor it waketh not, nor sleepeth, nor it breedeth not in nor out, nor hath other conditions, that be∣long to the soule of feeling. Nor a Tree gendereth not, nor is gendered by med∣ling of male and female. But a tree hath vertue of it selfe of seeding, and maye thereby bring forth another like it selfe in kinde. But this might and vertue worketh not in deede, but by some out∣ward help: as by help of times of y^e yere. Winter needeth to gather together y^e se∣minal humour: Springing time needeth to bring out the humour. For then is not great colde, freesing nor thrusting out∣ward, neither strong heat burning y^e seed, nor corrupting it. Also the Sun needeth to resolue & temper the parts therof, that were before congealed by cold. And heat cōmeth in & departeth y^e humour seminal from y^e humour y^t nourisheth & scedeth. Also earth is more needfull to trees and hearbs, then to other things y^e gender: for y^t well of feeding of a tree is of earth, as the Sun is well of generation therof, as of the cause that worketh Therfore in li. de Plantis Aristotle sayth that the earth is mother, and the Sun father of trees and of hearbes. For the earth fredeth, as the mother, and the Sunne worketh as the father. In Trees and Plantes, some men take beede of generation, of feeding and nourishing, of increasing, and of the rootes, yearelye renoua∣tion,

and séene no purgation by vrine nor by dirt, suppose therefore that trées bée more perfect then beasts. But Aristotle reprooueth this, and saith, That a trée is bound to the earth, and hath no moouing of it selfe, nor of the whole, nor of partes thereof: Neither hath any determinate shape in the partes thereof, so that the partes thereof be diuerse, and ordeined to diuerse offices and dooing by diuerse formes and shapes: as the eie of a beast for to see, & the care for to heare, nor hath a perfect soule, but a part of a parte of a soule, that is a soule vegitatiue. But a beast hath mo workings and more noble then a plant.

A trée is diuers in substance, in vertue, and in working. For as Aristotle saith, lib. de Vegitabilibus. cap. 2. Some trées haue Gum, and Rosen, and the cause is, for passing much humour is not all defi∣ed of heate, neither tou••neth all into fée∣ding of the trée, but it is put outwarde, and is there cooled with cold aire that is thereabout. Also some trées haue knots, by meanes of which the partes gende∣red some after some, be bound togethers. Also they haue veines, that is chinkes: in the which kinde moisture is kepte, and passeth thereby from the earth into all the partes about. And haue also Pith in them, in the which the humour is sodde and defiaed before that it passe into the substaunce of leaues, of fruite, boughes, and twigges, as he saith. And hath rindes without to defend the trées within. For as the skinne doth in the body of a beast, so the rinde doth to the body of a trée, as Isidore saith. Also generally, as Aristotle saith, a trée taketh soone fire and light: and hath the name Lignum, as Isid. saith; for it taketh soone fire and light. And is called Lychius, a wéeke, for it giueth light to them that be present. Also the shafte of a trée that stretcheth from the roote vp to the toppe, is properly called Lignum, and hath somewhat within, as the pith, and thereof kinde hath succone when moy∣sture of féeding and nourishing fayleth without, as it fareth in feeding of a beast, when féeding and nourishing faileth in the members, then kinde hath succour of the bloud that is in the veines, as sayth expresly Auicen and Isidore also. Also a Trée hath, somewhat that belongeth thereto outwarde, as the rinde, boughes, leaues, twigges, blossomes, flowres, and fruite, and the toppe aboue, as Aristotle sayth there. A trée hath the rinde to saue and to kéepe all that is within, boughes, and twigs to spread vp and about, leaues to saue and to defend fruite, that is ten∣der, from harme and griefes, and hath fruite to saue and multiplye the kinde, and hath a round toppe in complement thereof. And hath figure and shape as a piller commonly all rounde, and that is, as Albumasar saith, for euen spreading of humour into all the partes about, and for euen working of heate, that ma∣keth digestion in all the partes about, and yet euery trée and plant hath a roote, and in the root many manner knots and strings, and the roote is in stéede of the mouth. By the roote humour is drawen so féed all the trée, and knots and strings be in stéede of sinewes, and binde toge∣ther the parts that be conteined.

Also a trée hath super fluitie of parts, that be not kinde partes of office, nor néedfull to the being of the trée: but such partes be in a trée, as haire and nayles in the body. And therefore leaues & fruit tall of trées, by reason of withdrawing of humour, as haire falleth of beasts. For when the humour of féeding is scarce, then kinde withdraweth it from y^e parts that be not néedfull, for it should not faile in the partes that bée néedfull. There∣fore generally leaues fall off Trées in winter time, yet neuerthelesse they abide in some trées, as in bore, & such other, ey∣ther for plenty of humour, or gleaminesse of humour, or for sadnesse and soundnes of the trée, for Trées with thinne sub∣staunce and not harde, but full of hoales and pores, loose their liues, namely, when the humour of féeding is thinne and scarce.

Also trées be diuers in multitude of parts, and in greatnesse and in smalnesse, and in strength and in féeblenesse. And the cause is, for in some great trées, humour is milkie, as it fareth in figge trées. And such humour is able to spread himselfe in length & in breadth. In some trées the

humour is gleamie, and may not spread himselfe, for the partes cleene together, as it fareth in Pech Trées. And this is the cause of witnesse & scarcitie of parts of Trées, hearbes, and grasse. But such gleaming is not cause of féeblenesse in Trees, hearbes, & grasse, but of y^e humour be too scarce, or the heate vnsufficient and vnperfect. Also in some Trées the hu∣mour, is sharpe and of hot and of drye complection, and y^t is 〈…〉〈…〉 of strength and of might: hot things is lyght & sub∣till, and chirleth, and therefore such hu∣mour spredeth, & the trée ••••••••th in great quantity. Also in partes of Trées, men take hée•• of coutinesse in quantity, & lyke∣nesse, for a qualitie in 〈…〉〈…〉 and lyke∣nesse in shape, commeth of plein••••y of mat∣ter, with euennesse of heare y^e worketh: and y^e 〈…〉〈…〉 of contrary cause. In the same wise, men take hee in trees of softnesse and ••adnesse, the softnes com∣meth of head y^t is not sufficient to make the humour hard and sadde. Also Trées, hearbes, & grasse, bée aduerse in the man∣ner of fruit bering: for some trées, as Aristotle saith. Ware fruit aboue y^e leaues, and y^t is for strength of the fruite, and néedeth of heat of the Sunne to make di∣gestion in y^e humour therof. Some beare fruit vnder the leaues, and that for fée∣blenesse of the fruite, least the fruite bée corrupt with greate heate or colde. And some fruite hangeth by a stalke, and the cause thereof is, by reason of vnmightye humour, and ••••lmightie heate, y^t maye no holde the fruit outwarde. And ge∣nerally euerye Trée hath a moyst roote, y^t is meane betwéene the Trée and the earth, of which earth the Trée hath fée∣ding and nourishing. Therefore the Gréekes call the roote the life of the trée. For it bringeth lyfe thereto, and hath a stocke or a shafte y^t stretcheth vpwarde, by helpe of the roote. And y^t is needfull, as Albumasar sayth, to susteine the body thereof. Therefore it is lykened to the stature of the bodie of a beast that bea∣reth all the limmes and members. And so that stocke is a steadfast foundament of the Trée, and holdeth vp the boughes and fruites thereof. Also in a harde Tree is softe pith. And Aristotle sayeth, some men call the pith the mother of the Tree. For therein the seminall humour of the Tree is fed, as a childe in the mother. And some men cast it the guts of the tree, saw therein the pured féeding is depar∣ted from the vnpure as in the guts of a beast. And some men call it the heart of the Tree: For thereof commeth moo∣uing of life, as life of feeling commeth of the heart of euery beast. Also euery Trée hath a rind to make it steadfast and sad, and the rind beareth off small humour, drawen outwarde and dried with heate of the aire, as the Teée within breedeth of great humour and drie essencially, and moist accidentally, as Aristotle saith, and Albumasar also.

And some Trees and hearbes growe in Croftes and in Gardeines, and bee ••ame. Trees and hearbs. And some grow elsewhere, and be called wilde Trées & hearbs. And Trées & hearbes of gardeins should be wild, if they were not kept and hared and shred, as Aristotle saith. And some such Trées beare doth fruite and Oyles because of vrictuous human ••and ••yrle that is sufficient, and some beare none for default of such humour. And in some trees y^e leaues fall soone, by rea∣son of thin humour and not farlye y^e bri∣eth soone: In some is the contrarye, for the cause is contrary. Also as Trees and hearbes be diuerse in quantitye, so they be in fairnesse and soulenesse. For they be both fayre for euennesse of matter, and for faire ordeining and setting of partes, and for sufficient heate y^t worketh, and stretcheth in right and due disposition of kind. Foulenesse commeth of the contra∣ry, both in Trées and in hearbs. Also they be diuerse in fruit, good and euill: and y^t is for more or lesse sweetnesse of kinde humour, or for the heate y^t worketh hath lesse or more due proportion to the mat∣ter, and to the humour materiall.

Also Aristotle sayth there, that wilde Trées and plants beare more fruit then Trees & hearbes of gardeins: and Albu∣masar saith, that that is for more plentye of humour that is little fattye and glea∣mie, and soone diuided and departed, and springeth out and tourneth into kinde of fruits. But fruit of gardeins is better

then fruit of wild trées, as Arist. sayeth. Albumasar saith, that the cause is plenty of more humour, fattie airie, and swéet, y^t is perfect in the matter of fruit of gar∣deins. Also Trées and hearbes be diue••s by diuersitie of places that they growe in. For some growe in drye place, and they be losse in quantity for defeit of hu∣mour, & some in moist place amōg riuers and ponds, and by the sea side; and ofte such be great in quantitye. But Trées y^t grow by strond of salt, water, growe not fast, for much sand and grauell and dry∣nesse of y^e humour that is drawne. But beside the red sea this sayleth, as Ari∣stotle sayth, where be great Trées, and that is by reason of much humour and greate heate, as Albumasar sayeth. Also they be diuers in leaues and in variation of flowres: for some haue sharpe leaues & y^t is by reason of mastry of earth & of dri∣nes, & some haue smooth leaues, for euen∣nesse of moisture of water, & due proporti∣on of heat, some haue clouen and ragged leaues & broad, as the vine, and y^t is for mastry of earth, & priuation of gleamye matter, & vneuennes of heat, y^t stretcheth not the matter euenlye all about. For in such plants the fatty humour & gleamye passeth into the matter of fruit, & watrye humour and earthie into the matter of leaues, as Albumasar saith. Also Trées & hearbs be diuerse in figure & shape of the vttermost partes. For in some the vt∣termost partes be shapen toppewise, or prickewise and sharpe. As it sareth in thornes, therein heate draweth the most thinne humour swiftly to the vttermost parts, & drieth it, and maketh it sharpe, & ioyneth it with the stock and the roote, as Albumasar sayth: a contrary shape com∣meth of contrary cause. And this same is séene in fruit of Trées, as Arist. sayth. For fruite is of diuerse shape, and is not all cornered, neither all straight on a straight line, but some fruit is round for euennesse of matter of humour, & for euen working of the vertue y^t worketh, & of heate, by the which working the partes of matter is euen stretched and spread from y^e middle to the roundnesse about, & cornered shape commeth of contrarye cause. Also they be diuers in coulour and how for both fruit and flowers boughs, and twigges be diuerse in trées ••s Ari∣stotle saith. Of cold humour, earthie, and melancholike, cōmeth blacknesse in fruit, and foule coulour, and of hot humour commeth red colour, & so of other, as Al∣bumasar sayth. In all the foresayde doo∣ing diuersitie of sauour is gendred in di∣uersitie of humour, that hath the ma∣stry, and of heat that worketh digestion and disposition in the substaunce. Also trées and hearbes be diuerse in riping of fruit. For in some trées & hearbes fruite ripeth soone, as Aristotle saith••: as Mul∣beries and Cheries, and other such, and that is for the heate is strong and migh∣tie to woorke in the moysture, & in make the fruit ripe swiftly and soone. For y^e hu∣mour is obedient, & letteth not the wor∣king of heat that maketh digestion, and some fruit ripeth late for groseness of hu∣mour, watrie, & vnobedienth•• and for un∣might of heate that worketh digestion. And that falleth most in wilde Trees. And for y^e same cause some trée burgen soone, and some saie. And leaues spring soone by reason of much watrye humour vndigested, and not fattie, that breaketh out soone is the vtter parts of trées or of hearbes: And of contrary cause commeth the contrarie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of y^e re∣freshing causes, by y^t which trees and drie fruit