¶Of Firre. cap. 4.
FIrre is a trée and is called Abies, and hath that name of Eundo, going or passing, for it passeth more farther, and stretcheth more high than other trées, as Isid. saith lib. 17. The kinde thereof hath no earthly humour, and therefore it is able and light timber, and other things that he made of this trée, be called Abiegna, and he that maketh any thing thereof, is called Abietarius, as Isi. saith. Arist. saith that Firre is a trée, yt stret∣cheth in length vpward, and hath much rarenesse in substaunce, and small and thin moysture, and therefore kind heate thereof with helpe of heate of the Sun, reareth and beareth vpwarde that moy∣sture, and turneth it into substaunce of trees, and so maketh the trée growe full high. This trée is wonderfull high, and little or nought crooked, and that is, for vertue of heate, and euennesse of humor that is obedient to the working of heat. Therefore it stretcheth vpright with∣out any crookednesse: and though the trée be gendered and commeth of lyght humour and subtill, yet kinde dry∣ueth the superfluitie of that humour outwarde, and bringeth it betwéene the Tree and the rinde, and there by heate of the Sunne it is made clammye, and turned into kinde of sweet smelling Rosen.
Also for gleamie fatnesse yt is incorpo∣rate to this trée, this trée Abies kindleth full soone & burneth light. Also this Trée Abies helpeth to diuers manner buil∣dings, and namely for euennesse & length & shape that is stéeple wise, more smal vp∣ward then downward, therof is good ship timber made and shapen.
(* 1.1Abies, is the Firre trée, whose fruit is smaller and longer then of the Pine trée, with the Timber is made Masts for ships, and the boordes and rest timber is reserued for many vses, the wood is tight and well smelling. The olde Firre trée yéeldeth a white Gumme, yt is solde for Frankensence: but that which runneth forth of the young trées is called Tere∣binthina Veneta, and is solde for the right Turpentine, which we call Tur∣pentine of Venice. Dodoneus.)