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.

TO THE READER.

* 1.1THIS booke, beeing first set forth, in the yere of our Lord God. 1360. The Author whereof is reported to be a Franciscan Frier, of the no∣ble familie of the Earles of Suffolke, (named Barthelmew Glantuile) who studeously gathered this singular worke, for the most part, of the properties of those things the which he had found written in the Bi∣ble, to the onelye benefit of his Countrie: which booke, was had in great estimation among the learned, as well beyond the seas as at home, vntill within 60, yeares past, there sprang vp famous, and worthy persons, of singular perseuerance and learning: which from the course of auncient beginnings, set foorth the same that was formally written of, with additions aunswerable to time present, vsing new Ti∣tles, wherevnto is added so much as hath bene brought to light by the trauaile of others, as Conradus Gesner of Tygure, Phisition, writing of the nature of beasts, birds, fishes, & Serpents, Fuchsius, Mathiolus, Theophrastus, Paracelsus, and Dodoneus, these wrote of the natures, operations and effects of Hearbs, Plants, Trees, Fruit, Seeds, Met∣talls and Mineralls. Sebastian Munster, Henry Cornelius Agrippa, and others of A∣stronomie and Cosmographie. Abraham Ortelius of Antwarpe for maps & discrip∣tions: all which woorkes hath done great good in diuerse and sundrie Common wealths. I haue therefore as an imitator of the learned, for the good will I bare to my countrie, collected forth of these aforesaid Authors, the like deuises, which they in times past gathered of their elders, and so renuing the whole booke, as is apparant by additions, is brought home, the Master, the Pilot, and the profit thereto belonging, de∣siring the well acceptation of the same, and the friendly correction, if anye wordes shall happen to be mistearmed in the imprinting (hoping that there will be found very fewe.) Farewell in the Lord Iesus, from whose magnificence floweth the spirituall knowledge of our per∣fection, both heere and in the world to come.

Stephan Batman, professour in Diuinitie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Itale in his discrip¦tion of Britaine, printed Ana. 1548. reherseth Barthel∣mevv, but not Glāt∣uile, to be in Ed∣vvard the 3. time.