The historie of the vvorld: commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physicke. The first [-second] tome

CHAP. XXXII. [unspec G]

¶ Of certaine prodigious trees, and presages obserued by them. By what meanes trees grow of their owne accord. That all plants grow not euery where: and what trees they be that are appropriate to certaine regi∣ons, and are not elsewhere to be found.

WE reade in Chronicles and records, that many trees haue fallen without wind and tem∣pest, or any other apparent cause, but only by way of prodigie and presage of some fu∣ture euent: and the same haue risen againe of themselues without mans helpe. This happened during the wars against the Cymbrians, to the great astonishment of the people of Rome, who thereupon gathered a fore-tokening of great consequence: for at Nuceria in the [unspec H] groue of Iuno, there was an old Elme fell, and after the head was lopped off, because it light vp∣on the very altar of Iuno, it arose of it own accord; and that which more is, immediatly vpon it put forth blossoms and flourished. And this was obserued, That from that very instant, the ma∣jesty of the people of Rome began to take heart, reuiue, and rise again, which had bin decaied and infeebled by so many and so great losses that the Romans hed receiued. The like chanced (by report) neer the city Philippi, vnto a Willow tree which was fallen downe, and the head of it cut off clean: semblably, to an Aspen tree at Stagyrae, neere vnto the colledge or publik place of Exercise there. And all these were fortunate presages of good luck. But the greatest wonder of all other was this, of a Plane tree in the Isle Antandros, which was not only fallen, but also hewed and squared on▪ all sides by the Carpenter; and yet it rose againe by it selfe, and recoue∣red [unspec I] the former greennesse and liued, notwithstanding it bare▪ 15 cubits in length, & foure elnes in thicknesse and compasse.

All trees that we are beholden vnto the goodnesse of Nature for, we haue by 3 means: for ei∣ther they grow of their owne accord, or come of seed, or else by some shoot springing from the root. As for such as we inioy by the art and industry of men, there be a great number more of deuises to that effect: whereof we will speake apart in a seuerall booke for that purpose. For the present our treatise is of trees that grow in Natures garden onely, wherein she hath shewed her selfe many waies after a wonderfull manner, right memorable.

First and formost, as we haue shewed and declared before, euery thing will not grow in euery place indifferently: neither if they be transplanted, will they liue. This happeneth sometimes [unspec K] vpon a disdaine, otherwhiles vpon a peeuish forwardnesse and contumacie, but oftner by occa∣sion of imbecility and feeblenesse of the very things that are remoued and translated; nay, one while the climate is against it, & enuious; otherwhiles the soile is contrary therunto. The balm tree can abide no other place but Iury. The Assyrian Pome-citron tree will not beare elswhere than in Syria. As for the Date-tree, it scornes to grow vnder all climats; or if it be brought to that passe by transplanting, it refuseth to beare fruit. But say, that it fortune by some meanes, that she giueth some shew and apparance of fruit, she is not so kind as to nourish and reare vp to perfection, that which she brought forth, forced against her will. The Cinnamon shrub hath no power and strength to indure either the aire or earth of Syria, notwithstanding it be a neere neighbor to the naturall region of her natiuity. The daintie plants of Amomum or Spike∣nard, [unspec L] may not away with Arabia, howbeit they be brought out of India thither by sea: for king Seleucus made triall therof: so strange they are to liue in any other country but their own. Cer∣tainly, this is a most wonderful thing to be noted, That many times the trees for their part may be intreated to remoue into a forrain country, and there to liue; yea, and otherwhiles the ground and soile may be persuaded and brought to accord so wel with plants (be they neuer such stran∣gers) that it will feed and nourish them; but vnpossible it is to bring the temperature of the aire and the climat to condiscend thereto and be fauourable vnto them. The Pepper-trees liue in Italy; the shrub of Casia or the Canell likewise in the Northerly regions; the Frankincense tree also hath been knowne to liue in Lydia: but where were the hot gleames of the Sunne to bee found in those regions, either to dry vp the waterish humor of the one, or to concoct and thic∣ken the gumme and Rosine of the other? Moreouer, there is another maruell in Nature, wel∣neare [unspec M] as great as that, namely, that shee should so change and alter in those same places, and yet exercise her vertues and operations otherwhiles againe, as if there were no change nor alte∣ration

in her. She hath assigned the Cedar tree vnto hot countries: and yet wee set it to grow in [unspec A] the mountaines of Lycia and Phrygia both. She hath so appointed and ordained, that cold pla∣ces should be hurtfull and contrary to Bay-trees, howbeit, there is not a tree prospereth better, nor groweth in more plenty vpon the cold hill Olympus, than it. About the streights of the Cimmerian Bosphorus, and namely, in the city Panticapaeum, both K. Mithridates, and also the inhabitants of those quarters, vsed all meanes possible to haue the Lawrel and the Myrtle there to grow, only to serue their turns when they should sacrifice to the gods: it would neuer be, did they what they could: and yet euen then, there were good store of trees there growing of a warm temperature; there were Pomegranates and Fig-trees plenty; and now adaies there be Apple-trees and Pyrries in those parts, of the best and daintiest sort. Contrariwise, ye shall not find in all that tract any trees of a cold nature, as Pines, Pitch-trees, and Firres. But what need I to goe [unspec B] as farre as to Pontus for to auerre and make good my word? Goe no farther than Rome, hard∣ly and with much adoe will any Chestnut or Cherrie trees grow neere vnto it, no more than Peach-trees about the territory of Thusculum. And worke enough there is to make hazels and filbards to like there: turne but to Tarracina thereby, ye shall meet with whole woods full of Nut-trees.