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. VII.

¶ Of the floures vsed in old time about coronets and guirlands: the great diuersitie in aromaticall and sweet smelling simples. Of Saliunca and Polium.

SAffron was (no doubt) in great credit and estimation, during the flowring estate of Troy, for certes, the Poet Homer highly commendeth these three floures, to wit, Melilot, Saffron, and Hyacinth. Of all odoriferous and sweet senting simples, nay of all hearbes and floures whatsoeuer, the difference consisteth in the colour, the smel, and the juice. And note this to be∣gin withall, that seldome or neuer you shal meet with any thing sweet in sent, but it is bitter in [unspec M] tast; and contrariwise, sweet things in the mouth, be few or none odoriferous to the nose: And this is the reason that wine refined, smelleth better than new in the lees; and simples growing wild, haue a better sauor far than those of the garden. Some floures, the further they be off, the more pleasant is their smell: come nearer vnto them, their sent is more dull and weaker than it

was, as namely Violets. A fresh and new gathered rose casteth a better smel afar off than neere [unspec A] at hand; let it be somwhat withered and dry, you shal sent it better at the nose than farther off. Generally, all floures be more odoriferous and pleasant in the Spring, than at any other season of the yeare: and in the morning they haue a quicker and more piercing sent, than at any houre of the day besides: the neerer to noon, the weaker is the smell of any herb or floure. Moreouer, the floures of new plants are nothing so sweet as those of an old stock: and yet I must needs say that floures smell strongest in the mids of Summer. As for Roses and Saffron floures they cast the pleasanter smell if they be gathered in cleare weather; when it is faire and dry aboue head: and in one word, such as grow in hot countries be euer sweeter to smell vnto, than in cold Cli∣mats. Howbeit in Aegypt the floures haue no good sent at all, by reason that the aire is foggie and mistie, with the dewes rising from the riuer Nilus. Moreouer, certain floures there be that [unspec B] are sweet and pleasant enough, yet they stuffe and fil the head. Others, so long as they be fresh and green, haue no smel at all, for the excessiue abundance of moisture within them; as we may perceiue in Fenigreek, which the Grecians call Buceros. Many floures cast a quick and liuely smel, and yet are not without good store of juice, but moist enough, as violets, roses, and saffron: but such as are destitute of such moisture, and yet their sent is piercing and penetrant, they all of them be of a strong sauor also, as for example the Lilly of both kinds. Sothernwood & Mar∣jeram haue a hot and strong sauor. Some herbs there be which yeeld no smel nor goodnes at all but in their floure only, for all their other parts be dul and good for nothing, as violets and ro∣ses. Of garden herbes, the strongest of smel be alwaies dry, as Rue, Mints, and Ach or Parsley: likewise are all such as grow in dry places. Some fruits, the elder they be and the longer kept, [unspec C] the sweeter is their sauor, as Quinces: and the same Quinces degard smell better when they be gathered, than if they hung stil vpon the tree and so preserued. Others there are, that vnles they be broken, bruised, rubbed, and crushed, haue no smell: and ye shall haue those that cast no sent at all, vnlesse their rind or bark be taken off: as also such as except they be cast into the fire and burnt, yeeld no sauor, as Frankincense and Myrrhe. Furthermore, all floures being bruised, are more bitter than they were vntouched and vnhandled. Some after they be dry retain their odor longest, as the Melilot. There are that make the place sweeter where they grow, as the floure de lis, insomuch as it persumeth the whole tree (whatsoeuer it is) the roots whereof it toucheth. The herb Hesperis smels more by night than day, whereupon that name was deuised. There are no liuing creatures which yeeld from their bodies a sweet sauor, vnlesse we giue credit to [unspec D] that which hath bin reported of the Panthers.

Furthermore this would not be passed ouer as touching the difference of odoriferous plants and their floures, in this respect, that many of them are neuer imployed to the making of Guir∣lands and chaplets, as namely the Floure-de-lis and Nard Celticke, Saliunca, which although they yeeld both of them an excellent sauor, yet are not vsed that way. But as for the Flour-de∣lis, it is the root only therof that is comfortable for the odor: as if Nature had made the plant it selfe to serue only for physick vses, and compositions of sweet perfumes. The best Floure-de-lis is that which groweth in Illyricum or Sclauonia; and not in all parts thereof, not (I say) in the maritime coasts, but farther vp into the main, among the mountaines and forrests of Drilo and Narona. The next to it in goodnes commeth out of Macedon, and it hath the longest root [unspec E] of all others, but slender withall and whitish. In the third place is to be ranged the flour-de-lis of Africk or Barbary, which as it is the biggest in hand, so is it also the bitterest in tast. As tou∣ching the Illyrian Ireos, there be two sorts of it; namely, Rhaphanitis, which is the better of the twain, so called for the resemblance that it hath to the Radish root. The second they name Rhizotomos, and it is somwhat reddish. In sum, the best Ireos, if a man do but touch it wil pro∣uoke sneesing. The stem of the Flour-de-lis groweth streight and vpright to the height of a cu∣bit. The floure is of diuers colours, like as we see in the rainebow, whereupon it took the name Iris. The Ireos of Pisidia is not reiected, but held to be very good. Moreouer, they vse in Scla∣vonia to be very ceremonious in digging vp the root of flour-de-lis; for 3 moneths before they purpose to take it forth of the ground, the manner is to poure meade or honied water round a∣bout [unspec F] the root in the place where it groweth, hauing before-hand drawne a threefold circle with a swords point; as it were to curry fauor with the Earth, & make some satisfaction for breaking it vp and robbing her of so noble a plant: and no sooner is it forth of the ground, but presently they hold it vp alost toward heauen. This root is of a feruent & caustick nature, for in the very

handling it raiseth pimples and blisters in maner of a burn, vpon their hands that gather it. A∣nother [unspec G] ceremonie also they haue in gathering thereof, for none must come about this worke, but such as haue liued chast and not touched a woman: this (I say) aboue all is obserued most precisely. This root aboue all others is most subiect to the worme, for not onely when it is dry, but also while it is within the earth, it quickly commeth to be worme-eaten. In old time the best Irinum or oile of Ireos was brought from the cape of Leucas and the city of Elis in Boeo∣tia; for planted it hath bin in those parts many a yeare. But now there is excellent good com∣meth out of Pamphylia: howbeit that of Silicia, and namely from the Septentrionall parts is most highly commended.

As for the plant Saliunca or Nard Celtick, ful of leaues verily it is, yet they be so short, that handsomly they canot be knit and twisted for garlands: a number of roots it putteth forth, to [unspec H] which the floure or herbe groweth close: for surely a man would iudge it all herbe rather than floure, as if it were platted and pressed flat to the root with ones hand: and in one word, resem∣bling a very thick tuft of grasse by it selfe. This herb groweth in Austria and Hungarie; also among the Morici, and the Alps on the Sun side. As for that which commeth vp about the ci∣tie Eporrhedia, it is so pleasant and odoriferous, that there is as much seeking after it as if it were some precious mettall; and it yeeldeth a reuenue to the City no lesse than some mettall mine. And in very truth, a singular herbe it is in a wardrobe to lie among good cloathes, for to get them a most pleasant and commendable smell.

Another plant there is which the Greekes vse likewise in their Wardrobes, called Polium. This herbe Musaeus and Hesiodus the Poets extoll and set out to the highest degree; for they re∣port [unspec I] that it is good for all things that it shall be imployed about; but principally, that it auai∣leth much to win men fame, renown, promotions, and dignities. Ouer and aboue which vertues, miraculous it is (if it be true which they say) that the leaues thereof in the morning seeme white, about noon purple, and at the Sun-setting blew. Two kinds there be of it; one groweth in the plains & champian grounds, and is the greater: another in the woods, and is the lesse. Some call it Teuthrion. The leaues resemble the gray haires of an old man, springing directly from the root, and neuer passe in height a hand bredth. Thus much may suffice concerning odorife∣rous floures.

Notes

• Plinie neuer heard of the Musk-goats not Ciue•…•… cats in these daies.
• Commonly called Ireo 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• Diosc. repor∣teth this of Tripolium, and not of Polium: wherby it see∣meth that Pli∣ny is in a fault.