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. IX.

¶ The excellencie of Chaplets and Guirlands': of Cyclaminus, and Melilot: of Trifolie or Clauer, and three kinds thereof.

NOw that we haue gone through in manner the princidall dies and richest colours that be it remaineth that we passe to the treatise of those Guirlands, which being made of diuers colored floures, in regard only of that varietie, are delectable & pleasing to the eye. And considering that some of them stand vpon flours, others of leaf, they may be all reduced to two [unspec E] principall heads. Among flours, I take to be all kinds of broom (for from them there be gathe∣red yellow floures) and the Oleander. Item, the blossoms of the Iujube tree, which also is called Cappadocia, for they resemble much the odor of the oliue blooms: as for Cyclaminum, i. Sow∣breed, it groweth among bushes, whereof more shall be said in another place: a purple Colos∣sian flour it caries, which is vsed to beautifie & set out game-coronets. To come now to chap∣lets made of leaues; the fairest that goe vnto them be * 1.1 Smilax and Iuy; and therein also their berries interlaced among, do make a goodly shew aboue al: of which we haue spoken at large in the treatise of shrubs and trees. Many kinds there are besides of plants proper for this purpose, which we must be faine to expresse by Greeke names, forasmuch as our countreymen haue not beene studious in this behalfe, to giue any Latine names to the greatest part of them: besides, [unspec F] most of them are meere strangers in Italy, and grow in forrain parts: howbeit, looked for it will be at our hands that we should enter into the discourse of them also, for that our purpose & de∣signe reacheth to all the works of Nature, and is not limited & confined within the bounds of

Italy. Well then, to begin withall, * 1.2 Melothron, Spireon, Trigonon, * 1.3 Cneoron, which Hyginus [unspec G] calleth Casia (affourd leaues very meet to make chaplets: so doth Conyza, called otherwise cu∣nilago; Melyssophyllon named also Apiastrum, i. Bawme; and Melilot, which wee commonly terme Sertula Campana; & good reason, for the best in Italy is that of Campain: & in Greece, that which groweth in the promentory Sunium. Next to these the Melilot of Chalcis & Can∣die is wel accepted of: but grow it in what countrey it wil, rough thickets and woods it deligh∣teth most in. And that of this hearb they were woont vsually in old time to make garlands, may appeare by the very name Sertula, which it took therupon, and retaineth still. In sauor & floure both, it commeth neare to Saffron: the hearbe otherwise of it selfe is hoary and gray. The best Melilot is counted that which hath shortrst leaues, and those most plumpe and fattie withall. Semblably, the hearbe Trifoile or Clauer, hath leaues which go to the making of coronets and [unspec H] guirlands. And hereof there be three kinds: the first is that which the Greeks call Mynianthes, others Asphaltion, hauing a bigger leafe than the rest; and hearbe that garden-makers common∣ly vse: the second with a sharpe leafe, called thereupon Oxytriphyllon: the third, which is least of al other. Among these Trifoiles, I cannot but aduertise the reader, that some there be which haue strong and firme stems: as neruous as those of garden Fennell and Fennell wild, yea and as stiffe as those of Myophonos. But to returne againe to our chaplets, there bee emploied about them, both the maine stalkes of Ferula, as also the berries and purple floures of the Iuie. There is besides a kind of them, like vnto the wild roses: and in them verily the colour only is delecta∣ble, for odour they haue just none. To conclude, of Cneoron there be two kinds, the blacke and the white: both well branched and full of leaues, but the white is most odoriferous: and as well [unspec I] the one as the other, doe flourish after the Aequinox in Autumne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bindweed.
• * 1.2

  Uitis alba, of some: Glycypi∣cron Dodonaei, of others.
• * 1.3

  Viburnum Matthioli.