THE

THIRD BOOK

o f

Natural' Magick:

D

Which delivereth certain precepts, of Husbandry •and stieweth how to intermingle sundry kinds of Plants,and how to produce new kinds.

The Pr o e . m e . -

\K/Ehave rehearsed concerning divers finds of new living (freatures ; nowffiall I speaksy y os Plants, which ravish with admiration the eyes and minds of those that contem-plate en them, with their abundant pleasantnesses and wonderful Elegancy. These bringmore profit, and by these a natural Philojofher may seem more admirable. For use madewith the earth , is more honefi and honourable then with other things > and the ground nevergrows old or barren, but is everywhere naturals rank. to receive new feed, and to pro-duce new ; and u ever unsatisfied iufruitfulnesfe, and brings perpetual increase: and ifnature be alwayes admirable, Jhe willsum morcwcnderful in Plants. Copulation was b utof one kjnd, here it is aimofi infinite ; and mt onily every Tree can be ingrafted intoevery Tree, butane 'Tree ma) be adulterated with them all, hiving Creatures of diverskinds were not easily produced, and those that come from other Countries were hard toget: here is no difficulty at all ? grafts are fetcht and sent, if need be, to any prt of theworld. And if diversity of (freatures are made in Africa, by their copulating token theymeet at theTjvers, that so new creatures are alwayes produced ; here in Italy, where theAir is alwayes calme, and the Climate very indulgent, firangc and wilde plants find a goodharbour, and ground to grow in, which is the mother ar.d ncunjher oj all, and Jo fruitfulto produce new and diversity of plants , that it can hardly be exhaufied . And w e can bet-ter write of them, and know the truth more then others, because we have them Jhll beforeeur eyes, and an opportunity to consider of their effeds. Aud if our /incest or s jtund ma-ny new things, we by adding to theirs, have found mar,y more, and shall produce moreexcellent things overpassing them,because datly by our art, or by chance ; by nature , or newexperience, new plants are made. Diodorus writes, that the Vine at first was but one,and that was wilde ; but now by the. help of. Bacchus alone, from the quality of the ground,the nature of the climate, and the art of planting, it is varied into mary khtds, that itwere madneste to numb r them up , and not worth our time.'Njture brought forth but onekind of Pear-tree: now so many mens names are honoured by it, that one is called Decuma-n t , another Dolabelliaoa, and another is named from Decumius and Dolabella. Thefame thing is observed in Figges, of Livy and Pompey. Quinces are of many kinds ;some called Mariana from Marius, Manliana/mw Manliuc, Appiana Claudiana fromAppius Claudius, Cediana from Ceflius : their varieties have made the Authors namesimmortal. What shall I fay of Laurel cherries,found in Pliny his time ? what of Citrons ?which as Atheræus faith, were too sharp to eat in the days of Theophraftus, and the ance-stors o/Plurarlc and Pliny; but Palladius made them to become sweet. What of the Teach,and Almond-peach Nuts, fruits our fore-fathers knew not, yet now are they eaten, beingpleasant and admirable I what of Clave-gillistowers, that the Cjardrers Art hath made sodainty and sweet scented? and so of other plants I have everywhere set down in this work.?Our Tfaples abounds so with them, that we. would not go forth to seethe Orchards of theHefperides , Alcinus, Semiramis, and at Memphis, that were made to hang above ground.But /shall briefly and, plainly relate the History.

Chap.