The herball, or, Generall historie of plantes / gathered by John Gerarde ... ; very much enlarged and amended by Thomas Johnson.

  • John Gerard
Date:
1636
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The herball, or, Generall historie of plantes / gathered by John Gerarde ... ; very much enlarged and amended by Thomas Johnson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/1730
    te rs of (face: Mhhridates the great was famous for his knowledge her ein,as jp/«- pim.de Difcr. tarebnoteth. E«d* alio King of Arabia, the happy garden of the world forprin- pib.Sb.ay; ,c ’ cipall Simples,wrot of this argumentas Pliny fheweth. Dioclefian likewife»might Cip,3 ‘ hauchad his praife,had he not drowned all his honour in the bloud of his perie- cution. To conclude this point, the example of Solomon is before the reft, and greater,whofc wiidome and knowledge was fuch, that heewas able toietouc the nature of all plants from the higheft Cedar to the loweft Mofle» But my very good Lord,that which fometime was the itudy of great fhylofopher s and migh- tie Princesas now negle&ed,except it be of fome few,whofe fpirit and wifdome hath carried them among other parts of wifdome and counfell>to a care andftu- die of fpeciall herbes,both for the furnifhing of their gardens,and furtherance of their knowledge:among whom I may iuitly affirmeand pubhfh your Honor to be one,being my fclfe one of your feruants,and a long time wicnefle thereof: for vnder your Lordfhip L hauc ferued,and that way empioied my principall itudy andaimoitall my time,nowbythefpaceofcw r enty yeares- To the large and An gular furniture ofthis noble Ifland I haue added from forreine places all the va- rictie of herbes and floures that I might any way obtaine, I haue laboured with thefoile to make it fit for plat t^and with the plants, that they might delight in the foiie, that fo they might Hue and profper vnder our clymat, as in their natiue and proper countrey: what ray fuccefl'e hath beene,and what my furnitureisfl leaue to the report of they that haue feene your Lordfhips gardens, and the lit tle plot of myneowneefpeciallcareand husbandry., But becaufe gardens are priuat,and many times finding an ignorant or a negligent fucceflbr,come foone to ruine,there be that haue follicited me,firll by my pen, and after by thePrefle to make my labors common,and to free them from the danger wherunto a gar den is fubjeét: wherein when l was ouercome>and had brought this Hiftory or report of the nature of Plants to a juft volume, and had made it (as the Reader may by companion feejricher than former Herbáis,I found it no cjueition vnto whom I might dedicate my laborsjfor confideringyour good Lordfhip ,1 found none of whofe fauour and goodnes I might fooner prefume,feeing I haue found you cucr my very good Lord and Mailer. Againe,confidering my duty and your Honors merits, to whom may I better recommend my Labors,than to him vnto whom I owe my felfe, and all that I am able in your feruice or deuotion to per- forme? Therefore vnder hope ofyuur Honorable and accuílomed fauor I pre fect this Herbal l to your Lordfhips protedion ; and not as an excjuiiite Wurke (for I know my meannefle)but as the greateft gift and chicfeft argument of duty that my labour and feruice can affoordtwherof if there be no oth er fruit,yet this is of fome vie, that I haue miniftred Matter for Men of riper wits and deeper judgements to polifh,and to adde to my large additions where any thing is de- fe&iue, that in time the Worke may be perfed. Thus I humbly take my leaue, befcechingGod to grant you yet many daiesto Hue to his glory ,to the fupport of this State vnder her Majeftie our dread Soueraigne,and that with great increaie of honor in this world,and all fulnefle of glory in the world to come. * I' . * * * . i it * ' ■ i * . L vL '*< m Jill “IL- '30 Df] Your Lordjhips mojl bumble and obedient Seruant , 1 Iohn Gerard*