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Gerard's Herbal Vol. 1

Gerard's Herbal V1 - John Gerard to the Reader

John Gerard to the Reader


To the courteous and well willing Readers.

            Although my pains have not been spent (courteous reader) in the gracious discovery of golden mines, nor in the tracing after silver veins, whereby my native country might be enriched, with such merchandise as it hath most in request and admiration yet hath my labour (I trust) been otherwise profitably employed, in descrying of such harmless treasure of herbs, trees and plants, as the earth frankly without violence offereth unto our most necessary uses. Harmless I call them, because they were such delights, as man in the perfectest estate of his innocence did erst enjoy; and treasure I may well term them, seeing both kings and princes have esteemed them as jewels; sith wise men have made their whole life as a pilgrimage, to attain to the knowledge of them. By the which they have gained the hearts of all, and opened the mouths of many, in commendation of those rare virtues, which are contained in these terrestrial creatures. I confess blind Pluto is nowadays more sought after, than quick sighted Phœbus, and yet this dusty metal, or excrement of the earth (which was first deeply buried, least it should be an eyesore to grieve the corrupt heart of man) by forcible entry made into the bowels of the earth, is rather snatched at of man to his own destruction, than directly sent of God, to the comfort of this life. And yet behold in the compassing of this worldly dross, what care, what cost, what adventures, what mystical proofs, and chemical trials are set abroach; when as notwithstanding the chiefest end is but uncertain wealth. Contrariwise, in the expert knowledge of herbs, what pleasure still renewed with variety? what small expense? what security? and yet what an apt and ordinary means to conduct man to that most desired benefit of health? Which as I devoutly wish unto my native country, and to the careful nursing mother of the same; so having bent my labours to the benefiting of such as are studiously practised in the conservation thereof, I thought it a chief point of my duty, thus out of my poor store, to offer up these my far-fetched experiments, together with mine own country's unknown treasure, combined in this compendious Herbal (not unprofitable, though unpolished) unto your wise constructions and courteous considerations. The drift whereof is a ready introduction to that excellent art of simpling, which is neither so base nor contemptible, as (perhaps) the English name may seem to intimate; but such is it, as altogether hath been a study for the wisest, an exercise for the noblest, a pastime for the best. From whence there spring flowers, not only to adorn the garlands of the Muses, to deck the bosoms of the beautiful, to paint the gardens of the curious, to garnish the glorious crowns of Kings; but also such fruit as learned Dioscorides long travelled for; and princely Mithridates reserved as precious in his own private closet: Mithridates I mean, better known by his sovereign mithridate, than by his sometime speaking two and twenty languages. But what this famous prince did by tradition, Euax King of the Arabians did deliver in a discourse written of the virtues of herbs, and dedicated unto the Emperor Nero. Every green herbarist can make mention of the herb Lysimachia, whose virtues were found out by King Lysimachus, and his virtues no less eternized in the self-same plant than the name of Phydias, quaintly beaten into the shield of Pallas, or the first letters of Ajax or Hyacinthus (whether you please) registered in that beloved flower of Apollo. As for Artemisia, first called Παρ`δενις, [Par'denis] whether the title thereof sprang from Αρτεμις, [Artemis] Diana herself, or from the renowned Queen of Caria, which disclosed the use thereof unto posterity, it surviveth as a monument to revive the memories of them both for ever. What should we speak of Gentiana, bearing still the cognisance of Gentius? or of divers other herbs, taking their denomination of their princely inventors? What should I say of those royal personages, Iuba, Attalus, Climenus, Achilles, Cyrus, Masynissa, Semiramis, Diocletian: but only thus, to bespeak their princely loves to Herbarism, & their everlasting honours (which neither old Pliny dead, nor young Lipsia living, will permit to die?) Crescent herbĉ, crescetis amores: crescent herbĉ crescetis honores [The plants flourish, love flourishes: The plants flourish, honours flourish]. But had this wonted faculty wanted the authorisement of such a royal company: one King Solomon, excelling all the rest for wisdom, of greater royalty than they all (though the lilies of the field outbraved him) he only (I say) might yield hereunto sufficient countenance and commendation, in that his lofty wisdom thought no scorn to stoop unto the lowly plants. I list not seek the common colours of antiquity; when notwithstanding the world can brag of no more ancient monument than Paradise, and the garden of Eden: and the fruits of the earth may contend for seniority, seeing their mother was the first creature that conceived, and they themselves, the first fruit she brought forth. Talk of perfect happiness or pleasure, and what place was so fit for that, as the garden place where Adam was set, to be the herbarist? Whither did the poets hunt for their sincere delights, but into the gardens of Alcinous, of Adonis, and the orchards of Hesperides? Where did they dream that heaven should be, but in the pleasant garden of Elysium? Whither do all men walk for their honest recreation but thither, where the earth hath most beneficially painted hit face with flourishing colours? And what season of the year more longed for, than the spring? Whose gentle breath enticeth forth the kindly sweets, and makes them yield their fragrant smells? Who would therefore look dangerously up at planets, that might safely look down at plants? And if true be the old proverb, Quĉ supra nos, nihil ad nos [What lies above us is none of our business]. I suppose this new saying cannot be false, Quĉ infra nos, ea maxime ad nos [What lies below us is our most important business]. Easy therefore is this treasure to be gained, and yet precious. The science is nobly supported by wise and kingly favourites: the subject thereof so necessary and delectable, that nothing can be confected, either delicate for the taste, dainty for smell, pleasant for sight, wholesome for body, conservative or restorative for health, but it borroweth the relish of an herb, the savour of a flower, the colour of a leaf, the juice of a plant, or the decoction of a root: and such is the treasure that this my treatise is furnished withal, wherein though mine art be not able to countervail nature in her lively portraitures; yet have I counterfeited likeness for life, shapes and shadows for substance, being ready with the bad painter, to explain the imperfections of my pencil with my pen, choosing rather to score upon my pictures such rude marks, as may describe my meaning, than to let the beholder to guess at random and miss. I have here therefore set down not only the names of sundry plants, but also their natures, their proportions and properties, their affects and effects, their increase and decrease, their flourishing and fading, their distinct varieties and several qualities, as well of those which our own country yieldeth, as of others which I have fetched further, or drawn out by perusing divers herbals, set forth in other languages, wherein none of our countrymen hath to my knowledge taken any pains, since that excellent work of Master Doctor Turner; after which time Master Lyte a worshipful gentleman, translated Dodonĉus out of French into English; and since that Doctor Priest, one of our London College, hath (as I heard) translated the last edition of Dodonĉus, which meant to publish the same; but being prevented by death, his translation likewise perished: lastly, myself one of the least among many, have presumed to set forth unto the view of the world, the first fruits of these mine own labours, which if they be such as may content the reader, I shall think myself well rewarded, otherwise there is no man to be blamed but myself, being a work, I confess, for greater clerks to undertake, yet may my blunt attempt serve as a whetstone to set an edge upon some sharper wits, by whom I wish this my coarse discourse might he both fined and refined. Faults I confess have escaped, some by the printer's oversight, some through defects in myself to perform so great a work, and some by means of the greatness of the labour, and that I was constrained to seek after my living, being void of friends to bear some part of the burden. The rather therefore accept this at my hands (loving countrymen) as a token of my good will, trusting that the best and well minded will not rashly condemn me, although some thing have passed worthy reprehension. But as for the slanderer or envious, pass not for them, but return upon themselves, anything they shall without cause either murmur in corners, or jangle in secret. Farewell.

From my House in Holborn, within the Suburbs of London, this first of December, 1597.
Thy sincere and unfeigned Friend,
JOHN GERARD.

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