TO THE COVRTEOVSREADER.AAlthough the ancient Heathens did appropriate the first inuention of the knowledge of Herbes, and so consequently of physicke, some vntoChironthe Centaure, and others vntoApolloorÆsculapiushis sonne; yet wee that are Christians haue out of a better Schoole learned, that God, the Creator of Heauen and Earth, at the beginning when he createdAdam, inspired him with the knowledge of all naturall things (which successiuely descended toNoahafterwardes, and to his Posterity): for, as he was able to giue names to all the liuing Creatures, according to their seuerall natures; so no doubt but hee had also the knowledge, both what Herbes and Fruits were fit, eyther for Meate or Medicine, for Vse or for Delight. And thatAdammight exercise this knowledge, God planted a Garden for him to liue in, (wherein euen in his innocency he was to labour and spend his time) which hee stored with the best and choysest Herbes and Fruits the earth could produce, that he might haue not onely for necessitie whereon to feede, but for pleasure also; the place or garden called Paradise importing as much, and more plainly the words set downe inGenesisthe second, which are these;Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow euerie tree pleasant to the sight and good for meate; and in the24. ofNumbers, the Parable of Balaam, mentioning the Aloe trees that God planted; and in other places if there were neede to recite them. But my purpose is onely to shew you, that Paradise was a place (whether you will call it a Garden, or Orchard, or both, no doubt of some large extent) whereinAdamwas first placed to abide; that God was the Planter thereof, hauing furnished it with trees and herbes, as well pleasant to the sight, as good for meate, and that hee being to dresse and keepe this place, must of necessity know all the things that grew therein, and to what vses they serued, or else his labour about them, and knowledge in them, had been in vaine. And althoughAdamlost the place for his transgression, yet he lost not the naturall knowledge, nor vse of them: but that, as God made the whole world, and all the Creatures therein for Man, so hee may vse all things as well of pleasure as of necessitie, to bee helpes vnto him to serue his God. Let men therefore, according to their first institution, so vse their seruice, that they also in them may remember their seruice to God, and not (like our Grand-motherEve) set their affections so strongly, on the pleasure in them, as to deserue the losse of them in this Paradise, yea and of Heauen also. For truly from all sorts of Herbes and Flowers we may draw matter at all times not only to magnifie the Creator that hath giuen them such diuersities of forms, sents and colours, that the most cunningWorke-man cannot imitate, and such vertues and properties, that although wee know many, yet many more lye hidden and vnknowne, but many good instructions also to our selues: That as many herbes and flowers with their fragrant sweete smels doe comfort, and as it were reuiue the spirits, and perfume a whole house; euen so such men as liue vertuously, labouring to doe good, and profit the Church of God and the Common wealth by their paines or penne, doe as it were send forth a pleasing savour of sweet instructions, not only to that time wherein they liue, and are fresh, but being drye, withered and dead, cease not in all after ages to doe as much or more. Many herbes and flowers that haue small beautie or savour to commend them, haue much more good vse and vertue: so many men of excellent rare parts and good qualities doe lye hid unknown and not respected, vntill time and vse of them doe set forth their properties. Againe, many flowers haue a glorious shew of beauty and brauery, yet stinking in smell, or else of no other vse: so many doe make a glorious ostentation, and flourish in the world, when as if they stinke not horribly before God, and all good men, yet surely they haue no other vertue then their outside to commend them, or leaue behind them. Some also rise vp and appear like a Lilly among Thornes, or as a goodly Flower among many Weedes or Grasse, eyther by their honourable authoritie, or eminence of learning or riches, whereby they excell others, and thereby may doe good to many. The frailty also of Mans life is learned by the soone fading of them before their flowring, or in their pride, or soone after, being either cropt by the hand of the spectator, or by a sudden blast withered and parched, or by the reuolution of time decaying of it owne nature: as also that the fairest flowers or fruits first ripe, are soonest and first gathered. The mutabilitie also of states and persons, by this, that as where many goodly flowers & fruits did grow this years and age, in another they are quite pulled or digged vp, and eyther weedes and grasse grow in their place, or some building erected thereon, and their place is no more known. The Ciuill respects to be learned from them are many also: for the delight of the varieties both of formes, colours and properties of Herbes and Flowers, hath euer beene powerfull ouer dull, unnurtured, rusticke and sauage people, led only by Natures instinct; how much, more powerfull is it, or should be in the mindes of generous persons? for it may well bee said, he is not humane, that is not allured with this obiect. The study, knowledge, and trauel in them, as they haue been entertained of great Kings, Princes and Potentates, without disparagement to their Greatnesse, or hinderance to their more serious and weighty Affaires: so no doubt vnto all that are capable thereof, it is not onely pleasant, but profitable, by comforting the minde, spirits and senses with an harmelesse delight, and by enabling the iudgement to conferre and apply helpe to many dangerous diseases. It is also an Instructer in the verity of the genuine Plants of the Ancients, and a Correcter of the many errours whereunto the world by continuance hath bin diuerted, and almost therein fixed, by eradicating in time, and by degrees, the pertinacious wilfulnesse of many, who because they were brought vp in their errours, are most vnwilling to leaue them without consideration of the good or euill, the right or wrong, they draw on therewith. And for my selfe I may well say, that had not mine owne paines and studies by a naturall inclination beene more powerfull in mee then any others helpe (although some through an euill disposition and ignorance haue so far traduced me as to say this was rather another mans worke then mine owne, but I leaue them to their folly) I had neuer done so much as I here publish; nor been fit or prepared for a larger, as time may suddenly (by Gods permission) bring to light, if the maleuolent dispositions of degenerate spirits doe not hinder the accomplishment.But perswading my selfe there is no showre that produceth not some fruit, or no word but worketh some effect, eyther of good to perswade, or of reproofe to euince; I could not but declare my minde herein, let others iudge or say what they please. For I haue alwaies held it a thing vnfit, to conceale or bury that knowledge God hath giuen, and not to impart it, and further others therewith as much as is conuenient, yet without ostentation, which I haue euer hated. Now further to informe the courteous Reader, both of the occasion that led me on to this worke, and the other occurrences to it. First, hauing perused many Herbals in Latine, I obserued that most of them haue eyther neglected or not knowne the many diuersities of the flower Plants, and rare fruits are known to vs at this time, and (exceptClusius) haue made mention but of a very few. In English likewise we haue some extant, asTurnerandDodonæustranslated, who haue said little of Flowers,Gerardwho is last, hath no doubt giuen vs the knowledge of as many as he attained vnto in his time, but since his daies we haue had many more varieties, then he or they euer heard of, as may be perceiued by the store I haue here produced. And none of them haue particularly seuered those that are beautifull flower plants, fit to store a garden of delight and pleasure, from the wilde and vnfit: but haue enterlaced many, one among another, whereby many that haue desired to haue faire flowers, haue not known eyther what to choose, or what to desire. Diuers Bookes of Flowers also haue been set forth, some in our owne Countrey, and more in others, all which are as it were but handfuls snatched from the plentifull Treasury of Nature, none of them being willing or able to open all sorts, and declare them fully; but the greatest hinderance of all mens delight was, that none of them had giuen any description of them, but the bare name only. To satisfie therefore their desires that are louers of such Delights, I took vpon me this labour and charge, and haue here selected and set forth a Garden of all the chiefest for choyce, and fairest for shew, from among all the seuerall Tribes and Kindreds of Natures beauty, and haue ranked them as neere as I could, or as the worke would permit, in affinity one vnto another. Secondly, and for their sakes that are studious in Authors, I haue set down the names haue bin formerly giuen vnto them, with some of their errours, not intending to cumber this worke with all that might bee said of them, because the deciding of the many controuersies, doubts, and questions that concerne them, pertaine more fitly to a generall History: yet I haue beene in some places more copious and ample then at the first I had intended, the occasion drawing on my desire to informe others with what I thought was fit to be known, reseruing what else might be said to another time & worke; wherein (God willing) I will inlarge my selfe, the subiect matter requiring it at my hands, in what my small ability can effect. Thirdly, I haue also to embellish this Worke set forth the figures of all such plants and flowers as are materiall and different one from another: but not as some others haue done, that is, a number of the figures of one sort of plant that haue nothing to distinguish them but the colour, for that I hold to be superfluous and waste. Fourthly, I haue also set down the Vertues and Properties of them in a briefe manner, rather desiring to giue you the knowledge of a few certaine and true, then to relate, as others haue done, a needless and false multiplicitie, that so there might as well profit as pleasure be taken from them, and that nothing might be wanting to accomplish it fully. And so much for this first part, my Garden of pleasant and delightfull Flowers. My next Garden consisteth of Herbes and Rootes, fit to be eaten of the rich and poor as nourishment and food, as sawce or condiment, as sallet or refreshing, for pleasure or profit; where I doe as well play the Gardiner, to shew you (in briefe, but not at large) the timesand manner of sowing, setting, planting, replanting, and the like (although all these things, and many more then are true, are set down very largely in the seuerall bookes that others haue written of this subiect) as also to shew some of the Kitchen vses (because they are Kitchen herbes&c.) although I confesse but very sparingly, not intending a treatise of cookery, but briefly to giue a touch thereof; and also the Physicall properties, to shew some what that others haue not set forth; yet not to play the Empericke, and giue you receipts of medicines for all diseases, but only to shew in some sort the qualities of Herbes, to quicken the minds of the studious. And lastly an Orchard of all sorts of domesticke or forraine, rare and good fruits, fit for this our Land and Countrey, which is at this time better stored and furnished then euer in any age before. I haue herein endeauoured, as in the other Gardens, to set forth the varieties of euery sort in as briefe a manner as possibly could be, without superfluous repetitions of descriptions, and onely with especiall notes of difference in leaues, flowers and fruits. Some few properties also are set downe, rather the chiefest then the most, as the worke did require. And moreouer before euery of these parts I haue giuen Treatises of the ordering, preparing and keeping the seuerall Gardens and Orchard, with whatsoeuer I thought was conuenient to be known for euery of them.Thus haue I shewed you both the occasion and scope of this Worke, and herein haue spent my time, paines and charge, which if well accepted, I shall thinke well employed, and may the sooner hasten the fourth Part, A Garden of Simples; which will be quiet no longer at home, then that it can bring his Master newes of faire weather for the iourney.Thine in what he may,Iohn Parkinson.
A
Although the ancient Heathens did appropriate the first inuention of the knowledge of Herbes, and so consequently of physicke, some vntoChironthe Centaure, and others vntoApolloorÆsculapiushis sonne; yet wee that are Christians haue out of a better Schoole learned, that God, the Creator of Heauen and Earth, at the beginning when he createdAdam, inspired him with the knowledge of all naturall things (which successiuely descended toNoahafterwardes, and to his Posterity): for, as he was able to giue names to all the liuing Creatures, according to their seuerall natures; so no doubt but hee had also the knowledge, both what Herbes and Fruits were fit, eyther for Meate or Medicine, for Vse or for Delight. And thatAdammight exercise this knowledge, God planted a Garden for him to liue in, (wherein euen in his innocency he was to labour and spend his time) which hee stored with the best and choysest Herbes and Fruits the earth could produce, that he might haue not onely for necessitie whereon to feede, but for pleasure also; the place or garden called Paradise importing as much, and more plainly the words set downe inGenesisthe second, which are these;Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow euerie tree pleasant to the sight and good for meate; and in the24. ofNumbers, the Parable of Balaam, mentioning the Aloe trees that God planted; and in other places if there were neede to recite them. But my purpose is onely to shew you, that Paradise was a place (whether you will call it a Garden, or Orchard, or both, no doubt of some large extent) whereinAdamwas first placed to abide; that God was the Planter thereof, hauing furnished it with trees and herbes, as well pleasant to the sight, as good for meate, and that hee being to dresse and keepe this place, must of necessity know all the things that grew therein, and to what vses they serued, or else his labour about them, and knowledge in them, had been in vaine. And althoughAdamlost the place for his transgression, yet he lost not the naturall knowledge, nor vse of them: but that, as God made the whole world, and all the Creatures therein for Man, so hee may vse all things as well of pleasure as of necessitie, to bee helpes vnto him to serue his God. Let men therefore, according to their first institution, so vse their seruice, that they also in them may remember their seruice to God, and not (like our Grand-motherEve) set their affections so strongly, on the pleasure in them, as to deserue the losse of them in this Paradise, yea and of Heauen also. For truly from all sorts of Herbes and Flowers we may draw matter at all times not only to magnifie the Creator that hath giuen them such diuersities of forms, sents and colours, that the most cunningWorke-man cannot imitate, and such vertues and properties, that although wee know many, yet many more lye hidden and vnknowne, but many good instructions also to our selues: That as many herbes and flowers with their fragrant sweete smels doe comfort, and as it were reuiue the spirits, and perfume a whole house; euen so such men as liue vertuously, labouring to doe good, and profit the Church of God and the Common wealth by their paines or penne, doe as it were send forth a pleasing savour of sweet instructions, not only to that time wherein they liue, and are fresh, but being drye, withered and dead, cease not in all after ages to doe as much or more. Many herbes and flowers that haue small beautie or savour to commend them, haue much more good vse and vertue: so many men of excellent rare parts and good qualities doe lye hid unknown and not respected, vntill time and vse of them doe set forth their properties. Againe, many flowers haue a glorious shew of beauty and brauery, yet stinking in smell, or else of no other vse: so many doe make a glorious ostentation, and flourish in the world, when as if they stinke not horribly before God, and all good men, yet surely they haue no other vertue then their outside to commend them, or leaue behind them. Some also rise vp and appear like a Lilly among Thornes, or as a goodly Flower among many Weedes or Grasse, eyther by their honourable authoritie, or eminence of learning or riches, whereby they excell others, and thereby may doe good to many. The frailty also of Mans life is learned by the soone fading of them before their flowring, or in their pride, or soone after, being either cropt by the hand of the spectator, or by a sudden blast withered and parched, or by the reuolution of time decaying of it owne nature: as also that the fairest flowers or fruits first ripe, are soonest and first gathered. The mutabilitie also of states and persons, by this, that as where many goodly flowers & fruits did grow this years and age, in another they are quite pulled or digged vp, and eyther weedes and grasse grow in their place, or some building erected thereon, and their place is no more known. The Ciuill respects to be learned from them are many also: for the delight of the varieties both of formes, colours and properties of Herbes and Flowers, hath euer beene powerfull ouer dull, unnurtured, rusticke and sauage people, led only by Natures instinct; how much, more powerfull is it, or should be in the mindes of generous persons? for it may well bee said, he is not humane, that is not allured with this obiect. The study, knowledge, and trauel in them, as they haue been entertained of great Kings, Princes and Potentates, without disparagement to their Greatnesse, or hinderance to their more serious and weighty Affaires: so no doubt vnto all that are capable thereof, it is not onely pleasant, but profitable, by comforting the minde, spirits and senses with an harmelesse delight, and by enabling the iudgement to conferre and apply helpe to many dangerous diseases. It is also an Instructer in the verity of the genuine Plants of the Ancients, and a Correcter of the many errours whereunto the world by continuance hath bin diuerted, and almost therein fixed, by eradicating in time, and by degrees, the pertinacious wilfulnesse of many, who because they were brought vp in their errours, are most vnwilling to leaue them without consideration of the good or euill, the right or wrong, they draw on therewith. And for my selfe I may well say, that had not mine owne paines and studies by a naturall inclination beene more powerfull in mee then any others helpe (although some through an euill disposition and ignorance haue so far traduced me as to say this was rather another mans worke then mine owne, but I leaue them to their folly) I had neuer done so much as I here publish; nor been fit or prepared for a larger, as time may suddenly (by Gods permission) bring to light, if the maleuolent dispositions of degenerate spirits doe not hinder the accomplishment.But perswading my selfe there is no showre that produceth not some fruit, or no word but worketh some effect, eyther of good to perswade, or of reproofe to euince; I could not but declare my minde herein, let others iudge or say what they please. For I haue alwaies held it a thing vnfit, to conceale or bury that knowledge God hath giuen, and not to impart it, and further others therewith as much as is conuenient, yet without ostentation, which I haue euer hated. Now further to informe the courteous Reader, both of the occasion that led me on to this worke, and the other occurrences to it. First, hauing perused many Herbals in Latine, I obserued that most of them haue eyther neglected or not knowne the many diuersities of the flower Plants, and rare fruits are known to vs at this time, and (exceptClusius) haue made mention but of a very few. In English likewise we haue some extant, asTurnerandDodonæustranslated, who haue said little of Flowers,Gerardwho is last, hath no doubt giuen vs the knowledge of as many as he attained vnto in his time, but since his daies we haue had many more varieties, then he or they euer heard of, as may be perceiued by the store I haue here produced. And none of them haue particularly seuered those that are beautifull flower plants, fit to store a garden of delight and pleasure, from the wilde and vnfit: but haue enterlaced many, one among another, whereby many that haue desired to haue faire flowers, haue not known eyther what to choose, or what to desire. Diuers Bookes of Flowers also haue been set forth, some in our owne Countrey, and more in others, all which are as it were but handfuls snatched from the plentifull Treasury of Nature, none of them being willing or able to open all sorts, and declare them fully; but the greatest hinderance of all mens delight was, that none of them had giuen any description of them, but the bare name only. To satisfie therefore their desires that are louers of such Delights, I took vpon me this labour and charge, and haue here selected and set forth a Garden of all the chiefest for choyce, and fairest for shew, from among all the seuerall Tribes and Kindreds of Natures beauty, and haue ranked them as neere as I could, or as the worke would permit, in affinity one vnto another. Secondly, and for their sakes that are studious in Authors, I haue set down the names haue bin formerly giuen vnto them, with some of their errours, not intending to cumber this worke with all that might bee said of them, because the deciding of the many controuersies, doubts, and questions that concerne them, pertaine more fitly to a generall History: yet I haue beene in some places more copious and ample then at the first I had intended, the occasion drawing on my desire to informe others with what I thought was fit to be known, reseruing what else might be said to another time & worke; wherein (God willing) I will inlarge my selfe, the subiect matter requiring it at my hands, in what my small ability can effect. Thirdly, I haue also to embellish this Worke set forth the figures of all such plants and flowers as are materiall and different one from another: but not as some others haue done, that is, a number of the figures of one sort of plant that haue nothing to distinguish them but the colour, for that I hold to be superfluous and waste. Fourthly, I haue also set down the Vertues and Properties of them in a briefe manner, rather desiring to giue you the knowledge of a few certaine and true, then to relate, as others haue done, a needless and false multiplicitie, that so there might as well profit as pleasure be taken from them, and that nothing might be wanting to accomplish it fully. And so much for this first part, my Garden of pleasant and delightfull Flowers. My next Garden consisteth of Herbes and Rootes, fit to be eaten of the rich and poor as nourishment and food, as sawce or condiment, as sallet or refreshing, for pleasure or profit; where I doe as well play the Gardiner, to shew you (in briefe, but not at large) the timesand manner of sowing, setting, planting, replanting, and the like (although all these things, and many more then are true, are set down very largely in the seuerall bookes that others haue written of this subiect) as also to shew some of the Kitchen vses (because they are Kitchen herbes&c.) although I confesse but very sparingly, not intending a treatise of cookery, but briefly to giue a touch thereof; and also the Physicall properties, to shew some what that others haue not set forth; yet not to play the Empericke, and giue you receipts of medicines for all diseases, but only to shew in some sort the qualities of Herbes, to quicken the minds of the studious. And lastly an Orchard of all sorts of domesticke or forraine, rare and good fruits, fit for this our Land and Countrey, which is at this time better stored and furnished then euer in any age before. I haue herein endeauoured, as in the other Gardens, to set forth the varieties of euery sort in as briefe a manner as possibly could be, without superfluous repetitions of descriptions, and onely with especiall notes of difference in leaues, flowers and fruits. Some few properties also are set downe, rather the chiefest then the most, as the worke did require. And moreouer before euery of these parts I haue giuen Treatises of the ordering, preparing and keeping the seuerall Gardens and Orchard, with whatsoeuer I thought was conuenient to be known for euery of them.
Thus haue I shewed you both the occasion and scope of this Worke, and herein haue spent my time, paines and charge, which if well accepted, I shall thinke well employed, and may the sooner hasten the fourth Part, A Garden of Simples; which will be quiet no longer at home, then that it can bring his Master newes of faire weather for the iourney.
Thine in what he may,
Iohn Parkinson.