henne spryngeth out harde
leuys and sharpe.... And wh[=a]ne they ben full growen they sprede
theymselues ayenst the sonne rysynge. And for they ben tendre and
feble to holde togyder in the begynnynge; theyfore about those smale
grene leuys ben nyghe the red and tendre leuys ... and ben sette all
aboute. And in the mydill thereof is seen the sede small and yellow
wyth full gode smell."

[Illustration: WOODCUT OF TREES AND HERBS FROM THE SEVENTEENTH
BOOK OF "DE PROPRIETATIBUS RERUM"
Printed by Wynkyn de Worde (1495)]

There follows a description, too long to quote here, of the growth of
the rose hip, which ends with the remark: "But they ben not ful good
to ete for roughnesse that is hyd wythin. And greuyth [grieveth]
wythin his throte that ete thereof." ... "Among all floures of the
worlde," he continues, "the floure of the rose is cheyf and beeryth ye
pryse. And by cause of vertues and swete smelle and savour. For by
fayrnesse they fede the syghte: and playseth the smelle by odour, the
touche by softe handlynge. And wythstondeth and socouryth by vertue
ayenst many syknesses and euylles." A delicious recipe is given for
Rose honey. "Rose shreede smalle and sod in hony makyth that hony
medycynable wyth gode smelle: And this comfortyeth and clenseth and
defyeth gleymy humours."

Of the violet we read: "Violet is a lytyll herbe in substaunce and is
better fresshe and newe than whan it is olde. And the floure thereof
smellyth moost.... And the more vertuous the floure thereof is, ye
more it bendyth the heed thereof do[=u]warde. Also floures of
spryngynge tyme spryngeth fyrste and sheweth somer. The lytylnes
thereof in substaunce is nobly rewarded in gretnesse of sauour and of
vertue."

Bartholomew's descriptions of flowers are usually brief, and there is
a clarity and vividness about them which give them a charm peculiarly
their own. How fresh and English, for instance, is his chapter on the
apple. I have never before seen the taste of an apple described as
"merry," but how true the description is! "Malus the Appyll tree is a
tree yt bereth apples and is a grete tree in itself ... it is more
short than other trees of the wood wyth knottes and rinelyd Rynde.
And makyth shadowe wythe thycke bowes and braunches: and fayr with
dyuers blossomes, and floures of swetnesse and lykynge: with goode
fruyte and noble. And is gracious in syght and in taste and vertuous
in medecyne ... some beryth sourysh fruyte and