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Introduction: Johnson

The original edition of 1597 is seldom quoted, for the enlarged and amended edition, by Thomas Johnson, of 1633, of which a second edition was printed three years later, is superior in every respect, and it was due to Johnson that the Herbal continued for a long time to be the standard work for English students.

Gerard in his preface was becomingly modest about his work, and stated that it was principally intended for gentlewomen. Yet there can be no doubt that he had as good practical knowledge of plants as any of his countrymen then living, and owing to his patronage by the most powerful statesman of the Elizabethan Court he had good opportunities of enriching the gardens under his care with new plants. His accuracy was not unimpeachable, and he recorded as natives of this country many plants which he could not have found here. Johnson and Parkinson, who came into notice a generation later, were decidedly his superiors in this respect. But his work gave an impetus to the study of botany such as no previous writer had accomplished.

Thomas Johnson's additions to the original text are marked through his edition, and this present one, by the signs dagger and Dagger; the first indicating that he had amended the wording; the second, that he had written a clause anew, or had added an observation of his own. Johnson did a great work no doubt in making order of Gerard's vagaries, but proved an extremely unsympathetic editor, at times losing all patience with our Author, and handling him very severely. Time has brought its revenge, and we shall read many of his harshest strictures with a smile.

In a long preface, Johnson writes at large on the history of herbals, and gives notes about the ancient herbalists, beginning with Solomon and passing to others frequently mentioned by Gerard, notably Dioscorides, who in the days of Nero gave the world a Materia Medica. Gerard followed his method in giving the "descriptions" of herbs, "the names", "the place", and "the vertues". Among the translators of Dioscorides was Ruellius, a French physician who, according to Johnson, flourished in 1480. In the middle of the next century flourished the German physician and herbalist, the famous Fuchs (to whom we owe a debt or a grudge for the name of the Fuchsia), and at about this time another German, Gesner, and the Italian, Matthiolus. Then comes "Rembertus Dodonaeus", a physician of Brabant, who set forth a history of plants in Dutch, which was turned into French by Clusius, and translated out of French into English by Master Henry Lite (or Lyte). A later edition of the works of Dodoens was the foundation of Gerard's work. In 1570 Peter Pena and Matthias de I'Obel published a herbal, and soon afterwards came Tabernamont's history of plants in German, with above two thousand figures (those used by Gerard). Coming to contemporary herbalists, Johnson finds the first name worthy of mention to be that of Dr. William Turner, who in the year 1551 set forth his Herbal, adorned for the most part with the figures of Fuchs. In 1629 Mr. John Parkinson, an apothecary of London, published his Paradisi in Sole Paradisus Terrestris, his "Garden of all sorts of pleasant flowers which our English ayre will permitt to be noursed up", with a kitchen garden and an orchard. Turning at last to Gerard, Johnson remarks that out of good will to the public advancement our Author endeavoured to perform more than he could well accomplish, which was partly through want of sufficient learning. (An example is given: he translated Aster Atticus, Caules pedales terni aut quaterni, "A stalk foure or five foot long"). Other quibbles follow, with a lukewarm word of praise in the end: Let none blame him for these defects, seeing he was neither wanting in pains nor good will; and there are none so simple but know that heavy burthens are with most pains undergone by the weakest men. "Although there were many faults in the worke, yet judge well of the Author." IV The Present Edition.

SINCE 1636 lovers of the literature of flowers, seeking out Gerard's thoughts, have had to make content with such quotations as they could find in other books, should they not possess one of the scarce copies of his Herbal, or have the chance of studying one in a library. It is a formidable task merely to turn the pages, numbering sixteen hundred and thirty, of the huge, heavy folio, laden with something like half a million words. While other Herbals have been re-issued, such as Nicholas Culpeper's English Physician, 1652, and John Parkinson's Paradisi in Sole Paradisus Terrestris, 1629, Gerard's, in its original form, is hardly suitable for present-day publication. Four-fifths of it would be regarded as tedious, such as the long descriptions of many forgotten varieties of plants, or laborious arguments and quotations about the names and identities.

There remains the fragrant essence, that which has given the work its fame, mostly Gerard's own observations as distinct from the original translation of Dodoens's Latin herbal. Of this pure essence, an endeavour has been made in this edition to preserve all that is most precious. No word has been altered, though all that is tedious or gross has been omitted. While most chapters have been shortened, several remain exactly as originally printed. Notes given in an Appendix aim at identifying some of the plants described when there are difficulties.

Johnson was scornful of Gerard's classical knowledge, but failed in his editions to verify all the numerous quotations, or to put right all Gerard's or his printer's mistakes when using the language of "the Antients". After careful consideration it was decided to simplify the often heavily burdened paragraphs discussing "The Names" by omitting what would interest few, names given in Greek, Hebrew, High Dutch, Low Dutch, etc., and to omit Latin verses or other quotations of the sort to which translations in English were supplied.

The Herbal is an amazingly fine production, a notable example of the printing of its time. A well-preserved copy, in rich contemporary binding, is well worth the high price for which a dealer would ask--perhaps Pound 80 for an edition of 1636. Ink and paper remain wonderfully fresh after the lapse of centuries. Experts in book production marvel at the quality of the work, and it would be difficult, if not impossible, at the present day to equal the delicacy and clearness of the blocks, even with all the resources of the modern processes of engraving. The illustrations, some of them excellent botanical studies, are admired for their quality of design. The primary aim of the editor and publishers has been to preserve as much as possible of the spirit of the original, both in its literary and typographical aspects. In this they are greatly indebted to the printers, who have succeeded in retaining by the arts of good printing much of the beauty of the glorious old folio.

In selecting the best and most characteristic passages, it has been thought well to retain the original division into Books and Chapters and sectional headings which, arbitrary and misleading as they may sometimes be, are yet inseparable from the style and method of Gerard. Any other plan would have involved taking unwarrantable liberties and have resulted in a mere anthology, instead of the worthy miniature of the great Gerard which this edition sets out to be.

For the same reasons, the old haphazard spelling has been retained, only the "s", "u", "v" and "j" being printed in accordance with modern usage. The original punctuation, and the use of capitals, have been faithfully followed. The chapters have been renumbered in sequence, but the chapter numbers of the 1636 edition are shown in brackets. The first page of the Herbal is reproduced in facsimile.

The illustrations have been chosen from Johnson's edition of 1636. By reduction for the present quarto to about five-eighths of the size in which they appear in the folio, the proportion of block to printed page has been preserved, and the reproductions are, on the whole, clearer than the somewhat faded cuts in the surviving copies of the old editions. Lastly, I wish to express my gratitude to Dr. Daydon Jackson, F.L.S., the distinguished botanist who has devoted his life to the work of the Linnean Society, of which he is ex-general secretary, and for fourteen years laboured at the stupendous task of perfecting the Index Kewensis, for his unsparing kindness in reading the proofs of this book, and checking my identifications of the plants.

I would also acknowledge the kindness of the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, for assistance in solving several problems. MARCUS WOODWARD. HURSTPIERPOINT, July 1927.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HIS SINGULAR GOOD LORD AND MASTER, SIR WILLIAM CECIL KNIGHT, BARON OF Burghley, Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries, Chancellor of the Universitie of Cambridge, Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter, one of the Lords of her Majesties most honorable Privy Councell, and Lord high Treasurer of England.

AMong the manifold creatures of God (right Honorable, and my singular good Lord) that have all in all ages diversly entertained many excellent wits, and drawn them to the contemplation of the divine wisdome, none have provoked mens studies more, or satisfied their desires so much as plants have done, and that upon just and worthy causes: for if delight may provoke mens labor, what greater delight is there than to behold the earth apparelled with plants, as with a robe of embroidered worke, set with Orient pearles and garnished with great diversitie of rare and costly jewels? If this varietie and perfection of colours may affect the eie, it is such in herbs and floures, that no Apelles, no Zeuxis ever could by any art expresse the like: if odours or if taste may worke satisfaction, they are both so soveraigne in plants, and so comfortable that no confection of the Apothecaries can equall their excellent vertue. But these delights are in the outward senses: the principal delight is in the mind, singularly enriched with the knowledge of these visible things, setting forth to us the invisible wisdome and admirable workmanship of Almighty God. The delight is great, but the use greater, and joyned often with necessitie. In the first ages of the world they were the ordinary meate of men, and have continued ever since of necessary use both for meates to maintaine life, and for medicine to recover health. The hidden vertue of them is such, that (as Pliny noteth) the very bruit beasts have found it out: and (which is another use that he observes) from thence the Dyars tooke the beginning of their Art. Furthermore, the necessary use of those fruits of the earth doth plainly appeare by the great charge and care of almost all men in planting & maintaining of gardens, not as ornaments onely, but as a necessarie provision also to their houses. And here beside the fruit, to speake againe in a word of delight, gardens, especialy such as your Honor hath, furnished with many rare Simples, do singularly delight, when in them a man doth behold a flourishing shew of Summer beauties in the midst of Winters force, and a goodly spring of flours, when abroad a leafe is not to be seene. Besides these and other causes, there are many examples of those that have honoured this science: for to passe by a multitude of the Philosophers, it may please your Honor to call to remembrance that which you know of some noble Princes, that have joyned this study with their most important matters of state: Mithridates the great was famous for his knowledge herein, as Plutarch noteth. Euax also King of Arabia, the happy garden of the world for principall Simples, wrot of this argument, as Pliny sheweth. Dioclesian likewise, might have had his praise, had he not drowned all his honour in the bloud of his persecution. To conclude this point, the example of Solomon is before the rest, and greater, whose wisdome and knowledge was such, that hee was able to set out the nature of all plants from the highest Cedar to the lowest Mosse. But my very good Lord, that which sometime was the study of great Phylosophers and mightie Princes, is now neglected, except it be of some few, whose spirit and wisdome hath carried them among other parts of wisdome and counsell, to a care and studie of speciall herbes, both for the furnishing of their gardens, and furtherance of their knowledge: among whom I may justly affirme and publish your Honor to be one, being my selfe one of your servants, and a long time witnesse thereof: for under your Lordship I have served, and that way emploied my principall study and almost all my time, now by the space of twenty yeares. To the large and singular furniture of this noble Island I have added from forreine places all the varietie of herbes and floures that I might any way obtaine, I have laboured with the soile to make it fit for plants, and with the plants, that they might delight in the soile, that so they might live and prosper under our clymat, as in their native and proper countrey: what my successe hath beene, and what my furniture is, I leave to the report of they that have seene your Lordships gardens, and the little plot of myne owne especiall care and husbandry. But because gardens are privat, and many times finding an ignorant or a negligent successor, come soone to ruine, there be that have sollicited me, first by my pen, and after by the Presse to make my labors common, and to free them from the danger whereunto a garden is subject: wherein when I was overcome, and had brought this History or report of the nature of Plants to a just volume, and had made it (as the Reader may by comparison see) richer than former Herbals, I found it no question unto whom I might dedicate my labors; for considering your good Lordship, I found none of whose favour and goodnes I might sooner presume, seeing I have found you ever my very good Lord and Master. Againe, considering my duty and your Honors merits, to whom may I better recommend my Labors, than to him unto whom I owe my selfe, and all that I am able in your service or devotion to performe? Therefore under hope of your Honorable and accustomed favor I present this Herball to your Lordships protection; and not as an exquisite Worke (for I know my meannesse) but as the greatest gift and chiefest argument of duty that my labour and service can afford: wherof if there be no other fruit, yet this is of some use, that I have ministred Matter for Men of riper wits and deeper judgements to polish, and to adde to my large additions where any thing is defective, that in time the Worke may be perfect. Thus I humbly take my leave, beseeching God to grant you yet many daies to live to his glory, to the support of this State under her Majestie our dread Soveraigne, and that with great increase of honor in this world, and all fulnesse of glory in the world to come. Your Lordships most humble and obedient Servant, IOHN GERARD.

To the courteous and well willing Readers.

ALthough my paines hav not beene spent (courteous Reader) in the gracious discoverie of golden Mines, nor in the tracing after silver veines, whereby my native country might be inriched with such merchandise as it hath most in request and admiration; yet hath my labour (I trust) been otherwise profitably imploied, in descrying of such a harmelesse treasure of herbes, trees, and plants, as the earth frankely without violence offereth unto our most necessary uses. Harmelesse I call them, because they were such delights as man in the perfectest state of his innocencie did erst injoy: and treasure I may well terme them seeing both Kings and Princes have esteemed them as Jewels; sith wise men have made their whole life as a pilgrimage to attaine to the knowledge of them: by the which they have gained the hearts of all, and opened the mouthes of many, in commendation of those rare vertues which are contained in these terrestriall creatures. I confesse blind Pluto is now adaies more sought after than quicke sighted Phoebus: and yet this dusty mettall, or excrement of the earth (which was first deepely buried least it should be an eie-sore 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 owne destruction, than directly sent of God to the comfort of this life. And yet behold in the compassing of this worldly drosse, what care, what cost, what adventures, what mysticall proofes, and chymicall trials are set abroach; when as notwithstanding the chiefest end is but uncertaine wealth. Contrariwise, in the expert knowledge of herbes, what pleasure still renewed with variety? what small expence? what security? and yet what an apt and ordinary meanes to conduct man to that most desired benefit of health? which as I devoutly wish unto my native countrey, and to the carfull nursing mother of the same; so having bent my labours to the benefit of such as are studiously practised in the conservation thereof, I thought it a chiefe point of my dutie, thus out of my poore store to offer up these my far fetched experiments, together with mine owne countries unknowne treasure, combined in this compendious Herball (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 seeme to intimate: but such it is, as altogether hath beene a study for the wisest, an exercise for the noblest, a pastime for the best. From whence there spring floures not onely to adorne the garlands of the Muses, to decke the bosomes of the beautifull, to paint the gardens of the curious, to garnish the glorious crownes of Kings; but also such fruit as learned Dioscorides long travelled for; and princely Mithridates reserved as precious in his owne closet: Mithridates I meane, better knowne by his soveraigne 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 vertues of herbes, and dedicated it unto the Emperor Nero. Every greene Herbarist can make mention of the herbe Lysimachia, whose vertues were found out by King Lysimachus, and his vertues no lesse eternised in the selfe same plant, than the name of Phydias, queintly beaten into the shields of Pallas, or the first letters of Ajax or Hyacinthus (whether you please) registred in that beloved floure of Apollo. As for Artemisia, first called <??>, whether the title thereof sprang from" <??>, Diana, her selfe, or from the renowned Queene 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 speake of Gentiana, bearing still the cognisance of Gentius? or of divers other herbes taking their denominations of their princely inventors? What should I say of those royall personages, Iuba, Attalus, Climenus, Achilles, Cyrus, Masynissa, Semyramis, Dioclesian? but onely thus, to speake their Princely loves to Herbarisme, and their everlasting honors (which neither old Plinius dead, ner yong Lipsius living will permit to die?) Crescent herbae, crescetis amores: crescent herbae, crescetis honores. But had this wanted faculty wanted the authorisement of such a royall company, King Solomon, excelling all the rest for wisdome, of greater royalty than they all (though the Lillies of the field out-braved him) he onely (I say) might yeeld hereunto sufficient countenance and commendation, in that his lofty wisdome thought no scorne to stoupe unto the lowly plants. I list not seek the common colours of antiquitie, when notwithstanding the world can brag of no more antient 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. Talke of perfect happinesse or pleasure, and what place was so fit for that as the garden place wherein 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 the Hesperides? Where did they dreame that heaven should be, but in the pleasant garden of Elysium? Whither doe all men walke for their honest recreation, but thither where the earth hath most beneficially painted her face with flourishing colours? And what season of the yeare more longed for than the Spring, whose gentle breath inticeth forth the kindly sweets, and makes them yeeld their fragrant smells? Who would therefore looke dangerously up at Planets, that might safely looke downe at Plants? And if true bee the proverb, Quae supra nos, nihil ad nos; I suppose this new saying cannot be false, Quae infra nos, ea maxime ad nos. Easie therefore is this treasure to be gained, and yet pretious. The science is nobly supported by wise and kingly Favorits: the subject thereof so necessarie and delectable, that nothing can be confected, either delicate for the taste, dainty for smell, pleasant for sight, wholsome for body, conservative or restorative for health, but it borroweth the rellish of an herb, the savor of a flour, the colour of a leafe, the juice of a plant, or the decoction of a root. And such is the treasure that this my Treatise is furnished withall; wherein though myne art be not able to countervaile Nature in her lively portraitures, yet have I counterfeited likenesse for life, shapes and shadowes for substance, being ready with the bad Painter to explaine the imperfections of my pensill with my pen, chusing rather to score upon my pictures such rude marks as may describe my meaning, than to let the beholder to guesse at random and misse. I have here therefore set downe 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 severall qualities, as well of those which our owne country yeeldeth, as of others which I have fetched further, or drawn out by perusing divers Herbals set forth in other languages: wherein none of my countrymen have to my knowledge taken any paines, since that excellent Worke of Master Doctor Turner. After which time Master Lyte a worshipfull Gentleman translated Dodonaeus out of French into English; and since that, Doctor Priest one of our London Colledge hath (as I heard) translated the last edition of Dodonaeus, and meant to publish the same; but being prevented by death, his translation likewise perished. Lastly my selfe, one of the least among many, have presumed to set forth unto the view of the World, the first fruits of these myne owne Labours, which if they be such as may content the Reader, I shall thinke my selfe well rewarded; otherwise there is no man to be blamed but my selfe, being a Worke I confesse for greater Clerks to undertake: yet may my blunt attempt serve as a whetstone to set an edge upon sharper wits, by whom I wish this my course Discourse might be both fined and refined. Faults I confesse have escaped, some by the Printers oversight, some through defects in my selfe to perform so great a work, and some by means of the greatnesse of the Labour, and that I was constrained to seeke after my living, being void of friends to beare some part of the burthen. The rather therefore accept this at my hands (loving Country-men) as a token of my goodwill, and I trust that the best and well minded will not rashly condemne me, although something have passed worthy reprehension. But as for the slanderer or Envious I passe not for them, but return upon themselves any-thing they shall without cause either murmure 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, IOHN GERARD.

THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF PLANTS.

Containing Graffes, Rufhes, Reeds, Corne, Flags, and Bulbous or Onion-rooted Plants.