The Description.

Betulus, or the Hornbeam tree, grows great, and very like unto the Elm, or Witch Hazel tree, having a great body: the wood or timber whereof is better for arrows and shafts, pulleys for mills, and such like devices, than Elm or Witch Hazel; for in time it waxeth so hard, that the toughness and hardness of it may be rather compared unto horn than unto wood, and therefore it was called Hornbeam, or Hardbeam: the leaves hereof are like the Elm, saving that they be tenderer: among those hang certain triangled things, upon which be round knops, or little heads of the bigness of Ciches, in which is contained the fruit or seed: the root is strong and thick.

The Place.

Betulus or the Hornbeam tree grows plentifully in Northamptonshire, also in Kent by Gravesend, where it is commonly taken for a kind of Elm.

The Time.

This tree doth spring in April, and the seed is ripe in September.

The Names.

The Hornbeam tree is called in Greek Zygia, which is as if you should say Coniugalis, or belonging to the yoke, because it serveth well to make Zygia of, in Latin, Iuga, yokes wherewith oxen are yoked together, which are also even at this time made thereof, as witnesseth Benedictus Curtius Symphorianus, and ourselves have sufficient knowledge thereof in our own country; and therefore it may be Englished Yoke Elm. It is called of some, Carpinus and Zugia: it is also called Betulus, as if it were a kind of Birch, but myself better like that it should be one of the Elms: in High Dutch, Ahorne: in French, Carne: in Italian, Carpino: in English, Hornbeam, Hardbeam, Yoke Elm, and in some places, Witch Hazel.

The Temperature and Virtues.

A. This tree is not used in medicine, the virtues are not expressed of the ancients, neither have we any certain experiments of our own knowledge more than hath been said for the use of husbandry.