Iudas tree riseth vp in some places, where it standeth open from a wall, and alone free from other trees (as in a Garden at Batthersey, which sometimes agoe belonged to Master Morgan, Apothecary to the late Queene Elizabeth of famous memory) to be a very great and tall tree, exceeding any Apple tree in height, and equall in bignesse of body thereunto (as my selfe can testifie, being an eye witnesse thereof) when as it had many stalkes of flowers, being in the bud, breaking out of the body of the tree through the barke in diuers places, when as there was no bough or branch near them by a yard at the least, or yet any leafe vpon the tree, (which they gathered to put among other flowers, for Nosegayes) and in other places it groweth to bee but an hedge bush, or plant, with many suckers and shootes from belowe, couered with a darke reddish barke, the young branches being more red or purplish: the flowers on the branches come forth before any shew or budding of leaues, three or foure standing together vpon a small foote-stalke, which are in fashion like vnto Pease blossomes, but of an excellent deepe purplish crimson colour: after which come in their places so many long, flat, large, and thinne cods, of a brownish colour, wherein are contained small, blackish browne, flat, and hard seede: the roote is great, and runneth both deepe, and farre spreading in the earth: the leaues come forth by themselues, euery one standing on a long stalke, being hard & very round, like vnto the leafe of the largest Asarum, but not so thick, of a whitish green on the vpper side, and grayish vnderneath, which fall away euery yeare, and spring a fresh after the Spring is well come in, and the buds of flowers are sprung.
Flore albo.
There is another of this kinde, growing in some places very high, somewhat like the former, and in other places also full of twiggy branches, which are greener then the former, as the leaues are likewise: the flowers of this kinde are wholly white, and the cods nothing so red or browne, in all other things agreeing together.
The Place.
The former groweth plentifully in many places of Spaine, Italy, Prouence in France, and in many other places. The other hath beene sent vs out of Italy many times, and the seede hath sprung very well with vs, but it is somewhat tender to keepe in the Winter.
The Time.
The flowers (as I said) appeare before the leaues, and come forth in Aprill and May, and often sooner also, the leaues following shortly after; but neither of them beareth perfect seede in our Country, that euer I could learne, or know by mine owne or others experience.
The Names.
Some would referre this to Cercis, whereof Theophrastus maketh mention in his first Booke and eighteenth Chapter, among those trees that beare their fruit in cods, like as Pulse doe: and hee remembreth it againe in the fourteenth Chapter of his third Booke, and maketh it not vnlike the white Poplar tree, both in greatnesse and whitenesse of the branches, with the leafe of an Iuie, without corners on the one part, cornered on the other, and sharpe pointed, greene on both sides almost alike, hauing so slender long footestalkes that the leaues cannot stand forthright, but bend downwards, with a more rugged barke then the white Poplar tree. Clusius thinketh this large description is but an ample description of the third kinde of Poplar, called Lybica, the Aspen tree, which Gaza translateth Alpina: but who so will well consider it, shall finde it neyther answerable to any Poplar tree, in that it beareth not cods as Cercis doth; nor vnto this Arbor Iudæ, because it beareth not white branches. Clusius saith also, that the learned of Mompelier in his time, referred it to Colytea of Theophrastus in his third booke and seuenteenth chapter, where he doth liken it to the leaues of the broadest leafed Bay tree, but larger and rounder, green on the vpperside, and whitish vnderneath, and whereunto (as he saith) Theophrastus giueth cods in the fourteenth chapter of the same third booke: and by the contracting of their descriptions both together, saith, they agree vnto this Iudas tree. But I find some doubts and differences in these places: for the Colutæa that Theophrastus mentioneth in the said fourteenth chapter of his third booke, hath (as he saith there) a leafe like vnto the Willow, and therefore cannot bee the same Colutæa mentioned in the seuenteenth chapter of the same third book, which hath a broade Bay leafe: indeede hee giueth seede in cods: but that with broade Bay leaues is (as he saith) without eyther flower or fruite; and besides all this, he saith the rootes are very yellow, which is not to bee found in this Arbor Iudæ, or Iudas tree: let others now iudge if these things can bee well reconciled together. Some haue for the likenesse of the cods vnto Beane cods, called it Fabago. And Clusius called it Siliqua siluestris. It is generally in these dayes called Arbor Iudæ, and in English after the Latine name, vntill a fitter may be had, Iudas tree.