Preface

And because Your Princely Grace, as a most distinguished father, belongs among those mentioned above—as one who, in these swift and turbulent times, has not allowed yourself to be turned away or frightened by hypocrisy from the Kingdom of God, which is the holy Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God, but rather has willed to stake your own person and all that Your Princely Grace possesses upon it, so that such a kingdom of Christ Jesus may be promoted and expanded in the world—therefore, it can and shall never fail that God the Lord will provide all the rest that is further necessary for the body, such as food, drink, clothing, peace, and health, in abundance and by His gracious blessing.

Now, if Your Princely Grace continues to stand firm and persist in divine wisdom as you have begun—that is, in the true knowledge of Jesus Christ—as many of us have no doubt that God the Almighty will keep Your Princely Grace straight and unmovably firm (for which we also heartily and earnestly pray to God the Father through Christ), then Your Princely Grace may be lauded and praised as a glorious Christian prince, high, far, and wide above the aforementioned Macedonian King A reference to Alexander the Great, often used as a secular foil to Christian leadership., indeed above much higher heads. This is because Your Princely Grace does not merely practice and diligent yourself in earthly, perishable philosophy, but much more highly in divine matters (which is the Law of the Lord). From this it follows that whatever Your Princely Grace undertakes and begins according to such philosophy may attain not only a fortunate beginning or progress, but also a gracious end, which is of great importance.

And so that Your Princely Grace might be more richly endowed, longer and more abundantly, with the other arts—which, like all good gifts, come only from above, from the Father of Lights—I have (regardless of my humble person) with great diligence and laborious toil brought together this present excellent work on the plants of the earth. From these, cattle and humans obtain not only their food and clothing, but also all kinds of medicine and help for many and innumerable infirmities, so that they might be rid of sickness and henceforth seek and attain lasting health. I have compiled this in the land of the Illustrious, High-born Prince and Lord, Lord Wolfgang, Duke in Bavaria and Count of Veldenz Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken (1526–1569), a significant patron of the Reformation and the author's benefactor., Your Princely Grace’s dear son and cousin, and my gracious dear Lord—namely, in the market town of Hornbach—and have wished to most humbly assign, dedicate, and present the same to Your Princely Grace’s honor.

And this for these moving reasons: because God the Lord has thus allowed Your Princely Grace to be awakened with divine, wholesome philosophy for divine praise and for the welfare of the Christian German flock original: "Teütschen heüflin" - literally 'German little heap,' a common Reformation-era term for the community of believers., and has thus graciously allowed you to come into this final age of the world, so that through Your Princely Grace many people who are otherwise forsaken might be led and brought to the oft-mentioned true divine knowledge, as if by a natural father. Also, so that Your Princely Grace might not suffer want regarding your own body, but might yourself learn from this sent book what is necessary for your physical health, to use it, and subsequently to graciously share the remainder with neighbors and all those who love such things and desire them.

Nor should Your Princely Grace think that this work, concerned with herbs, flowers, seeds, roots, fruits, shrubs, hedges, and trees...