Hazel, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230
Its leaves are hairy, double toothed, and pointed at the tip. Hazel is "monoecious" which means that both male and female flowers are found on the same tree, and must be pollinated by pollen from other hazel trees.
Hazel leaves provide food for the caterpillars of moths, and hazel nuts are eaten by dormice to fatten up in preparation for hibernation, and in spring, they also feed on the caterpillars. Hazel nuts are also eaten by a variety of wild birds and small mammals. Hazel flowers provide early pollen as a food for bees, however, bees have difficulty in collecting the pollen, because the grains are not sticky and actually repel against each other, and therefore, the bees can only gather it in small quantities.
Hazel has long been considered a magical tree. A rod of hazel is reputed to protect against evil spirits, and it is frequently used as a wand, and for water divining. In certain areas of England, hazel nuts were carried as protective charms, or held to prevent rheumatism. In medieval times, the hazel was a symbol of fertility.
Transcription
Translation
latur; quod umbra vel stillicidium foliorum
eius proximis arboribus noceat. Hanc alio nomine
latini iuglandem vocant. quasi iovis glandem
Fuit enim hec arbor consecrata iovi. cuius pomum tantam
vim habet; ut missum inter suspectos herbarum vel
succorum cibos; quicquit eis virulentum est; exudet
rapiat et extinguat. Nuces autem generaliter
dicuntur omnia poma. corio duriori tecta. Ut
pinee nuces. avellane. glandes. castane. amig-
dale. Hinc et nuclei dicti; quod sub duro cortice
sunt tecti. Omnia poma mollis corticis; dicuntur
mala. sed cum adiectione terrarum; in quibus
antea nata fuerant. Ut persica. punica. matia-
na. citonia et cetera. Malus enim grece sic dicitur;
quod sit fructus eius pomorum omnium rotundis
simus. Unde hec sunt vera mala; que vehemen-
ter rotunda sunt. Mala maciana; sunt a lo-
co vocata. unde prius adnecta sunt. Hec sunt
Corilus is a tree, the fruit of which is called a nut, and so it is called; that the shade or the dripping of its leaves may harm the neighboring trees. By another name the Latins call this walnut, as it were Jupiter's acorn. For this tree was consecrated to Jove, whose apple has so much power; as sent among the suspected foods of herbs or juices; He says to them that he is violent; it sheds, seizes, and extinguishes. Nuts are generally said to be all apples covered with a harder skin. As pine nuts, hazelnuts, acorns. chestnut, almond Hence the said nucleus; that they are covered under a hard bark. All apples with soft skin; they are called evils, but with the addition of worlds; in which they had previously been born. As persica, punica, matiana, citonia and others. For evil is so called in Greek; that we are the fruit of his all round apples. Hence these are true evils; which are very round. Macian evils; they are called from the place from which they were first attached. These are what
ve soctanea mala sunt ucata sic; ab urbe ci-
doma. magistra umbium cretensium de qua
verunt. Ex quorum pomorum genere fit diace-
tonicum. Fit quoque ex eo vinum quo languentium
desideria falluntur. Nam specie et gustu. et
odore; cuiuslibet vini veteris imagynem represen-
tatj; Malum punicum dicitur; quodex punica
regione. sit allatum; Idem dicitur malum grana-
tum. eoquod intra rotunditatem corticus granorum
sit multitudo. Dicunt quidam malum punicum
dici; quod corticem habeat rubeum. Et verum
quidem est. quod malum illud punicum quod
radio solis illustratur; corticem habeat rubeum
et grana rubea. Quod autem soli non appropin-
quat; album habet corticem. et alba grana; sepe.
we commonly call apples. Citomas or soctanes are bad things like this; from the city of Cidoma, the teachers of the Cretan umbilical cords, from which they came. Diacetone is made from the type of apples. Wine is also made from it by which the desires of the languishing are deceived. For in appearance and taste and smell; represent the image of any old wine. It is called evil punishment; from the pink region, let it be brought. The same is called a pomegranate apple, because there is a multitude of grains within the roundness of the cortex. Some say that evil should be punished; which has a red bark. And it is indeed true that that punitive evil which is illuminated by the rays of the sun; it should have a red rind and red grains. But that does not approach the sun; It has a white bark, and white grains.