put thereto good keeping, that no man dare be hardy to enter.

This balm groweth in no place, but only there. And though that men
bring of the plants, for to plant in other countries, they grow
well and fair; but they bring forth no fructuous thing, and the
leaves of balm fall not. And men cut the branches with a sharp
flintstone, or with a sharp bone, when men will go to cut them; for
whoso cut them with iron, it would destroy his virtue and his
nature.

And the Saracens crepe the wood ENONCH-BALSE, and the fruit, the
which is as cubebs, they clepe ABEBISSAM, and the liquor that
droppeth from the branches they clepe GUYBALSE. And men make
always that balm to be tilled of the Christian men, or else it
would not fructify; as the Saracens say themselves, for it hath
been often-time proved. Men say also, that the balm groweth in Ind
the more, in that desert where Alexander spake to the trees of the
sun and of the moon, but I have not seen it; for I have not been so
far above upward, because that there be too many perilous passages.

And wit ye well, that a man ought to take good keep for to buy
balm, but if he con know it right well, for he may right lightly be
deceived. For men sell a gum, that men clepe turpentine, instead
of balm, and they put thereto a little balm for to give good odour.
And some put wax in oil of the wood of the fruit of balm, and say
that it is balm. And some distil cloves of gilofre and of
spikenard of Spain and of other spices, that be well smelling; and
the liquor that goeth out thereof they clepe it balm, and they
think that they have balm, and they have none. For the Saracens
counterfeit it by subtlety of craft for to deceive the Christian