Page:Paradisi in sole paradisus terrestris (1904 reprint).djvu/60

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Autumne, which abide greene all the Winter, the ftalke fpringing vp betweene the lower leaues in the Spring.

The Names.

It is called Lilium Album, the White Lilly, by moſt Writers; but by Poets Roſa Iunonis, Iuno's Roſe. The other hath his name in his title.

The Vertues.

This Lilly aboue all the reſt, yea, and I thinke this onely, and none of the reſt is vſed in medicines now adayes, although in former times Empericks vſed the red; and therefore I haue ſpoken nothing of them in the end of their Chapters, reſeruing what is to be ſaid in this. This hath a mollifying, digeſting, and cleanſing quality, helping to ſuppurate tumours, and to digeſt them, for which purpoſe the roote is much vſed. The water of the flowers diſtilled, is of excellent vertue for women in trauell of childe bearing, to procure an eaſie deliuery, as Matthiolus and Camerarius report. It is vſed alſo of diuers women outwardly, for their faces to cleanſe the skin, and make it white and freſh. Diues other properties there are in theſe Lillies, which my purpoſe is not to declare in this place. Nor is it the ſcope of this worke; this that hath been ſaid is ſufficient: for were it not, that I would giue you ſome taſte of the qualities of plants (as I ſaid in my Preface) as I goe along with them, a generall worke were fitter to declare them then this.

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Chap. VII.

Fritillaria. The checkerd Daffodill.

ALthough diuers learned men do by the name giuen vnto this delightfull plant, thinke it doth in ſome things partake with a Tulipa or Daffodill, and haue therefore placed it betweene them; yet I, finding it moſt like vnto a little Lilly, both in roote, ſtalke, leafe, flower, and ſeede, haue (as you ſee here) placed it next vnto the Lillies, and before them. Hereof there are many ſorts found out of late, as white, red, blacke, and yellow, beſides the purple, which was firft knowne ; and of each of them there are alſo diuers ſorts: and firſt of that which is moſt frequent, and then of the reſt, euery one in his place and order.

I. Frillaria vulgaris. The common checkerd Daffodill.

The ordinary checkerd Daffodill (as it is vſually called, but might more properly be called the ſmall checkerd Lilly) hath a ſmall round white roote, and ſomewhat flat, made as it were of two cloues, and diuided in a maner into two parts, yet ioyning together at the bottome or ſeate of the roote, which holdeth them both together: from betweene this cleft or diuiſion, the budde for the ſtalke &c. appeareth, which in time riſeth vp a foote, or a foote and a halfe high, being round and of a browniſh greene colour, eſpecially neere vnto the ground, whereon there ſtandeth diſperſedly foure or fiue narrow long and greene leaues, being a little hollow: at the toppe of the ſtalke, betweene the vpper leaues (which are ſmaller then the loweſt) the flower ſheweth it ſelfe, hanging or turning downe the head, but not turning vp againe any of his leaues, as ſome of the Lillies before deſcribed doe; (ſometimes this ſtalke beareth two flowers, and very ſeldome three) conſiſting of ſixe leaues, of a reddiſh purple colour, ſpotted diuerſly with great ſpots, appearing like vnto ſquare checkers, of a deeper colour; the inſide of the flower is of a brighter colour then the outſide, which hath ſome greenneſſe at the bottome of euery leafe: within the flower there appeare