THE GARDEN 



OF 



PLEASANT FLOWERS. 



CHAP. I. 

 Corona Imperialis. The Crowne Imperiall. 



Ecaufe the Lilly is the more ftately flower among ma- 

 nic : and amongft the wonderfull varietie of Lillies, 

 knowne to vs in thefe daies, much more then in former 

 times, whereof fome are white, others blufh, fome pur- 

 ple, others red or yellow, fome fpotted, others with- 

 out fpots, fome ftanding vpright, others hanging or 

 turning downewards, The Crowne Imperiall for his 

 (lately beautifulnefs, deferueth the firft place in this our 

 Garden of delight, to be here entreated of before all o- 

 ther Lillies ; but becaufe it is fo well knowne to moft 

 perfons, being in a manner euery where common, I mail 

 neede onely to giue you a relation of the chiefe parts 



thereof (as I intend in fuch other things) which are thefe : The roote is yellowifh on 

 the outfide, compofed of fewer, but much thicker fcales, then any other Lilly but the 

 Perfian, and doth grow fometimes to be as great as a pretty bigge childes head, but 

 fomewhat flat withall, from the fides whereof, and not from the bottome, it fhooteth 

 forth thicke long fibres, which perifh euery yeare, hauing a hole in the midft thereof, 

 at the end of the yeare, when the old ftalke is dry and withered, and out of the which 

 a new ftalke doth fpring againe (from a bud or head to be feen within the hollownefle 

 on the one fide) the yeare following : the ftalke then filling vp the hollownefle, rifeth 

 vp three or foure foote high, being great, round, and of a purplifh colour at the bot- 

 tome, but greene aboue, befet from thence to the middle thereof with many long and 

 broad greene leaues, very like to the leaues of our ordinary white Lilly, but fomewhat 

 fhorter and narrower, confufedly without order, and from the middle is bare or na- 

 ked without leaues, for a certaine fpace vpwards, and then beareth foure, fixe, or tenne 

 flowers, more or lefle, according to the age of the plant, and the fertility of the foyle 

 where it groweth : The buddes at the firft appearing are whitifh, ftanding vpright a- 

 mong a bufh or tuft of greene leaues, fmaller then thofe below, and ftanding aboue 

 the flowers, after a while they turne themselues, and hang downewards euerie 

 one vpon his owne footeftalke, round about the great ftemme or ftalke, fometimes of 

 an euen depth, and other while one lower or higher than another, which flowers are 

 neare the forme of an ordinary Lilly, yet fomewhat lefler and clofer, confifting of 

 fixe leaues of an Orange colour, ftriped with purplifh lines and veines, which adde 

 a great grace to the flowers ; At the bottome of the flower next vnto the ftalke, euery 



leafe 



