66 The Garden of p leaf ant Flowers. 



and all the Prcecoces, from the beginning to the end of March, if the yeare 

 be kindly : at what time the Medias doe begin, and abide all Aprill, and 

 part of May, when the Serotines flower and fade ; but this, as I faid, if the 

 yeare be kindly, or elfe each kinde will be a moneth later. The feede is ripe 

 in lune and luly, according to their early or late flowring. 



The Names. 



There haue beene diuers opinions among our moderne Writers, by 

 what name this plant was knowne to the ancient Authors. Some would 

 haue it be Cofmofandatos, of the Ancient. Dodonaeus referreth it to Trvn-wf of 

 Theophraftus, in his feuenth Booke and thirteenth Chapter : but thereof 

 he is fo briefe, that belides the bare name, wee cannot finde him to make 

 any further relation of forme, or quality. And Bauhinus, vpon Matthiolus 

 Commentaries of Diofcorides, and in his Pinax alfo, followeth his opini- 

 on. Camerarius in his Hortus Medicus is of opinion, it may be referred to 

 the Helychryfum of Crateua. Gefner, as I thinke, firft of all, and after him 

 Lobel, Camerarius, Clufius and many others, referre it to the Satyrium of 

 Diofcorides: and furely this opinion is the moft probable for many rea- 

 fons. Firft, for that this plant doth grow very frequent in many places of 

 Greece, and the lefler Afia, which were no doubt fufficiently knowne both 

 to Theophraftus, and Diofcorides, and was accounted among bulbous 

 rootes, although by fundry names. And fecondly, as Diofcorides fetteth 

 forth his Satyrium, fo this moft commonly beareth three leaues vpon a 

 ftalke (although fometimes with vs it hath foure or fiue) like vnto a Lilly, 

 whereof fome are often feen to be both red, in the firft fpringing, and alfo 

 vpon the decaying, efpecially in a dry time, and in a dry ground : the flower 

 likewife of fome is white, and like a Lilly ; the roote is round, and as white 

 within as the white of an egge, couered with a browne coate, hauing a 

 fweetifti, but not vnpleafant tafte, as any man without danger many try. 

 This defcription doth fo liuely fet forth this plant, that I thinke wee mall 

 not neede to be any longer in doubt, where to finde Diofcorides his Saty- 

 rium Triphyllum, feeing wee haue fuch plenty growing with vs. And 

 thirdly, there is no doubt, but that it hath the fame qualities, as you mall 

 hereafter heare further. And laftly, that plant likewife that beareth a red 

 flower, may very well agree with his Erythronium ; for the defcriptions in 

 Diofcorides are both alike, as are their qualities, the greateft doubt may be 

 in the feede, which yet may agree vnto Lin or Flaxe as fitly, or rather more 

 then many other plants doe, in many of his comparifons, which yet wee re- 

 ceiue for currant. For the feede of Tulipas are flat, hard, and mining as the 

 feede of Linum or Flaxe, although of another colour, and bigger, as Dio- 

 fcorides himfelfe fetteth it downe. But if there mould be a miftaking in the 

 writing of XiVs for x 1 '/ 37 " 8 * in the Greeke Text, as the flippe is both eafie and 

 likely, it were then out of all queftion the fame : for the feede is very like 

 vnto the feede of Lillies, as any man may eafily difcerne that know them, or 

 will compare them. It is generally called by all the late Writers, Tulipa, 

 which is deriued from the name Tulpan, whereby the Turkes of Da/mafia 

 doe entitle their head Tyres, or Caps ; and this flower being blowne, laide 

 open, and inuerted, doth very well referable them. We haue receiued the 

 early kinde from Conftantinople, by the name of Cafa /a/e, and the other 

 by the name of Gauala /a/e. Lobel and others doe call it Lilio-narciffus, be- 

 caufe it doth refemble a Lilly in the leafe, flower, and feede, and a DafFodill 

 in the roote. We call it in Englifh the Turkes Cap, but moft vfually Tulipa, 

 as moft other Chriftian Countries that delight therein doe. Dalefchampius 

 calleth it Oulada. 



The Vertues. 



Diofcorides writeth, that his firft Satyrium is profitable for them that 



haue 



