of pleafant Flowers. 



maketh Pancratium to be a kinde of Squill with reddifh rootes, I dare not 

 vphold their opinion againft fuch manifeft truth. 



The Vertues. 



The Squill or Sea Onion is wholly vfed phyfically with vs, becaufe wee 

 can receiue no pleafure from the fight of the flowers. Pliny writeth, that 

 Pithagoras wrote a volume or booke of the properties thereof, for the fin- 

 gular effects it wrought ; which booke is loft, yet the diuers vertues it hath is 

 recorded by others, to be effectual for the fpleene, lungs, ftomach, liuer, 

 head and heart ; and for dropfies, old coughs, laundife, and the wormes ; 

 that it cleareth the fight, helpeth the tooth-ache, cleanfeth the head of 

 fcurfe, and running fores ; and is an efpeciall Antidote againft poifon : and 

 therefore is vfed as a principall ingredient into the Theriaca Andromachi, 

 which we vfually call Venice Treakle. The Apothecaries prepare hereof, 

 both Wine, Vinegar, and Oxymel or Syrupe, which is fingular to extenu- 

 ate and expectorate tough flegme, which is the cause of much disquiet in the 

 body, and an hinderer of concodlion, or digertion in the ftomach, befides 

 diuers other wayes, wherein the fcales of the rootes, being dryed, are vfed. 

 And Galen hath fufficiently explained the qualities and properties thereof, 

 in his eight Booke of Simples. 



CHAP. XII. 

 Ornithogalum. Starre of Bethlehem. 



AFter the Family of the Jacinths, muft needes follow the kindes of Starre-flow- 

 ers, or Starres of Bethlehem, as they are called, for that they doe fo nearely re- 

 femble them, that diuers haue named fome of them lacinths, and referred them 

 to that kindred : all of them, both in roote, leafe, and flower, come nearer vnto the 

 lacinths, then vnto any other plant. They fhall therefore bee next defcribed, euery 

 one in their order, the greateft firft, and the reft following. 



Ornithogalum Arabicum. The great Starre-flower of Arabia. 



This Arabian Starre-flower hath many broad, and long greene leaues, very like vn- 

 to the leaues of the Orientall lacinth, but lying for the moft part vpon the ground, 

 among which rifeth vp a round greene ftalke, almoft two foote high, bearing at the 

 toppe diuers large flowers, ftanding vpon long foote-ftalkes, and at the bottome of 

 euery one of them a fmall mort pointed greene leafe : thefe flowers are made of fix 

 pure white leaues a peece, laid open as large as an ordinary Daffodill, but of the forme 

 of a Starre lacinth, or Starre of Bethlehem, which clofe as they doe euery night, and 

 open themfelues in the day time, efpecially in the Sunne, the fmell whereof is pretty 

 fweete, but weake : in the middle of the flower is a blackim head, compofed with fix 

 white threeds, tipt with yellow pendents : the feede hath not beene obferued with vs : 

 the roote is great and white, with a flat bottome, very impatient of our cold Winters, 

 fo that it feldome profpereth or abideth with vs ; for although fometimes it doe abide 

 a Winter in the ground, yet it often lyeth without fpringing blade, or any thing elfe a 

 whole yeare, and then perifheth : or if it doe fpring, yet many doe not beare, and moft 

 after their firft bearing doe decay and perifh. But if any be defirous, to know how to 

 preferue the roote of this plant, or of many other bulbous rootes that are tender, fuch 

 as the great double white Daffodill of Conftantinople, and other fine Daffodils, that 

 come from hot Countries ; let them keepe this rule : Let either the roote be planted in 

 a large pot, or tubbe of earth, and houfed all the Winter, that fo it may bee defended 

 from the frorts ; Or elfe (which is the eafier way) keepe the roote out of the ground 

 euery yeare, from September, after the leaues and ftalkes are paft, vntill February, in 



fome 



