The Garden of plea Jan t Flowers. 215 



3. Napellm i-t-ru.f fare caruleo. Blew Helmet flower or Monkes hood. 



The \ lelinet flower hath diucrs leaues of a frcfh grccne colour on the vpperlide, 

 and grayifli vnderneath, much fpread abroad and cut into many flits and notches, 

 more then any ot" the Wolfebanes ; the Italke rifeth vp two or three foot high, befet to 

 the top with the like leaues, but f mailer: the toppe is fometimes diuided into two or 

 three branches, but more vfually without, whereon ftand many large flowers one a- 

 boue another, in forme very like vnto a Hood or open Helmet, being compofed of 

 Hue leaues the vppermoft of which and the greateft, is hollow, like vnto an Helmet 

 or Headpeece, two other t'mall leaues are at the fides of the Helmet, clofing it like 

 dieekes, and come fomewhat vnder, and two other which are the fmalleft hang down 

 like labels, or as if a clofe Helmet were opened, and fome peeces hung by, of a perfect 

 or t'aire blew colour, (but grow darker, hauing flood long) which caufeth it be fo nou- 

 riilied vp in Gardens, that their flowers, as was vfuall in former times, and yet is in 

 many Countrey places, may be laid among greene herbes in windowes and roomes 

 tor the Summer time : but although their beauty may be entertained for the vfes afore- 

 laitl, yet beware they come not neare your tongue or lippes, left they tell you to your 

 colt, they are not fo good as they feeme to be : in the middeft of the flower, when it is 

 open and gapeth wide, are feene certaine fmall threads like beards, ftanding about a 

 middle head, which when the flower is part, groweth into three or foure, or more fmall 

 bluckilh pods, containing in them blacke feede: the rootes are brownifh on the out- 

 iide, and white within, fomewhat bigge and round aboue, and fmall downewards, 

 fomewhat like vnto a fmall Ihort Carrot roote, fometimes two being ioyned at the 

 head together. But the name Napellus anciently giuen vnto it, doth Ihew they referred 

 the forme of the roote vnto a fmall Turnep. 



Anthora. The wholfome Helmet flower, or counterpoifon Monkes hood. 



This wholfome plant I thought good to infert, not onely for the forme of the flow- 

 er, hut alfo for the excellent properties thereof, as you (hall haue them related here- 

 after. The rootes hereof are fmall and tuberous, round and fomewhat long, ending 

 for the moft part in a long fibre, and with fome other fmall threads from the head 

 downeward : from the head whereof rifeth vp diuers greene leaues, euery one feue- 

 rally vpon a ftalke, very much diuided, as finely almoft as the leaues of Larkes heeles 

 or fpurres : among which rifeth vp a hard round ftalke, a foote high and better, with 

 fome fuch leaues thereon as grow belowe, at the toppe whereof ftand many fmall 

 yellowilh flowers, formed very like vnto the former whitifh Wolfesbane, bearing 

 many blacke feedes in pods afterwards in the like manner. 



Many more forts of varieties of thefe kindes there are, but thefe onely, as the moft 

 fpecious, are nourfed vp in Florifts Gardens for pleafure; the other are kept by fuch 

 as are Catholicke obferuers of all natures ftore. 



The Place. 



All thefe grow naturally on Mountaines, in many fhadowie places of 

 the Alpes, in Germany, and elfewhere. 



The Time. 



The tirit flowreth (as is faid) in lanuary, and February, and fometimes 

 vntill March be well Ipent, and the feede is foone ripe after. 

 The other three flower not vntill lune and luly. 



The Names. 



The firft is vfually called Aconitum hyemale Btlgarum. Lobelius calleth it 



Bulbofui 



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