The Garden of pi enfant Flowers. 



A 



C'HAH. LXVI. 

 Scorfonera. Vipers grafle. 



Lthough there be tbure or fiuc forts ot" Scorfonera, yet I (hall here defire you to 

 be content with the knowledge only of a couple. 



i . Scorfonera Hifpanica maior. The greater Spanilh Vipers grafle. 



This Spanilh Vipers grafle hath diuers long, and fomewhat broad leaues, hard and 

 crumpled on the edges, and fometimcs vneuenly cut in or indented alfo, ot" a blewifh 

 greene colour : among which rifeth vp one llalke, and no more for the moll part, two 

 toote high or thereabouts, hauing here and there Ibme narrower long leaues thereon 

 then thofe below : the toppe of the Italkc brancheth it felfe forth into other parts, 

 euery one bearing a long fcaly head, from out of the toppe whereof rifeth a faire large 

 double flower, ot a pale yellow colour, much like vnto the flower of yellow Goatcs 

 beard, but a little leller, which being part, the feede fucceedeth, being long, whitiih 

 and rough, inclofed with much downe, and among them many other long fmooth 

 feedes, which are limber and idle, and are carryed away at the will of the winde : the 

 roote is long, thicke and round, brittle and blacke, with a certaine roughnefle on the 

 outiide : but very white within, yeelding a milkie liquor being broken, as euery other 

 part of the plant doth belides, yet the roote more then any other part, and abideth 

 many yeares without perifhing. 



2. Scorfonera Pannonica purpurea. Purple flowred Vipers grafle. 



This purple flowred Vipers grafle hath long and narrow leaues, of the fame blewifh 

 greene colour with the former : the ftalke rifeth vp a foote and a halte high, with a 

 few fuch like leaues, but fhorter thereon, breaking at the toppe into two or three parts, 

 bearing on each of them one flower, fafhioned like the former, and ftanding in the like 

 fcaly knoppe or head, but of a blewifh purple colour, not fully fo large, of the fweeteft 

 fent of any of this kinde, comming neereft vnto the fmcll of a delicate perfume. 



The Place. 



The firft is of Spaine. The other of Hungarie and Auftrich : which 

 now furnifh our gardens. 



The Time. 



They flower in the beginning of May : the feede is foone ripe after, and 

 then perifhing downe to the roote for that yeare, fpringeth afrefh before 

 Winter againe. 



The Names. 



They are called after the Spanilh name Scorfonera, which is in Latine Vi- 

 peraria, of fome Viperina, and Serpentina : Wee call them in Englifh Vipers 

 grafle, or Scorfonera. 



The Vertues. 



Manardus as I thinke firft wrote hereof, and faith that it hath been found 

 to cure them that are bitten of a Viper, or other fuch like venemous Crea- 

 ture. The rootes hereof being preferued with fugar, as I haue done often, 

 doe eate almoft as delicate as the Eringus roote, and no doubt is good to 

 comfort and ftrengthen the heart, and vitall fpirits. Some that haue vfed the 

 preferued roote haue found it effectuall to expelling winde out of the rto- 

 macke, and to helpe fwoumngs and faintnefle of the heart. 



CHAP. 



