342 The Garden of p leaf ant Flowers. 



to defcribe it : but yet becaufe I vfe not to paffe ouer any plant fo (lightly, I will fet 

 down the defcription briefly, in regard it is fo common. It is very like unto the former 

 fmgle female Peony, both in ftalkes and leaues, but that it groweth fomewhat higher, 

 and the leaues are of a frefher greene colour : the flowers at the tops of the ftalkes are 

 very large, thicke and double (no flower that I know fo faire, great, and double ; but 

 not abiding blowne aboue eight or ten daies) of a more reddifh purple colour then 

 the former female kinde, and of a fweeter fent : after thefe flowers are part, fometimes 

 come good feed, which being fowne, "bring forth fome fmgle flowers, and fome dou- 

 ble : the rootes are tuberous, like vnto the former female. 



4. Pezonia feemina flore carneo Jimp lid. The fmgle blufh Peony. 



The fmgle blufh Peony hath his ftalkes higher, and his leaues of a paler or whiter 

 greene colour then the double blufh, and more white vnderneath (fo that it is very pro- 

 bable it is of another kinde, and not rifen from the feede of the double blufh, as fome 

 might thinke) with many veines, that are fomewhat difcoloured from the colour of 

 the leafe running through them : the flowers are very large and fingle, confiding of 

 flue leaues for the moft part, of a pale flefh or blufh colour, with an eye of yellow dif- 

 perfed or mixed therewith, hauing many whitifh threads, tipt with yellow pendents 

 ftanding about the middle head : the rootes are like the other female Peonies. 



5. Pfeonia feemina flore pleno albicante. The double blufh Peony. 



The double blufh Peony hath not his ftalkes fo high as the double red, but fome- 

 what lower and ftifFer, bearing fuch like winged leaues, cut in or diuided here and there 

 in the edges, as all thefe female kindes are, but not fo large as the laft : the flowers are 

 fmaller, and lefle double by a good deale then the former double red, of a faint fhining 

 crimfon colour at the firft opening, but decaying or waxing paler euery day : fo that 

 after it hath flood long (for this flower fheddeth not his leaues in a great while) it will 

 change fomewhat whitifh ; and therefore diuers haue ignorantly called it, the double 

 white Peony : the feedes, which fometimes it beareth, and rootes, are like vnto the 

 former female kindes, but fomewhat longer, and of a brighter colour on the outfide. 



6. Pceonia ftemina Byzantina. The fingle red Peony of Conftantinople. 



This red Peony of Conftantinople is very like in all things vnto the double red Pe- 

 onie, but that the flowers hereof are lingle, and as large as the laft, and that is larger 

 then either the fingle female, or the male kinde, confifting of eight leaues, of a deeper 

 red colour then either the fingle or double Peonies, and not purplifh at all, but rather 

 of the colour of an ordinary red Tulipa, ftanding clofe and round together : the roots 

 of this kinde haue longer clogs, and not fo fhort as of the ordinary female kinde, and 

 of a paler colour on the outfide. 



The Place. 



All thefe Peonies haue beene fent or brought from diuers parts beyond 

 the Seas ; they are endenized in our Gardens, where wee cherifh them for 

 the beauty and delight of their goodly flowers, as well as for their Phyficall 

 vertues. 



The Time. 



They all flower in May, but fome (as I faid) abide a fmall time, and o- 

 thers many weekes. 



The Names. 



The name Pceonia is of all the later Writers generally giuen to thefe 

 plants, although they haue had diuers other names giuen by the 'elder Wri- 

 ters, as Rofa fatuina^ Idceus daftylus, Aglaophotis, and others, whereof to fet 



downe 



