388 The Garden of pleafant Flowers. 



3. Valeriana Greeca. Greeke Valerian. 



The Greek Valerian hath many winged leaues lying vpon the ground, that is, many 

 fmall leaues fet on both fides of a middle ribbe, very like vnto the wilde Valerian, that 

 groweth by the ditch fides, but much fmaller and tenderer, among which rife vp one 

 or two round brittle ftalkes, two foote high or thereabouts, whereon are fet at the 

 ioynts, fuch like leaues as grow below, but fmaller : the toppes of the ftalkes are di- 

 uided into many fmall branches, thicke fet together, full with flowers, confiding of 

 fiue fmall round leaues a peece, layd open like vnto the Cinquefoile flower, with fome 

 white threds in the middle, tipt with yellow pendents : the colour of thefe flowers in 

 fome plants, is of a faire bleake blew colour, and in others pure white : And I doe 

 heare of one beyond the Seas (if the report bee true, for I haue not feene fuch a one) 

 which mould beare red flowers : after the flowers are paft, there come vp in their pla- 

 ces fmall hard huskes or heads, containing fmall blackifh feedes : the roote is com- 

 pofed of a number of fmall long blackifh threds, faftened together at the head, with- 

 out any fent at all of a Valerian, eyther in roote or leafe ; and why it mould bee called 

 a Valerian I fee no great reafon, for it agreeth with none of them, in flower or feede, 

 and but onely with the wilde Valerian in leafe, as I faid before : but as it is, we fo giue 

 it you, and for the flowers fake is receiued into our gardens, to helpe to fill vp the num- 

 ber of natures rarities and varieties. 



The Place. 



All thefe Valerians are ftrangers, but endenizond for their beauties fake 

 in our Gardens. The Mountaine Valerian I had of the liberalitie of my 

 louing friend lohn Tradefcante, who in 'his trauaile, and fearch of natures 

 varieties, met with it, and imparted thereof vnto me. 



The Time. 



They flower in the Summer moneths, and feed quickly after. 



The Names. 



The firft is generally called of moft, Valeriana rubra Dodoncei, who faith 

 alfo that fome would haue it to be Behen rubrum. Some call it Valerianthon, 

 others make it a kinde of Ocimajlrum, and fome Saponaria altera, with other 

 names, which are to no great purpofe to fet downe in this place, it beeing 

 fitter for a generall worke to difcufle of names, wherein both reading, know- 

 ledge and iudgement muft bee fhewen, to correct errours, and fet downe the 

 truth, that one may reft thereon. The others haue their names in their titles 

 fufficient to diftinguim them. 



The Vertues. 



The Mountaine Valerian is of all the reft here fet downe of moft vfe 

 in Phyficke, the reft hauing little or none that I know, although it be much 

 weaker then the great garden kinde, or the Indian Nardus, in whole fteed 

 anciently it was vfed, in oyles, oyntments, &c. 



O 



C H A P. C. 



Cardamine. Cuckow flowers, or Ladies fmockes. 



F the common forts of Cuckow flowers that grow by ditch-fides, or in moift 

 medowes, & wet grounds, it is not my purpofe here to write, but of one or two 

 other, the moft fpecious or faire of all the tribe, that doe beft befit this garden. 



i. Cardamine 





