396 The Garden of p leaf ant Flowers. 



many Clematis Daphnoides (but not that plant that is fimply called Daphnoi- 

 des, for that is Laureola) and is vfually called Vinca peruinca : but it is not 

 Chamcedaphne^ for that is another plant, as mall be fhewed in his place ; fome 

 call it Gentunculus : In Englifh wee call it Perwinkle. The other is Clematis 

 altera of Diofcorides, and is called alfo Clematis peregrina, whofe diftincli- 

 ons are fet downe in their titles: In Englifh, Ladies Bower, or Virgins 

 Bower, becaufe they are fit to growe by Arbours, to couer them. The firfl 

 vpright Clamberer is called, and that rightly of fome, Clematis erefla, or 

 furreSla. Of others, Flammula frutex, and Flammula louir, or Jurrefta : In 

 Englifh, Vpright Virgins Bower. The next is called by Clufius, Clematis 

 Pannonica carulea, who thought it to be Climeni fpecies, by the relation of o- 

 thers, at the firfl, but after entituled it, Clematis : In Englifh, the Hungarian 

 Climer. The laft may be called in Latine, Clematis Virginiana : In Englifh, 

 The Virgin or Virginian Climer; of the Virginians, Maracoc : of the Spa- 

 niards in the Weft Indies Granadillo, becaufe the fruit (as is before faid) is in 

 fome fafhion like a fmall Pomegranate on the outfide ; yet the feede within 

 is flattifh, round, and blackifh. Some fuperftitious lefuite would faine make 

 men beleeue, that in the flower of this plant are to be feene all the markes of 

 our Sauiours Paffion ; and therefore call it Flos Pajsionis : and to that end 

 haue caufed figures to be drawne, and printed, with all the parts proportio- 

 ned out, as thornes, nailes, fpeare, whippe, pillar, &c. in it, and all as true 

 as the Sea burnes, which you may well perceiue by the true figure, taken to 

 the life of the plant, compared with the figures fet forth by the lefuites, 

 which I haue placed here likewife for euery one to fee: but thefe bee their 

 aduantagious lies (which with them are tolerable, or rather pious and meri- 

 torious) wherewith they vfe to inftrucl: their people ; but I dare fay, God 

 neuer willed his Priefts to inftrucl his people with lyes : for they come from 

 the Diuell, the author of them. But you may fay I am befide my Text, and 

 I am in doubt you will thinke, I am in this befides my felfe, and fo nothing 

 to be beleeued herein that I fay. For, for the moft part, it is an inherent er- 

 rour in all of that fide, to beleeue nothing, be it neuer fo true, that any of 

 our fide fhall affirme, that contrarieth the affertions of any of their Fathers, 

 as they call them : but I muft referre them to God, and hee knoweth the 

 truth, and will reforme or deforme them in his time. In regard whereof 

 I could not but fpeake (the occafion being thus offered) againft fuch an er- 

 roneous opinion (which euen D r . Aldine at Rome, before remembred, dif- 

 proued, and contraried both the faid figures and name) and feek to difproue 

 it, as doth (I fay not almoft, but I am affraid altogether) leade many to adore 

 the very picture of fuch things, as are but the fictions of fuperftitious brains : 

 for the flower it felfe is farre differing from their figure, as both Aldine in 

 the aforefaid booke, and Robinus at Paris in his Theatrum Flora, doe fet 

 forth ; the flowers and leaues being drawne to the life, and there exhibited, 

 which I hope may fatisfie all men, that will not be perpetually obftinate and 

 contentious. 



The Vertues. 



Coftsus faith hee hath often feene, that the leaues of Perwinkle held in 

 the mouth, hath ftayed the bleeding at the nofe. The French doe vfe it to 

 ftay the menftruall fluxes. The other are caufticke plants, that is, fiery hot, 

 and bliftering the skinne ; and therefore (as Diofcorides faith) is profitable 

 to take away the fcurfe, leprye, or fuch like deformities of the skin. What 

 property that of Virginia hath, is not knowne to any with vs I thinke, more 

 then that the liquor in the greene fruit is pleafant in tafte ; but afTuredly it 

 cannot be without fome fpeciall properties, if they were knowne. 



CHAP. 



