The Garden of p/eJ<i?it fr towers. 



CHAP. CVIII. 



R\f?a. The Elder or Gelder Rofe. 



ALthough there be diuers kindes of Elders, yet there is but one kinde of Elder 

 Rofe, whereof I ineane to intreate in this Chapter, being of neare affinity in 

 fomc things vnto the former Pipe trees, and which for the beauty of it defer- 

 ueth to be remcmbrcd among the delights of a Garden. 



Sambucus Rofea. The Gelder Rofe. 



The Gelder Rofe (as it is called) groweth to a reafonable height, (landing like a 

 tree, with a trunke as bigge as any mans arme, couered with a darke grayifh barke, 

 fomewhat rugged and very knotty : the younger branches are fmooth and white, 

 with a pithy fubftance in the middle, as the Elders haue, to (hew that it is a kind there- 

 of, whereon are fet broad leaues, diuided into three parts or diuifions, fomewhat like 

 vnto a Vine leafe, but fmaller, and more rugged or crumpled, iagged or cut alfo about 

 the edges : at the toppes of euery one of the young branches, moft vfually commeth 

 forth a great tuft, or ball as it were, of many white flowers, fet fo clofe together, that 

 there can be no dilti notion of any feuerall flower feene, nor doth it feeme like the dou- 

 ble flower of any other plant, that hath many rowes of leaues fet together, but is a clu- 

 llcr of white leaued flowers fet together vpon the ftalke that vpholdeth them, of a 

 I mall lent, which fall away without bearing any fruit in our Country, that euer I could 

 obferue or learne : The roote fpreadeth neither farre nor deepe, but fhooteth many 

 fmall rootes and fibres, whereby it is fattened in the ground, and draweth nourifh- 

 ment to it, and Ibmetimes yeeldeth fuckers from it. 



The Place. 



It (hould feeme, that the naturall place of this Elder is wet and moift 

 grounds, becaufe it is fo like vnto the Marfh Elder, which is the (ingle kind 

 hereof. It is onely nourfed vp in Gardens in all our Country. 



The Time. 



It flowreth in May, much about the time of the double Peony flower, 

 both which being fet together, make a pleafant variety, to decke vp the 

 windowes of a houfe. 



The Names. 



It is generally called Sambucus Rofea : In Englifh, The Elder Rofe, and 

 more commonly after the Dutch name, the Gelder Rofe. Dalechampius 

 feemeth to make it Thraupalus of Theophraftus, or rather the fingle Marfh 

 Elder; for I thinke this double kinde was not knowne in Theophraflus his 

 time. 



The Vertues. 

 It is not applycd to any Phyficall vfe that I know. 



CHAP. 



