4 -6 
The (jar den of pleafant h lowers. 
tics ot mixtures we haue leene and oblerued in them, that fo they may be both thclx*. 
ter defcribed by me, ;nd the better conceiucd by others, and cuery one placed in their 
proper ranke. Yet I (hall in this, as I intend to doe in diners other plants that are va- 
riable, giue but one deicription in generali of the plant, and then ict downe the vari- 
etie ot lorine or colour afterwards briefly by themfelues. 
Tulip i prtcox. Theearly flowring Tulipa. 
The early Tulipa (andfoall other Tulipas) fpringcth out of the ground with his 
leaues folded one- within another, the firft or loweft leafe rifcth vp firft , fharpepoin- 
,ted, and folded round together, yntil! it be an inch O' twoabouethe ground, which 
then openeth it felfe,fhewing another leafefoldedalfo in the bofome or belly of the 
firft, which in time like wife opening it felfc, iheweth forth a third, and fometimes a 
fourth and a fifth : the lower leaues are larger then the vpper, and arefaire thicke 
broad, long,and hollow likea gutter, and fometimes crumpled on the edges, which 
will hold water thatfalleth thereon a long lime, ot a pale orwhitiih greene colour 
(and the Med'u and Stmt tux more greene) coucrcd ouerasit were with a mealiifcfle or 
hoarinelfe, wit h an eye or (hew el redndTc towards the bortome of the leaues, and the 
edges in this kinde being more notable white, which are two principali notes to know 
a Pixcox Tulip x from a Media or Serttina .'the ftalke with the flower rifeth vp in the 
middle, as it were through thefe leaues, which in time ftand One aboue another com- 
pafling it at certaine vncqtiall diftances,anu is often oblerued to bend it felfecrooked- 
ly downe tothe ground, as if it would thruft his head thereinto , but turningvphis 
head(which willbetheflower)againe,afterwards ftandeth vpright, fometimes but 
three or foure fingers orinches high, but more often halfc a foote,and a foot high,but 
the Mediat, and Serotinas much higher, carrying (for the moft part) but one flower on 
the toppe thereof, like vnto a Lilly for the forme, confiding of fixe leaues, greene at 
the firft, andafterwardschangingintodiuersand fundry feuerall colours and varie- 
ties, the bottomes likewife of t he leaues of thefe fometimes, but moft efpecially of the 
Medix, being as variable as the flower, wh ch are in fomeyellow, orgreen, or blacke 
in others white, blew, purple, ortawniejand fometimes one colour circling another: 
fome ofthem haue little or no Cent at all, and fome hauea better then others. After it 
hath been blowne open three or foure dayes or more, it will in the heate of theSunne 
fprend it (elfe open, and lay it felfealmoft flat tothe ftalke : in the middle of the flower 
ftandeth a greene long head (which will be the feed veflfell) compaifed about with fixe 
chines, which doe much vary, in being fometimes of one , and fometimes of another 
colour, tipt with pendents diuerfly varied likewife: the head in the middle ofthe 
flower groweth after the flower is fallen, to be long, round, and edged, as it were 
three fquare , the edges meeting at the toppe, where it is fmalleft, and makingasit 
> were a crowne (which is not fecn in the head of any Lilly)and when itis ripe, diuideth 
it (life on the infidcintofl"^ i owes, of nat, tninne, brownifn , griftly feede,very like 
vnto the fe?de or the Lillies, bur brighter, ftiffcr,and more tranfparent : theroote be- 
^ ing well growneisround, and fomewhat great, fmall and pointed at the toppe, and 
broader, yet roundifhat thebotcome, with a certaine eminence or feate on the one 
fide, as theroote of the Colchicum hath; but not fo long, or great, it hath alfoan 
hollownelleontheoncfidc(ifit haue borne a flower) where the ftalke grew, (for al- 
though in the time ofthe firft fpringing vp, vntillit fhew the buddc for flower, the 
ftalke with the leaues thereon rife.vpoutof rhe middle of the rootejyet when the 
ftalke is rifen vp,and (lievveth rhe budde for flower, itcommcth to one fide, making 
an imprelfion therein) couered oner with a brownifh thin coate or skm, like an Onion, 
hauing a little woollinefle at the bortome ; but white within, and firme, yetcompofed 
ofmany coatcs, one folding within another, as rhe roote of the Daffodils be, of a rea- 
fonablegoodtafte, neyther very fweete , nor yet vnpleafant. This deferiprion may 
well ferue for the other Tulipas, being Mediae or Serotina ^concerning their fpringin^ 
and bearing, which haue not any other great variety therein worth the note, which is 
not expreffed hcre ; the cliiefe difference refting in rbevariety of the coloufs of the 
flower, and their feuerall mixtures and markes,as 1 (aid before : fauing oncly, that the 
flowers of fotae aregreat and large, and of others (mallei, ay J the leaues of lomc long 
and 
