I jo The (far den of pie a f ant Flowers. 
moneths, our Gardens are furnifhed withthevarietieof one fort or ano- 
ther : the reft in Autumne, that fo they might procure the more delight, in 
yeelding their beauty both early and late, whenfcarce any other flowers 
are found to adorne them. 
The Names. 
I (hall not neede to trouble you with an idle tale of the name of Crocus, 
which were to little purpofe, nor to reiterate the former names impofed 
vpon them 5 let it fufficethat the fitted: names are giuen them , that may di- 
ftinguiih them one from another ; onely this I muft giuc you to vnderftand, 
that the gold yellow Croon or Saffron flower, is the true Crtcu-s Mtfmctu, as 
I fhewed before; and that neither the yellow ftripr, or cloth of gold (which 
wee fo call after the Dutch name GaudLaken) is the true Mxfuum, asfome 
fuppofe; and that the great white Saffron flower, by reafon of his likeneffe 
vnto the gold yellow, is called Crocus tlbtu M<tUct facie , or fade lutei, that 
is, The white Saffron flower that is like the Mafiacm or yellow. 
TheVertues. 
The true Saffron (for the others are of no vfe) which wee call Englifh 
Saffron , is of very great vfe both for inward and outward difeafes , and is 
very cordiall , vfedto expell any hurtfull or venemous vapours from the- 
heart, both in the fmall Pockes, Meafels, Plague, Iaundife, and many other 
difeafes, as alfo to ftrengthen and comfort any cold or weake members. 
Chap. XVIII. 
Stfirmbium. TheSpanifb Nut. 
I Can doe no otherwife then make a peculiar Chapter of this plant, becaufe it is 
neither a Croon, although in the roote it come fomewhat ncare vnto that kinde that 
is netted; but in no other part agreeing with any the delineaments of a Saffron 
flower, and therefore could not be thruft into the Chapter amongft them : neither can 
I place it in the forefront of the Chapter of th elrio bulbofa , or bulbous Flowerdeluces, 
becaufe it doth not belong to that Family • and although the flower thereof doth moft 
refcmble a Flowerdeluce, yet in that no other parts thereof doe fitly agree thereunto, 
Ihaueratherchofentofeateitbyitfelfe betweene them both, as partaking of both 
natures, and fo may ferue in fteadofa bridge, to pafTc from the one to the other, that 
is, from the Croats ov Saffron flower, to the Iris balbefa or bulbous rooted Flowerde- 
Iuce, which (hall follow in the next Chapter by theml'elues. 
The Spanifh N ut hath two long and narrow , foft and fmooth grecne leaues, ly ing 
for the moft part vpon the ground, and fometimes (landing vp , yet bending downe- 
wards; betweene thefe leaues rifeth vp a fmall ftalke, halfe a foote high, hauing diuers 
fmooth foft greenc leaues vpon it, as if they wereskinnes, through which the ftalke 
pa(Teth;atthetoppe whereof fland diuers flowers, rifingone after another, and not 
all flowring at once: for feldomeihall youhaue aboue one flower blowneatatime, 
each whereof doth fo quickly pafle and fade away, that one may well fay, that it is but 
one dayes flower , or rather the flower of a few hdures : the flower it felfe hath nine 
leaues, like vnto a Flowerdeluce , whereof the three that fal 1 downe , haue in each of 
them a yellow fpot: the other three, which in the Flowerdeluces are hollow and 
ridged, couering the otherthree that fall downe, in this (land vpright, and are parted! 
at the ends : the three that (land vp in the middleare fmall and ftiort : the whole flower 
is fmallcrthen any Flowerdeluce, but offundty colours ; for fome are ofan excellent 
skie colour blew, others of a Violet purple, others of a darker purple colour, and fome 
white, and many others mixed, either pale blew and deepe purple, or white and blew 
mixed 
