The Lj aret en of pie a! ant Flowers. 
~ 
2IJ 
3. Napelhts verut flore cxruleo. Blew Helmet flower or Monkes hood. 
The Helmet flower hathdiuers leauesofa frefli greene colour oh the vppcrfide s 
and gray ifhvndc-ruearh , much Ipread abroad and cut into many flits and notches, 
more then any of the Wolfe banes; theftalkerifcth vptwo orthreefoot high,befetto 
thetop with the like leaues, but (mailer : thetoppe isfometimes diuided imotwoor 
three branches, but morevfually without, whereon (land many large flowers one a- 
boue another, in forme very like vnto a Hood or open Helmet, being compofed of 
flue leaues, the vppermoft ofwhichand the greateft, is hollow, like vnto an Helmet 
orHeadpeece, two other fmall leaues are at the fides ofthe Helmet, doling it like 
cheekes, and come fomewhat vnder, and two other which are the fmallefl hang down 
like labels, or as if a dole Helmet were opened, and fome pceces hung by, of a perfed 
or faire blew colour, (but grow darker,hauing flood long) which caufeth it be fo nou- 
rilhedvp in Gardens, thattheirflowers, as was vfuall in formertimes, and yetis in 
many Countrey places , may be laid among greene herbes in windowes and roomes 
for the Summer time: but although their beauty may be entertained for the vfes afore- 
faid, yet beware they come not neare your tongue or lippes , left they tell you to your 
coft, they are not fo good as they feeme to be : in the mid deft of the flower, when it is 
open and gapeth wide, are fecne certaine fmall threads like beards, Handing about a 
middle head, which when the flower is paft,growcth into three or foure,or more fmall 
blackifh pods , containing in themblackefecde : therootesarebrownilhonthe out- 
lide, and white within, fomewhat bigge and round aboue, and fmall downewards s 
fomewhat like vnto a fmall Ihort Carrot roote, fometimes two being ioyned at the 
head together. But the name NapeUas anciently giuen vnto it, doth fhe w they referred! 
the forme of the roote vnto a fmall-T urnep. 
Anther*. The wholfome Helmet flower, or counterpoifon Monkes hood.’ 
This wholfome plant I thought good to infert, not onely for the forme ofthe flow- 
er, but alfo for the excellent properties thereof, asyoufhall haue them related here- 
after. The rooteshereofare fmall and tuberous, roundand fomewhat long , ending 
forthemoftpartin a long fibre, and with fome other fmall threads from the head 
downeward: from the head whereof rifeth vp diuers greene leaues, eueryonefeuc 
rally vpon a ftalke, very much diuided, as finely almoft as the leaues of Larkes heeles 
or fpurres : among which rifeth vp a hard round ftalke , a foote high and better, with 
fome fuch leaues thereon as grow belowe, at the toppe whereof (land many fmall 
yellowifti flowers , formed very like vnto the former whitiih Wolfesbane, bearing 
many blacke feedes in pods afterwards in the like manner. 
Many more forts of varieties of thefe kindes there are, but thefe onely, as the moft 
fpecious, are nourfed vp in Florifts Gardens for pleafure ; the other are kept by fuch 
as are Catholickeobferuers of all natures ftore. 
The Place. 
All thefe grow naturally on Mountaines, ia many fhadowie places of 
the Alpes, in Germany, and elfewhere. 
The Time. 
Thefirftflowreth(asisfaid)inIanuary , and February, and fometimes 
vntill March be well fpent, and the feede is foone ripe after. 
The other three flower not vntill Iune and luly. 
The Names. 
The firft is vfually called Amitum hytmale "Belgarum. LobciiliS caUethic 
