T R I 
B E 
The Theater of Tknts. 
Cbaf.,8. 975 
Achitms Tbeophrafii. 
The Thiftlc of the ancienis 0 
ing of Ixine he faith ,duifi raf p((«fiWo OTf^MTixutian©- 
(vmipujur de mediaradicisfeminalii acanus velu- 
<i malum extuherat , and therefore “W"?"' doth fignifie as 
much as ,4 <umk’w/ erne, as in the lame Chapter hee faith 
Zg/uuriar dy-pi'u Aacnum (ideft Acanaceum caput) fert Cha¬ 
meleon, the Chameleonbearetha Thiftle-like head; but 
how this Thiftle here exprefted (hould bee thought to bee 
the true Acanus of Theophraftus, feeing hee hath there- 
of given no defeription,as being then fowellknowne that 
hee thought it needed none, Honorius Bellas in his fife 
Epiftle to Clujtut fheweth j firft that in £W; the Inhabi¬ 
tants call this Thiftle Agavano, as they doealfothe heads 
ofotherThiftles.in the fame manner as Theophraftus doth 
his Acanus as is (hewed before ; and then that the name 
■>s 4 gt.va.>M is but a corrupted word from Ac am, for the na- 
turall language.of the Cretanes is a balfard or corrupted 
Greeke fpcech: both which reafons are not onely forcea- 
ble.but fufficient to confirmc any ones opinion in this truth; 
quilandinw in his eight member and uS.pageof his com¬ 
mentaries de Pappro\he Paper ruth, after that he had (hew¬ 
ed that Theophraftus ufed divers names for one thing (in 
many whereof by his leaves hee is thought to be miflakenj 
faith that the Ixine of Theophraftus is his Acanus alio, 
whom Honcrius Bellas although hee had beene his fchollec 
contradifieth, not allow ing of that opinion for the reafons 
aforefaid. Pliny faith /<£. 32.e. 5. that fome thoughtthe 
Acanus (hould bee T.ryngium being a broad fliarpe prickly 
hcibe with broad themes, l cannot finde that Anguilara 
or Luge lunenfjs did know any plant peculiarly called Aca- 
hhs, although Bauhinus fetteththem both downe to call 
this plant fo, but tint they tooke the name onely tofignifie 
the prickly head of Thirties: Praa in his Italian Baldus gi- 
veth the figure thereof fomewhac rudely done, but no 
ot her defeription then that of Horrrius Bellas in the place 
aforefaid, Bauhinus calleth it Carduus lattfolms echims oh. 
folns:purpuraferens-.hecmfe (couldnot finde a morepro- 
per appellation to call this Thiftle by, then that Ihavegiven 
of 1 he ancients Thiftle in Englift, 1 will not refufe to alter 
uif.any can give it a better. The V ertues. 
I cannot finde any proyenie pecuhit imputed to this Thiftle by eythar ancient or modorne writer,and therefore 
Ur.till 1 can be better informed (muft be hlent as others are. 
Chat. VIII. 
Si!,hum Jive Carduus iaSleus. Our Ladies Thiftle.or the ftript milkie Thiftle. 
IJifS£ffi|Lt hough formerly there hath beene but one fort hereof knowne to Hetbarifts, yr t oflate by the dih- 
gent lean h and observation of fome that have beene curious, there are lome other torts found w hich 
together mutt be handled in this Chapter. 
1 Carduus Maria vulgaris. The common ladifs Inutle* , 
The common Ladies Thiftle hath divers very large and broad leaves lying on thei err und ,cut man 
as it were crumpled but fomew hat hairy on the edges, and of a whitegreene (hrn n 3 c f- ff ^ || 3 (, om . 
lines and ftrakei, of a milkie « hire colour running all over and fet with many (harpe and prickles all about, 
among which rtftth up one or more ftrong round and prickly flalkes, fet lull - _ e( j w ,;. h picket 
w here at the end ofevery branch commeth forth a great prickly Thift eTikeh . ft or(WCi lfj n the 
and with bright purple thrummes riling out of the middle of them : after, hey are palt in leee - < d 
(aid heads lyin’ in a great deale of fine foft white downe,which is fomewhat flat! ih and ft, , S 
browne : Ac ^oote is g?eat fpread.ihg in the ground with many firings and (mall fibres hftned to them, ad the 
w hole plant is bitter in tafte and therefore (uppofed not to be Without very good c tte«s. 
^ 2. Silyhummajusannuum. Great MilkeThiftle otayrare. 
This Thiftle rifeth up with one round ftalkealmoft a yard high with fomew hat large greene eaves no a e 
fo large as the former, not halfe fo much marked with white lines, fomewhat cut in alto on .he e ges, nd,e. 
witfi prickes bur fewer: the fialke hath fervor no branches, ^ u t hearethat tberoppeand the browne^'ieed'e 
three prickly heads, out of which rife reddi(h purple threads of thrummes and fomewhat g.-at browne lecde 
afterwards lying in Downe : the roote is long and perifheth as foone as it hath. 
, Silyhum minus Baticum. The fmallSp4»i/&milkeTmllle. 
The fit ft leaves of this Thiftle are fomewhat broad and finally cut in on the edges, of a pale greene colour,with 
lome (mail white lines and markes thereon having fpoteftalkes upon then, but thofe tha t prelently rife up w h 
the (hike are fomewhat longer and broader forwards then below, where being narrow they ccmpafte the ftafte. 
