T R J 3 ft 10, 
The Theater of Times. 
Ch 
A P .2 
10 39 
The Names, 
It is called in Giecke (Imply ^ 7 -:e<c and er%e^o V3 pterij and pterion * becaufe the leaves 2re like unto the wings of 
biros, Nicandersn calleth it and Pmuov, in Latinc Filix mas of cioft authors, yet AnguiDra^ef^ 
nerwbortisandC<efalpinu> call not onely contrary to all other in our times, but quite contrary alio to 
Thfophrajlw his true diftinftion which he (heweth is betweene the male and female in his ninth booke and twen¬ 
tieth Chapter in thefe words, d/ffert famina filix a mafcula,e]Hod folium unico artu porrePlum b<cc habeat,&c\ the 
f'econd is remembred by Thaliw and is his third fort of ihe male kind, for his fecond jpecies is but a fmall difference 
ofthefirft; and by Bauhinw inhis Trodromus as Itakeitcallethitbythenameof Filix masaculeataminor, and 
it may be alfo his major, for he deferioech it with little difference. The male Feme is called by the Arabians ,Sa- 
r*x ,by the Italians Felcc mafehio ,by the Spaniards Helecheyorva , by the French Fongct and Fenchierc mafie, by 
the Germanes JValdtfarres ,by the Dutch barren manneken. 
The Vertices, 
I finde that all authors' have appropriated the fame vertues to the male Feme that they have to the female, and 
therefore to avoyd a tautologie or rchearfallof the fame things againe; I will referreyou to the next Chapter for 
them. OF the allies of Feme is made a kinde of thicke or darke coloured greene glaffe in fundry places in 
France,** in the Dutchy of tM*me,&c, (and in England alfo as I havebeene t^ildby lome)out of which they 
drinke their wine. The feede which this and the female Feme doe bearc, and to'be gathered onely cn Midlom- 
mcr eve at night with I know not what conjuring words is fuperffitioufly held by divers, not onely Mounte- 
bartkes and Quacklalvers, but by other learned men (yet it cannot be faid but by thofe that are too fiipei ftitioufly 
add idled) tobe of fome feerct hidden veituc, yet 1 cannot finde it expreftwhat it ftiould be : for ‘Bauhinw in 
his Sjnonimies upon Matthiolw faith thclc rales are neither fabulous nor fuperftitious,which he there faith he will 
fhew in his Hiftory: but Matthiolw ,Lugdnnenps and others declaimeagainft fuch opinionrexpericnce alfo fhew- 
c th that they beare feede, although ThcopbafiwiGalenDiofcorides and tliny following hirnffay they neither beare 
flowers nor feede, for ifabout Midfommer (for then ufually it is ripe ) you gather the ftalkcs of Feme and hang 
them up on a thread with fome faire white Paper or cloth under them, you (hall finde a lmall duff to fall from 
them which is the feede, and from them doe fpring plants of the fame kindes,and fuch young plants rifen from 
the fallen feede havebeene feene growing about the old plants, for as I faid before noherbe growing on the 
earth or in the water (except fome with double flowers which are encreafedby the roote)but doe beare feede,&c 0 
T)iofcorides relateth a great contrarietie in nature betweene the Feme and the feede, thateach one will perilh 
where the other is planted, as if it were by a naturall inftind, which thing I thinke happenetb rather from the 
foiles. a Rccdenot j"oying in a dry ground nor the Feme in a wet. Pliny in his 24. booke and ii. Chapter faith, 
that the roote of the Recde laid to the Feme driveth it forth, as the roote of the Feme in like manner doth the 
Rcede : and Celfus before him fhewethjthat each of them is a remedy againft the other, and Theophrajlus that 
fheweeh whereas Come and other herbesdoe delight and are furthered by dung, the Feme onely perilliech 
thereby. 
Chap. II. 
Filix ficmina. The female Feme. 
|F the female Feme like wife there is fome diverfi- 
! tie mere then formerly hathbeene obferved by 
j others as you may here fee. 
I. Filixfemina vulgaris. 
The common female Feme. 
This Feme rifethup with one or two, and fomctiir.es 
almoft round ffalkcs from the roote foinewhat higher ther? 
fo r mer,and bra ched with fuch like winged leaves growing on 
both fides therof equally fo; the mofl part one againft another, 
evei-y leafe being Idler then the male, and more divided or 
dented yet not ftiarpe but round pointed, of as ftrong afmell 
as the former, and having the like (pots on the backfide of 
them which ftalkeifit be cut a Hope fomewhat long will 
in the white pith thereof fhew fome marie of a fplayed Eagle: 
the roote hereof is long and flenderer then the former,of about 
2 fingers thickneffe and black)fh for the moll part creeping un¬ 
der the ground. 
2. Filix famina pinnulis dent alls. 
Dented female Feme. 
This other female Feme hath the fmall winged leaves which 
are let ot> each fide of the middle ribbe, fome what ftiarpe poin¬ 
ted, of a ladder greene colour and narrower then the former, 
yet fpotted on the backefide, but the maine ftalke is fuller of 
branches, and not growing upfo ftraight nor fohigh, and 
differeth little in any thing elle. 
3. Filixfetmina aculeatispinnu’iu 
Sharpe pointed female Feme. 
This fliarpe pointed female Feme hath the maine ftalkes 
about a foote long, branching out into wings each whereof is 
not dented but whole,ending in a fmall pricke or point. 
. Filix famina vulgar is. The commonfemale Feme. 
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