TR I BK I^, 
The Theater of 'Plants. 
ChakS. 1337 
The Plan and Time. 
Some of thefe as is before faid, grow in Spaine ,fome in France or Germany and fome in our owne Land alfo s 
they all are in flower for the molt part from Midfommer untlll Au^ufl, and Lome abide longer, the feede ripening 
in the meanetiine. 
The Names. 
Linum in Latinc.and af»«in Greeke.fignifieth as well the herbe as it groweth, as the fame prepared to be fpun, 
and whtnit is made intocloath alfo. The firft is called by all Authours Limmfaiivnm, and the fecond Linum 
fylvefire by Tragus, who faith it is fowne in the fields of Cjcrmany in iundry places, becaufe it yecldtth more (lore 
of Flaxe,and yet is found naturally growing among Oates, The third is Chefivt his firft Linum fyhejhrc latifolium. 
The fourth is the third Linum fylveftre of Cluput. The filth isCluftiu his fecond Linum anguflifoBum which Level 
and others call Linum fylveftre floributollit. The fixth is Clufiut hisangujhfolium primum, which Label and others 
call tenuifolium. The feventh is the Linum fylveftre of Matthiolus ,D odoneut , C amir arias and others, the Linum 
mttrimm luteum of LtbeimA may be the firft Linum fruticafurn fubflavum of Bauhimu in Prodr omo, and the Li¬ 
num luteum fylveftre latifolium of (alumna, for they differ little. The eighth is the Linum fylveftrefrnticofum of 
Clu/ius. The ninth is the Linum arboreum of Alpinist in his booke de plant u Sxoticit. The tenth is the Chamalinum 
of Clufins .which is called Mill mountaine in many parts of this Land, by the Country people where it groweth. 
The hit is called Linum minimum filial um by Baulinm, who faith it is alfo called by tome P ajfcrina minor faxati. 
lit. The Arabians ci\\ it Baeutri-chichettox "Btverchetan, which is the feede thereof onely, the Italians Lino, the 
French Lin, the Germancs Finchs,thzDutch Vlas, and we Flaxe.and Line. 
The Venues, 
There is neither leafe, flower,nor rooteof Flaxeufedinany medicine with ns,that I know, neither greene nor 
dryed, neither the juice, diddled water, or any other compofidon made thereof, hut onely the feede, and that 
more in outward then inward Phybcke in thefe dayes,although in former times is Galen (hewerh. that lomeu- 
fed the feede parched for their food,taken with honey .and fomeufedto put it into their bread, but faith heprimo 
aliment arum ,it troubleth the ftomacke,hardly digefleth.and giveth little nourifhment to thebody : but concerning 
the rnooving of the belly downewards,(aith he, I will neither praife nor difpraife it, yet it hath a fmall property 
to provoke urine,which it doth belt being patched, thus faith Galen of the manured kinde, but the wilde kindes 
that are more bitter have another propertyThe feede of Line made into pourher, mixed with honey and iome 
pepper into an eleftuary.and thereof the quantity of a Nutmeg taken every day.doih helpc the cough a> fome fay, 
the leedealfoboyled in water.and fome honey put unto it and drunke, is (aid alfo toeaie the paincs of thebody, 
as thecollicke,and ftitches.and all inflammations; if itbe outwardly uled alfo, with Fenugrecke and Linfeed, and 
lotne Mallows,a pultis being made therofisof good ufe to mollify and difeufle any tumour or hardnes in any pare 
of the body,orofthe mother by fitting in the warme decoftion of the feede,or to receive the hot fumes through a 
feateforihcpurpofc: beingtaken withRaifins faith Pliny, it helpeth theobftruflions of the Liver : the feede 
mixed with niter or falt.and figgetree afhes.eafeth the paines and hardneffeofthe mufcles, finewes and arteries, 
and ufed with figges.it ripeneth and digefteth,mixed with the wild Cowcumber roote.it draweth forth fplinters, 
thornes,miles or any other thing flicking in the fkfh,and broken bones alfo: thedecoftion thereof made in wine 
and applyed to any fretting or running fore,ftayeth it from lprcading further: ufed with as much Cteffes, it ta- 
keth away the ruggednefle of the nailes.and with Myrrhe.and Rofl'in, it helpeth ruptures,and the fwellings of the 
cods: ufed with Olibeensmini water, or Myrrhe and wine, it helpeth watering eyes,and mixed up with bony or 
filer,or waxeand applyed,it helpeth the hardkernels and fwellings under the eares or throatc, ictaketh away al¬ 
io the Ipots and blemiihes of the ekin.Sunbui'mng and other difcolourings. The oyle of Linfeede fbefides that it 
is of much ufe for Painters to fallen their colours,cither on cloth,wood.ltone .iron, or glafle.and to burne in lamps 
abiding longer then the Ojrle of Olives^lthbugh it giveth much more fmoake andfoote) is of exceeding good 
ufe,to mollifie the hardnes and (hrinkingof the finewes,helpeth the hemorrhoides or piles, the riffs and chaps of 
the fundament.and the hardneffe and paines thereof, and of the mother; being beaten with Red-rofe water it is 
good againfl burnings. The wilde Flaxe isof thelikeule in mod things, and the more tffeiftuall, byreafonofthe 
bitternelTe in many others : thedecoftion thereof with the flowers dothrefolve tumours,and lenifie inflammati¬ 
ons, the arteries alfo when they grow hard and ftiffe,and the fwelling- and fores in the groine: of Mill mountaine 
fome triallhathbeeneanade among iaUr people,toiuove the body to the ftoole. 
Ctitr. vill. 
CarycyhjB fyIveftres minaret. Small wilde Pinkcs. 
A ving fhewed yonfc many Gilloflowers.Pinckes.fweete Williams andjfoW, ofbeaury in my for¬ 
mer Booke.let me alfo here &ew the reft of that family.which are not of that refpeft.and doe ra • 
ther delight m their owne natural!, then in any other forraine habitation, and they areof three 
forts, growing cirherintheficlds/m the mountaines.or among the rockes and (tones: of thefe fe- 
vcrally in their order. 
C-vj Gpijlli ar~mjjes. Primus Ordo. The firft Rancke of wilde Pinckes ofche Fields. 
■I. Carjofhyllm prolifer. Childing Pinckes. 
This wilde Pincke is bur atmuall.that is perifhing after feede time.having a few pale greene graflie fhort blunt 
leaves lying on the ground (or the firft yeare.and are the next yeare carryed up with theftalkcs, divided into fome 
branches.and let by couples at the joyms.bwmg a fhort thicke grayiih greene huske atthe toppes, out of whicli 
flart out by degteeidhe after another; feven or eight fmall faint red flowers, lmaller then the imallell Garden 
Pincke by much, which Icarfe (hew themfelves above the brimmeof the huske: more flowers then one as I 
faid.appeare not at a time out of the huske,or very feldome two, whereby they arc long in flowring, in the outer 
huske 
