Page:Paradisi in sole paradisus terrestris (1904 reprint).djvu/65

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I haue not found or heard by any others of any property peculiar in this plant, to be applied either inwardly or outwardly for any dieae: the chiefe or onely ve thereof is, to be an ornament for the Gardens of the curious louers of thee delights, and to be worne of them abroad, which for the gallant beauty of many of them, deerueth their courteous entertainment, among many other the like pleaures.

Ext vnto the Lillies, and before the Narcii or Daffodils, the dicoure of Tulipas deerueth his place, for that it partaketh of both their natures; agreeing with the Lillies in leaues, flowers, and eede, and omewhat with the Daffodils in rootes. There are not onely diuers kindes of Tulipas, but undry diuerities of colours in them, found out in thee later dayes by many the earchers of natures varieties, which haue not formerly been oberued: our age being more delighted in the earch, curioity, and rarities of thee pleaant delights, then any age I thinke before. But indeede, this flower, aboue many other, deerueth his true commendations and acceptance with all louers of thee beauties, both for the tately apect, and for the admirable varietie of colours, that daily doe arie in them, farre beyond all other plants that grow, in o much, that I doubt, although I hall in this Chapter et downe the varieties of a great many, I hall leaue more vnpoken of, then I hall decribe; for I may well ay, there is in this one plant no end of diuerity to be expelled, euery yeare yeelding a mixture and variety that hath not before been oberued, and all this ariing from the owing of the eede. The chiefe diuiion of Tulipas, is into two orts: Præcoces, early flowring Tulipas, and Serotinæ, late flowring Tulipas. For that ort which is called Mediæ or Dubiæ, that is, which flower in the middle time betweene them both, and may be thought to be a kinde or ort by it elfe, as well as any of the other two: yet becaue they doe neerer participate with the Serotinæ then with the Præcoces, not onely in the colour of the leafe, being of the ame greennee with the Serotinæ, and mot vually alo, for that it beareth his talke and flower, high and large like as the Serotinæ doe; but epecially, for that the eede of a Media Tulipa did neuer bring forth a Præcox flower (although I know Cluius, an indutrious, learned, and painfull earcher and publiher of thee rarities, aith otherwie) o farre as euer I could, by mine owne care or knowledge, in owing their eede apart, or the aurance of any others, the louers and owers of Tulipa eede, oberue, learne, or know: and becaue alo that the eede of the Serotinæ bringeth forth Medias, and the eede of Medias Serotinæ, they may well bee comprehended vnder the generall title of Serotinæ: But becaue they haue generally receiued the name of Media, or middle flowring Tulipas, to ditinguih between them, and thoe that vually doe flower after them; I am content to et them downe, and peake of them euerally, as of three orts. Vnto the place and ranke likewie of the Præcoces, or early flowring Tulipas, there are ome other euerall kinds of Tulipas to be added, which are notably differing, not onely from the former Præcox Tulipa, but euery one of them, one from another, in ome peciall note or other: as the Tulipa Bolonienis flore rubro, the red Bolonia Tulipa. Tulipa Bolonienis flore luteo, the yellow Bolonia Tulipa. Tulipa Perica, the Perian Tulipa. Tulipa Cretica, the Candie Tulipa, and others: all which hall bee described and entreated of, euery one apart by it elfe, in the end of the ranke of the Præcoces, becaue all of them flower much about their time. To begin then with the Præcox, or early flowring Tulipas, and after them with the Medias and Serotinas, I hall for the better method, diuide their flowers into foure primary or principall colours, that is to fay, White, Purple, Red, and Yellow, and vnder euery one of thee colours, et downe the feuerall Rh