A nievve herball, or historie of plantes wherin is contayned the vvhole discourse and perfect description of all sortes of herbes and plantes: their diuers [and] sundry kindes: their straunge figures, fashions, and shapes: their names, natures, operations, and vertues: and that not onely of those whiche are here growyng in this our countrie of Englande, but of all others also of forrayne realmes, commonly vsed in physicke. First set foorth in the Doutche or Almaigne tongue, by that learned D. Rembert Dodoens, physition to the Emperour: and nowe first translated out of French into English, by Henry Lyte Esquyer.

Of May Lillie / or Lillie Conuall. Also of Monophillon. Chap. xxvj.

❀ The Description.

LIllie Conuall hath two greene smooth leaues, like to the leaues of y^e common white Lillie but smaller and tenderer, betwixt whiche there springeth vp a naked stalke of a span long, or thereabout, at the which stalke there hangeth seuen or eight, or moe, proper small floures, as white as Snowe, and of a pleasant strong sauour, smelling almost like the Lil∣lie. Whan the floures be past, theyr commeth in their steede certayne redde bea∣ries, like to the frute or bearies of garden Asparagus. The roote is threedishe, creeping here and there.

It should seeme that Monophillon were a kinde of Lylie Conuall, it hath a leafe not much vnlike the greatest leaues of Iuie, with many ribbes or sinewes alongst the same, like to a Plantayne leafe: the whiche one leafe, or single leafe, doth alwayes spring vp out of the grounde alone, sauing whan the herbe is in floure and seede: for than it bareth two leaues vpon a rounde tender stalke like to the other, but smaller & standing one aboue an other, aboue the sayde leaues groweth the small white floures like to Lylie Conuall, but not of so strong a sauour, after whiche there riseth small bearies or rounde frute, whiche is white at the firste and afterward redde. The roote is very slender and creepeth in the grounde.

❀ The Place.

Lyllie Conuall and Monophillon, growth in shadowie wooddes.

❀ The Tyme.

They do both floure in May.

[illustration]

Lilium Conuallium. Lillie Conuall.

[illustration]

Vnifolium. Monophillon.

❀ The Names.

[ 1] Lyllie Conuall, is now called in La∣tine Lilium conuallium, that is to say, the Lyllie of the vallie: in English Lyllie co∣nuall, May blossoms, May lyllies, & Ly∣ryconfancy: in Frēch Grand Muguet: in high Douch Meyenblumlin: in base Almaigne Meybloemkens.

[ 2] Monophillon is now called in Latine Vnifolium: it may be also called in English, one Leafe, one Blade, or Singleleafe: in high Douch Einblat: and in base Almaigne Eenbladt, and it should seeme to be a kinde of Lillie conuall, se∣ing that it is so well like vnto it in floures and seede.

❀ The Nature.

They be in complexion, hoate and dry, like the Lillies.

❀ The Vertues.

[ 1] [ A] They write that the water of the floures of Lyllie conuall, distilled with good strong wine, and dronken in the quantitie of a sponefull, restoreth speach to them that are fallen into the Apoplexie, & that it is good for them that haue the Paulsie, and the Goute, and it comforteth the Harte.

[ B] The same water as they say, doth strengthen the Memorie, and restoreth it agayne to his naturall vigor, whan thorough sicknesse it is diminished.

[ C] Besides this they say also that it is good to be dropped in, against the inflā∣mation, and watering of the eyes.

[ 2] [ D] The roote of Monophillon is counted of some late writers, for a soueraigne and speciall remedie against the Pestilence and alpoyson, whan the weighte of halfe a Dragme of the pouder of the sayde roote is giuen in vineger, or good wine, or in both mixte togither, according to the nature or complexion of the sicke, so that vpon the receyte thereof, they go to bedde and sweate well.

[ E] Monophillon is good to be layde with his roote, vnto greene woundes, to preserue them from inflammation and Apostumation.