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Of Daffodils

The Description. 1 THe first of the Daffodils is that with the purple crowne or circle, having small narrow leaves, thicke, fat, and full of slimie juice; among the which riseth up a naked stalke smooth and hollow, of a foot high, bearing at the top a faire milke white floure growing forth of a hood or thin filme such as the flours of onions are wrapped in: in the midst of which floure is a round circle or small coronet of a yellowish colour, purfled or bordered about the edge of the said ring or circle with a pleasant purple colour; which being past, there followeth a thicke knob or button, wherein is contained blacke round seed. The root is white, bulbous or Onion-fashion. 2 The second kinde of Daffodill is that sort of Narcissus or Primrose peerelesse that is most common in our country gardens, generally knowne everie where. It hath long fat and thick leaves, full of a slimie juice; among which riseth up a bare thicke stalke, hollow within and full of juice. The floure groweth at the top, of a yellowish white colour, with a yellow crowne or circle in the middle, and floureth in the moneth of Aprill, and sometimes sooner. The root is bulbous fashion. 3 There are three or foure reflex Junquilia's, whose cups hang downe, and the six incompassing leaves turne up or backe, whence they take their names. The Place.

The Daffodils with purple coronets grow wilde in sundry places, chiefly in Burgondie, and in Suitzerland in medowes.

Theocritus affirmeth the Daffodils to grow in medowes, in his 19 Eidyl, or 20 according to some editions: where he writeth, That the faire Lady Europa entring with her Nymphs into the medowes, did gather the sweet smelling daffodils; in these verses: Which we may English thus: But when the Girles were come into The medowes flouring all in sight, That Wench with these, this Wench with those Trim floures, themselves did all delight: She with the Narcisse good in sent, And she with Hyacinths content. But it is not greatly to our purpose, particularly to seeke out their places of growing wilde, seeing we have them all & everie one of them in our London gardens, in great aboundance. The common wilde Daffodill groweth wilde in fields and sides of woods in the West parts of England. The Time.

They floure for the most part in the Spring, that is, from the beginning of February unto the end of Aprill.

The Vertues.

Galen saith, That the roots of Narcissus have such wonderfull qualities in drying, that they consound and glew together very great wounds, yea and such gashes or cuts as happen about the veins, sinues, and tendons. They have also a certaine clensing facultie.

The root of Narcissus stamped with hony and applied plaisterwise, helpeth them that are burned with fire, and joineth together sinues that are cut in sunder. Being used in manner aforesaid it helpeth the great wrenches of the ancles, the aches and pains of the joints.

The same applied with hony and nettle seed helpeth Sun burning. Being stamped with the meale of Darnel and hony, it draweth forth thorns and stubs out of any part of the body.