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Of the Floure De-Luce

The Kindes.

THere be many kindes of Iris or Floure de-luce, whereof some are tall and great, some little, small, and low; some smell exceeding sweet in the root, some have no smell at all. Some floures are sweet in smell, and some without: some of one colour, some of many colours mixed: vertues attributed to some, others not remembred; some have tuberous or knobby roots, others bulbous or Onion roots; some have leaves like flags, others like grasse or rushes. The Description. 1 THe common Floure de-luce hath long and large flaggy leaves like the blade of a sword with two edges, amongst which spring up smooth and plaine stalks two foot long, bearing floures toward the top compact of six leaves joyned together, wherof three that stand upright are bent inward one toward another; and in those leaves that hang downeward there are certaine rough or hairy welts, growing or rising from the nether part of the leafe upward, almost of a yellow colour. The roots be thicke, long, and knobby, with many hairy threds hanging thereat. 2 The water Floure de-luce, or water Flag, or Acorus, is like unto the garden Floure de-luce in roots, leaves, and stalkes, but the leaves are much longer, sometimes of the height of foure cubits, and altogether narrower. The floure is of a perfect yellow colour, and the root knobby like the other; but being cut, it seemes to be of the colour of raw flesh.

The Place.

The water Floure de-luce or yellow Flag prospereth well in moist medowes, and in the borders and brinks of Rivers, ponds, and standing lakes. Although it be a watery plant of nature, yet being planted in gardens it prospereth well. The Vertues.

The root of the common Floure de-luce cleane washed, and stamped with a few drops of Rose-water, and laid plaisterwise upon the face of man or woman, doth in two daies at the most take away the blacknesse or blewnesse of any stroke or bruse: so that if the skinne of the same woman or any other person be very tender and delicate, it shall be needfull that ye lay a piece of silke, sindall, or a piece of fine laune betweene the plaister and the skinne; for otherwise in such tender bodies it often causeth heat and inflammation.