Chap. LII.Viola.Violets.The Garden Violets (for the Wilde I leaue to their owne place) are so well knowne vnto all, that either keepe a Garden, or hath but once come into it, that I shall (I thinke) but lose labour and time to describe that which is so common. Yet because it is not onely a choise flower of delight, notwithstanding the popularity, and that I let not passe anything without his particular description, I must also doe so by this. And hereunto I must adde that kinde of Violet, which, although it want that smell of the other, goeth beyond it in variety of dainty colours, calledViola tricolor&flammea, or Harts eases.1.Viola simplex Martia.Single March Violets.The single Garden Violet hath many round greene leaues, finely snipt or dented about the edges, standing vpon seuerall small stalkes, set at diuers places of the many creeping branches, which as they runne, doe here and there take roote in the ground, bearing thereon many flowers seuerally at the ioynts of the leaues, which consist of fiue small leaues, with a short round tayle or spurre behinde, of a perfect blew purple colour, and of a very sweete sent, it bringeth forth round seede vessels, standing likewise vpon their seuerall small stalkes, wherein is contained round white seede: but these heads rise not from where the flowers grew, as in all other plants that I know, but apart by themselues, and being sowne, will produce others like vnto it selfe, whereby there may be made a more speedy encrease to plant a Garden (as I haue done) or any other place, then by slipping, as is the vsuall manner: the rootes spread both deepe and wide, taking strong hold in the ground.Flore albo.Of this kinde there is another that beareth white flowers, not differing in smell or any thing else from the former.Flore obsoleto.And also another, that beareth flowers of a dead or sad reddish colour, in all other things alike, sauing that this hath not altogether so good a sent as the other.2.Viola Martia flore multiplici.Double March Violets.There is no difference betweene this Violet and the former, in any other thing then in the doublenesse of the flowers, which haue so many leaues set and thrust together, that they are like vnto hard buttons. There is of this double kinde both white and purple, as in the single; but the white sort is seldome so thicke and double as the purple: but of the red colour to be double I neuer heard.3.Viola flammea siue tricolor.Harts eases or Pansies.The Harts ease hath his leaues longer, and more endented or cut in on the edges then the Violet hath, and somewhat round withall: the stalkes are vpright, yet weake, and ready to fall downe, and lye vpon the ground, set here and there with the like leaues, from whence come forth the flowers, of little or no sent at all, made like vnto a Violet, yet more open, and with larger leaues; but so variably mixed with blew or purple, white and yellow, that it is hard to set downe all the varieties; For some flowers will be more white, and but some spots of purple or blew in the two vpper leaues, and the lower leaues with some stripes of yellow in the middle: others will haue more purple in them then any other colour, both in the vpper and lower leaues, the side leaues blew, and the middle yellow, and others white and blew with yellow stripes, as nature listeth to distribute their colours: the seede is small, whitish, and round, contained in small round heads: the roote perisheth euery yeare, and raiseth it selfe vp plentifully by it owne sowing, if it be suffered.4.Viola tricolor flore duplici.Double Harts ease.We haue in our Gardens another sort, that beareth flowers with more leaues then the former, making it seeme to be twice double, and that onely in Autumne; for the first flowers are single that come in Summer: This is of that sort that beareth purple flowers: And it is to be obserued, that the seed of this kinde will not all bring double flowers, but only some, if the ground be fit and liking, so that if you haue once had of this double kinde, you shall seldome misse to haue double flowers againe euery yeare of it owne growing or sowing.5.Viola flammea lutea maxima.The great yellow Pansie.There is one other kinde of Harts ease, that decketh vp our Gardens not to be forgotten, whose leaues and flowers are like the former, but more plentifull in stalkes and branches, and better abideth our Winters; the flowers are larger then any of theformer, of a faire pale yellow colour, with some yellower stripes now and then about the middle; for it is sometimes without any stripes; and also of a little deeper yellow colour: this is to bee encreased by slips, which will soone comprehend in a moist or moistened ground, for that I neuer could obserue that it bore seede.The Place.These plants were first wilde, and by manuring brought to be both fairer in colour, and peraduenture of a better sent then when they grew wilde.The Time.The Violets flower in March, and sometimes earlier, and if the yeare be temperate and milde, in Autumne againe. The double Violets, as they are later before they flower then the single, so they hold their flowers longer. The Harts ease flowreth seldome vntill May; but then some will abide to flower vntill the end of Autumne almost, especially if the frosts be not early.The Names.The Violet is calledViola nigra,purpurea, andMartia: In English, Violets, March Violets, and purple Violets. The Harts ease is calledViola flammea,Viola tricolor,Viola multicolor, and of some,Iacea,Flos trinitatis, andHerba clauellata: In English, Harts ease, and Pansies, of the French name Pensees. Some giue it foolish names, as Loue in idlenesse, Call mee to you, and Three faces in a hood. The great yellow Harts ease is so called, because it is like in forme, and is the greatest of all other, although it haue not that diuersity of colours in it that the other haue.The Vertues.The properties of Violets are sufficiently knowne to all, to coole and moisten: I shall forbeare to recite the many vertues that may be set downe, and onely let you knowe, that they haue in them an opening or purging quality, being taken either fresh and greene, or dryed, and made into powder, especially the flowers; the dryed leaues will doe the like, but in greater quantity.Costæus in his booke of the nature of all plantssaith, that the distilled water of Harts ease, is commended in the French disease, to be profitable, being taken for nine dayes or more, and sweating vpon it, which how true it is, I know not, and wish some better experience were made of it, before we put any great confidence in that assertion.
Chap. LII.Viola.Violets.The Garden Violets (for the Wilde I leaue to their owne place) are so well knowne vnto all, that either keepe a Garden, or hath but once come into it, that I shall (I thinke) but lose labour and time to describe that which is so common. Yet because it is not onely a choise flower of delight, notwithstanding the popularity, and that I let not passe anything without his particular description, I must also doe so by this. And hereunto I must adde that kinde of Violet, which, although it want that smell of the other, goeth beyond it in variety of dainty colours, calledViola tricolor&flammea, or Harts eases.1.Viola simplex Martia.Single March Violets.The single Garden Violet hath many round greene leaues, finely snipt or dented about the edges, standing vpon seuerall small stalkes, set at diuers places of the many creeping branches, which as they runne, doe here and there take roote in the ground, bearing thereon many flowers seuerally at the ioynts of the leaues, which consist of fiue small leaues, with a short round tayle or spurre behinde, of a perfect blew purple colour, and of a very sweete sent, it bringeth forth round seede vessels, standing likewise vpon their seuerall small stalkes, wherein is contained round white seede: but these heads rise not from where the flowers grew, as in all other plants that I know, but apart by themselues, and being sowne, will produce others like vnto it selfe, whereby there may be made a more speedy encrease to plant a Garden (as I haue done) or any other place, then by slipping, as is the vsuall manner: the rootes spread both deepe and wide, taking strong hold in the ground.Flore albo.Of this kinde there is another that beareth white flowers, not differing in smell or any thing else from the former.Flore obsoleto.And also another, that beareth flowers of a dead or sad reddish colour, in all other things alike, sauing that this hath not altogether so good a sent as the other.2.Viola Martia flore multiplici.Double March Violets.There is no difference betweene this Violet and the former, in any other thing then in the doublenesse of the flowers, which haue so many leaues set and thrust together, that they are like vnto hard buttons. There is of this double kinde both white and purple, as in the single; but the white sort is seldome so thicke and double as the purple: but of the red colour to be double I neuer heard.3.Viola flammea siue tricolor.Harts eases or Pansies.The Harts ease hath his leaues longer, and more endented or cut in on the edges then the Violet hath, and somewhat round withall: the stalkes are vpright, yet weake, and ready to fall downe, and lye vpon the ground, set here and there with the like leaues, from whence come forth the flowers, of little or no sent at all, made like vnto a Violet, yet more open, and with larger leaues; but so variably mixed with blew or purple, white and yellow, that it is hard to set downe all the varieties; For some flowers will be more white, and but some spots of purple or blew in the two vpper leaues, and the lower leaues with some stripes of yellow in the middle: others will haue more purple in them then any other colour, both in the vpper and lower leaues, the side leaues blew, and the middle yellow, and others white and blew with yellow stripes, as nature listeth to distribute their colours: the seede is small, whitish, and round, contained in small round heads: the roote perisheth euery yeare, and raiseth it selfe vp plentifully by it owne sowing, if it be suffered.4.Viola tricolor flore duplici.Double Harts ease.We haue in our Gardens another sort, that beareth flowers with more leaues then the former, making it seeme to be twice double, and that onely in Autumne; for the first flowers are single that come in Summer: This is of that sort that beareth purple flowers: And it is to be obserued, that the seed of this kinde will not all bring double flowers, but only some, if the ground be fit and liking, so that if you haue once had of this double kinde, you shall seldome misse to haue double flowers againe euery yeare of it owne growing or sowing.5.Viola flammea lutea maxima.The great yellow Pansie.There is one other kinde of Harts ease, that decketh vp our Gardens not to be forgotten, whose leaues and flowers are like the former, but more plentifull in stalkes and branches, and better abideth our Winters; the flowers are larger then any of theformer, of a faire pale yellow colour, with some yellower stripes now and then about the middle; for it is sometimes without any stripes; and also of a little deeper yellow colour: this is to bee encreased by slips, which will soone comprehend in a moist or moistened ground, for that I neuer could obserue that it bore seede.The Place.These plants were first wilde, and by manuring brought to be both fairer in colour, and peraduenture of a better sent then when they grew wilde.The Time.The Violets flower in March, and sometimes earlier, and if the yeare be temperate and milde, in Autumne againe. The double Violets, as they are later before they flower then the single, so they hold their flowers longer. The Harts ease flowreth seldome vntill May; but then some will abide to flower vntill the end of Autumne almost, especially if the frosts be not early.The Names.The Violet is calledViola nigra,purpurea, andMartia: In English, Violets, March Violets, and purple Violets. The Harts ease is calledViola flammea,Viola tricolor,Viola multicolor, and of some,Iacea,Flos trinitatis, andHerba clauellata: In English, Harts ease, and Pansies, of the French name Pensees. Some giue it foolish names, as Loue in idlenesse, Call mee to you, and Three faces in a hood. The great yellow Harts ease is so called, because it is like in forme, and is the greatest of all other, although it haue not that diuersity of colours in it that the other haue.The Vertues.The properties of Violets are sufficiently knowne to all, to coole and moisten: I shall forbeare to recite the many vertues that may be set downe, and onely let you knowe, that they haue in them an opening or purging quality, being taken either fresh and greene, or dryed, and made into powder, especially the flowers; the dryed leaues will doe the like, but in greater quantity.Costæus in his booke of the nature of all plantssaith, that the distilled water of Harts ease, is commended in the French disease, to be profitable, being taken for nine dayes or more, and sweating vpon it, which how true it is, I know not, and wish some better experience were made of it, before we put any great confidence in that assertion.
The Garden Violets (for the Wilde I leaue to their owne place) are so well knowne vnto all, that either keepe a Garden, or hath but once come into it, that I shall (I thinke) but lose labour and time to describe that which is so common. Yet because it is not onely a choise flower of delight, notwithstanding the popularity, and that I let not passe anything without his particular description, I must also doe so by this. And hereunto I must adde that kinde of Violet, which, although it want that smell of the other, goeth beyond it in variety of dainty colours, calledViola tricolor&flammea, or Harts eases.
The single Garden Violet hath many round greene leaues, finely snipt or dented about the edges, standing vpon seuerall small stalkes, set at diuers places of the many creeping branches, which as they runne, doe here and there take roote in the ground, bearing thereon many flowers seuerally at the ioynts of the leaues, which consist of fiue small leaues, with a short round tayle or spurre behinde, of a perfect blew purple colour, and of a very sweete sent, it bringeth forth round seede vessels, standing likewise vpon their seuerall small stalkes, wherein is contained round white seede: but these heads rise not from where the flowers grew, as in all other plants that I know, but apart by themselues, and being sowne, will produce others like vnto it selfe, whereby there may be made a more speedy encrease to plant a Garden (as I haue done) or any other place, then by slipping, as is the vsuall manner: the rootes spread both deepe and wide, taking strong hold in the ground.
Flore albo.
Of this kinde there is another that beareth white flowers, not differing in smell or any thing else from the former.
Flore obsoleto.
And also another, that beareth flowers of a dead or sad reddish colour, in all other things alike, sauing that this hath not altogether so good a sent as the other.
There is no difference betweene this Violet and the former, in any other thing then in the doublenesse of the flowers, which haue so many leaues set and thrust together, that they are like vnto hard buttons. There is of this double kinde both white and purple, as in the single; but the white sort is seldome so thicke and double as the purple: but of the red colour to be double I neuer heard.
The Harts ease hath his leaues longer, and more endented or cut in on the edges then the Violet hath, and somewhat round withall: the stalkes are vpright, yet weake, and ready to fall downe, and lye vpon the ground, set here and there with the like leaues, from whence come forth the flowers, of little or no sent at all, made like vnto a Violet, yet more open, and with larger leaues; but so variably mixed with blew or purple, white and yellow, that it is hard to set downe all the varieties; For some flowers will be more white, and but some spots of purple or blew in the two vpper leaues, and the lower leaues with some stripes of yellow in the middle: others will haue more purple in them then any other colour, both in the vpper and lower leaues, the side leaues blew, and the middle yellow, and others white and blew with yellow stripes, as nature listeth to distribute their colours: the seede is small, whitish, and round, contained in small round heads: the roote perisheth euery yeare, and raiseth it selfe vp plentifully by it owne sowing, if it be suffered.
We haue in our Gardens another sort, that beareth flowers with more leaues then the former, making it seeme to be twice double, and that onely in Autumne; for the first flowers are single that come in Summer: This is of that sort that beareth purple flowers: And it is to be obserued, that the seed of this kinde will not all bring double flowers, but only some, if the ground be fit and liking, so that if you haue once had of this double kinde, you shall seldome misse to haue double flowers againe euery yeare of it owne growing or sowing.
There is one other kinde of Harts ease, that decketh vp our Gardens not to be forgotten, whose leaues and flowers are like the former, but more plentifull in stalkes and branches, and better abideth our Winters; the flowers are larger then any of theformer, of a faire pale yellow colour, with some yellower stripes now and then about the middle; for it is sometimes without any stripes; and also of a little deeper yellow colour: this is to bee encreased by slips, which will soone comprehend in a moist or moistened ground, for that I neuer could obserue that it bore seede.
The Place.These plants were first wilde, and by manuring brought to be both fairer in colour, and peraduenture of a better sent then when they grew wilde.
These plants were first wilde, and by manuring brought to be both fairer in colour, and peraduenture of a better sent then when they grew wilde.
The Time.The Violets flower in March, and sometimes earlier, and if the yeare be temperate and milde, in Autumne againe. The double Violets, as they are later before they flower then the single, so they hold their flowers longer. The Harts ease flowreth seldome vntill May; but then some will abide to flower vntill the end of Autumne almost, especially if the frosts be not early.
The Violets flower in March, and sometimes earlier, and if the yeare be temperate and milde, in Autumne againe. The double Violets, as they are later before they flower then the single, so they hold their flowers longer. The Harts ease flowreth seldome vntill May; but then some will abide to flower vntill the end of Autumne almost, especially if the frosts be not early.
The Names.The Violet is calledViola nigra,purpurea, andMartia: In English, Violets, March Violets, and purple Violets. The Harts ease is calledViola flammea,Viola tricolor,Viola multicolor, and of some,Iacea,Flos trinitatis, andHerba clauellata: In English, Harts ease, and Pansies, of the French name Pensees. Some giue it foolish names, as Loue in idlenesse, Call mee to you, and Three faces in a hood. The great yellow Harts ease is so called, because it is like in forme, and is the greatest of all other, although it haue not that diuersity of colours in it that the other haue.
The Violet is calledViola nigra,purpurea, andMartia: In English, Violets, March Violets, and purple Violets. The Harts ease is calledViola flammea,Viola tricolor,Viola multicolor, and of some,Iacea,Flos trinitatis, andHerba clauellata: In English, Harts ease, and Pansies, of the French name Pensees. Some giue it foolish names, as Loue in idlenesse, Call mee to you, and Three faces in a hood. The great yellow Harts ease is so called, because it is like in forme, and is the greatest of all other, although it haue not that diuersity of colours in it that the other haue.
The Vertues.The properties of Violets are sufficiently knowne to all, to coole and moisten: I shall forbeare to recite the many vertues that may be set downe, and onely let you knowe, that they haue in them an opening or purging quality, being taken either fresh and greene, or dryed, and made into powder, especially the flowers; the dryed leaues will doe the like, but in greater quantity.Costæus in his booke of the nature of all plantssaith, that the distilled water of Harts ease, is commended in the French disease, to be profitable, being taken for nine dayes or more, and sweating vpon it, which how true it is, I know not, and wish some better experience were made of it, before we put any great confidence in that assertion.
The properties of Violets are sufficiently knowne to all, to coole and moisten: I shall forbeare to recite the many vertues that may be set downe, and onely let you knowe, that they haue in them an opening or purging quality, being taken either fresh and greene, or dryed, and made into powder, especially the flowers; the dryed leaues will doe the like, but in greater quantity.Costæus in his booke of the nature of all plantssaith, that the distilled water of Harts ease, is commended in the French disease, to be profitable, being taken for nine dayes or more, and sweating vpon it, which how true it is, I know not, and wish some better experience were made of it, before we put any great confidence in that assertion.