The Description.

            1. Convally Lily, or Lily of the Valley, hath many leaves like the smallest leaves of Water Plantain among which riseth up a naked stalk half a foot high, garnished with many white flowers like little bells, with blunt and turned edges, of a strong savour, yet pleasant enough; which being past, there come small red berries, much like the berries of Asparagus, wherein the seed is contained. The root is small and slender, creeping far abroad in the ground.

            2. The second kind of May Lilies, is like the former in every respect; and herein varieth or differeth, in that this kind hath reddish flowers, and is thought to have the sweeter smell.

The Place.

            1. The first groweth on Hampstead Heath, four miles from London, in great abundance: near to Lee in Essex, and upon Bushy Heath, thirteen miles from London, and many other places.

            2. That other kind with the red flower is a stranger in England: howbeit I have the same growing in my garden.

The Time.

            They flower in May, and their fruit is ripe in September.

The Names.

            The Latins have named it Lilium Convallium: Gesner doth think it to be Callionymum: in the German tongue, Meyen Blumen: the Low Dutch, Mayen Bluemkens: in French, Muguet: yet there is likewise another herb which they call Muguet, commonly named in English, Woodruff. It is called in English Lily of the Valley, or the Convally Lily, and May Lilies, and in some places Liriconfancy.

The Nature.

            They are hot and dry of complexion.

The virtues.

            A. The flowers of the Valley Lily distilled with wine, and drunk the quantity of a spoonful, restoreth speech unto those that have the dumb palsy and that are fallen into the apoplexy, and is good against the gout, and comforteth the heart.

            B. The water aforesaid doth strengthen the memory that is weakened and diminished; it helpeth also the inflammation of the eyes, being dropped thereinto.

            C. The flowers of May Lilies put into a glass, and set in a hill of ants close stopped for the space of a month and then taken out, therein you shall find a liquor, that appeaseth the pain & grief of the gout, being outwardly applied; which is commended to be most excellent.