The Kinds.

            There be three Peonies, one male, and two females, described by the ancients: the later writers have found out four more; one of the female kind, called Pæonia pumila, or Dwarf Peony; and another called Pæonia promiscua sive neutra, bastard, misbegotten, or neither of both, but as it were a plant participating of the male and female; one double Peony with white flowers, and a fourth kind bearing single white flowers.

The Description.

            1. The first kind of Peony (being the male, called Pæonia mas: in English, Male Peony) hath thick red stalks a cubit long: the leaves be great and large, consisting of divers leaves growing or joined together upon one slender stem or rib, not much unlike the leaves of the Walnut tree both in fashion and greatness: at the top of the stalks grow fair large red flowers very like roses, having also in the midst yellow threads or thrums like them in the rose called Anthera: which being faded and fallen away, there come in place three or four great cods or husks, which do open when they are ripe; the inner part of which cods is of a fair red colour, wherein is contained black shining and polished seeds as big as a pea, and between every black seed is couched a red or crimson seed, which is barren and empty. The root is thick; great, and tuberous, like unto the common Peony.

            2. There is another kind of Peony, called of Dodoneus, Pæonia fœmina prior: of Lobel, Pæonia fœmina: in English, Female Peony, which is so well known unto all that it needeth not any description.

            3. The third kind of Peony (which Pena setteth forth under the name Pæonia fœmina polyanthus: Dodoneus, Pæonia fœmina multiplex: in English, Double Peony) hath leaves, roots, and flowers like the common female Peony, sav that his leaves are not so much jagged, and are of a lighter green colour: the roots are thicker and more tuberous, and the flowers much greater, exceeding double, of a very deep red colour, in fashion very like the great double Rose of Provençe but greater and more double.

Fig. 1422. Kinds of Peony (4-7)

            4. There is found another sort of the double Peony, not differing from the precedent in stalks, leaves, or roots: this plant bringeth forth white flowers, wherein consisteth the difference.

            5. There is another kind of Peony (called of Dodonæus, Pæonia fœmina altera: but of Pena, Pæonia promiscua, sive neutra: in English, Maiden or Virgin Peony) that is like to the common Peony, saving that his leaves and flowers are much less, and the stalks shorter: it beareth red flowers and seed also like the former.

            6. We have likewise in our London gardens another sort bearing flowers of a pale whitish colour, very single, resembling the female wild Peony, in other respects like the double white Peony, but lesser in all the parts thereof.

            7. Clusius by seed sent him from Constantinople had two other varieties of single Peonies; the one had the leaves red when they came out of the ground; and the flower of this was of a deep red colour: the other had them of a whitish green, and the flowers of this were somewhat larger, and of lighter colour. In the leaves & other parts they resembled common double Peony.

The Place.

            All the sorts of Peonies do grow in our London gardens, except that double Peony with white flowers, which we do expect from the Low Countries of Flanders.

            The male Peony groweth wild upon a cony-berry in Betsome, being in the parish of Southfleet in Kent, two miles from Gravesend, and in the ground sometimes belonging to a farmer there called John Bradley.

            I have been told that our author himself planted that Peony there, and afterwards seemed to find it there by accident: and I do believe it was so, because none before or since have ever seen or heard of it growing wild since in any part of this Kingdom.

The Time.

            They flower in May: the seed is ripe in July.

The Names.

            The Peony is called in Greek and Latin Pæonia, in Latin also Dulcifida: in shops, Pionia: in High Dutch, Peonien blumen: in Low Dutch, Mast bloemen: in French, Pinoine: in Spanish, Rosa del monte: in English, Peony. It hath also many bastard names, as Rosa fatuina, Herba casta: of some, Lunaris, or Lunaria Pæonia: because it cureth those that have the falling sickness, whom some men call lunaticos, or lunatic. It is called Idæus dactylus: which agreeth with the female Peony; the knobby roots of which be like to Dactyli idæi, and Dactyli idæi are certain precious stones of the form of a man's finger, growing in the Island of Candy: it is called of divers Aglaophotis, or brightly shining, taking his name of the shining and glittering grains, which are of the colour of scarlet.

            There be found two Aglaophotides, described by Ælianus in his 14th book; one of the sea, in the 24th chapter: the other of the earth, in the 27th chapter. That of the sea is a kind of Fucus, or sea moss, which groweth upon high rocks, of the bigness of Tamarisk, with the head of Poppy; which opening in the summer solstice doth yield in the night-time a certain fiery, and as it were sparkling brightness or light.

            That of the earth, saith he, which by another name is called Cynospastus, lieth hid in the day time among other herbs, and is not known at all, and in the night time it is easily seen: for it shineth like a star, and glittereth with a fiery brightness.

            And this Aglaophotis of the earth, or Cynospastus, is Pæonia: for Apuleius saith, that the seeds or grains of Peony shine in the night time like a candle, and that plenty of it is in the night season found out and gathered by the shepherds. Theophrastus and Pliny do show that Peony is gathered in the night; which Ælianus also affirmeth concerning Aglaophotis.

            This Aglaophotis of the earth, or Cynospastus, is called of Josephus the writer of the Jews' War, in his seventh book, 25th chapter, Baaras, of the place wherein it is found; which thing is plain to him that conferreth those things which Ælianus hath written of Aglaophotis of the earth, or Cynospastus, with those which Josephus hath set down of Baaras: for Ælianus saith, that Cynospastus is not plucked up without danger; and that it is reported how he that first touched it, not knowing the nature thereof, perished. Therefore a string must be fastened to it in the night, and a hungry dog tied thereto, who being allured by the smell of roasted flesh set towards him may pluck it up by the roots. Josephus also writeth, that Baara doth shine in the evening like the day-star, and that they who come near, and would pluck it up, can hardly do it, except that either a woman's urine, or her menses be poured upon it, and that so it may be plucked up at the length.

            Moreover, it is set down by the said author, as also by Pliny and Theophrastus, that of necessity it must be gathered in the night; for if any man shall pluck off the fruit in the day-time, being seen of the woodpecker, he is in danger to lose his eyes; and if he cut the root, it is a chance if his fundament fall not out. The like fabulous tale hath been set forth of Mandrake, the which I have partly touched in the same chapter. But all these things be most vain and frivolous: for the root of Peony, as also the Mandrake, may be removed at any time of the year, day or hour whatsoever.

            But it is no marvel, that such kinds of trifles, and most superstitious and wicked ceremonies are found in the books of the most ancient writers; for there were many things in their time very vainly feigned and cogged in for ostentation sake, as by the Egyptians and other counterfeit mates; as Pliny doth truly testify: an imitator of whom in times past, was one Andreas a physician, who, as Galen saith, conveyed into the art of physic, lies and subtle delusions. For which cause Galen commanded his scholars to refrain from the reading of him, and of all such-like lying and deceitful sycophants. It is reported that these herbs took the name of Peony, or Pæin, of that excellent physician of the same name, who first found out and taught the knowledge of this herb unto posterity.

The Temperature.

            The root of Peony, as Galen saith, doth gently bind with a kind of sweetness: and hath joined with it a certain bitterish sharpness: it is in temperature not very hot, little more than meanly hot; but it is dry, and of subtle parts.

The Virtues.

            A. Dioscorides writeth, that the root of the Peony being dried, is given to women that be not well cleansed after their delivery, being drunk in mead or honeyed water to the quantity of a bean; for it scoureth those parts, appeaseth the griping throws and torments of the belly, and bringeth down the desired sickness.

            B. Galen addeth, that it is good for those that have the yellow jaundice, and pain in the kidneys and bladder, it cleanseth the liver and kidneys that are stopped.

            C. It is found by sure and evident experience made by Galen, that the fresh root tied about the necks of chilren, is an effectual remedy against the falling sickness; but unto those that are grown up in more years, the root thereof must also be ministered inwardly.

            D. It is also given, saith Pliny, against the disease of the mind. The root of the male Peony is preferred in this cure.

            E. Ten or twelve of the red berries or seeds drunk in wine that is something harsh or sour, and red, do stay the inordinate flux and are good for the stone in the beginning.

            F. The black grains (that is the seed) to the number of fifteen taken in wine or mead, helps the strangling and pains of the matrix or mother, and is a special remedy for those that are troubled in the night with the disease called Ephialtes or Nightmare, which is as though a heavy burden were laid upon them, and they oppressed therewith, as if they were overcome by their enemies, or overpressed with some great weight or burden; and they are also good against melancholic dreams.

            G. Syrup made of the flowers of Peony helpeth greatly the falling sickness: likewise the extraction of the roots doth the same.