Of Lilly in the valley, or May Lillie.

1 Lilium conuallium. Conuall Lillies. 2 Lilium conuallium floribus suaue-rubentibus. Red Conuall Lillies.

The description.

1 The Conuall Lillie, or Lillie of the Vally, hath many leaues like the smallest leaues of Water Plantaine; among which riseth vp a naked stalke halfe a foote high, garnished with manie white flowers like little bels, with blunt and turned edges, of a strong sauour, yet pleasant ynough; which being past, there come small red berries, much like the berries of Asparagus, wherein the seede is contained. The roote is small and slender, creeping far abroad in the ground. The second kinde of May Lillies, is like the former in euery respect; and herein varieth or differeth, in that this kinde hath reddish flowers, and is thought to haue the sweeter smell.

The place.

The first groweth on Hampsted heath, fower miles from London, in great abundance: neere to Lee in Essex, and vpon Bushie heath, thirteene miles from London, and many other places. That other kinde with the red flower, is a stranger in England: howbeit I haue the same growing in my garden.

The time.

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

The names.

The Latins haue named it Lilium conuallium: Gesnerus doth thinke it to Callionymum: in the Germaine toong Meyen blumlen: the Lowe Dutch Meyen bloemkens: in French Muguet: yet there is likewise another herbe which they call Muguet, commonly named in English Woodroof. It is called in English Lillie of the valley, or the Conuall Lillie, and May Lillies, and in some places Liriconfancie.

The temperature.

They are hote and drie of complexion.

The vertues.

The flowers of the Valley Lillie distilled with wine, and drunke the quantitie of a spoonefull, restoreth speech vnto those that haue the dum palsie and that are fallen into the Apoplexie, & is good against the gowte, and comforteth the hart. The water aforesaid doth strengthen the memorie that is weakened and diminished; it helpeth also the inflammation of the eies, being dropped thereinto. The flowers of May Lillies put into a glasse, and set in a hill of antes close stopped for the space of a moneth, and then taken out, therein you shall finde a liquor, that appeaseth the paine and griefe of the gowte, being outwardly applied; which is commended to be most excellent.