This greater double Daffodill, hath his whitish greene leaues longer and broader then the smaller French kinde, hereafter following, to bee described, and broader, longer, and more limber then the double English kinde: the stalke riseth vp not much higher, then the smaller French kinde, but a little bigger, bearing at the top one great double flower, which when it is fully and perfectly blowne open (which is but seldome; for that it is very tender, the leaues being much thinner, and thereby continually subiect, vpon any little distemperature of the time, to cleaue so fast one vnto another, that the flower cannot blow open faire) is a faire and goodly flower, larger by halfe then the smaller kinde, and fuller of leaues, of the same pale whitish yellow, or Lemon colour, with the lesser, or rather a little whiter, and not set in the same order of rowes as it is, but more confusedly together, and turning backe the ends of the outermost leaues to the stalke againe, and hauing the bottome of the flower on the backside somewhat greene, neither of which is found in the lesser kinde: the roote is very like vnto the lesser kinde, but a little bigger and longer.
5. Pseudonarcissus Anglicus flore pleno. The double English bastard Daffodill, or Gerrards double Daffodill.
The leaues of this double Daffodill are very like vnto the single kinde, being of a whitish greene colour, and somewhat broad, a little shorter and narrower, yet stiffer then the former French kinde: the stalke riseth vp about a foote high, bearing at the toppe one very double flower, the outermost leaues being of the same pale colour, that is to bee seene in the wings of the single kinde; those that stand next them are some as deepe a yellow as the trunke of the single, and others of the same pale colour, with some greene stripes on the backe of diuers of the leaues: thus is the whole flower variably intermixt with pale and deepe yellow, and some greene stripes among them, when it is fully open, and the leaues dispersed and broken. For sometimes the flower sheweth a close and round yellow trunke in the middle, separate from the pale outer wings, which trunke is very double, shewing some pale leaues within it, dispersed among the yellow: And sometimes the trunke is more open, or in part broken, shewing forth the same colours intermixt within it: the flower passeth away without giuing any seede, as all other bulbous rootes doe that beare double flowers: the roote is small, very like vnto the French double kindes, especially the lesser, that it is verie hard to know the one from the other.
The Place.
The first and greatest kinde, we had first from Iohn Tradescante (as I said before) whether raised from seed, or gained from beyond Sea, I know not.
The second we first had from Vincent Sion, borne in Flanders, dwelling on the Bank side, in his liues time, but now dead; an industrious and worthy louer of faire flowers, who cherished it in his Garden for many yeares, without bearing of any flowers vntill the yeare 1620, that hauing flowred with him, (and hee not knowing of whom hee receiued it, nor hauing euer seene the like flower before) he sheweth it to Mʳ. Iohn de Franqueuille, of whom he supposed he had receiued it, (for from beyond Sea he neuer receiued any) who finding it to bee a kinde neuer seene or knowne to vs before, caused him to respect it the more, as it is well worthy. And Mʳ. George Wilmer of Stratford Bowe Esquire, in his liues time hauing likewise receiued it of him (as my selfe did also) would needes appropriate it to himselfe, as if he were the first founder thereof, and call it by his owne name Wilmers double Daffodill, which since hath so continued.
The third is of mine owne fostering or raising, as I said before; for assuredly, it is risen from the seede of the great Spanish single kinde, which I sowed in mine owne Garden, and cherished it, vntill it gaue such a flower as is described.
The fourth is not certainly knowne where his originall should be: Some thinke it to be of France, and others of Germany.
The last is assuredly first naturall of our owne Countrey, for Mʳ. Gerrard first discouered it to the world, finding it in a poore womans Garden in the West parts of England, where it grew before the woman came to dwell there, and, as I haue heard since, is naturall of the Isle of Wight.