All these plants are called most vsually in Latine, Primulæ veris, Primulæ pratenses, and Primulæ siluarum, because they shew by their flowring the new Spring to bee comming on, they being as it were the first Embassadours thereof. They haue also diuers other names, as Herba Paralysis, Arthritica, Herba Sancti Petri, Claues Sancti Petri, Verbasculum odoratum, Lunaria arthritica, Phlomis, Alisma siluarum, and Alismatis alterum genus, as Fabius Columna calleth them. The Birds eyes are called of Lobel in Latine, Paralytica Alpina, Sanicula angustifolia, making a greater and a lesser. Others call them Sanicula angustifolia, but generally they are called Primula veris minor. I haue (as you see) placed them with the Cowslips, putting a difference betweene Primroses and Cowslips. And some haue distinguished them, by calling the Cowslips, Primula veris Elatior, that is, the Taller Primrose, and the other Humilis, Lowe or Dwarfe Primroses. In English they haue in like manner diuers names, according to seuerall Countries, as Primroses, Cowslips, Oxelips, Palsieworts, and Petty Mulleins. The first kindes, which are lower then the rest, are generally called by the name of Primroses (as I thinke) throughout England. The others are diuersly named; for in some Countries they call them Paigles or Palsieworts, or Petty Mulleins, which are called Cowslips in others. Those are vsually called Oxelips, whose flowers are naked, or bare without huskes to containe them, being not so sweete as the Cowslip, yet haue they some little sent, although the Latine name doth make them to haue none. The Franticke, Fantasticke, or Foolish Cowslip, in some places is called by Country people, Iacke an Apes on horse-backe, which is an vsuall name with them, giuen to many other plants, as Daisies, Marigolds, &c. if they be strange or fantasticall, differing in the forme from the ordinary kinde of the single ones. The smallest are vsually called through all the North Country, Birds eyen, because of the small yellow circle in the bottomes of the flowers, resembling the eye of a bird.
The Vertues.
Primroses and Cowslips are in a manner wholly vsed in Cephalicall diseases, either among other herbes or flowers, or of themselues alone, to ease paines in the head, and is accounted next vnto Betony, the best for that purpose. Experience likewise hath shewed that they are profitable both for the Palsie, and paines of the ioynts, euen as the Beares eares are, which hath caused the name of Arthritica, Paralysis, and Paralytica to bee giuen them. The iuice of the flowers is commended to cleanse the spots or marks of the face, whereof some Gentlewomen haue found good experience.
Chap. XXXVI.
Pulmonaria. Lungwort, or Cowslips of Ierusalem.
Although these plants are generally more vsed as Pot-herbes for the Kitchen, then as flowers for delight, yet because they are both called Cowslips, and are of like forme, but of much lesse beauty, I haue ioyned them next vnto them, in a distinct Chapter by themselues, and so may passe at this time.
1. Pulmonaria maculosa. Common spotted Cowslips of Ierusalem.
The Cowslip of Ierusalem hath many rough, large, and round leaues, but pointed at the ends, standing vpon long foot-stalkes, spotted with many round white spots on the vppersides of the sad greene or browne leaues, and of a grayer greene vnderneath: among the leaues spring vp diuers browne stalkes, a foote high, bearing many flowers at the toppe, very neare resembling the flowers of Cowslips, being of a purple or reddish colour while they are buds, and of a darke blewish colour when they are blowne, standing in brownish greene huskes, and sometimes it hath beene found with white flowers: when the flowers are past, there come vp small round heads, containing blacke seed: the roote is composed of many long and thicke blacke strings.