Chap. CIX.
Rosa. The Rose tree or bush.
The great varietie of Roses is much to be admired, beeing more then is to bee seene in any other shrubby plant that I know, both for colour, forme and smell. I haue to furnish this garden thirty sorts at the least, euery one notably differing from the other, and all fit to be here entertained: for there are some other, that being wilde and of no beautie or smell, we forbeare, and leaue to their wilde habitations. To distinguish them by their colours, as white, red, incarnate, and yellow, were a way that many might take, but I hold it not so conuenient for diuers respects: for so I should confound those of diuers sorts one among another, and I should not keepe that methode which to me seemeth most conuenient, which is, to place and ranke euery kinde, whether single or double, one next vnto the other, that so you may the better vnderstand their varieties and differences: I will therefore beginne with the most ancient, and knowne Roses to our Countrey, whether naturall or no I know not, but assumed by our precedent Kings of all others, to bee cognisances of their dignitie, the white Rose and the red, whom shall follow the damaske, of the finest sent, and most vse of all the other sorts, and the rest in their order.
1. Rosa Anglica alba. The English white Rose.
The white Rose is of two kindes, the one more thicke and double then the other: The one riseth vp in some shadowie places, vnto eight or ten foote high, with a stocke of a great bignesse for a Rose. The other growing seldome higher then a Damaske Rose. Some doe iudge both these to be but one kinde, the diuersitie happening by the ayre, or ground, or both. Both these Roses haue somewhat smaller and whiter greene leaues then in many other Roses, fiue most vsually set on a stalke, and more white vnderneath, as also a whiter greene barke, armed with sharpe thornes or prickles, whereby they are soone known from other Roses, although the one not so easily from the other: the flowers in the one are whitish, with an eye or shew of a blush, especially towards the ground or bottome of the flower, very thicke double, and close set together, and for the most part not opening it selfe so largely and fully as eyther the Red or Damaske Rose. The other more white, lesse thicke and double, and opening it selfe more, and some so little double as but of two or three rowes, that they might be held to be single, yet all of little or no smell at all. To describe you all the seuerall parts of the Rose, as the bud, the beards, the threds &c. were needlesse, they are so conuersant in euery ones hand, that I shall not neede but to touch the most speciall parts of the varieties of them, and leaue a more exact relation of all things incident vnto them, vnto a generall worke.
2. Rosa Incarnata. The Carnation Rose.
The Carnation Rose is in most things like vnto the lesser white rose, both for the growing of the stocke, and bignesse of the flower, but that it is more spreade abroade when it is blown then the white is, and is of a pale blush colour all the flower thoroughout, of as small a sent as the white one is almost.
Rosa Belgica siue Vitrea.
This kinde of Rose is not very great, but very thicke and double, and is very variable in the flowers, in that they will be so different one from another: some being paler then others, and some as it were blasted, which commeth not casually, but naturally to this rose: but the best flowers (whereof there will bee still some) will be of a bright pale murrey colour, neere vnto the Veluet rose, but nothing so darke a colour.