16. Rosa lutea simplex. The single yellow Rose.
This single yellow Rose is planted rather for variety then any other good vse. It often groweth to a good height, his stemme being great and wooddy, with few or no prickes vpon the old wood, but with a number of small prickes like haires, thicke set, vpon the younger branches, of a darke colour somewhat reddish, the barke of the young shootes being of a sad greene reddish colour: the leaues of this Rose bush are smaller, rounder pointed, of a paler greene colour, yet finely snipt about the edges, and more in number, that is, seuen or nine on a stalke or ribbe, then in any other Garden kinde, except the double of the same kinde that followeth next: the flower is a small single Rose, consisting of fiue leaues, not so large as the single Spanish Muske Rose, but somewhat bigger then the Eglantine or sweete Briar Rose, of a fine pale yellow colour, without any great sent at all while it is fresh, but a little more, yet small and weake when it is dryed.
17. Rosa lutea multiplex siue flore pleno. The double yellow Rose.
The double yellow Rose is of great account, both for the rarity, and doublenesse of the flower, and had it sent to the rest, would of all other be of highest esteeme. The stemme or stocke, the young shoots or branches, the small hairy prickes, and the small winged leaues, are in all parts like vnto the former single kinde; the chiefest difference consisteth in the doublenesse of the flower or Rose, which is so thicke and double, that very often it breaketh out on one side or another, and but a few of them abiding whole and faire in our Countrey, the cause whereof wee doe imagine to bee the much moisture of our Countrey, and the time of flowring being subiect to much raine and showers; many therefore doe either plant it against a wall, or other wayes defend it by couering: againe, it is so plentifull in young shootes or branches, as also in flowers at the toppe or euery branch, which are small and weake for the most part, that they are not able to bring all the flowers to ripenesse; and therefore most of them fall or wither away without comming to perfection (the remedy that many doe vse for this inconuenience last recited is, that they nippe away most of the buds, leauing but some few vpon it, that so the vigour of the plant may be collected into a few flowers, whereby they may the better come to perfection, and yet euen thus it is hardly effected) which are of a yellowish greene colour in the bud, and before they be blowne open, but then are of a faire yellow colour, very full of leaues, with many short haires rather then leaues in the middle, and hauing short, round, greene, smooth buttons, almost flat vnder them: the flower being faire blowne open, doth scarce giue place for largenesse, thicknesse, and doublenesse, vnto the great Prouence or Holland Rose. This Rose bush or plant is very tender with vs here about London, and will require some more care and keeping then the single of this kinde, which is hardy enough; for I haue lost many my selfe, and I know but a few about this towne that can nourse it vp kindly, to beare or scarce to abide without perishing; but abideth well in euery free aire of all or the most parts of this Kingdome: but (as I heare) not so well in the North.
18. Rosa Moschata simplex & multiplex. The Muske Rose single and double.
The Muske Rose both single and double, rise vp oftentimes to a very great height, that it ouergroweth any arbour in a Garden, or being set by an house side, to bee ten or twelue foote high, or more, but more especially the single kinde, with many green farre spread branches, armed with a few sharpe great thornes, as the wilder sorts of Roses are, whereof these are accounted to be kindes, hauing small darke greene leaues on them, not much bigger then the leaues of Eglantine: the flowers come forth at the toppes of the branches, many together as it were in an vmbell or tuft which for the most part doe flower all at a time, or not long one after another, euery one standing on a pretty long stalke, and are of a pale whitish or creame colour, both the single and the double; the single being small flowers, consisting of fiue leaues, with many yellow threads in the middle: and the double bearing more double flowers, as if they were once or twice more double then the single, with yellow thrummes also in the middle, both of them of a very sweete and pleasing smell, resembling Muske: some there be that haue auouched, that the chiefest sent of these Roses consisteth not in the leaues, but in the threads of the flowers.
19. Rosa Moschata multiplex altera: alijs Damascena alba, vel verisimilior Cinamomea flore pleno albo. The double white Damaske Muske Rose.
This other kinde of Muske Rose (which with some is called the white Damaske Muske, but more truely the double white Cinamon Rose) hath his stemme and branches also shorter then the former, but as greene: the leaues are somewhat larger, and of a whiter greene colour; the flowers also are somewhat larger then the former double kinde, but standing in vmbels after the same manner, or somewhat thicker, and of the same whitish colour, or a little whiter, and somewhat, although but a little, neare the smell of the other, but nothing so strong. This flowreth at the time of other Roses, or somewhat later, yet much before the former two sorts of Muske Roses, which flower not vntill the end of Summer, and in Autumne; both which things, that is, the time of the flowring, and the sent being both different, shew plainly it cannot be of the tribe of the Muske Roses.