The Description.
1 Those herbs which at this day are called Primroses, Cowslips, and Oxlips, are reckoned among the kindes of Mulleins; notwithstanding for distinctions sake I have marshalled them in a chapter, comming in the rereward as next neighbors to the Mulleins, for that the Antients have named them Verbasculi, that is to say, small Mulleins. The first, which is called in English the field Cowslip, is as common as the rest, therefore I shal not need to spend much time about the description.
2 The second is likewise well knowne by the name of Oxlip, and differeth not from the other save that the floures are not so thicke thrust together, and they are fairer, and not so many in number, and do not smell so pleasant as the other: of which kind we have one lately come into our gardens, whose floures are curled and wrinkled after a most strange maner, which our women have named Jack-an-apes on horsebacke.
3 Double Paigle, called of Pena, Primula hortensis Anglica omnium maxima, & serotina floribus plenis; that is, The greatest English garden Cowslip with double yellow floures, is so commonly knowne that it needeth no description.
4 The fourth is likewise known by the name of double Cowslips, having but one floure within another, which maketh the same once double, where the other is many times double, called by Pena, Geminata, for the likenesse of the floures, which are brought forth as things against nature, or twinnes.
5 The fifth being the common whitish yellow field Primrose, needeth no description.
6 The sixth, which is our garden double Primrose, of all the rest is of greatest beauty, the description whereof I refer unto your owne consideration.
7 The seventh is also very well known, being a Primrose with greenish floures somwhat welted about the edges.
The Place.
Cowslips and Primroses joy in moist and dankish places, but not altogether covered with water: they are found in woods and the borders of fields.
The Time.
They flourish from Aprill to the end of May, and some one or other of them do floure all Winterlong.
The Names.
They are commonly called Primula veris, because they are the first among those plants that doe floure in the Spring, or because they floure with the first.
The greater sort, called for the most part Oxlips or Paigles, are named of divers Herba S. Petri: in English, Oxlip, and Paigle.
The Vertues.
A practitioner of London who was famous for curing the phrensie, after he had performed his cure by the due observation of physick, accustomed every yeare in the moneth of May to dyet his Patients after this manner: Take the leaves and floures of Primrose, boile them a little in fountaine water, and in some rose and Betony waters, adding thereto sugar, pepper, salt, and butter, which being strained, he gave them to drinke thereof first and last.
The roots of Primrose stamped and strained, and the juice sniffed into the nose with a quill or such like, purgeth the brain, and qualifieth the pain of the megrim.
An unguent made with the juice of Cowslips and oile of Linseed, cureth all scaldings or burnings with fire, water, or otherwise.