Of Corne Flag.

| 1 Gladiolus Narbonensis. | 2 Gladiolus Italicus. | | :--- | :--- | | French corne Flag. | Italian corne Flag. |

The description.

French Corne Flag hath small stiffe leaues, ribbed or chamfered with long nerues or sinewes running through the same, in shape like those of the small Flower de-luce, or the blade of a sworde, sharpe pointed, of an ouerworne greene colour: among the which riseth vp a stiffe brittle stalke, a cubite high, whereupon do grow in comely order many faire purple flowers, gaping as those of Snapdragon, or not much differing from the Foxe gloue, called in Latin Digitalis: after there come in place round knobby seede vessels, full of chaffie seede, very light, of a browne reddish colour. The roote consisteth of two Bulbes, one set vpon the other, the vppermost whereof in the beginning of the spring is lesser and more full of iuice: the lower more greater, but more loose and lithie, which a little while after perisheth. Italian Corne Flag hath long narrow leaues, with many ribs or nerues running through the same: the stalke is stiffe and brittle, whereupon do grow flowers orderly placed vpon one side of the stalke, whereas the precedent hath his flowers placed on both the sides of the stalke, in shape and colour like the former, as are also the rootes, but seldome seene one aboue another, as in the former. There is a thirde sort of Corne Flag, which agreeth with the last described in euery point, sauing that the flowers of this are of a pale colour, as it were betweene white and that which we call maidens blush.

The place.

These kinds of Corne Flags growe in medowes, and in eareable grounds among corne in many places of Italy, as also in the parts of Fraunce bordering therunto. Neither are the fields of Austria and Morauia without them, as Cordus writeth. We haue great plentie of them in our London gardens, especially for the garnishing and decking them vp, with their seemely flowers.

The time.

They flower from May to the end of Iuly.

The names.

Corne Flag is called in Greeke Ξιφιον: in Latine Gladiolus, and of some Ensis; of others φάσγανον, and Gladiolus segetalis: Theophrastus in his discourse of Phasganum, maketh it the same with Xiphion. Valerius Cordus calleth Corne Flag Victorialis fœmina: others Victorialis rotunda: In the Germaine toong Seigwurtz: to make a difference betweene Gladiolus and Victorialis, seeing that the right Victorialis is a kinde of Garlicke found vpon the highest tops of the Alpish mountaines, which is likewise called of the Germains Seigwurtz: so that Cordus did forget himselfe in calling Gladiolus Victorialis: notwithstanding the Germaines appellations. The flowers of Corne Flag are called of the Italians Monacuccio: in English Corne Flag, Corne Sedge, Corne Gladin: in French Glais.

The temperature.

The roote of Corne Flag, as Galen saith, is of force to drawe, waste or consume away and drie, as also of a subtill and digesting qualitie.

The vertues.

The roote stamped with the powder of frankensence and wine, applied, draweth foorth splinters and thornes that sticke fast in the flesh. Being stamped with the meale of Darnell and honied water, doth waste and make subtill harde lumps, nodes and swellings being emplaistred. Some affirme that the vpper roote prouoketh bodilie lust, and the lower causeth barrennesse. The vpper roote drunke in water, is profitable against that kinde of bursting in children called Enterocele. The roote of Corne flag stamped with hogs grease and wheaten meale, hath been found by late practitioners in Phisicke and Chirurgerie to be a certaine and approoued remedie against Struma, Scrophulas, and such like swellings in the throte. The cods with the seed dried and beaten into powder, & drunke in Goates milke, or Asses milke, presentlie taketh away the paine of the collicke.