There haue beene diuers opinions among our moderne Writers, by what name this plant was knowne to the ancient Authors. Some would haue it be _Cosmosandatos_, of the Ancient. Dodonæus referreth it to πυπῶν of Theophrastus, in his seuenth Booke and thirteenth Chapter: but thereof he is so briefe, that besides the bare name, wee cannot finde him to make any further relation of forme, or quality. And Bauhinus, vpon Matthiolus Commentaries of Dioscorides, and in his Pinax also, followeth his opinion. Camerarius in his Hortus Medicus is of opinion, it may be referred to the Helychrysum of Crateua. Gesner, as I thinke, first of all, and after him Lobel, Camerarius, Clusius and many others, referre it to the Satyrium of Dioscorides: and surely this opinion is the most probable for many reasons. First, for that this plant doth grow very frequent in many places of Greece, and the lesser Asia, which were no doubt sufficiently knowne both to Theophrastus, and Dioscorides, and was accounted among bulbous rootes, although by sundry names. And secondly, as Dioscorides setteth forth his Satyrium, so this most commonly beareth three leaues vpon a stalke (although sometimes with vs it hath foure or fiue) like vnto a Lilly, whereof some are often seen to be both red, in the first springing, and also vpon the decaying, especially in a dry time, and in a dry ground: the flower likewise of some is white, and like a Lilly; the roote is round, and as white within as the white of an egge, couered with a browne coate, hauing a sweetish, but not vnpleasant taste, as any man without danger many try. This description doth so liuely set forth this plant, that I thinke wee shall not neede to be any longer in doubt, where to finde Dioscorides his Satyrium Triphyllum, seeing wee haue such plenty growing with vs. And thirdly, there is no doubt, but that it hath the same qualities, as you shall hereafter heare further. And lastly, that plant likewise that beareth a red flower, may very well agree with his Erythronium; for the descriptions in Dioscorides are both alike, as are their qualities, the greatest doubt may be in the seede, which yet may agree vnto Lin or Flaxe as fitly, or rather more then many other plants doe, in many of his comparisons, which yet wee receiue for currant. For the seede of Tulipas are flat, hard, and shining as the seede of _Linum_ or Flaxe, although of another colour, and bigger, as Dioscorides himselfe setteth it downe. But if there should be a mistaking in the writing of λὶνου for κρὶνου or λεῖριου in the Greeke Text, as the slippe is both easie and likely, it were then out of all