THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



that is given to casting. It is very good j and May; for in June, when any hot 

 also for the ulcers or excoriations of the \ weather conies, for the most part it is 



ungs, or other inward parts. It is exceed- 

 ingly good for all wounds, either fresh or 

 green, to heal them speedily, and for all 

 old ulcers that are of spreading natures. 



withered and gone. 



Government and virtues."] The Moon owns 

 the herb. Moon wort is cold and drying 

 more than Adder's Tongue, and is therefore 



For all which purposes the juice of the [held lo be more available for all wounds 

 herb, or the powder drank in water where- 

 in hot steel hath been often quenched ; or 

 the decoction of the green herb in wine, or 



both inward and outward. The leaves 

 boiled in red wine, and drank, stay the 

 immoderate flux of women's courses, and 



water drank, or used to the outward place, | the whites. It also stays bleeding, vomit- 

 to wash or bathe them, or to have tents j ing, and other fluxes. It helps all blows 

 dipped therein and put into them, are ef-jand bruises, and to consolidate all frac- 

 fectual. tures and dislocations. It is good for rup- 



tures, but is chiefly used, by most with 

 other herbs, to make oils or balsams to heal 

 fresh or green wounds (as I said before) 

 either inward or outward, for which it is 



BIOONWORT. 



Descript.] IT rises up usually but wilh 

 one dark green, thick and flat leaf, stand- 

 ing upon a short foot-stalk not above two 

 fingers breadth ; but when it flowers it may 

 be said to bear a small slender stalk about 



excellently good. 



Moonwort is an herb which (they say) 

 will open locks, and unshoe such horses as 



four or five inches high, having but one U read upon it: This some laugh to scorn, 

 leaf in the middle thereof, which is much j and those no small fools neither ; but coun- 

 divided on both sides into sometimes five i try people, that I know, call it Unshoe the 

 or seven parts on a side, sometimes more ; i Horse. Besides I have heard commanders 



each of which parts is small like the middle 

 rib, but broad forwards, pointed and round, 

 resembling therein a half-moon, from whence 

 it took the name ; the uppermost parts or 

 divisions being bigger than the lowest. 

 The stalks rise above this leaf two or three 

 inches, bearing many branches of small 

 long tongues, every one like the spiky head 

 of the adder's tongue, of a brownish colour, j 

 (which, whether 1 shall call them flowers, or} 

 the seed, I well know not) which, after they { 

 Ifave continued awhile, resolve into a mealy 

 dust. The root is small and fibrous. This 

 hath sometimes clivers such like leaves as 

 are before described, with so many branches 

 or tops rising from one stalk, each divided 

 from the other. 



Place.~\ It grows on hills and heaths, 

 yet where there is much grass, lor therein 

 it delights lo grow. 



say, that on White Down in Devonshire, 

 near Tiverton, there were found thirty 

 horse shoes, pulled off from the feet of the 

 Earl of Essex's horses, being there drawn 

 up in a body, many of them being but 

 newly shod, and no reason known, which 

 caused much admiration : the herb des- 

 cribed usually grows upon heaths. 



MOSSES. 



I SHALL not trouble the reader with 

 a description of these, since my intent is to 

 speak only of two kinds, as the most prin- 

 cipal, viz. Ground Moss and Tree Moss, 

 both which are very well known. 



Place.~\ The Ground Moss grows in our 

 moist woods, and at the bottom of hills, irj 

 boggy grounds, and in shadowy ditches 

 and many other such like places. The Ti(J 

 Moss grows only on trees. 



Time.~\ It is to be found only in April \ Government and virtues.'] All sorts 





