ADDENDA | 93 
the singular virtue that it hath in sealing or healing up 
wounds, broken bones, and such like. Some have 
thought it took the name Sigillum of the marks upon the 
roots, but the first reason seems to be more probable. 
The root of Solomon’s Seale, stamped while it is fresh 
and green, and applied, taketh away in one night or two 
at the most, any bruise, black or blue spots gotten by 
falls, or women’s wilfullnesse, in stumbling on their 
hasty husband’s fists or such like. ‘That which might 
be written of this herbe as knitting of bones, and that 
truely would seem to some incredible, but common 
experience teacheth that there is not to be found another 
herbe comparable to it for the purposes aforesaid. 
Matthiolas teacheth that a water is drawne out of the 
roots wherewith the women of Italy use to scoure their 
faces from sun-burnnes and freckles with good success. 
Galen saith that neither root nor herbe thereof is to be ~ 
given inwardly; but mark what experience hath found 
out and of late daies among the vulgar sort of people in 
Hampshire, which Galen, Dioscorides, or any other that 
have written of plants have not so much as dreamt of, 
which is ‘ That if any, of what age or sex soever, chance 
to have any bones broken in any part whatsoever of their 
bodies, their refuge is to stampe the roots thereof and 
give it to the patient in ale to drinke, which sodereth 
and glues together the bones in very short space and 
very strongly. Yea, though the bones be but slenderly 
and unhandsomely placed and wrapped. Moreover, the 
said people do give it in like manner to their cattle with 
good success, which they do also stampe and apply out- 
wardly in manner of poultices as well unto themselves as 
their cattle.’ ” 
So much for John Gerrard’s Herbal, 1597, which will 
well repay examination on its merits, and the illustrations 
are quite delightful to the eye, and wonderfully correct 
and minute in detail. 
