Moonwort.
Description.
This riseth up usually but with one dark green thick and fat Leaf standing upon a short footstalk, not a bove two fingers breadth; but when it will flower it may be said to beare a small slender stalk about four or five Inches high, having but one leaf set in the middle therof, wch is much devided on both sides into somtimes five or seven parts on a sid, somtimes more, each of which parts is small next the middle rib, but broad forwards and round pointed, resembling therein an half Moon from whence it took the name, the uppermost parts or divisions being less than the lowest: The Stalk riseth above this Leaf two or three inches, bearing many Branches of small long Tongues, every one like the spiky Head of Adders-Tongue, of a brownish colour, which whether I shall call them Flowers or the Seed, I well know not•• which after they have continued a while resolve into a Mealy dust: The Root is smal and Fibrous. This hath somtimes divers such like Leavs as are be∣fore Described, with so many branches or tops arising from one Stalk each devided from the other.
Place.
It groweth on Hills, and Heaths, yet where there is much Grass, for therein it delighteth to grow.
Time.
It is to be found only in April and May, for in June when any hot weather cometh for the most part it is withered and gone.
Vertues and use.
Moonwort is cold and drying more than Adders-tongue, and is therefore held to be more available for all Wounds both inward and outward: The Leavs boyled in red Wine and drunk stayeth the immoderate Flux of Womens Courses* 1.1 and the Whites: It also staieth Bleeding, Vomitings, and other Flu∣xes; It helpeth all Blows and Bruises, and to consolidate all Fractures and Dislocations. It is good for Ruptures: But it is chiefly used by most, with other Herbs to make Oyls or Balsoms to heal fresh or green Wounds (as I said before) either inward or outward, for which it is excellent good.
Moonwort is an Herb which they say will o∣pen Locks, and unshoo such Horses as tread upon it, this some laugh to scorn, and those no smal Fools neither, but Country people that I know, call it [Unshoo the Horse] be∣sides I have heard Commanders say, That on White Down in Devon. neer Tiverton, there was found thirty Hors shoos, pulled off from the feet of the Earl of Essex his Horses being there drawn up in a Body, many of them be∣ing but newly shod, and no reason known, which caused much admiration; and the Herb described usually grows upon Heaths. The Moon owns the Herb.