A nievve herball, or historie of plantes wherin is contayned the vvhole discourse and perfect description of all sortes of herbes and plantes: their diuers [and] sundry kindes: their straunge figures, fashions, and shapes: their names, natures, operations, and vertues: and that not onely of those whiche are here growyng in this our countrie of Englande, but of all others also of forrayne realmes, commonly vsed in physicke. First set foorth in the Doutche or Almaigne tongue, by that learned D. Rembert Dodoens, physition to the Emperour: and nowe first translated out of French into English, by Henry Lyte Esquyer.

Of Mosse. Chap. lxxi.

❀ The Kyndes.

THere be many sortes of Mosse, whereof some growe in the feeldes, some vpon trees trees, and some in shadowie and moyst woods, and some in the rockes of the sea.

❀ The Description.

THE first kinde of Mosse, which groweth vpon trees, and is most properly called Mosse, is nothing els but a forte of small white leaues, all iagged, hackte, or finely kerued, twisted, and enterla∣ced one in another, without roote, without flower or seede, han∣ging and growing vpon trees.

[illustration]

1. Muscus Mosse.

[illustration]

2. Pulmonaria. Lungwurt.

[ 2] The seconde kinde groweth also about trees, the whiche is called Lungwurt, and it doth somwhat resemble Liuerwurt, but that it is greater and larger, with great scales layd one vpō another, metely greene vpon one side, and whitishe vpon the other side.

[illustration]

3. Glodylockes, Polytrichon, or Golden Maydenheare.

[illustration]

4. Ros Solis. Sonne Dewe.

[ 3] [ A] The third kind which some call Golden Poly∣trichon, hath very small slender stalkes, nothing so lōg as a mans hand, couered with short hea∣res, of a browne greene colour changing vppon yellow, the which doth sometymes put foorth other little bare stēmes, with small graynes or seedes at the top.

[ B] Of this sort is founde another smal kinde, like vnto the aforesayd, sauing that it is much lesse.

[ 4] The fourth kinde called Rosa Solis, hath reddishe leaues, somewhat rounde, hollowe, rough, with long stemmes, almost fashioned lyke little spoones, amongst the whiche commeth vp a short stalke, crooked at the toppe, and carrying little white flowers. This herbe is of a very strange nature and maruelous: for although that the Sonne do shine hoate, and a long time thereon, yet you shall finde it alwayes moyst and bedewed, and the small heares thereof alwayes full of little droppes of water: and the hoater the Sonne shineth vpon this herbe, so muche the moystier it is, and the more bedewed, and for that cause it was called Ros Solis in Latine, whiche is to say in Englishe, The dewe of the Sonne, or Sonnedewe.

[ 5] The fifth kinde of Mosse, called Wolfes clawe, creepeth and spreadeth with his branches abroad, wel and thickly couered with a certaine heare of change∣able colour, betwixt greene and yellowe, cleauing fast, and taking holde in certayne places with his smal rootes. These branches agayne do put foorth o∣thers

[illustration]

5. Lycopodium. Woolfs Clawe.

[illustration]

6. Muscus Marinus. Coralin, or Sea Mosse.

thers, parted into three or foure, hauing at their extremities or endes certayne whites fashioned like gripes, or clawes, almost lyke the clawes of Wolfe: And sometymes they bring foorth straight stalkes, small, whitishe, whiche are not couered as the stalkes that creepe vpon the ground: and they carie smal white eares, full of litle leaues, whiche are lyke to small white flowers.

[ 6] The sixth kinde of Mosse, called Mosse of the Sea, hath many smal stalkes, harde, and of a stony sub∣stance, diuided into many ioyntes, and many branches growe foorth togither from one hat, or litle stony head, by the whiche it is fastened vnto rockes.

[illustration]

7. Muscus Marinus Theophrasti, & Fuci species Dioscoridis. Slanke, Wrake, or Lauer.

[illustration]

8. Fuci marinispecies. Wrake, or Sea girdell.

[ 7] The seuēth kind of Mosse, wher∣of The ophrastus spreaketh, is a plante without stalke or stemme, hearing greene leaues, crimpled,

full of wrinckles, and broade, not muche differing in fashion from the leaues of some Lettise, but muche more wrinckled and drawen togither, the whiche leaues come vp many togither, growing vpon rockes.

[ 8] The eight which is a kinde of Fucus Marinus, hath long narrow leaues, al∣most as narrow as a Leeke: the roote is thicke, ful of branches and rough hea∣red, taking holde vpon rockes.

❀ The Place.

[ 1] The first kinde of Mosse groweth vpon trees, especially there where as the grounde is nought.

[ 2] Lungwurt groweth vpon Mossie trees, in moyst, sandie, and shadowie places.

[ 3.4.5] Golden Maydenheare, or Goldylockes Polytrichon, the Ros Solis, and Woolfes clawe, do growe in drie waterie Countries, and also in feeldes that lye vnmanured, or toyled, and in some shadowy wooddes. The Golden Poly∣trichon is very common.

[ 6.7.8] The Sea Mosse groweth vpon stones and rockes in the Sea.

❀ The Names.

[ 1] The first kind of these plantes is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, & of some 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Muscus, of Serapio and in Shoppes Vsnea: of Aetius Dorcadias: in Frenche Mousse: in high Douche Mosz: in base Almaigne Mosch. The best and most fittest for medicine is that whiche groweth vpon the Cedar tree, and next to that, is that whiche groweth vpon the Popler.

[ 2] The seconde kinde is nowe called Pulmonaria in Latine, in English Lung∣wort: in high Douch Lungenkraut: in base Almaigne Longencruyt: in Frēch Herbe aux Poulmons.

[ 3] The thirde is called in Douche Gulden Widdertodt: in base Almaigne, Gulden Wederdoot, that is to say, Golden Polytrichon, of some Iung fraw hare. Some thinke it to be Polytrichon Ipuleanum, albeit there is but small similitude betwixt the one and the other: for Apuleius his Polytrichon, is the true Trichomanes of Dioscorides: we may cal it in English Goldylockes Po∣lytrichon: in Frenche Polytrichon doré.

[ 4] The fourth kinde is called in this Countrie Ros Solis: in Frenche Rosee de Solcil: in Douch Sondaw, and of some Sindaw, and Loopich truyt.

[ 5] The fifth is called in high Douche Beerlap, Gurtelkraut, Seilkraut, Har∣schar, Teuffels clawen: in Brabant Wolfs clawen, and of some Wincruyt: in some Shoppes Spica Celtica: and is taken for the same of the vnlearned, to the great detriment, dammage, and hurt of the sicke and diseased people. What the Greeke or Latine name is, I know not, and therefore after the common name I do call it in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Lycopodion, that is, Pes Lupi, in Latine, and Pied de Loup, in Frenche: in Englishe, Woolfes clawe.

[ 6] The sixth kind is called in Greke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Muscus marinus, that is to say, Mosse of the Sea: in Frenche Mousse Marine: in Douche Zee Mosch: in Shoppes it is called Corallina, that is to say, Herbe Corall, and of the vnlearned Soldanella, vnto whiche it beareth no kinde of lykenesse.

[ 7] The seuenth is called also of Theophrastus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Muscus marinus, that is to say, Sea Mosse with the large leaues: in Frenche Mousse marine a larges fueilles: in Brabant Zee Mosch: it is to be thought, that this is the first kinde of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is to say, Fucus, or Alga, whereof Dioscorides trea∣teth in his fourth booke.

[ 8] The eight is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Fucus, and Alga: this is the second kind of Fucus in Dioscorides, the which Theophrastus nameth also in

Greke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is to say in Latine Porrum, bycause the leaues are lyke vnto Leeke blades.

❀ The Nature.

[ 1] The Mosse is drie and astringent, or of a binding qualitie, without any manyfest heate or colde.

[ 2] Lungworte is lyke to the aforesayde, sauing that it cooleth more.

[ 3.5] Golden Maydenheare, and Woolfes Clawe, are drie and temperate in heate and colde.

[ 4] The Ros Solis is hoate and drie almost in the fourth degree.

[ 5] The Sea Mosse, is colde, drie, and astringent.

❀ The Vertues.

[ A] The decoction of Mosse in water, is good for women to washe them selues in, whiche haue to muche of their naturall sicknesse: and put into the nose, it stayeth bleeding: to conclude, it is very well, and profitably put into all oynt∣mentes and oyles that be astringent.

[ B] The Physitions of our time do muche commend this Pulmonaria, or Lung∣wort, for the diseases of the lunges, especially for the inflammations, and vi∣cers of the same, if it be made into powder and dronke with water.

[ C] They say also that the same boyled in wine and dronke, stoppeth spitting of blood, pissing of blood, the flowers of women, and the laske or fluxe of the belly.

[ D] The same made into powder, and cast into woundes, stoppeth the bleeding, and cureth them.

[ E] Ros Solis brused with Salt, and bounde vppon the fleshe or bare skinne, maketh blisters and holes, euen as Cantharides, as you may proue by expe∣rience.

[ F] The common sort of people do esteeme this herbe (but especially the yellow water) distilled of the same, to be a singuler and special remedie for such as be∣gin to drie away, or are fallen into consumptions, and for them that are trou∣bled with the disease, called Asthma, whiche is a straightnesse in drawing of breath, or with any vlceration in their lunges: thinking that it is very consoli∣datiue, and that it hath a special vertue to strengthen and nourish the body: but that whiche we haue recited before concerning the vertue of this herbe, decla∣reth sufficiently, that their opinion is false.

[ G] Men vse not Golden Maydenheare, nor Woolfes Clawe in medicine.

[ H] Sea Mosse is af a very astringent and preseruing qualitie. Therefore men lay it to the beginning of hoate tunours or swellinges, and vpon all kindes of gowtes that require refreshing or cooling.

[ I] The same also is very good agaynst wormes, to be made in powder, and gi∣uen to take: for it stayeth them, and driueth them foorth mightily.

[ K] The two other sorts of Mosse of the Sea, is also good against flegmons or hoate tumours, and the hoate gowte if they be vsed, as the first kinde of Sea Mosse commonly called Corallina.