Adam in Eden, or, Natures paradise the history of plants, fruits, herbs and flowers with their several names ... the places where they grow, their descriptions and kinds, their times of flourishing and decreasing as also their several signatures, anatomical appropriations and particular physical vertues together with necessary observations on the seasons of planting and gathering of our English simples with directions how to preserve them in their compositions or otherwise : ... there is annexed a Latin and English table of the several names of simples, with another more particular table of the diseases and their cures ... / by William Coles ...

CHAP. XV. Of Mosses.

IT may seem strange to any one that considereth not our Method, that we should so much deviate from the common Roads which other Herbarists use to trace, as to treat of the Quince-Tree and Mosse, next to one another, there being in their Opinion so little Similitude between them. Yet because it cures the Dis∣eases of the Hair, as the former doth, and doth a little resemble the Down growing on Quinces, I shall handle it next.

The Names.

Mosse in generall is called in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and in the Attick Tongue, Sphagnum & Hypnum; and Pliny thereupon in one place calleth it in Latine Bryon & Sphagnum, and in another place, Sphagnos, sive Phacos sive Bryon; but it is in Latine usually called Muscus, and properly betokeneth any Herb that is composed of hairs or thred, instead of Leaves; the Arabians and Apothecaries call it Ʋsnea. The Greeks, which seldom gave any thing a name, without a Reason, called it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because it giveth ease to the Entrails.

The Kindes.

The Sorts of these are very numerous: Parkinson reckons up thirty, and treats of them in severall Chapters. It would be somewhat tedious, and to little pur∣pose, to repeat them all; I shall therefore for brevity sake, set down those which I finde to be useful, and let the rest alone; and the first is, Our common ground-Mosse. 2. Cupp-Mosse. 3. Club-Mosse. 4. Oak-Mosse. 5. Apple-Tree Mosse. 6. Mosse of a Dead Mans Skull. Neither of these want a Description so much as the Club-Mosse, because it desires to be known in these times, wherein there is so much dead Wine, which it is said, in short time to recover, I shall therefore describe that.

The Forme.

Club-Mosse, or Wolfs-Claw Mosse, which is in Latine called Muscus clava∣tus sive Lycopodium, groweth close upon the ground, among Bushes and Brakes, to the length of six or eight foot, consisting as it were, of many hairy Leaves, set upon a tough string, very close couched, and compact together: from which is also sent forth, certain other Branches like the first; in sundry places there be sent down divers fine little strings, which serve instead of Roots, where∣with it is fastned to the upper parts of the Earth, and taketh hold likewise of such things as grow next it. There spring also from the Branches, bare or na∣ked stalks, on which grow certain Ears as it were like the Catkines or blow∣ings of the Hazel-Tree, in shape like a little Club, of a yellowish white colour, or rather resembling the Claw of a Wolf, whereof it took its name, which knobby Catkines are altogether barren, and bring forth neither Seed nor Flow∣er, but come to nothing, as they do in all other Mosses.

The Places and Time.

The common Mosse groweth more or lesse every where, but especially in shadowy places, and is used in slating of houses, in some Countries. The Cup

or Callice Mosse which Lobel calls Muscus Pixidatus, creepeth upon the ground like unto Liverwort, but of a yellowish white colour, from who••e Leaves start up things like unto little Cups, and groweth in the most barren, dry, and gra∣velly Ditch Banks, particularly in a Ditch, neer a house formerly called Stockers house, in Stow-Wood, about three miles from Oxford, by the way side, as you go thence to Islip, and sometimes upon old Pales, as upon the School-house Pales at Adderbury in Oxford••hire. The Club-Mosse groweth upon Hamsteed Heath, among the Bushes and Brakes neer a little Cottage there. Oak-mosse is found in many Forrests and Woods in this Land; but the last which is the Mosse of a dead Mans Skull is oftner brought out of Ireland, then found with Us. They are most usually growing, and in their perfection in the Summer∣time.

The Temperature.

The Mosses of the Earth are dry, and astringent of a binding quality, without any heat or cold. Those of the Trees cool, and binde, and do much partake of the nature of the Tree, from whence it is taken: as that of the Oak to be more binding then those of the Cedar, Larch-Ivy, &c. and Fir to be more di∣gesting and m••l••••••ying.

The Signature and Vertues.

A Decoction of the long Mosse that hangs upon Trees, in a manner like hair, is very profitable to be used in the falling off of the hair, and this it doth by Signature. The common ground Mosse is held to be singular good to break the Stone, and to expell and drive it forth by Urine, being boyled in Wine, and drunk. The Herb bruised and boyled in water, and then applyed to any Inflammations, or pains, rising from a hot cause, doth allay and ease them; and therefore they do apply it to the hot Gout, to allay the pains thereof. The Cup Mosse is thought to be a singular Remedy against the Falling-Sickness, and the Chin-Cough in Children, if it be powdered, and then given in sweet Wine for certain dayes together. The Club-Mosse hung in a Vessel of Wine, that hath lost the vigour and vertue, that floateth, and is become slimy, restoreth it to its former goodness, if the quantity thereof be answerable to the bigness of the Vessel, whereupon Brunfelsius hath called it Wein Kraut, the Wine-Herb. The Mosse of Trees, especially of the Oak, is of good use and effect to stay Fluxes and Lasks in Man or Woman: as also vomiting and bleedings, spitting of blood, pissing of blood, the Tearms, and the Bloody Flux, if the powder there∣of be boyled in Wine and drunk. The Decoction thereof in Wine is very good for Women to be bathed with, or to sit in, that are troubled with abundance of their Courses: the same also drunk, doth stay the troubled Stomack, per∣plexed with casting, or the Hickok, and doth also comfort the heart, as Avicen saith; and as Serapio saith, procureth deep sleep: some have thought it availa∣ble for the Dropsie, if the Powder thereof be taken in drink for some time toge∣ther. The Oyl of Roses that hath fresh Mosse steeped therein for a time, and after boyled, and applyed to the Temples and forehead, doth marvellously ease the Head-ach, that commeth of a hot cause: as also the distillations of hot Rheum or Humours to the Eyes or other parts. The Ancients much used it in their Oyntments, &c. against weariness, and to strengthen and comfort the Sinews. My Lord Bacon saith, that there is a sweet Mosse growing upon Ap∣ple-Trees, which is of excellent use for Perfumers, who if they knew it, would greedily catch after it. The Mosse that groweth upon dead Mens Skulls, hath not only been in former times much accounted of, because it is rare, and hard∣ly gotten; but in our times, much more set by, to make the Unguentum Sym∣patheticum, or Weapon-Salve, which cureth wounds without locall applicati∣on: in the composition whereof, this is put as a principal Ingredient, but

as Crollius hath it, it should be taken from the Skulls of those which have peri∣shed by a violent death.