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Of Cranes-Bill

The Description.

DOves-foot hath many hairy stalks, trailing or leaning toward the ground, of a brownish colour, somewhat kneed or joynted; wherupon do grow rough leaves of an overworn green color, round, cut about the edges, and like unto those of the common Mallow: amongst which come forth the floures of a bright purple colour: after which is the seed, set together like the head and bill of a bird; wherupon it was called Cranes-bill, or Storks-bill, as are also all the other of his kind. The root is slender, with some fibres annexed thereto. The Place.

It is found neere to common high waies, desart places, untilled grounds, and specially upon mud walls almost every where.

The Time.

It springeth up in March and Aprill: floureth in May, and bringeth his seed to ripenesse in June.

The Names.

It is commonly called in Latine, Pes Columbinus: in French, Pied de Pigeon: hereupon it may be called Geranium Columbinum: in English, Doves-foot, and Pigeons foot.

The Vertues.

The herbe and roots dried, beaten into most fine pouder, and given halfe a spoonfull fasting, and the like quantitie to bedwards in red wine, or old claret, for the space of one and twenty daies together, cure miraculously ruptures or burstings, as my selfe have often proved, whereby I have gotten crownes and credit: if the ruptures be in aged persons, it shall be needfull to adde thereto the powder of red snailes (those without shels) dried in an oven in number nine, which fortifieth the herbes in such sort, that it never faileth, although the rupture be great and of long continuance: it likewise profiteth much those that are wounded into the body, and the decoction of the herbe made in wine, prevaileth mightily in healing inward wounds, as my selfe have likewise proved.