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Of One-Berry, or Herbe True-Love, and Moone-Wort

The Description. 1 HErbe Paris riseth up with one smal tender stalke two hands high; at the very top whereof come forth foure leaves directly set one against another in manner of a Burgundian Crosse or True-love knot: for which cause among the Antients it hath been called Herbe True-love. In the midst of the said leafe comes forth a starre-like floure of an herby or grassie colour; out of the middest whereof there ariseth up a blackish browne berry: the root is long and tender, creeping under the earth, and dispersing it selfe hither and thither. 2 The small Lunary springeth forth of the ground with one leafe like Adders-tongue, jagged or cut on both sides into five or six deepe cuts or notches, not much unlike the leaves of Scolopendria, or Ceterach, of a greene colour; whereupon doth grow a small naked stem of a finger long, bearing at the top many little seeds clustering together; which being gathered and laid in a platter or such like thing for the space of three weekes, there will fall from the same a fine dust or meale of a whitish colour, which is the seed if it bring forth any. The root is slender, and compact of many small threddy strings.

The Place.

Herba Paris groweth plentifully in all these places following; that is to say, in Chalkney wood neere to wakes Coulne, seven miles from Colchester in Essex, and in the wood by Robinhoods well, neere to Nottingham; in the parsonage orchard at Radwinter in Essex, neere to Saffron Walden; in Blackburne at a place called Merton in Lancashire; in the Moore by Canterbury called the Clapper; in Dingley wood, six miles from Preston in Aundernesse; in Bocking parke by Braintree in Essex; at Hesset in Lancashire, and in Cotting wood in the North of England; as that excellent painefull and diligent Physition Mr Doctor Turner of late memorie doth record in his Herbal. Lunaria or small Moone-wort groweth upon dry and barren mountains and heaths. I have found it growing in these places following; that is to say, about Bathe in Somersetshire in many places, especially at a place called Carey, two miles from Bruton, in the next close unto the Churchyard; on Cockes Heath betweene Lowse and Linton, three miles from Maidstone in Kent: it groweth also in the ruines of an old bricke-kilne by Colchester, in the ground of Mr George Sayer, called Miles end: it groweth likewise upon the side of Blacke-heath, neere unto the stile that leadeth unto Eltham house, about an hundred paces from the stile: also in Lancashire neere unto a Wood called Fairest, by Latham: moreover, in Nottinghamshire by the Westwood at Gringley, and at Weston in the Ley field by the West side of the towne; and in the Bishops field at Yorke, neere unto Wakefield, in the close where Sir George Savill his house standeth, called the Heath Hall, by the relation of a learned Doctor in Physicke called Master John Mershe of Cambridge, and many other places. The Time.

Herba Paris floureth in Aprill, and the berry is ripe in the end of May. Lunaria or small Moone wort is to be seene in the moneth of May. The Vertues.

The berries of Herbe Paris given by the space of twentie daies, are excellent good against poyson, or the pouder of the herbe drunke in like manner halfe a spoonefull at a time in the morning fasting.

The same is ministred with great successe unto such as are become peevish. Small Moone-woort is singular to heale greene and fresh wounds. It hath beene used among the Alchymists and witches to doe wonders withall, who say, that it will loose lockes, and make them to fall from the feet of horses that grase where it doth grow, and hath beene called of them Martagon, whereas in truth they are all but drowsie dreames and illusions; but it is singular for wounds as aforesaid.