Of Adders toong.
The description.
Ophioglossum, or Lingua Serpentis (called in English Adders toong, of some Adders grasse, though vnproperly) riseth foorth of the grounde, hauing one leafe and no more, fatte or oleous in substance, of a finger long, and very like the yoong and tender leaues of Marigoldes: from the bottome of which leafe springeth out a small and tender stalke, one finger and an halfe long; on the ende whereof doth growe a long small toong, not vnlike the toong of a serpent, whereof it tooke the name. I haue seene an other like the former, in root, stalke, and leafe; and differeth in that that this plant hath two and sometimes more crooked toongs, yet of the same fashion, which if my iudgement faile not, changeth per accidens, euen as we see children borne with two thumbes vpon one hand: which mooueth me so to thinke, for that in gathering of twentie bushels of the leaues, a man shal hardly finde one of that fashion.
The place.
Adders toong groweth in moist medowes throughout most parts of Englande, as in a medowe neere the preaching spittle adioining to London; in the Mantels by London; in the medowes by Colbrooke, in the fieldes in Waltham forrest, and many other places.
The time.
They are to be founde in Aprill and Maie; but in Iune they are quite vanished and gone.
The names.
Ophioglossum is called in shops Lingua serpentis, Linguace, and Lingualace: it is also called Lancea Christi, Eneaphyllon, and Lingua vulneraria: in English Adders toong, or Serpents toong: in Dutch Nattertonguen: of the Germains Nater zungelin.
The temperature.
Adders toong is drie in the thirde degree.
The vertues.
The leaues of Adders toong stamped in a stone morter, and boiled in oile oliue vnto the consumption of the iuice, and vntill the herbes be drie and parched, then strained, will yeelde a most excellent greene oile, or rather a Balsame for greene wounds, comparable vnto oile of Saint Iohns woort, if it do not farre surpasse it by many degrees: whose beautie is such, that very many Artists haue thought the same to be mixed with Verdigrease.
Text in Gerard's own spelling (the long s is printed as s), transcribed by the Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). A chapter may run onto pages not yet transcribed. Gerard wrote within Galenic medicine; nothing here is advice.