The Description.

            1. Great Dog's Stones hath four, and sometimes five, great broad thick leaves, somewhat like those of the garden Lily, but smaller. The stalk riseth up a foot or more in height; at the top whereof doth grow a thick tuft of carnation or horse-flesh coloured flowers, thick and close thrust together, made of many small flowers spotted with purple spots, in shape like to an open hood or helmet. And from the hollow place there hangeth forth a certain chive or tassel, in shape like to the skin of a dog, or same such other four footed beast. The roots be round like unto the stones of a dog, or two olivss, one hanging somewhat shorter than the other, whereof the highest or uppermost is the smaller, but fuller and harder. The lowermost is the greatest, lightest, and most wrinkled or shriveled, not good for anything.

            2. Whitish Dog's Stones hath likewise smooth, long broad Ieaves, but lesser and narrower than those of the first kind. The stalk is a span long, set with five or six leaves clasping or embracing the same round about. His spiky flame is short, thick, bushy, composed of many small whitish purple coloured flowers, spotted on the inside with many small purple spots and little lines or streaks. The small flowers are like an open hood or helmet, having hanging out of every one as it were the body of a little man without a head, with arms stretched out, and thighs straddling abroad, after the same manner almost that the little boys are wont to be pictured hanging out of Saturn's mouth. The roots be like the former.

            3. Spotted Dog's Stones bring forth narrow leaves, ribbed in some sort like unto the leaves of narrow Plaintain or Ribwort, dashed with many black streaks and spots. The stalk is a cubit and more high: at the top whereof doth grow a tuft or ear of violet-coloured flowers, mixed with a dark purple, but in the hollowness thereof whitish, not of the same form or shape that the others are of, but lesser, and as it were resembling somewhat the flowers of Larkspur. The roots be like the former.

            4. Marsh Dog's Stones have many thick blunt leaves next the root, thick streaked with lines or nerves like those of Plantain. The flower is of a whitish red or carnation: the stalk and roots be like the former.

Fig. 353. Lesser Austrian Dog's Stones (5)

            5. This hath five or six little leaves; the stalk is some handful or better in height, set about with somewhat less leaves: the tuft of flowers at the top of the stalk are of a purple colour, small, with a white lip divided into four partitions hanging down, which also is lightly spotted with purple; it hath a little spur hanging down on the hinder part of each flower. The seed is small, and contained in such twined heads as in other plants of this kind. The roots are like the former, but much less.

The Place.

            These kinds of Dog's Stones do grow in moist and fertile meadows. The Marsh Dog's Stones grow for the most part in moist and waterish woods, and also in marsh grounds. The 5 grows in many hilly places ofAustria and Germany.

The Time.

            They flower from the beginning of May to the midst of August.

The Names.

            The first and second are of that kind which Dioscorides calleth Cynosorchos; that is in English, Dog's Stones, after the common or vulgar speech; the one the greater, the other the lesser.

            1. This is Cynosorchis prior of Dodonæus, Cynosorchis nostra major of Lobel.

            2. Dodonæus names this Cynosorchis altera. Lobel, Cynosorchis majoris secunda species.

            3. This Lobel calls Cynosorchis Delphinia, &c.: Tabern., Cynosorchis maculata.

            4. Dodonæus calls this, Cynosorchis tertia: Lobel, Cynosorchis major altera nostras: Tabernamontanus, Cynosorchis major quarta.

            5. This is Clusius his Orchis Pannonica quarta.

The Temperature.

            These kinds of Dog's Stones be of temperature hot and moist; but the greater or fuller stone seemeth to have much superfluous windiness, and therefore being drunk it stirreth up fleshly lust.

            The second, which is lesser, is quite contrary in nature, tending to a hot and dry temperature; therefore his root is so far from moving venery, that contrariwise it stayeth and keepeth it back; as Galen teacheth.

            He also affirmeth, that Serapis' Stones are of a more dry faculty, and do not so much prevail to stir up the lust of the flesh.

The Virtues.

            A. Dioscorides writeth that it is reported, That if men do eat of the great full or fat roots of these kinds of Dog's Stones, they cause them to beget male children; and if women eat of the lesser dry or barren root which is withered or shrivelled, they shall bring forth females. These are some doctors' opinions only.

            B. It is further reported, That in Thessalia the women give the tender full root to be drunk in goat's milk, to move bodily lust, and the dry to restrain the same.

The Choice.

            Our age useth all the kinds of Stones to stir up venery, and the apothecaries mix any of them indifferently with compositions serving for that purpose. But the best and most effectual are the Dog's Stones, as most have deemed: yet both the bulbs or stones are not to be taken indifferently, but the harder and fuller, and that which contains most quantity of juice, for that whieh is wrinkled is less profitable, or not fit at all to be used in medicine. And the fuller root is not always the greater, but often the lesser, especially if the roots be gathered before the plant hath shed his flower or when the stalk first cometh up; for that which is fuller of juice is not the greatest before the seed be perfectly ripe. For seeing that every other year by course one stone or bulb waxeth full, the other empty and perisheth, it cannot be that the harder and fuller of juice should be always the greater; for at such time as the leaves come forth, the fuller then begins to increase, and whilst the same by little & little increaseth, the other doth decrease and wither till the seed be ripe: then the whole plant, together with the leaves and stalks doth forthwith fall away and perish, and that which in the mean time increased, remaineth fresh and full unto the next year.