Of Fooles stones.

5 Cynorchis Morio mas. The male Foole stones. 6 Cynorchis Morio foemina. The female Foole stones.

The description.

5 The male Foole stones hath fiue, sometimes sixe, long broad and smooth leaues, not vnlike to those of the Lillie, sauing that they are dasht and spotted in sundry places with blacke spots and streaks. The flowers grow at the top tuft or spike fashion, somewhat like the former, but thrust more thicke together, in shape like to a fooles hood or cocks-combe wide open, or gaping before, and as it were crested aboue with certaine eares standing vp by euery side, and a small taile or spur hanging downe, the backside declining to a violet colour, of a pleasant fauour or smell. 6 The female Fools stones hath also smooth narrow leaues, ribbed with nerues like those of Plantaine. The flowers be likewise gaping, and like the former, as it were open hoods, with a little horne or heele hanging behinde euery one of them, and small greene leaues sorted or mixed among them, resembling cocks-combes, with little eares, not standing straight vp, but lying flat vpon the hooded flower, in such sort, that they cannot at the sudden viewe be perceiued. The rootes are a couple of small stones like the former. The flowers of this sort do varie infinitely in colour, according to the soile or countrey where they do grow: some bring foorth their flowers of a deepe violet colour, some as white as snow, some of a flesh colour, & some garnished with spots of diuers colours which are not possible to be distinguished.

The place.

These kinds of Fooles stones do grow naturally to their best liking in pastures and fields that seldome or neuer are dunged or manured.

The time.

They flower in Iune, Iuly and the beginning of August. Their stones are to be gathered for medicine in September, as are those of the Dogs stones.

The names.

The first is called Cynorchis morio: of Fuchsius Orchis mas: of Apuleius Satyrian, and also Orchis Delphinia: in English male Foole stones, and Cuckow Orchis.

The temperature.

Foole stones both male and female are hot and moist of nature.

The vertues.

The vertues of these Foole stones are thought to haue the vertues of Dogs stones, whereunto they are referred.