The Description.
1 The great Mouse-eare hath great and large leaves, thicke, and full of substance: the stalkes and leaves bee hoary and white, with a silken mossinesse in handling like silke, pleasant and faire in view: it bears three or foure quadrangle stalkes somewhat knotty, a foot long: the roots are hard, wooddy, and full of strings; the floures come forth at the top of the stalk, like unto the small Dandelion, of a bright yellow colour.
2 The second kinde of Pylosella is that which we call Auricula muris, or Mous-eare, being a very common herbe, but few more worthy of consideration because of his good effect, and yet not remembred of the old writers. It is called Pylosella, of the rough hairy and whitish substance growing upon the leaves, which are somewhat long like the little Daisie, but that they have a small hollownesse in them resembling the eare of a mouse: upon which consideration some have called it Myosotis.
The Place.
They grow upon sandy banks and untoiled places that lie open to the aire.
The Time.
They floure in May and June.
The Vertues.
The decoction of Pylosella drunke doth cure and heale all wounds, both inward and outward.
The leaves dried and made into pouder, doe profit much in healing of wounds, beeing strewed thereupon.
The decoction of the juice is of such excellencie, that if steeleedged tooles red hot be drenched, and cooled therein oftentimes, it maketh them so hard, that they will cut stone or iron, bee they never so hard, without turning the edge or waxing dull.