152 ENGLISH BOTANY. 
subtile nature, bright and sweete smelling.’ Hill, in his “Herbal,” declares that 
“the whole compass of medicine does not afford a nobler cordial or sudorifick ;” and 
Gerarde says that, though it causes headache and hurts the brain if taken in large 
quantities, its moderate use is good for the head, maketh the senses more quick and 
lively, merry and less sleepy, strengthening the heart and lungs, and being “ especial 
good” for consumption, “even if the patient be at death's door.” For yellow jaundice 
he commends it according to the doctrine of signatures, and for “ plasters to sores,” 
adding that it is much used in illuminating and other painting. It is now very little 
used in medicine, except as a colouring matter for mixtures and powders. 
Among the ancients in the west, as well as in the east, the Crocus was highly prized, 
whether in its fresh state for strewing the floors of apartments, or as saffron for 
twenty different purposes. Homer mentions it with the lotus and hyacinth; Pliny 
devotes a chapter to its treatment and propagation; and Horace particularises the 
“Corycian saffron,” which was esteemed the best in the world. The Romans applied 
the essential oil to the skin as a cosmetic, as well as to the hair, and largely used it 
for the purpose of scenting and refreshing theatres and other places of assembly. 
For this purpose it was powdered and steeped in water or wine; the liquid was then 
shot, by means of a kind of syringe with extremely fine pores, over the whole multi- 
tude, so that it fell in drops so fine as to resemble an almost impalpable dust. In the 
tales of the “ Arabian Nights,” saffron cakes abound even more plentifully than they 
did in former days in the hospitalities of our English housewives. The monopoly of 
all saffron grown in the district is still retained by the Rajah of Cashmere, and the 
cultivators are compelled to sell it to him at a stated price; the whole crop being 
compulsorily carried to the town of Cashmere before the prized stigmas are extracted. 
Hakluyt states that the cultivation of saffron was introduced into England in the 
reign of Edward III. by a pilgrim, who, being a native of Walden in Essex, brought 
a bulb of the precious Crocus to his native place. This was done “ with venture of 
his life, for if he had been taken, by the law of the country from whence he came he 
had died for the fact.’ In order to bestow this benefit on his native district, he had 
hollowed out his palmer’s staff so as to conceal within it the precious plant. From 
this circumstance the name Saffron Walden seems to have originated, and it is 
singular that saffron is grown in that district to the exclusion of almost all others in 
England. During Lent saffron was at one time largely used in cookery, it is said for 
the purpose of keeping up the “animal spirits,” which long-continued fasting con- 
siderably affected. Camden, when writing of Saffron Walden, says that the fields 
under saffron cultivation look “ very pleasant,” and, “what is more to be admired, 
that the ground which hath bore saffron three years together, will bear barley very 
plentifully eighteen years without dunging, and afterwards be fit eno’ for saffron.” 
The “ Roman Catholic Flora,” in mentioning the particular flower to be laid at the 
shrine of every saint according to the season of the year, says that 
“The Crocus blows before the shrine 
At vernal dawn of St. Valentine.” 
Hence it is often called “Flower of St. Valentine,” or “‘Hymen’s torch,’ a name 
prettily appropriate to the flaming glow of the golden yellow Crocus, which, according 
to Roman mythology, was once a youth pining to death for his love, and was meta- ~ 
morphosed into a Crocus. According to others, it first sprang from some drops of 
magic liquor which Medea prepared to restore the aged Alison to the strength and 
vigour of youth, 
