62 VERBENACE^— VERBENA TRIBE 



it, such as making the sign of the cross with the hand and repeating this 



incantation : — 



'Hallowed be thou, Vervain, 



As thou growest on the ground, 



For in the Mount of Calvary- 

 There thou wast first found. 



Thou healedst our Saviour Jesus Christ, 

 And staunchedst His bleeding wound ; 



In the name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, 

 I take thee from the ground !" 



It was doubtless owing to the veneration in which the plant was held in 



ancient days, that it was in later ones believed to possess great medicinal 



virtues. Indeed, in several old directions for its use, we find intimations of 



a belief in its magical properties. Even of late years the author has seen a 



piece of Vervain root tied round the neck of a child as a charm to cure the 



ague, and was told that the plant required to be attached to a w^hite satin 



ribbon in order to ensure its elficacy. But the herb was also described as a 



remedy in thirty different maladies ; and the author can remember having, 



during childhood, seen a pamphlet wholly devoted to a description of the 



uses of the plant in various disorders, and prefaced by an engraving of the 



Vervain, though the herb does not appear to possess any real medicinal powers 



beyond a slight degree of astringency. We find Michael Drayton thus 



alluding to it : — 



' ■ Here holy Vervayne, and here dill, 

 'Gainst witchcraft much avayling ; 

 Here horehound 'gaynst the mad dog's ill, 

 By biting, never failing." 



We never find this plant omitted whenever the old poets wrote, as they often 

 did in their verses, a list of the various herbs of power. Thus, Spenser 

 says : — 



" And then again he turneth to his play, 



To spoil the pleasure of that paradise, 



The wholesome sage, and lavender still grey, 



Rank-smelling rue, and cummin good for eyes ; 



The roses reigning in the pride of May, 



Sharp isop, good for green wounds' remedies ; 



Fair marygolds, and bees alluring thime, 



Swete marjoram, and daisies decking prime. 



"Cool violets and orpine growing still, 

 Embathed balm, and cheerful galingale, 

 Fresh costmary and breathful camomil. 

 Dull poppy and drink-quickening setewale, 

 Vein-healing Verven, and head-purging dill, 

 Sound savory, and bazil, harty-hale, 

 Fat coleworts and comforting perseline, 

 Cold lettuce, and refreshing rosmarine." 



No wonder that the Vervain had the expressive old name of Simpler's 

 Joy. It was called also Juno's Herb, Mercurie's Moist Blood, Enchanter's 

 Plant, and Pigeon's Grasse. The last name was given because, according to 

 Gerarde, " Pigeons are delighted to be amongst it, and to eat thereof." It 

 is called in France, Fervene ; in Germany, Eisenkraut ; in Holland, Yzerhard ; 

 in Russia, Scheelsnik ; in Italy and Spain, Verbena. 



