1 62 Dfant "bore, "Is ege'r^ti/, an, ©I "bijric/. 



the herbalists ; it formed an ingredient in most of the old-fashioned 

 herb teas, and Drayton speaks of it as " All-heal, and so named of 

 right." Of Angelica, or Holy Ghost, Parkinson writes that it is 

 " so goode an herbe that there is no part thereof but is of much 

 use." Fennel, in addition to its uses as a medicine, was recom- 

 mended by old writers, when boiled in wine, as a counterpoison for 

 use by such as had been bitten by those terrible reptiles, serpents, 

 and scorpions that seem to have so exercised the ancient her- 

 balists. Treacle-Mustard, or Triacle, was also highly esteemed as 

 a cure for " all those that were bitten or stung by venomous 

 beasts, or had drunk poison, or were infe(5led with pestilence : 

 it formed one of seventy-three ingredients in making " Venice 

 treacle" — a famous vermifuge and antipoison in the Middle Ages. 

 The Vervain, or Holy Herb, was credited with almost supernatural 

 healing powers. English Mercury was called All-good; and other 

 herbs obtained the names of All-heal, Clown's All-heal, Self-heal, 

 Poor-man's Treacle, Poor-man's Parmacetty, the Blessed Herb, 

 Grace of God, Master- Wort, Ploughman's Spikenard, &c., on 

 account of the numerous virtues which the herbalists had dis- 

 covered in them. One of these old worthies (the compiler of a 

 Herbal, and a believer in astrology) has, indeed, stated in rhyme, 

 his conviction that there was no disease but what would yield to 

 the virtues of herbs and the skill of the herbalist. " In his book," 

 he confidently says — 



" He hath a method plain devised, 

 All parts of it, so curiously comprised ; 

 That vulgar men, which have but skill to read, 

 May be their ow^n physicians at need ; 

 The better sort are hereby taught, how all 

 Things springing from earth's bowels safely shall 

 By love or hatred (as the Stars dispose) 

 Each sickness cure, that in the body grows." 



The poet Michael Drayton has drawn the portrait of an 

 ancient simpler, and has given a list of the remedies of which 

 he made the most frequent use ; the lines are to be found in his 

 ' Polyolbion,' and as they contain examples of herbs selecfted under 

 the system of the Do(5trine of Plant Signattires, they may be 

 appropriately introduced at the conclusion of this chapter : — 



' ' But, absolutely free, 

 His happy time he spends the works of God to see, 

 In those so sundry herbs which there in plenty grow, 

 Whose sundry strange effects he only seeks to know ; 

 And in a little maund, being made of Osiers small, 

 Which serveth him to do full many a thing withal, 

 He very choicely sorts his simples, got abroad ; 

 Here finds he on an Oak rheum-purging Polypode ; 

 And in some open place that to the sun doth lie, 

 He Fumitory gets, and Eyebright for the eye ; 

 The Yarrow wherewithal he stays the wound-made gore, 

 The healing Tutsan then, and Plantaine for a sore ; 



