pfant bore, "ls)ege^/, ani. Isijric/', 261 



much noise when you are being burnt." In England, the Broom 



has always been held as one of the plants beloved by witches. In 

 Germany, the Broom is the plant selecfled for decorations on Whit- 

 Sunday : it is also used as a charm. When a limb has been 

 amputated, the charmer takes a twig from a Broom, and after 

 pressing the wound together with it, wraps it in the bloody linen, 

 and lays it in a dry place, saying : 



" The wounds of our Lord Christ 

 They are not bound ; 

 But these wounds they are bound 



In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 



In Tuscany, on the day of the Fete-Dieu, it is often employed. In 

 England, it is considered that if the Broom has plenty of blossoms, 

 it is the sign of a plentiful grain harvest. In Suffolk and Sussex, 

 there is a saying that — 



" If you sweep the house with blossomed Broom in May, 

 You are sure to sweep the head of the house away." 



By the old herbalists the Broom was considered a panacea for a 

 multiplicity of disorders, and Gerarde tells us that no less a per- 

 sonage than " that worthy Prince of famous memory, Henr}' VIII., 

 of England, was wont to drink the distilled water of Broome-floures, 



against surfets and diseases thereof arising." Broom is under 



the planetary influence of Mars. 



BRIONY.— The poisonous fruit or berries of the Black Briony 

 (Tanius) are supposed to remove sunburns, freckles, bruises, black 

 eyes, and other blemishes of the skin. Another name of this wild 

 Vine is Our Lady's Seal. The root of the White Briony may be made 

 to grow in any shape by placing it when young in an earthenware 

 mould. In olden times, designing people by this means obtained 

 roots of frightful forms, which they exhibited as curiosities, or sold 

 as charms. The anodyne necklace, which was a profitable affair 

 for one Doctor Turner in the early part of the present century, con- 

 sisted of beads made of white Briony-root : it was believed to assist 



in cutting the teeth of infants, around whose neck it was hung. 



Brion}^ is under the dominion of Mars. 



BUCKTHORN.— Of one variety of Buckthorn {Rhamnus 

 palinurus) it is said that Christ's Crown of Thorns was composed. 

 Of another variety (R. Frangida) the Mongols make their idols, se- 



lecfting the wood on account of its rich hue. The Buckthorn is 



under the dominion of Saturn. 



BUGLOSS. — The Bugloss {Anchusa) has been made the em- 

 blem of Falsehood, because the roots of one of its species (A. 

 tinctoria) are used in making rouge for the face. In the wilds of 

 America, the Indians paint their bodies red with the root of a 

 Bugloss {Anchusa Viyginica) indigenous to their country. Galen 

 notices the use of the Bugloss as a cosmetic in his time, and the 

 rouge made from the roots of this plant is said to be the most 



