In the Flax-fields of Flanders, a plant is found called the Rood- 

 selken, the crimson spots on the leaves of which betoken the Divine 

 blood whicli trickled on it from the Cross, and the stain of which 



neither snow nor rain has ever been able to wash off. In 



Palestine, the red Anemone is called " Christ's Blood-drops," 

 from the belief that the flower grew on Mount Calvary. In 

 Cheshire, the Orchis viactilata, which is there called Gethsemane, is 

 supposed to have sprung up at the foot of the Cross. The Milk- 

 wort, Gang-flower, or Rof^ation-Hower {Polygalavtilgans) is called 

 the Cross-flower from its blooming in Passion week. The Galium 

 cruciatum is called Cross-wort because its leaves are placed in the 

 form of a cross. The early Italian painters, in their paintings of 

 the Crucifixion, introduced the Wood-Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), pro- 

 bably from its triple leaf symbolising the Trinity. The four-leaved 

 Clover is an emblem of the Cross. All cruciform flowers are of 

 good and happy augury, having been marked with the sign of the 

 Cross. 



HERB PARIS.— The narcotic plant called One-berry, Herb 

 True-love, or Herb Paris {Paris quadrifolia) , has obtained the latter 

 name from the Latin Herba parts (Herb of a pair — of a betrothed 

 couple), in allusion to the four broad leaves which proceed from the 

 top of its stalk, and form a cross; being, as Gerarde says, "dire(ftly 

 set one against another in manner of a Burgundian Crosse or True- 

 love knot : for which cause among the antients it hath been called 

 Herbe True-love." Herb Paris bears flowers of a palish green — 

 a colour always suggestive of lurking poison. Every part of the 

 herb contains a poisonous principle, but the leaves and berries were 

 formerly used to expel poisons, especially Aconite, as well as the 

 plague and other pestilential diseases. Matthiolus says that " the 

 chymical oil of the black berries is eff"e(5lual for all diseases of the 



eyes, so that it is called Aiiima oculorum." The herb is under the 



dominion of Venus. 



HERB PETER.— The Cowslip {Primula veris), the Schliissel- 

 blume of the Germans, has obtained the name of Herb Peter from, 

 its resemblance to the badge of St. Peter — a bunch of keys. 



HERB ROBERT.— The species of Crane's Bill called Herb 

 Robert [Geranium Robertianmn) is thought to have derived its name 

 from the facft that it was employed in Germany to cure a disease 

 known as Ruprechts-Plage, from Robert, Duke of Normandy: hence 

 its old Dutch names of Ruprechts-kraut and Robrechts-kraut. The 

 Church, however, connecfts Herb Robert with St. Robert, Abbot of 



Molesme, in the eleventh century. In olden times, the plant was 



used as a vulnerary ; in Wales, it is believed to be a remedy for 

 gout ; and in most country places, it is considered efficacious as an 

 insedlicide. Herb Robert is under the rule of Venus. 



HERB ST. BARBARA.— Herb St. Barbara, or St. Bar- 

 bara's Cress [Barhana vulgaris), was so called from its growing and. 



