37^ pfaat Tsorc, 'bege'r2^/, anel l^ijric/. 



being eaten in the Winter, about the time of St. Barbara's Day — 

 December 4th, old style. 



Herb Trinity. — See Pansy. 



HERB TWOPENCE.— The Money-wort, or Creeping 

 Loosestrife {Lysimachia nuiiimularia), obtained the name of Two- 

 penny Grass, or Herb Twopence, from its circular leaves, which 

 are arranged in pairs, resembling money in their form. The plant 

 was formerly also called Serpetitaria, from a belief that if serpents 

 were hurt or wounded, they healed themselves with this herb. It 



was highly esteemed as a vulnerary. Astrologers assign the 



herb to Venus. 



HERB WILLIAM. — Bishop's Weed, or Ameos {Amvii 

 maj'us), is said by Gerarde to be called by some Bull-wort (Pool- 

 wort) and Herb William, but he does not give any reason for the 

 name. The plant, according to the old herbalist, was noted for 

 its efficacy, when applied with honey, in removing " blacke and 

 blewe spots which come of stripes." Its seed was good " to bee 

 drunken in wine against the biting of all manner of venomous 

 beasts, and hath power against all manner of poyson and pestilent 

 fevers, or the plague." It is under the dominion of Venus. 



HOLLY. — The Holly or Holme {Ilex Aquifolium) derives its 

 name from the Anglo-Saxon Holegn, whilst another ancient 

 designation, Hulver, or as Chaucer wrote it, Hulfeere, has been 

 taken from the old Norse Htilfr. From the use made of its 

 branches in decorating churches at Christmas time, the monks, 

 by an easy corruption, bestowed on the Holly the designation 

 of the Holy-tree. The disciples of Zoroaster, or Fire Wor- 

 shippers, believe that the Holly-tree casts no shadow, and both 

 in Persia and India they employ an infusion of its leaves for several 

 purposes connected with their religious observances. They also 

 sprinkle the face of a newly-born child with water impregnated 



with Holly-bark. Pliny states that if the Holly, or Hulver-tree, 



be planted about a house, it will keep away all malign spells and 

 enchantments, and defend the house from lightning. He also, 

 among other marvels, relates that the flowers of the Holly would 

 freeze water, and would repel poison, and that if a staff of its wood 

 were thrown to any animal, even if it did not touch him, it would 



so influence the animal as to cause him to lie down beside it. The 



custom of decorating houses and churches with Holly at Christmas 

 is probably derived from the Romans, who were wont to send 

 boughs to their friends during the festival of the Saturnalia, which 

 occurred about the same period, and the Oaks being then bare of 

 leaves, the priests obliged the people to bring in boughs of Holly 

 and Evergreens. There is little doubt that the early Roman 

 Christians, disregarding the church's interdi(5lion, introduced the 

 heathen practice of decorating their houses with Holly, and in 



