SAFFRON: ITS HISTORY, CULTIVATION AND USES. 63 



bathes let him smear himself with oil mingle it with Saffron". — Tenth Century 

 leech-book ii, 37 — "For dimness of eyes, thus one must heal it; take Celendine 

 one spoonful, and aloes, and Crocus (Saffron in French)". — Schools of Medicine; 

 tenth century, c. 22. In these instances it may be only the imported drug, but 

 the name occurs also in an early English Vocabulary among the Nomina herbarium 

 {i.e. names of herbs) — "Hie Crocus A e Safurroun;" and in a pictorial vocabulary of 

 the fourteenth century — "Hie Crocus An ce Safryn. From this it may be assumed 

 that the plant was probably cultivated in England at that time. 



I select the following from among many other early references to Saffron by 

 English writers. 



In the Lber A/bus (14 19), an old London document published in the Rolls 

 series, there is a list of duties paid upon articles of import, in which the local dues 

 on Saffron are referred to. 



In Tusser's Five hundred pointes of Good Husbandrie (1575), we find under 

 August Husbandry : 



3. "Pare Saffron betweene the two S. Maries daies, 



or set or go shift it, that knowest the waies. 

 what yeere shall I doo it (more profit to yeeld?) 

 the fourth in Garden, the third in the feeld. 



4. In having but fortie foote workmanly dight, 

 take Saffron ynough for a Lord and a Knight, 

 all winter alter [after] as practice doth teach 

 what plot hane ye better for linnen to bleach."* 



* "Saffron makes a very good sward whereon linnen may lye hollow, and bleach well enough." 



And under August Abstract: — 



Pare Saffron Plot 

 forget it not 

 His dwelling made trim 

 looke shortly for him 

 when harvest is gon 

 then Saffron comes on 



A little of ground 

 brings Saffron a pound 

 the pleasure is fine 

 the profit is thine 

 keepe colour in drieng 

 well used worth buien«\ 



Raphael Holinshed, who was Tusser's contemporary, gives in his Chronicles of 

 England, Book iii. chap. 8, a very full account of Saffron culture in England in 



