68 A GARDEN OF HERBS 



cures effected by it, and amongst them the following : "A 

 lady of great e worth and virtue, the mother of the late Sir 

 William Bowyer, told me that having in the younger part 

 of her life a very terrible and almost constant Headache, 

 fixed in one small spot, and raging at all times almost to 

 distraction, she was at length cured by a maid-servant with 

 this Herb." 



FEVERFEW TEA. Pour a quart of boiling water on two 

 handfuls of the flowers and leaves. 



GILLYFLOWERS 



" As they are in beauty and sweetness so are they in virtue 

 and wholesomeness." W. Lawson, The Country Housewife's 

 Garden. 



" The conserve of the Carnation Gillyflower is exceeding 

 Cordiall eaten now and then." TRYON. 



There has always been much learned discussion as to 

 exactly what the old gillyflower was, but any child looking 

 at the old illustrations would identify it with the pink or 

 carnation, and this is near enough for all practical purposes. 

 The good old English name of Gillyflower is such a much 

 prettier name than Carnation that it is a pity we do not use 

 it. There are numerous illustrations of the cultivated gilly- 

 flowers in Parkinson's Earthly Paradise, and some of them 

 have enchanting names : " Master Tuggie's Princesse," 

 " Lustie Gallant," " Fair Maid of Kent/' " Master Brad- 

 shawe his daintie Ladie," " John Wilke his great tawny 

 gillowflower," " Speckled Tawny," " Master Tuggie his Rose 

 gillowflower." Another common name for gillyflowers was 

 " Sops in Wine," because wine was flavoured with them when 

 they were in flower. 



Many of the old writers give curious directions of 

 how to improve or alter the colour and scent of gilly- 

 flowers which seem to have held a place in our affection 

 only second to roses throughout the Middle Ages. Tryon 

 says, " These gilliflowers you may make of any colours you 



