OF SUNDRY HERBS 127 



STRAWBERRY 



" Then unto London I d yd me hye 



Of all the land it beareth the pryse 

 ' Hot pescodes ' one began to crye 



' Strabery rype ' and ' cherryes in the ryse.' ' 



Lydgate, London Lyckpeny. 



" Wife unto thy garden and set me a plot 

 With strawbery rootes of the best to be got, 

 Such growing abroade, among thornes in the wood, 

 Wei chosen and picked proove excellent good." 

 Tusser, Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry, 1580. 



" Rare ripe strawberries and 

 Haut boys sixpence a pottle 

 Full to the bottom haut boys. 

 Strawberries and cream are charming and sweet, 

 Mix them and try how delightful they eat." 



Old London Street Cry. 



Until the nineteenth century our present garden straw- 

 berry was unknown in England. Till then wild straw- 

 berries were cultivated and improved in size and flavour; 

 as Hill, writing in the reign of James, tells us, " The straw- 

 berry requires small labour but by diligence of the gardener 

 becometh so great that the same yeeldeth faire and big 

 Berries as Berries of the Bramble in the hedge. The Berries 

 in Summer time eaten with creame and sugar is accounted 

 a great refreshing to men, but more commended being 

 eaten with wine and sugar/' Dethicke says, " Certaine 

 skilful men by diligence and care procure the berries to 

 alter from the proper red coloure into faire white, delectable 

 to the eye." He also points out " the marvellous innocency 

 of this herb, though divers venemous things creep over the 

 herbes yet are they in no manner infected with any venem- 

 ous contagion, which is a note that the herbe (of propertie) 

 hath no affinitie with poyson." Formerly an excellent tea 

 was made from wild strawberry leaves, and the German 

 government are recommending their people to revive this 

 custom. A Tea was also made from equal quantities of 

 strawberry leaves and woodruff. Strawberry leaves were 

 commonly added to cooling drinks, the leaves were also 

 strongly recommended to be used in baths for those who 



