YEW THEE. 403 



Dioscorides says, that a decoction of Yew leaves occasions 

 death. 



Old Gerarde says, " The Yew-tree, as Galen reporteth, 

 is of a venomous quality, and against man's nature. 

 Dioscorides writeth, and generally all that heretofore 

 have dealt in the facultie of herbarisme, that the Yew 

 tree is very venomous to be taken inwardly ; and that if 

 any doe sleepe under the shadowe thereof, it causeth 

 sicknesse, and oftentimes death. Moreover, they say 

 that the fruit thereof being eaten, is not only dangerous 

 and deadly unto man, but if birds do eat thereof, it 

 causeth them to cast their feathers, and many times to 

 die. All which I dare boldly affirm is altogether untrue ; 

 for when I was young and went to schoole, divers of my 

 schoole-fellowes, and likewise myselfe, did eat our fils 

 of the berries of this tree, and have not only slept under 

 the shadow thereof, but among the branches also, 

 without any hurt at all ; and that not one time, but 



many times 



. . . " Daily experience shows it to be true, that the 

 Yew tree in England is not poisonous ; yet divers affirme 

 that in Provence in France, and in most hot countries, it 

 hath such a maligne qualitie, that it is not safe to sleepe, 

 or long to rest under the shadowe thereof."" 



Some believe the leaf to be poisonous, and not the 

 berry. Southey speaks of it in this manner : of the 

 berries he speaks as having eaten them. Regretting some 

 trees that had been felled, he says 



" If he had played about here when a child 

 In that fore-court, and eat the yew berries, 

 And sate in the porch threading the jessamine flowers, 

 Which fell so thick, he had not had the heart 

 To mar all thus." 



Of the leaves he gives a different character : 



