Notes and Illustrations. 291 
aforesaid moneth [of September], the floure beginneth to appeere 
of a whitish blew, fesse, or skie colour, and in the end shewing 
itselfe in the owne kind, it resembleth almost the Zeucotion of 
Theophrast, sauing that it is longer, and hath in the middest thereof 
three chines verie red and pleasant to behold. These floures are 
gathered in the morning before the rising of the sunne, which 
otherwise would cause them to welke or flitter. And the chines 
being picked from the floures, these are throwne into the doong- 
hill; the other dried vpon little kelles couered with streined can- 
uasses vpon a soft fire; wherby and by the weight that is laied 
vpon them, they are dried and pressed into cakes, and then bagged 
vp for the benefit of their owners. In good yeeres we gather foure 
score or an hundred pounds of wet saffron of an acre, which being 
dried dooth yeeld twentie pounds of drie and more. Whereby, 
and sith the price of saffron is commonlie about twentie shillings 
in monie, or not so little, it is easie to see what benefit is reaped 
by an acre of this commoditie. .... For admit that the triple 
tillage of an acre dooth cost 13 shillings foure pence before the 
saffron be set, the clodding sixteene pence, the taking of euerie 
load of stones from the same foure pence, the raising of euerie 
quarter of heads six pence, and so much for cleansing of them, 
besides the doong which is woorth six pence the load to be laid on 
the first yeere, for the setting three and twentie shillings and 
foure pence, for the paring fiue shillings, six pence for the picking 
of a pound wet, etc.; yea though he hire it readie set, and paie 
ten pounds for the same, yet shall he susteine no damage, if warme 
weather and open season doo happen at the gathering.’ Harrison 
then describes fully the culture of saffron, and the adulterations and 
tricks practised by the dealers, and afterwards describes the virtues 
of it: “Our saffron (beside the manifold vse that it hath in the 
kitchin and pastrie, also in our cakes at bridals, and thanksgivings 
of women) is verie profitably mingled with those medicines which 
we take for the diseases of the breast, of the lungs, of the liuer, 
and of the bladder; it is good also for the stomach if you take it 
in meat, for it comforteth the same, and maketh good digestion : 
being sodden also in wine, it not onelie keepeth a man from 
dronkennesse, but incorageth also unto procreation of issue. If 
you drinke it in sweet wine, it inlargeth the breath, and is good for 
those that are troubled with the tisike and shortnesse of the wind: 
mingled with the milke of a woman, and laied vpon the eies, it 
staieth such humors as descend into the same, and taketh away the 
red wheales and pearles that oft grow about them: it killeth moths 
if it be sowed in paper bags verie thin, and laid vp in presses 
among tapistrie or apparrell: also it is verie profitable laid vnto 
all inflammations, painefull aposthumes, and the shingles, and doth 
no small ease vnto deafnes...... Three drams thereof taken at 
once, which is about the weight of one shilling nine pence halfe 
penie, is deadlie poison.” 
