I. Aquifolium: Legends, etc. 



" In touching the Holy or Hulver Tree if it 

 be planted about an house, whether it be within 

 a city or standing in the country, it serveth for 

 a countercharm and keepeth away all ill spells 

 or inchantments and defends the house from 

 lightning. Pythagorus affirmeth that the flower 

 of this tree will cause water to stand all upon an 

 ice, also that if a staff made thereof, if a man do 

 fling it at any beast what-so-ever, although it 

 chanceth to light short for default of strength in 

 his arms who flung it, will not-with-standing etch 

 forward and roll from the place where it fell upon 

 the earth and approach near to the beast afore- 

 said ; of so admirable a nature is the Holy Tree." 



Parkinson in his Theatrum Botanicum, 1640, 

 pp. 1486-7, after quoting several of these legends, 

 comments on them in the following manner : 

 " Superstitions of the Gentiles learned from 

 Pliny, this I relate that you may understand the 

 fond and vain virtues of those times which I 

 would to God we were not even in these days 

 tainted withall." 



In the days when witch-craft was credited, 

 Holly is stated to have been used by witches in 

 their spells and incantations. In Plant Lore 

 we learn that " Holly, Juniper and Mistletoe 

 berries were used to form a witch's chain, each 

 link being finished with an acorn." In some of 

 the old Herbals the authors refer to branches of 

 Holly being used as a defence against witch - 



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