304 Old Time Gardens 



The' Haven of Health, written in 1366, with a 

 special view to the curing of " Students," says that 

 Wild Thyme has a great power to drive away heaviness 

 of mind, " to purge melancholly and splenetick 

 humours." And the author recommends to " sup 

 the leaves with eggs." The leaves were used every- 

 where " to be put in puddings and such like meates, 

 so that in divers places Thime was called Pudding- 

 grass." Pudding in early days was the stuffing of 

 meat and poultry, while concoctions of eggs, milk, 

 flour, sugar, etc., like our modern puddings, were 

 called whitpot. 



Many traditions hang around Thyme. It was 

 used widely in incantations and charms. It was 

 even one of the herbs through whose magic power 

 you could see fairies. Here is a " Choice Proven 

 Secret made Known" from the Ashmolean Mss. 



How to see Fayries 



" ]£,. A pint of Sallet-Oyle and put it into a vial-glasse 

 but first wash it with Rose-water and Marygolde-water the 

 Flowers to be gathered toward the East. Wash it until 

 teh Oyle come white. Then put it in the glasse, ut supra : 

 Then put thereto the budds of Holyhocke, the flowers of 

 Marygolde, the flowers or toppers of Wild Thyme, the 

 budds of young Hazle : and the time must be gathered 

 neare the side of a Hill where Fayries used to be : and 

 take the grasse off a Fayrie throne. Then all these put 

 into the Oyle into the Glasse, and sette it to dissolve three 

 dayes in the Sunne and then keep for thy use ut supra.'"'' 



" I know a bank whereon the Wild Thyme 

 blows" — it is not in old England, but on Long 



