BIRCH.] NATURAL HISTORY. 35 



CARDUUS is a manner herb or a weed with pricks. The 

 kind thereof is biting and cruel. Therefore the juice 

 thereof cureth the falling of the hair. The root thereof 

 sod in water giveth appetite to drinkers, and is most profit- 

 able to the mother, and therefore it is no wonder though 

 women desire it. And in drawing up of carduus men's 

 fingers be oft grieved with pricks. 



Bartholomew (Berthelet], bk. xvii. 36. 



CARDUUS BENEDICTUS is diligently cherished in gardens 

 in these Northern parts. [It is called] in English Blessed 

 Thistle, but more commonly by the Latin name Carduus 

 Benedictus. Blessed Thistle taken in meat or drink is good 

 for the swimming and giddiness of the head, it strengtheneth 

 memory and is a singular remedy against deafness. The 

 juice of the said Carduus is singular good against all poison. 



Gerard's '' Herbal," s.v. See also Luptorfs " Notable 

 Things," bk. ii. 84, and bk. iv. 53. 



Bilberry. 



Where fires thou fincTst unraked, and hearths unswept, 

 There pinch the maids as blue as bilberry. 



MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, v. 5, 48-9. 



[Bilberries ( Vaccinium myrtillus] are identified by Gerard with 

 worts ( V. uliginosuni] or whortleberries, and he says that the 

 red worts have purple berries, and that the people of Cheshire 

 do eat the black whortles in cream and milk (bk. iii. ch. Ixxiii.) 

 as is done in the West of England at this day.] 



irch. 



As fond fathers, 



Having bound up the threatening twigs of birch, 

 Only to stick it in their children's sight 

 For terror, not to use, in time the rod 

 Becomes more mock'd than fear'd. 



MEASURE FOR MEASURE, i. 3, 23-7. 



[N times past the Magistrates' rods were made hereof; 

 id in our time also the schoolmasters and parents do 

 terrify their children with rods made of Birch. It serveth 

 well to the decking up of houses, and banqueting rooms, 

 for places of pleasure, and beautifying of streets in the 

 cross or gang week, and such like. 



Gerard's " Herbal," bk. iii. ch. cxiv. 



