INTRODUCTION. 



xlix 



came into this country with the Roman 

 missionaries and formed a natural accom- 

 paniment to their religious instruction. 

 And there are indications in the Saxon 

 herbal vocabulary which confirm this natural 

 presumption. 



Our Lists supply clear evidence of a 

 long-standing acquaintance with Roman 

 plant-names. Many of the Saxon names 

 are in fact nothing but Latin disguised by 

 long familiarity and attrition. In some 

 cases the Saxon modification has brought 

 the word more than half-way from its 

 original Latin to its modern English form. 

 Instances of this will be seen in the follow- 

 ing List: 



Latin. 

 Amigdala 

 Beta 

 Buxus 

 Cannabis 

 Caulis 

 Cedrus 

 Coliandrum 



Saxon. 

 magdala treow almond 

 bete 

 box 



hsenep 

 caul 



ceder beam 

 celendre 



Chserophyllum cerfille 

 Castanea cisten beam 



beet 



hox 



hemp 



kale 



cedar 



coriander 



chervil 



chestnut 



