198 SYLVA BOOK i 



Spain, seated amongst many elder-trees, diseas'd and 

 kill'd almost all the inhabitants, which when at last they 

 were grubb'd up, became a very wholsome and healthy 

 place. The elder does likewise produce a certain green 

 fly, almost invisible, which is exceedingly troublesome, 

 and gathers a fiery redness where it attaques. 



1 8. There is a shrub called the spindle-tree, (euon- 

 ymus^ orfusanumj commonly growing in our hedges, 

 which bears a very hard wood, of which they some- 

 times made bows for viols, and the inlayer us'd it for 

 its colour, and instrument-makers for toothing of 

 organs, and virginal-keys, tooth-pickers, fife. What 

 we else do with it, I know not, save that (according 

 with its name, abroad) they make spindles with it. 

 I also learn, that three, or four of the berries, purge 

 both by vomit, and siege, and the powder made of 

 the berry, being bak'd, kills nits, and cures scurfy 

 heads. Matthiolus says, the poor people about Trent, 

 press oyl out of the berries, wherewith to feed their 

 lamps : But why they were wont to scourge parricides 

 with rods made of this shrub, before they put them 

 into the sack, see Modestinus 1. penult ss. ad legem 

 Pomp, de parrmd. cited by Mr. Ray. Here might 

 come in (or be nam'd at least) wild-cornel, or dog- 

 wood, good to make mill-cogs, pestles, bobins for 

 bone-lace, spokes for wheels, &c. the best skewers for 

 butchers, because it does not taint the flesh, and is of 

 so very hard a substance, as to make wedges to cleave 

 and rive other wood with, instead of iron. (But of 

 this, see chap. 1 1 . book II.) And lastly, the viburnum, 

 or way-faring-tree, growing also plentifully in every 

 corner, makes pins for the yoaks of oxen ; and super- 

 stitious people think, that it protects their cattel from 

 being bewitch'd and us'd to plant the shrub about 



