ASPHODEL. 41 



which he found at the foote of a hill in the 

 west part of England, called Bagshot hill, 

 neere vnto a village of the same name." 



This species of asphodel has a yellow blos- 

 som, and was thence called the King's spear. 

 Gerard tells us, that the juice of the aspho- 

 del root cleanses and takes away the white 

 morphew, if the face be first rubbed with a 

 coarse linen cloth, and then anointed with it. 

 He adds, that " it is not yet found out if the 

 Lancaster asphodil is of use either in nourish- 

 ment or medicine." Ray says, this species is 

 a native of Sicily, where he found it growing. 



The asphodel is said to be useful in driving 

 away rats and mice, which have so great an 

 antipathy to this plant, that, if their holes be 

 stopped up with it, they will die rather than 

 pass it ; and it is said, that if a house be 

 smoked with this root, it also banishes mice, 

 or proves a poison to them. 



If the root is put into the water which 

 swine drink, it prevents their being affected 

 with a pestilential leprosy, or if they have 

 taken the disorder, it restores them to health. 

 It also produces the same effect, if they are 

 frequently washed with such a water.* 



# Florentinus. 



