PLANTS: WILD MINT, CTPEUS GRASS, ETC. 49 



of several! quarters of the county ? Their profession leadeth them to an acquaintance of herbes, and 

 the taske being divided, would not be very troublesome ; and, besides the pleasure, would be of 

 great use. The apothecaries of Highworth, Malmesbury, Calne, and Bath (which is within three 

 miles of Wilts) might give an account of the northern part of Wiltshire, which abounds with rare 

 simples : the apothecaries of Warminster, the Devises, and Maryborough, the midland part ; and 

 the apothecaries of Salisbury the south part, towards the New Forest. 



Mr. Hayward, the apothecary of Calne, is an ingenious person and a good botanist ; and there- 

 about is great variety of earths and plants. He is my friend, and eagerly espouses this designe. 

 He was bred in Salisbury, and hath an interest with the apothecaries there, and very likely at Bath 

 also. I had a good interest with two very able apothecaries in Salisbury : Hen. Denny (Mr. 

 Hayward's master), and Mr. Eires ; but they are not long since dead. But Mr. Anclrewes, on the 

 ditch there, hath assured a friend of mine, Rob'. Good, M.A. that he will preserve the herbes the 

 herbe-women shall bring him, for my use. 



If such an inventory were made it would sett our countrey-men a worke, to make 'em love this 

 knowledge, and to make additions. 



In the meantime, that this necessary topick be not altogether void, I will sett down such plants 

 as I remember to have seen in my frequent journeys. 'Twas pleasant to behold how every ten or 

 twenty miles yield a new entertainment in this kind. 



I will begin in the north part, towardes Coteswold in Gloucestershire. 



In Bradon Forest growes very plentifully rank wood-wax ; and a blew grasse they call July-flower 

 grasse, which cutts the sheepes mouthes ; except in the spring. (I suppose it is that sort of Cyperus 

 grasse which some herbarists call gramen caryopliylleu. J. RAY.) Wood- wax growes also 

 plentifully between Easton-Piers and Yatton Keynel ; but not so rank as at Bradon Forest. 



At Mintie is an abundance of wild mint, from whence the village is denominated. 



Argentina (wild tansey) growes the most in the fallowes in Coteswold, and North Wilts adjoyning, 

 that I ever saw. It growes also in the fallowes in South Wiltsliire, but not so much. (Argentina 

 grows for y 6 most part in places that are moist underneath, or where water stagnates in winter 

 tune. J. RAY.) 



About Priory St. Maries, and in the Minchin-meadowes * there, but especially at Brown's-hill, 

 which is opposite to the house where, in an unfortunate hour,f I drew my first breath, there is 

 infinite variety of plants ; and it would have tempted me to have been a botanist had I had leisure, 

 which is a Jewell I could be never master of. In the banks of the rivulet growes abundantly 

 maiden-haire (adiantum capillas veneris), harts-tongue, phyllitis, brooke-lime (anagallis aquatica), &c. 

 cowsh'p (arthritica) and primroses (primula veris) not inferior to Primrose Hills. In this ground 

 calver-keys, hare-parsely, wild vetch, maiden's-honesty, polypodium, fox-gloves, wild-vine, bayle. 

 Here is wonderfull plenty of wild saffron, carthamus, and many vulnerary plants, now by me forgott. 

 There growes also adder's-tongue, plenty q. if it is not the same with viper's-tongue ? (We have 

 no true black mayden-hair growing in England. That which passeth under that name in our 

 apothecaries' shops, and is used as its siuxeedaneum, is trichomores. Calver-keys, hare's-parseley, 



* Minchin is an old word for a nunne. 



) Vide my Villa. " Quoque loco primum tibi sum male cognitus infans." In Natalem, Ovid. Trist. lib. iii. 



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