50 AUBREY'S NATURAL HISTORY OF WILTSHIRE. 



mayden's-honesty, are countrey names unknown to me. Carthamus growes no where wild with 

 us. It may possibly be sown in y* fields, as I have seen it in Germany. J. RAY.) 



This north part of the shire is very naturall for barley. Till the beginning of the civill warrs 

 wheat was rarely sown hereabout ; and the brown bread was barley : now all the servants and poor 

 people eat wheaten bread. 



Strawberries (fray aria), in Colern woods, exceeding plentifull ; the earth is not above two niches 

 above the free-stone. The poor children gather them, and sell them to Bathe ; but they kill the 

 young ashes, by barking them to make boxes to put them in. 



Strawberries have a most delicious taste, and are so innocent that a woman in childbed, or one in a 

 feaver, may safely eate them : but I have heard Sir Christopher Wren affirm, that if one that has a 

 wound in his head eates them, they are mortall. Metliinks 'tis very strange. Qusere, the learned 

 of this? 



About Totnam-well is a world of yellow weed (q. iioiuen) which the diers use for the first tinge 

 for scarlet ; and afterwards they use cutchonele. 



Bitter-sweet (dulcamara), with a small blew flower, plenty at Box. (And Market Lavington, in 

 the withy-bed belonging to the vicarage. BISHOP TANKER.) 



Feme (jUiv) ; the largest and rankest growes in Malmesbury hundred : but the biggest and tallest 

 that ever I saw is in the parke at Draycot Cerne, as high almost as a man on horseback, on an 

 ordinary horse. 



" The forest of Savemake is of great note for plenty of game, and for a kind of feme there that 

 yieldeth a most pleasant savour." (Fuller's Worthies : Wilts, Hen. Sturmy.) 



This feme is mentioned by Dr. Peter Ileylin in his Church History, in the Pedegre of Seymour. 

 The vicar of Great Bedwin told me that he hath seen and smelt the feme, and that it is like other 

 feme, but not so big. He knowes not where it growes, but promised to make enquirie. Now Mr. 

 Perkins sayes that this is sweet cis, and that it is also found in the New Forest ; but me thinkes the 

 word Savernake seems to be a sweet-oke-feme : ake, is oake ; verne, is feme ; perhaps sa or sav, 

 is sweet or savorous. (Vide Pliytologia Britannic., where this fern is taken notice of. Sweet fern is 

 the vulgar name, for sweet cherill or cicely ; but I never found that plant wild in England. J. RAY.) 



Danes-blood (elmhts) alxiut Slaughtonford is plenty. There was heretofore (vide J. Milton) a 

 great fight with the Danes, which made the inhabitants give it that name. 



Wormewood exceedingly plentifull in all the wast grounds in and about Kington St. Michael, 

 Hullavington, and so to Colerne, and great part of the hundred of Malmesbury. 



Horse-taile (equisetum). Watchmakers and fine workers m brasse use it after smooth filing. 

 They have it from Holland ; but about Dracot Cerne and Kington St. Michael, in the minchin- 

 meadow of Priory St. Maries, is great quantity of the same. It growes four and five foot high. 



Coleworts, or kale, the common western dish, was the Saxon physic. In the east it is so little 

 esteemed that the poor people will not eate it 



About Malmesbury ros solis, which the strong-water men there doe distill, and make good 

 quantitys of it In the woods about the Devises growes Solomon's-seale ; also goates-rue (gallega) ; 

 as also that admirable plant, lilly-convally. Mr. Meverell says the flowers of the lilly-convally 

 about Mosco are little white flowers. (Goat's-rue : I suspect this to be a mistake ; for I never yet 

 heard that goat's-rue was found by any man growing wild in England. J. RAY.) 



