52 AUBREY'S NATURAL HISTORY OF WILTSHIRE. 



No wild oates in Wiltshire, or rarely. In Somersetshire, common. (There is abundance of wild 

 oats in the middle part of Wiltsh., especially in the west clay of Market Lavington field, when the 

 crop is barley. BISHOP TANNER.) 



Thorowax beares a pretty little yellow flower, not much unlike the blowing of a furze that growes 

 so common on the downes, close to the ground : the bees love it extremely. (There is a mistake in 

 thorowax, or perfoliata ; for that rises to a good stature, and hath no such flower. I suppose the 

 plant you mean is tnfolium corniculatum, or bird's-foot trefoil. J. RAY.) 



The right honorable James, Earle of Abingdon, tells me that there are plenty of morillons about 

 Lavingtons, which he eates, and sends to London. Methinkes 'tis a kind of ugly mushroom. 

 Morillons we have from Germany and other places beyond sea, which are sold here at a deare rate ; 

 the outer side is like a honeycombs. I have seen them of nine inches about. They grow near the 

 rootes of elmes. 



P 1W (papaver) is common in the com fields ; but the lull above Harnham, by Salisbury, appeares 

 a most glorious scarlet, it is so thick there. 



" Ilia soporiferum, parvas initura penates, 



Colligit agresti lene papaver humo. 

 Dum legit oblito fertur gustasse palato, 

 Longamqj imprudens exsoluisse famem." OVID. FAST. lib. iv. 



In a ground of mine called Swices (which is a neck of land at the upper end of the field called 

 Shatcomb) growes abundantly a plant called by the people hereabout crow-bells, which I never saw 

 any where but there. Swice, in the old English, signifies a neck. 



Dwarfe-elder (ebulus) at Box, &c. common enough : at Falston and Stoke Verdon, in the high 

 waies. The juice of eludus turnes haire black ; and being mingled with bull's fatt is Dr. Buller's 

 remedie for the gowte. 



The best way to dye haire browne is to take alhanna in powder, mix't with fair water as thick as 

 mustard : lay it on the haire, and so tye it up hi a napkin for twelve houres time. Doe thus for six 

 dayes together, putting on fresh every day for that time. This will keep the haire browne for one whole 

 yeares tune after it. The alhanna does prepare the hair and makes it of a darke red or tawny 

 colour. Then they take takout, which is like a small gall, and boyle it in oyle till it hath drunk 

 up all the oyle ; then pulverize it, and mix it with water and putt it on the haire. Grind a very 

 little of alkohol, which they use in glazeing of then* earthen vessels, in a mortar with the takout, and 

 this turnes the haire to a perfect black. This receipt I had from my worthy and obligeing friend 

 Mr. Wyld Clarke, merchant, of London, who was factour many yeares at S cta - Cruce, in Barberie, 

 and brought over a quantity of these leaves for his own use and his friends. 'Tis pity it is not 

 more known. 'Tis leaves of a tree like a berbery leafe. Mr. Clarke hath yet by him (1690) above 

 half a peck of the alhanna. 



Dr. Edw. Brown, M.D. in his Travells, sc. description of Larissa and Thessalie, speakes of alhanna. 

 Mr. Wyld Clarke assures me that juice of lemons mixt with alhanna strikes a deeper and more 

 durable colour either in the hands or nailes. 



