MYRRHA. 141 



the Somali country, but only at a considerable distance from the sea- 

 shore. Its exudation is the coarse myrrh, habaghadi of the Somalis and 

 Arabs and " Baisahole " of the Indians. 



Hildebrandt has collected the didthin, or didin as he writes, in the 

 coast range alluded to, that is in the Ahl or Serrut Mountains, where 

 the tree is growing on sunny slopes in elevations of 500 to 1,500 metres. 

 He has ascertained that it is identical with Ehrenberg's tree, Balsamo- 

 dendron Myrrha Nees. It is a low tree of crippled appearance, attain- 

 ing not more than 3 metres. This species must therefore be pointed 

 out as the source of true myrrh of the European commerce. 



History — (See also further on, Bissabol). Myrrh has been used 

 from the earliest times together with olibanum as a constituent of 

 incense,^ perfumes, and unguents. It was an ingredient of the holy oil 

 used in the Jewish ceremonial as laid down by Moses: and it was also 

 one of the numerous components of the celebrated Kyphi of the 

 Egyptians, a preparation used in fumigations, medicine, and the process 

 of embalming, and of which there were several varieties. 



In the previous article we have pointed out (p. 137) several early 

 references to myrrh in connection with olibanum, in which it is 

 observable that the myrrh (when weights are mentioned) is always in 

 the smaller quantity. Of the use of the drug in mediaeval Europe there 

 are few notices, but they tend to show that the commodity was rare and 

 precious. This myrrh is recommended in the Anglo-Saxon Leech- 

 books^ to be used with frankincense in the superstitious medical practice 

 of the 11th century. In a maniLscript of the Monastery of Rheinau, near 

 Schaffhausen, Switzerland, we also find that, apparently in the 11th 

 century, myrrh as well as olibanum were used in ordeals in the 

 " judicium aquae bullientis." ^ The drug was also used by the Welsh 

 " Physicians of Myddfai" in the 13th century. In the Wardrobe accounts 

 of Edward I. there is an entry under date 6th January, 1299, for gold, 

 frankincense, and rnyrrh, ofiered by the king in his chapel on that day, 

 it being the Feast of Epiphany.* Mp-rh again figures in the accounts of 

 Geoffroi de Fleuri,^ master of the wardi-obe {argentier) to Philippe le 

 Long, king of France, where record is made of the purchase of — " 4 

 onces d'estorat calmite" (see Styrax) " et mierre (myrrh) .... encenz 

 et laudanon," (Ladanum, the resin of Cistus creticus L.) — for the 

 funeral of John, posthumous son of Louis X., A.D. 1316. 



Gold, silver, silk, precious stones, pearls, camphor, musk, myrrh, and 

 spices are enumerated ^ as the presents which the Khan of Cathay sent 

 to Pope Benedict XII. at A^^gnon about the year 1342. The myrrh 

 destined for this circuitous route to Europe'^ was doubtless that of the 



^ Cantic. i. 13, iiL 6; Genes, xliii. 11; Queen's oblation of gold, frankincense, and 



Exod. ii. 12, 30, xxiii. 34-36 ; John xix. 39 ; myrrh is still annually presented on the 



Mark xv. 23 ; Proverbs vii. 17. Feast of Epiphany in the Chapel Royal in 



^ Cockayne, Leechdoms d:c. of Early London. 



England, ii. (1865) 295, 297. « Doiiet d'Arcq, Ccmptes de VArgenterie 



^ Runge, Adjurationen, Exorcismen, Bene- des rois de France, 1851. 19. 



dictionen,<L-c.,inMUtheihuigenderantiquar. « Yule, Cathay and the way thither, ii. 



Gesellschaft in Zurich, xii. (1859) 187. 357. 



* Liber qufjiidianus Contrarotulatoris Gar- ' For the costly presents in question 



derob(B .... Edwardil., Lond. 1787. pp. never reached their destination, having been 



xxiii. and 27. — The custom is still observed all plundered by the way ! 

 by the sovereigns of England, and the 



