160 THE OLD ENGLISH HERBALS 



and bite them, leaving the marks and spots thereof in their faces 

 which beside the deformity, which is but for a while, leaveth 

 them that are thus bitten not without paine for a time." That 

 from turnesole (heliotr opium) are made " those ragges of cloth 

 which are usually called Turnesole in the Druggists and Grocers 

 shoppes and with all other people and serveth to colour jelh'es or 

 other things as every one please." That when French ladies 

 coloured their faces with an ointment containing anchusa the 

 colour did not last long. That no " good gentlewoman in the land 

 that would do good " should be without a store of bugloss oint- 

 ment either for her own family " or other her poor neighbours 

 that want helpe and means to procure it," and that beyond 

 the sea in France and Germany it is a common proverb " that 

 they neede neither Physition to cure their inward diseases nor 

 Chirurgion to helpe them of any wound or sore that have this 

 Bugle and Sanicle at hand by them to use." That this is 

 equally true of the herb self-heale. That country-folk use sanicle 

 to anoint their hands " when they are chapt by the winde." 

 That goat's rue is good for fattening hens. That Herbe True 

 love taken every day for twenty days will help those " that by 

 witchcraft (as it is thought) have become half foolish to become 

 perfectly restored to their former good estate." That the best 

 starch is made from the root of cuckoo-pint, and that in former 

 dayes when the making of our ordinary starch " was not knowen 

 or frequent in use; the finest Dames used the rootes hereof to 

 starch their linnen, which would so sting, exasperate and choppe 

 the skinne of their servants' hands that used it, that they could 

 scarce get them smooth and whole with all the nointing they 

 could doe before they should use it againe." That the root 

 of this same herb, cut small and mixed with a sallet of white 

 endive or lettice, is " an excellent dish to entertain a smell- 

 feast or unbidden unwelcome guest to a man's table, to make 

 sport with him and drive him from his too much boldnesse; 

 or the pouder of the dried roote strawed upon any daintie bit 

 of meate that may be given him to eate ; for either way within 



