RUE. | NATURAL HISTORY. 265° 
Rue. 
Hamtet, iv. §, 181-2. 
‘RuE is a medicinable herb, and is full fervent. Weasels 
teach that this herb is contrary to venom and to venomous 
beasts, for he eateth first Rue, and balmeth himself with the 
‘smell and the virtue thereof, ere he fighteth with the serpent, 
and fighteth afterward sicherly [safely], and reseth [rusheth] 
on the cockatrice, and slayeth him. Rue eaten raw sharpeth 
the sight of the eyes; and Rue, eaten or drunk with- 
-standeth mightily all venom and biting of venomous beasts, 
if it be stamped with salt, garlic and nuts, and healeth 
wonderly such bitings, and the smell of Rue driveth and 
chaseth away all venomous beasts out of gardens, and is 
therefore planted about sage to drive away serpents and 
toads, which love sage best. And Rue hateth winter, dung 
and humour, and thriveth well in dry weather. Ashes 
should be meddled with seeds thereof, to destroy malshrags 
[caterpillars] and other worms. 
Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk. xvit. § 141. 
Ruz, or Herb-grace. 
Gerard’s “ Herbal,” s.v. 3 so also Minshex’s Dictionary. 
Ir is a common received opinion that Rue will grow the 
better if it be filched out of another man’s garden; and it 
is as ordinary a saying, that stolen bees will thrive worst. 
Hollands Pliny, bk. xix. ch. vil 
Is a man disposed to drink freely, and to sit squarely 
at it? Let him before he begin take a draught of the 
decoction of Rue-leaves, he shall bear his drink well, and 
withstand the fumes that might trouble and intoxicate his 
brains. Ibid., bk. xx. ch. xiii. 
Wuar savour is better, if physic be true, 
For places infected, than wormwood and Rue? 
It is as a comfort, for heart and the brain, 
And therefore to have it, it is not in vain. 
Tusser, “Five Hundred Points,” July’s ‘‘ Husbandry,” st. 11. 
Take a little Rue or herb-grace, and stamp the same, 
then strain out the juice thereof, and after you ‘have thus 
