I"] Banckes' Herbal 



39 



most charming list of attributes, some of which are worth 

 quoting. The reader is directed to "take the flowres and 

 make powder therof and bynde it to the ryght arme in a 



lynen clothe, and it shall make the lyght and mery 



Also take the flowres and put them in a chest amonge 

 youre clothes or amonge bokes and moughtes shall not 

 hurte them.... Also boyle the leves in whyte wyne and 

 wasshe thy face therwith...thou shall have a fayre face. 

 Also put the leves under thy beddes heed, and thou shalbe 

 delyvered of all evyll dremes....Also take the leves and 

 put them into a vessel of wync.yf thou sell that wyne, 

 thou shall have good lucke and spede in the sale.... Also 

 make the a box of the wood and smell to it and it shall 

 preserne [preserve] thy youthe. Also put therof in thy 

 doores or in thy howse and thou shalbe without daunger of 

 Adders and other venymous serpentes. Also make the a 

 barell therof and drynke thou of the drynke that standeth 

 therin and thou nedes to fere no poyson that shall hurte ye, 

 and yf thou set it in thy garden kepe it honestly for it is 

 moche profy table." 



The popularity of Banckes' Herbal is attested by the 

 fact that a large number of editions appeared from different 

 presses, although their identity has been obscured by the 

 various names under which they were published. To con- 

 sider these editions in detail is a task for the bibliographer 

 rather than the botanist, and it will not be attempted here. 

 We may, however, mention a few typical examples. 



In 1550, a book was printed by "Jhon kynge" with 

 the title 'A litle Herball of the properties of Herbes newly 

 amended and corrected, wyth certayn Additions at the 

 ende of the boke, declaring what Herbes hath influence of 

 certain Sterres and constellations, wherby maye be chosen 

 the best and most lucky tymes and dayes of their ministra- 

 cion, according to the Moone beyng in the signes of heaven, 

 the which is daily appointed in the Almanacke, made and 

 gathered in the yeare of our Lorde God. MDL the XH 

 daye of February, by Anthony Askham, Physycyon.' This 

 work, which is generally called Askham's Herbal, is directly 

 derived from Banckes' Herbal, with the addition of some 

 astrological lore. 



The book known as Gary's or Copland's Herbal, which 



