lo THE BOOK OF HERBS 



The lemon-scent of Balm makes it almost the most 

 delicious of all herbs, and it is for its fragrance that 

 Shakespeare and Drayton have alluded to it in these 

 passages. In the song it is mentioned for another 

 reason, for the flowers here are used as emblems. The 

 first verse describes a garden of fair blossoms stolen, 

 alas ! from their owner. This verse of the song shows 

 she has planted flowers whose nature is to console — 

 Self-heal, Balm and the Speedwell, which, after every 

 shock, hasten to bloom again, but she is again bereft of 

 her treasures, and finally despairs and tells us that she 

 grows naught but weeds and the symbols of desolation. 

 There was once a " restorative cordial" called Carmelite 

 water, which enjoyed a great reputation, and which was 

 composed of the spirit of Balm, Angelica root, lemon- 

 peel and nutmeg. In the early part of the last century, 

 Balm wine was made, and was described as being " light 

 and agreeable," but now Balm is seldom used, except 

 when claret-cup is improved by its flavour. A most 

 curious legend is told by Aubrey ^ of the Wandering 

 Jew, the scene being on the Staffordshire moors. " One 

 Whitsun evening, overcome with thirst, he knocked at 

 the door of a Staffordshire cottager, and craved of him 

 a cup of small beer. The cottager, who was wasted 

 with a lingering consumption, asked him in, and gave 

 him the desired refreshment. After finishing the beer, 

 Ahasuerus asked his host the nature of the disease he 

 was suffering from, and being told that the doctors had 

 given him up, said, ' Friend, I will tell thee what thou 

 shalt do.' He then told him to go into the garden the 

 next morning on rising, and gather three Balm leaves, 

 and to put them into a cup of small beer. He was to 

 drink as often as he needed, and refill the cup when it 

 was empty, and put in fresh Balm leaves every fourth 

 day, and, ' before twelve days shall be past, thy disease 



1 "Miscellanies.'' 



