HERBS CHIEFLY USED IN THE PAST 49 



they call the wilde Kinde Kex, and the weavers wind their 

 yarne on the dead stalkes." The Laplanders crowned 

 their poets with it, believing that the odour inspired them, 

 and they also thought that the use of it " strengthens 

 life." The roots hung round the neck " are available 

 against witchcraft and inchantments," so Gerarde says, 

 and thereby makes a concession to popular superstition, 

 which he very rarely does. A piece of the root held in 

 the mouth drives away infection of pestilence, and is good 

 against all poisons, mad dogs or venomous beasts ! 

 Parkinson puts it first and foremost in a list of specially 

 excellent medicinal herbs that he makes " for the profit 

 and use of Country Gentlewomen and others," and 

 writes : " The whole plante, both leafe, roote, and seede 

 is of an excellent comfortable sent, savour and taste." 

 No wonder with such powers that it gained its name. 

 Angelica comes into a remedy for a wound from an arque- 

 busade or arquebuse, called Eau d'Arquebusade, which was 

 first mentioned by Phillippe de Comines in his account of 

 the battle of Morat, 1476. " The French still prepare it 

 very carefully from a great number of aromatic herbs. 

 In England, where it is the Aqua Vulneria of the Phar- 

 macopceias, the formula is : Dried mint, angelica tops 

 and wormwood, angelica seeds, oil of juniper and spirit 

 of rosemary distilled with rectified spirit and water 

 (Timbs)." It must be borne in mind that Timbs wrote 

 some time ago, and that the knowledge of modern French 

 scientists, like that of our own, has increased since then. 

 Although it is of no value in medicine (it is next to 

 none when cultivated) our garden angelica also grows 

 wild, and can be safely eaten. Gerarde is amusing on 

 this point. He says it grows in an " Island in the North 

 called Islapd (Iceland.''). It is eaten of the inhabitants, 

 the barke being pilled off, as we understand by some 

 that have travelled into Island, who were sometimes 

 compelled to eate hereof for want of other food ; and 



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