5° 



THE BOOK OF HERBS 



they report that it hath a good aad pleasant taste to 

 them that are hungry." The last words are significant ! 

 Formerly, the leaf-stalks were blanched, and eaten as 

 celery is, but now they are chiefly used, candied, for 

 dessert. The art of candying seems to have been 

 brought closer to perfection abroad than at home in 

 Turner's time, for he says : " The rootes are now con- 

 dited in Danske, for a friend of mine in London, called 

 Maister Aleyne, a merchant man, who hath ventured 

 over to Danske, sent me a little vessel of these, well 

 condited with honey, very excellent good. "Wherefore 

 they that would have anye Angelica maye speake to 

 the Marchauntes of Danske, who can provide them 

 enough." The fruit is used to flavour Chartreuse and 

 other " cordials." 



Elites {Bllturn). 



Dr Prior confirms Evelyn, in calling Bonus Henricus 

 Elites, but the older herbalists seem to have given this 

 name to another plant of the same tribe, the Chenopodiacea, 

 because they treat of Elites and Bonus Henricus in separate 

 chapters. Parkinson is very uncomplimentary to them. 

 " Elitum are of the species Amaranthum, Flower Gentle. 

 They are used as arrach, eyther boyled of itself or stewed, 

 which they call Loblolly. ... It is altogether insipid 

 and without taste. The unsavouriness whereof hath in 

 many countries grown into a proverb, or by-word, to 

 call dull, slow or lazy persons by that name." The 

 context points to the nickname coming from " Elites," 

 but no such term of reproach now exists, though the con- 

 temptuous sobriquet " Loblolly-boy " is sometimes seen in 

 old-fashioned nautical novels. Elites were said to be 

 hurtful to the eyes, a belief that draws a scathing remark 

 from Gerarde, " I have heard many old wives say to their 

 servants, ' Gather no Elites to put in my pottage, for 



