64 THE BOOK OF HERBS 



that Turner called Langdebeefe, and Viper's Bugloss is 

 still called Langdebeefe in Central France. Near Paris, 

 however, Langue de boeuf xaea.ns Anchusa Italica. "The 

 leaves," says Gerarde, " are like the rough tongue of an 

 oxe or cow, whereof it took its name," and he gives 

 another instance of the insouciance of contemporary 

 physicians. They " put them both into all kindes of 

 medicines indifferently, which are of force and vertue to 

 drive away sorrow and pensiveness of the minde, and to 

 comfort and strengthen the heart." " Both " refers to 

 Bugloss and " little wilde Buglosse," which he has just 

 informed us grows upon " the drie ditch bankes about 

 Pickadilla." Times change ! 



Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). 



Gerarde describes two kinds of Liquorice : the first 

 has " woody branches . . . beset with leaves of an over- 

 worne greene colour, and small blew floures of the 

 colour of an English Hyacinth." From the peculiar 

 shape and roughness of the seed-pods it was distinguished 

 by the name of " Hedge-hogge Licorice." This kind 

 was very little used. Common Liquorice resembles it 

 very closely, but has less peculiar seed-vessels. 



The cultivation of licorish in England began about the 

 year of Queen Elizabeth's reign, and it has been much 

 grown at Pontefract (whence Pontefract lozenges are 

 named), Worksop, Godalming and Mitcham. It must 

 have been once an extremely profitable crop. " There 

 hath been made from fifty Pound to an hundred Pound 

 of an Acre, as some affirm." The caution expressed in 

 the last three words is rather nice. " L W.," the 

 author of this bit of information (he gives no other 

 signature), published his book in 1681, and was 

 evidently of a very patriotic disposition. He is indignant 

 that " although our English Liquorice exceeds any 



