HERBS CHIEFLY USED IN THE PAST 65 



Foreign whatsoever," yet we "yearly buy of other 

 Nations," and Parkinson is of much the same opinion : 

 " The root grown in England is of a fame more weake, 

 sweete taste, yet far more pleasing to us than Licorice 

 that is brought us from beyond Sea," which is stronger 

 and more bitter. A later writer prefers English roots 

 on the ground that those imported are often " mouldy 

 and spoiled." "With the juice of Licorice, Ginger and 

 other spices there is made a certaine bread or cakes 

 called Gingerbread, which is very good against the 

 cough." It is not the light in which Gingerbread is 

 usually looked upon. Liquorice administered in many 

 ways was a great remedy against coughs. Boiled in 

 faire water, with Maiden-haire and Figges, it made a 

 " good ptisane drinke for them that have any dry cough," 

 and the "juice of Licoris, artificially made with Hys- 

 soppe water," was recommended against shortness of 

 breath. Extract of Liquorice is to be found in the 

 Pharmacopoeia, and it is imported as "Spanish juice." 

 The extract must be made from the dried root, or else it 

 will not be so bright when it is strained. Dr Fernie 

 says that Liquorice is added to porter and stout to give 

 thickness and blackness. 



LovAGE (^Ligusticum Scoiicum). 



Mr Britten says : In Lyte and other early works, 

 this [name] is applied to Levisticum officinale, but in 

 modern British books it is assigned to Ligusticum Scoticum. 

 It grows wild near the sea-shore in Scotland and 

 Northumberland. Lovage " has many long and great 

 stalkes of large, winged leaves, divided into many parts, 

 . . . and with the leaves come forth towards the toppes, 

 long branches, bearing at their toppes large umbells of 

 yellow flowers. The whole plant and every part of it 

 smelleth somewhat strongly and aromatically, and of an 



