ii8 THE BOOK OF HERBS 



stuffed with spices, and thought also to be good against 

 infection. Cardinal Wolsey is described as carrying a 

 " very fair orange, whereof the meat or substance was 

 taken out and filled up again with part of a sponge 

 whereon was vinegar, and other confection against the 

 pestilential airs " ; evidently some alexiphar-mick, which 

 he " smelt unto " when going into a crowded chamber. 

 Drayton says, in speaking of a well dedicated to St 

 Winifred : — 



The sacred Virgin's well, her moss most sweet and rare 

 Against infectious damps, for pomander to wear. 



Poli/olhlon. 



The pomander developed into being a little scent-case, 

 elaborately made. Mr Dillon describes a silver one of 

 the sixteenth century which he saw in a collection. It was 

 made to be hung by a chain from the girdle, and though 

 " no larger than a plum, contains eight compartments 

 inscribed as follows : ambra, moscheti (musk), viola, 

 naransi (orange), garofalo (gillyflowers), rosa, cedro, 

 jasmins." Sweet-scented plants were reduced to 

 " sweete pouthers," and many were distilled into 

 " sweete waters" and "sweete washing waters," or 

 helped to make " washing balls." Orange-flower 

 water is spoken of as " a great perfume for gloves, 

 to wash them, or instead of Rose-water," and less ex- 

 pensive distillations must have contented more economi- 

 cal housewives. Parkinson tells us of sweet marjoram 

 being put into " sweete bags," and costmary flowers and 

 lavender tied up in small bundles for their " sweet sent 

 and savour." Regarding " sweet water " there is a 

 delightful description in Ben Jonson's Masque Chloridia, 

 " Enter Rain, presented by five persons . . . their hair 

 flagging as if they were wet, and in the hands, balls full 

 of sweet water, which as they dance, sprinkle all the 

 room." 



