354 A DISCOURSE 



BOOK IV. IMistletoe grew, than whicli nothing was reputed more sacred, for 

 amongst such Oaks the Druids usually dwelt, 



Nemora alta remotis 



Incolitis lucis lucan. 



and with Avhose leaves they adorned and celebrated their religious rites. 



The Druids," says Pliny, lib, xvi. cap. xliv, " for so they call their 

 divines, esteem nothing more venerable than Mistletoe, and the Oak upon 

 which it grows." Irtdeed they did nothing of importance without some 

 leaves or branches of this tree, and they esteemed its very excrescence as 

 sent from heaven. The IMistletoe was not to be gathered, but cut by the 

 priest with a golden axe, praying for a blessing upon the divine gift ; 

 after this two white bulls were offered up as a sacrifice. But for this 

 consult (besides Pliny) Mela, Lactantius, Eusehius de prceparat. Evan- 

 gel, and the Aulularia of Pseudo-Plautus, Camden, and others ; whilst 

 as to that excrescence, I relate the disasters which happened to two 

 men who, not long since, felled a goodly tree, called the vicar's Oalc, 

 standing at Norwood, (not far from Croydon,) partly belonging to the 

 archbishop, and was limit to four parishes which met in a point ; on this 

 Oak grew an extraordinary branch of Mistletoe, which, in the time of the 

 sacrilegious usurjjers, they were wont to cut and sell to an apothecary of 

 London ; and though warned of the misfortunes observed to befall those 

 who injured t\\\^ plant, proceeded not only to cut it quite off*, without 

 leaving a sprig remaining, but to demolish and fell the Oak itself also. 

 The first soon after lost his eye, and the other broke his leg, as if the 

 Hamadryads had revenged the indignity. 



It is reported that the Mintnrnensian grove was esteemed so venerable, 

 that a stranger might not be admitted into it ; and the great Xerxes him- 

 self, when he passed through Achaia, would not touch a grove which 

 was dedicated to Jupiter, commanding his army to do it no violence ; and 

 the honours he did to one single (but a goodly) Platanus, we have already 

 mentioned. The like to this we find when the Persians were put to flight 

 by Pausanias ; though they might have saved their lives by it, as appears 

 in the story. The same reverence made Hercules not so much as taste 

 the waters of the ^gerian groves, after he slew Cacus, though extremely 

 thirsty. 



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