3 ° 4 
Old Time Gardens 
The Haven of Health , written in 1366, with a 
special view to the curing of “ Students/’ says that 
Wild Thyme has a great power to drive away heaviness 
of mind, “ to purge melancholly and splenetick 
humours.” And the author recommends to “ sup 
the leaves with eggs.” The leaves were used every- 
where “ to be put in puddings and such like meates, 
so that in divers places Tnime was called Pudding- 
grass.” Pudding in early days was the stuffing of 
meat and poultry, while concoctions of eggs, milk, 
flour, sugar, etc., like our modern puddings, were 
called whitpot. 
Many traditions hang around Thyme. It was 
used widely in incantations and charms. It was 
even one of the herbs through whose magic power 
you could see fairies. Here is a “ Choice Proven 
Secret made Known” from the Ashmolean Mss. 
How to see Fayries 
“ IJv A pint of Sallet-Oyle and put it into a vial-glasse 
but first wash it with Rose-water and Marygolde-water the 
Flowers to be gathered toward the East. Wash it until 
teh Oyle come white. Then put it in the glasse, ut supra : 
Then put thereto the budds of Holyhocke, the flowers of 
Marvgolde, the flowers or toppers of Wild Thyme, the 
budds of young Hazle : and the time must be gathered 
neare the side of a Hill where Fayries used to be : and 
take the grasse off a Fayrie throne. Then all these put 
into the Oyle into the Glasse, and sette it to dissolve three 
dayes in the Sunne and then keep for thy use ut supra.” 
u I know a bank whereon the Wild Thyme 
blows ” — it is not in old England, but on Long 
