Chapter I: Introduction: 1

OF THE CHIEF HERBS USED IN THE PRESENT TIME 7

Anise -- Balm -- Sweet Basil and Bush Basil -- Borage -- Bugloss
-- Burnet -- Caraway -- Celery -- Chervil -- Ciboules, Chiboules
or Chibbals -- Cives, or Chives, or Seives -- Coriander -- Cumin
-- Cresses -- Dandelion -- Dill -- Endive -- Fennel -- Goat’s
Beard -- Horse-Radish -- Hyssop -- Lamb’s Lettuce or Corn Salad
-- Marjoram -- Mint -- Mustard -- Parsley -- Sage -- Savory --
Sorrel -- Tarragon -- Thyme -- Viper’s Grass or Scorzonera --
Wood-Sorrel.

OF HERBS CHIEFLY USED IN THE PAST 47

Alexanders -- Angelica -- Blites -- Bloodwort -- Buck’s-horne --
Camomile -- Cardoons -- Clary -- Dittander -- Elecampane --
Fenugreek -- Good King Henry -- Herb-Patience -- Horehound --
Lady’s-smock -- Langdebeefe -- Liquorice -- Lovage -- Mallow --
Marigold -- Pennyroyal -- Purslane -- Ram-ciches -- Rampion --
Rocambole -- Rocket -- London Rocket -- Stonecrop -- Saffron --
Samphire -- Skirrets -- Smallage -- Sweet Cicely -- Tansy --
Thistle.

OF HERBS USED IN DECORATIONS, IN HERALDRY, AND FOR ORNAMENT AND
PERFUMES 102

Bergamot -- Costmary -- Germander -- Gilliflower -- Lavender --
Lavender Cotton -- Meadow-Sweet -- Rosemary -- Rue --
Southernwood -- Wood-ruff -- Wormwood -- Bay.

OF THE GROWING OF HERBS 145

OF HERBS IN MEDICINE 158

OF HERBS AND MAGIC 175

OF HERBS AND BEASTS 188

TUSSER’S LIST 201

AUTHORS REFERRED TO 207

INDEX OF PLANTS 209

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

1. JOHN PARKINSON (from the statue erected at Sefton Park,
Liverpool, by Mr H. Thompson) _Frontispiece_

2. INITIAL LETTERS FROM TURNER’S “HERBAL” _To face page_ 16

3. SWEET CICELY AND OTHER HERBS „ „ 22

4. POT MARJORAM (from a drawing by Ethel Roskruge) „ „ 32

5. THE LAVENDER WALK AT STRATHFIELDSAYE (Photograph
by F. Mason Good) „ „ 40

6. ANGELICA „ „ 48

7. A FIELD OF ENGLISH RHUBARB AT MESSRS STAFFORD ALLEN
& SONS, AMPTHILL „ „ 60

8. TITLE-PAGE OF GERARD’S “HERBAL” „ „ 86

9. THE ARMS OF SAFFRON WALDEN „ „ 100

10. OLD STILLS AT MR HOOPER’S, COVENT GARDEN „ „ 102

11. BERGAMOT „ „ 120

12. ROSEMARY „ „ 130

13. PLANTATION OF LAVENDER AT MESSRS STAFFORD ALLEN &
SONS, AMPTHILL „ „ 150

14. CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN „ „ 158

15. PLANTATION OF POPPIES (_P. Somniferum_) AT MESSRS
STAFFORD ALLEN & SONS, AMPTHILL „ „ 166

16. PLANTATION OF ACONITE AT MESSRS STAFFORD ALLEN &
SONS, AMPTHILL „ „ 172

17. RAMPION „ „ 180

18. FENNEL (Photograph by Dr Banfield Vivian) „ „ 194

HISTORY OF THE CRIES OF LONDON

Here’s fine rosemary, sage and thyme.
Come, buy my ground ivy.
Here’s featherfew, gilliflowers and rue.
Come, buy my knotted marjoram, ho!
Come, buy my mint, my fine green mint.
Here’s fine lavender for your cloaths,
Here’s parseley and winter savory,
And heartsease which all do choose.
Here’s balm and hyssop and cinquefoil,
All fine herbs it is well known.
Let none despise the merry, merry cries
Of famous London Town.

Here’s penny royal and marygolds.
Come, buy my nettle-tops.
Here’s water-cresses and scurvy grass,
Come buy my sage of virtue, ho!
Come, buy my wormwood and mugworts.
Here’s all fine herbs of every sort.
Here’s southernwood that’s very good.
Dandelion and houseleek.
Here’s dragon’s tongue and wood sorrel,
With bear’s-foot and horehound.
Let none despise the merry, merry cries
Of famous London Town.

_Roxburghe Ballads._

THE BOOK OF HERBS