Chapter I: Page

THE ANGLO-SAXON HERBALS 1

Evidence of the existence of books on herbs in the eighth
century--Tenth-century manuscripts--Their importance as the
first records of Anglo-Saxon plant lore and of folk medicine
of a still earlier age--Preliminary survey of the more
important manuscripts--_Leech Book of Bald_--Authorship and
origin--Oldest Leech Book written in the vernacular in
Europe--Saxon translation of the _Herbarium Apuleii
Platonici_--Illustrations--Saxon translation of the +Peri
Didaxeôn+--The _Lacnunga_--Importance of these manuscripts
to the student of folk lore--Folk lore of the origin of
disease--Doctrine of the "elf-shot"--"Flying
venom"--Doctrine of the worm as the ultimate source of
disease--Demoniac possession--Herbal
remedies--Picturesqueness of Saxon methods of treating
diseases--Smoking patient with fumes of herbs--Cattle
similarly treated--Use of herbs as amulets--Binding on with
red wool--Specially sacred herbs--Charms and incantations to
be used in picking and administering herbs--Transference of
disease--Predominance of the number nine--Ceremonies to be
observed in the picking of herbs--Nature-worship in these
ceremonies--Eostra--Prayer to Earth.