[E225] "Sage causeth wemen to be fertill, wherefore in times past the people of Egypt, after a great mortalite and pestilence, constreyned their wemen to drinke the iuyce therof, to cause them the sooner to conceyue, and to bring foorth store of children."—Lyte's Dodoens, p. 252.
[E226] "Sea holie." Eryngium maritimum, Linn. "The leaves are good to be eaten in sallads."—Langham's Garden of Health. "The young and tender shoots are eaten of divers either raw or pickled."—Parkinson, Theatrum Botanicum, 1640, p. 988.—Note by Mr. J. Britten, F.L.S.
[E227] "Sampere is a weede growing neare the sea-side, and is very plentifull about the Ile of Man, from whence it is brought to diuers parts of England, preserved in Brine, and is no lesse wholesome than Capers."—Cogan's Haven of Health, p. 64. The Eng. Samphire is a corruption of the Fr. Herbe de Saint Pierre, from its growing on the rocks on the sea-shore. The leaves are used in the form of a pickle as an article of diet.
[E228] "The Ionians had so much Veneration for them that they swore by Cabbages, and were therein as superstitious as the Egyptians, who gave divine Honours to Leeks and Onions, for the great Benefits which they said they received from them."—Lemery's "Treatise on Foods," 1704, p. 73.
[E229] "Citrons," according to Lyte, p. 704, will cure "tremblynge of the hart and pensiue heavinesse, wamblynges, vomitinges, and lothsomnesse of the stomache." The citron was probably introduced into Europe with the orange by the Arab conquerors of Spain, and first received in England from that country. By a MS. in the Tower it appears that in 1290, 18 Edw. I., a large Spanish ship came to Portsmouth, and that from her cargo Queen Eleanor purchased Seville figs, dates, pomegranates, 15 Citrons, and 7 poma de orenge.—Way in Prompt. Parv.
[E230] "The garden Basill is called in English Basill Royall or Basill gentle, and the smaller kinde is called Bushse (sic) Basill. The herbe brused with vineger and holden to the nose of suche as are faynt and fallen into a sound bringeth them againe to themselues, and the seede therof giuen to be smelled upon causeth the sternutation or niesing."—Lyte's Dodoens, p. 241. "One thing I read in Hollerius (Lib. i. cap. i.) of Basill, which is wonderfull. 'A certaine Italian, by often smelling to Basill, had a scorpion bred in his braine, and after vehement and long paines he died thereof.'"—Cogan's Haven of Health, p. 50. See also [51. 34].
[E231] "Costmary, L. Costus amarus, Fr. coste amere, misunderstood as Costus Mariæ, an error that has very naturally arisen from this plant having been dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, and called after her, Maudlin, either in allusion to her box of scented ointment, or to its use in the uterine affections over which she presided. In old authors it occurs as Herba sanctæ or divæ Mariæ."—Dr. R. Prior, Popular Names of Brit. Plants. Called also Alecost from its having formerly been esteemed an agreeable aromatic bitter, and much used for flavouring ale: "If you list to make a pleasant drinke, and comfortable to the stomache, put certaine handfuls of this herbe in the bottome of a vesselle, and tunne up new Ale vpon it."—Cogan, Haven of Health, ch. 69.
[E232] "Paggles," spelt also Paigle, Pagle, Pagel, Peagle, Pegyll and Pygil, a name now confined to the Eastern Counties, and generally assigned to the Cowslip, but by Ray and Moor to the Ranunculus bulbosus. The derivation is uncertain. "Blake (yellow) as a paigle."—Ray. In Suffolk the name is applied to the Crowfoot, the Cuckoo-flower.
[E233] "Our common germander or thistle benet is found and knowne to bee so wholesome and of so great power in medicine, as anie other hearbe, if they be vsed accordinglie."—Harrison, Descript. of Eng., ed. Furnivall, pt. i. p. 326. "The iuyce of the leaues mengled with oyle, and straked vpon the eyes, driueth away the white cloude, called the Hawe or Pearle in the eye, and all manner dimness of the same."—Lyte's Dodoens, p. 25.
[E234] "That which is commonly called Sothernewood is the male kinde of this herbe, and that which we doe call Lauender-cotten is the female, named in Latine Cypressus or Santolina. The setting of Lauender-cotten within the house in floure pots must needes be very wholesome, for it driveth away venemous wormes, both by strawing, and by the sauour of it, and being drunke in wine it is a remedie against poyson."—Cogan's Haven of Health, p. 56.