Natural history -- England -- Wiltshire; Wiltshire (England) -- History
If such an inventory were made it would sett our countrey-men a worke,
to make ’em love this knowledge, and to make additions.
In the meantime, that this necessary topick be not altogether void, I
will sett down such plants as I remember to have seen in my frequent
journeys. ’Twas pleasant to behold how every ten or twenty miles yield
a new entertainment in this kind.
I will begin in the north part, towardes Coteswold in Gloucestershire.
In Bradon Forest growes very plentifully rank wood-wax; and a blew
grasse they call July-flower grasse, which cutts the sheepes mouthes;
except in the spring. (I suppose it is that sort of Cyperus grasse
which some herbarists call “gramen caryophylleu{s}”.—J. RAY.) Wood-wax
growes also plentifully between Easton-Piers and Yatton Keynel; but not
so rank as at Bradon Forest.
At Mintie is an abundance of wild mint, from whence the village is
denominated.
Argentina (wild tansey) growes the most in the fallowes in Coteswold,
and North Wilts adjoyning, that I ever saw. It growes also in the
fallowes in South Wiltshire, but not so much. (Argentina grows for ye
most part in places that are moist underneath, or where water stagnates
in winter time.—J. RAY.)
About Priory St. Maries, and in the Minchin-meadowes* there, but
especially at Brown’s-hill, which is opposite to the house where, in an
unfortunate hour,† I drew my first breath, there is infinite variety of
plants; and it would have tempted me to have been a botanist had I had
leisure, which is a jewell I could be never master of. In the banks of
the rivulet growes abundantly maiden-haire (adiantum capillas veneris),
harts-tongue, phyllitis, brooke-lime (anagallis aquatica), &c. cowslip
(arthritica) and primroses (primula veris) not inferior to Primrose
Hills. In this ground calver-keys, hare-parsely, wild vetch,
maiden’s-honesty, polypodium, fox-gloves, wild-vine, bayle. Here is
wonderfull plenty of wild saffron, carthamus, and many vulnerary
plants, now by me forgott. There growes also adder’s-tongue, plenty—q.
if it is not the same with viper’s-tongue? (We have no true black
mayden-hair growing in England. That which passeth under that name in
our apothecaries’ shops, and is used as its succeedaneum, is
trichomores. Calver-keys, hare’s-parseley, mayden’s-honesty, are
countrey names unknown to me. Carthamus growes no where wild with us.
It may possibly be sown in ye fields, as I have seen it in Germany.—J.
RAY.)
* Minchin is an old word for a nunne.
† Vide my Villa. “Quoque loco primum tibi sum male cognitus infans”.
In Natalem, Ovid. Trist. lib. iii.
This north part of the shire is very naturall for barley. Till the
beginning of the civill warrs wheat was rarely sown hereabout; and the
brown bread was barley: now all the servants and poor people eat
wheaten bread.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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