"Of erbs xxiiij I woll you tell by and by Als I fond wryten in a boke at I in boroyng toke Of a gret ladys preste of gret name she barest." The poem begins with a description of betony, powerful against "wykked sperytis," and then treats, amongst other herbs, of the virtues of centaury, marigold, celandine, pimpernel, motherwort, vervain, periwinkle, rose, lily, henbane, agrimony, sage, rue, fennel and violet. It is pleasant to find the belief that only to look on marigolds will draw evil humours out of the head and strengthen the eyesight. "Golde [marigold] is bitter in savour Fayr and ȝelw [yellow] is his flowur Ye golde flour is good to sene It makyth ye syth bryth and clene Wyscely to lokyn on his flowris Drawyth owt of ye heed wikked hirores [humours]. . . . . . . . Loke wyscely on golde erly at morwe [morning] Yat day fro feueres it schall ye borwe: Ye odour of ye golde is good to smelle." The instructions for the picking of this joyous flower are given at length. It must be taken only when the moon is in the sign of the Virgin, and not when Jupiter is in the ascendant, for then the herb loses its virtue. And the gatherer, who must be out of deadly sin, must say three Pater Nosters and three Aves. Amongst its many virtues we find that it gives the wearer a vision of anyone who has robbed him. The virtues of vervain also are many; it must be picked "at Spring of day" in "ye monyth of May." Periwinkle is given its beautiful old name "joy of the ground" ("men calle it ye Juy of Grownde") and the description runs thus:-- "Parwynke is an erbe grene of colour In tyme of May he beryth blo flour, His stalkys ain [are] so feynt [weak] and feye Yet never more growyth he heye [high]." Under sage we find the old proverb--"How can a man die who has sage in his garden?" "Why of seknesse deyeth man Whill sawge [sage] in gardeyn he may han."