The Natural History of Wiltshire eBook

John Aubrey
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 257 pages of information about The Natural History of Wiltshire.

The Natural History of Wiltshire eBook

John Aubrey
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 257 pages of information about The Natural History of Wiltshire.

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.
        ___________________________________

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
The Natural History of Wiltshire from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.