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being eaten in the Winter, about the time of St. Barbara’s Day—
December 4th, old style.
H e rb T r in i t y .—See Pansy.
H E R B T^A/^OPENCE.— The Money-wort, or Creeping
Loosestrife [Lysimachia mmmulana), obtained the name of Twopenny
Grass, or Herb Twopence, from its circular leaves, which
are arranged in pairs, resembling money in their form. The plant
was formerly also called Serpmtaria, from a belief that if serpents
were hurt or wounded, they healed themselves with this herb. It
was highly esteemed as a vulnerary. Astrologers assign the
herb to Venus,
H E R B W I L L IA M .—Bishop’s Weed, or Ameos {Ammi
majus), is said by Gerarde to be called by some Buli-wort (Pool-
wort) and Herb William, but he does not give any reason for the
name. The plant, according to the old herbalist, was noted for
its efficacy, when applied with honey, in removing “ blacke and
blewe spots which come of stripes.” Its seed was good “ to bee
drunken in wine against the biting of all manner of venomous
beasts, and hath power against all manner of poyson and pestilent
fevers, or the plague.” It is under the dominion of Venus.
H O L L Y .—The Holly or Holme {Ilex AquifoUum) derives its
name from the Anglo-Saxon Holegn, whilst anotner ancient
designation, Hulver, or as Chaucer wrote it, Hulfeere, has been
taken from the old Norse Hulfr. From the use made of its
branches in decorating churches at Christmas time, the monks,
by an easy corruption, bestowed on the Holly the designation
of the Holy-tree.— —The disciples of Zoroaster, or Fire Worshippers,
believe that the Holly-tree casts no shadow, and both
in Persia and India they employ an infusion of its leaves for several
purposes connecited with their religious observances. They also
sprinkle the face of a newly-born child with water impregnated
with Holly-bark. Pliny states that if the Holly, or Hulver-tree,
be planted about a house, it will keep away all malign spells and
enchantments, and defend the house from lightning. He also,
among other marvels, relates that the flowers of the Holly would
freeze water, and would repel poison, and that if a staff of its wood
were thrown to any animal, even if it did not touch him, it would
so influence the animal as to cause him to lie down beside it. The
custom of decorating houses and churches with Holly at Christmas
is probably derived from the Romans, who were wont to send
boughs to their friends during the festival of the Saturnalia, which
occurred about the same period, and the Oaks being then bare of
leaves, the priests obliged the people to bring in boughs of Holly
and Evergreens. There is little doubt that the early Roman
Christians, disregarding the church’s interdicilion, introduced the
heathen practice of decorating their houses with Holly, and in
English superstition that elves and fairies join the social gatherings
at Christmas, and this led to branches being hung up in hall and
bower in order that the fays might “ hang in each leaf, and cling
on every bough during that sacred time when spirits have no power
to harm.” This Evergreen “ Christmas ” should be taken down
on Candlemas Eve. Herrick says :—
“ Down with the Holly and Ivy all
Wherewith ye deck the Christmas hall ;
So that the superstitious find
No one least branch there left behind ;
For look how many leaves there be
Neglected there—maids ’tend to me—
So many goblins ye shall see,”
De Gubernatis tells us, that in certain parts of France, in Switzerland,
at Bologna, and in other Continental countries, there is an
old custom extant of cutting branches of Holly on Christmas Eve,
and hanging them in houses and stables, in the hope of driving
away evil spirits and witchcraft. As the Holly-leaf is prickly, it
repulses and drives away enemies. An English mediæval ballad
illustrates this custom :—
“ Her commys Holly, that is so gent,
To please all men is his intent. Alleluia !
But lord and lady of this hall,
Who so ever ageynst Holly call. Alleluia !
Who so ever ageynst Holly do crye,
In a lepe shall he hang full hie. Alleluia !
Who so ever ageynst Holly do syng,
He maye wepe and handys wryng. Alleluia ! ”
In Germany, Holly is Christdorn—the Thorn woven into the crown
placed on our Saviour’s head at the Crucifixion. Witches are
reputed to detest Holly : in its name they see but another form of
the word “ holy,” and its thorny foliage and blood-red berries are
suggestive of the most Christian associations. In Northumberland,
Holly is employed in a form of divination. There the prickly
variety is called He-Holly, and the smooth, She-Holly. It is the
leaves of the latter only that are deemed proper for divining purposes.
These smooth leaves must be plucked late on a Friday,
by persons careful to preserve an unbroken silence from the time
they go out to the dawn of the following morn. The leaves must
be collected in a three-cornered handkerchief, and on being brought
home, nine of them must be seleéled, tied with nine knots into the
handkerchief, and placed beneath the pillow. Then, sleep being
obtained, dreams worthy of all credit will attend this rite. In
another form of divination, a maiden places three pails of water on
her bedroom floor, then pins to her night-dress, opposite her heart,
three leaves of green Holly, and so retires to rest. She will be
aroused from her first sleep by three terrible yells, followed by
three horse-laughs, after which the form of her future husband will
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