In the Middle Ages virginity was generally accepted as a prerequisite of marriage and one way to test for this was to have the perspective bride hold a sprig of basil in their hand. If the sprig remained fresh then she was considered to be a virgin however if it wilted then she failed the test. The premise being that the guilt she felt would cause her to perspire and the salt from her body would wither the plant. Not all brides-to-be were virgins however, and comfrey was the herb to which they turned for help. They believe that due to it’s ability to heal skin and broken bones that by sitting on a decoction of comfrey it would restore the hymen to it original virginal state.

Due to the lack of sanitation and the controversies surrounding bathing (some cultures considered bathing an important part of personal hygiene, while others considered it the first step towards a chill and death) herbs were used for masking bad scents. In the 14^th Century, the Greeks burned dill as a room freshener and Chamomile and Hyssop were thrown on the floors since their scent would be released upon walking over. During the 16^th century in most countries people preferred to mask odours with perfumes rather than wash the rooms to remove dirt and the other odour causing elements. It appears our love of housecleaning has not changed much in the past 500 years!

Archaeologists have found plants in the graves of Neanderthals dating back over 60,000 years and they surmise that they were placed there as medicines to be taken into the afterlife. Much of the early medicinal uses are closely associated with magic and religion. Egyptian herbal remedies have survived on papyrus scrolls, but they were only part of the healing process, the healers when visiting a patient (imagine a Doctor making house calls) brought with them the medicines as well as a magic rod. The rod was called upon to cast out evil spirits from the body, which were believed to be the cause of disease and the herbal medicines were then used to heal the body.

The earliest surviving Herbal, a book listing plants, minerals and animals which have medicinal properties, what parts to use and how, comes from Assyrian, Mesopotamia. It is dated around 600B.C. and listed over 250 vegetable drugs, suggesting that herbal medicine had risen to a high art among the Assyrians.

Important members in the Greek medical profession were the rhizotomists or root-gatherers. These men roamed the countryside gathering the herbs and roots that were sold to the pharmacists. They followed complex rituals using prayers and chants as they harvested the plants. During the Middle Ages Herbs were known as Simples and a Simpler was a person who gathered or worked on Herbs. Some herbs required special charms or spells to allow them to be picked or to increase their potency. Vervain is one example, being held in high esteem as a healer of wounds, when it was gathered the following verse had to be spoken: "In the name of God, on Mount Olivet

First I thee found;

In the name of Jesus

I pull thee from the ground"

*So maybe it is not so crazy to talk to your plants!

Some plants were believed to have special qualities, which would protect them from the harvesters. Peonies were thought to be protected by woodpeckers, which would peck out the eyes of anyone who tried to dig up the roots. As a precaution they would only harvest these plants at night. Mandrake was also considered dangerous to unearth, due to its resemblance to human form, however the root was believed to confer wisdom, luck, fertility and success in love on its possessor, so it’s acquisition was worth the challenge. According to one legend a person had to draw three circles around it with a sword, and cut it while facing west. If a second cut was needed the person had to dance around the plant first. The most famous attribute associated with Mandrake was it’s ability to shriek when pulled from the ground and that those that heard it went insane and died immediately. In order to remove a mandrake root and live a man had to plug his hears with pitch and make use of an unfortunate dog to tie to the plant. He would then walk some distance away and entice the dog with food, up rooting the mandrake in the process, although the dying screams of the mandrake would kill the dog. Apparently, if you were a witch, you could pull up the plant without danger. Even as late as the 19^th Century it was common for North American farmers to have a mandrake, which they kept, wrapped in silk in a special box. It would be brought out before the crops were planted and carried around the field: a continuation of the belief in the plant’s strong fertility qualities.

Women have been concerned about their appearance for quite a long time. From the days of Cleopatra and her elaborate skin care regime, which included bathing in asses milk and an assortment of herb and spice oils; women have been using herbs, spices and an assortment of other concoctions. In 1777 Culpeper suggested the use of a combination of almond oil, jasmine and lily applied to the stomach could help prevent stretch marks. In 1657 Parkinson suggested cowslip juice to clear up blemishes, remove wrinkles and make the skin "smooth and fair". Herbals during the time of Elizabeth I, are filled with recipes for skin fresheners, toners and blemish removers. One 15^th Century medication suggested the use of asparagus roots, wild anise and white lily bulbs all soaked in the milk of asses and goats, which was to be aged in warm horse manure then filtered through felt before being spread on the face with pieces of bread. (Wonder what the Spa charges for this treatment?) In the Middle Ages Vervain was a popular remedy for acne-it was wrapped in a cloth and the unlucky individual with acne stood outside at night waiting for a shooting star to pass. When this happened the cloth would be rubbed over the affected area and the acne was suppose to disappear.

As for men they also have always worried over the same things, graying hair and receding hairlines. During the middle ages Fenugreek juice applied to the head was a popular cure for baldness. During the 18^th century an infusion of Southernwood leaves was suppose to revitalize dull hair, cure dandruff and stop hair loss.

And for that ever present problem of the crying baby, from the Middle ages to the Victorian period the remedy was quite simple-just dose the child with opium…..Why didn’t I think of that!

Now for some timely advice from history….with the festive season approaching do as the Romans did- prior to the huge feasts they would use herbs such as mint-either rubbed on the tables or strewn on the floor, to increase their guests appetites and Nero, who reigned from 54-68 AD had a special ceiling built in the dining room of his palace with moveable ivory squares and when the squares turned flowers, herbs and perfumes fell on the guests. There was an underlying purpose behind this, the Romans believed that roses, parsley and marjoram could prevent drunkenness if any of these three or all three were used during the feasts. Romans thought that intoxication was caused by the fumes of the wine and the spicy aroma of parsley and other plants would absorb these fumes. Don’t try using this excuse! After the banquet the Romans would sleep on saffron filled pillows, if upon waking they found that all these remedies had not worked, then an infusion of Chamomile, Roses and Violets poured over the head was suppose to help ease the morning-after headache. Heliogabalus in 200A.D., suspended roses in nets from the ceiling and released them on his guests at the end of the evening. However, he had the misfortune of killing some of his guests one evening when the rose petals piled to 18" high and many of his guests were in a drunken stupor and suffocated.