The Description.

            1. Lavender Spike hath many stiff branches of a woody substance, growing up in the manner of a shrub, set with many long hoary leaves, by couples for the most part; of a strong smell, and yet pleasant enough to such as do love strong savours. The flowers grow at the top of the branches spike fashion, of a blue colour. The root is hard and woody.

            2. The second differeth not from the precedent, but in the colour of the flowers: for this plant bringeth milk white flowers; and the other blue, wherein especially consisteth the difference.

Fig. 871. Lavender Spike

            3. We have in our English gardens a small kind of Lavender, which is altogether lesser than the other, and the flowers are of a more purple colour and grow in much less and shorter heads, yet have they a far more grateful smell: the leaves are also less and whiter than those of the ordinary sort. This did, and I think yet doth grow in great plenty, in his Majesy's private garden at Whitehall. And this is called Spike, without addition, and sometimes Lavender Spike: and of this by distillation is made that vulgarly known and used oil which is termed Oleum spicæ, or oil of Spike.

The Place.

            In Spain and Languedoc in France, most of the mountains and desert fields, are as it were covered over with Lavender. In these cold countries they are planted in gardens.

The Time.

            They flower and flourish in June and July.

The Names.

            Lavender Spike is called in Latin Lavendula, and Spica: in Spanish, Spigo, and Languda. The first is the male, and the second the female. It is thought of some to be that sweet herb Casia whereof Virgil maketh mention in the second Eclogue of his Bucolics:

Tum Casia atque aliis intexus suavibus herbis,
Mollia luteola pingit vacinia Caltha.
And then shell Spike and such sweet herbs infold
And paint the Jacinth with the Marigold.

            And likewise in the fourth of his Georgics where he entreateth of choosing of seats and places for bees, and for the ordering thereof, he saith thus:

Haec circum Casiæ virides & olentia late
Serpilla, & graviter spirantis copia Thymbræ
Floreat; &c. --
About them set fresh Lavender and store
Of wild Thyme with strong Savory to flower.

            Yet there is another Casia called in shops Casia Lignea, as also Casia nigra, which is named Casia fistula; and another a small shrubby plant extant among the shrubs or hedge bushes, which some think to be the Casia Poetica, mentioned in the precedent verses.

The Temperature.

            Lavender is hot and dry, and that in the third degree, and is of a thin subsance, consisting of many airy and spiritual parts. Therefore it is good to be given any way against the cold diseases of the head, and especially those which have their original or beginning not of abundance of humours, but chiefly of a cold quality only.

The Virtues.

            A. The distilled water of Lavender smelt unto, or the temples and forehead bathed therewith, is a refreshing to them that have the catalepsy, a light migraine, & to them that have the falling sicknesss, and that use to swoon much. But when there is abundance of humours, especially mixed with blood, it is not then to be used safely, neither is the composition to be taken which is made of distilled wine: in which such kind of herbs, flowers, or seeds, and certain spices are infused or steeped, though most men do rashly and at aduenture give them without making any difference at all. For by using such hot things that fill and stuff the head, both the disease is made greater, and the sick man also brought into danger, especially when letting of blood, or purging have not gone before. Thus much by way of admonition, because that everywhere some unlearned physicians and divers rash and overbold apothecaries, and other foolish women, do by and by give such compotations, and others of the like kind, not only to those that have the apoplexy; but also to those that are taken, or have the catuche or catalepsis with a fever; to whom they can give nothing worse, seeing those things do very much hurt, and oftentimes bring death itself.

            B. The flowers of Lavender picked from the knops, I mean the blue part and not the husk, mixed with cinnamon, nutmegs, and cloves, made into powder, and given to drink in the distilled water thereof, doth help the panting and passion of the heart, prevaileth against giddiness, turning, or swimming of the brain, and members subject to the palsy.

            C. Conserve made of the flowers with sugar, profiteth much against the diseases aforesaid, if the quantity of a bean be taken thereof in the morning fasting.

            D. It profiteth these much that have the palsy, if they be washed with the distilled water of the flowers, or anointed with the oil made of the flowers, and oil olive, in such manner as oil of roses is, which shall be expressed in the treatise of Roses.