The Herb of Grace (14 page)

Rue has long been considered one of the foremost protective herbs, especially against black magic and the evil eye. In southern Europe, faith in the protective qualities of rue is so great that a special charm, the Cimaruta or ‘Sprig of Rue', is worn as a pendant or lucky charm. It is sometimes called ‘the witch's amulet', for it was apparently worn by hereditary witches as an emblem of their power. An old Cimaruta can be seen in the Museum of Bologna.

The New Forest has long been considered the haunt of gypsies and witches, including the famous white witch, Sybil Leek, who lived in Burley in the 1950s and claimed to have gained her knowledge and powers from a long line of witches in her family.

Witches in Wiltshire in the seventeenth century were not so lucky. An old woman called
Anne Bodenham, who wore a live toad in a green bag about her neck, was condemned and hanged as a witch in Salisbury in 1653. Before she was killed, Anne had the presence of mind to drink a beer, spit on a priest, and wish a pox on her executioner.

A contemporary account of her says ‘she would often tell those that had converse with her of lucky and unlucky days, which she would have them observe in their employments; she was likewise addicted much to gossiping (as the vulgar call it) to tell strange unheard-of tales and stories of transactions, and things that have been, and might be done, by cunning and wise people; she was one that would undertake to cure almost any diseases, which she did for the most part by charms and spells, but sometimes used physical ingredients, to cover her abominable practices'.

There is no evidence that she was a gypsy, but
the wearing of a toad in a bag about the neck is indeed a gypsy charm. Toads are key animals in Rom folklore, and many tales are told about them, including one that a tame toad may assist a fortune-teller in her craft.

One final note about the Rom depicted in this book – the Wood family is one of the largest in the UK and has many branches all over the country. One of the most famous branches, though, live in Wales and are said to be descended from one Abram Wood, called the King of the Gypsies, who introduced the fiddle to Wales.

a handful of herbs picked from the hedgerow* boiling water

Put herbs in a pot and pour in boiling water. Leave brew for 3–4 minutes, then pour out tea into cup. Add honey if desired.

*purple sage, thyme, peppermint, elderflower, chamomile, hyssop and horehound are all good for coughs and colds. Use singly or together in groups.

*chamomile, peppermint, lemon balm and dill are good for stomach upsets

*stinging nettles is a cleansing tonic, and helps ease rheumatism

*lemon verbena, peppermint or bergamot are all good for early morning teas as they are uplifting and stimulating

*chamomile, valerian and elderflower tea are good bedtime drinks

*angelica, rosemary, lemon balm and St John's Wort are all good for anxiety and depression

750g chopped boneless meat

2 tbsp plain flour

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

30g butter

1 large onion

125g bacon

2 cups beef stock

2 peeled and sliced carrots

2 large potatoes (or 4 small potatoes) – peeled and chopped

180g button mushrooms

fresh green peas or beans

dried thyme or marjoram

Toss meat in seasoned flour. Heat oil and butter in a deep, heavy frying pan till foaming subsides. Add meat in batches, browning on all sides, then remove from pan with slotted spoon. Sauté onion and bacon quickly, then return meat to pan with beef stock, carrots and potatoes and seasonings, and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one hour. Add beans or peas, and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes.
Add more flour if needed to thicken sauce. Can be served with rice or mashed potatoes if desired, though the gypsies would eat from a bowl with a spoon.