¶ The Names.
Veruaine is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine, Verbena, and Verbenaca, Herculania, Ferraria, and Exupera: of some, Matricalis, and Hiera botane: of others, Veruena, and Sacra herba: Verbenae are herbes that were taken from the Altar, or from some holy place, which because the Consull or Pretor did cut vp, they were likewise called Sagmind, which oftentiwes are mentioned in Liuy to be grassie herbes cut vp in the Capitoll. Pliny also in his two and twentieth booke, and eleuenth Chapter witnesseth, That Verbenae and Sagmina be all one: and this is manifest by that which wee reade in Andraea in Terence: Ex ara verbenas hinc sume; Take herbes here from the Altar: in which place Terence did not meane Veruaine to be taken from the Altar, but some certaine herbes: for in Menander, out of whom this Comedie was translated, is read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Myrtle, as Donatus saith. In Spanish it is called Vrgebaom: in Italian, Verminacula: in Dutch, Jser cruijt: in French, Ver∣uaine: in English, Iuno's teares, Mercuries moist bloud, Holy-herbe; and of some, Pigeons grasse, or Columbine, because Pigeons are delighted to be amongst it, as also to eat thereof, as Apuleius writeth.