Magic cushion gorse, also known as Ulex gallii, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe and can be found in various parts of the United Kingdom, specifically in Scotland and northern England. This species is known for its unique appearance and vibrant yellow flowers, which bloom from April to June. Magic cushion gorse is a low-growing, evergreen shrub that typically reaches a height of around 30 centimeters. It has spiny branches and leaves, which provide protection against grazing animals. The leaves are small and scale-like, giving the plant a cushion-like appearance.
To celebrate Halloween, our October Object of the Month is a curious little book from the Bute Library at Mount Stuart called The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot (1538-1599). First printed in 1584, Scot’s The Discoverie of Witchcraft was the first treatise on witchcraft written by an English author. Scot was born into a prominent Kent family in 1538, and it was the 1582 executions of several witches in nearby St. Osyth which inspired the Member of Parliament to write his infamous treatise. Scot’s Discoverie was written in response to the bloody witchcraft trials which plagued Scotland and England throughout the early modern period, after the 1542 Witchcraft Act regulated the penalties for witchcraft. This culminated with the Great Scottish Witch Hunt of 1661-2, a series of trials and burnings which spread from London all the way to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute.
Whether deliberately or not, Scot s work was the first book in English to explain how conjuring tricks worked and he helped popularize magic for the early modern masses. The 4th Marquess of Bute is well-known for his numerous building restoration projects, but he was also an avid bibliophile with an interest in early modern history.
The leaves are small and scale-like, giving the plant a cushion-like appearance. The flowers of magic cushion gorse are small and yellow, with a characteristic coconut-like fragrance. The plant produces an abundance of flowers, which attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
The Discoverie of Witchcraft
They sacrifice their owne children to the divell before baptisme, holding them up in the aire unto him, and then thrust a needle into their braines … They use incestuous adulterie with spirits … They eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of men and children openlie … They kill mens cattell … They bewitch mens corne … They ride and flie in the aire, bring stormes, make tempests … They use venerie with a divell called Incubus and have children by them, which become the best witches …
In 1584, when there were few who would even defend witches against these charges, Reginald Scot went one step further. He actually set out to prove that witches did not and could not exist! King James later found Scot's opinion so heretical that he ordered all copies of his book to be burned. But so rich and full of data on the charges against witches, on witch trials and on the actual practice of the black arts was Scot's Discoverie of Witchcraft that it remained a much-used source throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and is still one of the few primary sources for the study of witchcraft today.
At the heart of Scot's book are stories and charges pulled from the writers of the Inquisition about the supposed nature of witches. Scot believed that the utter absurdity of the facts would be enough to stop belief in witchcraft forever. But he also goes on to give opinions of medical authorities, interviews with those convicted of witchcraft, and details about the two-faced practices of those in charge of the inquisitions to show even further why the charges of witchcraft were simply not true. In later chapters Scot details the other side of the question through a study of the black arts that are not purely imaginary. He discusses poisoners, jugglers, conjurers, charmers, soothsayers, figure-casters, dreamers, alchemists, and astrologers and, in turn, sets down the actual practices of each group and shows how the acts depend not upon the devil but upon either trickery or skill. In the process, many of the magician's secrets and much other folk and professional lore of the time is made available to the reader of today.
Shortly after the Spanish Inquisition, directly in the wake of Sprenger and Kramer's Malleus Maleficarum, during the great upsurge of witch trials in Britain, Scot was a direct witness to the witchmonger in one of witch-hunting's bloodiest eras. Whatever your interest in witchcraft — either historical, psychological, or sympathetic — Scot, in his disproof, tells you much more about the subject than the many, many contemporary writers on the other side of the question.
Reprint of the John Rodker, 1930 edition.
| Availability | Usually ships in 24 to 48 hours |
| ISBN 10 | 0486260305 |
| ISBN 13 | 9780486260303 |
| Author/Editor | Reginald Scot |
| Format | Book |
| Page Count | 320 |
| Dimensions | 6 1/2 x 10 |
Despite Scot’s work gaining popularity when it was first published, the Discoverie was condemned by many influential figures, one being none other than King James VI of Scotland. In his 1597 publication Daemonologie, James attacked “Scot, an Englishman, who is not ashamed in publike print to denie that there can be such a thing as witchcraft”. Legend has it that on his ascension to the throne as King James I of England in 1603, James ordered for every copy of Scot’s work to be burnt and destroyed. While there is no surviving contemporary evidence for this, we do know that the Discoverie was continuously denounced by fellow authors on witchcraft throughout King James VI & I’s reign.
After pollination, the flowers develop into seed pods, which contain small, hard seeds. This species prefers open heathland habitats and can be found in areas with acidic soil. It is well adapted to harsh weather conditions, including high winds and poor nutrient availability. Magic cushion gorse is often found growing alongside other heathland plants such as heather and bilberry. In addition to its aesthetic value, magic cushion gorse has various ecological benefits. It provides valuable habitat and shelter for small animals, birds, and insects. The spiny branches offer protection against predators, while the flowers provide a source of nectar for pollinators. Despite its ecological importance, magic cushion gorse can also be a problematic species in certain areas. It has the tendency to spread rapidly and can become invasive, especially in areas where traditional management practices have been disrupted. As a result, efforts are often made to control its growth and prevent it from outcompeting native plant species. In conclusion, magic cushion gorse is a unique and visually striking plant species that plays an important role in heathland ecosystems. Its low-growing, spiny branches and vibrant yellow flowers make it a distinctive and recognizable species. While it has both ecological benefits and potential drawbacks, managing its growth allows for the preservation of native plants and the continued support of local biodiversity..
Reviews for "Magic Cushion Gorse as a Natural Remedy for Seasonal Allergies"
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