Herbal Medicine in Wales

Undoubtedly the most famous Welsh herbalists are the family of Physicians of Myddfai near Llandovery in Carmarthenshire. This family, the father Rhiwallon of Myddfai, physician to Rhys Gryg and his three sons Cadwgan, Gruffydd and Einon practised in the first half of the thirteenth century. They wrote recipes in great detail for medications to cure a host of ailments - unusual in Europe at that time.

Such was the physicians fame that various legends arose over the years, the most well known being that they were descended from the 'Lady of the Lake'.

The story goes that an old widow at Blaensawdde in Carmarthenshire had a son who tended cattle on the Black Mountains near Llyn-Y-Fan Fach. One day he saw the most beautiful woman sitting on the surface of the water. He offered her bread and cheese, but she answered: " Hard baked is your bread! It is not easy to catch me! ", before  disappearing into the depths of the lake.

Later, his mother suggested offering unbaked dough, but she refused this also. Finally he offered her part-baked bread. This time she accepted the bread and agreed to marry him before disappearing into the lake again.

She returned with her Father and an identical maiden. The Father said he could have her hand in marriage if he could choose the right one. This he did by recognizing the way her shoe laces were tied.

Out of the water she came, with a dowry of cattle and livestock. They were married under the condition that if he struck her three causeless blows, she would return to the lake from whence she came and their marriage would be over. They lived happily for many years and had three sons. One day on the way to a christening he jokingly slapped her with a pair of gloves. This was the first blow. On another occasion during the merry making of a wedding, he accidentally tapped her on the shoulder. This was the second blow. Finally at a funeral he tapped her to stop her laughing. She said she had laughed because the dead person no longer had any worries or fears. She left him saying " The last blow has been struck and our marriage contract is broken and at an end, farewell.

She then proceeded back into the lake, followed by all the cattle she had brought with her. All that was left was a furrow, leading right to the edge of the lake. This had been made by an ox pulling a plough. Her distraught sons often searched the lake looking for their mother. 

On several occasions she appeared to her eldest son Rhiwallon, teaching him herb lore and medicine. She told him that for many generations his descendants would be among the best physicians in the country. In fact, this family continued to practice medicine without a break right up until the middle of the 18th century . The last physician Rice Williams died in 1842.

Below are some remedies from the Physicians of Myddfai:

Cough Remedy

Bruise Agrimony in a mortar and mix the juice with boiling milk, strain and use.

Nausea

Get a pint of the juice of fennel and boil it with a pint of clarified honey, taking a spoonful every morning fasting as well as the last thing at night for nine days.

Sunburn

Take the leaves of marsh pennywort rudely pounded with a cream, boil them together on a gentle fire so as to form them into an ointment, and anoint the effected part therewith.

Swelling And Pain In The Legs

Bruise rue, honey and salt. Apply thereto and it will disperse the swelling.

Headache

Whoever is frequently afflicted with a headache let him make a lotion of the vervain, betony , chamomile and red fennel; let him wash his head three times a week therewith and he will be cured.

Gastric Pains

Take a little Tansy, and reduce to a fine powder. Take with white wine and it will remove the pain.