Baneful herbs are poisonous. Such herbs - including henbane, hemlock, hellebore, mandrake and datura - were popular in Renaissance magic for inducing visions, creating the illusion of psychic awareness, drawing love, tormenting the mind and even dulling the pain of those about to be executed for the “crime” of magic.

One of the darkest chapters in the history of herbs has been in the traditional usages of "baneful" (poisonous) herbs. Such herbs, including henbane, hemlock, hellebore, mandrake and datura, were popular in Renaissance magic for inducing visions, creating the illusion of psychic awareness, drawing ...

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