The plant-lore & garden-craft of Shakespeare Part 47

LAUREL.

(1) _Clarence._

To whom the heavens in thy nativity Adjudged an Olive branch and Laurel crown As likely to be blest in peace and war.

_3rd Henry VI_, act iv, sc. 6 (33).

(2) _t.i.tus._

Cometh Andronicus bound with Laurel boughs.

_t.i.tus Andronicus_, act i, sc. 1 (74).

(3) _Cleopatra._

Upon your sword Sit Laurel victory.

_Antony and Cleopatra_, act i, sc. 3 (99).

(4) _Ulysses._

Prerogative of age, crowns, sceptres, Laurels.

_Troilus and Cressida_, act i, sc. 3 (107).

This is one of the plants which Shakespeare borrowed from the cla.s.sical writers; it is not the Laurel of our day, which was not introduced till after his death,[136:1] but the Laurea Apollinis, the Laurea Delphica--

"The Laurel meed of mightie conquerors And poet's sage,"--SPENSER;

that is, the Bay. This is the tree mentioned by Gower--

"This Daphne into a Lorer tre Was turned, whiche is ever grene, In token, as yet it may be sene, That she shalle dwelle a maiden stille."

_Conf. Aman._ lib. terc.

There can be little doubt that the Laurel of Chaucer also was the Bay, the--

"Fresh grene Laurer tree That gave so pa.s.sing a delicious smelle According to the Eglantere ful welle."

He also spoke of it as the emblem of enduring freshness--

"Myn herte and al my lymes be as grene As Laurer, through the yeer is for to seene."

_The Marchaundes Tale._

The Laurel in Lyte's "Herbal" (the Lauriel or Lourye) seems to be the Daphne Laureola. But unconsciously Chaucer and Shakespeare spoke with more botanical accuracy than we do, the Bay being a true Laurel, while the Laurel is a Cherry (_see_ BAY).

FOOTNOTES:

[136:1] The first Laurel grown in Europe was grown by Clusius in 1576.

LAVENDER.

_Perdita._

Here's flowers for you; Hot Lavender, Mints, Savory, Marjoram.

_Winter's Tale_, act iv, sc. 4 (103).

The mention of Lavender always recalls Walton's pleasant picture of "an honest ale-house, where we shall find a cleanly room, Lavender in the windows, and twenty ballads stuck against the wall, and my hostess, I may tell you, is both cleanly and handsome and civil." Whether it is from this familiar, old-fashioned picture, or from some inherent charm in the plant, it is hard to say, but it is certain that the smell of Lavender is always a.s.sociated with cleanliness and freshness.[137:1]

It is not a British plant, but is a native of the South of Europe in dry and barren places, and it was introduced into England in the sixteenth century, but it probably was not a common plant in Shakespeare's time, for though it is mentioned by Spenser as "the Lavender still gray"

("Muiopotmos"), and by Gerard as growing in his garden, it is not mentioned by Bacon in his list of sweet-smelling plants. The fine aromatic smell is found in all parts of the shrub, but the essential oil is only produced from the flowers. As a garden plant it is found in every garden, but its growth as an extensive field crop is chiefly confined to the neighbourhood of Mitcham and Carshalton in Surrey; and there at the time of the picking of the flowers, and still more in the later autumn when the old woody plants are burned, the air for a long distance is strongly and most pleasantly impregnated with the delicate perfume.

FOOTNOTES:

[137:1] The very name suggests this a.s.sociation. Lavender is the English form of the Latin name, Lavendula; "lavendula autem dicta quoniam magnum vectigal Genevensibus mercatoribus praebet quotannis in Africam eam ferentibus, ubi lavandis fovendisque corporibus Lybes ea utuntur, nec nisi decocto ejus abluti, mane domo egrediuntur."--_Stephani Libellus de re Hortensi_, 1536, p. 54. The old form of our "laundress" was "a Lavendre."

LEATHERCOAT, _see_ APPLE.

LEEK.

(1) _Thisbe._

His eyes were green as Leeks.

_Midsummer Night's Dream_, act v, sc. 1 (342).

(2) _Pistol._