The plant-lore & garden-craft of Shakespeare Part 7

This Act remained in force till the reign of James I., when it was repealed. In our own time the wood is valued for internal panelling of rooms, and is used in the manufacture of gunpowder.

By the older writers the Aspen was the favourite simile for female loquacity. The rude libel is given at full length in "The Schoole-house of Women" (511-545), concluding thus--

"The Aspin lefe hanging where it be, With little winde or none it shaketh; A woman's tung in like wise taketh Little ease and little rest; For if it should the hart would brest."

HAZLITT'S _Popular English Poetry_, vol. iv, p. 126.

And to the same effect Gerard concludes his account of the tree thus: "In English Aspe and Aspen tree, and may also be called Tremble, after the French name, considering it is the matter whereof women's tongues were made (as the poets and some others report), which seldom cease wagging."

FOOTNOTES:

[25:1] "Espe" in "Promptorium Parvulorum." "Aspen" is the case-ending of "Aspe."

BACHELOR'S b.u.t.tON.

_Hostess._

What say you to young Master Fenton? he capers, he dances, he has eyes of youth, he writes verses, he speaks holiday, he smells April and May; he will carry't, he will carry't; 'tis in his b.u.t.tons; he will carry't.

_Merry Wives_, act iii, sc. 2 (67).

"Though the Bachelor's b.u.t.ton is not exactly named by Shakespeare, it is believed to be alluded to in this pa.s.sage; and the supposed allusion is to a rustic divination by means of the flowers, carried in the pocket by men and under the ap.r.o.n by women, as it was supposed to retain or lose its freshness according to the good or bad success of the bearer's amatory prospects."[27:1]

The true Bachelor's b.u.t.ton of the present day is the double Ranunculus acris, but the name is applied very loosely to almost any small double globular flowers. In Shakespeare's time it was probably applied still more loosely to any flowers in bud (according to the derivation from the French _bouton_). b.u.t.ton is frequently so applied by the old writers--

"The more desire had I to goo Unto the roser where that grewe The freshe Bothum so bright of hewe.

But o thing lyked me right welle; I was so nygh, I myght fele Of the Bothom the swote odour And also see the fresshe colour; And that right gretly liked me."

_Romaunt of the Rose._

And by Shakespeare--

The canker galls the infants of the Spring Too oft before their b.u.t.tons be disclosed.

_Hamlet_, act i, sc. 3 (54).

FOOTNOTES:

[27:1] Mr. J. Fitchett Marsh, of Hardwicke House, Chepstow, in "The Garden." I have to thank Mr. Marsh for much information kindly given both in "The Garden" and by letter.

BALM, BALSAM, OR BALSAMUM.

(1) _K. Richard._

Not all the water in the rough rude sea Can wash the Balm from an anointed king.

_Richard II_, act iii, sc. 2 (54).

(2) _K. Richard._

With mine own tears I wash away my Balm.

_Ibid._, act iv, sc. 1 (207).

(3) _K. Henry._

'Tis not the Balm, the sceptre, and the ball.

_Henry V_, act iv, sc. 1 (277).

(4) _K. Henry._

Thy place is fill'd, thy sceptre wrung from thee, Thy Balm wash'd off, wherewith thou wast anointed.

_3rd Henry VI_, act iii, sc. 1 (16).

(5) _K. Henry._

My pity hath been Balm to heal their wounds.

_Ibid._, act iv, sc. 8 (41).

(6) _Lady Anne._

I pour the helpless Balm of my poor eyes.

_Richard III_, act i, sc. 2 (13).

(7) _Troilus._