The plant-lore & garden-craft of Shakespeare Part 16

_Quickly._

And that's a good root.

_Merry Wives_, act iv, sc. 1 (55).

Dame Quickly's pun gives us our Carrot, a plant which, originally derived from our wild Carrot (_Daucus Carota_), was introduced as a useful vegetable by the Flemings in the time of Elizabeth, and has probably been very little altered or improved since the time of its introduction. In Shakespeare's time the name was applied to the "Yellow Carrot" or Parsnep, as well as to the Red one. The name of Carrot comes directly from its Latin or rather Greek name, Daucus Carota, but it once had a prettier name. The Anglo-Saxons called it "bird's-nest," and Gerard gives us the reason, and it is a reason that shows they were more observant of the habits of plants than we generally give them credit for: "The whole tuft (of flowers) is drawn together when the seed is ripe, resembling a bird's nest; whereupon it hath been named of some Bird's-nest."

CEDAR.

 

(1) _Prospero._

And by the spurs pluck'd up The Pine and Cedar.

_Tempest_, act v, sc. 1 (47).

(2) _Dumain._

As upright as the Cedar.

_Love's Labour's Lost_, act iv, sc. 3 (89).

(3) _Warwick._

As on a mountain top the Cedar shows, That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm.

_2nd Henry VI_, act v, sc. 1 (205).

(4) _Warwick._

Thus yields the Cedar to the axe's edge, Whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle, Under whose shade the ramping lion slept, Whose top-branch o'erpeered Jove's spreading tree, And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful wind.

_3rd Henry VI_, act v, sc. 2 (11).

(5) _Cranmer._

He shall flourish, And, like a mountain Cedar, reach his branches To all the plains about him.

_Henry VIII_, act v, sc. 5 (215).

(6) _Posthumus._

When from a stately Cedar shall be lopped branches, which, being dead many years, shall after revive.

_Cymbeline_, act v, sc. 4 (140); and act v, sc. 5 (457).

(7) _Soothsayer._

The lofty Cedar, royal Cymbeline, Personates thee. Thy lopp'd branches . . . . . are now revived, To the majestic Cedar join'd.

_Ibid._, act v, sc. 5 (453).

(8) _Gloucester._

But I was born so high, Our aery buildeth in the Cedar's top, And dallies with the wind and scorns the sun.

_Richard III_, act i, sc. 3 (263).

(9) _Coriola.n.u.s._

Let the mutinous winds Strike the proud Cedars 'gainst the fiery sun.

_Coriola.n.u.s_, act v, sc. 3 (59).

(10) _t.i.tus._

Marcus, we are but shrubs, no Cedars we.

_t.i.tus Andronicus_, act iv, sc. 3 (45).

(11) _Daughter._

I have sent him where a Cedar, Higher than all the rest, spreads like a Plane Fast by a brook.

_Two n.o.ble Kinsmen_, act ii, sc. 6 (4).

(12)

The sun ariseth in his majesty; Who doth the world so gloriously behold That Cedar-tops and hills seem burnished gold.

_Venus and Adonis_ (856).

(13)