June 16. 1855.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



461 



10. Have a Symbolism. 



Vine, the Church, or the Saviour. Rose, Incorruption. 

 Ears of corn and grapes, the Holy Palm, victory. 



Communion^ Olive, peace. 



Cedars and dates, the faithful. , Holly , ivy, box, resurrection. 

 Lily, purity. 



11. Have many interesting Associations. 



Beans, used by the ancients in voting. 



Oak, from the escaiie of Kins Charles II. ... 



Vervain, with which heralds crowned their heads when declaring war. 

 Guernsey lily, which sprung from bulbs thrown upon the strand, on the 



wreck of a merchant vessel homeward bound from Japan. 

 Tobacco, which provoked a royal ■' counterblast." 

 Geranium : the Turks say the metamorphosis of the mallow by the 



touch of Mahomet's garment. . „, r\ 



Sycamore, first introduced by a slip brought from I ranee by Mary t^ueen 



Vine. At the foot of the first vine planted by Adam, the fiend, accord- 

 ing to the rabbins, buried a lion, a lamb, and a hog ; and as wme is 

 used, men inherit the (lualities of those animals, mildness , ferocity , or 

 wallowing. 



"Witch-elm ibr discovering water. 



Juniper, from the poems of Ariosto and Tasso. 



Laurel, from the praises of Petrarch. 



Apple, the fall of one leading Newton to a great discovery. 



Myrtle, from the poem on the sword of Armodius and Anstogeiton. 



Orange-flower, worn by brides. 



Rosemary and rue, scattered on graves. . 



"Willow, the emblem of mourning ; used In Midland Counties, however, 

 in the place of the palm on the Sunday in Holy Week. 



Gilly-flower, in the East, the symbol of desertion. 



Privet and violet, Mahomet's favourite flowers. j » 



Banana and pomegranate, said by him to have sprung from seeds of 

 Paradise. . 



Date, '• the Moslem's paternal aunt," according to the same authority ; 

 and the melon, the eatinj; ol which purchases a thousand good works. 



Nilica, believed by the Hindoo to be the nestling-place of bees asleep. 



Peepul, haunted by tlie spirits of tlie departed. , , - 



Palm, growing the quicker for being weished down, the symbol ot reso- 

 lution overcoming calamity ; said by the Orientals to have sprung 

 from the residue of the clay of which Adam was formed. 



Forget-me-not, tiie " Vergiss mich nicht," words uttered by the lover 

 sinking in the Danube, as he cast the wished-for flower at his mis- 

 tress's feet : the " Souveigne-vous de raoy " of Harry of Lancaster m 

 his exile. , , „^ , 



Hawthorn, the device of Henry VIX., because Richard III. s crown was 

 found in a hawtiiorn bush at Bosworth. 



Furze, at the sight of which in bloom Linnscus fell down on his knees 

 and thanked God for its beauty. 



Nettle, the seeds of which, Camden says, the Romans brought with them 

 to chafe their limbs in apprehension of the cold of Britain. 



Sycamore of Zacchajus, and the fig-tree of Nathanael, and the palm of 

 Deborali, and the bush in Horeb. . . v j 



Elder, in respect to its medicinal virtues, Boerhave, on passing it, bared 

 his head. , 



Yew, planted in every churchyard to furnish the English archer. 



Tulip, the origin of the most disastrous speculations Holland ever knew. 



Night-smelling jasmine, over wliich, at Pisa, the governor set an armed 

 sentinel. 



Ranunculus, with wliich Mustapha diverted the mmd of Mahomet IV. 

 from tlie chace. 



Thorn of Glastonbury, said to blossom only on Christmas Eve. 



Walnut-tree, that bursting into leaf on St. Barnalias' Eve, used to be 

 sold in cuttiugs at fabulous prices to James I.'s nobility. 



Narcissus, called by Galen the food of the soul. 



Mistletoe, which Druids said was the home of fairies in the leafless 

 winter-time. 



Shamrock, connected with St. Patrick's mystical teaching. 



Leek, of King Arthur and David Gam at Agincourt. 



Thistle, of Achaicus ; on which the Dane trod, and with his cry of pain 

 awoke the Scots almost surprised. . 



Rose, for which, as ornaments of her supper-table, in one night Cleo- 

 patra spent 200/. ; Verres, borne through Sicily on a litter of roses ; a 

 golden rose sent by the Pope to favoured princes : the emblem of 

 silence ; Sir John Mandeville says, red roses sprung from the extin- 

 guished brands, and wliite roses from the unkindled faggots, heaped 

 round a Virgin martyr at Bethlehem ; cast by the Roman on the 

 tomb, as were 



Amaranth, myrtle, and asphodel by the Greek. 



Sir John Mandeville tells us of apples of Pyban, that fed the pigmies 

 with their smell ; of manna produced by dew ; of balsam of Cairo that 

 must be tilled by Christian hands ; of olive and bay carried by ravens 

 to St. Catharine's tomb ; of apples of Paradise, that had a bite on one 

 side ; of the dirpe of Mamre that died at the Cruciflxion ; of the seeds 

 placed by Seth under the tongue of dying Adam, from wliich sprang 

 the trees of which the Cross was made ; the piece athwart of victorious 

 palm ; the stock of immortal cedar ; the table of peaceful olive, the 

 trunk of the tree of which Adam eat. 

 Arbor Judae, the tree of the traitor's suicide. 

 Aspen, said to shudder since its wood formed the accursed tree. 

 Arum, its petals stained, when it grew on Calvary. 

 Apples of Sodom. 



Fern ; the seed said to render him who carried it invisible. 

 Fleur-de-lys, used by Flavio Giovia in 1302, in compliment to the Kine 

 of Naples and hia French descent, to mark the northern point of the 

 compass. 



The names of plants, as derived from their 

 native countries, have been mentioned; the source 

 of names in other languages, if traced, would make 



these Notes too long. I will only suggest the ori- 

 gin, of certain classes of name, r 



1. From Birds. 



Henbane. 

 Cock's comb. 

 Chickweed. 

 Pheasant's eye. 

 Guinea-hen flower. 

 Goose-foot. 



Duckweed. 



Sparrow-wort. 



Columbine. 



Celandine. 



Pigeon-berry. 



Goose-berry. 



2. From Animals. 



Canary grass. 

 Crowfoot. 

 Cuckoo pint. 

 Hawkweed. 

 Crane's bill. 

 Sea-stork's bill. 



Horse chestnut. 

 Horse mint. 

 Mare's tail. 

 Colt's foot. 

 Fox tail. 

 Wolf's face. 

 Wolf's claw. 

 Dent-dc-lion. 

 Sow thistle. 



Bee-orchis. 



Butterfly-orchis. 



Catchfly. 



Tiger lily. 

 Bear's foot. 

 Horehound. 

 Dog rose. 

 Dog's tooth. 

 Hound's tongue. 

 Hart's tongue. 

 Dog-berry. 



Buckthorn. 

 Monkey-flower. 

 Cat's tail. 

 Cat mint. 

 Sheep's bit. 

 Lamb's lettuce. 

 Harebell. 

 Mouse-ear grass. 



Goat's beard. 

 Cow wheat. 

 Cowslip. 

 Cow parsley. 

 Ox tongue. 

 Calf's snout. 

 Snap-dragon. 

 Leopard's bane. 



3. From Insects and Reptiles. 



Venus fly-trap. Scorpion senna. Snake's head.' 

 Flea bane. Viper's bugloss. Toadflax. 



Spider- wort. Sarpent's tongue. . Wormwood. 



Som£ still more curious. 



Sensitive plant. 

 Widow's wail. 

 Weeping willow. 

 Witch-elm. 

 Enchanter's 



shade. 

 Gipsy-wort. 

 Wax tree. 

 Coral tree. 

 Milk-wort. 

 Soap-wort. 

 Butter-cup. 

 Tooth-ache tree. 

 Head-ache tree. 

 Mad-wort. 

 Allspice. 

 Quaking grass. 

 Water boot. 

 Trumpet flower. 

 Bugle. 



Fiddle wood. 

 Helmet flower. 

 Rocket. 

 Arrow head. 

 Bell flower. 

 Sandal wood. 

 Sickle-wort. 

 Glass-wort. 

 Matweed. 

 Cockle. 

 Hops. 

 May-duke. 

 Mother- wort. 



Rattle. 

 Globe flower. 

 Sops in wine. 

 Dancing plant of the 

 night- Ganges. 

 Medlar. 

 Water soldier. 

 Scarlet runner. 

 Carpenter's herb. 

 Bachelor's buttons. 

 Prince's feaiher. 

 Scotch bonnets. 

 Crown Imperial. 

 Turk's cap. 

 Skull cap. 

 Sweet sultan. 

 Wake Robin. 

 Ragged Robin. 

 London pride. 

 None-so-pretty. 

 Chequers (fritillary). 

 liOve in idleness, 

 liove lies bleeding. 

 Venus comb. 

 Candy tuft. 

 Egg-plant. 

 Cheese bowl. 

 Stitcli-wort. 

 Salt- wort. 

 Brittle willow. 

 Butcher's broom. 

 Whitlow-grass. 



Blue bottle. 



Venus' looking-glass. 



Spindle tree. 



Dates. 



Thyme. 



Horse- shoe vetch. 



Club rush. 



Spike rush. 



Beak rush. 



Bread fruit. 



Sugar maple. 



Pala de vaca. 



Liver-wort. 



Spleen-wort. 



Scurvy grass. 



Tortnentilla. 



Wind flower. 



Wall flower. 



Stone crop. 



Sun flower. 



Box. 



Broom. 



Mint. 



Stock. 



Money flower. 



Winged pea. 



Touch me not. 



Sword lily. 



Yellow-flag. 



Sage. 



Elder. 



Dock. 



Some are very pleasing and elegant. 



The folk's-glove. 



The prime-rose. 



All heal. 



Wound-wort. 



Star- wort. 



Keverfuge. 



Snowdrop. 



Spring snowflake, 



Amaranth. 



Immortelle. 



Woodsower. 



Shepherd's purse. 



Shepherd's weather- 

 glass. ' 



Traveller's joy. 



Waybread. 



Wayfarer's tree. 



Speed well. 



Welcome to our house. 



Haymaids. 



Honey-drinker (pim- 

 pernel). 



Pansey (pensez ^ Moi). Heaven's bow (ins). 



Poor man's spermaceti. Sundew. 



Poor man's pepper. Goldilocks. 



Ploughman's spike- Gloryless. 



nard. Queen Anne s needle- 

 Rest-harrow, work. 

 Shepherd's needle. 



Golden chain. 

 Cornflag. 

 Day's eye. 

 Eye-bright. 

 Weather-glass. 

 Sweet gale. 

 Harvest bells. 

 Gold ol pleasure. 

 Golden rod. 

 Cloth of gold. 

 Meadow sweet. 

 King's spear. 

 Loose strife. 

 Honesty. 

 Heart's ease. 

 Thrift. 

 Honey-suckle. 



Some are derived from the Calendar of the Church and 

 sacred Seasons, §*c. 



Herb Trinity. 

 God's flower. 

 Our Master-wort. 

 Christ's herb. 

 Christ's thorn. 

 Christ's palm. 

 The everlasting. 

 Agnus Castus. 

 Arbor vitae. 

 Rhood flower. 



Maiden hair. 

 Virgin's bower. 

 Virgin's seal. 

 Virgin's thistle. 

 Virgin's lace. 

 Virgin's finger. 

 Virgin's slipper. 

 Virgin's tresses. 

 Virgin's mantle. 

 Nun's discipline. 



Almond of Annunci- Nun of the fields. 



ation. Monk's hood. 



Bella Donna. Jesuit's bark. 



Cost Mary. - Cardinal s flower. 



Jacob's ladder. 

 Job's tears, 

 Solomon's seal. 

 Christmas rose. 

 Lent lily. 

 Rogation flower. 

 Basque flower. 

 Alleluia. 

 Holy Spirit plant. 

 Angelica. 

 Archangel. 

 Cross of Malta. 

 Cross of Jerusalem. 

 Jerusalem flower. 



