86 FLORA HISTORICA. 



Those be rubies, fairy favours, 

 In those freckles live their savours : 

 I must go seek some dew-drops here, 

 And haug a pearl in every Cowslip's ear. 



Milton describes Sabrina's airy tread over this 

 flower by the beautiful song of the goddess. 



Whilst from off the waters fleet 

 Thus I set my printless feet 

 O'er the Cowslip's velvet head, 

 That bends not as I tread. 



The calyx of the Cowslip is the most delicate 

 of all the shades of green which are presented to 

 us by the vegetable kingdom : hence Hurdis calls it 



The love-sick Cowslip, that the head inclines, 

 To hide a bleeding heart. 



The last line is in allusion to the orange or red 

 mark in the cup of the flower, from whence it is 

 often called the Freckled Cowslip : 



rich in vegetable gold 



From calyx pale the freckled Cowslip born, 

 Receives in amber cup the fragrant dews of morn. 



Shakspeare refers to this red speckle, when he 

 makes Iachimo describe Imogene as having 



on her left breast 



A mole cinque-spotted, like the crimson drops 

 I' the bottom of a Cowslip. 



The Cowslip is seldom found in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of its relative Primrose ; for whilst 

 the modest Primrose partially conceals itself by the 

 branches of shrubs, the Cowslip advances more 



