4 TO pPatit Tsofe, "bege"f|t)/, anil l^ijncf. 



The following lines are from a MS. in the Harl. Col., British 

 Museum : — 



" T like the Leeke above all herbes and floures ; 

 When first we wore the same the field was ours. 

 The Leeke is white and green, whereby is ment 

 That Britaines are both stout and eminente. 

 Next to the lion and the unicorne, 

 The Leeke's the fairest emblym that is worne." 



Shakspeare, in Henry V., tells us that the Leek, worn by Welsh- 

 men on St. David's Day (March ist), is " an ancient tradition, begun 

 upon an honourable respect, and worn as a memorable trophy of 

 pre-deceased valour." This vegetable "trophy" is said to be in 

 memory of a great victory obtained by the Welsh over the Saxons ; 

 on which occasion, they, by order of St. David, placed Leeks in 

 their caps in order to distinguish themselves. It has also been 

 supposed that the wearing of the Leek may have originated in the 

 custom of Cymortha, still observed among the farmers of the country, 

 where, in assisting one another in ploughing their land, they bring 



each their Leeks to the common repast of the whole party. • 



Drayton relates another legend, which runs as follows: — 



" There is an aged cell, with Moss and Ivy grown, 

 In which not to this day the sun has ever shone. 

 That reverend British saint, in zealous ages past, 

 To contemplation lived, and did so truly fast, 

 As he did only drink what crystal Hodney yields. 

 And fed upon the Leeks he gathered in the fields ; 

 In memory of whom, in each revolving year. 

 The Welshmen on his day that sacred herb do wear." 



Pliny states that Nero brought Leeks into great repute among 

 the Romans by eating them with oil to clear his voice for singing. 

 His folly in this respecfl obtained for him the satirical name of 

 Porvophagus, the Leek Eater. Martial, referring to the disagreeable 

 effedls of the Leek upon the breath of the eater, says : — 



" The juice of Leeks who fondly sips. 

 To kiss the fair, must close his lips." 



In Poland, the flower-stalk of the Leek is placed in the hands 



of the statties of our Saviour on certain special days, to represent 



the Reed given to Him at the Crucifixion. Among the Sicilians, 



the mother of the Apostle Peter is the subjecft of many legends. 

 She is always represented as bad and niggardly. The only thing 

 she ever gave away was the leaf of a Leek, which she flung to a 

 beggar, who importuned her one day as she was washing her pot- 

 herbs. When she died, hell received her. Years afterwards, Peter, 

 the doorkeeper of Paradise, heard a piteous voice saying: " Son 

 Peter, see what torments I am in. Go, ask the Lord to let me 

 out." So Peter went and asked. But the Lord said: "She never 

 did a nail-paring of good. Except this Leek-leaf, she never once ' 

 gave a scrap away. However, here is a Leek-leaf: this angel 

 shall take it, and shall tell her to lay hold of the otlier end, while 



