iyo THE SHAKESPEARE GARDEN 



is a long white stile, or pointell, forked, or divided, 

 at the end and six white chives, tipt with yellowish 

 pendants, standing close above it. After the flowers 

 are past, appear six square seed vessels, standing 

 upright, winged as it were, or weltered on the edges, 

 yet seeming but three-square, because each couple 

 of those welted edges are joined closer together, 

 wherein are contained broad, flat and thin seeds of a 

 pale brownish color, like unto other lilies, but much 

 greater and thicker also. 



"This plant was first brought from Constantinople 

 into these Christian countries, and, by relation of 

 some that sent it, groweth naturally in Persia. It 

 flowereth most commonly in the end of March, if 

 the weather be mild, and springeth not out of the 

 ground until the end of February, or beginning of 

 March, so quick it is in the springing. The head 

 with seeds are ripe in the end of May. It is of some 

 called Lilium Perticum, or Persian Lily; but be- 

 cause we have another, which is more usually called 

 by that name, I had rather, with Alphonsus Pancius, 

 the Duke of Florence, his physician (who first sent 

 the figure thereof unto Mr. John de Brancion) call 

 it Corona Imperialis, the Crown Imperial." 



There is a legend that the Crown-Imperial grew 

 in the garden of Gethsemane, where it was often 



