152 SHAKESPEARE'S [HEMP. 



/ 

 Hemp. 



ii. KING HENRY IV., ii. I, 64. 



[" Hemp-seed " here, of course, refers to the use of Hemp for 

 making ropes.] 



THE female Hemp [is] barren and without seed, contrary 

 unto the nature of that sex ; which is very like to the 

 male, and one must be gathered before the other be ripe, 

 else it will wither away, and come to no good purpose. 



Gerard's "Herbal," s.v. 



IF you lay the wick of a candle to infuse or steep in 

 the oil of Hemp-seed, and after make a tallow candle 

 thereof, which if you do light after it be cold, the same 

 candle will not go out with any wind, so long as the whole 

 candle lasteth. And in like sort may lights be made to 

 serve in the night-time, if that fine linen rags be first 

 soaked in the oil of Hemp-seed, and dipped into molten 

 tallow, being so bound or wrought on a staff's end, or other- 

 wise lying in an iron or plate at the end of a staff. 



Lupton, "A Thousand Notable Things," bk. x. 23. 



THE juice of green Hemp-seed, being dropped into the 

 ears, driveth out any worms or vermin there engendered, 

 yea, and what ear-wigs or such like creatures that are gotten 

 into them ; but it will cause head-ache withal. So forcible 

 is this plant, that if it be put into water, it will make it to 

 gather and coagulate. Holland's Pliny, bk. xx. ch. xxiii. 



Hen. 



Short-legged hens. 



ii. KING HENRY IV., v. i, 28. 



As some men mean if her members were meddled with 

 gold when it is molten, the gold should waste. The Hen 

 is a fowl of great laying, and layeth many eggs without 

 treading, and they be called wind-eggs, and be more un- 

 savoury and less worthy than other eggs. A Hen is a mild 

 bird about chickens ; for she taketh sickness for sorrow of 



