108 BOSACE.E. 



the Hawthorn which has a better foundation than the Grlas- 

 tonbury fable. Miss Strickland tells us that when Richard III. 

 was slain at Redmore, and his body plundered, a soldier hid 

 the crown in a Hawthorn bush. It was soon found and 

 carried to Lord Stanley, who placed it on the head of his son- 

 in-law, saluting him by the title of Henry VII. In memory 

 of this circumstance the House of Tudor assumed the device 

 of a crown in a bush of fruited Hawthorn. This is doubt- 

 less the origin of the saying, " Cleave to the crown though 

 it hang on a bush." May-day used to be celebrated throughout 

 England, and branches of Hawthorn were hung over every 

 doorway ; this is still done at Athens. All poets have loved 

 the Hawthorn, and celebrated its praises either alone or in 

 connection with the floral May-day revels. Chaucer, in par- 

 ticular, depicts the favourite bush in a very pleasing manner : 



" A mongst the many buds proclaiming May, 

 Decking the fields in holiday array, 

 Striving who shall surpass in bravourie, 

 if ark e the faire blooming of the Hawthorne tree ; 

 Who finely cloathed in a robe of white, 

 Fills full the wanton eye with May's delight." 



It is told of Bishop Latimer, that when he went to preach 

 at a certain town, there was no one to hear him, for all the 

 people had gone a-maying. One man came to him, and said, 

 " Syr, this is a busy day with us, we cannot hear you. The 

 parish has gone abroad to gather for Robin Hood. I pray you 

 let them not." But the custom is little used now ; here and 

 there, in a remote village, the Maypole remains still, and 

 children make garlands. At Hawkhurst this is the case. The 

 Hawthorn is very useful for fences ; skewers may be made of 

 the large thorns, and a dingy yellow caterpillar, covered with 

 hair, feeds on its leaves. The Black-veined white Butterfly 

 comes from this caterpillar. 



