386 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



Shakspeare and others of our old poets repeatedly speak 

 of Rosemary as an emblem of remembrance ; and as being 

 worn at weddings, to signify the fidelity of the lovers. 

 Thus Ophelia says : 



" There's rosemary for you, that's for remembrance ; pray you, 

 love, remember." 



Again, Perdita, in the Winters Tale : 



f ' For you there 's rosemary and rue ; these keep 

 Seeming and savour all the winter long : 

 Grace and remembrance be with you both !" 



Rue is the herb of grace, commonly so called in the 

 dictionaries of Shakspeare's time. 



The following passage occurs in Drayton's Pastorals : 



" He from his lass him lavender hath sent, 

 Showing her love, and doth requital crave ; 

 Him rosemary his sweetheart, whose intent 

 Is that he her should in remembrance have." 



<t Will I be wed this morning, 



Thou shalt not be there, nor once be graced with 



A piece of rosemary." 



RAM ALLEY, OR MERRY TRICKS. 



st I meet few but are stuck with rosemary ; every one asked me who 

 was to be married." 



NOBLE SPANISH SOLDIER. 



In the notes to Steevens's edition of Shakspeare, many 

 passages of this kind are quoted. 



In the Works of Beaumont and Fletcher arp several in- 

 stances of this use of Rosemary. In the Woman's Prize, 

 or the Tamer Tamed, Moroso is said to enter " with Rose- 

 mary, as from a wedding." 



In the Pilgrim are these lines : 



" Well, well, since wedding will come after wooing, 

 Give me some rosemary, and let's be going." 



This plant seems to have been a favourite with Spenser, 

 which he generally includes where he mentions a variety of 



