"HERBS OF GRACE" 22? 



membrance ; pray you, love, remember." Probably 

 she knew the old song in the "Handful of Pleasant 

 Delights" * where occurs the verse: 



Rosemary is for remembrance 



Between us day and night, 

 Wishing that I might always have 



You present in my sight. 



Rosemary was used profusely at weddings 

 among the decorations and the strewings on the 

 floor. A sprig of it was always placed in the wine 

 to insure the bride's happiness. 



The herb was also conspicuous at funerals, 

 naturally enough as the herb was emblematic of re- 

 membrance. The Friar in "Romeo and Juliet" ex- 

 claims : 



Dry up your tears and stick your rosemary 

 On this fair corse. 2 



Sometimes the plant was associated with rue as when 

 in "The Winter's Tale" 3 Perdita says, 



Give me those flowers, Dorcas : reverend sirs, 

 For you there 's rosemary and rue ; these keep 

 Seeming and savour the whole winter through. 



Most important was rosemary at Christmas-tide. 

 It had a place among the holly, bay, ivy, and mistle- 



1 See p. 127. 



2 Act IV, Scene V. 



8 Act IV, Scene III. 



