"HERBS OF GRACE" 231 



Poor queen ! So that thy state might be no worse, 

 I would my skill were subject to thy curse. 

 Here did she fall a tear; here, in this place, 

 I '11 set a bank of rue, sour herb of grace : 

 Rue, even for ruth, here shortly shall be seen, 

 In the remembrance of a weeping queen. 1 



II 



Lavender, Mints, and Fennel 



LAVENDER (Lavendula Spica). "Hot laven- 

 der," Perdita calls it. Why is this? Turning to 

 Gerard for an explanation, we find he says : "Laven- 

 der is hot and dry in the third degree and of a sub- 

 stance consisting of many airy and spiritual parts." 

 Gerard had lavender in his garden and so did Parkin- 

 son, who says: 



"It is called of some Nardus Italica and Laven- 

 dula, the greater is called Fcemina and the lesser 

 Mas. We do call them generally Lavender, or 

 Lavender Spike, and the Lesser Spike. Lavender 

 is little used in physic but outwardly: the oil for 

 cold and benumbed parts and is almost wholly spent 

 with us for to perfume linen, apparrell, gloves, 

 leather, etc., and the dried flowers to comfort and 

 dry up the moisture of a cold brain. 



'Act III, Scene IV. 



