206 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



Pluche, in La Spectacle de la Nature, gives the following 

 conjectural origin of this name : 



" The upper part of one leaf of the Lily, when fully 

 expanded, and the two contiguous leaves beheld in profile, 

 have," he observes, " a faint likeness to the top of the 

 Flower-de-luce : so that the original Flower-de-luce, which 

 often appears on the crowns and sceptres in the monu- 

 ments of the first and second race of kings, was most pro- 

 bably a composition of these three leaves. Lewis the 

 Seventh engaged in the second crusade; distinguished 

 himself, as was customary in those times, by a particular 

 blazon, and took this figure for his coat of arms ; and as 

 the common people generally contracted the name of 

 Lewis into Luce, it is natural," says the Abbe, " to 

 imagine that this flower was, by corruption, distinguished 

 in process of time by the name of Flower-de-luce." But 

 some antiquaries are of opinion, that the original arms of 

 the Franks were three toads ; which, becoming odious, 

 were gradually changed, so as to have no positive resem- 

 blance of any natural object, and named Fleur-de-lys. 



Shakspeare appears to consider this flower as a Lily 

 only by courtesy : 



" lilies of all kinds, 



The Flower-de-luce being one." 



G. Fletcher gives a pretty picture of this flower : 



" The Flowers-de-Luce, and the round sparks of dew 

 That hung upon their azure leaves did shew 

 Like twinkling stars, that sparkle in the evening blue." 



Drayton expressly distinguishes the Flower-de-luce 

 from the Lily. 



" The Lily, and the Fleur-de-lis, 



For colour much contenting ! ' ^ 

 For thai I them do only prize, 

 They are but poor in scenting." 



