28 
PLANT-LORE OF SHAKESPEARE 
is the description of the Bean in the “Modus Cenandi,” 1 . 182 
(“ Babees Book,” ii. 48). While H. Vaughan describes it as— 
“ The Bean 
By curious pallats never sought; ” 
and it was very generally used as a proverb of contempt—• 
“ None other lif, sayd he, is worth a Bene.” 1 
“ But natlieles I reche not a Bene.” 2 * 
It is not apparently a romantic plant, and yet there is no 
plant round which so much curious folk-lore has gathered. 
This may be seen at full length in Phillips’ “ History of Cultivated 
Vegetables.” It will be enough here to say that the Bean was 
considered as a sacred plant both by the Greeks and Romans, 
while by the Egyptian priests it was considered too unclean to 
be even looked upon; that it was used both for its convenient 
shape and for its sacred associations in all elections by ballot; 
that this custom lasted in England and in most European 
countries to a very recent date in the election of the kings and 
queens at Twelfth Night and other feasts; and that it was of 
great repute in all popular divinations and love charms. I 
find in Miller another use of Beans, which we are thankful to 
note among the obsolete uses : “ They are bought up in great 
quantities at Bristol for Guinea ships, as food for the negroes 
on their passage from Africa to the West Indies.” 
As an ornamental garden plant the Bean has never received 
the attention it seems to deserve. A plant of Broad Beans 
grown singly is quite a stately plant, and the rich scent is an 
additional attraction to many, though to many others it is too 
strong, and it has a bad character—“ Sleep in a Bean-field all 
night if you want to have awful dreams or go crazy,” is a 
Leicestershire proverb : 3 and the Scarlet Runner (which is also 
a Bean) is one of the most beautiful climbers we have. In 
1 Chaucer, “The Marchandes Tale,” 19. 
2 Ibid., “The Man of Lavves Tale,” prologue. 
3 Copied from the mediaeval proverb: “Cum faba florescit, stultorum 
copia crescit.” 
