PLANT-LORE OF SHAKESPEARE 
79 
In the old translation of the Bible, Zizania, which is now 
translated Tares, was sometime translated Cockle, 1 * * * and Newton, 
writing in Shakespeare's time, says—“ Under the name of 
Cockle and Darnel is comprehended all vicious, noisom and 
unprofitable graine, encombring and hindring good corne.”—• 
Herball to the Bible. The Darnel is not only injurious from 
choking the com, but its seeds become mixed with the true 
Wheat, and so in Dorsetshire—and perhaps in other parts—it 
has the name of “ Cheat ” (Barnes 5 Glossary), from its false 
likeness to Wheat. It was this false likeness that got for it its 
bad character. “Darnel or Juray,” says Lyte (“Herball, 55 1578), 
“is a vitious graine that combereth or anoyeth corne, espe¬ 
cially Wheat, and in his knotten straw, blades, or leaves is like 
unto Wheate.” Yet Lindley says that “ the noxious qualities 
of Darnel or Lolium temulentum seem to rest upon no certain 
proof” (“Vegetable Kingdom, 55 p. 116). 
Dates, 
(1) I must have Saffron to colour the Warden pies—Mace—Dates? none ; 
that’s out of my note.— Winter's Tale , iv. 3, 48. 
(2) They call for Dates and Quinces in the pastry .—Romeo andJuliet , iv.4, 2. 
(3) Your Date is better in your pie and your porridge than in your cheek. 
AW 1 s Well that Ends Well , i. 1, 172. 
(4) Pandarus. Do you know what a man is? Is not birth, beauty, good 
shape, discourse, manhood, learning, gentleness, virtue, youth, 
liberality, and such like, the spice and salt that season a man? 
Cressida. Ay, a minced man; and then to be baked with no Date 
in the pye j for then the man’s date’s out. 
Troilus and Cressida , i. 2, 274. 
1 “When men were a sleepe, his enemy came and oversowed Cockle 
among the wheate, and went his way .”—Rheims Trans., 1582. For 
further early references to Cockle or Darnel see note on “ Darnelle ” in 
the “Catholicon Anglicum,” p. 90, and Britten’s “English Plant Names,” 
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