226 
PLANT-LORE OF SHAKESPEARE 
trees for growing in towns. The wood is of very little value. 
To the emblem writers the Plane was an example of something 
good to the eye, but of no real use. Camerarius so moralizes 
it (PI. xix.), and, quoting Virgil’s “ steriles platanos,” he says of 
it, “umbram non fructum platanus dat.” 
BMantain. 
(i) Costard. O sir, Plantain, a plain Plantain! no l’envoy, no l’envoy; 
no salve, sir, but a Plantain. 
Moth. By saying that a costard was broken in a shin. 
Then call’d you for the 1 ’envoy. 
Costard. True ! and I for a Plantain. 
Love’s Labour s Lost, iii. I, 76. 
Romeo. 
Benvolio. 
Romeo. 
Your Plantain leaf is excellent for that. 
For what, I pray thee ? 
For your broken shin. 
Romeo and Juliet, i. 2, 52. 
( 3 ) 
As true as steel, as Plantage to the moon. 
Troilus and Cressida , iii. 2, 184. 
( 4 ) 
These poore slight sores 
Neede not a Plantin. —Two Noble Kinsmen , i. 2, 65. 
The most common old names for the Plantain were Way- 
broad (corrupted to Weybread, Wayborn, and Wayforn) and 
Ribwort. It was also called Lamb’s-tongue and Kemps, while 
the flower spike with the stalk was called Cocks and Cock- 
fighters (still so called by children). 1 The old name of 
Ribwort was derived from the ribbed leaves, while Way broad 
marked its universal appearance, scattered by all roadsides and 
1 Of these names Plantain properly belongs to Plantago major ; Lamb’s- 
tongue to P, media ; and Kemps, Cocks, and Ribwort to P. lanceolata. 
