"There with fantastick garlands did she come
Of Crow-flowers, Nettles, Daisies, and Long Purples."
And in "Cymbeline" the General Lucius gives directions for the burial of Cloten—
"Let us
Find out the prettiest Daisied plot we can,
And make him with our pikes and partisans
A grave."
And in the introductory song to the "Two Noble Kinsmen," which is claimed by some as Shakespeare's, we find among the other flowers of spring—
"Daisies smel-lesse, yet most quaint."
These are the only places in which the Daisy is mentioned in Shakespeare's plays, and it is a little startling to find that of these six one is in a song for clowns, and two others are connected with the poor mad princess. I hope that you will not use Shakespeare's authority against me, that to talk of Daisies is only fit for clowns and madmen.
Contemporary with Shakespeare was Cutwode, who in the "Caltha Poetarum," published in 1599, thus describes the Daisy—
"On her attends the Daisie dearly dight
that pretty Primula of Lady Ver
As handmaid to her Mistresse day and night
so doth she watch, so waiteth she on her,
With double diligence, and dares not stir,
A fairer flower perfumes not forth in May
Then is this Daisie or this Primula.
About her neck she wears a rich wrought ruffe,
with double sets most brave and broad bespread,
Resembling lovely Lawn or Cambrick stuffe
pind up and prickt upon her yealow head,
Wearing her haire on both sides of her shead;
And with her countenance she hath acast
Wagging the wāton with each wynd and blast."