The same herb is mentioned in act iii, sc. 2 (366)—
Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye,
Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,
To take from thence all error, with his might,
And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight.
But except in these two passages I believe the herb is not mentioned by any author. It can be nothing but Shakespeare's translation of Artemisia, the herb of Artemis or Diana, a herb of wonderful virtue according to the writers before Shakespeare's day. (See [Wormwood].)
DOCKS.
| (1) | Burgundy. | And nothing teems But hateful Docks, rough Thistles, Kecksies, Burs. |
| Henry V, act v, sc. 2 (51). | ||
| (2) | Antonio. | He'd sow it with Nettle seed, |
| Sebastian. | Or Docks, or Mallows. | |
| Tempest, act ii, sc. 1 (145). | ||
The Dock may be dismissed with little note or comment, merely remarking that the name is an old one, and is variously spelled as dokke, dokar, doken, &c. An old name for the plant was "Patience;" the "bitter patience" of Spenser, which is supposed by Dr. Prior to be a corruption of Passions.
DOGBERRY.
(Dramatis personæ in Much Ado About Nothing.)