f this in the writings of St. Francis de Sales
(contemporary with Shakespeare). "Charity," he says, "comprehends the
seven gifts of the Holy Ghost, and resembles a beautiful Flower-de-luce,
which has six leaves whiter than snow, and in the middle the pretty
little golden hammers" ("Philo," book xi., Mulholland's translation).
This description will in no way fit the Iris, but it may very well be
applied to the White Lily. Chaucer, too, seems to connect the
Fleur-de-luce with the Lily--

"Her nekke was white as the Flour de Lis."

These are certainly strong authorities for saying that the
Flower-de-luce is the Lily. But there are as strong or stronger on the
other side. Spenser separates the Lilies from the Flower-de-luces in his
pretty lines--

"Strow mee the grounde with Daffadown-Dillies,
And Cowslips, and Kingcups, and loved Lillies;
The Pretty Pawnce
And the Chevisaunce
Shall match with the fayre Floure Delice."

_Shepherd's Calendar._

Ben Jonson separates them in the same way--

"Bring rich Carnations, Flower-de-luces, Lillies."

Lord Bacon also separates them: "In April follow the double White
Violet, the Wall-flower, the Stock-Gilliflower, the Cowslip, the
Flower-de-luces, and Lilies of all Natures;" and so does Drayton--

"The Lily and the Flower de Lis
For colours much contenting."

_Nymphal V._

In heraldry also the Fleur-de-lis and the Lily are two distinct
bearings. Then, from the time of Turner in 1568, through Gerard and
Parkinson to Miller, all the botanical writers identify the Iris as the
plant named, and with this judgment most of our modern writers
agree.[99:1] We may, therefore, assume that Shakespeare meant the Iris
as the flower given by Perdita, and we need not be surprised at his
classing it among the Lilies. Botanical classification was not very
accurate in his day, and long after his time two such celebrated men as
Redoute and De Candolle did not hesitate to include in the "Liliacae,"
not only Irises, but Daffodils, Tulips, Fritillaries, and even Orchids.

What Iris Shakespeare especially alluded to it is useless to inquire. We
have two in England that are indigenous--one the rich golden-yellow (_I.
pseudacorus_), which in some favourable positions, with its roots in the
water of a brook, is one of the very handso