ill picks and carefully stores the petals of the flowers,
and uses them in broths and soups, believing them to be of great
efficacy, as Gerard said they were, "to strengthen and comfort the
heart;" though scarcely perhaps rating them as high as Fuller: "we all
know the many and sovereign vertues . . . in your leaves, the Herb
Generall in all pottage" ("Antheologie," 1655, p. 52).

The two properties of the Marigold--that it was always in flower, and
that it turned its flowers to the sun and followed his guidance in their
opening and shutting--made it a very favourite flower with the poets and
emblem writers. T. Forster, in the "Circle of the Seasons," 1828, says
that "this plant received the name of Calendula, because it was in
flower on the calends of nearly every month. It has been called Marigold
for a similar reason, being more or less in blow at the times of all the
festivals of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the word gold having reference to
its golden rays, likened to the rays of light around the head of the
Blessed Virgin." This is ingenious, and, as he adds, "thus say the old
writers," it is worth quoting, though he does not say what old writer
gave this derivation, which I am very sure is not the true one. The old
name is simply _goldes_. Gower, describing the burning of Leucothoe,
says--

"She sprong up out of the molde
Into a flour, was named Golde,
Which stant governed of the Sonne."

_Conf. Aman._, lib. quint.

Chaucer spoke of the "yellow Goldes;"[157:1] in the "Promptorium
Parvulorum" we have "Goolde, herbe, solsequium, quia sequitur solem,
elitropium, calendula;" and Spenser says--

"And if I her like ought on earth might read
I would her liken to a crowne of Lillies,
Upon a virgin brydes adorned head,
With Roses dight and Goolds and Daffodillies."

_Colin Clout._

But it was its other quality of opening or shutting its flowers at the
sun's bidding that made the Marigold such a favourite with the old
writers, especially those who wrote on religious emblems. It was to them
the emblem of constancy in affection,[157:2] and sympathy in joy and
sorrow, though it was also the emblem of the fawning courtier, who can
only shine when everything is bright. As the emblem of constancy, it was
to the old writers what the Sunflower was to Moore--

"The Sunflower turns on her god w