*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 53619 ***

A FLOWER WEDDING

cover
bird carrying two invitations

[1]

title page
A
FLOWER
WEDDING
DESCRIBED·BY
TWO WALLFLOWERS

DECORATED·BY
WALTER·CRANE

CASSELL·&·COMPANY·1905

[2]

A·FLOWER·WEDDING
cherubs rining bluebells
Yes, flower bells rang right merry that day,
When there was a marriage of flowers, they say.

[3]

The proposal
Young LAD’S LOVE had courted Miss Meadow·Sweet,
And the two soon agreed at the Altar to meet.

[4]

the processional
A LILY white robe was worn by the Bride,
And SWEET WILLIAM, the Groom, drest in red, at her side.

[5]

her train and three attendants
Miss Violet, Primrose, and gay Marygold,
With their Ladies’ Fingers her train did uphold.

[6]

Four brridesmaids in blue
In Ladysmocks, Bridesmaids, Forget·me·not blue,
With their sashes all tied in Love·knot·true.

[7]

the brides's motehr and friend
The Bride’s Mother follows with loving Eyebright,
All in Winter Green and fine Furze bedight.

[8]

the father with a beard
Whilst her father looked young, though with Old·man’s·beard.

[9]

the father as a dandy
(Was a Dande·lion in youth I have heard.)

[10]

The minister
The troth was plighted for woe or for weal,
And the lines attested by Solomon’s Seal:

[11]

the groom is tied
The Bachelor’s Button was cast aside,

[12]

queen with crown, shield and scepter
And the throng that witnessed was London’s Pride:

[13]

Large king
There was Good King Henry, a tall Jonquil,

[14]

Narcissus
Like Narcissus himself by the waters still;

[15]

Lord and lady dancing
There were Lords & Ladies to grace the dance,

[16]

woman with fan of rosemary
And Rose Mary, and—

[17]

woman in white flowered dress
Rose·la·France:

[18]

man with gold hat, gold sword and sceptre
With his Golden Rod

[19]

Sultan and two attendants
the Sweet Sultan came;

[20]

Old lady, bent over
Lastly, Creeping Jenny, an elderly dame

[21]

two men carrying platters
To order the feast—there was Ling, and Hartstongue,

[22]

Cook, two maids and an extremely large goose walking
And Goosefoot with Sage, the House·leek among

[23]

woman carrying bowl of peas with another woman
Very Sweet Peas, & Good Cherry Pie,
Such a feast as an Alderman could not deny!

[24]

a couple toasting
In lovely King·Cups there was Chamomile Tea

[25]

two rich guests
And the fortune in gifts was a wonder to see!
A new Penny-Royal, A fine Golden Feather;

[26]

Two horses with a man in front
A pair of Horse-chestnuts,

[27]

A pink angel carrying two slocks of Jacob's Ladder
a Jacob’s Ladder,

[28]

Venus holding blue flower like a looking-glass
Venus’s·looking·glass,

[29]

angel or cupid taking arrow from a neired
a fine Arrow-head
Discovered long since in the river’s bed;

[30]

woman carrying fabric
Garments of Flax,

[31]

a woman presenting a cushion
and a Lady’s Cushion;

[32]

two ladies puttin on hose
Hose·in·hose, Lady’s slippers to put on,

[33]

one lady with platter and golden goblets, another with pitcher on her shoulder
Buttercups gold, and a Pitcher-plant
Nay, everything that a house could want.

[34]

couple leaving in a trap or carriage
In Venus’s-fly-trap the pair drove away,

[35]

friends waving goodbye
“Speedwell, and be happy,” their friends gaily say;

[36]

maid finding the left behind chest
But alack! what a hubbub when one chanced to find
The Bride’s only Box was there left behind!

[37]

Harlequin dancing with death
The Wild-thyme they had, and the fuss that was made
Kept the guests in a rout thro’ the Deadly night shade.

[38]

Guests taking leave
But the CLOCKS ticked apace to the ope of Dais-y
Snowflakes were fast falling when all said good-bye,

[39]

groom standing over pile of gold coins with a scoop in one hand and scales in the other
With regrets for “that box,”—yet they need not to stint,
For the Bridegroom was rich, he’d a post at the Mint

[40]

The Honeymoon with bride and groom in goldola and Finis
endpaper
back cover
*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 53619 ***