In "Sigh no more, ladies" from Much ado about nothing...?

Question

There is a line -

"The fraud of men was ever so

Since summer first was leavy"

What's the meaning of the second half? I know what leavy means but still puzzled about the meaning of "since summer first was leavy". Is it Adam and Eve's time or something very English or what? The line seems to trying to underscore a long period of time since the beginning of men's fraud or infidelity. But what exactly it is referring to?

Thank you so much.

Answer 1

Men have always lied, since the first  summer.

It is constant and can be relied on to continue happening.

Answer 2

"Since summer first was leavy" means, as you know, "Since summer first was leafy."  In other words, men have been liars since summer trees first had leaves.  That is to say, men have been deceptive since time immemorial.  Men have been untrustworthy forever.

To put it another way, "Since summer first was leavy" means the same as "Since rain first fell from heaven" or "Since the sun first burned bright" or "Since rivers first flowed to the sea."

Answer 3

It means since the beginning of time.