THE BOOK OF THE PEONY 



completely conventionalised (see illustration, 

 page 40). In addition to its historical interest, 

 the quaint stiffness of the wood-cut has a charm 

 of its own. The text, which is in terrific mediaeval 

 Latin, is mainly devoted to the use of the peony 

 for medical purposes, and is based on Galen. 

 Later English writers made use of this work 

 freely. 



In Tudor times (1485-1603), contemporary- 

 authors mention peonies together with other old 

 favourites — jasmine, lavender, lilies, rosemary, 

 rocket and snapdragon — as being grown in the 

 knottes or beds that were then coming into fashion. 



The many names under which the peony was 

 known in England indicate that the flower was 

 widely grown and was regarded with affection. 

 Some of these names were: chesses, hundred- 

 bladed rose, marmaritin, piny, pie nanny, nan pie, 

 pianet, piano rose, posy, sheep shearing rose, rose 

 royale. 



In 1579, John Gerard, a physician and prac- 

 tical gardener of Holloway, near London, pub- 

 lished his Herbal. In this book, which was 

 founded on A History of Plants by Dodoens, a 

 Hollander (1554), four pages are devoted to 



42 



