MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 239 



Queen Elizabeth, that Sir Robert Cecil building a very fair house beyond the Sa- 

 voy at Ivy-Bridge, leveled and paved the highway near adjoining. Within the 

 compass of one age, Somerset House and the buildings were called country houses, 

 and the open places which were about them were employed in gardens for profit ; 

 and also many parts within the city and liberties were occupied by working gar- 

 deners, and were sufficient to furnish the town with garden ware ; for then hut a 

 few herbs were used at the table in comparison to what are spent now. The en- 

 couragement that these gardeners met with at this time, gave occasion to many 

 others to set up and profess the same calling near London, who by their unskilful 

 management committed several abuses : therefore it was proposed that the London 

 gardeners, who were professed men, should become a body, and inspect the work 

 of others who were pretenders to the art. But notwithstanding this charter 

 granted in the third year of King James, the city increasing in buildings, the com- 

 pany's privileges were invaded by many that called themselves gardeners, so that 

 they were obliged to solicit an additional power. The most material parts of the 

 charter are as follows: — " James, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scot- 

 land, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. Whereas divers and sun- 

 dry persons inhabiting within the city of London, and six miles compass thereof, have 

 continually taken upon them to use and practice the trade, craft, or mystery of Gar- 

 dening, Planting, Grafting, Setting, Sowing, Cutting, Arbouring, Raking, Mount- 

 ing, Covering, Fencing, and removing of Plants, Herbs, Seeds, Fruits, Trees, 

 Stocks, and Sets, and of contriving the conveyances to the same belonging, being 

 ignorant and unskilful, having not been brought up in the said trade or mystery ; 

 and whereas the said persons have also daily sold and set unto our loving subjects, 

 into sundry the parts of our dominions and countries, dead and corrupt plants, 

 seeds, stocks, and trees, to the great deceit and loss of our said subjects : for redress 

 and prevention of which deceits and wrongs, we did by our letters patents, in the 

 third year of our reign over this our kingdom, grant to the gardeners then inhabit- 

 ing in London, and within six miles of the said city, that they should be one body- 

 corporate, by the name of Master, Wardens, Assistants, and Commonalty of the 

 Company of Gardeners of London, and did thereby give unto them divers powers 

 and privileges, as by our said letters patents appeareth ; and whereas we are cre- 

 dibly informed, that there are certain defects, questions, and doubts, found and 

 arisen in and upon our said letters patents, whereby the public good and profit of 

 the said company is muchhindred, and the abuses aforesaid still continued ; which 

 Company of Gardeners have hereupon made their humble petition unto us, that 

 we would be graciously pleased to renew the said letters patents, with amend- 

 ments of these defects, and with such other necessary additions and alterations, 

 as we think most fit and convenient. Know ye, &c, that from henceforth all 

 person or persons, as now are freemen of the said Company of Gardeners, and 

 all other person or persons to be admitted into the said company according to the 

 provisions in these presents expressed, and which are, or shall be inhabiting in 

 London, or within six miles of the said city only, and none other shall be one 

 body corporate and politic in deed and in nature, by the name of Master, Warden, 

 and Assistants, and Commonalty of the Company of Gardeners of London, &c, 

 and that by the said name they shall have perpetual succession, &c." The charter 

 proceeds in a formal set of words, and gives a full power and authority to them to 

 have a public seal to be altered at their pleasure, and to purchase lands, &c. " And 

 to nominate, elect and chuse, and swear, every year, the Wednesday in Whitsim- 

 week, one Master, two Wardens, and four and twenty Assistants, to be chosen out 

 of the said Company of Gardeners, who shall order, rule, and govern the said cor- 

 poration. And that it shall, and may be lawful to and for the Master, Wardens, 

 and Assistants for the time being, or the greater part of them, to admit into the said 

 company such person or persons, as they in their discretion shall think meet ; and 

 they have also a power to take and keep as their apprentice or apprentices, all and 

 every such person or persons, as will bind themselves apprentice or apprentices for 

 flu term of seven years and upwards. And further we will, and by these presents 

 for us, our heirs and successors, do straitly prohibit and forbid, that no person or 

 persons whatsoever, inhabiting within the said city of Loudon, or the liberties 

 thereof, or within six miles compass of the said city, do at any time hereafter use, 

 or exercise the art or mystery of gardening within the said city of London, or the 

 liberties thereof, or without the same within six miles compass of the same city, 



