198 ANNALS OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[Vol. 2 



important landmark in the history of botanical progress in 

 England and follows the lead already given by the founding 

 of university botanic gardens on the Continent. 



Like them, it was ''primarily founded for a Nursery of 

 Simples, and that a professor of Botanicey should read there 

 and shew the use and virtue of them to his auditors." 



The founding of the Oxford Garden 1 was due to the munifi- 

 cence of Henry, Lord Danvers, Earl of Danby, who acquired 

 the lease of five acres of meadow land by the River Cherwell, 

 near Magdalen College, and arranged that the University 

 should lease the ground from the College, to whom it belonged. 

 The land was considerably raised to prevent flooding, at great 

 expense, and was surrounded by a wall which was completed 

 about 1632. 



ft 



Access to the Garden was by means of the Danby gateway, 

 the foundation stone of which was laid with all fitting cere- 

 mony on St. James' Day, 1621, by the Vice-Chancellor of the 

 University. 2 The following is taken from Vines and Druce - 3 



"Botanic Lecture*. 



"The next Lecture that must bo mentioned is that of Botan- 

 icey: but before I speak anything of its institution and settle- 

 ment, I think it convenient that somewhat should be said of the 

 Physic Garden, because 'twas primarily founded for a Nursery 

 of Simples, and that a Professor of Botanicey should read there, 

 and shew the use and virtue of them to his Auditors. 



"Henry Lord Danvers therefore, Baron of Dauntsey in the 

 County of Wilts and Earl of Danby in Yorkshire, sometime a 

 Gent. Com. of Christ Church, being minded to become a Bene- 

 factor to the University, thought i 



better laid out than to begin and finish a place whereby learn" 

 ing, especially the Faculty of Medicine, might be improved. 

 At length selecting a place without the East Gate of Oxford, 



near the river Cherwell, which was then meadow ground, and 



1 Daubeny, C. The Oxford Botanic Garden, popular guide. Oxford, 1850; 

 Giinther, R. T. Oxford hardens. Oxford, 1912; Vines, S. II., and Druce, G. C. 

 An account of the Morisonian Herbarium, etc. [Introduction.] Oxford, 1!)14. 



"The date of the founding of the Garden has usually been incorrectly given 

 as 1G32, the year of the completion of the gateway, and in the account given by 

 Wood of the foundation of the Garden there is a mistake of 1622 for 1021, but 

 in their interesting epitome of the history of the garden, Vines and Druce show 

 clearly that 1021 is the correct date when the ground was handed over and dele- 

 gates were appointed. 



8 hoc. cit. pp. IX-X. 



