41 



ferarum.*) It contained however a laybrinth, which appears 

 to have chiefly constituted the Bower, so inamortalized by the 

 fate of the unfortunate mistress of this monarch, Rosamond. 

 Labyrinths were so much in unison with the taste of the ago that 

 there is scarcely a design for a garden given by De Cerceau in 

 his " Architecture," about A. D. 1250, in which there is not a 

 Tonnd and a square one. A Century before this last mentioned 

 date, namely in the reign of Henry the 2nd, (1154 — 1189.) 

 Fitzstevens describes the gardens around the villas of the 

 London citizens as ** large, beautiful, and planted with Treea.'' 



We have thv.s traced with as much clearness as we have been 

 enabled by the scanty materials the Chroniclers of these times 

 afford, the progress of Horticulture in this country down to the 

 close of the 13th Century, and from the whole itis app arent that 

 the Art had gradually, aud slowly continued, to improve, and 

 that a love of the pursuit had become pretty generally diffused. 

 The period was now approaching when its operations of every 

 kind were more rapidly and eminently to be improved, for 

 though of its own importance and merits it had continued to 

 preserve attention and esteem, yet it is certain the manners of 

 the period over which we have followed, it were decidedly 

 opposed to the advance of this one of the peaceful Arts. Tlie 

 latter part of the Time we have been considering, embraces that 

 period known in history as "the Middle or Dark Ages," com- 

 prising the five centuries which elapsed between ihe overthrow 

 of the Western Roman Empire, about A. D. 500, to the extin- 

 tion of that of the East, about A. D. 1000. Horticulture can 

 never flourish in any country where the pleasures of life are not 

 sought for at home ; in these ages however, War and Huntin"' 

 were the pursuits of ihe Ecclesiastics, as well as of the Laity, 

 and even Woman, whilst in person she lear»t to ride with the 

 •foremost in the Cliace, was taught to love no Knight who 

 besides being a good Lance in the Tilt Yard, had not proved 



• lleury of Huntingdon's Hist. b. 7. 



