133 



pounds were given for one Hyacinth Root ; and more than six 

 hundred pounds for the Semper Augustus Tulip. f 



Queon Elizabeth we have seen was a great deli;^ht*ir in flow- 

 ers. Nor were many of her subjects less so; Johnson in his 

 " Mercurius Botanicus," (IC34J gives a list of 117 Exotics 

 cultivated by Mr. Gibbs, of Bath, many of which he had 

 brought himself from Virginia. 



Among other eminent patrons of Horticulture and Botany, 

 were Sir Walter Ilaleigh, Lord Zouch, and Lord Ilunsden, 

 who all, during their travels acquired and introduced to this 

 country many new plants. Sir Nicholas Bacon, the Lord 

 Keeper, was a distinguished patron of Gardening in this reign. 

 It was upon the Gardens of his beautiful mansion of Gorman- 

 bury, that his chief care and cost were bestowed. Several Ap- 

 ples were introduced in this reign by Mascal. Peas, Fuller states, 

 were chiefly imported from Holland, as " dainties for ladies," 



James the I. was an eminent patron of Horticulture. He is 

 especially to be distinguished in the annals of the Art, for 

 having in the third year of his reign formed the Garden'.-rs of 

 London, and those within a circuit of six miles around it, into a 

 corporate body, consisting of a Master, Wardens, Assistants 

 and Commonality. No one was to practice as a Gardener 

 unless approved of by this Company, within the above limi<^. 

 They were empowered to examine all, and seize such seeds 

 or other Horticultuial products, as they might esteem defective; 

 also to impose fines, and the offenders by the magistrates to be 

 committed to prison until they were paid. This Charter, as 

 stated in its preamble, was granted on account of the great dis- 

 appointment caused to persons having defective samples suj)pli,d 

 to them. It was confirmed in the 14th year of the same reign. 



• B«ckinann's History of Invention;. 



