136 



For the encouragement of his Gardeners, and to insure their 

 utmost exertions, as not being liable to capricious removal, this 

 monarch gave them Patents of their places.* 



The statement of Sir W. Temple-would argue for the belief 

 that the varieties of Peaches, Grapes, &c. now in cultivation, 

 are hardier, or that our climate has much changed since the 

 period we are considering, for he says that they cannot be 

 looked for as good to the northward of Northamptonshire ; 

 and even as late as the early part of the last Century, those 

 Fruits were not considered as capable of being grown in the 

 north of England, "I own it is with pleasure, says Mr. Law- 

 rence, that I expect to hear of good Grapes at York and Dur- 

 ham."f Evelyn in his translation of Arna\idd'Andiily's "Essay 

 on Fruit Trees," perhaps the best practical work of its age, is 

 the first to censure the vicious though then prevalent taste, of 

 clipping them into regular forms. 



Arthur Capel, Earl of Essex, was a great patron of Garde- 

 ning in this reign. He introduced many varieties of Fruit from 

 France. The Gardens at Cashiobury near Watford, Herts, 

 were chiefly founded by him under the care of Moses Cook, 

 "one of the first places, says Switzev, were the ingenious spirit 

 of Gardening made the greatest figure. "J In this opinion he 

 is supported by Daines Barrington and Evelyn. 



Evelyn in his Diary affords much information on the history 

 of Horticulture. He says he saw the first Pine Apple presen- 

 ted to the King in the Banqueting house in 1G61, and tasted of 

 it. He speaks most highly of Sir William Temple's Gardens 

 at East Sheen. Sir William inti'oduced some of our best 

 peaches, cherries, grapes, and apricots from Holland. || 



* Cook upon Forest and Fruit Trees, p. 62. + Fruit Gardener's 

 Kalender. p. 19. % Icnogrnpliia Rustica, v. i. p. 62. || Ibid, and hi» 

 own works. 



