KITCHEN GARDEXIXG UNDER ELIZABETH AND JAMES I. 163 



cast into the grave. In olden da3-s Rosemary was borne at 



funerals : — 



" There's rosemary, that's for remembrance," 



said Ophelia, and strange to say, it was also worn at marriages, 

 Anne of Cleves, when she arrived at Greenv/ich as a bride, wore 

 " on her head a coronet of gold and precious stones, set full of 

 branches of rosemary." At a rustic wedding witnessed by Queen 

 Elizabeth at Kenil worth, " each wight had a branch of green 

 broom tied on his left arm (for that side is near the heart) 

 because rosemary was scant there." 



" Down with the rosemary and bays, 

 Down with the mistletoe ; — 

 Instead of Holly, now upraise 

 The greener box, for show. 



When yew is out and birch comes in. 



And many flowers beside 

 Both of a fresh and fragrant kin 



To honour Whitsuntide. 

 Green rushes then, and sweetest bents* 



With cooler open boughs. 

 Come in for comely ornaments 



To re-adorn the house." 



Herrick, Candhuiias Eve. 



Parkinson again refers to the flowers in houses when writing 

 about wall-flowers. " The sweetness of the flowers," he says, 

 " causeth them to be generally used in nosegayes and to deck 

 up houses." The "greater flag"" was also used for the same 

 purpose. Plants were grown in rooms also, and Piatt gives a 

 long paragraph with suggestions of the best plants to grow, and 

 tells how to water them, and give them air and light. Window 

 boxes, too, were used : " In every window you may make 

 square frames either of lead or of boards well pitched within ; 

 fill them with some rich earth, and plant such flowers or hearbs 

 therein as you like best." For the more shady parts of a room 

 he advises rosemary, sweet briar, bay, or germander. And 

 "in summer-time," he continues, "your chimney may be 

 trimed with a fine bank of mosse, ... or with orpin, or the 



* A sort of grass. (Agrostis.) 



II * 



