88 ENGLISH PLEASURE GARDENS 



" And all was walled that none throu it wid were 

 With posterns in pryvtie to pasen when him list 

 Orche-ardes and erberes well clene." 



" Piers Plowman." 



walls. The walls were built of stone until brick came into 



use, and varied, of course, in height and thickness. 



" Amongst other of his honest thinges 

 He had a gardyn walled al with stoon, 

 So fair a gardyn wot I no wher noon." 



" The Marchaundes Tale," CHAUCER. 



Their summit was generally finished with battle- 

 ments or crenellations. 



" I saw a garden right anoon, 

 Full long and broad and everidele, 

 Enclosed was and walled well 

 With highe walls embattailed." 



Fences. The earliest fences were commonly wattled, that is, 



woven of osiers. Others, more ornamental, were formed 

 of rails or of pickets, and painted green. 



Hedges. Hedges often enclosed the later gardens, instead of 



walls. The bushes used for this purpose were privet 

 (thus called perhaps because it served to insure pri- 

 vacy), thorn, sweetbrier, and yew. 



" The hegge as thick as a castle wall, 

 That who that list without to stand or go, 

 Though he would all day prien to and fro 

 He shoulde not see if there were any wighte 

 Within or no ! " 



