AUSTERE PURITAN GARDENS 107 



show these interesting pavements, by the way, the 

 handwork of the mosaic-loving Moor and it con- 

 tained box-bordered beds wherein shrubs grew instead 

 of the flowers customarily seen in such beds. Roses, 

 "seringa," honeysuckle and snowdrops are mentioned. 

 The garden proper was laid out in four large square 

 beds, edged with box. These apparently were not 

 grouped around a common center, but were ranked 

 side by side the length of the space. That one which 

 was nearest the house was filled with grapes on 

 trellises. The others had other fruits currants and 

 raspberries, peaches, cherries and pears. Of the lat- 

 ter were some anciently held in high regard the St. 

 Michael, St. Germain, Vergouleme and Brown Buerre. 

 All told, there were forty-four fruit trees in this gar- 

 den. No mention is made of vegetables nor of 

 flowers, except the flowering shrubs; and I suspect the 

 place showed too marked an individual taste to be re- 

 garded as a typical garden of that or any other period. 

 A labyrinth is mentioned as occupying the grounds 

 in front of one dwelling of the period. This mention 

 is incidental to an account of the discipline adminis- 

 tered to the owner of the place, who was "dealt with" 

 for the manner in which he treated his wife. This 

 labyrinth constituted the boundary of the lady's 

 liberty, beyond which she dared not venture to go, 

 even for exercise, because of her brute of a lord! 



