EARLY TUDOR GARDENS. 107 



decoctions from almost every herb that grew. This business 

 was of such importance that a room was in most houses set 

 apart for the purpose. We have a survival of this custom in 

 the "still room" of modern days. One of Tusser's "five 

 hundred pointes " is "good huswifelie Physicke," of which 

 these stanzas are a good example : 



" Good aqua composita, vinegar tart 

 Rose water and treakle to comfort the hart. 

 Cold herbs in hir garden for agues that burne 

 that ouer strong heat to good temper may turne. 



Get water of Fumentorie, Liuer to coole 



and others the like, or els lie like a foole 

 Conserue of the Barberie, Quinces and such 



with sirops that easeth the sickley so much." 



In 1527, a certain printer, " Laurens Andrewe," translated and 

 issued a work entitled, The vertuose Boke of Distyllacyon of the 

 Waters of all manner of Herbes, translated from the German of 

 " Jerome of Brynswicke " (Brunswick). It is illustrated through- 

 out with quaint woodcuts, and contains extraordinary recipes, 

 which, if followed by the housewife, must have added horrors 

 to illness, and perhaps have done her friends and relations 

 more harm than good. Among the plants she is recommended 

 to use are yellow 7 lillies, floure de luce purpure, periwinkle, 

 house-leek, red and white roses, Solomon's seal, woodbine, 

 peony, marigold, besides herbs, such as dill, burnet, or dandelion 

 and fruits, including cherries, quinces, peach-leaves, apples, 

 and nuts. 



The Household Books of the fifth Earl of Northumberland 

 (1502), contain the following list of " herbes to stylle." " Borage, 

 columbine, buglos, sorrel, cowsloppes, scabious, wild tansey, 

 wormwood, endyff, sauge, dandelion, and hart's tonge." Many 

 herbs in every garden were grown solely for this purpose, and 

 these sweet waters were used in cooking as well as for medicine. 

 A neighbourly gift of distilled herbs was often exchanged, and it 

 is not uncommon to find records of such presents as " sweet 

 waters," " rose water," or " syrup of roses," being accepted 

 by the wealthy from their poorer friends. Similar offerings of 

 flowers or fruit were no less frequent. The Parson of Titteshall 



