2 2 The ordering of the Garden of Pleafure. 



that all fuch plants, or the moft part of them, will certainely perifh and dye before the 

 Summer be at an end : for the fope afhes and lyme will burne vp and fpoile any herbe ; 

 and againe it is impofiible for any plant that is kept fo warme in Winter, to abide ey- 

 ther the cold or the winde in the Spring following, or any heate of the Sun, but that 

 both of them will fcorch them, and carry them quite away. One great hurt vnto them, 

 and to all other herbes that wee preferue in Winter, is to fuffer the fnow to lye vpon 

 them any time after it is fallen, for that it doth fo chill them, that the Sunne afterward, 

 although in Winter, doth fcorch them and burne them vp : looke therefore vnto 

 your Gilloflowers in thofe times, and fhake or ftrike off the fnow gently off from 

 them, not fuffering it to abide on them any day or night if you can ; for afTure your 

 felfe, if it doth not abide on them, the better they will be. The frofts likewife is ano- 

 ther great annoyance vnto them, to corrupt the rootes, and to caufe them to fwell, 

 rot, and break : to preuent which inconuenience, I would aduife you to take the ftraw 

 or litter of your horfe ftable, and lay fome thereof about euery roote of your Gillo- 

 flowers (efpecially thofe of the beft account) clofe vnto them vpon the ground, but be 

 as carefull as you can, that none thereof lye vpon the greene leaues, or as little as may 

 be, and by this onely way haue they been better defended from the frofts that fpoile 

 them in Winter, then by any other that I haue feen or knowne. The windes in March, 

 and Sunnefhine dayes then, are one of the greateft inconueniences that happeneth vn- 

 to them ; for they that haue had hundreds of plants, that haue kept faire and greene all 

 the Winter vntill the beginning or middle of March, before the end thereof, haue 

 had fcarce one of many, that either hath not vtterly perifhed, or been fo tainted, that 

 quickly after haue not been loft ; which hath happened chiefly by the neglecl: of thefe 

 cautions before fpecified, or in not defending them from the bitter fharpe windes and 

 funne in this moneth of March. You fhall therefore for their better preferuation, be- 

 fides the litter laid about the rootes, which I aduife you not to remoue as yet, fhelter 

 them fomewhat from the windes, with eyther bottomlefle pots, pales, or fuch like 

 things, to keep away the violent force both of windes and fun for that moneth, and for 

 fome time before & after it alfo : yet fo, that they be not couered clofe aboue, but open 

 to receiue ayre & raine. Some alfo vfe to wind withes of hey or ftraw about the rootes 

 of their Gilloflowers, and faften them with ftickes thruft into the ground, which 

 ferue very well in the ftead of the other. Thus haue I mewed you the whole preferua- 

 tion of thefe worthy and dainty flowers, with the whole manner of ordering them 

 for their encreafe : if any one haue any other better way, I fhall be as willing to learne 

 it of them, as I haue beene to giue them or any others the knowledge of that I haue 

 here fet downe. 



CHAP. IX. 



T'hat there is not any art whereby any flower may be made to grow double, that was naturally 



Jingle, nor of any other fent or colour than itflrfl had by nature ; nor that the 



/ "owing or planting of herbes one deeper than other, will caufe them 



to be in flower one after another, euery moneth 



in the year e. 



THe wonderfull defire that many haue to fee faire, double, and fweete flowers, 

 hath tranfported them beyond both reafon and nature, feigning and boafting 

 often of what they would haue, as if they had it. And I thinke, from this defire 

 and boafting hath rifen all the falfe tales and reports, of making flowers double as they 

 lift, and of giuing them colour and fent as they pleafe, and to flower likewife at what 

 time they will, I doubt not, but that fome of thefe errours are ancient, and continued 

 long by tradition, and others are of later inuention : and therefore the more to be con- 

 demned, that men of wit and Judgement in thefe dayes mould expofe themfelues in 

 their writings, to be rather laughed at, then beleeued for fuch idle tales. And although 

 in the contradiction of them, I know I fhall vndergoe many calumnies, yet notwith- 

 ftandmg, I will endeauour to fet downe and declare fo much, as I hope may by reafon 



perfwade 



