§£ The Old lapses fe 



merchant of London and a great lover of flowers ; from 

 Constantinople, which (as we heare) was first brought 

 thither from Syria ; but perished quickly both with him 

 and with all others to whom he imparted it ; yet after- 

 wards it was sent to Master John de Franqueille, a Mer- 

 chant also of London, and a great lover of all rare plants, 

 as well as flowers, from which is sprung the greatest store 

 that is now flourishing in this Kingdom.' Parkinson also 

 emphasizes its tenderness : ' The flower being faire 

 blowne open doth scarce give place for largenesse, thick- 

 nesse and doublenesse unto the great Provence or Holland 

 Rose. This Rose bush or plant is very tender with us here 

 about London and will require some more care and 

 keeping then the single of this kinde, which is hardly ever ; 

 for I have lost many my selfe, and I know but a few about 

 this towne that can nourse it up kindly, to beare or scarce 

 to abide without perishing but abideth well in every free 

 aire of all or the most parts of this Kingdome : but (as 

 I heare) not so well in the North.' Andrews, writing in 

 1 8 10, says of R. sulphured that it was not to be met with 

 in flower in any of the nursery grounds very near London. 

 * We have not seen it even in a budding state nearer than 

 Brentford in the collection of the Duke of Northumber- 

 land at Sion House.' Writing fifty years ago, Dean Hole 

 said it was almost extinct and that he had seen it only at 

 Burleigh House. This rose, which is still there, was 

 brought from France by a French cook and was formerly 

 called either the Burghley rose or the Yellow Provence 

 rose. This rose is difficult not only to propagate and 

 grow, but, as Parkinson noted three hundred years ago, 

 when in bloom the flowers are ruined by our moist 

 atmosphere — ' but a few of them abiding whole and 



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