42 THE FORMAL GARDEN IN ENGLAND ii 



contented themselves with quoting from Latin 

 and Italian writers, " whence it comes that our 

 Englishe book knowledge in these cases is both 

 disgraced and condemned, every one fayling in 

 his experiments, because he is guided by no 

 home-bred but a stranger, as if to read the 

 Englishe tongue there were none better than 

 an Italian pedant" (JFhe English Husbandman). 

 " Contrary to all other authors, I am neither 

 beholding to Pliny, Virgil, Columella, etc. . . . 

 according to the plaine true Englishe fashion, 

 thus I pursue my purpose." As a matter of 

 fact, his first treatise. The Country Farm, 

 1615, consisted mainly of translations from the 

 French of Olivier de Serres. In regard to 

 general arrangement of house and grounds, 

 Markham gives a plan evidently based on the 

 yeoman's house, such as is found in the Weald 

 of Kent. The house was to be placed north and 

 south. In front there was to be a small fore 

 court enclosed with a fence, which might be 

 replaced by a gate -house or terrace; at the 

 back of the house was the base court, with a 

 " faire large pond well stoned and gravelled in 

 the bottom," in the centre. On the north side 

 of the base court were the stables, cow-houses, 

 and swine-cotes ; on the south side, the barns and 

 poultry-houses ; on the west side, joining these 

 two arms, the lodges, with cart-shed under. The 

 garden was to be on the south side of the house. 

 Markham gives separate rules for the garden 



