MONASTIC GARDENING. 17 



use, and it was only for great occasions, or on special feast 

 days, when larger cjuantities were required, that they had to be 

 bought. 



For instance, at St. Mary Hill, where some entries are found 

 in the accounts, there was a garden near the church.* 



A.D. 148^1497- St. Mary Hill. Churchwarden account. " For birch at 

 Midsomer, 8d. — Box and palme on Palmesonday, is. — Polis on Estir 

 evj'ne, lod.— Garlondes on Corpus Christi day, lod. — A dozen and a 

 half rose garlondes on St. Barnebe's day, 8jd. — for rose garlondis and 

 wodrove garlondis on Seynt Barnebe's day, iid. — for two doss, di bocse 

 garlondes for prests and clerkes on St. Barnebe daye. 



1510. For palme flowrys and cake on Palme Sunday, lod. 



Also at St. Martin Outwich, London, 1524. 



Item — For rose garlands on Corpus Christi day, 6d. — Item — For byrche at 

 Midsomer, 2d. — Item — For rose garlands, brede, wyne, & ale on 

 ij Sent Marten's days, 15^. — Item — For holy and ivy at Chrystmas, 

 2M. 



1525. Paid for palme on Palme Sunday, 2id. Paid for brome ageynst Ester, id. 

 Payd for rosse garlonds on Corpus Christi daye, 6d. 



When such decorating of churches was considered unlawful 

 after the Reformation, these gardens would naturally fall into 

 disuse, even where the lands they covered were not at once 

 appropriated for other purposes. 



In 1618, James I. set forth a declaration permitting certain 

 " lawfull recreations . . . after divine service, f and allowed that 

 women should have leave to carry rushes to the church for the 

 decoring of it according to their old custome." These rushes 

 may have been simply for the floor, and not for the altar or walls, 

 as, for example, we find in 1580, churchwardens at Wing, in 

 Buckinghamshire, spent id. for " one burden of roshes to strewe 

 the church howse agaynst the comyssyoners sate there." % 



Coles, writing as late as 1656, says : " It is not very long since 

 the custome of seting up garlands in churches hath been left off 

 with us : and in some places setting up of holly, ivy, rosemary, 

 bayes, yew, &c., in churches at Christmas, is still in use." § This, 

 however_, is looking too far ahead, and at the time we are 



* Nichols,Ilhistrattonsof the Manners and Expenses in England . . .deduced 

 from Accounts of CJiiircliivardens, &c. ijgj- 



f Fuller. Church History. London, 1655. Book X., p. 74. 



X Archceologia. Vol. XXXVI. , p. 238. 



§ The Art of Simpling, hy W. Coles. 1656. 



2 



