58 .4 HISTORY OF GARDEXIXG IX EXGLAXD. 



stalke that is of great honoure." * Roses were the commonest of 

 all flowers, for weaving into wreaths and garlands : — 



" And on hire hed ful semely for to see 

 A rose gerlond fresh and wel smelling." f 



" And also on his head was sette 

 Of roses redde a chapelette." :t 



The periwinkle, with trailing leaves, was suitable for wreaths, and 

 man}' other flowers were used. Emely in her garden gathered 

 " floures, party whyte and reede, to make a sotil gerland for hire 

 heede." § But these pretty chaplets of flowers were not only 

 worn by beautiful maidens ; we find even the far from 

 prepossessing sompnour, among the Canterbury pilgrims, had 

 " a garland set upon his heed." The annual rendering of a red 

 rose was a common kind of " quit rent," also a flower or seed of 

 the clove pink, or gilliflower, H was frequently the pa3-ment. The 

 hly ranked next to the rose in importance, in a garden,^ and 

 vied with the rose for a share in the poet's song. The white lily 

 {Liliuni candidum) served to typify all that was good, and pure, or 

 beautiful. 



" First wol I you the name of Seinte Cecilie 

 Expoune, as men may in hire storie see : 

 It is to sayn in English, Heven's lilie." ** 



"That Emelie, that fairer was to seene 

 Than is the lilie or hire stalke grene."-ff 



" Upon his hand he bore for his delyt 

 An eagle tame, as any lily whyte." %% 



* Political poem, 1460-71. — Early Eng. Text Soc, \o\. W . 



f Knight's Tale. X Roniaiiiit of the Rose. 



§ KnigJit's Tale. 



II Among the receipts of Bicester Abbey, lylh Rich. II., for lands and 

 tenements " una rosa rubea recept' di Henrico Bowols de Curtlyngton . . . et 

 de uno g'no gariophili rec' de Rog' o de Stodele " . . . 8cc. — DuxKix, Hist, of 

 Bullington and Ploughley. 



•[ " Lillys" and " roses" are the only flowers mentioned on the gardeners' 

 rolls of Norwich Priorv. 



** The Second Noitne's Tale. 



ff Knig/it's Tale. 



n Ibid. 



