EARLY TUDOR GARDEXS. 99 



taking delight in grafting . . . have planted many orchards 

 fetching their grafts out of that orchard which Harris planted 

 called the New Garden." 



When Dra}-ton wrote his Polyolhion, in 1619-22, the orchard 

 must still have been flourishing, as he alludes to it thus, 



" Rich Tenham undertakes thy closet to suffice with cherries." — Soittr XIVII. 



•J o 



This orchard is supposed to have produced cherries which sold 

 for /"looo in the \ear 1540^ ; an immense sum for those days, 

 and it seems an exaggeration when compared with the ordinary 

 prices of cherries, found in the household books about this date; 

 for instance, " Item gth Julye 1549, 2 lbs. cherrys at my Ladye's 

 comandemente IVd.," and again, " 27th Jnlye 1549, 4 pond of 

 cherrys IVd."'t It is difficult to arrive at the ordinary prices 

 given for garden produce. They must, of course, have varied 

 wdth the seasons, and the quality of the fruit. The difficulty of 

 conveying fruit to market must have kept up the price. One 

 gardener might have great abundance of a certain fruit, w^iile 

 at no great distance a high price was being paid for like wares, 

 but o\ving to the difficulties of communication, he would be 

 unable to take advantage of this market for his goods. But 

 that they made as much profit as they could, and were 

 not always fair in their dealing, the following Law^ proves : — 

 ^^ 2 ^ }, Edward VI. c, 15. — Forasmuch as of late divers sellers 

 of victuals not contented with moderate and reasonable gain 

 .... have conspired and covenanted together, to sell their 

 victuals at unreasonable prices — butchers, brewers, bakers .... 

 costermongers, or fruiterers, ^10 fine or twenty days 

 imprisonment and bread and water for his sustenance, second 

 offence -^20 and the pillory, third offence ^40 or pillory and 

 ears cut off." 



The increase in the number of orchards seems to have 

 rendered their legal protection necessary, as another very curious 

 act was passed: — 37th Henr\' VIII. c. 6, sect. 3. — .... 

 "Any person maliciously, willingly or unlawfully, after the said 



** Johnson, Hist. English Gardening, 1829, p. 56. Philips' Companion to 

 ilie Orchard. Ed. 1821, p. 79. 



f Le Strange, Household Books. 



7* 



