EARLY TUDOR GARDENS 93 



wormwood, endyff, sauge, dandelion, and hart's tonge." Many 

 herbs in every garden were grown solely for this purpose, and 

 these sweet waters were used in cooking as well as for medicine. 

 A neighbourly gift of distilled herbs was often exchanged, and it 

 is not uncommon to find records of such presents as " sweet 

 waters," " rose water," or " syrup of roses," being accepted 

 by the wealthy from their poorer friends. Similar offerings of 

 flowers or fruit were no less frequent. The Parson of Titteshall 

 sent the Squire of Hunstanton a present of pears and apples, 

 " his boye " receiving a penny for bringing them. On another 

 occasion " wenches " from the same parish brought him red 

 roses. ^ The Bishop of Norwich sent the Duke of Buckingham 

 a dish of cherries, and one May Day " four maydens of Kanis- 

 ham brought presents of hawthorne to my Lord's Grace, being 

 in his orchard."^ One feels tempted to pause to entwine a 

 pretty story round these four maidens of Kanisham. Without 

 much strain on the imagination, and with the help of these 

 simple records, it is easy to conjure up delightful visions, and 

 to picture many a fascinating scene of homely country life in 

 Tudor times. 



^ Le Strange, Household Books (1540). 



^ Duke of Buckingham's Household Accounts. 



