MONASTIC GARDENING 25 



of the vine-dresser and the labourer under him, which was paid 

 for in corn. 1 



The Bishops of Ely also had a vineyard attached to the 

 garden of '* Ely Place," their house in Holborn, the site of 

 which the present "Vine Street" commemorates. The 

 earliest records of these gardens date from the reign of 

 Edward III., and they are preserved at Ely. They are most 

 interesting from the names of streets and houses in London 

 mentioned in them, some with gardens attached, 2 for which 

 rent was paid to the Bishop. But only a few of the earliest 

 ones contain any details of the garden or vineyard, for from 

 the year 1379-80 to 1480-81 they were let at the yearly sum 

 of 60s. The rent of the garden alone was 20s. The accounts 

 until the year 1419 are preserved at Ely ; the continuation 

 from 1423 to 1483 are in the Record Office. 3 Among the latter 

 in the time of Bishop John Morton, 20 to 21 Edward IV., 

 the garden is at last again in the Bishop's own hands ; the entry 

 states that there is no rent, " quod occupatur ad visum domini 

 proprium hoc anno." 



The following is a translation of the earliest of the rolls at 

 Ely: 4 



Account of Adam Vynour, gardener (" ortolani ") of the Lord Bishop 

 of Ely, in his Manor of Holbourne, and collector of the rents, belonging 

 to the said manor, from Michaelmas in the 46th to 7th June in the 47th 

 year of Edward III. (1372-3). (Then follow rents of assize, and pay- 

 ments for the farm of shops, 77s. 6d:) 



Issues of the Garden — And of 16s. for onions and garlick sold. — And 

 of 9s. 2d. for herbs, " lekes," parsley, and herbage sold.^-And 

 of 48s. 6d. for pasture in " le gras3erd " sold, and of 5s. 4d. 

 for beans in the husks sold, sum, 79s., also £6 6s. 8d. from Sir 

 Thomas Wylton, sum total of receipts, £14 3s. 2d. 



Expenses — Rents repaid to various churches, &c. 



1 March 20 to July 18 — 30th Edward I. " Wheat and barley — In the 

 livery of one ' vinitor ' during the same time, 2 qrs. 1 bus., he taking 

 1 quarter for 8 weeks. In the livery of his ' garcio ' during the same 

 time 6£ bushels 1 peck taking 1 quarter for 20 weeks." 



2 13 12. " In lez railes in gardino apud Faryndonesin." 



3 Ministers' Accounts, Bishops' Temporalities, -^tr-- 



* Transcribed and translated from the original MSS. among the 

 muniments of Ely Cathedral. 



