EARLY TUDOR GARDENS 89 



covenanted together, to sell their victuals at unreasonable prices 

 — butchers, brewers, bakers . . . costermongers, or fruiterers, 

 £xo 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 Henry VIII., c. 6., sect. 3. — 

 . . . Any person maliciously, willingly or unlawfully, after the 

 said first May (1545), cut or cause to be cut off the ear or ears 

 of any of the King's subjects otherwise than by authority of 

 the law, chance-medley, sudden affray or adventure : (6) or 

 after the said day maliciously, willingly, or unlawfully bark any 

 apple-trees, pear-trees, or other fruit-trees of any other person 

 or persons : (7) that then every such offender and offenders 

 shall not only lose and forfeit unto the party grieved treble 

 damages for such offence or offences, the same to be recovered 

 by action of trespass, to be taken at the common law, but 

 also shall lose and forfeit to the King's Majesty and his 

 heirs, for every such offence X £ sterling in the name of a 

 fine." / 



Saffron continued to be largely used and grown for the 

 market, and sold at a high price. In the accounts of the 

 Monastery of Durham, " Crocus," or saffron, is of frequent 

 occurrence. In 1531 half a pound was bought in July ; the 

 same quantity in August and in November, a quarter of a pound 

 in September, and a pound and a half in October. These 

 items give some idea of the consumption. In 1539-40 the 

 saffron was bought from Thos. Freeman, of Doncaster, and 

 of a merchant from Cambridge. To the latter, for six and 

 a half pounds of " crocus," £7 8s. was paid. In 1538 it 

 was bought at " Braydforth fayre." Although it was 

 not cultivated at all in the North, and, as the above quota- 

 tions show, had to be imported from the Eastern counties, 

 saffron commanded almost as high a price in that part of the 

 country. At Hunstanton, in Norfolk, on " March 26th, 1536, 

 one ounce of saffron cost 8d. and old saffron i2d. the 

 ounce." 1 



1 Le Strange, MSS. Household Books. 



