THE ELIZABETHAN FLOWER GARDEN 101 



us that I know." 1 The alley remaining at Hampton Court 

 is of wych-elm. At Theobalds these trees were chiefly used in 

 those alleys where " one might walk twoe myle in the walkes 

 before he came to their ends." At Drayton, in Northampton- 

 shire, there are two fine specimens of pleached alleys, and the 

 gnarled stems of the wych-elms forming them bear testimony 

 to their age. The " covert walks " were sometimes made with a 

 trellis of wood-work, planted with creepers, such as were in 

 vogue in earlier times, " made like galleries," " covered with y e 

 vine spreading all over, or some other trees which more pleased 

 them." 2 



Mounts still formed an important accessory to the garden. 

 Bacon, who, it must be remembered, was " speaking of those 

 (gardens) which are indeed princelike," thus describes the 

 mount : " I wish," he says, " in the middle, a fair mount, with 

 three ascents, and alleys enough for four to walk abreast ; 

 which I would have to be perfect circles, without any bulwarks 

 or embossments : and the whole mount to be 30 feet high, 

 surmounted by a fine banquetting-house with some chimneys 

 neatly cast." Such banqueting-houses were often made merely 

 for some special occasion, and decorated with ivy and ever- 

 greens, to give them the appearance of permanency. This was 

 an age that delighted in pageants, and what more fitting back- 

 ground for their display than the beautiful gardens that this 

 same love of display was creating and developing. When any 

 pageant or " re veils " took place, additions were made to the 

 arbours or banqueting-houses in the garden, to accommodate 

 the guests. In June, 1554, " certaine banqueting-houses of 

 Bowes ( = boughs) and other devices of pleasure," were to be 

 made at Oatlands, and Sir Thomas Cawarden, as " Master of 

 the Tents and Toyles," received a royal command to superin- 

 tend their erection as he had " good experience heretofore in lyk 

 things." 3 The following extracts show some of his past experi- 

 ences, both what he had to do, and the cost of carrying it out. 4 

 " 4th year of Edward VI.— Banketing-houses 2, the one in 

 Hyede Parke conteynenge in length 57 feet and in bredth 

 21 feet of assize with a halpace staier (step for dais) conteining 



1 Parkinson, Paradisus. 2 Hill, Gardener's Labyrinth. 



3 MSS. belonging to M. More-Molyneux, Loseley, Surrey. * Ibid. 



