he ordering of the (jar den of £ P leafure . 1 4 
perfwade many in the truth, although I cannot hope of all, fome being fo ftrongly 
wedded to their owne will, and the errours theyhaue beene bred in, thatnoreafon 
may alter them. Firft therefore I fay , that if there were any art to make fome flowers 
to grow double, that naturally were fingle, by the fame art, all forts of flowers that are 
Angle by nature, may be madeto grow double : but the forts of flowers that are fingle 
by nature, whereoffome are double, wercneuer made double by art -for many forts 
abide ftill fingle , whereof there was neuer feene double : and therefore there is no 
fuch art in any mans knowledge to bring it to pafle. Ifany man fhall fay , that becaufe 
there are many flowers double, whereof there are fingle al fo of the fame kinde, as for 
example, Violets, Marigolds, Daifyes, Daffodils, Anemones, and many other , that 
therefore thofe double flowers were fo made by the art of man : viz. by the obferuati- 
on of the change of theMoone, the conftellations or coniun&ions of Planets , or 
fome other Starres or celeftiall bodies. Although I doe confeffeand acknowledge, 
that I thinke fome conftellations, and peraduenture changes of the Moone, &c. were 
appointed by the God of nature, as conducing and helping to the making of thofe 
flowers double, that nature hath fo produced; yet I doe deny, that any man hath or 
fhall euer be able to proue, that it was done by any art of man, or that any man can tell 
the true caufes and feafons, what changes of the Moone, or conftellations of the Pla- 
nets, wrought together for the producing of thofe doubleflowers, or can imitate na- 
ture, orrarherthe God of nature, todoethelifce. If it fhall bee demanded. From 
whence then camethefe double flowers that we haue, if they were notfo made by arte 
I anfwer, that affuredly all fuch flowers did firft grow wilde , and were fo found dou- 
ble, as they doe now grow in Gardens, but for how long before they were found they 
became double, no man can tell ; we onely haue them as nature hath produced them, 
and fo they remaine. Againe, if any fhall fay, that it is likely that thefe double flowers 
were forced fo to be, by the often planting and tranfplanting ofthcm,becaufc it is ob- 
ferued in rnoft of them , that if they ftand long in any one place , and not be often re- 
moued, they will grow ftill lefle double, and in the end turne fingle. I doe confefle, 
that Facilior eft defeenfw quam afeenfui, and that the vnfruitfulnefle of theground they 
are planted in, or the negleift or little care had of them , or the growing of them 
too rhicke or too long , are oftentimes a caufe of the diminifliing of the flowers 
doubleneffe ; but withall you fhall obferue, that the fame rootes that did beare double 
flowers (and not any other that neuer were double before) haue returned to their for- 
mer doubleneffe againe, by good ordering and looking vnto : fingle flowers haue only 
beene made f omewhat fairer or larger , by being planted in the richer and more fruit- 
full ground of the Garden, than they were found wilde by nature ; but neuer made to 
grow double, as that which is naturally fo found of it felfe : For I will fhew you mine 
owne experience in the matter. I haue been as inquiGtiue as any man might be, with 
euery one I knew, that made any fuch report, orthat I thought could fay any thing 
t herein, but I neuer could finde any one, that could affuredly refolue me, that he knew 
certainly any fuch thing to be donerall that they could fay was but report, for the ob- 
feruationof theMoone, to remoue plants before the change, that is, as fome fay , the 
full of theMoone, others the new Moone, whereupon I haue made tryallatmany 
times, and in many forts of plants, accordingly, and as I thought fit, by planting & tran- 
fplanting them, but I could neuer fee the effeift defired, but rather in many of them the 
Ioffe of my plants. And were there indeed fuch a certalne ait, to make fingle flowers 
to grow double, it would haue beene knowne certainly to fome that would pra&ife it, 
and there are fo many fingle flowers, whereof there wereneuer any of the kinde feene 
double, that to produce fuch of them to be double, would procure both credit and 
coyne enough to him that fhould vfe it ; but Vltra poftfe non eft efte ■. and therefore let no 
man beleeue any fuch reports , bee they neuer fo ancient • for they are but meere tales 
and fables. Concerning colours and fents,the many rules and dire&ions extant in ma- 
nic mens writings, to caufe flowers to grow yellow, red, greene, or white, that neuer 
were fo naturally, as alfo to be of the fent of Cinamon,Muske, See . would almoft per- 
fwadeany, that the matters thus fetdowneby fuch perfons, and with fome Ihew of 
probability , were conftant and afliired proofes thereof : but when they come to the 
triall, they all vanifli away like fmoake. I will in a few words ihew you the matters and 
manners of their proceedings to cffeift this purpofe : Firft (they fay ) if you fhall fteepe 
