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 grasgerd ” 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 1312. “ In lez railes in gardino apud Faryndonesin.” 
3 Ministers’ Accounts, Bishops’ Temporalities, 
4 Transcribed and translated from the original MSS', among the 
muniments of Ely Cathedral. 
