THIRTEENTH CENTURY 
39 
London. It is a lease, dated 1375, 1 for “ A garden situate in 
Tower Ward, near the city wall, which John Seoh lately held : 
being between the garden which Geoffrey Puppe holds on the 
North side, and the garden which William Lambourne holds on 
the South/' There is no better proof of the great increase in 
the culture of fruits and vegetables than a discussion which 
took place between the gardeners in and near London and the 
Lord Mayor with regard to the locality in which they were 
allowed to sell the produce of their gardens. 
It appears that for many years previous to 1345 the gardeners 
of the Earls, Barons, Bishops, and citizens of London were 
accustomed to sell their “ pulse, cherries, vegetables, and other 
wares to their trade pertaining," on a piece of ground “ opposite 
to the church of S. Austin near the gate of S. Paul’s church¬ 
yard." By 1345, however, this fruit and vegetable market had 
grown to such an extent, and had become so crowded, as to 
hinder “ persons passing both on foot and on horseback," and 
the “ scurrility, clamour, and nuisance of the gardeners and 
their servants " had become so obnoxious “ to the people 
dwelling in the houses of reputable persons there," and “ such 
a nuisance to the priests who are singing Matins and Mass in 
the church of S. Austin, and to others, both clerks and laymen, 
in prayers and orisons there serving God," that the Mayor and 
Aldermen were petitioned to interfere, and to remove the 
market to some more suitable place. The result of this peti¬ 
tion was a meeting of the Mayor and Aldermen, and an order 
“ given to the said gardeners and their servants, that they 
should no longer expose their wares aforesaid, for sale in that 
place, on peril which awaits the same." But the gardeners 
were not to be so easily defeated. They, in their turn, peti¬ 
tioned the Mayor to reverse his sentence, and their petition 
runs thus : “ Unto the Mayor of London, shew and pray the 
gardeners of the Earls, Barons, and Bishops, and of the citizens 
of the same city, may it please you, sire, seeing that you are 
the chief guardian of the said city, and of the ancient usages 
therein established, to suffer and to maintain that the said 
gardeners may stand in peace in the same place where they 
have been wont in times of old, in front of the church of 
1 Letter Book, H. F. XIII., 49 Ed. III. 
