MONASTIC GARDENING 
3 
remains of villas, mosaic pavements, baths, roads, and bridges 
have been left by that nation ?—it was fully a thousand years 
before anything as beautiful was again seen in our Island. 
The fall of the Roman Empire, and the subsequent invasions 
of barbarians, struck a death-blow to gardening as well as to all 
other peaceful arts. During the stormy years which succeeded 
the Roman rule in Britain, nearly all knowledge of horticulture 
must have died out. Only such plants as were thoroughly 
naturalized and acclimatized would be strong enough to con¬ 
tinue to grow when not properly cultivated. 
The few Saxon names of plants which can be traced to the 
Latin seem to identify these hardy survivors, or at any rate 
show that the Anglo-Saxons were well acquainted with many 
of the Roman plant-names. The following list, given by Mr. 
Earle in English Plant Names , clearly shows their Latin origin : 
Latin. 
Anglo-Saxon. 
English. 
Amigdala 
Magdula treow 
Almond 
Beta 
Bete 
Beet 
Buxus 
Box 
Box 
Cannabis 
Haenep 
Hemp 
Caulis 
Caul 
Kale 
Coliandrum 
Celendre 
Coriander 
Chcerophyllum 
Cerfille 
Chervil 
Castanea 
Cisten beam 1 
Chestnut 
Cornus 
Corn treow 
Cornel 
Crotalum 
Hratele 
Yellow rattle 
Cuminum 
Cymen 
Cummin 
Cerasus 
Ciris beam 1 
Cherry 
Febrifugia 
Feferfuge 
Feverfew 
Ficus 
Fic beam 1 
Fig 
Feniculum 
Finul 
Fennel 
Gladiolum 
Glaedene 
Gladden 
Lactuca 
Lactuce 
Lettuce 
Latirus 
Laur beam 1 
Laurel 
Linum 
Lin ssed 
Linseed 
Lilium 
Lilige 
Lily 
Lubestica 
Lufestice 
Lovage 
Malva 
Mealwe 
Mallow 
Morus 
Mor beam 1 
Mulberry 
Mentha 
Minte 
Mint 
1 Beam = 
the living tree, as Ger. 
“ Baum.” 
i—2 
