86 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND 
to eate, and as ofte as nede shall requyre it must be weded, 
for els wedes wyl ouergrowe the herbes.” These herbs were 
much the same as in the previous century, but a few are men¬ 
tioned in writings of this date which have not appeared on 
earlier lists, and some, such as asparagus, melons, taragon, 
horse-radish, and artichokes, were first grown in the royal 
gardens about this time. Tusser devotes several lines in his 
poem to beans and peas. In January— 
“ Good gardiner mine, 
Make garden fine. 
Set garden pease 
and beans, if ye please.” 
And again: 
“ Dig garden, stroy 1 mallow, now may ye at ease, 
And set (as a dainte) thy runciuall pease.” 
Also 
** Sowe pease (good trull 2 ) 
the moone past full; 
Stick bow£ a rowe 
where runciuals growe.” 
“ Set plentie of bows among runciuall pease 
to climber thereon, and to branch at their ease.” 
These quotations show that runcival peas were a favourite 
dainty. They were a large kind of pea, and the name is 
supposed to be derived from Roncesvalles, in the Pyrenees. 
Tusser also gives directions for picking beans : 
“ Not rent off, but cut off ripe beane with a knife, 
For hindering stalke of hir vegetive life ; 
So gather the lowest, and leauing the top 
Shall teach thee a trick, for to double thy crop.” 
In the ordinary course of things, little would have to be 
bought for a garden, as seeds would be saved, and plants 
divided and exchanged among friends, year by year. 
“ Good huswifes in sommer will saue their owne seedes 
against the next yeere, as occasion needes. 
One seede for another, to make an exchange 
With fellowlie neighbourhood seemeth not strange.” 
1 Expression often used, probably for the sake of rhythm — weed, or 
destroy, wild mallow, a common weed. 
2 =good girl, or lass. 
