KITCHEN GARDENING UNDER JAMES I. 
141 
In the Taming of the Shrew , Petruchio, just after his marriage, 
sends his servant to Grumio to prepare the house for his bride. 
Grumio arrives late, and in haste calls, “ Where’s the cook ? 
Is supper ready, the house trimmed, rushes strewed, cobwebs 
swept ?” Such had been for long years the custom, but in 
Henry VIII.’s reign an improvement on the plain rushes 
became the fashion, and sweet-smelling herbs and flowers were 
added. By Elizabeth’s time this practice was much in vogue. 
As early as 15x6 “ flowers and rushes ” were purchased “ for 
chambers,” for Henry VIII. In 1552, in Princess Elizabeth’s 
accounts, there are numerous entries of payments to a certain 
Thomas Briesly, for “ flowers and herbs by him provided for the 
same purpose.” The sum of £10 was paid in 1565 and 1567, to 
Robert Jones, for providing boughs and flowers for the Council 
Chamber. 1 Queen Elizabeth was so fond of having a constant 
supply of flowers for strewing that a waiting-woman was 
appointed with a fixed salary to have flowers always in readi¬ 
ness. So late as 1713 this office had not been abolished, as 
there is a letter extant in the State Archives, addressed to 
Alice Blizard, who held the post of “ herbe strewer to Her 
Majesty the Queen.” Parkinson, writing about what flowers 
are suitable for laying out knots, says of both Germander and 
Hyssop, “ they must be kept in some form and proportion 
with cutting, and the cuttings are much used as a strawing 
herb for houses, being pretty and sweet.” 
The houses must have been made very fragrant with many 
herbs and flowers, not only strewn on the floor, but placed in 
vases about the rooms. In the Loseley Accounts in 1556 the 
item occurs, “ a blewe potte for flowers id.” 2 Parkinson says 
of both Yew and Box, they are used “ to deck up houses in the 
winter-time.” Not only in pots and vases were flowers to be 
found, but many were skilfully arranged into little posies, and 
worn as personal ornaments. Violets made into garlands, 
posies, and nosegays “ are delightful to look on and pleasant 
to smell.” 3 “ Auriculas do seem every one of them to be a 
nosegay alone of itself . . . they are not unfurnished with a 
pretty sweet scent, which dothe adde an increase of pleasure 
1 Acts of the Privy Council, new series, vol. vii., 1893. 
2 Archceologia, vol. xxxvi. 3 Gerard. 
