98 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 8. 
monks paid some attention to those luxuries and elegancies 
which make a country life so fascinating; however much 
they were disposed to exclude the pleasures of the world 
from their solitudes, they had no objection to relieve the 
tedium of their habitations with the beauties of nature. To 
a mind healthy in its piety, the love of God will lead to a 
love of nature; and did we want proofs of the influence of 
the latter, we should find some striking ones in the love of 
gardening among the monks; the subject may perhaps 
seem too trivial upon which to bestow much time, but 
it is pleasant to observe the influence of flowers upon 
ascetic minds, for it is only gentle hearts that find 
delight in the beauties of Flora. Brithnold, Abbot of 
Ely, is celebrated for his skill in gardening ; his biographer 
tells us, that he made the monastery more pleasant and 
beautiful by surrounding it with flowers and shrubs; he 
laid out extensive gardens and orchards, and formed a 
beautiful plantation, so ingeniously, that at a distance it 
looked like a wood loaded with an abundance of flowers and 
fruits; all which, continues the monk, added to the love¬ 
liness of the spot. The most skilful horticulturists of the 
middle ages were monks, and the gardens of the convents 
contained many herbs and vegetables, which were not in 
common use among the laity. 
“The monks were not only tillers of the land, sowers and 
reapers of corn, but they were also cultivators of the vine, 
from the grapes of which they made a grateful beverage. 
This was consumed in the monastery, at the abbot’s table, 
or exchanged in the neighbouring towns for other com¬ 
modities. The vineyards of Gloucestershire excited the 
admiration of William of Malmsbury, who says, there were 
more in that province than in any other in England. Many 
old writers concur in this opinion ; nearly all the churches 
of Glastonbury are mentioned in Domesday as possessing 
vineyards. One horse-load of wine was annually paid to the 
monks of Glastonbury as an acknowledgment for certain 
lands, called Wine-Land. Vineyards were attached to 
almost every monastery. Martin, Abbot of Peterborough, 
planted one in the year 1133. Holtham, elected Bishop of 
Ely, in 131G gave a vineyard and a garden in ITolborn to 
his church; and Ralph, an abbot of St. Augustine’s 
monastery, in the year 1320 converted a field at Nordhome 
into a vineyard. Even Smithfield, now the most filthy spot 
in London, was, in the middle ages, covered with vineyards : 
there are but few of us who would not be glad to see 
Smithfield once more converted into a garden. The produce 
of these monastic vineyards sometimes proved dangerous to 
the pious watchfulness of the monks; in some cases a 
moderate allowance was granted to them ; it may be sus¬ 
pected that they did not always rest satisfied with their 
allotted portion; we have seen how Winibald was compelled 
to remove his monastery from the banks of the Rhine, in 
consequence of the indolence which the wines of Mayence 
diffused over his monks. These vineyards were sometimes 
sold after having been brought into a proper state of culti¬ 
vation, and they were often leased out to the laity. The 
physician of the monastery received a liberal share of the 
infirmary, and the cellarer reserved a goodly portion for the 
entertainment of guests. This reminds us of an anecdote 
related in the annals of Abingdon monastery, which occurred 
in the time of Abbot Etlielwold. King Edgar, who was a 
liberal benefactor to the holy monks, came one day to the 
monastery, attended by a numerous retinue; his object 
was to plan the erection of some buildings, the foundation 
of which it is said he measured with his own hands; the 
only return for this condescension that the good abbot 
could devise, was a promise of many prayers, and a hearty 
invitation to dinner. The King graciously accepted the 
promises, and accepted the invitation, and with a large 
concourse of the Northumbrian nobility sat down to a 
goodly entertainment: the board of the refectory reeked 
with the fat of the abbey lands, and tankards overflowed 
with generous wine. TRe King feeling inclined to make 
merry over his bottle, kept the attendant employed in filling 
the goblet; he pledged incessantly the assembled nobles, 
and urged them to drink deep to tlie honour of their host; 
in fact, Edgar grew noisy over his cups ; the poor cellarer 
trembled; for, behold! the barrels lacked wine to meet such 
prodigality. They had for hours drawn liquor, still his 
Majesty called for more, and the nobles were getting 
riotously merry. But why should we be prolix ? as my 
authority asks; a miracle relieved the poor cellarer in his 
trouble and administered to the bacchanalian orgies of the 
guests. The whole day did the king sit at the table, and 
the whole day the servants were busy drawing liquor, to the 
full gratification of the company. Yet, with all their efforts, 
the monks could not exhaust the barrels, and although 
there was but little originally in the casks, there was almost 
as much, says the monk, when the king and his nobles i 
“rejoicing departed merrily at night.” 
“ Some such miraculous aid as this may account for the 
abundance of wine which the monastic cellars are reputed 
to hive contained in the more recent and less holy days of 
Henry Tudor; whether it was a common thing then to find 
empty barrels filled so miraculously to supply a drunken 
revel, we know not, but we imagine that it was of frequent 
occurrence in the old Saxon days; for when Ethelstan 
dined with his kinswoman, Ethelfrida, a similar miracle 
attested to the saintly power of St, Dunstan; the mead 
vessel contained but a scanty portion to entertain royalty 
and the court, yet, it is said, although the cup-bearers j 
drew liquor all the day the barrel was not emptied. The j 
king and his nobles were astonished, and the saint of j 
Glastonbury became revered; the miracle is not forgotten in 1 
monkish annals.”] 
PARIS INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION. 
Thebe are many things to be seen in France. We are 
to have, this,summer, an exhibition in Paris, after the manner 
of our recent one in Hyde Park, and also a display of 
flowers, fruit, and vegetables, together with agricultural and 
horticultural implements. It is very probable, therefore, 
that many of our gardening friends (blue aproners, as 
D. Beaton calls them) will be desirous of paying it a visit. 
This is very natural, and, provided it can be prudently 
accomplished, commendable. Let me, then, offer a few 
hints. A knowledge of the French language is not necessary. 
It has been remarked by a celebrated writer, that France 
bears the flowers, and England the fruits of civilization ; and 
to comprehend the fructification of a plant, the eye is more 
necessary than the ear; and if the ear be shut, keep the eye 
open. A passport is not essential: to obtain one, free of 
cost, you must dance attendance for two days at the French 
ambassador’s in London ;—pay 5s. for it of the French consul, 
or procure one at a trifle less in France, and then the land¬ 
lords at the French hotels will ask for and detain both you 
and it; it has also to be examined and verified. On the 
other hand, a passport is sometimes useful in preventing 
unnecessary enquiries, and in facilitating a stranger’s ad¬ 
mission to places of public resort when shut to the Parisians. 
Butin the event of a passport not being obtained, a permit 
for embarkation, to be had in Paris for 20d., will be necessary 
before you can leave France. As to routes, there are five, 
Calais, Boulogne, Dunkirk, Dieppe, and Havre. Calais and 
Boulogne are in connection with the South Eastern Railway; 
they are the most direct routes, the sea-passage only two 
hours, and you go through in a day ; but, then, the fare is j 
more expensive. For Dunkirk, there is a steamer from the i 
Irongate Stairs, near the Tower, every other day according 
to the tide; sea-passage from ten to eight hours; and 
Dunkirk is well worth seeing. The Dieppe packet (starts ! 
from Newhaven, in connection with the Brighton Railway; j 
sea-voyage six to seven hours, generally a night-boat; and j 
to Havre by Southampton, the passage is about ten hours ; ; 
by the three last routes the fares are lower, much of a price, ! 
but then you are a day and a night on the journey, which ! 
increases the expence and inconvenience. By Havre and 
Dieppe you pass through Normandy, a picturesque part of 
France, and both lines meet at Rouen, entitled to a day’s 
inspection. Two years ago, the return tickets on these 
railways, available for one month, were charged 24s.; but it 
will be well to consider whether returning by a different 
route may not be desirable. 
Get one sovereign changed into small French coins, at 
Speilman and Co., 10, Lombard Street, who will give full j 
value for it. 
Take no luggage, but merely a carpet-bag, and keep this 
in your possession—it will save much trouble; show the con- I 
