XVI 
PROCEEDINGS. 
Genista tinctoria L. — At Bushey Station and in brickfields, 
Bushey, in July, 1902. 
Claytonia perfoliata Donn [a casual].—In Merry Hill Lane, 
Bushey, in fair abundance in June, 1902. [The only previous 
record for the county is open to doubt. (See Pryor’s ‘ Flora of 
Hertfordshire,’ pp. liii and 167.)] 
Bidens cernua L.—In stream in field at bottom of Merry Hill 
Lane, Bushey. 
Cirsium arrense Scop., var. setosum. —In brickfields, Bushey. 
Ho previous record for the county. 
Lmaria viscida Moench.—In brickfields, Bushey, in abundance 
in September, 1902. 
Scutellaria minor Huds.—On Herts side of Stanmore Common. 
Field Meeting, 16th May, 1903. 
CHALFONT ST. GILES. 
A little rain was falling when a good party of cyclists assembled 
at Watford to ride to the Chalfonts and Jordans, places of interest 
in connection with the lives of John Milton and William Penn. 
After debating whether to proceed or not, the majority decided 
to do so, and rode through Hickmans worth to Maple Cross. The 
rain had then become so heavy that a halt was called, and the party 
sheltered for about an hour. In a temporary cessation a start was 
again made and Chalfont St. Giles was eventually reached, but 
in drenching rain, and it was decided to have tea there and abandon 
the further ride to Jordans and round by Chalfont St. Peter. 
The Church of St. Giles was visited, approaching it through 
the old lych-gate under the upper storey of an ancient timbered 
house, and then through an avenue of yew-trees. It is of much 
archaeological interest. Originally of Norman design, the bases of 
the Norman pillars in the nave are still to be seen, and the font 
is Norman. In the churchyard there is the following curious 
epitaph on the tomb of Timothy Lovett, courier to the 1st Duke of 
Marlborough: — 
“ Italy and Spain, 
Germany and France, 
Have been on earth 
My weary dance. 
So that I own 
Ye grave’s my greatest friend, 
That to my travels 
All has put an end.” 
Farther up the village, on the left-hand side, was seen the house 
where Milton resided during the plague of London in 1665, and 
in which he finished 4 Paradise Lost ’ and commenced 4 Paradise 
Eegained.’ It is a half-timbered cottage. About the year 1844 an 
old porch and a room above it were taken down, and the position 
of the door was changed. It thus differs in appearance from prints 
of it of about Milton’s time. Thomas Elwood, who took this 4 4 pretty 
box for him at Giles Chalfont,” relates that after reading ‘Paradise 
