136

For the encouragement of his Gardeners, and to insure theirutmost exertions, as not being liable to capricious removal, thismonarch gave them Patents of their places.*

The statement of Sir W. Temple would argue for the beliefthat the varieties of Peaches, Grapes, &c. now in cultivation,are hardier, or that our climate has much changed since theperiod we are considering, for he says that they cannot belooked for as good to the northward of Northamptonshire ;and oven as late as the early part of the last Century, thoseFruits were not considered as capable of being grown in thenorth of England, “I own it is with pleasure, says Mr. Law-rence, that I expect to hear of good Grapes at York and Dur­ ham .’^ Evelyn in his translation of Arnaud d’Andilly’s “Essayon Fruit Trees,” perhaps the best practical work of its age, isthe first to censure the vicious though then prevalent taste, ofclipping them into regular forms.

Arthur Capel, Earl of Essex, was a great patron of Garde-ning in this reign. He introduced many varieties of Fruit fromFrance . The Gardens at Cashiobury near Watford, Herts ,were chiefly founded by him under the care of Moses Cook,“ one of the first places, says Switzer, were the ingenious spiritof Gardening made the greatest figure.”* In this opinion heis supported by Daines Barrington and Evelyn.

Evelyn in his Diary affords much information on the historyof Horticulture . He says he saw the first Pine Apple presen-ted to the King in the Banqueting house in 1GG1, and tasted ofit. lie speaks most highly of Sir William Temple ’s Gardens at East Sheen. Sir William introduced some of our bestpeaches, cherries, grapes, and apricots from Holland.||

• Cook upon Forest and Fruit Trees , p. 62. + Fruit Gardener’*

Kalender . p. 19. $ Ienographia Rustica, v. i. p. 62. |] Ibid, and hi*

own works.