own welfare, as men that
in those days reposed our felicity in following the wars, wherewith we
were often exercised both at home and other places. Besides this, the
natural desire that mankind hath to esteem of things far sought, because
they be rare and costly, and the irksome contempt of things near hand, for
that they are common and plentiful, hath borne no small sway also in this
behalf amongst us. For hereby we have neglected our own good gifts of God,
growing here at home, as vile and of no value, and had every trifle and
toy in admiration that is brought hither from far countries, ascribing I
wot not what great forces and solemn estimation unto them, until they also
have waxen old, after which, they have been so little regarded, if not
more despised, amongst us than our own. Examples hereof I could set down
many and in many things; but, sith my purpose is to deal at this time with
gardens and orchards, it shall suffice that I touch them only, and show
our inconstancy in the same, so far as shall seem and be convenient for my
turn. I comprehend therefore under the word "garden" all such grounds as
are wrought with the spade by man's hand, for so the case requireth. Of
wine I have written already elsewhere sufficiently,[82] which commodity
(as I have learned further since the penning of that book) hath been very
plentiful in this island, not only in the time of the Romans, but also
since the Conquest, as I have seen by record; yet at this present have we
none at all (or else very little to speak of) growing in this island,
which I impute not unto the soil, but the negligence of my countrymen.
Such herbs, fruits, and roots also as grow yearly out of the ground, of
seed, have been very plentiful in this land, in the time of the first
Edward, and after his days; but in process of time they grew also to be
neglected, so that from Henry the Fourth till the latter end of Henry the
Seventh and beginning of Henry the Eighth, there was little or no use of
them in England,[83] but they remained either unknown or supposed as food
more meet for hogs and savage beasts to feed upon than mankind. Whereas in
my time their use is not only resumed among the poor commons, I mean of
melons, pompons, gourds, cucumbers, radishes, skirets,[84] parsnips,
carrots, cabbages, navews,[85] turnips, and all kinds of salad herbs--but
also fed upon as dainty dishes at the tables of delicate merchants,
gentlemen, and the nobility, who make their pro