KITCHEN GARDENING UNDER ELIZABETH AND JAMES I. 119
from among those he calls “very good,” or “fair,” “great,”
“goodly,” and “very well rellished.” “ Pearmain, Russeting,
Broading, Flower of Kent, Davie Gentle, Costards Harvey,
Deusan or Apple-John, Kentish Codlin, and Worcester apple.”
We can gather which were the best known and most popular
sorts, from casual references to them in various writings of the
period, such as,
“ In July come ginnitings and quadlings.”—Bacon, Essay on Gardens.
“ Ripe as a pomewater.”—Love's Labour's Lost, act iv. scene 3.
“ I am withered like an old Apple-John.”—1st Henry IV., act iii. scene 3.
“ Pippins, caraways and leathercoats.”—2nd Henry IV., act v. scene 3.
“ And after pleasing gifts for her purvey’d,
Queen-apples, and red cherries from the tree.”
Faerie Queene, Canto VI., fragment of Book VII.
“ Tho’ would I seeke for Queene Apples unrype.”
Shephearde's Calendar, June.
“ Not yet old enough for a man, nor young enough for a boy : as a squash
is before ’tis a peascod, or a codling when ’tis almost an apple.”
Twelfth Night, act i. scene 5.
Cooking apples were baked or roasted or dressed in many
other ways, and the choicer varieties were served as now for
dessert at the end of dinner.
“ I will make an end of my dinner;
There’s pippins and cheese to come.”
Merry Wives of Windsor, act i. scene 2.
“The best sort of apples serve at the last course of the table,
in most men’s houses of account, where, if they grow any
rare or excellent fruit, it is then set forth to be seen and
tasted.* Cider was still made in quantities, and the largest
orchards were of cider apples, but there was yet another use
made of this fruit. The “ pulp of apples and swine’s grease and
Rosewater” was made into an ointment, “used to beautifie
the face,” “which is called in shops pomatum.” t
The Quince, which is now almost entirely neglected, received
much attention. Hugh Platt says they “ may well be grafted
on a medlar ” (but not a medlar on a quince, proved by Master
Hill). Gerard gives three varieties, Parkinson six, and writes,
* Parkinson.
f Gerard.
from among those he calls “very good,” or “fair,” “great,”
“goodly,” and “very well rellished.” “ Pearmain, Russeting,
Broading, Flower of Kent, Davie Gentle, Costards Harvey,
Deusan or Apple-John, Kentish Codlin, and Worcester apple.”
We can gather which were the best known and most popular
sorts, from casual references to them in various writings of the
period, such as,
“ In July come ginnitings and quadlings.”—Bacon, Essay on Gardens.
“ Ripe as a pomewater.”—Love's Labour's Lost, act iv. scene 3.
“ I am withered like an old Apple-John.”—1st Henry IV., act iii. scene 3.
“ Pippins, caraways and leathercoats.”—2nd Henry IV., act v. scene 3.
“ And after pleasing gifts for her purvey’d,
Queen-apples, and red cherries from the tree.”
Faerie Queene, Canto VI., fragment of Book VII.
“ Tho’ would I seeke for Queene Apples unrype.”
Shephearde's Calendar, June.
“ Not yet old enough for a man, nor young enough for a boy : as a squash
is before ’tis a peascod, or a codling when ’tis almost an apple.”
Twelfth Night, act i. scene 5.
Cooking apples were baked or roasted or dressed in many
other ways, and the choicer varieties were served as now for
dessert at the end of dinner.
“ I will make an end of my dinner;
There’s pippins and cheese to come.”
Merry Wives of Windsor, act i. scene 2.
“The best sort of apples serve at the last course of the table,
in most men’s houses of account, where, if they grow any
rare or excellent fruit, it is then set forth to be seen and
tasted.* Cider was still made in quantities, and the largest
orchards were of cider apples, but there was yet another use
made of this fruit. The “ pulp of apples and swine’s grease and
Rosewater” was made into an ointment, “used to beautifie
the face,” “which is called in shops pomatum.” t
The Quince, which is now almost entirely neglected, received
much attention. Hugh Platt says they “ may well be grafted
on a medlar ” (but not a medlar on a quince, proved by Master
Hill). Gerard gives three varieties, Parkinson six, and writes,
* Parkinson.
f Gerard.