Adam Armed: OR, An ESSAY; endeavouring to prove the Advantages and Improvements the Kingdom may receive, and the Inconveniencies and Impediments it may avoid and remedy, by the means of a well-ordered and duly ratifi [...]d Charter for Incorporating and Regulating the Professors of the Art of Gardening. Humbly Offered and Presented by the Master and Company of the same.
1. IT may be worth the Pains of those who are Lovers of Gardening, to consider the Perfection which that Art is arrived to since the Third Year of the Reign of King JAMES the First, when we find a Charter granted under the Broad-Seal of England to certain Persons inhabiting within London and six Miles of it, who were capable and competent to Educate and Instruct young Men in the Art.
2. And that King, being sensible of the happy Effects to the Kingdom by reason and means of the said Charter, was pleased in the Fourteenth Year of his Reign to renew that Charter, and to grant sundry Additional Priviledges, with Power to make such Laws as they should think requisite for the better Governing their Corporation, and the Members thereof; and also Power to take notice of all such Persons as should interlope into the said Art, without serving thereto according to the Laws and Ordinances of the said Corporation.
3. The Abstract of the said Charter, with all Proclamations granted by the said King and his Successors to the said Corporation, with their Laws made for the Government of the same, are mentioned in a proper place, and Reference is thereunto had.
4. And from the Premisses it appears, there was nothing wanting in His said Majesty, nor indeed His Successors, to make the said Corporation a well-regulated Body of Men, able to Educate a Succession of Gardeners to serve the Kingdom in respective Occasions; as some the Nobility and Gentry, some the Markets, (which we call Kitchen-Gardening,) some in Flowers and choice Greens, some in Nurseries, of all sorts of Fruit-Trees, Hardy Ever-greens, and Trees for Avenues; others in the Designing Part, that is, to make Gardens and Plantations; some in Botany, or Culture of Plants in general; and some in this Corporation as general Practitioners in all the Varieties of this Noble Art.
5. And it is at this time demonstrable, that several of the Nobility and Gentry's Gardens and Plantations suffer very much from the unkilful Gardeners which they employ, who never serving their Time to the Profession, are not qualified to receive under their Charge such Noble Gardens and Plantations.
[Page 2]6. It is also found by experience, That several Gentlemen who are Landlords, are great Sufferers by such Persons, who pretend themselves to be Master Gardeners, and to furnish the Market with Eatables; for these take a Piece of Ground, but for want of Judgment how to crop and manure the same as requisite, they in few years run out their Stock of ready Money, disappoint their Landlords of their Rents, and leave the Ground in a worse condition than they found it: Whereas if they had been Able Masters of their Profession, they might have improved their grounds to much greater value, and so enriched themselves, and much benefitted their Landlords; but these are not the only Losses and Abuses, many more are evident, and some enumerated in another place.
7. If it be demanded, Why the Corporation hath not put their Laws in Execution, for regulating those Enormities which have been and are committed? And, Why more good Laws are not made to regulate young Men in the said Art, and so prevent the Abuses premised, and others?
8. It may be answered, That the said Corporation hath wanted the assistance of an Act of Parliament to give them Power to put those Laws in execution, which by the King's Letters Patents they had Leave to make.
9. For the well-affected part of the Corporation being poor, and in those days not many in number, they could not prevail with the greater and richer part of it to joyn pertinent Methods, and having no coercive Power, for want of an Act of Parliament the Ordinances could not actuate, and so Irregularities increased, which is found very prejudicial not only to the Welfare of the said Corporation, but to all the great Gardens and Plantations of the Kingdom.
10. But indeed, thô the Laws of the said Charters had been capable of Execution, yet their Limits were so narrow, that only a few in comparison of the whole Kingdom could partake of their Benefit; and besides, Offenders found it an easie matter to evade all Penalties pronounced against them, by removing and disposing themselves without the Precinct; which brought the said Charters even under contempt, as well as to be of no use: Hence if such a Corporation may be esteemed useful to the Kingdom for preventing the premised Abuses, and for procuring certain Advantages, as discussed in proper place, it's humbly supposed, That a Charter extensive all over the Kingdom may be necessary, as well as most agreeable.
11. And if such an Enlargement be granted and confirmed by Act of Parliament, the Master and Wardens of the said Company do promise for themselves and their Successors in the Corporation, to Ordain, Make, and cause to be Kept, such Methods, Laws, and Ordinances, as shall be best for Educating young Men in the several Divisions of Gardening, in order to Qualifie them to serve any Noblemen or Gentlemen whatsoever, and for Punishing ignorant People who intrude themselves into the Profession without having served their Time.
Thus a Charter so comprehensive and ratified as premised and prayed, is capable of giving the Kingdom these Advantages.
1. The preventing and remedying the Abuses and Losses many do suffer (and all are liable to) by the Undertakings and Pretensions of Persons that are ignorant in the Designs and Performances of Gardening, some of which are enumerated in a due place.
2. The Accommodation of the Nobility and Gentry (many whereof do much favour, encourage, and promote the Advancement of the Profession and its Designs,) with able and skilful Servants for the manage of their Plantations, and the improvement of their Estates, by Knowledge they are furnished with in the Nature of Grounds and Climates. This Society upon the Settlement premised undertaking to Educate, Train, and Instruct Youth in all and every the Parts of the Profession; so that thence may be successively drawn Persons proper for all Occasions.
3. And the Kingdom will then receive the Progresses, Improvements, and useful Observations that have been made in the Art, and hitherto kept in obscurity by reason of the Discouragement that Ignorance (and thence Malice and Mean-spiritedness) has caused against all Attempts to impart any thing.
4. Which Impediments, thô they have disappointed the Kingdom of many Ornaments and Advantages, yet so well enclined and affectioned have some among the Nobility and Gentry been to to the Art, that by their Encouragement, Protection, Shelter, and Example, it has so thriven, that many excellent Performances have been able to appear in the World; and indeed it seems so far to have gained a Reputation, that its Well-wishers and Promoters do fancy to themselves they have some glimpses of bringing that Art to perfection. A Charter well confirmed will certainly do it, for then the Men of Skill will be Encouraged and Rewarded, and the Ignorant will not dare to appear for fear of being exposed to due Contempt, and of being duly punished. Thus nothing will be buried that's useful neither of Man nor of Earth; Man will communicate all he knows and finds, and all Soils will be cultivated into Fertility and Beauty.
For the Art branching into these Particulars:
- 1. Potagery, comprehending all Sallads, &c. for the Kitchen.
- 2. Florilege, under which Head are Flowers, Ever-greens, &c.
- 3. Orangery, under which are ranked Stoves of Foreign Plants, &c.
- 4. Sylvia, containing Avenues, Lawns, &c. for Entrances into Noble Houses.
- 5. Botany, comprising the Study and Knowledge of all the Plants.
- 6. From the third and fourth Heads do issue out another, which may be termed the Nursery Part, which undertakes the Propagating and Raising all Greens, Fruit-Trees, and Trees for Avenues, fit for Planting abroad.
- 7. The Designing Part, undertaking the making Grounds, Parterres, &c.
The Reflection upon which Particulars, will give a view of the Ornaments and Advantages accruing from a proper Cultivating of 'em, which depends upon Order and Method, and these on Power.
The last of these is the Spring and Life of the other, and to represent how all should be actuated thereby, the Company propose immediately to Incorporate
| Skill'd competently in all Parts of the Profession, and in all its Laws, Limits, and Orders. | Garden Designers — 10 | These in respective Counties to take Cognizance of all Matters relating to the Company and Profession. |
| Gardeners to Noblemen 150 | ||
| Gardeners to Gentlemen 400 |
All to take Apprentices for Seven Years.
| These to take Apprentices for Five Years. | ||
| Nursery-men | 100 | |
| Florists | 150 | |
| Botanists | 20 | |
| Gardeners for Market | 200 | |
| In all | 1030 |
These being dispersed and disposed in convenient Stations, are able as so many Streams to communicate the Benefit of the Fountain to all the Kingdom, and every one thereby receives what's safe and wholsom even at his own Door.
That all England and Wales may with ease and convenience partake of the Advantages by such Settlement and Method of Gardening as premised, it is proposed by the said Master, Wardens, and Company, That a certain number of Gardeners of the Nobility and Gentry shall be Incorporated; and these, being so disposed in all Counties, that they can have ready Correspondence with each other, and be able to discover and discern what can possibly happen in each mean space between one another, shall (their Lords and Masters permitting) have Power to to take Cognizance of, and Examine all Matters and Things relating to the said Company and Profession, and likewise to execute all such Laws, Directions, and Orders, as shall be transmitted them by the said Company for the better Government, Credit, and Advantage of the same, and for preventing and readily remedying all Abuses that can be attempted against the Gentry and Company by Pretenders to, and Smatterers in the Profession.
That every particular Nobleman and Gentleman may, from time to time, be furnished with such servants as maybe proper and qualified for the Occasion; upon notice to any, one of the last mentioned Gardeners within the respective District, or to the Company, he or they may with all convenient speed and intercourse be accommodated accordingly. And thus may he depend both on the Skill, Honesty, and Industry of the Servant or Servants; the said Company obliging themselves to forward none but such as are both Able and Exact.
If it do happen, that any Person so forwarded, or that are Free of the Company, do not behave themselves accordingly to the Character of the Company, but become Negligent or Vicious; upon Complaint thereof to the Company, or to the Members thereof that's nearest, that Nobleman or Gentleman, may have immediate Redress; that is, he may have another Servant for his Occasions, and the old one punished to demerit.
A Summary of the chief Matters contained in the GARDENERS Charters.
THE first Charter or Patent bearing date the 18th day of September, Tertio Jacobi Regis. Folio 1.
Election of Master and Wardens; within 7 Days after Death or Deprivation to chuse: The Elect to be sworn within 21 Days. The Oaths of Master and Warden. Fol. 7.
Master and Wardens to have 14 Days liberty. Penalty 5 Marks. None to be chosen above three times in his Life time. Election of Assistants. Die, or be deprived, to Elect others. Assistants to be sworn. Oath of Assistants. Fol. 8.
The Penalty refusing being an Assistant, 40 s. New Master and Wardens to Elect Auditors. The Oath of an Auditor; refusing to be an Auditor. Fol. 9.
To Elect a Clerk. The Oath of the Clerk. To Elect a Beadle. Fol. 10.
The Oath of the Beadle. The Livery of the Freemen. Every one chosen into the Livery, shall pay 6 s: 8 d. Fol. 11.
To the Clerk 3 s: 4 d. To the Beadle 1 s. Refusing to be of the Livery, 1 l: 6 s: 8 d. What number of Apprentices shall be kept. Penalty exceeding the number of Apprentices 10 s. Not to keep an Apprentice a Month unbound, nor unpresented, Penalty 10 s. a Month. Indentures, 16 d. Presenting, 2 s. Fol. 12.
Not to set over an Apprentice to another Mystery, Penalty 40s. Every one to be made Free to be sworn to the Supremacy: And to pay to the Company 2 s: 6 d; to the Clerk 18 d; to the Beadle 1 s. Not to change his Freedom without Consent, Penalty 5 l. Fol. 13.
Journey-men not to work with such as are not allowed by the Company, Penalty 10 s. Court of Assistants to be kept Monthly, Default 10 s. Quarter-Court Day. Fol. 14.
Default. What Hours Court shall begin, late coming, departure before Court be up. Several Fines and Penalties imposed. Fol. 15.
Every one to pay 6 d, a Quarter. To go in Livery to Burials. Appearance at Meetings upon Summons, Default 3 s: 4 d. Fol. 16.
Accounts to be made. Fol. 17.
Penalty 5 l. To provide a Chest with three Keys. The Ordinances to be read Quarterly. Displace Master, Wardens, Assistants, Clerk, or Beadle. Fol. 18.
Any of the Livery to be secluded, if he uses his place during seclusion Forfeits, 5 l. Reviling Master, Wardens or Assistants 3 s. 4 d. Master or Servants being disobedient, shall forfeit 6 s. 8 d. None shall use the Trade without consent. fol. 19.
Enticing away any Man's Servant, every time so doing, 3 l. 6 s. 8 d. no one shall use Trade, except he be brought up to the same 7 years, 5 Marks for setting Journeymen to work, not allowed, or served 7 years. fol. 20.
Every one to observe the Ordinances; Master and Wardens to take Distress, fol. 21.
Oath of Supremacy, Freeman's Oath, every Offender to make his appearance upon Summons, Default 10 s. no Lease above 21 years, fol. 22.
Not wearing decent Apparrel, 3 s. 4 d. Livery-men to be decently Apparrelled, and of decent Behaviour, pain 3 s. 4 d. fol. 23.
The last Charter or Patent is dated the 9th day of November, 14 Jacobi Regis, fol. 25.
Name, Capable in Law, Common Seal, One Master, Two Wardens, 24 Assistants, fol. 26.
Election-day, chuse a Beadle, First Master, First Wardens, First Assistants, fol. 27.
Dye or remove, to chuse a new Beadle, to admit Freemen to take Apprentices; how many. None to use the Trade without consent. vid. 5. Eliz. 38. fol. 28.
Market-places for Foreigners, Forfeitures to the Poor, Seize and carry away the Forfeiture, Search and consume bad Ware, Power to make By-Laws.
Submission to Contributions and Assessments, To Fine or Amerce Persons, To complain to the Lord Mayor, or Justice of Peace, fol. 30.
To commit to the Common Goal, till sufficient Sureties be found, with conformity. A Command for Aid, Proviso, fol. 31.
Innumerable are the Observations which are and may be made of the enormities committed by unskilful Undertakers in the Art, so to reckon all, would be too tedious; but to enumerate some of them, we shall begin with those that pretend to the Designing part.
1. These Pretenders are most of them so unskilful in Mathematicks, that they know not common proportions, nor to take the Profiles of any ground; so that they, and sometimes a Surveyor (I mean, one that usurps that Title) that is as ignorant as they, set out the Wall-lines at random, and in a little time after, when a skilful Man comes to examine them, halfe, or more of those Wall-lines must be taken down, or else vast quantities of Earth must be brought in or carried out, to bring the Garden to such a level as it must be, if the ground is to answer the levels of the walls; which proves a great charge to persons for whom the work is to be performed; and this does also discourage and overturn many brave designs and attempts.
2. These pretenders are as little skill'd in that part which relates to the securing bodies of good Earth for the general Planting; they consider only something called Levelling, that is, (according to their Sense) to take down a Hill, and turn it into the next hole, and not to take out the good Earth from that hole; nor to take off the good Earth from the top of that Hill; but sink the good Earth, and bury it in the hole with bad Earth, a top of it, and leave that which was a Hill, a flat dead Clay, or worse.
3. Again, the pretenders to this designing part, are so unskilful in knowing how to make a collection of Fruit-trees, for those lame designs which they have made, that they know not what is proper to Plant against the several Aspects of those Walls; nor what for Dwarfs, nor high standers, nor what kinds of hardy Ever-greens, or flowring Shrubs are proper for Walks, Standers, Center-trees or Hedges, or what Ornamental lines of Edgings, or lines of roots of Flowers, their Beds or Borders require to adorn their Gardens: and the esculant Herbs or Florilege, most of them are very ignorant in, as several of their works demonstrate.
These are some of the enormities committed by unskilful Designers. But is not one tenth part of what may be said of, and against them, and of the losses by them.
We come next to mention part of the Enormities which are committed by a sort of Men which have crept into the Art of Gard'ning, by stealth, contrary, and in opposition to those By-Laws and Ordinances of the Corporation's Charter; they are the very Pest and Plague to all those which shall have the misfortune to receive them into their services.
And the Spring, from whence all those Rivulets of foul water have proceeded, has been from those many new Gardens and Plantations, which have been made since the restauration of King Charles the Second, as
- Royal Garden, Within the limits of the Corporation's Charter.
- Clarendon-house Garden, Within the limits of the Corporation's Charter.
- Berkshire-house Garden, Within the limits of the Corporation's Charter.
- Berkeley-house Garden. Within the limits of the Corporation's Charter.
- And several more of less note. Within the limits of the Corporation's Charter.
When these Gardens were first made, the Masters, Designers and Gardeners could not perform those Works with a few hands; so they were obliged to receive into the Works, Men from several Countreys, especially from the North, who were a hardy sort of People, knowing nothing but plain Labour, and were willing to work as long as they were poor; but when they were warmed with Provisions of all sorts, and received such great increase of wages, from what they had in their own Countreys; the first thing that those were skill'd in, was to be debauch'd in Drinking, &c.
Upon report of these North Countrey Mens preferments, several from other Counties resorted upon the same errand, (and His Majesties Plantations of St. James's-Park, Greenwich and Hampton-Court being designed) all sorts were received into present pay; but these recruits proved to be as great debauchees as their predecessors, or worse; for the first came from pure Ignorance and Poverty, but many of the last had lived voluptuously, and led debauched lives in their own Countrey, and could not live there any longer; so up they came to these places for refuge to secure them from their Creditors. Now from these two, it is very unlikely that a succession of good Gardeners should spring; but the mischief ends not here: For these Men observing how Gardeners did improve their fortunes, and how well the Masters of that Art lived, were emboldened to put on a blew Apron, and profess themselves to be Masters of the Art, &c. And by the help of a grand assurance and impudent stories, several of them were received and employed as Masters; and in a little time, these Masters received into their Works, several of their old Comrades, who in some time were also made Gardeners; and by these methods the enormities increased, contrary to the Charter, althô committed within the limits of the same; which, as the [Page 10] Master and Wardens say, they could not put a stop to, for want of Power; for, thô the Laws of the Charter imposes several Marks forfeiture, for setting any Person into such an Imployment, without being qualified, yet they could not levy any thing, besides what was within the new limits of the Charter: At the same time, and several years since, many Noblemen and Gentlemen have made several fine Gardens and Plantations in several Counties of England, in which have been employed many Labourers that have usurped the name of Gardeners, and thereby been m [...]vous, as his Grace the
- Duke of
- Beaufort.
- The Right Honourable the Earls of
- Chesterfield,
- Sunderland,
- Rutland,
- Bedford,
- Devonshire,
- Ailsbury,
- Craven.
But the greatest instance of the increase of ignorant Gardeners, hath been from Their Majesties Works at Hampton-Court and Kensington, since the year 1690, upon the new making those Gardens and Plantations, there hath been at one time at work above Five hundred Men, and at the same time there has not been above Fifty Gardeners, and scarce Ten of that Fifty able Masters.
It is evident that among the number of Men that are dispersed up and down in several places, a great many who were but Labourers could not learn the Art in those Works, for they were employed but upon wheeling and digging work, the Master Gardeners did perform the chief works, and the whole work lasted but three Years; so that it was impossible that that little time could educate so many Men as run up and down under the name of Gardeners, educared in Their Majesties Works.
To these may be added a few more of another kind of Education, which sprung from another head, and are the worse; they are such as came from several private Gentlemens Families, who having Gardens not large enough to employ a Gardener, they employ'd a Livery-man of theirs to spend his spare hours in the Garden which he had, from driving his Coach, or looking after his Saddle Horses, or some other Employments [Page 11] in the Family; this Man, after being employ'd some time after this method, is discharg'd from that service; then he considers, that a Gardeners employment is much more beneficial than that he was in before; so he puts on a blew Apron, and sets up for a profess'd Gardener, and 'tis odds has the knack of Grimacy's competent to impose upon credulity.
There may be several other reasons given, why [...] [...]rdeners which are of general knowledge in the Art of Gardening, althô they have served their times to some of the said Branches; as for example.
1. A young Man is put an Apprentice under that part which we call Kitchen Garden, or Market Gardens, during his time he makes himself as capable of his Art, as could be expected.
2. Another is put to a Nursery Man, where is only the practice of propagating Trees.
3. Another serves to a Florist.
Now, these three having served seven Years, do believe they are capable to receive under their charge any Noblemans Garden and Plantations; but how capable they may be, is left to some persons to be Judges: for it is supposed that a Noblemans Garden and Plantation does or should consist of all the branches of the Art of Gardening, and that every Nobleman and Gentleman who is a lover of the Art, would willingly have his Gardens and Plantations, an Epitome of those great Gardens, according to what expences he pleases to allow himself on and for those innocent diversions.
Now, how is it likely for one of those three sorts of young Men, who are but just out of their time, and just are a little skill'd in any one of those three Branches, can be an able proficient in any of the other six parts which are requisite for a Gardener that serves a Nobleman or Gentleman to know.
It is also observed, that these young Men after they come from their Apprenticeship, where they used to work hard, and had severe usage, when they are taken into these Noblemens and Gentlemens Families, where Gaiety is to be seen, and where is good Eating and Drinking, and a [Page 12] liberty of leisure time, they are transported as it were into another World; several of them have fancied that they have arrived to a perfect happy state, and that there is no more need of improving themselves in the Art of Gardening: so their work is to set up for bravery in their dress, and to learn to be debauched and lewd, to consider the pleasures of Hunting, Shooting, and some other Games, and in these divertisements they spend their years; and as they live to be old, they dye, not [...] Beggars.