OLD ESSEX GARDENERS AND THEIR GARDENS. 71
"more fit for swine, than men: yet some say they have usually
"eaten them, and have found no such windie quality in them."
This is not the first time that this opinion has been quoted,
and it certainly will not be the last. But the Artichoke seems a
poor return to one who had been so generous.
Coys's garden was visited by de I'Obel, the Netherland her-
balist, who for a time had charge of the fine garden of Lord
Zouch at Hatfield. De I'Obel praised Coys's success with
Primulas, noting three kinds at Stubbers. But de l'Obel's chief
connexion with Coys is that he printed in his Adversaria pars
altera (1605) "The fullest and most precise directions in the
"English language for the brewing of the most agreeable and
"wholesome of all German and English Cerevisia or Beer, that
"is at once most suitable for use in warm countries, received
"from the illustrious Mr. William Coys, the highly skilled
"botanist."6
It would be interesting to learn more of this versatile man, in
his day the most enterprising amateur grower of new and rare
plants in this country. He died in 1627, the year the most
famous of all Essex botanists, John Ray, was born.
Probably the best known modern garden in Essex is Warley,
so closely associated with our recently deceased member, Miss
Willmott. An earlier owner was JOHN EVELYN, who has
two entries about it in his Diary. The first, 12 May, 1649,
reads:—"I purchased the Manor of Warley Magna in Essex."
The second, 17 Sept., 1655: "Receiv'd 2600 l of Mr. Hurt for
"the manor of Warley Magna in Essex, purchased by me some
"time since. The taxes were so intollerable that they eate up
"the rents &c. surcharged as that county had been above all
"others during our unnatural war."
There are several references to gardens and introductions
in Evelyn's diary. Pepys also was given to making full use of
his opportunities to acquire interesting plants and natural history
objects. A letter which shows how affairs were managed in
6 Cerevisiae, a Cerere dictae, sive Bierae Teutonicae & Anglo-Britannieae omnium suavissimae
& saluberrimae, calidioribus regionibus utilissimae & convenientissimae, in parandi ratione
exactissimae & largissimae Observationes, Anglo-Britanno vernaculo, a C.D.I, Coys. Plantarum
peritissimo acceptae.