320 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND. 



Lower Manor House doth extend itself in length, to wit, from the East 

 end thereof to the end of the Birdcage westward, is railed with 

 turned ballusters of free stone, well battled with stone, and 

 cemented with lead and iron ; betwixt which rails and the said 

 Manor House are several little grass plot courts, which lie level 

 with the lowest rooms of the said Manor House; over the 

 middle of which courts lies the said pavement that leads from the 

 said Hall door to the ascent of the said Upper Level, railed with 

 the said stone rails on each side thereof, in a very graceful 

 manner; in two of which courts there grow three great and fair 



Fig trees. Figtrees, the branches whereof by the spreading and dilating of 

 themselves in a very large proportion, but yet in a most decent 

 manner, cover a very great part of the walls of the South side 

 of the said Manor House, being a very great and munificent 

 ornament thereunto; into which little courts there are several 

 descents of 16 steps from the said alley; in one of which courts 

 there is an oval cistern of lead, set about with stone, having a 

 pipe of lead in it ; the outward walls of which little courts are 

 planted with young Figtrees ; the profits and contents of which 

 little courts are comprised in the foresaid yearly value and 

 admeasurement of the said Upper or Higher Garden; but we value 

 the said oval cistern at two pounds, and the said 3 great Fig-trees 

 and other young Fig-trees at twelve pounds ten shillings, and the 

 said free-stone rails at, in all, 34. los. 



Birdcage One other of the said little courts is fitted with a birdcage, 

 im ' having three open turrets, very well wrought for the sitting and 

 perching of birds ; and also having standing in it one very fair 

 and handsome fountain, with three cisterns of lead belonging to it, 

 and many several small pipes of lead, gilded, which, when they 

 flow and fall into the cisterns, make a pleasant noise. The turrets, 

 fountain, and little court are all covered with strong iron wire, 

 and lie directly under the windows of the two rooms of the said 

 Manor House called the Balcony Room and the Lord's Chamber ; 

 from which Balcony Room, one pavement of black and white 

 marble containing 104 foot, railed with rails of wood on each side 

 thereof, extends itself into the said alley over the middle of the 

 said birdcage. This birdcage is a great ornament both to the 

 House and Garden ; the materials whereof and the said fountains 

 and cistern, and the said marble pavement and rails, we value to 

 be worth in the whole at 25. 45. 



