312 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IX ENGLAND. 



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

 Level. I 1 f ■ 



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 verv^ 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 \ery great part of the walls of the South side 



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



ornament thereunto ; into which little courts there are several 



descents of 16 steps from the said allev ; 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, 



Fountain. 1 ■ , ,, 1 r 1 ■ 1 



lia\ing three open turrets, very wfli wrought ior the sittmg 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 tlie whole at £2^. 4s. 



