having so skilful an artist to govern them as Cooke." Moses 

 Cooke, in his preface, justly says, " Planting and Gardening 

 add much to the health and content of man; and these two 

 jewels no man that well understands himself, would wil- 

 lingly be without; for it is not only set down for a certain 

 truth by many wise men, but confirmed by experience. The 

 learned Lord Bacon commends the following of the plough 

 in fresh ground, to be very healthful for man; but more, the 

 digging in gardens." His pages, here and there, record 

 some of " the fine stately trees that we have growing in the 

 woods at Cashiobury." Cooke unfortunately fancied himself 

 a poet; but gratitude to his noble master, and loyalty to his 

 king, seem to have been the motives of his inspiration. 

 " One night (me thought) walking up one of my Lord's lime- 

 walks, I heard the grateful trees thus paying the tribute of 

 their thanks to his lordship: 



Like pyramids our stately tops we '11 raise, 



To sing our noble benefactor's praise ; 



Freshly we will to after- ages show 



What noble Essex did on us bestow : 



For we our very being owe to him, 



Or else we had long since intombed been 



In crop of bird, or in beast's belly found, 



Or met our death neglected on the ground. 



By him we cherish 'd were with dung and spade, 



For which we '11 recompense him with our shade . 



And since his kindness saw us prun'd so well, 



We will requite him with our fragrant smell; 



In winter (as in gratitude is meet) 



We '11 strew our humble leaves beneath his feet. 



Nay, in each tree, root, trunk, branch, all will be 



Proud to serve him and his posterity." 



And he thus invokes the stately oak, after enumerating 

 many of the rich commodities which this tree bears through 

 our Thames : 



