322 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND 
themselves in a very large proportion, but yet in a most decent 
manner, cover a very t 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 aforesaid 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. 10s. 
Birdcage One °th er °f the said little courts is fitted with a birdcage, 
Fountain, 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. 4s. 
Tarras. In the height of the said Higher Level there is one fair green 
[Terrace.] tarras or walk, very well turfed, extending itself two hundred and 
thirty yards from East to West, and containing twenty-five foot 
in the breadth thereof; the North side whereof is planted with 
lime trees of very good bulks, and of a very high growth, growing, 
both tops, bodies, and branches, in a most uniform and regular 
manner ; the height whereof, being perspicuous to the country 
round about, renders them a very special ornament to the whole 
house. The south side of the said turfed tarras is planted with 
Elms, betwixt every one whereof grows a Cypress tree, well 
planted and ordered, much adorning and setting forth the com¬ 
pleteness of the tarras ; besides which there are on either side of 
the said tarras, betwixt every tree, borders of box, very well 
ordered, adding also a further ornament thereunto ; which tarras 
and borders we value to be worth £ 1 7. 2s. 6d. 
At the east end of the said turf tarras there stands one fair 
