{SN: Birds.} {SN: Nightingale.} {SN: Robin-red-brest.} {SN: Wren.} One chiefe grace that adornes an Orchard, I cannot let slip: A brood of Nightingales, who with their seuerall notes and tunes, with a strong delightsome voyce, out of a weake body, will beare you company night and day. She loues (and liues in) hots of woods in her hart. She will helpe you to cleanse your trees of Caterpillers, and all noysome wormes and flyes. The gentle Robin-red-brest will helpe her, and in winter in the coldest stormes will keepe a part. Neither will the silly Wren be behind in Summer, with her distinct whistle (like a sweete Recorder) to cheere your spirits. {SN: Black-bird.} {SN: Thrush.} The Black-bird and Threstle (for I take it the Thrush sings not, but deuoures) sing loudly in a _May_ morning and delights the eare much (and you neede not want their company, if you haue ripe Cherries or Berries, and would as gladly as the rest do you pleasure:) But I had rather want their company than my fruit. What shall I say? A thousand of pleasant delightes are attendant in an Orchard: and sooner shall I be weary, then I can recken the least part of that pleasure, which one that hath and loues an Orchard, may find therein. What is there of all these few that I haue reckoned, which doth not please the eye, the eare, the smell, and taste? And by these sences as Organes, Pipes, and windowes, these delights are carried to refresh the gentle, generous, and noble mind. {SN: Your owne labour.} To conclude, what ioy may you haue, that you liuing to such an age, shall see the blessings of God on your labours while you liue, and leaue behind you to heires or successors (for God will make heires) such a worke, that many ages after your death, shall record your loue to their Countrey? And the rather, when you consider (_Chap. 14._) to what length of time your worke is like to last. _FINIS._ THE COVNTRY HOVSE-VVIFES GARDEN. _Containing Rules for Hearbs and Seedes_ of common vse, with their times and seasons, when to set and sow them. TOGETHER, With the Husbandry of Bees, published with secrets _very necessary for euery House-wife_. As also diuerse new Knots for Gardens. The Contents see at large in the last Page. Genes. 2. 29. _I haue giuen vnto you euery Herbe, and euery tree, that shall be to you for meate._ IC _LONDON_, Printed by _Nicholas Okes_ for IOHN HARISON, at the golden Vnicorne in Pater-noster-row. 1631. THE COVNTRY HOVSVVIFES GARDEN. CHAP. 1. _The Soyle._