Laudator Temporis Acti

Nicholas Breton, The Court and Country, or a Brief Discourse betweene the Courtier and the Country-man (London: Printed by G. Eld for Iohn Wright, 1618), pp. 6-7:

Now for the delight of our eyes, wee haue the May-painting of the earth, with diuers flowers of dainty colours and delicate sweets: we haue the berryes, the cherries, the pease and the beanes, the plums and the codlings, in the month of June: in July the peares and the apples, the wheat, the rye, the barley and the oates, the beauty of the wide fields, and the labours with delight and mirth, and merry cheare at the comming home of the Haruest cart. We haue, againe, in our woods the birds singing: in the pastures the Cowe lowing, the Eue bleating, & the Foale neighing, which with profit and pleasure makes vs better musique then an idle note and a worse ditty, though I highly doe commend musique, when it is in a right key. Againe, we haue young Rabbets that in a sunny morning sit washing of their faces, while as I haue heard beyond the seas there are certaine old Conies that in their beds sit painting of their faces: wee haue besides Tumblers for our Conies, and Greyhounds for our courses, Hounds for our chases, Haukes of all kinde for the field, and the riuer, and the wood: so that what can reason conceiue, that nature can desire? but for the delight of both the Country doth afford us.