Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following — Agriculture et maison rustique. English

Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following — Agriculture et maison rustique. English

Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following — Agriculture et maison rustique. English

Table of contents

Title page

The Contents.

TO THE MOST NOBLE, AND MOST WORTHIE LORD ROBERT, Lord Willoughbie, Baron of Willoughbie and Eresbie.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, SIR PEREGRINE BARTIE, Knight, Lord Willoughbie, Baron of Willoughbie and Eresbie, Lord Gouernor of her Maiesties Towne of Barwicke, and Lord Warden of the East Marches.

THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE FARME.

§

CHAP. I. What manner of Husbandrie is entreated of in the Discourse following.

CHAP. II. A briefe shew of that which shall more largely •e described in that which followeth.

CHAP. III. What things are requisite before we goe in hand with building of this Countrey Farme.

CHAP. IIII. The seating and situating of the Countrie Farme, with other his appurtenances.

CHAP. V. The building and inclosing of our Countrie Farme.

CHAP. VI. The dutie of a Father of a Familie, or Householder.

CHAP. VII. The Office of the Farmer.

CHAP. VIII. That the Farmer must haue knowledge of the things foretelling Raine, Wind, faire Weather, and other alterations of the Seasons.

CHAP. IX. That the Farmer must haue the knowledge of the Motions, as well of the Moone as of the Sunne, and of the power and oper•tions of them both in matters of Husbandrie.

CHAP. X. The particular Workes that a Husbandman must be carefull to doe euerie Moneth in the yeare.

CHAP. XI. The condition and state of a Huswife.

CHAP. XII. The Remedies which a good Huswife must be acquainted withall, for to helpe her people when they be sicke.

CHAP. XIII. Of Kine and Calues.

CHAP. XIIII. The way to make greene Cheese, Butter, and other sorts of Cheese.

CHAP. XV. Of Hennes.

CHAP. XVI. Of Geese.

CHAP. XVII. Of Ducks, Drakes, Teales, brant Ducks, water-Hennes, small Ducks of the Lakes, Swans, Cranes, Storks, and other water-fowles.

CHAP. XVIII. Of Feasants.

CHAP. XIX. Of Peacockes.

CHAP. XX. Of Indian Hennes.

CHAP. XXI. Of Turtle doues, Partridges, Quailes, Stock-doues, and Thrushes.

CHAP. XXII. Of the Doue-house.

CHAP. XXII. Of the Neat-heard.

CHAP. XXIIII. Of the Hogheard.

CHAP. XXV. Of the Shepheard.

CHAP. XXVI. Of the Goat-heard.

CHAP. XXVII. Of the Dogges Kenell.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Carter, on Horse-keeper.

CHAP. XXIX. Of the Asse.

CHAP. XXX. Of the Mule-keeper.

THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE.

OF GARDENS.

CHAP. I. Of the Situation, Inclosure, Ground, and fashions of Hedges requisite for Gardens, whether they be for profit or for pleasure.

CHAP. II. Of the Arbors of the Kitchin Garden.

CHAP. III. Of the digging and casting of the Kitchin Garden.

CHAP. IIII. Of the disposing or appointing of the Floores of the Kitchin Garden.

CHAP. V. Of the situation of the Beds of the Kitchin Garden.

CHAP. VI. Of the time of sowing the Kitchin Garden.

CHAP. VII. Within what space Seeds are w•nt to grow, after they be sowne.

CHAP. VIII. Of watering, weeding, sweeping, and cutting of Pothearbes.

CHAP. IX. Of setting and remouing of Pothearbes.

CHAP. X. Of gathering and keeping the seeds, roots, and flowers of Pothearb•s.

CHAP. XI. P•t-hearbes, and particularly of Coleworts.

CHAP. XII. Of Lettuce.

CHAP. XIII. Of Endiue, Sowthistle, and Succorie.

CHAP. XIIII. Of Artichokes.

CHAP. XV. Of Sorrell and Burnet.

CHAP. XVI. Of Harts-horne, Trickmadame, and Pearcestone.

CHAP. XVII. Of Marigolds.

CHAP. XVIII. Of Beets and Blites, white and red.

CHAP. XIX. Of Arrach and Spinage.

CHAP. XX. Of Borage and Buglosse.

CHAP. XXI. Of Leekes both great and small.

CHAP. XXII. Of Purcelane.

CHAP. XXIII. Of Onions, Chibols, and Chy•es.

CHAP. XXIIII. Of Garlicke.

CHAP. XXV. Of Scalio•s.

CHAP. XXVI. Of Parsley.

CHAP. XXVII. Of Rocket and Tarragon.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of Smallage, Cheruile, Costmarie, and Auens.

CHAP. XXIX. Of Asparagus.

CHAP. XXX. Of Garden and Water-Cresses.

CHAP. XXXI. Of Saffron.

CHAP. XXXII. Of Nauets great and small.

CHAP. XXXIII. Of Turneps.

CHAP. XXXIIII. Of Radishes.

CHAP. XXXV. Of Parsneps, Mypes, Carrets, and Skirworts.

CHAP. XXXVI. Of Mustard and Poppie.

CHAP. XXXVII. Of Cucumbers.

CHAP. XXXVIII. Of Gourdes.

CHAP. XXXIX. Of Melons and Pompions.

CHAP. XL. Of certaine speciall obseruations for and about Cucumbers, Citrons, Gourds, Melons, and such like fruits.

CHAP. XLI. Of Strawberries.

Of Physicke Hearbes.

CHAP. XLII. Of Mallowes.

CHAP. XLIIII. A discourse of Nicotian, or the male Petum.

CHAP. XLV. Of female Petum.

CHAP. XLVI. A briefe discourse of the root Mechoacan.

The Garden of Pleasure, or Flower Garden.

CHAP. XLVII. Of the profit, pleasure, situation, working, or tilling, and disposing of your Garden of Pleasure.

CHAP. XLVIII. Of hearbes for Flowers or Nose-gaies.

CHAP. XLIX. Of sweet smelling Hearbes.

CHAP. L. Of the forme of setting Hearbes in order, by proportion of diuers fashions.

CHAP. LI. Of the manner to keepe and preserue Hearbes, either for the vse of the Pot, or of Physicke, or such as are of a sweet smell and sauour.

CHAP. LII. A briefe discourse of small and great trees, as well strange as growing in the Countrey, planted or remoued in the Garden: and first of such as Arbours are made of.

CHAP. LIII. Of Hearbes for the Arbours of the Garden.

CHAP. LIIII. Of Trees both great and small, as well outlandish as of the same Countrie, being planted or sowne either vpon beds or in vessells, in the Garden.

CHAP. LV. Of the two particular Gardens scituate or lying at the end of the Kitchin Garden, and of the Garden of Pleasure.

CHAP. LVI. Of Woad.

CHAP. LVII. Of the Tasell.

CHAP. LVIII. Of Saffron.

CHAP. LIX. A brie•e and short reniew concerning Pulse.

CHAP. LX. Of remedying of strange accidents that may happen vnto Hearbes.

CHAP. LXI. Of the Honie-Bee, the profit rising thereof, and of chusing a place to set them in.

CHAP. LXII. Of the fashion of the Hiues, and the manner of setting them for Bees.

CHAP. LXIII. Of what qualities and conditions the Bees must be.

CHAP. LXIIII. Of the manner of gouerning Garden Bees.

CHAP. LXV. The order of gouerning Bees all the yeare long.

CHAP. LXVI. Of the remedies of the diseases that Bees are subiect vnto.

CHAP. LXVII. Of the manner of gathering Honey.

CHAP. LXVIII. Of the making of Honey and Wax.

CHAP. LXIX. of the marks of good Honey.

CHAP. LXX. The manner of preparing diuers sorts and diuers compositions of Honey.

CHAP. LXXI. Of the markes of good Waxe, and the manner of preparing diuers sorts of Waxe.

THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE FARME.

The Orchard, or Greene plot.

CHAP. I. Of the differences of Orchards, or Greene plots, and the inclosing of the Fruit-Garden.

CHAP. II. Of the seed Nurcerie, that is to say, of the planting of Trees on Pippins or Seeds.

CHAP. III. Of plants comming of stones.

CHAP. IIII. Of the nurcerie for stockes.

CHAP. V. Of Plants, Siences, and Shoo••.

CHAP. VI. Of pricking downe or fastening in the earth of small or great braunches.

CHAP. VII. Of the manner of making Siences for to plant.

CHAP. VIII. Of planting of shoots of a yeares growth.

CHAP. IX. Of grafting young Plants, and other Trees of diuers sorts, diuers wayes and at diuers times.

CHAP. X. How to chuse, gather, and cut Grafts, to graft in the cleft, •tocke, and rind.

CHAP. XI. Of the preparing of the young Plant whereon you meane to graft.

CHAP. XII. To graft in the cleft.

CHAP. XIII. Of grafting in the ends of branches.

CHAP. XIIII. To graft betwixt the wood and the barke.

CHAP. XV. Of grafting in a Pipe▪

CHAP. XVI. Of grafting in the bud after the manner and forme of a Scutcheon.

CHAP. XVII. Of other sorts of kinds of grafting vpon all sorts of Trees.

CHAP. XVIII. Speciall obseruations of grafting, planting, and sowing of Trees, for to haue exquisite fruits thereof.

CHAP. XIX. Of the time of planting and manner of transplanting of grafted trees, both great and small.

CHAP. XX. Of the place and soile for Trees in generall.

CHAP. XXI. Of the place and time wherein euerie Fruit-tree delighteth to be sowne, planted, and grafted in particular: and first of the Almond-tree.

CHAP. XXII. Of the Peach-tree, Abricot-tree, Spanish Peach-tree, Peach-Plum-tree, bastard Peach-tree, and the small Peach-tree.

CHAP. XXIII. Of the small Nut-tree or Hasel-tree.

CHAP. XXIIII. Of the Cherrie-tree, sweet Cherrie-tree, bitter Cherrie-tree, and the hart Cherrie-tree.

CHAP. XXV. Of the Quince-tree.

CHAP. XXVI. Of Oranges, Assyrian Citrons, common Citrons, Limons, and Pome-adams.

CHAP. XXVII. Of the Figge-tree.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Apple-tree.

CHAP. XXIX. Of the Peare-tree.

CHAP. XXX. Of the Medlar-tree.

CHAP. XXXI. Of the Mulberrie-tree.

CHAP. XXXII. Of the timely Peach-tree.

CHAP. XXXIII. Of the Walnut-tree.

CHAP. XXXIIII. Of the Oliue-tree.

CHAP. XXXV. Of the Date-tree.

CHAP. XXXVI. Of the Chesnut tree.

CHAP. XXXVII. Of the Pine-tree.

CHAP. XXXVIII. Of the Plum-tree.

CHAP. XXXIX. Of the Pomegranate-tree.

CHAP. XL. Of the Ceruise-tree.

CHAP. XLI. Of the Corneile-tree.

CHAP. XLII. Of the Iuiube-tree.

CHAP. XLIII. Of the Bay-tree.

CHAP. XLIIII. What space must be left betwixt Fruit-trees when they are remoued.

CHAP. XLV. Other precepts about the planting of Fruit-trees.

CHAP. XLVI. Of pruning, lopping, vncouering, and making cleane of Trees.

CHAP. XLVII. Of the curing of Fruit-trees.

CHAP. XLVIII. To keepe and preserue the fruit of Trees, to be taken and eaten in their due time and season: and out of it.

CHAP. XLIX. A briefe discourse of making of drinkes of the iuices of Fruits.

How Cider is made.

How Perrie is made.

The making of Ceruise drinke.

Drinke made of Sloes.

CHAP. L. Of pr•seruing of Fruits.

CHAP. LI. The manner of making of Oyles: that there are three sorts of preparing of Oyles, and how you must make Oyle Oliue.

CHAP. LII. How the Oyles of other Fruits and Seedes are made by expression.

CHAP. LIII. How to make Oyles by impression.

CHAP. LIIII. A description of the Oyles made by impression.

CHAP. LV. A reuiew or suruay of Oyles made by distillation.

CHAP. LVII. A description of certaine artificiall balmes.

A briefe discourse of the distilling of Waters.

CHAP. LVIII. Of the profit and commoditie of distillation.

CHAP. LIX. What Distillation is, and how manie sorts there be of Distillation.

CHAP. LX. Of the fit and conuenient time to distill in: and of the faculties, vertues, and durablenesse of distilled waters.

CHAP. LXI. What manner of vessels and instruments they must be wherein waters are to be distilled.

CHAP. LXII. What manner of Furnaces must be prepared for the distilling of Waters.

CHAP. LXIII. How the matter must be prepared before the waters be distilled.

CHAP. LXIIII. Generall precepts about the distilling of Waters.

CHAP. LXV. Of the particular manner of distilling of Hearbes, Rindes, Flowers, and Rootes.

CHAP. LXVI. Of the manner of distilling liquors.

CHAP. LXVII. Of the manner of distilling of liuing creatures, or their parts.

CHAP. LXVIII. Of the manner of distilling of restoratiues.

CHAP. LXIX. The manner of distilling compound waters.

CHAP. LXX. Of sweet Waters particularly described.

CHAP. LXXI. The fashion of distilling water for Fukes.

CHAP. LXXII. The manner of distilling per ascensum and per descensum.

CHAP. LXXIII. Of the manner of distilling by the Filtre.

A briefe Discourse of the distilling of Oyles and Quintessences.

CHAP. LXXIIII. Of the profit of distilled Oyles and Quintessences: and what manner of Quintessences shall be here entreated of.

CHAP. LXXV. What manner of Furnaces must be made for the extracting of Chymicall Oyles.

CHAP. LXXVI. What manner of Vessels must be vsed for the distilling of Oyles.

CHAP. LXXVII. At what time Oyles would be distilled: and how the matter and things whereof they are made must be prepared.

CHAP. LXXVIII. Of the manner and order that must be kept in distilling of Oyles.

CHAP. LXXIX. Of the meanes how to seperate the oyle which is runned with the water in distilling.

CHAP. LXXX. Of the faculties or properties, continuance, and vse of distilled Oyles.

CHAP. LXXXI. A particular description of certaine Oyles that are distilled according to the former methode.

CHAP. LXXXII. Of the manner of extracting Oyles out of Wood.

CHAP. LXXXIII. Of the manner of drawing Oyles of Gums, and first of those that are liquid.

CHAP. LXXXIIII. Of the manner of extracting Oyles out of hard gums.

CHAP. LXXXV. Of the manner of extracting Oyles out of Myrrhe, S•• rax Calamite, Gum arabicke, and su•h other like.

The Silke-worme.

CHAP. LXXXVI. Of the profit comming of the Wormes that spin silke.

CHAP. LXXXVII. Of the situating of a place to keepe Silke-wormes in.

CHAP. LXXXVIII. Of the gouerning of Silke-wormes.

THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE.

That there are two sorts of Medowes.

CHAP. I. Of Medowes: and their difference.

CHAP. II. What grounds are good for Medowes: and how to make new Medowes.

CHAP. III. What manner of Husbandrie is required about Medowes.

CHAP. IIII. What must be sowne in the Medowes.

CHAP. V. Of the harrowing, watering, and keeping close and well defensed the Medow ground.

CHAP. VI. To mowe your Meadowes againe and againe, to gather the Hay and refresh your Meadowes, and to bring your barren Meadowes into Tillage.

CHAP. VII. Of the Ozier-plot.

CHAP. VIII. Of the Willow-plot.

CHAP. IX. Of the Elme.

CHAP. X. Of the Aller.

The Poole, Fish-pond, and Ditch for Fish.

CHAP. XI. Of the manner of making Stewes and Pooles for keeping of Fishes.

CHAP. XII. What manner of wild flesh is to be prouided for the furnishing of the Fish-poole.

CHAP. XIII. Of the sorts of Fishes wherewith Pooles, Ponds, and Ditches, are to be furnished.

CHAP. XIIII. That Fish-pooles must be looked vnto, and the sides thereof repayred.

CHAP. XV. Of the feeding of Fishes in their Pooles, Ponds, and Ditches.

CHAP. XVI. Other more certaine and approued wayes to take all manner of Fish, especially with the angle, and other instruments.

CHAP. XVII. The fishing of all sorts of Fish.

THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE. Of Arable Grounds.

The measuring of Lands, of what sort or forme soeuer they be.

CHAP. I. Of the common Measures whereby things are measured.

The instrument and persons required as necessarie to helpe to make measure.

How and in what manner the Measurer of these grounds is to accomplish and performe his worke.

How to reduce all sorts of grounds into a square for the better measuring of it.

CHAP. II. What manner of tilling of arable grounds shall be intreated of in this Booke.

CHAP. III. Of the nature and conditions of the arable ground in France.

CHAP. IIII. What space and largenesse Arable grounds would haue.

CHAP. V. How often your Corne-ground must be •ared or plowed ouer.

CHAP. V. The Plow mans instruments and tooles.

CHAP. VII. To cleanse arable ground of stones, weedes, and stubble, the first workes to be done vnto Wheat ground.

CHAP. VIII. That the second or next dutie to be performed to the ground is to enrich it by manuring it: that so of a leane ground, it may become fruitfull.

CHAP. IX. That the ground must be plowed ouer according to his three earings before that it be sowne.

CHAP. X. That the •attell vsed to plow withall, doe differ according to the manner and custome of the Countries.

CHAP. XI. Of clodding and earing it the second and third time, and of sowing of it afterward.

CHAP. XII. Of the choice and quantitie of seed to be sowne.

CHAP. XIII. Of harrowing and weeding of Corne.

CHAP. XIIII. Of mowing, or shearing.

CHAP. XV. Of threshing Corne.

CHAP. XVI. In what manner the Garners are to be made to put Corne in.

The sowing and ordering of other sorts of Graine.

CHAP. XVII. Of Rie.

Maslin.

Secourgion.

Blanche.

Fine Wheat, or Winter-wheat.

Amel-corne.

Spelt-corne.

Course Wheat-flowre: or fine Wheat-meale.

Furmentie.

Turkie-Wheat.

Sarasins-wheat.

Goats wheat, and Typh wheat.

Of all manner of March-Corne.

CHAP. XVIII. Barley.

Millet.

Sesame.

Lentils.

Fasels.

Lupines.

Beanes.

Small Peason.

Cich Peason.

Small Cich Peason.

Great wild Tare, and bitter Fetch.

Fetches.

Panick.

Fenugreeke, Cummin, and Mustard-seed.

Medick fodder, or Snaile-clauer.

Mixt prouander.

Rice.

Hempe.

Line.

Nauets and Turneps.

CHAP. XIX. Aduertisements concerning corne and pulse.

CHAP. XX. Of the Bake-house.

Whereof Bread is made.

Of Corne, and of such differences and sorts of the same as will make good bread.

To grind corne.

Of Meale, Mil-dust, flower of Meale, Branne, fine Meale, Wheate, Starch, and mundified Barley.

Leauen.

The making of bread according to the diuersitie of corne whereof it is made.

The bread made of other sorts of corne as also of certaine pulse.

CHAP. XXI. Of the Pantrie.

What quantitie of bread must be eaten.

The diuers vses of bread:

CHAP. XXII. Of Pastrie or baked meates.

CHAP. XXIII. Of the brew-house.

THE SIXTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE.

The Vine.

CHAP. I. Of the profit rising of a well dressed Vine and Vineyard.

CHAP. II. What soile and aire the vine doth most delight in.

CHAP. III. How that there is not planted any vine by the way of making a seed nurcerie, except it be onely for pleasure.

CHAP. IIII. How that before you plant your vine, you must learne out what wine the earth will beare, where you are purposed to plant it.

CHAP. V. Of the choice of young vine plants.

CHAP. VI. The manner and way to plant Vines.

CHAP. VII. In what ground, with what manner of inriching, and at what time of the yeare, the young vine ought chiefely to bee planted.

CHAP. VIII. Of the plant of the Blacke Vine.

CHAP. IX. Of the plants of the white vine.

CHAP. X. Of the manner of dressing of the Vine, as well that which is newly planted, as that which is growne vp and old.

CHAP. XI. Of the manner of grafting the vine.

CHAP. XII. Of certaine pettie practises and experiments touching and concerning the vines.

CHAP. XIII. Of the diseases of the Vine, and the remedies for the same.

CHAP. XIIII. Of the manner of gathering grapes, or of vintage.

CHAP. XV. Of the time of pearsing the vessells and tasting the wine and how to draw it without causing it to take winde.

CHAP. XVI. Certaine small things to be obserued concerning Wine.

CHAP. XVII. A discourse of certaine wines that serue for the vse of Physick.

CHAP. XVIII. Of such faults and accidents as happen to Wine.

CHAP. XIX. Of the manner of making Vineger.

CHAP. XX. Of some obseruations and instructions concerning Vineger.

CHAP. XXI. Of the manner of making of Veriuice.

CHAP. XXII. Containing certaine discourses by the way of inuention, nature, faculties, differences, and necessitie of Wine.

The common drinke of all liuing creatures is water.

What is meant by wines.

The inuenters and first finders out of wine.

The temperature of Wine, and of the liquor newly pressed out of the grapes.

The annoiances, hurts, and discommodities of wine.

That it is not good for such as are in health to vse pure and vnmixt wine.

The differences of Wine.

Of the consistence of Wine.

The differences of Wines, according to the properties of the Countries.

THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE FARME.

The Warren.

CHAP. I. Of the situation of the Warren.

CHAP. II. That there must a Clapper be made for the better storing and planting of your Warren.

CHAP. III. How the Conies in a Warren ought to be handled and ordered.

CHAP. IIII. Of the difference betwixt the Warren and clapper conie.

Of Wood.

CHAP. V. What is to be considered before a man go about to plant wood.

CHAP. VI. Of the seating and disposing of a wood for growing of high and great timber trees.

CHAP. VII. Of the manner of planting trees in woods of high and tall growth.

CHAP. VIII. Of the time when wood is to be tilled and husbanded.

CHAP. IX. That wood diligently dressed and husbanded, doth profit more than that which is not so dressed and husbanded.

CHAP. X. Of remouing, lopping, pruning, and making cleane of wood.

CHAP. XI. Of the manner of sowing acornes for the growing of oakes

CHAP. XII. Of the way to make wild trees grow of seede, to be remoued afterward into some other place.

CHAP. XIII. Of the pleasure that commeth of the planting of wilde woods, as also of the profit comming of the same.

CHAP. XIIII. A treatise of the nature, properties, and differences of wilde trees, and what ground they delight most in.

CHAP. XV. Of the Aller, Poplar, Birch, Willow, and other trees haunting the water.

CHAP. XVI. Of Ashes, Elmes, and Maple-trees.

CHAP. XVII. Of Chesnut-trees.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Oake and the differences thereof, Hornebeame, Beech, Linden tree, and others.

Of the Parke for the keeping of wilde beastes.

CHAP. XIX. Of the situation of the Parkes, and of the manner of ordering the wild beasts therein.

Of the Heronrie.

CHAP. XX. Of the situation of the Heronrie, and of the ordering of the Heronshewes.

Of Hunting.

CHAP. XXI. How that there are three sorts of hunting.

Of hunting or chasing of the Stag.

CHAP. XXII. What dogs are best for the course or hunting.

CHAP. XXIII. How young hounds are to be trained vp and made fit for the game.

CHAP. XXIIII. How that the Hart and the place where he haunteth and vseth to lie, would be knowne before yee course or hunt him.

CHAP. XXV. How the Hart must be hunted.

CHAP. XXVI. Of the profit that may be reaped by the killing of the Hart.

The hunting of the wild Bore.

CHAP. XXVII. The best time to hunt the wild Bore, and the markes of a good wild Bore.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of the wild Bore, tame Swine, wild Bore and wild Sow, and of their haunt.

CHAP. XXIX. Of the taking of the wild Bore.

CHAP. XXX. The profit that commeth of the killing of the wild Bore.

The hunting of the Hare.

CHAP. XXXI. Of the pleasure of the hunting of the Hare, and of the dogs that are fit for the same.

CHAP. XXXII. The markes of a good Hare, of the male and of the female, and of their formes.

CHAP. XXXIII. The killing of the Hare.

CHAP. XXXIIII. What profit commeth by the killing of the Hare.

The hunting of the Brocke and Foxe.

CHAP. XXXV. The profit comming of the hunting of the Fox and Brocke.

CHAP. XXXVI. Of the two sorts of Foxes and Brocks.

CHAP. XXXVII. Of two sorts of earth-dogs vsuall course foxes and brockes withall, and the manner of teaching and trayning of them thereunto.

CHAP. XXXVIII. The manner of killing of the Foxe.

CHAP. XXXIX. The manner of killing the Brocke.

CHAP. XL. The hunting of the Conie.

The catching of Birds.

CHAP. XLI. That men of old time made no account of catching of Birds.

Of Hawking.

CHAP. XLII. What Hawking is.

CHAP. XLIII. What birds are good to make Hawkes of.

CHAP. XLIIII. Of birds of the prey in particular.

CHAP. XLV. The taking of melodious singing Birds.

CHAP. XLVI. Of the Nightingale.

CHAP. XLVII. How Nightingales taken in the moneth of August must be fed, as also those that are taken after they be through growne.

CHAP. XLVIII. To bring vp Nightingales that are taken in March.

CHAP. XLIX. To know if the Nightingale begin to eate of her selfe, and whether she will proue good, or no.

CHAP. L. How to order a Nightingale which eateth alone, and singeth.

CHAP. LI. How the male Nightingales are knowne from the females.

CHAP. LII. Of the King of birds, or the little King▪ otherwise called Robin-Redbreast.

CHAP. LIII. Of the Finch.

CHAP. LIIII. How the Finch must be fed.

CHAP. LV. How to feed the Spinke.

CHAP. LVI. Tor•lieue the diseases of the Finch and Nightingale.

CHAP. LVII. To know the Canarie-bird from others, and what diseases she is subiect vnto.

CHAP. LVIII. Of the Linnet, and of her diseases.

CHAP. LIX. Of diuers infirmities hapning to little cage birds, together with their remedies.

CHAP. LX. The manner how to serue ones turne of birdes, when he would take and catch them, and how to make them sing.

CHAP. LXI. Of the Misken.

CHAP. LXII. Of the solitarie Sparrow.

CHAP. LXIII. Of the Throstle.

CHAP. LXIIII. Of the Calander, Coridale, and Larke.

CHAP. LXV. To make the paste which the Nightingales eate, being likewise good for the solitarie Sparrow, Miskins, Blacke-birds, Throstles, and many other birds.

CHAP. LXVI. The way to know many and sundrie maladies which doe happen vnto birds.

CHAP. LXVII. Of the diseases that happen particularly to euerie particular sort of birds.

CHAP. LXVIII. Birds are to be purged, at what time, and how oft in the yere.

CHAP. LXIX. To purge birds that feed vpon Hempe-seed.

CHAP. LXX. To know how long the birds liue.

CHAP. LXXI. The manner of taking small birds, as well those which sing, as those which are for to eat: as also all other sorts of small birds.

A TABLE OF THE MATTERS contained in the seuen Bookes of the Countrey House.

❧A Table of the principall things newly added to this Volume.

❧A Table of the Diseases and Remedies described in the seuen Bookes of the Farme-House.

FINIS.

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

Maison Rustique, Or, THE COVNTREY FARME.

Compyled in the French Tongue by CHARLES STEVENS, and IOHN LIEBAVLT[?], Doctors of Physicke.

And translated into English by RICHARD SVRFLET, Practitioner in Physicke.

Now newly Reuiewed, Corrected, and Augmented, with diuers large Additions;[?] [...] Works of

FRENCH

SERRES his Agriculture,

VINET his Maison Champestre,

ALBYTERIO in Spanish,

GRILLI in Italian; and other Authors.

And the Husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England:

By GERVASE MARKHAM.

The whole Contents are in the Page following.

יהוה

LONDON, Printed by Adam Islip for Iohn Bill. 1616.

The Contents.

[Page]

THere is contained in this last Edition, whatsoeuer can be required for the building, or good ordering, of a Husbandmans House, or Countrey Farme: as namely, to foresee the changes and alterations of Times; to know the motions, and powers, of the Sunne and Moone, vpon the things about which Husbandry is occupied: as, to cure the sicke labouring Man; to cure Beasts and flying Fowles of all so [...]ts; to dresse, plant, or make Gardens, as well for the Kitchin, and Physicke vse, as also in Quarters; with manie faire and cunning portraitures, to make compartments of diuers fashions in euerie quarter: with a large description of the hearbe Nicotiana, or Pe [...]um; as also of the root Mechoacan: to plant, graft, and order Orange-trees, Citron-trees, and such other strange Trees: to order Bees: to make Conserues: to preserue Fruits, Flowers, Rootes, and Rindes: to make Honey and Wax: to plant and graft all sorts of Fruit-trees: to make Cyder, [...], and Oyles: to distill Waters and Oyles, or Quintessences, of whatsoeuer the Husbandmans store and encrease; with manie patternes of Limbeckes for the distilling of them: to feed and preserue Silkewormes: to make and maintaine Medow-grounds: Fish-ponds of running and standing waters: to take Fishes: to measure and tyll Corne-ground: to bake Bread: to dresse baked Meats: to brew Beere: to trimme Vines: to make medicinable Wines; with a very large and excellent discourse touching the nature and qualitie of Wine in generall; and after that, another speciall and particular one, of all such Wines as grow in Gasconie, Languedo [...], Touraine, Orleans, Paris, and other countries of France: to plant Woods of Timber-trees and Vnder-growth: to make a Warren: to breed Herons: and to imparke wild Beasts. As also a large discourse of hunting the Hart, wild Bore, Hare, Foxe, Gray, Conie, and such like: with the ordering of Hawkes, and all sorts of Birds. And lastly, in the end thereof, is briefely shewed the nature, manner of taking, and feeding, of the Nightingale, Linnet, Gold [...]nch, Siskin, Larke, and other such singing and melodious birds.

TO THE MOST NOBLE, AND MOST WORTHIE LORD ROBERT, Lord Willoughbie, Baron of Willoughbie and Eresbie.

[Page]

HOw euer the greatnesse of your place, or the necessitie of the times, may challenge your vertue (most Noble Lord) to bee wholy taken vp, in the contemplation of high, and serious affaires, as ambitious or couetous to enjoy a full and absolute man, and making euery thing that is not equall with your worth, too much too inferiour for your eye; yet this excellent glorie of Nobilitie, well tempered Curtesie (in which you are flowing rich) persuad [...] me that the arguments handled in this Booke, shall not appeare so triuiall in your Iudgement, but that as to the tale of an honest Husbandman, you will bend your Noble eare. And though not for the bettering of your owne knowledge, yet for the benefit which may spring vnto your neighbours, grant it your most Noble patronage and defence, from the stormes and frosts of Enuie and Detraction: It first belonged to your most Noble and Heroical Father, as the gift of a [Page] learned and well experienced Gentleman, who in the translation, tooke a long and well-meriting labour; it must needs then, now be yours, both by order and inheritance. And though when it came to kisse his hand, it was all French, except the language, so that many wanted skill to make vse, and some were fearefull how to vse a knowledge so differing from their practise: yet now it is put into other garments, and how homely soeuer the stuffe be; yet it is cut with that art and iudgement, that without doubt, it will both endure the wearing, and become any Husbandman of this Kingdome; or the other, who were first breeders of the same: to whose particular profit I leaue it, and my s [...]lfe euer to bee disposed as

your Lordships seruant, G. M.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, SIR PEREGRINE BARTIE, Knight, Lord Willoughbie, Baron of Willoughbie and Eresbie, Lord Gouernor of her Maiesties Towne of Barwicke, and Lord Warden of the East Marches.

[Page]

AS Darius in his deepe affecting desire,P [...]tarch. in [...]eg. Apoh. made choice of many such subiects and Captaines, as Zopyrus; and Eacus, after that the Pestilence had vnpeopled Thessalia, did wish that the swarmes of Pismires (whereupon as it is said, [...]. the Myrmidons tooke their names) might be turned into men: So I am vndoubtedly persuaded (right honourable) that you hauing made your chiefe and speciall choce of the things which are from aboue, and striuing therein to set vp your rest of contentation, would with like delight haue welcomed some such thing, as had concerned the dressing and adorning of the soule: rather than any course, countrie and domesticall discourse (such as I am here to offer vnto your Honour) being commonly esteemed but as a tale of a turfe, or matter for a mattocke. And indeed I could haue wished that the Heauens had stoupt as low to haue reuealed vnto you some of her sacred mysteries: as the earth hath aduanced it selfe herein, and opened her mouth to shew vnto you her cabinet of rich prouision, and casket of pretious iewels. Or else, that according to your place and calling, some Caesar had affoorded you some learned Commentarie of Martiall Stratagems: or some Lycurgus, such treatise of Policie, as wherein you might haue had pointed out and delineated, as with Polycletus his golden rule, the exquisit rules of vpright iustice and lawes of Common-weales safe gouernment. But seeing this is that mite which my store will allow me at this time to offer vnto your Honour, accepting the same, may it please you to looke a little thereupon, and consider that varietie and store of rarities [Page] their power, magnificence, and renow [...]e. Furthermore; of or from the earth, is ministred matter to defend or offend, [...]eed or famish, cherish or starue, make blind, or restore sight, to ouerturne, or build vp great towers, to giue, or take away light, to procure health or fickenes [...]e, foes or friends, peace or warre, pleasure or paine, sorrow or mirth, taste or distaste, sleepe or watchfulnesse, sores or soundnesse, barrennesse or fruitfulnesse, life or death: and what not? Yea, if you should desire to looke vpon the counterfeit of beautie, or to know Diuine Pandora her manifold other graces, [...] [...]. you need not farre to search, seeing herein irreprehensible shape, surpassing fairenesse, infinite riches, rare attire, robes, ornaments, issue, abilitie, vtilitie, wisdome, and gouernment: seeing it also (as the center of the world) attended with so many glittering globes which the Heauens doe containe▪ euerie one readie and prest to applie themselues, and whatsoeuer is in them in all seruiceable sort, for the effecting of her affaires. For who is he, that vpon such grounds can refraine as absolutely to giue sentence with it, against all sorts of creatures (not inhabiting the highest heauens) as euer was giuen with H [...]l [...]na for beautie, [...] Penelope for chastitie, Aeneas for pietie, or Themistocles for fastnesse of memorie? And finally, this sacred goddesse, [...] as she sheweth her beautie, in being clothed in her gaiest colours, and her perfection in her naturall kindnesse, by pressing out of her neuer drying brests (though euermore conceiued) euen millions of streames to feed (as with sweet milke) both the young and old fruit of her wombe: so if you please to call to mind such names, as the Gretians in their wisedome haue giuen thereunto, which are [...], or, [...], of the verbe [...] to be glorious, or to excel; or the names affo [...]rded it in the Holie tongue, which are [...] and [...] (the one hauing relation to that kind of earth which bringeth forth food for man, and the other to that which feedeth cattel [...]) you shall cleerely see, that there cannot too reuerend an estimation be had of the earth; and that it is to faile and come short of the scope of the Creatour (by whom first and principally all names are giuen) to account thereof, in any base and vile manner. Now seeing the earth is so diuine a substance as hath beene proued, and that euery man, as also his labours, are so much the more or lesse to be regarded, or honoured, as the subiect is, whereabout he is occupied. I cannot doubt but that this so renowmed a Grace, shall bee vouchsafed to haue conferd, all due and worthie dignitie and grace, vpon such as take paines, like deuoted fauorites, and feruent true louers, to make [Page] her admired and honoured of all. Especially the same falling out not vpon any light and wanton fantasies, that young and youthfull yeares may breed; (her last and worst age, hauing alreadie very deepely seised vpon her:) but rather of intire affection (if not compulsiue dutie) pricking them forward (so much as lieth in them) to pluck off her stiffe, hard, and drie growne slough, that so she might receiue as it were a second birth, to the doubling of the thred of her liuely and lustie daies. And that vpon both the sorts of them, as namely those which shape their course, to the purchasing of this hauen, through the straits of painefull toyle: and the other who endure hard stormes, till led by learnings load-stone, they haue also discouered the same by skilful precept.2. Chro. 26. [...]0. And the rather, seeing that as wisdome it selfe:Genes. 4. [...]. (calling the first [...] and [...] that is, louers and tillers of the earth) the practice of the Worthies of all ages & nations, whether you call to mind the Romans amongst the Gentiles; [...] Sam. [...]. 14. [...]. or the Kings and kingly race amongst the Iewes: and thirdly, the testimonies of profane writers, Dij pecorum pauere greges: And Tempus in agrorum cultu consumere dulce est, haue not suffered them to want their due laud and praise: so the common and delightfull reading and studying of the second; besides the lawrell garland and fauour, with preferment, at the hands of the mightiest Princes, euer readie and ordained for good writers, doth sufficiently declare their merit and desert; yea vnlettered and senselesse workes which skill hath framed, cannot but approue and praise the workeman: and consiquently, the happie hand that was imployed in penning and pointing out the summe of all that art and cunning. Againe, if such as faithfully set downe the acts, the speeches, and seuerall occurrences of persons and times, for performing so woonderful a worke, as to make the things past, and perished, in the first breathing of the world, still to liue and yeeld forth a liuely breath vnto the last and finall end of all; and on the contrarie, that which shall be last, and neuer was before, to bee all beset with the [...]oari [...] haires of the very first and eldest antiquities, be truely worthie of immortall honour: then how much more should they, who from painfull plodding precept, haue reuealed the knowledge of bringing forth, as also of recording whatsoeuer such famous deedes or sayings? Wherefore accept, and take in good part, R. Honourable, (as one who can neuer let slip any the least kindnesse that hath bin offered to a mother) this laboured worke, the magazin, and storehouse of all such knowledge, as may make for the honour, dignitie, [...] [...] [Page] place and possessions, hee teacheth thee to charge thy selfe as thy reuenues will liberally reach, taking heed of pordigalitie; and stirreth thee vp to the knowledge of the ordering and dressing of ground, or whatsoeuer other thing: that so thou mayest not onely see what is to bee done, and how, but also iudge thereof when it is done. If an inferiour person and hauing nothing but what thou labourest for, lacking also skill, and so suffering thy field to grow barren: hee teacheth thee all good meanes for the making of it fruitfull. If for lacke of will, pouertie come vpon thee as an armed man, know that there is neuer a precept of paynefull toyle and laborious husbandrie throughout the whole Booke, but it soundeth an alarum, and proclaimeth an open defiance against thee as a Sluggard. If through skill ioyned with will, thou reape the plentifull increase of a rich Haruest, but abuse it, to the malitious vexing and troubling of thy neighbour in the Law, or to the corrupting of the honest and chast liues of Maides, or any of thy neighbours Wiues, hee calleth thee from such courses vnto the labours of thy ground: for scarce to take thy lawfull recreation at lawfull delights (such as are Hawking and Hunting) will hee affoord thee any leasure: If a Farmer, hee teacheth thee kindnesse by deuising something to gratifie thy Lord withall; and gentlenesse in louingly intreating thy seruants. If thy neighbour enioy any goodly commoditie of Grasse, Corne, or other dead thing, or any other liuing thing whatsoeuer that is excellent, because hee would not haue thee to looke vpon the same with a repining, greedie, and couetous eye; hee calleth thee to the prouiding of such of thine, by teaching thee how to doe it. If thou bee a seruant, hee willeth thee to bee both painefull and pittifull; that so all thy businesse may bee well done, and in due time: and the beasies wherewith thou art charged, may bee tendred of thee in all mildnesse. And finally, that all vnhonest and disgracefull waies may bee farre from thee, hee hath taken the paines to instruct thee in so many things, as that if thou wilt applie thy selfe thereunto, and to doe them well: thou shalt not find the leasure to lend a thought to the euill that might allure thee. And that he might not bee mistaken and thought to forget that woman was made[Page]for a helper, hee hath called her to her taske, and that neither little, nor consisting of a few or base things, hauing committed vnto her (besides many other matters) the cure and charge of families health. But leauing to speake any more of her charge in particular, I could wish all such of that sexe as are religious, to looke before they leape, and to bee wise according to sobrietie and grauitie: Sobrietie, not medling, aboue their place and reach, in matters of Physicke: and Grauitie, as not hauing any thing to doe in the matter of Fukes, either for vsing or preparing of them; seeing they argue, if not plainely proue, a light, a loose, and very sinfull life.

And finally, seeing that the whole earth was once a Tempe, an Eden (that is, a place of all pleasures and delights) and the assigned possession and naturall inheritance of man and woman, to labour and liue in, with exceeding great ioy and felicitie; and that through their sinne it was cursed, and they were cast out of the most pleasant, commodious, and beneficiall part thereof: I could wish them iointly to record such their former felicitie, and the losse thereof, to the end that they may applie their hearts vnto wisedome, and learne, that although they doe continually labour, yet if they wallow in sinnes, they doe but throw downe twice as much as they build vp, destroy and marre mare they make, driue farre away the creatures of meate and maintenance, which they labour so greedily to scrape and pull vnto them, and euen bereaue the earth (if it were possible) of all manner of fruits and increase, that so it might not any more either feede or cloth them: For knowledge, skill, toyle, paine, rising early, lying downe late, with euery other helpe, doth loose his vertue and come short of his end, if delight of sinne bee ioyned as a companion therewithall; it being the heauie load and burthen vnder which all creatures doe grone; the burning ague that drieth all sappe and moisture; and that cursed seede which causeth them as a vaporous brood not onely to fret out their mothers bowels, and bring a curse vpon her bodie; but thereby also to curse and crosse themselues in all that wherein they would most gladly thriue and prosper.

[Page]

You must sowe in March, the Moone being

New,

Garlicke.

Borage.

Buglosse.

Cheruile.

Coriander.

Gourds.

Marierome.

White Poppie.

Purslane.

Radish.

Sorrell.

Double Marigolds.

Tyme.

Violets.

Full,

Musked Annise.

Blites.

Skirwoorts.

Succorie.

Fennell.

Apples of loue.

Maruellous Apples.

Old,

Artichokes.

Basill.

Thistles.

Blessed Thistle.

Cole Cabbage.

White Cole.

Greene Cole.

Citrons.

Cucumbers.

Harts-home.

Sampier.

Dyers graine.

Spinage.

Gilliflowers.

Hyssope.

Cabbage-Lettuce.

Melons.

Muguets.

Onions.

Flower Gentile.

Burnet.

Leekes.

Sauorie.

You must sowe in Aprill, the Moone being

New,

Mar [...]erome.

Flower gentle.

Thyme.

Violets.

Full,

Apples of loue.

Maruellous Apples.

Old,

Artichokes.

Thistles.

Cabbage Cole.

Citrons.

Harts-horne.

Sampire.

Gilliflowers.

Muguets.

Parsneps.

In May, in the old of the Moone
Blessed thistle.

In Iune, the Moone being

New,

Gourds.

Radishes.

Old,

Cucumbers.

Melons.

Parsneps.

In Iuly, the Moone being

Full,

White Succorie.

Old,

Cabbage-Lettuce.

In August, the Moone being

Full,

White Succorie.

[Page] Hearbes growing of [...]eedes that are sowne, may bee transplanted at all times (except Cheruile, Arrage, Spinage, and Parsley, which are nothing worth when they are transplanted) euer obserued, That such transplantation bee in a moist or rainie weather: for otherwise you must looke to them, to water them.

Vnderstand, and know, that the choice and age of seedes is double: for after you haue chosen them ripe, full, heauie, corpulent, grosse, of a good colour, and that they fall not into powder eyther through rottennesse, or bruisednesse,
Some doe grow better of new seeds, as Leekes and Cucumbers.

Othersome doe grow better of old seedes, as

Coriander.

Parsley.

Sauorie.

Beets.

Origanum.

Crosses.

Spinach.

Poppie.

Know further, that you must preserue from the cold,

Lettuces,

Artichokes,

Basill,

Thistles,

Cabage Cole,

Dyers graine,

Melons.

fifteene dayes after they put foorth of the earth.

Know, that seedes doe thriue and prosper a great deale better, when they are sowne vpon such daies as are but warme, and not verie hot, or cold, than in hot, cold, or drie daies.

Note, that seedes must be
Gathered in

Faire weather.

The wane of the Moone.

Kept,
Some in

Boxes of wood.

Bags of Leather.

Vessels of earth.

And after to be well cleansed and dried in the Sun, or shadow.

Othersome, as

Onions,

Chibbols,

Leekes,

in their huskes.

Note, that it doth well to

Plant in the last

Gather grifts in the last but one

Grift two daies after the change

of the Moone.

Note, that they which are growne vp to the knowledge of the Planets and Signes, may exactly obserue the aspects of the Moone vnto the rest of the Planets, & how long it abideth in anie of them, for shee
aspecting
♁[?] by a △ or ⚹, in the signe

♉

♋

♍

♎

♑[?]

♒

it is good to

Plant Vines.

Sow all things generally.

Sow the fields generally.

Sow Gardens.

Sow euery where, and all things generally.

Plant Trees and Vines.

♂ or ♃, by a △, or □, in the signe ♒, maketh it good to plant and set
Tr [...]es and Vines.

being in the

7

1

28

7

15

28

11

24

7

28

11

7

degree

15

57

40

15

49

40

31

3

14

40

2

15

minuts of

♈

♉

♉

♋

♌

♌

♍

♍

♎

♏

♐

♑[?]

Astrologians commaund vs to sowe and plant, because of a well tempered state and condition in them.

THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE FARME.

[Page]

§

CHAP. I.
What manner of Husbandrie is entreated of in the Discourse following.

EVen as the manner of building vsed at this day,The varietie of Countries causeth a diuers manner of labouring of the earth. for the couering and rest of men, is nor like vnto that of old time: so we see the manner of the labouring of the earth for the nourishment and sustenance of the same, to differ greatly, according to the Countries, Soyle, Grounds, and Situation of the Places wherein they are seated: yea, there is not so much as their language, apparrell, or household-stuffe and working tooles, but they change after the fashions of Countries, which notwithstanding doe not hinder, but that in euerie thing wee may be as well fitted as they which went before vs. By this we may see our late kinde of Husbandrie to attaine and bring with it the like issue and effects which that of the Auncients did, which is nothing else, but to liue of the encrease of the Earth, well husbanded and tilled by vs.

Wherefore I haue thought it impertinent and vnseemely to tie my self to the seuerall sorts of labour vsed of men in times past, and that because that Countries inhabited by diuers sorts of people, haue, according to the seuerall varietie of them, euerie one affoorded many particular and seuerall sorts of liuing; as also for that it hath alwaies beene the custome of men (to the end they might the more easily fit and apply themselues to the good liking of others) to compose and frame themselues according to the manners of the Countrey, without affecting, either by the reading of old Writers, or their owne ouer-reaching curiositie (the ruine and ouerthrow of all good wits)Ouer-much curiositie the ruin [...] of good wits. so many new inuented fashions of Building, Tilling, Speaking, or Writing: seeing, that by such meanes, in seeming to reforme things without the perfect knowledge of them, men haue beene brought oftentimes vtterly to spill, spoyle, and marre the same. And therefore I would not haue you to maruell, if the Frame and Toile vsed about our French Countrey-Farme be not altogether like to that of former and auncient daies:What manner of Husbandrie i [...] entreated of in that which follow [...]th. for it is my purpose (following the Prouerbe, which sayth, That we must learne the manners of our auncient predecessours, and practise according to the present Age) to lay out vnto you the waies, so to dwell vpon, order, and maintaine a Farme, Meese, or Inheritance in the Fields (name it as you please) as [Page] that it may keepe and maintaine with the profit and encrease thereof, a painefull and skilfull Husbandman,The name of the Country [...]ouse [...] a Farme, Meese, or field Inheritance. and all his Familie: whereupon it commeth to passe, that the countrey inhabitants doe call it at this day the onely or principall and greatest gaine that is, because no other thing bringeth more gaine vnto the master thereof than the earth, if it be well husbanded and reasonably maintained.

Now for as much as (with good reason) my countreymen of England may obiect against this Worke,The Translator. that albeit it may sort well with any soyle that is in any degree (how much collaterall soeuer) allyed to this temper, clyme, & mixture of the French: yet to vs that are so much remote in nature and qualitie, and who [...]e Earth giueth vnto vs, for our most generall profit, things and fruits, either little, or very stranger-wise, acquainted with them; and in as much as there may be found that difference in our labours, which may equall the difference of our tasts, they being as farre from our Barley as wee from their Vine, and wee as farre from their Fruits as they from our Woolls;The English practise added to the French. I will, after the faithfull translation of their noble experiences, adde the difference of our customes, and to their labors adde the experience and knowledge of our best Husbandmen, hoping thereby to giue a publike content to ou [...] Nation▪ who seeing the true difference of both Kingdomes, may, out of an easie iudgement, both compare and collect that which shall be fittest for his vse and commoditie.

CHAP. II.
A briefe shew of that which shall more largely [...]e described in that which followeth.

THe better to helpe the memorie,The Summe of the first Booke. and as it were by the way of pointing out of our French Husbandrie, I will propound and set before you a champion place seated in such a coast or corner as you may find, not as you could chuse, and there wee will prepare, without extraordinarie costs or charges, a House with all such appurtenances (or verie neere such) as are fit and requisite for our time, as good Cato hath drawne and described for his, in that Treatise of Husbandrie set downe by him for the Commonwealth of the Romans: And in the same place we will entreat of the state and dutie of the Farmer, his Wife, his People, Cattell, flying Fowles, and such other things.

At the one side of this House,The S [...]mme of the second Booke euen iust in the place whereupon the Sunne riseth, and in one part thereof wee will place the household garden, which neere vnto the borders of his quicke-set hedge shall containe a frame of Railes in forme of an Arbor for Vines to runne vpon, for the furnishing of our household store with Veriuice, and other necessarie hearbes for the house: and we shall not altogether neglect or forget to prouide and plant in the same place hearbes sit for medicine. And yet furthermore in this garden also you shall plant things to make your profit vpon, as Saffron, Teazill, Woad, red Madder, Hempe, and Flaxe, if it seeme not better to reserue this part of Husbandrie for fields that are full of Fennes or waterish Places. In the other part wee shall make a garden for flowers and sweet smels, with his ornaments and quarters, garnished with many strange Trees. About the Hedge we shall set, for to make pottage withall, Pease, Beanes, and other sorts of Pulse, as also Melons, Citrons, Cucumbers, Artichokes, and such like: in which place wee shall entreat of Bees.

Next to our gardens were must dresse some well-defenced piece of ground or greene plot for fruits,The Summe of the third Booke. and there place our nurcerie for kernels and feeds, and there plant such stocks as whereon we intend to graft. After, or next hereto, our square of old growne trees, and such as haue beene transplanted, taken vp, and remoued: and together with these things we will write of Silkewormes, and prescribe the waies to distill Waters and Oyles, as also to make Cyders.

[Page] Next in order to our foresaid Greene plot,The Summe of the fourth Book. lying neere some one or other little Brooke, we are to lay our Medow Grounds, or Pastures for feeding, compassed about with Osier, Elme, Aller-tree, and Withie; and by the borders of such Hedge we will prouide some Poole of standing water or running Spring: and next in order to these, the great and large Medowes for the prouision and reuenues of the Lord.

Betwixt the South and the North we will appoint▪ and set downe Corne-grounds,The Summe of the fi [...] Booke. and teach how to measure them, and describe their fashion and manner of [...]illing▪ in which place wee will speake of making and baking of Bread; and ouer and aboue the moitie or halfe part of a hanging thing, and the moitie of a Butt or little Hill.

In the place which is neerest vnto the South,The Summe of the sixt Booke. we will plant the Vine, and withall declare the ordering of the same: Wee will speake of Vintage, and the making of common and medicinable Wines. And thereto wee will adde the diuers sorts of Wines which grow in our Countrey of France.

Betwixt the North and the East we will place our Warren,The Summe of the seventh Booke. either vpon some Hill, or in some other place fit to hunt in, and in the higher grounds wee will plant small Wood and great Timber-trees: not forgetting, in the meane time, any thing which may appertaine to the ordering and gouerning of Wood, or concerning Carpentrie. We will also make mention of Parkes for wild Beasts, of the hunting of them, but that in a few words (for there is no need that a good Householder should trouble his braine with much hunting) and of the breeding of Herons. Finally, we will briefely describe the order and manner of taking of Birds. So that after all these things, there shall not much remaine further to be added hereunto, either concerning the pleasure or prof [...]t of a Countrey Farme, especially such a one as a man ought to desire, which would liue carefully, and within the compasse of reason, vpon the labouring of his Land.

CHAP. III.
What things are requisite before we goe in hand with building of this Countrey Farme.

AS concerning the proprietie of Inheritance (whereof manie Authors, both Greeke and Latine, haue entreated so exactly and curiously) I doe not at all intend to incomber my selfe therewith, supposing, that this Countrey Farme, and the Land belonging vnto it, is either descended by succession, and that there is an intent to make it in such case as may serue most commodiously to the ease and good liking of the owner: or that (if you haue purchased and bought it with your money) you haue c [...]eered it from all incombrances and claimes before you goe about the building and sitting of it in euerie point as you would haue it. For like as some say,The Kitchin must be the first piece of building in a good house. that the first foundation of a good House must be the Kitchin, that is to say, the Reuenues and Grounds thereto belonging for the maintenance of the same: euen so, the first point and principall care of an Householder, before he build or trim vp his House, is to bethinke himselfe how he may make the state entire and absolutely vnto himselfe, and so to haue nothing to doe with such as are vnder age, Creditors, Rentors, or others in superiour place, which may interrupt and commaund him from his intended purposes and necessarie affaires.Purchase by statute, the surest of al others. He must also see, that all such Charges, Rites, and Customes, as Law doth require, be fully answered, and by name that it be cleere of all former Sales▪ Bargaines, and Statutes, which is the safest manner of purchasing in these daies:That there be [...] foolish buyers than sellers. for there are found a farre greater number of foolish buyers than of foolish sellers. Let there be past a yeare and a day before he make any exchange, raising and mouing of new debts, for the cleering of his Inheritance, and let [Page] him not lay out to the value of a penny, before he haue fully ended all things, measured and bounded his grounds from his neighbors, and assured his peace euen against the most wayward and troublesome. To be short, let him be free from all manner of Courts and Sutes: and if it cannot be otherwise, but that one or other controuersie doe still hang vpon him (seeing,That Land [...] stri [...]e in hand. as some men say, that Lands doe vnauoidably inferre and bring with them strife in the Law) yet let it be of such nature, as that he may be plaintife rather than defendant: I meane in respect of duties to be performed to the chiefe Lord, and other impositions by the Prince; in discharging whereof, euen to the vttermost Penny, Capon, or whatsoever else it be, he ought to be no lesse carefull and diligent, than in mending one tyle in the roofe of his house, which in course of time being left vnrepaired and vnput in againe, causeth others also to fall, and so causeth great annoyance to the lodgings vnderneath.

CHAP. IIII.
The seating and situating of the Countrie Farme, with other his appurtenances.

ALthough euerie man in all things enquireth after his owne commoditie, and straineth himselfe to come as neere to perfection and excellencie as possible he can▪ notwithstanding, the well-instructed and modest House. holder contenteth himselfe with that, whatsoeuer it be, that commeth of the hand and grace of God, and accounteth for great bountifulnesse and liberalitie such Pittance, Grounds, and Seat as falleth vnto him, assuring himselfe, that choice and perpetuall fruition belong no more to him than Empi [...]es and Kingdomes vnto Princes. Wherefore, if the place wherein he was borne, which he enioyeth by right of Succession, or Purchase, be not naturally so sit and conuenient, as that he may thereby be drawne and allured with the loue of it▪ then he must endeuour so to fit it by his skill,Labour [...] a Householder. and endeuour by his labour so carefully to amend and correct it, that it may be sufficient for the maintaining of him & those that belong vnto him, and the erecting and setting vp of an House.That [...] to say, that euerything hauing attained his height, doth in the [...]nd decrease. For he should not learne to lust after, or desire, anie more (if the Prouerbe be true) than a Wheele-barrow for the first hundred yeares, and a Banner for the second hundred yeares.

If I should here goe about but once to imagine such a situation of a Countrie House, as should be so perfect and exquisite, at that nothing should be wanting therein, I might iustly seeme to my selfe to be void of all reason. It is verie true, that if anie such place could be found, [...] where the Aire, Water, and Earth did all affoord their best and most desired fauours and qualities, it would much auaile and make for the purpose: but so it is, that neither Emperours nor Kings could euer attaine the skill to content themselues otherwise than with the situation of their owne Countries: some of them sometimes being too hot, too cold, verie subiect to corruption and putrifaction; othersome lesse profitable for the bringing forth; and some againe of a meane and indifferent condition, and contrariwise. Notwithstanding, although the place be not so fertile as a man could wish, neither yet so commodious as that great Husbandman Cato doth desire it; yet it must be prouided and foreseene aboue all other things, that it haue the benefit of a good Aire: for suppose, that the grounds were verie fruitfull, and endued with all the best properties and qualities that a man cou [...]d possibly wish to be in a champian ground;A good aire [...] Farme. yet notwithstanding, if the Aire be pestilentiall and infectious, or not found, it should argue nothing but great foolishnesse in a man thereto imploy his cost and paines. For where a man is in continuall danger of sicknesse, or of death, not onely the gathering of Fruits, but also the life of the Workman is continually hazarded: or rather, which is more truely said, death [...]s there more certaine than any profit. Wherefore (if it be possible) you must [Page] make choice of a place farre from marishes, farre from the Sea shore, and where as neither the Southerne nor Northerne winds doe ordinarily blow, and which lyeth not altogether open to the South Sunne, nor yet vnto the North: but principally see that it be placed neere vnto some one or other good and honest neighbour,Neere vnto a good neighbor. seeing it is an insupportable thing to be daily haunted of a brawling and wicked neighbour: let it not be placed neere to Holds or Townes of Garrison, thereby to auoid the outrages of Tyrannie, and inrodes of Souldiors:Farre from places of garrison. let it in like manner be farre from Riuers and Brookes, which are subiect to ouerflow, and that in respect of the vnauoidable charges for the repayring of such ruines and spoyle as such ouerflowings doe cause.Farre from Riuers and Brookt And yet I could willingly wish, and greatly desire, that it might not be farre off from some smooth and gentle streame, able to beare a ship, to the end that victuals may with the lesse cost be transported thence to other places for your better commoditie sake: as also neere some great good Towne, that so the things of readiest sale may be sold for the best aduancement and making of the most of the reuenues of the same. Although to wish to haue a Farme in euerie point so perfect and well seated, as that nothing should be wanting vnto it, were (as hath beene said) an vnreasonable thing: as it is also to expect or looke for grounds and fields so well conditioned, as a man could desire in a ground of speciall and principall praise and commendation. It is true, that besides that Necessitie doth beget skill, and prouoke and stirre vp men to take all possible paine, industrie, and care; it doth also procure, that there should not that discommoditie be found to offer it selfe, which shall not be recompenced and counteruailed either by one or other commoditie: as for example, in hot places there are growne good Wines and Fruits of long continuance: in cold places, great store of sweet waters, and sometimes sea-water, which greatly encreaseth their profit: in others, for the most part, when the Earth is barren in the vpper part, it containeth some good things vnderneath, as it falleth in Stone-pits, Mynes,It behoueth v [...] to content our selues with that which God and Nature affoordeth. and such other things, which make the change for the better. So then wee are to hold our selues content with such estate and condition as the place shall affoord, where we must dwell and settle our habitation: and if it be not such as some curious man in his desire, or one that is hard to please, might require and looke for, then wee shall straine our selues to mend it by the meanes see downe hereafter.

There are verie few Farmes to be found so seated, as that there is not something to be supplyed, as want of Water in high and ascending places; such as are the Countries of Beaux and Campaigne, notwithstanding that their grounds there be strong, as it happeneth in rising and mountainous places: too great store of water in falling grounds and long valleyes, such as are to be found in some places of Sauoy, Daulphine, Auuergne, and Gascoigne, in which places there is more pasture than tillage: other quarters are giuen by nature to be sandie, as towards the Towne of Estamps, Saint Marturin de l'Archaut, in Solongue, and in the Countrey of Lands, which notwithstanding cease not to be moist and waterish: other quarters are chalkie and clayie, as towards Rheims, Troy, and Chalons in Campaigne: othersome are stonie, as towards Saint Lou de S [...]rans, Tonnerre, Vezelay in Daulphine, and in the Pyrene Mountaines,Rock [...]e grounds good for the bearing of Vines, and so for such Countries as a bound with Vines. where is to be found great store of excellent Marble: and some are rockie, which are most fit for the Countries abounding with Vines. Howsoeuer the case stand, the building cannot happen in so inconuenient and strange a place, but that a man may make choice to take the best quarter for the Sunne-shine, as that which is most for the health and wholesomenesse of the inhabitants, and apply it euerie way for his vse and ease.

If therefore a high and flat place, as Beaux or high France, doe want Water, you must,A high and flat Countrey. Pooles. Cesternes. for a supply, make Pooles right ouer against your Courts, and Cesternes in your Gardens: and as for your grounds, you must draw furrowes therein in such sort, as that the earth, cast vp by the way, may retaine moisture a long time: and if the ground proue it selfe strong, you shall not need to manure and dung it so oft, neither yet to let it lye fallow more than euerie fourth yeare. If you cast Pits, [Page] you must digge them of a conuenient widenesse and length, that is to say, fouresquare; but somewhat more long than wide,Pits called Aranques. after the fashion of the Pits Aranques, which are in vse in the gardens of Prouence and Languedoc, with their trough laid to the brinkes of the Pits, to receiue such water as is drawne: but if the water be so low in the ground, that such kind of Pits cannot be made, then there must Pits be made to go with a wheele, and those so large, as that at euerie draught you may draw vp halfe a pipe of water at the least, which you shall emptie into particular troughes, and keepe them for the vse of your People and Cattell: but aboue all other things, you must haue a speciall care to gather and keepe well all Raine water, either in C [...] sterne, or otherwise.

The Cesterne shall be set in such a place,To make a Cesterne for to hold and keepe Raine water. as that it may receiue all that commeth from such spouts as are belonging to roofes or lower lofts of the house. It must be firmely and closely paued with clay and mortar, and after drawne ouer and floored with the same mortar, to the end that the water be not made muddie, or [...]ast of the earth: and if there happen any clift or chinke, you must stop it with Cement made of cleane Haire, Tallow, vnquencht Lime, and yolkes of Egges well beat and made into powder, and then all of them well mixed together. The throat or passage for the water out of it, shall be such as that appointed for the Pits or Wells▪ Some cast into their Cesternes E [...]les and other fresh water fish for to be fed and kept there, to the end that the water may become the lighter by reason of their mouing and stirring of it, and that so it may the more resemble the nature of running water: but indeed such water is nothing wholesome for men, as neither yet for beasts; it were farre better to straw with greene hearbes all the bottome of the said Cesterne, and cast in little pebbles of the Riuer vpon them, for by this meanes rather the water would be made better.

Moreouer,The way to prepare ground for the bearing of wood. for the discommoditie of Wood, you shall make leane the earth in certaine places neere vnto your lodging with grosse Sand, Fullers earth, and ashes from off the Earth: after that, you shall either sow or set there such Trees, as you shall thinke that may serue you; although indeed it were good to proue what kind of Trees would best prosper there, before you wholly sow or set it.

If your place extend and reach vnto some running streame,A Country neare vnto Riuers. your medowes shall not be so farre off from it as your house; which, to be too neere a neighbour vnto Riuers, would be a cause of procuring Rheumes, and the falling down of some Roomes: and yet it is not good to haue it too farre off, as well in respect of watering of the Cattell, as for the washing of Buckes, Skinnes, Line, and H [...]mpe; for the whiting of Webs of Cloth, if so be that you intend or purpose any such thing; for the grinding of your Corne, as also (if onely the Riuer neere vnto you be nauigable) to send that which you reape from your Fields vnto the Towne: but you must chuse the highest peece of ground to build your dwelling house vpon.

I leaue out the pleasures of Princes and great noble Personages,The pleasures of Princes. who for their delight sake doe dwell in Summer in wattie places, excellently trimmed and beautified with waters, and furnished with all delights: for our householder may not in any case charge himselfe with further costs, than this his state may well beare: for Princes haue wherewith they may be at their change and varietie of lodgings, according to the changes and alterations of the seasons of the yeare, and to turne at their pleasure the square into the round, and contrariwise.

In a drie place,A drie Countrey. as Beaux and Champaigne, and the mountainous Countries, learn [...] to set your building so well, as that it may take the Easterne Equinoctiall, and not lose the rising of the Sunne in March and October, or rather in September.

If there be euer a Hill,A Hill to build vpon. build vpon the edge thereof, making choise to haue your lights towards the East: but if you be in a cold Countrey, open your lights also on the South side, and little or nothing towards the North, if it be not in your Barnes where you put your Corne, or such other things, as are subiect to the Weasell and other vermine. Ouer-against the North you shall procure some row or tuft of Trees for to be a marke vnto you of your place, and defence also for the same against the [Page] Northerne windes in the Winter time. But if you be in a hote countrey, you must set your said tuft of Trees on the South side, against such windes and heat of Sunne as come from thence, and boldly open your lights, especially in the said Barnes which lie on the North side.

Make good choice of the best parts of your Grounds, to be most fit for Fruits, Corne, and Medowes, and plant your Vineyard, to haue the South open vpon it. You shall make also certaine crosse Barnes with their counter-windowes, in the place towards the South, to open them in the time of a Northerne wind. Such places are found in Countries full of Mountaines, which doe greatly desire the East; and yet notwithstanding would therewithall take part of the South, which is so needfull for them.

In this and such like places Wells are in greater request, and much more necessarie than in valleyes and plaine grounds, and that wee may find out the place where it is best to make them, wee must chuse the Easterne side, at the beginning of the descent, somewhat therewithall bending towards the North, but wee may not haue any thing to doe with the Westerne side: and yet somewhat better toward the South, where hauing ouer night digged the earth in diuers places the quantitie of three feet ouer and fiue in depth, and after returning in the morning at the Sunne-rise, you must make triall how it soundeth, being strucken with the end of a Holly staffe, armed at the said end with some round peece of Iron or Latten, after the manner of the end of a Shepheards staffe without the Crooke; and there, by the iudgement of the eare, to obserue and marke how it soundeth vnderneath, as whether it sound like a Mortar, or like fat Earth, Potters clay, or some other that is very hard, or like a Glasse halfe broken, or else like a very deepe Pit, that toucheth the Quarrie or Veine lying vnderneath: and this is the best way to iudge and make triall. Or otherwise in the moneth of August or September, at such time as the Earth is verie drie, a little before the Sunne rise, you must lye downe flat vpon the ground, hauing your face toward the East, and chuse out that place where you shall espie a vapour to rise vp out of the Earth, after the manner of little Clouds, for this is a token of a proud (or plentifull store of) water. Or else to make a shorter triall, to make deepe trenches of foure foot within the ground, and therein to put sponges or fleeces of Wooll verie drie and cleane, couering them with boughs of Trees, or leaues of Hearbes: then, after some time, to take them out of the Earth, and they being wet and moist, doe argue abundance of water, according to the qualitie of moisture which they haue within them: whereas if on the contrarie they be drie when they be taken vp, it argueth that there is no water to be come by. Diuers there be that gather figures of the springing vp of water in place where, by their seeing of small clouds and vapours rising from thence into the ayre, in drie, faire, and calme seasons. But howsoever, it is not conuenient to content ones selfe with the bare viewing of the hearbes which grow thereupon, without hauing first made some triall: for vnder Crowfoot, Folefoot, Plantaine, Dogtooth, Cinquefoile, Milfoile, and three-leaued Grasse, Water is not farre to seeke, but it is naught worth, if one digge not verie deepe, as is to be seene at Bagnolet Belle-Ville vpon the Sand, and other places of Liury. Vnder Veruaine is oftentimes found good Water, and deepe, according to the nature of the ground: and withall, if the head doe spring from grounds apt to boyle, as red Sand, or gray Rocke, and not from those sides which by and by are dried vp. Aboue all, to the end we may have Wells containing water of a good rellish, [...] and such as will neuer drie vp, we must make choice of a s [...]die, blacke, grauelly, or clayish ground, or such a one as is full of pebbles, and especially that which is mixed of pebbles and sand together, but neuer of that water which floweth from Fullers clay, mire, mudde, or springeth from the grounds where Sallowes, Roses, Reeds, and other such Plants, which are engendred of a watrie humour, doe grow: for although that such places doe yeeld great store of water, notwithstanding that water is naught worth, and will easily be dried vp. Wherefore as much as lyeth in you procure that your Wells be farre off from such ditches, as wherein they lay the dung of Stables, Cattell, or Swinecoats [Page] to rot, or any other place which may annoy in regard of the pissing of beasts, if they be not well digged and made verie deepe.Wells of good Water. True it is, that Wells will be a great deal [...] the better, if they consist of a high rising water, and not such a one as lyeth deepe in the earth. For howsoeuer that such Wells be lesse hot in Winter, and in Summer lesse cold, yet notwithstanding it shall be infinitely better, because it hath more helpe of the Sunne and Aire, which are the two things which doe greatly amend and make better the water: and if necessitie force the water to lye so deepe and low, wee must seeke to helpe the inconuenience, by drawing but a little, and oft, for the iumbling and stirring of the water will rectifie it: and amongst other things, you must haue speciall care not to keepe it couered.

FountainesFountaines. in like manner rising from such places of Mountaines, are had in request, as well for the profit of the water, which is a great deale better and more pleasant than that drawne out of Wells,To find out the beads of Fountaines. as also for the beautifying of the Country Farme. And for to find their Head, or Spring, wee must vse the like meanes as wee haue layd downe for the finding of Wells, excepted that wee must make chiefe choice of such as breake forth vpon the North at the bottome of high and great Mountains, hauing hollow places, and compassed about with plaines, for in such plaine grounds the water gathereth it selfe together, and distilleth through the earth. Now this kind of prouision of water is when you desire it in great aboundance: but if you stand vpon and desire the best and most excellent water, you must make choice of high places, and such as are not ouer-shadowed, the fall whereof doth enioy the Sunne-rising, for water out of such Fountaines is a great deale more light and pleasant in tast, and by how much it runneth the swifter and longer way in the Aire and Sunne before it come to the bottome, so much it groweth the better; as when it falleth from high Rocks, it is (as it were) beaten and broken in falling through the downe-right places of stones and craggednes [...]e of the Rocks. We must also see that such Mountaines, be full of Dogs-tooth, Plantaine, Fox-taile, wild Penny-ryall, transmarine Sage, which is called Adianthum, Milfoile, Chameleon, and generally, all other hearbes and plants, which grow without being planted, and are by nature greene, well branched, good and thicke, and well flowred.

The time most apt in all the yeare,The best time to [...] out Springheads. and affoording greatest perseuerance for the finding out of the heads of Wells and Fountaines, are the moneths of August or September, for then it is easie to know the greatnesse of the head, when the earth, by the great heat of Summer, hath no moisture of raine left remaining in it, and then also we may gather assurance of such as will neuer drie vp altogether.

If it happen that the head Fountaine be somewhat too farre from the Farme, [...] you may force the water to come thither by little Riuers, or rather more conueniently by cha [...]els and conduits made of Lead, Wood, or Pot-earth: the best are made of Aller tree, F [...]rre tree, or Pine tree, out of which distilleth Perro [...]en, because that such Trees haue an oylie humour, and hot, which easily resisteth the hurtes which water might cause: Next to them are those which are made of Pot-earth, if that the water carried along in them were not the cause of breeding obstruction. These must be two fingers thicke, and sharpe at one end the length of halfe a foot, to goe the one of them into the other: the worst sort is those made of Lead, because the water carried along by them purchaseth from the Lead an euill qualitie, and that because of the Ceruse thereof, so that it oftentimes causeth bloudie fluxes and other such like diseases, if we beleeue Galen and them which for this cause call the inhabitants of Paris Squitters, because they vse Fountaine-water which runneth through Leaden pipes: which point notwithstanding seemeth not to be without all doubt, seeing that Ceruse cannot breed, nor be made of Lead, without vineger, and for that we see also diuers Countries doe drinke of such waters, without being troubled with bloudie fluxes: whatsoeuer it is, wee must set well together and soulder the pipes with a compound made of vnquenched lime, and the grea [...]e of a hogge, or of Perrosen and the whites of egges, or of lyme, whites of egges, oyle, and the filings of yron, because that all these things doe hinder corruptions and rottennesse which the water might cause. [Page] If any Mountaine doe hinder the laying or bringing along of these Pipes, wee must make them way: if any Valley, we must reare arches, such as are to be seene in a Village neere vnto Paris, called Ar [...]ueil, and that because of those said arches; or rayse pillars and other matter to support those water-passages.

But it is not sufficient to haue found out those Heads of Wells and Fountaines,What Waters are best. but we must further consider of the goodnesse and wholesomenesse of the Water, as Aristotle teacheth vs: For seeing the greatest part of our life dependeth vpon the vse of this element, it is requisite that the Master of the Household should haue care to procure good Water, in as much as Water must be the most of his seruants drinke, and that the Bread which he and his familie doe eat, is kneaded therewith, and the greatest part of his victuals boyled therein. The best and most wholesome Water of all others is Raine Water falling in Summer, when it thundereth and lightneth verie much; and yet notwithstanding, Raine Water causeth costiuenes [...]e and obstructions, especially that which is kept in Cesternes newly made, and that by reason of their Mortar wherewith they are ouer-layd: It doth also corrupt very quickly (that onely excepted which falleth in May) and being so corrupted, it ma [...]reth the voice, bringing Hoarsenesse, and a little Co [...]gh. Next to this in goodnesse is [...] Fountaine Water, which falleth from the Mountaines, and runneth along amo [...]gst Stones and Rocks. Next to this in goodnesse is Well Water, or that which issueth at the hanging parts of the Mountaines, or that which springeth in the bottome of a Valley. The fourth different sort of Waters is that of the Riuer. The worst of all the rest is that of the Poole and Marish Grounds: and yet that which runneth not is worse than all the rest, and more apt to in [...]ect. The Water of Snow and Ice is the most vnwholesome of all, because it is the coldest and most earthie, as not hauing beene prepared by the heat and vertue of the Sunne. And as conce [...]ning the Water of Wells and Fountaines (seeing it is not found good alwaies and in all places) we shall know them to be good, if it haue neither tast, s [...]ell, nor any colour whatsoeuer, being notwithstanding verie cleere, and of the nature of the Ayre, taking quickly the colour of anie thing that one shall cast into it, being also cleane, warme in Winter, and cold in Summer, easie to make hot, and as soone becomming cold againe; in which, Peason, Beanes, and other such like things, doe boyle easily, and which being put for some space in a Brasen, Copper, or Siluer Vessell, well scoured, leaueth no discoloured parts or spots in the same, and which, when it hath beene boyled in a Ca [...]ldron, made verie faire and cleane, doth not make any [...]etling or shew of filth in the bottome: if such as vse to drinke it, haue a cleere voice, a sound breast, and the die or colour of the face be neat and liuely: finally, that which together with the rest of the markes, is verie light, and by consequent as principall of all the rest shall that be iudged, which excelleth in the foresaid markes and qualities: and for to know which is the lightest, weigh as much with as much of euerie sort of Water, or else take two, three, or [...]oure Clothes of one and the same webbe, length, and breadth, according to the quantitie and sorts of Water which you would compare together, and in euerie one wet a Cloth, distill the Clothes, or let the Water drop out of them, and then weigh them, for the Cloth which was moistened in the [...]ightest Water, will then weigh les [...]e than the rest. It is true, that the lightnesse of Water is not so truely tryed by weight as by drinking, not causing at such time anie burthenous weight in the places about the short Ribbes, and passeth through the bodie speedily, as also in being quickly hot and quickly cold.

Drie Places,Places giuen t [...] bring forth [...]. and Countries abounding with Mountaines, doe commonly bring forth Stones, which is easily perceiued by the rough and boisterous handling of the Earth, and also by the Stones lying vpon the vpper part thereof, which otherwise might haue fallen and beene cast there: in manner as sometimes it falleth out, that men find vpon vntilled grounds the liuely shapes of Fruits and Corne gathered together and growne vnto the Stone, which is to bee seene neere to Mommirall in Brie, where Wood is growne vnto the Stone: besides that, the Hearth [Page] will make quicke and speedie triall hereof. This will doe you seruice in the enclosing either of your Parke, or of your Vineyards, and other such like commodities, besides the profit you may make of it by the selling of Milstones and Stones to build withall.Deceitfull stone-pits. But looke well to your selfe, and take good heed of Quarries, and casting of Stone-pits, and of their deceits, which oftentimes rewards vs with our paines for our labour.

And as for the Earth (taken and vnderstood generally) it beareth all manner of Corne,Why the earth is termed by the name of a Mother. Fruits, Hearbes, Timber-trees, Mettals, Stones, and other things, and this hath beene giuen vnto it euen since it was first made: and hereupon old Writers haue iustly giuen vnto it the due name of Mother. But although, in respect of the cold and drie substance and nature whereof it consisteth, it may be called all of one temperature, yet it purchaseth and getteth contrarie qualities, according to the seuerall situations it hath in diuers places, as also vpon occasion of affinitie, intercourse, and participation it hath with things of repugnant qualitie: and hence doe rise the diuers sorts of the same, and so diuers, as that euerie ground will not beare euerie thing, but one or two at the most. For this cause, to auoid both cost and labour, see aboue all things, that you proue, either by your owne triall and experience, or else by such enquirie as you can make of your neighbors, what kind of Fruits, what kind of Corne, and what sorts of Trees,That it is against the nature of the free Countrey of Bea [...]x to beare any Rie. To [...]aine the Garden of France. doe prosper best thereon. Some places in Trance, and the free Countrey of Beaux, beareth no other graine than Rye, which is contrarie to the nature of the ground new broken vp: another loueth nothing but Wheat: Solonge loueth March corne, and sometime Mesling: Touraine, worthily called the Garden of France, is found most plentifull in Gardens and Fruit-trees, as that part called Brie or Braye (because it is situate betwixt the Riuers of Marne and Seine) doth bring forth Fruits and Corne for sustenance: and that quarter which lyeth betwixt Marne and the Riuer of Aube bringeth forth an infinite deale of Hay: Notwithstanding,Man by labour is able to tame euery thing. the diligence of the Farmer may by his industrie ouercome the weaknesse of a ground, euen as well as all sorts of wild Beasts may be tamed by the painefulnesse of man.

In watrie and marish places it will stand vs vpon to make our profit of the water,Watrie and marish places. which you shall oftentimes by sluces turne from his naturall courses into your pasture grounds and ponds of running and standing water, for the profiting and helping of the same. About the brinkes and edges of the most commodious ones, you shall set rankes of such Trees and profitable Plants as you know to like and prosper in the water. And you must especially obserue and marke the diuersitie of the bottome and vndermost part of the ground,The vnder parts of watrie grounds. which in watrie places is often found to differ much, and to be somewhat strange, and according to the nature thereof to set such Trees as may best agree therewith.

Your House being [...]eated in such places,Islands of Flaunders. will be most strong and pleasant in Summer, but of greatest maintenance, preseruation, and safetie, if you enuiron it round about with water, after the manner of an Islet, as it is practised in manie places of Flanders, who make the vse thereof familiar among them, to reape thereby the benefit of Fish in his season, the flesh of wild Fowle, Trees as well for Fruit as for Fire and Building, besides the helpes of their excellent pasture grounds: but indeed your owne health, as also the health of those of your familie, is impaired hereby, especially in Winter.To build on the tops of high ground. Wherefore it will be better to build vpon high ground, as the auncient Romans did, and to leaue the waters below, for the comforting of your [...]ight, if so be you haue not the meanes of closing in all the same round about, for your breed of young Colts and other Cattell, all which will like verie well vpon such grounds, except it be your Cattell seruing to furnish you with Wooll.

If your Farme doe,Wild grounds, Desarts, and Bull-rushes. for the most part, consist of wild Grounds and Desarts, you shall make them arable by labour and paines, and recouer them, deluing them diligently, and raking them often: for the Bull-rush, B [...]akes, and such other hearbes will soone be killed, when the earth is often turned. But and if you desire with more hast and certainetie to destroy them, you shall burne the ground [Page] [...] two first yeares, and sow therein Lupines or Beanes, to the end that together, with the curing of the disease of your fields, you may reape some profit and com [...]oditie.

Stonie groundsSt [...]nie grounds. are mended by taking away the stones, and if the quantitie be [...]reat, it will be best to cast them together in manner of some small hillock in certaine places of the ground, and so by that meanes the rest will be cleansed and freed: or [...]ther, when the daies of handie-workes shall be got good cheape, it will be best to digge the earth verie deepe, and there burying the stones before-hand, afterward to [...]uer them with the earth.

If the Farme consist most of Forrests and Woods,Vntilled grounds. you shall make thereof arable ground, by plucking vp the Trees altogether, as also their rootes: but and if there be but small store, it will be ynough to cut them downe and burne them, and then to till the ground. And such grounds are wont the first yeare to bring forth much, because that the moisture and substance, which before was spent in the bringing forth and nourishing of Trees, Bushes, and Hea [...]bes, doth prepare it selfe wholly for the good of the Corne that is sowne vpon it; or for that it hauing beene fatted and growne better by the leaues and hearbes of manie yeares, which of it owne accord it brought forth before it was tilled, becommeth afterward sufficient to nourish and bring forth great abundance of fruits: and so it commeth to passe also, that being robbed of her former nourishment, in time it groweth leane, loosing the freshnesse and moisture which was maintained by the couert, and therefore continueth not so fruitfull as it was at the beginning.

Sandie places may be made better by Dung and Marle,Sandie grounds which yet notwithstanding, euen without such Husbanding, by meanes of some currant of water running v [...]der the Earth in some Countries, ceaseth not to yeeld good profit to their owners: but these craue rest, which is the principall remedie to helpe their weake and feeble estate, and also to be sowne with varietie of graine, as after Rye, some kind of pulse. The way to know such grounds is common: when the great Sand is fast and yellowish, it is then found to be good for Corne; and when it is white and drie, it is good for Wood and wild fruits. But it behoueth the Farmer to apply himselfe vnto the nature and temper of his field,What is [...] to know the nature of great Sand. and according vnto it to sow and plant in euery place such things as are best agreeing with them, as Pulse, Millet, Panicke, Ryce, Lentils, Fetches, and other things, which doe not require great store of fatnesse. But in our English Soyles we find, that our sandie and hard grounds doe beare best Barley at their first breaking, or when they are fattest; after, Rye, Oats, Fetches, or Tare.

The strong,Strong grounds, heartie, and fat Soyle is good for Vineyards, and is apt to beare great store of Wheat-Corne, foreseene that the yeare be drie, especially in the moneth of May, but small store of any other encrease: yea, and if the times be much giuen to raine, they will beare but a little Corne, and great store of chaffe. Yet if the Seedsman haue a carefull hand in the bestowing of his seed, and doe not (as it were) cloy or choake his ground therewith, these fat Soyles will beare very well and sufficiently the first yeare, either whole Straw-Wheat, Pollard-Wheat, or Barley; and the second yeare, Beanes, Pease, or both mixed together; and the third yeare, Wheat or Rye, or both mixed together, which is called Maslyne or blend Corne.

A raw,Rough ground▪ rough, and tough Soyle is hard to till, and will neither bring forth Corne, nor any other thing, without great labour, howsoeuer the seasons be temperate in moisture and drinesse. To helpe the same, you must labour it most exquisitely, harrow it and manure it verie oft with great store of dung, so you shall make it better and lesse subiect to the iniuries of the Sunne, Winds, and Frost: but especially desire that they may not be watered with raine, for water is as good as a poyson to them.

The Clay and strong ground,A clay ground▪ as that in Bresse and other pla [...]es of Partois, craueth great and deepe furrowes when it is eared, and euerie where else, as euen in the verie places where stones lye deepe and ouer-couered againe with good earth: and this to the end that the water may the better be conueyed away, which is [Page] naturally mixt therewith, and cannot so easily depart, by reason of the clamm [...]e sliminesse of the earth. This plot is not so fit either for Trees or Vines, except it be for some fruit Trees, and those well husbanded and nourished. If you build there, then doe it vpon some high ground,To build vpon a high ground. and neere ynough vnto the Riuer, and cause the Easterne and Northerne quarter, because such places are subiect verie much to putrifaction, and verie vnwholesome.

The territories of Croye and Ardose are more sound and wholesome,Territories and fields lying in Croye and Ardose. though they be more barren: but it must be made better, and much mended, and employed onely to that which it delighteth in: for the Baylife of the Husbandrie ought to know the nature of the ground, and not to force it to beare that which is contrarie vnto it,The nature of the earth must be knowne. notwithstanding whatsoeuer you doe vnto it for the bettering of it: for of forced grounds there comes as much profit as there doth of beasts, by violence vsed towards them. For suppose you may compell them, yet it shall be to your great cost and charges, by reason of their hurts, maladies, and otherwise, for such cattell commonly stand not in good plight and state.An old prouerh, That of compulsions comes no good. The old Prouerbe also saith, That a Householder should giue greater heed vnto his profit, and the holding out or continuing of that which he hath vnder his hand, than to his pleasure and rare commoditie.

Euerie Countrie fit for good Vineyards is stonie and grauellie, or full of pebbles, and is found to be better on the South quarters, or on the descent of the Hill, lying on the side toward the Riuer: This place is not so good for Corne; in the plaine or [...]lat places thereof you must make it better, and dung it. Make your buildings there on the sloping side, which looketh into the Southeast, where you may not remoue your selfe farre from the Riuer, for the reason afore giuen.

The best Soyle is that which is blacke,Good ground, a fruitfull countrey of France. crumbling, and easily turned ouer, that is to say, which easily falleth into small pieces in ones hand, and feeleth light, sweet, and fat in handling, like to that which is found in the countrey of Tourraine, Maine, and Anjou, which are fertile in all manner of fruitfulnesse and aboundance of goods, rich in Hills, Vallies, Pasture-grounds, Vale-grounds, Vineyards, and all sorts of fruits: but vpon good cause they giue place to Prouence, part of Languedoc, and Guienne, and the better places of Aquitaine,The fruitfulnes of Aquitaine. all which, by reason of the heat of the South Sunne, bring forth not onely in greater aboundance, but their fruits of all sorts of better qualities and more forcible.The inconueniences of the Southerne wind in Languedoc, Prouence, and Guienne. This is the land of Promise in our France, and hath no discommoditie saue that of the Southerne wind, which they call Austrault: which except it be tempered by the Northerne winds, doth almost euerie yeare engender vnhappie calamities both in men and beasts. Wherefore in this Countrie the dwelling places and buildings must be set vpon a Hill, and the South wind shut out and den [...]ed all entrance by lights, except when it shall be needfull, in the depth of Winter.

But to speake generally,The signes of a good and sertile ground. the Soyle may be knowne to be good and to beare great store of fruits by these means: as, if it be somewhat blacke, or somewhat yellow; if it [...] not when it is ill tilled; if it become not myrie when great store and abundance of raine shall fall vpon it, but drinketh vp all the water that shall fall, and therewithall keepe this moisture and refreshment a long time; if in Winter time it become not hard in the vpper part thereof; if without being husbanded or mended by great labour, or fatnesse of dung, it bring forth flourishing hearbes, timber-trees, straight, thicke, hauing great a [...]es, and abounding with store of their seuerall fruits, and those good and well-rellished in their kinds: and if it yeeld great fruitfulnesse of Corne: if by being watered, or rained vpon, it become blowne vp, and as it were stretched out and blacke, and not hard bound, or turned white: if the water springing forth of it be sweet, or if the greene soddes thereof being broken in pieces, and steept two or three houres in water that is sweet and of a good tast, doe not marre or make worse the tast of such water, which must be tried by tasting of it, after that it hath beene strained and clarified: For naturally water issuing out from a spring, or wrung from something that hath beene steept in it, retaineth and carrieth with it the [Page] tast of the Earth: and on the other side, if the Earth steept in Water, the same Water doe after such steeping yeeld a sweet and pleasant rellish: if cast vp, and two or three dayes after throwne into the said ditch againe, it gather on a heape, and rise higher than the said ditch; for in doing this, it shewes it selfe to be a fat Earth: and whereas one shall doe nothing but pare the said ditch, without doing anie more, it will be but indifferent: but and if he come not to touch the edges of the said ditch, it will be light earth: furthermore, if it be watred with raine, it yeeldeth a pleasant smell. On the contrarie,Naughtie earth. the Earth must be iudged of no value, if it haue not all these signes of goodnesse: and principally, that which is cleauing like Glue, like Potters Clay, Chalkie, Whitish, which shaketh and trembleth, which is too hard, rough, and strong, which is watrie and marish, which hath a salt or bitter tast, which bringeth forth Trees and Hearbes that are bitter, cold, and thornie, as Brambles, Ferne, Bryers, Wormewood, Iuniper, Lauander, Broome, Butchers Broome, and other such like: as on the contrarie side, Rushes, Roses, small Grasse, three-leaued Grasses, Thornes, Dane-woort, wild Plum-trees, and such other things, doe shew the goodnesse and fruitfulnesse of the Soyle: for the things aboue named are not found or nourished anie where almost but in the sweet veines of the Earth. Yet, according to the opinion of Serres, all Clayes which are blacke, gray, or marlie, albeit a little tough and gluie, yet, if after their drying they become not hard, but crumble, and (as it were) fall to cynders, or if they be not much subiect to a kind of vomiting or casting vp of water, or to an extraordinarie excesse of coldnesse, they are to be reputed the fattest and best Soyles for Corne, though not for the Vine: and though they are lesse apt to breed or put forth Wood, yet the Wood growing vpon such Soyles is euer the best and the longest lasting.

CHAP. V.
The building and inclosing of our Countrie Farme.

PEace being purchased, then build thine House, saith the wise and prudent Householder: and the Author of the Latine Georgickes doth highly prize and value those great Farmes and Houses, whose appurtenances and expences are great: but he counsaileth men to vndertake and deale with so little as he knoweth well to doe.Great Cages make not thei [...] Birds good. For as great Cages make the Birds neuer a whit the better, euen so it is not so safe and sure a course to haue a costly and large Building vpon the ground, neither yet to haue so faire and large Fields, neither yet so great quantitie of Grounds, as that they must be either all ill husbanded, or else if for the carefull tilling of one part of them, all the rest be left and let goe vntilled, as neither to couet greedily, or aspire to possesse other great and stately Farmes, when he is not able to husband and till that which he hath alreadie in possession, if so be perhaps that a man long not to bring himselfe wilfully into the danger of the Lords of such Farmes, rather than to aduance or further their owne profit: like to those bad Carters,Vnfaithfull Farmers. which will not see or suffer either Horse or Man to stand still, vntill by continuall toyle and vncessant labouring of them about the grounds of his Farme, he bring to passe, that both Lands, Horse, and Men be not able to hold out, but become little worth: which is the cause, that a Lord letting his Place and Demeanes to Farme, must make account, that the earnest desire and watchfull regard he hath to vphold and maintaine his grounds in good plight, will not be accomplished or manifested by deed of Indenture, or posting ouer of the charge to another, but rather it standeth him vpon in his owne person to see such as are to labour therein, to be set to their worke, ouer-looking euer & anon the companie, and ordering vsed by the baylife of his Husbandrie in the handling of his businesse,The eye of the Master fatteth the Horse. that so he may preuent the mischiefes aboue named. It is also said of some men, That the eye of the Master doth [Page] fat the Horse; and that matters are neuer so well cared for, or looked to, as by himselfe. For there are but few, [...] either Hindes, day-Labourers, or L [...]bourers by great, which doe not loue their Masters profit a great deale les [...]e than their owne, and euery day are behind hand in one dutie, or piece of worke or other, which ought to haue beene done.

Better therefore is a small House of good stuffe, not sumptuous, well seated and well fitted (but let it haue of euerie thing a little) than so costly a place, and of such large roomes, as that either they become enuied of their Superiours for it, or else at length causeth the Master to sell it againe. For the good Roman Husbandman saith, That a Householder must so diminish the charges of euerie thing by his labour, [...] as that he may euermore haue moe things, and more to sell than to buy, and that he euerie day become more strong and powerfull than his Field: For seeing that the Lord and it must needs combate, wrastle, and encounter the one with the other, if the Field be too strong, then the Lord is wronged. Euerie place in the Fields is also oftentimes to b [...] looked vnto, and if need be, speedily repayred, because the decay of anie part of it, [...] or of anie thing which is to be vsed in it, being let alone and neglected onely one yeare, draweth on another los [...]e as great as it selfe, and costeth thrice as much to make it vp againe, as and if it had beene looked vnto within a moneth or fi [...]teene d [...]yes after the decay did fall and happen. And their words in this case are of no val [...]e, [...] wh [...]ch [...]ay, That Ground [...] troden vpon and trampled with manie fect, are halfe [...] and spent: or, that Ground lying farre off doth breed nothing but fl [...]gons and bottels. For I wou [...]d hau [...] the Master to be more commonly there, than at home at his House, and that he should so dispose of his estate, as that there may be both for all neces [...]i [...]s of food▪ and so [...]o [...]th, and somewhat to spare: otherwise his House and [...] should minister more vnto his seruants than to himselfe, and his charges should exceed the encrease and reuenues: and that as well in tarrying at home, as also when he goeth abroad, he make it his chiefe delight to vnderstand and see the gouerning of whatsoeuer belongeth vnto him, not troubling his mind with Hunting, Banquetting, much Companie keeping, Drunkennesse, and welcomming in of euerie commer, and so to giue himselfe excessiuely to his delights and recreation of his spirit.

The placing of such Building as is made, [...] is most fit to be on the edges of some great Hill, vpon some small [...], or the top of the Hill, if the Countrie be tempestuous and full of Mountaines: for by [...] meanes he shall reape the libertie of the Aire, and a goodly Prospect: he shall be safe from the annoyances of foggie Mists: he sha [...]l not be opprest with cold in Winter by reason of Ice, nor ouer hot in Summer, and the Wat [...]r [...] and Floud [...] which runne downe from the top of the Hills shall not threaten, much l [...]sse doe harme vnto the foundation of his dwelling place: as also he shall not be too much subiect to the Winds and Raines of the whole yeare: hee shall proc [...]re h [...]s principa [...]l Lights to stand vpon the Sunne-rising in the moneths of March and September: for the Winds blowing [...] those quarters are drie, more hot than cold, but verie whole [...]ome, as well for the bodie as for the spirit of Man: and the Sunne, which commeth to enter betimes in the morning into the House, doth diminish and wast the darknesse and gros [...]enes [...]e of the Aire: adde further, that looke by how [...]uch his Hou [...]e shall be set more vpon the said Easterne point, by so much the more easily it will be able to receiue that Wind in Summer, and be les [...]e beaten in Winter with Frosts. The Barnes shall be open towards the Sunne-set, in respect of their greatest lights, and with [...]ll, shall haue one light seruing toward the North, for the cause aboue named: but all Houses for Beasts shall haue their Windowes towards the South, and borrowing somewhat of the East, for that the Winds blowing from thence will keepe th [...]m sound at all seasons and times. [...]. It is true, that as for St [...] b [...]es for Horses, it is neces [...]arie to make them a light seruing towards the North, to open [...]n the hot time of Summer, during the vehement heat thereof, and that at the houre of their ease and rest, which is Noone-tide: for at this time and houre, if you giue them not some breath of aire to coole them withall, the heat of the Noone Sunne, [Page] which would strike in, and their owne, which is alwaies in the Stable, as also their breathing and presse of the whole companie of Horses, being there together, would set them in such a sweat, faintnesse of bodie, and loathing of their mea [...], as that the verie Stable would wearie, weare, and spend them as much as the Plough it selfe. And as for the rest of the Buildings, or the base Courts, it maketh no great matter vpon what Coasts or Quarters you dispose them:The base Courts howbeit, if you so contriue them, as that they may marke vpon the North, they cannot but be to good purpose. These instructions for Lights and Windowes are not so strictly enioyned, as that the differing qualities and conditions of Countries, where such building must be made, may not moue you to dispose them otherwise: for seeing there are found in some Countries such Winds as are almost ordinarie, and may be said to haue gotten (as it were) [...] habit, and those blowing from such Quarters as lye vpon the Sea or Marishes, or such other, and therefore bring with them some noysome qualitie, or at least little profitable; it must needs be permitted in such places to alter and change the former directions. And to speake the truth, seeing that by the meanes of Windowes and counter-Windowes you may cut off the entrance both of Sunne and whatsoeuer Winds, it shall be left in your free choice to make such Lights as may seeme most necessarie in your owne iudgements, being euermore directed against such annoyance as the Ayre might bring from that place whatsoeuer from whence it commeth.

And although that euerie one build after his owne humor, [...] yet the cause should so stand, as that reason should rule euermore: and surely, such a man should be estee [...]ed but of a slender iudgement, which hauing a place and commodities belonging [...]hereto, did not fit things in such sort, as that on the one side of his chamber he haue [...] light open vpon the Court and forepart of his Farme by which they must enter that [...]ome to it,Of the Lig [...]ts to be made in Building. and another open vpon his Gardens and principall Grounds. Wherefore that he may know the more easily to prepare his Buildings (as it were) anew, or else repaire it after his owne fansie, it will be meet and conuenient for him to doe in manner as followeth.

Draw a great Court and wide, and that verie square euerie way, [...]. in the middest thereof cause to be cast two Fish-ponds at the least; one for Geese, Ducks, and other Cattell: the other, to water, steepe, or soften Lupines, Osiers, Roddes, and such other things, as also for the rotting of your dung: and somewhat more to the further side, a Well with two or three troughs of hewen stone, to water your Cattell and Poultrie [...]t, if you haue not the benefit of a running Water, or some neere Riuer, either great or small. Make also two Dunghils; the one, to con [...]aine and rot all your new dung, [...]nd to keepe it till the yeare following: the other, that from it you may take the old and rotten dung, and carrie it out into the fields▪ These two Dunghils must bee farre from them, and on a ground falling from the fore-named Fish-ponds and Well, if so be that the place will affoord it, or else, at the least, cast deepe within the Earth, and paued in the bottome before hand, least that the Earth should drinke vp the moisture: for Dunghils must of necessitie be kept in continuall moisture, to the end, that if peraduenture amongst the Straw, Litter, Stubble, or Chaffe, which is brought thithe [...], there be the seeds of any Hearbes or Thornes mixt among, they may rot, and not bad or bring forth any Weeds, when the dung shall be spread vpon the ground. And therefore expert and skilfull seruants doe couer with Clay the dung which they cast out of the Stables, to the end the Wind may not drie it vp, or that the Sunne or Wind should cause it to spend all the moisture, and turne it into dust.

This Court,The Wells of the C [...]rt. containing two acres square, shall be compassed in with a Wall of [...]ighteene ynches thicke, and tenne foot high from the ground, for the resting of y [...]ur Buildings vpon that are within: and to meet with the danger threatned by Theeues, and ruin [...]s procured by Raine, it shall be strengthened with chaynes on those sides which lye next vnto Wayes, as also with good Rafters, according to the greatnesse of the commoditie of your plac [...], and other stuffe.

[Page] In the middest of the Wall,T [...]e dore of [...]he H [...]use. and in the fore-part, which is the part lying vpon th [...] Sunne-set, you shall make your Gates and their Porch, and in like manner a couer ouer head, to keepe the said Gates from the Sunne and Raine, which otherwise would beat full vpon them, and ouerthrow them, as also for the speciall vse of your selfe and your familie, as to giue them place and shelter in the time of Raine, or when they please: And the Gates must be so high and wide, as that a Cart laden with Hay or Corne may goe in with ease. You shall raise it halfe a foot aboue the ground, and defend it on the outside or vpper ground with a threshold well and fitly layd, and in such sort, as that vpon the running downe of water it may not rot, which they would doe, if they should come close to the ground: and that theeues may not cast them off their hookes with Lea [...]ers or Crowes of yron standing on the outside, which they might the more easily doe, if they should be cut short of the Earth, and not haue the helpe of the Threshold.

Ouer-against the Porch,A partition. toward the trade-way, you shall make a partition of tenne or twelue furlongs, well inclosed with Ditch and Quickset, hedged round about, for the feeding of your tyred, wearie, or sicke Cattell, which cannot keepe or goe in companie with others, as also wherein they may rest and chaw the cud in faire Weather and in time of great Heat.

The Farmers Lodge shall be built neere to the side of the Porch vpon the left hand,The Farmers Lodge. and shall haue the day-light comming in vpon the side toward the street, Westward; notwithstanding, that his Windowes shall lye vpon that side of the Court which is Eastward. His Kitchin shall be raysed two or three steps about the ground, to the end it may be freed of the moisture wherewith the Court aboundeth in Winter: it must also be high built and great, to the end that the floore lying nex [...] aboue may not be so subiect to the danger of the [...]ire, and to the end that all his [...]riends and seruants may at all times easily bestow themselues therein.The Farmers Ouen. The Ouen shall be set without the roome, hauing the mouth in the inner side of the chimney of the said Kitchin, and lower than the Mantle-tree, not farre aboue the Hearth.

At the entrance of the said Kitchin, and in such place thereof as shall be least subiect to the Sunne, and most coole, you shall haue a Dairie-house or small vaulted Roome paued, and lying slope-wise, and with a gutter, to serue for the huswifes Dairie, and therein shee shall doe all her busines [...]e about making of Butter and Cheese, and the said Gutter or Sinke shall serue for the auoiding and conueying of all such washings as shee is to make about her Milke vessels. On the other side of the said Ki [...]chin she shall haue the like house of Office, or vaulted roome, which shall also b [...] for the Huswifes v [...]e, and serue for a Spence to keepe her prouision of victuals in; and vnderneath this, a little Cellar: and the place for the comming out shall be in stead of an vpright Table, set as you goe into the Kitchin.

On the other side of the Kitchin shall be the Farmers Bed-roome,The Farmers Chamber. and one other ioyning to it for his maid seruants and children, and a third ioyning close vnto it, for to keepe foule Linnen: To the walls of which roome you shall goe forward to ioyn [...] a fourth, which shall be sufficient large, and the dore to goe into it shall stand in th [...] court without, and it shall serue for fuell, working tooles, and other necessarie things. And the vpper part of Loft of this roome shall serue for GarnersGarners. to lay Fruits, all manner of Pulse, Corne, Hearbes, and Roots in, that are to be kept.

Vpon the right hand as you goe in shall be Stables for Horses,Stables for Ho [...]se. reseruing also a sufficient great low roome bounding the great Porch, for the Carter and other men seruants, [...] as also for the keeping of Collars, Cart-saddles, Traits, thicke clothes, and other furniture for Horses: and along, at the end of your Horse stables, you shall make Houses for Oxen and Kine.Oxe-hous [...]s. And ouer the said Stables, Lo [...]ts and Roomes for Hay and Prouender for Cattell, adding to the end of these great Houses a little one, to keepe Calues in of both kinds, which you haue wained, with intent to bring vp for further seruices. At the end of all these Beast-houses, and close to the same, you shall appoint a Dog-house, if you like not better to place the same in the midst of your base court vnder some small Shed layed ouer with boughes, couered with straw, open [Page] [...] two places, to the end the dogges may take sent and breath on two sides, for this [...]atch thus placed will serue for the whole base Court.

In the place right ouer against the Porch of the Farme shall open the dore of your [...]wne house,The entrance of the householde [...]s dwelling place. which by a stayre of eight steps at the most shall bring you to the first storie of the same, the entrie whereinto shall be like vnto a plaine vacant alley of an indifferent widenesse, with an out-cast at the further end vpon the Garden, and that [...]ith a descent of a like paire of stayres vnto those at the entrance.The round staires. Vpon the right [...]and of this entrie shall be your Kitchin, Store-house, Butterie, and a place of re [...]ourse or lodging for two or three seruing men:The Kitchin. betwixt which Kitchin and Butterie [...]here shall be a winding stayre which shall haue his foot into the Kitchin, and thereby you shall goe vp to the Corne-lofts there aboue. Neere vnto your Kitchin, you shall make roomes to stampe and presse your Grapes in: The first storie shall be of such length and breadth as your appointed platforme layeth out vnto you, borne vp [...]n a raysed vault from the ground, well stayed vpon bearing pillars, and furnished with casements to take the Aire at, vpon both sides, and that to the end that you may haue an vnder storie of like length and breadth to that aboue, which shall be a halfe [...]ellar and a halfe-vault; which, b [...]side that it will preserue your lodging from earthquakes, will also serue you to couch your Wines and Cidres in, without any feare of [...]otting the hoopes, as also to hang your Bacon and other powdred prouision, your Oyles, Candles, yea, and your Wood also, and your Fruits likewise during the Frost. Your Lodging or Mansion shall haue no more than this one storie, aboue which you [...]hall raise no other saue onely your Garners and Galleries, keeping your house thereby of a lower pitch, and so lesse subiect to the rage of the Winds, which will saue you [...] great deale of charges, wh [...] as you shall not be forced to vse the helping hand of Tylers euery houre. Vpon the left hand of the said Alley or Entrie shal be your Hall, through which you shall pas [...]e into your Chamber, and out of your Chamber into your Wardrobe and inner Chamber: and at the end hereof, if the bodie of your House shall haue compassed in place ynough, you shall make a Chamber to lodge strangers; the way into, as also out of which, shall be by a turning stayre on that side toward the Court, that so such strangers may be at their libertie, not molesting or troubling you by their passing in or out: and this if so be that your good liking and inclination mo [...]e you not rather to build for the entertaining of your friends & other strangers on the other side of your Hall.The chietest Lights must be t [...]ward the East. You shall make your fairest Lights and Frames towards the East vpon your Garden, reseruing onely halfe windowes for the side lying vpon your Court, seeing they serue for no other thing, but that you may haue an eye vpon your folke, and to see who be commers and goers to your lodging: and at the end of euerie such little chamber you shall make a Priuie, for the necess [...] rie vse of euerie of the two said bodies of the house. Whatsoeuer roome shall be ouer head or aboue your Alleyes, Hall, Chamber, Wardrobe, & Chamber for strangers, shall be for Garners,Garners. that so you may lay apart, and by it selfe, your Rye, Wheat, Pulse, and Fruits, and cast aside your foule Linnen, and they shall all of them haue pretie windowes vpon the North side,The North wind good for the keeping of Corne. for that quarter is most coole, and least moist: which two things are of great force, long to preserue and keepe Graine. At the end of your Roomes, for the treading and pressing of your Grapes, you shall set vp your Henne-house,A Henne-house. and roomes for other Fowles, fashioned foure-square like a tower, but yet more long than wide or broad: in such sort, as that the lowest roome shall serue for Water-Fowles, as for Geese and Duckes by themselues; and the vpper for those of the yard, together with their Pearches and Baskets to lay in: and you must make vnder the Henne-lo [...]t some separated roome for Turkie Chickins and Turkie Cockes:Turk [...] Henn [...] and Cock [...]. and vpon high, vnder the floore that is ouer them, you shall contriue a close roome, after the fashion of a Lettuce, therein to keepe your Feasants.Fesants▪ As for your Peacockes, you shall giue them libertie to roust euerie where. Neere vnto the same place you shall make your ground Doue-house (if the Law will permit you such a one) in fashion like a round Turret in the middest of your Court.

[Page] Set your Sheepe-cotes and Swine-sties vpon the South, in such manner as they may haue no open pl [...]ce but vpon your Court: [...] and vnto the principall Sheepe-cote you shall make a par [...]ion of verie high Hurdles, to draw the Lambes from the Ewes, a [...] also the Ramme [...] in like manner: and close vnto these shall you make your Swinestie, raising two in [...]losures of Wals well dawbed on both sides, the one for the Sowe [...], and the other for the [...]ogges. In like sort you shall deale with Goats, making seuerall Cotes [...] them: and the vpper parts of all these shall serue for Garners to lay their meat and wh [...]tsoeuer food necessarie for such Cattell.

Right [...] against these Sheepe-cotes you shall make your Barne, [...] with his great d [...]re of the widenes [...]e of the middle Bay, and that to giue light to the Threshers: [...] o [...] thesaid Barne (if the Law will not permit you to build a [...] on the ground) you shall make you a place to keepe Birds in, of the same [...] with the porch, and as high as you will: the lowest part of it shall serue for Birds to keepe themselues s [...]fe in, when either the Raine, or too much heat of the Sumne, shall [...] them. One of the sides of your Barne, all along for the space of three [...]ayes, shall serue to put your Rie and Wheat in, and the other side, for as much length▪ shall containe your Pulse or March Corne: the middle part is that which i [...] of the breadth of the porch, with his roofe aboue.

And betwixt the Sheepe-cotes and Swine [...]sties, [...] right ouer against the porch of the Ba [...]ne, you shall make a place of a competent height, in manner of an Appentice, to s [...]t your Ploughes, great Carts, Drayes, Tumbrels, Waines, and other Instruments and Furniture for Husbandrie, if you please not rather to make the ground-worke of your place to keepe and nourish Birds in, to serue for these purposes, when as your a [...]thoriti [...] will not beare you out to build a Doue-hou [...] on the ground, because you h [...]ld not in see Fa [...]me, or Copyhold.

Vnder, [...] or vpon the side of your turne-stayers, according to the breadth of the bodie of your House, your Farmer shall haue a way into the Gardens: but you your selfe shall haue your way in by another winding stayr [...], which you shall make to descend [...]om aboue, from your alley that is ouer them: the one of which Gardens, as that on the right hand, shall be for Pot-hearbes; and the other for Quarters and [...]lse, together with a place for Bee-hyues.

At the end of a great Alley which you shall make from your winding-stayre to the wall of your Orchard, running betwixt the two Gardens, without any manner of par [...]ion except two Hedges of Quick-set, shall be your Orchard, seperated from your other Gardens by a wall continuing all along the two sides of the inclosure of your pla [...]e. And in the middest of the said great Alley there shall be Wells, to water by Pipes and Spouts so much as is needfull in the Gardens, if it like you not better to con [...]ey some Fountaine that way, or else to seeke for the Heads of some Springs, or else to make a Cesterne well mortered to receiue and keepe Raine water.

Th [...] O [...]chard s [...]all make the fence on the side toward your House, [...] and by it you shall make your way into your Feeding or Pasture grounds, lying along by the sides of some greeue and [...]lourishing Water-bankes: along the sides of which Brooke, as a [...]so about your Ponds of salt and fresh-water Fish, you shall plant Willowes.

Where you enter into your Orchard out of your Garden, [...] you shall on the one side make a Nurcerie for Seeds and Kernels, and on the other side for Stocks and Plants, a [...]d in the middest the rankes of remoued and grafted Trees, and at the end below y [...]u shall plant by ridges your Osiers, which may, for their better prospering, take the benef [...] of the coolenesse and moisture of some small Brooke.

The [...] Gate (otherwise called the Backe or field-Gate) on that side toward your Medow, [...] made for your owne going in and out alone, shall be set out and garnished with two Ch [...]rons, set vpon one maine Timber, and no moe, and foure or fiue Bat [...]ments aboue, and shut with a strong dore: for that way you shall goe into your House priuily, and in like sort goe forth againe when it seemeth good vnto you, without your seruants their priuitie, and for your auoiding of the noysomenesse of the Beasts Houses and of your great Court. And to this end you shall haue a speciall [Page] passage from your Stable or Garden, not farre from your house wherein you tread your Grapes, to driue your Cattell by continually.

Notwithstanding all which, [...] yet my meaning is, that your cost and course in building should be according to the reuenues of the grounds, or value of the profits, and that (as saith Cato) the dwelling House be not set after seeking of Grounds, nor Grounds caused to goe seeke Houses and Roomes: for great Plots of Building, and Inclosures of Pleasure, cost much to build and maintaine: and Buildings which are lesse than were requisite for the profits of the grounds, are a great cause of much losse in the Fruits of the same.

CHAP. VI.
The dutie of a Father of a Familie, or Householder.

AFter I haue thus disposed of Roomes and Building, [...] I wish and desire, that the Lord of the Farme may be a man of great knowledge, well acquainted and giuen to matters of Husbandrie: for who so is ignorant of them, hauing had but small practise in them, as also he which doth take his chiefest delight in other things, and spendeth his time otherwise, must of necessitie commit himselfe to the mercie and discretion of a Farmer, which will mocke him to his face, and will impaire his grounds and house also, heaping thereto a world of quarrels and suits, which he will raise: or else he must trust to some other accomplisher of the businesse, either in gouerning or waiting & attending: and he asking counsell of other the [...]armers thereabout, they wil make him beleeue things to be not so good by the halfe [...]s they are. And indeed we read for a certainetie in the Roman Histories, That the Earth was neuer so fruitful as then when it was allured & woon by the industrie of the famous Roman citizens, & deliuered out of the tyrannous handling of gros [...]e-headed peasants, whom we see before our eyes, notwithstanding that they are altogether ignorant, to grow rich at our costs & charges, & to the great spoile of the ground which they husband & till. There is nothing comparable to the ouer-looking eye of a prudent & discreet Lord, and one that is accustomed to Husbandry, and which looketh after & contenteth himselfe with such estate as may stand with his profit, and keepeth to himselfe the principall charge, which is a watchfulnes & earnest desire to preserue his goods, and hath alwaies care of his companie, and farmeth not nor yet renteth ou [...] any thing but that which he will haue nothing at all to do withall, except a little ouersight: Neither yet would I haue him,What things are most fit to be farmed out. in so doing, that he should passe any bargaine by the way of Notaries, or by Writing: for by this meanes he robbeth himselfe of his libertie. Let him learne well to know & vnderstand the natures and choice of Men, Cattell, & Grounds, and let not that work possibly fall out, which he himselfe knoweth not to doe, if he should stand in need, or else to giue directions in and to command vnto others; at the least let him vnderstand the times & seasons when, as also the manners how, things were accustomed to be done: for as a man which seeth not any place whereby he may giue light to another, can neuer lighten him so well; euen so that Lord of a Farme, which vnderstandeth nor, neither knoweth the seasons and proper times for to do any thing belonging to his gouernment & iurisdiction, neither yet the ordering of things, to execute euery thing accordingly, shall neuer know so well what to command, and doth nothing to the workman but t [...]ouble and grieue him: and it is the manner of men to mocke at such as command & will things to be done which are nothing to the purpose, but must afterward be vndone again, or els abide without any profit. This is it which the great Husbandman Cat [...] hath written, That the ground is very ill entreated & grieuously punished, whose Lord & owner knoweth not to teach & cōmand that which is to be done: but must depend & relie wholly vpō his Farmer. Therefore it is most necessarie, that the father of the Familie, or owner of the Farme, be most expert in euerie worke due for euerie Season of the yeare, as thus: first, for such Earths as are applyed onely to Tillage, he shall know, that if the Soyle wherein [Page] he liueth be a stiffe, strong, heauie, and tough Clay, he shall then, from Plow-day, which is euer the Munday after Twelfth-day, till S. Valentines day, breake vp [...] Pease-Earth, where he intendeth to sow Pease and Beanes, which must lye for [...]ait, which is, till it haue receiued Frost and Raine, that thereby the Mould may breake▪ but if his Earth be a mixt Earth, and of a more light nature, then from Plow-day to S. Valentines, he shall breake vp or [...]allow that Earth which he intends to keepe [...] the yeare following: From S. Valentines day till S. Chaddes he shall sow his Beanes, Pease, Fetches, or other Pulse whatsoeuer: prouided alwaies, that he sow his Beanes first, he Pease next, and his smaller Pulse last of all: He shall from S. Chaddes day till a fortnight before our Ladie day, commonly called the Annuntiation, sow his Oats, either vpon the I [...]ams, which is land [...]owne the yeare before, or on the tilth or fallow ground prepared for the purpose: from a fortnight before the Annuntiation, till a fortnight after, he shall sow his Barley, either on Clay ground, hassell, or mixt Earth: and vpon light sands, from mid Aprill till Whitsontide: from May day till Midsummer he s [...]all fallow his stiffe Clayes, or Summer-stirre his lighter mixt Earths: from Midsummer till Lammas he shall Summer-stirre his stiffe Clayes, and foyle his lighter Earths: from Lammas till a [...]ortnight after Michaelmas he shall Winter-rigge all such land as he intends to sow Barley on the yeare following: He shall also in that season sow his Wheat, Rye, or Mas [...]yne: he shall then also furrow or cut sluces whereby to drayne the water from his arable land, because the drier that it lyes, the better it is, and euermore the more fruitfull, as the experience of Husbandmen find by a continuall practise. And as hee thus knoweth how to dispose and order his arable ground, so hee shall also know how to husband his Pasture or Medow ground: as namely, in the months of Ianuarie and Februarie he shall first plash and cut his Hedges and Quick-sets, that thereby they may grow thicke and strong at the bottomes: he [...] shall then cast his Mole-hils leuell, and kill Moles, and prune such Fruit-trees as either haue decayed or dead branches in them: or else such superfluous succours, as growing from below, robbeth the trees of much sap and nourishment. In March, if your ground be not verie fruitfull, but of an indifferent temperature, you shall lay all those grounds of which you intend to haue Hay: but if they be fertile, and beare much burthen, then if you lay them at May day, it will be fully early ynough. At Midsummer you may mow your fruitfull low grounds, and at the translation of S. Thomas you may mow those which lye higher and are lesse fertile: obseruing this, that i [...] the season of the yeare be moist, then you may let your high grounds grow the longer, and cut your low grounds sooner; but if the season be burning and drie, then you must cut your high grounds the sooner, and let your low grounds stand the longer▪ because the first will burne at the root, and the other retaine his moisture. All these months of Iune, Iuly, and May also, when either the weather or other hinderances detaine you from these greater works, you shall then lead forth your dung, compasse, or meanure to your tilth or [...]allow field: and it is also a good season for the bringing home of your Fuell, especially when your prouisions lye farre off. At Lammas pull your Summer fruit, and reape your Corne, and your other Graine, either before or after, as you find them ripen. After S. Ma [...]hewes day if you haue any meanure vnlaid, lead it forth, for one Load then bestowed on the Earth, is more precious than two in the former Seasons. About a weeke before S. Lukes day begin to skowre your Ponds and Ditches, plant and replant Fruit Trees: and if any of your Hedges were left vnplasht in the Spring, plash them now, for it is an excellent Season. At Allhallontide cut downe your Timber, chiefely your Ash, Elme, or Ewe, or what else you prepare [...]or Cart, Plow, or Harrow Timber. Before Christmas brush your Hedges▪ and weed them from all dead and superfluous branches: also then, and to the end of Ianuarie, is good stubbing of Wood grounds, and remouing of Bees: also then you shall bare the roots of your Fruit Trees, and couer them againe with rich Mould the March following. Thus our Husbandman, according to the opinion of Oliuer d [...] Serres, hauing enriched his memorie with these knowledges, shall liue a Free man, and no Bondslaue, a Master, and no Prentice, to his Farmer or Baylie.

[Page] I meane all this while,The chiefe key of all the rest. that the abode of the owner of the Farme is vpon his Inhe [...]itance, and that he haue the Royaltie and Chiefetie of the whole, and that he doth [...]ithdraw himselfe from home, and secretly retur [...]e thither again when it shall seeme [...]ood vnto him, to keepe his people continually in doing o [...] their office and charge: [...]his is the cause why, among the rest of his Buildings, wee haue counselled him to [...]rouide a backe gate in the end of his Inclosure, [...] Let him not goe to see the Towne, [...]cept it be vpon his earnest affaires, and let him commit his Suites to be followed [...] which without great losse he cannot let passe and neglect) by some faithfull Attur [...]ey,To order his Suites. to whom he shall giue nothing but the onely counterpane of his Euidence: and [...]eing in the Towne,What time the Householder should keepe at his Farme, and when he may best go [...] abroad to the Towne, or elsewher [...]. let him not goe to see any man therein, except it be in Winter, [...]r at such time as when his Haruest is in, and his Seed [...]ime & first arder be dispatcht, [...]o the end that by one and the same meanes he may attend vpon his causes in contro [...]ersie, and goe about the getting in of his debts, I wish further, that he carry himselfe [...]leasant and courteous vnto his folke, not commanding them any thing in his choler: [...]or boisterous and rough handling will preuaile as little with men as with stiffe-nec [...]ed iades. Let him speake familiarly vnto them, let him laugh and ieast with them [...]ometimes,Men cannot abide to be roughly entreated. and also either giue them occasion, or else suffer them to laugh and be [...]errie: for their vncessant paines are somewhat mitigated, when they ar [...] vouchsa [...]ed some gentle and courteous intreatance of their Maister towards them. Notwith [...]tanding, I wish him not to be too familiar with them for the auoiding of contempt: [...]either would I haue him to acquaint them with his purposes, except it be sometime [...] aske their counsell in a matter, and let him not spare sometimes to seeme to doe af [...]r their aduice, though he had determined the same course before: for they will [...]orke with more cheerefulnesse, when they thinke that the matter is carried accor [...]ing to their inuention. Let him maintaine the cause of his neighbours, and not to [...]rrogate vnto himselfe, or take any thing vpon him, as commanding them. Let him [...]lso relieue them in their necessities▪ and yet let him not lend them, except it be some small thing▪ and such as he had rather loose than aske twice, except it be in their extreame need and necessitie. Let him patiently and quietly beare their tedious and [...]roublesome natures, whom he knoweth to enuie and repine at him, neuer falling out with them, or giuing them euer any iust occasion of displeasure: but win [...]ing at that which he knoweth of their nature and naturall inclination, let him pleasure them to the vttermost that he can, and seeme to be at one with them, as if he h [...]d neuer vnderstood any thing to moue him to the contrarie. And thus he may pu [...]hase peace and rest. And there remaineth nothing more for his office, but his seruice to God, loue to his neighbours, good instructions to his children, honest examples to his seruants, and peacefulnesse with all men liuing: hee shall rather lend than borrow, rather buy than sell those things hee hath vse for, but euermore better furnisht to sell than buy necessarie commodities. This is Serres opinion, and worthie a generall imitation.

CHAP. VII.
The Office of the Farmer.

TAke vnto you for your Farmer a man of indifferent yeares, not [...]ickly, but lustie and strong, and of the same Countrie & Soile that your Farme lyeth in, if it be possible, and him such a one, as whom you haue knowne of long time, or else by the report of honest men haue he [...]rd of, to be a good man, and his wife also to be a thriftie huswife, & his children well nu [...]ured: Such a one as hath no Farme or Inheritance neer [...] vnto your house, who frō [...] youth hath bin hardly brough [...] vp▪ and well experienced in matters and business [...]s belonging to Husbandrie, or otherwise, by means of great diligence & good will toward the [...]ame, [Page] hath attained the Mysterie of Husbandrie. One who is a sparing and sober minded man, not poore and verie needie, a gadder to Townes, quarreller or haunter of Al [...] houses or Tau [...]rnes, not suffering any thing to goe backward, or by little and little to come to nothing: one that will v [...]e to rise first, and goe to bed last▪ not haunting Markets or Faires at Townes, if it be not vpon verie vrgent necessitie; not admitting of new Wayes or Paths, and Breaches into his grounds; or suffering any encroachme [...] to be made vpon the least part of the Inheritance belonging to the Farme; for [...] ynch of ground lost in one yeare, is worth a foot within two yeares after: Which will not vndertake to lodge any Guest, if he be not the verie friend and familiar of tht Lord of the Soile: which is giuen to haue himselfe and all his familie cloathed rather for pro [...]it than for pleasure; as namely, to saue them onely from the Wind, Cold, and Raine:Husbandmens apparrell. for which purpose shall serue Garments and Sleeues made of Skinnes; Caps, Clokes with Hoods, or Cas [...]ocks of Canuas: for by this meanes there shall be no day so boisterous and cruell, wherein they may not worke abroad: O [...]e which will not haue any other to his seruant, but such as is [...]it for the busines belonging to the Farme, and for the worke and profit of his Master: Not giuen to play the Merchant for himselfe, nor to lay out his Masters money in Cattell and other Merchandise; for such businesses doe turne away and hinder Farmers from attending vpon the affaires of the House, and cause them that they are neuer able to render any sound account vnto the Lord of the Farme: and againe, i [...] they be demanded such Monies as they owe, they shew you nothing but layings out and costs in stead of pence. Such a one as will make no Bargaines when he is in drinke.To know to write and read, is not necessarie for a farm [...]r. And for Writing and Reading, i [...] skilleth not whether he be able to doe it, or no: or that hee should haue any other charge to looke vnto besides that of yours: or else that he should vse another to [...] downe in writing such expences as he hath layd out; for Paper will admit any thing. Againe,Paper endureth all t [...]ings. you shall not put him to make Reckonings of long time, neither yet of mo [...] things than his memorie may well carrie away. It behoueth that he be skilfull in all things, for which he hath Tooles, Instruments, and handy worke to exercise himselfe with and in,A Farmer must haue much knowledge. about his matters of Husbandrie: As also that he know to gouerne and amend all such Tooles as he hath the handling of, or which his folke vse: otherwise, if there should but need a handle to a Spade, or a nayleto a Horse or Tumbrell, there must presently bee admitted into wages a Nayle-Smith for the Cart, and a Shoo-Smith for the Horse. This his knowledge shall also serue him to iudge if he be well dea [...]t withall by such Craftsmen, as to whom he shall of necessitie be driuen sometime to commit, either to be mended, or else new-made, the Instruments requisite for his businesse. He must ha [...]e Tooles and Instruments twice so manie in store as he vseth to haue Workmen, to the end they need not to borrow any thing of their neighbours, for otherwise hee shall lose more in dayes workes not fulfilled than would pay for the buying of his yron Tooles. Againe, let him at the first time doe his worke so well, as that he need not to goe [...] it the second time: For in attempting to mend that which hath beene done amisse for lacke of heed or negligence, beside the losse of time, which alwaies is required in labour, the thing it selfe is also impaired and made worse: and this is losse vnto the Lord for the present, and without hope of recompence for the time to come, not being fit to yeeld such profit as it was wont in yeares p [...]st.

Let him haue his eyes alwaies vpon his people, and ouersee his Cattell euerie night, and not onely when they are in the house, but also as they returne from labour, or from the pasture: let him view and looke well vpon their countenance, gate, sta [...], and gesture, for to know, if there be any diseased or languishing: and from this care he is not to exempt himselfe any one day in respect of the Ox [...]n, Kin [...], Swine, and Sheepe: for oftentimes in the morning they goe to the place of th [...]ir walke in good state and plight, and returne sicke home at euening: let him not goe to bed [...] haue appointed euery one of his people what he is to doe the next day in the morning. Let him be last in bed, a [...]d vp again [...] by breake at the spri [...]g of the day, to see hi [...] companie euery one set to his appointed worke: let him euery [...]orning [Page] [...]iew the state of his grounds, let him not suffer his Cattell to be dulled with labour, [...]nd let him know the remedies that are good f [...]r them against falls, wrenches, and [...]ch other inconueniences. Aboue all things, let him be true, let him keepe and hold [...] performe what he hath spoken, let him no [...] sweare, but shew such example to his [...]eople as that thereby he may induce them to esteeme highly of him, to [...]eu [...]rence [...]nd to honour him. [...] For as a true and simple speech maketh a man to be highly re [...]arded; euen so a blasphemous mouth, and such as is full of oaths, an vnprofitable, [...]anton, and scornefull speech, accompanied with euill example of deeds, maketh a [...]an contemptible amongst all men. Let him eat and drinke among his seruants, and [...]f the same, and at the same Table. Let him pay them their owne iust [...]y, declare his [...]ind vnto them in mild sort, and not to pay them any thing before hand, if it be not [...]n case of los [...]e or sicknesse.

If you set any pieces of ground to him to farme (for still I vnderstand, that the [...]hiefe charge and ouersight should be yours) let him not runne day after day behind [...]and with you, least so you might make him negligent, and an ill pay-master, both [...]o your losse and his owne, and yet seeming to hold him excused, either in respect of [...]he vnseasonablenesse of the time, or hardnesse of the yeare, if either of the two can [...] any likely sort be alledged: In which cases also you shall somewhat beare with [...]im, and let him pay at many and little payments what he ought to haue payed toge [...]er, thereby to ease him so much as may be; and to the end he may bring his Farmer [...]ut of his debt, he shall not let to take it by penny and penny, euen by anie verie [...] payments.N [...]cessarie things to be prouided. Doe not pinch him of such necessaries as hee shall request of you, [...]hether it be for the maintenance of your House, or the repairing of anie other [...]ings that doe belong vnto you. Watch him not [...]o neere, as that he may haue cause [...] complaine, for he may wring you in some one thing that you would [...]euer thinke [...]f.It is not good [...]o exact too much at a seruants hands. And marke, that to be much exacting and ingrating vpon your Fa [...]mer, doth of [...]ntimes make him either a meere negligent, or a pla [...]e thee [...]e. Praise him for what [...]ou see discreetly ca [...]ried in the affaires of your Farme, and rebuke him not sharply [...]or that which you shall not find so well done, but counsell him to amend such and [...]ch bad trick [...]s, signifying vnto him therewith, that in so doing hee shall greatly [...]lease you. Now ad [...]ies Farmers doe not thrust themselues vpon a man, or offer [...]hemselues in multitudes as they haue beene wont to doe in time past, and there [...]ore [...]t is no more a common thing for Masters to make choice of some one among many, [...]ut he must be content to take such a one as he can find.The naturall inclimat [...]on of the s [...]uerall C [...]unt [...]imen of France. For this cause it is needfull [...]or the Lord of a Farme to know the diuers dispositions of men of diuers Nations: [...]or the NormanNormans. lo [...]eth to be peaceably dealt withall: and contrariwise, the Picard [...]oth stand in need to be handled ho [...]ly. The naturall Frenchman is readie, and full of inuention,Normans. Picards. B [...]yais. Lim [...]sins. but not verie hastie, except necessitie doe mightily prouoke him. You [...]aue a threefold choice of the Bryais, for there are some of them subtill, and some [...]ierce and outragious, and othersome si [...]ly and sottish. The Lymosins are industri [...]us, and giuen to sparing▪ but if you take not heed, he will rather procure his owne [...]ro [...]i [...] than yours. The Gascoine is hot, and quickly fallen into choler. The Pro [...]inciall is haughtie,Goscoins. [...]. and cannot endure to be reproued. The Poiteuins are deceit [...]ll. The Auuerguaes are industrious, painefull, and enduring all alterations of Time [...] Fortune: but and if he once spie out the thing whereby you gaine▪ he will share with you, [...] or else it shall goe hard. The Angeuin, [...]aurang [...]ois, and Mancean, are [...]ittie, subtill, and louers of their profit. The Ch [...]ram, Beauceron, and Soloignois, [...]re laborious, peaceable, apt, and giuen to be gatherers and close graspers. The Champenois and Burguignons are franke, free, and of a stout heart, but opinatiue, [...]nd wedded to their owne conceits, so that you must oftentimes let them goe on, vn [...]ill the thing it selfe shew them their error. Then according to the Countrie and [...]omplexion that your Farmer is of, whom you shall place in your Farme, you shall [...]solue with your selfe to handle his humour mildly and cunningly, that so you [...]ay draw from him, for your profit, as much as possibly you can, applying and fit [...]ing your selfe to beare that in him which you shall see past hope of amendment. [Page] But of manie and diuers Nations, haue a care to chuse out of manie bad, the best, and after such choice to be warie and circumspect to preuent that in him which might hurt or hinder you: Considering, that as grounds are of diuers natures, and loue that which agreeth with their natures; euen so there are some men more fit, apt, and [...]nclined to one thing than vnto others.

CHAP. VIII.
That the Farmer must haue knowledge of the things foretelling Raine, Wind, faire Weather, and other alterations of the Seasons.

YOur Farmer,The f [...]retelling of Raine. although he need not to be Booke-wise, notwithstanding▪ by long and assured experience must haue some knowledge in the things fore-shewing Raine, Wind, faire Weather, alterations and changes of the Aire, of all the parts of the yeare, and of the qualities of the same, of Tempests, Lightnings, Thunders, Colds, Frosts, and Haile, that so, according to the fitnesse of the Seasons, he may begin himselfe, and set all other his workmen to their labour.

Hee shall know before hand that it will be Raine by these and other such like signes: If the Moone, when she is verie new, haue her hornes obscure: but if the higher horne of the said croisant be more obscure and darke than the lower, it will raine about the last quarters: but if the lower be more darke and obscure than the higher, it will raine in the first quarters: and if it be blackish in the middest, it will raine at the full Moone: If the Croisant, or bodie of the Moone, hang sagging, and looke toward the West, it is a signe of raine: or if the Moone, being in the full, b [...] compas [...]ed about with vapours, and haue one or two blacke and thicke circles about it: or if the Moone haue a pale face and colour, hee shall marke whether the fourth, or (as some will haue it) the fifth day of the age of the Moone be rainie: for in th [...]se dayes lyeth the manifestation of whatsoeuer shall follow in the whole course of the same, whether it be vnto Winds, or vnto Raine, or vnto faire Weather. He shall also see before that it will be raine, if the Sunne be red at his rising, and by and by afterward become blacke: if round about the beames of the Sunne, at the rising thereof, there appeare a little darke Cloud: if at the rising thereof it seeme hollow, and (as it were sunke: or if it haue some red Clouds about it, mixed with other blacke ones, or somewhat grayish: or if it haue a circle about it like to that of the Moone: if [...] his rising it cast forth certaine Beames or Clouds toward the West or Southwest Wind: if at the rising or setting thereof it haue his Beames maimed, shortned, faint, and weake: if, when it riseth, it haue his Beames troubled and incombred, and yet not through the occasion of anie cold: so if when it riseth it cast forth his long and stretched-out Beames crookedly and ouerthwart the Clouds, notwithstanding that as concerning all the rest it be verie cleere and bright: if before it rise it cast and put forth certaine Beames: if at the rising thereof the Clouds be red, as well in the East a [...] in the West: if when it setteth there appeare neere vnto it, vpon the left hand, a little small Cloud: or if in setting, it shut vp it selfe in whitish Clouds, like vnto [...]leeces or cardings of Wooll, and that they doe spread themselues broader and broader, it will raine within a few dayes: if the other Planets be also compassed about with a circle, it is a signe of raine: if the Starres doe not twinckle, or giue their accustomed glimpses, or shew more great, or haue about them some small circle, it is a signe of great store of water. It is also a signe of Raine, if it lighten in veri [...] faire goodly Weather, and when the Skies are cleere and beautifull: if in Summer the Lightnings doe exc [...]d the Thunder in quantitie: if it thunder at high Noone: if vpon the tops and high [...]st parts of the Hills there flye scatteringly, and in wandering sort, thicke and gross [...] [Page] [...]louds: if after that raine is ceased, there rise a sharpe and cold wind; for thereby the [...]aine will begin againe afresh: if little Birds, haunting the Fennes, be continually [...]ashing themselues in the water: if the Crow doe wet her head at the brinke of the [...]ater, or wade into it, and crie verie much toward euening: if the Rauen sound out [...]er song from the hollow of her throat, and boast her selfe of her wings: if the Geese crie and flye more than they haue beene accustomed: if the Bees will not slye farre [...]rom their Hiues: if the Heron wander and whirle about to and fro in the middest of [...] fields all sad and lowring: if Oxen eat more than ordinarie, lye downe vpon the [...]ight side, looke toward the South, licke their hoofes all about: if the Kine looke vp [...]nto the ayre, and draw in the same: if the Asses bray: if Cockes crow at all houres, [...]nd chiefely at euening, when they are vpon their pearches; for the crowing of the Cocke at an vnusuall houre, as at nine, ten, eleuen a clocke at night, signifieth indiffe [...]ently change of weather, from drie to moist, or contrarie: if the Salt become moist: [...]f the common Issues or Priuies doe stinke more than vsually: if such creatures as are [...]entle take not so good rest and continue not their peaceable courses as they did be [...]ore: if the Wolues yell and runne neere about Houses: if Spiders fall downe, not [...]eing blowne downe of the wind: if Dogs tumble and wallow on the earth: i [...] Pi [...]eons come late home to their house: if Flies, Waspes, and Hornets, Fleas and Gnats, [...]ite more keenely than ordinarily they are wont: if the sound of Bells be more lowd [...]nd shrill, and heard further off, than they were wont: if the Cranes forsake the val [...]eyes, and returne at a verie good houre: if in Summer it lighten when it thundreth [...]ot: if Asses, old and young Mules, without present occasion, doe rub their cares a [...]reat while: if the Tezill, gathered and hanged vp in some part of the house, doe [...]hut vp and close his prickles, as taking a new shape, and cas [...]ing off all his rough [...]sse: if the Sparrow crie early: if the little Frogs croope more than ordinarie: if the [...]oot of the Chimney fall hastily and in great quantitie: if the Ashes clutter together [...]nto balls: if the Oyle sparkle in burning Lampes: if the three-leaued Gras [...]e doe [...]lose vp in selfe and gather together his leaues: if the Swine doe play a long time, and runne to and fro, shaking and [...]earing what they haue taken in running: if the wormes come out of the Earth: if the Cat, after that she hath a long time licked the sole of her foot, and trimming [...]he haire of her head, doe reach the said sole of her foot oftentimes ouer her [...]are.

Likewise he shall foretell great aboundance of Raine,Signes [...]ore [...] kening great store of Raine. if the Clouds be darke, deepe, and thicke: if the drops of water falling from the Skies be somewhat whitish, and make great bubbles and great falls here below: if the Raine fall mildly, and begin to fall with small drops: if the Water fallen vpon the Earth in great aboundance without any wind, be incontinently drunke vp of the Earth: if the Waters of the Fennes and standing Pooles grow warme without the heat of the Sunne more than ordi [...]arie: if Hennes with their Chickens by and by in the beginning of the Raine doe flye vnto their houses: or if in the morning they come forth late, and (as it were) not vnconstrained to their feeding: if the heauenly Bow (called in Latine Iris) doe stretch it selfe towards the South; or if it appeare double, triple, or foure-fold in the Heauens; and if it appeare after it hath rained, the feare of future Raine is not quite abandoned.

He shall foresee times of Snow in Winter,Signes [...]oret [...] kening Snow. if he perceiue that the clouds of darke ones become as it were whitish, chiefely when the North wind bloweth: if round about the Sunne or the Moone there come diuers pale circles, or halfe red ones: if in the time of great Cold the ayre grow thicke, and somewhat rebated of his sharpenesse: if it make a drie Cold, without any Frost: if together with many signe [...] of Raine there appeare many also of Cold approaching.

He shall iudge in like sort of Haile,Haile. if in the Spring or Autumne he see that the clouds of blacke and darke ones become whitish: or if about the moneth of Aprill, together with many signes of Raine, there be mixt darke and whitish clouds.

Hee shall giue good heed to the tokens fore-shewing future Winds,Signes [...]or [...]tkening Winds. and they are these: if the Sunne at his setting be red: if the Sunne set amongst reddish clouds: if the [Page] Sunne all the day long, or a great while before his setting, haue carried a Purple colour, and setting, seemeth greater than ordinarie: if the Moone haue a red face: if the Clouds in a faire Season and beautifull Skie be carried on high: if the Clouds appeare in the Heauens gathered together as they were flockes of Sheepe: if Forest [...] and the high tops of Mountaines doe make a noyse: if the starres of Heauen runne euerie way: if they seeme more gros [...]e, and of greater light than vsuall: if it thunder in the Morning, or in Winter: if in the Spring time it thunder more mightily and ofter than it lighteneth: if the sound of Bells be sometimes heard very easily, and by and by not to be heard: if the Sparrowes doe sing and chirpe beyond measure: if the Dogs tumble themselues vpon the ground: if the webs and small threads of the Spiders doe flye in the Ayre: if the Duckes doe spread and flicker with their wings often and a long time together: if the Heron crie toward night as he is flying: if the [...]lame of the fire cast forth many small sparkles: if the Wood doe crackle and breath out wind more than ordi [...]arie.

Hee shall fore-tell the happening of any Thunder,The signes foretokening T [...]nder, Lightnings, and Tempests. Brightnesse, Lightening, and Tempest, when hee shall see, that in the morning and euening in Summer, or in the beginning of Autumne, the Sunne yeeldeth a greater heat than ordinarie; and when there appeareth in the ayre a verie thicke and deepe cloud: if the Wind called Typhon, causing Whirle-winds, doe blow ragingly, and that the ayre be full of many thicke and darke clouds: if the dayes in Summer or Autumne be more feruent and hot than the season of the yeare can naturally beare: and that sometimes at the Sunne-set there appeare a Raine-bow toward the West: if there flye in the ayre many ajri [...] impressions and burning flames.

He shall be assured of faire Weather,The signes [...]oretokening faire Weather. when he shall perceiue that the Sunne sheweth it selfe cleane at his rising, or cleare and shining at his setting, hauing about it manie small clouds apart one from another, and withall somewhat red and pleasant: when the Sunne in the time of raine setteth, ha [...]ing his face red and fierie: and when the Day-breake, which men call the Morning, shall appeare of the naturall colour of white; and indeed the Prouerbe (A red euening and a white morning setteth the Pilgrime a walking) teacheth as much: if when the Moone is three or foure day [...] old, it shew it selfe pleasant and cleane without spots or clouds: if when it is in the full, it be seene cleare: and that that part of the Heauens, called S. Iames his way, appeare cleare and bright: if at euening there appeare many Lightnings, not accompanied with Thunders, or Clouds: if at euening or morning (at what time of the yeare soever it be) the deaw fall in great abundance: if the Northerne wind blow strongly: if the Owle after S [...]ne-set doe come forth and whoop all the night without ceasing: if the little F [...]ies before Sunne-set doe swarme together, and sport themselues in the Sunne-beame [...]: i [...] the Crowes flocke together in great companies, and call with a [...]ull voice: it the Crow call early in the morning: if the Bats doe [...]om [...] forth of their [...]oles at [...]-set, and [...]lye vp & downe in the open ayre: if the Crane [...] [...]lye high, and doe not betake themselues verie quickly to a lower pitch: if Wat [...]r-Fowles doe haunt somewhat [...]arre off f [...]om the side of the Water.

And although that the parts of the yeare ordinarily haue their beginning and ending at a certaine time:Sig [...]es [...]oretokening the be [...]innings and endings of times. as the Spring beginneth about the seuenteenth of Februarie, and endeth about the seuenteenth of May, and so consequently of the other: notwithstanding, for as much as these parts and seasons doe square and fall out of order, sometimes sooner, sometimes later, the good Husbandman shall haue, ouer and aboue the common, certaine signes and tokens to fore-see the beginnings and endings of the times of the yere as they may fall out extraordinarily. As if hee know that Water-Fowles fo [...]sake the Water, or that the house-Nightingale, especially the Male, do [...] sing more than any of all the rest: if the Cranes flocke together, and returne vnto the place from whence they are come: if the Geese fight together for their feeding place, being in great leanenes [...]e: or if the Sparrow more than ordinarie call betimes in the morning, he shall say that Winter is at hand. In like maner, if he see that the Western [...] wind begin to blow, and that the cold rebateth: if the Swallows do returne in flocks▪ [Page] [...] the Ducks haue their breast-bone white at the end of Winter▪ he shall iudge, that [...] Spring will be verie quickly: for such creatures doe sen [...]ibly feele and obseru [...] [...] bounds and approaches of Seasons, howsoeuer out of course and extraordinari [...] [...]hat they be.

If in Winter,Signes [...]oretokening Cold. in the beginning of Frosts, hee perceiue, that the Birds haunting [...]nding Waters, doe betake themselues to Flouds and Riuers, which are not so apt [...] freese: or that the Snow falling from the Skies is but in small and thin flakes: if at [...] beginning of Frost there fall some small, round, and white Haile: if the littl [...] [...]irds doe hide themselues in the Bushes, and seeke for their l [...]uing neere to Townes [...]nd Villages: if the Fire giue a more shining flame, and make a [...]oter coale: if that [...]oollen or Linnen dipt in Water doe by and by freese: if the vtmost parts of th [...] [...]die become suddenly cold: if in Winter the things which were wont to be moist [...]nd wet are espied to become drie: if the drops of Water comming from the roo [...] [...] Houses doe fall one a good while after another, he shall hold it for firme, that cold [...] neere at hand, or else that that which is alreadie will be verie violent and of long [...]ntinuance.

He shall prognosticate the length of Winter,A long Winter. when he shall see that the Oakes will [...] full of Acornes, or when the Ducke at the end of Winter shall haue a red breast [...]one: or that the Hornets doe appeare before the end of October: or that Ca [...]ll, [...]hich goe together in Heards, doe trample the Earth to myre.

Hee shall iudge great Summer heat to ensue,The heat o [...] Summer. if hee see that the Rammes and old [...]eepe doe couple together oftentimes in the Spring: for so indeed of the [...] and temper of one part of the yeare, a man may easily iudge what will be the [...] of another: for ordinarily, if one part or quarter of the yeare be cleare, fair [...] [...]ather and drie, it must needs fall out that the other should be rainie. As for exam [...], a rainie Winter doth commonly follow a drie Autumne: in like manner, a drie [...]pring commeth after a rainie Winter: and so consequently, the other parts of the [...] doe carrie themselues in Heat, Cold, Moisture, and Drynesse. Generally, he [...]all be able to prognosticate of the state of the whole yeare, following the Prog [...]ostications of auncient Fathers, as concerning the day whereupon the first day of [...]he Feast of the Natiuitie or New yeares day doth fall. For if it fall vpon the Lords [...]ay, the Winter will be mild and cleare, the Spring delightsome, windie, and moist: [...]ere shall be peace; Cattell shall be at a good price; all manner of good things shall [...]bound; old things shall die. If it fall vpon a Munday, the Winter shall be indiffe [...]nt, the Spring in like manner, the Summer windie and thundering in diuers pla [...]s, the time of Haruest temperate▪ Wine shall abound, but not Honey; diuers dis [...]ses shall raigne; some great Princes and Nobles shall die. If it fall vpon a Tues [...]ay, Winter will be windie, darke, and snowie; the Spring cold, drie, and moist; the [...]ummer windie and moist; Autumne verie inconstant: Women shall die: there [...]ill be great danger to such as are vpon the Sea: vprores will happen betweene [...]he people and their Superiors: some Fruits will be deare. If it fall vpon a Wed [...]esday, Winter will be verie sharpe; the Spring verie bad; a good Summer, and a [...]old and moist Haruest: Wine, Corne, and Fruits will abound, if they be not spoyled [...] men of Warre: young folke and children shall die, and Cattell likewise. If it fall [...] a Thursday, the Winter will be good, windie, and rainie; the Spring windie; [...]ummer good and Rainie; Autumne moist: Wine, Corne, and Fruits will abound: [...]reat Princes will die: there shall be peace betwixt Cities and their Princes. If it [...]all on Friday, Winter will be constant, the Spring good, Summer inconstant, and Haruest time indifferent: the good things of the Earth will abound: Sheepe will di [...] [...]n some Countries: there will raigne paines in the eyes: and there will some tumult [...] [...]nd vprores be made. If it fall vpon a Saturday, the Winter will be darke, cloudie, [...]nd sharpe; the Spring somewhat windie▪ the Summer moderate, and Haruest time [...]rie: the fruits of the Earth will not be plentifull: Fishes will be in great plen [...]ie: [...]here will fall out perils vpon the Waters: great spoyles by wilfull [...] will be com [...]itted: and Warres will raigne.

[Page] In like manner, according [...]o the disposition of the Sunne and the twelue day [...] [...] the Feast of the Natiuitie, he shall be able to fore-tell the inclinations of yeares: [...] if the Sunne be altogether beautifull and cleare vpon Christs day, the yeare will [...] good and peaceable: if vpon the second day, Gold and Wheat will fall of their former value and price: if vpon the third day, Churchmen will fall at varianc [...] if vpon the fourth day, young folke will haue troubles: if vpon the fifth day, all goods will encrease: if vpon the sixt day, Gardens will proue fruitfull: if vpon the seuenth day▪ there will be great Dearth and Famine: if vpon the eight, abundance of Fish: if vpon the ninth, a good season for Cattell: if vpon the tenth, great heauinesse of [...] if vpon the eleuenth, great foggie Mists and Mortalitie: if vpon the twelfth, Vpror [...] and Warfare. Wherefore, if the Sunne shine in those twelue dayes▪ and that con [...]inually, all these things will come to pas [...]e.

He shall likewise prognosticate and fore-know the disposition of the whole [...] by the disposition of S. Paules day, which is the twentie fifth of Ianuarie; for if thi [...] day be faire, cleare, and smiling, it promiseth great aboundance of the fruits of th [...] Earth: if vpon this day there be any Mists, there will ensue great death of Cattell: i [...] it Raine or Snow, we are to feare a great dearth: if it be windie, there will be Warres and Seditions among the people.

He shall know how euerie moneth in the yeare will be enclined,The knowledge of the disposition of eueri [...] [...]oneth. by obseruing the inclination of the day of the Natiuitie, and of the Festiuall dayes following: in such sort, as looke what Weather it is vpon the day of the Natiuitie, such Weather will follow in the moneth of Ianuarie; and so consequently the other moneth [...] will carrie themselues, and answere sutably to the other of the twelue Festiua [...] dayes.

He shall be carefull to foresee whether the yeare will fall out forward or backward: [...] if after Vintage there fall Raine, especially before the end of the moneth of October, the yeare will proue forward: if it raine about the end of October, it will proue indifferent: but if it begin to raine shortly a [...]ter in Nouember, the yeare will proue backward; and then it will behoue the good Farmer to sow in greater quantitie, for that before the mid time much of the Corne doth rot and spoyle in the Earth.

He shall not be ignorant of the tokens fore-shewing whether it will be a good or a bad yeare:A good or bad yeare. and proportionably to this, he shall learne to vnderstand how Haruest hath beene gathered round about him, and in neere adioyning Countries, whither their Countrie Corne hath beene accustomed to be carried: as also in such Coun [...]ri [...] as from whence they haue been wont to haue some brought; to the end, that by buying before hand, or euer that scarcitie pinch, he may either, by keeping of his store, o [...] else by husbanding of it sparingly and thri [...]tily, reserue such Corne as he shall know to be likely to proue deere, and that not onely for the maintenance of his Famili [...] and his Seed, but also to the end he may take his best time and place to sell his own [...] for his most profit.

He shall know a fruitfull and fer [...]ile yeare,Signes foretokening fruitfulnesse. if he see in the Oke apples, commonly called Gals, a Flie engendred and bred: if the Haruest time be beautifull and f [...]ire weather; the Spring reasonably hot: if there fall good store of Snow in his due tim [...] and season: if Trees beare but small store of Fruits: if Riuers and Flouds doe nourish but small store of Fish: if the Broome be fruitfull and abundant in bringing forth of flowers: if the Waln [...]t-tree▪ from his beginning to flourish, be more laden with flowers, for the bearing of fruits, than with leaues: if the Masticke tree doe bring forth hi [...] fr [...]t well liking and fed: if the wild Onion, or Sea-Onion, called Squilla, cast forth a faire and great flower, which withereth not so speedily.

On the contrarie,A barren [...]are. he shall feare a barren yeare, when he shall see that the Nut of the Gall shall bring forth a Spider: if any Comet appeare in the Firmament: if the Spring and Summer be too moist: if the Earth and Aire be full of Spiders, Worme [...], Wood [...]eere, and other such like Vermine: if the Walnut tree haue moe leaues than Nuts: if the Deaw and Frost come in vnseasonable times: if Birds in great flock [...] [Page] doe leaue and forsake the Islands and Woods, and betake themselues to the plaine Fields, Townes, and Villages: if the Crow continue not to abide in the Woods: [...]f there fall out great store of Beanes, and likewise of Fruits and Fishes: if there happen any great eclipse of the Sunne at such time as the Corne is in flower; for the eares thereof will haue no Corne in them: Which also falleth [...] in like manner, when the Seed which is sowne is either a leane, a light, or a halfe rot [...]n Corne.

He shall know whether Corne will be deare or cheape for the present yeare,Tokens [...]reshewing Corn [...] to be good cheape or deare and [...]n which of the moneths thereof. Let him chuse out at aduenture twel [...]e graines of Corne the first day of Ianuarie, let him make cleane the fire-Harth, and kindle a fire [...]hereupon: afterward let him call some boy or girle of his neighbours, or of his owne house, let him command the partie to put one of these graines of Corne vpo [...] [...]he Harth, made verie cleane and hot: then hee shall marke if the said Graine doe [...]eape or lye still: if it leape a little, then Corne shall be reasonably cheape; but if it [...]eape verie much, it shall be verie cheape: if it leape toward the Fire more or lesse, Corne shall be more or lesse deare: if it lye still and leape not, then Corne shall [...]tand at one price for this first moneth. He shall doe in like manner with the second Graine for the moneth of Februarie, and so in order with the rest of the Graines for [...]he rest of the moneths as they follow.Signes fore [...]kening a sickly or sound yeare. Furthermore, for th [...] better preseruation of [...]imselfe and his familie from diseases, as well contagious as others caused of distem [...]erature and ill disposition of the Aire, it will be good that he should haue some fore [...]ght to discerne what diseases in likelyhood may ensue. But the most certaine and [...]re token is, if at the end of the Spring, or during the Summer, it raine ordinarily, [...]nd that in great abound [...]nce, and accompanied with great and vehement heat, with [...]t any Wind at all: or if the Southerne Wind blow: or that as yet there haue not [...]llen any Raine at all: if the Aire be full of Fogges and Mists: if the Sunne endure [...]ny Eclipse: or if there be seene in the Aire any Comets or fierie flames: if the Trees doe seeme to flame and burne: if that the time of Haruest and Winter be verie foggie, and yet notwithstanding rainie: if Bread, set abroad in the open Aire, doe in the night time draw moisture vnto it, and become mouldie: if Dogs run mad: if that it be found that Wolues run into some Townes, being mad: if Birds forsake their nest [...], egges, and young ones: if there be a great death of Sheepe: if that Fennes be full of Frogs▪ if Walls be full of Sowes and such other like Vermine: if vpon the way a man cannot but meet with Wormes, Lisards, Serpents, and Moules, crept out of their holes and lurking places: if Birds fall dead out of the Aire: if in the Nut of a Gall be found a Spider: if young and old folke be troubled with the Pocks and Measels▪ if Women with child be brought in bed before their time: if in Summer, after raine, there be to be seene in the Fennes great store of Frogs, hauing pale or ash-coloured backes and yellow bellies: if Grounds, planted with Roses or with Violets, do bring forth and yeeld flowers in the beginning of Autumne.

He shall prognosticate great death of Cattell, if he see that the leaues of the Elme tree and Peach tree doe fall before their time. And I would that all men vnderstood that I haue set downe these things without any mind to derogate from the good and Almightie prouidence of God, who bindeth not himselfe to the Orders and Lawes whereunto he hath bound and tied Nature, but altereth the same euen according to his owne good will and pleasure, as being Creator of all things, and as vnto whom all honour appertaineth.

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CHAP. IX.
That the Farmer must haue the knowledge of the Motions, as well of the Moone as of the Sunne, and of the power and oper [...]tions of them both in matters of Husbandrie.

NOtwithstanding, that the consideration and obseruation of the Motions, Fa [...]ulties, and Effects of the Starres, and chiefely of the two great and admirable Fires of the whole World (called of God, by the mouth o [...] Moyses, Th [...] Sunne and the Moone great Lights. Lights) that is to say, the Sunne and the Moone, doth app [...]rta [...] r [...]ther vnto some excellent Astrologian, than to a simple Husbandman: notwithstanding, for as much as th [...] greatest part of matters of Husbandrie, as Beasts, Plants, Trees, and Hearbes doe take their generation, no [...]rishment, growth, and perfect consummation, by the liuely inspiration, action, casting forth of Beames, and wonderfull mouings of these two Organes and principall Instruments of all the World; it is very expedient that the Farme [...] and Gouernor of a Husbandrie should haue that knowledge gotten by long experience, which teacheth their vertues and powers in matters of Husbandrie, to the end he may handle, manage, and order the same according to the motions of those two great Gouerners.Of the Moone. So then to speake of the Moone in the first place (which, by reason of being neerest vnto vs of all the rest of the Planets and coelestiall Bodies, doth worke her effect in like manner vpon vs as concerning our bodies as well as vpon the rest of earthly things) it is most certaine, that in les [...]e than in one moneth it runneth all that course and way which the Sunne is in running all the yeare long: and that it hath no light of it selfe, but that it taketh and receiueth it all from the Sunne, giuing his reuerberations and reflections vnto the Earth with more vehemencie when it is further off from the Sunne: as on the contrarie, looke how much it commeth the neerer vnto her coniunction with it,T [...]e cause of the grow [...]h and wa [...] of th [...] Moone. so much the lesse light and force doth it impart vnto the Earth. Hereupon it commeth, that we say, that the Moone encreaseth or decreaseth: not that indeed it doth encrease or decrease (saue then when it is in his eclipse) being continually enlightned by the Sunne; but this his brightnesse onely which it casteth and spreadeth vpon the whole face of the Earth, doth only encrease and decrease. And this shining brightnes [...]e, according as it is longer or lesser time, hath likewise more or lesse force to mo [...]e the humors of naturall things to worke their effects. For by how much the more that this light encreaseth, by so much the more doth the moisture thereof spread and communicate it selfe aboundantly throughout the outward parts: as on the contrarie, by how much it waneth and groweth lesse, by so much the naturall humiditie and moisture doth withdraw, and betaketh it selfe vnto the inward parts. This is th [...] cause why men call the Moone the Mother, Nurse, Regent, and Gouernesse of all such humidities as are in earthly bodies.

Wherefore,To slaughter Ca [...]ell in the new of the Moone. to speake first of Field-beasts, the well-aduised Farmer shall not kill at any time whatsoeuer his Porkes, Muttons, Beeues, Kine, or other Beasts, of the flesh whereof he would make his household prouision for the sustenance of his Familie, in the wane of the Moone. For such flesh as is killed in the decrease of the Moone falleth away and impaireth euerie day, and also craueth much fire and time to make it readie withall: neither ought any man to maruaile or sta [...]d astonished at this, if hee consider well, that a Sawsage, or other such like kind of meat, doth grow lesse by a quarter when they are boyled. Neither shall he make account of or buy any Horse-flesh, or other, which was foled or brought forth in the decrease and old age of the Moone, for that they are more weake and faint than the rest: moreouer, they come to no growth, neither is their flesh of sufficient weight when they be killed. He shall neuer [...]sh his Pooles, Fish-ponds, Ditches, or Waters with salt Fish, in the decay of the Moone: for both Fish and other Beasts of the Water, especially they which ar [...] [Page] [...] with shells or thi [...]ke s [...]ales, as Crayfishes, Crabs, Oysters, Muscles, and such [...] are found veri [...] much impaired in their substance and leane in the old age and [...] of the Moone: and contrariwise, grosse, fat, and full, when she is in her force, [...] full. The Faulkone [...] shall chuse rather the full Moone to f [...]ye in than the wane, [...] that Hawkes, and all Birds of the prey, are a great deale more nimble, sharpe, and [...] abo [...]t the full Moone than in any other time. The Horse and Beast subiect [...] maladie of the eyes, is better at [...]ase in the decrease than in the encrease or full [...] the Moone. He shall make prouision of Fa [...]s, or of the marrowes of the bones of [...]utton, Har [...], Beefe, and others, if he haue need, in the full of the Moone, not in the [...]. He shall geld his Bore-Pigs, Rammes, Bull-Calues, or Bulkins, and [...], when the Moone decreaseth. He shall set Egges vnder Hennes or other Fowl [...] [...]he new of the Moone, and principally in the first quarter.

As for Trees and other Plants,Fruit-trees and others. the wise and discreet Farmer will plant his Fruit- [...]ees and others in the new of the Moone, and yet not before the first quarter. At [...] same time he will haue regard to cut downe and lop Wood for his fuell: but [...], such as he minds to keepe for to build wi [...]hall, when the Moone decrea [...], being sure that all matter (be it to build House, Presses, Bridges, and other [...]) being cut downe in the decrease of the Moone, lasteth a long time, and is [...]nd maruailo [...]s good, and yet better when it is cut downe rather at euening than in [...] morning: which thing may also be applyed to hewen stone and milstones, when [...] be cut out of their Quarries and [...]. He shall plant his Vine in the encrease of [...] Moone, when it is foure or fiue daies old: He shall cut the leane Vines, and such [...] planted in [...] bad soyle, in the encrease likewise of the Moone: but those which [...]ore fat, in the going away of the Moone, seeing that thus they will bring forth [...] Grapes than if they were cut in the encrease, in as much as then the Moone [...] vpon them to soften them and make them fat, cannot chuse but cause aboun [...]ce of Clusters and Leaues: but cutting them the Moone being old, the Wood [...]ommeth bound, and applyeth it selfe onely to bring forth great store of fruit. He [...] cleanse▪ prune,To cleanse trees & cut at the foot Fruit-trees toward the later end of the Moone, [...] they will become better laden with fruit. He shall make his Nurseries of [...], the Moone being ouer the Earth.

As for Fruits,To gather fruits. Grapes. he shall gather Apples, Peares, and other Fruits, as also his Grapes, [...]he decrease of the Moone, because thereby the Wines will be the better and [...] kep [...], which otherwise would be in danger to sowre and rot in [...]he moneth of [...] following, being the time that men are wont to cut their Vines. And which [...], he shall gather and carrie into his house whatsoeuer he would haue to endure [...] last long,To sow Corn [...]. To winnow or fanne, to searce and lay vp Corne vnder locke. at such time as the Moone shall decrease. Hee shall sow his Corne, as [...] and other Graine; he shall weed, fanne, searce, and gather together his Corne [...] a locke; he shall grind his Corne,To grind Corne. the better to keepe it in flowre, in the end [...] old of the Moone: It is verie true, that the bread encreaseth & profiteth more, [...] be ground, the Moone encreasing and being new. He shall mow and cut downe [...] Corne with Sythe, the Moone wasting. He shall pull Line and Pulse at the same [...]: and yet indeed all Pulse gathered or reaped in the growth of the Moone are of [...] digestion.

[...] concerning Hearbes, he shall sow them the Moone being new, and gather them [...] the Moone encreaseth in her light, as being then of farre greater force than in [...] wast and wane. At the same time he shall gather Cucumbers, Gourds, Melons, [...], Pompions, and all Roots which grow in the head, whether they be Leekes, [...],Onions so [...]n▪ in the wan [...]. Radishes, Turneps, Lillies, Saffron, or such like; except Onions, which [...] be dealt withall cleane contrarie: for they become a great deale more grosse [...] better fed in the declining than in the augmenting or full of the Moone, during [...] time they haue no such force of greatnesse of bodie: notwithstanding, if they [...] sowne or transplanted in the wane of the Moone, and towards the later end, they [...] a great deale more strong, sharpe, and biting, than if it were in the growth or full [...] the Moone.

[Page] Furthermore, he shall cut downe his Medowes, for the feeding of his Cattell, when the Moone is new:T [...] mow Med [...]w [...]s. hee shall dungTo dung them. his grounds and make them fat in the encrease of the same, in as much as the Moone giueth no lesse power vnto the dung to soften the Earth, than it doth to Trees and Seeds, to bud, grow, and multiplie euerie one in his place: he shall water his Meadowes in the decrease of the Moone.

And he shall not be content to know what force and efficacie euerie quarter of the Moone hath vpon Beasts, Trees, Pl [...]nts, Hearbes, Fruits, and other things contained in this inferior World▪ but shall also be carefull to obserue what power euerie day of the Moone hath, not onely vpon Beasts and Plants, but also in the disposition and gouerning of Man, to make his vse thereof in the time of necessitie, and in time and place, as occasion offereth: following such infallible Obseruations as h [...]u [...] beene long continued, and which our Fathers neuer attayned vnto; and they be such.

In the first day of the Moone, Adam was created: if any man fall sick [...] vpon this day, the sicknes [...]e will be long, but he partie shall recouer: the dreames which he dreameth in the night shall be found ioyfull: the child that is borne this day shall liue long.

In the second day Eue was created: it is good to take any Voyage vpon this day, either by Sea or Land, and the Traueller shall haue happie successe in all the places where he shall lodge and so [...]ourne. This day is good for the encrease of posteritie: It is likewise happie and fauourable to such as shall haue any Suits vnto Princes, or other great Personages. Likewise it will be good to build and set vp vpon: as also to make Gardens, Orchards, and Parkes; to till the Earth, and sow it. A Th [...]ft or Robberi [...] committed this day will not long be vnfound out, for it cannot be concealed. If any on [...] fall sicke, he will be quickly healed. If he dreame in the night time, he must not respect it, for it shall come to no effect. The child borne vpon this day thriueth and groweth iollily.

In the third day Cain was borne: Vpon this day no man is to enterprise any worke, either in Gardening or Planting, except that which he purposeth to lose: who so falleth sicke, shall vndergoe and beare it with great paine and griefe vnto the end; but by little and little, keeping good order of diet, he shall recouer his health. Any dreame dreamed this day or night shall come to naught: likewise the child then borne shall be of long life.

In the fourth day Abel was borne: This is a good day to begin a worke in, to make Mills in, and to goe vpon the Water. A Fugitiue or Run-away, as also a lost or strayed Beast, shall be quickly found: The partie falling sicke vpon his bed, shall hardly escape it: if the dreame he good, it shall come to passe: if on the contrarie it be euill, it shall not come to passe: the child borne this day shall pro [...]e a Traytor.

In the fifth day Lamech was borne: If vpon this day any partie haue committed any thing by hap or accident, and [...]lye for the same, he doth but lose his labour by such flight, for he shall by and by be punished aliue or dead. Robberie committed this day, shall not be found out: who so shall fall sicke vpon this day, shall neuer rise againe: the dreame [...]dreamed shall be doubtfull: the child borne shall die veri [...] quickly.

In the sixt day Ebron was borne: It is good vpon this day to send children to Schoole, and to goe a Hunting: Theft or Robberie committed this day shall b [...] quickly found out: likewise the sicknesses which shall be taken, shall be soone healed: the dreames which a man shall dreame on that day, are not to be disclosed: th [...] child that shall be borne, shall be of long life.

In the seuenth day Abel was slaine by Cain: It is good on this day to let bloud, foreseene that the Moone be in a fit signe: into what Coast or Quarter soeuer that [...] Malefactor or Theefe doth flye, both he and the theft committed shall be quickly found out; the sick soone healed; th [...] dreames certaine and true; good to buy Swine, and to make food of all manuer of Beasts: the child borne shall be of long life.

[Page] The eight day Methusalem was borne: It is good for Trauellers: the Patient taken with a disease, shall languish a long time: the dreames therefore shall proue true: the child shall not shew any good [...]ignes in the iudgemen [...] of Physiognomie.

In the ninth day Nabuchodonosor was borne: This said day is indifferent: th [...] dreames of the night come to passe incontinently: the partie that shall fall sicke will escape, if he die not within eight dayes, and therefore shall not languish or beare it mournefully: the child borne vpon this day shall be of a long life.

The tenth day Noe was borne: All good things done this day shall prosper: the dreames shall be of no effect: who so vpon it shall fall into tribulation and aduersi [...]ie, shall not need to feare, for it shall not long endure: likewise, he that falleth sicke shall die within tenne dayes, if he be not well succoured: the child borne vpon this day shall trauaile many farre Coasts and Countries.

The eleuenth day Samuel was borne: It is good to change ones house in: a good and ioyfull dreame shall fall out to be true, and come to passe within a few dayes: the partie lying downe sicke vpon his bed, shall there continue a long time, and yet notwithstanding h [...] shall escape: the child borne vpon this day shall be of a good spirit, apt and forward to all good sciences, and of a long life.

The twelfth day is very dangerous, and therefore we must not doe any thing in it, for vpon this day was Canaan borne: who so shall fall sicke therein, shall be in great danger to die within twelue dayes: the dreames thereof shall be true, according to their signification: the child borne this day shall be altogether hypocritically enclined.

In the thirteenth day it will be euill to begin any worke: who so falleth sicke vpon that day, shall continue long languishing: the dreames thereof shall be accomplished within nine dayes: the child borne that day shall liue long.

In the four [...]teenth day God blessed Noe and his workes: he that falleth sicke that day, shall amend againe quickly: the dreames thereof will be doubtfull: the child borne that day will be perfect in all things.

The fifteenth day shall be indifferent, that is to say, neither good nor bad: the sicke shall not die vpon his sicknesse whereinto he fell that day: the dreames thereof will be certaine, and accomplished within tenne dayes: the child borne thereon shall not be subiect to women.

In the sixteenth day Iacob was borne: For this cause it maketh good to buy and [...]ame Horses, Oxen, and other Cattell: the sicke shall be in great danger of death, if he change not his Ayre or House: dreames shall come to passe: the child shall not liue long.

In the seuenteenth day Sodome and Gomorrha was destroyed: It is ill to attempt and doe any thing: Physicke taken will doe no good vnto the Patient: the dreames will be verified within th [...]ee dayes: the child will not be prosperous in all things.

In the eighteenth day Isaac was borne: It is good to be at leisure, and to goe about businesse: the sicke shall be in danger of death: the dreame shall be true: the child shall not trauaile farre, but he shall get grea [...] goods.

In the nineteenth day King Pharoah was borne: This day is dangerous, wherefore it will be good to auoid companie and drunkards, and to liue peaceably without doing any thing: the diseased will soon [...] recouer: the dreame will proue tru [...]: the child will not be malicious, or a mocker.

In the twentieth day the Prophet Ionas was borne: This is a good day for the doing of all things: the disease will continue long: the dreame true and apparent: the child which shall be borne will be malicious and a mocker.

In the one and twentieth day was borne King Saul: It is good to reioyce and cheare vp ones selfe in faire and honest Apparrell: good to buy prouision for sustenance: the theft committed will be found out: the taken sicke in great danger of his disease: the dreame vaine and vnprofitable: the child borne, subiect to endure great [...]rauaile.

[Page] In the two and twentieth Iob was borne: It is not good to goe about Merchandise, not to enterprise or vndertake any charge: That sicke shall be in danger to die of the sicknesse that hee shall take this day: the dreame shall be true: the child borne shall be good and honest.

In the three and twentieth day was Beniamin borne: Whatsoeuer a man doth vpon that day, it shall turne to his honour: the disease shall be long, but not mortall: the dreames false: the child borne, a dissembling wretch and ill fauoured.

In the foure and twentieth day Iaphet was borne: It is an indifferent day, that is to say, neither good nor bad: the sicknesse will hold long, but the patient will recouer: the dreame will be of no effect: the child that is borne will be mild and courteous, and will loue to make great cheare.

In the fiue and twentieth Mortalitie entred into Egypt: The sicke will be in danger of death the sixt day after the beginning of the sicknesse: the child that is borne therein shall be subiect vnto many dangers, perils, and aduersities.

In the six and twentieth Moises diuided the Sea: the same day died Saul and Ionathan: for which cause, the day is verie dangerous, and not good to doe any thing in. He that falleth sicke vpon that day, will neuer escape: the dreames will proue true: the child borne will not be any man of great prosperitie or pleasure, that is to say, neither poore nor rich.

In the seuen and twentieth it is good to take paines in all manner of businesses: the sicknesse will be variable: the dreames will be doubtfull: the child borne will be mild and louely.

In the eight and twentieth all good things will be good to be done: the sick shall be recouered of his sicknesse: the child borne shall be slouthfull and negligent.

In the nine and twentieth day Herod caused the children to be slaine: This is a dismall and vnhappie day; wherefore there must nothing be done that day, nor yet vndertaken: the dreames will be verie certaine: the sicke will turne found: the child borne will liue and keepe societie in peaceable manner among men.

The thirtieth and last day is good to doe all things in: The sicke shall be in great danger euen vnto death, but if he be well and carefully looked vnto, he will recouer: the dreames will be turned into ioy within the fift day: the child borne will be subtill and deceitfull.

As concerning the Sunne (which is the other Instrument of the whole World, performing the greatest part of his actions really and in deed during the day, whereof it is the author, as the Moone doth hers during the night, as being then when she is in her force and vigour) it by his naturall heat, influence, actions, and casting forth of his coelestiall beames, giueth vnto earthly bodies their forme and vegetatiue life, accompanied with certaine powers and vertues, so farre forth as euerie naturall bodie is capable, and deserueth or requireth it: Which operations of the Sunne in these Earthly matters, are wrought and effected by certaine his motions, accomplished in the foure quarters of the yeare, which is that time wherein the Sunne dispatcheth his whole course. Wherefore the wise and prudent Husbandman shall giue heed to the foure quarters of the yeare, which are the Spring, Summer, Autumne, and Winter, to the end, that according to the motion and power of the Sunne in these foure quarters, hee handle, manage, and gouerne all his affaires of Husbandrie. And this is the thing that wee will more particularly handle at large in the Chapter following, by the workes that the Husbandman must doe in euerie seuerall moneth of the yeare.

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CHAP. X.
The particular Workes that a Husbandman must be carefull to doe euerie Moneth in the yeare.

FVrthermore, to the end that his people may not liue idle, and that they may not loose one small minute of time; which being imployed about some one or other worke, he shall dispose of his workes so, as that they may euerie one haue his certaine time, and he shall know at his fingers ends what things is to be done euerie moneth and time of the yeare. Yet thus euer to gouerne his memorie, that these labours following being more naturall to the Kingdome of France than to any of her neighbours, they shall, for their satisfaction, because the Booke is now intended generall, returne to the sixt Chapter, and there behold the conuenient labours fit for colder Countries, as is the Island of great Britaine, Ireland, and the Low Countries.

In the moneth of Ianuarie,Ianuarie. chiefely toward the end, hee shall cut downe his Wood which hee appointeth for Building, or other Worke, when the Moone is vnder the Earth: for the brightnesse of the Moone maketh the Wood more tender, and the Wood which shall be cut at such time will endure a long time without rotting. He shall dung the Fruit-trees, not letting the dung touch their roots. He shall graft all such great and little Trees which bud betimes, as Rose-trees, Damaske, Plum-trees, Apricock-trees, Almond-trees, and Cherry-trees. He shall digge the Earth for the casting in of Nuts, Almonds, and the kernels of Apricockes, Peaches, and Plums, and such others, in grounds that are cold and moist, in the two first quarters of the Moone. Hee shall cut his Vine in faire and beautifull Weather. Hee shall plough the grounds that are drie, light, white, leane, sandie, full of roots and great hearbes, and which were not eared in October. Hee shall giue the second eare vnto those his grounds that are most barren, and scatter vpon them the chaffe of Beanes, Wheat, or Barley. Hee shall cut downe the boughes of the Willowes for Railes for Vines and Stakes for Hedges. Hee shall prepare props and thicke square Laths to vnderset his Vines. Hee shall cut and take away the superfluous boughes of the Trees, the Moone decreasing. Hee shall turne the vppermost of all the dung made since S. Martins day vndermost, and contrarily, to the end it may be well rotten when hee shall carrie it out to spread it vpon his Field and Medow. Hee shall furnish afresh or make new his Carts, Tumbrels, Ploughes, and other his Instruments necessarie for his Husbandrie. Hee shall make prouisions of verie sharpe yron tooles to cut and cleanse his Trees and Vines. Aboue all things, let them beware of Sowing, because the Earth as then is too open, heauie, full of vapours, and like vnto Wooll not well carded.

In FebruarieFebruarie. in the new Moone he shall transplant Vines of two or three yeare, which shall now alreadie haue taken good root, but he shall not touch them of one yeare, which will not be remoued because of the small strength which they haue as yet got. He shall carrie dung out into his Corne-fields, Vineyards, Medowes, and Gardens. Hee shall cast trenches for the planting of new Vines. Hee shall cut the roots of the Vines, and set square Laths or Props for the defending of them. Hee shall prune and cleanse the Trees of whatsoeuer is superfluous: Hee shall cleanse them from wormes, [...]ilthinesse, and worme-eatings, canker, and rottennesse, which are to be found in the drie leaues. Hee shall make readie his Garden-grounds to sow and set therein all manner of hearbes. Hee shall giue the Earth her second earing for the receiuing of Beanes, Barley, Oates, Hempe, Millet, and such other Seed of small Pulse. He shall ouerlooke his Vines, especially those which he knoweth to be weake and tender. He shall repaire the Hedges of his Gardens. He shall plant woods for Timber-trees aud Talwood. He shall also plant the slips of Oliue trees, Pomegranate [Page] trees, Quince trees, Figge trees, Popla [...] trees, Willow trees, Elme trees, Osiers, and others, as well Fruit Trees as wild ones, which haue roots. Hee shall cleanse the Doue-house, Henne-house, and place where the Peacocks and Geese make their haunt, because that these Cattell in the end of this moneth begin to be hot, and to tread. Hee shall over-looke his Warren, to stoa [...]e it anew, and to handsome vp the Earths. Hee shall buy Bees: he shall make cleane their Hiues verie carefully, and kill their Kings. Hee shall buy Faulcons, Sparrow-hawkes, and other Birds of the prey, which he shall put into Mue in the end of this moneth.

In March,March. euen in the beginning of it, he shall sow Lyne, Woad (if it were not sowne in Februarie) Oates, Barley, Millet, Pannick, Hempe, Peason, Lentils, Tare euerlasting, Lupines, small kinds of Corne, as the Fetch, Fasels, and other such like bitter kinds of small Pulse. He shall g [...]ue a second carder vnto new plowed fallowes, which are now by this [...] well amended and dunged, so as that he may make them read [...]e to sow. He shall weed his Corne: he shall get Grifts to graft, when the sap beginneth to climbe the Trees, and before that they put forth any buds. He shall plant these Fruits, great Nuts, Chesnuts, Almonds, small Nuts, Filberds, and the stones of Oliues and Apricocks, and diuers other Fruits. He shall sow diuers Nurseries with the kernels of Apples, Peares, Mulberries, and such other like Fruits. He shall plant such Hearbes a [...] are set low and close by the ground, as the slips of Artichokes, Thistles necessarie for vse, Sage, Lauander, Rosemarie, Strawberrie, Gooseberrie-bush, Roses, Lillies, Ci [...]ruls, Cucumers, Melons and Pompions. He shall trim vp his Gardens as well [...]or the Kitchin or commoditie, as that which is drawne into quarters, or for pleasure, and shall sow therein whatsoeuer necessarie Seeds. He shall cut and vncouer the roots of Vines and Fruit-trees, to the end they may bring forth more fruit. He shall put dung to the roots of the Trees: he shall gather vp the loppings to make Fuell of.

In Aprill,Aprill. about S. George his day, you shall set abroad your Citron and Orenge Trees, as also all such other Trees as you had kept within house from S. Martins day, from which he shall remoue the earth from foot to foot, taking from them such roots as are put forth towards the vppermost part of the earth, as also all superfluous boughes, not suffering any one branch to exceed another either in breadth or height. He shall plant, if he haue not alreadie done it, Oliue trees, Pomegranate trees, Citron trees, and Mulberrie trees, and shall prune them carefully. He shall graft the Figge tree, Chesnut tree, Cherrie tree, and Orenge tree. He shall cut the new Vine, for at this time it endureth best to be cut. He shall be carefull to feed his Pigeons, because at this time they find but little in the fields. He shall put Horse to his Mares, the hee-Asse to the shee-Asse, and Rams to the Ewes. He shall make cleane the Hiues of the Honey-flies, and shall kill the Butterflies, which abound when Mallowes are in flower.

In MayMay. hee shall water the Trees that are newly planted: hee shall sheare his Sh [...]epe, fill vp his Wines, gather great store of Butter, and make much Cheese, g [...]ld his Calues, and begin to looke to his Bees and Silkewormes, of which he shall gather together a great number. He shall weed his Corne, cast the earth off his Vines the second time, vncouering and freeing their roots from the earth about them, to the end that the heat may not hurt them: he shall take away all the greene branches and tender boughes which beare no fruit: he shall crop the ouer-ranke boughes of Trees, he shall graft such Oliue trees as must be grafted in the bud.

In IuneIune. hee shall make readie his Threshing floore, and cause it to be thorowly cleansed of straw, dur [...], and dust: he shall cut downe his Medowes, mow his Barley, crop his Vines, thresh his Corne to sow in Seed time.

In IulyIuly. hee shall mow his Wheat and other graine vsed to make pottage of: hee shall graft in the bud: he shall gather from Apple-trees and Peare-trees the faultie Apples and Peares, and those which doe ouer-charge the Trees: he shall digge his Vines againe the second time, and plucke vp from them the Grasse called Dogs-tooth: he shall lay eeuen and fill vp the earth where it is any where cleft or broken, to [Page] the end that the Sunne may not burne before hand the Vine: He shall cut downe such Wood as shall serue for this Fuell all the yeare long.

In AugustAugust. he shall pull his Line and Hempe; gather such fruits from off the Trees as he meaneth to preserue. Hee shall take away the leaues from about such Grapes as are slow and backward, to the end they may receiue and reape the more heat from the Sunne. He shall make his Veriuice. He shall digge the Earth to make Wells, or to find the heads of Fountaines, if he haue need. He shall thinke vpon making readie his Wine vessels and other things necessarie for his Vintage.

In SeptemberSeptember. he shall giue his land that commeth to be tilled againe, after it hath beene fallow, the last earder. He shall sow his Wheat, Mas [...]ing, Rye, and such like Corne. Hee shall gather his Vintage: beat downe Nuts: cut downe late Medow grounds, to haue the after-Crop. Hee shall gather stubble for the thatching of his house, and for fuell to the Ouen all the yeare. He shall cut away the branches of Madder, and gather the Seed to sow in the beginning of the March following. Hee shall gather the leaues of Wo [...]d, and order them in such sort, as that they may be made vp into balls, and he shall cause them to be dried in the Sunne, or at a fire not verie hot. He shall cut downe Rice and Millet.

In OctoberOctober. he shall make his Wines, and turne them into Vessels. He shall bestow his Orenge, Citron, and Pomegranate Trees in some couered place, to auoid the danger of the eminent Cold. He shall make his Honey and Waxe, and driue the old Bees.

In NouemberNouember. he shall couch his Wines in his Cellar. He shall gather Acornes to feed Swine. Hee shall gather Chesnuts small and great, and such Garden-fruits as will keepe. He shall take Radish out of the Earth, taking off their leaues, and putting them vnder the Sand, to keepe them from the Frost. Hee shall lay bare the rootes of Artichokes, and couer them againe verie well, that the Frost may not perish them. Hee shall make Oyles. Hee shall make Hiues for Bees, Panniers, Dung-pots, and Baskets of Osier. Hee shall cut Willowes for to make Frames to beare vp Vines, and shall bind the Vines, and draw the climbing Poles from the Vines.

In DecemberDecember. hee shall oftentimes visite his Fields, thereby to let out the water which may stand in them after great Raine. Hee shall cause water to runne through the old Medowes, and dung them if need be. Hee shall make prouision of Dung to manure his fallowes that are broken vp and tilled. Hee shall couer with dung the rootes of the Trees and Hearbes which he intendeth to keepe vnto the Spring. Hee shall cut off the boughes and heads of Willowes, Poplars, Saplings, and other Trees, to the end that their boughes may more speedily put forth and grow so soone as Winter shall be past. Hee shall cut downe his Wood as well to build withall as to make his fire with. Hee shall make readie his Nets to catch Birds, and to beset the Hares, when as the Fields shall be y [...]ie, or couered with Snow, or ouerflowne with Waters in such sort, as that a man can doe no worke in them. Hee shall also occupie himselfe (as long as he pleaseth) in making a thousand pretie Instruments and necessarie things of Wood, as are Platters, Trenchers, Spindles, Bathing-Tubs, Dishes, and other things requisite for household store: as also Harrowes, Rakes, and Handles for these Tooles. He shall repaire his Teames, Yokes, Ploughes, and all other Instruments necessarie for the fitting and garnishing of Cattell going to Cart or Plough, to the end that all may be in good order when they are to goe to labour. He shall also make prouision of Spades, Shouels, Pickaxes, Peeles, Hatchets, Wedges, Sawes, and other furniture fit for a Countrie house store.

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CHAP. XI.
The condition and state of a Huswife.

I Doe not find the state or place of a Huswife or Dairie-woman to be of lesse care and diligence than the office of her Husband, vnderstood alwayes, that the woman is acquited of Field matters, in as much as shee is tyed to matters within the House and base Court (the Horses excepted) as the husband is tyed to doe what concerneth him, euen all the businesses of the Field. Likewise, according to our custome of France, Countrie women looke vnto the things necessarie and requisite about Kine, Calues, Hogges, Pigges, Pigeons, Geese, Duckes, Peacockes, Hennes, Fesants, and other sorts of Beasts, as well for the feeding of them as for the milking of them: making of Butter and Cheese: and the keeping of Lard to dresse the labouring men their victuals withall. Yea, furthermore they haue the charge of the Ouen and Cellar: and we leaue the handling of Hempe vnto them likewise; as also the care of making Webs, of looking to the clipping of Sheepe, of keeping their Fleeces, of spinning and combing of Wooll to make Cloth to cloath the familie, of ordering of the Kitchin Garden, and keeping of the Fruits, Hearbes, Rootes, and Seeds: and moreouer, of watching and attending the Bees. It is true, that the buying and selling of Cattell belongeth vnto the man, as also the disposing and laying out of money, together with the hyring and paying of seruants wages: But the surplusage to be employed and layed out in pettie matters, as in Linnens, Clothes for the household, and all necessaries of household furniture, that of a certainetie belongeth vnto the woman. I meane also that she must be such a one as is obedient vnto God and to her husband, giuen to store vp, to lay vp and keepe things sure vnder locke and key, painefull, peaceable, not louing to stirre from home, mild vnto such as are vnder her when there is need, and sharpe and seuere when occasion requireth: not contentious, full of words, toyish, tatling; nor drowsie-headed. Let her dispose of her stuffe and implements vnder her hand in such sort, as that euerie thing may haue his certaine place, and that in good order, to the end that when they be to be vsed, they may be found and easily come by and deliuered. Let her alwayes haue her eye vpon her maids: and let her be alwayes first at worke, and last from it, the first vp, and the last in bed. Let her not suffer to be lost or purloy [...]ed, no not the least trifle that is. Let her not grumble at any time for any seruice done to the Lord of the Farme: for the value of the least crum of Bread denyed, or vnwillingly graunted or giuen vnto him or his, may loose the quantitie of a whole Loafe afterward. Let her not trouble her braine with the reports & speeches of others, but let her acquaint her husband with them in good sort and manne [...]. Let her gratifie her neighbors willingly, neuer attempting to inueagle or draw away any of their men seruants or maids from them: neither let her keepe companie with them, except when shee may doe them good, or helpe them, or when she maketh some marriage, or assemblies of great companie. Let her not suffer her daughters to gad and wander abroad vpon the Sabbath, except they be in such companie as is faithfull, or that she her selfe be present with them. Let her compell her sonnes to be formost at worke, and let her shew them the example of their father, that this may be as a double spurre vnto the men seruants. Let her not endure them to vtter or speake any vnchast word, oath, or blasphemie in her house: and let her cause Tale-bearers to be silent, and not to trouble themselues with other folkes matters. Let her keepe close vp her Stubble and lopping of Trees for fuell for the Ouen. Let her not suffer the stalkes of her Beanes, Peason, Fetches, Thistles, Danewort, the refuse of pressed things, and other vnprofitable hearbes, to be lost, for in winter they being burnt into ashes, will affoord prouision to lay Bucks withall, or else be sold by little and little vnto the Towne. Let her giue good account vnto the Mistresse or Lord of the Egges and young ones, as well of Birds as of other Beasts. Let her be skilfull in naturall Physicke, for the benefite of her owne folke [Page] and others when they shall fall out to be ill: and so in like manner in things good for Kine, Swine, and Fowles: for to haue a Physition alwayes, when there is not verie vrgent occasion and great necessitie, is not for the profit of the house. Let her keepe all them of her house in friendly good will one toward another, not suffering them to beare malice one against another.To [...]se Bread temperately. Let her gouerne her Bread so well, as that no one be suffered to vse it otherwise than in temperate sort: and in the time of Dearth, let her cause to be ground amongst her Corne, Beanes, Pease, Fetches, or Sarrasins Corne, in some small quantitie; for this mingling of these flowers raiseth the paste, maketh the Bread light, and to be of a greater bulke.Prouision for Drinke. At the same time she shall reserue the drosse of the Grapes shee presseth, affoording them some little corner, for the imploying of them in the de [...]raying of some part of charge for the seruants Drinke, that so the Wine may serue for her husband and extraordinarie commers. But the naturall remedies which shee shall acquaint her selfe withall for the succour of her folke in their sicknesses, may be those, or such as those are, which I shall set downe by writing, in manner of a Countrie Dispensatorie, leauing the other more exquisite Remedies to bee vsed by the professed Physitions of the great Townes and Cities.

CHAP. XII.
The Remedies which a good Huswife must be acquainted withall, for to helpe her people when they be sicke.

FIrst, for the PlagueThe Plague. shee shall make a distilled water of the hearbe called Regina prati, after that shee hath caused the same to be steept in white Wine: or else shee shall cause to lye to steepe in the iuice of Citrons a peece of Gold, or the powder or leaues thereof, for the space of 24 houres, and afterward mixe that iuice with white Wine, and the powder or decoction of the root of Angelica, and so giue it to drinke to the infected. Or else let her take two old Walnuts, one Figge, tenne leaues of Rue, one graine of Salt, powne and temper them altogether, and rost them vnder the ashes, and afterward being sprinkled with Wine, let her giue them to be eaten. Or else let her take one head of Garlicke, twentie leaues of Rue, as many of Clarey, and powne them altogether with white Wine and a little Aqua vitae, afterward let her straine them out, and giue the partie to drinke thereof a good draught. The water of NapheNaphe. drunke to the quantitie of six ounces, causeth the malignitie of the Plague to breake forth by Sweats: the iuice of Marigolds, Scabious, and of the flowers of Betonie doe the like. Apply vpon the swelling a loafe very hot, or a Henne [...]ut through the middest, or a white Onion, made hollow on the root side, and filled vp againe with good strong Treacle or Mithridate, softened with the iuice of Citrons; it hauing all this within it, and being well stopped, must be rosted vnder the ashes till it be rotten; after that powne it well in a Mortar, and apply it: or else, if it be strained, the iuice drunke, and the drossie part applyed to the place, you shall perceiue the like effect.

For a continuall FeauerA continuall Feauer. (which is otherwise called the hot Disease) shee shall apply vpon either wrest of both the armes, the iuice of the stinging Nettle, mixed with the oyntment of Poplar buds: or two springs of new-layed Egges, Soot taken off from the Hub of the Chimney, and well beaten togeth [...], and mixt with salt and strong vineger, let her bind the whole vnto the parties wrests with a Linnen Cloth: or else in place of this shee shall take away the heart of an Onion, and fill it with Mithridate, and apply it fast bound vpon the wrest of the right arme: or else shee shall take the heart of a water-Frog, and apply it vpon the heart or backe bone of the sicke partie: or else she shall apply vpon the region of the Liuer, or vnto the soles of the seet, quicke Tenches. Many for this cause doe stampe the small Sorrell, and make a [Page] drinke for the great heat thereof, as also make a Cataplasme thereof to apply to the wrests of the sicke partie. Others doe the like with the water which they straine out of a great Citrull. Others cause to steepe in water the whole seed of Flea-wort for the space of a night, and minister of this water, with a little Sugar, to the sicke partie to drinke.

For a Quartane Ague,A Quartane Agu [...]. take of small Sage, or for want of it, the other Hysope, Wormewood, Parsley, Mints, Mugwort, white spotted Trefoile, stampe them all together with the spring of an Egge, and the grossest Soot that you shall find clea [...]ing to the Chimney, and of the strongest vineger that may be found; infuse them altogether, and make thereof Catapla [...]mes fit to be applyed to the wrests of the hands. To the same purpose steepe the crummes of two white Loaues, as they come from the Ouen, in a quart of Vineger, afterward distill the same by a L [...]becke, and giue thereof a small draught to the sicke partie to drinke, about some two houres before the fit come. Some hold it also for a singular remedie to take the iuice of the female white Mulleine, before it put forth his stalke, pressed or drawne forth with white Wine, and drunke a small space before the fit: The like effect hath the iuice of Folefoot; the decoction of the leaues and rootes of Veruaine boyled in white Wine; the decoction of Calamin [...], Peniryall, Organie, Burrage, Buglosse, Languede-boeuf; the rind of the root of Tamariske, Ash-tree, Beton [...]e, Tyme, Agrimonie, and the roots of Sperage, all boyled in white Wine; the iuice of Wormewood and Rue powred from their feelings, and drunke before the fit; the iuice of Plantaine drunke with honied water. Some doe make great account of the powder of the root of Asarum (otherwise called Cabaret) dryed in the Sunne, or in the Ouen, and taken in the weight of a French crowne, with white Wine, halfe a quarter of an houre before the fit. Furthermore, the Liniment made with Mithridate, or the oyle of Scorpions, applyed to the ridge of the backes, soles of the feet, palmes of the hands, brow, and temples, some small time before the fit. The verie same vertue hath the oyles of B [...]yes mixed with Aqua vitae. Some townesmen doe vse this superstitious rite against such manner of agues: that is to say, they eat nine dayes together, being fasting, the leaues of Sage; the first day nine, the second eight, and so consequently, they diminish euerie day a leafe vntill the last of the said nine dayes: and the confident persuasion that they haue of this medicine doth cure them. Some find it verie singular in a Quartane Ague, after purging, to drinke white wine, wherein there hath beene Sage steeped all night: if you eat before the fit a head of Garlicke pilled, you shall scape the fit of shiuering cold: if you drinke one or two ounces of the iuices of the root of Elder stamped and strained some small time before the fit, and take the same againe two or three times, you shall lose your ague. The distilled water of the roots of Sea-Holly: or else take a dramme of Myrrhe in powder, and drinke it with Malmesey an houre before the fit. The distilled water or decoction of Cardu [...] Benedictus, and taken before the fit: Pills made of Myrrhe and of Treacle as big as a [...]ich pease taken an houre before the fit.

For the ThirstThirst. of an Ague, let him roll to and fro vpon his tongue the three-cornered stone found in the heads of Carpes; or the leaues of round Sorrell, or a piece of Siluer or Gold, or a Snayle stone, or a piece of Crystall oftentimes dipt in water, or the leaues of Pursl [...]ne or of Houseleeke, or the husked seeds of Cucumbers.

For a Tertian Ague,A Tertian Ague. steepe in white Wine the bruised root of hearbe Patience for the space of three or foure houres, afterward straine it, and reserue about a pretie draught to giue the sicke to drinke an houre or two before his fit: or else doe the like with the rootes of Plantaine steept in equall quantitie of Wine and Water: or take a pretie draught of the iuice of Plantaine, or of Pur [...]lane, or of Pimpernell, and drinke them a verie little while before the fit: or else drinke with Wine euerie day six leaues of Cinquefoile, that is to say, three in the morning, and three at the euening▪ or the iuice of Smallage, of Sage, and good strong Vineger, of euerie one an ounce, three houres before the fit. The most soueraigne remedie that some men doe find for it, is to drinke fasting, fiue houres before the fit, two ounces [Page] of the iuice of Pomegranats, and presently after to lay to the wrists, temples, and soles of the feet small pills, of the bignesse of a Pease, made of an ounce of the oyntment of Populeon, and two drammes of Spiders webs, and there to leaue them, vntill such time as that the houre and feare of the fit be past: or else a Cataplasme made of Sage, Rue, Greeke Nettle, gathered before Sunne-rise, of each a handfull, Salt and Soot the quantitie of a Walnut, it being all stamped with vineger, and applyed to the pulset an houre before the fit. Some doe greatly approue of a Liniment of Earthwormes boyled with Goose grease, to rub the brow and temples of the sicke partie withall before the fit: or else to carrie about his necke the hornes of a swift Hart, which is a singular remedie.

For a Quotidian,A Quotidian Ague. it is good to drinke, somewhat before the fit, the iuice drawne out of Betonie and Plantaine: or to drinke euerie morning a reasonable draught of the decoction made of the root of Smallage, Parsley, Radishes, Sperage, leaues of Betonie, and Spleenwort, red cich Pease, and the middle ri [...]de of Elder: or to steepe in white wine the roots of Danewort, and to drinke a small draught thereof an houre before the fit; but after that hee must take heed of sleeping: or let him drinke euerie day with Wine two leaues of Cinquefoile, one in the morning, and another at euening: as also let him apply vnto his pulses the Cataplasme that wee haue set downe for the Quartane Ague.

To take away the paine of the Head,Headach comming of Heat. comming of great heat, namely such as befalleth Mowers during the Summer time, there must be applyed vpon the browes slices of Gourds, or Linnen Clothes dipped in Rose water, or the iuice of Plantaine, Nightshade, Lettuce, Purcelane, and Vineger of white Wine: or let her beat two whites of egges with Rose water, and with Flaxe make a Frontlet: or stampe bitter Almonds with Veruaine water, and apply them vnto the browes: or to wash the head in warme water, in which hath beene boyled the leaues of Vines and Willowes, the flowers of Water-Lillies and Roses, and with the same water to wash the feet and legges: and if in case the paine be so great, as that there is feare that hee should loose his wits, let there be applyed vpon the crowne of his head, browes, and temples, a Cataplasme made of the white of an egge, Bole-armoniacke, Crabbes throughly boyled, and Poppie seed, with the water of Betonie and Vineger.

If the Head complaine it selfe of too much Drinke,Headach comming of drinking of Wine. there may be made a Frontlet with wild Time, Maiden haire, and Roses: or receiue and take the fume of the decoction of Coleworts: or by and by after the head beginneth to be ill, to eat one or two short-started Apples, or some bitter Almonds: or else to drinke of the shauings of Harts-horne, with Fountaine or Riuer water: or if you see that your stomacke be not sicke, thou mayst take of the haire of the Beast that hath made thee ill, and drinke off a good glasse of Wine.

If the Head become sicke of some great Cold,Headach proceeding of Cold [...]. apply and lay to the Head a bag full of Branne, Millet, and rubbed Salt: or of Sage, Marierome, Betonie, Tyme, Annise-seed, Fennell-seed, Bay-berries, and Iuniper-berries, as hot as you can endure them: or else chafe the temples with the iuice of Nightshade, oyle of Roses, and Vineger.

To cure the FrensieFrensie. that commeth of a hot cause, you must apply vpon the head of the patient the lungs of a Sheepe newly killed, or the whole Gather: or some Henne or Pigeon slit along the backe and applyed vnto the same place: or rub his browes and all his head ouer with oyle of Roses, Vineger, and Populeon: or with the iuice of Nightshade, oyle of Roses, and Vineger.

To awake those which are giuen to sleepe too soundly,Drowsinesse, or heauinesse of Sleepe. it is good to make a Frontlet of Sauorie boyled in Vineger: or to make a perfume for the patients nosthrils with strong Vineger, or seed of Rue, or Nigella, or feathers of a Partridge, or of old Shooe soles, or of the hoofes of an Asse, or of mans haire: or else to apply vpon the browes a Cataplasme of Mithridate, and vpon the right arme the head of a Bat.

[Page] To cause them to sleepe which cannot well slumber,Too much watchfulnesse. it is good to make a Frontlet with the seed of Poppie, Henbane, Lettuce, and the iuice of Nightshade: or the milke of a woman giuing a girle sucke: or with the leaues of ground yu [...]e, stamped with the white of an egge: or put vnder the pillow a Mandrake apple, or the greene leaues of Henbane, and rub the soles of the feet with the grea [...]e of a Dormouse.

For the swimming in the Head,Swimming in the Head. there is commonly vsed the conserue of the flowers of Betonie, or Aqua vitae, or the confection called Electuarium Anacardinum.

To preserue such from the ApoplexieThe Apoplexie. as are subiect vnto it, let them drinke in Winter a good spoonefull of Aqua vitae well sugred, and let them eat a bit of White bread by and by after; or in stead of Aqua vitae, let them drinke the Claret water which I will set downe hereafter, or of the water of the root of the wild Vine, or of the powder of the root thereof continually for the space of a yeare.

For the Palsie,The Palsie. rub the place afflicted with the oyle of Foxes, Bayes, and Castoreum, mixing therewith a little Aqua vitae: vse likewise oftentimes the water of Cinnamon, and of S. Iohns wort; or the conserues of Sage, Rosemarie, Cowslips, Baul [...]e, and Mithridate: make him drie Bathes with the decoction of Lauander, Coastmarie, Danewort, Sage, and Marierome.

To preserue one from the Falling sicknesse,The Epilepsie or falling sicknes. otherwise called S. Iohns disease, it is a soueraigne thing to drinke for the space of nine dayes a little draught of the iuice of the hearbe Paralysis or Cows [...]ps, or of the distilled water of the Linden tree, or of Coriander: or to vse euerie morning, for the space of fortie dayes, a powder made of the seed of Pionie, and Missletoe of the Oake, or of the skull of a Man, and more specially of that part of the skull which is neerest vnto the seame of the crowne, with neat Wine, or with the decoction of Pionie: as also to hang about his necke the Missletoe of the Oake, or some piece of a mans skull, or of the root or seed of male Pionie, or of the stone that is found in Swallowes neasts: or to weare about his necke, or vpon one of his fingers, some ring, wherein shal be set the bone of the foot of the Oxe called Elam or Alce, and that so, as that the bone may touch the flesh or bare skin: you shall deliuer them that are in that fit, if you tickle them and pinch their great toe, or rub their lips with mans bloud.

To take away the rednesse of the Face,Rednesse of the face. it is good to wash the face with the decoction of the chaffe of Barley and Oates, and to foment it afterward with the iuice of Citrons: or else take foure ounces of Peach kernels, two ounces of the husked seedes of Gourds, bruise them and presse them out strongly, to the end they may yeeld their oyle: rub or touch with this liquor the pimples or red places.

To take away the spots of the Face,Spots in the face. make a composition of the flower of Lupines, Goats gall, iuice of Limons, and verie white Allome, touch the spotted places with this oyntment or else make an oyntment: with the oyle of bitter Almonds, Honey, Ireos, and Waxe: or else rub your face with the bloud of a Cocke, Henne, or Pigeon: or foment it with the water of the flowers of Beanes, Orenges, or Mulberries.

For the Kings euillThe Kings euill. take Leekes, with the leaues and roots of the hearbe Patience, presse out about some pound of the iuice thereof, in which you shall dissolue an ounce of Pellitorie powdred, and a scruple of Viridis aeris, mixe all verie well together, and herewithall you shall daily foment the said disease: Hang about your necke the roots of water Betonie, and the lesser Plantaine. If you cut the foot of a great Witwall or Toad, when the Moone is declining, and beginneth to ioyne it selfe to the Sunne, and that you apply it round about his neck which hath the Kings euill, you shall find it verie soueraigne for the said disease. The dung of a Cow or Oxe heated vnder the ashes betwixt Vine or Colewort leaues, and mingled with Vineger, hath a propertie to bring the swelling to ripenesse. Or else vse this remedie, which is alwayes readie, singular good, and well approued: Take a sufficient [Page] quantitie of Nicotiana, stampe it in a verie cleane Mortar, and apply both the iuice and drossie parts thereof vnto the said tumour together: and doe this nine or tenne times.

The Rheume falling downe vpon the eyes is stayed by a Cataplasme applyed to the browes,Ill eyes. made of the muscillage of shell-Snailes, and corporated with the flower of Frankincense and Aloes well stirred together, vntill that the whole become to the thicknesse of Honey.

For a weake Sight,A weake sight. take Fennell, Veruaine, Clarey, Rue, Eye-bright, and Roses, of each a like, and distill them all in a Limbecke: of this water distilled put three or foure drops in your eyes morning and euening. Also the water of young Pies distilled in a Furnace is verie good: in like manner the water of rotten Apples, putting two or three drops thereof into them. It is good for the same disease to take the vapour of the decoction of Fennell, Eye-bright, and Rue: to drinke euerie morning a small draught of Eye-bright wine, or to prepare a powder with dried Eye-bright and Sugar, to take thereof euerie morning the weight of a French crowne, two or three houres before meat. There is a stone found within the gall of an Oxe, which put into the nosthrils, doth maruellously cleare the sight: [...]o doth the wine made of the root of Maiden haire, if it be oft vsed in the morning.

For the paine of the Eyes,Paine in the eyes. it is good to make the decoction of Camomile, Melilot, and the seed of Fennell in water and white Wine, and dipping a foure-fold Linnen Cloth therein, and after wringing it well, to apply the same oftentimes to the eye: or else to lay vpon it womans milke and the white of an egge well beat together.

The rednesse of the EyesRednesse in [...] eye. is amended by the applying of Linnen Clothes or Plegets of Flaxe, moistened in the whites of egges well beat together with Rose or Plantaine water: or else boyle a sowre and sharpe Apple, take the pulpe thereof, and mix it with Nurce milke; afterward make a little Liniment to be applyed to the red eyelids. In the meane time you may apply to the temples a frontlet made with Prouence Roses, or conserue of Roses, and other astringent things, to the end that the [...]he [...]me falling from the braine may be stayed, seeing it is the cause of such rednesse. Other cause small, thinne, and daintie slices of Veale, or of the necke of an Oxe newly killed, to be steeped in womans milke, and lay them vpon the eyes, laying againe aboue them stupes of Flaxe. Some cause little children to make water in Copper, Brasse, or Latten vessels, they swill the vrine round about the Basin, and afterward vpon the suddain doe cast it out of the Basin, they couer the Basin with a cleane Linnen Cloth, and let it stand so couered foure and twentie houres, they find rust in the bottome and round about it, they gather and dissolue the said rust with Rose water, which Rose water they keepe within a Violl well stopped, and drop thereof into their eyes euening and morning, holding them wide open. Many likewise there be which content themselues with Tuthia prepared.

To take away the filthinesse or gumminesse of the eyes,Filth in the eye. touch them and rub them round about with a Saphire dipt in cold water.

To preuent that the eye doe not continue blacke or red after a blow,A blacke and blew eye. there must by and by be dropt into the eye the bloud of the wing of a Pigeon or Turtle doue.

To take away red spots or blemishes of the eye,A blemish in the eye. it is good to vse the like remedie, or else to apply to the eye a Cataplasme made of young Wormewood, stamped with the milke of a woman and Rose water.

For an old rednesse in the eye,Rednesse in the eyes. take the bignesse of a small Nut of white Copperas, and a scruple of Florence Ireos, as much of Roch Allome, make a powder, which you shall mix with halfe a pint of Fountaine water after the measure of Paris; or else boyle them all together vntill the water become cleare, and drop into your eye three or foure drops, either of the one water, or of the other: or make a Liniment to apply vpon it with the drosse of oyle of Linseed, gumme Arabicke, Tragacanth, Mastick, and Camphire.

[Page] For the inflammation of the Eye,The inflammation of the Eye. it is a singular remedie to apply to the eye the lungs of a Sheepe newly killed: or to make a Cataplasme of the pulpe of a sweet apple roasted vnder the embers, mingled with Barley meale, the milke of a woman, Rose water, and the white of an egge: The water of Marigol [...]s is also soueraigne good in this case. A Wolues eye, or the stones that are found in the mawes of Swallowes, haue the like vertue hanged about the necke. Or take with the point of a needle a piece of Frankincense, set it on fire with a waxe Candle, after quench it in foure ounces of Rose water, goe ouer this course thirtie times, and straine the Rose water through a white Linnen Cloth, and keepe it to drop in some drops of the same into the corners of your eyes at night when you goe to bed: and in case you may feele great paine in your eyes, mixe together with this water a little of womans milke.

To restraine teares and all other humors falling vpon the eyes,The weeping Eye. it is good to take a decoction of the leaues of Betonie, the roots of Fennell, and a little fine Frankincense, and to make an eye- [...]alue thereof: also to wash the weeping eyes oftentimes with the decoction of Che [...]uile, or to drop thereinto sometimes the iuice of Rue mixt with purified Honey. Some hold it for a secret remedie to tye behind the head some drops of Amber, which also haue the vertue to slay the [...]heume falling downe into the throat: or else to drop into the eye water distilled of the gall of a man and Celandine: or else to annoint the edges of the eye-lids with the soot of Butter burned in a Lampe, which is a secret for to drie vp and stay all rheumes of the eyes, and to shut vp most speedily all vlcers made in the great corners of the eyes, and all rheumes comming of the tendernesse or blearednesse of the eye.

For the white spots of the Eyes,The white spots of the Eyes. take one or many new egges layd the same day by one or moe blacke Hennes, or for want of blacke Hennes, by other, rost them hard vpon hot embers, cut them afterward into equall quarters, and take away the yelke, and put in place thereof as much Sugar candie, made in powder, of the whitest you can get, strayne all together through a Linnen Cloth verie cleane and doubled, that so you may doe it verie strongly: the water or liquor that commeth forth is verie good to drop one drop after another into the diseased eye, at night when they goe to bed, or at any houre of the day. There is another water verie good for the same disease, which is made of white Copperas, Sugar candie, Rose water, and the hard whites of egges, they being all strayned through a Linnen Cloth, and of this there must be some put into the eye after dinner and at night going to bed. Some doe vse with verie good successe another Water, which is this: Take of Tuthia prepared and powdered an ounce, Mace halfe an ounce, infuse them together in Rose water and white Wine, of each halfe a pint of Paris measure, for the space of sixe weekes in a Glasse well stopped: this Glasse you shall set in the Sunne when it shineth, and take it in when it shineth not, or is Night, or Raine; stirre the Glasse twice or thrice euerie day: These remedies are likewise good for red, running, and weake eyes.

For ach in the Eare,Ache in the Eare. comming of a hot cause, drop thereinto the oyle of Henbane: take oyle of Roses, and a little Vineger, and make thereof an iniection into the eare, apply thereto afterward a bag of Camomill▪ Melilote, Linseed, and Holihocks, boyled in milke. If the cause be of cold, then put therein musked Cotton, or a graine of Muske. Seribonius doth commend greatly the foot of Pitch dropped warme into the eare which aketh by reason of an inflammation, together with a little of the oyle of Roses.

Against the noyse and sounding of the Eare,A noise in the Eare. it is good to drop into the eares of the oyle of Rue, or Spike, oyle of bitter Almonds, or Bayes, together with a little Aqua vitae, or fat of an E [...]le: or Aqua vitae wherein hath beene steept the seed of Cummin or A [...]ise: or else take the scrapings of the wood of Cedar tree, made verie small, and thereof fill a bag of crimson Taffata verie thin, of the greatnesse of an Almond, dip it in verie good Aqua vitae, in such sort, as that the said bagge be throughly drencht with the same, put the same bagge well and forward and close into the [Page] hole of the eare which bloweth and soundeth, and afterward lye downe vpon the same eare.

Against Deafenesse,Deafenesse. you must drop into your eares the iuice of an Onion, or of Brionie, mixed with Honey or Oyle, wherein haue beene boyled the roots of Daffodill: or of the iuice of the ri [...]des of Radishes, mixt with oyle of Roses: or the fat of an Eele, and the oyle of bitter Almonds.

For the losse of Smelling,The smelling lost. or when it is corrupted, make a perfume with the seed of Nigella, the leaues of Aron, Rue, and other hearbes which haue a strong fauour: also smell oft vpon Mints.

For tumors vnder the eare,Swelling vnder the eare. you must make a Cataplasme of the flower of Barley boyled in honied water, and putting thereto the Muscilage of Fleawort seed and the oyle of Lillies. A Cataplasme made of the dung of Goats, fresh Butter, and the residence of the oyle of Nuts doth digest the swellings vnder the eare.

Against the stinking of the Nosthrils,Stinking nosthrils. it is good to snuffe vp into the nosthrils of the decoction of Marierome, Calameth, Cloues, Ginger, and Nutmegs, made inwhite Wine, or else of the vineger of Squils.

To stay bleeding at the Nose,Bleeding at the nose. you must by and by lay your thumbe vpon that side of the nose that bleedeth, and you must put about your necke a neck-lace of Iaspar stone: you must tie the vttermost parts of the bodie so strait as you can, and put in the nose a tent of dead Nettles, and hold in your hands the leaues and rootes of Agrimonie: or else hold in your mouth verie cold Cesterne water, and change it oftentimes. Some doe much approue the vse of Camphire, the flowers of Willow, the mosse of Quinces, and other hoar [...]e fruits put into the nose: and to apply vnto the Browes Camph [...]re, with the seed of Nettles, or with the iuice of Plantain or of Nightshade: or else to apply vnto the Temples, and about the necke, especially oueragainst the iugular veines, hearbes of a cooling facultie, as Nightshade, Planta [...]ne, Lettuce, dead Nettles, or pricking Nettles, pouned with salt and vineger, Peruincle, & others. Peruincle also put vnder the Tongue hath the same vertue. Some doe make in like manner Neck-laces and Bracelets of the hearbe S. Innocent. Some hold in the hand, that is, on that side that the nose doth bleed of, a branch of Holihocke. Diuers Countrie folkes, to stay any kind of bleeding in any part, doe wrap of Hogs dung in Cotton, and apply it to the place from whence the bloud commeth. Others snuffe vp into the nose the powder of a three-cornered stone found in the head of a Carpe, dried and made into powder.

Against the ach of the Teeth,Tooth-ach. you must boyle in Vineger and Rosewater the root of Henbane, or of the Mulberrie tree, and to hold this decoction in the mouth: otherwise, take a Cloue of Garlicke, and rost it a little vnder hot embers, afterward bray it, and lay it vpon the pained tooth as hot as you can: in like manner put one in the eare of the same side that the paine is: Some doe bray a Cloue of Garlicke with Salt, and lay it to the pulse of that arme that is vpon the aking side. Otherwise, take two drammes of the rootes of Pellitorie bruised, of the leaues of Sage, Rosemarie, of euerie one halfe a handfull: Three fat Figges, and you shall boyle them all in tenne ounces of Wine vnto the consumption of all the Wine: afterward, you shall take a quantitie of the said Figges, and apply it to the aking tooth as hot as possible may be: or else wash and gargle your teeth with the decoction of ground Yu [...]e made in Wine, and to the consumption of the third part of the said Wine. After the same manner you must apply vpon the pulses of the Temples a playster made of Pitch, the powder of Allome, and a Gall, verie hot. It is good also for the ach of the teeth to put thereupon the iuice of Garlicke, Motherwort, Rue, or some hot oyle, as that of Sage, which is singular in this behalfe. Some hold it for a secret, to weare about the necke the tooth of a man knit within a piece of Taffata: or a Beane found, in which there is inclosed a Lowse, taketh away the most strong paine of the teeth that may be endured.

It is good to foment the loose teeth with the decoction of Rosewater and Allome:Loose teeth. or else of the rootes of Cinquefoile and Allome: and in case you would cause [Page] them to fall out, put in their hole or hollow place of the ashes of Earth-wormes, or of the dung of Mice, or of the tooth of a Hart, for such ashes will cause them to fall out by and by, without any Iron or Instrument. Or else apply thereunto the stone of a Mulberrie: or else steepe the root of Mulberrie tree, stampt and bruised the space of fiue daies in good strong vineger in the Sunne, and there let it drie so as that you may make it into powder, and then apply the same powder Vnto your tooth: or else you shall apply thereto the braines of a Partridge: or the iuice of water-Cresses in the place: or else put into the hollow of the tooth the iuice of great Celandine.

To keepe the Teeth cleane and bright,Blacke Teeth. and to preserue them from the falling downe of all manner of Rheumes, take a pint of Fountaine water, a third part of Rosewater, put therein two drammes of Allome, as much of Cinnamon, boyle them softly together in a Viall or earthen Pot, well Leaded, vnto the consumption of the third or fourth part, wash your mouth and teeth therewith euening and morning: or else wash your mouth and teeth in the warme decoction of small Sage, Rosemarie, and great Marierome, boyled in white Wine to the consumption of the third part.

To stay the Canker of the Teeth,Red Teeth. hold in the morning a great graine of Salt vnder your tongue vntill it be there melted, then rub your teeth therewith.

To take away the stinking of the Mouth,Stinking Mouthes. it is good to wash the mouth with Wine, wherein hath boyled Anniseed and Cloues: or to chaw the root of Acornes: or else to chew Masticke long ynough.

For the stinking of the Teeth,Stinking Teeth. it is good to rub them with the leaues of Sage and the rinde of a Ci [...]on, or with the powder of Cloues and Nutmegs: in the meane time there must be auoided the vse of Milke-meats, raw Fruits, sharpe things, and such as are hard to chew, all victuals of ill digestion, and all vomiting.

To white and take the wrinkles out of the Hands,Wrinkled Hands. take the drosse of oyle of Linseed, steepe it in raine water, and wash your hands therewith: or else wash your hands with the iuice of Citrons alone, or some graines of Salt mixed therewithall.

For the Cough, take Hysope and Folefoot,The Cough. of each one handfull, Figges of Marcellis, damaske Raisins, and Licorice, of each an ounce, boyle them all in water vntill the third part be consumed; vse this decoction twice a day, two houres before dinner in the morning, and at euening one houre before supper. It is good likewise to take red Coleworts, and to make them boyle two or three boyles, with an handfull of Folefoot, and a slip or two of Hysope, and to vse this broth twice a day.

For the Squinancie,Squinancie. or sorenesse of the Throat, you must take a whole Swallowes Neast boyled with white Wine, and with the oyle of Camomill and sweet Almonds, therewith to make a Cataplasme, and to apply it vnto the throat: or to drinke by and by the weight of a French crowne of the tooth of a wild Boare powdred, with the water of Carduus Benedictus: or to touch the diseased place with a Liniment made of Linseed, and the powder of the tooth of a wild Boare: or else to apply vnto the place a Cataplasme made of the dung of a young boy of a good constitution, fed for the space of three dayes with Lupines and well baked Bread lea [...]ened and salted, and hauing Claret Wine to drinke, and no other eyther meates or drinkes, and adding to the foresaid childs dung an equall quantitie of Honey.

Against the Pleurisie,Pleurisie. drinke presently with the syrrup of Violets, or some other appropriate to the Breast whatsoeuer, the weight of a scruple of Nettle seed, or of the Ash Trees: or take three ounces of the distilled water of Maries thistle, or of Carduus Benedictus, or of Broome, a spoonefull of white Wine, six springs or straines of Egges that are verie new, the weight of a French crowne of the shells of French small Nuts made into powder, eighteene graines of red Corall powdred, all being mixed together, let it be giuen warme with as much speed as may be: mundified Barley, and the seeds of Melons, Gourds, Cucumbers, and Poppie, are in that case highly commended: roast a sweet apple vnder the embers, mix therwithall when it is roasted [Page] the iuice of Licor [...]ce, Starch, and white Sugar; giue thereof vnto the diseased twice a day, two houres before meat: or else take the weight of a French crowne of the powder of a wild Bores tooth, and cause him to swallow it, either with the iuice of sweet Almonds and Sugar Candie, or with the broth of red Coleworts, or decoction of the water of Barley, or some other such like, which is appropriate for the Breast: or else burne to ashes the pizzle of an Oxe, and giue a dram thereof with white Wine, if the ague be but small, or with the water of Carduus Benedictus, or Barley water, if the ague be strong and great: and assure your selfe, that such remedies are singular if they be vsed within three dayes of the beginning of the sicknesse. The manner of making these ashes, is to cut the pizzle of the Oxe in gobbets, and laying it vpon the harth that is close layd, to set a new pot ouer it, and afterward to lay hot burning coales or hot embers about the pot, which must be oft renewed, vntill one be assured that it is burnt into powder: and the better to iudge of the time, he must thinke that this will not be done vnder a whole day. It is good to lay a playster of blacke Pitch vpon the grieued side: and where it commeth to passe that the paine of the side continueth, and that the sicke partie cannot spet, cause him to vse the decoction of the flowers of red Poppie, or of the powder of them, the weight of a French crowne, with the water of Scabious and Pimpernell, and syrrop of Hysope, if there be no great Feauer; or Violets, if it be great. Furthermore, for a Pleurisie which is desperate and past hope, take a sweet Apple, euen a verie excellent one, and take the kernels forth of it, and fill vp the hollow place with fine Olibanum, rost it couered ouer and rolled in stupes vnder the hot embers throughly, and then giue it to the sicke of the Pleurisie to eat.

For the spetting of Bloud,Spitting of Bloud. cause him to drinke the distilled water of the first little buds of the leaues of the Oake, or the decoction of Comfrey, or of Plantaine, Horsetaile, or Knot-grasse, otherwise called the hearbe of S. Innocent: or to swallow downe some small drops of Masticke, or Harts horne, or Goats horne burnt, or Bole Armoniake, or Terra sigillata, or Corall, or Amber, or the powder of the innermost rind of Chestnut tree, or of the Corke tree: or frie the dung of an Hogge with fresh Butter, and of that cluttered bloud which the sicke partie shall haue spet, and so giue of these thus fried together to the sicke partie to eat.

For the beating of the Heart,The beating of the Heart. it is good to hang about the neck so much Camphire as the quantitie of a Pease, or to drinke two or three ounces of the water of Buglosse and of Baulme: some hold the distilled water following for a singular and soueraigne remedie. Take two Hogs harts, three Stags harts, or the harts of three Bulls, Nutmeg, Cloues, and Basill seed, of each three drams, flowers of Marigolds, Burrage, Buglosse, and Rosemarie, of each halfe a handfull; steepe them all in Malmesey or Hipocras for the space of a night, after distill them with a Limbecke, and reserue the water for vse, which shall be by taking three or foure ounces when necessitie doth require. The conserue of Betonie, and Rosemarie flowers: Cinnamon water, Aqua vitae, and Imperiall Waters, which wee haue set downe in our worke of the beautifying of mans bodie.

For the faintnesse of the Heart, or Swouning,Swouning. it is good to straine and wring the ioynt of the Ring or Physitions finger; as also to rub the same with some piece of Gold and with Saffron: for by the meanes of that finger his neere communicating with the heart, there is from it conueyed and carried some vertue, restoring and comforting the heart.

For the flagging and hanging breasts of Women,Flagging, wither [...]d, and hanging Brests. make a liniment with the drosse of the oyle of Linseed, a little gumme Arabick, Tragacanth, Mastick, and Camphire: or with the iuice of Succorie: or apply thereunto ground Iuie, or the egges of Partridges, which you shall change oftentimes: or small Basins of the distilled water of young Pine-apples, or the iuice of wild Pine-apples.

To procure much Milke [...] of Milke. vnto Nurses, they must vse the fresh and new-gathered iuice of Fennell oftentimes, or the iuice of Smallage, or of Beets, or the powder of the rootes of Maries thistle, adding thereto the seed of Fennell and a little Pepper: [Page] the fore-hoofes of a Cow burned, and drunke with Wine, or Broth, or other conuenient liquor: or the powder of Crystall powdred very finely and drunke with Wine or some broth: or let them eat of boyled Coleworts seasoned with Pepper: or of the roots of Rapes boyled with Pepper.

To cause Women to loose their Milke,Aboundance of Milke. you must apply vpon the nipples of their Breasts the roots of great Celandine [...]odden and powned: or vse a fomentation of verie sharpe Oxicrate vpon the Breasts: or else you shall apply a Cataplasme of the flower of Beanes: or an emplaister of Rue, Sage, Mints, Wormewood, Fennell, Branne boyled and mixed with Oyle of Camomill: or the leaues of young and verie greene Gou [...]ds: or of Cray-fishes, all to brayed and stamped in a Mortar.

For the inflammation of the Breasts,The inflammation of the Breasts. comming of the great aboundant store of Milke, take the dyrt found in the bottome of the Troughes of Cutlers or Grinders, and therewith couer the Breast, and so you shall asswage the paine in one nigh [...] you may adde thereto a little of the Oyle of Roses: or if the Milke be much curded without any great inflammation in the Breast, you may apply vnto it a Cataplasme of the flower of Rice, or of pure Wheat, boyled till it become like pappe, with thicke red Wine, and apply it vnto the teates vpon plageats as hot as may be endured.

For belchingBelching. at the mouth, it is good to take fasting a Dredge made of Annise, Fennell, Caraway, and Coriander seed: or else to drinke Wine in the morning two or three times; and that such, as wherein hath beene boyled Bay-berries, Annise, Coriander, and Fennell seed; and apply vpon the stomacke a bag full of Rue, Wormewood, Marierome, and Mints.

For the Hicket,Hicket. it is good to keepe ones breath oftentimes, and long, to stop both his eares, to hold his head awry, and his mouth couered and vpward, to procure himselfe to neese, to labour much, to endure thirst, to cast cold water in his face which hath the Hicket, thereby to cause him to feare. Some are of opinion, that if he which hath the Hicket doe count and reckon the first, saying one, or borrowing, hee shall haue no moe but that one.

Against Vomiting,Vomiting. take a tost of bread and steepe it in the claret water hereafter described, or in the iuice of Mints, spread it ouer with the powder of Masticke, apply it warme vnto the stomacke, renewing it euerie three houres. Otherwise, take two handfuls of Mints, and one of Roses, boyle them in Wine, take afterward two ounces of tosted bread, and let it be well steeped in Wine, and afterward compounded with Masticke and the said Mints and Roses, make thereof a playster to lay to the stomacke before you goe to meat. It is true, that if the vomiting be with an ague, it will be good to boyle the Mints and Roses, and to steepe the tosted bread in vineger. In like manner, Mints brayed and mingled with oyle of Roses, applyed vnto the stomacke, is a singular helpe for any kind of vomiting: it is good likewise at the end of meat to swallow downe one gulpe of Water, or a morsell of Marmalade of Quinces, not drinking afterward: and in the morning, two houres before meat, to swallow fiue or six Pepper-cornes whole with Wine, or the sirrup of Mints, or of Wormewood, or greene Ginger preserued: It is also good to set cupping Glasses vpon the bottome of the Stomacke, or vnder the Nauell, and then chiefely when the partie eateth: to take rest after meat, and to talke or cough any thing at all.

For the paine of the Stomacke,Paine in the stomacke. fill a dish with hot ashes, sprinkle them with Wine, oue [...] them cast a Linnen cloth, which may couer all the dish, apply this vnto the pained place: or else put vnto the stomacke a hot bagge full of fried Salt: or else take the crums of a good thicke Loafe, and being dipt as it commeth hot out of the Ouen in the Oyle of Camomill, and wrapt in a Linnen cloth, let it be applyed vnto the paine: or else fill a Swines bladder with the decoction of the leaues of Bayes, Organi [...], Marierome, Mints, Time, Camomill, Calamint, Melilote, Annise, and Fennell seed, apply it to the paine, warme it againe when it shall be cold: or else make a cake [Page] with a handfull of Wormewood, Mints, and Roses kneaded with Rye, Leauen, and Wine, and apply it vnto the stomacke.

For the obstruction of the Liuer,The Liuer obstructed. vse a decoction made of Succorie, the roots of Parsley, Smallage, Fennell, Dogs grasse, Patience, Butchers broome, Cich pease, Capillus Veneris, Hoppes, and Fumitorie: vse-likewise oftentimes the shauings of Iuorie.

For the heat of the Liuer,Heat of the Liuer. there is nothing better than to vse Lettuce, Sorrell, Purcelane, Hoppes in pottage, and sometimes to drinke the water of the said hearbes fasting, or the water of Endiue.

Against the Iaundise,Iaundise. drinke fasting of the dung of Ganders the weight of a French crowne, well mingled with white wine, for the space of nine dayes: or else of the decoction of the leaues and roots of Strawberries: or else take Missletoe of the white Thorne, gathered before the Sunne rise, about a handfull, three or foure roots of Parsley, bray them all together with white wine, let them runne through a linnen cloth or strainer, and drinke of this euening and morning a reasonable draught: This is a more excellent remedie than many others; which notwithstanding women with child must not vse, but in place of it you must apply to the wrists and soles of their feet the leaues of Missletoe of the Oake, of great Celandine, and Horehound, the whole being brayed with a little wine, and made in forme of a Cataplasme. Some commend highly against the Iaundise, to take of the wormes of the earth, to wash them in white wine, and after to drie them, and making a powder of them, to giue thereof a small spoonefull in white Wine, or the decoction of Wormewood, or of Horehound: or to drinke fasting ones owne vrine certaine dayes: or to drinke for the space of eight mornings with white wine fasting fiue trottles of [...] Goat. Some say, that to carrie in the left hand three leaues of wild Rocket, doth cure the Iaundise. Some also hold, that to weare vnder the soles of the feet the leaues of Shepheards purse, or of great Celandine, next vnto their bare feet, doth the like.

For the Dropsie,Dropsie. it is good to make a drinke with the seed of Broome, pouned and brayed in white wine: or to make a drinke of the iuice of the root of Gladiolus or Asarum with white wine: or to drinke fasting his owne vrine for the space of certaine dayes: to apply in like manner vnto the moist places a Cataplasme of Cowes dung warme; with which, as Galen testifieth, a Physition of Misia did maruellously heale all manner of Dropsies: or to apply vpon the swolne place shell-Snayles aliue, not washed, but carefully bruised. A secret remedie against the Dropsie, is to drinke with honied water the powder of Glasse seuen times burned and seuen times quenched in the iuice of Flower-de-luce, or white wine.

For the paine or heauinesse of the Spleene,Paine of the Spleene. drinke wine wherein hath boyled Scolopendrium, Sperage, and Hoppes: or else drinke oftentimes fasting of the broth of red Coleworts halfe boiled, or of the decoction of Romane Wormwood, or of Pauls Betonie, or of small Centaurie, or Smiths Forge-water.

For the paine of the Collicke,Collicke. there is nothing more soueraigne than to weare about him a Ring or Boxe of siluer, in which is inclosed some part of the nauell of an infant newly borne, and that the Ring do touch the flesh. There is also nothing more singular, than to drinke, in a pretie draught of white wine, the red pill which is to be found in the space and cartilaginous gristles of Walnut kernels, dried in the moneth of August, and made into powder: or to drinke foure or fiue ounces of the oyle of Nu [...]s, or of Linseed, or of the shells of ripe Nuts, or the water of Camomill, or the decoction of the seed of Hempe, or Wine wherein hath beene steept for the space of tenne or twelue houres the root of Enula campana bruised: or the powder of a Stag [...] pizzle, drunke with water: or the dung of Hennes, drunke with Hypocras made of honey and wine: or a Clister made of Brine: or the heart of a Larke swallowed downe while it is fresh and new: or the said heart of a Larke fastened to the thigh. As concerning outward remedies, some approue greatly to take the skin of a sheepe all new, or the kell of the intrailes of a sheepe newly killed, & to apply it vnto the bellie: or to make a bag of Millet, Branne, Wheat, and Salt fried together, to lap [Page] vpon the bellie: A Cataplasme made of Wolues dung is also profitable against the Collicke: the same dung drunke with a little wine doth verie much good: the bones found in the dung of a Wolfe, powned small, and drunke with wine, haue the like qualitie. Some say, that if you take ashes comming verie hot from vnder the coales of fire, and put the said ashes in a dish or pot, and afterward poure thereon a good glas [...]e of Claret wine, and afterward couer the said dish with ashes, with a linnen cloth foure double, and apply it vnto the bellie, you shall find release and mitigation of your paine.

For the [...]u [...]orall [...]lux of the Bellie,Flux of the Bellie. it is good to drinke milke, wherein hath beene quenched a gad of Steele, or of yron: or milke boyled with a halfe quantitie of water, and that vnto the consumption of the water: or hee shall take of a Stags pizzle with Ces [...]rue water: to vse Rice parched: to take a dramme of Masticke powdred with the yolke of an egge: to make a Cataplasme with the flower of Wheat to apply all ouer the Nauell, but it must be wrought with red Wine, and after baked in the Ouen.

For the bloudie Flux,The bloudie Flux. giue to drinke with red wine the bloud of a Hare dried and made in powder, or the powder of mens bones: or else gather the dung of a dogge, which for three dayes hath fed vpon nothing but bones, and this you must drie to make into powder▪ of [...] powder giue vnto him that is troubled with such Flux twice a day in milke, wherein you shall haue quenched manie stones of the Riuer, verie throughly heated in a verie hot fire; continue this two or three dayes: or else giue to drinke the distilled water of the great Burre: o [...] the decoction of shepheards Purse: or the distilled water of Woodb [...]nd: or else giue to drinke the seed of Plantaine in powder: or the distilled water of the first buds of the Oake: or the powder of Snayles burnt with the powder of Brier-berries, and a little white Pepper and Galls: or of the Harts and Goats horne burned: or rather of the pizzle of a Ha [...]t prepared, as wee haue taught here aboue, in setting downe the remedies for the Pleurisie.

For to stay the flux of Bloud,Flux of Bloud. drinke a reasonable draught of the iuice or decoction of dead Nettle: make Clysters with the [...] of Planta [...]ne and Horse-taile: vse the broth of Coleworts [...]odden v [...]rie tender: the iuice of Pomegrants, and the substance it selfe: Sallads of Plantaine and Sorrell: chaw oftentimes some Rubarbe.

To loosen the Bellie, [...] [...]ou must eat sweet Cherries, or Pea [...]hes, Figges, or Mulberries fasting: to s [...]p the first broths of Coleworts, of Beets, of Mallowes, or Lettuces, or of Cich-pease without salt: to apply vnto the stomacke a Cataplasme made with Honey, the gall of a Bull, and the roet of Sow-bread: or the leaues of Apples of coloqu [...]tida: to take a Suppositorie made of fat Bacon, or the stalke of a Mallow or Beet.

To kill the wormesWormes. of little children, it is good to cause them to vse preserued Rubarbe, or the c [...]nserue of Peach flowers: to drinke the distilled water of Gentian or the [...]ce of C [...]trons, the iuice of Mints or Basill, of Purcelane, Rue, or Wormwood, or else to cause them to swallow, with a verie small draught of Wormewood wine, of the powder made of Wormes, first dried and after burned on a fire-pan red hot▪ and make it into ver [...]e [...]ine powder: or of the powder of blessed Thistle, or of Coralline, the weight of a French crowne: also to apply vnto the Nauell a cataplasme made of Wormewood, Tansie, and an Oxe gall: and all this must be done toward the later end of the Moone.

To stay the excessiue paine of outward Hemorrhoids,Painet of the Hem [...] [...]. you must make a Liniment of oyle of Roses, wa [...]ed in the water of Violets, fresh Butter, oyle of Linseed, the yolke of an egge, and a little waxe: or else to make a little cataplasme with the crums of a white loafe sleept in Cowes milke, adding thereto two yolkes of egges, a little Saffron, and a little Populeon. There may also a little Liniment be made with fresh butter and the powder of Corke-tree burned. In the paine of the Hemorrhoids ther [...] is nothing more singular than the perfume made of shauings of Iuorie.

[Page] To stay the excessiue flux of the Hemorrhoids,The flux of the Hemorrhoids. it is a most singular remedie to drinke a dramme of red Corall, or of the scumme of yron, with the water of Plantain, and also to make a fomentation of the decoction of white Henbane: or in place of this, a Cataplasme made of the powder of burnt Paper, or of the shauings of Lead, or of Bole Armoniack, with the white of an egge, or of three Oyster shells finely poudred either raw or burnt, and mixt with a little fresh butter.

For the stone in the Reines,The stone in the Reines. you must drinke often of the iuice or water of the bodie of the Beech tree: which water must be gathered in the Spring time, in as much as then the bodie or the rinde thereof being [...] or cut to the q [...]cke, doth yeeld a great quantitie of water, verie singular for this purpose: The fruit of the Eglantin [...] preserued before it be ripe, after the manner of Marmalate with Sugar, hauing first taken the kernels from within, taken fasting to the end of the last quarter, and first daies of the Moone following, in drinking somewhat more than a reasonable draught of white wine, or of the water of wild Tansie, or such other, is verie excellent therefore. He must also drinke very oft with white wine the pouder of the p [...]lling of Restharrow, or Buck-thorne: or of the gumme which groweth round about the ri [...]des of Vines: or of the seed of Goose-gras [...]e finely powdred: or to drinke the distilled water of Radish roots and Nettle roots, with a little Sugar: or the water of Broome▪ or of Dogs-grasse: or of wild Tansie: the water or iuice of Radish, wherein is dissolued the powder of egge-shels burnt: or of the stones of Medlars: or of the eye of a Partridge: or of the braine of a Pie: or of the inward skin of th [...] stomacke of a Henne or C [...]pon. Euerie man prayseth this decoction, whereof, Aetius maketh mention in his chapter of Sea-Holly: Take the roots of Sea-Holly (the pith taken out) and make them verie cleane, steepe them eight houres in Fountaine water, after that to boyle them till the halfe of the water be consumed; in the end of the boyling cast into the pot Licorice bruised: let this decoction coole at leisure. And as for outward meanes, it is good to apply a Cataplasme made of Pellitorie of the wall vnto the reines, or else a Cataplasme made of the root of Cypres and the leaues of Bell-flower boyled in wine. The best and most soueraigne of all the rest is to prepare a Bath, wherein haue boyled the leaues of water-Pa [...]sley, Mallowes, Holihocks, March Violets, Pellitorie, flowers of Broome and Camomill, and within the Bath, vpon the reines, a bagge full of Branne and water-Parsley.

For the Collick, caused of Grauell, cause to boyle the leaues and flowers of Camomill in an equall quantitie of water and white wine, to the wasting of the third part, drinke the decoction warme, suddenly the paine will be appeased.

For the difficultie of Vrine,Difficultie of Vrine. drinke the iuice of Winter Cherries, or the decoction of Radish roots in white wine, or the decoction of hearbe Patience, or of the Thistle, said to haue an hundred heads, or of Bell-flower, or of the white prickly Thistle, or of Sperage, or of Dogs-grasse, or of Rest harrow: also apply vpon the yard or secret parts a Cataplasme or Liniment of Fleawort. Some hold it for a great secret to drinke white wine wherein hath beene brayed Sowes found in caues and hollow places: or to make powder of the said Sowes dryed, and so to giue the same to drinke in white wine. Others doe greatly esteeme the distilled water of the pillings of the root of Rest-harrow, first steeped in Malmesey.

For the stone in the Bladder,The stone in the Bladder. it is a singular thing to drinke the iuice of Limons with white wine: or to make a powder of the stones of Medlars, first washed in white wine and after dryed: of Broome-seed, Burnet-seed, and of the seed of Sperage, Holihockes, Saxifrage, Melons, Pompions, Citruls, and of the hearbe good against pearles, and to vse these with white wine. There is an hearbe growing at the new Towne LeGuyard, called in French Crespinette, by those that dwell thereabouts, and of this the young Ladie of Villeneufue (sister to the late deceased Monsieur Cardinall of Bellay) caused to be distilled a Water, which is singular against the difficultie of Vrine and the stone in the Bladder, as I my selfe haue proued diuers times. Some hold it also for a singular remedie to make a powder of the stones of Sponges, or of the stone which is found in the head of Cray-fishes, or of the shells of small Nuts, [Page] or of the gumme of Cherrie trees, and to take it with white Wine or the iuice of Radishes: Or else the distilled water of the stalkes of Beanes, red Cich-pease, and the seed of Holihock. The which followeth of Glasse is a great secret, which being burned and quenched seuen times in the water of Saxifrage, and afterward made into a verie fine powder, and giuen with white wine vnto the partie troubled with grauell, doth breake the stone in them in any part of the bodie. Another secret is that of the shells of egges which haue brought forth Chickens, being brayed, brewed, and drunke with white wine, which breaketh the stone as well of the Reines as of the Bladder.

For all such persons as pisse in their bed whiles they be asleepe,Pissing in bed. and cannot hold their vrine, there is nothing better than to eat oftentimes the lungs of a young Kid rosted: or to drinke with wine the powder of the braines or stones of a Hare; as also the powder of a Cowes bladder, or of a Hogs, Sheepe, or Goats bladder, or the powder made of the roots of Bistort, or of Tormentill, with the iuice of Plantaine, or with the milke of Sheepe, or the ashes of the flesh of an Hedgehog.

For the burning of the Vrine,Hot vrine. let be taken of shell-Snayles and whites of egges of each a pound, of the great and small cold feeds of each halfe an ounce, hal [...]e a pound of the water of Lettuce, foure ounces of good Cassia, three ounces of Venice Turpentine, powne that which may be powned, and let it all stand to mix together for the space of a night, afterward distill them in a Limbecke in Mari [...]s bath: let this water settle some time before that you vse it; giue thereof halfe an ounce euerie morning, with a dramme of Saccharum Rosatum, continue the vse thereof as long as you are able.

To make a woman fruitfull which is barren,Barrennesse in women. let her drinke foure dayes after the purging of her naturall course, the iuice of Sage, with a verie little salt, and let her continue and goe ouer this course diuers times.

To stay the excessiue flux of the flowers of Women,The men [...]ruou [...] flux. they must drinke, with the iuice of Plantaine, the powder of the Cuttle bone, or the bone of a Sheepes foot burned, or the shells which Pilgrims bring home after their pilgrimage to S. Iames, or of Corall, or of Harts horne, or of the shells of burnt egges: or of twelue red graines of the seed of Pionie: or to swallow with the yolke of an egge the powder of Tezill: or the scumme of yron, first dipt in vineger, and after made into fine powder. And as for outward meanes, it is good to apply vnto the Nauell shell-Snayles well brayed, or the red in the void space of the Nut, burnt, and powdred, and mingled with wine: Make a Cataplasme of Soot, or of the scraping got from vnder the bottome of a Caul [...]rton, mingle it with the white of an egge, or the iuice of dead Nettle, or white Mul [...]ne, and apply it vnto the loynes and bottome of the belly: Or to fill a bag sufficient full of gros [...]e salt, to dip in fresh water newly drawne out of the Well, and to apply it to the hollow of the Reines. Some make great account of Cherry-tree gumme infused in the iuice of Plantaine, and cast into the priuie parts with small Si [...]ings: [...] to apply to the breasts the leaues of Celandine.

For the white termes of Women, [...] after that the bodie is purged, it is good to drinke with the iuice of Plantaine, or the water of Purcelane, the powder of Amber, of Corall, or of Bole Armoniake, or of Terra sigillata, or of Steele prepared, or of Sponge burnt in a pot, or of the Sea-Snayle first burnt and afterward washt in wine. And as for outward meanes, there must be made a Lee with ashes of Oake wood, or of the Figge-tree, or of the Osier, in which there must be boyled the rind of Pomegranats, G [...]s, pieces of Corke, leaues and roots of Bis [...]ort and of Peruincle, beyond-sea Roses, with a ver [...]e small quantitie of Allome and Salt, and of this to make a fomentation or a halfe bath.

For to cause women to haue their termes, they must drinke euerie morning two ounces of the water of Mugwort, or of the decoction of Dogs-grasse, Cich-pease, the seed of common or Romane Nigella, of the root of Smallage, Cinnamon, and Saffron, the roots of Radish, of the Tasell, in which one may dissolue as much Mirrhe as the quantitie of a Beane. The iuice of Sea-Holly, and of Tasell, mixed with white [Page] wine, is singular in this case: A Bath also is verie good, and it may be p [...]epared with water of the Riuer, in which shall haue boyled Mugwort, Mallowes, Hol [...]hock, Camomill, Melilot, and other such like hearbes, and within the Bath to rub the hippes and thighes, drawing them downeward, with a bagge of Mugwort, Celandine, Cheruile, Smallage, Betonie, seeds of Nigella, and other such like▪ Some esteeme it for a rare remedie for to take the weight of one or two French crownes of the marrow of a Hart, to tye it within a little knot of fine and cleane linnen, and to put the said knot into the woman her secret place deepe ynough, but this to be after the bodie hath beene prepared and purged.

For the suffocation of the Matrix,Suffocation of the Matrix. the legges must be rubbed alwayes drawing downeward, and tying them hard, to put the partie thereby to great paine: put cupping-glasses vpon the thighes, rub the stomacke, drawing downeward from the pit thereof to the nauell. Furthermore, she must be made to smell vnto things that stinke and small strong, as the feathers of Partridges or shooe soles burnt▪ and below, to apply things that are verie sweet smelling, as Cloues, Marierome, Amber, Time, Lauander, Calaminth, Penny-ryall, Mugwort, Ciuer; the leaues of white Mulleine, which hath his stalke rising verie high: you must also giue her to drinke the quantitie of a beane of Mithridate, dissolued in the water of Wormewood, or fifteene red or black seeds of Pioni [...], bruised and dissolued in wine. The onely remedie for this disease is, that if it fall out that the sicke partie be with child, that then her husband dwell with her: for the remedies before spoken of are dangerous for women with child. Sume doe much esteeme in this disease the course following, that is, that the woman euerie weeke, to keepe her selfe free, should drinke three spoonefuls of white wine, wherein hath beene boyled and steept an ounce of the root of Brionie.

For the falling downe of the Mother,The falling downe of the Mother. the partie must be caused to vomite, to haue her armes rubbed and bound hard to moue great paine, to set cupping-glasses vpon her breasts, and to cause her to smell vnto sweet and odoriferous things; and below, to apply things that are of a strong and stinking smell: There must be giuen her to drinke the powder of Harts horne, or of drie Bay leaues with red wine that is verie sharpe: In like manner, a Cataplasme made of Garlicke stamped and dissolued in water: or Nettles newly braied and applied vnto the bellie, causeth the Matrix to returne into his place. Holihocks boyled with oyle and the fat of Quailes, made in forme of an empla [...]ster, and applyed to the bellie, are verie profitable. Ashes made of egge sh [...]lls, wherein Chickens haue beene hatched, mixed with Pitch, and applyed vnto the belly, doe put the Matrix againe into the place. Some are of opinion, that one leafe of Clot-burre, put vnder the sole of the womans foot, drawech downe the Mother, and being applyed vnto the top of the head, doth draw it vp on high.

For the inflammation of the Matrix,The Inflammation of the Matrix. it is good to make an iniection with the iuice of Plantaine, or of Nightshade, or of Houseleeke, or to apply a Cataplasme made of Barley flower, the rinds of Pomegranats, and the iuice of Plantaine, Houseleeke, or Nightshade.

For the inflammation of a mans yard,The Inflammation of the yard. the same Cataplasme will be very soueraigne, if there be added vnto it some quantitie of driered Roses: or else take the new dung of a Cow, frie it in a panne with the flowers of Camomill, Brier, and Me [...]lot, lay it to the cods, you shall perceiue the swelling to depart quickly.

To take away the stinking smell of the feet,The Stinking of the feet. put within your shooes the scu [...]me of yron.

For to make a woman fruitfull that cannot conceiue, take a Doe great with fawne, kill [...], and draw out of her belly the membrane wherein the fawne ly [...]h, turne the fawne out of the said membrane, and without washing of it, drie it in the Ouen, after the bread is drawne forth: being dried, make the inner part and place where the fawne lay into powder: giue of this powder three mornings vnto the woman, and that by and by after midnight, with three or foure spoonefuls of wine: [...] her not rise of foure houres after, and aduise her that her husband may lye with her.

[Page] If a woman with child haue accustomed to lye downe before her time,To be brought in bed before due time. it is good that whiles she is with child she vse, with the yolke of a new egge, a powder made of the seed of Kermes, otherwise called Diers graine, and of fine Frankincense, of each an equall part: or else that she vse oftentimes of the powder of an Oxe pizzle, prepared in such sort as we haue set downe among the remedies for the Pleurisie: or els [...] that she weare continually vpon some one or other of her fingers a Diamond, for [...] Diamond hath the vertue to keepe the infant in the mothers wombe. Some say also, that the slough of an Adder, dried and made into powder, and giuen with the [...] of bread, is singular good for the staying of vntimely birth. The Eagles stone is commended for this aboue all other things, which being worne vnder the left ar [...]epit, or hanged at the arme of the left side, doth keepe the infant, and hindereth vntimely birth.

To bring to bed the woman which is in trauaile of child,Hard and painfull labor. you must tye on the inside of her thigh not farre from the place by which the excrement of ordure passeth, the Eagles stone, and so soone as the child is borne, and the woman deliuered, to take it away: for the same purpose to giue her the decoction of Mugwort, Rue, Ditta [...]e, and Pennyryall, or of the iuice of Parsley drawne with a little vineger, or of white Wine, or Hypocras, wherein hath beene dissolued of the powder of the Canes of Cassia, of Cinnamon, of the stones of Dates, of the roots of Cypres, of the flowers of Camomill, of the root of round Aristolochie or Birthwort, or the iuice of Tota bona with white wine, or else the leaues of Tota bona stamped, layd vpon the secret pa [...] and round about. And when a woman is in trauaile of child, and looseth all her strength, it is good to giue her bread steept in Hypocras, or a spoonefull of the water called Claret water,The claret water. which must be prepared in this sort: Lay to steepe in halfe a pint of good Aqua vitae, according to the measure of Paris, about three ounces of Cinna [...]on well shaued, by the space of three dayes, in the end whereof let the said water ru [...]ne through a cleane linnen cloth, and dissolue therein an ounce of fine Sugar, after put thereto about the third part of old red Rose water, and let all stand together in a bottle of glas [...]e to vse when need requireth. This water is principally good for all the diseases of the Mother, as also for Fainting, Swowning, weakenesse of the Stomacke, difficultie of Breathing, of making Water, and manie others.

To cause the after-birthThe after-birth. to come forth, the remedies next aboue deliuered are very good and profitable: but aboue the rest, it is good to drinke with white Wine, or Hippocras warme, the powder of Beanes, or the flowers of Saffron, or the flowers of Marigolds.

For the Throwes which come after child-birth vnto women,Throwes of wom [...]n after child-birth. you must giue to drinke a spoonefull of the foresaid Claret water, or of the water of Peach flowers, Nutmeg, Carabe, and Ambergrise: you must make a Cataplasme to apply vnto the belly with the yolkes of egges hard roasted, or fried with oyle of Nuts and Iasmines, putting thereto of the seeds of A [...]se and Cummin powdred, the flower of Beanes, fresh Butter, and oyle of Rue and Dill.

If the Matrix after child-birth be out of frame, it is good to apply vnto the belly a Cataplasme made of Cowes, Sheepes, or Goats dung, adding thereto the seeds of Cummin, Fennell, Anni [...]e, and Parsley, with a quantitie of very good wine: and for want of this Cataplasme, the belly may be couered all ouer with the kawle of a newslaughtered Sheepe or Goat: as also to haue a dish of the Plane tree, or a test of earth, and after you haue rubbed the edges of the said test or earthen drinking-pot with a head of Garlicke, to apply it vnto the Nauell.

For the Rupture,For the Rupture otherwise called the falling of the guts downe into the flanke, it is good to apply vnto the place a Cataplasme made of the flower of Beanes and th [...] lees of white Wine, or a Cataplasme made of the root of the great and small Comfrey, and of stone-Pitch, with a little Masticke, or double linnen clothes dipped in the iuice or liquor which commeth out of the small fruit of the Elme, and vpon this Cataplasme to weare a Trusse. It is good also to drinke, for the space of nine dayes, a drinke prepared of the iuice of the roots of Salomons feale, and female Fe [...], the [Page] [...]eave [...] of Bugle and Sanicle, and this to the quantitie of a small draught: Or else [...] in the Ouen, in a pot well luted, red Snayles, make them into powder, and [...] of this powder for the space of fifteene dayes, or longer if need be, with such [...] is made for little infants, or with pottage, if they be past the Teat. For them [...] more daintie and delicate, you shall distill the said Snayles in Maries Bath, and [...] of the distilled water to drinke the same space of time: or else make a powder of [...] mosse of the blacke Thorne, drinke of it with thicke red wine the weight of a [...] crowne euerie morning; applying in the meane time a certaine pap or thicke [...] substance, such as is to be had in the Paper-Mills, and tye vpon it a Trusse.

For paine in [...] feet and hands,Gout and ach in the hands. boyle a good handfull of Mugwort in a sufficient quantitie of [...] Oliue, vnto the spending of the third part, make thereof an Oyntment for the [...] place: Giue also to drinke the weight of a French crowne of the seeds of [...], with the decoction of one of the hearbes called Arthritica.

For the Sciatica,Sciatica. you [...] to the grieued place a Cataplasme made of the crummes of Citizens bread, [...] or boyled in Cow or Sheepes milke, putting thereto two yolkes of egges and a [...] little Saffron: otherwise there must be prouided a Cataplasme of the roots of [...] and Holyhocks, the leaues of March Violets and of Mallowes, the flowers of [...]momill and Melilote, all boyled in the water-broth of Tripes, after washt and wroug [...] [...]ogether with yolks of egges, flower of Li [...]seed, Hogges grea [...]e, and oyle of Camomill: [...] else, and more easily, you must make a Cataplasme with Cowes dung, flower of Beane [...], Branne, Wheat, & Cummin seed, all beat and made into a mash with honied vineger: it is true, that if the grieued part doe grow vnto a whitish colour, and be much puffed vp, it will be good to adde vnto the former Cataplasmes stone-Pitch and a little Brimstone. It will be good also to draw the iuice of Danewo [...]t, of Elder and Iuie, and to boyle them afterward with oyle of Rue and Wormes, and with a little Wax to make a Limment. A Cataplasme made of the dung of an Oxe or a Cow, and wrapt in the leaues of the Vine or of Coleworts, and heated among the embers. And in case you would draw out of the vttermos [...] part, vnder the skinne, that which is setled in the inner places of the ioints, then apply this Cataplasme made of the dung of Stock-doues or House-doues, an ounce, of Mustard and Cresses seed of each two drammes, oyle of old Tyles an ounce, mixe all these very well together.

For the shaking of the parts of the bodie, vse a long time the decoction of one of the hearbes Arthriticae, called [...] and Sage: eat also oftentimes of Pine Apples.

For Sinewes oppressed,Sinewes oppressed. take the ripe seed of Danewort, put it in a violl halfe full, fill it vp with oyle Oliue, stop it verie close, and let it boyle foure and twentie houres in a Posnet full of hot water, and as oft as the hot water shall be boyled away, you must put other in place of it all the time of the foure and twentie houres; which being expired, take away the said violl of water, and set it in a dunghill tenne whole dayes. You may also make oyle of Danewort for the same purpose: fill an earthen vessell, well leeded to the halfe, with the iuice of the leaues of Danewort, and powre thereupon so much of oyle Oliue; set this vessell, well stopt with paste, in an Ouen, after the bread is drawne; there let it stand till the iuice be wasted: keepe this Oyle for Sinewes that are cold and benummed: Or more easily apply vnto the place the dung of an Oxe or a Cow fried with strong vineger or the oyle of Acornes: or the gumme of the wild Peare-tree softened with Capons grea [...]e, or the oyle of Linden or Iesamine tree.

For the prickings of Sinewes,For the pricking of the sinewes. take Snayles with their shells, bruise them, and adde thereto a little of the flying dust that is to be gathered vpon the walls of the Millhouse, and apply it to the place pricked: or else rub it with the oyle of Wormes.

For Sinewes that are pained,For the paines of the sinewes. take raw Wormes of the earth, bray them and lay them hastily and with speed vnto the benummed sinewes. Or else infuse in the Sunne [Page] the flowers of Elder in the oyle of Nuts, and rub therewith the pained sinew, [...] and chafe the fame with the oyle of Balsam.

For all other sorts of paines in the ioynts,Paines of the ioynts. it is good to make an emplaister [...] iuice of red Coleworts and Danewort, the flower of Beanes, flowers of [...] and Roses made in powder, and to apply them vnto the pained place. Other [...] in thinne shauings the root of the great Comfrey whiles it is yet greene and [...] pluckt vp our of the earth, spread that which you haue shaued or scrap [...] a linnen cloth in manner of a Cataplasme, and apply it vnto the pained. [...] Otherwise, take the roots and leaues of Danewort, the leaues of Scabious▪ [...] Co [...] frey, and wild Sage, boyle all together in wine, after let it passe [...] put thereto oyle of Spike, Aqua vitae, and the oyle of Neats [...] take a very fat Goose puld, and the garbage taken cleane out, after [...] her with [...] that are well liking, and chopped verie small with common [...] and roasted at a small fire, and looke what droppeth forth, let be reserued for [...] for the grieued place. Some likewise apply for the paines of the ioints [...] whelpes vpon the pained places. Galen saith, That hee was wont to softer [...] such hardnesse as is wont to happen about the knees, by applying vnto [...] Cheese all mouldie, stamped with the broth wherein a salt Gammon of [...] hath been boyled.

To take away the Swellings procured of Wind,Windie swellings. you must take fried salt, and [...] it betwixt two Linnens vpon the Swelling: or apply a Cataplasme made of the [...] of white Wine, the branne of [...], and new Oxe dung.

For such Swellings as are [...], make a Cataplasme with the leaues and flowers of Violets,Red pimples or swellings. flowers of He [...]ane, leaues of Nightshade, flowers of Camomill and Melilo [...]e, all boyled in wine and water, strayned through a Searce, and applyed vnto the aking place: Or else draw the iuice of Houseleeke, with a little red Wine, and the flower of Barley, make an emplayster for the place. The dung of Go [...] hath power to wast, spend, and consume the hard Swellings, how hardly soeuer resolued and wasted, especially the old hard Swellings about the Knees, mingling the same with Barley flower and water and vineger in forme of a Cataplasme.

To ripen an Impostume,To suppurate an Impostume. apply vnto it the dung of Goslings, which haue [...] kept from meat three whole dayes together, and after fed with the gobbers of a fresh E [...]e: It is good also to apply raw Wheat champed or chawed a long time: A Cataplasme made of the leaues and roots of Mallowes, Holihocks, Onions, Lillies, crum [...] of white bread, all [...]od together, and after strayned through a Colander, adding thereto the volke of an Egge and a little Saff [...]on: It is true, that if the A [...]ost [...]me be very cold, there may be added to the decoction of the Cataplasme abouesaid the roots of Elacampane, Danewort, Lil [...]es, and Brionie, flowers of Camomill and Melilot, O [...]ons, and Wheat Leauens. To ripen a Naile, otherwise called a Fello [...] or Cats-haire,A naile, otherwise called a furuncle or cats-tayle. take raw Wheat a long time chawed, or the flower of Wheat, the yolke of an Egge, Honey, and Hogges grease, after heat them all together, and make a plaister to lay to the sore: or else lay vpon it Sheepes dung steept in vineger, if in [...] you mind to soften and resolue it.

For TettersTetters. you must vse the iuice of Purcelane, Celandine, Plantain, Nightsha [...]e [...] and Limons: and if this medicine appeare not to be strong ynough, it will be good to mixe some red Tartar amongst, and with this composition to rub the spotted places. Otherwise, infuse for the space of a whole day in strong white vineger the roo [...] of hearbe Patience, cut into shiuers, rub the place where the Tetter is with one of the shiuers three or foure times a day: Or else boyle tenne graines of Sublimate, and halfe a dramme of Aloes, in equall quantitie of Plantaine and Nightshade water, vnto the consumption of the one halfe: Or else steepe the powder of a Sla [...]e in very good vineger with salt▪ and rub the place. Otherwise, take the gumme of Cherrie tr [...]e, a verie little Brimstone, with twice so much salt as Brimstone, steepe all together in the strongest vineger you can get, and with this composition rub the spotted places: Or else rub the place with your fasting spettle, or with the gu [...] [Page] that groweth about the Vine: but before this, you must rub them with Salt Nitre, or else with the hearbe Nicotiana, applying both drosse and iuice together vnto the place.

To take away the markes and pits of the small pocks,The pits of the small Pocks. take an ounce of Oyle, or of the flowers of S. Iohns wort, halfe an ounce of Venice Turpentine, as much of Sperma coeti, melt it all vpon the fire in a dish of earth well glased; when it beginneth to boyle and to swell vpward, take it from the fire, and let it coole, rub and chafe the places of blacke spots with this oyntment, and continue it so long, as till the pits be filled vp.

For Vlcers and Apostemes which happen about the Nailes,Vlcers about the nailes. lay vpon the soare a little worme which is found in the head of the Tasell when it is drie.

For hard Swellings,For schirro [...] tumor [...]. take Mallowes, Holyhocks, the roots of Lillies, Pellitorie, the leaues of white Mullein, seed of Line and Holyhocks, flowers of Camomill and Melilot, let all be boyled in equall portions of water, wine, and vineger; after passe them through a Colander, adding thereto the flower of Barley and Beanes, the powder of Camomill and Roses, Hennes grease, and fresh and new Butter: make a playster to lay to the soare. Likewise it shall be good to lay hot thereunto a Cataplasme made of the drosse of Bee-hiues dissolued in white wine and fried in a Frying panne.

For such at are fallen from on high,Falls from on high. giue the weight of halfe a French crowne of this powder with good wine, Mummia, Tormentill, Rhaponticke, Sperma coeti, of each a dramme: or else giue the weight of a French crowne of the powder of the seed of Garden-Cresses, of Mummia, of the seed of Houseleeke prepared, and Sugar Candie.

For a greene wound,A greene wound. you must take Garden Baulme, the great and small Comfrey, and a little salt, poune them all together, and apply them vpon the wound. It is good also to drop into the wound the iuice of Nicotian, or for the more profitable vse thereof to apply both the drosse, as also the iuice thereof stamped, and to bind vp the wound by and by, and assure your selfe, that within three dayes it will be recouered. Otherwise, take the Elme apples, the flowers of S. Iohns wort, and of Rosemarie, the knops or buttons of Roses, put all together in a glasse-bottle full of oyle Oliue, stop the bottle diligently, and set it to the Sunne so long as till all be so farre consumed as that it may seeme to be rotten; afterward let it runne through a linnen cloth diuers times, and then keepe it in a violl to drop into wounds. The readiest and most soueraigne remedie is the iuice of Nicotiana, and the drosse or substance likewise, and also the oyntment made thereof, which wee will handle hereafter, viz. in the seuentie six chapter of the second Booke. This oyntment is very singular: Take Veruaine, Agrimoni [...], Be [...]onie, and Pimpernell, of each a handfull, wash them diligently; and being washed, swing them well, stampe them together in a mortar; being stamped, put them in an earthen vessell well glased, with seuen pints of white wine, to boyle till halfe of it be consumed, the vessell in the meane time being close couered, and the fire burning cleare and softly: after draw the vessell somewhat further from the fire, and let it coole vnto the next morning, then straine it out a little, warme the grosser parts, that it may so be forced through some hairie strainer, and adde thereto of white Pitch melted by it selfe, and also strained through a hairie strainer, a pound, halfe a pound of white Waxe in graines, Masticke and Turpentine of each one ounce, make thereof an oyntment of good consistence. Likewise there is nothing more singular than to take of Greeke Pitch, Brimstone, and Olibanum equall parts, to bray them together with the whites of egges, and after you haue stanched and wiped away the bloud in handsome sort, to ioyne and bring together the edges of the wound, and to apply it thereto with a linnen cloth and a Cataplasme, afterward to bind and roll it vp with double linnen clothes, and so to leaue it for certaine dayes: or else boyle the leaues of Carduus Benedictus and flower of Wheat in Wine vnto the forme of an Oyntment, wash the Vlcers twice a day with Wine, afterward lay thereunto this Oyntment: Or else wash the wound [Page] with the decoction of Dent de lion: more easily thus; Take the dyrt which you find vnder Buckets, Troughes, or such like, and apply it vnto the cut, it closeth it vp incontinently.

For all wounds,Old or new wounds. as well old as new, vlcers, and whatsoeuer cuts in the flesh, take the leaues of Plantaine, Spearewort, or small Plantaine, Mallowes, All-good, of each a handfull, French Sage about foure and twentie leaues; let all the foresaid hearbes be well picked▪ washed, and after stamped verie well all together: this done, take five quarts of old Swines grea [...]e, put thereinto a hot pestill, and cause it to melt, then boyle it with the said hearbes, and when you see that the liquor of the hearbes i [...] consumed, you shall straine it, and put thereunto as much Frankincense as a Nut, greene Waxe, and Perrosine, of each as much as two Nuts, melt them, that so they may all be brought vnto the forme of an oyntment, of which you shall make vse for all sorts of wounds. Otherwise, take Brimstone most [...]inely powdred and searced, put it in a Glasse-vessell, and powre thereupon so much oyle Oliue as will doe more then couer it by foure or fiue singers, set it out vnto all the heat of the Sunne you can for the space of tenne daies, and stirring it about manie times with a Spatull of cleane and faire wood, and keeping the said vessell close shut continually, to the end there may not any dyrt fall thereinto. At the end of the tenne dayes emptie out all the oyle, by leaning the glasse softly to the one side (seeing it hath extracted all the substance or essence of the Brimstone) into another Glasse-bottell by the helpe of a funnell, and let not any of the drosse or residence goe in withall: after which, you shall stop the bottell verie carefully, and at such times as you would vse it, you shall dip Lint, white linnen Cloth, Cotton, or blacke Wooll in it, and apply it vnto the parts that are hurt, whether by Vlcers or Cuts, as also vnto Impostumes, and that so long, as vntill they be cured: You may powre in oyle againe the second time vpon the residence (left after the oyle powred out, as beforesaid) and doe as was done before. Make account of these two later Remedies as of those which will not faile you.

For the Boyle called Anthrax, Carbunculus, The Carbuncle Anthrax, &c. and other such pestilent tumours, see that you apply vnto them Rue brui [...]ed and mixt with verie strong Leauen, Figges, Cantharides, Onions of the Land and Sea, vnquencht Lime, Sope, gumme Ammoniacke, and a little Treacle; for this emplaster draweth forth such kind of tumours: Or else take a Toad, drie her either in the Sunne or in the Ouen, make her into powder, and put of this powder vpon the Carbuncle, & it will draw forth all the venome: Or else apply vnto the Carbuncle a Frog aliue, and if she die, then another, and do [...] this so oft as vntill that one doe liue, and so you shall draw out all the venome.

For vlcers comming of the Pocks,Vlcers of the Pocks. and such other maligne ones, take tenne pints of water, quench therein hot yrons so long as till the tenne pints become but fiue, and in these fiue pints infuse for the space of foure and twentie houres a pound of vnquencht Lime, after that straine the water, when it is strained, dissolue therein fifteene graines of Verdegrease, and as much of Vitrioll, and twentie graines of Camphire: this water is singular to mundifie, cleanse, and drie vp Vlcers. Otherwise, set to boyle in a new earthen vessell verie cleare water, when it beginneth to boyle, put into it by and by vnsleckt Lime, and presently thereupon powre it out into another vessell all new, let it rest there so long, as vntill (after it be scummed) it become cleare, the Lime falling to the bottome of the vessell in manner of pap; in the end you shall gather the water swimming aloft, by leaning the vessell and letting the Lime abide vnstirred in the bottome: and this water thus gathered shall be reserued in a cleane violl or other vessell well stopped, that so it may serue for your vse; in which, being warme, dip a linnen cloth, and apply it in stead of an emplaister vnto the Vlcer, and renew it oft.

To draw out miraculously a Pellet,A wound with shot. make a tent of a Quince, and for want of it, of Marmalate of Quinces onely, without any addition of Spices, or other things, annoint it with the oyle of egges, and put it into the wound or hole made by the shot of the Pistoll.

[Page] For inward wounds,Inward wounds in which there can no tents be put, there must be drunke oftentimes the decoction of Auens, and the outward wounds washt: or else take Mugwort, great and small Comfrey, whole Betonie, Agrimonie, the roots of Rubia, otherwise called the Diers hearbe, the roots of small Plantaine, otherwise called Carpenters hearbe, Sage, the leaues of Brambles, Parsley, pricking Nettle, Marigolds, Sanicle, Bugula, Mouse-eare, Burnet, Dendelion, Plantaine, the crops of Hempe, female Ferne, Buglosse, Gentian, Veruaine, Birds [...]oong, ground Iuie, water Germander, Catmint, hearbe Robert, Cinquefoile, Tansie, all the Capillar hearbes, of each one halfe handfull; Damaske Rai [...]ins their stones taken out, Licorice, the seed and flowers of S. Iohns wort, the seed of blessed Thistle, of each an ounce, the three cordiall flowers, of each foure ounces; all these being thus carefully pickt, and made cleane, let be brayed verie throughly, after strained through a hairen strainer, with one pint of white wine: you must cause him which i [...] thrust through to drinke of this drinke a little draught fasting, or one houre before he eat, and as much before his supper. If these iuices displease thee, in stead of braying, bruising, or stamping of the things aforesaid, you may make a decoction in common water, adding in the end of the decoction, white Wine, honey of Roses, and syrrup of drie Roses. In the meane time the wound must be cleansed with white Wine warme, and there must be layed vpon it a leafe of red Coleworts warmed at the fire, and reasonably greene: and there must care be had to keepe the wound from salt and thicke meat, from strong wine, great paine, and vse of women.

To cause knobs to wast and goe away in any part of the bodie whatsoeuer,Knots or knobs. take the oldest and most mouldre Cheese that you can find, knead it with broth wherein there hath boyled a piece of fat Bacon [...]r Lard a long time, make thereof a playster to lay vpon the place: or else stampe in vineger Conchula Indica with Myrrhe, apply it to the place, and you shall find a maruellous effect. Otherwise take nine pints of vrine, wherein boyle for a good while two handfuls of Baulme and Dent de lion in a pot of Earth verie close couered, and that so long, as vntill all come to a pint, after strayne out the hearbes in the liquor stray [...]ed out, put halfe a pound of Hogges grea [...]e verie new and neuer salted, foure ounces of Aqua vitae, boyle them all together the space of halfe an houre, after put thereto the oyle of Pike and Rosemarie, of each an ounce, Quicksiluer the weight of two French crownes, mixe them all together, and stirre them well with a Spatull, and by this meanes you shall make an oyntment, with which you shall vse to chafe the members troubled with knots before the fire.

For haire that is fallen by the disease called Tinea,The falling of the ha [...]re. or otherwise: Rub the bare and bald place with a piece of dyed Cloth vntill it bleed, afterward annoint it with an oyntment made of Honey, oyle of Linseed, and the powder of small Flies, burnt vpon a tyle red hot: or with Mise dung brayed with honey: or with shells of Nuts burnt, powned and mixed with wine and oyle.

For vlcersVlcers. that are hard to be cured, gather with linnen clothes spread vpon the grasse before Sunne rise in the moneth of May, the dew of the same moneth, afterward wring out the said linnen for to haue the dew, which you shall boyle and scum, and in boyling dip therein diuers bolsters or plegers of fine linnen, which you shall apply vnto these maligne vlcers: afterward when you shall perceiue that these vlcers doe not continue any longer so foule and filthie, and that they begin somewhat to shew to haue faire flesh, boyle in this dew water a little Allome and Olibanum, and by this meanes you shall heale them throughly. Or else make a powder of the raw or burnt shells of Oysters, or of the dung of a dogge, which hath gnawed and fed vpon nothing but bones for the space of three dayes▪ after you haue dried the same dung, and made it readie to apply vnto the vlcers, there is not any thing to be found that will more drie vp the same: Or else make a powder of a rotten post.

For Kibes on the heeles,Kibes on the heeles. make powder of old shooe soles burned, and of them with oyle of Roses annoint the Kibes: or else lay vnto the Kibes the r [...]nd of a Pomegranat boyled in wine.

[Page] For the blewrieslse comming of stroakes, or otherwise,Black and blew spots through blowes. steepe in boyling water a cloth hauing salt tyed within vpon a knot, and with this foment the bru [...] place.

To take away WartsWart. or brawnie tumours in the ioynts, rub them with the [...] of T [...]thymal, or apply thereunto the powder of Sauine, or of Hermodactilis mixed with Oxymel Squilliticum, or with the iuice of Marigolds: The dung of Sheepe wrought with vineger and made soft and applyed doth heale all hanging Warts.

For the Nolime tangere, Nolime tangere. it is killed if that Nicotiana be applyed thereunto, as we will further declare in our second Booke and 76 chapter.

To kill Crab-lice,Crab-lice. make a decoction or Lee of the leaues of Wormewood, Aron, and N [...]t-tree in very strong vineger.

For all BurningBurning. or swinging with fir [...], take the decoction of Radish, with the lee of vnquencht Lime: or an Onion rosted vnder the embers, or oyle of Nuts with water: or the yolke of an egge dissolued in oyle: or Hennes dung tempered with oyle of Roses: or mosse of the black Thorne, the finest that you can find, dried in the Ouen, or in the Sunne, made into fine powder, and with the milke of a woman which giueth sucke vnto a boy, to make a Liniment to annoynt the places burned: or else take salt water or brine, dip therein a linnen cloth, and apply it vnto the burning: or common Sope, with honey and butter: or the iuice of an Onion: or the oyle of an Egge: or else dissolue Allome, Copperas, the [...]at of Glasse, and a little Camphire in Fountaine water and good vineger, powre this water oftentimes from pot to pot, dip a linnen cloth in the same water warmed vpon ashes, and apply it to the place: or else take two whites of egges, beat them together with oyle of Nuts and Rose water, adding thereto the remainder of such water as Quicke lime hath beene quenched in, st [...]rre them all yet once againe well together, and afterward let them stand and settle.

For Ringwormes,Ringwormes. Scabs, and all manner of sorts of Itchings, which happen in the hands, legs, and other parts of the bodie, take the water of a Smiths Forge, and put a handfull of salt to melt therein: with this water, made warme, wash the place where the Ringworme spreadeth; when the scab is drie, annoynt it with the creame of Cowes milke. Or else take of Venice Turpentine two parts, wash it fiue or six times in fresh water, or in Rose water: after that it is thus well washed, adde vnto it on [...] part of new butter salted, the yolke of an egge, and the iuice of a sowre Orenge▪ make hereof a Liniment, and annoint the scabbie places therewith before the fire. Or else for little children take the iuice of Nettles and Populeon, and make thereof a Liniment: Or else take Soot finely powdred, mix it with strong vineger, therewith you shall annoint the place, hauing first rubbed it well, euen to the raising of rednesse in the skin.

For the Canker,The Canker. take honey of Roses, Roch Allome, salt and white wine, boyle all together till the ha [...]e be consumed, and then straine it through a linnen cloth, afterward keepe the water for to wash the Canker. Some doe greatly allow and like of the distilled water of Cowes dung newly made, to wash the places troubled with the Canker.

For the falling of the haire,The Moth in the ha [...]re. called the Moth, wash the head of the patient with Oxe pisse till the bloud come, and afterward cast vpon it the powder of the white of Hennes dung dried in the O [...]en; or of fine Soot, mixt with strong vineger.

To make any mans haire black:To make the [...]a [...]e blacke. Take such quantitie as you shall thinke good of Galls, powder them and put them ouer the fire in an yron chasingdish, and let them continue there till they become very blacke; then powre vpon them by little & little the oyle of Oliues, alwaies turning them to & fro, in such sort, as that they may drinke vp all the oyle, and after become dr [...]e againe, insomuch, as that they being taken from the fire, may be pouned very well: whereunto adde of Vitriol, Roscmarie, Sal gemm [...], the drie earth whereof tyles are made, & Cloues, all these being likewise made in pouder. On the other side, boile in wine the [...]ind of the Walnut, & of the Pemgranat, and [Page] Allome, as much of the one as of the other, so long as till the Wine become blacke as [...]inke, straine this Wine, and cast into it your powder: before you vse it, scoure your [...]ead with some good lee, and then hauing dried it againe, afterward wash it with this Wine wherein these drugs be, and then put on a coise, and so keepe it for fiue or six houres after; in the end wash it verie well with water and wine, and drie it: the haire will abide blacke for fiue or six moneths.

Against the biting of a ma [...] dogge,The bit [...]g of a mad dogge. giue to eat the root of sweet Eglantine, [...]oment the place with the vrine of a young infant, or with the grosse part [...] of the decoction of Rue, Figges, red Coleworts, and salt mixt with honey and butter.

If the Husbandman, or any of his people, haue beene bitten with a Snake or other Serpent,The bitings of Serpents. let him drinke presently an indifferent draught of the iuice of the Ash tree pressed out with white wine, and let him apply vnto the bitten place, in manner of a Cataplasme, the leaues out of which the iuice was pressed: or let him drop into the hole, made by the Snakes bi [...]ing, three or foure drops of the milke of the Figge-tree, or of Figges, or some Mustard seeds powned with vineger: or else take the leaues of white Mullein, Auens, red Goose-berrie bush, of each a handfull, boyle them all in vineger & vrine of a man, a like much, vnto the consumption of the halfe: drinke an indifferent draught of this decoction, and foment the bitten place with the leaues.

If it fall out that a Snake or any other Serpent be crept into the Farmers bodie,A Snake crept into the bodie. or into the bodie of any of his seruants, lying asleepe with their mouthes open in the Medowes, Gardens, or other places, there is nothing more soueraigne to force the fame againe out of such a bodie, than to take at the mouth, with a Funnell, the smoake of a perfume made of some old shooe sole (for the Snake detesteth such stinking fauours aboue all other things) and to drinke the decoction of Veruaine made in white wine: A thing tried and approued.

If a man haue swallowed downe a Horse-leachHorse-leach [...]s. in drinking water, you must giue him fleas with strong vineger.

If any Rat,The stinging of Spiders. Spider, Flie, Waspe, Hornet, or other venomous Beast, by his sting or biting haue caused your flesh to rise, rub verie gently the offended place with the iuice of Houseleeke, and incontinently the pain [...] aud swelling will cease: or else rub the place, with your owne spettle: or else put vpon the stung place the dung of a Cow or Oxe verie hot.

To kill Lice,Lice. rub the place with the iuice of Broo [...]e, mixe it with the oyle of Radish, or of Iu [...]iper, or with the decoction of S [...]auesa [...]: or else boyle within an earthen pot, well leaded, equall parts of Olibanum, and lard of Bacon, make them in forme of an Oyntment, passe them through a S [...]arce, and keepe it afterward to rub the head withall, or any other place where Lice are.

[...] the danger ensuing of the eating of Mushromes,Mushromes eaten. drinke with honey and vineger Hennes dung brayed, and you shall within an houre be healed of the heauinesse and strangling fits of the stomacke: or else drinke the lee made of the Vine branches with a little salt.

And for as much as in the most part of the diseases aboue named, and such others, it is needfull that there should some purgation be taken to cast out the hurtfull humors which gather in the bodie, the wise huswife may prouide and make this purgatiue following: Take Virgins honey one pound, Rubarbe, or Sene, or Agarick, euen of any one of them, or all three made into powder, foure ounces, mixe this powder with the honey, and let it stand in the shadow sixtie daies in a potwell couered▪ stirre it euerie day, and take away the froth which you shall find on the top of it: the honey will keepe all the force of the medicine, and will cast vp in a scumme the substance thereof, in such sort, as that still it will abide without mixture. To make this composition the more pleasant, you may mixe therewithall some one or other drug that is pleasant and of a good rellish. If you further desire to be instructed in diuers other remedies which are readily and easily to be gotten, looke in our Latine worke called Thesaurus [...] paratu facilis.

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CHAP. XIII.
Of Kine and Calues.

FOr the better keeping of Kine, let the Huswife procure and cause [...] maids to ouer-looke oftentimes and see that all things be well in the Cow-house;A cleane cow-house. for there is nothing that doth them so much good, and keepe them so well in health and good liking, their meat and [...]odder excepted, as the cleane and neat keeping of their houses: let them rub them along the backe, about the necke and head, and no more, with a wispe of Straw hard wryth [...] together, and made somewhat rough. At their comming from the Pasture, and in [...] morning after they haue beene dressed, let them carefully fill vp the holes that are in their house floore, wherein their pisse might stand and stinke, and let them cast Sand or Grauell vpon the floore, that they may haue the faster and surer setting of the [...] feet.The putting of Ki [...] to the Bull Let them not be put to the Bull before they be vpon their third yeare, nor any longer than vnto their twelfth yeare: for if they be put too sooner than they be growne vp to their full strength and growth, they will bring forth Calues halfe cast, small and little, weake and feeble. And againe, if you goe about to continue the [...] bearing after twelue yeares, their Calues will not be so strong, not of so comely a shape. Yet in our neighbour Countries, as great Britaine, and other places of [...] temperature, their Cattell will beare well till sixteene or eighteene yeares of age, and some till twentie,The time of the year [...] fittest for Ki [...] to be put to the Bull. but not generally. You shall lead them thereto throughout all the time of the moneth of May, Iune, and Iuly, when the grasse doth most flourish: and againe, about this time they are chiefely set to goe a bulling, seeking for the Bull of themselues, without being led vnto him: And you shall know their inclination to the taking of the Bul [...] by their hoofes, if they be puffed vp, or swolne, as also by their continuall lowing, and by their leaping vpon the Bulls backe. The profit which riseth by their taking of the Bull at this time is, for that they will happen about tenne moneths after (which is the iust time of their going with Calfe) to calue, and that being at such time as new grasse doth draw on, it will be an occasion of greatly encreasing their milke, and vpon this occasion also their Calues shall be a great deale the better fed. To the end they may hold bulling the better, you must see that at such time they be kept bare and leane, for so they will hold a great deal [...] better:Sienes of a good [...]ull. On the contrarie, a good Bull for breed must be fat, well set together, and well meated, hauing for two moneths space before beene fed with Barley and F [...] ches. He must also be chosen more long than high, of a red haire, large betwixt the shoulders, strong legged, round trussed and bodied, broad breasted, short [...], broad browed, fierce countenanced, terrible to fight, blacke eyes, short hornes, long tayle,Feeding of Cattell. and full of haire. But in England and other places they neuer vse to feed their horned Cattell with Corne, for they find it of small or no profit, Grasse or Hay being euer sufficient: and though in France the red colour be euer most preferred, yet as Serres also affirmeth, the blacke is fully as excellent: for the red exceedeth but [...] prouing an extraordinarie vertue in the milke, but the blacke is euer the hardest, best flesht, best [...]allowed, and hath the strongest hyde. And if it happen that the Cow refuse the Bull, or the Bull her, they must be brought to haue a desire the one to the other, by holding neere their nosthrils the tayle of a Hart burned, or else vsing som [...] other composition,A C [...]w with Calf [...]. whereof we will speake in the Treatise of Horses. During the time of their going with Calfe, they must be kept from leaping of Ditches, as [...] from leaping of Hedges or Bushes: and a little before the time that they doe calue, to feed them in the house, or yard adioyning to the house, and that with good Prou [...] der, or Blossomes, not milking them at all; for the milke that they haue then cannot be but naught, and becom [...]neth hard as a stone. When they haue calued, they may not be milked to make any Butter or Cheese, vntill two moneths be past: after which tim [...] you shall send them againe to their pasture, not suffering their Calues to sucke them [Page] any longer, except it be at night when they returne from Pasture (so long as they feed vpon fresh Prouander, which you shall haue in readinesse for them) and in the mor [...]ing before you send them to Pasture. In what state soeuer they be, you shall not let them drinke aboue twice a day in Summer, and once in Winter, and that not of Riuer or Floud water, but of some water which is wa [...]me, as Raine water, Fenne or Well water, hauing beene drawne a long time before, for Well water by reason of the coldnesse might somewhat hurt them.The Cow would haue a cleare water, as the Horse a troubled. It is true that the Cow will not refuse any water that is without fault, so that it be cleare; for she loueth cleare water especially, as the Horse, on the contrarie, that which is puddly and troubled, being a signe of his goodnesse, if so he [...]umble the water with his foot before he drinke. And as for [...] Calues newly calued, you must leaue them with good litter of fresh straw, vntill such [...] time as she haue licked, cleansed, and wiped them, and for some fiue or six daies after: [...] for the being of the Cow with the Calfe doth heat and settle the Calfe. After such [...] time you shall put it by it selfe in some Shed, prouiding it good Litter, and renewing [...] the same oftentimes, and thence you shall bring them forth when you would haue them sucke, and carrie them thither backe againe so soone as they haue sucked: And if you see, eyther that they will not sucke, or that being willing to sucke, they can doe nothing but offer to take the paps, without sucking any thing; you shall looke vnder the tongueThe Barbs vnder Calues [...]. if they haue not the Barbes, which is a whit [...]sh fleshinesse growing vnder the tongue, almost after the manner of the Pip: which (and if it be so) you shall take away gently, without slaying the tongue, with little nipping Pincers, washing the place afterward either with red Wine of it selfe, or with the infusion of Salt and Garlicke stamped together; for this disease will cause them to languish vnto death▪ by keeping them from sucking. Let the huswife also be diligent in taking away the Lice that may breed vpon Calues,Lice and Scabs of Calues. and make them languish and thrine nothing at all, as doth also the Scab when they haue it: and this is to be knowne by their skins, if they become hard and stiffe after the manner of little ridges, and that stroaking your hand along, you feele the skin hackt and rough like a File, and the haire staring and standing vpright. For the healing of such scabs, she shall rub them with Butter or with Oyle of the setlings of the Lampe all ouer the bodie where the scab is seized. But as it is a great deale better to preuent diseases than to cure them, the huswife shall cut off all entrance from these two annoyances, if she cause to be rubd with the wispes of straw vnbound her Calues twice a day: if she suffer not their pisse to stand in puddles vnder them: if she see that they be kept with fresh Litter and drie, causing their dung to be carefully cast out from among their Litter.

But to returne to the keeping and ordering of Kine,Kine. the huswife shall appoint times for the milking of them, as that they be milkt euening and morning at a conuenient houre, and when they be at red: That the Milke be strained so soone as it is taken, and that Butte [...] be chernd with leysure, but not any losse: that the Cheese be well crasht, prest, and freed from their Whey; and especially, that her Pots, kneading Troughs, Strainers, Slices, and Che [...]se presses, and other implements seruing for the Dairie, be kept neat and cleane: and that none of her maids haue any thing to doe with either the Butter or Cheese when they haue their termes. In the morning before going to field, she shall cause the Calues to be gelded,To g [...]ld the Calues. and that before they be two yeares old, and not after: for Calues grow the more when they are gelded in the time of their growth, because thereby their bodies are made the more moist. When they are gelded, in respect of their paine and griefe there shal be giuen them Hay small shredded and mingled with Branne, vntill they be come againe to their former stomackes and appetites. They must not be gelded either when it is verie hot or cold, or in the old of the Moone. Being more than three yeares old, they shall be put to the Neat-heard, to begin to prepare them for the Draught: and likewise she shall deliuer him her Ki [...]e with Calfe, and those which after nine yeares doe not bring forth any more Calues, for yet they may serue to draw in the yoake.

Furthermore, shee shall make much account euermore of the CowThe marks of a good Cow▪ which is of a meane stature, of a long bodie, a large flanke, foure or fiue yeares old, of a party blacke [Page] colour, or spotted with white and blacke, her bagge great and side, a great [...], broad betwixt the browes, a blacke eye, and geat hornes, not turning in one [...] another, nor yet short or small, but bright, blacke, and of a wide and well-spread shape, her eare verie hairie, a narrow iaw, a thick and grosse muzzle, wide [...], and sniuelly, little and black lips, her haire glistering and thick set, her legges [...], her thighes grosse and thicke, and her necke long and grosse, her backe large and broad, her tayle long euen to the heele, her hoo [...]es short and euen, a broad breast, a great and grosse brisket, and her dugges great and long. As concerning the diseases of Calues and Kine, they shall be handled, as shall be said hereafter in the Chapter of the Neat-heard.

The dung of a Cow made hot in the embers, being wrapped in certaine [...] leaues, or in the leaues of Colewort, and applyed in forme of a Cataplasme, [...] appease the paine called Sciatica: being fried with vineger, doth ripen the Fings euill: being fried in a Frying-panne with the flowers of Camomile, Melilote, and Brambles, it diminisheth the sw [...]lling of the Cods: applyed very hot vpon the pl [...] ces troubled with the Dropsie, it cureth them throughly: and applyed vnto any place stung by Bees, Waspes, and Horne [...]s, it taketh away all the paine.

CHAP. XIIII.
The way to make greene Cheese, Butter, and other sorts of Cheese.

SHe shall be carefull,Milke: as well for the feeding of her people, as also for the gayning of the penny, diligently to set on worke her daughters and maid seruants about the good ordering of the Milke of her Kine, in the making of the Butter and Cheese thereof. And first as concerning Milke, shee must not make any account of that which commeth from the Cow after shee hath new calued, to preserue and keepe it; for besides that it is naught both to make Butter and Cheese, it is also very dangerous for to vse: Like as we see, that mothers which nurse their children, make no account of their fi [...]st milke to giue it [...] them; the reasons whereof you may learne in our Booke of the diseases of Women. After the Milke is milked,The keeping of Milke. you shall set it in a place where it may be warme, to the end it may be kept the longer, and become the thicker in short time; in as much as Heat doth safegard and thicken the Milke, as Cold doth soure it and make it to tur [...] by and by: and therefore to auoid this danger, it is good to boyle it, and thereupo [...] to stirre it much before you let it rest, if peraduenture you be not disposed to keepe it three dayes or somewhat more. She shall know good Milke by his whitenesse, pleasant smell,Good Milke. sweet tast, and reasonable thicknesse in substance, in such sort, as that being dropped vpon ones nayle, it [...]unneth not off presently, but stayeth there, and abideth round a good while. She shall not let her Milke be kept long, as aboue a day in Summer, especially in Autumne and the Spring, in which seasons, Milke, because of the heat and temperature of the time, would be spoyled and presently turned: but as soone as she can, she shal gather her Creame, greene Cheese, Butter, pressed Cheese, Whay, and other commodities, which a good huswife is wont to rayse according to the time: although in Winter the Kine yeelding small store of Milke, as being then with Calfe, she may gather three or foure meales together, which will not so soone be spoiled by reason of the coldnesse of the Winter, which maketh the Milke to thick [...] presently. Likewise at this time shee shall gather but small store of Butter, but shall turne all her Milke into Cheese. It is true, that seeing Cheese is not of so great price in Winter, neither yet so good and daintie as in Summer, Spring time, and Autumne, by reason of the grasse, that therefore it shall be no great danger to gather the Butter cleaner from the Cheese in Winter than at any other time.

[Page] She shall gather her Creame from the vppermost part of her milke presently after [...]hat the milke is drawne from the Cow, and cooled a little: and with this Creame,Creame. to [...]ake Creame-chee [...]e, ordinarily accustomed to be sold in Summer, to be vsed at [...] of smaller account, or in the end of dinner and supper. The Italians with [...]uch Creame-cheese, or Pa [...]misan, doe mixe fine Sugar well powdred, together with Rose water.

The milke curded and thickned without Runnet, will make little Cheeses,Fresh or greene Cheese. which the Parisiens doe call Ionches.

The Normans doe boyle milke with Garlicke and Onions, and keepe it in vessels for their vse, calling it Sowre milke or Serate.Sowre milke; or Serate.

The WhayWhay. may serue for the feeding of the Hogs and Dogs, as also in the time of Dearth for sustenance for the Familie, if she boyle it but a little.

For to make Butter,Butter. shee shall reserue the newest and fattest milke that shee shall [...]haue, whereof she shall gather no creame: and she shall make account, of ten pounds of milke to make two pounds and a halfe of Butter. To make this Butter, shee shall beat or cherne it a great while in Vessels made for the purpose, especially whiles the times of greatest heat endure, seeing such heat is the cause that Butter commeth not, and is not made so soone as at other times. If she will make account to sell it, she shall salt it, and put it in pots of earth, such as wee see brought to Paris from Britaine, Normandie, and Fl [...]nders. The Butter of a yellow colour is the best; and that of a white colour is the worst: but that which is gathered in May, is better than either of the other.

As concerning the making of Cheese,The making of Cheese. shee shall chuse the most grosse and fat milke, being pure and newly drawne, to make Cheese that shall keepe a long time: and of such milke she shall gather neither Butter nor Creame; but such as it commeth from the Cow, such shall be put in Vessels for to coagulate and turne to curds. The way to curdle it,To curd the milke. is to mingle therewith of the Runnet, of a Lambe, Kid, or Hare, or the flowers of wild Thistle, or the seed of blessed Thistle, or the iuice of the Fig-tree, which commeth out of the Tree when one cutteth the greene barke thereof: or the leaues and hoarinesse which groweth at the small end of the Artichokes, or Ginger, or the inner skin of a house-Hennes stomack, or the spawne egges of a Pike, and with these it is vsuall to make Cheese to be eaten in Lent: or the blacke mutable Thistle, therefore called Chameleon niger. Let her beware of casting in any the least quantitie of vineger, for one onely drop of vineger is sufficient to hinder the turning of the milke into curds. But aboue all, the best and most principallest RunnetThe best runni [...] is the small Cheeslep bagge or stomacke of a young Calfe, not aboue three weekes or a moneth old, well washt, salted, cleansed, and seasoned with Cloues, Mace, and a little Nutmeg, and so kept in a close pot with Bryne, and so vsed according as occasion serueth. The pot in which the milke is, must not be without some quantitie of heat for to keepe it warme; and yet notwithstanding it must not come neere vnto the fire, as it may not stand farre off: And when it is curded and gathered together, it must be put presently into slices, tormes, or fats, for it is profitable that the Whay should run out, and separate it selfe from the Curd. But chiefely, and aboue all other things, it is required, that the maidens which shall meddle with the making of Cheese, should be cleanly, f [...]t for the purpose, their sleeues from about their hands and armes folded vp, and aboue all, farre from being troubled with their termes. In like sort, the people of the Countrey of Auergnac, which make great reckoning of their Cheese, doe chuse the young children that are but of foureteene yeares of age, and those proper, neat, and handsomely trim [...]ed vp, not hauing scabbed or scur [...]e hands, neither yet of an vntemperate heat: for they thinke and persuade themselues, that such filthinesse of the hands doth hinder the full curding and ioyning together of the Cheese, and so doth make them full of eies.

If she determine to drie,Hard Cheese. harden, and keepe them long, she shall the more carefully looke to the strayning forth of the Whay and cleare Milke, and after to set [...] in rowes vpon [...], Lattises, or Cheese-heigh [...] fit for the same, and that [Page] withall it be in a cellar, or in some darke and coole place: or else to take them vp into some high place, hauing store of aire; prouided alwayes, that the Sunne haue [...] power ouer the Cheese. She shall shift them euerie day vntill about the fourth or fifth day, at which time they will begin to cast a slowre, as though it were the flowre of meale, and then shee shall cast a little small salt vpon them. The next morning shee shall turne the other side, and doe the like therewith: after she shall turne them euery day; and, if need be, make them cleane on both sides and about the edges with a rebated knife made of purpose, such a one as will not cut. After some time, when [...] knoweth that they are somewhat drie, shee shall put them in another place, as vpon boords layd as it were vpon ladders: she shall cleanse and scrape them oft, and keepe her boords cleane also: and if by striuing to keepe them long, they become hard and bitter, she shall couer them ouer in Grauell, or in Barly flower, or in Cich-pease, or else she shall couer them with the leaues of Dragons, which likewise doe keepe them from being eaten of Mites, and that they doe not become mouldie. And in case that wormes doe eat them, shee shall take away this vermine, and annoint them with oyle of Linseed, or the drossie parts of the same, which will preserue them singularly [...] or else shee shall put them in a great heape of Millet corne or Linseed, which will keepe them fresh and coole in the hotest times, and hot in the coldest times. And seeing the deepest point of skill about Cheese, is to bestow them so as that they may best mellow, she shall bring them together in the end, and put them in presses, the clothes taken out, and set neere the walls of cellars vnder the ground vpon small boord [...], hauing moistened them before with oyle Oliue, or Linseed and vineger mixt together.

She shall iudge that for good Cheese which is fat and heauie,The goodnesse of Cheese. the meat of it close and well compact, of colour somewhat yellowish, sweet to [...]ast, pleasant to smell, and nothing mouldie, neither yet full of mites or wormes, and which is made of pure Cowes milke, without mixing any sheepes milke therewith, for it maketh the Chees [...] lesse sauorie and more whitish: It is true indeed, that it may be made to looke yellow, some Saffron mixt therewithall, as is vsuall amongst the inhabitants of Poictou. An old Cheese all mouldie, brayed and mixed with the decoction of a salt gammon of Bacon, and applyed in forme of a Cataplasme, doth soften all the hard swelling [...] of the knees.

CHAP. XV.
Of Hennes.

AS concerning the ordering of Pullen, which is the chiefest thing that a good Huswife is to regard, there must care be had that the Henne-house be euerie day made cleane,The Hen-house kept cleane. euen so soone as the Pullen be out, and the dung p [...]t aside for the fatting of the Medowes:Baskets for Hennes to lay in. The Baskets for them to lay in oftentimes shaken vp, and refresht with new straw and neasts, and their Pearches and Ladders scraped euerie weeke:Pearches and ladders made cleane and rubd downe. Their d [...]nking [...]ought kept cleane. The roofe or vpper part of the house shut in euerie night at Sunne-set for feare of Fulmers, and opened euerie morning at Sunne-rise▪ Their Water-pots to let them drinke at, must be kept cleane, and filled with clea [...] water euerie day, and that twice in Winter, and thrice in Summer: Let their water be cleare alwayes, least otherwise it cause them to haue the Pip; which thing happeneth as soone vnto them of the filthinesse of their water, as of the want of it: Let her [...] to be cast out vpon the dunghill oftentimes fresh straw right ouer-against the Bar [...],Fresh straw on the dung ill. where the Pullen vse to scrabble;The dustin, of Pullen. and neere vnto the same place let her cause to be put sand,To take away the le [...]s of Hennes [...]aying. dust, or ashes, to procure them the pleasure of dusting themselues in the Sunne, and pruning of their feathers: Let her cause to be remoued farre from them the residence of wine or drosse of the Presse, of whatsoeuer fruits, and from the place of their [Page] haunt, for such things keepe them from laying. And it further behoueth her to haue this care, as to see that throughout all the Henne-house there be neither Lath broken, nor any place of the walls hauing any Lome fallen either without or within, or any shee [...] of Lead lifted vp or raised,Beasts to be prouided against as enemies to poultrie. thereby to preuent the danger of Ca [...]s, Foxes, Weasels, Poleca [...]s, Fulmers, and other beasts, giuen to rauin abroad in the night: as also the Kite, Hen-harrow, and Owle, which sometimes will not let to swap into the very Brood-house to catch and carrie away the Chickens.

And to the end you may not lose any of them, you must cut off the great feathers of one wing from such as vse oftentimes to flye ouer walls, that so also by this meanes you may keepe them out of your Gardens; for they would take it vp for a custome, and it would keepe them from laying. And for a surer preuention of the foresaid mischiefes,The wings of Cocks & Capons must not be cut. ouer and aboue that which hath beene said (for it is not good to clip the wings of Cocks or Capons) you must fasten and set rowes of thorne faggots vpon the tops of the walls of the said Gardens and all other places elsewhere.

The Brood-houseThe Brood-house. shall be built aside from the Farme-place, farre off from the lodging of the chiefe Lord, because that such birds are loathsome, doe foule euerie thing, and spoyle whatsoeuer household furniture: turned toward the East, from the Winter and Northerne quarter, neere vnto the Ouen of the Kitchin, if it be possible, to the end that the heat thereof, which helpeth them to lay, and the smoake which is verie wholesome for the Pullen, may reach euen vnto it.

It shall haue a little window right vpon the East, by which the Pullen may come forth into the Court in the morning, and goe in againe at euening: it shall be shut at night, to the end they may nestle themselues more safely from the danger of such beasts as are apt to offer them wrong: without, and on the side next the Court, they shall haue pretie ladders, by which the Pullen may flye vp into the window, and into their house, to roust and rest themselues for the night time. This Henne-house must be well layd with Lome, and smoothed both within and without, to the end, that Cats, Fulmers, and Snakes, and other dangerous beasts, may not come neere vnto the Pultrie: and that neere vnto this Henne-house, in the middest of the Court▪ there be certaine Trees or Arbors for sowre Grapes, to the end that Pullen may haue shadow vnder it in Summer, and that Chickens may haue couer and defence against the Kite, the Owles, and other such rauenous birds. It is not good that they should sleepe vpon the plaine floore, that so their ordure and dung may not hang vnto their feet, for thus they would grow to haue paine in their feet, and to become gow [...]ie. For this cause, you must set all along the Henne-house, a foot higher than the floore, and two feet one from another, [...]quare Pearches, not round, because that if they should be round, the Pullen could not sit fast vpon them. Right ouer-against the Henne-house, and a little way off from it, you shall prepare a dunghill for the benefit of the Pullen after this sort and manner: Cast a great deale of earth into a great hole of purpose made for such an end, which you shall besprinkle with the bloud of Oxen and other beasts, killed onely for the Hide; afterward you shall cast a reasonable quantitie of Oates vpon the same, and you shall turne the said earth the vppermost lowermost: in a small time there will be engendred such a great quantitie of wormes, as that the Pullen shall haue picking worke there for a long time; and the gras [...]e which shall sticke there, will correct the fat which they shall get by the wormes which they haue picked: And when you shall see the prouision of wormes to faile, you may begin againe your watering of the earth with bloud, and sowing of Oates thereupon, as at the first. Some to haue fa [...] Capons, and of a pleasant flesh, when the Mulberries are in season, doe plant Mulberrie trees in their Courts: for Capons, and all other manner of Fowles, which feede vpon Mulberries, become maruellous fat, and of an excellent taste and verdure.

To euerie dozen of Hennes one good Cocke is sufficient: howsoeuer those of former daies doe allow one to euerie fiue; and he must not be of colour white, nor yet gray, but red, tawnie, or black; his body wel compact, his crest or combe very vpright, [Page] red, thicke, not notched, toothed or gasht with cuts, a well raised necke and high, [...] pinions and flight of his wings great, his eares great and verie white, his bill [...], thicke, and crooked, his eye blacke, in a circle that is red, yellow, or azure; his [...] of a rose colour, standing of a white and red mixture; the feathers of his necke long, golden, and changeable; his legges verie scalie, thick, and short, his clawes short and fast; his spurs stiffe and sharpe; his tayle vpright, gros [...]e, thicke, and crooking backward ouer his head.

The taw [...]e or reddish Henne in like manner is the best,The markes of a good Henne. and that which hath the feathers of her wings blacke, though shee her selfe be not altogether blacke: for the gray or blacke colour is but little worth, because they be hard to bring vp, and sparingly giuen to lay egges; and yet moreouer, they be small, alwayes leane, vnhealthfull, and their flesh of small rell [...]sh. The stature of the Henne must be indifferent, her head great, her combe vpright and verie red, her bodie great and square, her necke thicke, and breast large. The dwarfe or little Hennes doe lay oftener than the other, but they are not so fit to be set on egges to bring forth Chickens. The greater Hennes are not so giuen to lay: wherefore Hennes of middle size are to be preferred before the other, foreseene that they haue large wings, and their bodies thick set with feathers: and if they haue fiue clawes as the Cockes, they are more wild, and not so tame as others. The Henne that hath spurs,The Henne with spurs. spoyleth her egges, hatcheth not so ordinarily, and sometimes eateth the egges shee sitteth on. The Henne which is giuen daintily to affect and feed vpon the grapes,The daint [...]e-mouthed Henne being the thing that keepeth her from laying, will be kept from seeking after and eating of them, by giuing her the [...] of the wild Vine; for this doth cause such a roughnes [...]e or edge in her as in those that haue eaten sowre fruits. The Henne that is too fat, or which hath the flux of the belly, layeth wind egges. The young Henne is nothing skilfull either to fit or to lead Chickens: wherefore you must fat the Henne with spurres, and the Chauntres [...]e or crowing Henne, and her that scratcheth and allureth the other Hennes, by clocking, a [...] the Cocke is wont to doe; and that, by plucking first the greatest feathers of her wings, and giuing for to eat great store of Mille [...], Barly, and Paste, cut in gobbets, brui [...]ed Acornes, Bran mixt with pottage, the huskes of Rice, Pannickle, and Oates, or the crums of Wheat bread steept in the water of Barly flower, and to keepe her in a close place where she cannot stirre, and to pull the feathers of her head, thighs, and r [...]mpe. Such Hennes thus fatted by the hands of a man, may be recouered at any time of the yeare, but the fle [...]h is not of [...]o good rellish as when they grow fat going abroad at their libertie: which thing happeneth and falleth out more commonly at one time of the yeare than at another, the verie right and naturall season of their chiefe fatting being in the moneths of Ianuarie and Februarie, for indeed in these moneths Hennes are nothing inferior vnto Capons.The o [...]er-fat Henne. The Henne that is too fat, shall be made leane by mixing of Fullers earth with her water, and of the powder of a softened Bricke in her meat. And if she haue a loose belly, you must giue her for her first meat the white of an egge roasted and beaten in a Mortar with the double quantitie of Bulleis. And for the mad Henne,The mad-brained Henne. which breaketh her egges and eateth them, you must cast Alablaster vpon the yolke of an egge, so long as till it be hard therewith, and so to make this to serue (being fashioned like a shell) for her neast: or else to make an egge of Alablaster or Fullers earth,A young Henne clocking. and to put it in her neast,A young Henne good only to lay egges. and to leaue her no more but that only egg [...] after she hath laid.An old Henne is good to sit. Vnto a young Henne which falleth to clocking,To take away a Hennes desire to sit. you must take one of her small feathers, and thrust it through her nosthrils: for it is not for a young Henne to doe any thing but lay egges, and for the old to sit. Our Huswiues (in that point too seuere and iniurious) doe plucke away all their feathers from vnder their wings, euen all ouer their bellies, & doe therewithall cast them into the water to cool [...] their hea [...] withall; or else they keepe them fa [...]ting foure dayes together in a Chick [...] Cowpe. And if you be not disposed to keepe a Henne to brood, you must by and by, or within two daies after that she hath brought forth her young, let her forth again to haue the companie of Cocks, to the end she may forget them and begin againe to lay [...] and therewithall to rub the pulled belly of a great and fat Capon,Capons to brood and lead Chickens. and one that [Page] is young, with stinging Nettles, and after to deliuer him the Chickens to brood and lead.

The Henne is subiect to the spots of the eyes when she is old:The diseases of old Hennes. to the rheume and distilling of watrie humors at her nosthrils, by hauing taken cold, or hauing drunke frozen water, or at least such as was too cold, or by reason of the Henne-house being left open in the night, or by hauing rousted vpon the trees in the open aire, or finally by not hauing found the house open, or some other couert to runne vnder, in the time of raine: Vnto the loosenesse of the belly, when their meat is too thinne, or when they haue eaten some hearbes apt to worke the same, or when the Henne-house hath beene open all night: Vnto the PipThe Henne Pip. of the tongue, either for want of drinke, or for drinking troubled and filthie water: To fleas and vermineFleas and vermin [...] about Hennes. when they sit, or when they haue not wherein to tumble and roule, or to make themselues cleane, or when their dung is let to continue a long time together in the house: And to the bitings of venimous Beasts, which haunt the dunghill and old walls, as the Scorpion, Snake, Spider, Shrew, Lizards, and New [...]es of the wall.

For the scab and inflammation of the eyes,Physicke for Hennes. you must bath them in the water of Purcelane, or in Womans milke: and for the spots, you must rub the eye with Sal Ammoniack, Cummin, and Honey, brayed together in a Mortar, and that as much of the one as of the other, except you haue the skill to take them vp, or to cause them to be taken and lifted vp with a needle.

For the rheume,For the rheume in Henn [...]s. you must put a feather crosse their nosthrils, and wa [...]me their water, and sometimes chafe their feet, especially little and yong Pulle [...]s, which are wont to be wrapt in cloth a certaine time for the same, or else in feathers, and then put into a pot, and set in a warme Ouen, or neere vnto some fire in some fit and conuenient place: And if the rheume or matter of the stuffing of their nosthrils be setled in some place, as vnder the eyes, or towards their bill, you must launce the impostume gently, and giue passage for that to come forth which is therein contained, and put in place a little brayed salt.

For the loosenesse of the belly,For the loosenesse of the belly in Hennes. some make them me [...]t of the husks of Barly steept in wine, and incorporated with waxe; and some doe mingle with their water the decoction of a Pomegranate or Quinces.

And if that Pullein be costiue,For costiue [...]esse in Hennes. especially the younger sort, they are prouoked with a wild oat: and some vse to pull off the feathers of their rumpe, and vpon the inside of their thighs, to the end that their dung may not be long detained and kept within their bodies, because that so it might stop the passage: and as for Hennes, it is sufficient to put honey into their water by themselues.

For the Pip,To take the Pip from H [...]nes▪ some vse to wash their bill with oyle wherein hath steept a cloue of Garlick: and some make them to eat stauesacre amongst their meat: and for to cure the younger sort, some put them in a sieue made to dresse Fetches, or Darnell, & perfume them with Pennyryall, Organie, Hysope, and Line: and some doe hold the head of the Pullet ouer the fume, the bill gaping: and in case of extremitie, to take it quite away from them, some doe vse to open their bill, draw out their tongue verie gently and softly, and after with their naile raise the higher part, and draw downe to the end, or lowest part thereof, the white which is seene to grow vpon the top of the tongue; and after it is raised vp and rooted out, without any breaking of skin, they rub the tongue with spettle, or with a little vineger, or else they touch it with a bruised cloue of Garlicke.

For fleas and vermine,Against Fleas and Vermine. they must be washed in wine wherein hath beene boyled Cummin and S [...]auesacre, or else in water wherein haue boyled wild Lupines.

Against the biting of venimous Beasts,Against the [...]itings of venimous Beasts. you must annoi [...] the place with oyle of Scorpion [...], and apply vpon it some Mithridate; and further, cast some small quantitie of [...]reacle into their water-pot, and cause them to drinke.

For the danger of Beasts,Against Beasts that eat Pullein. especially of Cats and Fulmers, which come in the night time vnto the Henne-house to eat the Hennes and egges, old Writers do giue counsell to cast at the entrie of the dore, and to scatter thereabouts, bunches of Rue, as also to [Page] put some tender sprouts of the same vnder the wings of the fowle: or else to besme [...] about the walls of the Henne-house, and round about the window, the gall of a Ca [...] or of a Foxe.

Furthermore, to keepe Pulleine from Foxes,Against Foxes. that they doe not eat them, it is good now and then to mingle amongst their meat the flesh of a Foxe sodden and shret into verie small pieces: for, as some say, their flesh doth keepe and retayne a certaine smell thereof, which is the cause that Foxes dare not come neere vnto them.

Hennes begin to lay in Februarie and March,The laying of Hennes. and some of them in those moneths being part of their first yeare. They which begin to lay at a yeare and a halfe, or [...] two yeres, are better to be liked: and then they must be verie well fed, and that some times with Oats and Fenugreeke for to heat them. And if you be desirous that they should lay great egges (for commonly the fattest Hennes lay the smallest egges) [...] and temper Fullers earth among their meat: or else put powned Bricke among Brain, and temper th [...]m together with a little wine and water, and make them an ordinarie meat thereof: or else make them all their meat of Barley, halfe boyled with Fetches and Mille [...]: or else perfume them in the night with Brimstone, for this will keepe them sound also: if you giue vnto them young Nettles chopped and boyled with Branne, they will lay great store of egges.

They leaue laying about the third of Nouember,To haue egges all Winter time. which is at such time as the cold beginneth: but if vpon curiositie you would keepe by themselues some of the fairest to lay egges all Winter long, you must feed them with tosted bread steept from euening to morning, and giue them to their breakfast: and for their meat in the day time and at night to cast them some little quantitie of Oates, Barley, or Wheas, which doth warme them: or some Mustard seed, which aboue all other things causeth Hennes to lay egges good store, that is to say, in the sharpe cold times of Winter; which thing you shall proue verie true by experience, if you make triall of it: or else to seed them with Earth-wormes, which will also cause them to lay egges in great number. You must not let them sit presently after their first yeare of laying▪ and when they are past three yeares old, you must eat them. You must also dispatch and make away with those that are barren and lay not at all: and as for those that doe lay very much, you must change their Neasts often, and marke their egges, to set them in time, if it be possible. When they are casting off their feathers, otherwise called of the common people moulting, you must not suffer them to goe out of the place whereinto you haue shut them, except it be to refresh them when it is verie faire, and then to keepe them that the Eagle and Kite doe not fall vpon them.

It is vsuall to set Hennes the second yeare of their laying,The time to set Hennes. and so the third and fourth: and so let any set many Hennes at one time, and vnder their straw some pieces of yron, for feare it shou'd thunder, or else some Bay leaues, or the heads of Garlicke, or else some greene grasse, for some say that this is good against the Pip and the monstrous fruit. They are put there in the growth of the Moone, after the twelfth day of the new Moone vntill the foureteenth, saith Florentine; and Columella saith, from the tenth vnto the fifteenth, to the end that the Hennes may hatch in the next new Moone, for to that end they stand not in need of any moe daies than one and twentie. And the Neasts of these Hennes must be made in the bottome of a Tunne or Pipe, to the end that when they come off they cause not any thing to fall or roule. Some perfume the straw that they are to sit vpon, before they lay the egges therein, with Brimstone, to keepe the Henne for hatching before her time. And you shall set vnder her the egges that you haue marked, and of those the fairest and newest, and if it be possible, those of her owne: And looke that they haue beene layd since the seuenth of Februarie, and before the two and twentieth of September: for such as are layd at any other time, are nothing worth, no more than those which were first layd, or yet those which were layd by the Henne without the help of the Cock: and there must alwaie [...]s care be had that they be odde, that is to say, in Ianuary fifteene, in March nineteene, and [Page] after Aprill one and twentie. The greatest part of the inhabitants of Lyons doe admit of no other number than three and twentie. After the second of October they set not any more, neyther indeed ought they, if it be not in Ouens, according to the vse of the inhabitants of Maliha,Ouens to set egges in. and some of those of Beauceron: But Hennes are too much punished and put to paine to breed and bring vp Chickens in Winter. As also there is a common opinion receiued, That after mid-Iune Hennes are small worth, and cannot encrea [...]e so rightly; and well to the purpose.

If curiositie draw you to set egges vnder Hennes which be not their owne,To set egges of other birds vnder Hennes. as those of the Goose, Peacocke, or Indian Henne, or else of Ducks, then let them be put vnder the Henne some seuen or nine dayes before, and after adde thereto of her owne some such odde number, as hath beene spoken of before: But and if they be Fesants egges, you need not to set the Henne any sooner vpon them, then and if they were her owne; for they require no more time to be hatcht in:To haue Henne-birds or Cock-birds. And if you would haue them all Henne-birds, then set such egges as are more round and blunt, for the long and sharpe-pointed ones are commonly Cock-birds.

Some are carefull not to put one after another into the Neast,A Ceremonie obserued in setting of egges. but set them in rowes in a Woodden Platter, and thence let themslide downe into the Neast verie softly. And care must be had, that neither Cockes, nor any other Hennes, may goe in to sit vpon them: and to that end twice euery day to set meat and drinke so neere vnto the Henne,The Hennes meat & drinks must be set within the thing she siteth in. as that shee need not rise for to feed her selfe; for if but for her meat shee once cast off her care of them, it will be much adoe to get her to returne vnto them againe, if she be not a free and verie kind Henne. If the Henne haue small care to returne vnto her egges, to sit vpon them equally, it will be good sometimes to turne them ouer softly when she shall be from her Neast.

There are some women that cannot stay to the end of the Hatching:The impatiencie of women. but about the fourth day after the setting of the Henne, they will be heauing euerie one of them vp one after one to looke vpon in the cleere Sunne-shine, and if they see not bloudie streames or threads within them, they cast them out, and put vnder others in their places. And in like manner, at the one and twentith day, if they find that she stayeth from hatching, they take off the Henne. But good sitting Hennes will not returne any more to their Neasts, after that the egges haue been touched. Likewise the good Huswife sayth, That as for the egges which are vnder the Henne, they ought not to be touched till they be hatched. Likewise they must be well chosen and viewed in the Sunne betwixt both her hands before that they be put vnder the Henne.To trie the egges that must be set. Such as doe any thing doubt that the egges are not all good, and that the Chickens cannot come forth by reason of the hardnesse of the shell, must not faile to bath them about the eighteenth day in a hollow dish and warme water, and to take away such as swim aboue the water, putting the rest vnder the Henne againe. But you must not force the Henne to rise off the Neast in your thus doing.

You shall greatly pleasure the Henne, if when the Chickens begin to chirpe, and there be found some which will not let the Chicken come forth, by reason of the hardnesse of the shell, that then you helpe her to breake the same: howsoeuer indeed this is the part of a good conditioned Henne, as also to flye at your face if you come neere to her, after she hath once heard them cheape or chirpe vnder her.

The little Chickens,The Henne Pip. newly hatched, must be put vnder a Sieue, and lightly perfumed with Rosemarie, for to keepe them from the Pip: and for the space of two dayes you must not giue them any thing to eat, but put them vnder some Henne that hath not manie, and which is not either of Partridge colour, or wild and vntamed, that thereby they may be kept warme whiles the other are in hatching: or which is better, to put them to follow some Capon so soone as they be hatched, rather than any Henne; for by that meanes they will be better defended both from Cold and rauenous Birds, as also better fed: besides that, hereby the Henne will be the fitter to fall to laying of egges againe. It is true indeed, that there must choice be made of a [...]ound and couragious Capon, to plucke away his feathers from vnder his belly, and to nettle him with the strongest and most stinging Nettles that you can get, [Page] and after to make him drunke with bread steeped in wine, and to put him vnder a basket made of Osiers, with his brood of Chickens, and so leaue him these some time▪ to the end he may fall in loue with them. So soone as he shall be at libertie, hee will beare them vp, keepe them, lead them, and become a more foolish, doting, or true louer of them, than the Henne her selfe would haue beene: Howbeit, the naturall dame is verie carefull, and giuen to keepe them vnder her wings verie wisely, without doing them any manner of harme or hurt. When as therefore they be two day [...] old, you must crumble them some soft Bread and Cheese, or else some Barley meale, and Garden Cresses, softened and infused in wine and water, with a few of the leau [...] of Leekes chopped verie small, and a little sodden, and this will be good for them against Rheumes and the Pip: And after this time, for the space of fifteene dayes, they must be kept vnder a Cowpe with the Henne or Capon: and then at the end of those dayes to let them runne about both leader and followers, giuing them still the same nourishment to feed vpon. And if you haue manie sitting Hennes that ha [...]e hatched at one time, giue and put the Chickens of the one vnto another of the eldest and most vsed to lead, or else to a Capon, as hath beene said, and let the younger Hennes returne againe to the Cocke: but see that you put not aboue fiue and twentie or thirtie vnto any one Henne, because shee will not be able to couer or brood aboue that number. Againe, there must good care be had, that the Henne which le [...] deth them be not curst and brutish, that so she may not hurt them as she is scratching, or set them in a heat by flying; neither yet that she be giuen to much climbing, or gadding into such places as her little ones cannot follow her into. Wherefore it shall be good not to suffer them to goe so soone to the Court-yard, but rather, for the space of fortie dayes, to keepe them that they goe not from the place where they were hatched. You must likewise beware that the Snake doe not breath vpon or hisse at them: for the smell of such breath is so pestilent vnto them, as that it generally killeth them all. The remedie is, to burne oftentimes, neere vnto their Cowpe, Hart [...]-horne, Galbanum, or Womens haire, for the fume or smoake of these doth driue them away.

It is a paine to goe about to hatch Chickens without the heat of the Henne:To hatch Chickens without the heat of the Henne. and although the thing may be done, yet it is not so certaine nor so profitable. They are set on a row, the sharpe pointed end vpward, in an Ouen verie meanely warme, and vpon warme Hennes dung, which must be renewed euerie six dayes; and ouer and vnder them thus set, some doe put bagges of Feathers, and they must be stirred now and then: after the eighteenth day, they must be bathed in warme water; and th [...] one and twentieth, they must be holpen to breake the shell. Againe, it may be done otherwise: The same day that you set a Henne (to the end that you may the better remember, because it is not so easie to number the dayes as to tell the egges) you may take as manie egges as you haue set, and put them vpon bagges full of Hennes dung (well dryed, sifted, and compassed about with Downe, or such soft Feathers as are on the inside of the thighes) and made after the manner of Neasts. And againe, others doe make a bed of the said Downe vpon the bagges, and vpon this bed they rank [...] their egges, as hath been said, and after couering them with other Downe and bagges aboue, in such sort, as that the Downe and bagges lye close round about, and euerie where touching the egges: which done, after three or foure dayes, they must be [...]urned once euerie day, and that so softly and nimbly, as that they may not hit one vpon another: And at the twentieth day (being such time as the Hennes begin to picke the egge-shells) you must helpe to make way for this your brood to come forth, and after put them to some Henne that hath but a few. But there is nothing beyond and besides naturall inclination and disposition to be attempted in any thing.

The Henne will sit all Winter as well as in Summer, if shee haue meat made of Branne, mixt with the leaues and seed of drie Nettles.

You must make choice of such egges as are of blacke Pullets,Y [...] know a good egge. as much as are more holesome, daintie, full, and substantiall than those of other Hennes, by how much they [Page] want of being so old: let it not be aboue two dayes old, let it be white and long, according to the common verse,

The egge is good, and for delight,

Thats long and new, and white in sight.

To know if the egge be new, you must make such triall as we haue set downe to be vsed, to proue and know such as are good to be set.

The huswife that maketh account to sell egges,How egges may be kept in Winter and Summer. must in Winter keepe them warme vpon straw, and well couered; and in Summer coole in Bran, according to the aduise of old Writers: but (be it spoken vnder correction) I am quite of a contrarie mind; for the Straw is coole, and the Bran hot: Adde further, that egges kept in Bran in Summer doe corrupt the sooner. They which doe couer and powder them with salt, or lay them in brine, doe impaire them, and leaue them not whole and full, which will be a hinderance in the sale of them: and there is no doubt but that the egge doth take some bad rellish also by that meanes. The Cellar is a good place to keepe them in both Winter and Summer.

I doe not intend here to make any discourse, which of the two was first made, the Egge or the Henne: Looke for the deciding of this curious question in the end of Macrobius, and in Plutarch his Opuscula: And you shall learne a great deale better of Aristotle and Plinie, than of Hippocrates, how the Chicken is made within the egge of the white, and nourished by the yolke, seeing that the yolke is of more easie digestion than the white.

As concerning the cutting of Cock-Chickens,To g [...]ld Cockreld. it must be done shortly after that their dam hath forsaken them, and that they run not chirping after her, but begin to crow and to fall in loue with Pullets; for if they scape the first yeare and halfe, then there is no order to be taken with them: and you must take the best bodied, and those which are best thriuen and set with feathers, and yet not growne to that full perfection and naturall growth of feathers which Cocks are garnished withall: for after you haue made choice of such as shall serue for the benefit and leading of your Hennes, to keepe them, as those which are the best made, and most bold, you must cut the other, for to feed and fat either in the Cowpe or in the Chaffe-house.

Some men (as for example at Mans and in Bretaigne) doe put out their eyes,To fat Capons. as they doe vnto Gossings, and giue meat of corne halfe boyled,capons of Means and Bretaigne. and of paste well crusht and braked, and made into gobbets, and thus they become fat within fortie dayes at the most: but they must be well looked to, and haue all their feathers pulled from about their heads, to the end to keepe them from vermine.

As concerning other particulars, of the Henne, of the Egge and of the Medicines which the Husbandman may draw from them for the good of his health:

The Henne will hatch Chickens of diuers colours,Chickens of diuers colours. if [...]hee sit vpon egges drawne with variable and diuers or painted colours: as also shee will hatch Pullets of verie pleasant colour to behold, if you make her tread by male Pigeons, or Partridges, or Feasants. To be briefe, you shall haue Pullets, Pigeons, Feasants, and such other kinds of Fowles of diuers colours, if you prouide aboue, beneath, and on euerie side of their Cowpes, or other place where they make their abode, places of receit and couertures, of such colour as you shall wish them to be of.

Hennes will lay great egges,Great egges. if you pound Bricks, and mixe them with Bran and wine, bray them all very well, and giue them to the Hennes to eat: or else make a fine pouder of Brick, mix it with Barly Bran, & giue it them to eat. Some for the very same purpose do mollifie the Fullers earth that is red, and mix it among the Hennes meat.

If by the space of foure dayes,To make egges soft. or seuen at the most, you steepe an egge in verie strong vineger, you shall so soften the shell, as that the egge may easily be so handled as that you may draw it through any sort of ring that you shall weare vpon your singer, and thrust it into such a Violl as you your selfe would wish to haue it put in: likewise you shall bring it to his former shape, if you steepe it in coole water. In like manner, an egge steept in Aqua vitae for some space of time, doth quite wast and spend it selfe.

[Page] If you would keepe egges long,How to keepe egges. that they should not breake, set them so orderly in baskets, as that they may stand right vp, and that the end which is sharpe-pointed may be vpward, and by this meanes a man may carrie such a burthen of them as shall be layd vpon him, without breaking any of them. Likewise this is a thing verie true and well approued, that an egge hath so firme and strong a frame, as that no man, be he neuer so strong, is able to breake it betwixt the palmes of his hands, being taken and holden long-waies.

It hath beene obserued of a long time,What egges will keepe best. that the egges layd after the new of the Moone in the moneth of August, or in the wane of the Moone in the moneth of Nouember, as those likewise which are layd on the day of the Natiuitie, or on the day of the Ascension, are lasting and durable, and not easily corrupted. Whereof there cannot be deuised any other reason, than that in some of them the shell is made hard, and not to be pierced through of the ayre by the coldnesse of the time: and in the other there is a most quick exhaling and expending of that which might be corrupted within the egge, by the heat of the tune and season then being.

Some find within the stomacke of a Capon a stone,The stone in a Capons stomack. of the bignesse of a Beane, which maketh a man strong and lustie vnto the act of carnall copulation; and withall, maketh him louing, fauorable, and gracious amongst women.

Some hold it for an vndoubted truth,To rost an egge without any fire. that for want of fire an egge may be rosted, being turned and whirled about a long time in a sling.

An egge will take any forme of character that you will,An egge written vpon. on the inside thereof, if you write vpon the shell with inke made of Galls, Allome, and Vineger, and after that such writing is dried in the Sunne, put the egge in brine that is verie strong, and after boyle it and take away the shell, and there you shall find the writing.

The shell of the egge emptied all out,An egge lifted vp into the aire. and filled with May dew, and layd forth afterward in the Sunne-thine at noone day, is easily lifted vp into the ayre without the aid or assistance of any other thing.

An egge armed with thread, and put into the middest of a hot burning fire, keepeth the thread from burning at all.

A Henne slit in two,The applying of a Henne to draw forth venome. and applyed all hot vnto the bitings of venimous beasts, draweth out the venime thereof: or otherwise, if you take and plucke the fundament of any liuing fowle verie bare, and apply it to the parts offended by the stinging of a Snake, or to the Carbuncles and Buboes rising of the infection, doth the like. And this sheweth, that a Henne hath a naturall contrarietie against poyson. And this may further be knowne, because that Hennes doe eat venimous things, as Toades, Vipers, Snakes, Aspes, and other Serpents, without their taking of any harme thereby.

The inward membrane of the Hennes stomacke or maw,The innermost skin of the Hens stomack, against the flux of the be [...]y & grauell. as also of a Capons, dried and powdred, is a soueraigne thing against the flux of the belly, grauell in the reines, and difficultie to make water.

The broth which is made of a Henne, or old Cocke, is good to loosen the bellie: and yet more effectually, if one stuffe a Henne with Mercurie, Germander, wild Saffron,The broth of a Henne good to loosen the belly. and such other hearbes. Also the broth of a Henne or Cocke is singular against euerie disease, if she be stuffed with hearbes appropriate and fit for the cure of the said diseases.

The stones of a Capon,The stones of a Capon. nourished and fed with meat steeped in milke, are soueraigne for the speedie restoring of them which are worne away and consumed by continuance of long sicknesse.

The fat of a Henne washed in Rose water,The fat of a Henne. is good for the chops and clifts in the lips, as also for those which happen in the hands by reason of Winter cold.

The gall of a Henne or Capon dropt into the eye,The gall of a Henne. doth take away the spots of the eyes, if you mixe it with the water of Eye-bright.

The dung of a Henne dried and finely powdred,Henne-dung. and applyed to the eyes which haue lost their haire, causeth the same to come againe, if you mixe it with honey, or oyle of Linseed: If it be tempered with oyle of Roses, and applyed, it is good [Page] against burnings: being brayed with vinegar and honey, it cureth within an houre such as are neere strangled by eating of Mushromes, for it maketh them to vomite a thicke and flegmatike humor. A Physition in Galens time did cure all manner of old Collickes, giuing the sicke to drinke of this dung with Hypocras made of honey and wine.

A hard rosted egge eaten with vineger stayeth the flux of the belly,A hard rosted egge. if you mixe with it the powder of Harts horne.

A Cataplasme made of the yolke and white of an egge well beaten with the iuice or water of Plantaine and Nightshade,The yolke and white of an egge. applyed vnto burnings, doth quench and extinguish them.

The white of an egge beaten,The white of an egge. and with the powder of Frankincense, Mastick, and Galls applyed vnto the browes, doth stay the bleeding at the nose.

The yolke of an egge swallowed alone,The yolke of an egge. stayeth the Cough, and such other distillations as fall downe vpon the lungs and other parts of the breast. The yolke of an egge, which is layd in the full of the Moone, doth cleanse and take away all manner of spots appearing in the face. The thin membrane or skin which is on the inside of the egge-shell dried, finely poudred and mixt with the white of the egge, doth heale the clifts of the lips. The egge-shell made into ashes, and drunke with wine, doth stay the spetting of bloud, and is good to whiten and cleanse the teeth, to comfort and incarnate the gummes. The egge-shels, out of which there haue come Chickens, being poudred and mixed with white wine, doe breake as well the stone of the reines as of the bladder. The white of the egge mixed with vnquencht Lime, the shell of an egge burnt to ashes, old Tyle well poudred, and Bitumen, maketh a Cement verie excellent to glue and ioyne together againe the broken parts and pieces of Glasses. An egge spread vpon wood, or any kind of garment, doth keepe the same from the burning of the fire.

CHAP. XVI.
Of Geese.

THe Countrey Farme being for the most part vnprouided of the bene [...]ts and easements of water, especially running streames, is not so fit to breed and nourish Geese: except for priuate commodities sake it fall out, that the Farmer doe make him some Fish-ponds or standing Lakes of his owne,Geese loue to bath and tumble themselues in the water. and at his owne proper costs and charges: For the Goose, as well as the Ducke, doth loue to swim, and to coole, plunge, and tumble her selfe euerie day; neither doe they tread almost any where else but in the water. There is great profit, and there is great losse also thereof: profit, because the charge of keeping or feeding them is not so costly,The Goose is a bird of great profit and disprofit. as their watch and ward is good and gainefull; being indeed better than that of the dogge, as hath beene shewed long agoe by the Geese of the Capitoll in Rome, who awaking the souldiors and standing Watch, were the cause that the enemie was repulsed and driuen backe: Againe, she declareth when Winter draweth nigh, by her continuall squeaking and crying: shee layeth egges, hatcheth Goslings, affoordeth feathers twice a yeare, for the Bed, for Writing, and for Shafts, which are gathered at the Spring and Autumne. The losse or discommoditie is, because they craue a keeper; for otherwise they will bruse and knap off the young siences of Trees, the hearbes of the Garden, and the shoots of Vines, as also iniure and hurt the Corne when it is shooting and putting forth his stalke, as well by breaking it,Wild Geese. as by dunging vpon it: in such sort, as that in the Countries where wild Geese (which are fowles keeping together in flocks as well as Cranes) doe make their greatest and principall haunt, as in Holland, Heynault, Artoys, and other where, there is found sometimes a great piece of Corne all wasted and destroyed in lesse than halfe a [Page] day. And the house or tame Geese doe no lesse harme, if they be let alone and suffered to do it; for they pull vp the corne by the root: besides that, where as they dung, there will nothing grow for a long time after.

The best Goose and Gander is of colour either white or gray; and she that is of a mixt or two colours, is also of an indifferent goodnesse: notwithstanding the white doth abound more in laying of egges than the others, and hath also a better flesh; and it is good to make choice of such a one as hath the knee, ioints, and space betweene the legges great and large. The Goose goeth ouer her laying time thrice a yeare, if she be kept from sitting and hatching: but indeed it is a great deale better when she is set vpon egges, because the young ones thereby brought forth doe nourish better than the egges, as also doe encrease the flocke: And at euerie laying time, some lay twelue egges and moe sometimes, others but fiue at the first, foure at the second, and three at the last; and these three seuerall times come betwixt the first of March and the last of Iune.The memorie of a Goose. And they do neuer forget the place which you shall haue brought them to at the first to lay in: so that looke where they lay their first egges, they will lay all the rest; and in the same place also set them, if you will. Likewise you must not let them lay out of their walke or fold, and for that cause you must keepe them shut in at such time as when you thinke they will begin to lay: and if you take not vp their egges, they will begin to sit so soone as they haue their full number: but and if you take them away as they be layd, they will not cease laying till they come to an hundred, yea two hundred egges; yea, so long, and so many, as some say, as vntill their fundament stand gaping and open, they not being able to shut it, because of the effect wrought by their much laying.

Geese loue not almost to sit any but their owne egges;To set Geese. and at the least you must se [...] that the greater part that you set her on be her owne: And she is not commonly to be set vpon fewer than seuen or nine at the least, nor vpon moe than thirteene or fifteene at the most, and you must looke she be set vpon an odde number. And who so putteth vnder the straw whereupon she sitteth some Nettle roots, doth preuent that the Goslings, when they be hatched, are not so soone hurt. Some Geese in a good and fauourable weather do hatch in fiue and twentie dayes at the most. And neere vnto the place where the sitteth you shall place steeped Barly in such quantitie, as that she may take it out of much water: for shee loueth not to leaue her young ones, for sometimes she will rather die for hunger; and to the end also that she may not stand in need to stirre or rayse her selfe, except a verie little for to feed, seeing that thus her egges might take cold. And furthermore, call againe to mind that which hath beene said of the Henne: you may also set Hennes vpon Geese egges, and that with better su [...] cesse than if they had beene set vnder the Goose her selfe, but then not aboue seuen or eight.

The young Goslings must abide tenne daies shut vp with the Goose,The ordering of Goslings. and be fed within with Barly meale tempered with Honey, Bran, and Water, and now and then with Let [...]ces and tender and new Sow-thistles; after that, with Millet and Wheat steeped and softened: and at the terme of these daies to acquaint and accustome th [...] to the Medowes with their dame; but let them be fed before they goe thither: for this bird is so rauenously giuen, as that through sharpenesse in their hunger they pull the gras [...]e and young sprouts of Trees with such force and violence, as that sometimes therewith they breake their owne necks. They must be kept from Nettles & Pricks, from the Bay tree and Mugguet, for they be bane vnto them: in the house, from Wolues and Foxes, Cats and Weasels.

Goslings intended to be fatted,How to [...] Goslings. must be chosen when they be foure moneths old, and then the fairest and greatest must be chosen. They must be put in a Cowpe in some Cellar vnder ground, or in some darke and warme place, where the younger sort is to be kept thirtie daies, and the elder sort two moneths. They must haue giuen them thrice a day Barly and Wheat meale tempered with Water and Honey, for the Barly maketh the flesh white, and the Wheat maketh them fat, and maketh a great liuer. Some doe make them meat with new or drie figges and leauen, and giue them [Page] drinke aboundantly, vsing to rowle their meat all ouer in Br [...]n. Others pull the feathers of their head and belly, and also the fat feathers of their wings, and doe also put out their eyes for to fat them: Aboue all things, you must not pinch them in their meat and drinke, because they are great eaters, and giuen much to drinke. Thus you shall haue them fat at the most within two moneths.

The common meat of Geese,Meat for Geese. is all manner of Pulse tempered with Bran and warme water. Manie doe giue them nothing but Bran somewhat grossely boulted, and Lettuces, Succorie, and Garden Cres [...]es, for to get them an appetite: and they set them this meat morning, euening, and at noone: and for the rest of the day they send them to the Medowes, and to the Water-Pooles, vnder the custodie of some little small Iacke, who may keepe them from going or flying into anie forbidden places, as also out of the Nettles and Briers, as also from feeding of Henbane, which some call the Goose-bane, and from Hemlockes, which set them on such a deepe sleepe as that they die therewithall.

Ancient Writers haue not permitted moe than three Geese to one Gander, but we doe freely allow sixe, and cause to be taken from them the Downe or soft feathers on the inside of their thighes,The quills of dead Geese are not so good as those of the liue. and the great feathers of their wings to write withall in March and September: for the quils of the dead Goose are not so sit for all vses, no more than is the wooll of slaughtered sheepe, or those which die of themselues. And seldome doe we see much fewer than thirtie Goslings in one roome, howsoeuer our predecessors would not put anie moe than twentie together, for the greater doe beat the les [...]er, and hurt them: and for this cause they must be put into the Goose-house, and kept asunder with hurdles, in such sort as sheepe are kept asunder: and they must haue new straw oftentimes, and that such as is cleane and verie small, for their house must be alwaies drie, and oftentimes made cleane for feare of vermine.

And moreouer,The diseases of Geese. they are subiect vnto the same diseases and casualties that Hennes be, and therefore they must be tendred after the same manner: Which that I may not repeat, I would haue you to search it out in the places concerning the same.

The Gosling, though she be of hard digestion, in as much as she is a water-fowle, and also abounding with superfluities; yet indeed the Goslings, which exceed not two moneths old, are verie much commended in the Spring time by reason of their daintinesse, as the old are in Winter stuffed with great C [...]nuts: her liuer also is of verie pleasant tast and eating.

The grease of Geese is profitable in this point;Goose greese. if it be mixt with the iuice of an Onion, and dropt into the eare, it assuageth paine, and draweth out water. The Goose tongue dried and made into powder, is good against the retention of ones vrine. The stones of Geese eaten by an incontinent woman after her naturall courses, doe not onely prouoke carnall copulation, but also make apt to conceiue. The dung of Geese dried, powdred, and taken in a morning the weight of one dramme with white Wine, doth throughly cure the Iaundise, if it be continually vsed for the space of nine dayes.

CHAP. XVII.
Of Ducks, Drakes, Teales, brant Ducks, water-Hennes, small Ducks of the Lakes, Swans, Cranes, Storks, and other water-fowles.

THe Ditch or Fish-poole,A place for Ducks to set in. which we haue appointed to be in the midst of our Court and Straw roome, may serue for the Duckes and other birds liuing in the water: And neere vnto the said Pond there must be prouided for them a low roofe, lightly couered, for them to sit vnder in the night, as also in the day, as they please: for as for any great diligence & industrie to be [Page] vsed about these fowle, indeed there in no such need, except it be for the keeping of them from Cats and Weasels, Kites, Eagles, Vultures, and Serpents, which are ve [...]e noysome vnto them. In the place of their haunt they must haue some Corne cast, Pulse,The ordinarie food of Ducks. and the drosse of the Riddle or S [...]arce must be cast about the edges of the Pond: and also within the same, to cause them to be pudling in the myre, you [...] also let them haue the libertie of such Ponds as you put your fish into which you meane to salt, as also of the next Riuer, as you doe your Geese: notwithstanding, it were good that some should see that they haunt or frequent not your Ponds with fish, because indeed they will eat vp the small therein. But in other points they need not so much attendance, seeing for the most part they are nothing in loue with Gardens. And as for their Neasts to lay in and to sit, they make themselues: and there is no care greater than this, namely,The egges of Ducks see vpon by a Henne, are better than if they were hatched by the Duck her selfe. to know their haunt, especially that of the wild ones, in or about what place of the Ponds they vse, that so you may take their egges to put vnder some Henne to sit them, thereby to make them tame: for the fowle that is thus or dered will be better than that of the yard, and which stirreth not out of the Court, or from about the sides of the streets to tread.

To take such wild Ducks as are about your Ponds, to make them tame, you must cast the lees of wine or red wine in that verie place of the Pond side,Wild Ducks may be will taken when they are drunke. where you [...] accustomed to cast them meat of wine and corne with leauen and flower tempered together, and you shall take them when you see them drunke: or else to take of the root and seed of Henbane a good quantitie, and lay it to steepe in a basen full of water a whole day and a night, afterward put thereinto Wheat, and boyle all together vntill the said Corne be well steept and swelled, afterward you shall put of the same Corne in the said place, for the wild Duckes will runne vnto it, and as soone as they shall haue eaten it, they will fall downe all astonished and giddie. This kind of fowle is made fat in such manner as the young Geese, that is to say, with the same food; onely it remaineth, that you should giue vnto them, besides that, the small of the fish, and so you need not to cowpe them vp: and as for your common ones, the more you suffer them to runne, the better it is for them.

You may make your profit of this bird, in as much as the flesh thereof is very pleasant to eat, especially about the necke and breasts, the feathers thereof are [...]maller, better, and more wholesome to sleepe vpon than those of Geese. She layeth egges is great quantitie, but not so good or delicate as those of the Hennes; but yet of vse [...] make Cakes, fried Meats, and other daintie Deuises: adde hereunto, that you may set them vnder Hennes.

When this bird trimmeth her feathers with her bill, it betokeneth Wind.The bloud of Ducks. Also some hold the bloud thereof, hardned and drunke with wine, is good against all manner of poyson.The Drake cureth the Collick. The Drake applyed aliue vnto the bellie, is a soueraigne remedie for the [...] of the Guts and Collicke: insomuch, that some say, that this disease thus cured, returneth vnto the Drake, and that in such sort, as that hee dyeth of it.

Teales,Teales. young Ducks,Young Ducks. water-Hennes,Water Hennes. and small DucksSmall Ducks. of the Pond, will neuer be made tame, but otherwise you may more easily take them than you can the wild Gee [...]e. We may say as much of the WoodcockeWoodcocks. and Curlew,Curlewes. and other birds h [...] ting the Water and Riuers,Birts of a double life. and liue notwithstanding vpon the Land: for which cause they were called by men of old time birds of a two-fold or double kind of liuing and feeding.

Swannes haunt and loue to resort to some particular places onely, as in watrie, wandring,Swannes. and solitarie places. There are great store to be seene in such places towards To [...]s, Angoulesme, Coignac, the Riuer of Sharant (which is reported to be floored with Swannes and paued with Trouts) Sameure in Fraunce, as also in Flanders, and towards Valentia,Valentia the vale of Swans. which some say to haue beene, in that respect, called the Valley of Swannes, and may be made tame, and may be put either in Ponds or i [...] Fennes, but indeed they destroy and spoyle verie much fish. Sometimes they feed vpon the greene Corne, as the Gosling or wild Goose, and doe make great spoil [...] and [Page] wast therein. It is sufficient for two paire to take their pleasure in your Pooles,How manie Swannes are ynough to be together. or foure, if they be verie great, and one paire onely is ynough in your Fish-pond: and they must haue a house apart in the Orchard or Garden couered ouer a little, and free from disturbance, often made cleane and refreshed, for they defile verie much. If they haue not ynough whereon to feed in the place of their abode, you must cast them some softened bread, or some of the smallest fishes. This is a great eating fowle, and chargeable to be kept: he maketh his Neast himselfe, and hatcheth but once a yeare, and three egges at the most at a time, but he is a verie beautifull and pleasant bird. There is a certaine kind of Swanne which hath his right foot diuided into fingers, and fashioned with nailes and clawes or tallons, as birds of the prey haue, whereupon in striking into the water, he catcheth and footeth his prey, but his left foot is fashioned after the common manner of others, and with it he roweth vpon the water. Such a one was seene and killed at the Abbey of Iuilly neere Dampmartin, in the yeare 1554. This kind of Swanne feedeth no where but in the water, and vpon his prey, and is altogether wild, and cannot handsomely be tamed: but the common Swanne is not such a one.

Socrates in Plato saith, that this bird is dedicated to Apollo, because of the gift of diuination which he hath, by which he foreseeth his death, and singeth verie sweetly and melodiously when he perceiueth the same at hand, as seeming thereby to foresee what good Death doth bring with it. I haue obserued, that he doth not onely foresee his owne death, but also the death of men, especially when he appeareth in such places as he was not wont to haunt: Witnesse hereof is S. Bartholomew his day in the yeare 1572, two or three dayes before which were seene manie Swannes, flying, swimming, and diuing in the Riuer of Seyne, betwixt S. Clou and the Port of Nully.

Cranes are not much vnlike to Swannes,Cran [...]. and are not birds of continuall haunt, but yearely remouing from the Countries that are more hot vnto those Countries that are more cold. Their departure is about September, and their returne shortly after the Spring seed time: and although they doe addict themselues vnto watrie places, yet they feed, for the most part, of that which the drie land yeeldeth, and not of things affoorded by the water, for they liue and feed vpon Corne as doe the wild Geese. There is no cause why you should make any great account of the Crane: for although hee stay a certaine time with you, yet hee layeth not anie moe than two egges all the yeare long. Wherefore if you be willing to keepe of them, you may doe it rather to please your sight withall, than for anie hope of encrease, for they neither lay nor sit anie moe than two egges. And further, their flesh is of a verie hard digestion, especially if it be new killed: but if you will eat it, stay some time after the taking of them, and hang them vpon the arme of some Figge-tree, that they may grow tenderer: Also eate them rather a long time after they haue beene dressed, than whiles they are yet warme. When you see them flye aloft in the Ayre, without making anie noyse, then looke for faire weather: but and if you see them rest themselues vpon the ground, be ye assured that it will be raine.

If your Farme be neere vnto marishes and places, where Snakes, Lizards, Adders, and other such like Beasts abound; you may set vp some small Spire or Turret about your house, or plant vpon some piece of high mounted ground some well-spread Tree,Storkes. of a great height, for the alluring of Storkes to the same, that they may helpe to free your house of those said venimous beasts, for they will kill them to feed their young ones therewith. But yet perswade not your selfe, that you can easily draw and allure them, nor yet retaine and keepe them, Summer being once passed; for vpon Winters returne they will be packing into another Countrey. Notwithstanding, there are some, which not hauing beene disturbed in the time of their ayring and bringing vp of their young ones, doe euerie yeare repayre to their wonted ayres, and that by a long [...]light out of a farre Countrey, and doe ayre and neast themselues willingly also in the tops of high Towers, not frequented, [Page] as iudging the place to be such as will not suffer any man to doe them annoyance. And in the meane time you need not take any care of their Neast, laying, sitting, or feeding, for they be birds carefull ynough of themselues, and not needing the help [...] of any other, and which doe come and goe in such sort as one cannot perceiue them; in such sort, as that we may rather see them when they be commen, than foresee their comming, for as much as their comming and going is in the night. Some doe thinke that they haue no tongue; make no account of them for to eat them, seeing they are of a verie euill iuice and venimous feeding: and yet this good is in them, that hee which shall haue eaten of a Storke, shall not haue his eyes bleared or running all that yeare. It is obserued in this bird, that the young doe feed the old that breed them, when they cannot flye any more, nor get their prey.

CHAP. XVIII.
Of Feasants.

IT is a point of great curiositie to keepe Feasants,Hennes of Numidia. which Columella calleth Hennes of Numidia: but he that can do it, hath both pleasure and profit; and he must be such a one as almost doth nothing else: for this bird is chargeable to maintaine; she will haue her house by her selfe, raised high, and leaning to the inclosure or wall of the Court, and long also, that her troughes may be in the ayre, and where the Sunne giueth. And euerie seuerall bird must haue her owne roome: and yet there must be but one dore vnto their Henne-house for the cleansing thereof and giuing of them meat. The rest of their house shall be all open vpon the fore-part, and yet in such sort, as that it shall be sure and fast, by being thick latted, and of clouen boords, about the height of a fadome below, and verie well couered aboue.

Feasant Cocks and Hennes are hard to tame,Feasant Cocks and Hennes not so [...]asie to make tame. if they be not so hatched, or else taken within the yeare: for the elder sort grow sullen and malecontented, and doe accord and buckle themselues either to lay or sit. And as for the young, they must be gently handled, vntill they be well trained, and can easily be content with and apply themselues to the enduring of a constrained ayre, and that such a one as is not like to that where they were taken. There must be one Cocke to euerie two Hennes. The Henne hath but one season wherein she vseth to lay, and that is March, at which time she beginneth and so continueth vntill she haue orderly layd twentie, and after she fitteth them all together, or else fifteene of her owne, and some others of another kind, if you put them vnder her: and she sitteth thirtie dayes; and in the time of her sitting, you must vse her with the like diligence that you doe the Henne: but this must be all within her owne house. The young ones being hatched, shall be fed with flower of Barly boyled and cooled, and afterward with the flower of Wheat: and sometimes you shall mix herewith, or else giue them by themselues, some Gras-hoppers and egges of Ants: and you must oftentimes giue them fresh water, and cleane, for they are subiect to the same diseases that the Henne is.

Men of old time were wont to fat their Feasant Cockes and Hennes for Feastiuall dayes,To fat Feasant Cocks and Hennes. or Banquets and Feasts onely, and not for brood, and gaue vnto them the first day honied water and strong wine, to cause them to forget their naturall place: after that, of the flower of Barly tempered with water, of ground Beanes, and of cleane Barly, of whole Millet, of Turnep seed, and Linseed boyled and dryed, mixt with the flower of Barly: and for to heat and cleanse their stomackes, they gaue them Mustard seed for fiue dayes, and so fatted them vp in their Cowpes for threescore dayes.

This is the thing that diuers Cookes of Paris, with certaine other rich Victuallers, doe know verie well to doe: and they must (as saith Columella) giue them their [Page] [...]eat to eat, to the end they may be fat when they are vsed in Banquets: for but few of these wild Feasant Hennes doe giue themselues to lay and beare the yoake of ser [...]itude both together.

CHAP. XIX.
Of Peacockes.

THe Peacocke is a bird of more beautifull feathers than any other that is: he is quickly angrie, but he is as farre off from taking good hold with his feet: he is goodly to behold, verie good to eat, and serueth as a watch in the inner court; for that hee spying strangers to come into the lodging, he fayleth not to crie out and to aduertise them of the house. It is true that he is not kept with a little cost and meat, being a great eater, and quickly digesting his meat: noysome to the house, for that he spoyleth the Gardens, if there be not some little Medow ground for him to frequent: hee breaketh the roofe and high place of the house: And the Cocke being ouer-ranke by nature, doth breake the Hennes egges, thereby to keepe her from sitting, that so he may the more freely enioy and vse her. The Cocke liueth a long time, as from twentie to fiue and twentie yeares, but the Henne somewhat lesse, both the one and the other somewhat troublesome to reare and bring vp whiles they be young, but they need not to haue any great care taken of them after they haue once left the dam, except it be in keeping them from hurting the Corne. They loue a hot and temperate ayre, and that is the cause that they are not brought vp in manie Countries of France, but with much adoe. The place where they most abound in all the Countrey, is toward Lisieux in Normandie, for from thence there come great numbers to Paris, for great and sumptuous Banquets and Marriages: There they make them fat with the drosse of Cyder and Perrie.

People of old and auncient time did cast Islets on the backside of their Gardens,The Peacock [...] walke. onely for Peacocks, and there set vp some little shed for them at their pleasure to repaire vnto, and another for the partie that should feed them. And in Italie vnto this day they vse, in places neere vnto the Sea shore, to bring vp Peacocks in Islets somewhat neere vnto the Sea, that so they may preuent such harme as the Foxe might otherwise doe them; which was also the drift why our auncient predecessors tooke the same course: but wee▪ which make not so great account of them, are content to keepe them in some roome ouer the Hennes, euen in the highest part of the Henne-house, for they loue to rowst on high, and in an open ayre, sitting verie often for that cause vpon trees, but wee prouide them some place below whither to repaire in the day time. This place must be kept verie cleane, and looked diligently vnto, euen as the Henne-house,The diseases of Peacocks. for this bird is subiect vnto the same inconueniences and diseases that Hennes be, and must haue the same remedies administred vnto them. The place of their abode and haunt must be strewed with Straw, or greene Grasse,The nature of Pea-hennes. for the Hennes doe lay but seldome, sitting downe low, as is manifest, in that her egges are found oftentimes dropt downe from her vnder the Pearch: and this happeneth by their falling from her as shee is asleepe. These birds bring foorth verie well after they be three yeares old; but before nothing, or verie little.

The Pea-henne hath three seuerall times or seasons of laying in the yeare:The sitting of the Pea-henne. but she that is set, hath but one, and passeth ouer her other times in hatching and leading of her young ones. She beginneth her first laying time at mid Februarie, and layeth fiue egges one after another: at the second, she layeth foure or three: and at the third, three or two. If the Cock and the Henne tread not, you must bring them to it by such food and meat as wil set them in heat, as with Beans rosted in hot ashes. And to know when [Page] the Cocke is in the pride or heat, you need no other signe than his viewing of himselfe, and couering of his whole bodie with the feathers of his tayle, and then we say he wheeleth.

When the Pea-henne sitteth,A Peacock of a white colour. she withdraweth and hideth herselfe from the Cock in the most secret place she possibly can; for he ceaseth not to seeke her, by reason of his excessiue rankenesse and lustinesse of nature: and if he find her, he beateth her, to cause her to rise from off her egges, and then breaketh them. If while shee [...]itteth, shee be couered with a white Linnen cloth, shee will bring forth Chickens all white, and not of the colour of the Vine bud. And to that end you may shut her vp in Cowpes or Houses ouer-layd or garnished with some white Cloth or Paintrie, to the end that whatsoeuer shee looketh vpon while shee sitteth, may be of a white colour. At the end of thirtie dayes, when the young ones are hatched, and the Henne diligently fed in the place where shee did sit them (as wee haue said of the Henne) she must be put vnder a Cowpe in some place where the Cocke cannot come; for hee hateth and hurteth his young ones, vntill they be growne to haue a coppell vpon their heads: and at such time as this is growing out of them, they must be kept verie warme, for then they be verie sicke, and for the most part die.

You must feed the young ones the first day with Barly meale tempered with wine in manner of thicke pottage:The feeding of yong Peacocks. and for the thickening of it, some put thereto soft Cheese, well kneaded, pressed, and purged from Whay, for Whay will hurt them greatly. Sometimes they must haue Grashoppers giuen them, their feet pluckt away, Weesels, Spiders, and Flies for their Physicke; for they driue away vermine na [...] rally, so that there is scarce any found where they haunt. After six moneths they eat boyled Barly as the dam doth, and are suffered to runne abroad: but euen then they must be kept from cold and raine, for they chirpe and hang the wing by and by, especially in this Countrey, where they are hard to bring vp, if they be not hatched by mid Iune: for when Autumne doth find them verie young, they doe neuer hold out Winter.

They which will haue the Pea-hennes to hold their three seuerall times of laying,The laying of Pea-hennes. must set their first egges vnder Hennes that are great, well gouerned, and old, and that in the beginning of the growth of the Moone, that so the Pea-hennes may hold on their seuerall courses of laying. And as wee haue alreadie said in the feeding of Hennes, there must be put vnder the Hennes some fiue of the Pea-hennes, and nine of her owne: after the tenth day, the nine Henne egges shall be taken away, and other nine put in their place; by this meanes you shall find, by the end of thirtie daies, that all will be hatched together: And thus you shall vse manie Hennes at one and the same time. And seeing the Pea-hennes egge, for the greatnesse of it, cannot be well turned by the Henne, you shall turne it your selfe verie softly at such time as the Henne is a feeding, and marke with ynke the place you leaue vppermost, that so you may know thereby whether the Henne doe turne them, or no, for else you might possibly lose your time and labour: and when all are hatched, giue all the Chickens to one onely Henne, and the young Pea-chickens to a Pea-henne, and see that the Henne leading her brood, do not haunt where the Pea-henne and her Chickens do come, for so she would leaue her owne, for the disdaine and iealousie she conceiueth in seeing the fairenesse and greatnesse of the others.

Peacocks are verie sicke when they moult,The diseases of Peacocks. and then they must be heartened with Honey, Wheat, Oates, and Horse-beanes: They are verie hot in the Dog-dayes, so that then you must not let them want fresh and coole water: and euerie Cock would haue fiue or six Hennes for change, for he is grieued at them that are readie to lay, and faileth not, if he can, to breake their egges.

The flesh of Peacocks is melancholike,The flesh of Peacocks is hard. and of hard digestion: but to make it tender, you must kill your Peacocke in Summer a day before you eat him, and in Winter foure daies, and hang some heauie thing to his legges, or else tye him vpon some figge-tree staffe, because the wood of the figge-tree hath vertue to make flesh tender [Page] that is tough and hard: The rosted flesh of a Peacock is well kept a whole moneth, and looseth nothing either of his smell or good rellish: The dung of Peacockes is verie soueraigne against the diseases of the eyes, if it may be found: but the Peacock so much enuieth the good of man, that he eateth his owne dung, for feare that any man should find it.

CHAP. XX.
Of Indian Hennes.

WHosoeuer he was that brought vs these birds from the Island of India,Indian Hennes good coffers to burie Oats in. lately discouered by the Spaniards and Portugalls, whether wee call them Cockes or Peacockes of India; hath more fitted and prouided for the tooth than for any profit: For they may rightly be tearmed Cofers to cast Oates into, a deuouring gulfe of meat, and wherein there is no other pleasure to be taken, but onely in their crie and furiousnesse, when they are come to be great ones; or continually chirping whiles they be little: besides that, both the one and the other are ill-fauoured and ougly to behold, for the deformitie of their heads; for the male hath no combe, as our Cockes, but in stead thereof a red fleshinesse, and vnder his chinne a great wide and long throat, which swelleth and changeth into manie colours when he beginneth to be angrie.That a Peacock is better meat than a Turkies. It is very true, that his flesh is fine and delicate, but without taste, and of hard digestion: And this is the cause why men vse to powder them, larde them much, and season them with Spices. There is much more pleasure and goodnesse in the flesh of a Peacocke.

The meat fit for this kind of Bird,What meat is fit for Turkies. is the same that is good for Hennes, and so made, and with like diligence: and because his propertie is to be abroad, to feede vpon Grasse, Wormes, and Hearbes, therefore it remaineth that wee set downe what is required ouer and aboue: And the Farmer may well say, That looke how manie Turkies he hath in his yard, euen so manie Mule Colts hath he in respect of their feeding. Their ordering is lesse troublesome that of the Peacockes, saue that they doe not so well endure and abide the cold, neither doe they require to be pearched so high in the open ayre: but they eat vp and make great wast in Gardens, and are filthie as Goslings, and therefore some must be readie to make them cleane euerie day. In Winter they must be set in a warme place, and drie: their pearch must not be aboue eight or tenne foot from the earth, because they doe not flye high.

As concerning their laying and sitting,The times wherein Turkies doe lay. it is altogether like to that of the Peacockes, and their egges may as well be set vnder Hennes, and ledde afterward by the same, whiles the Turkie Hennes doe accomplish their seuerall times of laying.

Their diseases and remedies are also all alike,The diseases of Turkies. so that it were in vaine to speake of them here againe.

The Huswife shall not make anie great account of Turkie egges;Turkie egges. at least, hee that loueth his health, shall not esteeme of them for to vse them: for Physitions hold, that egges of Turkies engender grauell, and minister cause to breed the Lepro [...]ie.

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CHAP. XXI.
Of Turtle doues, Partridges, Quailes, Stock-doues, and Thrushes.

THe place to put these kindes of Birds in (seruing rather for food and pleasure than for breeding) shall be ordered after the manner of the Feasant-house, that is, after the manner of a great Cowpe, so leaning against the wall of the back-yard, and open toward the light, wouen and wrought with the strings of a small Bow, put through wood, after the manner of Bird-cages, with a dore of the same: And within, especially toward the corners, there shall be great store of Perches, and branches of boughes of Iuniper, Bayes, and other trees, within which there shall be tyed against the said wall small baskets to allure them to lay and sit in, if so be they haue any inclination thereunto. It shall be of the height of a man: and ouerthwart, and euerie way, you shall hang Perches, stayed vp at both ends, for seats for them to sit vpon; and vnder their Perches much fresh straw, which you must often renew when you make them cleane. On that side towards the light, all along their house, you shall weaue and worke in two boords of a good length, and a third vnderneath them, and there shall you make places for the [...] to eat their meat, and to set their water-pots for them to drinke, which you shall refresh and make cleane verie often. These birds are all of them such as vse to got together in flockes, and delight in hot ayre, and in cold weather flye ouer the Sea out of one Countrey into another. And therefore to tame them in such manner, as to make them like our house-birds, would be a verie hard and difficult thing: And againe, wee make no further account of them than for their daintinesse and delicatenesse; which is the cause why they are of such request in Feasts and Banquets.

Of all these fore-named kinds of Birds, there is none more apt to tame than the Turtle doues,Turtle doues. neither yet sooner fatted: for to take them after they be somewhat great, and slie well, you must giue them wine, for by the means of it they doe quickly fall to forget their libertie and freedome; for this bird is of a great stomacke, and beareth it therefore verie mournefully, when shee perceiueth her selfe taken: for which cause also they almost neuer lay when they be restrained and kept in, neithe [...] yet seed fat in Winter; quite contrarie to Thrushes: They feed vpon Barly, F [...] ches, and almost all other kind of graine: they desire faire and cleare water, and often renewed,What meat Turtles feed vpon. and a large water-pot, that they may bath themselues therein sometime Especially they loue Millet and Pannickle, and make no lesse account of Wheat, of which sorts of Corne a bushell will satisfie six score Birds: And you must not forget Grauell, which must be layd by their water-pots for to be their physicke, and some also in some of the corners of the house, for them to scratch in. If they hang the wing,The diseases of Turtle doues. and st [...]rre not out of their Basket, you must take them and looke to the [...] billes, whether they haue the Pip, or no; and, if need be, to take it from them: and [...]o their feet, to s [...]e if their owne dung make them not that they cannot stirre: or vnder their wings for vermine; and in all other places to cure them, as hath beene said of Hennes. The bloud of the right wing of a Turtle dropt into the eye, is excellen [...] good against the stripes and vlcers of the eye: And their dung is good against spo [...] in the eyes.

Stock-douesStock-doues. may be fatted and fed after the verie same manner, but they are greater eaters, and more hard to tame: in Winter they loue a sup of wine, and doe grow verie fat, so also doe the Turtles. Againe you must take heed not to forget your Grauell.

The browne or Woodcocke-coloured Partridge is more easily tamed than the spotted,Partridges of browne colour, and spotted. or any other sort; likewise they haue not so delicate and fine a flesh: being notwithstanding well fed, they are little inferior vnto Feasants: and you must handle them after the same manner, and giue them all one meat, but that Partridges loue [Page] [...]ow and then to eat Corne, and feed vpon greene Grasse. The male Partridges are [...]erie hot, and the Henne doth lay a great sort of egges: The Cocks also doe beat one [...]nother for the Hennes, vntill the one hath ouercome the other; and he that ouer [...]ommeth, ouer-croweth the other which is ouercome, and maketh him follow and [...]ome behind him, after the manner of the Hennes.

The Henne Partridge is so fruitfull, that she conceiueth at the onely voice or [...]light, or breathing of the Cocke. The meat that they most delight in, is Millet [...]nd Pannicke.

The egges of Partridges often eaten doe bring fruitfulnesse vnto barren women,The egges of Partridges. The gall of a Partridge. [...]nd great store of milke vnto Nurces. The gall of a Partridge doth cleare the sight, [...]nd mixt in equall quantitie with honey, doth heale the bruises of the eyes: the bloud [...]f Partridges hath the like vertue.

QuailesFierce Quailes. (being birds liuing altogether vpon the earth rather than in the aire) doe [...]ot make or build themselues anie Neasts, anie more than all other birds which are [...]eauie, and cannot so well flie: They be verie fierce, and in that respect they are not [...]ccustomed to haue either so much scope or light as other birds. Likewise wee see [...]hat they are wont to haue their Coupe couered with nets or skins, least in flying vp [...]n high, and rising with some boisterousnesse, they should beat themselues to death. Some prouide them Meat-pots and Water-pots apart, that is, to euerie bird his owne [...]rouision and diet: They loue greene Corne and Wheat, and Mustard seed is their [...]hiefe and principall feeding. They eat in those Countries whereinto they go (being [...]lsewhere than in this our Countrey) great quantitie of Hellebore. And this is the [...]cause why Didimus saith, that their flesh is laxatiue, and that it doth procure the turning sicknesse and headach, that it causeth the falling sicknesse, conuulsion, and distension of the Muscles, and for that cause that they ought to be stuffed with Millet, or boyled therein: or else if anie should find themselues ill after them, for to drinke the decoction of Millet, or of Mittle tree berries: and it will be good also to giue the same to Quailes to eat. The Cockes are nothing lesse hot than the Partridge: The Henne so soone as she hath layd her egges, sitteth them, and by and by after the hath hatched her young ones, she draweth them into some other place, to the end that such as goe about to take them, may not find their place: They be birds vsing to flocke together, and they goe away at Spring time, and returne in Winter, and in the beginning of Autumne.

Thrushes are not naturally breeding in this Countrey,Thrushes▪ as being an excessiue cold place: and hardly at anie time doe they endure this aire, and therefore it were but foolishnesse to goe about to fat them here. This bird is addicted to hot Countries, as also to such places as where there are great store of Oliue trees: for they doe greatly delight in Oliues, and grow fat at such season as they grow ripe. It is a bird also giuen to make great hauocke and spoyle: for the Thrushes doe poure downe themselues vpon the Oliue trees in great flights, and hauing eaten their full, they also carrie away at their departure one in their bill, and one in their clawes, after the manner of men of Warre. They are found also and made fat in the mountaine and hillie Countries, but it is in Winter time: for they gather fat, and fill themselues in cold weather, if it be anie whit moderate. The men of old and ancient time did much esteeme them,Sous. and sold them in the time of the Romanes for tenne Sous a peece.The value of this bird in times past, and yet also. Thus also to this day doe the Italians and Spaniards; and in this our owne Countrey, those of Lyons, Prouence, and Auuergnac: but they are not so great on this side the mountaines, as they are beyond. This bird is more sullen than anie of the afore named, and dieth shortly after she is taken, if she be carried out of her ordinarie ayre, or if she be not put presently amongst other old tame ones: They must haue their meat cast them vpon a verie cleane floore,The ordinarie meat for Thrushes. and farre from their Perches: and some cast them dried figges stamped with the flower of meale, and that so much, as that there may something remaine more than they can eat: And sometimes, for change of diet, they may haue cast them the fruit of Masticke or Mulberrie tree, or the berries of Iuie and wild Oliue trees: and yet [Page] notwithstanding their meat-pots must alwaies be full of Millet, for this is their chiefe meat. Againe, you must see them prouided of cleare water as well as other bird [...] afore named.

CHAP. XXII.
Of the Doue-house.

THe profit that commeth of the keeping of a Doue-house,The profit of a Doue-house. is nothing lesse than that of the keeping of a Hen-house; especially in respect of the selling of young ones, and others, which euerie yeare increase in [...] merably: for there are some Farmers which sell, at euerie flight, two hundred and three hundred paire vnto the Victuallers. The care to be had abo [...] them is not so great as that about other birds, neither the cost so great, in as much as they get their owne liuings the most part of the yeare, and in that they lay sixe or seuen times a yeare two egges a peece: yea, and oftener and greater, if you change the young House-doues Pigeons with those of the Cote, after that they be once eight daies old, to the end they may accompanie the Cocke Pigeons which goe by themselues without anie Matches: but this must be done so cunningly, as that the dams doe not perceiue it. It is true, that this bird is of great charges, and w [...] steth much in respect of grounds: and for this cause there is no ground Pigeon-house allowed, but to such as be Lords in see simple; neither yet verie oft anie Dofeu-houses in vpper roomes, except it be to such as haue a competent quantitie of arable ground.

Let vs then prepare to our good liking,Where a ground Doue-house is permitted and lawfull to be had. and for the ease of the Huswife, a ground Doue-house, out of the noise of folkes, the dashing of Trees one against another, and the roaring of Waters, and let it be set in a place somewhat raised: or else let vs build it right in the middest of the base Court, which is the place of our Countrey house, before in this Booke appointed, and that after the fashion of a stone Tower made for a Wind-mill, or somewhat neerely resembling it: but let it be distant: flight or two from anie water, to the end that the old Pigeon may warme that which shee bringeth for to giue to her young ones: For it is certaine, that as the Pies and Sparrowes, the male and the femalePies and Sparrowes, male and female, do sit. doe sit by courses, and as while the one of them is seeking her food abroad, the other is sitting vpon the egges; so doe these for the safetie of their young ones, vntill such time as they be out of their holes abroad. And I would not haue you to vnderstand, that the Doue-house should onely lie open vn [...] the East quarter in this Countrey, but that it take part also of the South, because this bird doth greatly delight in the Sunne, beating and casting his beames vpon their house, and entring in at their windowes and loope-holes, or higher lights, especially in the Winter time: and further, that vpon the South there be prouided a sh [...] ting and opening window in Winter, to giue some heat vnto the Pigeons. There must not anie window be made vpon the North side:A dore window. or if there be anie, for to let in the coole aire in Summer, yet it must be verie close stopt vp while the cold endureth. Let the South window be turned toward the Barne dore: and by the side of the said dote let there be a Water-pot set vpon a pillar of stone for the Pigeons to drinke at, and let that Water-pot be made in manner of a basen, diuided into manie partitions to drinke at, to the end, that when the Pigeons haue pickt vp the Corne scattered from the Fanne, or striked abroad by the Flaile, they may haue their water neere and easie for manie to come by together, either to drinke or bathe themselues in. And you must procure and see that this Doue-house be built and layd with a good and broad foundation, well couered, and the floore close beaten and loamed ouer, to preuent the danger of the dung, which doth vndermine and corrupt the foundation. It must also be well and close layd and drawne ouer with Morta [...] [Page] within,Beasts to be kept out of Doue-houses. and the ehinkers or clefts which may grow must oftentimes be searched out and stopt, for feare of Rats or Mice, which is a mischiefe often happening where there is not anie plaister to come by: and it must also be drawne ouer in like manner on the outside, for the crackes that happen in Lime and Sand are in stead of ladders for Fulmers, Weasels, Cats, and other beasts to climbe vp by. And for the verie same cause you shall make round about the Doue-house, on the outside, two out-casts of hewed stone, or round rings of plaister, as broad as three or foure chesse of stones: the one of these rings or out-laies shall be about the middest of the Doue-house; and the other close vnder the window, at which the Pigeons vse to goe in, & vpon which the Pigeon also may sport and turne her selfe round. As concerning the falling window and chiefe entrance into it, it must be made higher than the dor-window, and larger also: And yet I meane, that this window without be round compassed with white plates well nailed to the walls,A draw lattice window. and that is shut with a falling lattice thicke wrought, made to rise and fall by an engine euening and morning, thereby to preuent the danger of Owles and Iennie whuppers. The holes made of earth troden with straw, are more kind for the Pigeon than those of Boord, or square Tyles, or of Plaister, howsoeuer they be subiect to grow full of chinkers and vermine, which infeeble the Pigeons when at anie time they seize vpon them: And therefore, if you will haue them good, you must draw them ouer with a strong crust of Lime within and without. Againe, howsoeuer you make them for matter, yet they must be made so large, as that the Pigeon may turne her selfe in them, keeping her feathers vnruffled; and so high, as that the Pigeon may stand vpright in it, and not touch the top with her back. If either of these two points be missing, then she leaueth her hole desolate and forsaken, and oftentimes the house to.

It will be good also, in respect of some beasts which are enemies vnto Pigeons, to hang in the Doue-house the head of a Wolfe, which partly by the smell, and partly by the shape, driueth away such beasts: or else to sticke some branches of Rue in the windowes or dores of the Doue-house. Vpon the pinnacle of the [...]oofe make the picture of a Pigeon, either of Potters clay, or of Plaister, to draw such as flie by, thither. Prouide in some place about your Doue-house good store of Pots for Sparrowes, with stickes of thorne to hang the Pots on, and others to rest the Sparrowes vpon: and withall, beware that this mournefull birds doe not take vp his habitation in your Dout-house, for hee would make wild and estrange your young Pigeons.

To store a Doue-house,To store a Doue-house. you must first consider the contents of it, as whether it be made to containe manie, or but a meane sort, or but a few, and so to put therein an answerable number of Pigeons: Twentie paire of Pigeons are ynough for three hundred holes: Likewise if the Doue-house be of a thousand holes, or moe, then so small a companie would not be ynough; neither indeed would they loue it, they being of so small a number, but would goe away or die in the end.

The Pigeons wherewith you mind to store your Doue-house must be young ones, taken when they are halfe downe and halfe feathered, together with the old ones their dams, and so put at libertie in your Doue-house, or rather in great Cowpes, and cause them to be fed with Fetches and water with some skilfull handler of Pigeons twice a day, so long as till they become to eat and drinke by themselues: for by this meanes they will soone haue forgotten both their old house, as also the old ones, and so will yeeld themselues willingly to tarrie in such Doue-house, as wherein you will first lodge and put them; which the old ones would not doe: for being translated from another place, they would find out the way to take their flight directly to their former and first home, so soone as you had made them way to get forth, how farre soeuer they had beene brought. The Pigeons good to encrease store, are the ash, browne, and blacke coloured; the rough-footed or coppild ones are too mournefull, and keeping too much at home: so in like manner are they which are of colour like to a Snailes bellie; the pie-coloured ones and the hooded ones, those which glister like gold about their neckes, and haue their eyes and [Page] feet red, are the freest of all other. The white are strong to bring vp, but most subiect to the Kite and other rauenous birds, because they are verie easily perceiued as they flye by a farre off. You must make your choice of the May flight, because there is no such feare of them for the cold: They grow more easily, and thriue better, and are sooner able to get their owne meat. Aboue all things, let them not be pinched of their meat in the moneths of Aprill and May, because the old are verie manie of them sitting, or else haue alreadie hatched.

For to make them familiar and tame,To tame Pigeons. giue them some Honey, or some little pieces of Bread, afterward some Fetches, then Cummin (for these seeds allure them verie much) and sometimes Wheat among the ridled scraps, and let them not goe out till after fifteene daies of your putting of them in, during which time you shall cut their wings: you shall keepe a net spread ouer the windowes, to the end that they may haue the light of the day, and yet not be able to get forth: About the end of fifteene daies you shall permit them the fields, taking away the said nets, and yet not before night approch, the time being cloudie, darke, and inclined to raine: for they will not goe farre from the place of their late inlargement, neither will or can they possibly but returne vnto the Doue-house, if it were but to hide their heads that night: In doing whereof, they will learne to marke the place of their receit, and not forsake or leaue the same, hauing neuer had the [...]ast of anie former choice in anie farre remoued place, to returne thither againe. Further, if you lay vpon the window, made for them to light vpon at the comming to the Cote, a loafe made of red earth, Cummin seed well bruised, Honey, and Brine, all being well boyled together, and dried in the Ouen; for hauing picked vpon this lumpe, they will neuer fayle to returne thither againe, they are so much giuen to the pleasing of their taste: And further, by the verie sent and smell of this remayning about their billes, they will bee the meanes to allure others along with them euen to their Cote, which for the foresaid commoditie sake they will learne neuer to leaue or forgoe.

You shall also keepe them from flying away, if you giue them Lentils steeped in honied water, or boyled in some cuted wine: or else drie Figges, mixed with the meale of Malt and Honey. Some say also, that Pigeons will neuer goe away, if there be set vpon the Turret of the Doue-house the head of a Bat, or the branch of a wild Vine: or if the dores and windowes of the Cote be rubbed or annoynted with the oyle of Balme: as also that Pigeons when they flye into the fields will bring home others with them, if you rub their wings with the said oyle of Balme: or if you giue them, before their going thither, Fetches, besprinkled with wine: or shall haue steept in such liquor for them the seed of Agnus castus; for other Pigeons, after they haue smelt the sauour of your Pigeons mouthes, will not fayle to come with them to their Pigeon-house. Perfume oftentimes your Doue-housePerfumes for the Doue-house. with Iuniper, Rosemarie, and sometimes with a little fine Frankincense; for that doth mightily retaine and keepe them, and causeth them to loue their owne house more than anie other. When you shall perceiue that they begin to lay, giue them th [...]n what libertie you can: and you shall see, that by casting of them morning and evening a little cleane Corne vnder the Barne wall, and farre from the dung, and in causing the Water-pot, wherein they bath and refresh themselues, to be oftentimes made cleane,To draw Pigeons to a place. that they will draw diuers others from other places, insomuch, as that your twentie paire in fortie dayes will haue stored your house with twice, yea thrice so manie; for they bring forth young thrice, and those which are good, foure times a yeare: and you shall not need to care for anie thing, but to keepe the Doue-house cleane. And for this cause it behooueth him that hath the charge of the Doue-house to goe into it once a weeke at the least, and that in the morning, or at the times of reliefe, when as the Pigeons are in seeking their meat, and abroad in the Countrey thereabout: for seeing that they doe ordinarily keepe their noonetide in the Doue-house, if he should enter in at that houre, he should make wild and estrange the young ones, yea the old ones themselues. In going in, he shall whistl [...] [Page] [...]hem, and cast them something to eat, to the end they may be accustomed with him, [...]nd acknowledge him? Hee shall emptie and fill vp againe their Water-pot with [...]leare water, he shall pare the floore, he shall cast out such as he shall find dead: he [...]hall make cleane the holes, to the end that they may not gather anie Fleas, Lice, Punies, or Mothes: especially in Summer he shall not put vp againe into their holes [...]uch as may be fallen out: he shall cull out the barren, that he may put them in some [...]lace by themselues, that so he may fat them, and afterward either eat or sell them: And if he perceiue the traine of anie Snake or Adder, he shall set a long earthen pot vpon the tayle or bottome, and shall put within it a Pigeon, and plaeing it right in [...]he trade and walke of the Adder, he shall set by it some kind of little foot-pace, or [...]uch other thing, whereby shee may creepe vp vnto the top of the pot, and cast her [...]elfe in afterward; for the Adder cannot come forth againe: and so you shall cleanse [...]nd rid the Doue-house. It is true, that Pigeons doe require some cost in Winter, [...]hen either through Frost or Snow, or when the Corne is shot, they cannot find anie [...]hing in the field: but this paine is not passing two moneths continuance, or there [...]bout, that you need to feed them with Corne, with the drosse of the Wine-presse, or the stones of Grapes; of which things there may be store and prouision ynough [...]athered, during the Vintage time, vpon a great heape in the house Court. Likewise [...] this time they affoord you a flight, which is called the March flight, and they are [...]he most fat, tender, and daintie of all the yeare.

You shall keepe well the dung which you take from the Pigeons,Pigeons dung. not mixing it with that which the Kine make, or the Calues, or Sheepe, for it is verie hot, and ser [...]eth to fat and amend the fennie and wet places of your part of Corne ground, or of your Medowes, or the young Plants and tender Hearbes, and to refresh and relieue all Trees subiect to coldnesse and moisture. You may also make your vse thereof for [...]he Sciatica, in making a Cataplasme thereof with the seed of Cresses and Mustard, and putting thereto a little of the Philosophers oyle: as also against Head-ach, if wrought in a Mortar with the oyle of the kernels of Peachstones, you apply it to the place that paineth you.

CHAP. XXII.
Of the Neat-heard.

NOtwithstanding that wee haue yeelded and giuen the ordering of the Kine vnto the Huswife, and that Oxen are to be kept and ordered in their meat after the same manner: notwithstanding, in Countries, and about such Farmes, as where they are kept for the Plough and sale, there [...]s prouided a man, which hath no other charge but to thinke vpon and order them, obserued and noted that he hath almost as much pains and labour to take about these as about a Horse. It is true, that a Cow is not of so great charge to maintaine and keepe, neither in respect of her meat, neither yet of her handling and managing, neither yet in furniture: but the force and strength whereby the Oxe doth cleaue the ground, and draw the Cart, requireth one that should doe nothing but attend them: notwithstanding that, he must feed two for one; and that three of the best Oxen in Bourbon, or in the Forest, do not so much as one good Horse of France, or of Beaux. In like manner it is out of doubt, that the labour of Oxen is not admitted of but where meere necessitie forceth, because there is no conuenient and commodious keeping of Heards of Horse, or where Horse is not to be come by, but out of some farre Countrey. For though the feeding be good and singular for Oxen, as in Flanders, and elsewhere; yet it falleth out so, that if they can haue Horse to doe their worke, they doe like better thereof than of the Oxe: Euen as in Prouence, Languedoe, and Auuergnac, men doe vse the labour of their Mules and their young Colts [Page] rather than of Oxen and Kine, because they effect not, or dispatch their worke [...] well, or yet so speedily: howsoeuer, yet the labour of the Oxe is maruellous good▪ auaileable, and profitable in strong grounds; for they draw the Ploughes deepe into the earth, and turne ouer great furrowes: as may be seene in Italie, where there are great Oxen, long and broad breasted, in Gascoigne, Bourbon, Poitou, Aniou, and Mayne. Againe, men of ancient time vsed no other beast but Oxen, because that Oxen are more sparing for the profit of the Farmer; for they are contented to feed vpon pasture, without anie other food or prouender, besides the great profit and good prouision comming of them: for being either shoulder-shot or bruised in ani [...] part, or growne impotent and vnable to worke by reason of old age, they are [...], either for to sell, or to kill and salt for his vse; profits and commodities which the other kind of Cattell (I meane the Horse) doe not affoord.

The Oxe-house must be built of stone,The Oxe-house. paued with grauell, or sandie ground, somewhat descending and sloping, that so the moisture may not stand. It must also stand vpon the South, that so it may be the more drie, and lesse subiect vnto cold and frostie winds: it shall be nine foot wide, and onely of such height, as that the Oxe may stand vpright, and the Oxe-keeper may haue space ynough to goe round about them, to see and serue them with fodder: as also to the end that seeing Oxen will be striking one another with their hornes, the weaker may haue space to withdraw himselfe. The Rackes must be so high, as that the Oxen cannot easily reach them.

The charge of him that is to keepe the Oxen,The Oxe-keepers charge. is to be gentle and louing vnto the Oxen, dressing and giuing them their meat, prouiding them good litter, either of straw, or some other thing, to rub them euerie euening before they lye downe, and in the morning to eurrie them and wipe them cleane gently, washing their tayles oft with warme water: To keepe their house cleane, and not to let Hennes or Swine come therein; for feathers will kill Oxen, and the dung of a diseased Swine engendreth the Murraine or Plague: To giue fresh straw vnto these Cattell, and to cast to them in Summer the greene sprouts and tender [...]hoots of the arbors of Vines, or others; and in Winter, of Beane stalkes and grasse euening and morning. Let him be skilfull to discerne when Plough Oxen haue labored much or little, that he may accordingly giue them a proportionable quantitie of meat, and also such as shall be necessarie: he may not let them take paine or labour in verie hot or verie cold weather, neither yet when it is verie moist: he may not let them drinke quickly after their trauell: but if they [...] heated, so soone as they be come home, hee shall cast a little wine into their throa [...], and shall not tie them to their Manger, vntill such time as their wearinesse be ouerpast. When there commeth together anie companie of Festiuall daies and rest, [...] shall grease their hornes, and vnder the pasterne, together with the hoofe: or else [...]e shall put vnder an Onion, rosted verie soft betwixt two coales, tying it thereto with a cloth. Let him oftentimes make cleane and refresh their pasternes, and not suffer them to cleaue or rend: and to that end let him euerie yeare cause to be repaired the pauement of his Oxe-house, which will serue also to keepe away beasts and [...] which are wont to annoy Oxen. Let him remoue them one farre ynough from another, least they should strike one another. When they labour not, let him water then twice a day in Summer, and once in Winter, and that in cleare, cleane, and coole water: For as hath beene said heretofore, the Oxe seeketh after the water that is clear and most bright, as the Horse after that which is troubled. Let him carefully looke vpon their comming from field, whether anie of them haue got anie thorne in his foot, if they be sweatie, if the Collar or the Yoke haue caused them anie hurt abou [...] their head, or if they be chafed about the neck, if they haue beene much prickt with the Goad, or with the Gad [...]ie, or Horne [...], and let him accordingly apply something for the healing of them.

The gelded Oxe is better meat,The gelded Oxe more profi [...]able for worke than the Bull. better marchandise, and better for labour than th [...] Bull, whose flesh is more hard and tough, like a Hide, and more troublesome to driue: wherefore, of a hundred Calues that the Oxe-keeper may haue, he shall not [Page] [...]eepe aboue two to bull the Kine; the rest he shall geld, all of them about when they [...]re two yeares old,The time to geld Oxen. for after this time he cannot doe it commodiously. It would be [...]one in Autumne, and in the later end of the Moone; and the ashes of Vine bran [...]hes mixt with Lytharge must be applied to the wound, and three daies after pitch [...]elted and mixt with the said ashes: you must not let him drinke the day wherein [...]e is gelded,The manner of gelding the Oxe and he must for the same day also eat but a little meat. The manner to geld him is to take with two streight rules of wood as it were with quitches or pin [...]ers the strings of his stones, then afterward to open the purse and cut out his stones, [...]n such sort as that he leaue the vpper end thereof whereto the said strings are fastned: for by this meanes the calfe is not so much subject to effusion of bloud, neither yet will it be altogether spoyled of courage, not hauing all his pride taken away, but some little left behind and reserued which may still expresse his first and naturall forme. Hauing gelded him, you must feed him well that he may be fit for labour, and feed him according to the seasons and times, cheering and cherishing him by sometimes giuing him a little salt, sometime robbing his head with your whole hand, str [...]aking his backe, and rubbing the rest with louing and gentle speeches: notwithstanding so long as he is in the house, let his hornes be tied, and he close made fast to the cratch. Couple him with another of the same greatnesse, grosenesse, age, and strength, tie them the one by the other, lead them into the fields tied together, to the end they may one of them loue another: let them oftentimes see the Oxen that draw the plow, or which till the ground, or doe any other manner of worke: and to the end they may loose their naturall wildnesse, lead them to heare the noise of mills, of men, of forges, and other things which make great rumbling: neere vnto the time when you would haue them to draw, which is from two yeares and a halfe to three, giue them the yoke and beele fit for beasts of their age, and sixtie daies after you shall fasten them to the waine with the teame, to draw it through the fields, or foure daies after you shall fasten vnto the teame a piece of wood or other load. In the end, accustome them to be put to draw before Oxen, which are in the plough incouraging and cherishing them and that without any stroakes, vntill such time as they bee made cunning: trouble and wearie them not too much with labour the first yeare.

If you buy Oxen for labour,To buy Oxen. take them of the same coast and quarter that your Farme is: for they cannot acquaint themselues so easily with a strange ayre, as horses doe: and if vpon occasion you buy them in a strange Countrie, then buy them such as were bred in a barren and plaine Countrie, and those will thriue and take well vvith euerie place, whether the ayre be hot or tender, or subtile and thin. Furthermore, it remaineth that you chuse them of three yeares old or thereabout, for sooner you cannot traine them to labour, though you haue bought them: doe not labour them much for the first yeare, and especially in the time of great heat, feeding them rather with good hay than with grasse; so they will grow able by little and little to endure all paine, and will feare the heat the lesse, and will continue sound and cherefull a longer time, yea and they will spend you lesse: for your cartell not feeding vpon grasse, you shall gather the greater store of hay in your meadowes, and better then and if your beasts had broused the grasse, being but young and peeping out of the ground. You shall know how old they are by looking in their mouthes,To know the age of an Oxe. for within ten moneths of the first yeare they change their fore-teeth: and sixe moneths after the next, and at the end of three yeares they change them all, and when they be in their middle and best age their teeth are white, long, and euen: but when they grow old, shey become short, vneuen and blacke.

Labouring Oxen must not be too fat nor too leane,Labouring Oxen. and those which eat softly and with leasure doe abide and continue better in their strength. The good Oxe must be of a meane size or stature,The description of an Oxe. gentle to handle, readie, and quicke when he is spoken to, not crauing the goad: and yet notwithstanding quicke also when he is prickt, and going forward readily: in regard of his nature well limmed, short and broad, of a square bodie, stout & stiffe, hauing a round muzzle, great eares very hairy [Page] and matches, a wide and curled brow, a great and blacke eye, haire curled, and [...] it were waued, hornes strong, quicke, of a reasonable greatnesse, and blacke, his br [...] ke: hanging downe euen to his knees, his head short and well compacted, [...] shoulders and breast, a great dewlap and belly, a round rumpe, firme and sound legs▪ a long taile vnto the ground, small and thicke tufted toward the end, straigh [...] and plaine backe, stretcht-out ribs, large reines, strong thighes and [...]inewie, a short and broad hoofe, short haire, shining thicke, and thicke set, colour blacke and red: this is the best: The second and next thereto is the Bay, the Pie-coloured, and the spotted: The white is the worst of all: The gray and yellowish are indifferent, his hide and skin thicke and well fed, betwixt foure and eight yeares old; for at this age he is in his full strength and lustinesse.

The Oxe thus made,The liuing age of an Oxe. will serue you to labour and worke till he be tenne yeares old, and after that, you may fat him and [...]ell him, for he liueth till foureteene or sixteene yeare old: You may also fit for the Geares, and vnto worke, such Kine as ar [...] barren or gelded. But and if you buy Oxen alreadie trained to the Yoke, and fitted for the Cart or Plough, your Oxe-keeper must deale verie aduisedly with them at the first, whether it be at the Plough, or anie other labour, and find out his manners, and how he hath been handled, and what qualities the bringer of them vp hath vsed and accustomed them vnto, to the end they may be nourished and continued i [...] the same, to make their worke the better: but and it you will acquaint and fit anie of your owne heard vnto labour, your Oxe-keeper must take the paines, and must, for the more his and their ease, know their nature, and (if I durst so say) the complexion of such as he would handle and breake: if he be a slow and sluggish beast,To know the complexion of an Oxe. if [...]e lye downe often, if he be quicke, furious, and headie, swift to lift and lay about his heeles, or to vse his hornes: if he be dull of the pricke, trembling, going backward rather than forward, fearefull to goe into the water: then you must first beat him from these faults, before you goe about to head-stall him, if so there be not anie other thing that might rather hinder and forbid him. And know,To take away f [...]ults is a yong Oxe. that for to doe these things is somewhat too soone before he be three yeares old, and somewhat too late when he is past fiue. Meat and faire words doe accustome an Oxe to the yoke sooner than feare. And there is no course more expedient, than that which unn [...] men doe vse about a young dogge not yet made readie to range, coupling him with another dogge, which is alreadie fitted, old, and stayed: for it your Oxe-keeper do couple a young oxe as yet a nouice, with a well experimented and sure old one, and yet so as that they be of one pitch & strength: (for this is a principall thing to match them in greatnesse, strength, and nature) then he which hath beene alreadie accustomed to worke, will guide and direct the vnpractised vnto all the turnings of the yoke,To match Oxen. to all the fashions of the cart and plough. And if the oxe be hard to be nur [...] red, and yet a comely beast, and in your judgement fit for the draught, then put him in a great yoak [...], betwixt other two of his owne starure, which are gentle and wel reclaimed to their worke, and in three daies you shall see him to buckle himselfe handsomely vnto it also.

And if you will only tame them, acquaint him by little and little to indure a rope,To tame Oxen. and the fastning of it to his hornes: and after a few daies tye him fast to a stake,Fasting for Oxen. and there let him stand fasting some certaine time: if he be stomackfull, when his heat is somewhat ouerpassed, cause him to smell your hand oftentimes, that so he may be acquainted with [...]ou, and claw him betwixt the legges, and euerie where else, speaking him faire. Afterward▪ let him draw a Bri [...]e or two made fast in the yoke: and now and then set him to the emptie tumbrell,A Brife is a kind of ground that [...]ath [...] long [...] va [...]ed. and cause him to draw a little prettie way, after put into the tumbrell some load, to trie his strength, and in like sort acquaint him with your cryes, words, and goads.

If you haue bought an Oxe readie vsed and accustomed to draw,The way to correct Oxen. and that you doe not know his complexion, you must trie and find it out when he is yoaked, as if he be restie, trembling, furious, or if he will lay himselfe downe in the heat of the day, and not to correct him for his faults, neither with whip, neither with blowes [Page] with the Goad; for the one maketh him furious and raging, and the other hardeneth [...]im: but rather to bind his legges, and so let him stand and fast a certaine time; for [...]his fault commeth seldome to a [...]e but such as are ouer-fed. Likewise there is a cer [...]aine manner and way to be followed in feeding of them: and the lacke of skill [...]herein is not a little fault, neither in respect of the soundnesse and safetie of the beast, [...]either yet in respect of the easinesse of the worke, which is attained when the Oxe [...] rather somewhat fat than too leane: for the beast that is high [...]ed, if he be outragi [...]usly heated by too much labour, is in manifest danger of death, by reason of the [...]oulting and running of his grea [...]e throughout his bodie: and though he escape and [...]die not, yet will he neuer doe anie good.

Oxen are not to be fed so frankly and full in Winter, when they labour not: They loue the straw of Pulse,Ordin [...]ie mea [...] [...]or to g [...]e Oxen. as of Fetches, Pease, and Beanes: they are fatned with Barly [...]oyled, and Beanes bruised and broken: And as for Hay, it is not grudged them; [...]nd though he hath it not so largely as Horses haue, yet it is his onely meat when hee [...]aboureth. In the Countrey of Limosin, and elsewhere, where there is great store of great Turneps, men vse to fat them therewith: but such a beast is not so strong, neither his flesh so fast and [...]olide. The young sprouts and buds of Vines doe refresh them in Summer: and some do willingly giue them faggots to browse vpon at night. They leue aboue all other things the young buds of the Vine, and of the Elme-tree: and such like account they make of the drosse of the Wine-presse. The sheaues of Wheat and Rie are good for them: and sometimes Branne mixed with siftings▪ both these puffe them vp, and make them nothing strong. The Acornes doe make them scabbed, if they doe not loath them, and if they eat not all their fodder. Coleworts boyled with Branne make them to haue a good bellie, and doe nourish somewhat: so likewise doth Barly straw mixed with Branne. There may be mingled amongst their prouender the drosse of the vvine made for the seruants, but not before it be vvashed and dried: but without doubt it is better to giue them such drosse before it be vvashed, euen such as it is, and so it vvill serue them for their vvine and meat, and vvill make them faire, deliberate, and powerfull. Nothing is better to fat them, than to feed them with the grasse which groweth in the meadows in Autumne after that they haue beene cut.

But though this for necessitie sake be the manner of feeding of Oxen in France,The English maner of [...]eeding cattell. yet to feed them after the English manner is the [...]oundest and best way, and maketh them euer more readie either for labour or the market; which is to say, if you keepe your Oxe for labour onely, then in the time of rest to giue h [...]m either Pease straw, Barley straw, or Oat straw, is a food that will hold well ynough, it the beast be lustie and in strength, but if he be poore and weake, then to take two parts straw, and one part hay, and mix it together, which is called blend fodder, is meat that will encrease strength; and when you worke him sore, then to giue him cleane hay, or ful bit of grasse, is all that he naturally desireth.

The Oxe is subject to fewer diseases than the horse. And for to keepe him from the most ordinarie,To keepe Oxen from diseases. old and auncient men did purge them in the end of euerie one of the foure quarters of the yeare, and three dayes following. Some with Lupines and Cypres-berries brayed together, as much of the one as of the other, and set forth to infuse in the open ayre one night, in a pint or three halfe pints of common water: others with other simples,The sicklie Oxe. according to the custome and diuersity of the place and countrie. He is knowne to be sicke and sickly if he eat not when he hath good store of fodder or prouender before him.

To helpe the Oxe to a stomach,To get an Oxe a stomach. when he hath no [...]ast in his meat, by reason of being ouer-wear [...]ed, or ouer-heated: it is vsed to rub his tongue and roofe of his mouth with salt and vinegar.

If he become faint and vnable to doe any thing, there must be giuen to him euerie Moneth beaten Fetches,For [...]aintnesse and disabiliti [...] to doe anie thing. steeped in the water which is to be giuen him for his drinke.

To keepe him from tyring and wearinesse,Wear [...]somn [...]sse [...] rubbe his hornes with turpentine made [Page] thin and liquid with Oyle: but beware and take good heed that you doe not touch his muzzle or nosthrils therewith, for Oyle causeth them to loose their sight.

Against the rising of the heart▪ The rising of the heart Colicke. or desire to vomite, his muzzle must be rubbed with Garlicke or Leckes bruised, as also giuen him to swallow; or thus, that is, or with a pint of Wine, especially when he is troubled with the collicke, and with the rumbling of the bellie: the collicke is knowne by his complaining and stretching of himselfe in his necke, in his legs, and in his bellie: as also, by his often lying downe and rising vp againe, by his not abiding in a place, as also by sweating in such [...]ort as if he had beene in a Bath of vvater. Some add thereto the Oyle of Nuts, and others giue him boyled Onions in red Wine, and others, Myrtles, with Bay-berries steep [...] in Wine, and they also cause his flesh to be prickt about his hooues, or his [...]aile vntill it bleed. The collicke commeth to him of vvearinesse, and more in the Spring than at any other time, because as then he aboundeth most vvith bloud. In this disease he must be vvalked, and couered vvith a couering of Wooll.

Oxen become swolne and blowne vp by hauing eaten ouer ranke grasse,Swelling. especially if therewithall it vvere ouerladen vvith dew: you must take a horn bored through at both ends, annoint it with common Oyle, and put the fore part of it three or foure fingers into the fundament, and to vvalke and course them thereupon vntill they breake vvind, and letting still the horne alone in such maner as is aboue said, you shal rubbe their bellies vvith a barre.

The Stithie happening to the Oxe,The Stithie, Ma [...]let, or Hammer. being otherwise called a Mallet or Hammer, is knowne vvhen the beast hath his haire standing vpright all ouer his bodie, not being so light and liuely as he vvas vvo [...]t, hauing his eyes dead and dull, his neck hanging downe, his mouth driueling, his pace slow, his ridge bone and all along his backe sti [...]e, vvithout all desire of meat, and scarce any thing chewing the cud. This disease may be cured at the beginning, but hauing once taken deepe root, refuseth all maner of cure. Whereunto take of Squilla or Sea-Onion, small shred, three ounces, the root [...] of Melons beaten as much, mixe all together with three handfull of grosse Salt, and steepe them all in a pine and a halfe of strong vvine, and euerie day you shall giue of this vnto the beast the quantitie of a quarter of a pint.

Vnto the flux of the bellie,The flux of the bellie. vvhich sometimes continueth till bloud come, and vveakeneth the beast much, there must be giuen to drinke in red Wine the stones of Raisons, or Galles and Myrtle-berries vvith old Cheese delaied vvith grosse and thicke Wine, or the leaues of the vvild Oliue-tree, or of the vvild Rose-tree; keeping the beast therewithall from eating or drinking any thing for the space of foure or fiue daies. And for the last refuge or extreamest remedie, it is vsed to burne him is the forehead with a hot burning yrox.

For to loosen the bellie of an Oxe,To loos [...]n an Oxes bellie. you must cause him to drinke in vvarme vva [...] two ounces of Oliues made into poulder.

Admit that you would feed and fat him for labour,To keepe him sound [...] then you must vvash his mouth euerie eighth day vvith his owne vrine, and thus you shall draw from him much [...]legme, vvhich taketh from him his appetite,The Oxe [...] rheum [...]. and doth injurie him in his meat. And if this [...]legme haue caused him to haue the rheume (vvhich you shall know, vvhen you see him to haue a vveeping eye, and therewithall also vvithout any appetite, and hanging downe of his [...]are) then vvash his mouth vvith Thyme stamped in vvhi [...] Wine, or else rubbe it vvith Garleeke and small Salt, and after vvash it vvith Wine. Some cleanse away this flegme vvith Bay-leaues stamped vvith the rindes of Pom [...] granets: others inject into his nosthrils Wine and Myrtle-berries.

The Oxe pisseth bloud either by being ouer-heated,Piss [...] of bloud or too much cooled, by hauing eaten [...]uill hearbes in the Summer time, and especially at such time as the dew lieth vpon the grasse: the remedie is, not to suffer him to drinke any vvater or other thing: to cause him to take downe a drinke made of three ounces of Mustard-feed, three ounces of Sea mille [...], both stamped together, an ounce of [...]reacle, all boyled, i [...] two pints of white Wine, afterward dissolue therin two ounces of Saffron, and make [...] the beast to drinke it.

[Page] Against the rheume and eyes that are swolne and puffed vp,The rheume in Oxen. it is vsuall to let the [...]east bloud vnder the tongue: or to make him take the juice of Leekes, Rue, Smal [...]age, and Sauine well purified.

For the spots in the eyes, there is commonly made an eye-salue of Sal-armoniacke,S [...]ot [...] in the Eyes. [...]oistened and soked in Honie: some againe vse to annoint the eye all round about [...]vith pitch well rempered vvith Oyle, because there is danger in the Honie, as which [...]ight draw Bees and Wasps about the beasts continually.

If he haue the Barbes (which is a fleshie substance growing vnder the tongue) [...]hey must be cut,The Barbes. and afterward rubbed with Salt and bruised Garleeke together: [...]fter this his mouth must be washed with wine, and with a paire of pincers you must [...]inch away the Wormes which breed vnder the same tongue.

To cleanse the inward parts of the sicke beast thoroughly,To pourge Oxen. there is nothing more [...]oueraigne than to take the drosse of Oliues after the Oyle is pressed out, and to vse it [...]oft about the beast.

Vnto an ague which may befall him by ouer-great trauell in hot vveather,A F [...]uer. with [...]heauinesse in the head, swolne eyes and extraordinarie heat, which is felt by touch [...]ing the skin: the remedie vsed is to let him bloud vpon the veine of the forehead, or of the [...]are veine, giuing him therewithall cooling meat, as Lettuces and others, [...]nd vvashing his bodie vvith vvhite Wine, and then giuing him cold vvater to drinke.

If the pallate of the beasts mouth beeing heaued and swolne,The pallat of the [...]outh swollen. doe cause him to [...]forsake his meat, and often times to grone: it vvill be good to let him bloud vpon the veine of the sayd his pallate: and then after his bleeding, you shall giue him nothing to eat but Garleeke vvell soked, bruised, and [...]usked, with the leaues of the same or other greene thing, or verie soft Hay, vntill such time as he find himselfe well.

The disease of the Lungs is so desperate and vnrecouerable both in Oxen and Kine,The disease of the Lungs. as that there is no other remedie, but to vvash the stall wherein they haue stood vvith vvarme vvater and sweet smelling Hearbes, before you fasten any other therein, which also in the meane time whiles this is in doing must be bestowed in some other house. This disease happeneth vnto them by reason of euill hearbes, or naughtie Hay which they eat, or of the ouer-great aboundance of bloud, but most of all through horse pisse, and yet more especially by keeping the beasts houses too close and ouer much shut. And this is the cause why Mares not Horses (yet verie vvell Asses) can or ought to be left in Oxe-houses, because that the breath of Asses doth preserue cattell from this disease.

For the Cough there is ordinarily giuen to drinke the decoction of Hyssope,The Cough. and to eat the roots of Le [...]kes, stamped with pure Wheat: others giue to be drunken seuen daies together the decoction of Mugwort.

If in drinking he swallow a Horse-leach,Bloud suckers swallowed by Oxen. and that the same doe fasten her selfe by the vvay in his throat, then he must be cast downe vpon his backe, and warme Oyle poured into his mouth; but and if she be got into his stomach, there must Vinegar be poured in.

If he happen to to haue his horne broken or shiuered,His horne broken and shiuered. take sixe ounces of Turpentine, and one of Gum Arabecke, boyle it all together, and with that oyntment rubbe the horne all about euerie day, for the space of ten or twelue daies: which being expired, beat Bole-armoniacke with eight whites of Egges, spread this composition vpon plegets, which you shal lay vpon the horne, leauing them there three whole daies: afterward when these plegets shall begin to be drie, take them away, and in place thereof spread round about the sayd horne, Sage made into poulder; the horne will heale.

To fasten a horne which is verie loose and readie to fall off: first you shall se [...] close and fast the horne in his place,A loose horne. afterward you shall annoint all the vppermost part of the head, for the space of fiue or six daies with an oyntment prepared of bruised Cummin-seed, Turpentine, Honie, and Bole-armoniacke, all of it being boyled [Page] and incorporated together, afterward you shall foment the horne vvith a decoction of Wine, vvherein haue beene boyled the leaues of Sage and Lauander in sufficient quantitie.

If the necke be swolne that it causeth some suspition of an Abscesse or Apostume:The necke swoln then you must open the Apostume with a hot yron, and put in the hole where it was opened, the root of Sow-bread, or of Nettle, and this you shall renew often: it will not be amisse to giue him to drinke a great pot full of the decoction of medicke fodder, and in like manner to let him bloud.

If the neck be chased,The necke stead or chased. put vpon the same an emplaister made of the marrow of the thigh bones of an Oxe, the seame and grease of a Male-goat, and Swines-grease, all being mixe in like quantitie, and molten altogether.

It the hinder part of the necke be pilled and growne bald and bare without haire,The chine pild and bald. annoint the place with a liniment prepared of sixe ounces of Honie, and foure ounces of Masticke, all boyled together.

For the hardnesse of the hinder parts of the necke,The chine growne brawny and hard. let him take his rest certayne daies, during the which time rubbe the place with Butter, Honie, Larde of Porke, and new Wax in equall quantitie, all being molten and mixt together.

For the swolne Chine,The chine swolne or puffed vp. make an oyntment of the root of Elecampane well boyled, and stampt with Hogs-grease, the fat of a Weather or Male-goat, raw Honie, Frankincense, and new Wax; with which you shall rubbe the said Chine or hinder part of the necke thrice a day, Euening, Morning, and at Noone tide.

If he be so leane as that his skinne seeme to cleaue to his ribbes,Hide-bound. foment his skinne against the haire with Wine and Honie, being in some warme place, or in the Sun: after annoint him with the Lees of Wine and Hogs-grease, all mixt together, and made in forme of a liniment.

For the paine of the bellie,Paine in the bellie. giue him to drinke Treacle, or Mithridate mixt with Wine, afterward let him bloud the next Morning vnder the tongue, and in the nosthrils, or else cause him to drinke the decoction of Rue and Cammomile finely powdred, and let him rest at the least seuen or eight daies, giuing him but small to eat, and keeping him well couered in a warme house; foure ounces of Turpentine incorporated with a little Salt finely powdred, is a singular remedie for the disease, if you make him take it in manner of a bole, pill, or drinke.

For the falling out of the Draught-gut,For the falling out of the draught-gut. take three ounces of Turpentine, cause it to be put vp into the draught by some little boy which hath a long arme and leane withall, to annoint it diligently, and this to be continued for the space of foure or fiue daies: in stead of the Turpentine, the grease of a Hogge will serue for an oyn [...]ment.

For the loosenesse of the bellie,Loosenesse of the bellie. which commeth of hauing eaten Hearbes, or such other like things of hard digestion: first keepe him from eating of any Grasse or Hearbes for the space of two or three dayes, in the which time you shall giue vnto him the leaues of the vvild Oliue-tree, Plantaine, Horse-taile, and sometimes of Nightshade-berries; and againe, during this said time, you shall giue him but little to drinke, this is to say, just nothing for the most part. Otherwise, see that he eat no other things for certaine daies, than the Leaues of Organe, and garden Southernvvod, and euerie day you must allow him onely the quantitie of two eawers of water to drinke.

To loosen his bellie,The bellie bound. take two ounces of Hiera, one ounce of Aloes Hepatica, mixe them both vvell in vvarme vvater, and cause him to drinke them in the Morning.

If he haue a broken Legge,A broken legge for to set it, draw it your selfe, or cause your seruants cunningly to stretch the Legge with a rope, right ought, not more to the one side than to the other, that so the broken bones may be joyned and placed againe in euen sort: Afterward, let loose the two parts, that so they may joyne close together; apply aboue the place pleage [...]s dipt in a composition made of the whites of egs, bol [...] armenack, and dragons bloud, then tie vp the member so strong and streight, as that [Page] the two ends of the bones broken may joyne and grow together againe: aboue these [...]ands applie yet other moe pleagets vvet in Wine, for the comforting of the sinews. And to the end that the vpper and lower broken bone may not grow hard or get any other ill disposition or qualitie eyther by reason of the binding, or else by reason of the fracture it selfe, you shall rubbe both the one and the other part, vvith a liniment made of an ounce of Turpentine, with as much Butter, and the like quantitie of Oyle.

For a Legge that is out of joynt,For a l [...]gge out of ioynt. or by some meanes displaced, restore againe the bone into his former place, and bind it vp after that you haue annointed it vvith Hogs-grease.

For a sweld Foot,A sweld Foot. make an emplaster of the leaues of Elder-tree and Hogs-grease vvell boyled and mixt together.

For a foundred Foot,For a strait [...] ed or hardened foot, founder. take the roots of Mallows, and Hollihocks, boyle them in a sufficient quantitie of vvater, stampe them and straine them through a strayner, to that which is strayned out put halfe a pound of Hogs-grease, three small pots of verie strong Wine, boyle them altogether, vntill the grease be melted, then put there [...]o of Linseed vvell bruised and beaten in a morter, and so boyle them altogether to the con [...]umption of the Wine. Applie some part of this cataplasme vnto the foot, and let it remaine there three vvhole daies; and then taking away the same, apply the rest for other three daies.

For Surb [...]tting, or Lamenesse,Lamenesse, or Surbutting. you may boyle Honie and Hogs-grease in white Wine; applie vnto the Foot this emplaster, and there let it remayne three vvhole daies.

For the Foot pricked vvith a Naile,Pricking of the Foot. Glasse, Thorne, or any such other thing that is sharpe, cut the horne of the hoofe as neere vnto the prickt place as possibly you can, afterward drop into the hole of Turpentine and Oyle, both hot; and lay a plaister of Honie and sweet Seame melted together all ouer the Foot.

For the Claw that is clouen or shiuered,The Claw clouen. take Honie, new Wax, and Turpentine, of each an ounce, and make an oyntment, vvhich you shall applie round about the Claw for the space of fifteene whole daies, vvhich being past, add vnto this oyntment Aloes Heparica, Mel rosatum, and Roche-Allome, of each halfe an ounce, couer therewith the whole Foot, after you haue bathed it in warme Wine mixed vvith Honie.

For the Claw hurt with yron or stone,The Claw hurt. digge and pare away the Claw euen to the bottome of the hurt, vvith a Smiths paring knife: drop into the sore hot oyntment made of old Swines grease, and sewet of the Male-goat melted together, and put into th [...]fore, tents of tow dipped in the said oyntment.

When the hoofe is like to goe off,The going off of the Hoofe. you must first salue it with the oyntment spoken of before for the shiuered Foot or Claw, and that so long as vntill the horne of the hoofe be somewhat fastned to againe: afterward, you must foment it for the space of fiue or sixe daies, thrice euerie day the whole Foot with Wine or Vinegar, wherein haue boyled vnquencht Lime and Honie, of each seuen ounces.

For the pissing of bloud, cause him to drinke the juice of Plantaine,Pissing of bloud with verie good Oyle: and afterward, take the poulder of Tartar, and of vvild Gourds, mingle them vvith red Wine, and the vvhites of Egges, and make him to drinke them vvith a horne: And if this doe not stay his pissing of bloud within foure and twentie houres, he will die.

If he stale not but with paine,Not to be able to pisse. let him bloud of the blad [...]er veine, and cause him to take a drinke made of Honie, Oyle, and white wine all boiled together, for three Mornings one after another: afterward, let him rest for eight daies.

It he haue a stone in his yard,The stone in the yard. first cast the Oxe downe vpon the ground; after let him take hold vpon his [...] with pincers; somewhat higher than the stone lieth; the [...] let him make incision in the side of the O [...]e his pis [...]e to draw out the stone, and then lastly consolidate and heale vp the wound with Turpentine washed foure times in the water of Horse-taile.

[Page] If he haue the stone in his bladder,The stone in the bladder. take two ounces of Sea Fennell stamped, two drams of Cloues, and a dram and a halfe of Pepper: poune them altogether, and make him drinke them in red Wine warme. If after you haue continued the [...] some certaine daies the stone come not forth, then in the end you must cut the bladder, and so draw it out.

If his pis [...]e be hardened,For the hardnes of the pisle. annoint it with the oyntment made of the stamped [...] of Hollihocks and fresh Butter twice a day.

For his shoulder out of joynt,The shoulder out of ioynt. you must first set it in againe, and afterward bind and roll it vp againe with splenters, verie close and fast.

For the strangles or glandules vvhich happen vnder the Oxe his throat,Strangles. and spring from the braine ouer-cooled, plucke away their glandules, and after couer his head vvith some couering, and chafe and annoint vvith Butter his throat oftentimes.

If his pallate be swolne,The pallat of his mouth swolne. open the swelling quickly vvith an incision knife, or hot yron, that so the corrupted bloud may run forth: after giue him for his meat som [...] Grasse or soft Hay.

If he haue the Ranula vnder the tongue much swolne,The swelling vnder the toung called Ranula. then open it vvith a hot yron, or a verie sharpe incision knife, afterward rubbe it vvith Salt and Oyle so lo [...] as till all the corrupt matter be run out; then in the end giue him some tender hear [...] or grasse to eat.

When the tongue is clouen or chopt vnder neath,The toung clouen. annoint those clefts vvith a [...] oyntment made of Aloes, Roche-Allome, and Honie of Roses, all being mixt together, then vvash them in Wine vvherein Sage hath boyled, or some such other d [...]ying herbe.

If he haue lost his appetite,Loste of appetite. cause him to swallow raw Egges well beat together with Honie, and mingle Salt among his meat, or giue him in drinke some horehou [...]d fiuely pouldred with Wine and Oyle: or stampe the leaues of Rue, Leekes, S [...]llage, and Sage, and giue him them to drinke with Wine.

For the eye that is troubled and darke,The troubled eye. blow within it of the poulder of Cu [...]lebone, Sugar candie, and Cinnamon verie finely pouldred.

For the swolne Eye,The eye swolne or puft vp. applie thereto a Cataplasme made of the the flower of Wheat mixt vvith Honie or the vvater of Honie, after the manner of pappe for children.

For a vvhite vpon the eye,A white growing vpon the eie. applie thereto a cataplasme made of Sal gemma, and Masticke finely pouldred and mixt vvith Honie, continue and vse this oftentimes.

For the Leeke of the Eye,The tumor called porrum. or tumour called Porrum, growing vpon the Eyelid, foment the place vvith the Gall of any beast vvhatsoeuer it be: or vvhich is better, snip away the tumour with a paire of Cysers: or make it fall away with [...] threed tied verie strait, afterward annoint the place vvith Salt, Vinegar, and Alo [...] boyled together.

For the Weeping Eye,The Weeping eye. you may blow into it Tutia and Vitrioll, made into fine poulder.

For the Cataract,The Cataract. which is nothing else but an aboundance of vvaterishness [...] ingendred eyther by ouermuch cold, or by too long stay and respite within the Eye of the Oxe, in that place where the watrie humour is placed, vpon which the glassie humour swimmeth, as the Chrystalline againe vpon it: For the cure thereof take ground Iuie, and stampe it long in a Morter of vvood, of the juice [...] out of it make a medicine for the eye: insteed of this herbe, if you cannot recouer it, take the berries of Iuie or the leaues, and draw the juice of them in manner aforesaid. Continue and vse the one medicine or the other for many daies both [...] ning and euening, the Cataract will consume and wast away. It is certaine that who so insteed of Water shall vse Wine, shall seeme to deale more fitly and better to [...] purpose.

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Epiphora,Epiphora. a disease of the eye, called a drie inflammation of choler, is when the beast [...]eeth not but by halfes, whether it be of the one eye, or of both: bloud taken away from vnder the eye, doth correct and amend the sight: And further, you must continually drop honey into it vntill it be perfectly cured.

For bleered eyes,The bleered eye. which come with continuall falling downe of excrements out of the braine, take Myrrhe, fine Frankincense, & Saffron, of ech two ounces, mix them all togither, & dissolue them in cestern water, make therof a Collirie to drop into the eies.

For the agues of Oxen,An ague. you shall know it by their being exceeding restlesse, and trembling all ouer their bodie, by their great heat in the midst of their forehead, and [Page] towards the roots of their hornes, and in their eares; their mouth is verie hot, and sweat aboundantly, and withall, eat almost nothing at all; the hanging o [...]t and drawing in of his tongue verie drie; heauie in his head; his eyes distilling, and halfe sh [...]; his muzzle filled and all to be dri [...]eled with flegmatike water; and his taking of his breath long: and yet notwithstanding hee doth not, without great paine and much distance of time, complaine himselfe, or turne often. The first day that you shall perceiue him thus sicke, let him fast all the day long: the next day let him bloud in the morning whiles he is fasting, and that vnder the taile in small quantitie. Fiue daies after you shall feed him with the decoction of Clot-burre with honey and brine; at the least you shall offer him this before all other meat, either greene or moist, as shall be the crops of Lentils, and other young sprours and buds which you shall thinke meet and conuenient for the beast: wash his mouth thrice a day with a sponge dipt in vineger, and after that, you shall make him drinke verie cold water [...] like manner three times, and so you shall let him goe into some pasture ground, vntill his Ague haue cleane left him.

The CoughThe Cough. of an Oxe must likewise be as carefully looked vnto as that of the Horse; for it must not be suffered to grow old and endure long vpon him, seeing [...] is not curable but at the beginning: you shall make him take fasting halfe a quarter of a peck of Barly meale, wherein you shall put a whole egge, the shell excepted, and with a quarter of a pint of cured wine, you shall make him drinke it with a hor [...], or otherwise: Or else take of Dogges-grasse and stampe it, after mixe and steepe it in warme water with Beane meale, cold Gruell, and the meale of Lentils, all this being well mixed, you shall giue it to the beast early in the morning. For an old Cough it is sufficient to take two handfuls of Hysope, old or new, and make a decoction in common water: after, when you haue strained it, you shall mix therwith of the flower of Starch two parts, and cause the beast to take them thus. The distilled water of Hysope may be put amongst, or else the decoction of Mints and Hysope together. The iuice of Leekes is good for the same, being pressed out well and strongly, and giuen with oyle Oliue: for there hath not beene knowne so old and long growne a Cough which the roots of Leekes, washed, made cleane, and giuen in decoction with the flower of Wheat, hath not put downe and rebated the strength of. Of the same effect is the flower of the euerlasting Tare, commonly giuen and vsed, or offred with ho [...]ied water, at such time as the Oxe driueleth most at his mouth.

For all manner of pains,Paine. in what parts of the bodie soeuer they be, causing the Oxe that he can neither goe nor doe anie other thing well, make somentations, and apply cataplasmes, with the decoction of Camomill, Melilot, and Linseed.

For the ach of the head,Headach. bray Garlick in wine, and make him let it downe through his nosthrils: after bath all his head with the decoction of the leaues of Sage, Marierome, Lauander, Rue, Bay leaues, and Walnut-tree leaues in wine.

ScabsScabs. are healed with Duckes grease mingled with oyle Oliue: or else take the gall of an Oxe, and powder it, with Sulphur viuum, adding thereto Myrrhe, Oyle, and Vineger, and a little plume Allome well brayed and small powned.

Exulcerated places,V [...]eer. caused either without manifest occasion, or else by some accident, are verie much holpen with the powder of Galls well brayed in a Mortar: So are they likewise by the iuice of Horehound, wherein hath beene steept the soot of a Smithes Forge.

In the diseases of the flanks,The diseases of the flankes. wherewith Oxen are oftentimes tormented, you must make a Cataplasme of three handfuls of the seed of Coleworts, with a quarter of a peck of Starch well powned together and mingled with cold water, applying it afterward vnto the pained places. But the most soueraigne that may be found, is, to take of the leaues of Cypresse, without the boughes, three handfuls, and to doe as is abouesaid, adding thereto strong vineger, to knead and dissolue the same in: but if this will not, then take three ounces of Perrosin, or Colophoni, which is more hard, and dissolue and make them liquid at the heat of the fire, and whiles it is yet good and hot, mixe therewith the flower of Barly, and make it all boyle together, [Page] and so you shall applie this cataplasme verie hot vpon the flankes, and so vp to the reines.

It is to be knowne that the Oxe hath paines in his reinesThe paine of the reines. when he seemeth to draw his hinder parts after him, and cannot lift his legges behind for his best ease; he staggereth and soltreth behind; he breaketh not vp his taile, but suffereth it to draw all along after him; his stale hath an ill sent, and all his hinder loynes shew heauie, mooue not but constrayned, and that in mincing manner. If there be any inflammation about them, he pisseth red as bloud: If this continue, and that he cast forth much such, there is then no more remedie: but and if it be but a little coloured with bloud, there is some hope of recouerie. For this disease you shall cause him be let bloud vpon the taile veines behind, or else of the veine called the Mother-veine, which is found alongst the flanke, to draw neere vnto the reines. For his drinke make him to take the juice of Leeks vvith vvarme vvater, or else his owne vrine.

For the inflammationInflammation. of the muscles as well outward as inward of the reines and flankes, vvhich commeth of some fall that the beast hath taken in some hard and stonie place, and vvhich happeneth not without the companie of a contusion, appoint that the Oxe which hath fallen, so soone as he commeth into his house, doe not remoue from one place, bath the hurt part vvith cold vvater: after that, vse and applie vnto it comfortable liniments and seare-clothes which may not be too hot. The markes of this disease are, the outward parts ouer against the reines are hard, the cods hung short, being gathered into the bodie, and that in such sort as that there is not much of them left out to be seene; he stirreth not his hinder legs vvith any ease: and vvhen he is laid, he riseth not but vvith verie great paine.

Of verie great cold gotten by hauing trauelled in snowie and frosen places;Paine in the heele. or else after some thaw: the fault also may be committed in not hauing his pasternes so well bathed vvith vrine, and couered ouer with dung as they should at euening after his labour: for vpon these causes the heele groweth exuleerated, and maketh shew as though it would fall off and loose his place; there beginneth a bearing out, vvhich afterward turneth to an vlcer, and troubleth the gate of the Oxe: the place must be verie deepely scarified, and a sleight fire applied afterward to the places searified, and againe vpon the places so scorched the sweet oyntment, otherwise called oyntment of Roses, vvith a defensatiue of vinegar and vvater, and so bound vp and rolled. The core once fallen out, the place must be vvashed vvith vrine and vinegar made hot: after this, there must be an emplaister or cataplasme of Melilot made, either of the fore appointed, or of old Swines-grease, vvrought and plied betwixt your two hands.

If the cods be swolne vpon any occasion whatsoeuer,The cods swolne you shall annoint them euening and morning vvith sweet seame, or else bath them vvith strong vinegar, wherein shall be tempered sine fullers earth, and the dung of Oxen. Some hold it for a naturall remedie to haue the dung of a dogg to cure the swellings of an Oxes genitories, if so that they be often rubbed therewithall.

The Oxe is inchanted as vvell as the horse,The inchanted or bewitched Oxe. either by hauing eaten, or by hauing passed vnder the crosse of a charmed straw, or ouer a marked logge: the signes are, he becommeth sad and not cherefull and quicke as he vvas wont at his vvorke, yea he consumeth and pineth away, if there be not prouided for him a verie good remedie: cause him to take downe through his nosthrils; Bitumen judaicum, Brimstone, Bayberries, or Iumper-berries, all mingled vvith vvarme vvater.

So soone as you know that the Oxe is sicke of any disease vvhatsoeuer it be,For all the diseases of the Oxe cause him to take this purgation, the root of the Sea-onion, or Harts-thorne, and of common Salt, all being boyled in vvater, and taken in the same vvater vvarme, and giue him nothing to drinke or eat vntill it haue done purging. And to the end that you may keepe him from being sicke all the yeare, at the beginning of the Spring, Summer, Autumne, and Winter, cause him to take downe a drinke made of the leaues of Capers, Mercurie, and Cypres pouned and mixed in water, and let rest in the vessel one whole night, and so continuing this for three mornings.

[Page] If he haue beene bitten of any Adder,The biting of Adders, Scorpions, and Shrews. Scorpion, or Shrew, or Mad-dogge, it [...] ordinarie to annoint the wound with Oyle of Scorpions, or with Sope tempered and softened in Vinegar: also some vse to vvash them with the decoction of B [...] burre.

And against the stinging of Hornets,The stinging of Hornets. it is accustomed to rubbe the place with Ceruse tempered in Water: and some doe sprinkle the place of the Oxe his fee [...]ding with the d [...]coction of Bay-berries, thereby to cause the Oxe flies to auoid and keepe away; or else they rub the Oxen themselues with the said decoction: and if he be alreadie stung, some doe moisten the place with the Oxe his owne driuell.

The small beast abiding in the grasse,Against the eating of Buprestis, and the Snaile. called of the Latines Buprestis, and resembling in so [...]e sort the beast which the French men call Fouillemerde, if it be eaten of Oxen, Kine, or Horse, as they feed in the meadowes, it so swelleth them as that they burst and die, as we haue obserued in many, in the yere past 1572. Now if the Nea [...] heard doe perceiue that any of his Oxen or Kine haue eaten any of these beasts, he must make them presently to drinke some Cows milke, or the decoction of drie figs, or Dates in Wine, and withall giue them verie strong Clysters.

For the scabbe,Scabs and vlcers, Cornes, and Apostumes. some rubbe them with bruised Garlicke, Sauorie, Brimstone, and Vinegar of Galls stamped in the juice of Carmint, or Hore-hound and Iuie. And as for vlcers, they are rubbed with Mallows stamped in white Wine: and as for [...] and apostumes, they must be killed with strong leauens, onions, lillies, or squils and vinegar, and afterward to digge them out, and wash them with the beasts owne [...] hot, and also put into the hollow places tents of Tarre; and finally, lint dipt in Goata or Oxe sewet.

For the paine of the Eyes,Paine of the eyes. if they beswolne and puffed vp, there must be made an Eye-salue of the floure of Wheat kneaded with Honie and Water.

If there be in them euer a spot or naile,Spots. you must take Sal-armoniacke, and make an oyntment thereof with Honie.

When the Oxe hath his eye continually trickling downe teares,The Weeping Eye. and berayeth all his cheekes with the humour dropping downe from it, take of the pappe that is made with Wheat floure, and make a cataplasme to be applyed vnto the eye. The vvill Poppie, stalke and root, stampt with Honie, serueth to make a medicine for this purpose.

In the paines of the flankes,Paines of the Flankes. which oftentimes torment Oxen, you must make a cataplasme of three handfulls of Colewort seed, with a quarter of a pecke of Starch well stamped together, and tempered with cold water, and after applie it vnto the parts pained. The best remedie that can be found for them, is to take of the leaues of Cypres without the boughs three handfulls, and to doe as before, adding to them strong vinegar to worke and dissolue them in.

In the paines of the reines,Paines in the Reynes. you must let him bloud in the veines vnder the tayle behind, or else the veine called the Mother-veine, which is found along the flankes drawing neere vnto the reines: for his drinke giue him of the juice of Leekes with warme water, or else with his owne vrine.

For the scabbe,Scabs and lcie. you must rubbe it with his owne stale, and with old salt Butter, or annoint it with Perrosin melted in white Wine. Vnto Lice, you must vse the decoction of the wild Oliue tree with Salt, and you must take away the bladders which he hath vnder his tongue. For the paine of the Lungs, some make him drinke the juice of Leeks with sweet white Wine: and some put into his eare the root of Hazle tree.

For the difficultie of breathing,Difficult and hard fetching of his breath. some doe pierce his eare, or the great skinne of his throat, with the root of Beare-foot, or Lyons-paw, or Hellebor.

If he haue his should pitcht and shrunke, you must let him bloud vpon the foot behind,Shoulder pitcht. and on the contrarie side: and if both his shoulders should be shrunke, then you must let him bloud on both his hinder legges.

If he haue his necke broken,The necke bruised. and the chine bagging and swolne, you must let him bloud vpon one of his Eares: and if it be in the middest of the necke, then of both, [Page] and lay vnto the disease an emplaister made with an Oxe marrow and sewet of a male Goat, molten in equall portions in Oyle and Tarre, or melted Pitch: as also to rub the swelled part with a collop of Bacon, without anie fat, and which is of a Hogge, and a little heated, and this to be continued morning and euening the space of fiue or six daies.

If his feet swell,Swolne feet. you must apply vnto him a Cataplasme made of the leaues of the Elder tree, stampt with seame made of Hogges grease.

If his hide cleaue to his bones,The skin cleaning to the bone you must bath him with wine, either alone, or mingled with honey.

If he halt by taking cold on his feet,The halting Oxe you must wash them with his owne stale, old and warme: If it come through aboundance of bloud falling vpon his pasterne and foot, it must be dissolued by rubbing it hard and scarrifying it. If yet it will not away, and be notwithstanding but newly fallen downe, you must cleaue the horne of the hoofe at the tip thereof euen to the quicke, and so cause it come forth, and wrap his pasterne in a Leather pouch, in such sort, as that the water may not hurt him till he be whole. If he halt by reason of some sinew, hauing taken a blow by some other beasts heele, then you must bath his legges with oyle and salt. If it come with anie swelling in the knee, you must bath it with vineger made hot, or with the decoction of Millet and Linseed. In all such haps, you must burne with a hot yron the part diseased, and then put vpon it fresh butter washt in water and vineger, and after in the end to make an oyntment with salt butter and the grease of a male Goat. If it grow vpon anie splint, or dash against anie stone or stocke, you must bath the place with hot stale, and lay vpon it old Hogges grease melted in Oyle and Tarre. And there is nothing that will more keepe them from halting, than to wash their feet with cold water so soone as they be vnyoaked, and after to cha [...]e them with old Hogges grease.

If the horne cleaue or shiuer,The horne [...]. you must first foment it with vineger, salt, and oyle mingled together: after put vpon it old Swines grease melted with new Pitch, or else to grease it there with Spech-grease for fiue or sixe daies, for this will stay the cleauing of the horne, and make it close and fast where it was shiuered or anie way sundered.

If an Oxe doe put forth new and young clawes,The hornes of his hoofes fallen off. his hoofe being fallen off, then make an ointment with an ounce of Turpentine, an ounce of Honey, and as much of new Waxe, and therewith you shall annoint the claw for the space of fifteene daies: after that wash it with warme wine boyled with honey: or else applie thereto a Cataplasme made of Aloes, honey of Roses, and halfe an ounce of Allome made in powder.

Buffles,Buffles, or wild Bulls. or wild Oxen, called Buffes, are better for drawing of a Load, than in the turning of the Ground; for they are neuer so free, not yet so [...] standing to their worke: cleane contrarie to the Oxen of France, which are fitter for the tilling of the Ground, than for the Cart, as being more strong, more nimble, and fitter to toyle so great diuersitie of Grounds as we haue in France, whether they be Mountaines, tops of Hils, Valleyes, void Fields, or Plaines: to be briefe, where Ground is soft, rough, light, hard, white, black, and of diuers natures. In Italie, about Pisa and along the Marenne (as it is there called) their Buffles, of which they haue great store, are imployed in Draught, being fastened by couples one after another to the number of twentie or thirtie together in one Teame. The Cheese which is made of the milke of the females, and turned round, is of an vnsauorie [...]ast: but when it is cut in slices, and fried in a pan, it is sauorie.Oxen called Brans. Wild Oxen, which are called in Prouence & Languedoc Brans or Branes, are not fit for anie thing, by reason of their great furiousnesse & wildnesse, except only for the shambles. Such Oxen are brought vp in the fennie places of Lamargues, and vpon the Sea-coast, farre from the haunt of other beasts, or walke of man.

As also the Bull which is brought vp in the Pastures of Villages,The labour of the Bull is not good. and keeping among the heards of other beasts, and acquainted with men, is not good or profitable for the plough, for that he is too sturdie, & wil not match himselfe with gelded Oxen. [Page] Neither yet is there anie great good reaped of the labour of a gelded Cow:The time for the Kine to take the Bull. but you must keepe and fat the Bull by himselfe for the Kine, which shall be put to take him about the moneths of May, Iune, and Iuly: and one Bull is ynough for threescore Kine.One Bull for threescore Kine.

The Oxen intended to be kept to be fatted and sold,To fat Oxen to sell. shall not draw but som [...] once or twice a weeke, and that when it is faire weather, and a good season, and that the earth is easie and gentle: and they shall meddle but with little burthens, onely to exercise them: and they shall eat nothing but Barly, Hay, and Sheanes, and sometimes the young buds of Vines, and others, such as they loue: and that Oxe which hath wrought in the morning, shall rest at afternoone. The ancient Romanes did fasten some small quantitie of Hay to the hornes of such Oxen as would strike with the horne, to the end that all that met him should take heed. And hence riseth the French Prouerbe, He weareth Hay on his horne; pointing out a hot and wrathfull man: in as much as Oxen, Horse, Asses, and Men themselues become fierce and outragious, by being ouer-fed, and eating their full according to their hearts desire.

When as once the Farmer doth perceiue that his Draught Oxe is vnfit for labor,An old Oxe. he shall feed him sometime, not letting him doe anie thing: after which, he shall kill him and salt him in pieces, for the yearely nourishment of his familie, and by the same meanes shall reserue the marrow and the gall of the Oxe for his seruice and vse when he shall haue need: for the marrow of the Oxe doth verie much good in resoluing and softning hard tumors. The gall of the Oxe is yet better than that of the Bull: it doth throughly heale the vlcers of the fundament, mixed with the iuice of Leekes: being dropt into the eare, it doth take away the buzzing of the eare: being rubbed about childrens nauels, it killeth the wormes: being mixt with honey, it is good for the inflamation of the throat: mixt with the iuice of Beets, and drawne into the nose, it putteth away the fit of the falling sicknesse: it is more profitable than anie other thing to giue a yellow die and colour vnto Skins and Brasle: being scattered & sprinkled vpon seeds, it maketh that the reaped corne will not be deuoured or eaten with Mice.

There is sometimes sound in an Oxes gall a stone of the bignesse of an egge,The stone of the Oxe gall. and of a yellow colour, which giuen in drinke, is verie good against the Stone and Iaundise▪ applyed vnto the nosthrils, it maketh the sight more cleare, and hindereth the falling downe of rheume vpon the eyes. In like manner, Husbandmen may doe themselues much good by the vse of Neats dung:The dung of Oxen. for it cureth the stingings of Bees, resolueth swellings, and all manner of tumors, mitigateth the paine of the Sciatica, and maketh a great deale lesse the swelling called the Kings euill: mixt with vineger, it wasteth tumors comming of a Dropsie: being fried in a panne with the flowers of Camomill, Melilot, and Brambles, and applyed vnto the swolne Testicles, it restoreth them vnto their naturall proportion and bignesse.

CHAP. XXIIII.
Of the Hogheard.

AMongst all Cattell seruing for food,The Hogge a greater feeder than anie beast which is for mans food. the most rauenous, the most filthie, and the most harmefull (that is to say the Swine) is had in great estimation, and much commended amongst vs for the sweetnesse of the flesh, whiles yet it sucketh and is young, both for the Sowce and salted parts thereof, as also for the Lard, the Skinne, and the Bristles thereof. The rauenousnesse and greedie feeding of this Beast, is witnessed by the Sow which the French King killed in hunting,Six pailes of Grapes found in the bellie of [...] Sow. within whose bellie were found six pailes full of Grapes. Their filthinesse and stench, their wallowing of themselues, their eating of stinking and filthie things, as also the harme that they doe, may be answered and proued by their rooting vp and vndermining of Walls by the foot and bottome, the trampling which [Page] they keepe about Trees, Medowes, and vnsowne places. For this cause, in a Farme of great reuenues (such a one as wee describe in this place) there needeth a speciall man onely for that purpose, to gouerne and guide them in the fields▪ [...] such a one as knoweth to dresse and order his Heard in good time, and in clean [...] and cleanely sort to put the Pigges that are wained, in one place, wi [...]h the Bores and Hogges; and the Sowes, with their young ones, into a second place by themselues: and yet further, the sicke and diseased into a third particular place by themselues.The commoditie of fresh straw. Fresh straw oftentimes giuing them, and renewed, doth fat them as much as their meat: And you must take care, that their Troughes be alwaies cleane: And against variable weather, the Hogheard must haue in store much Acornes,Swines meat. Beanes, Crabs, or wild Peares, or some other rotten Fruit, or some manner of Pulse, or some Washings of Vessell: and for want hereof, some steept Barly, together with Bran and Coleworts, or boyled Turneps, or great Nauers, to offer vnto them. And euerie day when they come from the field, let the Huswife procure in readinesse for them some daintie hot meat; as Whay, the droppings of the Cheese mingled with Bran and Water, hauing first had three or foure boiles together: for besides that, this good attendance will cause them to make hast home, and not to forsake their companie to runne stragling abroad, when the Hogheard would haue them to come home: These hot drinkes and meats doe also heat the cold meats which they shall haue fed vpon in the field all the day long: and thirdly, they will rest better in the night: and lastly, not become so subiect to diseases. And let there be speciall care had that their meat be not cold, not too thinne, least is cause them the flux of the bellie.

There is also two other Foods, which are verie naturall and excellent for Hogges: the first whereof is Ale or Beere Graines, that is to say, after your Malt hath beene ground and masht, and that you haue drawne both your best and your smaller drinke from it; then with the remaines, mixt either with Whay, Buttermilke, Washings of Vessels, or such like, you shall feed your Swine twice a day, and be sure to fill their bellies. This food will preserue and keepe them in good plight and liking: and though it will not fatten, or make them readie for slaughter, yet it will hold them in good flesh, and prepare them so well for feeding, that with lesse cost you may make them seruiceable. The second is Chaundlers Graines, which is the dregs, skins, and other substances, which at the melting of his Tallow will by no meanes be dissouled; these you shall mixe with the Swines Wash, being a little warmed, and giue him a good meale thereof three times a day, and it will fatten him exceedingly, and in verie short space.

Also if you take raw Malt when it is almost readie to goe to the Kilne,To feed Swine speedily. and as the Husbandman saith, is only well comed, and with it feed your Swine, there is nothing in the world that will sooner fatten them: for besides that it is a great feeder, it feedeth and maketh both the flesh and fat exceeding white, and pleasant both to the eye and tast: Only this obseruation you must euer hold, that when you haue fed your Swine to his full proofe, with what food soeuer it be that you feed them, that then you harden that fatnesse, by giuing the Swine good store of drie Pease or Beanes foure or fiue daies before he come to slaughter: for without it, the fat will consume in the pot, and the flesh will much lessen. Now during the time that you feed your Swine, it shall be good that once or twice you giue them good store of Veriuice and Radle or red Oaker mixt together: for this will not onely stay the flux of the bellie, but also cleanse and preuent the Meazle, which is verie incident, and generally happeneth to all Swine in their feeding. Also you shall note, that the Husbandman is of opinion, that you cannot outer-feed or make your Swine too fat: for (sayth he) the fatter your Bacon is, the more is your profit, and three bits of such Lard shall sooner cloy and fill the bellie of a hynde, than a whole Gommon of such Bacon as it halfe fed, and hath the leane thereof equally mixed with the fat together. Whence it commeth, that the thriftie Husbandman will seeke all meanes, both by Mast, Corne, Hippes, Hawes, or anie other moat, to raise his Swine to as great proofe as he can anie way compasse.

[Page] Let the floore or pauement of their cote be layed with thicke pauing stone,The swine cote. and euerie moneth renewed with grauell or sand to drie vp their pis [...]e, for this beast though he be sluttish and dirtie, doth notwithstanding prosper best in a clean house that is well kept and maintained. And to the end that the corruption of the aire which this kind of beast maketh in close places may not cause him to haue either any ill sent or other diseases to grow vpon them in their cotes, especially when they are in any number together: it behooueth that the doore thereof be made with thorough lights of great barres, or clouen bords, to the end that their euill aire may pass [...] away, and that which is good may come in place continually, and it is meet that the doore should giue downe verie neere vnto the causey, to the end that they may not lift it vp with their snouts, and cast it off the hinges: for this cattell can hardly indure to be shut vp, but gnaw and bite with their teeth, whatsoeuer it be that hindreth the [...] from comming forth where they are inclosed.

The Hogges which you intend to keepe in and to fat,The feeding of Hogges. shall not come forth of their stie, being alone and free from others, neither shall they haue any light but at the doore which is made to go in at for to dresse them. The care about them is not so great as of other cattell, excepted onely the keeping of them cleane, and knowing how to make them good meat, so long as vntill they be fat, for after that they will euerie day leaue some of their meat, not stirring out of their place, as though they vvere vvithout feeling and power for to moue, in such manner as that though the great height of fatnesse, that they are growne vnto, and the thicknesse therewithall, Mise may sometimes make their nests vpon their backes, and yet they feele them, for they are sometimes seene to heape such quantitie of fat vpon the liue flesh, as that there are some Hogges found a foot and a hal [...]e thicke of Lard.

Keepe not aboue ten Bores for a hundred Sowes,Tenne bores, for a hundred Sowes. and so forth proportionably: the rest as vvell Males as Females let them be wained, and gelded after a yeare old, or sixe moneths at the least, howbeit the most infallible time and opportunitie i [...], vvhen they begin to grow hot, and goe a brimming.Eight [...]ene pigs to one Sow. Suffer not aboue eighteene Pigges ordinarily to sucke one Sow, but sell the rest at eight or ten daies old: and a yeare after,Signes of a good Hogge. waine and geld the rest, and so put them into the field: keepe those especially which haue a short and broad head, the snout set high, and long without, the brest fat and broad, the chine of the necke large, his feet short, his thighs great, and in the rest, verie short, grosse, square, and well packt together, of colour blacke or vvhite, and full of bristles vpon his backe, for to make Bores: and those which are verie long, side bellied, great headed, large buttockt, and sides giuing out, likewise all of white colour, a small head, and short legges, for your Sowes: of the rest mak [...] prouision for the house.

Let not your Gylt goe to bore,The time for the Sow to take Bore. till she be past a yeare old, and let the Boore b [...] betwixt three and foure: for after he be past fiue, he must be gelded to be fa [...]ed. The time to put your Sow to the Bore, whether it be to breed, or to put vp to feed, is best in the [...]i [...]st quarter of the Moone, and vnto the full, for before it is not good, no more than it is in the old of the Moone: and it shall be from the beginning of Februarie vnto mid March▪ or a little after, to the end that in Iune, Iulie, and August, your Pigges may grow to haue some strength, and may be vvell growne and thick [...] of [...] by September: for Winter Pigges are hard to reare, and not so kind as the other: because this kind of cattell is more chill than the others, which is the cause that in many places they haue their cote and stie prouided and dressed with li [...]e and straw, although they haue sufficient store of stone, lime, sand, and plaster: you must also beware that the Boore keepe not companie with the Sows that are with Pigge, for he would but bite them and cause them to cast their Pigges.

This beast is a great eater,The hog cannot abide [...]unger. Sowes eating th [...]r owne pigs and children. and cannot endure hunger, especially the Sows, which in this necessitie haue beene seene sometimes to eat their owne Piggs, and those of others, as also children in their cradles, which is no small inconuenience: and therefore you must haue care that their troughs be neuer emptie.

[Page] For to make Hogges verie fat,The time to g [...]ld Hogges. you must geld them. It is best to geld them in the old of the Moone, in the new, or in the wane, and in the Spring, or September, the time being temperate. If you geld them young, the flesh will be the better, but then they grow not so much: If you geld them, growne somewhat bigge, they grow a deale more, but then the flesh is not so good: And therefore it will be good to doe it when they are betwixt foure and sixe moneths old, and at the most not to goe aboue a yeare. They are subiect vnto manie diseases: And the Hogge is knowne to be ficke,How to know t [...]e diseases of Hogges. when hee hangeth the eare verie much, and doth become more slow and heauie than hee hath beene accustomed; or that he is found to be without appetite: For your better certaintie, when there doe not appeare anie of these signes, pull from him, against the haire, a handfull of the bristles of his backe; if they be cleane and white at the root, hee is [...]ound and healthfull: but and if that they be bloudie, or otherwise spotted, he is sicke.

But he is subiect especially to be meazled,The meazle in Hogges. because of his much and filthie feeding: and this is the cause why some doe search the roots of his tongue, and others behind the eares, when he is carried to the Markets to be sold in Faires or in good Townes. And I thinke that this was the cause why our fore-fathers made it not an ordinarie thing to eat, and that the Iewes doe abhorre to eat it at all. This disease is not cured but with great difficultie:The way to cure the meazle Hogge. notwithstanding it will in some sort be cured, if his Stie be euerie day made cleane: if he be suffered to walke and goe into the fields in the fresh aire: if he be caused to bath or wallow himselfe oftentimes in Sea water, or salt water: if he haue Bay-berries beaten and mingled amongst his meat: if there be giuen him the drosse of the Wine-presse, mingled with Branne and Leauen.Signes of the meazled Hogge. Now there are three infallible signes to know the Swine to be meazled: as if there be found vnder his tongue blackish pustules: if he cannot carrie himselfe vpright of his hinder legges: and thirdly, if his bristles, puld off his backe, shew bloudie at the roots. Likewise, for that the Hogge, by reason of his filthinesse, for the most part hath one fault or other betwixt his skinne and flesh, how sound soeuer he be; it is good, after he be killed, to haue his haire swinged off with straw, rather than to scald them off with hot water:It is better to burne than to scald hogges. for the fire doth draw out a great deale more easily than warme water that, whatsoeuer it is, that may be betwixt the skinne and the flesh. Yet the scalding of Hogges keepeth the flesh whitest, plumpest, and fullest, neither is the Bacon so apt to reast as the other; besides, it will make it somewhat apter to take salt: howsoeuer, if it be for Porke, then you must necessarily scald them, because the fire will else harden the skinne too much, and make the flesh vnkindly: besides, the swindging of Hogges leaueth the roots of the haires in the skinne, and the scalding bringeth them forth, which makes the flesh the better.

He is also subiect vnto the paine and swelling of the Spleene,Subiect to the Murraine and swelling of the Spleene. and to the Murraine, which in contagious times doth a great deale the more easily seize vpon foule and filthie bodies, and such as are of a bad feeding.

Against his want of stomacke to his meat,Lacke of appetite. it is vsed to cause him to fast a day and a night close shut vp in some darke place, that so he may wast his superfluous humors, and fall to eat his meat againe.

For the Ague,Physicke for Swine. he is to be let bloud in the taile: and for the Rheume and swelling of the kernels of the necke, or yet when he is but suspected to be meazled, he is to be let bloud vnder the tongue.Ag [...]e, Rheume.

For paine and swelling happening vnto him in the time of Fruits,Swelling. when there is great store, and that he feedeth his full vpon the rotten, he must be caused to eat old Capers well scoured from salt through branne and water; as also much Coleworts, as well red as others: and some doe make him a speciall meat of Tamariske.

For the scabs and kernels of the necke,Scabs. some vse to rub him with beaten salt with the flower of pure wheat.

[Page] If he haue eaten of Henbane,The eating of Henbane or Hemlocke. which ancient men haue called the Hogges be [...]ne, or else of Hemlocke, he must be made to drinke the decoction of wild Cucume well warmed, for to cause him to vomit.

He must aboue all other things be well kept with drinke in the time of the Dog daies, and other such hot times, and to suffer him to moile and tumble in the dy [...] at his pleasure; for thirstThirst. causeth him to become poore and leane and in weake estate.

The Egyptians doe greatly honour the Swine,Swine honored of the Egyptians. and giue him manifold thanks fo [...] hauing first shewed them the manner of tilling the ground, by clea [...]ing and cutting of it with the fore-part of his snout, and as one that by little and little hath taugh [...] them to make the Ploughs culter. In like manner, they which dwell in low and so [...] places along by the Riuer Nilus, haue no encrease of the earth but what they toyle and labour out of the same with the Plough: but the Peasants doe nothing [...] put their Swine into their Fields, and goe after them with Seed; and because that Swine haue the gift to digge vp the earth with their snouts, and to tread in the Corne with their feet, they vse them to ouer-turne all their Ground [...] of hand, and so to couer the Seed which the Countrey people haue cast vpo [...] the same.

Furthermore,Hogges grease. the good Householder (besides the good prouision that hee shall make for himselfe and his familie of the Porke cut in pieces, and well salted in [...] Larder) shall further gather his grease for the axle-trees of his Waines and [...] ▪ Againe, the good Huswife shall make her profit of it in like manner for the d [...]ease [...] of her familie, in as much as it is verie good to draw to a head all sorts of apostemes, being mixt with leauen, as also to heale the moles of the heeles, if the powder of [...] be mixt therewithall, and the ashes of the flower of Barly.

It is vsed in a common prouerbe,Swines dung. That the Swine hath nothing in him but it is good, his ordure and dung excepted; but experience sheweth the contrarie: for the dung of a Swine fried with fresh butter and equall quantitie of lumpes of cluttered [...] bloud, spet out by him that bleedeth aboundantly, being giuen to the partie so bleeding to eat, doth stay and stop presently his spetting of bloud.

It remaineth that we declare how we ought to salt Swines flesh.To powder Swines flesh. All manner of Cattell (but especially the Swine) which we intend to vse for meat, must be killed [...] the new of the Moone, or in the first quarter: For if you should kill it in the [...] of the Moone, looke how much the longer you deferre to salt it, so much the [...] time and fire must it haue to boyle it when you should vse it: and for this reason, [...] Sawsidge, or such other like meat, doth become lesse by a quarter when they are boiled. For this cause also it is, that the skilfull Husbandman will not buy these kin [...] of beasts to make his prouision of, if he be not sure that they were borne in the [...] crease of the Moone: for otherwise also they doe grow but little, and their fl [...]sh [...] not of sufficient weight when as one hath killed them.To kill Swine in the encrease of the Moone. Kill therefore your Swine [...] the encrease of the Moone, and let them not drinke the day before you intend to [...] them, that so their flesh may be the more drie: for and if they drinke, the salting time will haue the greater quantitie of superflouus moisture to drinke vp: Also the flesh will be the better, if they be kept fasting but one halfe day before they be killed▪ Now when you haue thus killed them in their thirst, and halfe famished, it shall b [...] for the best to take out as manie of the bones as you can, for this will cause the sal [...]ing to be of better effect, preseruing the flesh the longer from corruption. After cut the flesh in pieces, and put it into the salting Tub, making as manie beds of salt gross [...]y brayed as there is of flesh, the one aboue the other: And when the salting Tub shal [...] be in a manner full, you shall fill vp the head with salt, and presse all downe [...] with verie heauie weights. Some put these pieces and the salt within a table-cloth▪ [...] within a sack that hath two mouths, and shake it vp and downe therein, that so [...] take salt in euerie place, and afterward lay it orderly in the salting Tub, strawing [...] vpon euerie bed. In some Countries they vse not in such sort to cut it in piece [...] to cause it to take salt; neither do other some put it in salt brine in a close powdring [...] [Page] but after that they haue made it into pieces, they diuide all the Lard in two, and salt these two halfes all of them, making the salt to pierce and enter into them with a rowling-pinne: and this thing is not done at one time, or in one day, but at two or three times, and in two or three dayes space: after they hang them to the ioice of some boorded floore, or to the crookes set vp in some vaulted roofe, if so be there be anie vault; and the Lard thus salted, is more fast, and of a better tast: And if it fall out to be long kept, and to passe a yeare, it groweth to be of a golden colour: So it is better to salt and keepe it thus for them which desire to haue that which is excellent good, rather than after anie other fashion that hath beene spoken of heretofore.

CHAP. XXV.
Of the Shepheard.

IF the greater part of the profit of a Farme depend vpon and consist in the keeping of Cattell; which is performed by that part of encrease which the Farmer spareth in his Fodder, Siftings, Ridlings, and such other things, which cost him nothing but the paine to gather and lay them vp: then I dare be bold to auouch it, that the most profitable and fruitfull prouision for the Countrey House is of such beasts as bring forth Wooll.The care of prouiding Sheepe, and the profit thereof. It is true, that there must all diligence be vsed to keepe them from Cold, from the Purples, from the Scab, from two much ranknesse of bloud, from the Rot, and other such inconueniences as sometimes spread and proceed from one to another, and that he hath likewise care, and doe his whole endeauour, in keeping them both in the Fields and at the Cratch: but it is as true that there riseth as great profit and commoditie to the Farmer. For besides the dung which they make, and which exceedeth all other kinds of dung in goodnesse, for the great substance, strength, and heartening which it giueth vnto the ground, they bring yet infinite other commodities: as by Wooll, whereof are made Cloth, Hats, Caps, and manie other stuffes: by their Fells, which serue for Furre or for Leather: by their Milke, whereof are made Cheeses verie excellent, as may be seene by those which the Towne of Betune doth affoord: and finally, by their flesh, which is so good and excellent of it selfe, that no continuall vse of it doth euer make it the lesse pleasant in the eating: so that for certaine it may be said of it, that if the flesh of this Beast were as scarce as that of the Fawne, Hind, and other Venison, it would be the onely Venison of request before all other in the world. And this further is to be seene and obserued for a rare and singular commoditie in all the foresaid things proceeding from these Cattell that bring forth Wooll,The profit of Sheepe and Muttons. and not lightly to be passed ouer of the Husbandman; namely, that there is not anie one of them which is not alwaies readie, and of present imployment, and whereof there are not moe buyers than sellers, so that the Husbandman need not doubt of anie long staying for the sale thereof. For first of all, the Dung is in imployment the verie first houre; the Wooll no sooner shorne, but it is greedily catcht vp; and so soone as the Mutton is flead, you haue a chapman for the flesh, and another for the Fell: The Cheese will either serue you at your Table, or else the Marchant. But and if you be not disposed thus to retaile the seuerall commodities of this beast, you shall find chapmen to buy them in grosse▪ Which is yet more, if you be not able to abide vntill they be full growne, and in their ripest season, to be made mony of, yet then may you find to content your selfe, and procure pence by selling away such of the Lambes as may be culled out of the whole flocke. Let it not then seeme strange, if we teach the good Husbandman, that he attend and haue a speciall care ouer his Sheepefold, and that in a higher measure than ouer anie other of his Cattell.The seating of the Sheepe-house. Wherefore he shall set his Sheepe-house in the highest part of his Court, right in the face of the South Sun, [Page] to the end it may be the lesse annoyed with moisture, and more open to a wholesome aire: which shall be of such length, as that his slocke may haue roome therein without treading one vpon another, setting it round about with Mangers or Sheep-racks of a low pitch for to fodder them in. There shall be a floore of sawed boords betwixt the Sheepe roome and the Roofe, to the end that they may be the warmer in the Winter, and that the Snow, which may beat in at the tile, doe not fall downe vpon their fleeces, and so melting with their heat, pierce downe vnto the skin, and make them cold. He shall haue a Shepheard for to guide them, which shall be gentle, louing his flocke, nimble, of a loud voice, and able to whoop well, giuen to take pains, able to reckon, and by nature enclined to good and honest things: for there are but few of this profession now adaies (especially neere to Townes and Cities) but that by their slouthfulnesse and great leysure doe giue themselues to some euill deuises, practises, and malice, rather than to the good and profit of their masters: so that of them ill disposed, we daily see to ensue and grow manie thefts, filching and pilfering prankes,Shepheards the inuentors of Astrologie, &c. out-rodes, witchcrafts, and infinite other mischiefes. On the contrarie, the first Shepheards of Egypt and other places were the bringers to light of Astrologie, Physick, Musick, and manie other liberall Sciences: and I know not whether I may father the worthie art of Warfare vpon them, or no; as also Policie, Principalitie, and the Gouernment and welding of Kingdomes: for sure I am, that they did intrench themselues in the Field, and there liued vnder Cotages and Cabines made of bough [...] manie yeares, obseruing at leysure the courses of the Starres, the dispositions of the Seasons, and by long vse and obseruation marking the goodnesse and prosperousnesse, as also the inconueniences and hard successes, of Times: in such sort, as that of the Shepheards of those times came and sprung the men of deepe knowledge and vnderstanding: The Hieroglyphicks may witnesse the same. To conclude therefore, there is great care to be had in the chusing of a good Shepheard.

But I vnderstand and set downe with my selfe,Signes of good Sheepe. that a good Farmer, to the end he may haue a faire flocke of Sheepe, doth buy them vnshorne, not hauing a gray or spotted Wooll partie-coloured, because of the vncertainetie of the colour. He shall reiect as barren all such as haue teeth of moe than three yeares, and he shall make choise of them of two yeares, hauing great bodies, long neckes, long deepe Wooll, silken, small, and bright shining: great bellies, and couered with Wooll: great pap [...], great eyes, long legges, and a long taile. He shall much esteeme the Ramme which is tall of bodie and long, which hath a great bellie, and couered with Wooll, a long taile,The signes of a good Ramme. and a thicke fleece, a broad forehead, and thicke set with haire, blacke eyes, and beset with strong Wooll, grosse stones, large loynes, great cares, and couered with Wooll of one colour, not diuersly coloured in anie part of his bodie, well horned, and notwithstanding but small hornes, wrythen and turned backe rather than strait and open, his tongue and palate white, to the end that the Lambes which he shall beget may haue their [...]leeces all white: for if he should haue it all blacke, or else bespotted with blacke vnder the tongue, howsoeuer he may be of a white Wooll, notwithstanding, the Lambs which he shall ingender will haue mingled and spotted coats, either with blacke or gray, and so by this meanes will become of lesse account and profit▪ Although the horned Ramme hath this discommoditie,A horned Ramme. that finding himselfe armed by nature, he seeketh to doe nothing more than to fight, and is so much the more earnest with the Sheepe, vrging them mightily thereunto: notwithstanding, he is much better than one without hornes: for he knowing himselfe without hornes, is not so readie to fight,The Ramme without hornes. and is also lesse hot by nature, according to the traditions of France: but according to the experience of other Countries, the Ramme without hornes is the best for breed,The best Ramme being best shaped, best woolled, and best mettalled, hauing beene often seene to haue slaine with his bare head him that hath beene more than extraordinarily armed, with great, spacious, and round twyned hornes. Besides, the Ramme without hornes begetteth his young without anie danger to the Ewe in her yeaning, whereas the Ramme which hath hornes, begetteth his Lambes with such hornes, that the damme dieth oft before she be able to yeane it. [Page] Now the Shepheards are wont to bridle and correct the heat and furi [...] o [...] a Ramme that is too headie and disposed to fight,The rage of a Ramme. by binding to his head a good strong boord, stricken full of naile points on the side toward his forehead: for such a one will keepe them from pushing one at another, seeing they cannot iurre but that they must hurt themselues: or else they bore their hornes through, neere vnto the eares; for so are some Shepheards accustomed to doe.

The Sheepe-cote, as well as the Swine-cote, shall be paued with pauing stones, and made to hang ouer the Court towards the dunghill pit, where must be set some Ro [...]emarie of Beaux, in respect of the smell of the sinke conueying their pisse. It must be situated (as hath been said before) vpon the South: for these Cattell, howsoeuer they be well couered by Natures worke, are notwithstanding such as cannot endure or away with Cold, and as badly can they abide the heat of Summer: and therefore they must haue made for them a long house, verie low, and sufficient wide. The situation of the Mangers shall be about a foot and a halfe from the floore: and there shall be high straight poles, and set thick, made fast vnto the said Mangers, that so the Sheepe may be kept from going on the other side of their racks.The office of a Shepheard. The Shepheard shall keepe his racks and hurdles for void roomes, and making of separation betweene roome and roome, verie cleane: and he shall also make them so fast, as that they may not in anie case fall, and that so the Rammes may not goe vnto the Ewes, nor the Lambes vnto the diseased Sheepe. He shall be carefull to make his Ewes take Ramme after the first two yeares, for the space of the next fiue after ensuing; for when the seuenth yeare is once past, they begin to faile and wither away: and againe, the female taking Ramme before she be two yeare old, bringeth forth a feeble and a weake brood, without anie strength; but and if shee bring forth before that age, you must sell her Lambes: The Ramme that is to blesome Ewes, must not be vnder three, nor aboue eight: One Ramme will serue to blesome fiftie Ewes: The time most fit to couple and put them together, is about the Winter Solstice, which is in the moneth of Nouember, to the end that the Ewe which goeth with Lambe fiue moneths, may Lambe in the Spring, in which time she shall find the grasse beginning to spring, and so shall returne home with her Vdder well filled, to suffice for the feeding o [...] her yong: which will be growne to good perfection by Easter; at which time the Butchers will be readie to buy them. Furthermore, for some daies before that the Ramme and the Ewe be coupled together, you must giue them to drinke salt water; so the Ewe will hold better▪ and the Ramme will be the more lustie: but after that the Ewe is with Lambe, you must not let her drinke anie such water, because it would cause her to Lambe before her time. If the Farmer desire to haue manie Weather Lambes,To haue manie Lambes. it will be good, according to the counsell of Aristotle. to obserue and spie out a drie time when the Northerne wind bloweth, and then to cause the flock to feed, drawing directly vpon the same wind; and in that verie time, and after that sort, to make the Ewes take Ramme: but and if he would haue manie Ewe Lambes, he [...]ust draw them to feed vpon a Southerne wind, and so let the Rammes couer them.

When the Ewe is in Lambing,The Lambing of Ewes. care shall be had to helpe her if need require, drawing the whole Lambe out of her bodie, if it lie ouerthwart, and cannot come forth: For this poore Beast is pained in Lambing, as Women be in bearing of their children; and oftentimes (being void of reason) shee trauaileth with much greater paines. The L [...]mbe being come forth, it must be lifted vp and holden right, and afterward put to the teats of the Ewe, thereby to vse it to sucke the damme: and yet not so forthwith, but that there be some of her formost milke drawne out first, which otherwise might hurt the Lambe.The ordering of young Lambes. Afterward it shall be shut vp with the damme for the two first daies after that it is lambed, to the end she may keepe it the warmer, and it may the better learne to know her. In the meane time, care must be had to feed the Ewe with the best Hay that may be found, and with a little [...]anne and Salt amongst: to keepe her in a house verie fast and sure, and not to suffer her to goe forth of three or foure daies: to carrie her water to drinke, a little warme; and wherein is mixed a little of the flower of Millet and of Salt: to draw from her her first [Page] milke, because it is not good. And so soone as her Lambe shall begin to know her, she may be let loose to goe feed in the fields; and to keepe the Lambe fast in a warme and darke house, vntill such time as it begin to play the wanton: out of which house it shall be let loose morning and euening to sucke the damme at her comming home and going to the fields. And after that it shall be growne a little stronger, you shall giue it, within house, some Bran, or verie small Hay, and that the best that is to be gotten, to keepe it occupied with all the time that the damme is in field.

The wise Shepheard will not keepe,What Lambes are to be kept for the furnishing of the flock. for to store his flock, anie other Lambes than such as are the grossest, most corpulent, & strong, and which will well be able to hold out Winter: and as for the rest, he will learne them the way to the Towne to seekes new Master. He will be alwaies sure to keepe a good round number to vphold and renew the losses that may fall by death or by sicknesse.

The wise Shepheard will not geld his Lambes till they be betwixt fiue and six moneths old: and for to geld them,To geld Lambs. he shall vse the meanes set downe in the gelding of Calues. In Winter hee shall fodder them with the best sheaues of Corne in the Barne: and he shall rake together the scatterings which they make from time to time, which after will serue for L [...]tter for the Kine and Horse.

For want of Corne-sheaues,Fodder for Sheepe. he may fodder them with the greene boughs or leaues of Elmes, or else of the Ash tree, gathered in their season, or with Autumne Hay, or the after-crop. The tree called Cytisus is good for them, if it may be found in this cold Countrey, and being a thing so much desired and sought after of the Goats, as they who by the vse thereof are made fruitfull in milke; so likewise is the Fetch: notwithstanding, the straw of Pulse will be necessarie for them when they cannot haue anie other thing, but that all other manner of Fodder is gone, and not to be come by.

As concerning the time when they are to be led forth to feeding,What time Sheepe should be carried to pasture. in Winter, Autumne, and Spring time, you shall keepe them close in the morning, and you shal not carrie them to the fields, vntil the day haue taken the frost away from off the ground: for at these times the frozen grasse doth beget in them a rhewme and heauinesse of the head, and looseneth their bellies. In Summer he shall carrie his flocke to the fresh pasture by the point of day, when as the tender grasse is couered with the dew: and toward noone he shall looke out either vaults and hollow places of the earth, or else the couert and shadow of some thicket, to keepe his Cattell from the heat of the Sunne: or else some old Oke, stretching forth his boughes: or the Forests and place [...] of tall Timber trees, which giue a shadow. And in as much as this Beast is verie tender aboue the head, and is greatly offended by the Sunne, he shall be carefull in Summer, during the great heat, to obserue when the Canicular daies begin, that so before noone-tide he may draw his flocke to feed vpon the West, and after noone vpon the East. For this is a thing of great moment, that the head of the Sheepe which are feeding, be turned contrarie to the Sunne, which oftentimes hutteth that kind of Cattell, at such time as the Canicular daies come in.

In cold and moist weather,To water Sheepe. as in Winter and Spring time, he shall water them only once a day, but in Summer twice, that is to say, foure houres after Sunne rise, and at night, after the heat is rebated and well ouer-past.

The Shepheard shall order and gouerne them with great gentlenesse,A gentle Shepheard. as it is most requisite for all Heards of whatsoeuer Cattell that it be, who must rather be and shew themselues leaders and guides of their beasts, than lords. Guiding them to the field, he must alwaies goe before them, to hinder and keepe them backe from running into fields where they might feed vpon euill and hurtfull grasse: and especially such grounds as wherein the water vseth to stand, or where the ground hath beene ouer-washt with some Floud, and breaking forth of some Riuer, because th [...] by pasturing in such places, they could not chuse but in lesse than [...] fortie daies be teinted, and die, except they were relieued and succoured by some good meanes. He shall rather keepe a white dogge than one of anie other colour to follow his Sheepe, and he himselfe also must be apparelled in white, because that Sheepe [Page] re naturally so inclined to feare, as that and if they see but a beast of anie other co [...]our, they doubt presently that it is the Wolfe which commeth to deuoure them. This dogge must haue a collar of yron about his neck, beset with good sharpe points [...]f nailes, to the end that he may the more cheerefully fight with the Wolfe, percei [...]ing himselfe thereby to haue the aduantage, as also that the Wolfe may not take oc [...]asion to hang him in his owne collar: If it happen that his Sheepe be scattered, to [...]all them in and bring them together againe, whether it be for keeping them out of [...]arme, or to cause them to know his call, he must whoope and whistle [...]after them, [...]hreatning them with his Sheepe-crooke, or else setting his dogge after them, which [...]he shall haue trained to doe them that seruice: but he may not cast anie thing at them, [...]either may he goe farre from them, neither yet take himselfe leaue to lye or sit [...]owne: he must accustome them to two sorts of cries, the one pleasant and shrill, to [...]ake them goe forward: but to call them backe, to another and diuers crie, to the [...]nd, that the Sheepe hearing these two different cries, may learne and apply them [...]ues to doe that, which is thereby commanded them. If he walke not, yet he must [...]tand, to the end he may be as a vigilant watch vnto his Cattell: and he must not suf [...]er the Slower, or those which are with Lambe to straggle from the rest, or come farre [...]ehind them, by hanging backe, when the light-footed, and such as haue alreadie Lambed, doe runne before, least by that meanes some th [...]efe or deuouring beast de [...]eiue them, and come vpon them busie at their meat. He must sometime make them [...]errie, cheering them vp with songs, or else by his whistle and Pipe: for the Sheepe [...]t the hearing thereof will feed the more hungerly, they will not straggle so farre abroad, but they will loue him the better.

He shall not draw them into anie grounds, but such as are tilled and turned, or to the grassie tops of Hills, to the high Woods, or else such Medow grounds as are not moist & wet; but neuer into Marish grounds, nor into Forests, or other places, whereas there are Thornes, Burres, and Thistles: for such doth nothing but make them itchie and scuruie, and to lose their Wooll. Also it is not so good fodder, nor so good feeding, which for long time hath been in continuall vse: for so the Cattell will grow wearie of it, and offended therewith, except the prudent Shepheard vse some remedie against it, by mingling some salt amongst it, or sprinkle it with brine or dregs of oyle vpon some floure, and so with their meat he should giue them both sawce and appetite.

In the high time of Summer,The Shepheards life in Summer. the Shepheard shall come with his flocke to their lodging, and shall fold them amongst the fallowes, and there make his fold with hurdles, after the manner of the Sheepe-cote, the couering excepted: And at the foure corners of his fold he shall tie his dogge for a sentinell and standing watch, lodging himselfe in the said fold, within his Cabin of Wood, which he shall driue vpon wheeles to and fro, as he shall haue occasion to change his field and fold. He shall cleanse his Sheepe-cote but once a yeare,The clea [...]ng of the Sheepe-cote. and that shall be presently after August, or else in Iuly, being the time when his Heard is folded: but neuer in Autumne, nor in Winter, for then their dung will serue to keepe them warme. And then forthwith the Farmer shall cause the same dung to be carried vnto the leanest parts of his land, and shall leaue it there on hillocks to drie in the heat of the Summer vntill October, and then to cause it to be spread vpon the ground▪ or else to mingle it with Marle, to dung and manure the earth: howbeit, Marle must not be reiterated so oft as dung, for which cause he must vse such discretion, as that he must not lay anie Marle but from fiue yeares to fiue yeares in anie place. It will be good after that the Sheepe-cote is made cleane, to perfume it with Womens haire, or Harts horne, or the hornes of Goats clawes, thereby to driue away Adders and Snakes, and other beasts, which oftentimes annoy this kind of Cattell.

He shall procure his Sheepe to be shorne the first hot season falling out in the Spring,Shearing time. if it be in a hot and Southerly Countrey; but in the Countrey that is cold, and not so warme, about the end of Iuly: but neuer in Summer, or in Winter, and but from eight a clock in the morning vntill noone, and that in faire weather, without [Page] wind, and the Moone growing old. Afterward you shall strake the shorne Sheepe all ouer their skins with your drie hand, moistened in oyle and wine mingled together, to comfort them withall: and if there be anie snips in their skins, you shall apply vnto them melted Wax or Tarre with sweet Seame, for this doth heale them and keepe them from the scab, and causeth also a finer and longer Wooll to grow vp an [...] come in place. To keepe your Sheepe in good plight, you shall giue them Bay berries drie with salt, beginning presently after they haue Lambed, and continuing vntill they goe againe to Ramme: by this meanes they will be fat, sound, & full of milke▪ After they be once with Lambe, you must giue ouer that course, least you cause then to cast their Lambes: they must not at anie time drinke soone after this meat.

Sheepe are subiect to the Scab,The diseases of Sheepe. Cough, and Bloud, which is an extreame pains [...] the head, and to the Murraine. The three last diseases are incurable, & also infecting for one of them hauing anie one of these diseases, killeth the other of the same. And at such times you must change their Aire and Cote, and withall, looke to them the [...], and refresh them with straw, giuing them that which is long & small, and perfuming their Cote with Tyme, Rosemarie, Iuniper, Pennyryall, Marierome, Balme, [...] Basill, and other sweet hearbes, manie daies together: and presently you must [...] vnto the other Salt, with a quarter of a pound of Brimstone mingled together, which wil purge them and heale them of the infection. These diseases happen them through eating of euill hearbs, or drinking of standing water, or for that the place where they feed, hath beene ouer-washed with some floud or great streames of water, in which case they neuer faile to fall sick in lesse than fortie daies: wherefore to meet with such inconueniences, the good Shepheard must goe euerie day before his flock, and [...]eepe them from going into the fields, where he knoweth that there is anie occasion for them to incurre anie such inconuenience.

For the Scab in Sheepe,The scabs of Sheepe. you must make an ointment: of the powder of Brimstone, of the root of Cypresse as much of the one as of the other, mixe them with Rhasis [...] white Ointment, Camphire and Wax to make an Ointment of: after you haue [...] three euenings rubbed the said Sheepe,Scabs in Sheepe you must wash them with Lee, with Sea water, or Brine, and lastly, with common water. The verie same remedie serueth forth [...] rott [...] Sheepe.

For the Cough,The rotten Sheepe. if it continue, you must make them drinke in the morning with [...] horne the oyle of sweet Almonds, and a little white Wine, being warned together, and giue them fresh straw, and cause them to feed vpon Folefoot; for it is commonly in the Spring time that they are troubled with this disease: but and if it should happen at anie other time, there may a little Fenigreeke be giuen them, beaten with C [...] min, and of the powder for Horses. The hear be called Knot-grasse is verie bad for Sheepe: for and if they eat anie of it, all their bellie is swolne and blowne vp, frothing out a thinne and verie stinking humor. You must presently let such bloud vnder the taile, in that place which is neere vnto the buttockes: In like manner, it will be [...] lesse good to let them bloud vpon the veine which is in the nether and vpper lipp▪ But to make sure to preuent the dangerous and common disease of the rot,To preserue Sheepe from the rot. which being once caught, is after impossible to be cured; you shall in the morning, as soone as you driue them from the Fold, or bring them from your Sheepe-house to the plac [...] where you would haue them feed, with a little dogge chase them vp and downe the space of an houre and more, till you haue (as it were) almost tyred them, and then [...] them rest and fall to their food at their owne pleasure: And thus you shall doe in the euening also; the reason whereof is this: In the morning your Sheepe comming hungrie from the Fold, and finding the thicke Dew, Cobwebs, Meldewes, and suc [...] like filthinesse vpon the grasse, they will with all greedinesse deuoure and eat it, that which, nothing in the world sooner procureth rotting: Now being thus chased wearie, they will not onely with their feet beat that corruption from the ground, but also, through their wearinesse, forbeare to eat, till such time as the strength of the Sunn [...] beames haue exhaled and drawne away those fogges, and made the grasse both pure and wholsome: by which experiment it hath been approued, that where ten thousand [Page] haue died for want of this exercise, not one hath quelled which hath beene vsed in this manner.

For a short breath,Shorinesse of breath. you must slit their nosthrils, as is vsually to be done vnto horses; or else cut their eares one after another.

Vnto the sheepe which haue the ague,The Sheepes ague. it is good to be let bloud in the heele, or betwixt the two clawes of his feet, or vpon his eares, afterward keeping him from drinking, were it neuer so little. The most soueraigne remedie to cure them of the ague, as also of many other diseases, is to cause to be boyled in Water and Wine a Rammes stomach, and giue it them to drinke vvith broth.

The sniuell, of sheepe,The sniuell or shot. as that also of horses, doth keepe it selfe so close within the lungs, as that neither by bloud letting, nor by drinkes it can be expelled. The best remedie is to strangle the beast if the disease continue but two daies: for the other, as well males as females, doe greatly desire and delight in that which these driuelers do leaue vpon the edges of the rackes, and licke it away, thereby themselues shortly after falling into the same disease. Certaine marrers of Mules rather than ke [...]pers of Mules, say, that there must be hung about their necke a Toad of the vine whiles she is liuing, made vp in a bagge of new cloth, and so leaue her there for the space of nine daies: others, that he must be put to grasse, if it be a horse; and one sheepe by it selfe in a seuerall pasture: others say, that Garleeke and fresh Sage must be stamped together, and a drinke made thereof vvith strong Vinegar, vvhether it bee for Horse, or Sheepe, or any other beast: others giue them to drinke a spoonefull of Aqua vitae, with Mithridate. There vvill no other successe come thereof, but the corrupting of the Lungs, and the Cough, which such have as are rotten. And as for helpe for this disease, there is not any other, but euen the anoyding of them out of the way.

The Cornes which vse to vex and torment sheepe,Cornes troubling Sheepe. are healed with Allome, Brimstone, and Vinegar mingled together, or with a Pomegranet whiles it is young and tender, and no kernels growne in it, being stamped with Allome, and a verie little Vinegar: or with gals burnt, and the same shaued and put in grosse, or red wine, and so laid vpon the cornes.

S. Anthonies fire,S. Anthonies fire in Sheepe! which the Shepheards call the flying fire, is hard to cure, because that neither salue nor burning, not yet any other medicine can helpe the same. There is nothing else to be done vnto them but to foment them with the milke of Goats, and it is good to shed and remoue out of the flocke the first sheepe that shall be taken with this disease.

The bloud is a turning about,For the bloud in Sheepe. called the sturdie, and it taketh them in the times of the greatest heat; so as that thereupon they turne about, stumble, and leape without any cause, and if you touch their head or feet, you shall find them in a verie great heat. For this you must speedily take a sharpe horne and make incision in the veine which is aboue the nosthrils, and that just in the middest thereof, and as high as possibly you can: hereupon, the beast will presently faint, but come vnto himself againe within a short time after, and that sometime to his good, but sometimes (and that doth oftner fall out) vnto his euill. Some Shepheards haue tried the letting of them bloud in some small quantitie in the Temples, and haue found it to ease them sometimes; as otherwise, for such as haue had the cough or cold, they haue giuen a spoonefull of Aqua vitae with Mithridate.

For the Plague,For the murraine or plague amongst Sheepe there is the like remedies for beasts, as there is for men: and I thinke, that this sort of cattell is the more subiect vnto it than any other, as is also the Swine in respect of the filthinesse thereof, and stinking of the dung. But for the better preuenting thereof, it hath beene deuised and thought good oftentimes to perfume their cratches vvith such sweet hearbes as hath beene spoken of before, as Penniroyall, wild Balme, Rue, and Iuniper-berries, and oftentimes to make them eat amongst their meat, common Melilot in steed of free and mountaine Melilot, commonly called Cytisus, and of wild Penniroyall: moreouer, Organie, as also wild Balme is good as well for this disease as for the cough.

[Page] If the sheepe become lame through tendernesse of his clawes too much softened, [...] in sheepe. by hauing stood ouer long vpon his owne dung, and that in such sort as that heca [...] not goe, your must cut off the tip of his so decayed claw or clawes, and put thereupon quicke lime, tying it on with some linnen cloth, and this is to be continued onely [...] the space of a day: and then vpon the day following, to applie vnto it some ve [...]igrease, and thus to vse these two things in the like courses, so long as vntill the hoo [...]e be whole and sound.

If the sheepe haue swallowed a Horse-leach,Horse-leaches swallowed. then you must put downe into his throte strong Vinegar vvhich is vvarme, or else Oyle.

If the sheepe haue any Impostume in the vpper part of her flesh,An Impostume. then it must be opened, and Salt pouned small and burned, and mixed with melted pitch, must be put into the wound.

When the Ewe is with Lambe,Ewes with Lambes. if she haue a blacke tongue, it is a signe that she will haue a blacke Lambe, and contrariwise; and so a Lambe partie coloured, if her tongue haue spots of diuers colours.

The Wolfe will doe no hurt vnto the sheepe,The Wolfe. if you tie wild Garleeke vnto the necke of him that goeth formost.

It is good also to succour Lambes if they need,The diseases of Lambes. as whether they haue an ague, or some other disease: if they be sicke, they must be taken from their dammes, but giue them notwithstanding their milke to drinke, mixt with as much raine water, if they haue an ague. Oftentimes they haue the scabbe and itch vpon their chin after they haue eaten grasse couered ouer with deaw.The itch of the chin. The remedie is to take Hyssope, and as much bruised Salt together, and therewith to rubbe the pallate of the mouth, the tongue, and all the muzzle, and afterward to wash the vlcers with Vinegar, and so to annoint them with tarre and swines-grease.

Beware of eating any sheepes feet,Sheepes-feet. whereout you haue not taken a worme that lyeth betwixt their clawes, for this worme swallowed downe, doth prouoke vomit, loathing,The [...]unning of Lambes. and great paine of the stomach. As for the rest, the runnet of a Lambe drunken is good against all sorts of poysons. The bowels or lungs of a Weather newly killed, applied vnto the head, is soueraigne against frensies, & for such as are deadly grieued with head-ach.The bowles of a weathes. His langs. His skinne. The lungs of a sheepe dried and made into powder, doth heale the kibes of the heeles. The fell of a sheepe newly kild, applied to the broken, beaten, or blew parts of the bodie so made by rodds of twiggs, by treading vpon, or such like, is a speedie and singular remedie for the same; prouided, that they haue not beene caused by the biting of a Wolfe.The wooll of a Weather. The wooll of a sheepe doth appeale the aches and swellings of such places as it is applied vnto, so that they haue not been caused of the touch of any Wolues tooth, for so in steed of taking away the paine, it would aggrauate and increase it.The biting of the Wi [...]fe. And which is more, as Plutarch maketh mention in his small workes, the wooll of a Weather or Ewe touched with the teeth of a Wolfe, doth make it apt to ingender rottennesse, but contrariwise in the flesh, as making it more tender and delicate by the biting of it, for as much as the breath of the Wolfe is so hot and burning, as that it melteth and digesteth the verie bones in his stomach: Candles made of the sewet of a Weather or Ramme of it selfe and without any thing mixt with it,candles of weathe sewet. put in a chest among clothes or linnen, doth keepe them from the Mise. The dung of Ewes with vinegar doth cure all hanging warts, as hard swellings, whether they be called cat-haires or cornes.

Now hauing spoken thus generally of Sheepe, their profits, natures, qualities, keepings, and preseruations, we will a little (according to the opinion of Serres) made further into their vse and properties, you shall then vnderstand that sheepe are two waies two fold, first they are either pasture sheepe, [...] of Sheepe. or field sheepe; sheepe bred either of a fruitfull ground, and rich leare, or vpon barren ground, and poore leare, your pasture Sheepe are those vvhich are kept in seuerall and inclosed grounds, being either fertile or hard, and haue their preseruation either for breed or the shambles, and the field sheepe are those which are kept on the tylth or sallow fields, or else vpon open and wast commons, and are preserued either for breed or the [Page] manuring of arable ground, and those sheepe which are to walke vpon the fallow fields, you shall put to the Ramme rather before than after Michaelmas, that their Lambes may haue strength before May day to follow their dammes ouer the clots and rough grounds, and your pasture sheepe you shall put to the Rammes not before S. Lukes day that the dammes may haue full bit and strength of grasse to feed vp and fatten their Lambes quickly, for the choyce of your sheepe for any of these soiles, you shall take such as agree with the leare and colour of your earth, rather bringing them from a worse soyle to a better, than from a good soyle to a bad; knowing withall that your fat earth though it beare a great sheepe, and much burthen of vvooll, yet it is but course, and your barren earths, though it beare but a small sheepe, and smaller burthen of wooll, yet if the leare be right, the vvooll will be finest and deerest, except the soyle be verie much cold, or verie much moist, and then the staple will be but hairie, as may be seene in the Northerne and lesse fruitfull Countries. Now for the leares of sheepe, you shall vnderstand that the browne hazell leare is of all other the best, the redd leare next to it, the yellow leare next to the redd, and the dunne dyrtie leare of all other the worst, and least profitable, all manner of sand grounds yeeld good leares, so doe most of your mixt earths, your clays, if not too wet, are reasonable, but your flyntie, grauelly, peeble soiles, yeeld neuer any goodnesse at all, your doded vvhite fast sheepe that is rough and well woolled about the eyes, is euer profitable both to the sheares and the shambles, being commonly of good bone, are good burthen, but the bare or blacke fast sheepe, though he may haue a good coat, yet it is so light that he cannot be held much commodious to either.

CHAP. XXVI.
Of the Goat-heard.

SVndrie countries in Europe, and particularly some places of France are to be found, where they haue not the commoditie and benefit of any greater cattell than the Goat, and of this they can make milke meats, much Butter, and more wholesome than that of the sheepe, as other things also accompanying thesame, the wooll and skin onely excepted, of which notwithstanding they make Chamlet in Turkie,Chamlet made of Goats haire. and as for their young ones, they are sold in their season, and make as good meat as any that can be found. And this time is when as birds doe couple and match together, and other beasts goe to rut, for the young ones of this kind being indeed verie young,Young Kiddes well esteemed. The [...]oosening tricke of cookes. are apt to be compared vvith the Lambes of the same age. Witnesse to the Cookes and Vittailers, vvhich craftily set the tayle of a Kid vpon the quarter of a lambe, which is found to haue but a skinnie and vnsauorie flesh, without any daintinesse or tast at all saue of the milke.

The Goat is fed as it were with nothing: he brouseth and feedeth of all manner of grasse, of pricking things be they neuer so sharpe: vpon the hedges, bushes,The goats vsuall meat and fodder. brambles, yea vpon venimous and infectious things, he loueth to brouse the wood of fruit trees: he delighteth to licke the moist walls, and rockes tasting of Saltpetur, in such sort as that you shall neuer see a Goat dye of hunger: he feedeth for the most part of a more solide meat than the Weather, and climeth into higher places, and where the Sunne hath greater power: besides, he is of greater stirring, and more giuen to exercise, and therewithall framed of a more strong and lustie bodie. These haue beene the causes why men in times past haue esteemed them,Goats are of great request in hillie countries. as they doe yet also in hillie countries: and we for the few that we haue, doe prouide Heards and Houses for them amongst the Sheepe, and wee seperate the male Goats in such sort as vve doe the Rammes. Their house must bee paued vvith stone, eyther by workemen or naturally: for these cattell are not allowed any kind of litter at all, and that because they like it better to lye vpon the bare and hard [Page] ground, than to lie vpon litter: yea and oftentimes they will lie asleepe vpon the [...] rie points of rockes, or vpon the steepe corners of high hills toward the heat o [...] [...] Sunne, rather than vnder any shadow; or else vpon the fresh and soft grasse: but [...] be of variable complexions; and therefore it is no shame for a man to call anoth [...] goatie, if he be found mutable and full of changes in his manners and carriage. An [...] for as much as we are farre off from Languedoc, Auuergne, and the hillie places [...] Sauoy, in which this kind of prouision being a speciall commoditie of those cou [...] tries, is had in great estimation, we will make a shorter description and discourse both of the maner of ordring them, than we do in the like case of such as beare woall as also for that these two sorts of cattell are placed together vnder one roofe, and [...] one cratch, feeding vpon the like fodder, and are as it were handled after the [...] manner, and kept in the same flocke.

The painefull Goat-heard shall make cleane their house euerie day,The office of the Goat-heard. and shall not suffer any dung or moisture therein, or that with trampling they make any dirt, for all these are verie contrarie vnto goats. He himselfe must be of the nature of goa [...] ▪ that is to say, nimble, couragious, rough, hard, diligent, patient, cheerefull, and bold, and aduenturing to goe amongst the rockes, through deserts and bushes, no [...] that he should follow his flocke into euerie place as other heards doe their cattell, b [...] that he be euerie day before them. He must not be charged with moe than fiftie, because this cattell is foolish and dissolute, easie to stray abroad hither and thither, contrarie vnto sheepe, which keepe together, and trouble not their heard with gathering of them together. He shall beware and not suffer them to feed in cold places, far cold is more hurtfull vnto them than any other thing. He shall draw them forth to the fields by breake of day so long as the dew falleth; that so hauing filled themselues of the grasse thus bedewed, they may returne home about nine of the clocke their vdders of milke: and then againe, about three, they are to be sent to the fields, that they may feed and continue there vntill the euening. In Winter time he may lead them to fields from nine a clocke vntill night, without any hurt done vnto them, either by the open aire, or cold, be it neuer so sharpe, they are of so strong [...] It is true, that if the weather be tedious, or Rainie, or full of Snow, as in Winter, he shall keepe them in their cote, and giue them to eat the tender sprouts and stalkes of herbes gathered in September, and dried in the Sunne, and afterward kept in the hay loft, or some such other place out of the raine. He shall vse the meanes to cause them to ingender in Autumne before the moneth of December,The goats bucking time. as he doth the sheep, to the end, that in the Spring, when the trees bud, and the woods begin to put forth new leaues, they may bring forth their young ones. When he would haue his goats to haue good store of milke,To make t [...]e goats to haue much milke. he shall giue them to eat ynough fiue-leaued grasse, or shall tie about their bellies the hearbe Dittanie, or else carrie them to feed in some place where there groweth great store of it.

The goodnesse of a goat must be esteemed and gathered by these signes. If she be one yeare old,The [...] a good goat. and not past fiue; if she haue a great bodie, firme and swift, thicke haire, great and grosse teats, large beneath the taile, and about her thighs, rather of a reddish or blacke colour than of a white; for although that some say, that the white doe yeeld more milke, yet the reddish coloured and blacke are more pleasant, frolicke, and merrily disposed: without hornes, rather than horned; for those which haue no hornes, doe not cast their young so soone, and they doe keepe more conueniently amongst sheepe, than those which haue hornes.

The male goat is much to be esteemed if he be not aboue fiue yeare old (for in respect of his heat,The male goat. which is exceeding great, he doth easily grow old:) which hath a great bodie, grosse legges, a thicke and short necke, hanging and great eares, a small head, blacke haire, thicke, neat, and long, without hornes; for such as haue hornes, by reason of their pushing and eagernesse, are dangerous: which hath likewise vnder his chaps two bearded knobs or kernels.

The profit that the farmer may make of his goats, [...] is their dung, whether it be by folding them vpon their fallowes in the Summer time, or that it be such as is made [Page] [...] gathered in their coats: the Kids, the flesh whereof is held so daintie: the Goat- [...]word, whereof gloues are made; as also counterfeit Shamois, drie leather, or Spanish [...]ather, and all the baggs wherein Oyles are wont to be carried in to and fro: the [...] of the male goat, whereof are made the best drie and Spanish leather, so much [...] request for pumpes and pantofles: the sewet of the male Bucke, whereof the phy [...]tions doe make such vse, and find so singular in the curing of bloudie fluxes: the [...]kins of Kids, whereof are made handsome, daintie, and soft gloues, good girdles, [...]urses, and needle-cases: and Cheese which shall be made after the fashion of Cow-milke-cheese. It is most true that some doe make them after the fashion of little thin Angelots, and those are the excellent cheeses, which haue beene wont to be made at Nismes heretofore, as Plinie recordeth, howsoeuer now at this present, Baus doth carrie away the name.

And now somewhat as concerning the baggs made of Goats-skins for to carrie Oyle in,Baggs made of goats-skins. as we haue daily experience out of the countries of Prouence and Langue [...]oc: you must first cut from the dead Goat the head onely close by the necke, and [...]he feet at the second joynt of the leggs: afterward, fleying the rest of the leggs vnto the priuie parts of the beast, to turne the rest ouer all the bodie, and keeping the hai [...]ie side outward to salt it three or foure times, and to rubbe ouer all the skin euerie where with salt verie well; afterward, to sew it and make it into a bagge for Oyle, as it may best serue: you must notwithstanding keepe it alwaies full, blown vp, and tied somewhere vp on high, that it may not touch the earth, for otherwise it would be gnawed in pieces of vermine.Butter of goats milke. She shall not make account to make Butter of their milke in any great quantitie, for the milke of goats hath no such store of fat or oilie substance in it, seeing there is alwaies much adoe to get forth euen some small portion; and yet, which is more, when it is out, it looketh whitish, hard, and tasteth like tallow: and thirdly, because in Languedoe and Prouence, they gather not any Butter at all, being giuen to make Cheese, namely those Cheeses which are called small Cheeses.

As concerning the diseases of a Goat,The goat is neuer without an ague. she is neuer without an ague in this Countrie, and that in such sort, as that if they be free from it but a little, they die: besides the diseases of sheepe, whereunto Goats are subject, there are three other, whereunto the Goat is subject, that is to say, the dropsie, swelling after she hath brought forth her young,The diseases of goats. and the drie disease. The dropsie happeneth vnto her by drinking too much vvater, and then you must make incision vnder the shoulder, and draw forth all the gathered superfluous moisture, and after heale the wound vvith tarre.The matrix swolne. After she hath brought forth her young, if her matrix be swolne, or if she be not vvell purged of her after-birth, you must cause her to drinke a great glasse ful of verie good wine.The drie disease The drie disease commeth vpon her in the time of hot seasons, as wherein her teats are so dried vp, as that they are like vnto wood for drinesse, and in such case you must rubbe her teats with creame: and as for other her diseases, you must cure them with those remedies vvhich are set downe for the diseases of ewes.

The good huswife that setteth by the health of her folke,The flesh of goats. shall not giue any goats flesh vnto her people to eat, except it be in time of great dearth and scarcitie, because the eating of this flesh doth breed the falling sicknesse. Likewise our predecessours had the flesh in such a loathed detestation, as that they would not deine to touch it, no not name it: notwithstanding if necessitie doe force vs to feed vpon it, as many poore peasants dwelling in villages doe (hauing good store of goats, and which onely are the store of their powdring tubs, as also being persuaded thereto through couetousnesse) then they must boyle them in a pot not couered, and in great quantitie of vvater, with good store of spices and cloues, and yet after all this, not to eat it before it be cold, she may gather some profitable thing both of the male and female goat for the health of her familie:Goats milke. For the milke of the female is verie singular for the hardnesse of the spleene, if so be that she haue beene fed any space of time with Iuie. The reddish and bloudlike liquor which distilleth from her liuer [Page] vvhen it is roasted,Goats bloud. is good for the vveake eyes. The bloud of the male or [...] Goat fried,The bloud of the malegoat. stayeth the flux of the bellie. The bloud of the male hardene [...] [...] dried vp in lumps, is [...]ingular against the stone. The poulder of the Goats [...] burned,The goats horne cleanseth and maketh vvhite the teeth: drunke with Rose or [...] vvater, it stayeth the bloudie flux: The fume or smoake comming of the burning of Goats horne doth driue away Serpents in vvhat place soeuer that they be. The dung of Goats applyed in forme of a cataplasme doth resolue swellings vnder the eares,Goats dung. in the flankes, the Sciatica, and other Apostumes, especially if it be [...] vvith the floure of Barley, and vvater and vinegar, or with fresh Butter or the [...] of the Oyle of Nuts; vvhich is more, if you giue but fiue trottles of Goats dung wit [...] a small draught of vvhite Wine, the space of eight dayes euerie morning, it [...] heale the Iaundise.

CHAP. XXVII.
Of the Dogges Kenell.

VNto the Shepheard, seruing also in steed of the Goatheard, doth belong the charge of the Dog-house, in the ordering of this our Countrie gouernment, as vvell because necessitie commaundeth that he should [...] Bloud-hounds to fight and chase away the Wolues; Hounds and vvater Spaniels for the purpose of such things as now and then he may meet, withall i [...] the fields, or vvhich escapeth vnawares out of the riuers or standing vvaters: as also▪ Mastiues, vvhich are giuen him in charge by the farmer, as being for the guard and keeping of his house, and of these there shall be one or two vvhich shall be kept fa [...] all the day, chained to some post reared in the Court on the left hand as you goe i [...], for to giue aduertisement of the comming in or going out of strangers, and to make such afraid as might come to doe mischiefe: but on the night such dogges shall be let loose, and put amongst the rest which come from the field, to bolden them [...] their charge, as in ranging and keeping the Court, as well to defend it from theeues, as to free it from the rauen of vvild beasts, vvhich giue themselues wholly to the purchase in the night time. This then is his charge, to feed them, to make the [...] cleane, to brush them and wipe off the dust from them, to correct them, reclaim [...] them, teach and fit them for that which it is needfull that they should doe, and to this end the farmer must not withhold from him the great of the siftings, which may be prepared for them at euerie baking, besides what may come vnto them for their fees vpon euerie purchase either of tame or wild thing. He shall likewise haue [...] to see to the collars that are requisite about the said dogs,To meet with the madnesse of dogges. he shall see them washed in the heat of the weather for feare they should goe mad: as also that they may lie vpon fresh and [...]oft straw after that they haue trauelled: they must also be sparingly fed, thereby to make them the more fierce vpon the pray, and the readier to course, and he shall watch with his Cros-bow or Pistoll, to meet with some wild flesh, if any co [...]e in those quarters, which his businesse doth draw him vnto.

I meane therefore that the Husbandman should haue care to prouide three sorts of dogges in his house.Three sorts of dogges needfull about a country [...]. The one called the watch dogge, to discouer the secret and couert conueyances of things stolne by men: the second, called the Shepheards dogge, to resist the injuries and outrages offered by men or wild beasts, and to driue them away: the third, called Hounds, or Hunting-dogges, and these do [...] not bring any profit to the Husbandman, but rather may be sayd to hinder hi [...] worke, and keepe him from his businesse. But I will onely speake of those which are for the keeping of the house and cattell, and reserue the hunting dogge for to intreat of in our seuenth Booke, vvhere I intend to speake a vvord or two of hunting.

[Page] The dogge appointed for the keeping of the Farme,The qualities of a watch-dogge. must be of grosse and great corpulencie, hauing his bodie well and square compact, and rather short than long. Let his head be so great and thicke, as that it may shew to be the greatest part of his bodie, his countenance somewhat resembling a mans, his throat great and wide, thick and great lips hollowed after the manner of valleys, his necke thicke and short, his eares great and hanging, his eyes blacke or Azure, fierie, and sparkling, his breast broad, and full of haire, his taile short and thicke, which is a marke of strength, for the long and small taile is onely a signe of swiftnesse, his foot and nailes great, his barke base, loud, and fearefull, he must be reasonably fierce, for the gentle doggs doe faune vpon theeues, and the ouer-fierce would not let to leape in the bosome of your familiar friends, and seruants: especially let him be watchfull, & keeping good guard, not a rouer, running hither and thither, but soone satisfied and stayed, rather than actiue and busily gadding,The best colours of Mastiues. he must also be blacke, to the end he may be more terrible vnto the thiefe by day, and not so well perceiued of him by night; or if he be blew, brended, or a darke fallow, not any of these colours are amisse, but shew much strength, valor, and fiercenesse, and are commonly the best breeds of all others, as is to be seene in England, from whence France hath beene onely inriched with all her chiefest Mastiues.

The Shepheards dogge needs not,The qualitie of the Shepheards dogge. nor must not, be so great and heauie as that of the Farme, and yet notwithstanding he must be strong and lustie, and somewhat readie and light: for he is vsed both for fighting and running; intended, that he must watch and hunt away the Wolues, and if they should carrie anie thing away, then to pursue them, and take it from them: Wherefore in this respect it were better that he should be long made rather than short and square, seeing euerie beast of a long bodie is more fit for the race, than that which hath a short and square bodie. He must be of a white colour, that so the Shepheard may more easily discerne him from amongst the Wolues, and know him as well in the twylight, as also in the very darkest time of the same. If he be in the rest of his limmes like vnto the house dogge, he cannot chuse but be a good one.The meat fit for dogges. Both these sorts of dogges are fed with like meat, as with Wheaten bread, the flower of Barley with Whay, warme broth, and sodden Beanes.The time for dogs and bitches to engender. The Shepheard which hath this charge, shall not let either Dogge or Bitch engender before they be a yeare old, and not after that they be ten yeares old. He shal take from the Bitch her first litter, for being young and newly acquainted with such matters, she should not feed and nourish them well; and againe, such her feeding of them would hinder her in her grouth euerie manner of way: as also, the dogge of the first litter is of a feeble and weake condition, and for the most part subject to runne madd. Sixe moneths after the Bitch hath whelped, he shall not suffer the Whelpes to goe forth, vntill such time as they become strong, except it be onely to play and sport themselues with their damme, for feare that in attempting to leape hedge or ditch,The ordering of Whelpes. they doe not burst and beat out their guts. He shall not let them sucke any other milke but that of their owne Bitch, and if it happen that she want and haue not ynough, they shall haue Goats milke giuen them vntill they be foure moneths old: he shall not call them by verie long name,The names of dogges. that so assoone as they be called they may know that they are called. And againe, it is not good that their name should be of lesse than two syllables.A sinew in the tailes of dogges. When these Whelpes are fortie daies old, he shall breake the tip of their taile, and shall draw out a sinew that runneth along the joynts of the backe, euen vnto the end of the taile, this will keepe them from growing too much in length,To make himselfe followed of dogges. and will also be a meanes to keepe them from running madd. He shall make his dogges come after him, and the meanes to doe it (as some say) is to giue them now and then some boyled froggs to eat; or to make it more sure to giue them bruised Salt,The way to keepe dogs from running at you. or else to cast them a peece of bread, which he hath kept a good while vnder his arme-pits, in such sort as that it be a little moystened with the sweat of them, or else to let them smell the after-birth of another Bitch, which he shall haue wrapped vp in a cloth. Likewise he shall learne some peece of cunning to make that he may not be barked at, nor set vpon by other dogges how raging soeuer they be.

[Page] And to effect this, he shall hold in his hand the eye of a blacke dogge pulled from him aliue, or for the more certaintie, the eye or the heart of a Wolfe, or the tongue of a she Wolfe.To make dogs fight. He shall incense them to fight the one with the other, by clapping his hands, and yet he shall beware that neither of them be ouercome▪ for making of him timerous and dastardly.Dogs may not [...] Sheepes flesh. He shall not in any case suffer them to eat the flesh [...] dead Sheepe, least thereby they fall to set vpon and snatch vp such as are aliue: for very hardly and with much adoe vvill they be made to forsake this fault, if once they haue begun to eat raw flesh. He shall frame them in their youth to bring, and the better to teach them so to doe, he shall first cast a prettie way from him a peece of bread. He shall be carefull to heale them when they be sicke. They are subject [...] specially vnto three diseases,Doggs diseases. madnesse, the squinancie, and the paine of the thigh [...] ▪ Madnesse taketh them in the extreame Sommer heat, and in the excessiue cold of Winter: and for the better keeping of them from this disease, it will be good [...] during the time of excessiue heat and cold, they haue often giuen them cold water [...] coole them withall, and to temper the heat of their bloud: or for the more certaintie, whiles they be yet yong, you may plucke from them at their tailes end, a sinew, which goeth along through the joints of the backe bone: Or else to take from vnder their tongue a little sinew which is like vnto a small broad and round worme. To [...] them of this disease, so soone as the matter is perceiued, he shall cause him to drinke the juice of Beets, with the pith of Elder tree: or else burne him in the brow with [...] hot yron: or else to souse him euerie day for the space of fifteene or twentie daies [...] gether in Sea-water, three or foure times a day: or else in warme water made [...] for salted or Sea-water hath a singular vertue against the madnesse of a dogge. And these are the signes of a madd dogge: he is more drie and leane than ordinarily he was wont to be, he eateth nothing, neither drinketh, although he seeme to be muc [...] altered and starued with want of them; he hateth water more than any thing else, [...] the sight whereof he falleth into trembling and staring of his haire all ouer his body▪ his eyes are red and fierie, his looke is aside, sterne, and fixed vpon him whom he beholdeth: he doth nothing but run hither and thither without reason, his head and eares cast downe, his mouth verie much gaping, hanging out a great blacke and wa [...] tongue; foming and driueling at his mouth, and sniuell at his nose; his taile hangin [...] betwixt his legges; barking with a hoarse voice, and hanging his head vpon the [...] side or the other: he setteth vpon without barking, and biteth whatsoeuer a he [...] with, whether it be his maister, men knowne vnto him, or vnknowne, beast, [...], stone, yea his owne shadow: sometimes he standeth still, sometimes he runneth, no [...] on the right hand, now on the left hand: other dogges runne from him, which no [...] withstanding he fauneth vpon if he meet them, and maketh them afraid.

The Squinancie,The squinancie. and paine of the thighs, is healed and cured after the fame [...] that it is in Sheepe:The paine of the thighs. notwithstanding the common remedie is to cause them to take [...] great glasse full of warme Oyle, and after to open the veine of the thigh. For their [...] ulcetate eares comming through fleas,Vlcers of the eares. he must rub them with bitter Almonds bruised: For to kill the fleas of dogges, you must rub them with Sea-water, or with [...] with vvater, or with the old lees of oyle of Oliues.

The other diseases may be cured by the same remedies, which we haue alreadie set downe for Sheepe.

Shut vp a dogge close in some place for three daies, in such sort as that he [...]ay gnaw nothing but bones, then gather his dung, and drie it: the powder of this [...] is good against all bloudie fluxes, if it be taken twice a day with milke, and so [...] for the space of three daies, remembring moreouer before you mixe the [...] milke, to quench diuers small pebble stones made red hot in the fire in it. This powder likewise is verie singular in maligne vlcers, and those that are giuen to be r [...] bellious: likewise such an emplaister of dogs dung is excellent for the squinancie.

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CHAP. XXVIII.
Of the Carter, on Horse-keeper.

WE haue heretofore spoken of such liuing creatures as are for the profit and vse of men inhabiting Countrie villages: in that which followeth we will speake of those which serue not onely for men inhabiting the said villages, but also for them which inhabite and dwell in Cities and great Townes, as are the Horse, the Mule, and the Asse. I set the Horse before the rest, as being seruiceable for the Peasant and Countrie-drudge, and also affording great seruices to Nobles, Princes, Prelates, and to be short, to all sorts of men, as being the beast which is peerelesse, for his comelinesse, beautie, courage, furniture, profit, and commoditie.

Therefore (I say) let the Carter or Horse-keeper, to whom appertayneth the charge of Countrie horse, be a sober and patient man, louing his beasts well, and neuer beating them: but well may he acquaint them with the lash, the whisking noise of his rod, with his speech, and with his cal: let them not at any time labor more than they well may, either in draught or trauell, let him currie them cherefully and merrily euerie morning, and in Sommer sometimes after noone: he must not giue them to drinke but at ordinarie houres, and after their rest, let him oftentimes vse to wash their feet in Sommer with cold water, and sometime with wine, or the lees of wine for to strengthen them withall, and with vrine if they be dulled or blunted, in the night time putting of their owne dung in the hollow or sole of their hoofe: and if they be chafed or heated, or put out of the loue and desire of their meat, he must wash their throat with Vinegar and Salt: let him not giue them Hay, Prouender, Chaffe, Oats,A farmer must know the worke and trade of a fadler and farrier. or Litter, before they be verie well dusted: he must not let them goe without shooes or nailes: and let him be carefull that their traise, cart-saddles, collars, bridles, or other parts of their geares, and harnesse, be not torne, or rent, or rotten. He must also know to sow with small threed, packthreed, and shoothreed, to stuffe and make fast his saddles: to be short, he must be acquainted with the Sadlers trade, as also with the Farriers, and therefore he must neuer be vnprouided of his budget and pouch furnisht with tooles and necessaries about harnesse and saddles, nor yet of his yron stuffe for his beasts feet: as namely needle threed and silke, [...]eame to let bloud with, knife to launce and cut with, corner, buttrys, pincers, hammer, paring-yron, and rape, he must also haue barnacles, pasternes, trauerses, and colling-sheares, with whatsoeuer else is needfull to be vsed in any time of occasion or necessitie. He must be verie carefull to find out the cause vvhen he seeth any one of his Horses halt, of what foot it is, and in vvhat place of the foot being handled or tried, he most complayneth himselfe, and to put about his pasternes sometimes Spech-grase, and sometimes dung.

He must also take great heed when his beast doe cast the old hoofe,The casting of hooues. and haue a new growing, and cause some thing to be giuen him for the helpe of the growth of the new hoofe, and vvhen he hath his throat heated to cause him to be couered, if therewith he haue the cough: and if in trauaile he haue taken cold by raine or tedious vveather, to giue him then to eat some Fenugreeke or Anise-seed amongst his prouender: to change him vvhen he is past age: and also to take acknowledgement of the loue that one Horse beareth towards another, and accordingly to set them one by another in the Stable appointed for them,To make clean [...]ehis horse stable. which he must euerie morning may cleane in Sommer, carrying out the dung and filth, and letting none remaine, and at night giue them fresh Litter. He must also cast an eye about, and see whether his horses doe grow leane or no, and then to fat them with Fetches boyled in water, and mixed amongst their Oats, as also with millet, pannicke, rice, sodden and mingled with meale of Beanes, and a little Salt; or where these are missing, to take [Page] good sweet Barley chaffe, or Pease pulse well mixt with some drie Beanes, and to giue him thereof good store after euerie watering, or vvhen he newly commeth from his labour; as for sodden Barley, or other boyled corne, they are onely good to loosen the skinne, but the fat which they gather is neuer of any indurance. He must be content to take vp his lodging in the stable, for feare of their falling sicke, intangling themselues in their halters, and growing of his beasts, and let him be carefull and wise in ordering and placing his light in such sort, as that it may be out of daunger, and to locke vp and keepe his harnesse well, and made readie ouer night [...] morning, that so when he is to returne to his labour into the field, he be [...] of any thing. If he haue any Mules or young Colts, he must put them by [...], and reserue them for some other labour: and if any of his Horses fall sicke, if it be not of wearinesse, dulnesse, or chafing, he must put him out from among the rest. If he haue any Horse that hath ill propertie or fault,The faults of Horses. he shall be carefull how to amend it, as if he be fearefull or timerous, or if he will not abide while one getteth vpon his backe, or if he will not goe by or into any place, he shall hang within his [...] some prettie little stone: and if this doe him no good, he shall hoodwinke him, or [...] behind him at his taile some flame of fire, or some sharpe pricking thing; if he w [...] nie much, he shall tie to his head a stone with a hole through it: if when a man is vpon his backe, he rise and come aloft, he shall hit him with his rod vpon the forelegges: if he lye downe, he must be raised vp againe with rough words and strokes: if he goe backward, you shall tye a cord to his codds, vvhich shall be so long, as th [...] reaching betwixt his forelegges, he which rideth him may hold it in his hand, and when as the Horse shall goe backward,A Horse going backward. he shall pull it hard with his hand to make him goe forward, for so vvithout all doubt he will goe forthright, and amend his fault: if the Horse be gelded, he must beat his thighs vvith a long staffe taken out of the fire verie hot, and burnt at the end: or he shall giue him feele of his whisking rodd betwixt his eares: if the Horse be hard to shooe, and troublesome to handle and dresse in the stable, he shall put in one or both of his eares a little round pebble, and there make it sure with one or both his hands, and keepe them in his eares, and thus he shall make him as gentle and meeke as a Lambe.

It is also the Carters part to gouerne his heard of Mares and Colts carefully, th [...] no inconuenience may befall them: he shall put them to feed, and shall send the [...] to grasse when it shall be due time, and that in large and marish grounds. Notwithstanding marish ground doth soften their hoofe verie much, and maketh them tender sighted, and begetteth water in their feet: and for this cause I could like the high and hillie grounds better, being such as from time to time haue raine or [...] dropping downe vpon them, and not drie at any time, and such as are rather voi [...] and free, than incombred with vvood or other bodies of trees or legges: and yet further, hauing a soft and sweet grasse, rather than a high, great, and strong grasse. And notwithstanding that Mares be not so frolicke nor couragious as Horses be, yet they goe beyond them farre in the race, and stand it out a great deale longer; and againe, they are not so chargeable to keepe as Horses are, for they are not fed with the best hay, they content themselues to run in pastures all the yeare long: true it is, that in Winter, and when the ground is all couered with snow, as also in the time of continuall raine, they must be put in some one house or other, and giue them such Hay as is good to eat, and in Sommer to keepe them in some good coole shadow [...] place, and well growne with good Grasse, and serueth vvith cleare vvaters: but n [...] uer vpon the rough and ragged mountaines, as vvell for that they doe hardly feed there, as also because that such as are with foale can hardly clime without great paine, not come downe without endangering themselues to cast their Colts.The co [...]ring of Mares. You shall not suffer the Mare to take Horse ofter than euerie two yeare, according to the opinio [...] of the curious Horsemen; but yet the better experienced allow the conueying of Mar [...]s euerie yeare, for it keepeth the wombe open, and giueth the Foale a large bed to lye in, to keepe and breed of the best kind, and race, and not to bring in a base and degenerate kind: againe, to see that it be d [...]ne about mid March▪ [Page] to the end, that at the same time that the Mares were couered and horsed, they may easily feed their Colts, hauing tender and soft grasse after Haruest: for about the end of the eleuenth or twelfth moneth they foale, and so their milke is the faster, better conditioned, begetteth also and nourisheth fairer Colts, and such as thriue euen as we our selues would wish. The Stalions also thus attended are the stronger, and doe more abound with a well concocted and slimie nature, and not with a thinne and waterie, and withall, they couer them with more courage, and beget greater Colts, and such as are more hardie and strong.The signes of the Mares being readie to take Horse. He shall know that the Mares are readie to take Horse, when they yeeld a whitish humor at the place of generation, and that their priuie parts are more swolne than they were wont to be, as also more hot than ordinarie, and eat not so much as they were wont. He shall let her take Horse twice a day, euening and morning, before he let her drinke; and this shall be continued but tenne daies: which past, if she refuse him, he shall put her aside as with foale, and shall take away the Horse, least with his furious rage he make her that she doe not conceiue.

The Horse that is lesse than three yeares old,A Horse to couer Mares. is not fit to couer Mares, but he may continue good till he be twentie yeare old. The Mare is fit to take Horse when she is two yeares old, that so being three by her foaling time, she may be able to feed it well: but she is nothing worth for this purpose after she is once tenne yeares old: for Horses begotten of an old Mare are loose and heauie. One good Horse is ynough for twentie Mares: which, at such time as he is to couer them, must be well fed, and when the time approcheth, must be fatted with Barly, Fetches, and Ciches, to the end he may the better serue for the purpose: for the stronger and more disposed he shall be to couer them, the stronger will the Colts be which he begetteth. If he haue no courage, but be feeble and out of heart, you must rub the secret parts of the Mare with a new and cleane spunge, and after rub the muzzle of the stalion with the same: If the Mare will not admit the Horse, you must bruise a Sea-Onion, and rub her secret part therewith, for this will warme her: And to haue a Horse of the colour that you would desire, couer the Mare with a couering of the same colour, at such time as the Horse shall couer her.

The Mare whereof we desire to haue a good race,A Mare for breed. must not be vnder two yeares old, as hath beene said, nor aboue tenne or twelue; and vnderstand withall, that being of a colder complexion than Horses, so she faileth before them in that worke: she must be well made of bodie, broad spread toward one, hauing a comely and pleasant looke, her flanke and rumpe large, well fed, but a little leane, to the end that she may hold her horsing the better: that she haue not trauelled of a long time: that she beare not but euerie two yeares, to the end she may the better feed her Colt. When she is with Colt, you must feed her well, you must not trauell or runne her, nor leaue her to the extremitie of the Cold, but keepe her in house when it raineth and snoweth, and as long as anie great cold weather is, that so she may the better bring forth a perfect Colt.The Marereadie to foale If the Mare be in foaling, or that she hath cast her Colt, you must bruise Polipodie, and mingling it with warme water, cause her to drinke it with a horne.The Mare that doth foale. If she haue foaled well, you may not touch her Colt with your hand, for and if you touch it neuer so little, you hurt it. So soone as she hath foaled in the house, you must succour her with drinks of warme water, mingling salt therewith and meale also both euening and morning, for the space of three daies at the least: after this, you must giue her good Hay and sufficient Corne, keepe her cleane with good Litter, that so she may rest at ease; for this her good feeding doth cause her Colt to prosper, and strengtheneth it.

After that the Colt is foaled,To order a [...] new [...]. it must be left with the Mare in a warme and wide place, to the end that cold may not hurt it, neither yet the Mare, by reason of the straitnesse of the place: and when it shall be stronger, it shall be accustomed to eat Hay, to the end that the dams milke failing, it may haue learned to feed vpon a firmer nourishment: but it shall be let run with the Mare in the pasture, that so she may not mourne for lacke of the sight of her Colt: for commonly Mares are sicke for [Page] the loue of their colts, if they cannot see them. When it shall be eighteene moneths old, you shall begin to waine it, and put it in the house built for col [...]s, afterward you shall [...]ame it, putting a halter about the necke, and that rather of wooll than of coard, that so it may not feele any hard thing to annoy it: and if it will not abide to be tied, you must make it fast with two thongs of leather or of hempe, or with a bridle [...] the manger, that so it may be acquainted with touching and handling, and that so also it may learne not to be afraid of any noise that shall be made: it vvill be good also to set it amongst others that are alreadie tamed, for seeing them so haltred, it will at length accustome it selfe to subjection: as yet you must speake it faire, and touch it with your hand, sometimes rubbing the backe, head, or bellie, and sometimes the numpe, legges, and feet, sometimes raising it vp, making it cleane, and rubbing it verie mildly and gently; to be short, making so much of it, as vntill it become so tame that it know the boy or horseman that currieth it, and the rider that must backe it, and vvithall vnderstand their vvords and voyces, and smelling him, to know him before he get vpon him: sometimes you shall set a child vpon the backe, to the end he may learne to endure to beare one; giue it good hay and good grasse: lead it to water with one alreadie managed and fitted to the hand: after it hath drunke, giue it Oats, at euening straw it with litter vp to the knees, and in the morning rubbe the legges and the whole bodie with the same litter, and after lead it to drinke. When it is three yeares old, you must breake and acquaint and fit it for such worke as you shall thinke meet. As for example, if you would appoint it and make it serue you sometimes to take a journey vpon, I could wish you to giue it a burning with fire vpon the legges:To burne the colt with a hot yron. and this you shall commit to the doing of some skilfull Farrier, especially in the Spring, Autumne, and decrease of the Moone, and at such time as these young horse are full two yeares old: and this must be done as wel in the legs before as behind: such course of burning doth harden and strengthen their loose flesh, being soft and not close set together, it doth bring downe that which is puffed vp: it drieth that which hath much moisture in it: it dissolueth that which is gathered together, it burneth away and wasteth rottennesse if there be any, and healeth old aches, curing and restoring the declined parts of the bodie, lessening that which is growne too great, and not suffering it to grow any further. Add hereunto, that the scabbe, farcie, and other malanders accustomed to seise vpon their leggs, cannot haue the power to breed vpon them. After you haue thus burnt them with a knobd hot yron, carrie them to pasture, and that at such an houre, as when the deaw is vpon the grasse: for so it will doe them a great deale more good than any thing that a man can giue vnto them in the stable, for so also you shall cause that [...] of the burnings shall appeare lesse, and that if they shew at all, that yet it shall be with good setting out of the legge.

As for that retained opinion amongst our Frenchmen, that the slitting of a horses nosthrils when they are full growne, will make them fit for the course or race, as being an occasion of more libertie to his wind, or that it will helpe a broken winded horse, it is a me [...]re fallacie and deception, and hath no such vertue at all, but rather worketh the contrarie, and by dismembring the organ or instrument whereby he draweth vp the aire, doth breed in him a greater difficultie of breathing, the painefulnesse whereof may be perceiued when he standeth still without any trouble or molestation, therefore I would haue all horse-groomes to forbeare the practise, and to hold it rather a disgrace than any benefit, for it is to be vnderstood, that nature hath made euerie thing perfect without want or super [...]luitie, and to alter any thing in her maine workmanship, is rather to ouerthrow than helpe the building.

If you will geld them and make them Geldings, that so they may liue the more quietly amongst Mares and other Horses, as also for the [...]itting of them which desire peaceable Horses, you may doe it, but not before they be a full yeare old, because that then their secret parts doe openly shew themselues, and for the better performance thereof, it vvere better to vvrith about and mortifie their codds altogether with pincers, than to geld them all at once, notwithstanding they be of full and sufficient age▪ [Page] [...] in gelding of them, maine doe die of extreame paine, because you take all away [...] them; but if they die not, yet they remaine weakened and [...] both in [...] and strength: whereas if you pinch them onely with Pincers, they are not one [...] free from all perill of loosing their life, but also continue the more bold, there re [...]ining vnto them some small parts of the cords and sinewes of the generati [...]e [...] Yet other of the best French horsemen doe affirme, That to geld a Colt cleane, [...] way of incision and calterizing, is the best course that can be taken, and maketh them tendder sinest shaped and best mettalled Gelding: for (say they) when anie of the cords [...] strings of generation are left behind, then the Gelding proues rammish, Mare [...]od, foule headed, thicke neckt, and grossely crested. And of this opinion are all [...] English Horsemen: to whom we must yeeld, because they are knowne to be Ma [...]s of the onely Geldings of the world; and those of whom we most boast, we haue [...] from them, either by gift or purchase. Therefore I leaue to the skilfull Groome [...] consideration of this action, to chuse that to which he stands most affected.

Furthermore, cause him to be curried by a seruant pertaining and belonging to [...] businesses: and being wise, gentle, and louing, that so by such his gentlenesse it [...] be preuented and fore [...]eene, that the young Colt doe not learne ill manners, [...] it is so difficult a thing to take from them but one ill qualitie, after that they be [...] therein. And in this respect it behoueth all the seruants about the Stable handle them kindly, and speake gently vnto their Horses, thereby to make them [...] and loue them the better. And by such meanes and carriage it is wrought, [...] they suffer themselues to be gouerned: that they suffer meat to be giuen them, [...] anie man to lead them to drinke: that they suffer themselues to be handled, tou [...]ed, curried: to haue their clothes put vpon their backes, either the Linnen one to [...] the Flies away, or else the Woollen one to keepe them warme: and that they [...] him to make the same fast with a Sur [...]ingle, for the better keeping of them on [...] the morning, when they are to be new curried againe. There must all Litter be [...] from vnder them, the cleane and whole thrust vnder the Manger, the foule and [...], together with the dung, being carried out to the appointed dunghill, neuer [...]getting to keepe the Stable verie cleane, nor yet to haue it furnished with all man [...] of necessaries, and euerie thing in his place. Yet this euer by the way is to be vn [...]rstood, that as soone as you haue cleansed your Stable cleane; drest your Horse, [...] him, and giuen him such prouender as you thinke meet for him, that then, [...] you leaue him to his rest, you forget not to put downe his Litter about him, [...] at his pleasure he may lye downe and take his ease, which is to anie Horse as [...]olesome a reliefe as anie whatsoeuer; giuing much comfort to his limbes and [...]ewes, making swi [...]t digestion, and adding such strength and courage to his heart [...] vitall spirits, that he is thereby a great deale the better enabled to endure his la [...]ur, and lesse apt to take surfets, and other mischiefes, much incident to Horses: [...]here on the contrarie, when Horses are compelled to stand all day on the bare [...] anchers, out of a foolish receiued opinion, to make them hard and of more endu [...]nce, the Horse taking no delight to lye downe, humors descends into his legges, [...] swellings doe breed, Spauens, Curbs, Ringbones, and gourding of Sinewes, [...]crease aboundantly: and maine a good beast, for lucre to saue one or two bottles of [...]ggage Straw, is spoyled and made vtterly vnfit for anie seruice. And as I would [...] you carefull thus to keepe Litter vnder your Horse; so also I would haue you [...] obseruant, to see that your planchers lye euen and leuell, and not higher be [...]re than behind, as is the common custome of most men, especially Horse-coursers, [...] such as keepe Horses more for the sale than vse: for albeit the vneuen laying of [...] planchers g [...]ueth to the Horse some more beautie than otherwise he would haue, [...]ecting vp his fore-parts higher than his hinder, and so making him shew with a [...]odly and well-raised fore-head, yet it brings lamenesse, and is therefore euermore [...] be eschewed. When as the Horses are in currying, it is meet that they should be [...]ed and made fast vnto some high barre set vpright, that so they might haue their [...]ads holden on high, and then after that to currie all their bodie, to rub them with a [Page] cloth, to bath with spunges well, in verie coole water, their head, eyes, lippes, [...], iawes, nosthrils, m [...]e, and taile, and afterward to combe them verie diligently: [...] when this is done, to rub all their bodies ouer, but especially their legges and [...], with wispes of straw, well bound and trussed together: for otherwise [...] will grow full of the Farcie through the slouthfulnesse of the seruants and the [...] himselfe. Aboue all things, they must be looked vnto whether they lacke anie [...] about their feet, or no: seeing that oftentimes the want but of one naile is the [...] that a Horse casteth his shooe in the mid way, to the great preiudice of the [...] beast, which sometimes thereby is in danger of losing his whole foot, especially [...] he trauelleth in anie rough and stonie ground: for a Horse that hath lost his [...] and goeth vnshod, hurteth himselfe in a minute of an houre, and so spoileth his [...] as that it is oftentimes seene to be quite lost, or at least to become vnfit for [...] ▪ And when your Horse is thus curried, spunged, rubbed, and well smoothed, [...] [...] uerie offence about him pickt, trimmed, and taken away, you shall then cloth [...] with such clothes as are necessarie for his health, and answerable to the time and [...] of the yeare, as either with double Clothes, single Clothes, lined Clothes, [...], Linnen, or both together; vsing most in the Winter, fewer in the Spring, [...] fewest of all in the Summer. Yet for a better satisfaction, and that you may [...] know what number or quantitie of clothes you shall vse, you shall view well [...] of your Horses bodie, and looke carefully how his haire lyeth, especially vpon [...] necke, and other outward parts which are vnclothed, and if you perceiue that [...] of those places the haire standeth vpright, s [...]areth, or looks rugged, then you [...] be assured that the Horse wanteth clothes, and is inwardly cold at the heart: the [...] you shall then encrease his clothes, and not cease so to doe, till you haue [...] his haire to lie straight and smooth; which once perceiued, then you may be [...] that he is sufficiently clad: and you shall by no meanes exceed anie [...] ▪ Now when you begin thus to encrease your Clothes, if you shall find when [...] come to your Horse early in the morning, that he [...]weateth much, especially in [...] flanks, at his [...]are-roots, and in such like vsuall places, yet notwithstanding his [...] still stareth; you shall then know, that such sweating is but a faint naughtie [...] gendred by corruption of food, or else want of moderate and wholesome [...] and therefore by no meanes shall you abate anie of his clothes, but rather [...] them, till that naughtie faint sweat leaue him. But if you perceiue that his haire [...] smooth and cleane, and yet notwithstanding he sweateth, then you shall know [...] his clothes are somewhat too manie, and you shall abate them till such sweating [...] him. This is a most infallible rule, and such a secret as is worthie to be [...] in the mind of euerie good Horseman and Groome that intends to keepe their [...] sound and well prepared for all manner of labour. The Horses dressed and [...] as they should be, and hauing eaten a little Hay, must be led to water, other ridden forth a myle or more to their water; which would euer be some [...] Spring or running Riuer: where, after your Horse hath taken one good draugh [...] two, [...]xercise after water. you shall bring him forth into some plaine ground, and there gallop him [...] vp and downe (to warme the water in his bellie) a little space, and then bring [...] to the water againe, and let him take another draught, then gallop him againe, [...] thus doe till he will drinke no more, and then with all gentlenesse walke him [...] and softly home to the Stable, and there cloth him vp. This manner of [...] your Horse is of all other the most wholesome, giuing vnto him by this [...] great strength both of wind and bodie, and also dissoluing all those [...] cold, and tough humors, which are ingendred by the corruption of water when taken without exercise, and lyeth cold and troublesome in his bodie, making [...] Horse to quake and tremble; as anie man may perceiue, when at anie time he [...] to approue the same, and hauing giuen his Horse water, will but lay his hand [...] on his bodie or buttocke: But this I haue alreadie spoken is at full sufficient [...] a Horses watering. From whence when they are returned, they shall [...] Oates giuen them well sifted and fanned, and they shall be marked whether [...] [Page] [...] or not, that, if need be, they may be looked in the month, to see whether there be [...] thing to keepe them from eating, or no, and accordingly to take them in cure, or [...]: for the common prouerbe is,A Prouerbe. That Horses goe vpon their feet, but it is their meat [...] doth vphold them, and cause them to endure trauell. It is meet also to giue them [...]metimes some rare and daintie thing which may please them, and may be more than [...]rdinarie; for it is all one as when one doth make them so gentle, tractable, and [...]ame, [...] that afterward they will suffer themselues to be gouerned easily: to vse them kindly [...], and not to beat them, to torment them, or cast them into feare with high speeches [...] threatening words, or else by anie other meanes, so long as they be in the Stable: [...] rather to handle them with all meeknesse, as well in word as in touching or hand [...]g, in what manner soeuer it be.

To fit the Colt for the Saddle,To breake, or first backe the Colt. the good Rider must first put vpon his head a [...], with a Rouler of Wood, not attempting to doe anie other thing at that time, and [...] to leaue him for two or three houres vpon the reines, being of cords, and after such [...] to take all away for that day: the next day, somewhat late, to put it on againe, [...] so to leaue it for some certaine time: afterward taking him by his reines, he must [...] him a little out of his place, drawing him along some twentie or thirtie paces [...] thence, sometime walking him, and othersome time staying him, still vpon the [...]ddaine, according as he shall see it good, that is, according to the stubbornenesse [...] frowardnesse, or the easinesse and gentlenesse of the Colt. So soone as he is come [...] the Stable, he shall haue this halter taken from off him, putting him in his accu [...]omed Head-stall, and giue him his rather some Hay to eat, than to lead him to water, [...] after that to giue him his ordinarie of Oats. The third day he shall not onely [...] on his foresaid halter at the accustomed houre, but also a saddle, without stirrups, [...], or crupper, girding him gently, and in all kind manner fastening and buck [...]ing the same verie lightly: he shall yet doe nothing but lead him out of the Stable by [...] halter, handling him alwaies louingly, and leading him with all gentlenesse whi [...]er he will willingly goe: and after that he is come into the fallowes and plowed [...]rounds, he shall get into them: where hauing taken with him some long small [...]hisking wand, he shall first make him to stand still: then afterward he shall make [...] Colt goe a little pace, and from that little, somewhat faster and faster, now and [...] giuing him a gentle touch or remembrance with his said small rod, which hee [...] then shew vnto him: after making him stand still againe, he shall hold him vp [...]ith courteous and friendly words, and rubbing him with his hand, shall carrie him [...]acke againe vnto his Stable, and there presently take off his said furniture, and put [...]im in his ordinarie Tiall or Head-stall. The fourth day he shall make him readie [...] he did the day before, and hauing spoken him faire, he shall set a little boy vpon [...]im: and if he [...] that he begin not to smite and short, and to take on anie whit at [...], he shall lead him by the reines out of the Stable, and lead him a pretie way off, [...]aking much of him with his hand, and touching his head, necke, and breast: and [...]hall lead him to some blocke made to get vp by (and this so long as he is ridden without stirrups:) and there causing the boy to come off, he himselfe shall get vpon him verie lightly, and holding the reines euen in his hand, shall cause one to giue him some small whisking rod, and with it he shall touch or stroake his necke, and [...]lacking the reines a little, shall cause him to goe forward softly: if he play anie lea [...]ing tricks, he shall stay him with the bridle, still speaking louingly vnto him: and [...] that he groweth quiet, he shall make him goe softly, and set him on by a little [...]aster and faster, vntill he make him pace and [...]. Hauing done this in good sort for [...] pre [...]e while, he shall bring him againe to his Stable: where, hauing fastened [...] to the Manger, he shall couer him that he take no cold▪ and about an houre after [...] shall take off his saddle and bridle at once, rubbing him with fresh straw, but es [...]ecially the places wet with sweat: and then couering him with his Cloth, and after [...] rubbed his legges and feet, he shall let him drinke, and giue him to eat, and shake vp his litter about him. This is the accustomable vse of some of our French Riders for the first breaking of Colts: but it is by others, more expert and induistrious [Page] in the Art, held to be a little too tedious; and they find a neerer way to the end of their purpose,The best handling of Colts. as thus: Hauing made the Colt gentle and louing in the Stable and abroad, obedient and willing to be handled, led forth, and ordered as a [...] pleaseth, without affright, dislike, or rebellion; they then at first set a good sufficient Saddle on his backe, with [...]yrrop and styrrop-leathers, which after they [...] vp and downe his sides, a strong crupper, and a good breast-place, which being well gyrt on, they in the morning cause him to be led forth in the Groomes hand, that he may be acquainted and familiar with those ornaments that are about him▪ then, in the afternoone of the same day, they put into his mouth, with strong head-stall and reines, either a good watering trench, or a watering snaffle, [...] then ouer it a strong soft chasse halter, and so lead him forth with all gentlenesse into some new-plowed field, or else some other ground of the like [...], and there make the Colt trot a ring of both hands foure or fiue times about the Rider: then the Rider goes to the Colt and cherishes him, and the Groome holding him fast by the chasse halter, neere to the Colts head, with one hand, and staying the styrrop with the other, the Rider offers to put his foot in the styrrop, and with manie leisurable heaues and lifts to take the Saddle, at anie of which if the Colt [...], or seeme to be displeased, the Rider shall descend againe, and make the Colt, as before, to trot a ring foure or fiue times about him, and then offer to mount his back [...] againe, not ceasing thus to doe, till the Colt with all gentlenesse dot receiue him: [...] shall the Rider and the Groome both cherish him verie much, and then the Groome shal offer to lead the Colt forward; at which if he find fault either in action or co [...] tenance, or but in the gathering together of his rumpe, legges, and bodie, as though he would leape and plunge, immediately the Groome shall stay him, the Rider shall alight, and, as before, shall compell him to trot his rings about him, and then take his back againe, not ceasing thus to doe, till the Colt with all willingnesse presse forw [...] and be content to be led with the Rider on his backe whither and which way soeuer the Groome pleaseth: in all which motion, the Rider shall with his voice, and the thrusting forward of his feet hard vpon the styrrop-leathers, encourage and as it [...] enforce the Colt to goe forward, now and then shaking his rod ouer the Colts head, to make him heare the noise thereof, and ever and anon as the Colt is thus led vp and downe, the Rider shall with his bridle hand stop him, make him stand still, and cherish him, then cause him to be led forward againe, and as the Colt growes more and more willing to goe forward, so the Groome shall withdraw his hand more and more from the Colts head, and loosen the chasse halter, insomuch, that the Colt may [...] no feeling of the Groomes leading him, but may goe forward by the helpe and [...] couragement of the Rider onely: then shall the Groome giue the reine of the [...] halter into the Riders hands, and he shall make the Colt goe forward, euer and [...] cherishing him when he doth according to his desire, and giuing him threatening words when he doth the contrarie. Thus shall he labour and apply the Colt, till [...] will goe forward willingly, gently, and with courage, according to his desire, the Rider euer obseruing, as neere as he can, to make the Colt goe straight forth-right, and by no meanes to turne or twynd him about anie way, contrarie to his owne will, but for this first day to giue him leaue to goe which way he will, not expecting [...] him anie other obedience, than to goe forward in either pace or trot when the [...] pleaseth, and also to stand still and firme when at anie time he shall be restrain [...]. This worke being brought to passe the first day, the Rider shall in the field [...] from the Colts backe, and hauing cherisht him much, and giuen him a little Gr [...] or Bread to eat, he shall deliuer him to the Groome, who with all gentlenesse sha [...] lead him home, and there dresse him, cloth him, and feed him well. The next day the Colt being [...]adled and bridled as aforesaid, the Groome shall lead him forth [...] the former place, and there the Rider shall take his backe as he did the day before, and in all points shall make the Colt perfectly repeat ouer his first daies lesson: which when he hath done very willingly and obediently, without compulsion or resistance, then the Groome shall mount the backe of some old staunch Horse or Gelding, and [Page] leading the way before the Colt, shall trot faire and softly round about the field, stopping his Gelding as oft as the Rider stoppeth the Colt, then goe forward againe, sometimes leading the way before the Colt, and sometimes riding cheeke by ioll by the Colt, till he be brought to such perfectnesse, that he will take his way forward how or which way the Rider pleaseth: then they shall ride gently home, and there light neere vnto the Stable dore, and so set vp the Colt, cloth him, dresse, and feed him. Then the third day the Rider shall take the Colts back at the Stable dore, and the Groome his Geldings back, and so ride forth into some plaine High way▪ the smoother the better, the Gelding leading the way to the Colt, and let them so ride straight forth-right at least two myles or more, stopping sundrie times, and cherishing the Colt, and then gently returne home, the Colt sometimes leading the way, and [...]ometimes the Gelding, and alighting at the Stable dore as before, set vp the Colt, dresse him, and feed him: And thus if you doe twice or thrice in this third day, it shall be so much the better. The fourth day the Rider shall take out the Colt, and the Groome the Gelding, but the Colt shall then lead the way, and the Gelding shall follow, onely now and then, to giue the Colt encouragement, the Gelding shall come and ride vp to the face of the Colt, and then eftsoones fall back behind him againe. This day you shall, in a large spacious compasse, trot the Colt round, first on the one hand, then on the other, making him bend and come about, according to the bowing of your bodie, or the turning in of your hand, and in euerie motion make your selfe master of whatsoeuer he doth, giuing him a true vnderstanding, that what he doth, is your will, and not his pleasure: and withall, by no meanes forgetting to cherish him when he doth well; not after, but euen in the instant and presentnesse of time, when he performeth your pleasure, that he may thereby know why he is rewarded with kindnesse: and in like manner, when he doth anie thing contrarie to your will, you shall chastise him with the threatening of your voice, and sometimes with the noise and shake of your rod, or when extremitie vrgeth, with a good lash or two with your rod vnder his bellie, in the very selfe-same instant that he offendeth. And when the Colt hath performed all things answerable to your liking, you shall returne home, not the same way that you came forth, but, if conueniently you can, some other way, thereby to breed in the Colt an ignorance of his owne ease: which is the onely meanes to preserue and keepe him from restyuenesse, and other wicked qualities. And being come to the Stable dore, you shall there alight, and cherish him, and then set him vp, dresse him, and feed him. And this you shall doe at least thrice in this fourth day. The fifth day hauing sadled, bridled, and girded him as he had beene accustomed, he shall lead him to the place of getting vp▪ and there shall get vpon him, lead him through all manner of Waies, sometimes trotting, sometimes softly, vntill he begin to wax hot: And this order shall be obserued euerie day, yet still encreasing his exercise, making him goe and trot so long as vntill he be wearie; this being the best way to make him lift his legges, and to carrie himselfe handsomely in the rest of his parts: not failing thereupon to bring him backe verie softly vnto the Stable, where he shall walke him vntill such time as he leaue sweating, and then he shall set him vp in his place. Yet of the later and more experiencest Horsmen it is thought good not to walke him at all, but presently to set him vp,Walking Horses not good. cloth him well, and giue him litter ynough, with found and drie rubbing: for it is an infallible experiment, that the walking of Horses in the hand is the readiest way to giue Colds, and breed Feuers, because then the humors coole too suddenly; and the vitall parts leauing (as it were) their motions in an instant, the heart and other inward parts receiue the cold aire so vnprouided and vnarmed, that wanting the assistance of their other seruants, which is action and spirit, they are ouercome, and yeeld to the arrest of dulnesse and numbnesse: Therefore it is held best not to walke at all, but rather to house the Horse, and with rubbing, fretting, clawing, & picking, to keepe the ouer-heated parts warme, till they may coole by a moderate temper: and this questionlesse is the safest course for a Horse that is extreamly heated, as the English hunting and running Horses are. But our French Horses, which are heated by a more deliberate & slower way, [Page] as it were onely but warming the bloud, not melting the grease; I hold it the [...] and safest way, when you come from riding, and haue made your Horse [...] soundly, then presently to carrie him into the Stable, and taking the Saddle [...], whilest one Groome is rubbing and cha [...]ing his legges (which is action ynough [...] keepe him from cold; for it is a perfect rule, That whilest the Groome rubs well, the Horse neuer takes cold) another Groome shall take a piece of a Sword [...], two foot and more in length, and with the same he shall with the edge strype [...] wype downe the Horse, euen from the tip of his eares to the pitch of his should [...] and cambrell, leauing, so neere as he can, not anie moisture amongst his haires: [...] clapping on his Clothes, he shall vpon them set the Saddle, and then girding it [...] gently, take the Horse forth againe, and in his hand walke him vp and downe in the ayre till he be throughly cooled and drie: then he shall take him into the Stable, set him vp, after a little pause feed him, and at a conuenient watering houre [...] and dresse him, as hath beene before spoken. But to returne to our former d [...] course: Hee shall hold on this course with the Horse, vntill hee see him throughly woon, and then hee shall cause him to be shooed on his hindermost feet onely, [...] the end he may carrie him through rough and stonie waies, without hurting of [...] hoofe: and he shall not vse anie thing else to ride him with, saue onely his whippe and trench, for to make him goe, trot, gallop, runne, flie, turne, leape, to rise [...] and before: also he shall traine him to scoure ouer small Hills, the tops of Hills, [...] great high Hills, and againe, to come downe the same verie softly: and [...] riding him to the places where Mills, Forges, and such other Hammer-workes [...], as also where there is beating of Linnens, to the end that afterward he may [...] afraid at anie such noise. Hee shall bring him also to the place where are [...], Waines, Tumbrels, Carres, Coaches, Charets, Wagons, flockes of Sheepe, [...] of Swine, Kine, and Goats; making him likewise to see Lambs and Calues, or other Beasts and Cattell, hauing their throats cut. He shall marke all these things day by day, till he perceiue him readie, and see him certainely with his owne eyes, that [...] doth not vse to snuffe and take on at the smels of the foresaid things, and then [...] shall furnish him with all manner of things, and getting vpon him, shall guide [...] into manie places, making him to goe by steps, to trot, to leape Ditches, to [...] Riuers, and other Waters. And notwithstanding this, he shall not faile to giue [...] such a kind of pace and going as shall seeme most agreeable vnto him: for a [...] would be trained vnto one manner of pace, and a Courser to another; and so a [...] for the Warre, a Curtall, or anie other such Horse, most neere vnto his naturall disposition.To make a Horse trot well. Of which paces to giue you a little tast and experience, you shall vnderstand, that to bring a Horse to a comely, cleane, and a loftie trot, you shall vse to [...] him vpon new-plowed Lands, or in Wayes that are deepe and heauie, for that [...] make him twitch vp his legges, and strike them cleane and high: but if you find [...] toylesome to your Colt, and that by reason of his young yeares you are afraid to [...] him to so extreame labour, because manie sorances grow thereby, then you [...] ride him forth into some plaine piece of ground that is much ouer-growne [...] long Thistles, short Gorsse, Whynnes, or such like sharpe Weeds, among the which you shall ride your Horse a good space twice or thrice a day, and the Thistles [...] Gorsse pricking his shinnes, will make him take vp his legges roundly and [...], and in verie short space bring him to a cleane, easie, and braue trot, although [...] Horse had neuer trotted before in all his life: But if you find that the [...] and vncomelinesse of his trot commeth out of a naturall carelesnesse, or in [...] of his way, and that by reason of a dull and heauie disposition wherewith he is [...] fected, he is not by anie of the former wayes to be reclaimed, then you shall [...] when the nights are most darke and clouded, euen so thicke, that you can [...] see your hand (for euer the darker the better:) then you shall take out your [...] and ride him into some new-plowed field, where the lands lye most high and [...]euen, or into the like vncertaine and much worne wayes, and there trot him [...] roundly and swiftly, rushing him now ouer-thwart, then end-wise, sometimes [...] [Page] [...], sometimes another, not suffering him to take leisure, or regard to his way, [...]ow dangerous or false of foot-hold soeuer it be: And although at first (as it is most [...]ikely) he will stumble, or be readie to fall, yet doe not you make anie care thereof, but bearing a good stiffe hand vpon him, strike your spurres hard into his [...]des, and the more he stumbles, the more encrease you the swiftnesse of his pace, [...]nely by no meanes whatsoeuer suffer him to gallop. And thus exercising him [...]undrie nights together, you shall not onely bring him to a braue and most gal [...]ant trot, but also breed in him a great height of spirit and mettall, as also it will make him verie hardie and valiant.To helpe stumbling. And if hee were subiect to that intollerable [...]ice of stumbling, yet this manner of riding and correction would amend and [...]ure the same: for you shall vnderstand, that a Horse is, as a man, fearefull and vigilant of his way, and when the sight thereof is taken from him, all his pores and vitall spirits are awakened and stirred vp to preuent the dangers that may happen vnto him: so that when all courses else shall faile, yet this is most assured. But if you would haue your Horse,To make a Horse [...]. by reason of your manie occasions to iourney, [...]or because your bodie is vnapt and vnable to endure the hard pace of trotting, [...] amble, which is of all paces whatsoeuer the easiest, you shall understand, that to bring him thereunto, there are but onely two wayes, that is to say, either the Tra [...]ell, or the Hand; the betterhood of which▪ I leaue to your consideration, when your experience hath made triall of them both, and done to neither injurie, but vsed them carefully, artificially, and according to the truth of the rules prescribed. To giue you then a little light what the Tramell is, you shall vnderstand, that it is called a Tramell when a Horses neere fore-legge and his neere hinder-legge, two handfull aboue the pasterne ioynts, are so fastened together with leathers and cords, that he cannot put forward his fore-legge, but he must perforce hale his hinder-legge after it, and so likewise his farre fore-legge to his farre hinderlegge, and then another flat and soft leather going ouer the fillets of the Horses backe, and fastened to both the lynes on both sides the Horse; which piece of leather shall hold vp the lynes, that they fall not nor tangle vnder the Horses feet as he goeth. This is called the tramelling of a Horse: and with these you shall first in your hand make him goe softly or swiftly at your pleasure; and when you find that he will take his way perfectly in them, without danger of falling, then you shall take his backe, and ride him thus in the tramels the space of a weeke in some faire, plaine, and smooth Way or Roade: then the next weeke following you shall ride him in vneuen wayes, ouer layes, vp hill and downe hill, and in such like vncertaine places: then the next weeke you shall take off the tramels of one side, and fasten the backe band to the saddle, and to ride him for a day or two: then put on that tramell againe, and take off the other which was on before▪ and so ride him another day or two: then take both cleane away, and so ride him and keepe him to his pace; which he will hardly or neuer forsake, if you haue anie care at all. Now for the speciall respects which are to be obserued in the tramelling of Horses, you shall first obserue, that the leathers which goe about the Horses legges be soft, smooth, and well lyned, neither so strait, that they may offend the maine sinewes of the legges, nor so slacke, that they may fall off: the buckles with which you make them longer or shorter, must be verie strong also, that they may abide the twitches and straines of the Horse, when at anie time he striketh a false stroake: the lynes which passe betweene these leathers, must be a good round rope made of strong Hemp [...] well twound, with a loope at either end whereto to fixe the leathers; and these lynes must be both of a iust and euen length, not one exceeding another a strawes breadth, they must be so fixed to the Horses legges, that they must by no meanes either draw them inward, or giue them libertie to stradle outward, but so, as they may keepe the Horse in his true, iust, and naturall proportion. Now if your Horse strike too short, then you shall straiten your lynes halfe an inch at least, for that will make him ouerstrike halfe a foot, and a whole inch a whole foot: and so of the contrary part if he ouerstrike, you shall let forth your tramell in the same maner that you [...]ooke it in. [Page] There be some that will put on these tramels, and make the Horse runne an [...] with them a moneth or two, and when they take them vp, they will amble as [...] and perfectly, as if they had beene naturall bred amblers: and sure there is [...] likelyhood thereof; for a pace that is so giuen without compulsion, is euer the [...]rest and most vnchangeable. Now for the making of a Horse to amble with [...] hand, it may be done either in some faire descending ground, or vpon the [...] lands, and either out of his trot or gallop, as thus: Hauing taken your [...] backe, and put him either into a swift trot or a swift gallop, you shall on the [...] chocke him in the weeks of the mouth, and iert his head vp aloft, [...] him to shuffle his feet together, and to strike them confusedly; and thus you [...] doe so oft, till you make him strike an amble: then you shall cherish him, [...] bring him to the smooth ground, and there with the helpe of your hand, [...] firmely aloft, make him continue his amble: which when at anie time he [...] to forsake, you shall forthwith toyle him as you did before, and then bring him [...] the plaine ground chiefely vp the hill, and there hold him to his pace: which [...] he hath gotten in anie reasonable sort, he will naturally, and for his owne [...], seeke to encrease it, and then you shall apply him at least three or foure times [...] day, and in one moneth there is no doubt but you shall bring him to that pe [...] fection your owne heart can wish. There is also a third pace, which is neither [...] nor amble,To make a Horse racke. but is called a racking pace, that is to say, betweene an amble and [...] trot: and though it and the amble haue both one manner of motion, that is to [...], taking vp of both legges of one side together, yet this racking moueth much [...] and shorter, striking thicke, yet seldome beyond the step of the forefoot. This pace is of some reputed the easiest of all paces: but I leaue that to euerie [...] mans feeling. Certaine it is, that manie men take much delight therein, [...] there is no racking Horse but can trot, and so in deepe and filthie wayes are able to make much better riddance of the way: whereas diuers ambling Horses can by no meanes trot, and so lesse able to driue through the myre: or if they doe, it [...] with much toyle, and foule dashing and myring of their Masters. To bring [...] Horse then to this racking pace, the onely best way is held to be sore and [...] trauell, as much Hunting, Running, and such like, and then when you feele yo [...] Horse begin to be a little wearie, to hold vp your bridle hand, and chocking [...] Horse in the weeks of the mouth, to make him breake his pace, and to strike a [...], which his wearinesse, and the ease that the pace bringeth him, will quickly [...] him doe, then to cherish and nourish him in the same, and by no meanes to [...] him past his strength, or to make him goe faster than of his owne inclination [...] is willing to doe, for too much hast in this worke is the onely spoyle thereof▪ And thus in lesse than a moneths hunting or riding of your Horse, you shall bring him to a verie swift and most readie racke; in which the Horse will [...] so much delight, that you shall not at anie time need to feare his forsaking [...] the same.To make a Horse gallop. Lastly, for the bringing of your Horse to a cleane and good gallop▪ you shall vnderstand, that there be two sorts of gallopings: the first, stately [...] aloft, the Horse winding vp his legges high, and gathering them round and close together in loftie manner: and this is fit for great Horses which are [...] vp for seruice in the Warres, or for the pleasure of Princes and other [...] Personages, which take delight in stirring Horses, which can leape, bound, [...] behind, coruet, and other salts of like nature. The other is a swift, smooth, [...], and long gallop, wherein the Horse stretcheth out his bodie to the vttermost length, and carrying his feet neere vnto the ground, swoopeth away swiftly, nimbly, and easily: and this kind of gallop is meet for hunting Horses, running Horses, or Horses preferred onely for labour and trauell. Now to bring a Horse to gallop aloft, which is the first kind of galloping spoken of, you shall daily vse to gallop him as his first riding on new-plowed lands, which are deepe, yet lye flat: and withall, you shall euer obserue to keepe a strait hand vpon his head, [...] the comelinesse of his reyne, and by no meanes suffering him to gallop [...], [Page] but the flower the better; euer and anon with your hand, rod▪ and spurre raising vp his bodie, and making him gather his feet vp roundly together: for it is the pride of his reine, and the flownesse of the gallop, which brings him to the gallantrie and loftinesse of the motion. Now, for the other kind of galloping you shall vse a cleane contrarie course, that is to say, you shall traine your Horse vpon the plainest and smoothest ground you can find, you shall giue him libertie of reine, that hee may stretch forth his bodie and legges, and lay himselfe close to the ground like a Har [...] or a Greyhound: and this exercise you shall giue your Horse morning and euening after his water, for then it is most wholesome, and he the aptest to learne and doe as you would haue him. Also it shall be good for you now and then to put him to the height of his speed: for the more you straine him, the more he coucheth his bodie, and the lesse distance euer hee taketh his feet from the ground: to follow the Hounds all the day twice or thrice a weeke: or to giue him a course once a weeke of foure or fiue myles end-wayes, are both verie good waies of training a Horse to this swift gallop: because that length of exercise taketh the fire edge from a Horse, and maketh him more temperate and sober in his doings; whereas the heat and excesse of his courage maketh him praunce and doe things rashly and loftily. Manie other obseruations there be, but these few before rehearsed are fully sufficient to bring a Horse to anie pace the Rider pleaseth.

That Colt,Signes of a good Colt, as also of a good Horse. Horse, or Stalion may be iudged to be good, that is great, thicke boned, of a good shape, hauing a small head, and so drie, as that there is nothing of it but skinne and bones: small eares, sharpe and straight: but great eyes, standing out, blacke and cleane: verie wide nosthrils, puffscompassed vp and great: small iawes, thinne and drie: his throat equally diuided on both sides: a necke somewhat long, and made compasse-wi [...]e, being thinne neere vnto the head: a short backe, broad and somewhat shrinking downe like a valley: his mane curled, thicke, and long, and hanging downe vpon the right side: a broad breast, open, bosled out, and verie fleshie: his shoulders great and straight, his ribbes round, his chine double, his bellie round trusted, his cods alike great and small, his reines large, and somewhat giuing downe: his taile-long, and tufted with haire, thick [...] and curled: his legges matches, thicke of bone, but thinne, drie, and bare of flesh, high and straight: his knee round and small, and not wrested inward: a round buttocke: thicke thighes, long, fleshie, finewie, and strong: a blacke hoofe, hard, high, hollowed, round, good, and open, and rising vp as it should toward the pasternes, and the crowne or top of it verie small aboue: which is cheerefull, quick, gentle, hauing no ill qualitie nor diseases: for they which are of such a nature, a [...]e verie easie and tractable, and patiently endure anie labour: also hee must not be mad or franticke, fearefull, running backward: hauing the Sciatica, a slacke eater, not scowring much, not vsed to lye downe in Waters or Riuers: And yet though hee haue lost an eye, or haue beene hurt in anie part of his bodie in anie combate or fight, he is not to be accounted the worse for that, prouided that in the rest of his bodie he be found. Againe, the Horse is to be esteemed for a good Stalion which hath followed the Warres, because he will beget noble and couragious Colts, and such as shall be fierce in all aduentures and difficult and long enterprises: besides, that he be of colour bay, browne, red, dapple gray, watchet, or Mouse colour, which is a certaine note of an actiue and couragious Horse. And to speake in a word of the goodnesse and fairenesse of a Horse: [...]ee must haue the eyes and ioints of an Oxe, the strength of a Mule, the foot of the same, the hoofes and thighes of an Asse, the throat and necke of a Wolfe, the [...]are and tayle of a Foxe, the breast and haire of a Woman, the boldnesse of a Lyon, the sharpe and quicke fight of a Serpent, the pace of a Cat, lightnesse and nimblenesse of a Hare; a high Pace, a deliberate Trot, a pleasant Gallop, a swift Running, and bounding Leape and present, and be quicke in [...].

[Page] Againe, you shall take it for the best and principallest note of a good Horse, [...] he haue an Ostridge feather on each side his crest:The best marke in a Horse. for they are of excellent en [...] rance, and will seldome or neuer tyre: Againe, to haue the neere foot white behind, the farre foot white before, to haue both feet white behind, or both [...] whi [...]e on either side, are all approued markes of a verie good Horse, prouided that all such whites be vnder the pasterne: for to haue them higher, is a signe of an arrand lade. Also to haue a white starre in the forehead, a whi [...]e rache down [...] the face, or a white snip on the nose, are markes of a good Horse; prouided, [...] the starre be not artificiall, the rache too broad, enclining to baldnesse, nor the [...] raw: all which are euill signes. Also a little foot is a signe of swiftnesse, a [...] haire a signe of mettall, a loose throppell a signe of much wind, and a short, well-knit, and vpright pasterne a signe of strength and great endurance. There be [...] other signes of a good Horse, but none more materiall than these, nor none [...] common or easie to be perceiued.

The Carter likewise must haue knowledge of the age of his Horses,To know the age of Horses. to the end he may so set them on worke, as their strength will best beare. The age of Horses is knowne by their feet, hoofes, and specially by their teeth. The Horse for the most part hath eight and twentie teeth. It is true that Aristotle would haue the Horse to haue fortie. He beginneth to haue teeth the first three moneths, and by the end of the first yeare he hath six aboue and as manie below: At thirtie moneths [...] changeth two aboue and two below: and at fortie two moneths hee hath [...] new ones on both sides, which touch those which he had last comming. Wh [...] he is foure yeares old, then the teeth called Dogges-teeth doe fall out, and others come in their place. Before the sixt yeare, the great iaw-bone-teeth that are on the vpper side doe fall out: and in the sixt yeare, those that were first fallen doe grow againe. In the seuenth yeare all the whole number is fulfilled, and they [...] all hollow: and after this time, no man can certainely know how old a Horse [...] but that about the twelfth yeare there is to be seene in them an extraordinar [...] blacknesse: Adde further, that by how much the Horse groweth older, so his teeth grow longer, except some certaine ones, which are shorter by reason of [...] eating of his meat; and these shew themselues the more, as they draw neerer and neerer the fore-part of the iaw. The tenth yeare the temples begin to fall and grow hollow, and sometimes the eye-browes doe waxe gray haired; the [...] doth make shew of sadnesse and a mine of melancholie in his forehead; he sto [...] peth in his necke; he is heauie of bodie; he hath eyes of a deadly colour; his [...] gray, that especially of Bay, Blacke, and Roane coloured; as that also of the Chest [...]nut colour, and other colours standing vpon darke: the gray flea-bitten groweth white, and the white flea-bitten becommeth dapple-gray and somewhat dark [...] ▪ There are manie wrinkles and plaits in the vpper part of his broome or brushing taile, and they are commonly counted to be as manie yeares old as there is wrinkles found in that place. Furthermore, an old Horse skinne drawne [...]p with our fingers abideth so a long time, but a young Horses falleth downe against by and by▪ Also the vppermost ioint, at the setting on of a Horses taile close to his bodie, [...] the age of a Horse: for if when you shall handle it, you find the [...] standeth out and is easie to be felt, then you shall be assured that the Horse is young: but if the bone be not to be felt, but that the sterne seemeth plaine and smooth, then you shall be assured that the Horse is old; as aboue tenne at the least. Againe, [...] you put your finger into the Horses mouth, and feele his vpper [...]ush, if you [...] the inside a little hole sharpe and shellie, then you shall be assured, [...] young, but if it be worne out and smooth, not to be felt, the Horse then is old; [...] [...] boue eleuen at the least: If the nether [...]ush haue a ring (as it were) of new flesh [...] bout it, which may be discerned from the other flesh, then is the Horse young▪ but if the flesh be all smooth and plaine without difference, and the [...]ush a [...] blunted, then is the Horse enclining to old age; as aboue nine at the [...] [Page] manie other obseruations are held, but [...]one truly certaine but these alreadie rehearsed.

It is likewise the charge of a Carter,To order sick [...] Horses. to haue especiall care of the health of his Horses; whose continuance and terme of life (as saith Aristotle) must be betwixt sixteene and twentie at the least: wherefore, when he seeth them in health, and yet notwithstanding leane, he shall giue them parched Wheat, or of powned Barly the double measure. He shall rub them verie well euerie day all ouer their bodies: assuring himselfe, that it doth more profit them, being often handed and rubbed, than to giue them a great deale of meat.Difficultie of vrine. Likewise some say, that the hand feedeth a Horse more than his meat. If they cannot stale, which is knowne by the swelling of the bladder, and about the yard, he shall make them drinke pottage made of a pint of Wine, stamped Garlicke, and tenne whites of egges: or else the iuice of red Coleworts, mixed with white Wine. In the meane time hee must take away from them their Oates and Barly altogether, and to feed them with nothing but their owne and accustomed Fodder and Grasse meat, to see and if they will recouer through the time of the yeare. It will be good also to put within the sheath of their yard a Collirie of Honey boyled with Salt, or else a Gnat or line Flie, or quicke Fleas, or a prettie little piece of Frankincense: as also to lay vnto the Reines and Flankes Oyle mixed with Wine: or else to annoynt his yard with Wormewood stamped and boyled with Vineger; and moreouer, to squirt a Syring full of coole water against his cods.The scalding of the vrine. These Medicines are good when the Vrine hath scalded the priuie parts, or when they haue great heat in their Vrine.

The cruell paine of the Head,Paine of the head. and rage of the Horse, is cured by the often vse of Smallage and much Branne, in which you shall haue chopped the leaues of Lettuce and Barly straw newly gathered: let him bloud vpon the place where the braine lyeth, or vpon the temples, or vpon both places, and let him stand in a verie darke Stabl [...], and such a one as standeth low. You shall know if hee haue paine in his head, by the distilling and dropping downe of water from it, in that his eares-will be withered and hanging, his necke and head heauie and hanging downe.

The ouer-cooled Horse is cured by giuing him to drinke Swines bloud all hot with Wine,The Horse [...] with cold. or Masticke and Rue boyled with Honey, or a little common Oyle with Pepper. This disease commeth vnto him, when as sweating and being hot, he is set in a cold place, and thereupon it draweth vp his sinewes, and hardeneth his hide: you must set him in a verie hot place, couering him verie warme with couerings downe to the ground, and putting vnder his bellie seuen or eight great thicke stones red hot, you shall quench them there, by casting warme water vpon them by a little and little, and oft, that so by this meanes the heat may make him sweat.

The naile in the eye shall be lifted vp with a little small needle of Iuorie,The naile in the eye. and then cut quite away with Sc [...]ars: or else make a powder of a greene Lizard, and Arsenicke, put it into the eye, for to fret away the naile.

Against the suffusion there is a singular remedie:Against the bloud- [...], pearl [...], and spots in the [...] ▪ an Eye-salue made of the iuice of ground Iuie stampt in a Woodden Mortar: or else the iuice of the berries of Iu [...]e running along vpon the ground: or the leaues of great Clarie beaten and stamped in a Mortar in Wine, after that you haue let the Horse bloud vpon the veine of the eye that hath the suffusion, and to continue this remedie manie daies euening and morning: Or else blow into the eye through some Pipe or Quill the bone of Cuttle powned small, or the seed of Rocket whole: or else the seed of the hearbe called Tota bona, and there let it alone, till by his vertue it haue cleansed and taken away the spots: or the powder of the yolke of an egge and salt burnt together, and put into the eye: or the powder of Sal-Armoniake, Myrrhe, Saffron, and the shauings of the Cuttle bone.

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The strucken eye is cured by applying vnto it a cataplasme made of bread [...] steept in coole water,The [...]. or bread tosted and steept in white wine: if this doe no good, you must open the head veine.

The bleared eye is cured by an eye-salue made with frankineense,The bleared eye. myrrhe, starch, and fine honie: as also by a frontlet made of frankincense & mastick finely powdred [Page] [...]nd brayed vvith the vvhites of egges, applied to the brows, and suffered there to lye [...]ntill the eyes cease to shed teares, and after to raise the frontale vvith annointing the [...]dges thereof vvith Oyle and warme water beaten together.

The scarres of the eyes are healed with rubbing them vvith your owne fasting [...]pittle and Salt,The skarre of the eyes. or vvith the powder of the Cuttle-bone mingled vvith burnt Salt, or the seed of vvild Parsnep pouned, and pressed out of a linnen cloth vpon your eye scarres.

All paines of the eyes are cured by annointing them vvith the juice of Plantaine vvith Honie.Paine of the eye.

The Enceur doth bring present death vnto horses:The [...]ar [...]fore or swelling of the kernels of the hart. vvherefore you must so soone as euer you see the brest kernell to be swolne, plucke it away immediatly without [...] staying: and if in thus pulling of it away, any veine should burst, you must tie it [...] both ends with a silke threed: looke how much the kernell shall grow greater, so much greater an impostumation it would make, and not so onely, but therewithall [...]ause death.

The horse hauing drunke much,The auiues. or watered verie quickly after his heat and trauaile, and vpon it growing cold, and not being vvalked, doth beget the Auiues, which doe but little differ from the disease called the Kings-euill, because as well in beasts as in man the Kings-euill commeth of too much cooling of water, the throat hauing beene heated, vvhereupon the horse looseth his appetite to eat, and his rest likewise, and his eares become cold: you must presently prouide to helpe him, in taking away the Auiues after this manner: Bend downe the eare betwixt his necke and his chyne, make incision with a knife for the purpose along vpon the hard fleshinesse, which one would say to be nothing but a verie whitesinew: plucke away the white carnositie or fleshie substance: lay to the place as well within as without, a linnen cloth dipt in the white of an egge, couer the horse by and by vvith a good couering, and vvalke him so long as vntill that his eares become warme, giuing him a drinke made with water, salt, and meale, but first causing him to eat a little good Hay: let him rest three daies in the stable, and eat and drinke there: or else make him hot fomentations, and those of such things as are proper in that case, to be applied vnto the part, for to remoue the humour, afterward applie a cataplasme made of Barley meale, and three ounces of Rosin, all boyled in due sort in good strong red wine; and when the matter shall be gathered and readie for suppuration, giue it a gash with a knife, to let the suppurated and ripe matter out, afterward put in the hollow place tents wet in water, oyle, and salt, with bolsters layd vpon them and dipt in the same. This disease craueth a speedie remedie, for and if you stay till the Auiues be gotten vp higher, it is past hope of curing.

The Squinanci [...],The squinancie or inflamation of the throte. otherwise called the disease of the throat, and swelling of the tongue, requireth first of all that the horse should be let bloud vpon the veine vnder the tongue, or of the palate of the mouth: after that, a fomentation for the whole mouth, and for the tongue with warme water: then after that, a liniment of the gall of an Oxe, or of [...] and tartar beaten together with strong vinegar. And as concerning a drinke, you must take of Oyle two pound, of old wine a pottle, amongst all this you shall mix nine fat figges, with nine leekes heads: temper them all well together, and afterward make a decoction; in the end whereof, but before it be strained, you shall adde of Salt and Nitre well pouned, so much as you shall see necessarie: of all well strained, you shall make a drinke, which you shall cause him to take with a horne twice a day, that is morning and euening a quarter of a pint at a time. For his meat cause him to eat greene Barley, or Fetchets, or the meale of Barley, amongst which you shall mingle Nitre.

The Strangles of a Horse, or Glandules,The Strangles. vvhich happen vnder his throat, and fall downe from the braine much cooled, are oftentimes cured by pricking him vnder the throat in the morning, afterward couer his head vvith some kind of Linnen cloth, and rubbe his throat oftentimes with fresh Butter, but especially the place of his disease.

[Page] The Barbes hindering the Horse from eating,The Barbes. by reason of [...] swolne, are healed by making him eat Pease, Beanes, or the stalkes of Pease or [...] because that the bruising and breaking of them causeth this swelling to go [...] if the Barbes doe grow there againe, you must cut them out with a verie [...] being likewise verie hot, for thus are they taken out of the hollow of the [...] mouth, and for the rest taken away by burning, you must cut them away [...] of sheares euen to the quicke.

For the excrescence of flesh growing vnder the Horses bodie,The soupe, or excrescenc [...] vnder the bellie. you must [...] place, and make incision with some knife fit for the purpose, and then afterwards [...] noint it morning and euening with the ointment called Dialthoea.

Flies are kept away from Horses [...]ores with pitch and oyle,To chase away files. or grease mingled [...] powred vpon them, and then by strawing Fetch flowers vpon them againe.

The disease of the gums and teeth happeneth oftentimes vnto colts when they [...] growing their teeth,The paines of the gums and teeth. temper of fullers earth (the best you can come by [...] Remes) in verie strong vinegar, and therewith rubbe their jawes on the outside, [...] more a great deale in the place where the paine or swelled gums be.

The short winded Horse,The short winded horse. or he which cannot easily draw his breath, and [...] hath his flankes beating incessantly, and which notwithstanding that he be [...], haled, and whipped, will not stirre, but pant verie much, and blow exceedingly▪ [...] and which eating of his meat cannot abstaine coughing: this same Horse wil [...] euer be cured. It is true that this disease being new, and caused of dust, [...] windes, fo [...]stie hay, or of hauing eaten some kind of dung in his prouender, [...] [...] medie for it may be, to draw bloud vpon him with a greene withie, and to [...] hot vpon his breast and backe the said bloud mingled with wine and Oyle [...] and hauing done this for the space of fiue daies, then the next fiue daies following [...] make him take downe Lee at his nosthrils, wherein there is mixt a portion of Oyle, to giue him this drinke after: Mustard-seed well fried, quicke Brimstone, graines [...] Paradise, of each alike much, make them in powder, and make thereof a decocti [...] in honie and water, or else in some composition that is good and thicke, whereof you shall giue him euerie morning the bignesse of a bigge Wall-nut, with sage, and with thicke red wine, but such as is good and noble: or else make him a drinke [...] cloues, ginger, cummine, fennell-seed, and the roots Galanga, as much of the one [...] the other; all these being powdred, mingle therewith some egges, and a little [...], make the Horse to take it downe vvith Wine, holding his head high, to the end [...] may swallow the more easily, and not suffering him to hold it downe, at the [...] a good halfe houre, to the end that the drinke may passe through his bowells; [...] this drinke, you shall giue him fresh grasse, or the leaues of Roses or vvillow [...] temper the heat of the said drinke: but the horse must not haue eaten any thing [...] the space of one halfe day before the taking of this, neither yet must he eat any thing for the like space after the taking of it. Let him vvalke and lead him gently by the head-stall, or else getting vpon him, let him pace him verie softly, that so he may not cast it vp againe: and thus much for the cure of the [...] [...]vinded horse, if the disease be not growne too old. Which notwithstanding that it should be, yet [...] may relieue it for some time, if you feare him a little vpon both the sides of the [...], to the end that this heat may cause to cease this great panting, vvhich doth paine [...] in his flankes: and if vvithall you slit his nosthrils, that so he may attract and [...] in the aire and his breath, and as easily let it goe: besides these vvaies, I vvould [...] you also to giue him to eat, some grapes oftentimes, and to drinke some sweet [...]. Another singular remedie there is, which consisteth in giuing him a drinke [...] vvith Agaricke and Fenugreeke tempered vvith red Wine: or else to cause him [...] swallow the bloud of a little dogge, vvhich yet is not aboue ten daies old: or to take the roots of Gentian, of vvild cucumers, and bitter Almonds, and to poune the [...] vvith Honie and Water, and to make a drinke thereof; or else to giue oftentimes [...] eat of siluer grasse.

The Cough hath many causes,The cough in a [...]. notwithstanding that vvhich commeth from the [Page] [...], as from the lungs and parts adjoyning, or else from some other of the inward [...], which are noble and principall, and haue accordingly some notable office in [...] bodie; hath not a more soueraigne remedie, than the slitting of the beasts no [...]hrils, and if after this the beast doe not amend, then to cause him to take downe a [...]ood pinte of the drinke following with a horne. Take Fenugreeke and Linseed, of [...]ch a quarter of a pecke, Gum-tragacanth, Olibanum, & Myrrhe, of each an ounce, [...]ugar, the oatmeale of great vvild Tare, of each an ounce, all these being vvell pou [...]ed and let run through a bagge, you shall cause it to be infused all a whole night in hot vvater, and the day following you shall giue it to the beast, as hath beene sayd; [...]nd this shall be continued, adding thereto a bowle of oyle of Roses, euen to the end of the cure. Some cause fiue egges to be layed to steepe one whole night in strong Vinegar, and the next morning when they see that the shell is become verie ten [...]er and soft, they giue them to the horse to take downe. Furthermore you must ne [...]er draw bloud from the horse in what palce soeuer that it be, but it shall be good to [...]iue it vnto him, and to continue the Gum-tragacanth with sweet Oyle.

The ague of a horse is cured by being let bloud vpon the veine,The horse [...] Ague. vvhich is found in [...] middest of the thigh, to the quantitie of sixe ounces, or about the place vvhich is somewhat about the fundament: but if in neither of those two places, or vvhere they [...]annot be found, you must take the necke veine toward the vvind-pipe: if you per [...]eiue that there is need of a drinke, you shall straine a handfull of Purslane, and [...]ingle the juice vvith Gum [...]tragacanth, fine Frankincense, and a few Prouence Ro [...]s, you shall make him take it all vvith honied vvater, in some prettie small quanti [...]ie. It is knowne amongst other markes that he hath an ague, if he haue the stopping of his vrine, and his eares become cold, withering and hanging downe.

In the faintnesse of the heart.The faintnesse of the heart it is good to keepe the horse verie hot, and to giue him this drinke; Myrrhe two ounces, Gum-tragacanth foure ounces, Safron foure drams, Mehlot in powder an ounce, Mercurie a pound, and fine Frankincense so much as shall be sufficient and proportionable: all these mixt together and made in [...]o powder, shall be reserued for your vse, and that shall be in giuing two good spoonfulls thereof with one pinte of water, two spoonefulls of Home, and two bowles of Oyle of Roses. This drinke vvill serue for many daies, euen till the horse doe find himselfe better.The broken backe. And further, know that this drinke is good for those that haue their [...]acke or loynes broken, and members verie stiffe.

For the horse that is ouer-heated,The horse ouer-heated. you shall cause him to swallow with the horne [...] Winter three ounces of Oyle, vvith one pinte of red vvine, and in Sommer two ounces of Oyle onely, vvith the like quantitie of Wine that is aboue named.

In the paine of the bellie,Paine in the belli. vvhich some call the Birth, you shall take the seeds of vvild Rue, or of the garden Rue, you shall poune it well, and vvith hot vvine you shall make him a drinke: vnto this drinke you may adde Cummine and Fennel-seed in like quantitie, and after keepe him hot in some close and vvell couered place: before you giue him this drinke, you must get vpon his backe, and vvalke him a long time, and that rather in high places, than in low and plaine fields: when you are comming homeward, if the season be cold, you shall cloath him vvith a good vvoollen cloth, rubbing his flankes vvith Oyle, vntill such time as he be become cold, and doe breake wind. It vvould be good also to conuey into his fundament some hollow joynt of a Reed or Rose tree sufficient thicke, and halfe a foot long, annointed vvith common Oyle, and let this same hollow Reed be in such sort fastened vnto his taile, as that it may not by any meanes come forth, and this done then to get vpon the horse, and to vvalke him. But howsoeuer things goe, you must let him haue meat of hot qualitie, and to drinke vvater boyled with Cummine and Fennell-seed in equall quantitie, mingling vvith it Wheat meale, and keeping it verie vvarme in a verie clos [...] place.

For the difficultie [...] vr [...]ne,Difficultie of vrine. it is an approued thing to take fiue or nine of the flies called Cantharides, to lap them in a linnen cloth, and applie them to the thigh, and howsoeuer it fareth with him, yet to keepe them there for some time: this will procure [Page] vrine: but in anie case giue him them not in powder, clister, or drink [...]. [...] good also to rub his cods with the decoction of Cresses, Pellitorie, and [...] Leekes.

For the sniuell,For the sniuell. take Orpin and Brimstone, cast them vpon burning coales, and [...] the fume goe vp into the Horses nosthrils, that so the humors congealed aboue in [...] braine may be resolued and cast forth.

For the Flying worme,The Flying worme. take from him some bloud vpon the veines of the [...] applie a hot [...]earing yron verie deepe vnder the throat, and in the hole put [...] plegets vpon them, moystened in the white of an egge, and after let him stand [...] dayes in the stable.

For the Iauar, take Pepper,The Iauar. as also the leaues of Coleworts, old Swines [...] make an emplaister to be layd vpon the place.

For the Figge,The Figge. you must pare the hoofe so farre forward, as that you may [...] reasonable roome and space, betwixt the sole of the foot and the figge, then [...] Spunge there, and tye it verie hard, that so the rest of the figge may be [...] euen to the cleft.

For the Wenne,The Wenne. open it when you shall perceiue it to be full of matter, [...] make a plaister of Goole-turdes, wine, salt, and vinegar, and lay vnto the [...]: beware in any case that there be not in the bottome of it some strange and [...] thing.

For the galling of the backe that is new done,For a galled backe. take two great Onions and [...] decoction thereof in boyling water, afterward you shall applie it to the sore place [...] hot as the horse can abide it, all the swelling will be gone away in one night. Otherwise take salt in powder, and wet it in strong vinegar, putting thereto the yolke of [...] egge, with all this together you shall rub the place, and you shall see the proofe▪ [...] else wash the place with wine or verie strong vinegar, lay aloft vpon it Lime made [...] powder, and mixt with Honie, continue this remedie so long as till the flesh be [...] againe, and the bone couered with it, then to cause the haire to grow vpon it, yo [...] must poune the shells of small nuts burned, and being mingled with oile, annoin [...] [...] places wanting haire, and it will be ouergrowne in a short time.

For a Horse [...]wayed in the backe,A horse swayed in the backe. or complayning of hauing beene ouerladen, [...] plie vnto the reines of his backe an emplaister made of stone-pitch, with the [...] of Bole-Armoniake, Dragons-bloud, Olibanum, Masticke, Galles, of each [...] quall weight: let the plaister be layed somewhat hot vpon the offended part, which you shall not take away vntill it easily forsake the place when you touch it: for [...] the Horse is healed.

For the swellings caused on the Horse backe by the Saddle,The backe [...]. open it first with [...] Knife, afterward lay plegets vpon it w [...]t in the whites of egges three dayes together: and the place if it be swolne and hard, it will be healed with Coleworts, [...], Wormewood, and Beares-breech, bruised together and stamped and bo [...]led together with sweet Seame: applie it vnto the place offended and hurt.

For the disease called Graps,The [...] of the [...]. which are moules and scabbes on the heeles, [...] way the scabbes, and them wash the place with the decoction of Mallowes, [...], and Mutton Sewer: put the drosse or thicke substance of this vpon the [...] and bind it fast and close thereto, afterward take it away and annoint the place [...] an oyntment made of vinegar, Mutton Sewet, the gum of the Firre tree, and new [...] of all alike, and boyle them altogether.

It is a singular good remedie for the Iaundise vvhich followeth: take of [...] nicke Corne,The iaundise. and Smallage, of ea [...]h a pound, boyle them all vvith L [...]pines [...] good Honie, and of the whole strayned, make him take a Pine, eight [...] [...] gether.

If he be costiuene,Costiues. he may be helped by drinke or clyster; the drinke shall be [...] giue him ordinarily of the powder of vvild Rue, with the seed thereof [...] good red wine: or else take the root of yellow Flower-de-luce, with Annisseed [...], [...] Opopa [...]ax: and of all these beaten together verie small, you shall make [...] [Page] or draughts, vvith three ounces of good Red vvine, and as much Oyle oliue, and those on three seuerall dayes. In the clyster you shall put the juice of pale coloured Flower-de-luce in three pound of the decoction of Mallows and Perrie, and into the vvhole you shall put of Sall-nitrum, and the dung of Pigeons, of each an ounce, of Oyle-de-bayes, and Rue, of each three ounces. After the clyster giuen, he must be vvalked a great vvhile, and verie softly. Some Farriers or Horse-leaches haue in this disease made triall of Hares dung, with nine spoonefulls of Honie, and fiue grains of Pepper, to make a drinke to take with the broth of Cich Pease, or Red Coleworts.

The Horse oftentimes hauing eaten too much Barley or other prouender that is hurtfull,The [...]. is troubled vvith the swelling of his flankes, and the rest of his bodie: to take the same away, you must make a decoction of Mallowes, Pellitorie, Beares- [...], Mercurie, and other soluble hearbes, putting thereto, Bran, Salt, Honie, and Oyle: and hauing vvarmed this decoction, he shall haue a clyster giuen him with a clysterpipe, hauing the shanke thereof proportionably great and long: this being well accomplished, annoint his bellie with Oyle, and after cause it to be rubbed vvith a round staffe by two men, beginning before, and so going backward, stopping vp his fundament: after this, get vpon him, and vvalke him verie softly, and a long time, vntill that he haue voided, not onely this clyster, but vvithall some part of the dung, which he had in his bodie, and he will be well by and by after.

For bursting, or rupture,For a horse that is bursten. some are of opinion that there is nothing so soueraigne as to take seuen ounces of the ashes of the vvood of vine braunches, or of Elme, with three ounces of Oyle oliue, Scallions brayed, seuen in number, Honie three ounces, fresh Butter and Goats Sewe [...], of each an ounce, the juice of Plantaine three ounces, vvith old white vvine, or the broth of Cych Pease: this will serue for thrice, to be taken three seuerall daies together.

To keepe your great Horses that they may not be molested and troubled in great heat,The [...]inging of Flies. vvith the stinging of Flies: you must rub their haire vvith the juice of leaues of gourdes.

For the farcie of the legges,The farcie. you must shau [...] the place, and after annoint it with the Oyle of Iuniper for the space of foure daies euening and morning, and let not the horse goe forth to water all the whiles that his haire is not growne againe: or else let him haue a strake vvith an yron, long-waies, and ouerthwhart: otherwise, for the farcie of a horse how hard to cure so euer it be, you must take the roots of common cotton thistle (which is the broad and white leaued thistle) and make him eat them in shiues with his oats, it will heale him without all faile, in lesse than fifteene daies, or three weekes, if it be continually giuen him to eat: and the remedie is verie easie, seeing the horse will willingly eat it.

For clefts which happen betwixt the joynt of the legge and the hoofe,Clefts. shaue away the haire, wash the place with vvine, annoint it vvith an ointment made of Soot, V [...] degrease, and Honie pouned and boyled together, mingling therewith in the end some Lime: if the chaps be verie deepe in, [...]are them.

For the scabbe you must let him bloud in conuenient places,For the scabbe. according to that place vvhere the disease is: for a conuenient purge, it vvill be good to vse of the powder of the root of vvild Cucumber mingled vvith Sal-nitrum, and giuen in a [...]o [...]ne vvith vvhite vvine: the medicine oftentimes giuen doth purge him of euill humours: for an ourward remedie, take quicke Brimstone, fat Pitch, Clay of Iudea, called Asphaltu [...] ▪ mingle all together, and dissolue it in new Butter salted, and with this oyntment you shall rub him all ouer his bodie in the greatest heat of the Sunne, and by many persons, and a long time. If you loue not rather to take of vinegar a quarter of a pin [...]e, of Perrosin foure ounces, Pitch or Gum of the Cedar-tree foure ounces, and mixe them all vvell together in an oyn [...]ment, vvith mans vrine and vvarme vvater, putting thereto of sweet Seame, and old Oyle, of each three oun [...], make a liniment or cerote, if it like you not, better to vvash him all ouer, [...] else to foment him vvith vrine and warme vvater, and after to appl [...]e your lin [...] ment [Page] vpon the places so washed. The hearbe called Rose-baie, or Oleander, boyled in Oyle (I meane the leaues onely) is an exquisite remedie for this disease, [...] thereto fat pitch, vinegar, and waxe: and remember alwaies in rubbing and annointings to rubbe the beast against the haire. It is also a soueraigne remedie to [...] him first in the s [...]abbed place vntill it bleed, and after to wash it with Lee made with one part of Lyme, two of Beane-meale, and three of the ashes of Ash-tree, all these not boyled but steeped onely in the Lee. After the washing, you must annoint the place with an oyntment made of quick-siluer, hellebor, brimstone, alum, colts-foot, [...] Swines-grease.

When the horse complaineth himselfe,The Horse swelled. and his flankes be swolne, as also the re [...] of his bodie, by hauing eaten some bad Hay or Prouender, you shall make him this drinke: take the thin skinnes that are in the stomach of three Hens, and drie the [...] vvell in an ouen, afterward powder them vvith halfe an ounce of pepper, and fou [...] spoonefulls of Honie, and an ounce of the powder of fine Frankencense, make him take this medicine vvith a pint of vvarme vvine, and to the end that it may loosen his bellie, giue him at the fundament by a clyster sufficient great and long, a clyster of the decoction of Mallowes, Mercurie, Pellitorie, and other loosening hearbes, putting thereto Bran, Salt, Honie, and Oyle.

Against the colicke:The colicke in a Horse. take Asarum bacchar, the leaues and roots of Parsley and Fennell, of each one ounce, blacke Pepper two ounces, Horehound an ounce, Soothernwood halfe an ounce, fine Honie a pottle, boile it well, and scum it altogether, and thereof make trochiskes of the bignesse of Filberts, and with a quarter of a pint of good wine, you shall make the horse to take it in manner of a drinke: and the day that the colicke doth paine him, you shall bruise three or foure spoonefulls of Fennel-seed, and cause him to drinke it downe roundly with wine, and then count him well to cause him to sweat.

For the swelling of the cods or stones, make as it were a pap of strong vinegar, fullers day and salt,The swellings of the coddes. to annoint the cods withall twice or thrice a day.

For a Fistula:For a Fistula. make the hole wider, seare it, cast into it a salue made of vnquenche Lime, so long as till the core or dead flesh within doe fall out.

For the canker:For a Canker. wash it with strong vinegar, afterward sprinkle vpon it the [...] powder of the root Daffodils, Rats-bane, and Vnquencht-lime, put together into [...] pot, and burnt to ashes.

For the Iauar in the houghs or hams:The Iauar or scab in the [...]. seare the places along and ouerthwart with a hot yron, afterward applie thereto a cataplasme made of verie new Oxe dung [...] vpon the fire vvith Oyle.

If the horse be cloyed,The Horse cloyed. you must take out the naile, and pare him to the quicke and till bloud come, then making verie cleane the pared place to drop into it [...] Brimstone, or to fill it vp with an oyntment made of Turpentine, Waxe, Oyle, H [...] nie and Salt, all being made verie hot, and a little Cotton also dipped in the same oyntment. Or else (which is an approued thing) to put vpon the hurt place on th [...] inside of the hoose of the horse, the leaues of white female Mullein bruised betw [...] two stones. And in case the maladie be a day or two old, then you must hold the horse foc [...] in warme water well salted, and lay and bind aloft vpon the foot a [...] of Bran, Swines-grease, and Salt-water: or with small Salt and strong Vinegar, or the powder of gals, or mittles, or of the masticke tree, and then to seare him aboue, [...] to fill vp all the hollow of the foot with Porkes-grease: and hauing thus dressed it so much, and so oft as it shall be needfull: let it be made vp, filling notwithstanding the hoofe on the inside with pitch, and annointing it oftentimes with swines-grease as i [...] abouesaid. And to preserue the hoofe in his soundnesse and strength, apply vnto [...] lost a cataplasme made of boyled mallows stampt and mixt with hony and bran: put in the hollow of the hoofe the sewet of a sheepe, and aboue the hoofe his owne dung [...]

For the horse which halteth because of some stroake giuen him by some other horse vpon his sinews:Alene Horse. take of the sewet of a Male-goat a pound, Molibden [...] halfes pound, Resin a pound, and Copperas halfe a pound, make an oyntment. The [...] [Page] [...]roken or wounded, or hauing receiued any other kind of wrench in the Knee or [...]oynt, by the horse his setting of his foot in some bad and inconuenient place, is hea [...]ed by taking an ounce of Fenugreeke, as much of Linseed, foure ounces of Swinesgrease, all this being boyled together so long as till it be thicke, and much dimi [...]shed.

If the horse interfering doe wound himselfe vpon his hinder feet,The enterfering of a horse. you must cut away the haire verie short and bare from the place that is hurt, and rub it with common salt, tying vpon it some prettie plate of thin Lead, afterward taking that away [...]o wash it with Wine.

For the spauin in the hammes: you must,The spauine. raising the thigh vp on high, tie the veine called Fontanella, and giue it a wound with a flemme to let it bleed, and after to applie the actuall cauterie, or hot yron vpon the spauin, and to burne it long wise and ouerthwart, and to heale vp the seared place, as in the Iauar.

The chaps are healed,Chaps & Cli [...]ts. if you burne them at either end with a round hot yron: for his burne will keepe the chaps from going further, and then afterward rubbe them with washed Lard in diuers waters, or with oyle of Bayes mixt with Masticke, Fran [...]incense, Vinegar, and the yolke of an Egge.

The grapes would (when the haire is once taken away) be washed with the decoction of Mallows,The grapes or scabber. of Brimstone, and Mutton-sewet, afterward applying the drossie parts vnto the places, which being taken away, there shall an oyntment be made of new Wax, Turpentine, and Gum-arabecke equally mingled.

For the hornie swelling in the circle of the houghs or hams:For the [...] swelling. you must shaue the disease and put vpon it the drossie parts of the decoction of hollihocke roots stamped: and after that a plaister of Mustard-seed, the roots of Mallows, and Oxe dung, all boyled together with Vinegar.

Cut the head and the taile from a snake,For the disease called Paumon, or [...] galle. and deuide the rest of the bodie into gobbets, roast them on a spit, gather the fat which droppeth, and applie it to the sore or wound.

The disease of the hoofe or the corne: stampe Coleworts that are greene with old Swines-grease,The disease of the hoofe, or the corne of the f [...]oat. lay it vnto the disease, and get vpon the horse, and ride him indifferently to the end that the medicine may pearce into it.

For the garrot:The garrot. plucke away the flesh that is dead with a sharpe instrument, and wash the place with warme Wine, afterward applie plegets thereto moistened in the white of an Egge.

The disease of the necke:The disease of the necke. pearce the flesh in fiue places on both sides the necke, with an yron sharpe like a Naule, put a Seton through e [...]erie hole, and let them abide there fifteene daies.

For the palamie:The Palamie or bloudie chops in the palate. take away the flesh from the palate of his mouth with a very fine instrument, and that in such quantitie as that the humour may easily come forth, afterward cleanse and rub his pala [...]e, with honie of Roses, juice of Chibol [...]s, Scallions, and burned Wheat.

The courbe: cut the skin alongst the haire,The courbe, or a long swelling beneath the elbow of the hough. acording to the bignesse of the courbe, applie thereto a linnen cloth, wet in warme Wine, straw vpon it the powder of Verdegrease, and thus continue vnto the end of the cure.

For the Knee swollen:The swelling of the Knee. take a pinte of strong vinegar, wherein you shall temper a little Salt, of burnt Copper halfe a pound, and of Sinople so much as shall be needfull and necessarie.

For the Knees that are broken and chapt:Broken and chapt Knees. take common Oyle, Linseed, ashes of Rie-straw, and all being put together make an oyntment thereof, to annoint the sore place euening and morning vntill it be wh [...]le.

For the chafings which most commonly happen vnto the necke or backe of a horse carrying Saddle-packs,Chafings. or Saddle: lay vpon the place the leaues of wild blacke [...]ine.

In old and hard tumours make this cerote:Old tumours. Galbanum two ounces, Rosin, and Waxe, of each a pound, Gum-ammoniacke, and blacke Pitch, of each halfe a pound, [Page] and of oyle so much as shall be needfull to incorporate and make vp all the rest [...] good forme. But if the tumor be broake and hollow, and hath beene an old [...] verie long continuance, then you shall dissolue a quarter of a pound of Allome [...] pinte of running water, and with it first wash the sore verie vvell, and the take V [...] guentum Aegyptiacum, and lay it vpon the sore vvith flax hurds; doe thus once [...] twice a day, and the cure will soone be made perfect.

Against the bots or vvormes,Wormes and bots. make him drinke vvater vvherein Rye hath boyled, or mingle amongst his bran some Brimstone: or make ashes of the wood of [...] Oliue-tree, or powder of dried Wormewood, together with the cornes of raw [...] pines, and Centaurie alike much of all, two ounces of the seed of turneps, harts- [...] one ounce, and vvith vvhite vvine it will serue to take at three times: the day after the three aboue named, you shall make him a clyster of the decoction of Wormewood and Rue, putting thereto in the strayned liquor two Oxe-galls, and an [...] of Aloes.

Against the flux of the bellie,The current. which some vse to call the current, there is made a drinke of great seruice and vse of the powder of gals, with red vvine, and the flower of starch tempered together: or else i [...] the flux come of taking cold, giue him [...] dipt in sweet Red vvine and Rose-water; and rub his reines and bellie with [...] vvine, Oyle of Roses, and a little Salt.

For the flux of bloud passing by vrine,Flux of bloud. you must let him bloud of the veine of [...] breast: afterward make a decoction of Wheat with sweet Seame, and the powder of the rinds of drie Pomegranats, straine them all to make a drinke for to giue him euerie morning, not putting him to any trauell at all. Likewise you shall applie a [...] plasme vnto his backe and reines, made vvith Kno [...]grasse, Bole [...]armoniacke, and the bloud of the beast, mingled together with strong vinegar or thicke red vvine, which may also serue for them that haue their reines relaxed, or haue beene pricked vvith [...] Lancet.

A restie horse for to make him goe forward,The restie horse. must haue a coarde tyed vnto [...] cods, and it must be so long, as that reaching betwixt his forelegs it doe come vp [...] high, as that the rider may hold it in his hands, and so may pull it hard whe [...]as the horse should offer to goe backward: but if it be in a Gelding, you must bumbast [...] buttocks with a good long sticke taken hot out of the fire, and burnt at the end, for [...] will make him goe: and likewise if you vse the same course in his rearings, it will [...] rect him, and make him leaue them.

If the horse at any time vvith eating of his hay doe eat any venimous beast,Poyson eaten. as Sc [...] pion, Spider, or the venimous flie called Buprestis: he must be couered till he [...], and then in all hast let him bloud in the roofe of his mouth, which so soone as it is [...] forth, shall be giuen him againe to drinke warme, and in such quantitie as it [...] forth; for his meat, giue him leekes and wheat boyled together. Looke more abo [...] in the Chapter of the Neat-heard or Oxe-keeper.

For the stinging of Vipers,The stinging of Vipers. a liue Cocke slit through the middest, and applied warme vnto the vvound is much worth: and presently after this, a powder of the [...] of yellow Daffodill, with strong vvine and Salt made all in a drinke for him: or [...] the root, leaues, and fruit of vvild vine made in ashes, and drunke with good [...] or else take presently that kind of buglosse, called Echium, and draw out of it a good pint of juice, hauing first watered it vvith vvhite vvine or vvater of Card [...]us [...]. It you perceiue that the leafe vvill not yeeld you juice ynough of it selfe, [...] the horse first to drinke that vvhich you haue, and after applie the substance of [...] hearbe vpon and about the stung place, and couer it.

The Shrew by her biting of the Horse,The biting of the Shrew. maketh him oftentimes to dye, as [...] haue oftentimes seene both in Horse and Oxen: this is a beast as bigge as a [...], of the colour of a We [...]ill, vvith a long snout and a short tayle: she fasteneth vpon [...] infecteth most chiefly the cods, and maketh foure small vvounds: for to heal [...] [...] venimous biting, you must cause him presently to take downe through the [...]ose [...]leaues stamped or powdred with vvater: and to applie vnto the place that is [...] [Page] [...]ummin and Garleeke stamped together: and in case there be any vlcer, you must [...]ment the place with Brine, or with the decoction of the Mirtle-tree, and to scatter [...]nd sprinkle thereupon the powder of burned Barley, or of a Pomegranat rinde. [...]ooke more in the chapter of the Ox-keeper.

The biting of a madde dogge hath for a singular remedie,The biting of a mad dogge. if it be vsed before it be [...] daies, the flowers of Medicke fodder burned and mixed with old Swines [...]rease, and applied vnto the wound, or else to stampe it with old white Wine, and [...]use him to drinke it. Also the root of the Eglantine-tree made in powder, and put [...]pon the wound, or giuen him to drinke with good old Wine. Likewise the Ber [...]ies of Elder-tree, or the juice of the leaues thereof, or of Ashe-tree.

Hens dung swallowed by hap,Hens dung swallowed by the horse. bringeth frets and wrings in the bellie: for which, [...]ke of old Smallage and drie two ounces, and cause him to drinke them with Wine [...]nd Honie: afterward walke him vntill his bellie rumble, and that he begin to dung.

The leane horse may be made fat,The leane horse. if you giue him to eat Fasels or long Pease boy [...]ed in vvater, and mixt amongst his prouender: but and if he should be so weake as [...]hat he could not swallow them downe, you must strengthen and get him into cou [...]age againe, making him sup egge-yolkes with sugar in verie good quantitie: warme vvater, mixt with Salt and meale of Millet, and giuen to the horse, doth greatly fat him. Also Panicke, Rice, and Millet boyled, and mixt with Beane-meale and Salt, [...]are excellent good, and it would be giuen him foure times a day, but not much at a time, least the horse should cast it vp againe.

It commeth to passe sometimes that Mares are troubled with a kind of rage,The raging loue of Mares. that is to say, vvhen they see their owne pictures in the vvater they are taken with loue: and hereupon they forget to eat and drinke, and drie vp their heat or signe of desiring the horse. The signes of this madnesse are manifested by their running thr [...]gh the pastures, as if they were spurred, oftentimes looking round about them, as if they sought and desired something. They are cured of this madnesse by being brought vnto the water; for when they see by their shadows how ill fauoured they be, they will forget the first shape which they had beheld before.

For a Horse that is troubled with the Yellowes,Yellowes. you shall first let him bloud in the necke veine and in the roofe of the mouth: then take a quart of Ale, a handfull of Celandine, fine spoonefuls of Honey, three ounces of Cummin seed beaten to pouder, a little Saffron, and a handfull of Tyme, boile these together, then straine it, and giue it the Horse to drinke luke warme.

If your Horse be troubled with the Staggers,Stagger. you shall first let him bloud in the necke veine, and take from him great store of bloud: then take Veri [...]ice and Bay salt beaten together, with a good prettie quantitie of Assafetida, and dip in Flax hurds therein, stop it hard into the Horses eares, and then bind them vp so as the medicine may by no meanes fall out; and doe thus diuers daies together: and if need require, let him bloud againe the second day on the other side of the necke: let him stand warme, lye soft, and by no meanes drinke anie cold water.

For the Gargyll or Pestilence amongst Horses,Pestilence. take Hennes dung, and mix it verie well with old vrine, and then boyle them together, and being luke warme, giue the Horse a pint, or a little more, to drinke two or three mornings together: then, as was before said, let him stand warme, lye soft, and by no meanes drinke anie cold water.

If your Horse be troubled with the Cords,Cords. take a corued made of the brow-antler of an old Stagges horne, and thrust it vnder the Cord, and twynd it tenne or twelue times about, till the Horse be constrained to lift vp his foot, then cut the Cord asunder, and put a little salt into the wound, and wash him after with Beefe-broth, and the cure will be effected.

If your Horse be troubled with a Rhewme descending downe into his eyes,Rheume in the Eye. you shall take Bole-armoniake, Terra sigillata, Sanguis Draconis, of each a like quantitie, scrape them, then adde the white of an egge and vineger, so much as will serue to moist them, then spread it vpon a piece of leather plaster-wise, and lay [Page] it to the temples of the Horses head, three or foure daies together, and it will both [...] and drie vp the rheume.

If a vvarte,A Warte. or any other naughtie substance shall grow vvithin the [...] of your horse, you shall take burnt Allome, and vvhite Copperas, and grind [...] to a verie fine powder, and then vvith a Goose or Swans quill blow some of the po [...] der into the horses eye, and it vvill soone eat away the excression and clense the eye, and make it faire and perfect.

For any straine vvhatsoeuer,A Straine. vvhether it be in sinew or in bone, you shall [...] Bole-armoniack, Vinegar, vvhites of Egges, and Beane-flower, and mix them [...] together till it come to be a good thicke salue, then spread it vpon a cloth, and lay [...] exceeding hot to the straine, renewing it once in fiue and twentie houres, and it [...] cure it.

If your horse be troubled vvith spauens,Spauen. you shall take a good quantitie of Linseed, and bruise it vvell in a Morter, then mixe it verie vvell vvith Cow dung, and put in into a Frying-pan, and boyle it vvell therein vpon a quicke fire, then [...] hot applie it to the Spauen, not forgetting to renew it once euerie day till it [...] brought the Spauen to a head, and breake it like an ordinarie impostumation; [...] hauing run two or three daies, you shall lay a plaister of Pitch vpon it, and so heale vp the sore as in case of other vlcers.

Now for as much as to know medicines for diseases is to little or no purpose,To know diseases by their signes. except a man know the disease, I vvill here in a briefe manner shew you the signes of all the most generall and hidden infirmities that are in horses, therefore first to begin vvith the outward parts: that you may know where the griefe is vvhen at any time a horse halteth, you shall note these few obseruations following, first if he [...] before, and [...] but his Toe to the ground, it is most certaine that the greiefe is in his hoofe; but if vvhen he halteth, he bend not his pasterne, then be you vvell assured the griefe lyeth in the joynt: If he halt more vvhen you turne him than when he goeth right forward, or forbeareth his foot more in the turning than in going, then the griefe questionlesse is in the shoulder or the thigh; or if vvhen he standeth still he setteth one foot a good deale more forward than the other, the griefe is then in the shoulder or vpper parts also, as, in the Knee or Knuckle of the Elbow: If he goe bowing to the ground, and tread his steps verie thicke, the griefe is in the brest: [...] he halt behind and in his gate set but his Toe to the ground, the griefe is in the foot, or in the sti [...]le; but if he refuse of touch the ground at all, then the griefe is in the Buttocke. Now to know whereof these griefes doe proceed, you shall vnderstand that if the griefe proceed of a hot cause, then he most halteth when he trauelleth, or is chafed, and the further he goes, the worse and worse he goes: but if it proceed of a cold cause, then he halteth most when he rests or stands still, and at his first going out out of a journey, but after a little chafing he goeth vpright againe. Now if the horses halt be secret, and as it were halfe vnperce [...]able, insomuch that you are incertaine vvhether he halteth yea or no, you shall suffer him to runne at the vttermost length of his halter, vvithout any stay or ease of your hand, and then without doubt if he haue any hidden maladie or griefe whatsoeuer, he will easily discouer it: and thus much for the signes of griefes in the outward parts.Signes of inward griefes. Now for the signes of griefes in the inward parts, you shall obserue, that if your horse be slower in labour, or duller of the spurre, or shorter breathed, or if his eares hang downe more than they were wont, of his haire stare, if his flanke be more hollow, if he burne or glow betwixt the eares, if he refuse his meat, or if his mouth be drie and clammie in his trauell, all these are generall signes of inward sicknesse: If a horse hold his head downe in the Manger, be heauie and dimme sighted, it is a signe of a Feauer, headach, hear [...]ach, foundring in the bodie, or the Staggers.

If a Horse turne his head backe, and looke to his bodie as to the place grieued, it is signe of obstructions in the Liuer, especially when he looketh to the right side, but if he looke further, as to his bellie, then it is a signe of Wormes or Colicke; when thin vvater runneth from his mouth, it is a signe of Staggers, or a vvet Cough▪ [Page] [...] [...]tinking breath, and foule mattar at his nose, is a signe of an Vlcer in the nose: but [...]he mattar be white, then the Glaunders; if blacke, then the mourning of the [...]yne; if yellow, then the consumption of the Liuer: but if he cast little lumpes [...] of his mouth, then it sheweth rotten Lungs. If the Horses bodie and breath be [...], and withall he loath his meat, it is a signe of a Feuer, surfet in the Stomacke, or [...] drie or moist Yellowes. A palpable swelling on both sides the forehead, shew [...] the Staggers; betweene the eares, the Poll-euill; vnder the eares, the V [...]es; in [...] mouth, the Flapps, or Lampas; vnder the throat, the Glaunders; in the tongue, [...] Strangles; on the left side, the Spleene; in the bellie and legges, the Dropsie; [...] in the flanke, the Collicke. To cough, or to offer to cough, shewes a Cold, or [...] feather or such like thing in his wezand. To stagger, or goe reeling, sheweth [...] Staggers: yet if such staggering be behind onely, then it shewes Foundring in [...] bodie, or paine in the Kidneyes: Trembling or shaking shewes a Feuer, or the [...]undring in the bodie: Hollownesse of the backe, shewes the drie Maladie, or the [...]ropsie: staling with paine, shewes the Stone: leanenesse and gauntnesse shewes [...]ide-bound, Wormes, or a Consumption: loosenesse of bodie shewes an unflamed [...]uer; and costiuenesse, the Yellowes and sicknesse of the Spleene: A Horses dung [...]uch stinking, shewes a hot Liuer; not smelling, a cold Liuer; hardly disg [...]sted, then Consumption, or the drie Maladie: A desire to lye downe on the right side, shewes [...]at in the Liuer; on the left, disease in the Spleene: to be oft vp and downe, Bots, or [...]ormes: If he spread himselfe when he lyes down, shewes the Dropsie if he groane [...]hen he is downe, shewes a sicke Spleene: and not able to rise when he is downe, [...]ewes Feeblenesse, Foundring in the bodie or legges, or else Death: To be troubled [...]ith Wind, shewes the Collicke; desire to eat, and not to be thirstie, shewes a cold [...]iuer; desire to drinke, and not to [...]at, a Feuer, or ouer-trauelling; and greedie eating [...]nd drinking,The Horse-leacherie of P. Vegetius translated by the Author. shewes rotten Lungs. A further Discourse and more ample Treatise of [...]he diseases and curing of Horses, is to be looked for in the Workes of P. Vegetius, [...]oncerning the curing of the diseases of Horses; and which I haue translated, or ra [...]her paraphrastically runned ouer in French out of Latine. Looke also into the Chapter of the Oxe-keeper aboue handled.

CHAP. XXIX.
Of the Asse.

NOtwithstanding that the Asse is but a base and contemptible thing, yet he is verie necessarie in euerie Countrey House, because he trauelleth and doth his necessarie worke better than if he were greater and more corpulent: as to turne the Mill, to grind the Corne, to beare the Corne to the Mill, and diuers other implements and commodities, as Butter, Cheese, [...]nd Creame, to be sold at the Market, and to bring the same or anie other thing backe [...]gaine home vpon his backe: to toile the earth that is light, and not strong and stiffe: [...]o draw Carts that are not too heauie laden:The milke of an Asse good for them in consumptions: and for to make faire the countenances of women. besides the commoditie of the milke of [...]he shee Asse, which is a soueraigne remedie as well for them that be in a consumption, that be weake, impoisoned, rheumatike, and such other like diseases; as also for to make nea [...], to white▪ make tender and smooth the faces of women: as wee read that Poppea the wife of Nero did, vsing bathes to keepe her hew and colour most faire, [...]nd her flesh most smooth and white. To let pas [...]e and to say nothing of the flesh of the Asse, which whiles it is young is verie delicate, and full of pleasant ta [...]t and sauour [...] eating, and for that cause hath sometimes beene of great request in Rome, as also [...]n our time in great estimation by a great noble and worthie man in France, who caused a flocke of Asses to be kept and most carefully looked vnto: and in like manner to say nothing of the Hide, whereof there are made verie good sieues to riddle [Page] the corne, as also tabers to daunce by, and drums for the warres. Wherefore the good housholder must appoint him also one to order and gouerne him, vvho notwithstanding shall not be much busied in taking charge of an [...] looking to him, seeing he [...] verie easie and light to keepe: he is contented vvith a little meat, and that of any sort euen such as one vvill giue him: for some feed him only with leaues, thornes, and thistles: some doe fat him with chaffe and straw, which are commonly found almost in all countries: it is true that he must not be let feed vpon or haue giuen to eate any Hemlocke; for it casteth him into such a sound sleepe, as that he seemeth to be not so much like a blocke, but rather starke dead. If you giue him now and then some [...] bread, or millet, it pleaseth him as vvell as a great banket: he looketh not worse, vvhen he is ill handled and curried of him, vvho hath the charge of him: he doth easily endure strokes and hunger, and is not easily tainted of any disease: notwithstanding the Asse-keeper shall haue care that the She-asse may be couered in [...] time, that is to say, from mid March vntill Iune, to the end that foaling about the end of the yeare, it may happen to be in the spring of new Grasse, and the age of the Asse to be couered must be from three yeares to ten: at which time you must giue leaue to the She-asse to run, in regard of the good store of fruit she hath brought forth:Rest maketh an Asse alwaies after vnfit for labour. but on the contrarie, not to suffer the male to continue out of labour, see [...]ng that much respeit vvill bring him to an habite of slothfulnesse. He shall suffer the young Asse to sucke it damme vntill it be two yeares old: or else you shall let it such [...] a Mare, because it is somewhat better: he shall not set the young Asse to labour before it be three yeares old, vvhich is the time vvherein you must accustome it to beare burthens,The mark [...]s of a good Asse. to draw in the plough, and to serue to ride vpon. The Asse that is not aboue ten yeres old, nor younger than three, vvhich is great, vvell squared in his parts, hauing sufficient grosse eyes, vvide nosthrills, long necke, broad breast, high shoulders, great backe, a large chyne or crest, great cods, a flat crupper, a short taile, hi [...] haire drawing toward the colour of blacke, sleeke, and listed, hauing a blacke marke in the forehead, or all along the bodie, shall be well accounted of. But on the contrarie, there is no account to be made of such as haue an ashie coloured haire, or somewhat gray, as the most in this countrie are, and least of all of such as are of a small [...]ature,The diseases of the Asse. To be short, he shall be carefull to heale them when they be sicke (although as hath beene said, this beast is not verie subiect to diseases) and that by vsing such remedies as he doth vnto horses.

The housholder being a good husband,The Asses-hide. shall keepe the hide of his Asse, to [...]an and dresse to make shooes as vvell for himselfe as for his familie, for as much as shoo [...] made of an Asses skin, and vpon the backe part, whereon the Asse doth carrie [...] buthens, are so durable, as that one shall scarce see any end of them, though you vveare them amongst stones, grauell, thornes, or other such like places, notwithstanding vvith their lasting they grow so hard as that they cannot be worne any more.

The hoofe of an Asse burnt and made in powder doth heale the Falling-sicknesse▪ and that of the vvild Asse hanged about the necke,The Asses- [...]oo [...]e or set in a ring, in such sort as th [...] it may touch the flesh, is singular good against the said disease, as also against the swimming of the head, which commeth through a weakenesse of the braine. Some thinke that the vvild Asse is that vvhich is called Ellend, and much seene in Polonia, Litu [...] n [...]a, and Su [...]cia, and that because that the Ellend hath [...]ares like vnto an Asses: the French men which haue trauelled into Polonia, say, that the Ellend doth resemble the Asse i [...] nothing but in her eares, as otherwise in all points almost being like [...] the Hart: hauing a clouen foot, but that he is a great deale bigger, and in ho [...]es like vnto a Fallow-Deere.

Although the Asse be mocked of the most because of his long eares,The A [...]e doth [...]. yet notwithstanding those eares how great soeuer they be, doe serue him to shew his vertue, and to make to appeare his vnderstanding and certaine knowledge which he hath of the change of the weather, seeing that if it will turne to raine, he then laieth them so [...] vpon his necke, that one would say they were glued to it.

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CHAP. XXX.
Of the Mule-keeper.

A Good House-holder must not be vnfurnished of things necessarie for his House, whether they serue for food and sustenance, or for ease. Wherefore although in respect of some manner of worke he may be content to want Mules, hauing the benefit of Horse to carrie him to the Market and other [...]laces whither his businesse shall call him: yet notwithstanding the Mule is necessa [...]ie for his [...]asement, whether it be that he would rather ride vpon Mules than vpon Horses, because of their easier pacing; or that, by reason of age, or want of health of [...]odie, he cannot endure the trauell of a Horse, but is constrained to prouide a Horse-litter to carrie him in.The Mules of Auernia. I will further say, that in some places, as in Auernia, [...]hat for the scarcitie and small number of Horse and Oxen, the Mules are esteemed of great value, and are vsed to toile the earth, to trauaile, and doe other necessarie [...]hings tending to the commoditie and maintenance of the House; to say nothing [...]hat Mules are proper Beasts, strong and able to carrie great and heauie burthens, as Trunkes, sackes of Corne and Meale, and such other burthens which Horses could [...]ot beare.

The ordering and charge of Mules is like vnto that of Horses, as well in respect of their meat, pasture, feeding, and furniture, as in the curing of their diseases, whereunto they are subiect: and therefore wee will knit vp in [...]ewer words what may be said of them, both for the causes rehearsed, as also for that I willingly leaue the whole knowledge of their feeding and handling to those of Auernia, amongst whom they are in such high request. Notwithstanding, to speake summarily, the Mule-keeper must not onely be carefull of the well-feeding of his Mules, but also of making of the most profit of them. The profit that may be raised of them, consisteth in the verie same commodities that may be raised of the Asse, and that is principally of goodly Herds and Flocks. Hence he shall chuse a good and goodly beautifull male Mule, Asse, or Horse, and likewise a female, Mare, or she Asse, for the saddle: for if both of them happen not to fit the turne, and be well conditioned, yet that which doth, cannot be but valiant and couragious:The diuers maners of the engendring of male and female Mules. And although that male and female Mules be engendred either of the male Asse and the Mare, or of the Horse and female Asse, yet those are the best which come of the Asse and the Mare: for those which come of the Horse and the Asse, though their name be according to their fire, yet they resemble in conditions their dammes altogether. Wherefore it is best, to the end you may haue goodly and beautifull she Mules,The markes of a good Asse to c [...] uer she Mules. to make a Stalion of an Asse, which is faire and beautifull, of a good race, and that hath beene well tried. You must chuse one that is three yeares old and vpward, great and corpulent, of a strong neck, strong and large ribbes, of an open and musculous or fleshie breast, fleshie thighes, well-trus [...]ed legges, of a blacke colour, or [...]lea-bitten with red, tending to a bright, or of a gray siluer colour, or of a darke murrey colour, for commonly Asses are of a Mouse colour: but they which are of this haire, are not so liuely and stirring as the other: and if there come forth either male or female Mule wearing this liuerie, they are not so good and sutable. The Mare must be lesse than tenne yeares old, great and faire, and of good limbes, to the end she may take and keepe the nature of the Asse, disagreeing with her bodie, and being of another kind than she her selfe; and that she bestow vpon her fruit not onely the gifts of the bodie, but also of spirit and liuelinesse▪ The young stayeth in the dammes bodie twelue moneths: wherefore the Mare would be couered from mid March vnto mid Iune, to the end she may foale when grasse is in full force, thereby to be sure to get good store of Milke. She hauing brought forth her young one, it must be vsed after the manner of young Colts, excepted onely, that after it hath sucked sixe moneths, the damme can giue it sucke no [Page] longer, by reason of the ach of her teats: but it must be made to sucke some Mare, that so it may grow more lus [...]ie: or you must let it goe with the damme, that it may learne to eat, so that still it be prouided of milke to sucke.

The Horse-mule well chosen,Signes of a good Horse-Mule. must be of a grosse and round bodie, hauing small feet, and thinne legges and drie, a full and large crupper, a broad and soft breast, a long and compas [...]ed necke, a drie and small head. On the contrarie, the Mare-Mule must haue her legges somewhat grosse and round,Of a good Mare-Mule. a straight and solide bodie, and a crupper hanging towards the taile. The Mare-Mules are stronger, mightier, nimbler, and longer liuers than the Horse-Mules: but the Horse-Mules are more tractable and more easie to guide and learne than the Mare-Mules be. Both of them are subiect to lunacie: but to take this fault away, you must make them drinke some wine oftentimes. If they be froward, and vnwilling to be sadled, you may tie vp one of their fore-legges euen vnto their thighes, to the end that in the meane time they may not fall backward. If they be hard to shooe on the right foot behind, you must [...] vp the left before.

The Mare-Mule is subiect to the same diseases that the Horse,The diseases of the Horse and Mare-Mule. as hath beene said; notwithstanding there is something peculiar in them, for which the remedies doe follow: When she hath an Ague,Ague. you must giue her raw Coleworts: when she bloweth and sigheth much, and hath a short wind, you must let her bloud, and afterward giue her to drinke three quarters of a pint of Wine,Difficultie of breath. with halfe an ounce of Oyle, and as much Frankincense, and two pints of the iuice of Horehound. If shee haue the moules and scabs about her pasternes,Scabs in the pasternes. called the Grapes, you must put vpon them Barly meale,Leanenes. and open the impostume, if anie thing be in it. Their leanenesse and languishing is taken away, by giuing them oftentimes drinkes made with halfe an ounce of Brimstone beaten, a raw egge, and a dramme of Myrr [...]e with Wine. The same remedie is good for the paine of the Bellie, and the Cough.Cough. Collicke. If he be wearie and ouer-heated,Wearinesse and [...]uer-heating. you must cast Grease and Wine into his throat.

Let all women that desire to haue children, beware that they neuer take the sent of the vrine of a Horse or Mare-Mule: for the smell of their vrine doth make women barren, because that they themselues are naturally barren.

The fume of the hoofe of a Mare-Mule put vpon hot coales, and set on fire,The smo [...]ke of the hoofe of a Mare-Mu [...]e. is so odious vnto Rats and Mice that are in the house, that they by and by foeling the smell, runne away with great swiftnesse: of which you may make triall.

The end of the first Booke.

THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE.

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OF GARDENS.

CHAP. I.
Of the Situation, Inclosure, Ground, and fashions of Hedges requisite for Gardens, whether they be for profit or for pleasure.

IT is requisite that we should now occupie our selues in describing the manner of husbanding and tilling of the Earth, hauing runne through all that belongeth to the building and inclosing of a Farme, the office of the chiefe Lord, and of the Farmer and his people, and generally whatsoeuer concerneth the raising of profit by keeping of Cattell. Wee will begin therefore (following the order before propounded) to describe Gardens: And first with the Kitchin Garden; which [...]ath beene deuised and appointed to ioine to the one side of the Garden of pleasure, [...]nd yet separated from it by the intercourse of a great Alley of the breadth of three [...]athomes, hauing either a Well or Conduit from some Fountaine in the middest [...]hereof (if you cannot conueniently haue a particular Well in the middest of euerie Garden) and besides, with an Hedge of Quickset verie thicke,A Quick-set Hedge. in which there may [...]e made three doores, one to the House, another to the place of the Well or Foun [...]aine, and the third opening vpon the Orchards inclosure. This Hedge shall be [...]lanted likewise with Hasell trees, Goose-berrie bushes white and red, Pepper trees, Curran trees, Eglantines, Brambles, Wood-bind, the wild Vines, both the Hollies, [...]lder trees, and Apples of Paradise, Ceruise trees, Medlar trees, and Oliue trees: [...] it must be more thicke, and a greater defence than anie other, to preuent danger [...]f Cattell getting loose, which might a great deale more endammage the good and profit of their Master, than they could anie way pleasure him. Yet in the planting [...]f your Quick-sets, according to the opinion of Serres, you shall haue great confide [...]ation to the nature of the ground on which you plant them: as, which are apt for Quick-sets, which not apt; and which Quick-set is apt for which ground, as thus: [...]our clayne and stiffe clayes which are without anie mixture of sand, are slow in [...]ringing forth Quick-set, yet hauing once taken root, they preserue and maintaine [...]eir Quick-sets longest, and therefore the blacke and white Thorne, mingled with [...]ild Apple trees. Ceruise trees, Medlar trees, Oliue trees, or anie other which carri [...]h bodie and substance. Your mixt Hasell soyles, which are Clay and Sand of an [Page] equall temper, or your fast and close Sands, which doe not diuide or runne to a generall dust, are the kindl [...]est of all other to bring forth Quick-sets, and do preserue and maintaine them for a conuenient time (though not so long as the Clayes) and are verie speedie in bringing forth, therefore anie Quick-set is meet to be planted on such Soyles, whether they be Tr [...]es, Shrubs, or Bushes, as those before spoken of, together with anie thing else that will take root: But your grauellie, flintie, or loose Sands, which fall away, and neuer fasten vnto the root, are the most barren of all other, and seldome, or with great difficultie, bring forth anie good Quick-set at all: yet Industrie (which is the Mother of all profits) hath found out by experience, that the best Quick-set which can grow vpon these Soyles, is the common Bramble or wild Bri [...]r, out to the length of two foot, or thereabouts, and so planted in the earth, and amongst them mingled, three or foure foot asunder, here and there diuers blacke thornes: then when the Brambles begin to shoot forth, to interlace them and twynd th [...] bought-wise about the blacke Thornes, making one bought runne into another, and plashing them both vpward and downe-ward so close one within another, that they may seeme like a Lattice-window; and euer and anon to vphold and maintaine the earth to their roots, till they be well fastened within the ground, and then they wil [...] hold vp the earth afterwards themselues. By this experiment onely hath beene se [...]e, in di [...]ers of these most barren Soyles, as strong, as thicke, and as defensible Quick-sets, as in anie other Soyle whatsoeuer: as is daily apparent to mens eyes both [...] France, England, and the Low Countries.

The situation of the said Gardens must be (as we haue said before) neere vnto the House,The Garden doore. placed vpon the North rather than vpon the South quarter, to the end tha [...] the chiefe Lord and owner of the Farme may out of the windowes of his lodging enioy the pleasure and beautie of his Gardens: in some plaine plot of ground, which is as it were a little hanging, and thereby at the foot thereof receiuing the streame [...] some pleasant running water, either from some Spring, and Fountaine, or from som [...] Well, or else from the falling of the Raine: but farre remoued from the Threshing [...]floore and Barne, to the end that the hearbes may not be hurt by the dust, dyrt, sma [...]straw, or chaffe, which might be conueyed along from the Threshing-floore vnto the Garden by the wind when the Corne is in threshing: for such chaffe hauing take [...] hold vpon the leaues, doth pierce them and fret them through, and being thus pie [...] ced, they burne and parch away presently.The paths in the Garden. Likewise, for the benefit of their [...], it must be iustly liued out and cast into a Square verie equally and vniformally, [...] yet somewhat sloping, for the conueyance of the fall of Raine water, and of the [...] of the dunghill, which continually will be thereby running downeward [...] the allies by meanes of the Raine, and so will mend the idle and vntoiled [...] And by the side of either of those two Gardens, within the wall and inclosure of the House, there shall be kept two other Gardens (if possibly it may be) seuered and s [...] parated by other Hedges, and a great path betwixt them, containing in breadth [...] lesse than three fathomes or eighteene foot, euerie one finely paued with good [...]stones, or burned Tyles, or made with Steeres, or filled with Sand; that is to say, by [...] side of the Kitchen Garden a particular Garden for Hempe, Line, Saffron, [...] and other things of profit and good Husbandrie; and this requireth a proper & [...] kind of ordering: and by the side of the Garden of pleasure, another Gard [...] with Pulse, as Peason, Beanes▪ Fetches, Rice, Panicke, Millet, and such other thing [...] for they serue greatly for the keeping of your familie. Yet you shall vnderstand, [...] albeit I thus particularly appoint you these two seuerall Gardens, the one for [...] and Flax, the other for hast [...]e Pease, Beanes; and such like, being right necessarie [...] your household vse; yet notwithstanding you may sow anie of those seeds abroad, [...] your Fields, or manie other remote Croft or Close well tilled for the purpose, [...] fully as much profit & conueniencie, especially your Hempe and Flax: for you [...] vnderstand, that there be some Soyles so rich and fat, that after you haue [...] Wheat, Barly, and Pease, successiuely yeare after yeare, that then in stead of fallowing and giuing your land rest, you may that yeare sow a full crop of Hempe, whic [...] [Page] [...]estroying the weeds and superfluous growths which spring from the fertilenesse of [...]e Soyles, makes your land apt and readie to receiue either Wheat or Barly againe; [...]nd so you neuer loose anie Crop at all, bue haue euerie yeare something to reape [...]om your ground: whereas, should you let it rest, and bestow mea [...]ure vpon it as [...] case of more barren earth, you would so much ouer-rich it, that it would either [...]ildewe and spoyle your Graine, or else choake and slay it with the aboundance of Weeds which the earth would vtter forth of it owne accord. Againe, if your land [...]e with your neighbours in common amongst the generall Fields▪ here a land, and [...]ere a land, or here two and three, and there two and three, as it is a generall custome [...] diuers places, and that such lands doe butt vpon greene Swarthe, or Grasse- [...]rounds, which are likewise common, and on which both your selfe and your neigh [...]ours must necessarily teather your Cattell; which Cattell if at anie time they breake [...]ose, or by the negligence of their Keepers be stalld too neere the Corne, may doe [...]ou much hurt on your Graine: in this case, and to pre [...]ient this euill, you shall sow [...]e ends of all such lands as butt on the grasse, tenne or twelue foot in length, as your and may conueniently spare, with Hempe, for vpon it no Cattell will bite: so that [...]n either of these cases aforesaid you shall not need much to respect the preseruation [...]f your Hempe or Flax Garden.

The InclosuresThe Inclosure. of the Gardens must be such as the commoditie and necessitie of the place doth require, that is to say, of Walls, if the reuenues of the House will beare it, or of a strong and thicke Quick-set Hedge, if there want either Pit- [...]tone or reuenues to build the wall withall. Notwithstanding, it is least cost (to speake the truth) and more profit to inclose and compasse them in with a Quick-set Hedge than with a Wall: for the Quick-set Hedge doth endure a longer time, and asketh not so great charges neither to trimme it, nor to repaire it, as the Wall doth. Such a one is that which is made of Brambles and Thornes, as white Thorne, or with the plants of Elder tree, or other plants, with tufted flowers mingled and set amongst the Brambles, the same being cut by the taile and made plaine and euen when the time of the yeare serueth, as wee see here in manie places of France. Some there be that compasse and inclose their Gardens with Ditches and Banks, but small to their profit, seeing the moisture of their Gardens, which should serue them, is thereby conueyed away and taken from them: and this holdeth in all other cases, but where the ground is of the nature of Marishes. The common inclosing vsed by Countrey men, is of Thornes, Osiers, and Reedes: but such Hedges doe require almost euerie yeare new repaire, reliefe, and making, in putting new stakes therein; whereas if it had an abiding and liuing root, it would free the Gardeners of a great deale of trouble, cost, and trauell.

The groundGrounds. of the Gardens must bee good, of his owne nature free from Stones, Durt, and hurtfull Hearbes, well broken and dunged a yeare before it be digged to be sowne: and after it hath beene digged and dunged againe, or mar [...]ed, you must let it rest, and drinke in his dung and marle. And as concerning the nature and goodnesse of it, the Clayie, Stiffe, or Sandie ground is nothing worth, but it must be fat in handling, blacke in colour, and which crumbleth easily in the breaking, or stirring of it with your fingers, or which hath his greene Turfes or Clods breaking easily vnder the Pick-axe, and becommeth small with labouring, as the small Sand; and generally, all grounds that are good for Wheat, are good for Gardens. It is requisite also, to the end it may bring forth greene Hearbes in aboundance, that it be a reasonable moist ground: for neyther the ground that is much drie, nor that which is much subiect to water, is good for Gardens. Notwithstanding, if the Grounds belonging vnto the Farme happen not to haue this commoditie of idle and vnimployed ground to make Gardens, you must remedie that soare as well as possibly you may. The Clayie, Stiffe, and Sandie places must bee amended by Dung and Marle, and would bee cast three foot deepe. The Watrie place shall be made better, if there bee mixt with it some Sandie or Grauellie Ground, and therewith cast it round [Page] about with ditches, thereby to draine and draw out the water annoying the Gard [...] ▪. And thus the good Husband shall doe his endeuour to amend and make in so [...] sort his ground more fruitfull. Lee the dung which he layeth vpon it, be either [...] Sheepe, or of Swine, or of Horse, or Pigeons, or Asses, according as the nature of [...] ground shall require; or of Oxe or Cow: for albeit some Gardners thinke it of [...] coole a nature, and not so nourishing vnto tender hearbs as the other which are [...] hot, yet they are greatly mistaken therein: for it melloweth the earth, and enriche [...] it more than anie of the other, and maketh it more apt to sprout and put forth [...] encrease: besides, it doth naturally affect no weeds, if it haue better seed to work [...] vpon: Whence it commeth, that the Garden so manured keepeth his hearbes [...] the cleanest, fullest, and largest. Also Ashes are a verie good meanure for Garden [...] ▪ especially if the ground be apt to chap or breake into great rifts, as diuers Cla [...] grounds are: neither, if the soyle be answerable thereunto, shall you omit Mar [...], Sand, Chalke, Lyme, or such like. And the elder it is, the better also, in as much [...] in time it looseth his filthie stinke, and whatsoeuer other euill qualitie, and getteth [...] new kind of rottennesse, which is more soft and more easie to be conuerted into the substance of the earth, whereby good earth is made better, and the naughtie amended. This is the cause why such as haue written of Husbandrie in Latine, haue called dung L [...]tamen, and Frenchmen Litiere, because it maketh the ground me [...]e, supposed when it is once mingled and incorporated with the same: For dung that [...] pure, and of it selfe, must not be laid vnto the roots of trees, but first (where there [...] need) of the shortest earth, and afterward of dung.

The HedgeHedges. of Quick-set, parting the Kitchin Garden and that other for delight, would be planted and furnished with the Plants before spoken of, in the moneth [...] Nouember, and in the beginning of October, planting there also, at the end of euerie eight feet, some Elmes, wild Plumme trees, and Cherrie trees, by the suppo [...] whereof, as of faithfull props and staies, it will wind and bind it selfe more firmely. This Hedge shall be verie well digged and helped with dung for a foot depth, [...] neere vnto the root some two yeares after, and pruned euerie yeare, to keepe it roun [...] and euen, as also to make it grow thicke: and you must suffer to grow in height and thicknesse such Trees as shall be planted therein, to serue for Stakes and as Poles for your Arbors; and the moe Elmes you can put in this your Hedge, and the rest which shall part your Garden of Huswiferie and Pulse, the better it will be, either for the making of Faggots euerie yeare, and that so they may themselues spread more i [...] thicknesse, as also for Timber-wood for your Ploughes, and other Implements▪ [...] also that they may ouer-grow such Arbors as you shal plant at their feet, and whe [...]with they doe in that place mutually and naturally beare and suffer.

If furthermore you would know the ordering of such great and small Trees [...] whereof the Hedge is to consist, you shall find it in the third and fixt Booke.

CHAP. II.
Of the Arbors of the Kitchin Garden.

EVen as the Garden of Pleasure is to be set about with Arbors, [...] with Iesamin, Maries seale, Muske Roses, Mirtle trees, Bay trees, Wood [...]bind, Vines, Gourds, Cucumbers, Muske Melons, Prympe, sweet [...]rye [...] and other rare things: euen so shall the Kitchin Garden be set with Turrets of Lattice fashion, couered ouer with Burdeaux Vines, or with the best [...] of Vines that are to be got in the Countrey, for to make Veriuice on, for [...] and commoditie of the Household.

The fashion of the ArborThe fashion of an Arbor. shall be in manner of a shadowie place (for Arbors [...] costly to maintaine) to the end you may draw certaine Beds vnderneath, or [...] [Page] [...]oore of hearbes, which craue no great cherishing and refreshing, leauing notwith [...]anding an alley of three foot breadth both on the one side and on the other, for the [...]spatching of such worke as is to be bestowed vpon the Arbor. And you must [...]ant the best and greatest sets of Vines vpon the South side, not cutting them so [...]ng as the wood may grow thicker: for it is nothing but a good foot and a thicke [...]at maketh a faire and a beautifull fruit. The Lattice-worke may not be too thicke [...] or wrought: and it must rise and grow higher for the space of fiue whole yeares, [...] be renewed and new tied euerie yeare about the end of the moneth of Ianuarie [...] the twigges of your Willowes and Osiers, or of the Broome of your Warren: [...]hough if you make your poles of Iuniper wood, you shall not need to trouble [...]ur hand with them for tenne or twelue yeares, especially if you strengthen your [...] with piles of Oake halfe burnt. Also if your poles be of dead wood, and of [...] stocks growing or encreasing, if then you bind them with strong wyre, it shall be [...] of all, for that shall last the longest; and keepe your poles, by their fastnesse of [...]itting,The binding of the Arbor. longer found than anie other binding whatsoeuer. Tie not the poles of your [...]attic [...]-worke strait, nor the stocks against the trees of your hedge which shall serue [...]r stakes, for so in time the band would eat it selfe into the rinde as they should [...]ow thicker, and doe them great harme. And I would not haue you to forget to [...]ung and vncouer the roots of your stocks in Winter, and to marke the young wood [...]r to make sets to sell, or to store your selfe withall euerie day more and more: Ga [...]er not their Grapes verie ripe,The worke of the Arbor and of the Vine is alike. or verie greene, nor yet when it rameth. Finally, [...]e ordering of the Arbor is like the ordering of the Vine, and would be but a su [...]erfluous thing to stand anie longer vpon in this place. Wherefore you must haue [...]ecourse to the place, setting downe the manner of the ordering of the Vine, as it [...]hall be hereafter declared.

CHAP. III.
Of the digging and casting of the Kitchin Garden.

AS concerning the dressing of the Kitchin or Household Garden, in as much as there are two seasons in the yeare for to sow hearbes, so there are two times for to bring into order and dresse Gardens, that is to say, Autumne, and the Sp [...]ing: there must such consideration be had, as that [...]he first workmanship and tilth be bestowed about the beginning of Nouember vpon that ground which we intend to sow in the Spring, and to digge in the moneth of May such other grounds as we intend to sow in Autumne, to the intent that by the cold of Winter, or by the heat of Summer, the clods may be apt to turne to dust, becomming short and brittle, and all vnprofitable weeds may be killed. But in the meane time, before this first tilth and workmanship, it will be good that the ground for one whole or halfe yeare be manured with old manure,All man [...]r of ground, by being long [...], doth grow lea [...]t. and made good and fat; for the best liking earth that is, in time becommeth leane and wasted by long and continuall occupation. Wherefore it behoueth, that the vnimployed, or fallow ground, which you shall appoint for your Gardens, be first well cleansed from stones, and afterward cast vp and digged into new and fresh earth, and the bad weedes rooted out, euen by the end of the rootes; whereof the good huswife shall make good ashes: and afterward amended with some small quantitie of Cow [...] dung and Horse dung well mixt together, and well rotted, and hauing laid a long time; or else of Asses dung, which is the best of all for Gardens, because the Asse doth chew his meat with leisure, and breaketh his meat throughly, and so by that meanes doth make his dung better digested, and better ground than other beasts doe, and which also for that cause doth beget almost no weeds. In stead of dung, the chaffe and troden straw of Corne, hauing rotted in the high waies for the space of a yeare, [Page] may serue, which being by nature verie hot, doth so greatly fat the earth, as that [...] Hearbes, Trees, Citrons, Limons, Oranges, Cucumbers, Citruls, and all other [...] planted in that ground, or sowne, doe come vp verie faire, and beare fruit [...] quickly and in great aboundance. For the second tilth, it shall be wrought and laboured as a man would worke Morrar, from the one end to the other: and in thus labouring it, you shall mix the dung or marle verie well with the earth. For the [...] tilth it shall be clotted, layd close, and raked into a flat forme, and with the [...] of the Rake, in going ouer it, you shall marke out your Beds and Floores, and the Pathes running along betwixt them, and those so long and so broad as you can [...] them, according to the contents and largenesse of the place. And you must [...], that you make your Floores of such widenesse, as that you may stride and [...] your armes from one side to another, according to that their said breadth, to th [...] end, that such as are to weed them, or to rake them, may from out of the said [...] Pathes be able to reach into the middest of the Bed, and not to tread with their [...] vpon that which is or shall be sowne. Wherefore, if your said little Pathes [...] two foot wide, it will be ynough: for to make them anie broader, is but [...] ▪ and losse of ground.

CHAP. IIII.
Of the disposing or appointing of the Floores of the Kitchin Garden.

YOu shall dispose of your Beds in such sort, as that they may be in the middest of your Garden, giuing and allowing vnto your Turneps the largest roome,Little Turneps or Nauest. and next to them the Coleworts: Coleworts. and vnto them you [...] shall ioyne the space for great Turneps of both sorts,Great Turneps of both sorts. and that of [...] much ground as would make two of the former: After these floore [...], you shall make a path of three foot breadth, after which, you shall prepare othe [...] floores by themselues, for Spinach,Spinach. Beeres, Arrach, Rocket, Parsley, and [...] Againe, you shall make another path of other three feet: and on the further side you shall quarter out a Bed for Leekes and Cyues,Leekes and Cyues. and ioyne thereunto two other for OnionsOnions. and Chiboles,Chiboles. and for Garlicke, Scallions, and Carrets.Carrets. By the side of [...] floores you shall make out a path of three feet and a halfe, and after it, you shall mak [...] manie floores for slips to be let vpon, as well for the maintaining of a Plat for [...] flowers, as also for your Borders: and yet further, for your Winter pot-hearbs. And it will be good to this end to prepare a Bed for Sage, and another for Hysope; and for Thyme,Sage and Hysope. [...] another for Mari [...]rome, and another for Lauander, and another for Rosemarie, and another for Sothernwood, and another for small Cypresse: againe, one for Sauorie, for Hysope, Costmarie, Basill, Spike, Balme, Pennyryall, and one of Camomill, for to make Seats and a Labyrinth.A Labyrinth.

It shall be good also for necessitie sake (for it concerneth the good Huswife [...] know manie remedies for diseases, and you must not doubt but that I my selfe [...] learned manie remedies from the experiments and obseruation of those sorts of women) to shape out below, or in the further end of the Kitchin Garden, neere to the inclosed ground for Fruits, certaine B [...]ds for Physick hearbes, as for Valerian, [...], Asparagus, Mugwort, Asarum Bacchar, Housel [...]ke, Patience, Mercurie, P [...] litorie, Nico [...] ana, and other such like, whereof we will make some short [...] hereafter.

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CHAP. V.
Of the situation of the Beds of the Kitchin Garden.

IN such place as the Sunne shineth vpon at noone, you shall prouide your Beds somewhat raised, and well mingled with Earth and Horse dung, and you shall let them rest sometime before they be sowne. In one of which floores you shall sow, in the encrease of the Moone of March, [...] seed of LettuceLettuce seed. and Purcelane (for they will be growne as soone being sowed [...] March as in Aprill) for to set them againe in their floores, when they be sprung [...] halfe a finger. In this same Bed you may put the seed of Pimpernell, Harts horne, [...]rick-madame, and Sorrell of England, and other sorts for Salades, all thicke, and [...]nd ouer head, one among another, to separate and set at large by themselues when [...]ey be growne.To chuse seeds▪ Looke verie well to your seeds, that they be not too old, that they [...] winnowed and cleane, that they be moist and oylie, but not mouldie; and by the [...] of this Bed,Fine hearbs. the breadth of two hands, you shall sow Artichokes. You shall so make a Bed for fine hearbes, which in Winter serue for the Pot, being kept drie, [...]nd for slips for the Garden of flowers, as are Garden Balme, Basil, Costmarie, [...]hyme,Seeds that will hardly grow. Hyssope, Sauorie, Mariero [...]e, and Sage. Againe it will be good to make [...] to sow the seeds and kernels of Citrons, Oranges, Limons, Pomegranats, [...] trees, Bay trees, and Date trees in: and seeing they are hard to grow in this Coun [...]rey, because it yeeldeth no aire either from the Sea, or fit for them, it must be well and [...]duisedly considered, that in planting or sowing of them you set the smaller end vp [...]ard, and that they be not tumbled on the side: and when the Citrons and such like [...]eeds shall be growne vp and sprung, you must transplant and remoue them into [...]ome Caske, or such like thing, that may be remoued hither and thither, to the end to [...]eepe them from verie much heat and excessiue cold, and to couer & vse them dain [...]ly according to the times, and as shall be said hereafter. In another Bed, which shall [...] a verie long one,Cucumbers and Citruls. and toward the Quick-set Hedge and the Arbors, you shall sow Cucumbers, Citruls, long and round Gourds. In a plot long and narrow like the for [...]er (because they must be oft watred, and water powred at their roots) you may sow Melons of diuers sorts.

And for feare of flying Fowle and Birds, cast Thornes verie thicke vpon your [...]eds; and, if they be sowne in the encrease of the Moone in Februarie, for to haue [...]hem the sooner to grow, yea though it be in March, yet spread vpon the Thornes [...]traw, and that such as is bright, and let it be thicke, that so it may the better defend [...]hem from the danger of the Frosts: which if you perceiue to be great, as it falleth [...]ut some yeares, spread ouer them, in stead of straw, old or whole Ma [...]s, and yet in [...]uch manner, as that they may not lye pressing of the earth, thereby to oppresse and [...]eepe downe that which would spring and grow vp. Or for a more perfect suretie, [...]oth to preserue your seeds in growing, and to maintaine such as are growne, how [...]ender soeuer their natures be, from all manner of Frosts, Stormes, or Colds, which [...]ither the Winter of Spring can anie way produce, you shall take halfe-rotten Horse [...]tter, and with it lightly couer all your Hearbes, Seeds, or whatsoeuer else you feare [...]he sharpenesse of the Winter may annoy: for besides that it is a defence and coue [...]ing against the bitternesse of all weathers, it hath also in it a certaine warme quali [...]ie, which nourisheth and strengtheneth the Plants, and makes them more forward [...]han otherwise they would be by diuers weekes: besides, it keepeth your hearbes from running into the ground, and hiding their heads in the Winter season, and [...]s if they were comforted with a continuall spring, keepes them fresh and greene, and fit for your vse at all times. And what you would haue to continue still vpon their first Beds, as the Cucumber, Melon, and other Fruites, make some small separation betwixt them and the other, and water them oft with water [Page] warmed in the Sunne, and drawne a long time before, hauing stood in the [...] or Caske placed neere vnto the Well. Notwithstanding, all hearbes and fruits [...] from out of this Garden are much better by remouing: in doing whereof, they are also not onely more freely bestowed, but become of a better tast and verdure.

CHAP. VI.
Of the time of sowing the Kitchin Garden.

ALl seede which are for the store of the Kitchin Garden, must be Sowne [...] remoued in the encrease of the Moone,The power of the encrease of the Moone. as namely, from the first day [...] the sixt: for those that are sowne in the decrease, they either come [...] slowly, or else they be nothing worth. Besides that, although you sow [...] the encrease of the Moone, it sometime falleth out, that notwithstanding your [...] be fat, full, make a white flower, and be nothing corrupted or hurt, yet some [...] constellation (which the Gardiners doe call the course of the Heauens) doe [...] them that they profit not, nor yet thriue anie thing at all. Although that [...] the Husbandman say, That the Earth, which hath the fauour and benefit of a [...] and mild ayre, and is watered with some running streame, is in all points and r [...] spects free, and not tyed or bound to anie lawes of sowing: but hee cannot [...], that whatsoeuer groweth, whether it be Plant or Seed, hath two ends, that is to [...], the Root, which hath altogether to doe with the Earth, and the Branches, or vppermost part thereof, which hath altogether to doe with the Ayre and the Heauen [...] and that the obseruations drawne from superior bodies, as from the proceeding and disposition of the Moone, doe shew and proue the ouerthwarts and [...] incumbrances wrought against the creatures of the earth, both in their [...] forth of the earth, and drawing to stalke, as also in the gouernment of them a [...] terward.

In moist places,To [...]w seeds in the Spring. and such as are serued with some small currant of water, it is [...] to sow in the Spring: for then the mildnesse and gentlenesse of the yeare followin [...] doth entertaine in verie good sort the growing seeds; and the drinesse of the [...] cannot hurt them, because of the water prest and at hand. But when as the [...] of the place hath no naturall supply of running water, or else such as is verie [...] come by in respect of the bringing thither, there is no other refuge but the [...] of the Winter raine: wherefore in such places it is more sure to sow in A [...] tumne; and yet one may well sow there in the Spring, so that you cast your [...] three foot deepe.

If a man be disposed to sow Seeds in Summer,To sow seeds in Summer. it must be in the encrease of the Moone of Iuly and August; and in Autumne, in the encrease of the Moone of September and October; as also for the Spring, in Februarie and in March. In [...] naturally cold,At what time seed must be sowne is cold and hot places. or which receiue no great heat from the Sunne beames, the sowing [...] the Spring time must be toward the later end thereof; and that in Autumne, must [...] hastened and early performed. On the contrarie, the sowing of Seeds in the Sprin [...] time in a hot place must be early performed: and the Sowing or Seed-time of A [...]tumne must be somewhat deferred. Seeds doe grow the better when they be [...] vpon warme daies, or daies that are neither hot nor cold, than and if they be [...] vpon hot, cold, or drie daies. The Seed that is to be sowne, must not be aboue [...] yeare old:The age of seeds. otherwise, if they be verie old, drie, wrinkled, leane, soft, false or [...] gathered, they will neuer grow nor thriue. Wherefore, by how much the [...] the seeds of Cucumers, Melons, Leekes, and Gourds be, so much the sooner they grow: On the contrarie, by how much the elder the seeds of Parsely, Beets, [...], Cres [...]es, and Coriander be, so much the more hastily doe they put out of the earth▪ supposed alwaies that age hath not corrupted them. Coleworts and [...] [Page] of all sorts, white Succorie, Garlicke, Leekes, and Onions, are sowne in Autumne, and liue all Winter. Coleworts, Rocket, Cresses, Coriander, Cheruill, Nauets, Turneps, Radishes, Parsneps, Carrets, Parsely, Fennell, and other hearbes, whose roots are good in pottage, are sowne in Autumne and in the Spring, notwithstanding they grow better being sowne in Iuly in hot Countries, and in August in Countries indifferent hot, and in September in cold Countries. Lettuce, Sorrell, Purcelane▪ Cucumbers, Gourds, Sauorie, Harts-horne, Trick-madame, Beets, and other tender hearbes, as also Artichokes, are sowne in the Spring: and for the most part also those of March and Aprill grow more early than those of Februarie, according to the diuersitie of the time.

Aboue all, the Seeds which are to be sowne must be well-conditioned, full, heauie, corpulent, grosse, hauing a good colour, yeelding a white flower when they be broken, not dustie: for dust falling from them when they be broken, sheweth, that they are corrupted and nothing worth.

CHAP. VII.
Within what space Seeds are w [...]nt to grow, after they be sowne.

NOtwithstanding that the nature of the Ground, the mildnesse of the Aire, fauourable furtherance of the Heauens, and the age of the Seed, doe cause Seeds to hasten the more, or to be the flower in springing out of the bosome of their mother and nurse the earth, (for as much as that which is sowne in faire weather, and an open aire, in a hot place, and open vpon the Sunne, and of new Seed, doth shew it selfe sooner than that which is sowne in a contrarie time and place) yet euerie Seed hath a certaine time to manifest in selfe in: whereto we must haue due regard, to the end that there may be prefixed times to sow, and looke for the growth of euerie Seed: Spinach, Basill, Nauets, and Rocket, grow within three daies after they be sowne; Lettuce, the fourth day; Cucumbers and Citruls, the fifth; Purcelane a little later; Annise, the fourth; Cresses and Mustard-seed, the fifth; Beets in Summer, on the sixt; and in Winter, on the tenth; Arach, the eight; Coleworts, the tenth; Leekes, the nineteenth, or ofter the twentieth; Coriander about the fiue and twentieth, or else more late, if the Seed be new; Organie and Sauorie, after the thirtieth; Parsely in the fortieth, for the most part, and oftentimes in the fiftieth. It is true, that in this place the age of the Seed, and state of the Aire, when the Gardiner doth sow them, is of great moment: for (as I haue said) the Leeke, Cucumber, and Citrull, grow sooner if the Seed be new: And on the contrarie, Parsely, Spinach, Organie, Sauorie, Coriander, and Cresses, when their Seed is sold: likewise the Seed of Cucumbers, steept in milke, or in warme water, putteth the sooner out of the earth: after the same sort you may make reckoning of Artichokes, and manie other hearbes, as you shall know hereafter in their particular Treatises.

CHAP. VIII.
Of watering, weeding, sweeping, and cutting of Pothearbes.

SO soone as the ground is full of Seeds in all places,Watring. you must be carefull to water it, if by hap the place be drie of his owne nature, that so the Seed may not be hindered of his sprouting by the too much drinesse, or that the hearbe alreadie sprung may not die.What water is good for Seeds. The best water to water the pot-hearbs withall, is raine water, if it fall in the night, or in such a time as that it may [Page] not heat the hearbes, for it washeth and cleanseth them from the dust and [...] that eateth them, especially if the Raine come driuing with a Northerne wind: for want of this, the Riuer or Brooke water is best next, being a little warme: in place of this, Well water drawne in the morning, and put in a barrell, or in some other thing of receit, that so it may take the heat of the Sunne beames, may serue: for cold and salt water is enemie to all sorts of hearbes, although that Theophrastus say, that salt water is more conuenient than anie other to water certaine plants. Beside [...], you shall vnderstand, that for the speedie growing of hearbes, or for comforting them after they are once sprouted and risen aboue the earth, there is nothing [...] the world better, or more comfortable, than Sope [...]uds, after they haue beene [...] in, and are verie well cooled. The dregges of Ale, or lees of Wine, are [...] good to water Rosemarie with, or anie other tender Hearbe, Flower, or Pla [...] whatsoeuer.What time is good to water. The time to water them, is the euening and morning, not the midday for feare that the water, heated by the heat of the Sunne, might burne th [...] at the root.

After that the hearbes haue begun to put forth,Weeding and raking. you must weed the bad from the good, whose nourishment they would consume and ouer-shadow them withall: this must be done with a forked trowell whiles they be verie small, and with the hand (which Gardiners call by the name of making cleane) when the pot-hearbes are growne strong and great. Some doe also weed them thus, as well for the weight of the earth, and heauie falling of the water vpon them, as also because of the [...] of folkes feet, whereby the earth becommeth hard: Wherefore if the [...] be soft, you need not to [...]ake it but verie slightly. And you must know, that weeding is necessarie for Gardens at all times, except in the height of Winter, that is to say, from Nouember till March: in all which time it is not good to weed, because those weeds which doe then grow doe not offend or choake the hearbe [...], but rather keepe them warme and comfort them: whereas, should they be taken away, you would leaue the stemme and roots of your hearbes so naked to all the bitternesse of Winter, that euerie small Rinde or Frost would endanger the vtter killing and destroying of them, as you may find by proofe, if you please not to giue credit to our relation.

Cutting of hearbes is also profitable for them at what time as they be somewha [...] growne,Clipping or cutting of hearbes. thereby to make them to keepe their greenenesse the longer, and to [...] them the more beautifull and tufted, to keepe them from seeding, as also to [...] them somewhat a more pleasant smell than they had in their first stalke. By this meanes Lettuces and Coleworts are made better, and of a more pleasant taste, [...] their first leaues bee pluckt from them. In like manner, Turneps and [...] grow more beautifull, and tufted, if their leaues be cut. But all hearbes must not be cut at all times: for such as haue a hollow stalke, as Onions, and others, if they be cut when it rayneth, the blade or stalke of the Onion is filled full of water, and rotteth. And this is the cause why hearbes of such nature are not [...] be cut but in a faire and drie time: Or if not cut at all, it is better, except it be to keepe them from seeding, or to make the head a little the fairer; which, fresh moulding will better doe, and with lesse labour. As for your Scallions, Chyues, or Leekes, to cut them it is not amisse, because they are hearbes continually to be vsed for the Pot; and in that respect, the oftener cut, so much the better.

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CHAP. IX.
Of setting and remouing of Pothearbes.

TO giue the greater scope and libertie to hearbes, and to make them greater, men vse to remoue them: and this is done either by remouing of them from one bed to another, or from one floore to another, vvhen they haue foure or fiue leaues out of the ground: and this may be done at [...]y time, but specially see that the season be inclining to moistnesse and raine: and [...] must be set in ground that is vvell furnished vvith fat, vvithout any amending of with dung. If the time fall not out rainie, you must vvater them after they be new [...] in good and due time, not staying too long, and from some of them you must cut [...] the ends of their roots, and set them thinne, that so they may be vvet, and haue [...] earth lightened vvhen need requireth, and that thereby they may grow better [...] fairer. And of these hearbes vvhich are thus to be remoued, none is more neces [...]rie than the Lettuce, because being very swift of growth, and naturally apt to mount [...] it be not corrected and stayed by remouing, it will presently runne to seed, and [...] that vertue for which it is principally preserued: Therefore the sooner you re [...]oue your Lettuce (prouided that you haue a shower to doe it in) the better it is, and [...] sooner it will Cabbage and gather in his leaues, growing hard, firme, and thick: Also, if after their remouing you lay some heauie Tyle or Slate stones vpon them, which may a little presse downe their leaues, it will be so much the better, and they will Cabbage so much the sooner: Generally, what hearbes soeuer you would keepe from seed, that you may thereby take the profit of the leafe, and keepe the full strength of the hearbe in the same, you shall, as soone as you perceiue some leaues to [...]e sprung aboue the ground, forthwith remoue them into some other new-digged Beds of good and perfect Mould well broken and manured for the purpose: and in [...]his remouing of your hearbes, you shall obserue to set them rather deeper than [...]hallower than they were before, and to fixe the earth close and fast about them, [...]nd not to forget to water them, as aforesaid, till you see they haue taken fast root, [...]nd begin to shoot vp.

SlipsSlips. for the Garden, of sweet and fragrant hearbes, are gathered at all times, and [...]hey would be of young sprigges of a yeare old, taking part of the old wood; and [...]vrything that, to put it into the earth: or else cleauing it below, and putting in the [...]left an Oat, and round about it some other graines of Oates rather than dung; for [...]earbes that are remoued, doe not require dung at their roots, but rather they haue [...]eed that the lowest parts of their roots should be a little steeped in water, as I will shew herea [...]er.

CHAP. X.
Of gathering and keeping the seeds, roots, and flowers of Pothearb [...]s.

ROotes for the most part are gatheredGathering [...] when the leaues are fallen off: and in like sort are the flowers gathered, as Borage, Buglosse, All-good, and Marigolds, when they are throughly open: notwithstanding, the flowers of Roses and Capers must be gathered, to be kept, while they be [...]: likewise the leaues and whole hearbes are gathered when they are growne to the full: fruits▪ as Melons, Cucumbers, Citruls, and Gourds, when they turne yellow, and are growne to their perfection. If they be purposed to be made serue for seed, [Page] then they must be let alone longer, and afterward kept in conuenient place [...] be time to sow them, and they must be gathered in a bright weather, and in the [...] crease of the Moone. Seeds are gathered when the hearbe is all layd and drie. [...] it must generally be obserued in all manner of gathering,The time to gather Seeds. as well of hearbes, [...] roots, as of fruits and seeds, that it be done in a faire and cleare weather, and in the [...] crase of the Moone.

Such hearbes as are to be kept,The way to keepe hearbes. must first be made verie cleane, and dried [...] shadow, which is the best meanes to keepe them the strongest in their vertues [...] qualities: or else in the Sunne, and after to put them vp in bagges of Leather, vvollen stuffe, nor in vvoodden boxes, that so they may not loose their [...] see it put in practise by sine hearbes which are kept to be vsed in Winter. [...] me thinkes that the Apothecaries faile much in their doings, which hang their ph [...]sicke hearbes in the roofe of their house, for by this meanes they doe not onely [...] their force, but become laden with dust, cobwebs, the dung of flies, and a thousand [...]ther filthie things.

Flowers must not be dried in the Sunne,The way to keepe flowers. not in the shadow that is made by [...] South-Sunne, nor yet in any high roome, because of their tendernesse and [...], which would cause their force to vanish away, either in the burning heat of [...] Sunne,To keepe Prouence Roses. or in the more moderne heat of the verie ayre. If it be not the Prouen [...]e [...] which (that it may be kept long) requireth to be dried in an high place, open to [...] South-Sunne, where the beames of the Sunne doe enter, but touch not the [...] The best way to drie flowers will be in a temperate place, and to turne them [...] the end that they may not corrupt, hauing also this continuall care, that they [...] neither loose their colour nor their smell. And when they are dried, they must [...] put into an earthen vessell.

Seeds must be kept in bagges or vessells of earth which haue narrow mouthe [...] or in boxes,To keepe seeds. or else in bottles of the rindes of gou [...]ds well stopt and set in [...] drie places, and where there is no water shed; for seeds doe mightily spoyle [...] moisture. The seeds of Chibols, Onions, and Leekes, as also of Poppie, are kept [...] their rindes or heads.

For to keepe Roots,To keepe roots. you must obserue two waies: for either they are to be [...] new, and as they are yet greene, as Nauets, Turneps, Carets, and such like; or [...] they are to be kept drie: For to keepe them new, you must lay them vpon sand [...] grauell verie thin, in some place vnder the earth, and a little couered, or else to [...] them vnder the earth in the garden, as we see it done in Turneps and Nauets, to [...] them the greatest part of Winter. To keepe roots drie after they be gathered, [...] must wash them diligently with cleare water, and after take from them all the [...] [...]ibres or hairie threeds that hang about them, and then to drie them either in [...] shadow of the Sunne-rising, if they be but small and thin, as are the roots of [...] Succorie, Parsley, Sperage, and such like: or in the South-Sunne, if they be [...] and thicke, at those of Daffodils, Gentian, Sowbread, Water-lilly, Brionie, and such like. After that they are dried and thus prepared, you must hang them in some [...] and vpper roome, open vpon the Sun when it is in the South, or else vpon the [...] quarter; and in which notwithstanding neither the smoake, nor dust, nor [...] beames may any thing hurt them, notwithstanding that the counsell of [...] the prince of Physitians, is, that hearbes, flowers, and roots, as well greene as [...], should not be put to keepe in any place where the wind should come, but rather [...] vp in vessells or some other such like meanes of keeping of them, to the end that they should not loose their force, which indeed they might most easily loose, being [...] open and subiect to the wind.

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CHAP. XI.
P [...]t-hearbes, and particularly of Coleworts.

FIrst of all we are to speake of Coleworts, both because they are most common, and also most aboundant of all other sorts of hearbs: all kinds of Coleworts doe loue a cleane ground, fat, and well tilled, not consisting of clay or sand. And although they grow indifferently in any ayre, but [...]pecially in a temperate, yet they become greater and more massie, sound and safe [...] vermine in cold places, as are those in Germanie, than in hot places, and for [...] cause they delight a great deale more in the tops of hills than in plaine grounds; [...] yet in those plaine grounds more in the raised parts of borders than in the flat [...] middle parts thereof, and they be more pleasant, more wholesome for the [...], and better in Autumne, Spring-time, and during great frosts, than they be in [...]ommer. They craue much dung, and that especially which is of Asses, as being the [...] of all for other men: and to be raked in & couered ouer with good earth: not to [...] watered in any case; notwithstanding that water doth make them looke faire and [...]ourishing, but then not so sweet to the tast, nor so wholesome for the stomach. When they haue got sixe leaues vpon their stalkes, you must remoue them, but let it [...] in a mild and calme time whether Winter or Sommer. And to speake particu [...]arly the common Coleworts,Common Coleworts. called long or greene Coleworts, must be sowen in [...] August or September, if you desire to haue the leaues in Lent and in Winter. Some plant them in October, and remoue them in December, to haue the leaues in Winter, and the seed in Iune and Iulie, and that to make them the more tuffed, [...]hough there may be as much accomplished that way at other times of the yeare; [...]ut not so commodiously.

And looke well to it,The seed too old. that your seed be not too old, for if it be three yeares old, it will bring forth Radishes. And that is the cause why some say, Sow Coleworts, and [...]here will grow vp Radishes or Nauets:Prouerbe. notwithstanding it continueth sixe yeares [...] his nature, if it be well kept.

Cabage-colewort,Cabage-cole. which are called white or apple Coleworts, are sowen vpon [...], and remoued to stand a foot one from another, well couered at the root with a [...] and enriched earth, when they begin to rise vp into a great stemme; and loue [...]e cold ayre, for in a hot aire they cannot liue: and you must couer them with straw [...] make them cabage the better,The curled cole. and become the whiter. The curled and Romane Coleworts being more tender by nature, are sowen in March, and are planted farre [...]ithin the yeare, and couet to be oft watered.

When you see the leaues of Coleworts waxe bleake and pale, or yellow, it is a [...]igne that it needeth water: and you must oftentimes take from them their yellow [...]aues, as also those which are eaten thorough, or rotten, or dried; for this would make them die.

If you would haue Coleworts of a good tastColeworts of a good tast. and pleasant, take away their first [...]eaues; for those which come after will haue a better tast, and more pleasant sauour than the first.

Red ColewortsRed Coleworts. grow naturally of the aboundance of dung, or for that they are watered with the Lees of Wine: or by being planted in a place where they are hea [...]ed continually with the heat and burning of the Sunne.

Doe not at any time gather, or at the least vse the tops and edges of the curled Romane Colewort, neither yet of any other, but the rest of the leafe downe toward the stalke.

All sorts of Coleworts may be planted at any times;The planting of Coleworts. prouided it be not too hot or too cold: and when you plant them, breake their root, for feare it be not doubled againe [Page] or turned vpside-downe in the earth, and that you put it not so farre in, as [...] there be nothing of the top left aboue.

Some men vse to water ColewortsThe watering of Cole [...]ts. with Salt-water to make them the more [...]: and some doe cast and sow Salt-peter amongst them vpon the vpper face of the earth: or else small ashes sifted to keepe them from Locusts, Palmar-vvo [...]mes, [...],The [...] betwixt [...] the vine, and the Colewort. and other vermine. Aboue all things the Colewort may not be [...] neere vnto the V [...]ne, nor the Vine neere vnto the Colewort: for there is such [...] betwixt these two plants, that being both of them planted in one ground, [...] they become to some growth, they turne and grow one from another, [...] will they prosper and beare fruit so well. And admit it to be true which is [...] namely, that if a man doe mingle vvine, be it neuer so little, in the pot where Coleworts are boyling▪ that then the Coleworts will leaue boyling by and by, and [...] boyle any more,Coleworts doe keepe one from be [...]ng [...]. but loose their colour. Likewise such as are disposed to drink [...] wine and not to be drunke with it, must eat some raw Coleworts aforehand, as [...] Alma [...]gnes are wont to doe, when they meane to quaffe you off a whole pot [...], and to ouercome [...]uch as with whom they striue in drinking. The [...] also may not be planted neere vnto Organy,Coleworts enem [...]e vnto Organic and Rue. Rue, and Sow-bread: for being [...] sowen neere vnto these hearbes, it thriueth not at all, and againe it infecteth his neighbours with some of his ill qualities.

The carefull Gardener must neuer abide to haue in his Garden so much as [...] rotten cole,Rotten Coleworts. not yet water his hearbes with the water wherein Coleworts haue [...] steept or boyled: for both the one and the other doth cause his neighbour hearbs [...] haue an ill tast and sauour.

A good huswife will haue Coleworts in her garden at all times,The vertues of Coleworts. for the reliefe [...] her familie: for besides food, she may comfort her people with them in the time [...] sicknesse: As thus, the first decoction especially of red Coleworts, with Butter of Oyle, without Salt, doth loosen the bellie, ripen the cough, and maketh the voice be [...]ter: and if vnto this broath you put some Sugar, it will be singular for such as ar [...] short winded: the juice also of Coleworts is good for these diseases, if you put Suga [...] to it: the seed of Coleworts in broath or in powder, is good against the Wo [...]men [...] li [...]le children: Coleworts boyled in two or three waters doe stay the laske: Coleworts boyled and sprinkled with Long-pepper and eaten with the broth, [...] great store of milke in nurses: the juice of Coleworts drunke, doth expell and kill [...] poyson of Toad-stooles: the pith of the Colewort boyled with fat and [...] honie, is singular for such as are short breathed to vse in manner of a lotion. To [...] the Colewort is good for all things, whereof the Romans when time was, [...] such account, as that hauing expelled all other physicke out of Rom [...] for the space [...] an hundred and fiftie yeares, they vsed no other physicke but Coleworts in all manner of diseases. The Lee made with the ashes of Coleworts is good to wash the head. The breasts fomented with the decoction of Coleworts increaseth the milke of n [...] ses. The ashes of Coleworts mixt with the white of an egge doth heale burning [...] Cataplasines made of boyled Coleworts and mingled with the lees of vinegar, [...] yolkes of raw egges and a little cleere vinegar of Roses, all well beaten and [...] together, is a singular medicine presently to take away the paines comming [...] rheume.

There is nothing better to make cleane a pot all ouergrowne with [...] (wherein [...]lesh hath been accustomed to be boyled and water to be heated, [...] as [...] pot, brasse pot, or such like, and which cannot by any other meanes be [...] scoured) than to boyle Coleworts in it.

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CHAP. XII.
Of Lettuce.

SOw your Lettuce as thicke as the Colewort, in a moist ground, well dunged, [...]at, light, and easie to turne ouer: it must be specially in March, for it cannot well endure much heat, or much cold. Notwithstanding if you will sow it in September, yea at all times make choyce of sun [...]e [...] warme places, and such as are well stored of dung well rotted, notwithstanding [...] it will wax hard with Winter, and may continue some time being planted again▪ [...] must be watered once in euerie two or three daies, if the weather be not dropping [...] moist. And in the sowing of it, you must water it, for feare that the heat of the [...] should cast out the seed: it putteth forth of the earth the fiftieth day after it is [...]. Being growne aboue the bed, the height of foure or fiue leaues, you must [...] it with your hand (but neuer with any rake) and set it againe in a fat ground, and [...]ood distance one from another, and couer the roots and shankes with cows, goats, [...] sheepes dung, for so they will be of a better tast, and water them at the foot, but it [...] not be when it is either verie hot or verie cold.

Some doe nourish foure sorts of Lettuces here vvith vs in France,The curled and cabbaged Lettuce. not differing [...] from another in vertue, but in tast somewhat more or lesse pleasant, that is to say, [...] curled; the headed; cabbaged or vvhite; the common; and the little and small [...]:The Romane Lettuce. Men vse not to plant the small or common lettuce, but the great one, which [...] be curled, and that which will cabbage, otherwise called the Romane Lettuce, [...]hich hath a vvhite seed, and a greater than the other, and is of a sweeter relish, espe [...]ally if his first stalke be cut away, which it putteth forth after it hath beene planted [...] second time, for the first stalke hauing in it verie much milke, doth easily become [...] by the heat of the Sunne.White Lettuce. If you desire that it should haue great leaues, when as [...] beginneth to put forth a stalke, cut off the same in the halfe, then put vpon it a clod [...] earth, or some small tyle. If you couet to haue it faire and vvhite, bind together the [...] of it two daies before you take it from the first bed, and set it in another place, [...] sprinkle it ouer with sand.

The cabbaged LettuceCabbaged lettuce. being leaued and curled, and not growing higher than a [...] for the most part, is made by being troden downe. After that it is planted [...] second time, put vnto the root some cowes dung that is verie new, afterward tread [...] downe againe▪ and vvater it, and vvhen it beginneth to gather strength and grow, [...] the branch vvhich it putteth forth, and couer it with a new earthen pot in such [...], as that the top thereof by it may be beaten and kept downe; and by this meanes [...] vvill become tufted, cabbaged and vvhite: or else if you vvould haue beautifull [...] faire lettuces, two daies before you take them vp by the roots, you must tie toge [...]er the tops of them, and then couer them with ea [...]th vp to the very [...]aid tops so tied: [...] so they will become white and faire.White and fair [...] Lettuc [...]. In like manner, sand cast vpon them ma [...]th them to become white. If you feare that it will not grow hard ynough, by rea [...] of some fault in the place, or in the time, or seed, take it vp and set it in some [...] place.

To cause Lettuces to haue a sweet smell more than ordinarie,To cause Lettuce to small well. sow them with the [...] of Citrons, or else steepe the seeds in Damaske, or other sweet water, three [...] daies together.

To mingle Lettuce with other Salad hearbes,Salad hearb [...] mixt together. as Rocket, Sorrell, and such like, and [...] in such sort, as that they may all grow vp together from one and the same root, [...] all your sorts of Seeds into a Sheepes trottle, made good and hollow for the [...]; afterward set it verie deepe, as namely about the depth of eighteene ynches in [...] ground, and water it oft, and by little and little, and haue great care and regard [...] it when it putteth forth of the earth. Others do crumble & breake three or foure [Page] [...]ottles of a Goat or Sheepe, and put their seeds in the middest thereof, and then [...] them with a linnen cloth fast bound in manner of a knot, and doe plant them [...] were in the vppermost part of the earth, verie diligently regarding and looking [...] them when they come vp. Some plucke away the leaues of the Lettuse, which [...] next vnto the roots, and in stead of the leaues so pluckt away, they put one [...] seed of rocket, cresses, or sorrell, and other such like, by which meanes there grow [...] and diuers sorts of branches.

The Lettuce is not without good physicke helpes,The vertues of the Lettuce. for it cooleth the [...] the bellie, causeth aboundance of good bloud. The juice thereof mixt [...] Roses, as [...]wageth the paine of the head, and causeth the sick [...] of agues [...] rubbed vpon the brows and temples: it serueth for a Gargarisme with [...] of Pomegranats, for the Inflammation of the throat: being rubbed vpon [...] it staieth the night pollutions or Gonorrhaea, especially if thereunto be added [...] Camphire: the seed thereof beaten with the seed of white Poppie in forme of [...] or extract doth effect the same, and also cureth the scalding and burning of the [...] the seed thereof steept in water, wherein hath beene quenched steele, with [...] quantitie of Iourie powdred is verie soueraigne against the white flowres of [...] The leaues of Lettuce boyled and moystned in broth, or salades of them in like [...] after supper, doth prouoke sleepe: the seed thereof powdred, and mixt [...] milke of a woman that hath brought forth a daughter, and the white of an [...] to make frontale for the verie same purpose. The decoction of the [...] boyled in Barley water and drunke, causeth great quantitie of milke in [...] if afterwards the dugges be well rubbed with the hand: such as haue a short [...] spit bloud, or haue weake lungs, as also such as desire to haue children, must [...] Lettuces.

CHAP. XIII.
Of Endiue, Sowthistle, and Succorie.

ENdiue [...]ndiue. hauing narrow leaues (otherwise called Scariole, or [...] wild Lettuce, and of the Latines Intybus or Seris) is more [...] Physicke than any other wayes, and is not planted in Garden [...], [...] it is alwaies bitter, notwithstanding that it be of the sorts of [...] rather of Succorie. It is true, that in often planting and transplanting of it, and [...] mouing it from one place to another, and by binding and couering it with [...] ring the Winter time, the nature thereof may be changed and become tender [...] white, and without any great paines to the Gardiner may be kept all [...] thing our Gardiners haue practised, seeing by experience that wild [...] commeth faire and flourishing after it hath beene ouerflowen with water, and [...] with sand or earth.

Sowthistle, [...] called in Latine Sonchus, or Ci [...]erbita, was of old time in [...] salades, but now there is no such account made thereof, saue onely that it is vsed [...] to teed Conies and Hares: in like sort it is not planted in gardens, because it [...] plentifully amongst the vines: notwithstanding the Italians doe vse the [...] it in Salades in Winter, finding them sweet and of a pleasant tast: his stalke is [...] milke, sometimes drawing neere vnto a yellow: this milke taken in drinke, is [...] for them which haue a short breath, and are stopt in their lungs: [...] paines of the eares, if you drop certaine drops thereof into them, especially if [...] cause it to boyle with some Oyle in the ri [...]d of a Pomegranat: it healeth [...] the strangurie and paines in making water, if it be drunke to the quantitie of [...] The leaues of Sowthistle chewed, doe take away the stinking of the mouth.

SuccorieSuccori [...]. is of the nature of Endiue, hauing large leaues, and without [...] [Page] and good handling doth alwaies continue bitter. It loueth a moist place, and [...] laboured ground. When it hath put forth foure leaues, you must translate it to [...]ell dunged soyle. And to the end it may haue faire, large, and well-spread leaues, [...] it beginneth once to come to any growth, in the middest of his leaues you must [...] some prettie little tyle; for by this meanes it will spread forth his leaues, and [...] haue them a great deale thicker standing and tufted. By this good husbanding [...] his bitternesse, and then there is vse to be had of it in sallades in Winter, [...] it is called white Succorie; and to this end it is wont to be planted againe in the [...] of August: after that in the beginning of September, to the end that the leaues [...] may be the greater, it must be taken vp without the breaking of any thing, [...] with a smal blade of a straw haue the leaues tied together very easily and gently, [...] wringing or brusing of them: afterward it must be layed in a well [...] soyle, the leaues downeward into the ground, and the root vpward toward the [...] of the earth, and aboue it there must be made something to couer it in manner of [...], vnder vvhich there must straw be cast to keepe it from frost and bad winds: [...] like is done with Endiue, and it is found white when it is pulled vp againe; and [...] verie delicate in eating. Some for the same end, vvhen Succorie hath put forth [...] leaues, tye them all together with a verie small threed, and after couer them with [...] of earth, to the end that it may continually draw by his root nourishment out [...] the earth, and by this meanes it becommeth white and tender, and looseth a great [...] of his bitternesse.

Euerie man knoweth that the decoction of Succorie drunke in manner of an [...],The vertues of Succorie. is good for them which haue the jaundise or heat of the liuer. The juice of [...] drunke euerie second day fasting,Spitting of bl [...]ud. stayeth the spitting of bloud. Succorie [...] and put vnder the lest dugge doth heale the heart-ache. Some say that the [...] of vvild Succorie often drunke, maketh the visages and countenances of [...] more cleare and pleasant.

CHAP. XIIII.
Of Artichokes.

THe Artichoke plant is a diuers thing from End [...]ue and Succorie: for [...] for Artichokes to plant them in Autumn [...], which is about the moneth of October, they are so fruitfull and forward to thriue, as that you need not to take any more but the great leaues with their branches, of [...] as bring forth the fairest and greatest fruit, and in like manner of the thicke [...] in the middest, seruing for no manner of vse after that the heads of them be [...]: and to plant them againe. Also some haue otherwise vsed to cast downe [...] said stalkes, and burie them a foot deepe in good manured ground, the leaues at [...] top bound at the end with a little straw, and the stalke layed downe and well [...], and they keepe them thus, watering them now and then, if the time be not [...] ynough of it selfe, for to make shootes and young sets of in Winter, or at other [...]: and some there be that pricke the heads in a well manured earth, and being [...] planted, doe couer them in Winter with the chaffe or dust of Line or Hempe [...] keepe them from the frost, and that in the yeare following they may bring forth [...] fruit.

Moreouer, the ArtichokeTo sow Artich [...]kes vpon beds. is sowen in the increase of the Moone of March, [...] beds well dunged and fatted, but you must not looke to haue any whole and [...] fruit of them, vntill the next yeare after. And, if you would haue the seed to [...], make little small pits vpon your bed a good foot one from another, and halfe [...] foot deepe, and as much broad, and these fill with old dung that is verie small, and [...]lacke earth that is verie fine, mixt together, and aboue the same plac [...] prick or thrust [Page] in the seed of your Artichoke two inches within the earth, the small end [...] and putting fiue or sixe seeds in one pit together, and making many pits neere [...] in a round compasse, that so they may make a faire knot and plant, and [...] you may couer it againe easily without much stamping or treading for it. And [...] soone as the Artichoke hath leaues bigge ynough, it must be watered; and [...] continued in such places as are verie drie, that so it may bring forth a [...] and great fruit. Aboue all things care must be had that the small end be not [...] contrarie put downeward, for then it would bring forth writhen, weake, small, [...] hard Artichokes. You must also make choice of the fairest and greatest [...]eed [...] may be found, and that the small pits be made a good fathome the one from the [...], that so one plant may not hinder another. It is true, that it is better to [...] slips and branches than the seed, because there commeth fruit the sooner of the [...] than of the other, and because that in so planting of them, you may be occupied [...] well imployed euerie moneth, and so reape your fruit in diuers seasons of the [...] according as the earth is fat or leane, hot or cold, moist or drie, or as the [...] hardly agreeing with and vnfit for this plant. And in anie case plant of those [...] beare the fairest fruit, according as there are diuers sorts, in respect of their [...], length, roundnesse, diuers colours, and tast, some also being prickly, and [...] without pricks.Choice of Ar [...]ichokes. For of Artichokes there be diuers kinds; as the round and the [...] the red and the greene: the round, which is greene, is a good Artichoke, so [...] red, although it be long, yet the soale is but thinne, neither is the leafe verie [...], onely it is exceeding pleasant in tast: the greene, which is long, is of [...] sorts the worst, for it neither beareth good soale nor good leafe, but is a loose [...] leaued Artichoke, euer wallowish and vnpleasant: but the round large [...] whose tops of leaues are red, being hard, firme, and as it were all of one piece, is of [...] other the best Artichoke, hath the deepest soale, the thickest leafe, and is the [...] to grow in anie soyle whatsoeuer: And therefore I would with euerie man, as [...] as he can, to make choice of these before anie other kind.

If you would that the Artichoke should grow without prickes, you must [...] against a stone, and breake the end of the seed which is sharpe: or else put the [...] after the manner of a graft in the [...]oot of a Lettuce which hath no rinde, and [...] small pieces, in such sort as that euerie piece may be grafted with a seed, and so [...]. You shall haue Artichokes of good tast,Artichokes of a good smell. if you let the seed steepe three [...] before you plant it, in the iuice of Roses or Lillies, or oyle of Bay, or of [...] or some other sweet and fragrant iuice, and then afterward drie it, [...]nd so plant [...] it: Although, that as concerning the former oyles, there be some which are of a [...] opinion, and doe thinke that the oyle doth spoyle the seed. You shall [...] Artichoke of the smell of the Bay tree,Artichokes smelling like Baye [...]. if you clea [...]e or make a hole in a Bay [...] and putting therein the seed of an Artichoke, doe set it so. Artichokes will be [...] in tast,Sweet Artichokes. if before you set the seed, you steepe them in milke; which must be [...] and changed twice or thrice before that it sowre; or in honey: and then [...] drie and set them.

Two sorts of beasts doe annoy the roots of Artichokes, Mice and Mo [...]les. [...] dung of Swine, or the ashes of the Fig-tree spread about the roots of the [...] doe chase away Mice: and the like will fall out, if you wrap their roots abo [...] [...] wooll. Some, to driue away Rats that destroy the roots of Artichokes vnder the [...] pricke downe, halfe a foot deepe in the earth, certaine stickes of Elder tree, [...] some foure ynches from the other; the smell of which Elder is so odious [...] beasts, that they haue no desire to come neere it, either vnder or aboue the [...] so long as it is greene: and therefore when these first stickes shall be drie, you [...] renew them. Othersome put Thornes that are verie sharpe and pricking, or [...] of Chesnuts vnder the earth, round about the plants of the Artichokes, [...] one neere vnto another, to the end, that the Rats, comming neere vnto the [...] may presently be driuen backe againe. Others cause Beanes to be boyled [...] poysoned water, and doe put them in the holes of this wicked cattell: for they [...] [Page] [...] sent thereof, they run thither presently. As concerning Moules, we will speake of [...] manner of killing them hereafter.

The root of Artichoke sodden in Wine and drunke,The vertues of the Artichoke. is soueraigne against the dif [...]cultie of making water, for the stinking and strong smell of the arme-pits, and of [...] vrine also, for the hot and scalding fretting of ones vrine, whether it come of the [...], or of some other cause, and so also for the dropsie: the pulpe boyled in flesh [...], and eaten with Salt, Pepper, and Galanga made in powder, helpeth the weak [...]sse of the generatiue parts. The Italians eat them in the morning raw with bread [...] salt, whiles they be yet young and tender.

CHAP. XV.
Of Sorrell and Burnet.

SOrrel and Burnet notwithstanding that they grow vntild in great aboundance, yet they may be sowen in fine ground, and well manured in the Spring time, especially the Sorrell: for as for Burnet, it groweth likewise, and as well in drie grounds, nothing tilled or stirred: both of them [...] planted in gardens, must from the beginning be well watered: and he that de [...]reth to gather the seed, must take them vp and plant them againe, suffering them to [...]row to their perfection, and then to drie and wither. They feare not cold or frost, [...]either yet aboundance of water: but they looke (especially the Sorrell) that they [...] become the fairer, to be cut three or foure times a yeare.

All the sorts of Sorrell,The vertues of Sorrell. as well those of the field as those of the garden, haue this [...]ertue, that being boyled with flesh how old and hard soeuer it be, yet they make it [...]nder and loose the bodie.

The leaues of Sorrell rosted in hot ashes, haue a singular force to resolue or to cause [...] Apostumate the swellings of the eyes: or as some Surgeons vse, if you take the [...] of Sorrell, and lap them vp close in a Burre-docke leafe, then lay it in the hot [...], and rost it as you would rost a Warde, then open it and applie it as hot [...] the patient is able to endure it to any impostumation or byle whatsoeuer about [...] part of a mans bodie, it will not onely in short space ripen and breake it, but also [...]raw and heale it verie sufficiently: it is also, being boyled in Posset-ale, a verie [...]od cooler of the bloud, and a great comferter against inflamations which come by [...]urning Feauers. A Cataplasme made of the leaues of Sorrell, with twice as much [...] Swines-grease, all beaten and mingled together▪ and afterward put in the leafe of [...] Colewort vnder the hot ashes, is soueraigne against cold Apostumes. The seed of [...]orrel powdred and drunke with water or wine,The bloudie flux. doth asswage the paine of the blou [...]ie flux. Sorrell steept in vinegar and eaten in the morning fasting, is a preseruatiue [...]gainst the plague,The plague▪ as also the Syrope or Iuleb made with the juice thereof. The [...]aues of Sorrell well stamped, and applied vnto the wrest, doth tame the fiercenesse [...] the ague.

Burnet of the garden being an herbe that some vse to put in their salades,The vertues of Burnet. whereof [...] haue here spoken, and which is also the same which the Latinists call Sanguisor [...], taken in drinke is good to restraine the monethly termes of women, and all other [...] of the belly, but especially such as are of bloud: it is good also to dry vp wounds [...]nd vl [...]ers if it be applied vnto them in forme of a Cataplasme. Some doe much [...]teeme it in the Plague time: and some say, that the often vse of Burnet, especially [...] juice thereof, is a verie soueraigne preseruatiue against dangerous diseases, be [...]use it hath a propertie verie much strengthening the Liuer, the Heart, and the Spi [...]ts. The leaues of Burnet put into the wine, make it more pleasant, more strong, and [...]omewhat Aromaticall, and of the taste of Millions: they are verie good to be put [Page] in sallades made with Oyle, Salt, and Vinegar, according as we see them vsed [...] day.

CHAP. XVI.
Of Harts-horne, Trickmadame, and Pearcestone.

AS for Harts-horneHarts-horne. and Trickmadame they haue no need of any [...] or planting:To cause harts-horne to thriue. for both of them will come in any ground that [...] would haue them, whether it be husbanded or not. True it is, that if [...] would haue Harts-horne flourish and faire liking, you must cut it oft, [...] it along vpon some roller, or cause it to go vpon foot by it selfe: for it delighteth to [...] so intreated, and vtterly refusing to grow otherwise than against the ground. [...] madame doth nothing feare the cold, and doth grow principally vpon the old [...] of vines, in a stonie and grauelly earth. These are put in Summer-sallades, [...] neither of the [...] haue either tast or smell fit for the same.The vertues of harts-horne. The Harts-horne is good [...] stay the flux of the bellie.

Trickmadame stamped with Lettuce,The vertues of Trickmadame. and applied vnto the pulses, doth delay [...] heat of an ague. The distilled water thereof being often times drunken, doth [...] roughly heale burning and tertian agues.

Pearcestone is sowen in a drie and sandie soile,Pearce [...]one or Sampier. and craueth to be much [...] euen from the beginning: he that desireth the seed, must let the hearbe grow to [...] perfection, and afterward to drie the seed as corne is dried.

It may be preserued in salt and vinegar after the manner of purcelane,The preseruing of Sampier. and then [...] soueraigne for the difficultie of vrine, for the jaundise,Iaundise. and to breake the stone,Stone. to pro [...]uoke vvomens termes, and to stirre vp ones appetite, if it be vsed in the beginning [...] meat. For want of such as is pickled in vinegar, you may make the decoction of [...] leaues, roots, and seeds in Wine, for to vse in the same disease.

CHAP. XVII.
Of Marigolds.

MArigoldsMarigolds. haue not need of any great ordering, for they grow in [...] fields, and in any ground that a man will, neither doe they [...] to [...] sowen euerie yeare: for being once sowen, they afterward grow of the [...] selues, and beare flowers in the Calends of euery moneth of the yere, [...] in Sommer as in Winter, for which cause the Italians call them the flower of all [...] moneths: To be short, the place where they haue once beene sowen can hardly [...] of them.Tu [...]ied and wel thriuing Marigolds. If they be neuer to little husbanded, and cut many times, they will beare [...] faire [...]lowers and verie great but yet euer more in Autumne than in the Spring.

The juice of the flowers of Marigolds drunke fasting,The vertues of Marigolds. haue great force to [...] the termes of vvomen: the fume or smoake of them taken through a [...] into the secret parts doth the like, and causeth the after-birth to come forth, and [...] young maides out of the Greene-sicknesse. The conserue of the same [...] haue the same vertue. The women of Italie as well to prouoke the [...], as to [...] them, doe frie the juice and tender crops of this hearbe with the yolkes of [...] and doe eat them. The verie same juice mingled with a little Wine or warme [...], is a soueraigne remedie to asswage the extreame paines of the head and teeth, [...] one vse [...]t in manner of a lotion. This juice drunke to the quantitie of an ounce, [...] the weight of a French-crowne of the powder of Earth-wormes rightly prepared [Page] [...] helpe greatly against the jaundise. Some say that to eat oft of Marigold leaues [...] make a good countenance: the distilled vvater of Marigold leaues being dropt [...] his eyes, or linnen clothes wet therein and applied vnto them, doth heale the [...] of the eyes. The powder of the leaues thereof dried, and put in the hollow [...] the tooth doth cure the aking of the same. The juice of the flowers of Marigolds [...] to the quantitie of two ounces in the beginning of a pestilentiall ague, doth [...] the plague, so that the sicke after he hath drunke this juice, doe presently lye [...], and be made sweat, being throughly couered in his bed: it doth cure also the [...]ndise, and beating of the heart. The conserue of the flowers of Marigolds doth [...] like. To drinke halfe an houre before the comming of the fit of a quartaine agu [...] [...]out three ounces of vvhite vvine, vvherein haue beene sleept seuen seeds of Mari [...]ds, and to go ouer this drinke for diuers mornings together, is a soueraigne medi [...] against a quartaine ague.

CHAP. XVIII.
Of Beets and Blites, white and red.

BEets,Beets. as well the vvhite as the blacke and red, vvhich is called B [...]tte and lotte of the inhabitants of Tourraine, or Romane of the Picardes, are [...] not onely in Le [...]t, but at all times, especially after December vntill March, and in August, to the end that there may alwaies be in a rea [...]nesse both old and young, and for to gather feed which may endure good thr [...] [...]ares. And for this cause you must take them vp and plant them againe, when they [...] put forth fiue leaues, and put vnto the roots a little new dung, and afterward [...] and raise their earth, and free them quite from vveeds: they are apt and easie [...]ough to grow,A spe [...]iall [...] of the [...]. and though they be cut, yet they will spring againe if they be plan [...]d in a fat and well manured ground. They haue this speciall and as it were admi [...]ble qualitie in them, namely, that they neuer come to their full perfection, vntil the [...] yeare after they be sowen: in respect whereof, I could aduise the gardiner not [...] gather any seeds of the beets to sow, but such as the beet shall bring forth the third [...] for of such seed there grow verie faire and goodly beets.

If you would make choyce of faire beets, chuse rather the white than either the [...]lacke or red, as being the fairest and tenderest: but to haue such as shall be verie [...]reat and vvhite, you must couer the root with the new dung of Oxen, and cleaue in [...]nder their sprout, as is done with Leekes, and to lay vpon them a large and broad [...]one or a bricke. If you would haue your beets red,Red beets. water them with the Lees of [...] Wine: or else plant them in such a place, as wherein they may haue great heat [...] the Sunne.

Beets [...]aten in pottage doe loose the bellie:The vertues of the beets. the juice of beets drawne vp into the [...]ose, doth purge the braine: the same juice [...]ubbed vpon the head, causeth Lice and [...] to die. The roots of beets roasted in the ashes and eaten, do take away the ill [...] that commeth of eating Garleeke.For [...]o make [...] quickly. The root of beets stamped and cast in wine, [...]oth turne the same within three houres after into vinegar.

Blites are sowne in March, and are not long in comming out of the earth. If they [...] sowen in a well tilled ground, they will also grow the next yeare following with [...]ut any new sowing, in such manner as that the ground will hardly be rid of them [...] craue no weeding or sweeping.

Blites doe loose the bellie:The [...] of [...]. their decoction wherein hath boyled the roots and [...]aues, killeth lic [...] and nits: their leaues roasted amongst ashes or boyled, doe heal [...] [...]rnings: the first boyling of Blites with the gall of an Oxe, and the Oyle of [...]. [...]oth take away all spots out of garments without doing any harme: [...] presently [...] you must wash the place with warme water.

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CHAP. XIX.
Of Arrach and Spinage.

THe hearbe Arrach (in Latine called Atriplex) aswell the white and [...] as the greene, doe naturally grow in grounds manured with [...] and in such place as where there hath beets growne at other time. [...] become red in the same sort that beets doe in a fat and well [...] ground. But they are sowne in Februarie, March, and Aprill: and they would [...] sowne thin and not thicke, and oftentimes watered. Some sow them in [...] to gather them in Winter. They will not be remoued, but rather wed, [...] dunged with good dung, often cut and pruned, and that with an yron toole, [...] they may not spend themselues in turning all their substance into leaues. But [...] after the time that the seed is scattered vpon the earth, it must presently be [...] with earth, and they must be sowne as cleare as may be, that so they may [...] and come faire and goodly ones. In lesse than fi [...]teene daies they be readie to [...] The Italians vse to make a kind of Tart of Arraches: They chop small the [...] and stampe them with cheese, fresh butter, and the yolkes of Egges: afterward [...] put them in paste, and bake them in the ouen.

SpinageSpinage. (so called because his seed is prickly) is of two sorts, the male and [...]: the female beareth no seed. Both of them are [...]owen in August, Septem [...] and October, for to be vsed in Lent time, and in December, Ianuarie, and [...], for Sommer: they beare out the roughnesse of all seasons verie well and [...], whether it be frost, cold, or snow: they grow also in any ground, so that [...] well dressed and somewhat moist; they require (to the end they may prosper [...] and spring quickly) to be watered euery euening, and to be couered either [...] or stubble: they stand not in need to be wed, but if they be cut oft they grow the [...]. And he that would haue them to continue long and flourish, must at [...] cut off the one halfe of the stalke, and at another time, the other halfe. Likewise [...] that would haue them to continue sometime without being sowne euerie year, [...] at the first when he soweth them, see that the seed be a good, full, and well fed [...] for then for some yeares following, they will grow without being sowne againe, [...] though the seed of the second yeare will be somewhat weake: for to keepe [...] the f [...]ost, you must couer them with Walnut-tree-leaues, and that before [...] or [...]ogges doe fall in any manner of sort.

The inhabitants of Paris know well ynough how profitable Spinage is [...] make meat o [...] it Lent,The virtues of Spinage. which vse to make diuers sorts of dishes thereof for their [...]; as sometimes they [...]rie them with butter in pots of earth: sometimes they [...] them at a small fire with butter in pot of earth: sometimes they make [...] of them, as also diuers other fashions: especially they make a most excellent [...] sallade thereof, by taking the greene leaues thereof, and boyling it in [...]aire [...] i [...] be soft as pap, then take it from the fire and straine it, and vvith the backes of [...] chopping-kniues, chop it so small as possibly you can, then put it into a verie [...] sweet pipkin or skelle [...], with a good quantitie of sweet butter▪ and currants verie [...] vv [...]sht, and so bo [...]le it ouer againe a good space, then with vinegar and sugar, [...] i [...] according to the tast vvhich pleaseth you best, and so serue it vp vpon [...] hard egges, or otherwise as you please, for it is of all sallads the best. The vse of [...] is good for them vvhich haue some impediment in breathing or speaking, [...] vvhich are much troubled vvith the cough, especially if such a one in the morning [...] the broth of Spinage boyled vvith fresh butter, or oyle of sweet Almonds, [...] loosen the bellie: their juice is good against the stinging of Scorpions and [...] whether you drinke it, or [...] it to outwardly.

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CHAP. XX.
Of Borage and Buglosse.

BOrage and Buglosse being hearbes much differing in leaues and flowers, are alike notwithstanding in their roots, seeds, and vertues, seruing to put in the pottage whiles their leaues are tender, and the flowers are vsed in Salades. They are sowne in August or September for Winter vse, and [...] Ap [...]ll for Summer: they may be remoued at anie time: And as for the seed, it [...] be gathered halfe ripe, that so it may not leape out of his coat. And of this [...] and Buglosse you shall sow but a verie small quantitie: for it is [...]o apt and [...] of growth, the seed so soone ripe, and so apt to shed, that albeit your vigilance [...] verie great, yet you shall find it will in short space soone spread and ouer-runne [...] ground: neither, where it is once sowne, can it, but with great difficultie, euer [...] be rooted out.

Buglosse,The vertue of Buglosse. but especially the flower, doth minister pleasantnesse vnto men that vse [...] times, because it cheareth vp the heart, purgeth the bloud, and comforteth the [...] spirits. The broth wherein Buglosse shall haue beene boyled, doth loose the [...]. The root that beareth three stalkes, stamped with the seed and boyled in [...], doth serue to be taken against tertian Agues. The wine wherein the leaues of [...] shall haue beene steept, taketh away all sadnesse. The iuice of Buglosse, [...], and Parsley, mixt with Wine, or oyle of sweet Almonds, is a soueraigne [...] to cause the after-birth of women to fall away. The iuice of Borage and [...] drunken, is a preseruatiue against poyson, if a man haue drunke it; as also [...] the biting of venimous beasts. Buglosse hauing three leaues, being stamped [...] his seed and root, and drunke, doth helpe to put away the shakings of a [...] Ague: and that which hath foure, against the shi [...]ering colds of quartaines. [...] water distilled is singular against the do [...]ages happening in Feauers, as also [...] the inflamation of the eyes.

CHAP. XXI.
Of Leekes both great and small.

LEekes, [...]. as well those that are long headed, as those that are round, doe not require so rich and fat a ground as the hearbes going before, and they may be sowne at all times, if it were not for the gathering of the seed: for which cause they must be sowne in December, Ianuarie, and [...], and there it will be ripe after March and mid August, and that if from the [...] that they are sowne, you goe and tread vpon the Beds, and water them not but [...] daies after.

They are wont to be remoued when they grow of seed, and that either into [...], euerie one being set foure ynches from another, and then there is nothing [...] from them but the ends and tops of the leaues, or into a hole made with a sticke, [...] then the roots must be made cleane and cropped off, as also manie of the leaues, [...] sand with the earth: or you shall plant them to make them great, if you [...] a bricke vpon the head of them after you haue planted them. This must be in [...]prill, May, or all Iune, to haue for Summer vse; and in August, September, and [...]ctober, for the Winter vse: in anie case you must weed, water, and dung them [...] times, especially the round headed ones. Furthermore, to make them verie [...]icke, put the seed of a Cucumber and of Nauets in a Reed, or in Boxe boared [Page] through, and graft this reed into the head of the Leeke, when you plant it the second time: or else if you will haue great and grosse Leekes, you must put so much of their seed as you can hold in three fingers in an old Linnen Cloth that is foule, and put it into the earth, couering it with dung, and watering it by and by: for all this little heape of Seed, thus put together, will make one great and thicke Leeke.

Ner [...] vsed euerie morning the leaues of Leekes with oyle,The vertues of L [...]kes. to haue a good voice [...] although that Leekes be noysome to the stomacke, as being verie windie, except they be boyled in a second water. If you eat Cummin before you eat Leekes, your breath will not smell afterward of Leekes. The leaues of Leekes boiled and applyed vnto the swol [...]e Hemorrhoids, doth verie much good both against the swelling and paine of them. The leaues of Leekes stamped with Honey, and applyed informe of a Cataplasme vnto the stingings of Spiders,Poyson. or vpon the biting of venimou [...] Beasts, [...] at the [...]. are soueraigne remedies for the same. The iuice of Leekes mixt with vineger and rubbed vpon the browes, stayeth bleeding at the nose.Difficultie [...] of making water. The seed of Leekes stamped and drunke with white or sweet Wine, doth heale the difficultie of making Water. The iuice of Leekes drunke with white Wine,For [...] in [...]-birth. helpeth to bring Women a bed which trauell in child-birth. The seed of Leekes stampt with Myrrhe and the iuice of Plantaine,Spitting of bloud. it good to stay the spitting of bloud, and bleeding at the nose. The seed of Leekes cast in a vessell of Wine, doth keepe the Wine from sowring: and if it should be sowre alreadie, it reneweth it, and returneth it to his former goodnesse. The iuice of Leekes, or Leekes themselues boyled in oyle, take away the paine and wormes in the eares. Leekes roasted vnder embers, and eaten, is singular good against the poyson of To [...]d-stooles, and to preserue from drunkennesse, or else to dri [...]e [...] away, being alreadie possessed. If you boyle Leekes with Earth-wormes in Oyle vnto the consumption of the third part, and afterward straine out this Oyle, it will be singular good for the vlcers and noise in the eares.

Small LeekesSmall Leeks. must be sowne in the Spring, at such time as other hearbs are sowne [...] they make a faire shew because of their thinne and little leaues, and because also they keepe greene all the yeare long: they may seeme to be the same with Chibols and Cyues, which are wont to be vsed in Salads to helpe to temper the coolenesse of other hearbes vsed in Salads, because the Chibols and Cyues haue no head, but onely a long stalke like vnto Leekes.

CHAP. XXII.
Of Purcelane.

PVrcelane loueth to be sowne in Februarie, March, Aprill, May, and Iune, but not at anie other time, for it cannot abide the cold. It commeth in great aboundance vpon Beds mixt well with old dung, or in a ground that is verie fat of it selfe, especially if it be sowne amongst Colewo [...], Onions, and Leekes: and after it hath once taken with the ground, it will not faile anie yeare afterward, though you take no paines with the sowing of it: notwithstanding it craueth to be oft watered, that it rise not vpright like the stocke of a tree. It must be placed in the shadowes of trees, and amongst clods full of hearbes, but not thicke, for then it could not well spread it selfe abroad.

Purcelane eaten doth cure the roughnesse and astonishment of the teeth, [...]. stayeth spitting of bloud, and quencheth the heat of the reines, notwithstanding that this hearbe is hard to digest, and nourisheth but a little: being applyed vnto the browes, is appeaseth the head-ach, and being layd vpon the nauell, it killeth the wormes [...] children. [...]. The decoction of the leaues thereof, or the seed, or the water distilled, is [...] soueraigne remedie against the Bloudie flux and the Wormes in children. A lea [...]e [Page] of Purcelane put vpon the tongue,D [...]ought. assuageth thirst. A Cataplasme made of Purcelane and Barly m [...]ale, applyed vnto the liuer and [...]lanke, worketh a maruellous effect against burning Agues.Burning agues. A Liniment made with Honey, and the powder of the root of Purcelane dried, healeth the chaps of the lips and hands.Chaps in the lips.

This Purcelane is an excellent Salad,To preser [...] Purcelane. and by a cooling operation which it hath keepeth the bloud in a most excellent temper. You preserue it all the yeare, by boyling it first in faire water, then drayning the water from it, spread it vpon a faire table, and cast good store of salt amongst it: then when it is throughly cold, pot it vp in cleane sweet pots of Earth, and poure vpon it either a good strong Brine, or Vineger and Salt mixt together, till the Purcelane be cleane couered: or if you feare the ouer-saltnesse of it, then you need but onely make a well-tasted pickle, such as you put to Oliues, and with it couer the Purcelane, then close the pot vp close till you haue cause to vse it: And if at anie time you find the pickle or brine to [...] away from the hearbes, and leaue them drie, you must immediately renew it, and couer it all ouer againe, for it is apt to putrifie, and nothing bringeth it more sooner thereunto than the want of moisture: Therefore you must haue care euer once in three of foure dayes to open your pots, and to mend what you shall find amisse in them: and if you find anie ho [...]rinesse cleauing vnto the pots sides, you must cleanse that away also.

CHAP. XXIII.
Of Onions, Chibols, and Chy [...]es.

FOr the most part, Onions (so called of the French, because they haue but onely one white root, like to a pearle; which the Latines call Vnio whether they be white, red, or round, would be sowne in Ianuarie, Februarie, and March, in a fat ground, well dunged, blacke, well turned, as also well cleansed from stones, and enriched: or else in a red earth, which is short and murlie; for in it they grow excellently. They would be remoued in Aprill all along, well weeded, and often laboured, to cause them to grow great and thicke: and they must be kept from cold and freezing winds. In them we must obserue a nature contrarie vnto that of other Hearbes and Plants, being of great [...] force and vertue in the encrease of the Moone than in the decrease, quite conrarie to that of Onions, which in the wane of the Moone is more effectuall, and in the growth of the Moone more drie and weake. Such as are intended to be kept for seed, when they begin to put forth their stalke, and to rise aloft, must haue small s [...]ickes or poles to set by them and keepe them vpright, that the wind doe not bow or breake them downe. They must be gathered in the old of the Moone, in faire and drie weather, when the leaues begin to drie, and the seed to grow blacke, [...] then you must pull vp the whole stalkes, and drie them in the Sunne: And it is said, that if they be sowne and planted when the Moone is vnder the earth, they tast the stronger, but are smaller and lesse: Furthermore, they must be ordered as Leekes. But i [...] must be obserued, that they loue and delight in a red earth, and to be sowne in faire weather, in the decrease of the Moone, to be taken vp againe, and by and by watered: and for to make them grow great, they must haue their top taken away when they are planted, and their heads vncouered, and their earth must be digged twentie daies before they be remoued againe, that so it may drie, and not haue anie moisture in it. And to keepe Onions from rotting,To keepe [...] from r [...]tting. you must cast them into warme water, and drie them in the Sunne, and after that they are drie, to lay them vpon Barly straw, so as they may not touch one another. Who so would make choice of Onions,To make cho [...]ce of [...]. must know, that the round and white ones are a great deale better than [Page] those of a rus [...]etish or reddish colour, and not to be so hot and sharpe as the other. The best in France are those which grow at Fertlonion, a small village neere vn [...] Estamps, for it hath his name vpon that occasion.

The Onion,The vertues of [...]. though it be the Countrey mans meat, is better to vse than to [...] for he that eateth euerie day tender Onions, with Honey, to his breakfast, shall liue the more healthfull, so that they be not too new: for the drie are more healthfull [...] the greene; the boyled, than the raws; the preserued, than the drie: wherefore the drie must be chosen to vse in Salads, fried Meats, Gallymawfries, baked Meats, Sawces, Beane pottage, and other vses.

The iuice of Onions causeth haire to grow againe, cleanseth filthie [...]ares, and such as runne with mattar; taketh away white spots, as well out of the face, as from the rest of the bodie: It cureth the DropsieDropsie. with the iuice of Fennell, if it be but beginning: it purgeth the braine through the nosthrils: mingled with Hennes grease it dryeth vp the Kibes:Kibed heeles. applyed with a linnen cloth vnto burnings, it easeth and take [...] [...] the paine: being mixt with strong vineger, it stayeth bleeding at the nose, if it be dropt and put into the nose with a feather.

An Onion rosted vpon hot coales, and eaten with Sugar, Oyle, and a little Vineger, doth cure the Cough, and is good for them that are stopped or stuffed in their Lungs, and such as are short breathed. Take away the heart of an Onions, [...] it with Cummin seed powdred, stop the hole, and rost the Onion thus prepared [...] der hot ashes, when it is rosted, strayne it out, this iuice is singular good for the noyses and deafenesse of the eares, being dropped into them. The thicke ri [...]de of the Onion burned or rosted vnder hot ashes, assuageth old Head-ach and Megrams, if you put in little morsell, moistened or besprinkled with Oyle of Roses and Bayes, within the eare of that side of the head that aketh.

An Onion stamped with fresh Butter, easeth the paines of the Hemorrhoids: stamped with Honey and Salt,The biting of a [...]ad dogge. it is a soueraigne remedie for the biting of a mad dogge, and other such like beasts: mingled with Hennes grease, it taketh away the red and blew spots of the face:Red spots. boyled in Wine, or in Water, and afterward stamped and fried in common Oyle, and applyed in forme of a Cataplasme vnto the Nauell, it assuageth the throwes of Women newly brought in bed: rosted vpon hot coales, and mixed with Leauen and Oyle of Lillies, it ripeneth Impos [...]umes. Take away the heart of the Onion, fill the hollow place with Tracle or Mithridate, dissolued and beat with the iuice of Citrons, stoppe vp the hole againe with the Cap or vpper Crust which you cut of [...], rost all together vnder the hot ashes, and that so long, as vntill all be well incorporated and drencht in, afterward strayne the Onion so rosted, and giue that which shall be strayned to drinke to him that is infected with the Plague, and cause him by and by to lye downe, and to be well couered, to the end that he may sweat. This Medicine hath not his match against the Plague, prouided that the sweat breake forth by and by.

As for Chibols and Chyues, they come more neere vnto the nature of Onions (as by the smell one may well perceiue) than vnto the nature of Leekes, which they nothing resemble, saue onely in the blade or stalke, and in that they haue no head. They must be sowne in the Spring, as other hearbes, in the same ground with the Onion: They are verie pleasant in Salads, to temper the coldnesse of other cold hearbes.

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CHAP. XXIIII.
Of Garlicke.

GArlickeGarlicke. (as is well knowne vnto the inhabitants of Gascoine, Aquitaine, Limosin, and those about Burdeaux) would be planted at the same time that Onions are, and in the new of the Moone, that so they may be great: and it must not be set in whole heads, but in those little [...]loues and parts which may be diuided and taken off from the head. They shall be set all along vpon beds diuided by ridges, like vnto ridged grounds of the Countrey of Beaux, to the end that the water may not destroy them in Winter: For this hearbe desireth a drie ground, and but a little moist, verie white, and not much dunged, or verie fat. When they shall haue put forth three leaues, you must weed them as oft as you can, for so they will become fairer, and their seed will be the greater. Who so is desirous to haue it great headed, must take away the tops of it, or else tread it downe with his feet before it put forth his stalke: for by this meanes the iuice will returne into the head. It groweth likewise of Seed, but more slowly, for it hath no better a head for the first yeare than a Leeke, the second yeare it beginneth to be better headed and more like it selfe, but is not perfect and absolute vntill the third yeare. If you sow it in the wane of the Moone, and take them vp in like manner when the Moone is vnder the earth,Sweet Garli [...]. you shall haue Garlicke that will not smell so strong: but contrariwise, if you sow in the new or growth of the Moone. Likewise it will haue a sweet sauour, if when you sow it you set in the middest thereof the kernels of Oliues: as likewise, if in planting it you set by the side thereof a Cloue, ioyned verie close thereunto, it will retaine the smell and taste thereof. In like manner it will be of a better taste, if you steepe it in good sweet Wine a day before that you sow it: And if you steepe it in Milke two dayes before you sowe it, it will become both greater and better.

The fit and conuenient time to gather and take it vp,How to keepe Garlick [...]. is in the wane of the Moone, and in drie and faire weather, when the stalke will no longer stand vpright. It is kept well vpon straw lying bare, or hung vp in the smoake of the chimney, or being steept a little in salt water. And to keepe it long, you must let it ripe well, and when it is gathered, to lay it in the Sunne, that it may drie throughly, and afterward to lay it vp in a place that is not moist, and whereas notwithstanding the Sunne commeth not, for so it would continue but a while. It is true, that if you meane to sow and set it afterward, that then you must not hang it vp in the smoak [...], nor steepe it in salt water, for such kind of keeping doth make it barren and not fit to grow anie more.

Garlicke eaten,The [...] of Garlicke. bringeth a verie vnpleasant smell vnto the mouth: and for the taking away of the same, you must eat a raw Beane by and by after, or the ribbe of a Beet rosted in ashes, or some Smallage or greene Parsley: or which is better, if you loue Garlicke,The [...] of Garlicke. and hate the stinking breath that it yeeldeth, then vse vineger wherein it hath beene steeped: or else cause the Dishes and Vessels whereon your meat is to be serued, to be rubbed therewith: for by this [...] you shall haue the taste thereof in your mouth, and yet your breath shall not smell anie thing ill.

Garlicke eaten fasting, is the Countrey mans Treacle in the time of the Plague,The Plague. and other dangerous diseases, as also against all manner of Venime and Poyson. It is true that it causeth thirst and heat throughout the bodie, and head-ach when it is of [...] vsed: but all these inconueniences will be easily corrected, if you eate some Smallage or Parsley presently after. Verie manie men, but especially the people [Page] of Aquitaine, in the beginning of the Spring time, namely, the first day of May, doe eat euerie morning Garlicke with fresh butter: by this meanes they hope to continue sound and strong all the yeare.

Garlicke applyed in forme of a Cataplasme vnto the stingings of Serpen [...]s,The [...] of a mad Dogg [...]. or biting of a mad Dogge, is a soueraigne medicine against the same. A Linimen [...] made of Garlicke, Salt, and Vineger, killeth NitsNits. and Lice.Li [...]e.

The decoction of Garlicke not bruised, giuen in Clysters, or applyed vnto th [...] bellie in manner of a fomentation, assuageth the paine of the Colicke,Colicke. and expelleth wind.

Against an old Cough,Cough. comming of a cold cause, it is verie good to rub the soles of the feet, the backe bone, and wrists of the hands with an Oyntment o [...] Liniment made of three Garlicke heads, well powned and beaten in Swin [...] Seame.

Against the paine of the Teeth, [...]-ach. comming of a cold cause, there is nothing be [...] ter than to hold in the mouth Vineger, or the decoction of Garlicke, or to apply vnto the aking tooth three cloues of Garlicke stamped in Vineger. For the killing of WormesWormes. in children, it is good to giue them to eat Garlicke, with fresh Butter, or else to make a Cataplasme thereof, to lay vpon the Stomacke. They which can scarce or hardly make their Water,Difficultie of [...]. or are subiect vnto the Stone, receiue great comfort by eating of Garlicke. To keepe BirdsBirds. from h [...] ting of young Fruit, you must hang at the boughes of those Trees some quantitie of Garlicke.

CHAP. XXV.
Of Scalio [...]s.

SCalions [...]. are like vnto Garlicke in tast and smell, but in stalke and fashion the leaues resemble Onions, saue onely that out of their head there grow manie hulles or huskes, which bring forth manie round little leaues. They thriue and grow better when they be set than when they be sowne: for when they be sowne, there is no great hope of their comming to any fairenesse before the second yeare. They may be planted from the first day of Nouember vnto the moneth of Februarie, to haue the fruit thereof the next Spring: and they are planted as Garlicke: But in the meane time you must gather [...] before the March Violets doe flower: for if one vse them not before that they be flowred, they will fall away, and become but sillie ones. They are knowne to be ripe, if their leaues begin to drie away below. For to cause them to haue [...] and thicke heads, you must put brickes round about their rootes, as hath beene said of Leekes.

As concerning the vse of Scalions,The vertues of [...]. there is no great helpe or profit to be hoped for, or expected, except of such as are giuen more to their pleasure than to their health: for the Scalion serueth for no other thing but to prouoke and stirre folke [...] the act of carnall copulation, and to haue a good appetite. They haue the same ve [...] [...]wes that Garlicke, saue onely that they be somewhat troublesome to the [...], because of their more sharpe and subtle tast.

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CHAP. XXVI.
Of Parsley.

PArsleyParsley. craueth no great labour, but loueth a stonie and sandie ground, for which cause it is called Parsley: againe, it craueth not anie store of manure; wherefore it will be good to sow it vnder Arbors. It desireth aboue all things to be well watred: and if it so fall out, as that it be sowne or planted neere vnto anie Fountaine or Riuer, it groweth verie faire, and in great quantitie. And if anie be desirous that it should haue large leaues, hee must put into a faire Linnen Cloth so much seed as he can hold in his three fingers, and so cast it amongst the stones in the ground: or else he must put in a Goats trottle a quantitie of Parsley seed, and so set or sow it. And he that will haue it curled, must bruise the seed with a pestle of Willow, to the end that the huske may breake and fall off, and afterward wrap it in a Linnen Cloth, and so put it in the ground. Otherwise, without thus much to doe, it may be made to curle howsoeuer it be sowne, if you draw a Rowler vpon it so soone as it beginneth to grow. It is a good time to sow it from mid May vntill the Sunne be risen to his highest point in the Heauens, for it somewhat craueth the heat. The seed thereof that is but a yeare old, is nothing worth: for looke how much elder the seed is, by so much it is the better, and endureth a long time vnsowne: in such sort, as that it will not be needfull to sow or plant it of fiue yeares; although, when it is sowne, it groweth not vnder the space of threescore daies. Notwithstanding, to cause it to grow, and put more speedily out of the earth, it behoueth that the seed be steeped in vineger some certaine time, and after sowne in a well toyled ground, and filled or mixed with one halfe of the ashes of Beane stalkes: and after it is sowne, it must be oft watered, and sleightly, with a little Aqua vitae: and by and by after the watering, to lay aloft it a piece of Cloth, that the heat thereof may not be spent, and breath away, and by this meanes it will grow vp within a few houres: and then you must take off the Cloth couering it, and water it oft, and by this meanes it will haue both a high stalke and great leaues.

A Cataplasme made of the leaues of Parsley,The vertues of Parsley. with the crummes of White bread, doth heale a Tettar or Ringworme, doth resolue the swellings of the Breasts, and maketh Women that are brought in bed to loose their Milke.Deliuerie of women in their trauell. The iuice of Parsley, drawne [...]ut with vineger, and mixt with a little salt, helpeth Women that are in trauell to be deliuered. The often vse of Parsley taketh away the stinking of the breath, especially from such as haue drunke much Wine,A stinking breath. or eaten Garlicke: And therefore such as vse to keepe companie much, and haue an ill breath, must not goe vnprouided of good store of fresh Parsley to chew or hold in their mouthes. The decoction of the roots or leaues of Parsley,To make water. helpeth downe Womens termes, [...] Vrine, casteth out Grauell contained in the Vrinarie vessels, taketh away the paine of the ColickeThe Colicke. and of the Reines, applyed in manner of a fomentation vpon the pained parts:Paine of the reines. It serueth also for the obstructions of the Liuer; but better for such as are flegmaticke, than for the cholericke, or those that are of sanguine complexion. The leaues of Parsley cast vpon the water of Fish-ponds, doe recreate and reioyce the sicke and diseased Fish.

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CHAP. XXVII.
Of Rocket and Tarragon.

ROcketRocket. being an hearbe verie vsuall in Salads, and good to temper the coldnesse of Lettuces, may be sowne as well in Winter as in Summe [...] for it feareth not cold, nor other iniurie of the ayre; neither doth it [...] quire anie great labour: it loueth notwithstanding to be [...] and [...] in a grauellie ground. Rocket must not be eaten by it selfe, by reason of the great heat that it maketh in them that eat it;The force of Rocket. and for that cause it hath commonly for his companion in Salads the leaues of Lettuce, seeing that the one of these doth notably temper the other. It is good notwithstanding to prouoke vrine, applyed in forme of a Cataplasme vpon the share bone: And some say, that three leaues of Rocket gathered with the left hand, and bruised in honied water, and taken in drinke, [...] and hardnesse of the spleene. are soueraigne against the Iaundise, and hardnesse of the Spleene: Also Rocket being boyled and mixed with Sugar, doth take away the Cough in little children.

TarragonTarragon. is made of Linseed prickt in manie places of the head of a red Onion, the strongest and sharpest that may be found, and put into well manured earth: And after it hath shot vp the height of a foot, or somewhat more, you must take the slippes or branches and set them againe in the same earth, and water them often.

Tarragon hath the same force and vertue that Rocket hath, and is not to be eaten alone, but with Lettuces and such like hearbes.

CHAP. XXVIII.
Of Smallage, Cheruile, Costmarie, and Auens.

SMallageSmallage. must be sowne in a well toiled ground, and neere some wall: for i [...] loueth the shadow, and groweth well in all manner of ground. And after that it is once sowne, if it be not all pulled vp by the roots, but that there be but one stalke left from yeare to yeare to seed, it will continue for euer: and it hath not anie great need of being weeded. The good time to sow it, is from the end of Februarie vnto the first day of September. It hath the like vertue that Parsley hath, not to eat, but for Physicke. It is good also for all blew stroake [...], and bloud that is setled by reason of anie kind of blow. The oyle thereof is likewise good for manie diseases, and especially for the rawnesse that commeth in the throat, if the place that is sore be oft annointed therewith. It is true, that Smallage stirreth vp the Falling sicknessee, if we may beleeue Pl [...]nie; although that Galen, in the curing of the Falling sickness, doe prescribe the roots of Smallage and Parsley. I haue tried by experience oftentimes, that the leaues of Smallage, chewed raw, doe prouoke the termes of women.

Cheruile,Cheruile. called in Latine Cerefolium, loueth to be sowne in a ground that is well manured, and in the time of Februarie, March, and Aprill, and sometimes in August and September, for to haue it in Winter: and it would be often watered. Cheruile doth shirre vp the stomacke,The vertues of Cher [...]ile. and is verie good to prouoke vrine, and purge the bloud.

Costmarie and AuensCostmarie and [...]. are verie pleasant hearbes to giue a sauour like Spice in Pottage and Salads: They would be sowne in May and Aprill, and remoued in Nouember. Both of them haue the taste of Pepper and Cloues, and therefore [Page] cannot but be good to comfort the stomacke. Some, to prouoke appetite, make a greene sawce of Sorrell for to eat with meat. Physicions doe greatly esteeme of the decoction of Costmarie against the Swimming disease, Astonishments, falling Sicknesse, obstructions of the Lungs, Dropsies, and Iaundise; as also for the Colicke, Stone, difficultie to make Water, staying of the Termes, for quicke deliuerie in Child-birth, and to bring downe the after-birth.

CHAP. XXIX.
Of Asparagus.

THe hearbe Asparagus doth grow bigge in a fat and spongie ground that is free from stones, well dressed, plaine, and smooth, demanding no helpe of watering, except a little in [...]. Some sow them in the Spring at the new of the Moone: but it is better to set the rootes, which spread and encrease better and sooner than the seeds: whether they be sowne of seedes, or set of rootes, it must be done in furrowes three ynches deepe, and a fathome ouer on euerie side, standing one from another a good long foot: put into euerie furrow two or three seeds, euerie one off from another some nine ynches, about fortie daies after the seeds doe gather together, and ioyne one with another, becomming one: after you haue set them thus low, you must cast vpon them the third part of the earth that you haue taken out of the furrowes, which must be [...]ifted, before you put it there, with an yron Sieue, that so the Sunne may pierce the deeper, and draw the Asparagus vnto it: after this, you must weed them oft, and helpe them in October with some well rotted manure of Horse, Sheepe, or Birds, or, which is better, with the filth and ordure of Sinkes and Priuies, and the dust which falleth out of Wooll when it is beaten: and againe, vpon this the [...]eeds and drosse of the Vine-presse and Grapes. You must renew their ground oftentimes in Februarie, and cast new dung vpon it: you must doe the like also the second yeare in Februar [...] or March, and likewise euerie yeare in October. It is true that they must be remoued the second or third yeare, and neuer to cut them vntill the third yeare, and then in the moneth of May. In stead of remouing them, it were better to vncouer their roots, and to take away those that are supers [...]uons, for to set in some other place, and then to purge them of withered and rotten or corrupted branches, (in as much as Asparagus would neuer be remoued out of their place, except it be when they grow too thicke together:) For doing so two or three yeares one after another, it will fall out, that all the intangled and folded one within another will be taken away; and then you may prune and trimme those which you leaue standing, which you must couer from foot to foot, or from root to root, with well seasoned manure, being rotted and mixed with as much sifted mould, sifting moreouer the same which was aboue before, and putting it into his old place from whence it was taken, and in such manner as it was found there. Howsoeuer it be, the yeare after they be planted there may well be taken from them some one of their stalkes, and the other let stand to seed. The stalke so taken away, must be cut away, not pluckt away,The way to haue good [...]ore of Asparag [...]. for feare of doing hurt to the root. For to haue Asparagus to grow faire and aboundantly, you must couer the earth of the trenches with beasts hornes; or else sow in the furrowes where you shall set them, the powder of the hornes of Weathers, or wild Rammes, or some others, and afterward you shall water them. And this is the cause that maketh them grow naturally in the Medowes.Asparag [...] may grow of a Sheepes horne. Others there are which say (though it be a wonderfull thing) that there must nothing be done to the hornes, but onely bored through, and to hide them in good ground, and that of them will breed and grow Asparagus. And to cause Asparagus to sprout and bring foorth often, you must rake and weed and digge about them often, [Page] opening their roots, after that you haue gathered the fruit, and straw vpon th [...] the powder of beasts hornes: for the plant being thus handled, will beare his [...] otherwise.

Asparagus is a delicate fruit, [...]. and wholesome for euerie bodie, and especially when it is thicke, tender, sweet, and not verie much boyled: it giueth a good stomac [...]e vnto the sicke, if it be vsed before meat: it prouoketh vrine: it openeth the obstructions of the reines and the liuer. The root thereof applyed to the tooth-ach, [...] the paine: being drie, and thrust into the teeth, it rooteth them out: put [...] decoction, and drunke oftentimes, it breaketh the stone, it maketh a good colour [...] the face, and a sweet smell in all the bodie, excepted onely that it maketh the vrine strong and stinking.

CHAP. XXX.
Of Garden and Water-Cresses.

GArden-Cresses,Garden Water-Cresse [...]. so called because they grow at all times, and are of great nourishment, as also Water-Cresses, doe loue moist places, and the little Brookes rising from Springs and other little Riuers: wherefor [...] they aske no other labour in Gardens, but to be planted neere to [...], that they may grow well, and to be watered euerie day, hauing water [...] at their foot.

Both of them are verie good in Salads of Lettuce,The vertues of Wate [...] and Garden-Cresses. and haue great force against the Stone and difficultie of Vrine: And furthermore, Cresses of the Garden, made in a Cataplasme, doth resolue Carbuncles, the Sciatica, Cat-haires, and all other sorts of Impostumes; especially if it be mixed with Leauen, it killeth the Wormes. The iuice thereof, drunke with the iuice of Mints and Wine, doth the like. The iuice of Water-Cresses dropped into the eare, doth heale the pai [...] of the teeth,T [...]th-ach. comming of a cold cause. The seed of Cresses chewed and held [...] the mouth, is good against the palsiePalsie. of the Tongue. In the palsies of oth [...] parts, there must be applyed vnto the said parts bagges full of the seed of the said Cresses, hauing boyled [...] first in Wine. The same remedie is good also for the Colicke.Co [...]cke.

Water-Cresses in a fomentation comfort a cold stomacke, prouoke the termes, mundifie and cleanse the mother, and prepare it to conceiue. They dissolue the colicke of the mother, if you frie them with Mugwort vpon a hot fire- [...] sprinkling them with red wine, and applying them vnto the bellie. They are verie singular against the paines of the mother after Child-birth, if with the flowers of Camomill, and the leaues of Mugwort, all chopped small and incorporated with foure yolkes of egges, you frie them all in a frying-panne with the oyle of Lillies, and applie it hot vnto the bellie and nauell. The iuice thereof rubbed abo [...] the cods, stayeth the flux of the seed in the night time. A Cataplasme made of the leaues of Water-Cresses, of the leaues and rootes of Turneps, and of the rootes of Parsley, all chopped small, and fried with pure wine and butter, and applyed [...] the stomacke and the groine, causeth the vrine that hath beene long kept, to [...] away and auoid.

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CHAP. XXXI.
Of Saffron.

AS concerning Saffron (as shall be said hereafter) it loueth an indiffere [...] soyle, not strong, not dunged, but yet well eared, lying vpon the Sunne, and well digged: and it commeth verie well in the place where Onions haue growne. It loueth not water, and standeth in awe of the Moule and Mice: It groweth better, the head being set, than the seed being sowne: for indeed it is not vsed to be sowne, but the heads of it onely to be set, as the heads of Lillies, Leekes, or Sea Onions are. They are planted and set by ridges in Aprill and May. The heads are let ripen on heapes in the shadow of the Sunne, some eight daies before they be set: and this must be in such a place as is not moist. They are set in a well-digged earth with their roots, and a good distance one from another, as namely, about halfe a spanne, and three ynches deepe. It groweth the better, if it be a little footed vpon. It flowreth euerie yeare in Autumne, for one whole moneth together, and then letteth the flower fall: but it keepeth his leaues greene all Winter long vnto the Spring, and then it beginneth to wither, and maketh no shew at all in Summer. It may continue good, being set and plant [...]d, for nine yeares: and then if it be remoued into some other place, it will be able to doe further good. It is true that it springeth forth manie cloues and kernels, which must be taken away euerie three yeare, or else the root would be choaked and smothered. Some doe set it (as being the best time) from after mid August vnto mid September, and cast at the roots of it the drosse of Grapes as it commeth from the Presse,Good Saffron. and leaue it in the earth two or three yeares: and euerie yeare, in Aprill and May, the dried part of the hearbe is tyed vp and troden into the earth some two ynches deepe, without hurting of the root: and after you haue cleansed the grassie part and leaues thereof, and that the flower shall be ripe, as in August, and toward Autumne, it shall be gathered in the morning at Sunne-rise, and reserued in a close and drie place. Furthermore, the Saffron is knowne to be good, if it be fat: if being holden in your hand, it make a noyse: and if being put into anie liquor, it dissolue: if being handled and held vp to the face, it procure a certaine kind of biting or pricking vnto the eyes: if it be of a golden colour: if it dye the hand with his colour, and haue somewhat a [...]harpe smell and pricking: and if it be not brittle and verie readi [...] to breake.

Saffron taken in a verie small quantitie, is good for the weakenesse of the stomacke, and fainting of the heart: it keepeth from being drunke, and healeth the bitings of Serpents and Spiders: if it be taken inwardly, or applyed outwardly, in great quantitie, it procureth swimming and paine in the head, and bringeth a [...]oggie mist ouer the eyes.

CHAP. XXXII.
Of Nauets great and small.

NApes and Nauets (called of the Latines Napi) are two diuers sorts of one kind, but notwithstanding, differing in taste, colour, and greatnesse: for the Napes are greater and drawing toward a yellow colour, less [...] pleasing the taste: Nauets are lesse, white, and a great deale more sauorie: both of them are sowne after one fashion in a well-digged ground, and withall well enriched, and made verie good, that so they may goe downe a good way, and [Page] worke themselues deepe into the ground, or else in a ground which is intended to be made fert [...]e, or vpon Stubbles which haue beene newly plowed, or betwixt Mill [...], and Pannicke: The seed is vsed to be mingled with earth broken into small powder, that so it may sow the more clearely, not falling manie together it must not be abo [...] three yeares old; for if it be elder, it bringeth forth Coleworts. And if the seed [...] beene steeped and moistened in milke or sweet wine, or honied water, two or three daies before it be sowne, it will be verie much the better. And if they come [...] thicke, there is some part of them to be taken vp and set in other places. They [...] be well wed and digged, and the fairest and greatest kept to haue the s [...]d of [...] ▪ They are sowne in August: When you goe about to sow them, you must looke th [...] the earth haue beene newly watered with raine, for so they will grow bette [...] ▪ And aboue all things it must be looked vnto, that they be not sowne in a [...] ground, for the shade is altogether contrarie vnto them, though the earth be good and fertile.The g [...]thering and keeping of Napes. They are gathered in Nouember, & kept in Winter vpon sand [...] vnder the earth, for to eat in Winter and Lent time. I report my selfe vnto them of Meason and Vau-Girard neere vnto Paris, which gather great store of th [...]m [...] ye [...]re to sell at Paris.

This fruit is windie,The vertues of Napes. and begetteth wormes in young children by their [...] ▪ but they must be eaten with Mustard. It is true that their seed doth resist [...], and there it is put into Treacle: it likewise killeth the Wormes, being mingled [...] the iuice of Oranges or Limons: and it driueth forth the small Pocks and [...] with the decoction of Maid [...]n-haire or of Lentils. It prouoketh vrine mixt in eq [...]ll quantitie with Linseed, and giuen to drinke in wine: it bringeth vp the crudities of the stomacke by vomit, being taken with honied vineger and warme water. The Aegyptians make a verie good Oyle of it.

CHAP. XXXIII.
Of Turneps.

TVrnepsT [...]neps. (called in Latine Raepa) are of two sorts, the round and the long, and they differ not much from Napes and Nauets, saue onely in gre [...] nesse and tast: For Turneps are a great deale bigger, and of a [...] pleasant taste, than the Napes: for the truth whereof, I report my selfe to the inhabitants of Limosin in Aquitaine,Turneps are the [...]rdinarie [...]eat of them of [...] and Sauoy. and the people of Sauoy, who h [...] uing no store of Corne, haue no more excellent a meat than Turneps: and for the same cause they are so industrious in sowing and dressing of them, as being that commoditie and encrease of the earth vnto them, which is as well, yea better beloued, and more necessarie, than anie Corne or Graine: for they feed themselues and their Cattell with the leaues, great and small stalkes, tops and roots of Turneps; insomuch, as that they complaine of a Famine, when in their Countrey their Turneps are frozen in the ground, or haue receiued some ouerthrow by the iniurie of the heauens.

The manner of ordering and dressing of them to make them grow, is (as it were) like vnto that of the Napes. It is true, that they would be sowne verie thicke, and not thinne, for else they will proue but verie small and little, and it would be r [...]her in September than at [...] other time, in a moist ground, well manured, and diligently corrected of such faults as it may haue, because they reioyce and [...] ▪ great deale the fairer, and of a better tast, in cold, snowie, and foggie weather, [...] they doe in faire: which is the onely cause that in the Countrey of Sauoy and [...] they doe grow more sweet, tender, faire, and great, because of the Fogs, Snowe [...], and cold Seasons that they suffer much in those places. If they be sowne in the Spring time, there must care be had, that their leaues be not [...]aten with wormes [Page] and such other vermine: and the better to free them from this pl [...]gue, it will be good to mingle of the dust that is to be found vpon floores with the seed [...] they before it be sowen, or else of the foot of the furnace or [...]: or else to steepe it in the juice of housl [...]ke, and afterward to sprinkle it o [...]er well with water [...] it may receiue some moisture: and then to [...]ow it the day after it hath beene so steeped.

It is one of the wonders of nature,Turnep seed is veri [...] small. Faire turneps. that of so small a [...]eed there should grow so grea [...] a fruit, as should sometime weigh thirtie or fortie poun [...]. There must sp [...]ciall car [...] be had that the seed be not aboue three yeares old: for if it be it will bring forth col [...] worts in steed of turneps. To haue them faire and great, after they become [...] great as a finger, they must be remoued a good distance one from another: afterward they must be couered with earth,The keeping of turneps. and troden downe veri [...] hard: for by this [...] the juice which should haue beene spent in putting forth of leaues and stalke, will turne to the making of the root great. They must be gathered in Nouember, and for to keepe them all the Winter, they must be buried in holes, or couered with leaues, or seed of Mustard.

The vse of turneps is not verie good for health,The vertues of turneps. notwithstanding their decoctio [...] is verie excellent good for to wash the feet of such as haue the gout withall. The Cutlers and Armorers doe constantly affirme, that kniues, daggers, and swords, quenched three or foure times, when they are in forging, in the juice of turneps, mixt with equall quantitie of the water or juice pressed out of earth wormes bruised, doth make their edge so hard, as that therewith you may cut yron as easily as any Lead.

CHAP. XXXIIII.
Of Radishes.

RAdishesRadishes. are properly the same which is called in Latine Raphanus, in Italie Ra [...]anels, and at Paris Raues, they are vsed in manner of a salad [...] with meat for to stirre vp the appetite. They grow better when they are planted, than when they are sowen, and there are two seasons to set or sow them in, [...]hat is to say, in Februarie in the waine of the Moone, if we intend to haue the benefit of them in the Spring: and in August or September, if we would vse them sooner: and this season without doubt i [...] the better, because the Radish in a cold and moist time groweth in the root, and is more tender, but in a hot and drie time it groweth in stalkes and leaues. So soone as they are sowne they take root, the leaues whereof you must tread and trample downe, that so the root may grow the greater, which otherwise would runne vp all into leaues: likewise they must be gather [...]d within two or three moneths (otherwise they will quickly go to seed) and put them in the ground vnder sand or grauell after you haue cut off their leaues. The manner of ordring of them is to set them good and deepe in earth which is well husbanded, stirred vp even from the bottome and dunged, and after they be pretty great ones, to co [...]er them againe with earth, and to take off their leaues from them, for so they will become more sweet and pleasant. You must not plant or sow them abo [...] vines or arbours: for they are great enemies vnto vines, as making them to run out their juice, when they are neighbours to it, by reason of their acrimonie and [...]. Some likewise say,Radishes [...] ▪ Sweet radishes. that radishes doe keepe away drunkennesse, because they greatly weaken the force of Wine. To haue sweet radishes, their seed must be watered oftentimes with salt water, to haue them the more tender, and not so sharpe: for the salt water doth greatly diminish their bitternesse: likewise we ordinarily [...] that they are eaten with salt and vinegar.Good radishes. Their goodnesse is knowne by their leaues, which by how much they are the gentler in handling, by so much is the root the tenderer and more pleasant to eat. The rinde doth likewise shew the sa [...]e: for the thinner it is, so much the more delightsome are the radishes.

[Page] Physitians doe hold, that among other discommodities, the radish is an enemie vnto the teeth▪ and they make hard and stonie places in the mouthes of such as vse them: but this inconuenience may be amended, if presently after you eat some certaine slips of Hyssope or Thyme, or Organie: or if they be eaten with oyle: and againe, in stead of this one discommoditie, they bring a thousand profits for the health of mankind. The roots of radishes being new, chopt small, and sprinkled with white wine that is neat and warmed in a frying-panne, and applied vnto the stomach, canseth a man to pisse aboundantly the water which he could not auoid of a long time: the juice of the same root drunke to the quantity of two ounces with Malmesey, worketh the like effect: take an ounce of the rindes of radishes, as much of the lea [...]es of Mercurie, foure graines of saffron, one dram of sweet Cassia, and two drams of the juice of sauin, poune them all together in a mortar, and put them in a linnen cloth, which being put vp into the matrix is a singular remedie to helpe them that tra [...]ell of child-birth.Tr [...]ell of child b [...]th. The juice of the root of radishes, mixt with oyle of sweet or bitter almonds, a little white wine, and a little coloquintida, all heated at the fire and strained, and afterward dropt into the eares,N [...]ise of the [...]ares. doth take away the windinesse and noise of the [...]ares: being drunke with honied water, it cureth the jaundise. The leaues boyled in pottage in stead of coleworts, do take away the obstructions of the liuer & spleene. Their seed bruised and strayned with white Wine, is soueraigne against all [...] of poysons and other dangerous diseases. The roots eaten fasting do preserue and keep [...] a man from venime and poyson.The ill [...] wine. Some hold it for a certaine truth, that turneps [...] in stinking and ill-sauouring wine, doth take away altogether the ill tast thereof. They wipe away the spotsSpots. of the face, heale the places of the bodie raced with the twigs of rods, and couer the places with haire which are bare and should not. But aboue all the rest, the [...]e is no more certaine a remedie for the griefe of the reines, the stone,Grauell and [...]. grauell, or difficultie to make water, than to drinke euening and morning going into bed, or comming out of it, a small draught of white Wine warme, wherein haue beene sleeped the space of eight houres, the rindes of radishes, with the fourth part of the kernels of medlars made in powder. For the same matter there may be prouided a Wine to vse a long time, wherein hath beene infused a certaine time th [...] powder of the roots of radish dried. I cannot forget to set downe, that the often vsing of radishes bringeth vnto nurses great store of milke. And that water how stinking soeuer it be, [...]. wherein radishes haue beene boyled, will become better, and th [...] they may not be eaten in the later end but at the beginning of meat, whatsoeuer [...], pleaseth Dioscortdes to say, that so they may goe presently out of the stomach, and nothing hinder the digestion of the rest of the meat.

CHAP. XXXV.
Of Parsneps, Mypes, Carrets, and Skirworts.

PArsneps,Parsneps. Mypes,Mypes. Carrets,Carrets. and Skirworts,Skirworts. are sowen all after one fashions, in a ground well digged, freed from stones, clensed and scoured from all weeds, and vnprofitable roots, being also manured and rilled well before: they may not be sowen thicke, that so they may grow the longer and thicker▪ They must be watered as soone as they be sowen, and if the time proue drie, once a weeke, so long as till they be well sprung vp. They are set also after one and the same fashion: The time to sow or plant th [...]m, is in Aut [...]mne, and in the Spring: but Autumne is the better, that so you may haue them in Lent time. He that desireth to haue their roots great, faire, and thicke, must often plucke away the [...] leaues: they must be gathered halfe a yeare after they be sowen, and then their leaues taken from them, and they kept vnder sandie grauell, especially in Winter: for [...] causeth them to corrupt.

[Page] P [...]rs [...]eps may be kept a whole yeare or two in the earth, so as that one may know by the falling of the flowers, both the old and the new and which are good in Winter and Lent, whether they be fried or otherwise.

All of them haue vertue to expell vrine,The vert [...]s. to asswage the paine of the colicke, and to prouoke womens termes: their leaues stamped and layed vpon wounds which happen in the legges, are verie profitable for them.

CHAP. XXXVI.
Of Mustard and Poppie.

SEnuie Mustard delighteth in a fat ground,The goodnesse of Mustard. and is [...]owen with mould [...], before and after Winter, and it, must be often weeded and watered, bu [...] it would not be sowen too thicke: for it spreadeth very easily, insomuch as it is hard to destroy it where it hath beene once sowen: the seed will keepe [...] yeare, but the newer that it is, so much the better it is, either to sow or [...]at. It is discerned to be good, when being broken or crackt with the teeth, it appeareth greene within, but not white: for and if it be white, it is old and not worth any thing, either to sow or eat. That which is intended to be kept to eat, shall be good to be remoued when it is growing: for so it will yeeld a greater and fairer top: but that which is intended to vse for seed, must not be remoued or haue his place and habitation changed.

The seed of Mustard chawed,The [...]ertues of Mustard. and holden vnder the tongue, is of great force against the pal [...]ey of the tongue, as also against all other manner of palsey, if vpon the grieued part there be applied a bagge full of the said seed, hauing beene first boyled in Wine. The powder thereof cast into the nosthrils causeth ne [...]sing, and purgeth the braine from superfluities. The decoction of Senuie or Mustard doth asswage the tooth-ach comming of a cold cause, and being drunke breaketh the stone, and prouoketh the termes of women. It keepeth the haire cleane, and from falling. The oyl [...] of Mustard is soueraigne against the ach of the hips, and weaknesse of the sinews. Mustard seed brayed and put into sweet wine, preserueth the same in his sweetnesse, so that it shal not loose it, the reason is, because it keepeth it from taking of a heat▪ th [...] same made in powder and mixt with vinegar, doth heale the stingings of serpents and scorpions: being drunke, it ouercommeth the venime of Mushromes that haue [...] eaten: mingled with the vrine of a young child, and rubbed vpon the bellies of such as haue the dropsie, it causeth them to auoid water: of you temper it with water, and rubbe your hand or any other part that hath need to be made cleane therewith: you shall perceiue the benefit thereof. The white poppie, which is sometimes vsed in pottage and clensed barly, cartes, and other confections for to quench the thirst, prouoke sleepe, and coole the great heat of agues, neuer groweth of his old root, but will be sowen euerie yeare in September, in hot and drie countries: and in other plac [...] from Ianuarie vntill March, and it is sowen commonly with colewor [...]s. It prosp [...]et [...] best when it is sowen in places where the crops of vines haue beene burned. I ha [...] seene at Vandeuer, a small village in Burgundie, young children and other folke to eat the seed of white poppie, for lickorishnes, without being any thing moued to heauinesse of sleepe, but made more stirring and liuely, which hath made me to [...] that the seed of Poppie is not so much to be feared, as some would beare in hand.

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CHAP. XXXVII.
Of Cucumbers.

CVcumbers are sowen vpon a bed, in the moneth of March: and for feare of srost they are couered with straw vntill mid-May, which is the time when they would be remoued vnto such ground as is well manured and thicke layed with dung, fat, and soft, to the end they may be suffered to creepe and ripen vpon the ground: or else vpon beds, filled with fat and well [...] earth, being a foot high. For to sow them there must be planted foure or five seeds, the one from the other some two foot, they must not be weeded at all, because they thriue the better when they be ouer-growne with weeds. Notwithstanding [...] Spaine they vse to weed them as carefully as they can, as also lighten and raise the [...] earth, and there grow verie faire Cucumbers thereupon. It is good to water the [...] oft, vntill they put forth their buds, and bring forth fruit, yea and after also, if the time fall out somewhat drie: for the Cucumber of his owne nature doth loue moisture, insomuch as if there be set a vessell full of water vnder a Cucumber, it will be found the next day to be shrunke three fingers, and it must be prouided that the water goe directly downe vnto the root of the Cucumber, without touching the fruit, because otherwise it would make it worse. It is true, that when it beginneth to ripen, the raine, and [...]uerie other manner of watering is enemie vnto it, for thereby it becommeth but more withered, without any tast, and altogether discontenting. It feareth the thunder and lightning, and for that cause you must not pla [...] them in any such time, neither yet hope for any great increase thereof, in such yeares, as wherein such stormes and tempests fall out: for thereupon they wither and fall quite away to nothing. If a man desire to haue them faire ones, he must gather them in the full of the Moone, for at this time they grow bigge, and at other times they fade and grow lesse. [...] Furthermore, there may not come neere vnto their bed, any vessell full of oyle, because the cucumber of all other things hateth oile, and cannot thriue if he which doth till them, haue handled oyle.

The vse of Cucumbers is altogether hurtfull, because the nourishment and juice comming of them is easily corrupted in the veines,The vertues of the cucumber. whereupon there grow in [...] bodies Burning-Agues, and such as are verie hard to c [...]re: wherefore it is better to appoint them for meat for Mules and Asses, to which kind of beasts this fruit is verie pleasant and profitable, than to ordaine them for mens food and sustenance. It is verie true that their seed boyled with Barley-water doth prouoke vrine, asswage the heat of the reines, and also diminish the heat and thirst that is in Agues. A decoction made with the seed of Cucumbers, Winter-Cherries, Mallowes, and the seeds of vvhite Poppie, adding thereto the juice of Licorice, a little Mummia, Gum-arabecke, and Tragacanth, is a singular remedie for them which are in consumptions, which cough continually, and haue their vrine burning them. So [...] likewise say, that a Cucumber placed long-wise, neere vnto a child which hath an Ague, being of the same greatnesse that the child is, doth deliuer it altogether from the Ague.

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CHAP. XXXVIII.
Of Gourdes.

GOurdesGourdes. doe craue the like earth, and ordering, or tillage that Cucumbers doe, foreseene that they haue the Sunne at commaund: it is true, that they must be sowne with greater distances, and in such sort as they may climbe stakes, heapes of stone, and arbours, thereby to giue some pleasure in the beholding of the fruit hanging, rather than the lying vpon beds: for they delight not so much in creeping vpon the earth as the Cucumber doth, but rather to climbe on high.

Before you set them, you must steepe their seeds one night in water,The goodnesse of the seed. that so you may learne to make the better choice of them, and to know which are good. And in that respect it will be good to take those which sinke downe to the bottome, and let alone those which shall swim vpon the top of the water, as being vnprofitable and worth nothing to sow. The seeds shall be put into the earth two together, the sharpe end vpward, in holes wide and deepe, to the quantitie of two foot, and three or foure foot euerie one from another, filled with old dung, that is verie small: or else to make them spring out of the earth the sooner, with horse dung as it commeth all hot from the stable: for other matters they craue no great attendance, prouided that they be serued with water to their contentment: and yet those which are least wa [...]ered, will haue the most pleasant sauour and tast: wherefore if they be sowne in a drie ground, you must set hard by them, pots of water with lists of cloth or straw hanging at them, which will be continually dropping of water vpon them, which thing will be great aduantage to them during the great heat. It is certaine that the goodnesse and fairenesse of Gourds doth consist altogether in the good choice and well setting of the seed: for the seeds which are next to the necke of the gourd, doe bring forth long ones, those which are in the middest, round ones: and those which are by the sides, short and thicke ones: in which consideration if you would haue grosse and thicke gourds, which may serue to make vessells and bottles of, when they shall be drie, you must take the seed that is in the middest of the gourd, and set it with the head downward: but when you desire to haue them to sell and to eat, you must take of the seed next vnto the necke, and set them after the right and common manner: for so the fruit will grow long, and more tender, and of a greater price. The gourds intended to gather seed of for to sow, must not be gathered before Winter, and when they are gathered, they must be put in the Sun to drie, or else hung vp in the smoake, or else hung (as the manner is in France) vnder some chamber-floore, or else set them in rows voon boards, for otherwise the seeds would rot: or else to put them in heaps of corne, which will not onely keepe them from rotting, but will also ripen them if they be gathered being yet vnripe: but those which are intended to be eaten, must be gathered at their due time when as they be ripe.

The vse of GourdsThe vertues of Gourd [...]s. is not so dangerous as those of Cucumbers: so that their waterishnes [...]e be tempered with things meet and sit for the same, as with saffron, pepper, and other such aromaticall powders: and for the dish, those which are long and white are better, and to be preferred before either of the other two sorts. Physitians are of opinion, that there is nothing better to asswage the heat of hot burning agues, to take away the thirst, and to loosen the bellie, then to vse oftentimes the strayned juice of Gourds stewed without liquor, in a new earthen pot, set in an ouen. There is nothing better for the drinesse of the tongue, for sharpe and burning humours, and for lea [...]e agueish persons, than the vse of the pulpe of Gourds, or the Syrope made of their juice.

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CHAP. XXXIX.
Of Melons and Pompions.

MElons and PompionsMelons and P [...]pions. doe not so easily grow in this Countrey, because they delight in a Countrey and Ayre that is hot: but by force of labour, and cunning skill, they are drawne vnto it, by ordering their beds, and remouing of them, where they may be shielded from the Cold, and rece [...]e the benefit of the South Sunne, and reflexe of the heat of the same from some wall. And againe, it is a speciall furtherance and helping of them forward, to fore-cast, that they may grow in such seasons as are verie hot: for now and then Summer falleth out [...] variable, and mixt with cold or drought, or moisture, as that thereupon they be [...] ripe till Autumne, and towards the time of Vintage. Wherefore it standeth you vpon to hasten them and helpe them forward with dung, and with the heat of their beds; though this course, in the meane time, stand not so well with the health of the parties that shall eat them, or with the goodnesse and pleasant smell of the Pempions: and thereupon it commeth, that there are moe grounds planted with Cresses than with Melons amongst vs. Wherefore it were better to reserue for such vse▪ quarter of ground, or thereabouts, in some place of your Garden where the South Sunne lyeth, and is beaten backe by some wall, the same also keeping away the North wind, hauing no shadow either of Trees, or of anie other thing, to keep [...] backe the Sunne from it, but being withall a good, fat, and substantiall ground, well weeded, well tilled, and the greene swarth well broken, and withall made verie le [...]ell and euen. And this your quarter would be againe diuided into foure small quarters: and to set your Melon seeds which you intend to plant that yeare but in one of th [...] said little quarters, letting the other three r [...]st, and so succ [...]ssiuely, in succeeding yeares, to low the said little quarters one after another: for then the Melons wi [...] grow in their naturall goodnesse and perfection; it being their nature to craue a new, rested, and well manured ground. And if it be requisite to helpe such ground wi [...] some sweetnesse, you must burne vpon it in Winter some Straw, or drie Dung, [...] some Elder tree amongst other wood, and mixe the ashes with the earth, to the end, that during the time of Winter it may grow in season. And if the said ground [...] need of more helpe, it must be dunged with Sheepes dung, or else with Goats dung well rotted; and this to be done a long time before you intend to sow your Melo [...] seed: for as for Horse or Cow dung, it must not be vsed, except it be when no other thing can be gotten; and when it is vsed, it must be spread and mixt with the earth long before Seed-time, as hath beene said: whereby wee may iudge, how vnf [...] the beds, now ada [...]es vsed, are for to yeeld good Melons: and they that would ha [...]e them grow vpon beds, as lesle damnifying, must make their beds in the said place of the Garden, compassed about and hemmed in with a Mat: and vpon the bed must be cast a layer of the best and fattest earth that you can find, or of earth the thicknesse of three fingers, and in this earth to set your seeds; for the Melon will not be so much spotted with the dung, when there is a mixture of the one and the other▪ You must take the seed of the Melon, which hath a thicke and hard huske, and looking verie greene within, which is of the first growne, and of those which grow neerest vnto the root, which you shall haue reserued in your Melon plot, vntill the full [...]ipenesse thereof, that so you might haue others grow of it; for the seed is better when it is now taken out of the Melon, hauing beene all that while, from the gathering time, kept in the bodie and substance thereof. And if you would haue it to grow verie quickly, sleepe it in warme water sixe or seuen houres: afterward, abo [...] the tenth day of March, make your pits vpon your beds, some three or foure foot one from another, and two foot in depth and widenesse: and if you may make yo [...] choice of dung, then fill them vp with Sheepe or Goats dung that is old, well rotted, [Page] and crumbly, and with verie fine blacke earth together, and herewith to fill them vp within two [...]ingers. Some put therein the dung of horses comming hot from the stable, to make th [...]m put forth the sooner, but the sauour and goodnesse of the Melon is greatly hindered thereby: and thereupon pricke six or ten seeds of your pompions, the sharpe end downeward (although some put not in aboue foure or fiue) and couer them againe gently without much beating or treading of the earth downe vpon them. Afterward, for to auoid daunger of frosts, couer them with straw or mats borne vp with stickes prickt vp one way: or if you haue the benefit of great boards, or tables of boards, borne vp with stones or rubbish by the way, that so they may not presle vpon them, and that so you may take them vp when the Sunne shineth hot, and lay them downe againe when the cold wind bloweth and when frosts come. And as soone as the Melons shall haue put forth leaues bigge ynough, you must water them with a shred of cloth hanging continually in a pot of water, without wetting of the Melon any whit at all, and this watering must be continued in a verie drie ground, though you haue remoued your Melons, till the fruit become of the bignesse of Oranges: and if you vse beds, you shall remoue them after mid-May in this countrie, out of the danger of frosts, about fiue or sixe foot one from another, vpon a border well tilled and manured. And from that time forward, you shall weed out diligenetly all the weeds from about them, and shall lighten their earth at the trunk of the root, without doing any hurt to it: and when the flower shall peepe out, you must cut off the ends of the armes of the hea [...] be, to the end that the flower and the fruit may come forth in greater store & aboundance. And for your better choice of the said seed, take that which is of the Melons first put fo [...]th (as I haue alreadie said) i [...] so be that your melon plot doe bring forth the fruit somewhat late, for otherwise it will be good to take them that come forth last: as also that which groweth betwixt the middle and head, or crowne of the melon, and out of it, not that which is on that side whereupon the Melon lieth, the best seeded, and most rising from the earth, being heauie and full; and you may make triall of it in water, because that such seed will sinke downe to the bottome: and it must not be aboue one yeare old, for if it be, it soone groweth sicke, and casteth his fruit in vntimely sort.

Pompions and MelonsThe gathering of Melons. must be gathered in the morning before Sunne rise, and they must be gathered when as they begin to cast their taile, and yeeld a pleasant smel at their ends, and then you must beware of and looke to Cats that goe a catterwauling: and if you would carrie or send them farre, you must gather them a little before they be ripe, and with the hand onely without any edge-toole, for they will come so their just and perfect ripenesse by this course, which the cutting with an yron would keepe them from: there must notwitstanding care be had that those which are called Winter Pompions, be neuer suffered to ripen vpon their beds, but for to ripen them they must be gathered and hung vp vnder the floore of some higher roome, and when they are once turned yellow to eat them.

Furthermore, that I may say something of their goodnesse,The goodnesse of Melons. you must vnderstand that there are diuers sorts of Pompions, for there are some female, and are called pompionets and they are more long than the other, and haue not their wrinkles standing vp so high: the other be more thick & greater bellied, and haue their wrinkle [...] more high and stretched out from the taile vnto the eye. Some of them are called Turquins, as those which ha [...]e a verie greene colour, and drawing somewhat toward a blacke: some other of them haue the shape of a Quince, and they are properly called Melons, and haue a more fast and solide flesh than the pompions haue, which likewise haue not so many wrinkles in their sides, nor so much moisture in their nollow parts, neither yee are they so thicke, but haue a whitish flesh, and a great deale more seed than the pompions. The other sort may be called citruls, as hauing the fashion and colour of a citron, and their leaues diue [...]sly drawne with many small lines, like vnto the feathers or wings of birds▪ The other are Winter pompions, and these are not so thick or great as the common pompions: and yet furthermore the one hath a white meat, and the other a yellow, whereupon the first doe craue more water than [Page] the later, and the later are better in a strange Countrie. But the Melons are best of all, as also the blacke coated Pompion, and the Muske Melon, [...]. which become so by h [...] uing their seed steeped in water that is well sweetned with sugar or honie. The signe of a good Melon is the bitternesse of the taile, the hardnesse of the crowne, the hea [...] nesse and good smell of the whole.

As concerning their vse,The [...]ertues of Melons. they are somewhat more delicate and pleasant than C [...] cu [...]bers, so that they haue a fast meat, and their hollownesse drie: for otherwise they are fitter to make meat for Cats that goe a catterwauling, or for Mules and Asse [...] to make them fat, tha [...] for to feed men withall: notwithstanding this is a thing wel and sufficiently proued,Melons cause [...] to [...]. that a slice of a melon or pompion put in a pot with flesh, causeth it to boyle the sooner. Physitians likewise giue it out for a truth, that the seed as well of melons as of Pompions, cousred with sugar, or without sugar, is a soueraigne remedie to prouoke vrine, to asewage the heat of the reines, and to breake the stone.

CHAP. XL.
Of certaine speciall obseruations for and about Cucumbers, Citrons, Gourds, Melons, and such like fruits.

IF the border whereon you set your Melons be not so fat nor well dunged as that of the Cucumber and Gourd, and if it be not watered so soone as it is put forth and sprung, it becommeth the faster meat, and more [...], and sooner ripe.

To cause Pompions, Cucumbers, and Gourds to grow without seed, Pompions, Gourd [...], and Cucumber▪ without seed. you must steepe your seeds in the oile of Sesamum, otherwise called Turkie millet, three dayes before you sow them.

To haue Cucumbers of such forme and fashion as one would wish, they must be put whiles they be yet young and small, together with their stalke, into vessells or bottles that haue some figure or shape drawne within them, and tie them about them, for in time they will fil vp the draughts and prints within the same: likewise to make them long▪ you must put their flowers into reeds, throughly emptied of their pi [...]h▪ for then the Cucumber will grow all along: or else to set neere vnto them some v [...] sell full of water, as namely about halfe a foot off: for (as I haue said) cucumbers [...] moisture so well, as that vpon the onely standing by of water, they will grow the more, and become longer: in like sort standeth the case with the Gourd.

For their better and greater growth,For the helping forward of their growth. you must sow them in cases or pots, or other great vessel [...] full of sifted and well manured earth, which may be carried and rolled or drawne from one place to another into the Sun, that so it may haue both the presence of the Sun-shine and absence of the cold winds and frosts, and when they begin to grow, breake off their ends.

To free them of vermine and lice, sow Organie round about them, or else pric [...] some boughs amongst their plants.

To make that a Cucumber or Melon shall haue no water,A Cucumber without water. fill the pit that yo [...] haue digged to plant your seeds, halfe full of straw, or the shutes of vines cut [...] small and put vpon the earth, and afterward your seed: and doe not water them [...] all, or else verie little.

To make melons or cucumbers laxatiue, [...]. sprinkle them fiue dayes together, [...] fiue times [...]uerie day with water, wherein hath beene steeped and infused the [...] wild Cucumber for the space of three dayes. Otherwise, vncouer them so soone [...] they haue put forth any budd, and dung them at the foot with about two ounces of blacke Hellebor steept in water, and afterward couer them againe. Otherwi [...], steepe the seed before you sow it three daies in the infusion off cammonie, or [...] [Page] or Agaricke, or some other purging medicine.

To make Pompions sweetSweet Pompions. and smell well, so soone as you haue taken out the core and wiped and dried the seed, put it amongst drie Roses, or some graines of Muske, and there ke [...]pe it vntill you must sow it, and if it so like you, sow them together: or else steepe the seed foure daies before you sow it in damaske or sweet water: by such meanes you may giue them such tast and smell as you please, if you steepe their seed before you sow it in any such liquor, as in Honied-vvater, in Rose-vvater, or in some other kind of water sweetned with Sugar or Muske: notwithstanding watering of them doth take from them a great deale of that smell, as also of their sauour and taste.

To make Cucumbers or Pompions sugred,Suger-Mel [...]s. you must steepe the seed in water that is well sweetned with Sugar or Honie, and to make them sweet in Sheepes milke, or Honied water, and so sow them: and when they be growne, you must sprinkle them ouer with the dust of some drie earth, and water them a little.

To make Pompions to keepe long,Lasting Po [...] pions. and not to be spoyled or rotted, you must sprinkle them with the juice of Housleeke.

A woman hauing her termes,A woman in her t [...]rmes maketh Pompions drie and di [...] To keepe Cucumbers fresh a long time. and walking by the borders of Pompions, Gourds, and Cucumbers, causeth them to drie and die: but and if any of the fruit e [...]cape it wil be bitter.

Cucumbers indure fresh a long time, if they be put in the sweet lees of wine, or else in brine, or if they hang in a vessell wherein there is a little vinegar.

PompionsPompions smeling like Roses▪ will haue the smell of Roses, if their seed be mingled with drie Roses, and afterward sowne together: and then also they are excellent good to quench the thirst in burning agues.

CHAP. XLI.
Of Strawberries.

STrawberriesStrawberries▪ haue no need of great toyle or tilling, so that they be planted in some good ground not manured, notwithstanding, but well shaded howsoeuer: because they delight greatly in the shadow of other hearbes, so also they are found growing amongst great tall trees, without any manner of husbanding or tillage. It is true that they grow well in the open Sun, so that they be watered once or twice a weeke, especially when they begin to looke red: they must be remoued euerie three yeares, to make them beare faire berries, and their earth raised about them once euerie yeare, and that about Christ-tide, and to weed them by hand when as weeds doe ouergrow them: in the ground whither you remoue them, you must first put horse-dung well rotted, or cowes dung, a scuttle full to euerie border that is three foot broad: dresse this ground in a drie time, and let it lye afterward, and in a moist time, but not rainie, you shall set the Strawberries halfe a foot euerie way, thrusting the earth close to the root with a dibble. In these you may obserue a certaine kind of wonderfull harmelesnesse and innocencie: which although they creepe vpon the earth, and be continually troden vpon by Adders, Lizards, Snakes, and other venimous beasts, are notwithstanding neuer infected with them, neither get they any venimous sauour, which sheweth that they haue no [...]ffinitie with ven [...]me or poyson.

Amongst other pleasures or commodities that they afford, the juice or wine that [...] strained from strawberries,The [...]ertues of Strawberries. is good to take away the red pimples▪ & itching knobs, which grow in the face by the heat of the liuer, as also to take away the rednes [...]e of the eyes, and to wipe out the spots and knobs of the Leprosie. Likewise the decoction of the roots and leaues of Strawberries made with wine, is singular good for the [...], if it be drunke for some time in the morning, as also to prouoke the termes [Page] in women; and this neuerthelesse doth stay the white termes and bloudie [...] vsed in forme of a Gargari [...]e, it comforteth the gums and teeth, and [...] rheumes.

Of Physicke Hearbes.

CHAP. XLII.
Of Mallowes.

WE haue heretofore dedicated and appointed certaine borders downe [...] low the Kitchin garden, [...]. neere vnto the wall of the orchard for Physick hearbes, whereof we desire and wish that the huswife may haue [...] knowledge, thereby to helpe the nec [...]ssities of her people. And in [...] respect it shall not be [...]hought strange, if we touch in a word the dressing and [...] of some few, such as are most vsuall and familiar amongst women, leauing [...] and exact description of th [...]m vnto such as make profession thereof: for [...] drift of my purpose is, to instruct the Farmer and his wife, or her that is the [...] and Dairie-woman, so much as is needfull for the maintenance of their house and f [...] milie But we will begin with Mallowes, as those that are most in vse.

MallowesMallowes. notwithstanding that they grow euerie where, yet if you be disposed [...] sow them▪ you may doe it most commodiously in Autumne, rather than at any other time, to the end their growth on height may be repres [...]ed by the comming of Wi [...] ter: for by how much the Mallow is the lesse, by so much it is the better. They lo [...] a fat and moist earth, and craue to be remoued after they haue put forth foure or [...] leaues: though indeed it would be much the better not to remoue them at all, [...] they will keepe a better rellish: but to the end they should not grow vp into high and great stalkes, alter that they be come forth of the earth, you must put some [...] bricke in the mid [...]est of their leaues. They would be oft wed, and when they [...], if their leaues be t [...]ed together at the end, they will bring forth a well [...] and thicke set root.

The root of Mallowes ste [...]pt in Wine a whole day, and afterward wrapt in a [...], and roasted vnder the ashes and dried, is a fine medicine to rub the teeth with [...] and to cleanse and scowre off from them the filth gathered thicke about them [...] juice drunke to the quantitie of halfe a pound, o [...] the decoction of the [...] leaues comming to a certaine thick con [...]stence, is exceeding good for w [...]men [...] are in trauell of child birth. It is singular also for many other things, and therefore is called of some Omnimorbia.

Hollihocks [...]. craue the like husbanding and tillage that the Mallowes doe, [...] they are of the same kind, and in both of them, especially in the Mallowes, we [...] obserue as a miraculous thing, that their leaues and flower doe open at the appro [...]d and comming of the Sunne, and shut vp themselues to goe to bed when it [...] doe the Marigolds.

Both these haue verie great power and vertue to mollifie,The [...]. they serue also to [...] the bellie, especially the young and tender crops of Mallowes haue vertue to [...] swage the paine of the reines, and doe cause a man to make water. The juice [...] with oyle doe heal [...] the stinging of Waspes. The juice mingled with [...] doth helpe women trauailing of child birth. Their lea [...]es stamped with the [...] of willows doe stay inflammations. A cataplasme made of their leanes, doth [...] way the hardnes [...]e of the mother and other parts, especially if it be made of [...] with oyle of Roses.

Gentian [...]. grows in high places & open to the ayre, being notwithstanding [...] [Page] and somwhat ouershadowed. This hearb through his bitternesse draweth downe the termes and the stayed vrine: The water thereof, especially of the root, being distilled through a Limbecke in Maries-bath, doth maruailously heale the Agues caused of the obstructions of any noble part: and which is more, it killeth the wormes, and wipeth away all the spots of the face, it they be often washed therewith. It is exceeding good against the inflammation of the eyes. It is verie soueraigne against any infection or mortall sicknesse, if it be drunke with Water and Honie it abateth the swelling of the bodie, and easeth the colicke, whether it be in the stomach or in the bowels, it also cureth the biting or stinging of venimous beasts, and it causeth a woman to be deliuered of her dead birth.

The root is a present remedie against the Plague, not onely in men, but also in all [...]orts of cattell: it is a speciall preseruatiue against all poyson, and a meanes to withstand all putrefaction: in regard whereof, the Switzers mingle it amongst their owne meat, and the sodder or prouender of their cattell, that so they may continue in good health.

ArsmartArsmart. (so called because the leaues applied to the fundament for to wipe it, doe cause great paine, and of the Latines Hydropiper) doth require a marshie ground full of water, or at the least verie moist, or often watered, and it groweth rather being planted of a root then sowne of seed.

It is verie singular in ointments for old vlcers and fistulaes, as also in clysters for bloudie fluxes: the leaues thereof washed in cold water, and applied vnto wounds and vlcers either of man or beast, doe take away by and by the paine thereof, and doth throughly heale them, as the swellings or gaules vnder the saddles of horses that [...] hurt, if they be renewed euerie day, and the horse needs not to be forborne for all that. Or else take the hearbe new, steepe it in water, and wash it, then rub therewith the swolne or gauled place, then put the hearbe in some place where it may quickly rot, or else burie it in some fat ground, and co [...]er it with a great stone; so soone as the [...]hearbe is rotted, so soone will the fore be healed.

If you spread it all greene in the bed, it killeth fleas, you shall keep powdred proke from wormes, if you wrap it in the leaues of this hearbe: th [...] juice thereof dropped into wormie eares, doth kill the wormes that is in them.

Eye-brightEye-bright. delighteth in a leane ground, and shadowed place, and yet where moi [...]ture is not altogether wanting, such as are the meadows and little mountaines; is groweth of roots, not of seed. It is singular good against the dimnesse, waterishnesse, [...]ataract, rheume, and weaknesse of the eyes, being either applied and layd thereto, or [...]aken inwardly by the mouth: there is a powder made of [...]he dried leaues, which be [...]ng oft taken by the mouth with the yolke of an egge, or alone, or mixt with aloes▪ [...]nd swallowed downe with Fennell-water, or with water of veruai [...]e, doth comfort [...]nd strengthen mightily the weake and diseased eyes: some vse much to take Win [...] wherein eye-bright hath beene infused and steept a long time for the same purpose▪ or the powder vsed with wine, but the powder alone, or the decoction without wine▪ [...] a remedie far more certaine, than the wine of eye-bright, as I my selfe haue proued [...]y experience, in as much as the Wine by his vapours doth fill the braine▪ and pro [...]ureth rheumes: and therefore if you would auoid these inconuenienees, you must [...]elay your Wine vvith the vvater of Fennell, or mixe Sugar therewith. [...] de [...]illa-no [...]a a [...]irmeth, that by the continuall vse of this he [...]healed an old man which [...]ad alreadie wholly lost his sight; by the often vse of the leaues of this hearbe as well [...] as drie, as well in his drinke as in his meat.

Veruaine, [...]. as well the male as the female▪ must be planted of roots in a moist soile, [...]nd that it may grow the fairer, it requireth to be remoued, and that into a place of [...]he like nature and qualitie.

Besides the helpes that this hearbe affordeth vnto vveake eyes, it is also good a [...]ainst the paine of the head, teeth, and vlcers of the mouth, and principally in the [...]fections of the skinne, as the itch, the tetter, the flying-fire, the ring-worme, the [...]prosie, the Gangrena, and Shba [...]lus, if it b [...] vsed in manner of a bath [...] in manner [Page] of a fo [...]entation made with F [...]mitorie in Water and Vinegar.

Elicampane [...]. must not be sowne of seed, because the seed hath no power to [...] but it must rather be planted of the young sprouts pulled gently from the [...] that in a verie well tilled ground, and which hath beene manured, not verie [...] yet ouershadowed. It is good to plant it in the beginning of Februarie, leauing [...] foot distance betwixt plant and plant, for it hath great leaues, and the roots do [...] verie much, as doe the young sprouts or roots of Reed.

The Wine wherein the root of ElicampaneThe vertues of Elicampane. hath steept for the space of four [...] [...] twentie houres, is singular good against the colicke, as we haue alread [...]e said in [...] first booke: the juice of the root is singular good to continue and keepe the [...] and beautifull hew of women. The decoction of the root is likewise good [...] [...] joyce the heart, and to prouoke vrine, and the termes of women, as also to [...] to spit out, but then it must be vsed inwardly, and whiles it is new and greene: [...] when it is old and drie, it is fit to be vsed outwardly, and not to be taken into [...] bodie.

DittanderDittander. which hath the tast of pepper and mustard (for which cause it is [...] of the Latines Piperitis) must be planted before the first of March, cut as the [...], but not so oft, for feare it should die with cold. It will continue two [...], prouided that it be carefully weeded and dunged: it continueth in many [...] whole ten years▪ and it cannot easily be destroyed.

The root of DittanderThe vertues of Dittander. stamped with Hogs-g [...]ease, or with the root of [...], and applied in forme of a catapla [...]me vnto the Sciatica, doth cure it throughly. It taketh away the great spots, freckles, and scales, or pilling of the face by [...] the thin skin wherein these are fixed, and as for the rawnesse left after the away of this skin▪ it is healed easily with ointment of Roses.

Great Celandine groweth in euerie ground,Celandine great and small. so that there be any shadow [...] ▪ and it would be sowne in Februarie, and may so continue ten yeares, so that [...]waies after it hath cast his seed, the stalkes thereof be cut downe within [...] of the root.

The juice of the flowers mixt with honie or womans milke,The [...] of [...]. or some othe [...] [...] asswage the sharpenesse of it, doth take away the spots in the eyes, [...] scartes and vicers, healeth the ring-wormes and itch of the head, and the [...] the haire of little children. The Alchymistes doe make great account of it [...] their extractions of mettalls. Some say, that the old Swallows doe recouer the [...] of their young ones being pore-blind, by applying vnto their eyes the leaues [...]: some say likewise, that the lea [...]e of this hearbe carried in the shoo [...] [...] vnto the bare sole of the feet, doth heale the jaundi [...]e: being applied vnto th [...] [...] it taketh away the aboundance of Milke: stamped together with the root in th [...] [...] of Cammomile, and being warmed or fried, and applied vnto the nauell or [...] it asswageth the frettings of the bellie, and paines of the mother: the whole [...] being d [...]ed and made in powder, doth heale wounds and vlcers: the juice [...] dropt into a rotten or hollow tooth, mortifieth it, and causeth it to fall out: [...] also the [...] called Porrum, to fall away.

The small Celandine,Little Celand [...]e. otherwise called Pilewort, or the hearbe for the Kings [...] because it heal [...]h the same, doth grow well in warrie, moist, and shadowie [...] groweth likewise in drie places, but not so well, though there it get a more [...] as wel in his leaues as in his root vertue to heale the Kings [...] to exulc [...]ration, as also other virulent vlcers, hemorrhoides, cankers, hard [...] whether [...] or porracious and other cold tumors, by a [...]oollifying and [...] quali [...]e that they haue.

Asarum bacchar [...]. craueth a leane ground and drie, and where there is [...] to be set than sowne. The root of Asarum being dried [...] good to be taken the weight of a French Crowne in white [...], and by this it c [...]reth the quartane and [...]ertian ague: and this [...] [Page] daies, the quantitie of a good goblet full of the decoction of this root, made in wine with honey, putting thereto some Cinnamon, Mace, and other such Spices, by which they purge verie much, as well vpward as downeward: Likewise when they feele the fit comming, they chafe the backe and soles of the feet with oyle, wherein they haue caused to be infused this root in the hot Sunne-shine, and after lying downe in bed, the shiuerings and shakings of the Ague is taken away, and a great sweat procured. The decoction of Asarum is good against the Sciatica: the infusion thereof in wine doth cure the Dropsie and Iaundise: the iuice dropt into the corner of the eyes, doth heale the Web in the eye, and dazeling of the eyes. Manie good women doe apply Asarun vnto the wrists of the hands, to driue away the heat of an Ague. You must obserue (as it were) diuers parts in this hearbe: For the root is a prouoker of Vomit, and the leaues thereof are Aromaticall, and agree verie well with the stomacke.

ValerianValerian. groweth verie well in a moist and well manured ground, and would be often watered, that so it may put forth a tall stalke.

The good wiues are wont to apply to the wrists, in burning Agues, the leaues of Valerian, but without reason: for the Valerian doth rather encrease the Ague by his heat, than diminish it. It will be better to vse it in the paines of the sides, and in the prouoking of vrine, and womens termes. If you wet lin in the iuice of Valerian, and put it into anie wound, made either with Arrow, or Sword, or otherwise, and the drosse or gros [...]e part thereof layd vpon it, you shall cause the yron to come forth, if anie such be stayed behind, and so also heale the wound. Cats doe delight much to eat this hearbe. The decoction is good against Venime, and the Plague: It is good also against shortnesse of breath, if there be mixed therewith Licorice and Damaske Raisins.

AngelicaAngelica. would be sowne in a well tilled ground, oftentimes wed, and reasonably watered.

The root is soueraigne against the Plague,The virtues of Angelica. and all sorts of Poyson: Whosoeuer shall keepe a little piece of it in his mouth, or which shall drinke onely in a Winter morning a little draught of Wine and Rosewater, wherein it hath beene steept,Th [...] Plague. hee [...]not be infected of anie euill ayre of all that day. Englishmen vse the l [...]aues and roots of this hearbe in sawce with their meats, because it correcteth grosse humours, and a stinking breath, and surthereth digestion verie much. The leaues of Angelica stamped with other leaues of Rue and Honey, and applyed in forme of a Ca [...] plasme, doe heale the bitings of mad Dogges,Against the biting of a [...]ad dogge. and the stinging of Serpents: Being layd vpon the head of one that hath an Ague, it draweth vnto it all the burning heat of the Ague; and it is good against Sorcerie and Inchan [...]ment. The distilled water of Angelica it singular good against the fainting of the Heart, the bi [...]ings of mad Beasts, the stingings of venimous creatures▪ especially against the Plauge, if with this [...]stilled water there be drunke halfe a dramme of the root in powder, and a dramm [...] of Treacle, and that afterward the patient giue himselfe to sweating, for by this means manie haue beene saued. The root put into a hollow tooth, assuageth the paine: being [...]wed, it maketh the breath sweet and concea [...]eth and small of Garlick, or anie other [...] meat which causeth an ill breath.

Blessed thistleBlessed Thistle. would be ordered and dressed with such manner of [...]illage as Angelica. It is true, that it would be sowne in the encrease of the Moone, and not abou [...] three fingers depth in the earth. It lo [...]eth the compaine of Wheat [...] ▪ It will not be prickly▪ it before that you sow it you put the Seed in the roo [...] [...] ▪ the leaues broken off: or it you breake the sharpe point [...]d end of the Seed against a stone, after the manner spoken of before in the Chapter of [...].

Blessed thistle hath no lesse vertue against the Plague,The vertues of Blessed thistle. or anie other sort of Poyson, [...]han hath Angelica, whether you vse it inward or outward. This vertue is it which driueth away Moules and other kinds of such Cattell, being hu [...]full vnto Garde [...], from the place where it groweth. Such [...] troubled with a Quartan [...] [Page] Ague, or other Agues, which haue their fits comming with a Cold, are cured if [...] take in the morning three ounces of Blessed thistles water, or of the decoction, [...] weight of a French crowne of the seed in powder. The same remedie is good [...] Pleurisies, and for children that haue the Falling sicknesse. If it be boyled in [...] the decoction is good to assuage the paines of the reines, and colicke, to kill [...], and to prouoke sweat. Blessed thistle, as well drie as greene, taken inwardly, [...] ourwardly, doth heale maligne vlcers. Physitions likewise commaund it [...] [...] mingled in decoctions and drinkes for the Pocks.

Mother-wortMother-wort. groweth in vntilled and rough places, and standeth not in [...] of anie tilling: notwithstanding, it is singular against the beating and fainting of the heart; for which reason it is called of some Cardiaca. It prouoketh also Womens termes: it taketh away obstructions, and prouoketh vrine: it raiseth [...], deliuering the Lungs thereof, by making it easie to be spet foorth: It [...] Wormes: dryed and made in powder, and the quantitie of a spoonefull [...] in Wine, doth mightily helpe forward the deliuerie of Women labouring of Child-birth.

Golden-rodGolden-rod. would be sowne in a fat ground, which is not open vnto the he [...] of the Sunne, but hath the shadowes of some Trees, the top of a Mountaine, [...] other such like thing.The vertues of Golden-rod. It hath a verie astringent power, as also it is verie [...] by which (after the manner of Comfrey) it healeth wounds, vlcers, and fistulaes, [...] well inward as outward: it stayeth rheumes and bloudie fluxes, healeth the [...] the mouth, and the inflamation thereof: Which is more, it is verie singular to prouoke vrine, and to breake the stone.

Saxifrage,Saxifrage. as well the great as the small, delighteth in a drie ground, chal [...] clayie, sandie, stonie, and altogether barren: And it is sowne of small seedes▪ which are found hanging to the rootes thereof. It prouoketh vrine, and so driueth foorth the grauell of the reines and bladder. If you boyle the root and [...] thereof in Wine, it procureth Women also their termes, and bringeth ou [...] [...] after-birth.

The great and small BurreThe great and small Burre. (otherwise called Bardana, and of the Greeke [...] [...]) hath not need of anie great tilling: for it will grow either of seed or [...] in a leane ground, that is drie and vntilled; as wee may well see in ditches, [...] it groweth without anie labour at all, and in the high wayes and by-p [...]h [...] [...] the fields.

The rootes, seedes, and iuice of the great and small Burre, are verie [...] prouoke vrine, to breake the stone of the reines and bladder, and to stay the [...] flux. The iuice is drunke with white Wine, or alone, and the seed in like manner▪ which is sometimes, for the more pleasantnesse sake, confected or couered with S [...] gar. The leaues stampt with a little salt, and applyed vnto the bitings or [...] Adders, mad Dogges, or other venimous Beasts, are verie soueraigne. The rootes [...] seedes of small Burre, stampt and layd on cold swellings and rebellious [...] verie profitable and good.

Star-thistle,Star-thistle. so called, because it hath little heads at the tops of his stakes ( [...] Thistles haue) set round about with sharpe prickes, after the manner of [...] groweth in vnhusbanded grounds, as well of his root as of his seed. Some doe [...] esteeme of the seed, made into powder, and drunke in wine, for to prouoke [...] and to auoid grauell: and herein it is of so great vertue, as that the much vse of it [...] cause one to pisse bloud sometimes. The decoction of the root with honey, after [...] manner of a honied water, doth the like, but more gently, and without [...] partie for to pisse bloud.

Maries Thistle (otherwise called Spina alba, L [...]die-thistle. or white and siluer Thistle, or [...] Artichoke, or Asse-Thistle, because that Asses delight much to eat it) doth [...] fat and well tilled ground, and other ordering, like to that of Beets: and it [...] that it letteth not to grow in vntilled and vnhusbanded grounds. The seed and [...] haue (as it were) the like power to take away obstructions, to prouoke vrine, and it [Page] breake the stone, that Star-thistle hath. The Italians vse the roots thereof in Salads, after the manner of Artichokes; and good wines, to gather the milke of it, for to eat. Some make a Ptisane with the root of this Thistle made in powder, the seed of Fennell, and a little long Pepper, to giue to Nurses to vse which haue small store of milke. The distilled water of the leaues is good against paine in the sides, being drunke with halfe a dramme of the seed of the same hearbe.

Siluer-grasseSiluer-grasse. (so called, because the leaues doe resemble siluer on the backe-side) doth delight in a moist and grassie ground, howsoeuer vnhusbanded it be. It hath one excellent propertie aboue all other hearbes, for to breake the stone, to heale vlcers and malignant wounds within the bodie, to stay the bloudie flux, and to dissolu [...] cluttered bloud, being taken in drinke. Some say, that if you put it in halfe a basin full of cold water, and couer that basin with another basin, or vessell, or other couering, that there will gather great store of vapours in the hollow of the thing couering it, and will turne into the forme of distilled water, and that this water thus gathered, is verie good to take away the spots, freckles, staines, and dye of the Su [...]ne out of the face.

Patience doth willingly grow in coole and moist grounds:Patience, or Monkes [...]. and we see it ordinarily to grow neere vnto Riuers and little Brookes. The root, by reason of the great bitternesse and desiccatiue power, hath singular commendation against the Plague: for being dried and powdred, and afterward drunke with wine, it driueth away all venime from the heart, by the aboundance of sweat which it procureth. Some fo [...] this purpose take away the rinde and core of this root, stamping it in vineger, and after making a drinke of the vineger, the iuice of Rue, and Treacle, for to take in pestilent Agues. The powder of this root drunke with wine, is excellent for the suffocations of the Matrix, and the wringing throwes of the bellie. This powder also killeth the Wormes, healeth maligne Vlcers, the falling of the haire, called Tinea, and the Kibes; the Farcie in Horses, whether it be taken inwardly, or applyed outwardly, either in iuice, or in the decoction thereof.

ScabiousScabi [...]: groweth in the same ground that Patience doth, that is to say, in woods, vntilled places, and especially in sandie places.

It is verie proper and appropriate vnto the Cough, and diseases of the Lungs: fo [...] the same purpose also the iuice is sometime extracted, sometime the hearbe it selfe made into powder, and sometime the decoction of it is made to endure for a long time. Likewise there is sometime conserue made of the flowers. His leaues or rootes applyed to itchie places, and the places bare of haire, or mixed with oyles and ointments, doe great good vnto the same, as also vnto plaguie carbuncles: for they being rubbed with the iuice of Scabious, will be found to vanish away within three houres. The iuice of Scabious drunke in the quantitie of foure ounces, with a dramme of Treacle not yet one day old, is a singular remedie against the Plague, so that afterward the partie sweat in his bed, and withall, continue the drinke for manie times. The same remedie serueth for the bitings of venimous beasts, if, besides the drinke, you apply outwardly vnto the soare the leaues of the same hearbe bruised. A Liniment made of the iuice of Scabious, the powder of Borace, and a little Camphire, is singular against tettars, itch, freckles, and other infections or desilements of the skin. Aboue all other things, the decoction of Scabious being drunke the space of fortie daies, doth heale the tettar throughly, yea, though it came of the Pocks, as I my selfe haue oftentimes pro [...]ed by experience.

Scolopendrium, or rough Spleene-wort, [...]. called also Harts-tongue, would be planted in a stonie and grauellie ground, which is moistened with some running Brooke; and for want of this, it must be often watered. The rootes thereof must neuer be pulled vp, but onely the leaues cut: for it cannot be sowne, seeing it bringeth forth no seed. [...]. The decoction thereof made in white wine, is verie good for such [...] haue a hard Spleene, and are subiect to a quartane Ague.

B [...]onie [...]. delighteth to be sowne in a moist and cold ground, and neere vnto some wall, by which it may be shadowed, for it is not [...] in loue with the Sun-beames. [Page] The root hath contrarie properties to the leaues and flowers: for the root [...] the stomacke, and is verie vnsauourie vnto the mouth; his leaues and flowers and of [...] ver [...]e good smell, and a tast correspondent and answerable.

The decoction of Betonie made in white wine,The properties of [...]. assuageth the paines of the [...], breaketh the stone, and healeth the Iaundise. The leaues stamped and applyed [...] forme of a Cataplasme, doe quickly ioyne together the wounds of the head. A Cataplasme made of the leaues with Porkes grease, doth ripen the tumors called C [...] haires, and all other sorts of Impostumes. The leaues stamped with a little salt, doe heale hollow and cancrous vlc [...]rs. To be briefe, this hearb hath so manie and so gre [...] vertues, as that the Italian, when he would highly commend a man for his gi [...], will say, that he hath moe vertues than Betonie.

Bugle would be planted in a stonie, [...], or Bugle. drie, and hillie ground; in respect whereof, the Latines call it Casolida petrosa: It craueth no great paines to be taken with [...] ▪ The leaues thereof are good to conglutinate and soulder together both outward and inward wounds: it is likewise put in drinkes for wounds: and that is the cause why some doe commonly say, That he that hath Bugle and Sanicle, will scarce vouchs [...] the Chirurgion a Bugle.

Lions-pawLyons-paw. groweth in a clayish ground, being withall fat, red, and somewhat moist, commonly in medowes, situated in some high place. It hath like properties with Bugle and Sanicle: but moreouer, it taketh away all the paine and heat of inflammations and vlcers. The same hearb stamped and applyed vnto the teats of women and young maids maketh them hard and firme.

Great ComfreyGreat Comfrey. groweth in moist places, and hath the same propertie that Bugle hath, that is to say, to soulder wounds: and this is [...]o great in both of them, as [...] that you put Bugle or Comfrey into a pot wherein flesh is boyling, the pieces of flesh will become no more manie, but one. The root of great Comfrey, whiles it is yet greene, and newly pluckt out of the earth, being spread vpon Leather, or vpon Linnen, and applyed in forme of a Cataplasme vpon goutieGout. or rheumatike places, doth presently appease the paine of the gout, being a thing often proued and tried. The same root dried and made into powder, is good to put in children [...] pappe,Ruptur [...]. which haue their rimme broken; as also to stay the flux of the bellie▪ A Cataplasme made of the root of great Comfrey with Beane flower, and applyed vnto the place where the childs guts fall downe, is a soueraigne remedie to cu [...] the same.

Self-healeSelf-heale. craueth a fat ground, and where the Sunne beateth not much: it groweth of se [...]des, and not of rootes, and hath like properties that Bugle and Co [...]frey haue, especially to stay the spitting of bloud, the bloudie flux, and to conglutinate wounds within the bodie (where no man can come to apply tent or oyntment) if there be made a drinke of the iuice of the rootes and leaues thereof, which being chafed in your fingers, or put vnder your tongue, doth smell and tast like Myrrhe.

Water GermanderWater Germander. (called of the Latines Scordium) groweth verie easily, and without great paine or toile, so that it be planted by little slippes taken from the old stalke, and set in a moist ground: for it specially requireth (to grow well) to be pl [...] ted in a moist ground, and to be often watered. It hath the like qualities that Angelica hath against Poyson and the Plague:The vertues of Germander. and furthermore, the decoction thereof taken as a drinke for certaine daies, doth heale the tertian Agues, and putteth away [...] obstructions of the Spleene, and prouoketh vrine.

Fole-footFole-foot. must be planted in a verie moist place, and craueth to be often watered: for so it appeareth, when as it is seene to flourish and like best in marish grounds, and about currents of waters. There groweth a whirish moss [...] about the root of it, which if you gather and picke verie cleane, and afterward wrap it in a Linnen Cloth with a little Sal nitrum, and so boyle it a little in Lee, and afterward lay it to drie in the Sunne, you shall haue an excellent match to take fire at a flint and fire-steele; for it taketh fire so easily, that it will light at the first stroke of the [...]. [Page] Amongst other vertues, it is singular good to comfort the lungs and parts aboue the breast, whether you take it in a decoction, or in a syrrup, or in manner of a fume at the mouth, or otherwise; especially if you mingle some slippes of Hysope, and some figges, or syrrup, with the said decoction. The great Colts-foot, especially the root thereof, dried, powdred, and taken in the weight of two drammes with wine, is singular against the Plague, if so the partie sweat presently after. It is good also to giue vnto Horses which haue the bots, or are short-winded.

The great and small Carline (so called, as though it were Caroline, Carline thistle.. because this Thistle was in a diuine manner made knowne vnto Charlemaigne by an Angell, for the deliuering of his hoast from the Plague, which did miserably annoy them) doth require to be sowne and planted in a drie ground, and stonie, and where the Moone and Sunne doth shine pleasantly.

The root of the great Carline made into powder, and taken the weight of a French crowne, is singular good against the Plague, the feeblenesse and faintnesse of the Heart, for the keeping of the Vrine, the breaking of the Stone, the paines of the Sides, and Conuulsions: applyed outwardly after it hath beene steept in vineger, it helpeth the Sciatica.

Eringium groweth in an vntilled,Hundred headed thistle. rough, and drie ground. The wine wherein the rootes of EringiumEringium. haue been boyled, prouoketh the Termes and restrained Vrine, breaketh the Stone, and casteth out it, and Grauell. It is good for such as haue the falling Sicknesse, Dropsie, or Iaundise.Sea-Holly The decoction of the root is singular good to resist Drunkennesse. The distilled water of the young buds of the leaues being drunke euerie day, and that so oft as one can, is maruellous good for them which haue their bodies troubled with vlcers caused of the French Pocks, in as much as it comforteth the Liuer. The same water is verie profitable for the quartane and quotidian Agues. The root thereof taken either in powder, or in a decoction, with the broth of those Frogges which are vsed to be eaten, or for lacke of Frogges, in the decoction of a Goslin or green Goose, is a preseruatiue against the poyson of the Toad, Hedgefrogge, and other venimous hearbes. It doth good also in the diseases of the heart, being drunke with the decoction of Buglosse or Balme.

Beares-breech,Beares-breech. called of the Latines Acanthus, groweth in stonie and moist places, although it loue to be diligently tended, or otherwise not to yeeld anie profit.

The root and leaues are verie mollifying: taken in drinke, they prouoke vrine: and applyed in forme of a Cataplasme, they are good against con [...]ulsions, wrenches, and contractions of the ligaments: They are to good effect vsed in the Clysters of them which haue the Dropsie.

Diuels-bitDiuels bit. (so called, because it sheweth as though the middle, or the heart of the root, were gnawed or bitten by some Diuell, so soone as it is planted, or hath put vp in anie place; as though the Diuell did enuie the good which it bringeth vnto men by the incredible vertues that are therein) craueth no great husbandrie, neither yet anie fat earth, or verie moist: for, as we see, it groweth vpon mountaines, in bushes, and places altogether barren. It is true, that it groweth also in medowes, but yet such as are not verie moist. It is found in great aboundance in the medowes of Verriere, a borough neere vnto Paris.

The root and greene leaues being stamped together, and applyed vnto Carbuncles and pestilent Buboes, doe heale them: The Wine wherein they haue boyled, is drunke with good successe against the Plague, and against the griefes and suffocation of the Mother. The powder of the root thereof is verie good against Wormes.

CinquefoileCinquefoile. (so called, because of the fiue leaues which it beareth) craueth a low, waterish, and shadowed ground: it groweth also in drie and grauellie places.

The decoction of the root vsed for a Gargle, doth assuage the tooth-ach, and heale the vlcers of the mouth: in a Clyster, it slayeth all manner of flux of the bellie, as well the bloudie flux as others: taken as a drinke, it is singular against the Iaundise, the stopping of the Liuer, and against a pestilent ayre, and poyson.

[Page] TormentillTormentill. (like in stalke vnto Cinquefoile, but vnlike in number of leaues [...] much as it hath seuen) delighteth in the same ground that Cinquefoile doth, [...] not altogether so waterish, and called Tormentill, because the powder or [...] of the root doth appease the rage and torment of the teeth; is ouer and aboue [...] [...] ther remedies, most singular against the Plague, and against the furie of all [...]. and Venimes: it stayeth likewise all fluxes of bloud, whether it be spitting, [...] struous, or of the bellie, all vomiting, and vntimely birth, whether it be taken [...] by the mouth, or applyed outwardly, or whether it be taken in substance, [...] the distilled water onely.

PerwinclePerwincle. delighteth in a shadowed and moist place: we see it grow likewise [...] Willow grounds, Hedge-rowes, and out-sides of Woods.

The leaues, as well in decoction, as otherwise, doe stay all manner of flux of the bellie, or spitting of bloud, or otherwise, as the monethly termes, and whites, [...] purging hauing gone before, and bleeding at the nose, if you brui [...]e the [...] and put them in the nose: or if you make a collar thereof to put about your [...] a garland for your head: or if you put them vnder and about the tongue: After the same manner you shall stay the monethly termes, as also preuent vntimely birth, [...] you apply them vpon the groines.

Bistort,Bistort. as well the great as the small, doth delight in a moist, waterish, and sh [...] dowie place: it groweth also in high Mountaines.

The root thereof doth stay all manner of fluxes, as the termes and vnwilling [...] away of the vrine, if it be drunke with the iuice or distilled water of [...] it stayeth the flux of bloud comming of a wound, if the powder of it be cast [...] the bleeding wound: it suppresseth cholericke vomits, if is befried with the [...] of egges vpon a red hot tyle, and be eaten by and by. It is singular good, as well [...] the decoction and substance, as in the distilled water, against all Venime; as also against the Plague, against Wormes in little children, against the Measels, Purple [...] ▪ and small Pocks in young children; against the bloudie flux, and all manner of falls against the paine and rheumes of the teeth, if you put it into the hollow tooth [...] little Allome and Pellitorie of Spaine.

Pionie,Pionie. as well the male as the female, craueth to be planted or set in drie ground, where the Sunne hath his full force.

The seed or root gathered in the wane of the Moone, and hanged about the neck▪ or applyed vnto the wrists alone, or with the Miss [...]ltoe of the Oake, is a verie sing [...] lar preseruatiue against the Falling sicknesse: Whereunto notwithstanding I would not haue thee so much to trust, as that thou shouldest not looke after some other [...] medie: assure thy selfe rather, that it is singular in bitings and stingings that are [...] nimous, as well taken inward, as applyed outward. Thirtie seeds of Pionie [...] and brayed, and the verie kernell made into powder, and drunke with wine, doth fetch againe the speech when it is lost.

Paules Betonie,Paules Betonie. both male and female, would be either sowne or planted in th [...] verie same ground with Pionie.

This hearbe, especially the female, is verie much commended for his vertues: [...] the iuice that is pressed out of his leaues, and the water that is distilled thereof, [...] heale all sorts of wounds, as well new as old; all sorts of vlcers, whether maligne [...] cancrous; swellings, and hot tumors, itch, and all the diseases of the skin: and which is more, the often vse, as well of the iuice, as of the distilled water of Paules [...], doth perfectly cure the Leprosie: whereof we haue a notable and famous testimo [...] of a French King, who thereby was throughly cured thereof: And this is the [...] why this hearbe is called the Leapers hearbe. Some doe make a balme thereof ( [...] we will further speake in the Chapter of Balmes in the third Booke) which is sing [...] lar aboue all others for all sorts of wounds and maligne vlcers, as also for the Leprosie: and that it is so good, is proued; for that a certaine person, well knowne vnto [...], hauing a virulent vlcer, in manner of a Polypus in his nosthrils, of the cure [...], manie, as well Physitio [...]s as Surgions, being excellent men, and dwelling in [...] [Page] Towne, did altogether despaire, was notwithstanding wonderfully cured by the application of this Balme, and often vse of potions made of the decoction of the leaues of the female Paules Betonie. This hearbe is singular also in Clysters for bloudie Fluxes; and in drinkes, for pestilent Feauers, vlcers of the Lungs, and obstructions of the Liuer and Spleene.

GromellGromell. is the same which we call in Latine Milium solis; and it groweth better being sowne than pianted: it delighteth in a drie and vntilled ground, being withall stonie, and hauing a good ayre.

The iuice of the leaues and powder of the seed being drunke with Wine, hath a singular vertue against the Grauell and Stone, and procuring of the Vrine to passe away. There is nothing more singular for the burning of the Vrine, than to drinke manie mornings the seed of Gromell, to the quantitie of two drammes, Ceterach halfe a dramme, and Amber two scruples, all being powdred with the iuice of Plantaine, or Purcelane, or Lettuce. In like manner, two drammes of the seed of Gromell, with womens milke, doth much comfort and strengthen a woman in her child-birth.

Hyporicum loueth the like entreatie that Gromell loueth:Saint Iohns wort. and yet withall it doth refuse a fat and well tilled soyle. The iuice of the leaues and flowers healeth cuts and wounds. The seed drunke with white wine, taketh away the tertian Ague. The flowers and crops are principally in vse to make Balmes of for the curing of wounds,The Balme. such like as this is: Take of the fruit of the Elme tree, the flowers of Hypericum, and the buds of Roses, put them all together in a Glasse-bottle, and set them in the Sunne so long, as vntill you see them all so altered and changed, as that they may seem to be rotted, then straine them all through a linnen cloth, and reserue it for your vse. See further in the third Booke of the oyle of Hypericum.

Ground-pineGround-pine. loueth a drie, sandie, and stonie soyle, and groweth better planted than sowne. The whole hearbe boyled in honied water, doth heale the laundise, prouoke the termes in Women, prouoke Vrine, and is soueraigne against the Sciatica, either taken in drinke▪ or applyed vpon the hippe in forme of a Cataplasme: for the whole hearbe, with the flowers and roots, made into powder, and taken at the mouth fortie daies with halfe an ounce of Turpentine, doth throughly heale the Sciatica. The conserue made of the flowers is good for such as are subiect vnto the Palsie. The whole hearbe boyled in vineger, and taken at the mouth, doth minister insinit helpe to a trauailing women, when the child is dead in her bodie.

AgrimonieAgri [...]ie. would be planted in a stonie and drie place: and further, craueth no great helpe of hand, or husbandrie. The decoction openeth the obstructions of the Liuer, and strengtheneth it: and it being boyled and drunke, doth helpe against the bitings of venimous beasts. The iuice of Agrimonie mixt with vineger and salt in a Liniment, doth cure the Itch. Agrimonie is good against the cough of Sheepe, and for broken-winded Horses. The liquor of the decoction of Agrimonie, with fumitorie made like Whay, doth prouoke Vrine, expell the Termes, heale the Itch and Scab of the whole bodie; whereupon it is singular in the beginning of the Leprosie. The seed mixt with the iuice of Agrimonie, and taken in manner of pilles, doth kill the Wormes. The Stagge being shot and wounded, is healed so soone as he hath eaten of this hearbe. If you gather good store of this hearbe, and steepe it in faire Spring water, in a large earthen pot, till the water putrifie, and then euerie morning wash the face therein, it will take away all manner of Morphew, Sunne-burning, Farn-freckles, and other spots or dunnesse of the skinne whatsoeuer, making the same also cleare and smooth, and filling vp euerie manner of wrinekle. Some likewise vse in this case to vse with Agrimonie the like quantitie of Goose-grasse: and sure it is not amisse; for they haue both one manner of force and working.

White MulleinWhite [...]. groweth euerie where: but best, in a stonie and sandie ground. The white Mullein, both leaues, flowers, rootes, and seed, is singular good against all manner of venime: as also to containe in his place the falling Fundament. [Page] Good wiues, in like manner, for this consideration doe make a fume of the seed and flowers of Mullein, the flowers of Camomill and Masticke, all made into [...]. The iuice pressed from the root before it put forth his stalke, and drunke foure [...] in the quantitie of an ounce, with Hippocras or Malmesey, in the beginning of a [...] of a quartane Feauer, doth driue it quite away. The iuice pressed out of the flowe [...] or leaues, applyed to Warts, doth take them cleane away. Likewise, Gentlewom [...]n find no better remedie than the iuice of white Mullein flowers, to take away the wrinckles and other blemishes in their face. The leaues bruised betwixt two stone [...], and applyed in forme of a Cataplasme vpon the foot of a Horse that hath beene cloyed, doth affoord him a singular and present reliefe. The water distilled of the flowers, quencheth the firinesse of the face, if there be a little Camphire added there [...] unto. It doth in like manner with the tumor called Erisipelas, the itch, burnings, [...] other diseases of the skin. The flowers of white Mullein, with the yolke of an egg [...], crummes of bread, and the leaues of Leeks, applyed vnto the Hemorrhoids, doe [...] them altogether. There groweth about the leaues of white Mullein a whitish [...], which is good to make match or tinder to take fire.

MercurieMercurie. craueth one and the same ground with the Vine, there to be sowne, and grow in great aboundance, without anie great care of husbanding: and yet th [...] must care and regard be had, not to sow it among Vines, because the wine which [...] Vines should yeeld, amongst whom Mercurie hath beene sowne, would retaine the tast of Mercurie, and become verie vnpleasant to drinke.

The iuice of Mercurie being drunke,The vertues of Mercurie. helpeth conception, prouoketh wome [...] termes, and deliuereth them of their after-birth. The decoction of Mercurie do [...] loose the bellie, being drunke or taken in a Clyster. Some make a honey of the [...] of Mercurie, with a halfe quantitie of honey, and this is good for laxatiue Clyste [...]. The iuice of Mercurie taketh away Warts: the seed of Mercurie in a decoction with Wormewood doth cure the Iaundise: and the iuice thereof, with vineger, doth rip [...] vp the scab and scurffe.

Yarrow doth grow in a ground that is indifferent fat and moist.Milfoile. The decoctio [...] thereof doth stay all manner of fluxes, and especially the red termes of women, [...] also that which commeth of a wound, especially the leaues dried, made in powder, and drunke with the iuice or water of Comfrey or Plantaine. The leafe put into the nose, stayeth the bleeding: and put into a Clyster, it stayeth the bloudie flux. Milfoile bearing a white flower, being powned with his flower, and drunke with [...] distilled from the same, and Goats milke, doth cure the burning of the vrine in [...], and the whites in women.

DanewortDanewort. groweth better plunted than sowne, and craueth a fat ground, well [...] nured, and somewhat moist.

The iuice pressed from the roots of Danewort, being drunke for a certaine time, preserueth a man from the Gout. The seed of Danewort being well washed and drunke in powder to the quantitie of a dramme, hauing beene first steeped a whole night in Wine, doth helpe the Dropsie, because it procureth stooles downward, and vomit vpward, to the voiding of great store of water. Being drunke also with the d [...] coction of ground Pine, it as [...]uageth the paine of the Gout and Pocks. There is also made a soueraigne Oyntment of the same for the appeasing of the said paines: Ta [...] the iuice of the roots of Danewort, the flowers of Rye, and fresh butter, of ech alike, mixe all, and let them worke together in an earthen pot set in the Ouen; with this Oyntment rub the aki [...]g parts: or else infuse the flowers in oyle, with mans grease, set in the heat of the Sunne. Some also make an Oyle of the seedes, pressing it [...] of them.

OrpinOrpin. groweth for the most part in moist and shadowie places. The Countr [...]y people doe, by their good wills, plant it vpon Saint Iohns night in dishes, or vpo [...] trenchers of wood, in some cleft of a wall, the foot being thrust into clay, and the [...] they set it, where it abideth a long time greene, growing and flourishing, if it be now and then watered. The liquor of the decoction of the leaues is a soueraigne [Page] remedie to heale wounds, and stay fluxes of bloud, for inward wounds and vlcers, and for burstings and ruptures.

Goats-beardGoats-beard. groweth verie well in a moist ground and shadowed, and craueth to be oft watered. The Latines call it Vlmaria, because the leaues are like to the leaues of Elme. The root and leaues made in powder, doe cure the flux of the bellie, and bleeding. The distilled water being drunke, is singular good for wounds both inward and outward.

Ground-IuieGround-Iuie. groweth likewise in a moist and shadowed place. The decoction of the leaues hath great power to take away the obstructions of the liuer and spleene, to prouoke vrine, and the termes in women. There is made of it an excellent balme for new cuts and wounds: also for the Collicke, ministred in Clysters, or taken in drinke, putting the small chopt leaues into a Glasse-violl well stopt with gummie wax, and strong parchment, and setting the said violl in Horse dung for the space of fortie daies. The iuice thereof, with the rust of Brasse is a fit medicine for fistulaes and hollow vlcers: the decoction thereof, with Betonie, Pimpernell, Mouse-eare, Bistort, Horse-taile, Tormentill, red Coleworts, and Dittander, is singular for wounds in the principall and inward parts, if it be oft vsed. This ground-Iuie is otherwise called of some, Ale-hoofe, and it hath a most singular vertue for the curing of all manner of [...]ore eyes, either in man or beast, if you take it and beat it well in a mortar, and drop into it three or foure drops either of white Rose-water, or the water of Eye-bright, and then straine it into a cleane Glasse-bottle, and keepe it close, then wash the sore eye therewith, when occasion is ministred, and the oftener in the day that you doe wash the sore eye therein, the better it is, and the sooner recouered.

Hounds-tongueHounds-tongue. groweth easily in peblie and vntilled ground. The leaues powned and applyed vnto burnings, the wild-fire, old vlcers, wounds, and inflammations, aches, fluxes, and hemorrhoids, doe verie much good. There is made a singular Oyntment for wounds of the iuice thereof, mixed with honey of Roses, and Turpentine. There are also made thereof pilles, to stay vehement and violent rhewmes.

Adders-tongueAdders-tongue. doth require aboue all other things a fat place, well tilled, and moist: it groweth also in medowes, but it is destroyed by and by and spoyled. The leaues stamped and applyed vnto burnings, inflammations, burstings, and principally vnto wounds and maligne vlcers, are of a maruellous effect. There is a balme made of the leaues thereof for the same effects, whereunto some put Turpentine: Red wine, wherein this whole hearbe hath beene steeped, is good to stay rhewmes falling downe vpon the eyes.

Goose-grasseGoose-grasse. doth grow in anie kind of ground, and hath no need of great tillage. Some doe distill the water of it, which is singular good against the Pleurifie, and other paines of the side, being taken in the beginning of the disease, as also against the bitings and stingings of venimous beasts, and to coole the heat of Cankers.

Corne-rose craueth a fat ground, and well tilled,Of Corne-rose, or wild Poppie. such as are Corne-grounds, wherein we may see them grow faire and verie well blowne. The flowers of Corne-rose, as well the great as the small, either in decoctions, or the distilled water, or in sy [...]rups, or in powder, the weight of halfe a French crowne, are singular meanes to prouoke spitting in Pleurisies, and to cure the same.

Bastard DittanieBastard Dittanie. in like manner requireth a fat ground, and well tilled, and therewith a diligent care to water it, and to keepe it from the coldnesse of the ayre. The seed, root, leaues, and flowers, as well in powder as in a decoction, doe prouoke vrine, breake the stone, prouoke the monethly termes, cast out the dead conception and after-birth: being eaten with Rubarbe, they kill and cast out the wormes: The iuice applyed outwardly, doth draw forth thornes and thistles, and stumpe [...] of splints.

Knot-grasseKnot-grasse. is called in Latine Polygonum, it groweth by the edges of Vineyards [Page] and fields that are badly tilled, especially when it is a moist yeare. Amongst the principall vertues thereof, the distilled water is soueraigne against the difficultie of vri [...], as I haue oft proued by experience.

Salomons-sealeSalomons-seale. must be set in a drie ground, and raised high. The root whiles it is new, being powned, or the iuice of the same, wipeth out freckles, spots, blew markes of blowes, falls, or other such like thing, whether they be in the face, or in anie other part of the bodie. Some distill the water, which as verie good for the paintings of women.

Great DragonsGreat and small Dragons. must be planted in a shadowed place, and good earth. The small Dragons loue a moist ground and waterish, as neere vnto the Fountaine in the Garden. Their rootes boyled, or rosted and mixt with honey, and afterward taken as [...] Eclegme, doe profit greatly for shortnesse of breath, difficult and hard coughs, and painefull getting vp of the spittle: in such sort, as that they cut, ripen, and wast the grosse humors and slimie. Being powdred and mixt with honey, they heale maligne and corroding vlcers, especially the Polypus. Their leaues spread vpon Cheese, doe keepe them from spoyling and [...]otting. If the iuice thereof be mixed with honey, and put into the eyes, they take away all manner of pa [...]e and aking thereof: Also who so batheth his hands in the iuice thereof, may handle anie venime without danger: Also it is a great cooler of lust, and maruellously abateth all lecherous cogitations.

As concerning the Nettle,Stinging and dead Nettle. it hath no need either of sowing or setting, for it commeth vp in Gardens more than one would haue it: yet notwithstanding it is not without his great vertues, as well the Greeke Nettle, as the Hungarian or dead Nettle.

The leaues, and especially the rootes of dead Nettle,Dead Nettle. stamped and put vpon the nosthrils, doe stay the bleeding of the nose: and their iuice rubbed vpon the brow, doth as much. The leaues of the stinging Nettle stampt with a little Myrrhe, and applyed vnto the nauell in forme of a Cataplasme, haue great power to prouoke the termes of women. Their iuice drunke a certaine time, prouoketh vrine, and breaketh the stone. A Liniment prepared with the leaues of Nettle, Salt, and Oyle, doth defend the parts of the bodie from all cold and staruing, how great soeuer it might proue to be, if so be that you rub the ridge of the backe, the soles of the feet, and the wrists of the hands therewith. Likewise the iuice of this Neule mixt with a little Populeon, and applyed vnto the wrists, appeaseth the great heat of Agues. The leaues beaten and mixed with oyle of Violets and Poppies, and applyed vnto the wrists, doe alike. The vapour of the decoction of Nettle seed doth take away the stuffing of the nosthrils. Such as haue the Cough, with a great ratling in the throat, cannot meet with a better medicine to make them spit out lustily, than to take with some p [...] ctorall syrrop, or decoction, the weight of halfe a French crowne of Nettle seed finely powdred. You must furthermore obserue this vertue in Nettles, [...] in boyling of flesh. as that if it be put into a pot wherein is flesh boyling, it will cause the flesh to be the sooner boyled.

StauesacreStauesacre. must be sowne in a place reasonably drie and shadowed. The seed chewed and held in the mouth, draweth vnto it, by his heat, great quantitie of moisture: stamped and mingled with oyle, it driueth vermine out of the head and other parts of the bodie; it cureth scuruinesle and itch: sleeped in vineger, and held in the mouth, it assuageth the tooth-ach.

There is not anie need of great care to be taken in sowing the great, small, or middle Plantaine,Plantaine. for they grow euerie where, and yet they must be esteemed by reason of their vertues. The iuice of Plantaine leaues or rootes pressed out, and [...] two houres before the fit, to the quantitie of two ounces, doth assuage the [...] Feauer. The leaues of Plantaine, stamped with the whites of egges, doe [...] burnings. An emplaister made of the iuice of Plantaine, the white of an egge, and Bole-Armoniacke, and applyed vnto the brewes, doth stay the bleeding of the nose.

[Page] Horse-taile,Horse-taile. as well the great as the small, requireth a verie moist ground, as neere to some poole or shadowed place. The decoction thereof in wine or water doth stanch bleeding, and all other fluxes, whether it be the bloudie, or anie other such. The iuice put into the nosthrils, doth stay the bleeding of them: and with a Pessarie put vp into the necke of the Matrix, it stayeth the flux thereof.

Pellitorie craueth no great care or tillage,Pellitorie of the wall. for it groweth naturally neere vnto walls. A Cataplasme made of Pellitorie and the grease of a male or female Goat, is a singular remedie for the gowt, and slidings or falls. The leaues of Pellitorie fried with fresh Butter or Capons grease, and laid in forme of a Cataplasme vnto the bellie, doth assuage the paine of the Colicke. The iuice mingled in like quantitie with white Wine and oyle of sweet Almonds newly drawne, doth assuage the paine and torment of the stone. A Cataplasme made of greene Pellitorie, stamped with crums of Bread, and oyle of Lillies, Roses, or Camomile, doth resolue Apostemes happening in the breasts. It is good also for mollifying Clysters and Bathes that are deterging.

Shepheards PowchShepheards powch. groweth in all ground, but principally vpon the ruines of old walls, and neere vnto walls. The decoction of this hearbe in raine water with Plantaine and Bole Armoniacke, being drunke certaine mornings, or taken in Clysters, doth stay the bloudie flux, and the spitting of bloud. A bath prepared with the decoction of the leaues, stayeth the excessiue flux of the termes. But if you take it and boyle it in red wine, with a little Cinnamon and Tanners barke, and so giue it the patient to drinke, it will stay the most dangerous bloudie flux that can be possible. It is verie good also for the same disease, if it be giuen in milke. The iuice doth heale greene wounds, and being dropped into the eares, doth drie vp the vlcers of the same. The leaues stamped and applyed in forme of a Cataplasme, doth kill inflammations, and the wild fire. The leaues eaten doe stay all sorts of bleeding, being put into the nosthrils, as also holden in the hand, they stay the nose from bleeding.

Sow-breadSow-bread. desireth a shadowed ground, as vnder some tree or bush, which must notwithstanding be fat and well tilled to feed the root thereof, which is full, grosse, solide, and as it were like vnto the Turnep. The Forest of Orleance is well stored and repl [...]nished with this hearbe.

This is a thing to be maruelled at,The vertues. that the iuice of the root of Sow-bread snuffed vp into the nose, purgeth the head: and the distilled water thereof snuffed vp also into the nosthrils, doth presently stay their bleeding. The same water drunke to the quantitie of six ounces, with an ounce of Sugar, doth presently stay the bloud running downe from the breast, stomacke, or liuer, and knitteth together the vessels therein, if anie be broken: which I my selfe haue proued and tried. Two drammes of the iuice drunke with honied water, doe loosen the bellie, and free the liuer from obstructions, as also the spleene; in respect whereof, it is singular good for the Dropsie and Iaundise, but you must mixe with it a little Mallicke, or Nutmeg, or Rhubarbe, for to correct the vehemencie thereof. It is incredible what ease the iuice thereof worketh in the Colicke, and other such like griping pangs, if it be put into Clysters: how greatly also it profiteth in Oyntments, Liniments, and Cataplasmes, appointed for the hardnesse and swellings of the spleene and liuer. If you infuse the roots chopped small in the oyle of Roses, or Camomill, or sweet Almonds, and afterward boyle them together, putting thereto a little wine, in the end you shall presse them out: This oyle dropped by two or three droppes into the eares, doth driue away the noyse and deafenesse of the eares, especially if vpon the eares you apply the drosse of these rootes at night at the parties going to bed: or else chop small the rootes, stampe them with Peaches and bitter Almonds, steepe them all in Aqua vitae, afterward straine them, and drop certaine drops of that which shall be pressed out, into the eares: this is verie soueraigne for deafenesse and the noyse of the eares.

Crowfoot,Crowfoot. although there be six kinds of it, yet they all loue a moist and marish [Page] ground, and whereas the frogges delight to liue, which also take pleasure in and [...] themselues about this hearbe. It is true, that some of the sorts doe loue these [...] places more than other some: for the Crowfoot that hath a double flower, not [...] yellow, but somewhat red, and which appeareth onely in Autumne, cannot grow in a verie moist place, so as it doth in the drie medowes, and in places a little [...]: contrariwise, that which beareth a single flower, of a yellow and golden colour, cannot grow but in some watrie medow-plot, and neere vnto standing water. The other, which beareth a double flower, not verie yellow, hath a bulbous and whitish root of a sharpe tast. This same (as well the leaues, but especially the root) being applyed vnto anie part, is as causticke as Pigeons dung, or the Causticke stone, or anie oth [...] the most violent cauterie that may be found: for though you put betwixt the [...] and the hearbe a Linnen cloth fiue or sixe double, yet it will not leaue to [...] and pierce deepe euen vnto the flesh. This is the hearbe, which being steept in D [...] gons bloud, the cursed rogues and wicked rouers vp and downe doe rub their [...], legges, and thighes withall, thereby to exulcerate them, that so they may moue th [...] people with remorse, and so get the larger almes. This is the hearbe which si [...]i [...] calleth Crowfoot, and which is so much esteemed for the Plague, and Plague- [...], called a Carbuncle. Take, saith he, Crowfoot (hauing a root like vnto a small [...] Onion:) this root, either alone, if it be bigge ynough, or two or three of them st [...] ped and laid vnto the thombe of the hand that is on that side in the arme, whereof the Plague is broken out, or vnto the great toe of that foot that is on the same side th [...] the groine is that hath the Plague-sore, and there leaue it foure and twentie houre [...], and it will make blisters, which breaking of themselues, doe let runne out the [...] of the Plague drawne thither by a veine common vnto both parts: but because that this root is verie strong, you must put betwixt it and the thombe foure or fiue do [...] bles of new and strong cloth, or six or seuen of thinne and worne cloth, and so [...] it and bind it vp; and afterward you shall heale the vlcer of the thombe with the yolkes of egges and fresh butter beat together, with a little of the middle Con [...]f [...] stamped with them, or a little washt Aloes: and if you cannot haue it new, the dries also good for the same purpose; but then you need not so manie doubles of cloth betwixt them. This operation and worke is quickly done, and certainely, witho [...] bloud-letting, or other euacuation.

Pettie whinPettie-whin. groweth in euerie ground, whether it be medow, plowed land, drie, scorched, moist, tilled, or not tilled. The Husbandman doth greatly abhorre [...] hearbe, whereof he cannot by anie meanes rid his grounds. The root is singular, [...] well in powder, as in a decoction, or in the water distilled from it (so that before it be distilled, the root be steeped in Malmesey twice so much as it weigheth) for [...] prouoke Vrine, Womens termes, and to procure the opening of the obstructions of the Spleene and Liuer: but aboue all, to breake into powder, and dri [...] forth the Stone, as also to wast such [...]arnosities as may be begotten in the bladder and conduit of the yard. The powder must be taken with white Wine. The [...] is also made a kind of Wine of this root during the Vintage time, with new Wine and white Grapes put into a Vessell, adding thereto a certaine quantitie of Winter Cherries.

The DittanieDittanie. of this Countrey groweth in a drie ground, being also stonie, and open vpon the Sunne. The root is much commended against Poisons and Veni [...], Wormes in children, and cold diseases of the Matrix. Being taken inwardly by d [...] coction, or in powder with Wine the weight of two drammes, or applyed or ministred in a fume, it moueth the termes in women: it bringeth forth the after-birth and dead child: it also driueth out the stone from the reines: but principally it is good for the Pocks, taking it euerie morning a long time the weight of a dramme with [...] decoction of Guaiacum. It is profitable also against the Plague euerie way that [...] can vse it.

GermanderGermander. (called of the Latines Cham [...]drys, that is to say, a small Oake, because the leaues are like to those of the Oake) requireth no other ground or manner of [Page] ordering than Dittanie. This hearbe is called the F [...]auers scourge, because the decoction thereof being drunke in the morning for a certaine space, doth driue away and make an end of the tertian agues: the leaues eaten in a sallade in the morning fasting, it preserueth from the ayre and pestilent contagion, no lesse effectually than water Germander, of which we haue spoken before. The decoction thereof is singular good against the jaundi [...]e, and being vsed a long time, for the Falling sicknesse, head-ach, and other diseases of the braine, and for the wormes.

Rupture-wortRupture [...]wort. groweth in a grauelly or sandie ground which is drie and vnhusbanded: there is likewise great store of it found in the wood of Bo [...]on, neere vnto Paris. This hearbe made in powder and drunke with wine, prouoketh vrine that hath beene long detained, and breaketh the stone of the reines and of the bladder, if for some long time the partie take the weight of a dramme. Fallopius, [...] great and famous Chirurgion in Italie, affirmeth, That he had cured an infinite number of persons of the rupture therewith, giuing it them in drinke for a verie long time together.

Mouse- [...]areMouse- [...]are. will grow in the same ground that Rupture-wort doth: it hath a verie strong astringent qualitie: and that is the cause why Shepheards haue no great affection to d [...]aw their sheepe into such fields as haue store of Mouse-eare in them, because it bindeth them in their bodies, which for the most part worketh in them vnto death: likewise Physitians are wont to make their benefit of this hearbe in the bloudie fl [...]x, and aboundance of termes: as also to heale vp both inward and outward wounds, the spitting of bloud, and falling downe of the fundament.

Dogges-grasse,Dogs-grasse. without setting or sowing, groweth more than one would wish, both in gardens, and also in corne grounds that are fat. It serueth in physicke to coole and drie indifferently: and withall (notwithstanding this) to open and take away obstructions, and to expell and breake the stone: it is true that the seed drieth more, but it bindeth somewhat.

Water-BetonieWater betonie. groweth in moist, waterie, and marshie places. Of the r [...]ot thereof gathered in Autumne, and made verie cleane, and stamped with fresh Butter, all being closed vp in an earthen vessell well leaded and stopt, and the same vessell set in some mo [...]st place, and let stay there some fifteene or twentie daies; after let the butter be melted vpon a soft fire, and in the end strained: is made an oyntment that is singular good to annoint the Kings-euill withall, and the Hemorrhoides: this root is set about with many small knots, hauing the resemblance of Hemorrhoids, or the swelling of the Kings euill.

It groweth without any great paine in gardens,Palma christi. and being sowne, groweth more aboundantly than one would haue it. The seed purgeth those that haue the dropsie verie much, if they be giuen in Whay: it is true that they may be vsed without annoyance done to the stomack, if it be parched and dried, as also mixt with Annise and Fennell-seed▪ furthermore it is verie good to set in gardens, to kill and driue away Moules.

This hearbe is of two sorts, male and female: both of them will grow in all manner of earth,Fern [...]. but principally in that which is moist.

Neither the one nor yet the other doth beare any seed, as Writers record: notwithstanding it hath beene tried,The vertues. that the male beareth seed, and that it cleaueth to the hindermost part of the leaues, but yet so little, that hardly can a man see it, and which cannot be acknowledged, or gathered, but in the end of Iulie, which is the time when it is ripe: for to gather it, you must cut the leafe neere vnto the root, and then hang them vp in your house, spreading a linnen cloth vnder them, or else some faire cleane white paper. I know well that the common sort doe verily thinke and auerre, that this seed cannot be gathered but on the night of the wakes of S. Iohn in Sommer, and that more is, not without great ceremonies and mumbling and muttering of many words betweene the teeth, which haue power to driue away Deuills, which haue the custodie of the same seed: but all this is nothing but fables.

The decoction thereof is good to prouoke womens termes, to cast out the dead [Page] child, to kill wormes, and some doe vse it to heale the frettings or hurts that may be in the fundament fallen downe; but especially the female.

Hearbe Two-penceHearbe Two-pence. (so called because the leaues resemble small peeces of siluer requireth no great peece of husbandrie about it, saue onely that it would haue a moist ground. The whole hearbe either in decoction or powder, but especially the water thereof distilled in a limbecke, is verie singular good for the falling downe of the fundament.

Fleawort (being called of the Latines Psyllium) craueth a verie fat,Fleawort or Flea [...]ane. well manured and batled ground, for else there will no good come of it. The seed prepared in forme of a Mucilage, and applied in vinegar doth kill the wild fire and te [...]er: applied vnto the head or brows it taketh away the paine thereof: it taketh away also the rednesse of the eyes being applyed thereunto. The distilled water is of infinite goodnesse seruing in the paynes of the eyes, two or three drops thereof onely being dropt into them.

This hearbe requireth a verie fat place,I [...]itorie. well manured and tilled: likewise we see it grow aboundantly in vineyards and grounds for Wheat and Barlie. The leaues are verie singular good for the opening of the liuer, and cleansing away of adust humours, and this also is the cause why physitians prescribe it with whay, in scuruie, scabbie, and itchie cases, and where the leprosie is. The juice thereof is good to cleere bleared eyes.

Ground-swellGround-swell. groweth in euerie ground, and without any great care: we see if grow likewise neere vnto walls, and vpon the townes walls: it is greene all the yere, and flourisheth as it were in euerie moneth, and this is the cause why the Italians call it euerie moneths flower. Some thinke that Ground-swell distilled is verie singular good for the Whites in women: but beleeue it not before you find it true by proofe, for I haue obserued by often vse, that this hearbe whether in decoction or otherwise, prouoketh the termes that are stayed.

Birt-wort, as well the long as the round,Arist [...]l [...]chie or birth-wort. must be planted in a fat and fertile soyle, such as that where Wheat is sowne, and Oliue trees planted. Their roots (amongst other al [...]ost in [...]inite vertues) cause womens courses, purge the lungs, cause spitting, cure the cough, and prouoke vrine: which more is, if either of them be taken in drinke, especially the round one made in powder with Pepper and Myrrhe, it driueth forth the after-birth, the dead conception, and all other superfluities gathered in the Matrix: it doth the like being applied in forme of a Mother suppositorie. It purgeth all obstructions of the liuer, and easeth all manner of colicke or other griefes which proceed from windie causes, it is soueraigne against all manner of poyson or any other infection; it cleanseth the bloud, and by rubbing the gummes therewith it preserueth the teeth from rotting.

Centaurie,Centaurie. or the gall of the earth, aswel the great as the smal, desireth a fat ground that is fruitfull and well tilled, and yet in such a ground they thriue not well without the great care and industrie of the Gardener. Their root in decoction, juice, or powder, moueth womens termes, and prouoketh vrine, expelleth the dead child, purgeth [...]legmaticke humors which cause the sciatica, openeth the obstructions of the liuer and spleene, killeth the wormes, profiteth and helpeth palsies, convulsions, and diseases of the sinews, it cleareth the sight, and taketh away all mistinesse from them, especially the juice dropt into the eyes doth heale their fresh and new wounds, and siccatriceth old and maligne vlcers.

Woodbind craueth no great tilling or husbanding,Woodbind or [...]nie-suckles. for it groweth euerie where and in what place soeuer it listeth. It is true that it desireth greatly to be neere broome hedges, and also the borders of fields. The fruit of Woodbind drunke with Wine the space of fortie daies, taketh away the obstructions of a hard and indurat spleene, it purgeth out vrine with such force, as that the tenth day the vrine becommeth all bloudie: it helpeth women in their child-birth: the leaues in decoction or distilled doe heale wounds and filthie vlcers: wipe away the spots and scarres of the bodie and of the face.

[Page] PimpernelPimpernell. hath red and blew flowers, and craueth a moist and shadowed ground, so likewise we see it grow in the shadows of hedges and bushes. Pimpernell with the red flowers, stampe and applied vnto the eyes, or the juice thereof dropt within them, taketh away the inflammations, dimnes [...]e, and vlcers of the eyes: and heal [...]th the inflammations of the secret parts: Pimpernell with the blew flower boyled with salt and water, is a verie good and proper medicine to cure the itch or scurfe, and the lice, or wormes in the hands, if you wash them o [...]t therewith.

Buckwheat is a verie common hearbe,Backwheat or binacorne. and yet but little knowne by his name: it is verie ordinarie in corne and tilled grounds about haruest time. The Peasants of Champaigne doe commonly call it Veluote, because (in my judgement) the leaues are hairie: which name I mind not to change, but rather to keepe for the easier knowing of the hearbe. They make vse of it by applying it, if at any time in shearing they happen to cut themselues with their sickles. For to know it better therefore (than onely by the name) it putteth forth from the root, fiue, sixe, seuen, or eight small branches, for the most part layed along vpon the earth, of the length of a hand, and sometime of a foot, bearing leaues somewhat like vnto the little bindweed, but indeed they be lesse and more round, verie hairie, and a little fattie. The flower is small and of diuers colours, drawing verie neere vnto a pale yellow, but in greatnesse it commeth ne [...]re vnto the flower of eye [...] bright, but in shape and fashion vnto the nettle slower.

The water of the leaues and branches distilled (whiles it is in force) in a Limbeck in Maries-bath,The vertues of Buckwheat. is singular and maruailous good to stay the spreading of the canker in the breasts, and the creeping Polypus, howsoeuer some hold them as incur [...]ble. The same applyed to the brows taketh away the hear, and asswageth the paine of the head. In an injection it mundifieth first, and afterward conglutinateth wounds, and drieth vp fistulaes verie readily, and maligne vlcers which are easily prouoked, and become worse by other remedies: being dropt into weeping eyes it healeth them, and stayeth such rheumes as fall downe vpon them, and cause inflammation and dazeling of the same: being applied with a linnen cloth vpon itchings, wheales, scabbes, poukes, the wild fire, S. Anthonies fire or shingles, it cureth and healeth them in a verie small time, as also all other burning inflammations. Being drunke for certaine dayes, it stayeth all rheumes, vomitings, and fluxes of the bellie, it drieth vp the water in those that haue the dropsie, appeaseth the paines of the colicke: it cureth terti [...]n and quartan agues, and I am verily of mind that it may be giuen to good and profitable purpose to other agues, the temperature thereof considered and his infinite other secret qualities, which euerie day are more and more manifested: being drunke and applied a certaine time, it re [...]uniteth the rupture and falling downe of the bowels, the falling downe of the mother, and the excessiue courses of women by suppressing them and whatsoeuer other [...]luxes of bloud. Taken in a gargarisme with a little Wine, it driueth the vlcers of the mouth: and being vsed for a gargarisme it selfe alone, it is singular against the distillations, causing the swelling of the v [...]ula or the inflammation of the throat called the squinancie: likewise taken in the same mann [...]r it is good against the blacknesse and roughnesse of the tongue caused of a continuall ague. The juice and decoction of the leaues worke the verie same effects, if they be taken whiles as yet the herbe is not too much dried by the heat of the Sunne.

Of this Buckwheat there is made a compound water to make the face faire and beautifull,The compounding of the water of Burckwheat. and vndoubtedly to take away the freckles, and it is thus made: Take of the leaues thereof bruised in a mortar two good handfulls, of the roots of Salomons seale made cleane with a linnen cloth, and after brayed a quarter of a pound, mingle all together, and infuse them for the space of twelue houres in wine, this being done, put all into a limbecke, adding thereto the juice of three Lymons or Oranges, then distill and draw out the water in Maries-bath, which you shall keepe verie carefully for your vse: but it is requisite that before this you haue made prouision of the liquor of the Brionie root, which must be gathered about the end of Aprill, or in the beginning [Page] of May, whiles the dews continue, and that in this manner. The head of [...] root must be cut a little, vncouering the top, and not pulling it vp by the root [...] it is thus pared at the top, you must cut a hollow hole in it some two or three fing [...] deepe, and then couer it againe with the cap you haue cut off from the head, and some few of the leaues thereof, and so to leaue it to the next morning before Sun [...] rise, not taking off this cap or couering: then there will be found in this hole a liquor which must be gathered with a spoone, and put vp and kept in a violl glasse, after which the couering must be put on againe as it was the day before, and this to be continued euerie day vntill mid-May, and longer if so be that one be disposed. Now when you would vse it, take an ounce of this liquor, and mixe it in a violl with two ounces of the abouenamed compounded water; and at night when you goe to bed, you must wet a linnen cloth in this mixture, and spread it all ouer the face, then letting it rest a good part of the night, but in the morning you must auoid the b [...] ning heat of the Sunne: and this course shall be continued for certaine nights together.

But although the hearbe alone applied, his juice, water, and decoction hauing great and excellent qualities, as it is easie to judge by that which hath beene said before, yet forasmuch as that one simple, or one drugge, or many joyned together, and to good purpose and effect in that thing for which it was compounded and made, is of much more efficacie by the helpe and assistance afforded vnto it, I am willing for that cause to impart vnto you a maruailous oyntment made of the same Backe-wheat,An ointment of Bucke-wheat. and the description of it, it in manner as followeth. Take of the juice of the leaues of Buck-wheat, layed in steepe in a little white wine the space of foure and twentie houres, one pound of the juice of Vernaine (which is as yet but a little [...] vp into branches) in like manner steeped as before, and that by it selfe a quarter of a pound of the juice of the leaues of yellow Henbane (commonly called small Nicotian, or the Queenes-herbe) halfe a pound, Oyle-Oliue a pound: mix all these together in a skellet, and boyle them vpon a small [...]ire, stirring it often with a spatule of wood, vntill the juices be almost consumed: then adde thereto of new waxe, brok [...]n into peeces, and of Perrosine, of each a quarter of a pound, and melt the whole by little and little, still stirring it with a spatule, and keeping a low fire without increasing of it: which being done, take the skellet from the fire, and put into it at th [...] present instant of Venice Turpentine a quarter of a pound by little threeds [...] were, and stirring it continually with a spatule: then when the oyntment shall begin to wax cold, put in Masticke and Frankincense mixt together in powder, of each the weight two French Crownes, and cease not to stirre it as before, vntill it [...] all well incorporated. The marke to know when the oyntment is well made and fully finished, is, if a drop thereof being put vpon your naile doe congeale and [...] together, or that it cleaueth vnto the spatu [...]e stirring it. Then put you vp this composition or mixture in Gallipots, for to serue you as shall be declared hereafter.

This oyntment aboue all other remedies is singular good in the curing of the [...], as well of the dugs as of other parts, in the curing also of the Polypus, N [...]li [...] tangere, the Kings-euill, bruised or squat [...]les, wounds old and new, fistulaes, and maligne vlcers, be they neuer so rebellious It quencheth all sharpe inflammation [...], the shingles, and burnings either of water or fire. It rooteth out all sorts ofringwormes, scabs, itches, pastules, the wild scab, and the wild fire. It is good for [...] of sinews i [...] there be added to it pouned wormes. It cureth the moth, or falling of the haire, if before you annoint the head, the haire be pulled and taken away. [...] away the swelling and paines of the Hemorrhoides. Being applied with [...] grea [...]e and a little oyle of Roses, it likewise taketh away the paines of the go [...] [...]mundifieth and draweth out mightily the gunshot out of the bodie, and healeth [...] wounds vp without any other thing applied: it taketh away the blewnesse of [...] blows. To be briefe, it is a m [...]st [...]ure and infallible remedie by reason of his [...]rature in all impostumes either hot or cold, and resolueth and discusseth all [...] [Page] that need not to be suppurated and ripened. But this must be obserued, that before you apply it, you must discerne of the offending humor, to the end, that you may vse some either generall or particular euacuation, according to good order, and that by the aduice of some Physitian.

CHAP. XLIIII.
A discourse of Nicotian, or the male Petum.

NIcotiana, though it haue beene but a while knowne in France,Nicotiana the chief [...] of Physicke hearbes. yet it holdeth the first and principall place amongst Physicke hearbes, by reason of his singular and almost diuine vertues, such as you shall heare of hereafter: whereof (because none, either of the old or new Writers that haue written of the nature of Plants, haue said anie thing) I am willing to lay open the whole Historie, as I haue come by it through a deere friend of mine, the first Author, Inuentor, and Bringer of [...] hearbe into France: as also of manie, both Spaniards, Portugals, and others, wh [...]h haue trauelled into Florida, a Countrey of the Indians, from whence this hearbe came, to put the same in writing, to quite such of griefe and trauell, as haue heard of this hearbe, but neither know it, nor the properties thereof.

This hearbe is called Nicotiana, of the name of an Embassadour, which brought the first knowledge of it into this Realme,Why it was called Nicotiana. in like manner as manie Plants doe as yet retaine the names of certaine Greekes and Romans, who being strangers in diuers Countreyes for their Common-wealths seruice, haue from thence indowed their owne Countrey with manie sorts of Plants, whereof there was no knowledge before.

Some call it the hearbe of Queene-mother, because the said Embassadour,The hearbe of Queene-mother. Lord Nicot, did first send the same vnto the Queene Mother (as you shall vnderstand by and by) and for being afterward by her giuen to diuers others to plant and make to grow in this Countrey. Others call it by the name of the hearbe of the great Prior,The hearbe of the Great Priour. because the said Lord a while after sayling into these Westerne Seas, and happening to lodge neere vnto the said Lord Embassadour of Lisbone, gathered diuers Plants thereof out of his Garden, and set them to encrease here in France, and that in greater quantitie, and with more care, than anie other besides him, hee did so highly esteeme thereof for the exceeding good qualities sake. The Spaniards call it Tabacco.Tabacco. Some call it the Holy hearbe,The Holie hearbe. because (as I thinke) of his holy and maruellous effects. Verie manie haue giuen it the name of Male Petum, to know it from the Female Petum; which is (in truth) the proper name of the hearbe, vsed by them of the Countrey from whence it was brought: Notwithstanding, it were better to call it Nicotiana, after the name of the Lord which first sent the same into France, to the end, that wee may giue him the honour which hee hath deserued of vs, for hauing furnished our Land with so rare and singular an hearbe. And thus much for the name: Now listen vnto the whole Historie.

Master Iohn Nicot, one of the Kings Councell,Mans [...]eur Nicot Embassador for the King in Portugall. being Embassadour for his Maiestie in the Realme of Portugall, in the yeares of our Lord God, 1559, 1560, and 1561, went on a day to see the Monuments and worthie Places of the said King of Portugall: at which time, a Gentleman, keeper of the said Monuments, presented him with this hearbe, as a strange Plant, brought from Florida. The Noble man, Sir Nicot, hauing procured it to grow in his Garden, where it had put forth and maltiplied verie greatly, was aduertised on a day by one of his Pages, that a young boy, kinsman of the said Page, had layd (for tryall sake) the said [Page] hearbe stampt, the substance and juice and altogether, vpon an vlcer which he had vpon his cheeke, neere vnto his nose, next neighbour to a Noli me tangere, as hauing alreadie seised vpon the cartilages, and that by the vse thereof it was become maru [...] lous well: vpon this occasion the noble man Nicot called the boy to him,A matter of experience in the [...] of a Noli me tangere. and making him to continue the applying of this hearbe for eight or tenne daies, the Noli me tangere became throughly killed. Now they had sent oftentimes vnto one of the Kings most famous Physitions the said boy, during the time of this worke and operation, to marke and see the proceeding and working of the said Nicotiana: and hauing in charge to continue the same vntill the end of tenne dayes, the sayd Physitian then beholding him, assured him certainely, that the Noli me tangere was dead: as indeed the boy neuer felt anie thing of it at anie time afterward.

Some certaine time after,Proo [...]e of it in wounds. one of the Cookes of the said Embassadour hauing almost all his thombe cut off from his hand with a great Kitchin knife, the Stewa [...] running vnto the said Nicotiana, made him to vse of it fiue or six dr [...]ssings, by the end of which, the wound was healed. From that time forward this hearbe began [...] become famous in Lisbone,The Embassadors hearbe. where the King of Portugals Court was at that time, and the vertues thereof much spoken of, and the common people began to call it the Embassadours hearbe.

Now, vpon this occasion, there came certaine daies after a Gentleman out of the fields, being father vnto one of the Pages of the said Lord Embassadour, who [...] troubled with an vlcer in his legge of two yeares continuance, and craued of the said Lord Embassadour some of his hearbe, and vsing it in manner afore mentioned, he was healed by the end of tenne or twelue daies.

After this yet the hearbe grew still in greater reputation: insomuch, as that mani [...] hasted out of all corners to get some of this hearbe.Proofe for Ring wormes. And amongst the rest, there was one woman which had a great Ringworme, couering all her face like a maske, and hauing taken deepe root, vnto whome the said Lord Embassadour caused this P [...]tum to be giuen, and withall, the manner of vsing of it to be told her: and at the end of eight or tenne daies this woman being throughly cured thereby, came to shew her selfe vnto the said Lord Embassadour, and how that she [...] was cured.

There came likewise a Captaine,Proofe for the Kings euill. bringing with him his sonne, diseased with the Kings [...]uill, vnto the said Lord Embassadour, for to send him into France; v [...] whome there was some triall made of the said hearbe: whereupon, within few daies, he began to shew great signes and tokens of healing, and in the end was throughly cured of his Kings euill.

The said Lord Embassador seeing so great proofe and traill of the said hearbe,Madame of Montigny dead of a Noli me tangere in her breasts. and hauing heard sa [...], that the late deceased Madame of Montigny died at S. Germans in Lay of an vlcer grown in her brests, which was turned to a Noli me tangere, for which neuer [...]nie bodie could find anie remedie: and likewise, that the Countesse of Ruffe had sought for all the famous Physitians of the Realme to cure her of a Ringwo [...] which she had in her face, and that they could not all heale it, he resolued with himselfe to send of it into France,How Nicotiana was [...] brought into France. and thereupon accordingly sent it vnto king [...] the second, and vnto Queene mother, and many other Lords of the Court, together with the manner to order it and applie it to the abouenamed diseases, as he himself [...] had [...]und by experience: as also vnto the Lord of Iarnac, gouernour of Roche [...], with whom the said Embassadour had intercourse of letters by reason of the king his affaires: which Lord Iarnac also told him one day sitting at table with the Queen [...] mother,The distilled wate [...] o [...] [...] [...] good for a short breath. that he had caused of the said Nicotiana to be distilled, and had caused [...] water thereof to be drunke being mixt with the water of eye-bright by one that [...] stuffe [...] in his lungs, and that he was cured thereby.

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This hearbe resembleth in figure, fashion, and qualities, the great Comfrey, in such sort,The figure of Nicotiana. as that a man would deeme it to be a kind of great Comfrey, rather than a yellow Henbane, as some haue thought. It hath an vpright stalke, not bending anie way,The stalke. thicke, bearded or hairie, and slimie. The leauesLeaues. are broad and long, greene, drawing somewhat toward a yellow, not bearded or hoarie, but smooth and slimie, hauing as it were tallons, but not either notched or cut in the edges, a great deale bigger downeward toward the root than aboue: as you see the smooth Docke leafe is, which beareth small red seedes, and not burres; and the finer and clearer that such leaues are, the better the Tabacco is esteemed. Whiles it is young, it is leaued, and as it were lying vpon the ground: but rising to a stalke, and growing further, it ceaseth to haue such a number of leaues below, and putteth forth branchesBranches. from halfe foot to halfe, and storeth it selfe by that meanes with leaues, and still riseth higher, from the height of foure or fiue foot, vnto three or foure or fiue cubits, according as it is sowne in a hot and fat ground, and carefully tilled. The boughes and branches thereof put out at ioints, and diuide the stalke by distances of halfe a foot: the highest of which branches are bigger than an arme. At the tops and ends of his branches and boughs, it putteth forth flowersFlower. almost like vnto those of Nigella, of a whitish and incarnate colour, hauing the fashion of a little bell, comming out of a swad or huske, being of the fashion of a small goblet, which h [...]ske becommeth round, hauing the fashion of a little apple, or swords pummell: assoone as the flower is gone and vanished away, it is filled with verie small seedsSeed. like vnto those of yellow Henbane, and they are blacke when they be ripe, or greene, whiles they are not yet ripe. [Page] In a hot countrie it beareth leaues, flowers, and seeds at the same time, in the ninth [...] tenth moneth of the yere, it putteth forth young sciences at the root,Roots. and reneweth it selfe by this store and number of sciences, and great quantitie of sprouts, and yet not withstanding the roots are little, small, fine, threddie strings, or if otherwise they grow a little thicke, yet remaine they still verie short, in respect of the height of the plant. The roots and leaues do yeeld a glewish and rosinish kind of juice, somewhat yellow, of a rosinlike smel,Smell. not vnpleasant, and of a sharpe, eager, and biting tast, [...] or t [...]st. which sheweth that it is by nature hot,Temperatiue. more than in the second degree, and drie in the first, wherupon we must gather that it is no kind of yellow Henbane as some haue thought.

Nicotiana c [...]aueth a fat ground well stirred, and well manured also in this cold countrie, that is to say an earth, wherein the manure is so well mingled and inc [...]rporated, as that it becommeth earthie, that is to say, all turned into earth, and not making any shew any more of dung: which is likewise moist and shadowie, wide and roomie, for in a narrow and strait place, it would not grow high, streight, great, and well branched. It desireth the South Sunne before it, and a wall behind it,How to refresh and cheer [...] vp Nicotiana. which may stand [...]stead of a broad paire of shoulders to keepe away the Northerne wind, and to beat backe againe the heat of the Sunne; it would also be defended from the tossing and force of the wind, by reason of his weakenesse and height: it is true that it will be out of the daunger of the wind, if the root be deep [...]ly taken in the ground. It groweth the better if it be oft watered,To wa [...]er Nicotiana. and maketh it selfe spo [...]t and jolly good cheere with water when the time becommeth a little drie. It hateth the cold, and therfore to keepe it from dying in Winter,How to handle Nic [...]tiana in Winter. it must either be kept in cellars when it may haue free benefit of aire, or else in some caue made of purpose within thesame garden, or else to couer it as with a cloake verie well with a double mat, making a penthouse of wicker worke from the wall to couer the head thereof with straw layed thereupon: and when the Southerne Sunne shineth, to open the doore of the cou [...] made for the said hearbe right vpon the said Sout [...]Sunne.

For to sow it, you must make a hole in the earth with your finger, and that as deepe as your finger is long,To s [...]w Nicotiana. then you must cast into the same hole ten or twelue seeds of the sayd Nicotiana together, and fill vp the hole againe: for it is so small, [...] that if you should put in but foure or fiue seeds, the earth would choake it: and, [...] the time be drie, you must water the place easily some fiue daies after: it may be sowen also after the manner of Lettuses, and such other hearbes, mingling the mould verie well with the seed, and afterward couering it most carefully. Some mixe with the said earth verie cleane ashes, being well si [...]ted and made small, but in a [...] quantitie. It is a long time in springing and putting forth, and after that it is [...] forth,The way to remoue Nicotiana. you must keepe it both from the cold and frost, couering it in the night time, euen whiles it is young and small: and so it will be preserued and kept continually greene and beautifull. And when the hearbe is growen out of the earth, in as much as euerie seed will haue put vp his sprout and stalke, and that the small threddi [...] roots and intangled the one within the other, you must with a great knife make [...] great circle or compasse within the earth in the places about this plot where they grow, and take vp the earth and all together, and cast them into a bucketfull of water, to the end that the earth may be seperated, and the small and tender impes swim aboue the water, and so you shall sunder them one after another without breaking of them: and thus hauing freed them one of another, you shall plant them along th [...] sayd wall some three foot from it, and foure foot euerie one from another: and if th [...] earth neere vnto the wall be not so good as it ought, you shall helpe it by such [...] of batteling as hath beene spoken of, and shall close vp all your care about th [...] plants so remoued with watering them o [...]t. The time to sow them is about [...] Aprill,At what time Nicoti [...]ana must [...]. or in the beginning: or else earlier, if the Spring-time begin earlier: the Indians and Spaniards sow it in Autumne.

As concerning his vertues seeing it is hot and drie in the second degree, as his biting and sharpe kind of tast doth declare: we cannot doubt but that it is good to [Page] cleanse and resolue, as also good for the effecting of the things which [...]t hath beene tried to haue wrought, that is to say, for the healing of the Noli me tangere, all old wounds, and inueterate and cancred vlcers, hurts, ring [...] wormes, and exulcerated seabs, what maligne qualitie soeuer is in them, Kings euill, clouds of the eyes, conlusions, impostumes, stingings of liuing creatures, rednes [...]e of the face, and many other accidents which we will runne ouer hereafter particularly. But in respect of the ver [...]es thereof, the best and most to be esteemed part are the leaues, and for want of them,The l [...]aues of Nicotiana are the best part of the same. the seed, though it haue no such vertue as the leaues: the leaues thereof are vsed, either as they are greene at the time of their ripenesse, or being kept drie in the time of Winter, or in powder, when they are dried and made in powder: as for the way to keepe them, we will speake thereof hereafter.

And to speake particularly of the effects of Nicotiana. The cold and windie paine of the head,Ache of the head, armes, and l [...]gg [...]. armes, and legges will be holpen, if you lay vpon the griefe oftentimes the greene leaues of Petum somewhat dried ouer the fire▪ the tooth-ach is stayed by rubbing the teeth with a linnen cloth that hath beene dipt in the juice of the said shearbe, and by putting into the tooth a pill of the leaues of the same hearbe. The wounds of the armes, legges, and other parts of the bodie how old soeuer they be, will be throughly siccatrized, if you wash them first with white wine or vrine, and afterward wipe them verie cleane with a linnen cloth, and by and by after put thereupon one or two greene leaues well stamped with the juice, or the juice alone, and vpon it some fine white Lin [...], or white linnen cloth, continuing the same daily vnto the end of the cure: and, if you haue no greene leaues, take drie ones, and powder them, and put of this powder into the wounds, after you haue washt them as hath beene said, and wiped them with cleane linnen. The Indians vse it to comfort the feeble & not digesting stomach,A weake stomach not able to digest. first rubbing it with oyle oliue, and then applying thereupon one or two leaues somewhat dried and made pale ouer the fire: it is in vse also among the Indian Canibals against poyson, wherewith they vse to annoint their arrows when they go to shoot, and this poyson will kill by and by if bloud be but drawne: for when they go to warre, they carrie in one Harts foot of that poyson, and in another of the juice of Petuum to remedie the mischiefe: and if they haue no greene, they carrie drie with them: and so soone as they haue applied it to the wound, they account themselues out of all danger of death, how great soeuer the wound be. This remedie was tried by the Indian C [...]nibals, by reason of a battell where they were hurt in a prouince called Sauinam, and as their custome was to cure their poysoned wounds with sublimate, so they not finding store thereof sufficient, were made to applie vnto their wounds, the juice drawne out of the leaues of this hearbe, which shortly after tooke away the paine and venime thereof, and so they became whole: the proofe of this thing hath also beene made in Spaine sundrie times; and amongst others, by the Catholicke King himselfe, who to make triall of this hearbe, caused the wound of a dogge to be rubbed with sublimate, and then presently after to be applied the juice of Petum, together with the substance and all. This same remedie may serue against the bitings of mad dogges, so that it be vsed within a quarter of an houre after. The decoction of the leaues boyled in water, and made into a syrope with sugar, or into a [...]uleb or Apozeme, and taking euerie morning the quantitie of two or three ounces, remedieth the difficultie of breath, old [...]ough,Difficultie of breathing. An old cough: and causeth to spit out grosse and slimie humours, so that the partie before he vse this decoction, haue beene vniuersally purged, by some purgatiue medicine: the [...]uice and drosse of the said leaues stamped in a mortar, doth open the obstructions of the spleene▪ and softeen the hardnesse of the same, applied vnto the region of the [...]pleene in the morning:The spleene [...]opt and hard. for want of the leaues the powder may be applied, being [...] with some oyntment appropriat vnto such diseases. The same remedie serueth [...]or the paine of the stomach,Paine of the stomach. the paine of the bellie, and the colicke,Colicke. as also such other griefes comming of coldnesse and windinesse, being applied warme, and vsed of [...]entimes, till at length the paines be asswaged. It is not of the least seruice for the paynes of the matrix,Paime of the matrix. the said leaues applied vnto the nauell in manner aforesayd: [Page] as also if the fume thereof be put into the nose of a woman grieued with the [...] of the Mother. This is the reason why the women that are subject vnto the disease of the Mother, should haue the same alwaies readie. Some hold it for a [...] gular remedie against the gowt, to chaw euerie morning fasting the leaues of [...], because it voydeth great quantitie of flegme out at the mouth, hindering the [...] from falling vpon the joynts, which is the verie cause of the gowt. If you [...] the leaues amongst hot embers for some space, and alterward taking them forth, [...] them (without shaking off the ashes from them) vnto his bellie that hath [...] drunke much, [...]. you shall as [...]w [...]ge his swelling fulnes [...]e, and keepe him from [...]. The juice of the leaues of Nicotiana stamped, clarified, and mixt with [...] sugar of the forme of a syrope,To kill the [...]. being taken in the morning killeth and casteth [...] wormes: but therewithall you must lay vpon the parties nau [...]ll some of the [...] bruised, stamped in a mortar, and wrapped in a linnen cloth, and let it be presently after he hath taken a clyster of milke and sugar. All aches of the joynes [...] a cold cause, all swellings,Swellings. Rheumes▪ Cold impo [...]umes. tumours, and impostumes comming likew [...]e of cold and windie causes, all ki [...]es on childrens heeles, as also exceeding great itches are [...] led by applying the leaues of Petum. The juice of Petum layed vpon a [...] carbuncleo how pestilent o [...] venimous soeuer, doth heale and cure the same presently: it [...] the like in old vlcers though they pierce vnto the bone,V [...]ers of the nose. i [...] you continue the vse of it so long as there shall be any need: for it maketh the flesh to grow againe, and consumeth the filhinesse of the vlcers: which I my selfe haue proued in two [...] of the nose, caused of the French disease, out of which the juice of this hearbe [...] great store of vvormes to come.Greene wounds Greene vvounds (prouided that they be n [...]t [...] deepe) are healed in a day, by putting into them of this juice, and applying of th [...] drosse vpon them: and if it happen that they should be deepe, then it is but the [...] ther washing of them with wine, and then to put this juice into them, and the [...] thereof aboue and vpon them with a linnen cloth dipt into the juice: also for [...] more briefe and speed [...]hr curing of them, it were good that they were washed [...] and without with the same juice.

Nicotiana dried hath the like operation in the diseases and accidents aboue sp [...] ken of:Wherefore the dried [...] Nicotiana are good the way to drie them is this: You must take the fairest leaues and those also that are indifferent faire, and put them vpon a file, and afterward drie [...] the shadow, hanging vnder some chamber doore, not in the Sunne, Wind, or [...], and so you may keepe them whole, to vse them afterward thus dried or else in po [...] der.To drie Nicotiana. And that I may particularly touch the diseases which the dried leaues are good for. If you take of the best Tabacco or Nicotiana, I doe not meane such as gro [...] eth and is frequent with vs, but that which is naturally good, as hauing all his right both of Sunne and soyle, and is brought from the Indians, of which there are [...] kinds according to the natures of the countries, and the plantation of the herbe, [...] in leafe, some in roll, and some in ball, and twine it verie hard as you can togeth [...] then with a knife shred it verie small, and spreading it vpon a cleane sheet of [...] drie it ouer a gentle fire made of charcoale or other fuell that hath no stinke [...] smoake, then when it is cold, you shall put it into a Tabacco pipe that is [...] cleane or new [...] (the figure whereof is needles [...]e to relate, because the world [...] so much inchaunted therewith, that not any thing whatsoeuer is halfe so [...] this is now a daies) and hauing slopt it hard into the pipe, you shall with a [...] candle, or other sweet flame, set it on fire, and then sucking and drawing the [...] into your mouth, you shall force the fume forth at your nosthrills, which fume [...] the head be well couered) make that you shall auoid at the mouth such [...] s [...]mie and flegmaticke water, as that your bodie thereby will become leane, a [...] if [...] had fasted long: by which one may conjecture that the dropsieThe dro [...]sie. not confirmed [...] be holpen by taking the same fume: the same fume taken at the mouth is [...] good for them that haue a short breath, old cough or rheumes, in which [...] maketh them to auoyd infinite quantitie of thicke and slimie flegme.The suffocation of the mother. The [...] of the Mother, otherwise called the Suffocation of the Mother, is healed by [...] [Page] this fume into the secret parts. For the head-achHead-ach. comming of a cold or windie cause, if you cannot come by the greene leaues, then take the drie, moistening them first with a little wine, and after drying them at liue ashes, then afterward sprinkle vpon them sweet water, and so applie them vnto your head, or any other such place where you feele any paine: you may doe as much with the powder of the leaues dried wingling therewithall things appropriat vnto the disease. Such as are subject vnto swouningsSw [...]uning. are by and by brought againe, by taking at the mouth or nosthralls the fume of the said leaues burnt, in respect whereof Indian women keepe this hearbe verie carefully, because they be subiect to swounings. Which is more,The fume of Nicotiana asswageth hunger and thirst. the inhabitance of Florida doe feed themselues a certaine space with the fume of this hearbe (whatsoeuer a certaine new Cosmographer say to the contrarie, who seeketh by his [...]yes to triumph ouer vs in this respect) which they take at the mouth, by the meanes of certaine small hornes, the picture whereof you may see by the figure of the hearbe. And the truth hereof we gather from them which haue beene in the countries of Florida, and by mariners comming daily from the Indies, which hanging about their neckes little pipes or hornes made of the leaues of the Date-tree, or of reeds, or of rushes, at the ends of which little hornes there are put and packt many drie leaues of this plant, writhen together and broken. They put fire to this end of the pipe, receiuing and drawing in with their breath at their mouth wide open, so much of this fume as possibly they can, and affirme thereupon that they find their hunger and chirst satisfied, their strength recouered, their spirits rejoyced, and their braine drencht with a delightsome drunkennesse: as also to auoyd out of the mouth an infinite quantitie of flegmaticke water. But in that the fume of this hearbe maketh men somewhat drunke, some men haue thought it to be verie cold, and by that reason a kind of yellow Henbane, which it resembleth much in his stalkes, leaues, cups, and seed,That Nicotiana doth not make drunke. as we haue said before: but we must know that the fume of this hearbe doth not make drunken so quickly, and withall, that this kind of drunkennesse doth not proceed of excessiue cold, such as is found in Henbane, but rather in a certaine atomaticall vapour which doth fill the ventricles of the braine. All which vertues and properties, besides that we haue proued and tried them in many diseases here in the countries of France, to the great comfort of the sicke: they also which come from the Indies, and new world of Florida, haue confidently auouched vnto vs to haue proued and tried the same in themselues, hauing beene wounded and hurt, when they made warre in the countrie against the rebellious and trecherous Indians: who likewise affirme, that much good is spoken of this hearbe, euen of all the priests of these barbarous nations, whereof they make vse in their Magicall practises and diuinations, imagining that by the vertue thereof the things which they desire to know are reuealed vnto them. And that it is so, the sauage and bruitish Indians being accustomed to aske of their Priests the successe and euents of things to come, is proued by the Priests: for then they to fulfill the desires and requests of the Indians, take the leaues of this plant and put them in a pipe, or hollow end of a cane, and being mixt with Wine, they sup in and receiue it all at the mouth, and by and by after they f [...]ll in a trance, and become as men without life so long as vntill the hearbe haue ended his operation: and then they rise vp halfe giddie, and so make answer vnto whatsoeuer any man hath demaunded of them: but we must thinke that it is more probable,Diuination by Nicotiana. that such like diuinati [...]n doth proceed of some diuelish art, rather than by vertue of this plant, seeing withall, that this barbarous and heathenish nation is ordinarily giuen to call vpon the wicked feend in all their necessities, and he againe do [...]h so dazle their eyes, that he maketh them to conceiue an infinite number of ambiguous and doubtfull things, and false superstitions: representing vnto them a thousand diuelish and dreadfull visions and apparitions: thus is the simplicitie of this poore people deluded, by the companie of the said Priests, holding for a true and certaine oracle their vertue proceeding from this plant. Furthermore when they are throughly disposed to see strange and fantasticall visions, they burn the leaues of the said plant, and take the fume at their mouth and nosthrils, [Page] and verie presently after they become as it were depriued of sence, falling to [...] ground in a trance. It is certaine that many Philosophers doe deliuer that there [...] certaine plants which haue the like force and properties, making men to dreame of [...] infinit sort of things, and those well pleasing to the spirit and vnderstanding of [...] furthermore they assure vs that if a man take of the juice of it in any quantitie, [...] shall become beside himselfe for the space of three daies.Mad night-shade. Dioscorides likewise saith, That there are diuers plants which haue the same vertue as Mad night-shade, a [...] of the root whereof, as he saith, drunke with Wine, doth bring dreames of [...] things; but not altogether vnpleasant: but taken the double quantitie it make [...] mad,Anise-seed. Turneps. and taken foure, fold it killeth: if any man eat Anise-seed going to bed, he shal [...] haue pleasant dreames in his sleepe: but and if he eat turneps, they will procure hi [...] noysome and troublesome dreames.

Furthermore, the vse of the leaues of Nicotiana, as well greene as drie and [...] in powder, are distilled in a glasse lembecke, the water whereof is not lesse [...] than the juice in wounds, swellings, kibes, and the falling of the nailes of the [...] gers, if you powre of this water vpon the griefe, and afterward couer it with [...] clothes dipt in the same.

Some likewise draw an oyle out of it by descension (to speake after the manner of Chymists) in a glasse retort: some also doe make thereof a chymicall salt: both the one and the other, are a great deale more excellent in the foresaid diseases, [...] the leaues, juice, powder, or distilled water of Nicotiana, forasmuch as quintessesces drawne out of simples, are the subtile spirits thereof, wherein lyeth the pure [...] and sincere qualities of the matter from whence it is drawne: we will not speak [...] here of the manner of distilling of the Chymicall oile, and salt of Nicotiana, but reserue the same for our booke of secret remedies.

The ointments of Nicotiana are made diuers waies, notwithstanding that this [...] simple taken and applied as we haue alreadie spoken at large, be of greater vert [...] and efficacie. I will onely make mention of two which seeme to me the most artificially described. The first is: take of the fairest, greatest, geenest, and most ro [...] nish leaues of Nicotiana that can be chosen, a pound, wipe them as cleane as [...] possible with a linnen cloth from all dust, earth, and whatsoeuer other filth, not [...] ting them any thing at all, bray them in a mortar of wood or marble, with a woodden pestell: afterward melt halfe a pound of sweet seame prepared (that is [...] from all manner of filmes and skinnes) in a brasen vessell, putting to the said [...] the drosse and juice of Nicotiana stampt, as hath beene said, let it all boyle together in a brasen vessell at a small and soft fire, set vpon a triuet, or in Maries- [...] (that is to say, a cauldron full of boyling water) vntill you see all the warrie part of the juice euaporated,What is meant by Maries-bath. and that the rest haue got the consistence or just thicknesse of the forme of an vnguent. The second ointment is such: melt and boyle together perrosin,The second oyntment. new wax, and turpentine vpon a coole fire in a brasse skellet, of each thre [...] ounces, and when it is all melted and shall begin to froth, take a pound of the dross [...] and juice of the leaues of Nicotiana, so purged, chosen, and stamped, as hath been [...] said: set them to boyle with the wax, perrosin, and turpentine, the space of fiue or sixe houres more or lesse, at a small and gentle fire of coales, vpon a treuet, or in a double vessell (that is to say, in a cauldron full of boyling water) stirre the same continually vntill the watrie parts of the juice be consumed and spent, and the rest boyled thicke like an oyntment: after that, straine it through a thicke canuasse, and p [...] it againe into the skellet, with halfe a pound of Venice turpentine, not suffering it [...] boile, but stirring it verie well: let it coole, and put it into pots for your vse. [...] in dispensing the first and second ointment, put not in the dros [...]e of the stamped herb, but strayning it through a thicke strainer, reserue onely the juice, which seemeth [...] me to be the better. As concerning the properties of these two oyntments, the [...] is better for wounds onely, canerous vlcers, ringwormes, skurfes, and fire faces, because it hath more force to clense and resolue, which is the principall and chiefe propertie of Nicoriana, not being hindered or restrained by the mixture of other ingredients. [Page] The other Ointment is better to incarnate and consolidate all sorts of wounds, to resolue impostumes and swellings, to mitigate paines, and other effects.

Besides these two sorts of Ointments,An excellent Balme made of Nicotiana. there may be made a verie excellent Balme of Nicotiana: Distill the leaues of Nicotiana with the iuice pressed out (the drosse being cast away) put it into a Glasse-violl, with like quantitie of common Oyle: set this Violl, well stopt with gummie Wax, in the Sunne a long time, and tye vpon the top of it a strong parchment; or else set this Violl in a Cauldron full of boyling water, or burie it in Horse dung, and let it stand there full fortie daies, changing the dung sometimes: the fortie daies expired, you shall find a Balme in the Violl, which is of no lesse efficacie than the quintes [...]ence of Nicotiana aboue mentioned, as concerning all the properties that may be desired in this Plant.

Lastly, you shall vnderstand that the ashes of this Nicotiana is of no lesse soueraigntie and medicinall vse than the leafe before rehearsed: for after you haue taken the fume of the Tabacco, and that the powder is burnt into ashes, you shall saue those ashes in a close boxe, for they will cure anie greene wound whatsoeuer. They are also most excellent for the skinning of anie soare or vlcer: and if you steepe them in white Wine or Vrine, and make a lee thereof, (but Vrine is the better, because it hath a certaine s [...]ewt oylie substance in it, which comforteth and suppleth soares) and with this ice if you bath anie old and inueterate vlcer, it will take away the itch, cleanse it, and heale it. If with these ashes also you rub your teeth, it will make them white, smooth, and preserue them a long time from rotting.

See here (friendly Reader) the Historie of Nicotiana, euerie where so much spoken of and esteemed, and that according vnto the verie truth, so farre as possibly I could find it out, following the report and intelligences which I haue receiued of the Portugals, Spaniards, and our owne Countreymen, which haue come hither these last yeares past from out of Florida (which is the naturall soyle of the same) as also such experiments as haue beene made here in France of the faculties and vertues thereof, altogether like vnto those which that Plant which Florida (as the naturall Countrey thereof) doth bring forth and nourish: Which if you haue not alwayes found in euerie point correspondent and answering vnto such effects as we attribute and giue vnto it, yet you must not therefore condemne the Plant, as though those were but fained and counterfeited properties and vertues which wee haue deliuered and reported of it; but rather accuse the small care which is had in the planting of it here amongst vs: assuring your selues, that if you prouide for it such a soile, and other comforts, as it hath where it naturally groweth, or somewhat neere thereunto (for such in all respects cannot possibly be procured here in France, by reason of the coldnesse and inequalitie of the a [...]re) and that you husband it likewise as carefully as the Indians doe, that then you shall perceiue, that what I haue here set downe of in, is verie faithfull and true.

CHAP. XLV.
Of female Petum.

THe experience (which is the Mistresse of Arts and Sciences) which hath beene had of the faculties and vertues of this hearbe, which are almost like vnto those of male Petum; the shape of the root, stalke, leaues, flowers, and seed of the same, which is but a verie little one, and in lit [...]nesse onely differing from the figure and colour of male Petum, doe giue vs some light and reason why wee should call this hear be by the name of female Petum; and yet the more boldly,Female Petum growth of the seed of the male for that of the seed of the male Petum this female doth oftentime spring and grow: For it when the male Petum is in seed, it happen to shed the same vpon the ground where it is planted and hath put forth, then this ground the [Page] yeare following will not faile to bring forth the female Petum. And which more [...], if you sow the seed of male Petum in a ground that is not hot, fat, well turned, and well manured, but rather which is leane and [...]andie, in stead of bringing forth male Petum, it will bring forth the female Petum, and that in such aboundance, as that you shall hardly rid the ground of it, but that it will grow euerie yeare without being either sowne or planted. Which must be an argument vnto vs, that there is in Petum two sexes, a male and a female: like as wee are accustomed to doe in manie [...] Hearbes and Plants, hauing betwixt them some resemblance and affinitie, as well [...] their vertues, as in their figure, proportion, and colour. It is true, that the femal [...] Petum hath a lesse slemme, and lower; the leaues not so great, and shorter, not so rosinie, nor so manie; the flowers not so much vpon carnation, nor so large spread; the seed more red; the branches not so long, nor so high, neither yet so manie, as the male Petum putteth forth. And to vtter my iudgement, and make a particular scripli [...] this small female Nicotiana hath his stemme or stalke of two foot height, or then [...] about, cornered, slimie, and woollie, set by distances with long leaues, large, pointed, and sharpe, soft, vnctuous, hoarie, not notched, and of a browne colour. It bring [...] forth, as it were, a nosegay at the top of the stalke, and vpon the branches, from betwixt the leaues, two flowers of a pale yellow, which are like vnto the Cowsl [...]p flowers: and when they be fallen, there remaine and stay behind cups, and, as it we [...] greene pots, inclosed in small hoarie skinnes, open aboue, and hauing fiue or [...] points, but such as pricke not. Within the cup is contained a seed, which is verie li [...] tle, of a browne tawnie colour: the root is tender and fibrous. Where the seed [...] beene once sowne, it soweth it selfe againe, and encreaseth and multiplieth mightily. This sheweth manifestly, how greatly they are deceiued, which call this hear be Pr [...] peia,Female Petum as not Priapeia. as though it were a kind of Satyrion, which commeth neere to that which is called male royall Satyrion: for this hearbe, which we call female Petum, doth nothing resemble Satyrion, neither in root, colour, figure, disposition, nor properties. For female Petum hath manie small rootes, a [...]ointed stalke, manie branches, man [...] long and large leaues, being hot and drie, as is the male Petum: but Satyrion [...] fewer rootes, but grosler, a stalke without anie ioint, no branches, fewer leaues, flowers onely at the top of the stalke, without cods and seed, hot and moist in the third degree, and good for nothing but to stirre vp carnall heat. Monsieur Go [...]pill and Dodonaeus haue spoken more wisely, saying, that it is a kind of Henbane, bearing [...] yellow flower.

As concerning the vse and remedies which female Petum affoordeth,The vertues of female Petum. they are, as it were, like vnto the vertues of male Petum: for it serueth in stead of the oth [...] when the other cannot be gotten, and that in such sort as we haue declared; that is to say, in his leaues, greene or drie, powder, seed, iuice, drosse, and distilled water, in oyntments and balme, prepared after the manner that wee haue spoken of. But you must obserue,The leaues of female Petum for the bloudie flux. that the female Petum hath his particular properties; as that the leaues put in a decoction for Clysters, are singular for bloudie Fluxes; and that the balme made thereof, according to the manner aforesaid, is a remedie not second [...] anie other in the curing of the Cankers of the breasts, and other parts; and that the iuice thereof applyed, is singular against the falling of the haire, called Tinea, the head being first shauen; and that the iuice, mingled with mans grease, and applyed, assuageth the paine and inflammation of the Gout; and that taken inwardly, it purgeth vehemently: and that therefore it is to bee auoided and shunned, vntill such time as his correctiue be knowne, and the vse thereof in Purgations receiued.

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CHAP. XLVI.
A briefe discourse of the root Mechoacan.

WIthin certaine yeares past, the Indians, Portugals, and Spaniards haue sent vs the root of an hearbe, which they call Mechoacan which hath vertue to purge the humors in the same sort that our vsuall purging medicines. Our Countrey men, giuen to admit of and easily receiue new things, doe greatly esteeme of it, euen vntill this present: We will lay downe the historie thereof in briefe, and as truly as possibly we could come by it, to the end it may the better be discerned whether it deserue to be had in such estimation as we haue it in, or no.

The root is called Mechoacan,The reason why it is so called. of the name of the Region or Countrey where it groweth, which is a Prouince of New Spaine (situate in the West Indies, or New World) called by the inhabitants Chincicila, and by the commandement of the Ca [...]holike King, Mechoacan: Which Prouince aboundeth with Gold, Siluer, Cattell, Corne, Fruits, exquisite Plants, mynes of Mettall and Stones, and all sorts of good things; where also the people are well coloured, full of vigour, strong of bodie, and of a perfect health, and that by reason of the Ayre, which is more wholesome there than in anie other place of the Indies. The occasion of the name rose thus: The Spaniards, Lords of this Prouince, and being desirous to plant it with Christians, did erect and set vp a Couent of Friers Cordeliers, liuing Monastically; whose Prouinciall Father being extreame sicke, was quickly cured by an Indian Physitian, who caused him to vse oftentimes the powder of this well-prospe [...]ing and happily-succeeding medicine: when as therefore they fell sick [...], they tooke, with good successe, of this powder. And thus this root came in great request throughout the whole Prouince: and from thence the prayses thereof were carried and published throughout all Spaine and Portugall; and thereupon it hath kept the name of the Prouince of Mechoacan. The fame thereof is likewise come into France by the meanes of Merchants, desirous of gaine, who haue brought it vs hither from thence. Some call it Rhamindick,Rhamindicke. because it seemeth that it hath the like propertie of attracting and purging flegmaticke and serous humors, which the East Rhubarbe hath to attract and purge cholericke humours.

This root is not brought vnto vs whole,The markes of Mechoacan. but in pieces and round slices, whereinto it is diuided with kniues, or with hands, so soone as it is drawne out of the earth, that so it may the better drie in the shadow (although in drying it grow but little lesse) and that it may keepe better in these round slices, than either whole, or in powder: But the powder which is brought from the Indies, is of lesse operation than that which is made into powder amongst vs: it is thicke and of a weightie substance, and the rinde thereof of an Ash-like colour: the inward substance white, and marked with manie circles, without anie tast, except such as meale is wont to haue: for it is neither sharpe, nor sweet, nor bitter; and smell it hath none, neither is it anie thing pithie.

The best is that which is whitest,To chuse the best Mechoacan. most close in it selfe, well set and ioyned together, somewhat heauie, not full of holes, or rotten: it becommeth, in time, of white, somewhat grayish or blackish, and thus by his colour is discerned whether it be new or old: for the new is white, but the old grayish, or blackish, and, as it were, wrought with diuers colours.

This is the root of a Plant, which is a kind of great Bindweed, called in French Lizeron, which windeth it selfe about Reedes or Stakes along vp to the top of them, helping it selfe, in this compassing sort, to climbe without anie manner of aid: it hath a stalke or trunke mixe of diuers colours, as deepe yellow, greenish, reddish, somewhat of the colour of Ashes and Medlay, commonly called the Lyons colour: the leaues are somewhat moist (there being within the flowers, as it were, clappers, [Page] with round knots at the vpper end, the sharpe-pointed end being toward the [...] of the foot) round, and of a darke greenish colour. It beareth a fruit like a Grape, as bigge as a Coriander seed, and it is ripe in the moneth of September, and in the Spring following. It putteth forth neere vnto the rootes small siences and [...], which fall to creeping vpon the earth, if they be not borne vp with some pol [...], about which they may wrythe and cast themselues round. The seed is like vnto th [...] of Bindweed. For your better assurance in all this that hath [...] said, you [...] visit and see the Physicke-Gardens of Master Nicholas R [...]se, that learned and [...] experimented Chi [...]urgion, and of Master Peter Cuth, a skilfull and painefull Ap [...] thecarie, both which dwelling at Paris, haue enriched our Countrey of [...] with an infinite number of rare, exquisite, and verie singularly qualified [...] This root is verie like to the root of wild Vine, as well in colour, rinde, and [...] kles, as in thicknesse; in consideration whereof, some haue called this Plant [...] Vine: but and if you tast the one and the other root, your shall find them somewhat differing: for Mechoacan, if you chew it, is found without anie tast, [...] it haue a mealie tast, for it is nothing sharpe, but hath some small as [...]ringe [...] and binding qualitie. Brionie, greene or drie, is biting, and leaueth behind it, in [...] palate and roofe of the mouth, a sharpe and displeasing tast: it agreeth much better with the blacke Vine, or with Turbith, at the least in facultie, and [...] they are both of them gummie.

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And concerning the vertues and faculties thereof,The vertues of M [...]choacan. they are of two sorts: the [...] proceedeth of his manifest qualities, as for that it is hot about the second degree, and drie about the third degree, compounded of ayr [...]e, subtle, and somewhat [...] parts: and by this last, it hath some binding and astringent qualitie, from whenee it riseth, that in purging it comforteth. Furthermore, it openeth the obstructions of the inward parts, chiefely when it is taken in infusion. The other vertues that it [...] come of a secret and hidden propertie, by reason whereof it purgeth speciall and choice humors: that is, it purgeth, by some similitude and familiaritie of substance▪ flegmatike and serous humors, but flegmatike especially; then secondly, choleri [...], and last, adust and melancholike humours: and those not onely from the [...], liuer, spleene, and guts, but also from the head, parts about the breast, and [...] in regard whereof, it is good against old Agues, and long diseases, but especially the Iaundise, Dropsie, Gout, Kings euill, Wolues, flegmatike tumours, head- [...], obstruction of the Lungs, shortnesse of breath, the suffocation of the Mother, C [...] licke, paine in the Flankes, retention of Vrine, Costiuenesse, Agues of diuers [...] mours, [Page] that is to say, proceeding of flegmaticke and cholericke causes mixt together, quotidian, tertian, and bastard Agues: to be short, against all diseases comming of a cold humour. Wherefore it is not meet to be vsed in hot burning Agues, nor yet in cholericke Agues, nor yet in anie other such sicknesses,Mechoacan is not fit for cholericke diseases. as are ioyned with great heat and inflammation, nor yet where adust humours doe offend: for although it purge them, yet it leaueth behind it some notable heat: but it is verie true, that in continuance thereof it would doe seruice, as namely, when the thinnest part is purged, and nothing remaineth but the thicke and gros [...]e behind. This is the cause why this root is not fit for the beginning of cholericke diseases, if it be not first steept a [...]ight in Endiue or Succorie water with a verie little white wine, and in the morning [...]straining of it, to drinke the liquor strained from it.

The way to prepare it is on this manner: You must take the weight of a dramme,The preparing of Mechoacan for to vse. or a dramme and a halfe, or two drammes, more or les [...]e, according to the disposition of the bodie, the aptnesse of it to purge, and the age and strength of him to whome you giue it: and afterward beat it in a mortar, and make it into powder, neither too grose nor too fine: then afterward put this powder in three ounces of white Wine, (when there is no Ague) or water, or the decoction, or broth of Endiue, or Succorie, or of a Chicken, or some other such liquor, which is meet and fit for the present disease: as in the water of Betonie, for the head-ach; or in the water of Mother-wort, for the diseases of the Matrix, and so forth of others: afterward, the next morning, you must drinke it, the liquor and powder all together: there may further, at your pleasure, anie syrrup that you will, be mixed therewith, if so be you know it meet and conuenient for the disease in hand. It is true, that we haue often proued, namely, that it endureth no mixture of syrrups, or such other things, no, nor of Cinnamon (if the ill disposednesse of the stomacke doe not require it) for in such mixtures it maketh no operation,The infusion of Mechoacan. and therefore it is better to take it altogether simple. It may be giuen also in infusion, when we desire to take away the obstructions of the spleene or [...]iuer, in sleeping all night the powder thereof grossely beat (as we commaund to be done with Rubarbe) in some wine or liquor fit and appropriate: afterward straining it the next day in the morning, and giuing the liquor onely (wherein it was infused) to drinke: but in this case the quantitie of the powder must be encreased, vntill it come to three or foure drammes, for otherwise it will worke no effect; in as much as experience hath taught vs, that the purging qualitie of this root lyeth not so much in the subtle parts thereof, as in the substance. Which thing Mesues may seeme to haue [...]ound likewise in Rubarbe of the East, when he wisheth vs to take two drammes onely of Rubarbe in substance, and the double in infusion. This thing may happen vnto this root, and to that Rubarbe of the East, vpon their longer staying in the stomacke, being taken in substance, than in infusion, and thereupon make a stronger and a longer continuance of their purging. This powder may be also prepared in another manner:Marchpanes of Mechoacan. as namely, by making Marchpanes of the said powder with stamped Almonds and Sugar, which will be verie fit to purge young children after a gentle manner.Pilles of Mechoacan. There may pilles also be made of this powder, which may be as small as Coriander seedes, to the end they may be the sooner dissolued within the stomacke, and not stay long there to heat it: or else they may be made greater, when there is anie purpose that the said powder should draw from the ioints and outward places.

The commodities and benefits that rise of the vse of this root,The commodities of the vse of Mechoacan. are, that it may be taken at all times. It is not loathsome to the tast, nor horrible to the smell, neither yet hath it anie displeasing colour; vnto all which the other purgatiues, for the most part, [...] more or lesse subiect. It procureth not anie loathing vnto the stomacke: it causeth not anie wringings in the bellie; neither prouoketh it anie vomit: It purgeth so gently, as that it worketh not anie weaknesse or relaxation, or anie other such passion vnto the stomack: it resolueth not or looseneth the naturall power; neither doth it trouble or put the bodie to paine: but contrariwise, it maketh it strong & lustie, as though indeed it were no purgatiue or medicine, but a familiar & acceptable thing to our nature; [Page] which thing falleth not out ordinarily in other medicines: so that young children, old folke, and all such as haue taken anie great checke and dislike at other medici [...], may safely, pleasantly, and profitably take and vse this.

It is true,That the bodie and humours must be prepared before the taking of Mechoacan. that before it be taken, it will be needfull to prepare and digest the [...] mour that is to be euacuated, attenuating and making thinne and small the same, because it is cold and clammie: and opening the passages, after the counsell of Hi [...] crates, with Clysters and other conuenient meanes; for otherwise the powder pr [...] teth nothing: as we see it fall out euerie day in such as vse it rashly, and without p [...] paration: and so also, with them, the thing that of it selfe is verie good, doth [...] name, but against all right and equitie, seeing it worketh good and laudable effects, being taken the bodie first prepared.The day of the taking of it. When it is taken, the partie must keepe himselfe from cold, wind, much eating or drinking, and other excesse: he may sleepe [...] houre presently after he hath taken it, but not after that it beginneth to worke: th [...] is no need for him to take anie broth two or three houres after he hath taken it: [...] is so worthie a medicine,The day after the taking of it. that it causeth not anie paine in the guts. The day following,Costiuenesse. if the bellie be bound, you must procure it to stoole by Clysters, or other [...] ▪ and put case it hath not sufficiently purged, you must then goe ouer it againe so [...], as till it hath wrought your wished intent.Symptomes happening vpon the vse of Mechoacan. As concerning the symptomes or accidents which may follow the taking of it, they are easily reformed, although [...] the greater part of them grow rather of the qualities of the humours, or of the [...] dispositions of the bodies of them that take it, than of anie maligne qualitie in the root it selfe. For as for vomiting, that may come by reason of the stomacke, bein [...] easie and inclined to vomit, as hauing a verie sensible orifice, or of the obounda [...] of superfluities and fretting humors contained in the same, rather than of the pow [...] der which doth strengthen and comfort the stomacke by his astringencie: notwithstanding, it shall not be amisse to meet with this vomiting, to put into the infusion [...] this powder a little Cinnamon. It is held for certaine, that if anie be desirous to [...] the working excessine or not excessiue of this powder, that he needeth but take [...] small quantitie of broth, and the eating of it will stay the attraction of the medicin [...] ▪ although I haue proued this not to be alwaies true. I further confesse, that it lea [...] some heat and drinesse behind it when it hath wrought, which appeareth by [...] great alteration that is remaining: but this is no other thing, than that which [...] purging medicines likewise haue; for they being all of them hot, doe shew themselues therein: but this heat may easily be corrected by the mingling of cold things. Suppose likewise, that such heat may as soone come of the hot and drie humor: [...] happeneth in hot burning Agues and true Tertians, especially if the sicke partie [...] of youthfull and flourishing yeares, of a hot and drie temperature, in Summer, [...] hot Region, and when the present constitution of the ayre is hot, and being such [...] one as hath a leane and thinne bodie: and then, in this case, I could with such a partie not to vse this powder without the deuise of a learned and wise Physician, for [...] of running into a greater mischiefe. I confes [...]e further, that it leaueth a contiuene [...] behind it, in such sort, as that some are six daies before they can goe to stoole [...] but herein it deserueth no more blame than other like purging medicines, and especially Rhubarbe: Notwithstanding, to meet with this, you must take a [...] the day following, or eat some Broth, or Plumme pottage, which may [...] the bellie.

Loe here (friendly Reader) what thou art to iudge of the root of Mecho [...] and what opinion thou art to haue of the properties thereof, and how thou canst [...] faile therein, if first thou knowing the good by his tokens and markes, doest [...] thy selfe for thy vse accordingly: as namely, if thou buy that which is new, sliced [...] to round pieces, white, dustie, and which, quantitie for quantitie, doth ouer- [...] other roots: And if thou findest anie one to be somewhat blacke and worme [...] ▪ by that thou mayest know that it is old, and that therefore thou oughtest not to [...] it. It is somewhat hard, and quickly rotteth, for it will hard and scant endure [...] yeares, if it be not hidden in Millet, or wrapt in a Linnen Sere-cloth, or [...] [Page] ouer with Pitch or Rosin. Diuers and sundrie other hearbes there are of rare and soueraigne qualitie, for the vse of man, in medicines; but their order, sowing, nourishing, and planting, differeth nothing from them alreadie rehearsed: onely, according vnto the opinion of S [...]rres, there is another speciall regard to be taken to these medicinall hearbes; which is, to plant them in those coasts and corners of your Garden which is most proper to their natures, giuing them that Sunne, that Shade, and that Wind, which is most proper and behoofefull for them: for some take delig [...] in the Easterly quarters, some in the West, some in the North, and some in the South: as was most curiously obserued by Master Richard de Beleuall, Physitian to the last King of France; who, at his Maiesties commandement, planting a Physick-Garden in Montpelier, gaue vnto euerie hearbe his due place so rarely and artificially, that neuer anie was seene to flourish or encrease in more rare and aboundant manner, neither to haue greater strength or operation in their working, to the great admiration of the learned, and his high renowme in the workmanship. To proceed then to the naturall Clymats in which manie of these Physicke hearbes naturally delight,Hearbes of the East. you shall vnderstand, that those hearbes which delight in the East, and loue to behold the Sunne at his first arising, is first Angelica, of which there are two kinds, the one called Garden Angelica, the other Wild Angelica: both may be sowne either before or immediately after Winter. It is soueraigne against all Infection, and therefore much sought after in the time of Pestilence and Mortalitie: it also healeth the biting of Serpents, or mad Dogges, and dryeth vp those naughtie humours which offend the stomacke. Then Valerian, of which wee haue written before: and also Argentine. Then Dogges-tooth, which must be sowne on good earth almost in anie moneth: the decoction whereof taken, with great reason helpeth Feauers, and kill the Wormes in children. Then Sophya, otherwise called Talietrum, which may be either sowne or planted in the Spring, or in Autumne: The seeds of it being beaten to powder, and drunke in Wine, is excellent for all euacuations and clearings of the bloud: also it helpeth women in Child-bearing. Then Oxe-eye, which would be sowne at the Spring vnder the eauings of houses, for it loues shelter. The hearbe is good to be drunke for the Iaundise: and being made into a Cataplasme, it dissolueth all manner of hardnesse: and the decoction thereof will occasion Vrine. Then Centaurie, which first tooke his name from Chiron the Centaure, when he was wounded with a poysoned shaft. It requireth a well-laboured earth, and verie fruitfull, according to some opinions: yet it is oftest found in Wood-land Countreyes and barren places; whence it seemeth, that a reasonable earth will beare it: and it may be sowne or planted either in the Spring, or in Autumne: it is a great purifier of the Bloud, and verie soueraigne against Wormes: it healeth old Vlcers, especially the powder thereof: and the decoction thereof is excellent against Rheumes and Fluxes. Then Millefoile, which desireth rather a moist than a drie earth, and must be planted thinne, for it spreadeth much: it is soueraigne against the Dissenterra, and against all excessiue euacuation of bloud, in what part soeuer it be. Then Brassula Maior, or Minor, which is an hearbe of quicke and easie growth, especially if it be planted against a wall or house side, and may be sowne in the Spring, or planted in Autumne: it is good for the stanching of Bloud, and it cureth most inward Vlcers. Then Bedegaris, or white Thorne, which desireth a good earth, and may be sowne in the Spring: the decoction of it is excellent for the Tooth-ach, or for a weake Stomacke, for the Collicke, or Flux of the bellie. Then Crespinet, or Poligonon, which euer groweth best in a moist ground. It is good for the Stone, the Gout, Flux of the bellie, or paine in the Eares. Then Ebulus, which may be sowne in the Spring, or in Autumne: it purgeth Choler and Flegme, being eaten in pottage: and the decoction thereof taketh away the paine of the Gout, and helpeth the French sicknesse. Mercurie is of two sorts, male, and female: it desireth a ground that is well tilled: it may be sowne in the Spring time: the decoction thereof purgeth Choler and all superfluous humours: it also looseneth the bellie, chiefely if it be ministred in Glyster, and prouoketh the termes in Women. Then Card [...] [Page] Stellatu [...], which is a verie delicate Plant, and groweth verie easily, either from the root, or from the seed, in the Spring time, or in Autumne: The chiefest vertue of this Plant consisteth in the seed, which being beaten to powder, and drunke with Wine, prouoketh Vrine, and expelleth Grauell. Lastly, Venus haire, which groweth bes [...] neere vnto Fountaines and Springs in Countries that are rather hot [...] cold, for it loueth neither stormes nor wind: it is best to be planted in the Spring. This hearbe purgeth well: it breaketh the Stone, and auoideth Grauell: it is good against the bitings of venimous Beasts, and prouoketh the termes in Women: it stauncheth Bloud: and the decoction thereof is excellent for the yellow Laundise.

Those hearbes which delight in the West,Hearbes of the West. and loue the declining of the Sunne, are first the hearbe Scabious, which delighteth in a reasonable tilled earth, [...] moist than drie, and hauing his seat according to his nature, prospereth verie abo [...] dantly. The best season either to sow or plant it, is in the Spring time, and it endure [...]h manie yeares without aid or replanting: all parts of it is verie medicinall, both the root, stalke, leaues, and flowers: The water distilled of this hearbe, is good again [...] all Venimes or Poyson taken into the stomacke, and also against all inward infection, Itch, Byles, or Vlcers. Then is Agrimonie, of which we haue spoken [...] ▪ Then Serpentar, which is so called through the likelyhood it beareth of a [...] and of it there are two kinds; one great, the other small. It desireth a verie good earth, and somewhat moist, and may be sowne or planted in the Spring time. The roots of this hearbe is excellent for all malignant Vlcers: a decoction of the [...] thereof is good for Womens termes, and the leaues thereof keepeth Cheese long from rotting. Then Onos, which will grow in anie earth, and rather in a barren [...] a fertile, and is best to be set of the root, either in the Spring time, or in [...] ▪ It is soueraigne against the Stone, and prouoketh Vrine speedily: and a decoctio [...] of the roots thereof taketh away the paine in the teeth. Then Cinquefoile, which groweth almost in euerie place, and may be planted in anie season: the decoction [...] it being gargled, or held long in the mouth, taketh away the paine of the teeth, and heales anie Vlcer in the mouth: it is also good against anie Infection, or pestil [...] Ayre. Then Sellodnie, of which wee haue spoken before. Then Staphi [...], which desireth a good ground, yet euer to be planted in the shadow, and that pr [...] cipally about the Spring time: It is good against paine in the Teeth, [...], and other Obstructions, which grow from cold causes. Then Goats leafe, which will grow euerie where, if it be not annoyed with wind, and may be sowne or planted either in the Spring, or in Autumne, and is exceeding good for the stone. Then ground Iuie, of which we haue spoken before. Then Tussilago, or Colts foot, which groweth best in watrie of moist places, and would euer be planted in the Spring time, or [...] Autumne: it is verie good against infection, and against all straitnesse of breath▪ [...] the smoake or fume thereof being taken through a small tunnell in at the mouth, [...] cureth all infirmities of the lungs. Then Salicaria, or Lifimachus, which receiued the name from the King Lisimachus, who first made vse of that hearbe: it loueth to be planted neere vnto Riuers, either in the Spring time, or in Winter: it is good against the Dissenteria, or to staunch bloud, either being vsed in the leafe, or in powder. Lastly, Vlmaria, which loueth to be planted in low and shadowie valleyes, a great [...] more moist than drie, and would be planted chiefely in Autumne: The decoction [...] it purgeth and cleanseth the bodie of all flegme, whether it be sharpe or grosse: it helpeth the Falling sicknesse: the powder either of the roots, or the leaues, stayeth [...] flux of the bellie, or the issue of bloud: and the distilled water easeth all paines, both inward and outward.

Those hearbes which affect the North,Hearbes of the North. and delight to endure the blasts and [...] pings of those colder ayres, are first Gentiana, of which we haue spoken before. Th [...] Cabaret, or Asarum, which neuer groweth so well from the seed, as from the plant: [...] asketh little cost in tillage, and beareth flowers twice a yeare, that is to say, both [...] the Spring, and in Autumne: it cureth the paine in the head, and assu [...]geth the [Page] inflammation and anguish of sore eies: it is good against Fistulaes, the Gout, and Sci [...]ticaes. The powder of the root prouoketh Vrine, and stayeth the menstruall Flux: [...] helpeth the Dropsie, and putteth away both the Feauer tertian and quartane. Then the Golden rod, which onely groweth from the seed, and would be planted in a good soyle in the Spring time: it is good against the Stone or Strangurie: it bindeth vp Vlcers, and healeth Fistulaes. Then the hearbe which is called Deuils-bit, it desireth but an indifferent, earth, rather moist than drie, and where the Seed often say [...]eth, there the Plant neuer doth, if it be set in the Spring time. It is good against bit [...]er griefes, as those which proceed from choler, and against pestilent tumors: against [...]ice in childrens heads, and such like. Then Betonie, of which we haue spoken be [...]ore. Then Harts-tongue, which onely groweth best from the root: it is to be plan [...]ed in the moneths of March and Aprill, in a fat earth, yet the moister, the better: it helpeth all oppilations, and cureth those which are troubled with a quartane Feauer. Then the hearbe Dogges-tongue, which desireth a light blacke mould, yet but rea [...]onably tilled: it may be sowne or planted in the Spring time: it is good to cure the Hemorrhoids, and easeth all Ach in the limbes. Then Serpents-tongue, which must [...]uer be placed in a rich earth, coole and moist, for it can by no means endure the heat of the Summer: it is best to be planted from the root in the first beginning of the Spring: there is in it much vertue for the resoluing of Tumors, and helping of Scal [...]ings or Burnings, or other malignant Vlcers, or anie inflammations in the Eyes. Then water Germander, which delighteth most in cold grounds, enclining more to [...]oisture than drinesse, and rather fat than leane: it flourisheth most in the moneths of Iune and Iuly, yet in such sort, that the flowers continue not aboue a day at most; [...]or as one falls away, another rises: it is best to be planted from the root or slippe [...] the moneths of Februarie or March: it is soueraigne against all manner of Poy [...]ons, as Pestilence, or the Dissenteria: it prouoketh Vrine, and the termes of Women: it cleanseth Vlcers, and reuiueth all benummed members. Then Tormen [...]ill, or Septifolium, which loueth a darke, waterish, and shadowed earth, yet that which is verie fat and [...]ertile: it is alwaies to be sowne from the seed, either in the Spring time, or in Autumne: it is soueraigne against the Stone, but chiefely it cu [...]eth Fistulaes and old Vlcers: it withstandeth Poyson, and easeth the paine of the Teeth. Then Enula Campane, of which we haue spoken before. Then Persicaria, which is oftest planted from the root, in the Spring time, in grounds which are rather moist than drie. The decoction of this hearbe cureth all manner of bruises in Beasts, where the bone is not broken, onely by bathing them therein. Also the flesh of Mut [...]ons, Beeues, Veales, and such like, is kept fresh manie daies by the vertue of this herbe [...]nely, being wrapped about the same. Then Lyons foot, which will not liue but in [...] good earth, fat, and fertile, yet somewhat moist, and is best to be sowne in the [...]oneths of March or Aprill: it hath an excellent vertue for the healing of ruptures [...] young children. Then Eringo, which craueth a good and well tilled ground, and [...]ay be sowne or planted either in the Spring or in Autumne: it is good against the Collicke, against Grauell, or the difficultie of Vrine: it strengtheneth the Reines, [...]nd healeth the bitings of venimous beasts. The distilled water thereof is good a [...]ainst both quotidian and quartane Feauers: it helpeth the French disease, and stop [...]eth salt humors. Then lastly Feniculus Porcinus, which delighteth a great deale [...]ore in the shade than in the Sunne-shine: it would be sowne or planted either in [...] Spring time, or in Autumne: it comforteth much the sinewes, and strengtheneth [...]eake backes.

To conclude, those hearbes which affect the South,Hearbes of the South. is first the blessed Thistle, of [...]hich we haue spoke before. Then Veruaine, of which there be two sorts, the male, [...]nd the female: both desire to be planted from the roots in good ground, either in the [...]pring, or in Autumne. This hearbe is of great reputation, especially amongst the [...]omanes, who vse if continually amongst their Inchantments: it taketh away the [...]aine of the Teeth, and it healeth anie old Vlcer: it is good against anie Fea [...]er, easeth the paine of the Collicke, and expelleth Grauell. Then Saxifrage, [Page] which is of two sorts, the great and the lesse: they may be sowne or planted in anie good ground which is fat and light, in the moneth of March. The chiefest [...] of this hearbe is, to breake the Stone, prouoke Vrine, helpe womens Termes, and [...] driue away all euill humours out of the Stomacke. Then Pionie, of which wee [...] spoken before. Then Hermole, or the Turkes hearbe, which loueth a fat, blacke, and drie mould: it may be either planted or sowne. The vertue of this hearbe [...], to make one to hold his Vrine, the powder of it being taken either in Broth, or [...] white Wine. Then Acanthus, or Brankvrsine, is an hearbe which the auncient A [...] chitects were wont to carue, infolding and imbracing their Columnes or Pyllast [...] [...] of the Corinthian fashion. Whence it came, that the Romanes of auncient [...] did call it Marmoralia, because such Pillars commonly were of Marble. It is [...] be sowne in the moneths of March, or Aprill, in a well tilled Garden: his [...] are good against the Stone, and stay the flux of the bellie. Then Aristolochia [...] both kinds, of which wee haue spoken before. Then Perforatio, which is so called from the affection that it beareth to the Sunne: it may be sowne in the Spring [...] in anie light earth. The seed of this hearbe beaten to powder, and drunke in [...] Wine, cureth a tertian Feauer, and easeth those which are troubled with the [...], or Sciatica: if the powder of it be cast vpon Vlcers, it also healeth them: and the decoction of the leaues thereof prouoketh Vrine exceedingly. Then Arum, [...] also delighteth in a good Soyle, rather moist than drie: it flourisheth most in Iune, and the leaues thereof are like the leaues of Millet; and when it is in the prime, [...] hath a yellow colour, like vnto Saffron: it is to be sowne onely in the moneth of March. This hearbe is verie soueraigne against the Gout, and driueth away [...] flegmaticke humours: if it be bruised, it cureth old Vlcers, and all wounds or [...] tings giuen by the Wolfe: the leaues boyled in Wine, helpeth bruises and displaced members or bones out of ioint: it helpeth the Hemorrhoids also. Then [...] of which we haue spoke before. Then Carline, which tooke the name from Charl [...] the great, King of France, who by the vse of it onely cured himselfe of the Plagu [...] it loueth a drie stonie ground, and where it may haue the strength of the Sunn [...] beames: it must be sowne in the Spring time, or else planted from the root. [...] powder of this hearbe being drunke, chaseth away all infection, and prouok [...] Vrine: it is good against all Conuulsions: and being made into a Cataplasme, [...] tifieth and strengtheneth the heart: if it be steeped or mixed well with vineger, [...] easeth either the Gout, or the Sciatica, being applyed vnto the place grieued. Th [...] little Germander, which differeth not much from water Germander, onely it [...] ueth a drie and stonie earth, and rather a hot than a cold: it loueth the [...] beames, and is rather to be planted from the root, than sowne from the seed, [...] in the Spring time, or in Autumne: it is good against infection, and helpeth [...] Feauers: it helpeth the Epilepsis, paine in the head, and anie other griefes of [...] braine: it cureth Conuulsions, the Gout, and warmeth the entrailes. Then Nic [...] ana, or Tabacco, of which wee haue spoken before. Then Peper, which must [...] planted immediately after Winter, in a well tilled earth, and endureth long in G [...] dens, without anie helpe of transplanting. Then Camomill, which is of three [...] differing onely in the colours of their flowers: for the one is white, the other yell [...] ▪ and the third purple: It loueth an earth cold and drie: it is best planted from [...] root or slippe, either in Autumne, or the Spring time: it loueth to be oft troden [...] or pressed downe, and therefore is most placed in Alleyes, Bankes, or Seats in [...] Garden. It is good against a tertian Feauer: and the bath which is made [...] strengtheneth much weake members, and comforteth the sinewes both of the [...] and legges: it comforteth also the reines: The water thereof also distilled is [...] good for the same purposes: and the iuice thereof mixed with womans [...] ▪ Rosewater, and the iuice of Housleeke warmed, and a Rose-cake steeped [...] ▪ with a Nutmeg grated on it, and so applyed vnto the temples of the head, [...] keth away all paine therein, how violent soeuer it be. Diuers other hearbes [...] be, which are of like natures to these alreadie rehearsed: but from the experience [...] [Page] these, a reasonable iudgement may find how to plant, nourish, and vse anie whatsoeuer. There be also diuers purgatiue Simples, as Rhubarbe, Agaricke, and such like, which for as much as our Soyles will not endure or beare them, I will here omit to speake of them; onely a word or two of the hearbe Sene, which is somewhat more frequent with vs, and is of that delicate, holesome, and harmelesse nature in his working and operation, that it may be tearmed the Prince, or Head of Simples. Then touching Sene, you shall vnderstand, that it beareth little small thicke leaues vpon a high large stalke: it hath flowers of the colour of gold, with diuers purple veines running vpon them. Some take the Hearbe which Theophrastus writeth of, called Colutea, to be Sene: but they are deceiued therein: for the one is a Tree, and no Hearbe, and the other is an Hearbe, and no Tree: besides diuers other differences, needlesse here to repeat; all which are at large see downe by Anthonie Mirauld, Doctor of Physicke, and a Bourbonois, in his booke intituled Maison Champestre. It may be planted either from the stalke or root, like Rosemarie, in anie good, fertile, and drie soyle, where it may haue the full reflection of the Sunne: and the season best and fittest for the same plantation, is at the later end of Autumne. As touching the choice of the best Sene, that hath euer the best reputation, which is brought from Alexandria in Syria, as the best of our moderne Physitians doe report: but Iaques Siluius saith, That the Sene which commeth out of India is not at all inferiour to it; neither that which groweth in Tuscanie. True it is, that there is not anie of them but is passing good. As for the vertnes of Sene, according to the opinion of Aetuarius, one of the best reputed Physitians amongst all the Grecians, hee writeth, That Sene is verie excellent for the purging and auoiding of choler and flegme, without anie danger of disturbance vnto the bodie and spirits: it also purgeth most sweetly all melancholie and adust humours, being taken in the broth of a Capon: it also taketh away all inueterate and old paines in the head, and easeth all inward obstructions. According to the opinion of Master Iohn of Damascus, and excellent Arabian Physitian, Sene being abstersiue and binding, purgeth excellently the braine, the sensitiue, parts, and organs of the heart, from all adust and melancholie humours: it also helpeth all long and tedious Feauers: it also reioyceth the spirits, and taketh away all sadnesse from the heart. A decoction made of the leaues thereof, together with Camomill, strengtheneth the braine wonderfully, and comforteth the sinewes, being bathed therein: also being taken anie way, it confirmeth both the sight and hearing. And if you find that the purgation be weake, you may then strengthen it, with mingling therewith Simples of stronger nature, as Sal Gemma, Sal India, and such like: but if you vse it for anie griefe in the stomacke, then you shall mix strong cordials therewith, and administer it either in the broth of Veale, Chickens, or Capons, or anie other flesh. And Serapion, another Arabian Physitian, writeth, That Sene is excellent for those which are dull of vnderstanding, for those which are subiect to frenzie or madnesse, or anie decrepitnesse of bodie, proceeding from inward weakenesse. And to all these former opinions, Iohn Fernell, Iaques Siluius, Manard Ferrarois, and Andrew Mathiol, the most excellent reputed Physitians of their times, are fully and truely consenting, as may be found in each of their Writings.

[Page]

The Garden of Pleasure, or Flower Garden.

CHAP. XLVII.
Of the profit, pleasure, situation, working, or tilling, and disposing of your Garden of Pleasure.

THe most pleasant and delectable thing for recreation,The Flower Garden. belonging [...] our French Farmes, is our Flower Gardens, as well in respect [...] serueth for the chiefe Lord, whose the inheritance is, to solace [...] therein, as also in respect of their seruice, for to set Bee-hiues in. It is [...] commendable and seemely thing to behold out at a window manie acres of [...] well tilled and husbanded, whether it be Medow, a Plot for planting of [...], or arable Ground, as we haue stood vpon heretofore: but yet it is much more to behold faire and comely Proportions, handsome and pleasant Arbors, and, as it [...] ▪ Closets, delightfull borders of Lauender, Rosemarie, Boxe, and other such [...] heare the rauishing musicke of an infinite number of pretie small Birds, which continually, day and night, doe chatter and chant their proper and naturall branch- [...] vpon the Hedges and Trees of the Garden; and to smell so sweet a Nose- [...] neere at hand: seeing that this so fragrant a smell cannot but refresh the Lord of the Farme exceedingly, when going out of his bed-chamber in the morning after [...] Sunne-rise, and whiles as yet the cleare and pearle-like dew doth pearch vnto the grasse, he giueth himselfe to heare the melodious musicke of the Bee [...]; which busying themselues in gathering of the same, doe also fill the ayre with a most acceptab [...] ▪ sweet, and pleasant harmonie: besides, the Borders and continued Rows of sou [...] raigne Thyme, Balme, Rosemarie, Marierome, Cypers, Soothernwood, and [...] fragrant hearbe [...], the sight and view whereof cannot but giue great contentment [...] to the beholder.

And in this Garden of Pleasure you are verie much to respect the forme and p [...] portion of the same: wherein, according to the opinion of Serres and Vnie [...], [...] must be much ruled by the nature of the Soyle: which albeit you may, in part, by your industrie and cost helpe, as touching the leuelling, raysing, abating, or [...] of the same; yet, for the most part, and especially touching the ayre, [...], and clyme, you must be gouerned by the Soyle in which you liue. Now [...] the generall proportions of Gardens, they may at your pleasure carrie anie of [...] foure shapes, that is to say, either Square, Round, Ouall, or Diamond. As for that which is more long than broad, or more broad than long (neither of which are vncomely) they are contained vnder the titles of Squares. This is but the outward p [...] portion, or the Verge and Girdle of your Garden. As for the inward [...] and shapes of the Quarters, Beds, Bankes, Mounts, and such like, they are to be di [...]ided by Alleyes, Hedges, Borders, Rayles, Pillars, and such like, and by these yo [...] may draw your Garden into what forme soeuer you please, not respecting [...] shape soeuer the outward Verge carrieth: for you may make that Garden which [...] square without, to be round within; and that which is round, either square, or o [...]ll; that which is ouall, either of the former; and that which is diamond, anie shape [...] all: and yet all exceeding comely. You may also, if your ground be naturally so [...], or if your industrie please so to bring it to passe, make your Garden rise & [...] by seuerall degrees, one leuell ascending aboue another, in such sort, as if you had diuers gardens one aboue another, which is exceeding beautifull to the eie, and very beneficiall to your flowers & fruit-trees, especially is such ascents haue the benefit of the Sun-rising vpon them: and thus, if you please, you may haue in one leuell a square [...] ▪ [Page] in another a round, in a third a diamond, and in the fourth an ouall, then alongst the ascending bankes which are on either side the staires, you mount into your seuerall gardens, you shall make your physicke garden or places to plant your physicke hearbes vpon, according as the modell is most brauely set forth by Oliuer de Serres, and as the late king of France caused his physicke garden to be made in the Vniuersitie of Montpellier, being all raised vpon bankes or heights one aboue another, [...] round, some square in the manner of a goodly, large, and well trimmed Theatre, as may be seene at this day to the great admiration thereof.

The Garden of Pleasure (as hath beene said) must be cast and contriued close to the one side of the Kitchin Garden, but yet so, as that they be sundred by the intercourse of a great large alley, as also a hedge of quickset, hauing three doores, whose ground must be of a like goodnesse, and vouchsafed the like labour, tilling and husbanding, that the Kitchin Garden hath bestowed vpon it: and as the Kitchin Garden is to be compassed and set about with Lattise worke, and young common bordering stuffe to be made vp afterward and continued into arbours, or as it were into small chappells, or oratories and places to make a speech out of, that many standing about and below may heare: in like sort shall the Garden of Pleasure be set about and compassed in with arbours made of Iesamin, Rosemarie, Box, Iuniper, Cypres trees, Sauin, Cedars, Rose-trees, and other dainties first planted and pruned according as the nature of euerie one doth require, but after brought into some forme and order with Willow or Iuniper poles, such as may serue for the making of arbours. The waies and alleys must be couered and [...]owen with fine sand well bet,The alleys of the Garden. or with the powder of the sawing of Marble, or with the fine dust of slate-stone and other hewen stone: or else paued handsomely with good pit-stone, and tyles that are well burnt: or with faire peeces of stones, such as staires be made of, the whole laying of them being leuelled and made euen with a beater or mall made for the purpose: or where these are not to be gotten, you shall take of fine yellow grauell well mixt with pyble or other such like binding earth, and with it trim your alleys; others vse to take coale dust, or the ashes of Sea-coale well beaten and si [...]ted, and with it strow the alleys, and although it be not fully so sightfull, yet it is profitable in this respect, that it keepes them from grasse and weeds, and other greenes, because nothing will sprout through the same, albeit be not troden or walked vpon of a long space.

This Garden, by meanes of a large path of the bredth of six foot, shall be diuided into two equall parts: the one shall containe the hearbes and flowers vsed to make nosegaies and garlands of, as March Violets, Prouence Gillo-flowres, Purple Gillo-flowres, Indian Gillo-flowres, small Paunces, Daisies, yellow and white Gillo-flowres, Marigolds, Lilly-conually, Daffodils, Canterburie-bells, Purple Veluet flowre, Anemones, Corne-flag, Mugwort, Lillies, and other such like, as may be called the Nosegay Garden. Also in it you shall plant all sorts of strange flowers, as is the Crowne imperiall, the Dulippos of sundrie kinds, Narcyssus, Hyacynthes, Emeryes, Hellitropians, and a world of other of like nature, whose colours being glorious and different, make such a braue checkerd mixture, that it is both wondrous pleasant, and delactable to behold. The other part shall haue all other sweet smelling hearbes, whether they be such as beare no flowers, or if they beare any, yet they are not put in Nosegaies alone, but the whole hearbe with them, as Soothernwood, Wormewood, Pellitorie, Rosemarie, Iesamin, Marierom, Balme, Mints, Penniroyall, Costmarie, Hyssope, Lauander, Basill, Sage, Sauorie, Rue, Tansey, Thy [...]e, Cammomile, Mugwort, bastard Marierom, Nept, sweet Balme, All-good, Anis Horehound, and others such like, and this may be called the Garden for hearbs of a good smell.

These sweet hearbes, and flowres for Nosegaies, shall be set in order vpon beds and quarters, of such like length and bredth, as those of the Kitchin Garden: and some of them vpon seats, and others in mazes made for the pleasing and recreating of the sight: other some are set in proportions made of beds interla [...]ed and drawne one within another, or broken off, with borders, or without borders: the greatest [Page] part of which sweet hearbes, as also for Nose-gay flowers, though they grow [...] rally, and of their owne accord, without anie labour or trauell of the Gardener, especially hearbes for Nose-gaies, yet such of them as stand in need of dressing and ordering, shall be sowne, planted, remoued, gathered, and kept, no otherwise than the pot-hearbes: but yet notwithstanding, regard must be had of the nature of euerie particular one, as shall be declared hereafter in the particular description of [...] of them.

CHAP. XLVIII.
Of hearbes for Flowers or Nose-gaies.

MArch Violets,March Violets. as well the single as the double, must be set of whole [...] in a well manured ground, and digged the depth of a foot, before the [...] lends of March: if you will [...]ow them, you may doe it in Autumne, and the Spring. But especially you must beware, not to set Violets euerie [...] in one and the same place; for otherwise it will beare a yellow flower, and haue verie little or no smell in it. You may make, that one and the same Violet shall beare [...] the colours that others doe, that is to say, white, pale, yellow, and red, of you mix together the seeds of all, and tying them in a Linnen cloth, put them in that sort [...] a well manured earth. The Violet must be gathered in the morning before the [...] rise, and when it raineth not, if so be that you will haue it to keepe his vertues and sweet smell.

The flowers of March Violets applied vnto the browes,The vertues of Violets. doe assuage the heada [...] which commeth of too much drinking, and procure sleepe. He that shall haue take [...] a blow vpon the head,A blow on the head. so that it hath astonished him, shall not haue anie greater [...], if presently after such a blow he drinke Violet flowers stampt, and continue the [...] drinke for a certaine time. There is made of the flowers of Violets, Syrrups and Conserues, good for the inflammation of the Lungs, the Pleurisie, Cough, [...] Agues.

It is also most excellent to preserue these Violets for Salads, to serue all the [...], as thus: When you haue gathered your Violets, and pickt them cleane, both [...] their stalkes, and anie other corruption that may hang ouer their leaues, you [...] wash them cleane, and strike the water through a drie cloth so cleare from them [...] may be: then take a Glasse-pot, of the fashion of a Gally-pot, so large, as you [...] put in your hand, and being cleane washt also, first, in the bottome thereof, lay a layre of your Violets, of halfe a fingers thicknesse, then take of the finest refined Sugar, beaten verie small, and therewith couer the Violets all ouer: then lay another layre of the Violets, and couer them with Sugar as you did before, and so lay Violets vpon Sugar, and Sugar vpon Violets, till you haue filled the pot to the [...] take of the strongest Wine-vineger that can be gotten, and poure it into the pot, till the vineger swimme aloft: then let it rest an houre or two, to settle: and if you [...], that the vineger be shrunke below the flowers, you shall fill it vp againe, not [...] thus to doe, till the vineger will shrinke no more: then couer the pot vp verie [...] with Parchment and Sheepes leather, and set it so, as it may receiue some [...] ayre of the fire; and after one moneth vse them, as occasion shall serue: for they will last all the yeare, both Winter and Summer, without loosing either their [...] lour, strength, sweetnesse, or pleasantnesse, neither their growth nor fulnesse. And in this sort you may preserue all sorts of flowers whatsoeuer, as Roses, Marigold [...], Gilliflowers of all kinds, Cowslips, Primroses, Broome flowers Paunfie [...], [...] leaues, or anie other sweet and wholesome flower whatsoeuer. Wherein is to [...] noted, that if the flower which you preserue, be of a pure white colour, and that yo [...] feare the vineger may somewhat abate the brightnesse of the colour, in this case you [Page] shall distill your vinegar either in a Limbecke, or other ordinarie Still, and with the water which commeth from it (which will be of a most pure and chrystaline colour) and is indeed the spirit and sharpest part of the vinegar, you shall preserue your flowers, and then without doubt they will not abate any part at all of their owne brightnesse and colour.

White, yellow, and red Gillo-flowres,White, yellow, and red Gillo-flowres. do craue the like ordering that the March Violet doth, and grow better vpon walls, house tops, and old ruines of stone, than planted or tilled in gardens, especially the yellow, which come neerer to the resemblance of a shrub than of an hearbe, hauing hard and wooddy stalkes, and set full of branches, commonly called of Apothecaries Key [...]y. The seed of Gillo-flowres stampt and drunke with white wine, is soueraigne to prouoke womens termes, and to further deliuerance in them that trauell.

DaisiesDaisies. must not be sowen but planted after the manner of violets, this is the least kind of the [...], which is likewise found in the fields without being tilled, it flourisheth all the yeare long if it be well ordered.Kings- [...]uill Palsey. [...]owt. Daisies stampt with Mugwort resolueth the King-euill. A Catapla [...]me made of Daisies is good for the palsie, and all manner distillations. For wounds in the brest, whereinto tents may be put, it is good to d [...]inke by and by a drinke made of stamped Daisies: they heale the pastules of the tongue if they be chewed, as also of the mouth: being braied they asswage the inflammation of the priuie members: eaten in sallades or broth of flesh, they loosen the bellie.

Purple Veluet flower,Purple Veluet flower. called in Latine Aramanthus, doth recreate more with his colour, than with any smell that it hath, for it smelleth nothing at all: notwithstanding who so will haue it in their gardens, must plant it in a drie and sandie place. The flower supt in pottage, doth stay the flux of the bellie,The white flowers of women. the termes and white flowers of vvomen, the spitting of bloud, especially if there be any veine broken or bruised in the lungs of brest. The flower hereof infused in vvater or white vvine the space of an houre, maketh the colour of the wine red, and thus one may helpe himselfe the more easily to beguile any that are sicke of some ague, and cannot abstaine from Wine.

Canterburie-bells,Canterburi [...]-bells. as well the simple as the double, require a fat ground and well inriched. The Latines call it Viola Calathiana.

Their [...]lowers mingled with Wheat flower,The vertues. make a good Cataplasme against scuruinesse and other sorts of scabbes, likewise their roots boyled in white Wine, to the consumption of the halfe, and a linnen cloth dipped therein, and applyed to scabbes and scuruinesse doth heale them: the roots boyled in Wine and taken in a potion, doe heale all the ruptures of the inward parts of the bodies, doe cleanse the exulcerated lungs, and spitting of bloud: brayed, and ground in manner of meale and drunke in Wine the weight of a French Crowne, with two or three graines of Saffron, are singular good against the jaundise, if the partie sweat thereupon presently: the like vertue is in the distilled water of the flowers: the juice drawne out of their root and flowers applyed vnto wounds doth heale them presently: a pessarie drencht in this juice, prouoketh womens termes, and draweth out the child dead in the mothers vvombe: being dropt into the eare, whereinto there hath some Flea, or such other vermine crept, it killeth them.

Gillo-flowres of all sorts are seldome sowne,Prouence, purple and Indian Gillo-flowers. but oftentimes planted of roots or braunches pluckt from the plants▪ the root shall be planted in the beginning of Autumne, in a fat mould, and so put in pots of earth, th [...]t it may be remoued and set vnder some couert in Winter for feare of the frosts: Sommer being come before the great plant haue cast forth his sprouts, you may breake off so many small branches from about the root, as will almost serue to set and plant a whole bed withall, and so you may breed new plants of them.

You may make Gillo-flowers smell like Cloues,To make Gillo-flowers to smell like Cloues. if you lay bruised Cloues round about their roots. In like manner you may make them haue faire flowers, large, pleasant, and sweet smelling, if you plucke away their leaues often, and take paines to [Page] digge and water their earth: furthermore such Gillo-flowers are commonly called Gillo-flowers of Prouence,Gillo-flowers of Prouence. of the place where Gillo-flowers so ordered doe grow, large, tufted, and ample: those which haue not their flowers so large, nor so sweet, neither yet are so carefully looked vnto and dressed,Purple Gillo-flowres. are properly called Purple Gillo-flowers.

The flowers of Gillo-flowers of Prouence, as also their root▪ are soueraigne against the Plague. And for this cause such as are well aduised, in the time of the Plague [...] make conserues or vinegar of the flowers of Gillo-flowers, to keepe themselues [...] the euill ayre.

Indian Gillo-flowers,Indian Gillo-flowres. called of the Latines Flos petillius, and Ocellus [...], although it refuse no ground, notwithstanding if you plant it, of the whole plant, or of the branches thereof, or else sow it in a fat and wel manured ground, especially in the beginning of Iuly, it will grow vnto such a height, as that it will seeme to be a thing degenerated into the bignesse of a tree, and will put forth of his stalke many bough [...], after the manner of a tree or shrub: and by the same meanes there will put [...] flowers induring vntill Winter.

Who will be counted carefull of preseruing his health,The Indian gillo-flower doth cause the headeth and an ill & vnwholesome ayre. must not smell vnto the flower of the Gillo-flowers of India: for the smell thereof doth procure head-ach and giddinesse, and is a meanes to breed the Falling-sicknesse: further also, which is more dangerous, some haue found it by experience, that it ingendreth an infectious aire: likewise Physitians giue speciall prohibition to smell vnto the Indian Gillo-flower in the Plague time, because the flower thereof is venimous, and of temperate much like to the Hemlocke, which may easily be perceiued by the vnpleasant smell it yeeldeth, being both most strong and stinking. That it is so, namely that [...] is venimous, I haue giuen thereof sometimes vnto a Cat the flower the Gillo-flowres of India beaten and mixt with cheese to eat: and she hath thereupon become verie much swelled, and within a short time after dead: I saw likewise a little young child, who after hauing put these flowers in his mouth, his mouth and lips did swell, and within a day or two after became verie scabbed.

Wild Gillo-flowersWild Gill [...]-flowers. as well white as red, although they grow in the edges of field [...] and along the waies, may notwithstanding be planted and set in gardens, where [...] they be oft remoued, they will grow to haue a double flowre. Their seed, flower, and whole hearbe is good against the stinging of Scorpions: and indeed haue so gre [...] vertue this way, that the hearbe onely cast among Scorpions, taketh from them all power to hurt: their seed taken to the quantitie of two drams purgeth hot and ch [...] lericke humours.

Dame VioletsDame Violets▪ haue great leaues, somewhat blacke, notcht round about, and broad: the flowers are white and incarnate, and in shape like vnto the Auens: they grow sometimes so high, as that they degenerate into a tree.

Goats-bread,Goats-beard. that it may haue faire, double, and full flowers, doth craue a fat and moist ground. The leaues thereof open at the Sunne rise, and they close at noone: the root boyled in mudde doth appease the paines and pricking of the side: taken in forme of a lohoch with syrope of Violets, it helpeth obstructed lungs, and the ple [...] risie: boyled in vvater, and preserued with Sugar, it is a singular preseruatiue against the Plague, Poysons, Venime, and deadly Stinging: the juice or distilled vvater of this hearbe doth heale greene vvounds, if you dip linnen clothes therein, and applie them to the wounds: some vse the root of this hearbe in sallades, where daintie and fine fare is: the same boyled in a pot vvith Veale and Mutton, and afterward prepared and made readie betwixt two dishes with butter and vinegar.

Marie, or Marians Violets,Marians Violets. for the beautifulnesse of the flowers, deserue to b [...] sowne in a fat and well laboured ground: the flowers are good to make gargari [...], for the inflammations and vlcers of the mouth.

Lillie-conually,Lillie- [...]. called of the Latines Lillium conuallium, notwithstanding th [...]t it groweth in shadowed Woodgrounds, yet it deserueth to be tilled in gardens, as [...] in regard of the faire little flowers, white as snow, which it beareth, being also of a [Page] most amiable smell, somewhat like vnto the Lillies; as also in respect of his vertues: because the distilled vvater of the flowers being taken vvith strong and noble vvine, doth restore the speech vnto them which haue lost it vpon an apoplexie: it is good likewise for the palsey, distillations, and fainting of the heart: yet these nor any other Lillies whatsoeuer can I commend for any vse of nosegaies, because the smell of them [...]s lussious, grosse, and vnwholesome, apt to make the head ake, and (as some hold of [...]pinion) apt to in ingender infection, by reason of a certaine putrefaction which it [...]tirreth vp in the braine, vvhereby all the inward parts are distempered; therefore whosoeuer planteth them shall preser [...] them more for shew than smell, and make [...]se of their medicinall qualitie, not o [...] their order; and touching their medicinall qualtitie, there is none better than this, that if the root be taken and cleane washt and boyled in milke, and so applyed to any hard tumour, swelling, byle, or impo [...]tumation, it will either dissolue it, or else ripen, breake, and heale it, so that it be applied pultus wise verie hot.

Water lillie,Water lillie. as well the white as the yellow, desireth a waterish and marshie place: vve see it grow likewise in pooles and fish-ponds. The root of vvhite vvater lillie [...]oyled with grosse red wine and drunke, stayeth womens whites: the flowers, roots, [...]nd seeds, as well in decoctio [...]s as in conserues, are verie singular or procure s [...]eepe, [...]nd to preserue chastitie.

HyacinthHyacynth. groweth verie vvell in a sandie ground. The root and seed boyled in vvine and drunke, doth stay the flux of the bellie.

NarcyssusNar [...]yssus. (so called of a Greeke word, because the smell of it comming vnto the [...] doth cause an inclination vnto sleepinesse and heauinesse) would be sowne in a [...]at ground that is hot and moist: it groweth also aboundantly in Languedoe and I [...]alie, and but a little in this countrie.

The root thereof boyled or roasted, and taken with meat of drinke, doth greatly procure vomit: also, the same brayed with a little Honie and applyed, doth heale burnings: taketh away the freckles and spots of the face, being mixt with the seed of nettles.

Corneflag (called in Latine Gladiolus) as well the blew as the white,carneflag or [...]. would be planted of new plants in March and Aprill: or else of slips, but such as haue roots, for they are neuer sowne, neither doe they require any great tilling. Their flowres differ from the flowres of marigolds in this, in that the flowres of the marigold doe open at the Sunne-shine, but the flowres of Corneflag doe shut and close vp themselues then, not opening againe but when it is cold and moist weather. The roots must be pulled out of the earth in the beginning of the Spring, that thereby they may haue a pleasant smell, and a delectable kind of sauour, and afterward they must be died in the shadow of the Sunne. Some people, to take away the superfluous moisture thereof, which putteth them in danger to be consumed with Wormes, doe vvet them with Lee of ashes, as well whiles they are in the earth, as when they are out, and so drie them and keepe them for to procure the linnens and woollen garments to smell well.

The juice of the roots put in a clyster,The vertues of Corneflag. doth appease the paine of the Sciatica:Sci [...]tica. the root dried and made in powder, doth cleanse and consolidate hollow and filthie vlcers:Vlcers. being held in the mouth, it causeth a good breath: layed amongst clothes, it preserueth them from all vermine, and maketh them smell pleasantly. The juice of the root taken at the mouth sundrie times, purgeth water in such as haue the dropsie,Dropsie. especially if it be taken mixt with the yolke of an egge halfe boyled. The root mingled with the root of ellebor, and twice so much Honie, doth wipe away freckles, red pimples, and all spots of the face, if it be annointed thereupon. The decoction of the root taketh away the obstruct [...]ons caused of a grosse humour, prouoketh vrine, killeth vvormes, and casteth out the stone. The Italians make a preserue of this root whiles it is new with Sugar to Honie, and vse it in all the cases aforesaid: some make an oyle of the flowers infused in oyle, which hath power to resolue, soften, and appease the griefe of cold rheumes or distillations.

[Page] Lillies.Lillies must be planted in the moneth of March and Aprill in these [...] and in hot countries in the moneths of October and Nouember,Lillies of [...] colours. as well the [...] the orange colour, in a fat and well digged ground: you shall make their flowe [...] [...] what colour you will, if before you set them, you steepe their roots in such [...] substance as shall best like you, and afterward likewise to water the roots when they are set and planted in their trench with the same liquor, and that after this [...] ▪ Some say that the flowers of Lillies become red and purple, if their roots before [...] be planted be steept in the Lees of red Wine, or in dissolued Cinnabrium, and [...] watered with the same in the little pit or trench wherein it is set. Or else when [...] are in flower in the moneth of Iune, you must take ten or twelue plants, and [...] them together, to hang them in the smoake, for so they will put forth small roots [...] vnto vvild Garleeke, and when the time of setting is come, which is in the [...] of March and Aprill, steepe the same plants in the lees of red Wine vntill they [...] prettily well coloured, as being become red when you take them out, afterward [...] them in prettie pits contriued in good order and water them sufficiently with [...] said lees: for by this meanes the flowers that will come of them will be purple [...] loured.Purple coloured Lillies. You shall likewise haue young and fresh Lillies all the yeare long, if [...] they be open you gather them, and after close them vp in some bottell or well [...] vessell, that so they may come by no ayre. Or else close them vp in some oaken vessel well pitched, so that there can no vvater get in, and after sinke the vessell in [...] Well, Cesterne, or running vvater, for so they will keepe young and fresh [...] yeare.Lillies in flower at divers and s [...]uerall times. And if at any time during the whole yeare you would vse them, set them in the Sunne, that so by the heat thereof they may open. And to the end that Lillies [...] flower at many times, when you set their roots, you shall set some of twelue [...] within the ground, others eight, and some foure, for thus you shall still haue [...] Lillies for a long time.

A Cataplasme made with the Onion of the roots of Lillies,The vertues of Lillies. Hogs-grease, and [...] oyle of Cammomile, doth maturate and ripen Buboes. An oyntment made of [...] said roots, oyle of bitter Almonds, and white Wax, hath singular vertue to [...] and smoth the face, and to take away the vvrincles [...]. of vvomens faces. The vvater [...] Lillies distilled out of an Alembecke,Water of Lillie. doth take away the vvrincles of vvomen [...], and make them looke verie faire and white. The root boyled or roasted in [...] embers, and stampt vvith oyle Oliue, is a singular remedie against all sorts of burning,Burning of s [...]aldings. as well of fire as vvater. Being boyled vvith Garleeke, and stampt in the [...] of red Wine, cleareth vvomens faces and countenances, vvhich haue but ill colo [...] after their lying in bed, if they besmeare their faces therewith at nights,Asmooth and glistering [...]ew. and in the morning wash them with Barlie vvater. This root roasted and stamped with [...] Swines-grease, and applied to the cornes of the feet, doth wholly spend them, [...] they be kept thereto but three whole daies together: the distilled vvater of the flowers with a little Saffron and sweet Zyloca [...]sia, helpeth vvomen in child-birth▪ and deliuereth them also of their after-birth: the oyle that is made of the flowers by infusion, is good to soften all manner of hardnesse in swellings or otherwise: if [...] chafe the priuie parts with oyle of Linseed, and applie Wooll vvet in these [...] vpon the bellie: Women which are in trauell of child-birth will find great ease [...] the same.

Small Pa [...]cesSmall Paunces. (otherwise called Autumne Violets) desire a drie and [...] place: they are to be planted in the Spring time, and beare flowers continuing [...] Autumne, yea to Winter, if so be they be oft watered and carefully handled. The leaues or juice of small Paunces taken at the mouth, or applied outwardly, are [...] good to conglutinate wounds: the leaues of small Paunces boyled and [...] doe stay the Falling-sicknesse in children when they froth and some: the same flowers boyled with their hearbes and drunke, doe cleanse the lungs and breast, and [...] good for inward inflammations. The leaues dried and made in powder, and [...] with red Wine to the quantitie of halfe a spoonefull, haue great force to stay the [...] downe of the fundament.

[Page] The Helitropian is a certaine flower, which hath such a loue and sympathie with [...] Sunne, that as his beames rise and spread open in the morning like a Curtaine, [...] the hearbe also openeth her leaues and glories, and (as it were) attending vpon [...] beames: her flower riseth as he riseth; and when the Sunne is in his Meridian or [...]oone point, then the flower standeth, and looketh straight vpright; and as the [...]unne declineth, so it likewise declineth: and in the euening, as hee shutteth in his [...]eames, so it also closeth vp her flowers, and remaineth (as it were) hid and lockt vp [...] the next morning. This Helitropian neuer beareth on one stalke aboue one flow [...], but it is exceeding large and great, being euer at least halfe a foot in the diameter: [...] is round and [...]lat fashioned, and enuironed with yellow leaues of a bright golden [...]: it groweth also vpon a great thicke stalke, straight vpright, and high from [...] ground: it beareth also verie manie seeds, which as soone as they are ripe, are like Marigold seeds, white, rough, and semici [...]cled. The best time to sow it, is in the [...]pring time, at the wane of the Moone, and it is verie quicke and speedie in grow [...]g. The greatest glorie it hath, is the beautie thereof: yet it hath all those vertues [...]hich the Marigold hath, and cureth the same in [...]irmities.

Contrarie to this, is the flower of the Night,Flower of the night. which is verie memorable for the [...] faire flowers which it beareth: It is therefore called the flower of the Night, [...] at the Sunnes rising it shuts vp her flowers, and at his setting spreads them open [...], and so flourisheth with great beautie all the night long: his flowers are of [...] colours, some white, some red, some carnation, and some yellow, some inter [...]ixt, and some entire: insomuch, that to behold it either in the morning, or in the [...], it lookes like a most fine piece of Arras or Tapistrie, to the great wonder of [...] beholders, when they shall see so manie seuerall colours proceeding from one [...], without anie artificiall labour, or other sophistication. It is to be planted or [...] in the moneth of March, when the Moone is encreasing, the ground being [...] and rich, and well tilled and ordered before hand.

TulipanTulipan. is a Plant which growes about two or three foot from the ground, and [...] a verie faire flower, yet commonly not before it be three yeares old: it de [...]ighteth to grow neere vnto the Flower-de-luce, and would be planted soone after Winter in the new of the Moone. The first yeare it putteth forth but one leafe, verie [...]arge, and of a greene colour: the second yeare it putteth forth two leaues: and the [...]hird yeare, three leaues, together with the knob or button, which beareth the flower [...]nd all, long before the approaching of Winter: as soone as the three leaues are [...]prung vp, which are euer neere vnto the earth, the stemme shooteth vpward a good [...]eight without leaues as smooth as a cudgell, till it be come to his full growth. Now of these Tulipans there are diuers kinds, and are distinguished onely by the different [...]olours of their flowers: for some are white, some red, some blew, some yellow, some Orange, some of a Violet colour, and indeed generally of anie colour whatsoeuer, [...]xcept greene: yet it is to be noted, that these Tulipans which are thus of one en [...]re colour, are but common and ordinarie: for those which are most rare and preci [...], are of diuers colours mixt together, and in semblance like the flower of the Night before spoken of. Againe, there is another note of admiration in this flower; which is, that it changeth it colour euerie yeare of it owne nature, for the which no Gardiner is able to giue anie account: Also there be some Tulipans which will not [...]ourish aboue foure or fiue daies in the yeare, and then after it carrieth no flower [...] all.

The Martagon is a plant which putteth forth verie rare and excellent flowers,The Mortagon of Constantinople. [...]uch what is shape like the Flower-de-luce▪ and are infinitely desired for their ex [...]ellencies: it is most commonly either of an Orange or red colour, and may be ei [...]her sowne or planted in a good ground in the Spring time, when the Moone encreaseth▪ It groweth in height seldome aboue three foot, neither hath it anie bran [...]hes: it garnisheth the earth with manie greene leaues, both long and sharpe, [...]ending their points downeward. At the toppe of the stemme the flowers put [...]orth, vpon seuen or eight round buttons or cuppes, which after a few daies [Page] doe open, and out of euerie button springs forth a flower, which will continue [...] upon at least three or foure daies, and then they will fall away, and the bowle is perceiued in which the seed is retained, which is not verie great but of a little and [...] compasse.

P [...]onie [...] are flowers of diuers kinds, some being single, and some double, and are [...] esteemed for the beautie of their flowers, they may be sowne or planted on any [...] earth; immediatly after Winter the stalke of it is greene, and being ris [...]n [...] foot from the earth, it putteth forth diuers large branches, vpon the tops whereof [...] many great buttons, out of which breaketh forth the flowers, being round, [...] and large, so that some haue beene measured from the circumference to be the [...] part of a foot in the diameter, & these flowers are euer of one colour, as being all [...] all white, or all purple, and not mixt or stripped as other flowers are.

Amongst all the flowers which beauitfie gardens, none may compare with this other for odour, glorie, or generall delicacie, whence it commeth that it is [...] the Crowne Emperiall,Crowne Emperiall. it may be sowne from the seed in any well drest [...] the Spring of the yeare, and the new of the Moone, yet it is much better if it be [...] from the root, which root is bigge and round like vnto a great S. [...] Onion, about which in the planting you shall [...]ould a little fine mould [...] with cows dung, and then set it a good depth into the earth, the stemme of this [...] will spring out of the ground three or foure foot, garnished all along with fine [...] ▪ yet without any braunches; at the top of all, it putteth forth eight or nine [...] ▪ borne vpon seuerall little branches distinguished from the stalke, euerie one of [...] being of equall height and length, the flowers thereof for the most part shew [...], because (like the Helitropian) they continually follow the Sunne, and [...] stand streight vpright, but at hie noone onely; the colour of them most [...] is a pale red, and they haue within the inward part of them a round liquid [...] like vnto an Orient pearle, which whilest the flower is in strength, being for the [...] part fifteene or twentie dayes, you can by no meanes shake off, nor will it be [...] way with showers or tempests, but if with your hand you wipe it away, a new [...] will arise againe presently in the same place: this pearle if you tast vpon your [...] is sweet and pleasant as Honie or Sugar. This flower must be carefully [...] from the frost, and the slips of it would be seldome or ne [...]er set, because they are [...] they bring forth flowers as three or foure yeares at the soonest.

CHAP. XLIX.
Of sweet smelling Hearbes.

BAsill,Basill. as well the great as the small, is sowne in Aprill and May in a [...] ground, and commeth vp quickly, if so be that by and by after it is [...] it be watered with water somewhat heated: It may be sowne [...] in Autumne, and the seed would be watered with vinegar, for so ( [...] it but a verie little) it will grow forth into branches. If you sow it in a drie ground [...] open vpon the Sun; it will by and by turne and become either mountaine [...] or cresses. When you haue sowne it, you must draw vpon the ground some [...] fasten and set it close together, for if it should lye light and hollow, the seed would [...] corrupt.Basill neuer [...] better t [...]hen it is cursed Hat [...]ed betwixt Amber and Basill. It must be watered at noone-tide, cleane contrarie to other hearbs [...] would be watered at morning or euening. To cause it to grow great, it is [...] crop it oft with your fingers, and not with any yron thing. Some report a [...] strange thing of Basill, as namely that it groweth fairer and higher, if it [...] sowne with curses and injuries offered vnto it: and further that there is a deadly [...] betwixt ambe [...] & basill: for whereas amber or blacke jet it giuen to draw [...] [Page] [...]nto it vpon the touching of them, it driueth and putteth farre from it the leaues and [...] of Basill.

Such as are subject vnto head-ach,The smelling of basill doth cause great paine and Scorpions in the head. or feare to be troubled therewith, must shun the [...] of Basill altogether: for the smell thereof begetteth paine and heauinesse of the [...], ye [...] sometimes it ingendreth in the head little small wormes, like vnto Scorpi [...]s: as we read to haue happened to a certaine Italian in our time (as Monsieur [...]oulier D. in physicke doth testifie in the beginning of his Practica) in whose [...]aine the oft smelling of Basill did beget a scorpion,M. I. Hou [...]ier. which caused him to endure [...]treame paine, and brought him to his death in the end.To be deliuered of child-birth without paine. The greatest vertue that [...] hearbe can haue, is that if a woman doe hold the roots of Basill in her hand, to [...]ether with a Swallows feather when she is in trauell, she shall be deliuered by and [...] without any paine.

Rue,Rue. as well that of the garden as the other which is wild, doth not loue eyther a [...]oist or cold ground, neither yet a ground made verie fat with dung: but rather a [...] and drie ground free from vvind, and where the Sunne shineth much, in respect [...]hereof it must be couered with ashes during the Winter time: for the naturall heat [...] the ashes doth cause it to resist the cold. It may be sowne in March, August, and [...]ptember, although in deed it grow better set of roots or braunches, than sowne. [...]hen it groweth old, it degenerateth into a wooddie substance, and therefore you [...]ust cut the stalkes twice euerie yeare euen to the root, to recouer his youth againe: [...] must not be suffered (if possibly it may be let) to flowre, for if it be suffered to put [...] any flowres,The bewraier of women. it groweth so much the more drie. Some report, that this hearbe [...] a maruailous propertie, as that if it be toucht or come neere vnto, be it neuer so [...], by a woman that hath abused her bodie, or that hath her termes, that it dyeth [...] and by.

To cause that it may grow faire and haue a more pleasant smell, it must be planted [...]nder the shadow of a Figge-tree, or grafted in the rind of a Figge-tree: for the [...] and sweetnesse of the Figge-tree doth temper the sharpenesse and acrimo [...]ie of the Rue. Some say likewise, that Rue will grow fairer, if the branches thereof [...] set in a Beane or Onion,Rue thriuing best when it i [...] most curs [...]d. and so put into the ground. It is likewise reported, that it [...]oweth fairer, if one curse and hurt it when they set and plant it. But looke how [...]iendly and kind it is to the Figge-tree, so much it is enemie vnto and hateth the [...]emlocke;Rue and Hemlocke are enemies. likewise Gardiners when they would pull vp Rue, for feare of hurting [...]eir hands, rub them with the juice of Hemlocke.

Wild Rue is of greater force than the garden Rue, and of a more vnpleasant [...]ell, and also a more dangerous smell: furthermore of so sharpe a vapour, as that if [...] come neere vnto the face neuer so little, it will breed the wild fire in it. The feed [...] of the one and the other by the hot and drie temperature it hath, drieth vp the [...] of man, and maketh him barren: the same seed in decoction is good for distil [...]tions, and the moisture of the matrix.

Rue hath a singular vertue and force against all manner of venime. Likewise we [...] that the king Mithridates was accustomed to vse an opiate made of twentie [...]ues of Rue,Mithridates [...] opiate for the Plague. two drie Figges, two old Walnuts, and a little Salt, to preserue his state [...]gainst all manner of poyson. For this cause you must plant in your gardens, and [...] your sheepecoats, houses for your fowle and other cattell, great quantitie of [...]ue: for Adders, Lizards, and other venimous beasts,R [...]e [...]n enemie to v [...]nimes and poysons. will not come neere vnto [...], by the length of the shadow of it. Some also hold it as a tried thing, that to [...] away Cats and Fulmers from hen-houses and doue-houses,Rne [...]n enemie to cats and fulmers. there is nothing [...]etter than to set Rue at the doores thereof, or round about them. And that to free a [...]ome of fleas and g [...]ats, it is good to water that same with water sprinkled about with branch of rue.That rue should not come neer [...] to the nose. In the plague time it is not good to put rue neere vnto your nose [...]ontrarie to that which we see many men practise) because by the sharpenesse of the [...] there is caused a heat and excoriation of the part which it toucheth: notwith [...]anding to draw out the venime that is in a bubo or pestilent carbuncle,For a [...] or Plague [...]. there is no [...]ing better than to applie thereto a cataplasme made of the leaues of rue stampt with [Page] leauen, hogs-grease, onions, figges, vnquencht lime, sope, cantharides, and a [...] treacle. If a man haue eaten of hemlocke, ceruse, mandrakes, blacke poppie, [...] other hearbes, which through their great coldnesse haue caused them to be [...] and blockish, they may profitably vse the juice of rue, to drinke it for the [...] of them from such danger, or else the wine wherein it hath beene boyled. Th [...] distilled water of rue powred into vvine and rose-water of each as much, is good [...] the weakenesse of the sight. It is verie soueraigne for the headach, and being [...] in wine with fennell, and so drunke, it easeth all obstructions of the spleene or [...] ▪ and taketh away the pain of the strangurie, and also stoppeth any flux, being [...] with Cummin-seed, it easeth all maner of aches, and being stampt with home, [...] flower and the yolke of an egge it cureth any impostumation whatsoeuer.

All sorts of mintsMints. whether garden or wild, doe nothing desire the ground [...] dunged, fat, or lying open vpon the Sunne, but rather a moist ground neere [...] water, for want thereof they must be continually watred, for else they die: it is [...] sowne than set; but if it be set, then it may be either of roots or branches, in [...] or in the Spring time, especially about the twelfth of March or September. [...] wanteth the seed to sow it, may insteed thereof sow the seed of field mints, [...] the sharpe point downeward, thereby to tame and reclaime the wildnesse of it. [...] it is growne it must not be toucht with any edge toole, because thereupon it [...] die. Neither need you take care to sow it euerie yeare, for it will grow of itselfe [...] being sowne of set in great aboundance.

Mints stampt and applyed to breasts too hard and full of milke doe seften [...], and hindreth the curding of the milke:The vertues of Mi [...]ts. stampt with salt, it is good against the [...] of a mad dog: stampt and put into a cataplasme it comforteth a weak [...] and strengtheneth digestion: two or three sprigs of mints taken with the juice of [...]pomegranat, stayeth the hicket, vomiting, and surfets. It is good to help them [...] haue lost their smelling, by putting it oft to the nose. Then leaues dried, made in [...], and drunke with white wine, doth kill the wormesWormes. in yong children. Such as [...] milke, a [...]ter they haue eaten it, must by and by chaw of the leaues of mints, [...] the qua [...]ling of the milke in their stomachs: for mints haue the speciall [...] keeping milk from curding,The curding of Milke. as also to keepe chee [...]eTo keepe chees [...]. from corruption and [...], if it be sprinkled with the juice or decoction of mints: being [...]pplied vnto the [...] ▪ it asswageth head-ach commming of cold. The water of the whole hearbe distilled [...] Maries bath, in a glasse Alembecke, and taken the quantitie of foure ounces, [...] stay bleeding at the nose, which is very strange thing: they that would liue [...] ▪ must not smell vnto not eat any mints: and therefore in auncient time it was [...] captaines in warre to eat any mints.

Calamint,Calamint. (otherwise called Mentastrum) delighteth in the same ground [...] mints, we see it likewise grow in vntilled grounds neere vnto high waies and hedg [...] ▪ It prouoketh the termes in women, whether it be taken at the mouth or in [...], and that with such violence, as that women may not in any case meddle with [...] ▪ if they take themselues to be with child: it is singular good vsed in formentation [...] the paines of the stomach, for the colicke and distillations: the juice thereof [...] the mouth killeth wormes in the bellie, and being dropt into the eare, it killeth [...] there also. Of this Calamint there are three kinds, as the stone Calamint, the [...] Calamint, and the water Calamint, the water Calamint is excellent to make [...], the earth Calamint is verie good against leprosie, helpeth paine in the [...], and comforteth the stomach, lastly the stone Calamint is soueraigne against [...] ▪ and strengtheneth the heart, if it be bruised and made into a plai [...]ter with [...] sewet, it healeth any venimous wounds, and to drinke it three or foure daies [...] either in ale or wine, it cureth the jaundise.

ThymeThy [...]. as well of Candie as the common, doth grow better planted than [...] and craueth a place open vpon the Sunne, neere vnto the sea, and leane, and it [...] be planted at mid-March in a well [...]illed ground, that so it may the sooner [...] also that it may grow the fairer and fuller leafe, it will be good to water the [...] [Page] [...]oft with water wherein hath been steeped for the space of one whole day drie thyme somewhat bruised.Goodly Thyme. If you be disposed to gather the seed, you must gather also the flowers wherein it is contained, seeing they cannot be sundred.

A Cataplasme made of thyme boyled in Wine,The vertues of Thyme. appea [...]eth the paine of the Sciati [...]ca, and the windinesse of the bodie and matrin. The smelling of thyme is soueraigne to raise them that haue the Falling-sicknesse out of their fit, and also to keepe them from their fit, by decking their bed about with the leaues thereof. The oft vsing of thyme with wine or whay, is good for melancholicke persons.

Winter SauourieWinter Sau [...]rie. craueth no fat, manured, or well tilled ground, but rather an [...]pen, stonie, and light ground, lying so as the Sunne may shine full vpon it. Both Thyme and Winter Sauourie are good for the nourishing of bees, and for the preser [...]ing and seasoning of meats: they are also called fine, sebtill, or small and slender hearbes.

Organie,Organie. otherwise called bastard Margerome, loueth a rough, stonie, peble, weake, and yet well fu [...]nisht ground, and vvithall craueth a manured ground, as also to be watered, vntill it be growne vp to his full bignesse, notwithstanding it be seene [...]o grow in many places without watering or dunging. It may be remoued of little [...]prouts or sciences, and the lower end set vpward, to the end that it may put forth new [...]prings and shoots; and be sown of his seed, the which the elder it is, so much the soo [...]er it will put forth of the earth, although that organie do not ordinarily shew it selfe before the 30 or 40 day after the sowing of it: in many places it is sowne neere vnto [...], because they willingly load themselues from thence, and make singular honie.

Organie boyled in Wine,The vertues of Organie. and layed vpon the region of the raines, doth take away and vndoe the difficultie of making vvater: being boyled in wine and drunke, it is good against venimous beasts, or the stingings of Scorpions and Spiders. A Cataplasme made of Organie and Barly meale boyled together, resolueth the tumours vnder the eares. The decoction thereof is good to comfort the sinews, and the relaxed and weake parts: the seed thereof drunke vvith Wine doth prepare and dispose a vvoman to conceiue: the flowers and leaues of the sayd Organie dried at the fire in an earthen test or melting pot, and being wrapped vp verie hot in a cloth, and applied vnto the head, and kept fast tied thereunto, doth cure the rheume comming of cold.

HyssopeHyssope. affecteth a place free from shadow, and lying open vpon the Sunne: it [...]ay be set or sowne about the twelfth of March. It must be cut in the moneth of August, and dried to put in pottage in Winter.

Amongst other principall vertues that it hath,The vertues of Hyssope. it is of great vse for the affects of [...]he lungs, and to prouoke vvomens termes; of there be a broth made thereof to sup [...]asting in the morning. Some say that the syrope of Hyssope, taken oftentimes with [...]owerfold so much of the vvater of Pellitorie of the wall, causeth the stone and much grauell to auoyd from the reines: Hyssope with figs, rue, and honie boyled together [...]n water and drunke, is good for those that are short breathed, and for old and hard [...]oughs: stampt with salt, cummine, and honie, and applied, healeth the stingings of Scorpions: stampt with oyle and rubbed, it killeth lice: pills made of hyssope, [...]orehound, and pionie roots, doe heale the falling-sicknesse.

Sommer sauourie [...]. doth delight in an open Sunne shining place, and therefore must be set or sowne in such a one, not in a fat or manured ground: for it is often seen grow of it selfe in leane grounds, and neere vnto the Sea. It groweth more delight [...]ully and of a better tast, if it be sowne amongst onions.The vertues of S [...]rie. It is verie good for sauce to [...]eat. The leaues and flowres applied vnto the head in forme of a cap or garland, doth away the drowsily inclined.The drow [...] disease. A Cataplasme made of sauorie and wheat meale, [...]oth cure distillations.

The Sciati [...] CorianderCoriander. [...]orteth well with any kind of ground, notwithstanding in a fat and [...]ew ground, it groweth a great deale more aboundantly, and it seeketh for an hot [...]ire: againe, that which groweth in a sunnie place doth ouerthriue that vvhich groweth in a shadowed place: when you goe about to sow it, chuse the eldest seed [Page] you can get; for by how much it is the elder, by so much it is the better, so that it [...] not mouldie and foughtie. Sow it also in a fat and moist ground, and yet [...] a leane ground: and to cause it to spring vp the sooner, you must steepe the [...] water two daies before you sow it. If you must dung the ground where it is to be sowne, it must be with Sheepe or Goats dung rather than anie other.

The excessiue heat thereof bringeth Head-ach,The vertues of C [...]riander. and the trembling of the [...] being eaten after meat, it comforteth digestion,Digestion. and dispelleth windinesse,Windinesse. so that [...] be prepared. The way to prepare it, is as followeth▪ You must, hauing dried it [...], cast vpon it verie good wine and vineger mixt together, and leaue it thus sprinkl [...] and wet the space of foure and twentie houres, then drie it vp, and keepe it for Physicke vse: being stamped in vineger, and cast vpon flesh,To keepe flesh. it keepeth it from [...]: it prouoketh womens termes:It prouoketh the termes. and some say, that looke how manie seeds a woman drinketh with white wine, so manie daies shall her termes continue. [...] drunke with the iuice of Pomegranats, killeth the WormesWormes. in children. The [...] thereof, with Ceruse, Litharge of Siluer, Vineger, and Oyle of Roses, [...] Wild fire,Wild fire. and all Rednesse. The seed stamped in Vineger, doth keepe the [...] from corrupting in Summer. Also to drinke the iuice thereof with Honey [...] Wine, killeth Wormes: and adding the seedes bruised thereto, it helpeth a [...] Feuer.

Sage,Sage. as well the little as the great, it planted of branches wrythen at the foot, [...] also of roots, in the Spring, and Autumne. It is sowne also at the same time. The [...] delighteth to be laid about with Lee ashes. It must be set neere vnto Rue, to [...] from Adders and Lizards, which vse to take vp their lodging neere vnto Sage [...] may be knowne by the leaues, which haue their tops oftentimes withered and dried, the same comming of hauing beene touched by Serpents. Sage refuseth neither [...] nor cold ayre: how beit, naturally it groweth in a barren, sto [...]e, and ill- [...] ground; and that in such sort, as that in some places of Spaine the mountaine [...] [...] ouer-growne therewith, and the Countrey inhabitants burne no other wood. No [...] withstanding, to grow faire, it would be well digged about, and kept clean [...] [...] leaues and stalkes that are dead.

It hath a singular vertue to comfort the [...]inewes that are hurt by being [...],The vertues of Sage. or otherwise become weake:Weakenesse of the sinewes. And for this cause, some make Sage Wine for [...] drinke, and a fomentation with the decoction of Sage for the trembling of the [...], and other parts.The trembling of the parts. It comforteth the mother, being taken in a fume at the secret [...] by such fume it also stayeth the whites. Such as cannot beare their conception [...] their time, but miscarrie vpon slight causes, must oftentimes in the morningeat [...] Sage leaues, for they strengthen the retentiue facultie, keepe aliue and strengthen [...] child, and make women verie fruitfull. And this is the cause why the Egyptian [...], [...] a great mortalitie, constrained their wiues to drinke the iuice of Sage with a little [...], keeping themselues foure daies from hauing to doe with their husbands, and then [...] to lye with them, that so they might conceiue and bring forth manie children. To stirre vp appetite, and cleanse the stomacke full of ill humours,To cleanse the stomacke. Sage [...] be vsed oftentimes in pottage, and otherwise: it assuageth the paine of the head, [...] cleanseth the teeth and gummes: it maketh a sweet breath, being boyled in wine: [...] distilled water thereof doth cleare the sight: the conserue of the flowers of Sage [...] the like vertues.

Oake of IerusalemOake of Ierusale [...]. (called of the Latines Botrys) craueth a drie and sandi [...] [...] or else a watrie ground, but such a one as is sandie or grauellie. We behold it also [...] and then to grow in swift running Brookes. Being once sowne, it needeth not [...] sowne againe afterward: for it groweth againe euerie yeare, and that as it were in [...] of a shrub. It hath vertues much like vnto Thyme, that is to say, it is good [...]gainst the suppression of the termes,The [...]. and vrine. Being dried and laid in [...], it giueth a verie good smell vnto the garments, and keepeth them from [...] decoction thereof with Licorice, is wonderfull good for such as haue a short [...] and are [...]uffed in their lungs, if you put thereto a little Sugar, or syrrup of [...] [Page] [...]ea, and furthermore to such as spit matter, vpon no other penaltie; but that it be v [...]ed a long time. The hearbe parched vpon a hot tyle, and besprinkled with Malme [...]ey and applyed vnto the bsllie asswageth the pains of the matrix, yea and more too, [...]f you adde thereunto the leaues of Mugwort, and the flowers of Cammomile, all fri [...]d with oyle of Lillies, and the yolke of an egge.

HorehoundHorehound. (called in Latine Marrubium, or Prassium) as well the blacke [...] the white groweth in euerie ground, but rather in an vntilled than in a tilled ground▪ you may also see it grow neere vnto walls, hedges, wayes, and borders of fields▪ [...] is [...]rue that the wild de [...]ireth wattie places, as ditches, little riuers, moist and low pla [...]es. It is verie good in decoction for the cough and difficultie of breath, because it cleanseth the lungs, and causeth spitting: it prouoketh womens termes and bring [...]th [...]orth the after-birth.

Sea, Romane, and common Wormewood, [...]. is not so much sowne or set because of his smell, as for the profit that it bringeth vnto the health. The Romane groweth in a sandie ground: the Sea-Wormewood groweth in a salt and ashi [...] ground▪ [...]he common in hillie, stonie, drie, and vntilled grounds; for to set them, you must writhe the roots.

Wormwood,The vertues of Wormewood. amongst other his vertues almost infinite and admirable, doth especially comfort the stomach laden with cholericke humours, but not the stomach oppressed with flegmaticke humors,A weake stomacke. and for that cause there is a Wine made of Wormwood, and called by the same name. The decoction of dogs-grasse his roots, and the crops of Wormewood, doe heale the Iaundise.Iaundise. The conserue of the crops made of a pound thereof, and three pounds of Sugar, doth cure the old, in [...]eterate, and desperate dropsie,Dropsie. if it be oftentimes vsed after purging: it doth preserue likewise from drunkennesse. It is an antidote in case a man haue [...]aten venimous Mushromes, or taken downe any other venime, especially the Hemlocke, as also in bitings and stingings of Spide [...]s and other venimous beasts. The juice mingled with the kernells of Peaches, doth kill the Wormes.Wormes. The leaues made into ashes, and mingled with oile of Roses, doth make the haire blacke.To make the haire blacke. The leaues layed in Wardrobes, doe keepe the garments, and doe driue away Flies and Gnats.

Southernewood groweth best being planted of roots or shoots, [...] and his vertu [...]. for it doth not so well being sowne of seed. It cannot abide much cold, nor much heat, and therefore it must be planted in some such place of the garden as is temperate. The seed the weight of a French Crowne stampt with some of the leaues in white Wine, adding thereto an old Nut, and a little Bole-Armoniacke, all being st [...]ayned and drunke, is a singular drinke against the Plague▪ The Plague. and all manner of poyson.Poyson. The crops of the tops of the leaues, and the flowers being beaten and stampt in oyle, and made into the forme of a liniment, doe serue to shift off the shiuerings of agues,Shiuerings of Agues. if so be that the soles of the feet and verebres of the backe o [...] him that hath the ague be rubbed therewith. Southernwood taken inward, or applied outward, doth kill wormesWormes. in young children. It is true that Galen for biddeth the taking of it at the mouth, because it is an enemie to the stomach.

RosemarieRosemarie. loueth chiefly a reasonable sat ground: it groweth in any ayre, but best by the Sea sides, and thereupon it bea [...]eth his name. It must be planted in the Spring and Autumne, of roots on braunches writhen and see fast in the earth, and that in a warme place, or at the least lying open vpon the Sunne, and not such a place as is verie moist or subject vnto the Northern [...] vvind, because this plane can hardly endure the cold, and therefore it must be planted vpon the South vader some wall, and the good time of planting or it is, when it will pricke, and then you must take off the small young sprigs, and set them three inches vvithin the earth, making the earth fast and close vnto them aboue: or else of some part of the most leauie branches therof, which being afterward helped by making the ground light, doth spread and continue fresh, hauing no need to be watered, except at the verie time of setting of it, if the ground be [...] and yet notwithstanding if it be watered, it will prosper the better, and flourish the more. So long as it is young, it would be diligently weeded and [Page] picked: it requireth no dung, but onely a good mould, and to be compassed [...] the root with good earth. The lees of Wine, and the scraps broken off from [...], layd at the foot thereof, doe cause it to grow maruellously. There are two [...] Rosemarie: the one bearing seed, and the other not. Some plant it for food [...] vnto Hiues, because it flowreth betimes, and for that the Bees doe greatly deligh [...] [...] it, and by it doe better continue in health, as also make better honey than th [...]se which feed not vpon it at all. The flowers of it will keepe a yeare or two, without being spoyled, if you gather them cleane, and not mixt with anie filthie things, hauing [...] dried them a little in the Sunne, vntill they haue lost their newnesse and freshness [...] afterward drie them vp throughly in the shadow, and put them not vp to keepe [...] they be perfectly dried.

It is good in the Plague time to perfume the house with Rosemarie,The vert [...]es of Rosem [...]ri [...]. for the [...] thereof driueth away the ill ayre.An euill ayre. The leaues and flowers are good against headach,He [...]da [...]h. especially to stay the whites, if a woman doe vse them long time euerie morning▪ [...] more specially, to make the sight better, if the partie that hath the weake sight [...] eat fasting both the leaues and the flowers of Rosemarie ioint together, with [...] and salt euerie morning. The flowers thereof made in conserue doe comfort [...] Stomacke, and are good in melancholike Passions, the Falling sicknesse, [...], and Palsies. The seed drunke with Pepper and white Wine, doth heale the Iaundise,Iaundise. and take away the obstructions of the Liuer. The decoction of the [...] thereof in white Wine doe comfort weake and oppressed Sinewes:Weake sinewes. If you [...] your head therewith, it will make a hard skinne, and comfort the little [...], and also keepe the haire from falling so quickly. Some doe make Tooth-pi [...] of the wooddie parts thereof, and those verie good; as also Coales to draw [...] first Lineaments and Ground-worke of Pictures, and such other things, to be painted.

The ordering of lesamineIesamine. is like vnto that of Rosemarie, saue that Iesamine do [...] continue alwaies gre [...]ne, and not so subiect to frost as Rosemarie, and is much in [...] quest for Arbors and Shelters, and for the setting forth of a Quarter. There may [...] made an Oyle of his flowers, infused a long time in Oyle of sweet Almonds, [...] in a bagge from betwixt a Presse, which will be soueraigne to comfort the [...] [...]inewes and other parts of the bodie troubled with cold distillations, [...]. and to [...] the frets of young children.

Mountaine or wild Thyme delighteth to be planted or sowne in grounds [...] some Fountaine,Mountaine Thyme. small Rundle, or Well, and such as is ill tilled, being drie in [...], and full of water in Winter: and thus placed, it yeeldeth a great deale the [...] leaues. It requireth notwithstanding a ground that is neither fat nor dunged, [...] open to the Sunne, and would be oft transplanted. Sometimes it commeth of [...] that is ill husbanded.

Mountaine Thyme boyled in vineger and oyle of Rose, assuageth the headach,Headach. if the temples be rubbed therewith: boyled in Wine, and drunke, it prouoketh Womens termes, bringeth forth the after-birth, and dead child: with Honey i [...] cleanseth the Lungs, and helpeth the Falling sicknesse. The decoction is good [...] the windinesse, swellings, and hardnesse of the Matrix. The perfume of [...] Thyme killeth Serpents and other venimous Beasts,To kill Serpents▪ [...]. and driueth away Fleas. [...] weight of a French crowne of the powder of Mountaine Thyme, drunke with [...],D [...]fficultie or painfull making of water. assuageth the belly ach, and deliuereth the partie which is troubled with [...] of vrine.

PenyryallPenyryall. groweth well either sowne or planted: wherein this must be marked, that if it be planted of the root or branches in Autumne, it will bring forth [...] and flowers in mid Nouember. It being once planted, continueth alwaies, so [...] it be well wed and pickt euerie yeare: it must be watred verie diligently. Penyryall [...] excellent good against the Dropsie, for the Spleene, Iaundise, and furthering of womens deliuerance in trauell,To prouoke womens termes. as also to bring forth the after-birth, and to [...] the termes, being drunke with white Wine.To kill [...]. The perfume of Penyryall killeth [...] [Page] and venimous Beasts. A Cataplasme made of Penyryall boyled in Wine, doth assuage the paine of the Sciatica.The Sciatica.

DillDill. loueth better to be planted than sowne, and craueth chiefely a ground somewhat warme, but more enclining to cold. If you would haue it to grow faire, you must water it oftentimes. When it is sowne, it is not needfull that the seed should be couered with earth, because it is not subiect to be eaten of Birds. Dill hath power to take away Belchings,Belchings. and inward Gripes,Gripes. Vomit, and Hicket, and that onely with smelling to it, to prouoke Vrine, and helpe the digestion of the Stomacke: it causeth a spring of milke in Nurses,Difficultie of making water. healeth the suffocation of the Matrix, and ripeneth all manner of tumours.

AnniseAnnise. craueth a well batled, tilled, fat, and manured ground. It must be sowne in March, and oft watered. Euerie man knoweth how good and profitable the seed thereof is, eaten in the morning, for such as are subiect to the gripes of the Stomack and Guts, to the Hicke [...], Belchings, stinking Breath,A stinking breath. and which desire to haue a beautifull and comely countenance: after meat,A faire face. it also helpeth digestion: it is good for Nurses to cause them to haue much milke. It also taken away the stopping of the Stomacke or Spleene: it helpeth Collickes, prouoketh Vrine, makes a man apt to sweet: and lastly, keepes the bodie soluble.

Bishops-weedBishops-weed. craueth such ground and such tillage as Annise, which being once sowne, doth lightly grow there euerie yeare by the seed falling from it: it groweth chiefely in rested grounds. The seed is excellent good against Wringings and Gripes, to prouoke Womens termes, and Vrine, if it be drunke with Wine, so that it be vsed but seldome, for otherwise it causeth a pale colour. The perfume doth mundifie and cleanse the Matrix, and maketh barren women fruitfull, if together with this suffumigation the barren woman doe take euerie second morning the weight of a dramme of the powder of this seed, three houres before shee eat anie thing, continuing it for foure of fiue times: but in the meane time, the husband must lye with his wife vpon such daies as shee shall vse this powder: a thing proued diuers times.

CarawayCaraway. is sowne in the moneth of May, in a good, cleane, and manured ground, in such sort as we haue said in the Kitchin Garden. The seed helpeth Digestion, prouoketh Vrine, expelleth Windinesse, and hath the same vertues that Annise hath: being made into powder, it is with good successe mixt amongst such remedies as are vsed to be giuen for drie blowes.

CumminCummin. doth grow fairest, when it is sowne in a fat and hot ground, or in a ground lying open to the Easterne Sunne amongst the pothearbes (for so it groweth better) in the beginning of May. Some likewise say, that for to make it grow faire and well, it must be cursed and rayled vpon. It must not be watered so presently after it is sowne; but after it is put forth of the earth, it must be oftentimes watered.

The seed taken at the mouth,Windinesse. scattereth the winds which breake vpward, it mendeth the inward gripes,Gripes. and taketh away the difficultie to make water; as also the blacknesse of drie blowes,Difficultie in making water. the powder thereof being presently applyed after it hath beene beat verie small and fine,Drie blowes. and heated at the fire. Being taken in a Suffumigation, or put vp into the secret places, it helpeth conception. The fume of this seed taken vpon the face, doth make it pale and deadly. And this doe they verie well know, which are giuen ouer to counterfeit holinesse, sincere and vpright dealing, or the subduing or bringing vnder of the bodie. Also the seed thereof bruised and boyled in Oyle, is good against anie Impost [...]ation, and assuageth anie great swelling.

FennellFennell. findeth not it selfe agrieued with anie ayre or soyle: howbeit, naturally it is more enclining vnto a hot than vnto a cold ayre, and vnto a grauellie ground rather than vnto a better: onely it flyeth and refuseth a sandie and altogether barren ground, as not thriuing anie whit therein. It is sowne in the Spring and [...], and it is planted likewise at the same times, the stalkes are romoued hauing put [Page] forth a [...], euerie one from another, or else the whole tuft onely; notwithstanding▪ the sweet Fennell loueth rather to be sowne than planted, and that rather in the Spring than in Autumne, for so it groweth more sweet, and beareth the greater seed. It must be sowne in and remoued vnto a ground open vpon the Sunne, and reasonably drie, and seldome sowne, as not aboue one yeare. It must be kept verie cleane so long as it is in growing, and vntill it be come vnto his full growth, for otherwise bad weeds would choake it.

To haue verie sweet Fennell,Sweet F [...]nell. put your seed in a Marsellis figge, and so sow it, or else mix honey with the earth wherein you sow it, or else steepe the seed in honey one or two nights before you sow it, or else in the water of honey, or in milke, changing the same, and putting new instead, in such sort as we haue said in the handling of Melons.

Fennell,Cleare sight. as well the leafe as the seed, is wholly dedicated to the clearing of the eyes: and for this cause, some draw the iuice of the leaues and stalkes while they are yet tender, and drying it, keepe it for the same effect. Sometimes the water of Fennell is distilled all alone, and by it selfe, or else mixt with honey. The seed of Fennell, is good to restraine wind,w [...]dinesse. taken after meat, notwithstanding that it is hard of digestion, and bringeth but little nourishment vnto the bodie. It may be eaten greene after the beginning of August: as also the buds and tender stalkes may be preserued, and likewise the branches as they beare their seed, with salt and vineger, in earthen pots, to vse at all times, and especially whiles there is raigning anie excessiue heat. The vse of Fennell also causeth women to haue great store of milke.Ab [...]undance of milke.

MarieromeMarierome. groweth of seed, roots, or shoots, as Sage doth. It desireth shadowed places, and that fat, well manured, and oft watered. It will be the fairer, if it be remoued in the beginning of Summer. The roots must be defended from Rats and Mice; for this kind of vermine doth it more iniurie than anie other: which you shall find and proue true, if it please you but to make triall thereof. The iuice pressed out of the leaues,To p [...]rge the bra [...]e. and drawne vp into the nos [...]hrils, doth purge the head: made into a lee, it dryeth the rheumes, and scoureth away the filthinesse of the head. The broth wherein it hath boyled, is good against the beginning of Dropsie,Dropsie. as also for them that cannot make water well, and which are subiect vnto Gripings.

Mugwort,Mugwort. whether it be set or sowne, craueth a drie and stonie ground, contrarie to another hearbe resembling it, and called hearbe S. Iohn, and groweth in marshes, and it indeed the male Sothernwood.

Mugwort hath singular force against the bitings of Serpents,The vertues. vsed as well inward as outward, as also against the Plague: That it is so, the Almaines doe sufficiently proue, who account not themselues to haue anie more soueraigne remedie against the Plague, than Mugwort made into ashes, and afterward boyled into a chymicall salt, to vse so soone as they perceiue themselues strucken with the Plague, with foure or fiue ounces of good Wine, or Malmesey, and afterward to goe lay themselues downe in bed, to cause themselues to sweat two or three houres. It hath singular vertues against the diseases of the Matrix: for the leaues put into a bagge, or made in forme of a Cataplasme, and applyed warme from vnder the nauell vnto the flankes, doe procure the termes,The Matrix out of order, and [...]. and doe appease in like manner the Matrix relaxed, or out of order and place. The leaues stamped with oyle of bitter Almonds, and applyed vnto the stomacke, doe stay the paine thereof. There is made a singular Pes [...]arie [...] bring downe womens termes, with the leaues of Mugwort, Myrrhe, and Figges, all being brayed with oyle of Ireos. The root powdred and drunke with white wine, doth so purge the Matrix, as that it casteth forth the mole and after-birth. The iuice is with good successe drunke against Opium: the powder of the dried leaues drunke with wine the weight of three drammes, is exceedingly good for the Sciatica. Some say, that the traueller which carrieth Mugwort the whole hearbe, tyed vnto his legges, or thighes, shall not find himselfe wearie at all: and that hanged at the [Page] entries of houses, it with-holdeth all Incantations and Witch-crafts. When awoman laboureth of child, and cannot auoid her after-birth,After-birth. there is nothing better than to apply vnto her, vnder her nauell, vpon her thighes and flankes, a Cataplasme made of Mogwort leaues, boyled with Barly meale: but presently after the child or after-birth is come [...]orth, you must take away this Cataplasme, otherwise it would draw downe the Matrix also. If you stampe the iuice of Mugwort with the yolkes of egges boyled, adding thereto Hogges grease and the seed of Cummin, and apply it all in manner of a Cataplasme vpon the Matrix,Paines of the Matrix. you shall remedie all the paine that ordinarily doth follow after child-birth.

Tansie,Tansie. as well the great as the small, groweth in most places, as vpon the brinkes of Riuers and small Brookes, and sometimes in drie places, as wee [...]ee it grow in Wayes, and in the edges of high Wayes. The seed or flowers drunke with milke or wine, doth [...] the Wormes:Wormes. and that is the cause why some call it Worme-ba [...]e. It serueth also to prouoke Vrine, and to breake the StoneStone. and GrauellGrauell. of the reines, especially in men, as Fether [...]ew doth the same in women.

FetherfewFetherfew. doth require the like ordering and ground that Mugwort doth, and they are also (as it were) of the like vertues, both of them appropriate vnto the affects of the Matrix: but Fether [...]ew surpasseth in this, that the flowers, but principally the leaues, stamped and applyed vnto the teeth or eare of the side that aketh, it wholly assuageth the paine of the teeth: And this is the cause why the Parisia [...]s doe call it Espargo [...]tte, because the leaues thus stamped and applyed, doe cause to distill out of the mouth, drop after drop, the flegmaticke humour, which causeth the said tooth-ach. It is good also for them which haue the swimming of the head, as also for them which are troubled with Melancholie, or with the Stone.

Ca [...]s-mint, or Nept,Nept, or Cats-mint. is a kind of Calamint, whereof wee haue spoken before: so called, because that Cats doe exceedingly delight in the smell thereof, and doe tumble themselues round vpon the leaues and stalkes: it groweth without anie great husbanding in marshie and waterish places, as may easily be seene and tryed. It is reported to haue a singular vertue in helping women to conceiue.Conception. In like manner Physitians are wont to prescribe Bathes and Fomentations made of this hearbe, for women that cannot conceiue and haue children. Also it is verie delicately purgatiue, and openeth the bodie verie gently, without offence, or danger afterco [...]i [...]enesse.

French LauanderFrench Lauander. being and hearbe of a verie good smell, and verie vsuall in Langu [...]do [...] and Prouence, doth craue to be diligently tilled, in a fat ground, and lying open to the Sunne. The decoction▪ syrrup, or distilled water doth comfort the braine and memorie, taketh away the obstructions of the Liuer, Spleene, Lungs, and Matrix: but such as are cholericke, must not vse it, because it disquieteth them mightily, in causing them to vomit, and altering them much, by bringing a heat vpon all the bodie.

The drie, stonie, and Sunne-shining place is verie fit for Lauander,Lauander. whether male or female. Before it flower, it must be cut and picked verie carefully. It is of a sweet smell, and good, when it is dryed, to put amongst Linnens and Woollen Clothes, [...]mparting of his sweetnesse vnto them, and keeping of them from vermine. It is verie excellent to comfort weake and wearied sinewes,Weake sinewes. or otherwise ill affected, through some cold cause: and by reason hereof, Baths and Fomentations made of Lauander for Palsies,Palsies. Conuulsions,Conuulsions. Apoplexies,Apoplexies. and other such like affects, are verie soueraigne. The flowers, with Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloues, doe heale the beating of the heart. The distilled water of the flowers, taken in the quantitie of two spoonefuls, restoreth the lost speech, and healeth the swownings and disease of the heart. The cons [...]rue and distilled water thereof doe the like. The Oyle thereof dryeth vp Rheumes also: and beeing annoynted vpon the nape of the necke, it is singular good against conuulsions and benummednesse of sinewes.

[Page] All-good (otherwise called in French Orualle, All-good, otherwise Cla [...]y. because it is as much worth as gold) groweth in anie ground, without seed, and with seed: it delighteth notwithstanding to be often watered. The leaues stamped and applyed, doe draw forth thornes and prickes that are fastened and runne into anie part of the bodie whatsoeuer: It doth, in like manner, bring the child out of the mothers bodie, being in trauell. The wine wherein it hath been steeped in small quantitie, doth make men pleasant and cheerefull,Cheerefulnesse. and apt to carnall copulation. The seed thereof put into the eye, and turned manie times round about the eye,To cleare the sight. doth cleanse and cleare it, in wiping away the [...]egmaticke humour, wherewith you shall well perceiue the seed to be laden, and (a [...] it were) wrapt in small filmes after that it is taken out of the eyes. The flower [...] and seed put in a vessell full of sweet Wine, whiles it yet purgeth, giueth it the tast of Malmesey. It is true, that such Wine will quickly make one drunke, and cause the head-ach, as we see that Beere doth, wherein Brewers boyle Clarie in stead of Hoppes.

NigellaNigella. of the Garden must be sowne in a ground that is fat and well tilled. The fume of the seed taken, doth stay the rheume, drie the braine, and causeth the smelling that is lost to come againe: boyled with water and vineger, and holden in the mouth, it assuageth tooth-ach.

Sweet BalmeBalme. groweth rather in Woods and Forests than in Gardens: notwithstanding, he that will haue it in his Garden, must sow it in a fat and well battild ground, where the heat of the Sunne commeth not verie strongly.

It serueth to reioyce the heart,Cheerefulnesse. and deliuereth the spirit from melancholike imaginations and fansies: it is good not onely against bitings and stingings of venimon [...] beasts, but also against the Plague, in whatsoeuer manner it be vsed. And further, if anie man doubt himselfe to haue eaten anie venimous or poysoned meat, as it falleth out often in them which haue eaten Mushromes and such like things, then this serueth for a singular remedie against the same.To keepe be [...]s from flying from their hiues. Such as esteeme it a fine thing to keepe Bees, to the end he may preuent their flying away, and forsaking of their Hiues, as also to cause them to come againe, if they be gone away, doe rub the Hiues with the flowers of sweet Balme: as on the contrarie, to driue them,To d [...]iue them from them. and to cause them to forsake them, they rub them with the flowers of Fetherfew.

Camomile,Camomile. as well the white as the yellow, hath no need of great tilling: it is sufficient to plant it in a drie, leane, and stonie ground.

Camomile is singular good to mollifie,To mollifie, [...] resolue, [...]erifie. resolue, ra [...]ifie, and loosen: and in this respect there is no remedie better for la [...]itudes or wearisomenesse, without iust outward causes, than bathes made with the leaues and flowers thereof. The leaues of Camomile stamped with white wine, make a verie good drinke to cure all sorts of Agues, but especially Tertians: for which reason, the Priests of Egypt did consecrate it vnto the Sunne. Also the water of Camomile drunke warme in the beginning of the fit, doth throughly heale the Tertian by vomit. The leaues of Camomile yet greene, being dryed vpon a Tyle, or hot Fire-panne, doe by and by appease the head-ach. Being also fried with sweet Sewet and vnset Leekes in a Frying-pa [...]e, and put hot into a Linnen bagge, and so applyed to the nauell, it killeth Wormes either in old, middle age, or young infants, and taketh away all manner of paine in the bellie.

MelilotMe [...]ot. refuseth no ground, be it fat, or be it drie, and yet it loueth to be watered. Melilot doth mollifie, resolue, and rarifie, as doth Camomile, and yeeldeth a verie good smell, especially when it is new, or when it raineth, in Summer▪ it also assuageth the ach of anie part or member, whatsoeuer it be. Also the [...]uice thereof, mixed with Turpentine, Waxe, and Oyle, ripeneth, breaketh, and healeth anie Impostume whatsoeuer: it taketh away all hard swelling, and cleanseth wounds.

Manie men being verie desirous to adorne and set forth their Garden with all sorts of Plants,Apples of lo [...]e. doe amongst the rest prouide to furnish it with Apples of Loue (which the Latines call Mala insana) by reason of the beautie of their fruit, which [Page] which is as thicke as a Cucumber drawing towards a red colour. They must be sowne in the Spring, in a fat and well battild soyle, and where the Sun hath great power, because they cannot abide any cold: they craue the like ordering and husbandrie that the Cucumber doth.

Many licorish mouthes let not to be eating of these, no more than of mushroomes: they take away their pilling, they cut them in slices, boyle them in water, and after frie them in the flower of meale and butter or oyle, and then cast vpon them pepper and salt: this kind of meat is good for such men as are inclined to dallie with common dames, and short-heeld huswiues, because it is windie, and withall ingendreth cholericke humours, in [...]inite obstructions and head-ach, sadnesse, melancholicke dreames, and in the end long continuing agues: and therefore it were better to forbeare them.

MandrakesMandrakes. as well the male as the female is more acceptable and to be commended, for the beautie of his leaues, fruit, and whole plant, than for the smell it hath: it must be sowne or planted in some shadowed place, a fat and well battild ground, and be kept from the cold which it altogether detesteth and cannot abide.

The Apples of Mandrakes procure sleepe,The vertues. if you put but one of them vnder your eare when you are layed in bed: it is all but fables which is spoken of the root which is not so cooling as the apple, and hath vertue on the contrarie to drie, soften, and resolue all the hardnesse of the liuer, spleene, kings euill, and such other tumours, how hard and rebellious soeuer that they be. Which is more, Dioscorides reporteth, that if one boyle the rootes of Mandrakes, vvith Iuorie for the space of sixe houres, it maketh the Iuorie so tractable, and softeneth it in such sort as that you may set what impression vpon Iuorie that you please: peraduenture such as bring vs vnicornes horne from thence, doe vse such deceitfull and wily dealing with vs, seeing by such their cunning skill, they are able in such sort to soften Iuorie or the Harts-horne, and thereby likewise able to worke it to the same forme which we receiue the vnicornes-horne in at this day.

Within this small time there hath beene seene a plant somewhat like vnto apples of loue,Golden-apples. bearing a round fruit like an apple, diuided vpon the outside as the melon is with furrowes, in the beginning it is greene, but afterward when it commeth to ripenesse, it becommeth somewhat golden, and sometimes reddish. This plant is more pleasant to the sight, than either to the taste or smell, because the fruit being eaten, it prouoketh loathing and vomiting.

CHAP. L.
Of the forme of setting Hearbes in order, by proportion of diuers fashions.

WEe haue alreadie deliuered the forme of setting Hearbes in order, as well such as are of a sweet smell, as those which are for nosegaies, and that either vpon particular beds or quarters: now we will speake of the manner of bestowing of them in proportions of diuers fashions, and in labyrinthes or mazes. But in this course I cannot set thee downe an vniuersall, and as it were inuiolable prescript and ordinance, seeing the fashions of proportions doe depend partly vpon the spirit and inuention of the Gardener, and partly vpon the pleasure of the maister and Lord vnto whom the ground and garden appertaineth: the one whereof is lead by the hops and skips, turnings and windings of his braine; the other by the pleasing of his eye according to his best fantasie. Notwithstanding that there may not any thing be here omitted, which might worke your better contentment [Page] and greater pleasure, by looking vpon the beautie and comelinesse of this your garden-plot: I intend to set before you diuers figures of proportions, and the manner of drawing of them cunningly, to the end you may haue the meanes to chuse those which shall most delight you, and best agree with your good liking. In which I desire you to giue great thankes, and acknowledge your selfe greatly beholden and bound vnto Monsieur Porcher, Prior of Crecie in Brie, the most excellent man in this art, not onely in France, but also in all Europe: and not vnto me, who shall be but his mouth in deliuering what he hath said, written, and communicated vnto me in precepts, yet extant, and to be seene with the eye. And touching these proportions, you shall vnderstand that they are of two kinds, inward and outward, the inward are those beauties and proportions which are bestowed vpon the inward parts or quarters of your garden, as are knots, mazes, armes, braunches, or any other curious figures whatsoeuer, and these are diuided by slender rowes, or lines of hearbes, flowers, turfes, or such like; the outward beauties or proportions are those which are bestowed in the outward and generall parts of the whole or entire modell of the garden, drawne into what figure, knot, or deuise your fancie can create, or the ground retaine, and are diuided by alleyes, hedges, deepe borders, and such like, as shall be at large shewed vnto you hereafter.

To come therefore vnto the matter, all the sweet smelling hearbes and others for [...]osegaies, which we haue mentioned before, are not fit and good to make proportions of. The most fit and meet are, penniroyall, lauander, hys [...]ope, wild thyme, rosemarie, thyme, [...]age, marierom, cammomile, violets, daisies, basil, and other such hearbs, as well those that are of sweet smell, as those which are for nosegayes: as for example, lauander and rosemarie of a yeare old to make borders about the proportions or knots; and as for boxe in as much as it is of a naughtie smell, it is to be left off, and not dealt withall. All the rest of the hearbes, as penniroyall, hyssope, wild thyme, thyme, sage, ma [...]ierom, and such like, are [...]ittest to be vsed about the quarters, or else in some such pre [...]tie little deuises as are made in the middest of borders, or whereof proportions of quarters without borders, as wel whole as broken, are made. Germander also is an excellent hearbe for the setting forth of any inward proportion, for it growes euen and comely, thicke and vpright, so is also mother of thyme, winter- [...]auorie and pinkes, prouided that with your sheares you keepe them from too much spreading.

The hearbes whereof borders shall bee made, must bee more high and thicke [...] set of leaues, than those whereof proportions of quarters either whole or broken are made, or yet the other which are in the middest of the borders, that so the beautie and good proportion of the knot or quarter may bee seene and discerned more easily.

I call in these places that the border which compasseth the proportion or quarter about, as also the alleys of the garden: I call broken quarters, those many small parcels which are sundred and seperate one from another. The proportions either without borders or borders, are either equally square in widenesse and length, or else vnequally squared, that is to say, longer than they are wide, or wider than they are long: Or else of the forme and shape of an egge: or of a forme and fashion that is mixt of a round and a square, or of some such other forme, as shall please the gardener: as for example, the fashion of a flower-deluce, of a true loues knot, of a lion rampant, and other such like portraitures.

That which shall be in the midst of the proportions with borders, or without borders, shall be of a square forme, or of the fashion of an egge, or round, or mixt of a square and a round, or some other such like forme.

If you be disposed to plant any hearbe in the midst of broken quarters, it must not bee ouer high, but lesse and shorter than those wherewith the proportions are set, that so it may not hide or hinder the sight of any part of the quarter. It is true indeed that in this middlemost part, you may set an hearbe of a meane and middle height, [Page] yea, or some such as for his bignesse may resemble a shrub or little tree, but it may not be thicke set with leaues, not spreading far abroad, but rather putting forth his stalke vpright, as doth the Bay and Cypres tree.

But in respect of the beautie and comelinesse of the quarter, you must not plant any thing in it, or if you do plant any herbe, you must see, that it be of a shorter stalke than that which compasseth it about: the knot that is made of borders, must consist but of two sorts of herbes: as for example, of Lauander or Rosemarie, or Boxe for the border, and of Penny-royall of Hissope within. It is true, that in the middest, and foure corners thereof, there may be set some Cypres, or Rose-marie, or some such other herbe, or little tree, which is not thicke set with leaues, not spreading far abroad, but rising in height vpright.

But the knot made of broken quarters, may bee made of diuers, and differing herbes, which notwithstanding may not grow great and tall, because they would hinder the view of the garden, but they must be short, and thinne set with leaues, as Sage, Penny-royall, Margerom, Cammomill, Da [...]sies, Violets, Basill, Rue, and such others, which herbes shall be planted in diuers quarters, to the setting forth of greater varietie in the knot, and to giue grace vnto the little quarters. It is true, that within some round quarters, or squares of broken quarters, you may worke some small birds, men, or other such pourtraites made of Rose-marie, according to your pleasure, and inuention of your Gardener.

The herbes wherewith proportions are set out and deckt, must bee planted of rootes or slippes: the time to plant them is Ianuarie, Frebruarie, March and Aprill.

It is true, that if you plant herbes, especially Penny-royall and Lauander vpon sl [...]ps. The time of gathering of good plants, will be at the end of Ianuarie, and in the moneth of Februarie, and not later, because this kind of slip will not bee frozen by any frost that may happen, and withall, in the meane time, it doth not stand in neede of watring, because it hath taken roote before the hot times of the yeare come in.

Againe, if you set herbes of the roote, you must stay till March and Aprill, and looke well vnto it, that your herbes haue [...]ound, liuing, and euery way sufficient rootes, for otherwise, they will not bee able to prosper, spread, and grow in the earth, but will die for the most part. It is meete also, that when they are planted, you should water them verie often, because of the heat then growing more and more euery day, for otherwise they will wither, or grow small and dwarfish, or die right out.

Wherefore for the greater assurednesse, I could wish you to plant your herbes rather of slippes than of rootes: for besides that, it will bee more easie, and of lesse [...]harge and cost to purchaseslips, than to purchase the whole herbes with the roots. I [...] will be also lesse labour and trauell for to preserue and make to grow the one than the other: for the slips will assuredly grow without watering, and notwithstanding any frost, and they will shew faire and thicke leaued, by such time as Sommer shall begin. To plant within the earth, whether it be root, or slip, you must cast trenches, rather with some short handled hand-forke, or hand-spade, than with a dibble, which you shall find a great deale more easie.

Behold here the greatest part of the things which you are diligently to looke vnto before you put your hand to the worke of casting your proportions or knots: and whereas their whole beautie and commendation doth consist in a well framed and proportioned forme, and in a well carried and appointed order of disposing them, such as may delight the eie: to the end you may attaine this commendable and well pleasing kind of proportion in the contriuing of your quarters, you must first cast what is the space and whole contents of your quarter, wherein you meane to draw your proportions, that so according to the said contents, you may fit them with such forme as the place will affoord. After that, you shall haue in your hand many measures of small cord, and yet sufficient strong: many cord-reeles and dibbles, [Page] and such other things to finish the proportions which you desire to haue drawne in your quarter.

And thus much concerning the meanes which you shall vse in the finishing vp of a knot with borders. Before you stretch your line to draw and cast the shape of it, you must first take the bredth and length of the border, and that such as the quantitie of the ground may conueniently beare, and so make it more long and broad, or else long and broad accordingly.

It is true, that if you haue good ground enough, as about some sixtie foot square, after the measure of a common foot, euery one containing twelue inches, you may make your border large enough: but and if you haue lesse quantitie of ground, then you must make your border lesse, and the proportions at large: you shall so finish vp your borders, as that in the middest of them, you may haue some prettie little knot. When you haue cast your ground, you shall begin to stretch your line with good and firme line-reeles, to take the bredth and length of your borders round about. Then you shall draw your line a crosse, from the which crosse, and from about the which said borders, you shall not draw vp your line and line-reeles, vntill you haue marked out all your border, or at the least one side, or halfe of it, because this is the directorie, for the whole quarter and border to: this is it, whereby you must be guided and directed for the making of compasses and largenesse of your squares and rounds. Furthermore, you may stretch your line in the middest of the border, thereby to take the iust middest, and that for to direct and guid you. Furthermore, you shall haue two lines of the length of the border or quarter, and two foot ouer, and these are called the flying or running lines, for that they serue to carrie or remoue from place to place, for the planting of herbes in the said borders. Againe, you shall stretch out a line from corner to corner, because that without such line you cannot make vp your corners: and this is the manner of making your borders. As concerning the knot contained within the borders: to take the measure of the proportion or squares, you must haue two small rods, of the thickenesse of a thombe, of willow, of some other straight wood, the one eight foot long, and the other betwixt three and foure, the long one to serue for the largest works, and the short for the smaller: vpon which rods, you must marke out your proportions, wherof you meane to make your squares, or any other [...]orme that it shall please you to make. For round workes, you must haue an instrument, commonly called the Gardners Bilboquet, the patterne whereof you shall see hereafter; but giue it what name it pleaseth you, but this is the manner of making of it: You shall take a prop or standard, somewhat thicker than your thombe, you shall put thereto a line of the same thicknesse that your gardening lines are, of three or foure foot long, or according to the length and greatnesse that you would haue your rounds of. Vpon this line, shall you make knots, according to the bignes or outside of the worke, and then another knot for the second or inward circle of the round, which shall be eight or nine inches, or lesse if you will: but I tell you before hand, that if you make them any lesse, the border will be ouershadowed, and will not last and continue so long; and yet I still refer it to your owne discretion. To euery knot of the said line for to make your rounds withall, you shall make fast, right ouer against the knot, on the backside thereof, a little sticke some foure fingers long, more or lesse as you shall most fancie, and of thicknesse of your little finger. By the meanes of these knots shorter or longer, you shall make your rounds so many, and so big, or so little, as shall seeme good vnto you. If it may not rather stand with your liking to make two Bilboquets, one for your smal rounds, and another for your greater. This figure following, doth shew the forme and fashion that must be followed in vsing your lines for the making of your quarters with borders. These draughts will serue also to make a border to broken quarters, with some small whole and vnbroken proportions in the midst, euen as you see a square in the midst, and shall further hereafter see it in other portraitures, which shall be set out for your vse. To work the more surely, you shall let all your lines be stretched out in length, and our standards, props, or dibbles fast in the ground, vntill such time as you haue throughly finished the border, [Page] that is to say, your crosse lines in the middest, as also those which passe from corner to corner, and thirdly, those which make the sides of the borders. All which said lines are noted with the letter B. The others which are marked with the letter A. are the running or flying lines, which are carried from one place to another to make middle partitions, to the treading of the rounds, and to the squaring of the said border, & when as one side is downe, they are then to be taken vp, & to be pitched down else where. And although that here be foure, yet two is sufficient, at the discretion of the gardener, who according as his number of workefolkes is, more or lesse, shall stretch and draw more or fewer lines.

The manner of vsing, and platforme, shewing the practise of handling the lines, for the laying out of a simple quarter without any border. And how the lines must bee continued and kept stretcht till the whole proportion be drawne out and finished.

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The vse and manner of practising by the stretched lines.

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The vse and manner of practising by the stretched lines.

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A simple proportion, or draught of a Knot.

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A simple proportion, or draught of a Knot.

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A simple proportion, or draught of a Knot.

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A simple proportion, or draught of a Knot.

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A simple proportion, or draught of a Knot.

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A simple proportion, or draught of a Knot.

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A simple proportion, or draught of a Knot.

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A simple proportion, or draught of a Knot.

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A simple proportion, or draught of a Knot.

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The way and maner to stretch the lines, to make a quarter with borders, and to make a border with squares broken and crossed thorow the middest.

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The manner of stretching your lines vpon a border with a seuered knot in the middest.

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A border with his seuerall proportion in the midst.

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A border of broken squares, with a middle consisting of fiue proportions.

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The manner to stretch the lines to make a quarter of broken squares. Let rest and abide in their places the lines til you haue finished the proportions. Take the measure of the standards of a crosse and corner line, whether it be a square or a round, and let there be so many of them, and as great as the ground will beare. And if perhaps you would plant any thing in the middest of the quarter, helpe your selfe with the running lines, and their standards, to plant there what you would, without putting downe any other standards, or stretching any other lines than are alreadie: and those you must not flacke, according as hath beene said before.

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The manner of stretching the lines, vpon a quarter of broken squares.

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A border of broken squares with the middle.

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The forme and shape of Bilboquet, which is an instrument to take the measure of rounds, as we haue declared before.

The forme of a Labyrinth.

[Page] When the hearbes, as well of the Borders, as of the Quarters, are growne vp, if they become too thicke set of leaues, and by their large spreading doe ouer-shadow the one the other, couer the small alleyes of the proportions, and therewithall spoyle and hu [...] the comelinesse of the whole Quarter, they must be cut. The season to cut them, is at all such times as need shall require. It is true, that there must especiall care be had not to cut them, the time of August being once past, by reason of the great los [...]e that ensueth in hearbes, which thereby will fall to wither and pine away, and become as things burned with the Sunne. To cut them which stand in a right and straight line, you shall stretch a line verie stiffe, being of the length of the proportion, by the direction whereof you shall cut verie neere first the two sides, and then the vpper face thereof. As concerning Rounds, you must cut them, for the [...]ight of the Countrey, as round as euer you can. To cut the Border, whether it be of Lauander, Rosemarie, or Boxe, you must vse the ordinarie sheeres, which haue handles of wood. To cut other smaller and lesse hearbes, you must haue sheeres like those which Taylors vse.

Now you shall againe vnderstand, that these inward Quarters, wherein you place these Knots, or other Deuises, may be circumferenced or bound in as well with [...] curious Hedges, made battlement-wise, in sundrie formes, according to inuention, or carrying the proportions of Pyllasters, Flowers, shapes of Beasts, Birds, Creeping things, Shippes, Trees, and such like, as with Borders, especially if your ground be little, or straitened, because these Hedges take not halfe so much roome as the Borders. Againe, you may at your pleasure, either within these Hedges, or in the s [...]me Line wherein these Hedges grow, plant all manner of Fruit trees, or other Trees of anie curiositie whatsoeuer: and within them you may plant your Gooseberrie [...], Prouence Roses, Muske Roses, or anie other fruit or flower that growes shrub-wise, or not aboue two or three foot aboue the earth: So that whereas your Border containeth not anie thing but one entire hearbe, as Prympe, Boxe, Hysope, Lauander, and such like; by this manner of bordering, which is to say, with a Quickset Hedge, you shall haue not onely all them, but also all kind of fruits, flowers, and sweet smelling hearbs whatsoeuer: besides, they will keepe your Quarters and Knots in a great deale more safetie, because they are not so easie to be runne ouer, or broken downe, either by man, or beast, as your other Borders of hearbes are. Now, for the making of these Quickset Hedges, it is in this manner: First, you shall with fine small stakes, cut to the length and proportions of your worke, stake your Quarters about: then with small poles, bound to those stakes either with strong Wyar, or Oziers (but Wyar is the better) make a Lattice-worke, about two foot aboue the earth: then with shorter poles and wands, made plyant for your purpose, fashion your battlements of what shape soeuer you please to haue them; whether made plaine, or pyllaster-wise, or in semicircles, or other proportions, in such manner as you intend your Hedge shall grow: and this done either in Autumne, or the beginning of the Spring. Alongst the bottome of this Hedge you shall set Prympe, white Thorne, Eglantine, and sweet Bryer, mixt together, and as they shoot and grow vp, so you shall wind and plash them within the Lattice-worke, making them grow and couer the same; euer and anon, as need shall require, either with your Sheeres, or Hooke, cutting them to that shape and proportion to which you first framed your Lattice-worke, and this will in two or three yeares bring your Hedge vnto such perfection, that besides the beautie thereof, the defence will be so good, that you shall not feare the harme that Dogges, Swine, or other Cattell may doe, if at anie time they shall chance to breake into your Garden. These Hedges are also verie excellent to set alongst your Alleyes, or other Walkes, and adde a great beautie thereunto. There be some that make these Hedges onely of Oziers, or small Sallowes, planted crosse-wise, or otherwise, as your inuention pleaseth, and these Hedges are good, and beautifull, and verie speedie in their growing, but they are not of any very long continuances: therefore, except your ground be very moist, the former Hedge is much the better. Which that you may the better know how to make, I will here set you downe the models of a couple of them; [Page] by the example whereof, you may at your pleasure make anie other proportion whatsoeuer: and you shall also vnderstand, that these two Models containe but the dead worke onely, which is to be made of Poles or Wands, and the Quickset to be planted close vnto it, and so placed within the dead Lattice-worke, as you may here perceiue.

[figure]

CHAP. LI.
Of the manner to keepe and preserue Hearbes, either for the vse of the Pot, or of Physicke, or such as are of a sweet smell and sauour.

THe root of Elecampane is preserued after this sort:The preseruing of the root of Elecampane. When you haue taken vp the root in the moneth of October, at such time as it is verie ripe, you must first take away all the sand and earth which is about it with a rough Linnen Cloth, or with a Strainer: after that, you must scrape it all ouer with a verie sharpe knife, and according as the rootes are of bignesse, to cleaue them in two, three, moe or lesse pieces, of a fingers length, and boyle them in a Brasse Cauldron with vineger, and that in such sort, as that the slices may not burne within the Cauldron. Three daies after they must be dried in the Sunne, and put into a new pot well pitched, and cuted wine put vnto them, and that so much, as that they may be couered therewith, and a good deale of Sauorie pressed downe vpon them, and then the vessell close shut vp and couered well with leather. Otherwise: You must carefully looke that the rootes thereof be made verie cleane, and then cut in two or three pieces, of a fingers length: then afterward, for the space of a whole day together, you must infuse them in water vpon hot embers, and afterward boyle them with twice or thrice as much Honey, or Sugar.

[Page] There may likewise conserue be made of the root of Elecampane after this manner:Conserue of Elecampane roots. Make verie cleane the roots of Elecampane, as wee haue said, and cut them in small slices, infuse them a long time vpon hot embers in water, and after to boile them so long, as till they be tender [...]odden: then stampe them and straine them through a Linnen cloth or Strainer, and in the end boyle them vp with thrice as much Honey or Sugar.

You may in like manner preserue and conserue manie other roots,Preser [...]s and conserues of Gentian, Pioni [...], Corne-flag, wild Vine, Pars [...]ps, Turneps, & [...]. as Gentian, Pionie, Corne-flag, wild Vine, Parsneps, Althaea, or marsh Mallowes, Turneps, Carrets, Radishes, Naue [...]s, Caraway, Eringus, and such other like, all which will be the more pleasant, if you put vnto the conserued or pre [...]erued a little Cinnamon.

Lastly,The difference betwixt [...] and conseruing. be it knowne, that by this word confected, preseruing, or confection, is to be vnderstood the remaining of the root or other thing (whatsoeuer it is that is preserued or confected) whole: and by the word conserue, or conserued, is to be vnderstood that manner of ordering things, whereby they are stamped and beaten verie small.

Purslaine is preserued in this manner:The preseruing of Purslaine. Gather Purslaine before it haue cast the seed, [...]ake the tenderest stalkes thereof, and the fullest of leaues, from these you shall [...]ake the roots, and wash them throughly from the sand and earth that might hang about them: afterward drie them a little, euen so long, as till you perce [...]ue them to begin to wither: afterward put them vp handsomely in some Barrell or little Vessell of earth, in manner of little Beds, euerie Bed sufficiently couered with salt. When the Barrell or Vessell shall be full, powre thereinto a sufficient quantitie of Vineger, or else one part of Veriuice, and two of Vineger. This being done, set the Vessell in some drie place, and not moist, for feare that the preserue should smell anie thing of mustinesse, and looke to it well, that the Purslaine be continually couered ouer with the pickle: And when you would vse it, wash it first with warme water, or wine, afterward make it vp in Salads with Salad oyle.The preserue of Asparagus, Harts-horne, Trick-madame, &c. After the same manner, Samphire, the [...]pro [...]ts of Asparagus, Harts-horne, Trick-madame, Broome flowers, the flowers of Capers, Cucumbers, Limons, Oranges, Plummes, Peares, and such like, may be preserued.

Lettuce is preserued after this sort:The pre [...]uing of Lettuces. They take the stalkes of Lettuce cleane picked, and the leaues pulled off, euen from the lowest part of them, vnto where you perceiue the leaues to grow tender, and these stalkes you must salt in a little Trough or Tray, and so let them continue a day and a night, vntill that they haue turned the [...]alt into brine: after this, they must be washed in the same brine of salt, and after that they haue beene spraind, they are layed abroad vpon hurdles, vntill they be well dried: afterward there must be put vpon them dried Dill, [...]ennell, a little Rue, and L [...]kes chopped small: after all this, the said stalkes are put vp in a pot thus dried, and there is powred in vpon them a pickle, which is made of two parts of vineger, and one of salt brine: after this, in stead of a double Linnen cloth to couer it, there must be thrust in good store of drie Fennell vpon them, in such sort, as that the pickle may swell vp and ouer-couer them. And euermore, in all confections, it must be a speciall great care that they remaine not drie, and to that end to powre in pickle oftentimes, [...]f by turning them aside you see they haue need. After this fashion may Succorie, Scariole, Harts-horne, the tender shoots of Brambles, the young and tender croppes of Thyme, Sauorie, Organie, and Radishes, be pre [...]erued: and such preserues must be made in the beginning of Summer.

The hearbes preserued with salt and vineger are chiefely ordained for Salads▪ but these that are made with sugar and honey, doe serue for the vse of Physicke: such are those which follow hereafter.

There is but verie seldome any preserues made of the flowers and leaues of herbes:What is meant by the word preserue. I vnderstand by this preserue, taken properly, the preseruing of things whole, and not stampt and beaten into one bodie: notwithstanding, who so is disposed to preserue the flowers or leaue [...] of hearbes, may doe it in this fashion:The preseruing of hearbes and flowers. Take the leaues or flowers of such herbes as you will preserue, make them very cleane; afterward, without [Page] anie manner of stamping of them, put them all whole into some vessell wherein [...] will keepe them, cast vpon them a sufficient competencie of fine Sugar made in p [...] der, and so [...]et them to Sunning in the vessell. Also in this [...]ort boyle them at a [...] fire with Sugar, so long, as till the Sugar become as thicke as a syrrup, and [...] them in a vessell. Otherwise, after that you haue diligently cleansed the leaues or the flowers of the hearbes, put them in an earthen pot or glasse, and after poure into them of boyled Sugar of the consistence of a syrrup, and well clarified. Thus may Roses, leaues of Mines, Spleenewort, Maiden-haire, Sorrell, Ceterach, Buglosse, and such like, be preserued: the flowers of Marigolds, Succorie, Violets, Broome, Sage, and other such like: [...]. and such preserues are more acceptable than conserues, because the flowers and leaues doe in better sort retaine and keepe their naturall smell thus, than in conserues; for in conserues they are powned with Sugar, which doth rebate verie much the naturall smell of the leaues or flowers.

Now as concerning making of conserues of leaues or flowers of hearbes, you [...] keep [...] this course: Take the tendrest parts of the flowers or leaues, and cast away the hardest, such as are the white tailes of Rose leaues, the stalkes of Mints, Spleenwort, Maiden-haire, and such like, make them verie cleane, and bray them afterward in a Marble Mortar, or of other Stone, with a pestle hard and solide ynough, and that so long, as till they become in manner of a past, and then put vnto them twice or thrice as much Sugar or Honey: And if it fall out, that the leaues or flowers so [...]amped be of themselues somewhat too moist, as the leaues of Violets, water Lillies, and Buglo [...]e be, then put thereto great quantitie of the powder of Sugar. When you haue thus done, put them into an earthen Vessell, and set them abroad a Sunning a whole moneth, that so their superfluous moisture may be spent by the heat of the Sunne; but they must be stirred euerie day. Or if you had rather, doe thus: Set the Vessels vpon hot ashes, to the end they may take a little boyle: but this is not so good as the setting of them in the Sunne. After this manner may the flowers of Rosemarie, Mar [...] golds, Be [...]onie, Pionie, Marierome, Balme, Scab [...]o [...]s, Elder tree, Mints, fu [...]itorie, Eye-bright, Succorie, of the flowers of the Peach-tree, Sage, Broome, Oranges, M [...] lowes, Hollyhocke, and other such like, the toppes of Thyme, Hysope, and Worme▪ wood; the conserue whereof, we haue said before to be verie soueraigne in the Dropsie: as also the conserue of Peach-tree flowers, and that of Broome flowers, for the obstructions of the reines and spleene. And for as much as the conserues of Violets and Roses are in great vse and request, we will speake particularly of them.

To make conserue of Roses,Conserue of Rose [...]. you must take the leaues of Roses, white or red, which are not as yet open and blowne, you must make them cleane, and stampe them, without being dried before, in a Stone Mortar, and after put thereto thrice their weight in Sugar, and then put it vp in a Glasse-vessell well couered with Parchment, and set in the Sunne the space of three moneths, and stirring it almost euerie day. If you would make conserues of drie Roses,Conserue of drie Roses. boile in halfe a pound of Rosewater one whole pound, or thereabout, of fine Sugar: afterward, when you see that all the water is con [...]med, cast into the Sugar an ounce of drie Roses made into powder, boyle them altogether reasonably, and after with a spatule of wood you shall make your conserue into morsels or cakes. Otherwise, make three infusions of Roses in Rosewater, let the third settle, the bottome whereof you shall let alone, as being the earthie and grosse part, taking that onely that is aboue, and in it you shall boyle fine Sugar: and after that, you shall cast thereinto halfe an ounce, or thereabout, of dried Roses in powder, and doe in like manner afterward as hath beene alreadie said.

To make conserues of Violets,Conserue of Violets. you must take the fresh and new flowers of Violets, and take from them their taile, and the little greene cup by which they hang, and after drie them some small time in the shadow of the Sunne, to take from them their superfluous moisture which they haue: after that bray them in a Stone Mortar with twic [...] so much Sugar, and put them in a Glas [...]e vessell, which shall be set to Sunne for the space of three moneths, and stirred verie oft during the said t [...]e, as hath beene alreadie said of the conserue of Roses.

[Page] If you would make conserue of drie Violets.Conserue of drie [...] make one or two infusions of Violets, and in them boyle fine Sugar, afterward casting halfe an ounce of powdred Violets to one pound of Sugar: then boyling them a little together, you shall with a spatule make your conserue into morsels or cakes.

For to make Mustard,The making of Mustard. you must picke and cleanse your seed verie well, [...]earce it, wash it in cold water, and after leaue it a whole night in the water: then take it out, and when you haue wrung it or pressed it (as neere as you can) drie with your hand, then put it in a new or verie cleane Mortar, and bray it with a pestle with strong vineger, and then after that straine it. But the most ordinarie way for the making of your Mustard, is, onely to wash the seed verie cleane, then put it into your Mustard Quernes, and grind it either with strong vineger (which is the best) or with good Beere or Ale, or with Butter-milke; onely the Beere will make it eat a little bitter whilest it is new, and the Butter-milke will die soone. Some make a verie pleasant Mustard in this manner: Take two ounces of the seed of Se [...]uie, halfe an ounce of Cinnamon, powne them verie small, and with honey and vineger make a paste, and of the paste little loaues, which you shall drie in the Sunne, or Ouen: and when you would vse it, dissolue one, or some of one, of your loaues in Veriuice or Vineger, or some other liquor. Some, to take away the great sharpnesse that is in it, doe steepe the [...]eed in new Wine during Vintage time, and then make it as we haue said alreadie: after they put it in little Barrels, such as Mustard of AnionMustard of Anion. is wont to be put in. The people of Dijon make it in small loaues, and when they will vse it, they dissolue it in vineger. The Mustard of DijonMustard of Dijon. hath woon the praise from all other, either because of the seed growing there, which is better than that of other Countries, or by reason of the making thereof, which the inhabitants there doe performe more carefully than in other places.

To preserue Cucumbers,Preseruing of Cucumbers. you must put them in Lees of white Wine, which are not sowre, and in a pitched Ves [...]ell, and stop it well. Otherwise, you must put them in salt Brine, or else hang them in some Vessell wherein is a little Vineger, but so also the Vessell must be verie well stopped. Some preserue them in an earthen Vessell with Salt, Vineger, and Mari [...]rome. Others cast them into sandie P [...]s, and couer them with the seed of Senuie bruised with Vineger, and after that put vpon them drie hay and earth.

To preserue Gourds,The preseruing of Gourds. take them when they are tender, and cut them, then powre vpon them warme water, and let them coole in the open ayre for a nights space: after that sowce them in strong salt Brine, and so you shall preserue them a long time: or else drie them in the Sunne, and after hang them vp in some smoakie place. In France they are preserued all Winter, being hanged vp vnder some chamber floore, or set in rowes vpon planks, especially the Citruls.

To keepe Onions,How to keepe Onions. you must drie them in the Sunne, and afterward put them in some drie place, and well ayred. Some preserue them after this manner: First they drie them in the Sunne, and lay Thyme and Sauorie below in the bottome of a pot, and lay the Onions aboue, putting thereunto pickle, which shall be made of three parts of vineger, and one of salt brine, and aboue this againe a bunch or small bundle of Sauorie, to the end that by the weight of it the Onions may be sunke down [...] into the pickle, and when they are so drencht, as that they haue receiued of the pickle into their owne iuice, then they fill vp the pot with the same pickle. Some doe steepe them onely in water, and afterward preserue them the whole yeare in vineger. But there is no better way to preserue or keepe Onions long, than after they are first gathered to spread them thinne vpon a boorded floore, where they may receiue both Sunne and Wind: and then, after they are sufficiently dried, to bind them vp in long Ropes or Bundles, and so hang them neere the ayre of the fire, as ouer your Kit [...]hin chimney, or such like.

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CHAP. LII.
A briefe discourse of small and great trees, as well strange as growing in the Countrey, planted or remoued in the Garden: and first of such as Arbours are made of.

THe Garden of Pleasure hauing beene deuised and ordained for the onely recreation of the chiefe Lord of the Farme (as hath alreadie beene said) and seeing that this his recreation cannot be altogether so great and so sufficient in the onely smell of flowers and sweet hearbes, as and if there be withall presented vnto the sight the view of strange and Countrey-borne trees, both great and small; which doe not onely yeeld a more pleasant smell, without comparison, than the hearbes, but doe also (the greatest part of them) bring forth fruits of great wonder and admiration, as Pomegranate-trees, C [...]per-trees, Citron-trees, Orange-trees, Limon-trees, Citron-trees of Assyria, Date-trees, Figge-trees, Oliue-trees, bastard Sene-trees, and others such like. Therefore, to the end we may leaue nothing out of our Garden whereof the Master of the [...] may reape anie solace, we will speake briefely of handling and husbanding of great and small Trees which must be planted in it: of which, some are imployed as necessarie about Arbours, and the Garden is to be set about with them; they are the Cypresse-tree, Iuniper-tree, Sauin-tree, Cedar-tree, Rose-tree, Box-tree, and others: othersome are sowne, or set, and remoued vnto Beds only proper vnto them, or into Vessels and Cases, as the Bay-tree, Mulberrie-tree, Date-tree, Pine-tree, Citon-tree, Orange-tree, Limon-tree, Figge-tree, Oliue-tree, and such like, which shall be spoken of hereafter.

The Cypresse-tree,The Cypresse tree. as well the male as the female, notwithstanding that in the [...] of Crete it doth grow in great Tufts and Forests, without anie sowing, or planting, of his owne accord: yet in this Countrey it cannot be got to thriue, without the great paines of the Gardiner, and notable goodnesse of the ground: for naturally [...] delighteth not but in hot Countries, where it groweth as one would wish it. It groweth either set or sowne in a drie ground, farre from Flouds, Riuers, Marishes, dyrtie, and moist places, and on the tops and sides of Hills where the Sunne shineth, better than in valleyes. It abhorreth all manured ground especially and most of all, be it neuer so little: yea, if one doe but fill a trench with dung round about where [...] is planted, it will die in a short time: notwithstanding, it is requisite some certaine time before you plant it, to put some good mould into the pit where you intend to plant it, or to s [...]w it. This is (as it were) a wonder of Nature in the seed of this tree, which, though it be so small as that one can scarce see it, yet it bringeth [...] goodly and so tall a tree. When you sow it, you must sow it in furrowes, from after the twentieth of October vntill Winter: and neere vnto it, some Barly; for there is such great familiaritie betwixt these two seeds, that they grow (as it were) in spight one of another: whereupon it will come to passe, that when it is a great Barly yeare, it will be also a great Cypresse yeare. If you remoue it, doe the like: but be carefull in the meane time not to water it, nor to pr [...]ne it, or to snip off the top [...] of it, for it cannot endure anie wound, be it neuer so little. This tree hath a male and a female: The male groweth more high, hath his braunches and boughes more close and straight together, and bringeth forth Fruit, or Nuts, but so doth not the female.

The Cypresse-tree beareth fruit and flourisheth three seuerall times a yeare, [...] I [...]nuarie, May, and September: and therefore at these times you must gather the Nuts, which you shall drie in the Sunne, to make them easie to breake; and take [...] the seed, which you must likewise drie in the Sunne: And if you be desirous to sow it (the fit time for which is Aprill in verie hot Countries, and May in temperate ones, [Page] and in this Countrie from the twentieth of October vntill Winter) you must chuse a drie, faire, and calme day; and being sowne, you shall riddle ouer it with a small riddle, open aboue, some earth in an euen and equall sort about the thicknesse of two or three fingers, and after that, so soone as the Cypres is put forth of the ground, you must be watchful o [...]es the Ants, and besprinkle it with water euerie third day before the Sunne rise, or else after the Sunne set, which i [...] much the better: but after that it is growne aboue the earth, you must not water it but verie seldome, for often watering of it would make it die: but in steed of this, it must be carefully weeded, pruned▪ and digged, but without touching of the root: neither must you goe vpon it [...] vpon it with your feet killeth it: and whereas [...]or the first and second yeare it is verie tender, you must couer the head of it for that time to keepe it from the burning hea [...] of the Sunne by day, and the pinching cold of the frosty nights, euen so as wee haue said of Melons: the laying of the earth light about it spoken of before, is to be vnderstood of the time of his young yeares, and whiles it is growing: for after it hath once perfected his sciences and bowes, it hath no more need either of that or any other labour and helpe. It is wont to be remoued being betwixt fiue and sixe yeares old, and that in March or in Aprill, and because it scattereth and spreadeth abroad his roots, and pearceth not farre downeward with them, the pit whereinto it is to be remoued must be made wide, and that somewhat more than it selfe is broad in the roots, and in a moist countrie it must be but a little depth, vvhereas in a drie countrie it may be two foot deepe. The Gardener must be carefull to keepe it from ants, because this little vvorme loueth Cypres aboue all other things, and causeth it oftentimes to die.

The vvood of Cypres is better than any other to make coffers,The vertues. chests, cabinets, and presses of, because besides the good smell which it yeeldeth, it endureth an infinit long time without corrupting, moulding, or rotting any thing at all, and it is such an enemie to all vvormes and vermine, as that the leaues and nuts thereof being laied amongst clothes, doe free them of vvormes. The leaues and seed are verie much commended for the killing of vvormes in children. The decoction of the nuts in vinegar doe assuage the tooth-ach, if the mouth be often washed therewith: the decoction of the leaues vvorketh the like effect: the ashes of Cypres nuts, and the horn of an A [...]es hoofe mixt vvith oyle of Myrtles, keepe the haire from falling. The decoction of new and fresh gathered Cypres nuts made in old vvine, doth exceeding good to them vvhich haue the falling downe of the fundament, if they drinke thereof euerie day the quantitie of three ounces, but in the meane time they must rub their testiicles vvith the leaues of Cypres brayed and beaten: and this is a certaine remedie, such as hath oft beene experimented and tried: the like vertue hath the young sciences of the Cypres-tree, if they be so chawed, as that thereupon their juice may descend into the bodie.

The Rose-tree sitteth it selfe for all manner of ayre,The Rose-tree planted and remoued. vvhether hot or cold, but in countries that are hot and somewhat moist, it groweth more faire, greater, and [...]lourishing a longer time, as may be seene in manie coast townes and places neere the Sea in Spaine, vvhere Roses continue and flourish vnto mid-Winter. It requireth a fat, substantiall, and reasonable moist ground; for as for grauelly and sandie grounds, they are altogether enemies vnto the Rose-tree. It must be planted in October, Nouember, and December, in hot and drie co [...]ntries, and in Ianuarie and Februarie in cold and moist cou [...]tries; yea and also in March, and such as are planted in the later season, vvill put forth Roses the same yeare, vvhich vvill not fall out in those vvhich vvere made hast of and planted a great deale sooner: if the earth be good of it selfe, the Rose vvill craue no manure, but yeeld a more perfect smell, but and if it be spent and vvorne out, it must be succoured with dung well rotted.

As for Roses there be manie sorts of them, that is to say, the vvild ones, vvhich we call Eglantine, and the red also growing in hedges: Damaske of the colour of Scarlet, vvhich vve call Prouence Roses: and amongst the braunches, besides the vvild ones there are, Muske-Roses, Common-Roses, and Roses hauing fiue leaues onely. [Page] The Rose-tree groweth either of plants or seed. It is planted of shoots, or little [...], diuided into pieces of the length of foure fingers,The Rose-tree sowne. and set into a well manured earth▪ [...]oot deepe. It is good to remoue it, for it will grow the fairer: as also euerie yeare▪ or at the least when it is past fiue yeares old (which is the terme of his approching age) to cut it, or else to burne the branches of it that are superfluous; for this restoreth [...] vnto his young yeares againe. If you remoue it, remoue it by branches, setting the one foure foot distant from the other, in a ground that is not [...]at or clayie, nor moist, but drie and stonie. The Rose-tree sowne, groweth slowly: but yet and if yo [...] sow it, let it be foure foot within the ground: and deceiue not your selfe with th [...] seed; for the seed is not that little yellow flower which is in the middest of the Rose, but that which is contained and nourished in the little fruit which the Rose bringeth forth after Vintage,Seeds of Roses. which is knowne to be ripe when it groweth blacke and soft.

For to haue Muske Roses, you must graft the Rose-tree vpon it selfe, or vpon the Eglantine, and before the grafting of it, to put into the cleft, where the graft [...] stand, a graine of Muske, or else one or two drie leaues of sweet smelling Roses. Such Roses are pleasant to behold, as being but a little tree, and yet laden with leaues, the flower verie sweet of smell, and such as will neuer faile, but alwaies hold and bring forth in their season: besides that, a man may fit the root and branch [...] thereof to make a shadow. Such Roses are not good to make conserues, or distilled water, nor for anie vse in Physicke, onely they are good to drie and put amongst Linnen and other Apparrell, because of their good smell. It is true that some say, that they loosen the bellie. Looke further in the third Booke in the Chapter of the speciall properties of Grafting and Planting.

To haue Roses that shall smell verie sweet,V [...]rie sweet smelling Roses. you must plant your Rose-tree in a place that is verie drie, or else to set it round about with Garlicke. The Roses will come early, if you make a little trench of some two hands wide round about the Rose-tree, and therein powre warme water morning and euening:Early, hastie, and timely Roses. and yet this must not be attempted before it begin to put forth his buds. You shall doe the like if you place your Rose-tree in baskets, or pots of earth, and order them after the manner of timely Gourds and Cucumbers, as hath beene taught before.

You may keepe new Roses in their liuelinesse,Fresh Roses. if you put them in the lees of Oyle▪ so as that the lees may swimme aboue them: Others pull vp greene Barly, roots and all, wherein they wrap Roses as yet not blowne, and so put them together in a [...] that is not pitched. The way to haue greene Roses, is, if you graft the Rose-tree vpon an old Colewort stalke, or vpon the bodie of an Oake, but then the Roses will [...] no smell.

You may make the Carnation Rose white,To make carnation Roses white. if you perfume it with Brimstone [...] such time as it beginneth to spread.

You may haue Roses of a yellow colour, if after you haue planted the Rose-tree vvith his naturall earth neere vnto the broome, you bore through the broome stalke vvith a vvimble, and plant in the same hole diuers roots or shoots of the Rose-tree, scraped round about so farre as they are to lye in the hole, and after tie and make the [...] fast vnto the broome plant with mortar: and whenas you see the hole bored in the stalke to be growne vp againe▪ you shall cut off the broome stalke aboue the pla [...] vvhere you bored the hole, and shall let the Rose-tree to put forth his shoots, and [...] by this meanes you shall haue yellow Roses.

The vertues of the Roses are sufficiently knowne vnto euerie one. Some distill the vvhite and Prouence rose, vvhich▪ if you vvill haue it to retaine the full qualitie and vertue of the Rose, together with the smell and fauour of the same, you must distill in a glasse vessell, and not in lead, as is ordinarily accustomed. Some make [...] and syropes of carnation Roses, which haue force to loosen the bellie, and to purge the humours offending in serious and cholericke matter, as also good for [...], the jaundise, the obstructions of the liuer, and beating of the heart.

The yellow growing within the Rose, which is a flower accompanied as it vvere [Page] vvith smal haires, doth stay the vvhite flowers of vvomen: the white end of the leaues of Roses, are good in a decoction to stay all manner of fluxes: the cup hath the same force and vertues: the seed and vvooll contained within the button of the Rose, as also the whole button, dried and made into powder, is singular good to stay women [...] whites and termes, for the scalding of the vvater, for the disease called Gonorrhaea, taken the weight of a dram with sowre red wine.

Box-treeBox-tree. is planted of shoots or boughs, after the twelfth day of Nouember. It delighteth in hillie places and mountaines, and groweth verie well in cold, drie, and vvindie places.Bees-bane. It must not be planted neere the place where bees are kept,A corrupt aire. for the flower killeth them sodainly. Some affirme, that it corrupteth the ayre by the stinking smell it hath, and for this cause it would be as sparingly planted in the garden as possibly may be.

Box-tree is better to make combes and other durable instruments of, than for to vse in medicine, if it were not that Physitians doe hold that the scrapings or r [...]ped powder of Box and the leaues thereof boyled in Lee▪ doe cause the haire to looke [...]ed. Some likewise doe thinke that it hath the like properties that Guaiacum hath in decoctions for the French disease, but herein I referre my selfe rather to experi [...]nce than to reason.

Broome,Broome. as well the small as the great, is planted of shoots and boughs, in the in [...]rease of the Moone, about the Calends of March. It may likewise be sowne,To make water. and it requireth a drie and sandie ground. The flowers,The stone. as also the seed, doe prouoke vrine, and breake the stone,To vomite. as well of the reines, as of the bladder: the flowers prouoke vomit, taken in a drinke: the leaues and crops boyled in wine or water, are good for the dropsie and obstructions of the liuer, spleene, and kidneyes: some vse the stalkes of broome to tie their vines, as also to make ropes and sackes of, and that by ripening it in water as they doe hempe.

Spanish broomeSpanish broom [...] ▪ groweth also in drie places: it must be remoued after the first yeare that it is sowne: it is sowne in Februarie, and remoued in March the next yere after: the flowers in decoctions procure vomite after the manner of white hellebor: the seed alone doth loosen the bellie, and forceth downeward great store of water.

FurzeFurz [...] ▪ grow in vntilled and sandie grounds: the leaues boyled in water or wine do stay all manner of [...]luxes.

The Cedar-treeThe Cedar tree▪ is verie rare in these countries: so that if you will haue it in your garden, you must assigne it a well husbanded ground, and lying open vpon the Sun, notwithstanding the places where it is found most growing, be cold and moist mountaines, and full of snow: if you doe well you must sow in pots of earth, and cases or impaled places the small and exceeding little seed that commeth thereof.

The liquor thereof put into the hollow parts of the teeth, doth stay their ach: being anuointed it killeth the wormes, and preserueth bodies from rotting. The wood is verie pleasant to looke vpon, and to smell vnto, whereupon some vse it in steed of perfumes.

Sa [...]inSa [...]in. is planted as box, and groweth much better if it be watered with Wine Lees, or sprinkled with the dust of tile stones. The leaues as well in decoction as in per [...]umes, prouoke the termes, and expell the after-birth and dead child: they also cause to fall off the warts growing vpon a mans yard.

As concerning Iunip [...]rIuniper. it affecteth the tops of mountaines, and stonie ground for to grow well in, and by how much it is the more [...]ost of the winds, and pinched with cold, so much the fairer it groweth. The fruit thereof is good for the stomach, for weake and broken people, and against all sorts of venime, whether it be drunke or taken in a perfume, as also against an euill aire: It is vvith good successe vsed in the decoctions prescribed against the pockes: take seuen Iuniper-berries, and as many Bay-be [...]ries, halfe a dram of Zylocassia, and a dram of Cinamome, put all this whole in the bellie of a Turtle-do [...]e, roast the said Turtle thus stuffed, and ba [...]t her with Capons grease, giue euerie second day one of these at supper, to a woman that is readie to be deliuered, and she shall haue an easie deliuerie: boyle twelue pound of Iuniper [Page] wood cut small, or raspt in a great cauldron, and in a sufficient quantitie of water to the consumption of the third part of the water, put this wood and water in [...] a bathing tub, and let the partie troubled with the gout, [...]it in this water vp vnto the middle; he shall feele incredible reliefe hereby.

Elder treeElder-tree. is fitter to plant in the garden hedge, than to make at bou [...]s in [...]: notwithstanding where other sorts of small trees are wanting, there may vse be made of the Elder-tree. It would be set in the moneth of Nouember vpon sciences and shoots, in a moist and shadowed place, neere to some little riuer or brooke. To cause it to grow well, you must take this diligent course: to cast the earth as it vvere into furrows of a good halfe foot broad, and a whole foot deepe with a spade, and not with a pickaxe, for there must no earth be taken away: then presently after the [...] of Saint Martin in Winter, plant your Elder-trees, the great end thereof which sha [...] be put into the earth, shall be cut bias like the foot of a Hind, and thrust downe [...] the ground thus prepared, a foot or nine inches deepe: and let it stand vp aboue the ground, at the least a foot and a halfe, or two foot, so as that in all, your plant m [...]st be two good foot and a halfe, or three foot long: before you put them into the gro [...]nd, open it vvith a dibble, either of yron or vvood, so that the rind of the plant may [...] be torne, in putting of it into the earth. If you plant it in the furrows, there must be at the least three foot betwixt euerie furrow, and a foot betwixt euerie plant. Hauing once thus planted them, you shall neuer need to take any further paines [...] them, if you vvill not your selfe, but to cut it two joynts at the least euerie yeare [...] the space of the two or three first yeares, to the end the root may grow the [...] ▪ and the first two or three yeares being past, you may cut it from two yeares [...] yeares to make props for vines: in any case you must [...]op it euerie yere, and cut away all the euill sciences and shoots vvhich it ill fauouredly putteth forth.

Some distill the vvater of the flowers, as singular to appease the head-achHead-ach. comming of heat, if the brows or hinder part of the head be rubbed therewith. Some likewise doe make verie good vinegar vvith the [...]lowers and juice of the be [...]ies. The juice pressed from the rind of the root, moueth vomit, and draweth forth the [...] that is in tho [...]e that haue the dropsie: the juice pressed from the leaues and take [...] vvith some pottage doth loosen the bellie: the dried seed is good against the dropsie, and for [...]at folke to make them leane, taking of it the quantitie of a dram in [...] vvine, and continuing it a certaine time, and mixing therewith a little [...] ▪ because it is a procurer of vomit, and a disquieter of the stomach.

Rose-marie and IesaminRosemarie and Iesamin. are likewise fit for the adorning of arbours in [...] ▪ of the ordering vvhereof vve vvill say nothing in this place, because vve haue before spoken thereof verie largely.

Iuie,Iuie. as vvell the great as the small, doth delight to be planted in moist and vvaterie places, from the moneth of Nouember vntill March, and it flowreth not but in Autumne, neither doth the ber [...]ie thereof become ripe but in Winter: it growe [...] not high, if it be not neere vnto some tree or old ruine, vnto both vvhich in the end [...] vvorketh ruine and ouerthrow. It vvill bring forth a goodly fruit, if you [...] vvith powdred Allome, or ashes made of burnt Oyster-shells. Blacke Iuie vvill become vvhite, if you vvater the root thereof vvith vvhite earth tempered vvith vv [...] ter eight daies together continually.

If you take three Iuie berries, and tying them vp in a cleane linnen cloth [...] thread, giue them to some one that is troubled vvith paine and stifnesse of his [...] to vveare about his necke, the said partie so vvearing them three daies together [...] be vvhole and cured of his disease. The leaues brayed and applyed, doe heale [...] nings and [...]ldings made vvith hot vvater: boyled in vinegar and applied, [...] cure the hardnesse of the spleene: the gum thereof killeth lice and ni [...]s, and [...] ▪ annointed in any hairie place, causeth the haire to fall away. The vessells [...] the wood of Iuie are singular to know if there be any vvater in the vvine, for the [...] vvill abide in the vessell, and the vvine vvill run out. Seuen Iuie ber [...]ies, [...] many peach kernels the skin [...] taken off, boyled in oyle, and afterward stamp [...] [...] [Page] applied vnto the temples and brows, doe assuage the head-ach comming from the braine: the juice of the leaues of Iuie drunke with red vvine, doth heale the swelling of the spleene: a cap made in forme of a head-piece or skull of the leaues of Iuie sowed together, and applied vnto the head of a little child which hath the falling of the haire called Tinea, doth heale it throughly: the water or gum which droppeth out of the stocke of an Iuie tree the rind being cut, killeth nits and lice.

PriuetPriuet. groweth more than a man would wish amongst brambles and bushes, from which places it may be transplanted into the garden for the benefit of arbours. The water of the flowers thereof may be distilled, and it is most singular against all manner of [...]luxes, vvhether of the bellie, matrix, spitting of bloud, and of the eyes, as also for all sorts of cankers: the same vertue hath the juice pressed out of the leaues, especially for the canker growing in the mouth. There is an oyle made of the flowers thereof infused in oyle in the Sun, which is singular good for the head-ach comming of a hot cause, and also for inflammations.

CHAP. LIII.
Of Hearbes for the Arbours of the Garden.

FOr want of trees of low growth (such as haue beene spoken of here before) you may helpe your selfe in the making of your Arbours for your Garden of Pleasure, [...]. with certaine hearbes which are plyant, and with their leaues apt to make shadow, still prouided, that they be borne vp by poles of Willow, or Iuniper, dressed and ordered in forme, and after the manner of Arbours: They are such as follow; the wild Vine, Hoppes, Gourds, Cucumbers, the maruellous Pease, Winter Cherries, the maruellous Apples, and other such like.

And as concerning the wild Vine, it groweth more plentifully than a man would wish amongst the Brambles and Bushes: and therefore from hence it may be transplanted and remoued into your Garden for the benefit of your Arbours. The root, especially the iuice, doth mightily loosen the bellie, prouoke vrine, purge the braine, open the spleene, and take away the hardnesse thereof: applyed in forme of a Pessarie, it bringeth downe the termes, the after-birth, and dead child: stamped with salt, and applyed, it healeth vlcers, it cleanseth the skinne, and taketh away the red pimples of the face: for which purpose also serueth the water thereof, which you may gather in the moneth of May out of a pit which you shall make in the head of the root, as it standeth in the ground, according as we haue alreadie said in the Chapter of Violets going before. In a Cataplasme it is singular against the Sciatica, as also to take away the haire from some place: being mixed and stamped with Bulls bloud, it is of maruellous effects in hard and schirrous swellings, and cankerou [...] tumours.

We haue spoken heretofore of cucumbers and gourds:Cucumbers and Gourds. and therefore it is not needfull to make any new repetition.

The ordering of hopsHops. is like vnto that of the wild vine, for one and the same ground and dressing vvill serue both. The flowers, crops, and juice pressed out, doe take away the obstructions of the liuer and spleene: and the vse thereof is verie con [...]enient for such as haue the dropsie: therewith beere is made, as we shall further declare hereafter.

Maruailous applesMaruailous apples. are verie fit to ouerspread arbours, as well in respect of their beautie, as for that they are pliant, and winding easily about the poles. They would be sowne in the Spring time, in a fat and well battilled ground: they cannot endure the cold: so soone as their fruit is ripe, which is in Autumne, they drie away by and by: wherefore you must sow them where the Sunne hath full power vpon [Page] them, and water them oft in the time of great heat, gathering their fruit in September. These apples resemble little lymons, as being sharpe pointed at the end, [...] bellied in the middest, rough as wild Cucumbers, greene at the beginning, but a [...]terward turning red: the first that euer brought them into France, was Re [...]e du Bellay▪ Bishop of Mans. They haue also beene found in the gardens of the religious of S. Ge [...]manes in the fields, and in the Temple garden at Paris. They are called of the Greekes Gratious apples, because of their well pleasing beautie; and of the Latines, Viticella, Momordica, and Balsamita, this last name was giuen to them by reason of the vertues of Balme which they haue: and in French Maruailous apples, because of the maruailous vertue that they haue to heale wounds. Some take all the seeds [...] of the apples, putting the said apples into a viole of vnripe oyle oliue (or insteed of oyle made of vnripe oliues, which is not alwaies readie to be had at Paris, some [...] common oyle verie well in Rose-water or Common water, or plantaine, or Mulberie water) and doe afterward set the said viole a long time in the Sunne when it [...] his heat, or else they put it in a vessell of hot boyling vvater: or else burie it in the earth, or in horse dung, and this oyle is singular good to assuage inflammations of wounds, and of the breasts, and hath no lesse vertue than Balme to consolidate [...] heale wounds either new or old, being a thing tried of many. The fruit soaked [...] oyle of sweet Almonds, or Linseed, adding thereto an ounce of liquid vernish [...] euerie pound of oyle, [...] maketh the oyle verie soueraigne for the paines of the H [...] rhoides, Burnings, prickings of the sinews, and to take away the skarres of [...]ound [...]. The leaues dried and made into powder, and drunke the quantitie of a spoonefull with the decoction of plantaine, doe heale the gripes in the guts, the paine of the colicke, and the wounds of the guts. The oyle wherein this fruit hath beene soaked, doth keepe in his place the fundament wont to fall downe in little children,The f [...]lling downe of the fundament. if it be often rubbed therewith:To make women fruitfull. it maketh barren women fruitfull, if after they haue bathed in a bath for the purpose, and drunke of the powder of the leaues of this hearbe, they annoint their secret parts with this oyle, dwelling afterwards with their husbands.

The maruailous peaseThe maruailous peas [...]. are verie rare in this countrie, resembling somewhat Winter cherries, as hauing their seed inclosed in a little filme or skinne, like vnto a [...]ich pease; in the middest whereof, there is the shape as it were of a heart. They delight in a very fat, moist, and well sunned soyle, and cannot abide to endure the cold.

Winter cherriesWinter Cherries. (which the Latines call Halicaca [...]um, and the Arabians A [...] kengi,) are delighted in vines: wherefore they which would haue it planted in their garden, must picke out for it such a soyle as would fit the vine. The little [...] which is inclosed in the bladder, is singular good to prouoke the decayed vrine, and to take away the sharpnes [...]e and scalding thereof, for the juice thereof mixt with [...] creame or milke of white poppie seed, or with the decoction of the seed of melo [...] or gourds, mallows, or barly ptisane, and drunke, doth maruailously mitigate the scalding of the vrine: if the root come neere vnto the aspe or lizard, it casteth them into a dead sleepe, and killeth them: the vse of the cherrie is soueraigne against the stone and grauell. Likewise for this disease some make a Wine which is called Winter-cherrie wine, which is made with the new pressed liquor of good white wine, when in hath beene infused a certaine quantitie of these cherries: or with a certaine qua [...] titie of these cherries cast with an equall quantitie of white wine grapes all whole into a new ves [...]ell, the same ves [...]ell afterward being filled vp with white wine new fro [...] the presse, being afterward scummed and vsed after the manner of other wines: or else this wine may be thus made, these cherries are troden amongst ripe grapes, and being suffered to worke together certaine daies, they are afterward [...]unned vp [...] vessells, and ordered as other wines: this wine taken the quantitie of foure [...] the morning three or foure daies together in the decrease of the Moone, cleanseth the reines, and purgeth out great quantitie of grauell.

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CHAP. LIIII.
Of Trees both great and small, as well outlandish as of the same Countrie, being planted or sowne either vpon beds or in vessells, in the Garden.

THe Bay-treeThe Bay-tree. will grow in all places, but it is not as easily preserued and kept in euerie place: for it delighteth especially and naturally in a hot or temperate countrie, for in a cold it groweth not but by constraine▪ but and if you be disposed to haue it to grow in this cold countrie, you [...] plant it so vpon the Sunne, as that it may thereby sh [...]ke off and better passe [...] the extremitie of the cold; and on the contrarie, in a hot countrie you must plant▪ [...] so, as that the Sunne may come but sparingly to it, to wit, euen when the shadow. [...] be hard at the foot if it: notwithstanding it delighteth much in places neere [...] the Sea, in leane and thin grounds, where the ayre is warme and temperate of it [...]elfe. It must be planted in Autumne and in the Spring time, of sets, of whole plants, [...] of branches: and in March it is planted verie fitly and seasonably, when as the [...]ap [...]putteth vp and commeth to the barbe. It may likewise be fowne after the foure. [...] day of March in a ground that is well manured, one foot within the ground [...] foure berries together: and at the yeares end▪ to remoue it to some other place. The Bay-tree feareth the cold aboue all other things,The Bay-tree cannot endure cold. and for this cause it must be planted in this countrie in a firme and solide ground as hath beene said, to the end that during the times of snow, frost, and freesing vpon raine, the roots may be defended from cold, which although the boughes and braunches should be dead by the cold of Winter, it would yet continue to bring forth new boughes in the Spring time▪ for the fastnesse and closenesse of the ground will haue let and stayed the ayre from hauing pierced vnto the roots. And in ca [...]e the ground where you haue planted your Bay-tree should be sandie, drie, and barren, then it will be your part during the time of Winter to spread and cast ashes and straw about the roots of the Bay-tree, to preserue the heat of the earth, and to withhold the cold from piercing vnto the roots. Then for to procure a flourishing and faire Bay-tree, [...]. two things are necessarie▪ the heat of the ayre, and the fastnesse of the ground, of which, if the one be wanting, the Bay-tree will not grow any thing at all; or if it grow, yet it will be bu [...] a small and starued thing, as we may easily make triall and proofe in this [...]countrie. The Bay-tree may be grafted vpon it selfe, as also vpon the Dogg-tree, the Ash-tree, and the Cherrie-tree, as we will declare more largely in the third Booke.

The Myr [...]e treeThe [...] tree. is of two sorts, the one is a darke greene, the other is a light greene, the one beareth a yellow flowre; and the other a white, but of these the later is the better: but euerie sort of Myr [...]le craueth a hot Countrie, a light, sandie, lea [...], and brittle kind of ground, and yet notwithstanding this, it groweth well vpon the Sea bankes, as also vpon the sides of pooles, lakes, and fennes. It is planted either of young boughs borowed and cut downe for the excessi [...]e ranknesse of them, after [...] foure or fiue yeares old, or from the shoots putting forth at the root thereof, [...]epe [...] ting them from the maine root so soone as they be put vp, and from after a yeare of their first planting to remoue them: or else of seed, rubbed and cha [...]ed betwixt your hands, and after thrust into an old band or small cord: the same buried all along according to that length that it is of in a furrow cast a foot deepe, or thereabout, and well manured with rotten dung, and watering the place. The myrtle-tree would be planted in the highest part of the Garden, for by his smell it maketh the place most delightsome: it may be [...]owne also after the manner of the Bay-tree, but then it will not grow vp till after a long t [...]me. It will grow both high and faire▪ if you make it cleane and sco [...]re it often round about, and it will b [...]ing forth much and great fruit, if you plant Rose-trees neere vnto it, or else plant it neere vnto Oliue-trees, [Page] in the countrie where they grow: for the Myrtle and Oliue trees doe helpe one another greatly. It loueth and craueth to be watred with mans vrine, but especially with sheepes: or when you can get neither of these, with warme water, wherein it delighteth exceedingly, as sometimes appeared by a Myrtle planted neere vnto a bath, which to euerie mans sight grew verie pleasantly and beautifully, though there were no reckoning or account made thereof. Myrtle-berries put in a vessell which is not pitched, but well couered, doth keepe a long time greene and fresh: Some hold it better to put them in, hanging vpon their boughs: The Myrtle [...] nothing so much as cold, and taketh delight to be neere vnto pooles, brookes, and maritime places. If you water it oft with warme water, [...] it will beare fruit▪ [...] any kernell.

The fruit is called Myrtle-berries. It must be gathered when it is [...] great while after the Rose is fallen and shaken. It may be grafted vpon another of his owne kind, and the white vpon the blacke, and the blacke vpon the Apple-tre [...], Medlar-tree, and Pomegranet-tree.

After vintage time, in the countrie of Prouence, where there is a great number of Myrtle-trees, the birds feed of the fruit of the Myrtle-tree, and thereby become so fat, and their flesh so pleasant to eat, as that men eat birds so fatted all whole, with [...] pulling out of the garbage: insomuch as it is growne into a common prouerbe, [...] the excrement is better than the flesh.

The leaues, bayes, or berries of myrtle-tree by their astringent force and [...] doe stay all manner of fluxes, whether it be of the bellie, or of the termes, or principally of the whites: the juice and distilled water of Myrtle-tree are singular good to drinke, to keepe vp the falling fundament. The decoction of the seed of Myrtle-tree, doth blacke the haire, and keepeth it from falling. The berries of the Myrtle-tree may serue in steed of pepper, the sauce made therewith worketh the like effect, and is singular good to comfort a languishing stomach: myrtle berries euen do comfort the heart, and cure the beating of the same: the ashes of the drie leaues of myrtle-tree burned within a pot of raw earth, so throughly as that they become white, being afterward washed, haue one and the same vertue that Spodium or Pomphol [...] hath.

If you cannot make the myrtle-tree to grow in your garden, you must content your selfe with the Myrt-tree,The Myrt-tree. which craueth the same ground and manner of orde [...] that the Myrtle-tree, as being a kind of wild Myrtle-tree) and which may be [...] the steed of Myrtle-tree vvhen it cannot be come by, as hauing the same or [...] vertues.

Butchers-broomeButcher-broome. is also a kind of wild myrtle, which groweth commonly in Forests and Vnderwoods, from whence it is better to translate it into your garden, [...] either to sow or plant it.

He that is desirous to plant Tamariske [...] ▪ in his garden, must make choyce of the moist and wettest ground, and for want of a sufficient moist ground, to water [...] It is likewise seene that Tamariske doth grow faire and tall, by ponds, [...], and other standing waters. It is planted either of roots or sprouts, and that from the [...] of October, till the foure and twentieth of December, yea vntill the beginning of Februarie; but yet it thriueth best being set of roots: there is no frost almost [...] hurt it, especially the root, for when it is once taken, it putteth forth continually [...] and boughs along the plant.

The wood is principally commended, for that it assuageth and diminisheth [...] spleene in such as haue it stopt too full of melancholicke humours: and hence [...] that many troubled with that disease, doe eat and drinke in vessells made of [...] wood thereof. And some likewise doe counsell to giue swine that are troubled [...] too much fulnesse of the spleene, water to drinke in their [...]ough [...], hauing first [...] ched therein coales made of the wood of Tamariske. The decoction of the [...] damaske raisons in good for leprous persons, and such as haue their spleene [...] ▪ as also for the pockes.

Bastard Sene,Basterd Sene. (called of the Latines [...]) delighteth in a fat ground, and well [Page] battilled with Sheepes dung. It groweth not planted, but vpon seed: and it is meet that the seed be steeped first a long time in water, euen vntill it begin to sprout. The time to sow it, is about the beginning of the moneth of Iune. It must not haue any of the branches cut off, nor be pruned or touched before the fourth yeare. The fruit serueth to good vse for the fatting of Sheepe, and maketh them to haue much milke: it is good also to fat chickens, bees, goats, and kyne. Some take it to be Sene, but they doe greatly deceiue and beguile themselues.

The Caper-treeThe Caper-tree. in many countries groweth without any tilling, [...]n [...]arable ground: but where it wanteth, if it must be sowne, it must be in a hot countrie, and a drie, stonie, and sandie place, which shall before hand be inclosed with a little ditch, which shall be filled with stone and lyme, or else with fat earth, for to be a fortresse and▪ defence vnto it, that so the roots of the Caper-tree and thereby all shoots that might grow vp from them, may be kept from breaking forth, and spreading further than this ditch: for if they should be stayed and kept backe from spreading by some such meanes, it would come to passe that within a small time they would ouer-runne the whole Garden, and plant themselues in euerie corner of the same. Notwithstanding the Caper-tree is not so noysome in that respect (because it may be pulled vp) as it is by inueniming (I know not by what venimous humour or juice) the whole ground, and making of it barren. It hath no need (except a ver [...]e little) to be any way tilled or fashioned: for it groweth well ynough (without any thing done vnto it) in [...]ields and desart grounds. It may be sowne in the Spring and Autumne.

The fruit of the Caper-tree, as well the great as the small, is good in a fallade to prouoke appetite, cleanse the flegmaticke stomach, and to take away the obstructions of the liuer, but principally of the spleene: the rind of the root and leaues haue the like vertue, but more effectually. Capers both the great and the small, whiles they are yet greene and not salted, doe nourish a great deale more, both of them are in request, not so much for that they are fruit, as for their manner of preseruing, which is performed either with vinegar, or else with salt brine: for Capers not pickled are of a verie sharpe and vnpleasant tast, but the vinegar wherein they are preserued doth make them verie acceptable vnto the stomach: but the great ones because they haue both more juice and more pulpe, are a great deale better than the little ones: though the little ones are more delightsome to the tast than the great ones, because they are fuller of vinegar than the great ones.

Agnus Castu [...], [...] seeing it commeth verie neere to the nature and condition of the Willow, and of the same colour with the leaues, disagreeing onely in smell, craueth to be planted in a watrie place, where there is much shadow: or at the least to be oft watered. The leaues, seed, and flowers, are singular good for them which would liue chastly,Chastitie. taken inwardly, or applyed, outwardly: for some say, that the leaues, [...], or [...]lowres, put into little b [...]gges, and applied vnto the reines in bed, do helpe to keepe the chastitie of the bodie, which is the cause that in many countries it is seene planted almost in all the Monkeries.Heat of Vrine. The decoction of the leaues is good against the sealding and burning Vrine, as well in drinking as in fomenting it, as also against the obstructions of the liuer, spleene, and matrix. If you carrie a branch of Agnus Castus about you, you shall not grow wearie,The burning beat of the secret parts. no not after much trauell. The fume thereof taken in at the secret parts of women, doth quench the vnsatiable lust and burning desire vnto venerie and carnall copulation.

Beane-tree, [...]. or S. Iohns-bread (bearing a long, flat, and broad fruit, like vnto that of Ca [...]ia) would be planted of new shoots, in Februarie and Nouember, in a drie ground, lying open vpon the Sun, and where as there are verie deepe ditches made. It may also be grafted in a Plum-tree, or Almond-tree: in any case you must neuer thinke vpon the sowing of it, because so it would neuer beare any fruit, but would die verie quickly: it must be oft watered.

The Cod [...] are good either to fat children or [...]win [...],To [...]eed swine. but not so fit to feed men withall: It is true that the fruit doth loosen the bellie gently, as it were after the manner of Cassia.

[Page] There [...] sorts of the Date-tree:The Dat [...]-tr [...]e. some beare fruit, and some [...] and of the fruitfull, some beare a reddish fruit, and some a white, and [...] gray. Furthermore, some are males, and some females, some are high and [...] some are stooping downe, and but low, and therefore called the little or [...] tree; and some of a middle size betwixt both: but howsoeuer they differ, yet [...] they agree, that they all desire a hot ayre, a great deale more than temperate: for in a hot Countrey it bringeth forth verie faire and ripe fruit, and of it selfe is [...] kept and preserued, without anie f [...]rther paine or [...]are, except it be about the [...] of it; where, in a temperate Region, it either ripeneth not his fruit, or [...] none at all. It craueth a [...], and nitrous ground, foreseene that it be [...] moist, and this is the cause why it [...]ro [...]pereth well vpon the Sea coast: and if the ground where it be planted, be not such, it must be watered with salt water, [...] brine. It is planted of small Plants, with roots in Aprill and May, the Plant being well layd about with fat earth. Some also sow the new stones of Dates (and they bring forth their trees in October) two cubits deepe in the ground, and that mingled with ashes, and well enriched with Goats dung, and the sharpe side of it must be vpward: it must be watered euerie day, and euerie yeare there must be [...]alt shed [...] it▪ or else, which is better, that it be oftentimes watered with water that is [...] salt. Againe, that it may grow high and faire, it gladly accepteth the watering of hi [...] roots with the lees of old red Wine strained.

Note likewise, that (seeing of one Date stone alone there will hardly grow vp any Date-tree, bearing sufficient bignesse in the bole and bodie, to carrie and [...] the weight of the head) it will be good to put and ioyne together two or three [...] stones, sowed vp in a Linnen cloth, in such sort, as that the sharpe sides may behold one another, and so to set them; for by this ioyning of two or three together, your tree may come by a bodie sufficient big to beare the head. Not further, that if you would haue the female Date tree to beare fruit, that then you must plant it neere vnto a male Date tree, and not one onely, but manie, if it be possible, because the neere standing of the one vnto the other, causeth that the vertue of the male is conueyed and imparted vnto the female, and that by the commixtion made by the wind, from [...] ariseth aboundance of fruit. But and if you haue not the meanes to plant manie [...] Date trees neere vnto the female, it will be sufficient if you doe but touch the male oftentimes with your hand▪ and then afterward lay the same hand vpon the female [...] or you must gather o [...] the flowers of the top o [...] the male, or of the mos [...]e of the male, and sprinkle the same vpon the female. Eat but as [...]ew Dates as you can, for they make obstructions in the liuer and spleene, and are also of hard digestion, and [...] the head-ach.

The Pine-treeThe Pine-tree. groweth chiefely of a kernell, which must be planted in October or Nouember in warme places: or in cold places in Februarie or in March▪ or about the fall of the apple, or a little after, and that in pits well digged, and which ha [...]e lyen vntilled and vnoccupied a g [...]od time: the apple must not be broken by force of an yron thing▪ to get out the kernels, which must lie in steepe three dayes before hand, and seuen of them set together, and that fiue fingers deepe onely, when they are growne vp, you must not be too hastie to remoue them, because they take [...] but in long time, and verie hardly: nay, they cannot abide at all to be transplanted without their great hurt and hinderance: but yet when time may serue to transplant them, in any c [...]se beware that you doe not hurt their roots, especially the principall and thickest ones. The Pine-tree groweth chiefely and thr [...]ueth best, vpon high mountaines, and places that are open vnto the wind, still regard being had, that the place where they shall be planted, be as carefully husbanded and tilled, as if it [...] for to beare and bring forth wheat. It will continue the longer time, if the barke [...] oft taken from it, because that vnder the barke certaine little wormes do breed, whi [...] fret and destroy the wood.

The distilled water of new Pine-kernells, [...]. [...]ake away the wrinckles of the face, and diminish the breasts that are too great and swagging, if there be laid vnto [...] [Page] clothes dipped [...]n this water as oft as you can: this water also is singular good to draw narrower the secret parts of women being too much distended and enlarged, and to cure them of all manner of rheumes and distillations: but yet their juice [...]s more effectuall for these matters, than the distilled water.

Pineapples are a meat of verie easie nourishment,The vertue of the Pin [...]pple. [...]nd for that cause are verie good for such as ar [...]troubled with the cough, for them which are in a consumption, and such as are sicke of an hect [...]cke [...]euer, but they must haue beene s [...]pt sometime in Rosewater to take away their acrimonie, sharpnesse, and oylie substance: it is true that they be hard to digest, and therefore to such as are cold of nature, you must giue them with home; and to those which are hot, with sugar, to helpe out with the hardne [...]e of their digestion. They are good for such as haue the palsey, for ach in the sinews and backe, for heat of the vrine, and gnawing of the stomach, taken with the juice of Purslaine.

Figges (being one of the best fruits we haue,The Figge-tree. according to the ground and plant whereof they come) are either more or les [...]e sweet and sauorie, and this commeth of the ayre as it is tempered with heat, cold, or a milder temper: or else in respect of the moisture and drinesse of the grounds, their fatnesse, and leannesse; their roughnes [...]e or smoothnes [...]e; their s [...]ngth or gentlenesse, and easinesse; their sto [...]nesse or being without stones, or their scituation amongst some old ruines and rotten stone walls: for in respect of all these, it falleth out that there are great diuersitie of figges, as hauing some great, some small, some round, some sharpe pointed, some white, some blacke, some greene, and some gray. So that this tree loueth to be in places standing open vpon the Sunne, and therewithall rockie or clayie, stonie or mixt much with lyme, neere vnto walls or old ruines, yea within the verie walls being [...], or halfe fallen downe, especially that which beareth little figges, verie sweet and white ones, such as are those of Mar [...]llis, for such a figge-tree delighteth in a drie and grauelly place: as on the contrarie, the figge-tree that bringeth forth great, lesse sweet and reddish figs, desireth a fat and well manured ground. It thriueth and prosper [...]th in a hot and t [...]mperate aire, so that the ground be somewhat moist: for this tree is verie daintie and quickly wronged and injured by frosts, broken downe by winds, and made thin and leane by drought, by the which the fig will sooner be ouerth [...]owne and spoyled than the Mulberrie. They are easily hurt by Frosts, Mists, and great Cold: wherefore they must be planted in the Spring, when Frosts are past, vpon the South or East quarter, in great, deepe, and well-digged pits, of shootes and boughes of two yeares growth, being faire and round ones, and full of knots▪ for these are most fruitfull. And to cause them the better to take root, you shall take away their barke at the nether end of the stemme about halfe a foot, and yet leauing it notwithstanding fastened thereunto, that so the said barke may turne into [...]ootes.

It may in like manner be sowne of figges layd in steepe, and bound about with small lines, and then afterward planted in that manner, and watered often and diligently: but it would su [...]e better, if it were grafted vpon a Plumme tree or Almond tree▪ for so it continueth a great deale longer. But whether it be planted or grafted, it must not be much watred▪ for aboundance of water corrupteth the naturall beautie of the figge-tree, and maketh them verie subiect to rot. It would be a great deale better, to make them grow faire, and become fruitfull, to thrust the plant into a wild Garlick, called in Latine Squilla, and better in English, Sea-Onion: or else to steepe it in Brine, or to set it round about with Oxe dung, or with vnquencht Lime. And to keepe and guard them from Frosts, they must from the eleuenth of Nouember be couered verie well with Straw, or with the stalkes of Line, tying these things to the roots and to the boughes so well and in euerie place, as that there remaine nothing to be seene of the plant. If you would haue the figge-tree to bring forth a late fruit (which is a thing against his nature) [...]. you must take from it his first small figges which begin to grow great, and the figge-tree will put forth another & second fruit, which will be kept till [Page] Winter. Likewise it will be fruitfull and bring forth a full figge and of a good verdure,A fruitfull figge-tree. if from the time that it shall put forth his leaues▪ there be put to his root [...] earth [...]eaten and tempered with the setlings of oyle oliues and mans dung: or else when it shall begin to spring, to cut off the tops and ends of the braunches. Figges will be more forward and early, if there be applyed vnto the roots of the trees pigeons dung, and pepper brayed and mixt with oyle: [...] and timely figges. or else if when their gros [...]e and vnripe apples shall begin to grow red, you annoint them with the juice of a great onion, mixt with oyle and pepper, or if when as their fruit shall be reasonably great, you pierce them with a needle, and afterward rubbing them with oyle, you couer them with oliue-tree leaues: for the heat, being nothing hindered through the great moisture of the figge, doth concoct the fruit and ripen it most easily. But if your figge tree grow in a cold soyle or such a soyle as the clime appeareth somewhat vnnaturall therefore, you shall then when he putteth forth his first or later kno [...], and by reason of his want of Sunne-shine is not able to ripen them, you shall then let them remaine on the tree, and by no meanes pull them away, and the next year following, in the height of Sommer, they will all be ripe and pleasant which you shall know by their shining, softnesse, and transparancie, then will they also put forth other new hard knots which yow shall againe suffer to remaine till the next yeare, and thus allowing them two yeres to ripen in, you may haue in England or elsewhere as good and as pleasant figges as are any is Spaine.

They will be of a diuers colour,Figges of diuers colours. that is, white on the one side, and red on the other, if you tie together in a linnen cloth the seed of two diuers figge-trees, and so planting them, afterward to transplant them. You shall reclaime a wild figge tree,To make a good figge of a wild. if you water him at the roots with wine and oyle mixt together. Figges will not fall downe from their tree, if you water the bodie ditched round about with salt-brine and water equally mixt together: or if you burie neere vnto the figge-tree the hornes of Rammes or Weathers.Greene figges. You shall keepe them continually greene, if you put them in a pot full of honie and well stopt, in such manner as that one of them doe not touch another, nor yet the pot: or else in a gourd euerie one by it selfe, hanging the gourd in a shadowed place, where neither fire nor smoake may come vnto it. Or if you put them in an earthen vessell, hauing the mouth well stopped, putting the same vessell afterward into another vessell full of Wine: for as long as the Wine remaineth vncorrupted, so long the figges will remaine [...]ound and safe. You shall preserue drie figges from rotting or corrupting, if you spread them vpon a hurdle in an ouen▪ after the bread is drawne, and put them afterward into a new earthen vessel vnpitch [...]. You shal haue figges that loosen your bodie, and make it soluble,Soluble figges. if you [...] at the root of the figge-tree when you plant it some blacke hellebor [...]ampt with spurge, or some other such purgatiue.

Furthermore,To [...]ame a wild Bull. the figge-tree hath this vertue, that if you haue a wild and [...] Bull which you cannot tame by any means, if you tie him to a figge-tree, by and by he will become gentle, forgetting his naturall sauagenesse. Furthermore, to make the hard and rough [...]lesh of any beast tender by and by, you must hang it to a branch of a figge-tree; as also, to make it to be boyled quickly, you must stirre it oftentimes in the pot wherein it boyleth, with a ladle of the wood of a figge-tree: for the figge-tree breatheth forth a certaine kind of vapour which drieth vehemently, and digesteth the hardnesse of any [...]lesh whatsoeuer, whether peacocke, birds of the riuer, or other such like. It is true that there is other meanes to make tender the flesh that is tough, [...] as to put it in a heape of corne. We may further note I know not what secret vertue in the figge, for the horses and asses laden with figges doe easily fall downe vnder their burthen, and loose all their strength, which notwithstanding are as easily recouered of their strength and refreshed, if they haue but giuen them a [...] of bread. It is also worth the noting how that the juice or milke of the husbanded or [...]ame figge-tree (as we haue before shewed in the treatise of the making of cheeses) serueth for the turning or changing of the milke into curds, as wel as the [...]: [Page] figges boyled with Hysope, doe heale an old Cough, and amend the diseases of the Lungs. The fruit doth soften the bellie, nourisheth much, prouoketh sweat: being drie, mingled with the flower of Linseed and Fenugreeke, it killeth or resolueth impostumes, and hard swellings: in decoctions it is good for the Cough, and difficultie of breath▪ the flowers are good to eat, notwithstanding that Swine auoid and shunn [...] them in all they may.

King Mithridates made an Opiate against all manner of Poyson and danger of the Plague,The Plague. which was compounded of Figges, Walnuts, and Rue, as we haue said before in the Chapter of Rue.

Figges burnt and made into powder, mingled with a verie little Wax, doe make a verie soueraigne medicine for Kibes. [...] The [...]uice of Figges doth heale all Roughnesse, ill conditioned Scabbes, small Pocks, Purples, Freckles, Ringwormes, and other spo [...]s and defilements of the bodie and of the face, being annointed thereupon with the flower of parched Barly. It cureth also the paine of the teeth, a little Cotton wooll being dipped therein, and laid vpon the tooth. It openeth the Hemorrhoids.

This Tree is easie to make grow,The Oliue tree. and delighteth in hot and temperate Countries, as in Languedoc and Prouence, where it may be seene growing (as it were) in little Forests: and it is so long liued, and of such durablenesse, as that though the labour due to be bestowed about it, be left off for a long time, yet it ceaseth not to beare fruit more or lesse: and comming to it selfe againe, being old, it becommeth young againe, and getting foot liuely, of drie it becommeth marrowish and fattie, and of barren, fruitfull. In these Northerne Countries it groweth not without great paine and labour, by reason of the coldnesse of the ayre. Wherefore if you be minded to plant the Oliue tree in your Garden, chuse out a place standing vpon the South or East quarter, raysed sufficient high, and open to the Westerne wind, and which hath also rested a good while, consisting of Potters clay vnderneath, and aboue mingled with Sand and Fullers clay, being also a close, moist, and not leane ground: and in this you shall plant it about mid March, not of sprou [...]s putting forth at the foot of the Oliue tree, but of sienes, shoots, and branches that are young, faire, and fertile, pulled from the boughes of the tree, as thicke as the wrist, and a foot and a halfe long, verie round, hauing a sleeke and glistering barke, without boughes, and cut downe in the new of the Moone, raysing the thicke barke about the length of a fathome, and letting the greene barke alone, which is more fine and thinne▪ And you shall set them in the ground in such manner as they did grow vpon the tree; as the lower end downward, and the vpper end vpward towards Heauen, as when they grew vpon the tree: for if you set them the vpper end downeward▪ they will hardly grow; but and if they grow, yet they will abide barren for euer. You must lay the root, as also the head, all ouer with dung mixt with ashes, and set them on such a depth in the earth, as that there may be aboue them some foure fingers thicknesse of fine small mould, and afterward tread all close downe together, round about the new-set Plant, and so cast still more earth vnto it, as it sinketh with treading, or else you may beat it downe with a rammer of wood. It must not be transplanted till after fiue yeares: but in the meane time you must digge it euerie moneth, and dung it with Goats dung euerie yeare in Autumne. You must water it with raine water, rather than with Fountaine, Riuer, or Well water. And sometimes you must prune and c [...]t away the superfluous branches, especially the drie and withered shoots, and the branches putting forth vpon it, if so be that the plant be not become old, feeble, and broken, in such sort, as that it standeth in need to be renewed and planted againe, for then it will be requisite to leaue growing one or two of the fairest, and not to cut them downe before they haue growne eight yeares, and then at such time as the Moone is decreasing, and the season drie and faire. And sometimes, euerie eight yeare, you must moisten the root of the Oliue trees, that are lustie and well liking, with the lees or grounds of Oliues, to keepe them from wormes and other vermine, which are oftentimes noysome vnto this Plant. You must also defend them from [Page] Cattell, especially from the browsing of Goats, which would make them altogether barren. You must not plant anie other Plants neere vnto the Oliue tree, except the Figge-tree, or the Vine, whose companie and neighbourhood it reioyceth greatly in, and hateth especially the Oake, yea, euen to be planted in the place where the Oake was standing, and is pulled vp, for there it dieth presently. The Oliue tree may be grafted in the bud with that kind of grafting called the Scutcheon, and that of the thickest and strongest grafts that may be pickt out of the Oliue tree, as we will further shew hereafter: but it were but a lost labour to sow it of his stones and kernels.

The Oliue tree is lesse subiect vnto vermine than anie other,A maruellous thing about the Oliue tree. because of his strong [...]auour, insomuch, that it is as good as a shield vnto all other hearbes that are about it: as also by his bitternesse it killeth Coleworts, Lettuces, and other moist hearbes which are sowne in the same ground with it. Some hold (which is a maruelous thing) that the Oliue tree groweth more fruitfull and aboundant in encrease, if it be planted and looked vnto by such as are virgins,Virginitie. [...]. and haue not vnlawfully abused their bodies, and other mens beds, or otherwise: and that therefore in some Countries the pla [...]ing of it is committed vnto such youths as are certainely knowne to be chast, as also [...] ordering and gouerning of them, and that there they grow faire, and bring [...] much fruit.

You must gather them with your hand, when you are got vp into the tree by a ladder:The gathering of Oliues. you must not hurt the branches, for that might make the Oliue tree barren: it must be done in Nouember, when they begin to change their colour, and are verie blacke: this time must be faire, and not rainie: yea, and if it haue rained sometime before your gathering, you must see that it be dried vp againe verie throughly. Som [...] gather their Oliues after another fashion: They beat them downe with long slender Poles, or Pearches of Reed, not of Wood, and are carefull not to strike against them for feare of beating downe some of the branches, together with the fruit: but such manner of gathering Oliues is not good, because the Oliues beaten downe, or strucken, doe wither incontinently, and doe not yeeld so much oyle: put also vnto this discommoditie, that other; which is, that the tree is bruised, and manie of his branches broken, which is a great hinderance in the yeares following.

Furthermore, Oliues are gathered for two ends, either to make Oyles,Oliues serue to make Oyle of, and to serue as Table. or to sent as dishes at Banquets, to the end that they may prouoke appetite: notwithstanding, wee must not thinke that all sorts of Oliues indifferently doe serue for these [...] vses; for the greatest, for the most part, are better for Banquets, and the lesse to [...] Oyle out of. But those which are intended to be reserued for Banquets, must be carefully preserued with salt Brine, or salt Vineger, or Oyle, or the grounds of Oyle, or with Cure, or the drosse of Grapes, or Honey, or Veriuice, in manner as followeth.

They must be gathered with the hand, hauing got vp into the tree with a ladder,The gathering of Oliues to serue in Banquets. in faire weather, when they begin to be black, and are not as yet throughly ripe: than afterward to spread them vpon a hurdle of Oziers, and there picke and cull the [...] out at your pleasure, putting aside all such as are spotted, corrupted, or verie small, and reseruing onely those which are grosse and great, fashioned like an egge, full, fast, hauing a long and slender stone, a close pulpe, or flesh, and in good quantitie. This done, they must be clouen in foure places, or without anie such cleauing, be put whole into an earthen pot, and salt Brine or Veriuice powred vpon them, or else Honey with Vineger and Salt, or Oyle, with Salt beaten small, or else with Wine new from the Presse, or such other liquor as hath beene alreadie spoken [...]. Some put in the bottome of the earthen pot, vnder the Oliues, or into their [...], the leaues or ribbes of Penyryall, Min [...]s, Annise, Masticke tree, Oyle tree, [...], Rue, Parsley, Fennell, and Bay tree leaues, and the seeds of Fennell, [...] ▪ and Rue. Finally, you must keepe the vessell well stopped, and put it in some C [...]llar to keepe: but he that would keepe Oliues a long time, must change his [...] euer [...]e quarter of a yeare.

[Page] As concerning Oliues to make Oyle of,The gathering of Oliues to make Oyle of. they must be gathered when they are somewhat more ripe than those which are to be preserued, and when as there are manie of them become alreadie blacke, but yet not so manie as are white: in other respects they must be gathered in such manner as wee haue said that the others should be gathered, that is to say, with the hand, and when it is faire weather, except it be those Oliues which by tempests and winds haue beene blowne to the earth, and such as must needs be gathered, as well because of wild, as [...]ame and house beasts. There must no moe be gathered at one time, than may be made into Oyle that night and the day following: for all the fruit that is gathered in a day, must presently be put vpon the Milles, and so into the Presses. But before that they be put into the Presse, they must first be spread vpon hurdles, and picked and culled: as likewise, that their [...] and waterish liquor may runne out a little, and spend it selfe; for it is a great enemie vnto the Oyle: insomuch, as that if it remaine, abide, and stand with the Oyle, it spoyleth the tast and sauour of it. And therefore in this respect, when sometimes the quantitie of Oliues is so great, as that there want Presses and workmen to dispatch them, you must haue a high and well-raysed floore, where you must prouide partitions to keepe asunder euerie daies gatherings: and these partitions, in the bot [...]me, must be paued with Stone, or with Tyles, or Squares made somewhat sloping, that so the moistnesse of the Oliues may conuey it selfe along the channels which shall be there prouided. And thus much concerning the preparing of Oliues to make Oyle of: it remaineth now to speake of the making of Oyle; but wee will reserue that for the end of the third Booke, where we will make a large discourse of the making of Oyles.

Finally, there is a verie astringent and binding facultie in the Oliue tree: for the decoction of the leaues in a Clyster doth stay the flux of the bellie:Flux of the bellie. the iuice pressed from the leaues, with white Wine and Raine water, doth stay all manner of fluxes of bloud: the liquor which droppeth from the greene wood of the Oliue tree when it is burning, doth heale the Itch,Flux of [...] Itch. Ringwormes, and Scabs. [...]. Oliues yet greene and vn [...]ipe, doe stirre vp and prouoke an appetite, being eaten, and cause a good stomacke, but they make the bodie costiue, and are hard of digestion. Ripe Oliues doe ouerturne the stomacke, and make boylings therein: they cause also headach, and hurt the eyes. As concerning the vertues of Oyle, wee will speake of them in his place. See more of the Oliue-tree in the third Booke.

Pistates [...]. require as great toyle and diligence about them as the Oliue-tree, and would be sowne about the first day of Aprill, as well the male as the female, both [...]oyntly together, or at the least one verie neere vnto the other, the male hauing the backe turned to the West: for being thus ioyned, or neere neighbours one vnto the other, they beare better and greater store of fruit, especially if they be sowne in a fa [...] ground, and well ayred: and there you may graft them at the same time vpon themselues, or vpon the Turpentine tree, notwithstanding that some doe graft them on the Almond tree. They may in like manner be set of Plants; and the manner of planting them is thus: You must make Pits sufficient deepe in some place where the Sunne shi [...]eth verie hot, and chuse new shoots of the tree which are in verie good liking, and [...]hese bound together, put into the Pits the second day of the moneth of Aprill, afterward bind them together from the earth vp to the boughes, and couer the roots with good dung, watering them continually for the space of eight daies. And after the [...]odie of the Tree is three yeares old, you must lay open the Pit neere vnto the root [...], [...]nd set the bodie somewhat deeper in, and then couer it againe with good dung, to the end, that when the Tree shall be growne great, it may not be ouer-blowne with [...]eat winds.

This Tree was rare and hard to be come by in this Countrey, before the most reue [...]end Lords, Cardinall du Bellay, and Reue du Bellay, Bishop of Mants, brethren, and [...] worthie of eternall memorie for their incomparable knowledge, alone, and [...] all other Frenchmen, had brought into this Countrey the knowledge, not onely of [...] which were altogether vnknowne vnto vs, but also the ordering and figure [...] [Page] of strange Hearbes and Trees, the fruits whereof we are greatly in loue withall, and doe highly commend; notwithstanding, that as yet we doe scarce know themselue [...] ▪ But surely herein this whole Nation is bound to acknowledge an euerlasting [...] vnto them for the same.

The fruit of Pistates (as A [...]icenne saith verie well, not sticking at the scruple and doubt which Galen casteth in the way) doe comfort the stomack, and nourish [...] and this is the cause why they are prescribed them which are leane and worne away with sicknesse, and which desire to be strong and mightie in performing the act of Venerie.

Citron-trees,Citron-trees. Orange-trees,Orange-trees. Limon-trees,Limon-trees. and Citron-trees of Assyria,Citron-trees of Assyria. require [...] like manner of ordering, by reason of their like nature, whereunto, in respect of [...] great tendernesse and incredible daintinesse, it is needfull to giue great heed▪ [...] otherwise there is no hope of reaping any profit or pleasure of them. And for as [...] as they are best dealt withall, and found to prosper most, when they are gotten [...] growne great from some other place (it being so difficult a thing, and exceeding toyle, to make them breake the earth, and grow vpon the seeds in this Countrey) I will make a briefe discourse concerning whatsoeuer is requisite for the [...], planting, remouing, and gouerning of them in our Countrey and Grounds. And therefore to speake (in the first place) of the manner of transporting of them,The manner of transporting Citron-trees, &c. [...] must thinke, that these Trees get no good by changing their place, but that they would doe a great deale better in their naturall and natiue soyle and ground, when they were first planted, sowne, or grafted, than to be remoued else whither. Notwithstanding, if it please the Lord of the Farme to procure them from [...] must doe it in the Spring time rather than in Autumne: because euen as in [...] the wood thereof groweth hard and solide, being ripe, and for that the [...]appe [...] to comfort it with his warme moisture, by reason of his approaching cold; so i [...] the Spring time, on the contrarie, they begin to bud by and by after that they are [...] and planted, and bring forth leaues, yea and flowers, if the Plants be great and strong ynough.

The way to transport them,Taken [...] of the remembrances of Monsieur Nicot, sert from Portugall vnto [...] mother, and to the C [...]rdinall of Lorraine. is in such sort to [...]it the rootes with [...]lothes or [...] that you may bind therein vnto them so much of the earth, from which they [...], as may defend them from being hurt either by the Wind or Sunne: and hauing thus done, to fit them further with Barrels, or Sere-clothes, the better to keepe [...] from all the iniuries of the ayre, as also from the raine, and to cause them to be [...] ueyed vpon Horses, Carts, or Waggons: so soone, euen the same night that they shall come to the place where you would set them, you must well aduise and [...] they be altered (which will be knowne by the change of the leaues and barke) [...] then to prouide for that accordingly: for in such case you must take away the earth, and temper it soft anew, water them, cut them, and take away the blasted or [...], vntill such time as the pits where you intend to set them, be seasoned in such sort [...] manner as shall be said hereafter.

You shall in the day time view well your ground,Ground fit for these Trees. and see that it be a good substantiall blacke, open, tender, sweet, light, fat, and cleane earth, without anie [...] stone whatsoeuer, neere vnto the Sea coast, if it be possible, where moisture [...]: and furthermore, that it be easie to be stirred, to the end it may drinks in [...] water in aboundance where you meane to set these Trees. For these Trees [...] much watering, if the water should stand aboue the earth, and not sinke [...], the roots would become sicke, discoloured, and by little and little would looke the [...] colour of pale, blacke, or blew. If the earth be not easie to be stirred, you [...] couer it with Horse dung verie well rotted, or else with Oxe or Sheepes dung, [...] by this meanes it will become easie to be pierced or stirred. The place where [...] are to be planted, must be open vpon the Sunne, a high place, and sheltred [...] the quarters from whence fro [...]tie winds doe blow, but principally the [...] wind, which is alwaies most contrarie vnto those Plants. It must be also open vpon the South (because contrarie to the nature of all Trees they feed vpon this [...], [Page] and starue through that of the North) and a little vpon the West, in such sort, as that they may be guarded on the back part, and both sides, but specially the Citron-tree, which is the most tender of all the other. For which considerations, it will not be amisse to set them neere vnto some wall; of a conuenient height, to the end they may haue a rampart against the Northerne parts: and for the more certainetie, to make them a hood and flankers of Bay trees, for the encrease both of the beautifulnesse, as also of the profit of the same: for some hold, that the companie of the Bay tree doth keepe the Orange tree from frost. These Bay trees shall be planted in double chesse, that so the thinnest places of the first may be amended by the thickest places of the second: but and if you haue not Bay trees to doe it withall, then you may take Cypresse trees. And here you must learne, that Orange-trees loue not the companie of anie other tree but of the fore-named, and of the Myrtle-tree. The best of all, and most assured for profit, were to plant the said Orange-trees, Citron-trees, and other such like Trees, in halfe Barrels or Vessels, of earth made for the purpose (they being the chiefe pleasures of Princes and great Lords) or else in Cases, that are wide below, and narrow aboue, builded of clouen boords, verie well ioyned and fitted together, in such sort, as that no shoots may grow through them: for the earth, by reason of the oft watering of it, doth not cease continually to cause them to put forth and breake out one way or other. But that such watering may be conueyed in best sort for their growth, it must be prouided and brought by some low conduit and passage, and the surplusage carried away by some such cocke as is vsed in Lee tubs: and such, or the like Vessels, must be made to carrie into anie place whatsoeuer a man will: for seeing that these Plants doe die, if they be touched neuer so little with frost, as being most tender and daintie of their naturall inclination, it must be looked vnto in Winter, after that they are well couered and compassed about with straw, or the stalkes of Gourds (for by a naturall contrarietie they are giuen to let and hinder the frost from hurting them) that they be conueyed vpon small Wheele-barrowes into vaulted Caues, and when Summer is come, to returne and bring them backe againe into the full and open Sunne, to be nourished and refreshed by the heat thereof. Then hauing found out such a place in the Garden (as wee haue spoken of) there shall PitsHoles, or Pits. be cast with distances betwixt: and whereas the Orange-tree doth shoot out his roots deepe into the earth, you must cast the said Pits a good fadome deepe, and a fadome and a halfe in compasse, which shall be well broken and made soft, that so the root may rest and spread it selfe at pleasure: which Pits shall grow narrower by little and little towards their top, and where they are to embrace and close in the foot of the tree. These Pits, to doe well, should be kept open a yeare, or thereabout, if it were possible, for the well seasoning of them, which by manie Sunne-shines, and manie Raines, would be effected: but there may more speed be made with them, either by couering the places of the said Pits with well rotted dung and new ashes, which neuer were wet, and watering it with a little water, if the time and season be not rainie, or by filling vp the said Pits with Wheat straw, or with small Vine branches, burning it all, and afterward watering the ashes which shall remaine, if the season be drie, and without raine: for within eight or tenne daies after this preparing of it, the said Pits will be well seasoned. About the end of the same time, you must againe breake and soften the earth of the seat of the said Trees, and the sides thereof, and lay into them a finger thicknesse of dung, and againe, vpon this dung, the like thicknesse of good mould, and then vpon it to set the Tree, in the verie same aspect of the Sunne, if it be possible, that it stood in before the taking vp; that is to say, that euerie part of the tree stand vpon the same quarters of the Heauens that it did before: for otherwise it would not serue, if the [...]ide beholding the North before, should now behold and stand vpon the East or West. And this obseruation is of great moment: for as much as they which faile in this, doe oftentimes see their Trees dead, or else (notwithstanding whatsoeuer other meanes vsed) bringing foorth verie late and vntimely fruit, with like vntimely growth and blossoming, which they would not haue fallen into, if they had beene see [Page] againe after the manner they stood, before they put forth [...] budde [...] of the earth. And this di [...]aduantage likewise happeneth vnto them, which [...] planted their Trees in Pots or Cases, vse to carrie them into houses and vnder [...] in the Winter time, and out againe at the Spring, vvithout an [...]e ragard [...]ed in them after the same si [...]uation and state of standing wherein they stood the [...] before.

Thus the Tree being seated vpon the ground in the like aspect of the [...] it was, you must dresse it about the foot with a leuelled bed of good earth, or the thicknesse of halfe a foot, and trample it downe: and againe, vpon this, [...] bed of the same thicknesse of good made earth, and for want thereof, with [...] newly mixt with good dung, and to tread and trample it downe, and thus by [...] of the one and the other to continue till the Pit be filled vp euen with the [...] swarth, and then to water it. All these said and seuerall workes shall be ended before the full of the Moone, and the better, if it be in the encrease of the day, that [...] about nine or [...]enne a clocke in the morning: For some hold, that if these things [...] done in the full Moone, that then there would grow Wormes and Ants [...] bodie and barke of the Orange tree. Being thus planted, you shall order and gouerne them both in Summer and Winter in manner as followeth: In Summer [...] shall be watered euerie three daies, morning and euening, and ofter too, if the [...] of the heat doe require it: For the Orange tree, aboue all things, doth [...] water, and standeth in need of two buckets of water at the least vnto euerie [...] tree root; and therefore the Gardiners are happie in this case, which in their [...], or not farre off, haue water at commandement, because commonly they [...] both more fruit, and that also more beautifull and faire, and better seasoned. Such [...] water them, must beware of touching the stocks or trunkes of the tree, or else the [...] therewith, but rather that they cast it a pretie way off, and that round about, that so it may sucke in and sinke downe equally vnto and vpon the rootes: And to this [...] you shall make a little furrow, digged some three fingers deepe round abou [...], and into this you shall poure your water, and when it is sunke, you shall fill vp the [...] againe. In Winter the care and labour is the greater, in keeping them from being tainted of the Frost: and therefore, so soone as the Frost shall begin, you shall [...] them in good time, about the first of October, with good store of boughes, held vp with props, or else to make for euerie one of them a lodging of Mass, with a [...] in it open vnto the South. Some vse to couer them with Corke, and it is a [...] good couering for them. Some, as hath beene said before, remoue them into [...] vnder the earth, carried thither vpon little Wheele-barrowes, and fitted of [...] or Cases, But which of these cour [...]es soeuer it shall be that you shall take, you must alwaies see, that their tops and outsides be at libertie, and not pinched of due [...] by that which couereth them, and that this coueret be not taken away till [...] be past. It is true, that before you couer them, or set them in vaulted caues, you must see, that they be not wet anie manner of way: for if the cold should seize vpon them in that pickle, both the tree and the fruit would be easily spoyled by the [...] that, this wetnesse would cause the flowers and fruits to corrupt and rot when they were vnder their couert: but good and wise Gardiners, before they co [...]er these [...] doe take from the Citron trees (being the least able to endure cold of all the rest) [...] the flowers, buds, and tender boughes of the same. You must beware that it [...] not into their lodging or place of couert, especially vpon the thaw of Snow, [...] Snow water is more hurtfull vnto them than anie other. Likewise, if anie [...] of Snow or Sleet come thwart their lodging, or that anie trade wind doe bring it [...] them, you must shake it off from their branches, and take it from the foot of [...], for it would scorch them. And therefore, to meet with these inconueniences, if [...] be anie cleft or hole in the couering, you must make it vp close, and stop it well [...] dung, or vvispes, so as they may be taken out when it is a faire and cleere weather, [...] that the Sunne shall cast forth his beames, that so it may shine vpon the [...] dispell the ill, corrupt, and infected ayre, and take away and drie vp the [...] [Page] moisture rising of the continued shadow: and then againe, when the Sunne goeth downe, and falleth off, you must stop them vp againe, that so the cold may not take hold vpon them. It will not likewise be amisse to make a fire there, during the extreame cold times, of good drie Wood, or Coale, because the heat thereof would be great, and continue well, without working anie annoyance vnto the plants, either by his flame or smoake: and this to be most chiefely performed in the behalfe of the Citron-trees, which are most subiect vnto the cold of all other, the cause being, for that they haue in them greatest store of iuice and substance; as on the contrarie, they are least subject to cold which haue least iuice and substance in them. Againe, you may not be too hastie in vncouering of them, vpon some shew and promise of gentle, meeke, and faire weather, because the cold oftentimes faining it selfe to be gone, returneth againe in more vehement manner than before, threatning the killing of them, onely it will be the best and safest to open some boord or window of their lodging, that so the tree [...] may enioy the present heat of the Sunne for certaine houres. In the time of the couering of these new translated trees, you must not forget to renew them at the foot a cubit height with good earth, enriched with good rotten dung, and that to lye round about the said foot the breadth of a good fadome: and this will serue and stand in stead, in case that by extremitie of cold the bodie of the tree should be frozen, to refresh and repaire it againe from below, where the frost shall not haue pierced it; notwithstanding, if in such extraordinarie cold seasons you couer and lay ouer their former couering with other dung well rotted, you shall preserue the said Orange trees. Their grafts (whereof wee are to speake hereafter) are a great deale more tender and more easie to be broken by the cold and frost, and therefore they must be couered at the foot, and layd high with earth, and as it were cloaked or hooded, and double couered and cloathed, as hath beene said, and that a great deale higher, that so it may not be pinched in the place of the setting in of the graft. But and if the cleft, or other receit made for the setting in of the graft, be so high, that the said prouision and defence cannot conueniently be applyed vnto it, you must then couer such chase with thicke new cloth, being well woolled, or else with straw, and to tye the one or the other fast to, by wreathing it about with one of the breadths of a Mat, and stay it vp with a prop, if need be. In hot Countries, as Spaine and Portugall, it is held as an approoued opinion, That by how much the more Orange trees are watered in Winter, so much the lesse subiect are they to frost; because their water is either out of the Well, or fresh drawne from some Fountaine, or of water broken out of the earth, and made warme with the Sunne, or with the fire, and for that it is drunke vp all into the earth: but I feare me, that it would not fall out for well done, if so be that in this cold Countrey one should take that course: notwithstanding, if you will vse the same order, you shall doe it either by the helpe of the foresaid Sunne beames, or by a pipe of Lead, laid good and deepe in the earth, a farre off from the root of the tree, powring of the said water into it, that so it may descend and reach vnto the roots: but so soone as you haue thus powred in your water, you must stop verie well and couer the said pipe with earth and dung, that so the cold ayre may not runne along it vnto the roots, for so they would be frozen. They must be vnder-digged and cast at the foot from moneth to moneth, if the season will suffer it, and the earth made light and soft, mingling it with dung, and watering it as hath beene said. And for the better preseruing of the branches of these plants, and keeping of them in their strength and force, they must be cut euerie yeare, more or lesse, according as the good and expert Gardiner shall iudge it necessarie, in as much as these trees, being both daintie and precious, doe require a verie carefull regard to be vsed in this cutting. It must not furthermore be forgotten to take from them continually all manner of superfluitie, filth, and grasse, growing at their foot, or elsewhere; and likewise thornes or pricks, and that with the hands, or some other cutting yron: And if anie branch, through [...]rost, or otherwise, grow drie, pale, or blacke, you must cut off the dead part at the Spring in the decrease of the Moone, in faire weather, and calme and temperate, and vpon the putting of it forth againe, and this must be [Page] done with a Garden Sickle or Knife well sharpened, and the cut must be well [...] together, and couered ouer, that so it may put forth branches againe. You must also bow the boughs as shall be necessarie, and to raise some higher, and pull some lower, as occasion shall require: cut the ends and sprou [...]s which put forth at the toppes of the tree: take away those that grow too high, to the end they may be proport [...] in an equall measure of growth: for these trees, especially the Citron tree, growing in anie great height, and hauing anie great store of boughes, doe neither bring [...] so much nor so good fruits, as when they are otherwise fitted and freed from their vn [...]necessarie boughes: and further, if need require, to se [...] some store of p [...]les to hold vp the boughs. If notwithstanding all the paine and preseruation spoken of before, they fall now and then into mislikings and diseases, then you must burie at their [...] some Sheepes hornes: for some are of opinion, that by these they are maintained is [...]ound estate and good plight.

And thus much as concerning the ordering of these Trees,The [...]itting of Citron and Orange trees of Plants. when they be brought out of other Countries: but as for those which wee procure to grow and spring out of the earth here in this Countrey, wee must know, that they grow either of [...], boughes, grafts, or [...]eeds. But to speake of these particularly, the Orange tree groweth not, but verie hardly, either vpon shoots or grafts: for hauing a verie hard [...], it hardly taketh root. It is true, that some vse to prepare a Plant of it in such manner: They picke and prune from an Orange tree bough his sprigges and [...], plant it the small end downeward, wrapt in a Linnen cloth, hauing within it [...] dung that is verie new: and of such plants haue beene seene to grow Orange trees, growing indeed lower than the other, but hauing a well spread and large [...] yet it is better to sow it,To sow Orange trees. so that it be in a good soyle, notwithstanding it be long before it bring forth fruit: but he that will helpe that, and cause it to hasten to bearing, must graft it. The manner of sowing all these sorts of trees, is, first to prepare and manure the ground verie well with Horse dung about the moneth of May, or else with Oxe or Sheepes dung, and to mixe therewith some Wood ashes, or which were better, some Cucumber ashes: then making pits in the said ground, of the breadth of halfe a foot, to put three seeds together, and the sharpe end vpward, and the higher part of the seed toward the earth: after this, they must be oft watered with [...] water, or with Sheepes milke, for so they will grow better and sooner. And yet [...] not, before you sow them, to lay them in steepe in Cowes milke that is warme: and if you desire to haue them sweet fruit, put to the liquor wherein you steepe them, [...] Sugar cand [...]e.

You shall plant their shoots after the same manner, in a well husbanded and [...] ground, as also their boughes and grafts, about mid May, setting the great ends vpward, and filling the pits with ashes made of Cucumbers. These bring forth [...], and the middle part of the apple will be sweet, if the bodie of the tree be pierced with a Piercer in the moneth of Februarie, and that there be made therein an oblique and sloping hole, which must not goe through, and from out of this the sappe is let distill, vntill such time as the apples come to be formed, and then you must stop vp the said hole with Potters clay or mortar: or else giue a slit in the thickest branch of the tree, and in the place where you haue giuen the slit, make a hollownesse of the depth of a good foot, which you shall fill with honey, and stop vp with mortar, [...] feare of raine and of the heat of the Sunne: when as the tree hath drunke in all the [...]on [...]y, you shall put in more, and water the root with vrine: in the end, you shall [...] off all the little shoots which shall put forth of the tree, letting those alone which shall grow vpon the slit branch.

At the same time Orange trees may be grafted chiefely vpon the Pom [...]- [...] [...]tree,To graft Orange grafts. for vpon this they thriue maruellously (especially the Orange tree) both in goodnesse, greatnesse, beautie, and thicknesse of such fruits as they bring forth, in respect and comparison of those which they bring forth when they are grafted one [...] another: that is to say, the Orange vpon the Citron, or the Citron vpon the Orange tree. They may be grafted likewise vpon themselues, as the Citron-tree vpon [Page] the Citron tree, and sometimes vpon the Pomegranate, Peare, Apple, and M [...]lberrie tree, but seldome betwixt the barke and the wood, but vpon the head of the trunke or bodie of the tree, cut off neere vnto the root. In the grafting of them, you must make choice of the fairest grafts which may be found, as [...]o graft a good Citron tree vpon a better. The Limon grafted vpon the Citron, doth beare fairet fruit than the Citron grafted vpon the Limon, because the Citron tree is a great deale more [...]appie and full of iuice for to make nourishmen [...] of than the Limon tree, Citrons and Li [...]ons, grafted vpon an Orange tree, doe beare more fruit than vpon their owne [...]umpe and bodie, and are not so subiect vnto the cold, because they enioy and par [...]cipate so largely of the Orange tree his properties and qualities which consisting of a hard wood, without sappe, doth resist the cold a great deale the more. [...] way to graft them, is by cleauing the stocke, and then it must be done in Aprill, or in March: or by way of crowning; and that must be done in May: or by cutting a [...]ound hole in the barke of the tree, and this must be done in Iuly. When they be grafted into the barke of the tree, you must cut away whatsoeuer is superfluous, or more than needeth, of buds or sprouts which are not grafted, and withall, take away all the shoots which grow thereupon afterward. When they are planted, you shall [...]ot suffer anie weeds to grow there about them,Gourds a friend vnto the Citron. except it be the Gourd, whereof they are refreshed, if it grow neere vnto them, as being much succoured by them, and protected from the cold; as also for that the ashes thereof sowne and cast about [...]he roots of Citrons, doe make them more faire and fruitfull: And se [...]ing that the Citron tree is verie fruitfull, and bear [...]th a heauie fruit, after such time as it hath brought forth his fruit, you must gather the greater part, and leaue but a few remaining, and so the remainder will proue verie faire ones, and a great deale the better.

The Orange tree will neuer freese nor die with a cold wind, nor yet with the frost, if it be grafted vpon Holly, being an approued thing: but then indeed the fruit will not be so naturall as that of the others.

Citrons,To keepe Citrons &c. long. Oranges, Limons, and Syrian Citrons, must be gathered in the night, with their leaues, in the change of the Moone, not before they be ripe, but when the Orange is of a golden colour all ouer, if you purpose to keepe them long: and you must not tarrie till they be become pale before you gather them. You may keepe them fresh and vncorrupt all the yeare, if you hide them in heapes of Barly, or Millet: or else if you annoint them ouer with plaister well temp [...]red: or if you close them vp in vessels euerie one by it selfe. You must not in anie case lay Citrons neere vnto hot bread, for it would make them not.

To haue Oranges of a mixt nature,Oranges of a mixt nature. and as it were halfe Oranges, halfe Citrons, you must about the beginning of March cut a sience or branch of the Citron tree, whiles it is yet young, of the thicknesse of three fingers, and plant the same in a conuenient time, giuing it all his orders and best helpes of husbanding: at the end of two yeares, or thereabout, when it is well taken, and betwixt March and Aprill, you shall sow it of a finger within the earth, and closing the cut fast, you shall graft, by way of cleft, a graft of a young Orange tree thereupon, as of some two yeares old, proportionable and sutable vnto the Citron tree in thicknesses afterward you shall rub and annoint the said cut, and cha [...]e or cleft for the receit of the graft, with the root of the hearbe called Aron, and you shall couer it well with a good cappe, after the manner of other grafts, putting therewithall vnto the foot thereof well rotted dung, or the ashes of Gourds: after that, you shall lay it about with good earth, a reasonable height, and vnderprop it, till such time as it shall grow great and strong: but know, that the graft must be taken of the side of the Orange tree which standeth towards the East, and it must be done in the encrease of the Moone and day, for so it will prosper more effectually.

The CitronCitrons. will be red and sweet, if it be grafted vpon a Mulberrie tree,Citrons of [...]. and will grow in such forme & after such manner as a man will haue it, if before it be growne to his bignesse, any way it be closed vp in a frame or mould, cut after the shape you would [Page] haue it [...] may grow [...] quantitie therein. By the [...] it be put into a vessell of earth, or glasse, [...] it be fully growne, it will [...] fashion of the vessell, and become as great as the vessell: but, in the [...] is haue ayre, you must make some small holes in the vessell.

The fruits of these Trees are alike differing,The difference betwixt Orange, Citron, and Limon trees. both in colour, disposition, [...] for Oranges haue a more yellow and golden rind, a sowre or [...] sowre and sweet together, being round as an Apple, and fitter for the Kitchin [...] for Medicine. The Limon hath a longer shape, a paler rind, a sowre-tast, and is good for the Kitchin, and in Physicke, to coole, cut, and penetrate. The Citron is long, [...] the fashion of an egge, the rind thicke, yellow without, sowre, good for [...] and preseruatiue medicines. Syrian Citrons are twice so great as [...] fashioned like Cucumbers, and the rind an [...] thicke.

The leaues of the Citron tree doe cause a good smell amongst clothes,The leaues of the Citron tree. The iuice, seed, and [...] of Citron trees. and [...] them from the fre [...]ting of Moathes. The rind, iuice, and seed of Citrons, are all of them verie soueraigne against all manner of Poyson, and danger of the Plagues [...] also that of the Limon. And for this cause there may a whole Citron and [...] boyled in Rose water and Sugar, vntill such time as all be consumed away to [...] iuice, and after to vse euerie morning, to the quantitie of one or two [...] this decoction, in the time of the Plague. The rind and iuice of Citrons doe procure a sweet breath: the rind preserued heat [...]th the stomacke, and helpeth dig [...] ▪ The iuice pressed from the rind of an Orange, is quickly set on fire:A sweet breath. it [...] by his great subtlenesse, through the glasse, euen into the Wine that is [...] therein. The iuice of Limons killeth S [...]abs, Itch, and Fre [...]kles, and taketh away the spots of Inke out of Cloth. The same distilled through a Limbeck, maketh [...] countenances smooth and beautifull, and taketh away all filthinesse from all the [...] of the bodie: being giuen to children to drinke, it killeth the Wormes which are in their bodies. If one bring the Limon neere vnto the fire, the thinne iuice that will come forth,Rednesse of the face. doth cleanse the faces of young girles, and taketh away red pimples i [...] the same, as also other manner of spots like vnto them. Likewise, the iuice of [...] distilled in a Limbeck, besides that it helpeth and polisheth the countenances of women, is furthermore good to take away,Warts. out of the face, and other parts of the bodie, all white Spots, Warts, and other such like things. The iuice of a Limon is of such vertue,To soften pearls. that if you straine it twice or thrice, and then wash in it whole Pearles, and afterward s [...]eepe them in it, and after lay them in the Sunne, within fiue or six daies they will become so soft as honey, so that you may make anie shape with them that you will. Furthermore, the iuice of Limons is so corrasiue, as that if you steepe in it a piece of Gold some certaine houres,To diminish Gold. you shall find it diminished, and become light: and as much will fall out, if you sticke a piece of Gold in a Limon. See more of [...] matter in the third Booke.

The flowers of Oranges are preserued with Honey or Sugar, and those are verie cordiall: therewith likewise is made a very precious water, of rare and singular sweetnesse, which is called the water of Nafe.The water of Nafe.

Pomegranate trees craue a hot or temperate ayre, for they cannot beare fruit [...] cold Countrey: and albeit their fruit be of one of these three tasts, as sweet, sowre, [...] both sweet and sowre, notwithstanding, all manner of Pomegranates doe craue [...] and the same ayre, ground, and manner of ordering. They maintaine themselues [...] good state in all manner of ground, whether it be far, or strong, or grauellie, or [...], or sandie, foreseene that the sand be somewhat grosse and moist. They refuse not [...] situation of anie ground, be it hill, valley, or plaine: yea, they refuse not to grow well in stonie, drie, and rough grounds, for a little nourishment doth content them: And for these causes they need not to be so carefully husbanded as the former; and [...] rather, because they will grow if they be but prickt downe, and doe well beare either to be planted or grafted. Further, if you will take the paines to picke and [...] them whiles they are young, and in due time, the fruit will be a great deale the bigger, and of a better fashion: but it must be looked so, that they be planted vpon [...] [Page] South Sunne, but neuer vpon the East, nor yet vpon the West, for this quarter doth most hurt them, as well as the Vine. Note notwithstanding, that the young branches which you shall cut off from them must be taken when the tree hath put forth his buds, and not before (which is contrarie to the branches of other trees) as also that the si [...]nces, with barke and all, be of the thicknesse of the helue of a knife. And before that you plant them, you must make sure and close both ends of them, and annoint them with Swines dung, which is more familiar vnto them than anie other, and then lay them ouerthwart or crosse in the earth. they delight in a ground that is no [...] leane, nor moist, but indifferent fat: and they grow the more easily and faire, if there be planted and set by them the Sea Onion, or especially some Mulberrie tree. The time to plant them, is from after March vntill May: betwixt the same times it is good to graft them vpon themselues, but to better successe vpon the Myrtle tree, wherein they delight greatly. The Citron tree, the Willow, and the Mulberrie tree are not so good, howsoeuer that sometimes they may be grafted vpon them.

The manner of grafting them, is to put into the bodie of the tree the graft of the Pomegranate tree,To graft Pomegranat [...]. so soone as euer it shall be cut off from it, and after to poure vpon it some oyle, and to plaster and couer it with earth: and as concerning the graft, it must be taken from the Pomegranate tree after it hath budded, after the same manner that we haue said of the branches. Furthermore, the craue to be often watred when the Sunne is in Libra.

Pomegranate trees, by mightie raines,Pomegranate trees loosing their flowers. excessiue dewes, and great fogges, doe easily loose their flowers and fruits before it be ripe: but to preuent this mischiefe, they would be planted neere vnto some wall, and haue their boughes bowed downward, to the end they may not so easily take wet, which is so noysome vnto them. They endure clefts and chaps in their bodies, without anie danger: and therein they are like vnto the Figge-tree and Vine. If the Pomegranate tree bring forth sowre, or scarce sweet fruit, you must water the roots thereof with Swines dung and mans dung,Sweet Pomegranats. mixt with old vrine: or temper a little Beniamine with wine, and therewith to bath and wash the top of the tree, or to spread vpon the roots Asses dung, and after to couer them and water them with mans vrine.

The seeds of the Pomegranate will be white,White Pomegranate seeds. if the roots of the tree be compassed about with Potters and Fullers clay, and one fourth part of Pla [...]ster,A fruitfull Pomegranate tree. for the space of three yeares. The barren Pomegranate tree will become fruitfull, if the bodie thereof be often washed with ashes and lees. The Pomegranates will become red,Red Pomegranat [...]. if the roots of the Pomegranate trees be often watered with lee, or couered with the ashes of Acornes.

The Pomegranate will grow grosse and thicke,Thick Pomegranat [...]. if you put much Swines dung at the foot of the tree: againe, looke how much more of this dung you put there, by so much the more sweet will the great sowre ones become. Pomegranates will haue no seedes, if you take away the greater part of the sappe of the boughes of the tree,Pomegranat [...] without anie kernels. and lay them in the ground all shiuered, and after that they haue take, cut that part of the Plant which spreadeth furthest, and hath alreadie put forth his buds. Pomegranate trees will be fruitfull, if you stampe Pur [...]aine and Spurge together, and therewith annoint the bodie of the tree.

Pomegranates will not breake nor open vpon the tree,Open Pomegranats. if there be three stones put at the root of the t [...]ee when it is planted: but and if the tree be alreadie planted, then neere vnto the tree roots you must plant the Sea Onion. But indeed, all these helpes, and such other, doe but little preuaile: and therefore it were better to plant or graft them onely which will not bring forth a fruit that will breake when it commeth to ripenesse. The Pomegranate tree will not fall his flowers,Pomegra [...] flowers. it the roots be watred euerie yeare thrice with old vrine mixt with as much water.

Pomegranates will keepe and continue, if you dip them in faire warme water,The way to keepe Pomegranats. and take them out again by and by: or else if you put them apart in drie sand, or in a heape of corne in the shadow, so long as till they become wrinkled: but yet better, if when [Page] they be ripe, and yet hanging vpon the tree, you wrythe the small bough a little, [...] the start by which the Pomegrana [...]e hangeth: or else lay Pomegranates in [...] clay tempered with water, and after drie them in the Sunne. It is good likewise [...] lay them in dust, or scrapings, or sawings of the Poplar tree, the Holme tree, or the Oake, in a new earthen pot, and within it to set them in order, in manner of [...], and then afterward to couer the pot, and lute it verie well. But whatsoeuer way [...] take, the principall end must be to keepe Oranges in a cold and drie pla [...]e▪ and [...] they be gathered with their stalkes, as also with their little branches, if possibly it may be done without hurting the tree, for this helpeth much to keepe them long. They must likewise be gathered in the old of the Moone, so that they be then [...] verie drie, and not being wet from aboue: and then, after that, to keepe them [...] day [...] two in the Sunne, their flowers lying downeward: then, after that, to clo [...] them [...] in a pot verie well stopt, and well pitcht or [...]eared, that the ayre may not get in▪ [...] doe couer them and worke them ouer verie thicke with Potters earth, verie well beaten and tempered, and when it is drie, then they hang them in a cold place: and wh [...] they will eat them, they steepe them in water, and take away the earth. Others doe wrap euerie one of them alone by it selfe in hay or in straw within cases. The [...] of Pomegranate trees doe driue away ven [...]mous beasts: and this was the cause why men in auncient time were wont to put the boughs of Pomegranate trees both v [...]de [...] and aboue them in their beds.

The Plane treeThe Pla [...] tree. is more commended for the beautie of his leaues and shadow, than for his fruit: it groweth of shoots and siences drawne and taken from the tree, and planted in a verie moist ground, and such as is neere vnto some Fountaine or Riu [...] ▪ and yet besides this, it delighteth to be wa [...]red oftentimes with neat Wine, and sometimes with mens Vrine, to helpe it to shoot vp and grow high, and to put forth larg [...] and ample branches, and long leaues, for to make the better shade. In this Coun [...]ey we cannot see manie faire ones. I remember, that I haue seene one at Basil in [...] Peters place, betwixt the height of fifteene or sixteene cubits, vnder the shield and shadow whereof, the people betooke themselues, for their refreshment, during the time of great and scorching heat. Some make dishes of Plane tree wood, to [...] paine and wringings in the bellie, being applyed thereunto. You must beware of the dust which hangeth vpon the leaues: for being taken into the bodie, by drawing in of your breath, it hurteth the rough arterie and voice, and in like manner, the [...]ight and hearing, if it fall into the eyes or eares.

The Nettle tree is well ynough knowne in Languedoc and Prou [...]n [...]e,The Lot [...] or [...] tree. especially in a borough neere vnto Mompelier, called Bontonnet: it groweth in a fat ground, well man [...]red and toyled, open to the South or East Sunne. The wood is good to make Flutes, Cornets, and other Instruments of Musicke: it is good also to make handles for Kniues and Swords. The fruit is verie much desired at the Tables of great States, of his great sweetnesse, and most pleasant and delightsome smell which they find in it that doe eat or smell to it. Likewise, some doe presse a Wine out of this fruit, being stamped and beaten, which is verie sweet, and seemeth like vnto other new pressed sweet Wines, but it lesteth not aboue tenne or twelue daies.

The Masticke treeThe Masticke tree. delighteth in moist places, and is planted after the first day of Februarie: it beareth fruit thrice a yeare. The leaues, barke, and wood in decoctions haue power to restraine, strengthen, and comfort. And this is the cause why it is vsed to make Tooth-pickes thereof.

The Turpentine tree delighteth in a low and moist ground, and withall, in a [...] and warme ayre, open vpon the Sunne. The leaues, barke, and wood, haue the [...] vertue that the Masticke tree.

The Iuiube tree,The Iui [...]be tree. and others, as well foraine as growing in our owne [...] further to be seene and read of in the third Booke.

[Page]

CHAP. LV.
Of the two particular Gardens scituate or lying at the end of the Kitchin Garden, and of the Garden of Pleasure.

THe Kitchin Garden, and the other of Pleasure, being of the largenesse aboue declared, may haue referued out of them, two or three acres, for the profit of the Lord of the farme, as for Madder,Madder. Wo [...]d; Tasel, Line▪ and Hempe. And we may also adde vnto these, Saffron, albeit that all these things, euen as well as pulse, if it be a free and kind ground, doe well deserue [...] haue euerie one his seueral field by it selfe, and to be tilled and husbanded after the [...]anner of corne and pulse.

For Madder therefore, it is meet that there should be appointed out foure or fiue [...]eres of ground in a place by it selfe, which must not lye farre from the water, but in [...] free and not in a strong mould, and yet not too light: which hath had his three or foure arders with the plough, or (as indeed is best) digged and si [...]ted: notwithstanding that the sifting of it be a longer peece of worke, and of greater cost, it being v [...]ed to be cast and tilled with thicker raisings of the earth, and smaller clouds than is [...]ont to be in the casting or digging of a new vineyard.The difference betwixt the vine and the Madder. For this plant hath his proper and particular seasons to be dressed and planted in, as well as the vine: but in this they differ verie manifestly, that the one is an hearbe, and the other a shrubbe, and as it were a knot to many trees: the one dieth yearely (and there is nothing of it [...] request but roots for to make good colours of) but the other lasteth and conti [...]eth at the least twelue yeares in good liking and liuelihood: of which, the first sixe is for growth, and a little for bringing forth of fruit, and the later sixe, for whole, [...]mple, and intire profit, the daunger of haile, washing away of the grapes, when the [...]ines be flowre by much raine and frost; being excepted; vnto which in like ma [...]er Madder in subject, and oftentimes more than the vine, because of his tendernesse. This prehemencie it hath, that the vine being frozen, cannot be recouered, but Madder may be either set or [...]owne againe, as also Woad, the speciall husbandrie of such as dwell in Prouence, and the wealth and commoditie of Dyers of Cloth or Wooll, with what colour soeuer it be. It may be sowne or planted: but indeed being sowne it yeeldeth scarce at any time any great store of increase: but if you will sow it, then bestow the like quantitie of the seed thereof vpon an acre, as you are wont to doe of Hempe, and that in the moneth of March, vpon the tops of hills well battilled and [...]manured: thus the seed being cast into the ground, and the same well incorporated with harrows of rakes, there is no need of any other labour but keeping of it cleane from hurtfull weeds, vntill such time as the said Madder be readie to be gathered in September for to take the seed of it.

The choyce of the roots which you intend to set and plant, must be out of the countrie of high Prouence, being more Easterly and coole, and as for the sight and tast of them, they must be more yellow, thicke, and stringed, comming neere vnto the colour of the true Prouence Orange-tree, verie bitter in tast, and in seething (for the triall of it) more red and full of juice, that is to say, not so drie and withered. The time to plant, is from March be ended vnto mid-May, and as for the best and most profit to be expected from it, it is not to be attained or come by, till after the two first yeares after the first planting of it: and withall, you must make a sure defence about your ground against the comming in of cattell; for there can no greater hurt happen vnto it. In Italie they vse not to take vp the roots of Madder, till after they haue continued ten yeares in the ground, either set or sowne: but they cut the boughes of it euerie yeare to haue the seed, and after they couer the roots one after another, laying two fingers depth of earth vpon euerie one, the measure b [...]ing [...]ken from his [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] chiefe and principall, to the end the frost may not hurt them, and that so the roots may grow the thicker: after the eight or tenth yeare, they pull vp the roots, drying them in the Sunne, and afterward when they would grind or presse them, they doe further drie them in a great Ouen made for the purpose, and so presse them vnder a Mill-stone, and this is called the fine Madder. Thus they haue found by exp [...] ence, that looke how much the longer they delay the gathering of the root, so much the more Madder haue they euerie yeare, and that fine, which is more than if they should take vp the roots euerie yeare. You may both sow it and plant it in the sam [...] place, where you haue taken it vp, or which is better, sow that place for the nex [...] two or three yeares following with wheat, because it will beare verie faire and great store thereof: in as much as the field wherein Madder hath beene sowne, is [...]ade much fairer and better thereby, as whereof it may be said this ground hath rested it selfe, seeing the root hath done nothing but brought forth boughs, for seed, and that the leaues falling from them, doe as much feed the ground as the ground doth the roots and boughes.

But Autumne being come, and when you see that the hearbe beginneth to look [...] yellow, and to loose his naturall colour, you shall draw it out or pull it vp with the spade or pickaxe, and shall strip the roots from their leaues, which you shall cast vpon small heapes to drie, for the space of three or foure daies, if the weather be such as it should, or else sixe or eight daies in a rainie and moist weather: then you shal cau [...] them to be taken vp, dusted, and scraped, that so they may haue none of their hai [...]ie strings at them: and when they are thus made cleane, you shall keepe them whole, or ground into powder either grosse and great, or more fine and small, either for your owne vse or for the sale.

Madder is in this one thing much to be maruelled at,To colour the [...]. in that it colour [...]h his vrine that shall but hold it in his hands: and which is more, it maketh the bones and flesh of those cattell red, which haue beene fed with it some certaine time: some say, that the powder of it is so penetratiue, and so taketh vp the nos [...]hrills, as that it in [...] nimeth and killeth many in a few yeares.To procure the [...]. The decoction procureth v [...]ine, and th [...] termes of women, and coloureth egges red that shall be boyled with it. The [...] because they are rough and stiffe are good to scowre brasse vessell.

CHAP. LVI.
Of Woad.

AS concerning Woad, it is tilled in a field, and requireth much labour, [...] as the Nauets or Turneps, though there be no part of it in request but the vppermost, and that which is furthest off from flowers and stalkes: it doth not feare frost, raine, or extraordinarie cold: Indeed it doth not craue any long rested fat ground, but a strong ground, and such as may be said to be in good plight, rather than an indifferent and light: it groweth better also in ground [...], which haue layed fallow three or foure yeares before, or which haue beene Medo [...] ground two yeares before, than in grounds which haue beene well tilled▪ which [...] cleane contrarie vnto Madder, which craueth as much helpe, as the ground oppointed for wheat or vines: yea and it craueth the rest of soyle, and set from one yeare to one: for otherwise the roots when they are set, doe degenerate oftentimes and mi [...] rie, loosing their force and goodnesse. And whereas Madder doth fat the gro [...]d, Woad doth make it leane, and therefore it must not be sowne in a leane gro [...]d, where it euermore groweth but little, and where it proueth almost nothing wo [...]; but rather in a ground that is well manured before it be sowne, as also renewed wi [...] dung when it is to be sowne. But the best approued ground of all other to sow woad in, is that which hath laine long swarth, and hath seldome beene broken vp [...], [Page] wherein you are to obserue, that in the ploughing vp of such grounds▪ you must turne vp a great and a deepe furrow, laying them broad and flat [...] that the seed may be throughly well couered, and that the swatth rotting vnderneath and above the same, may be as a warme and comfortable meanure to make it flourish and increase. Being sowne of seed, it must be diligently harrowed, to the end it may be wel couered and incorporate with the earth, and when the planes haue put forth their leaues the height of two fingers, you must weed and digge it about mid-Aprill▪ or somewhat later, according as the time hath beene faire or rainie: then shortly afterward you must gather the leaues: and they being gath [...]red, you must weed and digg [...] the feet of the said roots [...] left voyd of their leaues: and this must be continued [...]uerie moneth, that is to say, Iune, Iulie, August, and Sep [...]mber: in such sort, that [...] as the leaues are gathered from foot to foot fiue times, so they must be digged [...] the earth cast as oft, and that so soone as the gathering of the leaues is past: and this labour of digging is ordinarily to be seuen [...]mes gone ouer, that is to say, the fi [...]e times now spoken of, and the two first, which are before any gathering of the leaues doe fall. The manner of gathering them is in this so [...]t: When the leaues begin to be coloured about the edges, and not in the middest, you must take them from plant to plant in your hand, and breake them off in such manner from the root, as that it may seeme and shew as though one had cut them away with a hooke, and after that, to lay them in order in the shadow, that so the Sunne may not harme or injure them.

The manner of making Woad.To make wood. Vnder your Mill, which would not be as some vse a M [...]ll-stone, for that crusheth out the sap and juice of the Woad too much, but a Mill made of strong timbers the compasse of a large Mill-stone being hollow or d [...] uided on [...] out-side from the other, and running circular or round, and these out-sides shall be bound together both in the middest by the drawing axell-tree, and also at the outmost Verdges, by strong places of yron made broad and flat, with reasonable rebated edges, and these plates shall be at least three foot in leng [...]h, answering to the full bredth of the trough in which the Mill shall run, and this Mill must be [...] about by a horse. Now the leaues (as aforesaid) being [...]rewed in the trough vnder the Mill, you shall grind them as small as may be, till they come to be as it were all one substance, which may easily be done, by oft turning the Woad ouer and ouer as the Mill runnes, which one must continually doe with a shouell, then the Woad being thus sufficiently well ground, you shall stay the horse, and tak [...] all the ground Woad out of the trough, and then fill the Mill with fresh Woad againe, and thus do till you haue ground all you▪ woad, which being finished, you shall forthwith mould it vp into great round balls, as bigge as a culuerine bullet, or twice so bigge as a mans fists, and these balls you shall place vpon fleakes or hurdles made of small wands, pent-housed, housed, or couered ouer to keepe them from the raine, but all the sides open in such wise, that the Sunne or Wind may haue full power to passe through the same, and these hurdles shall be moun [...]ed one aboue another in many heights and degrees, and your Woad balls shall lye thereupon without touching one another till they be throughly well dried, then at the later end of the yeare, which is towards Nouember, you shall breake those balls again [...], and put them vnder the Mill, and grind them as before, and then taking it from the Mill, you shall lay it in great heapes in some coole vault kept for that purpose onely: and when vpon this laying together vpon heapes it shall begin to take heat, it must be turned, and in turning watered, vntill it be sufficiently moistned: for as too much water drowneth it, so too much heat in the heapes doth burne it: thereupon you most pile it vpon heapes not high but long ones, and stirre it euerie second day, so long as till it become cold, and yet after this, to put it abroad euerie fou [...]th or sixth day, while it be throughly cooled indeed. And this worke must be verie carefully performed, for otherwise the woad would roast it selfe, and proue not any thing worth, which being so [...]immed and ordered as it should, it is left in some cold and paued place, vntill the time of the selling of it, and looke how much the longer it lyeth in heapes in this [...]ase, by so much it becommeth the better and finer. The coun [...]rie men of Tholouse, in whose countrie [Page] there groweth great store of Woad, doe not grind their. Woad-balls into [...] but gather it together by great vessells full, and put vnder the Mill-stone to [...] out the waterish parts of it, and then they make vp the remaining substance [...] like lo [...]ues, which they drie and rot afterward, by laying them in the [...] heat of the Sunne in Sommer time, and then they cast these lumpes into their [...] where they put their Wooll to be died, a blew, blacke, or other colour, as it best pleaseth the Dyers. The leaues thereof made into a plaister, doe [...] [...] stumes, and heale wounds new made, they stay fluxes of bloud, heale the wild [...], and the vlcers which runne ouer the whole bodie.

Also the leaues of Woad thus ground, are excellent to kill any itch, [...], or other r [...]islike either in men or children, also it is most excellent for the di [...] is [...] called the Farcie, and cureth it verie sodainely.

CHAP. LVII.
Of the Tasell.

THe Tasell (called also Venus her bathing tubbe, because it keepeth [...] drops of water (being by nature as all the other Thistles are, hot and drie) in the lower part of the leaues, close by the stalkes, to refresh and water it selfe withall) serueth greatly (in respect of his head) for the vse of Clothworkers, both to lay the Wooll of their new clothes so much [...] is [...], as also to draw forth so much as lyeth loose out of order amongst the rest: and it is [...] seruiceable or more vnto Cap-makers, after that the Cap is spun, wouen, [...], and scoured with sope, Walkers-earth, or other scouring earth: Now he that will [...] profit by this hearbe, must make choyce of a good fat ground, well [...] tilled with two, three, or foure arders, and well harrowed: and then after [...] it with the best seed that possibly may be [...]und, and that verie thicke, and when [...] hath shot one of the earth as in the beginning of May, then to make it cleane, [...] weed it with the hand, and in Iune and Iulie to digge it, if need be, in the end of September you must gather the heads that haue flowred the first yeare, le [...] the rest to grow for to be gathered the yeare following, at such time as they shall be [...] flowre. The heads cut off, the plants must be planted anew in a well tilled ground, putting all the root into holes, from one to another (which is all one with the [...] ring of the Radish) and trampling the ground vpon them verie orderly and [...] and furthermore, to digge them when they begin to pricke and put forth branches [...] in March, Aprill, and May: and to cut them which are cankered or [...], and so vnprofitable; that so the juice of the earth may be fed vpon by those onely which are good and seruiceable. And whereas at the time of their flowring they begin [...] flowre on high on the head, and so downeward till the whole head be [...] flowre being once fallen, you must cut off the head either euening or morning, [...] halfe a foot of stalke thereunto. Furthermore you must not forget, that they must be set or sowne in furrowes, that so water may haue an orderly course to fall to the [...] of them, and giue them a continuall refreshment, and not to sow them in anie [...] place but such as is reasonably watrie: for too much moisture maketh the [...] the head thereof (which is the thing of most importance) more low and short, and of lesse commodiousnesse. You must not gather or bind them vp in bundells, [...] a drie season, towards the moneth of October at the furthest, and not any [...] earlier than the later end of September. Some gathering it doe leaue it at the [...] to drie in some place by itselfe, because it is subject vnto fleas or lice, and other [...] vermine, which causeth the small [...]oot that should hold vp the head to fall dow [...] others doe put ten or twelue of them in little faggots together, and so hang [...] standing one a prettie deale from the other in the shade or wind, and not in the [...], [Page] or in any moist place. Some drie them in the South Sunne, turning them twice or thrice, and after hanging them by paires in order vpon poles.

The Tasell is to be commended in this point, for that in the middest of the head thereof, after it is well dried, there is found a little Worme, which being hung about the necke or applied vnto the wrests, doth heale the feauer quartaine: it assuageth likewise the great ach of impostumes which grow about the nailes, being applied [...]hereunto.

CHAP. LVIII.
Of Saffron.

AS for Saffron, the best Farmers, and such as are most cunning in the ordering of plants, doe make verie much and highly esteeme of that which is called Bastard Saffron, and of the common people tearmed Parrot-seed, being the same that old writers call Carthamus: the plant is of no vse, the [...] excepted, which purgeth flegmaticke humours, or else feeds Parrots, which are daintie and fine mouthed. This plant when it is growne vp being well husbanded [...] ordered, beareth certaine little thicke heads, like the heads of Garleeke, and in [...] middest of it a flower which one would say were Saffron. This good it doth, [...], that it enricheth and maketh fat the ground where it groweth: likewise it [...]ueth no great food or maintenance, neither leaueth it any root in the earth after it [...] gathered that may put forth or take any acknowledgement of, or doe any harme [...]to the soile wherein it grew. There is euerie way as much profit in tilling of this [...]earbe, as there is in Anise or Fennell: when all is said, a good Farmer will make profit of euerie thing, and there is not (as we say) so much as the Garleeke and Oni [...]on, which he will not raise gaine of, by selling them at faires, most fitting for their [...]me and season, and so helpe himselfe thereof and fill his purse with money.

The ordinarie Saffron, seruing for sauces, painting and making of colours, is a [...]hing of toyle and of profit, as may be learned and easily vnderstood by the inhabi [...]nts of Tourain, Prouence, and Portugal, where the same growes exceeding aboundantly: It is planted like cammomile in the Spring, vpon heads, foure fingers off one from another: but it must be in a free and well battilled ground, not verie far, nor verie leane, but open to the Sunne: it must be well troden downe with the feet, when it shall let fall his flower: but when it buddeth and putteth forth, it must be left [...]lone to natures worke. At the time of the gathering of it, you must haue linnen [...]loaths to draw it out of his bell euening and morning: and after drie it well in the [...]hadow of the Sunne, and [...]ouer it with cleane linnens, make it cleane, and taking away his white, purge it, that so it may be free from all filth, and fit to be kept in a drie place well couered, or in some vessell close stopt: and leauing in the earth the Oni [...]ns or heads of the Saffron, with a good quantitie of Grapes, or of the drosse thereof [...] it commeth from the presse put vnto them, you shall take them vp in the moneth of March when they haue brought forth fruit three yeares, and drie them in the Sun, [...]eeping them after in some place that is not moist, that so you may plant them againe [...] some other place and ground that is well tilled, as hath already beene deliuered at [...]arge in the fiue and thirtieth Chapter. [...]. Some are of judgement that it is naught for a [...] to vse Saffron much, and that it is a speciall venime vnto the heart: but howsoe [...]er this be true, the profit of it is great: and therefore commodious and requisite for [...] Farmer, which would not that his ground should be vnprofitable vnto him. See [...]ore about in the place afor [...]named concerning Saffron.

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CHAP. LIX.
A brie [...]e and short reniew concerning Pulse.

I Will say nothing of the Nau [...]t, nor of the two kinds of [...] of which, the great and round one is for them that dwell in Lymosin, [...] and Prouence; and the long one (which they call [...]) for Fraunce and other places: as in like manner I will make no mention of Mustard-seed, Millet, Pannicke, and Cummine; neither yet of great wild [...], Lupines, Lentils, and Fenugreeke: vvhich notwithstanding are all pulse and [...]eed of profit and commoditie for the houshold, as hauing reserued them for the [...] garden, planted at the end of the kitchin-garden: I will content my selfe in this place [...] admonish the good Farmer, that for the bringing of the ground into some kind of occupation during the time of his rest, and after that it hath been imployed in bringing forth better corne, it will not be amisse to sow therein either [...] or [...] fores [...]ne that the [...]eed, after the pulling vp of the plants, be so well and thoroughly gathered and carried away, as that the ground may be quite rid and [...] of the same, for otherwise in time there would be nothing to be found amongst this seed but wild Coleworts, D [...]newort, and other noysome weeds: and in deed pulse [...] make as much for good husbandrie, as the corne that is good for to make [...] pottage is in continuall request for the houshold, in what house soeuer it be. [...] make a [...] of making bread of Millet, as is to be seene in some places of [...] but it is not but when great necessitie driueth them to it. But howso [...]er [...] be, [...] peason, fiches, and fetches, are not of lesse request or inferiour in tast unto great [...] lupines, cummine, fenugreeke, and lentills: and for the proofe hereof, I will [...] to witnesse the people of Aruernia, Lymosin, Sauoy, and Dauphine, for the [...] whereof (not to speake further in this place of any other thing whatsoeuer, that may be as it were superfluous) we will referre you to learne the whole [...] in the [...] of tilling of seeds and pulse in arable grounds.

CHAP. LX.
Of remedying of strange accidents that may happen vnto Hearbes.

THe Hearbes either sowne or planted in the gardens before spoken of [...] not hurt onely by haile, [...] lightning, thunder, frosts, fogges, blash [...], and other harmes hapning by the courses of seasons, but also they [...] annoyed, by reason of wast and destruction brought vpon them [...] little beasts, as Grashoppers, Weazles, Caterpillers, house and field Rats, [...] Moules, Pismires, Flies, Gnats, Bats, Wall-lice, Fleas, Greone-flies, Horse- [...], Frogges, Snailes, Adders, and such like, which mischiefes you must be [...] full to meet withall, that so you may not loose your labour about your garden, [...] frustrated both of the profit and pleasure that might rise and come thereby. And to speake generally of the preuenting of these inconueniences, it is good, ac [...]ording to the counsell of Columella, to steepe the seeds for a certaine time in the juice of [...] madame, or to mingle with the said seed some [...]oot, or else to water them with [...] wherein soot hath beene tempered: but it is better to speake of these things p [...] ticularly.

Generally against all such beasts as doe hurt gardens, it is good to [...] [Page] place of the Garden as where you thinke these beasts doe most abound and keepe, the paunch of a Sheepe, full of dung, as it commeth out of the Sheepes belly, and to couer it with a little earth, and within two daies you shall find all these beasts gathered together into this place: before you haue done thus twice or thrice, you shall be prouided of the meanes to kill and root out all these [...]: know then, in a word, what be the necessarie remedies for the auoiding of such accidents.

Against Haile,Against Haile. ancient men were wont to set the whole compasse of their ground about with white wild Vine, or else to fasten vnto the top of a high post an Owle, hauing her wings spread.

The Lightnings and Thundring will doe no harme, if there be buried in the midst of the Garden a kind of Toad,Against Lightning▪ called a Hedge-toad,A Hedge-toad closed vp in a pot of earth. Others doe hang in the midst of the Garden, or at the soure corners thereof, the seathers of an Eagle, or the skinne of a Seale. Others plant manie Bay-trees round about the Garden. It is true, that to breake or dissolue the Thunder, accompanied with a great thicke cloud, threatening haile, there is nothing better than to ring the belles, as is vsed to be done in hot Countries, and to send forth the roaring sounds of the Canons, as is wont to be done at Sea: or else to set on fire some heapes of Weeds, or stinking and rotten Seeds.

There is nothing more hurtfull or dangerous for hearbes than Frost,Frost. which commeth when Snow and Ice are thawing. And for to preserue your hearbes from this inconuenience of cold, you must spread all ouer the ground great store of straw, and ashes withall about that: for by this meanes the heat of the earth will be preserued, and the frost hindred that it cannot enter.

If you conceiue that your hearbs are like to be hurt by mists or fogs, you must get together in diuers places of your gardens diuers heapes of tender twigs and straw,Against Mists and Fogs. or of weeds and shrubs pulled vp in the same place, and after to set them on fire: for the smoake thereof doth correct and cleare the duskish and cloudie ayre.

Against blasting,Blasting. which is a corruption happening to hearbes and trees by some euill constellation, there is nothing better than to burne with the dung, the right horne of an oxe, in such sort, as that there may on euerie side be caused a verie great smoake: for this smoake will driue away and resolue the euill qualitie of the ayre which is the carrier of this maligne influence: or else it will be good to plant in di [...]er [...] places of the gardens, diuers Bay-tree-boughes, for the blasting will fall all vpon them.

To preserue seeds from being eaten of birds, you must s [...]atter round about your gardens wheat or barly sod in wine,Against Birds. mingled with hellebor: or else, water and s [...]eepe the seed in the decoction of [...]ray fishes, boyled in fresh water, assuring your selfe, that looke what groweth of such seeds, will be free from all danger of these fowles: or else water your seed with water and the l [...]s of wine: or else [...]ca [...]er throughout the gardens, some boyled leekes, for so soone as they shall haue swallowed thew, they wil be easily taken vp with your hand. Some put ten cray fishes in a vessell full of vvater, which they couer and set out in the Sunne for the space of ten daies, afterward they [...] the seeds they would sow with this water twice; once before they be sowne, and the other eight daies after that they are sowne. By this meanes the seeds will not onely be kept safe from birds, but also from all other manner of beasts.

To take away all harme which may come by little beasts,Against little [...]. it will be good to drie, vpon the skinne of a Tortoise, all such seeds as you intend to sow in your Gardens: or else to plant in diuers places of your Gardens some Mints, especially amongst your Coleworts: or else to sow amongst your pot-hearbs some Cich-pease, or Rocket, or to fill the ground of your Kitchin Garden with Goose-dung, tempered with salt [...]rine, or else to sow the seeds in the first quarter of the Moone.

New Oyle lees, or the foot of the Chimney sowne all about in your Gardens,Against Snailes. is good against Snailes.

To keepe away Caterpillers, you must water your hearbes with water wherein haue beene steeped the ashes of the young shoots of Vines:Against Caterpillers or perfume your hearbes [Page] and trees with quicke brimstone. Some steep [...] the seeds in the [...] of fig tree [...] and to kill the caterpillers, doe cast vpon them the ashes themselues: others like it better to plant a great onion called Squilla, or else to burne [...]oad-stooles that grow out of the nut-tree: or else some great store of garleeke without any head, to the [...] that by the strong smell which sh [...]ll [...] thereof, they may die.

Columella maketh mention of a certaine and approued remedie in this [...] Caterpillers, which is,Womens [...]. that when they will not be driuen away by other mea [...], to [...] a woman ba [...]e footed, hauing her termes, her bosome open, and [...] about her eares, to walke three times about the quarters and alleys of the hedges, or [...] of the garden. This done, you shall see the Caterpillers fall vpon the earth, from the hearbs and trees bearing fruit, neither more nor lesle, than and if by shaking you beat [...] the raine or water from a tree: but in the meane time there must be care bad that this be not done at [...] rise, because that then euerie thing in the garden would [...] and pine away.

If you water the fleas or lice with strong vinegar, mingled with the juice of [...]enbane, wherein the water of hemlocke shall haue boyled,Against [...]. or with water [...] Nigella hath bin steeped: or with the decoction of mustard-s [...]eed; they wil die shortly.

Gnats will be killed if you lay [...] in sleepe,Against [...]. and sprinkle the water about the garden: or if you make a perf [...]me of Galban [...]m, or of Brimstone, or of [...] or of ox-dung. If you would [...] away flies, make a perfume of Colo [...], or water the place with water wherein it hath steeped.

To gather together all the Pa [...]mar-wormes and other like beasts into one place to the end you may kill them,Against the [...]. you must spread in the place, especially where they [...] bound, the g [...]ts and [...] of some sheepe newly killed, the same made [...] cleane, but still full of filth and dung: then two daies after, you shall find them all come together vnto the entrailes.

For to kill Weazles, you must steepe Sal-ammoniack and Wheat together,Against [...]. [...] sow them neere the place where the Weazles haunt, for by this they will [...] killed or caused to run away if they eat it: Some say, that if you catch a [...] cut off her taile and cods, and let her goe againe aliue, that afterward there will be [...] moe [...] in that place.

Ants will she away if you burne those which you take, or if you annoint the [...] of the tree which they vse,Against [...]. with oxe-gall; or with the de [...]ction of Lupines: or [...] if you burne in the garden wild cucumber: or if one clay ouer with white or red [...] the tree where they are: or if there be put at the mouth of their hole, some [...] and [...]-stone together.

You shall kill wormes,Against [...]. if you perfume their holes with the smoake of oxt- [...] if you water them with pure lee. You shall make them come out of the ground if [...] water the place with the decoction of the leaues and seed of hempe: or if you [...] in the ground where you see great store of wormes: it is true also that you shall rid your ground of them, if you [...]are your ground during the time of great heat, [...] then you shall [...]ind them in great numbers vpon the face and vppermost part of [...] earth, and so you may gather them into bowles to giue them to your [...] which thereby will become fat, and lay great store of egges.

You shall kill snailes,Against [...] if you sprinkle them with the new l [...]s of oyle, or with the foot of the chimney.

Grashoppers will doe no great hurt vnto hearbes,Against Gras [...]oppers. if they be vvatered with [...] vvherein Wor [...]ewood or Le [...]kes, or Centaurie hath beene stamped: [...] kill them, you must boyle bitter lupines, or wild cucumbers in salt brine, and [...] therewith, or else burne a great sort of Grashoppers in the place from [...] would driue them, for the smell of the smoke doth kill them: but and if you [...] them altogether out of your gardens, you must hang vp some Bats vpon yo [...] highest trees.

You shall driue away field-Rats, [...]. if you cast in the canicular, or dogge- [...] of hemlocke into their holes, together with hellebor and barly meale: or [...] [Page] you shut the mouthes of their holes with Bay-tree-leaues, to the end that when they would come forth, they may be forced to take those leaues in their teeth, and so by the onely touching of them they are killed. Or if you mingle amongst their meat such as you know them to be delighted in, quicke siluer, tinne, or burnt lead, blacke hellebor, or the [...] of yron: or if you make a perfume of the bodies of their kinds: or if you boyle beanes in any poysoned water, & so lay the said beanes at the mouthes of their holes, which vpon the smell thereof will quickly run vnto them.

You shall also kill Rats and Mice with paste made of honie, coperas,Against Rats and Mice. and stamped glasse mixt together, and layed in places where they haunt most.

Moules will neuer cast in those gardens where the hearbe called Palma Christi doth grow either of it owne accord,Against [...] or purposely sowne: likewise you shall either kill them or driue them away, if you lay at their holes mouthes a Walnut filled with chaffe, brimstone, and perrosin, and there set it on fire; for by the smoake that will come of this nut, the Moules will be killed, or else run away: or if you lay in diuers furrows about the garden a small ball of hemp-seed, it will be a let to keepe that there come not any into those grounds out of other, and withall will driue away those which are there alreadie. There are three waies to take them: the first is to stand as it were vpon your watch about Sunne rise, neere vnto the place where they haue lately cast vp the earth; for this is ordinarily the verie houre that they cast in according to their custome, and thus may you throw them verie easily out of their holes with a pic [...]axe or spade. The second way is, by causing water to run into the hole where they haue newly digged; for when as they once feele the water, they will not stay to [...] forth and saue themselues vpon some greene turffe or other, and there you may [...]ther take them aliue or kill them. The third way, Take a liue one in March, when they are a bucking, and put the same into a verie deepe and hollow bason at night af [...]er Sunne set: burie the said bason in the earth vp to the brims, that so the Moules [...] easily tumble into it, when they heare the captiue crie in the night time; for all such as shall heare her (and this kind of cattell is of a verie light hearing) comming [...]eere to their food, they will into the bason one after another; and by how many moe goe in, by so much will they make the greater noyse (not being able to get out againe) [...]ecause the bason within is smooth, [...]leeke, and slipperie. Some lay garleeke about [...]heir holes, or onions, or leekes, and these make such a smell as that they either driue [...]hem away, or kill them.

All maner of Serpents are driuen away with the perfume of Galbanum, Against [...]. or of harts [...]rne, or of the root of lillies, or of the horne of a goats claw, or of hyssope, or brim [...], or pellitorie, or an old shooe-sole. It is good also to plant in some part of the [...]ardens an Elder-tree, or an Ash-tree; for the flowres of the Elder-trees by their [...]inking smell doe driue away Serpents: and the shade of the ashe doth kill them: [...] like sort it fareth with the pomegranat-tree, whose shade (as we haue said before) [...]riueth away Serpents. It is good likewise to plant some one or other bough of ferne [...] the garden, because the onely smell thereof doth driue them away.

You shall driue away scorpions, if you burne some of them in the place whence [...] would banish them: or if you make a perfume of verjuice mixt with Galbanum, Against [...]. [...] the fat of a goat: or if you plant in your garden some little Nut-tree.

The perfume of Iuie will cause the Reremouse to abstaine flying in your garden.Against [...].

Frogges will hold their peace and not crie any more,Against [...] if you set a lanterne with a [...] light, vpon the side of the water or riuer, which compasseth the garden. If you [...] in any corner of your garden the gall of a goat, all the frogges will gather [...] and so you may easily kill them.

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CHAP. LXI.
Of the Honie-Bee, the profit rising thereof, and of chusing a place to set them in.

BVt if the greatest part of the profit of a farme depend and hang of [...] keeping of cattell, I dare be bold to affirme, that the [...] thing that can be kept about a Countrie-house is Bees. Indeed [...] is [...] pa [...]t [...]es and care to be taken in chusing, gathering together, holding, [...] watching and keeping of them cleane in their hiues: but withall, [...] great, rare, and singular a commoditie haue we as the vvaxe which we enjoy by [...] Bees: yea what say you to honie it selfe, that their admirable worke, and no [...] profitable and pleasant for the vse of man? Let it not then seeme strange vnto you, if we aduise the housholder to giue care and be carefull to keepe Bees about his [...], and therewithall teach him in a few words, what should be the ordering and go [...] ning of them and their hiues, and withall at what time and houre it is good [...] ther honie and vvaxe.

The housholder therefore shall first make choyce for the keeping of Be [...] of some fit and secret place in his Garden of Pleasure, in the bottome of some [...] it be possible, to the end they may the more easily rise on high to flie abroad to [...] their food, as also for that when they be laden, they d [...]cend the more easily dow [...] ward with their load. But let vs see to it especially, that the place be open to [...] South Sunne, and yet notwithstanding, neither exceeding in heat not in cold, [...] temperate: and that the same by hill, wall, or some other rampart be defended [...] winds and tempests, and so also at that they may flie their sundrie and [...] for to get diuer [...]ie of pastures, and so againe may returne to their little cottages laden with their composition of honie: and againe in such a place, as wherein [...] great quantitie of Thyme, Organie, Sauorie, Iuie, Winter Sauorie, vvild [...], Rosemarie, Sage, Corneflag or Gladdon, Gilloflowres, Violets, white [...], [...] ses, flowre-gentill, Basill, Saffron, Beanes, Poppie, Melilot, Milfoile, and [...] sweet hearbes and flowers, wherein there is no bitternesse: and in like [...] [...] cient good [...]ore of trees of good smell; as Cypresse trees, Cedar-trees, [...], Pine-trees, Turpentine-trees, Iuie-trees, Masticke-trees; and also, fruit-trees, as [...] mond-trees, Peach-trees, Peare-trees, Apple-trees, Cherrie-trees, and other [...] besides all this, maruellous great store of hearbes, and those of the rarest and [...] knowne, and withall such as grow in well tilled grounds and pastures, for these [...] them to grow rich in good vvaxe, as the wild Radish, the wild Bell flowre, [...] Succorie, and blacke Pionie: and besides these, wild Parseneps, and garden [...] neps and Carots. Broome and the Strawberrie-tree are not altogether good [...] make honie: the Elme-tree causeth them to haue the flux of the bellie, as also the [...] males or spurges Box maketh honie of a bad smell, and which troubleth their [...] that eat it, and yet notwithstanding profitable for them which haue the Falling- [...]. But if at any time you shall chaunce to haue any of your stockes to [...] or to dye, by what chaunce soeuer it shall be, you shall then by no meanes [...] combe [...] more than cleansing them from all manner of filth, and take of the [...] honie you can get, dama [...]ke Rose-water, and the juice of Fenell, and [...] ve [...]e well together, then with a bunch of Fennell dipt in the same, first [...] combes verie well, and also rubbe the hiue within therewith, lastly rubbe the [...] whereon the standeth, with the same that you did the hiue, and you shall be [...] [...]ured that the first swarme that riseth either in your own or in any other mans [...] (if it be not aboue a mile or two from you) will knit (without any other [...] king) in that stocke.

The place must be closed in with a verie strong hedge, or else with good [...] [Page] for feare both of beasts and theeues: for kine and sheepe doe eat vp their flowres, and [...]eat the dew off from the flowres, whereof the Bees should load them, and which is so well beloued of the little prettie birds, yea and that also, which falleth downe at the breake of the day in faire weather, and is purified on the leaues and flowers of the plants, hearbes, and wild trees: but of all tame beasts, there is none that doth so damnifie these little pretties vvretches, as Swine and Goats: for the Goats wast their food, and jumpe against their houses, yea and oftentimes beat them downe: the Swine besides the wasting and eating vp of their food, rubbing themselues against the hiues, doe ouerturne them and the seats whereon they be set: sheepe in like man [...]er loosing some of their lockes of Wooll vpon the hedges, are cause that the [...]illie poore Bees now and then become intangled therein, when they labour to get their [...]od, and so leaue their carcases for a pledge: hennes likewise haue a gluttonous ap [...]tite towards them: Serpents also doe sometimes take vp their Innes in their hiues: [...] to take away this casualtie at once and for euer, you must plant Rue round about [...] in good quantitie, in as much as venimous beasts cannot by any meanes abide [...]his hearbe.

Callamint also is verie good to be planted for the same purposes neere vnto the [...]ues, so is also the hea [...] be [...] Angelica or Gentiana, but aboue all things you must be [...]full to make your hiues exceeding warme, that is to say, of what stuffe soeuer [...]ey be made, you shall on the out-side daube them better than two fingers thicke with [...] and Cows dung mixt together, and ouer them a vvarme coat of long Rye [...]aw, couering the hiue from the top to the bottome, and hanging some what below [...] stone.

Their place also must be farre off from the dunghill, common draughts or issues, [...], marshes, fennes, dropping, dirtie, and myrie places, which might hurt them [...] ill smells, and for that th [...]e prettie beasts are deadly enemies to all filthinesse [...]d vncleannesse: but rather let their place of abode be neere some [...]all brooke of [...]ter naturall and of it selfe continually running, or by art in some chanell, that will [...] along the water drawne out of some vvell or fountaine, and this rundle must [...] by the edges stones or boughes of trees for the bees to light vpon.

But whatsoeuer the place is, whether in the garden of Pleasure or elsewhere (al [...]it we haue assigned this to be one of the fruits of pleasure to be g [...]thered in the gar [...]n of Pleasure) it must not be hemmed in with high walls on euerie side: and yet if [...] feare of theeues, you were disposed to raise them the higher, then you must pearse [...] wall some three feet from the ground, and worke it with small holes, for the bees [...] through at, and some twentie or thirtie paces off to build some little house, if [...] be so disposed, for him to dwell in who hath the charge of looking to them, and [...] also to put his tooles.

CHAP. LXII.
Of the fashion of the Hiues, and the manner of setting them for Bees.

A Place and standing for Bees being thus appointed, the next thing is according to that fashion which may be most conuenient for the Countrie to make hiues. Some thinke, the best are those which are made of quarters of sawne boards, vvide ynough, but not verie long: others you must haue [...] long and narrow, that so you may haue two sorts of hiues, that is to say, great [...] small ones: the great ones, for such as are to be imployed in the making of Ho [...] and the other, which are the little ones, for such as are to swarme and cast: the said [...]: being fitted together with nailes, but yet so as that one or two of the boards [Page] may be lifted vp when the honie is to be taken, or the said hiues to be [...] the hiues which are best and most conuenient next vnto these, are those which are made of Barke and of Corke: and next vnto them, those that are made of [...] and Sallowes, such as we see in this countrie: the worst are those which are made [...] baked earth, for they s [...]ald with heat in Sommer, and freeze with cold in [...]. I find those nothing conuenient which are made of dressed straw, or of [...] the one is verie subiect to the fire, and the other cannot be translated or [...] one place to another, if need should require. Yet those of straw may [...] ind [...]ed and imbraced if they be well lookt vnto, because the Bee-gard [...] [...] within the danger of the fire; onely the worst fault they haue is this, that [...] verie apt to breed within them, and to destroy the honie as it is gathered, [...] withstanding in such places where wood is scarce, they are not to be [...] in the cold countries, because of all [...]ues they are the wa [...]mest. There are also other hiues which are made of splinted wands of hassell or such like [...] they are esteemed the best of all other, and are indeed the sweetest, safest, and [...] to worke in; prouided, that they be tr [...]med, daubed, and thatched as it [...] said: Now againe in your hiues is a great care to be taken touching the [...] of them, for although the auncient allow but a cubit wide, and two in length, [...] a cub [...] and a halfe not amisse in the bottome, and two and a halfe in length, for [...] largenesse of a haue (if it be not too vnreasonable) neuer doth hurt: and wh [...]s some vse to make two sorts of hiues, a greater and a lesser, if you make but one [...] and those large ones, it will be [...]rie way as good, for you shall many [...] to inlarge your hiues, but verie seldome or neuer to straiten them, for all [...] curios [...]e it selfe can speake against them that be great hiues, is but onely this, [...] is long in casting, and casteth seldome, whereas, on the contrarie part, the [...] small hiue casteth more soone, and farre o [...]ter, yet this is most [...] swarme taken from the large hiue, is better than two swarmes taken from the [...] hiue, being both more strong a [...]d more able for their worke, and a great [...] better able to endure Winter, nor is it the number of stockes which [...] but the quantitie of the honie.

Moreouer, they must be wide beneath, and narrow aboue, they [...] wide, and two cub [...]s high, drawne ouer and dre [...]t on the out-side with [...] mingled together, that so they may continue the longer: Neither [...] made as some are flat at the top, and shallow, but ascending pyramid wise, [...] smaller till it come to the top, for thereby it both sheddeth off the raine, much [...] and maketh the frames of the Bees a great deale stronger. These hiues [...] crosse-barre within with clouen stickes verie well rubbed with sweet flowers, [...] the which the Bees must fasten their combes; and these crosse-barres must be [...] places of the hiue, that is, ne [...]re to the top, and neere the bottome.The setting of hiues. They must be [...] vpon boards fitted for the purpose, and that neere vnto some vvall, but [...] it, that so there may be space for one to goe about them and make them cleane [...] [...] e [...]se you may set them vpon some vault of stone or of bricke, to the height of [...] foot, and as mu [...]h in bredth, layed ouer with mortar on euerie side, and [...] [...]o the lizards and serpents, and other noysome cattell, may not get vp and [...] [...] ther for to hurt them.

But the best and safest manner of setting of hiues, is to driue three strong [...] to the ground, so as they may stand of one euen and just height, and about [...] and a halfe aboue the ground, then vpon these stakes you shall lay a faire [...] using-stone that may reach euerie way halfe a foot or more beyond the [...], and vpon that stone you shall set your hiue, for by that meanes neither [...] [...] vermine shall get to annoy the hiues.

Moreouer, the hiues shall be so set, as that there may be a distance [...] one and the other, to the end that when need shall require, to looke [...] for the making of it cleane, or any other thing, there may not any occasion [...] to shake or rogge vpon the other, nor yet disturbe the adjoyning [...] [Page] greatly feare when they are touched, least their workmanship of [...] (which is [...] weake and easie to be [...]poyled) should be stirred or broken. The [...]-part, whe [...] they go in, must be hanging somwhat forward, that so there may not any [...] fall into it: and when as anie, by hap, shall fall in, that then [...] may not [...]ay, [...] find that as a readie way out: And for this cause the Hiues must be couered with small couerings and shelter, besides the shade of leaues and boughes made [...] mortar of earth for a band; and this will [...]exue against the cold, snow, [...], although heat doe not so much hurt vnto Bees as cold. Also you shall [...] binding mortar daube the Hiue as close as may be to the stone, that if [...] happen to fall thereupon, yet it may by no meanes sinke into the Hiue, but [...] fall off, and shed vpon the earth. And therefore behind the Bees as they [...] must be some building, or else at the least a wall, which may be vnto them in stead of a [...] banke against the North wind, and withall, may keepe the Hiues in a [...] warmth. And furthermore, Hiues, though they be thus defended and [...] from the cold by this building, yet they must be turned vpon the East in Winter, rather than vpon the South (because if they were turned toward the South, they would be layd fore vpon by excessiue heat in Summer.) to the end, that in the morning the Bees, for their earlier comming forth, may haue the Sunne hot vpon them, for their better wakening; whereas otherwise, the cold would make them heauie and slouthfull: and therefore the holes by which they pa [...]e and repsse, must be [...]-little, that so they may not giue place for the entrance of much cold, and they will be sufficient great, if to be there may but one Bee passe. Againe, by this meanes it will be prouided for, that neither the venimous Stellion, nor the villanous Beetill, neither yet the Butterflies, shall possibly enter to rob the Hiues and Honey-combes. And moreouer, according to the quantitie of Bees in the Hiue, you must make in the same hatch two or three holes, one somewhat distant from another, that they may passe in thereby, as also for the deceiuing of the Lizards, which would, by reason of their watch, kill them as they came forth, if they had but one hole in all. It is further meet, that the shelter vnder which the Hiues shall stand, be well appointed for little open windowes, which you shall, stop in Winter with Paper windowes, or Tyles, and that in such order, as that they may be easily opened when the Sunne shineth, and shut after that the Bees are returned home into their Hiues: and yet there must be holes in the said Paper lights, that so they may passe forth along at their pleasure whither they are disposed. Yet this is a curiositie seldome or neuer vsed amongst [...] masters: and therfore, in mine opinion, if you keepe them close, without any more than their ordinarie dores to passe in & out at, it wil be best: and these do [...] would be made of a fine thin board, or a piece of an old worne trencher, cut in this maner [figure] and so fixed into the bottome of the Hiue, on that side on which the Sunne most commonly riseth: and all these dores you shall keepe open from the later end of Aprill till September: but after, which is the dead time of Winter, you shall close them vp, and keepe but one open at the most, and that no bigger, then a Bee may well passe through the same.

CHAP. LXIII.
Of what qualities and conditions the Bees must be.

I Will say nothing in this place of the engendring of Bees, as whether it be by the coupling of males and females together, [...]. as wee see in other kind of creatures, or by the corruption and rotting of the [...] and [...] of the bodie of a young Bullocke (whereof Virgil speaketh) which are knowledges not greatly belonging to the Husbandman; because, [...] [...]red, he findeth them in his Hiue without anie further industrie: yet for [...], it is [Page] doubtlesse, that Bees are bred of Bees, either of their blowings, or some other [...] of their generation: but the first is most likely, because the first combes [...] Bee frameth, she filleth with her young, before she labour for honey, and these [...] are at first but little bigger than flye-blowes, white and long, and so [...] produceth a shape, which taketh life in the combe, and then departeth thence▪ [...] laboureth amongst the other Bees: yet being straitened in the Hiue, and [...] roome to lodge their honey in, as soone as the warmth of Summer commeth in, th [...]y with one consent depart the Hiue, and seeke out some other place wherein to [...] their labou [...]s: and these are called the swarmes, or encrease of young store, which the elder stocks bringeth forth. But letting passe these digressions of the workes [...] [...] ture, I will describe them as they are alreadie engendred; as, what be the prop [...] of such as are fit and like to make good honey. There are manie sorts of Bees: for some are of a golden colour, cleare, shining, and bright; others blackish, rough and hairie some great, some small; some thicke and round; and others spa [...]e and long; some wild, and some tame. But and if you would buy or gather together [...] out of the Forest, to take their honey from them, looke and take good heed that they haue the markes following; as, that they be little ones, somewhat long, not hairie nea [...], golden coloured, shining and sparkling as gold, spotted aboue, gentle and louing: for the greater and longer that Bees be, the worse they are; and if they be [...] they are nothing worth; notwithstanding, that their choler and malice is easily helped, if that otherwise they be well marked and fruitfull, by seeing themost: for in your oft going to them, they become tame. But because one cannot learnt to [...] and know if they haue all these marks aforesaid, if he see them not: if you buy them, before you cope for them, [...] that is to be [...]. you must open the Hiues, and see whether they be well [...] plenished, or not: and if you cannot looke vp higher into them, then you must go [...] by gesse and ayme, and consider if there be good store at the mouth, and [...] you heare a great noise and huzzing within; and further, if they be all [...] at rest: in putting your mouth to the Hiues mouth, and blowing a good blast [...], you may perceiue whether there be manie, or few, by the noise which they will [...] sently make when they feele the breath. Or where you shall make doubt of [...] these former signes, there you shall take the Hiue from the stone, and poise it [...] your arme, and according vnto the weight so you shall chaffer for it: because if you see it is well reple [...]shed with Bees, and also verie heauie, then you may assure [...] selfe it is an excellent Stocke, rich both in Cattell, Wax, and Honey, and so co [...] quently worth your money: but if it be light, though it promise neuer so manie [...] yet it is but casuall: for either the swarme fell late in the yeare, so that they [...] time to get their prouisions; or else the yeare was vnnaturall, and too moist, whereby they could not worke; or else the Swarme was weake; anie of which will hardly [...] out the Winter following: and in that respect the buyer ought to be verie [...] full of his purchase. Now it is an old receiued opinion amongst old [...] (how true I leaue to your i [...]dgement) That those Bees prosper best, which are [...] giuen, or come by chance: Truly I would not persuade anie friends of mine [...] get Bees at this reckoning, to goe to higher rate, for sure the [...]asinesse of the [...] makes the profit to much the greater, and in that respect the saying is true, but [...] [...] therwise, I am fully persuaded. Others are of opinion, that stolne Bees thriue [...] but I would haue no man beleeue it: for I neuer knew profit in dishonestie; [...] is it possible that there can be anie blessing giuen vnto an act of so much wrong, [...] the taking away of another mans goods commeth to: yet this hath beene an old receiued opinion, and for knowledge, not for practise, I relate it. It is good to [...] them as neere vnto your abode as you can, and not in other Countries [...] your dwelling place: for the change of their Pastures, Ayre, and Countrey, [...] s [...]onish and amase them: besides also, the further they are carried, the more they [...] pained in their Hiues. But and if they cannot be got, but by seeking [...] them, you must conuey them, betwixt place and place, some other way that by highwayes, and that the rather in the Spring than in Winter, as also verie [...]. [Page] for feare of shaking them. It will be good to take them before day, and to carrie them away at night vpon his necke, or rather it is better that two men should beare them: for in the day time they must be let rest, and haue giuen vnto them some sweet liquor, that so they may haue to feed vpon, though they be kept within. And when they are brought to the place of their abode, you must not open them vntill the next day at night, to the end, that after they haue rested all night, they may be the fitter to come forth peaceably in the morning: although yet it were better not to alter or change anie thing about them for the space of three daies, but to stop vp the mouth with some thinne cloth, vntill the Sunne haue shone, and in the euening after to open them.

There is no such carefull heed taken in the chusing of those which are giuen,Choice of Bees which are gathered in the Forests. nor yet of those which haue beene taken or gathered in the Fields or Forests, although I could aduise men to the contrarie, seeing the charges and paines are as great about the bad as the good. Notwithstanding, when one gathereth them, it is not possible to make such choice as he would: and therefore he must be content with that which commeth next to hand; and yet not to be negligent to purchase and get the best that may be come by, and to take good heed not to mingle the good and the bad together, for so the bad would dishonour the good, and there would be a great deale lesse honey, because of the bad and slouthfull ones which are mingled amongst them. The gathering of them shall be after this fashion: When you haue found anie place, by which great numbers of Bees doe passe (which is commonly in Woods and Forests where Hearbes doe abound, and Trees of sweet smell, neere vnto some small Riuer or Fountaine) you shall vse all diligence to find out the place of their rest and abode, which you may easily learne after their hauing beene at water, whether it be neere or [...], by the place whither they torne: then afterward, in the beginning of the Spring, you must take Balme and Thyme bruised, with other such like hearbs which Bees loue, and therewith annoint your Hiue so throughly, as that the smell and iuice thereof may stay behind: after that, you shall make the Hiue cleane, and sprinkle it with a little honey: and hauing thus handled it, you shall set it downe in the Woods or Forests, neere vnto the Springs, and when it is full of Bees, you shall carrie it home. And thus much of gathering swarmes of Bees.

CHAP. LXIIII.
Of the manner of gouerning Garden Bees.

THe Lord of the Farme, or Farmer, hauing prouided Feeding, Grounds, Hiues, and fit places for Bees, as also hauing bought or gathered good store of Swarmes to replenish his Hiues, shall be carefull to affoord them a more diligent and attentiue kind of gouernment, and ordering, than anie ouer [...]eer or gouernour of other Cattell doth allow vnto the said Ca [...]ell vnder his charge: the cause is, for that the Bee is more discreet and industrious than any other kind of liuing creature: yea, seeing she hath a kind of wisdome comming neere vnto the vnderstanding of man, therefore she looketh for a more carefull manner of vsage and carriage towards her from them that are her gouernours, and therefore cannot abide them to be mockers, [...]uttish, or negligent, for they cannot abide to be [...]ggardly or filthily entreated. It must therefore be his condition that shall haue the charge of them, [...]. to consider their manners, and manner of liuing, and accordingly to frame himselfe thereunto in the best sort that may be. They haue a King whom they obey as their Soueraigne in all things, accomplishing and fulfilling whatsoeuer hee shall giue them in charge, whether it be to goe forth, or to returne home, or to stay within: and they attend him alwaies in companies wheresoeuer he be: they comfort [Page] him if at anie time he be sicke, and doe keepe about him if he cannot flie: not out of them is negligent and slouthfull, but euerie one readie and quicke to anie kind of worke. Some of them gather the Roses, and bring home what they get of flo [...] and sweet smelling leaues, vnto those which stay within the Hiue making Honey: others are busie in making Combes, and building of little Cabbins; some make honey, and others attend other matters and vocations: some lay to their hands to the softening of Waxe, and temper it so well, as that making thinne leaues thereof, they therewith build vp and frame them Celles and Cloysters: others with great [...] doe sunder the grosse and drossie substance, and make readie a place for [...] of Honey. Some of them with their paine and diligence doe keepe cleane the [...], which notwithstanding are neuer defiled by anie of their owne dung, for [...] flying abroad they auoid their excrements in flying. Some there are which ordi [...] rily doe nothing but keepe watch and ward, to the end, that to the vttermost of [...] power they may withstand whatsoeuer thing may annoy and hurt them. They [...] out such as die within the Hiues: but when their King is dead, they stirre him not from his place, but crowding one vpon anothers backe about him, it seemeth that they lament and mourne, as they make shew by their noise and humming, and that [...] vehemently, as that if their keeper doe not looke vnto it, and take him from vnder them, they will suffer themselues rather to die for hunger, than they will forsake him. To be briefe, euerie one of them is so diligent at his worke, as that they cannot [...] it, that anie one should be in their companie that should not be occupied in [...] something: and this is the cause why they driue away the Drone, which will [...] worke, neither is good to anie thing else, but to wast the honey, and [...] it. They hate, aboue all things, euill sents: they neuer flie against the light, nor vnto [...] or bloud, or fat, but content themselues with leaues and flowers onely, which [...] sweet smelling iuice. They take delight in pleasant and goodly Songs: wh [...] [...] commeth to passe, that if they be scattered abroad, they will be called together at this delightfull ringing of some Bason, or small Bells, or in hitting the hands in a soft and easie sort one against another. To be briefe, their fashion and manner of [...] it were) wonderfull in nature: but giuing ouer all further describing of them, [...] will content my selfe in deliuering the conditions and duties required about [...] ordering and gouerning.

CHAP. LXV.
The order of gouerning Bees all the yeare long.

WHosoeuer he be therefore that hath the charge and ouersight of the Bees, must be carefull first of their pastures (whereof we haue made mention before:) then he shall diligently looke vnto their Hiues twice or thrice a moneth, beginning at the Spring, and continuing till Nouember: [...] there is not that time in the yeare wherein they stand not in need of something: and if they be well ordered, they will continue tenne yeares. They must be opened about the moneth of March, and the Honey-combes made cleane with a verie strong and solide feather, when as they cannot be come by with the hand, that so, wha [...] filth is gathered there in the time of Winter, may be cast out, and the Spiders [...], which spoyle all the Combes, may be taken away: afterward he shall smoake [...] all with Oxe dung burnt; for this dung, by a certaine affinitie, is gratefull and well liked of Bees. But in the meane time, before he handle the Hiues, he shall be well [...] uised, that the day before he haue not had to deale with his wife; that he haue not beene drunken; and that for the present he come not neere vnto them, without being washed, made cleane, and well apparrelled: in like manner hee must [...] from all meats that are of a strong smell, as are all salt meats, and sowsed [...], and [Page] all things being strong of sent, as Garlicke, or Onions, or such like things: and contrariwise, let him carrie in his mouth something that hath a good smell, for by this meanes they will loue him so well, as that he may handle their Hiues at his pleasure, and the little pretie birds will neuer hurt or annoy him. At the same time (in as much as then they begin to multiplie and encrease, and to cast their swarmes, which so soone as they can flye, desire nothing more than to flye away, and not to abide with the old ones, and much lesse to become subiect vnto them) it will be meet to keepe watch verie diligently, and that from after the morning tide is past, till two houres after noone, that so they may not flye vnto some other place. Wherefore if you can discerne and spie out their Kings,Kings of Bees. it will be good to take their wings from them, if they make shew of themselues oftentimes, and seeme as though they would flye together with their companie; as also to cast dust vpon them, or else water, for by these [...]eanes they will be kept from going away: so that then they will not goe out of their owne yard, nor out of the limits of their owne kingdome; neither will they suffer their troupe to goe farre from them: or else it will be good, after that they are come forth, to astonish and occupie their minds with the sounding of Basons, or of the [...]ards of broken Pots, ringing forth softly, in as much as by how much you [...]ound the stronglier, by so much they mount the higher into the ayre, and stray the further off: but and if it be a gentle and low sound, they in like manner doe stay and keepe themselues neere at hand and below. And if they proceed to fasten themselues vpon the next branch of the tree, as a [...] of Grapes doe hang vpon their branch, you must gather them with your hand, or with a trowell, into a basket annointed with [...] of swee [...] Balme, or some drops of Honey, and after set it on the row with the other baskets: or else, to make a shorter dispatch, he may cut the bough or branch of [...] tree, and put it verie softly into all these Bees, which are within the dressed Bas [...] or Hiue, the mouth of the same hauing beene first sprinkled with Wine: Then, [...]ter this, it must be set vpon a board vpon the ground all an end, the vpper part be [...]ng kept to close, as that the Bees may goe in no where but at the place which is open vnderneath. But and if this swarme of Bees, or little Birds, be got into anie hole or [...] of the bole and bodie of a tree, then carrie thither a Hiue well annointed in e [...]rie place, as also at the hole or mouth, with verie sweet smelling hearbes, and draw [...] ouer this hole and entrance of hollownesse, to the end you may inuite them to a [...] with the delightsomenesse of this smell, and with the better contentment to g [...]oe in to abide and dwell there. If they rest themselues in a place where you cannot [...]me to them with your hand, and such a one as is withall somewhat vn [...]t to be [...]ealt with, then take a pole, and tye to the end of it a Hiue sprinkled with good Wine, and hold it neere vnto this clew of Bees, and thus they will not faile to goe [...]to it: then carrie them neere vnto the Hiues, for no doubt but they will goe vp and [...] themselues in a short time. Or else, which is the best, hee shall hold, all rea [...]ie, a new Hiue to receiue them, when hee seeth that the young Kings shall be [...]me forth with their young traine, which within a day or two will all be come [...]gether at the mouth of the old stocke, and shew by sufficient signes and tokens, [...]at they are desirous of some place of their owne, and peculiar vnto themselues: [...] then if he doe giue them one, they will rest contented therewith, and abide [...]erein.

It is to be knowne when this young hoast will come abroad, by the noise and hum [...]ing which they will make in the Hiue three daies before that they purpose to come [...]broad, as if a campe of warlike men would rise vp and remoue: and for to know [...]hen they make this noise, he must lay his [...]are at euening to [...]uerie Hiue, that so he [...]ay heare the noise and humming, when they make any.

And yet indeed this noise and humming is sometimes a signe and token of some [...]ght or strife raised betwixt them and some other swarme: [...]. which must be well pre [...]ted; for otherwise by such ciuile warres and deadly fights all the whole troupe [...]d companie will quickly be ouerthrowne and brought to nothing. This intended [...]ombat is taken vp with a bowle of cute or boyled wine [...] vnto them, or else some [Page] honied wine, or other such liquor, which by his sweetnesse is familiar to Bees, [...] will appease their furi [...]. But yet and if you perceiue that these ski [...]mishes are not [...] ended,To kill the Kings of the Be [...]. you must make hast to kill the Kings of the Bees, which are the cause of such seditions and tu [...]lts. The manner to kill th [...]m, is to ob [...]erue when the whole [...] commeth out of the Hiue, and is alreadie [...]led vpon some bough of some tree, and then to marke if the whole swa [...]e of Bees doe hang after the manner of a [...] of Grapes vpon the branch; for and if they be [...]o, it is a signe that there is but one Ki [...] or and if that there be moe, that yet they agree amongst the [...]selues, and there [...] you shall let them alone till they be in their Hiues. But and if the whole troupe be diuided into manie clewes, or round bunches, you need not then doubt but [...] there are manie Kings, and that they doe not agree together. And then where you shall [...]ee them gathered most on a heape, and in greatest troupes, there you may search and looke for the King, annointing your hand with the iuice of sweet Balme, or with Honey, that so they may not she away when you shall touch them; and seeke thus amongst them vntill you haue [...]ound the King, which is the author of all this [...] whom you must kill and cast out. And thus you may di [...]ne and find out the Kings from the commons: The Kings are somewhat greater and longer,The marks and signes of the Kings of the Bees. their legges [...] straight and high, their wings lesse, but of a faire colour, and neat, smooth, and polished, without haire and stings, except perhaps you will say, that a certaine gro [...] and thicke haire which they haue vpon their bellies is their sting, wherewith notwithstanding they neuer sting to do [...] anie harme. Some Kings are found to be blac [...] and hairie, and ghalliy to behold, and these are of the worst sort of Kings, and must therefore be killed, notwithstanding that they moue no warre, nor stirre vp [...] coales amongst the young swarmed brood. Thus you see there is no case-to be [...] with maruelling, when you behold these small birds to be so be [...]ced and enraged with loue towards their King, that for to de [...]end him, they willingly cast and expose their own liues into open hazard against all his enemies which come to [...] him, besides other incredible obey [...]ance, which they let not continually to [...] vnto him.

The Hiues that shall be made readie to receiue the new swarmes, must be rubbed with the hearbes before named, and sprinkled with drops of Honey, the more [...] to cause them to keepe therein. At this time of the Spring it likewise som [...] commeth to passe, that by reason of the hardnesse of the Winter past, or of [...] [...]ase and sicknesse, there is great wan [...] and scarsitie of Bees in old stocks, and this [...] be remedied by putting a new swarme into that Hiue, and killing the young [...] that so his subiects may content them [...]ies to liue peaceably vnder the old. But [...] if you haue not a swarme, then the next way is to put the troupes of two or three [...] diminished stocks into one, bedewing or sprinkling the same before with some [...] liquor, and after to shut them vp in the same Hiue, and fet something within it for them to eat, vntill they be well wonted vnto it, and so to keepe them three daies [...] vp, giuing them onely a little fresh ayre at some [...]all and little holes. And if it come to passe, that the King of the old Hiue, which we shall haue le [...]t aliue, doe die, [...] you must chuse them another King from out of the other Hiues (where there be [...] nie) and giue them him to gouerne. And in case that meanes to doe this doe faile, [...] that there be not anie purpose or inclination to take new swarmes from other [...], you must then breake downe all the little chambers and lodgings of their [...], Kings, to the end that the young swarmes, which shall be together in the old [...], may not betake themselues to their first haunt, and still abide and continue vnd [...] [...] old, but their new King and Captaine: and this they must of necessitie dot, be [...] compelled through want of their naturall and chiefe Gouernours, and by [...] themselues with their Ancients.

In rainie weather, continuing, long, Bees not being able to goe out of their [...] to seeke pastures, and to bring home food vnto their young brood, you must not [...] to helpe them with some prouision of Honey, vntill such time as they shall be [...] to she abroad to get their owne liuing, and to worke their Honey-combe of: for [Page] otherwise you shall quickly make an end of them, as it hath beene oftentimes seene to come to passe.

All the Summer they must gather Honey (whereof we will speake hereafter) and at the same time, euerie tenne daies, their Hiues must be opened and smoaked with Oxe dung, and afterward be cooled, by warring the emptie parts of the Hiue, and [...]asting thereinto coole water: and likewise be made cleane, and all grubs taken out of them, if anie be therein: and after this, let them rowle and tumble themselues vpon the flowers: and then you must not take anie thing from them, that so you may [...] annoy and become redious vnto them too o [...]t, and so cause them to flye away in despaire. In some faire day, about the end of Autumne, you must make cleane their Hiues, looking that it be ho [...] also and calme: and if at this time there be found euer a Combe vngathered, and not pluck [...] away, which sometime was leane and thinne, you must not therefore kill the Bees, as manie doe: but rather, to saue them, you must sprinkle it with a brush dipt in honied water, or in milke, hauing driuen them together on a heape with the smoake, keeping them close and shut vp after this in their Hiue: for all the Winter you may not open nor touch them, but keepe them close within, till the Sunne-beames breake forth againe for their comfort, and that well couered, stopping without, whatsoeuer clifts and holes, with Mortar and Neats [...]ung mingled together, in such sort, that there be nothing left open, but onely a way for them to passe in and out thereat: And also this must be carefully looked vnto, tha [...] although their Hiues doe alreadie stand vnder couert, yet that further, they be couered againe with stubble and boughes, and so much as possibly may be, kept▪ [...]om Cold and Winds, which they feare and abhorre more than anie other thing. You must fore [...]ee likewise, that neither Raine nor Snow may doe them hurt: and [...] make prouision of store of the iuice of sweet Balme, honied water, [...]ugred wa [...]r, milke, or other liquor which may be [...]it and conuenient for them; in which liquor you must steepe pure and cleane Wooll, whereupon the Bee sitting, may suck [...] [...]ut the iuice or liquor that is therein. And to the end that they may not endure hun [...]er in the Winter, and that they may not need to eat the Honey vp that they haue [...]ade, and which is left vntaken from them, it wil be good to giue them, at the doores [...] their Hiues, in little pipes or troughes made of Reedes, Elder, Iron, or Lead, so [...]repared, as that the Bees may not drowne themselues when they goe about to [...]rinke, some drie figges, stamped or te [...] pered in water or boyled Wine: It will be [...]ood likewise to giue them some Rai [...]ns out of the Frayle, stamped and sprinkled [...]ith water: or else some Corans, stamped with verie good Wine, and boy led toge [...]her: or else some drie Aprico [...]s, stamped with Honey, and mixed with boyled water: [...] of Pancakes made of verie ripe Corans, of the best Figges and boy [...]d Wine mixed together: or else to cast amongst them, in at the doore of the Hiue, some sweet liquors, with Siringes, as Milke, and especially Goats Milke, [...] the best of all the rest, to beare out the scarcitie and poorenesse of the time, vn [...]ill the Spring approach.

In the Combes there are found Drones like vnto Bees, but greater, which (al [...]hough they be vnprofitable, because they gather no food or sustenance, but eat [...]p that which others bring in) yet doe serue for some thing; for they hatch the [...]oung brood, whereupon come the small Bees: and therefore you must not kill [...]hem all, but keepe a certaine number of them, to the end that the Bees may not [...]row [...]onthfull and idle.

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CHAP. LXVI.
Of the remedies of the diseases that Bees are subiect vnto.

THe Bee is subject vnto the Plague,The diseases of Bees. in which case there is no more [...] raigne a medicine for them, than to carrie them farre off. Againe, they are troubled with the flux of the bellie in the beginning of the Spring, when the spourges are in the flower, and the Elme-trees bring [...] their seed, where they are giuen to feed greedily, and with great stomacks, as [...] fasted all Winter: and they be so desirous to eat of these new and young flowers, as some folke are to eat of new Apples; and thereupon they die quickly, if it be not speedily foreseene: in such sort, as that in some places of Itali [...], where the [...] do [...] grow vpon plants, the Bees cannot continue or endure long. For this cause, you [...] quickly helpe this flux of the bellie with the rindes or seedes of Pomegran [...] powned and [...]arced, and afterward mixed with Honey, and sprinkled with good [...] Wine: or else with Damaske or Languedo [...] Raisins dried, powned, and mi [...]ed with good sweet Wine, or with honied water, wherein hath beene boyled Rosem [...]: or else with figges of Marseilles, which haue beene boyled a long time in wat [...]: all these gine them in pots or pipes of wood, to the end they may eat and drinke thereof.

Bees are sometimes sicke, when as eu [...]rie yeare continually there is great s [...]ored flowers: for the Bees thereupon labour rather to make great store of Honey th [...] nie young Bees; and so it commeth to passe, that manie die of excessiue toile and trauaile: and further, because those which remaine are not supplyed with young and new store, they likewise die all of them. Wherefore, when in the Spring time the medowes and fields are filled with flowers, it will be good euerie third day to [...] vp the places whereat they g [...]e in and out of their Hiues, leauing onely af [...] little holes, but such as the Bees cannot get out at, that so they may be [...] from making of Honey; and that so also, when they perceiue that they cannot fill vp [...] their Waxen chambers with Honey, they may apply themselues to fill [...] young Bees.

If Lice or Grubs,Lice and Grubs. which are engendred of the filth in their Hiues, do [...] you must smoake them with a bough of the Pomegranat or wild Figge-tree.

They fall into a Consumption,Heat, or Cold. and become all dried away, after hauing endu [...] verie great heat or cold. And it is euidently perceiued: for it is often seen [...], that [...] beareth out of the Hiue the bodie of another that is dead, and that some of those [...] are within, and aliue, become all pensiue and sad, after the manner of a gen [...] mo [...] ning: which when it happeneth to them, they must haue meat made of Honey boiled and beaten with Galles, or drie Roses.

You shall stay the brawles betwixt swarmes,Fighting [...] if you cast vpon them some [...] dust, or boyled wine, or honied wine, or other like liquor, which by his [...] common and familiar vnto Bees.

The Bees that are cruell and rigorous, [...] and [...] Bees. will become tame and gentle, if you [...] goe amongst them oftentimes.

Sometimes there is such store of Honey-combs made,Corrupted Comb [...]s. as that for want of [...] stand emptie: whereupon it commeth, that they rot and destroy the Honey by [...] rottennesse; and the spoyle of the Honey causeth the Bees to die. For to rem [...]die [...] this you must put two swarmes into one Hiue, or else cut away the put [...]ified Comb [...] [...] a verie sharpe and well whe [...]ed toole.

The Butter [...]es,A [...]ain? Butterflie [...]. which vse sometimes to hide themselues in the Hiues, and [...] the Bees, will themselues be killed, if when Mallowes are in flower, and they ab [...] ding in great quantitie, there be set amongst the Hiues, in the night season, a high and narrow mouthed Tinne-pot, with a burning Light in the bottome of [...] [Page] for presently all the Butterflies will hasten and flie thither vnto the light, and flying about it, will burne themselues: for they cannot easily, from a narrow bottome, flye right vp, neither yet shunne and auoid the light, in getting themselues farre off from it, seeing they are forcibly kept within a narrow scantling, the pot it selfe being not wide, but narrow.

To kill Drones, which doing no good,Against Dr [...]es. deuoure the Honey: When it shall be neere night, water the couerings of some vessell, which you shall se [...] neer [...]e vnto the Hiues, with water; the Drones will all of them flye vnto those couerings to coole themselues and quench their thirst, which they haue gotten by eating too much honey, and then it will be an easie thing to kill them: and as for [...]inging of you, you need not feare it, for they haue no sting at all.

CHAP. LXVII.
Of the manner of gathering Honey.

FOr the gathering of Honey, about which there is so much labour taken continually,The gathering of Honey. it is chiefely effected at three seuerall times of the yeare, as shortly after the Spring, all the Summer, and in the beginning of Autumne. But there cannot anie prefixed day or certaine time be appointed for the same, seeing it dependeth of the finishing of the Combes: for and if you draw-them out before they be throughly wrought, the Bees grow malecontented, and cease to worke anie more, by reason of the thirst which they endure. The time of gathering Honey is knowne, by the Bees their no more making of a great noyse, but [...]rning the same into a soft and low buzzing: as also, if the holes which are aboue in the vessels be stopped with Wax: if the Bees driue out the Drones, which are like vnto Bees, but a greater beast, and altogether vnprofitable, and without taking of any paine; for they gather no food, but eat vp that which others bring in. The houre of taking the Combes, is commonly in the morning, for it is not good to disquiet and trouble them in the heat of the day: and this must be done with two yron instruments or kniues; the one whereof must be long and narrow, for the cutting away of the Combes; and the other, for the scraping away and pulling out of the filth that shall be fallen into them. It will doe well to moisten these two tooles oftentimes in water, that so the Wax may not sticke vnto them, and that the Bees which shall be abiding within, may not be hurt. The vessels may not altogether be emptied, and so all the fruit taken out, but there must be left remaining (as it were) the tenth part, or (as others say) the fifth part, as well in the Spring, as in Summer; but in Autumne two parts must be left, and the third onely taken, for by this meanes you shall not much discontent them: and withall, you shall leaue aboundantly behind for them to eat and feed vpon. The gathering of Honey most commonly vsed, and most reasonable, is but to take the most ripe Combes, and those which are best perfected, and withall, of them but two thirds. If the Hiue be halfe full of Honey, then there is but the halfe of that to be taken away: and if it be vnder halfe full, then there must be taken from it with discretion proportionably. Furthermore, you must make them come forth with the smoake of Neats dung, or of a Wolfes bladder, or Galbanum or wild Mallowes; and with the iuice of this hearbe must he be annointed which shall gather the Honey, to keepe him that he be not stung: or to make him bold, let him take a maske with a parte of Spectacles set in it to giue him light to see, and let him also ha [...]e a Linnen cloth, close wrythed about his necke and head, and gloues vpon his hands, for to geld and handle them to his good contentment: or, which is better, let him haue a Linnen hood to compasse and goe ouer his whole face, made of a most fine and close-wrought Kall, like vnto Net-worke, for by this meanes a man shall see at his pleasure that which he goeth about to doe, and yet be free from [Page] the danger of the Bees stinging. But notwithstanding that you take from the [...] their worke of Honey and Wax, yet you must not kill them, nor driue them [...] away, if it be possible, but to keepe them for to draw yet more profit out of them afterward: and when as yet there is no hope of good of them by reason of their [...] euen then you must not vse anie vngratefull [...], in stead of [...], and [...]ur [...]he [...]ously massacre them. In the Countrey of Tuscanie, in remembrance of the bountifulnes [...]e of this poore cattell, it is forbidden vpon a great penal [...] to kill Bees, so long as possibly by anie meanes they may be kept aliue. It will be good therefore, for their safegard, at such times as their Combes are to be gelded, [...] them in such sort, as that they may withdraw themselues safely into some [...] toward the middest of the couering of their Hiue, and not to come forth or [...] you shall make them come forth, the couering of their Hiue taken away, and a [...] to the mouth of the Hiue, and after smoaking the Bees from vnderneath, for so they will betake themselues into the said sacke, which must be fast tied and layd vpon the ground, vntill that the Honey be taken away at leisure. After this, the Hiue or [...] must be see to the mouth of the sacke, and the couering put vpon it againe, [...] so the Bees may returne and enter into their house againe, to begin their worke [...] or else see neere vnto the Hiue which you meane to geld, another emptie Hiue, which shall be per [...]umed and hung about with sweet smelling hearbes, and it shall haue [...] hole in the couer as bigge as ones hand made round, to the end that Bees may [...] at it, hauing made an end of the building of their Combes, euen to the top, and downeward more than the halfe part of the Hiue: by this meanes you shall take away, at ease, such Honey as is in the Hiue, and not loose anie part of it, seeting that it may be taken forth at anie houre that you are disposed, without hurting of the Combes, and without molesting or troubling of the Bees, in smoaking of [...] cause them to gather together vpon heapes into some corner, or else by [...] them to flye some whither else. The Combes being taken away, shall be carried to the place where you meane to make the Honey, and stopping the windowes of [...] place, preutent the comming of Bees thereinto; for they will busily seeke the [...] that they haue lost, and, if they find it, wast and consume it. And ther [...], to cut off all meanes of entrance for them into this place, you must there raise [...] which may driue away them that shall assay to come in. And this smoake would be made of greene Wood, wet Hay, Rosemarie, or such like, which sendeth [...] sharpe and piercing fume.

Now, though this be the opinion of the auncient Bee-masters, yet [...] hath taught vs in these later times, that it is much better vtterly to kill and [...] those stocks from whom you intend to take your Honey, than thus to robbe [...] for it is certaine, that these Bees, thus spoyled of their wealth, and wanting [...] flowers, and other meanes whereby to renew their stores againe, doc forthwith become robbers themselues, and spoyle all the neighbour-Hiues which are [...] them; as also they breed a ciuile warre and much slaughter amongst other [...] and therefore it is better vtterly to destroy them in this sort; either at the closing of the night, when the Sunne is set, and [...] Bee come home, you shall [...] the Hiue from the stone, and sowse it into a sowe of water, and there let it [...] all the Bees are drowned, and then take out the Honey and the Wax: or else [...] Fusse-ball, or some sharpe smoake, smoake them to death, and then take their [...] and dispose it at your pleasure.

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CHAP. LXVIII.
Of the making of Honey and Wax.

YOu must make your Honey the same day that you haue taken out your Combes, although they be warme and somewhat hot.To make Honey and [...] And for the doing hereof, the Combes must be set one against another in a Willow or Ozier basket, wrought verie cleare, and fashioned like an Hypocras bagge, after that you haue once cleansed away from the Combes the feed of young brood, and all manner of other filth: and when the Honey shall be runne through the basket into a bason that shall be set vnder it, you must put it into an earthen vessell, which must for some small time be left open, till it haue done boyling and casting sorth of his froth by staying in the same: this done, the pieces and lumps of Combes shall be taken out of the basket, and pres [...]ed, and there will Honey come out of them, but not so good as the former, which must be put by it selfe, that so the pure, and that which is indeed verie excellent, may not be corrupted thereby. After that the remainder of the Combes is throughly pressed out, and washed in sweet water, they shall be cast into a Copper vessell with some water, and so set vpon a soft fire to melt. This Wax thus melted, shall be strained, letting it runne out into water, and then being melted againe, with water you shall make it vp into what forme you will.

CHAP. LXIX.
of the marks of good Honey.

THe good Farmer maketh gaine of euerie thing, and by whatsoeuer hee can perceiue necessarie for the inhaunsing of his house. Now I dare boldly affirme, That there are few things found about a Countrey house, which are of greater encrease and aduantage than Honey. Againe, wee see what traffique the Spaniards make with it: who, through the barrennesse of their Countrey, hauing no other meanes to enrich themselues, doe keepe a great number of Bees, to make much Honey of them. In like manner doe the in [...]abitants about Narbone; who send amongst vs great quantities of white Honey, which wee make serue for our vse. But I would aduise such as make a traffique [...]hereof, that they would not gather ani [...] Honey but that which is good: for the [...]abour and cost is no lesse to nourish and keepe bad Bees, than to keepe those which are good.

The markes therefore of good Honey are,The mark [...] of good [...] that the Honey be of a yellow colour, pleasant smell, pure, neat, and shining in euerie part, sweet and verie pleasant to the tast: and yet notwithstanding this, hauing a certaine kind of acrimonie, or sharpenes [...]e: of an indifferent consistence betwixt thicke and thinne, hanging together in it selfe, in such sort, as that being lifted vp with the fingers end, it keepeth together in [...]aner of a direct line, without any breaking asunder; for it should argue it selfe to be either too thick or too thinne, if it should not hang together, but breake, or else to haue some other vnequall mixture: It must not be long in boyling, and yeelding but small store of scum when it doth boyle: aboue all it may not exceedingly smell of Thyme, though some (as I my selfe doe know) doe greatly esteeme of such. And that which is gathered in the Spring, or Summer, is much better than that which is gathered in Winter. White Honey is not of lesse goodnesse than that which is of a golden yellow, so that there accompanie it the other marks of goodnes, [...] such as that is which the [Page] Spaniards and men about Narbona do [...] send vnto vs, being verie white, and [...] firme and hard, and therefore better, without all comparison, than anie other [...] of Honey.

Honey the newer it is,New Honey▪ Old Wint. the better it is, cleane contrarie to Wine, which is more commended when it is old than when it is new. This also is to be marked in Honey [...] as Wine is best at the mid-Caske, and Oyle in the [...]op, so Honey is best towards the bottome:Honey is best at the bottome. for by how much Honey is more firme and heauie, so much it is the [...] as being the sweeter.

The vse of Honey serueth for manie things: it prolongeth life in old folk [...]s,The vertues of [...]oney. and in them which are of cold complexion: that it is so, we see, that the Bee, which is [...] little creature, [...]eeble, and weake, liueth nine or tenne yeares by her [...]eeding vpon Honey. The nature of Honey is to resist corruption and pu [...]ifaction:The tearme of the Bees life. and this is the cause why Gargarismes, to cleanse and mundifie the vlcers of the mouth, are [...] therewith.The dis [...]lled water of Honey. Some make a distilled water of Honey, which causeth the [...] is fallen away to grow againe, in what part of the bodie soeuer it be.

CHAP. LXX.
The manner of preparing diuers sorts and diuers compositions of Honey.

THere is such excellent vertue in Honey, as that is preserueth and defendeth things from pu [...]ifaction and corruption: which is the cause, that when anie are disposed to keepe Rootes, Fruits, Hearbes, and especially Iuices, it is ordinarily accustomed to conserue them is Honey: whereupon it commeth, that wee vse these names, Honey of [...], Roses, Rosemarie-slowers, Damaske-Rai [...], Myrtles, Anacard [...], Buglosse, and such like, which are made with iuice and Honey; of which onely we will [...] in this place.

The Honey of Violets, [...] Roses, Buglosse, Mercurie, and Rosemari [...]flowers, [...] all prepared after one sort: Take of the iuice of new Roses a pound, of pure [...] Honey, first boyled and [...], tenne pounds, boyle them all together in a Caldron vpon a cleere fire: when these boyle, adde vnto them of new Roses, yet [...], cut in sunder with Scizars of Sheares, foure pound; boyle them all vntill the iuice be wasted, stirring them often with a sticke: this being done, straine them and put [...] in an earthen vessell for to be kept, for it is better and better after some time. Otherwise, and better, and ofter vsed: Stampe in a Mortar new Roses, adde like [...] of Honey, and set them in the Sunne the space of three moneths, afterward straine them, and boyle the liquor strained out to the thicknesse of Honey. Otherwise, [...] equall parts of Honey, and of the manifold infusion of new Roses, boyle them all [...] the consistence of a Syrrup; looke how manie times the more double the in [...]usion of the Roses is, by so much the Honey of Roses will be the better: and this same is [...] most fit to be taken at the mouth, as the first and second are for Clysters. Or [...] take new raw Honey before it euer boyle, or hauing but lightly boyled, and [...] thereto some quantiti [...] of sweet water, red Roses that are new, and newly [...] in the shadow, their white taken away, and a third part of Honey, put them all together in a glasse-vessell, or earthen one, well glassed, which being close stopped, shall be set in the Sunne, and stirred euerie third day: and thus you may fitly prepare Honey of Roses and Rosemarie-flowers a great deale better than after anie of the [...] waies.

Honey of Myrtles is made with a pound of the iuice of Myrtle-tree, [...] and [...] pound of Honey, all boyled together vpon a small fire.

[Page] The honie of damaskes raisons is thus made: Take damaske raisons cleansed from their stones,Honie of [...] steepe them foure and twentie houres in warme water, and after boyle them to perfection: when they haue thus boyled, straine them through a strainer verie strongly, and after that, boyle them againe to the thicknesse of [...].

Mel Anacardinum is thus made; Stampe a certaine number of the fruit Anacardia,Honie of the fruit Anacardia. and after let them lye to steepe for the space of seuen daies in vinegar, but on the eight boile them to the consumption of the one halfe; afterward straine them through a linnen cloth: the juice that is strained out, must be boyled with like quantitie of honie.

The manner of making honied water: Take one part of honie, and sixe parts of raine water,Honied water. put all together in a little barrell, well pitcht and s [...]opt aboue, that [...] no [...] at all may enter in at it: afterward, set it out in the hottest weather that is, as in Iulie, but out of all raine, and leaue it so about [...] daies, but with such prou [...]o as that you turne the barrell euerie eight daies, to the end that the Sunne may worke on all sides of it. To make it more effectuall, and of greater vertue, it will be good in quincetime, to mixe therewith the juice of quinces, in such quantitie as that there may be for e [...]erie pound of honie, a quarter of a pound of juice of quinces. Some before they put the honie and water together into the barrell, boyle them together vpon a cleare fire, or vpon coales without smoake, they scum the hon [...]e, and boyle it to perfection, which they gather by casting an egge into it, which if it swim aboue, then the honie is sufficiently boyled, but and if it sinke, then it is not boyled ynough.

The Polonians, Musco [...]es, and Englishmen,A wine made of [...] and water. doe make a drinke hauing the [...] of a honied water, which is farre more pleasant, and more wholesome than many mightie wines, and it is called Mede. They take one part of honie, and six parts of raine, riuer, or fountaine water, they boyle them together, and in boyling them, take off the seum very diligently, and continue the boyling till the halfe of the whole be consumed: being cooled, they put it vp in a wine vessell, and after adde vnto it [...]ix ounces of the barme of ale or beere, to make it purge and boyle vp, and withall they hang in the vessell a nodule or knot full of [...] pepper, ginger, graines of paradise and cloues: also they cast into the vessell a handfull of Elder-tree-flowres: they set the vessell in the Sunne in Summer time, for the space of fortie daies, or in Winter they set it in some caue vnder the ground. This kind of honied water is verie so [...]aigne against [...] agues, [...] dispositions of the bodie, diseases of the braine, as the falling sicknesse, apoplexie, and palsie, in which cases wine is forbidden.

The countrie men of Prouence, [...] of honie. and the Italians, do [...] make marchpaines of honie and almonds after this manner: Take white honie three pound, and three whites of egges, beat all together with a woodden pestill in a bason, till it grow vnto the colour of milke: afterward see the bason vpon a fire of coales, stirring all together very carefully with the pestill, till such time as it become somewhat thicke: then put thereto sweet almonds stamped and fried, such quantitie as shall be needfull for the making of it of some good consistence: being yet hot, powre it our vpon some marble or polished table: make vp your marchpaine thereof, and it will be singular good for them to eat which are in a consumption, as also to procure spitting.

CHAP. LXXI.
Of the markes of good Waxe, and the manner of preparing diuers sorts of Waxe.

GOod Waxe must be of a verie yellow colour,The [...] of good Wax [...]. smelling sweet, far, light, pure, [...] close, neat, and purified from all filth. It is the ground of other Waxes, called artificiall, as being by art made into diuers colours, as blacke, red, greene, and white Waxe.

[Page] Blacke WaxeBlacke wax▪ is made with ashes of burnt paper; greene,Greene wax. by putting [...] vnto it; red,Red wax. by putting the root of Alkanet vnto common Wax, or the powder of Cinnabrium; but white WaxeWhite wax. is made many waies, but for the most part, after this sort and manner: Melt Waxe in some vessell [...]it for the purpose, afterward [...] it from all manner of superfluities through a strainer; being thus strained, [...] a soft coale fire, in a great skellet or vessell of copper, to keepe it liquid and in [...] close thereby you shall haue one or two great barrells, made after the manner of [...] [...]ubs, full of water newly drawne out of the well, in which you shall wet [...] that are round, flat, and halfe finger thicke, fashioned like round coue [...] or [...] of pots, and in the middest they shall be made fast to a little sticke or woodden [...] manner of a graspe, by which one may handle them: you shall dip the same ( [...] well wet in water) in the vessell where the Waxe shall be melted, and p [...]e [...]ly after you shall pull them out full of Waxe; and put them in the water [...]ubs, where the [...] will abide, that shall haue cleaued vnto them: you shall gather this wax together, and spread euerie peece by it selfe vpon hurdles couered with linnen cloth, in the [...] heat of the Sunne, in the moneth of Iulie, and vpon these you shall leaue it till it become white. In the meane time, while it shall thus lie in the Sunne, if it happen [...] the heat of the Sunne be so vehement, that it melte [...]h the wax so sp [...]ed vpon the hurdles, you must water and sprinkle it often with coole water, & by the same mea [...] also defend it from the Bees, which will flie thither from all corners to [...] out the honie. Otherwise, boyle the wax in water so o [...]t, as vntill that you see it [...] it this manner of whitening wax is not so sure, nor of so easie charges as the [...], for the often melting of the Wax, doth wast it verie much: but the drying of it in the Sunne, bringeth no great losse, as you shall best find after proofe and triall made.

To make [...]earing candle: Take two pound of new Wax, a pound of good [...] and a quarter of a pound of turpentine; mixe them, and make searing Wax.

The end of the second Booke.

THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE FARME.

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The Orchard, or Greene plot.

CHAP. I.
Of the differences of Orchards, or Greene plots, and the inclosing of the Fruit-Garden.

THere are three sorts of Orchards or Greene plots, the one (otherwise called an Arbour) contriued with great bankes, and this is pointed out and prouided in a field couered with green grasse, and a fountaine in the middest of it, and wrought-into d [...]uers plaine and euen plots and braunches, consisting of lo [...]ts, which are sustained and borne vp with carpentrie or frames of timber, vnder which a great number of people may sit couered ouer head. Of this sort I haue seene at Basill and [...] other places in Germanie: and, to [...]it a place for this manner of greene plot, it [...] requisite that it be cleansed from all manner of stones and weeds, not so much as [...] roots left vndestroyed; and for the better accomplishing hereof, there must boy [...]ng water be powred vpon such ends of roots as s [...]aying behind in the ground can [...]ot be well pulled vp, and afterward the floore must be beaten and troden downe [...] [...]ightily; then after this, there must be cast great quantity and store of turfes of earth [...] of greene gra [...]e, the bare earthie part of them being turned and laied vpward, [...] afterward daunced vpon with the feet, and the beater or pauing-beetle lightly [...] ouer them, in such sort as that within a short time after, the gra [...]e may begin [...] peepe vp and put forth like small haires; and finally, it is made the sporting green [...] for Ladies and Gentlewomen to recreate their spirits in, or a place whereinto [...]hey may withdraw themselues if they would be solitarie and out of [...]ight.

The second sort of greene plots is that which our auncient Frenchmen, who first [...]rote our Romane discourses and histories, haue taken and vsed for a place of [...] for Princes, and was called in a [...]ncient time after the manner of a sojou [...]ing [...] abiding place,The [...] place. but now by the name of a beautifull prospect. Which beside the [...]ately building singularly contriued in partitions,The beautifull prospect. diuersitie of workes, and most [...]aire windows, compassed in with goodly water ditches, [...]ed from continuall run [...]ng Springs, doth containe an [...]ner and base Court with gardens for pleasure and [Page] fruits, with vnderwoods, warrens, fishponds, and whatsoeuer goodly and beautifull thing is wont to stand about princely palaces.

The third sort of greene plots, is that which we intend to trim vp in this place, and it may supplie the place of the fruit garden, for a house respecting and looking to thrift, and to keepe a houshold for husbandrie: such a one as we haue here [...] to furnish and set out euerie way well appointed, and in which vve are [...] to regard profit, joyned with a meane and moderate beautie and co [...]nesse, than any vnnecessarie [...]umptuousnesse.

Therefore to goe on in our designed course and intended plot, this place require [...]h,The Fruitgarden, that next after the kitchin and flower gardens, with their appurten [...], vve make readie and trim vp a greene plot for fruit trees, containing in it as much ground as both the other gardens, and that without any manner of other a [...]eys of [...] beewixt it and the gardens, or in the middest of it selfe, than such distance and spare, as must of necessitie be betwixt the trees, and whereof we will speake more [...], and without also whatsoeuer other husbandri [...], grasse, or other things, whereof you might hope to make some pro [...]it vnderneath, whether of hay, or any such other thing which would grow there: for the fruit tree would not haue his sustenance pur [...]oyned or kept from it, by the [...]lling of other plants which might be [...]eared about it, neither doth it craue to be kept vva [...]me in Winter time, but onely tilled and ordered according to his seasons, because that otherwise it would yeeld no profit vnto the owner thereof.

The situation of the orchard would be vpon some hill top, or some little hill, rather than in a plaine ground: for besides that such seats haue better ayre, more ple [...] sant and delightsome for contentment of contemplation and view, and diuers other all [...]rements which will there offer themselues; the tops of hills are yet more apt to containe greater number of fruit trees to be planted therein, than the plaine gro [...] possibly can: for such as stand in plaines, if they be planted any whitneere, do annoy one another vvith their shade: the other on the contrarie side (according as it [...] more and more from the foot) causing euerie tree to ouer-looke his fellow, taketh away the discommoditie or inconuenience of such ouershadowing one of another. It must also be planted somewhat more vpon the North than vpon the South quarter, that so it may minister matter of rejoycing to such as shall behold it out at the windowes in his beautie and jolitie: Indeed if it be planted vpon the South, it [...] more open vpon the Sunne, whose heat is verie requisite for fruit trees, but then [...] would not stand so faire for prospect: besides, that it vvould be offended and [...] of the dust and filth of the threshing f [...]oore vvhen the corne is thresh [...], if in case it should stand neere vnto it.

In any case let it not stand vpon the North-West quarter because it is a mo [...] deadly enemie vnto all sorts of plants, but principally of flowers, which it singeth as if a fire had passed that vvay, and the cause, is, for that it commeth from the [...] side, and taketh part with the North, vvhich is verie rough and sharpe, but yet not so dangerous as that North-West vvind vvhich bloweth once a yeare, chi [...]ly [...] the Spring, and spoyleth the cher [...]e-tree-flowers and the vine more than any of the [...] Whereupon there arose this Latine verse, Vae tibi galerna, per qu [...]m sit clausa [...] In any case let not the ground vvhereon you plant your orchard be marshie or [...] terish, for the fruits growing vpon such grounds are not vvell relished, neither [...] vvill they last long▪ it must likewise be inriched one yeare before that it be cast and digged, to make any nurceri [...] there, either of seeds or steckes, and after it hath [...] the second time digged and d [...]ged, or marled, you must let it rest & digest his dung and marle: and in like manner pick out the stones that are in it most carefully▪ And as concerning the naturall disposition and goodnesse thereof, it must be [...]at in handling, blacke in colour, and vvhich murleth easily in breaking and stirring it vvith your fingers, not being hard, clayie, chalkie, or sandie. Yet if it be so that the situation of your Farme lyeth in such a soyle as is marshie and vvaterish: for [...] [Page] man cannot make choice of his abiding; and it is a brauer reputation to the Husbandman to make a barren earth fruitfull, than to make a fruitfull ground pleasant: therefore (as [...] said) if your ground lye low, and be much sub [...]ect to wet and rottenne [...]e, you shall trench it diuers waies, almost in the manner of a Labyr [...]th, cutting one [...]rench into another, in such wi [...]e, that the water may haue a descent of falling away into some Brooke, Riuer, or other Dike, which as a Sewer may carrie away the wet, and keep [...] the Orchard dr [...]: and also you shall bring from some other Grounds, Lakes, or Ponds, great store of earth, mudde, and other compas, wherewith you shall raise and heighten the bankes betweene the trenches, in such [...]ort, that they may remaine and be farre from the danger of washing or ouerflowing of anie water: and these bankes you shall stake well with strong Oaken stakes on euerie side, and plant great store of Oziers also about them to maintain and hold vp the earth from falling. Then as soone as you see these bankes firme, and beginning to grow to haue a greene swar [...]h vpon them, you shall plant your fruit-stocks, of euerie seuerall kind, vpon the same, and without all doubt they wil prosper and grow there as well as in any ground whatsoeuer, as may be seene in diuers places both of this and other Kingdomes.

The inclosure or defence vnto the Orchard shall be either a hedge of Quickset, which is in truth the most pleasant and conuenient, though yet the wall be more profitable, as being more strong, and built in lesse time, which also being planted and handsomely dressed, affoordeth not much lesse pleasure than the hedge: or else if you like it better, a ditch cast about it, with a Quickset hedge set vpon the raised side thereof: but in this according as the sufficiencie and reuenues of the Farme will beare it [...]: yet alwaies prouided, that it be out of the way of the cattell, and where no man [...], except he enter in at the gare [...] and graunted, that the wall is the surest kind [...] defence, as also the strongest, most profitable, and perfected in least time. Besides, the wall, of all other [...]ences, is most needfull for the Orchard, as well for the strength, indur [...]ance, and safe keeping of the same, as also for the great profit which commeth thereby to all maner of fruit which is planted, and plashit vp against the same, chiefly in those cold countries where the Sunne is not altogether so violent, nor so readie to [...] as in these our [...] [...]oyles of France, for it is most certaine that by planting any daintie or render fruit close to a wall, and spreading his braunches open against the same, which with loopes of leather, or felt, together with small nailes, may easily be done, [...]a [...]ning euerie principall braunch and materiall twig to the wall, it will doubtlesse put [...]orth as early, flower, knit, and ripen, being in a cold and hard [...]oyle, as if it were in the war [...]nest and fertillest earth which doth best of all agree with its nature, as may be seene daily both in the cold and barren countries of Fraunce, as also in other kingdomes much more Northerly and lesse beholden to the Suns warmenesse. And herein you shall vnderstand, that the principall fruit trees which delight to be planted against a wall, are pe [...]ches, abrico [...]s, nectaryas, all [...]orts of sweet plumbs, [...]herries, oliues, almonds, and such like, for the reflection of the Sunne cannot beat or play vpon them too much, they are so infinitely in loue with the same. And in as much as the Orchard is altogether dedicated and appointed for the matter of planting, grafting, and transplanting of trees in it: we will assigne out certeine places wherein the [...]urceri [...] of seeds and the other of stockes may conueniently be appointed: which nurcerie of seeds shall be as a well furnished shop to afford new store of plants, to furnish the orchard at all assaies and times of need.

We will first sow our nurceri [...] of seeds on that side by which we go into the Orchard,A briefe of [...] which shall be [...] of in this third Book [...]. and close vnto it the nurcerie of stockes, where shall be planted wild ones, re [...]oued from out of the seed nurcerie, to be afterward grafted vpon in their time and season▪ On the other side, we will plant fruits vpon nut kernells, and transplant and gra [...] them after diuers waies. In those parts of the two great void places where they are sundred the one from the other with a great path, we will according to their kinds, [...]ute out and set out great trees: and at the end of them, we will pricke out ozi [...], so as they may for their better growth receiue refreshment from some small brook or wa [...]er course.

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CHAP. II.
Of the seed Nurcerie, that is to say, of the planting of Trees on Pippins or Seeds.

CErtaine it is, that Trees grow and spring out of the earth, either vvithout the vvorke and industrie of man, or else by his [...]oyle and skill pain [...]ully imployed: of such as grow by the skill and industrie of man, some grow of seeds, that is to say, of kernells, commonly called Pippins, or of other seeds, as of Nu [...] kernells, cherrie stones, plumme stones, &c. being thrust into the ground: othersome of shoots and small twigges, branching from the root at the [...] of the Tree, hauing their nourishing roots, and drawing fibres from the full growne roots of the Tree, or else of themselues. Some grow of buds and blo [...]omes, as [...] ces: or of young braunches, or of boughes: some of the multiplying of branches, if especially the Tree be yet young and pliant: others are gra [...]ted one vpon another. We will first intreat of the making of them grow in the seed Nur [...]rie of their seeds, and so in order afterward vve vvill intreat of other meanes of making Tre [...] to grow.

For the ordering therefore of your [...]eed Nu [...]ceri [...], and furnishing of it vvith Pear [...]-Trees, Apple-trees, Quince-trees, and others growing of seeds, you shall cause to be digged good and deepe, a great quarter in a good earth and cherishing [...]ould: and that if it be possible a Winter before you sow them, to the end it may thereby become well seasoned, and you shall almost mixe amongst it halfe as much dung as the earth comes to that you turne vp, that so it may ripen and rot vvith the [...], and so be kept in great ridges, vnto Cyder time, vvhich is in September and October. At vvhich time take the dro [...]e of the said fruits as it commeth out of the presse, or a little after, so that it be before the seeds be rotted or corrupted, and chase and vvipe them verie vvell betwixt your hands, then lay flat and square your plot or quarter, and [...] good and close, and make it out into borders of the bredth of foure sector the [...] bout, and making paths, by casting vp the [...]ould betwixt [...]uerie two, to the end th [...] they may be vved vpon the one side and the other vvithout treading vpon them. This being done, sow your drosse there in such sort as that the earth may therewith be lightly couered, and then afterward couer it againe vvith the earth vvhich you haue cast vp in making of the paths or hollowed furrows betwixt the said bord [...], and rake them ouer afterward, that so the drosse of the Apples may be vvell broken and spred, not lying together on heapes. This is an excellent vvay for the sowing of much ground, and a great deale of seed, because if one pippin come vp of a [...], yet the husbandmans labour is saued, and his profit sufficient: but in case where such plentie is not, but that a man must [...]rom an Apple or two get all the seed [...]e must [...]ow, or that by chaunce lighting of some few especiall pippins, vvhose like [...]ockes [...]e is desirous to be maister of, in this case you shall by no meanes bestow them into the earth thus rude and carelesly, because it is to be vnderstood that the kernell of the Apple is a pleasanter and more sweet seed than any other vvhatsoeuer, and thereby inti [...]th vvormes, and such like creeping things, sooner to deuoure and eat them [...] any other: therefore to keepe them from that miscarriage, and to make them take soone, you shall take a common garden pot, such as you vse to plant Gillo-flowers in, and filling it vvith fine mould vvithin three fingers of the brim, lay in your seed, and then [...] vpon them other fine mould till the pot be full, and so let them stand where they may receiue both Sunne and Raine till they sprout, and be growne at least halfe a foot aboue the earth: then hauing drest a piece of earth, and manured it vvell for the purpose, you shall take those young plants, together vvith the earth and all vvhich is about them, and place them orderly in the new drest ground at least [...] foot distance one from another, and these also you shall place in comely rowes, so [...] [Page] euerie eye may distinguish the seuerall alleys that passeth betweene them: Other waies there be also of sowing of pippins, as on the bankes of ditches new cast vp, or else amongst the quick-set, or in smal [...]urrows digged and turned vp for the purpose, and such like, but yet none is so certaine as this alreadie rehearsed.

Otherwise; dri [...] the for [...]said pippins, and keepe them to the Winter following, and afterward about the later end of Nouember, or the beginning of the Spring, [...]ow them in manner as hath beene [...]aid, without casting vp any earth out of the passage [...]urrowes betwixt the borders when you shall measure them out: but rake them in a little vvith your rake, and thr [...]w thereupon good store of thornes and boughes verie shortly after you haue thus sowne them, that the hennes or hogges may not do [...] them any injurie. When the pippins are put forth of the earth, and growne for the space of a yeare, take away the thornes, and weed away all the weeds from amongst them as oft as you can, and suffer not any one to grow vp in height with them, for feare that when you shall come to pull vp a stiffe and strong growne weed, you pull not vp therewithall the little pippin and seed of the Tree. Water them if the Sommer shall fall out drie, and begin to vveed and lop them, to acquaint them with the hedgebill, and to keepe them still so bare of braunches, as that their sap may be imployed wholly in the making of one faire and lustie bodie and stocke, and not many: afterward, pull them vp toward Winter, before they haue begun to blossome, to transplant and remoue into the nurcerie of stockes. To cause them to shoot and put the sooner out of the earth, you must steepe their kernells in vvater or milke, for the space of two or three daies. And you are here to vnderstand, that the [...] of the Mulberrie-tree doth not grow so ha [...]ly, or bring forth so good fruit as the seed of the Figge-tree.

For to sow the Elme, you must gather his seed before the tree be couered with leaues,To sow the [...]. which is in the beginning of March, at such time as it beginneth to be yellow: afterward, they must be dried two daies in the shadow, and after that sowne in a suff [...]cient firme ground an inch deepe, and watered often, if there fall no raine.

The Bay-tree must be sowne a foot deepe in the ground, and foure seeds togeg [...]ther: transplanting and remouing it a yeare after into some other place: and in like [...]ase you are to deale with all such like seeds, whether they be of Cypres trees, My [...] trees, or others.

CHAP. III.
Of plants comming of stones.

FOr your plants of stonie kernells, as of Oliue-trees,The setting [...]., Cherrie-trees, Plum-trees, Almond-trees▪ Peach-trees, Chesnut-trees, Pomegranat-trees (if so be that Pomegranat-trees be rather to be reckoned amongst them which haue stone-kernells, than amongst the other which haue the soft kernells) Abricots, and Date-trees; you must drie the stones, as they come fresh out of their fruits, which you meane to set in the ground at such time as the Sunne is not v [...]ie sharpe, and in the shadow thereof: and see that it haue beene s [...]eeped in milke or vvater three or foure daies before, and then thrust it into the earth. But this must not be done but in the beginning of Winter, that so they may first breake forth in the Spring; for and if you put them into the earth before Winter, they may also sprout and put forth before it come, and so finding them young and tender when it commeth, may preuaile against them to kill them, they not being able to resist the rigour and rough [...]esse of the cold and frosts. But and if for your auoyding of [...] labour, you will gra [...]t them in their nurcerie, that is to say, in the place where you first [...] them, and where they haue put forth, without remouing of them to any other place, then se [...] in eueri [...] hole, three, foure, or fiue stones: and if all of them spring [Page] spring vp and take root, yet you must let none but the fairest stand and [...] to gra [...]t vpon in the place, and as for the rest, they would be pulled vp and remoued into some other place.

In what season soeuer it be that you set your stones,Ground for the [...] of stones. yet see to it, that the ground be good, and digged verie deepe, but put much small dung amongst it, either alone, or mingled with dust gathered out of the high waies, and see them three fingers within the earth, and halfe a [...]oot one from another, watering them three times euery mon [...], especially in Summer when it falleth out drie, and weed them once a moneth. Especially see they be set in a faire soile, and open vpon the Sunne, if so be you would [...] a well- [...]ed and pleasant-tasted fruit: for otherwise, if you set them in a shadowed place, though it be of a good soyle, indeed the fruit may be faire to looke to, but [...] ynough to eat. When the stones are set, and haue taken sooting, and are become [...] what pre [...]ily fed, pull them vp about Aduent which you mind to transplant, and breake off the points of their roots, and strip them of all their branches, before you set them downe againe in their new appointed standing: and know, that a double remoue doth make the wild to become free conditioned and better, bringing vnto them great aduantage.

And as concerning particular properties belonging into euerie stone,Grea [...] and gross [...] Nuts. Peaches. P [...]-plums. Almonds. Chesnuts. Abr [...]cot [...]. and how it must be set, it is to be knowne, that grosse Nuts, all manner of Peaches, wild Figge [...], Almonds, Che [...]nuts, small Abricots (but especially and most singularly well the branches) becommeth free and reclaimed, being set of a stone, foreseene that they find as good and as faire a soyle, as the trees enioy from whence the fruit of the said [...] were taken.

The stone of the Peare-Plum-tree must be set in a cold place, a foot deepe in the ground, the point downeward, euerie one a foot from another, and this in Nouember in high places, and in Ianuarie in low places.

The stone of the Iu [...]ube treeIu [...]ub [...]-tree. must be set after the manner and fashion of the stone of the Peare-plum-tree, but it is long and slow in growing out of the earth.

The stone of the plum-treePlum-tree. must be set a fat ground, a foot deepe, and that in Nouember and Februarie, and they are to be remoued the same time of the yea [...] making their holes and pits neither too wide, nor too deepe.

The stones or nuts of the Pine-treePine-tree. must be set in cold places, in Februarie and March, or about the fall of the Pine-apple, or shortly after, in pits well digged and of a good mould: the apple may not be broken by violence, or with any [...] to get out the kernell, but you must attend till it be opened, and set vpon [...]. And the Pine-nuts must be steeped three daies before you set them, and then you must set seuen together. Some lay them in little baskets, and cut them when they are sprung up. They need no remoue, but and if you do remoue them, you must look [...] in the taking of them vp, that you hurt not the chiefe and principall roots.

Small nutsSmall Nu [...]s. and plums of all sorts, peachesPeaches. the small and great,A [...]trges. and great abric [...],Great Abrico [...]s. in whatsoeuer good ground and pleasant soyle their kernells be set, yet they grow not altogether like vnto the fruit of their trees whereof they were gathered: and therefore they delight rather to be grafted vpon their young stockes.

The stone of the Date,The Date stone. which bringeth forth the Date-tree, must be set the great [...] downeward, two cubi [...] deepe in the earth, and in a place enriched with Goa [...]s [...], and the sharpe side vpward: it desireth to be watred daily, and that there should [...] yeare be salt sowne about it, and withall it must be remoued.

The seeds of Limons, Citrons, Oranges, Assyrian Citrons, and such like, as [...] bin said in the second Booke, must be prickt downe vpon beds well prepared & [...] about the moneth of March, & the sharpest end downward, halfe a [...]oot [...] from another, and a finger and a halfe deepe in the ground: they loue to be much [...] after, when they are growne a foot high, remoue them to the foot of some wall, op [...] vpon the South: and in Winter, when the time is hoarie, couer and fauour th [...] in such manner as wee haue spoken of in the second Booke. As much may be said of Pomegranat kernels, and Bay-berries, as you may vnderstand by the second Booke.

[Page] PistacesPi [...]aces. doe require greater diligence and delight to be sowne; as well the male as the female, in a verie fat ground and vvell [...]ared, the backe turned to the East, and this abou [...] the first day of Aprill: and at the same time of the yeare you may gra [...] them vpon themselues, notwithstanding that some doe graft them vpon the almond-tree.

The peach stone would be set presently after that the fruit is eaten,The Peach plant. there remayning still some small quantitie of the [...]lesh of the peach about the stone: and for the longer lasting and keeping of it, it loueth to be grafted vpon the Almond-tree.

CHAP. IIII.
Of the nurcerie for stockes.

IF you vvould haue a beautifull and pleasant fruit of your trees, it is not ynough that you should onely sow or set your seeds or stones in a good soyle, but it standeth you as much vpon to remoue them after one yeare into another place: for this translating of them doth so delight them, and reuiue their vigour and spirits, as that they yeeld more pleasant leaues, and a [...] [...]ed and liking fruit. For and if you will bestow this fauour vpon vvild [...], you shall find them to become of a gentler nature, and farre more exc [...]ling [...]. Wherefore when the Trees which shall haue sprung vp of seeds or stones, [...] or sowne, shall haue come by some little nourishment, and grow in the seed [...], take them vp vpon a new Moone, at night, with as many roots as possibly may be; and if it happen that any of them be spoyled or broken, cut it: looke vnto it al [...], that you doe not pull it vp when the Northerne wind bloweth (for this wind is an enemie vnto new set plants) and set them againe presently, least the roots should spend themselues, it must not be in a hot, or cold vveather, nor in an excessiue vvind, nor in raine, but at such time when it is calme and verie faire, chusing rather a cloudie day, than when the Sunne breaketh out hot, and the Moone being in her [...]: but and if you should not haue the leisure to remoue them so soone; or and if you would send or carrie them somewhat farre, bind them vp in their owne earth mingled vvith dung, and make it fast thereto with vvoollen cloth or leaues. When as you take them vp, marke what part standeth vpon this or that quarter, to the end that you may set them downe againe vpon the same quarter and coast of the heauens, for and if in remouing them you set them in a contrarie [...]oyle and situation, in respect of the heauens, they will not thriue so vvell: and that is the cause why those that buy new plants, most diligently inquire in what manner of ground they stood, and what aspect of the Sunne they were most open vnto, that so they may set them downe againe in such like ground, and in the same aspect. True it is, that this obser [...]tion seemeth too ceremoniall vnto me, and exceeding hard continually to be k [...]pt, seeing vve buy trees at Paris sometimes to plant, whose first situation we doe not know, neither can vve learne, and yet notwithstanding being planted, they cease not to thriue and prosper. And againe, what cause is there of any such ceremonie, seeing the Sunne vvhich is the nursing father of all plants, doth visit euerie day all the sides of the Tree, and that the ground wherein it is planted, is no lesse nou [...]shing vpon the one side than vpon the other? These things weighed, about the third of December, you must lay flat another plot, and make a furrowed quarter, where you shall lodge according to the order of a hundred, the small wildings, which you shall haue taken vp out of the [...]eed nurcerie, cutting off the end and beards of all their roots, and which may be in any place about their slender little stockes, and that in a good ground, yea much better if it be possible than that is of the seed nurcerie. It is true, that the furrowes must be made according to the goodnesse of the ground, & the nature of the tree: for in a clayie or hard ground, you must make your [Page] furrows the depth of three cubites: in a watrie and marshie place, of three feet [...] ▪ Some plants, as the Ash and Oliue tree, grow better in the vpper face and top of the earth, than in the depth and lower parts of the same. Set in order your young [...] dings in the said furrows halfe a foot one from another, and there couer them, and leaue the space of a foot betwixt one furrow and another, that there you may make paths to go [...] about vveeding with [...]ase, and passe betwixt euerie two furrows. When thus your wildings are set, you must cut off their stockes close by the earth, and fil vp the paths with dung, without euer going about to hide or couer the pla [...] in the earth, and so soone as they grow, they must be well wed round about, and [...] from vveeds, and vnderdigged, or lightly digged sometimes in S [...]mmer round about, not comming ouer neere the roo [...]s in any [...]ase: and they must be vva [...]d also on euenings, when it hath beene a verie hot day, and when they haue put forth [...] ces for one or two yeares, then going ouer them all, leaue not moe than one [...] to euerie plant, and let it be the [...]eekest, best liking, tallest, and com [...]liest of all the rest, cutting the other off close by the stocke. As these [...]nces shall grow on so [...] picke off cleane from them the small superfluous wood growing vpon them vpward, and euen close also vnto the stocke: and this must be done in March, or Aprill, and then must some small prop or stay be prickt downe at the foot of euerie wilding, for to [...] rect and guide it by, tying them both together with wreaths of gra [...]e, but [...] mo [...]e or some soft thing betwixt them, that so the hardnesse of the prop may not gal it when it shall be growne thicke. And thus you shall order and husband then til the time come when you must remoue them▪ if rather you make not choice to gr [...] them vpon the place as they stand. When through forgetfulnesse you shall haue [...] your wildings or planes growne vp of feeds for two or three yeares vntaken vp, [...] must furrow them as hath already bin said, but with deeper digged furrows, and th [...] you shall not breake the roots so much: and it will be [...]it and conuenient to cut off their branches vpward, as occasion shall require.

There are found kernels of peares or garden apples that haue beene gathered [...] trees that vvere sometimes wild ones,Fruits growing of grafts doe [...] keep [...] a better form and f [...]shi [...] than the other comming of plants. or growne vpon trees, which haue alreadie [...] oftentimes grafted, vvhich bring forth verie streight trees, and also of comely wood, as if they had beene grafts from the beginning, not hauing any prickes or [...], to argue them [...]uer to haue beene wild. Such young trees if you will remou [...] them [...] they are, or plant them out of their nurserie, without other manner of grafting them, they vvill not faile to bring you good fruit for the taste and eating, as also to [...] Cyder of, but the best fruit doth alwaies come by grafting: for the fruit comming vpon grafting, doth alwaies retaine a better forme, and groweth more and more kind, and withall much the greater:Fruit comming of a [...] p [...]ant. but that which groweth of a kernell doth chaung [...] [...] oft as the tree is changed which beareth it. And besides you must note, that [...] all trees which haue a strong fruit, grow better of kernels than of boughs▪ ye [...] so it [...], that a late [...]eed doth bring forth but an ill-fauoured plant, especially the said [...]eed being put besides his familiar and well pleasing ground.

CHAP. V.
Of Plants, Siences, and Shoo [...].

THe little siences of Cherrie-trees growne thicke with hairie [...], and those also which grow vp from the roots of the great Cherrie-trees,Plants of cherrie [...] vpon [...]. being remoued, doe grow better and sooner than vpon stones: but then they must be taken away and planted whiles they are young, [...] whiles they be but two or three yeares old: for when they are growne thicke they thriue not so well: againe, if you stay till they be growne gro [...]e, in remouing of [...] you must then [...]op them, and strip them cleane of their braunches, setting their [Page] great end in the earth the depth of a foot, and after treading downe the earth, and pricking downe withall at the foot of euerie plant a little stake to hold them fast, and to let the vvinds and vvhatsoeuer other thing from harming them. But especially you must see that you cut not si [...]nces at any other time than in Winter: for that moisture and coolenesse (during the time of Winter especially) is a meanes to conserue and keepe them, and thereupon also they grow and bring forth their fruit the better afterward.

The Mulberrie treeThe Mulberri-tree. groweth after the same manner of little [...]iences, although the best way of planting it be by taking a twigge thereof from the great branches which are cut from the old tree, of the length of a foot, and setting it good and deepe in the ground, and that in such sort, as that the ground may couer it, three or foure fingers, and this done, you must see that in Sommer it be watered diligently.

F [...]berts in like manner doe grow of smal shoots, which grow forth of the roots of good Filbere-treesPlants of Fil-berts. that are well rooted: these [...]iences must not haue their braunches cut off when they are remoued, except they be growne great and ful of branches: but three yeares after that they are remoued, if they doe not prosper and grow faire, you must cut them close by the ground, and they will put forth a bush of streight siences, verie smooth and neat, and of these you may chuse whether you will suffer the fairest onely, or all together, to grow vp and continue.

The siences of the Oliue-tree which you intend to transplant,Plants of the Oliue-tree. must be long and faire ones, and full of grosse and thicke moisture, so as that they may be taken and grasped in the hand, and the barke thereby nothing hurt. They must be drawne ouer with dung mixt with ashes, the head and the foot, and after laid in the earth, as they vvere vpon the Tree, the lower end more downeward and into the earth, and the higher end more vpward and looking into the aire, for else they will not take at all: and this must be a generall obseruation in transplanting of all manner of siences.

The siences of a vvell stringed root of a good plum-tree not grafted, doe yeeld, being transplanted,Plants of Plumme-tree [...]. a fruit no vvhit inferiour vnto that of the chiefe and principall plum-trees, from which you haue [...]aken them. But and if the old plum-trees be grafted, you must also take grafts and graft them in other plum trees, or wild cherrie-trees, or vpon [...]oure Cherrie-Trees, and not to vngra [...]t siences to transplant them.

Garden plummes and hartlike cherries doe not grow naturally,French [...]. being planted of siences, but desire rather to be grafted of grafts.

CHAP. VI.
Of pricking downe or fastening in the earth of small or great braunches.

SPrigs or plants taken from boughs or branches doe grow more speedily, and come to better perfection, than the [...]eed of kernels, or the setting of stones, especially if it be put a little besides his owne ground and soylie, and of this sort are [...]ig-trees, quince-trees and pom [...]gran [...]t-trees.

When a man is disposed to pricke downe some small sprig of a Mulberrie, Figge,The [...] of sprigs of Mulberrie, Fig, [...] Pom [...] gran [...], and Plumme-tre [...]. Quince, Cornell, Pomegranat, and Plum-tree, or many sprigs of all these kinds, and their diuers sorts, he must cut them off betwixt the first of Nouember, and the later end of December, or a little after: and he must see that these his sprigs be faire and well fauoured ones, hauing a sound barke, full of little eyes, and as thicke as a sticke, or thicker. He must chuse such as be streight and full of moysture, consisting of one onely rodd, and of young vvood, as of some three or foure yeares old, and that they haue also as much old vvood as they haue young: and they must be sharpened like a stake for the value of the length of halfe a foot, but the bare must [Page] be left on vpon one side, that their end which you meane to put into the ground, must be writhen and steept in vvater: or else you must cleaue it a little in quarters, and make it stand vvide open and gape, vvith a beane in the cleft; or else some [...] little small stone put in the middest thereof, and so pricke it downe in the earth a foot d [...]pe: or else let it in a little-boxe of pease full of water, and so put them all into the ground together. The braunches must be gathered vpon a tree that is a good handfull thicke, and hath borne fruit: they must likewise be verie [...]ound, and they may be watered with a pipe, which goeth downe vnto the root. Obserue and marke [...] the place, nature of the soyle, and aspect or scituation of the tree from whence you haue gathered the branch, to pricke it downe on the same side, the like soyle and the same scituation, and lay vpon it some Elder-tree, if so be that you would not haue it [...] shoot vp into a tall tree, but to continue alwaies low: the braunches being such, they will take the better, and not breake in the gathering.

To plant the Figge-tree after the manner of the Genowais,To plant the fig tree after the manner of the [...] which shall beare fruit within three yeares after (and it may be thus planted all Sommer time) there must be taken a Figge-tree branch that hath borne fruit two or three yeares, and that [...] hauing leaues and fruit vpon it or not: it must be sharpened and cut biace, and p [...]icked thicke about that end which shall be set into the ground, and afterward planted in a pit halfe a foot deepe; in such sort as that the top of it may abide aboue the ground with three or foure of the little eyes, and be cou [...]ed with straw for [...] daies, and watered euerie one of those sixe daies: afterward let it be vncouered, because by this time it will haue put forth, and in the end of the yeare, towards the moneth of Februarie, you must cut off that which is put forth close by the earth, and after that [...] will shoot so mightily as that it will beare fruit the second yeare.

CHAP. VII.
Of the manner of making Siences for to plant.

FOr to make Siences of diuers sorts, which you may plant and set [...] ding as you shall haue need, cut in the Winter some great tree, if it begin to be yellow, or vvaxe bleake and pale, and whereof you [...] haue increase: saw off some stockes of the thickest braunches into [...] choons about the length of a foot, and make a furrow in some verie far ground, and of that depth as that you may set your [...]uncheons in them endwaies, the earth cast vpon and courering them some three or foure fingers, and prouiding that being thus [...] in this furrow they may stand halfe a foot one from another: couer them well and vvater them in Sommer if there be need, and weed them verie well: its space of time they will put forth [...]iences, which you may remoue when they haue taken root [...] two or three yeares: but and if they haue not as then any roots, set them good and deepe into good earth, that so you may cause their roots to grow. And these [...]iences will p [...] forth other which will likewise serue. Marke it, that all trees that put forth [...], if you cut them in Winter, they will shoot out aboundance of [...]iences, all which will be good to be planted.

The barberie, [...] redde corant, and goose-berrie-trees, are planted likewise in Winter vpon [...]iences that come out of their roots, and they must haue some hairy [...] but and if they haue no roots, there must some be procured to grow out of them.

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CHAP. VIII.
Of planting of shoots of a yeares growth.

PRopagating or planting of Trees is fittest for such as haue beene planted of siences, and such as doe put forth siences and small shoots from their roots: for this causeth them to beare a more beautifull fruit, and more aboundantly, and more durable, because they attract and draw a greater quantitie of iuice out of the earth. For this cause, Plum-trees, Cherrie-trees, Pomegranate-trees, and all other Garden-trees, that are wont to be grafted vpon wild ones, would be propagated or planted: for in as much as the wild one doth not draw such and so much iuice as the grafted tree doth require, it is necessarie that it should be planted. As and if a sweet Cherrie-tree should be grafted vpon a wild Cherrie-tree, or one that beareth verie sowre Cherries, such a Cherrie-tree would not continue and last long, neither indeed will it beare anie sweet Cherries, if it be not planted a yeare or two after that it is grafted: and the reason hereof is, because the wild Cherrie-tree draweth not iuice ynough to cause the tree to grow, and withall, the iuice which it doth draw, is not so familiar or fit to bring forth and nourish sweet Cherries.

There are foure sorts of planting or propagating:To plant [...] manner of waies. as in laying of shoots or little branches, whiles they are yet tender, in some pit made at their foot, as shall be said hereafter: or vpon a little ladder: or in a basket of earth tied to the bottome of the branch: or in boaring a Willow through, and putting the branch of the tree into the hole, as shall be fully declared in the Chapter of Grafting.

There are likewise di [...]ers seasons for to propagate in:The time of propagating. but the best, is in the Spring and March, when the trees are in flowers, and begin to grow lustie. The young planted siences, or little grafts, must be propagated in the beginning of Winter a foot deepe in the earth, and good manure mingled amongst the earth, which you shall cast forth of the pit wherein you meane to propagate it, to tumble in vpon it againe. In like manner the superfluous siences must be cut close by the earth, when as they grow about some speciall impe which wee meane to propagate, for they would doe nothing but rot.

For to propagate, you must digge the earth round about the tree, that so the roots may be in a manner halfe layd bare; afterward draw into length the pit on that side where you meane to propagate, and according as you perceiue that the roots will be best able to yeeld and be gouerned in the same pit, so vse them, and that with all gentlenesse, and stop close your sience in such sort, as that the wreath, which is in the place where it was grafted, may be a little lower than the sience of the new wood growing out of the earth, euen so high as it possibly may be. If the tree that you would propagate, should be somewhat thicke, and thereby the harder to plie, and somewhat stiffe to lay in the pit, then you may cut the stocke almost to the middest betwixt the root and the wrythen place, and so with gentle handling of i [...], to bow [...]owne into the pit the wood which the grafts haue put forth, and that in as round a compasse as you can, keeping you from breaking of it; afterward, lay ouer the cut with gummed wax, or with grauell and sand.

If there be manie siences and impes in the plant which you would encrease, multiplie, and propagate, and that all of them by hap or casualtie doe breake in propagating of them, the remedie will be, to set the tree straight vp, and to couer the roots [...]gaine with the earth that was about them before, and which you had taken away, and then to cut all the broken siences a little vnder where they are broken, and to lea [...]e them so vntill another yeare, when they shall haue put forth new shoots, which the Winter following you may propagate: but and if of all those siences there remaine some one not broken, goe forward and propagate it, cutting close by the [Page] ground some of the wrythen place, and of those shoots which are not broken. In propagating of them, see that you lay good quantitie of the siences of your branches into the pit, couch them there verie round, couering them with the earth which you cast vp in making the pit, after that you haue first mixt it with good fat [...]ould, and tread it downe by little and little aboue, and looke that none of the said siences doe rise againe after you haue so troden them downe. This being done, [...] right vp all the ends which shall come out of the earth, and that so high as you can, and to [...] them rest for three or foure yeare before you furrow them, euen vntill the [...] taken earth, and be alreadie become full of hairie strings: you must prickestickes about them, for to handsome them, taking heed that you breake them not. Three or foure yeares after you must doe the earth from them, and that in the beginning of Winter, and hauing cut in sunder all the branches that haue put forth haine [...] together with the stocke, that is aboue the wrythen place, you may plant euerie one of them where you please, to abide and continue there for euer: not but that you may leaue some one of them still standing in the same place, if it be fit and good [...] it, and then you may not pull from it his hairie roots, as you doe from the other. If these plants of grafts be growne thicke alreadie, and full of branches, then when you ha [...]e taken them vp, you must cut off the brauches before you plant them, and then [...] they haue beene remoued, they are free and reclaimed, and all those which shall grow of them afterward, will also become free and reclaimed. Againe, if you would prepare the stocke from whence you propagated your siences, and [...] it [...] after that you haue cut off all his armes, let it alone with his cuts and grafts, and out of those cuts it will put forth other siences, of which you may make other free and reclaimed trees propagating them, and taking them vp at the end of three or four [...] yeares. No siences are propagated,Siences fit for propagat [...]n. but such as haue no roots of their owne, for and if they had roots by themselues, then they should be taken vp and planted againe with the spade, and not propagated.

CHAP. IX.
Of grafting young Plants, and other Trees of diuers sorts, diuers wayes and at diuers times.

ALthough the transplanting and propagating of trees maketh them and [...] fruit both verie faire and great, yet grafting doth excell both them in this kind; for by grafting, not onely wild trees are f [...]attered and ouercome, and those which were barren, made fruitfull; those of an ill [...]aft, become delicate; the late bearing, bringing forth an early fruit; and those which were [...], to be late; but also the fruit growing thereby, are fairer and better fed: adde [...], that grafting doth oftentimes bring forth and beget trees and fruits of great admiration; as we [...]ee in Apples, Peares, and manie other fruits, which doe alter both in colour and tast by the skill and cunning shewed in grafting. Furthermore it causeth, that not only one kind is changed into another, and that diuers [...]ruits doe agree together, and that vpon one tree; but that strange and forraine trees doe come vnto vs, and [...] conueyed vnto other Countries.

There are fiue principall sorts of grafting: There is one way to grast in the [...], that is to say, betwix [...] the wood and the barke; and this is but in trees that are [...] and of a good age, hauing a hard and firme barke: There is a second way to graftin [...] a cleft, that is to say, vpon a stock that is clouen; and this must be vsed in young [...], for old ones doe not easily admit anie cleft in their stocke: The third way is to graft in a whistle, or pipe; and this is by taking the barke of one tree, cut in manner of a p [...]pe, to be fastened to the bough of another tree: The fourth is to graft the [...] in manner of a soutch [...]on: And the fist is also to graft in the bud; bu [...] of these in [...] [Page] in his proper and fit place. Before we goe about to graft anie thing, we must consider whether the ground or countrey be fit for Pippins, or stones, and what trees are best laden there.

The best is to gra [...]t the same kinds together, although grafts and buds may take as well in trees of diuers kinds, but then such grafts come not to so good an end, seeing it is impossible, that two differing sappes should agree, sute, and carrie themselues so well in all points the one toward the other, as and if it were in [...] that are [...], of like sort: Adde hereunto, that the fruit doth retaine and follow the nature of the tree whereupon it shall be grafted, rather than the graft, and so, after a sort, becommeth degenerate and estranged from his owne nature: which maketh me, that [...] regard not the grafts which are wont to be made vpon Elmes, for the fruit that groweth thereon, doth keepe the tast and fauour of the Elme, which is not verse toothsome: and yet I set lesse by the grafts chat are grafted vpon the Colewort stalke, or the white Thorne, or Gooseberrie tree, Vine branches, Rose trees, or such like: for besides that such grafts are nothing durable (as being made vpon a subiect of a more feeble and vnfirme nature than the graft it selfe which is set to them, wherefore the contrarie course is that which is to be followed at all times in grafting) the fruits that come thereof, will be either of no [...]ast, or else verie vnfauorie in the eating. Notwithstanding, although the hardest and most solide young plants be to be preferred in the matter of grafting: yet so it is, that if you graft in young stockes of a soft and moist nature, as vpon the Poplar and Beech tree, and such like, the graft will grow the sooner, but there is not anie profit arising: and such grafts are not dealt in by anie but by Gardiners, which either affect curiositie or deceit, as desiring to haue grafts often, rather than for anie thing else. It were better therefore to graft in trees of the same kind, or else if you should graft in trees of diuers kind, yet to chuse those which [...] vnto the nature of the graft, which is the commanding partie, and whereunto the plant should verie neerely assist and be commaunded by, notwithstanding that it is the feeder of the other. And in anie case you must graft the trees that beare timely fruits vpon others that beare timely fruit, and the late fruits vpon the late fruits.

And although that by the assistance and helpe of grafting, men bring in infinite m [...]mbers of monstrous things as well in trees as in fruits, mingling diuers kinds together, yet we must not thinke, that we may graft all sorts of grafts indifferently vpon all sorts of trees: for neither will the Oake admit the Peare tree, nor the Figge tree or Oliue tree: and on the other side, the Pine tree, Firre tree, Cypresse tree, or generally anie other kind of tree that yeeldeth Gumme, Oyle, Liquors, Pitch, or Rosin, will not admit the coniunction or grafting of anie tree vpon them, as Plu [...]arch teacheth in his second booke of Table-talke, because they are fat, and cast out an oylie humor, which (as all other sorts of oyles) is enemie to all manner of plants: insomuch, as that there is no readier a meanes to kill such a tree as you would haue to die, as likewise Bees, than to annoint them with oyle: adde further, that the trees which yeeld the Petro [...]ine, haue so thinne a barke, as that they cannot procure anie firme or [...] footing or meanes to receiue the sappe, or to incorporate themselues with the grafts, which should be set into them, as it falleth out with all wood which hath a verie moist and soft barke; for thereby is hindered the growing of the graft vnto the parts which are vnder the barke. I adde yet further, that as men and women which are verie fat, doe not beget or beare children, because that spending the greatest part of their nourishment in the gros [...]enesse of their bodie, they leaue no profitable superfluirie to make seed of; in like sort, trees which drop Pitch and Rosin, spending all their substance and nourishment about the making of themselues great and thick, they accordingly grow tall and thicke, but they beare no fruit at all, or else but a verie little, and that late in the yeare before it come to his full ripenesse: wherefore it is no [...] for a stranger, not to be able to liue there, where the home-bred is scarce able to feed and maintaine himselfe. Trees that haue a verie hard and solide wood, as Box and such other, or which haue a verie tender barke, are not fit for grafting: for the one by [Page] reason of their great tendernesse, cannot hold the graft fast and close ynough, [...] the other through their great hardnesse doe wring and choake the same.

It is good to graft about the beginning of December, or somewhat later, [...] Ianuarie,The time of grafting. according as the weather is enclining vnto coldnesse, or otherwise, especially Hart-Cherrie-trees, Peare-trees, and such as beare early fruit. As for Apple- [...] and Medlar-trees, it is better to stay till from the end of Ianuarie vnto the beginning of March, at such time as they begin to bud, for they are not so forward as the other▪ And at the same time also it will be good to graft the thicke-growne young [...], betwixt the barke and the wood, with late grafts, or such as haue beene [...] [...]o the ground. All moneths are good and [...]it to graft in, whether it be by graft [...] moneths of October and Nouember excepted: but the graft is commonly [...] in Winter, as hath beene said, at such time as the sappe riseth vp into the [...] they begin to bud, for then the grafts doe grow and take a great deale [...] may graft likewise in Aprill and May, if the gra [...]s be full of little eyele [...]s, and that they haue beene kept buried, and their tops out of the ground in cold and [...] places. It is true, that the time of grafting must be measured and iudged of, according to the countrey and qualitie of the Region; for in a cold Countrey▪ it must be later, and earlier in a hot: notwithstanding, to speake generally of all [...], the fittest time to graft, is from the first day of Februarie vnto the first [...] May, taking regard to the nature of the plants: for such as haue most iuice, [...] grafted; and those later which are the drier, the Pomegranate and [...] which al [...]hough they be drie, will notwithstanding be grafted [...] in the yeare.

It is certai [...]e, that grafts must be gathered in the decrease of the Moone, to be grafted at the same time of the old of the Moone, or else in the new, or when you shall thinke good, alwaies foreseene, that the grafts be gathered in the old of the Moone, euen all the grafts that may be. It is true, that the graft and the bud doe take better in the new than in the old of the Moone, for the Moone is the [...] of sappes, as of all other iuices, marrowes, and humours, or moist things; which sappes runne betwixt the plant and the graft, and bind the one to the other, being of more force and power in the new of the Moone than in the old: by the like reason there is a precept to be obserued and kept in the matter of grafting, forbidding to graft, the wind blowing at South, because such winds are sharpe and drying. On the [...], shoots must be cut in the end of the Moone, if so be you will haue them to bring forth much more fruit: for being cut at this time, they haue their sappe drunk [...] [...] with setled abode, and by being notched onely, they do not spend themsel [...] so much as when they be cut off, their sap then being in his full course and [...]. Notwithstanding we trie it daily by experience, that the gathering and grafting of grafts may be done at any time of the Moone, as we will declare hereafter.

Some hold them for the best daies to graft in, which are the next three or four [...] daies before and after the increase of the new Moone: but their reason taken from the sap binding, and ioyning together of the grafts with the plants, and from the dominion and rule of the Moone ouer the said saps, doth shut out the first part of that opinion: it being certaine and true, that the weaker the Moone is, so much the [...] also are those inferior bodies which she hath power and gouernment of. To graft vpon the wild stocke,To graft vpon a wild stock. hath more hold, and is more durable than that which is [...] vpon the reclaimed tree: but the fruit of the reclaimed tree is of a better taste, as likewise the fruit of the graft will be which is grafted vpon a tree which blossometh and flowreth at the same time, and hath a liuing and moist barke, and the reason thereof is verie apparant.

It is vsed to graft in the barke from mid-August, vnto the beginning of Winter, and also at such time as the Westerne wind beginneth to blow,To graft in the [...]. being from the seuenth day of Februarie, vnto the eleuenth of Iune: but there must care be had not [...] graft in the barke in a rainie season, because it would wash away the matter of ioyning together of the one to the other, and so hinder it.

[Page] It is vsuall to graft in the bud in the Summer time, from about the end of May vntill August, as being the time when the trees are strong and lustie, and full of sappe and leaues,To graft in the the Scutche [...], or Bnd. as in Iune and Iuly: that is to say, in a hot Countrey, from the middest of Iune vnto the middest of Iuly; but in cold Countries, vnto the middest of August, after some small showers of rane. And if the Summer be so exceedingly drie, as that some trees doe detaine and keepe backe their sappe, then you must wait till that it be returned, and then to graft thereupon so soone as the grafts are gathered, without hauing anie regard either vnto the new Moone, or to the old, whether it be in grafting in the stocke, or vnto the stocke. It is true that is spoken, that we can neuer haue hope of much fruit by grafting in the new of the Moone, but in the old, beginning the first day of the full of the Moone.

You may graft in the Cleft, without hauing regard vnto raine,To graft in the Cle [...]. when the time is good and coole, as from mid August vnto the beginning of Nouember, for the cap and warming stuffe which is laid vnto those grafts, doe put away the wast and spoyle which the raine and blasting would otherwise bring vpon them. It must likewise be considered whether the tree vse to beare timely fruit, or not, and so to fit it with a graft of the like condition and qualitie. Againe, the time and season must be considered whether it be forward, or backward; for the seasons are not in all yeares gouerned and carried by an vnchangeable and vnvariable line and measure, for either they are more forward or backward, and participate oftentimes one of anothers qualitie. And in all the sorts of grafting, it is a singular thing, and of great preseruation for the graft, to keepe the plants with Cowes dung mingled with straw.

As concerning the particular time of grafting,To graft in the [...]. it is better to graft at the euening than in the morning, and neerer vnto the roots than vnto the boughs, because by how much lower the graft is set, by so much the greater strength and force it receiueth from the moisture of the earth.

The furniture and tooles wherewith a grafter should be furnished, when he is disposed to graft,Gr [...]fting [...]. are a Basket to lay his grafts in, Clay, Grauell, or Sand, or some such Earth as is strong, to draw ouer the Plant where it is cut or clouen, and for the ioining of the Graft vnto it: Mosse, Woollen clothes, or barkes of Willow, for to ioyne and tye vpon the lute or earth before spoken of, that so they may keepe both it and the graft fast: and Oziers to tie againe vpon the barkes, to keepe them firme and fast: gummed Wax to dresse and couer the ends and [...]oppes of the grafts newly cut, that so the raine or cold may not hurt them, neither yet the sappe, rising from below, be cons [...]rained to returne againe vnto the shoots: a Hand-saw or little Saw to saw off the stocke of the Plant: a little Knife or Pen-knife to graft, and to cut and sharpen the gra [...]ts, that so the barke may not pill or be broken, which often commeth to passe when the graft is full of sappe: you shall cut the graft so long, as that it may fill vp the cleft of the Plant, and therewithall it must be left thicker on the barke side, that so it may fill vp both the cleft and other incisions, if anie need to be made, which must be alwayes well ground, neat, burnished, and without all rust: two Wedges, the one broader, for thick [...] trees, the other narrower, for the lesse and tender trees, but both of them of Box, or of some other hard and smooth Wood, or of Steele, or of verie hard Iron, that so they may craue lesse labor in often making of them sharpe, and they must serue to fet wider the cleft of the Plant: a little Hand-bill, to set the Plant at more libertie, by cutting off some of his superfluous boughes, hauing a handle or helme of Inorie, or Box, or Brasill, or some other Wood which is verie hard.

Trouble not your selfe with maruelling at them who graft their trees so soone as they haue planted them, or very shortly after: for the yong plant which can attract & draw but weakely and at hand any substance for it selfe, will hardly bestirre it selfe in such strong manner as to feed both the graft and it selfe, and therefore the graft cannot but drie vp: and againe, in very deed the poore plant hath iniurie ynough to be taken vp from out of his place, and to be remoued to another, without heaping vpon it this new or double charge▪ and therefore it would not be till a yeare after that it hath been [Page] transplanted, and then the next yeare it will beare fruit; for it neuer thriues well of his grafting, if it thriue not the first yeare: and when as it hath sped thus ilfauouredly, [...] will be best to cut it off, and grat [...] it againe, but lower.

CHAP. X.
How to chuse, gather, and cut Grafts, to graft in the cleft, [...]tocke, and rind.

YOu must chuse your Grafts of shoots that are a yeare old or two as the most (especially if you would graft them vpon old trees) which are verie new, and so thicke as ones little finger, full of sappe, hauing grosle and [...]hicke set eyelets, one of them being neere vnto another, for else they will not beare fruit so plentifully: They must also take some part with the old wood, that is to say, part of that which was a sience the yeare before, and part of the new, that is to say, of the present yeare, so that it must be a piece consisting of two seuerall yeares: and you must, if it be possible, gather them from on high, euen from the top, or at the least from the middest of the tree, and not of the lowest and thickest of the boughes of Fruit-trees: and they must be in their sappe, and taken from that side of the tree which standeth vpon the South, for the East is not so [...] and conuenient for vs in this cold Countrey. They must also be grafted in the same situation and goodnesse of soyle that they enioyed when they were gathered; for [...] you graft them in the contrarie to either of these, it will fall out with them as with plants, so vnaduisedly transplanted or translated out of a hot Countrey into a cold. Notwithstanding, we daily perceiue, that such ceremonies are of small effest, seeing that the Sunne, which is the Nurse-father, visiteth euerie day all the sides of your tree, and that the Earth, wherein it is planted, is not lesse nourishing on the one side [...] on the other.

You must not gather your Grafts to plant, at such time as the trees begin to flower, especially if the trees whence they be gathered be timely fruit, as Cherry-trees, Plum-trees, Medlar-trees, Almond-trees, Peach-trees, and such like: but the time tog [...]ther them, is about the foure and twentieth of December, and not sooner, for then the trees are full and well slcred of a mild and sweet humour. But and if you should be constrained to gather them sooner, whether it be vpon occasion to carrie them from one Countrey to another, or such like, stay at the least till October, at which [...] the leaues will be fallen from the trees. The men of auncient time obser [...]ed and made great ceremonies (as some doe as yet) in gathering of Grafts vpon the ending of the Moone, and for the grafting of them presently after the change: but we find by experience, that vpon all manner of daies they may be gathered and grafted, in what quarter soeuer the Moone is found in, as well for Frui [...]s of stone, which are more difficult to graft, as also for those of Seeds, or Pippins, which [...] more easie.

If you purpose to keepe them after they be gathered,To keepe grafts especially such as you mind to graft in the barke (for such Grafts may be gathered without eyeless about the moneth of October) sticke them downe in the ground at the foot of a tree, lay [...] in a pit of halfe a foot depth, couer them well with earth, marking the place so, [...] that you may be sure to find them when the time of grafting commeth. Some [...] them in earthen pots well stopped and couered, which afterward also they burie in the ground. But and if you would carrie them farre, you must pricke their ends in a Tur [...]ep that is new gathered, for by this meanes their naturall iuice and hu [...]e will be preserued: or else wrap them about with earth, and with a cloth, or other thi [...], that they may be fit to be handled, as that they may be grafted, and not dried [...]ay by the wind and force of the Sunne: or else shut them close betwixt two [...] or [Page] Reedes, putting them thereupon in honey. Some, the better to keepe them, lay them betwixt two Tyles, neere vnto some Riuer, and couered well with earth. If they be sent you from afarre, looke that you goe not about to graft them, before you haue first sleeped them a certaine time in water, somewhat to refresh their iuice, and to set in strength againe their [...]eebled and appalled force.

For to gather them,To gather grafts. you must cut them off betwixt the old wood and the new, in such so [...]t as that there be some of the old wood vnder one of the old eyelets of the graft▪ and so also, as this eyelet or little eye may be behind the graft, when it shall be set out of the cle [...] of the plant: but and if this eyelet or little eye be verie small, then it were better to cut it away. You may make of one long graft [...] two or three trunchions, of which also you may at anie time make verie good grafts, and so let goe that other with partie woods, beginning at the greatest eyelet of the same, and making incision close vnder it, to fit it, for to be set in the [...]tocke.

In cutting your graft,To cut grafts. make incision vpon the one side and vpon the other vpward on high: let it be well taken downe and squared, that so it may the better close to the stocke of the plant: and likewise, let it be so flatted, as that by measure it may be all one in length with the elest of the plant, when it is put downe into it; and yet it is not required, that it should ioyne close with the same in all places.

When you cut the grafts of hart-Cherrie-trees and Plum-trees,To cut the grafts of hart- [...]herrie-trees and Plum-trees. doe not flat them so much as you did the others, for they haue a thicker and greater pith, which you must beware not to come neere vnto, neither vpon the one side, nor vpon the other, saue onely that at the e [...]ds they must be verie flat. And further, if the same incision be not made for the taking downe and diminishing of anie moe than one side, it will be better than and if it should be so ordered also on the other side, and cut byas, as wedges are which are made for to cleaue wood withall; and so at the end you should take downe both sides, after the manner of the head of a Speare.

In cutting your graft, you must looke well, that you raise not the vttermost barke from the wood, and that withall, you leaue it thicker than that which is on the other edge within.

CHAP. XI.
Of the preparing of the young Plant whereon you meane to graft.

NOw when you haue chosen your Graft, you must likewise make choice of your Plant: which, that it may be a faire one, must be right and streight, round, not wreathen, of a beautifull colour, a sound, near, and smooth barke, without knots, verie flourishing and moist, and of a tree that hath borne fruit. It must also enjoy the like good soyle and situation it did before in the place where you gathered the graft, if it be possible: it must bud and blossome at one and the same time, to the end that the new sience may take the more easier footing and kinder nourishment there. And if in case the Plant were wreathen, ioyne the graft cunningly vnto it, and be sure, that in fitting of it you make them both ioyne well together, and euer matching the grossest Plants with the grossest Grafts.

And in as much as the Plants are verie little, therefore you must cut them low and neere vnto the earth, and that rather with a Knife than with a Hooke or Saw. Some say, that a Saw doth so shake and loosen the barke, as that afterward it doth not take so easily with the graft: but that makes no matter, because neither the barke nor wood doe euer take with the graft; but the skinne or barke, which groweth and swelleth vp from the foot of the tree, is that which coupleth it selfe vnto the graft, worketh all, and by it selfe encreaseth, making a bodie of the said foot; not that the sawed [Page] wood doth ioyne it selfe with the said graft, but abideth dead. If it be of the thicknesse of a [...]inger, or thereabout, you must cut it to the length of a foot, or halfe a foot, from the earth, byas-wise, like the fashion of a Goats foot, for to cleaue it and for therein onely one graft.

If it be as thicke as a cudgell, cut the stocke round with a Saw vp on high, a foot or two from the ground, to put two good grafts into the cleft thereof: of which afterward you shall cut away the least and weakest when they begin to bud.

If the plant be as thicke as an arme, cut it likewise round some two or three foot high from the ground, for to cleave it and set therein three grafts, two in a cleft, and one betwixt the barke and the wood, and that vpon the side that b [...]h the most roome.

If it be as thicke as a legge, or more, cut it foure of fiue foot high from the ground, and cleaue it crosse, and set therein foure grafts: or cleaue it with one onely cleft, and graft two in the cleft, and two betwixt the wood and the barke [...] or, which is better, graft them all betwixt the stocke and the barke, when the sappe shall be vp, for the wood of such great plants doth pinch and wrinch the graft mightily, if you put not a wedge of greene wood into the cleft.

After that the plant is cut either with a Saw or with a Knife, cleanse the wound either with a little Saw-knife, or with some other thing: then make it plaine with a knife that is cleane, and not infected with anie euill smell; and again make it cleane againe the second time, that so it may not be infected anie manner of way with theyron, because the sappe of the tree may be corrupted by it: then chuse out the best place in all the stocke to fasten your graft vnto, without anie care of making the cleft, on what side soeuer it be. I speake this, because it pleaseth some to affirme, That the tree ought not to be clouen on that side that the wind standeth, at such time as they goe about to graft it. It is true, that and if the wind should proue great, and with all as North-east, that then you must turne your backe vpon it, and stand betwixt the wind and the cleft, at such time as you are sitting and putting in your graft; because it is sharpe and scorching, verie dangerous vnto all sorts of plants, as also fruits, of what condition soeuer they be, but chiefely when they are blossomed.

Before you make wide the cleft with your wedge, bind and tie with two or three turnes about with a wickar, drawne verie strair, your tree foot vpon the place where you intend to make your cleft, that so your tree foot may not cleaue too farre: which is oftentimes the cause that grafts take not, the cleft being so open, that it cannot [...] shut againe and grow together, and so by that meanes breatheth out whatsoeuer it hath of life in that place, and both the graft and the foot doe thereupon also per [...] but this happeneth oftest in Plum-tree stocks and branches of trees, because they are more subiect to cleaue thus than anie of the other sorts. Great trees, and such as yet goe beyond the fore-named measures, cannot be grafted by a cleft in the stocke, b [...]t verie well in the branches, as wee see accomplished in great Apple-trees, and wild Peare-trees, for they would be rotten before that the grafts could shut and close vp the wound in the stocke.

If the small branches be drie and without anie sappe, you must cut their stockes or armes: and after two or three yeares, when they haue put forth new siences, graft the best, and cut away the feeble and starued ones. And afterward, when the grafts [...] put forth verie well, you must strengthen and vnderprop them, or else wrap them one within another, and tie them with wood amongst, for feare that the wind should breake them: or else if it be a good and well reclaimed tree, let new siences grow [...] of it. And this thing wee see much practised in Normandie, Bretaigne, and other Countries, where they esteeme of Apples and Peares to make Cyder of.

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CHAP. XII.
To graft in the cleft.

THe manner of grafting in the cleft,To graft in the cleft. that is to say, in the stocke, being clouen, is proper not onely vnto trees which are as great as a mans legge or arme, but also vnto others which exceed these in greatnesse. It is true, that in as much as these trees cannot easily be clouen in their stocke, that therefore it is expedient to make incision in some one of their branches, and not in the maine bodie, as we see to be practised in great Apple-trees and wild Peare-trees, and as we haue alreadie declared here before.

To graft in the cleft, you must make choice of a graft that is full of sappe and iuice, but it must not be till from after Ianuarie vnto March: and you must not thus graft in anie tree that is alreadie budded, because a great part of the iuice and sappe would be alreadie mounted vp on high, and risen to the top, and there dispersed and scattered hither and thither into euerie twigge; a newes nothing welcome to the graft. You must likewise set downe and resolue not to gather your graft the day that you graft it, but tenne or twelue daies before: for otherwise, if you graft it new gathered, it will not be able easily to incorporate it selfe with the bodie and stocke where it shall be grafted; because it will come to passe, that some part of it will drie, and by this meanes will be a hinderance in the stock to the rising vp of the sappe, which it should communicate vnto the graft for the making of it to put forth: and whereas this dried [...] will fall a crumbling and breaking, through his rottennesse, it will cause to remaine a cauitie and hollow or void place in the stocke, which will be an occasion of the like inconuenience to befall the graft: and on the other side, the graft being as yet new and tender, might easily be hurt of the bands, which are of necessitie to be tyed round about the stocke, for the keeping of the graft firme and fast. You must furthermore take heed, and see, that the tree whereupon you intend to graft haue been transplanted and remoued from out of your stocke-Nurcerie for a long time before, that so you may assure your selfe, that his rootes are long since well insea [...]oned, and haue fully taken with the earth, and thereby also hath sufficient store of sappe and iuice,

When you are minded to graft manie grafts in one cleft, see that the incision made vpon their ends be alike great: which if you looke not to, it may happily come to passe, that the cleft of the stocke shall be forced wider on the one side than on the other. You must likewise foresee, that the grafts be of one length, or not much squaring; and it is ynough if they haue three or foure eyelets without the wrench.

When the plant is once sawed and lopped of all his small siences and shoots round about, as also emptied of all his branches, if it haue manie, then you must leaue but two at the most before you come to the cleauing of it: then put to your little Saw and your knife or other edge-toole that is very sharpe, cleaue it quite through the middest in gentle and soft sort, first tying the stocke verie sure, that so it may not cleaue further than is need, and then put your wedges into the cleft vntill such time as you haue see in your grafts; and in cleauing of it, hold your knife with the one hand, and the tree in the other, to helpe to keepe it from cleauing too farre; Afterward, with the same hand wherewith you held your tree, put in your wedge of Box, or Brasill, or Bone, at the small end, that so you may the better take it out againe when you haue set in your grafts. If the stocke be clouen, or the barke loosed too much from the wood,The sappes of the graft and stock must be [...] the other. then cleaue it downe lower, and set your grafts in, and looke that their incision be fit and [...]erie iustly answering the cleft, and that the two sappes (that of the graft, and the other of the plant) be right and euen set, the one against the other, and so handsomely sitted, as that there may not be the least apparance of [Page] anie cut or cleft: for if they doe not thus iumpe one with another, they will neuer take one with another, because they cannot worke their seaming matter, and as it were cartilaginous glue, in conuenient sort and manner, to the glu [...]ng of their ioints together▪ You must likewise beware not to make your cleft ouerthwart the pith, but somewhat aside.

The barke of the Plant being thicker than that of the graft, you must set the graft so much the more outwardly in the cleft, that so the two sappes may in anie [...] ioyned and set right the one with the other: but the rind of the plant must be [...] what more out than that of the grafts on the clouen side.

To the end that you may not faile of this worke of imping, you must principally take heed, not to ouer-cleaue the stocks of your trees: but before you widen the cleft with your wedges, bind and goe about the stocke with two or three turnes, and tha [...] with an Ozier close drawne together vnderneath the same place where you would haue your cleft to end, that so your stocke cleaue not too farre, which is a verie vsuall cause of the miscarrying of grafts, in as much as hereby the cleft standeth so wide and open, as that it cannot be shut, and so not grow together againe, but in the meane▪ [...] spendeth it selfe, and breatheth out all his life in that place, which is the cause that the stocke and the graft are likewise spilt: and this falleth out most oft in Plum-trees and branches of trees. You shall also be verie carefull to ioyne together the rindes of your grafts and the plants, that so nothing may continue open, to the end that the wind, moisture of the clay, or raine, running vpon the grafted place, may not [...] in. When the plane cleaueth verie streight, there is not anie danger or hardnesse [...] sloping downe the graft, if you leaue it somewhat vneuen or rough in some, places, that so the sappes both of the one and other may the better grow and be [...] together.

When your grafts are once well ioyned vnto your plants, draw out your wedges verie softly, least you displace them againe. You may leaue there within the cleft some small end of a wedge of greene wood, cutting it verie close with the head of the stocke: or else so soone as your wedge is drawne out, put some small chip of green [...] wood vpon the cleft of the plant. Some cast glue into the cleft, as it were to [...] and glue together the sappes of the two substances. Othersome sprinkle into it Sug [...], or powder of Cinnamon, or some other such spice, or some sweet smelling liquor, and withall dippe the ends of the grafts in honey, or in some other sweet and [...] quor, hoping that by this meanes the fruits of the trees will retaine the tast thereof. But howsoeuer it is, couer the cleft of the grafting all about with grauell or sand [...] on like a causey: or else with gummed waxe, which is better to couer withall [...] the former, or any other thing that can be learned: and that the cleft may be very [...] filled, it must be laid on two fingers thicke, or thereabout, that so neither wind [...] raine may enter or get in: and you shall couer it ouer with Moste, or Ryestra [...], [...] Barke, or the thinne rinde of the Elme, prepared with a little earth, and [...] of old Woollen clothes, or the barke of Willow, and tie them on verie strait with small Oziers; but in binding them, take heed that the wreaths doe not shrinke to the one side or the other: and if you haue not clay, then arme and couer ouer, as hath beene said, the said clefts with gummed waxe: and for want of both these, mingle small hay and the earth of the place where you graft in manner of lome or mortar. When thus you grafts shall be well wreathed, [...]asten some small boughes about them, for to keepe and defend them.

Furthermore,To graft in by as like to a G [...]ats soot. if the stocke of the plant whereupon you intend to graft, be [...] so thicke as your graft, you shall graft it after the fashion of a Goats foot in [...] manner: Make a cleft in the stock of the plant, not direct, but byas, and that [...] and euen, not rough; then apply and make fast thereunto the graft, with all [...] barke on, and answering vnto the barke of the plant: this being done, cover [...] place with fat earth and mosse of the wood, ried together with a strong band. [...] to the end that the tree may not be hurt either of the winds, or other things, [...] downe, neere vnto it, some pole of wood, for to strengthten and beare it [...] [Page] They are greatly to be blamed for their fault committed, who hauing faire wild uses or others (the fruit thereof displeasing them) doe cut them verte low, hauing faire branches aboue, and a bodie of the thicknesse of a mans legge, and there graft them, when as fiue or sixe years will scarce couer the wound that they haue made by such their kind of grafting: whereas they might with as much eale haue grafted vpon the branches of the same, and then they had not beene aboue a finger thicke, and would haue growne better, and brought more profit; because that and if you haue foure branches, you may make as manie grafts thereof, and these will beare fruit the second yeare.

CHAP. XIII.
Of grafting in the ends of branches.

FOr to graft at the end of such branches as haue goodly new wood, and great siences on high, although the tree haue beene grafted before, and that it be as yet not throughly growne, take grafts of what sort of tree you will, and cut some of the siences off from the high parts of the tree where you mind to graft: and if the grafts should be thicker than the siences, then graft them after the manner of the Goats foot, as hath beene said alreadie of small Plants. And if the siences be of the same bignesse with your grafts, then cut them between the old and new wood, or a little higher or lower, and cleaue them a little, and cut the graft of the like thicknesse to the sience which you haue cut off, making but a short incision, and reseruing the barke vpon both sides, and looking that both the sides be of equall thicknesse: then set your graft, thus fitted, into the cleft, and that so, as that the barkes of both sides the graft may stand euen with the barkes of the branch. And for these grafts, it is ynough if euerie one of them haue one good eyelet or two about the wreathing; for to leaue them anie longer, would not be good: and you must wreath and wrap them in earth and mosse, and couer it ouer againe with Woollen clothes, and tye them vnto the same verie strongly, as hath beene said.

Also by this meanes you may procure, that one tree shall bring forth diuers fruits, so that they be not such as the situation of the Countrey and qualitie of the Ayre doe refuse and reiect: as I haue seene sometimes at Padua, in the Garden of Messire Gabriel, where one stalke of a tree hath borne fruits of diuers sorts. And there is nothing that should hinder or let vs in this Countrey from doing the like, if it be not (perhaps) that in some places the fauourable furtherance and mildnesse of the ayre is not so correspondent and answerable.

Moreouer, if you will graft little Plants in this manner, see that they be of the same thicknesse of the grafts, and graft them neere vnto the earth, as some three fingers off, or thereabouts.

This manner of grafting at the ends of branches, must be done in trees whose branches haue beene formetly cut off, by reason either of some great want, or else too great aboundance of sappe: and that there be put forth of their stocke some new shoots, which three or foure yeares after may be grafted after the manner wee haue spoken of: Thus Columella teacheth vs to graft the Oliue-tree vpon the Figge-tree.

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CHAP. XIIII.
To graft betwixt the wood and the barke.

IT is vsuall to graft betwixt the wood and the barke, when trees begi [...] put vp their sappe, as about the end of Februarie, and after vntill April, for then the barke parteth better from the wood: and chiefely this manner of grafting is vsed in thicke plants, which cannot easily be eleuen in the middest, either crosse, or otherwise, and in the stockes and branches of trees that haue a thicke and fat barke, as Figge-trees, Plumme-trees, Peare-trees, and Chef [...]x, trees. The grafts that are thus to be grafted, must be gathered and kept long before, as wee haue alreadie said, least peraduenture wee should not meet with trees of late bears about this time, which haue not as then budded, and of which there may be grafts gathered without buds; such as is the short-legged or short-stalked Apple-tree, and such other like.

In this kind of grafting, the plant must be sawed vp on high, and the grafts our afterward, as hath now alreadie beene said before: but the incision of [...] grafts [...] not be of anie great length or thicknesse, but the barke must be taken away a little [...] the end of them, and fashioned after the manner of the head of a speare, and as thicke on the one side as on the other: afterward the stocke must be verie well cleansed, to take away the roughnesse and vneuennesse of the Saw, with a verie shap [...], that so the grafts may grow close thereunto: then thrust in a sharpe-pointed knife, or some Scizars of Bone, or Iuorie, deept ynough betwixt the barke and the wood of the plant, and so much, as that when it shall be drawne out, the cut and fitted end of the graft may inter therein, and that the graft may ioyne vnto the stocke when it shall be fet therein: this being done, it must be couered and wrapt well with [...], or other strong earth and mosse. After this manner you may pricke in manie graft [...] about your stocke, according as the thicknesse of it will beare. After this manner are Abrico [...]s grafted, and Apple-trees, Almond-trees, Peach-trees, small Peach-trees, Figge-trees, Peare. Plum-trees, Chesnut-trees, Peare-trees, and young and little Plum-trees, being the thicknesse of a little finger, and the thicknesse of an arme, as also all such [...] haue their barke somewhat slender and tender; for in thicke trees, which haue [...] barke verie hard and thicke, this cannot well be vsed, except it be vpon some of [...] branches, which haue a daintier barke and better disposed for the doing hereof.

CHAP. XV.
Of grafting in a Pipe▪

THe manner of grafting in a Pipe, as also that of grafting in the [...] after the manner of a Scutchion, is verie forward in bearing fruit, [...] weake and caste to be hurt, because it is borne vp onely by the streng [...] of the barke▪ and therefore it must not be practised in any trees, [...] such as are full of sappe, as the Figge-tree, Oliue-tree, sweet Quince-tree, [...] Peach-tree, Abricot-tree, Iuiube-tree, sowre Cherry-tree, Cheery-tree, and [...]-tree, and not at anie other time, than after the beginning of Aprill vpto the end of Iune; or if the time be not too hot, in Iuly, August, and September: but such grafts are not profitable, neither yet comming so soone to perfection, as those which [...] grafted in the cleft.

Chuse therefore in a fruitfull tree that is full of sap, a very faire branch that is full [...] eyelets, from whence cut with the point of a knife that is very sharpe, a piece of [...] [Page] fashioned like a Flute, at the least three fingers and a halfe, long, hauing one eyelet [...]ound and entire. Then doe as much vpon some braunch of that Tree vvhereupon you meane to graft the same, in such sort, as that the barke vvhich you take away from the place to be grafted, may be of the same bredth, length, and situation or aspect of the heauen, that that is vvhich was cut downe from the place where the graft grew, and it must likewise haue one sound and intire eyelet as well as the other. When you shall fasten it vnto the place, beware that the barke which you shall fasten, be not wer or moist, and that it doe aunswer and fit the window, whereout the barke was taken, and that in such sort, as that the eyelet in the barke to be grafted, may a [...]nswer justly vpto the knob which remaineth [...]ound and vndeminished in the vvood, and that this knob goe into the eyelet, of the pipe-like barke, which you are about to graft. By this meanes all will agree verie well together, neither will there be seene any chinker, gaping, or rise, betwixt the commissures and joynes of the two barkes. This done, bind and wreath aboue and below the said grafted barke with a band of verie drie hempe, being vvithout any manner of moisture, that so the barke may cleaue to the better, and take the sap of the tree the sooner: but still you must looke to it, that your band doe not touch the eyelet, or pinch the barke too hard, for this vvould keepe it that it should not take, and neither the barke, nor the band must be wee.

The Chesnut-tree may be grafted after this manner, and profit more by it than any other Trees, because the barke thereof is more ap [...] to fashion after the forme of a pipe, than the barke of any other Tree. This way is long in working and taking, and withall nothing sure or certaine: and therefore I would counsell the Gardener to trouble himselfe but little at all with it.

CHAP. XVI.
Of grafting in the bud after the manner and forme of a Scutcheon.

FOr to graft after the manner of a Scurcheon, you shall not varie and differ much from the manner of grafting which is after the fashion of a flute or pipe, saue onely that the Scutcheon-like graft hauing one eyelet as the other hath, yet the wood of the Tree whereupon the Scurcheonlike graft is grafted, hath not any knob or bud, as the wood whereupon the barke is grafted in manner of a pipe: wherefore in both the sorts of grafting, we may follow the forme and order which followeth.

In Sommer when the trees are well replenished with sap, and that their new siences begin to grow somewhat hard, you shall take a shoot at the end of the braunches of some noble and reclaimed Tree, whereof you would [...]aine haue some fruit, and not mai [...]ne it of his old store or wood, and from thence raise a good eyelet the tayle and all, thereof to make your graft: but when you chuse, take the thickest and grossest: diuide the taile in the middest before you doe any thing else, casting away the leafe (if it be not a Peare-plum-tree,) for the Scutcheon graft of a Peare-plum-tree, would haue two or three leaues) without remouing any more of the said taile: afterward with the point of a knife that is verie sharpe and will cut well, cut out of the barke of the said shoot, the patterne and resemblance of a Scutcheon or Shield, of the length of a naile, in vvhich there is onely one eyelet higher than the middest, together with the residue of the eaile which you haue left behind: and for the lifting vp of the said graft in Scutcheon, after that you haue cut the barke of the shoot round about without cutting of the wood within, you must take it gently with your thumb; and in pulling it away, you must presse vpon the wood, from which you pull it, that to you may bring the bud and all away together with the Scutcheon, for and if you [Page] should leaue it behind with the wood, then the rest of the Scutcheon were nothing worth. You shall find out if the Scutcheon be nothing worth, if looking within it, when it shall be pulled away from the wood of the shoot, you find it to haue a hole within, but more manifestly, if the bud be stayed behind with the wood in the shoot, when it ought to haue beene in the Scutcheon. Thus your Scutcheon being well raised and taken off, hold it a little by the taile betwixt your lips, without wetting of it, euen vntil you haue cut the barke of the tree where you would graft it, and looke that it be cut without anie wounding of the wood within, after the fashion of a [...], but somewhat longer than the Scutcheon that you haue to set in it, and in no place cutting the wood within.

After you haue made incision, you must open it and make it gape wide on both sides, but in all manner of gentle handling and entreatie, and that with little [...] of bone; and separating the wood and the barke a little within, euen so much at the Scutcheon is in length and breadth, you must take heed that in doing hereof you doe not hure the brake. This done, take your Scutcheon by the end, and the [...] which you haue left remaining, and put it into the incision made in the tree, listing vp [...] the two sides of the incision with the said little Scizars of bone, and cause the said Scutcheon to ioyne and lye as close as may be vnto the wood of the tree (being [...] hath beene said) in weighing a little vpon the end of the rind so cut, and let the vpper part of the Scutcheon lye close vnto the vpper end of the incision or barke of the said tree: afterward, bind your Scutcheon about with a band of hempe, as thicke as the pen of a quill, more or lesse, according as the tree is small or great, taking the same hempe in the middest, to the end that eyther part of it may performe a little seruice in wreathing and binding of the said Scutcheon, into the incision of the Tree, and it must not be tied too strait, for that would keepe it from taking, the joyning of the one sappe to the other being hindered thereby, and neither the Scutcheon no [...] yet the hempe must be moist or wet. And the more justly to bind them together, begin at the backside of the tree, right ouer against the middest of the incision, and from thence come forward to joyne them before, aboue the eyelet and taile of the Scutcheon (crossing your band of hempe so oft as the two ends meet) and from hence recurning backe againe, come about and tie it likewise vnderneath the eyelet, and thus cast your band about still forward and backward, vntill the whole cleft of the incision be couered aboue and below with the said hempe, the eyelet onely excepted and his taile, which must not be couered at all; this taile will fall away one [...] after another, and that shortly after the ingrafting, if so be that the Scutcheon will take, Leaue your trees and Scutcheons thus bound for the space of one month, and the thicker, a great deale longer time; afterward looke them ouer, and if you [...] them growne together, vntie them, or at the least cut the hempe behind, and le [...] them vncouered, cut also your branch two or three fingers aboue, that so the impe may prosper the better, and thus let them remaine till after Winter, about the moneth of March and Aprill. If you perceiue that the bud of your Scutcheon swell and come forward, then cut off the tree three fingers or thereabout about the Scutcheon: for and if it should be cut off too neere the Scutcheon, a [...] such time as it purtech forth his first blossome, it would be a meanes greatly to hinder the flowing of it, and cause also that it should not thriue and prosper so well: after that one yeare [...] past, and that the shoot beginneth to be strong, beginning to put forth the [...] bud and blossome, you must goe forward to cut off in biace wife the three fingers [...] the top of the tree, which you left there when you cut it in the yeare going before, [...] hath beene said. When your shoot shall haue put forth a good deale of length, you must sticke downe there euen hard joyning thereunto little stakes, tying the [...] together verie gently and easily, and these shall stay your shoots, and prop the [...] vp, le [...] ting the wind for doing any harme vnto them.

In this sort you may easily graft white Rose-trees in red Rose-trees, and red Rose-trees in white Rose-trees, to haue Roses of diuers sorts vpon one and the same Rose-tree. You may graft after the same manner two or three Scutcheons, prouided that [Page] they be all of one side: for they would not be equally set together in height, because that so they might all become staruelings: neither would they be one directly ouer another: for the lower would stay the rising vp of the sap of the Tree, and so those which were aboue should consume in penurie, and vndergoe the foresaid inconuenience.

You must note, that the Scutcheon which is gathered from the Sience of a Tree whose fruit is sowre, must be cut in a square forme, and not in the plaine [...]ashion of a Scutcheon.

It is ordinarie to graft the sweet Quince-tree, bastard Peach-tree, Abricot-tree, Iujube-tree, sowre Cherrie-tree, sweet Cherrie-tree, and Chesnut-tree after this fashion: how beit they might be grafted in the cleft more easily and more profitably, although that diuers be of a contrarie opinion. As thus for example:

Take of the grafted of the sweet Quince-tree, and bastard Peach-tree, of the fairest wood and best fed that you can find growing vpon the wood of two yeares old, because the wood is not so firme and solide as the others, and you shall graft them vpon small plum-tree stockes, being of the thicknesse of ones thumbe: these you shall cut after the fashion of a goats foot, you shall not goe about to make the cleft of any moe sides than one, being about a root high from the ground, you must open it with your small wedge; which being thus grafted, it will seems to you that it is open but of one side, afterward you shall wrap it vp with a little mosse, putting thereto some gummed Waxe or Clay, as hath beene said before, and bind it vp with Oziar, to [...]eepe it the surer, because the stocks is not strong ynongh of it selfe for to hold it, and you shall furnish it euerie manner of vvay, as others are deale withall. And this kind of grafting is more profitable, and sooner growne vp than that which is done in the forme of a Scutcheon.

CHAP. XVII.
Of other sorts of kinds of grafting vpon all sorts of Trees.

YOu may graft in the bud, by taking vp the bud of a young shoot or plant, and putting it with a little barke in the place of another, which you shall haue pulled from the Tree, vvhereupon you meane to graft, binding it there aboue and below in manner as hath beene said of the Scutcheon-like graft, and this may be done at the same time, and vpon the same trees.

You may graft all manner of grafts, vpon all manner of trees after this manner: Make two pits, foure foot euerie way, and the one hard by the other, in the one of these plant an Oliue-tree, and in the other a Figge-tree, or any other such like sort of Trees as shall best please you: when the Oliue-tree hath taken root, you shall bow downe such plants of the same as seemeth vpto you the fairest of the rest, and bind them to the foot of the said Figge-tree: this being done, cut away all the other plants of the said Oliue-tree, except they be such as you meane in like manner to graft: then cut downe the Figge-tree, and make smooth and euen the cut: after this, clause it in the middest with a wedge, after which scape both the sides of the ends of the siences of the Oliue-tree, such as the Tree beareth, and put them in the cleft of the Fig-tree, in such manner as that they may reach through, afterward [...]ome the said cleft of the Figge-tree on the one side and on the other with tough [...]ome, and tie fast within the stocke of the said Figge-tree, the said plants, in such sort as that a man cannot pull them away. Thus three yeares after, the Figge-tree and Oliue-tree will grow together, and the fourth yeare when they are well growne, you shall cut and vnco [...]ple the plants of the said Oliue-tree from it, as is done in propagating, so they [Page] shall seeme not to appertaine any longer vnto the Oliue-tree. This manner of grafting is verie vsuall in the Countrie of Mans, where I remember I haue rasted of a grape which had the cast of a nut: because the vine that bare this grape, had beene grafted into a nut-tree, and after that manner that I haue now spoken of.

To graft in a Canon,To graft i [...] a canon. Flute, or Cornet, is thus per [...]ormed: You must raise a long Gun or Canon hauing two or three eyelets, from oft a new and reclaimed plant, that is a finger thicke or thereabout, and cleaue it casily the whole length of it: after, you must raise of the barke of some branch of a plant, of the like thicknesse, a Canon of the like length to the former, and in place of this later, you must make fast the foresaid Canon of the said barke of the new branch, as forward and close as it can be set, and the superfluous barke of that wherewith there is nothing intended to be done, is bestowed vpon this thus grafted to defend it: after this, it is tied aboue and below the eyelets so carefully, as that they may not be hutt, then you must cut away the wood which is aboue the root, and worke it ouer with gummed waxe all along the seames, and at the end.

To graft in the bodie of a Tree is thus:To graft in the [...] of a Tree. You must pierce the stocke of a Tree with a wimble euen vnto the pith, and afterward cleansing the hole of the wimble [...] well, you must by force put a graft thereinto, which hath two or three eyelets within, and then after that close vp the hole verie sure with waxe.

To graft vpon a Willow,To graft vpon a willow. or Colewort: Make in the pole of a Willow, or stocke of a Colewort, two holes, reaching to the marrow or pith, either halfe a foot from the other, set therein as it were by force euen in either of them, a graft of such fruit as you your selfe will, hauing their barkes seraped off, and this in such fo [...]t as that the holes be stope all of them therewith: after this, you must stop the same holes verie will with Waxe, pricking downe the said pole within halfe a foot of some water, after such a manner as that the grafts may be three fingers vnder the earth, and at the end of the yeare when it hath taken root, cut the plant in peeces, and plant euerie graft where you your selfe will.

Thus you may graft in the Crowne:To graft in a Crowne▪ You must cut oft the bodie of a great Tree, rather than a little or thinne one vp on high, but yet it may not be old, though it may haue a hard barke rather than a soft and thinne: afterward, you must open it vp aboue on high, in three or foure places, in the cut of the barke of the said s [...]ocke: which done, you must with the helue of a penknife of bone being verie sharp [...] pointed, put into euerie one of those opened places a graft, gathered from the most Easterly part of his owne Tree, then you must stop and couer well with to [...]gh [...] or clay the wound that is aboue, and lay a good cap vpon it, so as that neither the raine may be able to wash and corrupt it, neither yet the ayre to drie and chinker it: after this, you must tie the Tree with a coard or band neere vnto the place where the Tree was sawed of [...], that so it cleaue not, then you must thrust in your wedge betwixt the barke and the wood, after which, it remaineth that these grafts be [...] to set round about the bodie of the Tree, one distant from another, no lesse than foure fingers: then, for the shutting vp of the matter, taking away the coard or girth, you must tie the barke with a companie of Oziers, being of that length as that they may goe about the bodie of the Tree three or foure turnes and doubles, that so by this meanes the grafts may be garded, and stand fast against the winds and whatsoeuer other violence: and against the bodie of the Tree you must set a stake or prop, for to beat it vp and stay it, taking away all the shoots that are about it: because that by how much the number shall be the lesse, by so much the more will the sap proout the strength and grouth of boughs.

Some doe graft in a Sience after this manner:To graft in a [...]. They make way into the Tree, and that to the verie pith thereof with a penknife, and after grafting a plant therein, stop it vp close with Waxe. Otherwise, and the likelier, some take a sience of one joy [...], and writh it, afterward taking from it his joynts and bark, and so graft it vpon a sheet as thicke as it selfe, and it taketh quickly.

To graft in a morsell,To graft in a Morsell. you must take in the moneth of March a peece of the thicknesse [Page] of ones thumbe, and sufficient broad and long, together with the eyelet and sience belonging thereto, and so verie speedily graft it altogether vpon the braunches of another Tree, cleauing the barke into three or foure, and fastening it thereto verie close and strait, and vnto the head of the stocke, if so be that the morsell goe into the barke of the other, without hurting of his owne barke: it being thus grafted, will take without any other thing or preparatiue: notwithstanding it would doe no euill to put tough [...]ome or earth tempered thicke vpon the said joynt, and to tie it well with some little peece of Woollen cloth about the morsell, not touching the eyelet in any case. In Iune and Iuly you may graft in this manner on high vpon braunches without vsing of any band thereto: and when this morsell hath well taken, some doe vse to cut off that part of the branch that is aboue.

Some graft vpon poles after this manner:To graft in poles. vvith a French wimble they pearce a pole of Willow, or other white wood in many places, but with this caueat, that the holes be halfe a foot one from another: afterward, they put in these holes thus pearced great store of shoots of such Trees as they are disposed to graft, and thus they set them in the ground, in such sort as that nothing but the end of the shoot is seene: alter which, if so be they take, the pole is broken, and they remoued into other places.

Some there are that make impes of Peare-trees and Apple-trees in a greene lath of vvitch-bazell, where they put their grafts, betwixt the barke and the wood, and going afterward to chuse a moist place, therein they burie the said greene lath halfe a foot deepe, leauing the shoots a foot long, of which they gather some impes, which they cut away, as also the band of the lath where they are grafted, and transplant them [...] other places, where it liketh them best: but this is not counted the surestand most infallible way.

In Normandie likewise they make plants of sprigs and new braunches growing vp from the [...]eet of the Peare-trees and Apple-trees, these they cleaue in foure quar [...]ers and in the middest of them they put the end of a Barly care, or else a Beane, and [...] reported by that meanes to breed good and naturall trees, without any other ma [...]ner of grafting of them: but I am of opinion, that neither the Beanes not yet the Barly doe any good for the helping of them to take root, because that commonly [...]uch s [...]ockes as are planted doe not put forth root at the end of the foot, but higher, [...] almost euen at the top of the earth, there being the most nourishing part of the [...]arth.

Some put young braunches and sprigs into the ground, yea and the thin rindes of [...]lum-trees, which afterward take root, and thereupon they plant abricots, but this [...]ommonly happencth in a moist, good, and fruitfull soyle.

Some doe ordinarily plant stockes of the Garden-quince-tree, and graft Peare- [...]rees thereon, as also Apple-trees and great Peaches, the fruits whereof tast as if they [...]ere Peach-plums, but they must be grafted halfe a foot within the ground, because [...]hey neuer haue any faire trunke, and being grafted thus low, the graft will put forth [...]oots of it selfe, which will make it endure and continue the longer time.

Some haue likewise found out a way to graft the vine,To graft the vine. which is a verie singular [...]nd profitable thing, for hauing a vine that is not of a good plant, you may by graf [...]ing of it, soonet come to haue fruit, than by pulling of it vp, and planting another [...] the place.

Some graft vpon the foot of a plant, which is a great fault, because that at the most [...]rom thence they cannot gather abo [...]e two or three impes, putting things also in ad [...]enture, as well by reason they are not sure that they will take, as also because that the [...]ranch is not strong ynough to defend it selfe from the wind. Notwithstanding see [...]ng that the vine taketh root of it selfe, you may make a triall what it will doe by graf [...]ing it vpon a branch after this manner:

Make a great pit, like as if you would burie some Tree, then make your choyce [...]rom the foot or stocke of some vine which pleaseth you not, of certaine braunches [...]hich you shall find fit and meet to receiue grafts, wh [...]ther they be new wood, or of [Page] two or three yeares growth, cut them off and cleaue them some three or foure finge [...], euen vp vnto some ioint: then sharpen the other branch which you meane to graft, and sticke it in the cleft of the other, ioyning together the rind of the clouen one [...] euerie side, in such sort, as that they may seeme to be but one, wrapping round aboue some mosse, and after binding it vp with some pack-thread, or else with Ozie [...], [...] well. Hauing thus done, prepare a place where you will set it, and lay don [...] your your graft, after the manner and fashion that you vse in propagating: then lay alide Horse dung, not throughly rotten, vpon the place where you haue joyned the [...] branches. By this meanes, of one Vine-stocke you shall make manie, turning in the earth vpon your grafts of the stocke of the Vine, as is done when one lay [...]h Vines in the ground. Afterward acquaint your grafts with little stakes, as is vsed in propagating, and these impes doe thriue and grow as well as the propagated, and [...] fruit as soone.

You may likewise make the like kind of grafts vpon Pomegranat-trees, Nut-trees, Rose-trees, and other such like low and little trees.

CHAP. XVIII.
Speciall obseruations of grafting, planting, and sowing of Trees, for to haue exquisite fruits thereof.

IF you graft a graft that bringeth forth a late fruit,Forward or late fruits. vpon a tree that bringeth forth an early fruit, the graft will bring forth an early fruit in his kind: as and if you graft a Peach vpon a reclaimed Mulberrie-tree, it will come two moneths sooner: The same will come to passe, if you graft vpon a Vine stocke, or a blacke Vine vpon a Cherrie-tree, or a Medlar-tree vpon [...] Goose-berrie-tree, or reclaimed Mulberrie-tree. The cause of this hastened [...] is the nature of the tree whereupon you haue grafted, which being the onely [...] to the graft, and being of a timely fruit in respect of the nature of the graft, doth [...] and bring forward the fruit. On the contrarie, if the tree be of a late fruit, and the graft of a timely, the graft will afterward bring forth late fruit in his kind: and staying after his due and wonted time, as if it be an Apple-tree vpon a Quince-tree, [...] Apples will proue to hang on the tree till Nouember, and will take so much after the nature of the Quince-tree, as that they will keepe two yeares. By how much the [...] you graft vpon a tree of the same kind and condition that the graft or bud is Apple-tree vpon an [...] an Apple-tree, a reclaimed one vpon a reclaimed one, or a wild [...] vpon a wild one: by so much the fruit becommeth greater, and is of a better rast, as hath beene said.

Graft one Apple-tree vpon another,The graft of the Apple-tree. and likewise in Goose-berrie-trees and reclaimed Mulberrie-trees, and you shall haue fruit all Summer time, till the beginning of Nouember.

To cause fruit to grow that shall be halfe Peach and halfe Nut,Halfe Peach and halfe Nuts. take an eyelet of the one and of the other, and cut them as neere the eyelet as you can, both the one and the other, and scrape their buttons a little; then ioyning them, bind them also verie and together, and after cut away their toppes: the fruit growing from these, will be halfe Peaches and halfe Nuts.

You may make one fruit to haue the tast of foure fruits of his kind after this [...] Take foure shoots or grafts of foure differing sorts,One fruit hauing the rast of manie fruits. but of one kind of tree, as of foure sorts of Peare-trees, or Apple-trees: As for example; of the Apple-tree take the short stalked Apple, the Globe Apple, sharpe tasted Apples, and Apples of Paradise (because that the shoots or grafts must be of one sort of trees) tie them verie well together, in such sort, as that their barke may touch one another: afterward couer them with glue, or with sand, or some [...]at earth, so close, as that they may seeme to be all [...] [Page] put them thus in some well digged ground that is full of manure, that so they may take root: the fruit that will grow vpon these, will haue the taste of foure sorts of apples. It proceedeth of the same cau [...]e if you take two grafts, the one of a sow [...]e apple-tree, and the other of a sweet, and coupling them together so close and nee [...]e, as that they may seeme to be one onely; vse them as before, and looke as the grafts were, so vvill the apples be. In like manner if you couple, joyne and close together in such close and fast manner two small figge-tree boughes, the one of a blacke figge-tree, and the other of a white, and so set them, and after that they haue put forth and blossomed, tie them againe, to the end they may incorporate and grow together, making but one stocke, the figges that come there of vvill haue a red flesh on the one side, and a white on the other. Some to worke the like effect, doe put into some linnen cloth the seeds of two sorts of figge-trees, and hauing tied them verie strait, digge them in the earth, and when they are growne vp, they remoue the figge-tree which is growne vp vpon them.

Some doe likewise make grafts to beare halfe Peares, and halfe Apples, cleaning one Apple-tree-graft, and one Peare-tree-graft, and after joyning the one halfe of the one to the other halfe of the other, and tying them close together, and [...]oming the joynts and seames verie well with Gum and Wax mixt together, in such manner as that the water cannot find any entrance at their joynts, and when this is done, they graft this double graft vpon the stocke of such a Tree as shall fall for their purpose: But you must thinke that this manner of planting is verie hard to bring forth fruit. Wherefore they which take pleasure therein, must be contented with two sorts of grafts, and not to plant them, but rather to graft them vpon another Tree of the kind of the said grafts, binding them close together, and sharpening them verie [...]itly for the purpose at the lower end, in manner as if they were but one onely graft.

If you hollow the branch of a Cherrie-tree taking away the pith,Cherries without a stone. and after set it againe, it will bring forth fruit without any stone: or else thus better: cut off a young Cherrie-tree within a foot of the earth, cleauing it also euen to the root, take out the pith both of the one side and of the other, afterward joyne them together againe, and tye them close with a strait band, and a yeare after that this Cherrie-tree hath taken, graft therein a graft of a Cherrie-tree which neuer bare fruit, and the fruit which commeth of such a graft, vvill be without any stone. Otherwise, cut off from such stone-fruit-tree as you desire, a graft which may be easily bended: sharpen it on the two ends, and graft it likewise on the two ends vpon two parts of the Tree, make close the two grafted places with the mosse of fat ground, and tye them carefully with a band: the yeare following, if you see that the two ends of the graft haue taken some force and strength from the stocke, putting forth some buds, then cut the graft asunder in the middest, and take cleane from it the thickest sprig that it hath, and let the other grow, and it will beare in his due time fruit that hath no stone. The same will come to passe, if you propagate the ends of the smallest boughs of the young Cherrie-tree, plum-tree, or other stone-fruit-tree, and after that you see that they haue taken root, if you cut off the thickest and fairest twig, and let alone the leanest and slenderest. The reason and cause of this is, for that the stone cannot grow, if the tree lacke his pith, but in the tops and ends of little boughs there is no pith: therfore the fruit that commeth of them, whether they be planted or grafted after the manner that hath beene said, will haue no stone, euen no more than that which groweth of trees whose pith is taken out.

If in the vine,Laxatiu [...] fruit [...] Fragra [...] fruit. Colour [...]dfruits. Fruits hauing the vertue of trea [...]le. Wine against the bi [...]ings of [...]. figge-tree, cherrie-tree, or apple-tree, you cleaue a branch which hath borne fruit, and take the pith out of it, putting in steed thereof some laxatiue or soluble thing, and binding it well and streight, you shall make the fruit laxatiue, according to the nature of that which you haue put in: and if you put therein some sweet smell or pleasant colour, the fruits will smell of and shew the same: and if you doe this in a rose-tree, the effect will appeare in the rose: and who so shall put [...]tacle or my thridate in the vine, wine made thereof wil cure the bitings of serpents, [Page] and not the Wine onely, but the grape, vinegar, branch, and ashes of the braunch, will be good against all manner of biting of venimous beasts.

To graft speedily, take a graft of one knot and writhe it, and take away the [...] with the kno [...], and after inuest and decke vp therewith some shoot that is of the like thicknesse with the graft, and it will take.

To graft a Vine vpon a Vine:To graft a vine vpon a vine. you must cleaue it as you doe other Trees, [...] to say, euen to the verie pith, and afterward putting the graft into the cleft, you must stop it vp vvith Waxe verie vvell, and tye it about verie close: but you [...] obserue, that it is no fit time to graft the vine, except it be in the moneth of Febr [...] rie in vvarme places, and in March in cold places, and that when the Wineshed▪ deth a kind of thicke liquor, and not thinne like vvater: the like may be done in May, and in the beginning of Iune, vvhen the sap or juice of the [...] is all fallen, but in the meane time, you must keepe the grafts that you vvould graft in cold and shadowed places, that they may put forth buds and spring. See more hereof aboue.

To haue plums of diuers sorts all the Sommer time,Plums at [...] times. and vnto Nouember, graft diuers sorts of plums vpon the Goose-berrie. bush, reclayined Mulberrie-tree, or vpon a Cherrie-tree.

To make Medlars,Peaches cherr [...]e, and madlar [...], eating lik [...] spice. Cherries, and Peaches, that they may be aroma [...]icke in eating and smelling like spices, and that they may be kept vntill new come, graft them vpon the reclaymed and well husbanded Mulberrie-tree, as I haue told you, and in grafting of them, wet the grafts in Honie, and put therein a little of the powder of small Spice, as of Cloues, Nut [...]eg, and Cinamome, and the fruit will haue a taste of them.

To cause Medlars to grow without stones,Medlars without stones. and withall to be sweet as honie, graft them on Eglantine, and in the grafting of them, wet them in honie. But to haue [...] in their grea [...]nesse two moneths before ordinarie, and that one may be better than twentie others, graft them in a reclaymed Mulberrie-tree or a Goose-berrie-bush, and at the grafting thereof wet the graft.

To haue Peares of Augusta,Peares of Augusta Peares of Parm [...] made to be [...] ripe. of Parma, or of S. Rieule, a moneth or two sooner ripe than others, graft them in a reclaymed Mulberrie-tree, and if you would that they should indure and keepe good vntill new, graft them vpon a quince-tree, that they may come late, and on a reclaimed mulberrie-tree for them to come [...].

To haue reclaymed mulberries earely ripe,To me mulberries earely and late. graft the mulberrie on the peare-tree, chesnut-tree, or goose-berrie-tree: and to haue the late ripe, as towards Nouember, graftThe time of grafting them. them vpon the medlar or quince-tree. They must alwaies be grafted in the [...] crease of the moone, and yet better three or foure daies before the first quaner, for how many daies the moone is old when it is grafted, so many yeares will it be [...] the Tree b [...]ing forth fruit, as we haue touched before.

To haue nuts without shells,Nuts without shells. you must take a keruell which is verie found and not any whit hurt, and wrap it in wooll or the leaues of a vine, or in plane-tree [...], that it may not be eaten of Auts, set it thus inwrapped, and the nut-tree comming thereof will bring forth nuts without shells: the like may be done in alm [...]d-trees, if you oftentimes put ashes vnto the foot thereof, or vnto the roots vnder the ground, and this also holdeth generally in all other fruits which haue an outward shell if they be let in this order.

To haue great nuts, plums, and almonds,Nuts, plums, and great almonds. take foure stones of the foresaid fruits, and put them in a pot or other vessell full of earth, joyning the one to the other as neere as may be, and turning the pot and the bottome vpward, make a hole in the said bottome, and the stones shall be constrayned to put forth their [...]prout vpon high through the said hole, and by this const [...]aint the foure sprou [...]s will joyne and incorporate themselues together in such sort, as that they will all make but one stocke of a nut-tree, which according to his season will beare fairer nuts than any other trees of the same kind and nature. But for the more easier doing hereof, you must after the fruit is once shaped & fashioned, take away from the nut-tree, almond-tree, plam-tree, and such like, all the small and rascallie sort of fruit which you shall find vpon [Page] them, and so the juice of the Tree will giue it selfe wholly to the remainder: which also by that meanes will be the better fed and nourished, as hauing be [...]towed vpon them all the substance which was prouided for the others that are taken away if they had not beene gathered. Wherefore the case stands plaine in the whole matter of nourishment, vvhether it be in things that haue life, or those which are vvithout life, that the starued or rascally sort doth come, by the juice his conuersion and being turned vnto the nourishing of other fruits which are greater: and it cannot be otherwise seeing the distributiue vertue of the Trees being occupied about many, must needs haue the lesse for euerie one, vvhereas when it hath but a few to feed, it dealeth the more bountifully.

To cause an oake or other tree to continue greene as well in Winter as in Sommer,To keepe an oke or other Tree greene at all times. graft it vpon a Colewore stocke.

Write what you will in the eyelet of the figge-tree,Written Figges. vvhich you meane to graft, and the figge growing thereof will containe the said writing.

The figge-tree will not loose his fruitThat the Figge-tree loose [...] his fruit. if the stocke be rubbed ouer with Mulberties; or if you cause it to be cast about with pits while the seuen starres doe appeare, vvatering the foot with salt brine and vvater mingled together equally.

The Cherrie-tree will beare a pleasant and sweet smelling fruit,The Cherrie-tree grafted vpon a Paie tree. and will not be subject unto the eatings of snailes, cat [...]rpillers, and other small wormes if it be grafted vpon a bay-tree.

The peare-tree that you vvill graft,The Peare-tree of sweet roses or muske [...]. vvill beare a peare smelling like roses or muske if you cleaue the graft which you meane to graft, and put into the cleft thereof a graine of muske, or a dried leafe of a sweet smelling rose, and so graft it. And the like may be done in other fruit Trees to haue vvell perfumed and sweet smelling fruit: by this peece of cunning skill, Roses become to smell of muske, and the eyelets haue the smell of cloues.

It must stand for a generall rule, that neither any graft after the blossome, as neither that which is laden with fruit, is to be grafted.

If the white Poplar be grafted vpon the Mulberrie-tree,White Mulberries. it will bring forth white Mulberries.

The Cherrie-tree vvill beare his fruit more earlie,Grap [...]s in the Spring. and before his ordinarie time, if you lay quicke lime vnto the roots: or if they be watered oft with vvarme vvater: some say likewise, that if you graft a blacke vine vpon a Cherrie-tree, that then the vine vvill beare grapes in the Spring, the reason whereof we haue set downe in the beginning of this Chapter.

Graft Citron-trees vpon Pomegranat or Mulberrie-trees, and the fruit thereof will be of a red colour.

If you would transforme fruits from their naturall shape,To fashion fruits after what shape that one will. into some other diutrs and artificiall shapes, put the said fruits when they begin to be some what bigge, betwixt two mouldes of plaster or baked earth, within which there are portraiures of diuers forts, cut and tie them sofely, for the fruits as it groweth will take the stampe and impression more and more: but in the meane time, you must conuey ayre into the moulds at little holes: for else the fruit would rot within.

The graft that is made vpon the Alder-tree or Oake, bringeth forth a verie strong Tree: but if it beare fruit, yet the fruit is of no sauour or raste.

To haue Peaches or Almonds to grow with letters written vpon them:Peaches or Almonds written vpon. after that you haue eaten the Peaches or Almonds, steepe the stone two or three dayes, afterward open it softly and take out the Almond, and vvith a brasse pen or otherwise vvrite vpon the rinde of the Almond, vvhat you please, but doe it not too deepe, afterward put the Almond againe into his stone, vvrapping the said stone about vvith paper or parchment, and so plant it, and the fruit growing thereupon vvill be vvritten and ingrauen.

To make Peaches redd:Red Peach [...]. seuen dayes after you haue set the Peach stone, take it out of the earth againe, and vvithin the opening of the shell put some Vermillion or Cinnabrium, and then set it again: It will fall out likewise after the same manner, [Page] if you graft the great Peach vpon the red Rose-tree, or vpon the Almond-tree, [...] vpon the red damaske Plum-tree: you may also make the Peach of such other colourPeaches of one or other colour. as you will, if according to the manner aforesaid, you put such colour as you would haue it of within the shell of the kernell.

To preuene that Peaches doe not become withered and rotten, you must take away the barke of the stocke of the Peach-tree, that so there may issue out from [...] some small quantitie of moisture, after you must draw the place ouer with m [...]tter, mixt with straw. Pearce the bodie of the Peach-tree below, and take away the pith, and fasten within it a stopple of Willow or Corneile-tree, and then you shall haue Peaches without any stone.Peaches without stones.

Pomegranat-trees will proue verie fruitfull,Fruitfull pomegran [...]ts. if you annoint the stocke of the Tree with purcelaine and spurge stamped together.

Of an Almond-tree that is hard and bitter,To make bitte [...] almonds sweet. you shall make a soft and sweet, if you bare the stocke euen vnto the roots which lie shallowest in the ground: and water them oft during certaine daies with warme water, before that it bloslome, and thus the Almonds that before were bitter will become sweet.

To make good Muscadell:To make good Muscadell. Take an yron wyre and put it in the plant of a stocke, which is cut with three eyes, vsing the meanes to haue all the pith forth: after which fill vp the said stocke with Nurmegs, stopping it so therewithall that the water may not get in: and the rootes that these three eyes shall beare will bee Muscadell rootes.

That nut will haue a ve. ie tender shell and a verie thicke kernell,Nuts with thin shells. in whose foote, stocke and rootes there are put ashes.

To cause a Nut-tree that beareth no leaues before Midsommer,A nut-tree bearing neither leafe nor fruit tiu Midsommer vpon Midsommers euen to put forth both leaues and fruit together, and withall to haue his fruit ripe and readie to care as soone as any other: fill a pot with greene Nuts gathered the said Midsommer euen, and make a hole in the bottome of the pot, that the water may runne out, putting it after that vpon the said Midsommers euen into the earth. Plant the shootes that come of these, and you shall find the thing before spoken of.

The graftingThe grafting of Peaches▪ which is performed to a graft vpon a tree correspondent and [...] to the nature of the graft, proueth of most beautifull growth, and most fruitfull, and his fruit most durable: which falleth not out when this correspondencie, synpadne and fellowship is wanting: and this is the cause why the Peach-tree though better being grafted in the plum-tree than elsewhere, and the Peare-plum-tree in the Almond-tree, and there continue a longer time.

If the eyelet of the Peare-plum-tree,The grafting of the peaer-plum-tree. and of the Almond-tree be grafted together, the kernell of the fruit which commeth thereof will be an Almond.

The Plum-tree grafted vpon the Almond-tree beareth a fruit like vnto the Almond,Plums like to the almond. and if it be grafted in the Nut-tree, the rind or huske will be like vnto the nut huske or rind, but within it will be a plum. Againe, if it be grafted vpon a quince-tree, it will bring forth a fruit of a diuers fashion, according to the nature thereof.

Graft a Plum-tree graft or any other fruit trees graft vpon the figge-tree, and you shall haue your fruit to grow without blossoming.Fruit without blossomes.

Graft the grafts of an apple-tree vpon a [...]owre peare, and vpon the Richardine apple-tree, and you shall haue apples of a yel [...] or straw colour,Apples of a yellow colour. and of the chesur-tree: & to haue such as will last vnto Nouember, you must graft them vpon a quinc [...]-tree, and other late trees, and so they will be for to keepe two yeares.

Take two grafts of apple-trees,Apples of two [...]. the one sowre, and the other sweet, and joyne them close together when you shall graft them: the apple will raste both of the one and other fauour, as we haue said before.

If any tree bring forth his fruit late,Late [...]. or if it be altogether barren and without fruit, and yet full of both leafe and vvood: set in the middest of his maine roots, [...] else in the middest of his stocke about Winter, a wedge of greene-wood, [...] yere following it will beare fruit. The reason is, because by the meanes of [...], [Page] the sap and substance which wandred abroad and imployed it selfe about the bearing of leaues and increase of wood, will draw in it selfe, and goe a closer and neerer way to worke, conuerting his seruice to the making of fruit.

You shall haue Cherries on many Trees which will be good to eat vnto Nouember,Cherries at all times. if you graft the Cherrie-tree vpon a reclaymed Mulberrie-tree, and vpon a wild one.

If you desire that the fruit of your grafts should increase in goodnesse,Sweet Medle [...] and furpasse the tast of the common grafts as they are when they are grafted, you must first before you graft them, steepe them in honie tempered with Rose-water, so long as till they be throughly moistened, and then grafting them, draw them o [...]er afterward in steed of morter with Virgins-wax, and other things fit to lute withall: if after this manner you graft Medlar-trees on Goose-berrie-bushes, and vpon naturalized mulberrie-trees, and withall, in the grafting wet your graft in honie, you shall haue a hastier or earlier and better fruit.

Graft Chesnur and Calio [...]-peare-trees vpon a Goose-berrie-bush,Fotward peares and late peares. if you would haue them to beare their fruit earely: and vpon the white thorne, for to beare it late, or else vpon the sowre peare-tree.

To make apples red,Red apples. you must water the tree with vrine, or else plant Rose-trees neere vnto the Apple-trees.

Peares will haue no stones, if at the first you picke away the stones and all other grauell from vnder them verie carefully,Teares without stones. making the ground where the Tree shall stand free thereof, and withall lay vpon it at the roots being planted good store of [...]i [...]ted earth, watering it afterward verie diligently: but and if the peare-tree be alreadie growne vp, and become a perfect Tree, you must lay it open to the lowest roots, taking away all the stones and grauell that is vnderneath, and about it, and casting in the earth againe which you cast forth abroad, but after that it hath beene [...]i [...]ted, and some dung put vnto it, seeing that it be watered, after you haue so cast in your earth.

The pomegranat will become verie red,Red [...] if you water the pomegranat-tree with water and lee mingled together.

The sowre pomegranat will become sweet,Sweet pomegranat [...]. if you lay about the root of the pomegranat-tree the dung of swine, and water it with mans vrine.

Graft the graft of the Peach-tree vpon the Quince-tree,Peaches and quinc [...]s together. you shall haue Peaches and Quinces together: likewise if you graft vpon the Peach-tree, the graft of the Quince-tree.

The graft of an Almond-tree grafted vpon a Peach-tree,Peaches and almonds together. or that of the Peach- [...]ree grafted vpon an Almond-tree, causeth the one tree or the other to bring forth [...]oth Peaches and Almonds, whose rind and kernell also will be good to eat.

To haue a pippin or kernell to bring forth a faire fruit and timelier than any other graft vpon the same stocke,To haue [...] fruit of a pippin or kernell. take the branches of the Peare-tree or Apple-tree, and [...] the lower end make little holes, but not cleane through, and not within a hand- [...]redth one of another: they must be one right ouer against another, and haue a grain [...] two of [...]alt put into them, and hereupon the branch laied in the earth with a few [...]ats, cutting oft the end as is vsed to be done with grafts when they are grafted. If [...]ereupon the branch take and wax greene, it wil beare a fairer and timelier fruit than [...]ny other of that kind.

To haue red Apples,Red apples. you must plant Rose-trees or Mulberrie-trees neere vnto the Apple-trees. Or else set some stake in the earth neere vnto the Apple-tree, and there [...]eere at hand set a vessell full of water, whereupon the Southerne Sunne beames may [...]li [...]estly beat in such sort, as that the vapour which shall rise from the water may beat [...]gainst the fruit: or else vncouer the Apple-tree at the foot in the Spring time, and [...]ater them sundrie times with vrine: coueting them againe aboue ten or twelue daies [...]fter, and watering them with vrine betwixt times.

To make apples sweet,Sweet apples! you must water the roots of the apple-tree with mans vrine, [...]herein hath beene dis [...]olued goats dung, and the lees of old wine.

[Page] To haue great cherries,Great cherries. A fruitfull apple-tree. you must often breake the cherrie-tree.

To haue great quantitie of apples, you must compasse the stocke of the apple-tree the height of a foot aboue the earth, with a plate of lead taken from the pipe of asp [...], and when the apple-tree beginneth to blossome, you must take away this band of lead. This banding may be renewed euerie yeare, to make the apple-tree fruitfull: the like course also may be taken with the peare-tree.

To make a tree to beare grapes together with the fruit of his owne kind▪ A tree bearing grapes and his [...]oont naturall fruit Put the stocke of a vine in the foot, and boring the tree cleane through with a wimble, you shall at this hole put through the vine stocke, in such [...]ore as that there may be two joynts remay [...]ing within the stocke, and so much o [...] your vine stocke at remay [...]th within the stocke of the tree must be pilled, and the barke taken away, that so the substance of the tree and of the vine stocke may more easily grow together [...] this, you shall stop the holes of the said bore verie close, both of the one side and of the other, to preuent all daunger of water getting in, and at the end of three yeares, cut off the vine stocke behind, thus your tree will beare grapes, and his owne naturall fruit, and both they will grow from the same trunke or bodie.

Graft the graft of an apple-tree vpon a peach-tree,Peaches. and likewise the graft of a peach-tree vpon a peare-tree; and on the contrarie, and you shall haue a strange fru [...] called peach-apples, and peach-peares. And thus likewise standeth the case, if you graft (as hath beene said) the graft of a peare-tree.

CHAP. XIX.
Of the time of planting and manner of transplanting of grafted trees, both great and small.

SOme say,The [...] time of plant. that it is best to plant in the Spring Equinoctiall (which is the time about the twelfth of March) because that trees at than time, [...] root, and bud more readilie, and put forth the sooner, espec [...]ally [...] places. The greatest part of this our countrie of France, [...] transplant trees before and after the foure and twentieth of December, at which [...] we see here in the citie of Paris euerie Wednesday and Saturday great sale of [...] sorts of trees: and yet in my judgement this is not the best time to plant and [...] plant, because that trees would not be washed nor wet about their fee [...], in such [...] as they are planted: but for the time before and after the foure and [...] of Nouember (which is called the dead Moneth) it doth nothing but raine for the [...] part, as we haue obserued for this ten yeares space: and although this [...] were cold, as some commonly report that for three weekes before this day, and thr [...] weekes after, great cold doe rule and raignes then if the cold be so great, how should it be but that the roots of the Trees transplanted, as also other plants should [...], especially the earth being newly stirred, as is most euidently app [...] in [...]. But the best time to transplant Trees, [...] Autumne, because that in [...] there is as it were a shadow of Sommer, S. Martins▪ Sommer, and in this time [...] [...] meth as though Trees would make a new Spring, as the blossoming of some Trees the same time doth seeme oftentimes to per [...]uade, and for that in this [...] Trees [...] root much better than in Winter, in which time there is nothing almost [...]. And if the case so stand as that it is fit for to plant great thicke Trees, the [...] must be made sixe moneths before, and that▪ because the earth should thereby be corrected, and as it were ren [...]wed by the ayte and hear, as husband [...] workemen know verie well which turne their grounds before Winter, and all the time thereof let them lye thus tilled, then by a farre stronger reason, you [...] it is much better to plant [...] trees [...] Autum [...]e than in Winter. But howso [...] it be, when you plant any thing in [...], it must be done some fiue daies before the [Page] end of August: and in high and drie places men plant at all times and seasons. It is good to sow or set the first day of the first quarter of the Moone: but the 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, and 18, it is not good. If you plant in the decrease of the Moone, the tree will yeeld the more profit, and fruit will grow the sooner thereupon; and by how much your planting falleth to be neerer vnto the end and going out of the Moone, by so much the tree will be of a more beautifull growth, and becomming more fer [...]ile and fruitfull: but and if you plant in the encreasing and new Moone, indeed your trees will take better, and become more durable and lasting: they will spread in root, and wood, and leaues, but they will giue ouer so much the more to beare fruit. If constrained by some necessitie, you plant in the new of the Moone, then it will be best for you to breake off the shoots that they shall thereupon put forth about the later end of the Moone, and then they will beare their fruits as others doe. Notwithstanding, this limiting and bounding of the time of the Moone is not of such warranti [...]e, but that the tree may be as profitable at all other times of the Moone, as well as either then, or else in the encrease and new of the Moone.

Some plant in Ianuarie the plants that haue the shanke or foot of their shoots [...]ut by as, as also the plant that is set of stones, and in a well tempered place: but in a warme place, men are wont to plant in the moneths of October, Nouember, and December.

Trees that haue a grosse thicke root, are planted in October, Nouember, and December: but the shoots or little branches are planted in March, when they are in sappe.

Trees that haue a great pith, as Figge-trees, naturalized Mulberrie-trees, Hazell, and such like, are planted without anie root, from after mid September vnto the beginning of Nouember: but other trees which you would plant with roots, must be planted about the beginning of December, or verie shortly after.

Grosse trees are transplanted from one place into another in the moneth of Nouember,Gross or thicke trees. and they must be freed from Snailes, and lopt and cropt before they be transplanted, for so they take the better, and put forth their siences verie powerfully: and if in taking of them vp, or transporting of them, it happen that the barke of their roots be broken, you must draw the pilled and vncouered place ouer with good dung or earth, before that you put it into the ground againe, and stirre vp the earth verie well round about where you intend to let them downe againe, to the end that their roots may spread and seat themselues to their good contentment, without being pinched or strait [...]ned.

Some doe remoue from after the beginning of Nouember vntill March, when the trees begin to enter into their sappe; for the sappe once drawing vp aloft, doth forbid all remouing of the tree: and therefore, in such case, the sooner the better, that is so say, if presently after the leaues be fallen, which is in the beginning of Winter, you goe about it; but in waterie places it is good to stay till Ianuarie and Februarie: but nothing must be done this way when it raineth, or when the earth is wet; for it would so harden vpon the drying, as that the roots would be oppressed and choaked.

The young grafts which you haue grafted in the stocke-Nurcerie, [...] grafts, or elsewhere, must be remoued as soone as the grafts shall haue closed vp the cleft of the plant, as some are of opinion: but yet this is hazarded ware, the graft hauing not as yet taken almost anie disposition or good liking of the sappe of the plant, which being thus againe remoued, it halfe a [...]tonished and put out of the high way of his well-pleasing nourishment, and so beginneth to wither when it commeth to take a cast of his new dishes and prouision: but and if you stay till the graft haue put forth a faire branch, before you remoue the graft, you shall shunne the danger that might otherwise ensue.

You must plant your trees againe as soone as you haue taken them vp,To [...] trees. if no other weightie matter let you: but if you be put off from doing it, either because it is brought you from farre, or vpon some other occasion, you must, so soone as they be [Page] taken vp, couer their roots with the earth from whence they were taken, new leaues, and slraw, that so the raine may not wash them, and make them afterward to [...] when they become drie againe; and to the end also, that the ayre and breath [...] of the wind or of the Sunne, or yet of the Moone, may not drie them and [...] the moisture, which keepeth their roots in good hearr, and fit to grow, [...] things being verie hurtfull, but the raine the wor [...]e of the two.

Sowre Cherrie-trees cannot abide to be remoued: for being transplanted, they will hardly put forth anie siences, especially if they haue their chiefe and principall root maimed.

Before you remoue great trees, you must loppe off their boughes verie diligeraly, at hath beene said: but as for little ones, you need not crop them, to take off [...] of their heads, neither yet to take anie of their boughes from them, if they haue [...] too bushie a head: If you desire to know a reason wherefore, it is thus▪ If you [...] the head and toppes vpon trees when they are growne somewhat great and thicke, they will still be lending of their sappe vpward, not looking to the feeding of the roots, for that the ayre attracteth the nourishment of plants: as may easily be proued by example, when there groweth anie small tree vnder one that is verie great, for there the small tree will not thriue so well as if it were abroad in the ayre, and [...] vnder the shadow; and so that which hath his head cut off, will take root sooner than and if it were whole and vntouched. But if the tree which you remoue, exceed not the thicknesse of a great ynch, you shall let it remaine whole because young plants take root more easily than those which are old, and the reason is openly knowne.

If the rootes of the trees which you would remoue, be much longer than is needfull, you may take off the ends thereof in setting them down [...] againe, and that so much as may fit best for the hole wherein you meane to set them, for so by this meane they will not be stopped vp of the sides of the hole, but will amast and draw moisture out of the earth for the nourishment of the tree a great deale more aboundantly.

When you remoue anie tree, you must lay his rootes round about with [...] earth, and take heed, that the weedie earth which you haue digged or cut away [...] pit whither you meane to remoue it, doe not fall in amongst the roots, for it would put them in danger to be ouer-heated: or else, that they growing vp againe, might diminish the nourishment of the tree. If it happen, that the earth which you [...] taken out of the pit be full of wormes, which might hurt the rootes, then [...] therewith some lee and ashes. When the rootes haue taken foot, trample downe the ground as hard as may be, or else beat it with a Pauiers beetle, watering it afterward if it be drie, or else not.

CHAP. XX.
Of the place and soile for Trees in generall.

THe principall point in growing of Trees, is to prouide them of [...] ayre and earth, because that these doe cheere and season the [...], and are the proper subiect of their nourishment. And as concerning the earth, that is recommended into vs, as to be had in regard and looked vnto more than anie thing else, as that it be such as is verie murlie, temperate in cold and heat, and of a meane and middle sort of moisture and fatnesse, for such ground as exceedeth in anie one of these things, is not so fit for anie Fruit-tree. This is a rule to stand generall in and for all Fruit-trees: but as for particular kinds of Trees, it is verie well knowne, that euerie particular Tree craueth his seuerall [...] particular soyle, whence it may gather fit and agreeable nourishment for it [...], [Page] as Theophrastus testifieth. In like manner, one desireth a diuers kind of placing and situation from the other. Wherefore the trees which craue the refreshment of hauing their stockes taken vp, doe commonly thriue better in valleyes than in high places, as well for that their seat must not be altogether so drained of moisture as the higher places be, as also for that the moisture which is in higher grounds conueyeth it selfe and distilleth into the lower and hollow, whether it be raine or anie spring rising from thence.

In watrie places you must not make your pit verie deepe, wherein you mean to plant your tree; but in drie grounds you must set them somewhat more deepe: nei [...]her yet must you heape too much earth in vpon those pits when you fill them vp againe, that so the raine may the better stay about them and water them.

That which is commonly receiued, as that in good ground there grow good fruits, must be vnderstood with respect had to the naturall goodnesse that the fruit hath in [...] selfe, if both the industrie and skill of man to husband and keepe it neat, and deli [...]er it when anie inconuenience presseth vpon it, to drie and to season it so as that it may yeeld his fruit in due time, be not wanting▪ for these failing, the fruit will likewise greatly faile of his goodnesse, tast, and durablenesse, and so will falsifie the generall rule aboue named.

Set downe with your selfe, to remoue your trees into so good a ground, or rather better, than that from whence you tooke them vp, hauing respect to other especiall obseruations besides to be obserued, according as will be required of the particular natures of euerie one. And if it is be possible, remoue them into the like situation for the receiuing of the Sunne-shine, vnto they which they were first set and planted in: and that you may not faile hereof, marke their barke vpon such or such a quarter, and set [...] vpon the same againe in remouing of it. But this obseruation (as I must confesse) is not alwaies kept, for the reasons aboue named.

Also plant those of a forward Spring in a late soyle, and a late soyle in a hot [...]round.

The greatest part of trees doe delight in the South Sunne, and to be seated vpon [...]ome Sunnie banke, from the Westerne wind, as being verie contrarie vnto them, [...]specially to Almond-trees, Abricot-trees, Mulberrie-trees, Figge-trees, and Pome [...]ranate-trees, but principally from the North-east wind, because it is sharpe & swith [...]ing, verie hurtfull for all sorts of plants, euen to all fruits, of what qualitie soeuer that [...]hey be, but chiefely when they are in blossome, and that because it bloweth from off [...]he Sea, as also for that it is halfe North, which is verie sharpe, but not so dangerous [...] the North-east: and some say, that this wind bloweth once a yeare, as in the Spring, [...]nd that it spoyleth buds, especially those of the Vine: Vnde versus; Vae tibi Galerna, [...]re quam fit clausa Taberna. On the contrarie, Chesnut-trees, Cherrie-trees that beare [...] sowre fruit, Quince-trees, and Plum-trees, doe not much affect or sport and delight [...]hemselues either with cold or much heat.

In watrie places trees commonly grow great, and beare much fruit and leaues, but [...]hey are not of anie commendable rellish, colour, or durablenesse: yea, they beare [...]ruit commonly the yeare they are set, if they be accustomed to beare. Trees must be [...]et the thicker in a fruitfull soyle.

If you meane to plant trees in a cold place, and that yet the tree should not be hurt of the cold, you must plant them on the Sunnie side of the banke, from the North, [...]ut towards the South.

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CHAP. XXI.
Of the place and time wherein euerie Fruit-tree delighteth to be sowne, planted, and grafted in particular: and first of the Almond-tree.

THe Almond-treeThe Almond-tree. delighteth in hot places, looking towards the South or East, or where the ayre at the least is moderate; as vpon the tops of hills, or places neere vnto hills, that are somewhat stonie and grau [...]lie, stonie or marlie: in which places it doth not onely flourish well, being planted, and blossome aboundantly, but beareth therewithall great quantitie of drie Almonds, as also hard and well-rellisht ones. But contrariwise, if it be planted in a moist and watrie ground, and cold place, it neither groweth well, not beareth fruit well, neither yet continueth long. The fit time for the setting of it, is about the Winter Sols [...]ice, which is the eleuenth day of December, euen vnto the end of the same moneth, or somewhat after: for the plant of this tree being forward and early in putting forth buds, if it were planted in the Spring time, it might let slip and loosen the time of the yeare, which might be the fittest for the maintaining and comforting of his blossome. If you would haue it to grow of the stone vnbroken, and if I may so say, of his seed, you must let it be in Ianuarie and all Februarie, in such places as are temperate, or in October and all the moneth of Nouember in places that are hat. And thus to cause it to grow of his fruit, you must take new Almonds, thicke ones, hauing white shells, verie porous and spongie, and lay them in steepe for the space of twelue houres in honied water, and after this digge them in the earth foure finger deepe, the sharpe end downeward, and after to water them three of foure times a moneth. It groweth also of shoots and siences, but the sience must be taken from the top of the tree, full of pith, sound of barke, and cut vnder the knot. And as concerning the grafting of it, you must take the time of Autumne, for (as hath beene said) this tree is a quick-spur and fore-rider: but and if you stay till the Spring time, you shall breake it off when the sience is fully put forth. And for the chusing of graf [...]s that will take well, you must take them vp on high, and on the top of the tree, and not from the middest, much lesse from below; and these grafts you may graft either in the bud, or in the cleft, and vpon a tree of his owne kind, or vpon the peach or Plum-tree: indeed the Almond-tree that is grafted, is not of such growth, or so [...] full, as that which is planted.

The good Farmer must plant and make grow great store of Almond-trees,The profitable Almond-tree. seeing they are not chargeable to maintaine, neither yet their fruit to keepe, but rather of greater profit and lesser losse than anie other, seeing that euen vnder them Come will grow iolly and faire, the Almond-tree hauing but a few leaues, and those little ones.

The barren Almond-treeThe barren Almond-tree. will become fruitfull, and beare, if you lay open the roots in Winter: or else if you pierce some part of the stocke close by the earth, and put through the hole a wedge of Oake, watering it about with mans vrine.

You shall make bitter Almonds sweet,Sweet Almonds. if you lay round about the roots of the Almond-tree Swines dung, and Vrine, casting much earth vpon it afterward, and this yearely: or if you bore a hole in the stocke of the tree, and put therein a wedge dipe in honey: or if (as Plinie and Theophrastus say) you bore the stocke through and through below, and let the sappe runne out.

Of sweet Almonds you may make sowre ones,Bitter Almonds. if you let the beasts browse and crop off the first and tender branches.

The Almond-tree will be free from all annoyance of fogges, if so be there be sm [...]ll grauell laid vnto the rootes before it blossome, and when it shall begin to blossome, then to take it away.

[Page] You may haue written Almonds,Almonds within printed letters. if you breake the shell of an Almond veri [...] finely, without doing anie harme to the kernell, whereupon hauing written what you thinke good, wrap vp the shell and kernell in paper, and so set it well couered with dyrt and Swines dung.

Almonds are gatheredThe gathering of Almonds. when their huskes gape through the force of the Sunne: and hauing beat them downe, if you shell them altogether, and wash them in salt brine, they will become white, and will keepe a long time, prouided that before you lay them vp to keepe, you drie them in the Sunne. Their huskes will be easily taken off from them, if you spread them vpon straw.

The place to keepe them well,The place to keepe them in. must be drie, whether it be Coffer, Presses, or Garner: and if the number be great that you would keepe, you must see that the place haue good store of ayre, and be lying open to the North wind.

The bitter Almonds haue power to resist drunkennesse,Drunkennesse▪ as Plutarch witnesseth, of a certaine Physition, which did vse to drinke out all commers, and not be drunken himselfe, and that by eating fiue or six bitter Almonds before he did drinke: but they kill Hennes and Chickens if they eat them. The bitter Almond bruised and rubbed or layed to the browes and temples, doe appease the head-ach, and procure s [...]eepe, especially if you put vnto it water of Veruaine.

The vse of sweet Almonds is good for them which are troubled with clammie fleame in their throat,Diseased [...] ▪ or which haue weake lungs, and are subiect to the grauell in the reines, or difficultie of vrine, as also to restore natures force, and to make men apt to venerie. The gumme of the Almond-tree doth quickly stay the spetting of bloud: yea, the daily vse sufficiently sheweth how profitable this fruit is, for it serueth all the yeare long for the making of Almond milke, Potage, Pennets, Marchpanes, and other such daintie deuises.

CHAP. XXII.
Of the Peach-tree, Abricot-tree, Spanish Peach-tree, Peach-Plum-tree, bastard Peach-tree, and the small Peach-tree.

PEach-trees are planted of their stone, setting it two fingers within the ground, and the small end thereof vpward: it delighteth in sandie places, in drie places, and where the Sunne hath his full force; but in cold, moist, and windie places it dieth presently, if it be not defended from [...]he said inconueniences. You must set the stone with the sharpe end turned into the [...]round, and when it is in the earth, digge it, battle, and stirre vp the earth about it at [...]he foot, at the least thrice a yeare: you must allow it dung, a fat soyle, and a small [...]ould, and that a little before Winter come, and especially Swines dung, which ma [...]eth it to grow more thicke than anie other sort of dung or batling; by this meanes [...]ou shall haue good Peaches, thicke ones, and fleshie. You must likewise weed them [...]ft: after, when it is two yeares old, you must remoue it, and lay it along in his pit, [...]uen after the manner that they vse Vines, letting one onely bough stand out of the [...]arth, which may grow to serue for the stocke and bodie, and thus it will continue [...]ong by reason of the great number of roots which it will haue both to stay it as a [...]oundation, and to feed it: but you must cut off the longest branch, and that which [...] the straightest of all the other, which is the thing that would be diligently practised [...]pon all fruit trees, because that it is the thing which keepeth them from bearing [...]ore and aboundance of fruit. It is not to be grafted out of it selfe, if you will haue it [...]xcellent: howbeit, to make it last the longer (in as much as it soone waxeth old) it is [...]ood to graft it vpon a bitter Almond-tree, damaske Prune-tree, or Quince-tree, but [...] otherwise than scutcheon or flu [...]e-like.

[Page] It must be watered at euenings in hot weather, with coole water, and sometimes with water mingled with the lees of wine, especially when it withereth and beginneth to fall away: as also to remedie it when it is in danger of fainting and drying, you must lop it and cut away all the boughes, as is wont to be done with Willowes when they are headed; for by that means they become lustie and frolike, and to haue as manie boughes as they had before. It must also be s [...]ayed vpon some Pole or Willow, because his roots be verie tender, small, and not creeping farre into the earth: likewise we see that the Peach-tree doth grow old and fall away incontinently.

It beareth a diuers fruit, as well in colour and tast, as in substance, and this diuersitie commeth, for the most part, of the ground, but principally of the husbanding of them. And that it is thus, the Peach-trees that are planted or grafted vpon Vines, bring forth Peaches of a better tast and more solide substance: the Peach-tree grafted vpon a Mulberrie-tree, bringeth forth Peaches that haue red flesh: the Peach-tree grafted vpon a Nut-tree, doth beare Peaches with huskes like Nuts, whose tree is but small, and hath leaues like vnto the Almond-tree, and a reddish flower. It is true, that such a tree may become such a one of it selfe, as we see infinitely in France. The Peach-tree grafted vpon an Almond-tree, beareth Peaches which haue a kernell like vnto the Almond, but the rind and the flesh like vnto the Peach.

There may as much be said of Abricots,The Abricot-tree. called of the Latines Praeocia, or Armeniaca; of Spanish Peaches, Medlar-tree, bastard Peach-tree, and small Peaches, which are kinds of trees agreeing much with the Peach, all which are verie tender in frost, especially the grafted Abricot-tree, and it continueth not past halfe the time of the Peach-tree: all of them are subiect to be spoyled of the cold, snowes, frosts, and fogges, which happen after that they are blossomed: but to keepe them from these dangers, it will be good to graft them vpon the Quince-tree or Almond-tree: all of them will beare great fruit, if when they blossome they be watered with Goats milke. Concerning the particular vertues of the Peach-tree, see more aboue in the nineteen [...] Chapter of this Booke.

The flowers of the Peach-tree are excellent good against melancholie and the wormes,Melancholie. Wormes. if you make syrrups thereof of seuen or eight infusions to be taken fasting. The gumme of the Peach-tree is taken with good successe in the spetting of bloud with the water of Plantaine or Purcelane: for the cough and difficultie of breathing▪ with Hydromel, or the decoction of Folefoot: for the grauell and stone with the [...] of Radishes, Citrons, or white Wine, the weight of two drammes. The leaues stamped and applyed vnto the belly, doe kill wormes: the iuice thereof dropt into the [...], doth the like: the kernels eaten, take away the wringings of the belly: eaten to the number of six or seuen in the beginning of meat, they preuent drunkennesse: [...] and boyled in vineger to the forme of a broth, and after rubbed in place con [...]enient, they hinder the falling of the haire: stamped and made in forme of milke with the water of Veruaine, and [...]ubd about the browes and temples, they cease the headach: the oyle made by expression ceaseth the paines of the eares; and [...], the Collicke and Sciatica.

He that hath regard of his health, must not vse these fruits but as sparingly as he can possibly, and fasting rather than otherwise, because they corrupt easily in the stomacke: but aboue all things, they may not be eaten dipped or steeped in wine▪ because wine correcteth them not, as some thinke, but rather causeth that their [...] pierceth the more suddainely and easily into the veines. The Peaches of Corbeil [...] counted for the best, hauing a drie and solide pulpe, and somewhat red, not sticking or cleauing anie thing vnto the kernell. The Romanes made great accoun [...] of the Peaches which they called Persica Duracina, Spanish Peaches. as doe also the Brittons: The least dangerous, least subiect to be corrupted, and most pleasant, are the Abricots; which also some haue left out of the number of the kinds of Peaches, and placed amongst the Plums, as well because of their pleasant smell, as for their harmelesnesse, and [...] both within and without they doe rather resemble the Plum than the Peach. The oyle pressed out of their kernell, is maruellous good against the Hem [...] [...] and [Page] swelling of vlcers, and is also vsed as a remedie against the impediments of the speech, and paine of the eares.

CHAP. XXIII.
Of the small Nut-tree or Hasel-tree.

THe Hasel-tree (which is called the small Nut-tree of the small fruit which it beareth, or the Filberd-tree, of the great fruit that it beareth) groweth in anie aire or ground: but it best delighteth in a leane ground, that is sandie and moist, neere vnto waters, or in places that men vse to water, because this helpeth them as well in the bringing forth of their fruit in great store, as for to make them endure long: adde hereto, that they put forth and spring in such sort at the root, as that thereof one may set as manie as he will in other places. When they are sowne, they must be put two fingers vnder ground: but indeed they grow better of a plant that hath root, or of a shoot cut by as, and hauing old and new wood, as we haue alreadie declared in the sixt chapter. They are planted in October and Nouember, in a warme and temperate place, or in Februarie and March: and it is better to leaue vpon them some boughes when they are set, than to set them of one single rod, for so they beare the more fruit. They must yearely be digged anew at the Spring, neere vnto the foot, and round about, and their shoots all cut away, without leaking anie standing, saue three or foure for to plant and make thick bushie shadow, and the same verie neat and cleane for height, not leauing anie branch or bough after three or foure fadome from the top. Wherefore, if they be oft lopped, picked, and pruned, they will grow the more streight, compact, and high, and will beare better and fairer fruit: but otherwise, if a man neglect them, they runne out all their nourishment into wood and leaues, without fruit: Their fruit is called the small Nut or Filberd. The Filberd of hot Countries (where such trees are called Filberd-trees) is more round and fleshie than the French small Nut, and it is a fruit verie easily dried and made yellow. But and if you would keepe it fresh and white almost all the yeare long, shut it vp close in an earthen pot, and set them in the earth; and when it is thus kept, it bringeth not so much annoyance with it as otherwise it would, for it naturally procureth drowsie headach and inflammation of the stomacke. I know not by what obseruation of our ancestors this speech hath growne common amongst the people, That the yeare which yeeldeth plentie of Nuts, doth also yeeld manie mariages. Both the little Nut-tree, as also his fruit, haue a certaine contrarie vertue against venimous beasts; for if you hang a cluster of small Nuts in anie part of the house, no Scorpion or venimous beast will enter thereinto, but slie away presently. The Countrey people haue likewise marked in all ages, that the Serpent, Lizard, or other venimous beast, dieth presently, hauing beene stricken with a branch, staffe, or rod of the Hasel-tree. And it is no maruell, seeing Nut kernels eaten with Figges and Rue doe resist venime and the biting of venimous beasts. The best small Nuts and Filberds and those which haue red shells, and which are hardly broken. The raw shell finely powdred, and drunke with water of Carduus Benedictus, doth heale the pleurisie in the beginning thereof: being drunke to the quantitie of two drammes with red wine, it stayeth the flux of the belly, and the whites. It is true, that for the flux of the belly, and whites, [...]he red part of the kernell which sticketh vnto the shell within is a great deale better and more forcible. The Filberd nourisheth a great deale better than the Nut, as being [...] closer but not so fat a substance.

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CHAP. XXIIII.
Of the Cherrie-tree, sweet Cherrie-tree, bitter Cherrie-tree, and the hart Cherrie-tree.

IT is apparant, that common Cherrie-trees, sweet Cherrie-trees, bitter Cherrie-trees, and hart Cherrie-trees, are sorts of trees agreeing in manie things, for they all delight to grow in a cold and moist ground, or else altogether indifferent, betwixt hot and cold; for a hot ayre they [...] hardly endure: and so likewise they refuse to haue anie dung, because it ouer-heatech them, and is contrarie vnto them: and for this cause they must neuer be planted in a manured ground. Notwithstanding, if you so temper the dung, as that it may not be ouer-hot for them, it cannot [...]urt them to be dunged, no more than (as wee will shew by and by) to haue vnquench [...] [...] laid to their feet, to has [...]en their fruit: but this is true, that if you dung them yearely, that then you shall not haue them of anie lo [...]g continuance. They delight rather to haue their roots compassed with small branches, and the broken parts of their owne siences, or small lumpes and gobbets cut from their owne small branches, for in these they greatly reioyce and profit mightily, [...] uing them in stead of dung. You may either digge the kernell into the ground, and burie it, or else plant of the siences neere the tops of hills and mountaines, whether [...] be in a high or low place, in October, Nouember, December, and Ianuarie. You may graft them in Nouember, or (according to Palladius) from the twelfth day of December vnto the first of Februarie. The best is to graft them in Februarie and in March: albeit that it be the best cutting of all trees that yeeld gumme, when the gumme is not yet rising, or after it is quite gone downe and returned from whence it rise. Lastly, Cherrie-trees neuer thriue so well, being nothing done vnto but planted, as when they are gra [...]ed: they delight to haue their dried branches often weeded out from themselues, and the siences growing at their foot: they delight also to be set in hole [...] and pits that are digged and cast, and to be often digged about. And if you would haste [...] and cause them to bring forth their fruit sooner, you must lay Quicke lime to the foot of them, or else water their roots often with warme water; but then such fruit is [...] altered and made worse, retaining but little of his naturally goodnesse: euen as [...] will proue and find by the hastie Cherries which the inhabitants of Poictiou send [...] vpon horsebacke.

They may be grafted vpon the Plum-tree and Corneile-tree, but best vpon one of their owne kind: in such sort, as that sweet Cherrie-trees being grafted vpon [...] Cherrie-trees, doe beare a more soft Cherrie than those are which grow vpon sweet Cherrie-trees, grafted into sweet Cherrie-trees. Cherries grow fairest vpon small Cherrie-trees, and more plentifully also than they doe vpon high and tall ones▪ Wherefore, who so shall graft the small Cherrie-tree vpon the great, shall procure greater store of fruit, and more thicke ones, such as are the wild Cherries, and also [...] haue more store of great boughs, than those trees haue which doe but as it were [...] on the earth. In like manner, if when you graft them, you set the bud and the [...] of the graft below, the boughes that grow forth thereupon will fall out after [...] like manner.

The Coeurs and Agriots may be grafted vpon the common sweet Cherrie-tree, but better vpon wild ones than vpon garden ones. We must therefore acknowledge eight sorts of Cherries growing vpon Cherrie-trees: that is to say, those which are properly Cherries, hauing a verie short stalke & round apple, being also red, fleshi [...] full of iuice, sharpe, and hauing a sweet kernell: wild Cherries, which haue but a li [...] tle flesh on them, but are red also on that side toward the Sunne, and white on the other side, the stone clea [...]ing to the flesh: blacke Cherries, whose iuice is so blacke, as that it coloureth the hands and lippes: bitter Cherries, which are somewhat of a [Page] bitter tast, whereof they haue their name: Guyens Cherries, so called, because their first originall was in Guyenne; they are long ones, and manie hanging together at one stalke; they are also verie sweet: Piugarres, and these are grosse thicke ones, white, hauing a hard flesh, but sweet, and cleauing vnto the kernell: Coeurs, which are like vnto a mans heart, as well without as within their kernall, some doe call these Cherries Heaumes, and the Cherry-tree Heaumier, especially in the Countrey of Aniou: Agri [...]ts, which are ripe last of all, are sharpe relished, and endure carriage farre off, and they are also the same which are wont to be preserued.

Of the speciall properties and vertues of the Cherry and Cherry-tree, see the nine [...]enth chapter of this Booke, wherein is declared how the Cherry may be made to grow without anie stone. If the Cherry-tree be hurt of Pis [...]ires, you must rubbe his stocke with the iuice of Purcelane: if it be too full of sappe, you must make a hole in the principall root.

Cherries how faire soeuer they be, yet they are of small nourishment, beget [...]uill humours in the stomack, and wormes in the bodie, and such are those especially which [...]re called Coeurs. The sharpe sweet Cherries are verie delicate, fit to preserue with Sugar, as well for such as are found, as for them which are sicke. The bitter Cherries [...]re good raw, but better drie, and in sawces, pastes, and tart stuffe. The sweet Cher [...]ies are chiefely commended, in that they make the bodie soluble, as the sharpe or [...]ager ones doe bind it, coole it, and temper the heat of choler. The gumme of Cherry-tree drunke with white wine doth breake the stone as well of the reines as of the [...]ladder. The water of Cherries newly gathered being distilled with a gentle fire, and taken at the mouth in the quantitie of halfe an ounce, doth put off the fit of the [...]alling sicknesse; a thing verie happily and with good successe tryed in manie, as Manardus assureth vs.

CHAP. XXV.
Of the Quince-tree.

ALl Quince-trees, as well that of the Garden as the wild one, and of the Garden ones, as well the male as the female, desireth a cold ground, and especially that which is moist withall; notwithstanding that we haue seene them as well to grow in the places lying open to the Sunne, as at Con [...]lans, a place belonging to Monsieur de Ville-roy, neere vnto Paris, but yet indeed not farre off from a Riuer: and this kind of tree doth so much craue to haue the companie of moisture, as that if the time fall out drie, the necessitie thereof must be [...]upplyed by watering of it: and if for want of moist and waterish ground, it be set [...] a drie ground, or in a stonie or clayie ground, it must then also be often refreshed with water, and must also be vnder-digged and laboured about the foot, that so the [...]et of the night may pierce and sinke downe vnto the roots, that so it may bring [...]orth good fruit and good store thereof. When it is planted of rootes, it grow [...]th so well, as that the second yeare it beareth fruit: but it beareth not so soone, when it is planted of branches. It would be planted during the encrease of the Moone, in the moneths of Februarie or Nouember. This tree is verie commonly vsed to graft other trees vpon, because they being grafted thereupon, doe continue and endure longer, and beare a more delicate fruit, than if they were grafted vpon trees of their owne kind. The best time for the gathering of this fruit, is in the moneth of October, when that blasting comes, and it groweth to be of a golden colour, for this is a signe that it is ripe; and this must bee in cleare and faire weather, and in the decrease of the Moone: and then you must cleanse it from the mossie hoarinesse that is vpon it, and lay them out orderly in the Sunne vpon hurdles.

[Page] If the Quince-tree make anie shew of being sicke,Quinces of diuers colours. you must water it with the [...] lings of oyle, mingled with equall quantitie of water, or else with Quicke lime and Fullers clay tempered together with water. You may make Quinces of what fashi [...] you will, if you teach them to grow in moulds of wood or baked earth. As co [...] ning the meanes to keepe them, we shall speake of that hereafter.

The garden and reclaimed Quince-tree beareth two sorts of fruits, the [...] male, which is called the Quince Apple, the other the female, which is called the Quincesse, thus differing: the male is lesse, more writhled and wrinkled, drier, of a sweeter smell and of a more golden colour than the Quincesse: the wild Quince is verie odoriferous, but of a verie hard flesh. If you graft a male Quince-tree vpon a female, or the female vpon the male, you shall haue tender Quinces, and [...] as may be eaten raw, whereas the other are not fit to bee eaten before they [...] prepared.

The smell of Quinces is contrarie vnto venime and poyson:Venime. also the Quin [...] [...] selfe doth comfort the stomacke, stay the flux of the bellie, and make men to [...] sweet breath. For which reason, wise Solon (as saith Plutarch) did [...] onely the betrothed, but also the married women, that they should neuer lye [...] their husbands, but that they should first eat of the flesh of a Quince. And yet notwithstanding, the woman with child, when she draweth neere the time of her deli [...] rance, may not vse Quinces, although that in vsing of them in the time of her bei [...]g with child, they will be some meanes of her bringing forth of a faire babe, So [...] make a confection of Quinces, called Marmalade, which is verie soueraigne again [...] the flux of the bellie,The flux of the bellie. which is prepared and made in manner as we will shew in the fiue and fortieth chapter; according vnto which patterne, wee may make a laxat [...] Marmalade after this sort: Take of Quinces cleansed from their Pippins, cut the [...] in quarters, but pare them not, boyle them throughly in water, then s [...]raine them through a cleane Linnen cloth, and wring them out diligently, then boyle them againe with Sugar, putting thereto a sufficient quantitie of Rubarbe in powder. This Marmalade purgeth verie speedily,A laxatiue Marmalade. and withall comforteth the stomacke and the liuer. In stead of Rubarbe, you may put some other laxatiue thereunto, as [...], Agaricke, or such like. The Cydoniatum, or Marmalade of Lyons, is [...] Scammonie.

CHAP. XXVI.
Of Oranges, Assyrian Citrons, common Citrons, Limons, and Pome-adams.

THe Orange, Assyrian Citron, and Limon desire to be set vpon the South or South-west wind: for being touched with such winds as are [...] and moist, they become more aboundant in iuice, better coloured, and thicker: which is the cause, that the Sea-coasts being haunted with [...] said-winds, doe abound with durable plants, and such trees bringing [...]orth [...] fruitfully; for others, set vpon the North and North-east, are not thereby so [...] fitted. Some make Nurseries of these kind of trees, sowing their seeds in [...]. They will affirme and giue it out likewise, that they grow of siences set and [...] downe in small furrowes, or stucke downe in baskets: and some do [...] [...] vpon the stocke neere ynough vnto the root, and that in Aprill and in May: [...] some say, that they may be grafted after the manner of the Scutcheon like graft, [...] the moneths of Summer, putting their pippins in a pot or basket neere vnto [...] tree where you would they should be grafted or halfe swallowed: but the [...] certaine direction and instruction about these Trees, is that which is set [...] in the second Booke, and whereunto also wee referre you for the same [...]

[Page] The Pome-adam-tree is much to be esteemed, euen of the best Gardiners, not in re [...]pect of his fruit (which indeed is more beautifull than profitable, in as much as it is [...]either good to eat raw, nor yet to preserue, but onely fit to wash the hands, or else to [...] in the hand) but to graft Citron-trees, Orange-trees, Limon-trees, and Assy [...]an Citron-trees vpon, as wee haue said in the second Booke, because they prosper [...]aruellously vpon this tree, and bring forth verie quickly faire and great fruit, espe [...]ally the Orange-tree. We haue entreated in the second Booke, of the differences [...] Oranges, Citrons, Me [...]ons, and Assyrian Citrons; whereunto we will further adde, [...] the Citron of Assyria is of a verie good smell, but of little sweetnesse, or anie [...]ther tast: and therefore it is vsuall to eat his flesh with salt or sugar, or with salt and [...]ineger. The Limon differeth from this kind of Citron, because the Limon is lesse, [...] colour drawing toward a greene, bunching out both aboue and below, after the [...]anner of womens nipples.

As for Pome-adams,Pome-adams. they are round, twice or thrice as great as Oranges, not ha [...]ing a verie thicke rind, rugged, vneuen, and hauing manie clefts or chaps, varie ma [...]ifestly appearing like to the prints of teeth. Some thinke they had this name giuen, [...]f being the Apple which Adam did bite vpon in this earthly Paradise. They are [...]ellished almost like Limons, but not altogether so pleasant. If you cut it in the [...]alfe, and season it with the fine powder of Brimstone, and after rost the same vn [...]er the ashes, and rubbe therewith the itching bodie, or anie part thereof, it will [...]eale the same.

CHAP. XXVII.
Of the Figge-tree.

FIgge-trees are either white, carnation, red, pale, or green; and some also be blacke. There are some that beare before the cold come; others are more late in their fruit: and againe, of all these, some beare a small fruit, as namely, the white ones; and othersome a great and grosse fruit, stan [...]ng out with great bellies, as by name the blacke ones, of which yet further there [...] one kind that beareth long Figges, hauing almost no bellies, and these draw no [...]hing neere in goodnesse vnto the great bellied ones, and those which are more short. All sorts, of Figge-trees loue a hot ayre and countrey, a drie and stonie ground, inso [...]uch, as that it ceaseth not bearing of excellent fruit amongst the heapes of small [...]ones, prouided, that there be good store of depth of earth to spread and sinke [...]owne his roots into at ease. Such a tree, as manie others, is apt for hot Countries: [...]ut hee that would haue of them to grow in cold Countries, must make choice of [...]ose which bring forth their fruit before the cold time of the yeare, and must couer [...] with some shield in Winter, and compasse it about the foot with fat ground, or [...]ung of Oxen, or Asses, verie well rotted, for otherwise it will yeeld him no plea [...]ure. This tree is so full of pith, and his fruit so moist, as that if you water it, the fruit will not keepe: but yet you may vnder-digge and digge it, to the end that the nights [...]et may enter into it. You must take from it all dead and rotten wood, not suffering [...]y it the water to find anie standing vpon the tree, for otherwise the fruit would not haue anie tast or sauour.

The Plant of the Figge-tree, which is of a branch or of shoots newly put forth, [...] planted in October and Nouember, in a warme and temperate ayre, but in Februarie, March, or Aprill, where it is a cold ayre: and yet the Genowayes doe plant branches all the moneth of August, as they are laden with leaues and fruit. As for the grafting of it,To graft the Figge-tree. that may be done in Aprill, as well in the bodie, or stocke, as in the barke or rind. Some say, that the Figge-tree planted amongst Vines, [Page] doth it no annoyance, which is in some part true, because there is some [...] and agreement betwixt the Figge and the Grape, and both their woods are full of thick pith; and Raisins or dried Grapes being wrapped in Figge leaues, doe not onely keepe well and sound, according to their nature, but amend and become better [...] in tast and smell: and in part false, because the Figge-tree casteth one such large branches and broad leaues, as that the shadow thereof doth hurt the Vine. There are some low dwarfish Figge-trees, like vnto the Peach-tree, the fruit of which Peach-trees is somewhat agreeing with the Grape: so as that the Peach being [...] into red wine, doth most highly content and please the tast; and these indeed [...] doe small harme vnto Vines standing amongst them: but hee that troubleth [...] the Vine stockes with anie kind of tree at all, shall doe better than hee which [...] otherwise.

If you desire to haue low Figge-trees, and such as may be kept in [...] vnder your windowes, to satisfie your desire with their pleasant sight; cut in the Spring time a shoot of the Figge-tree before it bud, wrythe his top with your hand, set it, the wrythen top downe in the earth, and the end, where it was cut, vpward, and out of the earth, it will put forth manie small boughes all about the [...] which will beare pleasant fruits, the tree continuing to remaine alwaies low. You shall haue early Figges, if you water the Figge-tree with oyle and Pigeons dung: and o [...] the contrarie, late ones, if you take away the first buds when they are growne to be as bigge as Beanes.

The Figge-tree the elder it is, the more fruitfull it falleth out to be. It is verie subiect to be eaten of vermine, and the meanes to free it from this mischiefe, is to set by it some Onions: or else for to kill the vermine, you must scatter Quicklime, or [...] old Vrine, or the lees of Oyle there about the place. It will not be cost soft to annoint the stocke with the iuice of Mulberries: or if you spread and loame it ouer with red Fullers earth when it is a full Moone: or if you hang at the branches of it young Figges newly put forth. Furthermore, Figges will grow with letters vpon them, and garnished with what shape you desire, it when you graft the [...] you write in the eye of the Figge-tree such proportion as you would ha [...]e that [...] Figges should beare: and besides; without vsing anie such curious course, [...] delighteth to sport her selfe with this fruit, in such manner, as that shee [...] an infinite number of figures and indented notches full of pleasantnesse to [...], and these are tokens of the goodnesse of the Figge: for as it is verie [...], the [...] doth constraine the skinne to fall into wreaths, and to quarter out a thousand shapes. This is a maruellous thing, that although the fruit of the Figge-tree be verie [...], yet the leaues thereof are of a sharpe and bitter tast. Likewise the wood being [...], doth yeeld a sharpe smoake, and the ashes a verie scouring lee, and [...] strong, because of his sharpnesse; as if the Figge-tree had bestowed and [...] all the whole substance of his sweetnesse vpon the Figge, and had le [...]t [...] a [...] for it selfe. This is also a maruellous thing, that the Figge-tree is not subiect vnto the Thunder-claps.

We haue oftentimes tried, that if you steepe two or three Figges in [...] night, that such Figges eaten in the morning doe cure the shortnesse of breath. [...] milke of the Figge-tree dropt into the eare, killeth the wormes therein. The [...] the Figge-tree rubd, doe prouoke the Hemorrhoids. Looke for a more ample discourse of Figges and the Figge-tree in the second Booke.

[Page]

CHAP. XXVIII.
Of the Apple-tree.

THe Apple-tree which is most in request,The Apple tree and the most precious of all others, and therefore called of Homer, the Tree with the goodly fruit, groweth any where, and in as much as it loueth to haue the inward part of his wood moist and sweatie, you must giue him his lodging in a fat, blacke, and moist ground; and therefore if it be planted in a grauelly and sandie ground, it must be helped with watering, and batling with dung and smal mould in the time of Autumne. It liueth and continueth in all desireable good estate in the hills and mountaines where it may haue fresh moisture, being the thing that it searcheth after, but euen there it must stand in the open face of the South. Some make nurceries of the pippins sowne, but and if they be not afterward remoued and grafted, they hold not their former excellencie: it thriueth somewhat more when it is set of braunches or shoots: but then also the fruit proueth late and of small value: the best is to graft them vpon wild Apple-trees, Plum-trees, Peach-trees, Peare-trees, Peare-plum-trees, Quince-trees, and especially vpon Peare-trees, whereupon grow the Apples, called Peare [...] maines, which is a mixture of two sorts of fruits: as also, when it is grafted vpon Quince-trees, it bringeth forth the Apples, called Apples of Paradise, as it were sent from heauen in respect of the delicatenesse of their cote, and great sweetnesse, and they are a kind of dwarffe Apples, because of their stocke the Quince-tree, which is but of a smal stature.

The Apple loueth to be digged twice, especially the first yeare, but it needeth no dung, and yet notwithstanding dung and ashes cause it prosper better, especially the dung of Sheepe, or for lesse charges sake, the dust which in Sommer is gathered vp in the high waies. You must many times set at libertie the boughes which intangle themselues one vvithin another; for it is nothing else but aboundance of Wood, wherewith it being so replenished and bepestred, it becommeth mossie, and bearing lesse fruit. It is verie subiect to be eaten and spoyled of Pis [...]nires and little wormes, but the remedie is to set neere vnto it the Sea-onion: or else if you lay swines dung at the roots, mingled with mans vrine, in as much as the Apple-tree doth rejoyce much to be watered with vrine. And to the end it may beare fruit aboundantly, before it begin to blossome, compasse his stocke about, and tie vnto it some peece of lead taken from some spout, but when it beginneth to blossome, take it away. If it seeme to be sicke, water it diligently with vrine, and to put to his root Asses dung tempered with water. Likewise, if you will haue sweet Apples, lay to the roots Goats dung [...]ingled with mans water. If you desire to haue red Apples, graft an Apple-tree vpon a blacke Mulberrie-tree. If the Apple-tree will not hold and beare his fruit [...] it be ripe, compasse the stocke of the Apple-tree a good foot from the roots vp [...]ard, about with a ring of a lead, before it begin to blossome, and when the apples shall begin to grow great, then take it away.

Apples must be gathered when the moone is at the full,Gathering of Apples. in faire weather, and about the fifteenth of September, and that by hand without any pole or pealing downe: because otherwise the fruit would be much martred, and the young siences broken or bruised, and so the Apple-tree by that meanes should be spoyled of his young vvood which would cause the losse of the Tree. See more of the manner of gathering of them in the Chapter next following of the Peare-tree: and as for the [...] of keeping of them, it must be in such sort as is deliuered hereafter.

You shall [...] frozen Apples if you dip them in cold water, and so restore them to their naturall goodnesse. There is a kind of wild Apple, called a Choake-apple, because they are verie harsh in eating, and these will serue well for hogges to eat. [Page] Of these apples likewise you may make verjuice if you presse them in a Cyder-presse, or if you squeese them vnder a verjuice milstone.

Vinegar is also made after this manner:Vinegar. You must cut these Apples into gobb [...], and leaue them in their peeces for the space of three dayes, then afterward cast them into a barrell with sufficient quantitie of raine water, or fountaine water, and after that stop the vessell, and so let it stand thirtie daies without touching of it. And then at the terme of those daies you shall draw out vinegar, and put into them againe as much water as you haue drawne out vinegar. There is likewise made with this sort of Apples a kind of drinke, called of the Picardines, Piquette, and this they vse in steed of Wine. Of others sorts of Apples, there is likewise drinke made, which is called Cyder, as we shall declare hereafter.

An Apple cast into a hogshead full of Wine,Neat Wine. Mingled Wine. if it swim, it sheweth that the Wine is neat: but and if it sinke to the bottome, it shewes that there is Water mixt with the Wine.

Infinit are the sorts and so the names of Apples comming as well of natures owne accord without the helpe of man, as of the skill of man, not being of the race of the former: in euerie one of which there is found some speciall qualitie, which others haue not: but the best of all the rest, is the short shanked apple, which is marked with spottings, as tasting and smelling more excellently than any of all the other sorts. And the smell of it is so excellent, as that in the time of the plague there is nothing better to cast vpon the coales, and to make sweet perfumes of, than the rinde, thereof. The short stalked Apple hath yet further more one notable qualitie: for the kernells being taken out of it, and the place filled vp with Frankincense, and the hole joyned and fast closed together, and so ros [...]ed vnder hot embers as that it burne not, bringeth an after medicine or remedie to serue when all other fayle, to such as are sicke of a pleurisie, they hauing it giuen to eat: sweet apples doe much good against melancholicke affects and diseases, but especially against the [...]: for if you roast a sweet apple vnder the ashes, and season it with the juice of lico [...]ice, starch and sugar, and after giue it to eat euening and morning two houres before meat vnto one sicke of the pleurisie, you shall helpe him exceedingly.

CHAP. XXIX.
Of the Peare-tree.

BVt the Peare-tree (being the most in request and precious (next vnto the Apple-tree) amongst all the fruit-trees that are) is ordered for the most part after the manner of the Apple-tree,The Peare-tree. although the vvood and fruit of the one be more firme than that of the other, and that the Peare-tree bring forth his fruit late, as not before the end of Autumne, vvhen as all the great heat is alreadie past: notwithstanding you shall set it in the same ground with the Apple-tree: and in the first foure or fiue yeares of his grouth, you shall lay it open at the foot, a litte before the end of December, vncouering it euen vnto the root [...], which you shall shaue and trim with a knife bowed againe: and in the end of Ia [...] arie you shall couer it againe with his owne earth mingled with good made mould, keeping from thence forward his place well weeded, the foot verie neat and cleane, and the stocke verie well freed from intanglements of boughes so farre as the hand can doe it, and throughout verie carefully cleansed from mosse, snailes, and caterpillers, husbanding and ordering the earth at the foot of it euerie two yeares at the beginning of Winter: for the fruit which the Peare-tree thus husbanded shall beare, will be both more faire and better relished, and keepe longer. The Peare-tree that is planted in a leane, drie, chalkie or grauelly ground, is but of a starued growth, bearing [Page] a sharpe, small, and ordinarily a stonie fruit. The kernels are sowne in the Nurcerie, as those of the Appletree, but the hoped fruit is long in comming, and scarce attained throughout the whole life of a man, for it is farre longer time in comming to perfection than the Apple-tree. It groweth also of a branch well chosen: and he that will haue it so grow, must plant it in September and October in hot Countries, but in cold Countries in Februarie and March, and in temperate Countries it may be done in either of the two times, as it shall best please him. But the Peare-tree that is most sure and likeliest to bring contentment of it selfe, is that which is grafted vpon the young plant in the Nurcerie, and in such curious sort maintained and ordered, as hath beene said, as also if it be remoued some three yeares after, affoording it a large and deepe roome in a good mouldring earth. It may also be grafted in a Peach-tree, Quince-tree, and Almond-tree, but yet better vpon it selfe than vpon anie of these, for so it becommeth of a better nature. It is knowne by proofe, that the Peare-tree, grafted vpon a Mulberrie-tree bringeth forth red Peares: and if it happen that your Peare-tree bring forth a stonie Peare, you must remoue the earth from the foot, and powre in vpon the rootes euerie day, for the space of fifteene daies, the lees of good old wine.

Peares must not be gathered before the later end of Autumne,To gather Peares. when the great heat of the yeare is past, because their moisture being weake, and in small quantitie, the Sunne suffereth not that it should come vnto anie good consistence, before such time as the ayre begin to turne and change into coldnesse: and therefore (saith Theophra [...]us) this is the onely fruit-tree that ripeneth his fruit best and soonest in the shadow. Such gathering of Peares also must not be taken in hand but after that the Autumnall blasting and dew be fallen at the least three or foure times vpon them, because it strengtheneth them greatly, to their better enduring and lasting, and encreaseth their goodnesse. But in anie case they may not be gathered in raine, but rather in drie weather, being themselues well dried by the Sunne; and that in gathering they be not hurt by anie manner of meanes whatsoeuer, but to chuse them one after another, by cutting them downe with a good knife made fast to the end of a pole: or else to make them fall into a cloth spread vnderneath for the receiuing of them, and in it separating the rotten, spoyled, or hurt, from amongst the faire, sound, whole, and vnhurt ones, that so they may be layed vp to keepe in such sort as wee will declare hereafter in his place.

Although generally, and without saying anie thing of anie particular by way of comparison, the Apple be farre fuller of iuice, and for the most part more sound than the Peare, notwithstanding, if one should stand vpon the tast, the Peare is commonly more pleasant and better relished, and more contenting and agreeing with ones tast, eaten in his season, raw, rosted, or preserued, than the Apple: wherefore I am ashamed, that men giue not themselues to plant moe Peare-trees than Apple-trees, seeing that besides the reasons alledged, the Peare-tree, of all other fruit-trees, is the fairest, streightest, and couering no whit so much ground with his shadow as the Apple-tree doth, bearing also his fruit almost euerie yeare, where the Apple-tree is but a iourney-man, bearing one yeare, and not another.

There is a drinke made of Peares,Looke in the Treatise of Perrie. called Perrie, whereof we will speake: as also vineger of wild Peares, as hath alreadie beene said of Apples.

The Peare hath this speciall vertue aboue the rest, that the often vse of the kernels should be maruellous profitable vnto such as are troubled with the inflammation of the lungs; as also for them that haue eaten manie Mushromes, that they may rid their stomacke of so great a load, there is nothing better than to eat Peares: for the Peare by his weightinesse and astringent iuice, maketh the Mushromes, eaten and lying in the bottome of his stomacke, to descend and fall downe from thence.

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CHAP. XXX.
Of the Medlar-tree.

CErtaine it is, that the Medlar-treeThe Medlar-tree. groweth into a thicke stock: it endureth the cold ayre easily, and yet delighteth best in a hot or temperate ayre, and in a sandie and fat ground. It is planted either of roots or of branches, and that in Nouember: and some sow it of stones in a ground mixt with dung: it will beare fruit in great quantitie, if there be layed to the foot of it earth mixt with ashes. It may be grafted vpon it selfe, or vpon the Peare-tree, Apple-tree, or Quince-tree: and that it may be well grafted, and with good grafts, you must prouide your selfe of those, which grow out of the middest of the Medlar-tree, and not of the top: and it must be grafted in the cleft or highest [...] part of the stocke, not in the barke, because the leanenesse of the barke would not be able sufficiently to nourish it.

If you graft it vpon a Quince-tree, the fruit will be verie faire, and the reason is verie manifest, because the stocke which receiueth the graft, and nourisheth it, is giuen naturally to bring forth a thicke gros [...]e fruit: and yet it will yeeld a fairer without all comparison, if you graft it vpon the hawthorne, vvith which it is joyned in exceeding familiar and friendly league, also the fruit that commeth thereof is more beautifull and plentifull: it may also be verie fitly grafted vpon any other thorne, it selfe being pricklie: if you graft the Medlar-tree vpon any other Tree that is not of his owne kind, the Medlar will haue either no stones, or verie few, or else verie little ones. If the vvormes assaile the Medlar-tree, you must water the stocke with vinegar, or throw ashes vpon it.

Some hold it for certaine, that the flesh, and especially the small stones of the medlar dried either seuerally and alone, or else together, made into powder, and drunke with white wine, wherein hath beene boyled the roots of Parsly, doe breake and consume the stone as well of the reines as of the bladder. Looke into the second booke in the Chapter of Turneps, as concerning this remedie. You may make a cataplasme of drie medlars, cloues, white and red corall, and nutmeg, all incorporated with the juice of Roses, to lay vpon the bellie in the great fluxes of the same, and vpon the breast for the spitting of bloud.

CHAP. XXXI.
Of the Mulberrie-tree.

MVlberries grow vpon a certaine kind of Tree which hath a firme wood, but a brittle fruit and leaues, it buddeth the last of all other Trees, after that the cold is ouerpassed, vvhereupon it is called by the name of sage or wise, wittie, and prouident; it putteth not forth his leaues till all other Trees be laden with leaues, if at the least you hasten not forward his budding▪ by giuing vnto it fresh and new dung in the new of the Moone of Februarie. This Tree is of two sorts, the one vvhite, because of the white Mulberries; the other blacke, because of the blacke or red Mulberries which it beareth and bringeth forth: which though they resemble one another in this, that both of them doe put forth their leaues later than any other Tree, yet notwithstanding they are vnlike in flowers, leaues, and other considerations. For the blacke doth not onely bring forth a farre fairer and better relished fruit, and that of greater aboundance of liquor than the white: but it hath besides a thicker stocke, and a greater and harder leafe, it groweth verie hardly [Page] and with much adoe being planted, and it is a great while in growing before it become great, and therefore is no shame that there are so f [...]w, it being so vnapt of it selfe to grow being planted of plants and siences, as also propagated and multiplied vnder the earth, with the stocke that bare it, euen as is vsed to be done with the white ones, which yet doe grow infinitely euerie where, as well planted of shootes, and propagated, as sowne: both the one and the other doe loue a hot ayre, or at the least a temperate, a ground that is fat, and well battled with dung, and labour at the foot, and to be kept cleane from mos [...]e and caterpillers, and without any dead, wood. They are planted, especially the white, either of shoots or of roots, or buds, and that in October and Nouember, even in like manner as the figge-tree. In planting of them, you must make them deepe and large pits, and couer them with earth mixt with ashes: they may be grafted vpon the chesnut-tree, apple-tree, wild peare-tree, cornaile-tree, elme, or white popler (and then they will beare white mulberries) and this must be in the cleft; and vpon the figge-tree in the scutcheon-like graft: they may also be grafted vpon themselues, and the one vpon the other, as the vvhite Mulberrie-tree vpon the white, and the blacke vpon the blacke, and that chiefely and principally after the pipe or flute-like fashion: in what manner soeuer you graft them, the grafts must be chosen of a good thicknesse, and from such Mulberrie-trees as beare fruits full of good seed and kernells. It would be but labour lost to sow them vpon kernells in the nurcerie in this cold Countrie, for besides that but a few Mulberries haue seed, yet those which haue, doe bring forth neither tree nor fruit almost that is any thing worth. But whatsoeuer it is, or in what place soeuer you plant, graft of sow them, let it be farre from houses, to the end that the infinite number of flies which flocke thicker when the fruit is ripe, may not become tedious to the inhabitants, but yet let it be in such a place as that the hennes may eat them when they fill downe, because this victuall doth fat and feed them verie mightily. It buddeth the last of all Trees, as we haue said, but for a recompence it becommeth ripe by and by.

The mulberrie-tree hath alwaies beene of great request and great profit in countries where cloth of silke is made, as at Luckes, Geynes, Almerie, Granado, Auignion, and afterward at Tours and other places, because the small wormes making silke, are brought vp and nourished of the leaues of this tree: which for the same purpose are carefully sought of them which doe make account to draw silke into a fleece: whereupon it is come to passe, that there are to be seene in many places about the said townes of great Mulberrie-trees, as it were little wings of forests, the said Mulberrie-trees being planted after a just and due proportion and leuell of line, and most exquisitely maintained and looked vnto by them which owe them: for from hence they reape large summes of money, selling the leaues yearely for the purpose before spoken of; for as for the fruit, they make no great purchase of it, because the Mulberrie-tree will not be robbed of his leaues, for so it would come to passe that it should not bring forth fruit, of the value of three halfe pence.

The wood of the Mulberrie-tree is good to make chests, forkes, and compasses of; and such other workes as must yeeld and be pliant: it is also good about ships and boats.

Mulberries must be eaten before all other meats, and that without bread, or else but with a verie little, because if they be mixt with other victualls they doe but cause them to corrupt: it is true that they coole and moisten verie much, and doe also loosen the bellie.

Mulberries put into a glasse vessell well stopt and couered with their juice may be kept a long time.

The juice of Mulberries halfe ripe mingled with honie of roses, is a singular remedie for the inflammations of the mouth and throat, as also for the pu [...]rified teeth and exulcecrated gums.

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CHAP. XXXII.
Of the timely Peach-tree.

BVt now to speake of the timely Peach-tree,The timely Peach-tree. it beareth a verie small fruit, but earlier than other Peach-trees doe, and hauing his name thereupon▪ it is of a verie good relish, and no way harmefull, in euerie thing else it is like vnto the other Peach-tree, both the one and the other delighting in cold grounds, and open vpon the wind: they likewise craue no other manuring, than that of their owne leaues, and content themselues to be planted three or foure fingers deepe in the ground: but and if they lye verie much open to the force of the wind, they require either to haue some wall, or else some other trees to stand in the forefront betwixt them and the wind to breake it off. The timely peach craueth such a ground as the Plum-tree, and groweth either of the stone or of a plant. It is to be planted in October or N [...]uember, or else in Ianuarie or in Februarie. It may be grafted verie vvell vpon it selfe, or vpon the plum-tree, peach-plum-tree, and almond-tree, and in drie times it must be oftentimes watered and digged: it craueth the like husbanding and ordering that the other peach-tree doth. See more aboue in the Chapter of the Peach-tree.

If you fill vp a great companie of the new leaues of the timely Peach-tree,Oyle of the flowers of the timely Peach. or common Peach-tree into a glas [...]e viole or earthen pot, and after stop it and [...] it well, so as that no moisture can get into it, and so set it a foot or two within the ground neere vnto some brooke, or else in a heape of horse-dung for the space of a moneth, and after straine out the said leaues with a presse, you shall draw a sing [...]lar oyle to temper the rage of agues, annointing the wrest of either arme, the temples, and backe bone of him that hath the ague therewith, before the fit take him.

CHAP. XXXIII.
Of the Walnut-tree.

AS for the Walnut-tree,The Walnut-tree. it is a tree verie common, and sufficiently knowne in all parts, so called by reason of the annoyance that it worketh others which are neere vnto it, as also the places where it is planted, men, yea and the verie beasts: in so much as that it is proued by experience, that if a man doe sleepe vnder it, at his awaking he shall find a great heauinesse in his head, and withall become so light and giddie, as that he will not be able to stirre: yea the shadow thereof is so malignant, as that no good thing can grow vnder it, and the roots (as well as the shadow) stretching and spreading themselues farre, doe hinder and trouble all the ground where the same tree is seated and planted: so that it must not be planted in arable ground, but especially not in fat and fertile ground, but rather vpon the North quarter by the high way sides, or elsewhere, so that there be no other fruit-trees by to take harme by it. This tree is for many causes to be gotten of the husbandman: in as much as it needeth no great dressing or prouision for the maintenance of it, it suffereth and beareth injuries of those which oppresse it, and yet neuerthelesse extendeth and yeeldeth his fruit in liberall sort euen with it owne losse, it prospereth both aboue and vnder the earth, and there is neither leafe, fruit, shell, or gristle betwixt the kernell, but there may profit and commoditie be raised of it, both night and day, as shall be declared in euerie of his particular properties. It especially delighteth in a fat, mouldrie, light, and (in a word) in a good corne ground, the husbandman likewise delighteth in such a ground: but the Walnut-tree refuseth [Page] no kind of ayre or ground, for it can verie well endure to beare and suffer much. For the planting of it, you must make choyce of such walnuts and trees as beare aboundance of fruit, hauing thin shells, and a vvhite, full, and thicke kernell. And to make it grow, you may digge the nut into the earth, the pointed end downeward, or else plant it of the shoots that are faire growne,To plant the Walnut tree. and that in Nouember, and throughout all December in hot countries; but in Februarie and March in cold countries; and in temperate countries, in which of the two seasons you vvill. But such as would haue it to grow of the nut in Nouember and all December, must obserue and see that the nut which they would burie in the earth for this purpose, be but a yeare old, of a fair [...] shell, sound, and drie: and, if it be in the moneth of Februarie, or any part of March, the nut must be steeped, as some are of opinion, for foure or fiue daies aforehand, in some childs vrine, or else (as I gesse) in cows milke: for the tree that shall grow therof, will beare his nuts as little displeasing either in eating or in the oyle thereof, as if it were the fruit or oyle of sweet almonds.

If you would haue this tree to grow faire,To remoue the Walnut tree. and full of nuts of a good tast, you must remoue it, but let it be possessed of the earth where it grew either of a graft or otherwise: and in remouing of it, some find it not good that the small rootes should be cut away as it is vsed in other Trees: both because the Maister-rootes doe gather footing and strength thereby, as also for that being as it vvere relieued by such shootes, vvould become more strong and more able to pierce the earth, and to sucke and suppe vp greater quantitie of the moisture of the same. I could be of mind, that when it is remoued (which must not be but when it is two or three yeares old) there should be taken from it at that time whatsoeuer surplusage and surcharge of roots, euen so manie as may be tearmed bastard or by-roots, and not of the master or maine ones: for as for the cutting off of the ends of the great roots,Pits to set the Walnut tree in, or to remoue them into. that is done but for the opening of their mouth, that so they may the better sucke in the moisture and iuice of the earth (if one may so speake of the new nurse which you haue appointed and assigned it.) In respect of his pits and holes whereinto you remoue it, they must be digged of a great depth and widenesse, and be well stirred round about, and set distant thirtie or fortie foot one from another, that so it may the better spread forth his branches, which are wont to couer and occupie a great deale of roome round about it: and if they should be anie neerer one vnto another, their boughes would grow one into another, whereas they craue to haue their sides free and open. And this is the reason why they should be planted vpon the borders of grounds lying vpon high wayes: for by this meanes the great compasse which their branches take, doe not hurt seed grounds, or not aboue halfe, and by this meanes the looking-glasse wherein the husbandman may behold such hinderance and disaduantage as might come by scarcitie that yeare, shall not be farre off from him or his hinds,A signe of plentie or otherwise by the Walnut tree. vvho hold it for certaine, that great store of Walnuts doth prefage great spoyle of corne. To set a Tree of some other kind amongst them, is no more profitable than to lay the inheritance of some base and meane fellow, betwixt the demaines of two great noble men: for the Walnut-trees which are naturally great spreaders in the earth vvith their great roots,Walnut-trees must stand alone vvill robbe it and eat it out of food and sustenance euen home to his owne doores, and couering it aboue vvill take from it both the Sunne, and the libertie of the ayre. But in as much as the things of this vvorld are so framed,The Oake an enemie to the Walnut tree. as that there is nothing vvhich hath not his enemie, you must beware of placing the Walnut-tree either vpon seed or plant neere to the oake, as also not to set it in the place where any oake hath stood at any time before: because that these two Trees haue a naturall hatred one vnto another, and cannot couple or sure together.

The Walnut-tree is grafted in Februarie vpon it selfe,The grafting of the Walnut tree and vpon the Plum-tree in a clouen hole: howbeit, the Walnut-tree doth not profit much, or thriue, when it is grafted vpon anie other tree than vpon it selfe, because it abhorreth the companie of all other trees. It must be digged about, that so it may not grow hollow by reason of the grasse. It must be remoued in hot and drie places in October, when the leaues [Page] are fallen, and yet better in Nouember: but in cold places in February and in March▪ and at either time in temperate places.

This is a maruellous thing of this tree,The beaten Walnut-tree becommeth fruitfull. that the more it is beaten yearely, the more fruit it beareth the yeare after following, although the boughes be brused and broken: for which cause good farmers are carefull to geld and weed out some of the boughes of such a Tree, and withall doe make great and di [...]ers incisions with some edge-toole in the stocke of the tree.

If you cast and spread ashes sundrie times,Tender walnut shells. and oft at the root, and vpon the stocke of the tree, the nut will haue a more tender shell, and a more brittle kernell. It vvill grow fairer, and beare fruit sooner, if you strike a copper naile into it euen to the middest, or else a wedge of vvood. It will not let drop any vnripe fruit, if you hang at some of the branches, or tie vpon his roots white mullem, or some rent and [...] fustian taken out of a dunghill.

Walnuts will grow without shells,Walnut without shells. if you breake the shell vvithout brusing the kernell, and afterward wrap the sayd kernell in vvooll, or in the fresh leaues of the vine, and so put it into the earth. If the Walnut-tree displease you in respect of the harme it may doe vnto his neighbour trees, you may cause it to die, and presently drie away, if you strike into the root thereof a verie hot naile, or a wedge of Myrtle-tree-wood, or if you put beanes to his roots, or a cloth dipped in the [...] of women.

Walnuts must be gathered when they begin to cast their rind,The gathering of walnuts. and when they are gathered, they may not by and by be layed vp, but first dried in the Sunne.

The profits that the Walnut-tree yeeldeth vnto his maister are infinite:The profit of the walnut-tree. for of it he may gather to make excellent preserues, taking his nuts about Midsommer: it yeeldeth wood for the kitchin, by being lopt of dead boughes, wherewith it is oftentimes troubled:The wood. but in cutting off this dead vvood, care must be had not to cut it off round, because it would be a meanes for to make way for the raine to enter in, and the vvet of the night would settle therein, and in tract of time rot it to the heart, but it must be cut biace, and with a ridge, that so neither raine, nor the vvet of the night may get in,The rind, shell, kernell. or rest vpon it. It giueth a rind which is good for the things spoken of hereafter: it affordeth shells, which make good ashes: it affordeth a kernell to be serued at the table, seruiceable in the kitchin, and in lampes: and furthermore, of the drosse of the kernell some make candles, in such countries as where the oyle is much in request, as in Mirebalois, and thereabout: it affordeth a gristle betwixt the two halfes of the kernell,The gristle of the kernell. which being dried in the shadow (after that the kernell is once perfected) and afterward made into powder, and drunke with a [...] draught of red vvine, doth by and by assuage the paine of the colicke: as also, the fruit comming of it, when it is worth nothing but to make refuse and outcastings of (as the nut growne old and all hoarie) ceas [...]th not notwithstanding to doe good seruice: for and if you burne it lightly, or squeese it out easily with a hot yr [...], the oyle that then wil come forth of it, is singular good to take away blewnesse of strokes, whether about the eyes, or elsewhere in the face or other part of the bodie: the old [...] serueth also for other vses as shall be said by and by.The wood of the walnut-tree. The wood of the walnut tree is good and handsome to put in worke, when you would make any faire and [...] worke, because it is listed and smooth of his owne nature.

The small buds of the walnut-tree (called of he Latins Iuli) appearing in March, being dried, and after powdred and drunke with white vvine, the weight of a French crowne, are exceedingly good in the suffocation of the matrix. The oyle of the nut drunke to the quantitie of fiue or sixe ounces, doth cure the colicke: if you mixe a little quicke lime amongst the oyle of nuts, it will make a singular liniment for the swellings and shortnesse of the sinews. The old oyle of walnuts cureth the falling of the haire called Tinea.

If you pill off the greene pillings of the walnuts,The rind [...] of walnuts. and cast them into water, and after cast this vvater vpon the ground, there will grow from thence great store of wormes, good for fishers: if you boyle the pillings in a c [...]ldron after they be fall [...] [Page] from the Tree, as opening of themselues, and rubbe any kind of white wood whatsoeuer with this water, it will turne to the colour of the Walnut-tree, but more faire and beautifull.

Some steepe the barke of the roots of Walnut-trees in vinegar,The barke of Walnut-trees. and after lay it vpon the wrests of such as haue the ague. This draweth out all the heat of the ague: but it swelleth the skin of the wrest.

Some make a soueraigne mithridateMithridate. against the plague (as we haue said in the chapter of rue) with two old walnuts, three figges, twentie leaues of rue, and one graine of salt.

The walnut closed vp in a hen or capon set to the fire to roast,The boyle [...] capon. causeth the said hen or capon to be the sooner roasted.

The distilled vvater of vnripe Walnuts,Tertian agues. gathered about Midsommer, is singular good to driue away tertian agues, if one take about some foure or fiue ounces of it.

The Walnut either new or drie (but yet the drie somewhat lesse) is of hard digestion, causeth head-ach, and hurteth the cough and short breath, and therefore it must be vsed sparingly: steepe whole walnuts, pillings and shells and all, in a sufficient quantitie of water, vntill such time as that their shell be sufficiently softned and moistened, and that the kernell may be pilled easily from the thin filme that couereth it ouer, as it falleth out in greene walnuts: this done, take the kernells so pilled, and let them steepe in a pot vvell couered in verie good Aqua-vitae; giue two daies after, two or three of these kernells whole to a woman that cannot haue her termes, for the space of eight or nine daies before her accustomed time of hauing her termes, and that in the morning, and after that she hath purged. This medicine hath neuer a match in prouoking of the termes that are stayed, and it is a thing well proued. And as for the manner of keeping and preseruing of them, we will speake in his fit place.

If the same day that you haue beene bitten of a dogge (which you doubt to haue beene madde) you put vpon the biting an old nut well brayed,The biting of a mad dogge. and after take it away, and cast it to a hungrie cock or hen, if the same eating it die not, it is a signe that the dogge which did bite you was not madde, but and if it die, then it is a signe that he was madde, and therefore the sore must be looked vnto as is meet within three daies.

CHAP. XXXIIII.
Of the Oliue-tree.

NOw we come to speak of the Oliue-tree, which is for the most part small, thicke of leaues, and round, for there are some sorts also that haue great branches dispersed here and there out of order: both the one and the other sort are contented with a shallow ground, for in many places they grow vpon the thin green swarth or turfe that couereth the rocks, & vpon the ground hanging vpon the sides of some great steeres; thus you may see how the oliue-tree disposeth of it selfe euerie where, how vnfitting and vnlikely soeuer that the ground be, prouided that it haue a warme ayre, and Easterly or Southerly wind at command. He that would carefully appoint it out such a plot, as the vine would require, might erre in many places: for the oliue-tree is not so much to be regarded in respect of his soyle and seat at the vine, for it contenteth it selfe with a great deale lesse than the vine vvill. If you giue it ground that is good and fat earth, and the Sunne and Winds, which it delighteth in, in other places, doubt not but it will doe as the Spaniard, who pleaseth himselfe with as good as nothing, when he knoweth not how to amend himselfe, or do better, and performeth his seruice therewithall: but if he come [Page] where he may but haue the smell of it, he is stuffed as full as the greatest [...] in all Lymosin: so the Oliue-tree being once seised in his tallance of a good piece of ground, contenteth it selfe, and beareth fruit handsomely. As concerning the planting of it vpon the North in hot Countries, and there searing it vpon the toppes of mountaines, or lesser hills or vpon the South in cold Countries, these are but troubles and paines without anie great foundation: for as concerning cold Countries, there is no talke to be had of growing of Oliue-trees in them; and as concerning hot Co [...] tries, there is neither taking nor leauing of quarters or coasts in respect of this tree.

The Oliue-tree doth encrease it selfe by shoots which it putteth forth at the soot [...] for being pulled vp vnhurt,To plant the Oliue-tree. and planted elsewhere, they grow vp verie speedily. And to prepare them a faire place to grow in, you must digge them pits where you mind to set them, a yeare before hand, of foure foot depth: and if you cannot haue holes made readie for them so long before, but must be constrained to set them downe in new digged ones, then you must season and purifie the said holes, by burning of the leaues and some small branches of the Oliue-tree therein, or else some straw at the least; for the fire drieth vp the euill iuice of the earth of the said hole in the same manner as the Sunne should haue done by little and little all the yeare long. Some would, that it being prickt downe of a branch, it should not be set in so fat a ground, because the oyle would not be so excellent, as and if it were planted in a ground betwixt fat and leane, and that not without apparance of truth. But whether it be planted in the one or the other, it wil be husbanded euerie yeare for the space of a great circle round about the foot: for indeed, he that tilleth and dresseth his Oliue ground yearely, doth a great deale better than he that doth not. In anie case it would not haue the rootes scanted of libertie, but to spread and lie at large. And if you bestow any manure vpon it, being the thing it loueth well, then bestow vpon it Goats or Horse dung well rotted, and that after you haue digged it about the foot, to the end that the dung may mingle well with the earth so digged. After you haue once set it, remoue it not thence for the space of foure or fiue yeares: neither then must you dare to be so bold, if that it haue not gotten a stocke as thicke as a mans arme: and taking it vp, take vp therewithall the greene turfe of the ground where it stood, and whereunto his roots sticke fast, and when you set it downe, giue it the like situation for coast and quarter that it had before.

You may graft it vpon it selfe,To graft the Oliue-tree. and it will beare more thicke and kinder fruit: or el [...]e vpon the wild Oliue, but then the profit is not like, as when it is grafted vpon the garden and [...]ame one. The Italians graft it vpon the Vine, boring the Vinestocke neere vnto the earth, and putting into this bored hole a small Oliue branch, that so it may take neere at hand, and at the first offer, both the nourishment and vinie qualitie of the stocke of the said Vine: along the which must be set a stake or thicke prop to helpe it to beare vp the weight and burden of the graft when it is great, and these Oliues will tast both of the one and of the other, and become as it vvere vined Oliues. Such a proofe is not to be misliked, in as much as the variablenesse of nature is shewed thereby, which is content to suffer her selfe to be drawne to bring forth a mungrell fruit or second hermaphrodite, by the coupling together of two natures in one: but the end of such experiments turne not to profit, neither for the preseruing of the Oliue, nor for the drawing of oyle Omphacine, nor yet any other, for vvhich ends God ordayned and gaue vs the Oliue-trees. And to speake the truth, the mingling of kinds and differing rootes of Trees, (if it be not according to, and jumping with the naturall vertues of them both, and according to an agreement in some good measure of perfection, and yet furthermore well and throughly allowed and approued by reason:) becommeth rather a monstrous birth, and an inforcement of nature, than any profitable impe either for the health of man, or for the sauing and sparing of it selfe. Hereof are sufficient vvitnesses, I know not how many sorts of Apples, Peares, and Cherries, this iumbled together by offering force vnto nature without judgement or reason: and but that they become somewhat admirable vnto the eye, they yeeld no profit vnto the bodie of any man, more [Page] than to draine his purse drie: except there be aduised judgement in making choyce of that thing and way which may be both for the aduauncement of the yearely profits of his ground, and for the good preseruation of his health. But leauing off these discourses, let vs returne againe to the Oliue-tree, which hath both more beautie in it selfe, and more profit for the maister, if it be contayned in a reasonable sta [...]e for height, and spread it selfe abroad, than and if it should shoot vp and become verie long and tall. For if it exceed the height of ten foot and a little more, it is abated and hindered in the putting forth of so many blossomes as it would, and hath his boughes crushed in peeces which grow vp at that pitch, when the wind bloweth strong, and thereupon also it casteth his fruit in vntimely sort, euen when it is verie full. For this cause in many places there are some found which perforce doe turne downeward such boughes as grow so high, not regarding their standing out like bosses and bunches, prouided that they be low and lurkingly couched: because that being so trussed vp, they are free from stormes and tempests, and abound the more in fruit: and if yet the Oliue-tree would be climing higher, then you must cut off such aspiring boughes or braunches▪ and this must be done after the gathering of the Oliues is past. It is true that the Oliue-tree must be eight yeare old, before you reforme it in the boughes growing ouer high, by cutting them off with a saw: but as for the shootes putting forth at the foot and along the stocke, you must not refuse the cutting of them off how young soeuer they be. The profit comming both of the one and the other, is, that it aboundeth more in fruit: and this is the cause why some commonly say, That hee that husbandeth and ordereth it with care and taking of paines about it, helpeth it forward in the bringing forth of his fruit; as also he which manureth it, as it earnestly craueth: but he that cutteth downe some boughs off from it, compelleth it by all manner to meanes to become fruitfull; seeing the nature of the Oliue-tree is such (as Quintilian saith) as that it being cut off and made bare of boughs and high mounting tops, it spreadeth rounder and broader, and putting forth moe boughs, doth also beare the more fruit, because the propertie of the Oliue-tree is to be ranke either in boughs or in fruit. It happeneth sometime to the Oliue-tree, that it bringeth forth but one onely bough exceeding all other in beautie and height: when this falleth out, it must be cut off without delay, for this is a signe that the tree in space and time will conuey all his whole workemanship that way, and will leaue nothing for anie thing else; and vpon this, will barrennesse come in the end. And whereas the Oliue-tree craueth to be left bare and thinne of boughes, and then beareth more fruit, yet if the boughes be stricken downe with poles when the Oliues are beaten downe, it groweth much worse, and goeth backward, forsaking and for [...]lowing his former fruitfulnesse. So that hereupon you see, that in gathering of Oliues, you may not beat them downe with poles, but rather you must haue ladders borne vp vpon a Goats foot, to lift you as high, as that you may gather the Oliues with your hand. There are some Countries where the Oliue-trees doe rest and giue ouer bearing for one yeare after that they haue borne, and then the yeare after that they beare out of all measure, as in Portugale, and the oyle that is made of those is good in the highest degree. You must in any case looke to the inconueniences and harmes that the Oliue-tree is subiect vnto.Oliue-trees full of Mosse. Many times in drie or moist places Oliue-trees are spoyled, and become all ouergrowne with mosse, which must be taken away with one toole or other: for else the Oliue-tree will neither abound in leaues nor fruit.

Sometimes the Oliue-tree, although it be faire,The barren Oliue-tree. yet beareth no fruit, and then you must bore through the stocke with a wimble, and put in good and deepe the graft of a greene bough of a wild oliue-tree, or of some other oliue-tree that is fruitful, and that vpon either side of the hole: then afterward, to close vp both the said holes with mortar mixt with straw, and the tree as a new made thing wit become fruitful by the grafting in of this graft. Others in such case doe vncouer the root, and renew the seat that it standeth in▪ Againe, it may be remedied, and the foot not vncouered, with the lees of vnsalted oliues, with mans vrine that is old, or with the stale vrine of hogges.

[Page] It falleth out many times that the fruit is spoyled and lost by the naughtinesse of the ground where it is planted:The fruit spoyled. and then it must be thus remedied. The Tree must be vncouered verie low at the [...]oot round about, and quicke lime put into it, more or lesse according to the greatnesse of the Tree, for a little tree craueth but a little. The Oliue-tree sometimes beareth much fruit or flowres, and notwithstanding by a secret disease that is in it, it cannot bring them to a good end to ripen them: vvhen th [...] happeneth, the stocke must be vncouered round about, and the lees of oyle mixt with sweet water afterward applied thereto.

Sometimes the Oliue-tree becommeth all withered,The withered Oliue-tree. and falling into a consumption, which thing may happen through wormes or other vermine which spoyle and eat the roots, and the remedie is to water the foot with lee of Oliues. It sometimes also falleth out that the fru [...]t of the Oliue-tree falleth before it be ripe: for a remedie whereof, take a beane that hath a weeule within it, close vp the hole with wax: afterward take a greene turfe from neere vnto the root of the Oliue-tree, and put the beane in it, and so couer it with earth, and the fruit of the oliue-tree will not fall.

Aboue all things, you must keepe oliue-trees from Turtle-doues, Stares, and other such like birds which are exceedingly giuen to [...]corishnesse. As concerning the Oliue-tree and oliues, you may see more at large in the second booke, and of the oyle in this third booke.

CHAP. XXXV.
Of the Date-tree.

COncerning the Date-tree,The Date-tree. it hath much a doe to beare fruit in this co [...] trie, but and if it beare, yet it is verie late: it craueth to haue a hot ayre and countrie, or at the least well tempered, and the fruit which it beareth, is ripe before the Oliue-tree be good. It delighteth in a light, sandie, and vntilled or champian ground: and it is a plant either for Aprill or May, to be planted of a small plant with the root. The stone is set new in October, and there must ashes be mingled with the earth where it is planted: and to make i [...] grow and beare goodly fruit, it must be watered often with the lees of wine. Looke in the second booke.

Who so is carefull of his health, let him not eat any Dates, or else as few as possible he can, because they cause the head-ach, obstructions, wringings in the bellie, and in the stomach. And yet notwithstanding this, they stay the flux of the bellie, and put into gargarismes, they cure the frettings and cankrous vlcers of the mouth.

CHAP. XXXVI.
Of the Chesnut tree.

LEauing the Date-tree, we come now to treat of the Chesnut-tree, which groweth verie great, high, and thicke, differing but a little from the walnut-tree, it beareth a profitable fruit, and hath not his like, whether you respect the shape, his nature, or the nourishment it yeeldeth [...], as is to be seene in Auuergne, Sauoy, Perigu [...]ux, and Lymosin, and especially in Lyonnoyse and Daulphinie, where the great chesnuts grow: in which countries, especially in Parigord, the greatest parts of the forests are of chesnut-trees, & an infinit [...] of people liue not of any other thing but of this fruit, eating it sometimes boyled, sometimes roasted, sometimes made into bread, sometimes into broth with [...], sometimes in meale baked after another sort. Likewise, nature seeing the profit [...] [Page] redounded vnto men from this so profitable a fruit, hath fenced and armed it with strong harnesse and such mightie armour, as that it goeth for proofe both against the tooth of the beast, and beake of the birds, so long as it is kept within his vppermost cote and prickly couering; yea, and furthermore, vnder his rind and pilling, when it is taken away, with another rind that is good and hard, and with another that is more soft and fine, for the better preseruing of it. This tree pleaseth it selfe with such a ground as is lying vpon the North, and being moist rather than drie, or standing vpon the South, for as much as it loueth the shadow better than the open Sunne, the valleyes better than the mountaines, a soft ground better than that which is hard and massie, and a light ground, and yet not a sandie or clayie. To haue good store of Chesnuts, it is better to sow them than to plant them, and that in a well digged and stirred ground, being also neat and well batled, and that in the moneth of March, [...]etting them in the earth a foot deepe, the sharpe end vpward, foure or sixe of them together, taken out of great and ripe Chesnuts, and euerie hole distant from another the space of a fadome; and two or three yeares after to plant them in some other places, fortie foot asunder euerie one from another, and that in respect of the great compasse which they take with their branches on euerie side. If you would haue it to grow of a branch, it must be such a one as hath root: for to make it grow of it selfe, by pricking downe into the earth some sience, it will neuer be. Wherefore the most certaine way is to make it grow of the fruit it selfe, pricking it downe into the earth, as hath beene said: notwithstanding it may be propagated or multiplied, burying and sinking some of his new shoots in the earth. It taketh likewise, if it be grafted in the cleft or in the Canon or Gun-like graft, and that in March, Aprill, and May, vpon it selfe, or vpon the Beech-tree, or vpon the Willow, but it then ripeneth verie quickly, and beareth a fruit of a sharpe and vnpleasant tast.

Chesnuts must be gathered in Autumne,The gathering of Chesnuts. and kept till their rindes be become of a verie bay colour, and cast out their fruit. Howbeit, if one would keepe them a long time, it were better to beat them downe with poles whiles they be greene, and not to tarrie till they fall to the ground, for those will not keepe aboue fifteene daies, if they be not presently dried in the smoake.

The manner of keeping Chesnuts,To keepe Chesnuts. is to couer them with common Nuts; for the common Nut hath power to drie and inuade the excrementous moisture of all things whereunto it is applyed: or else to gather them reasonably ripe in the decrease of the Moone, and to put them in a coole place in sand, or in some vessell; but let in stand continually in the coole, and so well stopt, as that no ayre may get in, for otherwise they will be spoyled and rotten in a short time.

The fairest, best fed, and most pleasant Chesnut of all others, is that which groweth in the Countrey of Lyonnoise, and are called great Chesnuts of Lyons; or else I know not as yet from whence they haue taken their name. But howsoeuer it is, besides the profit of the nourishment and sustenance which the Chesnut yeeldeth, the Chesnut-tree is of great vse to make Vessels of, as Caske to put wine and other drinkes into, to build Bridges withall, as also Conduit-pipes, Pillars, and infinite other things about Buildings, Engines, props for Vines, Pales and Railes for Parkes, Gardens, and other such places.

The leaues of the Chesnut-tree,The leaues of the Chesnut-tree. after they be fallen, are gathered vp before anie raine come to touch them, and serueth for litter for Cattell; which being thus turned into dung, serueth to manure withall. Many vse them to fill featherbed-ticks withall, and call them mockingly by the nick-name of Parliament-beds, because the leaues make a noise when you lye downe vpon them, when you rise vp from them, or when you moue your selfe anie manner of way to or fro.

The ashes of the wood of Chesnut-tree is not good to make lee of,The ashes of the Chesnut-tree., because it spott [...]h and staineth the Linnen so mightily, as that such staines will neuer be got out.

Chesnuts with vineger and barly flower applyed in manner of a Cataplasme vnto womens breasts which are hard, doe make the same soft: stamped with salt and hon [...]y,The hardnes of [...]. they are applyed vnto the bitings of mad dogges: the rinds or skinnes thereof [Page] are put manie times in lees, which are made to colour the haire yellow: their red inward rind, which lyeth next vnto the white kernell, being drunke the weight of two drammes, stayeth all manner of fluxes of the belly, and of bloud, as also the whites of women, with equall quantitie of Iuorie. Chesnuts, in as much as they be wi [...]die, they prouoke men to lust: being eaten excessiuely, they cause the head-ach: they swell and harden the belly, and are of hard digestion: such as are roasted vnder ashes, are lesse hurtfull than the raw or boyled ones, especially if they be eaten with pepper per and salt, or sugar.

CHAP. XXXVII.
Of the Pine-tree.

THe Pine-tree craueth a sandie,The Pine-tree. light, and stonie ground: and therefore it groweth willingly in out-cast and contemned plots, such as there are manie of by the coasts of the maine Sea. It is planted in the moneth of October and Nouember, and it is not to be translated till after that it hath beene three years planted, and then it must be seated in a well digged place, and in an earth well manured with Horse dung. This tree hath a nature contrarie vnto the Walnut-tree, because it causeth to thriue and prosper whatsoeuer is set vnder the shadow of it: againe, it is not so combersome as to keepe away the Sunne and the wind from the things that ioyne next vnto it, or vnder it. The Pine kernes (for to be kept) must be put in new pots full of earth, together with their shells.

Such as haue weake lungs, or are growne leane by some long sicknesse, must goe a taking of ayre into the Forests, where there are good store of Pines, because such ayre is verie profitable for them. Their kernels steeped in warme water, to take away their oylie qualitie and sharpnesse, being often eaten, doe cure the ach of the [...], the ach of the backe, the palsie, benummednesse, trembling of the parts, weaknesse of the lungs, shortnesse of breath, vlcers of the lungs, vlcers of the reines and of the bladder, the scalding of the vrine, and make fat such as are leane and wasted, [...] vp lust in such as languish and are weake vnto the work [...] of venerie. They cure the gnawings of th [...] stomacke, taken with water of Plantaine, or iuice of Purcelane. The new Nuts of the Pine-tree distilled in a Limbecke, make a singular water to take away the wrinckles of the face, and to stay the excessiue great growth of wome [...] breasts, if you apply a Linnen cloth steeped in this water vpto them. Set in the second Booke.

CHAP. XXXVIII.
Of the Plum-tree.

AS for the Plum-tree,The Plum-tree. it is a common and ordinarie tree, agreeing with [...] Countries of whatsoeuer conditions: howbeit the Damaske Plum-tree is more cheerefull, and pleaseth it selfe better in a drie Countrie and hot aire than it doth elsewhere. The Plum-tree will grow easily, and encre [...]se infinitely: for and if it be once brought into a plot of ground, in a short time it [...]eiseth it selfe vpon the whole place: and if it be planted on the one side of a wall, it will leape within a short time after vpto the other side of it, and so placeth the wall in the midst. It desireth not to be dunged, because the dung maketh the fruit to mould or rot, and easily to fall downe: but it would be oft digged at the foot round about, as f [...]rre as the compasse of his roots stretcheth, and watred in drie weather. It growth vpon a stone [Page] buried a foot deepe in the earth that is fat, and that in Nouember or Februarie, hauing sleept the said stone for three daies space before you sow or set it in lee, or longer in a composition of Cinnamon water, if you would haue it to yeeld anie aromaticall smell: or else of a meere plant, hauing a root in a pit a little digged, because it graspeth not much ground with his foot, but yet it must be good and light and easie to be pierced round about, for the affoording of an easie and plentifull seat vnto it. It groweth also in prosperous sort, if it be grafted after the Scuti h [...]on-like fashion, either vpon it selfe, or vpon the sweet Cherrie: or else in the cleft, and that besides the two former, vpon the Apple-tree, Almond-tree, Peach-tree, and Ceruise-tree: of all which sorts of grafts, that is the best which is vpon it selfe, or vpon the sweet Cherrie-tree; for all the rest are but meanes to cause the Plum to degenerate from his nature, and to become bastardly, as well in their shape as in their tast. The fittest time to graft them, is in Februarie or in March, and then rather in the stocke than in the barke.

There is a certaine kind of scab which doth take hold of it, and that either by letting the gumme to stand and hang about it, and to wax old, which it casteth forth, or else by reason of the mos [...]e which it gathereth, and for that cause it would haue his gumme taken away at the beginning of cold weather, and the mos [...]e rubbed off with a rough Linnen cloth, or a mos [...]e rubber of Horse-haire, and this at all times.

There happeneth likewise vnto it an vindisposedesse through the fault of the Gardiner,The Plum-tree out of frame. not casting the ground about the foot, or cutting off the rotten and corrupt wood; whereupon it turneth in and rowleth it selfe vp into small balls, sometimes in one place, sometimes in moe: and this is a disease which being neglected, doth spread it selfe in the end all ouer the tree, from one end to another, and bringeth it wholly to distruction: and therefore so soone as you shall see the sicke tree in this sort to crumple and runne vpon heapes, you must cut off verie cleane all the boughes thus diseased, whereof it would be murdered and killed, euen to the sound and whole branches, and withall to order & husband it in all good sort about the foot, to the taking away of this euili humor, which in this maner crooketh and causeth to turne round his wood.

There happeneth also sometimes,The languishing Plum-tree. by reason of some secret cause, that it so languisheth, as that it giueth ouer to beare fruit: for the putting of it in heart againe, you must lay open his roots, and cast vpon them the lees of oyle mingled with water, or else the stale of oxen, or mans v [...]ine, or cast vpon the roots the ashes of Vine branches throughly boyled.

All Plums in generall are cold and moist, more or lesse, the sweet ones lesse, the sowre and sharpe ones more.

The sweet Plums haue vertue to loosen the belly,Laxatiue Plums. and yet they will purge more strongly, if at such time as when the Plum-tree is young, there be taken from it some part of the pith of the stocke, or else one of his boughes, and the place filled vp againe with Scammonie. They will in like manner procure sleepe,Sleeping Plums▪ if you put into the said emptied places the iuice of Mandrakes, or Opium. Sharpe and tart Plums are giuen to stay the belly.Plums of Brignoles. There is great account made in Prouence of the Plums of Brignoles, by reason of their pleasant tast. In France throughout, and euerie where else, there is a speciall account made of Damaske Plums, which are of three sorts, the black, red, and violet colour, all of them prouing verie excellent in the Countrey of Tourraine, for from thence are sent, throughout all France, of them dried, which are vsed at all times. The Plums of Pardigoine are likewise greatly esteemed, by reason of their plumpenesse and pleasant tast. Furthermore, Dates are verie rare and scarce in this Country, namely, those which come neere to the Dates of other strange Countries, which are more pleasant relished than anie other. Some likewise make account of Rhemish Plums dried, by reason of the pleasant tartnesse and sharpnesse which they haue.

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CHAP. XXXIX.
Of the Pomegranate-tree.

COncerning the Pomegranate-tree,The Pomegranate-tree. it requireth little husbanding, [...] yeeldeth small delight to the sight, by reason of his ill-fauored branches and boughs; saue so long as it is bearing his fruit, before it come to perfect ripenesse, and yet put out, quartered, and as it were laid open to th [...] shew, out of his coat and couering, this tree is the most delightsome to behold of all others: the frame and fashion of whose flower and fruit being well considered, i [...] [...] worke of Nature right admirable: there is not that raine, that scorching heat of th [...] Sunne, nor yet almost that fading and decaying old age, which can cause it to forgoe his goodly shew of Rubies: and yet notwithstanding, how famous a thing soe [...]er it be, it groweth without anie daintie or delicate handling and looking to, and that sometimes at the foot of a wall, sometimes in the midst of a heape of stones, and sometimes amongst the hedges by high waies sides. It is true, that it craueth a hot Countrey, and where it may not be debarred of the Sunne: and if it happen to be set at any time in a fat ground, it maketh his best aduantage of it, being in this respect like vnto the Oliue-tree, whereof we haue spoken before. And if it be in such a Countrey as i [...] fit for it, you need not to thinke either of the digging or vnder-digging of it: for it reckoneth not of seeing it selfe set in a great heape of stones, as neither to breake crosse-wise through a ruinous wall, neither ceaseth [...]t for anie such thing from bringing forth his good and pleasant fruit: but in cold Countries, where it hardly groweth, it would be digged and husbanded about the foot twice a yeare, that is to say, in Autumne and in the Spring. It will grow either vpon roots, or of grafting in the cleft, and that vpon it selfe, about March or Aprill: but and if you will plant it vpon som [...] branch that hath roots, you must chuse such a one as is a handfull thicke, and make it a delightsome and fine moulded pit. Some would haue it thrust into the earth with a stake by it, as is vsuall in setting Willow plants, but I cannot find that this way of thrusting it downe thus into the earth, doth proue to anie good. The Pomegranate-tree will not loose his flower, if when as it is flowred you compasse the flocke about with a ring or hoope of Lead, or with the old slough of an Adder.

The wine of PomegranatsPomegranate wine. is made of this sort: You must take the ripe kernels cleane and free from their skins, and put them in the presse, where they must be pressed by and by. Some straine them through bagges made for the purpose: some [...] them to be put into vessels vntill it be well fined; in the end they powre oyle vpo [...] them, that they may not corrupt or grow sowre.

The Pomegranate Apple put in a pot of new earth, well couered and [...] with clay, set in an Ouen, and in the end so well parched, as that it may be made into powder, then such powder taken the weight of halfe a crowne with red wine, doth helpe th [...] partie maruellously that hath the bloudie flux. The innermost flowers of th [...] Pomegranate made vp in conserue with Sugar, haue an incredible force to stay [...] manner of fluxes of the Matrix, whether white or red, taken in the quantitie of [...] an ounce, with the iuice of sowre Pomegranates, or red wine, or water wherein [...] hath beene quenched; as also to stay the bloudie flux, the shedding of nature, th [...] flux of the guts, or of the stomacke. The kernels of sowre Pomegranates d [...]ied, made into powder, and after mingled, the weight of an ounce, with a [...] of fine powdred Frankincense, and two drammes of this powder taken euerie morning, doe stay the whites.

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CHAP. XL.
Of the Ceruise-tree.

THe Ceruise-tree,Th [...] [...]-tree. as well the male as the female, delighteth in a cold, moist, and mountainous place, but in a hot and plaine place it thruieth not. It must be sowne of the stones: and some plant it of shoots in Februarie and in March. It is grafted in the end of March and Aprill vpon it selfe, vpon the Thorne or Quince-tree, and vpon the Peare-maine-tree, in the barke or stocke. It must be often digged and watered: and let him that can conueniently, lay dung vnto the foot of it, mingled with ashes, and that in verie deepe pits.

Ceruises are gathered in Autumne before they be ripe: they are gathered by handfuls tyed together: or else they are orderly laid vpon straw to ripen them: for otherwise they are not fit to be eaten, because of the harshnesse.

The wood of the Ceruise-tree is verie solide, close, and hard, and therefore in great request to make Tables of, and other house implements, as also to make goads and whips for Neat-heards.

There is wine made of Ceruises,The flux of th [...] bellie. as there is of Peares. Ceruises haue force to restraine fluxes of the bellie: and for this cause they may be dried in the Sunne before they be ripe, and afterward vsed.

He who hath sometimes beene subiect vnto the biting of a mad dogge, or otherwise, must not sleepe or rest vnder the shadow of the Ceruise-tree: for if hee doe, it will hazard him to cast him into his former madnesse againe: Such is the force of the Ceruise-tree, to raise vp, renew, and reuiue a qualified and appeased madnesse.

CHAP. XLI.
Of the Corneile-tree.

AS for the Corneile-tree,Of the [...]-tree. which the Latines call Cor [...]us, (so called, because his stocke is of such knottie and solide wood, as that it seemeth to be horne) as well the male as the female, delighteth to be planted in a fat and sandie ground: and as for other things, it would be planted or graf [...]ed after the manner of the Ceruise-tree. In anie case it must not be planted neere vnto where Bee-hiues stand, neither suffered to grow there of it selfe: because that the Bees hauing once tasted of the flowers thereof, fall into a flux of the bellie, and die thereupon presently: but the contrarie falleth out in men, who by hauing eaten of the Corneile-tree berries, or of the conserue made of the flowers or fruit thereof, doe fall suddenly into a costi [...]enesse. The fruit of this tree is long and [...]ound, fashioned like an Oliue, and is not ripe before Autumne, and then it becom [...]eth of a red colour, or the colour of Waxe. This fruit containeth in the pulpe of [...] a stonie bone. Some make of the pulpe or flesh a confection like vnto [...] with Sugar, and it is verie singular in bloudie fluxes, and the staying of womens termes.

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CHAP. XLII.
Of the Iuiube-tree.

THe Iuiube-tree is a tree that is verie rare,Of the Iuiube-tree. and seldome seene in France, but much in the countrey of Prouence, especially about Dupon [...], S. E [...] prit, and in Languedoc. This is a tree of great reach and compasse bot [...] for his height and breadth, and naturally it loueth to be in hot Co [...] tries, not so much seeming to regard the soyle wherein it is set: likewise in manie pl [...] ces of the said Countrey it is seene in turning waies and publike places. But and if you would haue it to grow in cold Countries, you must not so lightly regard it [...] [...] you must see that it be seated in a good fat ground, and manured with Pigeon [...] dung▪ and ioyning to the side of some wall, whereby it may haue the reflex of the South Sunne, of which you must looke to giue it the full fruition before all other things. Sometimes it groweth of kernels, three or foure of them being put into the earth together, and their sharpe ends downeward, the holes must be a foot deepe, and heaped full of Cowes dung mingled with ashes of Vine branches, and that in Aprill i [...] hot Countries, and in May in such as are cold. And when it is once growne vp, and become somewhat strong, which will be about the terme of eighteene moneths, or two yeares after, then you shall remoue it into some other place, with such obser [...] tions as haue beene deliuered concerning others, and concerning the Countrey, [...] it shall fall out, hot or cold. Some likewise plant it of the root, when it riseth vp into shoots, which haue small threddie and hairie roots, loosing and pulling them vp gently, together with some of the principall roots of the tree, for feare of parting them and their threddie roots, planting them in pits prepared some fifteene daies before, in a light ground, and that in March. As concerning their [...]iences, to ma [...] them grow, it is not so certaine a thing, as that it deserueth the troubling of ones head about it: but for grafting of it in the cleft, either vpon it selfe, or vpon the Medlar-tree, or vpon the Quince-tree, you may if you will: but grafted vpon it selfe, the Iuiubes will be more grosse and thicke, and of a more pleasant tast, as generally all manner of fruit is, being grafted vpon a tree of his owne kind. Some will say, that it reioyceth during the time of Winter to bee compassed about with a heape of stones, and when Summer comme [...]h, to haue them taken away: and that it craueth likewise to haue Oxe dung layd vnto the roots of it: but in those Co [...] tries where there are such great store of Plants, this piece of seruice is altogether neglected, which notwithstanding is the means to cause great store of faire [...] good fruit.

CHAP. XLIII.
Of the Bay-tree.

AS for the Bay-tree,The Boy-tree. it is verie common, seeing it groweth in [...] ground, [...] ouerthwart the Conie-burrowes and heapes of stones. It groweth [...] times from vnder the foundation of walls. It is likewise to be a Coun [...]iman in euerie coast and quarter, but yet his naturall incli [...]ation and birth-right is to be in hot Countries, or at the least temperate: And therefore being inticed ouer into cold Countries, it must be much made of and well welcomed whe [...] it commeth there: for indeed it must be planted in a fat, solide, and good soyle of earth, neere vnto some wall, where hee may haue the South Sunne to comfort hi [...] with a double comfort▪ and at the approach of Winter, it must be ma [...]red, [Page] ouer-cast, and couered with long straw in the strength of the Winter, or else well cased and wrapped about with Mats. It must also be under-digged for the first foure or fiue yeares after his comming and bearing, and that in March and Aprill. And yet, if notwithstanding all this paine and industrie taken, it shall happen to be extreamely and rigorously entreated of the frost, and that the lea [...]es shall begin to wither away, and the wood to wax blacke, then you must adde more store of earth vnto it at the foot, and strengthen it there, in the moneth of March, if that the cold put forth and begin to be dealing the same yeare: for the dung will haue kept the roots and clasping gripes in force and whole vntouched, and so it will not fayle to put forth with speed new shoots and sprigges in aboundance, which will be fit to multiplie and propagate the Winter following in the said [...]oneth of March, at which time the sappe draweth vp vnto the barke, if so be that you desire to haue great store. It taketh also of a branch, foreseene that it be set in a fat and blacke earth, which is moist. The time to set it of root, plant, or branch, is either in Autumne or in the Spring. It is sowne in the same seasons a foot vnder ground, and foure berries together: and when one yeare is past, you must plant it where you will haue it abide. In anie case you may not sow it or plant it neere vnto anie of the Lattice-worke or climbing and running frames made for the Vine, much lesse neere vnto the plant it selfe, because that the Bay-tree is altogether enemie vnto the Vine, as well in respect of his shadow, as of his heat, which draweth away all meanes of growth from the Vine. Looke in the second Booke.

The leaues of the Bay-tree doe preserue, keepe vncorrupt, and make faster the Fish that is fryed, especially that which is fryed in oyle, laying them by beds one vpon another. They performe in like manner the same good vnto dried Figges, Damaske or Frayle Raisins, if you strew of them amongst the said Raisins in the Frayle.

You must obserue, as well in the leaues of the Bay-tree, as in those of the Iuniper and Elme-tree, that they being cast into the fire, doe presently crackle, and that the cause of this is, for that they take fire before their superfluous and raw moisture be consumed and spent.

The leaues of the Bay-tree dried and rubbed one against another, if there be put betwixt them a little powder of Brimstone, doe cast out sparkles of fire, as doth the steele and the stone: in like manner doe Iuie lea [...]es. The boughs of Bay-tree stucke downe in arable ground, doe keepe the Corne from mildew and blasting. Some ar [...] of opinion, that tempests and lightning will turne away from those houses and places where there are hanging anie Bay-tree boughs, wherher it be at the chamber floores, or else at the doores or windowes.

The tender crops of the Bay-tree, boyled with flowers of Lauander in wine, doe heale hardnesse of hearing, and noyses in the eares, if the vapour be taken thereat with a funnell. The Vuula being fallen, is againe restored to his place, if you lay the [...]ayes of the Laurell-tree verie hot vnto the top of the crowne of the head, with equall weight of Cummin, Hyssope, Organie, and Euforbium, mixt together with honey. The bayes of Laurell powned with Wheat-bran, Iuniper-berries, and Gar [...]icke, heated in a hot frying-panne, sprinkled with wine, and laid to the flankes, doe prouoke the retained vrine. If women with child, and neere their accompts, doe eat euerie night going to bed seuen Laurell bayes, or Bay-berries, they shall haue a more easie tra [...]aile and deliuerie.

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CHAP. XLIIII.
What space must be left betwixt Fruit-trees when they are remoued.

THat you may fitly appoint the standings of trees,The greatnesse of trees [...] to be considered. and their distances one from another, in respect of the trees themselues, compared one with another: you must first consider the height, fulnesse of the leaues and boughes, and spreading of the same, according as euerie sort of tree doth ordinarily grow and attaine vnto: and besides the ordinarie, how by place affoording aboundance of nourishment, the tree may exceed and surpasse it selfe in height and breadth, for that fruit-trees would not be encombred aboue head, or ouer his top, but would haue the breathing and blowing of certaine winds at libertie, and with sufficient space fauourably to light vpon them, and withall, the fruition and benefit of the Sunne: in all which points, the vnequall proportion of one tree vnto another in height or breadth doth offer let and hinderance. And yet further, if they would haue their waggings and plyings to and fro to be free, that so they may play [...] libertie when the wind tosseth them, how greatly should the exceeding greatnesse of the neighbour trees disturbe and trouble one another, if care and aduise be not take [...] in the first planting of them? And therefore you must haue regard and cast an eye about you for this cause, that so you may well and profitably appoint out your distances and spaces betwixt one and another: for in good and fat grounds, where trees may grow much, you must allow more space than elsewhere. And further you must note, that one tree planted well at libertie, whatsoeuer the place be of it selfe, doth fructifie and beare a great deale more.

If you mind to plant thicke and grosse trees all on a row,The space and distance betwixt trees. and vpon high waies, and against the hedges of fields, then you must leaue them some fiue and thi [...]e foot distant one from another: but and if you intend to plant manie rowes in one and the same place, then you must be sure to leaue fiue and fortie foot space betwixt euerie two, and as much betwixt one ranke and another, that so the boughes of each tree may the more freely spread themselues every way vpon their emptie and vacant sides.

As for Peare-trees, Apple-trees, and others of that bignesse, if you plant onely one row by the sides of your field-hedges, or elsewhere, it will be ynough to allow twentie feet betwixt one and another: but and if you set two rowes vpon the hedge of your Garden allies, then you must allow them some fiue and twentie feet betwixt one and another euerie way square, in such sort, as that as well the alley as the spac [...] betwixt euerie two trees on either side may make a perfect square of fiue and twentie feet in euerie line: and if the distance allowed them be of lesse quantitie, then it must be somewhat answered and helped, by not planting of them euerie one right ouer one against another, but as if you should wrap and lay them vp one within another, to let the full and planted place of the one side stand ouer-against the void and emptie of the other. Some would, that there should some small trees b [...] planted amongst those great trees which you thus set about the alleyes for the times whiles they are in growth: but this would not doe well, if either they should be suffered to continue there alwaies (because it would breake the rule and precept deliuered before couching such course) neither yet if they should be taken vp afterwards; and the reason thereof is, because they draw away and eat vp the iuice and nourishment of the earth, vvhich should wholly bee imployed in growing and furthering of those which are intended for the inclosing and defending of the alleyes.

If you should goe about to plant a whole Field, or quarter of your Garden, with great fruit-trees, such as before named, you must then set them checkerwise, and allow [Page] them betwixt twentie and thirtie foot of distance the one from the other euerie way, that is to say, from tree to tree, and from row to row.

Plum-trees,Plum-trees. and other trees bearing stone-fruit, and being of the like size of bignes [...]e, will not admit vnder foureteene or fi [...]teene feet distance one from another in euerie row: but and if you will onely plant two rowes vpon the sides of your garden alleyes, then they need not aboue six foot distance square; but you must looke, that this proportion, or whatsoeuer other that you s [...]t downe to your selfe, doe [...]ustly answere the proportion of the length of the place intended to be planted.

Sweet Cherri [...]-treesSweet Cherrie-trees. and bitter Cherrie-trees doe looke to haue allowance of distance betwixt tenne and twelue foot: but and if they be to be planted vpon the sides of the great alley of your garden, then it will suffice to allow them betwixt nine and tenne.

The lesser trees,Common, or the lesser sort of Cherrie-trees. as Cherrie-trees, Quince-trees, Figge-trees, Hasel Nut-trees, and such like, are sufficiently allowed, if they be set distant betwixt eight and nine foot in your greene Grasse-plot, or Orchard, and betwixt fiue and six in Alleyes and Garden rowes. When you would plant two rowes, ei [...]her of them of seuerall kinds of trees, then set the lesser on that side that the Sunne falleth first vpon, that so the shadow of the greater may not disaduantage them.

CHAP. XLV.
Other precepts about the planting of Fruit-trees.

IF you plant Peare-trees and Plum-trees one with another, it will be better to set the Plum-trees towards the Sunne, for Peare-trees doe better endure the want and with holding of the same.

When you shall take vp a tree to plant it elsewhere,To [...]. take a great circle [...]ound about the foot, and rayse together with the root as much of the earth cleauing [...]hereunto as you can: for besides that thus the roots doe not loose their bed, they find themselues otherwise also infinitely better contented, when they carrie with them the earth alread [...]e reclaimed and familiar vnto them, than and if they should be constrai [...]ed in their new lodging to stoupe and conforme themselues to the earth which they [...]hould there find.To water. For as for watering of the roots, in pulling of them vp to the ray [...]ing vp of the more earth therewithall, it is as good as nothing, but rather doth much [...]urt, because that this wet earth being within the new hole, becommeth stiffe and [...]ard, which cannot but greatly offend the roots of the tree remoued: for the verie [...]emoue doth astonish and blur them so, as that it maketh the points of their roots as [...] were blunt, and to haue their mouths stopt, so as that they can neither draw vnto [...]hem, or else goe forward themselues: so that if they find not the earth of their new [...]odging so light and crumly, as that they may pierce it without straining of them [...]elues, and con [...]ey themselues anie way, either the tree continueth long without ta [...]ing, or else it dieth right out. For the auoiding of which discommoditie, you must [...]ot either wet the new hole, neither yet the tree in remouing of it, nor so much as re [...]oue it in a dris [...]ing time: and it is ynough that the hole hath continued open before [...]or the space of fifteene or twentie daies, and hath drunke in of the dew and wet of [...]he night. Of one thing you must take good heed, that you giue it his iust quarters [...]f North, South, East, and West, as it had before, and that if you take it vp from a [...]laine ground, that then you bestow it in a plaine ground againe: and if you remoue [...] from a hillie place, into the like, or otherwise into a plaine: then you must look that [...]he seat wherein you set it in▪ be desended in like manner from the winds, both below [...]nd on high, as it was in his first.

You must not plant the tree [...] that haue beene browsed by cattell,Trees browsed wub [...] ▪ or haue had their [...] broken off; for they grow not so well, except you thinke it good to cut off the [Page] end of their tops and head, to see if that thereupon they will take and grow againe. You may plant trees also without roots,To plant trees without roots. if they haue great piths, as the Figge-tree, [...]ame Mulberrie-tree, Hasel-trees, and other such like.

And as for the Pits wherein you meane to plane trees,Pits. you must make them six foot deepe in clayie places, but not so much in moist places: you must likewise make them roomethie and wide ynough; for though the tree that you shall plant, should haue but small roots, yet you must make it wide, that so there may store of good e [...]rth be cast in round about the root.To moist an earth. And if the bottome of the earth where you make the pits be too so [...]t, then helpe it by putting to it some drie earth, or else stay till it harde [...] and breath out his moisture.Too hard an earth. On the contrarie, if it be too drie, or hard and ho [...]ie▪ dung it and moisten it with water, letting it drinke in of the same well and sufficie [...] ly: not that you should make it like a poole, but sprinkled or bedewed with water, therewith to coole it. Againe, it is meet, that if your tree be old gathered, that they be watered and steeped at the foot two or three daies. If any of the roots of your trees proue too long,The roots pilled. or to haue their barke hurt, then you must cut them off byas, and [...] the side that is most vnfurnisht be vnder when the tree shal be planted, for there will small roots come forth round about the cut.

It is a generall rule,Small trees. that before the remouing of anie manner of tree whatsoeuer, and especially if it be a tree growne vp of kernels, if it be growne thicke, for to [...] off the branches of it first, and to leaue nothing on it, except such sprigs as are not aboue a fingers length, or somewhat more or lesse, according as the tree doth require: and this is it which some vtter in a prouerbe,A Prouerb [...]. That he that will plant his father, must cut off his head: but as for small trees, which haue but some one small wand or ro [...] put out of them, there is no need that such should be cut vp on high, when they be remoued. The stocks of the Nurserie which you intend to graft, must be verie well [...] forth into branches before they be remoued, as we haue said before.

And when you shall set downe your trees in their pits,To giue trees their [...]it p [...]aces. you must free their roots from being intangled one with another as much as you can, and make them all [...] draw downeward, not suffering anie one of them to turne their ends vpward: and [...] is not needfull that they should be set so deepe into the earth, for it is ynough, that the roots be laid in so deepe, as that the earth may couer them halfe a foot, or thereaba [...], if the place be not verie scorching and stonie: and you must not fill vp your pit, [...] leaue a hollow round about the tree with some open passage or conduit, that so the raine water staying there, may be conueyed vnto the roots of the tree.

When your trees shall be spread in the pits, and the roots thereof orderly layd [...] large, weigh downe vpon them easily with your foot, and after mingle well [...] earth with a part of that about the pit, and strew this vpon your roots▪ causing the smallest of it to fall downe amongst them; but lay not the grassie side of the earth [...] wards them, for that might set them in too great a heat: you shall mingle the [...] earth well with the other, and so fill vp the whole pit. And if there be anie wormes in the earth that you shall put in, then you shall mingle some lee ashes therewith, to kill them,To kill wormes. because they might doe hurt vnto the roots. Afterward, when your pit shall be filled within halfe a foot, or neere thereabout, you must tread downe the earth [...] vpon and in the places about the roots, and it is farre better if it be drie in that [...] than for to haue it wet.

But and if you pricke downe or plant a tree of a prop, stake,The pricking downe of trees. stake, or pole without [...], with a wooden beetle or mallet, make not way for it into his hole with another [...] but let it make his owne hole for it selfe, not leauing it such a depth of earth to pass [...] through, as that it cannot possibly enter without spoyling his barke: but when yo [...] driue in the stake, tye it in such sort at the vpper end, as that it may not [...] driuing.

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CHAP. XLVI.
Of pruning, lopping, vncouering, and making cleane of Trees.

SLouthfull and negligent Hinds say, That a tree must neuer be touched after it is planted: but a good Husbandman saith, Be still doing one good turne or another vnto the earth and the tree, and they will doe the like to you againe. It were true indeed, that to say that we may not touch the tree, would haue some colour of reason, if it were to be vnderstood of the not remouing of it from his first seat, it being good, and according to the nature of the tree: but to say that wee should not touch it at all after it is once planted, would be either to proue negligent, or else to be willing not to receiue anie fruit of his trees: for by how much you are the more diligent about it, and procure it the more good and pleasure, by so much the more encrease will it repay you againe: and he shall neuer haue good or much fruit, that shall not be diligent in cleansing of his trees in Winter, and in the end of Autumne.To take branches from trees. For as concerning the taking away of superfluous and bad branches, and picking of them, it is most certaine, that a tree that busieth it selfe much to grow wood, must haue his branches tamed about the beginning of December, by taking away of them so manie as are superfluous, with the vnnecessarie wood, ouer tall and high boughes, and such as hinder it from making of manie buds to blossome and beare flower: in doing whereof, you may not touch the principall branches.To make way for the Sunne [...]o come to the trees. Againe, you must free your trees of branches, and some part of the stocke also, when it standeth behind others that take away his Sunne, that so after such disbranching, and losse of some part of his stocke, it may set afresh vpon putting forth of new, and that so couragiously, as that it may surmount and ouergrow those which before did ouer-top it, and take away the Sunne from it: for the [...]ame reason, if the Sunne enter not in forcibly enough amidst the branches of a tree, but that some are still shadowed, it commeth to passe, that those shadowed ones doe [...]ot beare anie fruit; and therefore there is cause that it should be obserued and mar [...]ed euer as it groweth, what branches there be that doe ouer-shew and drowne the other, and to take them out of the way when the leafe is fallen. You must likewise [...]ut the boughes that looke downeward, or which grow crooked in the midst of the [...]ree, as those which hinder the growth of it. This disbranching must be done in the decrease of the Moone, when there is not either excessiue cold wind, or raine, [...]nd that with a good cutting toole: and not in any case when the tree is in his blos [...]omes, because that so it might come to passe easily, that they should drie away. Young grafts may not be too soone pickt and pruned, least they should become too [...]rolicke and lustie, putting vp still in height, hauing but a feeble bodie to beare so great a head: and therefore they must be let grow strong about the foot before you doe any thing vnto them.

It is like wise most certaine,To take dead wood [...] the tree. that the dead wood of a tree doth cause other braun [...]hes for to die, and so by little and little the whole tree throughout: or else it keepeth [...]he tree from growing and rising,What is meant by bourgening. which is the same that we call bourgening. Then [...] appeareth how necessarie it is to take away all dead wood, and it may be done ei [...]her in Summer or Winter. This mischiefe haunteth old trees most, or else such young ones as the Sunne hath come too fiercely against,Exceeding heat of the sun hurtfull to trees. in the place of their standing: or [...]lse by some inconuenience of lightning, thunder, or tempest: or else of some veni [...]ous beast lurking at the foot of it, hauing bitten and wounded some fibrous part of the root: or else by hauing had some of the branches tainted and wronged by the [...]pade or pick-axe in the laying of it open at the foot, or multiplying of it by propagation. And if it be meet that that should be remedied that is aboue the earth; [...]hen doe that also which is vnder the earth, and with greater care and diligence: [Page] for the heat of the earth and dung doth engender vermine at the foot of the tree, which eat away the rootes: or else sometime dung cast about it, doth minister such store of nourishment vnto it, as that thereupon it is forced to put forth so great store of shoots and siences, as that these doe make it to miscarrie, without hurting or taking anie nourishment from anie other of the trees: So that then hereby it appeareth, that there is need to digge trees at the foot in Winter vnto the verie quicke of the earth, and take away from thence whatsoeuer may threaten anie danger; and as for such number of siences, to see them planted other where, whether they be of Plum-trees, Peare-trees, Apple-trees, or such other, and at the end of three years to graft them. And here it shall not be amisse to note, that the siences of Hasel-tree being remoued, bring forth the better small Nuts.

In like manner,To order a tree in Winter. the tree must haue some recreation giuen it in Winter, after hi [...] great trauell in bringing forth of his fruit, and that in this sort: as by opening the earth, and laying his roots bare, that so you may cleanse them, and that the raine and the snow may fat them, which especially and principally happeneth in nanie places that are hot, drie, and lying verie open vpon the Sunne in his scorching heat. Furthermore, if the barke of the tree begin to drie away, shewing signes of small store of nourishment within, that then you make fast vnto the foot of the same tree some dead dogge, or other carrion,A dead dogge o [...] some other carrion made fast to the foot of the tree. for to reioyce it withall, and some one or other scuttle full of good and small dung to lay about the foot of it: or on the contrarie, lee ashes, if so b [...] that the ground be found too fat and full of wormes.

The age of the tree will make it to grow full of mosse: and if it be young,The mosse of trees. then to [...] much moisture will make it mossie, as also too much drines [...]e. This disease feedeth vpon a tree, and maketh it leane, as the scab doth the beast: and we must not thinke, th [...] this can happen by reason of the mos [...]e that is put about and aboue the wreath of the grafts. The remedie for this, is to lay it open at the roots, as hath beene said heretofore: as also to make it cleane in Winter with a knife of wood, or of bone, for feare that the mosse continuing in peace, winne the countrey, and in fine deuoure the whole tree.

He that will haue faire young trees,The time to dig and cu [...] off vnprofitabl [...] members from young trees. must digge about them euerie moneth, and [...] off vnprofitable and noysome parts euerie of those times, after March and October, and so long, as vntill they be growne great: but when they are become great, they must not be digged ofter than thrice a yeare. In Winter, whether they be great or small, the earth must be taken from their feet, that so it may be mingled with dung and put into the pit againe, to the continuall retaining of necessarie moistured and comfortable influence of the heauens, as wee haue said before. And in Summer, and when it is extreame hot, there must be kept and gathered a heape of coole earth about the foot of the said tree, to helpe it to auoid the heat and drought of the laid season.

It is best to disbranch and prune trees,The fit time to pick an [...] prune trees. when the sappe beginneth to rise vp into them, and when they thereupon begin to but and blossome in signe of approaching Summer, and this time most commonly falleth out about March and Aprill. And in this businesse you must see, that you cut the superfluous boughes off dose by the stocke, and the sappe thereupon will by and by runne out at the same cut: which thing cannot so happily succeed with them which cut trees in Winter. And to p [...] uent that the thicknesse of the weightie and great branches may not rend the [...] from the tree in falling, cut it first halfe a foot from the earth, and after goef forward to saw off the residue verie close vnto the tree, and lastly, cast the sawed dust vpon the cut.

If you disbranch and prune your trees in Winter,To cut d [...]wne branches fr [...] old trees. leaue the stumpes sufficient long to cut them afterward againe in March and Aprill: but and if you meane to lop and disbranch your great and old trees, to the end they may grow young againe, whe [...] you perceiue them to loose their lustie colour, and to begin to looke yellow, then yo [...] must doe it shortly after the first of Nouember, as after that their leaues are fallen and before their sappe put vp againe: and in cutting or sawing of these boughs, [...] [Page] their stumps with the stocke, that so you may gra [...]t vpon them new siences, some longer, some shorter, as the tree requireth, being [...] in all your worke to take away the most offending branches, that [...]o the remainder may receiue the more h [...]mour and substance.

It the tree through age or otherwise become barren contrarie to his wonted custome,An old Tree fallen barren. you must not cut off all his boughes, but those onely that are dead. Likewise you must vncouer his roots after the beginning of Nouember is past, and cleaue the thickest of them, and put in the clefts some shiuers of hard stone, and there leaue them, to the end the juice of the earth may enter in that way: afterward, at the end of Winter you shall couer their roots againe with good earth.

When the grafts of three or foure yeare old are broken,Grafts broken: broused or hurt of cattell; or when as you see that at such age they increase not neither grow greater, then you must cut them againe, and graft them more low or more high than they were. And after you haue thus cut it, you may take the vnthriuing grafts, cut off and graft them againe, or some part of them in this new head, but somewhat deeper than it was before in the former; and let it also be well and close made vp, euen from the first setting of it into the stocke: and when you haue thus grafted the stocke this second time, you must still leaue remaining and not pull away the siences which put forth of the plants so grafted, vntill you see whether the graftes doe put forth new wood or no; for peraduenture you might kill the plant, which yet being reserued and kept aliue, you may graft againe the third time, if the second should die or miscarrie.

After the graftes haue put forth new wood,How to order graf [...]s af [...]er they ha [...] put forth new wood of some two or three foot length, if they ag [...]ine put forth siences more than need, and those about the parts which you desire to cherish, and to bring to large growth, then cut away those superfluous siences, and that verie close, euen in the yeare that the grafts were grafted, but let it be at such time as the sap is in the wood: likewise it will not be amisse to cut off some of the principall members of the shoots and grafts of the first yeare, if there be too much put forth, and to ingraft them in some other place: and about foure or fiue yeares after that they haue beene grafted, and therewithall the grafts well and close growne to the plants; yet once againe goe ouer your former worke, and take away after the same manner whatsoeuer you perceiue of ydle remainder: for it is ynough for one tree to haue one good member for to make his stock or bodie of, and especially those which haue beene grafted small vpon a graft, and thus it proueth a f [...]rer and better tree in the end. But and if the tree were grafted after it had beene growne great, and that with many grafts, you may well afford it larger allowance, according as you shal find requisit and needfull, for the better couering againe of the clefts and cuts made in the plant.

When your trees shall begin to grow,To order and [...]andle Trees [...] at are grow [...] vp. you must gouerne and guide them well for three or foure yeares or more, namely vntill they be come to a good shape and fashion, cutting their top on high, and their small branches of superfluous wood, so long as till they come to the height of a man and more, if well it may be done, and dresse them well, and set them in good order in their principall parts and members, and that in such manner as that one branch stand not too neere vnto another: neither yet that they may take hold one of another when they shall grow great: and some also must be cut away if that th [...] tree should be too thicke of boughes within, that so the Sunne may shew his force by hauing passage and entrance thereunto.

If it come to passe that trees being yet young doe cease to grow in thicknesse,Trees giuing ouer to grow. you must cleaue the barke of the stocke in foure all along, or else in fiue places, according as the tree shall be in thicknesse, and after that, in a short time you shall perceiue it grow maruellously.

You must take from trees the drie leaues,To take away the Caterpillers nests. which haue shut vp within them the nests and egges of Caterpillers▪ and other such like little beasts, which are giuen to consume, wast, eat, and spoyle the leaues, tender parts, and fruit it selfe from off the tree: and besides, doe oftentimes cause to drie away, as also to die the whole tree, especially peare-trees, and apple-trees, as being more subiect vnto this vermine, than [Page] the other sorts of Fruit-trees. And it is needfull furthermore to rid the stockes of all galls and breaches which the Wormes or Pismires haue made there, because that vpon these occasions might follow their death and ruine.

Trees may be cut from the first of Nouember vnto the end of March:The time to cut trees. and yo [...] are to giue order, that there may no gashes be made of great depth: and if you cut off the siences or shoots of the tree which bringeth forth no fruit, and that it be in the decrease and last quarter of the Moone, it will cause it to become fruitfull. And when the tree which you haue grafted, shall haue growne great, you may take away his siences, and leaue remaining your grafts alone.

For the matter of watering of trees,To water trees. they must not be watered except in time of verie great drought, and then not vpon their foot and stocke, but in compasse about them: and this againe must be moderately done, because trees desire to be moistened rather by amending of them with fat and well manured earth, than with water: also wee see, that the fruits which grow in places that are not watered, are ordinarily more sauorie, and keepe longer, than those whose earth and soyle is drencht with water, howsoeuer that sometime the drinesse thereof be such, as that it doth hinder and keepe the fruit from comming vnto his perfect growth and accustomed greatnesse.

If that trees sor some yeares together doe beare more fruit than ordinarie,Much fruit vpon a tree. insomuch, as that it is as much or more in number than the leaues, you must in such case rid them of the third or halfe part, in as much as those behind will not onely grow fairer, but because also, that the yeare after it will bring forth moe than and if those should be let alone, it would doe.

CHAP. XLVII.
Of the curing of Fruit-trees.

EVen as all things that draw their force and take their growth from the earth, haue some perseuerance of that which is good for them, as those things by meanes whereof they liue: so they haue certaine speciall and particular diseases growing vpon them by reason of things that are contrarie vnto them, as either old age, or vvant, or ouer great aboundance of that which should nourish them. Wherefore it is no maruell if Trees and euerie one of them doe now and then suffer inconueniences, and such as if they be not quickly helped and relieued, they will not faile to die.

All trees vvhich through force of wind or otherwise shall be clouen,Sliuen or shiuered trees. shiuered, or sliuen, must be cured with myre, sheepes dung, and swines dung.

Weeds growing about trees,Weeds about trees. doe sucke the nourishment of the earth, and they must carefully be weeded out, and the rind of the tree must be smoothed with a hedging bill, but not in ouerthwart maner.

When a tree groweth not in thicknesse,The small and dwarfish tree. and is long in putting forth of branches, and in rising on high, after that you haue vncouered it at the foot, at such time as hath beene said before, you must cleaue asunder many of his roots, but those not of the chiefe and principall, and put vnto them swines dung mixt with other earths, and sometime powre downe in the place the lees of strong wine, round about the roots: likewise if it be growne exceeding mossie, then you must cleanse it of the mosse, with a great woodden knife, taking heed that you hurt not the barke. And in Sommer time when the earth is too wet, it will be good to digge the earth about the foot and roots of those trees, which were not vncouered at the roots in Winter, and to mix therewith some thing to better the earth withall, whether it be dung or some good mould from some other place.

[Page] You shall make the barren tree fruitfull,The barren tree. if you hang amongst the boughes a bagge full of the seed of Roses, Mustard-seed, and the foot of a Weasell.

The file is a diseases in trees that fretteth their barks: wherefore you must cut away this infection verie neat and cleane at the end of Winter with a verie sharpe toole,The f [...]le in trees and after put vpon the wound or cut the dung of Oxen or Swine, and bind it to with old clothes, and keepe them also verie close and fast with Oziers, that it being thus fastned, may continue a long time, euen whiles the plasters can be kept on, and made cleaue thereto.

There are but a few trees but they are subiect vnto the wormes,W [...]rme in trees. and some more than others, as Apple-trees, Peare-trees, and all such as containe within them a sweet juice: some others lesse, as the Bay-tree, and others which beare sowre and bitter fruits. Sometimes these wormes grow of the oldnesse of the tree, sometimes of hauing taken a blow. Therefore against such wormes as vse to breed in the barke of the tree, in the place where you shall see the barke swelled or houen, you must race it with a knife, and pierce it euen vnto the wood, that so the infecting humour may issue out, and with some hooke or crooke you shall pull out the wormes and rottennesse that is within, and that with as much speed as you can: after this, put into and vpon the cut an emplaister of oxe-dung or swines-dung mingled and stamped with sage and some quicke lime, wrap it well and tie all fast, and there let it remaine and abide so long as it can endure.

The lees of Wine,The iaundise in trees. or grounds of Oyle, being cast vpon the rootes of the Trees that haue the jaundise, or else are otherwise any way sicke, doth them verie great good.

There breed in Trees certaine small beasts almost like to Weeuils,Weeuils. and they are somewhat blewish or blacke, and certaine of them haue long and sharpe pointed peakes or bills, these doe great harme to grafts and other young Trees: for they cut off young siences which are yet but tender, and put forth not past the length of a finger: you must at the height of the day, when you shall see them there, lay your hand vpon them verie softly without stirring the Tree: for they let themselues fall downe when one goeth about to take them, because they cannot quickly betake themselues to flight, and if they let not themselues fall into your hand, then reach vp and take them vpon the siences with your other hand.

For Snailes and Ants,Against snailes and ants. lay ashes or saw-dust of wood, or the meale of lupines at the foot of the trees, and when the raine hath fallen vpon it, stir it vp againe, and put also new vpon it: otherwise, set certaine small vessells full of water at the foot of your trees: or else powre lees of wine round about them.

When a tree letteth fall his fruit,The tree that looseth his fruit you must compasse his stocke about with Iuorie, as it were with a crowne, or else with a plate of lead, or, which is best, you must vncouer the roots of the tree, and pie [...]ce them, and put into the hole the wedge made of the wood of a ceruise tree.

To hinder the rust from hur [...]ing of your trees,Against [...] sting of trees. you must smoke them with straw in the Spring time, and that round about.

When a tree looseth his flower,The tree that looseth his flowers. or that the leaues doe fall from it, you must vncouer the roots, and lay beane straw wet in water round about them.

The best is to looke to Caterpillers in the time of Winter before that the trees be leaued,Against caterpillers. and if you find any remnant or remainder of them behind, or their pallaces or round gathered bunches, take them away with your Caterpiller crookes made for the purpose before they be hatched. Cut not the wood when you cannot come by them with your hand, or, as little as can be, and cleanse you trees well and throughly in euerie place, that so there remaine not any egges, then looke vnderneath at the feet of your trees, and see that there be no young ones, which can spin, and haue betaken themselues thither, and setled themselues betwixt the siences and the rootes. If there remaine any clewes or round bottomes of them in the spring, or that some blasting or small raine hath bred some young ones, then marke at the height of the day, their repa [...]e, in which place you shall see them together vpon heapes, whether it be [Page] vpon the armes of the tree, or vpon the branches, from which you must either with old clothes, or else with some large and great leaues held in your hand, beat th [...]m and kill them euerie one, weighing hard vpon them with both your hands, and oftentimes haue recourse thither, and spie if you haue not let some of them [...]all vnto th [...] ground; but beware there sp [...]rt nothing from them in your face: and to the end they may not breed anie more, you shall tie and make fast the branches of the Sallow about the foot: These branches will serue likewise to make this vermine fall downe starke dead. There breedeth likewise a little worme, which the inhabitants of Bou [...] deaux call Quayre, betwixt the wood and the barke, which eateth trees in such sort, as that it cau [...]eth them die. These you must kill with an yron wyre, probing for them on euerie side of the tree.

When a tree beareth too much,The ouer fruitfu [...]n [...]s of a tree. it must, after that it hath beene vncouered at the roots, haue diuers of them (so they be not of the principall) clouen, and the water that is within them let out, if there be anie at all in them: and this will be as good for them, or better, than letting of bloud is for a man, for by this medicine the life of the tree is renewed.

The sicknesse of the barke of the tree commeth of the moisture of the place where the branch is planted: and likewise on the contrarie,The d [...]fease of t [...]e ba [...]e of [...]he tree. trees become [...]ame when they be planted in too drie a place. To keepe tame young trees in the kernell Nurserie, and to cause th [...]m to thriue the better, [...] trees. they [...] be couered a mans height with stubble, or with straw, but the couering must be borne up with poles layd long and crosse-wise.

To hasten and helpe forward a tree in his bringing forth of fruit,To hasten a tree his bringin [...] forth of fruit. which is long before it beare anie thing, you must make a hole with a wimble in the thickest branch of his root, without boring of it through, and in the hole which you haue made, put a staffe, and stop it vp with wax, afterward couer the foot ouer againe, and the tree will beare the yeare following.

As concerning trees that haue beene lately planted,The drines of a tree. and begin to wither away, if you cause them to be digged and watered, you shall much helpe them: and withall, they must be kept from heat, in prouiding something which may make them shadow; and against the cold, they must be couered with straw.

Swines dung will kill wormes:To kill wormes that trouble trees. as also mens vrine put in the hole where the wormes are; and quicke-lime in like sort: but and if the barke be hurt, then let it be clouen in manie places, and likewise in the foot of the tree a little, in such sort, as that the humor may runne out.

The moisture oft times will cause wormes to breed in fruits that haue kernels: and therefore at such time you must pierce the tree with a wimble,The breeding of wormes. and that throughout if you doe well, and as neere the root as is possible, to the end that the humors breeding the wormes may pas [...]e away.

It Apples or any other such fruit fall from the tree,The falling of apple [...] from the tree. cleaue the root, and put in the cleft a great stone or a wedge of vvood.

It fruits grow vpward, wash the foot of the Tree with Purcelaine water or vinegar; or powre about it less of vvine: or take two parts of Oyle-oliue,Fruits rising vpwa [...]d. and one part of blacke pitch, mingle them together, afterward annoint th [...]m, or put ashes to the foot of the tree, or [...]lse some vessell full of water about it, or some hoope cut and annoynted with Petroleum: or a little cord drest ouer with swines bloud, wherewith quick-siluer hath beene mixt.

To kill Ants from about a tree,To kill Ants. you must vncouer the earth about the tree, and put in place some chimney soot, and that a reasonable quantitie. Take also of the saw-dust of the Oake, and lay good store of it at the foot of the Tree, and the raine when it falleth will either cause them to depart, or else they will die: as for other accidents which may annoy and hurt trees, as haile, fogges, or mists, flies, frogges, and such other inconueniences, see in the second Booke, and the sixtieth Chapter.

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CHAP. XLVIII.
To keepe and preserue the fruit of Trees, to be taken and eaten in their due time and season: and out of it.

ALl such skill as man is to haue, resteth not alone in the well ordering of the Fruit-tree, and carefull maintaining of it; but the must know withall, the keeping and preseruing of the fruit, either to sell it when the time is good and fit, or else for vse of his houshold and familie, especially in places where the most delicate and daintie fruits doe grow, as in the countrie of Touraine,Tourraine the garden of France. which for this and such other considerations, is called the garden of France: wherefore we will intreat briefely of the manner of keeping of fruits, and we wil begin with the Almond.

Almonps are ripe vvhen they begin to cast the huskes.Ripe Almonds. If you vvash them in salt brine, you shall make them vvhite, and to indure long, but yet the more if you drie them also: if you see that it cannot cast his huske, lay it vpon some straw a certaine time, and shortly after it vvill cast it: to keepe it long, lay it in a drie place where the South vvind bloweth not.

ChesnutsChesnuts. vvill be good to keepe vnto the Spring time, if you first drie them in the shadow, and after lay them in drie places vpon heapes, or in vessells couered vvith sand: or and if you mingle them amongst common nuts, for by this medley they will be robbed of their excrementous humour. But chiefely to keepe them long, you most gather them vvhen they are reason [...]ble ripe, in the old of the Moone, and lay them in sand in some coole place, or in some vessell vvell stopt. Some doe spread them vpon hurdles, or burie them so in sand, as that one of them touch not another. Othersome set them in rankes in baskets or panniars full of straw.Sound Chesnuts You may trie if they be [...]ound, by casting them into cold vvater: for if they go to the bottome, then they are sound, but and if they swim aboue the vvater, they are corrupted and naught.

CherriesCherries. vvill keepe long, if you gather them from off the Tree before the Sun rise, and afterward lay them orderly in a vessell, hauing in the bottome of it a bed of Sauorie: and that by laying a bed of Sauorie, and a bed of Cherries, and a bed of Sauorie, and a bed of Cherries, and lastly, a bed of Sauorie, watering them vvith sweet vinegar. In like manner they vvill last long if you order them alter the said manner, couering them vvith Rose leaues in a barrell: they are likewise either dried in the Sunne, or stewed in their owne juice, and preserued with sugar to keepe a long time.

If you annoint your Citrons,To keepe C [...] trons. gathered with the leaues vpon their boughes, with well tempered plaster, you may keepe them sound a whole yeare: and if you hide them and couer them with barly, they will not rot: or if you doe but close them vp close in anie vessell whatsoeuer: or else if you doe but couer them with small straw.

The Corneile-berrie (commonly so called) must be put in a bottle of glasse which hath a wide throat,To keepe the Corneile-berrie. and when they are in, the bottle must be filled vp with very good and liquid honey, or else with sugar in stead of honey: after this, the iuice rising of this sugar wherein they are preserued, is a s [...]ngular thing for the staying of the flux of the belly, and the procuring of appetite.

To keepe Quinces,For the staying of the flux of the ballie. dippe them in the lees of wine, or which is better, make them vp in new earthen pots close shut, and put the same into vessels full of wine, or else dippe them in the wine, and by this meanes the Quinces will remaine fresh, and the wine a great deale more pleasant. Some keepe them in Straw or Barly, or the sawdust of Wood, or Figge-tree leaues. Othersome couer them with leaues and loame [Page] made of potters clay, and afterward drie them in the Sunne: and when they would vse them they breake the clay, and taking out the quinces, find them such as they put them in.The mal [...]gnant [...] of Quinces. Some put them all whole in honie. But note by the way, that you must not keepe quinces in a house where there is other fruit, for what by their sowernes [...]e, and what through their smel, they spoyle and corrupt the other fruits which are their neighbours, or neere vnto them, yea the verie grapes which one would keepe.

Figges will be alwaies greene and new,To keepe greene f [...]ges. if you put them in a pot full of honie well couered, in such sort as that they doe not touch one another, nor yet the pot it selfe: or else if you put them in gourds, euery one by it selfe, and hang the gourd in a shadowed place, where the fire or smoake cannot come: or if you put them in a glasse pot well stopt with Wax. Drie figs will not corrupt if you lay them vpon hurdles in an ouen, after the bread is drawne out, and after put them in a new earthen pot, that is not glased.

Walnuts will continue a long time sound,To keepe walnuts sound. if they be couered with straw, or with their drie leaues, or shut vp in a coffer made of the wood of Walnut-tree: or if they be mingled amongst Omons, whereunto they doe this pleasure, as that they take from them the greatest part of their acri [...]onie, or sharpenesse. Some s [...]y likewise that they will be kept gre [...]ne a whole yeare, if when they are gathered greene, they haue their coat taken from them and be dipt in honie: and thereupon also such honie becommeth singular for them vvhich haue vlcers in their mouth or throat to make gargarismes of for the same.

Pomegranats will keepe,To keepe Pomegranats. if at such time as when they are ripe, or almost ripe, you writh the little stalke by which they hang vpon the tree: or [...]f presently as soone as they be gathered, they be couered all ouer with pot [...]ers clay, tempered in water, and afterward set out to the Sunne in sweet oyle, in a broad mouthed pot couered and hung at the floore of some chamber in a close place where the frost cannot come: or else set in some caue vnder the earth: but see that they grow not mouldie there. In the meane time for the gathering of them, you must touch them softly with your hand, that so you may not crush them: they keepe verie well also in saw-dust of [...]ake woad, in alt vvater, or salt brine. Or else you must dip them all ouer in boyling water, pulling them out againe presently, afterward drying them vpon sand or small grauell, or in the Sunne for the space of eight daies. Some hide them ouer head and eares in a heape of corne in the shadow, vntill that their rind be hardened.

Apples after they haue beene gathered in weather not rainie or cloudie,To keepe apples. but faire, must be kept spred vpon their eyes, not vpon their tailes, vpon a table couered with corne straw, in a cold place, but not in a caue (for in such a place they would look their sauour) and where the windows are turned toward the North, which likewise must in faire weather be set open: or vpon straw, or in barlie, or in a pot done ouer with Waxe within, and close couered: or in an [...]arthen pot not pitched, but hauing a hole in the bottome, and yet close couered aloft, and [...]o hung vp in a tree all Winter, in vvhich case the apples will continue such as they were put in. Some warp them eu [...]rie one by themselues in figge-leaues, and after couer them with lome of vvhite potters clay, and with drie lome, and set them in the Sunne. Some after they haue gathered and made choyce of the soundest, heauiest, and fairest apples, not being yet altogether ripe, doe set a hogshead in the ground, round about which they set these fruits, and couer them afterward vvith a bed of straw, laying againe another bed of apples thereupon, and couering the same as before, they continue th [...] vntill the ves [...]ell be full, vvhich then they take out of the earth againe, and s [...]op it [...] uerie where close, that so there may no ayre get in thereat. The Normans lay them vp [...]n heapes, minding to make their Cider thereof: In the countrie of Orleans and Touraine they vse to drie them in ouens, for Winter and Spring time banquets. But the ordinarie and safest manner of keeping of apples is, after they are got and pick [...], and the bruised ones put from the rest, to spread straw verie thin, or lay ma [...]s vpon [...] boarded floore (for the earth floore is too moist, and the plaster floore too cold) and then spread your apples vpon the same, so as they may lye close one by another, [Page] but not one vpon another, and when extreame frost or verie hard weather shall come, you shall lay the like layre of straw, or the like quantitie of mats aboue them, as you laid beneath them, and as soone as the frost breaketh vp, you shall with a drie cloth rub all moisture from them, and where you find any one tainted, presently cast it out, for else they will soone corrupt one another. Now as soone as Februarie is past, you shall take away your straw or mats both from aboue and vnderneath them, and lay your apples vpon the plaine boards, but yet in such sort that they may not touch one another, and thus you shall keepe apples all the yeare safe, both from rotting, vvithering, or vvrinkling of their skinnes.

MedlarsTo keepe m [...]dlars. are kept in small pitcht vessells, or put in pots amongst grapes.

OliuesTo keepe oliues are preserued in salt brine, or in a composition of honie, vinegar, and salt: some adde thereunto penniroyall, mints, anise, and masticke-tree-leaues: othersome, the leaues of the bay-tree; and others, the berries of the bay-tree.

PearesTo keepe peares. will keepe a long time, if their tailes be pitched ouer, and so hanged vp. Others put peares into a new earthen pot, and powre into them cuted Wine, or wine from the presse, or common vvine as it is meet to be drunke, vntill the vessell be full. Others keepe peares couered with file-dust, or with the saw-dust of wood: some put them amongst the drie leaues of the Walnut-tree, or else in an earthen vessell which is scarce baked, and powre in thereinto wine able to be drunke, and the new prest liquor of grapes, and stopping vp the vessell well and close, doe so keepe it. Some lay them in pits, in a place neere vvhereunto there passeth a running water. And some diuide into quarters the Eusebian, rhodine, and bell-fashioned peares, and taking their kernels out of them, drie them in the Sunne, that so they may haue them good in the Spring time.

MulberriesTo keepe mulberries. that are close stopt vp in a glasse vessell, doe keepe verie long, so that therewithall they haue powred vpon them some of their owne juice.

Citrons and OrangesTo keep citrons and oranges. are kept in some caue vnder the earth, separate one from another, or in salt brine made of verjuice, or verjuice without salt, or in maner of a preserue with salt, as the oliues are kept.

PeachesTo keepe peaches. are kept in salt brine, or in sweet vinegar: or else their stones being taken away, they are dried in the Sunne, after the manner of figges. Some doe preserue them with honie.

CeruisesTo keepe ceruises. are preserued in sweet Wine: or else vvhen they be gathered, the hardest are taken and set to soften in vessels of earth full or almost ful, couered ouer afterward with plaster, and set in a pit a foot depth, in a drie place, and in the face of the Sun, and after couered with earth. You may likewise cut them in peeces in the middest, and afterward lay them in the Sunne to drie.

Damaske-plumsTo keepe damaske-plums. shall be put in vessells, and cast vpon them new or sweet Wine, stopping the vessells verie diligently and close. Or if you lay them betweene mulberrie-leaues, or vine-leaues, one leare aboue another in a close box made for the purpose, they will not onely keepe a long time, but also you may in that sort carrie them without bruising more than an hundred miles: in this sort also you may keepe or carrie Nertarines, Abricots, Peaches, Figs, Mulberries, or any fruit of the like nature; as for your grapes, there is no readier or better way to keepe them long, than to hang them vpon strings ouer the mantell-tree of a chimney, or where they may receiue a moderate warmth from the fire, for nothing so soone as cold doth make them rot or putrifie, and therefore you must by no meanes, so farre as you can chuse, suffer your grapes to take any frosts, nay hardly the cold dewes.

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CHAP. XLIX.
A briefe discourse of making of drinkes of the iuices of Fruits.

IN such Countries as the vine cannot beare fruit in, because of the cold distemperature and churlish roughnesse of the aire, and whereas notwithstanding there grow singular good fruits, and in great aboundance in recompence of the same (as in Britaine, Normandie, the countrie of Mans, Chartraine, and Touraine) although there be the meanes to make Wine of a certaine kind of corne, called Bier: yet by reason of the lesse cost and charges, as also by reason of the greater profit, they vse to make diuers sorts of drinkes of fruits: and to giue them their seuerall and particular names from the seueral and particular fruits whereof they are made. As for example, [...]hat which is made of apples, cider or citer, and so the Normans and other countries bordering thereupon doe call it, as hauing a smell or other excellent qualitie resembling the citron. Perrie which is pressed out of the Peares, and ceruise Wine, quince Wine, pomegranat Wine, mulberrie Wine, gooseberrie Wine, and slo [...] Wine, vvhich are made of the juices of these fruits pressed out. And hereof vve are to obserue that all fruits are not fit to make Wine of; but onely those vvhich vvill not putrifie easily, and haue great quantitie of Wine juice vvithin them, of vvhich kind these are vvhereof I haue now spoken. For of cherries there is not any Wine to be pressed, because their juice doth easily corrupt and putrifie verie quickly: neither yet of Almonds, Common nuts, Filberds, Pine, nuts, or other such fruits, for they yeeld an oylie and not a Wine-like humour. But for as much as we are not determined to speake in this place of all these sorts of fruit drinkes, but onely of them vvhich are called cider, perrie, and carasie, vvhich next vnto the juice of the vine, are the most profitable and necessarie liquor for the life and health of man: vve vvill set downe before hand a certaine summarie, and as it vvere a transition and plaine declaration of and vnto as well the making, as also of and vnto the qualities and vertues of the said cider, perrie, and carasie, and will referre the Reader vnto the Latine Booke now long agoe looked for from Mounsier Paulmie Doctor of Physicke at Paris, therein to read and learne the intire and perfect knowledge of this so pleasant and delightsome a drinke. And to begin with our purposed matter, I intend not here to stand about the finding out of the first inuentour and deuisour of this drinke; onely I will say, that as Noe carried away with the pleasant taste of the juice, vvhich he pressed out of the grape of the wild vine planted by him, was the first inuentor of making and drinking of vvine: so a certaine Norman hauing his taste vvonderfully pleased vvith a delicate and daintie taste and rellish of the iuice of Apples and Peares, inuented the making of Cider and Perrie▪ I say, a certaine Norman, for this is in base Normandie called the Countrey of Ne [...]z, where this drinke had first his beginning.

The way then to make these kinds of drinkes generally,The way in generall to make such Wine. is to gather the fruit not all out ripe, and after to let them ripen some certaine time in the open ayre or to drie them in the Sunne, for the spending and wasting of their waterie humour; then to breake and crush them with Mil-stones, or such other heauie instruments; and lastly, to presse them out: but withall you must obserue this speciall qualitie in certaine Apples, which the longer they are kept, and the riper they be, the better and greater store of iuice they yeeld, though then indeed it be not so durable.

On the contrarie, wild Peares doe yeeld more liquor, and of a better tast, and withall of longer continuance, than doe the tame and garden ones. When the iuice is pressed out from the fruit, it must be put into caske, for to boile therein a certaine time, and to be ordered after the manner of the ordering of the iuice of Grapes, as we intend to declare more particularly.

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How Cider is made.

THe drinkes made of fruits that are most commonly vsed, are Cider and Perrie, vvhich as they are pressed out of diuers sorts of Apples and Peares, so are they differing as well in taste as in goodnesse. For to make your Cider, you must see that your Apples be not wild ones, but garden and tame ones, growne and bred in orchards carefully and diligently dressed, kept, husbanded, and ordered all the yeare long, according to that care and diligence vvhich vve haue said to be needfull before in speaking of the Orchard, and yet vvithout hauing any great regard vnto the place vvhere the Orchards are planted, and doe grow, as vvhether they be gardens, greene-plots, arable ground, or other such like places; alwaies prouided and foreseene, that the ground be good, and vvell seasoned. And aboue all things such ApplesWhat apples are fittest to make wine of. must haue a firme, solide, and fast flesh, accompanied with great store of juice, of a pleasant smell, and delightsome taste, and of a beautifull colour: such are these that follow, the Heroet, Ruddocke, Maligar, Rambur, Fairewife, Gastlet▪ Clanget, great Eye, Greening, Curtaine, Grosegraft, Rucke, long, sower, and sweet Kennet, Barbarian, Rangelet, and Ado [...]ill. The Shortstart, Honie-meale, and Garden-globe, notwithstanding that they be rare and singular apples, and of a more pleasant smell, and delightsome taste, then any other sorts of Apples, yet are they not fit to make any Cider of, as well in respect of the tendernesse and delicacie of their flesh, as for the little and insufficient store of juice which they yeeld, not worthie the putting into the pres [...]e to make any quantitie of Cider of. And hereto you may put another reason; namely, that these Apples are not so plentifull, neither grow they in such store as others doe, and therefore it is better to keepe them to eate, or to imploy them in broths or sirope of king Sabor, and de succis pomorum, than about the making of any common drinke.

The most common time to gather Apples is about mid-September,The time to gather apples. after they haue beene partakers of Sommers heat, and receiued some small raine and gentle vvinds from September: some being verie ripe; others yet not altogether ripe; principally those which haue a faster and lesse delicate flesh: the greatest part vvhereof (being kept some time) yeeldeth greater store of juice, and better concocted and digested by the vvorke and operation of their owne naturall heat. In the gathering of them there is necessarily to be vsed cudgels and poles, except it be that wee lay our hands to them, vvhich vvee haue a purpose to keepe: there must in this businesse also be chosen such a day as is faire, drie, cleare, beautifull, and full of Sunne-shine, for if they should be moist with any raine or dew▪ they would rot in their garners.

Being gathered, they must not all of the sodaine be taken in hand to be made into Cider, but they must be suffered to take a heat in heapes, (as the Normans call it) and be kept some three vveekes or a moneth, more or lesse, according to their consistence and kind, seeing vnto it in the meane time (at their owne perill) that they rot not; as also, they may be layed on great heapes in Gardens, or vnder some roofe open to the ayre vvhen it freezeth not, or vvhen it freezeth, to court them with straw newly threshed, or else vvith some Mattresses or Featherbeds to keepe them from the frost. Some during the time of the frost, couer them vvith linnen Clothes steeped in water, and vvrung out, and these being frozen once themselues, doe keepe that the ayre cannot passe vnto the Apples to freeze them: the best of all it to prouide them warme garners, the [...]loores being layed neither with plaster nor tiles, but with straw, hauing the windowes verie close, the doores firme and fast shut, and all the creuises or chinkes perfectly stop to resist the entrance of the cold ayre. And notwithstanding all this, yet you must not tarrie and waite vntill they be throughly ripe, and almost vpon the rotting especially: but you must take your time somewhat before that they be come to this exact maturity and height of ripenesse, for else your cider will not proue durable, but withall will gather great quantitie of lee [...], [Page] and grow couered with much vvhite mother swimming aloft: if they be frozen, then trouble not your selfe with going about to make Cider, for hauing lost their naturall and accustomed smell and colour, they haue also lost all their force and vertue, and so it is not possible to make any thing of them but a raw, weake, vnpleasant, vvaterish, vndurable, and soone sowring licour. When as therefore the apples shallbe vvell prepared, and come to a good scantling of ripenesse, not such a o [...]e as is exact, but rather of the first or second degree of ripenesse, and that they shall yeeld and breath out a verie pleasant and sweet smell: then it shall be high time for you to goe in hand vvith making of your Cider. Which oportunitie if you foreslow and still stay longer for their further and exact ripening▪ they vvill vvither and fall away, and the Cider that you shal presse out of them, wil become waterish, weake, and sowre out of hand.

There are diuers wayes vsed in pressing out this drinke made of Apples in the countrie of Neuz:The manner of pressing out the drinke made of Apples. Some doe stampe them, putting them in fats, and afterward fill them vp with great quantitie of water, letting them ferment, boyle, and purge, so long as vntill the water haue got the force and strength of the Cider. Others stampe them in a morter, and after powre them together with a great quantitie of water into some fat, not giuing them any time of concoction and purging: but these two wayes are not so much worth; this third is better than them both. First, you must breake your Apples in peeces, and after presse them out: the way to breake them in peeces, is to put them in a presser made [...]ound, and containing in compasse some seuen or eight [...]adome, the said compasse and round being contriued after the manner of a trough of two foot broad and deepe at the least, in these troughes shall be put and contayned the said apples for the better staying and keeping of them in close together. Within these troughes there shall turne about one or two great milstones of stone, or of some hard, massie, and weightie wood, fashioned like a wheele, carried about vvith one Oxe or Horse, or two, so as shall be sufficient for power and strength, as we haue said in the making of Oyles. When the Apples shall be sufficiently broken, you must gather into heapes the same, and cast them into [...]ubs for the purpose, and there let them worke for a time as Wine doth, and when it hath wrought, then you must draw out the juice or liquor (call it as you vvill) which shall haue runne out of the substance without being prest, and turne it vp into vessels, whether they be pipes or hogsheads, old, or altogether new; prouided that they haue not taken any ill taste of any vnsauourie liquor: the best vessells or caske of all other, is that wherein there hath beene Wine, and especially white Wine, for the sauour of the Wine doth make this juice more acceptable, and more affected. The Cider that commeth voluntarily without being pressed, is the best and sweetest, though not alwaies stronger than that which hath abode the presse: that likewise is better and more excellent which is made without any mixture of vvater: It is true indeed, that when apples haue a verie fast and solide pulpe, and haue not so much moisture, but withall some sharpe relish, that then it will not be amisse to mingle some small quantitie of vvater with them to make them breake the better, as also, after that they be broken by force of the turning stone, euen whiles they are working in their fats, or before they be put into their fats a working, euen at their going to the presse, there may vvater be mixt with them, to preuent that the Cider may not be too ranke, neither yet too sowre or greenish. The grounds of the vvorking fat shall be layed vpon the presse interlaced with long straw, to keepe the said stamped Apples steedie and stayed, that they slip not to and fro when they are pressed, (the Apples by reason of their roundnesse, not being able to stay and abide vnder the doore and other boards of the presser, except they be kept in vpon the sides with something) and that which shall run out vpon the pressing of them, shal be tun [...]ed vp into caske, and put to the former: or else, which is better, tunne it vp by it selfe, as is done by wine, without mingling of it with that which did run out vnpressed, the pressed being the stronger, though the vnpressed be the more pleasant and sweet. The drosse or grosse substance remayning after the pressing, shall be put againe into the [Page] fat, and stamped, and sufficient quantitie of water powred in amongst, and it shall be let so rest, steepe, and boyle together for the space of foure and twentie houres: after which, there shall be made thereof spending Cider, or small drinke for the household. For the making of this household drinke, it shall be after the rate of gathering of one vessell thereof from so much drosse as made foure vessels of the best.

When the Cider is tunned vp into caske, you must let it boyle within the caske by the bung-hole of the caske lest open, and thereby to purge it selfe of all his froth, scumme, and other impurities, after the manner of wine: and when it is thus well purged, you must bung it vp very close, and so leaue it to boile againe within his vessell: but you must see that at this time the vessell be not top full, least in the boiling it breake the vessell. And indeed this kind of Cider is a great deale more strong than that which boileth all his boiling with the bung of the vessell open, but somewhat more fuming, and not so pleasant as the other: and it must lye in some cellar for the Winter time, but in some caue in the Summer.

Cide [...], as concerning the tast, doth resemble and become like vnto Wine: for at the first it is sweet; afterward, being fined, it is somewhat sharpe; and when it is altogether fined, it hath then a sharper rellish, but yet altered from his former verdure: euen after the manner of Wine, as being more pleasant when it is in fining, than when it is fined.

The Cider is better to keepe than Perrie: and there are Ciders found of two or three years old, as good, in their place, as anie Wine that is made. It is true indeed, that it is subiect vnto the same accidents that Wine is, and it must be as heedily regarded in the piercing of it, as if it were Wine, not giuing it any ayre in the drawing of it, if it be possible, or if you giue it any at all, to giue it when the fossest is halfe out, causing the ayre to recoyle before the fountaine be stopt vp and shut. So soone as the Cider vessell is emptie, you must looke that the less be not let stand in it any long time, because that it would breed an infinite number of wormes, which would make it to haue an ill smell and stinke, in such sort, as that it would neuer be good afterward to keepe any Cider. And thus much for the making and keeping of Cider. Now we will speake of the making of our choise of the Apples.

To haue excellent Cider, you must make it of sweet Apples, and that but of one or two sorts, and both of them in his kind verie good, of a pleasant tast, and sweet smell: and you must breake and stampe them euery sort by it selfe, but put them together vnder the presser. That which is made of sweet Apples mixt amongst some sowre ones, is not altogether so excellent good, and yet in the heat of Summer to be preferred before the most excellent Ciders, in that it is more cleare, heateth lesse, and quencheth thirst better. And of a certainetie experience hath taught it, that the Cider made of sweet Apples, hauing a soft and tender flesh, is more apt to sowre, if that there be not some sowre ones mingled amongst them, because that such sweet Apples haue but a weake heat, and easily ouercome and wasted. But such sweet Apples as haue a fast flesh and thick iuice, stand not in need of hauing any sowre Apples mixt with them, to the helping of them to make good Cider. It is true, that sweet Apples yeeld lesse Cider than sowre ones: but yet, in as much as the sweet haue the lesse iuice and the thicker, therefore their Cider is the better, lasteth longer, nourisheth the body more, and is a longer time in fining: But on the contrarie, those sweet Apples which haue much iuice, doe make much Cider: but this Cider is not so good, nor making so good nourishment, notwithstanding it be sooner fined and readie for drinking. Sowrish Apples doe yeeld much iuice, that is waterie, thinne, and soone fined, but nourishing verie little.

The Cider that is all neat, and of it selfe, without any mixture of water, doth fine and become cleare more slowly than that which is made with water: In like sort it retaineth his smell and tast a longer time, and all other the vertues and qualities of the Apples whereof it was made: for water added but in small quantitie, after sixe moneths once past, or if somewhat longer, yet after one yeare it causeth the Cider to sowre, and then so much the sooner, as there shall be the greater quantitie in the [Page] mixture, as in the houshold or ordinarie drinke. Wherefore such Ciders as you would haue to last long, must be made without water, and vse rather to mixe your vvater vvith them vvhen they are drawne out of the vessell to drinke, if then you find them too strong for you: and this also is the same course taken with Wine, especially when such a sicknesse hath seised vpon the partie, as craueth a thin, weake, and vvaterish drinke.

Ciders differ one from another, especially in colour, and [...]auour, or relish: for as for their colour, some represent the scarlet as it were like vnto Claret-wine, and such is that vvhich is made of Apples that are red vvithin and without: such also will last long, and fine, not vnder the colour of high Clarets, and haue a taste resembling the same somewhat a farre off, but afterward comming neere to the resembling of Hyppocras. Others are of the colour of Muscadells, and resembling the same also in relish. The greatest part of the rest draw neere to a yellow colour, and some of them cleare as the rocke vvater.

As concerning their relish and tast, all Ciders, if they be good, should be sweet, or a little bitter or sowre, whether they be new or old: and it is as true, that some of them haue no more relish than vvater. Some are of an euill taste, and that either of themselues, or of the ground, or of the vessell, or of the straw, or of some other such strange cause. The sweet, as well the new as the old, and fined, are the best of all, and nourish most. But it is true withall, that the new doe swell vp a man, and cause obstructions: The fined Ciders, are good for such as haue weake lungs, or those which are subject to the stone, or haue vlcers in the reines or bladder. Such as are bitter, and hold out bitter, are naught: But such bitter Cider as after becommeth sweet, is the best of all, and lasteth long. Such as are greenish, if they continue the same colour alwaies, are not of any value: but if in time they change this greenenesse into a maner of sweetnesse, then they proue good, and last long.

You may also make Cider of vvild Apples, but such Cider although that it last longer than that vvhich is made of tame and garden apples: yet it is not so pleasant nor profitable for the stomacke.

Good housholders doe not loose the drosse of their pressings, but (as we haue said) cast them into vessells, and vvith a sufficient quantitie of fountaine vvater, make Cider for the houshold: many make no account of it, but cast it out to the dunghill, assuring themselues that it drieth and maketh barren the place where it commeth. In su [...]h places as vvhere they haue not the benefit of mill-stones, pressers, & other implements for to make Cider, they stampe apples, but not of all sorts, but onely wild ones with a stamper, and afterward put them thus stamped into vessells with a sufficient quantitie of water, and this is called Cider-pinet.Pinet.

As concerning the faculties and vertues of Cider,The vertues of Cider. they must be measured and judged according to their taste, age, continuance, and abilitie to last, and the manner of making of them. The taste is not to be tried onely by the sauour and relish of the apples vvhereof they vvere made, vvhich vvere either sweet or sowre, or harsh, or of moe tastes than one, or vvithout any taste at all: but likewise of the age thereof, in as much as Cider if it be kept, changeth his taste,Sweet Perrie. together vvith the time, and getteth another relish, after that is fined diuers from that vvhich it had, vvhiles it was in fining, or that it had vvhen it began to fine, after the manner of new vvine, which when it commeth to be old, purchaseth and getteth diuers qualities together with the time. Such Cider therefore as is sweet, because of the sweetnesse which commeth of temperate heat, heateth in a meane and indifferent manner, but cooleth least of all; and againe, it is the most nourishing of all Ciders, and the most profitable to be vsed, especially of such as haue cold and drie stomackes, and on the contrarie, but s [...]ally, profiting them which haue a hot stomacke, whether it be more or lesse, or stomackes that are full of humiditie, verie tender and queasie, and subject vnto cholericke vomits: so that in such complexions as are hot and cholericke, it is needfull as with Wine, so vvith Cider to mixe water in a sufficient quantitie; vvith sweet Cider vvhen they take it to drinke, especially when such persons haue any ague vvithall, [Page] or and if it be the hot time of Summer: foreseene, that he that shall then drinke it thus, be not subiect to the paines of the bellie, or collicke; because that sweet Cider, pressed new from sweet Apples, is windie by nature, as are also the sweet Apples themselues. This is the cause why Physitians counsell and aduise, that sweet Apples should be rosted in the ashes for them which shall eat them, that so their great moistnesse and waterishnesse, which are the original fountaine of their windinesse, may be concocted by the meanes of the heat of the fire. Vpon the same occasion it falleth out, that neither sweet Apples nor sweet Cider can be good for them that are subiect to distillations and rhewmes, because of their windinesse, and for that likewise, that as the Arabian Physitians doe iudge, they breed great store of windinesse in the muscles and sinewes, which cannot be discussed but with great paine and continuance of time. Amongst the sweet Ciders, the best and most wholesome are those which are made of these Apples, the Hero [...]t, sweet Kennet, Curtaine, and Rangelet, because these Appl [...]s are verie sweet, of a golden colour, good smell, and long lasting.

Sowre Cider,Sowre Cider. whether it were made such by reason of the sowrenesse of the Apples, or become such by reason of the space of time, in as much as it is verie wa [...]rie, and somewhat earthie, as also verie subtill and piercing, and yet therewithall somewhat astringent and corroboratiue; becommeth singular good to coole a hot liuer and stomacke, and to temper the heat of boyling and cholericke bloud, to stay choler and adust vomiting, to asswage thirst, to cut and make thinne grosse and slimie humors, whether hot or cold, but chiefely the hot. Such drinke falleth out to be verie good and conuenient, and to serue well in place of wine, for such as haue anie Ague, for such as are subiect to a hot liuer and hot bloud, for such as are scabbed, or itchie, for such as are rheumaticke, vpon occasion of hot humors, and it needeth not that it should be tempered with water. Of sowre Ciders, those are the most wholesome which are made of sharpe sowre Apples, as of Rundockes, Ramburs, and sowre Kennets.

The Cider that is harsh and rough,Cider that is harsh and rough. in as much as it is verie cold and drie, is not good, but after a long time, as namely, not before that it haue lost his harshnesse, changing this his great coldnesse and drinesse into a meane and middle coldnesse, accompanied with some moisture, drawing thereby neere vnto some kind of sweetnesse or tart and pleasant sharpenesse: as we see it come to passe in fruits, which yet, whiles they are not ripe, haue a certaine kind of harshnesse in them, but comming to be ripe, change by little and little their harshnesse into an eager tartnesse, and after into a pleasant sweetnesse. Wherefore such Ciders would not be drunke till of a long while after they be made: or if that great necessitie should compell, then to allay them with a sufficient quantitie of water; for otherwise, they would but cause costi [...]enesse, the strangurie, shortnesse of breath, and an infinite number of obstructions: yea, they would procure manifold crudities in the stomacke, guts, and principall veines: yea, they would ouerthrow a weake stomacke, beget a grosse, cold, and flegmaticke bloud in the liuer, send vp manie thicke vapours vnto the braine, which would offend the head, and hurt the sinewes and ioints: but it is as true, that they [...] this commoditie with them, as to comfort the languishing stomacke, the qu [...]asie stomacke, and that which hath altogether lost his appetite, such as commonly be [...]ideth women hauing newly conceiued, and strange appetites, for which this Cider is verie fit and conuenient: as also to stay excessiue vomiting, all sorts of fluxes of the belly, all distillations also, falling downe vpon the ioints: it quieteth the beating of the heart, and cutteth off faintings: it helpeth digestion, drunke at the end of meat, so that (as we haue said) it be allayed with a little water, to diminish and reforme the heauinesse and slownesse to pierce and passe away which is in it; following the counsell of Galen, who teacheth three manner of waies to vse sowre and binding Apples and Peares, without ani [...] preiudicing of the health: the first way being to boile them in [...], that so they may get more moistnesse and softnesse: the second, to set them in the breath and vapour of boyling water, to moisten and ripen them: and the third [Page] being to cut them in the middest, and to take away their core, and in place thereof to put honey or sugar, and then afterward to roast them amongst the hot ashes. These kinds of Ciders are made principally of the Apples called small Ruddocke, of wild Apples, not grafted nor husbanded, of Apple Bequet, Rellet, and such other, hauing their coats diuersly spotted.

Ciders without all tastCiders without anie tast. become such by reason of their great waterishnesse, and are easily corrupted, and that not onely in their vessels, but also being drunken and vsed for drinke; and therefore there is no reckoning to be made of such.

As concer [...]ing Ciders hauing seuerall tasts,Ciders of mixt tast. as [...]ager and sweet, harsh and sweet, or anie such other medley; the eager sweet are much better and more wholsome than the harsh sweet, because they are not onely more pleasant, but also more speedily passing, piercing, and cutting, than the other; which by reason of their harshnesse, ioyned with some sweetnesse, and causing a thicknesse and heauinesse in them, abide and stay long about the principall parts, where they may cause crudities and manie obstructions.

As for the age and lasting of Ciders; such as are new made, and continue as yet troubled, not being fined, are not wholesome, and cannot be drunke without [...] vnto the stomacke, without head-ach, and an infinite companie of obstructions and other accidents, tedious to the health. For such as are verie sowre, and begin apace to turne tart and eager, they are not lesse hurtfull than the former, and therefore they must not be vsed but when they are well fined, and in their middleage, as wee see it obserued in wine.

As concerning the compounding of them; those are the best, most wholesome, and easiest to be digested, which are made of verie ripe Apples, gathered in due time, and not ouer-long kept, which are likewise made of one onely kind of Apples, or else of manie kinds, but either agreeing in tast; or else being of a a diuers tast, yet are such as may be tempered together, and make a more pleasant tast, than if they were alone and seuerall: as for example, if one should mingle amongst sweet Apples such as were eager and sharpe, such a medley would make a farre more pleasant Cider, and more profitable, than if either of the said sorts were alone. The Cider likewise that is made of Apples onely, is better than that which is made of Apples and Peares stamped and pressed together: better in like manner, and more wholesome, are those which are made without water, than that which is made with water, seeing water maketh it to lose his naturall tast, maketh it sowre and corrupt, and that it will not last or endure long: wherefore it is better not to mix any water at all with it when you make any, but rather at the time of drinking of it to dilay it, and powre in [...] water, if necessitie require it, and according as there shall be any of the occasions [...] mentioned.

The worst of the Ciders is that which is made of wild Apples, stampt and cast into a vessell with fountaine water in sufficient quantitie: and yet worse than this, is that which is made of the dros [...]e remaining of the first pressing: as that also which is only cast into a vessell with sufficient quantitie of water: Wherefore, seeing that Ciders, how pleasant and excellent soeuer they be, affoord no such nourishment vnto the bodie as is verie profitable for them, as we will handle more at large hereafter; hee tha [...] will be carefull of his health, shall vse none but the best Ciders. Wee will speake [...] gaine of the faculties of Cider in the sixt Booke, in the same place where wee [...] speake of the faculties of Wine.

How Perrie is made.

PErrie is made of diuers sorts of Peares: sometimes of rough, harsh, sowre, and wild ones, neuer husbanded, planted, grafted, or otherwise hauing had anie labour or paines taken with them: such Perrie will keepe long, euen three or fo [...]re yeares, and be better at the end than at the beginning: Sometimes of Garden, [...]ender, and delicate Peares, such as are the Eusebian and the Marie Peare, the [...], [Page] Hasting, Rimolt, Mollart, Greening, butter Peare, the laques du four Peare, the little the Conie Peare, the perplexed Peare, the Alablaster Peare, the two-headed Peare, the dew Peare, and the wood of Hierusalem: and such Perrie is pleasant for a certaine time, but after it is once come to be fiue moneths old, it becommeth void of all tast, and dead. The best and most excellent Perrie is made of little yellow waxe Peares, and such as haue beene throughly dres [...]ed and husbanded, as the little muske Peare, the two-headed Peare, the Peare, Robart, the fine gold Peare, Bargamo [...], Taho [...], Sq [...]e, and such other Peares, which haue a [...]ast and solide [...]lesh, and hard coat.

The A [...]iot Peare is commended aboue all the rest, whereof likewise is made the Perrie, called waxen Perrie, because it resembleth the colour of waxe, but which otherwise is called Car [...]sie, very pleasant and delightsome, but notwithstanding indifferent hard, and not so easie to be corrupted as the later. some doe also sometime [...] mingle diuers sorts of Peares together to make Perrie of. But of what sort of Peares soeuer the Perrie is made, the Peare-trees must be carefully and diligently husbanded and ordered, according to our former deliuered precepts, in what ground soeuer that the Peare-trees grow, as whether it be in Orchard, Garden, arable ground, or other such like, so that the said ground be such and so well seasoned as is requisite to bring [...]orth Peares in aboundance: and such as be good Peares, must be gathered to make Perrie of, some before Apples, and some after, with [...]udgels or poles: some when they are ripe, as the Amiot, the Tahou, and the Squire, and to breake and grind the same with a turning Mill-stone so [...]oone as they be gathered, in such manner as hath beene said of Apples. Othersome must be gathered before they be ripe, as the Peares of Grosmeuill, and others, which haue a hard flesh, rough cote, and are heauie, as those which by reason of their hardnesse and heauinesse cannot ripen well vpon the tree. Such as these are not to be employed to make Perrie of, till they haue layne to ripen and mellow, that so they may become the tendrer and softer, to get the greater quantitie of iuice out of them.

Whether they be Peares to be gathered early or late, pressed they must be, and the like implements and meanes vsed about them in making the Perrie, that were vsed in the making of Cider: for after the same manner must you proceed, in sometimes mingling water with it, when there is need, as also in the manner of the vsing of it in the working, boyling, and purging of it, in the tunning of it vp into vessels, in appointing it a place to be kept in, in the gouerning of it, and such other necessarie care for the defending of it from all th [...]ngs that might hurt it, and that it is subiect vnto, euen in as great measure, or rather greater, than you vsed about Cider, especially in respect of the cold and frost, which Perrie cannot in anie sort endure: insomuch, as that all Winter long you must keepe the windows of the cellar or caue vnder ground where it lyeth, close shut, and well stopped with straw, or some such other thing, to driue away the cold: besides that, Perrie is not so good for keeping as Cider is, except it be the Carisie, or that which is made of the Peare Grosmeuill, or such other Peares as haue a hard flesh and skinne, the Perrie whereof may be kept two yeares vndrawne, and after they be pierced or drawne of, six weekes, foreseene they be will ordered and gouerned. Perrie maketh as great, yea greater setling then Cider, whereof you must [...]ree the vessell presently after the Perrie is drawne forth, for otherwise there will breed an infinite number of wormes in the vessell, which will infect it. The good house-holders doe make a sort of Perrie for the household, of the drosse of the Peares comming from pressing, and that by casting of them into some vessell with su [...]icient quantitie of fountaine water. Some others cast away the said drosse, as a thing altogether vnprofitable. In all other things Perrie is to be ordered after the [...]anner of Cider.

The faculties and qualities of PerrieThe vertues a [...] Perrie. must be considered of and weighed in such manner as we haue said of Cider, that is, by his tast, age, and making. The tast of the Perrie dependeth for the most part of the rellish of the Peares out of which it is pressed, and those are either sweet, or sowre, or harsh, or of mixt tasts, or else altogether [Page] without tast, according to which rellishes you are to find out the vertues and qualities of Perrie, following such forme and manner as we haue largely laid downe in the handling of Cider. It is true, that to speake particularly of the good qualities of Perries, the most wholesome, profitable, and of best iuice, are tho [...]e which are made of the Peares called the waxen Peares, the same being pressed out in the Summer time, and foreseene also that it be drunken so soone as it is fined, because it is not to be kept, being a verie delicate and tender iuice, and therefore apt to corrupt easily and verie soone. Next vnto this in goodnesse is the Perrie made of Peare Robart, and Muscadel Peares, prouided that they be drunken also so soone as they be well fined, and their lees setled, but then also they must be drunke with water, and but in a reasonable and meane quantitie, for otherwise by the piercing smell and subtilnesse thereof it causeth great paine of the head oftentimes. The Perrie called Carisie, or made of the Kersey Peare, though it be one of the best and most excellent, and of those which are last pressed, is yet to be drunke after it is well fined in a mediocritie, and allayed with water, to represse the fuming smell of the same, which easily would take hold of the braine. There is no cause why you should greatly esteeme, in respect of your health, of the Perries which are pressed out of wild Peares, and all such as are vnhusbanded, vntamed, of a sharpe tast, fat, reddish, or of those which are pressed [...] of diuers sorts of Peares, not agreeing together either in tast, or otherwise, neither yet of such as are made of Apples and Peares mingled and pressed together; as neither of that Perrie which is newly put vp into the vessels, and not fined▪ or that which had water mixt with it when it was made; or that which is made of the Peare called the Wood-Peare, being stampt and put into vessels with a sufficient quantitie of water. To be short, whatsoeuer we haue [...]aid of Cider, it may be applyed vnto Perrie for the most part: and yet notwithstanding all this, we are not to confesse the Perrie to be anie whit inferior vnto Cider: for although in some Countries, as in Britaine and Normandie, they make speciall account of Cider, and doe more esteeme of it both for the tast, lasting, aboundance, and profit thereof, than they doe of Perrie; notwithstanding, if necessitie should driue a man to conferre the one iuice with the other, comparing the sweet Ciders with the sweet Perries, the sowre with the sowre, the sharpe with the sharpe, and the mixt tasts with the mixt tasts, it would be [...]asie to iudge, that the Perrie is more wholesome and profitable for the stomacke and whole bodie, than the Cider: for besides the astringent, binding, strengthening, and corroboratiue vertue that it hath to benefit the stomacke withall, and that comming from his terrestrious and earthie temperature, which all sorts of Peares doe most consist of, whether they be sweet or sowre, rough, or otherwise rellished; there is yet further in the Perrie a certaine secret and vnspeakeable vertue for the ouer-comming of poyson, and principally the venime engendred in the stomacke by eating of Mushrome [...], which indeed is the Perries naturall qualitie, as left it of the Peares from which it is pressed, Againe, wee see by experience, that the vse of the Peares is euerie where more commended than the vse of the Apples, and that for this cause there is more carefull heed and charge enioyned for the keeping of the Peares than of the Apples, as those which for that cause are wont to be preserued in sugar or honey. They are also dried in the Sunne, dried in the Ouen, and made vp in composition to serue in time and place. It is true that Cider moisteneth more than Perrie: but in recompence of tha [...], the Perrie doth relieue and refresh a man more, and in cooling of him, [...] withall, saue that it stirreth vp more o [...]t the paine of the bellie and the collicke [...] Cider doth, especially the sowre or harsh Perrie, in such as are subiect vnto the collicke; and the cause is, for that it passeth not away so speedily by vrine through the bellie, but stayeth longer time in the stomacke, and about the principall parts, than Cider doth, as wee haue declared in the Treatise of the Peare: For which cause, it is better to drinke of it at the end of meat, than at the beginning, so that the partie haue not anie vomiting, or flux of the bellie; following the coussaile of Dioscorides, who sayth, That Peares eaten fasting bring harme and iconuenience.

[Page] Loe here, in my opinion, what wee are to iudge of the qualities of Cider and Perrie, as well in particular, as in comparing of the one with the other.

It remaineth, that we examine what kind of drinke the Perrie and Cider are, and whether there be anie such excellent qualitie in them as may match them and make them equall with Wine, that so famous and highly esteemed drink [...], seeing that a Physitian of our time could not content himselfe with matching of them together, but went further, and preferred them before Wine in euerie thing: but this might happen (possibly) by his being more affected towards his Country, or by being carried away with a paradoxicall iudgement, than vpon any sinc [...]re mind to find out the truth of things. But for the deciding of this controuersie, we haue thought good to set downe our iudgement thereof in our Booke, written in Latine, and entituled De Salubri Di [...]a, that so wee may not in this place passe the limits of our Far [...] and Countrey house.

The making of Ceruise drinke.

CEruises must be gathered when they are halfe ripe, euen so soone as you espi [...] anie of them to fall from the tree: Suffer them not to mellow and ripen, except it be a verie little, for when they be throughly ripe, they are not worth a farthing to presse out to make drinke of. You must breake them lightly in the trough of the Presser, let the iuice worke together in the fat, after it is prest, and when it hath wrought, tunne it vp, and lay it in some cellar, or caue, and keepe it long; for the Ceruise drinke the longer it is kept, the better it is. You shall know his goodnesse, by his hauing lost his sharpenesse and vnpleasantnesse, and turned the same into the tast of Wine which is of a white colour: Or if you will not stay the full ripenesse thereof, then dilay it with sufficient quantitie of Fountaine water, when you will drinke it.

This drinke, though it be the first of that kind that was put in practise, as the patterne after which all other sorts of Fruit-drinkes haue beene made, and of which, [...]nd not of anie moe, Virgil maketh mention in his Georgickes▪ notwithstanding, [...] is so cold a friend vnto the health, as that it is not to be much set by. It is veri [...] [...]rue that for want of other remedies, in case of necessitie, the Countrey-man may [...]erue himselfe with this Wine, when hee findeth himselfe heauily oppressed with [...]he flux of the bellie, whether it be that which is called the bloudie flux, or ani [...] other kind thereof.

Drinke made of Sloes.

THe good Householders of the low Countries of Normandie, being such a [...] will not loose anie thing, and thereupon being more carefull to g [...]t goods, [...]han to keepe their health▪ so soone as Autumne is come, cause to be gathered by [...]heir people great quantitie of Sloes, whether they be ripe, or not: which done, [...]hey powre them into certaine Vessels with sufficient quantitie of water, and stop [...]p the Vessels, without touching of them. Before a moneth be at an end, this wa [...]er thus infused doth represent the colour and tast of a sharpe, vnpleasant, and [...]ild Wine, which notwithstanding serueth the thirstie Labourers and Hindes of [...]hat Countrey to quench their thirst withall in the great heat of burning Agues. This drinke is called Piquette.

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CHAP. L.
Of pr [...]seruing of Fruits.

FOr to make Marmalade,Marmalade. prouide your Quinces verie ripe and yellow, make them cleane, and the seedes taken out, boile them in fresh water in some Skillet, so long, as till they begin to open and burst (if you thinke it not better to cut them in quarters:) afterward force them through some S [...]arce or Strainer that is verie close and cleane, and so long, as till nothing remaine but the grosse parts: to eight pound of pulpe thus passed and forced through, put three pound of fine powdred Sugar, boiling them together at a little coale fire, mixe them well by stirring them diligently with a broad spatule of wood, and let that your boiling continue till they be sufficiently boiled; which is, when you see that it leaueth altogether to cleaue vnto or hang vpon the sides of the vessell, as being the verie marke of the perfect and sufficient boiling. If you be disposed to put any spice into it, as Cinnamon, Cloues, Nutmegs, and Ginger, you must doe it in the end of the boiling of them, and then also stirre it well about with the spatule. After the same manner you may preserue or make Marmalade of Peaches, Peares, and other fruits.

Yet there is another Marmalade which is made of Oranges,Marmalede of Oranges, Lim [...]s, or Citrons. which desireth a great deale of more curiositie in the working, and is exceeding pleasant to tast, and indeed more wholesome than anie other Marmalade whatsoeuer, especially for those which are sicke and weake: for it fortifieth the stomacke, and encreaseth appetite, it expelleth wind, and comforteth the vitall spirits. This Marmalade of Oranges is made in this manner: Take of the fairest and best Oranges you can get, not those which are called Ciuill, and haue a sweet tast, but those which are of a cleere, high, and bright colour, and are sowre in tast: then with a very sharpe knife pare away the vpper yellow rinde, I doe not meane to the white, but so exceeding thinne as is possible, taking away (as it were) but onely the smooth thinne skinne, and leauing the Orange as yellow as before, onely looking a little more blanke and rough: this done, you shall by them in faire running water, pressing them so downe, that they may be all couerted ouer with the water: then at the end of euerie fiue houres shift them into fresh water, till (hauing layne full fiue or six houres in each of them) you cannot tast anie bi [...]ernesse in the water, but that it is sweet and pleasant as when it came out of the Fo [...] taine, then you may be assured that they are steept ynough; so that then you shall take them forth of the water, and drie them with a fine cleane cloth: then to euerie pound of Oranges you shall take a pound of refined Sugar well beaten and [...]earced, and six or eight spoonefuls of Damaske-Rose-water, and in the same you shall boil [...] the Oranges till they burst, and become like vnto pappe, or pulpe, which you shall the more occasion, by continually stirring them with a spoone or spatule: then when they are fully broken ynough, you shall take them from the fire, and presently strain [...] them through a cleane Strainer into your boxes, and so let them coole and stiffen. I [...] this sort you may make Marmalade of Limons, Citrons, or anie other whole [...], whose rinde is bitter, or vnpleasant. You may also, after this manner, preserue other Oranges, Limons, Citrons, or anie other such like fruit, obseruing not to let them boile vntill they breake, but keeping them in a verie moderate and gentle temper.

If you would make a laxatiue Marmalade, such as they vse at Lyons, looke into the 26. Chapter of this Booke.

To make good and excellent Gellie of Quinces,To make gellie of Quinces. cleanse your Quinces that [...] verie ripe and yellow, taking out of them their kernels, them cut them in small quarters, without paring of them, for the skinne doth encrease the smell: whiles you are thus making of them cleane, and cutting them in quarters, cast them presently into a [Page] basin full of vvater: for if they be not cast into vvater so soone as they be thus chopt in peeces, they vvill become blacke: boyle them in a great quantitie of water, vntill such time as they be almost become like pap meat: vvhen they are sufficiently boyled strayne this water through a new linnen cloth that is good and thicke, and that euen all the decoction, and so strongly as possibly you can. To this decoction thus strained, adde the fourth part of fine sugar: cause all to boyle vpon a reasonable coale fire, so long as till in the end you perceiue it verie neere perfectly boyled, then make a small fire, that so it may not burne to the sides, for that would make the gelly to be of an euill colour: and you shall know when it is perfectly boyled, if you find it cleauing like glue vnto the oyle, and therefore you must then put it in boxes.

To preserue Walnuts:To preserue Wa [...]nuts. Gather vvalnuts whiles they are small, tender and greene vvith their rinde and all, and make many small holes therein, and after lay them to sleepe in vvater eleuen or twelue dayes, more or lesse, cleanse then from the skinne that lyeth vpon the shell, vvithout shaling of them, and boyle them in clarified Sugar a long time, still putting vnto them more and more clarified Sugar, because the long boyling vvill make great vvaste: in the end put them into vessells with cloues, ginger, and cinnamome, but lesse of cloues than of any of the rest, because they would make them ouer bitter. Another vvay to preserue them, is to take greene Walnuts about the moneth of May, or of Iune, before that their pilling become hard, pill them, and let them steepe nine dayes (more or lesse according as you shall perceiue them to become tender) in pure water, vvhich must be changed euerie day three or foure times: boyle them yet afterward to make them more tender: being boyled, drie them in the shadow of the Sunne, or vvipe them drie with a linnen cloth, afterward pricke them with cinnamome and cloues: In the end, set them a boyling in clarified sugar, so long till the sugar be boyled vp to the consistence of a sirope, afterward put them in tinne or earthen vessells made for the purpose, together vvith the sirope vvherein they were boyled. Others doe them otherwise: They gather the Walnut whiles it is greene, they pricke it vpon a spindle or some such like instrument of wood, not of yron (for yron vvould make it more blacke) and let it steepe in water often changed, and then boyle it till it be tender: being tender, they cast it by and by into verie cleane cold water: being cooled, they cleanse it from a little skin which sheweth it selfe aboue the shell, and drie it with a linnen cloth, and finally, pricke it about with cloues and cinnamome: they put it thus in vessells, and couer it with sirope to keepe it in: if it happen that after some small time the sirope become too thin, then they boyle it againe, and put it againe into the vessell: this is the way to keepe walnuts alwaies greene, according to their naturall colour.Cute wine to b [...] vsed in steed of hony or sugar. In steed of sugar or honie to make liquid preserues, you may for need vse cute, such as we will intreat of in the fi [...]t Booke: vvhich cute or boyled vvine is of no lesse sweetnesse and goodnesse than honie or sugar.

To preserue pills of Cytrons or Oranges:Preserues of Orange pills. chuse great pills of Cytrons or of Oranges, or of Assyrian Cytrons cut in foure or six peeces, cleanse th [...]m from their inward skin and pippins, steepe them in cleare vvater for the space of nine daies, changing the water the fifth day: vvhen the nine daies are past, put them againe in cleare vvater to steepe vntill they become sweet, and haue lost their bitternesse, and withall appeare cleare and transparent, which is a signe of their sufficient watering: afterward, boyle them in a vessel of brasse that is cleane, or in a leaden ves [...]el so long as til they be tender; vvhen they haue cast out all their waterishnesse, put them to steepe in a Iu [...]lep made of one part of sugar, and three of water, for the space of foure and twentie houres, afterward make them to boyle at a little fire so much as is sufficient: take them out of the Iulep, and put them in a glasse vessell, and putting vpon them the Iulep of Rose-vvater thicke ynough of consistence, that so it may affoord them as it vvere a crust, you may if you vvill aromatize them with a little Amber and Muske.

To preserue whole Peaches,The preseru [...] o [...] Peaches. you must pill them and cleanse them as carefully as may be, and after boyle them whole or cut in quarters, in a sufficient thin Iulep, not to [Page] boile them to the full, but onely to boile out their waterishnesse, wherewith they abound: and then after this, in a better boiled Iulep to boile them vp to the full, till they be become through tender and soft: and finally, to put them vp into some ea [...] then vessell, and to couer them with the sirrup wherein they haue boyled. For their longer keeping,Preserued Abricots. you may aromatize them with Cinnamon or Muske. This manner of preseruing of whole Peaches, is generall for the preseruing of all other grosse fruits,Small Peaches. as Peares,Peares. Quinces, Apples,Apples. Abricots, small Peaches, and timely Peaches.Timely Peaches.

To preserue Cherries,To preserue Cherries, Ceruiser, Gooseberries, &c. you must chuse the fairest sowre Cherries that you can, full ripe (for if they be not full ripe, in boiling them toward the end, you shall find nothing but skinne and bone) cutting off their starts at the halfe, and afterward boile them in their owne iuice with sugar, in such proportion, as that for euerie pound of Cherries you haue halfe a pound of sugar, taking away the s [...]umme still as it shall rise in boiling of them: when they shall be sufficiently boiled, you must put them in glasse vessels, and powre vpon them the sirrup wherein they haue boiled: notwithstanding, if the sirrup should still seeme waterish, boile it more perfectly. Otherwise, and better: put apart some quantitie of your said sowre Cherries which you shall presse to haue a sufficient quantitie of iuice: in this iuice so soone as you haue pressed it out, melt your sugar, and (not in anie other liquor) boile them together presently, and in boiling, scumme them: when the iuice is well scummed, clarified, and become red, without taking it from the fire, or making it loose his boiling, put the Cherries thereinto to boile, as long as needeth, without anie stirring of them, but looking well to the scumming of them with a spatule: stirre them not from off the fire vntill they be perfectly boiled, and that you shall discerne, if you see the sirrup dropt vpon a trencher to fall into drops that doe not spread abroad, for then it is exactly boiled: and you must put vp your Cherries into their glasse vessels good and hot for to be kept. In this manner you shall preserue Plums, Ceruises, Gooseberries, and such other small fruits.

For the preseruing of Barberries,To preserue Barberries. you shall take the fairest and goodliest bunches of Barberries that you can find, being gotten verie drie from the tops of the trees, and as neere as you can from the Sunne side thereof, being fully ripe, and of one entire colour: then with a pinne or needle you shall open the side, and pick out all the stones or kernels from the same: then to euerie bare pound of these Barberries thus stoned, you shall take a pound downe weight of fine sugar well beaten and searced, and so boile them on a gentle charcoale fire, till the sirrup be thicke: then let them coole, and afterward pot them vp, being sure to couer them all ouer with the sirrup. But if you intend to make Conserue of them,Of Conserue. then you shall not need to stone them, but onely picke them cleane from their branches, taking all the sound berries, and casting away all that are vnsound or spotted, and so boile them in their sugar ouer a hot fire vntill they burst, stirring them continually with a spatule of wood or steele made for the purpose: and then straine them through a strainer, not exceeding fine, and squeese them so soone as is possible: then being cooled, pot it vp, and vse it as you shall haue necessarie occasion. This Conserue is most excellent against burning feauers, or other pestilent diseases, growing from inflammation or corruption of the bloud: it comforteth the stomack, and begets an appetite: it cheareth all the spirits: and being drunke in Iuleps, bringeth the bloud to his true qualitie, and taketh away all thirst, inflammation, or roughnesse in the throat or mouth: it is also good for anie heat in the liuer.

For to haue paste of Plums: first boile the Plums with a little water,Past of Plums and other fruits stirring them oftentimes, that they may not burne too: afterward straine and force them through a s [...]arce, and weigh them, that so you may put thereto for euerie pound foure ounces of sugar: set all vpon the fire to boile againe, and stirre them well, not giuing ouer vntill all the scumme be consumed and spent: which done, make them readie as they are where you will: afterward lay them in the Sunne to drie three daies, and then shut them vp: and in case that they grow moist, or that there spring forth anie water out of [Page] them, you must lay them in the Sunne againe. This patterne of making this paste, may serue generally for the making of paste of anie other fruits, as Peares, Apples, Cherries, and Peaches, saue that you must haue respect vnto the quantitie of Sugar, which shall be more or lesse, according to the more or lesse moistnesse of the fruits which you are determined to make vp in paste.

To keepe Peaches, or other fruits: take Peaches,To keepe Peaches and other fruits. or other fruits which you would keepe, when it is faire weather and drie, and opening them in the middest, take out the stone: then lay them all one day to drie in the Sunne, or in an Ouen after that the bread is drawne out: afterward take sugar well boiled and purified, and annoint them ouer, and lay them againe the day following in the Sunne, and so annoint them ouer againe, and so oft as they shall drie, and vntill they haue gotten a sufficient crust, and after keepe them at your pleasure.

To make Oliues readie against a day: Take greene Oliues,To keepe Oliues. and cut off a little from the one side, after lay them in water with lime and good sifted ashes (but take withall, that you must haue twice so manie ashes as lime, and let them steepe in that sort the space of 24. houres:) after you shall take them out, and wash them foure or fiue times in warme water: afterward you shal put them in a stone or glasse vessell with salt water, and this you shall change euerie three moneths, and mingle amongst them common Thyme, wild Thyme, Anniseed, or the ribbes and boughes of Fennell: and thus you may keepe them a long time.

To preserue Oliues: lay white Oliues to steepe six daies in a vessell of Sea-water,The preserue of Oliue. and vpon them powre the iuice of Grapes as it commeth from the presse, but fill not the vessell too full, to the end that the sweet wine, when it shall boile, doe not shed ouer, and when it hath boiled, you must stop the vessell: Some doe put a handfull of salt in first, and after it the Must of new wine, and last the Oliues, and when the new [...]ine hath boiled, they stop vp the vessell: Otherwise, drie them in the shadow, in a place that is open for the wind to enter, then put them vp in an earthen vessell filled with honey, mixing therewithall some Spices.

Filberds or small Hasel-Nuts may be preserued two seuerall waies,To preseru [...] Fi [...] berds, or small Nuts. that is to say, either in the shell, or without, by the kernell onely. To preserue them in the shell, and to haue them verie full, large, and pleasant in tast, you shall take a large earthen pot, as wide in the bottome as at the mouth, and then first lay therein a pretie thicke layre of Nuts, and then strew vpon them a handfull of Bay salt, then lay another layre of Nuts and an handfull of Bay salt, and thus doe layre vpon layre, till you haue filled the pot vp to the top: then couer it with leather & parchment exceeding close: which done, lay a smooth stone on the top of it, and then dig a hole in the earth in some drie vault or cellar, and set the pot therein, and couer it all ouer with the earth, and this wil keepe them all the yeare, or diuers yeares, in as good strength, fulnesse, and sweetnesse, as if they were but newly gotten from the trees. Some vse only to burie these pots thus filled in red or yellow sand: and some vse not to burie them at all, but to keepe them in a low, coole, and moist vault: and surely anie will doe will, but the first is the best, and maketh them most full, and to haue the pleasantest rellish. But if you would preserue them without the shels in the kernels only, then you shall open them, and pick off the vpper red hull or skin, and in all points doe to them as was taught you before for the Walnut.

To make Quince-cakes thin, and as it were almost transparent,Quince-cakes▪ you shall take your Quinces and pare them, and cut them in slices from the chore, then take weight for weight of refined sugar beaten and well searced, and onely moistened with Damaske Rosewater, and in it boile your Quinces till it be thick, and then take it forth, and drie it vpon a flat place-dish ouerasoft fire, not leauing to stirre it with a spoone or slice till it be hard: then put it into a stone-mortar, and beat it very well, and if you find that it wanteth sugar, then as you beat it, strew in more sugar, till it haue the tast you desire: then being come to a paste, take it out of the mortar, and rowle it forth into verie thin [...]akes, and so print it: and in this manner you may make thin cakes of anie manner of fruit you please whatsoeuer.

[Page] If you will make your Pastes, Cakes, Marmalades, Preserues, or Conserues of diuers colours,Diuersitie of colours. as red, vvhite, or betweene both; you shall doe as followeth a first, if you vvill haue your paste or marmalade red, you shall take your Quinces, Apples, Peares, Oranges, or what other fruit you please, and after you haue pa [...]ed or ri [...]ed them, you shall cut them in halfes, and chore such as are to be chored, then take weight for weight of refined sugar, and to euerie pound of sugar a quart of faire running water, and boyle them in the same ouer a verie soft fire, and turne them ouer many times, and couer them verie close with a pewter-dish obseruing euer, that the longer they are in boyling, the better and more ruddie will the colour be▪ then when they be soft, take your knife and cut them crosse ouer the tops, that the sirrop may pas [...]e through them, and make the colour entire, then take vp some of the sirrop and coole it vpon a sawcer, and when you see it begin to be thick, then breake your Quinces with a slice, or a spoone, as small as is possible, then straine it, and boxe it after you haue strewed sugar in the boxes: or if you will haue it in paste or cakes, then vse it as is before said of the Quince cakes, and so mould it, and roll it forth: Now if you will haue it of a pure white colour, you must in all points vse your Quinces, Apples, Peares, Oranges, or other fruit, as is beforesaid, onely you must take but to euerie pound of Sugar a pint of water, and you must boile them as fast as is possible, and not couer them at all, but suffer the ayre to passe away as freely as may be. Now if you will haue it of a carnation, or more pale colour, then you shall take a pint and a halfe of water to a pound of Sugar, and a pound of Fruit, and you shall so couer it with a Pewter dish, that at one corner of the same a little of the ayre or smoake may pas [...]e away, and no more: and thus obserue, that the more ayre you suffer to goe away, the paler the colour will be: and in this case you shall neyther suffer it to boile exceeding fast, nor verie slow, but of a temperate and indifferent manner.

If you will make artificiall Cinnamon stickes.Cinnamon sticks. so like vnto the true Cinnamon it selfe, that the one can hardly be iudged from the other, and yet the counterfeit to be a most delicate and pleasant sweet meat, and wholesome and soueraigne to be eaten: you shall take an ounce of the best Cinnamon, from which no water hath by anie meanes beene extracted, and beat it into verie fine powder, well fearced: then take halfe a pound of refined Sugar also well beaten and searced, and mixe them verie well together: then take gumme Dragon the quantitie of a Hasel Nut, and s [...]eepe it in Rose-water, so as it may be thicke and verie glewie: then with it temper the Cinnamon and Rose-water, till you bring it to a fine paste: then worke it out with your hand, after that rowle it forth with your Rowling-Pinne, then print it, and lastly, fold it vp in the same manner that you see a Cinnamon sticke is folded vp. Now, if where you dissolue your gumme Dragon, you also dissolue with the same a graine or two of fat Muske, and also twice as much Ambergreece, it will be a great deale the better, and adde more pleasantnesse and delicacie of smell vnto the stickes.

To make Conserue generally of anie fruit whatsoeuer you please,Conserue of fruits. either sweet or sowre, you shall take the fruit you intend to make Conserue of, and if it be stone fruit, you shall take out the stones; if other fruit, take away the chore, parings▪ and seedes, and then boile them in faire running water, to an indifferent good height: which done, you shall draine them away from the same, and put them into another cleane Vessell, either with white Wine, or claret Wine, according vnto the colour of the fruit which you conserue: and then boile them to a thicke pappe, breaking them with a Slice, or Spatule, as they boile, vntill all be brought into one substance: then vnto euerie bare pound of pulpe, if the fruit thereof be sweet, you shall take a bare pound of refined Sugar, beaten to fine powder: but if it be sowr [...] fruit, as Cherries, Gooseberries, Barberries, Bulleys, Sloes, and such like, then vnto euerie bare pound of pulpe, you shall take a pound downe weight of refined Sugar in powder, and so stirre the Sugar and the pulpe verie well together vpon the fire: then taking it from the same, you must immediately, hot as it is, straine [Page] it through a middle strainer cleane washed, and so letting it coole, then you may pot it vp.

But if you will make Conserue of Flowers,Conserue of flowers. Hearbes, Leaues, or such like; as are Roset, Violets, Gilloflowers, Mints, Basill, and such like: then you shall take the flowers or leaues from their stalkes, and with a paire of sheeres cut away the tippes of the vpper ends of them, and the white ends at the roots thereof, leauing nothing but the heart and middle part thereof: which done, you shall put them into a stone Mortar, or into a rowling Mill, or woodden Brake, and there crush, grind, or bruise them, till they come to a [...]oft substance, and be so like vnto a soft pulpe, that no part of the leaues or flowers may be discerned: then to euerie pound of that pulpe, as was before said, take a pound of refined sugar, beaten and searced into fine powder, giuing the sweeter the lesse, and the sowre the more, and so beat them exceedingly well together, till the sugar be generally dispersed, and then pot it vp, and keepe it for your occasions.

If you will make an excellent Leach of Dates,Leath of Date [...]. you shall take your Dates, and opening of them, take forth their stone, and the innermost white rind, and beat them in a stone Mortar with Sugar, Cinnamon, and Ginger, till they be well incorporated together: then take it forth of the Mortar, and worke it like a piece of paste, and then rowle them forth, and print them: and either serue them moist, or drie them in a stoou [...], for either kind is excellent.

CHAP. LI.
The manner of making of Oyles: that there are three sorts of preparing of Oyles, and how you must make Oyle Oliue.

INtreating in the second Booke of the Oliue-tree, wee promised a briefe discourse of the making of Oyles, a thing certainely verie profitable for our Countrey House, in as much as Oyle is no lesse profitable for mans life, nor of lesse fruit and encrease vnto a good husband, than Wine: then it shall not be from the matter, if (after wee haue spoken largely of Gardens and Orchards, and especially of the ordering of Oliue-trees, and other hearbes and trees whereof Oyles are prepared) we briefely doe specifie the waies of making of Oyles.

And to say something of Oyle in generall, Oyle may be made three waies: The first, by expression, which is most common, and the chiefest amongst the rest: The second, by impression: and the third, by distillation or resolution, after the manner of distilled waters: Wee will onely speake of the two first in this place, reseruing the third for the Discourse which wee intend to make concerning Distillations in this Booke; although, in verie deed, wee haue not purposely resolued to speake exactly of the making of Oyles, because it is a thing that properly belongeth not to the Husbandman, or his Hinde, but onely vnto a good Apothecarie.

To speake then first of Oyle which is most vsefull and seruiceable for the Husbandman, because it not onely benefiteth himselfe and his familie,Oyle of Oats. but also cureth his cattell of all manner of dangerous and corrupt diseases: you shall vnderstand, that it is the Oyle of Oats, which may be made either by expression, impression, or distillation: yet for your greater ease and readinesse, to haue it vpon anie suddaine occasion, you shall make it in this manner: First, you shall take halfe a pecke, or a quarter of a pecke, of the goodliest, best, and fullest Oates you can procure, of which, the whitest are the best, and these you shall hull and breake from their huskes [Page] as cleane as is possible: then take a pottle or three quarts of new milke, and setting it vpon the fire, as soone as it is readie to seeth, you shall put into it halfe a pound of Allome beaten to powder, and stirre it about, and so let it stand an houre or two, in which time it will gather vnto a curd: then with your hands you shall presse downe the curd into the bottome of the Vessell, and then straine the Whay from it into another cleane Vessell, and presse the curd verie much, not leauing anie Whay in it that you can wring forth: then take that Whay, and put your Oates therein, and set it ouer a verie quicke fire, and boile it vntill you see the Oates breake, or be as soft as pappe: then take it from the fire, and powre it gently into a small Cullender, so as the Whay may softly draine from the same, without anie force or pressing at all: then when it hath almost left dropping, take a cleane Frying-panne, and put the Oates therein, and hold it ouer a gentle fire so long, as you shall see the smoake of the Oates ascend vpward: but so soone as you perceiue the smoake to stymmer or runne about the edges of the panne, you shall forthwith put the Oates into a fine cleane bagge of soft old Linnen, or Boulter, and so lay it into the Oyle-presse, and presse it with all the strength you can, and that which runneth from the same, is the Oyle thereof, which you shall receiue into a Glasse-vessell, and keepe it close and well stopped vp. In this manner, and with this Whay, you may also extract Oyle from anie hard substance either of Trees, Seedes, Leaues, Flowers, Graines, or what else soeuer, which hath anie concealed moisture remayning within it.

This Oyle of Oates is most excellent for the smoothing of the skinne, and taking away of itch, scabbe, or little pustules about the bodies of men or children: It also purgeth most gently and sweetly, and expelleth out of the bodie all manner of venimous and infectiue humours: it is also verie soueraigne against the stone or difficultie of vrine, being drunke with white Wine and a corroded Nu [...]meg: Also it feedeth much, and maketh a man strong and Iustie. It is most soueraigne for anie inward disease in Cattell, or anie surfet taken by too violent labour: but especially it cureth all inward diseases in Horses, being giuen either with Beere, Ale, or Wine: but aboue the rest, it cureth the Glaunders, mourning of the Chyne, consumption of the Liuer, or rottennesse in the Lungs: and as it cureth these inward diseases, so also being inwardly taken (as aforesaid) it cureth all outward grieuances which come of inward corruption, as the Farcie, Maungie, Scabbe, Leprosie, Hidebound, the euill habit of the bodie, and such like. And as for this manner of [...]aking of Oyles, although it be precisely none of the three wayes before rehearsed, but somewhat more grosse, yet seeing at [...]auoureth of the two first, which is expression and impression, and being so readie, perfect, and easie a thing for anie man practise, it is no lesse to be embraced than anie of the other: for there is no place nor no necessitie void of those helpes and furtherances which are needfull in this Worke.

The manner of making of Oyles by expression,Oy [...]e by expression belongeth not onely to Oliues, but also to manie other fruits and seedes, as common Nuts, Almonds, Nutmegs, Line-seed Hempe-seed, and such other, whereof we will speake hereafter. Notwithstanding, in as much as the Oliue doth yeeld more Oyle than anie other fruit or seed, it hath deserued the name of excellencie aboue all the rest▪ for the fat and vnctuous liquors of other fruits and seedes are not like to haue anie other name bestowed vpon them,Oyle the proper name of the liquor of Ol [...]es. than that which of right appertaineth vnto the liquor which is pressed out of the Oliue: for which reason, when we speake of the Oyle of the Oliue, we onely say, Oyle▪ but when we make mention of other Oyles, we adde the name of the fruit or seed whereout it was pressed▪ as Oyle of Nutmegs, Oyle of sweet Almonds, and so of the rest: Wherefore we will begin to describe the manner and fashion of making the Oyle of Oliues.

When therefore you haue first gathered your Oliues,What is necessarie before the making of the Oyle. and disposed of them in such manner as we haue spoken of in our second Booke, entreating of the Oliue-tree, consider diligently, if the place where the Oyle is to be pressed and made, be furnished [Page] of all necessarie things, that is to say, of fats or vessells to put your diuers sorts of oyles in: of scoopes of yron, to draw and emptie out the oyles: couers to couer the vessells; great and small spunges: pots to carrie out the oyle in bands and cordes of hempe and broome barkes, and of many other things which must be prepared and made readie befo [...]e you come to the making of the oyle, in like manner as is vsed before the gathering of grapes. The milstones,Milstones. Oyle mills. Pressers. oyle mills, and pressers must be cleane, as all the rest of the instruments seruing to make oyle: you must likewise haue made sufficient prouision of vvood to make good fires, therby to cha [...]e and heat the roome a good vvhile before hand, vvhere the oyle shall be pressed, if so be it be not warmes ynough by his naturall situation: for all oylie liquors doe dissolue and run the more freely by the helpe of heat, as they do keepe in and cease to depart through cold. And for this cause it were requisite that your presser stood vpon the light and clearenesse of the South Sun,The South Sun necessarie for the oyle presser. that so you may stand the lesse in need of fire and candle, when you goe about the pressing out of your oyle.

All these things thus prepared, cause your seruants and vvorkmen to cull out and cleanse your oliues: when they are cleane, let them be carried forthwith to the pres [...]e, vnder vvhich they shall put them vvhole in new Willow basket (for the Willow giueth great beautie vnto the oyle) to the end they may be pressed with as much leasure,The Willon graceth the co [...]our of the oyle. and as softly as may be. It is true that it would be good before they were put vnder the presse to haue them troden vvith feet▪ in as much as the oyle t [...]oden vvith the feet is alwaies better, sweeter, clearer, and more delightsome to eat in salades, than that vvhich is pressed out: but seeing the treading of them is harder to doe than to presse them, the common making of oyle is in the presse: vvherefore before you put your oliues vnder the presse, it will not be amisse to breake their skinne and flesh with turning milstones, and that but gently, to the end that the kernell which spoyleth and corrupteth the taste of the oyle be not stirred: and afterward to soften and grind them most strongly in the presse, putting in thereto of salt foure pound to euerie bushell of oliues, and after to presse the bones or stones of the oliues by themselues. He that shall emptie the oyle out of the vessell vvhereinto it runneth from the presse, shall make three sorts of oyle,Three forts of oils of ol [...]e. seperating so many one from another: for it would be great losse to mingle the first pressing with the second, but yet more to mingle it with the third, because that that which runneth from the presse being yet scarce strayned or moued, is of a farre better taste than the second, and is called Virgines oyle,Virgins oyle. being verie beautifull and goodly, and sit for to vse with meat: the second being fitter for oyntments, and such other like vses: and the third for to burne in lampes. And yet further it will be verie good when the oyle shall be a little setled in his tups, to powre it out of them into others: for the more that oyle is ayred and stirred, so much the more cleare it is, and without lees.

The tunnes and vess [...]lls wherein the oyle is to be put, must be well dressed with pitch and gumme,Vessells for oyl [...] made verie cleane (if they be old) with warme lee, and dried with a spunge, receiuing the oyle not till thirtie daies after that it is made, that is to say, [...] the time when the lees are fallen to the bottome: in like manner the vessells and sackes of Goats haire must be well mended for the receiuing of the oyle into them, according to the manner which we haue set downe in the first Booke, in the Chapter of the Goat-keeper.

The cellar where the vessells for oyle are to be set,Oyle-cellars. shall be in some cold place; for as all liquors doe dissolue and become more fluent by heat; so they keepe fast and close in, and s [...]ay their courses by the working of cold: and so oyle of it selfe is kept verie well in a cold and drie place, because heat and moisture are his vtter enimies. This is the cause why the oyle-makers giue in charge aboue all things that there be [...]o fire nor smo [...]ke made neere vnto the presses and cellars of oyle; because the taste of the oyle is spoyled by smoake and soote:The North is fittest for oyle cellars to stand vpon. so then it is meet if possibly it may be that the oyle cellars be situate towards the North, quite on the other side from the hot winds, as also that the oyle be put into glasse vessells or earthen pots, such as are [Page] the pots of Beauu [...]is, especially the oyle that is made of greene oliues that are not ripe,Oile Omphacine Frosen oyle. and is called oyle Omphacine.

If in the time of Winter oyle doth freeze together with his lees, and cleareth it from all manner of mischiefe that can happen vnto it: neither need you feare that it should be salt: for though you should put much salt into it, yet the oyle would take no taste of it.

To keepe oyle from becomming ranke,To keepe oyle from becomming ranke. melt vvaxe with oyle in equall quantitie, and therein mingle fried salt, then put it all in a vessell of oyle; and this same composition serueth also to mend it if it be alreadie ranke. Anise cast into the vessell performeth the same.

If the oyle be troubled,Troubled oyle. purifie it at the Sunne or fire, or else cast into the vessell boyling water; prouided the vessell be not weake and in hazard of bursting.

If the oyle be full of filthinesse,Filthie oyle. frie salt and cast it hot into the vessell▪ the pine not burned, or the lees of oyle dried and parched and cast into the vessell of oyle doth the like.

If oyle haue got any stench or other euill smell:Stinking oyle. poune greene oliues, and cast them into the oile without their stones: or else cast in the crums of barley bread mingled with grained salt: or else in [...]use in the oyle the flowers of melilot.

If the oyle be corrupt and putrified,Putrified oyle. hang in the vessell a handfull of the hearbe coriander, and cast in besides of the same diuers times, if you perceiue that the putrifaction is not taken away: or which is better, change the oyle his vessell: you shal likewise amend this fault, if you take grapes, and after you haue taken out the kernels, stampe them, and make them into lumpes to put into the vessell, and ten daies after change the oyle his vessell.

Oyle will be verie cleare,Cleare oyle. if you stampe the barke and leaues of an oliue-tree with salt, put in all in a little knot or nodule, and hang the same in the vessell.

To make sweet smelling oyle: take Virgines oyle,Sweet smelling oyle. which is that which first runneth downe from the presse without the weight of the presse forcing it: into it cast of the fine powder of bay-tree-leaues, the rootes of aller and cypres, the roots of co [...]n [...]lag, or some other sweet smelling things, such as you are disposed, all being dried and made into fine powder, stirring the vessell well: afterward, put in salt finely powdred, and set out the vessell in the Sunne for the space of fifteene daies: or else set a vessell well couered (for feare that the oyle should spend it selfe) in a caldro [...] of boyling water, let it stay therein the space of three houres to boyle at a little sire: after take it out, and let it rest some time, vntill you perceiue all to be incorporated together, then straine the oyle, and reserue it in some vessell well stopped for your vse.

Furthermore,Good oyle in the vpper part of the vessell. you must know that as the bottome in honie, and the middest of Wine, so the vppermost part of the oyle is alwaies the best: the reason shall be deliuered in the treatise of Wine in the sixth Booke.

As concerning the properties of oyle,The vertues of oile. it hath a singular vertue applied outwardly as is to be knowne by the answere of Democritus, vvho being asked of the meanes to liue long, and to preserue ones bodie in good estate and plight, said, If you arme your selfe without your bodie with oyle, and within with home. And this is the cause vvhy Hanniball gaue in charge vnto his souldiers passing the mountaines, that they should arme their bodies vvith oyle, to keepe them from the injuries of the cold: in like manner the men of auncient time to make their bodies the more nimble and readie to all actions and motions, caused all their bodie ouer to be annointed with oyle before they were to goe into the bathe: in like sort also, their vvrastlers and champions, before they entred the combate, did annoint all their bodie o [...]er with oyle, not onely that they might not be so easily taken hold of in wrastling: but also to haue their whole bodie the more nimble and obedient, and their members the more lusti [...] and strong.

[Page] As concerning within the bodie,To loosen the bellie. oyle hath no lesse vertue than vvithout; for that if it be taken inwardly, it softeneth the bellie, subdueth the malignitie of venimes, and causeth vomiting speedily: furthermore, if any venime or burning haue pitcht and setled it selfe vpon the skin, and begin there to exulcerate or worke his further mischiefe; for the staying of the fiercenesse and malignitie thereof, there is nothing better than to lay a little liniment of new oyle thereupon.

Oyle powred vpon vvine or any other liquor,Aspent Wine. keepeth it from spending it selfe: In like manner the Vinteners, wise ynough to keepe white Wine from waxing red, are vvont to cast vpon it a pint of Oyle-oliue.

Oyle is altogether enemie to plants,Oile an enemie to plants. especially gourds and cucumbers, which dye presently if a man place neere vnto them any vessell of oyle; or if that he which dresseth them be oylie, as vve haue said in the second Booke.

The lees or grounds of oyle are good to make a mortar with to lay the floores of corne garners,The vertues of the lees of oyle. because such a morter chaseth away Mise: lees also are good to keepe instruments and yron tooles from rusting: oxen are helped to a good appetite, by hauing their fodder besprinkled with oyle lees: oyle lees are good to annoint the bottomes of chests wherein clothes are to be laid, for they driue away mothes: they are good also to giue light vnto the familie with some wood: to keepe sheepe from being scabbed, if they be annointed with the lees of oyle, as also to heale such as are alreadie scabbed: to cause vvood to burne and slame without smoake.

CHAP. LII.
How the Oyles of other Fruits and Seedes are made by expression.

THere are many other seeds and fruits which doe yeeld an oylie liquor by expression,Oyles made by expression of many things. and that after the manner of the Oliue, that is to say, royall Walnuts, Filberds, Nutmegs, Almonds, both sweet and bitter, the Indian nut, Anacardies, Peach kernells, the kernells of pine Apples, Abricots, Cherries, Plums, Pistaces, Linseed, Rapeseed, Mustard-seed, Hempe-seed, the seed of Poppie, He [...]bane, Burnet, Citrons, Oranges, Apples, Peares, Cucumbers, Gourds, Melons, Citrulls, and other such like, whereof vve will speake particularly, to the end that we may giue to know what course is to be taken, and what maner and order is to be kept in euerie particular.

The oyle of sweet Almonds is thus prepared:The making of the oile of sweet almonds. Pill the Almonds after that they haue sleept some time in warme water: pound them in a morter of stone or marble with a woodden pestle, and make them vp in lumpes or little loaues, which you shall knead and vvorke with your hands at the vapour of vvarme vvater a long time, if you like it not better to warme them vpon hot ashes, or hot sand for the space of an houre, or in the Sunne the space of fiue houres: or else put them in a glasse vessell vvhich shall be vvarmed at the vapour of boyling vvater in a caldron: after put them in a haire cloth or hempen bagge, for to presse in a presse that hath his planke hollow and bending downeward: or betwixt presses whose plankes you haue heated: but here in this you must note, that the Almonds are not alwaies blanched before their oyle be drawne, because many times a mans leasure will not serue him to doe it: though indeed it be the best way to pill or blanch them, that so the oyle may come the more neat and pure: and to pill them rather vvith a knife than by the meanes of water, either warme or cold, for feare that through the mixture of vvater, there be caused to come forth great store of vvaterish and vnpleasant oyle.The drosse of sweet almonds After that the Almonds haue beene thus pressed, you may bake the drosse vnder ashes, and vse them in steed of bread: you must obserue, that such manner of preparing of oyle of sweet almonds is onely to be vsed vvhen such oyle is to be taken at the mouth, to stay and [Page] take away the throws & gripes of women newly deliuered of child [...]or else to mitigate the paine of the collicke,Womens throws Paine of the colicke and kidneyes. or of the reines, taking it in a drinke of two ounces of vvhite Wine, or with Aqua-vitae: And this oyle is drawne oftentimes without fire or any other heat whatsoeuer: sometimes the almonds are fried to giue them a light drying, and after the oile is pressed out.

The oyle of bitter Almonds is made of almonds fried in a frying-pan,Oile for to make [...]. and sti [...]ed oftentimes that so they may not burne to, after which they are to be pressed out so strongly and long, as till they will yeeld no more: After this manner a man may pressed out two other sorts of oyle out of sweet almonds: one appropriated vnto [...] ments to be applied vnto the outward parts of the bodie that are pained: the other seruing for perfumers: vvhich two are made of old sweet almonds sound and whole,Oyle of Sweet almonds for perfumers. and verie oylie by reason of their age: they must be fried in a frying-pan, and alter pressed with weight or presses being close wrapped in a bagg, or haire cloth. The oyles of Pistaces, common vvalnuts, filberds, Indian nuts, the kernels of pine apples, cherries, seeds of gourds, cucumbers, melons, Palma Christi, the seed of hempe, line, pionie, henbane, wild saffron, stauesacre, and other fruits and oylie seeds, are pressed out after the same manner that the oyles of sweet almonds be: euermore looking to it that the expression be not without the heating of the thing pressed, either by cha [...]ng and warming it selfe at the fire, or else by heating the plankes betwixt, or the weigh [...] vnder which they are to be pressed.

Oyle of Bayes it thus prepared:Oyle-de-Bay. Take ripe bay-berries and new, pound them, and make them into masses or small lumps: boyle them a sufficient long time in water in a caldron, straine the decoction, and let it coole, gather the fat that swimmeth aboue, and keepe it for oyle; or else let all the water run out at some hole which shall be in the bottome of it, and the fat which stayeth behind is the oyle. Some doe not boyle the masses of bay-berries, but presse them from vnder a presse, and let the oyle fall downe into a vessell standing vnderneath with vvater: Otherwise, mixe an equall portion of bay-berries and oliues, pound them together, and presse out the oyle. The oyle of bayes is soueraigne to put in clysters for the paines of the cholick,Collicke. Cold swellings. and to make oyntments of for cold tumors, the palsie, shaking of quartaine agues, and cold affects of the sinews. After the same manner you may make the simple oyle of my [...]tes, I [...] niper-berries,Oyle of myrtles, iuniper, mastick tree, turpentine tree, and iuie berries. of the fruit of the masticke-tree, turpentine-tree, and Iuie: which is also verie singular for cold distillations, and benummed members. Sometime men take an equall portion of Iuniper and bay-berries, and steepe them in Wine, pressing out the oile thereof afterward. You may likewise boyle bay-berries in oyle, and presse them out after: or else without any other mixture or preparation, you may put [...] and greene bay-berries in a bagge, and by weight or pressing draw out their oyle.

Oyle of nutmegs is thus made: lay nutmegs on heapes,Oyle of nutmegs bray them with a woodden stamper, afterward presse them out from betwixt the plankes heated: or else divide them into little heapes, and steepe them three daies in verie good Wine, after drie them in the shadow of the Sun two whole daies, then heat them reasonably in a frying-pan vpon the fire, sprinkling them with rosewater, and presently presse them out. You must note, that in this manner of drawing of oyle, which is done by expression, men are forced many times to sprinkle the matter with water or wine, to draw out the oyle both more easily, and in greater quantitie: so we see it practised sometimes in the expression of sweet almonds, that when they are too drie, there is some small [...] of water put vnto them: but vnto other things some Wine, as in oyle-de-baies, [...] megs, Iuniper-berries, and such like.

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CHAP. LIII.
How to make Oyles by impression.

THe Oyles made by impression are commonly compounded of Oyle oliue,Oyle made by imp [...]ssion. because it is more temperate than others, easilier to be gotten, and retayning more exactly the quantitie of ingredients whether hote or cold. It is true, that verie often in place of Oyle oliue some take the oyle of sweet Almonds, F [...]berds, Cammo [...]ile, or such other, according as the occasion of things require, as you may know and vnderstand by particular description of such oyles. Whatsoeuer it is,Three things to be considerd in making oyles by impression. there are three things to be considered in the making of oyles by impression: the heat, vvhich is the efficient cause of the making of the oyle: the qualitie of the ingredients; and the quantitie of them. As concerning the heat, vvhether it be of the fire, or of the Sunne, or of other things which yeeld heat, it must be measured according to the qualities of tendernesse or hardnesse which shall be in the substances and matter: for flowers doe not craue so great a heat is fruits or roots;Oyles of flowers whereupon it commeth to pas [...]e, that for the composition of such oyles, men are oftentimes contented with the heat of the Sunne, or with the heat of boyling water: otherwise called Maries-bath,To make oyles by impression in Maries-bath. or the double vessell. And I for mine owne part jam of this mind, that for the making of these oyles there ought not any coale fire to be vsed, nor yet any other kind of fire, but rather the helpe of Ma [...]-bath: For as by the gentle and milde heat of Maries-bath, all the parts of the ingredients are kept, and the oyle well prepared and digested: so by the heat of a violent and forcible fire, there followeth rather the exhalation or combustion of oylie things, than any digestion. The preparing therefore of such oyles as haue need of a greater heat than that of the Sun, will be a greater deale the better, if you put the matter, out of which you draw the oyle, in a glasse or tin vessell for to be infused in oyle mingled with Wine or vvater, or other conuenient liquor, or without liquor, according as the nature of the ingredients, and the present thing requireth. After that this vessell borne vp with the small slips of broome or straw, hath infused three whole daies in Maries-bath, that is to say, in caldron full of water somewhat boyling; or (which is better) the vessell not infused or standing in the water, but rather receiuing onely the vapour of the boyling vvate [...] that is in the caldron, those three daies being spent, you may presse out the things, which you shall haue infused, strayning and forcing them through some strong strainer and thicke linnen: and afterward to put in other new ingredients if it be needfull (that is to say) vntill the liquors which you haue mingled with the oyle, or the humiditie and moisture which may rise of the ingred [...]ents be consumed, and that the oyle may seeme to haue gotten out all the strength and vertue of the ingredients, and then to straine and force them as before. This is the way that is to be taken for to prepare oyles well by impression. It is true that with lesse cost and a great deale sooner they may be prepared, in putting the [...]atter into some great brasse pan vpon a coale fire, causing it to boyle with a small fire vntill the liquor put vnto the oyle or the moisture of the ingredients be consumed: and after strayning of them after the manner that hath beene sayde before.

Furthermore it vvill be discerned that the oyle hath exactly drawne out the vertues of the ingredients,To know if the oyle be made▪ and that the liquor mingled with the oyle or moisture of the ingredients is consumed, if with a spatule or sticke of vvood you cast some few drops of the said oyle into the fire: for if they be all on a flame by and by, it is a signe that it is pure and near, but and if it spatter, there is yet some waterish moisture remaining in it: furthermore as it is boyling in the caldron, it will be spatering and casting vp bubbles, so long as there remayneth any of the liquor or moisture: but after that it is spent and boyled away, it will be quiet and peaceable: likewise a drop of oyle dropped [Page] vpon your hand, if there be any moisture in it of waterishnesse, it will shew it sufficiently, for it will swim and ride aloft vpon the same.

As concerning the qualitie of the ingredients,The qualitie of the ing [...]edients. Cold oyles. Hot. Tender. Hard. it consisteth principally in this, that the ingredients are either hot or cold, or tender, or tough, and hard. I [...] they be cold, there is need that they should be often shifted and changed in the oyle, for the better imprinting of their cold qualitie in the oyle, for although that oyle oliue be temperate, notwithstanding it inclineth more vnto heat and a firie nature, than otherwise: so that it is requisite to change the ingredients often, and to put new in their places for that cause; yea, and in regard thereof to wash the oyle in some common water, as we will further declare in speaking of oyle of roses: if the ingredients be hot,Hot oyles. it is sufficient once onely to change them for the composition of hot oyles, and that by reason of the affinitie and agreement betwixt the Oyle and the hot things.

If the ingredients be hard,Of the tendernesse or hardnesse of the ingredients. and not easily digested, and imparting their properties vnto the oyle, they must be infused before they be boyled, and also there must be put unto their decoction some liquor, as Wine, or some conuenient iuice or other liquor, as well to helpe their digestion, as to keepe them from burning, or getting some loathsome smell: but and if they be tender, they craue sometimes a simple infusion in the heat of the Sunne, or vpon a slow fire without any boyling: and this way fitteth flowers: sometime a light boyling without any infusion, as many aromaticall things.

And as concerning the qualitie of the ingredients,Oyles made of liuing things or their parts. you must obserue that oyles by impression are made, not onely of the parts of plants, but of liuing things, their parts and excrement, vvherein there must not be any shifting, changing, or renewing: and besides these, there is no other thing to be obserued; except that if the beasts be small, that then they be killed in the oyle, as it vsed in oyle of scorpions, serpents, frogs, and pismires: but and if they be great, they must be first killed, them bowelled, and lastly, boyled in the oyle, as is done in the oyle of Foxes.

Touching the quantitie of the ingredients,The quantitie of the ingredients. by which the oyles made by impression are called simple or compound, you must haue regard to see that when the oyle is compound, that this order be followed, that is, to take the ingredients of greatest and hardest substance, and to infuse them three daies: afterward those of lesse substance two daies: and those which are the most tender, subtile, and aromaticall one day, and one night: and then afterward to boyle them in order, strayning them but once, and reseruing your Gums to mixe and dissolue with the said strayned oyle, according as it shall be requisit, if so be that any gums doe goe into any such oyles.

CHAP. LIIII.
A description of the Oyles made by impression.

AS for Oyle of Roses,Oyle of Roses. it is thus prepared: Take of oyle of new oliues so much as you shall thinke needfull, that is to say, sufficiently to infuse your roses in: vvash it diligently, as well to coole it, and make it more temperate, as also for to make it the more pure, if in case it should be any vvhit salt or feculent, and thicke of the Lees. Such vvashing it made with an equall portion of water and oyle, stirring them together in a vessell, vntill such time as they be mingled and incorporated, and then so leauing them till they seperate themselues one from another againe: vvhich being come to passe, there shall be a hole made in the bottome of the vessell vvhere they are to let the vvater runne out: after, there must other vvater be put in to beate with the oyle as before, and this shall thus be gone ouer three or foure times: but and if there be any hast to be made in this vvashing [Page] of the oyle, then the vessell shall be kept in some warme place, to the end that the oyle and water may be the sooner seuered: and you must note that the oyle is not to be washed on this fashion, except it be for cooling oyles, as oyle of Roses, Violets, and such like: it is verie true, that there will be no need to wash any oyle at all, if you haue the oyle of greene oliues called Omphac [...]e. This washing of oyle being finished, haue in readinesse a sufficient quantitie of blowne Roses, put them to infuse in this washed oyle, in a vessel hauing a narrow mouth, like a pitcher or a glasse bottle, or some one of Tin, and filled vp within a quarter of the top, and afterward well closed and stopt: set them in this sort in the Sunne, or some warme place, for the space of seuen daies, boyle them afterward in a double vessell in boyling water, as we haue said, or else boyle them in a brasse kettle vpon a small fire without any flame for the space of two or three houres: vvhen the oyle hath boyled and wasted one part of the moisture that was in it, it will be conuenient to straine it through a strong strayner, and thicke linnen cloth, and after to put into it new Roses againe, doing as you did before, and that for three seuerall times: in the end, after it hath beene strayned, some put into it as much water of the infusion or other Roses, infused in water, as there is Oyle; then you shall set it in the Sunne for the space of fortie dayes, which infusion may be seuered from the oyle afterward as the water wherewith the oyle was vvashed. Notwithstanding it may be sufficient to take the infusion of the Roses in oyle onely, vvithout the putting of other vvater in the infusion. Some mingle now and then in the decoction of Roses a little vvine, or juice of fresh Roses to keepe the oyle from burning,Two sort [...] of oyle of Roses. or that in boyling it should not get any loathsome smell. You must further note, that some prepare and make two sorts of oyle of Roses: one oyle of ripe oliues, and roses all opened and spred, vvhich are the better if they be red: the other oyle it made of roses being yet in the b [...]d, with the oyle of greene and vnripe oliues: or if you haue not any of this oyle Omphacine, you shall make it with common oyle and verjuice boyled together, to the consumption of the juice. This is more cooling, astringent, and repercussiue: the other more digestiue, dicussiue, and anodine or assuaging of paynes.

Some there are which sometimes make this oyle or Roses without oyle of oliues,A new kind of making of oyle of Roses. putting red, carnation, or muske roses to putrifie in a vessell set in dung for one whole moneth being close couered. And this kind of oyle is verie fragrant and sweet.

This manner of making of oyles may be followed in the compounding of oyles,Oyle of Cammomile, Melilote. Yellow Violets. Corneflag. Elder-tree flowers. White mulleine flowers. Iasmin. Poppie, Lettuses Water Lillie flowers. Oyle of Quinces. either cold or temperate and simple, such as are the oyle of violets, cammomile, meli [...]te, yellow or red violets, of the leaues and flowers of dill, lillies, the yellow taken away, of corneflag flowers, of elder tree flowers, white mulleine flowers, jesamine flowers, poppie flowers, or of the leaues and heads of poppie, of lettuse leaues; and white water lillie flowers, to the compounding of which oyles, you must note that for want of oyle of greene oliues, you may take the oyle of sweet almonds newly drawn, or of [...]berds, if it haue beene first washt.

Oyle of Quinces: Take whole Quinces with the rindes when they are verie ripe, but cast away their kernells, then stampe them, and infuse them in oyle Omphatine in the Sunne fiue dayes, or else in oyle washed as vve haue said before: afterward, boyle them with equall portion of the juice of Quinces in double vessell the space of foure houres: renew the flesh and juice of Quinces three or foure times, the old being made away, set them in the Sunne againe, and boyle them: afterward strayne all, and keepe it in a vessell for your vse: you shall draw greater store of the juice of your Quinces, if you crush them well, and bruise them, rather than if you cut them in peec [...]s.

Oyle of Masticke:Oyle of [...] sticke. you must take oyle of Roses, or oyle Omphacine, or of Quinces, three pound, of good wine eight ounces, of masticke powdred and put vnto the rest toward the end (for it will not endure much boyling) three ounces: boyle them alltogether to the consumption of the vvine in stirring it oft, to the end that the masticke may be melted and mixt with the oyle.

[Page] Oyle of the flowers of the Elder-tree:Oyle of Elder-tree. Fill a glasse bottle full of vvashed oyle, or oyle Omphacine, put therein a sufficient quantitie of Elder-tree flowers, set the bottle in the hot Sunne sixe dayes, after that presse them out, and put in others new; continue this all the time of Sommer vvhiles the flowers of Elder-tree are in force: this oyle is singular to comfort the sinews, assuage the paine of the ioynts, and to cleanse the skinne.

Oyle of S. Iohns-wort:Oyle of S. Iohns woort. Infuse for three dayes the crops of S. Iohns-wort in verie fragrant Wine: after that, boyle all in a soft and gentle sort in Maries-bath, and after this some small space, strayne them out lightly: infuse againe in the same Wine as many dayes as nights the like quantitie of the tops of S. Iohns-wort, boyle them, and straine them as before: afterward, put vnto the liquor of Venice-Turpentin [...] three ounces, of old oyle sixe ounces, of saffron a scruple, mixe them, and in the said Maries-bath boyle them vnto the consumption of the Wine: you shall keepe that which remaineth in a glasse or lead vessell, for to vse, as hot as you can applie it in maligne vlcers, especially those of the sinewes, and in the leane and cold parts, in the prickes of the sinews, paine of the teeth, con [...]ulsions, tumours, and distillations. Some doe make this oyle after the simplest and singlest sort, making onely the flowers of Hypericum, vvhich they infuse all the Sommer in washt oyle in a glasse vessell, and setting it in the hot Sunne, keepe it.

Oyle of Rhue:Oyle of Rhu [...]. Take the leaues of Rhue somewhat dried, (because they are subject to a super [...]lous kind of moisture) set them to infuse in oyle a whole Sommer: Or better, change and renew them euerie eight dayes, strayning and pressing them out at euerie change: Sommer being gone, boyle them not, but straine, presse out, and keepe them in a vessell: after this manner are made the oyles of the Myrtle-tree,Oyle of Myrtle-tree, W [...]rme [...]wood, Marierom, Southernwood, Thyme, and Aller. Wormewood, Marierom, Southernwood, Thyme, Cammomile, and such like: vnto which there is sometimes added the like quantitie of juice, or flowers, or leaues mingled with oyle: [...]nd so they are set in the Sunne.

Oyle of Spike:Oyle of Spike: Take true Spike, or for want of it, lauander, to the quantitie of three ounces, of marierom, and baye-tree leaues two ounces: of the roo [...]s of Cypres, Elicampaine, and Zyloalo [...] of each an ounce and a halfe: of nu [...]megs, three ounces: infuse euerie thing by it selfe in an equall quantitie of Wine and vvater: the infusion accomplished, boyle the whole together in a sufficient quantitie of oyle in a double vessell, the space of foure or fiue houres: this done, strayne it all and keep the oyle for your vse: that is to say, for the cold ach of the stomacke, reines, bellie, matrix,Paine o [...] the stomack, reines, bellie, matrix. and other parts.

Oyle of Foxes:Oyle of Foxes. Take a liue Fox of a middle age, of a full bodie, well fed and f [...], such as Foxes be after vintage: kill him, bowell him, and skinne him: some take not out his bowells, but onely the excrements in his guts, because his guts haue much grease about them: breake his bones small, that so you may haue all their [...]rrow: this done, set him a boyling in salt brine, salt water, and sea vvater, of each a pine and a halfe, of oyle three pints, of salt three ounces: in the end of the decoction, put thereto the leaues of sage, rosemarie, dill, organie, marierom, and Iuniper-berries after that he shall be ro [...]ten sodden,Rheumes. that is to say, so as that his bones and flesh doe part clea [...] asunder:Weaknesse of s [...] [...]ws. strayne all through a strayner, and keepe it in a vessell to make [...], for ache in the joynts,Paines of the reins and back. the sciatica, diseases of the sinewes, and paines of the reynes and backe.

Take Earth-wormes halfe a pound,Oyle of Wormes. vvash them throghly in vvith Wine, then boyle them in two pound of Oyle oliue, and a little red Wine to the consumption of the Wine, strayne and presse it out all, and keepe the oyle: yet further, it vvould be good to put into this oyle some other vvormes, and leaue them there as long as the oyle lasteth. This oyle is singular good to comfort the stiffe sinews,Sti [...]e [...], Paines of the ioynts. and for the [...] of the joynts.

Oyle of Serpents:Oyle of serpents Take whole Serpents, put them in an earthen vessell well leaded, fill the same with May-butter, and couer the same with a couering, the joyn [...] being vvell lu [...]ed, but notwithstanding hauing a small hole aboue: set the po [...] neer [...] [Page] vnto the [...]ire, that it may boyle halfe a day, to the end that all may be throughly boiled: the straine it through a linnen cloth, afterward pound it vvell in mortar, and make an end of strayning that vvhich shall be in the bottome of the linnen cloth: mixe together both these expressions, letting them coole, and reseruing them in a glasse vessell to serue your vse for distillations or rheumes, and for pal [...]ies. Some take Vipers, and cutting off their heads and tayles (as is done in the making of Treacle) they boyle them in oyle, and vse the oyle for rebellious Ringwormes, and first buds of the leprosie.

CHAP. LV.
A reuiew or suruay of Oyles made by distillation.

BVt the third manner of making of Oyles hath beene said to be by distillation or resolution, of which vve vvill speake, a [...]ter vve haue spoken of the distilling of vvaters: but besides that, there is an other manner of drawing of oyle (though in certaine things it be done by expression) vvhich commeth verie neere vnto this third kind of making oyles by distillation: and it is practised in egges, vvheat, m [...]stardseed, haye, barlie, [...]arrar, brimstone, and others.

Oyle of Egges:Oyle of egges▪ Take the yolkes of egges roasted hard in water, or which is better, vnder the hot ashes, about thirtie, rubbe and chafe them a long time betwixt your hands, after frie them in a leaden pan, or in an earthen one vvell leaded at a soft fire, [...] them [...] turne them oft with a ladle of vvood, vntill such time as they begin to be of a sad red, after presse them vvith the backe of the said ladle: or, which is bet [...]er, put them betwixt two presses, to force out their oyle, as is done with oyle of Almonds: you shall haue great store of oyle to run out; vvhich is verie good to take away the spots of the skin, to heale ringwormes, to cause haire to grow againe, to cure [...]istulaes, and maligne vlcers, assuage paines, take away the roughnesse of the skin, to cure the chaps of the lips, hands, feet, and fundament: to take away the scarres left after burnings, and principally for the vlcers of the membranes of the braine. Some in the making of this Oyle doe not boyle the egges hard, but frie them raw, and after by pre [...]ing them together in a bagge betwixt two presses, or vnder a presser, they presse out the Oyle.

Oyle of Wheat:The [...]yle [...] Wheat. Presse Wheat together betwixt two plates of Yron reasonably glowing and fire red, or verie hot, or betwixt a Marble-stone, and a thicke hot pla [...]e of Yron: receiue the Oyle into something vvhich distilleth from it: or else take away from Wheat his pill or rinde, and distill it after the manner of the Philosophers Oyle: this Oyle applied hote, taketh away the spots of the skinne, healeth ringwormes, fistulaes, and chops in the skinne,Ringw [...]rme [...], Fistulaes. Chops in the skinne. and the scall or skurfe in little children: the oyles of barlie, mustard-seed, and other oylie seeds are thus prepared and made.

Oyle of Haye:Oyle of Haye. Set on fire a quantitie of Haye, after quench it againe by and by, then lay it vpon coales, and vvhiles it is smothering and smoaking, spread it vpon a plate of yron, and there will gather vpon it an oyle liquor, vvhich is called oyle of Haye: and this is singular good for ringwormes, and. Anthonies fire,Ringwo [...]mes. S. Anthonies fire. scabbes, and r [...]ughnesse of the skinne.

Oyle of Tartar:Oyle of Tart [...]. Take Tartar, that is to say, the dried lees of Wine which slicketh vnto the seames or hollow places that are within the Wine vessell, not that which is in the bottome, because it is verie dreggish and filthie, neither yet that which is aloft on the vpper part of the vessell, for that is too frothie and scummie, but that vvhich cleaueth round about vnto the staues of the vessell wherein there hath [Page] beene verie good white vvine, rather than red: make it into fine powder, and make it fast in a linnen cloth, infuse it in verie good vvhite Vinegar: or not infusing it, calcine it, and put it in a Hypocras bagge, or in an oxes or swines bladder: afterward, roast it vnder hot embers, vntill it become vvhite: you shall know if it be sufficiently burned, by the growing of it cleare, and a little burning of your tongue, if you touch it therewith. Notwithstanding you may blanch or whiten it, if (as some hold it for a great secret) you boyle it a long time in vvater, scumming it often: powder it yet once againe, or (which is better) calcine it: then put it in the bottome of an hypocras bagge, that is to say, of a bagge vvhich hath a sharpe and narrow bottome, and this you shall hang vp on high at some staffe in a caue or other cold place for the space of eight dayes, vntill it be resolued into Oyle: and if the Oyle doe not drop of it selfe, then graspe it hard, and presse it out, putting vnderneath some glasse viol [...], to receiue the liquor that shall distill, vvhich is not indeed properly on Oyle, but a verie sharpe vvater, or a reddish kind of humour. This humour is good for all sorts of itchings, Ring-wormes, Scurfes, Scalles, and other such diseases of the skinne: It maketh the face vvhite, cleane, and seeming young: it taketh away vvrinkles and spots, comming of a melancholicke humour: It maketh the haire of a straw colour: hindereth the falling of the haire, and causeth it being falne to grow againe: it whiteneth copper and siluer: and taketh away the spots of linnens, if they be rubd with this oyle hot.

Oyle of Brimstone:Oyle of Brimstone. hang in some high place vvith a vvire, or doues-tayle of yron, a glasse vessell in fashion like a Bell or Bason, couered aboue with Potters earth of a cubice vvidenesse, vnderneath vvhich neere the length of a cubite you shall place another vessell of glasse, being broad and verie large, able to hold much, such like as is the dish or bason vsually serued vvith Ewers: in the middest whereof there shall be a little vessell of earth in f [...]rme of a little pot, vvhich shall contayne the Brimstone, vvhich must be of that vvhich is called quicke and Virgins Brimstone, and not artificiall Brimstone: vvhen you intend to make your. Oyle of Bri [...] stone to d [...]still, you shall take a shee [...]e of yron of foure fingers thicknesse, and fire red: this you shall cast into the small pot vvith Brimstone, to make the said Brimstone burne and flame: the smoake comming forth of the Gode [...] vvill ascend vp to the vessell hanging aboue, vvherein after a short time it vvill be turned into Oyle, vvhich Oyle will thence distill into the ves [...]ell below. Gather this Oyle, and reserue it in a vessell well stopt, for to vse for the curing of Gangrenes, Fistula [...]s, v [...] cers of the mouth, and Ring-wormes, [...] if you doe but touch them vvith this Oyle vpon the end of a feather. It is singular good against rebellious vlcers comming of the pockes▪ some giue it to drinke with balme water in the morning vnto such as are but scarce cured and recouered of the pockes, to the end it may driue out the dis [...]ase. The oyle of Brimstone may be made otherwise: boyle Brimstone in Aqua-vitae, vntill there begin an oylie substance to swim aloft: gather this liquor with a woollen or linnen cloth, or with a little espoone: you must sometime renew your Aqua- [...], vntill you haue gathered oyle ynough: if presently after bathing your selfe you annoin [...] with this oyle your bodie infected with Quick-siluer [...], you shall expell and draw forth the said Quick-siluer.

But concerning all these Oyles, see more in our Booke of secret remedies and medicines.

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CHAP. LVII.
A description of certaine artificiall balmes.

BVt it is vvell and sufficiently knowne, how that now the true and naturall balme is no vvhere to be found, and that in place thereof the industrie and skill of man hath inuented Oyles which approach and draw neere in vertues and faculties vnto the true balme: now therefore be it in like manner knowne that these Oyles are made either by distillation or impression: and that vve will speake onely of some certaine ones which are made by impression, ceasing to speake of those which are distilled for them which meddle in drawing out the quintessences of things, as you shall further perceiue by our Booke of secret remedies.

Balme of the maruellous apples:Balme of th [...] maruellous apples. Take the maruellous apples either with or without kernells, but verie ripe, put them in a vessell full of common oyle, either old or new, or of the oyle of sweet Almonds or Linseed, and infuse them a long time in the Sunne, or in Maries-bath, or in horse-dung that is verie hot, or in the earth in a vessell that is well couered ouer with sand, and let it remaine there one whole yeare, or else two, vvhich is the better; you may likewise make this oyle of the leaues and little cods without the fruit: some with the apples put together with the oile of sweet almonds or linseed oyle, doe joyne of liquid varnish one ounce for euerie pound of oyle: such an oyle is a singular balme for all wounds, inflammations of the breasts, and for the appeasing of outward paines and ache; for the bursting of young children; the vlcers of the matrix; and to procure conception, if after that the woman is come out of the bath made for the same purpose, the annoint her secret parts therewith, and drinke of the powder of the leaues with vvhite Wine: it is also singular good for the paine of the hemorrhoides, being mingled with linseed oyle, or the oile of sweet almonds. We haue spoken of the maruellous apples in the second Booke, where we haue declared how that the hearbe whereupon they grow is called Balsa [...]ina, Balsamin [...]. because it hath the vertue of balme. The oyles of the flowers of Rosemarie,Oyle of the flowers of Rosemari [...]. white mullein,White mullein [...] Nicotian. Paules betonie,Paules [...] and gr [...]und luie. Nicotian, and ground Iuie, being thus prepared as we haue spoken of before, haue like vertues with balme.

Another balme: Take the fruit of the elme, the flowers of Hypericum, and the buds of Roses, put all together in a glasse bottle with oyle of Oliues, stop vp the bottle close, and leaue it in the Sunne, vntill you see the same all of it in such manner consumed as though it were rotten: afterward, strayne it and keepe the oyle for your vse.

Another: Take Gumme elemie foure ounces,A balme. oyle of vvormes, oyle of Roses, and Hypericon, of each two ounces, of Venice Turpentine two ounces; mix altogether and incorporate them vpon a coale fire, afterward keepe it in little bottles.

Another balme:A balme. Take the flowers and seeds of Hypericon foure handfulls, bruise them throughly, and set them in the Sunne the space of ten daies in a glasse bottle, with foure pound of old Oyle of Oliues, afterward presse them out carefully, and put againe as many moe flowers and seeds of Hypericon into the bottle, set it in the Sun againe tenne vvhole dayes: after presse it out all againe, and put thereunto as followeth; of oyle of dill, and of Venice Turpentine, of each a pound and a halfe, of Aqua-vitae halfe a pound, of Mummia, vvood of Alo [...]s, masticke, myrrhe, and Iuiegu [...], of each an ounce and a halfe, of the rosen of the pine-tree three ounces, saffron halfe an ounce, cloues, nu [...]megs, cinnamom, of each three drams: mix all together, and boile them three houres in Maries-bath in a glasse bottle close stopped, that nothing may breath out: Then set the bottle in the Sunne the space of ten daies, reseruing the oyle afterward for pains of the eares,Pai [...]s of the eares. wounds, fistulaes, cankers,Cankers, Noli me tangere, &c to [Page] annoint the backe bone a little before the fit of the ague come, vvhich beginneth of cold.

Another balme:A balme of [...] flowers. take the fruit of the elme, vvithin which you shall find a liquor like vnto oyle, put it whole into a strong viole, which viole you shall stop verie close, and burie for the space of fi [...]teene daies in horse dung that is verie hot by reason of his being ver [...]e rotten, then set it in the Sunne for a certaine time, and after gather the cleare part that shall swimme aboue, and this vvill be vnto you a singular balme. Otherwise: gather all the liquor that you find in the fruit of elmes, put it in a strong viole, adding of the flowers of Hypericon and common oyle: stop vp the viole verie close, and burie it in horse dung that is well rotted, leaue it therein a sufficient time, and afterward taking it out, you shall haue a singular balme. See further in our Booke of secret medicines concerning balmes.

A briefe discourse of the distilling of Waters.

CHAP. LVIII.
Of the profit and commoditie of distillation.

NOtwithstanding that distillation be the vvorke rather of a Philosopher or Alchymist (otherwise called an extracter of quintessences) than of a farmer or maister of a Countrie Farme: notwithstanding the profit thereof is so great, and the vse so laudible and necessarie, as that we take not the chiefe Lord of our countrie house to be furnished vvith all such singular commodities as vve desire, if he lacke the knowledge and practise of distillation; not that I vvould have him to make it a matter to trouble himselfe much withall, and to be at much cost and charges therewith, as many (not well aduised) men be now adaies:In leasure to take the opp [...]rtunitie of [...]easure to go about distilling. but onely that he would take his time thereto at his best leasure, and without any great expence; or else to leaue the same to his wife or his farmers wife; for indeed such occupation is farre better beseeming either of them than him; for as much as the maistres [...]e or dairie-woman hath the pettie affaires and businesses belonging to this our countrie Farme, and lying vvithin the doores, resigned and put ouer to [...]. Therefore let it not seeme strange in this point, if after our briefe intreatie of Oyles, vve discourse somewhat briefely, and according as a countrie thing requireth of the manner of distilling of vvaters, and extracting of oylie quintessences, out of such matter as our Countrie Farme shall affoord; vvhich we would should serue for the vse of the Farmers vvife, as well to relieue her folke withall, as to succour her needie neighbours in the time of sicknesse; as we see it to be the ordinarie custome of great Ladies, Gentlewomen, and Farmers vviues well and charitably disposed, who distill waters and prepare oyntments, and such other remedies, to succour and relie [...] the poore.

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CHAP. LIX.
What Distillation is, and how manie sorts there be of Distillation.

I Will not trouble my selfe here with setting downe the partie which was the first inuentor of Distillation:The inuentor or first finde [...] out of distillation. as namely, whether it were some Physitian of late time, who hauing a desire to eat stewed Peares, set them a stewing betwixt two dishes vpon the fire, and hauing afterward taken off the vpper dish, and finding the bottome thereof all set with pear [...]e sweat, retaining the smell and fauour of the stewed Peare it selfe, inuented thereupon certaine instruments to draw out from all sorts of hearbes cleere and bright airie waters: it is better that we see our selues to worke about the declaring of what Distillation is, a [...]d what things they be which may be distilled.

Distillation,Distillation. or the manner of distilling, is an art and meanes whereby is extracted the liquor or moisture of certaine things by the vertue and force of fire or such like heat (as the things themselues doe require:) no otherwise than, as we see here below, that by the force and power of the Sunne manie vapours are lifted into the middle region of the ayre, and there being turned into water, fall downe in raine. True it is, that the word, Distill, sometimes reacheth further, and is taken not onely for things that are distilled by the meanes of heat, but without heat also: as wee see it done in such things as are distilled after a strayning manner,Distil [...]ng without heat. that is to say, when the purer and thinner part of certaine waters or liquid iuices is separated and extracted from the more muddie and earthie part by the meanes of a Felt,D [...]stilling by a Fi [...]re, Sand, [...] baked Earth-po [...]s, vessels of Iuie, glasse of Fern [...]. or by the meanes of a piece of Cloth, fashioned like a little tongue, or border: or out of Sand and small Grauell: or out of earthen Pots not yet baked: or out of Vessels made of the wood of Iuie: or out of Glasse made of Fearne. Sometimes likewise things are not only distilled without heat, but with cold: as nemely, when the things which you would haue distilled are set in cold and moist places: as Oyle of Tar [...]ar is wont to be made,To dist [...]ll by cold. as also Oyle of Myrrhe, Dragons bloud, Otters, and other things. But howsoeuer, yet I would not haue the Mistresse of our Countrey House to busie her braine with all the sorts of Distillation, but that she should content her selfe onely with that which is performed by heat. True it is,Diuers [...] of [...]eat. that it is meet and requisite that shee should know the diuersities of heat, to the end she may procure such a heat as will best fit such matter and thing as shee is in hand withall, or to goe about: for some things craue the heat of a cleere fire, or of coale, or of the Sunne, or of hot [...]bers, or of small sand, or of the filings of yron, or of the dros [...]e of Oliues: others craue the heat of Horse dung, or boiling water, or the vapour of boiling water, or of Wine boiling in the fat, or of vnquencht Lime, or of some Barke, or other putrified thing. And for this cause she shall marke and obserue foure degrees of heat: the first whereof shall be called warme, like water when it is halfe hot, or the vapour of boiling water, and in this there is no feare of anie hurt it can doe: the second is a little hoter, but yet so, as that it may be well endured without anie annoyance or hurt, such as the heat of ashes or embers: the third is yet hoter than the second, and so, as that it may annoy and hurt one grieuously, if hee should hold anie part or member therein anie long time, such is the heat of small sand. The fourth is so vehement, as that it cannot without great paine very hardly be endured, and such is the heat of the scales of filings of yron. The first degree is fit to distill fine, subtle, and moist things, as flowers and cold simples, as Endiue, Lettuce, and such other: The second, for distilling of fine, subtle, and drie things: of that sort are all fragrant or smelling things, as Pepper, Cinnamome, Ginger, Cloues, and manie simples, as Wormewood, Sage, &c. The third, for to distill matter that is of thicke substance, and full of iuice, of which sort are manie roots. The fourth is proper for the distilling of mettals and minerall [Page] things, as Allome, Arsenicke, &c. By this meanes it will come to passe, that the Mistresse of our Countrey House shall not haue anie thing brought vnto her, out of which shee will not be able to draw the waterie humour, and to distill cleere and bright waters.

CHAP. LX.
Of the fit and conuenient time to distill in: and of the faculties, vertues, and durablenesse of distilled waters.

EVerie thing is to be distilled in the time wherein it is best disposed,Dis [...]lling time. and best fit, that is to say, rootes, hearbes, flowers, and seedes when they are ripe;The knowledge of the rip [...]nesse of the matter to be distilled. but liuing things, and the parts of them, when they are of middle age, as wee shall haue occasion to declare in his place. Now as concerning the ripenesse of rootes, hearbes, flowers, seedes, and fruits, we referre you to our second Booke, where wee haue sufficiently at large laid open at what time euerie one of these things is to be gathered. But it is to be noted, that necessitie sometimes compelleth vs to distill drie plants, and then it will be good to macerate and s [...]eepe them in some conuenient liquor or decoction, answerable vnto the vertue of the thing [...], by that means in part to renew and bring againe their youthfulnesse, and to endow them with such moisture as they brought with them when they were first gathered from off the earth, as we will further declare by and by.

As concerning the vertues of distilled Waters:The v [...]rtues of distilled waters. it is most certaine, that such as are distilled in Maries bath, retaining the cast, smell, and other qualities of the matter whereof they are distilled, haue not onely equall vertues with the Plan [...] and matter whereof they are distilled, but become much more pleasant vnto the [...]ast, and also more delightsome vnto the eye, than the iuices or decoctions of the said matter would be. It is true, that the waters distilled through Leaden, Tinne, Bra [...]en, Copper, or such other like met [...]all, like a Limbecke (as we shall by and by speake of) doe loose the best and most subtle parts of the substance of their matter, by suffering the same to vanish away in and into the ayre, and for that cause they doe not prou [...] of so great vertue as their Plants. But howsoeuer it is, distilled waters are a g [...]at deale more pleasant vnto sicke persons, more readie for vse, better for medicines for the eyes, to make epithemes of for the heart and liuer, to make painting colours of, to put into perfumes, or other sweet things, as well for the vse of Physicke, as also for the delight and decking of the bodie, than the decoctions and iuices of Plants: and therefore there is great reason they should be distilled with greater heed and care.

It is most certaine also,The la [...]ing of disti [...]ed waters. that Waters distilled in Maries bath, especially those which are distilled in the vapour of boyling water, are not of long continuance, and hardly will last aboue a yeare: likewise you must renew them euerie yeare by distillation, circulation, or by distilling of them againe, putting them also into the Still againe with some new matter vpon the cake or drossie part, left vpon some former distillation: or else to distill them by a Filtre, whereof wee shall haue occasion to speake hereafter.

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CHAP. LXI.
What manner of vessels and instruments they must be wherein waters are to be distilled.

TWo vessels are needfull in distilling, which may be called by the common and generall word, a Limbeck: the one of them is properly called the containing vessell, because it receiueth and containeth the matter that you would distill▪ some call it the bodie, or corpulent vessell▪ or the gourd: The other is ordinarily called the cappe, head, or bell, being that whereinto the vapours are gathered and turned into water. This vessell hath sometimes a pipe, in shape like the bill of a bird, through which the water passeth drop by drop into a violl, or other like vessell: and sometimes it hath no beake or spour, and those are v [...]ed in circulation. But these instruments doe differ much, as well in forme and shape, as in matter. It is true,What distilling vessels were [...]irst inuented. that the first that were inuented were of Lead, like vnto a Bell, and did couer another vessell of Brasse that was full of matter to be distilled: this fashioned one is well ynough knowne and vsed eueriewhere, because it draweth out more store of water than anie other. Afterward there was another fashion inuen [...]ed, by which manie vessels (euerie one hauing his Leaden head or couer seuerall) are [...]ated together with one onely fire, set in a furnace made after the fashion of a vault, to the end, that with lesse cost and labour there might be drawne and dist [...]lled a great quantitie of water; the figure and forme whereof you may here see and behold.

[figure]

But in as much as waters distilled in Lead doe not retaine their smell or tast at all, neither yet anie of the rest of their qualities of the things whereof they are distilled; but doe rather smell of the smoake, or of a stinke of burning: as also, for that waters distilled of sharpe, biting, and bitter plants, doe no whit resemble the same in the [...]ast of their bitternesse and sharpenesse, but rather become vnsauourie sweet, Further, in as much (as Galen witnesseth) as the water which runneth through pipes of [Page] Lead doth stirre vp oftentimes the bloudie flux in those that drinke it, because of his nature, which is of the substance of Mercurie: adde vnto these, that in as much as wee ordinarliy see the waters distilled through Lead to become oftentimes (with the sharpe and vehement vapour which it maketh by the reason of a certaine sale dissoluing it selfe from the head) spoyled and made white and thicke as milke: I say, for and in respect of all these reasons, there is inuented another instrument, called the Bladder, whose vnder vessell and cap couering the same, are both of Brasse, and both of them standing ouer one [...]urnace: which instrument is not onely good to distill Aqua vitae in, made of Wine, or of the lees of Wine, or Bee [...]e, but also of all other sorts of Plants powred in thereto, with a good quantitie of common water. Moreouer, it is requisite that the head should haue a great beake or spout, which must passe through the inner side of a great caske full of water, to the end that the vapours breath not out, but grow thicke, and turne into water: The fashion of it is as you may see here.

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The later and better aduised Physicians haue deuised a fashion much better than the former, which is, to distill waters in Maries bath,Waters distilled in M [...]ries bath. that is to say, in the bath of some boyling water, or ouer the vapour of the same: for it is verie certaine, that such waters are without all comparison better, in as much as they doe exactly retaine, not onely the smell, but also the [...]ast, and other qualities of their plants: which happeneth, because the bath of the boyling water, by his moisture, retaineth, keepeth in, and preserueth the more subtle parts of the plants, and by this meanes hinder and stay them from resoluing and breathing out: as it commeth to passe in those which are distilled by a violent fire of wood or coale: which is the onely cause that there is so great difference betwixt the waters distilled in a Limbecke of Lead, and those that are distilled in Maries bath, as is betwixt Gold and Lead: because they doe not onely retaine the proper qualities of their plants, that is to say, their smell and tast; but likewise they become cleare, pure, and bright, without smelling anie thing of smoake, or burning: on the contrarie, the other alwaies h [...]h a tast of some s [...]inke of the smoake, which doth not onely prouoke a lust to vomit, as well in such as be healthfull, as in them that be sicke, but also procureth great hurt vnto the parts of the breast, stomacke, liuer, and other inward parts, by reason of some ill qualitie wherewith they are infected by the vessels in which they are distilled, Which is easily perceiued [Page] by the water of Wormewood distilled in a Leaden Limbe [...]ke, for it becom [...]th sweet and not bitter, like vnto the plant: and in like sort in all other manner of waters that are distilled of plants, and are of a hot temperature, and sharpe or bitter of tast: For the Leaden Limbecke receiuing vpon his superficiall part the vapours of hea [...]bes which are hot in effect and operation, is easily corrupted in that his superficiall part, and turned into a verie subtle Ce [...]use, which afterward mingleth it selfe with the water, and bestoweth vpon them an vn [...]auourie▪ sweetnes [...]e: which is easie to be gathered and knowne by the white residence that setleth in such waters, especially if the Limbecke wherein they are distilled, be new:An old Leaden Limbecke is better than a new. for the vessell which hath serued a long time, hauing gotten by long space, and being much distilled in, as it were a plasterie crust or hardnesse ouer all the parts of it, is not so easily altered by the vapours, nor turned into Ceruse. And indeed it is no maruell, if the vpper face of the Lead be changed into Ceruse by the sharpe vapour of the plants,The making of Ceruse. seeing that Ceruse it selfe (as Dioscorides testifieth) is made of plates of Lead hanged ouer the vapours of vineger, and spread vpon hurdles made of reedes: but there befalleth no such accident to waters distilled in Maries bath:The cause that maketh waters dist [...]lled in Maries bath to retaine their vertues. for the bitternesse of their [...]ast is manifestly perceiued, as also their sharpenesse, sowrenesse, tartnesse, harshnesse, eagernesse, sweetnesse, and tastlesnesse, if they be distilled of bitter or biting plants, or yet of anie other tasts and qualities: and this falleth out so, because the head of the Maries bath is of Glasse, which cannot infect them with any strange or vnnaturall qualitie. Moreouer, the waters that are distilled in the vessell called a Bladder,Waters distilled in the ins [...]rument called the Bladder. which is made (as wee haue said) of Brasse, as well the head as the bodie, but yet ouer-laid within with Tinne, are much better, and of greater vertue, than those which are distilled in a Limbecke of Lead, because the fire of the furnace cannot burne nor infect with anie smoake the matter that is within, seeing they are couered ouer and boile in water: but notwithstanding they doe not throughly retaine the vertues thereof, because of the mixture of the water, which smothereth and dulleth their force and vertues.The waters distilled ouer the vapour of boyling water, Wherefore wee must needes commend as best the waters which are distilled in the double vessell, or ouer the vapour of boyling water, especially when as therewithall they are of a hot facultie. It is true, that amongst them, that sort is better which is distilled ouer the vapour of boyling water, than that which is distilled by putting the bodie containing the matter, into the boyling water, because it extracteth and draweth out the subtle parts therein a great deale better: albeit that both the sorts thereof are excellent good, neyther is there anie hurt at all in them,The [...] of waters distilled in M [...] ries bath▪ saue onely that they are not of so long lasting and continuance as others: but to helpe this in such things as need shall require, it will be good to distill one and the same thing often, that so you may alwaies haue them good.

But to come to our third kind of Instrument, which wee haue called the double vessell, or Maries bath, it consisteth of two parts: the one is a great vessell of Brasse, made in manner of a Beefe-pot, verie great, and raysed high, furnished with a couering, and it is set in a furnace, and containeth in it boyling water: The other is the Limbecke, whose bodie is likewise of Brasse, so set within the couer of the Cauldron, as that the one resteth vpon the other, and that the one cannot be put in or taken away without the other: The head thereof is of Glasse or Tinne, or of baked earth: in the couering of which, there must be a hole made in that sort, as that it may be alwaies close: it would be at one of the corners thereof; and the vse of it is, to powre boyling water into the Cauldron, when the water within the same is diminished after long time of boyling: The fashion of it is as you may see here ouer the leafe.

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There is another sort of double vessell, which containeth foure Limbeckes, whose bodies set within the bath, may be either of glasse or tinne, and their heads of glas [...]e▪ besides these foure, there is another standing higher than the rest, and is heated onely of the vapour of boyling water, which [...]iseth vp on high vnto it through a pipe, and this Limbeck maketh a better water than the other foure. All these vessel [...] being well coupled and incorporated together, doe rest vpon the Caldron, or great Bras [...]e pot, being sufficient large and wide, and tinned ouer within, and so closely set one with another, as that there may not anie vapour breath out: in like manner, all these instrument [...] and vessels be so well ordered and contriued, as that they may seeme to be but one bodie, saue onely that the heads of euerie one must be so, as that it may be separated from the bodie, and put to againe, when you haue anie need to distill water: the fashion of it is such as is here to be se [...]ne.

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[Page] There are some that haue yet seene another sort of double vessell, and that a verie excellent one, whose bodie is Tinne, like vnto a great Vrinall, of the length of three good [...]eet, verie wide and large below, and somewhat narrower aboue: The bottome or bellie thereof is set two good foot in boiling water, and the top standeth out of the water a foot good, and that in a round hole made in the middest of the couer of the Cauldron. Vpon the top of this bodie is placed a head of Tinne, couered and compassed also with another vessell of Tinne likewise, and much more large: this is to containe cold water, running into it through a Brasse pipe or cocke: it is to stand vpon the top of a shanke, and that for to coole the Limbeck continually, that so [...]he vapours rising vp thither, may thicken the better, and be the sooner turned into water. And because it is not possible, but that the water which is contained in the vessell that compasseth the Limbecke, should become hot in succession of time through the heat of the Limbecke: this vessell hath a small pipe or spout, at which the water so heated is vsed to be lee runne out, turning the little pinne of the cocke; and it is filled againe presently with cold water, which is made to runne down into it from a vessel on high. But to the end the labour of emptying it so oft of his hot water, and putting in again [...] of cold, may be remedied, things may be so carried, as that from the vessell which standeth vpon the top of the pillar there may be cold water continually running into the vessell compassing the Limbecke: and then it being once become hot, may be let out, as is said before. And to the end that the cauldron which containeth the bath may alwaies keepe full at one measure and quantitie of water, which otherwise is sure to diminish by the continuall and vehement heat of the fire of the furnace; there is at the [...]oot of the pillar another vessell full of verie hot water, which is to be conueyed into [...]he bath by a cock, or pipe: and this water is heated in his vessell by the same fire that the bath is heated, in as much as the wall of the pillar is hollow and emptie euen as low as the bottome of this vessell. This sort of double vessell is fit to distill waters withall in great store and aboundance, by reason of the cold water which thickeneth and tur [...]th by and by the vapours into water. The shape and fashion is as you see.

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The Venetians distill their water in such an Instrument: The furnace is round, and containeth on euerie side, round about it, manie earthen vessels, glased within, [Page] and fashioned like Vrinals, well luted with mortar of Potters clay, and euerie one couered with a head of Glasse, or baked earth: to their snouts there is fastened a violl with a good thicke thread, to receiue the water that distilleth. This furnace is heated, as we see, after the manner that the Germanes doe heat their Hot-houses, and we ou [...] Stoues. And if it happen, that the fire should be too hot, you must not put any thing into the vessels, vntill such time as the heat be somewhat abated, for feare that the plants, flowers, and such other things should be burnt. The mouth of the [...] must be alwaies stopped and fast shut, to the end that the heat may beat inward for the heating of so manie vessels. For the attending and ordering of this furnace, there are required manie seruants: some of them to looke vnto the [...]ire; others to cast the hearbes into the bodies; and others, to put the heads vpon the bodies. By this likewise there may great store of waters be distilled, as some hundred pints in a night and a day: and these waters are a great deale better than those which are distilled in leaden Limbeckes or Stillitories, or yet of other mettals, because they are not infected with anie fault or infection, which is a common companion of those which are made of mettall. This is the shape and forme of it.

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There are other Instruments, the bodies whereof are of Brasse, Iron, or other mettall, hauing a long, thicke, and strait necke, on the top whereof resteth also a head of Brasse, made after the fashion of a broch steeple, and is compassed round about as [...] were with a bucket of coole water, to the end that the vapour may be conuerted the sooner, and in greater quantitie, into water, and that the water may not tast or sm [...]ll of the fire. Some in stead of this long necke and head, haue a pipe of Plate, or other mettall, verie long, and wrythen or wound about in forme of a Serpent (and for this reason is called a Serpentine) or made of manie parts, consisting of direct angle [...], and these passing through a bucket, or some such vessell full of water.

There are manie other sorts and fashions of Instruments to distill withall, whereof I meane not to speake at this time, contenting my selfe with those which I haue mentioned, as being of more common vse, and fit onely to distill waters: of which, it is our purpose onely to speake at this present.

[Page] Furthermore, seeing the water doth take his essence and consistence, and other like qualities, from the head of the Stillitorie, it is good to make choice of the best heads that one can:Chusing of the [...]ead. the best, are of Glasse: next, those of earth, glased within and without: thirdly, those of Tinne: fourthly, those of Copper, laid ouer with Brasse▪ fifthly, those of Brasse laid ouer with Tinne: (but the vessels of Copper and Brasse haue these two discommodities, the one, that they make their waters reddish and halfe burnt, and the second, that in Copper and BrasseHeads of Bra [...] and Copper. there is a venimous qualitie more than in anie other mettall) [...]ixtly, those of yron, especially when a man would distill anie thing that is hard to be distilled, and which must be applyed outwardly▪ and not taken inwardly. Such as are not afraid of the cost, doe vse vessels of Gold or of Siluer: but seeing all are not of one and equall efficacie, it is best to rest contented with Glasse-vessels, or earthen ones well leaded, either with Glasse, or the fat, which is called earth of Beauuais, rather than with Lead, or anie other mettall: notwithstanding, those of earth are the best: the second, those that are leaded or glazed, or of thicke fat earth:How to order Glasse-stills. next, those of Tinne. Those of Glasse must not be of brake mettall, but of Crystall earth well armed: which, seeing they cease not to be brittle, how well soeuer they be armed, must be heated by little and little, whether it be in Maries bath, or in hot ashes, or in a furnace fire: And in like sort, when your distillation is ended, to let them coole by little and little. And for as much as the head is loose from the bodie, it will be good to set them together with a hempen cloth which hath beene dipped in the mortar of Wisedome, which for the most part is made of the whites of Egges, Beane flower, and a little Masticke. The vessell whereinto the water is receiued, and thereupon called the Receiuer, shall be a Glasse-violl, hauing a long necke, and the beake or spout of the head must goe into it; and these two, in like manner, may thus be fastened and closed together with the said mortar of Wisedome, least the water which shall distill, should euaporate verie much: notwithstanding, that we see sometimes some Receiuers of the fashion of Vrinals, which are not made fast vnto the beake of the head at all.

CHAP. LXII.
What manner of Furnaces must be prepared for the distilling of Waters.

THe fashion of the furnaces for the distilling of waters is diuers,For the [...] of water [...] as well in respect of the matter to be distilled, as in respect of the vessels which are vsed in the distilling thereof. As concerning their matter, some are made of vnburnt bricks, onely dried well in the Sunne, because they are better to be handled than those that are throughly burnt, and besides, they may be cut with a toole, and brought into what fashion one will; and fitted with fa [...] earth; othersome are made of plaster onely; some of fat earth onely; but the best are made vvith cement, vvhites of egges, fat earth, and flockes of vvooll; others of beaten bricks, hards, horse-dung, sinewes of oxen, and fat earth. But as for their fashion, it must be answerable vnto the vessells that are set therein; and so some be wholly round, and those are the best and most profitable; others are foure square; others are raised high like steeples; others after the fashion of vaults; some after the manner of stones: all which you may find out by the sight of the eye in the patternes set downe before, and from which you may gather more instruction and more certaine direction, than by all the descriptions that wee can possibly make. Such furnaces as you may see with your eyes, must haue two bottomes; the one lower, to receiue the ashes of the coales, or whatsoeuer other matter that the fire is made of; the other higher, which must containe the burning coales, and must be made after the fashion of a Gridyron, hauing barres or roddes of yron passing [Page] throughout from the one side to the other, quite ouerthwart the furnace; or else diuided into manie small holes, that so the ashes and small coales of fire may fall through to the bottome below the more easily, and not stay behind to choake vp the fire that should heat the Still. The vnderfloore may haue one or manie mouthes, for the more conuenient taking away of the ashes which shall be gathered there on a heape: but as for that aboue, it must haue but one onely of a reasonable bignesse to put the coales or wood in at; but in the roofe of it, it must haue two or three small holes, to giue aire and breath vnto the fire at such time as you mind to amend it. Euerie one of the mouthes shall haue his stopple. For want of a furnace or matter for to make one, you may fit and set your Ves [...]ell, Cauldron, or Bowle, vpon a brand [...]ith, and kindle your fire vnderneath.

CHAP. LXIII.
How the matter must be prepared before the waters be distilled.

IT is not ynough, that the furnace and instruments for distillation be made readie in such sort as wee haue said; for the matter to be distilled must in like manner be prepared before that it be put into the Still. This preparation is of three sorts: that is to say, Infusion, Putri [...]action, and Fermentation. Infusion is nothing else but a mac [...]rating or s [...]eeping of the thing intended to be distilled i [...] some liquor, not onely that it may be the more apt and easie to be distilled, but also to cause and procure greater store of iuice to be in it: [...] else to helpe them to keepe their smell: or else to bestow vpon them some new qualitie: or to encrease their force and vertues; or else for some other ends, as we will handle them in particular, and onely one. It is true, that this preparation is not necessarie for euerie matter: for some there are that need not anie infusion or steeping, but rather to be dried before they be distilled, by reason of their too great and excessiue moisture: othersome content themselues with being watered or sprinkled ouer lightly with some liquor, as is done in the distilling of drie Roses and Ca [...]ll, which are wont to be sprinkled onely with common water. Some spread them all a Summers night in faire weather vpon a Linnen cloth to take the dew, and after they be moist, to distill them. Such as are steeped and infused, lye in the Sunne, or are held ouer the fire, the space of some halfe houre, or manie houres, a whole night, a whole day, two daies, three daies, one or moe [...]oneths, according to the nature of the medicine, the diuers intention and purpose of the Physician, and the present necessitie. Sometimes we presse and wring out things, which we infused before the distillation; and making our distillation afterward of the iuice onely that we pressed for [...]h; sometimes againe we distill the whole infusion, that is to say, both the infused ma [...]ter and the liquor wherein it was infused.Two things to be considered in [...]. The [...]. Wherefore in this preparation, which is made by infusion, you must diligently obserue two things: the time of the infusion, and the liquor in which the infusion is made. The time of the infusion must be measured according to the diuersitie of the matter: for those things which are hard or solide, [...], or entire and whole, deserue a longer time of infusion than those which ar [...] tender, new, or bruised: whereupon it commeth to passe, that rootes and seedes r [...] quire double time to infuse: the leaues and flowers a single and lesser time, and so consequently of such other matter or things. The liquors wherein infusions are to be prepared, must not onely answere the qualities of such matter as is to be distilled, in such sort, as that hot matter and things be infused in hot liquors, and the cold in cold; but likewise the scope and dri [...]t intended in the thing distilled, which is the onely cause of the vsing of varietie of liquors in the making of infusions; and these [Page] are for the most part Raine water, Fountaine, or Rose-water, and they either raw or distilled, crude or distilled iuices, distilled waters, Aqua vitae, raw or distilled Vineger, Wine,What kind of things are infused in wine. raw or distilled Vrine, Whey raw or distilled, mans bloud, Swines bloud, and Goats bloud distilled or vndistilled. For this respect, things that haue small store of iuice, as Sage, Betonie, Balme, and Wormewood, or which are verie fragrant, as all sorts of Spices, all sorts of odoriferous Hearbes, all aromaticall Rindes or Woods, as Cinnamome, would be infused in Wine, to the begetting of some reasonable store of iuice in them which haue but a little, and to keepe the aromaticall fragrantnesse in those which smell sweet, which might otherwise euaporate and spend, through the heat of the fire, their best and most precious parts, they being of so thinne and subtle a substance. It is true, that the best and surest course is not to infuse Spices, or aromaticall things, neither in Wine, nor in Aqua vitae, but rather in common water: because in distilling of them, as proofe will make triall, the vapours will rise too soone, and leaue behind them the vertues of the aromaticall things, whereas water will not goe vp before it haue them with it.What mat [...]er or things are to be infused [...] vinegar, or [...]ine. Such matter and things as are hard and mettallous, as Pearles, Corall, shells of egges, Crystall, Emeralds, [...], and other such, are infused commonly in raw or distilled vineger, or else in vrine distilled or vndistilled: but such waters are not to be taken inwardly, but onely to be applyed outwardly. In like manner, when it is intended that a water shall haue an opening qualitie, and pierce deepe or swiftly, the matter thereof may be infused in raw and crude, or in distilled vineger: as for example, the waters distilled against the stone, or grauell, or to take away the great obstructions of the liuer, spleene, and matrix. When you desire that the water should retaine and keepe in good sort the vertues of the matter whereof it is distilled, it may, for the better infusing of it, be distilled in his owne iuice, or in some iuice obtaining the like vertue. Things are likewise sometimes infused in bloud, either of Men, Swine, or Goats,Infusions in the bloud of Man, a Swine, or mal [...] Goat. for the encrease and strengthening of their vertues; as the water vsed to be distilled for to breake the s [...]one, whether it be in the reines, or in the bladder, may first haue receiued an infusion made in the bloud of Goats. As much, in like sort, is to be thought of the Whey of Goats milke, wherein things are wont to be infused to draw waters off, which are to serue in the cleansing of vlcers of the reines or bladder.

Generally,Infusion must he [...]p or increas [...] the force of the things distilled▪ regard must be had, that all infusions be made in such liquor as will strengthen and encrease the vertue and force of the things intended to be distilled: as also, that such matter, before it be set to infuse, be shred, stamped small, or brui [...]ed, putting into it sometime the twelfth part of salt, as vnto those that are too moist,The addition of salt. as flesh, bloud of men, or other beasts, as well to keepe them from corrupting, as also to helpe forward the separation of the humour that must be distilled.

Sometimes the things which are to be distilled, are suffered to putri [...]ie, and then afterward they are distilled: yea, and sometimes the verie putrifactionPutrifaction. it selfe is the way and whole worke for the distilling of such things, as wee will declare hereafter.

Fermentation is accomplished and performed vpon the matter of infusion alone, or the whole infusion together, in the heat of the Sunne in the Dogge-daies, or else in some Furnace, or Horse-dung: it requireth manie daies continuance, as foure, or more: and by how much this fermenting and preparing of the thing is the more substantially performed, by so much the greater quantitie of water will be distilled and drawne ou [...].

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CHAP. LXIIII.
Generall precepts about the distilling of Waters.

AFter that the matter is in this manner and fashion prepared (as we haue said) there remaineth nothing more to be done, but the putting of it into the Stillitorie: and herein you must carrie your selfe very wisely and discreetly, in obseruing certaine generall precepts for the ordering and directing of the whole worke vnto a good and perfect end.

First prouide,Furnaces must be set in a place where they may not do [...] or take hurt. that your furnaces be set in such a place, as where they may not endanger the setting of your whole house on fire; as that they also may not be subiect to haue any thing to fall vpon them.

If you distill Quicksiluer, or any other such thing which hath a venimous malignitie,When we are to stand farre off from the [...], and not to come neere them. come not neere vnto your Stills all the time of the distilling of such matter: for the smoake or fume which at that time they breath out, doth draw vpon a man the Palsie, exulceration of the Lungs, Lethargie, or oftentimes sudden death: as you may see by experience in such as are Plummers, and employed in melting of Mettals.

If you distill in Glasse vessels,The chusing of Glasse-stilles. you must make choice of such as are well baked and seasoned, hauing no bubbles or knots, but equall on euerie side, and smooth, thicke, and proued before hand.

The coales must be throughly kindled and halfe burned before you put any thing into the Still, that so the fume, or yet any other noysome qualitie of the coales, may not remaine to breath vpon it: or, at the least, put some few ashes or small quantitie of sand betwixt the Still and the furnace, that so the coales may not infect the water with the smoake. Likewise the fire is not to be made with wood halfe rotten, or that stinketh, or with charcoale burned and made in a pit, or of coale drawne and digged out of the earth, whether they be of stone, or earth, for feare the stilling vessels and water should be infected and marred with the filthie and stinking vapour thereof.

The fire must not be hastie or headlong at the beginning,A gentle fire at the first. as well for the safetie of the vessels, which might thereby be broken, taking too sudden a heat, as also to the end, that the matter distilled may become acquainted with the fire by little and little, and that so farre, as vntill the fire be come to the third degree, if need doe so require.

You must not put into your Stills or Limbecke too great a quantitie of matter,What quantitie of matter is best to be put in the still. for so it might runne ouer, and be cast forth againe; and furthermore, that vnderneath would be parched and dried away, and that aboue would remaine as it was put in: but it is rather the safer course to shift them oft, and so by this meanes you shall haue greater store and plentie of water.

The water of Maries bath may not be hoter than the finger may endure to slay in it: howbeit, oftentimes there come things to be distilled in the double vessell, for the distilling whereof, if it should come to passe that the heat of Maries bath should not be vehement ynough, then mixe therewith some small sand, to encrease the heat of the water.

If the glasse still happen to cracke being set vpon the fire, you shall let the spirits from euaporating, if you dip diuers linnen cloathes in the whites of egges vvell beaten, and applie them vpon the cracke of the glasse hot one after another: in such sort that so soone as one shall be dried like a crust, another be readie by and by to put vpon it, and so to continue.

If you distill your waters in the heat of sand (as many doe and that verie often) or of ashes,To distill in the heat of sand. or the filings or scales of yron made in powder, the bodie of the still must be armed (whether it be of glasse or brasse, or any other matter) with verie fine ashes [Page] that haue beene sifted, or with sand, or with the filings of yron finely powdred, in such sort as that the ashes may be higher about the glasse than the matter is within by a hal [...]e foot good. The ashes shall be placed in the vpper part of the furnace, or in a place of hold made vpon the furnace, and heated with a coale fire which shall be below in the bottome of the glasse. The waters so distilled indure much longer than those which are distilled in Maries bath: but in all other points they resemble and are like one vnto another.

If you haue not the leasure to make your distillation in a still,To make a spe [...] dier distillation than o [...]di [...]arie. and that yet you would gladly distill some certaine juice or liquor: then cause your juice to boyle in some vessell, and ouer this vessell set a glasse: in this glasse the vapour will turne into water:Vinegar distilled in that sort. by this meanes vinegar is turned easily into a vvater vvhich is verie profitable for the spots and stayne of the eye, especially if before the distilling of it you cause some few slips of Rhue to be boyled in white vinegar.

Hot things,To distill one water many times. that they may proue effectuall, would be distilled three or foure times, putting & adding vnto euerie time new matter, or else to rectifie them by themselues: but as for cold things, such as the rose is, once distilling is sufficient: for by this means it holdeth still his cooling qualitie in better sort, seeing the force of the fire begetteth heat and sharpenesse in things.

When you would distill one vvater three or foure times,The heat required to the distilling of one thing o [...]. you must at euerie distillation diminish the heat of your fire halfe a degree, and afterward a whole degree, and so consequently vntill in the end you come backe vnto the first degree spoken of before, and called such a heat as is but vvarme, the reason is, because that the matter becomming more and more subtile at euerie distillation, craueth not so great a heat at the end as it did at the beginning when it is in his gros [...]est state and condition. But it is contrarily practised in the extracting of quintessences out of any thing:The extracting of quintessences [...] then the heat is to be increased and augmented more and more.

In all manner of distillations of vvaters,To seperate the flegme in distilled liquors. you must carefully see to the seperating of the flegme,The time of the flegme his comming forth. that is to say, the gros [...]est, thickest, and most waterie part of the humour distilled: and for the doing hereof you must carefully consider of the matter which you distill: because the [...]legme commeth forth sometime first, sometimes the last in the distillation, as in the distilling of Aqua-vitae is stayeth the last, notwithstanding that it be distilled diuers times: in the distilling of the most part of other things it commeth forth first, as in vinegar, honie, and such things: and the thing is discerned by tasting of the first and last distilled waters. And if it happen that the flegme be not seuered in this sort, as indeed it is not in some such, as with which it is mixt: then the next course is to set such vvaters in the Sunne certaine daies in vessells couered with linnen clothes, or parchment prickt full of small holes, that so the excrementous part by such meanes may be consumed and wasted: or if the Sunne faile, as in Winter time, then you must set your vessell contayning your distilled waters in other vessells full of vvater, and cause them to boyle to the consumption of the third part.

The distillation is to be judged to be in good state and case,When the still is in good temper, and stilleth not too fast nor too slow. if betwixt the fall of euerie drop, you can account to the number of twelue: and hence also is the judging of the force and quantitie of the fire to be learned and fetcht.

If any man desire that waters should haue some smell,To giue a good smell or taste to distilled waters. taste, or other qualitie of something, as of honie, cinnamome, camphire, muske, or other like sweet smelling thing, (whether it be to giue such smell to the thing that hath none at all, or vnto something that hath a bad and vnpleasant smell, as we will speake of by and by in the water distilled of mans dung) it vvill be good to annoynt and besmeare the head of the still vvith these things, or else to tie vp the same in some little knot of linnen cloth, and hang them at the verie poynt of the spout or pipe, to the end that the vvater distilling through this matter, may retayne that smell or other qualitie intended.

And vvhereas distilled vvaters by force of the fire are euermore seene to retaine some impressions and printes of the heat, it will be good presently after they be distilled, [Page] to let them stand some time vncouered in the vessells wherein you meane to keepe them, hauing yet therewithall regard, that neither their small nor any part of their force doe vvaste or spend: and therefore to take the fittest course, it will be best to set your vessell close and fast stopt in some cold place in moist sand to diminish and take away the great heat of the same. Notwithstanding you must marke and know that cold waters, vvhich shall be distilled in Maries-bath, will haue no great need to be so vncouered, but that they rather must be set in the Sunne in a glasse vessell not altogether full: or else that they with their vessell be set ouer head and eares in hot sand for the space of fortie daies, to the end that their flegme and thickest humour may be consumed.

If your distilled vvaters become troubled,Troubled waters. you shall restore them to their clearenesse by putting thereinto some one or two drops of Vinegar for euerie pint of water.

CHAP. LXV.
Of the particular manner of distilling of Hearbes, Rindes, Flowers, and Rootes.

DIstilled vvaters are of diuers sorts and vertues: some are physicall or medicinable, as the water of roses, sage, marierom, and such like. Others are nourishing, as restoratiues, and many both medicinable and nourishing, as nourishing restoratiues: vvhereinto are put medicinable things. Others are purgatiue, as the water or liquor of rhubarbe if it were new and greene. Others serue to grace the face and hands, and to make beautifull. Others for to gratifie the nose by yeelding a sweet smell, as those which are drawne out of spices and sweet smelling simples, vsed also to vvash the hands, face, and whole bodie, and againe all these waters are either simple or compound: but we will first speake of the simple medicinable ones.

WormewoodWater of wormwood. must be distilled in Maries-bath to draw out his vvater in such sort as that it may expresse by smell and taste from whence it came: and for the better doing of it, you must see that you distill it not verie new, but somewhat dried, and afterward infusing it a little in wine to distill it in Maries-bath, or in hat [...] ashes: Mugwort, Agrimonie, Sorrell, and such other like plants, are thus distilled also, but with obseruation had of the generall things specified before. Thus the water of Winter cherriesWater of Winter Cherrie [...]. is distilled, seruing against the stone and grauell as well of the reines a [...] bladder.

The vttermost pilling of common vvalnuts,Water of common Walnuts. vvhether it shale willingly or no, may be distilled in the moneth of September: and the water drawne from them, drunke in small quantitie with a third part of Vinegar, is a certaine remedie against the plague, if before drinking of it you cause the partie to be let bloud: it is singular good also to make gargarismes of, for the vlcers of the mouth: it is good also to foment goutie places withall, and good to colour the haire blacke. Water distilled of the leaues of the Walnut-treeWater of Walnut▪ tree leaues. in the end of the moneth of May is singular for to drie and cicatrize vlcers, if they be washed euening and morning with a linnen cloth moistned therein.

To distill strawberries,Water of strawberries a [...]ainst ve [...]ime spots. To procure termes. you must let them putrifie in a glasse vessell, putting thereto a little salt or sugar, and then afterward to extract and draw out their water, which is verie soueraigne against venime: as also to take away spots, to prouoke the termes, and drie vp weeping eyes:To dry the weeping eye. it will performe all these vertues in admirable manner, if there be mingled with it a little Aqua-vitae.

The inward rinde of the ash-tree being distilled,The water of Ash-tree. doth yeeld a singular water against the plague, if it be drunke in equall quantity with aqua-vite, as three [...] of [Page] either, especially if the same drinke in the same quantitie be drunke againe vvithin three houres after: it is good also being dropt into the eares for the noyse in them.

The stones of blacke cherries,Water of cherrie stones and kernells. being broken, or the kernells alone distilled, make a vvater vvhich doth quite take away the fit of the Falling-sicknesse in young children, presently after that there hath beene put into their mouth about an ounce.The falling [...].

The distilled vvater of new filberds,Water of filberds. drunke the weight of two drams, is a present remedie against the collicke and gripings of the bellie, a thing that will not fail [...], hauing beene proued and tried.

The vvater vvhich is distilled of the barke of Danewort,Water of danewort. or Elder-tree, being oftentimes drunke, doth euacuate and draw the vvater out of such as haue the dropsie.

The vvater of betonie:The water of Betonie. You must stampe the leaues of betonie and infuse them a certaine time in Wine, and after distill them. The vvater of balme and sage is distilled in like manner. The vvater of betonie is good for the diseases of the head, reines, and bladder. The water of balme rejoyceth men, keepeth away the fits of the Apoplexie, and Falling-sicknesse, it causeth a good memorie, taketh away the paine of the teeth, breaketh the stone, healeth the dropsie, preserueth from venime such as haue swallowed any spider, if it be drunke presently after.

The water of Gentian:The water of Gent [...]an. Take foure pound of the new rootes, or rather of the dried rootes of Gentian: chop them small, infuse them in wine, or besprinkle them only, then afterward distill them. This water is singular against the plague,The plague. all sorts of venime, the stone as well of the reines as of the bladder, and to heale inward Apostumes and vlcers.

The vvater of pellitorie:The water of pelli [...]ri [...]. Take the rootes of pellitorie new or old, cut them small, and infuse them in verie good Wine: the water is good for no appease the ach of the teeth,Paine of the Teeth. to strengthen them, and keepe them cleane, if the mouth be washed therewith in the morning, or else when it seemeth good to doe it.

To make water of eye-bright:Water of eye-bright. Take the leaues and flowers of eye-bright, distill them: the water thereof doth cleare the sight.

The vvater of NicotianThe water of Nicotian. is distilled as the other going before: but of this vve haue largely discoursed in the second Booke, and haue shewed that it hath maruellous effects, against the Noli me tangere, cankers, ringwormes, scabs, shortnesse of breath, and the dropsie.

In this sort also you must distill Paules betonie:The water of Paules betonie. the vvater whereof is singular to heale wounds, scabbes, and other diseases of the skinne. The vse of this vvater is ve [...]e excellent for the leprosie,Leprosie. Scabs. pestilent feauers, obstructions of the liuer and spleene, and exulceration of the lungs. In this sort also is Mouse- [...]are distilled, whereof vve [...]ue spoken in his place in the second Booke.

The vvater of hyssopeThe water of Hyssope. must be distilled vpon hote ashes: it is excellent for the paine of the teeth, to prouoke vvomens termes, for the cough, and other diseases of the lungs.

The water of turneps:The water of turneps. Take whole turneps with their skins and all, or else the skin alone, you shall distill a water (especially of the pilling or skin) which will be profi [...]able to prouoke vrine and sweat [...]ng.

Water of lymonsWater of Lymons. or the juice of them doth helpe verie profitably in the stone of [...] reines.

The water of fennell:The water of Fenell. Take the rootes and leaues and distill them, or else boyle [...]hem in water, afterward put them all hot into a tin or copper platter, and couer the [...] vvith another platter: the liquor vvhich shall be vpon the vppermost platter [...]hall be kept in a viole, to put a drop or two thereof into the corner of the eye, for the [...]iseases of the eye.

Water of parsley of the garden: Stampe in a morter the leaues of parsely,The water of parsley. then di [...]till them: it cleanseth the stomacke, and comforteth the reines.

[Page] After the same manner are distilled the waters of smallage,Water of smallage, basile, [...], buglosse, &c. basill, buglosse, mi [...]es, cammomile, marigolds, Carduus benedictus, clarie, succorie, capillus Vene [...]i [...], che [...] uile, end [...]ue, aller, fumitorie, broome, Iuie, horse-taile, lauander, marierom, mehlo [...], mallowes, holihocke, vvater lillies, nigella, organie, pionie, poppie, pellitorie of the wall, burnet, plantaine, purcelaine, penniryall, rue, rosemarie, madder, sage, sauorie, scabious, scolopendrium, nightshade, houseleeke, willow leaues, groundswell, thyme, white mulleine, tansey, valerian, veruaine, of the flowers and leaue [...] of the stinging nettle, as well as of the dead nettle, and of many other plants, obseruing the generall precepts, which we haue set downe before.

This is the manner of distilling cinnamome: Take a pound of fine cinnamome,The water of cinnamome. breake it lightly, and infuse it a certaine time in the distilled water of Roses the quant [...]tie of foure pounds, and of verie good white wine halfe a pound, after put it all into a glasse-still to be distilled either vpon hot ashes, or else in Maries-bath: such water is forcible against all cold diseases,A bad stomacke [...]. especially of the stomacke, spleene, liuer, braine, matrix, sinews, faintings and swo [...]nings, to prouoke the termes of women, and retayned vrine,Venime. to stay vomits, to represse the malignitie of all sorts of cold venime, and for the deliuerie of wo [...]en that are in trauell of child.

Rose-waterRosewater. is distilled either of new roses or of drie roses, and they are either white or carnation. The fashion and manner of distilling of it is diuers: for sometimes it is distilled by defluction tending downeward, vvhich is called in Latine Distillatio per descensum, according to the matter which we shall declare in the seuentie first Chapter hereafter following. Sometimes it is distilled by insolation, as we will likewise shew in the same place: sometimes, and that oftest, as also best, in Maries-bath, and before the distilling of it, if the roses be drie, it is good to moisten them vvith the vapour of some boyling water, or some Roses. The water which is distilled of red Roses, is more cordiall and corroboratiue, as that which is made of white roses is more cooling. Then to distill good rose-water, you must infuse roses in distilled Rose-water, or else in the juice drawne from them, and that by the space of two or three dayes, your vessell being well lured and stopt, and afterward put them in a glasse-still, couered with his head, and they both well luted and fitted one to another, and finally, set them thus conjoyned in your vessell of Maries-bath.

Water of Orange-flowers,Water of orange flowers. called water of Naffe, being distilled by a bell, is good to procure vomit, as also to make a good smell.

The water of vvild Apples,Water of wild apples. and of Oke Apples vnripe, of chesnuts, and of veriuice that is halfe ripe, is good against the red pimples, and hard knobbes in the face.

The vvaters of flowers (as of Rosemarie,The water of elder, rosemary, and marigolds. vvhich is good to rejoyce the [...] of Elder-Tree, vvhich keepeth the face cleare from Sunne-burning: of Marigolds, vvhich comforteth the eyes: and such others) are distilled after the manner of Rose-water.

CHAP. LXVI.
Of the manner of distilling liquors.

WE haue heretofore declared that the singular and rare efficacie and [...] of things distilled, haue in such sort rauished and carried away the spirits and studies of men, as that there is scarce any thing to be found vvhich hath any good propertie and speciall qualitie in it, but it [...] beene brought vnder the yoke of distillation.What is meant by liquor in th [...] place. But in this place I call liquor all th [...] which hath a liquid consistence, vvhether it be juice, humour, excrement, or any such like floting thing, as vvine, vinegar, honie, vrine, juice of hearbes of fruit [...] ▪ [Page] and you cannot but thinke that the juice of hearbes or fruits being distilled doth afford a farre better water, than that which is distilled of hearbes, yea or of fruits either. We will begin therefore with distilled vvine.

Aqua-vitae is thus distilled: (notwithstanding that all manner of Wine is fit to make Aqua-vitae of,Aqua-vitae. so that it be not sowre, spent, or otherwise tainted, yet indeede the strongest and noblest Claret vvine is the best, vvhether pallet and inclining to vvhite, or high coloured and inclining to red:) Take then of claret vvine a certayne quantitie, according to the bignes [...]e of the vessell wherein you distill it (which is called the bladder, as we haue declared before, namely, in that it is fashioned like vnto a streight gourd) euen so much as may fill it within one third part of the top,The bladder still to distill Aqua vitae in. that so the vapours may haue space to rise, then set the head vpon it, hauing a long [...], and this must be well closed with the mortar of wisdome (being the same which we haue before described) to the end that no vapour may passe out there by: and thus cause it to distill with the heat of hot, but not boyling water: or else at a reasonable heate in ashes, or in small sand, increasing the fire continually by little and little, and yet taking heed that the wine doe not boyle: and to the end that you may haue excellent good Aqua-vitae, you may distill it ouer foure or fiue times: for by how much the o [...]ter it is distilled,Aqua vitae o [...] ten distilled. by [...]o much the better will it be, as we haue said alreadie. For the first distillation, it shall be ynough to draw the tenth part, that is to say, of ten pintes of vvine one pint of Aqua-vitae, more or lesse: for the second halfe of that which you shall haue put in, that is to say, halfe a pinte: for the third likewise, the halfe or a little lesse, vvhich should be a quarter of a pinte: in such sort as that the ofter it is distilled [...]ou must haue lesse in quantitie, but more in value and worth; and therefore in the beginning you must either take a great quantitie of Wine, or else haue many vessels. It is true, that if the distillation be well made, the fourth will yeeld the like quantitie of water to that it receiued, and there will be no losse in it: and herewith likewise it is to be wished, that euerie man would be contented without going ouer it any more: because so many repetitions and redistillations is a matter of great labour and cost. In the meanetime this must be remembred, namely, to lessen the fire at euerie distillation halfe a degree, and afterward a whole degree, that so in fine you may come to the first degree called bl [...]d vvarme. And truely by mine aduise, the first distillation should be in the fire of ashes, and the other in Maries-bath. This repeating and going ouer with it by distillation after distillation shall be to take from it his flegme, that is to say, his grossest and most waterie humour, which resteth in the bottome, and is accustomed to come forth last, after that it is well digested by being oft distilled. Finally,Signes sh [...]wing that the Aqua-vitae is sufficiently distilled. it may be gathered that the Aqua-vitae is sufficiently distilled by these signes; If there come backe the like quantitie of water; if being set on fire, it consume and vvaste all away, not leauing any signe of moisture behind it in the bottome of the vessell: if a linnen cloth that hath beene dipt in the Aqua-vitae being set on fire doe not burne any jote at all; if a drop of oyle being put into it, go to the bottome; if a drop of Aqua-vitae being powred in the ball of your hand, doe wast away and vanish verie speedily; if yellow amber being set on fire doe burne in the Aqua-vitae; and likewise if ca [...]phire being put into Aqua-vitae be dissolued of it. You must also note, that Aqua-vitae is sometimes distilled of lees of verie good Wine,Aqua-vitae is distilled either of wine, or wine [...] or beere. being neither sower, nor spent, nor otherwise tainted; and such Aqua-vitae sometime is not inferiour but superiour in goodnesse vnto that which was distilled of the Wine it selfe: Againe, if it be often distilled ouer, it becommeth more hot and drie▪ then that which is made of the verie Wine: but yet indeed that which is made of Wine is more pleasant vnto the taste, and of a more delightsome smell: Aqua-vitae is also sometimes distilled of beere, but that is not so good as the other of Wine. The vessells for the distilling of Aqua-vitae are diuers, that is to say a good still,Vessells for the distilling of Aqua-vitae. sitting in ashes or sand, or a resort in Maries-bath, or the bladder: Aqua-vitae may also be distilled in a caldron or pot of Copper or Brasse, made in manner of a Beefe-pot, couered with a couer, and hauing a straight nose comming out of it, and rising vp on high, and turned downeward againe with a direct angle, and so passing through a [Page] bucket full of cold water. After that the Aqua-vitae is distilled, you must set it out into the Sunne a certaine time to make it yet more and more subtle. After this [...] you may distill all iuices and liquors, as mans bloud, vrine, vineger, the deaw, milke, whites and yolkes of egges,Vertues of Aqua-vitae. mans dung, or beasts dung. The vertues of Aqua-vitae are infinite: It keepeth off the fits of the Apoplexie and Falling sicknesse, in such sort, as that they which are subiect vnto that disease in the time of Winter, must euery morning take a spoonefull of Aqua-vitae sugred, and eat a little bit of white bread: it driueth away venime: keepeth Wines from spending themselues, from putrifying, and from growing thicke and troubled: it cureth speedily all the cold diseases of the sinewes, muscles, and starued members, if they be fomented therewithall: it killeth wormes, and assuageth the paine of the teeth, &c. See more in our Booke of secret remedies.

For the distilling of Vineger,Distilled vineger. you must vnderstand, that there is some difference betwixt the distilling of Aqua vitae and Vineger: for seeing that Wine is of a vaporous and fierie substance,The difference betwixt Aqua-vitae and Vineger in their maner of distilling. the chiefest and principallest parts in it doe runne at the first distillation, that is to say, with the water that first commeth forth: insomuch, as that that which remaineth and stayeth behind in the vessell, tasteth no better than common water, hauing in it no force or vertue. On the contrarie, the first that distilleth of Vineger tasteth nothing at all, saue onely that it sheweth it selfe somewhat more in his earthie parts by the alteration of his qualitie (for Vineger is no other thing but a corrupted Wine, made eager by putrifaction:) for indeed his true, na [...] rall, and proper qualitie of eagernesse and sowrenesse, as also the force and strength thereof, stayeth behind with that in the vessell, till after the first water be past. And by this it appeareth, that that which remaineth in the Wine after the first distillation of it, should be called flegme, as that should also which commeth out first in the distillation of Vinegar, be called flegme of Vineger. Wherefore, to haue good distilled Vineger, after you haue put it in like quantitie (as we haue said of Wine for to make Aqua-vitae) into the Stillitorie, you must let the flegme (that is to say, the watrie humour) distill, and set it aside in some vessell by it selfe: afterward, when the Vineger shall be consumed vnto the third or fourth part, and that it shall rellish in tasting of the distilling drops, that the eager parts of the Vineger begin to come, it will be good to set that aside to serue for infusions: and then afterward to encrease the heat of your fire a little, and so continue your distillation, vntill such time as the water begin to looke red, and to haue the consistence of Honey or of Pitch, and then you may be bold to set it aside for your speciall vse, not in medicine, but otherwise in all things concerning mettals and corrosiues: for this water making the third alteration in distillation,What vessels Vineger would be distilled in. tasteth of ad [...]stion, and is called the sanguine part of Vineger. Vineger would be distilled in the same vessell that Rose-water is distilled in, especially in ashes or hot sand, rather than in Maries bath. In like manner, and after the same sort, you shall distill Vineger of Roses, of Elders, of Cloues, and other things. Distilled Vineger is good to dissolue hard and mettallous things,The vertues of distilled Vineger. as Pearles, Corall, Egge-shells, Crystall, and Emeralds: notwithstanding, Gold and Siluer cannot be dissolued by it. This is the cause, that when Alchymists would distill any mettall or stones, to draw out their oyle, they vse first to dissolue their matter in Vineger or Vrine distilled.

Salted water or sea water is made sweet by this meanes. Fill a pot of salt water,Salted water, or Sea water. let it boyle by the fire-side, and afterward distill with a stillitorie, as you doe ros [...]-water, and the salt will stay in the bottome. And this is also the way to trie what mettalls are mixt with minerall vvaters.

The manner of distilling of honie is such. When the honie is once well purified,Honey distilled. put it in small quantitie into a stillitorie (for in a great quantitie it vvould swell ouer, after that it should once feele the heat) distill it in Maries-bath with a gentle and warme heat: the water that commeth first forth, is the flegme, which must be kept by it selfe for to colour and make long the beard and haire. Afterward increasing the heat a little,To colour the haire. there will come forth a water of a yellow, and as it were a golden colour, [Page] which you may keepe in another vessell, seeing it is good to cleanse vvounds both shallow and deepe ones: your distillation continuing, there will come another vvater high coloured and more red than the former, and then if you doe vvell, you shall change the heat of the vvater into the heat of the ashes or sand, that is to say, that you should remoue your Still, and set in ashes or sand euen almost vp to the verie mouth, and that there be not aboue three inches in bredth betwixt the fire and your Still, continuing to increase your fire, and to make it bigger than it was before, and by this meanes there will come forth a water more clam [...]ie than the former, and may be called the oyle of honie. After this manner you may distill turpentine,Turpentine distilled. and such other thicke and clammie liquors. Indeed to distill such thicke liquors, vvere better to be done by a re [...]ort, rather than in Maries-bath, as we will manifest when we come to speake of the distillation of oyles.

For to distill the bloud of a male Goat:The bloud of a male Goat distilled. Take the bloud of a young male goat being vvell fed, but not that bloud vvhich shall come forth first, nor that which shall be last, but that which shall come forth in the middest: let it stand and settle for some time, and then cast out the vvater that shall swim aboue: after vvith a tenth or twelfth part of salt, stir it vvell a long time, and worke them together very throughly; this done, put it vp into a vessell well stopt and luted, and bury it in a dunghill of horse-dung for the space of fortie daies: afterward distill it oftentimes ouer, powring it still againe and againe vpon the dros [...]e or bottome of the distillation staying behind. After you haue thus distilled it foure or fiue times, you shall haue a maruailous water, and yet it will be better if it be set in horse-dung fortie daies moe after that it is distilled. This water is singular for the breaking of the stone.The stone.

The bloud of a young man is distilledMans bloud distilled. in the same sort, but the man must be of a good complexion, and sound bodie, of the age of twentie yeares or thereabouts, of a well fed and fleshie bodie: and it serueth in steed of restoratiues vnto those vvhich are in a consumption: it is good likewise against rheumes and distillations falling vpon the joynts, if the diseased places be fomented therewithall. Howbeit I do not greatly approue the distilling of mans bloud for any such end, seeing it is an vnworthie and heynous thing, and not beseeming Christians, and a thing likewise which in the middest of so many other helpes may easily be spared. See more amongst our secret medicines.

The bloud of a Drake is in like maner distilled against poyson: and after the same sort may the bloud of a Calfe,The bloud of a Drake distilled. Badger, or Hare be distilled.

You may distill milkeDistilled milke. also alter the same manner that Aqua-vitae is distilled. It is reported, that in Tartarie the water of distilled milkeThe vertues of distilled milke. maketh men drunke: such milk therefore must be good and fat, such as is the milke of a heyfer. Some physitians hold that distilled milke is good against the jaundise, as also against a quartaine ague, if it be distilled with the like quantitie of Wine.

The milke of the she goats is oft distilled,The milke of a she Goat distilled. to serue for the cleansing of the vlcers of thereines and bladder, whereunto the milke it selfe would serue a great deale better, if they be fed for the most part with burnet.

Mans dung is distilled in a glasse stillitorie in such manner as Aqua-vitaeThe distilling of mans dung. is distilled: the vvater that it distilleth (especially if it be of the dung of a red or freckeled man) is soueraigne good to heale and cicatrize deepe,Deepe vlcers. hollow, old, and rebellious vlcers, and to take away the spots of the eyes. Taken also in manner of a drinke, it deliuereth from the Falling-sicknesse: and in like sort if the head be rubbed therewithall, it deliuereth also from the stone of the reines and bladder, and from the dropsie, and doth them verie much good that are bitten of a mad dogge, or of other venimous beasts.The biting of [...] mad dogge. Notwithstanding whereas such water simplie and without any manner of mixture distilled, doth retaine the smell of the said excrement, it will be good, to the end to giue it some good taste,To giue a good smell to the distilled water. to clap to the end of the nose of the Still some nodule or little knot of linnen cloth contayning muske in it; or else to annoint the head vvithin vvith the said muske or some other such like thing that is of a good sauour. [Page] And thus may the dung of kine or pigeons be distilled; the distilled water whereof is good to breake the stone.

CHAP. LXVII.
Of the manner of distilling of liuing creatures, or their parts.

TO distill the bodie of any beast,To distill liuing things. you must first strangle it, that so it may not shed any bloud, and after take away all his fat (if he haue any) and the entrailes: then chop the flesh small, and cast vpon it the tenth o [...] twelfth part of salt, and so distill it in Maries-bath, or vpon hot ashes after the manner of Roses. Thus the young and tender storke which did neuer flye is distilled; but he must first be bowelled and stuffed with an ounce of camphire,The water of a storke. and a dram of amber: the water that commeth thereof is excellent to make liniments and fomentations in palsies and con [...]lsions. After the same sort is the pie, frog, snailes, ants, liuers, and lungs of calues, of a Foxe, and other such like beasts distilled: howbeit, vvithout any such long and teadious preparation they may be distilled by and by after the manner of other vvaters, as vve vvill forthwith declare in the distillatio [...] of restoratiues.

The vvater of Swallowes: Take Swallowes the weight of sixe ounces,Water of Swallowes. and cast [...] reum an ounce, let them infu [...]e a whole night in vvater, and put into a Limbecke, be distilled: This vvater is singular to preserue one from the Falling-sicknesse, if it be taken but once a moneth to the quantitie of two spoonefulls, and that in a morning fasting.

The flesh of beasts is distilled on this manner: Cut and chop the flesh small,The Water of flesh. incorporate and stampe it vvith a tenth part of common salt: after put it in a [...] (like vnto a gourd) vvell stopped, that so you may burie it in the earth, set and [...] passed round about with vnquencht lime, and dung of horses halfe rotten, to be digested in the same for the space of a moneth, or thereabout, during vvhich time you shall vvater the said vnquencht lime and dung often with vvarme vvater to stirre vp their heat, and you shall renew the lime and dung three or foure times euerie weeke [...] for you must thinke that for vvant of heat, the flesh might putrifie in steed of digesting. And after they haue beene sufficiently digested (vvhich you may know by seeing the grosser parts seperated from the more thinne and subtile) the vessell shall be taken out of the dunghill, and the head of a Still set thereupon, the nose or [...] being vvell luted, and so it shall be distilled in Maries-bath diuers times ouer, powring the distilled vvater againe vpon the residence or drosse remayning in the bottome, so oft as you redistill it. And after the fifth distillation, you shall set aside the water to keepe, if so be you had not rather circulate it, to giue it the nature as it vvere of a quintessence.

As well the vvhites as the yolkes of egges are distilled after the manner abo [...] sayd:Water of Egges. but they must not be digested in the dung aboue fiue or sixe dayes at the most.

The vvaters thus distilled are more than restoratiues, hauing the vertue to encrease the substance of the bodie and members, as naturall flesh and nourishment doth.

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CHAP. LXVIII.
Of the manner of distilling of restoratiues.

REstoratiuesRestoratiues. are prepared after diuers sorts, notwithstanding the most vsuall and best is thus: Take the flesh of a Veale, Kid, or Weather, cut and chopped as small as possibly may be: or else take musculous flesh, which is called the vvhites of capons, pullets, fat and well fleshed hens, after they haue beene well hunted and tired, cut likewise and chopped small: put vnto this flesh, calues feet, peeces of gold, or rather the thin beaten leaues of gold: put all in a glasse Still well luted with mortar made of flower, whites of egges, and a little masticke: into this Still, you shall cast (for the giuing of some grace vnto the distillation, and somewhat to mitigate the heat which it might get by the fire) halfe a handfull of cleane barley, a handfull of drie or new red Roses, which haue beene infused in the juice of pomegranates or rose-water, and a little cinnamome: place them all in the Still, as it were after the manner of little beds, and strew thereupon the powder of the electuarie of cold Diamargariton, or of precious stones, and a little coriander prepared and finely powdred to discusse and waste all windie matter. If you would make your restoratiues medicinable, you may adde thereunto things concerning the disease that presseth, as rootes and hearbes respecting the head, in the diseases of the head, as betonie, penniryall, staechados, organie, sage, and others such like: for the diseases of the reines, the rootes and plants that are good to breake the stone: for the Falling-sicknesse, the seed of pionie, and misletoe of the oake: for the quartaine ague, polopody, scolopendrum, and the rootes of Tamariske: for the French disease, the rootes of gentian, enula campana, and the wood guajacum, and so of other things: yet it seemeth vnto me that it were better that the cordial powders [...] not be mingled among the rest, for feare that their force, which is thin, subtile, and verie fragrant, should euaporate through the heat of the fire, and that it would be farre better to straine the distillation through a linnen cloth that is verie cleane, and which should haue the cordiall powders in the bottome of it: there may likewise be added a quantitie of Treacle, with some conserues, as occasion shall be ministred: the matter thus disposed of, it shall be distilled in a stillitorie of glasse well luted (as we haue said) and in Maries-bath; or else in ashes, grauel, or hot sand: for by this meanes the distillation vvill taste least of the fire. It will be good before the flesh be put into the still to be distilled, that they should haue boyled a boyle or two in a new earthen pot, to take from it the grosse excrements hanging about the same. Againe, it must be remembred, that if there be any gold put into the distillation, that it will be better to put in such as is wrought into leaues than grosse peeces: because that grosse peeces in respect of their solidenesse consume but a verie little, and with much adoe. This is called a diuine restoratiue,The diuine restoratiue. and must be giuen vnto the sicke partie prettie and warme.

Another manner of restoratiue after the Italians fashion: Take a Capon,Another restoratiue. or a good Henne, which yet neuer laid egges, let her or him be pulled aliue, that so the bloud may be stirred and dispersed throughout the bodie: after you haue pulled them, [...]ke [...]out the guts, and afterward stampe bones and all together in a Mortar, putting thereto as much [...]rummes of new bread as there is stamped flesh, pound all together with a handfull of Seabious, either greene or drie, and the weight of a French crowne of the leaues of gold, let it all settle a whole night, after distill it, adding thereto three pound of verie good Wine, such as is of a ripe Grape.

Another manner of restoratiue: Boile a Capon,Another restoratiue. or some such other flying fowle, whole and entire, with Borage, Buglosse, Scariole, Endiue, Lettuces, or other such like hearbes, as shall be necessarie in respect of the disease: and when it hath boiled till it seeme as rotten with boiling, take the broth or supping, and put it into the stillitorie, [Page] afterward put thereinto also the flesh of partridge, hen, or other such flying fowle cut and chopt small, and adde vnto these such other matter, as you shall know to be necessarie for the present disease, as conserues of roses and buglosse, damaske raisins, the powders of the electuaries of precious stones, aromaticum rosatum, and such like things: and finally, distill them after the manner aboue specified.

Some there are vvhich vvill not make any restoratiues but of capons-flesh,Another restoratiue. the oldest they can get, such they strangle and plucke by feather and feather, not vsing the helpe of any hot vvater, then they take out the entrailes and chop them small: adding thereto flowers or conserues of buglosse, burrage, damaske raisins, mundified barley whole, coriander-seed, pearles, powder of the electuarie diarrhodon, or some other like vnto it, and the leaues of gold, they distill all together, and cause it to be giuen to sicke persons, women in child-bed, and old folke.

To make a restoratiue in shorter time,A restoratiue to be made presently. and that vpon the sudden, with lesse cost, charges, as also paine and labour: chop your flesh small after the manner alreadie deliuered, put it into a glasse viole or bottle of a sufficient bignesse, and in such sort as that all your peeces of flesh be strung or put vpon a double threed and hold one by another, and the double threed vvhereupon they hang be vvithout the bottle, which must be well stopt aboue with a linnen or cotten cloth, wet in a mixture made vvith whites of egges and barley [...]lower: set this bottle in a caldron full of water, boyling at a small fire, and there let it stand foure houres more or lesse, vntill such time as a good part of the flesh bee conuerted into moisture: See that the bottle stand in the vvater vp to the necke, and that it touch not the bottome of the caldron, and vvithall vvell stayed vp on euerie side, that so it may not slip or bend more one vvay than another. When the foure houres are spent, rebate the fire gently, that so the bottle also may coole by little and little, vvhich if so bee that you should take all hote out of the water, it vvould breake presently. Afterward, vnstop the bottle vvith vvarme vvater, if you cannot vvell otherwise, and then draw forth the string and the flesh softly, that so the liquor may remaine alone: straine the vvater after the manner of Hypocras, and aromatize it vvith Sugar and Ci [...] mome, that so it may be giuen to the sicke that are vvasted. You may after this manner make restoratiues such like as you shall thinke good, either cheaper or dearer, more or lesse pleasant and delicate, and more or lesse medicinable, as occasion may require.

CHAP. LXIX.
The manner of distilling compound waters.

WAters are not onely distilled of one onely or simple plant, liquor, or other matter: but also of many mixt together; and such vvaters are called compounded vvaters,Compound wate [...]s. by reason of the mixture of many things. These compound vvaters are of three sorts: some are for physick,Three sorts of common compound waters. othersome for sweetnesse, and the other for [...]ukes and painting, as ornaments to the bodie: vve vvill first and before the rest speake of those which serue for medicine and physicke.

Sage water compounded:Sage water compounded. Take equall parts of sage and penniryall, stampe them in a mortar, and distill them. This water taketh away the paine of the bellie, and stayeth cold rheumes if it be drunke with a little quantitie of castoreum.

Water of turneps compounded.Turnep water compounded. Take turneps either garden or wild ones, or both together, the roots of smallage and parsley, and anise-seed, infuse them all in white wine or vinegar, and distill the vvater as good against grauell.

Angelica water: Take equall parts of Angelica,Water of angelica compounded. as well the rootes as the leaues, (but especially the rootes) and the flowers of lauander, infuse them in Wine, & there [Page] will distill from them a singular water against the Falling-sicknesse,Falling sicknes. if it be taken in the quantitie of two or three spoonefulls.

Water of Celandine:Water of celandine compound. Gather in the beginning of the moneth of May the leaues of celandine, veruaine, rue, and fennell, pound them, and draw from euerie one of them three ounces of juice, vvhich you shall mix together: put vnto them some buds of roses, of sugar-candie three ounces, of verie good Tutia foure ounces, and as much of dragons bloud: distill them all in a stillitorie: This vvater taketh away the rednesse and spots in the eyes.

Water of the Vine:Water of the vine compound. Take the vvater that distilleth from the vine-stockes at such time as they are cut, vvhich is in the Spring-time, distill it with like quantitie of honie: this vvater healeth itchings, heat, and rednesse of the eyes: the verie vvater of of the vine alone vndistilled doth the like.

Rose-water: Take roses three parts,Rose water compounded. fennell, and rue, of each one part, shred them small, and mingle them verie well together afterward distill them, and let the distilling vvater fall into a vessell wherein is a handfull of the foresaid hearbes,It preserueth the sight. this vvater preserueth the sight, if the eyes be vvashed therewith in Sommer.

Water of Eye-bright: Take Celandine,Eybright water compounded. Fennell, Rue, Eye-bright, Veruaine, red Roses, of each halfe a pound, Cloues and Long-pepper, of each two ounces: bruise them all, and distill them in a glasse stillitorie. This vvater is singular good for a vveake sight.

Water of Rosemarie: Take Aqua-vitae distilled of white Wine,Rosemarie water compounded the distilled vvater of rosemarie and sage, of each fiue pound, of sugar two pound: in these infuse of the flowers of sage and rosemarie for the space of eight daies,Fistulaes of the eies. of each two ounces, straine them, and keepe the water to heale the fistulaes of the eyes.

Water of Treacle:Water of trecle. Distill in a glasse stillitorie Treacle, with a like quantitie of Aqua-vitae and Vinegar: This vvater is good to touch the vlcers and rawnesse of the mouth vvithall,Vlcers of the mouth▪ especially if there be added vnto it a little bole-armoniacke.

Another Treacle water:Treacle water▪ Take old Treacle a pound, of the rootes of Enula campana, Gentian, Cypers, Tormentill, of each an ounce, of blessed Thistle halfe an ounce, of conserues of Borage, Buglosse, and Rosemarie, of each an ounce, infuse them all together in three pints of white Wine, a pint and a halfe of Cesterne water, and two pints of Rose-water: distill them.

Water of Cloues:Water of cloues. Take equall parts of Cloues, Ginger, and flowers of Rosemarie, infuse them in verie good Wine the space of eight daies: distill the whole: This vvater comforteth the stomacke,Paine of the stomacke and bellie. assuageth the paines and vvringings of the bellie, killeth vvormes, and maketh fat folke to become leane, or maketh fat the leane, if they drinke it mixt with sugar.

Water of Saxifrage:Saxifrage water. Take of the juice of Saxifrage two pound, of the juice of Pearlewort,The Stone. Parsley, Anise, and Clotburre, of each halfe a pound, of vvhite Vinegar eight ounces, distill them all: This vvater drunke in the morning, breaketh the stone.

Water of Swallowes:Water of Swallowes. Take Swallowes and drie them in an ouen, make them into powder: mixe it vvith a little Castoreum, and a little Vinegar, distill it all: this water cureth the Falling-sicknesse if it be drunke foure mornings.

Water of horse-taile:Horse-taile water. Take horse-taile, plantaine, red roses, Winter-cherrie-berries, rootes of holihockes, and scraped licorice, of each an ounce, of bole-armoniacke halfe an ounce, of the seed of gourds and cucumbers, of each three drams, of the seede of white poppie, six drams, of the seed of quinces halfe an ounce: Infuse them all in vvhay made of goats milke the space of two daies, afterward distill the vvater: which will serue for the vlcers of the reines and bladder,Vlcers of the reines. if there be foure ounces of [...]taken vvarme in the morning.

Water of corneflag:Corneflag water. Take equall parts of corneflag, hyssope, and southernewood, stampe them throughly, and leaue them so a certaine time, afterward distill them: this vvater prouoketh womens termes, and killeth wormes in young children.

Burnet-water:Burne [...]-water. Take the seed of burnet, parsley, smallage, the leaues and rootes of [Page] clotburre and smallage, of euerie one equally: stampe all together, after put thereto of draggons bloud an ounce, and a little good vinegar: [...]et all to infuse together a certaine time, afterward distill it: this vvater hath a meruailous vertue against the stone and grauell.

A singular vvater for the grauell,Stone. vvhich the deceased Monsieur de Tillet had great vse of vvith happie succes [...]e:Grauell. Take the rootes of parsley and fennell made verie cleane, and the vvooddie part taken out, of each [...]oure handfulls, boyle them in twelue pintes of riuer water: vvhen they are halfe boyled, put thereto of the tender buds of Mallows, holihockes, violets, and sea-weed, of each foure handfulls, boyle all together to the consumption of the halfe, after straine them through a white napkin: distill them, putting thereunto two pound of Venice turpentine.

A singular water for the eyes:A water for the eyes. Take celandine, veruaine, betonie, eye-bright, rue, and fennell all new and fresh, of each two handfulls, stampe them together, sprinkling them with halfe a pound of white Wine, presse out the juice, and afterward infuse in the same pepper and ginger made in powder, of each halfe an ounce, of saffron three drams; of myrrhe, aloes, and sarcocol, of each one ounce; of verie good honie a pound: distill them all in a glasse stillitorie at a small fire, and keepe the water for the spots of the eyes.

Take foure ounces of the pills of Oranges dried in the shadow of the Sunne sixe dayes:An imperiall water. nutmegs, and cloues, made into powder either of them by themselues, of each foure ounces, infuse the said aromaticall powders in a glasse viole with rosewater the space of seuenteene dayes in the Sunne: after cast vpon the said powders, the rindes of oranges, vvhich you shall let steepe there a certaine space of time. Afterward, take of new red roses gathered two daies before a pound, of the roote of cype [...]us halfe a pound, of the leaues of rosemarie, hys [...]op, balme, roses of the bush, of each two handfulls, of bay-leaues a handfull, lay them all to drie in the Sunne for two houres, after infuse them in rose-water the space of three houres: this done, put them all into a Still after this manner. In the bottome of the Still make a bed of one pound of new red roses, then next a bed of aromaticall powders and the rindes of oranges, in the third place a bed of Violet flowers, and in the fourth place the last and fourth bed of the afore named hearbes: distill them all in Maries-bath with a gentle fire. Adde vnto the distilled water two pound of rose-water or thereabout, so that it may be in proportion equall to the third or fourth part of the water drawne out by distillation. This vvater taken in the morning the weight of a dramme, keepeth the bodie sound, lustie, and reneweth youth. It is singular for the paine of the head, tteeth, bellie, gripings, palsie, con [...]ulsions, apoplexie, faintings, and other such cold diseases. This is the vvater that is so much esteemed in the courts of kings and princes, and amongst the great and renowned ladies.

An Allome-water:An Allome water. Take Verjuice, the juice of Plantaine and Purslaine, of each a pound, seuen whites of egges, ten ounces of Roch-allome, mingle them together, and distill them. Otherwise, take plantaine, purslaine, sorrell, gourds, nightshade, and verjuice, of each a handfull, poune them grosly, mixe therewith ten or twelue whites of egges, put them all in a glasse stillitorie to distill, mingling amongst them halfe a pound of Allome, as you lay bed vpon bed: this water is good for ca [...] kers, for the rednesse of the face, and for vlcers, applying linnen clothes thereunto, that haue beene wet therein.

You may likewise distill purging waters,Purging waters. in infusing purgatiue medicines both simple and compound, seeing that they be as new as may be, and that in Aqua-vitae, wine, milke, whay, distilled waters, or conuenient decoctions, and such waters vvill haue the like vertues as the purging medicines haue; thus you may distill Catholicum,Catholicum and Diap [...]oenicon distilled. Diaphoenicon, confectio Hamech, and Electuarium de [...]ucco rosar [...]m: Thus you may distill rhubarbe, agaricke, hellebor, scammonie, and such other purgatiues that are sound and new.

The maner of distilling rhubarbe may be this:Water of Rhubarbe distilled. take a quantitie of new and greene Rhubarbe, vvhether it be a pound, or halfe a pound, more or lesse, make it [...]to small [Page] pieces, or make it into grosse powder, and vpon it cast of the iuice of Borage and Buglosse, of each two pound, for one of Rubarbe, infuse them all together for the space of foure and twentie houres vpon hot ashes, then distill them in a Stillitorie in Maries bath.

This distilling of purgatiue Medicines, is for such kind of people as are verie delicate, and cannot abide the smell of the purging medicine to be ministred otherwise vnto them.

CHAP. LXX.
Of sweet Waters particularly described.

SWeet Waters serue to wash the hands,Sweet water. face, haire of the head, and beard: as also to make Linnens, Garments, Gloues, and such other things, to smell sweet.

Water of Lauander:Lauander water. Take the flowers of Lauander new or drie, be [...]prinkle or infuse them in Rose-water, Wine, or Aqua-vitae, afterward distill them. The water will be sweeter, if you drie the flowers in the Sunne in a Glasse-violl close stopped, and cast vpon them afterward some white Wine. And if in the time of want and lacke of distilled water, you would haue a water presently made which should resemble the smell of the water of Lauander; cast a drop or two of the Oyle of Spike into a good sufficient quantitie of pure water, and swill them well together in a bottle or Glasse-violl with a narrow necke: This water, though it be not distilled, yet it ceaseth not to haue the sweet smelling sent and sauour that the distilled hath.

Water of Cloues: Take halfe an ounce of Cloues well bruised,Water of Cloues. set them to infuse in a pound and a halfe of Rose-water the space of foure and twentie houres, after distill them in Maries bath.

The water of sweet Smells: Take Basill,The water of sweet smells. Mints, Marierome, rootes of Corneflag, Hyssope, Sauorie, Sage, Balme, Lauander, and Rosemarie, of each a handfull: of Cloues, Cinnamome, and N [...]tmegs, of each halfe an ounce: then take three or foure Citrons, and cut them in sufficient thicke slices: which done, infuse all this in a sufficient quantitie of Rose-water for the space of three daies, distilling it all afterward in Maries bath at a small fire: the distillation done, put thereto a scruple of Muske.

Water of Roses musked: Take the buds of Roses,Rose-water musked. and cutting out the white, put them into the Stillitorie, and in the middest thereof, vpon your Roses, put a little knot of Muske, and so distill them.

Water of Spike: Take Spike before the flower be altogether blowne,Water of Spike. and taking away all the wood from it, lay it on a bed within the Stillitorie: afterward, lay vpon that bed a bed of Roses almost blowne, and thereupon some dozen of Cloues: but and if you haue not Spike, then you may put Lauander in his place: distill it at a moderate fire, and with as little ayre as possibly you can giue it: And when the distillation shall be as good as finished, be [...]prinkle the matter with a little verie good white Wine, and so finishing your distillation, keepe your water in viols well stopped.

Damaske water: Take two handfuls and a halfe of red Roses,Damask water. Rosemarie flowers, Lauander and Spike flowers, of each a Pugill: of the sprigges of Thyme, flowers of Cammomile, flowers of small Sage, of Penyryall, and Marierome, of each a handfull: infuse them all in white Wine the space of foure and twentie houres: then put them into the Stillitorie, sprinkling it with verie good white Wine, and scatter thereupon this powder following: take an ounce and a halfe of well chosen Cloues, an ounce of Nutmegs, of Beniouin and Styrax calami [...]a, of each two drammes, make [Page] them in powder: The water that shall be distilled, must be kept in a vessell verie well stopped.

There is also made a verie sweet water of cleare Myrrhe,Water of Myrrhe. if it be new, gu [...]mie, and diuided into small gobbets, and set to steepe in the iuice of Roses six times as much in quantitie as the Myrrhe: It must be distilled vpon hot ashes at a small fire; for and if you should encrease it, there would come forth oyle with the water. Such water being dropped but onely one drop of it into an hundred of well or fo [...] taine water, maketh it all to smell most sweetly.

Rose-water sweetened with Muske:Rose-water sweetned with Muske. Take a Glasse-vessell of the fashion of an Vrinall, that is to say, wide below, and straight aboue; therein put twelue graines of Muske, or more, and stop it close with good Parchment, setting it in the Sunne for foure or fiue daies: then take another vessell of the fashion of the first, which you shall fill with Roses dried a verie little, and stamped: then stop that vessell also with a verie thinne Linnen cloth, or with a Strainer: afterward put the mouth of the vessell wherein the Roses be, into the mouth of the other wherein the Muske is, lu [...]e them well together, and set them in the Sunne, in such sort, as that the vessell with the Roses may stand aboue that wherein the Muske is, and that in some window or such other place, where the Sunne shineth verie hot: and by this meanes there will [...] water distill downe vpon the Muske, which will be good either to be vsed aboue, or mingled with some other. Otherwise: Take twentie graines of Muske, [...], Cloues, Galingall, Schaenanthum, graines of Paradise, Mace, and Cinnamome, of each an ounce, bray them all together, and put them into a Stillitorie with a [...] and a halfe of Rose-water, then let them stand so foure or fiue daies, and afterward distill them.

Water of Oranges:Water of Oranges. Take the pilles of Oranges and Citrons when they are greene, of each halfe an ounce, of Cloues fiue or sixe, of the flowers of Spike or Lauander newly gathered, six ounces, infuse all together in six pound of Rose-water the space of foure or fiue daies, afterward distill them.

Water of Orange flowers: Take flowers of Oranges,Water of Nasse, or Orange flowers. and distill them in a Glasse-Stillitorie, or in an earthen one verie well baked and glased, hauing but a small fire: you may also put vnto them the flowers of Citrons, if you thinke good. The water must be kept in Glasse-bottles couered with fi [...]e Mats, and well stopped.

The counterfeit water of Orange flowers: Take the buds of red Roses,The counterfeit water of Orange flowers. the most double that can be found, but take their yellow from them, make a bed thereof in the Stillitorie, and aboue it another bed of the flowers of Lillies: afterward againe another of Roses, and then another of the flowers of Lauander, and then another bed of Roses againe: and betwixt euerie one of these beds cast and sow some bruised Cloues, and in the middest of all make a little pit, in which you shall put certaine graines of Muske, or Ciuet, or Ambergreece, or some sort of perfume: afterward distill them all at a little fire: Reserue the water in little bottles, couered with fine Mats, and well stopped.

A sweet smelling water: Take Marierome,A sweet smelling water. Thyme, Lauander, Rosemarie, small Penyryall, red Roses, flowers of Violets, Gilloflowers, Sauorie, and pilles of Oranges, steepe them all in white Wine, so much as will swimme aboue the said hearbe [...] afterward distill them in a Stillitorie twice or thrice: keepe the water in bottles well stopped, and the drosse or residence to make perfumes.

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CHAP. LXXI.
The fashion of distilling water for Fukes.

NOw,A water for Fukes. albeit that a good Farmers wife must not be too bufie with Fukes and such things as are for the decking and painting of the bodie, because her care must wholly be imployed in the keeping and encrease of her household-stuffe; notwithstanding, I would not haue her ignorant of the manner of distilling of waters for Fukes: not that shee should make vse of them for her selfe, but that shee may make some profit and benefit by the sale thereof vnto great Lords and Ladies, and other persons, that may attend to be curious, and paint vp themselues.The vses of waters for Fukes. Now all such waters in generall serue for three purposes: The one is to smooth and keepe neat the skinne, as well of the face as of the other parts of the bodie: The other is to colour the haire of the head and beard: and the third, to make white the teeth. Some of these are simple, as the water of the flowers of Beanes, of Strawberries, the water of the Vine, of Goats milke, of Asses milke, of whites of egges, of the flowers of Lillies, of Dragons, and of Calues feet: others are compounded of maine ingredients, as you shall know by the briefe collection that wee shall make of them.

Water of Strawberries:Water of Strawberries. Take ripe Strawberries, set them to putrifie some certaine time in an earthen vessell, putting thereto a little salt or sugar, and afterward distill them: This water will clea [...]se away the spots of the face and the spots of the eies, caused either of hot or cold humours: it will be more effectuall, if you infuse the Strawberries in Aqua-vitae before that you doe distill them.

Water of Beane-flowers:Water of Beane-flower. Take the flowers of Beanes, infuse them a day or two in white Wine in a Glasse-violl in the Sunne, afterward distill them: This water taketh away the spots of the face, if it be washed therewith morning and euening.

The rootes of great Dragons distilled,The water of Dragons. maketh a singular water to take away the prints and marks which the pocks haue left behind them: so doth likewise the distilled water of the root of wild Vine, of Corneflag, Sowbread, Costmarie, Angelica, Elicampane, Tutneps, wild Cucumbers, white Onions, Gentian, Capers, Lillies, Madder, Alkanet, Cinquefoile, Crowfoot, Tasell, and manie other hearbes.

Water of Guaiacum:Water of Guaiacum. Take Guaiacum, and cut it in small pieces, infuse them a certaine time in the decoction of other Guaiacum, and a third part of white Wine, afterward distill them in a Glasse-Stillitorie: The water that shall distill thereof is singular for the taking away of all spots out of the face, especially if you ioyne with it, in the distilling of it, some Lillie rootes.

The water that is distilled in equall quantitie of the leaues of Peaches and Willowes,The water of Peaches and Willowes. taketh away the red spots and rubies of the face.

The water that is distilled in equall quantitie of the whites of egges and iuice of Limons,Water of whites of egges. scoureth the face, and maketh it faire. In stead of this water, if you haue not the fit meanes to distill it, you shall take seuen or eight Limons, or Citrons, which you shall cut into quarters, and after infuse them in white Wine in the Sunne.

Another water: Take six ounces of the crummes of white bread,Water of [...] of bread. infuse them in two pound of Goats or Asses milke, mingle them diligently together, and afterward distill them.

Water of Snailes:Water of Snailes. Take white Snailes about thirtie, of Goats milke two pound, of the fat of a Pigge or Kid three ounces, of the powder of Camphire a dramme, distill them in a Glasse-Stillitorie.

Water of the whites of egges:Water of the whites of egges. Take the whites of new egges, about twelue, fine Cinnamome an ounce, and Asses milke twelue ounces, distill all in a Glasse-Stillitorie: This water maketh a woman looke gay and fresh, as if shee were but fifteene yeares old.

[Page] Water of Calues feet:Water of Calues feet. Take the feet of a Calfe, and (taking away their skinne and hooues of their hoofes) cut the rest in pieces, that is to say, the bones, sinewes, and marrow, and so distill them: This water maketh the face Vermillion like, and taketh away the blemishes of the small Pocks.

A singular water to make one white:A water making white. Take the dung of small Lizards, or of the Cuttle fish, the Tartar of white Wine, the shauing of Harts-horne, white Corall, the flower of Rice, as much of one as of another, beat them a long time in a Mortar, to make them into fine powder, afterward infuse them a night in an equall portion of the distilled water of sweet Almonds, Snailes of the Vine, and white Mulleine, and put thereunto likewise the like weight of white Honey: distill all together in a Stillitorie.

Water of bread crummes compounded:Water of crums of bread. Take the crummie part of Barly bread, indifferent betwixt white and blacke, two pounds, of Goats milke three pounds, of white Wine halfe a pound, of the foure great cold seeds of each two ounces, of the flowers of Beanes, or dried Beanes and Cich Pease, of each two pound, of Rice halfe a pound, of the flowers of water Lillies and white Roses of each two pugill [...], the whites and yolkes of twentie egges: distill them all in Maries bath, and the water will be a great deale more excellent, if you put vnto the distillation some Venice Turpentine.

Water of the broth of a Capon:Water of the broth of a Capon. Take of the broth of a Capon, Henne, or Pullet, three pound, of the iuice of Limons one pound, of white vineger halfe a pound, of the flowers of Beanes and water Lillies of each three pugills, the whites of two or three egges, the weight of two French crownes of Camphire, distill them all: This water is of a maruellous vertue to take away the spots and staines of the face, and other parts of the bodie.

The water of Branne:Water of Bran. Take Branne the best that you can find, sift it diligently, and afterward temper it with strong vineger, put them into a Still, and cast vpon them tenne or twelue yolkes of egges: distill them all: This water maketh the face cleane, glistening, and verie faire.

Another water:A sweet water. Take the flower of Beanes and water Lillies of each a pound, of bread crummes, Rice flower, flowers of Corneflags, of each six ounces, of Honey a pound, of white Wine and water of the fountaine of each three pound, let all be well mingled together, and afterward distill them in Maries bath.

Take the rootes of Corneflag and wild Cucumbers of each three pound,Another water. of the rootes of Holihockes and Lillies of each two pound, of ripe Grapes halfe a pound, of Beane flowers and leaues of wall Pellitorie of each a pugill, of water Lillies and Mallowes of each a handfull, of the crummes of Barly bread a pound, infuse it all in white Wine or in the household store of Goats milke, putting to the infusion halfe an ounce of the rootes of Turneps, and of the foure great cold seedes another halfe ounce, of the vrine of a little girle halfe a pound, let all be distilled together: This water is singular good to take away freckles, scarres, the prints of the small pockes, and all other spots of the skinne.

A water vsed amongst the Ladies of the Court,A water to paint the face withall. to keepe a faire white and fresh in their faces: Take a white Pigeon, a pint of Goats milke, foure ounces of fresh Butter, foure pugills of Plantaine, and as much of the roots and leaues of Salomons seale, [...] ounce of Camphire, halfe an ounce of Sugar candie, and two drammes of Allo [...]e, let all settle together, and afterward, distill it.

Another w [...]ter: Take of the crummes of white bread two pound, of the flowers of Beanes one pound, of white Roses, the flowers of water and land Lillies, of euerie one two pound, of Goats milke six ounces, and of the flowers of Cornflag anounce, distill all: this water is good to keepe the hands cleane and white.

Take Cowes milke in the moneth of May (in other moneths it is not worth ani [...] thing) two pounds,Water of Cowes mi [...]ke. foure Oranges, and fiue Citrons, Roch Allome and fine Sugar of each an ounce, cut the Oranges and Citrons into small quarters, and infuse them in milke, afterward distill them all: this water is good to keepe the colour neat & fresh.

[Page] Take a certaine number of egges,Water of egges. the newest you can get, and lay them to steepe in verie strong Vineger three whole dayes and nights: afterward pierce them with a pinne, in such sort, as that you may cause all the water that is within them to come forth: and then distilling this water, you shall find it excellent to beautifie the face.

Likewise to wash the face with the water of Almonds, or Sheepes or Goats milke,A water to colour or paint the face withall. or else to lay vpon the face, when one goeth to sleepe, a white Linnen cloth dipped in these liquors, is auaileable for the beautifying of the face.

Another water: Take two Calues, feet, boyle them in Riuer water to the consumption of the one halfe of the water, put thereunto a pound of Rice, of the crummie part of one white loafe, kneaded with Goats milke, two pound of fresh Butter, the whites of tenne new layd egges, with their shells and skinnes, distill it all, and in the distilled water put a little Camphire and Roch Allome: this water maketh the face verie faire.

Water of Lard:The water of Lard. Take such quantitie of Lard as you shall thinke good, and scrape it as cleane as possibly you can: afterward stampe it in a Marble Mortar, so long, as that it become like paste, and then distill it in a Glasse-Sillitorie: The water will be white, and it is singular to make the haire of a Straw-colour, and glistening.

Water of Honey distilled,Water of Honey. as were haue said before, maketh the haire beautifull and long.

Water of Capers:Water of Capers. Take greene Capers, and distill them: This water dyeth haire greene, if after they haue beene washed with this water, they be dried in the Sunne.

Another water:A painting and colouring water Take a pound of verie good Honey, and of the leaues of male Sothernewood two handfuls, mingle them, and distill them: This water is good to [...] the haire of the head and beard faire and beautifull.

A water to cleanse the teeth:A water to cleanse the teeth. Take Sage, Organie, wild Marierome, Rosemarie, and Pennyryall, of each a handfull, of Pellitorie, Ginger, Cloues, and Nutmegs, of each the weight of two French crownes, put all together, and water them with white Wine, afterward distill them.

Another water for the same effect: Take long Pepper the weight of two French crownes, of Pellitorie and Stauesacre the weight of one French crowne, sprinkle them all ouer with halfe and ounce of Aqua-vitae, after put an ounce and a halfe of white Honey thereunto, and so distill them.

CHAP. LXXII.
The manner of distilling per ascensum and per descensum.

ALl manner of distillation which is made by vertue and force of fire,To distill (as it is called) per ascensum. and such like heat, is of two sorts: the one is made by raising vp of vapours vp on high, which the Alchymists call per ascensum: and there is another which is after the manner of falling of sweat, or defluxion of humors descending downeward, and this is commonly called per descensum. Waters are for the most part distilled by the way called per ascensum; as Oyles are for the most part distilled per descensum: I say for the most part, because that certaine Waters are sometimes distilled per descensum, as also some Oyles per ascensum, such as are the Oyles drawne of leaues, flowers, fruits, seeds, and other such like matter.

The waters that are distilled per descensum, Wha [...] [...] of Oyles are distilled per desce [...]sum. are chiefely sweet waters, such as are made of flowers and leaues of a good smell, which being so distilled, doe not euaporate or spend their best vapour so quickly by distillation, and thereupon they retaine in better sort, and for a longer time, their naturall smell.

[Page] The way is this: Take new Roses, or other such flowers, and put them in a Linnen cloth,Rose-water distilled per descensum. spread and stretcht ouer a bason of Brasse, or earth, well glased: aboue this bason set another vessell of Brasse, or of earth, in manner of a round Frying-panne, hauing the bottome couered with hot coales; but therewithall you must looke, that you let not the fire remaine anie long time vpon the vessell, for feare it should grow too hot, and that the water should smell of burning. Thus way is better than anie other, to make a great deale of water in a short time, and without great charges, of flower [...] and all sweet smelling, cooling, and astringent matter.

After such sort is the Sea-Onion distilled:The Sea-Onion distilled per descensum. Cut in slices the Sea-Onion, put it into an earthen vessell which shall haue manie small holes in the bottome, let the bottome of this vessell goe into the mouth of another vessell made of earth, and lute them both together verie well, and let the earthen vessell be set in the earth vp vnto the throat, and then lay it round about with coales of fire, thus giue fire vnto the vpper vessell for the space of tenne or twelue houres: it will distill his water downeward, which if you mixe with flower or bread, you shall make Pastils, which will be good to kill Rats or Mice,To kill Rats and Mice. and that quickly, if you mixe therewith a small quantitie of Litarge.

You may make your distillation of flowers per descensum otherwise,Another manner of distilling waters per descensum, and that without heat. without the heat of anie fire: Take two vessels of Glasse one like vnto another, both of them being made large in the bottome, and narrow at the top (after the manner of an Vrinall) and see that the mouth of the one will fit and goe into the mouth of the other, and then lute them well and close together, hauing put betwixt them a fine thinne Linnen cloth: the vppermost must be full of Roses, or other flowers, somewhat bruised▪ the other must be emptie: set them in the South Sunne where it is very hot, and so it will distill a water that is very pleasant and sweet.

Thus is Rose-water (sweetened with Muske) distilled,Water of the yellow parts of Violets. whereof wee haue spoke [...] ▪ before in the Chapter of sweet waters: And thus are the yellow parts of Viol [...] stilled; and the water thereof is verie singular for the rednesse of the eyes: And [...] are the tender buds and shoots of Fennell distilled, being gathered before the Fennell doe put forth his flowers; the water wthereof is very soueraigne for to cleanse away the filth of the eyes, and to comfort and amend the sight.

CHAP. LXXIII.
Of the manner of distilling by the Filtre.

THe causes of distilling by the Filtre we haue before declared,To distill by the Filtre. as namely, that they are either the separation of liquors in generall, or else the separation of liquors, of such or such qualities, as the separating of muddie and earthie from the finer and subtle parts; which is the proper and ordinarie way to distill iuices which haue a thicke consistence presently vpon their cooling after their first pressing out; as namely, the iuices of Citrons, Limons, and Oranges: againe, the prudent and expert Apothe carie, when he maketh sy [...]ups of the iuices of Citrons, or Limons, doth first distill and straine the iuices by a Fittre, before the goe about to dispense the syrrups.

But the manner to distill by a Filtre, is to haue three dishes, bowles, or basons, or other vessels, of such fashion as the matter or liquor that you would distill doth require, and so placed and seated, as that they may either stand higher and higher, or lower and lower, euerie one aboue or vnder another, and the highest to containe that which is to be distilled, and the lower that which is distilled. In the vppermost shall be one or moe pieces of Cloth, or of a Felt of sufficient length, and dipt into the i [...]ices, and these must be broad at the one end, and sharpe at the other: the broad end shall lye in the iuice, and the narrow-pointed end shall hang without, by the which [Page] the thinner part of the liquor shall rise and ascend, running downe drop after drop into the vessell below, in such sort, as that the muddiest and impurest part shall stay behind in the other vessell: and sometimes you must wring out this piece of cloth; when it beginneth to become blacke, or that the drops distill but slowly, because of the thicke matter that is carried into it along with the thinne: and hauing washed them, to put them afterward againe into the vessell. If a man be disposed to distill one liquor manie times, he may place manie vessels after the manner of stayres▪ and in euerie one of them, except the lowest, put a Filtre, in the same sort as we haue said: for the last and lowest must serue onely to receiue from all the rest.

In stead of a piece of Felt, the Apothecaries vse oftentimes sleeues of Woollen cloth, otherwise called sharpe-pointed Hose; through which, they purifie and make cleare their Sirrups, Ap [...]zemes, and Iuleps: These manners of distillations may supply the place of that long, tedious, and painefull circular distillation; which fitteth the Alchymists better, than either Countrey people, Physitians, or Apothecaries.

Virgins milke is thus made with a Filtre:Virgins milk [...]. Take Litarge of Gold made into powder three ounces, infuse them in six ounces of white vineger, either raw, or distilled, or else in Squils vineger the space of three houres, in a vessell by it selfe: in another vessell set likewise to insuse Sal nitrum, or common salt in common water, or in water of Plantaine, Nightshade, or some other fit for the purpose: distill them by Filtre each of them apart, and after that they be distilled, mingle them together. This virgins milke is good to heale Ringwor [...]nes, and sawcie and red faces.

A briefe Discourse of the distilling of Oyles and Quintessences.

CHAP. LXXIIII.
Of the profit of distilled Oyles and Quintessences: and what manner of Quintessences shall be here entreated of.

NOw, after our short discourse of the distilling of waters, limitted by the matter which Farmers store will affoord, it shall not seeme strange, or wandering from our scope and platforme layd downe alreadie, to make some slight and briefe description of the distilling of Oyles, to [...] as a patterne and guide to the Mistresse or good wife of our Countrey Farme, seeing wee are desirous to haue her qualified with all those good parts and vertues which Xenophon the Greeke Author doth so highly esteeme of and commend in a good Huswife: and namely, that of readinesse and charitable prouision to relieue her folke and familie, as also her neighbours, when the case of necessitie, through sicknesse, requireth, by such remedies as her Gardens or Orchards may minister vnto her, with the helpe of a little ordering of them, which shee by her skill and knowledge may bestow vpon them. And seeing that distilled Oyles, amongst other remedies, are found by experience to be the most forcible and effectuall, the pleasantest, and of most speedie operation, in the ouercomming of all sorts of rebellious diseases, but chiefely, wounds, vlcers, aches, swellings, and other outward accidents; it shall be verie commendable and beseeming for the Farmers wife, or M [...]stres [...]e of our Countrey Farme, to haue some insight into this kind of Distillation: not that I would haue her to busie her braine about the matter much, or otherwise frequent and accustome it, but euen as a pleasure and recreation, [Page] and so farre forth, as the matter of her Gardens and Orchards onely, o [...] not much more, doe minister vnto her. For as for the distilling of Mettals, Min [...]rals, S [...]ones, and other such things, which are not gouerned and husbanded with [...] handieworke, labour, or skill, they belong rather vnto the Alchymist and [...] of Quintessences, or other idle or rich persons, than vnto a good Husbandman, Now the things that shee may extract and distill, after the manner of Quintessences, are these.

Of Hearbes:Hearbes. Rosemarie, wild Thyme, Rue, Calamint, Organie, L [...]nder, C [...] momile, Sage, Hyssope, Basill, Smallage, Mints, Sto [...]chados, Sauorie, Wo [...]wood, Louage, Thyme, Penyryall of the mountaine, Iua Arthritica, Sauine, and g [...]ally all hearbes which are of a hot and drie temperature, and which haue a good and strong smell.

Of Seedes:Seedes. Fennell, Annise, Cummin, Pe [...]sley of the mountaine, Dill, Z [...]n [...]onicum, or Wormeseed, blacke and white Nigella, Sauine, blacke Poppie, wild Carret, and manie other sorts of Seedes, which are of good or strong [...] and smell.

Of Flowers:Flowers▪ Lauander, white Mulleine, Hypericon, flowers of Oranges, damaske Roses, Iesamin flowers, and Rosemarie flowers, &c.

Of Fruits:Fruits. Iuniper, Bay, and Iui [...] berries, Pine-kernels, Capers, Abrico [...], and Peaches, &c.

Of Spices:Spices. Cinnamome, blacke Pepper, Cloues, Mace, sweet Costus, Angelica, Imperatoria, Galanga, graines of Paradise, Nutmegs, Ginger, Cube [...], Cypresse, rindes of Oranges and Citrons, pillings of Walnuts and of Capers, and manie other.

Woods, [...]. and barkes of Woods: Rosemarie, Sauine bush, Iuniper, Ash, G [...]i [...] cum, Elder, the loppings and slisfts of Trees.

Gummes and thicke liquors:Gumme [...]. Masticke, Frankincense, Myrrhe, [...], Labdanum, Turpentine, Storax Calamite, Pitch, Tarre, &c.

Beasts,Beasts, or the parts of Beasts. or the parts, or excrements of Beasts: Serpents, Frogges, Scorpion, [...], Mans bloud, Mans dung, Goose-grease, Egges, Honey, and Wax. To be briefe, all things that are of a hot and drie temperature.

It is true, that of cold things, such as are the hearbes and seedes of Poppie, He [...] bane, and other such: or of moist things, such as those are which haue a fat juice; one may, in some manner, draw an oylie Quintessence, but not without great pain [...]-taking, and in a long time, and such also, which in the end will not haue the na [...]all and true force of the hearbe whereof it was made: for it will be either lesse cold or lesse moist than his simple, by reason of the impression of the heat and drinesse, such as it is, which the fire hath left in it at the time of the distillation: as also for that the Oyle which is gathered of cold or moist simples, is rather a waterie, [...]ager, [...] ▪ Peter-like, or salt liquor, than an oylie substance: Wherefore it is better to distill cold or moist simples by putrifaction,Which [...]e the distilled Oyles. than by resolution made by the worke of the fire.

To make an end therefore in a word, the Oyles drawne of things by Quin [...]ssence, or resolution made by force of fire, are an vnctuositie or radicall humour, which is, as it were, the life and forme that giueth being vnto the simple whereunto it bel [...] geth, and that no otherwise than the naturall forme giueth being vnto all parti [...] lar things whatsoeuer; and wherein also lyeth the principall force and [...] o [...] the simple: so as that if it be once separated by distillation, there remaineth no other thing of the substance of the simple that is distilled, but onely his [...], and impurities.

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CHAP. LXXV.
What manner of Furnaces must be made for the extracting of Chymicall Oyles.

THe Furnaces which serue to distill Chymicall Oyles, are of diuers fashions, according vnto the diuersitie as well of the matter which is to be distilled, as of the vessels which are to serue to distill them withall: and yet the most common and commodious or profitable fashion of all is this.

Build vp a Furnace of Bricke, or of Tyle, and fat Earth, or Mortar, or of Playster alone, and make the same of a round shape (or at the least let it be so within) to the end, that the fire being carried vp on high, may disperse it selfe all ouer in a more equall measure: and withall, make it of a reasonable length and thickenesse, and not more than three foot high; and bearing a foot round of compass [...] and euerie way within at the least. There shall bee also three seuerall spaces or roomes in the whole height: the first, of one foot; the second, of a foot and a halfe; and in the third, all the rest of the Furnace. In the first roome there shall be a grate of yron to lay the coales vpon for the making of the fire: in the second roome, or loft, there shall be two roddes of yron, which shall be distant the one from the other about foure fingers, whereupon shall rest an earthen vessell of the fashion of an earthen pot or panne, and after such forme and manner as wee will declare by and by. Vnderneath the first distance, and also aboue the grate is the second distance, you must make two opening places, square, and hauing their couers to shut them, after the manner of the mouth of an Ouen: by the lower of those two mouthes you shall emptie and take out the ashes which are made therein, and at the higher of them you shall put in coales, and kindle the fire also. Furthermore, in the highest part of the Furnace, and likewise in such place there as may be most commodious, there must be left certaine other holes for the smoake to passe out by. See the picture and draught of such a Furnace before in the distillation of Waters. Sometimes, for a need, the Furnace is omitted and let passe, and a brandrith made to serue, setting vpon it the vessell for to distill in, and that in a pot, bowle, or panne of earth or yron, and making a fire vnderneath the same.

CHAP. LXXVI.
What manner of Vessels must be vsed for the distilling of Oyles.

CErtaine it is, that manie doe vse diuerse sorts of Vessels for the distilling of Oyles: but leauing the examination of this varietie for such as propound vnto themselues to entreat exactly of Chymicall matters, as intending my selfe onely to giue some instructions vnto the good Huswife, being Commaundresse of this our Countrey House; I will here set downe but two sorts o [...] Vessels for the distilling o [...] Oyles:Two sorts of vessel [...] for th [...] distilling of Oyles. The one being fit and verie conuenient to distill Hearbes, Flowers, Seedes, Fruits, Rootes, and Beasts, or parts and excrements of Beasts: And the other, for Woods, Gummes, gummie droppes, and other thicke and vnctuous Liquors. And now for to speake of the first.

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[figure]

Let there be made a vessell of verie choice earth, such as is verie cleane and verie well kneaden, made vp with like paine and industrie as the Potters make vp theirs; let it be of the thicknesse of a finger, or thereabout, fashioned like an egge, and yet not like an egge when it is whole, but when it is cut round away, almost to the one halfe: it must be great, and conta [...]ning much, after the greatnesse and widenesse of the Copper vessell: and yet notwithstanding so great onely (especially in respect of his height) as that it may agree with the third and last loft of the furnace, and the widenesse euen and iumpe with the mouth of the furnace wherein it must stand: and in like manner the bottome must beare such breadth, as that it may be a little flatter than the space which is betwixt the two rods of yron, made fast and set ouerthwart at the end of the second distance of the fu [...]nace, to the end that it may rest vpon them the more firmely. And therefore to doe well herein, the furnace would be builded before that the vessell be made. When there is need of a great fire to distill withall, then it is prouided, that the pot, in this place, be not of earth, but of yron: as I my selfe haue seene at the Apothecaries.

This second vessell shall be of Copper, or of La [...]ten, and shaped also like vn [...]o an egge, or a gourd, hauing a wide mouth, whereunto there must be fitted a long or stretched-out necke, being at the least a foot in length, comming downe from the head, by the which necke the vapours in the gourd shall rise vp into the said head. This vessell shall hold twelue or fifteene pi [...]ts, or otherwise shall be made of greatnesse answerable vnto the quantitie of the matter which you meane to distill, which generally is (as wee will declare by and by) that for euerie pound of matter, as of hearbes or seedes, &c. there be put into this vessell nine or tenne pound of water. Besides this, there must be such an agreement betwixt the greatnesse of this Copper vessell and capacitie of the earthen vessell which standeth within the furnace, as that they may be free one of another some two or three fingers, for the filling in of sand, as we will hereafter declare: And as concerning the height thereof; it, together with his head, must stand aboue that of earth a foot and a halfe at the least.

The third vessell shall be the head,The head. which shall be round aboue, and not sharp [...]-pointed, to the end that the vapour arising out of it may not fall downe againe: and it must be set about (as it were) with a little Stand, or Tub, wherein must be put coole water, for the easier thickening and fixing of the vapours: at the one side of this little Tub there shall be a spout, or pipe, which shall come out of the head, and by this the Oyle shall drop downe into the vessell receiuing; on the other side of this little Stand must be a tappe with a spiggot, and it must come from the capacitie of the same, that so it may emptie it of the water which it holdeth when it is become too hot. This head shall be ioyned with the orifice and throat of the last afore-named vessell, by the meanes of a large and wide pipe, which shall come dow [...]e from the head, and set it selfe in the mouth and throat of the said Copper vessell verie closely, to the end that no vapours in rising may passe ou [...] thereby anie way: and for the better perfecting of this inarticulation, there are two edges or brimmes, that so they may the better ioyne together. This sh [...]ke may be called the necke of the bladder, by which the vapours shall rise vp into the head.

The fourth vessell shall be the receiuing vessell, which shall receiue the Oyl [...] distilled, and it must be of Glasse, because of the clearenesse and cle [...]enesse of the same.

This is the proportion and shape of the first sort of the vessels, and it is to distill Oyles of hearbes, seedes, flowers, and so forth.

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A Doth represent the bladder, containing the matter from which you meane to draw your Oyle.

B The mouth or throat of the bladder, which is articulated or close ioined with the shanke that commeth downe from the head.

C Is the shanke, which must be a foot long at the least, and is otherwise called the neck of the Stillitorie, which setteth it selfe as into a ioint vpon the mouth and throat of the bladder.

D The round head not sharpe pointed aboue.

E The little Stand or Tub which compas [...]eth the head, and containeth cold water for the cooling of the head.

F The vessell which receiueth the Oyle, and is made somewhat long.

G The spout or pipe by which the oilie liquor droppeth downe into the receiuing vessell.

H The tap, which with his spiggot emptieth the water out of the little tub when it is too hot, that so there may fresh and cold be put in his place.

The two distilling vessels, that is to say, the Gourd and the Head,The Gourd and the Head. for as much as they are of Copper or Latten, must be tinned within, to the end that the Oyle may not get anie strange qualitie by these mettals, seeing especially that the Copper being [...], and not tinned, may cause the Oyle to smell of the Brasse, or of some other [...] qualitie. It is true, that besides the helpe comming by this tinning of the vessels, the ve [...]ie action of the fire, which worketh and dispatcheth speedily and violently whe [...]e as there is great quantitie of water, doth keepe the Oyle from being [...]ainted with anie euill smell, or other accident that is not naturall, and therefore there needs no feare to be taken for the vsing of Copper vessels in the distilling of Oyles for the occasions aforesaid, although that earthen or glasse-vessels would be farre better and more naturall (seeing in them there resteth no iot of mettall-like matter) than either those that are of Copper, or molten, or of anie other mettall, saue onely there is some danger of breaking or cracking of them, being the things whereunto earthen and glasse-vessell are verie subiect when they are hot, yea, though they were armed with mo [...]tar, fat earth, cement, or anie other matter of defence; and then such breach or cracke proueth a matter of no small dammage or consequence in the distillation of Oyles, especially those which are precious. Notwithstanding, it is free for euery man [...]o vse vessels of earth or glasse, vpon paine that they be carefull to keepe them that they neither cracke not breake: and the rather, seeing that in the extracting of some Oyles there must needs be vsed glasse-vessels, or earthen ones, vernished and leaded, and not Copper or Latten; as which will verie hardly let runne anie Oyles from things that consist of an eager taste, whether it be that the Copper hath the like it selfe, or of some secret vertue and facultie which is in it. And this thing wee see sufficiently tried in the seedes of Grapes, whose Oyle conuerteth and turneth rather into a greene rust in such vessels, than into anie airie or thinne exhalation, doe a man what he can either about the fire, or anie other way whatsoeuer: but in the distillation of fragrant and aromaticall things, as also those which are sweet in taste, or haue a diuers qualitie from the Copper, it might seeme that a molten vessell might be more conuenient.

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CHAP. LXXVII.
At what time Oyles would be distilled: and how the matter and things whereof they are made must be prepared.

THe matter of euerie Oyle is to be distilled at such time, as when it is best disposed: that is to say, seedes and aromaticall things, when they are fresh and new gathered; for the fresher and newer that they a [...]e, so much the more excellent Oyle will they yeeld, especially the thing [...] that are of a sweet smell and aromaticall. And as for hearbes, they must be gathered when they are come to their full force, that is to say, when they are in flower: for and if they be deferred longer, the Oyle that commeth of them, for the most part, will be more full of scumme and ranke, as also there will not so much be gathered of them. Being gathered at such time, they must be dried in the shadow for the space of a moneth or two, to the end, that some portion of their moistnesse and feeding humo [...] may be diminished and taken away, and that the oylie and radicall humor may be extracted more pure and sincere: and thirdly, that the hearbes themselues may be the more easily crushed and bruised. But on the contrarie side, if the hearbes be [...] and fresh gathered when they are distilled, they will yeeld sufficient store of Oyle, in as much as their naturall moisture will abound: but the Oyle will not be of such [...]fficacie, nor yet so odoriferous, as when the merrie and good meane betwixt both is kept.

But as concerning the preparing [...] such matter as you meane to make your Oyles of,The preparing of the matter. there is not anie need to vse infusion, or putrifaction, as is done in the distilling of waters, as we haue said before. For if one should bestow an infusion vpon them, either in water, wine, or Aqua-vitae, it would but breed a confusion and mix [...]ure of the naturall sauor and smell of the Oyle with that of the liquor: and againe, i [...] would make them more moist than need would require, in respect of the pure and since [...]e extracting of the Oyle. Againe, if you should take the way to putrifie them in Horse-dung, earth, hot ashes, or boyling water, the better to distill and draw out your Oyle afterward, and following the way that we will speake of by and by, yet thereby you shall giue occasion of infecting your Oyle with some ill vice. For the matter being putrified, it is not possible, but that the Oyles should haue a smatch of it, seeing it is one part of the matter. That it so falleth out with Oyles that are so distilled of matter aforehand so putrified, although it doe not by and by corrupt, appe [...]eth sufficiently: for in some space of time it is without all doubt corrupted, and that in a great deale shorter time, without comparison, than other Oyles which are drawn [...] without putrifaction of their matter going before: by which it may appe [...]e, what my aduice and counsaile would be to euerie man; namely, that the matter [...] you would extract your Oyle be not infused or putrified, but onely crushed, b [...]ised, brayed▪ and brought into small pieces, so as that afterward they may be si [...]ted through some wide sieue: which course shall doe as well, yea, rather better, than your infusing or putrifying of them without stamping, braying, and bruising of them; besides that, the businesse is sooner dispatched: yea, and if you would infuse and putrific the [...] ter, you should not thereby gaine three drops of Oyle more, than you should [...] by onely beating and stamping of them.

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CHAP. LXXVIII.
Of the manner and order that must be kept in distilling of Oyles.

WHen you haue prepared the matter whereof you meane to make your oyle, that is to say, bruised it, and brought it into small cornes, then passe it grosly through a scarce, casting it into the vessell of copper with certaine measures of fountaine water, that is to say, to match two pound vveight of matter, with eighteene pound of vvater, and for that cause it is meet that the vessell should containe betwixt twelue and fifteene pintes, and yet the third part remaine void and emptie, vvhen the water and matter are both in. This vvater standeth in steed of a coach or waggon vnto the matter to be distilled, for the carrying vp of his vapors, and to seperate the humours by the decoction and boyling that it there maketh. You may adde or diminish of the quantitie of vvater, according to the matter his quantitie vvhich you are about to distill, vpon paine notwithstanding that you put in nine or ten times as much water as you doe matter, and that your vessell of copper, glasse, earth, or any such matter as shall seeme best, be of bignesse, proportionable, and agreeing with the quantitie of matter which you would distill, for being too great or too little, it would proue but cost cast away. It is true, that the two pound of matter, and eighteene of water here mentioned, is the most certaine rate that we can sticke to, for the most easie and plentifull maner of drawing of oyle: for if you put in more, the longnesse of time will become teadious: and if you [...] put in lesse, you shall hardly draw ten drops of oyle. And yet in this point Ladie experience must be more than quarter ma [...]ster, in as much as there is some matter which yeeldeth not any oyle, except it be put in a great quantitie, such as is Anise-seed and others, as vve vvill declare hereafter more particularly. Againe, you must obserue and marke this one poynt, that hearbes require a farre larger vessell and quantitie of vvater than seeds and spices when their oyle is to be extracted: because that weight for weight they take more roome than the seeds and spices doe: for hearbes lye not so close and round together, and therefore they require also in proportion a greater quantitie of vvater, for feare that they should become parched and dried away within the copper vessell.

After that you haue put the vvater and matter together into the vessell of copper, let them infuse fiue or sixe houres, more or lesse, according to the nature and substance of the matter: or without infusing of them at this time (forasmuch as their boiling within the bellie of the vessell, vvill serue in steed of an infusion vnto the matter) couer the vessell, and fit the head vnto it, lute them verie well stogether with whites of egges and meale kneaded together, and spread vpon a cloth in the place of their joyning and articulation. This done, set your earthen vessell in the furnace vpon the two yron barres, and make it fast to the furnace with potters-clay or cement well beaten and wrought about the edges and brims: after set the vessell of copper well stopt into the earthen one, and yet in such sort, as that the bottome of the one stand from the other [...]ome two or three fingers: and this void space must be filled vp with pure and cleare sand, euen so high as there is any space and distance betwixt vessell and vessell, yea, and further if one be so disposed euen to the necke of the copper vessell: prouided, that the nose of the head by which the oyle descendeth doe stand either to the right hand or to the left of the furnace: and yet this one thing commeth heere to be marked, that in distilling of aromaticall seeds onely there is vse and need of the said sand betwixt the said two vessells, and not in distilling of hearbes: for seeds and spices are of a more subtile and delicate substance (as their great heat do testifie) and the matter they yeeld is more delicate also and firme: For which causes it might fall out that the force of the fire might somewhat trouble their distillation, [Page] that is to say, might cause their distillation to come forth a little troubled, and that euen in the verie beginning, if the fire be not moderately kept, and brideled by the sand put in the void place betwixt the said two vessels: but in the distilling of herbes you must si [...] the vessell of copper and the furnace together without the earthen vessell and the sand in the emptie space: for as much as the hearbes in respect of their solidenesse and harder substance doe craue a greater force of fire:No oyle can be drawne in Maries-bath. vvhereof you may gather, that no oyles can be extracted by distillation in Maries-bath, that is to say, in setting of boyling vvater about the copper vessell in a caldron: [...]or so the distillation would be longer than it were meet it should, and yet neuer a whit the more commendable: for Maries-bath, that is to say, boyling water, doth not aff [...]rd a well proportioned and sufficient tempered heat, but is long in doing, and the oyle do [...]h still draw vnto it some corruption if the vvorke be too long in doing, especially if the matter be not moist of it selfe: for thereupon and by that meanes can the oyle hardly rise so high as that it may find the way into the vessell that should receiue it, and because also that it wanteth force and might, in as much as the boyling water cannot lift it vp so high of it selfe alone, as the cleare fire, [...]arthen vessell, and sand, all vvorking together.

The copper vessell being thus fitted in the furnace,The order that must be kept in distillation. make fast vnto the nose or pipe thereof, the receiuing vessell, rested vpon some p [...]ettie [...]toole, in such sort as you see aboue in the figure: stop and close vp the joynt of the said pipe and receiuing vessell vvith paste, and bole armoniacke, or the white of an egge and flowre spread vpon a cloth. Then kindle your coales that you haue layed vpon the gra [...]e, and make a soft and gentle fire for the beginning, to the end that the matter may grow ho [...] by little and little, and that so long as till the matter within the copper and the fountaine water doe boyle, but yet so gently as that it boyle not vp, to sticke and hit against the head with the vvalmes thereof, as vve see it sometimes to happen in some seedes, as anise seeds, vvhich by reason of their thin substance, as also of their viscositie, do cast vp their vvalmes and billowes with great might and force, and in such case the fire must be rebated: or and if that yet the rebating of the fire cannot stay the f [...]rie of the billowes or boyling, then you must take off the head, and with a staffe stirre about the matter, for so the scum will vanish away in vapours, and after that it may be gouerned, stayed, and dried vp by a reasonable fire, putting the head vpon it againe afterward, and luting it as before. Feed and continue the fire in an equall degree, vntill you pe [...]ceiue by feeling, that the head of the Still is growne hot: then, or sooner if you please, you may fill the little tub at the top, which standeth round about the head vvith cold vvater; for it cooling the head, will make thicke and fixe the vapours and spirites of the oyle, vvhich are verie subtile and hot, and turne them into oyle: vvhen this cold water thus powred in shall become hot, it must by and by be let out at the top of the cooler, and fresh put into his place. It is true, that some doe not allow of cooling the head with cold vvater, because the vapours by this cooling of the head doe congeale too soone, as being before that they come into the pipe, and thereupon fall backe againe into the vessell, from vvhence they breathing the second time, and congealed, and falling backe againe as before, doe in fine by these manifold risings and fallings, spend and vvaste vnto nothing; or at [...]he least by continuall boyling, it falleth out that but a few vapours doe come into the vessell of receit, and againe, those same vapours so congealed doe not easily and presently come fo [...]th, and so there is lesse oyle gathered of the matter than would be, and that which is drawne, is somewhat tainted with burning. And therefore in steed of this cooling of the head for to congeale and fixe the vapours raised vp thereinto, they set veri [...] neere vnto the furnace a vessell vvith one bottome, hauing a pipe of tin pa [...]ing ouerthwart the said bottome through holes bored sloping in the same vessell: and this pipe is shut vp into the pipe comming downe from the head, and both these being well luted together, then the foresaid pipe crossing through the vessell aforesaid, is fastened to the vessell that is to receiue the distilled oyle: this foresaid vessell hauing this pipe passing through the sides thereof, and close fastened therein, must [Page] be filled vvith coole vvater, by the cooling whereof the vapours sent or carried from the head in this pipe of tin are congealed, fixed, turned into oyle, and so drop downe easily into the receiuing vessell with greater profit, and in greater quantitie, and better, than and if they had beene turned into oyle in the head by the cooling thereof with cold vvater. Who so is minded to vse this meanes of cooling the vapours, may doe it, but notwithstanding that former of ours is no lesse beneficiall, commodious, and profitable, neither doth it worke that discommoditie afore charged vpon it, as experience teacheth; and put case that it did so, yet the inconuenience is taken away, i [...], in steed of cold water you put in that vvhich is vvarme, or else by onely couering the round of the head with cloathes dipt in cold vvater, vsing to renew them oftentimes.

Continue in this sort your distillation without ceasing, and keepe your fire in the [...] degree, or if need be, augment and make it greater, vntill such time as all the vapors be congealed one after another, and that all the liquor vvhich carrieth them, and wh [...]ch is within the copper vessell be runned into the receiuer:The signes of the distillation ended. the signe and marke whereof is, vvhen ha [...]ng put in eighteene pound of water or thereabout, you haue receiued backe about ten, as also, when as the drops distilling shall not any longer r [...]lish any thing of the matter: then you must giue ouer your distillation, for feare the matter within your copper vessell should either be inflamed, or else set fast to the bo [...]tome of your vessell, ceasing to flote aboue. It shall be judged to distill in good sort and order, and in reasonable temper, if betwixt the drops distilling, there be not as it were any space from the falling of one drop to the following of another, in so much as that a man shall hardly be able to account the number of one or two, and from hence (as before) is gathered the quanti [...]ie and force of the fire. By this meanes the whole copper vessell is emptied in a short time, for verie seldome is it longer in doing than sixe or seuen houres, if so be the matter agree in heauinesse and vveight vvith the vvater of the vessell, as from two pound of matter to eighteene pound of water.

You must note in this place, that the oyle commeth forth now and then with the water; and that the water which distilleth with the oyle, commeth not onely of the simple, but also of the water which was put in for the vse of the distillation: which, by the force of the boyling which it hath had with the said simple, during the time of the distillation, is become mixt by the force of the fire vvith the brayed matter, and so hath brought along with it the whole strength of the same, as may be judged by the smell and taste thereof,A comparison betwixt th [...] water of the simple and the water vsed in the distilling of the simple. being no other than that of the simple. Wherefore this water which distilleth oyle therewith, is not lesse effectuall, yea rather more forcible, powerfull, and of better effect, than that which is distilled of simples by a stillitorie, because it tasteth more strongly of the simple, than the others which were drawn by a stillitorie: betwixt which there is no other difference, but that the water distilled by a limbecke or stillitorie is that which the Sunne (heating the earth) hath brough [...] in for the growth, nourishment, and nature of the simple: and the other which is mixed with the simple, from which the oyle is drawne, is so deepely ingaged, incorporated and mingled in and with the brayed matter by the force of the fire, as that it carrieth away, obtayneth and holdeth all his vertue, as the taste and smell doe shew which is in it, for both the smell and taste doe draw verie neere vnto that which the oyle hath in it selfe, howsoeuer it may seeme that the oyle should containe and keepe all the sauour and smell vnto it selfe, seeing the oyle is as it were the soule and forme which giueth being to the said simple: but in the vehement boyling of the said simple and water, there is such a great dissolution and relaxation of the dissimilar par [...]s of the said simple, as that the smell and taste thereof is communicated with both, so that as well the water as the oyle doth retaine (though yet not equally) the taste and smell of the simple.To distill already distilled water. Furthermore, you shall be assured how this vvater hath se [...]sed vpon the vertue of the simple, vvherewith it hath beene mixt in the distilling of his oyle, by this, that if you vvould distill it once againe, or many t [...]mes, you shall find collected and gathered together in it the whole smell and taste [Page] of his simple, as it falleth out in Aqua-vitae, which hath in it the force of a great quantitie of Wine. For the doing of this, make cleane the copper vessell, powre in thereto all the vvater which was distilled with the oyle, dispose and see in order all thing [...] necessary, in such [...]ort as is wont to be done in the distillation of oyles of herbs: whe [...] you see that of seuenteene pound you haue receiued one, that is to say, the first running, that you must keepe: for into it will be gathered all the vertue of the whole matter, and so as that the vertue of it will be little lesse than that of the oyle.

CHAP. LXXIX.
Of the meanes how to seperate the oyle which is runned with the water in distilling.

IT is verie certaine that the oyle vvhich shall haue beene distilled, i [...] a liquor vvhich by the meanes and [...]orce of the boyling water wherewith it is mingled, hath beene seperated and forcibly drawne from his [...] ter, and held off the same, and with it also conueyed along into the [...]. And for this cause the oyle vvill be alwaies vvith the water, bu [...] notwithstanding not alwaies swimming vpon the water: for sometimes it vvill be in the [...], and sometimes mingled all amongst the water: if the oyle be more heauie measur [...] for measure than the vvater, it vvill be in the bottome: but if it fall out that the oyle by coldnesse be congealed as it were into cloudes and small tufts of vvooll, then it vvill be mingled amongst the vvater. Againe, the oyle will goe to the bottome, if it be made of a thicke substance and w [...]ll compact, as is that of cinnamome, cloues, and other such like. The oyles which confusedly (for the time that they are congealing through the cold) goe crosse the water, are the oyles of anise and fennell-seed, and that by reason of a certaine proportion which they haue with the weight of the vvater. Therefore for the seperating of the oyle vvhich the water hath carried along vvith it, it were good, first that the receiuer should haue his bottome somewhat sharpe pointed, and that in the said bottome therewithall there should be a small hole, which hauing beene stopped during the time of the distillation with Waxe o [...] cement, should now after the distillation (the water and oyle being growne cold by the operation of the ayre) be vnstopped, if so be that after attentiue beholding of the receiuer, it appeare that the oyle is gathered into the bottome of it: for so, the ceme [...] or vvaxe taken away, the oyle vvill come out, and the vvater stay behind in the vessell, if by stopping the hole in time it be your mind to keepe it there. If the oyle [...] aloft vpon the vvater, if you vnstop the foresaid hole in the bottome, the vvater will run out below, and the oyle vvill stay behind in the receiuer, if by mishap it doe not fall downe into the bottome of the receiuer first, before it come into the viole prepared for it, but this you must take heed vnto: but and if the oyle be mingled amongst the vvater in manner of a cloud, strayne the water through a fine linnen cloth, vvhich afterward vvill be easily gathered together vvith a knife, in such sort at that you may put it vp in a viole, wherein afterward if need be, you may turne it into a thin liquor by a small heat set in the Sunne, or vpon hot ashes: if the oyle swim vpon the vpper face of the vvater, you shall seperate it in a furnace of digestion vvith a siluer spoone: you may also vse other meanes to seperate your oyle from his fellow vvater, as for example, by a funnell of glasse, putting your finger toward the poynt of it and vnderneath, and doing the like oftentimes vnto t [...]t, vvhich hath been done by the receiuer, that is to say, by powring of liquor into the said funnell. You may likewise do [...] the same by the sucking of the vvater out of the receiuer; for so you may sucke out all the water and lea [...] the

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[Page] oile in the bottome, vvhich sucking may be performed by pipes of pla [...]e made after the fashion of those vvhich you see pictured here: vvhich vvill draw all the vvater in a short time out of the receiuer, as you see them vsed in France, to cause vvater to runne in manner of a fountaine, out of any bucket or other vessell wherein water is con [...]ayned.

CHAP. LXXX.
Of the faculties or properties, continuance, and vse of distilled Oyles.

SEeing that distilled oyles, as vve haue before declared, are the radicall humour of euerie matter: and that such radicall humour, is as it were the soule and forme which giueth being vnto all matter, and vvhereupon depend the vertues, powers, faculties, and actions of the said matter: you need not doubt, but that the vvhole and intire vertues of simples distilled is imparted vnto the Oyles drawne from them, and that in a purer and most subtile man [...]r, in as much as by such chymicall resolution, the most subtile substances are seperated from the gros [...]er, by being mingled vvherewith, they vvere greatly weake [...]ed and hindered from doing their effects: and so it also commeth to passe, that [...]ooke vvhat vertue vvas in a pound of the simple, is contayned in a dram more or [...] of the oyle: besides this, such oyles haue this propertie amongst others, that by a meruailous subtilenesse of substance vvhich they haue gotten by the fire, they doe [...] pierce into the most profound and deepe parts, and quickly vvorke their [...]ffects.

As concerning their lasting and continuance,The continuance of distilled oyles▪ they vvill keepe long, especially [...] (after they haue beene rectified, that is to say, yet once more distilled vpon ashes vvith a s [...]all fire in a retort) you stop them vp in bottles of double glasse, and such [...] are armed and close stopt vvith Cement or Masticke, or Waxe and Masticke [...] tegether, without giuing them any ayre, except at such times as you vvould [...]se them, and wh [...]ch then you cannot doe vvithout damage done vnto them: for [...]ing they be all ayrie and firie, they cannot chuse but easily euaporate and spend, [...]nd that in such sort as that it may be euidently seene and discerned, as amongst the [...] will easily be found true in oyle of camphire.

As for the vse;The [...] ▪ that is in drops, if you take them simplie and alone by themselues, [...]hether it be into the bodie or vvithout, as you shall vnderstand hereafter. But to vse them to the most profit inwardly, you must dissolue sugar in violet, rose, cinna [...]ome or other such like waters, and into it cast one or two drops of the oyle which you would vse, and so make vp lozenges thereof.

CHAP. LXXXI.
A particular description of certaine Oyles that are distilled according to the former methode.

BVt the oyles of Seeds, as of Anise, Fennell, Elder-tree, Cummine, and others are distilled after this manner: Take such quantitie of Seeds as you please, as fiue or sixe pound at the least, and for the better bruise them gros [...]y, seeing carefully to it, that not so much as one seed con [...]inu [...] [...]vhole, put them into the vessell of copper: poure in vpon them of cleare fountain [...] [Page] vvater [...]iue and twentie or thirtie pound, mingle them diligently together, couer th [...] vessell vvith his head, and doe in manner as hath beene said before.

The oyle vvhich distilleth first, is of greater effica [...]i [...] than any one for vvhich cause, the receiuer may be twice or thrice changed.

This thing is vvorthie obseruation, that oyle of anise- [...]eeds in the time of So [...]er cannot well be distilled, because that the spirits thereof are too subtile, and much more subtile indeed than those of Fennell: vvhereupon it followeth, that at the [...] of the fire they doe easily spend by euaporation, though it be guided and kept verie low and soft: But the fittest time to distill them [...]s Winter; for how much the colder that Winter is, so much the more it becommeth coagulate and resembling the cafphire vvhen it runneth downe into the receiuer. After that you haue s [...]rayned it through a cleane linnen cloth, all the vvater passeth away, and the oyle [...] behind in the linnen cloth, and vvhich you must dissolue shortly after in a great glasse by the heat of a [...]ire-pan, and so the [...]legme is easily seperated. This is a singular oile, whether it be taken alone by drops with wine, or broth, or sugar Lozenges, for to comfort the stomacke, helpe digestion, and discusse winds; for the [...] also, and diseases of the lungs; as also for the mother; whereupon it commeth, that it s [...]ay [...]h the whites of women.

Fruits,Fruits. as of Iuniper berries, &c. by reason that they are somewhat more oylie than hearbes and seedes, doe not require such quantitie of water as hearbes and seedes: so that for a pound of fruits, fiue or six pound of water will be [...] They must bee brayed sufficiently small, put into the gourd, and dealt with as seedes and hearbes are dealt withall: The Oyle commeth forth first, and afterward the water.

Spices and aromaticall things are distilled after the same manner that seedes are▪ Spice [...] and ar [...] maticall drugs. but in their distillation mingle not Wine or Aqua-vitae, as some doe, but onely pure fountaine water: for Wine and Aqua-vitae rise vp presently, without carrying wi [...] them the vertues of the aromaticall things; whereas the water riseth no [...] vp, without taking with it the aromaticall things. The Oyle of Nutmegs swimmeth alo [...]t, and so doth that of Mace.

For to distill Oyle of Cinnamome in excellent manner:Oyle of Cinnamome. Bray a pound of Cinnamome in such sor [...] as that it may goe through a sieue, but beat it not all to powder; put it in a gourd, and powre vpon it water of Buglosse, Borage, Endiue, and Balme, of euerie one halfe a pound, let them stand together foure or fiue daies in the vessell well stopt: then out of this gourd powre them into another gourd, and set this gourd in an earthen pot, with sand betwixt the pot and it, and so set them both in the furnace: first make a soft fire, but after make it greater by little and little: after that there is a measure distilled out after this manner, take it away as the best, for that which [...] loweth is of a great deale lesse vertue than the first, but yet may be kept to [...] new Cinnamome in. After the same fashion you shall distill Cloues, Pepper, Angelica, Galanga, &c. See in our secret remedies.

CHAP. LXXXII.
Of the manner of extracting Oyles out of Wood.

FOr as much as the oylie substance of wood is more [...]enacious and clammie, by reason of the slyminesse thereof; therefore the extr [...]c [...]ing of the [...]ame is diuers from that of hearbes and seedes, and is not [...] but [...] greater cost, and drawne and gathered with greater [...] and industrie, than those of seeds and plants, which we haue entrea [...]ed of before. know well, that some doe accustome to draw Oyles per des [...]nsum [...] as they vse [...] call [Page] it, in two vessels of earth set one vpon another, and a plate of yron with a hole in it, betwixt them both: but such Oyle is nothing worth, and tasteth, for the most part, of I cannot tell of what adustion: but the best is to draw it per ascensum, that so you may haue that which is excellent good, faire, and penetratiue; the manner is such: Make your furnace of matter and forme as aboue, sauing that in the vppermost part of it you must haue a cleft or open place, for the more easie placing and disposing of the necke of your vessell. The vessell shall be fashioned like a Bladder, Corner, or bagge of a Shepheards Pipe, called of the Chymists a re [...]ort: it must be of glasse, or else of earth, and varnished and leaded within, and of such bignesse, as that it may containe a dozen pound of water, hauing a necke of a foot and a halfe long, or a foot long at the least, and bending downeward: It is to consist of two parts; the one of them stretching from the bell [...]e of the said bladder forward, some six fingers long, and for thicknesse so made, as that ones hand may goe into the orifice of it, to make cleane the said vessell within: and the other growing euer lesse and lesse, euen vnto the end, must be made to ioyne with the former part by the mea [...]es and helpe of some fastening matter, as glue or cement of Bole-armoniacke; and yet in such sort, as that they may be set together, and taken asunder, when need shall require. This is the figure and shape.

A The Retort of glasse, or earth, vernished within, and leaded.

B The orifice of the Retort, for the taking in of matter into the bellie and bodie, and for to giue way also for the making cleane of the said bellie, and which for that purpose must be made larger than it is pictured here, for else the hand cannot enter into it.

C The other part of the Retort, into which must be inserted the nether part of the Retort, which must haue a ring about, in the place where the two parts shall be cemented and luted together.

D The Pipe, which must be narrow and sharpe-pointed, to the end it may be inserted and put into anie sort of glasse-violl, or bottle.

If you haue not the benefit of a furnace, you shall place the Retort in fit and conuenient sort within an earthen panne: or in stead thereof, in a vessell or pot of yron good and wide, and filled with sand or ashes, or without anie thing in it, and that vpon a brandrith, if there be need of vsing a verie great fire, as we see it daily practised amongst the Apothecaries.

Wherefore,The preparing of wood for to draw oyles [...] of. to draw oyle out of oylie wood, you must first make it small, and bring it into pieces, in such sort as Turners doe, with turning of wood, and not with anie Saw, or anie other edge-toole: neither yet must you make it like powder, for in boiling it would too lightly and easily rise and swell, as also those gobbe [...]s and lumps which are cut by edge-tooles, or other instruments, doe hardly and with great difficultie yeeld anie oyle: put into the Retort two pound of this wood, diuided into pieces after the manner of the Turners, and as much Aqua-vitae, for the steeping and infusing of it, let them infuse together certaine daies. This Aqua-vitae, by reason of his subtlenesse, pierceth more easily than any other liquor, and likewise without any difficultie separateth and forcibly draweth the oyle from his proper subiect, and yet in the meane time in neither changeth nor corrupteth, any manner of way, the nature of the said oyle, because it draweth neere vnto the temperature of oyles; which is the cause why we mingle with the wood Aqua-vitae rather than common water: howsoeuer, I do not any thing doubt of the maner before described about the distillation of oyles, hearbs, & seeds, in which is vsed the vessell of Copper with a head, powring thereinto [Page] some cleare fountaine vvater, as though it could not be verie certaine and profitable for the extracting of oyles of vvood: vvere it not that vve doe [...]eare more than any thing else, the ouer great and vehement boyling thereof, proceeding of the disagreement of the drinesse of the matter, and moisture of the vvater vvhich might hinder the course of our distillation. Adde hereunto also that such kinds of oiles can hardly rise to the inner top of the head, if we see this fashioned copper vessell.

When as the vvood hath beene sufficiently infused,The placing of the vessells. place the earthen pan in the vppermost part of the furnace vpon the barres of yron, set the retort within this earthen pan with sand in the emptie spaces betwixt, as also couered ouer vvith sand, cause the necke to passe through the cleft made in the vppermost part of the furnace, and to turne downeward towards the receiuer, into the mouth vvhereof it must be close joyned, and as carefully and firmely luted vvith cement as may be: afterward by little and little put the kindled coles vpon the grate, and sometimes it will not be amisse to lay them vpon the retort vvherein the matter to be distilled is inclosed: if it like you not better to set an earthen pan ouer it in forme of an head, and that to reuerberate and beat backe the heat againe vpon the said retort. These things accomplished, you must see to the ordering and continuing of your fire, increasing it by little and little as reason shall require, euermore carefully looking vnto the sequence and successe of the vvorke, vntill such time as the Aqua-vitae before infused be all of it distilled, for this is it vvhich commeth [...]orth first in the distillation, and is gathered into the receiuer: then after this commeth the oyle pure and all alone, vvithout any thing mixt with it, and that in such store, as a man could not looke for the like of any manner of putrifying of the matter vvhatsoeuer: keepe vvell this Aqua-vitae to serue you againe for the s [...]me vse, because it still is getting some part of the facultie of the matter wherewith it is mixed, and there is nothing to let vvhy it may not serue twice yea thrice. When the receiuer is taken away, you must put another in his place halfe full of cleare water that the oyle may distill into it: this vvater vve allow in the receiuer, in respect of the impressions vvhich the fire may haue made by too veh [...] ment a boyling in the oyle, that by the meanes of this vvat [...]r the same may be conected and taken away, and the oyle also kept the better from euaporation, vvhich thing is yet the more f [...]ly atchieued, if you set your receiuer in a bason or other vessel full of cold vvater, changing and renewing the same from houre to houre, till the distillation be finished. You may also change your receiuer if you thinke good, once or twice, the better to know the differences of your oyles. The distillation accomplished, vvhich you shall gather by the markes before set downe, you shall sep [...]rate the oyle from the vvater by the meanes also aboue set downe, and at the same time or before any of these things done, take your retort from the fire, and take off his necke, emptying the bellie of the drosse and excrements setled and staying behind: vvhich afterward you shall temper with vvater so oft, as that hauing strayned them and boyled them againe, they come fo [...]th thicke and small like pap-meat, which is also good for the same diseases,Oyle of [...]uaiacum wood. Oyle of Ash-tree wood. that the oyles are good for. After this order is the wood Guajacum distilled, vvhich is singular good for the vlcers and paines happening in the French-pockes. The oyle of the Ash-tree: and this is good to be vsed in cold distillations, and to the helping of the morphew and palsie: taken also inwardly, it is singular good for the diseased of the spleene: the oyle of Iuniper-wood is a special good thing in the comforting of the reines and matrix.

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CHAP. LXXXIII.
Of the manner of drawing Oyles of Gums, and first of those that are liquid.

FOr the distilling of Oyles of Gummes, you must vse the same furnace and retort wherein you distilled your oylie vvoods: but to tell you the truth, they are not distilled without much paine, by reason of their glutinous clamminesse, giuen to hold fast their radicall humour and moisture. And vvhich is more, there are as many wayes of drawing oyles of Gummes, as there are differences of Gummes. For some are liquid, that is to say, in substance like birdlime, vvhich vvill hardly be kept within his bounds, such is Turpentine, liquid Storax, and such other like, vvhich participate more of an oylie qualitie than of an earthie, and so are easily resolued with a small fire. The others are hard, as is incense, benjouine, and masticke, vvhich require a reasonable heat to be mollified vvith. Some againe are resolued with a vvaterie humour, as Myrrhe, and Gum arabicke.

Therefore to distill liquid gums,Two waies to extract oyles out of liquid Gums. and to draw out their oyles, there may two waies be taken: the one is such as hath beene vsed of a long time, and the other is new; after the first way, you may distill oyle of Turpentine thus: Take cleare Turpentine as much as you please, and for [...]uerie pound take of the ashes of some hard and strong vvood two ounces, or small sand, vvashed grauell, or the powder of brickes, to keepe the Turpentine for rising high and swelling,Oyle of Turpentine. put all these in the retort, vvhich you shall set within the earthen pan in the furnace, as you did in oylie woods: in the beginning you shall haue but a gentle fire to draw out the vvater vvhich vvill first come forth,Thus [...] Oyle o [...] waxe distilled. and after make it bigger for the distilling of the Oyle. It is likewise distilled another and that a new vvay. Take two pound of Turpentine, and eight pound of fountaine vvater that is verie cleare, put both into the retort together, and distill them at a reasonable fire, following the order set downe for oylie vvoods. The Oyle vvhich you shall gather, vvill be most pure and fine, of a verie cleare and bright colour, of a sweet smell and pleasant tast, vvhich properties are not to be found in the oyle which is drawne after the common and ordinarie fashion: and this commeth to passe by reason of the vvater tempering the qualities conceiued and b [...]gotten in the matter distilled by the force of the fire and heat of the vessell, vvhich otherwise would haue begotten some fierie impressions, therein had not the resisting qualitie of the vvater vvithstood the same by his moisture, and that so much the more, for being likewise receiued into a receiuer halfe full of faire and fresh vvater, vvhich affordeth another good helpe likewise vnto the same: of all which helpes, the common manner of distilling this oyle vvith sand and ashes hath not one, as is too apparant in the vnpleasant taste and blackish or sad yellowish colour, and that it is not fit to be vsed about the bodie outwardly, so farre is it off from being worthie to be taken inwardly, vvithout the endangering of the sicke partie; beside the vnpleasantnesse of the tast: but this vvhich is distilled vvith vvater is singular good for all manner of diseases, for which it is so highly commended of all men, as namely for the shortnesse of breath, stone, colicke, and diseases of the lungs being taken inwardly in the quantitie of two drams: as also, to take away scarres remaining, freckles, staines, and other spots of the skin, being applied outwardly.

But and if you desire to know vvhen your Oyle is all distilled,When the distillation is ended▪ then you must marke and see vvhen it ceaseth to runne out of the retort into the receiuer, for then the distillation of the best and most excellent Oyle is finished. And in case you yet desire to draw some more oyle out of the rest of the matter remaining within the retort, you may doe it verie easilie, if you cast into the said retort some little lump [...] of lead to the quantitie of an ounce, and that by the orifice of the first part of the retort, [Page] which must be verie well fitted and luted againe with the other part as it was before; for the lead being molten, doth resolue the gum remaining, in such sort, as that whatsoeuer is oylie, will distill as oyle, and you shall gather it in another receiuer. All vvhich [...]inished, you shall take the retort handsomely out of the furnace, reseruing the same to serue you againe in like time of need.

CHAP. LXXXIIII.
Of the manner of extracting Oyles out of hard gums.

YOur hard gums, such as is frankincense, benjouin, masticke, and waxe, seeing they are of a more earthie substance, haue a faster and [...] consistence, and are resolued more hardly than the liquid ones, and so aske not onely more labour to haue their oyles drawne from them, but stand in need also to haue some sort of oyle, and a reasonable fire to [...]ollifie and soften them, to the end that afterward they may the more freely yeeld their owne Oyle. It is true, that euen of these there are some of them more tedious and s [...]i [...]yer resisting to be dissolued, as Frankincense, and Benjouin: and othersome more easie to be molten, as Wax: and there are others that are indifferent betwixt both, as masticke. So as that all these gums, according as they are more or lesse hard to be resolued, must be more or lesse mollified and melted before hand, by the meanes aforenamed in the distilling of liquid gums: the vvater only excepted, which must neuer be put into the retort with any thing to be distilled. It is also to be considered and vveighed, how that hard gums doe verie hardly indure and abide any vvater, vvhiles (inclosed vvithin the retort) they sustaine the violence of the fire, but in steed of fire, one may put thereto of oyle of Turpentine, to the quantitie of three ounces, as well because this oyle is most pure and distilled with a reasonable heat (as we haue said before) as because it hath a property drawing neere vnto the nature of these gums, whereupon it seemeth the more fit to be vsed in the distilling of these gums, as seruing notably to correct their hardnesse: againe, this vvay more oyle will be drawne, than by vsing of vvashed sand and grauell cast vpon the matter: and according as vve see commonly practised of Oyles of all sorts of gums. And in case you haue not oyle of Turpentine in readinesse, you may vse some other sort of oyle; prouided, as much as possibly may be, that it incline not notably either vnto any colour of smell: notwithstanding by this meanes you shall not doe more good than by the former. For there is some kind of gum so troublesome to be resolued, as frankincense, as that you must be faine to draw the oyle thereof after the same manner that you vsed in the extracting of oyles from the drosse and residence of Turpentine, that is to say, by casting into the retort amongst it small morsells or lumps of lead, and vvith raising of the necke of the retort a little higher than is vsuall in the distilling of Turpentine and oylie vvoods. By this meanes vvithout all doubt you shall see some ounces of oyle swimming on the top of the water within the receiuer, after that the matter hath growne hot: vvhich (for as much as they would be tainted with some ill smell and vnpleasant taste, because of such qualitie as they haue gotten through the vehementnesse of the fire, then inclosed with the retort) must be corrected by the changing of the water in the receiuer, that so you may keepe them for the vses which shall hereafter be declared.

These things aforesaid well vnderstood, when you desire greater quantitie of oile, and that more cleare and excellent; you shall take two pound of the said ma [...]ter and gums, vvhereof your rese [...]ued oyles were made: you shall put them in a cleane retort, vvhich you shall set ouer the fire, hauing the necke hanging downe somewhat more low, and in a short time (and that vvithout any great force of fire) there vvill be wrought a certaine kind of butter, vvhich will run out in great plenti [...], being as it [Page] were of a middle consistence betwixt the gum and the oyle before distilled. Againe, you shall take this butter-like matter and put it into the retort, hauing first made it verie cleane, and then set it vpon the furnace the second time, with certaine ounces of purged oyle vvhich you shall haue drawne before from the same kind of gum. By these meanes, and the helpe of a reasonable fire giuen vnto it, you shall draw as much oyle (and that most exquisite) as Art and Nature could joyntly giue together. And thus much for the sure and certaine way of extracting of oyles of hard gums, which though it be costly, ought notwithstanding for the excellencie thereof be rather practised than the other common way which is by grauell, ashes, or washed sand, cast into the retort with the matter. By such meanes you shall make oyle of amber, jet, brimstone, and other such kind of things, being first made into powder, and putting thereunto common oyle, which hath beene first cleansed and purged in a leaden vessel or warme water.

Oyle of Waxe is thus prepared after the common manner:Oyle of Waxe. Take a pound of new Waxe, you shall wash it thus: melting it at the fire you shall cast it by and by into a vessell full of vvhite Wine, worke it well with your hand after the manner of pas [...]e, sometimes drawing it out at length, sometimes breaking of it, and sometimes doubling of it: melt it once againe, and cast it into the same Wine, then also worke it with your hands as before, and thus you shall doe three or foure times, till you see the wax to haue spent about the quantitie of a pint of vvine; this done, put it thus prepared into a retort, and cast vpon it grauell, washed sand, or powder of brickes, notwithstanding that it may be distilled without grauell, sand, or brickes, as is tried by exper [...]ence: lute the retort all about, euen vnto the middest of the necke, and set in an earthen pan full of small ashes vpon the fire, which must be but soft and gentle at the beginning, but augmented and made greater afterward from degree to degree, the oyle will distill and come forth verie cleare.

Others prepare it after this manner:Another manner of making oyle of Waxe. They set an earthen vessell full of white or red wine vpon the fire, whereinto after that the Wine is become hote, they cast the Wax diuided into many morsells: after they cause the vessell to boyle being close couered, and when the wine is spent, they powre in other, vntill that euerie pound of waxe haue wasted ten pound of Wine: and when they see that there is yet a little wine with the Waxe, they take away the Wax from the fire, that so it may not burn, and presently cast the Waxe into another vessell wherein there is a little white wine: after that it is cold, and the moisture thereof taken away, they distill it in a retort. In any case there must heed be taken that it boyle not in distilling, as in Turpentine and honie, for such liquors being heated, doe easi [...]ie swell and rise vp. Wherefore there must be made but a soft and gentle fire at the first, and then afterward increased, and the stillitorie cooled: againe, to hinder the boyling vp of it, you may cast in some small lumps of lead wrapt vp in paper, or the leaues of Iuie or small grauell, &c.

This oyle is singular good for to suppurate and ripen impostumes,The [...] of the oyle of wax▪ as [...]wage paine, comfort the hard and strayned sinews, and for the palsie. The water distilled before the oyle doth meruailously heale all sorts of wounds, if they be washed therewith, and a linnen cloth wet therein, laid vpon them.

You may distill after this manner, benjouin, ben, ladanum, and other such like gums: you must also note here in this place, that hard gums may be distilled with water, as the oyles of hearbes, and seeds before specified.

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CHAP. LXXXV.
Of the manner of extracting Oyles out of Myrrhe, S [...] rax Calamite, Gum arabicke, and su [...]h other like.

MOst certaine it is, that the liquor which is extracted and drawne from Myrrhe, Storax calamite, and Gum arabicke, is not an oyle, but a grosse, slymie, and glewie matter: vvhich is perceiued and knowne, because they take not fire, yea and if you meet vvith any of them at any time that vvill burne, then know that it commeth by the mingling of some other oyle therewith, and Aqua-vitae.

Take therefore verie new egges, and make them verie hard in hote vvater, afterward cleaue them in the middest, and take out the yolkes: and in their place putting as much Gummes, and that before they be cold, joyne the two parts of euerie one of them together againe, and making a hole through the peeces of the smaller end, hang them in a caue, to the end that the moisture of the place may cause the Gumme (whether it be Myrtle or Storax calamite) therein inclosed to resolue the more easilie: set vnder euerie egge a vi [...]le, and there will drop downe into it a ma [...] ter much like vnto honie, or thinner. This done, gather that which is distilled into a viole, and set the same verie vvell stopped, d [...]epe in the horse-dung, to the end that by his heat (being good to alter and putrifie the slymie qualitie of this matter) it may be corrected, and made more moist and like vnto oyle.

Fiorouanto, an Italian Empericke, in the seuen and fiftieth Chapter of his second Booke, and the thirteenth Chapter of the fourth Booke of his Vexations, prepareth the oyle of Myrrhe six this manner: Take of elected and true Myrrhe [...] ounces, of Aqua-vitae without any flegme twelue ounces, mingle them together in a retort of glasse, vvhich you shall set vnder horse-dung verie hote the space of [...] dayes, afterward distill them in Maries-bath till all the water be risen and wholly gone: then you shall see in the bottome of the retort, oyle, vvhich you shall straine through a linnen cloth, and keepe it to preserue the face a long time, and continue it in his young and youthfull brightnesse and freshnesse. This oyle is a veriebalme to conglutinate and heale wounds speedily, as also to cure all other inwarddisease in taking two drammes thereof inward: it is good also for the deafenesse of the eares. Looke for the larger handling of the distillation of oyles, in our Booke of secret medicines.

The Silke-worme.

CHAP. LXXXVI.
Of the profit comming of the Wormes that spin silke.

THe good Huswife, vvhich hath the ouersight, gouernement, and d [...] sposing of the cattell, must not make lesse account of the Silke-worm [...] than of the Honie-bee. For, besides the pleasure which she may conceiue of the meruailous industriousnesse of this little beast in making and spinning of Silke, she may also reape an incredible profit of so excellent a [Page] worke, which honoureth and maketh men glorious, being attyred with the pompe of this workmanship and piece of cunning skill: insomuch, as wee see, that Kings, Princes, Gentlemen, Prelates, Iustices, and other great and notable personages are vsually decked and apparrelled with the trauaile of these prettie creatures. And which is more; the silke serueth not onely for the apparrelling of men, but also for a singular remedie to comfort the heart that is sicke, and to reioyce and recreate all the heauie and troubled spirits of anie one: as wee may well vnderstand by that famous con [...]ection, called of the Physitions Alkermes; which being compounded, for the most part, of the decoction and infusion of Silke in the iuice of Kermes, and being taken inwardly, it is a verie soueraigne remedie against faintings and swownings. Wherefore the good wise or Mistres [...]e of our Countrey Fa [...]me shall make great account of the keeping of Silke-wormes, to the end that shee may reape the profit of the sale of the Silke which shee shall gather from them yearely: which profitable practise is verie well knowne amongst the wiues of Tourraine here in France.

CHAP. LXXXVII.
Of the situating of a place to keepe Silke-wormes in.

IT is necessarie also, that the carefull Huswife, for the vndertaking of the gouernment of Silke-wormes, and for the making of her best commoditie thereof, doe chuse out some conuenient place about the Farme for the better ordering and keeping of them: and it must be rather high than low, hauing a good ayre, and without moistnesse, being so prouided of Windowes, as that the Sunne may come in at them both morning and euening, if it seeme good vnto such as haue the charge to gouerne them. These Windowes must be such as will shut close, or else are glased, or paper Windowes, or of fine Linnen Cloth, to the end, that when it raineth or bloweth, in cold weather, or in moist, they may be kept verie close and fast shut: for who so faileth to gouerne and prouide for them in this sort, it commeth to passe without doubt, that these prettie creatures being tender at all times, cannot escape, but die, when anie hard weather commeth. He must likewise haue Nets and Cords before the Windowes, to the end, that the paper-Windowes being opened, the Sparrowes, Swallowes, and such hu [...]tfull birds, may not g [...]t in, to feed vpon these Wormes. Neither Cocke nor Henne must come in heere: for they would so rauenously feed vpon this little Worme, as that they would be readie to burst. The [...]loore must be kept verie cleane; and the walls without holes or cr [...]uises, by which neither Crickets, Lizards, Rats, or other like vermine, may enter and get in, to kill and spoyle these little things, either night or day. In it there must be ouerthwart partitions with pillars, and vpon them shall be fastened manie boords or hurdles, made of the stalkes of Ro [...]e-trees, for to pleasure this small wretch withall: and these, before you set anie Wormes vpon them, must be sprinkled with a little vineger, and rubbed with sweet hearbes, because they loue sweet smels.

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CHAP. LXXXVIII.
Of the gouerning of Silke-wormes.

THe [...]arefull Huswife, so soone as the Spring draweth neere, and that she shall see that the Mulberrie-tree beginneth to bud, shall make in readinesse egges of Wormes, which shee hath kept all the Winter before, to be brooded and sit vpon. And if shee see that the Mulberrie-tree is [...]ow to bud, shee shall lay fresh dung vnto the rootes thereof during the new Moone of March, thereby to bring it forward: for otherwise, for lack of theleaves of the Mulberrie-tree, if it should come to passe that her Wormes should be hatched or bred, she should be constrained, for their food, to haue recourse to the heart of the Thorne, Elme leaues, the tender branches of Nettles, and others. And as concerning making of choice of such Wormes as are to be breeders; you must take the seed which is but a yeare old, and which being bathed in Wine, falleth to the bottome, and floteth not aboue, and withall, hath the markes which shall be spoken of hereafter: The time of brooding them, is the fifteenth or twentieth of Aprill, from the fourth vnto the tenth day of the Moone, but neuer in the decrease: for wrapping their silke round about it, they w [...]ll bring it forth the fourth [...]ay, at such time as they are strong, in such sort, as that their ends and huskes will bee greater, harder, and more finely haired, than anie other that are bred at another time: for those which are bred in the decrease of the Moone, are always feeble, and yeeld no profit. The meanes to make them breed, is, after that you haue watered and bathed them with white Wine, rather than warme water, to lay them neere the fire, vntill they be a little warmed: then to lay them betwixt two pillowes stuffed with feathers, and made likewise somewhat warme, or betwixt the breasts of women (prouided that they haue not their termes at that time) and so, a [...] the Wormes doe breed, to take them away with Mulberrie-tree leaues, making choice of those which are most tender: and then to lay them vpon boords, or papers, that haue beene rubbed ouer with Wormewood or Sothernewood, or some such like hearbe. When they are once bred, they shall haue the leaues o [...] Mulberrie-trees giuen them euening and morning, encreasing them euerie day, as the Wormes shall grow greater and greater, vnto the fourth change: for th [...] also they will stand in need to be fed at noone, because they eate more at that time than they were wont: but you must bee admonished, that when they [...], or change, you must giue them somewhat sparingly, because as then they are weake and feeble: And in anie case let not the leaues be rotten, moist, or wet: but if it should fall out, that they should be moist, then you must wipe th [...] throughly with cleane Linnens,The gathering of the Mulberrie-tree leaues. and drie them at the fire. They must also be gathered of Mulberrie-trees planted vpon the toppes of hills, and standing open vpon the Sunne, and of old trees, rather than of young ones, and such as beare a fruit somewhat red and blacke, and not to gather the said leaues in the morning, so long as they are wet with the d [...]aw, or other thing, vntill the Sunne haue gone ouer them: and further, to picke the bad from the good, before you giue them vnto the Wormes to [...]ate. These little beasts may not be touched with your hands but as little as may be: for the more they are handled, the more they are hindered thereby, because they are verie exceeding tender and daintie, especially at such time as they doe cast, or change. And yet notwithstanding, they must bee kept verie cleane and neat, and all their little dung taken from them euerie three daies. The place must likewise be perfumed with Frankincense, Garlicke, Onions, Larde, or broyled Sawsages, that you may minister matter of pleasure vnto these little creatures▪ and againe, if they be weake and sicke, these smells refresh and recouer them againe. [Page] They must also be marked whether they sleepe, or no: for seeing they are wont to sleepe foure times, especially when the cast and change; if it happen, that anie of them be still eating, and sleepe not, they must be put apart, without hauing anie meat to eat, that so they may fall to sleeping, for else they would all burst: and it is as true, that if they be breeding of young, they must be soberly dieted. After that they haue cast and changed the fourth time, within three daies after they will eat better than euer they did,Signes that the wormes would mak [...] silk [...]. vntill such time as their bodies begin to shine, and that they make manifold shew of the silke thread that is in their bellies: which if it be to come white from them, their head is as if it were siluer: if that it be to come yellow from them, their heads beare the colour of gold: if greene or Orange colour,For to know the colour of the silk their heads fore-tell the same. Thus they feeling themselues well filled and fedde, they seeke out some resting place for the purpose to fasten themselues vnto, and there orderly to auoid their silke, euerie one shu [...]ting vp himselfe in his scale or huske, which they make and build vp in two daies, or a little more. Then you must be carefull to haue in readinesse for them, round about the Tables, good store of Broome, Brakes, branches of Vines, Oake-tree boughes, Chesnut-tree boughes, and other things: and withall, let them be verie drie; for moisture is their enemie: and then not to giue them ouer, vntill they be all fastened and hanged vpon these branches, there to make their worke: whereof they be so eager, as that they grow madde [...]till they be packed vp in their little clewes and bottomes, and that in such sort, as that a man would thinke that they would be sti [...]eled: then they must haue some helpe, and order must be taken, that they may not fall downe vpon the earth: and if they doe fall, to put them vp againe into some place for the purpose. They haue finished their worke in two or three dayes, more or lesse, and as the weather groweth hot or cold at that time: And as it is easie to perceiue when they are all [...] worke, so they make it to be heard verie well when they cease and make an end of their labour. They dwell thus, and abide altogether, for the most part, in their huskes twentie dayes, more or lesse, according vnto the tendernesse, softnesse, or hardnesse of their bottomes of silke.The choice of the [...]. As concerning the choice of their huskes, or [...]ods, the Orange coloured are best, and not the yellow, and least of all, the white, or greene: and as concerning the taking of the single, or of the double, the single [...]e more worth, because that the male and the female are within the double: which [...]emale layeth her egges no sooner in the morning than shee coupleth with the male againe.The choice of breeding wormes. The scales or huskes being thus chosen, those which are good for encreas [...], must be put into a place where no dust is, and well couered: the double also must be separated from the single, to the end, that they may make the fairer silke: and especially there must choice be made of such people as are the best workefolkes, both [...]or to know the silke, as also to draw it out with such discretion, as that there may [...]come the most profit of it. When the Wormes shall be out of their huskes, then you must make choice of the best for encrease and breeding: those which are the grossest and blackest, are the strongest, and affoord better egges than anie of the o [...]her. You must likewise take more females than males: and for the knowing of [...]he one from the other,The difference betwixt male and female wormes. the eyes of these creatures doe sufficiently testifie thereof; [...]or the females haue thinner eyes, and not altogether so blacke, as the males: They must also be put asunder, and white Linnen clothes spread, or rather leaues of Paper, vpon little Tables, for to receiue their egges: The Paper is more naturall [...]nd commodious than the Linnen, because it may be the better raked ouer with [...] knife, to draw together the egges thereupon, without making of anie spoyle [...] all.

As concerning the diseases whereunto these little creatures be subiect: When they haue not beene so carefully looked vnto as they should,The diseases of silke-wormes. to be kept cleane; when the [...]old Northerne wind, or the hot Southerne Sunne hath molested them, as also when [...]hey haue eaten too much; then they become sicke: wherefore you must keepe [...]hem cleanely: stop the windowes and holes by which the cold windes doe enter [Page] and get in, and carrie coales of fire that doe not smoake, into their lodging, setting thereupon Frankincense or Sawsages cut in slices (for they so loue this smell, as tha [...] it presently cureth them) as also besprinkle them with a little Malmesey or Aqua-vitae. If they haue beene troubled with too great heat of the South Sunne, there must be sprinkled vpon them Rose-water: If they haue ouer-eaten themselues, the contrarie diet will cure them; as the keeping of them three or foure daies without eating anie thing: If there be anie of them that are spotted with anie duskish, blewish, or yellowish colour, and that there appeare withall vpon their bellies a certain [...] humour that doth wet them, they must be speedily taken from out of the companie of the rest, and carried out: and in the morning, before the Sunne rise, set the whole and sound in the ayre for some small time, and afterward put them in their places againe: and then it will be good to sprinkle them with good and strong vineger, and to annoint them with Wormewood or Sothernewood, and also to giue them ayre, making them likewise to feele the force of the Sunne, prouided, that the beames thereof doe not [...]ouch them: and you must looke also, that the windowes bee so placed, as tha [...] the morning ayre may season and send his breath throughout the whole house.

The end of the third Booke.

THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE.

[Page]

That there are two sorts of Medowes.

CHAP. I.
Of Medowes: and their difference.

IN our former Treatise wee haue runne through those things which belong vnto the husbanding and ordering of Gardens and Orchards, and now it requireth, that wee speake of Medow Grounds, vvhereupon consisteth the greatest meanes of feeding and bringing vp of Cattell, to the end wee may perfect and accomplish our fore-appointed purpose. The thing therefore, called in our French tongue Pr [...], may seeme to be borrowed from the old word Prat, and both of them to signifie and point out a thing that is readie and prest to doe the Master of the Farme and Farmer seruice, without putting him to anie paines, in respect of the labouring or husbanding of them: but this must be vnderstood of Medowes hauing their prey and maintenance about them; namely, such as are those which are fed and watered with the Marne on the one side, and the Riuer Aube on the other, which is about some hundred and fiftie leagues of square Countrey: as also those about the Riuer called Veselle, which of all others doth most abound in Medowes. It is in like manner in the free and reclaimed grounds from Barle-du [...] to Vitrye in Partois, and from Louemont to Vassie in Thierache, all along the little Blondelle, as also along the great and small Morin, in our Country of Beauuoisis. Such medow grounds doe not [...]eare stormes and tempests, as Gardens and other arable grounds doe: but with little cost and charges they yeeld their double reuenue and profit euerie yeare; the one of Hay, the other of Pasture. Medowes are of two sorts: the one drie, the other [...]oist. The drie craueth not the helpe of anie water to be watered withall, except the raine, because it is in a fat place, and where it hath full store of refreshing [...]uice: and in such places Hay doth grow of his owne accord, and that a great deale better than where it is forced by casting of water vpon it. The moist medowes haue also seldome anie need of watering, because, most commonly, they lye alongst the bankes of some great or small Riuers, which feedeth and nourisheth them: as those which lye here in France, by the Riuers of Marne, Aube, Blondile, and Morin: and in England, by the Riuers of Thames, Trent, Seauerne, Auon, Teame, Ouze, Wye, and such like: and these medowes are, for the most part, plaine and leuell grounds, [Page] because the inundations of these Riuers washing them ouer at least once or twice euerie Winter, the Moal [...]s, and other silthie vermine, which hurt the earth, are destroyed, and these Medowes are euer more fruitfull and more aboundant in their encrease than the higher Medowes are, but the grasse is nothing neere so sweet and so pleasant, neither feedeth so soundly, nor so suddenly: Whence it commeth, that the husbandman keepeth his high-land hay for his cattell which are to be sed, and his low-ground hay for those which worke.

CHAP. II.
What grounds are good for Medowes: and how to make new Medowes.

THe ground that is fat and full of iuice, although it be nothing at all helped either by small Riuer or Brooke, is good to bring forth hay, so that▪ such place be not exceeding farre from some small Brooke, standing water, or little Riuer: or, at the least, that it be moist at the bottome, and such, as wherein, if that one make a reasonable deepe ditch, he may find good store of water: for moisture is one of the nurses of hay. Where such [...]at and iuiceground is not, there may Medow ground be made, of what manner of earth soeuer it be, whether it be a strong, slight, or leane earth, so that you haue close by it but this one commoditie of a little Brooke to water it, and that the field lye somewhat sloping or descending, not verie low, nor verie flat, as wherein the raine water, or other of anie small Riuer, taking sometimes ouer the same, doe not vse to dwell and stand anie long time, but passeth and runneth away faire and softly, without anie [...]arrying. Wherefore I agree and must needs confesse, that some grounds are not so sit and profitable as othersome for the receiuing of Hay-seed, as those which through the neerenesse of some great Flouds, and Pooles, Lakes, and great large Waters, are oftentimes ouerflowne and couered with aboundance of water, which in Winter drowneth the grounds: Whereupon it commeth to passe, that the hay is nothing fine or delightsome vnto beasts, but great, and full of stumpie stalk: a broad grasse also, and nothing pleasing their taste. But howsoeuer it is, the hay of standing waters, ill husbanded and corrupted, as also the hay which naturally grow [...]th thereabout, and by the large borders of Lakes, is not such as the fine mouthed beast can delight in, as neither that which is gathered in grounds bordering vpon the Sea, as with the salt and nitrous rellish whereof the appetites of Cattell are ouerthrowne, not being accustomed thereunto: besides that, the verie grasse it selfe is more ranke and vnsauourie than the common sort of grasse is, and in taste verie vnlike it.

Yet this holdeth not generally: for these low Medowes,Salt Marshes. and those which border on the Sea, are oftentimes the best of all other, and feed with greater expedition than any other hay whatsoeuer: as witnesseth manie of those salt marishes, which are the most chiefe nurceries and bringers forth of fat cattell that are knowne, and especially Sheepe, which neuer are knowne to rot vpon the same. And of all cattell which [...]eed vpon hay, none is so daintie and choice in its taste, as the Sheepe is: for hee must haue it both sweet, short, and soft: So that by that beast onely it may be seene, that those low Medowes are not euer vnprofitable. And indeed to conclude, there is not any ground which will beare grasse, but by industrie, manure, and much rest, may be brought to beare reasonable good hay, if not to feede, yet to keepe cattell in good p [...]ght, and make them goe through with their labours soundly: which is as great a profit to the husbandman as the office of grazing, and more properly belonging to his profession.

[Page] Wherefore if you would make new Medowes,To make new medow grounds. make choice of the best ground you can: this ground you shall lay fallow, and let lye idle a whole Summer: then in Autumne after you shall turne vp and plow the same ground, often sowing therein, for the first yeare, Turneps or Nauets, Millet, Beanes, or Oats, and the yeare following with Wheat: then the third yeare you shall labour it diligently, and sow it with Fetches mixt with Hay-seeds: and after this, you shall mow and order it as other old Medowes, as we will declare by and by.

Yet for the sowing of these manie Graines so manie yeares one after another, it is not altogether so necessarie: for though it may be vsed in some barren Countries, because Turneps, Nauers, and Fetches are enrichers, and (as it were) manurings of the ground, and the Oates a great breeder of grasse; yet if you onely,Oates a great breeder of grasse. when you intend to lay a ground of grasse, doe but the last yeare cast downe the furrowes, and lay the lands as flat as you can, and then onely sow cleane Oates vpon the same, it will be as fully sufficient as all the former labour, and altogether as fruitfull, if the husbandman slacke not his labour herein, but giue it such needfull seconds as the soyle shall require.

CHAP. III.
What manner of Husbandrie is required about Medowes.

SVch as obstinately defend and maintaine,To sow Medowes. that there is not anie paines or labour to be vsed about Medowes, seeme vnto me (vnder correction) void of all sound iudgement: for euerie where, in processe of time, the earth becommeth wearie, and standeth in need to be refreshed in some parts of it, yea, to be sowne againe, and fashioned, if need be, especially in feeding grounds, and Medowes, appointed for pasture for horned beasts: for such cattell as beare Wooll, doe not desire wa [...]ie places (as Medowes would be) but being contented with Shepheards, graze along by the wayes, and vpon the plowed grounds. And as for your heards of young Horses and Asses, they feed naturally and commodiously with your other cattell. Yea furthermore, I haue seene in Campaine, as it should be about Pont vpon Seine, a Medow countrey, the Geese and Turkies daily and ordinarily driuen to the pasture, for the sauing of charges at home: which thing would not agree well about the places of Monfort l'Amaurye, where is kept some part of the Kings breed of Horses and Mares; for the downe, and other feathers of those fowles, as also their dung, would make these sorts of beasts sicke, euen Horse, Mare, Mule, or Asse.

Besides, according to the opinion of all good husbandmen,Geese a greas enemie to good grounds. these fowles are of all creatures the most preiudiciall that may be, not onely to Medow grounds, but also to all manner of Pas [...]ure grounds whatsoeuer: for besides the annoyance which their feathers and downe make, their dung is so poysonous vnto the earth, that it makes it barren, and forceth it to bring forth nothing but Goose-grasse, which is such a sowre and vnwholesome weed, that no beast will touch it, and which, in short space, will ouer-runne a great deale of ground, and make it vtterly vselesse: therefore euerie husband must be carefull to keepe these fowles both from his Medowes and his feeding Pastures.

But whatsoeuer others say or doe, [...] sure I am, that a good Farmer must not neglect his Medow ground, seeing the husbanding of them is a matter more of care than of paine and labour: For the first care must be to keepe it that it grow not with [...] and thornes, or great high stalkes of other hearbes, all which would be pulled vp by the roots in Autumne, or before Winter, as bushes, brambles, and rushes: some other of them in the Spring, as Succories, Hemlocke, and such other weeds, [Page] which are vnprofitable for the feeding of the heards of Horses and Mares. Likewise there must not be left in them anie stones,To gather out the stones. nor yet anie other thing, that may hinder the digging of them, when the earth is to be stirred. The ground being freed of stones, shall be made euen and smooth verie handsomely in the Winter time, and after that, tilled and turned ouer verie diligently and [...]inely with the plough, and after harrowed,To horrow it. especially that which is leane, and lying with some descent, but not watred otherwise than the raine vseth to water it. It must be dunged also in Ianua [...]ie and Februarie, when the Moone is in the encrease, that so it may be fatted, and store of iuice brought into it for the growing of grasse. The best manuring that can be bestowed vpon it,The manuring of it. is fine crumbling earth mixt with dung, which will doe it more good than the best and purest dung that you can find in your Neat-house. For the making hereof, you must gather in Summer the dust that is by the high wayes most haunted, and mingle the same with the dung of cattell, the [...]ilth and sweepings of the house, the dyrt of the streets, the parings of the house, and the great and little Court, the dung of Hennes and Pigeons, Oxe-dung, Horse-dung, and all other such excrements, which must be let incorporate and mingle together the whole Winter, vntill such time as this matter, watered with water, and throughly pierced with the frost, be sufficiently ripened. This mixture when it is spread, entreth better below into the earth [...] dung alone, and also incorporateth it selfe better with the earth. But aboue all, there is no dung more excellent for Medow grounds, than the rotten staddell or bottomes of Hay-mowes,Bottomes of Hay-mowes. or Hay-stackes, which, putrified with the moisture of the earth, lookes mouldie blacke, and most filthie; and with this, if you mixe the sweepings of the Hay-barne floore, and the scattered seedes which fall from the Hay when it is shaked vp or bound into bottles, it will be a great deale the better, and the earth will put forth his encrease in much more plentie. These Medow grounds must also be verie well drained from water, if they be subiect thereunto, and sluces and drainesSluces and Draines. made either by plough, spade, or other instrument, which may conuey it from one sluce to another, till it fall into some ditch or riuer: for as the sudden washing of the earth fatteneth and enricheth the same, by reason of the mud, slime, and other fat substances which it leaueth behind it; so the long abiding of the water vpon it, [...] the soyle, rots the roots of the grasse, and either makes it vtterly barren, or [...] it to a bogge-myre: Nay, where the water lyes long vpon the ground, there it will [...]ome the grasse to reed, rushes, or other vnprofitable weeds: therefore by all meanes preuent the continuance of flouds, and onely esteeme of a gentle washing, and no more. Againe, in your Medow grounds you must be exceeding carefull to know the goodnesse or badnesse of the same: as, which is fruitfull, which barren, which quicke of growth, which slow, which will beare but one entire crop, and which two, and accordingly you must lay them, that is giue them time of rest for growth; as thus: If your ground be verie fruitfull and rich, yet through the coldnesse of the clyme will not beare aboue one crop, it shall not be needfull for you to lay it before May day: but if it be but of a reasonable fruitfulnesse, then you may lay it at the Annuntiation of our Ladie: but if it be verie hard and barren, then it is best to lay it at Candle [...]ss, that it may haue the vttermost of the Spring & Summer to grow in: also, if it be exceeding fertile, and so warme and close couched, that it will beare two croppes, then you shall lay it at Candlemas, that you may cut it at the end of May and the midst of September; for to cut it after that time, is both ill husbandrie, and profitlesse: for howsoeuer men may be opinioned, either through custome, or the imitation of their neighbors, yet they shall find it most certaine, that the hay, how good soeuer the growth be, yet if it want the Sunne and kindly withering, it can neuer be good either to feed or sustaine nature with: but hauing the iuice rotting and not dried within it, becommeth black, vnpleasant, and unwholesome, insomuch, that the worst straw is better than the best of such hay: therefore let euerie husbandman haue a great care to the good and kindly withering of his hay, and esteeme euer the qualitie before the quantitie. After Medowes are laid, then the husbandman shall haue a great care to his [...]ences, least either his owne, or other mens cattell, by day or night breake into the same, for they may [Page] doe him more iniurie in an houre than they can doe him profit in a moneth: for the young and tender grasse, if it be nipt or bitten at the first springing, hardly after prospereth, till the sythe haue cut it: for it is with grasse as with stronger plants, which if they be nipt or bitten, forthwith loose the beautie of their flourishing, and groweth not straight or vpright, but low, crooked, and ill-fauoredly, neither to fast as before it did, but verie slowly, and manie times without seed: therefore by all meanes preuent the cropping of your Medowes, by cattell at their first springing. Also, if you haue anie riuers, ditches, or small rundles, which butt vpon your Medowes, you shall at such time as you lay your Medowes, be sure to cleanse and scoure them both of weeds, madde, and other filth, that shall anie way cloy or fill them, that the water may thereby haue a more free passage and a larger receit to receiue and conuey away anie floud which shall happen: for after your Medowes begin to grow, if anie floud shall come vpon them, the sand and other filth will fasten to the rootes, and lye vpon the grasse in such manner, that not being able to be cleansed by anie husbandrie, it will make the hay vtterly vnwholesome, so that lying in the stomacks of the beasts, it will engender manie mortall and pestilent diseases. And herein is also to be noted, that the mudde and other compasse which you shall take out of these riuers or ditches, would be spread vpon the Medowes, and when it is drie, with small clotting maules be beaten as small as dust; for this is also an excellent maner of manuring your Medowes.

CHAP. IIII.
What must be sowne in the Medowes.

THe way then to reforme the old and drie consumed places of your Medow,To sow medowes. if they be become hoarie & rotten, must be by sowing them in the Spring with good Hay-seed, which is the Medow Clauer, which is called in some places Sops in wine, by reason of the flower,Sops in wine, or Snaile-clauer. which is an hearb which men in times past made great account of, sowing it by it selfe as the Fetch is wont to be sowne, and they did sow it in Ianuarie, as Cato and Palladius Cato. Palladius. doe report. The maner of sowing it shal be set downe in the fifth Booke, in the handling of Pulse. Likewise the seed of Gallion or petty Mugguet, wild Fetch, and Hauer-grasse, which the Latine Poet calleth properly barren Oates. Againe, the small wild Mallow is not amisse, neither the little Crowfoot, foreseene it be not that with the bulbous root, that is to say, the Crowfoot hauing a round root like an Onions, because that is venimous for the beast, but it must be that Crowfoot which hath a hairie and threadie root. The two-fold Satyrion is good in some place where it groweth naturally: so likewise is the Hyacinth, the one of them being of a blew flower, the other of a purple, herein differing from the Satyrion, which is more cut & diuided into small buds, as likewise more fragrant. It is not good that there should be any great store of Plantaine,Plantaine. except it be that of the least sort, called Birds-toong. The wild Carret,Wild Carret. especially that, which in the midst of the white flower, in the round broad tuft, beareth a sweet smelling seed; being rubd in the hand, like vnto graines of Paradise, & of the same colour: as likewise wild Wound-wort (which Dioscorides calleth Hercules his wound-wortWound-wort.) is very good, foreseene that it grow not too great. GermanderGermander. likewise is good, being called of the Grecians small Oake, by reason of the figure of the lease. Little RampionsSmall Rampions. likewise is very good, because of the root, which helpeth forth Lent sallads as wel as the Cresses: wild SaffronWild Saffron [...] is not good, because of his flower, seeing both the root and it doe kill beasts, euen as Hemlock doth, which is called Birds-bane: neither yet water Pepper, as being venimous through his heat, and vsing to grow only in standing & stinking waters, as laughing Smallage doth,Laughing Smallage. called Herba Sardonica, because it maketh men and beasts to seeme to laugh when it killeth them: in like maner, wild Woad, Bucks-beard, Hartstong, wild & low growing All-good, both sorts of Violets, the lesse Centaurie, all the three sorts of Daisies, and especially those which are called Gold-cups, or little Crow-foot, [Page] and the three-leaued grasse of the Medowes, are all of them singular good hearbes for the fruitfulnesse of the Medow ground. The Garlicke, which is called Serpentina, Great and small water Germander in the Medowes of Cheles. and which a man would iudge to be a little small rush, of a reasonable length, doth not amisse, no more than the true and small water Germander, which is often found in the Medowes of Cheles, and elsewhere: but great store of it maketh the hay to smell ill: as on the contrarie, Penyryall maketh it smell sweet, and so likewise, Organi [...] of both sorts, the three sorts of Balme, and Costmarie: but Mints, and that Hore-hound, which is wild Camomile, are nothing worth. Great quantitie and store of wild Fetch causeth the hay to be verie full of nourishment for cattell: the lesse Plantaine, Siluer-grasse of both sorts, Peachwort (so called, because it carrieth a flower like a Peach-tree) and Burnet: the three sorts of Shepheards needles, called of the ancient Writers Storks-bills (by reason of the fashion of the peake that followeth in place after the Hower) whereof hearbe Robert is one, doe verie well for cattell, and cure them of the grauell, causing them to make their [...] in aboundance. Millefoile and Prunell (called the Carpenters hearbe,Carpenters w [...]rt- [...]alme. because it is good for cuts) are also good, and verie sweet of smell; but Quitch-grasse (called Dogs-grasse) doth destroy the Medow as much as Balme doth mend it, and encreaseth milke in Kine, as great Hares-foot doth in Goats, and in like manner as Veruaine and Groundswell are good hearbes for Conies. Looke well, that Thistles set not their foot within your Medow,Blessed thistle. except it be the blessed Thistle, with the yellow flower, or else the little Thistle, and that but about the borders or edges of the Medow, and that it haue the leaues of Sow-thistle, though it be smaller, and spotted (as it were) with drops of milke, and therefore it is called Maries Thistle. The red and blew Pimpernell,Pimpernell. because of their flowers, as also the white, are as good there, as either the male or female Mercurie, though these hearbes delight rather to grow in the wayes, and amongst Vines, as doe also the Bindweed and Nightshade. Flax-weed, which differeth from Esula, in as much as it hath no milke, and groweth high as Line doth (saue that it hath a yellow flower) is good: but Esula or Spurge is naught, as is also Hypericum, for these two are both of them verie hot and shrewd fellowes. Melilot the small and the great, Myrrhis, which hath leaues like Fennell, and diuers diuided white flowers, is of great vertue, and sweet, after the smell of Myrrhe. To be short, the Carret and Cheruile doe serue greatly for the nourishing and goodnesse of the hay. But aboue all, there is no hearbe nor seed more excellent to be nourished or sowne in the Medowes, than Saxifrage is:Saxifrage a great friend to Medowes. for amongst all huswiues it is held an infallible rule, That where Saxifrage growes, there you shall neuer haue ill Cheese or Butter, especially Cheese. Whence it commeth, that the Netherlands abound much in that commoditie, and only (as is supposed) through the plentie of that hearb only. And for the better affirmation or proofe thereof, you shall vnderstand, that all good huswiues, which will carrie any reputation for good Cheese-making, doe euer dresse their cheslep-bags and earning with Saxifrage, as the only hearbe that giueth a most perfit season to the same.

Now albeit I haue here deliuered you a particular collection of the seeds of all those hearbs which are most necessarie to be sowne in Medows, yet I would not aduise you to be so curious as to bestow your labour in culling these seeds from the rest, or to sow them in your Medows with that care and respect that you sow seeds in your Garden; for lesse paines will serue: only I would with you, when you intend to sow your Medowes (which would be either in the Spring, or in Autumne) to goe (if you be vnprouided) to such a neighbor or Farmer neere vnto you, as is owner of some fine and delicate piece of Medow, void of grosse & filthie weeds, stump-grasse, knot-grasse, peny-grasse,Sweepings of Hay-barne floores. speare-grasse, or Burnet, and from him you shal buy the sweepings or sc [...]trings of his Hay-barne floore, as also those sweepings which shall be vnder those windows or holes, in at which the husbandman putteth hay when he vnloads it, and these sweepings you shal sow vpon your Medows as thick as you can strew them, for the thicker is euer the better: and you must foresee, that when you thus sow your Medowes, you cause your ground to be as bare eaten before as is possible, especially with Sheepe, [Page] because as they bite the neerest of all cattell to the ground, so they bestow vpon it their manure, or dung, which is the fattest and most fruitfullest of all other, and maketh the seeds instantly to sprout after the first shower. You shall also obserue when you sow your Medowes (whether it be at the Spring, or at the fall) to see and if the dung of the cattell which last grazed vpon the same, lye upon it still in heapes, as when it fell from their bodies: and this dung you shall raise from the ground, and with beetles made for the purpose, beat them into verie small pieces, and so spread them generally ouer the whole Medow, and then sow your seeds amongst them, for by this meanes your seeds will quickly take root.

There is also another way of enriching of Medowes, especially such as lye high, and out of the dangers of flouds, which for the most part are euer the barrennest; and that is by the foddering or feeding of cattellFoddering of great cattell. vpon the same in the Winter season, as thus: The husbandman shall in the barrennest part of his Medow ground, which is safest from waters or flouds, make vp his hay in a large and handsome Stacke, or Reeke, either round or square, according to his pleasure, or the quantitie of the hay: and this Stacke thus made, he shall fence about with thorne, or other hedge-ware, to keepe cattell from tearing or spoyling the same, till such time as the Farmer himselfe shall thinke it meet to cut downe the same: Then when the extremitie of Winter shall come, as either when the grasse is cleane consumed, or that by reason of long Frosts or Snowes your cattell cannot come by anie food, then is the time to cut downe your Hay-reekes, and to fodder your cattell therewith morning and euening, cutting no more downe at a time than shall conueniently serue to fodder your cattell; for spoyle herein is the vildest husbandrie that can be. This hay thus cut downe, you shall not lay in one place, but in diuers places of your ground, in little tufts or hillockes, scattering an armefull thereof in manie places: because, if you should lay it in one place, or in a verie small circuit neere together, your cattell would disagree and offer to gore one another, at least, the stronger cattell would euer beat away the weaker, and so rob them of their food: whereas being scattered into diuers remote places, those which are beaten away from one place, will goe to another, and so take their food without trouble: in which, you shall euer obserue to lay more tufts or heapes of hay than you haue cattell. Neither yet doe I meane, that this manner of foddering shall ouer-spread anie great piece of ground at one time, but according to the number of your cattell, be close packed together, both for the ease of the fodderer, and for the well husbanding of the hay, which to be carried vp and downe too [...], would make much wast by scattering; so that to lay one foddering within two or three yards of another, is sufficient. And this I speake of great cattell, as Oxen, Kyne, Steeres, Horses, or such like: for if you fodder Sheepe,Foddering of Sheepe. then you must lay your hay in long rowes, one row three or foure yards from another, vpon the driest and cleanest ground you can find, because the trampling and treading of the cattell will else [...] much spoyle of the hay. And herein is also to be noted, that you must not by any meanes lay your fodder aboue twice in one place, but change and alter your ground, finding out still a drie and vntrodden place to fodder in, as well for keeping the ground from two much foyling and tearing vp with the feet of cattell, as also for the [...]a [...]ing of the hay, which would be halfe lost, if it should be layd in wet and myrie places. And thus you may in one Winter runne ouer a great piece of ground, and not onely sow it plenteously with the Hay-seedes which will fall from the Hay in the carrying, but also manure the ground excellently, by this drawing together of your beasts into one place, making their l [...]are, and dunging most thereupon. Now some will say, that this manner of enriching of grounds carrieth with it a discommoditie which equalleth the goodnesse which is reaped from it, and therefore not so much to be esteemed; alledging, that the trampling of the cattell teareth vp the greene-swarth, and (as it were) ploweth vp the ground in such sort, that it will hardly beare any good croppe of grasse a yeare or two after. To which I answere,Commoditie of foddering. that if it doe (as happily it will) teare vp or digge the ground so, that you loose the next yeares croppe in some part: yet, after the first yeare is past, the [Page] second will double, and the third will treble anie encrease formerly receiued from the same ground; neither will the goodnesse euer after be abated from the same: besides, if your ground be subiect to anie filthie soft mosse, or fuzzie grasse, which is both vnsauourie and vnwholesome for beasts, and also choaketh and deuoureth vp all better herbage; this treading of the cattels feet will vtterly kill it, and make the ground fruitfull for euer after. Nay, if the ground haue beene much subiect to small whynnes, or prick-grasse, which is a most venimous weed in anie ground, according to the opinion of the best husbands, this course onely will destroy it. To conclude, [...]he Medow well kept and maintained, doth alwaies bring double commoditie, to that which is ill gouerned and husbanded.

CHAP. V.
Of the harrowing, watering, and keeping close and well defensed the Medow ground.

BEsides the seedes of good hearbes, which is verie requisite for the Medowes, yet there are other workes needfull for the goodnesse of Hay: for the Medowes must be harrowed and raked presently after they be sowne, to breake the clods into small earth, or dust, that so the mowers may not thereby hurt their Sythes. If the ground of the Medow be withered, and drie, it will be a maruellous commoditie vnto it, to draw into it, all the winter long, at the least, some small Brooke, for the watering and moistening of it, seeing that moisture is the naturall nourishment of Hay; and this would be done especially during the moneths of Nouember, December, Ianuarie, and Februarie: afterward, when the earth hath drunke her fill, then stop the way whereby the water of the Brooke runneth. It is true, that if the Medow-plot lye vpon the side of some hill, or vpon some high ground, there shall be no need to water it: for the first raine that falleth, will descend and water such Medowes verie sufficiently, being ioyned with the iuice and goodnesse of the dung which you shall haue bestowed in the higher places. Neither shall it be needfull to water the ground much, where there is great quantitie of three-leaued grasse, because then it would die by and by. Againe, you must not cause anie water to ouerflow anie old Medow grounds, in the time of great and excessiue cold, except it should be that they should continue a long time: because that the water fayling, the ground thus boyled againe, and drenched, would be verie much annoyed by the vehemence of the frost and yce. Likewise, if there be anie marish or dead water in anie part of your Medow, you must cause the same to runne and drayne out by some Conduits or Trenches: for without all peraduenture, the super-aboundance of water doth as much harme, as the want, scarcitie, or lacke of the same. You must be sure also to keepe Swine out of your Medowes, because they are alwaies turning it ouer with their snouts, and [...]aying great soddes of earth: Neither must you admit anie great Cattell into them, saue when they be verie drie, because the hornie hoofe doth sinke into the earth, and either breake off the grasse, or cut in sunder the rootes, whereupon they cannot spring or multiplie anie more.

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CHAP. VI.
To mowe your Meadowes againe and againe, to gather the Hay and refresh your Meadowes, and to bring your barren Meadowes into Tillage.

NOw for the mowing of your Meadowes,Mowing of meadowes. it must be according to their growth or ripenesse, for some ripen soone, and some late, and sure there cannot fall to the Husbandman greater losse than to cut his Meadow before it be ripe, for then the sap or moisture not being come fully out of the roote, the grasse in the vvithering shrinketh away, and falls to nothing but a soft fuzzie and vnwholesome substance which no cattell will eat; and also to let it stand till it be ripe, or that it haue shed it seed, is as ill husbandrie, for then vvill the juice be too much dried out of the stalke, and that substance which should giue nourishment to your cattell, will be lost. Therefore to know when your grasse is truely fit to be cut, you shall looke carefully vpon it, and vvhen you see the tops thereof looke browne, and the cocke heads, bells, or bottells which beare the seeds, not stand vpright, or looke direct into the heauens, but bend their heads downeward as looking backe into the earth, then you may be certainely assured it is a fit and good time to cut it, for the earth hath giuen it all the due it ought to haue, and this will be (if it be in a most fertile and verie rich soyle, such as may be cut twice in the yeare) at the beginning of Iune, or about a vveeke before Midsommer: But if it be in a reasonable ground, which hath the title of a good earth onely, then it will be about the translation of S. Thomas, which is the third of Iulie:Best time to cut grasse. but if the ground be extreame cold, moist, and barren, then it vvill be after Lammasse, and sometimes in the middest of September. Now for the generall cutting or mowing of Haye, it would euer be done in the new of the Moone, and at such time as the vveather by all conjecstures is cleare, constant, and likely to continue faire. As soone as your Haye is mowne, if there be plentie of grasse, and that you see it lye thicke in the swathes, so as the Ayre or Sunne cannot passe freely through it, then you shall cause certaine with forkes to follow the [...]ythes, and as they mow it, so to cast it abroad thin, whereby the Sunne may vvither it, and this is called tedding of hay: The next day after the dew is taken from the ground, you shall turne it, and let it vvither on the other side; then handling it, and finding it to your feeling fully drie, the next day you shall with [...]orkes and rakes draw it together in great quantitie into long rows, which rows you must draw in that way which the wind blowes most, least drawing it in the contrarie way, the vvind scatter it abroad, and loose both your labour and profit, for these rowes are called Wind-rowes; and as soone as it is thus gathered together, you shall forthwith thrust the haye close vp together, and make those Wind-rowesWind-rowes. into good bigge handsome cockes sharpe at the top, and broad at the bottome, such as six or seuen of them may make a Waine-load; for howsoeuer sloth or weakenesse may say that little cockes, because they aske little labour, are best, yet it is certaine that the great cockes are much better,Great hay-cockes. and keepe the haye safer from vvet, if any shal fall, and also makes it sweat, and haye a great deale more kindly: in these cockes you shal let your haye stand a day at least, if more it is not amisse, and then breake them open againe, and let them ley in the Sunne till it haue dried vp all the sweat and moisture that was in them; vvhich done, you shall load it according to the maner of the soyle wherein you liue, and so carrie it to the barne, or elswhere according to your pleasure. Now this manner of making of haye you must vnderstand is for such as is most fine, cleane, and the purest grasse, without vveeds, stumpes, thicke leaues, or other grosse substances, for if you find your grasse to be of that rough nature (as for the most part all your vvood-land-grasse is) or that it is much intermixt with burnet, peny-grasse, [Page] and other thicke leafed weeds, then you shall giue it double withering, and after you haue mowed it, and tedded it, you shall turne it twice or thrice ere you cocke it, then being put into drie cocke, you shall breake it open in the morning, and make it vp into drie cocke againe at night, three or foure daies together before you load it, and be sure that in the cocke it take a verie good sweat, and then carrie it home and stacke it vp as shall please you best. But if your ground be extreame barren, cold, moist, and full of verie sowre and stubborne grasse, and of that also but little plentie being thin, short, and hard in the cutting, then you shall not need to ted that hay at all, but in steed of that labour, you shall (as it is mowne) with your forke make it into thicke little grasse-cockes, as bigge as prettie little moale-hills: the reason whereof is this, That such sowre and harsh grasseSowre and harsh-grasse. being exceeding slow of growth, must necessarilie be verie late in the yeare before it can be ripe, or readie to be cut, whereby wanting the kindlie heat and strength of the Sunne, [...]t cannot but with great difficultie vvither vvell: vvherefore you must adde vnto it all the art which you may to bring it to good haye, which this casting it into little heapes and cockes will doe, for the grasse so layed together will heat of it selfe, and then being often turned and tost that the ayre may goe through it and drie it, and then made into cockes againe euerie day bigger and bigger, vvill in the end by it owne heat come to as kindly hay as if it had the full benefit of the Sunne. And herein you shall obserue, that as at first you make them into small cockes, so the second day you shall make them into bigger by putting two or three of those cockes into one, and the next day you shall put two or three of those bigger cockes into one, euerie day increasing the bignesse of the cockes as you find them to vvither, till you bring them to so great cockes that three or foure of them will make a Waine-load, and in that estate you shall let them stand foure or fiue daies before you load them: but vvhilest they are in the little cockes, you shall breake them open once or twice a day at least, according to the fairenesse of the vveather; for you must vnderstand, that whilest they are in grasse or vnwithered cockes, if you let them lie too long, the grasse will turne yellow, and begin to putrifie, vvhich often stirring vvill preuent. Lastly, touching the making of hay, you must vnderstand that the greatest enemie it hath, is wet, or raine, and therefore you must be carefull to make it vp in the driest and fairest weather you can; and if any raine shall happen to fall on it, not to turne it till the vpper side be drie; for to turne the wet grasse to the wet earth, is the readie way to make it rot.

Now to speake a little touching the choyce and vse of your haye,Choyce and vse of haye. you shall vnderstand, that the haye which is most long, loggie, and of greatest burthen, is best for horses, being verie drie, sweet, and got in a good season: that vvhich is not verie long of growth, but verie pleasant and cleane grasse, without weeds, hard stumpes, pricks, or such like, is best for milch-kine, or stall-fed-oxen; onely that which you preserue for your Kine, would be got verie drie, and haue all the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse that may be: but that you keepe for your feeding-cattell would not be altogether throughly vvithered, but got a little greenish, so as it may take such a heat in the mowe, as may onely discolour it and turne it red, but no more; for that will bring a thirst vnto the cattell, and make them drinke vvell: and the Grasier is of this opinion, that cattell neuer feed well till they drinke well, and that haye which is the finest and shortest, growing vpon high and drie grounds full of flowers and sweet [...] is best for your sheepe, or young calues, and this must be got verie drie, and (as neere as you can) vtterly without any raine; for when it is so drie that it will hardly lye vpon the Waine, then is it the best of all: for when the husbandman saith that moist haye is profitable for the increase of milke, he doth not meane that you shall get in your haye greene, or any part vnwithered, for that brings it to a rottennesse or ouer-drinesse, which is verie ill for milke; but you shall get it into the barne as drie as you can, without scorching, scalding, or such vnnaturall extremities, and this hay taking his kindly sweat in the mowe, is that which is called the Moist-hay,Moist-hay. and that which taketh a little too much heat in the mowe, and altereth colour, is the Drie-hay,Drie-hay. and keepeth your fat cattell from gripings and other painefull griefes in their bellies, [Page] to which they are euermore verie much subject. It is an vse with some husbandmen (as well in our France as in other countries) after they haue brought their haye into drie cocke, to put it into great stoukes or pettie stackes without doores, and so to let [...]t remaine a fortnight or more that it may take the full sweat before it be brought to the barne, or hay-loft: but it is a needlesse and a double labour, and may verie well be spared, if the orders be obserued before prescribed; for this much curiositieCuriositie. did but spring from a fearefulnesse of ouer-heating, or mow-burning, which to preuent, the Ancients spared not any labour. Nay they were so curious in the first times, that they would not suffer their haye by any meanes to lye neere to the sinke or smell of the beast-house, or vvhere any other noysome sauours were, supposing that the haye would naturally of it owne inclination draw all such corruptions vnto it; but it was a feare might haue verie vvell beene spared. Now touching the later crop of haye which is euer to be m [...]ne in the moneth of September, you shall in all respects vse it like the hay of these barren grounds last written of, for the yere time being so much shot on, it can haue no other kindly withering, neither is it to be vsed for the feeding of fat cattell, or for milch Kine, but onely for drie beasts, or such as onely labor, as the oxe, horse, mule, or asse.

If by the gathering of your hay you perceiue your meadowes to become barren, vvhether it happen by your negligence in not hauing beene carefull ynough in husbanding of them: or by reason of age, seeing the earth will sometime rest it selfe as being vvearie, for the recouering of the strength againe, as it is onely seene in barren soyles, and no other; for that which is truely fertile and good ground, will neuer be wearie of bearing, especially if it lie low, and be gentlie washt with waters; but that which lies high or violently against the heat of the Sun, will many times decay in his aboundance, which when you shall at any time perceiue, it shall be good to forbeare the cutting of it the next yeare, and onely graze it with cattell,Grazing with cattell. especially sheepe, which vvill be as good as a manuring vnto it, and make it beare grasse in as good plentie as euer it did afore: for often cutting occasioneth barrennesse, and often feeding breedes increase. But if it be through the naturall fertilitie and hardnesse of the ground that it waxeth barren, then you shall vse the like meanes, that you vvould in making of new meadows; set downe before in the second chapter of this booke: or else if you see that you loose your labour in renewing of your barren meadows, set downe with your selfe to reduce them into arable ground, especially those which are drie, parched, bringing forth verie small store of grasse, growne ouer with a hard [...]st, and fraught rather with naughtie weeds, than good and profitable grasse. For the doing whereof, you must cut the vpper face and crust of the earth in Aprill, with a shallow delfe, in turfes some fadome and a halfe long, and halfe as broad, and to the thicknesse of two fingers: drie these turfes in the Sunne, and being concocted by the heat of the Sunne, fit them one to another, and lay one vpon another, in manner of a furnace: afterward, set fire to them with good store of straw: when they are burned, let them coole sixe or seuen daies: after spead the ashes thereof equally all ouer the field: then looke for a good raine in May, to incorporate this ashie earth, and when it is accordingly performed, then plow it vp in Iune, and presently after sow it vvith millet, afterward with rie, and in the end with mastling and wheat.

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CHAP. VII.
Of the Ozier-plot.

REmember this, that three things carefully kept and increased by the diligence of the vvorkeman, doe make rich vvithout any great trauell, that is to say, the meadow-grounds, the Ozier-plot, and the Willow-plot, vvhich by the meanes of vvater lightly slyding through the veines of the earth in the fat and vvell liking places that are vpon the sides of hills, and by the vvatering of manifold streames round about, doe naturally grow eu [...]rie yeare, and yeeld great profit vnto their maister, for the feeding of hi [...] cattell, the making of hoopes for vessell, and binding of them, as also for fewell, the benefit of poles, woodden vessells, arbours, stakes for hedges, and supporters for vines. We will therefore speake first of the ordering and husbanding of the Ozier-plot, and after it of the Willow-plot, vvhich vve do not dreame to haue any other assigned place, than about the meadows, and far remoued from the arable ground; in as much as their shadow is so hurtfull to wheat, line, pulse, and other graine, as that they neuer grow vvell where they are ouershadowed by these: but on the contrarie, meadow grounds receiue great profit thereby: as well because that grasse doth grow the fairer and more pleasantly in the shadow, than vvhere it is not shadowed, as also for that the leaues of Ozier, Willow, Aller, and such other Trees, falling vpon the meadowes, and there rotting, maketh them the more fat, abounding in grasse, and fertile. The Ozier then (which old Writers call Sea-willow, or Wicker-tree, that is to say, apt to bend) desireth not to come verie neere to the water, but loueth rather to stand vpon the descending side of the valley, and the Ozier-plot would end at the sides of the Willow-plot: the Ozier-plot must be prickt with a line, and prettie small ditches drawne out in it betwixt two lines, and euerie slip must be set one from another about fiue foore and a halfe, to giue them their spreading. It vvill not abide the shadow of any tree, but loueth much to haue the fruition of the South-Sunne. The tame red Ozier requireth great husbanding, and is afraid of frosts, and the showres of raine that fall in March, and verie cold vvater: the vvhite and the greene Ozier, vvhich neither bend nor yet defend themselues so well, are of a harder nature, and grow higher. It vvill be good to pricke downe moe of the tame ones than of the other, and alwaies to set them out of the shadow, and there must be but a little water at their foot, the most part of the time: vvherefore you must make furrowes by the vvay, to keepe and reserue water. It must be dressed twice in a yeare to make it grow vvell, that is to say, about mid-May, and towards the end of Nouember, presently after that it is gathered, being also the time of planting of it.

It is verie delightsome vnto it to haue the earth raised vvith the spade and stirred, and to cast in again the clods vnto the foot some fifteen daies after S. Michael, which is the time of gathering them, and making of them vp into bottles. You must keepe your bottles made of the thicknesse of a fadome, fresh & coole in some cellar or [...], and if the season be drie, to vvater them throughout now and then: some slip off the leaues in gathering of them, thereof to make good ashes: others let the leaues fall of themselues, and after gather them for the houshold, and in Winter-nights by the fire side make the slaues spend their time in cleauing them, for to make baskets of. some doe not cut the oziers all from the head, but such slips as are about the edges of it, and leaue the maister-twig to stand vvhole for fiue or sixe yeares, when it must be renewed and pricked downe againe: for this is the terme of the plant: for in all the time following the plant doth nothing but drie, and the twig harden.

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CHAP. VIII.
Of the Willow-plot.

SOme say, that the Willow-plot craueth the like husbandrie that the Oier-plot, because the Willow differeth onely from the Ozier in vse, bignesse, and barke: for the Willow-tree is for poles, the Ozier (as hath beene said) for bindings about the vine and caske: the Willow is thicke and growing taller, the Ozier is smaller and lower: the Willow-tree hath a barke of a darke purple colour, the Ozier of a yellow straw colour. But vvhatsoeuer it is, the Willow loueth vvaterie places, and is planted of the tops cut off, or else of poles: the poles are taken from aboue, of a good thicknesse, but notwithstanding not thicker than the arme, and they must be planted and pricked downe in the earth so deepe as they should stand before they touch the firme ground: the cut of the top may be of the length of a foot and a halfe, and be set in the earth, being couered a little. That which you shall plant, must be cut from the tree verie drie, because it will not thriue if it be vvet when it is cut: therefore you must shun rainie da [...]es in the cutting of your Willowes. The best time of planting the Willow is in Februarie in the beginning, or in the end of Ianuarie, vvhen as the heart of the great cold is broken, vvhich oftentimes hurteth this plant when it is newlie planted: It is true that it may be planted at any time after the beginning of Nouember, yea it may be then both planted and gathered. The plants shall euerie one stand from another sixe foot square, and they must be carefully husbanded for the first three yeres, as if they were yong vines. You shall find a larger discourse of the Willow-tree in the sixth Booke. The distilled vvater of Willowes is good to be drunke for the staying of all sorts of fluxes of bloud: the decoction of the leaues or the lee made of the ashes of the vvood beeing drunke, doth kill bloud-suckers vvhich hang in the throat.

CHAP. IX.
Of the Elme.

MEn of old time did much esteeme the Elme for the vine sake, because they married the vine vnto the Elme,The vine maried vnto the Elme. as also, it is yet practised of some vnto this day in Italie, but now the Elme is applied to another manner of vse by the husbandman: and for that cause vve haue giuen in charge to euery housholder to plant a plot of elmes, at the end of his orchard, as vvell to make fagots of, as to make vvheeles and axle-trees of for his carts and ploughes, as also for fire-wood and other easements, besides the pleasure that the Elme-tree affordeth all the Sommer long. For the planting then of your Elme-plot, make choyce of a fat peece of ground, and vvithall somewhat moist (although this Tree be easie to grow in any kind of ground) vvhich you shall digge and cast, breaking the clods afterward verie small, in so much as that you shall make all the earth as it were dust, and in the Spring you shall harrow it and lay it euen: afterward, you shall sow it verie thicke vvith the seed of elmes, vvhich shall by this time become little red, hauing beene a long time in the Sunne, and yet notwithstanding retayning his naturall substance and moisture: and you shall sow it so thicke as that all the earth shall be couered vvith it, then cast of fine mould vpon it, good two fingers thicke, and vvater it a little, and couer the earth vvith straw or broken boughes and braunches, to the end that vvhat shall come out of the earth may not be deuoured of birds. And vvhen the siences shall begin to shew, take away the straw and boughes, and pull vp the bad vveeds verie [Page] carefully vvith your hands, in such sort as that the small rootes of the elmes vvhich as yet are tender, be not pluckt vp therewithall. The waies and squares must be so discreetly cast, as that he which is to weed them may easily reach to the middest of them euerie vvay. F [...]r if they vvere too broad, then he should be constrained in pulling vp the vveeds to tread the earth vvith his feet, by which meanes the shoots might be hurt. After vvhen the branches are put vp some three foot high to take them vp from their nurserie, and to plant them in another ground, and after that to transplant them againe. The Elme-tree also may be planted of small branches taken from great etmes, and that a great deale better in Autumne than in the Spring time: after three yeares passed, they must be transplanted and that after Autumne, vvhen as the earth beginneth to be moist vntill the beginning of the Spring, as being the time when the roote may be drawne without leauing of the barke behind: you may plant an elme at euerie fortie foots end, and not touch them at all for two yeares after: vvhich being passed, you must dig the earth all about the bodie of the Tree, pruning and picking it with a small handbill, euerie two yeares. We will not make any longer description of the elme: but send you to the sixth booke, where you shall find particularly and amply declared, how this tree is to be planted, and in what soyle it doth principally delight to grow.

CHAP. X.
Of the Aller.

WE see that the Aller or Alder-tree is no lesse profitable for the Husbandman, than the Elme, in as much as the wood of Aller doth serue to make many implements & working tooles, as ladders, [...]ailes for the cart, poles, handles for tooles, rackes for horse-meat, and such other things, to lay the foundations of buildings vpon, which are laid in the riuers, fens, or other standing vvaters, because it neuer rotteth in the vvater, but lasteth as it vvere for euer, and beareth vp maruailous strange and huge masses.

The Aller therefore shall be planted neere some little brooke, in some moist and vvaterish meadowes: for the Aller-tree naturally delighteth in vvater more than any other tree doth, and it looketh that the most part of his roots should be in and lower than the vvater, for else it will not come to any growth. The aller is not sown because it beareth no seed, fruit, or flowers: yet it may be planted two vvaies, either of braunches taken from the great trees, or else of liue rootes drawne out of moist places their earth vvith them, and so set in another moist place, and that in such sort, as that at the least the one halfe of the roots may be lower than the vvater, and couered aboue with earth a fingers thicknesse: and vvithall, before it be planted, you must cut the small branches away till within a finger of the maine root, vvhich afterward will shoot vp many small siences. This tree is easie to take and grow againe in moist places, because it hath much pith in it, and putteth forth much wood in a short time. You may [...] your aller to grow high in any place without any great labour, and to small profit because it would need continuall watering. It is better then that your aller stand in waterie ground (as we haue said) that so it may both please and profit you. See further of the aller-tree in the sixth booke. The fresh leaues doe stay inflammations: being put vnder the naked soles of the feet, they greatly take away their wearisomenesse, which by far walking haue wearied themselues: full and all moist with the morning dew, being spred in Sommer all ouer a chamber, they kill fleas. The barke serueth to make inke, and to die leather blacke.

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The Poole, Fish-pond, and Ditch for Fish.

CHAP. XI.
Of the manner of making Stewes and Pooles for keeping of Fishes.

THe chiefe and principall point of a good Countrey Farme, is to want nothing, either needfull for the prouision of the chiefe Lord, or auaileable for the profit that may come thereof. The good householder then shall not esteeme a little of Fish, seeing that of them he may make both prouision for his table, and great gaine vnto his purse: but rather shall prouide some place neere vnto his house, for to cast Pooles or Stewes in, to the end, that when need is, he may find victuals therein both for himselfe and his familie, and that as readie, as if it were alreadie in the Kitchin: besides what he may yearely sell of that his store to make money into his purse.

Therefore for the appointing out of ground for these his PoolesThe situation of the Pooles. or Stewes to breed or feed his fish in, he shall chuse it ioyning vnto his Medowes, in some leane place, and such as he could otherwise make no profit of, and yet it must be in a firme ground, that is grauellie or sandie, for such places doe feed fishes excellent well: notwithstanding, that the muddie and dyrtie Poole be best for the Tench, Burbet, Cod, E [...]le, and such other slipperie and slimie fishes: but he that loueth his health, must not furnish his Pooles or Stewes with such manner of fish. The Poole shall be maruellously well seated, if the commodiousnesse of the place will affoord it continuall refreshment from some flowing Fountaine, or some Brooke, or little Riuer falling into it, whereby continually the first water may be remoued, and new supplyed in place thereof, not suffering the other to stand too long impounded: and therefore, if it be possible, the Poole is to haue conuenient issue in one part or other, for so by this meanes the water is renewed the more easily, and the fish therein made the more chearefull and better thri [...]ing to euerie bodies [...]ight▪ whereas on the contrarie, the standing and corrupted water affoordeth them nothing but bad nourishment, making the slesh thereof of an ill tast, and vnpleasant in eating. In the meane time you must not [...]orget to set grates of Brasse or yron close fastened, and pierced but with small holes in the conduits, that so by them the water may find one passage in, and another out, and yet to stay the fish for getting forth. It will be good that the Poole be large and great, to the end, that the [...]ish which is kept therein may find room [...] [...] sport themselues, without perceiuing of anie impediment or imprisonment that they sustaine. It will be good also to make in these Pooles some corners, or starting holes, like little lodging roomes, in the wall thereof, to the end, that thereby the fish may find place for to hide it selfe, and to auoid the great heat of the Summer: prouided notwithstanding, that they be so made, as that the water which is in them may easily get out againe.

These Fish-ponds also may be made in anie low Valley, which the hills enuironing on euerie side, send downe their waters into the same, making it continually wet: so that (in truth) without it be applyed to this purpose, it will serue for no other good purpose. In this place, aboue all other, you shall make your Fish-pond,To make a Fish-pond. drayning it at the dryest time of the yeare, and digging it of such depth as you shall thinke most conuenient for the receit of such water as shall fall into it: then noting how the water descendeth, you shall iust against that descent make the head of your Pond, mounting it of such a height, that no land-water whatsoeuer may [Page] ouerflow it, and this head you shall make in this wise: first, so soone as you haue drained the ground, and made the earth firme where the head must be, you shall driue in foure or fiue rowes of piles made of Elme, and some of Oake halfe burn [...] or scortcht, and then the earth which you digge out of the pond, together with fagots and bundells of wood, you shall ram in hard betweene the pile, till you haue couered them, then you shall driue in more piles, and ram them likewise as before, heaping thus pile vpon pile, and earth vpon earth, till you haue made the head of that conuenient height which you did desire, and if in the middest of this head you preserue a conuenient place for a sluce or floud-gate, which you may draw vp and sh [...] at your pleasure, it will be a great deale the better: and on the top of the head you shall make a small sluce or two vvith fiue grates in them, to stay the Fish from passing through the same, vvhich sluces shall conuay the vvast vvater, vvhich shall at any time rise aboue the height or leuell of the bankes: the bottome and sides of this pond you shall paue all ouer with fine greene-grasse-turfe which vvill be a great nourishment to the Fish, and aboue the water you shall plant Oziers, and on the top of the head diuers rowes of Willow, because all fish take great delight in the shadows and if you intend the pond for Carpe or Breame, you shall all along one side of the pond, stake and bind downe diuers fagots made of brush-wood in which the fish shall cast their young or spawne, and so haue them preserued, which otherwise would be destroyed.

CHAP. XII.
What manner of wild flesh is to be prouided for the furnishing of the Fish-poole.

NOw one great commendation belonging to inheritances, is to haue wild flesh and fish in the fields thereto belonging. As concerning the wild flesh, the walkes thereof are partly in the woods, and partly in the warrens, of which we will speak in their place: partly in the [...]rable grounds and fallowes, as the great and little Hare, the Partridge, Quaile, and Larke: and part in the vvood, at the Hart, the Hind, the Doe, and the vvild-Bore: and as concerning birds, the Stock-doue, Turtle, Small-henne, Plouer, and others: but to returne to our fish-poole,The wild flesh of the fish-poole. the vvild flesh thereof (especially of birds) is the Swan, the Heron, the Woodcocke, Snite, Mallarde, Teale, young wild Duckes, the wild Goose, and the Bittor.Beasts of a two fold lif [...] ▪ Besides, there are belonging thereto as concerning beasts, such as auncient Writers haue called double-liued beasts, that is to say, such as liue either in or out of the water, the Otter, the Badger (vvhich verily hath a scalie tayle like Fishes) the Beauer, and the Dormouse, vnto vvhich vve will adde the Torteise, that daintie dish for Princes and great Lords: albeit the most commendable of them, and which hath the best relish, and in most request, is that which is called the wood Torteise, and maketh her borough in the woods, the wealth of [...] and Languedoc.

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CHAP. XIII.
Of the sorts of Fishes wherewith Pooles, Ponds, and Ditches, are to be furnished.

IF you desire to furnish your fish-pooles, and feeding stewes, it is needfull that you carefully consider the nature of the place wherein you haue made them: for all sorts of fishes doe not feed alike in all manner of places: the stonie and rockie places do like well the fishes called thereupon Saxatiles, or fishes liuing in stonie places, as the Tront, Pearch, Loach, Lumpe, Mullet, and Gudgeons: In muckie and slimie places, the Tench, Bourbet, Codfish, and Eele doe delight to liue: In grauelly and sandie grounds, the Salmon, the Pike, and the Barbel, doe not much dislike to liue. Wherefore, to the end that vve may speake generally, in regard of the fish of pooles, ponds, or ditches (things common amongst the inhabitants of Beaux, though they haue no such store of vvater as the people of Salongne, Percheron, Tutraine, Anjou, or Mantz) the most common, and which best [...]ore and furnish the s [...]me, are the Carpe, and the Barbell,Carpe, Barbell. Famous pooles▪ The pooles of Nouë and Gouuieux. It is true that the Pike is a good meat, especially if he be kept in springing vvaters, and into vvhich there runneth some riuer (as the poole of Nau, or Nouï, as also that of Gouuieux, the two most naturall and greatest pooles that are in all France, and such as neuer drie vp) but in keeping of him there is this daunger, namely, that he is a verie tyrant amongst all fresh-water-fish, eating and deuouring the small thereof, in such sort as that in fishing there is not a little one of that kind cast into the pooles againe, after they be once drawne out, vvhich yet is vsed in the little ones of all other kinds besides. The small fish, vvhich is called vvhite, are the Pearch,White fish. The Trout. the Mullet, the Millers-thombe, the Cheuin, Gudgeon, Loach, Menuise, and the Trout, albeit that the foremost are those which are the most daintie, and chiefest in request for sicke and delicate folkes, but the Trout is the princeliest and most delicate dish of all the rest, which is neuer sound but in running vvaters, or in great springs. The Salmon-trout is a verie daintie thing, and so likewise the flesh thereof is more fast and red, euen after the manner of the Salmon, after whom he had his name giuen. The Tench,Tench. Eele. Bourbet, and Cod, are of a courser and more slimie mear, as is also the Eele, which yet proueth singular good in great pooles, and greatly commended being taken in that of Nouë, and at the mills of Gouuieux:Eele ponds. witnesse hereof, are the Eele-ponds which haue beene caused to be made there by Princes, and therefore that of Nouë seemeth to me to be of greater account, because of the causey belonging thereunto: but ther [...] are some which disdaine the eating of eele, in respect of the vn [...]auorinesse of her flesh, and also because (as some say) she coupleth with the snake. But whatsoeuer the matter is, I find her as good in a swift running vvater,The lamprey a venimous fish in the Sea. as either the lampreie or lamperne, a venimous fish in the Sea, though when she is scoured and come vp into the great riuers, as Loire, she become a firme same nourishment, saue that it is somewhat slimie, and of a hard digestion, how well soeuer it be dressed or handled.

The excrements of the poole (which are eaten after the manner of fish) are the frogge and the creuisse,The excrements of the poole are the frog and the creuise. the first whereof being taken in his season, as when she is not ingendring, but well flesht and liking, doth taste like a little chicken: the other doth more load the stomacke than nourish; and yet vnto the husbandman and farmer this i [...] as a second manna for his familie, which on festiuall daies delight themselues with the taking of them with the long-bow-net, or with a little maund of bulrushes, as also the little [...] with the shoue-net,Sorts of fishing forbidden. small-net, called a truble and line; for the fire, the tunnell and bait are forbidden by all right. The net and the hooke are chiefe and principall of all the rest.

And of nets there are diuers sorts and kinds,Diuerse kindes of nets. as first the long draw-net, vvhich contayning many fadomes in length is as it were diuided into two parts, and in [Page] the middest a long rod or pole drawne close together at the furthest end with a heauie stone hanging at the same, and into which the fish flie when they are taken, then is this net plumbed with lead all along the lower side, and floated aboue with bigge round floats of Sallow-wood to keepe the net from sinking, it is but onely poled at the two outmost ends the just bredth of the net: this net is to draw ponds, riuers, or meares withall; then is there the flew, and stand net, vvhich are without rods, plaine single nets onely, as it were farced or lined before with another strong net, euerie mash being sixe or eight inches square, these nets are to fish vvithin narrow brookes, blind dikes, and other small rundles, the stand net being prickt downe first, and the flew drawing along vnto it; then is there the leape net, which is made square with many rods running one into another, and this is fastened vnto a leape made of Oziers, and are onely to take Eeles or other fish in mill-dames, or other such lake strait places: for the shoue net, spade net, or casting net, they are only to fish in holes, so is also the augure, which is a sharpe instrument of yron made thinne with many sharpe teeth, and so striken into holes or mudd [...]e banks, vvhere they vvill many times catch a verie great aboundance of Eeles: Besides these, there are diuers other engines, as hookes, lines, the angle, and such like, but none of more vse than these alreadie spoken of.

CHAP. XIIII.
That Fish-pooles must be looked vnto, and the sides thereof repayred.

BVt and if you mind to reap any profit by your fish-pooles or fish ditches, you must haue care to lay them drie euerie sixe yeare at the least, and to dresse them euerie three yeare taking away the reedes, bulrushes, and broad leaues of vvater-lillies, and other vvater-flowers, for these hinder the Fish that they cannot sport themselues, and maketh them eat muddily, and of a bad taste.To banish water rats. You must likewise chase and driue away vvater-rats, or else take them vvith some engine: as also the Otter and Beauer, as mightie spoylers of the fish-pooles: These two tyrants are found in greater number in Loraine, than in our true and naturall Countrie of France.Not to shoot at wild [...]owle about fishpoo [...]es. Furthermore, you must haue care that there be not much shooting in Gunnes at the vvild-fowle which is found to haunt therein, because such shooting astonisheth the fish, and killeth it oftentimes. Againe, there are other meanes for the taking of such wild flesh:Gunnes cause fish to [...]ie. neither is the crosse-bow so daungerous, vvhether it be the tiller, or the bullet. It is true, that the long-bow is the most singular of all, and performeth the action of killing as wel as the Turkish bow, vvhen it is drawne lustely, and by one vvhich hath a good sight.

The greatest charges of the fish-poole is the keeping of the bankes and causey, the vvater-stops,The raising of the sides or bankes of the fish-poole. sl [...]ces, and ditch ouer against the poole, made for the receiuing of th [...] vvater during the time of the fishing, as also to rid it of mud and vnprofitable weeds, as being the cause that the water when it is not of any strong current, becommeth couered as it were with earth: yea and though it be of a good fresh Spring, yet they are the meanes of the stopping and drying vp of those Springs, and to cause them to diuert and turne their courses another way: wherefore all good housholders must be furnished with yron to repaire the grates, and flints, and hard stones for the maintenance of the causey.

As concerning the pondes and ditches for fishes,Fish-ponds and fish [...]. they must be often dressed, reple [...]shed vvith new stores, and also refreshed with small ware: for to be alwaies taken away, and neuer adding any thing to, doth pull downe the greatest heapes of store. Againe, the good farmer is carefull and diligent alwaies in his taking of fish, [Page] [...] cast the small backe againe into the water, and not to kill them out-right if he can auoid it: It is true, that for further profit and thrift, he vseth to pricke about such ditch or pond great plentie of Willowes, and some also doe plant the Aller and Elme in the same place, for to gather fire-wood of for the houshold: others againe doe plant the Aspe and Poplar-tree, and euerie one of these, according as they find their ground best disposed to beare the one or the other.

CHAP. XV.
Of the feeding of Fishes in their Pooles, Ponds, and Ditches.

IT is most certaine, that the Fishes abiding in the Sea, or streames, and running riuers, haue greater store of vitaile, then those vvhich are shut vp in pooles, ponds, ditches, and stewes▪ for such as haue their full scope of libertie in the Sea and streames, doe alwaies meete vvith one reliefe or other brought vnto them by the course of the vvater, besides the small fishes which are the food and [...]ustenance of the greater: but the other shut vp and inclosed in safegard, cannot goe forth a hunting a [...]ter any prey. It vvill be good therefore some [...]imes to cast them in of all sorts of small Fishes, the bowells and entrailes of great Fish, tender figges cut downe, crackt Walnuts, soft ceruises boyled, fresh cheese, lumpes of white bread, certaine fruits chopt small, all sorts of salt [...]ish, and such other like victuall: for and if the fish be not fed and made fat vvith meat vvhich the housholder or farmer shall giue vnto them, vvhen they shall be carried either to hall or market (for my meaning is that the good farmer should make his profit of all things) the leannesse thereof vvill manifest, that they vvere not taken in any full Sea at their libertie, but in some place of gard and restraynt, and so they vvill not sell so deere by much. And sometimes it vvill be good to cast vpon the pooles and ponds the fresh leaues of parsley, for those leaues doe rejoyce and refresh the Fishes that are sicke.

Besides,Food for Fish. to keepe your Fish-ponds well tur [...]t as vvas before said, so as they may haue store of greene grasse in them, is an excellent reliefe for fish, and food which they vvill desire as much as any other, for they vvill sucke and feed vpon grasse exceedingly: therefore when grasse is in the prime, and hath full bit vpon it, if you gather large turfes thereof, and pin them fast downe vnder the water, they will feed and [...]atten the Fish wonderfully: the chippins of bread, or other crusts which come from the farmers table, although they be greasie and foule, yet are they a verie good feed for fish; so is also the clotted bloud of beasts, as sheepe, oxen, or any other kind, being cast into the pond morning and euening; the young brood of Waspes when you find their neasts, being cast into the water, is a food that fish will delight in before any other.

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CHAP. XVI.
Other more certaine and approued wayes to take all manner of Fish, especially with the angle, and other instruments.

AS for that vvhich hath beene before written, being onely the secrets and experiments of the French practise, I doe not hold it sufficient for the sati [...] faction of euerie judiciall Reader, and therefore I vvill wade a little further in this art, and shew you the maner of taking of all sorts of fish by the angle, which is the most generous and best kind of all other, and may truely be called the Emperor of all exercises.Art of Angling To speake them first of this art of angling or taking of fish with the angle, you shall vnderstand that it consisteth in three especiall things, that is to say, in the instrument which is the angle, in the intisement vvhich is the bait, and in the true vse of them both together, vvhich is the seasons and times of the yeare fittest for the sport. To speake then first of the angle-rod, it must be generally of two peeces, but particularly, as for the pike, or other greater fish, it may be made of one entire peece; the substance of the stock would be a vvel grown ground Wi [...]ch [...]n, an elme, or an Ewe, or a hasel, and the top would be of hasel, or Whale-bone [...]some anglers vse to compound their rods of many peeces, as those which are made of cane, wherein one joynt is applied into another, but they are more for pleasure than any generall profit. To these rods doe belong lines made of the strongest and longest horse-haire which can be got, nor are th [...]y to be gotten of leane, poore, and diseased j [...]des, but such as are faire, fat, and in [...]ul strength, and if conueniently you can, it is best euer to gather them from stoned horses, and not from mares or geldings: of haire, the blacke is the vvorst, the vvhite and gray best, and other colours indifferent: your smallest lines vvould consist of three haires, and your bigger of seuen: if amongst your haire you mixe a silke-threed or two, the line vvill be the better and stronger: you shall twist your haires neither too hard nor too soft, but hold a mediocritie, so as they may twine and couch close together, and the ends you shall fasten together vvith a fishers-knot, vvhich is your ordinarie fast knot, foulded foure or fiue times abou [...], both vnder and aboue, to make it from loosening in the vvater: for the length of your lines, they must answer to the places in which you angle, some being foure fadome, some sixe, and some more, according to the length of your rod, or the depth of the vvater: your lines (though their naturall colours, as being vvhite or gray, is not amisse) vvould yet sometimes be coloured of other colours, according to the seasons of the yeare, for so the shadow of them (vvhich is most daungerous) will least scarre the fish, and soonest in [...]ice them to bite; and of these colours the Water-green [...] is the best, yellow next, then russet, darke browne, or tawnie.

To die your lines of a Water-greene,To [...] fishing line [...]. you shall take a pottle of Allome-vvater, and put thereinto a handfull of Marigolds, and let them boyle vvell till a yellow [...] rise on the top of the vvater, then take the quantitie of halfe a pound of greene coperas, and as much of Verdigrea [...]e beaten to fine powder, and put it vvith the haire into the vvater, and so let it boyle againe a little space, and then set it in some [...] to coole for the space of halfe a day, then take [...]ut your haire, and lay it vvhere it may drie. This colour of Water-greene is good to angle with in all clayie vvaters, from the Spring till the beginning of Winter. If you vvill haue your haires yellow, you shall take Allome-water (as beforesaid) and Marigolds, and boyle them therein, adding thereto a handfull of turmerick, or for want thereof, so much of green Walnut-leaues, and mixing it with the vvater, steepe your haires therein a day and a night, then take them from them, and drie them: these yellow coloured lines are good also to angle with in cleare water, if they be full of weeds, [...]edge, and other water [Page] flowers, for it is not vnlike to the stalkes thereof, and the time best from Michaelmas till Christmas. To make your lines russet, you shall take a quart of Allome water, and as much strong lee, then put thereunto a handfull of soot, and as much Browne of Spaine: then when it hath boyled well an houre or two, set it by to coole, and being cooled, steepe the haires therein a full day and a night, and then lay the haires to dry. This colour is good to angle within deepe waters, whether they be riuers or standing pooles, and are best to be vsed from Christmas till after Easter. But if you will haue them of a darke browne colour, then you shall take a pound of Vmber, and halfe so much soot, and seeth it in a pottle of Ale a good space: then being coole, steepe your haires therein the space of foure and twentie houres, and then hang them vp to drie, and if the colour be not darke ynough, you may adde a little more of the Vmber, and it will darken it. These lines are best to angle with in blacke and muddie waters, whether they be standing pooles or running streames, and will endure all seasons of the yeare. Lastly, to make your lines of a [...]awnie colour, you shall take lime and water, and mixe it together▪ and steepe your haires therein halfe a day: then take them forth and steepe them double so long time in Tanners ouze, and then hang them vp to dry. These lines are best to angle with in [...] and heathie waters, which are of a reddish or browne colour, and wil serue for that purpose all the seasons of the yeare. Now if with this colour, or the greene, you mix a siluer thred, it wil not be amisse, and with anie of the other colours a gold thred they will be much better to angle withall. Also you must remember to make at each end of your lines good bigge loopes, the one, to fasten to the top of your rod, the other, to the hooke-line, which commonly is not [...]boue a foot long at the most.

To these lines there doth also belong Corkes, [...] or Floats, which you shall make in this manner: Take of the best and thickest Corke you can get, and with a fine rape [...]ing pared it cleane, cut it into the fashion of a Peare, bigge and round at the one end, and small and sharpe at the other, euer obseruing, according to the bignesse of your line, to make the bignesse of your corke: as, for a line of three haires, a corke of an ynch, or little more, long, and to the bigger lines, bigger corks: through this corke you shall thrust a quill, and through the quill the line. The corke serueth onely to let you know when the fish biteth, therefore the lesse it is, the better it is, for it onely giues the lesse shadow, prouided that it be euer in your eye: for though some Anglers will fish without corkes, yet it is not so good, nor so certaine. In placing your corke vpon your line, you must put the small end downeward, and the bigge end to the topward. Now there be some Anglers which make their corkes of the fashion of Nutmegs, small at both ends, and bigge in the middest: and it is not much to be [...], onely it is a little sooner apt to sinke, and you may thereby strike before the fish haue fully bitten: others shape their corkes in the fashion of a Whirle, or of a little Apple, round and flat on both sides: and this corke is not amisse to angle with at great fish, because it being not so apt to sinke, will flote till the hooke be fastened, and that the fish beginneth to shoot away with the bait: so that the Angler then striking, can seldome or neuer loose his labour.

The next instrument to these which belongeth to the Angle, is your Hooks,Hookes. which are of diuers shapes, some being bigge, and some little, and some of a meane betweene both, according to the fish at which you angle. The best thing to make your hooks of, is either old Spanish needles, or strong wyar drawne as neere as can be to that hardnesse of temper, which being nayled and allayed in the fire, you may bend anie way. Now the best way to soften your wyar before you worke it, is to hold it in the blaze of a candle till it be red hot, and then let it coole softly and gently of it selfe: or if not thus, then roule your wyar vp, & put it into a charcoale fire till it be red hot, and then let it coole at leisure. As touching the making of your hookes, you shall onely with a paire of plyars bend them to what proportion you please, and then with a sharpe file make the point and [...]eard as sharpe as may be, and batter the lower end flat to which you must warpe your line. But because the trouble of making is a little noysome, it shall be best to buy them from such as make a liuing or trade thereof, and to buy of all [Page] sorts, euen from the least to the biggest, as well double hookes as single: the double, which is for the Pike or bigger fish; and the single, which is for the Pearch, Trout, or middle sort. Your double hooks are (as it were) two hooks of one piece of wyar, turned contrarie waies one from the other. This double hooke must not be fastened like the single to the line, but to a strong wyar ioyned vnto it, of a handfull long, or more, being well wound about and warped with a smaller wyar: then to it another wyar of the same length, warped as aforesaid, and by linkes ioyned together, and then the line fastened to the last linke:To fasten the [...]ookes. and these are called armed hookes, because they desend the hooke from shearing or biting in pieces with the teeth of the greater fish. Now for your single hookes, you shall thus fixe them vnto their lines: Take a length of your twisted haires, containing that number which is fit for your hooke, and hauing made a loope at one end, lay the other end vpon the inside of your hooke: then with a silke thred, of the colour of your line, whip and warpe the hooke round about, as thicke, close, and strait as may be, and then running the last end through the whole warpe, draw it as fast as you can, then cut it away close by the warpe. After your [...]ooke i [...] thus fastened,To plumbe the lin [...]. you shall plumbe your line: which is, to fasten certaine pieces of lead according to the bignesse of your line, about it, some being in length about a quar [...]er of an ynch, some halfe an ynch, and some more, according to the bignesse of your corke, and the weight of the hooke: for these plummets are but to carrie downe the hooke to the bottome, neither being so heauie to make the corke sinke, nor so light, as not with the smallest touch to make the corke dip into the water. You shall vnderstand, that your first plummet would be a foot from the hooke, the rest not aboue an ynch one distant from another, & not being aboue fiue or seuen at the most: yet some Anglers vse nine; but it is not much materiall. There is in the plumbing of lines three seuerall fashions of plummets vsed:Three seuerall fashion [...] of plummets. as, one long, another square, and the third in a diamond forme, yet all to one purpose, and the long ones euer the best, being smoothly and well fastened to the line, for feare of catching hold vpon weeds or other things in the bottome of the water. Besides these instruments before spoke of, you must hau [...] a Musket bullet,A musket bullet to sound the depth. which fastened to a line, shall serue to sound the depth of the water where you angle, that thereby you may plumbe your lines the righter, and set your corke in his due place: then you shall haue a large ring of lead, six ynches at least in compasse, and made fast to a small long line, through which thrusting your rod, and letting the ring fall into the water, it will helpe to vnloose your hooke, if it be at ani [...] time fastened about weeds or stones which lye in the bottome of the water: then you shall haue a smooth board, six or seuen ynches square, and cut battlement-wise at each end, vpon which you shall lap your lines: you shall haue a boxe for your hookes, a bagge or horne for your baits, and another boxe for your flies, both aliue, or dead: you shall haue needles, silke thred, wax, and loose haires: then a roule of pitch [...] thred to mend anie cracke in the angle-rod: also a [...]ile, a knife, a powch with manie purses: and lastly, a fine basket of small wands, which shall hang by his side, to put the fish in which the Angler takes, and a small round net fastened to a poles end, wherewith you may land a Pike or anie other great fish. Againe, an Angler must be verie carefull in his apparrell, by no meanes wearing light or gaudie sutes, which may giue affright to the fish,Apparr [...]ll for an Angler. but of the darkest colour you can prouide, as russet, tawnie, or such like, and of the plainest fashion, without hanging sleeues, or any other wauering thing, because they are blinks or scarres which afright fish: it would be warme for your owne health sake: you must also keepe your head and feet drie, for the contrarie breeds feuer [...] and other ill sicknesses.

Touching the seasons best to angle in:Best seasons for fishing. they are from Aprill till the end of October: and the best houres, from foure in the morning till nine, and from three in the afternoone till fiue in the euening, the wind blowing from the North, South, or West, and the ayre temperate, as inclined to warmenesse: but to speake a little more particularly, you shall vnderstand, that if the day be darke, close, and lowring, or haue a gentle whistling wind playing vpon the water, it is good to angle in: or if a fine mi [...] zeling dew of raine fall gently without violence, the fish will bite the faster: also after [Page] flouds are gone away, and the riuers are come within their owne bankes, and the water clearest,Winter and Summer fishing it is good to angle in. Againe, for your Summers angling, you shall chuse the coolest time of the day, for the heat is not good: but for the winter angling, you shall not make anie difference of times, if the day be calme, for all houres of the Sunne are al [...]ke, onely the noone-tide is esteemed best. If the water where you angle, ebbe and [...]low, the best time of angling is at an ebbing water; but in those places where the [...]yde is not great, there the time of flowing is preferred also: lastly, whensoeuer you see the T [...]out play or leape aboue water, and the Pike shute in the pursuit of other [...]i [...]hes, it is then a verie good time to angle in: and all times and seasons contrarie to these before rehearsed, are vild and naught to angle in.

After the knowledge of seasons,The best maner of fishing. you shall know the best manner how to stand and place your bodie whilest you angle: for if you angle in anie pond or standing water, then you shall chuse that place which is deepest, blackest, and least transparent, shadowing your selfe vnder the banke, or so, as your shadow may be carried from the water; for it euer breeds a fright vnto the fishes: but if you angle in anie riuer, you shall chuse that place which is deepest and clearest; and here also you shall striue to conceale your selfe as much as is possible, by standing behind trees or bushes, or anie thing else that may couer you.

Next to this,The haunts of fishes. you shall know the haunts of fishes: as thus, the Carpe, Eele, and Tench doe euer haunt muddie places; the Carpe lying in the bottome thereof, the Tench amongst the weeds, and the Eeles vnder stones, or other couert: the Breame, the Cheuine, and the Pike haunt euer the cleare and sandie bottome; the Pike, where you see great store of small frie▪ the Cheuine, where the streame runneth swiftest, and the shade is greatest; and the Breame, where the water is bro [...]dest, and the depth giueth greatest libertie: also these three delight more in ponds than in riuers. The Salmon hath his haunt in the swiftest and broadest riuers, whose channell falls into the sea: The Trout loueth smaller brookes, the current being cleare and grauellie, and lodgeth most in deepe holes: so doth the Pearch also, onely he abideth most in the creekes or hollow places which are about the bankes. The Gudgin, the Loach, and the Bulhead haunt shallow waters: The Barbel, Roche, Dace, and Ruffe, haunt the deepe shadie places of those waters which are mixt with more [...]and than grauell, or where the clay is firme, and not [...]imie, and loue to lye vnder the shadowes of trees or bushes that grow on the banke. The Luce or Lucerne haunteth the broad and large meares, being deepe and still, and euer lodgeth in the bottome thereof. The Shad and Tweat haunt those waters which are brackish, deepe, and accustomed to ebbe and flow: and where they haunt, there commonly is found both the Muller and the Suant, all which loue to lodge close and flat at the bottome, so it be rather clay than grauell.

Next to the knowledge of the haunts of fishes,Baites. you shall learne to know the seuerall baits, which, besides those formerly described (which are indeed French secrets) there are manie other, and may be reduced to two kinds, Liue-baits, and Dead-baits: your Liue-baits are wormes of all kinds, especially the Red-worme, the Maggot, the Bob, the Dore, browne Flyes, Frogges, Grashoppers, Hornets, Wasps, Bees, Snailes, small Roches, Bleakes, Gudgins, or else Loaches: your dead-baits are pastes of all kinds, of which we haue exprest diuers before, and their vse; yong brood of Waspes, dried or vndried, clottered Bloud, Chee [...]e, Bramble-berries, Corne-seedes, Cherries, and all sorts of flies made of silke and feathers so liuely, that they will many times deceiue a good iudgement, of which there are diuers, as the dunne flie, the stone flie, the red flie, the yellow flie, the blacke flie, the darke yellow flie, the moorish flie, the tawnie flie,The fit times for euerie bait. the Waspe flie, the shell-flie, and the cloudie darke flie. Now for the seasons in which all these seuerall baites are to be vsed, you shall know, that the Red-worme will serue for small fish all the yeare long; the Maggot is good in Iulie, the Bob and Dore in May, the browne flies in Iune, Frogges in March, Grashoppers in September, Hornets, Waspes, and Bees in Iuly, Snailes in August: all pastes are good in May, Iune, and Iuly, dried Waspes in May, Sheepes bloud and Cheese in Aprill, [Page] and for Bramble-berries, or Corne-seeds, they are good at the fall of the lease onely. Lastly, for your dead flies; the dunne flie is good in March and Februarie▪ the stone flie is for Aprill; the red flie and the yellow flie are for May; the black flie, the darke yellow flie, and the moorish flie, are for Iune; the tawnie flie for part of May and part of Iune; the Waspe flie and the shell flie are for Iuly; and the cloudie darke flie for August.

Now for the preseruation of all baits,To preserue [...]. especially the liuing ones, for the dead doe not so soone perish; you shall vnderstand, that they must not be kept all together, but euerie kind seuerall by it selfe, and nourished with such things as they delight in: and first, for the Red-worme, you shall put them into a bagge of red cloth, and chopping a handfull of Fennell, mix it with halfe so much fine mould, and put it to the wormes, and they will not onely liue long therein, but also scoure and seed. Some put mosse amongst them; others put Pa [...]sley, or sweet Marierome; neither is it amisse: but the first is best, and will keepe them full two moneths in perfection: For the Maggot, you shall mix with them Sheepes [...]allow, or little bits of a beasts liuer. The best way to scoure them, is to put them into a bagge of blanketting with sand, and hang them where they may haue the ayre of the fire for an houre or two. For Frogges and Gr [...]shoppers, you shall keepe them in wet mosse and long grasse, moistened euerie night with water. As for the Bob, Cadys worme, the Canker, and such like, you shall keepe them with the same things that you find them vpon: and for all sorts of liue flies, you shall vse them as you take them; onely the Waspe, the Hornet, and the Bumble-bee, you shall fi [...]st drie them a little in a warme Ouen after the bread is drawne, and then dippe all their heads into Sheepes bloud, and then drie them againe, and so keepe them in a close boxe, and they will keepe two or three moneths in verie good perfection.

Now, for the seuerall fishes, and how they delight in euerie seuerall bait,To fit fish with the baits they delight in. you shall know, that the Gudgin, Roch, and Dace, loue the Red-worme, Cod-worme, Maggot, clottered bloud, or the young brood of Wasps; the Carpe loues paste, the Mosse-worme, the Red-worme, the Menow, the Cadys worme, or Grashopper; the Chub, Cheuine, or Trout, loue all sorts of dead flies, Cadys worme, Bob, Frogges, Do [...]es, or Hornets; the Eele loues the Red-worme, or Sheepes guts; the Flounder or Suant loues the Red-worme, or brood of Waspes; the Grayling, or the Barbel, loue all that the Trout loues; the Breame loues Butterflies, greene flies, paste, or brood of Wasps; the Tench loues paste, the Red-worme, Maggots, & dried Wasps; the Bleake, Ruffe, and Pearch, loue the Red-worme, the house-flie, fat Bacon, Bob, Maggot, or Canker; the Pyke loues the small Roch, Dace, or Menow, Frogges, or Bulheads: Lastly, the Salmon loues all those baits which the Trout loues; as paste or flies in Summer, and all sorts of Wormes, or the Cankers or water-Dockes in the Winter. And thus much for the generall satisfaction of all Readers, which desire knowledge in this art of Angling, and which indeed is verie proper and fit for our Husbandman.

CHAP. XVII.
The fishing of all sorts of Fish.

THe fishing or taking of fish is diuers, according to the Riuers and Waters wherein they keep, as also in respect of the diuersitie of the fishes themselues: for the fishing in the sea, and that in fresh water, is not all one, but seuerall, and diuers: the great fishes one way, the Eele another way, the Pike another way, and the Carpe is taken another way. But whereas it might fall out, that such variable manner of fishing might be verie difficult and long to describe, we will leaue this knowledge to such as make account to sell and buy fish, and will onely declare, for the benefit of the householder, that the chiefest and most principall waies to take fish, are either in the Maund, or with the Casting-net, or with the Line, or with [Page] Nets, or with the Hooke. The Nets do heape together greatest store of fish, but they are chargeable to maintaine: the Casting-net is of the same condition: the Line and hooke are the most ingenious and wittie, but least profitable, and of slendrest reward.

The fittest time to goe a fishing in Autumne,The time to take fish. is after Sunne-set, and then principally when it is betwixt night and day, for then fishes are slumbring, and that so deepely, as that they may be taken at their rest with light and flaming torches. In Winter, the fittest time to fish in, is about noone: in the Spring time all the day long, but chiefely before the Sunne rise: which Spring time is the most fit of all other times for fishing; in as much as then the water being warme, and the fish stirred vp to engender, they rise from the bottome of the depths to the vppermost part of the waters, yea, oftentimes to the verie edges thereof. The worst and most vnfit time of all other is the Summer, especially whiles the Dogge-daies last, the heat whereof causeth the fish to die, and constraineth it to betake it selfe to the bottome of the depths: so that if you would fish in Summer, it must be in the night season. In fishing you are to haue regard vnto the wind: so that when the North wind bloweth, you must turne your Nets toward the South wind, and the South wind blowing toward the North wind. In like manner, when the Westerne wind bloweth, your Nets must be turned toward the East, and contrarily: but before all things, fishing must be gone about in a calme time, when there is not anie tempest abroad.

For to gather fish together into one place:To gather the fish together into one place. Take Penyryall, Sauorie, Organie, and Marierome, of euerie one the weight of three French crownes, of the barke of the Frankincense and Myrrhe-tree, of each one ounce, of sweet Cherries dried and infused in good wine, halfe a pound, of a Hogges liuer rosted, of Goats grease and Garlike, of each a pound: stampe euerie one by it selfe, and after put thereunto some sine grauell; with this, mixt together, you shall feed the fish for some houre or two before you cast in your Net, which when at such time you haue cast in, you shall therewith compasse the place about.

To catch all sorts of fish:To catch all sorts of fishes. Take Sheepes sewet, of burnt Sesamum, Garlike, Organie, Thyme, and dried Marierome, of euerie one a sufficient competent quantitie, stampe them with the crummes of bread and wine, and giue of this composition to the fish to eat: Or else take sweet Cherries dried, and braying them, make pills thereof to giue vnto fishes: Or make a meat with vnquencht Lime, old Cheese, and Rams sewet: cast this into the water, and presently you shall see the fish flote and lye still vpon the water. Fishermen, to catch small fish with the Line, doe bait hookes with small earth-wormes, whereof the fish are verie desirous and greedie. Otherwise: take the Indian shell, Cummin, old Cheese, flower of Wheat, knead them all together with Wine, make pills thereof as great as small Peason: cast them into the Riuer when the water shall be quiet and calme, all the fish that shall tast of this confection, as though they were drunke and besotted, will run to the brinke of the Riuer, and so, as that you may take them vp with your hand: Or else make a confection with the round root of Birthwort bruised, or Sowes bread, and vnquencht Lime: cast vpon the water some portion of this consection, the fishes will hasten vnto it presently, and hauing tasted thereof, will die suddenly.

To take small fishes:To take small fishes. Take the flesh of a Snaile without a taile, and thereof make a bait, and put not on anie more than one little Snaile at a time: Or else take the flesh and bloud of a Calfe well powned, put it into a vessell, and so leaue it by the space of [...]enne daies; afterward vse it to make baits of. Otherwise: take sweet Cherries dried, and bray them, making pills thereof, which you shall cast vnto the fishes.

Take Sal ammoniake an ounce,To intrap and take Torteises with bait. Onions, the weight of a French crowne, of the fat of a calfe the weight of sixe crownes: make pills thereof after the fashion of beanes, and offering them to Torteises, they vvill come to the smell, and so be taken.

For the Cuttle-fishes:To catch the Cuttle fish. Take the lees of strong Wine, and mixe them vvith oyle, and casting it into a place, vvhere you know that the Cuttle hath cast her blacke and shadowing humor, she will come to the place where the oyle is, and so you may take her. Or else take Sal ammoniack two ounces, Goats butter an ounce: stampe them all [Page] and make little soft loaues thereof, wherewith annoint some kind of corne, or little clothes that are not fringed: for so it will come to passe, that the Cuttle will [...]eed round about them, and not stirre away, so that you may take them presently.

To take Loaches:To fish for and to take Loaches. Take the bran of Wheat two pound, of whole Lintiles halfe a pound, mingle them together, and bray them with a sufficient quantitie of salt bri [...]e: after, put thereto halfe a pound o [...] Se [...]amum, of which you must cast about you some heere and some there, for as soone as you haue cast it from you, all the small fish will hasten vnto it, and (which is more) they will flock together into one place, though they be sixe hundred paces off. Or [...]lse take Neats bloud, Goats bloud, Sheepes bloud, & Swines bloud, and the dung which is in the small guts of an Hog, Thyme, Organie, Penyriall, Sauorie▪ Marierome, Garlick, and the lees of wine, of ech alike, of the greases of the same beasts so much as you shall see to be enough: stampe euerie thing by it selfe, after mixe them together, and make pills thereof to cast into the place whither you would haue the fish to [...]locke, and that an houre before you cast in your net. Otherwise, take the bloud of a blacke Goat, and Barly flower, of each alike, bray them both with the lungs of the Goat cut very small, and make pill [...] thereof to vse after the manner aforesaid. Otherwise, take Garlicke halfe a pound, burnt Sesamum as much, Penyryall, Organie, Thyme, Marierome, Sauorie, and wild [...], of each foure ounces, of Barly flower a pound, of the dough thereof as much, and of the barke of Frankincense-tree two ounces; mingle all together with Bran, and giue it vnto the fishes.

To catch Pearches:To fish for Pearches. The Pearch is not easily taken with Nets, neither yet at the Weyres, but rather with a proper bait, and that in a puddlie and troubled water: wherefore you must make a bait with the liuer of a Goat, and bait your hooke therewith. Or else take yellow Butterflies, and Cheese of Goats milke, of each halfe an ounce, of Opopanax the weight of two French crownes, of Swines bloud hal [...]e an ounce, and of Galbanum as much▪ then powne them all verie well, and [...] gle them together, powring vpon them near red Wine, and make thereof such little loaues as you vse to make perfumes into, and afterward drie them in the shadow.

For to take Salmons,To take Salmons. as well of the Riuer as of the Sea: Take of the testicles, or stones of a Cocke, one ounce, of Pine-apple kernels burned two ounces, bray them both together till they come to the forme of a powder. Otherwise: Take wild Ru [...] seed, and the fat of a Cal [...]e, of each an ounce, of Sesamum two ounces, stampe them all, and make little loa [...]es; which you shall vse.

The Trouts,To take Trouts. which are a kind of Salmon, are taken with the hand, hauing betaken themselues into their holes: or with Nets, or at Weyres: and sometimes with the light of a candle.

The GudgeonThe Gudgeon. is taken with a hooke, or the little Net, called a Truble.

The CarpeThe Carpe. is taken with the Net, hooke, or engines laid at Weyres: but shee oftentimes deceiueth the Net, shoouing her head downe into the mud or myre, wherein shee delighteth.

The end of the fourth Booke.

THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE. Of Arable Grounds.

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The measuring of Lands, of what sort or forme soeuer they be.

CHAP. I.
Of the common Measures whereby things are measured.

NOtwithstanding, that the Art of measuring Grounds doth more properly belong vnto the Geometrician, than vnto the Husbandman; and euen as chiefe Masons and Masterbuilders, who ought to haue the skill of Measuring, doe not vouchsafe, at anie time, to measure the Workes and Buildings which they haue set vp and finished, but leaue the same for such as make profession of Measuring: So likewise it may seeme, that this is no dutie of the Husbandmans, to measure out his grounds, but rather appertaining, and therefore to be expected of them which practise such art and skill. Notwithstanding, being desirous that the Master of this our Countrey Farme should not be ignorant of anie thing which may serue for the enriching of his house, and encrease of his wealth, I haue thought it meete and reasonable, before I passe anie further vnto my purposed discourse of the husbanding and tilling of Corne-ground, familiarly to vnfold certaine rules of Measuring, which are verie common with vs here in Franc [...], and wherewith the Farmer, in case of necessitie, and for his commoditie, may helpe himselfe.

To begin therefore with the matter, all Grounds and Lands, whether they be Medowes, Vineyards, Woods, Isles of Water, Courts, Gardens, Corne-ground, places, fields, and others whatsoeuer, are measured in France by the foot, fadome, [Page] and pole.The Measures in France called the Kings measures. The foot, according to the Kings measure, containeth throughout all France twelue ynches: the ynch twelue-lines, and [...]uerie-line must be of equall length to the thicknesse of a barly corne that is full and well fedde. A [...]i [...]rce or third part of a foot,The Kings [...]. is called a Dour: and the fourth part is called a Quarter. The fadome and the pole are measured by the foot,The [...]. but how manie [...]oot the one and the other should containe,The dour. there is not anie so sure and certaine a rule which holdeth through all France,The quarter. as there is for the foot, by reason of the vari [...]tie of Measures, and those not in diuers Countries of France onely,The fadome. as in Britaine, Normandie, Gascoine,The pole. Poictou, and others, but also euen in places situate within some one Isle of France, and standing hard together; as may easily be seene neere vnto Paris: in such sort, as that the fadome of some Countries containeth sixe foot and eight ynches; and the pole, twentie foot: elsewhere, the fadome containeth seuen foot and foure ynches, and the pole two and twentie foot: In manie places the fadome containeth sixe foot, and the pole eighteene foot: In others againe the fadome containeth sixe foot fiue ynches and halfe an ynch, or there about, and the pole nineteene foot and one dour, which is foure ynches.

True it is, that as the rule is certaine through all France, that a foot containeth twelue ynches, so it is as sure and inu [...]olable, that a pole containeth three fadome. Wherefore, without standing much vpon the fadome (which in truth is a measure more fit for Masons and Carpenters, than for measurers of ground) for the well measuring of all sorts of grounds, you must content your selfe with two principall measures, the foot and the pole, not forgetting or omitting your ynche [...], quarters, and thirds, which are parts of a foot. Which more is, in as much as feet, fadomes, and poles are but small measures, and such as whereof might rise (as it were) an infinite number, or (at the least) a verie troublesome number, and such a one, as the reckoning whereof could hardly be kept, especially when there is need of measuring a Wood, Medowes, Places, Isles, arable ground, and other places of great compasse; besides the foot, fadome, and pole, there is vsed another measure, which the Frenchmen call an Arpent, but of the people of Burgundie and Cha [...] paigne, and manie others, it is called Iournax, deriued from the Latine word I [...] gerum, which containeth as much ground as two Oxen or Horse coupled or yoaked together can tyll in one day. The Normans call it an Acre, taken from the Romane word Actus. This measure ariseth of manie poles being put one vnto another, or else multiplied together, as the poles doe rise of manie feet multiplied.

It is verie true, that euen as the pole doth not hold throughout all Fraunce one measure of feet, so neither doth the Arpent consist infallibly of one number of poles: but looke (almost) how manie Countries there are, euen so manie differences of sorts of Arpents there are likewise: And that it is so, there are to be [...], amongst manie other, foure [...]orts of this meas [...]re, called the Arpent, as being most accustomed to be vsed. The first of them is called the Kings Arpent, and it is vsed of men ordinarily about the measuring of Woods, and it [...] of two and twentie foot to the pole, twelue ynches to the foot, and a hundred poles to the Arpent. The second is more common, consisting of twentie foot for a pole, twelue ynches for a foot, and a hundred poles for an Arpent. The third is the least vsuall of all, it consisteth of nineteene foot and a third, which are foure ynches in euerie pole, twelue ynches to a foot, and a hundred poles to an Arpent. The fourth is most common of them all, consisting of eighteene foot for eueri [...] pole, twelue ynches for euerie foot, and a hundred poles for euerie Arpen [...]. Because therefore of such great diuersities of measures of the Arpent, the Measure [...] shall not of necessitie bee put beside the right performing of his worke; before he begin to measure, he shall diligently and wisely enquire of the measure that is holden by the custome of the Countrey, in the place where he is called fo [...] to measure.

[Page] Furthermore, you must know, that the arpent may be diuided into manie parts, as the halfe arpent, a tierce, a fourth, a halfe fourth, a halfe tierce: all which containe, euerie one according vnto his proportion, so much as the whole arpent containeth.

The instrument and persons required as necessarie to helpe to make measure.

THe Measurer must be prouided of tenne or twelue arrowes, otherwise called little broches, or prickes, because they are prickt downe in the earth, to guide the chayne: they are made of wood, but harnessed at the nether end with a sharpe pointed end of yron, of the length of two foot, or thereabout, being of such thicknesse, all the tenne or twelue together, as that a boy of fifteene yeares old may easily hold them in his fist. Wee haue said, that hee must haue some tenne or twelue of these arrowes, that is to say, tenne of them, when the Measurer doth vse his Geometricall staffe in stead of one sticke, or eleuen, when he doth not vse his staffe.

The second instrument verie necessarily required for the Measurer to measure assuredly withall (that is to say, not to faile in his feet and poles, and in the number of them) is the Richards chayne, which is made of yron rather than of coard, (because that coard being apt to stretch, it will not keepe his exact length constantly at all times) and also sufficient strong and thicke, and distinguished and diuided by round buckles or mayles at the end of euerie foot, to the end it may be folded vp together the more easily into one: It must be of the length of a pole, according vnto the custome of measuring in Fraunce; or of two or three poles, more or lesse, according vnto the aduise of the Measurer, and custome of the coun [...]rey: and it must likewise haue in the end of euerie length thereof a ring, or round hoope, so wide and great, as that the middle finger either of the Measurer or of his assistant may freely goe through it, without anie manner of force or violence vsed. Besides, the said chayne must also (if a man be so disposed) be marked by the way, that is to say, into tierces and fourthes, with some mayles differing from the mayles of the chayne, that by them the tierces and fourthes may be the better knowne. And as for the Measurer, hee must haue three or foure foot length of chayne to reserue vnto himselfe about his Spade, or in some little bagge of Leather, that so vpon occasion (if need be) he may lengthen the chayne, or else helpe to make it againe, if in case it should breake. In this figure or picture following you may [...]ee the shafts in a bundle by themselues, and the chayne gathered vp together by it selfe.

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The principall instrument for the Measurer well and assuredly to find out the forme of the earth which he must measure (whether it be square, or somewhat long, or of anie such other forme; for to iudge of and discerne the length and breadth thereof; for to reduce all sorts of earth, and of whatsoeuer forme they be, into a square; and to order and begin his measuring well) is the Squire, which is an instrument made of yron, or molten mettall, or of common wood, or of Bra [...]ill, squared or round, diuided iustly and equally into eight portions, hauing the forme of direct lines, and those such fine and small ones, as possibly may be▪ for the thinner and finer that they are, so much the surer they will be. This Squire must haue in the middest a round, in manner of a ring, reasonably thicke, bored in the length thereof cle [...] through with eight holes, without which the said instrument would be altogether vnprofitable. By those lights or holes the Measurer shall make his sight, by winking on the one eye, to discerne the length and bredth, and all other forme of the grounds which he must measure. There must also be on high, iust in the middest of the round of this Squire, a hole, [...]or to receiue the Measurers staffe, whereof wee will speake by and by, that so it may beare vp the said Squire, and raise it on such a height as shall be needfull for the Measurer to take the view and sight of the ground [...] and conueniently.

[Page] It will be good also, though not much necessarie, that there were a dyall set vpon this round, to discerne the houres of the day, if need be, and to know in what part the South standeth.

The staffe that beareth vp the Squire,The Geometricall staffe. is called the Geometricall staffe, which must be of wood, verie straight, six foot long, or thereabout, and reasonably thicke, so as it may well be carried and held in your hand, hauing the end downeward sharpe and shod with a sharpe point of yron, made verie hard and thicke, or else of Copper, and hauing a little hindge after the fashion of a vice aboue, and in the end thereof a little hoope to receiue and hold fast the Squire set thereupon, that so it may not moue, tremble, or shake with the wind, yea, though it be a great and violent wind that bloweth, whiles the Geometrician is in performing his businesse. The staffe must be marked out all along with lengths of feet, halfe feet, fourthes, and tierces of poles.

In this present figure you may see the Squire and the Staffe, each of them by themselues.

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The Geometrician must likewise haue in readinesse two sorts of writing-Tables: The one of Slate, reasonably thicke, with a penne fastened to the same, at the end of a little string; and it must be likewise of Slate, that so it may not cut the said Tables too deepe in, when he writeth vp his accounts therein with it. The other little [Page] paire of Tables shall be of Boxe, or other such like matter, like vnto those which are brought out of Germanie, hauing a Copper penne, which the said Geomet [...]ician shall vse for the setting downe in writing the lying, buttings, and contents of the said peece of ground which he hath measured.

He must also haue two men: that is to say, one his assistant to goe before him, and to carrie the end of the chayne, and to thrust downe into the earth the tenne or twelue shafts: and the partie whose ground is measured, or some one for him, that can lay and point out vnto the Geometrician the bounds and limits of the said peece of ground, whether it be arable, wood, medow, or ani [...] other such like place.

How and in what manner the Measurer of these grounds is to accomplish and performe his worke.

THis Measurer of grounds (being thus suted with all the foresaid instruments seruing for the measuring of ground, and hauing likewise the directions and assistance of others, as hath beene said, to helpe him about his worke) must diligen [...]ly enquire of the manner, fashion, and custome of measuring in that place, and of what length his chayne must be, how manie poles are contained in an arpent in that countrey, and how manie foot are to goe to euerie pole, seeing (as wee haue said before) almost euerie countrey hath his seuerall measure: besides this, hee being well instructed and taught in the boundings and limits of the peece of ground which hee would measure, he must lay aside, or else (at the least) trusse vp his cloake verie close, and place himselfe at one of the ends of the plot of ground, wood, or medow, hauing his shafts, all of them, vnder his girdle on the left side, and his Squire hanging by a little crooke at his girdle on the right [...]ide: there pitch downe his Geometricall staffe, making fit and fast his Squire vnto the end thereof, and to assigne, for his more ease, the tenne shafts which hee had made fast vnto the left side at his girdle, vnto that place whereas is fixed the little hindge: afterward stouping with his head, to take his sight and view, by shutting the one eye, ouerthwart and within the holes or lights of the said Squire, the forme; and first the length, by one side of the Squire; afterward the breadth, by the other side of the said Squire (without stirring or mouing of the Squire at all from out of his place from aboue the staffe) of the peece of ground that hee would measure. It is true, that hee shall need neither staffe nor Squire, if the peece of ground be square, or of a small compasse, because that without any such Squire he shall be able to discerne the forme of the ground: and in such cases hee shall onely vse the helpe of his shafts, which hee shall giue vnto his assistant, and of the chayne, the one end whereof he shall hold himselfe, and giue the other vnto his assistant, which shall goe before to sticke downe the shaf [...]s at each end of the chayne, both of them herein applying themselues to the same purpose alike. The assistant shall goe before, and first he shall hold in his left hand the tenne shafts altogether, leauing the eleuenth with the Master-measurer, to fasten downe in the place where he shall begin his measuring (if so be that the measurer doe not chuse rather, in stead thereof, to vse his staffe:) the said assistant shall hold one of the ends of the chayne by the ring with the great finger of his right hand, and that without ani [...] want of roome for his finger to goe in, he shall fasten downe in the earth one of his shafts (which his left hand shall haue reached him) with his right hand, at the end of the chayne, as it is stretched forth at length: the said Master-measurer shall fullow him, and shall take vp the shaft which his assistant hath set downe into the earth: then the assistant shall proceed and goe on, alwaies carrying the chayne with him, and fastening the end of the chayne which hee carrieth with one of his shafts thrust downe into the earth, and this shaft the Master-measurer alwaies comming after, shall take vp, and both of them shall continue and hold on this course, the one to put downe the shafts, and the other to take them vp, vntill such time as the chiefe measurer haue gathered to himselfe all the tenne or twelue shafts, which will be so [Page] manie or so manie poles. This done, both of them shall goe vnto two other ends of the said peece of ground, and shall doe in like manner as they did at the first: where when as the measurer hath measured the length of one side, he shall measure the one breadth, leauing the length of the other side, and the other breadth, hauing found out by his Squire, that the peece of ground is square, if rather, for his owne assurance, and contentment of the owner, he thinke it not meet to measure the two lengths by themselues, and the two widenesses by themselues. Whereupon it will come to passe, that if the peece of ground or wood (for an example) conta [...]ne from the one end to the other, on all sides, tenne poles, multiplying the one side by the other, that is to say, tenne by tenne, they shall haue the totall summe of the poles of the Square, which will be a hundred poles, which is one a [...]pent: and so hereupon the measurer shall conclude, that the place doth containe an arpent. Againe, if in case that the place were of greater breadth and length than tenne poles square, they shall hold on their measuring, and passe from one end to the other, accounting that which shall be more, still reducing all that they measure into hundreds of poles, and so into arpents. See here the easie way for the measuring of Land, Woods, and other places of small compasse and square, wherein there is no great need of anie Squire: but and if the pe [...]ce of Land, Wood, or other such place be of great compasse and contents, and yet notwithstanding lying straight on euerie side, as of fiue or sixe hundred arpents, or more, it will stand the measurer vpon to vse the helpe of his Squire: wherefore hee shall pitch downe his Geometricall staffe at one of the ends of the said peece, and shall set his Squire to the top of the end of his staffe, and shall view the other end of the ground through the holes or lights of the said Squire, if his sight and largenesse of the place will permit him: which if it will not, then onely so farre at that time as his sight may bee con [...]ied: vnto which place directly, whither the direct line of the squire doth looke, hee shall send his assistant, or some other man, to pitch downe a diameter, that is to say, a stake or pole, or some other certaine marke, so farre off, as that the said measurer may see it at that end of the peece where he is taking his sight: or else many diameters in many places, alwaies directly beholding the first diameter, if in case the peece of ground should be of longer distance, so as that one, two, or three diameters alone would not be sufficient, as those which the said measurer should not be able easily to see and discerne. The diameters, one or many, being thus pight, they will serue to helpe the measurer better and more easily to measure the peece, being thereby as it were diuided into many equall portions. If it be a peece of vnderwood that one would measure, the measurer and two or three stoppers doe cut downe so much of the said vnderwood as may make a way of such widenes, as that the measurer and his assistant may easily pas [...]e. But if this be a wood of great timber trees, and of a great compasse and reach, the great trees shall s [...]rue for diameters. Then the direct draught being taken, and the diameters pight▪ and the other end of the peece of ground attained, the measurer shall giue his assistant tenne shafts, and shall keepe still the eleuenth, or in place thereof vse his Geometrical staffe (as we haue said before) and shall hold one of the ends of the chaine with the great finger of his right hand, as his assistant shall hold the other end in his right hand, and the ten shafts all together in the left, to pitch downe one at the end of euerie chaines length, as we haue said before. In this figure you may perceiue how this measurer and his assistant doe performe the thing.

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How to reduce all sorts of grounds into a square for the better measuring of it.

BVt as all grounds are not of one forme and fashion; so is it not possible that one manner of measuring should serue to find out the quantitie of euerie peece: and therefore to speake generally, all places and grounds are either square or longer than they be broad, and then they are called somewhat longer than broad: but stretching right out, or vnequall both in length and bredth, and then they be called somewhat long, and ending like a horne, or in the forme of a vvedge, that is to say, alike long, but of an vnequall bredth; or of an equall triangle, or of an vnequall triangle; or round, or halfe round, or of the fashion of a bow, or consisting of many corners, or of many fashions mixt together, or they are inclosed one within another: for the [...] measuring of all which places, you must reduce them into a square, vvhich is as Polycl [...]tus his rule for the vvell measuring of all grounds and places: the measure of square is verie easie as vve haue said, that is to say, like number of poles on euerie side, which consisteth of tenne poles to a French arpent, which number being multiplied vvith it selfe, which is ten by ten, make the whole summe of poles, whereof an arpent consisteth, vvhich are a hundred poles, and euerie pole consisting of eighteene foot.

[Page] If then the earth be found by the measuring of the Geometrician,Ground [...] that are [...] yet of an [...]quall length [...] equall [...]. to be more long than broad, and yet hauing each long side equall, and each side of bredth likewise equall, which is called Balongue droit, for the bringing of this forme into a square, you must remember (or else hauing it set downe in writing table [...] for the better remembrance) what number of poles are in the length, and how many likewise in the bredth, and to multiplie the length by the bredth, that is, the poles of the leng [...]h, by the poles of the bredth: as for example, if the measurer haue found in [...]he [...]quall length of a ground fiue and twenty poles, and in the equal bredth of the same ground foure poles, he shall multiplie fiue and twentie by foure, and shall [...]ay foure times fiue and twentie are a hundred: this ground then by this multiplication is found to containe a hundred poles, and so by consequent an arpent, at a hundred poles to an arpent, and eighteene foot to a pole, and so in like manner as the length is more or lesse. Likewise the bredth being lesse or greater, that the number of the length and bredth be multiplied together, whether it be lesse or amount to more than an arpent, he shall make his accounts and reckoning to fall proportionably, according to the greater or lesse number of poles, as well of the length as of the bredth: as for example, if the measurer haue found in the length of a ground seuen and thirtie poles and a halfe, and in bredth one pole, he shall multiplie thirtie seuen poles and a halfe by one, and shall say that this ground containeth thirtie seuen poles and a halfe, which is a quarter and a halfe of an arpent, at a hundred poles to an arpent, and eighteene foot to euerie pole: by the same meanes, if the ground be seuenteene pole long, and two pole and sixe foot broad, in multiplying seuenteene pole by two pole and sixe foot, he shal find a quarter and a halfe, two pole, three foot of an arpent: after a hundred pole to an arpent, and eighteene foot to a pole.

If the ground be found by measuring to be vnequall and vnlike,A ground vnequall and [...] [...]n all [...]. as well in the length of the one side to the other, as in the bredth of the one end to the other; you must remember, or for your better remembrance set downe in writing tables, the vnequall numbers of the two sides, as also those of the two ends, and afterward to reduce the two vnequall lengths, as also the bredths, into an equalitie, in the end multiplying the equall length by the bredth likewise made equall: as for example, if one of the broad ends of the said ground doe containe foure poles, and the other two poles onely, and the one of the sides of length containe sixteene poles, and the other tenne poles, to bring and reduce the thing into a square, you must take of the two poles by vvhich one of the broad ends is broader than the other, the halfe, that is to say, one pole, and put it to the two poles of the other end, and thus each end will contain his three poles a peece equally. And of the sixe poles wherein the one of the sides doth exceed the other in length, to take also the halfe which is three pole, and to put them to the tenne, so each of the sides vvill be thirteene pole a peec [...]: then afterward to take the number of one bredth (made equall vvith the other, as vve haue said) vvhich is three pole, for to multiplie one length (made equall likewise with the other as we haue said) which is thirteene pole, and to account that three times thirteene are thirtie nine: so there will be thirtie nine pole, which make a quarter and a halfe, one pole and a halfe, of an arpent, according to a hundred pole to an arpent, and eighteene foot to euerie pole: so then you must follow this rule in euerie thing that is Bal [...]ngue cornue, that is, fashioned after the manner of a horne, that is, that the side and end which are of greatest contents, doe helpe and succour the other which are the lesser, in yeelding of their owne so much vnto them, as may make side equall with side, and end with end.

If the ground be fashioned like vnto a Wedge,Ground [...] like [...] wedge. that is to say, equally long on both sides, but hauing one end broader than another; as for example, twentie pole long, and seuen pole broad at the one end, and but three at the other: then you must gather the two breadths together, which will make tenne pole: to take the halfe of them, will be fiue, to multiplie the length withall, in the doing whereof you must count fiue times twentie, and the summe will rise in all to a hundred pole, which [Page] make one arpent, after the rate of a hundred pole to an arpent, and eighteene foot to euerie pole. This is your direct course to measure ground fashioned like vnto a vvedge.

But if the ground should be triangled, hauing three sides equall, then it is your best vvay to follow this course,A ground lying [...]. vvhich is, first of all to learne out how manie poles there are in euerie side, and then carefully to multiplie the number of the one side by the halfe of the number on the same, or another side: and that which ari [...]h of such multiplication, vvill be the vvhole contents of the poles of that field▪ as for instance, suppose an equall triangled field, hauing ten pole on each side, I will multiplie the number of the one side by the halfe number of one of the other sides, that is to say, ten by fiue, vvhich is fiftie pole, and containe halfe an arpent, at a hundred poles an arpent, and [...]ighteene foot to euerie pole, and twelue inches euerie foot.

If the ground haue the fashion of an Oxe head,A ground consis [...]ing of two triangles. that is to say, be cast into two triangles equally joyned together, and that euerie side (for example sake) containe twentie poles, I will multiplie the number of the one side by the number of the other side, that is to say, twentie by twentie, and I vvill say that twentie times twentie poles are foure hundred poles, and that foure hundred poles are foure arpents: at a hundred poles to an arpent, eighteene foot to a pole, and twentie inches to a foot.

If the ground should proue round like a circle,A ground that is circular or round. you must diuide the same round into two diameters; vvhich make foure equall quarters: then you must know the number of the poles of euerie quarter: afterward, to multiplie them vvill be the summe of the whole round compasse of the ground: for example, euerie quarter of the round doth containe twentie poles: vve will multiplie twentie by twentie, and so we shall find foure hundred poles, vvhich make foure arpents vvhich this round shall containe: at a hundred pole to an arpent, eighteene foot to a pole, and twelue inches to a foot.

If the ground be of a mixt sort,A ground consis [...]ing of many formes and [...] [...]ions mixt together. hauing many formes and shapes, the best vvill be by the meanes of the squire to reduce them all into squares, and then to find out the number of poles in them, and to put the said numbers together. And, if in reducing and bringing of them into foure squared formes, you borrow something, you must restore the number vvhich you haue borrowed in the totall number vvhich you haue gathered, and by this meanes you shall hau [...] the perfect number of yo [...] ground.

And last of all,An inclos [...]d or intangled ground. if so be that your ground be intangled vvithin some other peece of ground, you must measure all together, and afterward taking away the inclosed part, and putting the one asunder from the other, you must measure your owne: by it selfe.

Thus haue we briefly set downe that vvhich is to be knowne of the H [...]bandman, concerning the skill of measuring of lands, and whatsoeuer ground▪ if h [...] happen vpon any peece of measuring vvorke which is of greater importance than this which I haue mentioned, he must haue recourse vnto the professed skillfull in measuring.

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CHAP. II.
What manner of tilling of arable grounds shall be intreated of in this Booke.

AS it is ordinarily seene that the complexions of people dwelling in the seuerall Prouinces of one great region and countrie doe differ one from another according to the aire, or aspect of the Sunne which is called the climat that they dwell in: so in like manner one may see the nature and fertilnesse of arable grounds to ingender and bring forth diuers complexions and sorts of ordering of the same more in one place than in another, according as the ground shall be moist and glib, grauelly consisting of fullers clay, brickie, stonie, or free and well natured: vvhich thing did necessarily compell our predecessors inhabitants of this countrie to alter and change the manner of [...]illing, as also the fashion of the ploughs in France, and the con [...]ines of the same, as the high and base countrie of Beaun, the countrie of Normandie, and the confines thereof, Sangterre, Berrie, and Picardie: in like manner high and base Brie, Champagne, Burgo [...]gne, Niuernois, Bourbonnois, Rotelois, Forest, Lyonois, Bres [...]e, Sauoye, and againe in the countrie of Auuergne, Languedoc, Solongne (where there groweth no corne but Ri [...]) Bordelais, Rothelais, Vaudomois, Ba [...]adois, and generally throughout all the countrie of [...]anguedoc, euen vnto Gasco [...]gne, Biscay, and Bearne, and not to leaue out Prouenc [...] and Bretaigne, vvhich some call Gallo and Tonnant. To be short, beyond the countrie of Mayne, Touraine, Poictou, Le Perche, and Conte d' Anjou, which are as it were the lands of promise in our Countries of France.

And as it is thus with our Countrie of France, so it is likewise with our neighbour countries, as both in great Brittaine and the Neatherlands, where, according to the attration of the soyles, so there is found an alteration in their tilling, the East part much differing from the West, and the North from the South, nay euen in one and the selfe same countrie is found much alteration in tillage, as shall be said hereafter.

Of all these sorts of tilling of arable ground vve haue purposed to intreat hereafter in short and easie manner, and that in regard onely of the husbandrie of the true and naturall France, vvhich vve vnderstand to containe all whatsoeuer is inclosed within the bounds and circuits of the riuers of Oyse, Marne, and Seyne: and our purpose is notwithstanding this to make the husbandrie thereof as a patterno for all other fashions and sorts of tillage vsed in all other countries, as well neere as those which are furthest off.

CHAP. III.
Of the nature and conditions of the arable ground in France.

NOw as concerning the husbandrie of France (which comprehendeth and containeth the confines called also French, and reacheth vnto the countrie of Sangterre, and to be briefe, which compasseth all whatsoeuer Seyne doth ouerflow, euen to the riuer Oyse both of the one side and of the other, coasting along the riuers of Marne and Aube) it is certaine that it is ve [...]ie strong and toilesome, as also the earth is found to be well natured, easie to stir, blacke, deepe, lying high when the fallowes come to be ploughed vp, hauing few [Page] stones, and by consequent, bearing great store of fruit. Againe, it bea [...]eth pure Wheat, that noble graine, for the making of bread, and sustaining of mankind, if so be wee will but giue that which is due vnto Gonnesse, Louures, Poissy, Damp [...]artin, and vnto Sarcelles, and vnder Escouan, and Lusarche: in which Countries, a couple of Horses, of the price of a hundred or sixe score crownes a piece, or about, doe runne through their worke and husbandrie, without being either called or cried vpon: and they doe but a certaine taske by the day, seeing they cannot endure great heat, or raine, strong winds, or frosts, being as lofuly and brauely kept as the Courser or light Horse is in the stables of Princes. It is true, that all their ground in France is not altogether alike: for in some Countries you shall find it much consis [...]ing of a Potters clay, and grauellie: in other Countries marshie, moist, stonie, flintie, barren, and vninhabited, hillie, full of wilds, ouergrowne with rushes and broomes, which and if a man would till for to bring forth corne, he must enrich and make the b [...]ter by such meanes as I haue declared in the first Booke.

And as it is with vs in our France, so is it likewise with all other forraine Countries, each one changing in their husbandrie, as the earth alter [...]th in his nature and qualitie: therefore that the husbandman may know the seuerall natures of arable grounds, hee shall first know, that they alter in [...]illage according to the mixture or temper of the earth of which it is compounded.

To speake then generally of earths,Two sorts of [...]arth. they are two-fold, that is, simple, or compound, or loose, and binding: your simple or loose earths are those which are not mixt with anie earths of a contrarie qualitie, as the fertile black clay, blew clay, the clay which is like marle, and marle it selfe, the red sand, yellow sand, white sand, and sand like vnto dust: your compound and binding earths are when anie of these clayes and sands equally or vnequally are mixt together, as the blacke clay and red sand, the white clay and white sand, or the blacke clay and white sand, or white clay and red sand, and so of the rest, howsoeuer they are mixed. Lastly, there is a grauellie earth which is to be reckoned amongst these compound earths, and is sometimes loose, sometimes binding, according vnto the mixture, and this is a hard grittie sand, mixt with pebble, flint, or shell-stone: and it is said to be loo [...]e, when it is drie; and binding, when it is wet.

Now for the seuerall natures of these Soyles.Seuerall natures of Soyles. you shall know, that the blacke clay is fertile and rich, and apt to bring forth encrease, being husbanded and [...]illed in such sort, that the mould may runne and breake, for otherwise the stiffenesse takes away the profit: it desireth no manure, for being to rich of it selfe, any addition would make it too prowd, and then the corne would either mildew, or by rankenesse so lye beaten to the earth, that the encrease would wither and loose the fulnesse. It would be plowed thrice for Wheat, that is, fallowed at May day, Summer-stirred at [...], and sowne at Michaelmas. It would be plowed foure times for Ba [...]ly, that is fallowed and Summer-stirred, as aforesaid, then Winter-rigd at Michaelmas, & sowne March and Aprill following: it would be plowed but once for Pease or Beanes, that is at plow-day, then suffered to lye for bait till mid Februarie, then sowne without any more plowing, and but onely harrowed: for Oats or Rye it is no great friend, yet vvill beare both by carefull husbandrie, Rye in the same sort that it doth Wheat, and Oats, as it doth Barley. Now for the blew clay, the clay like marle, or the marle it selfe, they are not fully so rich as the blacke mould, and therefore will endure to be manured at all times vvhen your leasure vvill serue, they must be plowed in the same manner, at the same times, and for the same seeds as you plow the blacke clay, and are also no friends to Rie or Oats: for the simple sands, they are by no meanes verie fruitfull for corne, but onely bring forth their increase by great labour and trauell; they seldome beare Wheat, especially the red or yellow sand, except they lye neere to the Sea coast, or else haue some other mixture. The corne in which they most joy is Rye, and they must be plowed foure times for it; that is fallowed in Ianuarie, Summer-stirred in Aprill; foyled in Iune, and sowne at Michaelmas. for Barley it must be plowed sixe times, as fallowed, Summer-stirred, and foyled as [Page] aforesaid, then Winter-rigged at Michaelmas, cast downe in Februarie, and sowne in May; and to speake more generally, these barren, hot, loose earths, vvould seldome lye still, but plowed as oft as leasure vvill giue you leaue; as for beanes or pease they neuer beare any; but for Tare, Fetches and Lupines they vvill beare them, vvith once plowing, vvhich is onely vvhen they are sowne about Aprill. These soyles must be vvonderfully vvell manured, for longer than they haue much heart thereof, they vvill beare no corne at all. Lastly, the grauelly ground of vvhat mixture soeuer it be, is somewhat better for Wheat than these sands, yet Rie is his chiefe seed, and it must in all things be vsed like the sand ground, and vvill beare Wheat vvith the same husbandrie that it beares Rie. Now for the compound or binding earths, they are fertile and barren, according to their mixture, as vvhen the richest clay is mixt with the richest sand, as namely, the blacke clay vvith the red sand, it is then held to be a good ground; so likewise vvhen the vvorst clay is mixt vvith the vvorst sand, as the blew or gray clay vvith the sand vvhich is like dust, then it is held for a verie barren ground, and so consequently of all the rest: and as of these clayes and sands, so also of clayes themselues, as vvhen a blacke clay is mixt with a blew clay, or a marle vvith a gray clay: and so of sands, as vvhen the red is mixt vvith the vvhite, the yellow vvith blacke, or any of all with the grauell: vvherein you shall note, that how much the good soyle is more or lesse than the bad, so much it is more or lesse fertile. Now for the tillage of them, all sands mixt vvith clayes, or clayes vvith clayes, vvill beare any graine, as Wheat, Rie, Maslin, Barley, Oats, or Pease, being husbanded vvell, and throughly manured, onely they must be plowed in such sort as you plow your sands: but sands vvhich are mixt, vvill beare onely Rie, or small pulse, and plowed like the rest beforesaid: to conclude, all clayes naturally are cold and moist, and all sands hot and drie, and the mixed soyles more or lesse according to the mixture thereof.

CHAP. IIII.
What space and largenesse Arable grounds would haue.

NOw if you desire that your Corne-grounds should be faire to sight, make a goodly shew, be easie to be tilled, and beare plentifully, part them into many peeces cast foure square, and let neuer a one of them exceed in the length of fortie poles, nor yet be lesse than thirtie or fiue and twentie: and, if the inconuenientnesse of the place vvill not suffer you to cast them into squares, then make them somewhat more long, but yet not exceeding the foresaid fortie poles in length: for besides infinite other commodities and pleasures accompanying short fields, and such as are not of large reach, this is one verie speciall profit, namely, that oxen and horses doe labour there vvith lesse trauell and vvearisomnesse, in as much as they do not onely cheere vp themselues, and take their breath being at the end of the furrow, but also for that the plow-man cleanseth and freeth his plow of the earth vvherewith it is woont to be laden, as then also carrying them about to enter vpon a new furrow: cause your ground if possibly it may be, to lie leuell and euen; for besides the pleasure of seeing from the one end to the other, they vvill also be the more easie to be plowed, dunged, and sowne: let them be ditched round about, or at the least on the sides, as well to draine away raine-vvater, or other if any should stand there, as for to cut off the trade-waies of passengers. Plant not within not about your Corne-grounds any trees, for feare of the shadow, knowing assuredly that the more that corne is shadowed, the further off it is from being comforted and rejoyced by the Sunne, as also from hauing the dust (which is vvoont to lye much vpon it) blowne off by the vvinds, and likewise from being deliuered from [Page] snow, fogges, and tempests, o [...]tentimes a heauie burthen vpon the backe thereof. And yet put case that for your pleasure you vvould plant some trees thereabout, then let them be no other but Willowes, or such like, that may beare no great head to make shadow: and therefore let neuer come nie thereto either the poplar, or aspe, or aller, vvhose shadow is not onely daungerous and hu [...]tfull vnto the corne ground, but vvhich is more, vvith their great, thicke, and great store of roots, they draw vnto them the best juice, they sucke vp the fat of the earth, and so steale away the best from the seed that is sowne.

And no lesse than these the Ashe is most poysonous vnto Corne-grounds,Ashe is hurtful to Corne. for how farre soeuer his shadow extendeth, so farre you shall see the ground euer forbeare to prosper, and yet it is not vtterly vnnecessarie to haue trees grow about your Cornefields; for if you plant Fruit trees about them, as the Apple, Peare, Ceruise, and such like, you shall find the profit many times double the injuries that are reaped from them: neither is it forcibly necessarie that your fields should be cast into these small square grounds, seeing you may haue them as large as you please, according to the quantitie of your Farme, or the nature thereof, vvhich may as well lye publique and in common amongst your neighbours, as priuate and seuerall to your selfe, in either of vvhich you may make your lands of what length or bredth you please, vvhether acres, halfe acres, or roods: and herein is specially to be noted, that you must cast your lands according to the natures of your ground,L [...]nds must be ca [...] acco [...]ding to the nature of the [...]oyle. & not the prospect of your eye, for if your ground be a gentle earth, either mixt or vnmixt, and lye drie and free all Winter from vvater, neither by any meanes is subiect from it owne nature or casualtie to any superfluitie of moisture, this ground you may lay leuell, smooth, and plaine, and make it appeare as an entire garden, or one land, but if it be within any daunger of vvater, or subject to a spewing and moist qualitie; then you shall lay your lands high, raising vp ridges in the middest, and [...]urrowes of one side, and according as the moisture is more or lesse, so you shall make the ridges high or low, and the descent greater or lesse: but if your ground, besides the moisture, o [...] by meanes of the too much moisture, be subject to much binding, then you shall make the lands a great deale lesse, laying euerie foure or fiue furrowes round like a land, and making a hollownesse betweene them, so that the earth may be light and drie: and this you must doe either vpon leuells, or vpon descending and hanging grounds; and to conclude, the larger your fields are, and the drier they are kept, the better they will be, and the better your corne vvill prosper vpon them.

CHAP. V.
How often your Corne-ground must be [...]ared or plowed ouer.

THat I may therefore briefly declare vnto you the tilling of grounds for graine and pulse, vnderstand in generall, that the earings of arable grounds are diuers, according to the places and situations of the said grounds, as vve haue alreadie alledged. But howsoeuer the case stand in that poynt,The first [...]ing of ground, after [...]. layen follow., and in vvhat plat or peece of ground soeuer you can name them to be, it behooueth that at the first earing vvhich is giuen them after they haue rested and laine fallow, that you cleanse them vvell from stones all ouer with [...]akes, and that at the paines or trauell of some young boyes and girles that can doe little or nothing else▪ or otherwise by others:Vntilled ground. for the earth of it owne nature lying vntilled, begett [...]h nothing but stones, and strong and vnprofitable vveeds, as those which are the reliques of the dung now throughly digested, and chaunged by a heat exalted vnto the fi [...]th degree. And we need not make any doubt of it, but that euen good and kind ground, when it should not bring forth any thing but mustard-seed, couch-grasse, [Page] pimpernell, mercurie, thistles of all sorts, danewort, vvild-fetch, red poppie, vvild oats, veruaine, blew bottles, ax-fetch, or such other like vnprofitable vveeds, without forgetting of cockle and darnell, and that which is called rest-harrow, or at the least some fumitorie and henbane; yet it will be doing of some thing more: as namely, those which grow out of it of themselues,Weeds shew what manner of ground it is wherein they grow. as stinking mathweed, kexes, rupture-wort (these be reclaimed grounds) and the herbe called Chamepytis, as I haue sometimes seene in those countries which properly and truely containe France. For the distinguishing of these herbes, the thistles shew the heat of the ground, as their aromaticall and odoriferous roots may testifie: the hemlocke, vvild smallage, and fumitorie grow of putrefaction: the bind-weed, both great and small, do proceed partly of drinesse, partly of the alteration of the humour: night-shade the great and small doe spring vp of the cold part of the earth, vvhich they draw from the humour thereof: mercurie of both sorts, eye-bright also of two or three differing flowers, the small sorrell red vnderneath, and the three sorts of plantaine do hold of cold or temperate ground: but the garden and vvater cresses, rockets, wild mustard-seed, as also the two sorts of vvater-parsley haue differing natures, and are more hot, according to the humo [...]r vvhich chey confesse to participate, in respect of their propertie: To be short, these are certaine dalliances and sports of nature,Nature i [...] n [...] uer idle., vvhich (though she should neuer be husbanded in the earth) would (notwithstanding) yet neuer abide idle, or without doing something. It is true, that the couch-grasse, and that which is called rest-harrow, make shew to be more standing tenants, than veruaine, or male knot-grasse, for they will not away, except the plow and culture (their tyrannous commaunders) doe come. To conclude, these later hearbes being cut and rooted out by oft and deepe plowing, must afterward (especially the thistles) be thwacked and beaten small before the first raine, that so there may nothing of them (yea, no more than of an Adder) remaine aliue to breed or increase any thing againe: for their nature is, so soone as they receiue a little moisture, to fasten and claspe themselues so close to the slime of the earth, as that they vvill thereby againe so enter new possession, that within a short time after they vvill become strong ynough to strangle their mother.The first [...]aring. Let vs therefore conclude, that the earings of the arable ground are to cleanse it from stones and vveeds, to manure it, to spread and cast abroad the dung or marle, to plow it after the manner of the first earing, to [...]urrow or ditch it, to clod it vvith a roller or board to couer it: then after some time vvhen the raine hath fallen vpon it, to plow it for the second earing, which of auncient men is called stirring of it,The second. and this cannot be done without laying it in furrowes:The third. and the third earing, is to plow it for seed time, to sow, harrow, and pull vp vveedes, vvhich by aboundance of raine, and too much rankenesse of the earth, doe ouergrow and enter commons with the new [...]hot corne. And lastly, to mow and lay it bare and naked, to sheare or cut it downe, to sheaue it and to gather it in. And albeit I here stand much vpon the cleansing of grounds from stones, which is a verie good husbandrie, and for which by a generall consent whole lordships and towneships will joyne together, and make (as they terme them in diuers countries) common daies for common works, yet you must vnderstand that all soyles are not to be cleansed from stones, but only the clayes and sands which haue no generall mixture with stones, but as one would say, here a stone and there a stone scattered seuerally,Stones of greats vs [...] in mani [...] grounds. and not mixt vniuersally; for where the earth and the stones are of one equall mixture, not abounding more in the one than the other, there to take away the stones were to impouerish the ground, and make it bare and vndesensible both against the wind, heat, and cold, as thus, vvhere stones are mixed equally vvith light sands there they keepe the sand firme about the rootes of the Corne, vvhich, should they be taken away, the vvind vvould blow the sand away from the corne, and leaue it drie and bare, by vvhich meanes it vvould neuer sprout; or in those hillie countries where the reflection of the Sunne is verie hot, and the earth light, if the stones being generally mixt should be taken away, that violent heat vvould so scortch and burne the corne, that it vvould seldome or neuer sprout, or neuer prosper: and againe where the countrie is most cold, and most subject to the bitternesse of [Page] frosts, there this equall mixture of stones, taking a heat from the Sunne, giues such a warmth to the corne that it prospereth a great deale better, and sooner than otherwise it would: for vvhich cause, stones are many times held amongst Husbandmen to be an excellent manure for arable land, so that I conclude, though in [...] earthes they are most sit to be cleansed away, yet in light soyle they may verie well be suffered, as is to be seene in the Southerly parts of France, and the Westerly parts of great Brittaine.

CHAP. V.
The Plow mans instruments and tooles.

THe carefull and diligent plow-man, long time before he be to begin to eare his ground, shall take good heed, and see that all his tooles and implements, for to be vsed in plowing time, be readie and vvell appointed, that so he may haue them for his vse vvhen need shall be: as namely a waggon or two, according to the greatnesse of the farme, and those of a reasonable good bigge size, and handsome to handle, vvell furnished vvith wheeles, vvhich must be finely bound and nayled, and of a good height, but more behind than before: one or two carres, vvhich may be made longer or shorter, according as the matter, vvhich shall be layed vpon them, shall require: one light and swift cart, the bodie layed vvith plankes, and sufficient strong to beare corne, vvine, vvood, stones, and other matters that are of great vveight: a plow furnished vvith a sharpe culture, and other parts: tumbrills to carrie his dung out into his grounds: wheele-barrowes and dung-pots to lade and carrie out dung in: strong and stout forkes to load and lay vpon heapes the corne-sheaues: pick-axes to breake small the thicke clods: the roller to breake the little clods: rakes, pick-axes, and mattockes, or other instruments to plucke vp vveeds that are strong and vnprofitable: harrowes and rakes with yron or woodden teeth, to couer the seed with earth: sickles to sheare or cut downe haruest: flailes to thresh the corne: fannes and sieues to make cleane the good corne, and to separate it from the chaffe, dust, and other filth.

And because the plow is of all instruments belonging to the arable field the principallest,Ploughes of di [...]erse sorts. and varieth the oftest according to the variation of climats, I vvill here giue you a little touch of the seuerall plows for euerie seuerall soyle; and first to speake of the composition of plows, it consisteth vpon the beame, the skeath, the head, the hales the spindles, the rest, the shelboard, the plow-foot, the culture, and the share; then the slipe to keepe the plow from wearing, and the arker-staffe to cleanse the plow when it shall be loaden vvith earth or other vild matter. The plow vvhich is most proper for the stiffe blacke clay, would be long, large, and broad, vvith a deepe head, and a square shelboard, so as it may turne vp a great furrow, the culture vvould be long and little or nothing bending, and the share would haue a verie large wing; as for the foot it vvould be long and broad, & so set as it may giue vvay to a-great furrow. The plow for the vvhite, blew, or gray clay, vvould not be so large as that for the blacke clay, onely it vvould be somewhat broader in the britch; it hath most commonly but one hale, and that belonging to the left hand, yet it may haue two at your pleasure, the culture vvould be long, and bending, and the share narrow, vvith a vving comming vp to arme and defend the shelboard from vvearing. The plow for the red sand,, would be lesse than any before spoken of, more light and more nimble; the culture would be made circular, or much bending like that for the white clay, yet much thinner, and the share vvould be made as it were with a halfe vving, neither so large as that for the black clay, nor so narrow as that for the white clay, but in a meane between both. The plow for the white sand differs nothing from that of the red sand, only it oft hath one addition more, that is, at the further end of the beame there is a paire of round wheeles [Page] which bearing the beame, vpon a loose mouing axle-tree, being just the length of two furrowes and no more, doth so certainely guide the plow to his true furrow that it can neuer loose land by swa [...]ing, nor take too much land by the greedinesse of the yrons: the culture and share for this plow are like those for the red sand, onely they are a little lesse, the culture being not fully so long, nor so much bent, nor the share so broad, but a little sharper pointed, and this plow also serueth for the grauell howsoeuer mixt, whether with peeble, flint or otherwise. The plow for blacke clay mixt with red sand, and the white clay mixt with white sand, would be made of a middle size betwixt that for the blacke clay, and that for the red sand, being not so huge as the first, nor so slender as the later, but of a meane and competent greatnesse; and so also the culture and share must be made answerable, neither so bigge and streight as the greatest, nor so sharpe and long as the smallest. Lastly, the blacke clay mixt with white sand, and the white clay mixt with red sand, would haue a plow in all points like that for the red sand simple, onely the culture would be more sharpe, long, and bending, and the share so narrow, sharpe, and small, that it should be like a round pike, onely bigge at the setting on.

Thus you see the diuersitie of plowes, and how they serue for euerie seuerall soyle: now it is meet to know the implements belonging to their draught, vvhich if it be Oxen, then there is but the plow cl [...]uise, the teames, the yoakes, and beeles; but if it be Horse, then they are two-fold, as single or double; single, as vvhen they draw in length one horse after another, and then there is needfull but the plow cleuise, and swingle-tree, treates, collers, harnesse, and cart bridles; or double, when they draw two and two together in the beare geares, and then there is needfull the plow, cleuise, and teame, the toastred, the swingle-trees, the treates, the harnesse, the collars, the round withs, or bearing geares, bellie-bands, backe-bands, and bridles. Also, there be of harrowes two kinds, one vvith vvoodden teeth, the other vvith yron teeth: the vvoodden are for all simple clayes, or such as easily breake, and the yron for sands, mixt grounds, or any binding earth, and for new broken swarthes, or such earths as are subject to weeds, or quicke growth: for sleighting tooles, the barke-harrowes vvill serue loose grounds, and the roller those vvhich bind.

CHAP. VII.
To cleanse arable ground of stones, weedes, and stubble, the first workes to be done vnto Wheat ground.

BVt to speake more particularly of the dressing and earing of arable grounds that are to be sowne with corne, that is to say, with Rie corne, Maslin, some kind of Barly, Turkie corne, and such others, whereof bread is made, and especially that which the Frenchmen call, for the excellencie thereof, Wheat corne, and the Latines Frumentum and Tri [...]cum: they must haue the stones gathered off in Winter, vpon ground that hath layne fallow: which thing, for to spare cost and charges, may be done by little Iackboyes and girles, which with their hands stouping downe, and filling Maunds and little Baskets, may carrie them into the middest of the high wayes, and into the furrowes and rupts of Carts, or else vnto the end of euerie land, there casting them in some vnprofitable place. And if this worke be done in the height of the Spring, or in the Summer season, it will not be amisse, because it will be much better, and easier treading vpon the lands, and the ardors of the field being then new, the stones will be a great deale the better perceiued: or if this labour be done at the fall of the leafe, it will not be amisse, because it is both the time of the last ardor, and [Page] when the field should be best cleansed, as also the fittest time to mend and repaire the high waies against Winter. The vvorke is so needfull, as that if the field be not cleansed from stones, though otherwise it should be duely and orderly plowed, though otherwise it were fat and fruitfull of his owne nature, yet vvould it beare lesse than any other peece of ground: and on the contrarie, how leane soeuer it be, if yet it be cleane vvithall and freed from stones, it will not let to bring forth in good and plentifull sort. Sometimes before the gathering of the stones off, some vse to vveed it, and to pull vp by the root the briers, thornes, bushes, and great hearbes growing thereupon: but such labour may seeme most requisite in an ouergrowne ground before the first breaking vp of the same. The stubble is to be taken away and rid from off the ground where wheat, or other corne, or oats or other graine haue growne, so soone as the corne it selfe is shorne and cut downe.

And these weeds and quickes which grow vpon the arable lands,To destroy weeds. would be torne vp by the roots vvith a sharpe harrow, or as some husbandmen vse, pluckt vp by the roots with a paire of vvoodden nippers made for the purpose, and this would be done in the Sommer time after euerie great shower of raine, for so they are vtterly destroyed, vvhereas the cutting them vp by the ground doth but abate them for a vvhile, and makes them after spring a great deale the faster: now for to destroy those smaller roots of vveeds, vvhich lye hidden in the ground, and are vnperceiuable till they doe mischiefe, you shall strike into your plow-rest many sharpe dragges, or crooked peeces of yron, most directly vnderneath and looking into the earth; and then in plowing of your grounds, where you spie a vveed before your plow, there clap downe your rest vpon it, and it will forthwith teare it vp by the roots, and in one arder or two you shall make your ground as cleare of weedes as is possible: for I must needs discommend that manne [...] of vveeding (how generally soeuer it be receiued) vvhich is vsed after the corne is spindled, for though it taketh away the weed from the eye, yet it so bruiseth and breaketh downe the corne, that the discommoditie doubleth and trebleth the profit, neither can the weed slay more corne than the feet of the vveeder: vvherefore I vvould wish, vvhen extremitie vrges a man to vveed at these ill seasons, that he by no meanes step out of the furrow, or striue to cut vp more weeds than he can reach without hurting the corne thereby.

CHAP. VIII.
That the second or next dutie to be performed to the ground is to enrich it by manuring it: that so of a leane ground, it may become fruitfull.

BVt all grounds vvhich are appointed for seed or corne ground, whether they be such as are new broken vp, or such as haue oftentimes alreadie borne corne, must be enriched and repaired by manure in the beginning of Winter about the eighteeenth of Nouember, or the beginning of December, vvith Sheepes dung that is three yeares old, or else vvith Cow and Horse-dung mingled together,What manner of dung must be vsed. for the helping of it to a temperate heat▪ or vvith other manure such as the soyle affoords, or the Farmers yard can breed, and yet although I speake thus of Nouember and December, being a time much vsed vvith vs in France, where the vvaies are faire, the journey little, and the labour easie, yet you shall know that you may leade your manure either in the Spring, or in Sommer at all such vacant seasons vvhen you cannot follow more necessarie labour, at when by vvet or other vveather you cannot lead your hay or corne, then you may lead your manure: for albeit husbandmen hold, that the later you lead your manure, the better, yet it is not good to driue so long, for feare of preuention, but to [Page] take anie fit time or leisure that is offered you through the whole yeare. The dung is to be laid on in hills, little lumpes, or heapes, and that along as you meane to cast vp your furrowes in plowing, and after to spread it in his season, whether it be rotten dung, or marle. And it shall chiefely be done in Winter, that so the raine and snow dropping and falling downe vpon it, it may be ou [...]rcome and caused to re [...]nt. The vnskilfull and bad husbandman spreadeth it all hot, but he lacketh not a faire forrest of weedes, as reward of his hastie paines: for dung being thus at the first sowne and spread, though it be ouercome afterward; notwithstanding, see what weedes it hath receiued from the beasts houses, as being there scattered, it yeeldeth for his first fruits backe againe vpon the land, and therewithall impaireth much the first crop of corne that shall follow after, howsoeuer others following may proue more naturall and plentifull by it, and further, hindereth both the ground and hinds in [...]heir working. And this is the cause why the inhabitants of Solong [...]e and Beaux, the b [...]st husbandmen, cause their Rosemarie to be rotted in Summer, and made manure of in Autumne; and yet manie times not hasting, but deferring the vse for a longer time. Furthermore, they continue and hold it from father to sonne as a receiued veritie, That nothing is more deare and precious than dung,Nothing more deare than dung. taken in his season, for the enriching of ground.

Some take dung as it were hot and halfe rotten at the end of their field; but that doth much harme: because such dung not being ouercome of the snow, raine, and other helpes of the heauens, but remaining crude or raw, doth likewise ramaine vnprofitable, especially the first yeare, doing nothing it selfe, and keeping the better fruit from profiting and comming on as it would; though the second yeare it may helpe well, and hinder nothing.

It is true, that if you would enrich a poore field,The diuersitie of manure. that it is better done by the dung newly gathered out of the beasts houses, than with such as is old: and it would bee spread in the new of the Moone, a little before the seed be sowne, prouided yet, that it be then plowed and turned vnder the earth. They seeme vnto me not to doe worst,St [...]bble seruing in stead of dung who hauing gathered their corne in August or September, and cut it somewhat high, doe burne the stubble and other weedes which are in the fields, whereby they make a manner of dunging of it by the helpe of raine falling thereupon. This standeth in stead of the first sort of enriching of their ground, especially in barren and sandie grounds, and such as stand vpon a cold moistish clay, or such as haue a strong new broken vp ground. True it is, that they doe not this yearely, because of their need to couer their houses, and of hauing litter for their beasts. And yet those may seeme vnto me to be lesse deceiued, who hauing left their stubble long and high, in the shearing and cutting of it downe, doe presently thereupon bestow an earing vpon such ground, and so vnderturne the said stubble and weedes, there to let them rot with the Winter raine.

There is nothing so good as the first manuring and dunging of the ground,The first [...] ring of the ground is the [...]. which if it be neglected, it will not recouer it for two yeares space againe: so that for [...]uch space he shall gather nothing but Rye in stead of Wheat, and Fetches for Oates, and wild Fet [...]hes for kind and naturall ones. It is true, that the first is not sufficient of it selfe for to dung and enrich the earth sufficiently, and to make fruitfull those that are barren and leane: but there must be other meanes vsed for to effect such a worke: and amongst them all, that seemeth vnto me the principall, which is the letting of the field to lye a yeare or two vnoccupied, not ceasing the while to husband it both Winter and Summer: as also the first time when you would haue it beare, to sow it with Lupines, or rather with Pease, prouided that the ground be not ouer-cold, for then it would profit those Pulse but a little. And if all these meanes should fall out to be insufficient, it will be good to spread Quicklime vpon the plowed ground in the end of Februarie: for besides that it enricheth a ground greatly, it cleanseth it also, and killeth all bad and dangerous weedes: whereupon it commeth to passe, that the haruest after it is more plentifull, than after anie other dung that a man can inuent to vse. Furthermore, if the ground be light, it will be good to cause some water to [Page] ouerflow the corne for the space of ten daies or thereabout, which will likewise stand in stead of a manuring or dunging.

The dung or marle is to be spred in the increase of the Moone,To spread dung. about the eighteenth of Nouember, after such time as the rested ground hath passed his time of recreation: but if it bee in such grounds as wherein the chiefest kindes of corne are to bee sowne, then they must be dunged presently after the end of Autumne, that so the ground may haue leasure to receiue the raine therewithall▪ which will serue to help the seedes the better to rot, thereby prouiding an aid for the weakenes of the earth. In like sort, if this should be for Rie, or for Messing, the ground would be dunged in the heart of Winter, or a little before, notwithstanding that some doe stay for the moneth of March, that it may presently after receiue the showers of Aprill, which may do much good towards the later end of September, at which time they sowe in fine dust, and windie drowthes, looking for the first raine, and the pu [...]rifaction to be wrought by the same. But howsoeuer the case standeth, seeing it is better to manure the ground, than not to manure it;How it is naught to dung a ground too much. so it is better to dung it oft, than much at once: for as a field starueth, if it be not dunged at all, so it burneth if it be ouer-dunged: in consideration whereof, the ground must be well weighed; for a good ground hath no such need to be dunged as a leane ground. The moist field would be much more dunged: for seeing it is frosen continually by reason of his moisture, it commeth to passe that the dung by his heat doth resolue and thaw thesame againe. The drie ground requireth lesse, because it is hot ynough of it selfe by reason of his drinesse: and if you should bestow great store of dung vpon it, it might be a cause to make it burnt. Againe, your exceeding rich and stiffe clayes desire little or no manure at all, because it is so rich and fat of it selfe, that hauing anie more addition, it presently mildeweth the corne, and makes the kernell thereof as blacke as soot: and therefore the good Husbandman sayth, That the manure which is best for these rich soyles, is good plowing in due time, and ripening the mould.

There must likewise consideration be had of the goodnesse of the dung: for good dung would lye fast and close together for a season,To put dung close together. and rest it selfe a yeare: if it be elder,The diuersitie of dung. it is so much the worse. The Pigeons dung is the best of all: and next thereto is mans dung, especially if it be mixt with the other filth and sweepings of the house: for of it owne nature it is verie hot. Next vnto this is Asses dung, which is the best of all beasts dung, because this beast doth chew and eat his meat with great leysure, and digesteth it best, and thereupon also maketh a dung most prepared and fitted to be put presently into the earth. Next vnto this is the dung of Sheepe: then that of Goats: and alike of all others, as Horses, Mares, Oxen, and Kine. The worst of all is Swines dung, by reason of his great heat, for therewith it presently burneth the earth. For want of dung, the stalkes of Lupines cut downe, haue the force and efficacie of very good dung: or else to sow Lupines on Corne-ground which is leane, and after that they be come vp, to put them into the earth againe, turning it ouer them.

There are manie Farmes of which one can keepe neither bird nor beast to make dung of: and yet the painefull Farmer, in this scarcitie of manure, may make some of the leaues of Trees and Thornes, and dyrt, or parings of the earth gathered out of the streetes: hee may also take Ferne, and mingle them with the filth and myre of the vtter court: or make a deepe pit, and gather into it ashes, stubble▪ and stumps of hay or straw, the dyrt hanging about spouts, and all other manner of filth that may be scraped and raked together in paring or sweeping the house, or else howsoeuer. And in the midst of this ditch you must set a piece of wood of Oake to keepe away Adders and Snakes, that they come not to breed or abide there. If you haue no other but arable grounds, they will not need, that you should diuide your dung into diuers sorts: but and if you haue Vineyards, Medowes, and Corne-ground, you must lay euerie sort of dung by it selfe, as that which is of Goats and birds must be stirred euerie summer, as if you would digge it with Pick-axes or Spades, to the end it may not the sooner, and be better for the ground.

[Page] The cleansing of Ponds, Ditches, or standing Lakes, is a compasse or manure not inferior to anie before spoken of: and Marle may haue preheminence before all, in as much as the best before named doth not last aboue foure yeares at the most;Soyle of Ponds or Ditches. and some but two; and some but one: yet Marle will keepe the ground rich twentie yeares, and better. All sorts of ashes, either of Wood or Coale, is a good manure, chiefely for ground that is apt to chap or riue: So is also Lyme, or Chalke, especially for cold soyles; yet your Lyme would be scattered verie thinne vpon the same, and your Chalke layd in greater aboundance. Also Sea-sand is a verie good kind of manure, and both fasteneth a loose mould, and also maketh it a great deale more fertile.

CHAP. IX.
That the ground must be plowed ouer according to his three earings before that it be sowne.

IN tilling and husbanding the earth as it should be, there are three things chiefely required: first, a Husbandman, furnished with a good vnderstanding and ripe iudgement: secondly, Cattell fitted for the worke: and thirdly, a Plough well appointed and made. But of all other things, it is verie requisite, that the Husbandman doe know the nature and condition of the earth which he vndertaketh to till, thereof to reape fruit and commoditie, that so accordingly he may stirre it, and giue it as manie earings as the nature thereof doth require. For in fields which are of a good ground vnderneath, he must set his culter and plough so deepe therein, as that the better and fatter earth which is vnderneath, may be turned aboue: whereas to take the same course in a ground that is barren and leane vnderneath, were altogether vnprofitable. In like manner, there are manie fields, which the more that they are eared and plowed, they become so much the more leaner and barrenner: and such are those which haue a [...]light mould, which the oftener they are plowed in the time of heat, so much the more they are pierced of the Sunne, and so become the weaker and lesse able to [...] Corne.

It is true indeed, that there are not manie sorts of grounds, but by oft earing [...]hey become more fruitfull, than and if they were seldomer eared: but howsoeuer, Wheat or Mesling especially, doe desire to haue three earings before they bee [...]owne: one, which is called the first earing; and it must be when as the dung is newly spread (otherwise the dung would loose his force, being wasted and consu [...]ed by the heat of the Sunne:) and this first earing is for to stirre the earth, and [...] make it soft for after-plowing, not turning vp much earth with the plough, nor piercing deepe into the earth this first time, but cutting it in such sort, as that the [...]urrowes may be so neere together one vnto the other, as that a man shall hardly [...]erceiue the path or passage of the plough: for by this meanes all the rootes of [...]he hearbes will be broken, and die. The second earing is in the Spring, at such [...]ime as the earth beginneth to open of it selfe: and then you may cast your [...] good and high, and great withall, that so the seed may be the better receiued into [...]he ground.

But you must vnderstand, that according to the situation of the grounds that are good for Corne or Pulse, as also according to the Countrey, mould, and heartinesse [...]hereof, it is vsed to varie and alter the plowing and tilling of the ground, for the [...]urther benefit of the inhabitants: for at Brie, where they haue a slipperie and moist [...]round, fit to make pots of for necessarie businesse, they plow vpon a causey, and as [Page] it were vpon an Asses backe: and in euerie fiue furrowes they hold it meete to cast one high ridge, that is verie large, and made also like vnto a ca [...]sey, that it may both receiue the raine water, and that which springeth out of the earth, which is alwayes moist, and that because of two Riuers lying vpon the one side and on the other, and doe moisten and water the grounds there continually vnderneath.

And for the same purpose (which is also practised in small Beaux, as in Longboyau, Val de Gallie, Val-boyau, Niuernois, and Bourbonnois) they make at the end of their ground certaine rises of sufficient height: where, betwixt the said rise and arable ground, there is a ditch or pit made within it, after the fashion of a long fatt, to receiue the waters which runne along after great raine: for otherwise they would rot and smother the corne. This troubleth such as trauell those countries, exceedingly: and this is the cause of the name, whereby they are called the Grashoppers of Brie: Insomuch, as that they cannot tell how to doe so well, as in a rainie day to goe and pull vp Darnell, Dane-wort, and other ouer-spreading weedes (which else they could hardly ouercome) being a kind of earing of the ground, called of auncient Writers the freeing of Corne-ground from weedes: hauing further, by such aboundance of raine, this scath done vnto their Come, as that it is layd bare now and then, yea, and that though it be neuer so well harrowed, and the earth of it selfe strong and mightie.

There is no need of anie such rises or ditches in the parts of France, truly and properly so called, neither in the Isle thereof, nor in the flat and free Countrey of Blairie, as Long-boyau and Labea [...]ce (the verie Barne and Store-house of France) the Countries of Oye, Sangterre, or else of Berry and free Poictou. And all grauellie Countries may be well excused and freed from all manner of such inconuenience, as appeareth by manie places of Picardie and Solongne, euen vnto Percheron: so that they make their furrowes close and neere one to another, as is wont to be done in low grounds and valleyes.

The ground must also be plowed in a fit and conuenient time, to the end that it may become fruitfull: Wherefore the carefull Husbandman shall neuer plow his ground whiles it is wet; for running through it with the plough at that time, it will doe nothing but runne vpon heapes, especially in tough and clammie grounds, as also in those which be hard, or growing and putting forth their fruit, in as much as this maketh them so sad and close, that it is impossible to make them fine and small mould againe. Likewise, it is an absurd thing euer to goe about to put the plough into a dyrtie and myrie ground, because it is nothing fit to stirre or deale anie manner of way withall, before it become drie, and so vnfit, as that though you could doe what you would vnto it with the plough, yet there is no casting of anie seed into it.

And if it should fall out, that there were anie Tree or Vin [...]-plant in the ground, you must passe it ouer, in lifting vp the plough from off the shootes which come from the rootes, at all times when you perceiue your selfe to be vpon them: or [...] you shall cut them off with a hatchet, rather than bruise and breake them with the culter, for feare of breaking the culter it selfe, and putting the Oxen or Horse to [...] and paines.

[Page]

CHAP. X.
That the [...]attell vsed to plow withall, doe differ according to the manner and custome of the Countries.

IN rough and tough grounds,Plowing with Horse. as also in free and kindly grounds (as hath been said) where there are required as needfull three Horses to a plough of fiftie foot (but not so coupled and spanged, as they be in Countries where they vse to plow with Mares, Oxen, Asses, or Buffles) you must, after the first caring, breake the clods with the rowler, and lay it flat, square, and plaine, with a planke. In leane, grauellie, and weaker grounds, you shall not stand in need to be at such cost either with horse or man; for it is not requisite that you should draw so deepe a draught in the earth: and againe, the husbandmen of such Countries haue sooner finished and made an end than others, and yet doe labour with more leisure, because of the ayre and climate of their Countrey. Yet this is but a particular fashion in France:Horses & Oxen of France. therefore to speak more generally, both according to that and other forraine soyles, you shall vnderstand, that there be two principall causes to make a man plow with Horses, although he may haue Oxen at his pleasure: The one is, when he liueth in a verie wet and dyrtie soyle, where the ground of it selfe yeeldeth forth such a continuall moisture, that the finallest trampling or treading thereupon bringeth it to a verie myre; in this case it is best to plow with Horse, because they draw euer directly one after the other, and tread euer in the furrow, without annoying the land, and goe also much more light and nimbly than other cattell; whereas Oxen going double, and treading vpon the land, would foyle it, and make it so myrie, that it would be good for no purpose: The other, when a man liueth farre from his necessarie accommodations, as from his fuell, his fencing, his timber, and other such like necessaries, which he must forcibly vse euerie yeare; in this case he must euer keepe his teame of Horses, because they are fittest for trauell and long iournies, doing them euer with the greatest speed and least losse: whereas the Oxe, being a heauie beast, would soone surfet, and are indeed so vnapt for the same, that a man can hardly doe them greater iniurie. Now for the number of Horses to be vsed in the plow, it must be according to the greatnesse of the labour, and the strength of the cattell: for in the heauie and stiffe clayes, sixe are euer few ynough, either to fallow with, or to plow the Pease-earth with; and f [...]ure for anie other ardor: in the lighter sands foure is sufficient at all times, and three vpon anie necessitie. As for the mixt soyles, if they be binding, they will craue as much strength as the clayes: but if they be loose, the same that serues the light sands will serue them also. And herein is to be noted, that the stoned Horse is euer better for the draught than either the Mare or Gelding, yet all good and meet for seruice. Againe, they worke with the Asse and the Oxe,Plowing with Oxen. as in A [...]uergne with the young Mule, and in Romaine and Champaigne in Italie with the Buffle: whereas, of a truth, the labour of Oxen is not readie, nor so quicke of dispatch in the time of necessitie; and for to remedie and helpe this mischiefe, you must begin your worke with the Oxen sooner, and haue a greater number of them than of Horse. The prouision of Oxen is of lesse charges for diet, buying and selling againe: whereunto you may adde, that you may eat the Oxe, or sell him againe, after you haue had his labour a certaine time. True it is, that he that hath wrought all the morning, must rest the afternoone; and the Oxen going earlier to plough, returne earlier from labor than the Horse. The greatest commoditie comming by them, is, that they better endure the vnseasonablenesse of times, and in sturdie and stiffe ground they draw a deeper draught, and acquite themselues in the worke with more commendation: againe, they [...]raue nothing so much shooing or harneis in the Countries where yron and harneis is deere, neither are they subject vnto so manie maladies, saue that they must be kep [...] from being starued with cold, and from the raine, as also care taken that they be well couered.

[Page] This I speake as of our French Oxen, which are not much inured to labour: but if you please to looke vnto the English Oxe,English Oxe. you shall see, that he is the worthiest creature of all other for the plow, both in respect of his constancie in labour, and of hi [...] long endurance therein; as also for his leisurable and certaine drawing, without [...] or twitches, keeping euer one pace, without going faster or slower: whereas the horse by his courage and fiercenesse doth, when he is prickt forward, draw so rashly and suddenly, that a good hand can hardly, now and then, keepe an euen and direct f [...] row. These Oxen are fittest for those soyles which are tough and firme, without [...] spewing moisture in them, because (as was before said) they draw double: ye [...] [...] some places, and in moist grounds, you shall see them draw single, like vnto horses, with open collars, and large hames. Touching the number meet for a Plow, the horse and they are all one, for six Oxen will serue well either to fallow or breake vp Pease earth, and foure will performe anie other ardor: yet if you will let them haue anie Tytt or meane Iade to goe before them, and lead the way (which will, as it were, ea [...]e the yoakes from their neckes) it will be a great deale the better, and they will take their labours with much more pleasure: and howsoeuer our custome is in France, yet they will endure a full daies labour as well as a horse, prouided that they be driuen temperately and gently: for nothing breedeth surfet so soone in Oxen, as ouer-has [...]ie driuing, or heating them without discretion.

I find not anie labour lesle chargeable than that of Asses,To plow with Asses. such as are to be had in Tabie, Calabrie, Sicile, and in the countrie of Iaffle, being all of them countries where they grow great and faire: for they endure more labor, and are not subiect to so many diseases, neither are they so costly to feed. True it is, that they do not so much, neither yet altogether so well: wherefore they are better to be vsed in leane grounds; except the yong Mule of Auuergne, which exceedeth all other beasts: but he is troublesome, hard to be brought to draw, and so brainsick, as that there is not the yong Mule which hath not his madding fit, and vexeth his master now and then: where [...]pon it groweth that some vse to say, namely, A good young Mule, but a curst beast.A good Mules, but a curst beast.

The plowing with Buffles, as is to be seene in Romaine, and elsewhere, is good in grounds that are fat, and standing vpon a Potters clay: and are not chargeable in harneis, because that hauing so short a necke, they stand not in need of anie thing but a ring, to hold and keepe them by the snowt: but in Summer they are dangerous, and fall oftentimes into a frenzie, especially when they see anie red clothes; and yet notwithstanding they hold out longer at labour, and are more readie and diligent tha [...] the Oxe. Finally, this poore beast serueth to giue milke, besides the worke and labo [...] performed by them: as also their hide is of much more vse than that of the Cow or Oxe: for in some places Husbandmen doe vse Mares, Asses, shee Mules, and Kin [...], to draw and goe to plow, after the same manner that the males doe.

I doe not intend to trouble my selfe in this place with the fashion of the Plough,The diuersitie of Ploughes. neither yet with the diuers sorts thereof, that are found in diuers and sundry [...]: so as if you should aske me of the difference betwixt the Ox-plough and the Horse-plough, I intend not to shape you anie further answere than this, namely, that according to the loafe, so must the knife be: euen so, according to the force and stre [...]gh of the ground, so you must haue your instruments and tooles for to cu [...] and fill the same. Neither will I trouble my selfe with examining the fashions of our ploughs with [...] described of Hesiod, to see whether they be like, or no: no more than I in [...]end to meddle with the fashion and making of Columella his Hedging-bill, or Wedge, which [...] saith in his time to haue beene named after the French name.

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CHAP. XI.
Of clodding and earing it the second and third time, and of sowing of it afterward.

FVrthermore it is meet, after the first earing of Corne-ground,To clod the gr [...]und. verie diligently to breake and take away clods, and to make the ground plaine and euen, for the better sowing and bestowing of the seed in good proportion and sort vpon the ground: vvhich our common Husbandman v [...]eth to doe in the time called of him the dusting time: Notwithstanding that the inhabitants of Beauce doe not so strictly stand vpon the same: for by reason of the fatnesse of their grounds, they take the time howsoeuer it shapeth, hauing no good assurance of the time, whether it will continue faire, or turne rainie. It is the order and common fashion to breake the clods with the Rowler (vvhich would doe well to be of Marble in a tough and stiffe ground) or else you may breake them with a harrow, well toothed with sharp-pointed teeth of yron, and of a good length. But howsoeuer, you must so labour it, and so oft goe ouer it, as that it may be broken all into dust, if it be possible, that so there may not remaine one clod vnbroken after that it is sowne.

Yet for the more certaine clodding of arable grounds, you shall know, that it must be done according to the nature of the soyle, and euer after a good shower of raine, the first which falleth, after the seed is sowne. If the ground be a loose soft mould, and verie apt to breake, then the back-side of your harrowes being runne ouer the lands, vvill be sufficient: but if the earth be more hard and binding, then you shall take the rowler of Wood, for that of Marble is a great deale too heauie, and indeed onely fit for Grasse-grounds, and not Corne-grounds, as also the teeth of the harrow are too sharpe, and teare vp the earth too much: and vvhere the vvoodden rowler vvill not serue, there you shall take clodding-beetles, made of purpose broad and flat, and with them breake the clods so in peeces, that the raine may soften them; & then with your back-harrowes runne ouer them againe: and this is called sleighting, as well as clodding.

Wherefore, after that the clods are well broken, and all made plaine, for the second earing,The second earing. you shall cut vp your grounds againe about mid Iune, if they be fat and moist; or about the moneth of September, if they be leane and drie: for otherwise your leane ground would be quite dried vp and burnt with the Sunne, neither would there remaine therein anie vertue or iuice. Aboue all things you must obserue and keepe such order in plowing, as that the ground may not be too drie nor too moist: for great store of moisture maketh them dirt and mire, and too much drinesse doth disaduantage the husbandman amaine, either because the plough cannot enter the ground, or if it enter, yet it cannot breake it small ynough, but turneth vp thicke and broad clods of earth, in such sort, as that afterward it will be hard to plow vp the field againe: for certainely, there cannot be that done which should and is requisite, when the earth is too hard. Wherefore the ground that hath beene plowed in drought, must haue a rainie season found out to be plowed in afterward againe, that so the same being watered and moistened, may be the more easily tilled.

Yet of the most approuedst husbandmen (for France is not rich in that profession) it is held, that the earth can neuer be plowed too drie, so long as the plow is able to run through the same, and one ardor so gotten, is worth three in the moister weather: besides, the greater that the clods are which arise by plowing thus in drie weather, [...] greater store of mould you shall haue, which is a good aduantage to the graine, neither will it be anie thing more difficult to plow, if you stay a good season, and haue the earth throughly wet before the next plowing, for these great clods doe neuer arise but in the clay grounds, which are apt to breake with anie moisture.

[Page] Shortly after the second earing, you shall giue it his third earing,The third earing. which must be more light, and such as breaketh not in so deepe as the two former. This earing being finished, you must make the ground euen and smooth with a harrow presently after, which shall be about the middest of October: then you shall sow and bestow your seed vpon the ground in good proportion, but not at anie other time than in the encrease of the Moone, and neuer in the decrease: and then likewise it will be the better, if you take the opportunitie of a little raine, following the Prouerbe, which sayth, You must sowe Wheat in myre, and Barly in dust: and the reason is, because tha [...] Wheat being hard, and comming neere to the nature of Wood, doth bud and [...] better and sooner, when it is layd in steepe and mollified in dyrt: or else for feare of Pismires, which if the Wheat should be sowne in a drie ground, would become lords of it by and by, and carrie it away. Notwithstanding, if you see that the raine be somewhat long in comming (seeing the times are not in mans power) you shall not deferre to sow, especially in dry grounds: for the corne which is sowne in dry ground, and well harrowed and couered, doth enioy and keepe the same without corrupting as well as if it were in the Garner: and if there follow anie raine, the seed will be vp in a day. I presuppose in the meane time, that the Husbandman hath let rest and lye idle his grounds for some two yeares, wherein he is intending to sow his Wheat, to the end they may bring him a better crop. Furthermore, seed [...]time is expired and past about the eighteenth day of Nouember: for then the earth, by the coldnes of the aire, becommeth close shut, and (as it were) rugged, staring, and agast, so that it will not be able so well to receiue the seed, and to cause it to thriue. It is true that in cold places seed must bee sowne earlier, but in hote places later: whereupon it commeth to passe, that in Italie they sowe about the beginning of Nouember; but with vs in France, where it is temperate, in October; in cold places, and Coast-countries, in the kallends of September, or rather sooner, to the end that the roots of the come may be growne strong before that the Winter-raine doe molest it, or the Yee and Frosts doe hurt it. Notwithstanding at what time soeuer you sowe your seed, you must ma [...]e diuers conueiances ouerthwart the grounds, and conduits to carrie away the water out of the Corne. Yet this Seed-time is spoken but as of Wheat only, or Rie, which are called Winter-cornes: for Pease, Beanes, and Pulse, would bee sowne in Februarie, and the beginning of March; and Oats and Barley, at the end of March, and beginning of Aprill. Now sometime the husbandman shall haue occasion to reioice in hope of good successe, and sometime to feare in doubt of the euill successe, of his seed, by reason of the variablenes of the time. Hee shall haue good hope of his Seed, if hee see the time inclined to sweet, mild, and not violent showers; and vnto temperate, not e [...] cessiue and often showers: for the mild showers resemble the dew; the excessiue ones doe moisten and coole too much: If in like manner the snow doe fall in abo [...]ndance, and become hard by some frost following thereupon: for such snow letteth and stayeth the earth from spending it selfe by exhalation, and vvasting of his fatnesse, which otherwise by vapours would be consumed: and if also the said snow in making doe wash and water by little and little the earth vvith his pure and sweet liquor, and (as it vvere) scumme of raine; for that serueth to make the earth fat, prouided that presently vpon the melting of the snow there fall no showers of raine accompanied vvith haile: if lastly the frosts come in their proper and due time; for if they be too [...] and forward, they burne the young sprouts; and if too late, they hurt them verie much.

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CHAP. XII.
Of the choice and quantitie of seed to be sowne.

FOr Wheat to make seed of,The chusing of seed Wheat. the industrious Husbandman shall chuse such as is full, thicke, heauie, firme, and so hard and strong, as that it cannot but with paine be broken betwixt the teeth, of a red colour, bright, cleane, not aboue a yeare old, which maketh sauourie and well-tasted bread, threshed out of choice and culled eares, which after fanning and winnowing lyeth vppermost (as that which is the thickest and most massie) which was growne in a fat ground, but cont [...]arily seated to that wherein such Wheat is to be sowne, as from hill to plaine, and from moist to drie, and yet so contrarie, as that the seed of a bad place be rather sowne in a good place, than the seed of a good place sowne in a bad: for seed, be it neuer so good, doth become worse and degenerate easily, when it is sowne in a bad plot.

And for as much as I speake onely of Wheat in this place, being the graine of most vse in Fraunce, you shall vnderstand, that there be diuers kinds thereof, as shall be shewed hereafter; which sith their names are not familiar in other Countries, I will here repeat those which are most in vse amongst our neighbours, especially in England: of which, the first is called whole-straw Wheat,Sor [...]s of Wheat. because the straw is whole and entire, not hauing anie hollownesse within it, and this is of all Wheat the largest and goodliest, and yeeldeth the greatest store of flowre, yet not of the most pure and most white colour: it prospereth onely on the rich stiffe clay-grounds, and must necessarily haue three earings before it be sowne. Next vnto it, is the great Pollard Wheat, which hath no aues vpon the eares: it is a large Wheat also, and prospereth likewise vpon stiffe clay-grounds, yet will aske but one earing, because it loues to be sowne vpon Pease-ground, from whence Pease was reaped the same yeare. The next is small Pollard, which loues an indifferent earth, as that which is grauelly, or of barren mixture, and it must haue euer full three earings. Then Ograue Wheat, which loueth anie well-mixt soyle, and will grow either after three earings, or but one, so it besowne where Pease is reaped. Then [...]laxen Wheat, which will ioy in anie soyle, except the stiffe clay, or burning sand, prouided that it haue fully three earings, and be well manured. And lastly, Chylter Wheat, which is like vnto flaxen Wheat.

It will be good before you sowe your seed,Seed degen [...] rate. to lay it in steepe in water some certaine houres, and afterward to spread and lay it abroad somewhere in the shadow to drie, that so it may be readie to rowle or runne at such time as it is to be cast into the earth: by this meanes you shall chuse the fairest cornes that shall stay behind in the bo [...] tome of the water, to sowe them, which will grow within three or foure daies: but as for those which swimme aloft aboue the water, they shall be taken away, because they are not worth any thing to sow: for the best vse for such, is either to seed Hennes, or else to grind, that so you may get out euen that s [...]all quantitie of meale and flowre that is within them. Some before the sowing of their corne, doe sprinkle it ouer a little with water, wherein haue beene infused Houseleeke, or the stamped seedes and roots of wild Cucumbers, to the end that the corne may not be eaten of Moules, field-Mice, or other such like vermine. Yet howsoeuer this may be a practise in France, it is not receiued generally amongst Husbandmen, to steepe the corne in water, before they sowe it, because so much moisture cooleth and drowneth the kernell of it too much: Nay, they are so farre from the practise thereof, that a well-reputed Husbandman will not suffer his corne to be so much as washed before it be sowne.

The quantitie of corne which must be sowne,How much corn will serue in sowing. shall be measured and rated according to the peece of ground: for an arpent of fat ground will for the most part take foure bushels of Wheat, a reasonable fat ground will take fiue, and a leane will take [Page] more. It is true, that there must respect be had vnto the Countrey and place where it is sowne: for in cold Countries and places that are waterie, being also alwaies subiect to Snowes, it is needfull to sowe a great deale more than in hot Countries, or in temperate and drie places, in as much as the cold and Snow doe corrupt the great [...]st part of the seed. Besides, the time is well to be obserued, and the disposition of the ayre: for in Autumne you must sowe lesse thicke: and in Winter, or the times approaching and comming neere to Winter, a great deale more: againe, in rainie weather you must sowe thicker than in drie weather. Yet in England and other Countries which are much colder than France, two bushels of Wheat or Pease will fully sowe an acre: and foure bushels of Barly, or Oates: and three bushels of Beanes: which proportion no man need to alter vpon anie occasion whatsoeuer.

CHAP. XIII.
Of harrowing and weeding of Corne.

PResently after that the seed is bestowed in the ground, you must, for your last worke, harrow it along and crosse ouerthwart, and after that [...]ake it from furrow to furrow, but ouerthwart onely. This would be done with Harrowes, hauing yron teeth rather than woodden ones, because they make the corne settle deeper into the earth, which they doe breake and make fmall a great deale better, and so by that meanes doe couer the corne with earth, as it requireth, at the least the thicknesse of foure fingers, that so it may be the faster rooted, and the safer from birds: and thus it must be let alone the whole Winter vpon the Spring. True it is, that during Winter you must not neglect to make draynes and draughts, thereby to carrie away the water that falleth in too great aboundance by raine.

Now this manner of harrowing is but for such entire grounds as lye together leuell, plaine, and vndistinguished by lands: for were they cast vp with ridges, as the lands of many Countries are, then could they by no means be harrowed ouerthwart. Therefore wheresoeuer your ground lyes, in lands or in common, mixt amongst your neighbours, there you shall euer harrow your lands directly vp and downe the full length of the lands, beginning at the furrowes first, and so ascending vp to the ridges. As for the Harrowes, as before I said, the woodden Harrow is best for the loose moulds, and the yron Harrowes for the tough and binding moulds. As for the Oxe-harrow,Oxe-h [...]rrow. which is as bigge as two Horse-harrowes, and hath euer yron teeth, it is best for the roughest earths, especially new broken vp swarths, the Horse-harrowes going before, and the Oxe-harrow following after.

When the Spring time is come, and the Wheat hath taken good root, you must weed your ground of such store of weedes, as Winter raine, and the ranknesse of the earth it selfe, haue caused to abound and ouer-grow the corne, newly put vp, as Fe [...] ches, tame and wild, Poppie, Cockle, and such like: and after once hauing weeded it, it will be good to doe it the second time, as when the eare beginneth to shoot▪ for i [...] so doing, the corne will proue faire and cleane. But in the meane time, you must so weed it at the first, as that the rootes be not hurt, but that they may remaine couered and laden with the earth, that so they may stand faster in the earth, and grow the more vpward. At the second time of weeding you must not bare it much: for and if the Wheat should not shoot vp still more and more, it would rot vpon the earth, and bring forth nothing. Againe, at the second weeding you shall stirre and make euen the ground a little, that so the corne may not be too close and fast couered [...] the [...]oot, which would cause it to die also, and rot away, bringing forth nothing. This worke and dutie is not of small weight and moment, in as much as oftentimes the corne is choaked by weedes, and bowed to the earth by their too much loftinesse, [Page] taking their opportunitie of some beating wind or raine. Moreouer, you must not be abashed, if the greater part of the eares proue emptie, without hauing anie thing at all in them, and the other not to come to perfection and ripenesse. Againe, when the good corne is accompanied with Fetches, Darnell, and other weedes, the bread is not onely made more vnpleasant, lesse sauourie, wholesome, and discoloured, but also it commeth not to the one halfe of good corne, which is not mingled with these filthie weedes: insomuch, as that three load of such corne, after the winnowing of it, doe not yeeld two of pure and cleane corne. And which is worse, the field where such seedes are scattered, doe not bring forth halfe so much as those which are charged with nothing but well cleansed and winnowed corne.

CHAP. XIIII.
Of mowing, or shearing.

THe last labour and toyle,The last labour. for the which all the other in the whole yeare going before, was taken, is mowing and cutting downe of the corne: which must be attended, after that it once becommeth ripe; which will appeare, by the turning of the colour into a light yellow throughout, in all parts alike: and before that the graine be altogether hardened and turned red, that so it may grow thicker in the weathering and barne, rather than standing in the fields. For it is most certaine, that if it be cut downe in good and due season, it will grow bigger, and encrease afterward: whereas otherwise, if you stay the mowing or shearing of it downe, till it be throughly drie, the greatest part of the corne will fall to the ground in shearing of it, and will become a pray for the birds and other beasts. If there happen anie violent storme, or whirlewind, it will lay it flat with the earth. You must, of all other times, make choice of the wane of the Moone, or betwixt Moone and Moone, to cut downe your corne therein,The time to cut downe Corne. if that you would haue your corne to keepe well: and the best houre, is the breake of the day, when it is full of deaw. The manner of shearing, is either to cut it in the middest of the straw, to the end you may haue stubbleStubble. to couer your countrey houses, as also to heat the Ouen to bake bread, in such countries as are vnprouided of wood, as in Beauce: or else to cut it within a foot of the ground, for the greater prouision of straw,Straw. which will serue afterward to make MatsMats. for Beds, or Litter for Horses and other Cattell, and (which is yet the greatest profit of all) to imploy about the making of Mats, for the vse and behoofe of the householder in his chambers. That which remaineth, shall either be cut downe with Sickles, or Hedging-bills, made fast to the end of a great staffe, to make a fire withall for the Winter time: or else it shall be burned in the fields themselues, to make dung, by the means of raine falling thereupon, in grounds especially that are sandie, or standing of a stiffe Potters clay, or which haue a strong mould.

And although this be the French manner of shearing of Wheat or Rie (for of these graines there are no difference) yet in other countries they vse to sheare after the Sunne is risen, and at such time as the corne is most drie, holding (as doubtlesse it is most probable) that the binding of the corne together in sheaues, whilest the wet deaw is vpon it, doth either rot or make it mildew quickly. As for the stubble, it is much better to mowe it downe with Sythes, than cut it vp with Sickles,Sythes & Sickles. both because you may goe neerer to the ground, and also saue much labour, in doing your worke sooner and better.

The corne being cut, shall be gathered together and made into sheaues, and after led and carried into the barne by the Farmer: which must be seated in a sufficient high place, that so it may receiue the wind somewhat readily: and yet not that I would haue the wind, when it commeth, to be able to goe against the houses, or gardens: for besides the annoyance which the small chaffe would worke in the eyes of the people, and that before they should perceiue it, it would furthermore [Page] hurt and much annoy the gardens, because that by the same sticking to the leaues of the hearbes and trees, as also to their fruits in Autumne, it would drie them, and make them apt and easie to be burnt by the heat of the Sunne.

CHAP. XV.
Of threshing Corne.

FOr the last labour of the Husbandman, there remaineth nothing more, but to thresh out the Corne,To thresh corne. for to sow it againe, or for to store vp and lay aside in the Garner, and this not sooner than till three months passed after the Haruest: for although the Corne should be gathered of full ripenesse, yet still it goeth forward to more perfection as it lyeth in the Barne. The Gascoines notwithstanding fearing, that Corne left long in the sheaues should not onely take a great heat, but grow full of Butterflies, Mothes, and small Wo [...]mes which are wont to spoile it, cause the sheaues to be dried three whole daies in the Sunne, and that in the field where they were mowen, and afterward thresh it in the same place, carrying lastly the Corne so threshed into Garners: so that by that means they stand not in need of Barnes to carrie their sheaues into, and there to keepe them.

This is also a custome vsed both in Ireland, Spaine, and the Islands neere vnto Spaine; but I cannot commend the husbandrie: for it is most certaine, that except Corne may take a kindly sweat in the Mowe, it is neuer wholesome, nor will yeeld flower in that aboundance, which otherwise it would do. Besides, Corne is euer more safely kept in the eare than in the Garner,Corne better kept in the eare than in the Garner, and take much lesse pu [...]rifaction. Whence it comes, that your great Corn-masters and hoarders of Corn, when they want roome to lay their Corne in, will thresh vp their oldest store, and then keepe it in the chaffe till they haue occasion to vse it, being of this mind, that whilest it lyes therein, it will euer keepe sweet; and it is a most certaine rule: for nothing is a greater preseruer of Corne than the owne chaffe, except it be the care it selfe; in which, Nature hauing at first placed it, of necessitie it must euer be safest therein. Wherefore, I would haue all good husbands to bring their Corne home into the Barne first, and there to let it rest three weekes or a moneth at least, in which time it will haue taken the full sweat, and then to thresh it,Bad to thresh sweating corne as occasion shall serue. And herein is also to be noted, that if you shall thresh it during the time of sweating, it will be so danke and soft, that it will by no means grind or make good flower, except it be dried, which also is not held good nor profitable, and especially where it is dried with anie other heat than that which the Sunne yeeldeth, as Kylne, Ouen, Stoue, or such like.

Before the threshing of it,The floore to thresh cor [...]e vpon. you must be carefull to prepare the floore, and to sprinkle it ouer with Oxe bloud, mingled with oyle of Oliues not salted, and afterward to make it plaine and smooth with a Pauing-beetle or Rowler, to the end it may not haue anie clefts or creuises in it, wherein the corne threshed out may be lost, or wherein the Pismires might breed and hide themselues. The best way to thresh it, is with flailes, and after to cleanse it from the chaffe, husks, and other filth, with the fanne, and last of all, to sift it. In anie case leaue not Wheat long in the sheafe, because it taketh heat, and thereupon becommeth full of Butterflies, Mothes, and small Wor [...]s, which eat it vp. In the meane time you must not cast away the chaffe, which is good mea [...], not onely for horses and other beasts, mingled with prouander, but also for to ripen [...], and to keepe them as we haue said before. In like sort, the Spaniard and [...] make it serue to keepe Snow in all Summer: for they make deepe pits in the gro [...]d, wherein they put their Snow, and couer it with chaffe.

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CHAP. XVI.
In what manner the Garners are to be made to put Corne in.

LEt the Garner wherein you shall keepe your Wheat,Wheat Garners take his light from the East, and a little ayred from the North and West, but principally from the North-east, which keepeth the Corne alwaies drie, and fresh, and coole; but not from the South, nor from anie such like coast or quarters. It shall haue manie open holes, by which the whole vapour of the Corne may passe forth, and the coole gentle ayre come in: And it must not be floored or planked aboue, to the end that the winds may easily enter in through the open places and tiles of the roofe, that so it may be more fresh and coole at all times. It must be placed farre from all moisture, and other euill smells and vnpleasant ayre, and also from all the houses wherein cattell are kept, whether horse, oxen, or other such like: the boorded floore thereof shall be ordered as the earth-floore, that is to say, sprinkled with Neats bloud mingled with oile-Oliue vnsalted, and after smoothed and made plaine with a [...]owler or pauing-beetle, as in which there is not to be left hole or breach, be it neuer so little, without stopping of it with lime and sand. The said floore where the corne is to be laid, shall be watered with vineger: the walls must be made trimme and dressed ouer with mortar tempered in water, wherein hath been steeped the roots and leaues of wild Cucumber: or with Lime tempered with Sheepes vrine, which shall be of much vse against all kind of shrewd beasts that vse to eat the corne. And thus much for the French experience. But for the custome of other Countries, it shall not be amisse to make your Garners of Oaken boards close ioyned together, or else lined in the ioynts with Lime and haire, in such wise, that no corne may runne through the same. Others vse to keepe their corne in great Hutches, or chests of wood, with close couers. But better than anie of these it is to make your Garners of Plaster as large as you shall thinke good, for it keepes it most coole and sound, and is the least troubled with Weeuils, Mites, Mice, or such like vermine. Yet to speake truly, and according to the opinion of the best Husbandmen, all these Garners are more proper for Barly, Oates, Rye, or all sorts of Pulse, than for Wheat, because it is a tender graine, and of it selfe naturally apt to heat and putrifie, when it is kept close together in great and thicke heapes: and therefore the wiser Farmers doe vse to spread their Wheat thinne (as not aboue a foot thicke at most) vpon the Garne-house floore: which floore, if it be of plaster, it is best; boards is the next; and the mudde floore is the worst of all: and being to spread, you shall not faile to turne it ouer once a weeke at the least, for feare of heating, or growing mustie.

In the Garner thus fitted, shall your corne be layd, being first made verie cleane, for the cleaner it is, the lesse subject vvill it be to Weeuils and other [...]: It is true that being in the garner, for the defending of it from this vermine, it is good to remoue it often, and to haue about the heapes some wild Organie, or the dried leaues of Pomegranat-trees, or Wormewood, or drie Southernwood: or vvhich is better, in the middest often load of drie Wheat to mingle one of Millet made very cleane: for by the coolenesse of the Millet, the Wheat vvill be kept from the vermine and taking of all other manner of heat, and when occasion requireth, this Millet vvill be easily sifted from the Wheat, by the meanes of a sieue: and furthermore, that it may somewhat encrease, you must cast vpon the heapes of corne Sal-nitrum, and the scumme thereof, both of them finely powdred, and mixt with verie fine earth. And if it should come to passe, that the corne should not proue to last and stand sound for long time, and that therefore it is ground into meale; then for the keeping of the said meale, you must make masses or drie lumpes of Cummin and salt powned, and lay them in the middest of the meale. Or if it appeare that Palmer-wormes are bred [Page] in the corne, or any other such like vermine, by the ouerheating of it, you must dust it by and by with a sieue, and after spread it abroad, and leaue it in the Sunne all the while of the great heat, euen vntill euening, and after that it is become hot thus by the Sunne, and hath beene made verie cleane, carrie it vp againe into the highest garner that you haue, and thus the vnnaturall heat thereof will cease, and all the [...] be killed, and the Wheat so coole as that it will be out of the danger of the former ouerthrow. Furthermore, as concerning the fanning of Corne, the husbandman must beware least he be beguiled by the measurers, or yet by the measures; seeing it is a tricke they haue either in powring on the corne to presse it downe with their hand, or else to strike the measure with their knee to cause the corne to run the closer together, that so they may haue the better measure: such craftie shifts as this, are the [...] that the second measuring is not answerable vnto the first.

And although I speake here onely of fanning, of vvhich there are two kinds, the one, a fan with loose clothes like sailes, which being turned swiftly about, gathereth a vvind that will disperse the corne from the chaffe; the other made of Wickers, of a great compasse, being the one halfe plaine without an edge, the other halfe hauing an edge almost a foot deepe, vvhich being turned to the bodie of the man, and casting the corne to and fro in the same, it disperseth and driueth the chaffe from the corne; yet the wynowing of corne before the vvind,Wynowing of Corne. either betweene your corne-barne-doores, or in any other narrow place where the wind being straitned is made to blow with more violence, is as good, and dresseth your corn as cleane as any other way whatsoeuer, and with a great deale lesse cost and labour, for that way you shall dispatch more corne in an houre than any other way in three, neither will there remaine in it so many seeds as by doing otherwise.

The sowing and ordering of other sorts of Graine.

CHAP. XVII.
Of Rie.

RIe (called in Latine Secale, and of the Auncient Writers Farrago) craueth not such an industrious & carefull ordering, nor yet so fat a ground, and so well inriched, as doth the wheat, for it so increaseth in all grounds in such aboundance, that of one bare corne there will corne an hundred, be it neuer so badly plowed and dunged. Witnesses hereof are the people of Auuergne, Lymosin, Perigord, and Forest, but chiefely those of Beauce, Solong [...]ois, which is abounding in this kind of corne; notwithstanding that the ground thereof for the most part be leane, grauelly, and verie slenderly husbanded and tilled by the inhabitants, as those which imploy themselues a great deale more busily in keeping of Sheepe, than in growing of Corne: and hereby we may learne and take out a new lesson, namely, that negligence is good for something, and now and then bringeth his commoditie home with it. It is but a verie small and starued graine in respect of Wheat, and the bread vvhich is made thereof is vnpleasant, fattie, [...], heauie, like paste, blacke, and more profitable in the time of dearth to slay and kill the sharpenesse of hunger, in the base and rusticall people, than to feed wholesomely, and make good nourishment of: againe, such as be wealthie, and men liuing at ease, make no reckoning of it. It is true that many doe mingle it with wheat, to the end that the [Page] bread made thereof may continue a longer time moist and tender: yea, and which is more, the physitians of the Court doe giue directions for the making of bread of this kind of Corne for Kings and Princes to feed vpon in the beginning of their meales (especially in Summer) to procure them a loose bellie: but they that are carefull of their health, especially such as doe not exercise and toyle their bodies, and students in generall, the Monkes and such like, must auoyd to eat the bread made of the meale of this Corne alone, howsoeuer the plow-Swaine haue this opinion of it, namely, that it maketh the bodie strong; and for certaine it is found by manifest and daily experience that the vvomen of Lyons, Auuergne, and Forest, by the vse of this bread doe become verie faire, and to haue more solide bodies, and more abounding in good and laudable juice or humours, than others commonly haue. Some likewise are of judgement, that the vvater of Rie-bread is more pleasant, and farre better than that of Wheat-bread be it neuer so vvhite. Cookes, vsed to vvorke in pastrie, doe make such crusts as they would haue to endure long, of Rie-flower. This bread is made to feed dogges, and to fat swine: all other kinds of cattell, especially hens and horse, do abhorre and loath it altogether: This Corne is verie subject to rust, because it [...] vvater in the huske or bagge wherein it groweth, the remedie vvhereof consisteth in such meanes vsed, as we haue alreadie set downe: The straw thereof serueth for much vse in binding of Vines, because it is flexible and pliant, hauing beene first sleept in vvater, as likewise the meale thereof, to make cataplasmes of, for the suppurating and ripening of impostumes: the decoction of the Corne killeth vvormes, if there be some Coriander-seed put thereto: in like manner horse-leache doe giue it to horses which are pained in their bellies.

And thus much for the opinion and custome of the French, whose soyle is so frequent vvith Wheat, that they little respect the vse of other graines. But to resort to the better-knowing husbands, and to whose opinions Seres and diuers other later Writers agree, you shall vnderstand that RieRie. is a most excellent graine, pleasant, and sauourie in taste, and verie wholesome to be eaten, in as much as it keepeth the bodie open, and breedeth not that costiuenes [...]e which other graines doe: and although the bread which it maketh, being made of the meale as it commeth from the mill vnsifted and vncleansed, be blacke, and vnlouely to looke on, yet it is verie wholesome, and more sauourie, and better to eat than any bread made of any other graine, except Wheat; nay if it be sifted and cleansed through a fine raunge, scarce, or boulter, it makes bread as vvhite, as comely, and much more pleasant to eat than any course or leuened Wheat whatsoeuer. This Rie naturally desireth a warme and drie ground, as especially the red sand, or any clay that is much mingled therewith: it will grow in any clay, and the richer the better, and the corne the larger, prouided, that the mould be loose and gentle: it asketh as many earings as Wheat doth, and must euer be sowne in one and the selfesame time; yet if the ground be any thing good of it selfe, it vvill grow well ynough after one earing, prouided that it be sowne on such ground as Pease were reaped from the same yeare: for Pease (by reason of their running on the ground, and smothering of the weed) is as good as a sleight manuring of the land: Rie is verie quicke of growth, and will sprout in three nights at the furthest; it hath no enemie so much as wet, or extreame raine, so that you must sow it in as drie a time as is possible: for it is a common saying amongst Husbandmen, That Rie vvill be drownd in the hopper, that is, if a showre of raine should but fall in the hopper or seed-basket whilest you were sowing it, that showre would drowne it, and the Rie would hardly grow after: therefore your greatest care must be a faire season, and a drie mould; for the contrarie kills it.

Maslin.

MAslin (called of the Latines Metellum) is not one kind of Corne, but a mixture of Wheat and Rie, or of White corne (vvhich the Latines call Far adoreum, euen as we shall further declare by and by) and of Rie, in such sort as that thes [...] [Page] two kinds of corne mingled, are sowne, gathered in, and threshed together: the maslin delighteth in a mixt kind of earth and tillage, but for the most consisting of that which is fit for Wheat. The bread made of maslin, is one of the best sorts of bread, and easie to digest. It seldome or neuer requireth any more than one earing, which is at such time as it is sowne onely, neither is it euer sowne vpon the fallowes, but vpon the Pease-earth, being euer vvell and carefully harrowed: if you find the sayle whereon you sow it to be weake or out of heart, the best meanes to giue it strength is to fold it with sheepe immediately before you sow it, so that as soone as you take your fold from the land, you may put your plow into the land, by which meanes the seed and the manure as it were meeting together, the manure keepeth the seed so warme, and giues it such comfort, that forthwith it takes root, and brings sorth the increase most aboundantly. Now for the cropping or gathering of this Maslin,To crop or gather Maslin. or blend; corne, you shall euer doe it so soone as you see the Rie begins to open or turne his eare downeward towards the earth, albeit the Wheat seeme a little greenish at the root, and be nothing neere ripe, the corne being soft and milkie; for the Wheat will ripen, and grow hard in the sheafe, which no other corne will doe: and the Rie being suffered but to grow a day beyond his full time, will shed his graine vpon the earth, and you shall loose more than one halfe of your profit: againe, you shall not lead your blend-corne so soone as you doe your cleane Wheat, or your cleane, Rie, but making it into good bigge safe stouckes vvhich will shed the raine from the eares, and containing some sixteene or twentie sheaues in a stoucke, you shall suffer is so to stand in the field to ripen, as well for the hardning of the Wheat, as for withering of the greene weeds vvhich growing amongst the Corne will be shorne vp therewith, and bound in the sheaues altogether.

Secourgion.

SEcourgion is a kind of Corne that is verie leane, vvrinckled, and starued, somewhat like vnto Barley, and it is not vsed to be sowne in France, except in the time of famine and dearth, and then also but in some countries as are barren and verie leane, and that to stay the vrgent necessitie of hunger rather than to feed and nourish. It hath his name from the Latine vvords Succursus gentium: The greatest part of Perigord and Lymosin doe vse this sort of Corne: it may seeme to be a degenerate kind of Corne, and may be called bad or wild corne. It must be sowne in the thickest and fattest ground that may be chosen: howsoeuer some say otherwise, as that it delighteth in a light ground, in as much as it sprouteth out of the earth, the seuenth day after that it is sowne, the thicker end running into rootes, and the smaller putting forth the greene grassie blade vvhich flourisheth and groweth out of the earth. The fittest time for the sowing of it, is about the moneth of March in cold places, or about the eight or tenth of Ianuarie, if it be a mild Winter, and not sharpe and pinching. This is that kind of graine of three moneths growth, whereof Theophrastus speaketh in his Booke of Plants, howsoeuer Columella doe not acknowledge any kind of graine of that age. Theophrastus in like manner maketh mention of a kind of graine of threescore dayes or two moneths growth, and of another of fortie daies growth. I heare say that in the West-Indies about Florida there grow sorts of corne, some of two, some of three moneths, and some of fortie daies: vve see it verie ordinarie in France to haue corne in three moneths, namely, in the countries of Beauce, Touraine, Lyonnoise, Sauoy, Auuergne, Forest, Prouence, Chartrain, and others, in which the corne being sowne in March is ripe and readie to be cut downe in the third moneth. The occasion of sowing it so late is either the vvaters or excessiue cold, or snow, or some such other hard vveather, vvhich kept and hirdered it from being sowne any sooner. Such graines and sorts of corne as are of three or two moneths, or of fortie daies, and amongst them especially the Secourgeon, doe yeeld a verie vvhite and light flowre, because it hath but verie little bran, and the graine hauing drawne verie small store of substance for his nourishment, but such as is of the [Page] lightest part of the earth (and therefore small store of Bran) by reason of the small space of time that it stayed in the earth: The bread made of this Corne is verie white, but withall verie light, and of small substance, more fit for Countrie-people and seruants in Families than for Maisters and vvealthie persons: Againe, in countries vvhere it is of account, they vse to mixe Wheat vvith it, to make houshold-bread.

Blanche.

BLanche is a kind of Wheat which the Latines call Far clusinum, and old Writers Far adoreum, as a Corne or Graine worthie to be highly thought and made of for his excellencie and goodnesse sake: it is verie hard and thicke, and requireth a strong and tough ground, though it be not all of the best husbanded. It groweth also verie wel in places and Countries that are verie cold, as not fearing any cold be it neuer so outragious: Neither doth it mislike and refuse drie and parched grounds, and such as lye open to the excessiue heat of Sommer; the Corne cannot be driuen from his huske, except it be fried or parched: againe, for to grind and make bread of it, they vse to frie or parch it, but vvhen they vse to sow it, they let it alone vvith the huske, and in it they keepe it for seed. It is verie massie and vveightie, but not altogether so much as Wheat, but yet more cleane and pure than Wheat, and also yeeldeth more flowre and branne than any one sort of Wheat besides. This kind of Wheat is verie rare in France, but verie common in Italie, vvhere it is called Sacidate.

Fine Wheat, or Winter-wheat.

THere is a kind of small Corne that is verie vvhite, vvhich the Latines call Silig [...], vvhereof is made White-bread, called therefore of the Latines Siliginitis. The French cannot as yet sit it with a name. It must be sowne in verie open places, and such as are hot and throughly warmed by the Sunne; although it doe not vtterly refuse an earth that is thicke, moist, slymie, and of the nature of Walkers-earth, seeing that good husbandmen doe likewise report of it, that there needeth no such great care to be taken about the making of this graine to grow, and vvithall, that if a man vse to sow Wheat in a moist and muddie ground, that after the third sowing it will degenerate into this kind of Wheat. It is that kind of Wheat which amongst the English is called Flaxen-wheat, being as vvhite or vvhiter than the finest Flax: it is of all sorts of Wheat the hardest, and vvill indure a more barren and hard ground than any other Wheat vvill, as the grauellie, the flintie, stonie, and rough hils against which by the reflection of the Sunne onely (vvhose beames it loueth exceedingly) it will grow verie aboundantly, neither will it prosper vpon and rich soyle, but being as it were ouercome vvith the strength thereof, it will vvither, or not grow at all, or else mil-dew, turne blacke, and become altogether vselesse.

Amel-corne.

THere is yet another kind of Corne, vvhich the Grecians and Latines call Olyra, of a middle size betwixt Wheat and Barlie, vnlike altogether vnto Winter-vvheat vvhereof we last spake, but of a sort and facultie like vnto spelt, whereof vve vvill speake next in order. Of this graine Dioscorides maketh mention, and Matthiolus calleth it in French Seigle-blanche: the tilling and ordering of it is like vnto that of spelt. There is verie vvhite bread made thereof: there is but small store thereof in France.

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Spelt-corne.

SPelt-corne is that vvhich the Latines call Zea, and hereof the auncient [...] mans did make great account, and gaue it to name Semen, by the way of excellencie, as the Italians in such places as vvhere the said Spelt groweth in great aboundance, doe call it Biada. The Graine is lesse, and blacker than Wheat. It is found sometime single, sometime double in an eare set with a long beard. It must be sowne in a verie strong and hard ground, for otherwise it will not thriue, neither is there any sort of Wheat which so troubleth and weakeneth a ground as this, but the bread that is made thereof is excellent: and of it likewise the Italians vse to make a singular kind of Furmentie.

Course Wheat-flowre: or fine Wheat-meale.

COurse Wheat-flowre is that which of the Latines is called Similage, and is made of Wheat that is excellent good, hauing the greatest Bran onely sifted from it, but being ground of the best Mill th [...] may be gotten, howsoeuer the French name Semole vvhich seemeth to be deriued from these Latine ones Sine mola, may [...] to argue the contrarie. We haue not any of the Corne in this Countrie vvhereof the Semole is made: but in Prouence it is sowne in great quantitie: as also in Champanie, and in the Countrie of Naples, and from thence there is great store of this [...] meale brought, vvhich Physiti [...]ns doe prescribe to their sicke patients to make Panade or pap-meat of, vvith the broth of a Capon, notwithstanding that [...] and the greatest part of Physicions doe affirme, that the fine meale called of the French Semole, is of a gros [...]e and slimie iuice, and not digested without difficultie, and thereupon injurious to such as haue need of a fine and attenuating nourishment. It is certaine that it is of great nourishment, as is also the bread that is made thereof. In steed of Semole vve vse Maslin; and as concerning the Wheat vvhereof the course flowre Semole is made, it craueth such ground and manner of husbanding as Maslin doth.

Furmentie.

FVrmentie is that vvhich the Latines call Alica or Chondrus, and it is a kind of Wheat, whereof (after that it hath been steeped for some time in vvater, and afterward brayed and husked, and then in the end dried againe in the Sunne and ground somewhat grosly) is made a kind of grosse meale, re [...]embling [...] verie much, vvhereof sometimes is vvoont to be made pap-meat, sometimes it is mixt in meat-broth, and sometimes panade vvithall: all which meats, to say the truth, doe nourish a great deale more than they profit the health of the bodie, in as much as they ingender a thicke, clammie, and gros [...]e juice, verie hurtfull for them that are subject vnto obstructions, or vnto the stone and grauell.

Turkie-Wheat.

TVrkie-wheat (so called, or rather Indian wheat, because it came first from the West-Indies into Turkie, and from thence into France, not that it is sowed there any otherwise than for pleasure, or for to cause some admiration at the strange things which Frenchmen themselues doe admire and make much account of) [...] be sowne verie carefully after this manner: the field must be diligently tilled according to all the sorts of earings vvhich are woont to be bestowed vpon any [...] ground, afterward toward the end of March, at such time as the Sunne beginneth to affoord his hot and comfortable beames in franker and freer sort, the said wheat must be steeped in water two whole daies, and when this is done, to keepe it till the earth [Page] receiue some prettie showres: vvhich happening, then presently to open the earth vvith some sharpe stake, and that all along as streight as a line, but with equall and sufficient distances: and to cast into euerie one of these holes foure or fiue graines of this vvheat, and by and by to close in the earth againe vvith your foot, and so in this sort to fill and set a vvhole field with this Corne. If the earth be fat, and the seed full and well [...]ed, it will not faile to sprout within seuen daies, and to be ready to mow within fortie daies, two moneths, three moneths, or at the furthest foure moneths, sooner or later according to the goodnesse of the ground, and power of the Sunne, that is to say, earlier in a hot place and good ground that lyeth open vpon the Sunne, but more late in a cold ground, and a leane place. It hath the like temperature that our vvheat hath, but somewhat more hot, as may easily be gathered by the sweetnesse of the bread that is made thereof: the meale thereof is vvhiter than that which is made of our wheat, but the bread made thereof is more grosse, thicke, or close, and of a more [...]lymie substance, in such sort as that the nourishment made thereof is likewise more grosse, and apter to ingender obstructions: vvher [...]ore if the dearth of vvheat and famine doe force and compel you to sow of this Turkish-wheat, to make bread thereof, it will doe better if you mingle it with the flower of our vvheat, than and if you should vse it by it selfe all alone. The meale of this vvheat in as much as it is thicke and clammie, will be good to make cataplasmes of, to ripen impostumes withall: for being apt to stop the pores of the skin by his clamminesse, it cannot chuse but worke such effect.

Sarasins-wheat.

SArasins-wheat is a graine verie ordinarie and common throughout all France, and more abounding vvithout comparison than the foresaid Turkie-wheat: it must be sowne in all manner of grounds, because it refuseth not to grow in any, vvhether it be grauelly, or of any other qualities vvhatsoeuer, and that especially in Aprill in hot places, or somewhat later in those that are cold, and it is so forward and hastie, at that it will ripen twice, and yeeld you two crops in a yeare, in one and the same ground, being in a hot ground, as is to be seene in Italie. It may be mowne at the end of three moneths after it is sown: in this countrie it is most vsed in the fatting of hogs, pigeons, and other fowles, and in the time of dearth and famine to make bread, which will be a great deale better, if with this corne be mingled the corne of our countrie vvheat. It may be made into grosse meale, euen as the grain called furmentie, but better without comparison than that of millet to be imployed in meat-broths, in panades and pap-meats, as also to make [...] with cheese and butter. This is a meat that is pleasant ynough, and not much loading or charging the stomacke, notwithstanding that it be windie, for therein it is not so excessiue as the pease or beanes.

Goats wheat, and Typh wheat.

THere are yet remaining two other sorts of Wheat, which the Latines call Trag [...] Cerealis, and Typha Cerealis, whereof Dioscorides and Galen doe make mention. Typh wheat is verie like to our Rie, and doth make a verie blacke bread, and verie vnpleasant also when it is old, though it be otherwise verie pleasant when it is new baked, after the manner of Rie. The Goats wheat is not verie much vnlike vnto th [...] graine called Furmentie, saue onely that his meale yeeldeth more bran without comparison, and so maketh a fitter bread to loosen the bellie than to feed or nourish it. These wheats are not so much as to be seene in France, and therefore I meane not to make any longer discourse thereof.

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Of all manner of March-Corne.

CHAP. XVIII.
Barley.

AFter that vve haue thus largely spoken of Wheat and other Corne, [...]. it remaineth that vve should consequently speake of all manner of pulse: the ordering and husbanding vvhereof, to speake in generall, is like vnto that of the other graine going before, as namely, in the gathering of stones from off them, in manuring and giuing them their first, second, and third ea [...]ing, as also in clodding, sowing, harrowing, and mowing: but differing notwithstanding in some things, as namely, in their nature; and therefore it will be best to make a particular description thereof; especially of Barley, which howsoeuer it is of sleight vse in France, because of the great profit of the vine, and the plentie of Wheat in which the kingdome aboundeth, yet in other Countries it is of best respect, especially in England, vvhere the greatest sort doth grow, and where they make Beere thereof so good and excellent, that not any French Wine is more pleasant, or more wholesome. Therefore to speake first of Barley, [...]cording to the opinion of the French husbandman, vvhich is not to be held most authenticall.

Barley must be sowne in a leane, drie, and small ground, or else in a ground that is verie fat throughout, because it doth bring downe and diminish the fatnesse of a ground mightily: and for that cause it is either cast into the ground that is verie far, the force and goodnesse vvhereof it shall not be able to hurt: or into a lea [...]e ground, vvherein a man should not sow any thing else so well. It must be sowne in a ground that hath had two earings, in some countries in the moneth of October, but in this countrie after the fifteenth day of Aprill, according to the common prouerbe (at S. Georges day you must sow your Barley, and lay your Oats away) if the ground be fat, but and if it be in a leane ground, it must be sowne sooner, not [...]laying for any raine, in as much as that according to the prouerbe, Wheat must be sowne in [...], and Barley in dust: for Barley cannot endure any great store of moisture, being of it selfe drie, open, and cold: againe, Barley being sowne in moist places, and much watered vvith raine-water, doth easily canker, and turne into darnell and oats: the same manner of ordering is giuen to the barley called mundified barley, and that because the chaffe thereof falleth presently, and cleaueth not vnto the corne, as it doth in common barley. When you perceiue it somewhat ripe, you must mow it sooner than any other corne: for it hath a brittle stalke or straw which is verie apt to breake, when it is verie drie, and the corne being but weakely inclosed vvithin his huske, doth easily and of it selfe fall vnto the earth: and hence also it becommeth more easie to thresh and shake out, than any other graine. After the corne is mowne, it will be good to let the earth lye ydle a yeare, or else to manure it throughly, and so to take away all the euill qualitie that is remayning and left behind. [...]-bread. In a deere yeare it is vsuall to make bread of barley, as vve shall declare hereafter, and that better for the poore people than for the rich, and yet in one point to be praised, in as much as it is good & wholesome for them that haue the gout: the assured truth vvhereof, is found out rather by experience than reason. Notwithstanding in as much as Barley (as Galen [...]) vvhether it be in bread or in pap-meat, in p [...]isan [...]s, in mundified barley, or otherwise imployed, doth coole, and yeeld a thinne kind of nourishment, and somewhat cleanseth the bodie, in that respect it may be profitable for them that haue the [...], as those that are full of humours, and subject to distillations falling downe vpon the mints.

[Page] There is made of Barlie a certaine kind of drinke,Mundified Barley. vvhich is commonly called aptisane, and a meat that is good for sicke persons, called mundified barley, which th [...] good vvife of the Farme may make in this sort; Take barley well cleansed and husked, boyle it till it burst, and till it become like vnto a pap-meat, after beat it in a morter, and when you haue so done, straine it through a verie fine strayner, put vnto it sugar, or the juice of sweet almonds, or of poppie-seed, melons, or lettuses, according as occasion shall be offered. Or else, Take of the best and newest barley, put it in a mortar, and cast vpon it warme vvater, as it vvere to wet it, but not to make it swim, afterward beat it gently with a vvoodden pestell, in such sort as that the huske that couereth it may be forced off, then chafe it betwixt your hands, that so you may free it quite from huskes; then afterward drie it in the Sunne: vvhen you haue this done, take a handfull of the said barly, and put it in a pot, vvhich it may fill to the halfe, and filling vp the other halfe with vvater, let it boyle by little and little vntill such time as it be burst, and become like pap-meat, let it run through a linnen cloth, and so straine out the juice.

Thus much for the French opinion of Barley:How Barley ought to bee sowne. but to come to the true knowledge thereof, from the opinions of those that are better experienced in the same, you shall vnderstand that Barley ought to be sowne vpon the best, richest, and best husbanded ground you haue, and although it will grow in any soyle whatsoeuer that is vvell husbanded, not being too extreame cold and moist, yet the better the earth is into which you sow it, the better and the larger the corne is vvhen it groweth, and much more seruiceable for any vse you shall please to imploy it. That Barley which groweth on the stiffe clayes is the best, being large, white, and full like a Buntings beake. That which growes on the mixt soyle, is the second best: and that which groweth on the sands, is the vvorst. Barley asketh the greatest tillage of all graines, because it must euer lye in a loose and gentle earth, and therefore when it hath least it ought to haue full foure earings before it be sowne, as in the fertile rich clayes, it must first be fallowed at the later end of April (for to stay till May the ground may be too drie) and this arder of fallowing must cast downe the ground, that is to say, the furrowes must be all turned downe from the ridge, and the ridge left open, so as the earth must receiue seasoning: At mid-May you shall manure it, and in Iune you shall giue it the second earing, which is called Sommer-stirring, and in this ardor you shall set vp the land, that is, you shall plow all the furrows vpward toward the ridge of the land, closing vp that which was before opened, and lapping in the manure into the earth in such wise that not any thereof be vncouered; then at August you shall giue it the third ardor or earing, vvhich is called foyling, and that is to cast the land downe againe, as you did vvhen you fallowed it, and this ardor is of all other one of the best, especially for the destroying of weeds and thistles; then in October you shall giue it the fourth ardor or earing, vvhich is called Winter-ridging, and in that ardor you shall euer set vp the land againe, as you did at the Sommer-stirring; and then in March and Aprill following, you shall sow it. Now touching the manner of sowing of these stiffe clayes, you shall first make you seedes-man cast his seed ouer the land, in such sufficient manner as you shall thinke meet: then taking the plow, and beginning in the furrow, you shall cast the land downeward ouer the seed, till you haue plowed all the land, and left onely the ridge open, then holding the plow croswise ouerthwart the ridge, you shall close the ridge, and draw the mould into it, then you shall make your seedes-man cast another cast or two of the seed vpon the ridge onely, and then harrow it with woodden toothed harrowes, and this manner of sowing is called sowing vnder furrow. Now whereas I haue shewed you in the plowing of your land, that you must first cast downe your land, then ridge it vp, then foyle it downe, and lastly, set it vp for the whole Winter following: you shall vnderstand that it is the best and most orderliest husbanding of land, breedeth the greatest plentie of mould, and couereth the manure closest, and maketh it soonest rot in the earth; yet notwithstanding for as much as Barley is a tender graine, and may by to meanes indure any cold or vvet, if you find that your lands doe lye too flat, [Page] so that the Water cannot descend from them, but either choaketh them, or keepes them too vvet, then you shall set vp your land, and not cast it downe in any ardor till you haue brought it to that conuenient height that the vvater may haue free passage from the same; and so on the contrarie part, vvhen your lands lye too high, you shall cast the furrowes downeward, vntill you haue brought them to that lownesse vvhich shall be conuenient; and vvhen you haue so done, then you shall cast them downe, and set them vp againe in such order as hath beene before mentioned. There is also another maner or sowing of barley vpon these fertile and rich grounds, vvhich is called sowing vpon the Iunames,Iunames. that is, to sow barley on the same ground from vvhence but the haruest before you reapt your Barley, and it must be done in this sort; as soone as you haue reaped your barley, vvhich is commonly in August, you shall forthwith (if the ground doe require it) manure as much as you intend to sow Barley againe vpon, and as soone as you haue manured it, immediatly (if the ground be not too hard) you shall plow it, either setting it vp, or casting it downe, as the land shall require; or if it be too hard, then you shall stay for a showre of raine, yet the drier it is plowed, the better it is both for the land and the come: the land being thus plowed, you shall let it lye till Nouember, and then you shall plow it againe, but in this earing you shall be all meanes set it vp, and not cast downe the land, and so [...]et it lye till seed-time, and then sow it vnder furrow as was before shewed. This barley vvhich groweth thus vpon the Iunames is the fairest, vvhitest, and goodliest Corne of all other, and is the onely principall Corne you can reserue for seed of all other; and therefore you must haue a great regard to the election of the barley you thus sow vpon the junames: for the sowing of Barley vpon any mixt earths, or hasell-grounds, vvhich are clayes and sands, or clayes and grauells mixt together, you shall husband the grounds in all poynts as you doe the clay-grounds, onely you shall differ in the times, for these mixt earths must be fallowed in Ianuarie, Sommer-stirred in May, foyled in August, and Winter-rigged in October: as for the sowing of them, you shall not sow them vnder furrow, but aloft, because they are of binding natures; so that after the sowing should any sodaine raine fall, and then a drinesse follow it, it would so bake the earth together, that the Corne vvould not possible be able to sprout through it; and therefore (as I before said) you shall sow it aloft, that is to say, you shall first plow it, beginning at the ridge, and setting the furrowes vpward, then cast on your seed, and lastly harrow it. Now for sowing Barley vpon sand-grounds, you shall husband it like vnto the mixt earths, onely you shall giue it an ea [...]ing more, that is to say, a double foyling, and you shall forbeare to sow it till it be about Whitsontide, for the heat of the sand is so great, that it vvill make the Corne verie swift in growth, and ripen verie sodainely. Barley, in vvhat soyle soeuer it is sowne, must be exceeding vvell sleighted, clotted, stoned, and vveeded, for it is so verie tender in the growth, that the smallest clot or stone will keepe it backe, and the least vveed vvill choake it. BarleyBarley. is of most pretious estimation vvith all those vvhich know the true vse thereof, especially for the making of mault, of vvhich is made Ale or Beere, drinkes so vvholesome and excellent for mans bodie, that no nation vvhich doth enjoy it, hath any blessing to preferre before it: as touching the order of making of malt,Malt. it is in this sort, first after your barley hath beene cleane vvinowed and drest, you shall put it into a cesterne or fat made for the purpose, and there sleepe it in vvater the space of three nights, then draine the vvater from it cleane, and so let it lye in the fat one night more, then take it forth of the fat, and lay it vpon a floore made either of boards, plaster, or earth: the earth floore is vvarmest, and best for Winter, the plaster floore is coldest and best for Sommer, and the boarded floore is betweene both: as soone as you haue laied it on the floo [...], you shall make it into a great big coutch or heape a yard thicke or better; vvhich coutch you shall make either long, round, or square at your pleasure, and according to the quantitie of your corne, it shall thus lye in the coutch till you see it begin to sprout and put forth little white jags or strings vvhich is called the coming of the mal [...], and them you shall reane and turn it, bringing that vvhich was the out-side into the midst. [Page] and that which vvas in the middest vnto the our-side, that so it may come all alike, for that which is in the middest, and lieth warmest, vvill euer come the first. Now so soone as you see it is all comed, you shall forthwith spread open your coutch vpon the floore, laying it not aboue a handfull deepe at the most, that so the corne may coole, and not sprout or come any further, not forgetting but euerie day the space of three vveekes, or vvithin three dayes of three weekes at the least, to turne the malt vpon the floore twice or thrice a day, least forbearing so to doe, the corne heat, and by that meanes aker-spire, vvhich is, to sprout at both ends, and so loose the heart of the graine, and make the malt good for nothing. When you haue thus giuen it full ( [...]at and floore) three weekes, then you shall lay it on a vvell-bedded k [...]lne vpon a good haire cloth, and there with a gentle fire drie it: the best fewell to make this [...]ire on, is straw, either Wheat, Rie, or Barley. Braken or Ferne is good also, go [...]sse is too sharpe, and vvood is the vvorst of all, for it leaueth (through the sharpenes [...]e of the smoake) an ill taste or sauour vpon the malt, yet here in France there be kilnes made of Bricke, vvith such furnaces that carrie away the smoake, that you may burne what fewell you please vvithout annoyance, neither are they so dangerous for the casualtie of fire, as the [...]ther plaine kilnes in England and other places are. After your malt is vvell dried, you shall with your hands rubbe it well vpon the kilne, to get off the come or sproutings vvhich before the drying did sticke vnto it; for it is a generall rule, that the cleaner your malt is from come, and the snugger and smoother it lookes like Barley (prouided it be well malted) the better it is, and euermore the more marketable: for the come is of this nature, to drinke vp the liquor in vvhich your malt is mashed, vvhen you make Beare or Ale, and so by that meanes to scant you much of your proportion. When your malt hath beene well rubbed, and is reasosonable cleane, then you shall shouell both the malt and the corne together, and so put them together into a close garner made for the purpose, vvhere you shall let it lye at least a moneth or six weekes before you vse it to ripen in the come, for that makes euer the best yeelding malt: then when you please to vse it, you shall either winow it, or trie it through a skreene made of wiers for the purpose, and then grind it, and brew it as occasion shall serue. Now touching the choyce of the best malt, you shal euer take that which is made of best and cleanest corne without weed-seeds, [...]are, or like filthinesse; yet if it haue here and there an oat it is the better, and not the worse: it shall to your eye appeare bright, white, full, and cleane without come, in smell it shal be pleasant and sweet, and not sharpe of the smoake, in handling it shal be brittle and apt to breake, and the kernell shall be white and meallie, and in taste it shall be strong, and exceeding sweet, and the graines which you shall champe in your mouth, if you take them forth, and presse them betweene your fingers, they shall yeeld you a white juice like milke, but thicke and luscious: but if in the biting or breaking they be hard and vnapt to bruise, then it is a signe that there is in it much barley vnmalted, and so the malt of a great deale the lesse profit. Barley as it is thus most excellent for the making of drinke, so it is good also for bread, but not of the French maner, which maketh bread thereof simple of it selfe, for indeed that bread of all other is least nourishing, and most vnsauourie: but to mix it with any other graine, as with wheat, rye, pease, or beans, with any one or with all of them, it maketh verie good & most wholesome bread: it is vsed in England most for hind-seruants, adding to a bushel of it, and a bushell of pease, one pecke of wheat, and another of rie, and then laying it in strong l [...]uen, and scalding the meale well, to take away the strong smell of the pease, and sure this is a verie strong and well-relished bread, and most wholesome for any man that shall labour hard, as is found by experience in England and other places. This barley being boyled in water till it breake, and so giuen to eat whilest it is sweet, is the best food that can be for the feeding or fatting of swine of all sorts, whether they be brawnes, or porkets, or bacon-hogges: it also farteth a horse verie sodainely, but such fat will not indure labour: the light corne, or hinder ends of barley, are excellent for the seeding of all sorts of poultrie, as capons, hennes, turkies, geeese, or what else strayeth about the Farmers yard or house: a leuen made of cleane barley-meale, [Page] and milke is the best food that can be for the cramming of all sorts of poultrie; many other vertues are in Barley, but none of greater vse than these alreadie rehearsed.

OatsOats. notwithstanding that they grow amongst Wheat and Barley without being sowne, as an euill and vnprofitable thing, notwithstanding for the profit comming of them for the feeding of great cattell, as also of men in the time of necessitie, they deserue a proper and conuement kind of husbanding. They loue to be sowne in leane places, which are drie, well aired, and haue beene alreared twice eared, and that in Februarie, or March, but not later: they craue vvatering, and then they grow both fairer, and fuller set. They must be gathered presently after that Rie and Barley are in.

Although Oats be not vsed to make bread of, except it be in the time of great dearth, notwithstanding some doe beat them in a morter, and doe make a meale thereof called Oat-meale,Oat-meale. vvhich is boyled either alone, or else with flesh, to vse in manner of a panade. Physitians are of judgement that Oat-meale so made doth feed verie vvell, and is good against the grauellGrauell. and difficultie of vrine: for the truth vvhereof, I referre you to the Britaines and Ange [...]ines, which vse it for the same effects. When it is boyled all alone, for the making of it the more pleasant, there is woont to be put vnto it cowes-milke, goats-milke, or the juice of sweet almonds with sugar. The Flemmings vse to make pap-meat thereof, which they loue exceeding vvell.Water distilled of Oats. The Muscouites distill the water of oats, and vse it for want of wine, and such water heateth and maketh drunke no lesse than Wine.

Thus much of the French opinion of Oats, vvho are indeed but halfe knowing, or not so much, in the excellencie of the graine; but to come to their knowledge who haue the full proofe and triall thereof, you shall vnderstand that it is a graine of no lesse worth and estimation than any of the other, and questionlesse may much lesse be banished a Common-wealth than of the other, in as much as where none of the other will grow, there this will; you shall then know, that Oats will grow in any soyle whatsoeuer, as either in fertile or barren, hot or cold, drie or moist, nor doth it aske much labour: for in fertile soiles it wil grow with one earing, as namely at seed-time, which is euer about the end of March, or beginning of Aprill: it will grow also after any other graine, as after wheate, rye, barley, or pulse, but it is best sowing it after barley or pulse, because to sow it after Wheat or Rie would pill the ground too much, and make it barren too soone: In barren grounds it will grow with two arders, or three at the most, as one at Midsommer, another at Michaelmas, and the third at seed-time, or else at Michaelmas, and at seed-time onely: it must be sowne vnder furrow, like barley in loose moulds, and after two or three arders: but aboue furrow, in fast earths; and where it hath but one arder onely, it must be well harrowed, according to the strength of the mould, that is to say, with wooden-teeth in loose moulds, and vvith yron teeth in fast moulds: they must be cropt as soone as they turne colour, and appeare a little yellow, for else they vvill shed their graine, as being the loosest corne of all other.

These Oats are of diuers most excellent vses both for men and also for cattell, as first for Oatmeale which is made in this sort; as soone as your Oats haue beene thresht and vvynowed, you shall lay them on your kilne, and vvith a soft fire drie them verie vvell, and then carrie them to the milne, either the Wind-mill, the Water-mill, or the Horse-mill, and there let the Miller cut them, and hull them, but by no meanes crush them to fine meale, but onely driue the cleane kernell from the courser hull; then vvith a fanne or a gentle vvind vvinnow the emptie hulls from the Corne, and if so be that you find they be not all cleane hulled, then passe them through the mill againe, and then vvynow them againe, and thus doe till the nulls be cleane taken off; vvhich hulls are a verie good prouander for horses: as for the Groats, vvhich is vsually called common or course Oat-meale, they are excellent to make porridge of all kinds, and for puddings of all sorts, or for any other pap-meat or panada whatsoeuer: it is also an excellent food at Sea, being boyled in Water, or otherwise vsed after the manner of grauell. This oat-meale being ground [Page] into [...]ine meale like other corne, maketh diuers kinds of verie good bread, chiefely where other corne is not to be had. If you mixe the fine meale of Oates with Wheat meale, it maketh verie daintie Oat-cakes, either thicke or thinne, and is of great estimation where they are knowne. These Oates being maulted, as you mault Barley, make a verie good mault, and that mault both verie good Ale and Beere, only a little more sharpe than that which is made of Barley. Lastly, those Oates are of all other foods the best that may be for the feeding of horse, or fatting of cattell: they are also good to seed all sorts of Pulleine, especially Geese, Swannes, and all manner of water-fowle, which take much pleasure therein.

Millet.

MIllet (as those know verie well which dwell in the Countrey Bearne, Bigorre, and Armignac) after that it hath beene steeped some certaine time in water, would be sowne, either morning or euening, in the coole thereof, in light and small moulded ground: and it groweth not only in grauelly ground, but also in sand, when the country it wet and moist: but in anie case it would not be sowne in drie grounds, and such as consist of Fullers earth, or are marly, neither must it be sowne before the Spring, for it requireth heat: wherefore it may conueniently be sowne in the end of the moneth of March, or else somewhat later, that so it may enioy the benefit of the dew a long time. It putteth not the husbandman to anie great charges, for a little seed will sowe a great deale of ground. So soone as it is sowne, it must be pressed downe with a hurdle of Wickers well laden, to keepe it from the heat of the Sunne, in the springing vp thereof: for otherwise the seed would grow vp and drie away, through the veh [...]mencie and heat of the Sunne-beames. Notwithstanding, it would be oft and verie well weeded, for the [...]ooting vp of all manner of ill weedes, especially the blacke Millet. So soone as it may be spied peeping forth of the earth, and before that by the operation of the Sunne the corne doe shew, it must be pluckt vp by the hand, and be laid in the Sunne afterward to drie; and lastly, shut vp in some place where it may be kept: and being thus ordered, it lasteth longer than anie other manner of corne. Millet doth good vnto the fields wherein it is gathered, in this respect; namely, that wormes will not hurt the corne that shall be sowne there presently after anie whit at all, seeing they will leaue the graine that is sowne, and cleaue to the straw of the Millet.

In the time of dearth they vse to make bread of Millet, but vnpleasant ynough, especially when it is setled: and the inhabitants of Gasco [...]gne and Campaigne doe vse a pappe-meat made of Millet with milke, and that not of the pleasantest taste: as well the bread as the pappe-meat, made of Millet, is of small nourishment: besides that, they make obstructions; and that, because Millet is cold in the first degree, and drie in the third. Millet fried with salt, and flowers of Camomill, and put into a bag, doth serue against the paines of the collick and wringings of the bellie. To keepe Purgatiues, as Rubarb, Agarick, yea and flesh also, from rottennesse and corruption, it is good to burie them in Millet.

Sesame.

SEsame would be sowne in a blacke ground that is somewhat rotten and moist. It groweth also in sandie and fat grauellie grounds, or in mingled grounds, and it is verie fruitfull, euen no les [...]e than Millet or Pannicke. It is true, that the good householder needeth not trouble his braine much with the sowing of it, seeing it is apt to make the ground altogether barren, and yet is good for nothing except the oyle that is pressed out of it, and the cakes which liquorish women vse to make of the meale.Oyle and cakes of Sesame. It must not be sowne but in the midst of Summer, whiles the times continue drie, and that there is no raine looked for of a long time; for the raine doth hurt it after it is sowne, cleane contrarie to other plants, which (all of them) reioice in raine after they [Page] are sowne. The oyle which is pressed out of the seed of Sesame, doth neuer freeze, and is the lightest of all other Oyles, and yet being mixt with Wine or Aqua-vitae, sinketh to the bottome. There is no account to be made of this graine for nourishment, because it is giuen to ouercome the stomacke, and is hardly digested, as is all oylie matter.

Lentils.

LEntils must be sowne at two times, in Autumne, and most commonly, especially in France and cold Countries, in the Spring time, whiles the Moone encreaseth, vnto the twelfth thereof, and either in a small or little mould, or in a fat and fertile ground: for when they be in flower, they destroy and spoyle themselues through too much moisture, or by putting too farre out of the earth. And to the end they may grow the more speedily and the greater, they must be mixt with drie dung before they be sowne, and foure or fiue daies after that they haue beene so laid to rest in this dung, to sowe them. They will keepe long, and continue, if they be mingled with ashes: or if they be put in pots wherein oyle and preserues haue beene kept: or and if they be sprinkled with vineger mixt with Beniouin.

Lentils (howsoeuer auncient Philosophers had them in estimation) are of hard digestion, hurtfull to the stomacke, filling the guts full of wind, darkening the sight, and causing fearefull dreames: and withall, are nothing good, if they be not boyled with flesh, or fried with oyle.

Fasels.

FAsels grow in stubbly grounds, or rather a great deale better in fat grounds, which are tilled and sowne euerie yeare: and they are to be sowne betwixt the tenth of October, and the first of Nouember; or else in March, as other pul [...]e, after that the ground hath beene eared about the eleuenth of Nouember. They must be sowne after that they haue beene steept in water, for to make them grow the mose easily, and that at large when they are sowne, and alwaies as they ripen to gather them. They make far grounds where they be sowne: they are accustomed to beare much fruit: they keepe a long time: they swell and grow greater in boyling, and are of a good pleasant tast vnto all m [...]ns mouthes. It is true, that they are windie, and hard to digest: but yet notwithstanding, they are apt to prouoke vnto venerie, if after they be boyled, they be powdred ouer with Pepper, Galanga, and Sugar: and yet more specially, if they be boyled in fat milke vntill they burst. If you mind to take away their windinesse, eat them with Mustard or Caraway seed. If you haue beene bitten of a Horse, take Fasels, chew them, and apply them so chewed vnto the greene wound. Young gentlewomen, that striue to be beautifull, may distill a water of Fasels that is singular good for the same end and purpose.

Lupines.

LVpines craue no great husbandrie, are good cheape, and doe more good to the ground than anie other seed: for when as Vineyards and arable grounds are become leane, they stand in stead of verie good manure vnto them. Likewise, for want of dung they may be sowne in grounds that stand in need to be dunged, if after they haue put forth their flowers the second time, they be plowed vnder the ground: they grow well in a leane ground, and such as is tyred and worne out with sowing: and they may be sowne in anie ground, especially in stubbly grounds, such as are not tilled: for in what sort soeuer they be sowne, they will abide the roughnesse of the ground, and negligence of the husbandman: neither doe they craue anie weeding, as well in respect of their root, which is single, as also for that if it were hurt, they would die presently, and because also that it should bee but labour [Page] lost: for they are so farre off from being infected and wronged with weeds, that they euen kill them, and cause them to die. And this is the cause why manie sowe them in the middest of Vineyards, to the end they may draw vnto them all the bitternesse of the Vineyard, as being the qualitie most familiar vnto them, and with which they best agree. Notwithstanding they may not be sowne deepe: for when they flower, they are made no account of. Of all other kinds of Pulse they only stand not in need to be laid vp in Garners, but rather vpon some floore, where the smoake may com [...] vnto them: for if moisture take them, they will grow full of wormes, which eate vp that which should make them sprout, and that which is remaining, can doe no good: they must be gathered after raine, for if it should be drie weather, they would fall out of their cods, and be lost.

Lupines are good to feed Oxen in Winter,Wherefore Lupines are good. but they must be steept in salted and riuer water, and afterward boyled: they serue also for to feed men, to make bread thereof, when it is a time of dearth of other corne. Some doe note this speciall propertie in them, which is, that they turne about euerie day with the Sunne: insomuch, as that by them workmen are taught the time of the day, though it be not cleare and Sunne-shine.

Lupines stampt and laid vpon the nauell,Wormes in little children. do [...] kill wormes in little children: the decoction thereof doth prouoke the termes of women, and taketh away the obstructions of the sight, by reason whereof, manie doe wish them to be taken of young maidens and women which haue pale colours. Their meale is singular good in ca [...]aplasmes to resolue the swelling of the Kings euill, and other hard tumours, as well boyled in honey and vineger, as in honey and water: and likewise for the Scia [...]ica.

Beanes.

BEanes must be sowne in a fat soile, or else a ground that is well manured, and eared with two earings: and although it be in stubbly grounds, and seated in low bottomes, vvhither all the fat and substance of the higher parts doth descend; notwithstanding the earth must be [...]li [...]ed and cut small, and the clods broken before they be sowne: for albeit that amongst all the other sorts of pulse there be not any that doe so little vvaste and the strength and juice of the earth; notwithstanding they desire to be vvell and deepe couered vvithin the earth: they must be diligently vveeded, at such time as they peepe out of the earth, for so the fruit vvill be much more, and their coddes farre the tenderer. They may be sowne at two times of the yeare, in Autumne vvhere it is a strong ground, and the beanes be great; and in the Spring, especially in this Countrie, in a vveake and light ground, the beanes being but small, and of the common size: those vvhich are sowne in Autumne are more worth than the other, so that the hindes let not to say, That they had rather eat the huskes or stalkes of beanes sowne in due time, than the beanes themselues of three moneths old, because they yeeld more fruit, and haue a greater and better stored graine. But at what time soeuer you sowe them, you must haue speciall regard to sowe them all about the fifteenth day after the change of the Moone, because that in so doing, th [...]y will be the be [...]ter loaden, and because they will not be so much assailed of little vermine, as and if the Moone were new. The day before they be sowne, you must steepe them in the lees of Oliues, or in water of Nitre, to the end that they may beare the more fruit, be more easie to boyle, and not to be subiect to be eaten of Weeuils or Larkes. They must likewise reape and pull them vp in the new of the Moone, before day, and after leaue them in the ayre to drie, and thresh them out before the full Moone, and afterward carrie them into the Garner, for being thus ordered, vermine will not breed in them. Againe, they proue more profitable, being planted, than sowne, in a good ground, that is well dressed, tilled, fatted, and manured: vvhich said ground, if it be sowne the yeare following with Wheat, will yeeld a more copious and plentifull haruest, in as much as Beanes doe fatten a ground more than anie [Page] other kind of Pulse. If you would keep them long, you must sprinkle them with salt water: but if you meane to boile them, you must bee sure to keep the salt from them, because salt-water doth harden them: they must not be left in the cold aire, for the cold also doth make them the harder to boile. To keepe them from being euen of wormes, they must bee annointed or rubd ouer with oile-oliue, one after another, vntill such time as they be well liquored with this oile. The flowers of Beanes, notwithstanding that they be of a pleasant and delightsome smell, doe hurt a weake braine,The cause why there are manie fooles, when Beanes flower. and such a one as is easily carried away and ouercome. And hereupon it commeth to passe, that there are a great number of fooles, when Beanes are in flower.

Thus much for the French experience of Beanes, which doth indeed more concerne the Garden-Beane, than those which are continually in vse amongst Husbandmen. Therefore to come to the profit and true knowledge of the husbanding of Beanes, you shall vnderstand, that they are onely to be sowne in a rich stiffe ground that is verie fertile, as namely the black or blew clay, for in other earths they [...]oy but a little: and they will grow with one ea [...]ing onely, which would be done at the beginning of Ianuarie vpon such earth as hath borne Barly before, or else vpon greeneswarth, which hath not been plowed long before: it must be plowed deep, and haue a great furrow turned vp: then you shall let it lye, till it haue taken frost and raine: then vpon the next faire season, being about or soone after S. Valentines day, you shall sowe it and harrow it. As for the weeding of Beanes, it is to no purpose; for they are of themselues so swift of growth, that they will out-grow all weedes. And if they haue anie Pease mixt amongst them (which should euer be, for it is the surest seed) they will smother vp and destroy all sorts of weedes. They are, because of their vpright growing, better to be mowne with sythes, than cut to reapt with hookes: they aske little withering; for so soone as the cod turnes blacke, the stalke dryes. The vse of them is principally for prouander for Horses, or to mixe with Barley, Wheat, or Rie, to make bread for hind-seruants, or for hunting or running Horses: but then commonly they are vsed simply of themselues, or else mixt with Wheat onely: for the mixture of Barley or Rie is not good for Horses of that nature, except for some cause physicall, as to keepe them soluble in their bodies, and so forth. The Garden-Beane is good for men to eat, being boyled and mixt with butter, vineger, and pepper; or for want of butter, with oyle-Oliue. The cods also are a verie good food, being boyled whilest they are greene and tender. Lastly, the water which is distilled from the flowers of Beanes, is good to take away the morphew or spots in men or womens faces.

Small Peason.

SMall Pease are no lesse profitable for the fatting of ground that is leane, than Lupines. It is true that if you looke to haue good store of them, and well-codded, you must sowe them in fat and warme grounds, and in a temperate and moist time, as in Februarie or March, and sometime in September, in the increase of the Moone: and yet it is hard for them to endure and hold out the Winters cold, for they alwaies desire the full fruition of the Sunne, and doe grow a great deale the fairer, when they doe enioy it accordingly, and when also they are borne vp to that end on stickes, rather than let fall flat to the ground, to creepe vpon it: they must be sowne thinne, because their stalkes doe spread themselues further than anie one other kind of pulse. They are verie subiect to be eaten within of Wormes: and yet those which are so eaten of Wormes, are better to sowe than the other which are whole and sound: For this cause, if you will preuent the Wormes that they may not hurt and hinder your corne, sowe Peason first in the place. It is true, that for the better growth and prospering of them, the thicke and grosse seed is most conuenient to be sowne, especially if it be laid in water to steepe therein a night, because thereby they grow the more easily, and lose some part of their saltnesse, in being steept, by which meanes [Page] they recouer their naturall verdure againe. They must be gathered in the decrease of the Moone, presently vpon their being ripe, for else they drie vp, and fall out of their swads. The earth wherein they are sowne, standeth in need but of one earing.

Cich Peason.

CIch Peason doe likewise grow in fat and moist places: they must be sowne in a rainie time: they doe greatly load and burthen the earth, and for that cause are neglected of the wiser sort of husbandmen. Notwithstanding, if you will sowe them, you must steepe them in warme water a day before, that so they may grow and put forth of the earth the sooner and greater. Some to haue them grow the fairer, doe steepe them and their cods in nitrous water. To keepe them that passengers and other folke may not gather them to eate when they are ripe, you must water them fiue mornings together before the Sunne rise with water wherein haue beene steeped the seedes of wild Cucumber and Wormewood, and the dew within fiue daies after will haue taken away all the bitternesse thereof. Such practises are likewise good for to be vsed about small Peason and Beanes. The vse of them is good for such as are slow to performe the act of carnall copulation, and especially to carrie away grauell, and to breake the stone, as also for such as haue weake lungs and low and weake voices. They are also good against melancholie, and doe cut off troublesome thoughts and cogitations, and put in place thereof iollie conceits and merrie moodes: and then they being laid forth in the Moone-shine when it is in the encrease, and before the Sunne rise, they must be sprinkled with oyle-Oliue, afterward steeped in warme water, to soften them, and lastly, boyled for to be eaten. The way to vse them, is rather to suppe vp their broth, made with the rootes of Parsley, than to eare the Peason.

Small Cich Peason.

SMall Cich Pease, called of the Latines Cicercula, must be sowne in fat places, and in a moist time, as in Ianuarie or Februarie: they doe lesse harme to a field than anie other pulse: but for the most part they neuer come to profit: for when they are in flower, they cannot abide drowth, nor anie strong Southerne windes, at such time as they leaue flowring.

Great wild Tare, and bitter Fetch.

THe great wild Tare and bitter Fetch doe desire leane places, and such as ar [...] not moist: for sometimes by putting forth too freely, and growing too much, they ouerthrow themselues. They may be sowne in Autumne, or in the end of Ianuarie, and all the moneth of Februarie, but not in March, because if it should be sowne in this moneth, it would hurt the Cattell, especially Oxen, troubling them in their braines.

Fetches.

THere are two seed-times for Fetches: the first, when they are sowne for to feed cattell, and it is about the fifteenth day of September: the second, in Februarie, or March, and this is for to make bread of for to eat, being mixt with other corne: both of them may be sowne in vntilled grounds, but it is better when they are sowne in grounds that haue had their three earings. This seed loueth not the dew, and therefore it must be sowne two or three houres after Sunne-rise, when all the moisture thereof is spent and consumed, either by the wind, or by the Sunne: and it must not alone be sowne, but it must also be couered the verie same day, because that [Page] if the night should come vpon it, and wet it but a little before it were couered, it would quickly become corrupt and putrified. The ground wherein it is sowne, needeth not anie more than one earing, and when it is sowne, it needeth no weeding. In anie case it must not be sowne before the fifteenth day of the Moone, for otherwise the Snailes will annoy it. In like manner it must not be sowne neere vnto anie Vine or Orchard, or anie place where there are trees growing, because it draweth vnto it the iuice of such plants as be neere it: and yet the Fetch doth not make the ground leane, but rather fat: and that it is so, appeareth; because that so soone as the Fetch is taken away out of the fields, there may Peason, Millet, or anie other sort of Pulse be sowne.

Panick.

HE that would sow Panick, must make choice of a light, grauellie, sandie, or stonie ground, and such a one as is situate amongst hills, and on the tops of hills, and yet whereas there is no little resort of water, for that it being hot by nature, groweth and putteth forth more easily than Millet. It must be sowne in Summer: and it groweth so speedily, as that it may be mowen within fortie daies after that it is sowne. The inhabitants of Gascoigne make bread thereof, but it is verie vnpleasant, because it is verie short and apt to c [...]umble away, euen like ashes or sand. The Perigordians frie it with butter, or oyle: others eate it with milke, or meat-broth.

Fenugreeke, Cummin, and Mustard-seed.

FOr the sowing of Fenugreeke, you must make choice of such ground as you would for the Fetch, which you must not cut the second time, seeing the first, if it be done thicke and small, and not deepe, will serue: for if the graine should be couered aboue foure fingers, it would not be able to sprout and spring vp, and therefore the plough and harrow both must goe but lightly ouer it. The meale of Fenugreeke, with Brimstone and Nitre, doth take away the freckles of the face. If you mingle it with a fourth part of the seedes of Cresses in vineger, it will proue a singular remedie for the falling of the haire called Tinea. If you boile it in honied water, putting thereto some Swines grease, it will resolue the swelling of the testicles, hands, feet, and vnder the eares, and is profitable against the wrenches of ioints. The decoction thereof drunke oftentimes, doth infinite good to such as haue beene troubled with an old cough, and likewise for the vlcers of the breast: for the distillations and rhewmes falling vpon the eyes, you must wet clothes in the decoction of this seed, and apply them vnto the browes. And as for Cummin and Mustard-seed, wee haue spoken of them in the second Booke.

Medick fodder, or Snaile-clauer.

THere is not either anie Pulse or other feeding which is more agreeable or more precious for the feeding of beasts, than Snaile-clauer, called in French Sainct foin, for that it may seeme to spring out of the earth, and as it were of a more speciall fauour from God, not onely for the nourishing and fatting of heards of cattell, but also to serue for Physicke, for beasts that are sicke, and in that respect it is called of the Latines Medica. Some call it Burgundie hay, because the Burgundians [...] beene alwaies verie carefull for the sowing and tilling of this hearbe. The inhabitants of Picardie call it Foinasse, and manie haue giuen it the name of great Trefoile. Howsoeuer the name goe, the benefit of this gras [...]e is so great, as that euerie casefull husbandman ought continually to reserue the better part of his grounds, to bee sowne therewith. Make choice therefore of the sowing and growing of great store of this gras [...]e, of an euen ground that is verie cleane and fat, easie to be plowed, and [Page] which hath had three earings before it was sowne, as also which hath beene well dunged, well harrowed, and digged and delued rather in the decrease of the Moone, than plowed with the plough, beginning the worke in Iune, afterward in August, October, December, and Februarie, to the end that the weedes that are in the ground may bee sufficiently killed, as well by the heate of Summer, at the cold of Winter. After that you haue made the ground well pleasing, and fit by such industrie, beginne to sow it in the end of Aprill, during the new of the Moone, and toward the latter end of the day; for being watered by the dew of the night, it will spring more speedily and easily out of the earth, than and if it were sowne in the heat of the day, because it would be burst continually, and would come but to small effect and profit. You must not bee niggardly in sowing of it: for by how much the more seed you sow, by so much the more thicke will the grasse grow; neither will there grow any other grasse there; and so there will also the more profit grow and rise thereupon to the good house-holder. So soone as it is sowne, you must harrow it euerie manner of way, as long-waies, broad-waies, and ouer-thwart, with harrowe [...] or rakes of wood set thicke with teeth, but not of yron, because it is an vtter enemie to yron: afterward you must water it gently for the first time; for and if you should water it forcibly, and with aboundant store of water, you should driue the seed all to one side of the field, and yet you must not water it after September vnto the end of Aprill. It will be good to cut it downe with a [...] fiue or sixe times the first yeare, and so proportionably the yeares following; for it endureth ten yeares, yea thirty as Pliny sayeth, without standing in neede of being sowne againe. The fit time to cut it downe is May, Iune, Iuly, and August, and the new of the Moone: in the meane time you shall not let it lye vpon heapes any longer than a day in the meadowes, for if it should stay there any long time, it would raise such a hear, as that it vvould smother and kill whatsoeuer were vnder it, to the keeping of it for euer growing againe: wherefore it will be good to carrie it elsewhere, and to drie it assoone as possibly may bee, stirring it euerie day, from day to day. Againe, you must not let the cattell feede neere vnto this grasse, in as much as not their tooth onely, but their verie breathing on it also is very noysome vnto it, and that so greatly, as that it afterward becommeth either barren, or else dieth presently: it must not bee giuen greene for cattell to eate, least it make them sicke by reason of the moisture and heat that is therein: it must stay till it be drie before you giue it them to eate, and then also but in small quantitie; for that this grasse begetteth in them such store of blo [...]d, as that of the much eating thereof, they would be strangled therewith. The good husbandman must be carefull to gather and reserue seed of this snaile clauer, to sow the same vvhen it shall bee requisite: it must not bee gathered the first yeare that it beareth, by reason of his weakenesse; but in all the other following, and that in the moneths of Iune and Iuly, so soone as the huskes wherein the seede is contained shall appeare drie, and the seeds themselues be turned yellow.

Mixt prouander.

MIxt prouander must be sowne in fat and well manured places, and such as haue beene twice eared: it will be verie good if it be sowne with pilde barley, sometimes it consisteth of barley, oats, fetches, and fenugreeke, vvhich are let grow hand ouer head, and are cut afterward either greene or ripe, to make fodder of for cattell in Winter.

Rice.

IF you will sow rice you may doe it: but it is like to proue rather a worke of curiositie than of profit; for rice is a commoditie properly belonging and growing amongst the Indians, from whence also it is brought hither vnto vs in France. Therefore for the sowing of rice either white or red, chuse out some place that is verie [Page] moist, and in case you haue no such amongst your arable ground, then chuse out some field that is leane, foule, and nothing well clensed, or some other which is light and weake, but yet euen, and through which you may conuey some little brooke, or gutter of water. Eare the ground thrice, where you meane to sow your rice, and when you haue thus plowed it ouer thrice, sow your rice therein, which you must first steepe for one whole day in water: so soone as you haue sowne it, draw your littlebrooke along through it, and there suffer it to continue fiue whole moneths the depth of two singers: and when as you perceiue the blade to begin to shoot forth his eare (knowing that it also flowreth and seedeth at the same instant) then double the quantitie of water to keepe the fruit from blasting or spoyling otherwise. If you order it thus, you shall not onely reape great quantitie of rice, but you may also sow it three yeres together one after another, without giuing any rest at all to the ground, and yet the last yeare will bee no lesse fruitfull than the former: yea, which is more, you shall make the field more fat, frolicke, in better plight, and cleaner from weedes, and cleaner from noysome beasts than it was before: yea, and furth [...]r than this, you may sow therein for three yeares more, one kind of graine or other, wh [...] ther wheat, or meslin, whereof you shall not repent you in the time of haruest, you shall find it to faire and profitable. There is one inconuenience in rice, which is, that it causeth an ill aire by reason of the aboundance of water which it craueth for the space of fiue whole moneths: but to recompence the same withall, it proueth verie profitable for food and sustenance; for thereof is made pottage, and thereof also is bread made, either with rie or mille [...], or all three together, It is true, that it is much giuen to make obstructions, and it restraineth fluxes as mightily: and this is the cause why such as haue great loosenesse in their bodies do vse it oftentimes, especially, if it be parched and boild in cowes milke, wherein many little [...] of the riuer haue bin quenched: if you boyle it in milke, adding therto sugar and [...], it will prouoke vnto venerie. Many do thinke that it maketh fat; but seeing that (according to the Physitians) it is not digested in the stomach but verie hardly, it must needs nourish but a little, and then how can it possibly make one fat? indeed it may be said rather to puffe vp than to make fat.

Hempe.

HEmpe must be sowne in fat and well dunged grounds, and watered with some little brooke, or else in fl [...]t and moist countries, where much labour and ploughing hath beene bestowed: for the fatter the ground is, the thicker will the barke or pilling be. It must be sowne in March, and gathered when the seed is ripe, and afterward dried either in the Sunne, Wind, or Smoake, and then laid in water for to bee watered, that so the pilling may the more easily depurt from the stalkes, afterward to be vsed in making of ropes and cloth, a labour and trauaile well beseeming and fit for women.

This is the opinion of the French, but not the generall opinion of the better experienced: for, the rich ground which is spoken of here to sow hempe in, must not bee taken for the rich stiffe blacke clay, or for any clay at all: for although they will beare hempe; yet they put forth so much bunne, and so little pilling, that indeed the hempe that groweth therein is good for nothing: therefore the best ground to sow hempe on, is the richest of all mixt earths, whose mould is driest, loosest, blackest, and quickliest ripe, with little earing, as namely with two ardors at the most, which vvould be in October the first, and the last in March, which is the best and most conuenient time for sowing. Hempe must bee exceedingly well harrowed and clotted, and the mould must bee made as small as dust; for the seed is verie tender at the first sprouting: but being once gotten aboue the earth, it ou [...] groweth all other weeds whatsoeuer; and out of its owne nature, it doth choake and destroy them: whence it comes, that hempe neuer needeth any weeding: it must bee diligently and carefully kept and tended (after the first [...] [Page] appeare aboue the earth) from birds, for the seede is so sweet and so much desired of all small birds, that without great and diligent care they will not leaue you any in the earth. Now for the best time of gathering your hempe, it is acording to the common custome of house-wiues, about Saint Margarets day, being towards the latter end of Iuly: But more particularly, you shall vnderstand that it is best pulling your hempe for the pill as soone as it doth begin to turne yellowish, and the leaues to hang downeward looking vnto the earth: but if for seed, then not before the seed looke blacke, and bee readie to shed: hempe must euer bee pulled vp by the rootes, and first spr [...]ad thinne vpon the earth, then afterwards bound vp in bundles, which they do call bayts, then it must bee c [...]rryed to the water to ripen, of which water the running streame is the best, and the standing pond is the worst: yet it must bee done with great heed; for hempe is very poysonous, and it doth not onely infect the waters, but it doth also poyson much fish: Hempe must lye three dayes and three nights couered in the water; then it must bee cleane washt out of the water, and afterwards brought home and dried either in the Sunne or vpon the kilne. There bee some house-wiues, which (either for sloath, or for want of a conuenient place to water in) doe ripen their hempe vpon the ground, by suffering it to lye at the least fifteene nights vpon the s [...]me, taking the dewes which do fall Morning and Euening, and other raine by which it ripeneth; prouided that it bee turned euerie day once: but this manner of ripening is not good; for besides that it is vnkindly, and doth oftentimes cause the hempe to bee rotten, it also maketh the hempe to be very blacke and foule; so that it doth neuer make white cloth. After the ripening and drying of your hempe, you shall brake it in brakes which are made of wood for the same purpose, and this labour would euer as neere as you can bee done in the Sunne-shine: after the braking of hempe, you shall swingle it, then beate it, then heckle it: and if you intend to haue verie fine cloth of it, you shall after the first heckling, beate it againe, and then heckle it through a finer heckle, then spinne it, after warpe it, and lastly weaue it. Thus much for the hempe which is vsed for to make cloth withall: but for such as shall bee preserued for cordage, or the roper, you shall onely after the ripening pill it, and then either sell or imploy it.

Hempe seed is verie good to make hennes lay many egges,The seed of hempe. To make hens lay egs. and that in the depth of Winter, and greatest coldnes of the same. Many doe burne the thickest rootes of the male hempe, and of the same so burnt and made into powder, do make gunne-powder. The iuice or decoction of the greene herbe being strongly strained, and powred in some place where there are earthwormes, doth cause them to come forth by and by: likewise being dropt into the eares, it causeth the worms or other beastes which shall bee gotten in thither to come out presently, and this wee haue learned of fishermen, which by this wile doe take wormes to serue them for their hookes. Hempe seede must neither bee eaten nor drunke, because it sendeth vp many fumes vnto the braine, which will cause the same to ake▪ and therefore women do greatly transgresse the rules of Physicke, which giue this bruised seed in drinke, to such as are troubled with the falling sicknes or head-ach. This is a thing to be wondred at in hempe, that seeing there are two sorts of it, the male and the female, yet the female beareth not the seed, but the male.

Line.

LIne must not bee sowne in any ground, but where there riseth great profit; and this followeth and is caused by reason of the seede which impaireth all sorts of grounds verie much, and for that cause it must bee sowne in a verie fat ground, and such a one also as it reasonably moist. In any case the ground where line-seed is sowne, must bee curiously handled and clensed, and with manifold earings plowed and turned ouer so oft and so long, as that it become like dust: and furthermore the good hus-wife must be carefull when the line is growne, to free it from being [...] [Page] with the weed vsing to wind about it, and which of some is called [...], and that not once but oft: to the end that in gathering the seed, in beating it with beetles, heckling and spinning of it, such filth may not remaine among the tow. It must be gathered when it is ripe, and when the colour of it groweth yellow, and after layd vp in some drie place, that so it may bee defended from the raine and dew, which are vtter enemies vnto it: when it is drie, it must be thresht as soone as may be (to the end that the mice eat it not) with wooden mallets, to get the seed out of it, and presently after that it shalbe caried to the water about the change of the Moone, that it may lie therein three or foure daies in Iuly or August, till it become soft and tender, to the end that the pilling or barke thereof may the more easily be seperated from the stalkes for the making of cloth. When it is drawne out of the water, it must bee laied on a heape, all round, but two or three fadomes broad, loading it aboue with boords and stones, and after that spred in the Sunne, to the end it may drie the better. The finest line, which is without seed (notwithstanding it bee the least and lower of growth than the rest) is the best, being soft and fine after the manner as it were of silke: whereas that which is long and thicke, is also more rough, and boysterous in spinning.To make white threed. You shall make verie fine and white sowing threed of your sine flax in this sort: Let it be watered in running water fiue or six daies in Iuly or August in the change of the Moone: so soone as it is drawne out of the water, spread it in the Sunne, that it may drie, neuer casting it into any heapes, for that which is laid vpon heapes after the comming of it out of the water, that it may take a heat, and being pressed downe to that end, doth become blacke, and turneth into a darke and obscure colour.

This line after it hath receiued braking and the first hackling, you shall take the strickes, and platting them into a plat of three, make a good bigge roule thereof, and put it into a smooth and round trough made for the purpose: in the same manner as you beate hempe, so you shall beate this flaxe till it handle as soft as any silke, then vnplat the strickes againe, and heckle it through the second heckle, the which must bee much finer than the first: which done, plat vp the strickes againe, and then beat it the second time, and then vnplat as before, and heckle it the third time through the finest heckle that can bee gotten, then spinne this [...]ow, and it will make you yarne either for Lawne, Holland, or Combricke, or for the finest sisters thred that can bee sowed with: as for the hurds which doe fall from the heckle, you shall haue a great and diligent care to keepe them light and loose; for by reason of the much beating, they will bee exceeding soft, and apt to clotter together, and abide in lumpes, and in the drawing of the thred, it will handle very woollie: yet bee well assured, that from the first hurds, you shall make a most exceeding fine mydling, from the second a very fine lynnen, and from the third a pure good holland. Many other labours are bestowed vpon fla [...]ce: but in this alreadie rehearsed, consisteth the whole art of the huswife; yet herein by the way is to bee noted, that euer before you beate your flaxe, you shall bestow great drying of it, letting it stand each seuerall time at the least foure and twentie houres within the aire of the fire before you beate it, for drying causeth it to breake.

Out of the seed of line,Oyle of lin-seed. you may presse an oyle which will neuer [...] so cold: it is vsed of Physitions, Painters, and many other sorts of workemen. It is singular good to soften hard things, for the paine of the hemorrhoides, chape and tumours of the fundament called Condylomata, being washed in rose-water, it [...] reth burnings: it is maruelous good in plurisies, if so be that it be [...] is old heateth and procureth vomite.

Nauets and Turneps.

NAuets and Turneps delight in a light and fine would, and not in a [...] sad ground; and yet turneps grow better in moist ground [...] [...] [Page] on the tops and sides of hills, in drie and pettie grounds, such as those are which are sandie and grauelly. Howsoeuer it is, the ground where they are sowne, must haue beene oftentimes turned and cast, harrowed, and dunged; for by these meanes they will not onely grow well, but the ground (after that they be gathered being thus prepared) will bring forth fairer corne. Turneps are sowne twice in the yeare, in Februarie, and in August, in a well manured ground, and you may not suffer them, after that they haue gotten some little growth, to put vp any further out of the earth, for and if they should still grow more and more aboue the earth, their root would become hard, and full of small and little holes. See more of nauets and turneps in our second booke.

CHAP. XIX.
Aduertisements concerning corne and pulse.

WIse and prudent husbandmen must not plow their groundes, cut their vines, or prune or haue any dealing about trees from the eighteenth day of Nouember vnto the seuen and twentieth of December.

Sow your corne as soone as you can, and stay not to sow it in the Winter: Neither doe you euer sow the corne which grew in a fat soile, whether it bee wheat or rie, or any other such, in a leane and barren field; but rather sow that corne in a fat and fertile soile, which grew in a leane and barren ground: and to be briefe, sow in a well conditioned ground that which was growne in an ill conditioned ground. In sowing your seed see that your hand auswere your foot, and standing vpon your feet, see that your right foot especially be moued when your right hand doth moue. In sowing of wheat you must cast it with a full hand, or by handfuls: but in sowing barely, rie, oats, and many other kindes of graine, especially such as is shut vp in huskes, as millet, pannicke and rape seed, must be sowne and cast into the earth with onely three fingers.

To preuent the frost that it may not hurt the corne that is sowne, especially, [...]. such as is sowne in cold grounds, as those which are most subiect vnto frosts, you must cast and spread lime vpon the said grounds before they besowne: or else, which is better, mingle a sixt or eight part of lime amongst the corn which you meane to sow, and so sow them together.

To keepe your seed from being eaten of birds, mice, or pis [...]yres, water it before you sow it with the iuice of ho [...]se-leeke: or according to Virgils aduice, with water wherein nitre hath beene infused.

To cause peason, beanes and other pulse to be tender and easily boyled, you must lay them a day before they bee sowne, in water vvherein there hath beene nitre dissolued; or else to mingle amongst them in fowing of them some dung and nitre: and if notwithstanding after all these meanes vsed, they cannot yet be well boyled, then put into the pot wherein they are boyling, a little mustard seed, and in a short time they will relent and seeth in peeces.

Beanes being sowne neere trees, cause their roots to drie and wither: beanes will keepe long if you water them with sea water▪ notwithstanding that they will not boile any thing at all in salt or sea water.

Cich peas [...] will become greater, if you infuse them in warme water before they be sowne: or if you steepe them in their cods in vvater vvherein nitre hath bin infused: if you vvould haue them earely, sow them when you sow barley.

LentilsLentils▪ will grow very faire, if they be infused in their cods in warme water with nitre; or if they be rubd ouer with drie ox-dung before they be sowne.

You must not sow millet thicke,Mille [...]. if so bee you would haue it good: for examples [Page] sake, a handfull is enough to sow halfe an arpent withall; for if you should [...] more you must but pull it vp when you come to the weeding of it.

Sow your lupines before all other kinds of corne.Lupines. without staying or [...] raine: before they flowre, you may put oxen in amongst them, and [...] all the other sorts of herbs they will eate; but they will not touch or come neere vnto the [...], because that they are bitter: you may make them sweet, if you steepe them three whole dayes in sea and riuer water mingled together.

Sow all manner of pulse in the increase of the Moone, except peason, and g [...] ther them as soone as they be ripe; for otherwise their cods will open and the [...] fall out.

Gather seeds and all manner of graine in the change of the Moone, if you would haue them to keepe, and doe with them as wee haue said before. If you haue need to sell corne, sell it in the increase of the Moone, and not at any other time, because at such time they grow and become bigger in the garner, then they are woon [...] to bee at other times.

CHAP. XX.
Of the Bake-house.

IN vaine should the husbandman toyle himselfe in tilling his ground so carefully according to the forme and manner which we haue before described, and in like carefull sort to gather in, heape together and keepe his corne, if hee hoped not for some fruit and profit of his paines and labours. But what that profit is which he receiueth of his corne, I [...] my selfe vnto the sale, which hee may yearely make vnto foreine and strange [...], as whereby there redoundeth vnto him an incredible summe of money. Witnesses in this point may be the infinite number of rich husbandmen in France, and namely in Beauce, Brie, and Picardie, who liue in better estate and fuller of money, than many great Seigneours and Gentlemen: and I referre my selfe likewise vnto the diuers sorts of bread which they make of their corne, for the feeding and sustaining of themselues and their families, as also their cakes, cheese-cakes, custards, flawnes, tartes, fritters, and a thousand other prettie knackes and daintie conceits, which may be made and wrought of the meale which their corne yeeldeth. And yet further I report me to the beere, (which standeth in steed of wine in the countries where the vine cannot beare fruit) made commonly with wheat and barley. And lastly to the sale of bread which hee may practise and vse euery day, whithout any whit disaduantaging himselfe; as wee see in the husbandmen of Gonesse neere to the Citie of Paris.

Now therefore seeing that matters stand in this sort, me thinkes it should bee an vnseemely thing, not onely for the farmer, but also for the Lord of this our farme, to vse to send to the towne or else whither to buy bread, custardes, [...], cakes, tartes, beere, and other such necessarie things, for the food and [...] of his house, either yet to borrow of their neighbours strangers, as bakers, paste-cookes, and brewers for the vse, or to bee beholden vnto them for any of [...], when they stand in need of them: For it is my intent [...]nd [...] countrie house should bee another Pandora, furnished and flowing with [...] all manner of good things and commodities, in such sort, as that the neighbour townes might haue recourse and seeke vnto it in cases of their [...], but without taking or receiuing any thing at their handes but [...], as the price and sale of the wares shall amount and come vnto, which [...] sendeth and furnisheth them withall day by day. I [...] therefore [...] a baker, panter, worker in pastrie, and a brewer when need shall be [...], [Page] that he should not be ignorant of any thing which might helpe to keepe, sustaine, and inrich his house.

Whereof Bread is made.

ANd to the intent that I may enter into my purposed matter of the Bake-house, I doe not here intend to crie or search out, who was the first inuenter of Bread-making, or what meates were in vse amongst them of auncient time, before the making of Bread was found out, or whether it was the man or womans labour to play the Baker: these I leaue to such as make their whole profession that way, to discourse of; contenting my selfe to teach and instruct my Farmer what graine or corne hee may imploy and vse for the making of bread. For certaine there may be bread made of all sorts of corne, but not of all sorts of graine: for Pulse (as we call them) that is to say, such graine as is inclosed in coddes or huskes, and which are not cut downe with Sythe or Sickle, but gathered by plucking them from the earth by the rootes, as Pease, Beanes, Rice, Lentils, great Cich-pease, small Cich-pease, Lupines, Fasels, Fetches, Fenugreeke and other such like, are not fit to make bread of, except in time of famine, and when as other corn doth [...]aile altogether, or else fall to be exceeding deere: according as wee see in such times of hard distresse, bread of Oats, Barley, Beanes, Rice, Millet, and Pannicke (for such I haue seene in Perigord) yea of Bran, Fishes dried in the Sunne, Acornes, Chesnuts, and Ferne rootes (for such haue I seene in base Britaine) or which is more, of Brickes, Tiles and Slates, as is reported to haue beene made by the inhabitants of Sancerra, who during the time that they were besieged, did make and eate bread made of Slates.

Of Corne, and of such differences and sorts of the same as will make good bread.

THe excellentest, wholsomest and best kind of graine for to make bread of,To make choist of your corne. is corne; of which as there are many differences and diuers sorts; according to the regions, countries, grounds, and soiles where they grow, according to the industrie of the husbandman: so likewise there are diuers sorts of bread, made differing as well in sauour and taste, as in maner of nourishing. Therefore that you may be able to make your choise wisely of all sorts of corne of euery countrie that is fit to make bread of, you must see that it be thicke, full, grosse, massi [...], firme, of colour somewhat inclining to yellow, cleane, yeelding great store of cleane and white meale; which being s [...]eept and boiled in water doth quickly swell, which being newly threshed, commeth presently from the sheafe: for that which is old threshed, although it be drier than that which is new threshed, as also more light, apt and ready for to make meale, & to keep in [...]ale, notwithstanding the bread is not of so pleasant a taste, seeing it hath lost a gre [...]t part of his well relishing iuice, and hath gotten as it were another nature by the alteration of the aire: for certainly euen so deale the Corne-Merchants who, well bethinking themselues at what time to sell their corne, doe not thresh it before the very same moneth, wherein they meane to sell it; and as on the other side the Baker will not buy (if possi [...]ly he may choose) any other corne to make good bread of, than that which being new threshed, commeth fresh from the shease.

The excellentest corne in all France, and which they vse most in Paris,Good corne. are those sorts which com [...] out of Beauce, France, Bri [...], Picardie, Champaigne, and Bassignie in Burgundie: howsoeuer also these in Berre [...], Poictou, Zanctonges, [...]goulmois, Limoges, Normandie, Li [...]agne, Languedoc and Auuergne, be not altogether to bee reiected. The corne of Beauce maketh a fai [...]er shew than the corne of any other countrie, because it is growing in a fertile and a fat soile, and such a one a [...] i [...] not drie,Corn of Beauce. and it hath in it a band which sheweth great when it is in bread, altho [...]gh there [...] lesse quantitie of paste. The corne of France hath a shor [...] and [...] that [...],Corn of France. because it groweth in a ground neither too fat no [...] too leane, but indifferent; [Page] so that the bread that is made thereof, is not of so great shew as that of the [...] of Beauce: but yet to make some manner of recompence, more white, and such as [...] teth better than that of Beauce. The corne of Brie is of a lesse graine than that of France and Beauce: as also a lo [...]e of this corne is of lesse quantitie than that of [...] corne, and of lesse whitenesse and pleasure in eating, than that which is made of the corne of France, because that Brie is a countrie of sweet cherries▪ and yet notwithstanding it is found, that the countrie properly and truely called Brie doth surpasse and goe beyond the two other in massinesse of corne: and the cause making it so▪ to be, is the shortnesse and thickenes of the skin thereof, which is euidently more apparant in it than in the rest, which make it to weigh the more. The corne of Picardie is of a lesse graine than any of the other three aforesaid, and so the bread of this corne is not so good, great, white, or profitable: because that this corne is more hard, stiffe, stubborne, and vneasie to grind than the others, and therefore such as out of which the flower cannot be well drawne, which causeth men commonly to call the corne of Picardie more vile and filthie than the rest, seeing when it is ground, the bran thereof detaineth and keepeth backe of the flowre within it. Champaigne notwithstanding that it flow and abound with corne, and make a verie faire and great shew, yet it is inferiour vnto the other aforesaid countries; because the corne thereof yeeldeth lesse bread than the others, because naturally it is giuen to be choking, and to run vpon wreathes betwixt the milstones, and more redious to grind than others: againe it is long, thin, and clouen in the middest, which maketh that it carrie [...]h so much wast bulke.

Generally wheat the smaller it is, and the thinner the huske is, the better and whiter the meale is which commeth from it, as is both seene in France and in other countries: for in England the wheat which groweth on the rich stiffe soyles, and is called whole straw wheat, being a great large corne with a thicke huske, is euer the coursest and blackest of all wheats, yet good to the yeeld, and rich in meale, but the flaxen, and chilter wheate, which are much smaller and thinner huskt, and grow vpon barrenner grounds, as for the most part vpon the Iunams and such like, doe euer yeeld the finest and whitest meale, and therefore are most sought after, for the making of fine maunchets, sweet bisket, Iumballs, and such like [...] pasts.

To grind corne.

THe husbandman hauing made good choice of his corne, shall send it to the mill whether it go with water or with wind, according as the countrie shall be [...] fit and conuenient for: or and if he haue choice and may send it to either, then [...] shall rather chuse to send it to a watermill, carried about with a very swift [...] for the more forcible turning about of the stone, and which hath his [...] of a very hard greet and all of one peece if it bee possible, such as are in B [...]ie and Champaigne, especially, at Ferte vnder Ioarre: for, the milstones that are tender and soft, doe easily breake and quickely grow out of frame, and withall do continually [...] some grauell in turning about, which being mixt with the meale, taketh away all the pleasantnes and good sauour of the bread, and becommeth oftentimes troublesom [...] vnto the teeth. Many doe counsell and aduise to beat the corne in a [...] before it be sent to the mill to be ground, and in beating of it to sprinkle it ouer with [...], and after to drie it in the Sunne, and then in the end to send it to the mill. Some [...] not send it to the mill except it be very drie, and when as it is not drie, they set it in the Sunne to drie; as holding this opinion that the drier it is the more [...] it yeeldeth. Others besprinkle it with salt water, hoping by such watering of it, [...] the meale will become more white, and that they shall haue greater quantite of [...]. Of old time as may be gathered out of Aristotles problems, barley was woone to be p [...]rched before it was ground. In France none of these waies of preparing their [...] to the mill are vsed, but as the corne is, so they send it to the mill. It is true, that the miller is to lay his stones in such sort, as that according to the owners will, [...] [Page] make a greater or a smaller meale, as also according as the corne it selfe shall be more grosse, hard, small or soft. Yet the lesse the corne is bruised the finer the meale will be, and the grosser your branne is, the better and vvhiter will your paste be: vvhence it comes that the skilful Baker wil euer chuse the great black Cullen stones to grinde his fine Wheat vpon, which no more but bruising, and, as it were, crushing the corne makes the meale as pure and as vvhite as Snow. As for the drinesse or danknesse of corne, it is certaine that no graine, except Wheat, can be too drie, but that the skilfull Miller sayes should euer sticke to the Hopper: vvhence it comes that he will, vvhen he findes his Wheat too drie, dash or sprinkle some vvater vpon it, which makes it grinde a great deale the better, and makes the meale much vvhiter.

Of Meale, Mil-dust, flower of Meale, Branne, fine Meale, Wheate, Starch, and mundified Barley.

THe corne being ground is turned into Meale, in such sort as that meale is no other thing but that vvhich commeth of the corne vvhen it is ground: and so the meale falleth out to be such as the corne was, that is to say, very vvhite, if so bee that the corne were pure and cleane, thick and short, such as the corne of France (properly so called) is, blacke and full of bran: if the corne were starued, small, wrinckled, full of filth and dirt▪ long and flat,To keep Mea [...]e. such is the meale of Rie. But the husbandman before the grinding of his corne and turning of it into meale, must thinke with himselfe vvhether he will keepe it long or no: such as he vvill not keep, there is no need vvhy he should care of what corne he causeth it to be ground, as vvhether it be old or new threshed, neither yet how and in what maner: but such as he doth entend to keep for some time, as in a store-house for to answer the times of necessitie, hee must chuse the driest corne that he can meet vvithall, because that if it be not verie drie, it might verie quickly take heat in the meale; and so it is meete that it should bee old threshed and not new, and comming from the sheafe (although the bread that is made of corne old threshed be not so good as that which is made of new threshed corne, and that vvhich commeth fresh from the sheafe) for the meale that commeth of corne olde threshed & reserued a long time in the garner, keepeth better than that vvhich commeth of new threshed corne, because that the corne being driuen and laide naked from his first and vtmost huske and coate, taketh the aire, as also his vndermost couering vvherewith it is couered, and so groweth drier and harder, not only in his coate, but also in the meale and marrow inclosed therein. Whereupon it commeth to passe that this meale being left naked and voide of any coate by the grinding of the Mill, becommeth more apt to keepe in being the more drie. On the contrarie, the meale of new threshed corne, is not of so good continuance, but spoileth sooner, because that the corne new threshed, retaining yet his natiue moisture, maketh the meale the more moist and heauie, and that it can not be so drie: vvhereupon it falleth out to be more inclinable and readie to corrupt. For euen as drinesse doth preuent and hinder putrifaction, so moisture doth hasten and help forward the same. And that it is so, vve see by experience, that the painfull husbandmen for the good keeping of their corne, do leaue it in the sheafe mowed vp in the Barne, there to Winter and sweate, causing it after such sweate to be threshed, that so they may shift it out of its place into another that is more drie, and laying vp higher in a more open ayre: vvhere being laide and gathered together in heapes, after a long and not high raised manner, he diligently bestirreth himselfe to cause it to be remoued from place to place, that so it may take the aire by little and little, but especially to ayre that vvhich lieth vnderneath, by laying it about: vvherefore it is not to be doubted but that the meale vvhich is made of corne that hath beene thus ordered in the Garner, is of much better continuance than that vvhich is of corne comming newly out of the sheafe. Besides, the husbandm [...]n must giue in charge (if so be hee vvould haue his meale to keepe long) to the Miller, to grinde his corne somewhat grosse: for if it be ground fine, it is not possible for him to keepe it so long in good state and condition. Notvvithstanding, for the [Page] well keeping of all sorts of meale, whether it bee of corne new or old threshed, you must make choice of the highest roome of all your dwelling place, whether it bee towre, towne, or towne-house, and being placed there as in a store-house, it shall bee let rest full fifteene daies, to relieue and ease it selfe of the trauell which it hath had in the grinding: after which time of rest, for the better and longer keeping of it, it will be needfull to change it oft from one place to another, and by this meanes it will be kept a whole halfe yeare, and being often remoued and changed from one place to another, it will bee increased a fift or sixt part at the least, o [...] which, notwithstanding, there cannot be made so good bread, as of the meale that is newly ground. And thus much for the farmers duetie about baking, which consisteth in chusing the corne, causing it to bee ground, and laying vp of the meale in some garner, either to bee kept, or to be presently vsed about the making of bread. The ordering of the meale, and making of the bread belongeth vnto the house-wife, according to the custome of the auncient Romans, amongst whom, the women of speciall note and account did worke and knead the meale, and made bread with their owne, hands, as Plutarch reporteth in his Problemes. The house-wife then being possessed of so much meale in the garner, shall goe about to doe her indeauour to make bread: but before she beginne to make it, she shall seperate the finer part thereof from the grosser, with some temze, searce, or bolter, to the end that of these seuerall sorts of meale, she may make seuerall sorts of bread: the finest part of the meale is called the flower of meale, and of the Latins Pollen, whereof the pasterers or cookes for pastrie doe make wafers, and such like daintie knackes: the grossest part is the brane, called of the Latins Furfur, which commeth of the coat or huske cleauing next vnto the narrow and kernell of the corne. Betwixt the flower of the meale and the bran, there are yet other parts of the meale, more or lesse fine, or more or lesse grosse, according to the widenesse or narrownesse of the temze or bolter through which they passe, and according to the difference and diuersitie of these parts, there are made different and diuers sorts of bread, that is to say, more or lesse white, according to the taking forth of two, three, or foure parts of the bran, by the helpe and meanes of the bolter: besides these parts and seuerall sorts, there is yet another sort of meale, which is called mill-dust,Mill-dust. and this riseth vp from the corne, as it is vpon the mill, grinding vnder the mill-stone, but hereof there is no vse for bread, the millers vse to sell it onely for the vse of booke-binders and gold-smiths, to make their pastewithall: there is yet another kind of meale, which the Italians call Semole, which is fine meale, or course flower, called of the Latins Simila, or Similago, whereof wee haue spoken before: Wee haue it not in this countrie, it is brought vnto vs from Italy and Naples, neither doe men vse to make bread with this, but either thicken their meat-broths, or else make pap-meat. It is as fine as the flower of meale, but not so white, notwithstanding, hauing a colour halfe like the straw colour: It is of a very good iuice and no [...] rishment. There is yet further another sort of very white meale, that is very fine, which is commonly called in French Amydon, and of the Greeks and Latins Amylon, as though it were made without mill-stones. It hath heretofore beene made diuers waies, but in this countrie they vse to make it in this sort: They chuse the faire [...] and purest wheate that may bee got, and cause it to bee ground verie finely: which done, they cast the ground meale into a vessell whch the other fill vp with water, scumming off the bran that swimmeth aloft, and after passing all the water through a cloth or strainer, and then they put new water into the vessell, which they likewise straine in such manner as they did the former, leauing the white meale in the [...] whither it is setled: and this they drie in the heate of the Sunne about the dog daies; and when it is dried, it becommeth hard, and is afterward broken into gobb [...]s, and so made into fine meale.

You may make meale likewise of other corne, than of wheate, as of barley, [...] ▪ mes [...], secourgeon, and many other sorts of graine, whereof wee haue said before that bread is woont to bee made in the time of dearth and famine, or else in poore countries that haue want of other, or at least of better corne. Barley meale is very full [Page] of branne: and hence it commeth that the bread made thereof,Barley meale doth losen the belly. Notwithstanding, there vvas in old time made of Barley a sort of meale vvhich vvas called Polenta, Polenta. that is to say, of Barley newly dried, then fried, and afterward ground: and this vvas vsed to make pappe-meate of, or else to put in meate brothes to thicken them. Some doe the like vvith mundified Barley.

The Meale of Rie is likewise full of branne,The meale of Rice and Oats, O [...]tmeale, Ricemeale. but that of Oates is yet more full: notvvithstanding that, Oatmeale vvhich is made of Oates husked, is a vvelcome dish to the tables of great Lords. The Meale of Rice is vvhiter than any of the rest. As for the Meale of Pulse, it is oftner made by being braied in the mortar, than by grinding: howsoeuer, it may more commodiously and a great deale better bee made vvith the Mill.

Leauen.

LEauen, called in Latine Fermentum, because it puffeth vp, and swelleth in continuance of time, is a lump of paste left of the last masse of dough, couered and hidden in the meale vvhich is kneaded, to take away the clamminesse and cleauing propertie vvhich is in the meale that is purposed to bee made into bread. This Leauen becommeth sowre by continuance of time, and thereby maketh the bread more delightsome, and of a more pleasant taste. Againe, vve see that bread, by how much the more Leauen it hath, by so much the more vvholsome and vvell relishing it is, ouer and aboue that vvhich hath lesse store of Leauen in it. It is indifferently hote, and a little cold: hot by reason of the putrifaction vvhich it is cast into, and cold by the nature of the meale. This Leauen is made diuers sorts of vvayes, according to the manners and fashions of countries: wee make it of Wheat paste to make Wheat bread, and of Rie paste to make Rie bread: some put vnto it Salt, some Vineger, and many Verjuice made of Crabbes. The workers in Pastrie do vse the rising of Beere to make their Wigges vvithal, as vve shal haue further occasion to speak of it in laying open the vvay to make Beere. People of old and auncient times did make it diuers vvayes, as Plinie reporteth. The Flemings do mightily boile their Wheate, and take off the scumme that riseth thereof in boiling, which they let grow thick, and vse the same in stead of Leauen: and that is the cause vvhy their bread is a great deale lighter than ours. Howsoeuer it is, the Leauen vvhich men-bakers and vvomen-bakers doe vse to make their bread vvithall, may bee kept fifteene daies and not any more because after such time it corrupteth and decayeth. But to be sure▪ it is not good to keepe it so long: for to keepe it you must vvorke it vp into a round paste, couer and hide it ouer in meale; and besides, in vvinter it must be couered ouer withgood store of clothes in the kneading trough. When the good vvife of the house is purposed to bake her paste, she must two or three dayes before, or, vvhich is better, ouer night, kneade in her said Leauens vvith hote vvater, or else with cold, according to the time and diuersitie of the corne, vvhereof she meaneth to make her bread, as we will speake further of by and by. The vvorkers in paste-meates doe vse but verie little Leauen in their crusts, or none at all, either because it vvould make so small a quantitie of paste as they vse to make their crusts of, too sowre, or else because the Leauen vvould draw vnto it all the Butter, or such other fat as they should mingle amongst their paste, for as much as Leauen hath the power to draw moisture vnto it, as vvee may easily proue by Apostumes, vvhich vvhen we vvould haue to ripen and swell vp higher, vvee vse to applie a paister of Leauen to them. Furthermo [...]e, if it should happen that the Baker, or good vvife of the house should finde her Leauen too sowre, and that she cannot come by any other, the remedie must be to knead her Leauen with hotter water than she would if it vvere in its proper nature and kinde, that so by the heate of the vvater the Leauen may recouer some strength, and somewhat renew its naturall force, hauing lost its naturall heat, vvhereas on the contrarie, vvhen the Leauen is in its kind and as it should be, there is not any thing but cold water to be vsed about it.

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The making of bread according to the diuersitie of corne whereof it is made.

THe house-wife must bee ruled and aduised in the making of her bread, by the natu [...]e and condition of the meale whereof she maketh it: wherefore if shee dwell in Beauce,Bread of corne growing in Beauce. or dwelling out of Beauce, do make her bread of the corne growing in Beauce (the meale of which corne for certaintie, holdeth the chiefe and principall place of account amongst all the sorts of meale of France) she shall be carefull in any case, to make her leuens at certaine and well appointed houres: In Sommer she shall refresh her leuen vvith cold vvater at noone day, and renew it againe at fiue a clocke, and lastly at nine, without failing of keeping these houres in very precise manner: This water thus vsed in Sommer must be drawne fresh out of the Well, or from the fountaine and riuer, because that Well vvater as it is more heauy than the other, so it maketh the bread more heauy: and on the contrarie, spring vvater, or vvater from the riuer, as it is lighter, so it maketh lighter bread. In Winter she must renew her leuen with fresh vvater vvarmed or made hot: and with this water both Winter and Sommer, she shall vvet her armes, and knead her paste throughly, turning it ouer and ouer, hither and thither, on euerie side, for a long space and many times, that so all the parts thereof may shew that she hath been there, and that all the clamminesse and cleauing qualitie of the same may be throughly broken and dried vp, that so the bread may be the more short and finer in chawing, and not eating like paste in the teeth, mouth, and stomach. After such handling of it, she shall take the pains to turne her paste oftentimes, that so it become not leuen, for otherwise it would not eate so well. It is true that when the leuen is faultie, the meale of the corne of Beauce hath such a band and list as that she might easily couer and hide such fault, prouided that the baker whether man or woman, at the kneading therof would but help it a little with some fresh vvater.

If the farmers wife do dwell in France,Bread made of the corne of France. or make bread of the corne growing sometime in France, she shall not vse so much leuen thereunto as she did vnto the meale made of the corn growne in Beauce, both because the corne commeth short in yeelding like quantitie of paste, for like quantitie of corne, as also because the meale hath not so good a band, neither yet is it altogether so clammie: and therefore you must vse a meane and reasonable measure in your leuen, and withall let your water be lesse hot, than in the kneading of Beauce meale; for if you knead it vvith vvater that is more hot than needeth, the paste will swell vp the more a great deale, and afterward vvill drie out of all reason.

To make bread of the corne that was growne in Brie,Bread made of the corne of Brie. you must vse a quite other manner of order, because that countrie corne is much more churlish than that of France or Beauce: the first flower that commeth out of huske or skin of the said corn, is better bound than the others, because the corne is shorter, and so hangeth in the bolter as doth the oatmeale, contrarie to the nature of other corne, in as much as the said oatemeale is sweeter than the other sorts of corne, which causeth that the bolter letteth some small quantitie of meale somewhat roundly ground to crosse it ouerthwartly, and that may bee the second [...]lower: and this was not, neither should it bee shorter than the corne of Picardie.

Picardie corne must be much corrected,Bread of Picardie. as being hard to be vvell ordred, either in paste or in any other such manner of vsages, as also for that it craueth a very h [...]ouen, and when it is in it, it maketh such a couering to the bread, as though there were no manner of leuen in it at all. It is hard to bake, and hard to take colour, which may seeme somwhat strange; for seeing that it is so sowre and drie, it should arg [...]e that the bread should the sooner bee baked in the ouen: but the hardnesse and heauinesse of the meale is the cause that it is so hard to bake: as also there may be ioined thereto for another reason, the crust that groweth vpon the same presently; for it is a meanes to hinder the heate of the ouen, that it cannot enter into the inward parts of the bread [Page] so easily as it should: and this is the cause that maketh the bread to bee alwaies as it were [...]at.

The meale of the corne of Champaigne craueth a newer made leuen when it is to be made into bread,Bread made of the corne which was growne in Campaigne. because it hath a smatch of the earth, which would make it to be become worse in past, if it should not haue added vnto it such leuen as were excellent good, as also for that the corne comming out of the sheafe, doth smell of the ground whereon it grew, and this cannot be amended without great diligence vsed, and care had in the making of the bread.

Besides these breads made of these seuerall cornes, you shall vnderstand that generally the breads which are most in vse are first the manchet, which is the finest of all other, and is made of the purest and best part of the meale finely bolted or searst, and made light with barme onely, and not with leuen, neither must it be made too light or spungie, but of a good solide temper, [...]irme and fast wrought: the next to it is fine cheate bread, which is made of the next meale to the finest, and brought onely to differ through the coursnesse of the boulter, which being a little wider than the first giues more libertie to the meale to passe away and goe neerer to the branne: this must be made light both with leuen and barme, yet very well wrought and made altogether as firm as the manchet: the next to this is course cheate bread, the which is made of the coursest meale as being boulted as cleane from the branne as it can possibly be got, and the boulter which is for this purpose must bee a course searse or a fine temze: this bread must be made light with leuen onely, neither is it much materiall how spungie or open it appeares; for this kind of bread is euer to be puft vp and made to appeare in as great quantitie as possible it may bee: the last sort of bread is that which is made for pessants or hinde seruants, and it is made of meale vnboulted, the branne and the meale being all knodden together, and in this case your meale would bee ground as fine as is possible. There be some that after they haue ground their meale grosse, and boulted out the manchets, they will then send that which is remaining to the mill againe, and haue it newly ground ouer againe as fine as it possible may bee, and of it they make this course hindes bread: and of a certaintie it is a well allowed husbandrie; for thereby you shall reape a double commoditie. This bread some mixe with leuen, some doe not: but certainly the leuen is best, for it giues vnto the bread a pleasant and delightsome tast, whereas the other wanting the same hath a very rough, waterish and vnwholesome tast, and it is onely profitable in this, that a man not taking any delight to eat it, it will last a great deale the longer: this bread would be bakt in great loaues, and that somewhat hard also.

Meslin thriueth not so well,Bread made of meslin. as not yeelding so much when it is made in bread: it is by nature fat, as also the meale thereof being boulted: it is no easie thing to pull out ones hands when they are in kneading of it: the good huswife that hath not bin acquainted to worke in this kind of corne, doth find herselfe much incumbred therwith, and that in part, because the better part of the meale vseth to stay behind with the bran; and therefore for the profit of the house it were better to bolt the meale of rie and mes [...]in, than to sift it, because the bolter with the working of the arms, doth cause the bran to let go the meale that is within it, which is more than either the pocket or searce will do, because they make no mouing or stirring of the meale, but from one place to another.

The paste therefore being well kneaded, shifted, and prepared, as need requireth, it must be parted into round peeces, of reasonable greatnes & thicknes, to be set in the ouen made reasonably hot, euen in such sort as that the bread may (according to the greatnesse, thicknesse, & qualitie of the paste) be sufficiently baked: for a weightie and thicke loafe of paste made of the corne of Picardie, would haue a longer and greater baking than a small loafe, and that made of the corne of Beauce or France. If the ouen be too hot, the crust will bee scorched, and within it will remaine raw and vnbaked, the heat not being able to enter and pierce to the inner parts, the crust that is so hard dried vpon it being a let thereunto.

[Page] In the meane time it must not be forgotten that when any man is [...] to make salt bread, or to mixe annise seed therwith, or any other such mixture, [...] bee must mingle and put the same thereto, whether it be salt or annise seed, or any such thing, at such time as the past is in kneading.

There are likewise diuers sort [...] of bread made of one and the same meale, according as the bolter, pocket, temze or searce shall be, through which it passeth. Of the meale wholly together, and hauing nothing sifted out, is made houshold bread. And when the greatest of the branne is taken away, then there is vsually made ther [...]of citizens bread. Againe, when as the bran is cleane taken away, they vse to make thereof small white lo [...]es: and when as the grossest part of the white flower is taken away, and nothing left but the very fine, they vse to make chapter bread, wafers, tarts, cakes, and other workes of pastrie. Some also do make bread as it were of pure bran, and therin likewise sometimes to be found straws and chaffe, and that for to feed dogs withall.

The fittest place for the baking of bread is the ouen, because it admitt [...]th the heat of the fire equally and indifferently on all sides: vpon the harth or gridyron, the one part of the loafe baketh, and the other remaineth raw: and vnder the ash [...] it is not so well baked.

The fire that is for to heat the ouen, must bee fagot wood, or bille [...], or shiuer [...] of thicke wood that hath no stinking or vnsauoury smell: or for want of wood, straw or stubble, as is vsed in Beauce, or of thicke reeds, according as the countrie will most conueniently afford.

The bread must be baken in the ouen, in a good sort and meane, and with a reasonable heate: for ouer-great a heat would scorch the crust that is aboue, and so [...] it selfe of inward entrance, to the causing of the said inward part to remaine raw and paste-like: a lesser heat than is meet and conuenient would let it remaine all raw: after it is baken enough it shall bee drawne forth out of the ouen, and laid to rest and abide in a place that is neither stinking nor vnsauourie, nor yet infected with any euil aire; for the hote bread doth easily draw and sucke in any vehemous or corrupt qualitie of the aire. In moist places bread doth soone become hoarie and sustie: and in too drie a place it becommeth mouldy and ranke. The good husband that is right carefull of his profit to the end that his bread may last the longer, and that they may eate the lesse of it, doth set it in some celler or place which is vnder the ground, or in some other place which is moist: and his rie bread in some place neere vnto the fire harth.

The bread made of other sorts of corne as also of certaine pulse.

BArley breadBarley bread. must bee made of the best barley that may be found or gotten, and not of the meale whole and entire, as it commeth from the mill, but of that part of it which hath beene [...]em [...]ed and cleansed from his grosse bran. It is true that the bread will be very drie, very apt to crumble, and of a sower tast; so that it would be better to mingle amongst this meale, some meale of pure wheate, or mes [...]in. The maner of seasoning it with leuen, as also of kneading and baking of it, is no other, than is vsed in wheate. After the same manner is bread made of Secourgion: but neither the one nor the other is fit for the eating either of the Lord of the f [...]rme or of his farmer, but rather for the seruants, and that especially in the time of dearth, for their better contentation, although there bee no great store of nourishment to bee loo [...]ed fo [...] from the same. After this sort also they make bread of oates, which is [...]eldome or not at all eaten, except it be in the time of extreame famine; for indeed it [...] very vnpleasantly.

Bread may bee made of millet as also of panicke,Bread of milles but such as is verie drie and brittle, and yet the Gascoines vse it very commonly, and especially the Biarnoyes, who for this cause are called millet mangers of their neighbours dwelling [...]. The Biarnoyes do make hastie pudding after this manner: They take three or [...] [Page] pounds of the meale of the millet for the morning, and as much for the euening, they set it vpon the fire in a Kettle whereinto there is powred fiue or sixe pints of water: thus they let them boile together, vntill such time as that it swell vp to the top of the kettle, and then taking it from off the fire, they stir it well about with a round sticke, so long as vntill the paste be very throughly broken and made all one, then afterward taking it out of the kettle, they diuide it with a thred into many peeces and eate it in that sort with cheese, or with thin salted milke.

Bread is likewise made of rie,Bread made of rie. but such as eateth very clammie, whereof wee haue spoken in the discourse of rie: for the taking away of the clamminesse thereof it will be good to mingle barley flower with it, or rather wheate flower, or else to take the flower of the rie meale: it will be of a wax colour, if yet while it is hot you lay vpon it some heauie meale.

It is vsed likewise, to make bread of rice, beanes, spelt corne, and many other sorts of corne and pulse, and that after the same sort that wheat corne bread is made.

In like manner the industrie and indeauour of the baker may be the cause of the making of many sorts of bread, as that which is called the finest bread, or Court bread which is the lightest of all the rest, and which is very exactly kneaded, full of leuen and of a well raised paste. BisketBisket. bread which is of three sorts, one that is made of rie, another that is made of maslin, or barley or oates, or of all the foresaid mixt together, fit for Saylers to liue withall, which vndertake long voyages by sea, or for such as are besieged within some [...]ort or holde, because it will keepe a long time: this kind of bread hath not much leu [...]n in it: the second kind of bisket is made of pure wheat without any mixture, fit for the poore that are infected with the pox, to make their diet bread vpon:Spiced bread. the third sort is made of the flower of meale, and it is vsuall to put to the paste thereof sugar, cynamome, pepper or ginger, and sometimes annise seeds, and it serueth to eate in the time of abstinence, as Lent, and such other. At Reyns they vse to make spiced bread with honie and a little quantitie of pepper or cynamome. The Bakers which belong vnto the Court make their bread with milke.Bread of milke.

CHAP. XXI.
Of the Pantrie.

IT is most certaine that bread is the chiefest thing whereby man is fed and nourished: and that it is so, we see that other victuals, how pleasant soeuer they be vnto the tast, how vvel soeuer prepared and set out with good sauces, do (for the most part of them) cause very oft a distast and loathing of themselues; but onely bread holdeth out without dislike growing therupon whether it be in sicknes or in health, it is the thing which appetite doth last of all refuse, and first like of and receiue againe in time of sickenes: in health it is the beginning and ending of our meat, very pleasant and delightsome with all kind of meats. In like manner of a certainty bread is by a maruellous benefit of nature endued with all sorts of tastes and relishes, which particularly are the prouocations and allurements causing vs to affect and eate this or that or any kind of meate whatsoeuer. Some whereof do please vs by reason of their sweetnes, other some by reason of their sowernes, some by reason of their saltnesse, and other some by reason of their sharpnesse, and some by reason of their pleasant smell: and all these well pleasing relishes, making sauourie vnto vs all other sorts of meate, doth bread containe and comprehend in it selfe. Againe other victualls, haue they neuer so good a taste, can neither bee pleasant nor profitable for the health in eating, if bread bee not eaten with them, in as much as the bread by its owne good nature doth correct the faults that are in other meates, and maketh them stronger and of more power in their properties and [Page] qualities: and hereupon grew the common prouerbe, which is that all meat is good and profitable, when it is accompanied with bread. Againe we find by daily obseruation, that such as eate their meate, whether it bee flesh or any such sort of victualls without bread, haue alwaies a stinking breath; so that I cannot but greatly maruell who was the Author of the common prouerbe:Omais repl [...]tio mala, panis autem pessima. viz. That all repletion of whatsoeuer meate was euill, but especially that of bread: if it be not, because that bread (by reason of much solide and firme nourishment which it bringeth vnto the bodie, if it happen to be eaten in excessiue quantitie) doth fill the veines with aboundant store of bloud, but such as is not apt to flow and stirre, and such as is not apt and easie to bee euaporated and discussed, being giuen to endure and continue like solide things in a constant and stayed course: of the which bloud all the bodie being nourished, is made more corpulent, full and massie; and so by reason of this fulnesse the lesse perspirable, because the pores and passages of the skinne, by the which the whole bodie should haue meanes for the breathing out of his superfluous vapours, are stopt; and thereby the bodie made subiect vnto many diseases, and sodaine death: such was the issue ordinarily befalling professed Wrastlers, and that as we may gather by reading, procured and wrought especially in those men, by vsing of much bread and swines flesh. And I will further confesse (as Galen teacheth vs) that of all the errors, and inconueniencies hapning to the health, through the bad digestion and ill concoction of the stomach, those are the most grieuous, which grow of the ill digesting of bread, rather than where flesh or such meat are badly digested, because that bread doth more trouble nature and is a longer time in digesting. But all this notwithstanding there is no cause, why bread should not still bee preferred before all other sorts of victualls, seeing these discommodities arise not of the meane & reasonable vse, but of the excessiue vse rather of the same, which is the high way to [...] and make hurtfull not bread only, but whatsoeuer other good and ex [...]ellent things; so greatly euerie where and in all good things, is the merrie meane commended. Againe whatsoeuer hath beene hitherto said of bread, hath beene not to [...]harge it with begetting the said vices and diseases, by any euill iuice that is in it, but indeed by the superfluousnesse of humours, which may rather bee accounted for a vertue and commendation vnto it, than any dispraise: but the further discourse of this matter I leaue for another place. Seeing then the life of men consisteth more in the vse of bread than of all other things, who so is carefull of his health and life, must make choice of his bread, according as his substance, calling, and naturall disposition shall direct and guide him.

The bread that is made of wheat meale whole and intire,Bread made of the whole flower. as from which there is nothing taken by temze, is fit and meet for hindes and other workefolkes, as deluers, porters, and such other persons as are in continuall trauell, because they haue neede of such like food, as consisteth of a grosse, thicke, and clammie iuice, and in like manner such bread fitteth them best, which hath no leuen in it, is not much baked, but remaineth somewhat doughie and clammie, and which besides is made of the meale of Secourgeon, of rie mingled with wheat, of chesnuts, rice, beanes, and such other grosse sort of pulse.

The bread that is made of the flower of the meale,Bread of the flower of meale being the purest and finest part thereof, is good for idle and vnlaboured persons, such as are students, [...] and other fine and daintie persons, which stand in neede to be fed with [...]ood of light and easie digestion. Such is the white bread which is sold of the bakers, and [...] bread: as also that which is wel leuened, knodden, somewhat salt, somewhat hollow, and well risen, like vnto court bread.

The bread that is made onely of rie flower, is verie blacke, heauie, [...], slimie and melancholicke, and for that cause hard to digest: as also fit to be [...] of th [...] countrie people and poore inhabitants of the land, but not for men of [...] liuing at their ease: It is true that Phisitians doe chiefely comm [...]nd it in Sommer in the beginning of meate for to loosen the bellie, as wee see it practised in the [...] of great states: but such bread must not be made of the intire meale of rie, but such [Page] as is well sifted: and it must beare the colour of waxe, and bee new baked; for that which is old groweth sowre, and looseth his pleasant smel. The women of Lyonnois, to the end they may be faire and haue a fresh colour, and solide and substantiall bodies, do vse no other bread but such as is made of rie. Such as are much altered and changed, in steed of ptisanes, cidre, beere, or any other such drinke, may drinke of breaded water, that is to say, water wherein rie bread hath beene well beaten and laboured.

Bread made of barley meale only is verie dry, easie to crumble away, and of very small nourishment, and therefore fitter to loosen the bellie than to feed or nourish, by vertue and force of a detergent facultie, wherewith barley is greatly furnished: And this is the cause why at Rome this kind of bread is made no account of, as for to be vsed of men, leauing it as a food for cattell, or else in reproch, for faint-hearted and dastardly souldiers; for it was vtterly forbidden for euer being set before such as were valiant and couragious in fight, because of the small quantitie of nutritiue parts or nourishment that is in it. It is true that many do imagine that the vse of barley bread doth make them lesse subiect vnto the gout: contrarie to that which Aristotle saith in his Problemes, That bakers and such as vse baking are weakned thereby; but yet more than the rest, such as vse to handle and worke much in barley stuffe. The thing I leaue to be tried by the sequell.

Oaten bread is not commended, both because the imploying of oats that way were to rob cattell of their due food and prouander (a great argument of famine) as also because such bread is of an vnpleasant taste. It is better to vse oatmeale made of oats freed from their huske, as we haue said before in the treatise of pottage vsed either in flesh time, or in the time of Lent.

Bread made of millet and panicke is very common in Bearne and Gascoigne, not only amongst the vulgar sort, but also in the houses of great Lords; but these do vse it rather for daintinesse sake, or for want of a good stomach, than otherwise: it is verie drie, light, and easily crumbling, and so fit for to drie vp a stomach and bodie that is very moist. It is pleasant in tast when it is new and well baked, especially when it is eaten comming hot out of the ouen, for then it tasteth and eateth with a maruellous pleasant sweetnesse: Likewise in countries where such bread is made account of, the bakers carry it presently after it is drawne into the towne, and cry hot millet bread hot; but after it is become hard, it looseth all his grace.

Bread made of pure and cleane meslin, is very good to be eaten according to the mediocritie of the substance thereof, in such sort as that many compare it with the bread made of Similago, which was in old times the best and most excellent wheat that was.

There is no regard to be made of the bread made of the bran which commeth of the meale,Bread of bran. that hath its flower taken from it, and is commonly called meale bran: it is better to leaue it for the hounds or sheepherds dogs, or such as serue for the keeping and watch of the house.

In England and other places they make a great and profitabe vse of this meale, as namely, a certaine bread which they call horse-bread, and is so generall among them, that you shall not find an Inne, Ale-house or common Harbour, which doth want the [...]me: how excellent good and wholesome it is for horses, I will not boast, because the bran is naturally hot and burning of it selfe, and breeds many inflammations and hot diseases amongst horses: yet certaine it is, it will feed much, and for trauelling horses it is a good food, and well allowable during their labour or time of trauelling: but in their time of rest not so good nor wholesome, especially, that which is of the common or worse sort; for you must vnderstand that there be two kinds of this common horse-bread: the first kind of it, is that which is made of Branne or Chyssell onely, and knoden with cold water, without any mixture of other meale with it more than that which they mould it in, which seemeth onely to bind the chissell together, which otherwise would fall in sunder: the other kind of bread is, when they take two bushells of Branne or Chissell, and adde vnto it one bushell of [Page] beane or pease meale, and [...]o kneade it vp in water scalding hot, and after the [...] are moulded, to roule them in spelted beanes crusht and brused in a mill, and so bake it well: This bread is not altogether so vnwholesome as the former, and may very wel serue to feed horses with all the yere; for it is both hartie and strong, only a little too heauie, which maketh it hard of disgestion, and so more hurtfull to horses of tender stomaches, or such as want exercise, which is the onely meanes of speedy [...] cuation.

Soft breadSoft bread. (otherwise called of the French Painm [...]llet, or Pain de [...]) is to be made for none but great Lords.Bisket. Bisket bread made of the flower of white meale, is for such as take the dyet▪ Bisket made of rie and such other graine of the inferiour sort, is for mariners and such as are besieged in townes. The spiced bread is for such as are sweet [...]oothed and li [...]ourishly giuen.

The most excellent and best bread of all other (if you haue need at any time to make choice) is that which is made of good and pure wheat,The mark [...]s and sign [...]s of good bread. that is new, not old, not corrupted, or any way spoyled, moist, or long kept, hauing beene well ground, well sifted, well wrought into paste with good store of leuen, and sufficient quantitie of riuer or spring water, rather than that which is taken out of Wells, but neuer out of [...]ennes, pooles, or fi [...]h ponds, nor yet out of troubled, dyrtie, muddie, vncleane or salt water: being well raised and throughly kneaded and turned on euery side, and let rest certaine houres, being wel couered and somewhat salted, of a reasonable masse of paste, not too exceeding great, that so it may take the heat of the fire equally on euerie side as well aboue as below: which is baked in the ouen with a reasonable fire, and such a one as did burne cleare, feeding vpon wood rather than vpon straw, stubble, reed, rotten or medicinable wood: which is indifferently baked; so as that by ouer much and long baking the crust is not scorched, not the sweet iuyce of paste, which is as it were the life and substance of the meale, is not spent and consumed: or so as by too slight and slender baking, the inner part of the bread remaine raw, and so become a heauie and burthensome bread vnto the stomach very hardly to bee digested, and ingendring great store of windinesse and spettle, drawne out of the ouen in time and place, and set vp where there is a good aire, and not in any filthie or stinking aire, that there it may euaporate the superfluous moisture that is in it. Such bread hauing beene thus prepared and ordered, must not bee eaten too hastily, as when it is new baked, nor yet the same day, but the day following in Sommer, or the third day after in Winter: for new bread especially that which is hot, doth re [...]aine a great part of the moisture, clamminesse and [...] which [...] had in the kneading, and to being eaten new, would procure the inflamation and puffing vp of the stomach, prouoke thirst, be hardly digested, subuert and ouerthrow the stomach, and cause obstructions in the liuer and inward parts. It is true that physitians do greatly commend in faintings and swounings the smelling of the [...] part of the loafe comming new out of the ouen, and sprinkled with wine. Old baked bread, especially that which is three or foure daies old, looseth all its best grace and sauour, and in steed thereof falleth into drienesse and hardnesse, and so becommeth hard of digestion, passeth slowly downe into the bowells, causeth costiuenesse, and begetteth a melanchollie iuyce and nourishment. The crust of breadCrust of bread. notwithstanding it be of better taste and relish than the crums, and that the commo [...] people do thinke that it maketh a stronger bodie, yet it ingendreth a cholericke, adust and melancholie iuice, and that is the cause why in houses of great personages they vse to chip their bread.

What quantitie of bread must be eaten.

THe quantitie of bread that euerie man ought to eat euery day,The quantiti [...] of bread that is to be eaten. cannot [...] and strictly bee set downe, with regard had to the time, (for in Winter men eate more than in Sommer) age, disposition of the bodie, euerie particular [...] maner of liuing▪ and the custome of the countrie or place, without the omitting of [...] [Page] other circumstances. It is true that Courties, Chanons, Monkes, and Schollers of Colledges do keepe and obserue some rule that way, but not so constantly, but that it may bee broken, as occasions may be offered, which may perswade either to vse more or lesse.

The diuers vses of bread:

BRead is diuersly vsed: but the two most common waies are to eat it either alone, or with other meates, whereunto it serueth not onely, as wee haue said before, in steed of a sauce that is full pleasant and delightfull: but also to correct their vices and faults if they haue any, and to helpe and strengthen their properties and vertues, in so much that all meate is wholesome and healthfull, if it bee accompanied with bread. Sometimes it is tosted being cut into diuers thin shiues, for to eate after all other meate, for the drying of the stomach that is too moist, and to hinder especially in fat folkes, that the meat which they haue taken, be not so sodainely dispersed into all the seuerall parts of the bodie. Some say likewise, that tosted bread being often eaten, doth make fat folkes leane, and consumeth such flegme as may be gathered in the stomach: and being eaten all drie, in a morning fasting, it likewise drieth vp and stayeth all manner of rhumes and humours falling or gathered into any part or member whatsoeuer. This is the cause why Physitians appoint bisket bread for such as are troubled with rheumes and distillations. Some v [...]e tosted bread steept in Wine vvith sugar and cynamome, to procure an appetite vnto a dull stomache, either in sickenes or in health. Some do make sippe [...]s or small [...]ices (as they call them) of bread dried vpon the coales, which they steepe an houre or more in Water and Wine, and after force them through a strainer or temze, adding thereto the powder of some small spice, and so make very pleasant sauces therewithall.

Washed breadWashed bread▪ is a meate very profitable for the health, in as much as it giueth a light kind of nourishment vnto the bodie, without making of any obstructions: and this because the washing of it doth wholly take away the heauines and clammines belonging vnto the earthie parts thereof, and so maketh it light and altogether airie: That this is true, you shall find by experience, because that if you cast it into the water it swimmeth a loft like a peece of corke; and againe, if you weigh it after that it is washed, you will wonder at the lightnes of it; for indeed you shall find it not to be so heauie by the halfe. Old men of auncient time did cut it in slices, and washing it in water, made great account of it in sharpe agues and such other diseases, because it is of smal and light nourishment, according as is required in such sicknesses: and in these dayes we make no lesse account of it, saue that we vse not to wash it in water, but in the broath of meate, as of veale or capon possibly, because of the daintines of this age, or else for the parties feeblenes sake, which (it may bee) falleth out to be greater than it was in the bodies of those which liued long a goe. In steed of this washed bread, we vse a sort of bread which we call Panade, or a cooling bread, which is thus prepared: They take and crumble small the crummie part of a white loafe, not new, but old baked, or they grate it very small, after which they steepe it certaine houres in warme water, or in cold water, changing the same three or foure times, and in the end boyling it at a small-coale fire in an earthen pot, with buttered water, or some other fat put thereto. They that will make it after a finer fashion, steepe it, and boile it in some capon broth, or the broth of a pullet, or some other such like meate, stirring it a long time and oft with a spoone: this Panade is good for such as are troubled with long diseases, as also for such as are in health, but are troubled with crudities vpon their stomach, of what cause soeuer they come, as also for them that haue but bad digestion; but chiefly good for such as by exquisite diet do go about to cure the pox. This Panade doth not heat as bread doth of it selfe, not being washed, or prepared thus in Panade. The meale of Amydon made in bread or pap-meat, doth nourish in like manner that Panade doth. Wee haue set downe before how Amydon is to be made. Young children that sucke in like manner may [Page] be fedde with Panade, and it is a great deale better meat for them than the [...] accustomed to be made them with Cowes milk and Wheat flower, because that such pap-meate causeth infinite obstructions, feauers, headach and wormes.

Some vse the meale of certaine sorts of corne, and of many sorts of Pulse, after the manner of pap-meate, as we haue alreadie said vvhen vve spake of mundified Barley, which is a thing so highly commended of auncient Physitions. But besides such manner of preparing of it, as vvee haue alreadie deliuered in the Chapter of mundified Barley, these two following may seeme vnto me to be most excellent: boile your Barley in a great deale of vvater, as it were almost to the consumption of the water; gather the creame that is vppermost, and take it with a spoone, and make ther [...]of [...] dified Barley. Otherwise thus: take the meale of Barley well sifted, put it in a bag▪ and boile it in a great quantity of water, the space of fiue or [...] houres, afterward draw the bagge out of the pot, and let it drop, and straine it in a presse: let it stand & drie, and being drie, grate it as you would doe drie paste, and make mundified Barley of it. Some are of iudgement that Barley thus prepared is not so windie. Some do now and then put vnto it bread crummes and bruised Almonds, to make it more nourishing. It moistneth, nourisheth reasonably, but cooleth much: it procureth not any gripes in the body, neither doth it puffe vp and swell the body or stomack; but to be briefe, it performeth all the h [...]lpes whereof Hippocrates speaketh. Some likewise doe make pap-meate of Wheat meale and Rice, which in truth doe nourish more than mundified Barley: but they loade the stomacke heauily, and cause great windinesse, and that because, for the most part, they are boiled in Cowes milke. The pap-meate made of Millet, Pannicke, Oates, and especially of Lentils, besides that they are very vnpleasant, are of very hard digestion, in so much, as that the day after they be eaten they are to be found in the stomacke. The pap-meates made of Cich Pease, [...], Beanes, Fetches, Lupines, and other such like pulse, doe swell vp the bellie, and beget grosse and melancholike bloud.

CHAP. XXII.
Of Pastrie or baked meates.

WEe haue spoken of the making, differences, and profite of bread, which may be made of any manner of graine, corne, or pulse: now vve will say somewhat of the skill to make Cakes, Cheese-cakes, Flawnes, [...], and other baked meats, the which we desire to be in our housewife, that now and then she may take occasion at sometimes of the yeare, to present her Master and Mistresse with one dish or other, as also be able to serue and set before her family somwhat extraordinarie at feast times to cheere them vp withall. Such baked meates are of diuers sorts, according to the matter whereof they are made, the manner of their baking, their shape and fashion, the time when they are to be in vse, and the countrie wherein they are made. The matter is as it were the ground-worke of all sorts of baked meates, and that is, the flower of Wheate meale forced through a Bolter or fine Searce, whereunto many other things being added, doe cause a varietie of baked meates. That it is so, some make Wafers of the flower of Wheate meale verie well soked in water, and tempered a long time therwith, vntill it come to a certaine thicknesse, mixing therewith a little salt finely powdred, and after causing the same to bee baked betwixt two irons made hote, first with a reasonable gentle fire, and [...] annointed with the oile of Nuts: these kindes of Wafers a man may see made in many places openly, and abroad vpon festiuall and solemne feast dayes. [...] may bee made a tenderer and more delicate kinde of Wafers, in soaking the [...] of the Wheate meale in white wine and water mixt together, and throughly laboured and wrought, putting thereto afterward the yolkes of Egges, a little Sugar and [...] [Page] so baking all together betweene two irons, hauing within them many raced & ch [...] kered draughts after the manner of small squares, after that the said irons haue beene annointed with fresh Butter or Oile oliue. This sort of Wafers is wont to bee set on Tables at the second courses in solemne banquets. That which the Parisians do call Mest [...]er, is made of the same flower of Wheat meale, tempered vvith vvater and vvhite vvine, putting thereto a little sugar, and boiling it all betwixt two irons, after the manner vvhich you vsed in making of Wa [...]ers, but that it must not be altogether so thicke. The kinde of Wafers called Oublies, are made vvith Honey in stead of Sugar. Singing breads are made after the manner of Oublies, sane only that the meale whereof they are kneaden is not mingled vvith Honey, Sugar, or any manner of Leauen whatsoeuer. Estriez and Bridaueaux, and such other daintie baked things, are made of the same stuffe, and after the same manner that fine Wafers are, before described. MarchpanesMarch-panes. are made of verie little flower, but with addition of greater quantitie of Filberds, Pine Nuts, Pistaces, Almonds, and rosed Sugar; and they are the most vvholsome, delicate, and pleasant tarts, of all the rest. The Poplins are made of the same flower, kneaden with milke, yolkes of egges, fresh butter. The leaued cakes take not so much flower, and they are made vvithout milke. TartsTarts. are made after diuers fashions, and according to the time: some with fruits, that is to say, Apples, Peares, Cherries and Plumbs, especially in Sommer: others with Gooseberries, kernels of Crabs and Straw-berries in the beginning of Sommer. The Italians do make Tarts of hearbes, as Scariole, Lettuse, Blites, Sorrell, B [...]glosse, and other hearbs chopt small, and finely tempered together. The greatest part doe make them with Cheese or Creame, and many of all these things mixt together. I [...] so be that the Tarts be of diuers matter and colour, that is to say, of Plums, Cherries, Gooseberries, Cheese, or Creame. Some make with Butter, Cheese, and yolkes of Egges, diuers sorts of Cakes, Flammickes, Cheese-cakes, Talmouses and little Lenten loaues. Wigges are made with paste of flower of meale and fresh butter. Fritters and other such sweet conceits accustomed to be in request vpon great daies and before Lent, are made of the flower of meale, kneaden with the yolkes of Egges and Milke, and fried in a Skillet with fresh Butter. To conclude, looke how many countries, so many fashions of paste workes: in all which notwithstanding this is for the most part common, namely, that they vse not any Leauen in any of them all, but onely the rising of Beere, and that because Leauen made of paste would make them too sowre, or in [...]ect them vvich some other taste too vnpleasant and vnbeseeming baked meate, and hinder the whole and intire incorporating of things mingled amongst the meale whereof it is made.

Yet all this formerly spoken of, doth not so truely belong to the Pastrie as to the Confectionarie or Closet of sweet meats, tarts only excepted: yet in as much as they are principall ornaments to the housewife, they are not meet here to be omitted. To come then to the true Pastrie, which is the making of those pastes vvhich are meet for the lapping in or containing of all manner of baked meates, whether it be flesh, fish, rootes, hearbes, fruits, or other composition whatsoeuer; you shall vnderstand that they are of foure kinds: the first for the preseruation or long keeping of meats, whose proper and true-natures are to be eaten colde, as Venison of all kindes, Kiddes, Beefe, Veale, Mutton, Lambe, Turkeyes, Gamons of Bakon, or any great or daintie fowle: the second for the containing of loose bodies, at Dousets, Custards, Tarts, Cheese-cakes and such like: the third for the receiuing of fine, daintie, and tender bodies, as Chuets, Vmbles, Chickens, Calues feete, or any other good thing which is to be eaten hote: and the last is that vvhich is called pu [...]t paste, being of all other the most daint [...]est and pleasantest in taste, and may be imployed to any vse that any of the former vvill serue for, according to the fancie and skill of the Cooke, or the taste of him that is Master of the Familie. To speake then first of that paste vvhich is for the preseruation of mea [...]s, or to keepe them longest cold in good and vvholsome temper, it is euer best to be made of Rie flower, finely boulted and kneaden vvith hote vvater, and barrelled butter, yet in such sort that the paste may be somewhat stiffe and [...]ough; and thereby verie apt to rise vvithout cracking or breaking, vvhich is the greatest danger [Page] belonging to this kind of past, and the coffins raised hereof must be very thicke and substantiall, for thereby they preserue their inmeats a great deale the better, and they must also aboue all things be exceedingly well bakt, because any doughinesse or rawnesse in the crust soone putrifyeth that which is baked within it: these pa [...]es may also for shew or feasts (though worse in regard of continuance) be made of wheat meale finely boulted, and then it would haue much more butter than the rie paste, and be knodden as stiffe as is possible, so it rise without cracks or breaking: as for the l [...] king it asketh much lesse than the rie paste, in as much as it is a drier graine and not so moist in the working. The second paste which is for loose bodies, or any thing that is liquid, would be made of the finest wheat meale that can be gotten, and of the finest boulting: it must be knodden with hot water, a little butter, and many egges, both to make it light and strong in the rising, as also to make it hold from cracking, least thereby the moisture runne forth and so you loose both cost and labour: This paste is commonly halfe bakt before you put the moisture into it; for thereby it is made to hold much the stronger and better. The third past, which is for all maner of daintie things which are to be eaten hot, must be the tenderest, shortest, and pleasantest of all ordinarie past, and therefore must be made of the finest wheat flower you can get, and also most finely boulted: and this flower if before you knead it, you put it into a cleane earthen pot, and bake it in an ouen and houre or two, it will bee much better: it must be knodden with two parts butter (either fresh or salt) or with sweet seame, and but one part hot water, together with an egge or two to make it hold rysing, and this paste must be made reasonable stiffe, because the weake paste euer falleth after the hand, and either riseth not at all, or else so little that it is not comely to looke on, which euerie good cooke must shunne, because that pie which is as much couer as crust is euer a signe of an vnskilfull workman. Lastly for the puffe past, you shall make it of fi [...]er flower (if it be possible) than any of the other, and you shall to two parts of the flower adde a third part of sugar finely beaten and [...]earst: and this you shall knead with cold butter and no water at all; and euer as you fould, turne, and mould the paste about, so shall you put cold sweete butter betweene the foulds, and so worke it to a very stiffe and well tempered paste, and so [...]oule it forth either for tart, florentine, pas [...]y, or any other thing that may lie flat in the baking; for by reason of the much brittlenes and tendernesse of the past, it will not abide my higher raising, but will fall one leafe of the paste from another, and so loose the [...] or grauy which should be held in the same: which to preuent and to make the crust a great deale the more delicate, whensoeuer you intend to bake any pastie of fallow or red Deere, or any other flesh to be eaten hot, you shall first knead a sufficient quantitie of the second sort of paste which is for liquid bodies, and hauing rouled it forth as thin as conueniently you can, and of a sufficient largenesse to receiue that which you are to bake, you shall then knead another quantitie of the puffe paste and [...] it likewise forth, (yet much thicker) and then lay it vpon your first tough paste, and then put in your meate, suet, spice, and other necessaries, and so in both those pastes fould it vp close and so bake it, and you shall find when it comes to eating that the inmost of those two crusts will giue that admirable content which any curious tast can desire: and thus you may bake any other pie by making two coffins to passe one into another, and closing them vp and baking them with a moderate heat, for this paste of all other must by no meanes bee either burnt or ouer-dried, but by all artificiall meanes be kept in the strength of his moisture; and beleeue in all the art of cookerie there is not any knowledge (except seasoning) which is more excellent or more worthie to be imbraced of euery good huswife: and yet all manner of baked [...] are more for the pleasing of the taste than for the health of the bodie, in as [...]uch as they are giuen to load the stomach very heauily, and not to digest verie [...]. It is true that being eaten at the end of meales after other meates, they may serue in steed of marmalade, to send the former vitailes downe into the bottome of the stomach, and to presse together the bellie.

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CHAP. XXIII.
Of the brew-house.

THe vine cannot grow in many places of France to prosper: but to recompence such a want▪ there groweth all sorts of corne very fruitfull and in great aboundance, as in Normandie, Brittanie, Picardie, and other coasts lying vpon the North side of the land, where the cold seaseth most strongly, and where the rugged and sterne windes do ouerblow the earth with their coldnesse; so that in those countries, necessitie, the mother of all skill and cunning inuention, hath stirred vp the men to deuise some kind of drinke made of corne to serue them in steed of wine. Of that sort is their drinke called beere, ale, small beere, meade, gootale, beere and bread, and many other drinkes, which the Germans, Flemmings, Polonians, English, Scots, and other nations towards the North, doe vse in steed of wine.

This is the manner of making beere at Paris. The fairest, purest, and cleanest barley and oates that may be gotten, being prouided, and thrice as much barley being taken as oates, but of both such a quantitie as may bee proportionable to the intended quantitie of beere, they put them to steepe together in a fat for the space of foure and twenty houres more or lesse, according to the age of the corn in a sufficient quantitie of riuer water, rather than either Spring or Wellwater, and after this steeping time, they take and carrie them vp into a garner, to lay them on heapes to sprout: being sprouted they spread them abroad round about the gar [...]er for to rot and putrifie: being rotten they cast them into rowes: from out of the garner they carrie them to the kill for to drie: being dried, they carrie them againe into the garner or some chamber, or into some other place for to fan them and cleanse them from all their dust and filth, and from thence to the mill, there to grind them and make them into meale. Which done, they put this meale into a fat, powring vpon the same hot scalding and boiling water, proportionably and according to the quantity of the meale, that is to say, foure barrells of water, and a tun and a halfe of water to foure seame or quartets of meale, leauing the same for the space of an houre to drinke in this water, afterward they put the meale aside with their stirrers: being thus cleered the one from the other, they poure in as much boyling water as they did before; then afterward they take two maunds (made like vnto bee-hiues) of ozier, and these they sinke and thrust downe amongst the corne, and cause to be so kept by two or three men, to the end that in the meane time some other man may by the inside of these maunds draw and draine out the water wherein the meale hath steept, and poure it into another fat close by: Then they take all the wort or drained water and poure it into some sufficient large copper, holding betwixt [...]iue or sixe tunnes more or les [...]e, causing it to boile in a furnace a good houre, and afterward emptying the copper of the boyling water that is therein, they put it in with pans againe very softly, and all boyling into the fat amongst the corne, or drosse of the flower from which it was drained before, and there they let it remaine a certaine time, afterward they draw forth the thinnest of the liqour, as cleere as may bee, by a stopple which they haue for the purpose in the bottome of the fat, and that they poure againe into the copper suffring it to boile there for the space of twelue houres: and into this thin cleere liqour being thus in the copper, they put some fiue or sixe pounds of the flowers of hop [...] very drie and sweete. When the hops and liquor shall haue thus boyled twelue houres▪ they emptie the copper againe, and put the wort to coole at leasure into other ves [...]elles called [...]otes or coolers, and they be broad like vnto the fats, but only one foot deepe. When it is cold, they put it to turne into a small vessell containing a halfe a tunne, with two kettles of beere and of the rising of beereBeere rising. already throughly made, for the better cleansing and purifying of the same. This rising is made of the froth which riseth [Page] out of the Fat, when the best and cleerest Wort is newly turned in and falleth to the bottome in the Tubs, which froth turneth into Leauen, and becommeth hard, and with the same doe the Bakers or Cookes making baked meates, now and then [...] themselues to make their Wigs, Buns and most part of their finest baked mea [...]s: they renew the force and strength of yeast or leauen euerie houre with Beer alreadie made, so long as till the said leauen or yeast become strong enough of it selfe; which you shall know vvhen you see that it is well risen: euen as vvorkers in paste do g [...]esse and gather, vvhen they see their paste well risen. The Beer being sufficiently ripened and leauened, they run it vp into barrels or halfe barrels, & there they let it boile and [...] 24. houres in their said vessels, then they bung vp the said vessels, and giue them [...] somtimes, for otherwise they vvould burst. And thus much concerning the maner of making of beere amongst the Parisians: for vvith this beere thus made they [...] themselues, & it endureth all times & seasons, & standeth out good both Winter and Summer, Haruest and Spring. And vvhereas it goeth for good payment and [...], that the beere brewed in March is the best, it may possibly be so, by reason that then the hops are in their prime and chiefest force and vertue.

The Germans doe make their▪ Ale vvith Barley onely, not vsing any hops: sometimes they put thereunto a fourth or sixth part of Wheate, to make it more substantiall and nourishing. Very often in stead or for want of the flowers of hop [...], they [...] in of the seed of the said hops.

The Bohemians and Polonians doe make theirs vvith Barley and Wheate, vvhich they steepe in the decoction of the seed or flowers of hops, so greatly standing vpon the requisitenes of their hops thereunto, as that they vvere vvont to punish grieu [...]uly such as did cut downe, or vnprofitably destroy any hops amongst them. Again they husband and dres [...]e their hops as carefully as vvee doe our Vines: they gather the flowers and fruit at a certaine time, not suffering any thing to perish and be lost: in as much as the decoction of hops doth not onely ferment and leauen the corne & graine that is steept therein, but vvithall indueth the Ale or Beere vvith a resemblance of some sort of Wine.

The English, Flemmings, as also the Picards, do make their beere with eq [...]al quantitie of barley and vvheat verie vvell boiled, vvhich the Englishmen and Flemmings doe call Ale and Gud Ale, or double Beere, and the Picards call it double Quoite. They sometimes put thereto some darnell, to giue it a quicker and sharper taste. The Flemmings doe put thereto the crums of bread, apples, butter, and a little [...] ▪ to make it the thicker. The English to make it the more pleasant, do put into the vessels Sugar, Cinnamom, and Cloues, stirring and rowling the said vessels afterward verie much. The Flemmings also doe mixe therewith sometimes honey and spices, [...] make, as it were, a kinde of hippocras, vvhich they call Mede or Mete. But howsoeuer, according to the mingling, steeping, fermenting & boiling together of the grain, in vse for the making of their Beere: so the beere becommeth sharpe, bitter, sweetish, waterish, strong, mightie, weake, cleer, troubled, more or lesse durable, and of other such like qualities.

Yet to speake a little more particularly of the English, which are indeede the [...]rue masters of Beere and Ale, for as yet I haue but roaued wildely at their practise, You shall vnderstand that generally they haue but these two drinkes in vse, that i [...] ▪ [...] and Ale: and of these they haue diuers kindes, as first strong Ale or good Ale, [...] middle Ale, and lastly small Ale: so likewise of Beer; they haue March beer, [...] hold beere, and smal beere: the first is for strangers, the second for the Master, [...] and better sort of the familie, and the last is for plow-men or hinde [...]. As touching the making of these seuerall drinkes: all Ale, of what kind soeuer it be, is made of the best, cleanest, and sweetest Barley mault that can be got, without any other mixture, except it bee in those countries where Barley will not grow, and then Oatmeale will serue, or Oatmeale and Barley mault mixt together, according to the wealth of the Farmer. Now foure bushels of good Barley mault vvill make a [...] of strong Ale, another barrell of middle Ale, and halfe a barrell of small Ale. The generall [Page] vse is by no means to put any hops into ale, making that the difference betwixt it and beere, that the one hath hops, the other none: but the wiser huswiues do find an error in that opinion, and say the vtter want of hops is [...]he reason why ale lasteth so little a time, but either dyeth or foureth, & therefore they will to euery barrell of the best ale allow halfe a pound of good hops: ale asketh lesse boiling than beere, and so a little lesse cooling except it be bottle ale, & then it must not only be coold sufficiently, but also blynckt a little to giue it a quick & sharp tast: as soone as you haue drawn of your best ale, you must put in your middle ale, and as soone as you draw of it, you must put in your smal ale: your best ale must be barmed as soone as it is coold, and after it hath risen and wrought and bin diuers times well beaten in, then it shall be tund in open or close vessells, but the open is best if it be soone spent, and the close best, if you must let it lie long: as for your middle or small ale, they would not be barmed all at once, but kept and put to barme as you haue occasion to spend it, that is to say, some at one time & some at another. Now for your beere you shall vnderstand, that your March-beere, which is so called, because it is commoly brewed in that moneth as being the principal of all other, would be made of the best barley malt that can be got, for no oate-malt of it selfe will make the same: and to euery quarter of good barley male you shall adde a pecke of oats, a pecke of wheat, & a pecke of pease, and grind them all together, and they will make a hogshead of March-beere, an hogshead of houshold beere, and a barrell of small beere: to this proportion of malt you must allow also three pounds of the best hops; but if they be but indifferent, then you must allow a better quantitie: you must boile it well, then mash it, then boile it very well the second time with the hops, then drawing it from the hops put it into the coolers and coole it, after put it to barme, & beat it in as you did your strong ale many times for a day and a night together, then tun it, and after it hath purged well in the hogshed or other vessel, then close the bung hole, and giue it ven [...] as occasion shall serue, and so let it lie till it be ripe, which will be in no lesse space than three quarters or halfe a yere at the soonest: as for your beere of the second running, you shall vse it like the first, and both put it to barme & tun it in the same maner, only it will be ripe in foure or fiue weekes at the furthest: but for your small beere, you shall vse it like your small ale, and put to the barme as you haue occasion to drinke it. There is another kind of brewing of houshold beere (for this before mentioned is but for one moneth in the yere) and that is to allow to euery hogshead of beere halfe a quarter of barley-malt, which is a good proportiō for the familie either of nobleman, knight or gentleman: and to euery quarter of malt a pound and a halfe of the best hops: as for the second running of this beere (for it will beare but one besides the best) it will either be good for hind seruants, if such be in the familie, or else be an excellent reliefe for such as labour hard for their liuing. The graines, washings of tubs, a [...]d all other excrements which fall from the brew-house, are a very good food for swine, and keepe them in good plight till they come to be fatted for the slaughter.

To preuent the decay of beere,The faults of beere. and to cause it that it may continue and stand good a long time, cast into your beere vessels a great bag ful of many tender eares of wheat, and there leaue them a long time: and if it begin to fade and weare out of heart, hang two or three whole egs in the vessell. If it haue lost its good relish, you may recouer it againe by casting into the vessell the roots of Ireos▪ ginger, cloues, nutmegs, bay berries, and organie.

As concerning the temperature of beere there is no doubt but that it is hot,The temperatu [...]e of beere. and that more or lesse according to the things going to the compounding and making thereof: for notwithstanding that barley by nature is cold, neuerthelesse by meanes of the steeping, fermenting, putrifying, killing and boiling, that it endureth whiles the beere is making, it is impossible but that it should be made and become somewhat hote, then furthermore the hops, whether [...]loures or seeds, being mixt therewithall, doth by its heate, temper and alter very much the naturall coldnesse of the barley. If that wine (as Galen saith) be nothing else but a water, which in processe of time purchaseth a hot substance to it selfe in the stocke and woodie parts of the vine, by the [Page] meanes and force of the heat of the Sunne, in like case, barley in the making of beere purchaseth a heate by his long lying in steepe, boiling and putrifying which it indureth. Againe the tast and relish of beere doth argue the same to be hot, seeing if it bee good it must be either sharp, or bitter, or sweet; for that which is sowre or sharpe, like vineger, or eager, is not good nor well made: The effects of beere do likewise prou [...] it to be hot, for it maketh drunken, yea and that a great deale more than wine doth, by reason of its vaporous and thick substance: it seedeth also and nourisheth, especially that which is made partly of wheat or the graine called furmentie. Yet further, if it be distilled in an alembecke, it maketh Aqua vitae, no lesse than the wine. It is true that beere though it be hot, yet it is in diuers and sundrie degrees of hea [...]e according to the temperature of the ingredients: for that which is made of barley and spel [...] corne without hops, or with a very small quantitie of hops, is the least hot of all the rest; and that in such sort as that it becommeth a fit drinke to quench the thirst and to coole the bodie during the scorching Sommer heat: that which is made of barley and oats is a little hotter: as that which is made of barly and wheate is yet more hot and very much giuen to feed and nourish. But howsoeuer, all beere of what corne soeuer it be made, is of a more thicke substance and harder of digestion than wine, and which (if either it be ill boyled, or newly made or troubled,) ingendreth obstructions and inflations or puffing and swelling vp of the inward parts, headach, colicke, stone, grauell, strangurie, and heat and scalding of the vrine, especially if it bee sharp withall: if it be too old and drawing toward sowrenesse, it hurteth the stomach and sinuie parts; as also it begetteth the leprosie, if we will beleeue Dioscorides: And therefore you must learne to drinke only such as is well boiled, fined, and growne to a meane and indifferent age.

Notwithstanding that beere (as Dioscorides will haue it) be enemie to the [...], and that those which are drunke by taking excessiuely of the same, haue their members and parts more weake, than they which haue become drunken with wine: yet the truth is, that it comforteth the wearied by running or much walking, if so be that such persons do but foment and bathe their feet in beere reasonably warme.

You may fat your hens and caponsThe fa [...]ting of [...] and capons in a short time, if in steed of water you giue them beere to drinke, or if you mingle their meat with beere.

If you boile new hops with beere and keepe them in your mouth, it will stay the toothach.Toothach.

Bakers or makers of baked meats (as we haue said before) do vse (in steed of leue [...] to knead their crust withall) the hardned froth of beere, which because it is windy and flatuous, doth make the bread light as it were full of eies.

The grounds of beere doth serue to polish and scoure brasen vessell,To scoure vessel if they be [...] laid to steepe therein some certaine time.

The end of the fifth Booke.

THE SIXTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE.

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The Vine.

CHAP. I.
Of the profit rising of a well dressed Vine and Vineyard.

HItherto wee haue intreated of the husbanding, tilling, ordering and dressing of garden plots, orchards, and arable ground: it now remaineth that we speake of the vine, wherupon for certaintie dependeth the greatest part of the reuenues and riches of a house-holder, howsoeuer many make small account of the vine, and do more esteeme to haue possession of meadowes, pasture, woods, and other grounds, than to stand to the reuenues growing by vines, in as much as for the most part they yeeld not the fruit which may recompence the charges laid out about them: But for all this the vine is not to be discredited, seeing this is not the fault of the ground, but of the people that till it, and either for couetousnesse or ignorance, or negligence offend in the tilling thereof. It is true that the husbanding and ordering of the vine is chargeable, painefull, and a matter of great care, by reason of the tendernesse of the wood, which being well considered, may seeme to haue come to passe by a speciall prouidence of God, directing the same and making it so weake, tender, and feeble, to the end that this plant might not serue for any other thing, than to bring forth the excellent and pretious liquor of wine, which is so needfull for the sustentation and life of man: for if it were fit for any thing else, as the wood of other trees is, it would be imployed, and wine thereby would become a great deale more deere than it is.

The greatest part of vine dressers do not esteeme in what ground the vine be planted, but do make choice of the worst quarter in all the country, as if the worst ground, and that which is good for nothing else, were the best to plant vines in. Others haue not the iudgement to know and chuse their plants, and for that cause doe oftentimes plant their vineyards with such young vines as are nought. Againe many hauing no respect of the time to come, do in such sort order and dresse the vine, as if they thought to liue but an houre, burdening and loading it with so many branches and shootes for propagation, and leauing vpon it so much wood, as that it cannot prosper any long time. Others although they know the way to order and dresse it well, do yet continually omit certain courses and seasons, as being more busily imployed about their own profit, than their maisters wel-fare.

[Page] Likewise I would alwaies aduise the Lord of our countrie farme, that hee would not altogether commit the care and charge of his vineyard vnto his farmer, but that he himselfe would lay the chiefe burthen about it, vpon himselfe: for as the masters eie maketh the horse fat, so the carefull industrie of the Lord or chiefe owner maketh the field fruitfull and to beare great store of increase; and for that likewise the owner and Lord of the vine will not onely spare it better, but also see that it bee not defrauded of any such toile and labour as it requireth, contrarie (for the most part) to the practise of such as are but secondarily interes [...]ed in such matters: the vine being such a peece of inheritance as wherein euerie small fault committed, doth draw after it great losse, and such as oftentimes cannot bee remedied or repaired, but by supplanting what is done, and replanting it a new. And that it is no otherwise, but iust so, marke and see, if euer you heare the Guespines of Orleance, or the Bea [...]uoies, and those of the duchie of Burgundie (which haue large grounds imployed in vine [...] yards) to complaine themselues of their vines, and that because themselues take the whole care and reserue the principall ouersight vnto themselues. On the contrary, the Parisians haue no other complaints or agreeuances to talke of but of their vines,The Parisians negligent ouerseers and husbandes about their vines. and that because they credit deceitfull and ignorant workemen to sway the worke; whose couetousnesse, ignorance, and negligence is for the most part of the cause that they reape not the fruit of their vines in such plentifull manner, as they should, or at the least that the fruit which they doe reape, is not so durable as it would. And this you must thinke that vines will yeeld a larger reuenue a great deale than gardens or other areable grounds, if they bee well and diligently husbanded; for there are few arpents of vines to be found which yeeld not euery yeare, one yeare helping another, ten or twelue tuns of wine which is a great reuenue, and yet remaineth vnreckoned a great benefit and auailes which may be made of small plants and impes, which may be gathered to transport or transplant into any other place, which will easily amount to more than will satisfie and aunswere all the costs and charges which are laid out any maner of way about the vines: wherefore either the reuenue rising of such plants by sale, or the hope of the vintage and gathering of wine, must be the spur to pricke forward the master of this our countrie farme, to looke to the ordering and dressing of the vines himselfe.

CHAP. II.
What soile and aire the vine doth most delight in.

THe vine groweth not but in certaine places that are fit and naturall for it,Two things to be considered in the planting of vines. which is a thing to be accounted of by vs, so much the more excellent, because the speciall propertie of this plant is more commended by men than any other, in respect of the good it ministreth, which i [...] that in such places as it groweth in, the men are found to be more strong and mightie by the vse of it, than other men are, which for want of it, are forced to vse other drinkes.

As concerning the soile to plant it in, there must two things be considered, the qualitie of the ground where it is to be planted, and the disposition and inclination of the aire which ruleth in that place. As concerning the qualitie of the ground, you shall chuse such a one as is not very churlish and close, neither yet very ligh [...] and open, but yet of the two, more inclining vnto a small mould and open ground, neither leane nor very fat, & yet somewhat the rather inclining to the fat, not champion, nor a very plaine and flat, (and yet in such grounds there grow more wine) neither very stiffe and straight, but rather somewhat raised than otherwise, that so it may bee the better aided and succoured by the fauourable beames of the Sunne, neither dri [...] nor moist and watrish (because that in such kind of ground the vine continueth not long, neither doth it bring forth good wine, but such as is quickely perished) [Page] and yet indifferently serued with vvater: not such a one as hath any fresh springs or fountaines, either breaking out euen with the vppermost face of the earth, neither yet carried along within, in the depth of the earth below, but only in such sort, as that neere vnto them there may be water to moisten their rootes withall: and the same moisture must not be either bitter or salt, to the end that the tast and [...]auor of the wine may not be spoiled. So that by this it appeareth that it is not meet to plant Vines in deepe and low valleyes, albeit they might, and would bring forth grapes in great abundance, and that because they would not ripen in due time, and so there would be made of them no better than a green vvine of small value: adde hereunto, that Vines seated in low valleyes, are very much endangered by the Frosts of the Winter and Spring time, and are also subiect to haue their grapes to burst, and to runne out their iuice and to rot, vvhich vvould cause a mus [...]ie and foughtie taste in the vvine: and therewithall, vvhen the yeare is rainie, the kernels cleaue and burst out through the abundance of moisture; by reason vvhereof the grape being in this sort too much moistened, and nothing at all dried, the vvine becommeth vnsauorie and apt to grow sowre, and fall into many other faults. And if you happen to light on such a place, then chuse to plant there such plants, and yong shootes as may beare clusters, not too thicke set, but growing somewhat thin, that so the Sunne may pierce through them: much lesse may you plant those Vines vvhich haue their pith taken out, and bring forth a firme and solid grape, in cold and moist grounds: as neither yet in a hote and drie ground, such Vines as haue substance enough in them, and beare a grape somevvhat soft. But chiefly, if your place be so well appointed by nature, as that it consist of and containe grounds that are fit and meet vpon the tops of great hills, together vvith some low and small hills, then make choice of them to plant your Vines thereupon. It is true that it vvill hardly grow there at the first, but hauing once taken roote, it vvill yeeld a verie pleasant and noble vvine, such as the vvines of Ay, Hadre, Argentueil, Meudon, and Seurre be.

In generall, if you vvould plant a Vine vvhich may profite you in bringing forth abundant store of good fruit, you must see that the ground be gentle, easie, fine, and indifferent light to be stirred: not as though such a ground onely vvere good for Vines, but for that it is most kind, naturall, and best agreeing for Vines to be planted in sandie, stonie, grauelly, and flintie ground, as also such as consisteth of a Potters clay in the bottome, and couered ouer with earth is good, prouided, that they be intermingled with some fat earth, and that they be often refreshed by being digged euen to the veine of stones, or rocke. In a sandie, clayie, and churlish stubborne ground, the first digging and casting of it must be good & deepe: and such grounds also would be thrise digged or cast at the least. Such grounds bring forth strong and delicate vvines: but such grounds as haue of stones or flints great store vpon the vppermost face of the earth, are not fit for Vines, because in Summer they stand at a stay, by reason of the great heat of the Sunne, being beat back vpon them by the said stones: and they doe no better in Winter, because of the excessiue cold which in like manner then troubleth them. True it is, that if a Vine be planted in a grauelly, rockie and stonie ground, that then it will not be needfull to cast so deepe, because the roote is not so farre downe into the earth, as is the new planted Vineyard which is made in a sandie [...]oile, and it is contented with twise digging for the most part. A soile standing vpon Walkers clay or marle, as loeg [...]y vpon Yonne, is verie good for Vines, but the ground standing vpon a Potters clay is not good. In like sort the grauelly ground is not altogether fit: for though it yeeld a daintie good wine, yet it yeeldeth but a ve [...]ie little: and there also the new planted Vineyard is very subiect vnto the hauing of his grapes washed away. The drie and burning earth doth yeeld leane Vines if it be not helped by the dunghill.

As concerning the power of the Sunne, [...]hat aire is fit and requi [...]it for the Vine. and disposition of the ayre, the Vine delighteth not to be planted vpon the tops of mountains, and much lesse in places lying open vnto the Northeast winde: but it delighteth in an ayre that is rather hote than colde, and faire rather than rainie: it cannot abide tempests and stormes: it reioiceeth [Page] in a small, gentle, and friendly winde, and would bee turned toward the East or South. It is true that generally in cold places vines must stand vpon the South, and in hot places vpon the North or East: prouided that they be sheltred at such time from the winds, as well of the South as of the East: if the place be subiect to Winds, it will be better that it should be to the Northerne or Westerne Windes than otherwise: in temperate places either vpon the East or West; but the best is towards the East.

Furthermore in as much as it is a very difficult thing to find all these commodities and good properties of ground and aire in euery countrie; the good workeman shall fit the plants of his vines vnto the nature of the places and countries: wherefore in a fat and [...]ertile ground he shall set the young plant of a small vine, and such a one as beareth but little, as the Morillion, the Melier and the Aubeine: and in a leane ground the plant that is very fruitfull, as that of Samoureau, Tresseau, Lombard, Ouch, Muscadet, Beauuois, and Pulceau: in a thicke and close ground, the plant that is strong and putteth forth great store of wood and leaues, as that of Morillion, Morlou, Tresseau, and Pulceau: in a small mould and reasonable fat ground, the plant which putteth forth but a little wood, as that of Samoureau, Lombard, and Beaulnois: and by this meanes the defect and want, or the excesse and superfluitie of any qualitie in the young plant of the vine, shall be supplied or corrected by the nature of the ground, and that in such sort and manner as that of two excesses shall spring one meane and well tempered thing, which is a point to be wished and requisite in the growing of all sorts of plants. Furthermore he may not plant in moist places the young plant which is giuen to beare tender and grosse grapes, as that of Samoureau, Gouet, Mourlous, Pulceau, Cinquaine, and Tresseau. In places [...]ossed with winds and stormes, he must prouide to plant such a kind of vine as is woont to bring forth hard grapes and sticking fast and close vnto the stalke: but on the contrarie, that which shall haue accustomed to beare tender grapes in places that are hot and giuen to be mild. In drie countries he must plant those vines, the fruit whereof is woont lightly either through raine or the dew to rot, as those be of samoureau, Gouet, Pinot, Blanke, and Beaunoies: and in a moist place, those which are woont to spoile and perish through drinesse. In countries which are troubled with haile, such as are of a hard and large leafe, for such are able the better to defend and couer the fruit.

CHAP. III.
How that there is not planted any vine by the way of making a seed nurcerie, except it be onely for pleasure.

I Am of that mind, that a man cannot but hinder and iniurie himselfe in making nurcerices of vines, for besides that the tree doth not grow sooner of kernels than it doth of the plant, there is also this inconuenience, namely, that the vine growing of knernels doth not yeeld any thing of profit or good for vse. This is indeed a worke for such as loue their pleasure, and haue in their purses largely to defray the charges thereof, being able thereby to sow seeds out of some strange countrie, afterward to raise a nurcerie of stocks of the same when they are growne vp for to bee transplanted and remoued into a better ground, and that they may graft thereon, and afterward againe remoue the stockes so grafted into a better ground also, that so about two yeares after they may reape the fruit thereof, which is woont to be both great and daintie enough: but yet this same new vineyard thus planted is the least durable of all others. [...] Againe, in this countrie wee doe not trouble our selues in planting vines to runne vpon trees, in such sort as any [Page] man may easily see that they doe in Lombardie and other places: neither yet with such as are raised vpon single and double shadowing arbours,Vines after the fashion of an arbour. neither yet with such as vse to creepe along and spread themselues vpon elmes or other trees; for the wine neuer proueth so good, as well because the root of the tree is corrupted, after the maner as it falleth out with coleworts; as also because this plant loueth not to be hoi [...]ed and mounted too high, neither yet shadowed with any building of timber-worke, higher than the stature of a perfect man.

CHAP. IIII.
How that before you plant your vine, you must learne out what wine the earth will beare, where you are purposed to plant it.

WHosoeuer doth purpose to plant vines,How to trie what wine the ground will best bea [...]e. must not so much trust vnto the markes and signes of a good ground, ceclared and set downe before, as first to see that he haue made trial what wine the ground will best beare, where he mindeth to plant his vine; for it were but labour lost, and money cast away to plant a vine for so small increase as can nothing like aunswere and content your expectation. Thus then you may trie and proue your ground: make a pit in the ground where you meane to plant it, of two foot depth, and of the earth cast out of the pit, take a clod, and put it in a glasse full of raine water that is verie deane, mingle and beate together this earth and water, then let it rest, vntill such time as the earth haue made his perfect residence and setling in the bottome of the glasse, which is easily perceiued by the cleerenesse of the glasse which will follow thereupon: and after that the earth is throughly setled, tast the water, and looke what relish or tast it hath, such would the wine be; and therefore a vine yeelding such a relished wine fittest to be planted there: therefore if you find therein a bitter tast,To manur [...] vi [...]es is a dangerous thing. a saltie or allum like, or any other such vnpleasant tast, auoid and cease to plant any vine in any such ground. Which if it be true, then to dung and manure vines is altogether to bee condemned, because it is very hard that earth fed and nourished with dung, should not taste and retaine the smatch of the dung, and so by consequence communicate the same with the wine. Wherefore the Parisians are fowly and foolishly ouerseene to load and lay vpon their vines yeare by yeare such great quantitie of dung, and that is the cause for the most part, why their wines haue an vnpleasant tast, and doe easily and very quickely corrupt: and yet further the dung doth cause the vines to grow old by and by and become barren, because they put forth all their goodnesse the first yeare.

CHAP. V.
Of the choice of young vine plants.

THe choice of young plants whether they bee crossets,The choice of young vine plants. marquets, or the tenais, must not be put to the discretion of the seller, who little careth to take the fit season for the gathering of the said young plants, neither yet for the goodnesse of them, but altogether to his diligent & heedfull care which is the workemaster: and for that cause it were best for men to take them of their owne vines, or else at least to haue those which hee shall buy, warranted to bee [...] good: he must also haue regard to the quality of the aire and situation of the ground [Page] where he will set his plants, that so he may fit them for the same. For and if the ground lie vpon the South, he shall chuse the young branches of vines which he will plant from the same part and quarter: if he meane to plant them in a high place, hee shall gather the plants vpon some high and tall vine: and if low, then out of some vineyard that is very low: planting in a hot, cold, drie, or moist ground, hee shall chuse his plants for the renewing of any failing or decaied, of the like situation: by this meanes the plant will fasten the sooner in the ground, and it will bring forth fruit sooner and a great deale better than if it should bee otherwise. Likewise hee must not keepe the young plant any long time before hee plant it: for, no more than trees which are to bee remooued, can the vine well and easily endure after it is cut to bee long vnplanted: neither yet would it be carried far, or remoued out of its owne soile into another, because it feareth the change of earth and aire: and thereupon it commeth that the young plants brought out of strange countries, as of Beaune, Rochel, and Burdeaux cannot prosper so well in our soile, as those which grew there first. To make good choice therefore of crossets to plant new vines of, you must see that the vine from which you gather such Cros [...]ets bee but sparingly furnished with pith, because that such a one is not onely fruitfull and bearing aboundantly, but because also it is not so subiect to the iniuriousnesse of time, as Snow, Fogges, Frostes, and the burning of the Sunne in the time of Sommer, as those which haue much pith in them: afterward when the vines beginne to bud, you must diligently view, about the beginning of September, those that are most laden with grapes, and which are most fruitfull, and haue most eies in their branches, which haue not beene iniured or hurt by the hardnesse of weather, and which are neither young not old, but in their chiefest strength, and middle age, or not much past. Of such vines must your branches be gathered (in the increase of the new Moone, somewhat late of the day in the afternoone) not of such as grow most low, not yet of such as grow highest, but of the middle growth, and such as are round, smooth, and fi [...]me, hauing many eies, and about three fingers of old wood together with the new. It must be planted presently, that so it may take the sooner in the earth, whiles yet it is in life: or else presently as soone as it is cut off to wrap it in its owne earth, not tying it hard, as also, if you would keepe it a long time, to put it in a vessell full of earth, well closed and stopped perfectly on euery side, that so the aire may not any way wrong it: or else, if it bee to bee carried into any far countrie, to sticke it in an onion, or wilde garlicke, and then before planting of it to steepe it in water, especially if the ground from whence it is gathered be drie by nature. The vine-dressers of the duchie of Burgundie before the planting of crossets do cause them to be steeped one whole day or a night in running water, and find by experience that the said crossets do take more easily. Others cause the branch to be set and planted by and by, that so it may take the sooner.

CHAP. VI.
The manner and way to plant Vines.

THe first casting of the earth for to plant the vine, must bee done in the Spring or Sommer, in which first digging or casting of it, the ground must bee cleansed of all superfluities, as rootes, weeds, and stones: it must be digged and renewed oftentimes, to the end that the earth which is vppermost, may bee brought vnto the bottome, and that in the bottome may bee turned vppermost, to moisten and refresh that which is drie, and to heat and drie that which is moist & thick, and afterward made euen and cast into many furrows & pits of a foot and a half breadth, & depth, till you come to the hard stone in the bottom [...], and the knights or guids of the one side & the other, [...] of such a thicknes aboue, as may [Page] aunswere to the depth of the furrow, which yet must be made hollower in a rough and crabb [...]d ground than in sandie, flintie, or wet ground: in the bottomes of the sides of which furrowes, there may bee put stones, so that they bee no bigger than a loafe and couered with earth, for the cooling of the vines in the heat of Sommer, as also to the end that vpon great raine, the water may find passage, and not stand at the rootes of the plants. Whereupon your ground being well laid with stones in this sort, and rested and setled after the first dressing of it, and being in the time of this rest turned o [...]er and wrought for the taking away of the couch grasse and other weeds, you must spie out some calme and quiet weather to plant in, according to the place where you shall bee, and the nature of your ground: prepare, make readie, sharpen, and cut off the root and hairie threeds of your young plants, and fit them well for the South Sunne: plant them in the middest of the furrow, in the plaine flat, where your foot vseth to [...]read, and one right ouer against another, and after the maner of a Burgundian crosse, for to make them (after that they are couered with earth, and old made dung, or with the earth which hath beene cast out of the furrowes, and thrown on the ridges) leape to the two sides of the furrowes towards the ridge of either part; for so they beare more fruit, and this is called the double plant, which must bee vnderstood of the plants onely, which are so planted in doubt that if one doe die, the other may escape, or that and if they both take, the one of them may bee taken vp, to put in place where others haue failed: For howsoeuer the plant set of a crosset may make the better foot and root, yet for certaine it is harder to take than the marquot, although the marquot be not so lasting and of such continuance, in as much as the crossets do put forth rootes of themselues. Furthermore, you must cut off the greatest wood, and most knottie from the vine stocke, which you know to bee the fairest and most fertile, and it must consist both of old and new wood: It continueth foure yeares without fruit, and on the other side, without some misfortune it is seene to continue thirtie yeares in his vigour and lustinesse. After it is cut off, it must be cut fit not leauing aboue three or foure ioints at the most, two wherof (in planting it) may stand aboue ground: and if it haue put forth any eielet, you may rub it off with your finger, or nip it off with your naile.

If you make lesser furrowes, you must plant them after the fashion called [...]n godeau, after the Angeuin fashion, setting euery one distant from another two foot, one marquot betwixt two knights or guides as is vsually obserued in planting of stocks in the nurcerie of fruit trees:Cheualiers. and after that to leaue it foure yeares in the same state, that it may be laid downe againe when it is growne, that is, some two or three yeres after it hath put forth strong and able wood, in such sort, as that to vines so planted there need no propping or vnder bearing; for the chiefe and principall foot as it is in trees, doth sufficiently beare vp the siences putting forth of the same. In Languedoc and ProuenceThe manner of plāting of vines in Languedoc and Prouence. The oliue tree is no hinderanc [...] to the vine. they plant them in this sort, but they pricke them downe a great deale further off one from another, and set an oliue tree betwixt euery two, which nothing hindereth by his shadow either their growth, or the Sunne from hauing full power vpon them. And yet they leaue not so, but as is vsed in Italy, they set in euery furrow fiue or sixe rowes of pulse or wheat, and yet so as that there groweth no intanglement betwixt them and the vine, as not being set or planted amongst them▪ and yet they let not to plant the oliue trees in corne fields, prouiding as hath beene heretofore said, that the shadow, thereof doe not any thing hinder the growth of the graine.

The marquot would be plantedTo plant the marquot. as soone as it is raised from his stocke, with his whole furniture of twigs, and that alone in the middest of the furrow, because of his small sprigs, seeing there is no doubt made of the taking of it: againe, it must haue a bed and spreading place of great length: it groweth sooner (as hath beene said) than the crosset; but in like manner as the grafted one, it indureth the least and shortest time of all the rest.

After that you haue planted your crossets or marquots, you must bow them wel at the foote to make them take roote, and afterward cast downe the earth of the ridges [Page] both of the one side and the other, that so it may fall vpon the said plants. At Clublyes, Touuerois, and Auxerrois, in planting of marquots (but not hauing any hairie rootes) they writhe them about very gentlie, and vntill they crack and cleaue a little, not suffering them to come together againe.

There is another manner of planting of Crossets, and not the Marquots (for his hairie root cannot endure and abide it) which is called by the termes of planting, en barrhe, en fiche, or as it is called in Aniou, en godeau, and it is by pricking downe on a row the said plants, or else so as that two may stand right ouer against one that is alone, as the manner is to doe with Willowes, and afterward to couer them ouer, and to pile and beate them, as hath been said.

Furthermore, to the end that the new plant may take roote verie speedily,To [...]ause the new plant to take root verie speedily. it wil be good to put to the roote thereof acornes and fetches, bruised and ground together somewhat grosse, or else Beane straw, or dung that is old and made long since, or the chaffe of Wheate, which is fittest of all, if there may be found any that hath lien rotting somewhere in standing water for the space of one yeare or more, or fat earth, if in case that the ground where you plant your Vine bee but a leane earth: but if it bee a fat soile, it will be fit to put therin the drosse of the pressing of grapes, mixt with dung made of the drosse of white grapes, if the plant bee of a blacke Vine, or of blacke grapes, if the plant be of a white Vine. Some doe poure Vrin thereupon, to worke the feat withall, and others the lees of Wine. It is true that some hold it for cer [...]aine, that Vrin is altogether contrarie to the Vine plant, and that is causeth the same to looke pale and white, and in succession of time to kil the stalke, whether it be Crosset, or a Marquot.

You must not mingle, if it be possible, any other plants amongst the VinesThat nothing must be sowne amongst the Vines. (howsoeuer some doe sow amongst them Beanes, Gourds, and Cucumber [...]) because that whatsoeuer is sowen amongst the Vines, doth steale away from them their nourishment, and becommeth wonderfull harmefull and iniurious: aboue all other things the Vine hateth the Colwor [...], as we haue alreadie said in the second Booke.

Againe, Vines must not be planted of diuers plants,That vines must not be planted of diuers plants because all vines do not grow at one time, neither are they all of one nature: for some beare early fruits, and some late fruits. Likewise the fruits themselues doe differ one from another: for some are redde, some blacke, some white, some sweete, some eager and sowre, some durable, and other some not durable. Wine is better old than new: some is drunke presently after it is made. One delighteth in one manner of dressing, and another in another: wherefore you must not mingle diuers plants together, for there is nothing that so much spoyleth Vines, as when the grapes that are early ripe are gathered with the late ripe ones, and the white with the blacke, because they are of contrarie natures. And if any man be desirous to haue manie sorts then hee must plant them apart one from the other, that so he may order them, inrich, cut, and gather them in their nature and season, that is to say, the more forward and fruitfull first, and the backward and late ones last: or, which is better, if a man desire to haue diuers sorts of yong plants, to the end that if one misse he may be in possibilitie to haue others that will speed, in stead of mingling diuers plants together in the same ground, hee must haue so many inclosures, or quarters for Vines (to the end they may by them bee euerie one separated and distinguished from another) as hee will haue plan [...]s and diuersities of plants.

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CHAP. VII.
In what ground, with what manner of inriching, and at what time of the yeare, the young vine ought chiefely to bee planted.

TO plant a new vineyard of a French vine, it behoueth the Lord of the farme (if he himselfe would see the fruit of his first labours) to haue care and consideration of the ground and of the young vineyard, which he meaneth to replenish with young plants, as wee haue said: for he may be well assured, that in a sturdie, stiffe, iuicie, and fat ground, the vine will beare much fruit, and requireth lesse to be inriched and helped, saue that it may after some two of three yeares stand in need to haue some little supplie of fresh and new earth, wherein pulse haue lately growne, or else some little reliefe at the foot, according to the time and nature of the countrie. In a grauellie and flintie ground, as suppose it might be in Vaugirard and Venues, where vines yeeld not so much increase, the earth must be the ofter tilled, dressed, and dunged for the purpose, but such manuring must bee with neats dung, and not with the dung of horse, swine, sheepe, or leistals, with all which all manner of ground whatsoeuer, is made worse, rather than amended: besides that such amends doth impaire the taste of wine, and maketh the vine sooner to grow old and out of date, because that the ouermuch trust that the workeman putteth in the heat of these, doth make him negligent, euen as it fareth with them which put vnquencht lime to the feet of plants,To put vnquēcht lime to the roots of vines. to make them beare the timelier fruit, as also for to make them the sooner ripe: seeing also that the workemen giuen to follow these courses, do not vouchsafe them the labour of digging about the feet, neither yet to turne vp and dig their vineyards diuers times,The qualities of bad vine dressers. as the season shall fit and require, louing rather to put their masters to the charges of dung, young plants, and props, then that they would in a rainy and fit time take paines and dig them oft, yea rather spending the time of their labouring in [...]auerning, or else in wrangling with some of their neerest and deerest kinsfolkes, and that oftentimes for no [...]hing: notwithstanding that the thing which is the principal and chiefest cause of the bringing forth of wine as well commendable for goodnesse, as abounding in store, is by bestowing as many dressings vpon the vine, as can be deuised, or any way affoorded.

Wherefore you may vndertake the planting of the French vine in the increase of the Moone, when it is foure or fiue daies old, and that from about the beginning of December, or the middest of December, vntill the next frosts that follow, and then also according to their fiercenesse and sharpnesse, which if it fall out to be great, you shall [...]urcease and giue ouer your worke, for to goe about to breake the ground, and lay open the earth, when it is taken and hardened by the frost, is but so much labour for you, and so much losse vnto the earth, because that vnder the crust of the frost it inwardly gathereth its s [...]rength together afresh, that afterward it may shew forth i [...]s whole force and power in the Spring. Wherefore in cold places it will bee better to plant your vine before the Spring, as on the contrarie, in hot, drie, and vnwatered places in Autumne, to the end that the raine which shall fall all Winter, may supplie the defect of other water, and that the roots may the sooner take in the earth, and then and at that time principally when nature ministreth most nourishment vnto the rootes.

My counsell is, that in planting vines there be not any holes made, but rather little pits of a fadome and a halfe in widenesse, and as much in depth, and this is to be done in October if you mind to plant your vines in Februarie, or else in August, if you meane to plant your branches before Winter.

The principall tooles of a vine-dresser, are the mattocke to digge and turne ouer the ground withall, the forked picke axe to make pits withall, th [...] spade, the weede [Page] forke to cast vp weedes withal, the rake, a little saw, a great hedging bill, a little hedging bill, to crop and cut off the wood, and to make young branches, and an a [...]gar to gra [...]t the Vine withall.

CHAP. VIII.
Of the plant of the Blacke Vine.

COncerning the naturall plant of the black Vine, it groweth euery where: the wilde doth yeeld a sharp and rough wine, such as that which groweth of ground newly broken vp: but the Vine that is intended to be for Claret wine, is planted halfe of blacke and halfe of white Wine, and thereupon standeth in neede of another manner of dressing and seat than the common Vine doth: in like sort it is harder to order well, as requiring a verie great care to be taken about it, because the wine which commeth thereof is most pleasant to the eye, and of excellent taste, albeit that it doe not nourish so much.

The yong plants of the blacke Vine are the Morillion,Foure sorts of the blacke Vine the Samoyrea [...], the Negrier, and the Neraut: Besides which, for to make Claret Wine, it is accustomed to adde the yong white wine plant. And for the mingling of them afterward to make a Claret, it will in a manner suffice, if among three or foure plants or branches of the blacke there be one of the white.

The best of the blacke plants is the Morillion, the wood whereof being cut, sendeth forth a redder liquor than any of the other: and the best of this sort is the short one, being iointed, within the bredth of euerie three fingers at the most, and growing more or lesse thicke, according as the countrie is, bearing and nourishing it: it beareth a well packt fruit, and hath a rounder leafe than any other of that sort.

The other MorillionThere be three sorts of the Morillion. hath a long wood, iointed with ioints at the end of euerie foure fingers at the least, it is thicker and fuller of pith within: and in cutting also it is pithie, and so more loose: the barke, except that on the outside, is verie redde, and the leafe three forked after the manner of a goose foote, and like vnto the leafe of the [...]igge-tree. This second Morillion is otherwise called wilde Pinot: it beareth but few cleere grapes, and those also small, but the wine proueth strong, yea better than that of the [...]irst Morillion.

The third Morillion called Beccane hath a blackewood, and the fruit is like vnto it: in the blossome it maketh a great shew of Wine, but when it commeth to ripenes, halfe the fruit, and sometimes more, falleth away. The branch is longest iointed of all the rest, and groweth more in length and height of wood than any of the other. This third kind of Morillion is called Le frane Merillon lampereau: it ripeneth before the other Vine plants, and yeeldeth good wine and as much as both the other.

The Samoyreau is likewise found to be of three sorts:There bee three sorts of the Samoy [...]ea [...]. the best of which branches is short iointed, and of a verie hard wood: the other draweth verie neere vnto it: The third sort is called indented Samoyreau, otherwise white Prunelat, and that because that his wood is whiter than the other: the wine it yeeldeth is of an vnpleasant taste, and it beareth but some yeares. It hath furthermore this fault, that when the fruit should come to be gathered, it is for the most part found fallen down and shed vpon the earth.

The Negrier, called redde Prunelat, hath a redde bark: the wood is long iointed, of a thicke and grosse pitch, a leafe verie much cut, and the grape great, cleere, verie redde and last ripe. Wherefore there needeth to plant but a few of these red plants, for the colouring of the other blacke, and fastning of them: it keepeth and defendeth itselfe from the frost, because it hath a high stocke.

The Neraut, called the blacke Bourguignon,Neraut Bourg [...]ignon. hath the same nature with the white Bourguignon, a hard and a verie blacke vvood, a fast and small pith, ioints one vpon another, an indifferent leafe and altogether round, the foot thereof being verie redde, [Page] the fruit very thicke and close standing one by another, as though it were a piled or packed thing: it saueth it selfe better from the frost than any other: there needeth not so much to be planted of it, for it maketh a deep colour, in such sort as that they which haue great store of it planted, make wine for woollen-diers, and [...]ell it very deere.

The small Rochell and Bourdelais of the same nature, are scarce to bee found, because they are not any great bearers, neither yet good for any thing but making of arbours: the wood is red, as shal be said afterward in in [...]reating of the white vine, except because it is [...]ound a little redder, & of a very vermillion colour where it is cut off

CHAP. IX.
Of the plants of the white vine.

THe best young plant of the white vine is the Frumenteau,Frumenteau. whose wood draweth towards a yellow colour: next vnto it is the Muscadet, which beareth a red wood: next vnto the MuscadetMauscadet. is the [...]ine Pinet of Anjou,Pinet of Aniou which hath a wood drawing neere vnto a greene, and the fruit yellow as wax.

There is no young plant that is more apt to beare and indure the frost than the Gouest,Gouest. which beareth a tawnie coloured wood, and is very thicke in his stocke, hauing a round leafe, and yeelding much fruit. There is another kind of Gouest which is called sage Gouest, so called because of the tast that it maketh in the mouth: it is smally in request, notwithstanding that it yeeld great store of wine, and be no more subiect to the frost than the other Gouest of the same [...]ort.

The fruitfullest of all the white vine plants, is that which is called the white BourguignonThe Burguignon. or Mourlon, or else the Clozier, whose ioints are distant some two fingers and a halfe, and the fruit hauing a short taile is thicker and closer grown than the Rochelle, the leafe is very round, after the manner of Gouests: in continuance it defendeth it selfe from frosts.

That which the Parisians by reason of his operation do call Foirard,The Foirard. and the Burgundians Cinquian, because it beareth but vpon the fift part of quantitie, notwithstanding it bring forth very great fruit, and the wood thereof is drawing somewhat neere vnto a blew, and as it were affoording much worke for the hedge-bill, yet notwithstanding it is the least of all in value and goodnesse of iuice.

The Mes [...]ier,The Mes [...]ier▪ otherwise called the Saruinien, beareth much fruit: and for this cause many giue themselues to plant it aboundantly. It hath a wood of colour betwixt a yellow and a red, and yeeldeth not very much to the frost: the leaues thereof are in a manner round. As concerning the differences of this kind of vine branch, I find them to be three: the one is called the common Mes [...]ier,Three sorts of M [...]s [...]er. and this beareth great store of fruit: the other is called the grosse M [...]s [...]ier, as hauing his wood & fruit very grosse and great: and the third is called the franke Meslier, and this beareth a better and an opener fruit than the rest▪

The Bourdelais,The Bourdelais▪ otherwise named Legrais is best to make arbours of in gardens: and yet some plant it because it is a great bearer of fruit: the wood thereof is red, and grosser than any other young vine plant, and accordingly growing vp in greater hight, craueth also a longer frame to run vpon: in like manner it yeeldeth a grosser fruit, and for a good plant, there is small need of it, as there is also of the Rochelle, which hath a whiter wood than any of the blacke vines haue, and notwithstanding it is but little subiect to the frost: but howsoeuer, it ripeneth more slowly, and there must not be set aboue a quarter of a hundred of branches in a quarter, for it maketh a greene wine, notwithstanding that it giue it his sharpnesse, and make it drie, and holding little of the liquour.

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CHAP. X.
Of the manner of dressing of the Vine, as well that which is newly planted, as that which is growne vp and old.

AFter that the plant hath beene dressed and ordered in such sort as hath alreadie been said, and that you may perceiue that it beginneth to put forth wood the first yeare, and to take earth (which is a thing that should bee knowne by mid-May) when also you find that his shoot is able to endure dressing, you must begin with it and cut it with a hedge-bill: this may bee done if it haue any shoots put forth more than one principall branch, that so by this meanes it may ioine all his force and strength together into one stocke or leg, but in cutting it, you must take heed and see that it be done, as farre off from the bodie of the stocke as possibly may bee, and not betwixt two earths, least the bodie and trunke thereof might drie vp: so likewise you must see, not to let it enioie his wood, but to prune and lop it, taking away such sprigs as may grow vpon it, that so it may swell vp into a firmer stalke: as is woont to be practised in Anjou and Languedoc. It must likewise bee obserued that the cutting of it in the old of the Moone, causeth the fleshie parts of the grapes to be more gros [...]e and better fed, and that such cutting doth serue and profit much in Vines growing in a grosse ground, or in vallies, as also in those vines which are giuen to bee ouer ranke of wood: afterward you must trim them, for the first dressing of a plant hath his first manner of worke and trauell. In trimming of them the second time, there must paines bee taken about the ridges, least that weeds should ouergrow and get the head of the plants, and yet alway with this charge and care, that in digging and stirring of the earth you doe not wound the rootes of the vine, being assured that it alwaies more feareth and is hurt by the encounter of edge-tooles than a man could thinke: and it must not onely bee digged with a mat [...]ocke somewhat deepe, or forked pickaxe, but also the weeds which could not be wholly cast vp, must be turned in, beaten downe, and broken in their rootes: and first before this be done, there must good regard bee taken euery where, what plants of branches or vndergrowth are dead since the first seating of them, which was in the end of December, or in the beginning of Ianuarie, and in their place to plant others in this time of May, if so bee you bee disposed: in which moneth, they are sometimes seene to grow and prosper, but and if you do not in this moneth make such supplie of those which are dead, then you shal stay till the beginning of December following, and you shall note very well the places where any are wanting, that so you may the better beare them in mind.

The second yeare you shall begin to giue to the young plant all such helps of dressing and trimming as are thought meet for the vine that is alreadie growne, and hath beene planted a long time, the matter of propagating of it onely excepted; for the more paine and labour that is bestowed vpon this new and young plant in the new of the Moone, and in a time of mild and gentle raine, by so much alwaies it proueth the better and the more precious.

If the third yeare when you dig and trim them, there be any perceiuerance and shew that the bud will likewise blossome and flower, you must nip it off with your naile.

In the same yeare,To dung the young vine. the plants first planted must be dunged, and the furrowes made very cleane, and scowred of all manner of weedes, and by the same meanes there must be dung laid vnto and spread about it, which that it may bee the best and most agreeable, would bee Cowes-dung, but for want thereof, the best next is Horse-dung, and last Swines-dung, and where it cannot bee come by, then any such as the [Page] poore workeman can get, except it be marle, or fresh and blacke mould which is the best help of all others for the vine: and yet the good vine-dresser saith that the good vine of Pierrotte or Griotte craueth and loueth more paine, and lesse manuring, that it may not be constrained to cast and let fall his fruit before the due time.

The fourth yere likewise it must be picked and freed with the hand in very nimble and fine maner,To prune and [...] the new vine. and not to be touched with any yron instrument, to the taking away of the feeble and bad buds, the faire and beautifull being let alone, to see if they will proue as good as the young planted braunch it selfe out of which they sprung: and this must be done about May.

Therefore to speake in generall of the tilling,To digge and turne ouer the ground after the first manner and fashion. ordering and dressing of the vine whether it be new planted or old growne, the first labour to be bestowed vpon it, is called the digging of it after the first fashion, which others call the tanning of it; for by it the earth is made the more supple and tractable. In this peece of worke is contained the laying bare of the roots of the principall stocks, and if the plant be grown high, then this may be done in the calme and quiet time of March, according to the difference and alteration of places: for in this chill and cold place, which is subiect vnto frosts and blastings, as also in places seated in the vpper parts and tops of mountaines, this first order and fashion of dressing them, must be done in the after end of Winter which is called mid-May.

The second fashion of dressing and tilling the vine,To dig it after the second manner and fashion. is to weed, rake, and cut the same, as hath beene said before: but before this worke come in hand, the plants must bee fitted by being cut, that so they may be able to continue in the place where they are planted, and not to be tossed and carried to and fro with strong and blustering windes.

The third sort of labour to be performeed in dressing of vines, is to propagate them:Propag [...]tion the third manner and fashion of vines dressing. but this worke fitteth them not, for the second yeare, no nor yet for the third yere, except in some certaine places, and in such vines as at that age are growne to very stronge wood.

The third yere besides the foresaid dressings, if the plant be strong and seated in a good ground, and that it hath put forth faire and goodly wood, it is woont to be propagated betwixt mid-Aprill, (and for surenes sake) vnto mid-May, and then the propagated branches are buried in the places where the ridges are broken & cast down, and that alike on both sides, by which meanes is made the checker whereof Columella speaketh.

In this same third yeare of the new plant, according to the strength of the wood which it hath put forth, notwithstanding for the cause aboue mentioned, you haue with your naile nipped off such buds as were readie to blossome: yet according to the store that it hath of strong wood, after you haue cut it and amended the stocke, some begin to prop, vnderset, and bind it, for the bearing vp of the faire and iolly branches therof, that they may not fall and lie flat vpon the ground: which done, you must go ouer it with the second fashion of dressing of it: and yet before this be done, it must be raised, thrust vp and bound with his first band.

Vines are propagatedThe propagate vines. in Aduent and Ianuarie after they haue beene cut, howbeit in places that are more chill, they be let alone till Februarie and March, and for the doing hereof, they make choice of the fairest branch, that they can find growne out of the stocke, cutting off the rest of the branches some two ioints from the stalke. Sometimes if they were of a faire stocke, some vse to take two of the fairest branches of the chiefest plant, and then lay them verie gently one after another low vnder foot, in a pit that shall haue beene made in the ridges, afterward they must bee couered with earth: some do lay the chiefe branch that is to be propagated very deepe, to the end that the yeare after that it shall haue beene dres [...]ed, and the branches handsomely laid downe in the earth without any offence or hurt done vnto them, it may abide the manuring with dung; for the chiefe and mother braunch is not woont to bee manured at any time, but rather it is to be vncouered and layed ope [...] at the foot in Ianuarie, & in the beginning of December, when the propagated [Page] braunch is manured, to the end it may the better take in the snow and raine water which may make it to haue a thicke foot: In Chablyes and throughout all To [...]uerroies and Auuerroies, they vse to propagate their vines in October, and in the beginning of December when they fall calme, in stonie and grauelly grounds. And from mid-May vnto mid-Aprill they propagate their vines in the said conutries, in their sandie grounds, and such as stand on a potters clay, and not sooner than that, because the water that would stand in the pits, would rot and kill the young braunches newly planted, because of the frosts there contin [...]ed both in Winter and in the Spring.

After August you must dresse your vine againe, whether it be young or old,The sec [...]nd dressing of the vine. binding it ouer againe by reason of his former young sprigs which might haue beene hurt by the first band and withered away, and now at this time it must haue two bands bestowed vpon it, though they vse not so to do in Anjou and Tourraine, because their dressing of their vines is diuers, and differing from that which wee vse. Wee haue forgotten how that at mid-May, before the raifing of the plant, it must be stripped of his buds, and in doing hereof to bee heedy and warie, that the principall sprigs which shall be about the blossome, be not hurt or touched, except there be too many of them vpon one stocke.

For the third dressing of the vine,The third dressing of the vine. which shall bee in August, it is woont to bee trimmed and tied again, after which in a gentle & calm weather, after some raine hath fallen, the earth must be stird with the pick-axe very gently and softly, and the weeds turned vnderneath: and sometimes it is weeded, if the yeare haue been rainie. Besides which ordinarie dressings, you must be further aduertised that indeed it is requisit [...] neuer to goe without a spade in your hand, whiles you are amongst vines, if so bee that you would haue them to prosper, and that this businesse bee not posted ouer to rascally fellowes or maides, especially the propagating of them, and the stripping of them of their buds. To conclude and shut vp the whole matter of the dressing of the vine set downe in his diuers sorts heere before, it is to be vnderstood in generall, that in the moneths of December and Ianuarie, the new propagated plant must bee cut, and the old one of the yeare past looked vnto, in laying bare the foot of the old, and dressing a new the propagated one, and manuring of it, if there be any need. In March and Aprill it must bee cut,The conclusion of the three sort [...] of [...]essing due to the vine. and moe new plants made at the same time, also some lay bare their vines, and manure such as haue need: within a sho [...]t time after, they must be laid bare againe, as also couered againe afterward: before they blossome and flowre, they must bee stripped of their buds with your hand, especially whiles the branches shall appeare so tender, as that they will scarce abide touching with ones finger, for feare of spoiling and breaking off: then shortly afterwards to prop them vp with railes and stayes, to tie them with soft and nimble bands, and of all this while, not to forget to giue them their seuerall orders, such as haue been [...] m [...]ntioned and spoken of before.

CHAP. XI.
Of the manner of grafting the vine.

THe vine in this countrie is seldome grafted,To graft vines. notwithstanding wee will speak a word or two of it, hauing alreadie in the third booke handled this point more largely, where we haue spoken of all the sorts and properties of grafting. The vine then may bee grafted either: vpon it selfe or on other trees. The vine grafted vpon a vine, is after two maner of waies, the on [...] in the stocke, the other in the branch. To graft a vine in the stocke, you must make choice of a grosse & firm one, and such as is ful of moisture, not being too old, cutting it close by the ground, or which is better a foot within ground. The grafts that you [Page] meane to graft▪ must be round, firme, full of little eies and set one neere vnto another, and cut in the decreease of the Moone, and taken from the stocke and foot of the vine. The manner of grafting of them, is to insert and set the graft into the bodie of the vine about two fingers deepe. And you shall do the like, if you would graft the vine vpon the branches of the vine.

At Auxerrois and especially at Chablies, they haue another manner of grafting besides the former and they vse it much, it is in this sort: They cut off all the greene buds and sprigs from the stocke, except onely the shoot or branch which was put forth the yeare before, which they leaue of the length of some two [...]oot. This branch they cleaue the breadth of two or three fingers, they hollow and also make fit the cleft within on euery side, to the end that the graft of the branch being made cornered, may fit the said cleft the better, and in this cleft they put the graft (consisting both of old and new wood) made sharpe at the end, which shall go into the cleft with his pith, shaped in manner of a wedge, ouer which they cause the said clouen branch so to close and come together in such proportion as that the rindes of euery part of the cleft may ioine, after which they binde it gently without straiting of it much, with a clouen ozier hauing the woodie part taken away, in such sort as that there remaine almost nothing but the very pilling, that so it may be the softer to tie them and the sooner rotten. This done, they lay the said graft in the earth about halfe a foot, and couer it with soft earth. Neither do they forget to pick off the buds or sprigs that may grow on the same stock that yere, to the end there may be no attraction or rising of the sap, for the putting forth and feeding of any thing else but the yong graft, which for the first yere groweth for the most part about two or three foot. Then at the end of two yeares they propagate the stocke and the graft, which by such meanes will put forth many new shootes. The like may be practised in one of the twigs putting vp at the foot of the stocke.

The vine is grafted after the same manner vpon trees, as cherry-trees, plum-trees, and others such like, and thereof Columella in [...]reateth very largely in his Elme groue, whereunto I will refer you, seeing in this our countrie of France there is account or estimation made of the grafting of vines.

CHAP. XII.
Of certaine pettie practises and experiments touching and concerning the vines.

YOu shall haue your vines to beare aboundantly,Aboundance of grapes. and withall a very good and durable wine, if your vine-dresser weare a garland of iuie at such time as he croppeth and cutteth your vines, if we may beleeue Palladius: but indeed the surest way is if there be cast into the pit with it when it is planted, the acorns of okes brayed, and ground-fetches.

You shall perceiue before the vintage, that there will bee a great aboundance of wines,Abundance of wine. if whiles you plucke very lightly with your fingers one grape off from the bunch, there follow and issue forth some liqour after it. In like maner a plentifull haruest of wheat, doth prognosticate a plentifull vintage of wine. Raines in the Spring time do foreshew that the wines comming after will be strong and mightie.

Men of old and auncient times past haue highly esteemed of the treacle vine,The [...]reacle vin [...] in respect of the great vertue which his win [...] hath against the bitings of serpents, and other venimous beasts: and not only the wine but also his leaues stamped and applied in forme of a cataplasme vnto the greeued part, as also the ashes of the branches. The maner of preparing of it, is to cleaue three or foure fingers of the neather end of the branch, which you meane to plant: and after that you haue taken out the pith, you must put in steede of the pith some quantitie of triacle: afterward you must [Page] couer it and wrap it in paper, and set the clouen end into the ground: som [...] oth [...]r [...] not contented with this course, doe poure treacle vpon the roots of the Vine.

A Vine may after the same manner be made laxatiue,The laxatiue Vine. as, if in the clouen branch you put some soluble purge, or if the rootes thereof bee watered with some laxatiu [...] things. Note notwithstanding that the branch, taken from the treacle or laxatiue Vine to be planted, will not hold the properties of the said Vine whereof it was gathered, because the treacle and laxatiue drugs doe loose their force and power in the Vine in processe of time.

Your Vine will beare a Wine apt to procure sleepe,To plant a Vine whose wine shal procure sleepe. if after the manner vsed in your treacle wine, you put Opium, of the juice of Mandrakes, in the cleft which you shall haue made in the bodie of the Vine.

To make grapes to grow without kernels,Grapes without kernels. take the pith out of the branch that you meane to plant, and yet not from the one end to the other, but onely so much as is to stand within the ground: afterward wrap it in wet paper, or graft it in an Onion (for the Onion helpeth the branch verie well to grow) and so plant it. There are some that doe aduise to water it oft with water wherein hath laine to steepe some Beniouin, and that so long as till it hath put forth some buds.

To haue grapes in the spring,Grapes in the Spring. you must graft the branch of a blacke Vine vpon a Cherrie tree.

To cause a Vine to budde betimes,To make a Vine to bud early. you must rubbe the eies of the branch newly cut, with water wherein hath beene steeped Sal nitrum, and within eight dayes after it will budde.

To make your clusters to consist partly of white,Clust [...]rs bearing both redde and white grapes. and partly of black grapes, you must take two diuers branches, differing the one from the other, and cleaue them in the midst, hauing regard that the cleft run not through any of their eies, as also that there be not any part of their pith lost: then afterward you must ioine them together, and that in such sort as that their eies may be neere one vnto another, and that in such sort as that they may touch, and of two, there may become but one onely: afterward the branches must be well tied together with paper, and couer them with clammie earth, or with the leaues of the heads of Onions, and to plant them in this order, and to water them often, so long as vntill the buds doe put forth.

To keepe grapesTo keepe grapes. all winter long, you must cut them downe after the full Moone in a faire and calme season, about eight a clocke in the morning when the deaw is vanished, and afterward dip them in the Sea water ouer head and eares, or else in salt brine mixt with a little boyling wine, laying them afterward vpon barley straw. Som put them in a vessell full of new wine, or else in a vessell close couered and luted: Other some doe keepe them in honie, others annoint them ouer with the juice of Purslaine, others keepe them in Oate chaffe.

CHAP. XIII.
Of the diseases of the Vine, and the remedies for the same.

SOmtimes the Vine is troubled with violence of windes, or else by the vnwarines of the Vine dresser, wounding the same with his pickaxe: in these cases you must couer the bruised or hurt place with go [...]es dung or sheepes dung, mingled amongst verie choice earth, and cast the ground round about them oftentimes with the pickeaxe.

The Vines will not be spoiled with the frost,To gard the Vine from the [...]rost. if in diuers places amongst th [...] there be made heapes of drie dung or chaffe, and when you perceiue that frosts are toward, to set the same on fire, for the smoake rising thereof will breake the force of the frost: notwithstanding, if it come to passe that the Vine bee alreadie spoiled, and the fruit destroyed, it must bee cut off verie short, that so his strength may yet [Page] continue in the remainder; for the yeare following it will b [...]are twice as much fruit.

The vine will not be blasted,The blasting of vines. if when it is about to bud, you cut it as late as it may; for this late cutting of it, will make it to be in blossome at such time as the Sunne is in his greatest and most feruent heat.

To breake off such mists and fogsAgainst mist and fogs. as are alreadie gathered in the aire, for feare they should fall vpon the vines, you must make a smoake round about the vineyard, with the dung of goats well kindled and set on fire. Against such fogs as haue already hurt the vines, you must stamp the roots or leaues of wild cucumbers, or of coloquintida, and lay them to steepe in water, and with the same to water the vines, after the mists. Some say that if there bee many bay trees planted in the vineyard, that then all the malitiousnesse of the mists wil fall vpon their boughs.

Some say that the barren vine will become fruitfull,To make the barren vine fruitfull. if the bodie thereof bee watered with man or womans water that hath beene made long before, and dropt vpon the vine stocke by little and little, and if therewithall presently after it be laid about with dung mixt with earth, and this cure must be done in Autumne.

Vines are perceiued to want moisture,The withered vine. when their leaues turne very red: this disease must be holpen by watering them with sea water, or man or womans vrine.

The vine sometimes poureth forth great store of teares,Remedies for the weeping of the vine. whereupon it commeth to passe that it looseth his force altogether. The remedie is to breake the barke of the vine vpon the bodie therof, and to annoint the wound with oyle boiled to the halfe, or else with the lees of oyle not salted, and afterward to water it with the strongest vineger that may possibly be found.

The vine sometimes falle [...]h into such a scattering disease,The scattering vine. as that it letteth its grapes fall off: the markes and signes thereof are when the leaues thereof become white and drie, and the branch falleth broad, lenow, and soft: this is to be remedied with ashes beaten and mixt with strong vineger, and rubd about the foot of the vine, and by watering all that is round about the stocke.

The vine shooting out into ouer many branches,The vine that is too full of branches. must bee cut off verie short, and if for all this it giue not ouer, it must bee barred at the rootes, and riuer grauell laid round about the stocke, together with a few ashes, or else some stones, for to coole the same.

If the grapes wither and drie away as they hang vpon the vine,Withering grapes. you must take away such as are alreadie withered and water the rest with vineger and ashes of vine branches: or for the more certaintie, water the foot of the vine with strong vrine which hath stood a long time.

There are some vines that do rot the fruit which they haue newly brought forth,The rotting of grapes. before such time as they become fully growne and ripe: to cure this mischiefe, you must put old ashes vnto their roots, or grauell, or else barley meale mixt with seed of purcelane about the stocke and bodie.

To preuent that the biting or breath of oxen and kine (which are very hurtful vnto vines) may not do them any hurt at all: you must wate [...] the foot of euery vine stock with water wherein the hides of oxen or kine,The byting of the oxe or cow. or some such other beasts haue beene steept and mollified; for oxen and kine haue the stench of this water in such detestation, as that they will not abide to come neere vnto the vine.

Caterpillers,Against ca [...]rpillers and lice. lice, and such other like small vermine will not hurt [...]he bud, or the leafe of the vine, if the hooke or hedgebill wherewith you prune and cut away the superfluous bough [...] of your vine be annointed ouer with the bloud of a male goat, or the fat of an asse, or of a beare, or with the oile wherein caterpillers, or brayed garlicke haue been boiled, or if you annoint and rub them with the purse and sheath of a badgers stones after that it hath been ground.

To driue away little noisome beasts which are called locusts,Against locusts. from the vines, you must procure smoakes to be raised amongst the vines of the dung of oxen, or Galba [...]um, or of some old shooe-soles, or of harts-horn, or of womans haire, or for to plant amongst the said plants some pionie.

To preserue the vines from being annoied of the small beasts called shrewes, you [Page] must cut them in the night when the Moone is in the signe Leo,Agai [...]st the [...]ouse-like beast alled a Shrew. Scorpio, Sagittarius, or Taurus, or else you must water your vines with water wherein haue beene steeped in the Sunne for the space of ten daies, ten riuer or sea craie fishes.

PismiresPismires. fretting in sunder the wood of the vine, euen vnto the marrow, will not hurt the same at all, if you annoint and rub the stocke with the dung of kine or grea [...]e of asses.

The bay-tree,That Colewort [...] are hartfull to vines. and coleworts doe likewise hurt vines very much if they be planted in the same ground, but especially the coleworts, which the vine hateth aboue all the rest, there being a naturall and deadly contrarietie betwixt those two plants, in so much as that coleworts are a preseruatiue from drunkennesse, at wee shall further declare by and by, wherefore the good vine-dresser shall neuer sow or plan [...] any coleworts, baie-trees, or hasell, in his garden of vines.

CHAP. XIIII.
Of the manner of gathering grapes, or of vintage.

THe last paine and labour to be taken with the vine is the gathering of the fruit,The gathering of the fruit of vines. which may not be attempted by the vine-dres [...]er, vntill the grapes be ripe,To know when grapes are ripe. which is manifestly perceiued by their growing blacke, as also by hauing their kernels blacke and all bare, as being altogether seperated from the flesh or pulpe of the grape, if so be that there be any pressing of the graps. Or else, if after taking away a kernell or two out of a grape, you find that the roome whereout they were taken, doth not lessen, but abideth as large as it was, not being filled vp by the other kernells comming in place. You must gather them in faire and calme weather,The time and houre of gathering grapes. not in rainie weather, nor when the grapes are full of dew, but when it is wasted and gone, and the aire is become somewhat hot rather than cold, for so the wine will be the better, and endure good a longer time, yea (if it be possible) in the waine of the Moone, and when it is vnder the earth; at the least after that the Moone is eighteene or twentie daies old, for so the wines will bee stronger, and last better, than if the grapes should be gathered in the new of the Moone. It is true that before the gathering of them, you must haue all the furniture necessarie thereto in readines, as baskets and vessels to [...]gather them into, great hedge-bills, and small oncs verie sharpe, caske well hooped, and made very cleane by washing, cleanefats, and euery way well fitted, tubbes, great and small stands, well pitched and fitted for the purpose, and presses aired, scoured, washt, and furnished with their necessarie implements.

The grape-gatherersThe dutie of grape gathetherers. shall doe their indeauour to put asunder the leaues, greene, sowre, withered, and rotte [...] grapes, from those that are ripe and whole, to the end that the wine may not be i [...]dammaged and made worse than it would bee. And for the making of perfect good and daintie wine, to chuse ou [...] the finest of the grapes from amongst the common and grosse ones, as also the white from the blacke, not mingling the two best sorts together of any kind, as if there should bee a mingling of the well tasted grape with those which are sweet, or of the white which is strong, with another which is weake and of a sad colour. The gathered grapes must be left in the ground at the least for a day or two, and that vncouered (prouided that it raine not) for so they will become better, in as much as both the Sunne, the dew, and the earth doe refine and purifie them, as taking from them whatsoeuer bad and vnprofitable moisture that is in them: then after that to leaue them in the fat, but not aboue two daies, after which time, the next morning they must be troden out equally, and in such sort, as that there may not any of the grapes of the clusters remaine whole. It is true that the treadersTreaders of grapes. must not goe into the fat before their feet be well washed, and their whole bodies be made very cleane, and couered with a shirt, to the end that [Page] their sweat may not hurt the Wine, & they must likewise abstaine from eating therin.

The grapes being troden,What time Wines must worke together after they be troden. the wine or liquor must be let boile and worke together for the space of foure and twentie houres, more or lesse, according as it is purposed that the wine should be: for the longer it worketh together, the grosser, deeper coloured, and mightier it will be; as the lesse it worketh together, the finer, more thinne, subtile, and delicate it will be. Likewise, if you would haue a strong & mightie wine, you must in this time of the working couer your Fat with som couer, that so the vapor thereof may not breathe out, or his force and strength spend.

The drosse and grosse parts of the grapes that are trodden, which shall haue some iuice and liquor yet left and remaining in them, shall bee carried to the presse for to bee pressed out, and there it shall abide three or foure strokes. It is true that this which is thus pressed out will make the other les [...]e pleasant, and therefore it will bee best to put that which floweth and runneth out of its own accord by treading, by it selfe; and the other which is pressed out, by it selfe. But howsoeuer you bestow them, the caske into vvhich you shall put them must not be quite filled vp: but haue some space left emptie for the boiling vp of the new Wine,Vessels to put Wine in. and the casting forth of such scumme and forth as shall rise out of it with ease: It is true that you must be filling vp of it euerie day, so long as till it appeare that the Wine hath ridde it selfe from all its scumme and f [...]oth. And yet as then it may not be bunged vp, but rather some stone or wispe of Hay laied vpon the bung-hole: and after, vvhen it shall manifestly appeare that the vvine is throughly setled and pacified, then you may bung the caske. The caske must be all this while either in the open aire, or else in some barne that is vvell aired: for it is not to be layed into any Cellar vnder ground, before such time as the new vvine haue vtterly ceased and cast off his rage. And withall, you must beware not to fill vp the wine alreadie cooled and turned vp with wine vvhich is yet hote and boiling, for be it either white or claret, it will make it fat.

After that the vvine is throughly setled, and ceaseth to boile and work any more, it may be carried downe into some Cellar,The couching of the Wine in the Cellar. which must stand vpon the North, paued vvith grauell or drie earth, and free and farre off from all ill smels, horse-stables, sinks, bathes,What maner of Cellar must be prouided. and marishie places, not hauing any thing shut vp and kept in it vvhich is of euill smell, as Cheese, Garlike, Onyons, Oiles, or Hides: for there is nothing more subiect to be infected than wine,Wine [...]pt to be infected. especially that which is new.

Your vessels must be so ranked in order, as that they touch not one another, hauing some distance left betwixt them, that so they may the more easily be looked vnto all they yeare. The vessels to auoide the venting which commonly hapneth vnto vvine, must haue the bunghole very well stopt with grauell, and not stirred or touched at anie time, vntill the time to drinke the vvine become. If, vpon some hap, the good housholder presently, or a little after the time of Vintage, be not minded to sell some part of his Wine, according as opportunitie may serue for his profite: notwithstanding I find that men in times past (to the end they might haue a purer, neater, and more subtile wine, after that the vvine hath purged and cast forth his scumme, ceasing to boile) did vse to put it into new vessels, that is to say, did change it out of one vessell into another, hauing this opinion, that vvine separated from its lees, doth make a more subtile kinde of mother in Winter, and becommeth more delicate and durable, and refineth it selfe farre better in the spring time, than it would haue done vpon the first lees; as also that when vvine standeth long vpon the first lees, which are thicke and sowre, it easily looseth its naturall verdure, and getteth a sharpe and vnpleasant [...]aste, and a thicke substance. They did furthermore obserue the time and course of the heauens: for they neuer drew vvine out of one vessell into another; but vvhen the Northren vvinde did blow, vvhen the the Moone vvas either new or vnder the earth, and vvhen as Roses had put forth their first flowers, and the Vine his buddes. And Hesiodus following this custome, doth counsell men that in changing vvine out of one vessell into another, they should separate the Wine vvhich is the vppermost in the vessell, from that vvhich draweth somewhat neere vnto the lees, and both of them from that vvhich is in the middest of the vessell, because [Page] that the wine which is next vnto the bunghole,The wine in the midst of the vessell is the best. is euaporated much, as being next vnto the aire: and that which is in the bottome corrupteth very easily, as being neere vnto the leese: but contrarily that which is in the midst is most durable and conuenient for nourishment. Such custome vsed by those of auncient time, is not obserued now adaies, especially in the countries of France, and therefore we will not say any thing of this changing of wine out of one vessell into another.

CHAP. XV.
Of the time of pearsing the vessells and tasting the wine and how to draw it without causing it to take winde.

MEn of auncient timeThe time to pearce wines according to those of auncient time. did attribute so much vnto the influence of the star [...], as that they did pearse their vessells either for tasting or drinking of their wine, at the rising of the Sunne or the Moone, hauing this opinion, that at such times the wine doth moue, and therefore ought not in any case to bee touched or dealt withall. Wee doe not so curiously prie into the matter, but wee pearse our vessells at all times, and as oft, as either necessitie or commoditie will persuade and doth require. Notwithstanding in pearcing of them,The way to pearce wines. you must haue this wisdome, as to beware that they take as little winde as possibly may bee, and when there is but a verie little drawne of it, you must presently fill vp the vessell againe for feare of spending of it selfe. As concerning the tasting of wine,To tast wine. whether it bee to sell or drinke, or if it be to finde out whether there bee any that is in daunger to bee turned, some doe giue counsell, that it is good to make the assay at such time as the North-East winde bloweth, because at such times it is more pure and neate than at others: others thinke it best when the South-wind bloweth,At what time and how wine is to be tasted. because this vvind stirreth and moueth the wine verie much, and sheweth it in deede to bee the same that it is: but howsoeuer it is, it is not good to taste the wine fasting; for before meate vvine hath but a dull and dead tast, neither yet after that you haue drunke of other vvine, nor after you haue got a full bellie. Furthermore the as [...]aier of wines must not haue eaten any soure thing, salt, bitter, or any other thing which may alter his tast, but must only haue eaten something without hauing digested it.

When our house-holder is disposed to pearce his vvine,To giue ven [...] vnto wine. and that hee meaneth to draw it by a little and a little for his owne drinking, and leasurably without giuing vnto it any vent at all: hee must pearce it in the vpper part of the vessell with a pearcer which is for the same purpose, and put into the hole the quill of a feather which must be open on both sides, and it must bee as long as three fingers are broad: and that vpon the top of that end of the quill which shall be vpward, hee put some cotten, couering the said cotten afterward with halfe a Walnut-shell, and vpon it againe some ashes or vvet lime laid: and when he hath done all this, let him set the tap in the vessell: and by this meanes he shall draw his vvine easily, and vnto the lees without giuing of it any vent.

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CHAP. XVI.
Certaine small things to be obserued concerning Wine.

WHen the case so standeth, as that the Vintage proueth small, and that the Lord of the farme, in respect of sparing, desireth to make a small Wine, wherewith he would passe ouer the requisite prouision of his house in stead of a better and stronger wine, hee shall make it in this sort after the manner of a rappe Vine. In the time of Vintage he shall cause to bee taken a good quantitie of the knots of the grapes called Pinots and Sarminians, when they are verie ripe and haue a hard skin, and of these knots alone and whole, wi [...]hout bursting of them, he shall cause a vessell to be silled neere full; which hee shall cause to be set downe vpon one of the ends, and afterward cause it to be taken downe againe, and set vpon a cantling, and so shall cause to be turned into it two pints of good wine that is olde and mightie. This being done, he shall cause there to be water boiled, wherof when it is hote, he shall goe forward, and proceed to the filling vp of the vessell, and so shall leaue it vntill his small wine haue done boiling, and be become throughly cold (which is sometimes sooner, sometimes later, according as the yeare prooueth hote or cold) whereunto he may then put a [...]ap to draw out of the same, and to begin to drinke thereof. And as oft as he draweth out thereof, he shall fill vp his vessell againe with so much cold water as he drew forth of his wine, and so by that meanes keep his vessell alwaies full. And by this meanes his said small wine will passe ouer the greatest part of the yeare in one state of goodnes. And when this small wine shall begin to grow too weake, he shall draw out thereof a quart, and put in place thereof as much good old wine. And in drinking of it he shall holde on (if so it seeme good vnto him) his putting in of water, as before, except that it be found too weake to put in any more wine, and then he shall make his worke-folkes to drinke of it, filling it vp still daily with vvater, as before. The colour of this small Wine is verie pleasant and faire.

The way to keepe new wine that it shedde not in the time of the boiling in the vessell,Of the boyling ouer of the new wine, while it is in working. is to put about the hole at which the new vvine commeth forth, a wreathe of Pennie-royall, Calamint, or Organie: or else you shall annoint the edges of the said hole within with Milke, or Cheese made of Cowes milke: or else you shall cast into the vessell of Wine a morsell of Cheese, for it will keepe in the great heat of the new Wine.

To cause new Wine to be quickly purged,How new Wine is p [...]rged. you must put into fifteene quarts of new Wine, halfe a pint of Vineger, and within three daies it vvill be sined.

If you desire to haue new Wine all the yeare,To haue new Wine all the yeare long. you must take the new Wine which distilleth by it selfe from the grapes before they be troden, and put it the same day in a vessell pitched vvithin and vvithout, in such sort, as that the vessell may be halfe full, and verie vvell stopt vvith plaister aboue: and thus the new Wine vvill continue a long time in its sweetnes: and yet it vvill be kept thus a great vvhile longer, if you put the vessell in a Well or Riuer, couered vvith some little skin, and so leaue it there thirtie dayes: for in not hauing boiled, it vvill continue alwaies sweete, and vvill bee preserued by the heate of the pitch: or else it vvill be good to bruise the grapes verie gently, vvithout much straining of them, and the new Wine vvhich shall issue out of them by that meanes, vvill keepe new a long time. Othersome do lay their vessell filled vvith sweet Wine in moist grauell: some doe pitch their vessels vvithin and vvithout, and so lay it only out of the vvater: other some do couer it vvith the drosse of the vvine presse, and afterward to heape vpon it moist grauell.

To know if there be any vvater either in new Wine or other,To know if there be any Water in the Wine▪ take a vvithered rush, and cast it into the Wine, and if there be any vvater in it, it vvill draw thereof vnto it: or else take raw and vvilde Peares, and cutting them in the midst, make them cleane: or, if you vvill, take Mulberries, and cast them into the Wine; for if they swimme [Page] aloft it is a neate Wine, but and if they sinke there is water therein. Some do annoint a reed or a peece of wood, or paper, haie, or some other little bundle of berbes, or of straw, which they drie, and put into the Wine, and after drawing them out, they take triall and knowledge thereof; for if the Wine haue water in it, drops thereof will gather vnto the oile. Others cast vnquencht lime into the Wine, and if there be water amongst the Wine, the lime will dissolue and melt, whereas if the Wine be neat, it will bind and fasten the lime together. Some take of the Wine and poure it in a frying pan, wherein there is boiling oile, and if there be any water it will make a great noise, and will boile ragiously: againe, others cast an egge into the Wine, for if the egge descend and sinke downe, then there is water in the Wine, but if it do not descend, then there is no water in it.

If the yeare fall out rainie,The way to correcti [...]e ouermuch wa [...]rishhesse of Wine. and that it happen that the grapes hanging yet vpon the vine be much wet, or if it fall out that after the time of gathering them, there fall some great store of raine, so as that the grapes are watered and wet more a great deale than is needfull, they must of necessitie be trodden, and then if you perceiue the new Wine comming of that vintage to haue small strength in it, (which knowledge you may come by, in tasting it after that the Wine shall bee put vp in vessells, and shall first begin to boile and worke in them) it must presently bee chaunged and drawne out into another vessell, for so all the watrie parts that are in it, will stay behind in the bottome: for as much as the Wine will yet stand charged, you shall put to euery fifteene quarters of Wine one pint and a halfe of salt. Others do boile the Wine vpon the fire, so long, as till the third part be consumed, and the rest they vse foure yeares after.

If it should happen that the new Wine prepared in such sort as wee haue spoken of,To recouer the new Wine which beginneth to sowre. after long time should begin to sowre and turne eager: to meete with this mischiefe, you must cast to steepe therein a pint of grapes boiled, till they be full swolne, afterward straining them out into an eight part of new Wine, or else cause the said new Wine to run through [...]iuer grauell.

If you would haue new Wine setled in foure and twentie houres without boiling of it,To cause new win [...] to s [...]ttle quickly. that so you might presently vse it, fill a vessell with the small chips of wood called in French Sayett [...], which the inhabitants of Champagne do call Buchettes: vpon these chips cast your new Wine, and within the foresaid foure and twentie houres, you shall haue a settled Wine without hauing cast any scum. The inhabitants of Champagne, especially the townes men of Troy, vse this receit not onely to cause Wine to settle quickly, but also to make rap Wine withall.

If it come to passe that Wine haue water in it, and if we find it to be so, by the meanes lately laid downe: to seperate then this water from this Wine,To separate water from wine. you must put into the vessell of Wine melted allo [...]e, and after stopping the mouth of the said vessell▪ with a sponge drenched in oile, to turne the mouth of the vessell so stopped downward, and so the water only will come forth: or else cause a vessel of i [...]ie wood to be made, and put therein such quantitie of Wine as it will be able to hold, the water will come forth presently, and the Wine will abide pure and neate.

You shall make an odoriferous sweet smelling Wine in this manner:To make an od [...]riferous Wine. take a few myrtle berries, drie and bray the same, and put them in a little barrell of Wine, and letting them so rest for ten daies, afterward open the barrell and vse the Wine. You shall worke the like effect, if you take the blossomes of the grapes (those especially which grow vpon the shrubbie vines) when the vine is in flower, and cast them into the vessell of Wine, the brims of the Wine vessell being rubd ouer with the leaues of the pine and cypres tree, and a [...]ter cast into the Wine, for they make it very odoriferous: or more easily, you must hang therein an orenge, or a pome cytron which is not very grosse and th [...]cke, and pricke it full of cloues, and that in such sort as it may not touch the Wine, & after shut vp the vessell close, or else infuse and steep in Aqua vitae the simples or such matter as you haue your Wine to smell of, and afterward straining the same Aqua vitae, to put it into the vessell amongst the Wine.

To make red Wine of white, and contrariwise of red Wine white: Take common [Page] salt eight drams and put in in fiue pints of red wine:To make white wine red, and red wine white▪ or else poure into red wine some whay, with the ashes of the branches of the white vine, and turne and roule it well for the space of fortie daies, then let it rest, and it will become white wine. On the contrarie, white vvine will become red, if you put into it the ashes of the branches of the red vine: or if you cast into white wine the pouder of honie boiled to the hardnesse of a stone, and then made into pouder, changing it from one vessell into another to mingle them together: you may do this the more easily, if you cast into the vvhite wine the dried or greene roots of all the sorts of [...]orrell.

To make clarret wine,To make claret wine. beate the vvhites of three egs in a dish, vntill the froth arise, and adde thereto some white salt, and as much vvine, beate them all together againe vntill such time as that they become very white, afterward fill vp the platter with vvine, and put all into the vessell of vvine and keepe it.

You shall make a wine that wil beare great store of water,Wine be [...]ring great store of water. if drying the roots of hollihockes you shaue and scrape them, casting the said shauings into the wine, which afterward you must roule and mingle together very carefully.

Wine will haue no flower,Wine that flowreth not. if you put in the vvine the flowers of the vine gathered and dried, or the meale of fetches, changing the vvine into another vessell, when the meale and the flowers are setled downe to the bottome.

You shall make the boiled wine called Cute,Boiled wine. if you boile new vvine that is good, louely, and very sweet, vntill the third part thereof be consumed, and then when it is growne cold, you must put it into vessells for your vse.

To make sweet vvine that will so continue all the yeare,To continu [...] wine sweet all the yere long. you must gather your grapes whole, and let them lie spread three daies in the Sunne, and tread them the fourth about noone. The sweet vvine, that is to say, the very liquor vvhich shall run out into the fat, before the drossie substance come vnder the presse, must bee taken away, be put by its selfe, and boiled, and after it is boiled, put to nineteene quarters of it an ounce of Ireos or corne flag vvell braied, and straine this vvine vvithout the lees, vvhich being done, it vvill continue sweet, firme and vvholesome for the body.

To make vvine like vnto Greekish vvine,Greekish wine▪ you must gather from the vines earely grapes very ripe, and those you shall drie in the Sunne three daies, and tread them out in the fourth, and the vvine thus made you shall put in a vessell, hauing care to cause it to purge and cast out the filth vvithin it, as also its lees, at such time as it shall boile. And the fift day after that it shall be purged, you shall put into it two pounds of reboiled salt, or very small beaten salt, or at the least one pound in eighteene quartes and a halfe of vvine.

To make a vveake and feebie vvine to become an excellent good wine: take a handfull of the leaues of Tota bona, and a handfull of fennell and smallage seed, and cast them into the vessell.

To make good houshold vvine,Good houshold wine. you must cast how much the tenth part of the wine commeth to which you haue drawne or made in one day, and to cast as much spring water vpon the drosse, out of which the said wine was gathered and pressed: with this you must mingle the scum taken off from the wine in the boiling of seething of it, as also the lees remaining in the bottome of the treading fat, which shall bee lee lie and steepe in the same a whole night: the day following, you must tread them all together with your feet, and afterward presse them out: then you must put that which shall come forth into vessells, and stop it vp when it hath boiled and purged.

To cause troubled wines and such as are full of lees to settle,To cause troubled wine to settle. poure into thirtie quarters of wine, halfe a pint of the lees of oyle boiled till the third part be wasted, and the wines will settle by and by and returne vnto their former estate: or else, which is better and more easie, cast into the wine vessell the whites of sixe or seuen egs, and stir them together very well with a sticke.

You may take away the force and strength of vvine,The taking away of the strength of the wine. if you put into it some iuice of coleworts, vvhich you shall haue bruised before hand, and thereupon drawne out the iuice.

[Page] To drinke great store of Wine and not to be drunke,To drinke much wine and yet not to be drunke. you must eate of the rosted lungs of a goate: or otherwise, eate sixe or seuen bitter almonds fasting: or otherwise, eate raw coleworts before you drinke, and you shall not become drunke. Some say that a great drinker shall neuer become drunke, if he weare a wreath of Iua moscata about his head: or, if at his first draught he repeate this vearse of Homers, Iupiter his alta sonuit clementer ab Ida, which is to say, Iupiter was heard speaking in a soft and gentle manner from the high mount of Ida.

To prouoke hatred of Wine,To hate wine. you must take the thin liquor which droppeth from the braunches after they bee cut, and put it in the drunken mans glasse against such time as he shall drinke, but so as that hee know not any thing of its; and thereupon his appetite and lust to drinke Wine will depart quite away from him: or else, cause him to drinke with white wine the blossomes of rie, gathered at such time as the rie bloometh: or else, take three or foure e [...]les aliue, and let them lie in wine till they die, and afterward cause this wine to be drunke off by such as are giuen to be drunke: or else, take a green frog, which is ordinarily found in fre [...]h springs, and let the same lie in wine till she die: otherwise, marke diligently where the owle haunteth, that so you may get some of her egs, frie them, and giue them to the drunken gallant to eate.

To make drunken men to become sober,To make them which are drunke sober. you must make them eate colewoorts and some manner of confections made of honie: or else drinke great draughts of vineger.

To be the meanes that wine shal not become strong,To cause wine that it shall not become strong. take a peece of salt lorde, and tie it to the hole by which you turne vp your wine into the vessell, with so strong a thread as may beare vp the lard, which lard must hang in such manner, as that it may but touch the vppermost part of the wine: and this will keepe the wine from becomming strong, through his fatnesse and saltnesse, which hinder the separating and refining of the same, which is the thing that giueth strength vnto the wine.

To cause new wine to become old by and by,To make old wine of n [...]w. take bitter almonds aud melilot, of each an ounce, of licorice three ounces, of the flowers of lauander as much, of alo [...]s hepaticke two ounces, bray them all and tie them together in a linnen cloth, and so sinke them in the wine.

You shall finde out and know whether the wine will keepe long or not,Wine that will keepe long. after this manner: when the wine shall be turned vp, you must, within a certaine time after, change it into another vessell, leauing the lees behind in the first vessell, which must be very well stopt on euery side, and then afterward you must diligently trie out and see, whether the lees do change and begin to get any ill smell or no, or whether they breed any gnats, or such other little wilde beasts, and if you perceiue that nothing of all these falleth out, then you need not feare the turning of your wine: but if it fall out otherwise, you may assure your selfe, that such wine is apt to corrupt and become nought. Others do put downe to the bottome of the vessell and elder pipe, or some other of such like wood, as may bee made hollow, through which they take the sent of lees, and so are throughly certified how they smell, and according as they find the lees to be conditioned, so they iudge of the state of the wine. Some take vpon them to foretell by the couers of vessels, wherein if they find and perceiue the sauour of wine, they by and by iudge the wine to bee good: but if in them they find the sauour of water, they make no great reckoning of any such wine. Others iudge them by the sauour and relish of the wine, which if they find to bee sharpe in the beginning▪ they hope well of the goodnesse thereof: but and if they tast flat and soft, then they feare the contrarie: if when the wine is put into the vessells, it be fat and glewie, it is a good signe: but if it bee void of all strength, it will easily bee turned.

To keepe wine at all times,The keeping of wine. cast of the powder of roch allome powdred verie finely into the vessell, whereinto you shall turne your new wine: or the powder of salt finely powdred: or pebble stones, and little flints, taken out of some brooke: or aqua vitae: or else hang in the vessel by the bung, a glasse violl ful of quick siluer, but [Page] very well and close stopt euerie where, and let it lower and lower as the wine shall sinke lower and lower, so that the violl may hang within the wine continually: or else powre common oyle vpon it.

CHAP. XVII.
A discourse of certaine wines that serue for the vse of Physick.

AS we haue said in the second Booke,To make medicinable wines. that the prouident huswife must sowe and plant vpon some bed in her Kitchin garden certaine medicinable hearbes: in like manner it will not be amisse, that the farmer or his wife should yeerely, in Vintage time, make and compound wines for the necessities that may grow by reason of diseases happening amongst their familie. Wherefore, to the end we may not forget any thing which may fall out to be necessarie for the better keeping of our Countrey Farme, wee would not omit the manner of compounding such wines: which notwithstanding the good wife must not vse or giue others counsell to vse hand ouer head, at hap hazard▪ and without good reason: for it is not good to vse them where there is an ague, neither yet till fortie daies past after that they be made. Their vessels must be alwaies kept close shut, for else they will grow sowre, or else spend themselues very easily: and after that it is perceiued by the tast, that they retaine the relish of the simples infused, it will be good to take the said simples out of the vessels.

To make wine of Roses: take drie Roses of the mountaines,Rose-wine. Annise, and Honey, of euerie one alike, and a little Saffron, bind them together, and put them in the wine: this wine is very good for the weakenesse of the stomack, and for pleurisies.

For to make wine of Wormewood: take Sea Wormewood,Wormewood-wine. or for want thereof, common Wormewood, especially that which hath the small stalkes and short leaues, about eight drams; stampe them, and bind them in a cloth which is not ouer-thicke wouen, and so cast it into the vessell, afterward poure new wine in vpon it, and that after such a proportion, as that for euerie three pints of wine there may be an ounce of Wormewood, and so to hold on till the vessels be full, leauing a vent open, that so it may not fall a boyling againe. The vse of this wine is good for the paine of the stomacke and liuer, and to kill such wormes as are in the guts.

To make wine of Horehound that is good for the cough in the Vintage time,Wine of Horehound. you must gather of the crops and tender stalks of Horehound, growing especially in such places as are leane and vntilled, and afterward cause them to be dried in the Sunne, & made vp into bundles, tying them together with a rush sinking them in the vessell: in sixtie fiue quarts of new wine, you must put eight pound of Horehound to boyle therewith, after that the Horehound shall be taken out, and the wine stopt vp verie diligently.

The wine of Annise and Dill,Wine of Annise, Dill, Peares, Bayes, Asarum bacchar, and Sage. against the difficultie of vrine, the wine of Peares against the flux of the bellie: the vvine of Bayes against the ach of the belly & wringings in the same: the vvine of Asarum bacchar, against the Iaundise, Dropsie, and tertian ague: the vvine of Sage against the paines and weakenesse of the sinewes, and they are made as the vvine of Wormewood.

For to make vvine of Thyme: you must gather the Thyme wine it is in flower,Wine of Thyme. and drying it, stampe it and put thereof the quantitie of a twelfth part in a vessell of thirtie quarts of white wine.

To make vvine of Betonie: take Betonie the leaues and seed about one pound,Betonie wine. put them in twentie quarts of new wine: vvhen seuen moneths are past, change the vvine into a new vessell.

For to make wine of Hysope: take the leaues of Hysope well pouned,Hysope wine. make them fast in a very fine cloth, and cast them into twentie quarts of new vvine: this vvine is [Page] good against the diseases of the lungs, an old cough, and shortnes of breath.

Wine of Pomegranates is made of Pomegranates that are scarce ripe,Wine of pomegranats, quintes, mulberries, and seruices. being throughly bruised, and put in a vessell in three quarts of thicke red Wine, to vse against the flux of the bellie: to the same end serueth the Wine made of seruices, mulberries and quinces. You may see a large discourse of Wines in the fifth Booke of Dioscorides.

CHAP. XVIII.
Of such faults and accidents as happen to Wine.

WIne is not exempt from losse and inconueniencies any more than all other things which are contained vnder the cope of Heauen,How Wines must be ordered in cellers or roomes vnder ground. therefore to meete with all the inconueniencies which may happen to Wine, you must carefully and often looke vnto the Wine-vessell: notwithstanding, from the time that the said vessels are couered and stopped vp, vnto the Spring Equinoctiall, it will be sufficient to fill vp and handle the Wine once euerie six and twentie daies, but after this time, twice in the said space: and if the Wine begin to flower, then you must looke to it more oft, least the flower thereof should fall to the bottome and spoile the Wine. Looke by how much the heat is the greater, by so much you must visite and looke to your Wines the ofter, and euer keepe it with filling of it vp, refreshing and giuing of it vent, for so long as it holdeth cold, it will remaine and continue sound and intire.

If your Wine should begin to wax sowre,Against the eagernesse or sowrenesse of Wines. you must put in the bottome of the vessell a pot full of water well stopt, and thereupon also, stopping the vessell, leaue therein some small hole to vent at, the third day after, you must draw out the pot, and you shall find the water therein stinking, but the wine sound and neate.

Wines are most subiect to turne,At what time Wine is most apt to turne and corrupt. especially about the eleuenth day of Iune, being the Sommers solstice: and the time when the vine flowreth, somewhat before the dog daies enter through the great change of heate and cold, and generally when the Southerne wind bloweth, whether it be in Sommer or Winter: as also in time of great raine, of great windes, earthquakes, or mightie thunders, and whenas vines or roses begin to flower: to keepe them from turning, you must put into them when they boile vp and worke, boyled salt, or else the seede of smallage, barley bran, and the leaues of the bay-tree, or ashes of the braunches of the vine, with fennell seede brayed.

Others do appoint these remedies: take the rootes of mugwort, and cinquefoile, make them in powder, and when the Wine shall haue boiled, put them in, and it will not turne nor change. Likewise if you lay your vessells in vaulted cellars, or if you put in them a plate of yron or flint stones, or leuen made of rie paste, or a couering vpon the vessell, you keepe your Wine from all inconueniencies that might happen vnto it by thunder and lightning.

Sweet almonds cast into red Wine, keepe it from turning: the ashes of oake-wood cast into the Wine doe the like: the meale of the white fetch doth saue the Wine from turning, and keepeth it in his soundnesse: allom [...] broken in peeces doth the like: as also brimsone, lime, sand and plaister.

If it happen that the Wine be turned,To helpe the [...]ine that is turned. you must cast into the vessell a good quantitie of beaten pepper; and which is better, change its vessell: take cetaine whites of eggs, which after that you haue beaten them very well a long time, and taken off the froth rising vpon them, cast them into the vessell and roule it: or else, take twelue kernels of old wal-nuts, draw a thread through them, rost them vnder the ashes, and whiles they are yet hot, hang them in the vessel within the Wine, & leaue them there so long as vntill you see the Wine to haue recouered his former colour.

[Page] If the Wine be become troubled,For troubled Wine. it will quickly grow cleare and become fined againe, with the kernell of a pine apple, or of peaches, or with the whites of egs and a little salt: otherwise, take halfe a pound of roch allome, and as much sugar, make a very small powder thereof and cast it into the vessell.

If it appeare and shew manifest vnto you that your Wine would marre and spoile,To helpe Wine the beginneth to wax away and di [...]. take this course with it: If it bee claret Wine, take the yelke of an egge, and if it be white, take onely the white of an egge, putting thereto onely three ounces of cleare bright stones taken out of some swift running riuer, make them into pouder with two ounces of salt poudred very small, and mingled all together: after that, put the Wine into another vessell that is neate and cleane, and not tainted with any maner of smell before hand: which done, cast into the same all the foresaid composition, and mingle it with the Wine fiue or sixe times a day, vntill three or foure daies be past: remember and marke to doe this same before such time as the Wine bee all together marred; for when it is once throughly corrupted and marred, this composition will serue you to no end, and the labour and time is but lost that you bestow about it.

To restore againe into his former and sound estate, the Wine that is growne fat, fustie, and hath taken winde: cast into the vessell cowes [...]milke somewhat salted: some cast thereinto allome, lime, and brimstone, but not without their great hurt that shall drinke the same: but indeed it would doe better, if they would put into it some Iuniper berries and Ireos roots.

If that your Wine do continue to hold and still retaine any ill qualitie by its hauing taken wind, you must make it loose the same, by making two or three towres in the vessels, and afterward setting it againe vpon his cantling, and then to fill it vp.

To take away the fustie smell of wine,To take away the fustie smel of Wine. you must take medlers ripened vpon the straw, and opening them in foure quarters, tie them with a small threed, and thereby make them fast vnto the bunghole of the vessell, in such sort as that they may hang all couered ouer in the Wine: hauing left them thus for the space of a moneth, then take them out, and by this meanes you shall likewise take away the ill smell of your Wine; or else take bay-berries, and boiling them in Wine, cast the same afterward into the said vessell: otherwise, make a bag and fill it with sage, putting it in the vessell, but not laying it in the Wine:To helpe the sowrenesse of Wine. the same remedie serueth to recouer Wine that is become soure; if you had not rather chuse for the helping of your Wine to cast into it some leeke seed.

To keepe Wines from sowring,To keepe the Wine from sowring. you must place the vessell in a cold place, very ful and well stopped, so as they may not haue any breathing place: or else if you want the benefit of a cold place, and that you are forced to set it in a place that is hot: or else if the Wine faile through hauing beene a long time pearced: to keepe it from falling quit soure, you must hang at a small coard a great peece of larde well wrapped in a linnen cloth, and let it downe by the bung-hole into the midst of the Wine: and as the Wine shall grow lower and lower, so you must still let lower the lard, that so it may alwaies continue in the midst. In the meane time, the vessell must be continually well couered and stopt: and by how much the peece of lard shall bee the greater, so much the better will it keepe the Wine from sowring. Some aduice and giue counsell for the same purpose to put into the vessell oyle oliue,Oyle oliue a preuenter of the the sowrenesse of Wine. in such quantitie as that it may only couer the vppermost face of the Wine: and when the Wine is all drawn out, the oyle may easily be seperate from the lees, and ga [...]dered into a vessel by it selfe.

To take away the waterishnesse and ouermuch moisture of Wine.For wattrish Wine. you must put into the vessell the leaues of the pomegranete tree.

If any beast be fallen into the vessell of Wine,Against venime or venimous beasts falling into Wine. and dead therein, as an adder, rat, or mouse, to soone as the dead bodie is fou [...]d, you must burne it, and cast the cole ashes into the vessell whereinto it had fallen before, and stir it about with a wooden sticke: others giue counsell to put hot bread into the Wine, or any yron ring, and then the venime will vanish and depart.

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CHAP. XIX.
Of the manner of making Vineger.

VIneger commeth through the defect of wine,Vineger is a [...]ault of wine. as wee may vnderstand by that which is gone before: the riotousnesse and pleasure of men, hath beene the cause that Vineger came euer in request, not onely for sauces, but also for many other vses: It shall not therefore be thought vnreasonable to vse a word or two about making of Vineger.

The most common way to make Vineger is on this sort: They vse to take good wine, and therewithall to [...]ill the vessell to the halfe, leauing it vnstopt and set in a hot place, as in some corne loft, or in some gutter betwixt the tiles.

If you desire to make Vinegar in hast, you must cast into your wine, salt, pepper, and soure leuen mingled together: and yet to make it the more hastly, you must heat red hot some stone, tile, or gad of steele, and put it all hot into the wine, or else the mouth of the vessell must stand alwaies open, or else the vessell must be set in the Sunne three or foure daies▪ and therewithall a little salt put in the vessell: or else fill a new ear [...]hen pot that is not halfe baked with wine, and stop it well, afterward put it in a kettle full of boiled water vpon the fire, and letting it there remaine a long time in the boiling water, it will grow soure; or else put into the wine a beete root stamped, or a radish root,Rad [...]sh and beete roots ma [...]e vineger. or medlars, ceruises or hornes, mulberries, vnripe sloes, or a shiue of barley bread new baked: or else you must take of the blossomes of the ceruise tree in there season, and drying them in the Sunne after the manner of rose-leaues, either in a glasse vessell, or in one of blacke earth, fill vp the same vessell with pure Vinegar or Wine, and so set it forth againe into the Sun or in the chimny end to the heate of the fire, and in a short time it will become strong and very sharpe Vineger: but if you would restore it againe to his former state of wine, then you must cast, of colewort roots into it.The roots of cale-words make Vineger to [...]u [...]ne againe into wine.

CHAP. XX.
Of some obseruations and instructions concerning Vineger.

TO make strong vineger,Strong Vineger. take the fruit of the cornell tree, when it beginneth to grow red, and of bramble berries, such as grow in the fields, when they are halfe ripe, drie them, make them into powder, and with a little strong Vineger, you shall make little prettie balles, which you shall drie in the Sunne, afterward you must take wine, and heate it, and when it is hot put into it this composition, and it will bee turned very speedily into very strong Vineger.

To make Vineger with corrupted wine: take a rotten and corrupt wine and boile it,To make Vineger o [...] marr [...]d wine. taking away all the scum that riseth in the boiling thereof, thus let it continue vpon the fire till it be boyled away one third part, then put it into a vessell wherein hath bin Vineger, putting thereto some cheruile, couer the vessell in such sort, that there get no aire into it, and in a short time it will proue good and strong Vineger.

To make drie VinegerDri [...] Vineger. to carrie whither a man listeth, take of wild cherries when they begin to be ripe (and yet the fruit of the cornell tree is better) of mulberies when they be red, and vnripe grapes th [...]t are very thicke, and of wild a cornes before they bee ripe, stampt all together, then take of the best Vineger you can finde, and mingle them all together, make vp the masse into small loaues, setting them to drie in the Sunne: and when you would make Vineger, temper some of these small [Page] loaues in wine, and you shall haue very good Vineger. Otherwise, take the vnripe iuice of corne that is very greene, and stampe the same putting Vineger thereto, and thereof make a past, wherof you shall make little loaues to be dried in the Sunne, and when you would haue Vineger, temper of these loaues in so much wine as you shall see sufficient, and you shall haue very good Vineger.

To make rose-vineger,Rose Vineger. take good white Vineger, and put therein red roses, either new or dried, keeping them many daies in the vessell, and afterward taking them out, put them in another glasse, and so keepe them in a coole place: after the same manner you may make Vineger of elder-tree flowers.

To make Vineger without wine, put into a vessell soft and daintie peaches,To make vineger without wine. and vpon them pearched barley, letting them putrifie all a whole day, then straine them and vse the liquor: or else take old figs and burnt barley, together with the inner parts of orenges, put all these into a vessell, and stir them vp very well and oft, and whenas they are become putrified and resolued, straine them out and vse the liquor.

To make sweet Vineger,Sweet vineger. take fiue pints of strong Vineger, and with as much new wine reserued vpon the treading out of the grapes, adde some quantitie of pitch, and and put altogether in a vessell which you must stop very carefully: and after that all these haue continued together for the space of some thirtie daies, you may vse thereof for Vineger: otherwise, take a vessell of new wine, and mingle it with two vessels of Vineger, and boile them together till the third part be consumed. Some doe adde three vessels of spring water vnto two of new wine and one of Vineger, boiling them all together vntill the third part be consumed.

To make mightie strong Vineger,Mightie strong vineger. drie the grosse of grapes two whole daies, then put it in new wine, put thereto some of the vnripe iuice of corne, and you shall make a strong Vineger, whereof you may haue the vse within seuen daies after: or otherwise, put pellitorie of Spaine into Vineger and it will make it strong. Furthermore, if you boile the fourth or fifth part of Vineger vpon the fire, and put it vnto that which is before prescribed, putting it after all this in the Sunne some eight daies, you shall haue a pleasant and strong vineger. The rootes of couch-grasse when they are old, boiled grapes, the leaues of the wild peare tree stamped, the roots of brambles and whay, the quicke coales of burned acornes, and boiled ciche pease and hot tiles, euen euery one of these by themselues being cast into Vineger doe make the same strong.

Pepper vinegerPepper vineger is made by casting into vineger or hanging therein whole pepper made vp in a linnen cloth, for the space of eight daies,

You sh [...]ll know if there be any water in the vineger,Water in vineger. if you put into it any Salnitrum, for then if it swell vp as though it would boile, you may boldly say that there is water in it.

To make vineger good to helpe digestion, and for your health, take eight drams of the sea onion, and two pints of vineger, put them together into a vessell, and vvith them as much of pepper, mints, and iuniper berries, then vse it afterward.

To make vineger of sea onions,Vineger of sea onions. you must put ten such onions salted into fiftie quartes of sweet new vvine, and foure pints and a halfe of strong vineger, and if it be not sharp enough, then twice so much, in a pot holding fiftie four quarts, & boile them till the fourth part bee consumed: or if the wine bee sweete, it must be boiled to the spending of the third part, but such wine may be of his owne distilling out of the grapes before they be trodden and very cleere: otherwise, put into a vessell thirtie pints of strong vineger, wherein let steepe for the space of twelue daies, the inward part of a white sea onion which hath beene in the Sunne thirtie daies: after that, take the vineger and let it settle and abide in some place where you wil to vse it afterward. Dioscorides in his one and twentieth chapter of his fourth booke discribeth another manner of it.

It is to obserued and noted that all sorts of vineger are best helped to keepe their tartnesse, by putting into their vessels at the bung hole a sticke of red withie.

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CHAP. XXI.
Of the manner of making of Veriuice.

THe most common manner of making of Veriuice in this countrie, is to gather the greene grapes from of the vine frames, or the grapes which are not yet ripe, and are left vpon the vines after vintage, and hauing gathered them, to tread and presse them afterward, after the manner of ripe grapes, putting the liquor or iuice thereof into vessells, and salting the same by and by, after that it hath purged out all its scum and filth, by boiling as new wine doth. In the Northern countries they do also make Veriuice of crabs mingling a little salt therewithall. Some make a drie Veriuice after this manner: they take the greenest that they can get, pressing the iuice thereout, which afterward they boile in a brasen vessell vntill it become thicke, and as it were congealed, then they drie it in the Sunne, and keepe it for their vse: othersome boile it not at all, but drie it in the Sunne, till it come to the thicknesse of honie.

To make your Veriuice looke more greene, and to be better, and to preuent that it may not turne and become mouldie or hoarie, you must the day after it is turned vp into its vessell, plucke a bunch or two of blacke grapes, and cast them into the vessell at the bung-hole, euen in whole clusters, and then to salt it after that it hath beene boiled.

CHAP. XXII.
Containing certaine discourses by the way of inuention, nature, faculties, differences, and necessitie of Wine.

AS we haue in the former booke at large intreated of bread, and of the differences thereof, according to the vse wherein it is imployed, namely, the nourishment of mans bodie; so now after the manner of ordering and husbanding of the vine, and so of the fruit which commeth of such husbanding thereof, which is Wine, it shall not seeme vnreasonable, if summarily, wee discourse and stand vpon the necessitie, nature, faculties, and differences of Wine, whereof we make so great account ordinarily in our drinking thereof.

And to the end that we may now come to the matter:The necessitie of drinke. Seeing not only the substance of mans bodie, but of all other liuing creatures is subiect, (through vitall heate continually working in them) vnto a perpetuall wast, and expending of it selfe: nature being prouident ouer her owne workes, hath giuen vnto and put in all sorts of liuing creatures, an incredible desire of eating and drinking, to the end that this waste and losse of substance might bee repaired and restored by the well bounded increase comming of eating and drinking; for otherwise, naturall heate destitute of such her food and nourishment, would quickly be choked and quenched. Now the substance of euery liuing bodie is threefold: the first is, and consisteth of spirits: the second of humours: the third of solide parts: all which three substances may possibly be repaired by a solide substance, if so be that such solide nourishment could easily bee digested and distributed, throughout the whole habite and vniuersall masse of the bodie. But seeing that such is the solidnesse, hardnesse, and grosenesse therof, as that it cannot, it was needfull that it should be accompanied with some floting and fluide liquor, which might stand in steed of a wagon or chariot to conueigh and carrie it vp and downe the bodie. Ioine also thereunto, that this fluent liquor hath without comparison a greater power than the solide nourishment to let and hinder [Page] the drying vp of the solide parts, and to temper all such heat, as otherwise, vpon euerie light motion, might at euerie moment offend and hurt them. This losse and continuall expence of this threefold substance (which in the end doth first bring old age; and afterward death) doth grow through that iarre and disagreement which is in the foure elements, vvhereupon the whole bodie is compounded and framed: vvhich elements also, notwithstanding that they may seeme vnited and ioyned together in a certaine kind of harmonie, consent, amitie, and inuiolable bond, yet by reason of secret rancour and mutuall disagreement happening through their contrarie qualities, they doe so warre one vpon another, as that by little and little they do procure the ruine, dissolution, and vtter ouerthrow of that bodie which before they had consented to frame and compose. Physitions ouer and besides this, do acknowledge another cause of this expence of nature, and bringing in of old age, and lastly death, vvhich is fore-slowed and kept off by eating and drinking; and that is naturall heat, vvhich feedeth vpon the radicall moisture, seated in the substance of the solide parts: vvhich moisture, the sooner that it is dried vp, wasted, and consumed by the foresaid heat, so much the shorter is the course of life. But this radicall moisture, and the continuall losse of spirits, it repaired by the addition of eating and drinking, and so the life drawne forth to a longer terme. Wherefore, Nature being carefull of the preseruation and long continuance of the bodies of liuing creatures, vvhich otherwise, for the occasions aboue named, vvould grow old and perish in a few houres, taketh not anie other course for the same but by eating and drinking, vvhich are the two meanes to sustaine and preserue (so much as is possible) the liues of all liuing things. And as for eating, let vs leaue off to haue anie thing to doe with it, as hauing spoken thereof in the former booke, and let vs come to the second, vvhich is drinking.

The common drinke of all liuing creatures is water.

OLd and ancient Histories doe sufficiently testifie, that water was the first drinke which men vsed generally throughout the world, and wherewith they contented themselues a long time, to vse it onely for the quenching of their thirst: but afterward, vvhen voluptuousnesse seized vpon mens appetite, they inuented and set before them diuers sorts of drinkes. Wherefore hauing reiected water as a tastlesse and vnsauourie thing, they haue in place thereof (in all such Coasts and Countries as where the heat of the Sunne might bring forth and lead along the grape vnto his full ripenesse) chosen Wine for the most excellent and delightsome drinke of all others: as in other cold Countries, and such whereas the Vine could not grow, they haue either still continued their drinking of vvater, or fetched and procured vvine from other places, or else haue prepared some other kind of drinke comming neere in some measure vnto vvine, vvhich by the delicatenesse thereof might reioyce the heart, and gratifie the tast. Whereupon, some in stead of vvater haue taken vp the vse of Wine, and others of Beere and Ale: some of Cyder and Perrie, and others, of all sorts: some of honied vvater, or vvater sweetened vvith sugar: and others, of other drinkes pressed and strained out from fruits, or the decoctions of rootes. All France, Italie, Sicilie, Spaine, and all other Countries which are farre off from the North, doe content themselues with vvine, the Nation of the Turkes excepted: vvho, being incensed either by the superstition of Mahumet, or stirred up thereunto by the ancient custome of Turks, do vtterly abhorre vvine, and vse in stead thereof honied water. England, Scotland, Dalmatia, Polonia, Sarmatia, and other Northren Countries doe vse partly vvine, as procuring the same from other places, and partly Beere, in such sort, as that by how much the Countries are the colder, by so much the more they are giuen and addicted to vvine and drunkennes: vvitnesse hereof is not onely Germanie, but also Frizeland, Dalmatia, and Flanders, the inhabitants of which countries doe not onely striue who shall drinke most, and extoll drunkennesse vnto the skies, but also doe scoffe at sobrietie, and so highly disdaine such [Page] people as striue to liue soberly and temperately, as that they think them the most vnworthie of their alliance and companie. And yet (notwithstanding that so many sorts of drinks be growne in request in stead of water in many countries) wine seemeth to me to beare the bell, as being the most pleasant, delightsome, and excellent drink that can be found or thought vpon.

What is meant by wines.

THe iuice then of the grape, which either runneth from the grape being full ripe, or is pressed out with feet, or the presse, before it be boiled, is called new or sweet wine, but after that it hath boiled, and thereby cast forth all his scumme and dregges, it is properly called wine. Wherefore this boiling or working, by which in fine it is fined and setled from all his excrements, is not any manner of putrifaction, but rather an effect of naturall heat engendred and naturally rooted in the same: for whereas the iuice newly drawne out of the grape, doth containe in it many excrements, and those diuers in nature, which the naturall heat thereof cannot (without great strife, enforcement, and contending) concoct and ouercome: it is necessarie, that in this contention it should worke out a heat, boyling, and verie great perturbation, by reason of the struglings of the two contrarie heats: that is to say, the naturall, which doth concoct the crude and raw matter of the new wine, and by that meanes separateth the excrementous parts from it: and on the other side, the strange and accidentall heat which is kindled and raised in the crude and raw parts of the new wine, which encountring the naturall heat no otherwise than is done in the crises of sharpe sicknesses, at such time as naturall heat doth concoct the crude and raw matter of the disease, and attempteth to make separation of the noysome and annoying matter, many disturbances, shakings, heats, and other grieuous symptomes doe fiercely assaile the partie, vntill such time as naturall heat (hauing ouercome) proceed to the separating of the good and naturall humors from the excrementous ones, and expell those which were the cause of the maladie. And euen so it falleth out in the boiling or working of new wines, wherein the accidentall heat is ouercome by the heat of nature, without any worke of putrifacation: the heterogene and vnnaturall matter being separated from the homogene and naturall: the vnprofitable and excrementous humour consumed, and the flatulent or windie parts thereof discussed: and to be briefe, all the profitable iuice is in such sort concocted and digested, as that that which before was crude, flatulent, and hard to be digested, is become gentle, tractable, fauourable, and verie agreeable for mens vse, as though it were quite changed and altered from his nature. Of new pressed wine is made the wine called Cute, in Latine Sapa: Sapa. and it is by boiling the new pressed wine so long, as till that there remaine but one of three parts. Of new pressed wine is also made another Cute, called of the Latines Defrutum: Defrutum. and this is by boiling of the new wine onely so long, as till the halfe part be consumed, and the rest become of the thicknesse of honey. Sometimes there is a wine made called Passum, Passum. and it is when the grapes haue endured the heat a long time vpon the Vine.

The inuenters and first finders out of wine.

SVch as haue written in Hebrew, as also the Scripture it selfe, doth testifie, that Noe Noe. was the first author of wine. Nicander Colophonius saith in his verses, that wine was called [...] in Greeke,Why wine is called [...] in Greeke. of the name of a man which was called Oenus, and first pressed out the new liquor out of the grape into his drinking cup. Others write, that Icarus Icarus. was the first inuenter thereof: and that verie shortly after his inuention he had condigne punishment therefore, as being slaine of the dressers of his vineyards, they being drunke. Whereupon Propertius saith,

O Icarus, th'Athenian clowne

Deseruedly thy life throwes downe.

[Page] Athenaeus saith, That the Vine was first found neere vnto the Mount Etna, and that a dogge passing that way, plucked vp a little branch of a Vine tree out of the earth, and that Oresteus, sonne of Deucalion, which raigned in that Countrey, caused the same branch to be planted againe, vvhereout there sprang manie shoots of Vines, vvhich he called Oenus, of the name of the dogge which had pluckt the same branch out of the ground: vvhereupon also the auncient Greekes called Vines Oenas. The Latines say, That the Vine is called Vitis, quasi vita, because that vvine doth quickly restore the vitall spirits being wasted and spent, and doth comfort, repaire, encrease, and strengthen the naturall heat that is weakened, vvhich is the principall instrument of life, insomuch, as that by the vse of vvine it is made more freely disposed than it was before to performe all manner of actions requisite for the life of man. Old Writers are not of one mind concerning the first originall and inuention of the Vine, for euerie one of them almost hath his seuerall opinion. But as concerning my selfe, I thinke that the Vine was brought forth of the earth, as other grasse, hea [...]bes, and trees were from the beginning of the world, and that it brought forth grapes of it selfe without any tilling or dressing, and those like vnto them which the wild Vine (called of vs Labrusca) doth now bring forth, but that the first fathers did not so quickly know the vse and profit of the Vine. For in America, Florida, and the new- [...]ound Countries, there are great store of Vines growing plentifully, and in great aboundance, without any art or industrie of men, although the vse of wine be as yet vnknowne to the inhabitants of those Countries. Plato in his C [...]atylus saith, That wine is called in Greeke [...] quasi [...], that is to say, iudgement, consideratenesse, and aduisednesse, because it furnisheth the intellectuall part with iudgement and aduise, because by his quicknesse it restoreth the spirits, whereby it strengtheneth the mind as well as the bodie, as Mnestheus hath verie well reported of it. Some likewise say, That the Greekes call [...] quasi [...], that is to say, profit and vtilitie, because it is infinitely profitable.Why it is called Vinum. The Latines call it Vinum [...] vi, by reason of the violence it offereth to the spirit of man, when it is taken out of measure. The cause likewise why the old Writers called it Temetum, was because the immoderate vse thereof holdeth captiue and corrupteth the mind,Why Temetum. that is to say, the vnderstanding. We will define wine to be a iuice extracted and pressed out of ripe grapes, purified and fined, contained in vessels sit for the receiuing of the same, conuenient and agreeable vnto mans life, and therefore the liquors of the grape newly pressed out, is not to be called wine, because it is not fined,The definition of wine. neither yet doth veriuice deserue the name of wine, because it is pressed out of grapes as yet not ripe.

The temperature of Wine, and of the liquor newly pressed out of the grapes.

THe new pressed iuice of the grape is of temperature hot in the first degree, but wine is hot in the second degree, yea in the third, if it be old: it is likewise of drinesse proportionable to his heat. It is true, that according to the regions, grounds, inclination, and disposition of the yeare, and such other differences, which doe alter and change his temperature very much, it falleth out to be sometimes more, sometimes lesse, hot. The wines that Spaine, Italie, Langu [...]doc, the Countrey of Narbone in France, Gascoigne, and other hot Countries doe bring forth, proue hot and drie in the end of the second, yea in the beginning of the third degree, especially when the constitution of the yeare falleth out to be hot and drie, and when they are of a middle age. But such wines as grow in grounds about Paris, or other Countries vvhich draw toward the Westerne or Northerne quarter, doe scarcely fall out to proue hot in the beginning of the second degree, no not in a hot and drie yeare, and though they be growne to a middle age, as not hauing passed the age of the first yeare. For when the yeares fall out cold and moist, all these kinds of wines for the most part growing in these Countries, become greene and raw, and for the same cause called greene wines, and those so weake, that hardly may they be iudged to be hot [Page] in the first degree, and the yeare expired and gone about, their heate being likewise expired and spent, they either become altogether sower, or hauing lost their smell and taste proue to be naught and corrupted.Olde wines are hotes than the new. Whereupon that which the old writers haue deliuered concerning the temperatures and qualities of old Wines cannot bee proued true of such Wines as grow in these countries, wherein the greatest part of French Wines within three or sixe moneths, or at the furthest by the end of the yere, grow to the [...]ull top and perfection of their goodnesse: whereas on the contrarie, such as grow in hot countries, and become themselues more hot, will not bee at the best, before the fifth, sixth, yea before the tenth yeare; which if it bee so, you must thinke that the sinewes and other senses of the bodie, doe receiue most harme by old Wines which grow in hot and drie countries: and that they are the lesse offended and hurt of the old Wines which grow in this our French soile which is more cold. In this countrie new Wine being sufficiently boyled vp and fined, as it is more pleasant to the tast,New wine [...] in France. so it is more hot, cleane contrarie to that which groweth in hot countries. Dioscorides writeth that old vvine, for as much as it is hotter, doth hurt them very much which feele some weakenesse in some of their inward parts; but wee cannot say the like of our vvine vvhen it is old, but rather of our vvine when it is new, for the same reasons. Wherefore it followeth, that the opinion of Dioscorides and diuers other Physitians, touching the heat and temperature of old wines, is to bee vnderstood of vvines that grow in countries that are more hot, and not of such vvines as (if they bee daintie and delicate vvines) vvill attaine the height of their goodnesse, and summe of their perfection in sixe or eight moneths, or at the furthest by the end of the yeare, in such sort, as that the same being ended, they waxe sower: yea, if they be right noble vvines, they bee well forward vpon and toward their perfection in the beginning of the second yeare, or somewhat after. The force and naturall heate of the dilicatest French vvines is gone after the first yeare is once past: but in a noble vvine it fadeth and falleth away by little and little, not before the second yeare be past. The vvines of Gascoigne and Aniou, growing in a hot and drie season, draw very neere vnto the nature and temperature of the vvines, whereof old vvriters haue spoken: because the greatest part of them may be kept vnto the the third yeare. The vvines of Orleance are at the best the second yeare, and it stayeth with them to the end, but when the second yeare endeth, they begin to loose their goodnesse.

Now if the case stand thus in hot countries, it is better to abstaine from old vvines, than from new which are altogether fined: for their old vvines do heate out of measure; but the new vvines stir not vp any heate that may molest and trouble, and yet they also be very hurtfull, because they digest very hardly, and beget many obstructions. Wherefore in countries that are more hot, new vvines may be drunke without any preiudice to the health, being of a thin substance and wel fined, because they haue but a weake heat. But in these our countries which are cold and moist, old wines may be vsed, as also the new which are of a thinne substance, well purged and fined. Notwithstanding our countrie old vvines, in as much as after some long time they loose their heat, and thereby heat the lesse, are not so hurtful▪ vnto the head as the new, or those which are of a middle age.

The iuice thereof newly pressed from the grape (in as much as it is raw,The iuice of the grapes not [...] wrought. windie, and of hard digestion, if therewithall it do not ouerturne the stomach, and prouoke flux of the bellie) doth stay a long time in the stomach and places thereabout, swelling and blowing vp the same, and therein begetting rebellious obstructions hardly taken away and remoued, as also it causeth troublesome dreames, and cold and durable diseases.

New wines which are not as yet throughly digested,New wines or the iuice of grapes which haue [...]ately wrought vp. are in temperature and facultie very like vnto the new pressed liquor of grapes, for euen they are so far off from perfection, as that they also become of hard digestion, and which is more, doe not easily passe through the bowels and veines, or prouoke vrine any thing at all, being the great and soueraigne helpes which are to be looked for to come from wine. Yea [Page] Yea furthermore, they oftentimes hang and lie long in the bodie, and become very subiect to soure in the stomach, if there bee but some small quantitie thereof taken more than is conuenient.

Wine which is well and sufficiently digested and wrought,The benefit of wine. and thereby purified and fined from all such excrements and lees, as either the new pressed liquor is woont to cast vp, or the same after further digestion is woont to settle downe to the bottome, hath its vertues and properties all quite contrarie, vnto the vices and inconueniencies which accompanie the raw liquor and newly concocted wines: for it is concocted easily, and caried through the bowels and veines quickly, it bringeth downe and asswageth the fulnesse and swellings rising about the principall parts of windie or distending causes, as crudities and such like: it deliuereth the wombe or matrix from such obstructions, as the naturall excrements thereof are woont to breed therein: it increaseth the strength of all the instrumentall parts: it maketh way for the euacuation of all manner of excrements, and so prouoketh sweat, but principally vrine: it causeth sleepe, and cureth cold poisons: it strengthneth the stomach more than all the rest of the parts of the bodie, as being first receiued and intertained into the same, and hereupon in becommeth a great friend to digestion, prouoketh appetite succoureth and relieueth the heart by speciall propertie, thereby speedily repairing such naturall and vitall spirites, as haue beene wasted by sodaine euacuation, wastings, or other occasions: it nourisheth also, preserueth, sustaineth and strengthneth naturall heate, whereas it beginneth to faile. Heereby it worketh vpon the vnderstanding awaking, and raising it vp, cheereth, and encourageth the faint and languishing, and recreateth and reioiceth the spirites, in regard whereof, Homer saith, that the Gods haue giuen wine to men, for the driuing away of their cares and troubles. And Socrates a guest at Platoes feast, praiseth the moderate vse of wines in feasts and banquets, because (as he saith) it quickneth a man to that which is good, and maketh the minde more readie to execute his offices and dueties. Lastly, wine maketh the colour more liuely and cherri-like and is found a most excellent, speedie, and singular remedie against all sownings and faintings which happen through excessiue euacuation, or crudities molesting and troubling the vpper mouth of the stomach. And in as much as it attenuateth, concocteth, and discusseth crud and cold humours, and flatuosities abounding in flegmaticke and melancholicke persons, it becommeth a most excellent drinke, not onely for flegmaticke and melancholicke ones, but also for all such as are of a cold and moist disposition of bodie, but especially for old folkes, and principally in Sommer, in such countries as are giuen to be cold.

The annoiances, hurts, and discommodities of wine.

ANd yet notwithstanding that wine surpasse in excellencie and goodnesse all other sorts of drinkes, it worketh many annoiances by reason of its quantitie, qualitie, or vaporousnesse.The hurts and inconueniencies that wine worketh. The most notorious and common annoiance that the vaporousnesse of the wine doth cause, is drunkennesse,Drunkennesse. which as Athenaeus recordeth, maketh men sots and senselesse, and yet so talkatiue and pratling, as that they cannot hold their peace, neither yet conceale any thing they know: wherupon the prouerbe groweth, that wine goeth barefoot,Wine goeth bare-foot. because the drunkard lieth open and naked on euery side, and couereth or hideth things no more than the steele-glasse, for which cause the Poet Aeschilus hath written, that the pictures of mens bodies are commonly to be seene in brasse: but the shape and fashion of the mind in wine; And Plato affirmeth, that the manners and disposition of euerie man is knowne by wine. The Poet Theognis doth likewise aduertise vs, that as gold is proued in the fire, so the vnderstanding part of man by wine, in these verses:

Quale sit admotis explorant ignibus aurum:

Mens hominis vinum, sana sit anne probat.

Notwithstanding, when the braine is full of flegme, the immoderate vse of wine [Page] doth not so much make such men to be giuen to much talke, as to feele great heauinesse in their heads, and to fall into deepe and sound sleepe. Auncient writers, as saieth Plutarch, consecrated the disease called the Lethargie, vnto Dionysius, because that such as spoile themselues with drinking of wine, for the most part fall into such kind of blockishnesse, feeling such a drowsie heauinesse in the head, forgetting to remember what they should do, and suffering themselues to fall right downe like dead men: For wine (as Aristotle obserueth) fitteth the seuerall natures of diuers humours, [...] filleth the d [...]spositions of the d [...]nkers. and applieth it selfe thereunto, howsoeuer that when it maketh drunken, it driueth the vnderstanding from her accustomed estate, corrupteth the memorie, and disturbeth all the senses. Notwithstanding, it maketh not all drunkards in all points alike, for some it maketh lumpish and drowsie, as such (as I haue said before) as haue their braines replea [...]e with [...]legme: other merie and iocund, and those which are sanguine [...]: many to be giuen to contentions, and much prattle, as such as are subiect to yellow choler: othersome be giuen to picke quarrells, doe wrongs, and worke much harme, and those are such as are subiect to blacke choler: and againe, other some mute and dreaming, as those which are subiect to a cold melancholicke humour. Furthermore, such as become foolish and senselesse by hauing drunke too much wine, their braine being silled with great quantitie of bloud and spirite, do [...] feele a heate throughout their whole bodie, but chiefely in their head, except they be such as wax cold and benummed through their folly, as in whom the naturall heat is not quickned and kindled, but rather smoothered and choaked by reason of the excessiue quantitie of wine which they haue taken: no otherwise than the fire is quenched when there is too much wood heaped vpon it, and the flame of the lampe put out when there is too much oyle in the lampe. For as a little deale of fire is choaked through a great heape of wood: euen so naturall heate is oftentimes strangled vpon the sudden, by the excessiue and immoderate drinking of wine. But and if it be yet so drunke immoderately, as that it cannot extinguish and suddenly destroy the naturall heate, at the least by snubbing and checking of naturall heate, hurting and infeebling his actions, as also in diminishing the strength of the bodie by surcharging of it with heauie loades of superfluities: accidently it cooleth in such sort, as that it bringeth to nothing and quite vndoeth the prouocations and acts of lust, which of it selfe and by its owne nature it might otherwise maruellously prouoke.That drunkards their seed and nature is not apt for generation. And hereupon it is that Aristotle sayeth, That the seed of drunkards becommeth dead and fruitlesle, and their children blocke-headed groutndles. Wherefore euen as wine (when as by its feruent vapours it assaileth the head, and [...]illeth the braine) prouoketh drunkennesse and foolishnesse: so when the said vapours are thick [...]ed somewhat and congealed into a serous and waterish substance, by the coldnesse of the head, if they bee not discussed and spent by the power and force of nature, the excrement which shall be thereby ingendred (although that the drunken sit being passed ouer, the partie come againe to the enioying of his former estate, and seeme to bee well) if it remaine long time in the braine, and being fast setled therein, grow further and gather more vnto it, doth in the end stirre vp many diseases of the head, as hardnesse of hearing, deafenesse, noyses in the eares, blindnesse, the falling sicknesse, conuulsions, palsi [...]s, apoplexies, and many other such like, of all which, it is not otherwise to be accounted the cause and originall, than by way of accident, as also of that sudden strangling disease, which it causeth not but very seldome. On the other side, if this excrement gathered in the braine by the immoderate vse of wine, happen to fall downe vpon the inferiour parts, it will breed many distillations, and catarrhes, hoarsnes, rheumes, coughs, gouts, difficulty of breathing▪ and many other symptomes, very hard to be cured: yea and by its vaporoushes, how soberly, and in how moderate quantitie soeuer it be drunke, it becommeth noysome and hurtfull to such as haue a weake braine, and their sinewes and ioin [...]s infirme and feeble; for vnto such people it becommeth so egregious an aduersarie, as that if one troubled with the gout, should at the same time that this paine is vpon him, tast but some few drops thereof washing his mouth onely therewithall, he shall presently [Page] feele his paine increased, and falling into a far greater rage. Yea which is more, such excrement ingendred in the head, getteth there such a kind of enimitie and aduerse qualitie, and that so at iarre and malitiously bent against the ioints, as that it rusheth it selfe in its distillations, rather vpon the ioints than vpon any other parts, and so causeth gouts and ioint aches. Finally, this excrement being of a subtile and sharp substance, falleth and penetrat [...]h easily into the lungs, as also corrupteth and exulcerateth them. There are also other most daungerous annoy [...]nces which wine of it selfe and by its very nature causeth. For in as much as it is of a hot and drie temperature, if it be not drunke moderately and well delaied, by the long vse thereof in hot and drie bodies, it is woot to ouer heat and drie their noble parts, to ingender great of cholericke humours, which standing without remooue and motion, must needs breed many maladies and diseases.

From hence spring out agues both continuall and intermittent, inflamations of the inward parts, as the liuer, spleene, and lungs, the plurifie, passion of the reines, and such other inflamations of many other parts, which haue not as yet any proper name assigned them. Hence likewise grow all itches, tetters, wild fires, flying fires, cankers, and all sorts of vlcers. Those therefore that are prone and apt to fall into such inconueniencies of diseases, or which are alreadie through the ill ordering of their life fallen into the same, must altogether abstaine the drinking of wine, or at the least drinke but a very little, yea though it should be very weake and well delaied with water. The old writers, and amongst others, Cicero in his third booke of the nature of the gods, thought it good, that seeing wine doth seldome profit, and hurt very often, that it were better not to permit it at all to be vsed of those which are sick, rather than vnder a conceited hope of some doubtfull health, to expose and lay them open to manifest daunger by the vse thereof. Notwithstanding we dayly find, that the vse of wine is very commodious and profitable for cold and moist complexions being such as are troubled with cold and moist diseases. Wherefore the wise and well aduised Physitian may tollerate the vse thereof, when he knoweth that there is need for the concoction of some cold diseases: yea and oftentimes also in cold diseases, as in such whose conioyned and next cause, he findeth to be nourished and maintained by some primitiue and antecedent cause that is hot.

That it is not good for such as are in health to vse pure and vnmixt wine.

THe learned of auncient time haue alwaies permitted the moderate vse of wine being delayed with water,That vndelaied wine is not wholesome for such as be in health. when it should be vsed of them which were whole, but haue alwaies reiected and disallowed pure and vndelayed wine, as also surfetting, and that in their feasts and bankets. For Hesiodus commaundeth that there should be three thirds of water mixed with one fourth part of wine, and this not to be vsed commonly, but at some solemne feasts and bankets. Athenaeus writeth, that the Grecians vsed to drinke two glasses of wine, delaied with fiue glasses of water, or one glasse of wine delaied with three glasses of water.What qu [...]ntitie of water is to be put to [...]ine. And in very truth, our ancient predecessors did put and mingle wine amongst water, and not water amongst wine: for they put but a very little quantitie of wine into their water, as Theophrastus reporteth. Which custome and vse of sobrietie must be followed and immitated by the decrees and appointment of Phisitians. And as for the quantitie of wine to be drunken, the poet Eb [...]lus bringeth in Dionysius speaking to that end in this sort.

Tres tantum pater as, quibus est mens sana propin [...]:

Quarum quae fuerit prima, salubris erit.

Proxima delicias factura est, tertia somnnm:

Luxus erit positum transiliisse modum.

This decree and ordinance hath bin approued by them which haue forbidden by their laws, that the Romane priests should not drinke any more than three glasses at a meale.

[Page] And as concerning age, vvine is hurtfull vnto young children, as also vnto them which are growne vp to greater yeares,For what ages wine is m [...]st fit. because that vvine by his very much drinesse destroyeth and ouerthroweth their hot and moist constitution, vvhich Hippocrates commandeth to be maintained by things that are moist. And that it is so, we see, that such children as vse to drinke vvine, howsoeuer it be dilayed (their liuer being dried and ouer-heated by the conti [...]all vse of the said vvine) doe fall, for the most part, into a long and lasting flux of the belly, and in the end into an irrecouerable hectick feuer, vvhich the common people call a withering and pining away, and out of which there is not one of a hundred that escapeth. For this cause Galen was altogether against the giuing of children any tast of vvine, as also any others, who like children are of a hot and moist temperature and constitution, because that by his vaporousnesse it filleth the braine, and doth infinite hurt and mischiefe. Plato in his precepts of ordering a Commonwealth, commaundeth children to be kept from vvine till they be fifteene yeares old, and his reason is, for that fire must not be added vnto fire: from fifteene vnto fortie he permitteth the moderate vse thereof: and after this age he aduiseth to drinke much, and that very good, for the mitigating and qualifying of the discommodious, troublesome, and noysome occurrences which may happen in the life of man. And this his opinion is not altogether to be reiected: for as vvine is altogether enemie vnto children, so it maketh recompence in the good it doth vnto old persons. Plinie saith, That vvine hindereth those which prepare themselues to doe, speake, or enterprise any good thing: and this was the cause why Plato forbad the vse of vvine to sage and learned men, except it were in their feasts or sacrifices. The Romans for sundry reasons did likewise forbid the vse of vvine to women and seruants. We reade in histories, That the vertues of many famous and great personages, haue beene obscured and eclipsed by the vse of vvine. Of this, wee haue Lysander, Captaine of the Lacedemonians, for a vvitnesse, who was a prudent, wise, and good disposer of all his matters and affaires, saue that of the vse of vvine; Antioch [...] the great, Demetrius lying for a pledge and hostage at Rome, Alexander of Macedonie, Dionysius the younger, the tyrant, Zenocrates the Philosopher, Anacreon and Alcaeus the Lyricke Poets, and Aristophanes the Comedian, Ennius, Marcus Antonius Triumuir, Cato Vticensis, and such others. For this cause the Locri inhabiting the Promontorie Zephirium in Greece (as Athenaeus recordeth) thought it to be an offence worthie death for to drinke vvine. Of the same opinion at this day are the Sarazins, moued thereto as well by Mahomets law, as also by the imitating of the ancient custome of the Gentils and Arabians. Let vs then conclude, that vvine, not onely in excessiue quantitie,That wine is hurtfull vnto hat and drie natures, and good vnto moist ones. and by reason of his vaporousnesse, doth cause all the annoyances alreadie set downe, but that also in respect of his heat and drinesse it is most pernicious vnto hot and drie natures, as also vnto hot and moist ones, if it be not well dilayed, especially if it be continually vsed, though it be taken in neuer so moderate a quantitie: And yet notwithstanding more or lesse, according to age, custome, and manner of liuing, the season of the yeare, and constitution of the ayre: because that in old folke, and all such as in vvhom crude flegme and melancholike iuice doth abound, his heat and drinesse is in such sort rebated, that for the most part it is vsed of them very safely and securely, both as a well nourishing, and likewise as a good Physicall helpe, especially in Winter and cold Countries. You must therefore, in all sorts of natures, so temper all his noysome qualities by the mingling of water, as that it may be taken with the least hurt that possibly may be. When as therefore the vvine is mixt with the water, the parts both of the one and the other are broken and parted (as it were) into small inuisible portions, vvhereupon there ariseth betwixt them both a mutuall doing and suffering, and their qualities so confounded and becomming one (notwithstanding their former contrarietie) as that into how much the lesse parts the diuision is made, by so much the more apt and easie they proue to be mingled and made one. Whosoeuer therefore shall mingle vvine vvith vvater, or vvater vvith vvine, must first stirre them a long time, and then before he drink them, let them settle and rest a while: because for certainetie, the contrarie qualities of [Page] the wine and water will be so much the more repressed, corrected, rebated and vnited, by how much they are the longer time and the more exactly mingled together. Although that (if we will examine the things a little neere) we shall [...]ind that euen wine delayed, ceaseth no [...] to offend and do harm, if it be taken in ouer great quantitie, or at vnseasonable times, especially of such as are of a hot and drie disposition, as we shall declare hereafter. But this is enough which hath beene said of wine in generall: now let vs examine all the particular differences of the same.

The differences of Wine.

IN wine wee are to consider the colour,The differences of Wine. relish, smell, facultie, and consistence, for from these are taken and gathered the principall differences of Wine. As concerning the colour, some is white, some of a light, some of a sad yellow, some betwixt red and white, like to the colour of honie, other some of a deep red, and others of a pleasanter red, blacke, or darke shadowed.

White wine generally is of a thinner s [...]bstance than the red, it is easily concocted and digested, it pierseth speedily through the whole bodie, worketh more vpon the veines, but no [...]risheth lesse. That sort of white Wine which is thinne, hot and full of Wine, is concocted and distributed more speedily than any of the rest, purging the bloud by vrine: but it offendeth the head most of all, especially French white Wine. Water by reason of its coldnesses, and red or darke shadowed Wine by reason of its thicknesse doe slowly passe away by vrine. The contrarie is found in white Wine, especially such as is of a thin substance, and which is hot. That which is of a deepe yellow, or somewhat inclining to a yellow, hath his vertues, approching very neere to those of the white Wine.

Red Wine is woont to be more slow of concoction than all the rest, as also to bee distributed throughout the whole bodie,Red Wine or darke coloured. or carried away by vrine, because it is of a grosser substance than any of the rest; but yet to recompence these discommodities withall, it nourisheth more, and offendeth the head lesse. The lighter red Wine holdeth the meane and middle catch of all the rest. White Wine which is of a thin and waterie substance without any verdure or sharpnes of tast, such as we haue great store of here in our countrie, is likewise of an easie digestion, and quickly passing and distributed through the body, and yet notwithstanding hurteth not the head, neither increaseth any great store of heate, in so much as that this kind of white Wine is more wholesome and safe both for the sound and sicke, than the white Wine which is thinne and full of Wine in taste, especially in persons that are fat and full bodied, because it nourisheth lesse than all the rest. Galen is of iudgement, that red and thick Wines are turned without any great paine into bloud, and so next vnto them the blacke or deepe red and grosse wines, if so be they be accompainied with some small smatch of sweetnesse: and next vnto these which are of a light red, those which are of a deepe red, thicke substance, and astringent facultie, nor for that they can be digested more easily, or distributed more speedily, than white or yellow Wines, but because that being once concocted in the stomach, and sent vnto the liuer, they are easily changed and turned into bloud, notwithstanding they seeme not the least remoued and differing from the nature of the same: for white and yellow Wines of all other are woont to be the speediliest concocted in the stomach, and to bee conueied vnto the liuer: but they yeeld lesse store of bloud then those which are thick and red, and so doe fat lesse. Wherefore yellow Wine, or the redlike Wine being of a thinne and pearsing substance, by how much it approcheth the neerer vnto the faculties of thinne white Wine, by so much it begetteth the thinner and more fluent bloud, and therewithall hot if it be hot, or temperate if it bee waterish and weake, such as the Grecians vse to call Oligophorum, which signifieth a Wine admitting but small quantitie of water to be mixed therewith: yea a reasonable cold bloud, if it be yet somewhat greene and vnripe. But the deepe red Wine which is harsh and rough, whereas for its thickenesse it is profitable to comfort the loose and wearish [Page] stomach, but nourisheth not much: so in like manner it increaseth and redoubleth the obstructions of the liuer, spleene, and reines, as also it maketh a thicke, [...], and melancholike blood, & so withal begetteth many melancholike diseases. The red wine that is somewhat cleere and thin, seemeth to hold of both, and so standeth as a meane betwixt them both. Wherefore Dioscorides following the opinion of Hippocrates hath rightly said, that deepe red wines were thicke, and of hard concoction and digestion: for all thicke wines, whether they be of a deepe or light red, do nourish (to speake the trueth) aboundantly, and fat the bodie, but they put the stomach to more paine in concocting of them, than those which are somewhat cleere and of a thinne substance. Furthermore, they being of hard digestion and distribution, and not easily passing away by vrine, through the long and continuall vse of them, they ingender flatuous swelling, and windieneffe in the bellie and bowels. Wherefore yellow and white wines, that are of a subtile substance and very ripe, are to bee better accounted of, and esteemed as more wholesome for all such as haue need, or desire to bee heated, as old folkes, flegmaticke, and melancholike persons that be cold of nature, as also for them that lead their liues in idlenesse, in cold co [...] tries and cold seasons, as in Winter, heapinging vp great store of sup [...]rfluities and raw humours in the veines: for they are likewise more profitable for the furt [...] rance of concoction to bee made in the stomach, liuer, and veines, than those which are waterish and sweete; but very many times they offend and hurt the head and sinewes, and make a full braine: for this cause they are enemies and contrarie to such as are hot by nature, or haue a moist braine, or their sinewes and ioin [...] weake and subiect to distillations: for vnto such bodies, the wines that are a littlered and somewhat astringent, are farre more meete and conuenient, because they bee not so fuming, and therefore doe not charge the head so heauily. But as for deepe red wines, they are most fit and conuenient for diggers and deluers, husbandmen, dressers of vines, and others which liue a toilesome and painefull life. Wherefore white wines, yellow, red, or claret, and of those onely such as are of a subtile substance, delicate and wat [...]ie, (called of the Greekes [...] which is to say, admitting but small store of water to be mingled with them) are harmelesse to all, and to be vsed with all safetie and securitie.

The white and yellow, or redlike wines which are of a thin and subtile substance, together with the claret, weake, waterie, rawe, and greenish, being of a cold and moist temperature, (such as are very vsuall and common in the grounds about Paris) do nourish the bodie very little, and are harder to be digested, than those which will beare but a little water, but they coole and moisten more than the [...]est, and where as they nourish but a little, they are said on the other side to make the body leane. They bring not any detriment or harme vnto the head, liuer, reines, or bladder, but being long vsed, they hurt the stomach, bowels, matrix, and spleene very much: and which is more, are professed enemies to all such as are cold and moist by nature, and especially vnto old folkes. Contrariwise, they are somewhat profitable for hot and drie natures, and if naturall heat be strong, they passe away, and are euacuated easily by vrine, and this is a thing that is common to all greene wines which are of a subtile substance. The like iudgement is to bee had of diseases, for as they are tolerated with all securitie in hot natures, so in like manner they prolong and increase cold diseases. And thus sufficiently as it seemeth vnto me, concerning the nature, qualitie, and vse of wine, gathered from the colour thereof.

As concerning the relish: some wines are sweet: some sharp: some bitter: some rough and harsh: some sower and tart, and both of them astringent: others of a mixt nature, betwixt sweet and rough; others greene or greenish, and these are very common and vsuall in the grounds about and belonging to Paris.

In generall, all sweete wines,Sweet wines. whether they be white or red, do nourish more than other, heat indifferently, prouoke thirst, swell and stop through the much vse thereof the prnicipall parts, but the liuer and the spleene more than all the rest, especially if they be grosse and thicke, for looke how much the thicker they bee, so much [Page] the more vnwholesome they are. Sweet wine (saieth Hippocrates) doth lesse burthen and charge the head, then that which is strong and full of wine, it lesse offendeth the vnderstanding also, yea it looseth the bellie, but it is not good for such as abound with colericke humours, for that it prouoketh thirst and windinesse. True it is that it is good for such as are much troubled with the cough, because it raiseth vp flegme the more easily in all such, except they be subiect to thirst and drinesse.

Sweet white wineSweet white wine. is of a thinner substance, than sweet red wine. It helpeth spitting more than any other, so that it bee not too grosse and thicke, for it concocteth raw flegme in the brest, it smootheth and maketh plaine the roughnesse of the inward parts, and in that respect is profitable for the l [...]ngs, reines, or bladder being rugged or rough: but in the meane time it hurteth the liuer, because that as I haue here while said, it swelleth and puffeth it vp, and causeth obstructions therein. It causeth thirst likewise in hot and drie natures, because it maketh obstructions, and is easily turned into choleticke matter, as all other things are which are sweete. Notwithstanding, it procureth drunkennesse lesse than any other, in as much as it offendeth the head but a little. Dioscorides hath spoken very rightly thereof, saying, that such sweet wine is of thicke substance, that it passeth not so easily through the bodie, and that therefore it nourishet [...] more than that which is of a thinne consistence and substance. Hee saieth further, that it swelleth vp the stomach, and like the liquor of grapes before it hath wrought, it looseth and troubleth the bellie and inward parts. And this must bee vnderstood of sweet wine, which is not come yet to his full ripenesse, and not of that which is thinne, cleare, ripe, and alreadie throughly concocted. Which kind of sweete white wines are sent hither in great aboundance from the countrie of Aniou, and they hold their sweetnesse two or three yeares.

Such sweet white wines are not so hurtfull as those which are not ripe, or which are thicke: they prouoke vrine sufficiently, loosen the bellie, and moisten. Wherefore you must diligently and wisely discerne and distinguish the sweet wine which is crud and vnconcted, from that which is already ripe, and fit for to be vsed.

All sweet white wines do nourish aboundantly, but yet more or lesse, according to the proportion of their thicknesse and grosnesse, and for this cause such as haue need of restoratiues must vse sweet wines, especially if their reines liuer, and spleene stand sound and free from all infermitie: for when the principall parts be obstructed, and the veines full of grosse bloud, then wine that is of subtile substance is most needfull and profitable. When the veins are replete with cold and grosse bloud, then sharpe, strong, and mightie wines are more conuenient. If the veines be full of hot and thicke bloud, the wine that is sharpe and old is not good, but rather a claret or white wine that is very watrie, yea, and somewhat greenish, if the stomach wil beare it, and the soile of the countrie permit it.

Galen affirmeth that no white wine heateth greatly,Galens iudgement of white wine. and that such as heateth much, cannot bee sweete. And yet notwithstanding, there are brought vnto vs out of hot countries many white wines that are very hot. And we haue likewise sweet vvines partly growing in our owne countrie of France, as at Longiumeau, and Tonnerrois, called vvhite beaten vvine: partly brought from the countrie of Anjou, excellent good, and very hot, which in taste resemble the sauour and relish of a Hippocras made of vvhite vvine, and will hold and continue sound and perfect good, three, foure, yea sixe yeares. In Greece their vvhite vvines are not found to bee very pleasant and sweet, as in this our countrie there are not to be found any red wines very pleasant, except vpon their new pressing out. Notwithstanding the countrie of Bordelois doth furnish vs with sufficient quantitie of red wines, that are very sweet, but they are all of them of a thicke substance, and their iuice or liquor breedeth very many obstructions.

Harsh and course vvines do procure vrine more than the sweet,Rough and harsh wines. but lesse than such as are of a middle kind betwixt both, and yet againe, those which are tart and sower, doe also prouoke vrine more weakely than those vvhich are of a middle temper. [Page] The rough and course wine doth corroborate the stomacke and principall parts by his astringent facultie, prouided that the stomack be furnished with sufficient strength and force of heat, for otherwise in a cold and weake stomack it proueth, for the most part, to be hardly concocted and digested. Of all other vvines, it least hurteth the head, but therewithall it proueth to be the slowest in distributing it selfe abroad into the veines and substance of the bodie: for which reasons, it falleth out to be vnfit to be vsed in swownings, sodaine faintings, and all other feeblenesse, loosenesse, and languishing of the strength, as also where there are any notorious obstructions in the principall parts. But which more is, it bindeth the bellie, or else looseth it not sufficiently.

We haue spoken of greenish white wines,Greene wines. whereunto the reddish greene wine hath like qualities, especially if it be of a thinne substance and waterie, and yet more, if it be thinne, waterie, and pale.

Generally, the greene or raspe wine, in as much as it containeth more water than wine, nourisheth the bodie but a little, is of hard digestion, and so it moueth windinesse and wringings in the belly, because it is of a cold temperature. Hence it commeth, that old folkes, cold and moist natures, and such as haue weake stomackes, receiue damage by it: and next vnto these, such women as haue not their termes aright, and are subiect to pale and swarth colours. Notwithstanding it passeth away speedily by vrine, because it is thinne, and annoyeth not the head: and for this reason it is very profitable for all hot and moist natures, as for young folkes, vvhich haue a boyling and burning bloud in them, if their stomacke be in good state, especially in Summer time: for which respect, being dilayed with a sufficient quantitie of vvater, it will serue very fitly (in like manner as the vvine called of the Greekes Oligophorum) in all such agues as wherein wine may be permitted, saue onely that it is somewhat hard of digestion, and causeth many obstructions. Such greene vvines, as together with their greenenesse are astringent or sowre, are without comparison more hurtfull than any other euery way, and in all respects, because they hardly ripen, and concoct, ingender obstructions, and passe very slowly either by vrine or stoole. Notwithstanding, they become ripe in time, if they be let alone in cellars till the raw and crude parts thereof be ouercome by their owne proper and naturall heat. But it shall not seeme to exceed the bounds of reason, if wee discourse somewhat more freely of the verdure of our vvines, to the end wee may be able to discerne and find out that which is in vvines by way of purchase, from that which is naturally in them. Galen writeth, That the astringent qualitie in vvines is separated and remaining apart from their verdure, as their goodnesse is from their badnesse: besides, it is very likely, that in hot and drie Countries there are not any greene vvines growing naturally: but in this our Countrie of France there are many greenish vvines pressed out from grapes that are not yet ripe: but especially in cold and moist yeares, some which are verie thinne and waterie: others more thicke and grosse, and by that meanes either astringent, or else rough and harsh: strong and mightie vvines, if they be neuer so little tainted with greenenesse, presently they become sowre, and altogether vnmeet to be drunke. But such as being pressed out from grapes, scarce halfe ripe, differ not much from the greenenesse or sharpenesse of common veriuice, if they be not concocted by little and little through a strong and forcible heat contained in their crude and raw matter, and so in the end become ripe, their greenenesse being by little and little diminished: and such are not passing of a yeares continuance; seruing rather for the rude and homely people, than for daintie and delicate personages. For certaine, all greenenesse in vvine is a fault in those vvines vvherein it is: but yet that is the worst of all the rest which happeneth vnto vvines sometimes good and commendable, either by being kept too long, or else by hauing beene ill kept, or otherwise by some other occasion: lesse dispraiseable and hurtfull, vvithout comparison, is that which happeneth in our French wines, which by the weakenesse of the heat of the Sunne, comming short of their sufficient concoction, become greene from their first originall and growth, as they which are greene, by reason of the greene [Page] and vnripe grapes, from whence they are pressed. For such greenenesse as happeneth vnto vvines once good and commendable, is hurtfull vnto all men, and cannot be redressed, thereby making such vvines vnfit to be employed about any other vse than either for medicine or sawces: vvhereas that which is borne and ingrafted into such greene vvines, if it be not suppressed and digested by naturall heat, becommeth onely hurtfull to cold and moist constitutions and old folkes, but not vnto strong, Iustie, and hot natures, neither vnto them which are accustomed to trauaile, and to auoid idlenesse. You shall find many harsh, rough, and sowre vvines, vvhich are also greene: and in like manner, you shall find some that are greene, and yet not rough and course. Such as are rough and greene, through their vehement astringencie, doe close, shut vp, drie, and dull the throat, tongue, and other parts of the mouth: whereas such as are simply greene, doe not the like, but coole them onely. The rough and harsh vvines, in as much as they are raw and crude, and cannot be concocted and digested of their naturall heat that is but weake; yet they close and bind the stomack, and by such occasion stay the [...]lux of the bellie. Wines that are simply greene, doe not the like, if they be not harsh, rough, and astringent withall: and they doe rather annoy the stomacke and all the membranous and neruous parts by reason of their cooling propertie and qualitie: vvhich being situate in a thinne and subtile matter, and therefore apt to pierce deepely into the parts, and by their qualities prouoking and disquieting the substance of the said parts, doth corrupt and dissolue the laudable temperature, force, and constitution of the said stomacke, and of the said membranous and sinewie parts. Whereupon it ensueth, that such greene vvines doe for the most part cause crudities, wringings, and the flux of the belly, manifold obstructions of the liuer and spleene, besides the disease called the Hypochondriake melancholie. Galen denieth, that vvines which are hard and greene, doe heat at all, and that the sowre, rough, and harsh rellish doth actually consist in a meane matter, participating both of the waterie and earthie elements: but that the hard, greene, and sowre relish doth consist in an earthie and drie substance, vvhich doth not manifestly participate of the water, or any moisture. Whereby it may manifestly appeare, that neither the one nor the other relish hath any heat ruling in it, but cold, and that in the tart, harsh, and rough relish accompanied with moisture, but in the sowre with drinesse. But for as much as vvines are seldome consisting of one onely simple and pure relish, and that all vvines (of what tast or relish soeuer they be) are in temperature hot and drie, you must vnderstand, that sowre and harsh vvines are accounted cold, or else not hot, not simply, but by comparison, because indeed they heat lesse than other vvines, and that not quickly, and so soone as they be drunk, but in the end, and aftersome continuance of time: for otherwise the opinion of Galen were not to be receiued, seeing that we obserue and see euerie day, that all sorts of vvines, of what tast or relish soeuer they be, be they hard or harsh, doe heat manifestly, and make men drunke sooner or later, if they be receiued into a hot and strong stomacke: for their heat, as a thing buried in crude and raw matter, although it be a long time first, and with great difficultie, breaketh forth at the last, manifesting it selfe in the end, and bringing forth the fruits of his maturitie: and this wee may finde in our French vvines, which nourish, maintaine, recreate, yea, and make drunke the Husbandmen, Vine-dressers, and other persons of poore handicrafts vsing to drinke the same. But let this suffice which hath beene said of the naturall tast and relish of vvines: and now let vs search out the causes of the sowrenesse or tartnesse, incident to good and commendable vvines.The cause of sowrenesse in wines. Some thinke, that vvines grow sowre through heat, because that daintie, weake, and feeble vvines are changed and turne sowre in the Spring time and Summer, and in Winter retaine their naturall qualities entire and sound. This opinion is confirmed, because that weake vvines being stirred and tumbled in forcible sort, or carried farre, or laid in cellars that are open vpon the South or Easterne quarter, doe quickly become sowre. And contrarily, such as are not tossed to and fro, or remoued, but kept in cellars lying vpon the North, doe not sowre at all: as if it were by the cold, that their vertues and good qualities were preserued, [Page] and by the heat, that they were changed and corrupted. So as the like in all points doth befall vvines which are weake and waterish, to that which happeneth vnto a burning candle, and to small and weake sparkes of fire, vvhich if you lay open in the hot Sunne, or before any great and vehement flame, you shall see them languish, yea waxe darke, and altogether to fade away and goe out. It is then through heat, that all the weakest vvines turne sowre, and that by hauing their weake heat spent and ouercome by an outward and accidentall heat, which is more strong, causing the same to fade, and for the most part vanish quite away: For a weake nature cannot endure either any strong heat, or vehement motion, but fainting vnder them, it becommeth wasted and spent, and in fine perisheth. But contrariwise, wines which haue their heat strong, and consist of such matter as is not easie or apt to be wasted and spent, being remoued, rolled, transported, or else laid open to the South Sunne, or kept in any hot place, doe not onely not sowre quickly, and in a short time, but rather become a great deale the more ripe, and are made more readie and better to be drunke. For that which befalleth through long continuance of time to strong, mightie, and noble vvines, vvhich are shut vp and layd in cold ca [...]es vnder the earth, by the meanes, power, vertue, and [...]fficacie of their owne and naturall heat, which concocteth, digesteth▪ and ripeneth by little and little their crude and raw matter: the same is effected and wrought in a short time in vvines which are heated by art, that is to say, by stirring and rowling, and by the heat of the Sunne, or of some fine subtill fire, vvhich doth concoct and digest the most crude and raw matter that they can be found to haue. For as the enduring of the heat of the Sunne, and the vnder-going of vehement exercises, maketh stronger and more able the bodies of men that are hot and lustie, but on the contrarie, doth ouerthrow, weaken, dissolue, and coole weake bodies: euen so, hot vvines are sooner ripe, concocted, and digested, by heat, or mouing either of the Sunne, or of some hot fire made neere vnto them: but those which are more weake and waterie, if you heat them ouer-much, doe take great dammage and harme, and are weakened more by the working of such vehement heat, either of the Sunne, stirring, or fire, vvhich corrupteth and spendeth at once, and in a moment, some part and portion of their weake and feeble heat, vvhich afterward, in like manner, by little and little, will be ouercome and wasted, and thereupon such vvines weakened and made vnsauourie. It is the meane and middle heat therefore that all things receiue profit by: seeing the immoderate and extreame is no lesse harmefull than cold. Wherefore, after that the weake heat of vvine shall, for the most part, become wasted and spent, by the outward heat of the ayre compassing it round about, it groweth sowre: and so likewise it is wont to fall out by the maliciousnesse of strong and piercing cold, breaking the heart of the weake heat in the vvine, and thereby killing the same. For when the said heat is quite ouercome and banished, so as that the vvine looseth his fragrant odour and pleasant sent of vvine, it is not said to sowre, and therefore not called vineger, but indeed is called by the name, not of vvine, but of decayed and spent vvine, which the Latines call Vappa. Furthermore, vvhereas amongst waterie, weake, and feeble vvines, there are some raw and greenish ones, vvhich wee haue declared alreadie to be enemies vnto cold and moist natures: and other, which are neither raw, not greenish, but delicate ones, and throughly ripe, but therewithall of a thinne and subtile substance, and which for their easinesse to be concocted, and speedinesse in being distributed, become very good and profitable both for sound and sicke, and are called of the Greekes Oligophora, because they will not admit the mingling of any great quantitie of water with them: The first may, without any iniurie offered vnto their strength, abide to be stirred and carried to and fro, especially if with this naturall greenenesse there be ioined some harshnesse and roughnesse. But the second cannot endure to be remoued or carried to and fro: the reason is, the heat of the first is hid, and lyeth in a crude and raw matter, whereof it standeth it vpon, as much as lyeth in it, to acquite and rid it selfe: a readie helpe whereunto, is the moouing and stirring of the same, because hereby it is enabled the sooner to shew [Page] forth it selfe, and to manifest his force in more powerfull and chearefull manner than before, because the crude and raw matter wherein it lay, as it were couered and hid, is become refi [...]ed and concocted in processe of time. Contrariwise, the weake heat of the second sort, which consisteth in a thinne matter or substance, and that alreadie concocted, is spent and ouerthrowne with the least motion and hea [...], and therefore doth very easily euaporate and breath out all his force and strength. It seemeth that the opinion of Galen and other auncient Writers, affirming that no greene wine doth heat, must be vnderstood of this second sort of vvine, called of the Grecians Oligophora, for that it is possible, that the old Writers neuer knew, neither euer heard tell, that any greenish vvines were naturally growing in places and countries that are hot and scorching.That there is great difference betwixt sowrenesse and greennesse in wines. Certainely, there is great difference betwixt that tartnesse or sowrenesse, which is an accidentall vice or fault in vvines, and that greenenesse or sharpenesse, which is a naturall tast and relish in them, pressed out either from grapes naturally greene, or else from grapes which haue not as yet growne to their full maturitie and ripenesse. For the tartnesse of vvines, besides the great sharpenesse and acrimonie therein, being such as is in vineger, whereby it disquie [...]eth and offendeth the stomacke, membranes, and all the sinewes, is likewise of that nature, as that it cannot by any skill or cunning be subdued and corrected in such manner, as that the vvine once tainted therewith, can at any time be restored vnto his former goodnesse, and made such as may be drunke without the preiudice and hazard of mans health. But on the contrarie, the greenenesse which continueth in vvines, as bred in them, besides that it is alwaies free from the foresaid sharpenesse and acrimonie, is found not to continue any long time, in as much as the raw and cold matter, vvherein the heat of greene vvine consisteth, is concocted by little and little, and thereupon this heat (thus as it were buried in this crude matter) doth by little and little grow strong, and sheweth [...]orth his force more effectually: so that the said greenenesse is by degrees diminished and wrought out, and the vvine made a conuenient and profitable drinke for the vse of men: yea, and that also euen where this greenenesse, through the weakenesse and imbecilitie of heat, cannot any whit be wrought out and taken away: for so wee finde it, seeing that greene vvines are not refrained, but ordinarily drunke, and vsed.

Dioscorides was of iudgement, That sowre and rough vvines caused headach and drunkennesse, vvhereas our harsh and rough vvines, the rougher they are, doe offend and annoy the head so much the lesse. And for a certaintie, all manner of drinke, by how much it is the more odoriferous, and of a thinne and subtle substance, so much the more it disquieteth and disturbeth the braine with his vapours, and ministreth larger matter for the nourishment of rhewmes and distillations. Notwithstanding, if sowre and rough vvines doe happen once to cause drunkennesse, then such drunkennesse fall [...]th out to be of the worst sort, and most rebellious and hard to be ouercome. So then, all our sowrish, harsh, and rough vvines, such as are those of Burgundie, as they are nothing so odoriferous, so neither doe they cause any whit like so many exhalations and vapours, and therefore also doe they lesse offend the head, and procure drunkennesse, than any others: And so as that Galen hath therefore restified of them, that they ought to be well accounted of and esteemed profitable and fit to be vsed of such as haue the gowt, as also of all others which are subiect to the distillations of the braine.

Such vvines are called mungrell or bastard vvines,What wines are to be called bastards. vvhich (betwixt the sweet and astringent ones) haue neither manifest sweetnesse, nor manifest astriction, but indeed participate and containe in them both the qualities.

Of the consistence of Wine.

AS concerning the consistence of vvine, some is of a thinne, subtle, and cleere substance,The consistence of wine. and othersome of a thicke and grosse, and some of a meane and middle consistence betwixt both. Of those which are of a thinne and subtle substance, [Page] some are weake and waterish, which the Grecians call [...], that is to say, not admitting the mixture of any quantitie of water, of which we will speake more amply hereafter, being (as it were) like vnto water in thinnesse and colour, and hauing little or no sent in them, neither yet any manifest heate. They nourish but very little, for there is is but a very little of their substance turned into bloud: but they cause great store of vrine, and agree better than any other wines, with all sorts of natures, if wee may beleeue Gal [...]n. There are other weake, waterish, and greenish wines, very ordinarie in this countrie, which are hurtfull vnto old men, and all other cold constitutions, as hauing in them very small store of heate: and yet sometime profitable vnto hot constitutions, as in Sommer, according to our former aduertisement. There are others that are very good, but hot and strong, of an easie concoction, and speedily distributed, but nothing lesse vapourous than white wines, whereupon they trouble the braine, and make men drunken, and so proue hurtfull to such as are rheumatike and subiect to distillations. Such wines are brought hither out of Gascoigne, very well pleasing princes, and men of great estate, all of them being of a yellow colour, either deeper or lighter. The wines of Ay, as they are inferiour to them of Gascoigne in strength, so they are better, and without comparison more wholesome.

The grosse and thicke wines, some of them are simply such, and consist in mediocriti [...], and othersome are very grosse and thicke. We haue heretofore declared that grosse wines are of a more hard concoction, and slow digestion than other wines are; but being once concocted and digested, they yeeld a more firme and solide nourishment vnto the bodie. And of them more than the rest, such as are very grosse and thicke, which for certaine are hardest to be concocted and digested of all others. These sorts of wine, for that they ingender many rebellious and obstinate obstructions, are not fit to be vsed but of dressers of vineyards, and such other as leade a toilesome life, as wee haue declared before. Such wines as are indifferent thin, and indifferent thicke, are profitable for many purposes, and the rather in that they charge not the head as the strong wines do, and those which are of subtile substance: neither yet ingender obstructions, as those which are thicke and grosse doe. The wine called of the Grecians Oligophorum, is the holesomest of all others.

Wine smelleth well,The [...] or smell of wine. or else nothing at all. The odoriferous wines are very apt and commodious for the begetting of good humours, and to recreat and fetch againe the powers of the bodie, but they assaile and charge the head, especially, if it be of a subtile substance, and of a reddish or yellowish colour, or of a deepe yellow: they are also more hot than the other sorts of wines. For that which is such, doth help very much for the making of concoction easie, and for the begetting of fine and subtile bloud, but it filleth the head full of vapours and heate, and greatly offendeth the sinewes and vnderstanding: whereupon it proueth very apt to cause headach and a world of rheume. The wine that hath small or no smell, no not any more than water, is called waterish. Such vtter depriuation or want of smell in wine, is a mightie note, and most certaine marke that the same is but a weake and cold wine: as the strong and mightie smell of the same, is a very notable signe of his force and strength. Such wine as is neither of an ill smell, neither yet without smell, but hath a certaine s [...]inging and vnpleasant sent, which it hath gotten either of the soile, or of the vessell, or by some other occasion, is not good for any bodie. For as nothing (as Columella testifieth) draweth to it strange and vnnaturall sents more speedily than wise. In like sort nothing impaireth or communicateth his hurtfull qualities sooner to the heart and noble parts, than wine when it is drunke.

Amongst wines,The vertues of wine. some are generous and noble wines, and therefore said to be full of wine, contrarie to those which are waterish, and admitting the mixture of much water. These heate much, hurt the sinewes, make a full braine, stir vp frensies, mightily increaseth the heate of agues, and to be briefe, they are not delayed with a great quantitie of water, and doe good but to a few. There are other which are weake, and for this cause called Oligophora and waterie.W [...]ake wines. These wines are of two sorts, some greenish which haue a sensible cooling facultie, fitting cholericke stomaches and hot [Page] countries, if so be that a strong stomacke can beare them, and of these wee haue spoken before: others which are waterie, and of a thinne substance, not retaining any smell, but agreeing with all natures, be the stomacke neuer so weake, and especially with those which are often tormented with the megrim or long continued head-ach: they comfort concoction, prouoke vrine and sweat, and offend the head nothing at all: more harmelesse than any other sort of vvine: they may be permitted to such as are sicke of agues, for that they cannot be said to be of any manifest qualitie, as other vvines may: for they are neither sowre, nor astringent, neither yet sweet or sharpe, nor yeelding any kind of smell. Of these kinds of vvine, some (as Galen saith) grow in euery countrey and coast, but much more in this of France than in any other, the greatest part whereof doe participate a certaine greenenesse, especially vvhen the yeares fall out cold and moist. Such vvines are called of the Grecians [...]. They are not any way noysome or hurtfull to the head, but very profitable, because (as Galen saith) they asswage and take away head-ach, rising of the cruditie of the stomacke: that is to say, when the stomacke being weakened, and (as it were) relaxed by the eating of some hurtfull victuals, or by the drinking of some such like water, is made the receptacle of some offending humour, [...]lowing thither from the whole bodie. Which offensiue humour so contained in the stomacke, becommeth corrupt, and from that corruption sendeth vp burne and adust fumes vnto the braine, which cause like paine in the head to that which commeth of fasting: and from these annoyances the head is deliuered by the vse of this vvine▪ vvhich by and by tempereth these putrified [...]umes, especially if the vvine haue any astringencie in it, whereby the stomacke may be fortified and strengthened. For such vvines doe by and by driue downeward that which is hurtfull in the stomacke, carrying it along with it selfe, and casting it forth: and therefore verie auaileable for such as liue a loitering and sitting life, and apply themselues wholly vnto the reading and studying of good Authors.

The differences of Wines, according to the properties of the Countries.

IT remaineth now, that we briefely discourse of the wines which we vse in Paris, and those such as are either growne there, or brought thither out of other Countries and Regions. The French wines offer themselues in the first ranke, which growing in the grounds & borders neere about Paris, and the whole Isle of Fraunce, and other places adioyning thereunto, are amongst all others, and aboue all others, best agreeing with students, Citizens of Townes: and to be briefe, with all such as liue a quiet, idle, and restfull life, especially those which are made in well seasoned yeares, or such as shew forth their seuerall qualities, euerie one in his proper and due season. For such wines doe not heat, burne, and dry the inward parts of the bodie, as the wines doe which are brought vs from Gascoignie, Spaine, and other countries more hot, vvhich by reason of excessiue heat, and too great drinesse, do burne the liuer and spleene in such as drink them: Such wines doe not make a replete, heauie, or offended head with multitude of vapours, as other vvines of Orleance doe. In like manner, such wines doe not load the bodie with superfluousnesse of serous excrements, as doe the crude & greenish wines, which grow in these grounds in cold and moist yeares, or which are brought vs hither from other cold Regions and Countries. Such wines likewise ingender no obstructions, neither doe they gather any quantitie of melancholike humour, as doe the thicke and red vvines, vvhich are sent vs by sea from Burdeaux. These vvines, vvhen they be through ripe, they are of a very p [...]easant tast, especially such as are yellow, clarert, and white, which are of a hot & dry temperature, as other wines, but not aboue the first degree, or the beginning of the second: on the contrarie, the wines of Spaine, Gascoigne, and others such like, are hot & drie in the end of the third degree. Wherfore these our French and natiue wines ought to be preferred before all strange & forraine ones, seeing they burne and heat the bowels & inward parts ouer-much, and that as wel for the [Page] vse of such as are in health, as of those that being sicke, are yet permitted their vvine. Amongst these our French vvines, some are white, othersome are of a deepe yellow, commonly called clarets, or reddish vvines, vvhich are the most wholesome of all, so that they be not accompanied with any sowrenesse and harshnesse: for rough & harsh vvines, and others which are greene, if they become not ripe and mellow in time, by the concocting of their cruditie & greenenesse, they stand for things not fit to be vsed of any but rude and rusticall fellowes, vvhich liue by toyling their bodies vvith great labour and trauell. The rest are all red, more or lesse. But of all other French vvines, there is very small store of sad and light red coloured ones.

White claret vvines being bright, cleare, and through ripe or mellow, in as much as they are of a subtle substance, are easily concocted, digested, and distributed: they prouoke vrine, nourish the bodie but a little, but they reioyce the spirit, and are for the same cause taken, longed after, and desired of all. Some of them are readie to be drunke the second or third moneth: othersome not before the seuenth or eight moneth. All of them begin to fade and loose their goodnesse in the beginning of the second yeare. The red, although they be bright and cleare, are not of so subtile a substance as the former, and therefore they nourish more, and are more fit for such as liue hardly, than for such as liue delicately and nicely: and what although they cannot bee so easily concocted and digested, nor so speedily distributed, neither yet cause such aboundance of vrine, as those which are yellow, claret or white: yet trauell, often exercises and labour doth ouercome all these inconueniencies, yea, and whatsoeuer greater that such red wines may ingender and breed. Amongst them, those which participate and haue any sourenes or astriction, become not mellow before the Sommer heat, whereupon it followeth, that the second yeare, their crud and raw parts being concocted and digested, they grow to bee more excellent than they were in the first.

The deepe red and vermillion coloured are for the most part harsh and rough, and so the most vnpleasant and vnwholesome of all other: for that they are woont to bee ill concocted and digested, and slowly distributed, as also to ingender many obstructions, and beget a grosse and melancholicke bloud. And for these causes are not conuenient but for such as labour and lead a very toilesome life, in whose bodies they being once concocted and digested, do nourish very much, and make them more strong and lustie to go about and finish their worke, and therewithall corroborate their stomacke.

Of white French wines, those are most accounted of, which are cleere and bright as rocke water, of a subtile substance, neither sweet nor greene: such do nourish the bodie a great deale lesse than the yellow and claret wines; but in recompence thereof, they are more easily concocted, digested, distributed, and carried more speedily and readily through all the veines. True it is, that they are accompanied with this inconuenience, namely, that they do more assault the head, (and therefore are to bee accounted greater enemies vnto gourie persons, such as haue weake braines, and are subiect to rheumes and diseases of the ionts, and such likewise as haue weake ioinus) than the red which are not yet come to their liuelyhood and maturitie, which strengthen and corroborate the mo [...]th of the stomacke, by reason of some easie astringencie that is in them. Such as in the first moneths become somewhat sweet, if they bee kept any time, in the end grow so concocted and rip [...], that hauing le [...]t their sweetnes, they proue strong, mightie, and most excellent wines.

Greene wines whether they be white or red, (such as we oftentimes see in these countries, especially in cold and moist yeares) if they containe any strong heate, as it were buried in their crud and raw parts, if they be kept any time, are woont to concoct themselues, and attaine to such a degree of ripenesse, as that they are [...]ound good, well contenting the taste, and pleasant vpon the tongue: such as those are which are not simply greene, but together with their greenenesse doe taste somewhat rough and sower: the other become spent, faded, & decayed in the beginning of Sommer, by reason of the said euaporating and wast of their weak & feeble hea [...]e. [Page] Wherefore you must drinke such vvines as are greenish and waterie, not hauing any sharpenesse or sowrenesse in them, in the beginning of Summer, that so you may be sure, that the great Summer heat shall not cause them to fade vtterly, and quite fall away, by the spending of their feeble heat, caused through the vehemencie of the Summer heat: but those which are greene, rough, and harsh, hauing a strong heat couched and lying in grosse and thicke matter, may be kept very securely vnto Autumne or Haruest time. Such as are onely and simply greene, are good and fit for seruants drinke, and other such folke as liue hardly and in great labour, as also for all such as feele a fire and extreame heat in the liuer and other inward parts: for such vvines in idle and delicate persons, as also all such as are of a cold temperature, or are growne into old age, doe not onely not become well concocted and digested, but withall engender a masse of many crudities, and much flatuousnesse, become slowly distributed, procure many obstructions, offend the stomacke, entrailes, and matrix: notwithstanding, they sometimes appease the paines of the reines, and become soueraigne for the weake head. And thus much in generall, and summarily, of the nature, temperature, qualities, and differences of French vvines. For the diuersitie which is found in them, by reason of seuerall Soiles, Townes, Villages, and great or small Boroughs, where they grow, doth in such sort alter and change yerely, through the variablenesse of the constitutions of the yeares, as that it would be hard, yea impossible, to lay them downe in a certaine and assured description. Notwithstanding, the most excellent of and ouer all the rest, are the French vvines of Cous [...]ye, appointed and ordinarily taken for the Kings vse. Then those of Seure, both of them being red or claret, noble, strong, and mightie vvines, most proper and sit for such as are altogether cast downe, and in whom nature is (as it were) wholly spent, falling thereby into many faintings and swounes, whether they be fallen hereinto by excessiue and insatiable vse of vvomen, or through any other notable and immoderate euacuation. The vvines of Vanues, Argentoile, and Montmatre, and all other vvines which grow in grauelly or sandie grounds about Paris, are the more healthfull. For all these wines, in as much as they are of a thinne and subtill substance, without all greene or manifest harsh tast (especially in hot and well tempered yeares) keeping their proper and naturall temperature, are easily concocted and digested, and speedily and quickly distributed through the veines: and vvhich yet notwithstanding doe not much pester the head, and that because they are not very strong, and therefore doe not heat much.

The vvines of Burgundie, which are sent vs from Sens, Auxerres, Tonnerre, Ioigny, and Chablie, are generally all of them red: manie of them, yea the greatest part of them, are in their first moneths astringent and somewhat rough, and thereby doe make more solide, bind, comfort, and corroborate a lanke and loose stomacke, and so they nothing annoy the braine by any great store of vapours or fumes carried vp from them: by which reason they proue the most wholesome and conuenient of all other for such as haue the gout, and are subiect to haue the distillations of the head falling vpon the inferiour parts. Notwithstanding if you drinke them before they be come to their full and perfect ripenesse, you shall well perceiue them somewhat the harder to be digested, and to bee more slowly distributed than the French claret wines are.

Wherefore I would aduise men, not to vse them in the beginning of the yeare, but rather in the latter end, if so be they be subiect to the obstructions of the liuer, spleene, and Mesenterium, or such as li [...]e idly, or yet such as are dilicately giuen, and haue but little naturall heate within them, as forsooth being the time wherein they abound with much harshnesse and astringencie: which yet may euen then bee verie well vsed of them which are accustomed to trauell, and haue a strong and good stomake. Likewise if you let them ripen and loose by little and little their astringencie and harshnesse, you shall find them as good and pleasant as the French wines. This is the cause why good housholders do lay them in cellars, & reserue them diligently to the end of the first yeare, or to the beginning of the second to send them [Page] in [...]o forreine countries by sea: which being so transported proue better and more excellent than they did in France, or whiles they lay couched vpon their cantling, as men call it, because the carrying and transporting of them, increaseth their naturall heate, as wee haue before declared, and causeth it by such motion to growe more ripe and concocted. Notwithstanding, very many of these Burgundian wines in hot and d [...]ie yeares, are in some countries found good the first yeare.

Amongst the Burgundian wines, those of Beaune are most highly commended, for they are so good as that I dare bee bold to prefer them before the wines of Orleance and Ay, which are so much esteemed of in Paris, because they are of a subtile substance, of the colour of a partridges eie, not giuen to [...]ume or fill the head full of vapours, and thereby les [...]e as [...]ailing the head, and hurting the braine, than those of Orleance. Likewise the common verse made of the wine of Beaune, hath beene alwaies receiued for true and currant.

Vinum Belnense, super omnia vina recen [...]e.

Such as take a very good tast of those wines,Wines of Coussy. doe compare and match them with the wines of the Kings yard at Coussy, whose plants when they were young, were otherwise brought from Greece, in such sort, as that the wines of Coussy and Beaune come very neere vnto the goodnesse and perfection of the Greekish wines. Some also do compare the wines of Beaune to the wines that grow in the yard of the King of Nauarre,Wines of Prepaton. which is some [...]iue leagues from Vendosme, called Prepaton, and this name was giuen it because the plants therein were chosen and taken out of the best in all places. The wine is a claret, of the colour of a partridges eie, of a thin substance, not fuming or being vaporous, of a pleasant tast, and delicat to drinke, if there be any wine in the world so qualified. All these three sorts of wine, of Coussy, Beaune, and Prepaton, are the most excellent that are to be [...]ound in all Fr [...]ce, & that because both in good and euill yeares, they are found and tried to be better than any other, and readier to bee drunke vpon.Wines of Dij [...]n. Amongst the wines of Beaune, the wine of Dijon must be reckoned, and they are those which grow in the Kings vineyard at Cheno [...]e, Fontaine, Plombiere, and Tolent. True it is, that before a man iudge of the goodnesse and qualities of wines, he must euery yeare consider the estate and constitution of the seasons of euery yeare, as also take a diligent taste of the wines, thereby to giue the more assured iudgement: because it falleth out somtimes the French wines, sometimes the Burgongni [...] wines, and other some yeares the wines of Orleance doe proue most excellent, and some [...]imes the wines of Anjou proue better than all the rest. Yea, and as the number, and to be reckoned vp amongst the rest, are the wines of Ay and Isancy, and d [...]e for the most part hold the first and principall place for their goodnesse and perfection, wherein they excell all other wines, and are in all good or euill yeares found better than any other, whe [...]her they be French, Bourgongnie, or Anjou wines. The wines of Ay are claret and yellowish, subtile, fine, and in tast very pleasing vnto the pala [...]e, and therefore eagerly [...]ought after, for the vse of Kings, Princes, and great Lords, being yet therewithall such wines as the Greekes call Oligophora, and will not admit the mixture of much water. The wines of Isancy are of a middle consistence and red of colour: when they are come to their ripenes, they proue strong and noble wines, in so much as that you may iustly compare them in goodnesse with the wines of Nera [...], notwithstanding they be so highly esteemed of, and had in request for great personages.

The wines of Orleance are set in the first ranke and chiefe place for goodnesse and per [...]ection, amongst all the wines of France: Such are red, for the most part, of a middle consistence betwixt thicke and thinne, of a good tast, strong, and profitable for the stomach and inward parts. They heate more without comparison, and more nourish the bodie than any French wines, as few excepted, as the wines of Coussy, and Seure. But in the meane time they fill the head and hurt the braine, more than any other, if you continue the vse of them any long time, especially in such as haue a weake braine, and are subiect to cause many distillations, as also in those which [Page] are subiect to inflammations of the lungs, and disposed by their bodily constitution to fall into pleurisies: yea, these vvines are worse than any other for gowtie folke, as also for such as are troubled with agues, and others, which haue their principall and inward parts of a hot and drie constitution, and to them that are troubled with the diseases of the skinne, as the itch, leprosie, benummednesse, tettars, wild fire, scabs, and others such like. But on the contrarie, they are most apt for, and best agreeing, with natures and diseases that are cold, and mooued of cold causes, in swounes and faintnesse comming of aboundant and excessiue euacuation, by too much vse of vvomen, vvatching, or other such like causes, and in like manner, of them which languish vpon cold and long diseases. And thus much of that which wee can iudge to be in the vvines of Orleance.

For as in other Countries and Soiles,The diuersities of the wines of Orleance. so likewise in the grounds about Orleance the earth doth naturally engender diuers qualities and faculties in wine. For amongst others, such as are yellowish, claret, and bright cleare, are accounted the excellentest and best of all: such are they which grow and are gathered neere vnto Orleance, in the boroughes of Sainctay,Wines of Sainctay, S. Hillaries Chappel, S. Mesmain, and S. de Bouc. S. Hillaries Chappell, S. Mesmain the long, of the Loyre, or at Checy. Those which grow at the village of S. de Bouc, are (in good sooth) all of them right noble and excellent vvines, but somewhat of a more gros [...]e and r [...]ddish consistence, vvhich is the cause that they come not to their best till about Easter. The weakest and feeblest are those of Liuet, S. Gy, and Nigray, vvhich yet are more healthfull for such as liue idly, and follow their studie, than the vvines vvhich are stronger. At Paris wee account for very precious those vvhich are brought vs from Messay,Wines of Messay, of Orleance. vvhich although they be farre behind in goodnesse and perfection vnto the best vvines of Orleance, because they are of a thicke consistence, and cost not much: notwithstanding, seeing that by transportation and carriage they become thinner and more ripe, they are the better accounted of, of the Marchants.

Such as grow neere the Abbey of Neighbours,Orleance wines of the grounds of the Abbey of Neighbours. are cousin germans and much alike to the vvines of Messay.

The vvhite vvines of Orleance doe surrender and partly giue ouer the praise vnto French vvhite vvines,White wines of Orleance. vvhich is the cause that they are transported but as little as may be out of the Countrey.

The vvines of Lourye, which doe tast somewhat sweet, are accounted the chiefe of all the rest in that place, as likewise those of Rebechi. The vvines of Aniou, such of them as are good, are (in a manner) all of them white and sweet, and for the most part temperate, or hot and drie (when the temperature of the yeare falleth out hot and drie) strong, noble, and mightie; in such sort, as that amongst all French vvines they keepe the first place for goodnesse. All the while they are sweet, thick, and vnconcocted, they swell the stomacke and the [...]lankes, stoppe the veines, swell the noble parts, and prouoke thirst, especially in cholericke natures: and sometimes also they loosen the belly. But when as, through their working and boyling vp, they haue cast out all their drosse and dregges, and that they are become sufficiently ripe, concocted, and digested, that is to say, in their middle age (vvhich they attaine vnto the second yeare) as then they become faire, bright, and cleare, as also very pleasant: so, hauing lost their ill qualities, mentioned before, they get such qualities, powers, and vertues, as are altogether contrarie vnto those which they had, at such time as they were sweet, and of a grosse consistence: for they become easily concocted, quickly piercing, sufficiently prouoking vrine, and causing to spit aboundantly. When the yeare falleth cold and rainie, the most part of the vvines of Aniou become raw and greenish, as by experience wee plainely saw in the yeares 1576. and 1577.

When the yeare is hot and drie, the wines growing in Aniou are strong and mightie, and keepe their vertues and qualities entire and whole till they be sixe or seuen yeares old. But when the yeare falleth out cold and moist, they proue to be of cleane contrarie qualities.

The vvines of high NormandieWines of high Normandie. (I meane not those which are gathered and beaten [Page] downe with poles) doe somewhat resemble the French vvines, vvhen the yeares fall seasonable, and keepe their naturall temperature: such, for the most part, are of a yellow colour: but not continuing so any long time, they by and by loose their force: which is the cause, that they are easily digested, and quickly distributed and carried along all the veines, vvithout annoying the braine any whit, in as much as they be not strong, or mightie, but oligophorous. But when the yeares fall out cold and moist, the greatest part of them will not keepe well, because they be greene, and that in such sort, as that their greenenesse cannot be concocted and digested by reason of the weakenesse of their heat, and therefore it behoueth to drinke them in the beginning of the first yeare.Wines of Compeigne. The vvines which grow in Compiegne, and other parts of Picardie, are of the same consistence, qualitie, and vertue that those of Normandie are, and therefore deserue not to be much set by, or desired, but when others are wasting.

The Countries of Guyenne send vs varietie of vvines.Wines of Nerac. The best of them, are those which grow about Nerac, vvhich come very neere vnto the goodnesse of the French vvines of Cous [...]y, which, by reason of their russet colour, are called in the Countrey Rus [...]e [...] vvines: in the number whereof, are contained the red vvines, or sad, and light red. They nourish sufficient aboundantly: but in that they make obstructions, and encrease great masses of melancholike humors (especially those which are sweet) they must not be vsed but of them which liue in toile and trauaile. Those which are of a thinne and subtle substance, whether they be white, claret, or of a light yellow, for as much as they haue a very pleasant tast, and are easily concocted, and quickly distributed, they are desired and much required at the Tables of great men.

L [...]t vs conclude then, that amongst all the vvines vvhich we vse at Paris, as concerning the red, the best are those of Cous [...]y, Seu [...]e, Vanues, and Meudon: and as concerning the white, those of Argente [...]ell: and then those of Ay, Isancy, & Beaune in Bourgongnie, being wel ripened: next, those of Orleance. As concerning white, the wines of Longiumeau, Palesiau, Massy, Pont d' Anthony: then those of Bar [...]urabe, Aniou, and others, which are brought vs from Arbois, Gascoigny, & Languedoc. The wines of the grounds neere vnto Paris, as of Villeiui [...]ue, Vitry, and Iury, which are white; of Fontenay and Montreuill, which are reddish; are not to be much set by, because they are greenish, and of an vnpleasant tast. The vvines of Gascoignie are vvithout comparison more hot and drie than the vvines of Orleance, and yet they be not so vaporous, neither yet assaile the head so mightily, as I haue proued that the vvines of Orleance doe.

The vvines vvhich Greece, Languedoc, and Spaine doe send vs, or rather, vvhich the delicacie and voluptuousnesse of our French throats cause to be fe [...]ched from beyond the Sea, such as are Sacks, Muscadels of Frontignan, Malmesies, Bastards (which seeme to me to be so called, because they are oftentimes adulterated and falsified with honey, as we see vvine Hydromell to be prepared) and Corsick vvines, so much vsed of the Romanes, are very pernicious vnto vs, if we vse them as our common drinke. Notwithstanding, we proue them very singular good in cold diseases, caused of cold humours, without the hot dist [...]mperature of the liuer, or of any other noble part: but chiefely and principally Malme [...]ey, vvhich we daily note and obserue to be very soueraigne in the crudities of the stomacke, and collickes, by reason of the singular force and vertue it hath in concocting of crude and raw matter, and in dissoluing of vvinde and flatuousnesse. But howsoeuer [...]orraine vvines, vvhich are fetched from farre Countries, may seeme pleasant vnto our taste, yet indeede the truth is, that we are not to vse them, except it be with as great aduise and iudgement as may be, because that besides their manifest outward qualities, they haue also close and hidden ones, vvhich indeed may become familiar and well agreeing, through some▪ sympathie, vvith the inhabitants of those Countries vvhere the said vvines grow: but vnto vs they are enemies, by an antipathie or contrarie [...]ie vvhich is betwixt them and vs, which are of a soyle and countrey farre vnlike. Which point if we regard not, we cannot but for the most part offend against the rules of art, and commit [Page] infinite faults in prescribing and laying downe such diet, and order of gouernment, as shall be for the direction of other mens liues.

Some do make and compound spiced wines which somewhat resemble the foresaid forraine wines, and that not so much for the necessitie of life or health, as for pleasure, and the deligthing of the swallow: of which sort are the claret, the preparing whereof we haue set downe before, and hipocras, so called, not that Hipocrates did euer inuent it or vse it, but (of the mixture and temperature according whereunto the said wine is compounded and made) it is so called of the Greeke verbe [...], which signifieth to temper. Men ought seldome to temper these wines, because that by their vnwoonted heate and great vaporousnesse, they procure many troublesome diseases, as the squinancie, strangurie, apoplexie, pallie, and other such like: notwithstanding such as feele a certaine coldenesse and weakenes in their stomake, may vse them, not as their common drinke, but sometimes only as remedie or medicine.

And thus in briefe you haue what I thought good to deliuer concerning the qualities and vertues aswell of such wines as grow in France, as also of them which are brought vs from strange countries. By the reading of this slight discourse, the Reader which is carefull of his health, may learne to make choice of such wine as is fittest for his owne drinking, as he shall perceiue to be agreeable and profitable, not onely for his nature and disposition, but also for his health. As for example, he that hath a very hot and drie liuer, his lungs subiect to inflammation, and readie to receiue sharp distillations from the braine, and his braine very moist, shall not vse hot and drie wines, such as are those of Languedoc, Gascoignie, and Orleance: but he shall content himselfe with some small French wine, somewhat greenish, and which beareth but small store of water. He likewise which hath a cold stomake, and is subiect to cold and windie diseases, shall vse the wine that is good, and haue nothing to doe with the small and greene wines, and for this purpose shall make his aduantage of this our discourse, which will instruct and teach him the diuersitie and qualities of wines.

The end of the sixth Booke.

THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE FARME.

[Page]

The Warren.

CHAP. I.
Of the situation of the Warren.

HItherto we haue as briefely as possibly we could run through whatsoeuer thing belonging to the tilling and dressing of the earth, as gardens, meadowes, arable grounds and vines: now it is requisite, that following the order before propounded, we speake of the Warren, of wood, timber trees, parks for wild beasts, breeding of herons, and of hunting.

We will begin therefore to describe the Warren,The profit of the Warren. the profit whereof is not inferiour to that of the pullaine, pigeons, and other small cattell, which are bred and fed about our countrie farme, but chiefely in respect of the selling of conies, which the good housholder may doe yearely, and that some yeares betwixt foure score a hundred dosen, beside all those which the Lord of the farme shall stand in neede dayly to vse, either for eating in his house, or for to giue away and gratifie his friends withall. Againe the indeauour, care, and paine about a Warren is nothing so great, as that which is required in the ordering of other small cattell; for conies stand not in to haue a speciall and set gouernour, to take care continually of house, handle, make cleane, heale them when they are sicke, or to dresse them their meate, because that of of themselues they build earthes and little holes to hide and repose themselues in: and feeding, they looke not for any thing but that which the earth of its own accord, without any tilling doth beare and bring forth for them.

Wherefore for the most profit of your countrie farme, you must prouide and prepare a Warren in such a place, as hath before beene spoken of, that is to say, betwixt your corne fields, vineyards, and grounds bearing timber trees, if peraduenture you haue not the b [...]nefit of some vnder wood neere vnto your house, where the conies may settle themselues and make their abode. Notwithstanding in as much as the hunting and taking of conies, which haue their couer [...]s and boroughs in such vnder woods, is some what more hard and difficult than that of the Warren: and because also that conies liuing in smal woods multiplie nothing so much as those in the Warren, and that especially by reason of foxes, woolues, and other field beastes, whereunto they are oftentimes made a pray by being deuoured of them: it will bee better, and for your further both ease and profit, to make a Warren apart by it selfe.

[Page] You must then for the making thereof, reserue some fiue or sixe acres of fine dusti [...], or sandie ground, such as is not fat, strong or close, in a high place lying open vpon the Sunne, and not in a [...]arish or waterie ground: for together with that, the [...]onie hateth aboue all things, moisture and cold; yet for the conueniencie of her making of here earthes, it is requisite that she be in a place, where she may dig with ease for the making of her bed and couert. This peece of ground shall be compassed and be set about after the manner of a parke, with reasonable high walls to keepe out fox [...]s, woolues, and other wild beasts, that they may not iniurie or make war vpon this little beast. Within this conigrie, you must plant great store of brambles, mulberri [...] trees, and [...]loe trees, strawberrie plants, wild pine trees, hurtle berrie bushes, goose berrie bushes, m [...]rtle trees, and great store of iuniper, for the conie loueth the iuniper berrie aboue all other things. And as concerning hearbes, you must sow (if so be the earth bring not forth someof itselfe) great [...]tore of sowthistle, groundswell, succorie, coleworts, lettuces, clarie, taragon, thistles, turneps, cich [...]ease, and other such like for the feeding of these little beastes. As for the drawing of some small brooke, or bestowing of any water conduit vpon them, you need not trouble your selfe, seeing the coni [...] hath moisture more than any thing else. Neither yet doe you trouble your selfe to prepare them any other lodging, than the holes which they shall dig and worke out for themselues.

And those burroughs or clappers which shall be meet for them to worke in, which borrough would (if the nature of the ground doe not allow it) bee cast vp somewhat high and s [...]ape wise, so as the water may by all means dessend, and passe from the same without soaking into it, or drawing it vpon any fluxe of raine whatsoeuer: vpon the tops of these burroughs or clappers, for the better strengthning of them, and holding the loose mould together, you shall plant good store of alders and other rough bushes which are quicke of groweth, whose roots once entring into the earth and twinding about the mould, will keepe any from falling, more than that which the conie of her owne selfe diggeth: and although out of the precisenesse of choice we desire a speciall place for the conie Warren; yet you shall vnderstand that the most barren [...]est ground whatsoeuer (so it lie drie) will serue for the conie Warren, as namely the most dryest heath or downes, or those earths which are ouer runne with linge, gorse, whynnes, braken, broome, ferne, and such like, for a conie feedeth as a sheepe doth, close and neere to the ground, and will gather vp the smallest chi [...]e of grasse that may be, and also delighteth to crop vpon weeds or any other tender bud that groweth within the compasle of her feeding: the snow is her greatest enemie, [...]et not so much for the want of food, as for the ouer moistning of [...]er food, and so bringing rottennesse: therefore it is meere to haue euery Winter in your Warren a little cob or stacke of hay, wherewith in those extreame times you may fodder your conies, pricking vp little [...] thereof in clouen stickes close by the ground, which they will eate with all greedinesse, for it is a meat at those times which they loue exceedingly: for proofe whereof doe but fodder sheepe neere vnto a connie Warren, and you shall see how euening and morning the conies will swarme vnto the same, eating vp whatsoeuer the sheepe shall leaue, which is not too hard or rough for their eating.

CHAP. II.
That there must a Clapper be made for the better storing and planting of your Warren.

ANd yet it is not inough to haue made and finished the things that are to bee done round about the Warren, as to haue fenced it, with whatsoeuer is necessarie for the preseruing and nourishing of conies; but you must also store and plant it: for no more than arable ground beareth fruit, except there be seed cast into in: nor the vine any grapes, except it bee diligently planted [Page] and dressed: so neither thinke you that your Warren, be it neuer so nea [...]ly and necessarily appointed and trimmed vp, can breed and feed conies, except you first put them there. Wherefore for your storing of your Warren, it is requisite that you cast vp a clapper, wherein you may put your males and females to kindle euery moneth: for to buy so many as should be needfull would be too costly and chargeable for the farmer or housholder. Seeing also that it commeth to passe oftentimes, that after hee hath sold many vnto the vitailers, or for that the foxes haue eaten vp some great number, the Warren remaineth quite spoiled, and destitute of conies, in so much as that he must be compelled to store it againe. It is better therefore, in respect of the greater commoditie and lesse charges, to make a clapper in some corner of your court, kitching, or garden, which may be foure square, narrow, and fenced in with bords, or plaistered walls: indeed it were better to be prouided in the Warren, for so the young ones might more commodiously out of the clapper passe into the Warren at some one side of the clapper, which should bee crosse wrought with lattise worke, and should haue the holes thereof left so wide, as that the young ones might passe out and in vnto their dams.

Whether therefore the clapper be prouided in the Warren, or elsewhere, you must build certaine small lodgings paued with boords, and these must haue holes in them like to those which the conies make themselues in the earth, and euery one seuerall from another, for the conies to betake themselues into: and it will be enough for to allow in such places one male to eight or ten females; and yet therewithall to keepe the bucke close shut vp in his lodging, for feare he should hurt and wrong the young ones, for the male conie (contrarie to the nature of all other manner of buckes) deuoureth the young ones. It is very true, that so soone as it is espied, that the Doe hath kindled, she must incontinently be put into some other hole with the male, that so he may Bucke her: for this is a most certain thing, that so soone as the Doe is emptie and deliuered of her young ones, euen so soone she is full againe of young, in such sort, as that she bringeth forth young euery moneth in the yeare: yea, and being great with young, she letteth not to take the Bucke, and to continue a second burden, which she bringeth forth afterward in due time. So as that this fruitfulnesse in conies hath become so admirable vnto many, as that some haue vpon too slender grounds thought and beleeued that the Bucke shoold conceiue aud become great with young aswell as the Doe, which is very false and altogether contrarie to all naturall course in the action of generation, seeing that by natures course, it is ordained that the female only amongst beasts should conceiue and ing [...]nder, and not the male.

After that the young ones are growne somewhat great, and become able to leaue their dams, you shall carrie them into the Warren for to store it therewith, and so let them grow wild: otherwise if you keepe them shut vp, and fast inclosed in the clapper with their dams, they will become tame, and alwaies continue as it were slumbring and heauie, like vnto those which are continually shut vp in clappers made for the purpose; and so will haue a grosser and more vnpleasant flesh.

And yet notwithstanding, you must beware not to put abroad into your Warren, the old clapper conies, either males or females: for seeing they haue not had their free swing to run abroad as those of the Warren, and haue not learned to saue themselues from dangers and violences offred them by foxes and other such wild beasts, they would bee by and by deuoured; so that thereupon it seemes better to containe and continue them still in their accustomed clapper.

Conies in the clapper are to be sed with col [...]worts, lettuses, groundsell, clarie, succorie, sowthistle, [...]arragon, thistles, cich pease, oats, barely and bran mingled together, and other such like things, as we haue spoken of heretofore. In some countries they feed them with mans bloud, such as is to be come by when sicke persons are let bloud: but such manner of feeding of them is starke naught, and maketh their flesh vnsauorie in eating, and very preiudiciall vnto health.

And surely to speake the truth there is no food that a man can bind a conie to [...] which is wholesome for them, because they are beasts which aboue all other desire [Page] freedome of feeding, and to make choice of their owne meat. Whence it comes, that the tame conie is nothing so pleasant to eat as the wild, but is of a much ranker taste, and most easie to be discerned.

CHAP. III.
How the Conies in a Warren ought to be handled and ordered.

ALthough the hauing of a clapper be very necessarie for the storing of a warren, againe and againe (as we haue said before) notwithstanding, for need, one may leaue off all vse of the clapper, and so, without any further charge or expences, content himselfe with putting a certaine number of conies, both males and females, into his warren, of them to haue sufficient store by encrease of young ones. True it is, that they are not so fruitfull, nor of such plentifull encrease, and therefore the warren will not be so soone stored by them: for they being accustomed to the warren, become more sauage and strange, but lesse giuen to engender: and thereupon it commeth, that the Does of the warren bring forth young ones onely thrice or foure times a yeare, and those that are kept in house-clappers, once euerie moneth: But howsoeuer it be, if you find it more for your profit to furnish your warren with store after this later manner, it will be sufficient, for six dozen of Does, to put in nine Bucks, hauing more regard and consideration still vnto the Does than to the Bucks, to spare them, if at any time you would take any.

Their feeding shall be no otherwise than hath alreadie beene mentioned: and yet notwithstanding, besides that manner of feeding, if you would haue great store of conies in your vvarren, and that they should be to sufficiently fed, as that they should become fat, it will be good to sowe an acre of ground, or two, with Barly or Oats, not for to make any further haruest of them, than that which they shall leaue vneaten. You must haue a speciall care, that they feed vpon good nourishment, because their flesh (in like manner as the flesh of Partridges) doth retaine the smell and sauour of that whereupon they feed: as for example, of Iuniper, if their vvaren be full of Iuniper, and so semblably of other things.

If you see any conie-hole stopt with hay, or straw, or such other like thing, doe not vnstop it, but content your selfe onely to obserue it, and to gesse that there are young ones vvithin, vvhich the dam nourisheth: for this is the manner of the Doe, that from the time that she hath kindled, vvhether it be in a house, clapper, or in a vvarren, shee shutteth & stoppeth vp her hole with hay, straw, or some other grasse, such as shee can gather together, and to no other end, but that the Bucke may not find her yong ones, or goe into her hole, vvhere if hee should once come, hee would eat vp all her young ones: this thing being assuredly and vndoubtedly conceiued of the Doe, whether she be in her hole, or else goe forth to feed, she stoppeth her earth: and if so be that at her returne she find the mouth of her hole neuer so little vnstopt, she her selfe will by and by kill her young ones, hauing taken opinion, that the Bucke is gone in thither. And this is the cause why good hunters will neuer put their ferret into any earth, vvhose mouth they see stopt, for feare of disquieting the dam, and causing of her to kill her young ones. True it is, that shee doth not keepe her hole euermore shut: for at such time as shee knoweth her young ones to be growne great, and become strong ynough to seeke their meat, and to runne with others, shee beginneth to make a little hole for them to issue and goe out at.

Furthermore, you must not thinke, that conies, either males or females, doe at any time forget their earth, be it neuer so farre off: for howsoeuer some say, that comes haue no memorie, notwithstanding they are alwaies mindfull of their hole, be they strayed or wandered neuer so farre from the same. And this is the reason likewise [Page] why some say that a good conie will neuer die out of her earth.A good conie dieth alwaies in her earth. You must likewise coniecture, that the conie is taught by nature to be afraid of the fox, as the sheepe of the woolfe, which is another case besides his wild and strange nature, why, when he goeth out of his hole, his mind runneth vpon nothing but running, thereby forgetting to thinke vpon other conies holes, and so of the Does, and of the eating of her young ones: for although he bee mindfull of his owne earth, yet hee taketh no care, neither casteth any whit about, how he may find out of fall vpon that which belongeth to another: likewise the Doe to take from him all occasion of any whi [...] regarding hers: is woont to stop the mouth thereof as hath beene said.

Furthermore, you must bee carefull round about the verdge of your conie Warren in the most secret and obscure places, and where you shall find the greatest suspition of the trackt of vermine, to place trappes and ginnes which may take and deuoure them, nei [...]her shall your trappes bee made all of one fashion, but of diuers fashions, as some of them must bee hollow and passable both waies, the which are called coffer trappes or hutches: some frall-traps, which are to crush and kill sodainely: some spring-trappes, to snickle or halter either bird or beast, as also pit-falls, and other ginnes: all which the Warrenner shall diligently and carefully looke vnto, and baite with the liuers of conies, or some other such beastes: and in the highest part of the Warren, the Warrenner shall place a paire of gallowes made of crosse poales, on which he shall hang all the vermine which he shall kill, as Foxes, Faulmars, Cats of all kinds, Buzards, Crowes and such like, (all which breed great destruction in the Warren) as well to scar away other from hunting thereabouts, as also to giue testimonie to the owner of his care and diligence in preseruing his ground from such like incumbrances.

CHAP. IIII.
Of the difference betwixt the Warren and clapper conie.

THe Warren conie hath a redder and thinner haire, a swi [...]ter and slenderer bodie, she is also more watchfull and wild, hauing a pleasanter flesh, and lesse ingendring melancholie than the clapper conie: for the clapper conie lacking libertie, cannot runne not exercise her bodie, and so becommeth more familiar and tame, more grosse, fuller of haire, more heauie and drowsie, and therefore lesse pleasant: againe, if it happen by chance that shee come into the Warren amongst wilde ones, she is by and by deuoured of Foxes or other beastes, enemie vnto her, hauing neuer beene acquainted with the the assaults and enimities of the said beastes before. As concerning other matters,The vertues and speciall properties of conies. both of them are better to be eaten young and small, than when they are great. Their braine is good to asswage the paine that young children doe endure in the breeding of their teeth: notwithstanding, such as would preserue their memorie must beware and e [...]te as little thereof as they can possibly, because it furthereth forgetfulnesse. The fat of conies is much more to bee commended than any other part, because it is better than any other helpes to make liniments of for the reines which are grieued with the grauell or the stone.

[Page]

Of Wood.

CHAP. V.
What is to be considered before a man go about to plant wood.

TO order and cause a new wood to be planted, you must know the ground wherein you would plant any thing, as whether it be fat or leane, whether it be of a reasonable depth of earth or no: and likewise if it bee subiect to waters; because that some trees by nature lo [...]e the water, as the allerThe aller. an dothers of the same nature: and according to the nature and propertie of the ground, you must applie your selfe to fit it with such, as it may nourish most, both for your profit and pleasure.

You must see and set downe first and before all other things, that the ground bee of such goodnesse as is requisite: and you must likewise vnderstand that two of the noblest trees and esteemed worth most siluer, are the oakeThe oake. and the chesnut tree,The chesnut tree. and that for two principall reasons: the one because they beare such fruits as whereof mixed with a little barley or oates, one may make bread in the time of famine: the other, because it is not in the nature of any tree to afford so good timber as the said two, the oake and chesnut tree do, being either of them considered in its proper qualitie.

The third excellent sort of trees is the elme:The elme. and notwithstanding it be inferiour to the other, because it beareth no fruit,E [...]me [...] are barren an [...] b [...]are no fruit. and for that the lease thereof is nothing so pleasant, in respect of the leaues of the oake and the chesnut tree: yet [...]he tree is worth the hauing, euen for that it may be headded after the manner of willowes, and cut euerie foure yeares to make props and fagots: but the chesnut treeChesnut trees. is a great deale better, more neate and fine, and bearing more fruit than other trees which are of its nature: neither doth it stand in need of so good and fat a gr [...]und as doth the oake, and againe the Caterpillers and such other vermine doe not h [...]nt and fall vpon it, as they doe vpon the oake and elme. And further when the locusts come, which is euerie three yeares,Locusts euery three yeares. as I my selfe haue seene, they eate not the leaues of the chesnut trees, because they find leaues vpon the oakes: for the yeare of the locusts doth hinder some wood more than of a yeares growth, whereas besides that priuiledge, the chesnut tree doth ordinarily grow more in one yere than the oke doth in two.

Yet is the oake accounted the King of the forrest, both in respect of his largenesse and hudgenesse, as also for his hardnesse and long indurance; for of all timbers not any is i [...] so long lasting, or fit for building either vpon the land or water, as oake is: it is also the most principall timber that may bee either for boordes, plankes, wainscot, or any other [...]eeling whatsoeuer, and of all manner of oakes, those are preserued and kept as the best and principall which grow vpon the clay grounds, as being the finest, hardest, [...]oundest, and most durable timber: those oakes which grow vpon the sandie grounds being much more brickle, falser hearted, and much lesse able to endure the violence of the weather, or the continuall beati [...]g of the wet, when it must necessarily fall vpon the same: whence it comes that the Ship-wright or the Mill-wright euer make choice of the strong clay oake, and the Ioyner of the sand oake, which though it bee lesse durable, yet it is fairest and whitest to looke on. The elme besides the benefit of his head (which is commonly for the fire) is a most excellent timber for the ground worke of any thing, or to be lodged in the ground for any necessarie purpose, especially to make pipes for the conueyance of water; for it is a wood of that infinit toughnesse, that if it lie close [Page] and well hid in the earth, it seldome or neuer consumeth in the same: it is also rarely good to make bow-staues withall, and excepting the yew is the principall best for that purpose: it is no lesse good to make axel-trees either for Wagons, Carts, or Waines, being neither so brickle, nor apt to heate and breake as the ash is: the young plants are good to make beeles for yoakes, by which oxen draw either in waines or ploughes: and lastly, is an excellent tree to plant in alleyes or walkes, or about houses for shade, bearing a large head like the Cicamore, and fully as round, and as much extended: and the leafe naturally of it selfe being broad, and growing so thicke, that hardly neither the Sunne nor the raine can possibly passe through the same, neither is it tender but very apt to grow, and may be remoued at any time or age, as long as it is portable and meete to be wi [...]lded by the strength of any one man.

It is very true, that the elme groweth easily and plentifully, after that it hath taken with the ground. And who so would for varietie sake mingle diuers sorts of trees of diuers natures, as maple, beech, aspe, and such other kinds of wood, may do it, but the moe okes and chesnut trees a man groweth, the better he doth.

CHAP. VI.
Of the seating and disposing of a wood for growing of high and great timber trees.

WHo soeuer hath a faire plot of eight or ten acres of ground, and would make it shew faire and beautifull the first yeare, and that by bringing the wood into some shape and commendable forme, with hope of further delight & pleasure from the same in time to come, must for the first yere wall it about or else ditch it so well, and plant it with hedges of quickset, as that no cattell may possibly be able to enter thereinto. And if the said plot should come to be ditched, then I am freely contented to vtter my opinion at some other time, concerning the fashion that they are to bee made after, as also how, when they are made they must be planted or set with quickset.

But presuppose that the said square plot is inclosed with a wall, and that the said square hath foure sides, that is to say, two of length and two of bredth, mine aduise is that all the sides of the said wal should be couered and clothed with greenenesse, and with foure sorts of trees, and six foot thicke and large, seeing that nature reioiceth in varietie, that so both the walls may be kept from being seene, and there may be a walk betwixt two greenes.

The said couerts shall bee made according to the good liking of the Lord, as for example, one of the sides if it should so seeme good vnto him, euen the South side with hasell and white hawthorne, because these are the first leaues that doe first put forth in the spring time, as those also wherin the nightingale doth make her neast: another of the sides with barberrie trees, which are beautifull and serue for very many vses, spreading themselues in comely sort, when they meet with a good ground: The third side being that whereupon the Sunne beateth at his rising, with [...]ame osiers, which may serue in husbandrie, and therewithall also make a faire shew: and the fourth side with yong peare-tree plants, with some white thorne plants amongst, as at the end of euerie foure foote square, which are more greene than any other sorts of trees, and they will bee of vse for to graft many faire grafts vpon, and good store of great medlars.

The alleyesAlleyes. about the said wood must be twelue foot broad, and vpon the edges of all the said alleyes, as well on those that are toward the wall, as on the other, there must be planted elmes euery one foure fadome from another, hauing their heads cut off, and their bodies remaining a seuen foote high or thereabout, to giue some [Page] grace and comlinesse vnto the said alleyes: because that if a man should walke in the fairest place in the world, if there be no sweetnesse to be found in it, it proueth tedious and irkesome. For this cause, if it please the Lord of the farme to plant along the said alleyes certaine fruit trees,Fruit-trees▪ as also wallnut-trees, and those such as may sute euery season of the yeare, he may do it.

Further, it may seeme that all the said trees should be set from foure feet to foure feet, and that by the leuell of a line euery way, aswell to please the sight of the eie, as also for that sometimes men are desirous to make alleyes within the wood, and then if the draughts be straight, it is more easie for to make them.

CHAP. VII.
Of the manner of planting trees in woods of high and tall growth.

IF you purpose to plant these trees well, you must presently make dithes in manner of furrowes, as you are woont to doe in the planting of vines, wherein they must be planted, to the end the earth may feed it selfe in aire, and that it may battle and grow fat, with the raine and snow which shall fall during Winter vpon them vnto the end of December, or vnto the beginning of Ianuarie.

These trenches are not to be made aboue two foot deepe; but they must be well handled in the bottome, and that by laying the good earth vpon one side of the furrow, and that which is lesse worth vpon the other, and not to cast it abroad, to the end that if the bottome should proue bad ground, or otherwise to bee ouer deepe, then there might be cast into the said furrow or trench some of that good earth which shal be on the side, to the end that the roots of the tree may not busie themselues in searching a bad bottome, in steed of stretching forth themselues, in largenesse, and you must so leaue the trenches and furrowes all Winter long, for the receiuing of the rain water when it commeth: and they must be so wide, as that one may turne a yard euery way round within.

The said trees must be planted in December, if it be possible, and that the times be fauorable,The time to plant trees. as when it freezeth not: for great frosts are great enemies to the good proceeding of this worke.

You should rather cast to plant trees that are alreadie growne vp, than to deale with the sowing of acornes or chesnuts, because it requireth great care and industrie to make the said seed to grow: and as concerning the seed it selfe, that of the chesnut groweth sooner than that of the acorne. And whenas you go about to sow them, it must be done with leauing a foot distance betwixt one and another with the largest, and in the end of great frosts: because that during the said frosts, the mowles do eate the chesnuts in the ground.

As concerning the planting of trees alreadie growne, they must be taken vp with as many roots as they can possibly, and after they be taken vp, if there by any of their roots broken, to cut the same: and those which are not broken, to cut their ends for to refresh them, the length of three or foure fingers, more or lesse, as the roots may beare it. You must make choice of a young plant, that hath a liuely and cleane barke, not rough and ouergrowne with mosse, a good and handsome root, a straight shanke, and long without scares or frets: and before you plant it, it will bee good to cast into the furrow some good earth, taken from the side of the same trench, to the thicknesse of a finger or two, and vpon that, to set the tree which you are to plant, then couering the rootes with earth, to sway vpon them gently with your hands, that so there may not any aire stay about them, and in filling vp the said furrowes, you must prouide that they haue some sloping of earth, both on the one side and on the other, in maner of a gutter, to the end that if it raine, the raine and moisture may run away the more easily.

[Page] And to the end that the planted trees may grow the better, you must lay their longest roots all along the trench, on the one side, and on the other: and if by hap it fall out that there be long ones on euerie side; so as that they cannot easily bee laied along in the furrow, you must inlarge the furrow a little in the place where such roots require it to be enlarged, to the end that the said roots may not touch the firme and fast earth, but may bee buried and wrapt in soft earth that hath beene moued and stirred.

You must likewise cut off by the top of the shanke all the trees which you plant, that is to say, such as you plant to make high and tall tymber trees, or which you mind to set along by the sides of the alleyes, till you haue not left aboue the length of fiue or sixe foote to stand out of the earth, to the end that they may the sooner beare a great quantitie of woode: but the trees which you are purposed to plant for lowe and small wood, must bee cut, that there bee not left aboue a foote and a halfe, for it will bee sufficient if they haue the length of foure inches out of the ground: neither is there any danger in mingling chesnut trees with oakes, except a man bee purposed to plant one wood with oakes onely, and another with chesnut trees: and as concerning the thickenesse of the said trees, it needeth no deepe aduice, for they may bee either of the thickenesse of a chesnut, tennise-ball, or some other such like: but rather the care is, that they bee well and newly taken vp, and planted the same day they bee taken vp, or at the farthest the day following.

Neither is it doubtfull, but if they bee of much larger and bigger compasse, as seuen or eight foot in length, (aboue the ground) and twentie inches in compasse: yet they will grow as well and as fast as the younger, especially, the [...]lme aboue all other trees: nor would I wish you, if you can get them, to chuse plants of any lesse bignesse. And howbeit that some Woodwards are of opinion, that the ash would bee planted but of a meane length, because say they, looke how m [...]ch it is aboue the earth, so much it will shoot out in roote vnder the earth, before it begin to prosper aboue: yet it is but a false coniecture, and if you intend to haue a faire and a large tree, you must chuse the fairest and largest plants that you can get, and then planting them in a conuenient and due time, and in a fit earth, they will in one Winter recouer that roote which shall preserue them from perishing euer after: againe you must remember that as soone as you haue fixed your plants in the earth, and couered them wel & close, which is a principal care, you must then forthwith couer the top of the head all ouer, and at least halfe a foote downeward with clay and mosse st [...]sly well tempered together, and if the clay be apt to chap or riue, then you shall mingle a few ashes therewith, and so keepe it closse couered till the new branches spred forth and couer the head all ouer, then when those branches are put out, and are tender, you shall plash and order them at your pleasure, whether it be to make a tree for timber, or for shade, for speciall marke, or for any other deuice whatsoeue.

The wood thus planted, must bee twice laboured and tilled, once in the end of Aprill, and the second time at the end of Iulie, after the fall of some great raine vpon thunder: and if the caterpiller shall fall vpon it within the yeare, it must bee clensed and freed from them.

CHAP. VIII.
Of the time when wood is to be tilled and husbanded.

IT is here to be noted that the chiefe & principall furtherance and comfort that can be giuen to trees, either reclaimed or wild, is the labour bestowed vpon them in due & conuenient time, for the more they are husbanded & tilled, so much the more do they grow and prosper in greatnesse: wherfore dressing and labour is necessary for young plantsThat dressing of the earth is necessar [...] for yong plants. of all sorts of trees, [Page] as well small as great, and especially the foure first yeares, they must be husbanded throughly, and plied with two seuerall dressings euery yeare as vines are, that is to say, towards the middest of Aprill, when they begin to put forth their buds, and towards the end of Iune, & this must be done in moist & rainie weather, and not when drying winds or heat doth raigne, because the ground then stirred would do nothing but turn to dust,Such dressing of the earth in d [...]y weather in not good. which would destroie the young springs, and cause them die: againe the said earth dressed at such time doth more easily conueigh the drienesse of the drie earth turned downe, vnto the rootes of the trees, which is very contrarie vnto them; seeing that moisture is the thing that is required for the nourishment of plants: and againe if the ground be moist, it ioineth it selfe close vnto the roots, and lendeth vnto them of his moisture. The other reason is, for that the earth being newly opened, by its lying open, giueth pas [...]age for the water, raine, or dew, to enter more easily vnto the said roots.

The principall labour to be made about all trees, is to root out all weeds,To pull vp weedes by the roote. seeing they are giuen to grow euery where in all grounds, and which, if they be suffered to grow vp, sucke, purloine, and carrie away the sap and substance of the earth in such sort, as that there is not left sufficient vertue and power to nourish the rootes of the late planted trees well and in good order, and this is perceiued by the labour made in dressing of the vine and gardens, the which the more they are husbanded and tilled, so much the more fruite, and young springs they put forth, and become so much the more beautifull and faire. So it will bee the chiefe worke after you haue planted trees, to cause them to be so dressed in seasons that are moist, and that twice at the least: and that will cause them to grow greater of wood, greater of boughes, and to yeeld double profit.

And if extraordinarily the Sommer proue rainie, so as that your plants become ouergrowne with much weeds, it shall be left to the discretion of the husbandman, if he see that his plants be not cleane, to bestow a third dressingThe third dressing of trees. vpon them, to the end that the weeds may not smother the bud, and deuour the substance of the earth: for all plants come of heate and moisture;The growth of plants commeth by heate and moisture. and if they be suffered to bee intangled with weeds, they will be smothered and in danger to be lost.

CHAP. IX.
That wood diligently dressed and husbanded, doth profit more than that which is not so dressed and husbanded.

I Know that there are many trees which are dayly seene to grow without such great paines taking and industrie, freely receiuing their naturall nourishment without aide or assistance, and that by reason of the fruitfulnesse either of the ground, or of the countrie; and yet if some one do so escape, a hundred die for it: and this I say for their sakes, who hauing once planted would be loath to loose their paines, and do conceaue that all or the greatest part doe thriue and prosper: which conceat is notwithstanding like to deceiue them, if they proceed not to dresse and husband them in conuenient sort, after they haue beene well planted, as is aboue declared.

Wherfore I haue applied my selfe to trie the issue of tilling of them according to art and knowledge,The experience of dressing trees and of letting of them go vndresse. as also of leauing them vntilled: and I find that although the tree which groweth in the desert do grow vp sometimes vpon a perfect growth, notwithstanding it groweth not in so short time, and the greatest part of it dieth: and that which is well tilled and planted, doth grow twice so much, and that not one of ten of them is lost, but that all prosper, of what sort of wild trees soeuer they by.

But some may replie, that labour is chargeable and costeth much, but in as much as it lasteth not alwaies, being to continue not past foure or fiue yeares at the most, [Page] much like vnto the young plant of a vine, it will be found that the cost will not bee great, seeing especially that after such cost, it is freed from any more for euer. For after that wood is once grown vp to such height, as that weeds cannot ouer grow nor ouercrow it, (which will be in foure or fiue yeares if it be husbanded) then it smothereth the weeds that grow vnder it, and keepeth away from them both the Sunne and the aire with its shawdow, in such sort as that they die, and are not able to ouershadow or do any hurt vnto the wood.

CHAP. X.
Of remouing, lopping, pruning, and making cleane of wood.

THat your plant may grow the better, it is likewise requisite [...]o remoue trees from a high, drie, and bad soile, into another ground that is more moist and fat, if it may be: by this meanes, in finding a better soile, the tree will take more easily: and there is no doubt, but the better the ground is, and the better that the plant is ordered, the sooner it will grow, become bigger, beare greater boughs and leaues rather than lesse, as may be seene in old forrests which are situated in fertile and fat countries, or in those which grow in sandie and bad grounds, as in Solonge,Wood of Solonge. where woods continue very small and vntimely.

Woods planted and ordered (as is abouesaid) the first, second, and third yeare, must not bee touched with any edge toole: and yet notwithstanding towards the third and fourth yeares and those that follow, if you perceiue your wood so thicke set and spred, as that it riseth not, neither groweth high as it ought, you may cull out and cut away the small sprigs and little boughes as you shall find them, seeing they are good for nothing, and leaue behind you some three or foure of the principall braunches so stripped of their small twigs as your owne discretion will best direct you. This pruning of them would bee towards the moneth of March, after that the cold is passed and gone, that so the frost may not hurt the boughes that are cut and newly lopped, and you may continue thus to prune them vnto the middeh of April, at what time they begin to bud and put forth, but then it must be done gently, holding the shanke of the tree fast and firme without mouing or shaking of the rootes▪ And this pruning may be done euery yeare, if you will, and by this meanes, you may cause a new spring of small woods to grow, and to put forth eight or ten branches, fit for to bee plants for high and tall trees, by cutting away the side ones, and leauing three or foure of the fairest branches growing from the foot of the said small wood, so cut downe, according as you shall think good, so that you make choice of such as grow vp high and straight: and if they be not altogether strong enough to hold vp themselues, you may helpe them with some prettie small props and stickes, the better to hold them vp.

CHAP. XI.
Of the manner of sowing acornes for the growing of oakes

ALl sorts of wild trees growWhereof wild trees [...] grow. of remoued plants, hauing good rootes, or of branches, or of the seeds and fruits which they beare, and whereby they renew themselues. Of the remoued plant, there hath alreadie enough beene said, as that it is more profitable, and of a more speedie and certaine growth: and therefore the sooner able to bestow pastime vpon his master.

[Page] The second way to grow trees, is to grow them of branches writhen and buried in the earth, gathered in such sort as that they may put forth roots, and take againe, as Columella hath very well set downe at large: notwithstanding, this way is long in taking root, and putting forth; and not to be practised, but where there are no plants to be come by. Wherefore I will not meddle with it in this place, because it is not done without difficultie and vncertaintie, and for that the pleasure thereof is long bebefore it is reaped: as also for that in this our countrie of France, there are many vnderwoods and strong hedges, where are to be gathered very easily, and that in great quantity, plants of all sorts of wild trees.

The third way is to sowe them of seed, as of acornes, beech maste, and of the seed that is in the leaues of elmes, for they bring forth such trees as those whereupon they themselues did grow: and such seeds may bee sowne in little furrowes made with a hacke or grubbing axe, and those not aboue foure or fiue fingers deepe, and therein to couer them againe very lightly with broken mould: or else they may bee sowne with the plough, as beanes and all other kinds of graine are: or with a debbell, by which name they call a little sticke of halfe a foot long, and a finger or inch thicke. And of the three waies, the best is to plant or sow the acorne or other seed with the dibble, euerie one halfe a foot from another, or one foot euery one from another, by a straight line, or after the manner vsed in grounds broken vp with the hacke, making a small open place in the earth, and therein putting the acorne in the like distance of halfe a foot all along the furrowe: notwithstanding, it is not needfull to plant them so neere euerie manner of way; for the earth would not bee able to beare so much fruit as would growe, and so it must either be transplanted, or else it would proue out of course like a misborne thing. Wherefore you may leaue betwixt euery two furrows and plants, foure, fiue, or sixe foot distance sidewaies: and againe, if all prosper not, the worst and most ill fauouredly growne may be pulled vp.

And euen as small and great wood is to be dressed and husbanded, so also must their seed be ordered, but not after the like sort: for the mattocke would pull vp the seed, and therefore they must be vnderdigd very deftly, and the weeds weeded out all along the furrowes where the seedes are set, to the end that the weeds do not smother them, and that they doe not blinde them, taking away their aire, Sunne, and substance of the earth, whereof euerie young seede and plant standeth greatly in neede, as to bee holpen thereby to gather root and life, which is as yet in them very young and tender. By which meanes, you see that paines and labour taken about acornes and other seedes of trees, causeth them to grow and prosper so, as that they get the better of other plants, which in continuance might ouergrow them: b [...]t if they remaine as forsaken things without husbanding, they vvill bee choaked vp vvith vveedes, and the greatest part of them die: and those vvhich shall escape, vvill bee but of low growth, and appeare like an vntimely birth, lacking helpe and dressing, except through long continuance of time they preuaile, and then they which planted or sowed, shall not reape any pleasure by them, but their heires onely.

And in all such sorts of planting and sowing of vvild seeds, it is necessarie to fence a place sowed or planted, so vvel and sufficiantly with ditches, hedges, or vvals, as that no beast, horse, or other may enter or get in: as also that thereby the vvood may bee kept from being handled or cut downe by passengers: for if the sprig bee brused or broken, the tree remaineth all parched and readie to drie.

According to this manner of planting of acornes, or chesnuts, they may very vvell and conueniently bee set and planted amongst the plants of trees, and rootes that are planted farre enough off one from another, for so they may haue roome betwixt two plants, being distant the quantitie of nine or ten foot, or thereabout, seeing it is meet and conuenient to nourish trees, and to destroie vveedes. By this meanes the acornes and chesnuts, or any other thing planted vvith the dibble, or sowne in furrowes, is dressed amongst the rest, and made to enioy sufficient scope betwixt [Page] two plants, there to take their full growth, vntill they become like high, or very neere with the trees planted or cut, neither do they cost extraordinarily for their dressing, because the whole ground is to be dressed, because of the other plants that are in it. And in as much as it is oftentimes found in countries that there are neither vnderwoods, woods, bushes, nor hedges whereout any may get a plant growing from roots, I haue thought good to intreat a little of the meanes of making it grow of seed. Like as is woont to bee done with fruit trees, and those which are taken from their nurceries, to bee transplanted into gardens: so may you doe with wilde trees, which after that they are growne to a sufficient thickenesse, and come to beare seede, may be otherwhere either grafted or planted, as you shall wish or desire. For which cause heere shall be put downe a treatise and chapter thereof, seeing the former intreateth of the intermingling of seed with plants, for to helpe out the storing of woods which are alwaies to continue.

CHAP. XII.
Of the way to make wild trees grow of seede, to be remoued afterward into some other place.

CErtaine it is (as hath beene said before) that euery tree groweth either of a plant, or of some great fruit, or of a writhen branch: and for that there are many places where one cannot come by plants easily, it is to be attempted to make the said plant to grow of seed, as is practised in the nurceries of tame a [...]d garden trees, by dressing and dunging some halfe acre of good ground, and then to sow it with such good seed as that the trees beare, whereof you would haue plants.

That is to say, with acornes, if you would store your selfe with oakes: or with chesnuts, if you desue chesnut trees: or with the graine and seed which groweth in elme trees, if you would haue elme plants. The said grains and seeds must be sowne in a fat, fertile, well dunged, and somewhat moist ground, and that reasonably thick, therein couering the said seeds two fingers thicke, and causing them to be well watered afterwards, and couered with bright straw, to the end that this fruit of young trees sprouting out of the seed, bee not eaten and broken by birds: but when they begin to grow, the straw must be taken away, and the weeds growing amongst them weeded out with the hand.

For which cause the quarters wherein the said seeds are to be sowne, must be made long and narrow, that so the weeds may easily be puld vp out of euery place, without treading vpon the quarters, and that the said weeds may be gathered gently, to auoid the doing of hurt vnto the roots of the young trees: and oftentimes they must be watered at night after Sunne set, and in the morning before Sunne rise.

And after they be growne three foot high, you must remoue them into some other ground before they take any stronger root, and set them good two foot distant one from another, till they haue got a competent thicknesse, such as is before described, and dresse and clense them from all weeds, and water them in the time of drought. Thus you shall reare plants of all sorts, and of all manner of wild trees, to remoue afterward into such places as you will, and such trees will grow very well being transplanted, as are of like age and sort: for so the one of them cannot hurt or iniurie another.

This is to be practised in places where no plants of trees can be found in sufficient store: for otherwise in countries furnished with vnderwoods, and woods, there ar [...] inough to be found without taking this plant, and tedious protract of time: wherefore this article will be of vse, where there is neither vnderwood, wood, nor plant to become by in hedges or bushes, and not in this countrie, where there are many to be gotten, and those very good.

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CHAP. XIII.
Of the pleasure that commeth of the planting of wilde woods, as also of the profit comming of the same.

AMongst the things required for the making of a place of perfect beautie, Cato in his booke of Husbandrie saith, That it is needfull to haue nine principall things:Nine things requ [...]site for the ma [...]ing of a beautifull place The first, is a Vine, yeelding great quantitie of vvine: the second, a Garden, full of little riuers: the third, a Willow groue, and Oziar plot: the fourth, a great Riuer: the fifth, a Medow: the sixth, a great champion ground: the seuenth, Coppies of vnderwood: the eight, plentie of Bushes, and a Warren: and the ninth, a forrest of great Trees or Oakes to beare Acornes. Now amongst all these seuerall points of perfect beautie, we may see, that the principall is vvater and vvood: because that hauing vvater, one may easily make Medowes, Garden plots, Oziar yards, and Willow plots all along the vvaters and riuers: and hauing vvoods, one may make Vnderwoods, Warrens, Bushes, and high great trees also, if it be lopt and pruned vnderneath to make it shoot vp and grow on high. And he must not leaue aboue three or foure branches at the most, and then they will become tall and high by and by, because that the root is disburdened of all, the rest of his boughes▪ by hauing them cut downe: in like sort, the ground sendeth all such nourishment vnto these three or foure branches, as it had imployed in the nourishment of many branches of small vvood, and affoordeth growth vnto the straightest and fairest branches, which are left behind to come to perfection: thus in a small time they become tall and great trees, and beare acornes. So, in like manner, there is not that vvood of high and great growth cut downe in good and seasonable time, vvhich putteth not forth small vvood and bushes, if cattell and beasts be carefully, kept out.

Whereupon I will conclude that in planting of woods, there are three things principally requisite to the making of a beautifull place,Woods haue in t [...]m three commodities. that is to say, little wood, great wood, bushes and a warren: for it is the like reason to plant the one and the other; for of the one the other is made: wherefore in respect of the pleasure, profit, and beauty of the place, it is meet and conuenient to plant woods.

But the chiefe pleasure and pastime which commeth by wild woods, is, that being ioined to your house and champion habitation,The pleasures and past [...]mes that the wild woods a [...]ord. (which is the place, where it must be seated or planted) it is pleasant to the sight: for by its diuersity of greenenesse, it maruellously delighteth, and with great contentment recreateth the sight.

The second pleasure or pastime is, that the woods (being neere vnto your lodging) are alwaies full of all sorts of pretie birds, which sing Sommer and Winter all the day long, and most part of the night, as nightingales, and such other like, whereby their songs become ioyfull and delightsome to the eare, and so there is a pleasure and great contentment to the eare euen to them in the house if it be neere vnto.

Another pleasure is, that in the said woods there are alwaies great store of wood coists, popingaies, stares, cranes, and other sorts of birds, which make you pastime to see them flie: and there may also pleasure be reaped in taking of them with little engines, as, with a call, nets, the tonnell, or other such like.

The fourth is, that in the woods there are to bee had conies, hares, squirrels, and other sorts of small beastes pleasant to behold, and of great seruice for prouision of vitaile.

The fifth is, that in hot seasons you may purchase a coole aire within the said woods, as those which will couer and defend you from the iniurie and vexation of the [Page] Sunne, and contrariwise, cooling you, vvhether the heat will or no: and therein you haue also to behold a comfortable greenenesse, both vpon the boughes and ground, vvhich keepeth his grasse greene through the coolenesse and shadow of the trees.

The sixth is, that in Winter being in the said vvoods, you are out of the iniurie and force of the vvinds and great cold, because they breake them off: and further, in these vvoods you are solitarie, and may vse your leasure, in reading, writing or meditating vpon your affaires, vvithout being disquieted or distracted, or drawne to cast your sight abroad ouer any farre distant place or countrey, in as much as the sight cannot pierce through the boughes or bushes.

Besides the said pleasures,The profit of woods. there commeth much profit thereof, as well for the feeding of cattell, and that in the shadow, and with store of grasse at commandement at all times, as also in respect of the Oake mast, Beech mast, Chesnuts, and other fruits vvhich the trees beare, vvhich serue for the fatting of hogges, and are very necessarie for other beasts: and for that also you may, vpon certaine yeares, make fall of your vvoods, to make faggots, fire vvood, stakes to hedge in garden plots, and other inclosures, as also rods for Vines to runne vpon: and if there be cut downe any Chesnut-trees, or Hasels, you may (besides the things alreadie named) make your profit of hoopes and boords for vvine-vessels, in such sort, as that these your vvoods shall not onely doe you pleasure, but profit also, if so be you be so disposed to make your vse of it.

By this meanes you may coniecture, that the ground which is imploied in bearing of vvood,The profit of ground imploied about the bearing of wood. is not any thing inferior in profit vnto others which are imployed in bearing of Corne and Vines.

It is very true, that the commaundement, or vse and profit of it, are longer time in purchasing, and more hardly come by, than that of Corne and Vines, but it recompenceth it with the double in the end: for the first charges once defrayed, nature bringeth forth both the greater and the smaller vvood vvithout the helpe of man, and vvithout any labour: vvhich happeneth not in Corne-grounds and Vineyards, seeing they beare not, except they be continually husbanded and tilled. Wherefore, the ground imploied in Beech mast, and vvood, yeeldeth as much profit as any other, and will stand the house in as great stead, seeing it cannot be any way held or inhabited without vvood.

I haue heere beene the more vvilling to declare and lay downe in briefe the pleasure and profit that commeth of vvoods, to the end, that they which take paines in those courses, may not thinke that they haue lost their time and cost bestowed thereupon, and that they may not be ashamed at the first blow of their trauaile and long attendance, seeing that afterward both the pleasure and the profit doth abide and continue vvithout any further cost, and that vnto them and their posteritie.

Wherefore, my counsell and aduise vnto the good husband and master of the familie, is, that he apply himselfe to such planting of vvoods betimes, that so he may the sooner enioy the pleasures thereof: and that in so doing, he cast them so, as that they may grow as neere vnto his lodging and house where he meaneth to dwell, as possibly may be, for his further both profit and pleasure: for if no good else should come thereof, yet they would serue to breake the raging and blustering vvindes annoying the house, if they be well placed, and so conueniently, as a man may be able to dispose them.

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CHAP. XIIII.
A treatise of the nature, properties, and differences of wilde trees, and what ground they delight most in.

SEeing it hath beene deliuered and laid downe here aboue, what time and manner is to be obserued in the planting of all wild trees, and in giuing them such tillage, as may easily, and in short time, procure their growth; it hath seemed good vnto me, to write some little thing of the nature and sorts of trees which are planted and found ordinarily in the vvoods and forrests of France, and to declare briefely what manner of ground they delight in, and in what soile they proue greatest and most profitable: to the end, that the planters of them be not frustrated of their paines and purpose, and that that which requireth a drie and hot soyle, be not planted in a moist and low soyle: as also, that the trees vvhich delight in a moist and low countrey, be not planted in mountaines and drie countries: for this falleth out oftentimes to be the cause, that such as bestow their cost in planting, doe misse of their intent, and that the plant being in a ground cleane contrarie vnto it, doth not come to any profit. For which cause, I will here in a word expresse my mind concerning that point, not with any purpose to describe or comprise all the natures, vertues, and properties of trees, neither yet to speake of all kinds of trees, but onely to describe and declare the places and grounds wherein they prosper and grow most, as also to make knowne the diuersitie that is amongst trees of one and the same sort, and of one and the same name: as which are most fit to be planted, and best for to make shadowes to walke or sit in.

I know, that there are diuers sorts of trees that grow both in the Easterne, Northerne, and Southerne parts of the vvorld, vvhereof we are almost altogether ignorant, and which, in respect of the diuersitie of the regions, doe not grow at all in this climate: and of these I mind not to speake at all, because my purpose is only in briefe to lay downe that which is necessarie to be knowne about the planting of common trees, such as are ordinarily to be found in our owne forrests, and not of strange and forraine ones, the trouble about which would be more than the pleasure. And as for such as are desirous to attaine the perfect knowledge of all manner of trees growing in any part of the world, and their vertues, properties, natures, and seeds, they may see the same at large in Theophrastus, in his fourth booke of the historie of Plants, and in the third booke, vvhere hee particularly entreateth of the kinds of wild and sauage trees: for he particularly runneth through the nature, force, vertue, seed, and manner of planting of euery wild tree, as well those of the East, North, and South, as those of the West: but it shall be sufficient for vs at this time to declare the nature of fiue or six sorts of trees which commonly grow in the countries hereby, and of their kinds, and what ground euery one delighteth in.

Now therefore to begin, there are two sorts of trees in generall: the one is called vvater-trees, or trees delighting to grow in or neere vnto the brinkes of vvaters,Trees louing to liue neere the water. in medowes, and in low and watrie places: the other land trees, or trees delighting to grow vpon the firme and solid land, and vvhere the waters by inundations or ouerflowings vse not to come. But first we will speake of the trees liuing in or about vvater.

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CHAP. XV.
Of the Aller, Poplar, Birch, Willow, and other trees haunting the water.

YOu shall vnderstand, that there are foure or fiue sorts of trees, vvhich of their owne nature grow neere vnto vvaters, and which, except they haue great store of moisture doe hardly prosper or grow at all: of vvhich, amongst the rest, the Aller is one that most coueteth the vvater: for the Aller is of that nature, as that it would be halfe couered in vvater, and at the least, the most part of the rootes must of necessitie be within, and stand lower than the vvater, for otherwise they would not take, insomuch, as that trees of such nature ought to be planted in moist medowes, and neere vnto the brookes running along by the said medowes, or in marshes, for in such grounds they take and grow exceeding vvell. This tree is apt to take in moist places, because it is a vvhite vvood, containing much pith, and putting forth great store of boughes in a short time, by reason of the moistnesse of the vvaters vvherewith it is nourished and fed.

The said Aller trees may be planted two manner of wayes, as namely, either of branches gathered from great Allers, or of liue roots digged vp in most places, together with the earth, and set againe in the like ground, and that in such sort, as that the halfe of the said roots be lower than the water, and the vpper part couered with earth the depth of one finger: and in the meane time, before they be planted, they must haue all their branches cut off too, within a fingers length of the root, and it will put forth againe many young shoots, after the manner of Hasel trees. You may read more of the Aller tree in the fourth booke.

There is another sort of vvater-wood, which hereabout is commonly called white wood:White wood. of this kind, are the Poplar, Birch, and other sorts of wood, which grow close by the water side, and vpon the banks of ditches, springs, and little brookes: and it is a common practise in Italie, to lay their conueyances and pipes to carrie their vvater from riuers throughout their grounds, of those woods. And these kinds of trees may be easily planted of young roots along by the vvater and riuer side, both most conueniently and profitably, especially the white Poplar, otherwise called the Aspe tree, whose leaues are apt to shake with euerie small winde. Where rootes cannot be got, there may, in their stead, be taken faire and strong plants, such as are vsed in the planting of Willowes. The Birch doth somewhat resemble the white Poplar in his barke, and the Beech tree in his leafe, but it craueth a colder and moister soile than the Poplar. And this is the cause why it groweth so plentifully in cold countries.

The other sort of vvater-wood is the Willow: vvhich, as wee finde by proofe, groweth nothing well, except it be in a moist and warrie countrie, and neere ioyning to vvaters. The manner of planting of Willowes, is commonly, by setting of Willow plants, and those such as are of a good thicknesse and strength, as namely as great as one may gripe: for looke how much the stronger and thicker they be, so much the moe shoots will they put forth, and so much the stronger. This tree differeth much from the Aller: for the Aller will haue his rootes all within water, but the Willow would stand higher, and spread his roots along into the ground that is wet and moist, and neere vnto water, vvithout hauing his roots altogether in the water: according whereunto, it is continually seene, that Willowes planted vpon causeyes & banks, hauing some ditch of water ioyning thereunto, & that in such sort, as that their roots may reach but to the brinks and edges of the water, proue fairer, taller, and more plentifull than those which grow in waterish medows, because that for the [...]st part their roots stand moist in water. You may read of the Holme tree in the fourth booke.

[Page] I say not that Willowes, Allers, Poplars, & such white wood will not grow in high places, notwithstanding that it is their nature to grow neere to water, and doe prosper best in such places: and if they be planted in high places, and farre from vvater, they are hardly nourished, and put forth very little in growth: insomuch, as that a hundred such trees as are planted in waterie countries, vvill yeeld more vvood than a thousand planted in a drie countrey, notwithstanding all the indeuor and husbandrie that can be vsed, yea, and they will perish and die a great deale sooner.

This I say, because it is easie to make them grow, and to husband them in a high or hillie place, by watering and dressing of them in conuenient sort: vvhich labours, as they are not performed without great cost, so if they happen to be neglected, it proueth to be the losse and spoile of the trees: vvhereas if they be planted in some place that is fit for them, and neere vnto vvater, according as their nature requireth, they vvill prosper vvithout the toile or industrie of man vsed therein. Notwithstanding, for as much as the first yeares after they be planted they haue much to doe to shoot and nourish their roots and such branches as are alreadie put forth, it wil be best to free them of all such twigs as they shall put forth the first yeare, to the end they may more easily seed their roots, as also that thereby the force of winds, which would take such hold of offall, may not shake and loosen those which are alreadie fast, for vpon such causes trees doe many times die, be they neuer so well planted.

I know that it is not alwaies required, that such paines should be taken (especially about those which are orderly and conueniently planted) in planting or p [...]uning of them: notwithstanding, I say thus much for them vvhich goe about the making of close alleyes for walkes and shades, that they may cause them to grow much in a short time, for this they shall effect by planting of them in furrowes, and not one of them perish: and as for their paine and labour, they shall haue the pleasure thereof in shorter time and larger manner.

Herewithall it must be noted,Trees must be well and surely planted at the first. that whensoeuer you set or plant any such trees, you must so doe it, as that it need not a second doing: for if any of them should die, it would be the harder to set others in their places, so as that they would thriue, because the shadow of the other which liue, would cause the same to die, seeing it is vsually seene, that the elder and stronger ones doe oppresse the weaker, keeping them vnder, and causing them to miscarrie. Wherefore the greater care is to be vsed in the first planting of them, and the more paine to be taken with them, seeing the sequele is a thin [...] that is so hard to be redressed.

The time to plant Willowes,The time to plant Willowes, Allers, &c. Allers, Poplars, and other such vvoods, is alwaies found best in the beginning of Februarie, or at the later end of Ianuarie, vvhen the great cold is past, being otherwise apt to hurt such plants as are new set, as hath alreadie beene said.

As concerning the properties of these trees thus delighting in watrie grounds: the leaues and flowers of the white Poplar, although they be a little hot, doe notwithstanding make a very cooling ointment called Populeum, good to take away the heat of inflamations, as also the milke out of womens breasts that are newly deliuered.

Birch-tree yeeldeth twigs, which serue to make rods for the punishing of theeues withall, as also to make baskets, little maunds, beesomes, and couerings for earthen bottles. Of the stocke is made charcoale, seruing for the melting of mettall: And of the rinde are made links to giue light in the night season: for to such end doe country people vse them. The iuice of the leaues mixt amongst the runnet of a Calfe, doth keepe cheese from wormes and rottennesse. If you pierce the stock of the Birch-tree, there will come forth a water, which being drunke a long time, is of power to breake the stone of the reines and bladder: being taken in a gargarisme, it drieth the vlcers of the mouth: and being vsed in lotions, it cleanseth and taketh away the filthinesse and infections of the skin.

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CHAP. XVI.
Of Ashes, Elmes, and Maple-trees.

THe Ash doth naturally craue a low and waterish countrey,Ash- [...]. and therefore doth grow more plentifully in such places than in high grounds: and therefore, for the most part, they must be planted in such low and waterie grounds, though not altogether so low and waterie as the Willow, Poplar, and Aller doe craue: howbeit notwithstanding they may be planted in indifferent grounds, and Elmes will grow well therein. Their proper nature is to delight in moist valleyes, for therein they prosper well, and grow vp to a great height, with straitnesse and beautifulnesse of Timber: Notwithstanding, this is a common vvood, vvhich may be planted in all sorts of grounds, howsoeuer that it like better in fat and moist grounds, than in those which are but indifferent: but they much dislike the drie, rough, stiffe, and grauellie grounds, if they be not mingled with moisture. The auncient Woodwards vsed to plant them most in hedge-rowes, and on the tops of great bankes or ditches, where they might haue drie standing, yet be continually fed at the root with a little moisture: vvhich sure was a very good and husbandly manner of planting the Ash, neither shall you at any time see it prosper better, than when it is planted in such places. It is naturally of it selfe [...] little more tender than other wild trees, and desireth a more gentle and loose mould, which maketh them prosper the best in mixt hasell grounds, or in moist sandie ground: yet if they doe take in clay grounds, as doubtlesse with a verie little care they will doe, one Ash so growing, is better, tougher, and more seruiceable than any three which are taken from the sandie or mixed earths. It is a timber of no lesse precious vse than any other whatsoeuer: for of it are made all your best Pykes, Byll-shafts, Halberd-shafts, and diuers other engines for the vvarres: of it also is made all manner of Plow and Carttimber vvhatsoeuer, as Beames, Heads, Skeathes, Hales, Spyndles, Shelboords, Cart or Wayne bodies, rings for Wheeles, Naues, Harrow-buls, Harrow-teeth, Axle-trees, and any other instrument or engine vvhich desireth a firme, gentle yet a verie tough vvood: a timber that must bend before it breake, and not by any meanes be too extreame portable or heauie in the carriage, but both light for the hand of him that shall vse it, and also strong ynough to endure the stresse or labour it shall be put vnto; also it must be gentle and soft to cut: all which the Ash is, more than any other tree whatsoeuer.

There are three sorts of Elmes:Elmes of three sorts. The one is, of those vvhich haue a small little leafe, and a blacke stalke: The second hath a large leafe, and a reasonable vvhite stalke: The third of them hath a verie large leafe, and the stalke as it vvere all vvhite. Those vvhich are to be chosen for planting, are those two later, for they are of greater growth, and are vvoont to prosper better: besides that, they are fairer, and put foorth moe boughes, making thereby a greater shadow.

Of these three sorts, there are both males and females:Male and female Elmes. vvee call those females, vvhich beare most fruit, and the thicker seede; and the males vvee call those vvhich are lesser, and beare their fruit of seede, in the middest of the leaues, and that in such sort, as that they seeme to beare neyther fruit nor seede. And for this cause there are manie that vvrite of Husbandrie, affirming the said tree to beare no fruit or seede, and that it groweth either of a plant or shoot. And of this opinion vvas Trem [...]lius. Notwithstanding, it is certaine, that euerie leafe beareth his fruit contained within the middest thereof, and thereof vvill Elmes grow, being sowne in due time. And of this opinion is Columella; Columella. and experience it selfe doth shew the same: hee making two differing sorts of Elmes, calling the one sort, the fairest and tallest Elmes of Fraunce: and the other sort, [Page] Italian Elmes. And as concerning those fairest Elmes, if they be to be found, they must be planted, because they grow vp the sooner that way, and put forth much larger boughes. Theophrastus Theophr [...]stus. and some other vvriters doe make them lesse differing, according to the countrey wherein they grow. I haue beene the more willing to describe them according to their kind of leafe and vvood, that you may the more easily know them. I would haue you to looke backe into the fourth booke, and there you shall find their natures and vertues more at large described. The soiles in which they most of all delight, is a verie stiffe clay: and the principall vse of them, ouer and aboue the making of Bow-staues formerly mentioned, is the making of naues for vvaggons or cart-vvheeles, for vvhich they are more excellent than any other vvood vvhatsoeuer; and the more knottie and twound they are, a great deale the [...]itter they are for that purpose: so, that as the cleane growne, smooth, and euen Elme serues for other purposes, so the knottie, vneuen, and most crooked Elme will serue for this.

Amongst these sorts of trees wee may place the Maple-trees (called of the Latines Ac [...]res) because in their nature they somewhat resemble the Elme: They craue the like ground, namely, a fat and moist ground: they grow (as the Elmes doe) in all arable grounds: they put forth in a short time great branches, and but little greenenes [...]e. This tree hath a verie white bodie, beareth small leaues like the leaues of three-leaued grasse, and doth not breed or gather any great store of vermine. It naturally groweth short [...] crooked, rugged, and beareth seldome any great length of timber: yet where it groweth otherwise, the timber is verie firme, white, close, and durable. It serueth for diners excellent and good purposes: as namely, it is the best of all other, by reason of the wonderfull whitenesse thereof, for all manner of inlaid works, vvhich Ioyners vse: also it is excellent for all manner of Turners vvare: as for the making of trenchers, dishes, bowles, sewing kniues, and other implements for the Table, prouided, it be euermore of at least a yeare or more seasoning: for if it be wrought greene, it will warpe, ryue, and be indeed for no purpose. Many vse to season it in a drie house, but then it asketh a longer time, and the sappe will be much longer in consuming: but the best way is to let it lye abroad all the first Winter, and take all wet which falls, for that will driue the naturall wet of the sappe soonest out of it, and then house it the Summer following, and then after you may safely worke it at your pleasure.

The Ash is contrarily inclined:The Ash. for thereon breedeth oftentimes such aboundance of vermine, as that thereby all their leaues are eaten and bored verie full of little holes. Of this sort of Trees, as well Elmes, as Ashes and Maples, the best are those vvhich grow the soonest, and spread out the largest boughes in a short time.

As concerning the properties of these three kinds of Trees,The vertues of the Elme. wee haue spoken in the third booke, in the Chapter of Balmes, how there is made a singular balme of the little fruit that is found inclosed in the leaues of one of the sorts of Elmes. Furthermore, the vvater vvhich is found inclosed in this little fruit, maketh the face neat and shining, if it be vvashed therewith: againe, double linnen clothes being vvet in this iuice or vvater, and applyed vnto children vvhich are bursten, becommeth a singular remedie for them. The same iuice also put into a glasse-bottle, and buried in the earth, or dung, for the space of fiue and twentie daies, being well stopped, and hauing the bo [...]tome set vpon a heape of salt, proueth singular good to cure greene vvounds, if they be dressed vvith tents steeped in the said iuice.

The Maple-tree in this countrey amongst other things is had in request,Shooting [...]owes. because of the boughes thereof there are made Bowes, and that because they are stiffe and hard to bend.

The Ash-tree hath a singular vertue against the venime of Serpents: for it is such an enemie, and so contrarie vnto them, as that they dare not draw neere or approach vnto the shadow thereof: and againe, as hath beene proued of many, if you [Page] make (as it were) a circle of the leaues or boughes of the Ash-tree, and put within the same a Serpent by the one side thereof, and a burning fire on the other side, the Adder will rather aduenture to passe through the fire, than ouer the Ash-tree leaues. For this cause Nature, as one carefull of the good of mankind, hath prouided, that the Ash should flourish before that Adders and Vipers doe vse to come out of their holes in the Spring time: as also, that it should not fall his leaues in Autumne, till they haue taken vp their Winter resting place. Wherefore, if it happen, that any Horse, Cow, or other beasts of the Farmers should be bitten by some serpent or other venimous beasts, there cannot be found a more soueraigne remedie, than to stampe the tenderest leaues that are to be found vpon the Ash, & straining out the iuice, to giue it the beast to drink, and afterward to lay vpon the grieued part the dr [...]sse of the stamped leaues: this is likewise a good remedie for men that are bitten of any Adder or Viper. The decoction of the rinde of the Ash-tree taken, is singular good to open the obstructions of the Spleene, and to draw out great store of water from such as haue the Dropsie, as also to make fat folks leane. Also the keyes of the Ash, or that which is the seed thereof, is of most singular vse amongst Painters, and being ground, maketh him diuers pretie and most vsefull colours. The Ash is onely an enemie vnto corne, and will not suffer any to grow by any meanes within the compasse of the shadow thereof: and therefore it should as seldome as might be, be planted in corne-fields, except you leaue such large space of greeneswarth betwixt it and the corne-lands, that no part of the shadow may extend to the same.

CHAP. XVII.
Of Chesnut-trees.

THe Chesnut-tree is a strong and mightie tree, much like vnto the Oake. It is a fast wood, and good to build withall, as also to vnderprop Vines, and make other workes, which are made of Oake. It groweth of the seed of the Chesnut, which is sowne after the manner of the Acorne, and so it groweth and putteth forth his shoots both sooner and more effectually, and taketh commonly in all grounds, yea euen in the sandie or grauellie grounds: but yet it shunneth the grounds that lie open to the pearching heat of the Sun, affecting altogether the little hils and mountaines that are cold and lie vpon the North. The seed or fruit thereof (called the Chesnut) is sometimes spoyled, and that after the same manner that the Acorne is, as by too much drinesse, vvhich maketh it that it cannot bud or blossome: or by too great store of vvater, putrifying both the Chesnut and Acorne, before it can spring out of the earth: or else by cattell, moules, field-mice, and such sorts of vermine, which eat or wound the Chesnut & Acorne within the ground. The nature of the young plants of Chesnut-trees and Oakes are much alike, and the manner of dressing them also: and if you would haue them to put forth store of boughes, you must cut them after they haue beene planted three or foure yeares, and not before, and that in the beginning of the Spring time, for so you shall make them put forth twice as much: and yet it is not without danger to vse any edge-toole in cutting them, for thereby they oftentimes die. So then, if there put forth any branches or sprigs along the stem, in the first, second, or third yeare, you may at the beginning of such their putting forth crop them off, and breake them away with your hand whiles they are young and tender, and not to take any knife vnto them, and then you shall doe best.

[Page]

CHAP. XVIII.
Of the Oake and the differences thereof, Hornebeame, Beech, Linden tree, and others.

YOu shall vnderstand that the oake is a tree bearing most fruit, and affoording the most commoditie of any tree in France. And for this cause it hath been accustomed to preserue and keepe store of these kinds of trees in old woods and forests,The different names of the okes are Robur, Quercus, Ilex. as being most necessarie and profitable. Some do make three sorts of this kind of tree, and of euery sort a male and a female: for notwithstanding that the common people call them all by the common name of oke, yet the Latins attribute to euery sort his seueral and proper name, calling one sort thereof Robur, another Quercus, and the third Ilex.

The first of these sorts is a kind of oake which is very thicke and strong, hauing a bodie that is very thicke below, and full of knots, and very mightie, hauing great roots, and spreading far and wide in the ground: and at the top of the bodie or bole which is but short, it beareth many and great quantitie of boughes that are also thick, spread abroad and long, taking great roome: and for that cause are planted the one from the other a great distance, that so they may haue roome for their boughs to spread. The wood growing vpon this sort of okes is fitter to make fire wood of, than timber to build withal, because it hath but a short bole, and riseth not vp to any great height and squarenesse, hauing his boughes therewithall crooked and writhen. There are many forrests to be seene, wherein this kind of oakes doth grow, as namely those whose oakes are thicke and short, standing far a sunder, and yet spreading on a great breadth aboue.

The other sort of oakes hath both a reasonable thicke and long bodie, as namely of the height of foure or fiue good fadomes, as also foure or fiue reasonable tail and straight boughes growing thereupon, but nor spread forth into any great breadth, as neither the bodie is so well couered and shadowed therewith as the former. And this sort of oakes is good for beames of houses, and great peeces of timber, to be put in buildings, as also for to saw and clea [...]e, because it is not knottie and hard as the former. And of th [...]s sort there are to be seene many forrests planted in France, and they are more thicke and closer growne with timber, than the others which I am about to speake of, because the boughes of these doe rise more straight vp, and take not vp so much roome.

The third sort of oakes hath a small bodie, but very straight, and growing to the height of seuen or eight fadomes without any boughes, and at the top of their said bodies, bearing, but s [...]al store of boughes and wood, in such sort, as that all the wood is in the bole, seeming to bee onely a nosegay at the top. And this kind of wood standeth very neere the foot one of another, rising vp equally and alike vnto a great height and greatnesse, and the forrests furnished with this kind, are very profitable to make all sorts of buildings, whe [...]her it be to make the ioyces thereof, or any of the other sorts of long and middle timber, as those required for for walls or roofes. And of this kind of wood there are many forrests in this countrie.

All these three sorts of wood do beare a great leafe, and that euery one like vnto another, saue that they are some of them large and great, some but indifferent and the third sort small and little. Againe, they beare some of them acornes that are more long and thicke, othersome, acornes that are more thicke and short, and againe other some of them, acornes that are smaller and longer.

Furthermore, there is not any of these three sorts which consisteth not of male and female.The male and female of oakes. The female is commonly called that (as Theophrastus Theophrastus. saith) which beareth the most and strongest fruit: whereupon it followeth, that if those are to bee called the females which do beare most store of fruit; wee must needs call those males, [Page] which beare least fruit. When they beare fruit, or when they beare none, the barren are called the males,The barren is called the male, and the fruitfull the female. and the fruitfull the females. Theophrastus putteth another difference betwixt those which are fruitlesse: but I meane not to write any thing thereof at this present, purposing to be briefe, & to referre such as are desirous to see the same, to Theophrastus his third booke of the historie of Plants, vnder the title of the Oake: as also in like manner for all other sorts of trees, vvhich I spare to speake of, that so I may not exceed my former purpose and intent.

All these sorts of Oakes are of great continuance and length of life, insomuch, as that some allot vnto them to liue three hundred yeares:That the life of an Oake containeth 100 yeares of growth, 100. yeares of standing in a s [...]ay, and 100. to per [...]sh and die in. that is to say, one hundred to grow, one hundred to stand at a stay, and one hundred to decline and fal away: which may easily be seene in the old and auncient forrests.

And whereas the Oake is long in comming to his growth, and long in dying, it is no maruell, if the Elme, the Ash, the Maple, and other vvoods, set in the like and no better ground, doe put forth their boughes and branches more speedily and mightily than the Oake: for the nature of those trees is to grow vp soone to their p [...]fection, and so to die and fade soone; and the nature of the Oake is to grow by leisure, to flourish a long time, and to be long before it die. Now Nature will not be ouer-chased: as may be seene in a horse,The horse at his full growth at fiue, and a man a [...] fiue and twentie. which commeth to his growth in fiue yeares, and man not before he be fiue and twentie; and so the whole continuance of the one is more durable than that of the other. This I speake in respect of such, as by and by looke to haue vvood to become growne according as they can wish: giuing them to know, that to answere their hastie desire, it will be best for them to plant Ashes, Elmes, and Maple onely, seeing they are giuen to spring mightily, and in a short time, putting forth more boughes in sixe yeares, than the Oake in tenne. Whereas they which desire to haue a more pleasant, profitable, and durable vvood, though it be longer in comming to perfection, must plant Oakes, Chesnut-trees, Horne-beames, and Beech-trees, for they are reasonably long in growing, and of like durablenesse, and put forth but small store of shoots, like as the Oake, in such sort, as that they become trees of one and the same sort and growth, and to be planted after one manner, and at one time, as hath been said before. It is very true, that the Oake delighteth in a fat, good, and drie ground, euen as the Horne-beame and Beech-tree doe: notwithstanding, the Horne-beame and Beech will grow more easily in a stonie ground or countrey, although that euery sort of trees whatsoeuer be giuen to grow the better, by how much the ground is better wherein they are planted. But some doe naturally delight in and craue a good ground, as for example the Oake, if you would haue it to prosper well: for and if you plant it in an indifferent ground, it will prosper but indifferently: and if it be set in a hard and barren soile, it hardly prospereth, and doth nothing but burne away with the heat of the Sunne: and yet Horne-beames and Beeches doe grow in grounds that are but indifferent: yea, they may be seene to prosper well in hard and stonie grounds.

The pits are in good season opened, and all the said trees more conueniently planted, in the moneth of Februarie, when the strength of Winter it well broken, as alwaies hath beene said.

The Horne-beame [...]treeHorne-beame. (called of the Latines Carpinus) groweth in the same ground, and after the same fashion, that th [...] Maple doth. The vvood of this tree hath in times past beene vsed to helue husbandmens tooles, and to make yokes for Oxen: but now it is made matter for the fire, being a wood that hath least moisture, but more drinesse, and which maketh the b [...]st coale. Which proceedeth not from the naturall defect of the Tree, but from the ill husbanding and planting of the same, vvhen either it is not regarded at the first shooting vp, or is cropped by cattell vvhen it is tender, or else planted in a stiffe-binding earth, in vvhich it ioyeth not at all, any of vvhich makes it grow crooked, knottie, and vvithout forme, and so consequently of small vse: but being planted on good ground, vvhose mould is loose and yeelding, and husbanded and defended from other annoyances, it vvill shoot forth straight and vpright, and beare a verie smooth and most delicate timber: [Page] which timber is of great price and estimation amongst Fletchers, for it maketh the strongest and best arrow of any wood whatsoeuer, and is preferred farre before either birch or brasill, as being of an indifferent and true poise, neither so light as the one, nor so heauie as the other.

The beechBeech▪ (called of the Latines Fagus) as it resembleth the hornebeame verie neere, so it craueth the like soile and dressing for the making of it to thriue and grow well: it is true, that therefore it is worthie to bee had in request, because it bringeth [...]orth its fruit which is called beech-mast, and that of no lesse profit than the acorne, at the least the squirrells, turtle doues, cranes, and such other birds doe fat themselues thereupon. The men of auncient time did make their wine vessels, fats, and drinking vessell of the rind of this tree.

It prospereth exceedingly well in grounds that are full of pyble, flint, and other small stones, whether mixt with sand or clay it mattereth not, prouided that the mould bee not too much tough and binding, neither exceeding hard and rockie, but apt to breake and yeeld to the roote, which by reason of the greatnesse of the boale or bodie of the tree, which may euer compaire with the oake, ought to haue both a strong and a deep hold. The timber of the beech is good for boards or planks, or for any Io [...]ers ware, as bed-steeds, tables, stooles, chaires, cubbords, chests, or any other thing, except wainscot, or [...]eeling, which by reason of the softnesse of the timber, it is not so much allowed therefore: it is also very good for Turners ware, and especially, for great washing bowles, traies, and such like, or any other houshold necessarie, which desireth a plaine smooth wood, which is gentle to cut, and delicate for the eie to looke on.

The linden treeThe linden tree groweth very well in hillie and high mounted places, so that they bee notwithstanding moist and somewhat waterish: the wood thereof is fit to make coffers and boxes: and the rinde to make cradles or baskets to lay young children in.

The corke-treeThe corke-tree. craueth the like soile with the ash and oake: it is no where to be found in all the forrests of France, but in great store in the countrie of Bearne and Foix. This is a thing worth the noting in this tree, namely, that it may haue its barke pilled off without doing of any iniurie vnto the same: and this is ordinarily imploied about the making of hiues for bees, and for the soles of slipper and panto [...]es, vsually worne during the cold time of Winter.

The yew-tree (which the Latines call Taxus) is very common in our forrests:The yew-tree. it groweth well vpon mountaines or rockes. The wood thereof is good to make coffers, foote-stooles, bowes, arrowes, darts, and other such like stately Ioyners works of, because it hath diuers veines, and is not subiect to be eaten of wormes. Some there are which report, that it is deadly either to eate or sleepe vnder the shadow of it, and that if a man eate of the fruit thereof, it casteth him into an ague and bloudie [...]luxe.

And seeing I haue resolued to be briefe, and not to passe beyond my bounds, it shall be sufficient to haue made this short rehearsall, commending such as are desirous to see further into this skill and knowledge, to such bookes of husbandrie as throughly intreat of all the parts of the same, seeing they are to be had euery where, and seeing that in them such things are to be attained to the [...]ull, as I for breuitie sake haue omitted and left vnt [...]ucht.

As concerning the vertues and properties of the foresaid trees, the oake hath many things, and those of great commendation. The leaues, his nuts (which are called gals) his messeltoe (as being called the messeltoe of the oke.) The tender leaues therof which are but as yet budding and putting forth may be distilled, and the water thereof is singular against the fluxes of the liuer, to breake the stone,T [...]e stone. and to stay the whites of women.The whites o [...] wom [...]n. The greater sort of gals or apples haue this propertie in them, namely to presagepresages. and foretell three things, that is to say, war, dearth, pestilence: for if you open them which are whole, you shall find therein either a little [...]lie, or a little spider, or a little worme: if the flie flie away, it betokeneth that there will be warre: [Page] if the little worme doe creepe, it is a signe of dearth that yeare: and if the spider doe run to and fro, it prognosticateth an infinite number of pestilent diseases. The oake apples dried and made into pouder, do speedily stay all manner of flux in the bellie. The misseltoe of the oake taken inwardly, doth greatly asswage the torments of such as are taken with the falling sicknesse.Falling sicknes.

The beech-tree is much vsed to make baskets and maunds of for to gather grapes in. And hereof likewise men in old time were woont to make vessels to sacrifice vnto their gods. The leaues of the beech-tree chawed, do heale the chaps of the lips,Chaps of the lips. and the frettings of the gums. The fruit of the beech-tree, which is called beech-mast, dried and made into ashes, being mixt with liniments, is of great force and power against the stoneThe stone. and grauell.The grauell.

Of the Parke for the keeping of wilde beastes.

CHAP. XIX.
Of the situation of the Parkes, and of the manner of ordering the wild beasts therein.

TO the end we may not leaue any thing out of this description of a countrie farme, whereof the Farmer or Lord of the soile may make any profit, or else take any pleasure, my aduice and counsell is, that according as the places and grounds may conueniently affoord, there bee parkes made neere vnto the farme, therein to breed and keepe hares, wild goates, or fallow deere, wild swine, and such other like wild beastes, to the end that the Lord and Master of the place may now and then recreate himselfe therewith, and take his sport in seeing the said wild beastes hunted; as also that if he bee disposed to make any great feast or banket,The profit of the parke. he may therein be sure to find as in his kitching of larder house for to make readie meate of, besides the benefit which the good husband may make yerely thereof by selling of them.

The parke would be seated (if it be possible) within a wood of high and tall timber trees,The situation of the parke. in a place compassed about, and well fenced with wals made of rough stone and lime, or else of brickes and earth-lome, or else with pales made of oake plankes. You must foresee that there bee some little brooke of spring-water running along by the place, or for want of spring-water and naturall streames, you must prepare ditches and pooles walled and daubed in such sort as that they may receiue and keepe the raine-water.

Nor ought the parke to consist of one kind of ground only, as all wood, all grasse, or all coppise, but of diuers, as part high wood, part grasse or champion, and part coppise, or vnder-wood, or thicke spring: nor must these seuerall grounds lie open, or as it were in common one with another; but they must be separated one from the other by a strong rale, through which deere or sheepe (but no greater cattell) may passe, for they must haue the full libertie of euery place: neither must the parke be situated vpon any one entire hill, plaine, or else valley, but it must consist of diuers hills, diuers plaines, and diuers valleyes: the hills which are commonly called the viewes or discoueries of parkes would bee all goodly high woods of tall timber, as well for the beautie and gracefulnesse of the parke, as also for the ecchoe and sound which will rebound from the same, when in the times of hunting, either the cries of the hounds, the winding of hornes, or the gibbetting of the huntsmen passeth through the same, doubling the musicke, and making it tenne times more delightfull: the plaines, which are called in parkes the launds, would be very champion and fruitfull, as well for the breeding of great store of grasse and hay for the feeding and nourishi [...]g of his deere or other wild beastes, as also for the pleasure of [Page] coursing with grey-hounds, when at any time the owner shall be disposed to hunt in that manner; for when the hounds shall haue hunted the game from the thicks vnto the launds, then the grey-hounds being placed thereupon, may in the view of the beholders course vpon the same, and beget a delight past equall. The valleyes which are called the couerts or places of leare for wild beasts, would be all verie thicke sprung or vnderwood, as well for the concealing of them from potchers and purloyners, as for giuing them rest and shadow in the day time, who cannot indure to lie open to the view of passengers, or vndefended by darkenesse and obscuritie: also these thicke couerts are defences for the wild beastes to saue them from the cunning sents or noses of hounds when they pursue them, making th [...]ir doubles and windings therein so intricate and cunningly, that they scape many times their most mortallest mischiefe: also in these thicke couerts, the hunted deere finding an vnhunted deere where he lodgeth, will forthwith beate him vp and lie downe himselfe in his place, making the hounds vndertake the fresh deere, and so escape his owne danger, which in the open places he cannot doe: and the parke is a place that must containe all things for the good and safetie of the game it keepeth. Thus you see the parke must consist of view, laund, and couert, and the situation of [...]ill valley, and plaine. Now for the water of which formerly we spoake you shall know it is very right necessarie in parkes, as well for the reliefe and sustenance of wild beasts, as for the watering, washing, and moistning of the grounds to make them fruitfull. Besides whensoeuer your gaine is extreamely hunted, and brought to the pinch of extremitie, then he will flie to the water, which is called the soile, and there find reliefe and rescue: for according to the saying of the profit Dauid, As the Hart desireth the water brooks &c. so a deere in his greatest extremitie findeth reliefe and is refreshed by drinking or bathing in the water. For a bet [...]er proofe whereof, I will repeate vnto you a notable true and very memorable experiment approued by a gentleman of good worship and place in his countrie, who being a very good hunts-man, and very well experienced in the nature of wild deare, It was his chaunce to bring vp a tame Stagge, which by the excellencie of his keeping and full feeding, grew a verie faire and great deere, as soone as the deere was three yeares old, hee caused him to be broke to the saddle, and being himselfe a good horse-man, and hauing a good horse-man then attending vpon him, what through the ones instruction and the others paine, the Stagge became so well reclaimed, that not any gelding in his stable was more obedient to the man, better mouthed, or more tractable to carrie his rider than the Stag was; in so much that when at any time the gentleman went forth a coursing, or to other pleasure, he would cause the Stagge to be ridden forth with him, also when he traueild any smal iournie the Stagge also carried a man with him: but the rider of the Stagge found that after hee had gone three or foure miles, the Stagge did [...]uer faint and grew wearie, which as soone as he imparted to his master, he presently commanded him to ride the Stagge when he so fainted to the next water, and there cause him to drinke, onely calling to mind the saying of Dauid before rehearsed, and he found that so soone as the Stagge had drunke, hee was as fresh as at his first setting forth, and by that obseruation onely could make the deere trauell twentie and fiue and twentie miles a day without any trouble, by which it is most credibly found, that not any thing can be more necessarie in a park than store of sweet & cold water, of which the riuer is best, the fountaine next, and the standing pond the worst, notwithstanding the standing pond how euer it is the worst water, yet it is very commodious, because in it you may breed all sorts of da [...]tie fresh fish, as the carp, bream, pike, tench, and perch: also in them you may both feede and breede all manner of wild foule, by framing little Islands in the middest of those lakes or ponds where the swans, bussards, elkes, and other sma [...]l foule may frame their nests and lay their eggs out of the daunger of the water. In the most conuenientest laund of the parke, which is most spatious and fruitfull, and which hath the greatest prospect into the parke, and where the deere take greatest delight to feed, there you shall build the lodge or house for the Keeper to dwell in, and it shall by all meanes stand cleane, and open [Page] euerie way, so as there may bee no secret approch made vnto the same, but such as the Keeper may easily behold from his windowes: and it shall stand so faire in the view of the laund, that from thence a man may see euery way round about the same, and some part vp into the high woods, and other most secret parts of the parke, so that when the least disturbance or troble is offered vn [...]o the deere, a man may from that lodge take notice of the same: this house must bee made like vnto a little forcellet or fort strong and with diuers angles, the windowes whereof so flanking one another, that when any approach by stealers or other malitious persons shall bee made to the same, the Keeper may from thence either with his bowes or with some other engines so annoy them, that they shall by no meanes besiege or coope him vp in his house, (which is the practise of many subtile knaues) but that hee may dispight their force, issue forth and defend himselfe and his charge against them: if there bee any part of the house which the windowes cannot flanker as the doores, iaumes, or such like, then ouer them shall bee made little loopeholes, through which the Keeper may either shoot, cast stones or scalding water to make them auoid from the same: close by this lodge shall bee built the kennell for the Keepers hounds, and the cocke-house where hee shall keepe his fighting cockes and hennes: also without it shall bee made a place for him to hang the hornes which his deere shall cast at the latter end of the Spring time: also in your parke as well at both the ends of your laund which are the next adioining to the couert, as in all other suspitious places where any man may in the night, course your deere, you shall place long stickes or slaues which are foure or fiue foot in length, and two or three inches in compa [...]e, with both the ends sharpned exceeding sharpe, and stuck sloapewise into the ground, and standing not aboue a foot and a halfe or two foot aboue the the ground at most, and these you shall set crossewise very thicke, that when a stealer shall come to course in the night, his grey▪ hound may run and goar [...] himselfe against the same: you shall also by no meanes alongst your pale walke plant fruit trees, blacke-thorne, or bullies, for they are the occasion of much hurt and destruction to your pale, vnder the colour of gathering the fruit, and breed a great decay to your quickset, besides many other mischiefes which are excussed by the pretence of getting that fruit onely: yet would I not haue the parke vnfurnished of all manner of fruit, for besides the pleasure thereof, they are an excellent mast in which deere infinitly delight, and are [...]ed very much with the same. You shall not by any meanes in one parke mixe the red deere and the fallow deere together, for the red deere is a masterfull beast, and when the time of bellowing commeth, he growes fierce and outragious, so that hee will be entire Lord of the field, and will kill the fallow deere if they but crosse him in his walke: and therefore each must bee kept seuerally in seuerall parkes.

Againe Cranes, Ra [...]ens, and wild-geese are excellent things to be nourished in a parke, and will stand in steed of Keepers vnto the same: for in the night time, if any thing stir about the ground to which they are not continually accustomed, they will with their clamours and noise not only giue warning to the Keeper, but any that shall dwell neare to the ground, not ceasing their noise till the ground be at peace and rest againe.

It is meet also that there should bee great store of grasse ground in the place,Prouision of [...]ood [...]or wild beastes. and trees bearing fruit: amongst all other trees there is speciall account made of acornes, wild apples, wild peares, strawberrie trees, & other such like, for the feeding of these wild beasts. Notwithstanding the good farmer must not content himselfe with the prouision which the ground bringeth forth of it selfe: but at such times as the earth is barren, and when there is nothing to [...]eed vpon in the forests, they must haue giuen vnto them of the haruest fruits, and be fed with barley, pure wheat, beanes, the dros [...]e of the wine pres [...]e, and whatsoeuer else is good cheape.

And to the end that these wild cattell may the better know that there is such prouision of meate for them, there must bee amongst them some tame ones, and such as haue beene trained vp in the house, for they will follow any whither, and draw the [Page] other after them, and so bring them to the place of prouision for their feeding. And this order must not onely bee obserued in Winter, but also when they be great with young, and when they haue calued, that so they may feed them the better. And to that end there must regard be had to see when they haue fauned, that there may be corne giuen them.

The wild bore would not be let grow elder than the age of foure yeares, for hee groweth vnto this time, but afterward paireth and becommeth leane by reason of old age: wherefore it is meete that hee should bee sold whiles he is in his beautie and prime.

A Stag may be kept a long time, for he is young a great time, and liueth a great while.

But as concerning small beasts, as hares, they must not be put in a parke fenced only with postes and pales: for seeing they are small, they will easily passe through the gaping and open spaces, and hauing got through, run away: Their parkes therefore must be walled about, and their feeding of fourage or mas [...]in corne, succories, lettuses, cich-pease, barley steeped in raine water; for leuere [...]s are not greatly in loue with drie corne. As for conies we haue spoken of them in the treatise of the Warren.

Of the Heronrie.

CHAP. XX.
Of the situation of the Heronrie, and of the ordering of the Heronshewes.

WE haue intreated in the first booke of certaine strange and wild birds, as peacockes, turkeies, phesants, and small hens, and haue said that it is a curious and difficult thing to breed and bring them vp: and we may say as much or more of the herne, which is called of the Latins Ardea, as a man would say Ardua, because he is giuen to flie on high: for there is nothing but charges in this bird, without any profit. True it is that princes and great states, which loue the game, may take some pleasure and delight in the f [...]ght of the hauke for to take the herne, as also some good liking in swallowing the sweet morsels in eating of the herne, but especially of the stomake and brest: in like manner there are some that say, that a Herne is a princely dish, and meat for a king; but all this pleasure is not come by without double costes. Let vs then put case and admit that the Lord and Master of the farme bee a Prince or great Lord, and that hee beareth a verie good will to all manner of game, and to fare daintily, then hee may so prouide, as that he may now and then haue some sport and pastime with the Herne, either in taking or eating of the same: wherefore it shall not bee a misse if we speake a word or two of the Heronrie, to the end we may not let slip and ouerpasse any thing in generall of all that which may be necessarie for the beautifying and perfecting of our farme and countrie house.

To prouide therefore for a Heronrie or place to breed herons in,What place is fittest [...]o a H [...]ronrie. being if you meane to haue it, not onely for pleasure but also for profit vnto the Lord thereof, you must first consider that the herne is but a guest for a time, affecting solitarinesse, and very fantasticall, as not giuen to stay in any place, but such as pleaseth him verie well: and for that cause it is not to be taken as an indifferent thing to place or bestow their prouision for their nesting and abode in any place but onely where it is coniectured, that in passing along, they haue begun to rest & settle themselues, as in a place that is most pleasant and delightsome to them.Two things giuing occasion to make choise of some certaine place for a heronrie. For the Heronrie must in prouiding be two manner of waies considered of: as first there must consideration be had of their food and nourishment, that so when it shall please the Lord of the farme to hauke the herne, or to make any great and costly banket, he may haue them [Page] readie at his commaundement. And secondly to allure and draw herons as they flie along: for the herne that is shut and made fast in a heronrie, calleth vnto him such as flie by; for they hearing the voice of the hernshew so shut vp and made fast, do thervpon stay and make their nests vpon the vppermost and higest part of the heronrie, whereupon it commeth, that hauing laid their egges, by and by their young ones are taken to be shut vp and made fast in the heronrie.

Let vs conclude then, that before there be any cost made in building a place for the heronshewes to build in, there must diligent care bee had in discerning of the commodiousnesse and fitnesse of the place, and that is gathered by hauing knowne the herne now and then to haue contented and pleased himselfe therewith: for if a man should go about to shut vp a herne in such place as he taketh no delight in, hee would neuer haue young, but die out of hand. Furthermore, it is requisite that there should passe some small streame of water through the middest of the heronrie, for the heronshew is a water bird, & taketh delight and pleasure in water, as liuing altogether vpon eeles, and other such like liuing fishes. The building of the heronrie must bee made altogether for light, wrought with verie close latises and clouen plan [...]es, about the height of six fadome from the ground, and well couered about, to the end that the heronshewes flying by may make their nests vpon the heronrie in fit and commodiou [...] sort.

Their meat must be li [...]e eeles, [...] and other s [...]ch like fishes, sometimes the inner parts of beasts, as also the [...]lesh of wolues and dogs cut into small gobbets; and they must haue giuen them to eate vntill they be full, that so they may be fat against the time of ha [...]king or banketting, and not for increase or store; for there are but a few hernes that will lay egges being restrained of their libertie.

And yet this I will tell you by the way,What place is best to [...] at the [...]. that if the Lord of the farme doe take any herne out of the heronrie to make him sport by flying him with the hauke, that then he must beware not to do it neere vnto the heronrie, for otherwise he should take away the good liking both of flying and inclosed hernes from the heronrie, and so the heronshewes haunting the same in nesting time, wold forsake it, and the inclosed would grow displeased, and fall in feare of the like danger.

Although the heronshew be a royall meate,The properties o [...] the heronshew. notwithstanding in as much as he is a water bird, his flesh is full of excrementuous parts, hard to bee digested, and that aboue any other foule of the riuer. There is nothing more to be esteemed of in him for to be eaten, than the flesh which is gathered about his stomake or brest. Moreouer, some hold and are of opinion that his bill being steeped for some time in wine,To pr [...]c [...]re rest and sleepe. doth make the wine forcible and able to procure sleepe, and bring the bodie to rest.

Of Hunting.

CHAP. XXI.
How that there are three sorts of hunting.

FOllowing our purposed determination, we will intreat a word or two of hunting, not that wee would wish our farmer otherwise to affect the game, than by making it sometimes his recreation, and that in the time of vacation, and surcease from his other businesses, as when hee should do nothing but sleepe, or keepe holiday at home.

Now there are three sorts of hunting, the one of fishes, the other of [...]oules, and the third of foure footed beastes, as are the Stagge, roe Bucke, fallow Deere, wild Bore and Hare. In all these the Lord of the countrie farme may find occasion to exercise himselfe, but especially in the hunting of the foure footed beastes▪ for fishing is more fit for the farmers seruants, as those whom it best beseemeth to busie their [Page] braines on vacant and festiuall daies, with catching fish with the angle or pots made of osiers, that so they may haue any extraor dinarie fare for their afternoon drinking or supper. The catching of birds is very prettie and pleasant, but yet if we will beleeue Plato, a practise more fitting a seruile estate than a Gouernor or Commander. The hunting of foure footed beastes,The profit of [...] [...]oure footed beasts. as an honest exercise hath beene receiued at all times, and permitted by the lawes, especially that which was not vndertaken in the night, neither yet vpon slothfulnesse and contempt of labour: but rather for the better obtaining of a greater readinesse, nimblenesse, cheerfulnesse, and strength of bodie: but howsoeuer it is, the master of our countrie farme, especially if he be any great lord, may exercise himselfe sometimes, and take some sport in hunting after hee hath giuen order and direction for the doing of all his businesse, aswell in the citie, as at his champion or countrie house.

Of hunting or chasing of the Stag.

CHAP. XXII.
What dogs are best for the course or hunting.

THe hunting of foure footed beastes, as the stag, wild bore, the roe bucke, and the hare, is performed principally with dogs, horses, and strength of bodie, sometimes with ropes and nets, and sometimes with toiles: but these two sorts of taking of beasts are more fit for holiday men, milke sops, and cowards, than for men of valour, which delight more in the taking of such beastes, in respect of the exercise of their bodie and pleasure, than for the filling of the bellie.

Those dogges which are sit for the chace or for hunting, are most generally but of two kinds, yet particularly of diuers. The two generall sorts of dogges, are those which are called Grey-hounds, or Hounds:Grey-hounds and Hounds. Grey-hounds are those which belong to the leash, and are onely for the coursing of all sorts of wilde beastes by maine swiftnesse of foot, or by running: they doe not any thing more than their eies gouerne them vnto, being led by a naturall instinct or hatred which they beare to all sorts of wild beasts, Hounds are those which by vertue of their scents, smells, or noses do find out all manner of wild beastes, following their footsteps by a leasurely and moderate speede, not suffering the beast to rest till they haue tired him, and made themselues Lords of the the pray: all that they doe, is as it were blindfold, their eies seldome or neuer seeing the game till they come to deuoure it: and as the Grey-hound through his extreame swiftnesse and running, sheweth the greedie delight which hee taketh in the sport, without once opening his mouth or making the least signe of any noise, but being as it were dumbe and mute; so the hound taking a greater leasure, sheweth the delight and pleasure which hee taketh in the game, by his continual clamours or opening, spending his mouth in such liberall sort, that he makes the woods, valleys, and hills resound the eccho or doublings of his voice; and it is amongst hunts-men taken for a most excellent musicke: yet this crie of hounds or opening of their mouthes, is in no sort allowed to the liam hound, so long as he draweth in the string, all which time hee must be exceeding silent, and mute like vnto the grey-hound, as well for the discouerie of the game, or footsteps whatsoeuer hee draweth after, as to hinder all preuentions that the aduersarie may seeke when hee hath a warning giuen him by such clamours, for this drawing in the string, is the most sweetest discouerie of all other, and must bee done with the greatest diligence and priuacie. Now to speake of grey-hounds▪ first they are of all dogs whatsoeuer the most noble and princely, strong, nimble, swift, and valient, and though of slender and verie fine proportions, yet so well knit and [Page] coupled together, and so seconded with spirit and mettall, that they are master of all other dogs whatsoeuer: nay, it is most certain, that the perfect and true Grey-hound will euen face to face and tooth to tooth conquer the strongest and fiercest mastiue whatsoeuer: they are of all dogs the sorest bitten and least amased with any crueltie in their enemie, whence it comes that men esteeme them and prefer them before all other dogs for the encountring of the woolfe, and other beastes of his equall cruelty. Now of these Grey-hounds,Two sorts of Grey-hounds. their bee two kinds, the long shag-haired, and great boned Grey-hound▪ and the smooth, slender and sine shapt Grey-hound. Now some will adde a third sort which is indifferently mixt betweene both: but in as much as he is a mungrell and bast [...]dly bred betweene the two former, we will allow him no other place than as contained in the first: of these two sorts of Grey-hounds, the first which is the [...]hag-haired dog, is held most proper for vermine or wild beasts which are rauenous, as the Tyger, the Leopard, Woolfe, Foxe, and such like: the other which is smooth and more delicately proportioned, are best for wild beastes of pleasure, as the Stag, the Bucke, the Roe▪ the Hare, and such like. These Grey-hounds are of diuers colours, as some white, some blacke, some fallow, some dun, some brended and some p [...]ed, as hauing white mixt with any of the former colours: and these colours haue (as touching any particular goodnesse) no preheminence one aboue another, but are all equall, Many good a [...]d famous dogs hauing beene of all these seuerall colours, onely the white is esteemed the most beautifull and best for the cie, the blacke and fallow hardest to [...]ndure labour, and the dunne and brended best for potchers and night-men, who deligh to haue all their pleasures performed in darkenesse. Now for the choice of a good Grey-hound, [...] there are but two principall things to be obserued, that is to s [...]y, breed and shape, Breed, which is euer as touching his [...] and generation: for if a dog be not wel descended, that is to say, begot by an ex ellent dog, or an exc [...]llent bitch, there can be little hope of his goodnesse. Now in the breeding of Grey-hounds, there are diuersities of opinions, for some gentlement of the leash d [...]sire a [...]ost principall bitch, though the dog be but indifferent, and suppose that so they shall haue the best whelps, supposing (according to an old coniecture) that a bitch is swifter than a dogge; but it is an erronious fancie, for the good dogge will euer beate the good bitch, and the good bitch will euer beate the bad dogge: againe it is most certaine, that the dogge hauing aduantage both of length, strength, and courage, hee must consequently haue the aduantage of speed also. I doe not denie but that the bitch being much lesse than the dogge, (as naturally all are) may haue some aduantage of nimblenesse, and so in turnes, slips, and wries, may get much ground which the dogge commonly looseth: but yet notwithstanding, when the full account is cast, the good dogge will equall all those aduantages, and wheresoeuer the course shall stand forth long will beat out the good bitch and make her giue ouer.

There be other gentlemen of the leash, which desire a good dog, and respect not though the bitch be but indifferent, and this is the better choice, yet both defectiue; for where there is any imperfection at all, there nature can neuer be fully compleate. To breed then a good whelpe indeed,To breed a good w [...]lpe. you must be sure to haue both a perfect good dogge and a perfect good bitch, and as neere as you can make choice of that bitch which is most large and deepest chested, for from thence springeth both strength and wind. For the true shape of a good grey-hound, because it is the very face and charracter of goodnesse, you shall esteeme that dog which hath a fine, long, leane snakes head, with a cleere bright eie, and wide nostrells, a round bending necke like a mollard, with a loose thropple, and a full falling at the setting on of the shoulders, he must haue a long, broad, and a square beame backe, with high round [...]illets, and a broad space, hee must bee deepe swine sided, with hollow bended ribs, and a full brest, he mast haue rush growne limbes before, and [...]ickell houghes behind, a fine, round, full cats foot, with strong cleyes and tough soles, and an euen growne long rats taile, round turning at the lower end from the leash ward, and hee must bee full set on betweene the buttockes, and lastly hee must haue a very long, slender [Page] close hid pizell, and a round big paire of stones. The food which is best for grey-hounds, as touching their diet, is chippings or houshold bread scalded in beefe broth or other broth that is not too salt, and after made white with milke, or else the bones of veale which are verie soft and tender, or the bones of lambe, rabits, or other scraps comming from the Farmers table. In the time of coursing, or at other times, if your grey-hound be leane or out of heart, the best mea [...]e to raise him is sheepes heads boiled wooll and all in water together with oatemeale and synage, succorie, langdebeefe, and violet leaues chopt verie small together, and so boiled to pottage, vntill the flesh fall from the bones. The best food when a dog is in diet for a course, is to make him bread of wheate-meale and oate-meale mixt together, and finely bolted and knodden with a little water, whites of egges, barme, licoras, and anyseeds, and so bakt in good houshold loaues, and giuen morning and night with new milke or pottage which are warme. If the dogge at any time grow costiue, you shall giue him tostes which are made of the same bread, or of manchets, and steept in sallet oile. Grey-hounds when they are for the course, must bee walkt forth and ayred both morning and euening exceeding earely, as before day in the morning, and ver [...]e late, as about seuen or eight of the clocke at night: and when you bring your grey-hound home at night, you shall bring him to a faire [...]ire, and there let him beake and stretch himselfe, and doe you ticke him at the least an houre or more before you put him into his kennell. You must haue a very great and diligent care that when you course him hee bee exceeding emptie, as at least of twelue houres fasting more than for some small sop or bit or two onely to cherish or strengthen Nature. A brace of grey-hounds are enough at one time to course either Hare or Bucke withall, and two brace are sufficient to course the Stagge or Hind. Much more might bee said of the natures of grey-hounds, and the manner of ordering and dietting them for the course, but this small taste is sufficient both for the farmers vnderstanding, and to auoid tediousnesse. Now for the hounds whose natures I haue alreadie in patt discribed, and which hunt in great numbers, or as it were [...]lockes together, you shall vnderstand that they are of foure sorts, and dis [...]inguished by foure seuerall colours belonging to the foure seuerall sorts of hounds, that is to say, the white hound, the fallow or taund hound, the grey-hound, and the blacke hound.

The white are the best, for they are of quicke scent, swift, hot, and such as neuer giue ouer for any continuance of heate, or breaking off, because of the fe [...]ting of the horsemen, or the cries and noises of men, keeping the turnes and crossing better than any other sorts of dogs, & are more to be trusted: notwithstanding they loue to be attended with horsemen, and they do feare the water somewhat, especially in Winter when the weather is cold. Those which are altogether white are the best, and likewise those which are red spotted. The other which are blacke and dirtie, gray spotted, drawing neere vnto a changeable colour, are but of small value, and whereof there are some subiect to haue fat and tender feet.

The baie coloured ones haue the second place for goodnesse,The bay [...] [...]al [...]ow [...] dogs. and are of great courage, ventring far, and of a quicke scent, [...]inding out verie well the turnes and windings, almost of the nature of the white ones, saue onely that they doe not indure the heate so well, neither yet the treadings of the horsemen, and yet notwithstanding they bee more swift and hot, and feare neither cold nor water: they runne surely, and with great boldnesse, commonly louing the Stagge more than any other beast, but they make no account of hares. It is true, that they be more head-strong and hard to reclaime than the white, and put men to more paine and trauell about the same. The best of the fallow sort of dogges, are those which are of a brighter haire, drawing neere vnto the colour of red, and hauing therewithall a white spot in the forehead, or in the necke, in like manner those which are all fallow: but such as incline to a light yellow colour, being graie or blacke spotted, are nothing worth: such as are trus [...]ed vp and haue dewclawes, are good to make bloud-hounds. The white and baie dogs are not sit for any but Kings, Princes, and great Lords, and then not [Page] for gentelmen, because they course only the hart, and not all sorts of game.

The graie dogs do run well at all sorts of game,The gray dogs. that a man would haue them to hunt, but they are not so swift nor lustie as the others, especially such as haue their legs of a bay or fallow colour, drawing somewhat vnto a white: and yet notwithstanding they are hot and stout, not learing water of cold, running with great courage, and neuer giuing ouer the game till they haue killed: but indeed they auoid and shun heat, the footing of horses, and the noise of men, neither do they delight in the hunting of any beastes that are giuen to wiles and crosse windings: but in recompence hereof, it is possible that you may see them to ouer run the most swift and best dogs, especially after beastes that vse to run out right.

The blacke dogs are strong bodied,Blacke dogs. but they haue low and short legs, in like manner they bee nothing swift, howsoeuer they may bee of a quicke s [...]ent, fearing neither cold nor waters, and they doe delight most in coursing the rammish and strong scented beastes, as wild Bores, Foxes, and such like, because they neither haue mind, nor yet swiftnesse to course and take the beastes that bee swift in running. But whereas it is commonly giuen out and reported, that their are good dogs of euerie shape, it may bee so brought to passe, as that the hare may not make much for the arguing of the goodnesse of the dogge, and that there are found of all colours good and faire dogges: for this cause it is both meere and requisite that a dogge (of what haire or colour soeuer hee be) to the end hee may be faire and good,The mar [...]e [...] of a good hunting dog. haue these notes and markes following: his head must be reasonably thicke, rather long than flat nosed, his nostrells very wide and great, his eares large, and of a meane thickenesse, his backe crooked in compasse wise, his loynes great and thicke, his lippes thicke and large, his thigh round and trussed, his houghs straight and well set together, his taile thicke neere vnto his backe, and the rest of it small and leane euen to the end, the haire vnder his bellie stiffe, his legs great, the sole of his foot drie, and shaped like vnto the foot of a Fox, his nailes thicke, his hinder parts as high as his sore parts. The male kind must be short and crooked: but the bitch or female long.

The signification and meaning of these signes is such:The reason of these markes of a good hunting dog. his wide nostrels do argue his quicke scent: his vaulted backe and straight hams do argue his swiftnes: his taile thicke aboue, and slender downe to the end, both signifie that he hath a strong back, and wind at will: the stiffenesse of his haire vnderneath his bellie doth shew that he is willing & painfull, fearing neither water nor cold: his thick leg, fox foot, and thick nailes, doth signifie that he hath no sat or gouty foot, and that he hath strong limbs, to run long without griefe or annoiance.

But for as much as it is hard to get such hunting dogs when one would, as are both good hunters and faire withall, it will be requisite to prouide a faire bitch of a good race, strong, and of wel proportioned limbs, hauing great and large sides and flanks: and to procure her to be limed with a faire dog, hauing the markes that we haue spoken of before, and that at such time onely (if it be possible) as when the Moone is in the signes of Gemini and Aquariys, for the dogs that are gotten at such times are not so subiect to run mad, and besides, there will be of them moe dogs than bitches. When the bitch is with whelpe, and beginneth to haue a bagging bellie, she may not be set to course, least her young ones should bee kept from euer thriuing: her walke then must not be past the court or house, neuer shutting her vp in any kennell, because she is wearisome, and giuen to loath all meat. When she hath whelped (the fittest time for which is in March, Aprill, and May, rather than either in Winter, or in the time of great heat) and that the whelpes begin to see, they must bee [...]ed with cowes milke, sheepes milke, or goates milke, vnmixt and made warme, neither must they be taken from sucking the bitch, till they be two moneths old, and then feeding them with milke meats, bread, and all sorts of pottage, till they be ten moneths old, and all this while thus to keepe them in the kennell.

Hounds would bee fed all together in one kennell, meete and conuenient for them▪ The kennell for hunting dogs. to the end they may know and heare one another: because that those which are fed [Page] together, they become the better acquainted, and agree better in hunting than those that are of diuers kennels and places.

Their meat shall be bread made of a third part of wheate,The feeding and keeping of hunting dogs. a third part of barley, and a third part of rie, because that being so mixt it keepeth them faire and fat, and cureth them of many maladies: for and if it should be made of rie onely, it would make them scoure too much: if of pure wheat, it would bind too much in their bellies, and therefore the one mixt with the other. There must bee giuen them some flesh meate in Winter,Flesh-meate. but especially vnto those that are leane, and hunt the stag: but to those that hunt the hare you must neuer giue any, least they sleshing themselues vpon the greater game, they make light account of hares, which thrust themselues commonly into the middest of tame cattel [...] ▪ to shift off the dogges by that meanes, who vpon such occasion might leaue off the hare, and fall to course the tame cattell: but the dogs which hunt the hart would neuer do it, because the stag is of a more full and strong scent than the hare, as also because their flesh is more daintie and delicate than any other. The best flesh meat that can bee giuen them, and which doth strengthen them most, is horse-flesh, asse-flesh, and mules-flesh: but as for oxen, kine, and other such like, their flesh is to them of too eager and sharpe a substance. Their flesh meate must first haue their hide pluckt off, that so they may not haue any knowledge of the beast, nor of his haire. Good huntsmen make great account of pottage made of mutton, goates flesh, and oxe heads for their leane dogs, which hunt the hare:P [...]age. and you must mingle sometimes amongst these pottage a little brimstone to heat them withall.

As for your raw flesh meate (which amongst huntsmen it called ket) if you do not eate it all at a meale, you shall preserue it in some cleare running streame by suffering it to lie hid in the water till your next occasion to vse it. Oates ground hulls and all, and so scalded in hot water, is a very good mange or meate for hounds, and so is also your mill-dust scalded in the same manner. But if your hounds happen to fall weake, or sicke, or bee ouer hunted, then you shall take the bagges and intrailes of sheepe, hauing turned the filth and excraments forth, and washt the bagges well, and also the sheepes pluckes and boyle them in faire water with a good quantiof [...]atemeale, till the pottage bee thicke, and so giue it reasonably warme to the hounds: this is a soueraigne good meate, and it is very comfortable for weake and sicke dogs, of what kind soeuer they bee, and bring them into lust and strength sodenly.

Their kennell must be made in some place standing vpon the East, through the midst whereof dot [...]un some little riuer or spring. The place wherein the dogs shall lie, shall be builded with very white wals, and floores of boords close ioined, for [...]eare that spiders, fleas, wal-lice, and such like should breed there. He that shall be appointed to keepe them must be gentle, mild, and courteous, louing dogs of his naturall instinct, and such a one as will make them cleane, and dresse them carefully with wisps of straw and little brushes: being readie to giue them some prettie dainties to [...]ate, and to draw them alongst the greene corne and meadowes, as wel to giue them appetite to their meat, as also to learne them to run, and to cause them to passe through the the flockes of sheepe and other tame cattell, that so they may bee accustomed vnto them, and be made to know them.

I [...] the dogs be sicke,The diseases of hunting dogs. For [...] and verm [...]e. you must vse the remedies following: for lice, [...]leas, and other vermine▪ wherewith dogs are loden oftentimes, especially in the times of great heat, you must bath them, or at the least wash them and rub them with a wispe, with a decoction made of large quantitie, with ten good handfulls of wild cresses, wild marierome, sage, rosemarie, rue▪ patience, and fix handfulls of [...]alt, all being well boiled together to the consumption of the herbs.

To driue out wormes,Wormes. you must soke perrosin made into pouder, aloes po [...]dred, vnquencht lime, and liue brimstone made likewise into pouder, euen all these in one oxegall, and with this liquor rub the place infected with wormes.

If dogs be bitten of serpents,The [...]i [...]ing [...] Serpents. you must cause them to take downe the iuice of the [Page] leaues of ash tree incontinently: or else a glasse full of the decoction of rue, white mullein, mints and broome, whereunto must be added the weight of a French crown of treacle, applying treacle in like manner vnto the bitten place.

When the dogs are bitten of mad dogs, [...] they must forthwith be cast into a vessell of sea water nine times one after another: or for lacke of sea water, into common water wherein hath bin dissolued foure bushels of salt; & this will preserue them from going mad. And if it happen that you haue not prouided this remedie timely inough, but that now the dog is fallen mad, to the end that you may keepe the other from the same mischiefe, you shall be carefull, that the mad dog run not abroad, and therefore you shall kill him by and by, for it is but all in vaine and altogether impossible to goe about to cure such madnesse:Signes of madnesse. the signes of such madnesse are the drawing vp of of his taile at the vpper end, hanging the rest straight downe, a very blacke mouth without any froth, a heauie looke and that aside in ou [...]thwart and crosse manner.

Against the scabs, tetters, itch, and gauls of dogs, you must take three pounds of the oile of nuts, [...] one pound and a halfe of the oile of oile of lees, two pounds of old swines grease, three pounds of common honie, a pound and a halfe of vineger, and make them all boile together, to the consumption of the halfe of the vineger, putting thereto afterward of perrosin and common pitch, of each two pounds and a halfe, of new waxe halfe a pound, melt altogether, casting in thereto afterward the pouders that follow, a pound and a halfe of brimstone, two pounds of reboiled coperas, and twelue ounces of verdegrease, making them all vp together in an ointment: but they must be washed with water and salt, before they be annointed with this ointment.

For the wormes in dogs, you must make a drinke of the decoction wherein haue beene boiled wormewood,Wormes. southrenwood, and the shauings of harts-horne: or else cause them to swallow downe pils made of harts-horne, brimstone, aloes, and the iuice of wormewood.

When the dogs are tired, rub their feet with this restrictiue, made of the yelkes of egs, the iuice of pomegranets and soot finely poudred, all of it being wel mingled together, and left to settle one whole day.

Dogs are often hurt of wild bores in many parts of their bodies, and then according to the places where they are hurt,Hurts giuen by wild bores. they must bee ordered and looked to with dressing of their wounds. If the wound be in his bellie, and that the guts comeforth vnhurt, you must first put them in againe, and then afterward put into the bellie in the place where the hole is, a slice of lard, and so sow vp the skin aboue: but the thred must be knit of a knot and made fast at euerie stitch of the needle, and withall cutoff the thred at euery stitch so fastened: as much is to bee performed in the wounds that shall be made in other places, alwaies obseruing to put some lard into them.

For wounds which dogs shall receiue,Wounds. the iuice of the leaues of red coleworts is a very souerainge balme (being applied presently vnto the wound) healing them vp very speedily: or else take the iuice of Nicotiana, whereof we haue spoken in the second booke.

Against the canker breeding in the eares of dogs, taking a dramme of Sope, of oile of Tartar, Salarmoniacke, Brimstone, and Verdegrease, incorporated all together with white vineger and strong water, and rub the cankered eares therewith nine mornings.

If the dogs after they haue run in frost after raine, [...] of cold. and such other bad weather, or swum the riuers & lakes, after the game, come to take cold, presently as soone as they come to their kennell they must be chafed and dried at a great fire, and after that their bellies rubbed and wiped with wispes, thereby to wipe away the dirt sticking vnto them.

Oftentimes in coursing ouer the fields & rocks dogs come to haue the skin striken off of their feet: [...] for the remedying whereof, it will bee good first to wash their feet with water and salt, and after to make a cataplasme of the yelkes of egs beaten with [Page] strong vineger, and the iuice of the herbe called Pilosella.

I [...] in coursing they shall haue taken any thrushes vpon any part of their bodies,Knocks of thrushes. with the the tip of the harts horne, or with the bores tuske, you must applie to the place a plaister of the root of great comfrey, an emplaister of melisote and oile of roses, as much of the one as of the other: but before you applie the plaister, you must cut the haire away from the place where the griefe is.

To cause dogs to pisse, make them drinke the decoction of mallowes, hollihocks,Against the [...] of making water. the roots of [...]ennell and brambles made with white wine.

If dogs haue gotten any disease in their eares,The disease of the eares. drop therein veriuice mingled with the water of cheruile, continuing to do so three or foure mornings.

You shall find a larger discourse of the nature, conditions, differences and diseases of dogs in the first Booke, in the chapter of the kennell.

Yet because there is one other sort of hunting dogs, which although they are for birds and not for wild beasts, yet in their kinds they are as noble and as generous as any other dogs whatsoeuer, and as much in vse amongst great persons, and these dogs are called field or land spannels, of which sith before no Auther hath fully intreated: I will here giue you a little touch or tast of the nature, disposition, and manner of go [...]ening them. To speake then of the land spannell, you shall vnderstand, that he is be nature very gentle, courteous, and louing to the man more than any other sort of dogs whatsoeuer: they also naturally loue to hunt the wing of any bird whatsoeuer, especially partridge, pheasant, quaile, raile, poots, and such like: when you make choice of any spannell, you shall chuse him by his shape, beautie, mettall, and cunning hunting, his shape is descerned in the good composition of his bodie, as when he hath a round thicke head, a short nose, a long, well compast and hairie eare, broad and sydelips, a cleere red eie, a thicke neck, broad breast, short and well knit ioints, round feete, strong cleys, high dewcleyd, good round ribs, a gaunt bellie, a short broad backe, a thicke bushie and long haired taile, and all his bodie generally long and well haired: his beautie is discerned in his colour, of which the motleys or pide are the best, whether they bee blacke and white, red and white, or liuer hued and white; for to be all of one entire colour, as all white, or all bladke, or all red, or all liuer hued without any other spot, is not so comely in the field, although the dogs notwithstanding may be of excellent cunning: his mettall is discerned in his free and vntired laboursome raunging, beating a field ouer and ouer, and not leauing a furrow vntrodden or vnsearcht where any haunt is likely to bee hidden, and when hee doth it most coragiously and swiftly, with a wanton playing taile, and a busie labouring nose, neither desisting or shewing lesse delight in his labour at night than he did in the morning; and his cunning hunting is discerned by his casting about heedfully, and running into the wind of the pray he seeketh, by his stilnesse and quietnesse in hunting without babling or barking, but when hee is vpon an assured and certaine haunt, by the manner of his raunging, as when hee compasseth a whole field about at the first, and after lesneth and lesneth that circumference till he haue trodden euery path, and brought the whole circuit to one point; and by his more temperate and leasurely hunting, when he comes to the first scent of the game, sticking vpon it, and pricking it out by degrees, not opening or questing by any meanes, but whimpring and whining to giue his master a warning of what he scenteth, and to prepare himselfe and his hauke for the pleasure hee seeketh, and when he is assured of his game, then to quest out loudly and freely. Now it is to be vnderstood, that it is hard to haue one spannell to be absolute cunning in all the qualities of hunting, as to be an excellent raunger, an excellent finder, and an excellent retainer, because one qualitie is almost in nature cleere contrarie to another; for he that is a good and free raunger can neuer be confined or bound into one particular small compasse, but will out of his owne mettall breake forth into much larger compasse, and so both lose time in hunting, and also giue the game more leasure to get breath, or fleit away priuatly from the place where it was markt, and so deceiue the hauke of her expectation, and in like sort a good retainer which will sticke vpon the place whereto he is oppointed [Page] and will beat it ouer and ouer many times, euen as it were by inchmeale, neuer leauing till he haue sprung the game he seeketh, can neuer bee esteemed for a good raunger, because the leasure he taketh will not giue him leaue to rid much ground, and so likewise of all other seuerall qualities: therefore euery man must esteeme his spannyel for the one good qualitie he holdeth, and cannot for diuers, and so mixing his kennell of good raungers, good noses, and retainers, he shall bee sure to attaine to the vttermost height of his pleasure he wisheth. There bee some spannels which delight in the plaine and open field, and those are the best for the partridge, quaile, or raile: there be othe others which delight in woods, hedges, bushes, and couerts, and those are best for the pheasant and moore poo [...], and these are commonly the best retainers, and the former the best raungers.

There is also another sort of land spannyels, which are called Setters, and they diffor nothing from the former, but in instruction or obedience; for these must neither hunt, raunge, nor retaine more or lesse than as the master appointeth, taking the whole limits of whatsoeuer they doe from the eie or hand of their instructer: they must neuer at any time quest what occasion soeuer shall happen, but as being dogs without voices, so they must hunt close and mute, and when they come vpon the haunt of that they hunt: they shall sodainly stop and fall downe vpon their bellies, and so leasurely creepe by degrees to the game, till they come within two or three yards thereof, or so neere that they cannot presse neerer without daunger of retriuing, then shall your Setter [...]icke, and by no persuasion go further, till your selfe come in and vse your pleasure. Now the dogs which are to be made for this pleasure, should be the most principall best and lustiest spannyell you can get, both of good scent and good courage, yet young, and as little as may bee made acquanted with much hunting: the way to traine him to his knowledge, is by all louing meanes, or else awfull where loue taketh not effect, as by fasting, threatnings, and some stripes to make him both feare and loue you far aboue all other persons, and to that end you shall suffer him to receiue no good thing from any man but your selfe onely: when you haue made him thus enamoured of you, you shall (as men teach hounds to couch with bits and blowes) teach him to couch downe close vpon his bellie when you please, by saying Lie close, or such like word: for you are to vnderstand, that in this excercise, the principall thing which is to be respected, is constancie of words, that is by no meanes to vse many words, or change of words, for that breeds a confusion in the dogs braines, and makes them that they cannot vnderstand you, and where vnderstanding is taken away, there neuer looke to haue your will performed: therefore you shall neuer vse but one word for incouragement or cherrishing, as hay good dog, or such like, but one word for aduice or threatning, as Be wise, or such like, one word for performance of duetie, as Lie close, and one word for the bettering of his duetie, as Goe neere, and such like, and so forth for the performance of any other thing whatsoeuer. Yet I do not bind you to these words only & none other, but to inuent words, so they intend to this sence, as you please, and hauing made choice of your words, not by any meanes to alter or change them, but to vse your dog constantly to them that he may truely vnderstand when he is cherisht, when chid, when taught, when forewarned or aduised: for the whole art of making these setting dogs, consisteth in these words onely, for if one word being vsed, that word knowne, any man may hunt with the dog as well as his master, and so euery knaue greedie to steale him: but hauing libertie to make choice of your owne words, except you teach them, a man shall be neuer the better for hauing of the dog. To proceed then to our purpose, assoone as you haue taught your dog to lie close vpon his bell [...]e, you shall then make him creepe vnto you vpon his bellie, by leasurable and slow degrees, saying vnto him go neere go neere or such like, and euer obseruing in that as in all things else, to cherrish and reward him when he doth well, and to threaten or correct him when he doth amisse: and in this matter of correction, you must also be certaine, as in your words, and not vse diuers corrections, but one, as either to bite him or nip him by the care root, or other sencible part, where you may paine him, but not hurt or lame him. [Page] When your dogge will couch and creepe vpon his bellie, to make him the better delight in doing it, you shall lay a piece of bread three or foure yards before him,How to teach a Spaniell to [...] well. and then make him couch downe and creepe close vpon his bellie vnto it, and being come with his nose iust ouer it, not to take it till you giue him leaue: vvhich obedience when he hath shewed, you may then giue him leaue to eat it, and cherish him. When the dogge is verie perfect in this lesson, which is but only to bring him to obedience, and to the true manner of carriage and concealement of his bodie, you shall then take him abroad into the field, and giue him leaue to raunge, yet in such manner, that he got not an ynch further than you giue him leaue, but with the least hemme or threatening of your voice to be readie to come euen to your foot, although he be neuer so earnest vpon his game: the contrarie vvhereof, vvhen at any time hee sheweth, you shall not forget, but in the verie selfe-same instant beat and correct him verie soundly. Now when you haue brought him vnto that obedience, that he will raunge according to your pleasure either in large or little compasse, you shall then take care, that not at any time, or vpon any occasion whatsoeuer, that he dare to quest or open his mouth, but that he hunt so silent and mute as is possible: and if at any time hee offer to quest, though neuer so little, presently you must not forbeare, but correct him, till he come to an vnderstanding of your vvill therein: and when he vnderstandeth your vvill, yet notwithstanding doth quest, you shall not onely beat him, but lead him home, and tie him vp from meat till the next day, not ceasing to hunger-starue him, till hee doe performe your pleasure: vvhich done, then reward him liberally both with good meat and with plentie: vvhich the dogge once finding, hee will both for feare, loue, and the reliefe of his owne bellie, labour his vtmost to please you. Now as soone as you find your dogge is brought both vnto obedience and mute hunting, you shall then, as soone as you find him busie vpon any haunt, which you shall note by the businesse of his taile, and sticking long in one place, with a kind of secret whining, to shew that he is neere to that which he desireth: forthwith you shall draw neere vnto him, and giue him words both of encouragement and aduice, saying, Hay good dog, goe neere, or such like: and if you find him too busie or hastie, you shall threaten and bid him be wise, and such like, till you see him lie close vpon his bellie, and that he dare not goe any further: then you shall fetch a large compasse round about the place where the dog lieth, and cast your eie diligently into the couert to see whether you can find out the game, which as soone as you haue done, if you find that the dog hath set too far off, that is twentie or thirtie yards short, as timerousnesse and fearefulnesse will make a young dogge many times doe: then you shall incourage him and make him goe somewhat neerer, but if hee set within the compasse of three or foure yards, then you shall make him lie still, vntill such time as either your hauke bee at her pitch, or your nets bee spread, and then your selfe shall goe or ride into the couert and spring them, and the game being taken, you shall not forget to reward your dogge. Now if during this maine action of setting, which is after the dog hath first stucke and giuen you warning of the game, if hee shall vpon any occasion whatsoeuer, either by haste, negligence, or the frenzie of his owne desire, or otherwise by a too open carriage of his bodie doe spring the game before you bee readie for it, you shall instantly correct him foundly, and also tie him vp that night without any meate, keeping him so fearefully in awe of the game, that if at any time he shall, either by too hastie raunging, or anie other vnexpected chaunce, happen vpon the game vnawares, yet shall his feare so gouerne him, that hee shall vpon the verie instant sight of his error not onely stoppe suddainely, but also cast himselfe toppe ouer tayle backward, rather than by pressing forward an ynch endanger the springing of the game. Which vvhen at any time you perce [...]ue him to doe, you shall then immediately cherish him, notwithstanding the losse of your game at that instant, in as much as therein hee shewed a vvillingnesse to haue done the contrarie vpon any occasion, if mischance had not beene his hinderance. [Page] Now for the food vvhich is best for spanyels, it is that vvhich is before prescribed for greyhounds, as chippings, bones, and broken crusts of bread, scalded in vvater and milke, or the heads, plucks, and entrailes of sheepe, boyled with oatmeale: yet the setting spanyell vvould for the most part be fedde from the trencher vvith scraps of meat, bones, bread, and such like: for by reason that he must be kept much fasting, since he cannot hunt but vvhen he is exceeding emptie, it is verie fit that he be kept vvith as good as nourishing meat as can be gotten. Now to conclude this discourse of hunting dogges, you shall vnderstand, that there is one other sort of spanyels, and they be called vvater-spanyels, because they delight onely naturally in the vvater, and are imployed for the hunting of Duckes, Mallards, and all sorts of vvater-fowle: they are much larger and bigger bodied than the land-spanyels are, and a great deale more strong and Lyon-like made: their haire is also verie long, rough, and thicke curled, vvhich sheweth their hard constitution and abilitie to endure the vvater, albeit the vveather be neuer so fiercely and bitterly cold. They receiue all their vertues from nature, and not from instruction: and therefore to make any large discourse of them, vvere fri [...]olous: onely, for as much as they are verie necessarie to attend the fowler, for the fetching of his fowle out of the vvater, vvhen they are either lymed or strucken vvith the piece, it is meet that they be brought to great obedience, that is to say, to fetch, carrie, runne, couch, and creepe, vvhensoeuer a man pleaseth, least otherwise, out of the franticknesse of their owne natures, they scarre away the game vvhilest the fowler is the most busily imployed. These dogges are lesse tender than any of the other, and therefore any meat vvill serue them: neither would they be vsed to any nicenesse, because their most imployment is in the Winter season. And thus much touching hunting dogges and their gouernments.

CHAP. XXIII.
How young hounds are to be trained vp and made fit for the game.

IT is not y [...]o [...]gh to haue a number of good and faire dogges, vvell marked vvith markes, declaring both the said qualities, for they must ouer and aboue be taught and trained vp for the game. Wherefore the huntsman must first bring them to vnderstand the sound of the horne, to swim and haunt the vvater, that so they may be the more readie and forward to pursue the beast, if so be that he should seeke to saue himselfe by any running riuer or standing lake. Hee must lead them also once a weeke into the fields, but not before the age of sixteene or eighteene moneths, for before such age they are not throughly growne and well knit in all their members. But especially hee must well aduise to what kind of game he is purposed to vse them, as vvhether to course the Hart, or the Hinde, the wild Bore, or the Hare: for looke vvhat beasts you first runne them at, those will they best remember alwaies, especially if there be care had to looke any thing well vnto them.

You must not course with them in the morning, if possibly you can auoid it: for hauing beene accustomed to the coolenesse of the morning, and comming afterward to the height of the day, and feeling therein the heat of the Sunne, they will not runne any more.

You must not put on young dogges the first time within a toile, because the beast running altogether round, and therefore alwaies in the sight of the dogges, so when afterwards they should be brought to runne out of the toile, and by that meanes become [Page] cast any great distance behind the beast, it would be the cause of their giuing ouer and forsaking of the game.

It shall be for the better (to the end they may be the better trained and fitted) to put all the young ones together with foure or fiue old ones, at such time as you purpose to hunt with them. Neither shall you compell your young hounds to make more hast than their owne natures leads them vnto, but encouraging them to trust to their owne noses, let them take what leysure they please, and picke out the sent of themselues, that comming truely to vnderstand what they hunt, they may be mo [...]e perfect and readie in the same: vvhereas on the contrarie part, being compelled to hunt vp close with the older and swifter hounds, they hunt (as it were) by rote, catching the sent here and there, and goe away with it both vncertainely and ignorantly, and so seldome or neuer prooue sta [...]che or good hounds. It is also verie meete to enter all young hounds at the Hare first, because it is the sweetest and coolest of all sents vvhatsoeuer, and the hound which will hunt it, must necessarily hunt any other hoter sent vvith much more violence: for it is a rule, That vvhosoeuer can doe the hardest things, must forcibly doe things easier with lesse difficultie. Therefore first enter your hound (as before is said) at the Hare, least finding a sweetnesse and easinesse of hunting in the hoter sents, hee neuer after lay his nose to the cooler.

CHAP. XXIIII.
How that the Hart and the place where he haunteth and vseth to lie, would be knowne before yee course or hunt him.

KIngs, Princes,Hunting is for great states. and great Lords (to whom, and no others, belongeth the coursing of the Hart) haue not vsed to course the Hart, before they haue learned of their hunts-man vvhat manner of Hart he is, young or old, and whether he be a faire and great one, and such a one as deserueth to be coursed, and then afterward where his haunt and lodging is.

The hunts-man shall know the age and fairenesse of the Hart in respect of others,The marks of distinction betwixt Hart and Hart, as also of their ago. by iudgement of the forme of his foot, the largenesse of his tines, his dung, gate, beatings, breakings, and rubbings.

The sole of the foot being great and large, the heele also being thicke and large, the little cleft which is in the middest of the foot, being large and open, a large legge, a thick bone, being also short, but nothing sharpe, and the tippes of his clawes round and thicke, are signes of an old Hart. The elder Harts in their gate doe neuer ouer-reach the former foot with the hinder, for they tread short of it at the least foure [...]ingers: but it is not so in young Harts, for they in their gate doe ouer-reach and set the hinder foot more forward than the fore-foot, after the manner of the ambling Mule.The Hinde. The Hinde hath commonly a long foot, narrow, and hollow, with small cutting bones.

The excrement and dung of Harts is not alike at all times: for some is printed, othersome vvrythen round, and othersome flat and broad: and if it be large, grosse, and thicke, it is a signe that they are Harts of tenne tynes, that is to say, such [...] haue shot tenne small hornes out of the stocke. In Iune and Iuly they make their dung in thicke vvreaths that are verie soft: and yet there are some of them that make it flat and broad, vntill mid Iune: And from mid Iuly vnto the end of August, their dung is printed, grosse, long, and knottie, vvell hammered, annoynted, or gilded: and these are the markes to know Harts of tenne tynes from the old ones.

[Page] The cariages of a Hart are said to be,The cariages or largenesse of his tines. when a Hart passing through a thicke and twiggie vvood, hitteth with his head against the boughes of trees: for so it commeth to passe, that if the Hart be tall and large, the cariages will also be somewhat large. Now the iudgement vvhich the hunts-man can gather of the carriages, cannot be but from after Iuly vntill March: for the other foure moneths, that is to say, March, Aprill, May,The time when Harts cast their [...]. and Iune, the Harts cast their heads, that is to say, their hornes. True it is, that they begin to put forth new hornes by the moneth of Aprill, and as the Sunne mounteth higher, and grasse groweth higher also, and harder, so their homes grow and wax greater: so that by the middest of Iune their heads will be fully see and garnished with all that which they are to beare all the yeare long, prouided that they be in a good thriuing countrey, and come not by any hurt or annoyance. You may likewise iudge of their age by the tynes of their hornes: for as for the first yeare, they haue no hornes: the second yeare they haue their first hornes,To iudge of the age of the Hart by his hornes. which are called daggers: the third yeare, foure, sixe, or eight tynes: the fourth yeare, eight or tenne tynes: the fifth yeare, tenne or twelue: the sixth, twelue, foureteene, or sixteene: and in the seuenth, their hornes put forth the greatest number of tynes that euer they will beare, for after it they put forth no moe, but those grow greater which are put forth. Yet notwithstanding,The hornes of an old Hart. the old Harts will alwaies be knowne, by hauing the whole root of their hornes large and grosse, the bodie or stock very bright, and set with pearles, and strait and large heads, rather open than turned compasse-wise.

By the going of the Hart,The gate or going of the Hart. the hunts-man shal be able to iudge whether the Hart be great and long, and so likewise, if he will stand long in course before the dogges: for the Harts which haue long paces, hold out longer in coursing, than those which haue short paces, and they are also quicker, swifter, and longer breathed.

It is knowne if the Hart be tall and long-legged,The beatings and [...] of the Hart. and likewise of what bulke or bignesse his bodie is, by marking where he entreth into the thicke amongst brakes and small wood, which he shall haue let passe betwixt his legges: for looke at what height he hath beaten them downe with his belly, so high must you iudge him to be on his legges. The grossenesse of his bodie is perceiued by the two sides of the way which he hath touched with his bodie: for he will haue broken off the drie boughes and branches on both sides; so that thereby you may gather the grossenesse and greatnesse of his bodie.

As concerning the rubbings of the Hart,The rubbing of the Hart. by how much the elder they are, by so much the rather are they giuen to rub, and that vpon great trees: vvherefore, vvhen the huntsman shall perceiue the branches of the tree to be broken downe, then hee shall be able to gather the height and largenesse of the Harts head: howbeit, this is but a darke and obscure marke.

Thus and by these meanes it may come to passe,The knowledge of the Hart his priuie haunt and place of retra [...]. that the hunts-man may collect and gather the age and largenesse of the Hart, and yet notwithstanding remaine as ignorant as euer he was of the place where he lyeth, and from where he may find him in his secret haunt and priuie by-walkes. And therefore to be assured throughly, it behooueth him to haue some one or other verie good bloud-hound, hauing a verie quicke and exquisite sent, that so he may the more easily find out and follow the foot of the Hart: besides which meanes, it must be prouided, that the hunts-man be not ignorant of the places in generall,The Hart hath a seueral haunt euerie moneth. which the Hart is accustomed to resort vnto, although they be diuers, according to the moneths of the yeare; for Harts doe change their vvalkes and feeding euerie moneth, according as the Sunne mounteth and ascendeth: for which cause, in Nouember you must looke to find the Harts amongst furze, briers, or heath, the crops and flowers whereof they loue to brouze and feede vpon, thereby to restore nature after they haue beene at rut. In December they haunt the [...]nner parts and hart of the forrest, to purchase thereby the shield of the vvood against cold vvinds, snow, and the noysomenesse of frosts following raine. In Ianuarie they draw neere the corners of the forrests, and seeke reliefe amongst the greene corne-fields, vpon Rye, and such like. In Februarie and March, because they then cast their hornes, they hide themselues amongst the bushes, and so they continue likewise [Page] for all Aprill and May. In Iune and Iuly, they applie the cut-woods and corne, at which time they are in their prime, and fullest fatted: then also they seeke after water, because of the great heat which doth alter and change them, and drinke vp the dew and moistnesse of the wood, which then beginneth to wax hard. In September and October, they forsake the bushes and go to rut, and then they keeps no certaine place,The rut of the Hart. nor manner of feeding, because they range after the Hindes, and follow their waies and steps, carrying their noses close by the ground to take the scent of them, nothing regarding or carefull to find out by the wind, if there bee any secretly [...] to do them harme: as thus also they passe and spend both day and night, being so enraged and feruently caried away with the rut, as that they thinke that there is not any thing that can hurt them: then also they liue with a very small, as namely of that which is within themselues (alwaies following the steps and footings of the Hind) and next principally the great red mushrums, which helpeth to bring them to the pissing of their tallow, for which causes; they are very easily killed at such times, if the venison were good.

Thus the hunts-man may haue a generall notion of the haunt of the Hart, and so he shall not seeke in any other places, then where hee ordinarily maketh his abode. And now when by the meanes aforesaid, he is sure of the place, it remaineth onely that he learne his den or the place of his particular resort: and forthe diligent finding out of the same, he must go earely to the place, which he knoweth to be the generall haunt of Harts for the present time and houre, as is before declared: and he shall lead with him his bloud-hound that is not giuen to open, to foot him withall, hauing first wet his nostrels with good vineger,The meanes of finding out the particular place and lodging of the Hart. that so he may haue the better scent. He may also gather some perceiuerance by the other markes before specified, that is to say, by the prints of his feete vpon the grasse, by the carriages of his head, his dung, gate beatings, and rubbings which hee may make vpon such things as hee meeteth withall in his way: howbeit the hunts-man in this case must bee ruled according to the variablenesse of the place where hee maketh search, for it is one craft and s [...]eight to find the lodging of the Hart amongst the vnderwood, another amongst the corne fields, and a third kind of skill to find him out amongst the high woods, and they are better learned by practise in hunting and experience, than by instructions deliuered in writing: and to the end I may not be too tedious, I will say no more of this matter.

CHAP. XXV.
How the Hart must be hunted.

THe hunts-man after deligent search,The report of the hunts-man vnto the king. hauing gotten as well the fairenesse and largenesse of the Hart, as also the lodging, shall come and make report vnto the King, or vnto his Lord (for we haue said before that the hunting of the Hart belongeth vnto Kings, Princes, and great states) of his indeauour, representing vnto him the dung of the Hart which he shall haue marked, making rehearsall withall of the markes and notes of the Hart which hee hath seene: and then his Lord may make choice of and appoint the day and houre, for the hunting of the hart in the place which hath bin foretold by the hunts-man.

The day appointed,Three sorts of dogs, as bloud-hounds, coursers, and for easements. the horsemen must bee readie to bee gone earely in the morning, hauing with their guid and dogs (as well their bloud-hounds and coursers, as those which are to be put on in a set and certaine place for the easing of those which had him in chace before) as also whatsoeuer other their necessarie furniture.The m [...]e dog is [...] which openeth, not but followeth the trace of the Hart. And when they are come to the place, they shall make diligent search to find out where the Hart is lodged, and that both by their bloud-hound that will not open, as also by other meanes that they may deuise and inuent before they make choice of any [Page] standing for their dogges, either coursers, or of easement. When they haue cast about the couert, and found the layre of the Deere, they shall take vp the Lya [...] hound, and first place the Hewed round about that side of the vvood, out of which they would by no meanes haue the Deere to breake through or passe. This Hewed is a certaine companie of men coasting that side of the couert about, and making continuall noyses and clamors, whereby they may affright the Deere from daring to attempt to come neere that coast. Then on that side through which they would haue the Deere to passe, and where the course shall be made, there they shall in senet stands, made in the trees, twentie paces vvithin the vvood, place the Bowes, vvhich, as the Deere shall passe by, may shoot according to their skils and fortunes. And this coast shall be kept with all the secretnesse and priuacie that may be: and great regard shall be had of taking the vvind,How to place the greyhounds for Te [...]sers, Reset, & Bac [...]t. least the Deere find offence as he is hunted. When the Bowes are placed, then on the next champion ground, and as neere the couert as you can conueniently, you shall place your Teasers, that is, the first brace of greyhounds for the course, vvhich should be the lightest, nimblest, and swiftest dogges you haue, that putting the Stagge to the vtmost of his speed at first, he may be the lesse able to endure his course foorth. Then a quarter of a myle before them, or more, according to the quantitie of ground, you shall place your Reset, vvhich vvould be a brace of greyhounds somewhat stronger than the former, vvhich comming in more fresh, may pinch sorer, and make the Deere in more despaire of safetie. Lastly, a quarter of a myle before them, you shall place your Backset, vvhich vvould be two of the strongest and forest biting greyhounds you can get, vvho taking aduantage of the Stagges wearinesse, and comming to pinch, may there hold him, vvithout suffering him to tunne further. When you haue thus placed your course, you shall then take your hunting hounds, and vncoupling them, cast them off into the couert, encouraging them both with hornes and voices, till they haue the Deere on foot, and so hunt him,Directions how to hunt the Deere with hounds onely. till you haue brought him to take his end at the Bowes, or in the course. But if you make no vse either of Bowes or Greyhounds, but onely intend to hunt the Stagge at force with hounds onely, then as soone as you haue cast off your hounds, and got the Stagge on foot, you shall by all the diligent meanes you can, get sight of him so soone as is possible, and vpon his view take such speciall and true knowledge of him, that vvhensoeuer you shall crosse him, you may know him from anie other Deere vvhatsoeuer: And then you shall giue good heede vnto his manner of hunting, and vnto the sleights vvhich hee vseth in the chase; of all vvhich vvee shall speake seuerally hereafter. And in case your hounds may be ouer-haled and vvearied by the long standing of the Stagge, it shall not bee amisse to haue hounds of easement in some conuenient place, vvhich you may cast off in the middest of the day to relieue the former, and make the chase or royle much shorter.

The Hart being once perceiued by the horsemen,Dogges of easement are such as are rested to runne when others are wearie. or winded by the bloud▪ hound, they must place their dogges of easement at three or foure seuerall stands, and certaine places, to the end that they may ease the other dogges which are wearie with running, or haue lost the footing of the Hart, and so by them giue new chase vnto the beast: and such dogges of easement shall bee so set in companies, that if the first faile and giue ouer the chase, yet the later may be the more strong, able, and fierce kind of dogge,The placing of the dogges of easement. following the chase, not coldly, a farre off, and behind, as the others, but leading the way before all the rest, and that with great stoutnesse and courage.

The dogges of easement being placed in standings most conuenient, the coursing dogges must be vncoupled for to runne; regard being had according to the place where the Hart was seene.

The horsemen tending vpon the companie of dogges, shall second the coursing dogges, and wind their horne, the more to encourage them, casting [...] in the way of the Hart, thereby to hinder his swiftnes in running, if so be the [...] not alreadie cast some therein, in his watch, at such time as he made search to find out [Page] the lodging of the Hart, or else the horsemen themselues, before the vncoupling and letting loose of the coursing dogges. In the meane time, if it fall out, that the Hart in his course doe happen to passe neere vnto the dogges of easement, the horseman which keepeth the same, must marke whether the Hart be pursued with anie of the companie of the coursing dogges, and then presently to vncouple the companie of his dogges of easement, hallowing and whupping the dogges continually, and casting of boughs of trees in the way where the Hart should passe: but if he pe [...]ceiue that there be not any of the companie of the coursing dogges, neither yet heare any noise of the men that are hunting, hee must not vncouple any of his dogges, but onely marke the way that the Hart runneth, to make report thereof to the companie, to the end hee may know whether the same be the Hart in chase, or no: because that sometimes Harts are driuen through feare out of the places where they vse to lye, hearing the noise of the companie of the dogges and horsemen.

In the meane time, the horsemen appointed to wait vpon the companie, must alwaies second and keepe by the sides of the dogges, to cause them the better to keepe and agree together, and to helpe them at a default, if at any time they happen to be out of the trace, and not to follow the right way.

They must also haue a care of the vviles and sleights of the Hart,The [...] of the Hart. vvho vvhen hee seeth himselfe neere pursued by the dogges, indeuoureth and bestirreth himselfe how to acquire and rid himselfe of them, making many windings and turnes, and that in diners manners.

For sometimes hee busieth himselfe about the finding out of the dennes of other beasts,The moliciousnes of the Hart. hiding himselfe therein, and letting the dogges by that means to ouerslip him, as not being able to find the sent of him, hauing couched his foure feet vnder his belly, and drawing his breath from the coolenesse and moisture of the earth. Againe, he hath this subtletie and craft by nature, as to know, that the dogges doe gather more sent from his breathing and feet, than from any of the rest of the parts of his bodie. But to preuent this his craftie wilinesse, you must haue cast many boughes in the entrances of such thickets as the Hart is to passe by, to the end they may the better find the last feeting and breathes, which will yeeld some neere guesse of the place wherein he shall be hid.

Othersome times, vvhen the Hart seeth the dogges chasing him, and that he cannot auoid himselfe from them, hee goeth from one thicket to another, seeking the haunts of Hindes, and other lesser Harts, and thrusteth himselfe into their companie: and moreouer, sometimes draweth them away, and causeth them to runne with him the space of a whole houre or more vpon his way, afterward casting them off, and making way for himselfe out of and farre from any way. And if it happen that his wiles be found out by the exquisite sent of the dogges, and wisedome of the hunters, then he casteth about into his first way, to breake off by that meanes his [...]ormer traces, and thereby to mocke the dogges: then after that, hee entreth into some large and wide way, which he followeth so long as his strength will endure. To auoid these sleights, the horsemen must haue an eie when the Hart shall fall into companie of other beasts, and runne away with them, to the end they may stirre vp the old dogges of the companie to pursue the Hart with greater carefulnesse, keeping neere about them to helpe and aid them: and if the Hart haue taken the broad way, to the end he may take away all sent from the dogges (for this is a most [...] thing, that all sorts of beasts doe passe through the broad waies, whose earth turneth into powder) in such sort, as that the way of the Hart, and the places which the horne of his foot did tread vpon, become quickly filled vp againe and couered by the falling together of the dust, the horsemen must looke very carefully, and view the ground very well, to see if they can perceiue any traces of the Hart, and then they shall cast the boughes out of their way lustily, and encourage their dogges, calling vnto them in cheerefull and cherishing manner.

Againe, it sometime falleth out, that Harts doe run ouerthwart the burned grounds where the dogges can haue no sent, because the smell of the fire is greater than the sent [Page] of the Hart: yea, and sometimes the dogges doe giue ouer coursing, hauing drawne into their nosthrils this euill smell: vvhereupon the horsemen must goe aside a little out of their way with the dogges, vntill such time as they be got past the same, and then bringing their dogges into order againe, let them encourage and cheere them forward to follow the game.

Sometime the Hart runneth a contrarie course to that by which he is winded, to the end that his breath may be scattered and dispersed, and that it may not come to the sent of the dogges, as also that he may heare the noise of the dogges vvhich chase him, and then the charge lieth vpon the horsemen to marke his steps and traces.

Againe, there be some Harts, which in going from the rest doe make breaches, casting themselues vpon their bellies before the horsemen, and shew themselues to be put forth by the dogges, as if they were wearie, and had beene long chased: these wiles doe shew them to be verie subtle and long winded, able to stand a long time before the dogges, trusting in their strength: and this the horsemen must beware of, to the end they may be able to iudge of the deceitfulnesse of the Harts: for sometimes they faine themselues ouer-chased, when indeed they are not.

The signes and tokens shewing that the Hart hath beene long chased,The signe [...] and tokens of a Hart ouer-chased. are these: if in running before the dogges he neither heare nor see any man: if he hang downe his head, holding his nose vnto the ground: if he stumble and stagger, reeling with his legges: afterward, if he see a man vpon the suddaine, he lifteth vp his head, and giueth a great leape, as who would say he were yet strong and lustie: furthermore, if he haue his mouth black and drie, without any froth, and his tongue drawne vp into the [...]ame: if in his gate he shut his hoofe, as though he went steadie, and yet afterward on the suddaine straineth himselfe, and openeth it, making great sl [...]dings, suffering his bones to kisse the ground verie often, following commonly the trodden path and broad waies: likewise, if he meet with a hedge, he holdeth along by the side of it, to see if he can find any out-gate, seeing his strength faileth him to leape ouer.

Now after his long running and manifold shifts,The Hart long chased, when he becommeth wearie and spent, and that he cannot longer stand out, being past all hope of himselfe, he leaueth the low vvoods and forrests, and flieth to the champion fields, or vnto the corn-fields and villages bordering next thereto, or else he betaketh himselfe to some riuer or lake, whereby it falleth out oftentimes, that he auoideth and freeth himselfe of the coursing dogges: for in champion places and void fields the sent of the footing of the Hart is verie small: and as for riuers and lakes, he hath the craft rather to take downeward with the streame, than to swimme vpward against the streame, to bereaue the dogges by that meanes of comming by the sent of him.

The horsemen shall see to such his escapes: and therefore if he haue taken his way into any champion ground, they shall find out his traces by the sight of the eye, and with the blast of the horne they shall cheere vp and encourage their dogges to a new course. If the Hart haue taken the water, whether it be for the cooling of himselfe, or as the vttermost refuge he hath for the sauing of his life, the hunter shall looke at what place the Hart shall haue taken the same, and there cast in good store of boughes, attending his passage: and if they see that he commeth not out of the water, they shall cause their dogges to take the water: or else (if they be afraid of causing them to take cold) they shall send to seeke a boat: or else if they can swimme, they shall put off all their clothes, and with a dagger in [...] and swimme vnto him to kill him: and yet they must looke, that they see not vpon him, but in some deepe place, because that if the Hart find ground for his feet, he would be able to hurt one of them with his horns, whereas in a deepe place he hath no strength.

Furthermore,To become to stand to the [...]ay. there must great wisedome be vsed in the hunting of the Hart, when he can no longer hold out, but being out of all hope of his life, standeth still, and suffereth the dogges to barke at him, for then he groweth dangerous, as being giuen to strike with his hornes the first of the hunters that he can mee [...] withall: And this is the cause why it is growne to a prouerbe,The Beere for the Hart, and the Barber for the Bore. A Beere for a Hart, and a Barber for a vvilde Bore. Wherefore it standeth euerie man vpon to looke vvell to himselfe [Page] in comming neere vnto the Hart when he endureth the bay, and not to aduenture too farre, and hazard himselfe too boldly.

When the Hart is taken, he that shall haue giuen the blow, shall [...]orthwith thereupon sound the retrait, to the end hee may call together his fellow hunters and the dogges: and after he hath presented the right foot of the Hart vnto the King, or vnto his Lord, then to cut him vp as he shall know it meet to be done In the meane time he must not forget to take care of the dogges, and to giue them some reliefe & sustenance of the prey they haue gotten in hunting: vnto the bloud-bound, that is, vnto the dog which by his sent hath led the way to the Hart his lodging, he shall cast the head and the heart, as his right and due: vnto the rest he shall giue the necke and braine of the Hart, or which is better, he shall take bread and cut it into little lunches into to a panne with cheese, and temper the same both together with the bloud of the Hart in his greatest hea [...], and afterward put all this prouision forthwith vpon the skin, stretched forth vpon the grasse, and in the meane space euery man shall put his horne vnto his mouth, and therewithall comfort and cheere vp the dogges.

Some men vse now and then (and yet after this first prouision) to make a second with the entrailes of the Hart all whole, which the master hunts-man doth cast vnto the dogges after they haue ended their feast, holding them vp on high: and whiles the dogges are eating these entrails, they must be cheered vp with the noise of the hornes, shoutings, and hallowings.

CHAP. XXVI.
Of the profit that may be reaped by the killing of the Hart.

NOtwithstanding, that the hunting as vvell of the Hart, as of other vvilde beasts, be vndertaken and performed by great States rather for the exercise of the body and recreation of the spirits, than for any other desire and hope; yet the killing of the Hart is not without great profit, and that in two respects: the first being for the making of meat thereof: and the second, for the medicinable helps which may be made of his parts and members.

As concerning the meat made of the Hart: his flesh is not very pleasant,The fl [...]sh of the Hart. if it be not of that part of him which is commonly called the pizzle: for to speake generally according to the truth, Harts flesh is verie hard, of an euill iuice, melancholicke, hard to digest in the stomacke, and verie apt and easie to procure many great diseases. It is true, that many great Ladies (hauing an opinion, that the flesh of Harts being eaten often, doth free and deliuer men from all danger of Agues, because the beast himselfe is not subiect at all thereunto) at their rising euerie morning haue accustomed to taste of Harts flesh: notwithstanding, vvho so is carefull of his health, should not touch anie such flesh, except it be of some tender Fawne, or young Hiude, vvhich are made seruices for the most part at the Tables of Princes and great Lords.

The medicinable helpes vvhich may be prepared and made of the Hart, are infinite.

Some find a bone in the heart of the Hart (howsoeuer there be some that thinke it to be false) which is singular good against faintnes,The bone in the Harts heart. or swowning, trembling, and beating of the heart, and other effects of the same, as also against the venimes, poysons, and dangers of the plague, and likewise against the hard [...]rauell of vvomen.

The bloud of the Hart fried in a frying-panne,The bl [...]ud of the [...]art. and put in clysters, doth heale the bloudie flux, and stayeth the flux of the belly: being drunke with vvine, it is a soueraigne remedie against poysons.

The priuie member of the Hart washed diligently in water,The priuie parts of the Hart. and the water wherein it hath beene so washed, drunken, appeaseth forthwith the paine of the collicke, and [Page] retention of the vrine: if it be steept in vineger the space of foure and twentie houres, and afterward dried and made in pouder, the weight of a French crowne of this pouder being drunke with water of plantine, [...]ux of bloud. stayeth the fl [...]xe of bloud, and all manner of fluxe of the bellie. Likewise dried and poudred, it may be mingled with remedies which haue power to prouoke carnall copulation. It may also bee made seruiceable and of good vse in the ple [...]risie, and against the bitings of Serpents, if it be taken either alone or mingled with things which are good for such diseases.

The horne of the hart burned, made in pouder and drunke with honie, killeth the wormes, [...] which is a signe that the harts horne hath great vertue against venome, and that not much lesse than the horne of the vnicorne.

The tender hornes of a young hart [...] in small gobbets, and put in an earthen pot wel leaded, and close stopped with clay, and afterward put in a hot furnace vntil such time as they be dried (they may also be beaten to pouder, [...] putting thereto pepper and myrrhe) do yeeld a pouder which is singular good against the cholicke taken in excellent wine.

The marrow and sewet of the hart are good to make liniments and cataplasmes for cold gou [...]s, [...] and tumours that are hard, and not easily softned.

The hunting of the wild Bore.

CHAP. XXVII.
The best time to hunt the wild Bore, and the markes of a good wild Bore.

IT is certaine that the hunting of the wild Bore is a great deale more difficult and daungerous than that of the Hart, [...] hunting of [...] wild bore [...]gerous. in asmuch as the wild Bore doth not feare the dogs, but tarrieth and stayeth their comming, and which is more, doth sometimes set vpon them so far as till he be amongst them, [...]uds made the wild [...] dangerous. and all to the end hee may teare and rent them with his teeth, whose wounds (especially those that are giuen into the chest of the bodie) are (as it were) incurable. Wherefore the good hunts-man that maketh any account of his dogs, for to hunt the Hart, the Roe-bucke and Hare, must neuer giue chase to the wild Bore with his coursing dogs, but rather with some companie of mastiues, whose proper pray the wild Bore is: or else which is better to find the meanes to take him in toiles, or to kill him with a wile and a speare, as we shall further declare.

But howsoeuer the matter go, yet this is to be knowne, that all Bores are not fit to be hunted, [...]. but such onely as are not past foure yeares old, howsoeuer they may bee otherwise both faire, great and fat: for after foure yeares the wild Bore groweth l [...]ne through oldnesse of age, and forthwith looseth all his goodnesse. Againe all times are not fit to hunt them in, [...] but onely when they are in season and in the best plieght, as namely from mid September to December, at which time they begin to go to rut: and yet in Aprill and May they are more easie to be taken in toiles, than at any other time, because they sleepe more in this season than at any other time: and the cause is, for that they feed vpon strong herbes, which stirreth the bloud, and sendeth vapours vp vnto their braine, whereby sleepe is brought vpon them: againe the Spring time doth then restore and renew their bloud, whereby they are brought to take great ease and rest.

The hunts-man therefore shall know the fairenesse of the Bore, [...] markes to [...] a wild [...] worth the [...]ting. [...]. and that hee is worth the hunting, by these markes, that is to say, by his traces, rooting, foile, and dung.

The prints of his traces great and large: the taking of the trace before, round and grose: [Page] the cutting of the sides of the traces vsed, but not shewing themselues cutting, the heele large, his gards grosse and open, wherewith he must tread vpon the ground in the hard wheresoeuer hee goeth: all these things declare him to bee a faire and great bore. In like manner the traces behind being larger than those before, doe shew the thicknesse of his haunches: the wreathes and wrinkles which are betwixt his gards and the heele, if they make their prints vpon the ground, do shew that his steps are great and long. The markes of his traces deepe and wide, do shew also his heauienes and corpulencie. The rootings of the bore being deepe and large, do note the thicknesse and length of his head.

The soile of the wild bore being long, large, and great, doth note and argue the bore to be great: or else in going from the soile, his greatnesse may be known by the entrances of the thickets, by the leaues and herbes which the soile hath touched, because that at such time as hee commeth out of it, he beare [...]h d [...]rt and mire vpon him, and therewith the leaues are bemired, as he goeth amongst them; and hence is gathered his height and breadth: or else it falleth out oftentimes, that the wild bore after he hath bin at soile, goeth to rub himselfe against some one tree or other, and there hee leaueth the marke of his height.

The dung of the wild bore being thicke and long, doth shew the greatnesse of the wild bore, howbeit the hunts-man is not to present it vnto the companie, but onely giue them the view of it in place as it lieth.

CHAP. XXVIII.
Of the wild Bore, tame Swine, wild Bore and wild Sow, and of their haunt.

THe difference betwixt wild Bores and tame Swine is this: The wild Bore in his gate doth alwaies set his hinder feet in the stepts of his forefeete,The difference betwixt the wild bores and the [...]ame swine. or very neere, and doth pitch his steps rather vpon the forepart of the foot, than vpon the heele, resting notwithstanding his gardes vpon the ground, spreading the same abroad thereupon vnto the vtter sides: the [...]ame Swine in their gate do open the cleft of their hoofe before, pitching rather vpon the heele than vpon the forepart of their foot, and their hinder foot doth not ouer-reach their fore-foot: the sole of their foot is full of flesh, so that the prints of their steps cannot bee but vneuen, contrarie to that of the wild Bore. In like manner the wild Bore maketh deeper rootings, because he hath a longer head, and when he commeth in [...]ields that are sowne, he willingly followeth one furrow, nu [...]ling all along the ridge vntill he come to the end of it: which the [...]ame hog vseth not to doe, for hee neither turneth vp the earth in so deepe manner, nor yet followeth on along with it as the wild Bore is accustomed to do, but hee casteth vp one peece of ground in on place, and another in another further off, crossing the ridges, the one of them not reaching vnto the other. Furthermore, when the wild Bores goe vnto the corne, they bear [...] down the same all in a round; but so do not [...]ame Swine. The wild Bore also hath this particular propertie, namely, that he is neuer meazelled as the [...]ame Swine wil be.

The difference betwixt the wild Bore and the Sow is this:The difference betwixt the wild Bore and the wild Sow. The Bore goeth wider with his hinder legs than the Sow, and commonly setteth his hinder steps vpon the edges of his foresteps on the out-side, because of the thicknesse of his hanches and stones, which cause them to go wider dehind, which the Sowes do not; for they are emptie betwixt the hanches, for which cause they tread narrower. The Sow maketh not so good a heele as the bore, and hath her hoofe longer and sharper before, and more open, her steps and soles of her feet behind, more narrow than the Bores. The bore with much adoe, and hardly, will be brought to crie when he is killed, but the Sow will not let to make you heare her aloud.

[Page] The wild Bore hath no certain abode, [...]. and as some say, he is but a traueller, because he doth nothing but runne from one forest and wood to another: and yet hee taketh great delight to remaine in the countrie and place where hee was bred: in so much as that if he be hunted by dogs from any bush or forest, he is still readie to run without any stay, vntill he come in the countrie from whence he first came, and where hee was bred; for there hee setteth vp the rest of his safegard, and maketh it the onely refuge of all his force and strength: he is also oftentimes found in the countries where small nuts and beech mast may bee come by, for he more delighteth to feed of them than of acornes.

CHAP. XXIX.
Of the taking of the wild Bore.

AS concerning the hunting of the Bore, it craueth rather many men than dogs; for there is no greater cut-throat to dogs than the wild Bore: and yet there may dogs be vsed, but with such discretion, as that the horse-men be alwaies mingled with them, and pressing vpon the Bore as valiantly and forcibly as they can: for when hee seeth himselfe set vpon with hors-men and dogs both at once, euen vpon the first push they besetting him hard, do astonish him, and cause him to loose whatsoeuer his courage, and in steed of wrecking his furious moode vpon the dogs, hee is constrained to run away and flie the countrie. Then also you must let slip some of your fresh dogs, or dogs of easement, but let them not be young nouices, but rather old ones, and such as haue beene well trained and taught, that they may succour the first, and force the Bore to a more speedie flight. And you need not feare that he should betake himselfe to any turnings, [...] Bore is giuen to [...]nings and [...]. windings, or other deceitfull trickes, because he is heauie, and that the dogs are able to follow him close and hard by. But when after long chase the horsemen see that the wild Bore doth endure the abbaie (which he will neuer do vntill he bee mightily vrged) they must forthwith, but as priuily as they can compasse him about, and set forward all at once directly towards him, hauing in their hands euery one his sword, and not failing to kill him: and yet notwithstanding they must not hold their hand low, for so they should light vpon his head, but they must rather beare their hands on high, and strike at him with their swords, to giue him deepe blowes, but taking heed that they strike not the Bore on that side next their horse, but rather on the fide further off; for looke on what side he feeleth himselfe hurt, that way he turneth his head presently, and so he might either kill or wound the horse. This is a most certaine trueth, that if there be dog collers hung with bells put about the dogs necks which are called coursers, when they hunt the Bore, that he will not kil him so soone, but run away before them, neuer comming to the abbay.

CHAP. XXX.
The profit that commeth of the killing of the wild Bore.

THe profit comming of the killing of the wild Bore is twofold, as is that of the Hart: the one concerning food, and the other concerning medicine, for which it may be imployed and vsed.

As concerning nourishment, the flesh of the Bore is better without all comparison than that of the Hart, for the proofe whereof I refer me to the stately [Page] bankets of the auncient Romans, who so greatly esteemed Bores flesh, as that they did serue them all whole vpon the table. The princes and great lords of this our age do prize it highly, but especially, and aboue the rest, the head of the bore, as being iudged a delicate and daintie fine morsell: young and tender wild Bores, are likewise very well accounted of, in Winter feasts and bankets. And to say the truth, the flesh of the wild bore doth nourish very much, and begetteth great quantitie of good blood: which are the causes why Physitians make such reckoning thereof, especially when the Bore is taken by hunting.

As for the Physicall helpes,The vrine of the wild bore. the vrine of the wild Bore hath many vertues: you must take the bladder of the wild Bore, wherein there is yet some quantitie of vrine, and with this vrine mingle a little quantitie of oyle, hanging vp the same bladder in the smoake of the chimney, and let it abide there vntill the vrine therein become somewhat thicke, and of the consistence of hony: which done, it must bee carefully kept in the bladder, to vse to annoint the nauell, temples, and nostrels of young infants withall which are tormented and pained with wormes,Worm [...] in young children. which thing I haue often experimented with good successe. This vrine likewise thus prepared, doth break the stone of the bladder,The stone. especially if there bee some small quantitie of it taken inwardly in drinke; his gall likewise is good against grauellThe grauell. and the stone.

The hunting of the Hare.

CHAP. XXXI.
Of the pleasure of the hunting of the Hare, and of the dogs that are fit for the same.

CErtaine it is that the hunting of the Hare is more pleasant, more liuely, and lesse costly (not onely for gentlemen, but also for all men of estate) than of any other beast, because it is accompanied with a thousand prettie pleasures and recreations euerie houre, and of small charges, besides the securitie thereof, and the auoiding of the daungers and inconueniencies which are many, and happen oft to such as hunt the Hart and the wild Bore: whereunto you may adde the great contentment, and no small pleasure which may be taken in seeing as it were the spirit of this little beast, as it were admirable in nature, and the sleights which she vseth to shift and rid her selfe from the dogs that chase her. Such game we will allow our Farmer, yea, and so as that I could wish him to vse it as oft as hee can, for it cannot but affoord him both pleasure and profit.

And whereas this game consisteth principally vpon multitude of dogs, the gentleman that will doe the deede,To fit the dogs for to hunt [...] the Hare. and hath a young companie of dogs to teach, must obserue two things principally, to traine and instruct them well. The first is, that from the beginning he accustome them to goe vncoupled, and to run in all sorts of grounds and countries, that is to say, vpon plaines, vnderwoods and thickets: for otherwise if you accustome them from the beginning to run in one place onely, as in woods or grounds that are fallen, and haue the wood cut downe, they will not make any reckoning of the plaines and fields, but they will goe and raunge the grounds where they haue beene accustomed to find sport and take their pleasure in finding the Hare. The second is, that he neuer teach his dogs to hunt in the mornings, because of the dew & coolenes of the earth, but rather in the height of the day: for if you vse them to the coole seasons, and then afterward bring them to hunt at the height of the day, they feeling any heat or small wind will not afterward hunt any more.

Wherefore the fittest time to traine young dogs vp in, and to make them fit for the hunting of the Hare, is after September vnto December, because that then the [Page] time is temperate, as also because that the young hares are foolish, and but weake bodied, neither skillfull, nor able to worke their wiles: and besides, because they themselues doe start of themselues many times before the dogs which take pleasure therein, and become better entred and enured thereby, than they would bee, if they should be hares that would run away and be packing apace from them.

CHAP. XXXII.
The markes of a good Hare, of the male and of the female, and of their formes.

NOw although in hunting of the Hare, the hunter taketh what hee can haue, and not what hee can find, because of the swiftnesse and wilinesse of this little beast, which oftentimes disappointeth him of his purpose: notwithstanding if at any time it bee graunted the hunter by the good hap of hunting to chuse the best Hare amongst many, or else that some Lord, not willing to loose his labour, hath sent his hunts-man to find the Hare before hee hunt her; the markes of a good and faire Hare, and such a one as deserueth to be hunted, [...] markes of a [...] and faire [...]. are these: Those which keepe in woods or plaines, or which feed vpon little hills vpon the herbe Penniroyall, or wild Time, are much better than they which keepe neere the waters, as also better than the little red Hares, which are of the kind of conies; [...]res keeping [...]re vnto wa [...] are leprous. for such as keepe neere vnto water are commonly leprous. Further, the male is far better than the female.

The markes to know the one and the other are these: The male hath commonly his dung smaller, drier, and sharper at the point: the female hath them greater, rounder, and not altogether so drie as the males: the female hath a grosser bodie, but the male hath a more slender and fine bodie: the male in comming out of his forme, hath his hinder parts whitish, as though hee had beene plumed: the male hath also red shoulders, with some long haires mixt amongst, he hath also a shorter and more bushie head than the female, the haire and beard of his iawes long, his eares short, wide, and whitish: the female hath a long and narrow head, and also great eares: the haire growing along the ridge of the backe of a darke gray. When the dogs course the female, she doth nothing but coast round about her seat & countrie, passing seuen or eight times by one place before she euer squa [...]: the male doth the contrarie; for being coursed with dogges, hee runneth sometimes seuen or eight leagues distance from his forme.

To know the forme of a Hare, you must take the benefit of the night: for in the night she withdraweth her selfe into her forme, and not in the morning, because of the dew: neither yet vpon the height of the day, because of the heate. There is more regard to bee taken vnto her traces: for the print of the hares foot is sharpe, and fashioned like vnto the point of a knife, hauing her small nailes all pricked right downe into the ground, and they doe leaue their print round about, drawing alwaies narrower and narrower, hauing the sole of her foot alway close, after the manner of the point of a knife.

[Page]

CHAP. XXXIII.
The killing of the Hare.

FOr the hunting of the Hare, the very best time to kill her with coursing dogs, beginneth at mid September, and endeth at mid Aprill, because of the flowers and great heat which then begin to raigne, for both these are apt to depriue the dogs of their necessary scent: besides that, at these times the Hares are but young and feeble.

Notwithstanding,Places in which the dogs haue no scent. there be certain countries and seasons, where & when the dogs haue not any scent of Hares, as in Winter in the plaine countries where the ground is fat and strong, because the Hare hath her foot vnderneath full of haire, so that when she runneth, a fat ground will take hold vpon it, and so she carrieth it away with her foot, and so all the scent that the dogs might otherwise take, is withheld: and vpon plaines there are neither branch nor herbe for her to hit her body vpon, no more than there is in broad and troden waies. In like manner it is an vnfit time to draw out dogs to hunt in frostie weather: for they would both loose their nailes, and sp [...]ile their feet: on the contrarie, the Hares run better at that time, than at any other, because they haue their feet furred.

Also high waies are very daungerous and ill to hunt vpon: for by reason of the much trauelling of men and other cattell, the scent which the Hare should leaue, is cleane taken away, and the dogs noses are stopt with contrarietie of odour: nor is it good to hunt where flocks of sheepe, heards of goats or cattell are kept; for the hotnesse of their sent taketh away all scent of the Haire.

The first point making way for the killing of the Hare,That the finding of the forme of the Hare, is the first and chiefest step to kill her. consisteth in finding out her forme, which the better to find, you must haue respect vnto the season wherein you go about it, and the time how it shapeth: for if it be in the Spring or Summer, the Hares lodge not amongst the thicke places of woodes, because of the ants, serpents, and lizards which driue them thence, and so at such times they are constrained to lodge amongst the corne, fallowes, and other weake places. In Winter they do the contrary: for they take vp their lodging in some thicke bushes, or thicke places of the wood, especially, when the Northren winds, and other high and low winds doe blow, for of such they are much afraid. Wherefore according to the time and place, where you shall see the Hares to take vp their lodging, you must prepare your dogs to go and set vpon the Hare within her forme, and when she shall bee started, the horse-men (which shall not be aboue three in number) must incourage the dogs to follow the chace, without making of much crying or greatly whupping of them, for feare of setting of them in too great a hea [...]e, which might cause them to ouerslip the traces, and, not to hold on right.

But touching the most generall and best places for the finding out of Hares both Winter and Somme [...],What places ar [...] best to find the Hare in. you shall repaire to the moores or heath which are ouergrowne with ling, or with gosse, whins, Brakes, or such like, for they are speciall harbours in which a Hare delights most: also in such places where there is great store of fog or long dead grasse which lieth vngot. You shall be sure to find Hares haunt, especially in the Spring time, because such ground being giuen to moisture, makes them take a greater delight therein: for Hares at that time of the yeare loue to haue all their hinder loynes couered with water: from whence it comes that the best Hare finders, when they seeke Ha [...]es, looke all the Winter vp to the top or ridge of the lands, and in the Spring, downe to the lowest bottome of the furrowes. Now as soone as you haue found your Hare, and started her, the horse-men which follow the chace, shall by all obseruations possible take good heed to the wile [...] and sleights of the Hare, the which are verie many and diuers, as in the time of raine the hare doth rather follow trodden pathes and broad then at any other time, and [Page] if she light vpon any vnderwood, she will not go in but to refresh her selfe by the sides thereof, and letteth the dogs passe by: after when they are gone past, she turneth and [...]unneth backe in the same steps by which she came thither, vnto the place from whence she was dislodged, rather than she would run vp into the forestes, by reason of the moistnesse which is amongst the wood. When such practises are in hand, the horse-men must stay some hundred paces from the wood by which the hare is come, for he shall not faile to see her returne by her former way right vpon him, whereby he shall be able to call in the dogs. The horse-men likewise shall obserue and marke whether it be a male or a female, and whether she bee one that keepeth continually in the countrie, or but a guest for a night: for if she be a wanderer and not of constant abode, she will haue her forme in couer [...], and suffer the dogs to put her vp three or foure times neere vnto her forme: for this is infallible that the hare, bred and sed where she is put vp, and especially the female, if the horse-man obserue and market the first place and compasse that she taketh the first time after she is departed and gone from her lodging being before the dogs, all the rest of the co [...]rfes that she shall make that day will be by the same places, waies, and muses, if it bee not a male hare come from far, or else the dogs haue hunted her so hard, and wearied her so much, as that she be driuen to forsake her woonted haunt: and this commonly they do voluntarily betake themselues vnto, if they be at any time coursed two whole houres, without default.

At the first when the dogs begin to course the hare, she doth nothing but wind and turne, tracing ouer one place fiue or fixe times, and that all in the same trace. And this you must learne, that if the coursing dogs misse of taking the hare one day, then it will bee good for the horse-man to beare in mind the places and coasts that then she passed through: for if he returne at any other time, and haue her in course with the dogs, she will passe by the same places, and practise the same shifts shee did the day before when she escaped, and thus being before acquainted with her cra [...]ts, and ways which she will run he may greatly help his dogs.

Some hares as soone as they heare the sound of the horne do start, and take some riuer or lake, and then you must vse what good meanes you can to cause her to auoid the water, drawing the dogs neere the place most likely for her landing, that so they may take her.

The females are more often in practising their wiles, and in shorter space, which the dogs loue not: for it is a wearisome i [...]kesomnesse to couragious and lustie dogs, to be drawne a side so oft, it being their chiefe desire to course such a beast as will run out before them, that so they may runne according as their strength will serue them. And for such hares as are giuen to wind and turne so oft, it is requisite that you take great compasse of ground, that so you may inclose all her wiles, leauing no passage for her to find but only one way to go out, and by this meanes you shall abridge her much of her helpes, and driue her to forsake her shifts and sleights.

There are also some hares giuen to run in trodden pathes, and high waies, to the end the dogs might not come by any scent of them, there being neither braunch of tree, nor herbes, nor moisture, which can touch their bodies, to gather any scent for the dogs, in such manner as there would, if they were in other couert places, as woods, corne, and other coole places, and especially when they feed in any greene corne, because they rest their bodies in one place. When the horse-man shall find such hares, and shall perceiue the default of the dogs, by reason of the high way, he must draw them on forward all along the said high way, following them continually vntil such time as the dogs find her out gate, or else till he haue found some little valley or coole place in the middest of the way, where the dogs may seeme to haue found her scent. And he himselfe also must light from off his horse to see if that he can espie any of the traces of the hare, such as we haue described them before. And by these traces or footsteps, he shall by little and little picke out which way she is gone, and this amongst hunts-men is called the pricking forth of the hare, one obseruation no lesse needfull than any other obseruation whatsoeuer: for it is not to be vsed onely in plaine high [Page] waies and foot pathes, but also in any other ground which is plaine, as vpon fallowe lands, or other worne ground where the greene swarth is taken away: and this aboue all other is the most safest and surest way for the recouering of a losse, because it goes not by coniecture or imagination, but by certaine knowledge, and by knowledge of that member by which the hound hunteth only, and by which he beareth the whole scent he seeketh.

The hare hath a thousand other shifts, all which in generall the warie and wilie horse-man may meet withall, if when he hath seene her fetch her first compasse, and withall got the knowledge of the coast, which she betaketh her selfe vnto in her course, he get before her to behold her with his eies, and in the same place incourage the dogs, making them to fetch great circuits, to the end they may be sure to include and compasse all her wiles and shifting tricks.

Hares liue not aboue seuen yeares at the most, and especially the males: they haue this tricke with them, that if the male and the female doe liue together in a countrie, they will neuer suffer other strange hares to abide there, if they can remedie it, except it be such as they haue bred: and thereupon some say,The more that a place is hunted, the moe hares there are That the more that any place is hunted, the moe hares are found there, because that strangers, and those of other countries do come thither.

The hare being killed, it will be good to giue the dogs their fees, the better to incourage them, and to cause them with much more ioy to hunt in that place afterward. This their repast or fees may be made of bread,The meat that is made of the har [...] for the dogs. cheese, and some other dainties, all put into the bodie of the hare, that so it may bee moistned and ouerdrowned with bloud, and after spread vpon the cleane grasse. For their second sort of meate, as a more royall banquet, if there be store of hares taken, will bee good to vncase one and first taking out her lights, then to cast the whole carkasse to the dogs, giuing them leaue to teare and eat her: and after that they haue eaten her, to giue them bread least they should proue sicke at their stomakes, and cast their gorge, seeing that hares flesh is enemie vnto them. In like manner when the dog which is taught to hunt the hare, shall bee brought to course the hart, hee will not make any more account of the hare, because he hath found and tasted the flesh of the hart to be far better than that of the hare.

CHAP. XXXIIII.
What profit commeth by the killing of the Hare.

LIke commoditie as is to be found in the killing of the hart and wild bore, may be found also in the hare: and to speake first of the food rising therof, we see not any food more common, nor more in request in our countrie of France than the hare. It is true in deed, that Physitians do iudge the flesh of the hare to be melancholike, hard to digest in the stomake, and begetting a grosse iuice: but this is to bee vnderstood of old hares, as such as are aboue a yeare old, and such as are kept tame in boroughes and other inclosed places: but the young leuerets haue a very pleasant and daintie flesh to eate: yea in those which are growne great, there are some parts which are in request, as the loines, the shoulders and hanches. There may be marked in this little beast a marueilous fruitfulnesse in nature,The fruitfulnes of the hare. for that monethly she bringeth forth a great number of yong ones. I know that some thinke, that the male and female are of both sexes, and that both of them do conceiue and ingender as if they were hermophrodites: but it is a false conceiued opinion, and a thing altogether strange and vnaccustomed to be in the workes and generation that is according to nature. And it is furthermore most true, that the female being b [...]gd, ceaseth to ingender againe for the time, that is to say, to admit the companie of the male, thereby to haue a second conception, but by and by after she hath kindled, [Page] she taketh the buck againe, and that is the cause of their so great fruitfulnesse: as much may be said of conies which are a kind of hare.

As concerning the medicinall vertues of the hare: [...]. the flesh of the haire well rosted is a great helpe against bloudie and humorall fluxes of the bellie: that liue [...] dried in the ouen, and made into pouder, is singular good for them which haue a weake liuer.

The braines being throughly boiled and rubd vpon the gums of young children, helpeth them of the paines they haue of their teeth, and helpeth forward their growth.

Take a whole hare both skinne and haire (saue that you must take away her intailes) close them vp in an earthen pot very well stopped and luted: alterward put the pot into a hot ouen, and there leaue it so long, as till the whole bodie may be made easily into pouder, in such sort, as that there bee left no manner of moisture, for else you should bee constrained to put the pot againe into the ouen vntill euery part and parcell were brought into pouder. The weight of a French crowne of his pouder, [...] stone of the [...]. taken with white wine euerie morning two houres before mea [...]e, doth take away the difficultie of making water, and breaketh the stone both of the re [...]es and bladder: but yet before the vse of this pouder, the bodie must bee purged: and during the time of the vse thereof, there must bee applied vpon the reines, two plates of lead of the breadth of foure fingers, sewed together betwixt two linnen clothes.

The gall of the hare mingled with sugar, [...]he gall. cleanseth the eies, and taketh away the pearle or spots of the eies.

The dung of the hare being carried about women, hindreth their conception: but one thing of a cert [...]netie, [...]he dung. if it bee put vp into the secret parts of a woman in forme of a pestarie, it stayeth the termes following excessiuely, and drieth the mother that is too moist.

The bloud of the hare dried or fried, [...]he bloud. and applied vnto a scab or ringworme, drieth and healeth it incontinently.

The hare hath a little bone in the ioint of her legs, [...]he bone of the hare. which is soueraigne against the cholicke.

The hunting of the Brocke and Foxe.

CHAP. XXXV.
The profit comming of the hunting of the Fox and Brocke.

THe killing of Foxes and Brockes, neither bring pleasure nor profit to the hunters,The flesh of the Fox is vnsauory taking profit in this place for meate and nourishment: for the Foxe his flesh, (and much lesse the Brockes) is nothing pleasant to eat, in as much as it hath an vnsauourie, strong, and wild kind of taste. Howbeit Galen in a certaine place letteth not to say, that the flesh of the Foxe hath the like facultie and vertue with that of the Hare: and yet in another place, as restracting his former assertion he saieth, that the Foxe is of the same temperature with the dog. It is certaine that some countrie people hauing not the benefit of any other victuall, liue not vpon any other than Foxe [...]lesh, but it is in the time of Autumne onely, because that at such time the Foxe feedeth of nothing but of grapes, by which meanes it may bee that his flesh may proue somewhat good. Howsoeuer it bee, if any profit grow vpon the killing of the Foxe and Brocke, it is only because they deuour fowle, and annoy the conies and warr [...]n,

[Page] Adde hereunto that the Physitians do make great account of the lungs of the fox, for the disease of the lungs and shortnesse of the breath: and of his grease,The profit that the bodie of the foxe [...]oth bring forth in medicine. for the paine of the sinewes: of his bloud, for the stone: o [...] the oyle wherein the whole bodie of the Foxe hath beene boyled, either quicke or dead, (whereof we haue spoken in the third booke) for all manner of ioint-ach: and of the priuie members of the Foxe, against the stone.

CHAP. XXXVI.
Of the two sorts of Foxes and Brocks.

BEfore we goe any further, there are two sorts of Foxes,Brocks some like hogs and some like dogs. and two sorts of Brockes, that is say, great Foxes and little ones accustomed to lie and lurke in their dens: and Brockes some like swine, and some like dogges. The two sorts of Foxes are sufficiently knowne. The hog-like Brocks are whitish, and haue the haire aboue their noses, and vnder their throats a great deale more white than the dog-like haue, their bodie of a greater bulke, their head and snowt also more grosse. The hog-like in going out of their dens do freely dung, but euermore they make a little hole with the end of their snowt before, or else scrape one with their feet, and then dung therein: the dog-like make their dung a farre off from their earths. The hog-like commonly make their dens in sandie or other ground that is easie to dig, and open places, to haue the heate of the Sunne, and being giuen to sleepe continually, they are fatter than the dog-like. The dog-like make their aboad in tougher earth, or else in rockes, making their holes and dens deeper and narrower than the hog-like, because they cannot dig the stiffe and tough earth or rockes, as the other do the sand and light ground. The dog-like haue their nose, throat, and eares yellowish, after the manner of the throat of a ma [...]ten, and they are a great deale blacker and longer legd than the others. The two sorts accompanie not together, but they feed of all manner of flesh: they doe much harme in warren [...], especially vnto the young rabbets which are within their nests, and are very sweet and daintie, but more to pigs and hogs, whereof they feed more than of any other flesh: they feed also of all sorts of wild flesh, as geese, hens, and such like: they are very cold and chil, and if they be left in any roome where fire is, they will goe lie in it and burne their feet: they will liue hardly, as also they haue a hard skin: they feare their nose notwithstanding very much, neither can one giue them euer so little a blow thereupon with a sticke, but they die sodainly: they are deadly enemies vnto the foxes, and oftentimes fight with them.

CHAP. XXXVII.
Of two sorts of earth-dogs vsuall course foxes and brockes withall, and the manner of teaching and trayning of them thereunto.

COncerning the hunting of the Foxe and Broke, it is to bee performed with earth-dogs,Two sorts of earth-dogs. which are of two sorts: the one hath crooked lege, [...]nd commonly short haire: the other hath straight legs, and a shagd haire like water-spannyels: those which haue the crooked legs creepe more, easily into the earth than the other, and they are best for the brocks, because they stay long there, and keepe better without comming forth. Those which haue straight legs serue for two vses, because they run as coursing dogs about the ground, and also take [Page] the earth more boldly then the other, but they tarrie not so long, because they vexe themselues in fighting with the foxes and brockes, whereby they are forced to come forth to take the aire.

Now if it fall out that the hunts-man haue not earth dogs readie taught, [...] hee may traine them in this manner. The time to begin to take them in hand, must bee when they are betwixt the age of eight and ten moneths: for if he will not be brought to take the earth at a yeare old, he will scarce euer be able to bee made to take it; againe, they must not be roughly dealt withall in the time of their training, neither so handled, as that they may take any hurt of the brockes in the earth, because that if they should be beaten or hardly handled, they would neuer [...]ak the earth more. And for that cause it must bee carefully looked vnto, that such young trained dogs bee neuer made take the earth, where there are any old foxe [...] or brocks, but to let them first stay out their yere, and be throughly nurtured, and furthermore there must some old earth dogs be put in alwaies before them, to indure and beare off the furie of the brocke.

The most conuenient and readiest way to traine them, is thus: as such times as foxes and brocks haue young ones, you must take all your old earth dogs, and let them take the earth, afterward when they shal begin to stand at an abbaie, then must the young ones be brought vnto the mouth of the hole one by one (for feare they should beate themselues) and there cause them to heare the abbaie▪ When the old brockes or foxes shall be taken, and none remaining but their cubs, then you must take vp and couple vp all the old earth dogs, and after let loose the young ones, incouraging them to take the earth, and crying vnto them, Creepe into them basset, creep into them, Hou take them, take them: and when they haue hold of any young, brocke or foxe, they must bee let alone, till they haue strangled him in the burrow or hole, taking heed that the earth fall not in vpon them, least it might hurt them: afterward you must carie all the yong brocks and foxes vnto your lodgings, and cause their liuers and the bloud also to bee fried with cheese and fat, making them meate thereof, and shewing them the head of their wild flesh.

They may also be trained and taught after another manner: as namely, you must cause the old brocks and foxes to be taken aliue by the old earth dogs, and with pincers fit for the purpose, take and breake all the teeth of the neather iaw, wherein the great gripers stand, not touching the vppermost at all, to the end that by it may continually appeare and be seene the rage and furiousnesse of the beastes, although they be not able to do any harme therewith at all: afterward you shall cast earthes in some meadow plot of sufficient largenesse, for the dogs to turne themselues, and go in by couples on a brest, couering the burrowes afterward with boords and greene turfes: this done, the brocke must be put in, and all the dogs both young and old let slip and incouraged as hath alreadie beene said. And when they haue baited him sufficiently, you must strike seuen or eight great blowes vpon the side of the hole with a spade, to harden and acquaint them therewith, against the time when you shall stand in neede to vse deluing: then you must take vp the plankes ouer the place where the brocke is, taking hold vpon him with pincers, killing him before them, or else causing him to be stifled by some grey-hound, that so there may meat bee made of him for them. And you must haue cheese which you must cause to be cast them presently after their wild flesh, when it shall be dead: and if peraduenture you would not breake all the teeth of the neather iaw of the brocke, yet you must cut off all the greater and master teeth, that so he may be kept from biting and doing of mischiefe.

[Page]

CHAP. XXXVIII.
The manner of killing of the Foxe.

AS for the killing of the Foxe it is m [...]ch more easie than that of the Brocke: herein especially, seeing that after they once scent the dogges which baite them, they gather themselues together, and rush out vpon the sodaine, except it be at such time as the female hath young ones, for then they will not forsake them.

Naturally they are giuen to dig their earths in places that are hard to be digged,The Foxe his borow. as in rockes, or vnder the roots of trees: they haue but one hole, but it is both strait, and reacheth far.

Some hunts-men are of opinion (and sure it is very likely and credible) that the Foxe neuer maketh his owne earth or kennell: for though he bee the subtilest of all beastes, both touching his owne saftie, and the gaining of his pray; yet he is nothing laborious or giuen to take paines for any thing, but his bellie onely, neither hath nature giuen him any especiall instruments for the same vse, more than to other mungrell dogges of which he is a kind; so that he may scrach or digge vp the earth a little for the hiding or maine couering of his pray: but to make such tedious, deepe, long and winding vaults, and in such difficult and tough places is hard to bee coniectured: whence it comes, that those of better obseruation affirme, that the Brocke or Badger, or as some call him the Grey, by reason of his colour, who is a beast of infinit great industrie, cleanlinesse, and fearefulnesse, doth first make the Foxes earth, but not with any determinate purpose that the Foxe should inioy it, but as a place of refuge and rest, for himselfe onely, which as soone as the Foxe findeth out, he presently watcheth the going out of the Badger, and then entring in at the hole,By what means the Fox commeth to haue such great [...] ▪ he defileth the mouth and entrance thereof both with his dung and pisse (which is the loathsomest of all excraments) in such filthie and hatefull manner, that the Badger returning and finding his lodging so nastily beraied, presently he forsakes the place and commeth there no more, but leaues it to the Foxe and digs himselfe a new cell in another place. But to our former purpose, when the the dogges haue once ouerthrowne the Foxe, he resisteth a little, but it is not with any such boldnesse and courage as to daunt the dogs, neither hath he any daungerous bite: and yet some say, that he hath his shift, as to clap his taile betwixt his legs, (when he seeth himselfe once ouerthrowne by the dogs,)That the Foxe his vrine stinketh. and to pisse vpon it, and therewithall to besprinckle the dogs, to the end that feeling the stench thereof, they may be driuen backe and let him depart.

If you take a bitch Fox when she is salt, and cutting away her priuie member,How to take the Fox without hunting him. and the gut annexed thereunto, with the little testicles or stones, which are the cause of ingendring, (being the same that gelders vse to take from bitches, when they geld them (and put all the same cut in prettie gobbets into some little pot all hot as they were cut away, and take Galbanum and put it in, mingling alltogether, and couering it, that all may not breath out: you may keepe it a whole yeare, and make it serue at any time when you would make a traine to allure the dog Foxe, by taking the skin or a collop of lard, and putting it vpon a gridyron, and when it shall be broyled and all hot, moisting it in the pot where the priuie part of the Fox and Galbanum is, therwith making all your traines: then you shall perceiue the male Foxes following o [...] you euery where: but he that maketh the craine, must rub the soles of his shoes with cowes dung, least they should take the scent of his feete: Thus you may see the means how to draw on the dog foxes to any place where you may take them in a snare, or gin, and so kill them in the euening with a cros-bow.

This is most true, that if you rub an earth dog with brimstone, or with oile of the [Page] lees of oyle, and thereupon cause him to take the earth, where there are foxes or brocks, they will get themselues thence, and come no more there for two or three moneths. There is furthermore another thing to be noted, that after that the earth dogs are come out of the earth of foxes or brocks, they must be washed with warme water and sope, to rid them of the mould that shall bee gotten betwixt the haire and the skin, for else they would grow scabbed of a scab that would very hardly heale.

Some subtile foxe hunters take the foxe without any helpe of dogs, [...] with this wile: they rub the sole of their shooes with a great peece of lard lately rosted, at such time as they are about to returne home from the wood, or from any plaine where they know that there is any foxes: after the same manner they vse to scatter by the way (as they goe) little morsells of hogs liuer dipped in hony, drawing after them a dead cat: whereupon the foxe following the trace at hand, allured by the scent of the lard and hogs liuers: they haue a man accompanying them with a harquebuze, or arrow to kill him at a blow.

CHAP. XXXIX.
The manner of killing the Brocke.

AS for the killing of the Brocke, it is more difficult than the killing of the Foxe, (as hath beene said) because their holes are deepe and narrow, and consisting of many conueyances and passages: for which cause it is me [...]e and conuenient for the vndertaking of such a worke, first to haue foure or fiue men furnished with spades and tooles fit for the digging of the earth: secondly, halfe a dozen of good earth dogs at the least, euery one armed with his collar about his necke, of the breadth of three singers, and hung with little bels, to hunt the seuerall earths, to the end that the Brocks may be driuen the sooner to their stand, and the dogs defended the better by those collars from taking any hurt: and when it is perceiued that the Brocks are at their stand, or that the dogs grow weary & out of breath, or the bels to be full of earth, you must take vp the dogs, and take away their collars from them: wheras at the first they are of good [...]eruice, and cause the Brocke the sooner to take them to their stand.

But before you let slip the dogs, there must regard be had to view the earths, what manner of ones they be, and the place wherein they lie, and where the furthest parts of them are; for otherwise a man should but loose his labour: in so much as if the earths should be on the side of a hill, it were requisite that the dogs were put in vnderneath toward the valley, to the end that the brocke may be compelled and forced to the vttermost end of the vppermost holes, where the said earths are not so deep as the other, and therefore may the more easily be digged.

But otherwise if the earth should be in some raised peece of ground, and therwithall round about the same, the rising ground being seated in the middest of a flat peece of ground, then the dogs must be put in at the holes which are highest, and neerest vnto the top of the rising ground: but before they be let slip and put into such earths, there must twentie or thirtie blowes bee giuen with the head of the spade vpon the highest parts of the earths, thereby to cause Brockes to remooue from out of the middest of them, and to cause them to descend to the furthest ends of their earthes which are in the bottome of the rising ground. There must alwaies two or three dogs be let slip at the mouths of the holes, that so by their vehemencie and eagrenesse they may part and put a sunder the Brocks which shal be together, and force them to flie to their rests,

They haue a tricke to stand the abbaie at the places where their holes doe meete, and stoutly to resist the dogs in such places: which, when it is perceiued, it is requisite to smite three or foure blowes with the spade, and if yet for all that they will not [Page] remoue, you must forthwith discouer them with an a [...]gar. Then when it is perceiued that they are fled vnto the furthest part of their holes, you must not pierce through right vpon them, for then they would bolt forward againe into the wide spaces and meetings of their holes, and offer violence vnto the dogges: for which cause it behoueth, that the hole be bored right ouer where the voice of the dogge soundeth with a round augar, for the nature thereof is to cast vp the earth, and not to let it fall downe within: and after that is done, presently to put a slat augar into the hole of the round augar, that so it may crosse the hole right in the middest, least the Brock should recoile vpon the dogge: and if it be possible to shut the dogge forth on the hinder part of the augar, it will be very good, for and if he should be shut within toward the sore-part of it, the Brocks might beat and handle him roughly, seeing that sometimes there are found mustered together in the vttermost end of one hole six or seuen, vvhich might beat and driue backe the dogge. When the hole is thus crosse-barred with the flat augar, you must presently make a trench with spades and shouels, to the end that it may serue to set a man in, and at conuenient time to let in some dogges by the said trench, and to cause them to hold a bay in that place, vvhere a man may see warring and fighting on all sides. These things thus furthered, care must be had, that the Brockes doe not couer themselues with earth, vvhich they are verie readie to doe, being driuen vnto their vttermost places of flight, insomuch, as that the dogges are sometime vpon or our them, and yet not know where they are. Afterward, their fort being throwne downe, you must pull them forth, not by the whole bodie, but by the nether iawes: for if you should take them by the vvhole bodie, they might hurt the dogges: and if by the vpper iaw, then you might hurt their nose, which is in them very tender, insomuch, as that being hurt therein, be it neuer so little, they die incontinently. When they are thus drawne out, they would be put in some sacke, and after carried into some court or garden, closed in with walls, to make them coursing-game for young earth-dogges. But in the meane time it will be good to draw your bootes vpon your legges: for when they are once throughly heated, they spare not to runne vpon men after the manner of the vvild Bore, in such sort, as that oftentimes they carrie away with them pieces of their stockings, yea, the flesh also, which is vnder them.

CHAP. XL.
The hunting of the Conie.

WE haue entreated of Conies largely ynough vvhere vvee spake of the Warren,That Conies are harmefull. the hunting vvhereof is profitable, not onely in respect of the prouision of foode vvhich it ministreth, and that verie good, but likewise in respect of the dammage vvhich this little beast bringeth vnto Corne, Trees, and Hearbes: and that so dangerously (as Strabo vvriteth) as that certaine Nations vvere constrained, in the dayes of the raignes of Tiberius and Augustus, Strabo. to send embassadours vnto the Romanes, that they might haue their aid and succour against the vrgent and [...]ore pressing iniuries and dammages vvhich their Countries sustained through the excessiue number of these little beasts.

Wee haue make in our Treatise of the Warren two sorts of Conies, the one of the Clapper, and the other, of the Warren: Those of the Clapper are easie to hunt, because they are came, but those of the Warren are somewhat more hard to take, because their nature is more enclining vnto wildnesse: The manner of hunting them is chiefely of two sorts, and both of them verie well knowne, that is to say, either with Pursnets, or with the Ferrets: As concerning the Ferrets,The hunting of the Conies of the Warren. they are put into the holes of the Conies to fight with them, vvhereby they being astonished [Page] and frighted, bolt forth by and by out of their holes, and fall into the pursnets which lie spred vpon the tops of their holes: sometimes the Ferret doth kill them within, which falleth out to bee the occasion of no small attendance oftentimes vnto the hunters.

The catching of Birds.

CHAP. XLI.
That men of old time made no account of catching of Birds.

THe taking of Birds hath not beene much approued nor liked of, by men of old time, by reason of the little exercise which it affoordeth: seeing they made no account of any manner of hunting, whereby the bodie receiued no kind of exercise, whereby it might be made more nimble and readie to mannage matters of greater importance: againe, we find not any mention made of the hunting of Birds, in the bookes of the auncient writers, as Aristotle or Plin [...]e, who seemeth not to haue beene ignorant in any thing that might make for the truth of his writings: neither yet of hauking, which is the noblest kind of hunting of birds of all the rest. All which notwithstanding, the men of our time haue not ceased to put in practise many sorts of taking of birdes, as, with birdes of the praie, which excelleth all the rest, with great nets, small nets, tonnelling, fire, snares, bundles of straw, with the cros-bow, long-bow, nooses, pit falls, chirping, pipes, horse, crow, bell, hand, and many moe waies, which are well enough knowne to birde [...]: we wil first speake of hauking.

Of Hawking.

CHAP. XLII.
What Hawking is.

IT is most certaine, that the skill and knowledge of hawking hath beene brought into an art of late times, as hath beene said: auncient writers, as Aristotle and Plinie, the admirers of high and excellent things, and the diligent and industrious searchers out of all things, would not haue cast behind them so great and famous a worke of the skill of man, as to lure and reclaime the birds of pray, but would haue written of it, if it had beene then in vse. For this is a wonder to see a bird which hath been wild to become tame, to drop out of the skies and to light vpon a mans fist: to soare aloft as high as the cloudes to seeke other birds to kill them, and also to make warre vpon the foules, and such as liue below vpon the earth, and withall to take certaine foure footed beasts, as the Hare, Rabbets, and Conies. This skill is now a daies so highly honoured, as that the great nobles of the world, will that it should bee consecrated wholly to themselues, as reseruing it for a pastime onely beseeming them, and in this our countrie of France it is had in such price, as that the gentleman which is ignorant in this skill, and that other of hunting, is lightly prized, as though he lackt the two things which of all other (chilualrie and martiall skill excepted) are the most rare and excellent.

Now as hawking is the art and skill of luring and reclaiming of birds of the pray, [Page] to cause them to flye at other birds, liuing either in the ayre, vpon the earth, or about the vvaters: so hee is called a Faulconer, vvhose place and office it is to reclayme such birds: vvherein, if vvee please to looke a little more neerely into the name, it should seeme, that the later Frenchmen haue followed the elder and auncient Frenchmen and Greekes in their giuing of names: For euen as the auncient Frenchmen were of iudgement, that the name of Sacre, which the Greekes named [...], and the Latines Accipiter, was the generall name, vnder vvhich should be comprehended all birds of prey (howsoeuer that Sacre in French, and [...] in Greeke, be the speciall name of a bird of prey:) euen so the Frenchmen of our time haue agreed together, that the Faulcon should be the chiefe in his kinde, and affoord the generall name (as by the way of surpassing excellencie) vnto all other birds of prey: because that the Faulcon (compared with all the birds of prey) is the best of vving, and exceeding all the rest in goodnesse, stoutnesse, and tractablenesse: as if a man were disposed to lay, the Faulcon gentle, the Pilgrim Faulcon, the Tartarie Faulcon, the Barbarie Faulcon, the Gerfaulcon, the Faulcon Sacre, the Faulcon Lanier, the Punician Faulcon, and so of the rest.

CHAP. XLIII.
What birds are good to make Hawkes of.

NOw wee must not thinke, that all birds of prey are good and fit to make Hawkes of, but onely such as are stout, and of a resolute courage, and are able to flye at anie bird vvhatsoeuer, either vvater-fowle, or land-fowle: of vvhich nature, there are tenne speciall and seuerall kinds, being sufficiently knowne of euerie one, and for the most part verie common to be had in Fraunce, that is to say, the Eagle, the Gripe, the Goshawke, the Sparrow-hawke, the Gerfaulcon, the Merlin, the Faulcon, the Lanier, the Sacre, and the Hobbie.

Foure of them flye from the fist, and kill at randome, as the Goshawke, the Sparrow-hawke, the Gerfaulcon, and the Merlin: and foure of them lye aloft in the ayre, as the Faulcon, the Sacre, the Lanier, and the Hobbie. As for the Eagle and the Gripe, they are not anie thing knowne in France. A great part of these birds (the Gripe onely excepted) haue the feathers of their traynes and vvings verie much glistering for the most part. All of them haue their beakes and tallons crooked, and they are almost like one vnto another, for they shew no difference, except it be in greatnesse, seeing likewise that their colour doth diuersly change according to their mues, vvhich cause them to be called Hagards, or Sores, all one with that which is vsually done by dried Her [...]ings, vvhich are called Sores, or red Herrings.

There are verie manie birds of the prey vvhich are rouers continually abroad, neither can it be learned well from what place or countrey they come, nor vvhither they goe: so that wee might alwaies remaine ignorant of what countrey our Hawkes are, vvere vvee not giuen it to vnderstand by them vvhich vse to bring Hawkes out of Italie, Germanie, and other strange countries. Such as bring vs Hawkes, doe take them for the most part with lime-twigges, vvhich is the cause of the crushing of their feathers, vvhich yet may at pleasure be taken away vvith vvarme vvater.

But whether they be brought from farre, or bred neere about vs, for to reclaime and bring them vnto the lure, first, they must not be taken out of the neast before they be strong, and growne pretie great ones, and able to stand vpon their feet: for and if [Page] they should be taken away sooner, yet they must not be handled, but kept in a neast as like vnto their owne as may be. Afterward, as the time shall affoord, they are to be set vpon blocks, or vpon some pearch, for the better preseruing of their feathers from grating vpon the ground.

They must be fedde with liue meat as oft as may be, because it will make their feathers to put forth the better. Notwithstanding, the meat and flesh that is more than ordinarie good for them, is to feede them with the legges or necks of Hennes: cold flesh is naught for them: Beefe, Porke, and such other, are of too strong digestion for them, and especially the flesh of night-beasts, that is to say, such as flie about in the night, and are [...]arce euer seene in the day time: such are the great Duke, the little Duke, the Owle, the Shrich-owle, and the Bat: for if they should eate thereof, they would die. The flesh of Pigeons, young Swallowes, and Mutton, is farre better for them. Hennes flesh, being swee [...]e and pleasant, doth trouble the belly of the bird, if she eate it cold: vvherefore, the bird that is greatly delighted with such flesh, might possibly forsake the game, and seize vpon Hennes, if she see any in her way as she is flying. Wherefore to meete with this inconuenience, you must feede the bird with young Pigeons, or young Swallowes: the flesh of Pies and old Pigeons is bitter, and bad for these kinds of birds: Cowes flesh is bad for them, as making them too laxatiue, vvhich commeth by the heauinesse thereof, vvhich causeth hard digestion. And if necessitie compell you to fe [...]de them with gros [...]e flesh, for want of better, let it be tempered and washed with warme water: if it be in Winter, you must presse it: and in Summer it must be washed in cold water. The flesh that you feede your birds withall, must be picked, that there bee not fat sinewes or veines left vpon it. You must not suffer them to eate whiles they will at once, but with some small distance of time betwixt, letting them rest in eating: and now and then you must hide away their meate, before they bee full gorged, and then afterward giue it to them againe: but when it is taken from them, and also when it is giuen them, they must not see it, for feare of making them bate.

Likewise it is good to make them plume vpon small birds, as they did in the vvoods. Yearely in the beginning of Autumne they must be brought downe by laxatiue medicines, if they be too high: as namely, by giuing them Aloes vvith their meate: [...]purge the [...]d. vvhich must be of some good, liue, and warme meate, for otherwise they would be taken downe too much. After that they haue beene purged, you must prepare them for the game: and againe, when you are purposed to flye them, it will not be amisse to giue them casting of Towe, couered with flesh, and made in forme of a pill, and that at night, to the end they may cast it vp againe in the morning, with much more flegmaticke matter: for by this meanes they will become more healthfull, of a better appetite, more emptie, swift, and readie for the prey. [...]cause her to [...] out. Porkes flesh giuen them warme with a little Aloes, maketh the bird loose and to slice out readily: but you must obserue and see that she be put in a warme place after she hath beene purged, and withall, to feede her on your fist with some liue bird, for at such times her entrailes are much dried. They are discerned to be sicke, vvhen their fundament swelleth and becommeth red, [...] declaring [...] birds of the [...] to be sick. as also their nosthrils and eyes. And thus much of the luring and reclaiming of them in generall: now let vs got vnto the particular.

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CHAP. XLIIII.
Of birds of the prey in particular.

AMongst all birds of the prey,The G [...]ipe. the Vulture (called of the Grecians [...], and of the Latines Vultur) is the greatest: a passenger (or bird for a time) in Egypt: knowne in this countrey rather by his skinne and feathers, than otherwise, because the Skinners are wont to make stomachers to lay ouer the stomacke, and the Fletchers feathers thereof, to set vpon arrowes. They may be fed with small tripes, dead carkas [...]es, and out-cas [...]ngs of beasts. Likewise some report of them, that ordinarily they follow Campes, because of the dead bodies. They cannot rise from the earth to flie, except they first take their aduantage by running, or else take their leaue vpon some great butt.

The Eagle is called the King of birds: very vnhandsome to carrie vpon the fist, by reason of his corpulencie: hard to reclaime, being once wild, because of his boldnes, might, readines, and easie inclination to hurt the Faulconer in the fate, or elsewhere. Wherfore, who so desireth to haue him good, must take him in the neast, and reclaime him with coursing-dogges, to the end, that when he is to flie, he may follow them, that so they hauing put vp the Hare, Foxe, Roe-buck, or any other such beast, he may seize vpon it to stay it. He may be fed with any manner of flesh, especially of such beasts as he taketh and seizeth vpon. The Faulconer must be diligent to attend him well, because he is very apt to flie away: but that mischiefe may be preuented, by sewing the feathers of his traine in such sort, as that he cannot spread them to flye with them: or else by plucking bare the hole of his fundament in such sort, as that it may appeare: for thereupon he being driuen into a feare of the cold, he will not be hastie to [...]o [...]re so high. The Eagle is knowne to be good and faire, when he is of a red colour, hauing deepe eyes, and a whitenesse vpon his head or back.

The Sparrow-hawke & the GoshawkeThe Sparrow-hawke and the Goshawke. differ not in any other point than in greatnesse and strength: because the Goshawke is of a stronger nature, and therefore not so soone sick as the Sparrow-hawke: they are both of one kind, as are also the Rauen and the Iay, the great dogge and the little one, and both of them are of two sorts, either such as are taken abroad in the woods, or else such as are taken young out of the neast. Of this sort there is good choise to be made, in respect of their aptnesse to learne; as also of those which are fliers, but haue neuer mued their feathers, neither made any aire, or fed any young ones.

The goodnesse and fairenesse of a Sparrow-hawke is knowne by their being great and short, and yet hauing a little head and somewhat round aboue, a thicke beake, the eyes somewhat hollow, and the circle about the apple of the eye of a colour betwixt greene and white, a long and somewhat thick neck, open in the place where the reines lie, sharpe towards the traine, not very long, set with good and large feathers, hauing flat and short legges, sharpe [...]allons, thicke and broad shoulders, long and small feet, blacke feathers when they are taken young in their aire, and which follow the old one from bough to bough, hauing neuer yet mued.

And though here,The Goshawke more worthie than the Sparrow-hawke. for the familiaritie and common vse we haue of them, I put the Sparrow-hawke before the Goshawke; yet it is to be vnderstood, that the Goshawke is a great deale the more worthier Hawke, both in respect of her beautie and comelinesse, as also in respect of the worth & estimation of the prey she killeth: for amongst Faulconers, that Hawke is held worthiest which killeth the greatest prey: The Mallard-killer be valued before the Partridge-killer, and the Hearne-killer before the Mallard: so the Sparrow-hawke, which is most vsuall for the Bush and Blackbird, at the most can aspire no further than the killing of a Poo [...]e, or a Partridge, cannot compare with a Goshawke, which killeth not only the Partridge, but the Phesant, Hare, & Conie. Most of the French Goshawkes breed in Norway, but they are the worst kind, [Page] and neither so valiant, sound or durable, as those which are bred in Ireland, especial [...] in the North parts thereof, which are easie to bee knowne from any other countrie goshawke, by the [...]lender and fine shapes of their heads, their exceeding quicke and sharpe looking eies, and the palish or sea-coloured greenenesse of their legs. As for the sparrow-hawkes, they are bred both in France, England, Ireland, and many other countries, and very good and hard hawkes in all those places: yet are some ayryes better than other some, according to the scituation of the place, and temperature of the ayre, for such as are bred in warme climats, and where they pray but vpon small birds, as sparrows, robbins, wrens, linne [...]s, and such like, are nothing so valiant as those which are bred in cold climats and tall woods, where they pray vpon black [...]birds, iayes, pyes, and such strong and fiercer foule: neither is the ayre of the wood so good as the ayre of the rocke, because their pray being so neere vnto them, they do not labour or take that [...]oyle which the other doth, and therefore are much more sloathfull of wing, and lesse giuen to paines taking: also the ayrie which buildeth highest and vpon the tallest timber trees is the best, because it sheweth courage in the mount, and those which build low and neere to the springs are worst, for it shewes a faintnesse of spirit and a sloathfulnesse in nature. Now though the best taking of either of these hawkes (as before I said) is when they are branchers, and are able to follow their dams from bough to bough, and to foot the pray which she killeth for them: yet some Faulconers loue to take them from their nests, as soone as they be disclosed, and to bring them vp in such maner, as they may know no other damme but their keeper, being persuaded that such familiaritie and long acquaintance with the man, makes them more louing, and lesse apt to take toy and flie away than the other by many degrees,Differences and [...]ualities betweene the Ra [...]nage or Brauncher hawks and [...]he Iias hawks. and doubtlesse it is most true: yet these thus brought vp, and which are called of Faulconers Iias-hawkes, are nothing so valiant a [...] tho [...]e which are taken long time after, and are called ramadge hawkes. Besides this, too much familiaritie or acquaintance with the man, makes them so ouer fond and do [...]ing, that they will neuer leaue crying, or making a noise as oft as they are either bare faced, or want any thing they desire: besides they will be so do [...]ing of the man, that you shall be a much longer time in entring them or making them foot the praie than the other, because they will expect euery thing from the keeper, and rather flie and sit vpon his shoulder than labour or striue for the pray which flies before them: therefore howsoeuer the care of holding or keeping your hawke fast vnto you, may intice you to esteeme the Iiaes hawke, yet you shall euer find the ramage or brancher much lesse troublesome, and fitter for your purpose.

The way to take them is thus: the birder must bee hid behind a bush, and before the bush a plaine or smooth aire, but foure square, and six sticks prickt downe about it of the thickenesse of ones thombe, and of the height of a man, three on euery side: to these stickes you shall tie nets of greene threed that is very small, and to them a small line or cord, which shall be at the commaund of the man that is hid behind the bush: within the aire there shall feede diuers small birds, especially spinks, or chaffinches, whereupon the sparrow hawke will not faile by and by very fiercely to flie into the nest, thinking to take the birds, but indeed becomming fast, and ouercast in the nets: then the birder shall take her, and bind her wings below, together with her legs and traine, that so she may not struggle or beat herselfe.

They are purposely woont to hide themselues in Winter vpon long poles, amongst high and tall trees, vnder some small and slender tree in some hedge row: they are reclaimed by keeping them long, and oft vpon the fist, but especially at the breake of day: they must be fed twice a day, or once, as when it is determined to flie them the day following; for then she must be kept sharpe, that so she may bee the more eager vpon the pray: which likewise they will performe if they haue put off their gorge of the same day, which is perceiued by the emptinesse of their gorge. They mue yearely in March or Aprill, and at such times they must be kept in warme places, or in such places as where the South Sunne shineth against some wall. Their meat must be of good flesh, as birds or mutton, that so they may become very far: the sparrow [Page] hawke is apt to flie away: but to preuent the same, her keeper must be carefull to do [...] her no hurt, neither yet to gainesay her in any thing, being giuen to be disdainefull. When he goeth forth to flie her, he must not let her range any farre way off, because that if she mis [...]e of the bird she flieth at, she goeth for anger, and flieth to some tree, refusing to returne againe to her keeper: he must not flie her too oft, but content himselfe with what she can reasonably take, giuing her of her prey to feede vpon, that so she may perceiue and find, that her prey is something worth vnto her, and thereby become the more freely stirred vp to flie. The birds which she taketh, are the Partridge, Quaile, Stare, black-Bird, and other such like. For to flie her at smaller birds, as the hedge-Sparrow, Linne [...], and such like, is not good, because being naturally coy, and apt to find fault, it will entice her to carrie and flie away with the prey in her foot, to which they are more apt than any other Hawke whatsoeuer: and hauing once found a tast or spice thereof, they are euer after verie hardly reclaymed. It is good to enter your Sparrow-hawkeHow to enter your Sparrow-hawke. first at the Partridge, vvhen the game is verie young, and not able to flie either farre, or aboue one flight at most, that thereby she may get bloud quickly, and so be encouraged to flie the game home: vvhereas entring her at strong game, such as are able to flie farre, and oft, missing the first or second time, she will take such a distrust to her wing, that not being able to trusse or foot them at the first springing, she will presently turne tayle, and refuse to flie further. There be some that vse to enter their young Sparrow-hawkes at the hand Partridge seeled, in this manner: They take the Partridge, being seeled, and a long creance fastened to her feet, and then comming into the field, in a place likely for haunt, digge vp a round [...]odd, and lay the Partridge into the hole: then couer the Partridge with the sodd, so as it cannot rise, and to the sodd also fasten another creance: and then encouraging the Spanyels to hunt, and making such a cheerefull noyse vnto them as Faulconers are wont to doe in such like cases, on the suddaine plucke the sodd from the Partridge, and let her spring in the full view of the Hawke: then let off the Hawke after her, and hauing footed her, feed her very well vpon the same: and thus doe twice or thrice, but no oftener in any case, least the Hawke finding your deceit, and her owne [...]ase, looke so much for it, that she will refuse to flie at any other game. And these flights are called traines, because they only traine or teach a young Hawke how to bestow her wing, and make her selfe victor ouer the prey she seeketh: yet these must be vsed but onely at the beginning, and not often, for feare of the inconuenience before rehearsed. Some other old Faulconers enter their Hawkes at the Quarrie, which is, when an old Hawke hath flowne the Partridge to the marke, and is vpon her wing readie to attend the retriue, then to let in the yong Hawke to the old, that they may both come to the death of the Partridge together. This is also a good manner of entring of Hawkes▪ but is fitter and more oftener vsed for entring of Hawkes at the riuer, than at the field, because those often stoopings at the riuer makes a Hawke more expert and cunning, and she standeth in much more need of instruction and example in that▪ than in the other.

There must great care be had to heale her when she is sicke.The diseases of the Sparrow-hawke. If she [...]all into an ague after much flight, or by reason of other accidents, she must be set in coole places, vpon some pearch, wrapped about with wet clothes, and feed her a little and often with the flesh of little Chickens, first soaked in vvater, vvherein haue beene steeped the seedes of Cucumbers or Gourds. If she be ouer-cooled, she must be [...]et in warme places, and fed with the flesh of some Cockrell or Pigeons soaked in vvine, or in the decoction of Sage, Mari [...]rome, or such other Hearbes. If she haue lice, you must annoint her pearch with the iuice of Nightshade or Wormewood. If she haue the vvormes i [...] her belly, you must powder her meat with the powder of Peach-tree leaues. If she digest her meat ill, and keepe it altogether, you must make her swallow [...]wne the heart of a frogge into her throat, pulling the same backe againe by and by, being held by a small thred, for so you shall make her c [...]st all her meat. If she haue the gowt in her wings or legges, you must let her bleed some few droppes of bloud vpon the veine that is vnder her wing or thigh. If she haue the gowt in her foot, you must [Page] annoint her feet with the iuice of the herbe, called in French Lectorelle, as also, her pearch, annointing the place afterward with tallow.

If she bee troubled with the frounce, [...]. or mouth canker, you shall wash the [...]ore with allome and strong vineger, beaten together till they be as thicke as puddle. If you will prepare her stomake for the receiuing of a purge, and both comfort and strengthen it, you shall wash her meate in water, in which cloues and licoras haue beene steept: if you will purge her stomake, you shall giue her Aloes: if you will purge her liuer, you shall giue her Rubarbe: if you will purge her kidnes, or take away the shortnesse of breath, or kill wormes, giue her Agaricke: if you will purge her of her gripings in the bodie, or take away the pantas, or kill fellanders, giue her Rewe or herbe of grace: [...]. if you will comfort the heart, or fortifie the lungs, giue her Saffron: to clense away all putrifaction, giue her Myrthe: if you will purge her head, take away windinesse, or what griefe commeth of cold causes, giue her Mustard-seed: if you will purge from her grosse humours, giue her wormewood: for any disease of the liuer whatsoeuer, there is nothing better, than to wash her meate in the water of Liuerworte: for any inward inflammation, wish her meate in the water of Sorrell: for the casting of her gordge, and to strengthen the stomak againe, wash her meate in the iuice of Mints, or the distilled water thereof: for all dulnesse of spirit, and sadnesse of heart, wash her meate in the water or iuice of burrage, or buglosse: to molli [...]ie the hardnesse of the liuer, or any other oppellations, giue her the iuice of Hearts-tongue: to make away obstructions, or stoppings in the head, giue her either Ros [...]marie, or the water thereof: for the weakenesse of the sinewes, trembling of members, or for cramps, swellings, soares, or canker, giue her sage-bruise outwardly, or the iuice inwardly: for pur [...]inesse, or short breath▪ giue her the iuice of Horehound: for the numbnesse or stiffenesse of ioines, cankers, or sores, bathe them in the decoction o [...] of woodbine: for all manner of infection, poyson, or inward bruises, giue her the herbe Cardus Benedictus, which herbe, you may giue either greene, or dryed, either the iuice, or the powder, or if you please, you may giue the distilled water: for the biting of any mad dogge, or any other venimous beast, annoynt the place either with Angelica, or the iuice of an onion: for any extreame drought or heate which is in the stomake, wash all her meate in the decoction of French Barley: for any Fistula, or cankorous sore, take Brimstone: for the Pantas, take Butter and Rose-water: for the Crampe, take Polipodie of the oake, or the iuice of Brianie, or of Garlicke, or where they faile, take the powder of the rootes of Pionie, and let the Hawke smell to the same, or pounce her na [...]es therewith: for the falling sicknesse, wash her meat in the iuice of Pellitorie of Spaine: for the pinne in the foot, make her a plaister of Galbanum, white pitch, and Venice-turpentine, and applie it to the same: Lastly for the Rie, which is a disease of all other, most common and incident to all manner of hawkes, but especially to these short winged hawkes, you shall take a rumpe of mutton, and cut away the fat which is about it, very cleane, and then foulding the same in a handfull of parceley, let your hawke feed and tire herselfe thereupon at her pleasure, and it will make the filth to issue and come forth out of her nares, and purge her head wonderfully.

The Faulcon (as we haue said) in the art of hawking, is sometimes a generall word taken for all kinds of hawks, sometimes it is taken for a speciall word, and according to that sence, there are diuers sorts of that name, which I omit to intreat seuerally of, because of such as haue written of the nature of birds: but howsoeuer, the Faulcon is the prince of the birds of pray (I meane in respect of flight) for her stoutnesse and great courage, and is to be accounted of great value, when she hath a round head, and the top of her head is full, her beake short and thicke, her nostrels great and open, her eie browes high and thicke, her eies great and cloaked, a long necke, a high brest, large shoulders, the feathers of her wings thinne, long thighes, short and chicke legs, greene, great, and well spred feet, blacke, sharpe, and pearching [...]alon [...]: and which i [...] for bignesse neither too great nor too little.

[Page] The Faulcon, as all other birds of prey, hath her Tiercelet, and they are called of the Latines Pomiliones, that is to say, small birds, resembling them, and nothing differing from them, saue onely in greatnesse: and they are all of them (as it were) the males of the birds of prey, the females being, for the most part, of greater bulke and bodies than the males. That of the Faulcon is called nothing but a Tiercelet, or the male Faulcon. The Tiercelets of the other Hawkes haue their proper names: as, the male Sparrow-hawke is called a Musket: the male Lanier, a Laneret: and the male Sacre, a Sacret. The Tiercelet of the Faulcon hath his feathers ver [...]e glittering, his head and eyes black, ash-coloured vpon his back and traine, and yet glittering. He is a Hawke for the lure, as also the Faulcon, and not for the fist. His legges and feet are yellow, hauing for the most part a pale breast: he carrieth two very black spots vpon his feathers, on the sides of his eies. To reclaime the Faulcon, you must haue him commonly vpon your fist, feed him with the wings and legges of Hennes soked in water, and set him in a darke place: sometimes presenting them with a bason full of water, wherein they may bathe themselues, and after their bathing, drie them at the fire: they must be vsed first to take small birds: then, indifferent great ones: and afterward, greater ones: but you must not feed them with any part of the birds which they shall haue taken. They flie maruellous swift, and mount very high, there houering and soaring, but withall, still looking downeward: and when they see the Duck, the greene Goose, Crane, or Heron, they come downe like an arrow, their wings shut and drawne together, right vpon the Fowle, to breake in vpon her with her tallons behind: at vvhich time if they happen to mis [...]e, and the Fowle flie away, they presently flie after: but and if they cannot seize vpon her, as enraged and angrie, they take so long a [...]light thereupon, as that they loose their master.

The Faul [...]on is more fit than any other Hawke to flie the Heron, and all other fowle of the riuer. Her diseases, and the curing of them, are like vnto those of the Sparrow-hawke: howbeit, the Faulcon is of a stronger nature than the Sparrow-hawke.

The Hobbie is the least of all Hawkes in respect of bodie, except the Merlin, and is likewise for the lure, and not for the fist, being of the number of those that soare aloft, as the Faulcon, the Lanier, & the Sacre. This bird is sufficiently knowne euery where: for there is not any country where the Hobbies doe not follow the hunters, in as much as it is the proper worke of the Hobbie to make her prey of the little birds as they flie, as by name, the La [...]ke. This is his speciall propertie, that hauing found the hunters in the field, going to hunt the Hare or the Partridge, he keepeth them companie, still flying ouer their heads, hoping to meet with some one little bird or other which the dog [...] shall put vp: but for the most part these little birds doe rather chuse to become a prey vnto the dogges, or else to find out some means to saue themselues amongst the horses, or to be taken aliue, than to commit themselues to the mercie of the Hobbie, their mortall aduersarie. But howsoeuer, the Hobbie will not follow the hunter longer than a certaine time, as though he had his houres limited him: for leauing them, he goeth to looke out the place of his rest amongst the vvoods of high timber-trees, vvhere they keepe and pearch ordinarily. He hath a blew [...]eake, yellow legs and feet, the feathers vnder his eyes very black, the top of his head betwixt black and a darke yellow, two white spots aboue his necke, but vnderneath his throat, and on either side of his temples, russet ones: his wings very blew: his back, traine, and wings, black on the vpper side: his traine very much consisting of variable colours vnderneath, by reason of red spots traced ouerthwart amongst the blacke. If you can see him flying in the ayre, he may be perceiued to be somewhat red vnder his traine, and betwixt his legges.

The Hobbie is so quicke and swift, as that he dare aduenture vpon the Rauen, and giue him many a drie bob in the ayre.

He is chiefely esteemed for the sport of darying of Larkes,The vse of th [...] Hobbie. to which he is naturally inclined, because it is the prey in which he most naturally delighteth: and the manner of daring of Larkes is in this sort. When you see a Larke play and flie neere vnto the ground, quiuering her wings, and making a gentle noise in the ayre, you shall then [Page] li [...]t vp your fist whereon the Hobbie sitteth, and giue her the sight of the Larke, vvho presently thereupon will spread them abroad, and waue them in the vvind, at vvhich sight the Larke will leisurely stoope downe to the ground, and there lye close, as if she were vnperceiued, vvhilest you in the meane space shall with your Horse and Hawke ride about her, and about her, till you come so neere her, that you may lay your daring-net ouer her: vvhich net is a little round net like a Pursnet, not aboue a foot or two ouerthwart, and fastened bought-wise vnto the end of a long pole, like a Hawkes pole: as soone as you haue couered the Larke, you shal light and take her vp, and giue your Hawke the head onely. This is a sport very delicate, and of long continuance, and therefore much respected amongst ladies and gentlewomen.

The Merlin is the least of all other Hawkes which Faulconers make any vse of: he is for the fist, [...]he Merlin. and not for the lure: howbeit, for ne [...]essitie [...]ake he may be trained to the lure: he resembleth the Faulcon so naturally, as that there may seeme to be no difference betwixt them, saue onely in greatnesse: for he hath the same ges [...]es, plumage, and conditions: vvherefore he must be reputed as royall as the Faulcon, or at least of the same linage and nature with the Faulcon. He is very stout of courage: for although he be not much bigger than a Black-bird or Pigeon, yet he dareth to aduenture vpon the Quaile and Partridge, and such other birds greater than himselfe: and his courage is such, as that oftentimes he will flie them to the next houses or villages, yea, into burning fire, and vnder the garments of men or women. He must be [...]ed and handled after the same manner that the Faulcon. The generall prey whereupon he most ordinarily feedeth, is the Larke: vvhence it commeth, that he euer chusing to liue vvhere they most haunt, hee is often taken with the day-nets: for stooping to strike at the Larke, he is taken in the net himselfe. Of Merlins [...] Merlins. there are both male and female: the male is called the Iack Merlin, and is as the male of other Hawkes, a great deale lesse than the female, and indeed are so very little, that they are of very small or no vse: the female is called the formale, and being much larger, valiant, and full of courage, they will sley the Partridge all Summer long. These Merlins are of all Hawkes the tenderest, and can the least endure cold of any bird vvhatsoeuer, especially of their feet: vvhich being once nipt vvith frost, and benummed, they presently vvill eate them of themselues, and so become lame and vselesse. Therefore vvhen you mue them in the Winter time, you shall mue them in a very warme and close house, and vpon a pearch very well lined and couered with thicke lists, or other vvoollen cloth. Some vse to line their pearches with Cony-skinnes, or other furred skinnes, turning the furred sides outward, but that is somewhat too hot, and makes them more tender and apt to feele the cold than otherwise they would be: vse then a moderate temper of warmth, and no further. Of all sorts of Merlins, the Irish MerlinThe Irish Mer [...]in. is the best, for she is neuer at any time troubled with this infirmitie: and you shall know her by her pale greene legs, and the contrarie Merlin by her bright yellow legs When they haue flowne all Summer at the Partridge, you may make them for the bush in the Winter, and so haue them flying all the yeare; vvhich is the best course that can be taken with them: for they are naturally of themselues so tender, that they can verie hardly endure m [...]ing.

The GerfaulconThe G [...]rf [...]ulcon is a bird that is seldome seene, except it be amongst Faulconers belonging to great Lords: she is a great bodied bird, insomuch, as that she is thought of some to be a kind of Eagle: she is fit to flie at any thing, for she is bold, and neuer giueth ouer any thing: but she is more hard to reclaime and bring to the lure, than any other Hawke, because she is so venturous and fantasticall: for and if she be not handled gently, and haue a mild master to vse her kindly, she will neuer become reclaimed. This is the strongest of all other birds, except the Eagle: she is kept vpon the fist, she is long bodied, hauing her b [...]ll, legges, and feet of a blew colour, and her tallons very open and long: she is cunning at the taking of the birds of the riuer, for she wearieth them in such sort, that in the end they are forced to yeeld, as not being able [...]o diue any more.

The principall flight wherein she taketh delight, is at the Herne, for her spirit [Page] and courage stirs her vp to actions of the greatest worth: and of these Gerfaulcons, the white is the principall best of all other,Of [...] the w [...]te [...] the best. and of greatest price: they are exceeding tender, and very apt to take surfeits, and therefore [...]eldome long liued, which is the reason that they are not of such generall vse as other hawkes are, neither are they got but with great cost, and paine [...]ulnesse which maketh them to be held of very great price, and so not for euerie ones purchase. Aboue all other things, they may not endure the losse of any bloud, in so much that the shedding of one poore droppe, though at the pounce, or other outward part which is least mortall, is the vtter losse of the haukes life: they can in no sort be kept too cold, or withered too much, in so much, that if after her flying, you suffer her to sit abroad one whole frostie night, she will be much the so [...]nder, and better for the same. Nay I haue seene some Faulconers, which after the bathing of the hawke,How to k [...]ps vse the Gerfaulcon haue set her abroad till the moisture hath beene frozen vpon their feathers, and hath beene persuaded that she hath [...]lowne her next slight much better for the same: she must be exceeding painefully laboured withall at her first beginning, for she is apt to take deslike at the mans face, and therfore must be carried vpon the fist more than any other hauke: she must also be kept much bare-faced after she is acquainted with the man, and c [...]ntinually stroaked and coyd about the head, bodie, and feet with a loose feather, to make her more [...]ame and gentil: she must also be much whooped and gibbetted vnto, that she may be acquainted with the voice of the man, and with those sounds which she must obey and [...]ollow: she may very well be flowne from Michaelmas vntill the Spring, but in no wise after; for the [...]ea [...]on of the yeare growing then warme, and lust springing within her, out of a naturall instinct which she hath to her owne clyme, she will away and leaue you, how well soeuer reclaimed, or how sharpe and [...]it soeuer [...]et for the pleasure you go about: In so much that it hath been credibly known, that diuers Gerfaulcons haue beene taken vp in Island, some with French, and some with Engl [...]sh varuells vpon them, to the great admiration and astonishment both of those which haue taken them, and those which haue lost them. The Gerfaulcon like the Faulcon gentill, is to to be chosen all of one pe [...]ce, and either a blacke or [...]andie male, by no meanes dropt, but of a cleere and bright plume, with ful summed feathers, vubrused, and vnbroken: of all hawks they couer their sicknesse longest, and out of their me [...]alls seeme sound, when they are inwardly most rotten; therefor [...] it is not good in any wise to buy or meddle with them til you haue seene them mute, receiued [...] full gorge, and put it ouer, and lastly in the morning haue seene her casting: in all which if you find no extraordinare imperfection, you may then safely buy her, and what los [...]e after succeeds impute it to your owne negligence. The male to the Gerfaulcon is that which is called [...]he Ierkin, being a much lesse bird, yet of exceeding good mettall and courage, and as sit to flie at the riuer, as any other hawke vvhatsoeuer, hauing a naturall loue to all manner of water foule, and continually when he is vvild, making his prey vpon the same.

The Sacre being a principall bird amongst those of the prey, is like vnto the Faulcon in greatnesse, a hawke that is good for the Kite, but hee may bee made fit for any vvild flesh, as also for the open field to take wild Geese, Feasant, Par [...]ridge, and all other sorts of vvild foule.

The SacreThe Sacre. is of more ill fauoured coloured feathers than any other hawke, for she is of a colour as it were betwixt red and smokie, short sooted, hauing blew legs and talons. It is a vvandring bird, and seldome found in this countrie: her Teirselet is the Sacret; so that the Sacret is the male, and the Sacre is the female. Noble men desirous to haue some sport betwixt him and the Kite, do first make the Kite to stoope (for the Kite is woont in the Summer to keepe on high in the aire, to e [...]uoy the coolenesse of the aire, vvhich is greatest in the middle region of the aire) by hauing some one or other Faulconer to carrie a ducke vpon his fist, hauing a certaine quantitie of a Fox taile hanging thereat, thus letting her fle in some plaine ground, they giue the Kite occasion to stoope: for vvhen the Kite is aduised of the Ducke, he stoopeth by and by vnto the ground, and drawing neere vnto her, doth there keepe himselfe without [Page] doing any other thing, but beholding of her, as maruelling at her forme: Then the Sacre is to be cast off at him, who thinking himselfe swift, hopeth by flight to ouertake him: wherupon the Kite mounteth vpward, turning round therewithall as much as he can: and so the combate becommeth pleasant to behold, especially if it be in a plaine without trees, and that the aire be cleare, and without wind: for one shall see both the Sacre and the Kite to mount so high, as that they will be both out of sight: but all will not serue, for the Sacre will make him yeeld, bea [...]ing him downe to the ground with such chumps, as he lighteth vpon him withall.

The LanierLan [...]er. diff [...]reth not much from the Faulcon, and he taketh his surname of the Faulcon, for he is commonly called the Faulcon Lanier: he is commonly found in this countrey: and for that hee is of gentle conditions, and better endureth gros [...]e meates than any other Hawke, men are wont to content themselues with him, causing him to serue their purpose euerie way. Faulconers chuse those Laniers that haue great heads, short bills, blew and yellow feet, their fore-feathers of a mixture of black and white, not hauing ouerthwart strakes, as the Faulcon, but straight spots going along the feathers, a short and somewhat thicke necke, as also a bill of the same fashion. The Lanier is the female, and the Lancret is the male, and hath not so bigge a bodie as the female, neither yet so well esteemed of, but as for the rest, he is almost like the female in plumage. There is no kind of bird that keepeth his pearch more constantly. He abideth with vs in Winter, and is to be seene of vs at all times, contrarie to the fashion of ethers, which keepe not in our countries but in the Summer time. Fa [...]lconers, when they would make the Lanier a forrester, they put him in a lower roome, so dark, as that he can see nothing, except at such times as he is fed: and likewise they neuer carrie him vpon their fist, but in the night.

And when that he is readie to flie, they make a fire in the chamber for to heat him, that so he may afterward be bathed in pure vvine: and hauing dried him againe, they giue him to feede on, the braines of a Henne: then getting forward before day toward the place vvhere the game is, they cast him off a good way from the place vvhere the Crane is, at such time as it beginneth to be day: and though he take him nor the first day, it is all one, for it will be as good in the daies following, and especially from after mid Iuly, vntill towards the end of October. And yet after the mue, hee vvill bee better than before: but it is not good in the time of Winter.

Yet to speake truth of the Lanier, he taketh more delight to prey vpon the Partridge, than vpon any other fowle whatsoeuer, because the flight doth not mount much, to vvhich he hath no affection. He is of so strong and good a constitution, that his grease seldome or neuer melteth to his hurt or preiudice: neither is he so foolishly ouer-free of courage, that he will hurt himselfe with too much violence, or paines-taking. Whence it comes, that his owner can seldome ouer-flye him, no, though he flye him sixe or seuen [...]lights in a morning: and for this cause hee is called the Schollers Hawke, as being an excellent encourager of young Faulconers, and a bird on vvhich, vvithout danger, they may trie all needefull experiments.

Thus much of the manner of luring and reclaiming of Hawkes, as well in generall as in particular: and yet it remaineth that wee speake a word or two concerning the same matter.

You must vnderstand, that all birds of the prey doe serue to flie either vpon riuers, or else [...]n the fields: of which, some flie from the fist, and that without any spare: of this sort is the Goshawke, the Sparrow-hawke, the Gerfaulcon, and the Merlin: The others flie on high, as namely, the Faulcon, the Lanier, the Sacre, and the Hobbie: the one of them is called from the flight, by holding out the fist vnto them, and the other by casting out vnto them the lure, that is to say, an instrument made after the fashion of two fowles wings coupled together, hung at a leash, and at the end thereof a tennise-ball, or crooke of horne: for by these lures the Hawkes are allured, thinking them to be liue Hennes.

[Page] This is the destinction of our French Faulconers, yet generally it is not so receiued, for of other Faulconers,Which be called long-win [...]ed hawks, and which be called short-w [...]nged hawks. hawkes are deuided into these two kinds, long-winged hawkes, and short-winged hawkes: the long-winged hawkes doe properly belong vnto the lure, and [...]lie a [...]oft, soaring in the aire, and from thence [...]ooping downe and taking their pray: they are vpon their wings long before they either see or are seene of their pray, looking when either the spannyells shall spring the partridge from the ground, or the Faulconer with his poale beate the foule from the riuer: and of this [...]or [...] is the Eagle, the Gripe, the Gerfaulcon, the Faulcon, the Lanyer, the Hobie, and the Merline, some will intrude the Castrell, which in deed is a long-winged hawke, as touching his shape, but looking into the cowardlinesse of his nature, he is far vnworthie to ranke in their societie. The short-winged hawkes do properlie belong to the fist, for from thence euer they flie, and thither also backe they are euer recalled. They neuer take their wing till they see their pray on wing before them, and then they make a maine after it, and flie it to the marke, where presently they take a tree, hillocke, or some other stand, as neere the place as possibly they can, and there sit till the spannyells come into the retriue: but the long-winged hawke neuer taketh stand at all, but flying about and about grathereth vp againe to her first pitch, and there expecteth the retriue. Now the short-winged hawkes are the Goshawke, the Terssell of the Goshawke, the Sparrow-hawke, and the Mus [...]e [...], some intrude the bauld Buzzard, and the Ring-tayle, but they as the Castrell are not worthie of the ranke, being naturally cowards, and of faint spirits, not daring to contend where there is any shew of resistance.

Some of them begin not the game, but follow it being begun by the Hawkers,To lure. as we haue said of the Eagle. To be briefe, hawks seeme not to differ, saue that all of them do not flie at all kind of birds and foule alike, for in deed euery one of them buckleth himselfe vnto the bird, to the flying whereof hee is giuen and addicted, and not to others. And concerning all sorts of flying and hawking▪ you may find a more ample treatise in the particular description of the nature and properties of euery bird of pray which we haue made.

CHAP. XLV.
The taking of melodious singing Birds.

WE haue spoken of the sport that is made with birds of the pray called hawking, and now wee will enter into some speech of taking of birds, which sing melodiously with sweet and pleasant songs, wherewith the master of the farme may take his recreation and pleasure, by hearing them sing in his closes, parke, low-woods, and high-woods, or in his chamber window, or else shut vp in some cages or roomes made for the purpose to containe the sub [...]ect of such pleasure and delightsome melodie. And that we may not omit any thing, before we set downe any manner or way of the particular taking of such birds, we will take a briefe view of the nature, feeding, and diseases of the same, For it were but lost labour to take the birds, if to the end that we may haue their sweet and melodious songs a long time, wee knowe not what meat is good for them, what diseases they are subiect vnto, and what meanes and remedies are necessarie for their distemperatures. In the meane time I mind not here to bring in the fabulous histories touching the originall and breeding of the most part of them, which fantasticall Poets haue inuented. I meane to rest my selfe in this only persuasion, namely that all birdes were miraculously created of God by his almightie power, that is to say, of his own meere will and word, whereby likewise he did create all other creatures in the beginning of the creation of the world.

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CHAP. XLVI.
Of the Nightingale.

WE will make our choice of the Nightingale in the first place, which according to the iudgement and common consent of euery one, singeth the most sweetly and melodiously of all the rest: she is a bird sufficiently knowne, especially in the countrie of Italy, and is called of the Latins Luscini [...] or Philomel [...]: she maketh he [...] nest in the Spring, at such time as the earth in the moneth of May, is all ouer couered, beset and hanged with flowers and pleasant greene, and that in groues and thicke bushes, vpon which the Sunne in the morning doth cast his coole and temperate beames: from noone till Sun-set, she [...] the coole places, fountaines, brookes, thicke hedges, and well shadowed places. True it is, [...] Nightingale [...] nest. that some of them do make their nests vpon the ground, vnder hedges, or amongst the waste grounds: and other some of them make it in a place somewhat raised, as vpon some greene and thicke grasse growne, clod of earth or butte. The number of their egges is vncertaine, for some of them lay foure, and some fiue, and those which nestle in Summer, lay (according to Aristotle his assertion) sometimes sixe or seuen. Now the Nightingale which you would keepe, must bee bred in the Spring; for how much the earlier bird she is, by so much will she become the more perfect, and you may haue better hope and assurance of her longer liuing, and of her being brought vp, and kept with more ease, because that comming (as all are woon [...]) to mue her feathers, if she bee ouerrun of certaine cattle in August, the cold comming and finding her bare of feathers, causeth her to die, which thing happeneth vnto many of those which were bred in Summer. The young Nightingales must not be taken from their nests, vntill such time as they be feathered, and that they bee almost couered all ouer with the same, that so you may haue the les [...]e trouble in bringing of them vp, [...]teat [...]or the [...]ightingale. keeping them in a solitarie and by-place: their meate must be the heart of a Weather cleane and old. And you shall make of the fat of the skinne, which couereth the heart, and of certaine sinewes which are within the same, cut and shred small into little pe [...]ces, meate in manner of wormes, wherewith you shall feed them once euery houre, or more oftner if need require, giuing them at each seuerall time three gobbets: and thus you shall feed them in their nests as long as you can, and after they be growne vp, you shall put them in cages, made fit with little stickes and pearches, to the end they may begin of themselues to stand vpon their legs: and within the said cages, you must put mosse, hay, or chaffe, whereupon they may rest themselues, if so be they will not sit vpon the pearches, alwaies taking heed to keepe them cleane as much as may be. It will be requisite also, that their cage haue not any light but on one side onely, and for this cause, such as are most carefull, do hang their cage for the space of three whole parts of it with greene cloth. When you know that the Nightingale ca [...]eth alone, you shall mince her the heart of a Weather very small, after the manner of pie meate, and lay it vpon some small paper, in such places, as where you know that she may feed easily, and without any trouble, you shall vse this care and diligence vntill the bird hath go [...] the custome to eate alone, not neglecting notwithstanding to giue her sometimes a day as much as a bird carrieth [...] her bill to be the surer and for the better: take order likewise least she die, that shee neuer want any of the foresaid meate, and withall that it stinke not, as it falleth out oftentimes in Summer. Besides the heart of the Weather, you may giue her diuers other sorts of meat, as the paste whereof we will speake hereafter for one: or in steed of that paste, take a new egge (for else it might cause some disease to breed in her, and bring her easily to her death) boile it hard, giue her the yelke to eate. It is true, that you must not giue it her oft, or not at all, except it be for want of their meat, because it is giuen to bind them in their bodies, and make them continue. You may likewise [Page] feed them with certaine wormes which are found in a doues nest, or else in old flower of meale: but this must be done as seldome as may be, because that such meate should rather be vnto her as physicke, than ordinarie food, as we shall say hereafter. If shee will not picke vp these meates, she may haue them mingled amongst her meate of a sheepes heart, that so she may learne to feed of whatsoeuer shall be set before her.

CHAP. XLVII.
How Nightingales taken in the moneth of August must be fed, as also those that are taken after they be through growne.

SO soone as you haue taken the Nightingale in August, tie her wings presently, that so she may not bea [...]e her selfe in her cage,The mann [...]r of the k [...]eping of the Nightingale taken in August and by this means shee will grow tame sooner, and more easily, and withall fall to eate, whereas otherwise she will bee hard to tame: for seeing her selfe depriued of her libertie, she becommeth not tame, till of a long time after. You shall shut her vp in a cage couered and wrapt round with paper, not hauing any [...]icke for her to pearch vpon at all: in the meane time haue regard to feed her fiue or sixe times euery day, and that very handsomely: sometimes lay before her flies, or little wormes, which by their crauling will stir vp the bird to picke them, wherefore for the first time you shall giue her them aliue, whereas afterward you may cut and mince them: the third time you shall begin to feed her with a sheepes heart shred small, mingling amongst the same of the wormes afore mentioned likewise minced and knodden together, for to accustome her to the said heart. And if you perceiue that the bird doth not feed her [...]elfe, neither yet desire or seeke after any thing but wormes, you shall leaue off to giue her them mingled and tempered with the sheepes heart by a little and little, and so offring her such meate as is most easie, you shall woont her to eate of the said heart without any mixture all alone: you may do the like with the paste, if you perceiue that she doth eate it willingly, which thing is easily discerned by any man of iudgement.

CHAP. XLVIII.
To bring vp Nightingales that are taken in March.

IT is true, that the Nightingales which are taken after the first of March vnto the middest of Aprill are very fit to keepe and bring vp.To bring vp Nightingales taken in March When therefore you haue a Nightingale of this season, you shall put her in a cage well wrapt about with paper, for feare that vpon the [...]ight of any man, she should beate her selfe and crie, as also to the end that she may learne to eate alone. For to do this, you shall haue a vessell of glasse like a cuppe without a foote, wherein you shall put seuen or eight small wormes, and set them neere the bird, who seeing them craule within the glasse, will by and by for enuie at them fall of p [...]king them, wherefore you shall giue her them quicke for the first time. The second time mince and cut them small: and when you see that she eateth well of such meate, you shall take of a sheepes heart well beat and cut, and mingle it with the said wormes, and making thereof as it were a paste, giue it her to ea [...]e. But if you perceiue, that in feeding, she chuse to eat of nothing but the wormes, leauing the heart, you shall indeuour your selfe to mixe it with all possible care and cunning, that so in eating she may not chuse but eate of both together, that is, both of the wormes and of the heart. [Page] And when she is accustomed to eate of this mixture, you shall by little and little take away the wormes, and feed her only with the heart. Let it not be found strange vnto you to see your Nightingale continue some daies without eating. For the cause why it so falleth out, is, because they are grieued for hauing lost their libertie, and thereupon continue some time without eating or feeding of any thing; some, three daies; others, fi [...]e or sixe daies; yea, eight or ten daies: whereat you must not maruel, neither yet leaue off to feed them. For there are some old ones, which though they bee hard to feede, become notwithstanding better singing birds than any of the young ones.

If peraduenture the bird will not take any other thing than wormes, giue her a birds bill full foure times a day, and three or foure morsells at a time, and not any more, because of digestion, and when she shall haue accustomed to take the mixture of the heart with the wormes, giue her twice a day onely, that is to say, morning and euening, for to preserue and maintaine her. And this is the order and course that yee shall take.

CHAP. XLIX.
To know if the Nightingale begin to eate of her selfe, and whether she will proue good, or no.

AS soone as the Nightingale beginneth to sing, it is a most certaine token that she eateth likewise alone. There are some which make not any kind of noise or sound for the space of eight daies; others of fifteene: and othersome continue a whole moneth without singing. If they exceed this time without singing, it is to bee thought, that either they are females, or else that they will neuer be ought wo [...]th. They giue great hope of prouing perfect birds, which begin to sing quickly, and vse to cate quickly likewise by themselues.

CHAP. L.
How to order a Nightingale which eateth alone, and singeth.

WHen the Nightingale shall eate well by her selfe, and shall sing, you shall take away by little and little the paper wherwith the cage was compassed about, euery day a little, in such sort, as that the bird may not perceiue it, couering the place againe from whence you shall take the paper, with some greene, insomuch, as that all the paper being taken away, and the cage couered againe with greene leaues, you shall by little and little accussome her to see the light. For if that you doe otherwise, you will bee the cause of making her to loose her singing, either for disdaine, or for feare, which will not come to passe, if you order her as hath beene said. Notwithstanding that Elian in the thirteenth booke of his naturall historie [...]aith, (following the aduice of Aristotle) That it is hard to bring that bird to singing, which is not taken in her owne nest. Which opinion is found to be most false by ordinarie experience: for very often it is seene, that old Nightingales b [...]come more perfect and excellent than the other.

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CHAP. LI.
How the male Nightingales are knowne from the females.

MEns opinions and iudgements concerning Nightingales (as namely to know of whether sexe they be) are very diuers:Nightingales male and female. for some distinguish the coke from the hen by their grosenesse, saying, that the cocke is the grosser bird: others are of mind that the cocke hath a greater eie: some say, that he hath a reddish taile: all which opinions I haue found to be far wide; for I haue had perfect good Nightingales, and that a great number of them that haue beene very small and little [...] as also hens with all those markes which are assigned vnto the cockes. Wherefore for a more sure and certaine signe, you shall rest vpon, and trust to that which followeth: That is to say, when you haue a Nightingale taken out of the nest, which shall begin to eate alone, without hauing of it cramd into her, and shall record diuers melodious notes from day to day, contenting herselfe therein some time with pleasing and beseeming noises, you may thereby assure your selfe that the same is a male. But vnto this, you shall adde certaine other notes: as namely, her quiet and peaceable abiding in her cage: her standing vpon one leg only, and to hold on the warbling of her brest, which continuance is not to be found in the hen: more than that, she goeth hopping and whistling vp and downe the cage with a noise and song that is very much interupted and short. I will not denie notwithstanding, but that sometimes the cocke may bee knowne from the hen by the markes which some haue set downe before: but this is that which I affirme, namely, that some are mightily deceiued by those markes, and that by their singing, the Nightingales taken in August are most certainely and clearely knowne and discerned. And as for those which are taken in March, the knowledge of them resteth, not onely in singing, but also in the lower parts of the sexe which the cockes doe put forth, but the hens doe not, for then is the time that birds do [...] couple together. These therefore are the most certaine euident and infallible arguments, whereunto you may trust and betake you selfe.

CHAP. LII.
Of the King of birds, or the little King▪ otherwise called Robin-Redbreast.

YOu shall vnderstand that the little king,The king of b [...]rds. or king of birds is naturally very small, of a daintie tractable complexion, he singeth most sweetly, and is not much inferior in this respect vnto the Nightingale. He is oftentimes seene in Winter vpon the tops or roofes of houses, or vpon old ruines on that side that the Sunne shineth, and whereas the wind may least annoy him. He is to be fed in this sort: You must keepe him warme in his nest, giuing him for his meate of a sheepes heart, or of a calues heart minced, in all points as wee haue alreadie said, speaking of the Nightingale. He must be fed with a little atonce, and oft, by reason of his digestion, being carefull that hee take no cold, and especially in the night. For which cause, you shall put him in a cage, which hath some prettie prouision made like a little chamber, trimmed with red cloth, and made as it were a little ho [...]-house, wherinto he may go, in the night season, and shun the cold all the whole yere. Now when he shall be vsed to be fed, you shall feed him with some heart well beaten, and small minced, & sometimes you shal giue him of the paste that is vsed to be giuen to Nightingales, which will do him no small good. And you shal giue him sometimes [Page] flies to pecke for her greater ioy and speedier taming, and herein you shall vse great diligence.

CHAP. LIII.
Of the Finch.

AMongst the fairest and most beautifull birds,Fi [...]h. yea, or rather the most beautifull of all, is the Finch, being no lesse delightsome to the eie, than pleasant vnto the eare: and yet there is not that account made of her that should, because of the great number of them that is to be found. They ne [...]le thrice a yeare, that is to say, in May, Iune, and August. Some are of opinion, that those which are bred in the moneth of August, are the best, and amongst them those which are of the third feather, or which haue mued thrice. Others affect those most which haue their nests amongst the thornes, and haue certaine orange coloured feathers, which I my selfe do not mi [...]ke: but I say further, (that whereas the blacke ones are commonly the pefectest and best birds of all) that there is not any one [...] or more perfect than another. It is true that those which breed amongst the thornes, are stouter and stronger birds than the other, and better made to sing. They are vnlike the other, in as much as their feathers are somewhat more gray and darke. The cockes haue a blacke throat, as likewise the shoulders and head blacke, and long and flat. The hens haue their shoulders gray, their throat blacke, and their head round.

CHAP. LIIII.
How the Finch must be fed.

WHen you haue taken the Finch with her nest, [...]. you shall feed them in maner as followeth: you shall first soften in the water of sweet almonds, and afterward chaw very well a little peece of bisket, or of a pan-cake, and you shall make of these two things a paste, and cram into the bird of the [...], as shall be needfull. Afterward you shall worke the things aforesaid in a morter together, and hauing tempe [...]ed them with wa [...]e, you shall giue them as much as a bird will hold in her bill, with a chickens feather, vpon paine that you make her meate new euery day, least it should grow foure, and spoile the bird. When you haue fed the bird, you shall make a little sticke like a tooth-picke, at the point whereof, you shal tie a little cotton, you shall wet this tooth-picke in water, and with the same, you shall wash the birds bill, that so there cleaue not vnto, or hange thereabout any of the said paste, for causing of apostemes or vlcers, such as wherewith she might be kept from being able to open her bill, and so she would easily die. Now when she beginneth to eate alone, you shall giue vnto her in her little box a little bruised mustard seed, and you shall renew it dayly, least it should become ranke, which would make her die. The same diligence must bee obserued in bringing vp of greene Finches, Canarie-birds, Line [...]s, Goldfinches, or Silkens, and Spinkes. You must bee carefull when they moute, to aire them and besprinckle them with a little wine, setting them also a little in the Sunne twice a weeke.

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CHAP. LV.
How to feed the Spinke.

THe Spinke is a very beautifull and melodious bird,What [...] the Spinke must [...]. but all Spinks haue not one and the same tunes: for some of them sing after one fashion, and some after another, which needeth not to be further proued; for there is great varietie of them, and they are called after diuers sorts. Some bring them vp after the way, that is vsed in bringing vp of Finches. This bird hath this imperfection, namely, that she easily looseth her sight. Wherefore when you perceiue that she is in the way to grow blind, take of the iuice of bee [...]s, and mingle it with a little water in her water-pot, & that for a day only, that so she may drinke thereof. And furthermore, make her a pearch of fig-tree wood, whereupon, and against which shee may tub her eie, the which will doe her much good: you shall giue her likewise to eate of the seeds of melons, the space of two or three daies, because they are cooling and wholesome. And if by this meanes, the Spinke do not mend and become better, giue her leaue to take her libertie in the [...]ields, for shee will neuer be ought.

CHAP. LVI.
Tor [...]lieue the diseases of the Finch and Nightingale.

WHen the Finch is in her mue,The Finch [...] you shall comfort her, besprinckling her lightly with wine, that so she may mout the sooner, which will be to her further good. And if she happen to haue lice after this sprinkling with wine, set her in the Sunne, and there let her stand vntill such time as she [...]be drie. Some of them mout in Iune, some in Iuly, and other some in August, according to their complexion and heate. And this is the course which they follow which are put into the cage, hauing spent one yeare abroad before, for those which are taken in the neast, doe [...] within a moneth that they are put in: and this must be vnderstood in generall of all birds. And therefore to come to the particular: The Nightingale is troubled with fatnesse: and therefore shee must be purged twice a weeke, giuing her two or three vvormes of the Pigeon-house (as vvee haue taught before) for the space of fifteene daies. [...] If she grow melancholike, you shall cut the bladder vvhich is aboue her rumpe, and put into her drinking-pot some Sugar-cand [...]e, and little lumps of paste or sugar, of the bignes of a nut. And if you see that she complaine her selfe of sicknesse, put into her vvater-pot some sixe chyres of Saffron, or thereabout, continuing therewithall to giue her the paste, and sometimes of a Sheepes heart. And if peraduenture shee still grow worse, giue her the yelke of an hard egge, and the vvhite also. Besides, the Nightingale hauing beene two or three yeares in the cage, becommeth gowtie: now when you shall perceiue it, annoint her feet vvith Butter, or else vvith Hennes grease, vvhich is a verie good remedie for to cure her. The Nightingale is likewise subiect to haue apostemes breaking out about her eyes and neb, for vvhich you shall likewise vse Butter and Hennes grease. It is meet also to make [...]ouision for the Nightingale that is leane, vvhen you see necess [...] that vvay to require it, giuing her new [...]igges to eate in their season, and at other times drie [...]igges, vvell chewed: and afterward, you shall bring her vnto her ordinarie diet, and so you shall continue vvith her, to maintaine and keepe her. There happeneth also vnto the Nightingale another disease, called the straitnesse or strangling of the breast, vvhich commeth of hauing [Page] eaten some ranke or fat thing, and it is perceiued by the beating and paine before not accustomed, which she abideth in this place, and also by this, that she is giuen of [...] to gape and open her bill. This disease commeth also of some sinew or thred of the sheeps heart, which was not minced small enough, and so thereby doth hang in her throat: wherefore you shall very handsomely open her bill, and take it from her with a pinne. You shall know it to bee this disease, when you see in her throat certaine broken or loose [...]lesh. Giue her afterward a little Sugar-candie, which shall be a very good remedie for to cure her. In briefe, all such kind of birds as eate sheeps hearts, or the hearts of any other beastes, are subiect to bee troubled with the disease aboue spoken of.

CHAP. LVII.
To know the Canarie-bird from others, and what diseases she is subiect vnto.

YOu shall vnderstand that the Canarie-bird is brought from the Islands called the Canaries, and is of much account amongst vs, because shee both commeth out of a strange countrie, as also because she is a good singing bird. She is knowne from others by this, because she continueth and heaueth the passages of her throate, in singing, more than any other birds doe: besides, she is of a lesse bodie, and hath a longer taile; in so much as the lesser they bee, the perfecter they be. On the contrarie, the great ones which sometimes turne their heads behind them, after the manner of fooles, and for that cause are called fooles, are the worst, and come from the Isles of Palm [...] virte. Wherfore the nature of the Canari [...]-bird is not to bee fat, or to maintaine and keepe her flesh well. She is verie subiect vnto Impostumes, which happen vpon her head, and those of a yellow colour, and they must bee annointed with butter or hennes grease about three times: then leauing off to doe any more vnto them, for the space of three daies, you shall then take them in hand againe, and open them gently, whereupon you shall see comming out of them thicke matter, like vnto an egs yelk. Which done, you shall annoint the said Impostumes very well with the foresaid grease, and thus you shall doe as often as they shall returne. This bird is likewise troubled with melancholie sometimes, and then the end of her rumpe would be cut and wrung out very well, giuing her of these herbes, lettuses, beets, and such like. But and if for all these things, you see that the Canarie-bird doth not amend the better; you shall coole her with a little of the seed of melons, giuing it her to eate, and you shall put into her water-pot a little Sugar-candie, twice, or thereabout, and that so much as may endure and l [...]st one whole weeke: which may be done likewise when shee is in health twice a moneth.

When the Canari [...]-bird mouteth,The Canarie- [...]bird [...] giue her of the seeds of melons, and sprinkle her with a little good wine, in such sort as hath beene said in speaking of other birds, and that twise or thrice a weeke, setting her afterward in the Sunne, and by this meanes, you shall make her mout more properly. This course you shall likewise practise if she haue lice,The Canarybird ha [...]ing [...]. to kill the vermine that would wast and consume her, that so she may be preserued.

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CHAP. LVIII.
Of the Linnet, and of her diseases.

THe Linnet is a good and melodious bird,The Linnet. euen that which is taken in her nest. Sometimes she wil be melancholicke: she hunteth the mountaines amongst the M [...]ttle bushes, Boxe-trees, Iuniper-trees, and Bay-trees: she maketh her nest of very small roots, and other matter like vnto feathers. This bird bringeth forth young ones thrice a yeare. [...]. She is subiect vnto the disease called the pthisicke, which may be perceiued by the seeing of her melancholike, and her feathers standing in staring wise, and by her bellie, which then will shew it selfe, somewhat more puffed vp than ordinarie, full of red veines, and her breast leane, and by seeing her spill and pecke mustard-seed. This disease commeth to her by feeding vpon mustard-seed, which is very hot: wherefore it were better to giue her pannicke, [...]. or else continuing to giue her mustard-seed, to vse withall this remedie: which is, when you see her troubled with this disease, to cut the end of her [...]umpe, and to giue her Sugar-candie, or some other sine sugar to drinke: and for her meate, you shall giue her beets, lettuses, and other such like herbes to eate; as namely, sometimes some mercurie. If you haue vsed to feed her before with mustard-seed, you must giue her pannicke to eate, to coole her withall, or else the seed of melons well husked, and to continue the same meat the space of three daies. Her ordinarie meare must be of the said berbes. B [...]sides this, you shall put into her c [...]ge a little earth, and that in such sort, as shall seeme good vnto you: howbeit, it would be best to put theirin some beaten mortar, or some clay, to the end that feeding vpon it, shee may bee healed.

The Linnet is likewise subiect vnto the straitnesse or conuulsion of the brest, wherefore being oppressed with this disease, you shall feed her with the seeds of melons, and in her water you shal steep some Sugar-candie, or else small mor [...]els of past. You shall put therein furthermore a little peece of licoras, to the end the water may somewhat [...]aste of it; and so you must continue it for the space of fiue daies, one day alwaies betwixt, that is to say, one day, and not the other. Seeing to it, that you giue her a beet leafe, or some other, vpon the day that you shall giue her pure water to drinke. The same remedie will serue to helpe her to her voice againe, i [...] the bird were hoarse, for thereby shee shall [...]ind her selfe well: notwithstanding that there are but few that escape of the Phthisicke. You shall vse the like remedies for the benefit of other birds, which are found to bee grieued with such diseases, as those are, whereof we will now speake.

CHAP. LIX.
Of diuers infirmities hapning to little cage birds, together with their remedies.

AMongst other diseases of birds, they are subiect easily to loose their sight, and become blind, if it bee not speedily looked to, and especially the Spinkes. Wherefore, for their better recour [...]rie before they be quite blind, you shall take beets & draw the iuice out of them, mingling it with a little sugar, & with this licour, you shall make her drinke for the space of three daies, to be taken euery s [...]cond day, after the maner that we haue spoken of in the behalfe of the linnet. And you shall lay in her cage a sticke of the wood of the fig-tree, in such sort as [Page] that the bird may vse it for a pearch, and rub her eies against it, for the curing of them: which remedie will then be expedient, when you perceiue their eies to begin to shed teares, and their feathers begin to stare and stand vp. When they shall bee troubled with impostumes, [...] you shall vse the same remedies which we haue spoken of in the chap [...]er of the Canarie bird.

But in as much as it often falleth out, that birds do breake their legs, I haue thought it good to teach you the way to heale them [...] you shall giue them their meat in the first place, [...]. in the bottome of the cage: secondly, you shall take away their rods and pearches, that so they may not thereby take occasion to be hopping to looke for their meate, and so thereby to labour and stirre their legge, because by stirring thereof, they perish and are spoiled. And this course will likewise serue when any bird hath her thigh broken. And I would aduertise you not to bind or swaddle it after the manner of the world, for so you should cause some impostume to grow in the place where you did bind and tie it. You shall doe that which hath beene said very easily▪ if you lay her meate in the bottome and lowest part of the cage; all manner of pearching being cut off by the taking away of the rods and stickes which were in it for that purpose, and keeping them in some by-place for feare, that by the hearing of noise, they should beate and shake themselues, letting their legge or thigh which they shall haue broken remaine vntied and vnbound; for nature will heale it, and make it to grow together againe speedily.

CHAP. LX.
The manner how to serue ones turne of birdes, when he would take and catch them, and how to make them sing.

NOtwithstanding that all birds, except the Spinke, do sing in Winter, as by name the Finch, the Linnet, the Miskin, and other such like: there are some found notwithstanding, which being come out of the mue, do giue ouer their singing, because of the said mue. Wherefore from the beginning of May you shall purge them, which you would vse for your purpose, to catch other birds withall, in such maner as followeth. You shall giue them in the first place of the iuice of beetes mingled with a little pure water, and the day following, you shall giue them a leafe of the said herbe. The third day following, you shall keepe them close in the house, setting them vpon the ground, that so they may eate their meate vpon it, for the space of ten daies, withdrawing them by little and little, day after day, from the light, into some obscure and darke place. And when they haue thus pas [...]ed ouer ten daies, you shall giue them some beets againe, and shut them vp in some square chest in a darke and by-place. At the euening, you shal dresse them with a lamp, so dealing, as that the said birds may see the same light for the space of two houres, during which time, you may make cleane her water-pot, changing their mustard-seed euery eight day, and giuing them of the leaues of beets euery fourth day, and euery twentieth day of the iuice therof, especially, vnto the spink, being the most subiect of all others to become blind. And that you may keepe them without lice, you must change their cage euery twentie daies, as also for another reason, which is because of the filth and stench thereof, which might easily kill them. Thus you must still be practising of these courses, vnto the tenth of August, which terme being expired, you shall purge them anew in like manner as before, suffering them by little and little more freely to see the light, vntill the twentieth of the same moneth, taking heed that they come not in the Sunne. Thus they will serue you very well to take and catch birds withall in September and October, and finally in all the rest.

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CHAP. LXI.
Of the Misken.

AMongst the little birds of the cage, the MiskenThe Mis [...]n. is a of cheerefull nature, and singeth sweetly and delightsomely: she is exceeding pleasing vnto the sight. She breedeth thrice a yeare, first about the end of Aprill, amongst the shrubs or hedges of iuie or laurell, secondly, about mid-May, and thirdly and lastly, in the end of [...]une: and this is their ordinarie and most common course; for sometimes they come sooner or latter, more or lesse. Their nests are made of the most [...]ine roots of herbs, and oftentimes of the leaues of reeds, according as the place will afford them where they nest.

To seed the Misken taken out of her nest, you shall giue her of a sheepes heart mi [...]ed very small, taking away the fat and sinewes, or else of a calues or heyfers hea [...], taking from it likewise the sinewes and the fat, all the rest being well beaten and shr [...], because of digestion. You shall seed her in her nest oftentimes, giuing her euery time a mo [...]ell or two, and no more, least they should die, by being too much filled. And when you shall perceiue that the Misken will [...]ate alone, you shall hang at her cage a little of the said heart minced, not ceasing notwithstanding to feed her, by putting it in her mouth certain times euery day for more as [...]urednesse. After she hath beene accustomed to eate alone, you may giue her some paste, feeding her therewithall onely, not giuing her any more heart, when she shall be accustomed thereto. Furthermore, if you haue any great desire that she should learne some proper songe, take the paines for to teach her, for it is a bird that is very easie to be taught. The Miskens, which are taken in birding, proue better and more perfect than the other. They are woont to continue without singing the space of ten daies after they are taken. You shal feed them, for the space of eight da [...]es, with new or drie [...]igs, and after you shall begin to giue them of the paste which is woont to bee made for the Nightingales, wherof we will speake hereafter: such as are fed with paste do liue longer than those which are fed with nothing but figs.

CHAP. LXII.
Of the solitarie Sparrow.

BY nature the solitari [...] Sparrow is giuen to be melancholicke, she loueth by-places, and thereupon commeth her name, because they are very solitarie, as namely, the old decayed walls of churches, and other [...]habited places, as being far remoued from the companie of other birds: she [...] very iealous ouer her young ones: she maketh her nest in the holes and clefts of old buildings, and breedeth thrice a yeare: first, in Aprill: secondly, in May: and thirdly, in Iune.

If you will bring vp, and take any pleasure by the solitarie Sparrow, which haue taken young in their nests, you must chuse the greatest and biggest, namely such as are well couered with feathers, for else you shal neuer bring them to any proofe.

If peraduenture, [...]. when they are growne thus great, they will not open their bils, you shall open them, giuing them as much as a bird will hold in her bill three or foure times. But and if you perceiue that they will eate of themselues, you may put in their trough or meate-boxe, some of the foresaid heart, not giuing ouer notwithstanding, to put it into their mouthes, vntill such time as they can eate alone. But for such as open their bils, you shall feed them with the said heart, after that you haue [Page] taken off the skinne round about, and the fat also, and that once euerie houre or more, if you heare them crie and see them gape. Put in their cage a little straw or hay, keeping them as neate and cleane as possibly you can; for if you do not, they will become lame, or else die in a small time. Wherefore you shall do as hath beene said, vntill they haue mouted, and afterward if you will keepe them in sand, it will be very good: howbeit, I thinke it better to keepe them in hay all the Winter following. And whenas they shall eate of themselues, their meate shall bee sheepes heart small minced, and sometimes of the paste which is woont to be giuen to Nightingales. And sometimes for an extraordinarie dish, you may giue them hard egges, as also raysins.

CHAP. LXIII.
Of the Throstle.

THe Throstle is a bird knowne to euery one, [...]. and she is as good to be eaten, as to sing: she maketh her nest in hils full of snow and ice, vpon high trees: it is made of the mosse of the wood mingled with earth, and fashioned of a round forme with singular cunning, in the middest thereof they leaue a hole, to the end that it may not fill with water through long and continuall raine, which might proue to the drowning of her young ones. They breed thrice a yeare, as other birds do, that is, in Aprill, May, and Iune.

The Throstle taken in the nest must be kept and fed in like manner as the solitarie Sparrow, [...]. as well whiles they are young and small, as when they become old and great ones. Furthermore, you must know that the Throstle is a great deale more delicate and fine than the solitarie sparrow, and hath tenderer bones. So that to preserue and keepe her aliue, she must bee kept very neate and cleane. See that the Throstle which you would bring vp and keepe, be a great one, and well feathered: for if you chuse her great, and that she begin to eate alone, and to mout, you shall bee the more able to bring her vp, and she will proue the better.

You must note also, [...]. that there are three [...]orts of Throstles: those which are best to bring vp for singers, are rather the little ones, than the others, and those which are of a browne and darke coloured feather, called in Italian Tordi sasso [...]i. On the contrarie, those which are nothing worth to sing, are much greater, and their feathers of a whiter colour, called by the Italians, Tordelli, which in my iudgement are better for the bellie than the eare.

CHAP. LXIIII.
Of the Calander, Coridale, and Larke.

COncerning the nature of the Calander, [...] Calander. [...] Cor [...]dale. [...] Larke. it is knowne by the effects, for she is hard to tame, if she be not taken in the nest: she wil be so vexed sometimes as is maruellous, and a thing almost incredible, for being carried from one place to another; and in this vexation, she will continue a whole moneth without singing: yea there haue some bin seene which did neuer sing againe after, except they were brought backe to their accustomed place.

The Larke, notwithstanding that she is disdainefull, doth not forsake her singing in such cases, aboue two or three daies, as doth in like maner the Coirdale. These birds make their nests vpon the ground, and in meadowes, and sometimes amongst the corne. Their nests are made of the drie roots of herbs, and they breed thrice a yeare: [Page] first in the beginning of May, then in the beginnig of Iune, and lastly about mid Iuly. Notwithstanding they differ herein sometimes, according to the season and time, as do all others.

These three sorts of birds, as they are of one and the same nature, so they are fed and eate after one manner. For their ordinarie meate and feeding shall be no other than that we haue said to be good for the other birds: namely, the heart of a sheepe beaten and minced very small. If they eate not alone, you shall feed them very diligently in their nests, according as you shall see it needfull. Looke to it, that they continue not too long in their nests, for feare they should become lame. But after certaine daies put them in their cage strawed with sand, and there leaue them day and night. Being accustomed to eate alone, you shall giue them heart mingled with the graine, called of the Latines Far, or else with paste which is made for Nightingales, and therewith you shall feed them, till they become great ones, and stand vpon their feet. Afterward you shall scatter some of the aforesaid corne called Far, amongst the sand of the cage, to the end that the birdes may learne to know of themselues, the said corne amongst the sand, and to pecke it now and then, continuing notwithstanding to feed them, and to put into their mouthes of sheepes heart, according to your former custome. But when these birds begin to mout, you may giue them hemp- [...]eed, spelt, and the [...]i [...]tings of corne. You shall also, put into their cages a peece of drie morter, or else of the pu [...]ice stone, or of clay, whereupon the birds may sharpen and rub their bills, which is very apt to grow blunt with pecking: and to the end that they mae eate some of it also sometimes; for it is a thing that doth them much good, and serueth for to purge them.

CHAP. LXV.
To make the paste which the Nightingales eate, being likewise good for the solitarie Sparrow, Miskins, Blacke-birds, Throstles, and many other birds.

PAste for the said birds (whereof we haue made mention before) must be made after this manner: take the meale of white Cich-pease, and boult it diligently with a boulter, as is vsed to be done with wheat meale, and in such quantitie, as you shall see to be needfull. For example: Let the quantitie of meale bee two poundes, with one pound of sweet almonds chosen and husked, which afterward you shall [...]ake and stampe very well, in such sort as is vsed when paste for march-paines is to be made. Herewithall, you must haue three ounces of fresh butter, which butter you shal put into a copper vessel tinned, and mixe therwithall the said flower and almonds together. After that you haue done this, you shal set the said vessell vpon charcole fire, that so it may not smell of smoake, s [...]i [...]ring it diligently whiles it is vpon the sire, with a wooden spoone, that so it may bo [...]le by little and little, putting thereto the yelkes of two egs, and a little saffron: when you perceiue the butter to begin to melt, you shall furthermore drop into it of liquid honie, so much as shall serue for the incorporating of the paste, and bringing of it into cornes, still continuing to stir it with a spoone, [...]or feare the fire should make it burne too. When you haue thus done, you shall take a Colander made with such holes, as will let passe so much at once, as the birds (for which you make it) will eate. And when the paste is thus strained through the Colander, and the cornes made in such quantitie, and qualitie, as is requisite for the necessitie of the birdes, you shall take the past which could not passe through the said Colander, so far forth as that the whole may come to be of a iust consistence. And for the keeping of it, you must poure honie aboue, handling and stirring of it cunningly, and so you shall be stored of prouision for sixe moneths.

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CHAP. LXVI.
The way to know many and sundrie maladies which doe happen vnto birds.

IT is apparant, that the diseases of birds are diuers, and the diuersitie thereof causeth diuers effects, and diuers signes, vvhich lying hidden, the disease continueth vnknowne, and so there is no administring of any thing, in as much as it is not knowne, whence it commeth, that they are in that case, nor what disease it is, nor what medicine or remedie is good or conuenient for the curing thereof. Wherefore it is necessarily required, that there should be good regard giuen vnto the outward signes, by them to know the mischiefe that lurketh vvithin, and that no les [...]e in the behalfe of birds, than generally of all other creatures. Wherefore I haue endeuoured my selfe, briefely to collect and gather into this Chapter, vvhatsoeuer hath beene deliuered scatteringly and diffusedly elsewhere, in the touching of the infirmities and diseases that are incident vnto birds, and of the knowledge thereof; for the benefit and instruction of such as would know the diseases whereunto such birds as they delight in, and loue to keepe, are sub [...]ect.

Birds therefore are subiect, [...]. amongst other diseases, vnto impostumes, vvhich doe happen vnto them, and appeare in the head of a yellow colour, as great as a Hemp-seed▪ yea, sometimes as bigge as a Pease: a disease commonly haunting all birds, especially those which are of a hot complexion.

Another kind of disease with which birds are troubled, [...]. is called the subtle disease, Pthisis: for the bird that is troubled with this disease, swelle [...]h in her bodie, as hauing it euerie where beset with veines full of bloud, the breast notwithstanding being thin and leane: and furthermore, the bird so diseased, doth nothing but take, [...]ast away, or ouer-turne her meat and Hempe-seed.

The gow [...] is another sort of disease common vnto birds, [...]. and vexing them [...]ore: for when as they are diseased thereof, they can neither stirre nor stand, because of the paine they doe endure. This disease is knowne by the roughnesse of their legges and feet.

The difficultie of breathing, [...] or hard drawing of their breath, troubleth them also: and it is knowne by their hoar [...]enes [...]e, so as that they cannot vtter their t [...]nes: or if they doe, yet very h [...]rshly and imperfectly: or else by their not saying any thing at all. You shall lay your hand vpon her breast, and by that also you shall perceiue it: for you shall feele an extraordinarie beating, as shewing it selfe to come from some oppression and great difficultie: by all which you may gather for certaine, that she is infected with this disease.

Oftentimes it likewise commeth to passe, [...] that they crie and cast forth lamentable noises, complaining themselues, vvhich declareth euidently, that they haue the disease called Asthma, or shortnesse of breath.

Birds also oftentimes fall blind: [...]. vvhich, if it be not quickly helped, they vvill neuer be cured: and this disease is perceiued by the trickling of teares from their eyes, and by certaine feathers about their eyes, vvhich doe curle and crooke by turning in againe.

The falling sicknesse is likewise incident vnto birds: [...] vvhereof they are scarce euer cured: for there is no other remedie for it, but to keepe the bird vvhich you bring vp, from the Sunne in Summer: if she escape the first time, you must cut the nailes of her feet, and besprinkle her well with good wine: purge her oft.

Some say, [...] That birds are subiect to the disease called the Pip: vvhich is false: for the disease which they call the Pip, is not the Pip in effect, but another disease, which [Page] groweth in the bills of birds, for which it is good to vse this remedie: Take the seed of Melons, and steeping them in pure water, make them to drinke thereof three or foure daies, and perceiuing the bird to grow better, you shall giue her a little fine Sugar, tempered likewise with sugred water.

It is hard to know when the bird hath the disease of the rumpe:The disease of the rumpe. and for my part I cannot tell how to giue you a better signe thereof, than her growing melancholike, as by surceasing and abstaining to sing. The remedie is, to cut away halfe of the sharpe point which she hath there, for you shall not deuise to do her so great good any other waies. This is a griefe which all birds are troubled withall, euen those that are kept in the cage.

Besides the diseases before named, birds haue sometimes the flux of the b [...]llyThe flux of the bellie. which is known, by their making of their dung more thinne and liquid than ordinarily they were wont, by the beating of their taile, and in that they keepe it close and neere together. The remedie is, to cut the feathers of their taile, and those also which are about the fundament, annointing it with a little oyle: And in stead of Hempe-seed, you shall giue her the seedes of Melons for the space of two daies. But and if these be birds which vse not to eate any Hempe-seed, but heart, or paste, deferre not to take it from her, and in place thereof to giue her hard rosted egges, in such sort as we haue said before.

CHAP. LXVII.
Of the diseases that happen particularly to euerie particular sort of birds.

AS concerning old Nightingales of the cage,The dise [...]s [...] proper to the Nightingale, and to these birds following. they are subiect vnto gowts and conuulsions in the breast: vnto which diseases the solitarie Sparrow is also subiect, besides the falling sicknesse, or giddinesse of the head.

The Linnet is troubled with the subtile, or close and secret disease, more than any other bird,Linne [...]. as also with hot apostemes, conuulsions, and gowts.

The Finch is wont to haue impostumes,Finch. and the subtile disease.

The Siskin,Siskin. on the contrarie, is not to subiect vnto diseases, both because she is of a better complexion, as also of more strength. And this is the cause likewise why she seldome times falleth blind.

The SpinkeSpinke. is more subiect to blindnesse than all the rest: and when she is once ouer-runne of this disease, she is no more worth any thing, for she will euer and anon fall into it againe of set purpose.

Two only diseases doe voluntarily molest the Goldfinch,Goldfinch. that is, the subtile disease, caused through old age, and impostumes, proceeding of the eating of Hemp-seed.

The same two diseases we find to befall the Canarie bird of Spaine:Canari [...] bird. howbeit, the subtile disease is seldome times found to trouble her: she is also subiect to the conuulsion and oppression of the breast, because of her excessiue naturall heat. The Miskin is more subiect vnto the gowt than any bird that is. The solitarie Sparrow is haunted with impostumes and melancholie, which causeth her often to die. The CorydaleCorydale. falleth blind sometimes, and sometimes she is troubled with the subtile disease. A [...] it also happeneth vnto the other kind of Lark,L [...]rke. which hath no crest vpon her head. The CalanderCalander. likewise is subiect vnto the subtile disease, apostemes, gowts: and that which is worse, namely, to become quickly blind. The bird, called in Latine Thraupis, is likewise very subiect vnto impostumes, and oftentimes dieth of fat. The strongest and stoutest bird that can be, is the Blacke-bird,Black-bird. wherein I cannot find any disease to kill her, except old age, which is the common maladie deuouring all mortall things. Fat [Page] and impostumes doe sometimes hurt the Throstle, as also the disease of the rumpe, which is likewise common to all birds that are kept in the cage. [...]

CHAP. LXVIII.
Birds are to be purged, at what time, and how oft in the yere.

NIghtingales and all other kind of birds which eate heart and paste, must be purged at the least once euery moneth with two or three wormes out of the pigeon house euery time: two daies after, put into her water-pot the quantitie of a nut, of sine sugar, and when her voice faileth her, you must put into the said water, some licoras, as namely, so much as may giue some taste to the water, and this will cleere her voice very exceedingly. The foresaid purgation is very needfull when they are about to moute. The cage must neuer be without earth or sand. She must be sprinkled ouer with wine at the least twice a week, to further her in her mouting, and for the better preseruing of her life, setting her afterward in the Sunne, [...] she be almost drie: the like course must be taken when she is troubled with li [...]e: and if you giue her any drie figs, they will much reioice her.

CHAP. LXIX.
To purge birds that feed vpon Hempe-seed.

BIrds that eate Hempe-seede, shal take for to purge them the seedes of melons husked, and herbes (as you shall thinke good) namely Succorie, Beets, Lettuses, Scariole, and Mercury, which is principally good for the Linnet, but giue them what herbs you please; for they are very good to [...] to purge them: yea, and though they haue no need to be purged, yet you [...] not cease continually to be giuing of them some, giuing then furthermore, amongst▪ either earth or drie mort [...] in their cage, to the end they may eate of it, or dust themselues in it at their pleasure and conuenient time, which is very wholesome for them: and likewise you must giue them some Sugar, as you haue beene taught before. You shall perceiue when the bird would moute by the feathers in her cage, and then you shall besprinkle her lightly with wine, as wee haue already spoken before. Some birds mout in the end of Iulie, and others in the end of August. Those which are taken in the nest begin to mout as soone as they be bred, and their mouting continueth a moneth. You shall besprinkle them with wine at the least twice a weeke, to cause them to mout the sooner.

CHAP. LXX.
To know how long the birds liue.

IF any man desire to know how long these birds liue, let him know that amongst Nightingales, some liue three yeares, some fiue, and others vnto eight, and sing vntill that time, but from that time forward they are not any longer in perfection, but decline by little and little. It hath bin seene that Nightingales haue liued till they haue been fifteene yeres old, and continued singing euery day les [...]e or more, so that it may seeme that they liue according to the good ordering which they haue, or else according to their good complexion. [Page] The Miskins being subiect to the gowt, doe liue but a short time, as three or foure yeares at the most.The life of the Miskin, the solitarie Sparrow, and the fi [...]ch. The solitarie Sparrowes liue in good state and account for the space of fiue yeares: many of them die of the subtile disease, some of impos [...]umes, others of gowts, and some young ones of the falling sicknesse. Finches liue tenne, yea, fifteene, and twentie yeares, more or lesse, according vnto their complexion: and they are alwaies in good plight, singing vnto the last day of their life. The Linnet is short-liued,The l [...]fe of the Linne [...], the S [...]kin, and the Spinke. because she is subiect vnto the subtile disease: some liue two yeares, some three, and some fiue, according to their manner of ordering and gouerning. The Siskins liue, some fiue, others eight yeares, by reason of their good complexion, and because they are not so subiect vnto diseases as other birds. The Spinke liueth but a short time, because they are subiect to blindnes [...]e: some liue one yeare, some two, others till foure: many of them die of the falling sicknesse, because they haue beene set forth into the Sunne in the Summer time, vvhereby the heat hath searched and penetrated into their braine. The Calanders, Corydales, and Larkes,The l [...]fe of the Calander, Corydale, and Larke. liue alike long, the one sort and the other, as three or fiue yeares. Some Calanders doe liue longer than the Corydales: but she groweth melancholie, being remoued out of one place into another. The Canarie bird liueth long, as fiue, tenne, and fifteene yeares:The life of the Canarie bird, and of the Thra [...]pis. yea, there haue some beene seene to liue twentie yeares, continuing alwaies good. The Thraupis is of the continuance of six yeares, or thereabout, according as she is kept better or worse. It is a bird that is not much regarded: for her singing is but irkesome and tedious; some take pleasure in it, and some doe not.

CHAP. LXXI.
The manner of taking small birds, as well those which sing, as those which are for to eat: as also all other sorts of small birds.

TO take birds with the voice of some leafe,To take birds with a chirp or [...]all, knife, or such other like thing, a man must stand in a bush, shadowing himselfe with the leaues thereof, and with a whistle make a noise or crie, counterfeiting some bird that hath beene taken before, or is then taken. Some take a Sparrow, being kept somewhat neere, and held in a snare, and make her crie, pinching together her wings or legges, and then the birds will flocke about her to aid her, thinking, that the Owle hath caught her: and hauing set lime-twigges or lime-bushes vpon the branches of the trees, the birds that shall come to succour her, and lighting, will be limed.

To take Spinkes as they are going,To take birds as they are [...]eeding, or going. that is to say, in the place where many Spinkes are wont to passe, you must enuiron their trees (after they haue beene cut and planted in a plaine ground, one distant from another some small distance, as three foot, or thereabout) with leaues below, as if it were a lodge, and amongst them lay a coard, made fast vnto a bough, and carried vp on the other side with some prop: this shall be held by a man placed a good way off, and on the said bough shall be hanged and made fast two or three Spinkes: then you must set the said trees verie choicely and thinne with lime-twigges, and some distance off from thence, two or three cages, wherein there shall be some Spinkes, for to call to such flocks as shall come flying that way, which perceiuing those in the cages, as also those which are hanged vpon the sticke, will li [...]e themselues on the trees.

To take Pattridges with the Tonnell,To take birds with the Tonnell. or Tombrell, there must a man be placed behind a Cow or a Horse, of wood, or of o [...]er, painted in such sort, as that it may resemble the fashion of a Cow or a Horse, and in the meane time hee shall ouer-cast the nets vpon the Partridges. This kind of taking of Partridges is now adaies forbidden.

[Page] To take Partridges and Woodcocks in the night with fire, you must light a match of old drie vvoollen clouts,take birds [...] fire. dipt in melted tallow, wrapping them vp afterward together in forme of a torch, as thicke as ones arme, and of the length of a foot: then you must astonish and amaze the Partridges in such sort, as that they may cast themselues into the nets, vvherewith they shall be beset and compassed.

To take birds with your hand,take birds [...] the hand. you must scatter, in some plaine and smooth piece of ground, Corne or Millet, steept in the lees of good vvine, and the iuice of Hemlock, and afterward drie them, whereof when the birds shall haue eaten, they will not be able to flie afterward, so that one may take them with his hand.

To kill birds with the Long-bow, [...] take birds [...] the long [...]. or Stone-bow, vpon houses, trees, or butts, it is requisite, that he that shooteth, should haue double shafts, forked before, vvhen hee vvould kill Geese, or other great birds, and those verie sharpe euerie vvhere, to the end they may cut off the vving, or the necke, vvhere they shall touch them: for to strike them vvith the common shaft, vvould not so hurt the bird, as that she might be constrained to abide in the place, for shee vvould flie away, notwithstanding that she vvere hurt or shot through, although shee vvould die thereof in another place.

The end of the seuenth and last Booke of the Countrey House.

A TABLE OF THE MATTERS contained in the seuen Bookes of the Countrey House.

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A

ABel borne the fourth of the Moone, a good day. 32

Abrecock-tree and Abrecocks, how planted, 378. being grafted, are verie tender in the time of frost. 372

Acornes to grow Oakes vpon, how they must be sowne and husbanded. 655

An Acre of ground how much it containeth. 518

Adam created the first day of the Moone. 32

Agr [...]monie, 25. their vertues. ibid.

A good Aire is a necessarie thing to a Farme. 4

Alberges, or small Peaches. 372

Alembecks of glasse, how they must be ordered. 446

Alembecks of the Venetians, 445. how to choose them of glasse. 446

Alembecks for distillations. 447

Alkermus, and the confection thereof. 487

Alkakengi, and the vertues and statutes thereof. 288

Alleys. 235

Aller trees and Aller plots, 504. how planted. 660

Almond trees, where and when to be planted. 307

Bitter Almonds made sweet. 371

Almonds without shell, and naturally written vpon. ibid. Amel corne. 551

Angel [...]ea, and his vertues, 199. the compound water thereof. ibid.

The Angeuins louers of their profit. 23

Aniou a good soile. 12

Annise. 249

Ants spoyling Trees and Vines, 405, 406. to driue away Ants. 314

Apple-trees, in what ground they grow best, and how grafted, 360. most precious and most in request of all other trees. 379

How to keepe Apples, 408. golden Apples, 253. how to haue red Apples, 365. Apples with short starts, 380. Apples of loue, 252. maruellous Apples, 287. brought by Monsieur du Bellay, B. of Mans, 288. Apples of yellow colour, 364. Apples of two tastes, ibid. wilde Apples distilled. 454

Aqua vitae often distilled, 455. and whereof it must bee made, ibid. it hath infinite vertues. 456

Aquitaine, a countrey fruitfull in all manner of good things. 12

Arach the hearbe, and the obseruations thereof. 174

Arh [...]rs for Gardens, and woods fit tor them. 282

Arb [...]rs of the Kitchin Garden. 156

The Arders of Arable ground. 531

An Arpent of ground how much it containeth. 518

Ars [...]art, why so called, and the properties thereof. 197

Artichokes, 170. their vertues and maner of dressing, and the Moules and Mice are enemies vnto them. ibid.

Asarum Bacchar, and the vertues thereof, 198. good for a quartane Ague. 40

Ashes make a leane ground. 6

Ashes cluttering together like balls, a signe of raine. 25

Ash-tree distilled, and the oyle thereof. 482

A [...]peragus may be growne of sheepes hornes. 183

Asses to plow withall, 539. Asses fore-shewing raine, 25. 147, 148. the nature, burthen, and goodnesse of an Asse. ibid.

Astrologie inuented by Shepheards. 110

Auens. 182

Autumne, and the constitution thereof. 34, 126, 366, 380

Auuergne, the people thereof are industrious and painefull, but coueting other mens gaine. 23

B

BAdgers or Brocks are of two sorts, their earths. 699

Bay-tree where it must be sowne, 337. in what soile and place it delighteth, 396. the faculties thereof, 397. Bay-tree keepeth the house from lightning, ibid.

Bakehouse belonging to the [...]arme. 570

That a Bailife of Husbandrie cannot carrie such an affection and vigilant eye as the Fa [...]mor. 15

Balme, 252. it increaseth milke in Kyne, 496. Balme distilled. 453

Balmes artificially made, and the description thereof, and their kinds, 437. Balmes of S. lohns wort, 205. excellent Balmes of the hearbe Nicotiana. 223

Barbell the fish. 507

Barbes in Calues. 63

Barley, when and in what grounds it must be sowne, 554. to prepare mundified Barley, 555. Barley must bee sowne in dust. 542

Barnes, where and how they must be made and seated. 18

Basill sowne, putteth forth at the end of three [...]aies, 161. Basill and Amber are at perpetuall hatred, 242. Basill causeth ache and scorpions in the head, 243. Basill distilled. 454

Basse [...]s, or earth-dogges, and how they must be ordered and saued, 702. Bassets of two sorts, ibid. and how to traine them vp and nurture them. 700

Bastard Dittanie, otherwise Fraxinella, breaketh the stone. 207

Marus Bath, 442. the patterne thereof, 443. Maries Bath multiplied. 442, 443

To Bat [...]le ground, and with what manner of dung. 537

Against Ba [...]s. 315

Beanes, what soile they craue, 561. and why there are manie fooles whiles they are in flower, 562. Beanes amend the ground where they are sowne, 11. to cause Beanes to be quickly sodden, 569. flowers of Beanes distilled for to keepe. 465

[Page] [...]ards of Goats. 238

[...]ares-breech. 203

[...] ▪ when to be bought and killed, 30 of a double kind of life, 506. Beasts, or their parts distilled, 470. to tame wild Beasts, 670. signes foretelling death of Beasts. 29

[...] scarce of water, 6. it beareth Ri [...] contrarie to his nature, 10. the people of Beauce are laborious. 23

[...] of diuers sorts, according to the diuersities of Countries, and the manner of making of them, and then temperature, 587, 590. it fatteth Hennes and C [...]pons. 591

[...], the profit of them, and how they must be ordered, 316, 317. what manner of ones they must be, 318. how they must be handled, 319. their conditions, 321. their chast [...]tie, sobrietie, & neatnesse, 322. their kings, and wa [...]res among themselues, 323, 324. their kings must be killed, which are the cause of their contention, and what be their marks, ib [...]a. Bees that are cruell, 326. swarmes of Bees, and their fights, ibid. what diseases Bees are subiect vnto, and their remedies, 326. they are engendred of a putrified carcasse, 320. their [...]ot going farre from their hiues, a signe of raine. 25

[...] ringing clearer and louder than ordinarie, a [...]igne of aine. 25

[...]aiamine borne the 23. d [...]y of the Moone. 34

[...], 173. and the speciall obseruations about the same, ibid. [...] tree. 665, 666

[...]esonie, [...]02. Betonie distilled, 453. wat [...]r Betonie, 211. Paules Betonie, 204. called the Leapers hearbe, and why. ibid.

[...] or Oxen for the plough, 539. fierce and cruell Beeues how tamed, 92. of their diseases, 9 [...], 94. three Beeues will not plough so much ground as one horse, 91. great Beeues of Languedo [...] or Prouence, 103. to cau [...]e Beeues to haue a good stomacke, 436. to fat Beeues to sell, 104. how they sore-shew raine, 25. to cure thē, being bewitched, 187. the stable for Beeues, and how it must be built. 90

Birds of all sorts, their taking. 931

[...] was not accounted of, of old, 704. and all the sorts of Birds. ibid.

[...] of the Cage, with their diseases and remedies, 724. the manner of taking of them, and how to make them sing, ibid. and to keepe them from hauing lice, ibid. the taking of singing Birds. 715

Canarie Birds, how they may be knowne from others, and their diseases. 722

Birds of the Prey and Fawlco [...]ie, and their foode, 705, 706. their diseases and remedies, ibid. rauenous Birds. 707

To purge Birds that eate Mustard seed, 730. the diseases incident to [...]uerie kind of Bird, 729. to know how long euerie Bird liueth in his kind, 730. Birds their bathing, a signe of raine, 25. what Birds are good to make Hawkes, 705. and that there are tenne kinds of them. ibid.

Bird-cages, how made and placed. 18

[...] of two sorts, and where planted. 212

Bisket. 582

Bistor [...]. 20 [...]

Bitter Cherry-t [...]ee. 374

Bla [...]k birds are notable birds, not subiect to any diseases, 729. and their foode. 727

[...]lanch, what kind of corne. 218

B [...]as [...]hemie maketh a man contemptible. 23

Man [...] Bloud and Goats bloud distilled, 457. Drakes bloud and the vertues therof, ibid. Goats bloud good against the stone. 120

[...]loud-sackers swallowed by an ox [...] ▪ 96. or by a sheepe. 116

[...]rage, and his vertues. 175

Wild [...]or [...] and Sow, how they differ, 69 [...]. wild Bo [...]es the murtherers of dogges, 692, 693. the hunting of them is dangerous, 690. they vse no turnes, 691. how to kill them, ibid. and what good commeth of the killing of them, 692. the best time to hunt them, and the signes of a good one, 690. the difference betwixt them and tame Hogs, 691. his wounds are dangerous, 690. after foure yeres they do nothing but grow leaner. [...]7 [...]

Box-tree the death of Bees. 285

Branne of meale. 573

Bread, the making thereof, 571. the differences of corne, whereof it is made, ibid. the differences of bread, 580. Bread of diuers sorts, according to the di [...]ersitie of Corne and Countries, 576. repletion of bread, the worst kind of repletion, 580. Bread called (Pa [...]n M [...]lle [...]) or Pain de bouch [...], 578. spiced bread, 579. old bread is euill for the bodie, 582. the diuers vses of bread, 583. tosted bread after meat, ibid. washed bread good [...] the health, ibid. Bisket, 582, 579. Bread distilled. 465

Brewhous [...] for Beere. 587

Bridann [...]a [...]x, what kind of paste-mea [...] they be. [...]85

Brocks are of two sorts, 699. their earths, ibid. they are more hard to take than Foxes, and what their nature is, 702. wherefore their flesh is good. 698

Broome, 285. Butchers Broome. 290

Brye scituate betweene the riuers of Seyne and Ma [...]ne, and therefore plentifull in fruit and corne, to, the people of Brye are subtle, fierce, and ra [...]h. 23

Bubbles great in the water, are a signe of [...]aine. 25

B [...]ssles, or wild Beeues, 103. to plow with them. 540

He that hath Bugle and Sanicle, careth not for the Surgeon of a bugle. 20 [...]

Buglosse. 175

Building, as it is now vsed is differing from that of old, 1. where and how to [...]eat your buildings, 6. the building and, inclosing of a Farme-house, 14. to build on the top of high ground. 10

Building must be answerable to the reuenue. 18

Bul [...]ing house, where it should be. 16

Bulls, and the markes of a good Bull, 62. one Bull to 60. Kyne, 104. Bulls tied to a Figtree, become gentle. 294

Bu [...]gundians are free and willing, but headstrong. 23

Burnet, and his vertues, 171. distilled. 461

Butter, and how it must be made, 64, 65. and where it must be made. 16

Butter [...]lies eating Bees. 226

Moe, and more foolish Buyers, than sellers. 3

Buzzards and Sparrow-hawkes doe differ, the manner how to take and feed them, and to cure their diseases. 708

C

CAbb [...]ges of all sorts, how they must be husbanded, 165. when to be sowne, 160. old Cabbage seed bringeth forth Radishes, 164. certaine obse [...]ations about Cabbages, 165. good for all diseases, 166. enemies to Vines and Wine, ibid. they resist drunkennesse, 165. rotten, they hurt their next hearbes. ibid.

Great Cages make the birds nothing the better. 13

Cain borne the third day of the Moone, an ill day. 32

Cakes. 58 [...]

Calues, and how to geld them. 63

Calamint. 244

The Calander her nature. 726

Camomile. 252

The people of Campaigne willing, but st [...]ding in their opinion. 23

A Candle of sheepes [...]ewe [...] keepeth mice from eating clothes in a chest. 116

[Page] Canker in trees. 89

Canterburie-bels. 237

Caper-trees, and Capers, 291. Distilled Capers. 467

In what things Carters must be cunning and expert. 123

Caraway. 249

Carets. 158, 186

Carps, how to fish for them. 507

Carpenters hearbe. 496

Carpinus, a kind of Oake tree▪ 666

Caterpillers of the Garden die by the termes of women, 314. to cleanse the trees from their hearts, 403. to helpe the Vines from being spoiled of them. 607

Cathltican distilled. 462

Cato a great husbandman. 4

Cats, licking the soles of their feet, and reaching ouer their eares therewith, a signe of raine. 25

Caues and Cellars. 17

Cedar trees. 285

Celondine, 198. good for the eies, 310. a compound water of Celondine. 461

Cements to ouer-draw cesternes withall, and the composition and making thereof. 9

Centuarie, the sotts and vertues. 212

Ceruise-tree, male and female, in what soile it delighteth, and the natures of the fruit. 395

The making of drinke of Ceruises. 419

Cesternes requisite in gardens that are drie and destitute of water, 6. in what place they are to be situated and fitted, ibid. Eeles must be fed and kept in them, and wherefore. ibid.

Chalke maketh a leane ground. 6

The Farmois Chamber. 16

The men seruants their Chamber. ibid.

Chamlet made of Goats haire. 117

Chanaan borne the 12. of the Moone, a dangerous day. 33

The people of Chartres are painefull, peaceable, handsome, and giuen to lay vp. 23

Cheese of all sorts, 65. and the way to make it. ibid.

Cheese for the Linnet. ibid.

In what place Cheese must be laid vp to keepe. 16

Cherries sweet, 375. Cherries without stones, 361. spiced Cherries, 362. Cherries early ripe, 363. Cherries at all times, 365. how to keepe them good & sound, 407. Cherries preserued, 421. the space to be allowed betwixt Cherrie-trees. 399

Cheruile. 182

Chesnut tree the most esteemed amongst trees, 649. and in what season it must be planced, 36. what ground it loueth best, and the nature thereof, 391. of the fruit, ibid. to make them grow of seed. 655

Chesnuts planted, 338. how to keepe them. 407

Chibols and Cyues. 158, 177

Chickens of diuers colours. 73

Children borne the first day of the new Moone, doe liue long. 32

Ciehlings, a kind of Peason. 563

Cider inuented by the Normans, 409. and how it must be made, ibid. &c. the vertues of Cider, 414. Tastelesse and mungrell Ciders. 416

Cinnamon distilled. 480

Cinque [...]ile. 104

Citron trees, 297. the maner to plant them, 302. bearing red fruit, 363. how to keepe them. 408

Citruls in what quarter of the Moone to be gathered. 31

Cipresse tree, male and female. 282

Clapper, or Warren, & storing thereof. 645, 646

To Clod the earth. 541

C [...]mpound water of trees. 461

Cl [...]uds darke and thicke, a great signe of raine. 26

The nature of the Lark called Cochenis, 727. and her feeding. ibid.

To cut Coc [...]rels, or to make them Capons, 77. to fat Capons, ibid. with speede, 590. to make them lead Chickens, 515. to make their stones good to make leane men fat, 74. Capons of Mans and Bretaigne. 73

Cocks and Capons must not haue their wings broken, 67. one Cocke to a dozen Hennes, ibid. notes of a good Cock, and his colour, 68. Cocks crowing at all houres a signe of raine. [...]

How to order and breake Colts, 1 [...]8. the marks of a good Colt, 135. Colts how they must be looked to, 1 [...]6. and to burne them, and slit their no [...]ils, ibid. to geld them, 127. the means to make them seruiceable. ibid Colutea. 291

Rocke Coms [...]ey. 202

Great Com [...]rey. ibid.

Compositions of honey. 230

Con [...]es are a kind of Hares, 697. those of the Warren how they must be cared for, and fedde, 646. the diffe [...]ence betweene those of the Warren and those of the Clapper. 648

Conserue of the root of Elicampane. 428

Conserue of Quinces, wherefore good, 376. laxatiue conserue of Quinees. i [...]id. Constraint is neuer good. 12

Sale Cookes, their vse of great deceit. 117

Corke trees, what ground they delight in. 667

Red Corant tree. 342

Coriander. 245

Corne of all sorts, and the manner of growing them, 548. Seed-Corne how it must be chosen, 543. to sow, [...]anne, riddle, & lay vp corne vpon the end of the Moone, 31. such diuers sorts thereof as are fit to make bread. 571

Corne of diuers Countries of France, and which are the best, 571. the grinding of them. 572

Tu [...]kie Corne, and how it must be husbanded. 553

Sarac [...]ns Corne, or Wheat. ibid.

Aduertisements concerning all manner of Corne and Pulse. 569, 570

Corne-flagge, 239. distilled. 462

Costmarie, and his properties. 182

The Court next the dwelling house, and the scituation thereof, 15. how it must be walled. 16

Cowcumbers without water, 195. how they may be kept, 281. enemies to oyle, 190. their hu [...]tful qualities, ibid. obseruations to be knowne concerning the same, 194

Creame of milke, and how it must be prepared. 65

Cr [...]spinet, a singular hearbe against the Stone. [...]

Cresses, and their faculties. 184

Crowes bathing themselues, and braying at night, are a signe of raine. 25

Crowfoot. 210

Cummin. 249

Curiositie the ouerthrow of good wits. 1

Curlew. 78

Cuttl [...]-fishes, and the manner of taking of them. 515

D

ADaies worke, how much ground it containeth. 518

Criticall Daies concerning the Moone. 3 [...]

The 12. Daies of the feast of the Natiui [...]itie do prognosticate the disposition of the whole yeare. 28

The Huswiues Dairie-house. 16

The Dairie-woman, and her office, 38. what medicines she is to know for the diseases of the familie. 39

Daisies. 237

Da [...]es how planted. 338

Date-trees how planted, 390. male and female, and their nature, 292. what earth they craue▪ 390

Dates how to be kept. 409

D [...]-wort, 206. distilled. 453

[Page] [...]earth, and the signes fore-shewing the same. 29

[...] grounds, how they may be prepared to beare fruit. 10

[...] [...]i [...]ph [...]nicon distilled. 462

[...] Diligence of the householder doth ouercome the weakenesse of the ground. 10

[...]. 249

[...] good kind of Dissembling. 21

[...] by whom it was inuented, and the kinds therof. 439, 440

[...] of many sorts of waters, with a briefe discourse ther [...]upon. ibid.

[...] what it is. ibid.

[...] of Oyles and Quintessences, with a discourse the [...]eupon. 469

[...] Herbes, Flowers, Ba [...]kes, and Roots, euery one by themselues. 45 [...]. &c.

[...] of Distilling. 440

[...] matter must be prepared before it be Distilled. 448

[...] Distill

by Coldnesse. 440

with the heat of Sand. 450

oftentimes one and the same water. 451

what maner of heat is requisite thereto, ibid. licours, and the maner of ordering all things therein. 454

compound waters three manner of wayes, 460. &c.

per descensum, 464, 468. and without heat, ibid.

with a filtre. ibid.

liuing things. 458

wood. 480, 481

[...]s [...]ruments and vessels for Distillation. 441

[...] forme of Furnaces to Distill chymicall oyl [...]. 471, & 472.

[...] itches for fishes. 508

[...] ittanie, and his properties. 210

[...] 203

[...]ogges, three sorts belonging to a Farme-house, 120. to preuent their going madde, and how to handle them. 221

[...]ogge [...], their names, ibid.

[...]unting Dogg [...]s are of three sorts in generall, 685. their ke [...]nel [...], and feedings, 676. their diseases and cures, 677. &c.

[...] Dogge [...], how to traine them vp to fit them to hunting, to swimming, and diuers other pretie qualities, 68 [...]. their tumbling vpon the ground, a signe of raine. 25

[...] Madde Dogges. 678

[...] madde Dogge hauing bitten an Horse. [...]47

[...] Dogges-tooth, a signe that water will [...] found, if there be pits cast. 7

[...] Dogge-tree, 395. and how to keepe the fruit thereof. ibid.

[...]he backe-D [...]re of the house. 18

[...] ground Dung-house, how and where it must be made, and [...]eated. 17

[...] Doue-houses. 86

[...] Dragons great and small, 268. distilled. 465

[...] Dreames ioyfull in the new of the Moone. 32

[...] Drinkes made of fruits, and a discourse of the making of them. 410

[...] [...]rin [...]e of Sloe [...], 419. of Ceruises, 395. the making of the Drinkes of Cer [...]ises. 419

[...], haue a barren seed. 626

[...] Drunkennesse how hurtfull a thing it is to man. 625

[...] and Drakes how they must be kept and handled, [...] where they must [...]it on nights. ibid.

[...] [...]ild Ducks made drunke, are easie to take. [...]8

[...] [...]lesh pleasant to eate. ibid.

Ducks bloud good against all manner of venime. [...]bid.

Young Ducks. ibid.

Dung of the Stables, where to be laid. 15

What manner of Dung is to be laid vpon the ground. 534

Than Dun [...], nothing more deare. 535

Dun [...] of diuerse sorts, and how and when it must bee spread. 536

Dung of Pigeons, for what ground it is good. 89

Du [...]g, what is good or euill for the Vine. 599, 602, 603

Dung

of Oxen, Kine, and Sheepe, is good for manie diseases. 104, 116

of Men, Kine, and Pigeons di [...]tilled, and their vertues. 557

of Hares hinde [...]eth conception in Women, 698

of Hens, swallowed of an Horse, causeth winging in the bellie, 147. and causeth ha [...]re to grow againe. 74

of Hogges stayeth the spitting of bloud. 111

of Goats cureth the Parotides, Bubo, Sciatica, and other Apostemes. 120

of [...]urtle D [...]ues, for the spots of the eyes, 84

of the Goose, for the Iaundise. 77

of Dogges, excellent for the Squinancie. 122

To Dung the ground, and what manner of dung it must be. 535

To Dung the ground in the encrease of the Moone. 32

To lay any Dung to Vines, is a damnable thing. 595

There must [...] two Dung [...] made, and why. 15

E

EAgle, the king of Birds, 707. and the nature of Eagles. ibid.

The Earth of a cold and drie nature, 10. of contrarie qualities, according to her particular plots. ibid.

Diuers sorts of Earth, and their diuers manner of tilling and encrease. 11

Blackish and yellowish Earth good and fruitfull. 11, 12

E [...]on borne the sixt day of the Moone, a good day. 32

Eeles make the water light. 6

To set Egges, and how the thing must be ordered, 70. how to haue them to prou [...] Cock or Henne [...]irds, 71. without the heat of any Henne. 72

Egges of Duckes set by an Henne, are more worth than their mother. 78

Egges of Pa [...]tridges cause women to be fruitfull. 8 [...]

Egges carried vp into the ayre. 24

To rost E [...]ges without fire. 74

Egges wr [...]tten within. ibid.

To make soft and tender Egge-shels, and to wast and consume them. 73

Egges, what are best. 73

Whites of Egges distilled. 465

Whites of Egges, to stay bleeding at the [...]ose. 75

Hard Egges, to stay the flux of the bellie. ibid.

The yolk & white of an Egge good against burning. ibid.

Whites of Egges, against the cough. ibid.

Egge-shels, for the spitting of bloud. ibid.

The white of an Egge to ioin together [...]brok [...] glasse. ibid.

An Egge keeping a garment from burning. [...]. Elder-tree, [...]86. distilled. 45 [...]

Elecampane, 198. preserued. [...]78

Elmes of three sorts, 662. and where they must bee sowne. [...]7

The [...]-groue, and Elmes, 4 [...]

E [...]diu [...], and three sorts and properties thereof, 168

Eng [...]is [...] practise add [...]d to the French. [...]

[Page] Ephemeron, or Li [...]ium conuallium. 238

Estri [...]s, what manner of paste meat. 585

Eue created the second day of the new Moone. 32

E [...]es about to lambe. 113

To Extract any Quintessence. 451, 469

The maisters Eye fatteth any horse. 14

Eye-bright, and his properties, 197. a compound water of Eye-brigh [...]. 75

F

A Fad [...] what manner of measure, and what it containeth. 517

F [...]rmes, and what thin [...]s are to be set to farme. 19

Farmors, and their duties, 22. what age and condition they ought to be of. ibid. Vnfa [...]thfull Farm [...], and their nature. 15

To beare too strait a hand ouer the Farmor, maketh him either negligent, or else a theefe. 23

What knowledge is requisite for a Farmor. 22

A Farmor must be true of his word, not giuen to sweare. 23

It must not be looked for, that the Farmor should doe, or haue committed to his [...]rust, euery thing. ibid.

Farage, or mixt p [...]ouander. 665

It is good to know old [...], but to do as the time serueth, a prouerbe. 1

Fawlcon, the prince of Hawkes, 710

Fawlcon is a word sometimes signifying all manner of Hawkes. ibid.

Fawlconr [...] an art, but lately vsed. 705

Sheepes Fee [...], how they must be d [...]essed to [...]at. 11 [...]

The Feild is very badly husbanded, when the L [...]rd therof knoweth not to command, 19. How much ground he is to be allowed for a F [...]ld in seuerall, and how to inclose it. 16

Fennell good for sight. 43, 249, 250

Fennell distilled, 453

Fenugreeke. 564

Fermentation. 450

Ferne, how it may be ridde out of a ground. 10

[...], how they must be kept and fedde, 80. and where they must be lodged. 17

[...] in what ground they grow best, 11. and their husbandrie. 563

F [...]ther [...]ew groweth in vntilled and rough grounds. 251

F [...]gge [...] laxatiue. 295

To keepe Figges greene. 294

Figges laden vpon Horses and Asses, make them loose all their strength, ibid. naturally written vpon. 363

Figge-trees

of their fruits, 2 [...]4. and their plants, 342.

of their diuers kinds, and what soyle they craue, 377. when and how to gra [...]t them, ibid. to cause them that they lose not their fruit, 363. maketh Bulls gentle. 294

Filberds, and Filberd trees. 373

Filberds distilled. 453

The Finch the most beautifull bird of [...]ll others, and how she must be fed, and her diseases, cu [...]ed. 720

A Fire of coales to dist [...]ll withall. 450

To make a fire without smoake. 429

Fishes die with the sound of the Gunne, shot off at wild fowle, 508, their [...]eeding in standing waters, mecres, & ditches, 509. to draw first together into one place. 515

Fish, being sicke, is refreshed with Parseley. 181

Fishing, and what manner of fishing. is forbidden. 507

The time of fishing. 5 [...]5

Fishing in standing waters, in what season. 30, 31

Flanders abounding with Islands. 10

Flea [...] vpon dogges, and how to kill them, 122▪ bit [...]g more than ordinarie, a signe of raine. 25

Flesh distilled. 458

Flower gentle, or purple veluet flower. 237

The Fl [...] called [...] swallowed by an horse, 147. to d [...]ue away fl [...]es from horses. 139

[...] 20 [...]

The mosse of Fo [...]e [...]oot. ibid.

Fountaines, and how to trie depth of their springs, 8. and the manner of carrying of them wh [...]ther one will. ibid.

Furnaces for distillation, what manner of ones they must be, 447. in what places we must set them. 450

Not to shoot at wild sowle in a [...], because it l [...] leth sith. 508

Wild [...] haunting [...]ith-pooles. 506

The [...]owles of the yard, and their pearches. 17

Foxes of two sorts, 699. the manner of taking them. 701

Foxes where they make their earths, 701. then [...] and ca [...]e [...], [...]. the way to take them without h [...]nting, 702. their pi [...]e s [...]nketh, [...]. the profit c [...]mming of their [...]lesh. ibid.

Frenchmen quicke and hastie, and yet but when there is need. 49

Fri [...]ers. 585

Frogges croaking more than ordina [...]ie, a sign [...] of raine. 25

Frogges distilled. 4 [...]7

Against [...]rogges. 315

Fr [...]st, and how to keepe it from hurting [...]eedes that are sowne. 567

F [...]uits

for keeping, grow in hot countries, 5. in what season they must be gathered, 31. how to keepe them well a long time, 407. to haue them exquisite, 360. of what fashion you will, 363. laxat [...]ue, odo [...]erous, and hauing the vertue of T [...]acle, 361, 362 turned into ha [...]dnesse of stones, 9. precepts concerning the planting of them. 399

Fruits without any blooming. 364

Fruits distilled. 469

Fruit-trees in what distance they are to bee planted. 398

Of the [...] of many fruits. 360

Fum [...]to [...]e, with his speciall obseruations: 212

F [...]rmentie what it is properly. 552

Furz. 285

G

THe G [...]ll of a Partridge to cleare the sight. 85

The Gall of an Hen [...]e. 74

The Gall of an Oxe, to what diseases it se [...]ueth, 104

Garden Madder▪ 307

Gardens

of their scituation, earth, and inclosure, 153, 154, 155. how to make the mould better, 156. the contriuing of the flowers of the pot-herbe Garden, 157. and the placing of the beddes when it must be sowne, 15 [...]. for flowers and sweet hearbes how they must be dressed, 234, 235. when weeded and watred, 162. and their diuisions. 17

Of the two particular Gardens at the end of the kitchin Garden, and of the Garden of pleasure. 307

Garlicke, the vertues and husbanding of it, 179. to take away the stench remaining after the eating thereof, 179. good to keepe birds from hu [...]ting of fruits. 180

Garm [...]n [...]s for husbandmen. 22

Corne-Garners, 547. on what side they must haue light. 16, 17

Garrett. 17

[Page] [...] Farmes. 4

[...] hot, and soone angrie. 23

[...] in the wane of the Moone. 31

[...] and the manner thereof. 608. the [...] thereto, ib [...]d [...]m

[...] and their office and dutie. 608

[...] vertues distilled. 196, 197

[...]

[...], 76 of great profit and losse, and how they must be [...]ed and handled, and which be the [...]ll, 75. hauing ea [...]en Henban [...], or Hemlocke, [...]h [...]y die, [...]7. their crying and flying [...]ore than ordinarie, a signe of [...]aine, 25. their disease 77. their remembrance. 76

[...] ambes, 112. Bulkins, 90. Cal [...]e [...], 63. Colts, 126, 127. Hogge [...], 107. all of them [...] Maisters of the on [...]ly G [...]aings of the [...]. 127

[...] o [...] Q [...]inces. 420

[...] of all sorts. 2 [...]7

[...], a H [...]ke. 712

[...]. 210, 211

[...] [...]hat things a Geometrician, or measurer of grounds, is to be [...]urnished withall, 519. and how the wo [...]ke of measuring is to be performed. 522

[...] a [...] may reduce euery parcell of ground into a Quadrangle, [...]24. with a b [...]efe summe of the [...] art of [...]'uring. 525. Instruments and people necessarie in the perfo [...]mance of the [...]ame. 519

[...] Geometricall staffe to measure grounds withall. 521

[...] must be kept short. 38

Henne [...] [...] 74

[...], and to [...]ill them. 314

[...] Kiddes, and their nature, 117. their coat, [...]. they are n [...]uer without an ague, 119 and the other [...] that [...]hey are sub [...]ect vnto, [...]b [...]d. their flesh causeth the [...] sicknesse. ibid.

[...]le-G [...]ats, and their nature. 118

[...] oat [...] wheat, what manner of wheat. 553

[...] [...]od. 200

[...]. 342

[...] preserued. 422

[...] [...]se-gras [...]e. 207

[...] Goose-house. 17

[...]. 75

[...] 76

[...], are hard of digestion. 77

[...] and their kind [...]. 191. and vertues, ibid. speciall things to be obserued about them, 194. and to keepe them. 281

[...] [...]o Gra [...] all sorts of trees. 35

[...] [...]iue manner of wa [...]es. 344

[...] [...]he [...] sit for Gras [...]ng. 3 [...]6

[...] [...]o Gra [...]e

in the Canon, vpon the Willow, in the Crowne, with a S [...]ence, and with a Motsell, 358. in the ends of B [...]anches, 353. in the Barke, Scutcheon, and Cleft, 347. in the Flute, 355. in the Budde, ibi [...]. in the Canon. 356. after the manner of a Goats foot, 352. Vine vpon Vine▪ 359▪ 604. vpon the Vine, a singular and profitable thing, [...]53. Orange trees, 302. Oliue trees vpon the Vine, 388. Plumme trees, 341. Pomegranate trees, [...]05. Walnut trees, 384, 461. vpon a Cabbage stalke, 345. Apple trees, 360

[...] [...]peciall obseruations in Gra [...]ting, to haue exquisit fruit, 360

[...] tooles. 347, 350

[...] [...]he sappes of the Gra [...]t and grafted tree must iumpe together. 351

[...] must th [...]iue the first yeare. 348

Trees Grafted, in what season they are to be transplanted. 366

G [...]a [...]ts hauing put forth, how they are to be handled. 403

Vpon what trees G [...]afts hold best. 345

Graf [...]s broken or burnt away, must be grafted again, 403

Grafts to gra [...]t. 345

To chuse, gather, and cut Grafts, 31, 349. and how they must be kept. 348

Grafts that haue put forth, how they must be hadled. 403

Fruit-Garners. 16

Grapes, how to know if they be ripe, 608. how to remedie them, drying away vpon the Vine. ibid. as also their rotting vpon the Vine, ibidem, to keepe them a long time, 606. and to haue them in the Spring, [...]id. without kern [...]ls. ibid.

Grashop [...]ers hurting hearbes, and how to kill them. 314

At what time Gr [...]se would be gathered. 3 [...]

Grease

of Heanes. 74

of the Goose, good for the paine of the [...]. 77

of Hogges, good to d [...]aw all manner of Aposte [...]es to a head. 108

The Orchards Greene-plo [...], & the differences thereof. 333

[...] Corne. 57 [...]

Gro [...]ell. 295

Clay Ground of no value. 11

To know the Ground well, is the principal point to thri [...]t, 11. and how we must learne to know it. 12, 13

A [...]able Grounds, of their m [...]ting, and of what [...] they must be, 518. the people and instrume [...]ts requisite to measure them. 519

A [...]rable Grounds of what largenesse they must be, & how many ardors they craue. 528, 529

Arrable Grounds of Fraunce, what manner of ones they be. 527

What manner of things strong Grounds bring forth. 11

Strong Grounds must not be often mar [...]ed, or dunged, 5. signes of a fruitfull ground. 12

Wheat Grounds how they must be tilled. 534, 535

[...]

grow leane, by being long sowne. 157

much trampled, are halfe eaten. 14

vn [...]it to he plowed, how they may be freed and made [...]. 1 [...]

stonie, how to be made cleane. ibid.

lying farre of [...] from the Lord, doe breed nothing but bottles and staggons. 14

cha [...]kie and s [...]atie, are leane, and how to make them better. 13

To cleanse Grounds of weeds, before you sow it. 538

[...]. 207

Groundswell. [...]1 [...]

[...] distilled, 463. oyle of G [...]aiacum. 48 [...]

How to [...]ish for [...]. 526

[...] distilled, [...]. to draw oyles out of [...] 483. 484

The [...] of G [...]yenn [...], and the fruitfulnesse thereof. 12

H

HAy, how it must be made and ordered. 491

Hau [...]. and the signes [...]ore-tokening it. 25

How the [...] may be coloured. 457

Of the signes of a good Hare, and of her fo [...]e. 694

Hares

marks of the male and female, ibid. the hunting of them is better sport than any other, 69 [...]. [...] to traine vp dog [...] for the same, ibid. their [...], 696. the best season of taking them, ibid. their flesh is melancholike and euill for the stomack, 697. wherefore their flesh is good, 698. their maruellous fruitfulnesse, 697. the more they are hunted in any countrey, the more they are [...]. they liue seuen yeares. ibid.

[Page] Plough-Har [...]. 18

To [...]rrow plowed ground. 544

Harts are not subiect vnto any ague. 689

The hunting of the Hart is the game of great Lords, and how the whole action is to be ordered, 684, 689

To know the place of the [...]. 68 [...]

The Har [...] his induring of the Abbay. 6 [...]9

A Beere for the Har [...] and a Ba [...]er for the Bore, a prouerbe admonishing Hunters. 689

The dogges the [...] sees due from the Hart. ibid Singular medicines that may be made of euery part of the Hart. ibid.

Si [...]nes of the Hart his age, [...]. when they cast their hornes, ibid. then wyles, deceits, and other [...] of nature. 645, 687

Hart Cherrie-trees. 374

Hart Cherries must be grafted. 341

Harts-hor [...], and his vertues. 171

Harts- [...]. 202

Garden Hasel-tree. 340

Haunters of Townes will neuer make good Fa [...]mors. 22

The Hawke called a Merlin. 71 [...]

To Hawke with the Faulcon, or other Hawke, and what season is best. 709, 31

Headac [...]. 722

Hearbes of all sorts, and in what season they must bee sowne. 160

Pot▪ Hearbes

when and how they must be watered, weeded, and cut, 162. the time to set and remoue them. 163

Fine Hearbes to sowe in Gardens. 159

Hearbes shew what manner of ground it is where they grow, 530. for [...]lowers, or [...] of good smell, 242. for Physicke, and how they must be ordered, 1 [...]8. for the [...] 462

The remedies against such accidents as do happen [...] Hearbes. 312, 313

Heat is consisting of [...] degrees. 413

Heat, when it is excessiue in Summer, and what it prognosticateth. 26

Hemlocke is Hogges po [...]son. 203

Hempe, what [...] it requiteth, and how it must be husbanded and dressed. 566

Henban [...] death to buds, 77. to greene [...]ee [...]e, ibid. it is also poyson to Swine, and therefore called Hogs-bane. 10 [...]

Henne-house must be kept cleane, 66. where it must be placed. 17

Hennes

how to order and feed them▪ 67. the markes of them which bee good, 68. good to set them whiles the Moone is new, 32. to take [...] them their desire to fit, 68. to make them fruitful, 566. to fat them incontinently. 5 [...]

Rheume [...] and [...]uxes of Hennes. 69

the Henne-pip. ibid.

Old Hennes, and their diseases, 68. their cures. ibid

A Henne to sucke out venime. 740

A Henne crowing like a Cock ouet-fat enraged. 68

Water-Hennes. 78

How Hennes must be sed and lo [...]ked to. 67, 68

Her [...]d caused the children to be slaine the 29. day of the Moone. 34

The Heron wandering and whi [...]ling about, a signe of raine. 25

The Heromie, and the ordering of Her [...]nt. 671

Certaine obseruations concerning the Heron. 672

Hiac [...]th. 239

Hissope, 164. distilled. 453

The Hobb [...]e, a Hawke. 711

Tame Hogges. 18

Hogges better burnt than sealded. 107

Hogges-troughs of Tamariske wood, 290

Hog [...]hes, where they must be placed. 18

Hol [...]-bocks. 196

Honie of all sorts. 330

The notes of good Honie. 329

To make Ho [...]e, 329. The vertues thereof. ibidem

To gath [...]r H [...]ie. 327

To make viuers compositions of Hon [...]e. 330

Honie distilled. 456

Hops, and the vertues thereof. 287

Ho [...]e-hound 247

A Horse at his growth in fiue yeres, but a man not before fiue and twentie. 6 [...]6

Horses [...] to drinke troubled water. 129, 61, 63

Horses [...]

how they must be [...] and trained, 124. 12 [...]. 131. [...] 129. [...] Horses. 146. [...] winded, 149 hauing their backes broken, 129. pricked with a [...], 114. b [...]wit [...]hed. 121. how to be handeld being [...] and to what diseases they be subiect, 137. the means to help the 139

The marke [...] of a good Horse. 125

The know the age of a good horse perfectly. ibidem

Horses find [...]eet to go well vpon, when they haue to [...]eed well vpon, 129. a Prouerbe.

A leane Horse. 147

Horses are [...] by the Maisters eie, a Prouerbe. 1 [...]

Horse mint. 244

Horse taile. 209

H [...]and [...]. 207

The House must not be to se [...]ke for [...] ▪ nor ground for [...] ▪ 18. what is meant by the countrie House. and [...] it comp chendeth [...]

The [...] Lodging, 16. where the Farme-house must be [...] ▪ 4 of the inclosure thereof. 13

The entrance of the Master of the familie his House. 14

A [...]umptu [...]u [...] House canteth ones better to enuie 13

We must purchase peace, and a hoose readie made. ibidem

A House-holder must for ecast to haue more to sell than to buy. 14

The Husbandrie of these times agreeth with the Husbandrie of the auncient times. [...]

The Husbandrie

of the vine both young and old, 60 [...].

of men of auncient times according to their countries. 1

of grounds diuers and variable according to the soile, and the scituation of places, [...] ▪ of the a [...]bor and vine is a like. 157

Husbandmen must know the signes foreshewing raine, windes. &c. 24

The Husbandmans clothes. 22

The worke that the Husbandman must do euery moneth throughout the yeare. 35

The Husbandmans tooles. 532

The manner of Husbandrie entreated of. 1

Hunting, a thing that a good Husband may lacke. 2

The profit of Hunting foure footed bea [...]es 672

Three sorts of Hunting. ibidem

The Hunting of the Hare more pleasant than any other. 693

Hunting of the Wild Bore dangerous. 690

A wine like Hydrome, and the vertues thereof. 330

I

IAcob, borne the sixteenth of the M [...]one, a good daie. 33

Iapheth, borne the 24. day of the Moone. 34

I [...]samine. 286

Inclosure of the Orchard. 333

The Indies discoured by the Spaniards. 83

Ins [...]sions, 448. two things to be c [...]sidered in Insusions. ibid.

[Page] [...] m [...]de in mans, goats, or swines bloud. 449

[...] must helpe o [...] augment the force and ve [...]tue of [...]. ibidem

[...] the P [...]oph [...]t, born the twentieth day of the Moone, day somewhat indifferent. 33

[...], a [...]ind of cheese, and the mannes of making of [...]em. 65

[...] b [...]ne the 18. day of the Moone, a prosperous day. 33

[...], or ground pine. 205

[...] [...]es are tare in France, 396. their nature, ibidem. [...] planted. 338

[...] [...]per. 285

causeth wine to run out of the vessell. 286

K

[...] He principall Keyes of all the house. 46

[...] [...]lesh, well accounted of, 117. their skins how greatly profitable. 119

[...] ni [...] beanes or [...]. 560

[...] K [...]ching, the first roome to be built in a good house, where the Kitching must be seated. 17

[...] [...]is of d [...]rs fashions. 253, 254

[...]ple Knot. 258

[...] and C [...]l [...]es, how they must be sed and handled. 62

[...] [...]e [...]king into the skie, and drawing in the aire, a [...] of [...]ame. 25

L

[...]An through Labour doth [...]ame euerie thing. 10

[...] req [...]sit in a Farmer. 4

The gardens Labir [...]th. 158

[...] [...]wto handle and seed [...]ambes. 18, 111

[...] of L [...]mbes, and their remedies. 116

[...] [...]mbes, to make flocks. 112

[...], bo [...]ne the [...] of the Moone, a dangerous day. 32

[...] venomous sithes in the sea. 507

[...] d [...] driue men to contention and law. 4

[...] ma [...]uelous fruitfull. 12

[...] a kind of Hawke. 714

[...] [...] dist [...] led, 474. in what places it must be kept. 17

[...] [...]der, 251 dis [...]illed. 463

[...], of the ashes of Cabages, good to was [...] the head. 166

[...] great and small, their virtues and proper [...]es. 175

[...], at what time they must be sowen. 160

[...]-trees, 296. what earth Lemons require. 376

[...] in what season they must be sowen, 560 [...] to haue [...]y good Len [...]s. 569

[...]

of all kindes, their husbandrie, nature, and speciall obseruations, 167

when they must be sowne. 160

they put forth the fourth day after they are sowne, 152. they procu [...]e sleepe, [...]68. how to be preserued. 279

[...], how it must be dressed. 575

[...] how distilled, 455. and what is meant by [...] [...] place. ibidem

[...] [...]ighting in faire weather, a signe of raine. 24

[...], and what they presage. 26

[...]. 238

[...] of diuers sorts and colours, 239. their vertues, 240

[...] [...]ater Lillies. 239

[...] Inhabitants of Lymosin, painefull, sparing, procuring [...] their owne profit, than any others. 23

den-trees, and others of such like wood. 665. 667.

[...] and diseases, 923. their food. ibidem

[...] hutting the vine, and how to kill them. 607

Lice, and other vermine haunting Hens, 69

Lice of Calues, 63

Lice of Bees. 326

Line

the husbanding thereo, 368. when to be sowne, 36. in what quarter of the Moone, and when to bee pulled. 31

Loches, and how to fish for them. 516

Locusts come euery third yeare, and what harme they doe to trees. 649

Locusts, eating vines, how they may be driuen away. 607

L [...]-tree. 306

L [...]pines

and their husbandrie, 560. and whereto they are good, ibidem. when they must bee sowne, before they bloome, ca [...]ell must be put into them, 570. [...]at the earth. 10

M

MAdnesse of Dogs. 147

Maine, a rich countrie. 12

The people of Maine are subtile, craftie, and very painefull for profit. 23

Mallowes. 196

Man will not be woon by rough handling. 21

Mandraages. 253

Maple tree. 662

Mar [...]h corne. 554

Marchpanes, what manner of pastrie. 585

Mares, how they must be handled. [...]5

The couering of Mares, and taking of the horse, 124. their amo [...]ous rage. 147

Ma [...]ome. 250

Marigolds, and their faculties. 172

Marigolds in conserue, 280. distilled. 454

Marishes hu [...]tfull to the Farme-house. 5

Market matters would not be left vndone, till after drinking. 22

Ma [...]le in what grounds necessarie. 6

Marq [...]ots, a sort of Vine necessarie. 597

Beefe Marr [...]w. 104

Maisters must know the natures of their seruants. 23

Maisters must keepe more amongst their seruants, than at the towne. [...]3

Maisters of families their office and dutie. ibid.

Masticke t [...]ee. 306

Stinking Mathweed. 53 [...]

Mead and Meth [...]glin, what manner of drinke they be amongst the Polanders and Englishmen. 332

Medowes and Medow-plots, and how many sorts of Medowes, and the manner of making them, &c. 49 [...], 492

What manner of hearbes must bee sowne in Medowes. 495

To harrow, water, and cut downe Medowes, 498. to gather in the hay. 499

In what quarter of the Moone Medowes must bee cut downe. 32

Medow-sweet. 59

Meale of all sorts. 573

[...] Hogges, [...]07. all Hogges better burnt than scalded, ibid.

Me [...]hoacan

with a discourse of his maruellous root. 225

the reason of the name, and his vertues, ibid.

the markes of it. ibid.

the picture of it. [...]6

Meddicke fodder, 494, [...]64. and the husbanding of it, ibid.

Medlars how they may be kept a long time. 408

Medlars without stones. 36 [...]

Sweet M [...]lars, 365

[Page] Spiced Medlar [...]. 361

Where Medlars grow best, & what their facultie [...] be. 382

Melilot. 252

Melons, 192. their gathering and goodnes. ibidem

Certaine obseruations about Me [...]as. [...]93

Mercurie. 20 [...]

Mes [...]ing or Mas [...]ing, 549-550

Me [...]salem, borne the 8. day of the Moone, a good day, and happie day. 33

M [...]oile. 206

The manner of ordering of Milke, and well dressing of it. 64

Milke of Nurses doth encrease by vsing the fomentation of the decoction of Cabages. 166

To encrease Milke of Kine. 500

Milke of As [...]es, for such as are in a consumption, 147. and to make the bodie white, an example. ibidem

Milke of Goats is leane, and for what diseases it is good, 119. Their Milke is more wholesome than Sheepes Milke, 118. Milke distilled, and the vertues thereof, 469

Mille [...] how it mu [...] be sowne and dressed. 559

Mille [...] groweth we [...]l in a sandie ground. 11

Mints, why of old time for bidden to Captaines in warre. 244

Myrrhe distilled. 545

Oyle of Myrrhe. 563

M [...]tle-tree, and his nature. 289

Mi [...]k [...]ns, their [...] and nature. 725

The Moneths of the yeare, and their disposition foreshewed. 28

The Moone

how it increaseth and decreaseth. 30

of the Influenc [...] thereof. ibid.

what power euery quarter of the yeare hath ouer beasts, plants, and fruits. 32

foreshewing snow in the Winter. 25

of the Criticall daies thereof. 31

Mortar of wisdome. 447

Motherwort groweth in ill-tilled and rough grounds. 200

To Mowe. 49.

To hunt Mowles, and to kill them. 315

Moys [...] parted the sea, the 26. day of the Moone. 34

Mugwort. 250

Mulberies early and late, 362. how kept a long time, 409.

white ones that neuer grow red or black. 363

Mulberietrees

their seed, where it must be sowne. 339

of two sorts, and what earth they loue, their properties. 383

how to graft them. ibidem

and how they are planted. 341

Mulcheepers, Mulets, Mules, their nature, food, and diseases. 251

Mules & Mulet [...]

the diuersities of their generations. ibidem

rubbing their [...]ares more than ordinarie, a signe of raine. 25

of Auuergne good for the plough. 89

they exceed all other beasts. 540

a good Mulet is an euill beast. ibidem

White Mullen. 205

Muskadell. 364

Musicke inuented by Sheephe [...]rds. 110

Mushrums eaten, the remedie against their mischi [...]uousnesse. 61

Mustard, and how it must be made. 281

Mustard of diuers countries. ibidem

N

[...], born in the ninth day of the Moone an indifferent day. 33

Narcissus, and why so called, 239

Nature is neuer idle. 531

Nauewes, and Nau [...]s, and their vertues, 158, 568, 186. being lowne, they put forth by the end of three daies. 161

The Neat-heard his charge and conditions. 90

Necess [...] bege [...]eth skill, and awakeneth care. 5

A good Neighbour requisite. 5

[...] stinging, and dead, 209. they make flesh to bee soone [...]. ibid.

New Wine not ver [...]e wholesome, 617. what it is. 622

Neco [...]iana, w [...]th h [...]s maruellous vertues, 215. an heat be of di [...]ination, 2 [...]. the Quintessence thereof, and two excellent ornaments made of the same, 222, 223. distilled. 453

Nigella. 252

Nightingales male and female, to know one from the other, 719. to cure them, being melancholicke, 718. how they must be handled and [...]ed. 717

Mad Nightshade. [...]2

No [...], the first inuentor of making and drinking of wines, 410. borne the tenth of the Moone, a prosperous day. 33

Normans would be intreated peaceably. 23

The North hurtfull to the Farme-house. 5

The Nurserie. 18

The Orchards Nurserie. 334, 339

O

OAkes, and their kinds, 556. males and females, ibid.

Oakes are the most noble and dea [...]est of all other trees. 649

At what time Oakes would be planted. 652

How to sowe Aco [...]nes, for the growing of Oakes, 655, 656

To haue Oakes greene at all times. 363

Oakes grow a hundred yeares, stand at one stay a hundred yeares, and are decaying a hundred yeares. 6 [...]6

Oake of lerusalem. 246

Oate-meale, made of Oates, and the making thereof, 558, 575

Oates, and their manner of husbandrie, 558. distilled. ibid.

Oile Oliue, of three sorts, 427. how it must be made, prepared, and kept, 426▪ 428. the vertues thereof, ibid.

Oile.

an enemie to plants. 429

prepared three waies. 424

of many sorts, and their vertues. 431

hot and cold. 432

distilled, their faculties and lasting. 479

of diuers hearbes, and their qualities. 433

the manner of pressing them out of fruits. 429

three things must be considered in them. ibid.

made by impression. 431

the time fittest to distill them. 474

the order to be kept therein. 474, 475, 478

distilled, and a discourse thereupon. 469

of Roles of two sorts, 433. ibid. and a new way to make the same. ibid.

of Linseed 368

of [...]uing things, or their parts. 458

of G [...]a [...]acum. 48 [...]

of Nauets. [...]86

of Virgins. 427

of Foxes, how made. 434

of Serpents. ibid.

of Egge [...], 4 [...]5. of Wheat, ibid. of Hay. ibid.

of Brimstone. 436

[Page] [...] Oile Omphacine. 427

[...] To thaw O [...] when it is frozen. 428

[...] Where to keepe and lay vp Oiles. 17

[...] Oliues and Oliue-trees. 295

[...] Oliues

how kept long. 409

the gathering and profit of them. 296

preserued. 4 [...]

in what ground they delight most. 388

their nature. ibid.

to plant and graft them. 388

to geld them. ibid.

[...]saruellous things of the Oliue-tree. 296

[...] liue [...]rees

grafted vpon the Vine. 388

planted in what season. 37

grafted. ibid.

being barren, how to make them to become fruitfull. 389

must be kept from Turtle-doues and Stares, 390

they hinder not Vines. 597

full of mosse. 339

[...] [...]range-trees, what ground they craue, 376, how to plant, sowe, and gra [...]t them. 302

[...] [...]ranges preserued, 421. distilled, 464. and how kept, 409

[...] [...]ganie, or bastard Maricrome. 245

[...]rpin. 206

[...]esser Orpin. ibid.

[...] [...]he Farn [...]ers [...]. 16

[...] [...]xen more profitable for the Plough than Bulls, 90. and how they must be gelded. 91

[...] [...]he Oz [...]r plot. 11

P

PAlma-Chris [...]. 211

Palmer-wormes, and how to kill them. 314

Pantrie. 579

[...] [...]aper endureth euerie thing. [...]9

[...]. [...]88

[...] [...]ild [...]arsneps. 495

[...] [...]rtridges. 84

[...] [...]assion, what manner of Wine it is. 622

[...] to make bread, and how to handle and dresse it, 577

[...] [...]asture ground. 18

[...] [...]aunsies, and their ve [...]ues. 240

[...] [...]tac [...]-plumtree. 372

[...] [...]each-trees

how planted, and where. 338

how grafted, 362, eately. 384

[...] [...]eaches

to keepe long, 409, red. 363

spiced ones. 362

without stones. 364

written, 363. distilled. 465

[...] [...]o haue fruits halfe Peaches, and halfe nuts. 360

[...] [...]each-apples, [...]66. and Spanish Peaches. 372

[...] [...]ckes

are proud, lecherous, and iealous, how they must be fed. 81

their roust. 17

their flesh better than the Turkies. 83

[...], a fish, and how to take them. 516

[...] [...]are-plums, how planted. 338

[...] [...]res

how to keepe long. 527

earely and late ones. 365

how to haue them without stones. ibidem

of Augusta. 362

[...] [...]tre-trees

are the most pretious of all others, except apple-trees. 380

and what earth they loue. 381

soften Pearlet. 288

Maruellous Peason. [...]88

Peason [...]at the leane ground, 563: to cause to be such as will be soone boiled. [...]94

Pellitorie of the w [...]ll. [...]09

Water Pepper. 169

Penniroyall. 248

A Penthouse for plough geare. [...]18

Percipier. [...]92

Perrie, and how it is made. 417

Pers [...]ley, and his vertues, [...]81: and why so called. ibidem

Peruincle. 204

Presages of Pestilence. 667

Peta [...]ites, or L [...]gwot [...]. 20 [...]

Female Petum groweth of the seed of the male, 334, and his vertues. ibidem

The sume of Petum appeaseth hunger and thirst. 221

Pharao, borne the nineteenth of the Moone, a daungerous day. 32

Naturall Phisicke must be well knowne to the datie-woman. 39

To seperate the Phlegme in artificiall distillation. 451

The people of Picardie would be handled very [...] ▪ 23

Pigeons

of the doue-house, and how they must be fed. 86

which be the beast, 87. and that they haue young ones thrice a yere. 88

comming home late to their cote, and [...] sage of raine. 25

Pikes taken in fresh water. 507

Pimpernell. 212

Pine-trees and Pine-apples and their properties. 292

Pine-trees, how planted, ibidem. they craue a sandie and light ground. 392

Pionie. 204

Pipes for the conueying of water from springs. 8

Pistaces brought by Monsieur du Ballay B. of mans, 297▪ 298. what carth they craue. 339

The Pits called Aronques, in Prouence and Lang [...] docke. 6

The Plane-tree. 306

Plantane of three sorts, and their their temperatures, 208

495. a signe that water will bee found there vnder ground. 7

To Plant

trees to haue exquisite fruits, 360. trees, and in what season, 367. a tree without roots, 400. and remoue hearbes, 165. and to [...] them. ibidem

Plants

and how they must be husbanded, whether they be of timber-wood, or other, 657. of sciences and shoots, 341. of stones, 338. of vines when and where to be planted. 598▪ 599

Tokens foreshewing Plentie. 28, 29

Ploughs, Charrets, and Carts. 18

Ploughs of diuers sorts, according to the countrie and soile. 540

The arders of Ploughing before it be sowne: 537

Ploughing, an art that an householder cannot want. 4

Ploughing with oxen is not but of necessitie, 90. but it is be [...]. ibidem

To Plough for the second arder and third, and so to sow. 54 [...]

Laxatiue and sleeping Plums. 393

To haue Plums readie at all times. 362

Plums of Brignoles, 39 [...]

Plum-trees

how planted. 3 [...]7

in what places they delight. 392

what distance must bee giuen in setting them betweene the one and the other. 39 [...]

when they grow vndisposed & languishing 393

[Page] The people of Poicto [...] giuen to be wilie and watie. 49

A Pole of measure. 518

Polenta, what, and how made of old. 575

Polygonum. 159

Pome-Adams. 377

Pomi [...]ones, what kind of Hawkes. 211

Pomegranates, how to keepe, 408▪ their nature, 304. re [...] ones, 365. without kernels. 305

Pomegranate trees, and their plants, 341. where to bee planted, and their nature, 394. how they must be husbanded and grafted, 304. to keepe them that they lose not their flowers. 305

Poplar trees, in what season planted, [...]6 [...]. being grafted vpon Mulberrie [...]rees, they bring forth white Mulberries. 363

Pop [...]ins. 256

Poppies, and the properties thereof, 189. the kindes thereof. ibid.

Wild Poppie of two sorts, and their vertues. 170

Pooles

how they must be dressed and kept. 508

and the wild sowle haunting the same. 506

that are famous. ibid.

neere to the Farme-house. 21

necessarie in drie and scorched places. 6

Fish-Pooles. 514

The Portall on the back-side of the house. 18

Pre [...] of raine must be knowne to the Farmor. 24

Presages of all things that the householder must haue [...]ore-knowledge of. 26

Preseruing, what it is, and what the word doth signifie. 279

Preseruing of fruit. 421

Preserues

of diuers sorts. 420

of fruits, how they must be made. 423

and conserue of Gentian. 279

To Preserue hearbes of all sorts. 279

Princes, their pleasure in Summer in wattie places. 6

Priuies stinking more than ordinarie, a signe of raine. 25

Priuet. 240

To Propagate foure manner of waies, and the time most fit to propagate. 343

Prouence, how fruitfull, 12. the inhabitants of Prouence haughtie, and cannot abide to be reproued. 23

Pump [...], 192. their goodnesse and gathering, 193. obseruations concerning them. 194

Laxatiue Pumpions. ibid.

Sweet smelling Pumpions. 195

Pulse, when, how, and where, they must be sowne, 570. they must be reaped in the wan [...] of the Moone, 31. aduertisements concerning them. 569

Pursela [...]e, and the vertues thereof. 223

Pyes, male and female, doe sit their egges. 86

Pyes distilled. 457

The Pyrene mountaines abound with marble. 5

Purchase by statute, the surest of all others. 3

Q

QVailes are birds rather of the earth than of the aire, they make no nests, 85. their feeding, ibid. their flesh causeth giddinesse and headach, 85. their flesh causeth also falling sicknesse. ibidem

Quarellous persons not fit to be made farmors. 22

Quilles gathered of dead geese, not so good as those which are gathered from the liue ones. 77

Quin [...]es

of diuers sorts. 375

made into gellie. 420

spoile other fruits growing neere them. 408

Quince trees, how planted. 34 [...], 376

Quintes [...]nces, how they may be extracted. 450. & 669

R

RAdishes contrarie to wine, and their other vertues. 187

Raine foreshewed by asses. 25

Signes of Raine. ibidem

To R [...]ke lands that are to be sowne. 544

Ra [...]. and the marks of a good Ramme. 110

Small Ramp [...]ons. 495

Rauens croking and beating their wings, a signe of raine. 25

Against field Ka [...]s. 508

To hunt water Kats. ibidem

To cause Rats and Mice to die sodenly. 315

Reason must be preferred in all things. 15

Rest maketh a man slothfull. 150

Rest harrow, an enemie to the husbandman. 210

Restorati [...]es of diuers sorts. 460

Distilled Resto [...]ati [...]es. 459

A diuine Restoratiue. 430

Rice, in what place it groweth. [...]1

Riuers, bad neighbou [...] to dwelling houses. 6

Riuers, vsing to ouerflow, are very hurtfull. 5

The Robinet or Robin red brest, and the [...]orie of him. 729

Rocket, and the vertues thereof. 182

Roames to tread and presse grapes in. 17

Roats of potherbes. 164

Rosemarie. 247

Rosema [...]ie fit to build garden arbours. 2 [...]6

Rosemarie in conserue, 280. and distilled. 454. & 461

Roses

of diuers sorts, and their temperature. 283

in conserue. 280

are distilled three waies. 454

distilled per descensum. 467

water compounded, 310. 461

Prouence Roses. 283

Rose at bours. 282

Rub [...]rbe distilled. 462

Rue, and its maruellous vertues. 243

Lambs Ru [...]net, good against all manner of venome. 116

Rie, and husbanding thereof. 548

S

SAcres, hawks so called. 713

Saffron, how it must be husbanded, [...]11. a venome to the heart. ibidem

Sage, 158▪ 245. good against the trembling of the members. 56

Compound water of Sage. 460

Salm [...], a very delicate fish, 507, and how to take him. 575

Salomons seale. 208

Salt turning moist, a signe of raine. 25

Samuel, bo [...]ne the 11. of the Moone, a fauourable day 33

Sandie grounds, what fruit they beare, and how they must be tilled. [...]1

Sanicle, and the great vertues thereof. 202

Sapa, or boiled wine. 622

Saps of grafted trees must ioine one with another. 32

Sa [...]i [...] tree. 285

Saul, borne the 21. day of the Moone, a happie day. 34

Sau [...]rie, 245. being sowne, it putteth not forth till thirtie daies after. 161

Saxi [...]rage. 200

Scabious. 201

Scallions, and their faculties. 180

[Page] [...] to plant, and the manner to doe them, 343. and to propagate them. ibid.

[...] swallowed by an Horse. 147

[...] their biting of Neat. 10 [...]

[...], and the maruellous faculties thereof. 203

[...] distilled. 468

[...], what kind of corne, and the husbanding thereof. 550

[...], to choose. 543

[...] Seeder, 159. and the time to sowe them, 160. how old and what manner of ones they must be, ibid. and in what time they must put out of the earth, 161

[...] distilled. 468

[...]-wheat, how it must be chosen. 543

[...]gainst Serpents. 315

[...]bandmen [...] S [...]ruants, how they would be entreated, 23

[...], 559. oile and cakes thereof. ibid.

[...]. 109

[...],

how they must be watred, and how oft a day, 112

where they must [...]eed. ibid.

when they must be shorne. 113

they are cold of nature. 111

their going to rutte, and what forrage is best for them. ibid.

how they are kept from the Wolfe. 116

their diseases and cures. ibid.

[...] of a good Sheepe. 110

[...] [...]epheards

their manner in times past. 111

they must be gentle. ibid.

what [...] they haue inuented. 110

their folds in Summer. 113

he fashion of the Sheepe fold, and how and whereof it most be made, 110. and where it must be seated. 18

[...] that spoile Vines, 607. biting Neat, 10 [...]. biting a Ho [...]e. 147

[...], what kind of corne. 551

[...]wormes, and the profit of them, 486. how to order them, 489. their diseases. ibid.

[...]-grasse good for medicine. 201

[...]. 552

[...]. 2 [...]0

[...] to plant Gardens. 263

[...]. [...]69

[...]. his planting and vertues. ibid.

[...]. 495

[...] swallowed by Neat, 102. and how to kill them, 314

[...] [...]noiles spoyling Bees. 405

[...] distilled. 458

[...], and the tokens fore-shewing the same. 25

[...] [...]dome and Gomo [...]ha sunke the 17. of the Moone, a b [...]d day. 33

[...] [...]mmer, and the presage of the constitution thereof, 22

[...] [...]rell, and his properties. 171

[...] [...]o So [...]e corne in the end of the Moone. 31

[...] [...]o Sowe Wheat in my [...]e, and in the encrease of the Moone. 541

[...]wes

farrowing. 106

pigges. ibid.

eating their pigges: ibid.

[...] [...]he place for the Swine-coat. [...]8

[...]-bread. 209

[...]. 247

[...]-thistle. 168

[...] [...]parrowes male and female, 86. crying early, a signe of raine. 25

[...] Sparrowes, and their nature. 725

Sparrowhawkes

of all sorts. [...]

wherin they differ from Buzzards. [...].

the manner of taking and keeping them. ibid.

their diseases and remedies. ibid.

Speech vnprofitable, maketh a man contemptible. [...]

Simple and true Speech causeth a man to be much esteemed. 23

A Spence to keepe victuals in. 17

Spelt-corne, and how it must be husbanded. 552

Spices distilled. 478

Spiders falling, without any violent cause, a signe of raine. 25

A Spider swallowed by a Horse. 146

Spinach, male and female, and why so called, 274. the great profit comming thereof. ibid.

When Spinach must be sowne, 161. it groweth vp three daies after. ibid.

The Spinke a very beautifull and liuely bird, her feeding, 721. All Spinkes haue not like volces. ibid.

The Square, an Instrument for measuring. 521

Stables for Horses. 16

A round Staires. 17

Cow-Stalls must be kept cleane. 62

All manner of beasts Stalls, how they must be seated. 15

Stallions to couer Mares. 81

Stallions to bege [...] Mules and Mulets. 151

Starres sparkling, are signes of great flouds of water. 241

Starthisti [...]e. 200

The Ste [...]le-gl [...]sse is the bewraier of the countenance. 624

Young Stocks and wild plants must be remoued, 339. and how they must be husbanded, 340. young or wilde [...]ocks to graft vpon, and how they must be prepared. 344

Stomacke weake. 219

A Stone in the gisserne of a Capon, that maketh men apt to carnall lust. 74

In what place Stones doe ordinarily grow. 9

Cherrie-Stones distilled. 453

Storks, and their maruellous nature. 79

Storks distilled. 458

Fresh Straw, and the benefit thereof. 205

Strawberries, 195. their maruellous harmelesnesse, and other properties, ibid. distilled. 45 [...]

Succorie. 168

Suits, and matters in law, how and by whom to be ordered. 21

Sunne and Moone, two great and admirable lights of the world, 30 when and how it betokeneth faire weather, 26. when and how it betokeneth raine & tempest, 25. when it betokeneth Snow in Winter. 25

The South [...] vnwholesome. 5

The [...] of the seuen Bookes. 2 [...]3

Swallowes distilled. 453

Swannes, and how many are requisite to be together, 78, 79. their nature. ibid they foresee their owne death, and mans. 79

Swine

cannot abide hunger. 106

more greedie than any other beasts. 104

how to feed them, and their natures. ibid [...] subiect to the plague, and many other diseases. 107

their cures. ibide [...]

to fat them. 291

in what quarter of the Moone the would be [...]illed. 10 [...]

how to salt them. 109

their playing and running hither and thither, a signe of raine. 25

honoured of the Egip [...]yans for shewing them the tilling of the earth. 108

T

[Page]TAbacco. 215

Tale- [...] are not to be harkened vnto. 38

Tamaritke. 290

Tansay. 251

Great wild Tare [...]. 564

Tarts. 587

The Teeth of horses declare their age. 136

Signes of Tempest and Thunder. 26

Terragon is made of Lineseed, and how. 18 [...]

What Things are requisite in building of the farme. 3

White Thistle. 203

Euery Thing at his height, doth decrease in the [...]nd. 4

Ladies Thistle. [...]00

Blessed Thistle, and the maruellous vertues thereof. 199

The hundred headed Thistle, and his maruellous [...] 203

The Tazell, his late giuen names, and his properties. 310, 311

The Tazell closing and shutting together, presageth raine. 2 [...]

To Thresh corne, and the flower of the same. 5 [...]6

Throstles

what manner of birds they be. 726

sold verie deere amongst them of old tim [...]. 85

they are of two sorts. 727

their nature and food ibidem

leauing the valle [...], they foreshew raine. 25

Thyme, 244. mountaine Thyme. 248

Ti [...]ing of the ground, with diuers sorts of beastes, according to the countrie. 539

Tillage diuers, according to the diue [...]sitie of the soile and countrie. 527

The Tilling of the ground, and precepts touching the same. 531

The Tune and presages of the entrances of the [...]oure quarters of the yeare. 26

W [...]at manner of hawke the [...] is, 711

Torm [...]ntill, 50 [...]. and why so called. ibidem

T [...]eises, and how to bant to them. 5 [...]5

The heat be [...] bona. 252

Tourtaine, the garden of France, 10. 40 [...] the people thereof louers of their profit. 10

Trees and shrubs, with a [...]scourse thereupon. 282

Trees

are of two sort, ingenerall. 659

in what soile they would be planted. 6

of the place and ch [...]hing of them in general. 368

to set the female ones againe. 367

grafted, in what sea [...]on they must be transplanted 366

transplanted are the better. 344

growing of stones. 337

planted without roots. 400

giuen to be ouer fruitfull, how to moderate. 404

to cause them to bring forth earely fruit. 406

how to husband them when they begin to grow 403

how to plant, [...]ow, and graft them, to come by such fruit as is exquisite, 360. to dig and picke them, 402. to prune, make cleane, and bare them at the foot. 31. 35. 401. 402

that are bruised with cattel. 399. 400

full of mosse, become leane. 402

how to cure them. 404

yellownesse, and the laundise, and the euill in them. 405

and wormes troubling the same. 406

to [...] them that loo [...] their flowers. 405

A dead dogge, or other ca [...]ion, applyed to the root of a T [...]ee that is sicke, doth set it in [...]ength againe. 402

Of fruit-Trees in particular. 370

The best season of planting and replanting of great Trees. 368

To kill wormes in Trees that hurt their roots. 400

To make those [...] which me barren to beare fruit, 405

Trees bringing forth grapes. 366

Trees delighting to grow in the water. 660

Trees of Soloigne are small, and staruelings. 654

Precepts of planting fruit- [...]rees. 360, 400

Water- [...]rees, and their kinds and nature. 334

To make wild Trees to grow of seed. 656

What soile is best for while Trees, their natures, properties, and differences. 659

The best season to plant Trees for timber. 651

To haue greene [...] of all sorts at all times. 363

Tre [...]ile shut [...]ing in it s [...]lfe, is a signe of raine. 25

Tri [...]km [...]dame. 172

Trough [...] at the Well side to water cattell at. 15

Watering Trough [...]. [...]

Trouts, the fish, how to take them. 516

The Turkies rowst. 17

Turneps, the fo [...]d of the inhabitants of Limosin and Sauoy, 1 [...]6. how they must be husbanded, and what their properties be. 187

[...] to goe vp to the Garners. 17

[...]-tree. 306

Oile of Turpentine. 486

Tu [...]done [...], their feeding and diseases, 84. their bloud good for the wounds and vlcers of the eyes, [...]. as also is their dung. ibid.

Hearbe Two-pence. 212

V

VAlentia, the vale of Swannes. 78

Val [...]ian, and the ve [...]tues thereof. 199

Varietie of Countries causeth a diuers manner of labouring the earth. 1

[...], the manner of making of it. 620

Veri [...]ce of Apples. 3 [...]0

[...] male and female, [...]97. their nature and vertues, ibid. good for the sight. ibid.

Ver [...]aine a signe that there will be good water found, if there be a Well digged. 7

Wild Vines of the hearbes called [...]. 287

How Vin [...] newly planted, would be husbanded. [...]

Vines

of diuers sorts, according to their colours and other qualities. 600

in what grounds they must be planted. 192

two things to be considered in the planting of them. ibid.

they must be planted vpon the South. 6

at what time to be remoued. 39

how to choose their plants. 595, 596

plants, where, when, and how, they must bee planted. 599

must not be planted of diuers plants. 598

to make them newly planted, to take root, ibid.

the manner of planting them is diuerse, according to the [...] of countries & grounds 597

to cause them to hud quickly. 606

how to handle them that haue too many branches. 607

when they must be cut. 35

growing vpon trees, and after the fashion of a [...] [...]ours. 395

[Page] [...]es well husbanded, are of great encrease and profit, 591

[...]make barren Vines fruitfull. 607

[...]rtaine obseruations concerning Vines, how to graft [...]them, and the manner of proceeding therein, 605, 606

[...]nes being grafted, yeeld great reuen [...]e. 259

[...]hat man [...]re is good and euill for Vines. 599

[...]manure Vines, is a precious thing. 595

[...]make that Oxen and Kine doe not touth Vines, 607.

for those ca [...]tell are very noisome to them. ibid.

othing must be sowne amongst Vines. 598

[...]ow to keepe Vines from the frost, 606. their diseases, and remedies thereof. 607

[...]he blacke Vine plant, 600. foure kinds of it. ibid.

[...]he white Vine plant, and the kinds thereof. 601

[...]he husbandrie of the Vine, both young and old, and their sundrie earings. 602

[...]he inhabitants of Paris doe husband their Vines negligently. 592

[...] manure the new Vine, 602. to prune and weed it, and the rest of the earings belonging to it. 599

[...]he Vine hateth the Colewort aboue all things. 598

[...]he laxatiue Vine. 606

[...]reacle Vine. ibid.

[...]ates of the Vine. 461

[...]he Vine Nurcerie. 594

[...]uill Vine-dressers described by their effects. 599

[...]Vineyard in a strong ground. 11

[...] delight in stonie places, standing towards the South. 5 [...]6

[...]ineger

what it is. 456

the manner of making of it. 618

of Squilles. 619

of Apples. 380

distilled. 456

and the vertues thereof. ibid.

quickly distilled. 451

certaine obseruations concerning it. 618

made without wine. 61 [...]

to cause it to become wine againe. 618

Sweet Vineger. 619

Dame Violets. 238

Marian Violets. ibid.

March Violets. 236

A Viper hauing stung a Horse. 147

Vitis signifying a Vine, whence so called. 623

W

WAsers. 584, 585

Walnut-trees, and their Nuts, how profitable, 386

Walnut-trees, when they are to be planted and remoued, 3 [...]5. and how they must be alone, and why. ibid.

Walnut-trees grafted, 385. they naturally hate Oakes, ibid. the more beaten, the more fruitfull, 386. without fruit and leaues till Midsummer, 364. they foreshew plentie. 385

Walnuts

without shells. 362

to cause them to haue a verie tender shel. 364 386

how planted. 385

how to keepe them greene. 408

doe cause Capons to rost quickly. 387

preserued. 422

of hard digestion, causeth headach and shortnesse of breath. 387

distilled. 452

How to haue grosse Walnuts. 362

Presages of Warre. 667

The Warren, scituation thereof, and profit, 3. 644▪ and of the storing of it, 645

To Water herbs. 159. 399

Water

the common drinke of all liuing creatures. 6 [...]2

of diuers sores distilled, with a discourse thereupon, 438 and who was the inuentor. ibidem

of all sorts, distilled of many herbs in particuler. 452 [...] 453

compound distilled three manner of waies. 460

distilled in Maries bath. 442

distilled in the bladder. 443

of licours. 455

distilled of flesh. 458

distilled for fukes. 465

distilled of liuing creatures. 458

of egges, 458. of the vine, 461

of crums of bread. 466

of lard. 467

of Rubarb distilled. 462

of cowes milke. 466

of a capons broth. ibidem

of oats, making drunke like wine, 558

of calues feet. 462

of lig [...] vit [...]. 465

To take away the heate of distilled Waters. 45 [...], 452

[...] aine Water meet to be gathered into cestern [...]. 6

The best Waters. 9

Fresh Water [...] spring out of cold places. 5

Sweet Waters in particular. 463

Salt or sea Water, how it may be made fresh. 456

Allome Water. 462

Purgatiue Waters. ibidem

The vertues of distilled Waters, 452, 453. and their durablenesse. ibidem

Rose Waters distilled per descensu [...]: 468

Compound Rose Water. 462

Muske Rose Water. 463

Sweet Water. ibidem

Counterfeit Water of Nasse. 464

Water imperiall. 462

Treacle Water. 461

A whiting Water. 466

[...]

of all sorts, and the notes of that which is good, 331

oile thereof, 485. and his vertues [...]. 476

Weathers hornes bring forth Asperagus. 183

To Weed gardens. 161

Well.

much in request, and how to judge where to find water. 7

of what maner they be that haue good water. 8

in Gardens. 18

going with wheeles. 6

that are neuer drie. 7

Wesels, and how to kill them. 314

Whay. 65

Wheat

must bee sowne in myre, and in the increase of the Moone. 542

it loueth a strong ground. 11

how to chuse it, and other co [...]ne for bread. 571

Wheat starch, of what manner of flower, and how to hee made. 574

Whirle-winds and their nature. 26

Wigs 585

Willow, when, where, and how they must be planted &c. 661

Willowes distilled. 465

Willow plots. 503

The North Wind good to keepe [...] dangerous for the farme house. 17. 5

[Page] The North Wind enemie to trees. 297

Signes foreshewing Wind. 25

Duckes signifying Wind to ensue. 78

Southern Winas very incommodious for Languedoc, Gascoigne, and Prouence. 12

A small Wine to drinke in the house. 39

In what place such small Wine must be kept. 2 [...]

The boiled Wine called de [...]rutum. 622

Wine defined, with a discourse and reason of the definition. 621, 622.

Wine

the looking glasse of the mind, 625 goeth barefoot. ibidem

by what men it was first inuented. 410, 622

and why it was called [...] in Greeke, and [...] in Latine. 622

with a discourse vpon the inuention, nature, faculties, differences, & necessities thereof. 620

of the consistence of euery of them. 635

their differences according to the propertie of the countrie. 637

of all sorts, and their qualities and vertues, 528. 529

to cause it being turned to haue his tast againe. 616

troubled and mustie. 617

what profit it bringeth to mans bodie, 625. and al [...]o what discommodities. ibidem

how much water must be put amongst it. 267

hurtfull for children, and for what age it is fit. 628

hurtfull to hot and drie bodies, but good for moist ones. ibidem. & 632

the vices and accidents happening to [...], & how to order it, in the vault. 603

at what time it is woont principally to turne. ibidem

to trie if it haue no water. 380

without smell. 637

to keepe them from spending their strength 429

against poison of venonious beasts falling into it. 617

prouoking sleepe. 606

of anise, [...], pepper, bay-tree, asarum, and sage. 615

Good Wines grow in hot places. 5

Wine applieth it selfe to the nature of the drinkers. 626

Differences of Wines according to their colours and properties 629

Mungrell Wines. 635

New Wines not wholesome, 623, & 624. New Wines hotter than old in this countrie. ibidem

Old Wine hotter than new. ibidem

Boiled Wine seruing in steed of honie or sugar. 422

Meere Wine hurteth the sound bodie. 624

[...]ine called Oligoph [...]rum, when, and what seuers it is profitable fo [...]. 632

Weake Wines. 636

A Wine against the biting of serpents. 361

Signes of plentie of Wine. 605

Winter chertie Wine. 288

Pomegranate Wine. 616

Winter cherries. 288

Winter, with prognostications of the constitutions therof. 27

W [...]ad, 308. the manner of making of it, 309. and when it must be lowne, 36

Woodcocks. 78

Women impatient. 71

Women hauing their tearmes cause Pompions to die. 195

Young Wood husbanded, thriueth much better than that which is neglected. 553

What is to be considered before the planting of Wood, 449. what manne [...] of soile it craueth. 559

Woods

how they must be planted. 7

to transplant. lop, and make them cleane. 654

[...]n the backside of the house towards the North 6. or towards the South, if it be a hot countrie ibid.

of timber trees, their s [...]ation and disposition. 650

in what season they must be planted. 651

timber to build withall, when best to be cut. 35

The pleasure & profit that commeth by wild Wood planted. 657

Wood for the fire s [...]well. 10

Wood that turneth into stone. 9

To distill Wood, and the manner of proceedings therein. 480. 481

Wolues will doe nothing to sheepe, if the foremost haue Garlicke hanging about his n [...]ke. 116

Wolues howling neere to houses, a signe of raine. 25

Wolues enraged. 678

The biting of a Wolfe how dangerous and infectious. 116

Wormes creeping out of the earth, a signe of raine. 25

How dangerous it is to eat the Worme that is betwixt the clawes of a sheepes foot. 116

Wormewood. 247

Oyle of Wormewood. 434

To Write and read, is not necessarie for a Farmor. 22

Y

OF the Yeere, and also a prognostication of the constitution thereof by the twelue da [...]es, 26▪ 23

FINIS.

❧A Table of the principall things newly added to this Volume.

[Page]

A

AGrimonie, the vertues. 205

Angling, and the whole art: of the dying of fishing Lynes, 510. of the Corkes, Floats, and Hookes, 511. to faften Hookes, to plumbe the Lyne, three fashions of Plummets, that the Angler must haue a Musketbullet to sound the depth of the water, what apparrell the Angler must haue, and the best seasons to angle in, 512. of Winter and Summer angling, the best maner of angling, and the haunts of F [...]es, 513. of Ba [...]ts, and sit times for euery bayt, 513. how to preserue bayts to angle with, in what bayts euery fish delighteth, and how to vse them. 514

[...] [...]Apples how to keepe. 408

[...] [...]Ash-trees hurtfull to corne, 330. his vse, profit, and goodnesse. 662

[...] Of the Ash [...]eyes. 664

[...] Arra [...] grounds generally are of two sorts, particularly of di [...]e. [...]. and the seuerall natures of the soyles, 528, 529. largenesse of arrable grounds and the benefits, 5 [...]9. arrable land [...] must bee cast according to the soyle, 530. that stones in arrable ground are of great vse. 532

[...] the choice. 170

B

BA [...]ley how to sowe and order after the English fashion, 555. Barley growing on the Inames, the worthinesse of Barley, 556. to make Barley bread of the English fashion, 557. Barley to boyle, and the vse. 557

Bee [...]s, and the English ordering. 562

Bees how bred, 320. how to buy, 320. and how to kill, 328

B [...]ch tree, and the vse. 667

Borage to sowe. 175

Bottomes of Hay-mowes good meanure for Medowes, 494

Bread, the kinds and best corne to make it of, 572, 574, 575▪ the diuers kinds of bread in England, 577. bread for horses made in England. ibid.

[...] to sowe. 175

C

CAlamint, and the kinds. 244

Cattell how to feede. 62

Cattell how to feede after the English manner. 93

[...] sticks. 424

Clodding of grounds. 541

Colts when to handle, and how. 129

Conie-Clappers how to cast and fashion, 645. ground fit for Conies, 645. Conies must feede at libertie, 646. [...]ame Conies not sweete, 647. trappes in Conie Warrens how to place and make. 648

Of Conserues, 422, how to conserue fiuits, 424. conserue of flowers. 425

Cords. 147

Corne better kept in the eare, than in the Garner. 546

Corne in the sweat all to thresh. 546

Countrey house is a Farme, Meese, or Field inheritance, 2

Crowne imperiall, the vse and ordering. [...]4 [...]

D

DAtes how to make leache of. 425

D [...]inke of all sorts, made after the English manner. 588, 589

Dung for Gardens. 156

E

ELme, and the goodnesse. 650

English practise added to the French. 2

F

FIgge-tree [...] growing in cold soyles, to beare fruitfully. 194

Fish in ponds, how to feede with the best foode. 509

Fish-ponds how to make. 505, 506

Flaxe. [...]54

Flower of the night. 241

Flowers for Bees. 316

Foxes by what meanes they get their e [...]ths. 70 [...]

G

[Page]GRound Iuie, the vertues. 207

Goose grasse, the vertues. 207

Garden of pleasure, how to proportion, 234. alleies how trim, 235. quarters to adorne, 235. inward and outward beautie, 277. hedges for borders. 278

Grounds wet how to draine. 335

Geese, enemies to grasse. 493

Grasse, when best to cut, how to make into hay, the windrowes, the hay cockes. 499

Grasse sower and har [...]h, choice and vse of hay, of moist hay, of drie hay, 500▪ curiositie in hay making, the grazing is good for hay ground. 501

Garners, how to make, and their vse. 547, 548

Greyhound, 673▪ diuersitie of Greyhounds, choice of Greyhounds, the breeding of Greyhounds, 674. Greyhounds how to place for Teasers.

Gosh [...]wkes more worth than Sparrow [...] hawkes, 707. The differences betweene the Ramage or Brauncherhawkes, and the I [...]as hawkes, 708. how to enter your Sparrow hawke, all the diseases of the Sparrow hawk, 709. phisicke for hawkes, the seuerall impediments of hawkes. 710

Ger [...]aulcons and their kinds, 712. how to keepe the Ger [...]aulcon, of Ger [...]aulcons, the white is the best. 713

H

HOrsemans instruments. 123

Horses food. 124

Horse nose-slit naught. 126

Horse to gueld. 126

Horse keepers office. 126

Horse exercise after water. 128

Horse to make trot. 132

Horse to make amble. 133

Helpe [...] for stumbling. 133

Horse to make racke. 134

Horse to make gallop. 134

Horse with best ma [...]kes or signes. 135▪ 136

Horses age. 136

Hempe. 154

Hearbs that will hardly grow, and how to preserue, to make grow soone, [...]59. to remoue. 163

Hearbs of the East. 229

Hearbs of the West. 230

Hearbs of the North. 230, 231

Hearbs of the South. 231▪ 232▪ 233.

He [...]opian. 241

Hiues dead, how to order. 316

H [...]ues made of straw, 318. where to place them. 318

Horses and oxen of France. 539

Hempe, what ground is best, and the ordering. 566

Of Hounds, 673. Hounds being young, how they are to be taught and trained. 682

Hunting of Deere at force with Hounds only. 686

Hores, what places are best to find them in. 695

Hobby, a Hawke, and the vse. 712

Hawkes which bee called Long [...] winged Hawkes, which short. 715

Husbandrie, the maner entreated of. 1

I

INam [...], how to prepare to sow corne vpon. 556

L

LIllies, and their vertues. 239

Line or Flax how to order after the English manner 567▪ 568. to make white thred, to make oyle of Line seede. 568

M

MA [...]iues, and their collars. 121

Mar [...]gon of Constantinople. 241

Mu [...]ard, how to make. 281

Marmalade, how to make of Oranges, Lymons, Cytrons. 420

Meadow [...]s, and their differences in England. 491

Marshes salt, and their profit. 492

Ma [...]in, how to crop and gather. 550

Malt, and how to make it after the English manner. 556▪ 557

Maple, and the vse. 663

Me [...]ins, and their seuerall kinds. 712

N

NF [...]s of diuers sorts to take fish with. 507▪ 508

Nut trees, or Ha [...]ell trees. 373

O

ORchards, how to inclose. 135

Oyle of Oats. 425

Oats a great breeder of grasse. 493

Of the Oxe harrow. 544

Oats, and the profit, 558. Oatmeale, how to make. 558

Oake, the goodnesse, necess [...]ie, and vse. 619

P

PEstilence 147

Purs [...]an, to preserue. 177

Pyoa [...]. 242

Pip [...]ins, how to sow. 336▪ 337

To Preserue Barbe [...]ies. 422

To Preserue Filbe [...]or small nuts. 423

Pasts how to make, and the diuersities of colours. 424

Plough [...] of diuers fashions. 532

Plowing with English Oxen. 340

Pasterie in the right kind, and the vse thereof. 585▪ 586

Park [...], what ground they should consist of, 668▪ 669. the water for Parks, the pro [...]it, and a strange example therof. 669

Q

QVi [...]ke [...], how to plant. 153

Quince cakes, how to make. 423

R

THe best Runnet. 65

Rams that are best. 110

Rot how to cure. 114

[Page] [...]hewme in the eye. 147

[...]ye, how to sowe and order after the English manner. 549

S

[...] St [...]e how to [...]eed soone. 103

Sheepe, and the diuersities. 216

Staggers. 147

[...] [...]traines. 148

[...] [...]paut [...]. 148

[...] [...]ignes of outward diseases. 148

[...] [...]ignes of inward diseases. 148

[...] breakes impos [...]umations. 171

[...] [...]pinage sallad. 174

[...] pouch vertues. 209

[...] [...]uces how to make to d [...]ayne medowes. 494

[...] [...]age a great friend to meadowes. 496

[...] [...]edes to be sowne in meadowes, as sweepings of haybarne floures, 496. fodderings of cattell, and sheepe, and the speciall commoditie thereof. 497▪ 498

[...] [...]awne of [...] how to preserue. 506

[...] oyle, or mudde of ditches, good dung [...] 537

[...] [...]eed, wheat of diuers sorts. 543

[...], how to make them hunt well. 681

[...] Of Spany [...], and their vse and ordering. 679

[...] Setting- dogges, and their vse. 680

[...] Sythes and Syckles. 545

T

TAbacco vertues. 219, 220

Translator to the English Reader. 2

T [...]pan. 241

V

VArietie of Countries causeth a d [...]uers manner of labouring of the earth. 1

Violets to preserue. 236

W

WAlking horses nor good. 131

Warts. 148

Water-Spanyels, their vse and ordering. 682

Weeding why not to vse. [...]59

Weeds how to destroy. 334

Winnowing of corne. 548

Woad-ground, 309. the making of Woad, 309. the vertues. 320

Y

Y [...]llowes. 14 [...]

FINIS.

❧A Table of the Diseases and Remedies described in the seuen Bookes of the Farme-House.

[Page]

A

AFter-birth of women, newly brought in bed, 54, 183, 206, 207, 210, 214, 247, 249, 251, 287, 360

How the Age of a man may be a great while prolonged. 428

An euill Aire, and [...] meanes to driue it away. 199, 449

Anthrax, or Carbuncle. 58

Apostemes, 120, 214. of all sorts, and the healing of them, 56, 57, 122. to ripen them, 155. cold Apostemes, 120. Apostemes of the breast. 109

Apostemes in Oxen. 102

Apoplexie. 42, 239, 251, 456

To keepe Apparrell. 247

Appetite lost, 182. how to recouer it againe. 291

[...] in horses. 139

B

BAcke, and ache of the backe. 434

Barbes, a horses disease. [...]40

Barrennesse in women, the remedies, 52, 82, 245, 246, 249, 251, 288

To bring women to Bed without paine, 243. to bee brought in bed before ones time, 54. difficultie to bee brought in bed. 54

To keepe Bees from flying away, and to driue them, 252

Belcking, 249. at the mouth. 48

Be [...]ie, and the fluxe thereof, 69. the co [...]iuenesse of the bellie, 71. ache in the bellie, 434. co [...]iuenes [...]e, 206, [...] 209, 428. to loosen it mightily. 287

Bellie-ache, fluxe of the bellie, and the bellie bound in Oxen, 96. paines of the bellie in horses. 129

Vntimely Birth. 204

Bitings

of Dogges that are mad, 61, 189, 199, 244, 387, 391, 395, 678

of venimous Beasts. 205

of the Viper. 75

of Serpents. 61, 102, 250, 362, 677, 690

of the Wolfe. 7 [...]

of Shrowes. 102, 147, 171

of Scorpions. 102

of Flies vpon horses. 143

Bitings or wounds made by the wild Bore, are dangerous, 690

The Bladder. 457

B [...]sters. 213

Bl [...]d cluttered, 201. fluxe of bloud, 50. bleeding at the nose, 45. to purifie the bloud. 182

Bloud-suckers▪ 61

Blondie fluxes, 118, 122, 171, 172, 176, 195, 196, 201, 203, 206, 209, 211, 224

The Bodie to make it sound and well disposed, 428, 462

Bots in horses. 14 [...]

Breath, and difficultie of breathing, 110, 247. shortnesse of breath, 114, 115, 178, and, 5 [...] 8. an [...]ll breath, [...]4 [...]. a stinking breath, 199. to cause one to haue a good breath, 239, 246. shortnesse of breath in horses. 202

The Brea [...]s, 209, 214. the breast [...] ouer-ha [...]d, 244, 39 [...]. to trusse into a round and [...]lose [...]athion, the flagging, withered, and hanging breasts, 47 [...] [...] also sut them when they are in [...]amed, [...]8. for the canker in the breasts, 60, 144, 219, 437, to resolue and wast the tumo [...]s of the breasts. 18 [...]

[...], and blacke spots. 59, 207, [...]4

Buboes to cure. 120

Burning. 60, 75, 178, 206, 207, 208, 214, 239, 240, 286, 288

Burstings, or ruptures, 55, 207. bu [...]rsting of the vessels of the bodie, 207. rupture or bursting of some of the inward parts. 237

C

CAnkers of all sorts, 60, 144, 198, 200, 205, 207, 214, 387. Cankers growing in the mouth. 387. Cankers growing in the [...]ares of dogges. ibid.

A plague Carbuncle. 201, 210, 220

Carn [...] in the bladder. 210

Cathars. 10, 69, 95, 203, 207, 262

Chast [...]tie, and to make men chast. 239, 243, 291

Cheese to keepe from being spoiled and rotten. 244

The Child dead in the wombe, and the mane [...] of drawing it forth, 205, 207, 210, 21 [...], 248, 285, 287. the child not borne out his full time. 246

Chops, 214, 435. of the lippes, 177, 668. of the hands, 177

Chops growing in the feet of horses. 143

Chosicke, and the cure thereof, 49, 144, 152, 180, 183, 184, 16 [...], 207, 213, 244, 288

To Conceiue, and to make to conceiue. 245, 246, 248

The false Conception in the wombe. [...]35

Conserue for the heart. 47

For such as are in a Consumption. 75

Contraction of ligaments. 163

Co [...]sion. 263, 212, 248, 251

The Co [...], a horses disease. 145

An old Cough, 119. a hard Cough. 245

Cough [...]

of all sorts, and the remedies for the same, 75, 178, 212, 247

in Oxen. 95, 100

in Sheepe. 114, 115

of Mules. 152

Counterpoysons. 293, 304

The Courbe, a horses maladie. 145

D

[Page] [...]Easnesse. 45, 178

[...]To make a faite Die, or colour, 249

Difficultie of Vrine in Horses, 141

[...]pe and comfort Digestion. 244, 246, 249

[...]ses

beginning in the encrease of the Moone, are of long continuance. 32

prognosticated, 36

of Oxen. 93, 102

of Horses, in diuers sorts, and the meanes to cure them, 136, 152, their vrine scalding them. 137

of Sheepe. 114

of Lambes. 116

of Goats. 119

of Asses. 150

of Mules and Mulets. 152

diuers of Swine. 107

of Dogs, and remedies for the same. 12 [...], 677

of seuerall Birds, and their cures. 748

of Fishes. 181

[...] of humors. 200, 207

[...] falling downe vpon the eyes. 207, 213

[...] Dog, and the remedies against his bitings. 61

[...] Draught-gut fallen downe. 54, 202, 209, 213, 140

[...] Oxe hi [...] Draught-gut hurt. 96

[...], and Hydropicall persons, 49, 104, 171, 178, 183, [...]89, 207, 209, 211, 213, 230, 239, 247, 250, 280, 285, 286, 287

[...] sinesse, and the remedies against it. 41, 244, 245

[...] unkennesse, and how to preuent it. 166, 371, 203

E

EAres, the paine and diseases thereof, 44. silthie and perulent, 178. wormie, 197. noise in them, 188, 20 [...], 397. exulcerate. 209

[...]. 211

[...]. 99

[...] wes with la [...]be, 116. hauing the sniuell, 114. troubled with cornes. 115

[...]eake Eyes, 120. their diseases and remedies, 4 [...], 44, 84, 1 [...]7, 213, 243. the web in the Eye, 74, 198. spots of the Eye, 199. the Eyes full of spots, 696. bleared Eyes, 192. weeping Eyes, 452. fissulated Eyes, 461. to clarifie the Eyes, 252. Distillations and [...] falling downe vpon the Eyes, 207. rednesse of the eyes, 195, [...]. and other griefes of the same. 460, 461

The Eyes of Oxen, and their diseases, 98, 99. Oxen hauing weeping Eyes. 101

[...]lotses their blea [...]ed Eyes, 138. and other their griefes, 139

F

FAintings. 47

Falles. 209

Falle [...] from on high. 57

Falling sicknesse, 42, 148, 182, 203, 204, 211, 240, 245, 248, 375, 453, 454, 460, 668

The Falling sicknesse is gotten by eating of Goats flesh, 119

Fars [...] in Horses. 143, 201

Feet, and the stench of the fee [...]. 53

Feuers. 200, 387

Feuers of all sorts. 252

Feuers

continuall, 39

quotidian. 203

tertian. 40, 198, 203, 208, 210, 211, 213, 387

hot. 177, 188, 191, 298, 208

quartane agues, 40, 173, 199, 200, 202, 203, 210, [...]3, [...]57

long and lasting. 253

comming of obstructions. 197

pestilent. 201

of the Oxe. 100

of the Horse. 128

of the Sheepe. 115

of the Swine. 107

the Goats ague called continuall, because they neuer are without it. 119

The Fig a disease in Horses. 129

A Fire without smoake. 419

Fistula. 193, 206, 213, 435, 458

The Horse his Fistula. 144

A Flea in the [...]are, 237. to kill fleas. 248

Flegme, and flegmatike diseases. 212

Flesh, and to keepe it from putrifying in Summer. 246

To driue away Flies and Gnats. ibid.

Flowers of women, to stay them, 52, 204, 206, 213, 237, 246, 690. to cause them. 172, 203, 348

Fluxe

of bloud. 176, 209, [...]9 [...], 690

of bloud of all sorts. 297

of bloud at the nose. 45, 75, 178, 204, 206, 208

of bloud by a wound. 204, 206

to stay them of all sorts. 204, 285, 287

The Fluxe of the bellie. 74, 120, 203, 213, 29 [...]

The Fluxe of the bellie and bloud. 207

The Fluxe of the bellie in Oxen, 94. in Horses, 224. and in Hennes. [...]9

Fr [...]kles, in the face. 199, 201, 208, 212, 239

Frensies, and franticke persons. 42, 116

Frets in little children. 248

Fundament fallen. 205

G

GAlling of Horses their backs. 141, 145, 197

Gang [...]ne. 434

Garlicke eaten, and how to take away the stench and ill sauour thereof. 179

Garments, and how to keepe them from vermine. 239

Garrot, a Horses maladie. 145

Giddinesse in mens heads. 183

Goomes, 19 [...]. to cleanse them. 246

The Goomes of Horses exulcerated. 140

Gowt. 55, 147, 202, 209, 214, 237

For all manner of Gowts, and ioint-aches. 56

Grauell, 74, 183, 188, 203, 205, 259, 288, 371, 461, 555, 563. 648, 668, 693

G [...]ipings, 249, 288, 389. in the bellie. 201, [...]49

Wom [...]ns Gripings or throwes after child-birth. 54

Guts falling downe, and the rupture, 54, 202, 211, 213, 240, 288, 207. the rupture in a horse. 145

H

HAire, and to keepe it from falling, 189. to colour that of the head and beard, 456, 457. to make it red, 285. or black, 247. the Haire fallen. 75

The falling of the Haire called Tine [...]. 61, 197, 201, 214

Ha [...]ting in a Horse. [...]44

Hands wrinkled, 46. shaking. 246

Hand-wormes. 213

[Page] Heart, the paine and griefe thereof, 169, 203, 251. faintnesse of the Heart, 128, 200, 239. beating of the Heart 47

Heart-ache. 169

The Heart- [...]ore, a disease that killeth horses suddenly. 139

Head-ach, & paine of the head, 40, 85, 176, 178, 193, 211, 199, 221, 244, 246, 248, 252, 286

Hemorrhoids, and their cure. 51, 168, 178, 198, 206, 214

Hicket. 48, 244, 249

Horse cloyed. 206

I

IAundise, 49, 78, 104, 143, 169, 172, 173, 195, 202, 205, 237, 326, 457

Iaundise in trees. 405

Such as haue the Iaundise, are called [...], 183, 206, 209

Iauar, a disease in horses. 142, 143

Inflammations, 196, 204, 208. of the mouth, 200. of the eyes, 214. of the secret parts. 213

[...], and the a [...]h of the [...] 434

[...], 201, 204, 205, 208, 213, 295, 297. in sheepe, 114. in dogges. 678

K

KIngs euill, and remedies for the same, 42, 104, 198, 211, 2 [...]4, 253

Knots or nodes in whatsoeuer part of the body▪ 59

L

LEanenesse through long sicknesse, 704. the Mulets leanenesse. 152

Le [...]pers, and leprosie. 204, 205, 291, 453

Liuer obstructed, 55, 203, 205, 212, 251, 284, 287. hot, 49, 169. hard, 252, 253. weake, 698. to comfort it. 203

Lungs, and such as haue their lungs inflamed, 251, 371, 381, 563, 699. weake lungs, 202. diseased lungs, 201. Lungs replete with stegme, 200. to cleanse the lungs, 212. vlce [...]ated lungs. 203, 236

Lyce [...]nd Nits, 173, 180. to driue lyce out of the head, 208. to kill lyce, 61. Oxe lyce. 103

M

MAdnesse of dogges to preuent, 120, 122, 1 [...]8, 180, 199, 200, 244, 387, 391, 678. madnes of Wolues, 678. madnes of amorous Mares. 147

The signes of a Mad dogge. 678

The Matrix replete with humors, 212, 213. to cleanse it, 249. ouer-cooled, 210. vn [...]uly, and out of order, 287, 250, out of place, 211. hard, 194. pained after childbirth, 184, 334. suffocating, 53. fallen downe, 53, 210. inflamed, 53. 197. hauing the collicke, 197. troubled with the fluxe, 373. exul [...]erated, 212. to cast out the false conception therein. 251

Meas [...]d Hogges. 107

Measeth in children. 186

Megrim. 178

Melancholie, and melancholicke persons, 245, 248, 251, 372, 380

Members, or parts of the bodie ouer-cooled. 456

Memorie, and to strengthen it, 251

To make men Merrie. 252

Milke, and to cause Nurses to haue good store, 48, 188, 168, 249, 250. to take it away from them, 47. to make that it crudle not. 244

Tartarie Milke maketh drunken. 457

Mith [...]idate soueraigne against the plague. 387

To Molli [...]ie parts that are ouer-hard. 252

The Mother, or secret parts of women, 52, 53, 120, 201, 203, 245, 246, 251

For the Mother vn [...]uly and out of order. 250, 251

To kill Mothes amongst clothes. 434

A stinking Mouth, 46. a fore Mouth. 461

Mow [...]es on the heeles. 99, 178, 201, 295

N

THe Naile, or Cathaire, 56. Nailes of all manner of sorts, 116. the Naile in Oxen, 102. Nailes, and vlcers of the same, 57. broken, or bruised. 214

No [...] me [...]angere. 60, 214

Stinking [...]. 45

O

OBstructions, 239. obstructions or stuffings of the nosthrils, 208. to open obstructions. 210

P

THe Pal [...]mie, a horses disease. 145

Palenesse of colour in women. 632

Pa [...]sie. 189, 204, 237, 239, 247, 293

Pa [...]mon, what disease it is in ho [...]es 145

Pestilence in sheepe, with the remedie against it, 114, 115. in swine. 207

Physicke inuented by shepheards. 110

The Pin and web in a horses eye. 137

Plague, and the remedies thereof, 39, 173, 197, 199, 201, 203, 204, 210, 247, 250, 304, 386, 452

Pleurisie, and remedies for the same. 46, 207, 380, 690

French Pocks. 201, 436

Common Pocks, 200, 201, 290, to take away the pits and prints that the Pocks leaue behind them, 466. the Pocks in children. 57, 58, 186, 204, 295

Pol [...]pus exul [...]erated. 208, 214

Poyson, 203, 210, 219, 247, 376, 58 [...]. Poyson of all sorts, 199, 200. Poyson of a Toad, 203. counter-poysons. 304

Pthisicke. 293

Pus [...]ules. 214

To keepe the bodie from Putrifaction. 285

R

REdnesse of the face. 42, 195, 246, 287, 379, 469

[...], and the heat and burning in them, 176, 181, 194, 200, 283, 435

Rhewmes. 213

Ringwormes, 56, 197, 201, 207, 209, 210, 212, 213, 228, 246, 295, 297, 469, 698

Rubi [...]s in the face. 465

Lambes Runne [...] good against all sorts of venime. 116

S

A Sawsie face. 469

Scabs, 60, 697, 698. in Horses, 143. in Sheepe, 114, 429. in Calues, 63. in Oxen, 100, 102. about the pasternes of Mulets, 152, in Swine, 107. in Dogs, 678. about Horses heeles. 142, 145

Scaldings. 240

Schirrous tumors. 57, 198, 287

Scia [...]i [...]a, 54, 55, 120, 189, 198, 199, 203, 205, 207, 212, 219, 239, 245, 249, 434

Serpents, and the remedies against their bitings, 61, 245. to kill them, 248. Serpents gotten into the bodie. 61

Shaking and trembling of the parts. 55, 246

Shing [...], 207. in Sheepe. 115

Shiuerings of an Ague. 247

[Page] weake, and the remedies therefore. 43, 85, 173, 213 [...] prognos [...]ating diseases. 29

[...], and the paine thereof, 56, 293, 699. diseases of a sinewes, 434. weake sinewes, 189. to comfort the [...] the sin [...]wes ouer-co [...]ed, 434. relaxed si [...]wes [...], 454. oppressed or br [...]ised sinewes, 55, 248, [...] sinewes p [...]ickt, wounded, or cut. 55, 214

[...] to take away [...]ka [...]es. 212

[...]. 312

[...] [...]eepe, and to cause to sleepe, 41, 42, 168. to take away [...]. 244, 245

[...] l [...]st. 244, 252

[...] [...] gotten into the bodie. 61

[...] ▪ 189

[...] [...] and inchantments. 199, 25 [...]

[...] [...]ins in horses. 145

[...] [...], and to recouer the speech lost. 239

[...]ing, and to procure spetting, 200, 212, 247. to get vp [...]nes spettle with paine and much adoe, 207. Spetting [...] bloud, and how to stay it, 47, 169, 176, 204, 209, 211, 237, 371

[...] Spleen, the diseases and remedies thereof, 49. the [...]leene obstructed, 202, 205, 209, 219, 286, 287, 290.

[...]ardnesse of the spleene. 119, 182, 202, 212, 253

[...] in the face, 201, 206, 208, 212, 2 [...]9, [...]04. red, 4 [...], 188, [...] [...]97, 198. white, 17 [...]. spots of the bodie. 293, [...]35

[...], 2 [...]3. in horses, 139. in dogges. 122

[...] th of the arme-pits. 171

[...] ler [...] their stinging, and the remedie. 61, 176, 247

[...] nach, the griefes and remedies thereof, 49, 434, 461.

[...] comfort it, 184, 186, a weak stomach, 246. g [...]awing [...]ormes in the stomach. 293

[...] in the bladder or reines, 51, 120, 172, 180, 188, 194▪ [...]00, 101, 103, 205, 110, 251, 285, 288, 37 [...], 382, 457, 461, 563, 648, 667, 693, 698

[...] angles in horses. 139

[...] in horses. 52, 137, 171, 205, 206, 291

[...] of the mother. 201, 249

[...]-burning in the face. 201

[...]. 220

[...] the hornie swelling in horses. 145

[...] [...]ating, and to procure sweating. 200, 201, 293, 454

[...], 220, 248. of diuers sorts, 56. In horses flankes, 144. for swellings vnder the saddles of horses that are bruised, a maruellous remedie, 197. swellings in the cuds of horses, 114. swelling in Swine. 107

T

T [...] bad. 189

[...]ermes of women. 52, 204, 20 [...], 246

[...], and the diseases thereof, as the raging ache, and others, with their remedies, 45, 172, 184, 188, 19 [...], 299, 204, 208, 246, 2 [...]0, 252, 285, 293, 467. loose, black, red, and stinking teeth, 45, 46. the horse his tooth-ach, 140

[...] [...] [...]wolen in an Oxe. 101

[...]. 177

[...]ornes, and how to draw them out of the bodie. 207, 252

The Throwes or mother in women. 54

Womens Trauaile, to comfort, help, and ease them therein. 176, 181, 188, 196, 199, 205, 212, 237, 240, 285, 397

Tumo [...], 104, 116, 214, 252. hot, 204 hard, 690, cold, 198. pestilent tumors, 204. old tumors in horses, 145. to ripen tumors. 249

Young blacke by reason of some ague. 213

V

VLcers that are old, 197, 207. hollow and filthy, 202, 207, 239, 457. malignant, 201, 207, 213, 214 to [...] old and malignant ones, 21 [...], vlcers of the mouth, 197, 199, 203. of the eares, 209. inward, 207. of the lungs, 205. of the [...]eme [...], 459. comming of the pocks, 58, 203. vlcers in Oxen. 102

A low and base Votte, 148. to haue a good voice. 176

To stay Vomiting, 48, 204, 213, 249. to cause vomiting speedily, 449. to prouoke vomite, 285. to the curing of a quartane and tertian ague. 298

Vrine of all sorts, and to procure the making of vrine, [...], 97, 171, 176, 180, 182, 194, 197, 199, 203, 205, 208, 210, 211, 212, 246, 248, 251, 371, 397, 453, 679, 690

Horses hardly able to make their Vrine. 141.

W

WArts, 60, 206. hanging Warts. [...]16

Against Witchcraf [...]. 199

Fuke [...] for Women, &c. 208, 304, 465

Wormes amongst Bee [...]. 398

Wormes, and how to kill them, 157, 200, 201, 203, 205. 207, 220, 245, 247, 251, 285, 372, [...], 690. wormes in little children, 180, 210, 244, 246, 561, 693. wormes menting horses, 146. to cause the wormes that trouble dogges, to fall from them, 677, 678. to kill them that destroy trees, 405, 406. to keepe flesh from all manner of wormes, 197. to cause them to come out of the earth in great aboundance. 386

The flying [...] a disease in horses. 142

To kill earth W [...]rmes, that eat the roots of hearbes. 401

Wounds in dogges. 678

Wound [...], 198, 200, 207, 214▪ against all sorts of wounds, 204. against the inflammation thereof, 28 [...]. wounds fresh and new, [...]7, 207, 209, 214, 220. old, 58, 214. maligned, 201. wounds in the armes and legges, 219. in the noble and [...]nner parts, 207, 208. in the head, [...]. in the guts, 288. wounds with Dagges, 59. to draw y [...]on out of a wound, 199. for to consider of inward and outward wounds, 202, 205, 207, 211, 212. an excellent balme for green wounds and cuts▪ 57, 204, 437

Wring [...]. 249

Windinesse in the stomacke or bellie. ibid.

Y

THe Yard swolne, and the cure thereof.

The Yard of an Oxe growne hard.

FINIS.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page followingAgriculture et maison rustique. English

Estienne, Charles, 1504-ca. 1564.

Edition statement

1616

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2003-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A00419

ID [STC]

STC 10549

ID [STC]

ESTC S121357

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99856540

ID [PROQUEST]

99856540

ID [VID]

22109

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— Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following, Agriculture et maison rustique. English, Estienne, Charles, 1504-ca. 1564., Liébault, Jean, ca. 1535-1596. aut, Surflet, Richard, fl. 1600-1616., Markham, Gervase, 1568?-1637..

Extent

[20], 732, [24] p. : ill. (woodcuts)

Printed by Adam Islip for Iohn Bill,. London :: 1616.. (A translation of: Estienne, Charles. L'agriculture et maison rustique.) (The words "Serres .. authors." on the title page are enclosed in a complex system of brackets.) (The first leaf and the last leaf are blank.) (Includes indexes.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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