MEE thinketh I heare a neighing and trampling of Horses without, goe HERMES, goe know what strangers there are.

Syr, yfmy sight fayle me not, it is RIGO, the principall Secretarie.

A goodly matter, scarse haue you been two dayes at home, and nowe you must be sent for agayne to the Court, perhaps to be sent abrode in some embassage.

God forbyd, iudge the best, it may be he comes to see me of curtesie and frendship.

Ah maister CONO, I am glad I haue founde you in the middes of your countrey ioyes and pleasures: Surely you are a happy man, that shifting your selfe from the troubles and turmoyles of the Court, can picke out so quiet a life, and geuyng ouer all, can secretly lye hid in the pleasant Countrey, suffering vs in the meane time to be cost and torne with the cares and bu­sinesse of the common weale.

Surely I must confesse I haue taken a happy way, yf these goddes of the Earth would suffer me to enioy suche hap­pinesse, that haue bequeathed the troublesome and ambitious life of the Court to the bottome of the Sea. But what? doo you intend to bring me againe to my olde troubles, being thus hap­pily discharged?

Nothing lesse, though I woulde be very glad you should not so hastily forsake the Court, nor ridde your selfe from the affayres of the common wealth. You know we are not borne to liue to our selues, nor at our owne pleasures: but for our countrey, our common weale and state whereto we are cal­led. There can not be a woorse thing, then for a man to suffer his countrey forsaken, to come into the handes of villanous persons, and to reioyce with him selfe, that being out of Gunshot, he hath left the hurlie burlie of gonernment. And though Cato had no [Page] neede of Rome, yet Rome and Cato his freendes had neede of hym.

I graunt you, as long as yeeres and strength wyll beare it, wee are bound to serue in our vocation: but as you your selfe are driuen to confesse, there is sometime a reasonable cause of geuing ouer. Lucullus is highly commended,Lucullus. that whyle his body was strong and lusty, he applied him selfe wholy to the ser­uice of his Countrey, and that after his honourable seruice both abrode and at home, in the ende he got him selfe quietly agayne to his booke. And Scipio, Scipio. who after he had conquered both Car­thage and Numidia, was content rather to leaue of and rest him sel [...]e, then to doo as Marius dyd, who after so many woorthy victo­ries and atchiued honours, coulde not content him selfe when he was well, but puft vp with vnmeasurable desyre of glory and go­uernment, would in his olde age contend with young men, wher­by he brought him selfe at the length to most miserable miserie. Surely Cicero tooke a better way by much,Ci [...]ero. when after the ouer­throwe of Catelins conspiracie, he rather contented him selfe to liue quietly at home, then by ambitious intermedling with the contentions of the common wealth, to bring him selfe in danger of his lyfe. The desyre of bearing rule in a common weale, is to be moderated with a certaine bounded modestie, specially in this age of ours, when Courtes are subiect to suche enuies, hatreds, flatteries, slaunders, couetous and ambitious desyres, and where no place is left for vertuousnesse and christian simplicitie. These are the thinges that droue Socrates and Plato from their common weales, and doo likewyse keepe me, being nowe of good yeeres and sickely, y^• Court forsaken, in this my poore cottage at home.

Yea, but age is no sufficient excuse for you to leaue the gouernyng of your countrey. You knowe [...], the labour of young men, and the counsell of olde men, and how those common weales are safely alwayest guided, where olde mens heads, and young mens armes are stirryng. Father Nestor got great commendation for his counsell at the siege of Troy, Nestor. where as Peleus and Laertes were despised, and ac­compted for benchwhistlers at home. [...]

Some are tickled with glory: some with gaine, gifts, [Page 2] and rewardes, retayne the Cockrowen Courtiers, yea suche as haue one of their feete alredy in the graue. Now yf we woulde content our selues with this lyfe, and geue our selues to the true and perfect lyfe,

As the Poet excellently wel wryteth in his Epigram, it were the part of a mad man or a coxcome to runne headlong without any profite into danger, when as he may liue godly and quietly at home without all trouble, as our olde fathers were woont to doo.

It is very true, the Poete accompteth him blessed to whom this lyfe can happen: But in the meane tyme you are a­lone, and leade your lyfe with beastes, lowtes of the Countrey, and trees, that haue spent all your tyme before among wyse and honourable personages.Socrate [...] Socrates affyrmeth wysdome to be lear­ned in Cities, and not among beastes and trees.

Socrates his iudgement, though I wyll not gayne­say, yet it appeareth by his disputations with Iscomachus in Xenophon, that he dyd not disalowe the Countrey mans lyfe. And as for my liuing alone, it almost happeneth here to me, as Cicero reporteth Scipio to say, that he was neuer lesse alone, then when he was alone: for being alone, I haue continuall conference with the grauest and wysest men. For eyther I apply my self wholy to the sacred oracles of the Prophetes and the Apostles, who teach the true wysedome, by which both Kinges rule, and Princes gouerne, and by which our soules (whiche we cheefely ought to regard) are fedde, whiche also shewe vnto vs the perfect way to that euerlastyng Court aboue: or when I list, I haue the compa­ny of the greatest Princes and Monarchies of the worlde, with whom I conferre of the doubtful state and gouernement of com­mon weales,The vse of a solita [...] lyfe. in reading the Histories and Chronicles of the [Page] worlde, trauayling as it were throughout all nations, or readyng the woorkes of such as write in husbandrie, I occupie my minde in the beholdyng the woonderfull woorkemanship of GOD in Trees, Plantes, and Beastes, whereby in the Creature, I ac­knowledge the Creator. And besides these dumbe companions, my freendes come sometime to see me, sometime Gentlemen, sometime Noblemen, sometime the Prince hym selfe vouchsa­feth to vnite me: so that there is scarcely any day but that some come vnto me, some for their pleasure, some for good wyll, and some for their businesse: For to my freendes and my neyghbours, I neyther denie my counsell, nor my trauayle. Therefore is it ve­ry expedient that good choyse be made of Lawyers, and discreete men for the Countrey, alwayes prouided, they geue their coun­sell free and without wages. Many times beside, you from the Court sende me hyther processe and arbitrementes to be tryed before me. Thus haue I in the Countrey sweeter and pleasan­ter company then you haue, eyther in the Court or Citie.

Tell me then I beseeche you, howe you bestowe your time, and howe you are occupied all the day? for I doubt not but you doo as much as in you lyeth to spend the time as profitably as you may.

I wyll tell you throughly, and not dissemble with you, yf ye wyll geue me the hearing, and to begin, I wyll vse the woordes and verses of the foresaide Poete, though in other his writinges fearse honest, yet in this speaking very graue & wyse.

I vse commonly to ryse first of all mee selfe, specially in Som­mer, when we loose the healthfullest and sweetest time with slug­gishnesse. Aristotle accompteth early rysing to be best both for health, wealth, and studie. In the Winter yf I be loth to ryse, yf either the vn [...]easonablenesse of the weather, or sicknesse cause me to keepe my bed, I commit all to my Steward, whose faith and diligence I am sure of, whom I haue so well instructed, that I [Page 3] may safely make him my deputie, I haue also Euriclia my maide, so skilfull in huswyferie, that she may well be my wyues suffra­gan, these twayne we appoynt to supply our places: but yf the weather and time serue, I play the woorkemaister mee selfe. And though I haue a Bailiffe as skilfull as may be, yet remem­bring the olde sayeing,The best doung [...] groun [...] is the ma [...]ters foote. that the best doung for the feelde is the maisters foote, and the best prouender for the horse the maisters eye, I play the ouerseer mee selfe. That it is holsome to ryse be­times, I am perswaded both by the counsell of the most graue Philosophers, and besides by myne owne experience. When my Seruantes are all set to woorke, and euery man as busie as may be, I get me into my Closet to serue GOD, and to reade the holy Scriptures: (for this order I alwayes keepe, to appoint mee selfe euery day my taske, in reading some part eyther of the old Testament or of the newe): that doone, I write or reade such thinges as I thinke most needefull, or dispatche what businesse so euer I haue in my house, or with Sutars abrode. A litle be­fore dinner I walke abrode, if it be faire, eyther in my Garden, or in the Feeldes, if it be foule, in my Galerie: when I come in, I finde an Egge, a Thick, a peece of Rid, or a peece of Ueale, Fishe, Butter, and suche like, as my Foldes, my Yarde, or my Dayrie and Fishpondes wyl yeelde, sometime a Sallet, or such fruites as the Garden or Orchard dooth beare: whiche victuals without any charges my wyfe prouideth me, wherewith I con­tent mee selfe aswell, as yf I had the dayntiest dishe in Europe. I neuer lightly sit aboue one houre at my meate: after dinner I passe the tyme with talking with my wyfe, my seruantes, or yf I haue any, with my ghestes: I rise and walke about my ground, where I viewe my woorkemen, my pastures, my medowes, my corne, and my cattel. When I am in the Countrey, I goe euery day, yf the weather be good, and no other great businesse, about my grounde: if not euery day, at the least once in two or three dayes: as often as I come to the Citie from the Countrey, I doo the like, to vnderstand howe my ground is husbanded, and what is doone, what vndoone: neither doo I euer goe about it, but some good commeth of my trauayle. In the meane whyle I beholde the woonderfull wysdome of Nature, and the incompre­hensible [Page] woorking of the most mightie GOD in his Crea­tures, which as Cicero truely affirmeth,A [...]adem. [...]u [...]st [...]o. lib. 1. is the delicatest foode of the Soule, and the thing that maketh vs come neerest vnto God. Here way I with mee selfe, the benefites and woonderfull woorkes of God, who bringeth foorth Grasse for th [...] cattell, and greene Herbe for the vse of man, that he may bring foode out of the Earth according to the Psalme.Psalm. 104. Heere he preacheth to me.

What woorkeman is there in the world, that is able to frame or counterfeyte suche heauenly woorkes? Who could of a sclender grasse make Wheate or Bread, and of a tender twigge bring foorth so noble a licour as Wine? but only that mightie Lorde that hath created all thinges visible and inuisible. With these sightes doo I recreate my mind, and geue thankes vnto GOD, the creator and conseruer of all thinges, for his great and ex­ceeding goodnesse, I sing the song, to thee O Lorde belongeth prayses in Sion, or, praise thou the Lorde O my soule. &c. be­seeching GOD to blesse the giftes that he hath geuen vs through his bounteous liberalitie, to enriche the Feeldes, and to prosper the Corne and the Grasse, and that he wyll crowne the yeere with his plenteousnesse, that we may enioy the fruites of the Earth with thankesgeuing, to the honour of him, and the pro­fite of our neighbour. Then returning home, I goe to writing or reading, or suche other businesse as I haue: but with study, or inuention, I neuer meddle, in three houres after I haue dyned. I suppe with a smal pittans, and after supper I eyther seeldome or neuer write or reade, but rather passe the time in seeing my Sheepe come home from the Feelde, and my Oxen dragging home the Plowe with weerie neckes, in beholding the pleasant Pastures sweetely smelling about my house, or my heardes of cattel lowing hard by me: sometime I list to rest me vnder an old [Page 4] Holme, sometime vpon the greene grasse, in the meane time pas­seth by me the pleasant Riuer, the streames falling from the springes with a comfortable noyse, or els walking by the Riuer side, or in my Garden, or neerest pastures, I conferre with my Wife or Seruantes of husbandry, appointing what I wil haue doone: if my Bailiffe haue any thing to say, if any thing be to be bought or solde: for a good husband, as Cato sayth, must rather be a sellar then a byer.A good hus­band must r [...]ther be a sell [...]r th [...]n a byer. Sometimes (specially in Winter) after s [...]pper, I make my Minister to tell something out of the holy Scripture, or els some pleasant storie, so that it be honest and godly, and such as may edi [...]ie. Two or three houres after supper I get me to bedde, and commonly as I saide before, the last in the house, except my Chamberlayne and my Stewarde.

In the meane time being farre from the Churche, ne [...] ­ther can you heare the sermons, nor be present with your wyfe & your household at seruice: for your owne part though ye may sup­ply the matter with reading, yet your wyfe and your seruantes can not so doo.

For my part (without vaunt be it spoken,) I haue ser­uice euery day at certaine appointed houres, where preacheth to me dayly the Prophetes, the Apostles, Basil, Chrisostome, Nazi­anzen, Cyril, Ciprian, Ambrose, Austen, and other excellent preachers, whom I am sure I heare with greater profite, then yf I shoulde heare your sir Iohn lacklatines and foolishe felowes in your Churches. My wyfe also being geuen to readyng, readeth the Byble and certaine Psalmes translated into our owne tongue, if there be any thing to hard or darke for her, I make her to vn­derstand it: besides, she hath priuate praiers of her owne that she vseth: in the meane time I haue one, that vppon the holy dayes (if the weather or our businesse be such as we can not goe to Church) readeth the Gospell, teacheth the Catechisme, and ministreth the Sacramentes when time requires: but in the Sommer time, if the weather be not vnreasonable, we goe al­wayes vpon the Sundayes and Festiuall dayes to our Parishe Churche, where we heare our Curate, and receaue the blessed Communion: as for my household, I bring them to this order, that they alwayes serue God before their going to woorke, and [Page] at their comming to meales. It is written of Anthonie the Er­mite, that being demaunded of a certaine Philosopher, howe he coulde in the solitarie wyldernesse without any bookes, occupie him selfe in the studie of diuinitie:The saying of saint An­thonie. He answeared, that the whole world serued him for bookes, as a well furnished Librarie, in which he alwayes read the woonderfull woorkmanship of God, which in euery place stood before his eyes. In the like sort haue I my household seruantes well instructed in the cheefe groundes of true religion, who leauyng to their vocation and innocencie of their life, not caried away with the vaine entisementes and plea­sures of Cities, doo beholde the Maiestie of GOD in his woorkes, and honour the Creator in his Creatures, not only vp­pon the Sundayes, but euery day through the yeere, where they may also heare the litle Birdes, & other creatures in their kindes, setting out the glory and Maiestie of God.

You seeme to tell me of a Schoole of diuinitie, and not of a husbandmans Cottage, this was the very order of the Patriarkes, and the Monasteries in the Primatiue Churche.

Homelie. 56 [...]pon the. 16 of Matth. and in other places.In deede Chrisostome would haue all Christians, ma­ried folkes and vnmaried, to leade their liues according to the rule and order of Monkes: but of such Monkes as liued in those dayes, not such good felowes as ours be nowe: for the professi­on of a Monke in that age, was no other but the life of the purest and perfectest Christians, whiche kinde of life the olde Patri­arkes as the Scriptures doo witnesse did leade.

I oftentimes woondred, that hauing so goodly a house and so well furnished in the Citie as you haue, what you meant to desire rather to dwell in the Countrey: but nowe that I see the good order of your life, I leaue to woonder any longer.

It is naturall to me, and left me by my parentes, to delight in husbandrie: for my Father, my Graundfather, my great Graundfather, and as farre as I can fetche my petigree, all my Auncestours were occupiers of husbandry, and were all borne and died in this house that you see.

I remember not long since, being in businesse with the Chauncellour Hypsographus, a sober man, your neighbour, and one that delightes in husbandry, it was my chaunce to see your fa­ther, [Page 5] surely a man would haue taken him for olde Laertes in Homer, or rather for Abram, or Isahac, and as the Chauncellour tolde me, he was foure score and tenne yeeres olde: but so faire he bare his age, as I tooke him to be scarse fiftie, his memorie and iudge­ment seemed to serue him woonderous well, he would talke of the orders of the Countrey, of the antiquities there abouts, of the stories of the Scripture, so sweetely and eloquently, as I was woonderfully in loue with him: he had the Prophetes and the E­uangelistes at his fingers endes, so that I sawe the noble men had him in estimation, not without great cause.

In deede he tooke suche delight in the holy Scrip­tures, as no day passed him without reading some part of them: he vsed to goe commonly euery day to the next Parishe Churche, neither woulde he misse any Sermon that he coulde heare of, he brought both Preacher and Priest into order, and caused them to frame their liues according to the rule of the Gospell.

You paynt me here the patterne of a Bishoppe, or an ouerseer: in deede the most part of these Priestes had neede of suche ouerseers to restraine their couetousnesse, the spring of all their abuses.

To returne to my quietnesse or my husbandry from whence I digressed, doo you yet marueyle howe I can delight mee selfe with this so honest and profitable a quietnesse, then which in the iudgement of the holiest and wysest men, there is no­thing more honest nor better,The com­mendation of husban­dry. neither is there beside any trade of life more meete for a Gentleman, nor trauayle more accepta­ble to GOD, then is the tilling of the ground. The people in the olde time (as Cato a man of great wysdome, and a teacher of husbandry dooth witnesse) as oft as they would geue a man the name of an honest man, they woulde call him a good husbande, comprehending in that name as muche commendation, as they could geue him: besides, most mightie Kinges and Emperours were no whit ashamed to professe this trade,Emperour [...] and kinges professou [...]s of husban­dry. as Xenophon repor­teth of king Cyrus: the like wryteth Quintus Curtius of Abdolominus. Numa the king of the Romanes bare a singuler affection to hus­bandry, for that he thought there was no kinde of life so sitte to maintaine eyther peace or warres, or for the prouision of a mans [Page] life, being rather a geuer of good life, then richesse. Moreouer, Hiero, Philometor, Attalus, Archilaus, and a great number of Princes more, were delighted with y^e profession of husbandry: this know­ledge is also hyghly commended by Homer, the very fountaine in his time of wysedome, whereas he describeth Alcinous the king of the Pheaces, whose delight in the planting and pleasures of his Or­chardes was woonderfull. And Laertes the olde man, that with his continuall occupying of husbandry, brought his minde better to beare the absence of his sonne. Hesiodus in his woorke [...] geueth great prayse to Astrea, that being banished the Ci­tie, gaue him selfe to the life of the Countrey: Yea the ground hath beforetime been tilled by the handes of Emperours, the Earth in the meane time reioysing to be torne with a Uictorers shaare, and to be plowed with the handes of a tryumphant Con­querer, eyther because they dealt with the like regarde in their seede, as in their warres, or vsed suche diligence in the Corne feeldes, as they dyd in the Campe, or els because all things hand­led with honest and vertuous fyngers prosper the better, beyng more [...]arefully looked to. Serranus when he was called to honour,Serranus. was found sowing of seede. The Dictators office was brought by the Purceuant to Cincinatus being all naked and besmeared with sweat and dust.Cincinatus. The Purceuantes had fyrst their name of calling Senato [...]rs and Gouernours, out of the Countrey to the Citie. In like sort had this name at the first, the Fabij, the Pisons, the Curij, the Lentuli, the Ciceroes, the Pilumni, and other auncient houses. Horace telleth, that of husbandmen haue been bread the valyaun­test and woorthyest Souldiers, affyrming that the hand that hath been vsed to the Spade, prooueth often of greatest value in the Feelde. Homer reporteth a great valiancie in Vlisses his Netheard in the slaughter of those felowes that woulde haue rauished his maistresse. Most certayne it is, that a great number of Empe­rours haue sprong from the Plowe. And to let others goe, it is knowen that the Emperours Galerius and Maximinus, Husbandmē come to be Emperours. came both of them from poore Herdmen to the imperiall dignitie. The like is written of Iustine, Constancianus, Probus, and Aurelianus. The stories report, that M. Curius the Emperour was found in his house boy­ling of a Rape roote, when he refused the great summes of golde [Page 6] brought by the Samnites Embassadours. What should I speake of the antiquitie of it?The anti­quitie of husbandry. the holy Scriptures declare husbandry to be the auncientest of al trades. And to begin with the very beginning of man, and that neither Osyris, nor Dionysius, were the fyrst foun­ders of this knowledge, as the Panims fable, but that the most mightie Lorde him selfe did fyrst ordayne it: for Adam and his sonnes were all husbandmen, Noe was a planter of Uines,The fyrst planter of Vines. Abra­ham, Isahac, and Iacob, were shepheardes, Saul from his Asses, and Dauid from his sheepe were called to the crowne, Eliseus and Amos of shepheardes were made Prophetes. Ozias as we reade professed husbandry. Iesus the sonne of Syrache commending husbandry a­boue the rest, sayth, he customa [...]ily vsed him selfe to hold the Plow, to driue the Cart, and to keepe Cattell: but what neede we more? Our Sauiour CHRISTE him selfe glorieth to be the sonne of a husbandman, and frameth his parables of planting of Uines, of Sheepe and Shepheardes: moreouer, as it is in Luke, our Lorde seemeth to be a teacher of husbandry, where he sheweth, that [...]rees are to be digged about and dunged, that they may prosper the bet­te [...]. For si [...]h this knowledge is of al other most innocent, and with­out which it [...]s most plaine we are not able to liue: the best and the godliest men haue alwayes imbraced it, and the olde fathers haue euer counted it the very Cosin Germane to wysedome.Husbandry the mother and nurse of all other artes. Cicero cal­leth it the mistresse of iustice, diligens, and thriftinesse: some others call it the Mother and Nurs of al other artes. For wheras we may liue without the other, without this we are not able to sustayne our life: besides, the gayne that hereof aryseth, is most godly, and least subiect to enuie, for it hath to deale with the Earth, that restoreth with gayne such thinges as is committed vnto her, specially y [...] it be furthered with the blessing of GOD. The only gentlemanly way of encreasing the house, is the trade of husbandry: and for this cause they were alwayes accompted the perfectest Gentle­men, that,The woor­thynesse of husbandmē. content with the liuing their auncestours left them, liued in the Countrey of their landes, not medling with figging, chop­ping, and changing, nor seeking their liuing by handycraftes. M. Varro in his time sayth there was great complaint made, that the Fathers forsaking the Plough and the Sicle, began to creepe into the Towne, and busied them selues rather with Pageantes [Page] and Midsommer games, then with the Uineyard or the Feeldi [...], whereas the Gouernours of Rome so deuided the yeere, as they assigned only the nienth day for businesse of the Citie, and the rest of t [...]e tune for the tyllage of the Countrey, whereby being harde­ned with labour in peace, they might the better be able to abyde the trauayle of warres. Whiche Countrey people were alwayes preferred before the people of the Citie, and more Nobilitie thought to be in them that tyld the ground abrode, then in those that liuing idely within the walles, spent their time vnder the shadowe of the Pen [...]house: except a man wyll, with the common sort, thinke it more honest to get his liuing with the blood and ca­lamitie of poore soules, or not daring to deale with the swoorde to make his gayne of marchandize, and being a creature of the land, contrary to his kind, geue him selfe to the rage of the Seas, and the pleasure of the Windes, wandring like a Birde from shore to shore, and countrey to countrey, or to folowe this goodly profession of bawling at a barre, and for gaine to open his iawes at euery benche. Surely as I saide before, this onely hath been euer counted the innocentest trade of life, of al men, & in all ages. By husbandry were made riche the godly Fathers, Abram, Loth, Iacob, and Ioab: and most certaine it is, that this profession and this gayne, is most acceptable to GOD, when he commaunded Adam to tyll the grounde,Gene. 3. and to get his liuing with the sweat of his browes. Thus is husbandry of suche aucthoritie, as GOD with his open witnesse hath alowed it,Husbandry pleasyng to God. and afterwardes by his seruant Moses hath added his blessing vnto it, saying, I wyl geue the ground my blessing in the sixth yeere, and it shal bring foorth the fruites of three yeeres. And againe, If you wyl keepe my commaundementes,Leuit. 26. I wyll send you raine in due season, and the Earth shall yeelde her increase, and your trees shalbe loden with fruite, the threasshing time shall last tyll the vintage, and the vin­tage shall endure tyll the sowing time, and you shall eate your bread with plenteousnesse. What can there be nowe more plea­sant to a Christian man, then to get his liuing by suche meanes as he knoweth dooth please GOD, and to play the Philosopher in the most sweete contemplation of the benefites of GOD, and to acknowledge and reuerence the wysedome and power of the [Page 7] diuine Maiestie, and his bounteousnesse to mankinde, to geue him thankes and prayse for his goodnesse, the very hearbes and Creatures in the Feelde in the meane time preaching vnto vs.

You frame me here of a husbandman a diuine, and al­most bring me in minde to become a husbandman, who alwayes hitherto with the common sort, accounted this husbandry to be a beastly and a beggerly occupation.

What diuinitie there is in it, and what a feeld of the acknowledged benifites of God, you haue heard. That the com­mon sort doo thinke it a beastly and a beggerly kinde of lyfe, it is no maruelye, syth the common people doo neuer iudge aryght. The common people doo woonder at the pompe of the Court, and iudge them for the happiest men, that deckt with golde and purple, are in greatest fauour with Princes, and Officers, and Councellours to them, litle knowing in the meane time what heapes of sorowes lyes hyd vnder that braue and glittering mi­ [...]erie. The common sort preferreth shamefull and beastly delica­sie, before honest and vertuous labour, ioyning to consume the nyght in drunkennesse, leacherie, & villanie, and the day in sleepe and pastime, thinking suche happy, as neither behold the rysing nor setting of y^e Sunne. But those that are of sounder iudgement, account the husbandmen most happy, yf they knewe their owne felicitie, to whom the Earth in a farre quieter maner dooth mini­ster a sufficient liuyng.

As the Poete hath most grauely written in the prayse of the hus­band.Geor. [...]. Aglaus Sophidus was iudged happy by the Oracle of Apollo, because he occupied a smal corner of Arcadia, but yet sufficient for [Page] his liuelode, where he spent his life without euer comming a­brode: whose order of lyfe sheweth, that he was neither vexed with greedie desyre, neither with any other trouble of minde, as Plinie witnesseth. But I holde you to long with commendation of that which of it selfe is sufficiently commended. Hawe, wyfe, I pray you let vs goe to dinner.

You shall syr by and by. God morowe maister RIGO, I thought Xenoplutus had been here, who vseth to fetch my husband away: he hath by chaunce been nowe at home a weeke or twayne, which some mislikyng, preferre him to most paineful and troublesome businesse, procuring him to be sent in embassage beyond the pyllers of Hercules, and (which they would be lothe to beare them selues) they cast all vppon his backe as a common packhorse, who being nowe olde, reason would he shoulde be spa­red and suffered to be in quiet, that being at the last free from the turmoyles of the world, he myght geue him selfe to his prayers, and prepare him selfe for heauen.

It were more for the benefite of his Countrey, that maister CONO came oftner to the Court, but he is the seeldome [...] there, because he taketh such pleasure in his husbandry: howbeit, I came for no such purpose, but only to visite him, beyng my olde freend.

You must beare with a womans bablyng.

I pray you, sins it is not yet dinner tyme, let vs walke about, that I may viewe your house tyll dinner be redy.

If it please you, I wyll shewe you my house, where I haue appoynted my kyngdome.

Nowe surely you haue as happy & as pleasant a king­dome as may be.

Who is happy.In deede I confesse mee selfe happy in this, that con­tentyng mee selfe with my poore estate, I desyre no more: for as he sayth.

[Page 8] Surely I, in this my kingdome, or rather poore cottage, am more happy then a great sort of Kinges and Princes of the world, that are lordes of so many and so large dominions. Riches are not to be measured by their multitude,VVho [...]s riche. but by the minde of the possessor. And as Dauid sayth, a litle is better with the godly, then the great richesse of the wicked. Cincinatus occupied onely foure acres of grounde. Socrates hauyng but twentie markes in all the worlde, was counted a riche man. So I with Virgil doo commend great possessions, but had rather occupie litle. Therefore looke not to see here the house of Lucullus, or Hyrcius, which is reported to be solde for 4000000. HS. Suche stately dwellinges and mar­ble floores, as Cicero sayth, I despise.

Notwithstandyng, here is all thinges faire, and as it appeareth commodiously buylt.

For my part, I build my house, as they say, according to my purse, agreeable to my calling, and to my liuing. I wyl shewe you in order howe I haue cast it, folowyng the aduise of Iscomachus in Xenophon, whom Cicero doth greatly commend. And fyrst,The order of building of a house for the Coun­trey. the seate of my house hath mooued me to builde it after this sort. Cato would haue a man long in determination to builde, but to plant and sowe out of hand. Our fathers herebefore obserued the same, and seemed to folowe the counsell of Cato and Columella, with whom agreeth also Plinie, that the owner build his house in good order, so as neither the house be to great for the lande, nor the lande to muche for the house. And herein it is written, that L. Lucullus, and Qu. Scaeuola were both to blame: for one of them had a greater house then was answearable to his liuing: the other, which was Scaeuola, built a smaller house then his liuyng re­quired, where both are vnprofitable to the maister. For the great ruinous house, not onely is more chargeable in buildyng, but al­so asketh greater cost in the maintayning. Againe, if the house be to litle, it wyl be a destruction and losse of your Corne & fruite: therefore is it greatly to purpose, in what sort we build and or­deyne our house. Cato would haue the house so seated, as the ayre be good about it,The seate of a house. and (yf it may be) placed at the bottome of a hill, looking directly South, and in a holsome corner. Varros mind is, to haue it placed towarde the East, that it may haue the sha­dowe [Page] in Sommer, and the Sunne in Winter: with whom Co­lumella agreeth, saying, that yf habilitie serue, the seate is to be wyshed in a holsome place (for Cato as shal hereafter be shewed, would haue healthy standing cheefely regarded) with a fruitefull moulde, some part of it champion, some hilly, lying East or South, well watred and woodded, and standing not farre of from some hauen, or nauigable riuer, to the end he may cary and trans­port such thinges as him listeth. Cornelius Tacitus writeth, that the Germanes were woont to build their houses, as the Hyll, the Ri­uer, the Wood, or the Lake, would best suffer them.

Hereof I thinke sprang at the fyrst so many surnames as are at this day deriued from Mountaynes, Riuers, Lakes, and Wooddes.

It may be, yet others doo counsayle, in no case to set your house neere a Marshe, or a great Riuer: for the Fennes and Marshes in the heate of the yeere, doo send foorth pestilent and deadly dampes, and a great number of venemous Creatures: which dying, for lacke of their olde moystoure, infecteth the ayre, and breedeth sundry and strange diseases. Homer affyrmeth very truely, that the ayre whiche in the mornyng commeth from the Riuer, is very vnholsome and daungerous: and therefore yf the house must needes be built neere a Riuer, they would haue suche heede taken, as the Riuer rather stande on the backside of the house, then before it: and that the frunt of the house be turned from the hurtfull and vnholsome wyndes, and placed towardes the healthiest quarters. Sins all waters commonly with dam­pishe vapours in Sommer, and stincking colde mystes in Win­ter, except they be well purged with holsome Windes, doo in­fect both man and beast with pestilence: best is it therefore in good and healthy places, to set the house toward the East, or the South, and in suspected ayres to place them agaynst the North. From the Sea it is good to be as farre as may be, because the windes that blowe from the Sea, are vnholsome, and the space lying betwixt you and it, yeeldes alwayes a lothsome ayre. You must beware besides, that you see not your house by any great hie way, least you be molested with passingers, and troubled often tymes with more ghestes then you would haue.

As farre as I remember, the olde felowes dyd measure the goodnesse of their dwelling,Neighbour­hood. by the qualities of their neygh­bours.

You say very well, in deede I had almost forgotten it, a frowarde knaue to a mans neyghbour, is not one of the least mischiefes, as shalbe sayde in the end of this booke. I haue kno­wen sundry good men desyrous of quietnesse, that haue forsaken good dwellinges, rather then they would abyde the iniuries and troubles of suche companions: wherfore Hesiodus had some reason in saying, [...].

But you maruayle what I meane by suche a long preamble, surely I am the longer in this matter, because you should vnder­stand the reason of building of my house. For whereas there are sundry purposes of building, and some build for pleasure, some for wantonnesse, and some for necessitie, I thought it good to resyte the mindes of the olde wryters, concerning the building of a house. And when as euerie one will not suffer suche curiositie as they require in y^e placing of a house, some building vpon Riuers, some without or within the Marshe walles, who can not shunne the neighbourhood of the Riuer or the Sea, some in Lakes, some in Wooddes, and some building vpon mountaynes, are driuen to supply the defect of nature with arte & industrie, I mee selfe syth I can by no meanes auoyde the neerenesse of the Riuer, do seeke as much as in mee lyes, to turne away the discomodities: and because I feele the discomoditie of the rysing of the flooddes, I haue set my house in this place without the bankes, and mounted it as hie as I could: and least the rage of the water, and force of the yce should beare it away, I haue planted round about it great trees: and that I might shun the dampes of the ground, and the blastes of vnholsome windes, I haue turned my doores and my windowes to the holsomest quarters.

Surely, eyther you, or your auncestours haue both com­modiously & handsomely placed this house, for y^e front is double, one part looking towards y^e East, the other towards the South, [Page] and so built with Galeries and Gables, as it both receiueth the Sunne in Winter, and the shadowe in Sommer: besides, you haue a fayre Porche as you enter in, that keepeth away the wind and the rayne from the doore.

All the one side, if you marke it, where the front is, ly­eth South, receyuyng from the fyrst corner, the rising of the Sunne in Winter, declining somewhat from the West, wherby it is warme in Winter, and not troubled with ouer great heate in Sommer: for this kinde of building hath an equall medlie of the Winter windes and Sommer windes, so that it receiueth the coole windes in Sommer, and is not subiect to the bitter blastes in Winter, though there be something in it that might be amen­ded, and that dooth not well please me.

Some part of the building, mee thinketh, is after the Italian maner.

Some part of it, being ruinous, I built after my fan­cie, and suche as I found sounde, I thought yenough for me to keepe the reparations.

I pray you proceede with the describing of the rest. This base court seemeth also to me to be after the Italian fashion with two gates.

This Court I thus deuised mee selfe. Here was a kinde of Court before, but not so commodious: therefore I made a square wall here with a great gate, for the bringing in of my ca­riages, and a lesser for people to passe in and out. In the voyde place here besides the porche, I haue made a litle walke, couered with a Uine, with diuers seates in it for shadowe, where I many times walke and talke with suche suters as I haue: I haue in it a table of stone to suppe vpon when I am disposed. Oueragaynst the gate, as you see, at the South side of the Court, there is a Backhouse, and a Cornemill, with Ouens for bread, and other baked meates, there is also a Brewehouse with an Oast for dry­ing of Malt to make Beere with.

Surely all very handsome, and in very good order.

These offices (for feare of fyre) you see, are all seuered from the house: there is hereunto adioyning a very fayre well, which besides the seruice heere, dooth also serue my Kitchin, and [Page 10] other houses of office: for within the house, I haue neyther well nor fountayne, which is a great discommoditie, suche as I would geue a great deale of money to remedie, both for health & coole­nesse in Sommer, and for watring my Gardens and my Or­chardes. Water is one of the principalest things to be cared for, as the greatest cause of health both in man & beast: but this want is supplied partly by a good well without, & partly by Sesternes receauing the rayne water that falles in certayne Conduites and pipes, which water is most holsome for the body: and beside, the Riuer is not farre of.

Come on I pray you, let vs see this Backhouse, I heare that you haue a newe and a strange fashioned Mill of your owne deuise [...]

You shall see it. When as in a great house, there is great neede of Corne Mylles, and the common Milles, being faire of, the way foule, and I at myne owne libertie to grinde at home, or where I lyst, thinking to make a mill here at home, when neyther place nor aucthoritie wyll serue me to builde eyther a water mill or a wind mill, and a querne, or a hand mill, dooth but a litle good: and to build a horse mill were more troublesome. When I sawe the wheeles that they vse to draw water with, turned with Asses or men, I thought in the like sort the wheele of a mill myght be turned, and after this sort de­uised I this engine, whiche a couple of Asses, guided by a boy, doo easilye turne, and make very fine meale, sufficient for myne owne house, and most times for my neighbours, whom I suffer to grinde tolle free.

Surely I like well your deuise. What wyll not the dili­gence of man bring to passe?

I fynde it profitable vnto me, but because it is not the speediest way of grinding, I haue beside a horse mill, whiche yf neede require, is turned about with a Iade or two.

Lo here is a great leade placed handsomely in a Bricke furnace in the corner, whiche I thinke serueth to brewe with all.

In deede to that ende is it most occupied, but it ser­ueth other turnes beside.

There is a Hopper (mee thinketh) ouer the toppe of the [Page] Oast, whereto serueth it?

It serueth to conuey downe the Malt, after it is wa­tred vnto the heare cloth, where it is dryed.

Wherefore serueth that great Tonne?

To water the Barly in when neede is, otherwyse it serueth for a Mashfatte. Hereby is a Backhouse and a Pastrie with two Ouens, one seruing for householde bread, the other for manchet for myne owne table, and for Tartes and fine baake-meates. Here are also troughes to keepe meale in, and troughes to lay leauen in, and there is a fayre table to mould vpon.

All is handsome: but what meanes this building a­bout your Court?

These buildinges seuered from the rest, doo serue for gheste chambers, with a chamber for my hotte house: this syde you see lyeth agaynst the settyng of the sunne in Sommer, where the sunne may lye from noone tyll nyght.

But that litle Ile moated about, and seuered from the court with a Bridge, seemeth to be more gorgeously and sumptu­ously built, I take it to be your owne lodging, where you, your wyfe, and your seruantes meane to lye safely.

It is euen so, and therefore it is built vpon a higher ground, both for the safegard of the fundation, and for the better ayre & fayrer prospect: beside, my Garden and my Orchard are ad [...]oyning to it, whiche with the sweete smell of the [...]loures, and the fayre beautie of the trees, bringeth both health and pleasure. The wyndowes for the most part open al East, and some of them North, very fewe West, except from suche Chambers or Galle­ries Southward, where I dyne and suppe, to receiue the sunne in Winter abundantly, and in Sommer very litle: the Tower that you see serueth for my Douehouse.

The great flyghtes of this house must needes fyll the maisters purse, and serue the Kitchin well.

In deede, yf as that noble and passing well learned Varro affyrmeth, they might be solde as in some ages they haue been at eyght pound a payre, or that a man might meete with suche fooles, as Columella writeth of, that haue geuen 40. pound for a payre, I graunt I coulde make a good handsome gayne of [Page 11] them, but as they be, they hardly serue myne owne table.

What dooth not the madde desyre of delicasie procure? euen in our dayes of late I haue heard, there was threescore Flo­rens geuen for a payre.

I wyl keepe you no longer here about mine owne lod­ging, you haue seene a great number of better houses, and parad­uenture had rather ouer looke my outhouses.

I had so in deede, you haue, I see, deuided your house into three partes.

So I thought it best, one for mee selfe, an other for my husbandmen, and the thirde for graine and fruit [...].

What meaneth this Cell here so handsomely built at the entrance?

This is syr, my Bayliffes lodging, I lay him by the Gate, that he may see who goeth in and out, and what is brought and goeth foorth, from thence he may also looke in [...]o the Kit­chin, and see and heare what is there doone: for beside the meate that is dressed, there are other thinges doone there in the Win­ter morninges. Ouer my Gate I haue laide my Steward, from whence he may looke into the Court, and to the Gate, and ouersee his neighbour the Bayly.

Mary syr here is watche and warde in deede, this I thinke you learned of Varro, for it is a part of his order.

Thus experience teacheth. Hereby is my storehouse.

Mercifull God, what a sort of tooles haue you here?

Hesiodus would haue a husbande haue all his furniture redy, and wyll not haue him borowe in any case.

Therefore I haue so furnished my Bailiffe, as he hath of euery sort two. Marcus Varro deuideth his husbandry necessaries into three partes: vowels, where he puts his owne seruantes, & suche as he hyreth: halfe vowels, where his woorking cattell be: and mutes, be these that you see, whereof the smaller sort be these, [Page] Axes, Hatchettes, and Sithes, of all sortes, Corne Sithes, Grasse Sithes, Stubble Sithes, Handbils, Syckles, Kniues, Peasehookes, Spades, Shouels, Wedges, Draggehookes, great Sawes, [...]e [...]er Sawes, Handsawes, Timbersawes, Pitch-forkes, Iron hookes, Iron forkes, Twybilles, Dung forkes, Tonges, Sheares, Sysars, Mattockes, Fyles, Cleauers, Claspea, Lance [...], Stringes, Cutting kniues, Gelding tooles, Clipping sheares, Leauers, Presses, Rulers, Garden Rakes, Hammers, Ch [...]ppe [...], Winches, Pulleys, Wheeles, Rakes, single and double, Yokes, Collers, Bridse reynes, Head­st [...]lles, Halters, [...]raaces, Cordes, Ha [...]nes, Baskets, Fannes, [...]hippes, Fidels, Strikes, Spoakes, Drawyng kniues, S [...]cks, Walkes, Bottels, Weede hookes, Brakes, Hempe be [...]elles, Du [...]a [...]es, Spundelles, Wharles, Fyreshouels, Fyre-stones, G [...]ed [...]o [...]ns, Handbarowes, Dung Cartes, Wheeleba­rowes, Maundes, Hampers, Ropes, and Line, of all sortes. The so [...]es and partes of P [...]owes and Waynes, I wyll shewe you when we [...] into the court next the Heybarne [...] Hogsheds, Tonnes, and Uessels, for Wine, Beere, and Water, Pipes, Tonne [...]s, and suche like, shall likewyse be shewed you, when you come to the Brewhouse, and Windsel [...]er. With Co [...]erakes, Siues, S [...]rc [...]rs, Boul [...]ing rubbes, Bou [...]ars, that you shall see in the Backhouse, and instrumentes for all other purposes, layd vp euery one in his place, till they be to be occupied: for it is very necessarie to haue of euery sort two, as the number of your ser­uantes and necessitie requires: that yf one be lost or broken, you be not driuen to goe a borowyng, or to leaue your woorke, wher­by your men shalbe idle, whyle your tooles be a seeking. For to runne euery day to the Towne to get newe, is not for a husbands profile. Beside, in the meane time your seruantes [...]oyter, and lose more then the value of their tooles.

Truely they be all placed in good order.

I place fyrst by them selues, suche as are most in vse, that they may be the redier, and next to them, suche as be occupi­ed once in a moneth, or in a yeere: I geue the keeping of them al by [...]ale, to my steward or my bayliffe, that they may deliuer them out as neede is, and lay them vp againe, and charge them in any [Page 12] case to looke to them euery moneth, that they may mend what is amisse in them.

Order is a iolly felowe, and no goodlier a thing in a man, then to doo euery thing orderly, and to [...]ay vp euery thing in such order, as it may redily be found, of which a singuler exam­ple dooth Iscomachus shewe [...] Xenophon, in his Phenician barke, wherein a woonder it is to see what a deale of stuffe he hath be­stowed in so small a vessell: he caried with him all the furniture that a man should neede, and euery thing in such order placed, as they were at hand when neede was, without any trouble.

I mee selfe haue an inuentorie of all my husbandry implementes, and so hath my Bayly and his Wyfe, my steward hath the key of the storehouse, and deliuers out, and receaues as I tolde you, what euery man needes: for I wyllyngly neither bo­rowe nor lend: I haue a neighbour or twayne, of whom some­time I borowe, and send agayne: but except them, to none as Cato teacheth me.

The same Cato also as I remember, teacheth to know a mans husbandry by his tooles, & therfore by your great number of tooles, a man may gesse you haue a great deale of occupying.

The double number of them makes the muster the greater: otherwyse, yf they were but to serue the turne, they would not seeme so many.

I pray you goe forward with your description.

You see a voyd roome before the Kitchin, whiche is an entrie both to the Kitchin, to the folkes Chamber, and to the Oxhouses, which ought to be neere togeather, yf any missefor­tune shoulde happen to the cattell in the night, that my men might speedely helpe them.

The Kitching is very well handled,The Kit­chin. in that you haue so well pargetted the rooffe.

It is because I haue a great number of seruantes, whiche for lacke of other roome, doo dine and suppe here: beside, the pargetting or seeling, is a good safetie against fyre.

Here is a good handsome roosse by the Chimney, well stored with redde Hearing, Bacon, and Marulmas beefe, there is also a handsome sincke by the Kitchin.

This lettised wall that you see, ioyneth to my Bay­liffes chamber, so that he may see what is doone in the Kitchin, and about the house.Larder. Hereunto is also ioyned my Larder, a vault with three roomes, one seruing for Butter and Milke, the other for Beere and Wine, the thirde for to keepe [...]leshe in: here haue I no wyndowes to the South, nor to the West, but all to the North, and to the East, because these quarters are least subiect to corruption,Corneloft. and wyll longest preserue any thing. Aboue in the loft yonder, doo I lay my corne vpon a fayre floore, closely fenced and seeled against Mise, receauing the light by lattisse windowes from the North. Harde by, is an other loft very close, with like windowes towarde the North,Appleloft. seruing for my fruite: for that quarter is colde, and not moist, whereby it preserues best, both Meate, Corne, and fruite. Nowe yf you wyll goe through this doore, you may beholde the backside of my house: loe here a fayre threasshing floore, wherevpon my Corne is sundry times threas­shed, fan [...]ed, and winnowed, and many other thinges doone, cheefely in the Winter morninges, though I haue beside a threasshing place in my barne. On eache side, are lodginges for my seruantes, and other roomes and loftes for strawe and fodder for my cattell: and there by the stables, are also seruantes lod­ginges on euery side, and my maides chamber neere the Kitchin, and the wasshing house. You see this forestall closed round a­bout, to the end that the cattel, when they be watred and putforth, while their houses be made cleane, may be in safetie. And here I keepe also Geese, Duckes, Peacocks, Turkicockes, and other poultry. It is as you see, so enclosed with stables, barnes, and other houses, that nothing can get out. Varro wyll in any case haue two courtes, an inner court with a litle pond in it of standing w [...]ter, or running water, in maner of a Fishepond, and there he would haue Horse and Oxen, comming from the Feelde, or sta­ble, to be watred and washed, and to serue likewyse for Sheepe, Swyne, and Geese. In the vtter court would he haue a Lake to cart in wheeles, staues, and peeces of timber, for instrumentes of husbandry, that they might there be seasoned. This court he woulde haue often strawed with strawe, and Chaffe, that be­ing trampled with cattell, it may serue to laye vpon the grounde. [Page 13] You see in this court a double dounghil, one of them newely thro­wen out of the stables, an other olde one seruing for the Feelde: for new doung is nothing so good as the olde, for manuring of the ground.

What meanes these twigges, bowes, and strawes, cast vpon the doung?

This preserues the doung, that the iuyce that y^e ground requires, be not sucked out of the sunne: and hyther also runnes the water from the Laundry to moist it the better. Varro woulde haue here also a lodging for seruantes. But lest we tarry to long among the dounghilles, let vs goe see the other buildinges about the Court. These great roomes that you see,Barnes. be Barnes to la [...] Corne in. In some places they vse houses, in others agayne, stackes set vpon proppes, which they call mowes: but the houses are a great deale better. Next to the Barnes, are the stables,Stable [...]. stan­ding arowe round about the Court. And because Virgil woulde haue the stable stande towarde the south, and Vitrunius, neere the fyre, I haue folowed their order in building my stables. And first haue I set here my stable for my Cart horse. I haue an other stable neere myne owne lodging, for my Horses of seruice, and Hackneyes.

That seemeth to be very handsomely built.

The next are houses for my sheepe, and next them for Kine, Calues, & Heyfers. There is a Hogstie with two roomes, one for my farrowyng sowes, the other for Hogges and Bores. There is also a thirde stie, not farre from the washouse, for the fatting of my Porkes: euery kinde hath their keepers lying neere them, that they may be at hand whatsoeuer chaunceth. Last of all there stands my Heybarne, which hath in the vpper roomes my Hey, and beneath, Waynes, Cartes, Carres, Waggons, Coaches, Harrowes, Sledes, Plowes, Rowlers, Wheeles, Naues, Cartshooes, Yokes, Rakes, Plowbeames, and suche other like, which are there safe from wet, and from pilferers.

I pray you who dooth looke to all this geare, and kee­peth euery man to his woorke?

My Bayliffe, as I tolde you before, ouerseeth both my woorke and my woorkemen: besides, I haue [...] Stewarde [Page] that looketh to the receauing of my reuenues and commodities.

Your Bayliffe had neede to be a skilfull and a trustie man.

You say true, for as Xenophon sayth, the choyse of a Bayliffe and a Phisition ought to be one: you must choose suche a one,The cho [...]se of a [...]iffe o [...] [...]u [...]ban­dry. as being a very expert husbandman, may well be able to take the charge, and not to be ignorant of those things him selfe, that he commaundeth others to doo: for nothing is well taught or learned, without example. For as Cato sayth of a husbande of the olde stampe, it goeth ill with that maister whom the Bayliffe must teache. As Iscomachus being demaunded of Socrates, whether he would buye a Bayly, as he woulde hire a Smith, or rather teache him him selfe at home? He answeared, he would haue him of his owne teaching.

But this is after the olde world, wherein no man was vnskilfull: but it is a woonder, how you that haue alwayes been brought vp in Princes affayres, could in these dayes (when very fewe, except Plowmen, and such as haue no other trade of lyfe, haue any skill in it) apply your mind so vnto it, as a man would thinke you had neuer minded any other profession.

Surely I thinke he shall neuer haue a good Baylye, that is not able him selfe to iudge skilfully of him: nor let hym euer thinke to haue his woorke wel doone, that knoweth not how nor which way thinges ought to be doone, but must be faine to learne of his man: for the [...]e is none can iudge of a woorke but a woorkeman. Therefore in the choyse of a Bayliffe,What thin­ges ough [...] [...]o be in a Bay­liffe o [...] hus­bandry. I woulde haue foure thinges cheefely considered: that he be louing, dili­gent, meete to rule, and trustie: and yf you wyll adde a fyft, I am well contented, that is, that he be not geuen to drunken­nesse: for a drunkenman looseth with his memorie the regarde of his duetie. I doo not enquire whether he haue been brought vp ciuilly or deyntely, but I woulde haue him a hard fellowe, brought vp from his childehood to labour, and one that were throughly well skilled, of a meane age, that he be not vnwylling to woorke for youth, nor vnable to crauayle for age. I woulde haue him haue some skil in Carpentrie, that if there happened to be any thing broken about his Stables, his Cartes, or any other [Page 14] his instrumentes, he might speedely mend them, and that he coulde mend Walles and Hedges. I woulde haue him also not vnskilful in y^• diseases of cattell: such a one as hath been brought vp with skilful husbandes, wyll prooue meetest to haue charge. For there be a great number, that though they be skilfull ye­nough in their profession, yet haue they not gouernment in them: but eyther vsing to much sharpnesse, or to muche gentlenesse to­wardes suche as be vnder them, doo hinder the profite of their maister, and therefore I woulde haue a Bayliffe well tryed be­fore he be taken: neither is it onely to be sought, whether he be skilfull in this craft, but whether he be trustie and louing to his maister, without whiche, he is not woorth a rushe, though his skill be neuer so great. And cheefely, he must be skilfull in this, to know what worke is meetest for euery man: for some woorkes require strength more then skill, and others, otherwyse. And therefore in appointing of these, he ought to haue great iudge­ment and good discretion, which he can not haue, except he haue good skill. Therefore a Bayliffe is as well to be taught as a Smith, or a Carpenter: and the knowledge of husbandry is greater and of more difficultie. Wherefore I marueyle, that in this so necessarie an occupation, there are found so fewe maisters and prentices.

Perhaps the tediousnesse and hardnesse thereof driueth them away.

Why haue not Orators been likewyse driuen away, for hitherto as Cicero sayth, there hath been no perfect Orator found.

Of whom would you haue your Bayliffe to be taught?

Your question is good, I wyll shewe you, though very few haue taught what belongeth to a husband in all things, neither shall you finde many skilfull in euery point. Therefore he that shall be a Baylie, must be taught by degrees, he must fyrst begin when he is a childe,The tray­nyng of a Bayliffe. with keeping of Sheepe or Swyne, and when he is elder, with droues of cattell, and keeping of horse: he must learne next to digge, to threashe, to set, to sowe, to hedge, to build, to mend such thinges as are broken, to play the butcher, to geue drinkes and medicines to sicke cattell, and such other like [Page] thinges. And thus must he proceede from one to an other, tyll hauing passed them all, he come to be a maister, euen as Gregory Nazianzen teacheth of a Byshop, and as Tully would haue a gene­rall, after he hath borne all other offices of the feelde.

You shewe me woonderfull Philosophie.

As I saide at the fyrst, his best age is betwixt thirtie and threescore: for the flames of lustie youth beginning to abate, he wyll not be so hotte in his wooing: for whyle he folowes that game, he wyll haue no minde but of his minion, neither shal any reward be so welcome vnto him, as the fruite of his fancie, nor any greefe so great to him, as the fayling of his desire. If he once passe threescore, he waxeth slouthfull and vnable to labour. For I had rather haue the woorke of a painefull and diligent Bayliffe, then the seruice of a great number of slouthful lubbers: as he that had rather haue a Lion captaine ouer Hartes, then a Hart cap­taine ouer Lions. This must cheefely be looked vnto (sins early going to woorke is a great matter) that the Bailiffe be a good riser, and that, supplying his maisters place, he may be the fyrst vp in the mornyng, and the last that goeth to bedde, and that he see the doores fast locked, and euery man in bedde, that the cattel haue meate yenough, and be well littured, that he set forward, ac­cording to the time of the yeere, suche as doo loyter in their la­bour, that he him selfe goe lustely before, that he suffer no man af­ter it is day to lagge behinde, but that they folowe the Bayliffe lustely with a courage, as yf he were their captaine in a skir­mishe: and that he vse sundry deuises to cheare them vp in their labour, sometime as it were to helpe him that fainteth, to take his toole out of his hand, and labour lustely before him. And as a carefull shepheard earlie carying out his sheepe, and bringyng them home late, looketh that he leaue none of his flocke behinde him: so likewyse ought a good Bailiffe to carrie out his men, and to haue good regard ouer them. If any of them happen to be hurt or sicke, let him looke to the dressing of them, and yf they be very sicke, to carrie them to the sicke folkes lodging, and to see that they be well ordered: and to that vse haue I built yonder house that you see, remooued from the other buildinges, that the sicke may be had thyther and looked vnto, specially yf their di­seases [Page 15] be contagious, lest other should be infected. It is the mai­sters duetie to haue such regarde of the health of his seruauntes, and to haue such care of them, that their sicknesse may be preuen­ted by good medicines and good looking to: as to see that theyr meate and drinke be wholsome and good, and geuen in due sea­son: beside, that the Bailiffe eate his meate with them, and not by him selfe, whereby it shalbe the better ordered. And because Phisitians are not alwayes at hand in the Countrey, it behoueth to vse such remedies as experience hath taught, and such as haue holpen others of like diseases. Those that labour in the Sunne (because the Sunne hurteth the body and the vaynes) theyr diet must be the thinner, that they make not to great meales, but eate litle and often: this order keepeth them in health, and hel­peth digestion. Some doo vse to geue Woormewood wine, or potage made of Woormewood. It is very necessarie for them sometimes to re [...]reate them selues, so that in the meane whyle they geue not them selues to noughtinesse. There must be heede taken, that they drinke not when they be hotte, nor lye vppon the colde ground: yf their water be not good, it must be wel purified. It is very good also to let them drinke Barly water. We must remember that seruantes be men: besides, such good looking to, wyll breede a greater good wyll and duetie, and lightly they wyl serue the faythfuller and better when they haue their health, whiche haue had good cherishing in their sicknesse: and besides (which is not so well obserued in greater gouernours) the Bay­liffe must beware that he deale not to cruelly, nor to gently with them, that he alwayes make much of those that be diligent and painefull, that he be not to hastie with the woorser sort, that they may rather reuerence him for his seueritie, then hate him for his crueltie, whiche he shall easely bring to passe, yf he rather be­ware that they offende not, then after their offence to late to pu­nishe them. For there is none so good a bridle for an euil disposed person, as to let him alwayes be occupied. So that Catoes saying herein is most true, that men in dooing nothing, learne to doo euyll. Let them haue their allowance and their meate in due sea­son, let them alwayes feede togeather in one place, and the Bay­liffe with them, that he may be an example to them of all thrifti­nesse. [Page] If he [...]inde any of them to haue labour [...]d painefully and t [...]uely, let him geue them a good countenance, & encourage them with rewardes, to make them the wyllinger to doo their dueties beside, let him looke that they be rather well clothed, then curi­o [...] apparelled, that their garmentes may keepe them from the colde a [...]d the rayne: let their wages be well paide them, that the w [...]at thereof be no excuse for them to lo [...]er in their labour. And as meate and apparell is necessarie for them, so likewyse is cor­rect [...]on. For the wyse man sayth, Geue a Horse the whip, an Asse the sn [...]ell, and a Foole the rodde. And agayne, He that deales to gently with his seruauntes, shal make them in the ende stub­borne and froward. Aboue all thinges let hym see that they feare God, let him in no wyse suffer them to sweare or to blaspheme, nor to vse filthy or vngodly speache: but let him prouide that they be instructed in the Catechisme, that they vse prayer, that they go to Sermons vpon the holy dayes, and receaue the Sacraments at times appoynted, that they be not hunters of Alehouses or euill company. For as the Poet sayth, It is lawfull to be well occupied, euen on the Festiuall dayes. When they haue serued GOD, and dyned, let them walke abrode in the ground, let them looke there be no cattell in the Corne, and stoppe suche Gappes as they fynde open, and looke that their cattell be in safetie a­brode. To be short, the Bayliffe must in all these matters be as it were a Byshop, or a maister of the woorkes, so shall euery man the better doo the woorke that belongeth vnto him. The Bailyffe must neuer be from their heeles, least in his absence they fall to loytering, neither must he suffer them any time to be idel: he hym selfe must not be geuen to drinking or gaming, nor to huntyng or fysshing, except for his maisters profyte: let him very seeldome enterteyne any ghestes, except they be of his maisters re [...]inewe: let him not bestowe his maisters money about his owne mar­chandize, for such kinde of bargainyng makes him the slacker in his duetie, and maketh his accomptes seeldome fall out iust. A­boue all thinges this is to be wisshed in the Bayliffe, that he doo not thinke him selfe wyser then his maister, or suppose him selfe to haue more skill then he hath, and that he alwayes seeke to learne suche thinges as he is ignorant of. For as it is very profi­table [Page 16] to doo any thing skilfully, so is it more hurtfull to doo it vn­towardly. Columella had rather haue a Bailiffe that could neither reade nor write, so that his memorie be good: for such a Bailiffe (sayth he) wyll oftner bring his maister money, then a booke: be­cause (not able to wryte) he can not so easely frame a false ac­compt. The Bailiffes wyfe must alwayes be with him,The Bay­liffes vvyfe. that she may keepe him from running at rouers, and may helpe him in his labours: her age must be such also, as we required in the Bai­liffe before, she must be painefull, healthy, carefull, and honest. she must not be to ylfauoured, lest she be lothsome vnto him, nor to beautifull, least he doate to muche vppon her, and keepe home when he shoulde be abrode. She must in the meane time looke to the [...]itchin, and to other woorkes at home, gouerne the maides, and keepe them at their woorke, looke to their necessaries, and geue them their allowance.

You seeme to me here, to make the Bailiffe a maister, and the maister a Bailiffe.

This age of ours, quite corrupted with delicacie and deyntinesse, litle regardeth the honest and profitable or­ders of our forefathers: for in those dayes the maisters them selues plaide the husbandes, and thought it not to goe well with that maister that must be taught by his Bailiffe, as Cato witnes­seth, and Varro also complaineth, that the husbandes in his dayes had forsaken the Plowe and the Sithe, and gotten them selues within the walles, and spent their time rather in Maygames and Midsommer sightes, then with tylling the ground, or planting of Uines. Therefore Cato and the olde wryters doo attribute many thinges to the maister, that we assigne to the Bailiffe. And I, though I seeme to put the charge of the household in the handes of my Bailiffe, yet wyll I mee selfe be ouerseer, and haue euery thing doone as I appoynt, entreating gently (as I taught the Bailiffe afore) both the Bailiffe and my labourers, regardyng more their labour then my gaynes. But I carrie you about to long, being fasting, I pray you let vs goe to dinner: you shall not dyne at the Court to day, neither meant I to shew you, as you see, the pallace of Lucullus, but the poore cottage of Cincinatus, Abdolo­minus, or Laertes. Here you see the roomes for my husbandmen, [Page] seuered from myne owne house, but yet so, as I may easely see whatsoeuer they doo. Here I and my wyfe with our householde seruantes doo lye.

All very excellently well as may be, there is nothing wanting that is to be wished for. Maistresse METELLA, you trouble your selfe to muche, like Martha, about the prouiding of your dinner.

Not a whit syr, you must be contented with Coun­trey fare, you shall neither haue redde Deere, Marchpane, nor Sturgian, nor any Courtiers fare: but an Egge, and a Sallet, a Pullet, or a peece of Lambe.

This diete contenteth me aboue all other.

Fal to it then, & tel me how you like our countrey wine.

Surely it passeth eyther wine of Orleans, or Aniow. I did not thinke to haue founde so good a cuppe of wine in these quarters.

The husbandry, and good season of the yere doth yeeld the same.

Well, we sit to long at dinner. The weather being so fayre and so pleasant abrode, it is ashame to sitte any longer, but to walke out and looke vpon your ground.

The weather being faire, you bring a Horse to the Feelde (as they say) when you speake to me of going abrode: for I mee selfe, yf the weather or businesse doo not let me, am euery day, according to Catoes counsell, abrode in my ground: and yf it please you, I wyll carie you abrode and shewe you my grounde. You must not looke to see the great Countreys of Metellus or Lu­cullus, but the possessions of a poore Countrey man, that conten­ted with his state, would be as he is, and would not change liues with the Emperour.

Of the tyl­lyng and husban­ding of the ground.I pray you let me here your opinion of the Feeld, and the tilture thereof: for I see you are a perfect husbande, and no­thing vnskilfull. I haue a great desyre to heare some rules, and such as serue our turne best.

If it be a shame for an apprentice at the lawe, and a pleadar of causes to be ignorant of the lawe wherein he dealeth, a greater shame is it for a professor of husbandry, to be vnskilful [Page 17] in the ground whereon his whole trade lyeth. Howe is he able to iudge vprightly in husbandry, that knoweth not whiche way to tyll his lande? The professours of all other artes, do commonly keepe to them selues, suche thinges as be the chiefe mysteries of their knowledge.The good nature of the husband­man. Contrariwy [...]e, the husband reioyceth to haue euery body made prime to his skill, & being demaunded in what sort he dooth this and that, he gladly declareth his whole dealing in euery poynt: suche good natured men dooth this knowledge make. I haue ordered my ground here, according to the diligence of the olde fathers, rather then for the wantonnesse of these times. Therefore I wyl fyrst shewe you their opinions, and afterwards myne owne fancie. First, Cato appointeth niene degrees of the land in Italie.The degrees and sortes of ground. The fyrst, the Uineyard, that yeeldeth muche and good wine: the next, the well watred Garden: the thirde the Wyllowe Groue: the fourth, for Oliue trees: the fifth, for Meddowe: the sixth, Corne ground: the seuenth, for Coppie grounde: the eyght, for Timber trees: the last, for Mast. But these de­grees as Varro saith, are not generally allowed of, neither haue we the vse of them all in these Countreys: but make most accompt of such land, as serueth for Garden or Orchard grounde, Corne, or Fishpondes. Of Corne ground I wyll fyrst entreate, and af­terwardes of Pasture, Meddowe, Wood Lande, and Wyllowe Groues.

I pray you then take the paines to shewe the nature of it,Of Corn [...] ground. and which way the best ground may be knowen.

Cato counteth that the best grounde, that lyeth at the foote of a mountayne, being leuell and lying toward the Sunne, as the whole Countrey of Italie lyeth. In colde and Norther [...]ye Countreys, it is good to haue the lande lying East and South, least these two quarters, being bard of by any hil, the land be fro­zen with colde: but in hotte Countreyes it is better to haue the ground lye North, both for pleasure and health.

They say it is needeful to knowe the conditions of eue­ry ground.

It is so, and sooner shall you doo it, then the conditi­ons of a man: for being well tylled, it wyll not deceaue you, but deale iustly with you. To knowe the nature of euery grounde, [Page] Iscomachus in Xenophon, dooth wyll you to marke wel the plantes and the yeeld of the Countrey,Hovve to knovve the goodnese of the grounde. except you wyll loose your labour or fyght with God. Varro counsels you to looke whether there be in the land eyther Stone, Marble, Sande, Grauell, Raddell, Chalke, Claye, Preble, or Carbuncle, that is ground ouer hea­ted and parched with the Sunne, whiche wyll burne the rootes of what so euer commeth in it. Also yf it be wette or weepyng ground, or subiect vnto other inconueniences, and suche grounde also, according to the nature of the soyle, is good or euyl. In some Countreys stonie grounde is altogeather barren, specially for Corne and Fruite. In other places agayne, they vse stones in the manuring and bettring of their lande, as in certayne places of Arden is to be seene. Theophrascus wryteth, that the Corynths dyd cast away all the stones out of the Feeldes of Sarragosa, and there­by made the ground the woorse, when, the stones being away and the Countrey hot, there was no succour left to defend the ground from the extreame heate of the Sunne. In other places in stonie and hilly groundes Otes doo prosper well. In lyke sort, in all Countreys we must regarde the layre of the Countrey, and the nature of the seede that we sowe: for Grauell in some places is cast vppon the ground in steade of doung, and some thinges pros­per best in grauelie groundes. In Barbarie (as Columella dooth w [...]tnesse) the very rotten sandes exceede any other grounde in fruitefulnesse. It is also something to the purpose, whether the grauell be white, redde, or yellowe: besides, some grounde dooth deceaue both with colour and qualitie. In some Countreys the blacke mould is onely esteemed: in others, the fat redde mould is thought best. In Englande, the chalkie grounde beareth good corne, and pastures very well. In some places the thicke and the clammie ground is most fruitefull. In al these it is to be learned, what is best for the hill ground, what for the valley, what for the tylled, what for the leye grounde, what the moyst seggie grounde requires, and what the drye and barraine. Also in planting, what ground is best for Uines, what for other trees, what delightes in drie ground, what in moyst ground. Virgil commendeth a mellowe ground that is fatte, and wyll soone be resolued, for such ground is tylled with smalest charge and labour: the next, is that whiche [Page 18] is fa [...]e and stiffe, which greatly recompenceth the husbande his trauaile and charges: the woorst, is that which is dry, leane, and stiffe: for both it is tylled with great labour, and beside, neither answeareth in his croppe the husbandes trauayle, neither serueth it for good meddowe or pasture any time after, and therfore such ground is not to be medled withall. Also, the goodnesse of the ground is easely perceaued by perfect tokens: for a clod sprinck­led with a litle water,Signes of the good­nesse of the ground. if in working with the hand it be clammie, and cleauing, and sticketh to the fyngers like Pitche, when it is handled as the Poete sayth, and breaketh not in falling to the grounde, this sheweth a naturall fatnesse and richenesse to be in it: besides, you may knowe the mould that is good for Corne, yf it beare Bulrusshes, Thistels, Threeleaued grasse, Danewoort, Brambles, Blackthorne, and such like, as neuer growe but in good grounde: as on the other syde, lothsome and illfauoured weedes, declare a leane and a bitter ground: Ferne, and withe­red plantes, a colde grounde: sadde, and heauy coloured, a moyst and a wette ground: a raddell and a stony ground, is discerned by the eye, a stiffe and tough clay, by the labour and toyle of the Ox­en. A good token is it also of good ground, where the Crowes and the Pyes folowe in great number the Plowe, scraping in the steppes of the Plowman. The goodnesse is likewyse knowen, yf at the Sunne setting, after a Raynebowe, and in a shewre of rayne folowyng a great drouthe, it yeeldeth a pleasaunt sauour: also in taste it wyl appeare, yf tasting a clodde that hath been wa­tred in an earthen vessell, you finde it sweete, it is a signe of riche grounde, yf bitter, a great token of barren grounde, yf it be sal­tishe, it is to be shunned, and not to be vsed vppon the dounghill. You must remember also, that ground wyll some times change, and of fruitefull become barren,Grounde vvyl change. whiche hath been seene, as Plinie reporteth, in the olde time in Thessali, and in our time, in sundry places of our Countrey. Beside, one kind of ground, though it be neuer so fertill, wyll not beare all thinges, as the Poete wysely note [...]h,The disposi­tion of the heauens to be obseru [...]d. Ne serues one ground for euery Croppe. Moreouer, the dispo­sition of the Heauens is a great matter, all Countreys haue not the weather and ayre alike: wherfore it is the part of a good husband to knowe the nature and propertie of his ground, and to [Page] marke the disposition of it for euery part of the yeere: he must al­so consider what Croppe is best for euery layer. Some ground serueth for Corne, some for Uines, some for Oliues, some for Meddowe, some for Pasture, neither may all thinges well be sowen in riche grounde, nor nothing in barren ground. Suche thinges as neede not muche moysture, are best sowed in lyght ground, as the great Elauer, Sperie, Chich, and the other pulses that are pulled and not cut. Those that require more sustenaunce, are sowen in richer ground, as Potte hearbes, Wheate, Rye, Barley, Linseede. Some of them doo good to the grounde the yeere folowyng, as Lupines that are vsed to be sowen for the be [...] ­tering of the grounde. There is difference also to be put betwixt fruites for pleasure, and such as be for profite: as fruite trees and flowres, and suche thinges as yeeld both pleasure and sustenanc [...], and are also profitable to the grounde. You must choose for Wyllowes, Osyres, and Reedes, a wette and a marrish ground: and contrary where you wyll haue Come & Pulse, that delightes in drye ground, Sperage & such like, must be sowen in shaddowy places, and other ground for Quicksets, Tymber, Mast, & Few­el: yea such ground as is very grauely and barren, hath his vse, where you may plant Birche & suche like, and waterie groundes where you may set Alders, Broome, and Bullrusshes.

Surely the temperature of the ayre, dooth very muche in the fruitefulnesse of the grounde, for I haue oftentimes mar­ked, that one kinde of ground is more fruiteful in one Countrey, then in an other.

In Venefri, the Grauell grounde beares Oliues best, where as about Granado, they require the richest ground that may be. When in other places the Uine dooth not prosper very well in stonie groundes, about the Rhine the very ragged rockes doo yeelde as fruitefull Uines as may be seene. Plinie dooth wit­nesse, that in some places the Uines do grow euen in the Fennes and Marshes, suche a secrete force is there in Nature. About Ch [...]l [...]ia, an Ilande about the Rodes, it is saide there is a peece of ground so fruitefull, that they mowe their Barley being sowen in his season, and their Croppe, sowe it agayne, and geather it with their other grayne. The Albanoyses receaue the friuite of theyr [Page 19] lande [...] vntylled and vnsowen, and beyng once sowen, it yeeldeth his Croppe three yeeres togeather. Homer cal­leth Phrigea [...], and Argos [...]. Herodotus wryteth, that Babylon is so fruitefull, as the grounde yeeldeth encrease two hundred and three hundred folde. Plinie affyrmeth, the en­crease in his time to be fiftie, and to good husbandes an hundred folde. About Monte Gibello, it is reported by credible persons, to be an hundred folde. Italy is so fruitefull,Italy, the garden of the vvorlde. that Varro calleth it the Garden of the worlde, because it is so fertill and well planted in euery place: Campania, being full of Corne: Apulia, plenteous with Wine: and Venafri, aboundyng with oyle.

I haue heard say, that Germanie and Fraunce haue not been in times past very fertyll, and that they haue been altogea­ther without Uines, and nowe we see no Countrey more fruite­full, that yeeldeth greater aboundance of all thinges. Where can you finde better wines, then about Bauaer and the Rhine? I speake not of their great store of Grayne,The fruite­fulnesse of Germanie. Mines of Golde, Sil­uer, Iron, and Leade. In the Countrey of Thuryn in Germanie, it is sayde, that after Wheate once sowen, the ground wyll yeelde Rye of it selfe two yeeres togeather.

Yea, and in our Countrey here, we haue ground that wyll beare Wheate euery yeere. Rape seede being once sowen with vs, dooth often yeeld his Crop two yeeres togeather, with­out sowyng or labouring.

Under the Northren Pole it is reported the grounde is so fertyll, as they sowe in the Mornyng, and reape at Noone. In Barbarye, The fruite­fulnesse of Barbary. where the ground is lowe, they plant vnder the Date tree the Oliue, vnder the Oliue the Figge tree, vnder the Figge the Pomegranate, vnder it the Uine, vnder the Uine they sowe Wheate, and vnder Wheate Pulse, all prospering one vnder the others shadowe, and yeelding their fruite the same yeere.

That made me to say, that the grounde folowes the disposition of the Heauens.

But syth in all places the ground is not of lyke good­nesse, what yf we chaunce vppon a leane and a barren ground, as Heathy, Brushy, & Grauelly ground? may these be made fruite­full, and mended by arte?

Uery well, there is no Countrey that the most gra­tious Lorde hath left without sufficient yeelde, yf labour and tra­uayle bee not refused.

That skill I would gladly vnderstand.

It is brought to passe diuers wayes, principally by dounging and diligent labour:Of doung­ing of groūd and to this end serue those heapes of doung that I lately shewed you.

I pray you let me knowe what doung dooth most en­riche the ground.

Varro, and Columella his folower, appoynt three sortes of dounges:The sortes of doung. the fyrst of Poultrie, the next of Men, the thirde of Cattell. Of the fyrst sort, the best is that whiche is had out of Douehouses, the next is of Pulleyne, and al other foule, except Geese and Duckes, which is hurtfull. The people in the old age had such store of Poultrie and Foule, as the doung of them suf­fised for the manuring of theyr ground. The next to this, is man [...] ordure, if it be mixed with other rubbishe of the house: for of it selfe it is to hot,Vryne and bur [...]es the grounde. Mans vrine beyng sixe monethes kept, and powred vppon the rootes of Apple trees and Uines, bringeth great fru [...]tefulnesse to the trees, and geueth a pleasant taste to the fruite. In the thirde place is the doung of Cattell, whereof the best is the doung of Asses, because this beast dooth chawe with most leysure, whereby his meate being wel di­gested, is made the profitabler doung. Next to this, is the doung of Sheepe, next of Goates, then of Oxen, and Horses: the woorst of all of Swyne, very hurtfull to Corne, but vsed in some places for Gardens, for lacke of other doung, but is a great breeder of noysome weedes: yet Plinie seemeth to allowe it, as the fylth of a filthy creature. The doung of Horses likewyse, where the Hor­ses are fedde with Barley, dooth breede great store of weedes. The Lupine before he beare his Codde, is most commended, be­ing turned vp with the Plowe or Mattocke, and layd in bundels about the rootes of Trees or Uines. Where they haue no store of Cattel, they vse to mend their ground with Straw and Ferne, and with the stalkes of Lupines, and the branches layde togea­ther in some Ditch: herevnto you may cast Asshes, the fylth of Synckes and Priuies, and strawe, with dust and other thinges [Page 20] raked togeather: but in the middest, you must lay some sounde matter against the breeding of Adders and Snakes: also Hum­lockes, Walwoort, and the weedes growyng about Wyllowe trees and Ferne, with other such rotten weedes you may gea­ther and lay vnder your Sheepe. They that dwell in Grauelie and Heathie groundes, doo take the Turues of the Earth and the Heath, & laying them in heapes powdred with a litle doung, suffer them to lye & rotte, and after lay it vpon barren ground, but specially where they keepe great store of Sheepe, they cast into their Foldes suche Turues pared from the grounde. Columella countes them but euyll hu [...]bandes, that haue of euery one of the lesser kind of cattell lesse then a cart lode of doung in 300. dayes, and of eache of the greater sort tenne loade, beside the fylth and durt of the yarde. This is also to be noted, that the doung that hath lyen a yeere is best for Corne,Olde doung best for Corne, and nevve doung for Med­dovve. for it hath is of sufficient strength, and breedeth lesse weedes: but vppon Meddowe and Pasture, you must lay the newest, because it bringes most grasse, and this must be doone in Februarie, the Moone encreasing, for this is the best time to cause encrease of grasse. In the manuring of your ground, looke that you lay most doung vpon the toppe of the Hill, for the rayne wyll beare it to the lower partes fast ye­nough. He that mindes to haue his grounde beare Corne, yf he meane to sowe in the ende of Sommer, must turne in his doung in September: yf in the spring, he may lay it on at any time all the Winter.The obser­uing of the VVinde and the Moone, in mending of the groūd What time so euer it be doone, you must looke that the winde be Westerly, and the Moone in the wane. This obser­uation helpeth greatly to the bettering of the grounde. Besyde, you must not forget to let the doung be drye before it be layd vp­pon the ground. For though Columella doo bidde the contrary, our owne experience wylles vs not to folowe him: for doung whyle it is moyst,VVet doung hurtes the feelde. dooth more harme to the ground then good, as dayly experience teacheth. Nowe as your lande wyll waxe colde, yf it be not dounged, so wil it be dryed or burnt, if it be manured yeere­ly, or to much. The watrie ground requireth more store of doung, and the drye ground the lesse.

I remember I haue yer this seene Earth taken out of the Feeldes neere adioyning, and layde vppon the lande, I [Page] therefore gesse, the earth may be mended with earth.

The Germanes, besydes sundry other sortes of en­riching of their groundes, doo in steade of doung, cast vppon it a kinde of pith and fatnesse of the earth: (Plinie countes it to be fyrst deuised in Englande and Fraunce) called Marga, Marle, a fat kinde of earth vsed commonly at this day in diuers partes of Sussex and [...]en [...], for the enriching of lande. as it were the fatte of the Earth: but I rather thinke it to be the inuention of the Germanes, with whom yet both the name and the vse is re­tayned: it is gotten in deepe pittes, but not alike in all soyles. That part of Fraunce that lyes vpon the Maase, dooth shewe a sandy kinde of Marle, differing from the fatte Marle of Ger­manie, but of the same qualitie: whiche caried vppon the Sea in vessels, is sold as a great marchandize. In some places the skow­ring of Pondes and Ditches is vsed, to the great enriching of the grounde, in the mountaynie and barren groundes. In some Countreys they make their land very fruitefull with laying on of Chalke,Chalke vsed for mending of ground. as Plinie testifyeth of the Burgundians, and the Gas­koynes. And in Germanie in our dayes, this maner of mendyng of ground is common. But long vse of it, in the ende bringes the grounde to be starke nought, whereby the common people haue a speache, that ground enriched with Chalke, makes a riche fa­ther, and a beggerly sonne. A litle lower, not farre from the Maase, in the Countrey of Lyege, they mende their lande with a kinde of s [...]ate stone, which cast vpon the ground dooth moulder a­way, and makes the grounde fatter.Dounging vvith asshes. In Lombardie they lyke so well the vse of asshes, as they esteeme it farre aboue any doung, thinking doung not meete to be vsed for the vnholsomenesse ther­of. Columella wryteth, that his Uncle was woont to mende sandy and grauely groundes with Chalke, and chalkie & hard grounds with grauell and sande, whereby he had alwayes goodly Corne. So doo I thinke, that Riuer lande by ouerflowynges, and fast ground with mudde mingled with sande and grauell, wyll be made muche better.

You haue t [...]ught me sundry wayes of mendyng of ground, I would gladly nowe learne the ryght way of plowyng and sowyng.

The m [...]ner of plovving.In plowyng and orderly preparing grounde for seede, consistes the cheefest poynt of husbandry. Cato affyrmeth [Page 21] the fyrst point of husbandry, to be to prepare the grounde well, the seconde, to plowe it well, and the thirde, to doung it well. Of plowing and turnyng vp the grounde, the fashion is diuers, ac­cordyng to the nature of euery soyle & countrey. All great feeldes are tylled with the Plowe and the Share, the lesser with the Spade. The Plowes are of sundry fashions, accordyng to the diuersitie of Countreys, some single, some double, some with wheeles, some without. The partes of the Plowe,The partes of the plow. are the Tayle, the Shelfe, the Beame, the Foote, the Coulter, the Share, the Wheeles, and the Staffe. The Share, is that which fyrst cuttes the way for the Coulter, that afterwards turnes vp the Forowe. Where the ground is light, they vse only a small Share. In Liff­lande they haue for their Plowe nothing but a Forke. In Syria, where they can not goe very deepe, they vse (as Theophrastus writes) very little Plowes. Plinie wryteth, that wheeles for Plowes were deuised by the Frenchemen, and called Plugrat, a Germaine name, which corruptly is printed Planarati. In diuers places where the grounde is stiffe, they haue a litle wyng on the ryght syde of the Coulter, whiche wyng is to be remooued to whiche syde you list: with the Rodde or Staffe well poynted, the plowman maketh cleane his Coulter. When you woorke, your Oxen must be yoked euen togeather, that they may drawe more handsomely with heads at libertie, and lesse hurt to their neckes. This kinde of yoking is better liked of many, then to be yoked by the hornes:This dravv­ing vvith the head, is vsed in the vpper partes of Fraunce and Spayne. for the Cattell shalbe able to drawe better with the necke and the brest, then they shall with their heades: and this way they put to the force of their whole bodyes, whereas the other way (being restrayned by the yoke on their heads) they are so greeued, as they scarsely race the vpper part of the earth. Where Horses may be vsed, their vse is more commodious for the Plowe, and the fewer of them the better: for many Horses drawe too hastyly, and make too large Furrowes, which is not good: whereby we see the grounde to be excellently well plowed in Gelderland,The like is vsed vvith vs in Norfolke, and I incon­shy [...]d. and about Coleyne, where they plowe alwayes with two Horses, going very softly. In Fraunce and other pla­ces, where they plowe with Oxen, they make theyr Furrowes rather deepe then brode. Where the ground is stiffe, the Coulter [Page] must be the greater and the stronger, that it may goe the deeper: for yf the crust of the earth be turned vp very brode, it remayneth still hole, whereby neither the weedes are killed, nor the ground can be well harrowed. The Furrowe ought not to exceede one hundred and twentie foote in length, for yf it doo, as Columella sayth, it is hurtfull to the beastes, because they are to muche wee­ried withall: but this rule, where the feeldes are large, is not in many places regarded, as in the Countrey of Gulicke, where the feeldes are great, their Furrowes are drawen very long. You must not plowe in wette weather, nor wette ground, nor when after a long drouthe a little rayne falling, hath but wette the vt­ter part, and not gone deepe. If it be too wette when it is plow­ed, it dooth no good that yeere. You must therefore haue a regard to the temperature of your season, that it be neither to drye, nor to wette: for, too muche moysture maketh it to durtie, and too great drynesse maketh that it wyll neuer woorke well: for eyther the hardnesse of the Earth resisteth the Plowe, or yf it doo enter, it breakes it not small yenough, but turneth vp great flakes, hurtful to the next plowing. For though the land be as riche as may be, yet yf you goe any deapth,Dead mould you shall haue it barren, which is tur­ned vp in these great cloddes, whereby it happeneth that the bad moulde, mixed with the good, yeeldeth the woorser Croppe. Where you haue plowed in a drye season, it is good to haue some moysture in your second stirring, whiche moistning the grounde, shall make your labour the lighter. Where the grounde is riche, and hath long borne water, it is to be stirred againe when the weather waxeth warme, and when the weedes are full growen, and haue their seedes in their toppe, whiche being plowed so thicke, as you can scarse see where the Coulter hath gone, vtterly killeth and destroyeth the weedes: besides, through many stir­ringes, your Fallowe is brought to so fine a moulde, as it shall neede very little or no harrowing at all when you sowe it: for the old Roman [...]s, as Columella wytnesseth, would [...]ay that the ground was yll husbanded, that after sowing had neede of the Harrowe. Moreouer, the good husband must trie whether it be wel plowed or no, and not onely trust your eyes, which (the Balkes being co­uered with mould) may easely be deceyued, but trie it with your [Page 22] hand (which is a certainer proofe) by thrusting downe a rodde in­to the Furrowe, which yf it pearce a like in euery place, it shew­eth that the ground is wel plowed.Tryall of good plovv­ing. If it be shallowe in one place, and deepe in an other, it declares the grounde to be euill handled in the plowing. If you are to plowe vpon a Hill, you must plowe ouerthwart,The plovv­ing of a hill and not vp and downe: for therby the inconuenience of the steepenesse is met with, and the labour of both Man and Cattell is lightened: but herein you must beware, that you plow not alwayes one way, but sometime higher, sometime lower, woorking a slope, as you shall see cause. Touching the season of your plowing,The best time of plovving. it must be cheefely in the spring, as the Poete well teacheth. VVhen as the pleasaunt spryng. &c. For in Sommer the ground is to hard and churlishe, and in Winter to fowle and dur­tie: but in the Spring the ground being mellowe, is easely to be wrought, and the weedes are then best turned in, whiche both doo good for the enriching of the grounde, & plucked vp by the rootes before they haue seeded, wyll neuer spring agayne. And therefore with vs, we vse to begin to plowe about the middest of Marche: but in sandy and light grounde, they vse to plowe in the middest of Winter, yf the season wyll suffer, Plinie is of opinion, that stiffe ground also should then be stirred. A slendar and leuell ground, subiect to the water, would be fyrst plowed in the ende of August, and stirred againe in September, and prepared for sowyng a­bout the twelfth of Marche. The light hilly ground, is not to be broken vp in Sommer, but about the Ralendes of September: for yf it be broken vp afore, being barren and without iuyce, it is burnt vp with the Sunne, and hath no goodnesse remayning in it. Wette ground, some would haue broken vp after the Ides of April, whiche being plowed at that time, shoulde be stirred a­gayne about the tenth of Iune, and after againe, about the Ra­lendes of September, according to Columellaes minde. But those that are skilfull in husbandry agree, that after the tenth of Iune, without great store of rayne, you shall not plowe: for yf the yeere be wette, there is nothing to the contrary but you may plowe in Iuly. In the meane time, beware that you deale not with ground ouerwette, as I gaue you warnyng before.

May I plowe in the night, yf I lyst?

Plowyng in the nyght.Yea very well, in Sommer time and in hotte Coun­treys you may begin in the Euening, and continue til the Sunne ryse, that the moisture and fatnesse of the grounde, may remayne shadowed vnder the Clodde: and that the Cattell through ouer­much heate of the Sunne, be not diseased nor hurt. Howe oft you shall plowe the ground that you meane to sowe, partly the nature of the soyle, and partly y^e condition of the seede wyl teache you, as when we come to it, I wyl tel you: for it is not needeful to stirre a grauelly and a light ground, so often as the stiffe ground: yet we finde that land, the oftner it is stirred, the better it beares. So that for some seede, you must not only twyfallowe & threefallowe your ground, but also fourefallow it, as they vse in the fruitefullest pla­ces of Italy and Germanie. In Misnia and Austria, they plowe but twyse. Stiffe ground, as they commonly doo in Italy, is best to be sowed vpon the fifth stirring, in Tuscan, vpon the nienth. Thus hath euery Countrey both in this, and other matters, his fashion, according to the nature of the grounde.

But may I not sowe one peece of grounde euery yeere without resting?

There are some groundes you may sowe yeerely, as in Italy and Austria, and likewyse in some partes here about the Riuer, that are fruiteful eyther by nature, or by ouerflowyng. In other places you must obserue the olde saying of the husbande, Take not too muche of your grounde. Virgil would haue grounde rest euery other yeere: which, if you haue store of ground, out of al doubt is best. Hereof had the ground, that is sowed euery yeere, his name in the olde tyme: but commonly euen the best grounde requireth rest the third, the fourth, or (at y^e farthest) the fifth yeere. Varro wryteth, that in Olynthia the lande beareth euery yeere, and euery thirde yeere most plentifully. But yf you wyll doo well, you must let it lye euery other yeere, according to the nature of the soyle, or els sowe it with lighter seede, that soketh out lesse the substance of the ground, as Lupines and others, that we wyl shortly entreate of. It is also muche to be considered, whether the ground that you plowe be laye ground yeerely sowen, or fallowe. If you breake vp newe ground, yf it be riche, heauie, and prepa­red for seede, it suffiseth to plowe it once, and to sowe it immedi­atly, [Page 23] and harrowe it. If it be ligh [...] and grauelly ground, you mu [...] thryfallowe it, specially at the first breaking vp.

Here you speake of diuers tearmes belonging to this trade,Diuers La­tine vvoords belong to husbandry, interpreted. I pray you make me to vnderstand them, before you pro­ceede any farther.

This arte (as likewyse al other) hath certaine woordes peculiar and belonging to it selfe: and because sundry men of good learning haue herein been deceiued, least my matter shoulde be marred with darke and strange tearmes, I wyl declare the woordes as plaine as I can, digressing a whyle from my farther [...]peache.

I beseeche you hartely.

We take Agrum, a Feelde in out speache, not for a iu­risdiction, a Diocesse,Agri Vo [...]a. or a Shire, as the olde Lawiers take it: but with Iabolenus and Florentinus, we count it a parcell of grounde, eyther earable or pasture. Ager, Aruus, or Aruum, we call earable grounde that is to be plowed and sowen. Varro would rather haue it called Aratum and not Satum. The Feelde that is called Restibilis, is that which is renewed & euery yeere sowen, called of the Greke [...] because his fruietfulnesse continueth to the next yeere [...] & yeeldeth his Crop euery yeere. Ager Noualis, is called of Varro, the grounde that hath been sowed & fallowed: of Plinie counted to be sowen euery other yeere: with the Lawiers it is counted ground newe plowed, that hath lyen a yeere: we, according to the vulgar speache (for we must speake with the most, & iudge with the few­est) doo call Nouale Agrum, that which is new broken vp, and hath not before been plowed, whereof commeth Noualium Decimae, the cythes of new broken vp land, yet I know there are some learned that count it that; which after his Crop lyes lay. Veruactum is of Varro taken for y^e grounde, that in the Spring time is turned vp, and hath been for a whyle spared. Oftentimes is this also called Nouale, both the feelde that hath lyen a yeere, and that whiche is broken vp the first Spring: for thus faith Varro, There is great difference whe [...]her you sowe in vntilled ground, or in that whiche is yeerely sowen, and is called Restibilis, or in that whiche hath ly­en a while, and is broken vp in the Spring. Moreouer, both Co­ [...]imella, and Plinie, doo vse not seeldome Veruact [...] for ground newe [Page] broken vp in the Spring, taking their reason of the time, wherby [...], may be interpreted by the name of Veruactum, or Nouale. The Feelde is saide to be plowed, to be stir­red with the Plowe when it is turned vp: [...] as Hesiodus saith, [...], it is broken vp when it is first plowed lying in great Cloddes: the seconde plowing is called Offringere Agrum, or Iterare, to plowe againe, [...] Terti­are to thry allowe it [...] Ageriteratus, and tertiatus, be vsuall woordes with Columella and Plinie, Nouare, is to chaunge the grounde w [...]ll husbanded before, and to plowe it and prepare it for the sowing season. Occare, to harrowe it, as Varro sayth, is so to breake it, as there remaine no Clodde. The Harrowe, is an instrument crosse lettused, to breake the Cloddes withall, and to couer the seedes. Cr [...]tire, is likewyse vsed in the same signification. A [...]rare, is when that which is sowen and come to some grouth, is turned in with the Plowe Plinie calleth Ararare, as it were Aratrare, to plow often that which is sowen. Sarrire, is to purge with the Rake. Runcare, is to weede out of the grounde noisome weedes, for whiche is also vsed Auerruncare and deruncare, and of Columellá, Exherbare [...] Pas [...]nare, and Rep [...]stinare, is to digge about the Uines. Pastinum, is a forked instrument vsed in planting of Uines. Lirare, and Occare, are al­most one, where we plowe, so as we leaue betwixt two Fur­rowes a Ridge, for the drie keeping of the graine like a Garden bedde. And hereof is that space called Lira a Ridge, whiche the husbandmen call [...]orcas, because the place being raysed hye, de­fendeth the Corne from the water, & Lira Hortensis, a bed in a Gar­den. Scamm [...]n, a Balke, is the grosse earth that hath scaped the Plow [...]. Plinie wylleth, that there be no Balkes made, nor great Cloddes remayning, meaning the great Turffe that is turned vp at the fyrst plowing. Scamnatus Ager, is called of Vibius Vrbicus, that lande which runneth all in length from West to East, whiche yf it be more of length then breadth, and lyeth vpon the North, is called Strigatus The land it selfe is also called grosse and rawe, that is not well mellowed, whiche hath neede to be seasoned with the heate of the Sommer, and the colde of Winter, and to be plowed in the Spring. It is also called riche, fruitefull, fertyll: and that which is nought and yeeldes not his fruite, is called leane, barren, [Page 24] hungry, or brynishe, [...]. Also salt, bitter: sennishe, where the water still continues: wette, that some time lyes drye: Car­bunckled, that is burnt with the sonne, rotten and mossie. It is al­so called pleasaunt ground, sweete, blacke, rotten, and mellowed, which are the signes of good ground: but hereof I thinke I haue nowe spoken sufficiently.

That you may continue your speache, I pray you goe to your former matter agayne.

When you haue broken vp your ground, yf it be No­ualis as I sayde, and not tylled before, you may sowe it presently, and harrowe it, and yf neede be, rake it. The ground that is yeere­ly sowen, & that hath lyne spare, is to be plowed thryse, according to the nature of the soyle, and the seede that you meane to sowe.

Nowe you haue tolde me howe to order my lande for seede, I pray you let me vnderstande the sortes of seede, and in what sort they must be sowed.

That must I doo. The seede that commeth of that whiche the Latines call Fruges, Of seede, & their diuersi­tie. as Pulse and Corne, we here doo call Fruges, all sortes of haruest grayne, which the Germanes call [...] and [...], because they are geathered in their beautie and their ripenesse. Iulian the Lawyer, calleth Fruges all thinges wherewith a man is fedde. The auncient writers doo vnderstand it more largely, for all the fruites of the earth. Plinie deuides it in­to two kindes, into Corne that growes on Eare, as Gallus the Lawyer defines it: the other that beareth Coddes, as all kinde of Pulse, or pedware. Of the first kinde, is Wheate, Rye, Bar­ley, Bigge, Otes, Beechewheate, or Bucke, or if you wyll in Greeke [...], Ryse, & Lenten Wheate, though all kindes growe not in all places, nor haue in euery place all one name. In some places you haue not Lenten Wheate, cheefely where there is plentie of Bigge. In other places they vse neither Otes nor Bucke. Of the kindes of Pulse are these [...] Beanes, Peason, Lentiles, Chiches, Tares, Lintels, Lupines, and suche lyke. And though there be sundry sortes of seede, and euery Countr [...]y hath his kinde,Olde seede not to be sovven. and sowes such as best agrees with their nature: yet generally this is to be regarded, that you sowe none that are olde and dryed, but the newest: for olde seede dooth oftentymes [Page] as they wryte, change their nature: as the seede of Colwoortes, that being sowen, turneth to Rapes, and Rape seede likewyse in­to Colwoortes. The seede of the fyrst yeere is best, of two yeere olde woorse, and of three, woorst of all, the rest is barren and nought. The best seede also is that which is waightiest, and lyeth in the bottome, and such as is full, and being broken hath a good colour: such as is wrinckled, and thinne in the [...]are, is to be thro­wen away. There is also another necessarie note, to haue the seede from strange grounde, & from the woorse to the better, and not the contrary, nor from colde Countreys into hotte, nor from the forward to the slowe, and to beware that it be not bitten with Birdes, Mise, or Antes: and to prosper the better, sprinckle them before they be sowen, with the yuice of Houseleeke. If you mingle with your grayne the seede of Bearfoote, and sowe it a­bout your grounde, you shal saue it from the anoyance of Birdes. You must sowe your Ridges with an equall hande,The order of sovvyng. [...], and all alike in euery place, letting your foote (specially the right foote) & your hand go togeather: Wheate, Rye, Barly, Otes, and other, cheefely such as beare Coddes, as Milium, and Panicum, must be sowen with a ful hand, but Rape seede only with three fingers.

A man must vse his hande I perceaue, as the Harper dooth, to make it perfite.

He must in deede. And as we put more water to stronger wine then we doo to small, and laye the greater burden vpon the stronger man, and some stomacke requires the stron­ger foode, so some grounde may beare muche seede, and some away with lesse: neither can it be certaynely appoynted, howe muche seede is generally to be cast vppon an acre: though I knowe the olde wryters appoynted certayne quantitie to euery acre, whiche perhaps might serue with them: but we shoulde foulie deceaue our selues [...] yf we shoulde obserue the lyke in eue­ry place. First, because some grounde requireth more seede then other, as the grounde is of stiffenesse or lightnesse: for the stiffer ground (as in Hollande neere the Rhyne) requires muche seede [...] where lighter grounde requireth lesse. The timely sowing, the thinner: and the later, as Columella sayth, the thicker. Second­ly, their measures and acres differ, as the thing that at this day is [Page 25] not throughly agreed vpon. But nowe you shal heare what seede euery ground requireth.

That I long to heare.

After long rest, or the fyrst dounging, eyther Barley or Wheate is to be sowen: but Wheate, though it require good ground, yet yf the ground be to riche where it is sowen, it wyll growe to ranke, and lye leadge vpon the grounde. And therefore vppon suche grounde, it is best to sowe your Wheate after a crop of Barley, Pease, or Buck, and after your Wheate crop, to sowe it with Rye: and then againe (yf the grounde waxe not poore) with Barley. In very riche grounde, immediatly after the geathering of Rape seede, plowe it presently for Bucke, whereby you may haue two Croppes in one yeere. In like ma­ner the Cabegged Rape sowen after Rye, maketh two haruestes in one yeere. Pease, Beanes, Tares, and Fitches, and almost al Pulse els, requireth riche ground, which afterwards may yeere­ly serue for Wheate, Milium, and Rape. Plinie woulde not haue Rapes sowen, but in very well dunged ground: but we finde by experience, that after a croppe of Rye in meane ground, you shall haue the same yeere great Rapes. Sandy and Grauesly ground, must rest euery third yeere, for two or three yeeres, that being then well dounged, you may sowe Rye, or Buck, and after Oates. In good pasture ground newe broken vp, you may sowe Oates after the fyrst plowing, after that, Rape seede, then Bar­ley, after that Wheate, or Rye, and at last Oates, or Rye, yf the nature of the countrey be for it. When this is doone, you must eyther doung it, or let it lye laye. If the ground be mellowe, after Barley in some places they sowe Millet, then Rad [...]she, after that Barley, and Wheate, as in Campania: and such ground is suffi­ciently plowed, when it is sowen in some place where Lenten Wheate is sowen, it restes three monethes, & after is sowen with Beanes in the Spring, in no other wyse may you charge in­different ground. If after two seasons of Corne, you sowe Pulse or Pedwaxe, the barrenner ground must rest three yeeres. Some wyl in no case haue you sowe Wheate, or Barley, in ground that lyes f [...]llowe. After that ye haue thus sowen your seede in ground thryse plowed and well prepared,Harrowing. then must you straight w [...]yes [Page] harrowe it, which is doone with a lettused instrument full of teeth drawen vpon the ground, whereby the Cloddes are broken, and the seede couered: in some places it is doone with a boorde tyed to the Plowe,Rakyng. whiche they call in Latine Lirare. Sometime Ra­kyng is needefull, whiche in the Spring, looseth the earth made clunged with the cold of Winter, & letteth in the freshe warmth. It is best to rake Wheate, Barley, and Beanes, twyse. More­ouer, they breake a sunder with the Rouler the greater and stif­fer Clods.Rovvlyng. Weeding is when the Corne is knotted, the nough­tie weedes being plucked vp, deliuereth the rootes of the Corne, and seuereth it. To speake of the season of Sowyng,The tyme for sovvyng. it is agreed vpon of all men, that there ought to be no sowing in Winter, for the Winter Corne when it is sowed before Winter, appeareth aboue the ground somtimes within a seuen night after, which yf it be sowed after Winter is begunne, it scarsely appeareth in fourtie dayes after. Some very fondly thinke it better to sowe in the Spring, then in Autumne. Plinie wryteth, that in Treuers the Haruest being in, they haue sowed in the coldest of Winter, and rakyng their grounde in the spring, haue had an excellent good Croppe after. Amongst our haruest sedes, there are some harder y^t are able to abide the Winter, which are sowen in hotte Coun­treys, as Virgil sayth, about the setting of the seuen starres, which Columella vnderstandeth to be about one and thirtie dayes after the Autumne Aequinoctial, that is, the nienth Kalendes of Nouem­ber, and in Fraunce and Germanse in September, and the be­ginning of October, as Rape seede, Wheate, Rye, Winter Barley, that are nourished in the blade all Winter, and grow vp towardes earing in the Spring. Some there be that wyll you to sowe before, only in drye ground and hotte Countreys. Some agayne woulde haue you sowe in colde Countreys after the Au­tumne Aequinoctial, in hotte Countreys later, least they shoulde flo­rishe before the Winter, and be destroyed of woormes, or blasted. Some on the other side make haste,Late sovve­ing alvvayes [...]ayleth. saying, That soone sowing sometimes deceaues, but late sowing, euer. It is good reason to sowe timely in wette groundes, that the seede rotte not with ouer muche moysture, and later in drye groundes, least lying long and not sprowting, it come to nought. Also, in timely sowyng, to [...]owe [Page 26] thicker, because it is slowe in rooting, and in later sowyng, thin­ner, least with the thicknesse it be choked. Sommer seedes, whiche are sowed before the risyng of the seuen starres,Sommer grayne. and in the Spring, as Beanes, Pease, and suche, Pulse, Millet, Panicum, Sesamum, Sommer Barley, Flaxe, Hempe, Oates, Buck, Sporia, and suche other, are sowed in the Spring time. In Asia and Grece they sowe all as they say, at the setting of the seuen starres. Now, although there be certaine precepts of the tyme of sowing, and howe muche seede is meete for euery quantitie of grounde: surely, they might as I haue saide before, for theyr owne Countrey and nature of their ground, geue a kind of gesse: but to determine any thing herein certainely, there is no man that can doo it, but the ground and euery mans owne practise is herein the best maister.A generall rule. One auncient generall rule of husbandry there is, wherein we are warned in cold Countreys to sowe late, in temperate Countreyes sooner, and in hot regions soonest of al. Eratosthenes sayth, that India is subiect to muche raynes in Som­mer, and that then they sowe Flaxe, Sesamum, Ryse, and Mil­let: and in Winter, Wheate, Barley, Pedware, and other fruites that we haue not. Hesiodus, the Prince in his time of hus­bandry, wyls vs to sowe accordyng to the custome of Grece, his naturall countrey. Virgil, Cato, Varro, Columella, and Plinie, appoint their rules for Italy, whose mindes yf you wyll haue folowed in all other places, you shall but seeke to couer euery pot with one couer. But to come to the matter, sythe the seedes of sundry na­tures, require sundry times of sowyng, and diuers sortes of orde­ring, and that herein euery Countrey hath his guise, I wyll here (obseruing suche customes as are most generall to them all) seuerally shewe you of euery seede by him selfe, and so declare vn­to you the order of their sowyng. And fyrst, amongest all the fruites and grayne that the Earth dooth yeeld for our sustenance,VVheate. the cheefest place is rightly geuen vnto Wheate, called in Greke [...], in Italian Grano, in Spanishe Trigo, in Dutch VVeyss, in Frenche Fourment, as a grayne most needefull for man, and there­fore most fruitefull, because God hath ordayned it to nourishe man withall. It is woonderfull what yeeld it hath been of in some Countreys. Augustus his deputie sent hym from Bisaice in A­frica, [Page] of one grayne of Wheate foure hundred branches. And Plinie witnesseth, that in the same place, one bushel hath yeelded a hundred and fyftie bushels.

There are that holde opinion, that this which the com­mon people call Wheate, the Germanes VVeyss, and the Hollan­ders Terue, is not the true Wheate, but a kinde of Rye, and that the true Wheate whiche the Italians call Grano, groweth onely in Italy and in Spayne.

That whiche growes in Italy and Cicil at this day, differeth not from ours in fashion, colour, nor flowre, though the grayne there be somewhat great, and the flowre more clammey, whiche maketh it that it can not be long kept, specially about Rome. And whereas our Wheate is eyther bearded or pollarde, theirs is altogeather pold: we call it pold or pollard, that hath no Aanes vpon the eares. And that we call y^e Aane, which grow­eth out of the eare like a long pricke or a darte, whereby the eare is defended from the daunger of Birdes. With Virgil the Aane is vsed for the Corne, as the parke for y^e Wheate. Gluma is the husks of the Corne whose top is the Aane. F [...]it is the small grayne lesser then the corne that growes in the top of the ripe eare. To returne to the Wheate, I graunt there are some that doubt of this Wheate of ours, suche hath been the iniurie of the tyme (as all thinges almost forgotten) we scarsely knowe howe to name the foode that we dayl [...] feede of. For my part, I wyl followe com­mon vse as a maistresse in speache. The olde writers haue writ­ten of sundry sortes of Wheate, whereof they haue thought that most needefull to be sowen, whiche they called Robus, as the fay­rest and wayghtiest. The second called Siligo, they vsed in their fy­nest Cheate. The thirde, they called Trimestre, because it woulde be ripe in three monethes after the sowing. Though Columella a­lowe no suche kinde, yet was it most auncient with the Grekes, and called Trim [...]non, growyng onely in the colde countreys. In Th [...]cia they haue a kinde that is ripe in two monethes, and is co­uered with a number of huskes, against the extreme colde of the Countrey. In our Countreys also we haue Wheate and Rye, that we sowe with our Sommer grayne, as we likewyse doo Rape seede, but to no great commodititie: for the Winter seedes [Page 27] too farre exceede them, and being nourished in the earth al Win­ter, they prooue, as Theophrastus sayth, of more substance and pro­fyte. Amongest all these sortes Plinie recounteth the Wheate of Italy to be the best, both for beautie and weyght. We vse with vs only two sortes, differing in this, that the one hath smoothe eares without any beardes, the other with long beardes or Aanes, very ruffe and sharpe, not much vnlike to Winter Bailey: in al other properties they are both alike. It is sowen in September, the season being fayre,The tyme for VVheate sovvyng. the grounde thryse plowed and well raked or harrowed, although you may sowe it very well after once plow­ing vpon grounde where Pease, Tares, or Buck hath been new­ly had of, in a good soyle. Plinie and Columella woulde haue you sowe of Wheate and Rye, fyue busshels vpon an acre: but as I haue saide before, this mea [...]ure is to be measured by reason. We at this day sowe not so much Wheate vpon an acre as Rye, nor so much Rye as Barley. It is best, yf the Winter be like to be colde, to sowe the sooner: yf warme, the later. Wheate delighteth in a leuell, riche, warme, and a drye ground: a shaddowy, weedy, and a hilly ground, it loueth not, though Plinie say the hil yeeldeth harder Wheate, but no great store. After it is sowen, it putteth out a great company of small rootes, and appeareth at the fyrst wy or blade: it hath sundry stalkes, but suche as can not branche all the Winter, as other Winter Corne is, it is nourished in blade: when the Spring draweth on, it beginneth to spindle: vp­pon the thirde or fourth ioynt thereof, commeth out the eare, which fyrst appeareth enclosed in the blade, it flowreth the fourth or fyfth day after: yf it growe to rancke at the fyrst, it is eaten downe with cattel, or in some place mowed: it is after weeded, it flowres about y^e tenth of Iune, sooner or later, as the yeere falles out, euen at one time almost with y^e Uine, two noble floures with comfortable sauour flourishing at once. Varro affyrmeth, that the Wh [...]ate lyeth fyfteene dayes in the blade, flourisheth fyfteene, and ripeth fyfteene: after it hath flowred it waxeth greater, and as Theophrastus sayth, is within fourtie dayes after ful ripe, where with the latest they reape in the eyght moneth. Other say in sixe and thirtie dayes, & reaped in the nienth moneth. It neuer eares, tyll al his ioyntes or knottes he growen. There are foure iointes [Page] in Wheate, as Plinie sayth, and eyght in Barley: but in our coun­trey and our dayes, both Wheate, Rye, Barley, and Oates, haue but foure, and that not alwayes. Before the full number of the ioyntes, there is no appearing of the eare: whiche when it com­meth, beginneth to flowre within foure or fyue dayes, and so ma­ny, or little more, it fadeth. When the flowre is gone, the grayne begins to swel, and in foure or fyue dayes after to ripe. The blade of the Wheate is something like a Sedge, but narrower then the Barley: the Spindel, Stalke, or Strawe thereof, is smoo­ther and gentler, and not so brittle as of Barley. It is closed in many coates. The stalke that beareth the eare is higher then that of Barley, the eare groweth more vpryghe and farther from the blade, the chaffe is softer, sweeter, and more full of iuyce, the eare of Wheate is out of order and vneuen, as well of the Pollard as of the hearded, where as Barley hath his eare of iust number and in perfect order. In Bact [...]i [...], it is sayde a grayne of Wheate is equall in quantitie to an eare of our Wheate. In Babylon, the blades both of Wheate and Barley, as Herodotus reporteth, are foure inches brode. Wheate, as Columella wryteth, after the third sowing chaungeth to Rye, which hath been knowen in Germa­nie, as I sayde before, in many places. Of Wheate is made Amyl, the making whereof Cato and Dioscorides teacheth. After Wheate we sowe with vs Rye. There are that thinke it to be that whiche the Greekes call [...], though Homer take [...] for a kinde of foode for Horses: some others take it for a kinde of Wheate. He­rodotus sayth, Bread was made of it. Of Laurentius, it is called Far, of Gasa, Siligo. Diuers learned men call it Secale, and take it for Pli­nies farrago [...] the Frenchemen cal it Segle, the Dutchemen Rock, the Italians almost as the Latines Saegala: the grayne is something blacke, and maketh blackishe bread. But to passe ouer all contro­uersies, I folowe the Countrey speache, and take Siligo for our common Rye whiche is sowed immediatly after Wheate, about the ende of September, or in the beginning of October, in good ground: in sandy and grauelly ground, it is sowed in Februarie, and called Sommer Wheate: it requireth the best grounde, warme, and fast, and refuseth not light grounde and grauelly, so it be helped with doung: it loueth wette grounde as ill as [Page 28] Wheate, they both require to be sowen in a deepe moulde and a plaine soyle: but Rye is sowed a litle after Wheate, in the sowyng whereof, you must occupie a thirde part more then of Wheate: it prospereth lightly in any grounde, and many times with the yeeld of a hundred for one. It must be sowed after the third plowing as Wheate & harrowed much after the same sort, the stalke or steale thereof, is smaller then the Wheate stalke, tal­ler, and stronger, his care hanging downewardes, and therefore more subiect to blasting, because it receiueth and keepeth the wa­ter that falles whyle it flowreth, and suffereth the violence of mystes and frostes: the strawe thereof is gentle and flaxible, ser­uing for Uines and coueringes of houses. Nowe foloweth Bar [...]ley,Barley. accounted in the olde generations among the woorthyest sort of grayne, and not of small estimation at this day. The Italians call it Beade or Beaue, or Orze: the Spaniards Ceuada: the Dutch men Gerst: the Frenchemen Orge: the Grecians [...]: and though it be vsed in Greece and Italie, and suche warme and fruitefull Countreys for cattelles foode, as Homer also witnesseth, yet in the Northerne Countreyes it supplies the place both of Bread and Wine. There are of it two sortes Hex [...]stichon and Po­lystichum, whose eares are three, foure, & sometimes sixe square, and diuers eares springing from one grayne, euery eare contey­nyng aboue fourescore graynes, so woonderfull are the gyftes and blessinges of GOD. The other sort is called Distichon, ha­uing in the eare but two rankes or orders only. Agayne, there is one kinde of it to be sowed in Winter, an other for Sommer. The Winter Barley is of better yeeld, but it is soone hurt, spe­cially with much wette and frostes folowyng. There is nothyng more hurtfull to Winter Corne, specially Barley, Rape seede, and Rye, then the wette of Winter, nipped with often frostes, and after a warme thawe to be presently frozen agayne: both the sortes of Barley require grounde that is very riche. Winter Barley after two or three plowinges, is to be sowed in Septem­ber: Sommer Barley in March, or April, after twyse plowing: and many times, necessitie forcing, after once plowing: in the sowing, you must occupie more seede by halfe, then in sowyng of Wheate: it requires a mellowe and a fatte ground, and therfore [Page] is best sowed, where the grounde is most manured. The Winter seede flowreth in May, and is ripe in Iune at the furthest. This kinde was not woont to be sowed in these partes, but great num­bers nowe, mooued by my example, doo vse and receiue great gaynes by it. The Sommer Barley in many Countreys is ripe and redy in three monethes af [...]er the sowyng. In Aragon as Plinie wryteth, it maketh double haruestes euery yeere. The seuenth day after it is sowen, it commeth vp, and one end of the seede run­neth downe in roote, the other, that [...]ooner springeth, commeth vp in blade: the greater ende of the grayne maketh the roote, and the slenderer the flowre. In other grayne the roote and the blade spring both from one part, the blades of both kindes are ruffe. It must be geathered with more speede then other graynes, for the strawe of it is very brittell. Of Barley is made, as Dioscorides wryteth, both Beere and Ale.

I lyke your Beere you haue excellently wel, I pray you tell me in what sor [...] you make it?

I wyll not hyde my cunnyng in this matter. My Barley is fyrst steeped in a Sestorne of water a day or two, yf it be Winter seede it is harder hulled, and requireth the longer watering. The Sommer grayne is thinner, and requireth a les­ser tyme. When it is watred, I drye it vpon a floore or a keel, tyll it swel and breake, putting out as it were litle beardes or threds: yf it be layde thinne, it wyll in Sommer, specially in March, drye and breake of it selfe without any fyre. You must take good heede that in sprowting it open not to much, and loose his flowre. This being doone I grinde it, and put the meale into a Mash Fatte, wherevnto I put my licour sodden, and after let it seethe three or foure times, adding vnto it, both for holsomenesse and taste, the flowre of the Hoppe: after this, I put on Yeest, and set it a woor­kyng, and then cleanse it. The more it is cleansed, the holsomer and cleerer it is: that whiche commeth of the spurging, is kept both for brewing and baking: the drinke wyll be the better, yf you put to it a fourth part or sixth part of Wheate: the more Corne you la [...] on, the pleasaunter and better coloured wyll your Beere be. Your greatest care must be to see it well sodden, well cleanse [...], and well hopped, otherwyse Malt of it selfe wyll soone [Page 29] corrupt. Obseruing this order, your drinke shalbe both holsome and pleasant: that endureth best and longest, that is brewed in March. There is made of Barley Alica, a reasonable good meate, and Ptisan. How they must be made, you may reade in Plinie. Next to Wheate and Barley, foloweth Zea, which the common people both in Italy,Zea. Spaine, and Flaunders, call Spelta: the Frenche call it Espeltra, with Homer is greatly commended [...], the feel des that beareth the Zeam, being as Galen sayth, the meane betwixt Wheate and Barley, for he hath the qualities of eache of them, & is of two sortes, the one in stalke, ioynt, and care, like to Wheate, and carieth in euery huske two seedes, and therefore is called [...], the other hauing both stalke and eare shorter, and but one grayne in euery huske, growing in two rankes, and in the toppe resembling Barley with his sharpe Aa [...]es. In Ita­ly, specially about Mirandula and Concordia, it is vsed in prouender for Horses, it is not in these Countreys in vse. I woulde sowe it here, syth the ground wyll well serue for it, and that both bread and drinke might be made of it very well, but that it is some­thing troublesome to grinde, because of the double huskes. It de­syreth a moyst ground, riche and good, it is sowed, after the same maner that Wheate is sowed, in September or October: it flow­reth in Iune, and is ripe in Iuly, very meete for cold Countreys, because it can abide frost and stormes.

There is (as I remember) a kinde of Wheate called Far, Far. Ad [...]reum. the auncient people called it Adoreum, that groweth in many Countreys.

You say true, for with the olde sort Far was a general name to all Corne, as Wheate Far, Barley Far, and Rye Far, and when Mylles were not yet deuised, they did beate their Corne in Morters, whereof came, that the Meale was call [...]d Farina: yet af­ter, was the name of Far onely geuen to Adoreum, though Columel­la called it alwayes Far Adoreum, making foure sundry sortes of it. The Frenchemen call it Brance, the Italians Sandala, the Spani­ardes Escand [...]a, the common people of our Countrey call it Farro, the Dutche Keskome, whose grayne is very like Wheate, but that it is shorter and thicker, and where Wheate hath a clift, there hath it a risyng: it is heauier then Barley, and lighter then [Page] Wheate, it yeeldeth more Meale then any other Corne. The people of Rome as Plinie sayth, liued with this Corne at the [...]yrst three hundred yeeres, it groweth in Egypt without Aane, with a greater [...]are and a waightier, it hath in the stalke seuen ioyntes, and can not be cleansed, except it be parched. Fraunce hath two sortes therof, one of a reddishe colour, which the people cal redde Wheate, the other whiter, whiche they call white Wheate, the eare is threesquare, not vnlike to spelt. In Italy they make pot­tage of it for their labourers. Far or Adoreum, Virgil would haue sow­en before the setting of the seuen starres, after the Aequinoctiall of Autum: but in wette and colde barren groundes, it is best to sowe it about the Kalendes of October, that it may take deepe roote before the s [...]eezing and colde in Winter. It is sowed in lowe grounde, watrishe, and chalkie: after it is sowed, it must be har­rawed, raked, and weeded: the raking looseth in the Spring, the heauie sha [...]tes of Winter. In raking or harrawyng, you must take heede, as I haue said before, that you hurte not the rootes: weeding when it is knotted, seuereth the Corne from all anoyan­ces. The Frencheman sowe it in hollowe Furrowes, because it is very subiect to blasting, thinking thereby to preserue it both from blast and mildewe. To sowe it in hie ground is discommen­ded, though it prospereth t [...]e [...]e well yenough, because cattell can not away with it, for the sharpenesse and ruffenesse of the eares, and because it requireth great labour in getting of the huskes, which yf it be not cleared of, is neither good for man nor beast: the vncleane Chasfe dooth hurt with the Cough the Cattelles lunges. Amongest the Winter seedes, Rape seede dooth cha­lenge his place,Rape. whiche I take to be the seede of the Rape which Plinie maketh for his third kinde, and wylde, whose roote, lyke the Raddishe, runneth in length, the leaues being ruffe like the o­ther kindes, and the stalke busshy and full of branches: the roote of it is good for nothing, but is onely sowed for the seede, where­of they make oyle seruing for poore mens kitchins, fastes, and lightes, specially in Germanie where they want the oyle of O­liues, whereby aryseth great gaynes to the husbandman. In the hotte Countreyes where they haue other oyle yenough, this seede is of no vse but in feeding of Byrdes: it is sowed in the ende of [Page 30] August, or the beginnyng of September: howe be it, sometime it is sowen in March among the Sommer seedes, but to nothing so great a profite: it is cast into very riche grounde or wel manu­red, thryse plowed and well tylled, it must be sowed very thinne: for being a very small seede, it must not be sowed with the full hande as Wheate is, but onely with three fyngers: it flowreth in March or there abouts, as the yeere is forward, and continew­eth his flowring a long time: the flowre is yellowe and very sweete, wherein Bees doo muche delight: as soone as it hath left flowring, it is presently ripe, it groweth two cubites in height bearing a plentifull seede in little small Coddes, it rendreth for one b [...]sshell, a hundred busshels of seede. Hitherto haue I spoken of Winter seedes, nowe must I tell you of suche as are sowen to­wardes Sommer.

Wyll you speake nothing of the Rape roote which is greatly occupied of the husbandman, and not to be despised as a thing that groweth in great quantitie, & is meetely good meate bo [...]h for man and beast.

The Rape is named of the Greekes [...], in I­talian Rapo, in Spanishe Nabo, in Frenche Rauen. The ordering of which, though I tooke it to belong to the garden, wherein you are able to say more then I, yet because you require it, and that sometime the husbandmen doo plant them in their Feeldes, I wyl tell you as much as I knowe therein. There are two kindes of them, the fyrst dooth roote all in length lyke the Radishe, whiche in many places of Germanie is vsed for a dayntie meate, the other eyther groweth in great roundnesse, or els very flatte: they are nourished with mystes, frostes, and cold, three monethes togeather, and growe to an exceedyng greatnesse. Plinie wryteth, that he hath seene Rootes of them that haue weyghed fourtie pound. Some say, they haue seene of them that haue weyghed an hundred pounde. It is woonderfull, that of so litle a seede shoulde come so great a roote The Greekes make two kindes of them, the male and the female, both comming of one seede, the male when it is sowed thicke, and the female when it is sowed thinne. There are two seasons for the sowing of it, eyther in Marche, whiche wyll be ripe about the tenth of Iune, or in Iuly or Au­gust, [Page] after the first plowyng, commonly vppon the ground where Rye and Winter Barley haue been newely had of. It is thought they are the sweeter by lying in the ground all Winter, when as the encrease is not in the leafe, but in the roote. They are also sowed (as Plinie wryteth) in hot & moyst Countreys in the spring, and w [...]ll the better encrease yf they be sowed with Chaffe, who woulde also haue the sower naked, and in castyng the seede, to wyshe good lucke to hym selfe, and to his neyghbours. They are preserued from the Caterpiller, which commonly consumeth the young leaues, by mingling the seede with Soote, or steepyng them all a nyght in the iuyce of Houseleeke: Columella affyrmeth, that he hym selfe hath seene it prooued.

Nowe proceede (I pray you) with your Sommer seedes.

The Sommer seedes are almost all suche as are ripe within three monethes, or foure at the vttermost after they are sowen, and some of them sooner, yf the grounde and the weather be good.Oate [...]. Among the sommer seedes we wyl fyrst talke of grayne, and after of pulse. Of the grayne, Oates are the fyrst that are sowed, though Virgil count them barren, and Plinie counteth them rather weedes then Corne, affyrmyng that Barley when it pros­pereth not, wyll many tymes turne to Oates: yet the Frenche men and the Germanes count it (at this day) the best prouender for Horses, and foode for Cattell. Plinie also witnesseth, that the Germanes vsed to make pottage of Oates. And Dioscorides ma­keth mention of Oaten po [...]tage. [...], pottage or gruell is made of Oates, it is called of the Greekes [...], in Italian Vena, in Spanishe Auena, in Frenche Auoyne, in Dutche Hauer, whiche though it growe not commonly in Italy, yet vpon monte Fic [...]l [...]o, and in the kyngdome of Naples about Siponto it is founde. We haue amongst vs two kyndes of them, one full and weyghty, seruing in deere yeeres to make bread and drynke of, specially yf it be medled wi [...]h a little Barley, and this kind pros­pereth in riche and newe broken vp ground exceedingly. The other kinde is lyghter, whiche the common people call Gwen and Brumhauer, it is very lyght, and yeeldeth but little flowre nor foode, it groweth vpon sandy and barrayne groundes, and ser­ueth [Page 31] well for Cattell and for Horse, both the kyndes haue busshy toppes, from whence hangeth the seede in lykewyse, resemblyng the Grassehopper: the flowre of it is white, and from one grayne, there springeth diuers stalkes. With Dioscorides, Bromos is a kynd of Oates that resembleth Wheate in the stalke and the blade, and groweth like wylde Wheate. Theophrastus calleth it [...] The Oate is not daungerous in the choyse of his grounde, but groweth lyke a good fellowe in euery place [...], where no seede els wyll growe. Of the lyke disposition almost is Buck or Beeche­wheate,Buck. vnknowen to our olde fathers. It is called [...], Beechewheate or [...] Blackwheate, though [...] signifieth an other grayne. I had rather call it Beechwheate, be­cause the grayne thereof is threecorned, not vnlyke the Beeche­mast both in colour and fourme, differing onely in the smalenesse. The stalke is very great, and straked like to the greater Fearne: It hath many branches with a bushy toppe, a great sort of white flowres in a knop, lyke the flowres of Elder: it flowreth long to­geather, and after appeareth the grayne, fyrst white and gree­nishe, in shape threecornerd: after they be ripe the colour chaun­geth to blacke or brownishe like a Chestnutte. This grayne hath not long since ben brought from Russia & the Northerne partes into Germanie: nowe is it become common, and vsed for fatting of Hogges, and serueth the common people in deare seasons to make bread & dr [...]nke withal, it may be sowed in any ground how [...]adde so euer it be: howebeit, it dooth best in good grounde, and is sowen in April and May, and in Iune, after the reaping of Rape seede. You must sowe lesse of it vppon an acre by a fourth part then of Wheate or Rye: it is much vsed to be sowed vpon the ground where Rapes growe, wherby the ground dooth yeeld a double Croppe in one yeere. When it is sowen, it commeth vn, yf it be moyst weather, within foure or fiue dayes after, hauyng two leaues at [...] fyrst appearing, not much vnlike to Purcelaine. Amongst the Sommer seedes is also receiued Sommer Bar­ley,Sommer Barley. whiche from the Sonnes entring into the Aequinoctiall, till the end of Marche and April, is sowen, and is reaped againe for the most part in three monethes, or at the vttermost foure. It requi­reth (as Winter Barley dooth) a riche and a mellowe grounde, [Page] and to be sowed after twyse plowing, though sometime for neces­sitie it is sowed after the fyrst plowyng. And though it yeelde no [...] so good nor so perfect a grayne as the Winter Corne dooth, whose grayne as Theophrastus wryteth, is farre more perfect and of stronger substaunce, bringing greater strawe and weigh­tier Eares, yet because it is harder husked, and the Sommer seede more fyne and gentle, is therefore of most men desired, and counted to yeelde more flowre then the Winter grayne: some a­gayne preferre the other Millet, Myllet. called in Latine Millium, in Greke [...], in Italian Milio, or Miglio, hauing as it were a thousand graynes in a Eare, as Festus seemeth to auowe, in Spanishe Mijo, in Frenche Millet, and in Dutche Hyers, where they make pottage of it and bread. The Russians and Moscouians are chiefely nou­rished with this kind of pottage, which they make with the flowre mingled with milke, and the blood that they let from their Hor­ses. The men of Ind, as Plinie sayth, knowe no other grayne bu [...] Barley and Millet, which grew in his time plentifullest in Cam­pania, it is the best leauen that may be made, neither is there any grayne comparable to it for weyght, that more increaseth in ba­kyng: for of one busshell hath been drawen threescore pounde of bread, and a busshell of sodden meate, made of three quarters wet and vnsodde. It is sowed at this day in euery place, though very lit [...]le in y^e lowe Countrey, it groweth with a stalke full of ioyntes a cubite high, a leafe like a Reede, a round and a small seede han­ging downe in long ruinnes with many toppes, it groweth some­time seuen foote hie, it delighteth in a watrishe moorie grounde, and in grauel, so it be nowe and then ouerflowen, it hateth drye and chalkie groundes. Some geue counsell to sowe it fyrst in a colde and a wette ground, and then in a hotte ground: before the Spring you must not sowe it, for it delighteth muche in warmth. A little seede of it, is sufficient for a great deale of ground: yf it be sowed thicke, it comes to nought: a great handfull wyll serue a whole acre, wherefore in raking, you must rake out what is more then needefull: an acre beareth fourtie busshels, yf it be wel sowed, euery seede yeeldeth about a pottell. It is forbidden to be sowen among Uines or fruite trees, and must continually be weeded and raked. When the eare is full growen, it must be gea­thered [Page 32] with the hande, and dryed in the Sunne, least the wh [...]t weather shatter the seedes. This grayne may very long be pre­serued, for being well layde vp where the winde can not come, it wyll well laste an hundred yeere. There is an other like grayne that they call Indian Millet, with a great grayne, and a blacke and bigge reedy stalke, whiche was fyrst brought into Italy in the raigne of Nero, which (as Plinie sayth) was called Loba, whe [...]e as Lobae are rather the Coddes of all Pulse, and Phobae the manes and [...]oppes of Millet, as it appeareth by Theophrastus. Panicle. Panicum is called of the Greekes [...], of the Dutch Psennich, or Heidengre [...]ss, of the Italians [...] Pannacho, the Spaniardes Panizo, the Frenche­men Pani [...], so called of the little Pannicles wherein the seede ly­eth. It commeth vp like Millet, with many leaues and slippes, glittering with a reddishe busshy toppe, full of seedes lyke Mu­stard seede, some yellowe, purple, blacke, and white: it must be or­dered in all thinges almost as Millet: being sowed in Sommer, it is ripe in fourtie dayes after: in other places sowed in May in wette grounde, it is to be geathered in September. The haruest, and the vse of it, is almost all one with Millet, neyther can it as Millet be fined without parching, when it beginnes to spindel, it must be well weeded, least the weedes ouergrowe it: being well dr [...]st with Cheesyl and Milke, it maketh indifferent good meate, in bread it is not so muche vsed as Millet: for the bread is very drye, and croombleth lyke S [...]d or Asshes, being altogeather without moysture or cleauing: but the common people remedi­yng that with Larde or Oyle, doo make a shift with it as wel as they can. They that dwell about Pontus, are sayde to esteeme it aboue all other foode, as the people of Nauare doo at this day. In many Countreys it is vsed onely to feede Pigeons withall. Of the number of outlandishe grayne, is Ryse,Ryse. in share as Theophra­stus sayth, lyke Darnell, hauyng a busshy toppe lyke Millet or Pannicle, but no Eare: his grayne is lyke the kinde of Barley called Zea, the leaues are thicke lyke leaues of Leekes, but broa­der, the stalke a cubite hie, the floure purple. This grayne is but geason in Fraunce and Germanie, but in Italy and Lumbardy common, where it is called Elriso, and Men [...]stro Del riso, the French­men leauyng the fyrst letter, doo call it Rison, the Greekes [...], [Page] the Spaniardes call it Arross, Plinie supposeth it to be engendred of the water Sedge. There is made of it Furmentie, as Horace calles it Ryse Furmentie. It is sowed in March as Millet and Pannicle is. The Indians (they say) do bruse it before they sowe it, to make it the lighter of digestion. And as Strabo reporteth, they make drinke of it?

Sesamum.What say you to Sesamum, that was greatly in vse in the olde tyme.

Sesamum is named with the Greekes [...], the Ita­lians Se [...]amo, the Spaniard A [...]onioli [...] the Frenchemen Iugiolin. In tymes pa [...]t, it hath been more vsed and greatly commended, both of Columella and Plinie. At t [...]is day it is knowen to a very fewe, as a great sort [...]f seedes els are, in so muche as the very Corne that we dayly seede of, we scarsely knowe what it is. Some reckon it in the number of Grayne, and some of Pulse: the stalke there­of is not lyke Millet or Pannicle, full of ioyntes, but playne and smoothe lyke a reede, the leaues thereof ruddy, the seede white, not so bigge as Lineseede, and is conteined in little knoppes like Poppie: it is sowen before the rysing of the Seuen Starres, af­ter the maner of Italy. Columella sayth, that he hath seene it in Ci­licia and Sy [...]ia sowed in Iune and Iuly, and reaped in Autume. It requires a mellowe blacke moulde, though it wyll growe vppon good sandy grounde, and forced ground, rayne is hurtfull vnto it after it is sowed, where as it [...]oth good to all other grayne, no great Cattell nor Uermine wyll meddle with it, it hurteth ground very muche, because of the great quantitie and thicknesse of the stalke, and the number of the rootes. Plinie wryteth, that it was brought out of India, and vsed both for meate and oyle. But to returne to such graine as we are acquainted with. Amongst the Sommer seedes is Myscelyn to be reckoned. The husbandmen doo sometime make a medley of sundry sortes of seedes, and [...] them partly for Cattell, and partly for hope, that though some of them fayle, yet some wyll gro [...]e. But here must you beware, lest you mingle not Winter Corne and Sommer Corne togea­ther, for that were a great ouersight, and one of them must needes perishe. Some Barley may well be mingled with Oates or Buck, as well for brewing, as for feeding of cattell: and Tares [Page 33] or other lyke Pulse may be myngled with Oates, as very good foode for beastes. They are to be fowed in tyme and place as I haue colde before, in my seuerall entreatyng of them.

You haue well satisfied me for Grayne and Corne, you may nowe (yf it please you) doo as much in Pulse.

Pulse or Pedware,Of Pulse is called of the Greekes [...], the other partes of the fruites of the grounde: of these, there are sundry sortes as you haue seene of Corne: some put Millet, Pan­nicle, and Sesanum, to this kind, because Columo [...]ll [...] sometimes puts them in the number of Grayne, and sometime of Pulse: but I folowyng Plinie herein, doo put them amongest the kindes of Grayne, accountyng those to be Pulse, whose seedes are contey­ned in coddes, as Beanes, Pease, Len [...]es, Tares, Chy [...]hes, Fytches, and such lyke, which all are to be sowen in the Spring. Of all kinde of Pulse, the greatest honour is due to the Beane as Plinie witnesseth, as to a Pulse that is most commodious for man and beast.Beanes [...] In Greeke it is called [...], in Italian and La­tine Faba, in Spanishe Haua, in Frenche Feue, in Dutche Bonen. This amongest all other Pulse groweth in height w [...]thout any stay, it hath a thicke leafe, a creasted flowre of diuers colours, spotted white and blacke, whiche Varro calles the lamentable let­ters, it hath a long Codde, his fruite within broade, lyke the nayle of a man, of diuers colours, it appeareth at the fyrst with many leaues lyke a Pease, and not with one alone lyke Wheate. It is sowed fyrst of all other Pulse in the Spring tyme as Virgil wyll haue it, and timely, because of Fabalia, whiche is the offall of the Beanes, for both the Coddes and the stalke, is a foode that cattel muche delightes in. Columella reporteth howe he heard a skilfull husband say, that he had rather haue the offall of Beanes timely sowed, then the Croppe of that which is ripe in three monethes, you must sowe them in the encrease of the Moone, and after once plowing. It is sayde, that yf they be enclosed in Goates doung and sowed, they wyll yeelde great encrease, and that the partes that are eaten or gnawne, in the encrease of the Moone wyll fyll vp agayne. If they be sowed neere to the rootes of Trees, they wyll kyll them. Some holde opinion, that yf they be steeped in Capons blood, they wyll be safe from all hurtfull weedes, and [Page] that layde in water a day or two before they be sowen, they wyll growe the sooner. The Beane delighteth in riche and wel doun­ged ground, as all other Pulse dooth: wette and lowe grounde it dooth not refuse, though all the rest desyre drye grounde, it way­eth not weedyng, being able to ouergrowe them. Of all other Pulse it onely springeth with an vpryght stalke full of knottes, and hollowe. And where as all other Pulse are long in flowre, this flowreth longest, flowring fourtie dayes together, one stalke beginning when others end, and not all at one time as Wheate, they codde in sundry dayes, the lowest part of the stalke flowring fyrst, and so vpward styll in order. So fruitefull are they in some places, as you shall finde one stalke to beare a hundred Beanes. The Beanes sticke close to their Coddes, the blacke in theyr [...]oppes, the Latines call Hilum, the Coddes Valuuli, the woormes that breede in them, Midae. Lomentum is the Meale which the peo­ple in olde tyme dyd vse for the smoothing of their skinnes. Fresa Faba was the Beane that was but finally broken, and hulled [...]in the Myll. Refrina was that whiche they vsed to offer in sacrifyce for good lucke with their Corne. It is good to steepe your Beanes in the water of Saltpeeter, a day before you sowe them, you shall keepe them from Wyuels as (Palladius sayth) yf you geather them in the wane of the Moone, and cherishe them, and lay them vp before the encrease. Beanes, and all other Pulse doo mend the ground that they are sowen in. The next to Beanes in woorthynesse and sowyng is Pease,Pease. called in Greeke [...], in Italian Pise, and Piselle, in Spanishe Aruera, in Frenche Pese, in Dutch Errettem, a Pulse that groweth with hollowe stalkes and full of branches lying vpon the grounde, many leaues and long, the Coddes rounde, conteyning in them round seedes and white: though Plinie wryte, that they be cornerd as Chych, of which sort we haue some at this day blewishe, with flowres in shape like the Butter [...]lye, purple coloured toward the middest. There are two sortes of Pease, the one sort coueteth to climbe aloft, and runneth vp vppon stickes, to whiche with little wynders he bindeth hym selfe, and is for the most part onely sowen in Gardens, the other sort groweth lowe, and creepeth vpon the grounde: both kindes are very good to be eaten, specially when they be young and ten­der, [Page 34] they must be sowen in warme groundes, for they can in no wyse away with colde: they are sowed eyther vppon fallowes, or rather in riche and yeerely bearing ground once plowed, and as all other Pulse, in a gentle and a mellowe moulde, the season be­ing warme and moyst. Columella sayth, that ground is made very riche with them, if they be presently plowed, and the Culter turne in and couer that whiche the Hooke hath newely left. They are sowed among Sommer Corne, commonly with the fyrst. Fyrst Beanes, Pease, and Lentiles, then Tares, and Oates, as is sayde before. Pease and Tares must be sowen in March and A­pril, and in the wane of the Moone, le [...]t they growe to ranke, and flowre out of order: where as the best sowing for all other Pulse and grayne, is in y^e encrease of the Moone. There are that count Pease to be the Pulse that the Greekes call [...], the Latines Eruum, the Italians Eruo, the Spaniardes Yeruo, the Dutchmen Eruen, of which there are two kindes, the one white, the other red. The later is wylde, and groweth in Hedges and Corne feeldes: it is a small plant, hauyng his leaues narrowe and s [...]lender, his flowre eyther white, or medled with purple, growyng neere to­geather like Pease, there is no great businesse about it, it deligh­teth in a leane barren ground, not moyst, for it wyll be spilt with too muche rancknesse: it must be sowed before Marche, with which moneth it agreeth not, because it is then hurtfull vnto cat­tell. Eruilia is a Pulse like smal Beanes, some white, some blacke, and others speckled: it hath a stalke like Pease, and climeth lyke a Hoppe, the Coddes are smoothe like Pescoddes: The leaues longer then the leaues of Beanes: the flowre is a pleasant foode to Bees. In Fraunce and Lumbardie it is called Dora, or Do­rella, Phaseolus in Latine,Frenche Beanes. in Greeke [...] garden Sma­lax, some call it Fasiolum, and Dolichium, among the Italians some call it Fagiuoli, some Smilace, de gli Horti, others Fagiuolo, Turcheses, others Lasanie, the Spaniardes call it Frisoles, the Frenchemen Fasioles, and Fales Pinceos, the Dutchmen Fas [...]len, or wyld Bonen. It is a kynde of Pulse, whereof there are white, redde, and yel­lowe, and some specked with blacke spottes: the leaues are lyke Iuie leaues, but something tenderer, the stalke is s [...]lender, wyn­dyng, with claspes about such-plantes as are next hym, runnyng [Page] vp so hie, as you may make Herbers vnder hym, the coddes are longer then Fennigrecke, the Graynes within diuers coloured and fashioned lyke Kydneys: it prospereth in a fatte and a yeere­ly bearyng ground, in Gardens, or where you wyll: and because it climeth aloft, there must be set by them poales or staues, from the whiche runnyng to the toppes, it climeth vppon Trees, ser­uyng well for the shadowyng of Herbers and Summer hou­ses. It is sowen of diuers from the Ides of October to the Ra­lendes of Nouember in some places, and with vs in Marche. It flowreth in Sommer, the meate of them is but indifferent, the iuyce not very good, the Coddes and the Graynes are eaten to­geather, or lyke Sperage. The Iewes sell them at Rome pre­serued, to be eaten rawe. Lens and Lenticula, in Greeke [...] and [...],Lyntels. in Italian Lendi iae bon maenastre, in Spanishe Lenteza, in Frenche Lentilla, in Duch Linsen, is a Pulse very thicke and bus­shy, with leaues lyke the Tare, with three or foure very small Graynes in euery Codde, of all Pulses the least, they are soft and flatte. The white ones for theyr pleasauntnesse are the best, and such as are aptest to seethe and consume most water in their boylyng. It is sowen with vs in Germanie in March and in A­pril, the Moone encreasyng, in mellowe ground, being riche and drye: yet Plinie would rather haue the ground leane then riche, and the season drye: it flowreth in Iuly, at whiche tyme by ouer muche rancknesse and moysture, it soone corrupteth. Therefore to cause it quickely to spring and wel to prosper, it must be ming­led with drye doung before it be sowen: and when it hath lyen so mingled foure or fyue dayes, it must be cast into the grounde. It groweth hy [...] (as they say) when it is wette in warme water and Saltpeter before it be sowen, & wyl neuer corrupt being sprinck­led with Bengwin and Uineger. Varro wylleth, that you sowe it from the fiue and twentieth day of the Moone to the thirtieth, so shall it be safe from Snayles. And Columella affyrmeth, that yf it be mingled with Asshes, it w [...]ll be safe from all annoyance. Cicer in Latine, [...]hyche. in Greeke [...], in Italian Ceci, Cicere Rosso, and Cicere b [...]ance, in Spanishe Ganrangos, in Frenche Chiche, and in Dutch Cicererbs, is a busshy kynde of Pulse, hauyng a rounde Codde, and therein a couple of three cornered seedes, whereof [Page 35] there are that make three kindes, whyte, read, and blacke, diffe­rin [...] onely in the colour of theyr flowre: the best kinde hath a sti [...]e stalke, crooked, little leaues indented, a whyte, a purple, or a blacke flowre. And wheras other Pulse haue their coddes long and brode, according to their seede, this beareth them rounde: it delighteth in a blacke and a riche moulde, is a great spoyler of land, and therefore not good for newe broken vp ground: it may be sowen at any time, in March, in rayny weather, and in very riche ground: the seede must be steeped in water a day before it be sowen, to the end it may spring the sooner: it flowreth in Iune and Iuly, and then falleth to seede: it flowreth a very long while, and is geathered the fourth day, being rype in a very short tyme: when it is in flowre, of all other Pulse it receyueth harme by rayne: when it is rype it must be geathered out of hande, for it scattereth very soone, and lyeth hid when it is fallen. In the chych there neuer breedeth any worme, contrary to all Pulse else: and because it dryueth away Caterpillers, it is counted good to be set in Gardens. Cicercula in Latine,Cic [...]rcula. in Greeke [...], in Ita­lian Cicerse, in Spanish Cizerche, it differeth from the Chych, on­ly in that it is somewhat blacker, which Plinie accounteth to haue vneauen corners as Pease hath: and in many places about vs, they vse them in steede of Pease, esteeming them farre aboue Peason: for they both yeeld more flowre then Pease, & is lighter of digestion, and not so subiect to wormes. Columella countes it ra­ther in the [...]umber of Fodder for cattell, then of Passe for man: in which number are these that followe. And [...]ir [...]t Vici [...] in Latine,Tares and fodder for Cattel. in Greeke [...], in Dutch VVycken, in Frenche Vessae, so called as Varro thinkes of wynding, because it hath [...] or claspes as the Uine hath, wherby it clymeth vpon such st [...]lkes as growe next it: it groweth halfe a y [...]rde hie, le [...]ed like Tyutare, s [...]u [...]ng that they be something narrower, the [...] like the [...]lowre of Pease, hauing little bl [...]cke seedes in [...], nor altogether: ounde, but bro [...]e like the L [...]ntell: it re [...]uired above ground, though it w [...]l also grow wel yenough in shadowye places, or [...]any ground with small labour, being not trou [...]le come to the [...] it requireth but once plowing, and s [...]keth for [...] [...]or doung [...]ng, but [...]nricheth the lande of it se [...]e, specially if [...]he [Page] grounde be plowed when the crop is of, so that the Stalkes may be turned in: for otherwise the Rootes and Stalkes re­mayning, doo sucke out the goodnesse of the ground: yet Cato would haue it sowen in grassie ground, not watrishe, and in newe broken vp ground after the d [...]awe be gone, & the moysture dryed vp with the Sunne and the Winde. You must beware that you sowe no more, then you m [...]y wel couer the same day: for the [...]east deawe in the world dooth spoyle it. Neither must you sowe them before the Moone be 24. dayes olde, otherwise the Snayle will deuoure it: his tyme of sowing is, as Plinie writeth, at the setting of the Starre called the Berward, that it may serue to feede in December: the seco [...]d sowing is in Ianuarie: the last, in March. In Germanie they vse to sowe them in March or Aprill, chiefly for fodder for the [...]r cattell. To sowe Tares, and as Plinie sayth Beanes, in not broken vp grounde without l [...]sse, is a great peece of husbandry: they flowre in Iune, at which tyme they are very good of skowre horses: it is good to [...]aye them vp in the codde, and to keepe them to serue Cattell withall. Tares & Oates make a good meslyne sowed together. Lupinus in Latin,Lupines. in Greeke [...], in Italian and French almost as in Latin, in Spanish Altramuz, in Dutch Roomsche Boouen, is a Pulse ha­uing one onely stalke, the leafe tagged in fiue diuisions like a starre, the flowre white, the coddes tagged, & indented about, ha­uing within them [...]iue or sixe seedes hard, brode, & red, the leaues thereof doo fal. This pulse requireth least trouble, and is of smal p [...]ice, and yet most helpeth the grounde of any thing that is sowen: for there can be no better manuring for barrayne Uine­yardes and Corne [...]eeldes then this, which eyther vpon barrayne ground prospereth, or kept in the Garner, endureth a wonderfull w [...]yle: being sodden and layd in water, it feedeth Oxen in Win­ter very well, and in tyme of dearth (as Columella sayth) ser­ueth men to asswage their hunger: it prospereth in sandy and grauelly gro [...]ndes, in the worst land that may be: neyther loueth i [...] to haue any labour bestowed vpon it, nor weyeth the goodnesse of the ground. So fruitfull it is, as if it be cast among Bushes and Br [...]er, yet will it roote and prosper: it refuseth both Har­rowing and Raking, & is not anoyed with Weedes, but killeth [Page 36] the weedes about it. If doung be wantyng to mende the ground withall, this serues the turne aboue all other: for being sowed and turned in with the Plowe, it serueth the turne in steede of dounging: it is sowed timeliest of all other, and reaped last: it is sowed before all other Pulse, a little after Haruest: couer it how sclenderly you wyll, it careth not, an excellent good seede for an euyll husbande: yet desyreth it the warmth of Aut [...]me, that it may be well rooted before Winter come, for otherwyse the colde is hurtfull vnto it. It flowreth thryse, fyrst in May, then agayne in Iune, and last in Iuly: after euery flowryng it beareth his codde. Before it flowreth, they v [...]e to put in Cattel: for where as they wyll feede vpon all other grasse or weedes, onely this for the bitternesse thereof whyle it is greene, they leaue vntouched. Be­ing dryed, it serueth for sustenaunce both of man and beast: to cat­tel it is geuen medled with Chaffe, and for bread for mans vse: it is mingled with Wheate flowre, or Barley flowre: it is good to keepe it in a smokie loaft, for yf it lye moyst, it is eaten of l [...]ttle woormes and spoyled. The leafe keepeth course and turneth with the Sunne, whereby it sheweth to the husbande, euen in cloudie weather, what time of the day it is. Fenú grecum in Latine,Fenugreeke. in Greeke with Theophrastus and others [...], with Dioscorides [...] and [...], of others [...], in Frenche Fenegres, and Fenigrent in Italian, Faenigraeco in Spanishe, Al [...]oluas in Dutche, sometime by the Latine name, and commonly Ro­herne and Lockshorne, commeth vp with a small stalke, the leefe lyke a Threeleaued grasse, it is sowed well in a sclender barrayne ground, you must take heede you plowe it thicke, and not very deepe: for yf the seede be couered aboue foure fyngers thicke, it wyll very hardly growe. Therefore the grounde must be tyld with small Plowes, and the seede presently couered with Rakes. There are two sortes of it, the one called of the common people Siliqua or code, whiche they sowe for fodder in Sep [...]em­ber, the other in Ianuarie, or the beginnyng of Februarie: when they sowe it for seede, it flowreth in Iune and Iuly, when also it beareth his codde, but the seede is not ripe t [...]ll August: it is dressed to be eaten after the order of Lupines, with vineger, wa­ter and salt, some put to a little oyle: it is vsed both for fodder, [Page] and diuers other vses. Furthermore, of Pulse called of Gelliu [...] Le [...]ament [...] we haue these generall rules, that they al beare coddes, and haue single rootes euery one, except the Beane, the Chich growyng deepest. The stalke of the Bean [...] and the Lupine is al­so single, the others are all fall o [...] branches and selender slippes, and all hollowe. All Pulse for the most part are to be sowed in the Spring and req [...]ire very r [...]che ground [...], except the Lupine, that c [...]res not where he lyes: they are all sowen in the encrease of the Moone, except Pease: yf they be watred be [...]ore their sow­ing, they prosper the better: they are speedily to be geathered when they be ripe, for they suddaynely shatter: they wyll endure longest, being ge [...]thered in the change of the Moone. It is much to be regarded whether you wyl keepe or sell them, for the seedes in the encrease of the Moone doo waxe greater, the [...]e are that pre­serue them in earth [...]n vesse [...]es, str [...]wyng asshes vnder them, and sprinckling them with Uineger: some vse asshes alone, other so [...]e [...] sprinckle them with Bergewine vineger, as I haue saide of the Lin [...]yll. Moreouer, the Greekes haue wylled to mingle with t [...]e doung a little Saltp [...]ter when you sowe them, wher [...]by they shall the better seethe and be the tenderer: and yf they be not presently [...]ender, they wyll to cast into the pot a little Mustard see [...]e, whiche wyll make them straightway well. Theo­phrastus addeth diuers thinges beside, whiche were to long to tell.

Is [...]t needefull or euery husbandman to sowe all these Gra [...]ne and Pul [...]e in h [...]s ground?

No, but as I [...]aide before, in speaking of grounde and seede, you must cheefely sowe suche as best agree with the nature of your grounde: howe be it, there are some of them that refuse no grounde. There are certayne of them as Varro sayth, that are not sowen for present necessitie, but for other after­turnes. And others agayne that are of necessitie to be sowen, as Corne for man, and Fodder for cattell: of whiche must speciall care he had, that there be no [...] of them, without which we can not [...]iue: as Rye, Otes, and Buck, Lupines and certayne Pulse els for fodder, refuse no grounde, though it be neuer so barren. Besides,Fodder for C [...]ttell. when as the husband must not onely haue a care of pro­uiding such as serue for the sustenaunce of man, but also for suche [Page 37] as serue for the feeding of poore cattell, without whiche the grounde can not be husbanded: therefore must he sowe P [...]lse for the vse of man and beast, and fodder in more abundance for the sustenaunce of bea [...]tes. Amongst all sortes of fodder, that is counted for the cheefe and the best, which the people of olde time [...] and the Italians at this day call Medica, Medica. some call it Treefoyle, the Frenche men cal it Grand [...]rest [...], the Spaniardes [...]lfals [...], others call it Burgandie grasse, because it was brought in by the Bur­gundians, it is nowe also come into Germanie, and there called Welsholken, in Greeke [...]. Plinie wryteth, that it was brought by the Romanes out of Media into Italy, differing al­most nothing from Tryfolly or Threeleaued grasse: but that it is gr [...]ter, higher, and rancker, for in stalke, leafe, and flowre, it is all one, it groweth altogeather busshing in leaues. In the toppe of the st [...]lke it putteth foorth short coddes, writhen lyke hornes indented about, and hauing as it were little prickles, wherein is the seede shaped like a Moone, and growyng to the codde in bignesse as the Lentyl: which being chawed, tasteth like Pe [...]se: euery codde hath his seede, it requireth a fatte grounde withou [...] stones, full of iuyce and riche: in many places it com­meth not vp, in others it springeth very thicke. Varro geueth charge, that it be not sowed in too drye a grounde or tyckle, but in good and well seasoned. Plinie would haue the grounde be drye and very riche, Columella biddeth, that the feelde where this Me­dica shalbe sowed, should be broken vp about October, and so to lye mellowyng al the Winter, and then to stirre it in Februarie, and the stones cast out, to harrowe it well, and after in Marche to order it garden wyse, castyng it into beddes, euery bedde ten foote broade, and fyftie in length, so that they may be easily w [...] ­tred, and of euery side well weeded: then laying on good olde doung, let it lye tyll Apryl, and at the ende of April sowe it in such proportion, as euery handful of seede may occupie fyue foote in breadth, and ten in length: and couer the seede out of hand, ra­king them with woodden Rakes, for the Sunne wyl soone burne them. After it is sowen, that it come vp an inche in heyght, you must beware you touche not the grounde with any iron instru­ment, but eyther with your yngers, or with Rakes of wood, [Page] weede it well from all other noysome thinges, otherwise it wyll growe wylde and turne to pasture. Let the fyrst haruest be long deferred, to the ende he may somewhat shed his seedes: at other tymes you may mowe it as soone as you w [...]l, and geue it to your cattell. Suche as are skilfull in husbandry, doo say, that yf you mingle Otes with the seede of Medica, and sowe them, they wyll cause them to stocke very well: it is sowed in April or later, in May, to scape the frostes, and the seede is cast in lyke sort as Wheate is. When it beginneth to branche, al other weedes must be weeded away: and being this ordred, you may mowe it sixe tymes a yeere. It flowreth sixe times, or at the least fiue times, so it be not cut. When you haue mowed it, water it well, and as it springeth, weede it agayne. And thus as I sayde, you may mowe it sixe times a yeere, and it shall thus continue ten yeeres togeather: it enricheth the ground, all poore and feeble cattel, are soone brought vp with it: it likewyse healeth cattell that are di­seased: but when it fyrst springeth, tyl cattell be acquainted with it, you must geue them but little at once, lest the strangenesse of the foode hurt them: for it maketh them to swell, and breedeth great abundance of blood. Columella wryteth, that one acre of it wyll well fynde three Horses a yeere. In some Countreyes this hearbe dooth growe in great plentie in euery Meddowe, eyther of the nature of the grounde, or through the disposition of the heauens, and sometime the relikes of that whiche [...]ath been long agoe sowen, dooth yeerely spring of the seede that falleth, and ouergrowen with grasse & weedes, dooth change into meddowe. I see no cause but that it may growe of it selfe, but that perhaps suche plantes as are brought out of strange Countreys requyre sowyng and dressing: it is best to be mowed when it beginneth to flowre, for it must not be suffered to seede, whereby the fodder shall be the better: whiche being well layde vp, wyll continue in goodnesse three yeeres, to the great profite of the Grasier, for as I haue sayde before, there can be no better fodder deuised for cat­tell, wherewith they wyll better feede, and sooner ryse. The next in goodnesse in this Medica is Cytisus, Cytisus. woonderfully as Plinie wry­teth commended of Aristomachus, and as Vergil sayth, a good fod­der for Sheepe, and beyng drye, a delightfull foode to Swyne: [Page 38] it may be mooued sundry times in the yeere, to the great commo­ditie of the husband: a little whereof dooth soone fatte vp cattell, neither is there any other grasse that yeeldeth eyther more abun­dance or better mylke, the most soueraine medicine for the sick­nes [...]e o [...] cattell that may be: b [...]side, the Philosophers promise, that Bees wyll neuer fayle that haue this grasse growyng neare them: therefore it is necessarie to haue your grounde stored with it, as the thing that best serueth fo [...] Poultrie and Cattell: the leaues and seedes are to be geuen to leane and drouping Pullen: some call it Telinen, some Trefoyle, some great Melilot, the Ro­manes call it Trifolu maius, great Tras [...]e, it is a plant al hearie and whytishe, as Rhamnus is, hauing branches halfe a yarde long and more, wherevpon groweth leaues lyke vnto Fenygreeke or Cla­uer, but something lesse, hauyng a ry [...]yng crest in the middest of them. This plant was fyrst founde in the Ilande Cythno, and from thence spread throughout the Cyclads, and so to Greece, wher­by the store of Cheese came to be great: neyther is there any Countrey at this day, where they may not haue great plentie (as Columella sayth) of this shrubbe. In Italy it groweth about the encl [...]syars of Uineyardes, it shr [...]nketh neyther for heate, colde, frost, nor snowe: it requireth good groude, yf the weather be very drye, it must be watred, and when it fyrst springes well har­rowed after three yeeres, you may cut it downe and geue it your cattell. Va [...]ro woulde haue it sowen in well ordred ground, as the seede of Colwoortes should be, and after remooued and set a foote and a halfe a sunder, or els to be set of the slippes. The tyme of sowyng of Cytisus is eyther in Autume, or in the spryng, in ground well plowed and layde out in be [...]des: yf you want the seede, you may take the slippe, so that you set them foure foote a sunder, and a bancke cast about them with earth well dounged: you may also set them before September, when they wyll very well growe and abyde the colde in Winter: it lasteth but three yeere. Colu­mella hath two kindes of Cytisus, one wylde, the other of the Gar­den. The wylde dooth with his claspers feede very well: it wyn­deth about, and killes his neighbours as the Iuie dooth: it is founde in Cornefeeldes, specially amongst Barley, the flowre thereof is lyke the flowre of Pease, the leafe yf it be bruysed, smel­leth [Page] like Rocke [...], and being champ [...]d in the mouth, it tasteth like Chyche, or Pease. There is an other kinde of fodder among the plantes, vnknowen to y^e old wryters, very good to feede both cat­tel & Poultrye. I know not whether it be knowen in other Coun­treys beside Germanie, the common people call it Spury, or Sperie:Sperie. it h [...]th a stalke a foote in height or more, busshed foorth in mans branches, it hath a whyte flowre without any leafe: the flowre endeth in little knoppes as Flaxe hath, conteynyng in them a very little seede like Rape seede. They are much deceiued that take it for Cytisus, when that (as Dioscorides sayth) hath leaues like Fenugreeke, and this is altogeather without leaues: neither is the seede any thing like, though the vse be almost one. The best Milke and Butter in Germanie, commeth of this fee­ding: wherefore it is esteemed almost as good as Barley, or o­ther grayne: the strawe is better then any Heye: the Chaffe fee­deth as well as any Graynes: the seede feedeth Pigeons and Poultrie in Winter passing well: it is sowed in sandie and light groundes all the Sommer long, and some sowe it in Spring time with Oates for the seede sake: in Autume and Haruest time it is sowed to feede Cattell: it is profitable for husbandes that dwell in sandy and grauelly Countreys, wherefore they shoulde neuer be without good store of it, for Hennes, Bees, Goates, Sheepe, Oxen, and all kinde of Cattell delight very muche in it: nowe remayneth the sowyng of Flaxe and Hempe.

I looke for it.

These, although they be not to be receiued in the number of Corne nor Pulse, Fodder nor Hearbes, yet is there great account to be made of them with y^e husbandmans thinges, without whiche no house can be furnished, nor man wel apparel­led: whiche being beaten to a sof [...]nesse, serueth for webbes of Linnen, and twysting of Cordes: and more, of t [...]is so little a seede dooth spring that, which (as Plinie sayth) carrieth the whole worlde hether and thether, that bryngeth Egypt to Italy, and carryeth vs from Cales of Ostia in seuen dayes.Flaxe. Linum in Latine, in Greeke, [...], in Italian and S [...]nishe Lino, in French Dulin, in Dutch almost like, [...]auing that they call the seede Lyn and the plant Flaxe, is a very common hearbe, wherewith women [Page 39] are set a woorke: it hath a sclender stalke, not muche vnlike to Sperie, but that it groweth higher a litle, & bigger, with nar­row leaues, & long blewe flowres in the top, which falling away, leaueth behinde them little round knoppes as bigge as a Pease, wherin are enclosed yellowe seedes: it delighteth in rich ground and somewhat moyst, some sowe it in barrayne grounde: after once plowyng, it is sowed in the Spring, and geathered in som­mer. In Gelderland and Gulicke, where there is great store of it, they sowe it about the beginnyng of May: there are agayne that obserue three seasons for the sowyng of it, as the weather shall fall out, for it requireth rayne and moysture: the ripenesse of it, is perceiued by the waxing yellowe, and swelling of the knoppes that holde the seede, being then plucked vp and made in little bundels, it is dryed in the Sunne, the rootes standyng vp­warde that the seede may fall out. Some vse agayne to carde of the knoppes with an iron Combe, and drying them in the Sunne to geather the seede. The bundels afterwardes are layde in wa­ter heated with the Sunne, with some wayght vppon them to keepe them downe: the rynde waxing loose, sheweth when they haue been steeped yenough. Then the bundels vnloosed and dry­ed in the Sunne, are beaten with beetelles, when as the vtter rynde is pilled of, and combed and hacked vpon an iron combe: the more wrong it suffereth, the better doth it prooue: the Towe is seuered from the Flaxe, and appoynted for his vse, so are they seuerally spon vpon the Distaffe, made vp in bottomes, and sent to the Weauers, whereof are wouen webbes, to the great com­moditie of al men. Last of all, the webbe is layde out in the hotte Sunne, and sprinckled with water, whereby it is brought to a passing whitenesse. It may be remembred, that not long since the women of Germanie knewe no costlyer attyre. The best Flaxe that is at this day, is brought from Moscouia, Liuonia, and those Countreys, farre excelling ours in heyght and goodnesse. Ex­cept there be great encrease of it, & price in the Countrey where you dwel, Columella would not haue you meddle with the sowing of it, for it is most hurtfull to the ground, as Virgil hath noted.

[Page] And therefore (but that women must haue something to occupie theyr handes withall) it were more profite to sowe the grounde with corne, and to bye linnen abrode, especially yf you way the hart of your grounde, and the charges of the makyng. Hempe, in Latine Canubis, Hempe. in Greeke [...], in Italian Canabe, in Spanishe Cannamo, in Frenche Chamura, and in Dutch Haueph, is a plant of the Reedishe kinde, hauing a very strong sauour: it groweth with a single stalke, and many times to suche a heyght, that it matcheth with indifferent Trees: it is of great necessitie for the vse of man, and serueth both for makyng of Canuisse, and framing of Ropes: the stalke hath many knottes, out of whiche proceedeth branches with narrowe leaues indented and sharpe. Dioscorides describeth both the wylde Hempe, and the Garden Hempe to haue leaues lyke the Ashe, hollowe stalkes, a stinkyng sauour, and rounde seede. There are two kindes of it, the Male, that is without floure, and beareth a seede of sundry colours: and the Female, that, to recompence her barrennesse, dooth yeelde a white flowre: it is sowed in Gardens, Orchardes, or other goo [...] grounde (as Plinie would haue it) after a Southwest wind: with vs it is sowen in the ende of April, for it can not away with cold: some sowe it at the rysing of the starre called the Berward, which is at the ende of Februarie, or the beginning of March: it loueth ri [...]che grounde well dounged and watred, and deepe plowed: it is noughty sowing of it in raynie weather, the thicker you sowe it, the tenderer it wyll be, and therefore many times it is sowen thryse, though some there be that appoynt to euery foote square sixe seedes. The Female or fyrble Hempe is fyrst pulled vp, af­terward the Male, or the Carle, when his seede is ripe, is pluc­ked vp, and made vp in bundels, layde in the Sunne for three or foure dayes, and after is cast into the water, with weyght layd vpon him for eyght or tenne dayes, tyll he be sufficiently watred, and as Flaxe, tyll the Rynde waxe loose: then taken out, it is dryed with the Sunne, and after broken in the Brake, and then combed and hacked for Yarne and Ropes. Of Hempe, are made Cables, Cordes, Nettes, and Sayles for Shippes, garmentes for Labourers, Shertes, and Sheetes: the Shales or Stalkes serue for the heating of Ouens, or kyndeling of Fyres.

In the Countrey of Gulicke, and some partes of Fraunce, I remember I haue seene an hearbe planted of the common people with great diligence, that serueth as they sayd for Dyars.

You say true, that hearbe Cesar in his Comentaries of the warres of Fraunce,VVoade. calleth Glastum, in Greeke [...], in Italian Gnado, in Spanishe Pastel, in Frenche with the com­mon sort Guadum, and Guesde, in Dutch VVeyt, the Dyars doo vse it, and with them it is greatly esteemed, and great gayne aryseth thereof vnto the people of Gelderland, Iulyes, and Turyn, and diuers Countreys els: the leaues as Plinie wryteth, are lyke vn­to Dock leaues. Dioscorides wryteth of two kindes, the wyld, and the Garden Woade, saying, that the Garden Woade whiche Dyars vse, hath leaues lyke Plantayne, but something thicker, and the wylde, leaues lyke Lentyll, with yellowe flowres: with this hearbe Cesar sayth the people of Englande were woont to paynt theyr faces and bodyes, to seeme more terrible to theyr enimies: it requireth lyke sowyng and soyle as Wheate dooth: but it is a great soker of the grounde, and muche hurteth it: it woulde haue a very riche and a fatte grounde, and well dygged: for the grounde were better to be turned vp with Spades then with Plowes for the sowyng of this Plant, and it must be very well weeded. It is sowed in Gelderland in April, and after the common peoples rule, in Easter wecke: at the first f [...]llowing they marle the grounde, after sowe it: you must be very heede­full in the weedyng of it. When it is growen a handfull hye and more, they suffer it not to flowre, but with an instrument for the purpose, they cut it close by the roote, washe it, and carry it to the Myll, and suffering it to growe agayne, they cut it three or foure times, and so leaue it to seede. The greene hearbe they grinde in Milles like Apple Milles, pressing it, til they get out al the iuyce thereof, then roule they it vp with their handes in rounde balles, and so laye it vpon boorded floores to be dryed.

You haue greatly delighted me, in describing vnto me the order of sowyng of seedes, without whiche, not onely the people of the Countrey, but also the Courtiar and Citizen are not able to liue: my desyre is nowe to vnderstande the order of Har­uest, [Page] the Countrey mans long looked for tyme, and the reward of all his toyle.

Haruest.I wyl proceede in the accomplishing of your request. When the Corne is ripe, before it be scorched with the great heate of the Sunne (whiche is most extreame at the rysyng of the lesser Dogge) it is to be cut downe out of hande: for de­lay herein is daungerous. Fyrst, because that birdes, and other vermine wyll deuoure it: and agayne, both the Grayne and the Eare, the toppe and the strawe being brittell and ouer drye, wyl soone fall to the ground: yf storme or tempest chaunce to aryse, the greatest part thereof wyll to the grounde, and therefore it must not be lingred, but when it dooth looke yellowe in euery place, and before that the Grayne be thorowe hard, when they come to looke reddishe, you must then haue it in, that it may ra­ther waxe in the Barne then in the Feelde. Experience teacheth, that yf it be cutte downe in due time, the seede wyll growe in fulnesse as it lyeth in the Barne: for the Moone encreasyng, the Corne growes greater: at the chaunge, you must geather such seede, as you woulde should be least fautie. Varro sayth, that the best tyme for Haruest, is betwixt the Sunnestay, and the Dogge dayes: for the Corne they say, dooth lye in the blade .xv. dayes, flowreth .xv. dayes, and ripeth in .xv. dayes. Amongst Grayne & Pulse, the fyrst that is to be geathered, is Rape seede.Rape har­ [...]est. And because the seede, when the cod beginneth to waxe yellowe, declareth ripenesse, it must be geathered out of hand: and sythe the seede wyll easyly skatter, it must be layde eyther in playne smoothe places in the Feelde, or vpon Canuasse: and yf it be pre­sently to be carryed, the Wayne or Cart must be lyned with sheetes, lest with iogging and tottring of the carryage, the seede fall thorowe. You must take good heede as well here, as in all other Pulse, that you preuent the rayne, for the rayne falling, the coddes doo open. As soone as your Rape seede is of, yf the grounde be plowed, you may sowe Bucke, or Branke as they call it: so that of one peece of ground in one yeere, you may make two haruestes. Next vnto Rape haruest in these Countreys, fol­loweth the haruest of Winter Barley,Haruest for VVinter Barley. whiche is to be dispatched before the seede (the Eare being ouer dryed) doo fall, for they [Page 41] haue not huskes to conteyne them as Wheate hath, & the Eares being brittel, wyll soone fall: yet some thinke it best to let the Barley lye a whyle in the Feelde, whereby they thinke the Grayne wyll waxe the greater. Then foloweth the Hempe har­uest. But fyrst (as I sayde before) the Fymble or the Female,H [...]mpe h [...]ru [...]t. is pulled, and is dryed a whyle in the Sunne, then (bounde vp in bundels) it is throwen into the water, and kept downe with some weyght, that it swimme not aboue. After lykewyse the Male, the [...]eede declaryng his ripenesse is pulde vp, and the seede beyng threasshed out, it is cast into the water, tyll the stalke be softe: after, beyng dryed in the Sunne, it is made vp in bundels to be knockt and shaled in Winter euenynges. Rye is to be mowed in Iune or Iuly, and after that, Wheate.Rye and VVheate haruest. No better rule, then before the Grayne be hard, and when it hath changed colour. An olde Prouerbe (as Plinie sayth) it is better to haue in haruest two dayes to soone, the [...] three dayes to late. In Rye there is not suche seare in scattering as in Wheate, whiche as soone as it is ripe, wyll shedde with euery wynde. Wherefore good heede must be taken, that you linger not with Wheate after it is ripe: although Plinie affyrmeth, that Wheate wyll haue greater yeelde when it standes long: but surely deferring of it is daungerous, as well for the deuouryng of Byrdes and Uermine, as for shat­tring and fallyng of the seede through storme and weather: as the proofe was seene in the great wyndes that were in the yeere of our redemption .1567. Then foloweth the haruest of Pease, Beanes,The har­uest of all o [...]her Corne and Pul [...]e. Tares, and Lentyles, accordyng as they are tymely sowed, wherein you must take heede, as I warned you before in Rape seede, that they lye not abrode in the rayne: for yf they doo, they wyll open and loose their seede. Last of all, commeth the haruest of the other sommer seedes, as of Barley, Pannicle, Myllet, and Oates. It is founde by experience, that rayne is good for Oates after they be downe: for it causeth them to swell and to be fuller, and to that ende they are left in the Feelde many times two or three weekes after they be downe.

What order haue you in your reaping?

There are diuers sortes of reaping,Diuers sorts of reapyng. accordyng to the maner of euery Countrey. Some with Sy [...]hes, which differ also [Page] as the woorke requires. In this Countrey we vse three sortes of Corne Sythes, for eyther we haue a Sythe like a Syckle, which holden in the ryght hande, they cutte the strawe close by the grounde, and haue in the leaft hande a long hooke, wherewith they pull togeather that, that they haue cut, and laye it in heapes: and in this sort Wheate and Rye, and suche Grayne as hath the sturdiest strawe, is reaped. In other places, as in Iulis, where the grounde being very ritche, the Corne groweth higher and ranc­ker, there they holde their leaft hande full of Corne, and with the ryght hand with t [...]othed Syckles they cut it, leauing the strawe vnder their handes long, to helpe the grounde withall. In other places they vse a greater Sythe with a long Suath, and fence [...] with a crooked frame of stickes, wherwith with both their hands they cut downe the Corne, and laye it in Swathes as they doo Grasse when they mowe it, and with that they mowe the higher sortes of Cor [...]e. Varro, and Columella, and other, doo tell of sundry other sortes of reaping. Palladius teacheth, beside the labour of men, a shorter way to be doone with an Oxe, that shall in short tyme cut downe all that groweth, whiche was woont to be vsed in Fraunce. The deuise was, a lowe kinde of Carre with a couple of wheeles, and the Frunt armed with sharpe Syckles, whiche forced by the beast through the Corne, did cut downe al before it. This tricke might be vsed in leuell and champion Countreys: but with vs it woulde make but ilfauoured woorke. In reapyng, you must regarde to goe with the wynde: for yf you woorke a­gaynst the wynde, it wylbe hurtfull as (Xenophon sayth) both to your eyes and your handes. If the strawe be but short, you must goe neerer the grounde: yf it be long, you may put your Syckles to the middest to dispatche it the sooner, and to make it thresshe the better: and the stabble vpon the grounde must eyther, accor­dyng to Virgils rule be burnt, or rotte vppon the grounde for the bettryng of the land. Some preserue that whiche is longest, to [...]hatche Barnes, Stables, and Countrey Cottages withall. And where Hay is scant, it serueth for foddring of Cattell: for Barley strawe is a foode that Bullockes loue wel, and beside, al kinde of strawe, is good to litter withall. When the Corne is downe, it is presently to be bounde in sheaues: although Barley, [Page 42] Oates, and other Corne and Pulse is made vp in Coppes and Ryckes, but not without hurt and hazarde. The Corne beyng cut, is not to be had into the Barne presently, but to be let drye, accordyng to the nature of euery Grayne and Pulse: for yf it be carryed in before it be through drye, it corrupteth and rot­teth. Oates and Buck, are longest left abroade, as also Len­tyles, Pease, and Pulse: because they are longest in drying. Wheate may soonest be carryed, yf it be not mingled with too many weedes, that hynder the drying of it. When haruest is in, the grounde must out of hand be plowed, both to kyll the weedes, and to make it the meeter for the next sowyng. The Corne cutte downe and drye,Plovving af­ter Haruest. is to be layde eyther in Barnes, Houels, or Stacks, and after in Winter to be trode out with beastes, or thresshed out with Flayles, and to be clensed with Fannes.

In Italy they vse to treade out their Corne with Cat­tell, the lyke reporteth Xenophon of the Greekes.

I haue seene it mee selfe, where they rather take Horse then Oxen, and that time they also wynnowe their Corne, thinking the Southwest wynde to be best for that purpose: but to stay for that, Columella thinketh but the part of a smal husband.

I see you haue very large Barnes, what order obserue you in the building of them?

You must so set your Barne,The Barne. that the Corne may be well brought into it, and see it be very close on euery side, leauing open a space for twoo doores, a fore doore and a backe doore, but so, as neyther of them open to the West, but rather North and East, and at both sides of the floore bestowe your Corne in seue­rall tasses and moowes, so that you may easyly come to euery one at your pleasure. And though the Corne be laide vpon Battes in the floores, yet let there be a space left in the middest, that may be open to the very toppe, that you may fetche what sort you list to be thresshed. In some places they haue a Pully in the mid­dest, wherewith they hoyse vp the Corne to the very Rafters of the house. In Holland they haue fewe close Barnes, but all ho­uels and stackes, so placed with hanging rooffes vppon postes, that with pinnes and wynches, they may heyghten it, or let it downe as they list.

Those kynde of Barnes they say, are not so subiect to Myse and Rattes, nor so chargeable as the other.

Howe so euer the Barne be, you must place it as hie as you may, least y^e Corne be spoyled with moysture or dampes. Some thinke it better for them to be thatched then tiled: the largenesse must be according to y^e greatnesse of your occupying. Some to the ende Cattes and Weesels may the better come by, they doo vaute the floore with Bryckes, and laying rafters there­on, doo lay on their Corne. The floore must be fayre and smoothe made, so as the Corne may be well threasshed or troden out. Co­lumella woulde haue the floore faire paued with Flint or Stone, whereby the Corne wyll the sooner be threasshed, and the floore not hu [...]t with beatyng and trampling of Oxen: and when it is fande or wynnowed, it wyll not be full of grauell and durt, as the earthen floores yeelde. But we content our selues with our earthen floores, wel made and of good earth, mixed with a little Chaffe, and the groundes of oyle: for this preserueth the Corne from Myse and Emets. You must make it very eeuen and leauel, and after it is mingled with Chaffe, let it be wel troden, & so suf­fered to drye. You must keepe also from it Beastes and Poultry, whiche with tramplyng and skraping wyll make it rugged and vneuen. When the floore is drye, the Corne layde on it, is beaten out with Flayles & cleaned with Fannes, though in some place they rather lyke to tread it out with Oxen, and to wynnowe it af­ter the olde fashion with the winde.

Well syr, when you haue thus threasshed your Corne, what wayes haue you to keepe it from Wyuels?

The Garners, or Corne loftes, wherein your Corne thus threasshed and cleansed shalbe layde,Garners. must stande hye, that they may be blowen through with the Easterne and Northerne windes, to whiche no moysture from the places adioynyng must be suffered to come: for y^e quarters of the Heauen that are coldest and dryest, doo both preserue Corne the longest. In Spayne and Apulia beyng hotte Countreys, the wynde is not onely let in on the sydes by wyndowes, but also at the bottome by grates. Some agayne preserues it in vautes vnder the graunde, where the drye earth dooth cherishe such fruites as she hath brought foorth, vsed [Page 43] as Varro sayth, in Spayne and Garthage: a [...]d in our dayes we vse to keepe both Wine and Grayne in suche vaultes. In Coun­treys that are very wette and watrishe, it is better to make them in Garrettes as hie as may be, hauing good regarde that it be well walled and floored. Moreouer, where as Corne is subiect to Wyuels and Uermine, except it be very safely laide vp, it wyll soone be consumed:Agaynst breedyng of VVyuels. therefore you must make with Clay ming­led in steade of strawe with heare, then ouercast it within and without with white Potters Claye, last of all, steepe the rootes and leaues of wylde Cucumbers in water two dayes, and with that water, and Lime, and Sand, make plaister, and washe therewithall the walles within: albeit Plinie countes Lyme as hurtfull a thing as may be for Corne. Some mingle with Lyme the vryne of Cattell, as a thing that wyll destroy Wyuels, or the leaues of Houseleeke, of Wormewood, or Hoppes: but specially yf you haue it, there is nothing so good to destroy all suche Uer­mine, as the dregges and bottome of Oyle: some vse in the steade therof, the pickle of Herringes. Hauing in this sort ordered their feelinges, & their floores being dry, they suppose that no hurtful woorme shal annoy what so euer Corne they lay in them. Some lay vnder their Corne, Fleewoort: others thinke it an assured re­medie, yf they be often fanned & wynnowed, and thereby cooled: but Columella thinkes it vntrue, and that by this meanes the ver­mine shall not onely be not driuen out, but they shalbe dispearsed throughout all the Corne, whiche yf they otherwyse be left alone, wyll meddle with no more then the outward partes, for a hand­bredth depth within, there neuer breedes any Wyuels: and therefore he thinkes it better to let that alone that is alredy cor­rupted, and wyll goe no further, then with farther medling to marre all: for it is an easie matter when so euer ye neede to occu­pie it, to take away that is taynted, and to vse the rest. But for al this, experience teacheth vs, that there is no so good a remedie to destroy the Wyuel, as is the often fannyng and wynnowing in Sommer. After the first two yeeres, they holde opinion they wil not meddle with Corne: but I weerie you with carrying you to muche about, and yf it please you, we wyll returne home.

If it be for your ease so to doo: otherwyse there can be [Page] no greater pleasure to me, then walking abrode to heare you talke of husbandry.Of pasture & medovve Are these that I see your Pastures, where your fatte Oxen, and your Mares, and your Caltes goe lea­ping?

They are so. I lay all my Pastures seuerall, for eue­ry kinde of Cattell to be by him selfe: in the hythermost that you see, are my Cattell that I fatte: in the next are my Horses, my Mares, and my Coltes: in the next are my young breede, Yeere­linges, and Twayeerelinges. The Meddowes that you see in yonder Ualley, lye all to be mowed. Here next to my house, are my Sucklings, that are brought to their dammes to sucke thrise a day, and therefore ought to be neare: howe be it, suche as feede farre of, must diligently and dayly be looked to, for feare of disea­ses.

Since I haue troubled you this farre, I can not leaue till I vnderstand all your orders.

No trouble at all to me, but rather as I said before, the recording hereof, is my great ioy: for in talking of these mat­ters you bring me abedde.

I pray you then take the paines to describe me the or­dering of Pastures and Meddowes, when as there seemeth to be a great affinitie betwixt them and Corne grounde, and be­cause they are sometimes also to be plowed, mee thinketh this part remayneth to be spoken of.

With all my hart, I wyll satisfie your desyre in as muche as I am able: and in deede since I haue all this whyle spoken of Corne grounde, it is not out of order to tell you my minde of Pasture: and although Cato in some places dooth geue the preeminence to the Uineyarde, yet other olde wryters doo most of all preferre Pastures, as the grounde that requireth least a doo about it: and therefore they were called as Varro sayth, Prata, because they were parata, alway in redinesse, and needed nei­ther great charge nor labour, nor are in danger of storme or tem­pestes, as other kinde of grounde is, except suche parcels as lye neare Riuers and Ilandes, whiche are sometimes ouerflowed: and that discommoditie is sufficiently recompenced with the fat­nesse that the water leaues behinde it, whiche enricheth the [Page 44] grounde, and makes it the better yeerely to yeelde his gayne ey­ther in Pasture or Meddowe. The Pastures wi [...]h vs doo com­monly serue both for Pasture or Meddowe when we list, special­ly in suche places where the grounde is ritche and drye, whiche they had ratired to employ to Pasture, because with dounging of Cattell, it waxeth [...]wayes the better, whereas with continuall bearing of He [...], in hath growen to be mossie and nought: but where the grounde is alwayes wette and watrishe, there it is bet­ter to let it lye for Meddowe. Columella maketh two kindes of Pasture grounde, whereof one is alwayes drye, the other ouer­flowen. The good and the riche grounde hath no neede of ouer­flowyng, the Hay being muche better that groweth of the selfe goodnesse of the grounde, then that whiche is forced by waters: whiche sometime notwithstandyng is needefull, yf the barren­nesse of the grounde requireth it: for in badde and noughtie grounde, good Meddowe may be made, if it lye to be ouerflowen: but then must the grounde neither lye hollowe, nor in hilles, lest the one of them keepe the waters vppon it to long, and the other presently let it soorth agayne. Therefyre lyeth the grounde best, that lyeth leuelest, which suffereth not the water to remayne ve­ry long, nor auoydeth it too soone. If in suche grounde it chaunce to stand ouerlong, it may be auorded with water streame at your pleasure: for both ouerplus, and the want of water are alike hurtfull vnto Meddowes. It is very handsome, where drye and barrayne grounde lyeth so by the Riuer, as the water may be let in by Trenches when you lyst: in fine, the occupying of Pasture groundes require more care then trauayle. First, that we suffer not Busshes, Thornes, nor great Weedes, to ouergrowe them, but to destroy some of them, as Brembles, Bryers, Bulrusshes, and Sedges in the ende of Sommer, and the other that be Som­mer Weedes, as Sowthystell, and all other Thystels, in the Spring. You must take heede of Swyne, that spoyle and turne vp the grounde ilfauouredly, and all other Cattell: except it be in hard and drye weather, for otherwyse they gult and ma [...]re the grounde with the deepe sincking of their feete treading in the Grasse, and breaking the Rootes. The badde and barrayne groundes are to be helped with doung in Winter, specially in [Page] Februarie, the Moone encreasing, and the stones, stickes, and suche baggage as lye scattered abrode, are to be throwen out soo­ner or later, as the grounde is. There are some Meddowes that with long lying, are ouer growen with Mosse, whiche the old husbands were woout to remedie with casting of certaine seedes abrode, or with laying on of doung, specially Pigeons doung: but nothing is so good for this purpose, as often to cast asshes vp­pon it, for that destroyeth Mosse out of hand. Notwithstanding, these are but troublesome remedies. The best and certainest is to plowe it: for the grounde after his long rest, will beare goodly Corne. But after you haue plowed it, it wyll scarse recouer his olde estate againe for Pasture or Meddowe in three or foure yeeres. When you meane to let your ground lye againe for Med­dowe or Pasture, your best is to sowe it with Oates, and to har­rowe the grounde euen and leuell, and to hurle out all the stones and suche thinges as may hurt the Sythe: for Oates is a great breeder of Grasse. Some doo cast Hey seede, geathered from the Heyloaft or the racks, ouer the grounde before they harrowe it. Others agayne, when their Meddowes haue lyen long, sowe Beanes vpon them, or Rape seede, or Millet, and the yeere af­ter, Wheate: and the thirde yeere they let them lye againe for Meddowe or Pasture. You must beware, that whyle the ground is loose and soft, you let not in the water, for the force of the water wyll washe away the earth from the rootes of the Grasse, and wyll not suffer them to growe togeather: neither must you (for the like daunger) suffer Cattell to come vppon it, except in the seconde yeere Goates, or Sheepe, or suche like, after you haue mowed it, and that yf the season be very drye. The thirde yeere you may put on your greater sort of Cattell againe, and yf the grounde be hilly and barrayne, you may doung the highest part of it in Februarie, as I saide before, casting on it some Hey seede: for the higher part being mended, the rayne or water that comes to it, wyll carry downe some part of the richenesse to the hot­tome. as I saide before, when I spake of the manuring of eara­ble grounde. But yf you wyl lay in newe grounde for Meddowe, and that you may haue your choyse, take such as is ritche, dewye, leuell, or a little hanging, or choose suche as valley, where the wa­ter [Page 45] can neither lye long, nor runne away to fast: neither is the rancke Grasse alwayes a signe of good grounde: for what good­lyer Grasse is there saith Plinie, then is in Germanie, and yet you shall there haue sand within a little of the vpper part. Neither is it alway a watrie grounde where the Grasse growes hie, for the very Mountaines in Sycherland yeeld great and hie Grasse for Cattell. The Pastures that lyes by the Lakes of Dumone in Au­stri and Hungry are but selender, nor about the Rhine, specially at his falling into the Sea about Holland, as likewyse in Frislande and Flaunders. Caesar Vopiscus, the Feeldes of Roscius were the principal of Italie, where the Grasse would so soone growe, as it woulde hide a staffe in a day. You may make good Meddowe of any grounde, so it may be watred. Your Meddowes are to be purged in September and October, and to be ridde of all Bus­shes, Brambles, and great foule Weedes, and al thinges els that annoy them: then after that it hath often been stirred, and with many times plowing made fine, the stones cast away, and the cloddes in euery place broken, you must doung it well with freshe doung, the Moone encreasing. Let them be kept from gulling and trampling of Cattel. The Mouldhilles & dounging of Horse and Bullockes, must with your Spade be cast abroade, whiche yf they remaine, would eyther be harberours of Antes and suche like Uermine, or els breeders of hurtful and vnprofitable weedes: your Meddowes must be laide in towardes Marche, and kept from Cattell, and made very cleane: yf they be not ritche, they must be mended with doung, whiche must be laide on, the Moone encreasing, and the newer the doung be, the better it is, and the more Grasse it makes: whiche must be laide vpon the toppe of the highest of the grounde, that the goodnesse may runne to the bottome. The best hearbe for Pasture or Meddowe, is the Tre­foyle or Clauer: the next is sweete Grasse: the woorst as Plinie saith, is Russhes, Fearne, and Horsetayle.

Howe shall I knowe when the Grasse is ripe, and rea­dy to be cutte?

The time of cutting of it, is when the Bent begin­neth to fade and to waxe stiffe, and before it wyther. Cato biddes not to mowe your Grasse with the latest, but before the seede be [Page] ripe. It is best cut downe before it wyther, whereby you shall haue bot [...] more, and better Hey of it. Some, where they may ouerflowe it, doo water it a day before they cut it, it cutteth bet­ter after a dewye Euening.

Doo you cut Grasse in the like sort as you doo Corne?

Almost in the like same sort, some do vse short Sythes, mowing it with one hand: but we here doo vse the common great Sythe, mowing with both our handes, as I saide before, that Oates, and Barley, and suche other like Corne was mowed: whiche Sythes we vse to sharpe with Whetstones, or instru­mentes of Wood dressed with Sande. The Grasse being cutte, must be well tedded and turned in the Sommer, and not cocked till it be drye: and yf it chaunce to be wette with rayne, it must not be turned, till the vpper part be dryed. There is a measure to be vsed in making of it, that it be not had in too drie, nor to greene. The one sort, yf the iuyce be dryed vp, serueth only for lit­ter: the other (too greene and moyst) yf it be carryed into the Loft, rotteth, and the vapour being ouerheated, falleth on fyre and burneth. And yf so be the rayne chaunce to fall vpon the Grasse that is newe cut downe, yf it be not stirred, it takes not so muche harme: but yf it be once turned, you must still be stirring of it, otherwyse it will rotte. Therefore the vppermost part before it be turned, must be well dryed with the Sunne and the Winde: when it is dryed, we lay it in windrowes, and then make it vp in Cockes, and after that in Moowes, which must be sharpe and piked in the toppe, the better to defend it from the rayne: whiche yf it doo not fall, yet is it good so to doo, that they may sweate in the saide Moowes, and digest what so euer moysture is in it. And therefore good husbandes doo not lay it vp in their Loftes, till suche time as it hath sweat in the Feelde. Grasse is commonly mowed twyse a yeere, in May or Iune, and againe after Har­uest: the first mowing is counted the best. As soone as the Hey is of after the first mowing, it woulde be ouerflowed (yf you may conueniently) to the ende the after swath may be mowed in Au­tume, whiche they call in Latine Cordum. In the Dukedome of Spol [...]to, it is saide they mowe foure times a yeere, being drye grounde, and diuers other places thryse a yeere. Medica may be [Page 46] rutte sixe times a yeere, yf it be ordered as it ought to be. It is best mowed when it beginneth to flowre, for it must not growe to seede: being dryed, it is made vp in bundels, and kept good three yeeres, to the great comfort of poore Cattell: but because I haue tolde you of Medica before, it is but vayne to rehearse it agayne.

You haue spoken of a very large and great knowledge of husbandry, whiche out of doubt requireth in a man great tra­uayle and diligence.

It requireth in deede great diligence and trauayle, howebeit, it recompenceth the paines and the charges not with­out great gaynes, whereof Plinie bringeth for example Caius Cre­sinus, who when vppon a little peece of grounde he reaped more fruite and graynes a great deale, then his neighbours did vppon their great occupiers, gr [...]we into great hatred amongst them, as though they had bewitched their feeldes: whereof being accused by Spurius Albinus, and fearing to be condemned, when the Quest should passe vppon him, he bringes all his instrumentes of hus­bandry into the common place, and brought in there with all his daughter, a iolly great royle, his iron tooles perfectly wel made, great Spades,The diligēce of Caius Cresinus. mightie Coulters, and lustie Cattell: loe here (quoth he) myne echauntments, neither can I bring before you my great and painefull labours, watchinges, and sweat: where­vppon he was presently quitte by the voyces of them all. But I keepe you to long about my husbandry, it is good time we leaue and goe home.

With a good wyll. If I may obtayne one thing at your handes, whiche when you haue made an ende with, I wyll trouble you no longer.

What is that?

If a man woulde bye a Farme or a Mannour, in what sort shall he best doo it? for I dout not but you haue good skill in suche matters.

Iscomachus in Xenophon telleth, that his father taught him that he shoulde neuer buye a peece of grounde, that had been skilfully or curiously husbanded before, but rather suche ground as by the slouthfulnesse and pouertie of the maister, had lyen vn­tilled and neglected, and yet seeme to be very good grounde: as [Page] it is better to bye a leane Horse, so that he be not olde, and that he haue the tokens of a good Horse, then a fatte Horse, and one that is curiously kept. A well ordered peeece of lande is helde deare, and yeeldes no great encrease, and therefore is neither so pleasant nor so profitable, as that which by good husbandry may be made better. Cato woulde haue two thinges to be obserued in bying of lande, the goodnesse of the ground, and the holsomenesse of the ayre: of whiche two, yf eyther be lacking, whosoeuer dooth bye it, he iudgeth him mad, and meete to be sent to Bedlem: for none that is well in his wittes, wyll bestowe cost vppon barraine grounde, nor hazarde him selfe for a little riche grounde, to be alwayes subiect to pestilentiall diseases: for where a man must deale with the Deuil, there is not onely his commoditie, but his life doubtfull, and rather his death then his gayne certaine. After these two principall notes, as Columella sayth, Cato added of like weyght these three that folowe to be regarded: the Way, the Water, & the Neighbour. The goodnesse of the waye is a great matter, for it both makes the maister haue a delight to goe about it, and it is commodious for carriage, whiche bringeth great gayne, and litleth charges. Of the commoditie of water who doubteth, without whose vse no man is able to liue. Of a mans neighbour, he woulde haue a man haue speciall regarde. Hesiodus sayth, [...], an euill neighbour is a great mischiefe. I haue knowen diuers, that for the troublesomenesse of theyr neighbour, haue forsaken good dwellings, and changed golde for copper, because they haue had false knaues to their neighbours, and quarellers, that suffering their cattel to runne at large in eue­ry mans ground to spoyle their Corne and their Uines, would also cutte downe wood, and take what so euer they finde, alwayes brabling about the boundes of their grounde, that a man coulde neuer be in quiet for them: or els haue dwelt by some Caterpil­ler Ruffian or Swashbuckler, that would leaue no kinde of mis­cheefe vndoone. Amongst all which commonly there is not so ill a neighbour, as the newe vpstart, that takes vpon him the name of a gentleman, who though you vse him neuer so well, wyll at one time or other geue you to vnderstand from whence he comes, and make you syng with Claudian.

As the Prouerbe in Englande is, Set a Knaue on horsebacke, and you shall see him shoulder a Knight: for an Ape wyll be an Ape, though you clothe him in Purple. Surely M. Portius would haue a man shunne the neighbourhood of suche as the pestilence. I for my part am happie in this point, that I haue no neighbour that I neede to feare.

Perhaps they dare not for your aucthoritie doo, as otherwyse they woulde.

But since death and other casualties riddes a man of them, the dwelling is not to be left, yf it haue other good commo­dities, except it be placed in the borders of sundry Countreys that be subiect to great sicknesses. Some commend the dwelling that hath faire wayes about it, is neare some Riuer or good mar­ket, wherby a man may carrie his marchādize with lesse charges. The olde fellowes would neuer haue a man place him selfe neare the hie way, for pilffering of such as passe by, and troublesome­nesse of ghestes, as I saide before in speaking of the placing of an house. In the letting of a Farme,The lettyng of a Farme those thinges are to be obser­ued that I spake of before, in describing of a Bayliffe of husban­dry and his labour: that you let it to suche, whose trauayle and good behauiour you may be assured of, and that you regard more their good ordering of the lande then the rent, which is least hurt­full, and most gaynefull. For where as the grounde is well hus­banded, you shall commonly haue gayne, and neuer losse, except by vnreasonablenesse of the weather, whiche the Ciuil Lawyer sayth shoulde not be any damage to the Tenaunt, or the inuasion of the enimie, where the Tenaunt can not helpe it. Besides, the Lorde must not deale with his Tenaunt so straightly in euery poynt, as by lawe he might, for his rent dayes, bargaynes of wood, quit rentes, or suche, the rigour wherein is more trouble­some then beneficial: neither ought we to take euery aduantage, for lawe many times is right plaine wrong: neither must ye be to slacke on the other side, for too muche gentelnesse many times makes a man the woorst. And therefore it is good yf the Farmer [Page] be slacke in his paimentes, to make him to knowe it: but in no wyse to be a rayser or enhaunser of rentes, for that discomfortes, and many times vndooeth the Tenaunt. Moreouer, you must not lightly change the olde Farmer, both because of his desertes, and that he is better acquainted with the grounde then a newe. L. Vo­lusius would alwayes say, that he was in best case for his landes, that had alwayes his Tenauntes borne and bread vp in them, whereby the long familiaritie shoulde make them more louingly to vse them selues: for sure it is an euill vse often to change Te­nauntes, and therefore I doo like well that order, where the land is let for the liues of the Tenaunt, his Wyfe, and his Chylde, paying a yeerely rent, so that as long as he payes his rent, and keepes the reparations, it shall not be lawfull to deceiue him: for hereby the Tenaunt shall be prouoked to order the grounde with more diligen [...]e, to repayre the house, & to looke to it in al pointes as to his owne, bestowyng many times as muche as he hath vp­pon it. This way of letting lande mee see [...]es is best, where the ground is subiect to the Sea or the Riuer, or other daunger, that the Tenaunt be charged with the maintenaunce of it. And here be sure that you let it rather to one of habilitie, then to a an vn­thriftie man that is not able to beare it, whereby you may loose both your land & your rent. In suche place as lyes neare the lord, he may occupie it by his Bayliffe, or to hawues: but where it is farre of, it is better to let it out for a yeerely rent vpon y^e foresayd couenantes. For yf you occupie it with your seruauntes, they wyl eyther looke yll to your cattel, or your ground, or suffer thinges to be stolen, or steale them selues, or make you be at more charges then needeth, & be carelesse in euery thing. In letting of ground commonly it is couenaunted, that the Tenaunt shall not let nor sell without leaue of the lorde, and that he shall not breake any Pasture or Medowe lande, and what, and howe muche he shall sowe of eue [...]y kinde of grayne, howe much he shall haue for Pa­sture, howe muche he shall let lye, and howe muche he shal mend. Here haue you almost as muche as I am able to say in husban­dyng of the grounde.

I thanke you, you haue greatly delighted me with the describing of your Pasture grounde and Earable.

BEcause of the Aliance betwixt Hearbes, Trees, and Corne, and because their husbandry is al­most one, it is reason that next to the first booke, written of earable grounde and tyllage, shoulde folowe the description of Orchardes, Gardens, and their fruites. Virgil in wryting of husbandry, left this part vnwritten of: howe be it, diuers others both olde and newe wryters haue not without some diligence written of this part, but yet by snatches (as it were) and not throughly: whose opini­ons, ioyned with myne owne experience, it seemeth good to me in this booke to declare. And since the vse of Orchardes and Gardens is great and auncient,The vse of Gardens of great anti­quitie. and that Homer wryteth, howe Laertes the olde man, was woont with his trauayle in his Or­chardes, to driue from his minde the sorowe he tooke for the absence of his sonne. And Xenophon reporteth, that king Cyrus, as great a prince as he was, woulde plant with his owne handes, and sette Trees in his Orchardes, in suche order, as it seemed an earthly paradise. Qu. Curtius writeth of Abdolominus, that for his great vertue, of a poore Gardner, came to be king of the Sidonians. And surely, not vnwoorthyly is this part of husbandry esteemed, seeing it doth not alonely bring great pleasure, but also is great­ly profitable for the maintenaunce of household, and the sparing of charges, ministring to the husband dayly foode and sufficient sustenaunce without cost. For when (as Columella sayth) in the olde time the people liued more temperately, and the poore at more libertie fedde of fleshe and milke, and suche thinges as the ground and foldes yeelded: but in the latter age when ryotte and daintinesse began to come in, and the wealthyer sort to esteeme no fare but costly, and farre fetched, not content with meane dy­et, but coueting such thinges as were of greatest price, the poore people as not able to beare the charges, were banished from the costlier eates, and driuen to content them selues with the basest [Page] foode. And hereof sprang at the fyrst the planting of Orchardes, and making of Gardens, wherewith the poorest creature that was, might store his Kitchin, and haue his victuals alwayes at hand, the Orchard and Garden seruing for his Shambles, with a great deale more commendable & hurtlesse dyet. Herein were the olde husbandes very careful,An euyll Garden, to­ken of an ill husvvyfe. and vsed alwayes to iudge, that where they founde the Garden out of order, the wyfe of the house (for vnto her belonged the charge thereof) was no good huswyfe, for they shoulde be forced to haue their victuals from the Sham­bles or the Market, not making so great account of Colwoortes then, as they doo nowe, condemning them for the charges that were about them. As for fleshe, it was rather lothed then vsed a­mongst them. Only Orchardes and Gardens did chiefely please them, because the fruites that they yeelde, needed no fyre for the dressing of them, but spared wood, being alwayes of them selues redy dressed, easie of digestion, and nothing burdensome to the stomacke: and some of them seruing also to pouder or preserue withal, as good marchandize at home, as Plinie sayth, not driuing men to seeke Pepper as farre as Indie. Of Lucrin, I the Oysters not regarde, as the Poet sayth. And therefore to make them of more woorthynesse, and that for their common profyte they shoulde not be the lesse regarded, there were diuers noble men of the house of Valerius, that tooke their surnames of Lettuse, and were not ashamed to be named Lettismen.O [...] Lettu­syns. The olde people had in great estimation the Gardens of the daughters of Altas, and of the kinges Adonis, and Alcinoi, of whom Homer so muche spea­keth, as also the great vaulted Gardens, eyther built by Semiramis, or by Cyrus the king of Assyria. Epicure is reported to be the fyrst that euer deuised Garden in Athens, before his time it was not seene that the pleasures of the Countrey were had in the Citie. Now when Thrasybulus trauayling in the affayres of his Prince, chaunced to come to the house of Marius, and carryed by him into a Garden that he had, whiche was very beautifull, being ledde about among the sweete smelling flowres, and vnder the plea­saunt Hearbers, what a goodly sight (quoth) Thrasybulus is here? howe excellently haue you garnished this paradise of yours with all kinde of pleasures? Your Parlers, & your banketting houses [Page 49] both within and without, as all bedecked with pictures of beau­tifull Flowres and Trees, that you may not onely feede your eyes with the beh [...]lding of the true and liuely flowre, but also de­light your selfe with the counterfaite in the middest of Winter, seeing in the one, the painted flowre to contende in beautie with the very flowre: in the other, the woonderfull woorke of nature, and in both, the passing goodnesse of GOD. Moreouer, your pleasaunt Herbers to walke in, whose shaddowes keepe of the heate of the Sunne, and yf it fortune to rayne, the Cloysters are hard by. But specially this little Riuer with most cleare water, encompassing the Garden, dooth woonderfully set it foorth, and here withall the greene and goodly quickset Hedges, in charge­ble kinde of enclosures, differeth it both from Man and Beast. I speake nothing of the well ordered quarters, whereas the Hearbes and Trees are seuered euery sort in their due place, the Pot hearbes by them selues, the Flowres in an other place, the Trees and the Impes in an other quarter, all in iust square and proportion, with Alleys and Walkes amongst them. Among these goodly sightes, I pray you remember according to your promise (for so the time requireth) to shewe me some part of your great knowledge in Garden matters, syth you haue vppon this condition heard me heretofore garbring, or rather weerying you with the declaiming of my poore skill in the tilling of the Feeld.

Your memorie is herein a littel to quicke, but what shal I doo? promise must be kept, and since you wyl needes force me, you shall heare me babble as well as I can, of my knowledge in gardning: but not with the like pleasure that I heard you tal­king, of your grasyng and your ground.

Yes truely, with as great pleasure and desire as may be.

Come on then, let vs here sitte downe in this Her­ber, and we wyll nowe and then ryse and walke, resting vs as oft as you wyl: in the meane time IVLIA shal make redy our sup­per. And fyrst, euen as you began with the choosing of a place meete to set your house vpon, so must I with the choise of a Plot meete for a Garden. The ordring of Gardens is diuers, for some are made by the Manour houses, some in the Suburbes, some in [Page] the Citie, where so euer they be, yf the place wyll suffer, they must be made as neare to the house as may be: but so, as they be as farre from the Barnes as you can, for the chaffe or dust blow­ing into them, and eyther subiect to the Doung heape, whereby it may be made riche, or els in some very good grounde that hath some small Brooke runnyng by it, or yf it haue none suche, some Well or Condite, whereby it may be watred. An excellent plotte for the purpose is that which declineth a little, and hath certaine gutters of water running through diuers partes therof: for Gar­dens must alwayes be to be easily watred, yf not, with some run­nyng streame, some Pompe is to be made, or Kettell, Myll, or suche like,The time of s [...]rchyng for vvater. as may serue the turne of a naturall streame. Columella would haue you make your searche for water, when the Sunne is in the latter part of Virgo, which is in September before his en­trance into the Winter Aequinoctial, for then may you best vnder­stand the strength or goodnesse of the springes, when after the great burnyng heate of the Sommer, the grounde hath a long whyle continued without rayne. If you can not thus haue water, you must make some standing Pond at the vpper part of the ground, that may receyue and conteyne such water as falles from aboue, wherewith ye may water your Garden in the extreame heate of the Sommer: but where neither the nature of the soyle, nor conueiance by Conduite, or Pompe, or running streame is to be had, you haue no other helpe but the rayne water of Winter, which yf you also haue not, then must you delue & lay your Gar­den three or foure foote deepe: which being so ordered, wyll well be able to abide what so euer droughth doo happen. This is also to be regarded, that in Gardens that are destitute of water, you so order them into seuerall partes, that what part you wyll occupie in Winter, may lye toward the South, and that which shal serue you for Sommer, may lye towardes the North. In a Garden, as in the choyse of Corne grounde, you must looke whether the goodnesse of the ground be not hindered by the vnskilfulnesse of hym that hath occupied it. You must also make choyse of your water, of whiche the best as Plinie sayth) are the coldest, and such as be sweete to drinke: the woorst, that comes from Ponds, or is brought in by trenches, because they bring with them the [Page 50] seedes of Grasse and Weedes: but the grounde dooth most de­light in rayne water, which killeth Woormes and baggage that breedes in it: but for some Herbes, salt water is needefull, as the Raddishe, Beete, Rue, Sa [...]rile, to which, al salt water they say, is a speciall helper, making them both pleasaunt and fruitefull: to all others,Th [...] [...] of [...] of Gardens. sweete water is only to be vsed. And because I haue begunne to entreate of watring, I must geue this note, that the times of watring is not in the heate of the day, but early in the mornyng, and at night, least the water be heated with the sunne: onely Basyl you must water at Noone, the seede something wyl come the sooner vp, yf they be sprinckled at the fyrst with hotte water. You haue here heard, that the fyrst needefull thing for a Garden,Enclosyng of Gardens. is water. The next to that is enclosure, that it be well enclosed both from vnruly folkes and theeues, and likewyse from Beastes: least lying in wayte for your Herbes & your Fruites, they may both bere [...]ue you of your paynes and your pleasure: for yf eyther they be bitten with Beastes, or to often handeled with Men, it hindereth them both of their growth and seeding: and therefore it is of necessitie to haue the Garden well enclosed. Nowe for enclosures, there are sundry kindes, some making earth in mould doo counterfeite Brickwalles: others make them of lime and stones, some others of stones laide one vpon an other in heapes, casting a ditche for water rounde about them, whiche kinde Palladius forbiddes to followe, because it wyll drawe out the moysture from the Garden, except it be in marrishe grounde. Other make their fence with the seedes and settes of Thorne: some make them of mudde walles couered with strawe or heath, Varro maketh mention of foure kindes of enclosure, the fyrst naturall, the second wylde, the thirde souldierly, the fourth, of Carpenters woorke. The fyrst and naturall is the quickset Hedge, being set of young Thornes, whiche once well growen, regardeth neyther fyre nor other hurt. The seconde is the com­mon Hedge made of dead wood, wel staked and thicke plasshed, or raylde. The third the Souldiers fortefying, is a deepe Ditch with a rampier: but the Ditche must be so made, as it may re­ceyue al the water that comes from aboue, or falles into it, wher­in the vaumure must be so steepe, that it may not easily be climed. [Page] This kinde of fence is to be made, where the ground lyes neare the hie way, or buts vpon the Riuer, of which sort I shal haue oc­casion to speake more hereafter. The fourth fence made by the Carpenter or by the Mason, is commonly knowen: wherof there is foure sortes, eyther of Stones, or of Brickes, of Turfe and Earth, and little stones framed in moulde. Columella folowyng the auncientest aucthours, preferreth the quickset Hedge before the dead, both because it is lesse chargeable, and also endureth the longer, continuing a long time: which Hedge of young thornes, he teacheth to make in this sort. The place that you determine to enclose,The making of a quickset h [...]dge. must after y^e beginning of September, when y^e ground hath been wel soked with rayne, be trenched about with two Fur­rowes, a yard distant one from the other, the deapth and breadth of euery one of them must be two foote, whiche you must suffer to lye emptie al Winter, prouiding in y^e meane time the seedes that you meane to sowe in them, which must be the Berries of sharpe Thornes, Bryers, Holly, & wylde Eglanttine, which y^e Greekes call [...] [...] Dogge Bryer. The Beries of these you must geather as ripe as you may, and mingle them with the floure or meale of Tares, whiche when it is sprinckled with water, must be put vpon olde ropes of Ships, or any other ropes, the ropes being thus handled and dryed, must be laide vp in some boorded [...]oore. Afterward when Winter is doone, within fourtie dayes after, about the comming of the swallowe, yf there be any water remayning in the F [...]rrowes, it must be [...]et out, and the mellowed earth, whiche was cast out of the Furrowes in the end of Som­mer, must nowe be cast in againe, till you haue fylled them vp to the midde [...]t: then must you handsomely vnf [...]lde the rope, and lay them in length thorowe both the Furrowes, and so couer them, taking good heede that you throwe not to much earth vpon them for hindering the spring: whiche commonly vseth to appeare within thirtie dayes after, & when they be growen to be of some heyght, they must be made to encline to the space betwixt the two Furrowes: in whiche space you must haue a little walled Hedge, to teache the springes of other Furrowes to clime by, whiche wyl be a [...] and a comfort to them. But I haue an other & a more redyer way of making of them, which you fyrst [Page 51] practisyng in this Countrey,An other nevver and bette [...] [...] hedge. diuers others haue folowed. I also doo make a certayne Ditche, and geathering in the wood the young springes of Thornes, cutting of their toppes, I set them on the bancke of the Ditche, so that they stand halfe a foote out of the grounde, plucking vp al the weedes (specially the fyrst som­mer) that growe about them, and sucke away the iuyce that com­fortes the set. The rootes being thus ridde, I couer all the earth about them with strawe, whereby both the dewe of the night is let into the rootes, and the poore plant is defended from the bur­nyng of the Sunne. The yeere after, I make a little s [...]lender rayle of powles, wherevnto I leye vp the springes, weauing them in such sort as I wyll haue them to growe, which I yeerely make higher, according to the height that I woulde haue the Hedge to spring. Eyght, or at the vttermost niene foote, is a suffi­cient heyght, and what so euer spring aboue, must be plasshed of one side or the other, to make the fence the stronger. When I haue thus done, I matte it thicker and thicker euery yeere, filling vp the places where I see it thinne, with suche bowes as I see growe out of order: and thus is it wouen so thicke with yeerely bindinges, that not so muche as a small birde is able to passe tho­rowe it, nor any man to looke through it. When it is thicke yenough and bigge yenough, the superfluous springes must eue­ry yeerer be cut. This Hedge can neuer be destroyed, except it be plucked vp by y^e rootes: neither feareth it the hurt of fyre, but wyl growe the better for it. And this is my way of enclosing a Gar­den, as the pleasantest, most profitable, and of least charges.

There is an other way of making of a quicksette Hedge,An other sort of hed­ging. which our Hedgers in the Countrey doo vse, which is something the stronger. For setting the young settes, as you haue sayde before, when they be growen to some greatnesse, they cut the Thorne neare to the grounde, and being halfe cut and bro­ken a sunder, they bowe it along the Hedge, and plashe it. From these cuttes spring vp newe plantes, which still as they growe to any highnesse, they cut them, and plashe them againe: so dooing continually, tyll the Hedge be come to his full height. This way the Hedge is made woonderfull strong, that neither Hogge nor other Beast, is able to breake through it: but the other is a great [Page] deale more pleasant to the eye. But yf I haue not settes yenowe to serue, may I make an Impe Garden of their seede?

Yea very wel. Make your Thorne Garden or store plotte in this sort. Take your Berries or Stones, and min­gle them with earth, lay them vp for the fyrst yeere in some place meete for them, the next yeere sowe them as thicke as you canne, and ye shall within a little time haue a whole wood of Thornes.

You haue nowe spoken of water and enclosure, two principall poyntes in a Garden: it nowe remayneth for you to speake of the ground meete for a Garden, and of the order of dres­syng of it.

Of the sundry sortes of ground, and of the dis­cerning of them, because you in your describing of Corne ground before haue sufficiently spoken, I doo not thinke it needefull for me to repeate it. Againe, it is yenough to me to adde onely this, that the ground ought not to be too riche nor too leane, but fatte and mellowe, which bringeth foorth a small kinde of Grasse lyke heares: such ground requires least labour, the stiffe and the riche ground asketh greater paines about it, but dooth recompence it agayne with his fruitefulnesse. The stiffe, leane, and cold ground, is not to be medled with, as Columella wryteth in appoynting good ground for Gardens.

[Page 52] And this much of the Garden ground, which as I sayde, is wa­tred, or may be watred, and is enclosed eyther with a Wall, a Hedge,VVhat to be consydered in the cho [...]se of Garden ground. or some other safe enclosure. After this, it is needefull it lye well to the Sunne, and warme: for in grounde that is very colde, the warmth of the Sunne wyll not muche auayle it. And contrary, yf it be a hette burnyng Sand, the benefite of the hea­uens can little helpe it.Ayre. You must yet looke, that it lye not sub­iect to ill windes that are drye and [...]ching,VVindes. and bring frostes and mystes. But nowe to the orde [...]ing of your Garden.The ord [...] ­ring of Gar­dens. Fyrst, you must be sure that the grounde whiche you meane to sowe in the Spring, be well digged in the fall of the leafe, about the ka­lendes of October: and that whiche you garden in the fall of the leafe, must be digged in May, that eyther by the colde of Win­ter, or the heate of Sommer, both the clodde may be mellowed, and the rootes of the weedes destroyed, nor muche before this time must you doung it. And when the time of sowing is at hand a fiue dayes before, the weedes must be got out, and the doung layde on, and so often and diligently must it be digged, as the ground may be throughly medled with the mould. Therefore the partes of the Gardens must be so ordered, as that which you meane to sowe in the ende of Sommer, may be digged in the spring: & the part that you wyll sowe in the spring, must be dig­ged in y^e end of Sommer: so shal both your f [...]llowes be seasoned by the benefite of the colde and the Sunne.Bedde [...]. The beddes are to be made narrowe and long, as twelue foote in length, and sixe in breadth, that they may be the easyer weeded: they must lye in wette and watrye ground two foote hie, in drye grounde a foote is sufficient. If your beddes lye so drye, as they wyll suffer no water to tarry vpon them, you must make the spaces betwixt hy­er, that the water may be forced to lye and auoyde when you wil. Of the kindes and sortes of dounging,Of digging and doung­ing of Gar­dens. being sufficiently entrea­ted of by you, I wyll say nothing: onely adding this, that the doung of Asses is the best, because it breedeth fewest weedes: the next is Cattels doung, and Sheepes doung, yf it haue lyen a yeere. The grounde as I sayde whiche we meane to sowe in the Spring, we must after the ende of Sommer let lye fallowe, to be seasoned with the frost and the colde: for as the heate of Som­mer, [Page] so dooth the colde of the Winter bake & season the ground. When Winter is doone, then must we begyn to doung it, and about the fourteenth or fifteenth of Ianuarie, we must digge it agayne, deuiding it into quarters and beddes. Fyrst must the weedes be plucked vp, and turffes of barrayne grounde must be layde in the Alleyes, which being well beaten with Beetles, and so trode vpon, that the Grasse be worne away, so that it scarse ap­peare, it wyll after spring vp as fyne as littleheare, and yeelde a pleasaunt sight to the eye, which wyll be very beautiful. When you haue seuered your flowres by them selues, your Phisicke hearbes by them selues, and your potte hearbes and sallettes in an other place, the beddes and the borders must be so cast, as the weeders handes may reache to the middest of them, so shall they not neede in their labour to treade vppon the beddes, nor to hurt the hearbes. And this I thinke sufficient for the preparing of your ground before the sowing. Nowe wyl I speake of sowing, and what shalbe sowed in euery season.Of sovving. To speake of all sortes of hearbes and flowres, were an endlesse labour, onely of those that are most needeful, I meane to entreate. And first of hearbes, some are for the potte, some for the sight, some for pleasure and sweete sauour, and some for phisicke. And agayne, some are for Winter, some for Sommer, and some betwixt both. The first time of sowing after Winter, is the moneth of March, April, and May,Three sea­sons to sovv in. wherein we vse to sowe Colwoortes, Radishe, Rape, and after Beetes, Lettuse, Sorel, Mustardseede, Corr [...]ander, Dyll, and Garden Cresses. The second season for sowing, is in the beginnyng of October, wherein they set Beetes, and sowe Smallage in Gellaci and Arreche. The third season, which they call the Sommer season, in some places the Gardners begin in Ianuarie, wherein they set Cucumbers, Gourdes, Spinnache, Basyl, Pursline, and Sauery. Many thinges may be sowed be­twixt these seasons, and yet doo very well. All Garden hearbes are commonly sowen before the tenth of Iune, suche thinges as you would not haue seede, you may sowe after this time. Some thinges are sowed onely two times a yeere, in the spring, and in the ende of Sommer. Others agayne at sundry tymes, as Let­tuse, Colwoortes, Rocket, Radishe, Cresses, Corriander, Cher­uil, [Page 53] and Dyll. These are sowed about March, or about Septem­ber, and as Columella sayth, doo come eyther of the seede, or of the slippe: some of the Roote, some of the Stalke, some of the Leafe, some of the Clot, some of the Head, some of both: others of the Barke, others of the Pith: some, both of the seede and the slippe, as Rue, wylde Marierum, and Basyl, this they cutte of, when it comes to be a handfull hye: others growe both of the Seede and the Roote, as Onyons, Garlyke, and suche lyke. And although al thing wyll growe of their seedes, yet this they say, Rue wyll not doo: for it very seeldome springes, therefore they rather set the slippes. These that are set of the Roote, doo commonly last longer, and branche better, putting foorth young slippes from his sides, as the Onyon and Gith. The stalke be­ing cut, they all doo spring agayne for the most part, except such as haue speciall stalkes, called of Theophrastus [...], that is, suche as when the stalke is cutte, growe no more: Gasa inter­prets it Secaulia. The Rape and the Radysh, their leaues being pulled away & couered with earth, doo growe and continue tyll Sommer. The fruites of some is in the earth, some without, and some both within & without, some lye & grow, as the Cucumber and the Gourd, & sometimes hang, though of greater weyght by much then the fruites of Trees: some require stayes & helpes to clime by, as Hoppes, Lupines, & Pease: some seede groweth bet­ter. The newer they be,Of seedes. as Leekes, Nigella Romana, Cucum­bers, & Gourdes, & therefore some vse to steepe their Cucumber-seede in Mylke or Water, to cause them to grow the speedelyer. On the other side, of olde seede better groweth the Beete, Gar­den Cresses, Peniryal, great Marierum, & Corriander. In the Beete this is onely obserued, that the seede commeth not al vp in one yeere, but part the second yeere, & some the third: and there­fore of a great deale of seede, springeth but a little. Touchyng seede, this is to be well seene to, that they be not to olde and drye, that they be not mingled, or taken one for an other: olde seede in some is of such force, as it chaungeth the nature: for of olde Col­woort seede springeth the Rape, and likewyse of Rape seede Colwoortes. Also, that ye geather not your seedes to soone nor to late. The very time as Theophrastus wryteth, is at the spring, [Page] the fall of the leafe, and the rysyng of the Dogge: but not in all places and kindes alike.VVhat seede spring soone and vvhiche slovvly. Of Seedes, the soonest that spring are these, Basyl, Arach, Nauen, Rocket, that commeth vp the third day after the sowing, Lettuse the fourth day, the Cucumber and the Gourde, the fyfth day, Parslin longer eare it come, Dyl the fourth day, Cresses, and M [...]stardseede the fifth day, Beetes in Sommer, the [...]ixth day, in Winter, the tenth or the twelfth, Leekes the nienetienth day, sometime y^e twentieth, Corryander later: which if it be new (except it be thrust togeather) it groweth not at all. Peneryall, and great Marierom, come vp after thyrtie dayes. Parsley, of all other the longest before it come vp, appea­ring the fourtieth day after,The vvea­ther for sovvyng. or many times the fiftieth. You must also consyder, that the weather in sowyng is of great force: for the season being fayre & warme, they come vp the sooner. Some sortes seede one yeere, and neuer after come vp: some agayne continue, as Persley, Smalledge, Leekes, Nigella, that beyng once sowed, come vp euery yeere. Suche as continue but a yeere, presently vpon their seeding dye: other spring agayne after the losse of their stalke, as Leekes, Nigella, Onyons, and Garlyke: and commonly all suche as put out from the side: and all these require dounging and watring.The Moone In sowyng beside, some thinke you must haue regard to the Moone, and to sowe and set in the encrease, and not in the wane. Some agayne thinke it best from that she is foure dayes olde, tyll she be eyghteene: some after the thirde, others from the tenth, tyl the twentieth: and best (as they all suppose) the Moone being aloft, and not sette.

But nowe I pray you tell vs something of the or­dering of the best Garden hearbes you haue.

Some deuide their gardnyng time by the mo­nethes, as they doo their other husbandry.

I care not whether by monethes, or other wayes, but I would faine knowe the orderyng of your Garden here: for I knowe in hotte Countreys they garden all the Winter long, but I am altogeather for our Countrey, whose order we must here folowe.

The time for gardningIn these partes they commonly begyn theyr gardnyng (yf the weather be fayre and seasonable) in the ende of [Page 54] Februarie. At this time therefore the Garden being dounged, digged, raked, and cleansed, they vse to plant Sperage, and Rue.

I pray you begin with Asparagus, Of potte hearbe. or Sperage [...] and the other potte hearbes, euery one in his order, and after­ward with flowres, and Phisicke hearbes.

Asparagus was woont to growe wylde, but now is brought into the Garden,Asparagus. it is called in Greeke [...] in Italian, Spanishe, and Frenche, it is almost all one, the one calling it Asparago, the other Asperge, the Dutche men call it Sparages and Spiritus, because it comes vp of it selfe: for the Garden Sperage they were not acquainted with. It is planted in two sortes, eyther of the Seede, or the Roote. They take of the Seede as much as you may take vp with three fyngers, and bestowing it in little ho [...]ls, euery two or three seedes halfe a foote a sunder: they set them in ritche ground in Februarie, and couer the ground with doung. The weedes that growe, must be well plucked away, after the fourtieth day they come vp as it were to one roote, and tangled togeather, the rootes haue sundry long threedes, which they call the Sponge. In ground that is drye, the seedes are to be set deepe, and well tempered with doung. In wette groundes on the other side, they are to be set shallowe in toppe of the borders, lest the moysture destroy them. The fyrst yeere you must breake of the stalkes that growe, for yf you plucke them vp by the rootes, the whole settes wyll folowe, which are to be preserued for two yeere with dounging and weeding. All the yeeres after, you must not geather them in the stalke, but pull them from the roote, that the rootes being opened may the bet­ter spring, which except you doo, you hurt the spring. Him that you meane to keepe for feede, you must in no wyse meddle with­all, after, burne vp the busshes, and in Winter doung well the rootes with doung and ashes, they are planted also of the rootes, which after two yeeres you must remooue into a warme and wel dounged grounde. The trenches where you meane to set them, must stand a foote a sunder, and a shaftman in depthe, wherein you must so lay your Sponges (as being couered) they may best growe: bnt in the spring before they come vp, you must loose the earth with a little Forke, to cause them the better to spring, and [Page] to make the rootes the greater. Cato woulde haue you to take them, but so, as you hurt not the rootes, & after to pull the plant from the roote: for yf you otherwyse breake it, the roote wyl dye, and come to nothing. But you may so long croppe it, tyll you see it begin to growe to seede: in which yeere for the Winter tyme, you must according to Catoes minde, couer it with strawe, or such like, least the colde doo kil them, and in the spring open it againe, and doung it well. Some thinke, that the fyrst yeere it is neede­lesse to doo any thing to the plant, but onely to weede it. From the rootes, which they call the sponges, there springeth fyrst cer­tayne buddes with crompled knoppes, very good and pleasaunt for sallettes: whiche yf you suffer to growe, it straight bussheth foorth with braunches lyke Fennell, and at length growe to be prickely: after it hath flowred, it beareth a Berrie, fyrst greene, and when it is rype, redde. If you would haue Sallettes of As­paragus al the yeere through: when you haue geathered the Ber­ries, open the rootes that runne aloft by the grounde with dyg­gyng, and you shall haue the rootes send foorth newe buddes out of hand. It is thought, that yf you breake to poulder the horne of a Ramme, and sowe it, watring it well, it wyll come to be good Sperage. In the Spring time they make a very good sallet, be­ing sodde in water, or fatte broth, tyll they be tender: for yf you seethe them too muche, they wyl waste away. When they be sod, they dresse them with Uineger, Oyle, Pepper, and Salt, and so eate them: or as my freend Wylliam Prat, very skilful in these matters telleth me, they cutte them in small peeces lyke Dyse, and after they haue parboyled them, butter them with sweete but­ter, a little Uineger and Pepper.

You haue very well shewed me the orderyng of Asparagus, I pray you goe forward to Rue.

Rue, which the Greekes call [...], the Latines Rutam. Rue. the Italians Rutache, the Spaniardes Ruda, the Frenchemen Rue de gardin, is planted at the ende of Febru­arie or in March, prospering best in drye and sunny groundes, it abhorreth both water and doung, whiche all other hearbes most delight in, it most delighteth in asshes: and where all other plantes wyll spring of the seede, this they say wyll neuer doo it. [Page 55] The branches being slipped of and set in the spring, wyll very well growe, but yf you remooue the olde roote, it dyeth: it de­lighteth in the shadowe of the Figge tree, and being stolne (as they say) it prospereth the better: it is sowed with cursyng, as Cummin, and diuers other, and can not abide the presence of an vncleane woman.

I see goodly Lettuse here, I pray you howe doo you order it?

Lettuse is called in Dutche Lattich, Lettuse. in Frenche Laictue, in Greek [...], in Italian Lactuca, and so in Latine, in Spanishe Lechugas, whereof besides the wylde, there are three kindes, one croompled, whiche Columella calleth Caecilia, and Spanishe Lettuse, of the Countreys where it most groweth, and is greatest esteemed, in Dutch called Krauser Lat­tich, in Frenche Crespue, the other Cabbedge Lettuse, in Dutch Knopf Lattich, in Frenche Laictue testue, of Plinie called Laconi­ca, and Sessilis, because it groweth round like an head, or a apple. The third sort is called Rotunda, because it groweth in compasse vpon the grounde.

But howe come you to haue so good Lettuse, and how doo you order them?

At the ende of Februarie, or in the beginning of March, we vse to sowe it, that it may be remooued about A­pril or May. In hotte Countreys as Palladius telleth, they sowe it in Ianuarie or in December, with intent to remooue it in Fe­bruarie: but you may sowe it at any time of the yeere, so the ground be good, wel dounged, and watred. When you remooue them, the rootes must be pared and rubbed ouer with doung, and such as be already planted, their rootes must be bared and doun­ged: they loue a good ground, moyst & wel dounged, they spreade the better (yf you set by th [...]m the Rape) or when they begyn to stalke, the stalke being tenderly clouen, you lay vppon it a clod or a tyleshard: they wyl be white, yf you sprinckle them often with sand, or tye sande within the leaues, and both tender & white you shall haue them. If two dayes before they be geathered theyr toppes be tyed vp, they wyll be rounde and Cabbeged: yf the roote, being remoued when it is growena hand brode in heyght, [Page] be pared and smered with freshe Cowe doung, and earth cast a­bout it, be well watred, and when it grow [...]th hye, the top be cut, a po [...]shard laide vppon it, the sweeter also they wyll be, the more you restrayne the stalke from shooting vp, which must, as I said, be kept downe with some stone or weight, that they may spreade the better. If the Lettuse chaunce by reason of the badnesse of the soyle, the seede, or the season, to waxe hard, the remoouing of it wyll bring it agayne to his tendernesse: it wyll haue sundry and diuers tastes, yf taking a Treddle of Sheepe or Goates doung, and hollowyng it cunnyngly with an Alle or a Bodkyn, you thrust into it the seede of Lettuse, Cresses, Basyl, Rocket, Smallage, Parsley, and Radyshe, and after wrapping it in doung, you put it into very good grounde, and water it well. The Parsley, or Smallage goeth to roote, the others growe in heygth, keeping styl the taste of euery one. Constantine affyrmeth Lettuse to be a moyst and a colde hearbe, a quencher of thyrst, and causer of sleepe, and that being boyld, it nourisheth most, and abateth lecherie, for which the Pithagoreans doo call it Eunuchi­on. Galen himselfe, the prince of Phisitions dooth greatly com­mend it, who in his youth dyd alwayes vse to eate it rawe, and after in his elder yeeres boyled, whereby he kept his body in good temperature. Endiue,Endiue. in Latine Intabum, or Intubus, not vnlike to Lettuse, some call it Garden Succory, the Dutchmen and common sort Endiuiam, the Italians and the French Cico­riam, the Spaniardes Endibia, it is sowen as other Garden hearbes in March, it loueth moysture and good earth, but you must make your beddes when you sowe it the flatter, least the earth falling away, the rootes be bared: when it hath put foorth foure leaues, you must remooue it vnto well dounged grounde, that whiche is sowen before the kalendes of Iuly, dooth come to seede, but that which is sowen after [...] seedeth not. You must sowe that which you would haue to serue you in Winter in October, in warme stonie places for sallets in Winter, they vse at this day when his leaues be out, to fold them vp together & tye them round in the toppe with some small thing, couering them with some little earthen vessell, the rootes still remayning to nourishe them withall: thus dooing, they wyll growe to be white and ten­der, [Page 56] and to loose a great part of their bitternesse. It is said, that they wyll be whyte, yf they be sprinckled a fewe dayes abroade, and lying vpon sand, be wasshed with the rayne: and thus is En­diue with his encrease preserued all Winter. Some there be, that contentyng them selues with lesse charges and labour, doo onely couer them with earth, others agayne with strawe: this order of wintering of it, is nowe in euery place growen to be common.

I see also in this pleasaunt Garden Colwoortes,Colvvoorts. that we Countrey folkes be so well acquainted with.

Is it meete my Garden shoulde want that, whiche as you knowe Cato preferreth before all other hearbes, in describing the woonderful properties and vses thereof? and this place I onely appoynt for suche common potte hearbes, as Col­woortes, Bee [...]es, Endiue, Onyans, Rapes, Nauenes, Leekes, Carrettes, Raddishe, Garleeke, and Parsneppes: the woorthy­er sort I place by them selues, and as the nature of euery one re­quireth. Colwoortes is commonly called in Latine Brassica, or Caulis, in Greeke [...], in Frenche Choux, in Italian Caule, in Spanishe l'erza, in Dutche Koil. The olde wryters made di­uers sortes of it, as at this day there be. One sort with great and broade leaues, a bigge stalke, and very fruitefull. This sort is commonly knowen, whiche being the pleasaunter in Winter, when it is bitten with the frostes, is sodde with Baken, and vsed in porredge. The tender part of the toppe being a little boyled, is serued for sallettes, dressed with oyle and salt. The second sort with the croombled leafe, of y^t resemblance that it hath to Smal­lage, is called Selinocis or Apiaria, of the common people cromp­led Col, or wrinckled Col. The thirde sort whiche is properly called Crambe, hath a smaller stalke and leafe, smoothe, tender, and not very ful of iuyce. The fourth sort is the great Cabbedge, with brode leaues and a great head, called in Dutche Kappes, in Frenche Cheux Cabuz, of the olde wryters Tritiana Brassica, and this kind is only most set by. In Germanie there is one kind of them that they call Lumbardy Colwoort, or Sauoy Col­woort, sweeter then the other, and not able to endure the Win­ter: and an other with very brode leaues croompled and full of [Page] wrinckles, but a great de [...]le blacker, whiche the Italians call Ne [...]caules, and the Latines Nigra Brassica, of the number of th [...]se that they call commonly redde Col, of the olde wryters Marucina Brassica. There are besides other sortes, takyng their names of they Countrey where they growe, as Aricina and Cu­mana. The best time for setting and sowyng of Colwoortes, is after the Ides of April. In colde and raynie Countreys, the oft­ner it is dounged and raked, the better a great deale wyl the Col­woortes be: some vse to sowe them about the Kalends of March, but then the cheefest of it goeth out in leafe, and when it is once cut, maketh no good stalke for the Winter after: yet may you twyse remooue your greatest Col, and if you so doo, you shal haue both more seede [...] and greater yeelde: for it so aboundeth with seede, as it is sowed with no lesse aduauntage then Rape seede. For the making of oyle, Colwoortes may be sowen all the yeere long, but chiefly in March after it is sowed, it appeareth within ten dayes, except your seedes be olde and drye, for olde seede wyl growe to Rapes, as olde Rape seede wyl to Colwoortes. Some say it prospereth best in salt ground, & therfore they vse to cast vp­on the ground Saltpeter or Ashes, which also destroyeth the Ca­terpiller: it is remooued in Iune, chiefely when it hath put foorth sire leaues, and that when the weather is rayny, so that you couer the roote before with a little freshe doung, and wrappe it in sea­weede, and so set it. More diligence is to be vsed about the Cab­bedge: it must be sowen in March in the full of the Moone, that it may remayne in the grounde two Moones, and in May you must take them vp, and set them agayne two foote asunder. The ground must be well digged where you set them, and as fast as they growe, the earth must be raysed about them, so that there appeare no more then the very toppes of them: for to cause them to growe sayre and great: you must as oft as you remooue them, banke them vp with earth about them, that nothing but y^e leaues appeare. And this you must often doo to all the kindes of them, the hoare frostes make them haue the greater sweetenesse. The Uineyardes (they say) where Colwoortes growe, doo yeelde the wo [...]ser Uines, and the Col corrupteth the wine.

I pray you proceede with y^e rest of these pot hearbes.

You see hereby Spinage,Spinage. so tearmed (as you knowe) of the prickly seedes, called in Latine Spinacia, and euen so in Italian, Spanishe, Frenche, and Datche: it is sow­en as those before, in March, Apryll, and so tyll September: yf it may be well watred, it commeth vp in seuen dayes after the sowing, you shall not neede to remooue it. The seede must presently after the sowing be couered, and afterward well wee­ded: it refuseth no kinde of grounde, but prospereth in euery place, you must often cut it, for it continually groweth, it is to be boyled without any water, where in the boyling it doth yeeld great store of iuyce, and contenting it selfe with his owne lic­quour, it requireth none other. Afterwarde, being beaten and stirred with the ladell, tyll the clamminesse be gone, it is made vp in little balles, the iuyce strayned out and boyled vppon a Chafyndishe with Ole or Butter, some adde therevnto Uergi­us, or the iuyce of soure Grapes, to make the taste more tarte. I shewe you in order as you see, all my Kitchin hearbes, nowe followeth Sorel,Sorell. called in Latine Acetosa, in Italian likewyse, in Spanishe Romaza, in Frenche Oxella, in Dutch Surick, of the sowrer therof. There are sundry sortes of it, we haue at this day two kinde, the Garden Sorel and the wylde, whiche are pleasant both in broth and sallettes, and of this hearbe the wyld sortes are both sowrer in taste, and smaller in leafe: it is sowed as all other potte hearbes are, and it groweth of it selfe in Med­dowes and Gardens.Cummin, & Co [...]ri [...]nder. Cummin and Corriander require well ordered ground, they are sowed in the Spring, and must be wel weeded. Cummin is called in Greeke [...], in Latine Cu­minum, and almost like in all other languages: it is sowed best (as they thinke) with curfyng and execration, that it may pros­per the better. Corriander called in Greeke [...], in Latine Coriandrum, and in almost by the same name in al other tongues, dooth best prosper when it is sowed of seede that is ol­dest. Smalledge and Parsley called in Greeke [...],Smalledge, or Parsley. and also Petro [...]elinon, in Latine Apium, Petroselinum, and Api­um hortense, in Italian Apio domestico, and Petrosello, in Spa­nishe Petersillie or Peterlin, it is sowed at the Aequinoctiall in the Spring time, the seede beaten a little, and made vp in round [Page] pellettes: we call it Aequinoctial, when the nyght and the dayes are of equall length ouer all the world: that is, when the sunne, the captayne and aucthour of the other lightes, the very soule of the worlde, dooth enter into the signes of Aries and Libra. It is thought to prosper the better the older the seede is, and to spring the sooner: it commeth vp the fiftieth day, or at the soonest the fourtieth day after it is sowen: when it is once sowen, it abideth a long time, it reioyceth in water or wette.Fenel. Fenel in Greeke [...], in Italian E [...]nochio, in Spanish Hinozo, in French Fenoil, in Dutche Fenchel, is sowed in the beginnyng of the Spring in hotte sunny places, stony grounde, or any grounde: being once sowen, it springeth euery yeere. Annise in Greeke [...], in Latine Anisum, so knowen in most tongues, as Cum­min, and Corriander, requireth a grounde well ordered and dressed. Dyll in Greeke [...],D [...]ll. in Latine Anethum, in French and Italian almost so, in Spanishe Eneldo, in Dutch Dyll, en­dureth and abideth all kinde of weathers, but delightes most in warme grounde: yf it be not wel watred, it must be sowed thin­ner. Some neuer couer the seedes when they sowe them, suppo­sing that no Birde wyll meddle with it, it commeth vp also of it selfe as Fenel dooth. Cheruyl in Greeke [...],Cheruile. in Latine C [...]r [...]foli [...]om, in Dutche Kerbel, in Italian Gingidia, in Frenche Cerfu [...]il, desyreth a good ground, moyst, and wel dounged: it is sowed with the rest in colde places. In this same moneth they also sowe Beetes,Beetes. though you may sowe them when you wyll at any other tyme of the yeere as Spinage, it is a common Countrey hearbe, they call it in Greeke [...], in Italian Bie­tola, in Spanishe A [...]elga, in Dutch Beett, or Mangelt. No Garden hearbe hath greater leaues, so that with due orderyng, it groweth lyke a young tree. It is called Beta, because when it seedeth, it is (as Columella affyrmeth) to the likenesse of the Greeke letter β. There be two sortes of them, the white and the blacke, the orderyng of them is after one sort: it is sowed as Colwoortes, Sozel, and Radyshe are, in March, April, or May. Some thinke the best tyme for sowing it, is whyle the Pomegranate dooth flowre, it may be sowed neuerthelesse as Lettuse, Cols, and diuers others, at any tyme of the Sommer. [Page 58] The seede, the older it is, the better it is to be sowen, as are the seedes of Smallage, Parsley, Garden Cresses, Sauery, wyld Marierum, and Corriander, though in all other the newest be best. It commeth vp in Sommer the sixth day, in Winter the tenth after the sowyng, it loueth a moyst, a ritche, and a mellow ground, you may remooue it when it hath put forth fiue leaues, yf your ground lyke well to be watred: yf it be drye ground, it must be set in the ende of the Sommer, as I haue sayde of Col­woortes, though it make no great matter at what other time you doo it. When you remooue it, you must rubbe ouer the roote with newe doung. This is proper to the Beete, that his seede come not all vp togeather, but some the yeere after, some the thirde yeere: and therefore of a great deale of seede, there is at the fyrst but a little shewe, it groweth the broader and the whyter, yf when it is something growen, you lay vppon it Tyle stones, or suche lyke, to cause it to spreade, as I spake before of Lettuse. Garden Cresses in Greeke [...],Ga [...]den Cres [...]es. in Italian Nasturtio, and Agretto, in Spanishe Mastuerzo, in Frenche Cresson, de gardin, in Dutch Kerss, are sowed bath in y^e spring, and at the fall of the leafe, it commeth vp the fyrst day after it is sowen, and drinketh away the moysture from suche hearbes as growe neare hym, mingled with other hearbes, he careth not what weather come, and therefore prospereth both as well in winter as in sommer: yf it be sowed with Lettuse, it cōmeth v [...] exceedingly, it delighteth in moysture, which yf it want, it wyll doo well yenough in watrie places it groweth of his owne ac­corde, as about Padelbor, a Towne in Westphalia, it groweth in great abundance in the Riuer, and therefore is called of some Water Cresses: it was called in the olde time Sisimbrium. The bran [...]hes when they wa [...]e olde, are netted togeather with white heary rynges. Garden Poppy, called in Greeke [...],Garden Poppy. in Latine Papauer satiuum, is thought best to growe, where old stalkes haue ben burnt, it is sowed in warme places with other potte hearbes. Mustardseede,Must [...]d­seede. in Greeke [...], in Latine Si­napi, in Dutch Seneff, in Italian Senape, in Spanish Mostaz [...], in Frenche Seneue, there are two kyndes, white and blacke, it is best to be sowen in the end of sommer, and againe in March. [Page] Where it is once sowen, it is hard to ridde the grounde of it againe, because the seede dooth still growe as it falleth. It lo­ueth to growe vpon dounghils, and cast bankes.

I see you haue very faire Radishes here.

Nothing so faire as I haue had them, for where as they delight in the Sunne,Radishe. and in warme grounde, my Gardners haue here set them in the shadowe. The order of them is to be set in very good grounde, and lying vppon the Sunne: some sayth, it dooth not greatly care for doung, so it may haue Chaffe strawed vppon it. When it is come to some growth, they must be couered with earth, for yf it florishe once aboue the grounde, the rootes wyll neuer be good, but hard and full of pithe. It is called Radishe, because it exceedeth all other rootes in greatnesse. Plinie wryteth, that he sawe at Erford in Germanie, Radishe as bigge as the body of an Infant. It is sowed twyse in the yeere, in Februarie or Marche, the Moone being in the wane, lest it growe too much in leaues, foure fin­gers distant one from the other, and againe in August, whiche is the best season for them. Those that you set after the tenth of Iune, wyll neuer seede, the like is to be obserued in all other seedes, it commeth vp commonly the third day after it be sow­en: in hot and Southerly Countreys, the weather being faire, it groweth soone to stalke, and quickly seedes. The leaues as they growe, must still be trampled downe and trodden vppon, wherby the roote shal growe the greater, otherwyse it florisheth with leaues, and geueth encrease to the leafe, and not to the roote: the lesse and the smoother the leafe is, the mileder and the sweeter is the roote: colde as some say, dooth further the good­nesse of them. They say they wyll be very pleasant, yf the seede be steeped in meedth, or in the iuyce of reyzyus: they waxe sweete with colde as the Rape dooth, and their bitternesse is taken away with brine, and therefore some woulde haue Radi­shes watred and nourished with salt waters: being sodden, they come to be very sweete, and serue the turne of Rapes, ge [...]ing fasting, they prouoke vomite, they are hurtfull to the Uines and to the Teethe. Radishe eaten at first, is a good preseruatiue agaynst poyson: eaten before meate, it breaketh winde, and [Page 59] prouoketh vryne: and after meate, it looseth the belly, it is called in Greke [...], in Latine Raphanus, in Italian Rapha [...], in Spanishe Rauano, in French Raue, in Dutch Retich.

There is an other kinde of them, that the Dutch men call Merrettich, I take it to be that whiche the Romanes called Armaracia, called commonly in Italie Ramaracta, the first letter misplaced.

You say well, but this is more full of bran­ches, greater in leaues, thinne in body: the leaues are not vn­like to the former Radishe, but that they are a little sharper and longer, and the roote s [...]lenderer, and therefore there are some that deny it to be Armaracia: but here let the Phisitions con­tend. Theophrastus maketh mention of sundry sortes of Radish. This kinde of Radishe hath a woonderfull bityng taste, a great deale more then Mustard seede, and fetcheth teares from the eyes of them that eate it: it is set and planted in this sort. The roote is cutte in a great number of peeces, whereof euery peece prospereth: for yf you plucke vp this kinde of Radishe by the rootes, you may cut of a good quantitie of the roote, and diui­ding them into small peeces set them, setting the olde roote a­gayne by him selfe, and they wyl all growe & prosper very wel.

Yea, haue you gotten the Rape? hytherto I thought he hadde onely belonged vnto vs, for we vse to sowe them after the Sunne hath been at the highest, and immediat­lye after ouer other Corne, for the sustenaunce both of man and beast.

You doo well,Rapes. and we sowe it nowe in May, and in watry ground sooner, and in some places in Iuly. There are diuers sortes of them, some of them rounde, some growe all in length, and are most pleasant in tast, as at Binge, and in the Countrey of Bauar. Some agayne of the quantitie of a mans head, and of a hundred pounde weyght: but the smallest sort is the sweetest. There is an other kinde of Rape that they vse to sowe, whiche carryeth his seede in little coddes, and is cheefely planted in Germanie for to make Oyle of, the whiche you the other day spake of, it is called in Greeke Goloules, in French Raue, in Italian Rapo, in Spanishe Nabo, in Dutche Ruben. [Page] There is also an other wyld kind called Rapunculus, The little Rape. that grow­eth halfe a yarde hie ful of seede, and tender topped. This they geather in the spring time, before the stalke be sprong vp, and pulling it vp by the rootes, doo vse it in sallettes, supposyng it to be a wylde kynde of Rape. The Nauens also called in Greeke [...],Nauens. in Latine Napus, in Frenche Nauet, in Italian Napo, in Spanishe Nabicas, in Dutch Stockruben, may be counted in the number of Rapes, for Rapes in some grounde change into Nauens, and in some grounde, Na­uens into Rapes. These also loue to growe in a well watred, mellowe, and a ritche ground: though such as growe in sandy and barraine ground, prooue often the sweetest in eating. They vse to sowe them in March, and in some places before, as also in August. Parsneppe in Greeke [...],Parsn [...]p. in Latine Pastinaca, in other tongues almost as in Latine, is very pleasant to be eaten [...] and requireth a fatte and a ritche grounde, and deepe dygged, whereby the roote may haue roome yenough to growe in: it is sowed and set in the spring, and in the end of sommer.

You haue here also in this Garden red Carrets.

R [...]dde and yellovve Carrettes.I haue so. Yellowe Carrettes is called in Greeke [...], in Latine Siser, in Frenche Cheruille, in Ita­lian Sisero, in Spanishe Chiriuias, in Dutche Querlin, I thinke you knowe it. Plinie wryteth, that Tiberius was so in loue with this roote, that he caused Carrettes to be yeerely brought hym out of Germanie, from the Castle of Gel [...]uba standyng vpon the Rhine. It delighteth in colde places, and is sowed before the kalendes of Marche, and of some in September: but the third and the best kind of sowing as some thinke, is in August. There is also wylde Carret, a kinde of Parsnep, in Greeke [...] [...] in Latine Daueus, in Italian Dauco, in Frenche Carote sauage, in Dutche Woortzel, there are that suppose it to be the yellowe ro [...]te, that is so common in Germanie, they are to be sowed in March. It is general to Rapes, Radishe [...], Parsneps, Carrets, Onyons, and Leekes, that they be well troden vppon, or kept cutte, to the end the rootes may growe the greater. Of Leekes there are two sortes,Leekes. the one called Capi [...]atum, [...], and the other Sectiuum, whiche they vse alwayes to cutte close by the [Page 60] ground. The headded, or set Leeke, in Greeke [...], in Latine Capitatum, in Italian Porro capitato, in Span [...]she Pu­erro con Cabeza, in Dutch Lauch, in French Porreau, the other Leeke in Latine Sectile, in Greeke [...], in Dutche Schnit­lauch, beside the often raking and dounging, must be watred as oft as you cut it downe. The seedes in colde hotte Countreys, is sowed in Ianuarie or Februarie, and in colder places in March, to cause it to growe the fayrer and the better. They vse to knitte vp a good deale of seede togeather in thinne lynnen clothes, and so to lay them in the grounde: but to make them greater headed, when it hath wel taken roote, they vse to plucke it vp by the blades, and rayse it so, that as it were hangyng and borne vp by the earth, it is forced to fyll the emptie place that lyes vnder it: the blades and the rootes cut of, they vse to set the heades, vnderlaying them with a Tyleshard, that when as they are not able to runne downe in length, they should be driuen to growe in bignesse and breadth. The Leeke delyghteth in good ground, and hateth watry ground: sowed in the spryng, it must be remooued or set agayne after haruest, that they may be the greater, the earth must be continually loosed about it, and they must be pulted and rayled vp, as I sayde before: yf when you remooue them, you make in the heades of euery one a little hole with a peece of a Reede, or any thyng except Iron, and thruste therein a Cucumber seede, they wyll growe to a woonderfull greatnesse: some vse in steade of Cucumber seede, to put in Rape seede. To haue very large and great Leekes, you must hollowe a Treatle of Goates doung, and f [...]ll it full of Leeke seede, for the little sproute at the fyrst restrayned, wyll runne al­togeather in one, and so come foorth of the grounde: and this as Hieronimus Cardanus wryteth, hath been often tryed to be true. They shall not sauour of Leekes or Onyons, that haue eaten Cummin after. It commeth vp the tenth day after the sowyng, and lasteth two yeere: the fyrst yeere it contenteth it selfe onely with bearyng of leaues, the next yeere it ryseth in a long stalke hollowe within, the toppe garnished with rounde knoppes of flowres. The Onyon,Onyon [...]. in Greeke [...], in La­tine Cepa, or Cepe, in Italian Cipella, in Spanishe Cebolla, in [Page] Frenche Oignon, the next neighbour to the Leeke, is also of tw [...] kindes, y^e one kinde called Capitatum, that groweth to head, the other Fissile, that without any head only flowrisheth in blades, and is often geathered as Leekes are, & therefore only is sowen and not set in Februarie or March in fayre weather, & in the wane of the Moone: it delighteth in ritche ground, wel digged & dounged, and therefore Columella would haue the grounde well f [...]llowed, that it may be mellowed with the Winter frostes, and after dounged, after well digged agayne, and the rootes and weedes cast out, layde out in beddes and sowed: it is called Fis­sile, Fissile. because it is parted and diuided belowe, for in the Winter it is least with his toppe naked: in the spring time the blades are pulled of, and other come vp in theyr places. The heades are set, and yf you plucke away the tayles & the outgrowinges when you set them, they wyll growe to be very great. Twentie dayes before you set them, digge the grounde well, and laye it drye, and so shall they prosper the better. The heades are set in Autume, and growe to seede as other plantes doo: yf you meane to geather the seedes, when the stalke is growen, you must prop it vp with little stickes, that the windes shakyng of the stalke, shatter not the seedes, nor breake the stalke: whiche seede you must geather before it be all blacke, for the blacknesse is a sure signe of the ful ripenesse: yf you wyl not haue it seede but head, plucke of the blade still close by the ground, so shal all the main­tenaunce goe to the roote. Among all other hearbes, onely the Onyon is not subiect to the force of the Moone,Onyons. but hath a con­trary power, for it waxeth in the wane of the Moone, and de­creaseth in the encrease of it: yet there are that holde opinion, that yf you sowe them in the wane, they wyll be the smaller, and sourer, and in the encrease, they wil be the greater, & the milder. The redde Onyon is more sharpe then the white, they are best preserued in Barley Chaffe, yf fyrst you dippe them in hotte water, & after drye them in the sunne, tyll they be through drye. They are of the common people thought to laste longest beyng hanged vp in the smoke, for the kynred it hath with the Onyon. I proceede to speake next of Garlicke,Garlicke. called in Greeke [...], in Latine Allium [...] in Italian Aglio, in Spanishe [Page 61] Aio, in Dutch Knobloich, in Frenche Aux, it groweth with a blade like the Onyon, but not hollowe, the stalke rounde, and the flowres in the toppe in a rounde tufte where the seede lyeth. Garlicke groweth both of the head & the seede, as the Onyon and other of this kinde dooth. It is commonly sowed in Febru­arie or March, accordyng to the disposition of the weather, as the Onyon is. It woulde be set in the vppermost part of little narrowe Ridges, the cloues being distant foure or fiue inches one from the other, and not very deepe. After, when the cloues haue put foorth the little stringes, or when their blades are come vp, they must be well racked, for the oftner ye doo so, the greater they wyll be: but yf you wyll haue the heades the grea­ter, before it growe to stalke, you shall wynde and wreathe the greene blades togeather, and treade them to the grounde, for that continual treading vpon them wil make them the greater. In October the cloues must be plucked a sunder, & set in rowe vpon hie borders, that they may skape y^e daunger of the winter stormes. They say the seant of them wyll sease, yf you eate after them the roote of Beetes tosted at the fyre: thus sayth Plinie out of Menander.

What hearbe is that yonder that commeth vp so hie as a man may make a staffe of the stalke, the leaues large and rounde, the flowre in shape seeming to compare with the Rose?

It is Hollioke, or garden Mallowe, in Greeke [...],Malovve [...] in Latine Malua hortensis, in Dutche Pep­pel, in Italian and Frenche, [...]lmost as in Latine.

What, the same that Horace taketh to so whole­some for the body? and whiche of Hesiodus and Martial is so highly commended?

The very same, and also which is more woon­derfull, in it the leaues turne about with the sunne, so that it may serue in steade of a Dyall, declaryng by the turnyng of his leaues, what time of the day it is, though the sunne doo not shine, whiche the Philosophers thinke to be done, by the draw­ing of his moysture. In Africa as Plinie wryteth, it commeth in seuen monethes to be lyke a young tree, and serue well for a [Page] walkyng staffe. It is sowed in October, or in the ende of the sommer, as also at other tymes, that by the comming on of Winter, it may be restrayned of his high growth: it reioyceth it ritche and moyst grounde, and must be remooued when it commeth to haue foure or fiue leaues, it groweth best when it is young: when it comes to greater, it dyes in the remoo­uing. We vse it both for the potte and for sallettes, the taste is better when it is not remooued: you must sowe it but thinne for growyng to ranke, and in the middest of them you must lay lit [...]le cloddes or stones, it requireth continuall rakyng, and ma­keth better the grounde where it growes.

I marueyle whether you sowe Purcelayne, syth it groweth wylde abrode.

Purcelaine.The Greekes call it [...], the Latines Portulacan, with the Italians it hath the same name, in Spa­nishe Verd [...]laga, in Frenche and Dutch Porchelle, it is sowed in Gardens, and well ordred dooth growe the better and sprea­deth the farther, it hath a blacke seede growing in little greene cuppes.

Buglose that the Greekes cal [...], the La­tines Bugglossum, the Dutchmen Ochsenzung or Burretsth, the Frenchmen Borague, the Italians Borache, the Spaniardes Boraje, Is not this it that I see here with y^• fayre blewe flowre, and a stalke a foote long, and full of branches?

Buglose is at this day with the Potecaries called Borage, though they differ somethyng in the flowre, and in very deede they are two sundry hearbes, for some call the common Borage, the lesser Buglose, and the greater Buglose, is thought to be that whiche Dioscorides calleth Circium, the true Buglose, the flowres of both sortes are vsed in sallettes, and in wine, because it maketh the hart meery, and therefore is called in Greeke [...], that is to say, gladnesse, the leaues are also vsed in dressyng of meates, it is sowen about March, and once sowen, it wyl neuer away, there is also a wilde kinde of it.

I pray you goe forward, and tell vs some thyng of Straberries, which here grow with great plentie and beau­tie, [Page 62] helped as it seemeth with good orderyng.

They are so, for we vse to bring rootes out of the wooddes,Straberrie [...]. whiche beyng set and planted in the Garden, prosper exceedyngly two or three yeeres togeather: and after, we eyther remooue them agayne, because they waxe wylde, or set the wylde in theyr places: and so haue we them to yeelde theyr fruite twyse in the yeere, in the spring, and in the ende of sommer. And although it groweth of it selfe in shadowy woods in great plentie, as yf it delighted in shadowe of Trees, yet beyng brought into the Garden, it delighteth in sonny places, and good orderyng, yeelding a great deale more and better fruite: it creepeth vpon the ground without a stalke, with small stringes comming from the roote, with a white flowre, and a leafe lyke a Trefoyle, indented about. The berries, whiche is the fruite, are redde, and taste very pleasauntly, the Dutchmen call them Erdbern, the Frenchemen Freses. There is an other fruite that groweth somethyng hygher, whose berrie is also like the Straberie.Raspi [...] Dioscorides seemeth to call it Rubus Idaeus, the Bryer of Ida, because it groweth in great abundance vppon the mountayne Ida. It is not ful of prickles, as the other bram­bles are, but soft and tender, full of branches & whytish leaues, it beareth redde berries, somethyng paler then the Straberie, and very pleasaunt in taste. The Grecians call it [...] and [...], the Dutchmen Imberen, the Frenchmen Fram­ [...]osas.

What is that groweth yonder, a yard in height?

It is commonly called Liquerise,Liqueris [...]. in Greeke [...], in Latine Dulcis Radix, in Italian Regolitia, in Spanishe Regaliza, in Frenche Reclisse, in Dutche Clarits, or Sussholts.

I dyd not thinke to haue founde it here. I heare it groweth very plentifully about the Meyne, I woulde be glad to heare howe you doo order it, for it hath a roote for the sweete­nesse thereof (whence it taketh his name) very commendable.

It is set of young springes of the roote, as the Hoppe is, in drye light ground, and sonny.

What say you to small Reazyns,Small Rea­zins. called in Latine [Page] Ribes? doo you thinke the olde wryters knewe this bushe?

That whiche we call at this day Ribis, and the Dutchmen Saint Iohns pearle, because about Midsommer it is garnished with redde & riche berries, hauyng a tarte taste, quenchyng thyrst, cheefely, the ragyng and extreame thryst of feuers, and coolyng the stomacke, whiche the Appothecaries in Suger or Honie keepe all the yeere, is thought was vnkno­wen to the olde wryters: but nowe a com [...]on bushe vsed for en­closyng of Gardens, and makyng of Borders and Herbers: it wyll easyly growe, but that it is somethyng troublesome, by reason of his sharpe prickles to be bent about sommer houses.

You spake euen nowe of Hoppes, doo you set in these your princely paradises,Hoppes. that plant that is so common with the Countrey man? for about vs they make great gayne of it.Reade the perfect orde­ [...]ing h [...]of, in m [...]ster Reynolde Scots booke of Hoppe Ga [...]dens.

Tell you therefore, I pray you, howe they doo vse it.

It is set of the young shootes, as you tolde a little before of Liquerise, and that in the ende of sommer: or yf they feare a hard winter, in M [...]rch. The se [...]tes or shootes are cutte from the olde rootes, and are set in grounde well couered with doung and good mould, and afterward hilled, and so suffered to remayne all Winter. In the spring, the earth is stirred with Rakes, and not with Spades, and the hilles raysed, and the grounde ridde of all hurtfull weedes. About May, certayne powles are set vp, vppon whiche the Hoppe clymeth: all the spraye that springeth aboue the flowre, is commonly cutte of. About September, or in the ende of August, the flowres or bels are geathered and kept to make Beere with: when the Hoppes are geathered, the remaynes are cut downe close to the ground, and the hilles being agayne raysed, are couered with doung. The toppes, and the young buddes that come fyrst out in April, are vsed to be geathered for sallettes, and keepeth them from growyng to ranke. But nowe, I pray you goe on, and returne to the description of your Garden. O what excellent Mellons, Pompens, Cowcumbers, and Gourdes haue you here, I pray you tell in what sort you order them.

Melons (whiche some, because they are fa­shioned like Apples call Pomes) are of the kinde of Coucum­bers, and so are the Pepones which the Frenchemen cal Pom­peons. The Coucombers in Greeke [...],Coucum­bers. in Latine Cucumer, in Italian Cucumero or Cedruolo, in French & Dutch Cocumbre. They change to Pompeons, and Muskemillions, from whiche they onely differ in shape and greatnesse: when they exceede in greatnesse, they become Pompeons, and when they growe rounde, they are Mellonpompeons: al these kindes are called of some wryters Melons. The Grecians call all the sortes, as well Coucumbers as Mellonpompeons, by the name of Pompeons and Mellons: though there are some that make a difference betweene Pompeons and Mellons, neither doo the learned yet throughly agree vpon these meanes, nor can it be certaynely saide what kinde the olde wryters ment by Pom­peons, and Melonpompeons. Pompeons doo creepe along vp­pon the ground with ruffe leaues and a yellowe flowre, and are pleasaunt to be heaten when they be ripe. The sweetest sort of them they call Succrino, or Muskmillions. The Mellonpom­peons are supposed to spring first in Campania, being fashioned lyke a Quince. This kinde hangeth not, but groweth rounde lying vpon the grounde, and being ripe, doo leaue the stalke. Some Coucombers are called Citrini, of their yellownesse when they be ripe, and also Citruli or Citreoli, they growe all in length, and are spotted as the Citrons are: some be called Ma­ [...]in, and be called in Italian Cucussae Marinae, the seede where­of is to be eaten before they be ripe: they are cut in peeces, and porredge made of them, not much vnlike in fashion to the Mel­lon. There is also an other kinde of Coucumber of a houge compasse, almost as bigge as a busshel: the Mowers and Har­uest folkes in Italie, vse to carrie great peeces of them to the Feelde with them, to quenche their thyrst. You must set al these kindes in March, the seedes must be set thinne, two foote one from an other, in watrie ground well dounged and digged, spe­cially sandy grounde: you must lay them in milke, or water and honie three dayes, and after drye them and sowe them, so shall you haue them very pleasant. They wyll haue a very [Page] sweete sauour, yf theyr seedes be kept many dayes among Rose leaues. Your Coucumbers shalbe long and tender, yf you see vnder them water in a brode vessel, two handfulles vnder them. They delight in water so much, as yf they be cut of, they wil yet bend towarde it, and yf they hang or haue any stay, they wyll grow crooked, as also yf you set oyle by them, which they great­ly abhorre. The flowres being suffered to growe in Pipes, doo growe to a woonderfull length. They loue not the Winter no more then dooth the Gourde, wherevnto they are almost like in nature, for the flowres, the leaues, and the claspers, are lyke of them both: but the Gourde is more busie in climing,Gourdes. so that with hastie growth, it spreadeth quickly ouer the Herbers and sommer houses, runnyng vp by the walles, and mountyng vp to the very Tyles of the houses, hauing a great fruite of a mon­struous bignesse, hangyng by a small stalke, in fashion like a Peare, and greene in collour, although when it hath flowred, it wyll growe in what fashion you wyll haue it: they say, there hath been some of them mene foote in length. The rounde ones also growe to be vsed for great vesselles: the rynde of the newe ones, is soft and tender, but of the olde ones hard, whereof when the meate is out, trauaylers make great bottles to carrie drinke in. The Gourdes that are vsed to be eaten in sommer, are sun­dry in shape, for some are rounde, some long, some broade: and though the fashion be diuers, yet the nature is all one: for it is made by arte to growe in what shape you wyll, as in the forme of a creeping Dragon, or what yelist, they are called in Greeke [...], in Italian Zuma, in Spanishe Calabaz in Dutche Kuirbisch, the French Vne courge. The seedes that the Gourde [...]eareth next to the stalke (as Paladius sayth) are longest, they in the middest rounde, and those that lye on the side, short, broade, and flatte: yf you set the sharpe ende of the seede downeward, as Columella sayth, you shall haue them both greater Gourdes and Coucumbers. It delighteth in a moyst, riche, wel dounged, and well watred ground. That which groweth without water, bringes the pleasanter fruite, and that whiche hath water ye­nough, needes the lesse looking to. The flowres where they be set, must be digged a foote and a halfe deepe, the thirde part [Page 63] whereof must be filled with strawe, and then with good ritche mould: it m [...]st be filled to the middest, then the seedes being set, must be watred tyl they be sprong, and after, earth layd to them styll as they growe, tyll the Furrowe be filled. They must be set thinne, two foote a sunder, it commeth vp in sixe or seuen dayes after the setting. Those that are set in drye grounde, must be very well watred, therefore they vse to set by them earthen pottes full of water, with ragges or cloutes in them to water them. When they be a little growen, they must haue helpes set by them to climbe vpon, the longer they be, the better the meate is. You must beware there come no women neare where you set them, for their presence dooth greatly hurt them. Those that you keepe for seede, you must suffer to remayne vpon the stalke tyll Winter, and then geathering them, and drye them, ey­ther in the sunne, or in the smoke, for otherwyse the seede wyll rotte and perishe. They wyll long be preserued and continue freshe, yf after they be geathered they be put into a close vessell with the le [...]ues of white wine, or hanged in a vessell of vineger, so that they touche not the vineger.

What meaneth that great Thistell that springeth there?

Dyd you neuer reade in your Columella of the Hartichoch,Artichoch specially in his verses that he wrote of Gardnyng, where he sayth.

Athenaeus in his second booke Dipnosophus out of Sophoclus,

A Thistell is the Hartichoch, that euery where dooth growe. It is a kinde of Thistel, by the diligence of y^e Gardner, brought to be a good Garden hearbe, and in great estimation at noble mens tables: it is as you see framed with a round prickly head, hauing a great sort of flakes set in order steeple wyse. The Greekes call it [...] and [...], the Latines Strobilum, be­cause the fruite of it something resembleth the Pineapple. The Frenchemen call it Alticocalum, of the Arabick article Al, and Cocalos a Pineapple, whereof it is corruptly called Artichault, [Page] in Italian and Spanishe Cardo, in Dutche, sometime by the Frenche name, sometime Strobirn. It is called of Columella Ci­nara, because in his growing, he cheefely delighteth in asshes. The seede is best sowen in March, and the settes in Nouem­ber: yf you wyll haue it yeelde fruite in the Spring, you must bestowe much asshes vpon it, it wyll hardly beare the first yeere that it is sowen. Beware that you sette not the seede with the rong end vpward, for so shall your Artichoch prooue very little and euil fauoured. It loueth good grounde and well dounged, and prospereth best in fatte ground. Palladius woulde haue you moreouer, to sette the seedes in well ordered beddes, in the en­crease of the Moone, halfe a foote a sunder, and not deepe, but taking them in three of your fingers, thrust them downe, tyl the earth come to the first ioyntes of your fyngers, then couer them tenderly, and water them often, specially toward Sommer, so shall you haue the bigger fruite. When they growe vp, they must be continually weeded and dounged, as I saide with as­shes. They say, they wyll loose their prickles, yf the toppes of the seede be made blunt vppon a stone before they be set: and sweete they wyll be, yf the seede be laide in Milke. You must keepe them from Mowles & Myse, with Cattes or tame Wee­sels, as Ruellius teacheth you. Athenaeus calleth the stalke of the Artichoch [...], that lyeth vpon the grounde, and that whiche standeth vpryght [...].

Well, what hearbe is yonder same that commeth vp as it were heares, with a blewishe flowre and pale, hauyng in the middest of the belles, as it were, fierie yellowe tongues?

Saffron.It is Saffron, in Greeke [...], in Latine Crocus, in Italian and Frenche so, in Spanishe Aczafran.

What neede we care any more for either Corycum, Sicil, or Cyren, from whence we fetche it with so great charges?

Yea, there groweth great plentie of it in Germanie about Spirs, and diuers other places, whiche may compare in goodnesse with any other place. It is set in Marche of the head that it hath rounde, and in cloues as the Lyllie, the Leeke, and the Sea Onyon. Constantine affyrmeth, that it may be set of the roote, as soone as the flowre is of. The rootes or [Page 64] the heads doo so encrease vnder the ground, that of one of them some yeere springeth eyght or niene others. In many places they are remooued euery seuenth or eyght yeere into better ground, wherby they come againe to be as good, as at the first. In the Countreys lying vpon the Rhine, they plucke them vp euery third yeere, and lay them a drying in the sunne till Au­gust, and then pulling of the outer skinne, they set them agayne halfe a foote one from the other: the best heades are those that are fattest, and haue little heares, the woorst looke rottenly and [...]fauouredly, and haue an ill sauour: It delighteth to growe by hie wayes and neare springes, and to be trodde and trampled on, prospering as it were by oppression: it groweth greene all the Winter, it is geathered in Autumne, when it is come to his colour, by plucking out the little yellowe tongues from the bel, whiche are afterwardes dryed three or foure dayes togeather, and well picked and purged, and so made vp in boxes: some thinke it best to drye it in the shadowe. It is craftely counterfei­ted by the Apothecaries, braying it in sodde wine, whiche they besmeare adding therto the skumme of siluer or lead to encrease the weyght, the craft is perceiued by the dustinesse therof, and by the sauour of the sodde wine. The proofe of the good is, yf it crackle betweene the handes as a brittle thing, which the coun­terfeite dooth not, or yf in putting it to your mouth, it cause your eyes to water. Wherefore, the best is that which is newe, and hath a pleasant smell, in colour like to golde, and dyeth the fyn­gers in touching it. In Marche you must purge the grounde where it groweth, and whether ye plucke it vp or not, notwith­standing, other hearbes may very well growe there vntill Au­gust: Pursleyne, Parsley, or suche like hearbes doo best growe there. And when the Saffron beginneth to flowre, you must ridde away the other hearbes: for in haruest time about Sep­tember or October it flowreth.

Here is great store of Rosemarie,Rosemary. the cheefest beautie of Gardens, and not to be wanted in the Kitchin.

Of the orderyng of Rosemarie, sith you wyl haue me, I wyll speake a little. There are whiche suppose it to be the same whiche the Greekes call [...], because it sauou­reth [Page] like Frankencense, in Latine it is called Rosmarinus, and in al other tongues it keepeth the name, it serueth both for plea­sure and profite. Theophrastus maketh two kindes of it, a bar­rayne, and a fruitefull, and is set of small slippes in April: it is sette by women for their pleasure, to growe in sundry propor­tions, as in the fashion of a Cart, a Pecock, or such like thing as they fancie. It delighteth in stonie or rough ground, and in the toppes is the seede inclosed in little huskes white and round. It flowreth twyse a yeere, in the spring, and in the end of sommer: it is geathered from May tyll September, and it is good to plucke of the flow [...]e often, that it may not flowre too muche. In the higher partes of Fraunce it groweth wilde in such plen­tie, that they vse almost no other fewell: it is in colde Coun­treys in Winter set in Sellars and hotte houses, & is brought agayne in the spring into the Garden. But here you must be­ware, that when you fyrst bring it out, you keepe it from the March sunne, setting it in the shadowe, acquaintyng it by little and little with the ayre: some vse to house it with strawe and horse doung, and so leaue it in the Garden. Sauge, in Greeke [...],Sauge, in Latine Saluia, and like in other languages, is an hearbe common in euery Garden: it is planted both of the seede and the slippe in March, in any kind of ground, it maketh no matter where: the Gardners vse to lay bucking asshes about it, whereby it prospereth the better. Next to Sauge is Mynt, in Greeke [...],M [...]ntes. in Latine Menta, in Dutch Myntz, in I­talian and French, after the Latine, in Spanishe Yerua buena: it is planted and ordered in all thing as Sauge is, it prospereth both in drye, and wette groundes, and groweth well by waters. If you lacke seedes, you may take the seede of the wylde Mint, and set them with the toppes downeward, whereby they shall leaue their ranknesse, and being once sowen or sette, groweth euery yeere.Pimpe [...]n [...]l. Pimpernell, in Greeke [...], in Latine Pimpi­nella, is vsed both in the Kitchin, and in Phisicke, and being once sowen, groweth euery yeere both in sonny places, and in shaddowy: it groweth in most pla [...]es wylde. Hysope, in Greeke [...],Hysope. in Latine Hyssopus, and so called in mo [...] tongues in Europe, a common hearbe knowen to euery Gardner: it desi­reth, [Page 65] though no sonny ground, yet good and ritche grounde, it is planted both of the seede and the slippe: when it hath once taken roote, it careth not for the sharpnesse of Winter.Sauorie. Sauery in Greeke [...], in Latine Satureia, or as Columella sayth, Cunila, in Italian Coniella, Sauoreggia, Thymbre, in Frenche Sauoreje, in Dutche Kuuel Zwibel hisop, groweth in barrayne places, and is sette and sowed as the plantes before. The next is that whiche commonly is called Basyl, in Greeke [...], in Latine Ocymum, in Frenche, Italian, and Dutche, Basilica:Basyl. an hearbe that is vsed to be set in the middest of knottes, and in windowes, for the excellent sauoure that it hath: it is also good for the potte, it is sowed in March and April, and deligh­teth in sonny ground, you must put two seedes still togeather. Basyl is best watred at noone, whereas all other hearbes are to be watred in the mornyng and in the euenyng, it may be re­mooued in May. Theophrastus sayth, that it prospereth best, when it is sowed with curses. Marierum,Marierum. in Latine Amaracus, and Maiorana, is also in like sort vsed, the Dutche and the Ita­lians call it after the Latine, the Spaniardes Amoredeux, the Frenche Mariolaine and Thyn, in Greeke of Dioscorides and Paulus Aegineta [...], this also for the pleasant sauour it hath, is set in pottes and in Gardens: it is sowed in Marche three or foure seedes togeather, & halfe a foote a sunder, in May when it groweth to some heyght as Basyl, it is remoued. Time neare of kinrede to these,Tyme. in Greeke [...], in Frenche, Italian, and Dutche, like the Latine, in Spanishe Tomillo, de­lighteth in stony, light, and sonny ground: it springeth both of the seede and of the slippe, and also of the flowre as Theophra­stus sayth. These three tender and delicate hearbes, are to be sowed with great heede, eyther in earthen pottes, or in garden beddes. Hytherto haue I described vnto you, suche hearbes as serue for the Kitchin, and because the latter sortes are also estee­med for the sauours, I wyll goe forward with the description of the rest that are set in Gardens for the pleasure of them, and for the sauour, doo garnishe the sayde Gardens, and serue also for other purposes. Of Rosemarie, I spake before, I wyll nowe proceede with these that growe before my feete. Lauender, cal­led [Page] in Latine Lauanda, Lauender. or Lauendula, that groweth in border [...] about the beddes, in Greeke [...]. and keepeth the La­tine name in other tongues, dooth growe in wylde places and stonie: it is set of the slippes, & remooued, it groweth to Spike in Iune, and in Iuly is geathered and tyed in bundels for the sauour, the flowre is distilled for sweete waters. Flowregentle, in Latine Amaranthus, [...]lovvregen­ [...]le. in Greeke [...], though it haue no sauour at all, yet hath it a delightfull beautie to the eye, the Frenchemen for the fayrenesse of the colour, excelling both crimson and purple in grayne, doo call it Passeuelleurs, the Ita­lians Fioruelu [...]o, because it contendeth in colour with crimson in grayne, it loueth to be often geathered and plucked, whereby it springeth the better, the flowres after they be dead, with a little water come againe to theyr colour: it is called Amaranthus, be­cause it dyeth not.

Lauendercott [...]n.Here foloweth Lauendercotten.

This Lauendercotten, in Greeke is called as Plinie supposeth [...], as it were the little Cy­pres, some call it Santonia, & female Sothernewood, in Dutch it is called Cypressen, in Frenche Cyprez, it groweth commonly in Gardens, springing euery yeere. Myrtel, in Greeke [...], in Latine Myrtus, in Italian Myrto, in Spanishe Araihan, in Frenche M [...]inte, My [...]t [...]l. in Dutch Welsch [...]heidelberr, the leaues are not much vnlike to the leaues of the Oliue tree, something smal­ler, with sclender branches, and leaues growing in order one by another as you see, with blacke berries, and leaued like the Pomegranate. It groweth alwayes greene, it is set and sowed both of the seede, the slippe, and the stocke: but you must styll rayse vp y^• earth about it, til it be throughly rooted. Some sowe the berries being a little beaten, and couered in Furrowes of [...]arth: it delighteth in continuall weeding, so groweth it to a handsome heygth, meete to shaddowe Herbers: it loueth to be watred with the vrine of men, or of sheepe. This onely is to be woondred at, that of the li [...]our thereof alone, may be made all sortes of wine and oyle. Cato teacheth to make wine of the ber­ries, being dryed, and put in water & honnie sodden togeather: yf they be not dryed, they come to oyle, howe the wine of them [Page 66] is made, Dioscorides sufficiently declareth. Plinie reporteth, that Cato made three sortes of Myrtels, white, blacke, and a thirde kinde that he calleth coni [...]gale: it delighteth to growe by the Sea bankes, as Seruius sayth, it groweth at this day common­ly in Italie, along by the Sea coastes.

Oh what sweete and goodly Gelyflowres are here:?Gilyfloures. You may truely say, that Solomon in all his princely pompe, was neuer able to attayne to this beautie: some of them glitter with a perfect crimson dye, some with a deepe purple, and some with a passing beautifull carnation: I marueyle the olde wryters knewe nothing of these in their time.

There are some that suppose to be a kinde of Garden Betony, which the Gardner feiching out of the feelde, and thrusting Cloues into the rootes of them, with diligent planting haue brought to this excellencie: others thinke it to be called Vetonica of the Spaniardes, who fyrst found it. Some thinke it to be O [...]nanthe, because it flowreth with the Uine: it delighteth in warme sonny ground, it is sowed seeldome of seede, but commonly sette of the slippes, as I sayde of Rosema­rie. The Gardners in the end of Sommer, doo take the rootes, and set them in pannes, pottes, or payles, and when the frostes come, they carrie them into their sellers, and in fayre warme dayes bring them abroade agayne, and suffer them to be nowe or then watred with the rayne. It hath been often seene, that in such vaultes or sellers, they haue flowred all the Winter long, through warmenesse of the place: some set bowes about them, and couer them with strawe and horse doung, to preserue them agaynst y^e colde: it often happeneth, that one roote beareth one yere white flowre and redde, & the third speckled or Carnation.

Loe, yonder are Roses growyng in borders, and made in a maze: doo they growe of the seede, or of the sette?

Roses,Roses. called in Greeke [...], in Latine Ros [...], and in all other languages as in Latine, are diuersly planted, sometime of the rootes, sometime of the branches, be­ing cutte in small settes, and planted a foote a sunder. Some wrethe them in Garlandes, and so sette them to haue them smel the pleasanter. The vse of sowing of them is best: howe be it, [Page] they wyll very well growe of the seede, though it be long eare they spring, & therfore they set them of settes a foote in length: i [...] n [...]yther delighteth in riche or moyst ground, b [...]t is well con­tented to growe amongst rubbishe, and vnder walles. The pla­ces where they must grow [...], must be dygged deeper then come grounde, and not so deepe as the Uineyard: the Rose is rather a thorne then a plant, and groweth vppon the very brambles: it commeth fyrst out in a little budde & long sharpe beard, w [...]iche after they be opened, it discloseth it selfe and spreadeth abrode, with a yellowe heary tuske in the middest. Plinie maketh men­tion of sundry sortes of them: one sort he calleth Milesia, ha­uyng an oryent and fyerie colour, an other Alabandica, with white leaues, and S [...]erm [...]nia, the base [...]t sort of all: the dam [...]s [...]e and the white, are vsed for sweete waters: they differ in rouf­nesse, pricles, colour, and smell. There are that haue but onely fyue leaues, and others with an hundred leaues, neyther good in beautie, nor in smell: the roufnesse of the rynde (as Plinie sayth) is a sygne of the sauour. There are some little pale ones called Carnation & Prouincers,Musk [...]ses. these doo woonderfully growe where they once are planted, and haue a most excellent sa­uour. R [...]ses are vsed to be sette in Februarie, which is eyther done with the seede, or the sette planted in little furrowes. The seedes (as [...]a [...]adius sayth) are not the little yellowe thynges in the [...]ddest of the Rose, but the graynes that growe within the redde riped berrie: the ripenesse whereof is deemed by the sworthinesse and the softnesse of the berrie: where they once are planted, they continue long, and after they dye, they sende ou [...] newe buddes and springes. If you lacke settes, and woulde of a fewe haue a great number, take the branches that begin as it were to shewe their buddes, and cuttyng them in sundry sets, foure or fyue syngers in length, set them in good grounde well dounged and watred: and when they be of a yeeres growth, take them vp, and set them a fo [...]te a sunder, proyne them and trimme them with often digging about them. Roses must styll be cutte, for the more you cutte them, the thicker and the doub­bler they growe, otherwyse they wyll ware syngle and wylde, it wyll also doo them good sometime to burne them: being re­mooued, [Page 67] it springeth very soone and well, being sette of settes foure fyngers long or more, after the setting of [...] seuen starres, and after remooued in a westerly winde, and sette a foote a sun­der, and often dygged. The olde Rosyars must haue the earth loosed about them in Februarie, and the dead twigges cutte of, and where they waxe thinne, they must be repa [...]red with the young springes. To haue Roses of fyue sundry colours vppon one roote, make when they begin to burgen, a fine hole beneath in the stocke vnder the ioynt, and fyll it with redde colour made of Brasell sodde in water, and thrust it in with a cl [...]ute, and in the like sort put into an other part of the stocke greene colour, and in an other yellowe, and what other colours you wil, and co­uer the holes well with Oxe doung and Lome, or very good earth. If you wyl haue your Roses beare betimes, make a little trenche two hande breadthes of rounde about it, and powre in hotte water twyse aday, and thus dooing (as Democri [...]us pro­miseth) you shall haue Roses in Ianuarie. You may preserue Roses before they open, yf makyng a slitte in a Reede, you en­close the blossome, and when you would haue freshe Roses, take them out of the Reedes: others put them in earthen pottes close couered, and set them abrode: the Roses continue alwayes freshe that are dipt in the dregges of Oyle. If you wyll haue them at all tymes, you must set them euery moneth, and doung them, and so (as Didymus sayth) you shall haue them continu­ally. To cause them, or any other flowres to growe double, put two or three of the seedes in a Wheate strawe, and so lay them in the ground. If you sette Garlicke by your Roses, they wylbe the sweeter: the dryer the grounde is where they growe, the sweeter they wyll be, as it appeareth by the season of the yeere, for some yeeres they are sweeter then others: the Rose wylbe white, that is smokte in with brimstone, when it beginneth to euen: amongst all Roses, those are most to be commended, that they call Carnations and Prouincials. The oyle of Roses was greatly had in estimation euen in Homer his time, and at this day the vinegre of Roses is greatly vsed. Next vnto the Rose in woorthynesse, for his sauour and beautifull whitenesse is the Lillye,Lillyes. called iu Gre [...]ke [...] and [...], in Italian Giglio, in [Page] Spanishe Tirio, in Frenche Fleur de Lis, in Dutch Lilien. The Gre [...]kes holde opinion, that it sprang fyrst of Iunos milke sprinckled vpon the ground. In Februarie we beginne to sette Lillyes, or yf they grewe before, to loose the earth about them with a rake, taking good heede that the young tender shootes about the roote be not hurt, nor the little head: which taken from the olde roote, we sette for newe Lillyes. As the Roses are, so are the Lillyes, the sweeter, the dryer the ground is where they growe: Lillyes and Roses being once sette, continue both very long. There are redde Lillyes made so by arte, for they take the stalkes and rootes of the Lillye, and hang them in the smoke till they wyther, and when the knottes begyn to vncouer, they are layde in Marche in the lees of redde wine, tyl they be colou­red, and then sette in the grounde with the lees powred about them, so wyll they come to be purple. Uiolet in Greeke is [...], in Latine Viola. Violets. Uiolet blacke, and Uiolet purple, [...], in Italian it is called Viola porporta, in Spanishe Violetta, in Frenche Violets de Marts & Caresme, in Dutche Fiolen: these although they growe wylde about euery Hedge and Wall, yet are they sette in Gardens with other flowres. There are sundry sortes of Uiolettes, both of kinde and colour, but the orderyng of them is in a maner all one.

I haue nowe heard yenough of Kitchin hearbes and flowres, therefore nowe, I pray you, let me heare you saye something of the third sort, that is Phisicke hearbes, for mee seemeth I see a great sort of healyng hearbes here in your Garden.

Nature hath appoynted remedyes in a redy­nesse for al diseases,It is but the opinio [...] of a Gardne. but the craft and subteltie of man for gaine, hath deuised Apothecaries shoppes, in which a mans lyfe is to be solde and bought, where for a little byle, they fetche their me­dicines from Hierusalem, and out of Turkie, whyle in y^e meane time euery poore man hath the ryght remedyes growing in his Garden: for yf men would make theyr Gardens their Phisiti­ons, the Phisitions craft would soone decay. You knowe what your olde freende Cato sayth, and what a deale of Phisicke he fetcheth out of a poore Colwoort.

I doo remember it, and that he sayth he was wont both to helpe him selfe, and his whole familie, with the hearbes of his Garden. But what hearbe is younder with y^e long stalke, and the long blacke indented leaues on the toppe? yf I be not deceiued it is Bearfoote, with whose roote we vse to heale our cattel when they be sicke.

It is so in deede, and is called in Greeke [...],Berfoote, or Settervvort. in Latine Veratrum, there are two kindes of it, the blacke and the white: the white, is that whiche the Dutchmen call Nyswurts wranckrau [...], the blacke they call Kristwurts, be­cause it flowreth about Christmas, the Italians, the Spani­ards, and the Frenchmen keepe the Greeke name. The roote of this Bearfoote they thrust through the eare, or into the brest of the beast, that is eyther diseased in his loonges, or hath the murren. Columella seemeth to call it Consiligo, it groweth not in Gardens, except it be sowed: it continueth long, and loueth cold and woody ground. There standes not farre from that, an other very noble hearbe in Phisicke called Angelica, Angellic [...] it is supposed to be called in Greeke [...], and whether it be Myrrhis with the Latines or no. I leaue that to the Phisitians to discusse: it is called with the Italians, Spaniards, Frenchmen, and Ger­manes Angelica. His roote, because it is a soueraigne remedie agaynst the plague, and hath diuers other good operations, it is cherished in our Gardens, and being once sowed, it commeth vp euery yeere, it groweth also wylde in the mountayne coun­trey, and flowreth in Iuly and August. Here is also Helicam­pane, in Greeke [...], in Latine Enula, in Italian Enela, in Spanishe Enula campana, Helecom­pany. in Frenche Aulne, in Dutch Alan [...], this also is set in our Gardens for medicines sake, & we make muche of it for the roote: it groweth wylde in hilly Countreys, and drye shaddowy places. In Sommer the roote is taken out of the ground, and cutte in small peeces, is dryed: at this day it is called Enula campana, it hath a yellowe flowre, a leafe lyke Mullin, but white and hoarie at the one side. Woormewood, though it growe in euery place,VVorme­vvoode. yet this that you see here is Ro­mane or Pontike Woormewood, the Latines call it Cerephi­um, or A [...]sinthium Romanum, the Dutchmen Romische wer­mut, [Page] the Italians Assenso, y^e Spaniardes Encensos, the French­men Aluine and Absince, this kinde is sette in our Gardens, and thought to be the best. Sauine whiche we haue here also in our Gardens, for diuers diseases of cattell, is called in Greeke [...], in Latine Sabina, Sauine. in Dutche Seuenboun, in Italian as in Latine, in Spanish likew [...]se, in French Sauinier, it hath leaues lyke Iuniper or Cypres, alwayes greene, there are two kyndes of it, one lyke the Tamariske, the other lyke Cypres: it is a bushe rather spreadyng in breadth, then growyng in heyght: the berries whiche he beareth, may be geathered in the ende of Sommer, or any other tyme.

But many times we see Gardens to be destroyed with woormes and vermine, what remedy haue you for this?

Of the faultes of the ground, and the remedy thereof, as the amendyng of eyther too much moysture or dry­nesse, I spake in the beginnyng, touchyng Woormes, Flyes, and other vermine that annoy the Gardens, which for the most part are these, Caterpillers, Snayles, Moles, Myse, Gnats, and Antes.Against Ca­terpillers. There are that say, that yf you mingle with your seedes Soote, or the [...]yce of Housele [...]ke, or Singreene, the Ca­terpillers wyl not meddle with the hearbe that springeth of such seede, and that they wyll doo no harme to your trees, yf you sprinckle them with the water wherin the asshes of Uines hath been layde: moreouer, the stalkes of Garlicke made in bundels, and burnt in Orchardes or Gardens, destroyeth the Cater­pillers. They wyll not breede (as they say) yf you burne about the rootes of your hearbes or trees, quicke brimstone and lyme: the same they report of lye made of the Figge tree. Antes wyll not annoy your corne or hearbes, yf you encompasse it rounde with chalke, or put into their hilles, y^e asshes of burnt Snailes, and yf some of them be taken and burnt, the rest wyll not come neare the sauour: yf Assa foetida be layde in oyle, and powred vpon theyr hilles, it vtterly destroyeth them: they wyl not touch the trees nor the hearbes, yf you annoynt the stalkes with bitter Lupines, or lyme layde with oyle. You must shake of the Ca­terpillers in the mornyng, or late in the euenyng when they he nummed: also water wherein Dyl hath been sodden, cast about [Page 69] in the Orchard when it is colde, destroyeth them. It is written, that yf you set Chiches about your Garden, Caterpillers wyll not breede, and yf they be already bredde, you must seethe the iuyce of Woormewood, and cast among them. The doung of Bullockes burnt vpon the coles, destroyeth Gnattes,Gnattes. the lyke also dooth brimstone: a Spunge wette with vineger and han­ged vp, draweth also swarmes of Gnattes vnto it: also y^• mawe of a Sheepe newe killed, not washed nor made cleane, yf it be layde in the place where Mot [...]as, or other suche vermine doo vse, and couered a little the vpper part, you shal after two dayes, fynde all the noysome vermine crept into it: thus must you doo twyse or thryse,Moles. tyll you thinke you haue destroyed them all. Of killyng and driuing away Moles, Sotion the Greeke wryteth, that you must take a Nut, or any like fruite, and makyng it hol­lowe within, syll it vp with Chaffe, Rosen, and Brimstone, af­terward stoppe the vent holes that y^e Mole hath in euery place, that the smoke breake not out, only leauing one open, where you shal lay the Nut, in such sort as it may receiue the winde on the backe part, that may driue the smoke into the Mynes. There are also trappes to be made, for y^e destroying of Moles: a frame is to be set vp vppon the newe hilles, with a peece of wood so hollowe and framed, that it may receiue (as it were in a sheathe) an other peece of wood made in fashion like a knife, to this is ioyned an other little sticke that lyeth in the hole, and is fastened to a catche without, that as soone as the Mole tou­cheth the sticke within, she is taken presently, as it were with a payre of sheares. Myse are taken,Myse. yf ye powre into a platter, the thickest mother of oyle, and set in the house a night, as ma­ny as come at it, are taken: also the roote of Bearfoote ming­led with cheese, bread, floure, or grease, killeth them. Tarte and very sharpe vinegre mingled with the iuyce of Henbane, and sprinckled vpon the hearbes, kylleth the Fleaes,Garden Fleas. or little blacke woormes that be in them. No kinde of vermine wil annoy your hearbes, yf you take a good sort of Crefyshes, and cast them in an earthen vessell with water, sufferyng them to woorke abrode in the Sunne for the space of ten dayes, and after with their ly­cour, sprinckle your hearbes. But I keepe yo [...] to long in this [Page] ilfauoured Garden, yf it please you we wyll walke into the Or­chard adioyning.

Of Or­chardes.With a very good wyll, although the goodly faire colour and sweete sauour of these hearbes and flowres, besyde the fayre headges enclosyng it as it were with a gorge­ous greene tapestry, make me that I could abide here euer.

Both the Garden and the Orchard are inclo­sed with seuerall hedges and ditches, whereby they are defen­ded from hurtfull beastes and vnruly folkes (as I tolde you at the fyrst) when I began to speake of the enclosyng of Gardens and Orchardes.

Euery thing liketh me passing wel: Good Lord what a pleasant ground, what a Paradise is this? mee thinkes I see the Orchardes of Alcinous, the trees are set checkerwise, and so catred, as looke which way ye wyl, they lye leuel: King Cyrus him selfe neuer had better. If Lysander had euer seene this Orchard, he would haue wondred a great deale more, then he dyd at Cyrus his Orchard.

Such gorgeous Gardens and Orchardes as Princes haue, I neither desyre, nor meane to counterfeyte: but vsyng the diligence of a poore Countrey Gardner, I builde (as they say) my walles accordyng to my wealth. I framed the order, and sette the most part of these trees with myne owne handes, folowyng herein, the Fathers of the olde tyme, who de­lighted them selues cheefely with this kinde of Philosophie. So then (as I thinke) the Trees and Wooddes to be the greatest commoditie geuen to men: for besides the house pleasure that they minister vnto vs, the gracious Lorde, that is the geuer of all good thinges, hath also geuen vs a number of other goodly commodities by them, which at the fyrst serued men for foode, coueryng, & clothyng: which commodities, the very Ethnickes had in estimation. But vnto vs that knowe God, by whom we haue receiued our preeminence aboue all other creatures, which benefyte we ought with thankes to acknowledge, the holy Scripture dooth teache a more hygher and mysticall consyde­ration: for before that gracious Lorde had framed man, wyl­ling to prouide him of foode and apparrel▪ he caused all kinde of [Page 70] pleasant trees bearing fruite to spring out of the earth, that they myght serue for the sustenaunce of man: and in the mid­dest lye planted the Tree of lyfe, and there bye, the Tree of knowledge of good and euil, to the ende that Adam might haue an assured signe of his duetie and reuerence towardes GOD, out of which the Lord (as in a Temple dyd speake vnto Adam) and Adam him selfe, yf the continued in his innocencie after his refection of the Tree of lyfe, had with his posteritie prea­ched God, and alwayes been thankful vnto him, for his auctho­ritie geuen vnto him ouer all other Creatures, as the Prophe­ticall Pslamist singeth. This that thorowe the bountifull libe­ralitie of GOD, was geuen vs to so good an ende, the vn­godly and wicked posteritie turned to idolatrie, consecratyng both Trees and Groues, to the idols of the Heathen.

What? mee thinkes you begin to play the Prea­cher with me.

Surely, there is no better a place to preache in then here, to acknowledge the Creator in his Creatures, and by these visible woorkes, to beholde the Almighty and euer­lastyng power, blessednesse, bountifulnesse, and Godhead, of the incomprehensible woorkeman, and alwayes to speake & preache of them: but I wyll say more hereafter. The plantyng of trees dooth out of all doubt (as I sayde) bring vnto vs both profyte and pleasure: and therefore this part of husbandry, must not be neglected, for Columella accountes it one of the cheefest pointes of husbandry, whiche the Poete seemes to agree vnto.

I pray you then declare vnto me, the order of plantyng and preseruyng of Trees.

Let vs fyrst sitte downe vnder the shadowe of this fayre Uine, that yeeldeth both pleasant wine, and com­fortable shadowe.

Agreed.

The sortes of trees are diuers and manifold: some growe wylde, some come of the seede, some of the roote, as [Page] the selfe same Poet sayth,

Some doo growe & spring of them selues: a number of others agayne are to be sowne. Those that growe wylde without the labour of man, doo beare theyr seedes eache one accordyng to his kinde: but those that are sette and drest, doo yeelde greater encrease. There are diuers agayne that are alwayes greene, and doo neuer loose their leafe, which are (as Constantine rpeor­teth) these, the Date, the Orenge, the Lemon, the Cytron, the Bay, the Olyue, the Cypresse, the Pine, the Hollie, the Box, Myrtel, Cedar, and Iuniper. As for strange trees, and those that wyll growe no where but at home, we wyll not med­del withal: we wyll therefore begin fyrst with those that yeelde vs sustenance, and beare fruite, and those are diuided into three sortes: for eyther of the settes they come to be trees as the O­lyue is, or els shrubbes as the wylde Date, or neyther tree nor shrubbe as the Uine.

I desyre to here your opinion of euery sort, for I thinke it no small skill to plant such fayre Gardens, Orchards, and Uineyards. Mee thinkes you haue vsed a woonderfull good order, that amongst your Uines, you haue entermedled Olyue trees, Figge trees, Almondes, & Abrecocts, and that you haue seuered your Orchard from your Garden, and your Uineyard from them both, with fayre hedges and dytches.

It was needefull so to doo, least my folkes labouryng in some of them, shoulde come into the rest, contrary to my pleasure. Fyrst yf you wyll, I wyll speake of those that bryng vs fruite, and then of the [...]l [...]e, and the order of settyng and planting of Wooddes. Fyrst (as your Columella sayth) that ground that serueth for an Orchard, wyll serue for a Uineyard, as you see it dooth here: and yf the ground be h [...]ly, rugged, and vneuen, it is more meete for a Uineyard then for an Orchard. If therefore you wyll make an Orchard,Hovve to [...]. you must choose suche a ground as is meete for it: a riche grounde, leuell, and lying vpon the Sunne, which when you haue found, you must wel en­close it, as I taught you before in the enclosure of Gardens, [Page 71] that it may lye out of daunger of cattell and knaues: for al­though that y^• trampling, and dounging of cattel, is not vnpro­fitable to the trees, yet yf they be eyther brused, or broken whiles they be young, they wyll soone come to nought. When you meane to dresse your Orchard place thus fenced, you shal make your furrowes a yeere before you plant them, so shall they be well seasoned with the sunne and the rayne: and what so euer you plant, shall the sooner take. But yf you wyll needes plant the same yeere, that you make your furrowes, let y^• furrowes be made at least two monethes before: after, fyl them ful of straw, and set it on fyre. The broader and the wyder that you make your furrowes, the fayrer and more fruitfull wyl your trees be, and the fruite the better. Your furrowe must be made like an Ouen, or Furnace, wyder at the bottome then aboue, that the roote may spreade the better, and the colde in Winter, and the heate in Sommer, may the better be kept from it, and also in steepe groundes, the earth shall not so easily be washed away. In settyng of your fruite trees and Uines, you must place them in order, eyther Checkerwyse, or Netwyse: which needefull or­der of setting, is not onely profitable by receiuing the ayre, but also very beautifull to the eye: when as, which way so euer you looke, you shall see them stand in ranke, and whiche also is to good purpose, the trees shal equally receiue their moysture from the ground.

I see the Gardners in euery place obserue this order, settyng theyr trees in such proportion, as whiche way so euer you looke, your eye shall not be let, but shall see the trees stand streyght in order.

I haue vsed two sortes of this catred order, one wherein my trees stande foure square like the Chequer or Chesseboorde: the other not in square as the fyrst, but losing-wyse or Diamond wyse like the Glasse windowes or Nettes. You must frame it according to the nature of the trees, lest the lower sort be drowned of y^e higher. You must also set thē a good distance a sunder, that their branches may spreade at pleasure, for yf you set them to thicke, you shall be able to sowe nothing betwixt them, and they wyl be the lesse fruitefull. Therefore Pa­ladius [Page] woulde haue the space betwixt them, thirtie foote at the least: there is more pro [...]yte in the generall disposyng of them, entermedlyng the greater with the lesser, so as the great ones doo not annoy their vnderlynges,Dropping of tr [...]. eyther with theyr shaddowe or dropping, for that they grow not equal to them in strength or bignesse. Pomegranates and Myrtels must be sowed nearer togeather, as mene foote a sunder, Apples nearer then they, and Peares nearer then them both, but of them there are sun­dry sortes, Almonds and Figge trees, must also be set nearer. And because there is a naturall freendshippe and ioue betwixt certayne trees,Freendship amongst [...]ees. you must set them the nearer togeather, as the Uine and the Olyue, the Pomegranate and the Myrtel. On the other side, you must set farre a sunder, such as haue mutual hatred among them, as the Uine with the Filberde & the Bay. There are some of them, that desyre to stand two and two to­geather as the Chestnut: the droppinges also doo great hurt of all sortes, but specially the droppinges of Okes, Pinetrees, and Mastholmes.Shaddovves of trees. Moreouer, the shaddowes of diuers of them are hurtfull, as of the Walnut tree, whose shaddowe is vnhol­some for men, and Pine tree that kylleth young springes: yet they both resist the winde, and there [...]ore are best to be set in the outer sides of the Orchardes, as hereafter shalbe sayde. Of the place, and the order, perhaps you thinke I haue sayde yenough, and looke that I shoulde proceede to the order of plantyng and settyng.

Time of plantyng.What t [...]m [...] is the best for plantyng and settyng of trees.

The [...]heefest time of plantyng (as Florentine sayth) is the ende of Sommer, for the [...] is nature most occupi­ed about the roote, is in the spring about the vpper partes: and therefore graf [...]yng is meeres [...] in the Spring, and settyng in the ende of Sommer:Time for gr [...]f [...]ing. for the plantes are watred all the Winter, and therefore it is be [...]t sortyng or plantyng, from the settyng of the seuen starres, [...] the twelft of December. In the spring tyme, you may sette those thynges that you forgatte before, at what season so euer it b [...]: looke that you sette them in the after­noone, in a fayre westerly winde, westerly winde, & in the wane of the Moone. [Page 72] Plinie sayth,The obser­uation of the Moone. that this note is of great importance for the en­crease of the tree, & goodnessee of the fruite: if the tree be plan­ted in the encrease of the Moone, it groweth to be very great: but yf it be in the wane, it wil be smaler, yet a great deale more lastyng.

But are there more wayes then one of plantyng and setting?

A great sort:The kindes of planting and graffing of tree [...]. we plant eyther by graffing, set­ting of the kernell, or the stone, setting the rootes, stockes, or slippes, grafting betwixt the barke and the tree: some are plan­ted in some of these sortes, others in all. In Babylon (as they say) onely the leafe sette, comes to be a tree, fyrst I wyll speake of graffing,Three kinds of g [...]affing. and then of the rest. There are that appoynt but three kindes of graffing, betwixt the barke and the wood, in the stocke, and emplastring, or inoculation. The fyrst for they call grafting, the seconde imbranching, the thirde inoculation, or imbudding. Suche trees as haue thickest barkes,VVhat trees are best to be graffed betvvixt the barke and the vvood. and drawe most sappe from the grounde, are best graffed betwixt the barke and the wood, as the Figge, the Chery, and the Olyue: those that haue thinne ryndes, & content them selues with lesse moysture, as yf the sappe leauing the barke, shoulde geather it selfe to the hart, as the Orenge tree, the Apple tree, the Uine, & diuers others, in these it is best to open the stocke, and graffe in the wood.VVhat tre [...] agree best togeather. Some trees are also best graffed vpon other some, the Figge that prospereth best vpon the Mulbery stocke, and the Plane tree: the Mulbery vpon the Chestnut, and the Beech, the Apple, the Peare, the Eline, and the white Poplar, wher­in yf you graffe, you shal haue your Mulberies white: vpon the same stocke are graffed the Peare, the Quince, the Medlar, and the Seruisse: the Peare vpon the Pomegranate, the Ap­ple, the Quince,To haue redde Peares and Apples. the Mulberie, and the Almon. If you gra [...]e your Peare vpon a Mulbery, you shall haue redde Peares: the Apple is graffed vppon all Peare stockes, and Crabbe settes, Wyllowe, and Poplar: beyng graffed vppon the Q [...]ince, it bringeth foorth the fruite whiche the Greekes call Melimela: it is also graffed vppon the Plomtree, but being graffed vppon the Plane tree, it bringeth foorth redde Apples. The Medlar [Page] being graffed vpon the Thorne, the graft groweth to great big­nesse, but the stocke continues small: vppon the Pine tree, it bringeth a sweete fruite, but not lastyng. The Peache graffed in the Thorne,A Peache [...]ith an Al­mond in it. or the Beeche, groweth to be very fayre, and great: the Almond and the Peache being ioyned togeather, and graffed in the Plumtree, wyll beare a Peache with an Al­mond in the stone. The Fylbert wyll onely be graffed in the Wylding, not agreeing with any other. The Pomegranate de­lighteth in diuers stockes, as in the Wyllowe, the Bay, the Ashe, the Damson, the Plome, and the Almond, vpon all which he prospereth well. The Damson groweth very well vpon any kinde of wylde Peare, Quince, and Apple: The Chestnut ly­keth wel the Wallnut and the Beeche. The Chery refuseth not the company of the Peache, nor the Turpentine, nor they his: the Quince wyll wel be graffed vpon the Barbery: the Myrtel vpon the Sallow: the Plome vpon the Damson: the Almond vpon the Fylbert: the Cytron, because of his tender tree, and thinne rynde, wyll scarsely beare any other graffe, and therefore contentes him selfe with his owne branche. The Uine that is graffed vppon the Chery tree (as Florentinus promiseth) wyll beare Grapes, and graffed vpon the Olyue, wyll bring foorth a fruite, that bearyng the name of both his parentes, is called El [...]o [...]laphylos. Olyue grape In fine, all young trees that haue sappe in the barke may be graffed: yf it be greater, it is best graffing neare the roote, where both the barke and the wood, by the reason of the nearenesse of the ground are ful of sappe. He then that wyll graft eyther in the stocke, or betwixt the stocke and the rynde, let him geather his graffes from a fruiteful tender tree, and full of ioyntes,The choyse o [...] gra [...]ing. and out of the new spring, except he meane to graffe an olde tree, when as the sturoyer the graffes be, the better they are, otherwyse the last shootes of such trees as haue lately borne wyll be the best. You must geather them on that side the tree that lyeth vpon the North, others lyke better the East side then the shaddowy. Virgil forb [...]ddeth those that growe vpon the toppe, thinking them better that growes out of the side. To be short, your graffes must be full of buddes lately growne out, smoothe, the rynde smoothe, good, and redy to growe: they must [Page 73] be of the last yeeres growth,The knottes whiche is knowen by the knottes or ioyntes, that declare euery yeeres growth: beside, graffes of all trees are not to be geathered alike: for Uines and Figge trees are dryest in the middle partes, and take best of the toppe, and therefore from thence you must geather your graffes: O­lyues are fullest of sappe i [...] the middest, and the outer partes dryest. Those best agree togeather, whose ryndes are neerest of nature, and doo blossome, and beare both about a tyme. You must geather your graffes in the wane of the Moone, tenne dayes before you graffe them. Constantine addeth this reason, that it is neede the graffe doo a little wyther, that he may the better be receiued of the stocke.The time for graffing. You must appoynt your graf­fing tyme in the spring, from Marche, when as the buddes doo begin to burgen, but not come out (although you may graffe the Peare when his leaues be out) vntyl May: for g [...]affing in rayne is pro [...]itable, but not for imbranching. The Olyue, whose springes doo longest budde, and haue muche sappe vnder the barke, the abundance whereof dooth hurt the graffe, must be graffed (as Florentine sayth) from May, tyll Iune. Columella would haue the Olyue graffed from the twelfth of March, tyll the fyrst, or sixth of April, and the time of graffing, to be the Moone encreasing, in the after noone, when there bloweth no South winde. When ye haue founde a good graffe, take your knife (being very sharpe) and pare it about a three fingers from the ioynt downeward,The maner of gra [...]fi [...]g. so much as shall be meete to be sette in the stocke: that part that is vnder the ioynt (not perishing the pith) you must cutte with your knife, as yf you shoulde make a penne, so as the wood with the wood, and the barke with the barke, may ioyne togeather, as iust as may be. Whiche beyng done, yf you meane to graffe in the stocke, you must fyrst sawe it smoothe, and then cleaue it in the middest with a sharpe knife, a­bout three fyngers: and to the ende you may handsomely put in your graffe, you must haue a little wedge of wood or iron, (Plinie thinkes it better of bone) whiche wedg [...] (when you wil graffe betweene the rynde and the stocke) must be made flatte on the one side, and rounde on the other, and the graffe must be pared also flatte on that side that must stande next the wood, ta­kyng [Page] alwayes good heede that the pith be not perished: the other part must only haue the rynde pulled of, whiche after you must set in the cleft, or betwixt the barke, tyll you see all partes agree togeather. Some doo cut the poynt of theyr graffe three square, so as two sides are bare, and the other couered with his barke: and in that sort they vse to graffe in a stocke one against another, but it is thought best to graffe no more but one. When you haue thus set in your graffe in the stocke, plucke out the wedge: but here is a great carefulnesse, and heede to be vsed. And therefore, good grafters thinke it best to holde the graffe euen with both handes, least in the binding and pulling out of the wedge, the graffe be hurt, or stande vneuen. For auoydyng of whiche, some vse for to binde the stocke about, and after to put in the wedge, the bandes keeping it from openyng to wide. The harder they be set in, the longer wyll they be eare they beare, but wyll endure the better: you must take heede there­fore, that the cleft be not to slacke nor to strayt. When you haue thus graffed, binde the stocke with a twigge, and couer it with Loame, wel tempered with Chaffe, two fyngers thicknesse, and (putting Mosse round about it) tye it vp so, that there come no rayne at it, nor be hurt with the Sunne or the Winde. This is the order both in the olde tyme, and at this day vsed: though in Columellas tyme (as it appeareth) they were not woont to graffe, but onely betwixt the barke and the wood, for the olde peo [...]le (as Plinie wryteth) durst not as yet meddle with clea­ [...]yng of the stocke: at length they presumed to make holes, and graffe in the pith, and so at last waxed bolde to cleaue the stocke. Cato would haue the stocke couered with Clay & Chalke, ming­led with Sand, and Oxedoung, and so made in morter. Some­t [...]me they graffe with the toppe of the graft downewarde, and they doo it to make a little tree spreade in breadth. It is best graffing next the ground, yf the knottes and the stocke wyl suf­fer: and [...]linie woulde haue the graffe growe foorth not aboue sixe fyngers. If you wyll graffe a little tree, cutte it neare the ground, so as it be a foote and a halfe hye. If you woulde carry your graftes farre,To keepe your graffes. they wyll longest keepe theyr sappe, yf they be thrust into the roote of a Rape: and that they wyll be preser­ued [Page 74] yf they lye betwixt two little guttes runnyng out of some Riuer, or Fishpond, and be wel couered with earth.

I doo nowe greatly desyre to heare you say some­thing of emplast [...]ing or inocula [...]ion,Of empl [...] ­st [...]ng and inocu [...]ation. that is, in graffing with the budde or the leafe, whiche you call in Greeke [...] [...] which kinde of graffing, I see those that are geuen to newe fa­shions delight much in.

This is no newe maner of graffing, but we finde that it was vsed both of the Latines, and of the Greekes, when takyng of a leafe or little budde, with some part of y^• rynde with hym, we graffe it into an other branche, from whiche we haue taken as much barke. This order (Columella saith) the hus­bandes in his dayes were woont to call emplastring, or mocu­lation: and before Columellas dayes, Theophrastus in his booke de causes plantarum, dooth shewe the reason of inoculation. Plinie dooth say, it was fyrst learned of Dawes, hydyng of seedes in caues and holes of trees. This kinde of graffing as Columella dooth wryte, and our Gardners them selues confesse, is best to be vsed in sommer, about the twelft of Iune: yet Didy­mus sayth, he hath graffed in this maner, and hath hadde good encrease with it in the spring time. And sith it is the dayntiest kinde of graffing, it is not to be vsed in all trees, but alonely in such as haue a strong, a moyst, and a sappy rin [...]e, as the Olyue, the Peache, and the Figge, which are full of Milke, and haue a bigge barke. Of that tree that you meane to graffe, chouse the youngest and the fayrest branches you can, and in them take the budde that is likeliest to growe, and marke it rounde about two inches square, so as the budde stand euen in the middest, and then with a sharpe knife cutte it rounde about, and flawe of the rynde, takyng good heede you hurt not the budde, and take out the peece. Afterwards, goe to the tree that you meane to graffe on, and choose likewyse the fayrest branche, and pare away the rynde a little space, & ioyne in your budde so iust, as the ryndes may agree togeather so close, as neyther water nor winde may enter in. You must looke that you hurt not the wood, and that the ryndes be of one thicknesse. When you haue this donne, binde it vp, so as you hurt not the budde: then claye it ouer all, [Page] leauyng libertie yenough for the budde. Cut of all the spring that growes about it, that there be nothyng left to drawe a­way the sappe, but that it may onely serue the graffe: after one and twentie dayes vnlose it, and take of your coueryng, and you shal see your budde incorporated in the branche of a strange tree. Columella speaketh of an other sort of graffing, to bore a hole in a tree with an Augur,VV [...]rble graffing. eyther to the pith, or the vttermost rynde, going something sloapewyse downeward, and getting out all the chippes cleane, take a Uine, or an arme of the best U [...]ne, not cut from his olde mother, and paryng away the outer rynde, thrust it fast into the hole being all moyst & full of sappe, leauyng a budde or two onely vppon it: afterward, stoppe the hole well with Mosse and Clay, and commit it to the earth. In this sort may you graffe Uines vpon Elmes, so shal the branch liue being both nourished by his olde mother, and his newe fa­ther. Two yeere after, you shal cut of the newe graffed branche, and the stocke wherein you graffed, you shall sawe of a little a­boue the bory [...]g, so shall the graffe become the cheefest part of the plant. The lyke doo our countrey men, takyng a branche of a Beeche a foote thicke: and when they haue cutte it and bored it, they set in it the branches of the best Peare or Apple that they can geat, setting the same in a very wet ground in March, and in the same moneth the yeere after taking vp the Beeche, they cut it a sunder with a Sawe betwixt the holes & the bran­ches: and euery peece of stocke with his branche, they set in ve­ry riche and fruitefull grounde. There are some that bragge of [...]n other kinde of graffing, not much vnlyke to the former, whereof notwithstanding. A [...]rican in Constantine maketh men­tion, as tryed in a Peache. They wyl a man to take the branch of a Wyllowe as bigge as your arme, [...] & two cubites in length or more: this they would haue you to bore through the middes, and after sl [...]pping of the branches of a Peache as he standes, l [...]ing only the toppe vntouched, they would haue you to make the Pe [...]c [...]e passe through the Wyllowe batte, and that done, to bowe the wyllowe lyke a bowe, se [...]ting both his endes into the ea [...]th, and so to binde vp the hole with mosse, morter, & bandes. The yeere after when as the head of the Peache, hath ioyned [Page 75] hym selfe with the pith of the Wyllowe, that both the bodyes are become one. You shall cut the tree beneath, and remoue it, and rayse vp the earth, so as you couer the Wyllow bowe with the toppe of the Peache: and this shal bring you Peaches with­out stones. This kinde of graffing must be done in moyst pla­ces, and the Wyllowes must be hol [...]en with often watringes, that the nature of the tree may be of force. The kindes and ma­ners of propagation, are declared by Plinie, Propagatiō, and his kindes. who telleth of two kindes: the fyrst, wherein a branche of the tree being bowed downe, and buried in a little furrowe, and after two yeeres cut of, and the plant in the thirde yeere remoued: which yf you en­tende to carry any farre distance of, it is best for you to burie your branches in baskettes, or earthen vessels, in whiche you may appliest carry them. And an other more delicater way he speaketh of, which is to get the roote out of the very tree, laying the branches in baskettes of earth, and by that meanes obtay­nyng rootes betwixt the very fruite and the toppes (for by this meanes the roote is fetched from the very toppe, so farre they presume) and from thence fetche them, vsing it as before: in whiche sort you may also deale with Rosemary and Sauyne. Columella sheweth a way, howe slippes of all maner of trees may be graffed in what trees you lyst.

And some are also sette of the slippes, or sly­uynges: I mee selfe haue plucked a branche from a Mulbery tree, and broosing the ende a little with a Mallet, haue set it in the ground, and it hath growen to be a fayre tree: the like hath been tryed (as they say) in Apples and Peares.

You say well, for nature hath shewed vs, that the young scyences plucked from the rootes of the trees wyll growe: the youngest are best to be planted, and so to be pulled vp, as they may bryng with them some part of theyr mothers body. In this sort you may plant Pomegranates, Fylbertes, Apples, Seruysses, Medlars, Plomes, Fygges, but specially Uines, & sometimes Cheryes, and Myrtels. Of the stocke and the branches are also planted the Almond, the Peare, the Mul­bery, the Orenge, the Olyue, the Q [...]ce, the Iuye, and the turkishe Plome: whiche the oftner you remoue them, the bet­ter [Page] they prooue. Plinie sayth, that branches cut from the tree, were at the fyrst onely vsed for hedges, Elder, Quinces, and Bryers medled togeather, afterwardes for vse, as the Poplar, the Alder, and the Wyllowe, at this day we set them where we best lyke. Heede must be taken, that the stockes, or the settes be of a good kinde, not crooked, knotty, nor forked, nor sclenderer, then that a man may well gripe with his hand, nor lesse then a foote in length.

It remaineth nowe, that you speake of the set­tyng of the fruite or kernell.

Nature (as Plinie sayth) hath taught vs to set the kernel, by the seedes deuoured of birdes, and moystned with the warmth of their entrayles, and after voyded in the boughes and ryses of trees: whereby we finde many times a Plane tree growyng out of a Bay, a Bay out of a Chery, and a Chery out of a Wyllowe. Many trees are set of the fruite, kernel, or stone, whiche growe yeerely of them selues, by reason of the falling of the fruite: as Chestnuts, Haselnuts, and Wallnuts. Columella sayth, they are the fruitefuller trees that spring of their fruite, then those that are sette of the stocke, or the branche. Some de­light to be set in trees, and not in the grounde: and when they haue no soyle of their owne, they liue in a stranger. Of y^e fruite or kernell, are planted Nuttes, Almondes, Pystaces, Chest­nuts, Damsons, Plomes, Pineapples, Dates, Cypresse, Bayes, Apples, Peares, Maples, Fyrtrees, Cheryes, Pea­ches, and Alm co [...]tes: but set or planted, they prooue to be the kyndlyer. Some of these doo growe in graffing, and other wayes: for experience teacheth, that the Nutte and the Tere­ [...]ith are graffed, and Demageron witnesseth as much: neither are all fruites, kernels, and stones set in like sort, as hereafter shalbe seene. Some are layde in water before, others not: some lye three dayes in hony and water, and at the fal of the leafe, are buryed in the grounde tyll March: [...] and then sette Nuttes are onely layd in moyst doung a day before, and of some in water and hony onely a nyght, lest the sharpnesse of the hony destroy the sproote. Some are [...] with their toppes standyng vpward, as the Chestnut: others downeward, as the Almond, though [Page 76] this is not greatly to be regarded, sith we see the fruite that falles from the tree, or is let fall by Byrdes, dooth prosper best of any other.

I haue a woonderfull delyght in the Impe Gar­dens of these Countreys, I pray you tell me howe they be or­dered.

The orderyng of an Impe Garden may not be passed ouer,Of impe Garden. wherein as in a Parke, the young plantes are nourished. And because the Nurse sometimes ought to be kine­der and tenderer then the Mother, a meete ground must be cho­sen for the purpose: that is, a ground drye, fatte, and well la­boured with the Mattocke, wherein the stranger may be well cherished, and very lyke vnto the soyle, into whiche you meane to remoue them. The kernels, or stones, must not be altogether naked, but a little couered with some part of the fruite, so shall they afterwarde endure the longer. They must be sette a foote, or there aboutes a sunder: after two yeeres they must be remoued. And because theyr rootes doo runne very deepe into the ground, they must be somewhat bent, or turned in, to the end they may spreade abroade, and not runne downeward. Aboue all thynges, you must see it be free from stones and rubbishe, well fenced against Poultry, and not full of chinckes or cleftes, that the sunne burne not the tender rootes: they must be sette a foote & a halfe a sunder, that they hurt not one y^• other with their neare growing. Among other euils, they wyl be ful of wormes, and therefore must be well raked and weeded: beside, growyng ranke, they must be trymmed and proyned. Cato woulde haue them couered ouer with Lattuses vppon forkes, to let in the sunne, and to keepe out the colde: Thus are the kernelles of Peares, Pineapples, Nuttes, Cypresse, and such others cheri­shed. They must be gently watred for the fyrst three dayes, at the going downe of the sunne, that they equally receyuyng the water, may open y^e sooner. Zizipha, or Turky Plomes, Nuts, Wallnuttes, and Chestnuttes, Bayes, Cheryes, Pistaces, Ap­ples, Dates, Peares, Maples, Fyrres, Plomes, and diuers others, are sette of the stone, or kernels. In remouyng of them, haue speciall regarde, that they be sette in the lyke soyle, or in [Page] better, not from hotte and forwarde groundes, into colde and backward, nor contrary from these to the other. You must make your furrowes so long before, yf you can, that they be ouer­growen with good mould. Mago would haue them made a yere before, that they may be well seasoned with the Sunne, and the weather: or yf you can not so, you must kindle fyres in the mid­dest of them two monethes afore, and not to set them, but after a shewre. The deapth of their setting must be in stiffe claye, or hard ground, three cubites: and for Plome trees, a handfull more. The furrowe must be made Furnase like, strayght a­boue, and broade in the bottome: and in blacke moulde, two cu­bites and a hand broade, being square cornered, neuer deeper then two foote and a halfe, nor broader then two foote broade, and neuer of lesse deapth, then a foote and a halfe, whiche in a wette ground wyl drawe neare the water. Suche as delight in the deapth of the ground, are to be set the deeper, as the Ashe, and the Olyue: these & such like, must be set foure foote deepe, the others it suffiseth yf they stand three foote deepe. Some vse to set vnder their rootes rounde little stones, both to conteyne, and conuey away the water: others lay grauell vnderneath them. The greater trees are to be set towarde the North and the West, the smaller toward the South and the East. Some wyl haue no tree remoued, vnder two yeere olde, or aboue three: and others when they be of a yeeres growth. Cato resisteth Vir­gils aucthoritie, that it is to great purpose to marke the stan­ding of the tree, as it grew at the fyrst, and to place it towardes the lame quarters of the heauen agayne. Others obserue the contrary in the Uine, and the Figge tree, being of opinion, that the leaues shall thereby be the thicker, and better defend the fruite, and not so soone fall: beside, the Figge tree wyll be the better to be climbed vpon. Moreouer, you must beware that by long tarying, the rootes be not wythered, nor the winde in the North when ye remoue them, whereby many times they dye, the husband not knowyng the cause. Cato condemneth vtterly all maner of windes and stormes in the remouing of trees, and therefore it is to great good purpose, to take them vp with the earth about them, and to couer the rootes with a [...], and for [Page 77] this cause Cato woulde haue them to be carryed in basaet [...] fylled with earth vp to the toppe: the tree must so be sette, as it may stande in the middest of the trenche, and so great heede must be taken of the rootes, that they may not be bro­ken, nor mangled.

Let vs nowe goe forward with euery tree in his order.

Among all trees and plantes, the Uine by good ryght chalengeth the soueraignetie, seeing there is no plant vsed in husbandry more fruitefull, and more commodi­ous then it,The Vine. not alonely for the beautifulnesse, and goodlynesse of the fruite, but also for the easinesse he hath in growyng, whereby he refuseth not almost any kinde of Countrey in the whole worlde, except suche as are too extremely skorched with the burnyng heate of the Sunne, or els to extremely frozen with the vehement colde, prosperyng also aswell in the playne and champion countrey, as it dooth vppon the hilly and mountayne Countrey: lykewyse as well in the stiffe and fast, grounde, as in the soft and meilowe ground: and often­tymes in the loamie and leane grounde, as in the fatte and foggie, and in the drye, as in the moyst and myrie, yea and in many places, in the very rockes it groweth most aboundantly and most fruitefully, as is to be seene and prooued at this day about the ryuer of Rhyne in Germany, and the ryuer of Mosel in Fraunce: and aboue all this, it best abideth and beareth the contrary disposition of the heauens.

No doubt it is the most excellent plant: but whom doo you suppose to be the fyrst aucthour of the plan­tyng of it? the common sort doo attribute the fyrst inuention of it to Bachus.

We that are taught by Gods holy woord, doo knowe that it was fyrst founde out by the Patryarke Noe, immediatly after the drownyng of the worlde: it may be, the Uine was before that tyme,T [...]e inuen­tion of the Vine. though the plantyng and the vse thereof, was not then knowen. The Heathen both most falsely, and very fondly, as in many other thinges, doo geue the inuention of the same vnto the god Bachus. [Page] But Noah liued many yeeres before either Bacchus, Saturnus, or Vranius were borne.

It is most likely so: but I woulde faine knowe, whether the planting of Uines doth more enriche the husband, then other husbandries doo.

About this question there is no little adoo a­mong the wryters of olde, where there are some that preferre grasing, tyllyng, and woodsales farre aboue the Uines: and yet agayne there wantes not great and learned men, that affyrme the Uine to be most gainefull: as declareth that olde fruiteful­nesse of the Uines,The Vine­yard most gayneful. mentioned by Cato, Varro, and Columella, which vpon euery acre yeelded .700. gallondes of Wine, and the Uineyardes of Seneca, wherein he had yeerely vppon one acre .1000. gallondes: when as in Corne ground, Pasture, or Woodland, yf a man doo geat vpon one acre .xx. s. a yeere, it is thought a great matter.

But the Uine asketh great charges, and great trauayle about it,Corne feeld and Vine­yardes com­pared. and it is subiect to many mishaps, as the cold frostes of Winter, the blastes & burning of Sommer, and from the fyrst appearing, til the third of May (which is the last decre­torie day of the Uine) the hurt of the colde and frost is feared. When it hath scaped this daunger, then commeth a greater mischiefe, which lightly euery yeere dooth great harme: for ey­ther with blastes in the Dogge dayes, or for lacke of rayne, the Grapes are wythered and spoyled, or els with ouermuch rayne they waxe sowre, and not ripe. Sundry other mishappes there happen, that the Uine is subiect to.

I graunt: so is your Corne likewyse, for both it asketh great charges, and such casualties oft times vndooeth the poore husband. For in all kinde of husbandry, yf there be not great diligence, and good skill imployed, there wyl be but small commoditie reaped. And especially the Uine requireth great husbandry about it, for it is tender, and soone harmed, and ther­fore in choyse of the Uineyard, there must be good heede, and both the nature of the countrey, and the disposition of the Hea­uens to be well consydered. Most men plant theyr Uines with­out any great care, or heede of them: and when they growe vp [Page 79] vse little diligence in the trimming of them, by whiche negli­gence, many times they wyther before they be ripe. Others a­gayne thinke it makes no great matter, what grounde they be­stowe about it, & most times lay out for this purpose the worst ground they haue, as though it would serue for this plant, that wyll serue for no other thyng. Some agayne reape all the com­moditie they can y^e fyrst yeeres, not prouidyng for farther time, and so complaine, that their gaynes dooth neyther answeare their trauayle, nor their charges, whereas in deede their owne folly and negligence is the cause: for yf there be diligence and paynes bestowed vpon it, as Columella prooueth by many rea­sons, there is no husbandry so profytable, as the plantyng of Uines.

I doo not deny but that there is great profyte in it, where the grounde is meete for Uines, and not so fitte for Corne: otherwyse I thinke the sowing of Corne to be an easier matter, and speedyer way to enriche the husband.

Surely as touchyng the easinesse of the hus­bandry, and the greatnesse of the gayne, the olde wryters haue euer preferred the Uineyard afore the Corne feelde: for as Co­lumella reporteth Siserna wryteth, that the labour of one man is sufficient for eyght acres of Uines, or at the least for seuen: of the encrease I haue spoken before.

Mary syr at this day one man thinkes three acres too much for him: but not to trouble your talke, I pray you goe forward with the husbandry of your Uines.

The ordering of the wine bearyng Uines, as the sortes of Uines are sundry, neyther can they be conteyned in certayne numbers, for there is as many sortes, as there is of ground. Homer geueth the cheefest prayse to the wine of Maro­nia, and Pramnium, Virgil most commendeth Rhenishe wine: others the wine of Aminea, Lamentana, Candy, and Corsega, but I meane to speake of those that are common in our dayes. In Italy at this day they make most account of wine of Corsega, Romani, and Mesina. In Spayne they cheefest esteeme wine of S. Martin, of Ribodaui, and Giberaltar. In Fraunce the greatest prayse is geuen to the wine of Orleans, Anjou, and [Page] Greues. Germany began but of late to meddle with planting of Uines, for Varro wryteth, that the Frenchemen, and the Ger­manes had in his tyme both Uines, and Olyues: but at this day the Rhine, the Necker, the Mene, Mosel, and Danow, may compare with any Countreys, for goodnesse of theyr Uines.

I see that the Uines are diuersly dressed other­wyse in Italy, then in Fraunce, and otherwyse in Fraunce, then in Germany, euery Countrey vsyng his seuerall fasshion.

True: for as Plinie, after Columella, teacheth, the Uine may be planted fiue sundry wayes: for eyther his branches are suffered to runne in safetie vpon the ground, or els without any stay growe vpryght, or hauyng a stay or a proppe set for them, they climbe vp by it, or els runne vp by a couple of suche proppes, called of Liuy a yoke, or els susteyned with foure of those yokes, whiche of the resemblance that they haue with the hollowe gutters of a house, are sayde to be guttered: others agayne suffered to runne vpon frames lyke Arbers, seruyng to sitte vnder, and are called Arber vines: others runne vp by the walles of houses. Moreouer, the yoked Uines, called in Greeke [...], are tyed togeather, and ioyned with three or foure proppes, as yf they were yoked: some doo let them runne vpon trees, as commonly in Lumbardy they are suffered to climbe vp­pon Elmes,Trees whi­che be frends or foes to the Vine. Wyllowes, and Ashes, where they greatly pros­per: neyther doo they like all maner of trees, for they hate the Nuttree, the Bay, the Radishe, and the Coll: as agayne they loue the Poplar, the Elme, the Wyllowe, the Figge, and the Olyue tree. The Uines that are yoked, or stayed vp with proppes, receiue more ayre, and beare their fruite the hygher, and ryp [...] the better, but aske more trouble in the lookyng to: and these are so ordered, that they may be plowed, wherby they are the more fruitefull, because they may the oftner, and with the lesse charge be tylled. The Uines that creepe vppon the ground, make much wine, but not (as Columella sayth) so good.

Nowe to your orderyng of them.

Fyrst I wyll speake of the ground, and of the diggyng of it,The ordring of Vines. and after of the plantyng, and cuttyng of them. And fyrst you must take for a speciall note, that euery Uine wyl [Page 80] not agree with euery place, nor yeelde his wine in like good­nesse, of suche force is the qualitie of the ayre, neyther wyll all kynde of ground serue:What ground is best for the Vine. for Columella dooth counsell to sette the Uine in a wylde ground, rather then where Corne or Busshes haue growen: for as for olde Uineyardes, it is most certayne they are the woorst places of all other to sette newe in, because the ground is matted, and as it were netted with the remaynes of the olde rootes: neyther hath it lost the poyson of the rotten and olde stinkyng rootes, wherewith the soyle (glutted as it were with venime) is benommed. And therefore the wylde and vntyld ground is cheefely to be chosen, which though it be ouer growen with shrubbes and trees, may yet easily be ridde. If such wylde ground be not to be had, the best is the plaine cham­pion lande without trees: yf neyther suche a grounde, then the lyght and thinne busshie grounde, or Olyue grounde. The last and woorst (as I sayde) is the olde rotten Uineyard, which yf necessitie compell you to take, you must fyrst ridde the grounde of all the olde rotten rootes, and then couer it eyther with olde doung, or with the newest of any other kynde of manuryng: the rootes beyng thus digged vp, must be layde vp togeather, and burned. After must the ground be consydered, whether it be mellowe and gentle: it is thought to be good, that is some­thyng greety and grauelly, and full of smal peebles, so that it be mingled with fatte mould withall, whiche yf it be not, is vtterly disalowed.

You shall perceiue it to be massy and thicke, yf beyng digged and cast into the hole agayne, it ryseth ouer: yf it scarsely fyll the hole, it is a signe that it is lyght and thinne. The Flynt by the generall consent of husbandmen, is counted a freend to the Uine, specially where it is well couered with good mould: for beyng cold and a keeper of moysture, it suffereth not the rootes to be skalded with the heate of Sommer: so muche, that Colu­mella dooth wyll men to lay certayne stones about the sides of the Uinetrees, so that they exceede not the weyght of fiue pound a peece: which as Virgil hath noted, keepes away the water in Winter, and the heate in Sommer.

So doo wee see the bankes of the Rhine being full of these stones, to yeelde an excellent good wine: but the stones that lye aboue ground, are to be cast away: for in the Sommer beyng heated with the sunne, they burne the Uine, and in the Winter they hurt them with their coldnesse, contrary to those that lye in the bottome. But the best of all is the foote of an hill, which re­ceiueth the fallyng moulde from the toppe: or the valley, that with ouerflowyng of Ryuers hath been made riche. Neyther is chalkie ground to be re [...]used, though the chalke of it selfe that Potters vse, is hurtfull to the Uine. The hungry sandy ground, the salt, bitter, and thyrstie grounde, is not meete for the Uine: yet the blacke and the reddishe sande, medled with some moyst earth, is of some alowed well yenough. Moreouer, neyther grounde too hotte or too colde, too drye nor too moyst, too sclen­der nor too stiffe, that wyll not suffer the rayne to sincke, is meete to be vsed for Uines, for it wyll easily gape and open, whereby the sunne comming in at the crayuesses, dooth burne the rootes: that agayne whiche is ouer thinne, lettyng in as it were by ventes the rayne, the sunne, and the winde, dooth drye vp the moysture of the rootes: the thicke and stiffe grounde is hardly to be laboured, the fatte grounde subiect to too muche rancknesse, the leane grounde to barrennesse: wherefore there must be an euen temperature amongst these extreamities, as is required in our bodyes, whose health is preserued by the equall medley of heate and colde, dryth and moysture, fulnesse and emptinesse, or thicknesse and thinnesse: neyther yet is this temperature in ground for Uines so iustly to be euened, but that there is required a more enclining to the one part, as that the earth be more hotte then colde, more drye then moyst, more s [...]h­tyll then grosse, specially yf the state of the heauens agree [...] a­gayne, what quarter whereof the Uineyard ought to lye,VVhat quarter of the heauen the Vine must lye agaynst. it is an olde controuersie, some like best the rysing of the sunne, some the West, some the North, Virgil misliketh the West: others agayne thinke the best lying to be vpon the South. But in ge­nerall it is thought best in colde countreys, to haue it lye tow­ard the South, in warme countreys vpon the East, in hotte [Page 80] burnyng Countreys, as Egypt, and Barbary, vpon the North. Plinie would haue the Uine him selfe stand towards the North, and his spring, or shoutes, towards the South. A fytte grounde and w [...]ll lying, being found out, must be diligently digged, dounged, & weeded: all vnprofitable weedes must be pulled vp, and throwen away, lest they shoulde spring agayne, and eyther corrupt the young plantes, or hinder the labourer.

Before you come to trenchyng, I woulde gladly heare, in what sort you plant your Uine, and what season is fit­test for it.

I wyll fyrst speake of the season, and after­wardes of the plantyng. The Uine is planted accordyng to Virgils rule,The time for planting of Vines. in the fall of the leafe, but better in the spring, yf the weather be rayny, or colde, or the ground be fatte, champion, or a watrishe valley: and best in the fall of the leafe, yf the weather be drye and warme, the ground dry and lyght, a barrayne, or a rugged hill. The time of plantyng, in the spring (as Columella sayth) endureth fourtie dayes, from the Ides of Februarie, vn­tyll the Aequinoclial: and in the fall of the leafe, from the Ides of October, to the Kalendes of December. Cassian in Constan­tine being taught by experience, wyls in watrye groundes you should rather plant in Autumne, when the leaues are fallen, and the plantes after the vintage, deliuered of the burden of theyr clusters, sound & strong, before they be nipped with the frostes, for then they best agree with the ground, nature applying her selfe wholly to the nourishing of the roote. The time of graffing Columella sayth, is of some extended from the fyrst of Nouem­ber, to the fyrst of Iune,Graffing of Vines. tyl which time the shoote or graffe may be preserued: but it is not well liked of him, who rather woulde haue it to be done in warmer weather, when Winter is past, when both budde and rynde is naturally mooued, and safe from colde, that myght annoy eyther the graffe, or the stocke: yet he graunteth (when hast requireth) it may be done in the fall of the leafe, when as the temperature of the ayre, is not much vnlyke to the spring: for which purpose, you must choose a warme day, and no wind stirryng. The graffe must be round and sound,VVhat graffes to be chosen. not full of pith, but full of buddes, and thicke of ioyntes, the tenant [Page] whereof must not exceede three inches, and smoothe, and euen cut: the stocke and the cleft must be well closed with clay and mosse. Those that growe toward the South, must be marked, whiche Virgil obseruyng sayth.

The lyke is to be done with all other trees. Of plantyng of Uines, there is two wayes, the one of the roote, the other of the branche, or spray: the roote is counted a great deale better then the branche or set, by reason of the forwardnesse, and vauntage that it hath, in that it hath alredy taken roote. The roote is set in stiffe ground, well digged and laboured, in a trenche of three foote, the set or spray, in a gentle and mellowe ground: in drye ground, it is neyther good to set the roote, nor the branche, in a drye season: it is best to plant in the fall of the leafe in a hotte season, and in a colde and moyst, in the spring: in much wet, you must set them thinner, in great dryeth, thicker: in what sort you shall make a store Garden for Uines, Palla [...]tius teacheth you. The set requireth a time to roote, and being remoued, wil beare the better fruite. The rootes doo beare fruite the second yeere, or sooner: the settes, or branches, skarse in the thirde or fourth yeere, though in some places sooner. Didymus in Constantine, teacheth an easie and a redy way of plantyng the quicksette: whiche is, to take of a strong and ten yeere Uine, the longest and fayrest branch, that groweth lowest, a foote from y^e ground, and laying it along in a trenche of a foote deapth, to couer it with earth the space of foure ioyntes, so that the remayne in the toppe, exceed [...] not two or three ioyntes: and yf the branche be so long, as it wyll serue for two buryinges, you may make ther­of two rootes. You must not suffer two rootes to runne vp vp­pon one stay, but allowe euery roote his supporter. The bran­ches or settes that you meane to plant, you must cut from a [...]ry fruiteful and florishing Uine, that hath borne ripe and per­ [...] good fruite, full of ioyntes, and not any wayes taynted, but whole and sounde. Of suche you must choose your settes, and [Page 81] not of young Uines, that are weake and feeble, but suche as are in there chefe state. Moreouer, you must geather your sette, not of the highest, nor the lowest, but from the middest of the Uine: the sette must be round smooth, full of knottes and ioyntes, and many littel burgeons. As soone as you haue cut it of, looke that you sette it: for better dooth it agree with the ground, and soo­ner growe. If you are dryuen to keepe them, burie them in the ground eyther loose, or loosely bounde: and yf the tyme be long that you meane to keepe them, you must laye them in empty barelles, strawing earth vnder them, and vpon them, that the earth may lye round about them: and the barrel you must stop closely with clay, that there enter neyther wynde nor ayre, so shall you preserue them two monethes in their goodnesse. Such as are ouer drye, you must lay them in water .xxiiii. houres afore you sette them, and you must set two settes togeather, that though the one fayle, the other may take: and yf they both grow, you may take vp the lesser of them: you must not make a medley of sundry sortes, specially white and blacke togeather: but as Columella sayth, must sort them seuerally. You must be­ware, that the settes haue not put out their springes, and that you sette not a wythered sette. Constantine would haue the sette something crooked, affirming that it wyll the sooner take roote. You must lay about them three or foure stones, and then rayse the earth, that it may equally with the doung be troden downe: for the stones keepeth the earth fyrme, and as I sayde before, cooleth the roote. Both the endes of the sette you must annoynt with Oxe doung, for the killyng of the woormes: as for the length, yf it be full of ioyntes, it may be the shorter, yf it haue fewe ioyntes, you must make it the longer, and yet not ex­ceedyng a foote in length,The length of the setter. nor a shaftman in shortnesse, the one for being burnt with ouer drynesse in Sommer, the other least being sette to deepe, it be with great hardnesse taken vp, but this is for the leuell ground: for vppon hilles, where the earth styll falleth, you may haue them a foote and a hand breadth in length. Florentine woulde not haue the trenche lesse then foure foote in deapth: for being sette shallowe, they sooner decay, both for the want of sustenance, and great heate of the Sunne, which [Page] is thought to pearse foure foote into the grounde: though some there be that thinke three foote sufficient for the plant. The trenches for Uines, Virgil woulde not haue very deepe: but deeper a great deale for trees. Such Uines as you meane shall runne vpon trees, you must plant three cubites distant from the tree: afterwardes, when they be well growen, and neede to be ioyned with the tree (whiche you shall perceyue by his thick­nesse) you shall lay it downe in length, and bury it, till it come within a foote of the tree, suffering the remaine to goe at li­berty, nipping of all the buddes with your nayle, except one or two, that it may the better prosper, whiche when it is growen vp, you must ioyne by little and little to the tree, that it may rest vpon it: which part of the tree must be diligently proyned, and the springes and scyenses, that growe out of the roote, must ac­cording to Florentinus, be cut cleane away. The trees, as much as may be, must be forced to the East and the West, and both the Tree and the Uine, must haue the earth well digged, and dounged about them. In riche ground, you may suffer the trees to growe in heygth, but in barrayne ground, they must be pol­led at seuen or eyght foote, least all the substance of the earth, be soked vp of the tree. After your planting, you must digge the ground euery moneth, and weede it, specially from the first of March,The [...] till the first of October: euery thyrtie day you must digge about the young plantes, and plucke vp the weedes, spe­cially the grasse, which except it be cleane plucked vp and cast a­way, though it be neuer so well couered, wyll spring agayne, and so burne the plantes, [...] as they wyl make them both foule, and wythered: the oftner you digge them, the more good you doo them. When the Grape beginnes to alter, you must in hande with your third digging, and when it is ripe, before noone whē it waxeth hotte, and after noone when the heate decreaseth, you must digge it, and rayse the dust, whiche dooing, defendeth the Grape both from the sunne and the myst. Accordyng to Vir­gils mind, the Uine must be digged and weeded euery moneth: some would haue them digged all the Sommer long, after eue­ry deawe: others agayne wyll not haue them digged, as long as they [...]udde, or burgen, for hurtyng the springes, saying, that [Page 82] it is yenough to digge them thryse in the yeere, from the en­tring of the sunne into Aries, tyll the rysing of the seuen starres, and the Dogge. Some agayne woulde haue it done from the vintage before Winter, and from the Ides of April before it take, and then agayne before it flowre, and likewyse before the burning houres of the day: in some places when they haue dig­ged them, they doo not straightwayes couer them, but suffer the trenches to lye open all the Winter, in wette and rayny places they couer them sooner, closyng vp the rootes with earth, and stopping al the passages of the water.What doung is best for Vines. Some make the trenches very deepe, and some not passing a foote deepe: and when they haue done, they couer them aloft with Oxe doung, Sheepes doung, or Hogges doung, or of other cattell: Pigeons doung is the hottest, and suche as causeth the Uine fastest to growe, but maketh the woorser wine. The doung must not be laid close to the Uine, but a little distant from it, whereby the rootes that spreade abroade,Where the doung must be laide. may haue some helpe of it, and the doung must not touche the rootes, for breaking of them: yf there be no doung at hand, the stalkes of Beanes, and other Pulse, wyll well serue the turne, whiche both defendeth the Uine from frost and cold, and keepes them likewyse from noysome wormes: the kernelles, and the stalkes of the Grapes, doo likewyse supply the want of doung,Pisse the best doung. but the best of all, is olde stale vrine. The plantes of a yeere, or two yeere old, and so foorth til fiue yeeres, must be discreetely digged and dounged, accordyng to theyr state: in sandy grounde, the best doung is of Sheepe and Goates, and in such sort you must digge the grounde, that the earth that lyeth hyghest, be cast to the bottome, and that whiche was at the bottome,The order of digging or stirring the grounde. be layde aloft: so shall that that was drye by the moysture within, be helped, and that whiche was moyst and stiffe by the heate aboue, be loosened. You must also see that there be no holes nor pittes in y^e Uineyard, but that it lye euen. When you haue thus digged it, and that the Uines haue taken roote the fyrst yeere, the rootes that growe aboue, must be cut away with a sharpe knife: for the Uine, yf it be suffered to roote euery way, it hindereth the deepe downe growing of the roote. The Uines that are now of two yeeres growth, we must digge [Page] and trenche about two foote deepe, and three foote broade, accor­ding to the rule of Socion. Of those Uines that climbe vppon trees, you must likewise cutte of the sprigs that runne among the rootes of the tree, least the small roote tangled with the greater, be strangled: and therefore you must leaue some little space betwixt the Uine & the Tree. Oftē digging causeth great fruitfulnesse: good heede must be taken, that the plantes be not hurt in the digging: also it must be digged before his florishing, or shooting out of his leaues, for as immediatly therewithal he beginneth to thrust out his fruite. So he that diggeth after the romming foorth thereof, looseth muche fruite with the violen [...] shaking, and therefore must digge the timelyer. Cutting and dressing of the rootes, you must begin in hand with at y^• Ides of October:D [...]ssing of Vines. so that they may be trimmed and dispatched afore Winter. After Winter, digge about the rootes that you haue dressed: and before the sonne enter the Aequinoctium, leuell the roots that you haue trimmed. After the Ides of April, rayse vp the earth about your Uine: in Sommer let the grounde be oftentymes harrowed. After the Ides of October (as I haue sayde) before the colde come in, you must dresse the rootes of your Uines, which labour layeth open the Sommer springes, which the good husband cutteth away with his knife [...] for yf you suffer them to growe, the rootes that growe downe wil perishe, and it happeneth that the rootes spreade all aboue, whiche wyll be subiect both to colde and heate: and therefore what so euer is w [...]thin a foote and a halfe, is to be cutte of, but so, as you hurt not the principall. You must make this ryddance of the rootes at euery fall of the leafe, for the fyrst fiue yeeres, tyll the Uine be full growen, after, you must dresse them euery fourth yeere: suche Uines as are ioyned with trees for the vnhandsomenesse, can not be thus handled. Uines and Trees, the sooner theyr rootes be thus dressed, the stronger and weyghtier they wyl be: b [...]t such as growe vppon the sides of hilles, must so be dressed, as the vpper rootes neare to the stocke may spreade largely, and vnderneath towardes the foote of the hill, the earth must be bancked, to keepe the water and the mould the better. The olde U [...]ne must not haue his roote medled withall for wytheryng, [Page 83] nor be plowed, for breaking of them, but the earth a little loosed with a Mattocke, and when you haue thus drest the roote, lay doung about it. After this ridding of the rootes, then foloweth proyning, or cuttyng, whereby the whole Uine is brought to one twigge, and that also cutte within two ioyntes of the ear [...]th: which cuttyng must not be in the ioynt, but betwixt the ioyntes with a slope cutte, for auoyding the water: neyther must the cut be on that side that the budde comes out of, but on the contrary, least with his bleeding he kill the budde. Columella appoynteth two seasons for the cuttyng of Uines, the spring, and the fall of the leafe, iudging in colde countreys, the cutting in the spring to be the best, and in hotte countreys where the Winters be milde, the fall of the leafe: at which tyme both trees & plantes, by the deuine and euerlastyng appoyntment of GOD, yeel [...] vp their fruite, and theyr leafe. Yet must not your settes be too nearely cut, except they be very feeble: but the fyrst yeere they be set, they must be holpen with often digging, and pullyng of the leaues moonthly whyle they beare, that they may grow the better. Pamphilus in Constantine declareth the time of cuttyng, or proynyng, to begin in Februarie, or March, from y^e fiftienth of Februarie, tyll the twentieth of Marche: some (he sayth) thought good to cut them immediatly after the geathering of the Grapes, least by bleedyng in the spring, they loose theyr su­stenance: though being cut in the fall of the leafe, it springeth the sooner in the spring, and yf the cold of frost happen to come, it is spoyled. Therefore in colde countreys, it were better to proyne it a little, then to cut it throughly, that is, to suffer the principall springes, and branches to growe. Agayne, it is ve­ry necessary to cut them in the spring: the cuttes must be made with a very sharpe knife, that they may be smoothe, and that the water may not stand in them, to the engendring of wormes, and corruptyng of the Uine: you must cut them rounde, so wyl the cut be sooner growen out agayne: but Plinie woulde haue them slope wyse, for the better auoydyng of the water. The branches that be broade, olde, crooked, or wrythen, cutte away, and set young and better in their place. You must make an ende of your cutting with as much speede as you may, from y^e Ides [Page] of December, tyll the Ides of Ianuarie: you must not touche your Uines with a knife, for Columella witnesseth, that Uines in Winter may not be cut. In cuttyng, remember well to cut it betwixt two ioynes, for yf you cut it in the ioynt, you spill it: let the cut be alwayes downeward, so shall it be safe both from sunne, and weather. You must not cutte them very early, but when the sunne hath drunke vp the frost, or the deawe, and war­med the branche: the springes of the settes the fyrst yeere, must be cut with good discretion, nor suffered to growe to ranke, nor cut too neare, but making the olde set to suffer a spring or two to growe out. Next vnto cuttyng, foloweth the proppyng, or supportyng of the Uine: and it is best for the young and tender Uine, not to be stayed vp with any strong stay, but with some small thing at the fyrst,Propping of Vines. and whyle it is young, it must be deyn­tely tyed to the stay, with smal twigges of Wyllowe, Elme, Broome, Russhes, or Strawe: this latter binding, is thought to be best, for the twigges when they waxe drye, doo pearce and hurt the rynde. There is an hearbe, whiche because of his apt­nesse for tying of Uines, the Sicyllians call [...]. The best stayes for Uines as Plinie sayth, are made of Wyllowe, Oke, Reede, Iuniper, Cypresse, and Eldar. And in an other place, he preferreth the Chestnut for this purpose, aboue all the rest. The best for the Uine, is the Reede, whiche well endu­reth fyue yeeres: geldyng of the leaues, and cuttyng the Uine, is almost in one maner. The geldyng of the leaues, or bran­ches, must be done twyse a yeere, to the ende that the superflu­ous springes and leaues may be plucked of.G [...]ldyng, or plucking of of leaues. The fyrst (as Plinie wryteth) must be done within ten dayes after the Ides of May, before the Uines begin to flowre: for about the tenth of Iune, both the Uine, and Wheate, the two noble fruites, doo flowre. Of the second time, the opinions are sundry, for some suppose it best to plucke of the leaues and branches, as soone as it hath left flowring: others, when the fruite is full ripe. The super­fluous springes being young and tender, are to be taken away, that the Uine may be more at liberty, and through blowen with the winde. This geldyng, or cuttyng away the superfluous branches and leaues, is as needefull as the propping: for both [Page 84] the fruite dooth prosper the better, and the propping the next yeere wyll be the handsomer, and the Uine wyll be the lesse full of galles: for that which is cut being greene and tender, dooth the sooner and the soundlyer recouer him selfe, and the Grape ripeth the better. Tenne dayes before the Uine beginnes to flowre, see that you gelde it in this sort: cut of all the superflu­ous branches, both on the toppe, and on the sides, but meddle not where the clusters growe, strike of the toppes of the bran­ches for growing to ranke: suche Grapes as growe towardes the South, or the West, leaue them theyr branches to defend them from the heate of the Sunne: cut away most from the young Uine, for ouerburdning him. After the heate of the Sunne beginneth to fade, away with the leaues, for hindering the Grapes of there ryping: and whyle the Grape is a flow­ring, busie your selfe with digging about it. Suche Uines as with thicknesse of their leaues corrupteth their fruite, are to be rydde of theyr superfluous branches and leaues, a moneth be­fore the geatheryng of your Grapes, that the winde may blowe the better through them: but the leaues that growe aloft in the very toppe, must not be medled with, but left as a defence, and shadowe agaynst the heate of the Sunne: but yf so be the end of Sommer be geuen to much rayne, and that the Grapes swell in greatnesse, then hardly plucke of y^e leaues from the top also.

You haue tolde vs of a great deale of labour a­bout Uines.

The Uine keeper must often goe about his Uines, and set vp his proppes, and make euen his yokes.

One thing, I pray you, let me heare more, the signes and tokens of the ripenesse: for as I vnderstand, we may not be to busie in geathering them to soone, nor vse any lingring after they be ripe, without great harme.

You say true: for being geathered before they be ripe, they wyll make but small wine, and not durable. And agayne, yf you suffer them to long, you shall not onely hurt the Uine with the ouerlong bearing of her burden, but also yf hayle or frost happen to come, you put your Uine in great dan­ger. Democritus wryteth, that y^• Grape endureth in his ripenesse [Page] not aboue sixe dayes, and therefore the iudgement of his ripe­nesse, is not alonely to be geuen vppon the sight, but vppon his ta [...]te, though Columella thinketh there can be no certayne iudge­men [...] geuen of the ta [...]te. But yf the stones doo change their co­lour, and be no longer greene, but be almost blacke, it is a signe the Grape is ripe. Some againe doo presse the Grape betwixt theyr fynge [...]s, and yf they see the stone to slippe out smoothe, without any thing cleauyng to it, they thinke them meete to be geathered, but yf they come out with some part of the Grape cleauyng to them, they count them not to be ripe. Others proue them in this sort: out of a very thicke cluster, they take a grape, and as they behold the cluster wel, wherein they see no change, they take it for a token of ripenesse. You must geather your Grapes, the Moone beyng in Cancer, Leo, Libra, Scorpius, Ca­pricorne, or Aquari, and vnderneath the earth.

Is there no way to make y^• Grape ripe speedely?

Plinie teacheth, to rubbe ouer the rootes with ta [...]te Uineger, and very olde vryne, and thus to be often digged, and couered.

What order haue you for preseruing of your Grapes, when they be geathered?

Some keepe them hanged vp in the roofe of Chambers, & some in earthen pottes close couered with woo­den vessels. Pallalius sheweth away howe to keepe them vpon the Uine, tyll the Spring.

I pray you proceede with the other fruite trees of your Orchardes.

Among other fruite trees next vnto the Uine (as Columella sayth) the cheefe place is geuen to the Olyue,The Olyue. in Latine Olea, in Greeke [...]. Of all other plantes, it requireth least trauayle and charges, where as the Uine re­quireth most: and though it beare not euery yeere, but euery other yeere, yet is he to be borne withall, because he asketh ney­ther co [...]t, nor labour: and yf you bestowe any vppon him, he re­compenseth it throwly, with the abundance of his fruite. And since there is so great profite and commoditie in this tree, and that the vses of it are so many, and so needefull, it is good rea­son [Page 85] to be diligent and carefull about it: he loueth a ground ney­ther to hye, nor to lowe, but rather the syde of a hyll, such as is the most part of Italy and Spayne: for in such ground, the ex­treme heate of the sunne, is something mollifyed with the colde blastes of the winde: for in Olyue trees (as Plinie sayth) the soyle, and the clime, is of great importance: it delighteth in a warme, and a drye ayre, and therefore in Barbary, Sicil, Anda­lusia, sundry partes of Italy, specially Campania, it prospereth woonderfully: it liketh not too great heate, nor too much colde. And therefore in hotte countreys, it ioyneth vppon the North side of the hilles, & in colde, vpon the South side. It is thought, that yf it stande aboue threescore myles from the sea, that it ey­ther dyeth, or prooueth not fruitefull. The best ground is the grauel [...]y grounde, hauyng aloft a little chalke mingled with lande: it is also good gro [...]nd where the sand, or grauel, is med­led with riche moulde: yea the sliffe grounde, yf it be riche and liuely, dooth very well agree with this tree. Chalkie ground is vtterly to be refused, and watry and maryshe ground, woorst of all. The [...]yke is a barrayne sand, and a hungry sand: but you may see it well in corne ground, where eyther the Wylding, or the [...]asthelme hath growen: but betwixt the Oke and it, there [...] great hatred, for yf the Oke groweth neare, it flyeth away, and [...]in [...]eth towardes the earth: and though you cut downe the Oke, yet the very rootes poysoneth and kylleth the poore Olyue. The lyke some affyrme of the trees called Cerrus, and Esculus: for where they be pulled vp, yf you set the Olyue, he dyeth: so dooth it (as Plinie sayth) yf it chaunce to be brused of the Goate. On the other side, betwixt the Olyue and the Uine, there is great freendship and loue: and it is sayde, that yf you graffe the Olyue vpon the Uine, it wyll beare a fruite that shal­be halfe Grape, and halfe Olyue, called Vuolea, in Greeke [...], an Olyue grape. There are sundry wayes of plantyng of Olyues: some take the biggest branches from the trees, and saweing of the youngest plantes of two [...]ubites in length, they set them orderly in the ground: some set the whole tree togeather. Some agayne cuttyng of the toppes, and all the branches, set the stocke, about the rysing of the starre Arc­turus. [Page] Many make them Impe Gardens in good grounde and mellowe, suche as is commonly the blacke mould: herein they set the young branches, the lowest, and the fayrest, two or three inches in thicknesse, and very fertill, whiche they geather no [...] from the body of the tree, but from the newest and latest bowes. These they cut into prety settes of a foote and a halfe in length, takyng good heede that they hurt not the rynde, and paring the endes very smoothe with a sharpe knife, and markyng them with redde O [...]re, that they may knowe whiche way they stoode afore, and so settyng the lowest part into the grounde, and the hyghest towardes the Heauen, they put them in the grounde, and so they growe the faster, and beare the better: for yf you should set them with the lower end vpward, they would eyther hardly growe, and prooue vnfruitefull: and therefore they haue a regard of the setting of them. You must beside, before you set them, rubbe ouer both the toppe & the foote, with doung ming­led with ashes, and so set them deepe in the ground, coueryng them foure fyngers thicke with rotten mould. You may choose whether you wyll set them all vnder the grounde, or sette some part within the grounde, and suffer the rest to appeare aboue the grounde: those that be set all within the ground, neede not to be marked, but suche as shall stand with one part aboue the ground. Didymus would haue them so set, as they may appeare foure fingers aboue the ground, and then to make a little trench for the receauing of the water: and this maner of planting with the bowes, is of Didymus best liked. Where you meane to plant, you must purge the ground of all other plantes, busshes, and weedes: and the trenches must so be made, as with the winde, the sunne, and rayne, it may be mellowed & made crom­bling, that the plantes may the sooner take roote. If your busi­nesse require haste, you must a moneth or two before, burne in y^e trenches eyther stickes, or reede, or suche thinges as wyll easily take fyre: and this you must doo diuers dayes togeather. Your trenches must be three cubites, or there about in deapth, & four­tie cubites a sunder, wherby y^e trees may haue ayre yenough: the first yeere, second, & the third, y^e earth must be trimmed with oftē [...]aking: the first two yeres you must not meddle with propping [...] [Page 86] the third yeere, you must leaue vpon euery one a couple of bran­ches, and often rake your Impe Garden: the fourth yeere, you shall of the two branches, cut away the weaker: being thus or­dered, in the fyfth yeere they wyll be meete to be remooued: the stocke that is as bigge as a mans arme, is best to be remooued: let it stand but a little aboue the grounde, so shall it prosper the better. Before you remoue it, marke the part that stood South with a peece of Oker, that you may set it in like maner againe. You must fyrst digge the trenched grounde with Mattockes, and after turne in stone plowed earth, and sowe it with Barley: yf there be any water standyng in them, you must let it out, and cast in a fewe small stones, and so settyng your settes, cast in a little doung. After the tenth of Iune, when the ground gapes with the heate of the Sunne, you must take heede, that the sunne pearce not through the cleftes to the roote. From the entryng of the Sunne into Libra, you must ridde the rootes of all super­fluous springes: and yf the tree growe vpon the edge of a hill, you must with little gutters drawe away y^e muddy water. The doung must be cast on at the fall of the leafe, that being ming­led in Winter with the mould, it may keepe the rootes of the trees warme. The mother of oyle must be powred vpon y^e great ones, & the mosse must be cut of with an iron instrument, or els it wyll yeeld you no fruite. Also after certayne yeeres, you must cut and loppe your Olyue trees, for it is an old prouerbe: that who so ploweth his Olyue Garden, craueth fruite: who doung­eth it, moweth fruite: who cutteth the trees, forceth fruite. In the Olyue tree, you shall sometime haue one branche more gal­lant then his fellowes, whiche yf you cut not away, you discou­rage all the rest. The Olyue is also graffed in the wyld Olyue, specially betwixt the rynde and the wood, and by emplastring: others graffe it in the roote, and when it hath taken, they pull vp a parcell of the roote withall, and remooue it as they doo o­ther plantes. Those Olyues that haue the thickest barkes, are graffed in the barke. The time of graffing them, is from the en­tryng of the Sunne into Aries, and with some from the .xxii. of May, tyll the fyrst of Iune. The tyme of geathering of O­lyues, is when the greater part of half the fruite waxeth blacke, [Page] and in fayre weather: the riper the Olyue is, the fatter wyll be the oyle. In geathering of Olyues, there is more cunnyng in making oyle, then in making wine: the lesser Olyues serue for oyle, the greater for meate. There is sundry sortes of oyle made of an Olyue, the fyrst of all is rawe, and pleasantest in taste: the fyrst streame that comes from the presse is best, and so in or­der. The best oyle is about Venafri in Italy, and Licinia in Spaine. The next in goodnesse is in Prouence, except in the fruit­full partes of [...]. The Olyues that you may come by with your handes, you must eyther vpon the ground, or with ladders geather, and not beate them downe: for those that are beaten downe doo wyther, and yeel [...]e not so much oyle as the other: and better is the Olyue that is geathered with the bare hand, then with gloues: there is an olde lawe for Olyues, bruse not the Olyue, nor beate him. Those that passe the reache of the hand, must be rather beaten downe with Reedes then Powses: the oyle is encreased from the rysing of y^e Bearward, to the sixe­teenth of the Kalendes of October: after, the stone & the meate doo growe. Of oyle, some part serueth for meate, and other for the sowpling of the body: and therefore as Varro sayth, it accompanieth his maister, not only to the Bath, but also to the Feelde, or where so euer he goeth. The Olyue whereof you make your oyle, must be taken from y^e ground: and yf it be foule, must be washed: for the drying, three dayes is sufficient: yf it be frosty weather, they must be pressed the fourth day: euery fyrst heape must be put in earthen pottes, and oyle vessels, where with hard and rough stones they are grinded. The geathered Olyue, yf it lye to long in heapes, putrifieth by reason of heate, and makes vnsauery oyle. Mylles are more handsome for the makyng of oyle, then the Trough & the Foote: for the Mylles may be handled with great discretion: the whole store may be raysed or let downe, according to the quantitie of the Ber­ry, lest the stone which would marre the taste of the oyle, should be broken. The presses cheefely, and the oyle houses ought to be warme, for the speedyer runnyng of the oyle: which with colde would make the longer stay. And sith heate and warmth is so needefull, you must prouide that your house lye towarde the [Page 90] Sunne: so shall you neede neither flame nor fyre, whiche with knoke or soote, may corrupt the taste of your oyle. The lawes and order of geathering, and bestowing of Olyues, hath Cato described: the maner of preseruing them, is declared by Colu­mella, whiche were too muche for me to speake at this time.

Goe on then, and let vs heare what you can say of Apple trees: whose vse is more commonly knowen vnto vs.

The Apple, called in Latine Pomum, in Greeke [...].Apples. There are that put this difference betwixt the Apple and the Nut, that what so euer fruite is to be eaten soft without, and hard within, is an Apple, and the contrary a Nut. Pomum generally spoken, is to be vnderstoode of all that the Greekes comprehend in the woord [...], as Beaches, Quin­ces, and Peares, wherevnto the Lawyer agreeeth: but in this place I speake of Apples, according to the common phrase: as for Quinces, Pomegran [...]tes, & Turky Plomes, I wyll speake of in theyr due places. There are such sundry sortes of Apples, differing both in shape and sauour, as are skarcely to be num­bred. In the olde time the cheefest Apples were Septians, very great and round, Martians, Claudians, Ma [...]ans, and Appians, so called of theyr first founders: some againe tooke their names of theyr countreys, as Camerians, and Grecians: so others of theyr colours, as re [...]de, sanguine, silken, and golden. We haue at this day that are cheefe in price the Pippin, the Romet, the Pomeroyal, the Mar [...]gold, with a great number of others, that were too long to speake of. There is but one maner of plan­tyng and graffing of them all, sauing that the Peache, the Le­mon, the Ahrecoct, the Quince, and the Cytron, which are all of Dioscorides accounted in the number of Apples, require a little more diligent care, as shalbe sayde hereafter, then the others, for they are al both planted and graffed: the maner of an Impe Garden Cato describeth. Apple trees are set eyther in Februa­ry, or in March: or yf the countrey be hotte and dry, in October and Nouember. But al kindes of Apples doo better prosper by graffing, and inoculation, or imbudding, as I sayd before, about March or April, or at what time so euer the sappe be in y^e rinde. They are also graffed by implast [...]yng, about the tenth of Iune: [Page] though some (as they say) haue had good successe in dooing it, after the entrance of the Sunne into Aries, as I haue sayde be­fore, where I spake of implastring, and graffing. The Apple is commonly graffed vpon the Crabbe stocke, or vpon the Bram­ble, being fyrst planted, and the yeere after cutte of w [...]thin a foote of the earth: vpon this stocke you may graffe (as I sayd) the tender young graffes of any Apples. Palladius sayth, you may graffe the Apple vpon the Perry, the Hawthorne, Plome tree, Seruisse tree, Peache, Plane tree, Poplar, Wyllow, and Peare: but in suche difference of countreys, we can set downe no certayne order for them all: and therefore as farre as myne owne experience, and the knowledge that I haue learned of o­thers wyll stretche, I wyll gladly shewe you. There are that accordyng to the olde order, doo graffe the Apple eyther vppon a wylde Perry, or vppon a Quince, whereof they haue a most excellent fruite, called of the olde wryters Melimela. If you graffe vppon the Plane tree, you shall haue a redde fruite: you may also w [...]ll graffe your Apple vpon the Damson tree, and yf you graffe vpon the Cytron, you shall haue them beare, as Dio­phanes sayth, fruite almost all the yeere long. The Apple lo­ueth a fatte, and a good ground, well watred rather by nature, then by industry. In mountayne countreys, they must alwayes be set toward the South: it prospereth well yenough, so it be something holpen with the Sunne, neyther doo they refuse ey­ther rough, or marrishe groundes. A leane and a barrayne soyle bringeth out woorme eaten, and fallyng fruite: the noysome woormes are destroyed with Hogges doung, mingled with mans vrine, and powred vpon the rootes. And yf the tree be ve­ry full of woormes,Agaynst hurtfull vvoormes. being scraped downe with a brasen scraper, they neuer come againe, yf the place whence you scraped them, be rubbed ouer with Bullockes doung: some adde vnto vryne Goates doung, and powre vpon the rootes the lees of old wine. The tree that is sicke, or prospereth not, is holpen being watred with Asse doung, and water sixe dayes: they must be often wa­tred at the set [...]yng of the Sunne, tyll the spring be come out. Plinie wryteth, that the water wherin Lupines hath been sodde powred vpon the tree, dooth the fruite good. They say, yf the [Page 88] tree be much watred with vrine, the fruite wylbe redde. Others agayne set vnder theyr trees Roses, thinking thereby to haue theyr Apples redde. Apple trees (as I saide before) must be set euery sort by them selues, as Columella biddeth, lest the small trees be hurt of the great, because they be not all of one growth, nor strength. Beside, you must set them very thinne, that they may haue roome to shoote out their branches: for yf you sette them thicke, they wyll neuer beare well, and therefore you must set them fourtie, or at the least thyrtie foote a sunder: the Apple declareth his ripenesse, by the blacknesse of his kernelles. They are geathered after the fourteenth of September, or there a­bout, according to theyr kinde, and not before the Moone be se­uenteene dayes olde, in fayre weather, and in the after noone: those that fall from the tree, must be laide by them selues: it is better to pull them, then to shake them, lest they be brused in their falling.To keepe Apples. They are kept in fayre loftes, vaultes, or cold pla­ces, with windowes openyng toward the North, which in fayre weather must be set wyde open: and therefore Varro woulde haue all Apple loftes haue theyr windowes North, that they may receiue the North ayre: the South windes must be shut out: the blastes of the North winde, dooth make them wrinckled and rugled: they must be layde thinne vpon strawe, chaffe, or mattes. I had an Apple brought me ont of H [...]lland, that endured three yeeres: I haue a tree of them here in this Orchard of his colour, called a Greening. You must lay euery sort by them selues, lest sundry sortes lying togeather, they soo­ner rotte. Some vse to lay them in Nut leaues, whic [...]e both ge­ueth them good colour, and good smell. They are also kept from rotting, yf they be layde in Barly, or Wheate. Palladius would haue them kept in earthen vessels close stopped, in Sesternes, or in Caues. Apuleus in Conctantine, woulde haue euery Apple wrapped in Nut leaues, and so layde vp: a great sort of wayes beside of keeping them, you shall reade in diuers aucthours. Some to auoyde the hurt of the frost, vse to couer them with wette linnen cloth, which being frozen, the fruite that lyeth vn­der it, is preserued. Your Apples must be so layde vp, as the stalkes stand downeward: neyther must you touche any, but [Page] suche as you neede. Apples are hurtfull to bearing cattel, so as the sauour causeth them to tyre, as Lucian in his asse witnesseth: the like is written of Peares, the remedy they say, is to let them eate some of the fruite afore. Of Apples, with certayne mylles for the purpose, they make a drinke called Cyder, and a smaly drinke beside with water, and the refuse of the Apples strayned: a good drinke to coole the thyrst of the poore labourer. A kynde of vinegre also they make of Crabbes, and sowre Apples, which lying in heape togeathe three or foure dayes, they afterwardes put into a Pipe, or Tunne, wherewith they mingle spring wa­ter, or rayne water, and so is it suffered to stand close couered thyrtie dayes, and after taking out what vineger they neede, they put in agayne as much water. The Peare,The Peare. in Latine Pi­ [...], in Greeke [...] and [...], chalengeth the next place, and is one of the cheefest beauties of the Orcharde. The Apple tree spreadeth in broade branches, the Peare tree ryseth in heygth, and delighteth in a riche and a moyst ground: it dooth growe of the kernell, and of the Pippin, but is a great whyle before it come to good: and when it is growen, it degenerateth from them his olde good nature, and therefore it is bett [...]r to take the wylde plantes, and to set them in their grounde in Nouember, and when they be well rooted, you may gra [...]e vpon them. It is sa [...]de, that i [...] so spr [...]sp [...]reth with o [...]ten digging, and much moy­sture as it neuer looseth his flow [...]e. You shall doo great good vnto it, yf euery other yeere you bestowe some doung vppon it. Ore do [...]ng is thought to make great and massy Peares: some put to a [...] the asshes to make their taste the pleasanter. They [...] not [...]lonely planted of the rootes, but also the very little twigges be [...]ng plucked from t [...]e roote, wy [...]l grew. If you wyl [...], let them be three yeere old, or at the least two [...]. Seme ag [...]yne take the fayrest [...], and set them as they doo the [...], is Marche and April. [...], when the blossome is on it, [...]. It i [...] graff [...]d vpon the [...], the Apple, and [...] vpon the Mulbery, your Peare [Page 89] shalbe redde. Virgil teacheth to graffe it vpon an Ashe, whereas in deede it wyll agree with any stocke: the grasse must be the growth of a yeere, & afore it be graffed, cleared of all the leaues and tender partes. And yf you woulde haue the fruite pleasant, and the tree fruitefull, you shall bore a hole through the stocke close by the ground, and driuing in an Oken, or a Beechen pin, couer it vp with earth: yf the tree prosper not, washe the rootes, and water them with [...]ees of olde wine fifteene dayes, so shall it beare the better and pleasanter fruite. It shall neuer be hurt with woormes, yf when you ylant it, you doo annoynt it with the gall of an Oxe: yf the tree (whose rootes haue been cutte) seeme not to prosper, Palladius his remedy, is to pearce y^e roote through, and to driue in a pinne made eyther of Oke, or Plome tree. If your Peares be stony, and choke Peares, digge vp the earth from the rootes, clense them of stones, and sift in good newe mould agayne in the place: let your Peare trees stand thyrtie foote a sunder, or little lesse: your Apple tree farther, as I haue sayd. They are kept preserued sundry wayes, some dip­ping the stalkes in boyling Pitch, doo afterwardes hang them vp, and so keepe them:To keepe Peares. others keepe them in newe boyled wine, or in a close vessell: others in sand, some in slockes, and some a­gayne couered with Wheate, or Chaffe: some are of opinion, there is no kinde of fruite, but may be preserued in hony. Of Peares, Palladius teacheth as of Apples, to make both drinke and sause, the iuyce being prest out with y^e presse: women haue a prety dyshe made of Peares for theyr religious fastes, called Castimoniale. Next in order after Apples and Peares, commeth the Quince,The Quince whiche was fyrst by Cato called Co [...]oncum, the Greekes call it [...], of the citie [...]ydon, from whence it was fyrst brought, the Italians Meie cotogne, the Spaniardes Memb [...]llo, the Frenchemen Vn coignier: both the Greekes and Virgil, call them of the colour [...], golden Apples, and Struthia, which kind (though they differ a little) are of this sort: for Colume [...]a speaketh of three sortes of Quinces, S [...]u­thia, Chrysomela, and Mustea, whiche all serue both for health and pleasure. They are planted after the same maner that Peares and Cherys are: some affyrme, that the sette that haue [Page] been set in March, or in Februarie, haue taken suche roote, as they haue borne fruite the yeere after. They grow well in colde and moyst countreys, in playne and hilly groundes: in hotte dry countreys, you must set them in October. Many sette them w [...]th the toppes and the sette, but neyther of them both is very good: and being set of scyens, they soone degenerate. They are better graffed in the stocke, then in the barke, and that in Fe­bruarie, or March: they receiue into their stockes, the graffes (in a maner) of all maner of trees, the Pomegranate, the Ser­uisse, all the sortes of Apples, and make the fruite the better. The Quince tree must be set in that order, that in the shaking of the winde, they droppe not one vpon the other. When it is young, or newely planted, it is helped with doung, or better with ashes: they must be watred as often as the season is very drye, and digged about continually: in hotte countreys in Oc­tober, or Nouember, in cold countreys in Februarie, or March: for yf you doo not often digge about them, they wyll eyther be barrayne, or beare noughty fruite: they must be proyned, cutte, and ridde of a [...]l encombrances. If the tree be sicke, or prosper not well, the roote must be watred with y^e mother of oyle, ming­led with the lyke quantitie of water, as Didymus in Constantine sayth, or vnsleckt Lyme medled with Chalke, or Rozen and Tarre must be powred vpon the rootes: you shal geather them in a very faire day, being [...]ounde and vnspotted, and very rype, and in the w [...]ne of the Moone. They are best kept coffened be­twixt two hollowe Tyles,To keepe Quinees. well closed on euery side with clay: some [...]y them onely in drye places, where no winde commeth: others keepe them in Chaffe & Wheate: many in Hony, some in Wine, and maketh the Wine more pleasant. Democritus biddeth you beware, that you lay them not neare other fruite, because with their ayre they wyll corrupt them. There is also made a kinde of wine of Quinces (being beaten and pressed) and [...] little Hony & Oyle put vnto it: our countrey men make of them a precious Conserue, and Marmelad, being congealed with long seething, and b [...]yled with Sugar, Wine, and Spi­ces I wyll nowe shewe you of t [...]e M [...]lar, which the Greekes call M. [...], the Latines Mespilus, [...] the Italians Nespilo, t [...]e [Page 90] Spaniard Mespero, the Frenchmen Mesplier, or Nes [...]ier, the Dutchmen Mespelen: this tree is also of the number of Apple trees, and Peare trees: it is planted in like maner as the Quince is: it delighteth in hot places, but well watred, though it doo well yenough in cold. We haue seene it prosper very wel among Okes and Wooddes: for we haue seene great Woods of them growing among Ok [...]s, that haue yeerely yeelded a great deale of money. Some say it is planted of the scyens, in March or Nouember, in a well dounged ground and mellowe, so that both the endes be rubbed ouer with doung. It is also set of the stone, but then it is very long before it come to any thing: it is excellently well graffed in the Bramble, the Pyrry, or the Apple. The M [...]dlar that you meane to keepe, must be gea­thered before they be ripe: and being suffered to growe vppon the tree, they last a great part of the Winter: they are also pre­serued in sodden Wine, and Uinegre and Water: in Catos tyme they were not knowen in Italy. Plinie and others haue spoken of them: neyther is it certayne, whether the olde wry­ters tooke them for Seruisses. Plinie speaketh of three kindes of them: the fyrst kinde hauing but three stones in them, called therefore Pri [...]cum. We haue at this day two kindes, the one hauing here and there prickles, growing in euery Wood and Thicket, very sowre afore it be mellowed, and made so [...]t with frost, and colde of Winter: the other hauing no prickles at all with a great fruite, whiche seemeth to be brought hereunto by diligent planting and graffing. The wood of the wylde Med­lar we vse to make Spoakes for Wheeles of, and the twigges of them serue for Carters whippes. Next vnto the Medlar for neyghbourhood sake, we must speake of the Seruisse, a hygh tree with a round berry, or fashioned like an Egge: wherefore it is called Ova as Theophrastus witnesseth,The Seruisse t [...]e. and the fruite [...] the Latines call it Sorbus, the Italians as the Latines, the Spaniardes Seruall, the Frenchemen Cormie or Cormier, the Dutchmen Sporeffelbaum. The fruite growes in clusters as the Grape dooth: the wylde is better then the Garden fruite. It delighteth in colde places, and yf you plant it in hotte coun­treys, it wyll waxe b [...]rrayne. It hath no prickles as the Med­lar [Page] hath, it groweth of the stone, the sette, the roote, or the scy­ens, and prospereth in a colde and a wette soyle vpon hilles: it is plan [...]ed in Februarie and March in colde coun [...]reys, and in hotte, in October and N [...]uemb [...]r: it is graff [...]d eyther vpon his owne stocke, or on the Q [...]nce, or H [...]w [...]horne, eyther in the stocke, or the barke.

I marueyle howe you can haue Pomegranates here, I pray you shewe what o [...]der you vse.

Pomegra­nates.Among the strange fruites, there is none c [...]mparable to the Pomegranate so called I thinke) because of his countrey Carthage and Africa, where the be [...]t doo g [...]owe: t [...]e tree (as ye see) is not hie, the l [...]afe n [...]rrowe, and of a very [...]aire green [...], the flowre purple, and long like a Coffin the Ap­ple that is compassed with a thicke rynde, is all f [...]ll of graynes within: it [...]s called of the Greekes [...] or [...], as well the tree as the fru [...]te [...], the Pomegranate sweete and sowre: it is called in Latine Asalum [...]un [...]um and Malum Granatum, in I [...]alian Mele grano, in Spanishe Granada, in Frenche Tomos de gran [...], in Dutche Granata [...]ssel. This tree onely as the Figge a [...]d t [...]e U [...]e, the body being clouen, dyeth not: the bran [...]hes are full of prickles as the G [...]rst [...]is: it loueth both a [...]ot ground, and a hot c [...]untrey, and liketh not watr [...] pla­ces. In some hot co [...]ntr [...]ys, it groweth wylde in the busshes: it is pl [...]ted in the spring ti [...]e, the rootes b [...]ing wa [...]red with [...]ogges doung and Stale. It is gra [...]ed vpon his owne stocke, and also vppon other trees, and lik [...]wyse o [...] the scyences that g [...]owe from the rootes of the olde tree. And though it may be pl [...]n [...]d sundry wayes, [...] the best way is the branche of a cu­ [...] in lengt [...], smooth [...]d with your knyfe at [...]oth the endes, and [...] in the groun [...], with bo [...]h his endes well smeared wit [...] [...]o [...]ges do [...]ng and Stale. There is also an other way of plan [...]yng it, which i [...], to take a very fruiteful stocke, which m [...]y be br [...]ght to the earth, and him a [...]ter the maner of other trees they g [...]asse by [...]nfolliation, betwi [...]t t [...]e b [...]rke and the [...]ynde, and well and clo [...]ely bind it after they set it in the ground not tou­c [...]ing the gr [...]ed part, but the partes beneath, annoynting it with the mother of oyle, and make it fast with cordes, that it slyp [Page 91] not backe, tyll the branche be growen. It much delighteth (as Democritus sayth) in the Myrtill, insomuche as the rootes wyll meete and tangle togeather with great ioy. The fruite wyll growe without kernels, yf as in the Uine the pith being taken out, the set be couered with earth, and (when it hath taken) the spring be proyned. There is as African reporteth, in euery Pomegranate a like number of graynes, though they differ in bignesse. Basyl wryteth in his Hexam, that the sowre Pome­granate wyll growe to be sweete, yf the body of the tree neare to the roote be pearced through, and fylled vp with a fat Pitche tree pin. You shal haue them endure a very great whyle, yf they be fyrst dipped in skalding water, and taken out quickly be laid in dry Sand, or els in some heape of Wheate in the shadow, tyll they be wrinckled, or els so couered with Chaffe, as they touche not one the other. Other say, it is best to keepe them like Quin­ces, couered with Playster, or Chalke: for in colde places they are kept without corrupting. The rynde of the Pomegranate is called in Latine Malicorium, the flowre of y^e Garden Pome­granate Dioscorides calleth [...], and of the wylde [...].

I here also, the outlandishe Cytron is here very carefully planted.

The Cytron,Cytrons. called also the Median, the Persian and the Assyrian Apple, because it was first brought out of Persia, & from the Medes: others say, it was first brought out of Africa into Greece by Hercules, and therefore Varro cal­leth it, the Apple of Africa: they are called in Greeke [...], and in Italian Citroni, in Spanish Zidras, in Dutch Giter [...]apf [...]el Pomerancen, in Frenche Citron: the fruite is called in Latine Hipericum, and Aureum malum, the golden Apple, also the ma­ryage Apple of Iupiter and Iuno: such of them as are yellowe, and of a golden colour, they commonly call Oranges: such as are of a greenishe pale yellowe, they call Cytrols, or Cytruls: thos [...] that are long, fashioned like an Egge, yf they be yellowe, are called Cytrons, yf they be greene, Lymons: yf they be ve­ry great and round lyke Pompeons, they call them Pom [...]cy­drons: the tree dooth alwayes beare fruite, some falling, some ripe, and some springing, nature shewing in them a wo [...]nderful [Page] fertillitie, as in the trees that Homer describeth in the Or­chardes of Alcionous. The leafe is lyke the Bay leafe, sauyng that there growe prickles amongst them: the fruite is yellowe, wrinckled without, sweete in sauour, and sowre in taste: the ker­nelles, like the kernelles of a Peare, a great resister of poysons. The tree is planted (as Palladius sayth) foure maner of wayes, of the kern [...]ll, the scyens, the branche, and the stocke. If you wil set the kernell, you must digge the earth two foote euery way, and mingle it with asshes: you must make short beddes, that they may be watred with gutters on euery syde. In these beddes you must open the earth with your handes a hand breadth, and set three kernelles togeathers with the toppes downeward, and being couered, water them euery day, and when they spring, leaue no weedes neare them: they wyll spring the sooner, yf you water them with warme water: others say, it is best the graynes being taken out in the spring, to set them diligently in good mellowed furrowes, and to water them euery fourth or fifth day: and when they begin to grow, to remoue them againe in the spring, to a gentle and a mayst ground, for it delighteth in much wet: yf you set the branche, you must not set it aboue a foote and a halfe in the ground, least it rot [...]e. The scyens and the stocke, [...]a [...]la [...]ius thinketh i [...] better to be planted, and shew­eth wh [...]ch way. Yf any man meane to cherishe this tree, let him def [...]nd it well from the [...]orth, and set it toward the South, and the sunne in the winter, [...]n frayles or baskettes: wherefore, some th [...] [...] carefull and [...]il [...]gent t [...] the rendring of this tree, doo make little vaultes toward the South close couered, and with­in the [...] neare th [...] w [...]ll, [...] plant the Ore [...]ge, suffering the [...] al sommer to [...] to the sunne, and to haue the heate the [...]f: and as soone as winte [...] comes [...] they couer them straight with strawe, or matt [...], spe [...]ially with t [...]e stalkes of Gourdes. This [...] delighteth to [...]e continually digged about, they are gr [...]ed [...] hotte places [...]n April, in colde countreys in May, not vnder t [...]e barke, but clea [...]ing the stocke hard by the roote: they may [...] gra [...]ed bot [...] on the Peare tree, and the Mulbery: but when [...] are gr [...]ed, must be fenced eyther with a wicker basket, or some earthen vessell. The fruite wyll be sweete, yf [Page 92] the kernelles be steeped in water sodde with hony, or whiche is better in sheepes milke. Such as you meane to keepe, must be geathered in the night, the Moone being downe, and geathered with branches and all, as they hang. Where the fruite burde­neth the tree, you must pull them of, and leaue but fewe on it, whiche wyll be the pleasanter, and the kindlyer fruite. It is at this day nourished both in Germany and Fraunce, and is plan­ted in vessels full of earth, and in hotte weather is set abroade in the sunne: in colde weather set in sellers, or in hotte houses. I haue seene in Germany, certaine hotte houses o [...] purpose made of Fyrre boordes, that in Winter haue warmed all the Gar­den, and in Sommer the frames taken away, haue geuen place to the sunne. If whyle they be young and little they be put into earthen vessels, or glasse, they growe according to y^e propor [...]ion therof: so that you may haue them fashioned eyther like a man, or like a beas [...], according [...]o your fancie: but you must so order your mouldes, as the ayre may come to them. But least I keepe you too long with these ou [...]l [...]nd [...]she trees, I wyll speake some­thing of our owne trees, wherewith we are be [...]ter acquainted: among whiche we haue the Mulbery,The Mul­bery tree. in Latine Morus, in G [...]eeke [...], the fruite [...], in Italian Moro, in Spa­nishe Mora, in Frenche Meure, in Dutche Mulbern: this is accounted of all other trees the wysest, because he neuer blosso­meth, tyll all colde weather be quite past: so [...]hat when so euer you see the Mulbery begin to spring, you may be sure that win­ter is at an end: he is ripe with the fyrst, and b [...]ddeth out so ha­stily, as in one night with a noyse, he thrusteth out his leaues: they dye the handes (as Plinie sayth) with the i [...]yc [...] of the ripe berry, and washe it of with the greene berry: he changeth his colour thryse, fyrst whi [...]e, then redde, and lastly blacke: he lo­ueth hotte places, and grauelly, and delightes in digging and dounging, but not in watring: his rootes must be opened about October, and the lees of wine poured vpon them: it is set of the stones, but thinne: it often groweth to be wylde: the best plan­ting is the seyens, and the toppes, a foo [...]e & a half long, smoothe at both endes, and rubbed ouer with doung. The place where­in you set your [...], they couer with ashes mingled with earth, [Page] but couer it not aboue foure fingers thicke. Palladius bids you to set it in March, and to remooue it in October, or Nouember. Deritius telleth, that the Mulbery may be planted in the fall of the lease, by thrusting into the ground the branches, after the order of the Figge tree, whiche I mee selfe haue prooued, speci­all, yf the end that is cut be wel brused, that it may the quicklyer take roote: and so when you haue made your hole, with a stake thrust it in: [...]t is best graffed on the Beeche, and the white Pop­lar, eyther by graffing in the stocke, or by inoculation: and so shall the berries be white. It is graffed also in the Figge, and the Elme, which in olde time they would not suffer, for feare of corrupting. Of the Mulbery is made a very noble medicine for the stomake, and for the goute: they wyll longest endure (as it is saide) kept in glasses. The leaues doo serue to feede Sylke­woormes withall, whereof some make a very great gayne, and set them rather for that purpose, then for the fruite.

What tree is that with the ruddy coloured fruite like a Chery?

It is a Cornell tree, called in Greeke [...], in Latine Cornus, The Cornel in Italian Corneolo, in Spanishe Zereko sel­uestro, in French Corn [...]er, in Dutch Cornelbaum, the tree is thought neuer to exceede twelue cubites in heyght: the body is sounde and thicke like horne, the leafe is like the Almond leafe, but fatter, the flowre and [...]he fruite, is like the Olyue, with ma­ny beryes hang [...]ng vpon one stalke, first white, and after redde: the iuyce of the ripe beries, is of a blooddy colour: it loueth both mountaynes and v [...]lleys, and prospereth both in moyst gound, and dry: it groweth both of the s [...]ppe, and of the seede. You must beware you plant it not neare to your Bees, for the flowre dooth kill as many of them as [...]as [...]eth it.

What tree is t [...]e same that groweth next vs?

Ziziphus.That tree is called Ziziphus, in Greeke [...], in Italian Giuggi [...]le, in Spanishe Az [...]fe [...]fo, in French Imubae, in Dutch [...], the beries whereof, are like the Cornel beries, the low [...]e like the Olyue flowre, but more swee­ter. Columella speaketh of two kindes thereo [...], the one redde, the other white, they are set of the stones, in hotte countreys in A­prill, [Page 93] and in colde places in May, or els in Iune: you may set both the stone, and the branc [...]e, it is very slowe in gr [...]wing: yf you set the plant, you m [...]st doo it in March in soft grounde: but yf you set the stone, you must set them in a little trenche of a hand broade, three stones togeather, with their poyntes downe­ward: it loueth not to riche a ground, but rather a l [...]ght gro [...]nd and a warme place: in winter (as Palladius s [...]yth) it is good to lay stones about the body of the tree.Italian [...] ­be [...]ts. The next are Italian Fylbertes, in Latine Pista [...]ea, in Greeke [...], in Italian Pa [...]inachi, in Spanish Alhozi [...]o, in French Pistaches, in Dutch Wels [...]e pini [...]ernus, the leafe is narrowe and browne, for vpon the branches hang the Nuttes, lyke the Nattes of the Pine. Of this tree it is thought there [...]s both male and female, and therefore they growe commonly togeather, the male ha­uing vnderneath his shell, as it were long st [...]nes: it is graffed about the first of April, but vpon his owne stock, and vpon the Tereb [...]th, and the Almond tree. They are also set (as Palla­dius witnesseth) in the fall of the leafe in Oc [...]ober, both of the s [...]ippes, [...]nd the Nutte: it delight [...]th in a hot and a moyst coun­trey, and ioyes in often watring.

Because I remember you tolde me b [...]fore, that of plantes and trees some doo growe of the seede, or fruite, and some are graffed: and bec [...]use I haue heard the graffing of most of them, I would nowe fayne heare you speake of suche trees as growe only o [...] the stone, or berry.

Your remembrance is good: for tho [...]gh they commonly growe b [...]tter when they be graffes, yet some there­be that prosper the better being sowen, and wy [...] scarse growe a [...]y other way. And th [...]ugh same of the foresayde trees being set, doo well p [...]osper, as the Midl [...]r, the Cornell, and diuers other, yet sometimes they waxe wylde [...] and are long before they come to perfection, which Virgill also aff [...]rmeth,

[Page] but by graffing it is restored agayne. Some of them agayne, howe so euer they be sowen or set, doo not degenerate, or grow out of kinde, as the Bay, the Date, the Cypresse, the Peache, the Abricoct, the Danison, the Pistace, the Fyrre tree, and the Chery: and because they be not all of one order, I wyll tell you seuerally of the chefest of them. To plant trees of the seede, nature (as I saide before) taught men at the fyrst: the seede being deuoured of birdes, and with the doung let fall in the cleftes of trees, where they after sprong and grewe. The Bay, in Greeke [...],The Bay. in Latine Laurus, in all other tongues al­most as in Latine. The berry is called in Greeke [...] in Latine Lauri [...]a [...]s, in Italian Bacche de lauro, in Spanishe Vaya de laurel, in Dutch Lorb [...]ren, a most gratefull tree to the house, a porter to Emperours and Byshops, whiche cheefely garnisheth the house, and standeth alwayes at the entry. Cato maketh two kindes thereof, the Delphick, and the Cypresse: the Delphick, equally coloured and greener, with great berries, in colour betwixt greene and redde, wherewith the Conquerers at Delphus were woont to be crowned. The Cypresse Bay hath a shorter leafe, and a darker greene, guttered (as it were) rounde about by the edges, which some (as [...]linie sayth) suppose to be a wylde kinde: it groweth alwayes greene, and beareth ber­ries: he shooteth out his branches from the sides, and therefore waxeth soone olde and rotten: it dooth not very well away with colde grounde, being hot of nature: it is planted d [...]uers wayes, the berries being dryed with the North winde, are geathered and layd abr [...]ade very thinne, l [...]t they cluster togeather, af [...]er­ward being wet with vrine, they are set in furrowes a handfull deepe, and very neare togeather: in March they be also planted of the slippe, and the s [...]yens. If you set them of the sli [...]pe, you must set them not p [...]s [...]ing [...]ene foote a sunder: but so they grow out of kinde. Some thinke, that they may be graffed one in an other, as also vpon the Serui [...]se and the Ashe: the berries are to be geathered about the beginning of December, and to be set in the beginning of March.Nutte trees. Nutte trees are most commonly planted of the Nutte, as all other shell fruites are. Of all Nuttes the Almond is counted to be the worthyest,The Al­mond tree. called in [Page 94] Greeke [...], in Italian Mandorle, in Spanishe Almei­dras, in French Amandes, in Dutch Mandelen, they are set in Februarie, and prosper in a cleare and a hotte ground, in a fat and a moyst ground they wyll grow barraine: they cheefe­ly set suche as are crooked, and the young plantes, they are set both of the slipes, the roote, and the kernell. The Nuttes that you intend to set, must be layd a day before in soft doung: others steepe them in water sodde with hony, letting them lye therein but only one night, least the sharpnesse of the hony spoyle the plant: and being thus ordered Columella sayth, they wyl be both the pleasanter, and growe the better. The tops and the sharpe endes you must set downeward: for from thence commeth the roote, the edge must stande towarde the North: you must set three of them in tryangle, a handfull one from the other: they must be watered euery ten dayes, till they growe to be great: it is also planted with the branches, taken from the middest of the tree. The Almond is graffed not neare the toppe of the stocke, but about the middest, vpon the bowes that grow out. This tree dooth soone beare fruite, and flowreth before all others, in Ianuarie, or Februarie. Virgil accountes it for a prognosticatour of the plentifulnesse of Corne.

The bitter ones (which are the holsomer) are made sweete, yf round about the tree, foure fyngers from the roote, you make a little trenche, by whiche he shall sweate out his bitternesse: or els yf you open the rootes, and powre thereon eyther vrine, or Hogges doung: or yf at the roote of the tree, you thrust in a fat wedge of P [...]tche tree. By this meanes (as Basyl sayth) they wyll loose theyr bitternesse: but no tree groweth sooner out of kinde, and therfore you must often remooue it, or graffe it when it is great. Wallnuttes, called in Greeke [...], in Latine I [...]glantes, Wallnuts. in Italian Nocy, in Spanishe Nuezes, in [Page] French Noix, in Dutch Groisse nusz: they are set in the ground (as Plinie sayth) the seame downeward, about the beginning of March: some thinke, that they wyl growe as the Filbert doth, eyther of the slippe, or the roote: it groweth speedely, and liketh a dry and a cold place, better then a hotte. The Nutte that you meane to set, wyl growe the better, yf you suffer it to lye foure or fyue dayes before in the water of a boy, and wyl prosper the more, yf it be often remooued: those Nuttes (as it is thought) prosper best, that are let fall by Crowes, and other Birdes. Yf you pearce the tree through with an Augur, and fil vp the place agayne with a pin of Elme, the tree shall lose his knotty hard­nesse, neither wyl he lose his fruite, yf you hang by eyther Mul­let, or a peece of Skarlet from a dounhill.

What is the reason you plant your Wallnut trees round about on the outside of your Orchard, and not a­mong your other trees?

Because his shadowe is great, & vnholsome, beside the hurt he dooth with his dropping. He sucketh out a great deale of good iuyce from the ground: for as you see, they are very mighty and high trees, so as some of them are two or three [...]dome about: they occupie a great deale of roome with their standing, and beguile the other trees of their sustenance: besides, there are certaine trees they agree not well withall, and therefore haue I set them on the outside of my Orchard, as standardes to defend their fellowes from tempest and wea­ther. Among Nuttes, is also to be recounted the Hasel Nuttes, a kinde whereof is the Filbert called in Greeke [...], [...] in La­tine Auellan [...], in Italian No [...]iuole, in Spanish Auellamas. in French N [...]r [...]ee [...]e, [...] in Dutch Haselnu [...]ez: they are planted after the maner of the Almond: it delighteth in claye and wa­tr [...]sh groundes, and vpon hilles, being well able to abi [...]e the colde. They were fyrst brought into Asia and Greece from P [...] ­tus, and therefore called Pon [...]ic [...]e, and Heracleotic [...]e. &c. Among the Nuttes also chalengeth the Chestnut his place,Chestnuts. though he be rather to be reckoned among mast, whereby is called the Nut, or mast of [...]upite [...], in Greeke [...], in Latine Castanea, in Italian Castagne, in Spanish Castaua, in French Castagnes, [Page 95] in Dutch Kastey: it loueth well to growe on mountaynes, and in colde countreys: it hateth waters, and desyreth a cleane and a good mould: it misliketh not a moyst grauell ground, and ioy­eth in a shadowy and Northerly bancke: it hateth a stiffe and a redde clay grounde, it is planted both of the Nut, and the set: it is better planting Wooddes of them of the Nut, then of the set, otherwyse the safer way were the set, whiche in two yeeres beareth fruite. It is planted when the sunne is in the Aequinoc­tial, both of the scyens, the set, the branche, and the roote, as the Olyue is. The Chestnuttes that you meane to sowe, must be very fayre and ripe, the newer they be, the better they growe: you must not set them after that sort that you set Almonds, or Filberts, but with the sharpe end vpward, and a foote a sunder: the furrowe must be a shaftman deepe. You were better (as I sayd) to make your Groue of the Nut, then of the settes, whiche wyll be meete to be felled for stayes in seuen yeere. Columella wryteth, that the Chestnut meete for the supporting of Uines, yf he be sowed in well digged ground, dooth quickly spring, and being felled after fiue yeeres, it prospereth like the Wyllowe: and being cut out in stayes, it lasteth till the next felling, as shalbe shewed hereafter, when we speake of Wooddes. They wyll also haue the Chestnut to be graffed on the Wallnut, the Beeche, and the Oke: it hath been seene, that where they grow two and two togeather, they prosper the better. The Pine, in Greeke [...], in Latine Pinus, in Italian and Spanish Pino, in Frenche Pin, in Dutch Hartzbaum, is planted not muche vnlike to the Almond, the kernelles of the key clocks being set as the Almond is: they are geathered in Iuly, before the cani­culer windes, and [...] the Nuttes, the huske being broken, fall out. The best time of sowing them, Palladius reckoneth to be October, and Nouember: this tree is thought to be a nouri­sher of all that is sowen vnder it. The Pitche tree is called in Greeke [...], in Latine Ti [...]ea. in Italian Pezzo, in Spanish Pino negro, in Dutch Rotdannenbaū, but I come nowe to the Chery. The Chery tree,The Chery tree. in Greeke [...], y^e fruite [...], in Italian the tree Ceraso, the fruite Cerase, and Ciregio, in Spanish Cerezo and Cereza, in French Cerisier and Cerise, in [Page] Dutch Kirsba [...]m, kirsea: the tree is easie to be planted, yf the stones be but cast abrode, they wyll growe with great encrease: such is their forwardnesse in growing, that the st [...]yes, or sup­porters of U [...]nes being made of Chery tree, are commonly seene to growe to be trees. They are graffed vpon the Plome tree, vppon his owne stocke, vppon the Plane tree, and on the Bramble, but best vppon the wylde Chery it ioyeth in being graffed, and beareth better fruite: yf you graffe them vpon the Uine, your tree shall beare in the spring: the time of graffing, is eyther when there is no Gumme vppon them, or when the Gumme hath left runnyng. They remoue the wyld plant, ey­ther in October, or Nouember, that the fyrst Ianuarie or Fe­bruarie, when it hath taken roote, it may be graffed vpon. Mar­tial would haue you graffe it in the stocke: but in deede it pros­pereth better, being graffed betwixt the barke and the wood. It delighteth to be set in deepe trenches to haue roome yenough, and to be often digged about. It loueth to haue the wythered bowe continually cut away: it groweth best in cold places, and so hateth doung, as yf it be layd about them, they growe to be wyld: it is also planted of the slippes, and wyll beare his fruite without stone: yf in the setting of the set, you turne the vpper end downeward. Others wyll, that the tree being young and two foote hye, be slitte downe to the roote, and the pith taken out of both sides, and ioyned togeather, the seames close bound about, & couered with doung: which within a yeere after, when it is wel growen, the young graffes (which hitherto haue borne no fruite) yf you graffe them, wil beare Cherys without stones, as Martial sayth. There are sundry kinds of Cherys (as Plinie reporteth, or Apronianus) that are redder then the rest, Actianus as blacke as a cole: whiche kinde in Germany yet at this day, they call Acklische kirsen, Celicians that are rounde. Plinie in speaking of the sundry sortes, preferreth the Duracins, which in Campania they were woonted to call Plinians: and a little after he sayth, vpon the bankes of the Rhine, there grow als [...] Kersis, of colour betwixt blacke, redde, and greene, like the Iumper beries, when they be almost ripe: in whiche the common sort of bookes haue Tertius for Kirsis amongst y^e Germanes: for Plinie [Page 96] whereas in many places he vsurpeth the Dutch woordes, as in the .9.10.17. and .18. booke, and in diuers other places, which being not vnderstanded of the Latine, came altogeather corrup­ted to the posteritie. There are also Bay Cherys, graffed at the fyrst in the Bay, that haue a pretie pleasant bitternesse: at this day, the small Cherys are best esteemed, growing vpon a lowe bushe with short stalkes, round fruite, and very red, much meate, soft, and full of licour. It is sayd they wyll beare very timely, yf you lay Lime about them: it is good to geather them often, that the [...] which you leaue, may waxe the greater: for set­ting and plantyng of Cherys, you may reade a great sort of rules in the geatheringes of Constantine. There are also found a kinde of Cherys growyng wylde in the Woods, and He [...]ge­rowes, with little beries, some redde, some altogeather blacke, whiche the Farmers in the Countrey doo vse for to fatte theyr Hogges withall. The Plome tree, in Greeke [...], the fruite [...],Plome trees. in Latine Prunus and Pruna, in Italian Prune and Succiue, in Spanish Ciruel [...] and Ciruela, in French Prune, in Dutch Proumen, it is planted from the middle of Winter, till the Ides of Februarie: but yf you set the stones at the fall of the leafe, let it be done in Nouember, in a good and mellowe ground, two handfuls deepe: they may be likewyse set in Fe­bruarie, but then they must be steeped in lye three dayes, that they may sooner spring: they are also planted of the young sets that growe from the body of the tree, eyther in Ianuarie, or in the beginnyng of Februarie, the rootes being wel couered with doung: they prosper best in a riche and a moyst ground, and in a colde countrey: they are graffed towarde the ende of March, and better in the clouen stocke, then in the barke, or els in Ia­nuarie, before the Gumme begin to droppe out: it is graffed vpon his owne stocke, the Peache, and the Almond. There are sundry sortes of Plomes, wherof the Damson is the principal, ioying in a dry grounde, and in a hotte countrey, and is graffed as the other Plomes are. There are diuers coloured Plomes, white, blacke, purple, and redde: wheate Plomes, and horse Plomes, wherewith they vse to fatte Hogges. The fynger Plomes are most commended, being of the length of a mans [Page] fynger, which are brought vnto vs from Bohemia, and Hungary, and Iulians, and Noberdians, being blewe in colour, but later. The Damsons are dryed in the sunne vpon Lattyses, Leades, or in an Ouen: some doo dippe them before, eyther in sea wa­ter, or in brine, and after dry them. The Peache tree, called in Greeke [...],The Peache tree. the tree [...], in Latine Persica, in Italian Perseo, in Spanish Durasuo, they are also called Rho­docina, and Dorocina, or Duracina, whereof there are foure kindes: but the cheefest are the Duracins, and the Abrecocts: in Nouember in hotte countreys, and in others in Ianuarie, the stones are to be set two foote a sunder in wel dressed ground, that when the young trees are sprong vp, they may be remoued: but in the setting, you must set the sharpe ende downeward, and let them stand two or three fyngers in the ground: wheresoeuer they grow, they reioyce most in watry groundes, which ground yf you want, looke that you water them abundantly, so shall you haue great store of fruite. Some woulde haue them set in hotte countreys and sandy ground, wherby they say, their fruite wyl longer endure: the better wyl also the fruite br, yf as soone as you haue eaten them, you set the stone, with some part of the fruite cleauing to it: it is graffed eyther on him selfe, the Al­mond, or the Plome tree.The Abry­co [...]. The Apples of Armenia, or Abricoct, dooth farre excell the Peache, vsed as a great dayntie among noble men, and much desyred of the sicke: they are best graffed in the Plome, as the Peache in the Almond tree: the fayrest graffes that grow next the body of the tree, are to be chosen and graffed in Ianuarie, or Februarie, in colde countreys, & in No­uember in hotte: for yf you take those that growe in the toppe, they wyll eyther not growe, or yf they growe, not long endure. You shall inoculate, or imbudde them in May, or April, y^e stocke being cut aloft, and many young buddes set in: neither must you suffer them to stand very far one from the other, that they may the better defend them selues from the heate of the sunne. The Frenchmen, and our Gardners also, after the Italians or­der, doo graffe the Abricoct, taking a graft (not full a fynger long) or the budde that is well showte out, with a little of the rynde cut of, and slitting the rynde of a young Plome tree crosse [Page 97] wyse, they set them in, binding them well about with Hempe, or Towe, and that in the end of Iune, or in Iuly, and August. Some thinke they wyl be redde, yf they be eyther graffed in the Plane tree, or haue Roses set vnderneath them: they wyll also be figured, or written in, yf seuen dayes after that you haue set the sto [...]e, when it beginneth to open, you take out the kernell, and with Uermillion, or any other colour, you may counterfaite what you wyll, after the stone closed vp about it, and couered with clay, or Hogges doung, you set it in the ground. Agayne, you shall haue them w [...]thout stones, yf you pearce the tree tho­rowe, and fill it vp with a pinne of Wyllowe, or Cornell tree: the pith being had out, the rootes of the tree must be cut and dressed in the fall of the leafe, & dounged with his owne leaues: you shall also at this time proyne them, & ridde them of all rot­ten & dead bowes. If the tree prosper not, powre vpon y^e rootes the lees of olde wine mingled with water. Against the heate of the sunne, heape vp the earth about them, water it in the eue­nyng, and shadowe them as wel as you may. Agaynst y^e frostes, lay on doung yenough, or the lees of wine medled with water, or water wherein Beanes haue been sodden: yf it be hurt with woormes, or such baggage, powre on it the vrine of Oxen, med­led with a third part of Uinegar. The Date tree,The Date. in Greeke [...], in Italian, in Latine, and in Spanish Palma, in French Arbor de Dattes, in Dutch Dactelenbaum: the fruite in Greeke [...], in Latine Palmulae, in Italian Dattoli, in Spanish Dattiles, in French Dattes, in Dutch Dactelem, it groweth in a milde grauelly ground, & delighteth in a watry soyle: & though it desyre to haue water all the yeere long, yet in a dry yeere it beares y^e better: and therfore some thinke, that doung is hurtful vnto it. About the riuer Nilus, & in the East partes, it groweth plenteously, where as they vse to make both wine and bread of it: this tree in Europe (for the most part) is barrayne, though it be planted of many for noueltie sake. The stones of Dates are planted in trenches of a cubite in deapth and breadth, the trenche filled vp agayne with any maner of doung, except Goates doung: then in the middest of the heape set your stones so, as the sharper part stand vpward: other would haue it stand [Page] towarde the East: and after, when first they haue sprinckled thereon a little salt, they couer them with earth, well medled with doung: and euery day whyle it springeth, they water it: some remoue it after a yeeres growth, other let it growe till it be great. Moreouer, because it delighteth in salt grounde, the rootes must be dressed euery yeere, & salt throwen vpon them: and so wyll it quickly growe to be a great tree. The settes are not presently to be put in the ground, but fyrst to be set in earth­en pottes, and when they haue taken roote, to be remoued. Date trees haue such a delight one in the other, that they bend them selues to touche togeather, and yf they growe alone, they waxe barrayne. They are planted (as Plinie sayth) of the branches, two cubites long, growing from the toppe of the tree: also of the slippes and slyuers. The same Plinie affyrmeth, that about Babylon, the very leafe (yf it be set) dooth growe.

I remember you tolde me once, the spring and scyens that groweth out of the rootes of some trees, wyll very well be planted.

I tolde you before, that diuers of the trees whereof I spake, might be planted of the branches, and of the scyences, hauing some part of the roote plucked vp with them: and so I sayde the Chery might be planted, as also the Hasel, the Laurel, the Myrtel, and the Medlar: likewyse, the fayrest branches slipped of, and the endes a little brused, and thrust in­to the ground, commonly doo growe to be trees, as I mee selfe haue tryed both in the Mulbery, the Peare tree, and the Apple tree. One thing I wyll adde beside, that the trees that beare fruite ouer hastely, doo eyther neuer come to their iust bignesse, or the fruite that they beare, dooth neuer long endure: where­fore I thinke sprang fyrst that lawe of Moses, that fruite trees should for three yeeres be counted vncircumcised, and theyr fore­skinnes with theyr fruite, should be circumcised: that is, the burgens and blossomes should be plucked of, lest he should beare before his time, or when he hath borne, lose his fruite: but I keepe you too long in the describing of my Orchard.

O no, I rather (whilest I heare you) imagine mee selfe to be amongst them, planting and viewing of theyr [Page 98] fruites: but now remaineth, that in steede of a conclusion to your talke, you declare the order of preseruing them, to that end spe­cially, that those thinges that are appoyn [...]ed for remedie (being not duely, or in time administred) be not rather a hurt, then a helpe.

Your motion is good: fyrst therefore, and generally, dounging and watring is needefull for fruite trees, a very fewe excepted: and herein heede must be taken, that you doo it not in the heate of the Sunne, and that it be neyther too newe, nor too olde: neither must it be laide close to the foote of the tree, but a little distance of, that the fatnesse of the doung may be druncke in of the roote. Pigeons doung, and Hogger­doung, doo also heale the hurtes or woundes of trees. The wa­ter wherewith we water them, must not be Fountayne water, or Wel water, yf other may be had, but drawen from some mud­dy Lake, or standyng Poole. Moreoner, you must take heede, (as I also tolde you before) when we began to talke of plan­ting of an Orchard, that your trees stand a good distance a sun­der, that when they are growen vp, they may haue roome ye­nough to spreade, and that the small and tender, be not hurt of the greater, neyther by shadowe, nor dropping. Some woulde haue Pomegranate trees, and Myrtels, and Bays, set as thick togeather as may be, not passing mene foote a sunder: and likewyse Chery trees, Plome trees, Quinces, Apple trees, and Peare trees, thyrtie foote and moe a sunder: euery sort must stande by themselues, that (as I saide) the weaker be not hurt of the greater. The nature of the soyle, is herein most to be regarded: for the Hill requireth to haue them stand nearer togeather, in windy places you must set them the thicker. The Olyue (as Cato sayth) wyl haue fiue and twentie foote distance at the least. You must set your plantes in suche sort, as the tops be not hurt, or brused, nor the barke, or rynde flawed of: for the barke being taken away round about, killeth any kind of tree. You must also haue a regard of the shadowe, what trees it hel­peth, and what trees it hurteth.Shadovve of trees. The Wallnut tree, the Pine tree, the Pitch tree, and the Fyrre tree, what so euer they sha­dowe, they poyson. The shadowe of the Wallnut tree and the [Page] Oke is hurtfull to Corne: the Wallnut tree with his shadowe also, is hurtful to mens heads, and to all thinges that is planted neare it. The Pine tree with his shadowe likewise, destroy­eth young plants: but they both resist the winde, and therefore good to enclose Uineyardes. The Cypresse, his shadowe is ve­ry smal, and spreadeth not farre. The shadow of the Figge tree is gentle, though it spreade farre, and therfore it may safely ye­nough growe amongst Uines. The Elme tree, his shadowe is also mild, norishing whatsoeuer it couereth. The Plane tree, though it be thicke and grose, is pleasant. The Poplar hath none, by the reason of y^• wauering of his leafes. The Alder tree hath a thicke shadowe, but nourishing to his neyghbours. The Uines is sufficient for him selfe, and the mouing of his leafe and often shaking tempereth y^• heate of the sunne, and in great rayne wel couereth it [...]elfe. The shadowe of all those, is com­monly milde and gentle that haue long stalkes:Dropping of t [...]s. the dropping of al trees is naught, but worst of al those, whose branches growe so as the water can not redyly passe through: for the droppes of the Pine, the Oke, and the Mastholme, are most hurtfull, in whole company you may also take the Walnutte: the Cy­presse (as [...] saith) hurteth not. Moreouer, proyning and cutting is very good and necessary for trees, whereby the dead and whytered [...]owes are cut away, and the vnprofitable branches taken of: but to proyne them euery yeere is nought,Proyning. though y^• U [...]ne req [...]yreth cutting euery yeere: and euery other yeere, the [...] the P [...]egranate, and the Olyue, whereby they wyll the sooner beare fruite: the others must be the seldo­me [...] proyned. Olyue trees must be proyned in the fall of the leafe, after the setting of the seuen starres: and first, they must be well dounged, is a helpe against their hurtes. You must cut a­way all the olde rotten branches that growe in the middest, and such as growe thicke, and are tangled together, and all the waterbawes, and vnprofitable branches about them: the olde ones are to be cut close to the stocke, from whence the newe s [...]ringes wyll aryse. S [...]arifiyng also or [...],S [...]arefying. is [...] hosse­some for the trees, when they are screyned with their leaues, and drynesse of theyr barkes: at whiche time we vse to [...]aunce the barke with a sharpe knife, cutting it strayght downe in many [Page 99] places: which, what good it dooth, appeareth by the opening and gaping of the rynde, which is stayghtwayes filled vp with the body vnderneath.Abl [...]ue [...] ­ton. You must also trimme and dresse the rootes of your trees after this sort. You must open the ground round about them, that they may be comforted with the warmth of the Sunne, and the Rayne, cutting away all the rootes that runne vpward.Remouing. The trees that you remooue, must be marked which way they stoode at the fyrst: for so teacheth Virgil.

Also, you must consider well the nature of the soyle, that you remooue out of a dry ground, into a moyst, and from a barraine hill, to a moyst playne, and rather fatte, then otherwyse. The young plantes being thus remoued, must in the second, or third yeere be proyned, leauing still about three or foure branches vntouched, so shal they the better growe: this must you vsually doo euery other yeere. The old tree we remoue with the toppes cut of, and the rootes vnperished, whiche must be helped with often dounging and watering. Apple trees that blossome and beare no fruite, or yf it beare, they sodenly fall away, you shall remedy by slitting of the roote, and thrusting in of a stone, or a woodden wedge.VVhē trees beare not, or holde not their fruite, a remedy. Also, yf you water your trees with vrine that is old, it greatly auayleth (as they say) both to the fruitfulnesse, and pleasantnesse of the fruite. Yf the tree decaye by reason of the great heate of the sunne, you must rayse the earth about it, and water the rootes euery night, setting vp some defence a­gaynst the sunne. To cause theyr fruite to be quickly ripe, you must wette the little rootes with vineger and vrine that is old, couering them againe with earth, and oft digging about them. The vrine of men, yf it be kept three or foure monethes, dooth wonderful much good to plantes, which yf you vse about Uines, or Apple trees, it dooth not onely bring you great encrease, but also geueth an excelent taste & sauour, both to the fruite and the [Page] wine: you may also vse y^e mother of oyle, such as is without salt, to the same purpose, which both must spedely be vsed in winter.

We see that frostes and mystes, doo often times great harme to trees, haue you any remedy agaynst it?

Agaynst frostes and mystes, you must lay vp round about your Orchard, little Fagottes made of stalkes, rotten bowes, or strawe, whiche when the frostes, or mystes a­ryse, may be kindled, the smoke whereof auoydeth the danger. You must haue also dry doung amongst your Uines, whiche when the frost is great, you may set a fyre: the smoke whereof dispearseth the frost.

What yf the trees be sicke, and prosper not?

When they haue any such sicknesse, they vse to powre vppon the rootes, the lees of wine mingled with wa­ter, and to sowe Lupines round about them. The water also wherein Lupines haue been sodde, powred rounde about, is very good (as Plinie saith) for Apple trees.

Trees are often times also hurt with woormes.

Yf your trees be troubled with woormes, there are diuers remedies, for the iuyce of Woorme wood de­stroyeth the Caterpillers. The seedes, or grayne, that are stee­ped in the iuyce of Sengreene, or Houseleeke, are also safe from any woormes: also asthes mingled with the mother of oyle, or the state of an Oxe, medled with a third part of vineger. Moreo­uer they say, that the trees that are smoked with Brimstone, or Lyme, are safe from hurtful v [...]rmine: Galbanum likewyse burnt vpon the coles, driues them away. The blades also of Garlicke, the heades being of, so burnt (as the smoke may passe through the Orchard) dooth destroy the Caterpillers: some mingle Soote with the seedes, and sprinckle them with water: Demo­critus wryteth, that a woman in her vncleannesse, vngyrt, and her heare hanging about her shoulders, yf she goe bare foote round about the place, the Caterpillers wyll presently fall: but perhappes I trouble you with this tedious, or long discourse of hearb [...]s, plantes, and trees, and therefore though there be much more to be spoken of, lest I should seeme to ouer weery you, I wyll make an end.

A trouble? no, you haue done me a singuler great pleasure, in declaring vnto me the right ordring of a Garden, and an Orchard, which (not throughly entreated of by others) you haue breefely, and perfectly, to our great commoditie de­scribed. And whereas you haue largely spoken of our trees at home, it remaineth for you to say something of the disposing of Wooddes. It was my chaunce to passe yesterday, by a great Wood of Okes, and Coppisse, planted in very good order, and hard by, a Wyllowe grewe vpon the side of a Riuer, excellently wel ordred, where the Feeldes were enclosed round about with great Elmes, whiche greatly beautifyeth your dwellyng, and yeelde (I warrant) no small profyte: I therefore greatly desyre to heare some thing of this part of husbandry.

Though it be without my couenant,Of VVod. and that you demaunde more then I promised, yet since you force me, I wyll not refuse it, least you shoulde thincke I would fayle you in any thing. As touching Woods, Ancus Martius (as Petrus Crinitus wryteth) was y^e fyrst in Rome that euer dealt in them: the olde Fathers had alwayes a speiall regarde of Wooddes, wherefore Virgil sayth:

It was ordayned by the Romanes, that the Consuls shoulde haue the charge of the Woods, that there shoulde no Tymber be wanting for bulding of Houses, and Shyppes, and other Tymber woorkes, both publique, and priuate. The state of Venis at this day, obserueth the same order, poynting a pri­uate officer for their Wooddes, who hath in charge as well to see to the yeerly planting of thē, as to let that there be wanting no Tymber for their necessary vses. The Wood that you tolde me you passed by, is of Okes, Beeches, and other Mast trees: some part seruing for Tymber, and other for Fewell. Of these therefore wyll I fyrst beginne to speake, and then of Olyue Groues and Wyllowes, some of them be wylde, and grow of them selues, not needing any looking to, but suche as dayly [Page] experience shewes, are nothing so good, as those that are plan­ted. Wooddes and Forestes, doo cheefely consist of Oke, Beeche, Fyrre tree, Byrche, Pine, Pitch tree, Mastholme, Corke, wylde Olyue, Medlar, Crabbe tree, Iuniper, Cor­nel, and Pyrry: other Wooddes haue other trees, according to the nature of the ground. The great Wood of Harteswald in Germany, as it runneth through diuers Countreys, bea­reeth in some place onely Oke, in others Beeche, in others Fyrres. The Forest of Arderne for the most part beareth Oke: Montisicello, Larshe, Fyrre, Cornel, and Tamarice. Monte. D S. Cothardo, great abundance of Chestnut trees. These wylder sort, though they growe of them selues, may yet well be plan­ted, yf you haue meete grounde of the Acorne, and the berry: eache of them liketh some one kinde of ground better then an other, as fyrst Theophrastus, and after Plinie hath declared. In the mountaines delighteth y^e Fyrre tree, the Cedar, the Larsh, the Pitche tree, and such as beare Rosyne: as also the Holme, the Terebinth, the Chestnutte, the Mastholme, the Oke, the Beeche, the Iuniper, the Cornel, and the Dogge tree: though some of these also prosper well yenough in the playne. The Fyrre, the Oke, the Chestnutte, the Fyrrebeech, the Mast­holme, and the Cornel, growe aswell in the Ualley, as on the Mountayne: vpon the playnes you shal haue the Tamarix, the Elme, the Poplar, the Wyllowe, the Hasel, the Wallnutte, the Hornebeame, the Maple, the Ashe, and the Beeche. You shall not lightly see the Plome tree, the Apple, the wylde O­lyue, nor the Wallnutte, vppon the Mountayne: all suche as growe as well in the playne, as vppon the Mountayne, are lar­ger and fayrer to the eye growing in the playne, but are b [...]t­ter for Tymber and fruite, vppon the Mountayne, except the Peare and the Apple, (as Theophrastus sayth): In marrishe ground delighteth the Wyllowe, the Alder, the Poplar, and the Priuey. And although the most Wooddes doo spring of their owne nature and accord, yet are they by planting, labour, and diligence, brought to be a great deale more fayre and fruite­full: for as afore I told you, howe fruite trees were nourished and brought vp in Impe Gardens, so are these wilde and fruite­lesse [Page 101] trees, set and planted for Tymber and Fewell. He that is disposed to plant a Woodde, must fyrst, according to his soyle, choose his sets: and yf he haue them not springing of his owne, let him make an Impe Garden of the seedes, enclosing well the grounde with Hedge, Rampyre, or Dytch, lest Shepe, Goates, or any other cattell, come in to byte and brouse it: for what so euer they haue once bitten (as yf it were infectted with a deadly poyson) perisheth: and therefore those that meane to plant Woods, eyther for Tymber, Fewell, or Mast, must care­fully prouide agaynst these hurtfull enimies. The country lawes haue therein well prouided, that where suche springes are, they shall feede no Goates, nor such cattell. Amongest the Mast trees, and suche as serue for Tymber, the fyrst place of right belongeth to the Oke,The Oke. called in Greeke [...], in Latine Quercus [...] in Italian [...]uercia, in Spanish Roble [...] in French Chesne, in Dutch Eichenbaum, he that wyll then plant an Oke Grone, must prouide him of ripe Acornes, not ouer dryed, nor feut [...]e, or any way corrupted: these must he sow in good ground, well tylled, with as great carefulnesse as he plantes his Or­chard, and well enclose it, that there come no cattell in it: which (when they be something growen) you must about Fe­bruary remooue to the place where you entende to plant your Wood: yf you cutte & proyne them, it is thought they wyl pros­per the better for Mast: but yf you reserue them for Tymber, you must not touche the tops, that it may runne vp the straigh­ter, and higher. In remoouing them, you must make your trenches a foote and a half deepe, couering the rootes well with earth, taking good heede you neyther bruse them, nor breake them: for better you were to cutte them. The Oke agreeth wel yenough with all maner of grounde, but prospereth the better in M [...]rshes, & warry places: it groweth almost in al groundes, yea euen in grauell and sande, except it be ouer dry: it liketh worst a fatte ground, neyther refuseth it the Mountayne. We haue at this day and Oke in Westphalia, not farre from the Ca­stell of Altenam, whiche is from the foote to the neerest bowe, one hundred and thyrty foote, and three elles in thicknesse: and an other in an other place, that being cutte out, made a [Page] hundred Wayne lode: not farre from this place, there grew [...] an other Oke of tenne yardes in thicknesse, but not very hie: the Rouers in Garmany, were woont to vse for theyr Shyps, hollowed trees, whereof some one (as Plinie sayth) would car­ry thyrtie men. The next amongst the Mast trees is y^e Beech, in Greeke [...], [...]eechvvood in Latine Fagus, in Italian Faggio, in Spa­nishe Haya, in Frenche Faus, in Dutch Buchen, planted almost after the same maner that the Okes be. The Mastholme, in Greeke [...] in Latine Hex, in Italian where it is better knowen [...]li [...]e, in Spanishe Enzina, in Frenche Haussen: it groweth hye, yf it haue a ground meete for it: it prospereth vp­pon hilles, and likes not the playne: it beareth Acornes lesser then the Acornes of the Oke, a leafe like a Bay, and is conti­nually greene. The like hath the Corke tree, in Greeke [...] [...] in Latine Suber, in Spanishe Alcornoque, in Frenche Liege, whiche is counted amongst those that beare Mast, the barke whereof we occupie, for the flotes of our fisshing nettes, and in Pantofels for Winter: all other trees (sauing only the Corke) yf you spoyle them of their barke, doo dye. An other Mast bea­ring Oke there is, called in Greeke [...] [...] in Latine Quercus siluestrum, in Frenche Chesne, a kinde whereof some thinke the Cerre tree to be, called in Latine Cerrus, growing in wilde and barrayne places. T [...]ere are some that doo number the Chest­nutte tree amongst the Mast bearers: but of this I haue spo­ken before. The best Mast is the Oke Mast,Mast, and his differences. the next the Beech and the Chestnutte, then the wylde Oke. &c. all very good and meete for the fatting of cattell, specially Hogges. The Oke Mast, or Acorne, maketh thicke Bacon, sounde fleshe, and long lasting, yf it be well salted and dried: on the other side, Chestnuttes and Beeche Mast, make sweete and de­licate fleshe, light of digestion, but not so long lasting. The next is the Cerre tree, that maketh very sounde and good flesh: the Mastholme maketh pleasant Bacon, fayre, and weyghty: Plinie saith, that it was ordayned by the lawe of the twelue ta­bles, that it should be lawfull for any man to geather his owne Mast, falling vpon the ground of his neighbour, which the E­dict of the cheefe Iustice dooeth thus interprete: that it shall be [Page 102] lawfull for him to doo three dayes togeather, with this prouiso, that he shall only geather the Acornes, and doo no harme to his neighbour, as Vlpianus witnesseth. Glans Mast (as Caius saith) is taken for the fruite of all trees, as [...] signifieth with the Greekes, though properly [...], be those fruites that are shelde, as Nuttes, and suche other. Upon these Mast bearers there groweth also the Gall, in Greeke [...], in French Noix [...] de Galle, in Italian and Dutch, as in Latine, in Spanish A­galla, a little ball rugged and vneuen without, whereof some be massie, some hollow, some blacke, some white, some bigge, some lesser. It groweth (as Plinie saith) the sunne rising in Gemini, comming all out suddenly in one night: in one day it waxeth white, and yf the heate of the Sunne then take it, it wythereth: the blacke continueth the longer, and groweth sometime to the bignesse of an Apple: these serueth best to curry withall, and the other to finishe the leather, the woorst is of the Oke: and thus of such trees as beare Mast. Nowe wyll I ioyne with all the principalest of the other trees, to make vp your Wooddes, amongst whiche are the Elme, and the Wyllowe: the Elme in Greeke [...],The Elme. in Latine Vlmus, in Italian & Spanish Olmo, in French Orme, in Dutch Vlmbaum, and Yffenholiz: the plan­ting whereof, because it is to great vse, and easily growes, we may not let passe: fyrst, because it groweth well with the Uine, and ministreth good foode to cattell: secondly (as it is al hart) it maketh good tymber. Theophrastus and Plinie, doo both af­fyrme the Elme to be barrayne, peraduenture because the seede at the fyrst comming of the leafe, seemeth to lye hyd among the leaues, and therefore it is thought to be some of the leafe (as Columella affyrmeth.) He that wyll plant a Groue of Elmes, must geather the seede called Samara, about the beginnyng of March, when it beginneth to waxe yellowe, and after that it hath dryed in the shadowe two dayes, sowe it very thicke, and cast fine sifted mould vpon it, and yf there come not good store of rayne, water it well: after a yeere you may remoue it to your Elme Groue, setting them certayne foote a sunder. And to the end that they roote not too deepe, but may be taken vp agayne, there must be betwixt them certaine little trenches, a foote and [Page] a halfe distance: and on the roote you must knit a knotte, or yf they be very long, twyst them like a garland, and being well noynted with Bollockes doung, set them, and treade in y^e earth rounde about them. The female Elmes are better to be plan­ted in Autum, because they haue no seede: at this day in many places, cutting of settes from the fayrest Elmes, they set them in trenches, from whence when they are a little growen, they geather like settes, and by this dealing make a great gaine of them: in the like sort are planted Groues of Ashes. The Ashe in Greeke [...], in Italian Fraxino, in Spanish Fresno, in French Fraisne, Ash groues. in Dutch Eschen: the Ashe delighteth in riche and moyst grounde, and in playne countryes, though it growe well yenough also in dry groundes, he spreadeth out his rootes very farre, and therefore is not to be set about corne ground, it may be felled euery third or fourth yeere, for to make stayes for Uines. The Ashe groweth very fast, and such as are forwardes are set in February, with such young plantes as come of them, in good handsome order standing a rowe: others set such Ashes as they meane shall make supporters for garden Uines, in trenches of a yeere olde, about the Calendes of March: and before y^e thirty sixth moneth they touch them not with any knife, for the preseruing of the branches: after euery other yeere it is proyned, and in the sixth yeere ioyned with the Uine: if you vse to cutte away the branches, they will growe to a very goodly heygth, with a rounde body, smothe, playne, and strong: Plinie writeth of experience, that the Serpent doth so abhorre the Ashe, that if you enclose fyre, & him with the branches, he wil rather run into the fire, then goe through the bowes. Byrch, called in Greeke [...] in Latine Betula, as Theoprastus writeth in his fourth booke, is a tree very meete for Woods: it prospereth in colde countryes frosty, snowie, and grauely, and in any barraine ground, wherfore they vse in barraine groūdes, that serue for no other purpose, to plant Byrches: it is called in Italian Bedolla, in Dutche Byrken, in Frenche Beula, Pine Woods, Fyr Woods, Pytch tree, and Larsh, are common in Italy about Trent. The Pine tree in Greeke [...] in Latine Pinus, The Pine. in Italian & Spanish Pino, in Dutch Hartz­baum, [Page 103] is planted of his kernells, from October to Ianuary: in hotte and dry countryes, and in colde and wette places, in Fe­bruary or March: the kernelles must be geathered in Iune, be­fore the clogges doo open, and where you lyst to sowe them, ey­ther vpon hilles or else where: you must first plowe the grounde and cast in your seede, as ye doo in sowyng of corne, and couer them gently with a light Harrow or a Rake, not couering them aboue a hand broade: you shall doo well, if you lay the kernells in water three dayes before. The kernells of the Pine are cal­led in Greeke [...], & [...], in Spanish Pinones. Fyrre trees. The Fyrre tree in Greeke [...], in Latine Abies, in Italian Abete, in Spanish Abeto, in Dutch Deamen, loueth not to haue any great adoo made about it: if you be too curious in planting of it, it wyl growe (as they say) the worse, it growes of his owne kernel in wilde mountaines, playnes, or any where. The Pitch tree, in Greeke [...],The Pytch tree. in Latine Picca, in Italian Pezzo, in Spanish El pino de que se haze la pez, in Dutch Rododemem, is a tree of the kinde of Pines, and very like to the Pine, sweating out his Rozen as he doth: for there are sixe kindes of these Rozen trees, the Pine, the Pitch tree, the wylde Pine, the Fyrre, the Larsh and the Tarre tree, the planting of them al is alike. The Alder, a tree also meete for woods,The Alder. in Greeke [...], in Latine Alnus, in Italian Auno, in Dutch Elsen, in French Aulne, it groweth in plaine and marishe places neare to Riuers. Theophrastus saith, it yeeldeth a fruitfull seede in the ende of Sommer: many places are commodiously planted with Poplar, whereof there are two sortes, the white called in Greeke [...], and the blacke [...]: the white is called with y^• Italians Populo bianco, with the Spaniards Alamo blanco, Poplar, vvhite and blacke. the blacke of the Italians, Populo negro, of the other Alamo negrillo, in French Peuplier, in Dutch Peppelem, it is planted of the branches and settes, and deligh­teth in watry places, or any other grounde it proueth very fast: the blacke hath the ruggedder barke, his leaues rounde while he is young, and cornered in his age, white vnderneath, and greene aboue. The tymber hereof is good for buyldinges, speci­ally within doores: his Wood is whitishe within, and the rinde blackish, whence he hath his name. Theophrastus addeth a third [Page] kinde called in Greeke [...], which some call the Poplar of Libya, and of the Alpes, it hath a rugged barke like the wylde Perry, a leafe like Iuy, and is in colour like a darke greene, sharpe at the one end,VVyllovves. and brode at the other. The blacke Pop­lar groweth in greate plenty about the lower partes of the Rhyne, though Homer call the W [...]llowe a fruitelesse tree, be­cause his fruite turneth into Cobwebs before they be ripe: yet is the soueraintie geuen him amongest Wooddes that are vsually feld. Cato geueth the third place of husbandry grounds to the Wyllouwe, preferring it eyther before the Olyue Groue, corne grounde, or meddow, for it is oftner to be cutte, and grow­eth the thicker, neyther is there so greate gayne with so little charge in any thing: it delighteth in watry groundes, darke and shadowy, and therefore is plan [...]ed about Ryuers and Lakes, howbeit it groweth in the Champion, and other ground: it is planted of young settes, a foote and a halfe long, and well coue­red with earth: a wette ground requyreth a greater distance be­twixt them, wherein you shall doo well to [...]et them fiue foote a sunder, in order like the sinke vppon a Dye: in the dry ground they may be set thicker to geather, yet Columella would haue them fiue foote distance for passing by them. There are two sortes of Wyllowes, one sort enduring for euer, called Osyar,Osyars. seruing for making of Baskets, Chayres, Hampers, and other country stuffe: the other kinde growing with greate and high branches, seruing for stayes to Uines, or for quicksettes, or stakes of Hedges, and is called stake Wyllowe: it is planted both of the tiwgge and of the stalke, but the stalke is the better, which mu [...]t be set in a moyst ground well digged, two foote & a halfe in the ground before it spring, and when the twygges are bare, you must take them from the tree when they be very dry, otherwyse they prosper not so well: these stakes or settes being taken from the young stocke, that hath ben ones or twyse cutte, and in thicknesse as m [...]ch as a mans arme, you must set in the ground three foote, or a foote and a halfe deepe, and sixe foote a sunder, laying good moulde about them fence: them well, that there come no cattell to pill of the barke of them. Af­ter three or foure yeeres you may pull them, whereby they wyll [Page 104] growe and spreade the better, and so you may continually cutte them euery fiue, or fourth yeere, wherof you may make sets for planting of more, for the olde ones are not so good to be occupi­ed. The time of cutting of them, is from the fall of the leafe, vntill April, the Moone encreasyng, and in Westerly, or Sou­therly windes: for yf you doo it, the winde being in the North, we finde by experience they wyl not growe so wel: you must cut them cleane away, that the olde branches hurt not the young springes: some thinke the young Wyllowe to growe the bet­ter the nearer the ground, and the smoother he is cut.For planting of Os [...]res. The O­syar commonly groweth of his owne selfe, and is also planted of his roddes, in watry and marishe groundes, the earth raysed vp, and laide in furrowes: it is planted and springes most plen­tifully, where the earth is beaten vp with the rage and ouerflo­winges of the water: it serueth as a sure defence for making of Bankes and Walles in Marshes, and that cheefely in March, the Moone encreasing: the Osyar may be cut euery yeere, or euery two yeere yf you wyll. Loe, here haue you concerning Wooddes, what needefullest are for our countreymen to plant: for as for Woods of Cedar, Cypresse, and other strange trees, it is not for our husbandes to busie them selues about: wette and riche groundes that are meete for corne, is also good to be planted with Okes, Beeche, Wyllowe, & Poplar, although the Oke and the Beeche refuse hilly, and lighter ground: san­dy, and barraine groundes, are good for Byrche, Bramble, Broome, and Hethe, as I haue sufficiently saide before. Nowe perhaps you would haue me proceede with Coppisse wooddes, that are continually to be feld.

I would, yf it were no paine to you.

Coppisse, or sale wood, were fyrst brought vp (as Plinie sayth) by Qu. Martius. This kinde of Wood grow­eth commonly of his owne accord in Forrestes, and watry pla­ces: but all Wooddes are not for this purpose, for some trees there are, which yf you cut and poule often, wyl fade and dye, as the Ashe, the Iu [...]iper, the Chery, the Fyrre, the Apple, and the Pyrry: and some againe, yf they be not cut, wyll perishe: the Uine requireth yeerely cutting, the Olyue, the Myrtel, and the [Page] Pomegranate, eache other yeere. In cutting of them (as they are diuers) so is their order: for the Oke, as he groweth slowly, so is he not to be cutte, before he be of seuen, or eyght yeeres growth: and the nearer the ground you cut him, the better he growes, though he may be polled seuen or eyght foote aboue the ground: the like is of the Beeche, sauing that he may soo­ner be cut. The great Wyllowe, and the Poplar, are cut after one sort, as I shewed a little before: though the Osyar may be cut euery two yeere, or euery yeere. The Chestnut may be feld euery seuenth yeere, both for Fewel, or for Uine st [...]ues. Trees are cut and pold sundry wayes, for eyther they are feld close by the ground, or the body is pold, when it comes to be of the big­nesse of a mans arme, or more, as the Wyllowe is. Coppissed wooddes are commonly seuered into so many parcels, as may serue for yeerely felling, some still growing whyle others are a felling, and because some of them growe faster then other some, euery sort hath his place, and his season appoynted. Some are felled euery fourth yeere, some euery fifth yeere, as the Wyl­lowe, the Poplar, the Alder, and the Byrche: some, once in se­uen yeere, as the Chestnut, and some in more, as the Oke. It remayneth, that I nowe shewe you the maner of felling of tym­ber, and what tymber is meetest for euery woorke.

I haue a great desyre to heare what time is mee­test for felling of tymber, whiche much auayleth (as they say) to the long enduring of it: after, I would knowe what tymber is meete for euery purpose.

The season of felling, no doubt is to great purpose, whether it be for Tymber, or Fewel: for suche trees as are feld eyther in y^e spring, or in sommer, though they seeme dry without, are notwithstand [...]ng full of moysture and wetnesse within, whiche in burning, wyll neuer make good fyre: and therfore for Coppisse and fyre wood, your best felling is in Winter: and for building, it is best cutting of your trees in December, and Ianuarie, the mo [...]ne being in the wa [...]e, from the twentie, to the thirtieth day. Hee are there some that say, they haue found by experience, that trees being cut in Ianua­rie, are full of sappe: and therefore thinke it better eyther to [Page 105] cut them before, or after. Cato sayth, the best time is about the twelfth of December, for the tymber tree that beareth fruite, is be [...]t in season when his seede is ripe, and that which hath no seede, when it pilles it is time to cut. Such as are flaw­ed, seruing for pillers of Churches, or other rounde woorkes, must be cut when they spring: shyngles, and suche as the Hat­chet must flawe, are to be cut betwixt midde Winter, and the beginning of the Westerne windes. Plinie affirmeth the best season for felling of tymber, to be whyle the Moone is in con­iunction with the Sunne. Vitruuius an excellent fellowe in buil­ding, dooth wyll you to fell your tymber from the beginning of Autume, til the time that the Westerne windes begin to blowe, the whiche windes begin to blowe (as Plinie sayth) about the sixth Ides of Februarie: for in the spring, all t [...]ees are as it were with childe, and bend all their force to the putting out of their leafe, and theyr fruite. Since then they be sappy, an [...] not sound, by the necessitie of the season, they are made by the rea­son of their loosenesse feeble, and of no force: euen as the bodyes of women, after they haue conceaued, from their conception, tyl the time of their deliuerance, are not iudged to be sound, or per­fite. In like sort the trees in Autume, when the fruite & leaues begin to fall, the rootes drawing from the earth theyr sufficient sustenance, are restored agayne to their olde estate: beside, the force of the ayre in Winter dooth fasten and make sounde the trees, and therefore is it then thought the best time to fell your tymber. The maner of cutting of it is this, fyrst to cut it tyll you come to the middle of the pith, and so to let it stand, that the sappe that is in it, may dessend and droppe out: so shall not the moysture within putrifie, nor corrupt the tymber, but passe clearely away. When you haue cut it, and you see it dry that it hath left dropping, you may cut it downe, and so shall you be sure it shall best serue your turne. There are some maisters in building, that thinke it best after you haue sawen out your tym­ber in boordes, to lay them in water for three or foure dayes, or yf they be of Beeche, for a longer time, eyght or niene dayes: and being ordered in this wyse, they shall neyther (they say) be rotten, or woorme eaten.

Now let vs heare what trees are best for tymber.

There are diuers and sundry vses of tymber: such as are barrayne, are better then y^e fruiteful, excepting those sortes where the male beareth, as the Cypresse, and the Cornel: in all trees the partes that growe toward the North, are harder and sounder, whiche are almost couered with mosse, as with a cloke against the colde: the woorst are those that growe in sha­dowy and watrishe places, the massyer and better during, are they that growe against the Sunne: and therfore Theophrastus deuideth all tymber into three sortes, into clouen, squared, and round, of whiche the clouen doo neuer rent nor coame: for the pith being bared, dryeth vp and dyeth: they also endure long, because they haue little moysture. The squared, and the rounde, or the whole tymber, doth coame and gape, specially the round, because it is fuller of pith, and therefore renteth and coameth in euery place. And suche hye trees as they vse for pillers, and mayne postes, they fyrst rubbe ouer with Bullockes doung to season them, and to sucke out the sappe: for the moysture doo alwayes come sooner then the dry, and dry better to be sawed then the greene, except the Oke, a [...]d the Box, that doo more fyll the teeth of the Sawe, and resist it. Some agayne refuse to be glued eyther with them selues, or any other, as the Oke, which cleaueth as soone to a stone, as any wood, neyther doo they wel cleaue, but to such as are of like nature: to be bored, the greene is woorser then the dry: the light and the dry, are har­der to be cut: for bandes & wythes, the Wyllowe, the Brome, the Byrch, the Elme, the Poplar, the Uine, the clouen Reede, and the Bramble are best: the Hasel wyll also serue, but the best is the Wyllowe: they haue also a certaine hardnesse and faire­nesse, meete to be vsed in grauen woorkes. Among those that serue for tymber, are most in vse the Fyrre, the Oke, the Pine, the Larshe, the Escle, the Elme, Wyllowe, Cedar, Cypresse, the Box, Byrch, Plane tree, Alder, Ashe, wylde Oke, Da [...]e tree, Beeche, wylde Olyue, Mastholme, Walnut, Maple, and Holly, and diuers others, vsed according to their nature, and the maner of the countrey where they growe. The Fyrre tree, whereof I haue also spoken before, geueth out Rozin, and his [Page 106] tymber is meete for diuers woorkes, and greatly esteemed for his heygth and bignesse, whereof are made the shippe mastes, and pillers for houses: for it is very strong, and able to abide great force.The Fyrre. It is vsed also in building, for great gates & doore postes: in fine, good for any building within, but not so well en­during without doores, and very soone set afyre. They vsed (as Theophrastus sayth) in y^e old time to make theyr Gallyes & long Boates of Fyrre, for the lightnesse sake, and their shippes for burden, of Pine tree, and Oke. Of Oke, I haue spoken a little before, the tymber whereof is best, both for inward buildings, and for the weather, and also well enduring in the water: Hesio­dus would haue yokes made of Oke. The wylde Oke serueth also well in water woorkes, so it be not neare the sea: for there it endureth not, by reason of the saltnesse: it wyll not be pearced with any Augur, except it be wette before: neyther so wyll it suffer (as Plinie sayth) any Nayle driuen in it, to be plucked out agayne. The Mastholme, in Greeke [...], a tree well knowen in Italy,Th [...] Mast­holme. the wood whereof is tough and strong, and of colour like a darke redde, meete (as Hesiodus sayth) to serue for Plow shares: it may also be made in Waynscot, and Payle boorde. The Larsh tree, in Greeke [...], in Italian Larice, in Dutch Lerchenbaura, The Larsh. was in the olde time greatly esteemed about the Riuer Poe, and the Gulfe of Veniz, not onely for the bitternesse of the sappe, whereby (as Vitruuius sayth) it is free from cor­ruption and woormes, but also for that it wyll take no fyre, which Mathiolus seemeth with his argumentes to confute. It is good to susteyne great burdens, and strong to resist any vio­lence of weather, howbeit they say, it wyll rotte with salt wa­ter. The Escle is a kinde of Oke, called in Greeke [...] in Latine Esclus, is soone hurt with any moysture: the Elme, the Wyllowe, and the Poplar, whereof I haue spoken before, wyll very soone rotte, and corrupt: they wyl serue wel yenough within doore, and for making of Hedges. The Elme continu­eth very hard, and strong, and therfore is meete for the cheekes and postes of Gates, and for Gates, for it wyll not bowe, nor warpe: but you must so dispose it, that y^e top may stand downe­ward: it is meete (as Hesiodus sayth) to make Plow handles of. [Page] The Ashe (as Theophrastus sayth) is of two sortes,The Ashe. the one tall, strong, white, and without knottes, the other more ful of sappe, ruggedder, and harder. The Bay leafe (as Plinie sayth) is a poyson to all kinde of cattell: but herein he is deceiued, as it should appeare by the likenesse of the name, for [...] or [...] is the young tree, whose leaues (as is certainely tryed) killeth all such beastes as chawe not the cudde. Ashe, besides his ma­nifolde vse otherwayes, maketh the best and fayrest horsemens staues, whereof was made the staffe of Achilles, whiche Homer so greatly commendeth: it is also cutte out in thinne boordes. The Beeche, whereof I haue spoken before, although it be brit­tle and tender, and may so be cut in thinne boordes and bent, as he seemeth to serue onely for Caskettes, Boxes, and Coff [...]s, his colour being very fayre: yet is he sure and trusty in [...]earing of weyght, as in [...]xeltrees for Cartes, or Waynes. The bark [...] of the Beech was vsed in the olde time, for vessels to geat [...]er Grapes in, and other fruite, and also for Cruettes, and vessels to doo sacrifyce withall: and therefore Cu [...]i [...]s sware, that he brought nothing away of all the spoyle of his enimies, but one poore Beechen Cruet, wherein he might sacrifyce to his gods. The Alder is a tree with a strayght body, a soft & reddish wood, growing commonly in watry places, it is cheefely esteemed for fund [...]tions, and in water woorks, because it neuer rotteth lying in the water: and therefore it is greatly accounted of among the Uenetians, for the fundations of their places, and houses: for being driuen thicke in pyles, it endureth for euer, and susteyneth a wonderful w [...]ght. The rinde is plucked of in y^e Spring, and serueth the Dy [...]r in his occu [...]ation: it hath lyke knottes to the Cedar, to be cut and wrought in. The Plane tree is but a stran­ger, and a newe come to Italy, brought thyther onely for the commodi [...]ie of the shadowe, keeping of the sunne in Sommer, and letting it in in Winter. There are some in Athens (as Pli­nie sayth) whose branches are .36. cubites in breadth: in Lycia [...] there is one for greatnesse like a house, the shaddowe place vn­derne [...]th conteyning . [...]1. [...]oote in bignesse: the tymber with his s [...]ftness [...]at [...] his vse but in water, as the Alder, but dryer then [...], the Ashe, the Mu [...]bery, and [...]he Chery. The Lynder, [Page 107] in Greeke [...], and so in Italian, in Spanish La [...]era, in Dutch Lyndon: this tree [...]h [...]ophras [...]u [...] counteth best for the woorkeman, by reason of his softnesse: it breedeth no woornes, and hath be [...]wixt the barke and the wood, sundry little ryndes, [...]ereof they were woont in [...]linie [...] time to make Ropes and Wythes. The [...]yrch is very beautiful and fayre: the inner rinde of the tree, called in Latine Liber, was vsed in the olde time in steade of paper to wryte vpon, and was bound vp in volumes, whereof bookes had fyrst the name of Libri, the twigges and bowes be small, and bending, vsed to be carried before the Ma­gistrate among the Romanes, at this day terrible to poore boyes in schooles. The Elder tree, called of Dioscoridus [...] in Latine Sambucus, in Italian Sambuco, in Spanish Sauco, in French Suseau, in Dutch Hollenter, doo [...]h of all other trees soonest and easelist growe, as experience besides Theophrastus dooth teache vs, and though it be very full of pith, yet the wood is strong and good: it is hollowed to diuers vses, and very light staues are made of it. It is strong and tough when it is dry, and being laide in water, the rynde commeth of as soone as he is dry. The Elder wood is very hard and strong, and cheefely vsed for Bare speares: the roote (as Plinie sayth) may be made in thinne boordes. The Figge tree, is a tree very wel knowen and fruitefull, not very hye, but somewhat thicke (as Theophra­stus sayth) a cubite in compasse, the tymber is strong, and vsed for many purposes, and sithe it is soft, and holdeth fast what so euer stickes in it, it is greatly vsed in Targettes. Bore tree, in Greeke [...], in Italian Boxo, in Spanishe Box, in Frenche Bouys, in Dutch Busthaum, an excellent tree, and for his long lastyng, to be preferred before others. The Box that turned is, sayth Virgil. Iuniper,Iuniper. called both of Theophrastus and Diosco­ [...]ides [...], because it driueth away vermine: for with his sa­uour, Todes and Snayles, and suche lyke, are driuen away, in Latine it is called Iuniperus, in Italian Ginipro, in Spanishe Euebro, in French Geueure, in Dutch Wachoi [...]er: it is very like to the Cedar, but that it is not so large, nor so hye: though in many places it groweth to a great heygth: the tymber wher­of wyll endure a hundred yeeres. And therefore Hanibal com­maunded, [Page] that the temple of Diana should be built with rafters and beames of Iuniper, to the ende it might continue. It also keepeth fyre a long time, insomuch as it is saide, the coles of Iuniper kindled, haue kept fyre a yeere togeather: the gumme whereof our Painters vse. The Cedar tree,The Cedar. in Greeke [...], in Latine Cedrus, and almost like in other tongues: the hard­nesse of this tymber is onely praysed, and that it wyll neither rotte, nor be woorme eaten, but continue euer. Solomon built that noble Temple of GOD at Hierusalem of Cedar: it is very meete for the building of Palaces and Castels: the Cedar, the Eben, and the Olyue tree, doo neuer chinke nor coame. I­mages of goddes and saintes were alwayes made of Cedar, be­cause it euer yeeldeth a moysture as though it sweat. Theopra­ [...]us wryteth of Cedars in Syria, of foure elles and more in com­passe. The Rozen & Pitch of y^e Cedar tree, is called in Greeke [...]. The Cypresse,The Cy­presse. and the Pine, doo endure a long time without eyther woorme, or rotting: Plinie commendeth Gates of foure hundred yeeres olde.The Pine. The Pine (sayth Theophrastus) is of great strength, and very meete for the streyghtnesse and handsomenesse, to be employed in building.The VVal­nutte tree. The Walnut tree is a great tree and commonly knowen, whose tymber is muche vsed in [...]eelinges and tables. Theophrastus wryteth, that the Walnut tree before he falleth, maketh a certaine kinde of noise, which it once happened in Antandro, the people being greatly afraide, fledde suddenly out of the Bathes. The wylde Olyue, in Greeke [...],The wylde Olyue. in Latine Olcaster, in Italian Oliuo Sal­uatico, in Spanish Azenuche, in French Oliue sauuage, in Dutch Wilder Olyboum, of his wood is made the hastes and handles of Wymbles and Augurs. Holme, or Holly, is a tree whose leaues are full of prickles rounde about the leafe,The H [...]lly. and the barke, being both continually greene, the berries like the Ce­dar: of the rynde of the rootes they make Birdlime: the wood is very hard, the branches wyll wel winde and bowe, and there­fore serueth excellent well for quickset Hedges: the Dutchmen call it Hul [...]en. The Maple, [...] called of Theophrastus [...], in Dutch [...]. for the beautie of the wood is next to the Cedar, hauing a very fayre and pleasant grayne, of the re­semblance [Page 108] called Peacokes tayle: with this wood tables are couered most gorgeous to the eyes, and other fine workes made, specially of the knobbes or wennes that growe out of it, called Bruscou and Molluscou: of whiche the knobbes hath the fayrer and the more courled graine. Molluscou is a more open graine, and yf so be it were of sufficient breadth for tables, it were to be preferred before the Cedar: nowe it is but seldome seene, and that in wryting tables, or about beddes. There is also a knobbe, or a wenne growing vpon the Alder, but a great deale woorse then that of the Maple. The Date tree,The Date tree. whereof we haue spo­ken before, hath a very soft wood. The Corke, his tymber is tough:The Corke but nowe for a farewell,VVhat turne each tymbe [...] serues. I wyll shewe you what woorkes euery tymber is meete for. The Fyrre, the Pine, and the Cedar, serue for Shippes, for Gallyes, and Lyghters, (as Theophrastus sayth) are made of Fyrre,For Shyps. for the lightnesse sake: Shippes of burden, are made of Pine. Upon the French and Germany seas, they cheefely vse Oke about theyr Shippes: the selfe same tymber also serueth well for building of houses,For Houses. specially the Cedar, and the Cypresse. The Fyrre, the Poplar, the Ashe, and the Elme, are meete for the inner partes of the house, but they serue not so well in the weather, as the Oke dooth. For conueyances of water, the Alder, the Pine, and the Pitche tree,For vvater courses. are best made in pipes: being well couered in the earth, they laste a woonderfull whyle, but yf they sye vncouered, they sooner perishe: the Oke also, the Beech, and the Walnut, endure very well in the water. The tymber that longest endu­reth, is the Olyue, the Oke, the wyld Oke, and the Mastholme: for as Plinie witnesseth, the Olyue hath been s [...]ene to stand two hundred yeeres, and like the Cedar, and the Cypresse, as hath been sayde before: for Rafters, and Mortisse peeces, the Elme and the Ashe,For be [...]ing of [...]. by reason of their length serues best. The best to beare weyght, is the Fyrre, and the Larsh, which howe so euer you lay them, wyll neyther bend, nor breake, and neuer fayle, tyll woormes consume them. Contrarywyse, the Olyue tree, and the Oke, wyll geue and bend, and so wyll the Poplar, the Wyllowe, the Elme, and the Byrch. The Date (a woorthy tree) bendeth vp agaynst his burden. The Poplar on the other [Page] side, geueth at euery light thing. The Elme & the Ashe, though slowly, are easely [...]. These also are easely wound and bent: the Wyllowe, the B [...]ch, the Broome, the Oke, and the Oken boordes. [...] Shyngles to couer houses withall, are best made of Oke, Beech, and such others as beare Mast: and also of suche as yeelde Rozen, as the Pine, and the Pitch tree: the Pitche tree, and the Oke, serue best for Cuppes, Tankardes, and suche like. Those that are cut for waynscot and thinne boordes, the Cerre tree, the Terebinth, the Maple, the Box, the Date, the Mastholme, the roote of the Elder, and the Poplar. For the beautifying of Tables, [...] serueth cheefely the Maple, the Ashe, the Walnut, and sometimes the Chery, and the Peare: but the preciousest are the Cypresse, and the Cedar Tables. For Axel­trees, Wheeles, and Spoakes, serueth the Oke, the Maple, and the Beech, [...]gil dooth also appoynt the Cedar, and the Cypresse to this vse. Hereof they make the Spoakes of Wheeles, and hereof Cartes & Waynes. The selfe same tym­ber also serueth (as Hesiodus sayth) for Plowes, [...] Yokes, and Wagons: but that he addeth herevnto the Ashe, and the Cerre tree, and as the Ashe for his softnesse, so the Mastholme for his hardnesse. For Pullye [...], Wymbles, Sheathes, and Mallets, the meetest are the wylde Olyue, the Box, the Mastholme, the Medlar, the Elme, the Ashe, the Maple, and the Bramble: but the greater sort of Mallets, or Beetles, and the Wheeles and Pullyes for Mylles and Welles, are made of Pine, and Wal­nut tree. [...]ato woulde haue the Waynes and Cartes made of Holly, Bay, and Elme. Hyginu [...] would haue the handles,For hastes, and handles. or steales of husbandmens tooles, made of Dogge tree wood, Holme, Cerre tree, and (which we haue commonly in vse) Box. Targettes are (as Theophrastus sayth) made of Wy [...]w, and Uine, [...]o [...] Tar [...]ets for being pearced, they close the harder [...] eathe [...] but the Wyllow is the lightest, and therefore the better. The Figge tree also, and the [...]ynd [...]e, the Byrch, the Poplar, and the El­der, serue all w [...]ll for Targets. The best wood for Horsemens staues, [...] [...]aues. is the Ashe, and (as Virgil sayth) for valiant staues, the M [...]riel: the Ewe tree serueth (as the same Virgil witnesseth) for Bowes.

For Gates, they vse the Elme: for Hampers, or Baskettes, al such as easely bend. For Cupplinges and Raf [...]ers of houses, the Elme, and the Ashe for thinne boorde, the best to cleaue, the Fyrre, [...]or vv [...]te [...] vvoo [...]. the Poplar, and the Beech: for long during, and abi­ding the weather, and standyng in water, the Oke is commen­ded, for which the other serue not, saue for the water, the Beech, and the Alder: for fyre, and light, are vsed the Fyrre, the Pitch tree, and the Pine. The best coles are made of the fastest wood, as the Oke, [...]or co [...]ng and the wylde Oke: but the Fyners rather desyre the coles that are made of the Pine tree, because they better a­bide the blowing, and dye not so fast as the other. The Cerre tree, though the tymber be of no great vse, yet serueth it wel to make cole of for the Brasse Forges, because as soone as the bel­lowes leaue, the fyre ceasseth, and there is little waste in it: but for building, the tymber thereof is altogeather vnprofitable, be­cause it dooth easely breake, and moulder away: but being in [...]ostes vnhewed, it serueth well yenough within doore. The ap­test to take fyre, is the figge tree, and the Olyue tree: the Figge tree, because it is soft and open: the Olyue tree, for the fastnesse and the satnesse. The Earth tree (as Vitruuius sayth) resisteth the fyre, though Mathiolus (as I sayde before) goeth about to disprooue it. In all the bodyes of trees, as of liuely creatures, there is skinne, senowes, blood, fleshe, vaynes, bones, and ma­rowe: theyr skinne is their barke, of great vse among countrey people: the vesselles that they geather their Uines and other fruites in, they make of the barke of Lynd tree, Fyrre, Wyl­lowe, Beech, and Alder. The Corke hath the thickest barke,The barke. which though he loose, he dyeth not, for so be benef [...]ciall hath na­ture been to him [...] that bec [...]use he is commonly spoyled of his barke, she hath geuen him two barkes. Of his barke, are made Pantoffels, and [...]yppers, and Floates for fyshing nettes, and Angles: yf the barke be pulled of, the wood sinkes, but the barke alwayes swimmeth. The next to the rynde in most trees, is the fatte, the softest and the woorst part of the tree, and most subiect to woormes: therefore it is commonly [...]ut away. The sappe of the tree, is his blood, which is not alike in all trees, for in the [Page] Figge tree it is milkie, whiche serueth as a rennet for Cheese. In Chery trees, it is gummy: in Elmes, saltishe: in Apple trees, clommy and fatte: in Uines, and Peare trees, watrishe: they commonly spring the best, whose sappe is clam­miest. The iuyce of the Mulbery, is sought for (as Plinie sayth) of the Phisitions. Next to the fatte, is the fleshe, and next to that, the bone, the best part of the tymber: all trees haue not a­ny great quantitie of this fatte and fleshe, for the Box, the Cor­nel, and the Olyue, haue neyther fatte, nor fleshe, nor marowe, and very little blood: as neyther the Seruisse, nor Alder, haue an [...] bone, but both of them full of marow. Reedes for the most part haue no fleshe at al: in fleshe of trees, there are both vaines and arteryes, the vaines are broader, and fayrer: the arteryes are onely in such trees as wyl cleaue, by meanes of which arte­ryes it commeth to passe, that the one end of a long beame laide to your eare, yf you doo but fillippe with your finger vppon the other end, the sound is brought foorthwith to your eare, where­by it is knowen, whether the peece be straight and euen or not. In some trees there are knoties on the outside, as the wenne, or the kernell in the fleshe of man, in the whiche there is neyther veyne, nor artery, a hard knoppe of fleshe being clong, and rol­led vp in it selfe: these are most of price in the Cedar, and the Maple. In some, the fleshe is quite without veynes, hauing on­ly certayne small stringes, and such are thought to cleaue best: others, that haue not their stringes, or arteryes, wyll rather breake then cleaue: as the Uine, and the Olyue, wyll rather breake then cleaue. The whole body of the Figge is fleshy: as the body of the Mastholme, the Cornel, the wylde Oke, the Mulbery, and suche others as haue no pith, is all bony. The grayne that runneth ouerthwart in the Beech, was taken (as Plinie sayth) in the olde time for his arteryes.

There are other commodities beside the tymber, to be geathered of these trees.

Uery true: for (as I sayde before) of the Medlar, the Oke, the Chestnut, the Pine, and the Beech, these trees that growe in the Wooddes, beside their tymber, beare fruite also, good and meete to be eaten. So of the Fyrres, the [Page 110] Pitch trees, and the Pines, we geather Rozen and Pitch, to our greate commoditie and gayne: as of the Oke, the Beech, the Chestnut, the Medlar, and the Pine, we haue fruite both meete for man, and also good for feeding of Hogges, and other cattell. In time of dearth, both our forefathers, and we, haue tryed the good seruice, that Akornes in bread hath doone: yea, as Plinie and others haue written, they were woont to be serued in amongst fruite at mens tables. Neyther is it vn­knowen what great gaynes some countreys geat by Akornes, Rozen, and Pitch: the Gaile also groweth vpon these Akorne bearing trees, whereof I haue spoken before. Amongest all the trees out of which runneth Rozen, the Tarre tree, a kinde of Pine, is fullest of sappe, & softer then the Pitch, both meete for fyre, and light, whose boordes we vse to burne in steede of candelles. The Cedar sweateth out Rozen & Pitch, caled Cedria. Moreouer, of trees is Brydlime made,Byrdlyme. the best of y^e Cerre tree, the Mastholme, and the Chestnut, specially in the Wooddes about Sene, and neare the sea side, where they are carefully plan­ted in great plentie, by the Byrdlyme makers: for they geather the berryes from the trees, and boyle them, tyl they breake, and after they haue stamped them, they washe them in water, tyl al the flesh fall away. Plinie affirmeth, that it groweth only vpon Okes, Mastholmes, Skaddes, Pine trees, and Fyrre. Byrde­lyme is also made of the rootes of certaine trees, specially of the Holly, whose rootes and barkes withall they geather, and lay them vp in trenches, couered with leaues in a very moyst grounde (some doo it in doung) and there they let them lye tyll they rot, then take they them out and heate them, tyl they waxe clammy, and after washe them in warme water, and make them vp in balles with their handes, it is vsed (beside other pur­poses) for the taking of byrdes. Besides all this, there sweateth out of trees a certayne Gumme knowen to all men, as of the Chery tree, the Plome tree, the Iuniper, the Olyue, the Black­thorne, the Iuie,Vernishe. and Almond. Out of the Iuniper, commeth Uernish: out of the Myrrhe, Scorax: out of the white Poplar, Amber.Amber. Plinie wryteth, that Amber commeth out of certayne Pine trees in the fatte, as Gumme dooth from the Chery tree. [Page] And thus these thinges that I haue here at your request decla­red, touching the order of plantyng and sowing, I beseeche you take in good woorth: you heare my wyfe calleth vs to supper, and you see the shaddowe is tenne foote long, therefore it is hye tyme we goe.

I geue you most harry thankes, that you haue thus freendly enterteyned me in this your fayre Orchard, with the sweete des [...]ription of these pleasant hearbes and trees.

Syr, your supper is redy, I pray you make an ende of your talke, and let the Gentleman come in here into this Arber.

Come let vs goe.

THAT the breeding and feeding of Cattell is a part of husbandry, and neare ioyned in kinrede to the tylture of the ground, not onely appea­reth by Virgil, the prince of Poets, who hath in his Georgicks throughly set foorth the order thereof, but also by the witnesse of the more aun­cient Philosophers Xenophon, & Aristotle. The like dooth our common experience at home dayly teache vs: for albeit y^t trade of tyllage & keeping of cattel is diuers, and the maner of occu­pying many times contrary the one to the other: as where the grasyer and breeder, requireth a ground full of grasse and pa­sture, the husbandman on the other side, a ground without grasse, and well tytled: yet in these theyr diuers desyres, there appeareth a certayne felowship and mutuall commoditie re­dounding in their occupying of one the other, which Fundanius in Varro dooth seeme by an apt comparison to prooue: as in a couple of Shalmes, or Recorders, sayth he, the one differeth in sound from the other, though the musicke and song be al one (the one sounding the Treble, the other the Base) in like maner may we terme the grasyers trade the Treble, and the tyl [...]ers occu­pation the Base, folowing Dicaearchus, who reporteth, that at the beginning, men liued onely by breeding and feeding of cat­tell, not hauing as yet the skil of plowing and tylling y^• ground, nor planting of trees. Afterwardes in a lower degree, was found out the maner of tylling of the ground, and therefore bea­reth the Base to the feeder, in that it is lower, as in a couple of Recorders the Base to the Treble. So this vsing to keepe cat­tell for plowing, caryage, dounging of our ground, and other commodities, and on the o [...]her side, to tyll the ground for fee­ding and mayntenance of our cattell, it comes to passe, that though the maner of occupying in tyllage, and keeping of cat­tell be diuers, yet one of them so serueth the turne of the other, that (as it seemeth) they can not well be a sunder: for without [Page] the seruice of Horse and Oxen, we can neyther plow, nor doung our ground: and Chaffe, Straw, and other offal of Corne, is meete to be spent vpon the ground, then to be solde, both for the Farmers behoofe, and the lordes, and better bestowed vpon the houshold cattell, then vpon the forreyners. Besides, the doung of the cattel enricheth the ground, and bringeth great encrease: and whereas there is no place (as Columella sayth) but in the tyllage of their ground, they haue as muche neede of cattell, as men: the cattell serue not onely for the tylling of the grounde, but also to bring in Corne, to beare burdens, carry doung for the grounde, and also for breede, and encrease of the stocke: whereby they haue their name iumenta, of helping, because they helpe and further vs eyther in our labours by plowing, or bea­ring. Neyther is it onely sufficient to nourishe and bring vp this kinde of great cattell called iumenta, but also the other les­ser sort of beastes, as Sheepe, Swyne, Goates: and of foules, Geese, Peacocks, Duckes, Pigeons, Hennes, Chickinnes, and other poultry, and thinges belonging to husbandry, where­with the good husband, beside his owne sustenance, maketh great gayne: and yf the ground be for it, and Pales fauoura­ble, there aryseth oftentimes as great profyte, as in sowing of Corne, and that with smaller charges. For a proofe that fee­ding is gainefull, the woordes pecunia money, and peculium sub­stance, or richesse, being both deriued from the Latine name of cattels, may very well serue: for in the olde time they vsed their cattell in steade of money, and theyr common penalties & fines, taken in cattell, the greatest, was thyrtie Oxen, & two Sheepe, euery Oxe valued at .v. s. & vi. d. and euery Sheepe at .vi. d. the smalest was a Sheepe: the very like is yet obserued with the noblest and warlikest people, whose substance lyeth altogeather in cattell. Cato being once asked by what part of husbandry a man might soonest be made riche, made aunswere, by great grasing: and being asked agayne, whiche way he might geat sufficient liuelihood,The vvoor­thinesse and antiquitie of keeping of cattell. he aunswered, by meane grasyng. Moreo­uer, that the woorthynesse and first originall of keeping of cat­tell is of greatest antiquitie, and that the trade thereof hath al­wayes, from the time of the Patriarkes hitherto, been counted [Page 113] most honest, as well the scriptures, as prophane histories doe witnes,The vvor­thines and antiquity of keeping of Cattell. which kinde of life, how acceptable it hath, alwayes beene to God, by those that liued in the first worlde doth, plainly appere. The scripture sheweth how graciously the Lorde ac­cepted the sacrifice of Abel, a keeper & feeder of sheepe, besides Seth, Noe, Abraham, Loth, Iacob, Iob, Amos. Holly and blessed men are commended for keeping, and feeding of Cattell, where­by atteyning to greate wealth, they sustayned them selues, their wiues, their Children, and their huge families. The Sonnes of Iacob, when as they were demaunded by the kynge of Egipt what maner of life they ledde: made aunswere, that they were feeders and keepers of Cattell, from which trade Lot, Morses, Saule and Dauid, were by the will of God, aduaunced to the Crowne. As amonge the Gentiles the most auncient, and fa­mous Princes were, some of them brought vp by Sheaperds, & som sheaperds them selues. Romulus & Cyrus being mighty Em­perours, were brought vp amonge sheaperdes. Besides Galerius Maximinus, Constantine, Probus, & Aurelianus, came all from the Oxstall, to the Imperiall Seate. Homer commendeth [...]l [...]s­ses his swinherd, for his greate valiance and noblenes. That the valyant and noblest people haue professed this trade, the Itali­ans, Germanes, and Swytzers can testifie, whose Countryes being now growne to more delica [...]ye, then they were wont to be, were wonted alwayes, when their doinges were most fa­mous, to glory and vaunt them selues of this life, as at this day the Goodlyest and wysest dooe. And therefore the auncient wri­ters, as wel Greekes, as Latyns, doo count the chefest wealth to bee in the numbers of sheepe, Cattell, and Fruite: for which es­timacion the Cattell were supposed to bee cladde in Golden Coates: whence sprange first the fable of the Golden fleese of Colchos, which Iason, and his companions attempted to fetch, & of the Golden apples, kept by y^e daughters of Atlas. Besides the signes of Heauen the seas, Mountaines, & Countreyes doo beare their names of Beastes: among the [...] the Bull: the mountayne, Taurus: and the [...] tooke his name of Calues. Moreouer the [...] the worthier, in that it hath some resemblance of the [...] [Page] gouernour: and therefore the Prophets in their Oracles, and Poetes in their verses, doo often times call kinges and prin­ces by the names of shepheardes, and feeders of the peo­ple. Yea the LORD of the whole world dooth call him selfe a shephearde. Since it appeareth by these examples, of what worthynesse keeping of cattell is, and how neare it is linked with tillage, I haue here thought good, after the entreating of tillage, Gardning, and Orchardes, to describe as breefely as I can, the order and maner of keeping of cattell: which skill though Varro deuideth only into three partes, I haue deuided into foure. In the first part I put the greate cattell for burden, as Horses, Asses, Mules, Camelles: in the second part the les­ser sorte, as Sheepe, Goates, and Swyne: in the thyrd, such thinges as are belonging to the keeping and safegarde of Cattell, not for the proffit they yeelde of them selues, but for their necessary vse, as shepheardes dogges, and cattes: of these three partes in this third booke I entreate, of: the fourth I re­ferre to the fourth booke. Hauing thus declared the conten­tion betwixt keeping of cattell, and tillage, with the worthy­nes and antiquitie thereof, I meane now to prosecute such thinges as are belonging to the same. I haue brought in the masters and keepers of euery kinde of Cattell, resting them selues vpon the hollyday in the greene grasse, & the Sommers shadowe, euery one declaring his skill and knowledge, accor­ding to his profession. The parties are EVPHORBVS the Netheard: HIPPOCOMVS the Horsekeeper: HEDIO the shepheard, and EVMAEVS the swineheard.

How sirra HIPPOCOMVS, whither wan­der you? doo you not know that it is hollyday, a day to daunce in, and make mery at the ale house?

Eueryday is hollyday with lazy and slouthfull merchants: it lyeth me vppon to looke to my profit, to see whe­ther my Horses feede well, and that they take no harme. The pastures are so burnt with y^e heate of sommer, that I am affraid for w [...]t of meate, they will seeke to breake into other grounds, and so hurt them selues.

Why bring you not them into this feelde, where [Page 114] there is both a good grotten, and prety store of grasse among the headgroues.

You perswade me not the worst.

Come on then, byd Mastix your boy bring hither your Horses, and you your self, sit you downe vnder this Hasel, that will yeelde vs both shaddow and nuttes, and wee will send for EVMAEVS, and HEDIO, if you thinke good, and we will passe away the time with such talke as we shall finde.

Agreed. Go Mastix, Fetch hyther the Horses, with the Coults and the Asses.

And you EVMAEVS, and HEDIO, bring your Heardes togeather, and come hither, euery man shall lay downe his shot, as they vse in the Tauerne, but without mony or any charges, declaring at large what belongeth to the Cattell he kepeth. Your Horses HIPPOCOMVS are yet in good plight, I saw the Horses of our neyghbour Agrius of late, which are leaner and barer a great way.

Peraduenture they haue not so good loking vn­to, though they neyther want pasture, nor are much laboured: but mine on the other side, are continually laboured, and are not so well fed, but are better looked vnto then my neyghbours.

Wel, since both tyme and place requireth it, I pray you let vs heare what you can say, touching the charge and loo­king to of Horses.

Surely I haue not so much money to tell, but I may well be at leysure, and therefore since you are so earnest with me, I will not deny your request: although that of this matter, an honest and learned Gentleman of England, maister Thomas Blunduile hath so throughly written to his commēda­cion and benefite of his country, as there can not be more sayd: I referr you therfore wholy to him: notwithstāding, breefely I wil shew you my fansy. Among all other creatures that wee vse in our labour,Of Horses. the Horse may worthiest challenge the chiefest place, as the noblest, the goodliest, the necessariest, and the trus­tiest beast that wee vse in our seruice: and since he serueth to so many vses, I should here bestow some time in his prayse, and in declaring his seruice, but for this, an other time shall better serue.

Wee onely here desire to know the signes of a good, and an excellent Horse, and the ryght maner of ordring him.

First you shall knowe that Horses serue for sundry purposes. Some, for the Plowe, the Carte, & the packe­saddle, others, for light Horses, Coursers, & Horses of seruice, others agayne, for Stallions, and breeders: and therefore they must be chosen according to their seruice. Souldiers, and men of warr, desire a sierse Horse, couragious, swift, and wel colored. The husbandman would haue his horse gentill, large bodyed, and meete for trauaile and burden. Notwithstanding, the bree­ding, and bringing vp of them, is almost one: for in their bree­ding, wee hope to bring them all to the saddle.

What thinges are most to bee considered in their breedinge?

Hee that hath a fansey too breede Horse, must first prouide himselfe of a good race, and then of good ground, and plenty of pasture, which in other Cattell, ought not to bee so greatly obserued, but in Horses there must be special care therof. And therefore, you must first see that your Stallion bee of a good race, well proporcioned, and framed in euery poynt, and in the like sorte, the Mare. Some reckon their goodnes by theyr Countryes, wherin they take for chie [...]e, the Genet of Spaine, the Courser of Naples, the Sarmacian Horse, the Pe­lo [...]on [...]han, the Turkey, and the Thessalian: but these serue chief­ly for running, and swift [...]nesse. For largenesse of body, enduring of laboure, and fitnesse for breede, the best are to be had out of Freeseland, Holland, and Artoy [...]. The shape and proporcion of the Horse, ought heedily to be considered, for the very looke and countenaunce oftentyme, declareth the goodnesse of his na­ture. Therefore, you must diligently consider his makinge, from the heele to the hedde, and first you must cheefely regarde his feete: for as in viewing of a house, it is in vaine to regarde the beawty of the vpper roomes, if the foundacion bee ruy­nous: so the Horse that is not sounde of his feete, will ney­ther serue the Souldiour, the Husband, nor the Trauayler. [Page 113] In your looking vpon him therefore you must first consider his hoofes that they bee not tender and soft, but hard and sound, round and hollowe,The hofe. that the hollownesse may keepe his foote from the ground, and sounding like a Cimball as (Xenephon sayth) may declare the soundnes of the foote, for the hoofe that is full and fleshy, is not to be lyked, & y^• Horses that haue suche hoo [...]es doo easely halt, wherefore diuers commend a Horse like the hoo [...]e [...] asse, the pastors next to the hoofe not to longe as the gote hath, for shaking of his rider, and breeding of wind­gall, nor to short, for beeing hurt in stony ground. The legges & the thyes sith they are the standardes of the body, they ought to be euen, straight, and sound, not gouty, with much fleshe and vaynes. for such as haue their legges clad with muche flesh and vaynes,The legges. they with greate Iourneis growe full of windgalls and swellinges which will cause them to halt, which Legges at the first foling, are as long as euer they wilbee, by reason whereof you may gesse what heygth y^e Horse wilbe of, being yet a coult. The knees must be round,The knees. flexible, and small, and not bowing inwarde nor stiffe, the Thies large and well brawned,The thy [...]s. his brest greate and brode,The brest. his necke soft and broade,The necke. not hanginge like a Goates, but vpright like a Cockes, and well reyning, his mane thicke,The mane fauling on the right side, some like it better on the left, his hed small and leane,The hed. for a greate and heauy head, is a signe of a dull Iade, his moussell short, his mouth wide with large wrincles, still playing with the bytte and foming: as Virg. There stamping standes the steed, and fomy bridell fyerce hee champes. The Horse that hath a dry mouth is nought,The mouth. his cheekebones would bee euen and small, for if they stand to farre a sunder, he will bee ill to bee brydled, and the vneuennes of the Cheekes, will make him hedstrong, and neuer to reyne well, but to thrust out his head ilfauoredly, his eyes great, bluddy, and fi­ery & standing out of his head, which is a signe of quicknes and liuelynes: hollowe and littell eyes are nought,The eyes and blacke or pale starres in the eyes are to be dispraysed: these faults are best spied in the nyght bye Candell light. Columella commen­deth black eyes. A wall eye is very good, such as they say Alex­anders Bucephalus had. The eares must bee shorte,The eares. standinge [Page] vpright, and stirring, for the eares, bee the tokens of a Hor­ses stomake, which if they be greate and hanging, are signes of a Iade. The nostrells must bee wyde,The nost [...]l [...] [...]houlder the better to receaue ayre, which also declareth a liuely currage, his shoulders large and straight, the sides turning inwarde, the ridgebone ouer the shoulders being something hie,The [...]. geeues the horseman a better seate, and the shoulders, and the rest of the body, is stronger knitte together, if it bee double, his sides deepe, well knitt be­hinde, and somthing bowed vp, [...] which both is better for the horseman, and a signe of greate strength: his Loynes, the broder they be, [...] the better he lifteth his forefeete, and followeth with the hinder, and his paunche shall the lesse apeere, which both disgraceth him and burdneth him, his belly must be gaunt, his buttockes large, [...] and ful of fleshe, answerable to his brestes, and his sides, for if he be brode hanched, & well spred behind, and goeth wide, his pace wilbe the surer, which wee may per­ceaue in our selues, if wee assaye to take vp a thing from the ground, stryding, and not with our legges together, wee take it vp with more case and strength. His tayle would be longe, bristly, [...] and curled, the length whereof, is not only a bew [...]y, but also a greate cōmodity to him to beate away flyes: yet some de­light to haue them curtailed, specially if they be brode buttockt. [...] fine, the hole body would be so framed, as it be large, hye, liuely sp [...]ed, & wel trussed. Some horsemen would haue their Horse to be limmed after the proporcion of diuers Beastes, as to haue the head and legges, of a Stagg, the eares and tayle, of a Fox, the necke of a Sw [...]nne, the brest, of a Lion, the but­to [...]kes, of a Woman, and the feete of an Asse. Virgill in his Ge­ [...] both very clarkely describe the tokens of a good Horse.

You see in how fewe verses the Poet hath expressed the pro­perties of a good Horse: other condicions there be for which they be liked, when they be pleasant, first liuely, gentle, and tractable: For such as Columella saith, will both better be tought, and better away with trauaile. Xenophon accounteth it a signe of a good Horse, if after the werines of his iourny he seeme to labour lustely: againe, we finde also by experience, the better the Horse is, the deeper he thrustes his hed into the water when he drinketh, and that (being a colt) striueth to out [...]me his fellowes in the pasture, and as Virgil saith, leape first into the water, and passeth bridges, not tarriing for an vsher, nor [...]ea­ring the Ise.

What colour in Horses count you the best. The Poet seemeth to mislike the white, which others againe, as I haue sundry times heard, commende, speci [...]l­ly in England, where they are wel accounted of, and most esteemed.

Touching the colours, there are diuers opini­ons, and of all colours, lightly you shall [...]inde both good & bad: so that the colour is not so greatly to be regarded, if he haue other tokens of a good Horse, yet for bew [...]y, and many times for goodnes, we make choyse of colour. The best colou [...]s as diuers suppose are these, the rone, the white wa [...]d, the bay, the sorell, the dunne, the daple gray, the ashy white, the flebitten, the milke white, the blacke, and the iron gray, [Page] The Bay is most of pryce as farre as I see at this day, and preferred by the Poet aboue the rest. The Frenchmen call the bay Horse Le Bayart loyal, trusty bayard: they are the better that haue a starr in y^e forhed, & y^e foote spotted a littel, with white, aforetime the dapple gray, the flebitten, the mousedun, and the grisel weare most esteemed, & such as came nearest to them, as the Iron gray, the bryght sorell, the browne bay. Onely Plato commendeth the milke white, that Virgil, dispayseth. Others commend the blacke, specially if he haue eyther white starre in his forhed, or strake downe his face, or hath any white vpon his foote, the Cole blake without any white, is altogether misliked, the fleabitten Horse proueth alwayes good and notable in tra­uayle: the yelowish and the skued or pyed Horses are discom­mended almost of all men, notwithstanding eyther of them (if they bee well marked) proue often tymes well inough, specially the yellowish, if he haue a blacke list downe his backe from the necke to the tayle. The Stallion therefore would bee of one co­lour,The Stalliō. strong bodyed, well limmed, according to the proporcion afore.The Mares. The Mares woulde likewise haue the saide proporcion of the stallion, specially to haue large bodyes, fayre and bewtifull, of one colour, greate bellyed, with large and square brest and buttockes.

Age.What age count you best for breede?

The Stallion may go with the Mares when his iointes & limmes bee well knitte and come to their groweth, for if they be to yong, they get but weake and wearishe Coltes: some vse to let them go together at two yeeres olde, but three yeere old is the better: the Stalliō will serue you from that time till xx yeere, it hath beene seene that they haue gotten Coltes till forty, being helped a littell in theyr busines, for it is not yeeres but skill that abateth lust, as Aristotle afore Plini wrote. Yet some thinke them not meete for breede before the fourth or fifth yeere, in which space they feede them lustely, to make them more coragious, for the lustier they bee, the better Coultes they bring, neyther would they haue vnder xvi. mares, nor aboue xx. for one Stallion. Herodotus writeth that one Horse will wel suf­ [...]se xx. Mares, but y^e number ought not alwayes to be obserued, [Page 115] but sometimes more, sometimes lesse, according to the state of the Horse, that hee may the longer endure: a younge Horse should not haue aboue fifteene or sixteene Mares with him: the Horses must bee sometime seuered, for danger and hurting of them selues, hauing in the meane time good regarde to the state of his body, for some bee weaker and fainter then others.

what age dooe you thinke best for the mare to go to the Horse?

The Mares will conceaue at two yeeres olde, but I take it the better not to suffer them till they be three yeere olde, as likewise I thinke them not meete for colts after ten, for an old Mare will alwayes bring a dull and a heauy hedded Iade: they go with foale aleuen monthes, and fole in the twelfth.

How can you knowe their age when you be doubtfull of it?

That may you knowe diuers wayes, but specially by the teeth, and those teeth that declare the age, the grecians call [...], whiche teeth when he loseth, he loseth both esti­macion and sale. Aristotel affirmeth that a Horse hath 40. teeth, of which hee casteth the thirtieth month after his foling foure, two aboue, and two beneth, againe in the beginning of his fourth yeere hee casteth likewise foure, two aboue & two be­neath, being full foure, and going vppon his fift, hee casteth the rest both aboue and beneathe: such teeth as come vp agayne be hollowe: when hee beginneth to bee six yeere olde the hollo­nes of his first teeth is fild vp: in the seuenth yeere all his teethe are filled vp, and no hollownes any longer to bee seene: after which time, no iudgement of his age by his teeth is any more to be had: there are some y^t take vppon them to tell his age bye the Ioyntes of his tayle, after the marke is out of his mouth. Palladius shewes, that a Horse when hee beginnes too bee ould, his temples wax hollowe, his eye bryes gray, and his teeth longe. Aristotle saith, that the age of all fourfooted beastes may be knowne by the skinne of their Iawes: for if it bee pulde vp and presently let fall againe, if it fall smoothe, it declares a yonge beaste, if it lye in wrinkles, it sheweth hee is olde. A Horse liueth comonly xx. yeres, some thirty, or forty, and also to [Page] fifty, as Aristotel saith, if he be of a good disposition and well dye [...]ed, it is sayd there haue beene Horses that haue lyued 75. yeeres, the Mare liueth not so long as the Horse, nor the Stal­lion, so longe as the Horse that is not suffered to runne a­mongest Mares: the Mare leaueth growing at fiue yeere old, and the Horse at six or seuen.

What time thinke you best for couering of Mares.

In the spring, after the twelfth of Marche, I take to be the best, after the spring in the rest of the yeere they are to be kept from the Horse, for hurting of the Horse: for the Mare, after she hath conceyued, suffers the Horse no more, but beates and strikes him with her heeles, yet in moste places, they suffer their Stallions to runne with their Mares all the frowner longe, and take it to be the best way, for answe­ring the Mares desire, for many times the Mare wil not abide the Horse till somer time, or August, and the August Colt proues comonly very fayre. Although the Colts that are foled in the spring, are not to be desired, because they runne all the yeere with their dammes in good pasture, and therfore it is best at that time to put the Mare to the Horse, for these crea­tures specially, if you restraine thē, are most enraged with lust, whereas came at the first the name of that dedly poyson Hip­pomanes, because it stirred vp a fleshly affectiō, acording to the burning desire of [...], which groweth in the forhed of the Colte, of [...]he [...] of a sigge, and blacke, which the damme doth [...], as soone as shee hath foled, byte of: and if shee be preuented, shee neyther loues the Colt, nor suffers him to sucke, [...] is to be doubted, but that the Mares in some country [...]s so burne with lust, as though they haue not the Hor [...]e, with their owne feruent desire they con­ceaue and bring forth after the maner of Byrdes, as the Poet noteth.

It hath bene said, that in Spain [...] Mares haue conceaued with the winde, and brought vp their Colts, but the Colts haue not [Page 118] liued aboue three yeeres. Aristotle writeth, that a Mares desire is quenched by shearing of her mane.

What if the Mare will not take the Horse, is there no meanes to make him?

There are that rub her tayle with sea onyons, nettles, or madder, and so prouoke her to lust, some time a skuruy Iade is put to her, who when he hath got­ten her good will, is straight remoued, and a better Horse, put in place. If the Horse be to slouthfull, his currage is stirred vp by wyping her tayle with a spunge, and rubbing it about his nose. If wee woulde haue a Horse Coult, wee knitte the left stone of the Horse with a corde, and for a Mare the right. The like is to be obserued almost in all other beastes.

How often must shee be Horsed after shee take.

They take not all alike, some are sped at once, some twise, some more. It is laide, a Mare will not suffer a­boue fifteene times in the yeere: being often times satisfied with fewer. They must be put to the Horse at times twise a day, in the morning, and at night, when they are sped, it appeareth by refusing & striking at the Horse. They say, there is amongest these beastes a great regard of kinred, and that you can hardly force the Colt to Horse the damme: for proofe whereof they reporte, that where as a certaine horsekeeper did make his Horse, by couering his eyes, to couer his damme, the cloth being puld away, when he saw what he had doone, he ran vpon his keeper and slew him: as soone as shee is couered, the Mare must out of hand be beaten, and forced to runne, least shee loose that shee hath receaued. Surely a Mare of all other beastes, after her couering, doth runne eyther south­ward, or northwarde, according as shee hath conceaued eyther Horse Coult or Mare Coul [...]: her couler also dooth chaunge & become brighter, which when they perceaue, they oste [...]her the Horse no more. Some after a few dayes if they douther, offer y^e Horse againe, & if she refuse & strik (as I said before) they iudge [Page] shee hath conceaued.

Must they be couered euery yeere?

Such is our couetousnes, as wee seeke to haue them beare euery yeare: but if you will haue good Coltes, let your Mares go to Horse but euery other yeere, so shall they well answer your desire, howebeit the common vse is euery yeere.

Wee see asses sometimes to couer mares comonly, and thereof is engendred the moyle, and foled in the xii. moneth, as shall be said hereafter. Some say it is best to cutt the mane of the mare that shalbe couered of the Asse, though others holde opinion that it shall abate her lust. The mares that bee with foale, must bee well looked vnto, and put in good pasture. And if thorow the colde of winter, pasture bee wanting, they must bee kept in the house, and neyther labored nor ias [...]ed vp and downe, nor suffered to take colde, nor to bee kept to many in a straight rome, for casting of their foales, for all these inconueniences wil hasard their foales, yet too trauaile them moderatly, will dooe them rather good then harme, for to longe rest wyll cause them to bee restife, and to tyer sooner. Aristotle writeth, that the Sithi­ans did vse to trauaile their Mares greate with fole after the time they began to stirre, supposing their foling should bee the easier, but good heede must bee taken, that their bellies bee not hurt with any thing while they are with fole, but if so bee the mare be indanger, eyther in casting her fole, or in foling, the re­medy is, Poilipo [...]y stamped, mingled with warme water, and giuen with a horne: it is sayde that the smell of a Candell snuffe causeth them to cast their foles: you must euery yeere o­uersee your Mares, and such as bee vnprofitable or barrayne, must bee put awaye, for from theyr first foling, they are not too bee kepte aboue ten yeeres, at which tyme they are lustly ey­nough, and may bee well solde, but so will they not be after: The yonge foales are not to bee handled with the hand, for they are hurt with the lyghtest touche that may bee. It must bee seene vnto, that if the Mare bee horsed, there bee roome enough for her and her fole, and that the place be warme enough, that ney­ther the coulde harme it, nor the damme ouerlye it, and there­fore the place must bee well chosen, that is, neyther to hotte, nor [Page 119] to cold, and afterwardes by little, you must bring vp the Colte: when it groweth to be something strong, it must be put to pas­ture with the Mare, least the Mare receaue hurt, by the ab­sence of it: for chiefly this beast of all others, most estemeth her yong, and if shee be kept from it, taketh harme: the fole that lackes his damme, is often brought vp, of other Mares that haue Coltes: the Mare must go in very good pasture, that the Colte may haue store of milke. Being fiue moneths olde, when you bring them into howse, you must seede them with barley flowre and branne: at a tweluemoneth old, you must eyther put them into good pasture, or feede them with branne, chaffe, and hay. Varro will not haue you to weane them, till they be two yeeres old: and though I like not too soone weaning, yet wee vse comonly to weane them at fiue or six monethes old, and to let them runne in good pasture, which custome proueth not a­misse. Moreouer as long as they runne with the damme, you shall doo well to handell them now and then, least, when they be put from the damme, they waxe wild: they must be tought to be gentill, and not only to abyde a man, but to couet his compa­ny, and not to be affraid at euery strange sight, nor at euery noyse but to come to it. Xenophon saith, we must (as men) pro­uide skoolmasters for our chi [...]dren, so likewise teachers for our Horses, and appoint how we will haue them broken: for as their seruice is diuers, so must be their breaking. But hereof we shall speake more hereafter, when we entreate of horsmanship, and breaking of Horses: onely now we will deale with those that sucke, and serue for the Plow. To make them gentler, the bridles, and other horse harneyes, must be hanged by them, that they may the better be acquainted with them, bothe with the sight, and the gingling. Now when they be well tamed, and will suffer to be handled, Varro would haue you lay a boy groueling vpon them twise, or thrise, and after to bestride them, and this he would haue doone, when they be three yeere olde, for then they grow most, and begin to be great brawned. There be that thinke a Horse may begin to be handled at a yeere and a halfe olde, and Varro, at three yeere old, when theyr prouender is gy­uen them: but we vse commonly after two yeeres to labour them [Page] gently, first in harrowing of new plowed land, which is good both for their foote, and their pace, and also with Plowing, and such like exercise, whereby we vse to acquaint thē with cold and heate, in drawing together. It must be sene to, that they be euen matched, least the stronger spoyle the weaker, while he dreadeth the rating, and whipping. Horses take lesse harme with draw­ing, then with bearing. Thus must they be vsed to reasonable trauaile, by reason wherof, they will be the harder, and not so lightly take harme: but herein must be great discresion.

What say you to Geldings? for in these partes we vse Geldings most.

They serue for some purpose, but he that will haue a good g [...]lding, must g [...]ld (as they say) a good Horse, they are cut at a yere old and elder: I my selfe haue cut them at fiue yeere old, and six yeere olde: in cutting they loose their stomack, you must looke that they be in good plight when you cut them, for as they are at their cutting, they commonly continue. The Mares also vse to be spayed, but not often, and with greate danger.

What maner of stable would you haue, for I haue somtimes hearde, that the stable is of greate importance?

Stables.Your stable must be buylt in a dry place, for wet­ting the Horses hoofe, which you shall auoide, if you planke it with good oken plankes, or (which Xenophon would rather haue you doo) with round pauing stone, keeping it alwayes cleane from doung, and straw, and after laying fresh litter, so as they stand harde, and ly softe. Xenophon would haue the stable so pla­ced, as it may alwayes be in y^e masters eye, and to be lightsome, least the Horse being vsed to the dark, his eye dasel at the light. Some thinke they will be the gentler, if they be vsed to the light, and the fayrer, if they haue y^e sunne at his rysing in somer time: let as mutch ayre come to them both day and night as you can. In winter, your stable should rather be warme, then hot, and therfore your stable must stand toward the south, but so as the windowes may open toward the North, which being kept shut in winter, may be warme, & opened in somer, you may let in the coole ayre.

The like we vse in our oxe stalles.

Besides, whereas the bodies of Cattell, haue nede of rubbing as well as mens bodyes, for many times it doth the Horse as much good to be stroked downe the backe with your hand, as to feede him.Curriyng. The Horse is to be continually curryed in the morning, at night, and after his labour. In currying of them we must begin at the head, and the necke: for it is a vaine thing to make cleane the lower partes, and leaue the other foule. It is good also to obserue due times for his feeding, his watering, & his trauayle. Thus much of his exercise. Now followeth to speake of his dyet: and because we haue spoken before of his pasture,Dyet. we must also say sumwhat of his other feding. The bet­ter a man would haue his Horse to proue, the better must he looke to his meate, for the good feeding (the country people say) is a great helpe to the goodnesse of the Horse. If the Horse be young (as I said before of Coltes) he must be fed with grasse, chaffe, and hay: if he be elder and mete to trauaile, his foode must be the dryer, as Chaffe, Barley, Oates, and Hay. Chaffe doth not so well nourish, by reason of y^• drynesse, but it keepes the bo­dy in good plight: and because hard meate is hardest of digestiō, it is therefore to be geuen to those that labour. The stocke or studde, must be pastured in large pastures and marshes, as also vpon mountaines and hilly groundes, but euer well watred, not dry, rather champion then woddy, and rather soft sweete grasse, then hye and flaggy: if y^• pasture be too short, they sooner weare their foreteeth, & are toothlesse before their full age. And where as euery kind of Creature is naturally moyst, a Horse ought cheefely (whether he be young, or old) to be fed with moist pa­sture, for y^• better conseruatiō of his natural temprature. Some would haue you in no wise to geue your Horse grasse in the spring time, but in Iune, or the fall of the leafe: they would haue you geue them grasse with the deaw vppon it, and in the night season Oates, Barly, & Hay. Howbeit, in y^• colder coūtreys in Germany, France, & England, where the pasture is very good, they doubt not to skowre their Horses with greene grasse,Skovvring. and weedes of the meddowes: and in the chotter countryes, they doo the like w^t greene blades of wheate, or barly. S [...]me vse to geue thē Aples shared in peeces, to skoure thē withal: & thus much of [Page] skouring of Horses. Generally who so euer will haue his Horse helthy, and a [...]le to endure trauaile, let him feede his Horse with Oates, mingled with chaffe or strawe, so shall he be temperatly & well fed, and yf so he labour much, geue him the more Oats. His meate must be geuen him as some thinke best, in a lowe manger, set so lowe, as they are forced to eate their meate with some difficultie or trauaile, which they say is to make them bend their neckes: by which excercise both the head, and the neck groweth bigger, and they wyll be the easier to be bridled: be­sides, they wyll be the stronger, by reason of the hard setting of the forefeete. Howbeit, in some places, they vse hie standing mangers: after what sort so euer they be, they must alwayes be kept clene, and well swept before you cast in their meate. Their prouender though diuers Horscorsers,Prouender. y^t liue by sale of Horse, do feede them with sodden Rie, or beanemeale sodde, pamper­ing them vp, that they may be the fayrer to the eye: yet is it not good [...]oode to labour with. The best prouender that is, is Oates, and for def [...]w [...]e of them, Barly: you must beware you geue them neyther Wheate, Ric, or any dry pulse: their prouen­der must be geuen them rather often, & lit [...]ell, then once or twyse a day in greate porc [...]ons, least you glu [...]te them therewith: they are vsed to be fed comonly [...]iue times a day, when they stand in the stable, keeping an equall number of houres betwene y^• times: when they trauaile you may geue them meate seldomer, but in greater quantitie, & yf their iournies be, long they must haue pro­uender besides in the night, alwayes remembryng (as I said) that you gl [...]e them not. The better a Horse feedeth, the better wyll he labour: you must also beware that you geue him no prouender, neyther Oates nor Barly, after any great labour, till he be thorowe colde: notwithstanding you may geue him a little hay to coole his mouth. The hay must be sweete and wel made, and [...] shaken, before it be cast in the racke: and specially seene too, that there be no feathers of any fowle a­mongest it. If the [...] very hotte after his labour, let him be well couered, and softly walked tyll he be colde, before you set him vp: when he is s [...] vp, [...] him well, le [...]t the coldnesse of the ground st [...]ke into him: in any wyse washe him not when he [Page 121] is hot, but when he is through colde, water him, and washe him, wiping him dry when you bring him in. If the Horse forsake his meate, some vse to stampe Garlike and Pepper, and to geue it him, rubbing his teeth well, till his stomacke come to him: some would haue a cloute wette in salt water tyed vpon a sticke, and thrust into his Iawes. In watring, you must looke well vnto him, for (as Aristotle saith) beastes doo feede, and are nourished the bet [...]e [...], yf they be well watred. Horses and Camels, do loue best to drinke a thicke troubled water, in so much as yf y^• water be cleare, they wyl trouble it with their [...]ecte: For the most Bul­lockes againe desire a fayre cleare water, and [...]. The same Aristotle also affirmeth, that a Horse may suffer thyrst [...] 4. dayes without drinke. Varro wylles you to water your Horses twyse a day, which order we obserue, that is, once in the morning, and againe in the afternone: but in winter, yf they drinke but once a day, it suffiseth: before you water him, he must be well rubbed, and then ledde into the water vp to the knees, specially yf he be leane, yf he be fatte, he may goe the de [...]per. Notwithstanding, there are some that holde opinnion, they ought not to goe so deepe, as their stones touche the water, specially if the Horse be young. After Marche, & the spring, it is very good to ryde them vp and downe in some Riuer, which wyll exercise their legges, for the water dryeth the legges, and restraineth the humors from falling downe, and kepeth them from windgalles: as soone as they come from the water, you must with a little strawe wipe them cleane, for the dampe of y^• stable causeth inflamation in the Horses legges that be wette. The water (acording to Vegetius his minde) would be cleare, and springing, other like it a little running and troubled in a clay ground: for this water, by reason of the thicknesse and fatnesse, doth better nourishe and feede the Horse, then the swyft running streame: yet those Horses that are vsed to the swyft and cleare Riuers, are comonly the strong­gest and best trauaylers, and therefore it would be well consi­dered how the Horse hath ben accustomed: the colder y^e waters are, the lesse they nourish, the deeper a Horse drinkes, the fatter he proues: and therefore some Horscoursers vse to washe their Horses mouthes, first with water, and after to rubbe them with [Page] salt, to geue them an appetite to their meate and their drinke.

I pray you let vs here some remedies for Horsses diseases, for (as Aristotle saith) a Horse hath as many diseases as a man.

As touching diseases in a Horse, it is better to preuent them by good heede taking, and (as Vegetius saith) to be more careful in keeping a Horse helthy, then when he is sicke to cure him: which health you shall continue with ease, yf you wyll obserue those thinges, touching his diet, his stable, and his labour, that I haue told you of before. Who so euer wyll haue a good Horse, and keepe him in good estate, must often times see him, come to him, handel him, and stroke him: for that both makes him gentill, and geues him a fayre coate: and be still mindfull of the olde prouerbe, the Maisters eye maketh a fatte Horse, and to be short, to haue him so still in his sight, as he ra­ther want his owne meate, then his Horse should: for he that neclecteth his Horse, neclecteth him selfe. To let him haue mo­derate exercise, and to ryde him nowe and then (yf the weather be fayre) into the Feelde, wyl doo him great good: the morning is better to labour him in then the euenyng, neyther must you in Winter, or in Sommer ouerlabour him, for being in a sweat, and after taking colde, he falleth into daungerous diseases. And therefore remember what I sayde, that where so euer you haue laboured him, or rydden him, be sure you couer him with some cloth, and walke him softly, that he may be cold, before he eyther be suffered to eate, or drinke: when he is colde, he may be led to the water, and washed: so as when you bring him into the sta­ble, you lytter him well, and throwly rubbe him, and so geue him meate. If he be ouer trauayled, the only remedy is rest, and af­ter his sweating, to washe his mouth in Sommer with water and vineger, in Winter with brine: for the neclecting of these thinges, hath been the destruction of many a good Horse. Also, to powre into his mouth wine and oyle, in Sommer colde, in Winter warme (as Vegetius teacheth) and as we finde by expe­rience, is very good: for it is commonly seene, that a tyred Horse (yf necessitie forceth a further iourney) with powring in a quart of good wine, wyll trauayle lustyly. You must not suffer [Page 122] your Horse to drinke after his iourney, tyll he be colde: howbe­it, yf he sweate not to extreamely, and be rydden soone after, it is not so daungerous: it is farre better to let him thyrst, then to geue him colde water yf he be hotte. If a Horse haue long re­sted, he is not to be trauayled vpon the sudden, eyther in gallo­ping, or long iourney, but to be laboured faire and softly at the fyrst. A Horse that is weery, or tyred, wylbe woonderfully re­freasshed, so as it woulde seeme he had neuer been trauayled, yf he may wallow him selfe eyther in the stable, or other dry place out of the wynde and rayne, and therefore Xenophon would haue neare vnto euery stable, a place meete for their wallowing, wherein after their iourneyes, they may tumble them selues: for in so dooing, they shewe they are in health, and refreashe them selues. You must looke diligently that they be well looked to at night, and that after their sweat, they be wel rubbed and curried, and that they be not disquieted when they should rest. In Win­ter, they would be clothed with Wollen for taking of cold, and in Sommer with Camias, to keepe them from flyes. You must beware, that you iourney them not long without staling, but af­ter you haue trauayled an houre, or such a thing, prouoke them to stale (by ryding them out of the way) into some place where sheepe haue dounged, or into some hie Grasse, Ferne, or Stub­ble, which order was continually obserued, by the best dyeter of Horses that euer I knewe in England, one Henry King, who hauyng charge of that most woorthy Gentlemans Horses, syr Thomas Chalenour, caryed a fayre company of Geldinges from London, to the Court of Spayne, who notwithstandyng their long iourney through Fraunce, and the painefull passage of the Piremies, by y^e skilfull diligence of their keeper, came thy­ther in as good plight, as they came out of England. And yf so be you see he can not stale, or staleth with paine, you must bathe hym with bath appoynted for colde, that is, oyle mingled with wine powred vpon his loynes: also a Louse put into his yarde, or Sope put into his fundament, hath been seene to helpe him. If this doo not helpe, you must squirt in Hony boyled thinne with Salt into his yarde. Some woulde haue the licour of the lyme Bitumen squirted in: Aeliomus wryteth, that the Horse that [Page] can not stale, is presently remedied, yf so be a mayde strike him vpon the face with her gyrdell, the feete (which is the cheefest matter in a Horse) you shall alwayes keepe sound: yf as I tould you afore, your stable be well paued with round stone, or well plancherd and kept cleane: which done, you must stop his hoofes with Cowe doung, or for want therof with Horse doung watred, and the legges must be often rubbed with a strawen wispe. To cause the hoofe to growe, or to repaire the broken hoofe, take of Garlicke heades seuen ounces, of Hearbegrace three hand­fulles, of Allome beaten and sifted, seuen ownces, of Barrowes grease very olde two powndes, mingle all these with a handfull of Asses doung, boyle them, and annoynt the hoofes therewith. After their iourney, see you searche their feete well, suffering no grauel, nor filth to remayne therein, you shal well refreashe their hoofes with the oyntment aforesayde. The ioyntes, or the pa­sternes, woulde be well bathed after their trauaile with warme wine, or an egge or two would be thrust into their howfes, the legges them selues would be washed, with warme beere, or some like bath. If the Horse thrust out one of his feete, and stand not euen, it is a signe of some fault in the foote: the Horse halteth, eyther by reason of the spoyling of his hoofe in iourney, or by yll showing, or by vnholsome humours fallen downe, by long standing in y^e stable, or by windgalles. If the fault be in the showing, strike vpon the head of euery nayle with the hammer, and when you perceiue him to shrinke, plucke out that nayle, or powre vpon the hoofe colde water, and that nayle that is fyrst dry, plucke out: yf it matter, squeese it out, and powre in Pitch well sodden with olde Swynes grease: you must also speedely open his hoofe belowe, that the matter (yf it be full of corrup­tion) may descend, least it breake out aboue the hoofe, and so cause a longer time of healing. The signes of it be, yf he holde vp his foote, which yf you doo pare him to the quicke, and where you perceiue it to looke blacke, open it, and let out the matter: if he be hurt inward, and standeth but on his toe, it sheweth the fault to be in his hoofe: but yf he treade equally with his foote, it declares the greefe to be some other where, then in his hoofe: yf in his haulting he bowe not his ioyntes, it is a signe the sore [Page 123] is in the ioyntes. For al halting generally, mingle Hemp with the white of an egge, and stop the foote withall, and after clap on the showe: yf it be a wound, put herein the pouder of Oyster­shelles, and Uerdegrease to drye it vp, or the white of an egge, with Soote and Uineger. The Cratches (as they commonly call them) is a malady that happeneth betwixt the Pastornes and the Hoofe, in the manner of a skabbe, and is ingendred of the dampes of the stable, whyle he standeth wette legged: the remedy whereof, is all one with the paines, which is likewyse a s [...]raunce breeding about the ioyntes, breaking the skinne, and m [...]ttring: taking away the heare, washe the sore with warme B [...]ece, or with the broth wherein is sodden Mallowes, Brim­stone, and Sheepes suet, which must be bounde about the sore place morning and euening, or else Sheepe suet, Goates suet, Swines grease, Uerdegrease, and quicke Brimstone, Bolear­meniacke, and Sope, boyled and made in oyntment, wherewith you shal anoynt y^• sore twyse a day, washing it first with warme wine, & after it is dried annoynt it, in the meane time kepe him out of the water: the lees of wine is also sometime vsed in the curing of the Cratches. Windgalles, which are swellinges, and risinges in the legges, are cured with cutting, and burning: some thinke they may be restrayned and cured by rideing the Horse oftentimes vp and downe in some colde and swyft streame, also by washing his legges with Salt, Uineger, Swynes grease, and Oyle, wrapping them vp certayne dayes, or by launcing, or skarrifiyng they are cured: the outward sores are healed by burning. If the backe be wrong with the saddell, or otherwise hurt that it swell, Vegetius would haue you to seeth Onyons in water, and when they be so hotte as the Horse may suffer, to lay them vppon the sore, and binde them fast, which wyll asswage the swelling in one night. Item salt beaten and medled with Uineger, putting to it the yoke of an Egge, layed vppon the swelling, wyll heale it: besides, Arssmart stamped and layd to, dooth presently asswage the swelling. If the backe be galled, washe it with Beere and Butter, or cast vpon it the pouder of a Lome wall. There is a dis [...]ase that is common in Horses, called the Uynes, which yf he haue, turne downe his [Page] eare, and launce the sore at the roote of the eare, & take out the matter: but take good heede you cut not the vaine that lieth a lit­tle aboue. If a Horse haue been set vp hot after his iourney, and in his heate hath been watred, or taken colde, whiche the Ger­manes call Verfaugen, in Englishe foundred, or in some places fraide: the remedie, is the skinne of a Weesel cut in smal pee­ces, fresh butter, a rotten egge and vineger mingled together, and powred into the Horse with a horne: after whiche, let him stand couered with a wet cloth, tyll he waxe hot. A present, and assured cure for this disease, I learned not long agone, of that honest, wyse, and valiaunt Gentleman, captaine Nicholas Malbee, in whom there wanteth nothing belonging to a woor­thi souldier, his medecine was this: Garter each legge immedi­atly one handfull aboue the knee with a liste, good and hard, and then walke him, to chafe him, and put him in a heate, and being somewhat warmed, let him blood in both the brest vaines, and in the vaines of the hinder legges, betwene the hoofe, and the Pa­storne, reseruing the blood to make a charge withal in this ma­ner. Take of that blood two quartes, and of Wheate meale, as it commeth from the Myll, halfe a pecke, and sixe egges, shelles and all, of Bolearmeniacke halfe a pound, of Sanguis Draconis halfe a quarterne, and a quarte of strong vineger: mingle them all tog [...]her, and charge all his shoulders, brest, backe, loynes, and forelegges therwith, & walke him vpon some hard ground: three houres after, leade him into the stable, and let him stande tyed two houres to the racke, without meate or drinke, & walke him then two or three houres more, and then geue him a little warme water, with ground Malt in it, and after, a little Hay, and prouender, then walke him againe vpon the hardest ground you can geat: you shal ryde him the next day a myle, or two soft­ly, and so from day to day, vntyll he be wel, which wyl be within three or foure dayes. Rememember to let him stand y^• first day after his first walking, two houres in water vp to the belly: this medecine is infallible. The collicke, or paine in the belly, is thought wyl be eased in a Horse, or Mule, onely with the syght of a Ducke, or any water foule. To keepe your Horse frō flyes, it is good to washe him ouer with the iuyce of the leaues of the [Page 124] Gourde in the middes of Sommer. Many times Horses are troubled with wormes, or bots, which you shal perceiue, yf they cast their looke vpon their belly, yf they wallow oftentimes, and strike their belly with their foote: the remedy, is Harts horne, Sauine beaten, and geuen him with a little vineger in a horne. Columella would haue you rake the Horse with your hand, and after that you haue plucked out the doung, to washe his funda­ment with sea water, or brine. B [...]asanolus in his Commentary vpon Hippocrates, declareth howe he cured the Duke of Ferars Horse, being in great daunger with woormes, by geuing them quicke siluer, and Scordium, or water Germander, when no other med [...]ines would helpe. The Rhewine, or distillation, maketh a Horse slothful, dull, and faint, yet wyl he be ledde, & rydden, and moderate labour is not amisse for him, let him drinke warme water with Wheate branne: the mo [...]e fylth he voydes at the mouth, the better wyll it be for him. There are some diseases thought to be vncurable, which yf the Horse had, and was sold, by the old lawes he was to be turned backe agayne, except the bargaine were otherwyse: of which number are y^e broken wine­ded, the lunaticke, and the manginesse, called the farcine, which disease yf it come once to y^• stones, is thought vncurable, to this they adde the through Splen [...]: some thinke y^t broken winded is not to be cured, because it is like to the consumption of the longs in a man, yet some hope of recouery there is, if it be taken in time: for letting of blood in dry diseases, is against reason. But you may annoynt the hole body with Wine & Oyle, mingled to­geather & warmed, and curry him against y^e heare till he sweate, and geue him this drinke inward from the first day: the iu [...]ce of Pisan, Swines grease clarified, & Amylum, in new sweete wine, which being boyled together, you may geue it him with a horne, to open his pipes, & set him so as he stand warme. The lunaticke eyes, are cured by letting him blood in the temple vaines, ba­thing the eyes on y^e outside with some warme bath, & putting in­to them some strong water certaine dayes, till they be hole. For the manginesse, take the woormes called Cantharides, bea [...]ing them, & mingle with them a little Uerdegrease, and so annoynt them with it, warming the body of the Horse with a fyrepan. [Page] Others vse to washe him with warme water twyse a day, and after, to rubbe him with Salt sodden in water, tyll the matter come out. Aboue al other they say it excelleth, in the beginning to anoynt him with the fat of a Seale: yf it haue runne long, you must vse stronger medicines, as Lime, Brimstone, Tarre, olde Swynes grease, of eache a like quantitie, boyled togeather, and with a little oyle made in an oyntment: they vse to rubbe it also with the Soote of a Caldron. Against many diseases both of Horses, and Bullockes, they vse the roote of the hearbe called black Ellebor, of some Bearfoote, of others Setterwort, which they thrust in the brest of the beast, betwixt the fleshe and the skinne, making a hole before with a Bookine. Against all di­seases of Horses, Vegetius commendeth this medecine as the cheefest, Centory, Woormewood, Dogge Fenell, wyld Time, Sa [...]apen, Betony, Saxifrage, Aristolochia Rotunda, take of eache alike, beate them small, and sift them, and yf the Horse haue an ache, geue it him with water, yf he be ferme, with good strong, Wine. The olde husbands would not suffer their Horses to be let blood, but vpon great necessitie, least being vsed to it, yf it should at any time be omitted, it should breede some disease: and therefore in very young Horses, and suche as be healthy, it is best not to let them blood but in the roofe of the mouth. For those that be come to their full age, you may let them blood be­fore you put them to pasture, but beware you beare a steddy hand, and strike them not too deepe: Geldinges you shall not neede to let blood, the Horses of Barbary (as they say) neuer neede any medecine.

You haue spoken yenough of Horses, it is time you say something of Asses.

Asses.It is greatly out of order, but since you wyll needes haue me so to doo, I wil not sticke with you to say what I can therin, that eache of you may doo the like in his charge. Asses are commonly kept, yet not to be little set by, because of their sundry commodities, and the hardnesse of their feedyng, for this poore beast contentes him self with what meate so euer you geue him, Thystels, Bryers, Stalkes, Chaffe, wherefore euery countrey hath store, is good meate with him: besides, he [Page 125] may best abide the yll looking to of a necligent keeper, & able to susteyne blowes, labour, hunger, and thyrst, being seldome, or neuer sicke, and therefore of al other cattel longest endureth: for being a beast nothing chargeable, he serueth for a number of ne­cessary vses: in carrying of burdens, he is comparable to the Horse, he draweth the Cart (so the lode be not vnreasonable:) for grinding in the Mill he passeth all others, therefore in the countrey the Asse is most needeful for carrying of things to the market, and Corne to the Myll. In Egypt and Barbary (where the ground is very light) they haue also their vse in plowing: and the fine Ladyes of the countrey doo ryde vpon Asses riche­ly furnished: yea, they be very apt to be taught, so as at this day in Alcayre you shall haue them daunce very manerly, and keepe measure with their Musitian. Varro maketh mention of two sortes, one wylde, whereof in Phrigia and Lycaonia there are great store: the wylde Asses that are tamed, are passing good, specially for breede, & they are easely broken: the other is tame, of which I meane to speake. The best are brought out of Arca­dia (although Varro seemes to commend the breede of Italy for goodnesse.) He that wyll haue a breede of Asses, must haue the male & the female both of reasonable age, large bodyed, sounde, and of a good kind: the male must be at the least three yere old, for from three, tyll they be tenne, they be fyt for breeding: they bring foorth their Coltes sometimes at two yeeres and a halfe, but three yeeres is the best age: the female goeth as long with her burden as the Mare, and dischargeth in all respectes as she dooth: but she wyll not very well reteyne, except she be forced immediatly after the horsyng to runne about, she seldome brin­geth forth two. When she foaleth, she gets her into some darke place, and keepes her selfe from being seene. They wyll beare all their life time, whiche (as Aristotle sayth) is thirtie yeeres: they are put to the Horse a little before the tenth of Iune, and beare euery other yeere: they bring foorth their Fole at the twelfth moneth. Whyle they be with Fole, they must not be greatly laboured, for hazarding their Fole: the male must ne­uer be idle, for he is as lecherous as the deuyll, and by rest wyl waxe nought. The Colt is suffered to run with the damme the [Page] first yere, & the next is gently tyed vp with her, only in the night times: the third yeere they are broken, according to their vse. The damme doth woonderfully loue her young so much, as she wil not sticke to come through the fire to it: but the water shee dare in no wise come neare, no not to touche it with her foote, neyther wil she drinke in any strange water, but where she is vsed to be watred, & so as she may goe & stand dry foote. They delight to be lodged in wyde roomes, & are troubled with fear­full dreames in their sleepes, whereat they so pawe with their legges, y^t yf they lye neare any hard thing, they hurt their feete: in drinking, they scarsely touche the water with their lippes (as it is thought) for feare of wetting their goodly eares, whose sha­dowes they see in their drinking: no beast can worse away with colde then this. If your Asses halt at any time, you shal thus re­medy thē, wash al the foote w^t warme water, & afterward make them cleane with a sharp knife, which when you haue done, take old chamber lye, as hot as may be, & melt therin Goates suet: or if you haue not y^•, Oxe tallow, & anoint al y^e feete til they be hole.

They say, that betwixt an Asse, & a Mare, is gotten the Moyle, as a third kinde, of two sundry kinde, neyther resem­bling the father, nor the mother.

It is very true: as of the shee Asse, & the Horse, is engendred the shee Moyle,Moyles. but altogeather stubborne, & vnrea­sonable dul. Also of the Mare, & the wyld Asse, being broken, are bredde Moyles that runne passing swy [...]tly, & are wonderful hard hoofed, but rugged of their body, & mischeuous stomaked, yet ea­sie to be handled: the Mares for breede, must not be vnder foure yeeres, nor aboue ten: they are faied in the twelfth moneth, as Horses and Asses are (as Aristotle saith): but Columella sayth, their foling time is not before the .13. moneth. The female con­ceaueth (as experience teacheth) assuredly after the seuenth day: the male doth neuer better horse, thē whē he is most tired. She y^t conceaueth not before she hath cast her coltes teeth, is taken to be barraine, as she likwise y^t takes not at the first horsing. Those that are gotten betwixt a Horse & an Asse in olde time, were called Neyars, & such as were brought forth betwixt an Asse & a Mare, they called Moyles. The Moyles them selues (they [Page 126] say) doo neuer ingender: & yf at any time they did, it was taken for monstrous, accounting the cause of their barr [...]nnesse, y^• con­trarietie of their kinds: which matter a long time troubled both Aristotle, & the rest of the Philosophers. Though Aristotle hath other where written, that Moyles doo both ingender, & bring forth: and with him agreeth Theophrastus, affirming, y^• in Ca­padocia, they do cōmonly bring forth, & ingender of themselues. The like doth Varro, & before him Dionysius, and Mago affirme, that the breeding of Moyles in the countreys of A [...]fryk, is ney­ther monstrous, nor geason, but as common as our breede of Horses: but the Moyle is both fayrer and better stomaked, that is begotten of an Asse, and a Mare. The Stallion that you meane to haue for your race of Moyles, must be as fayre as you can geat, hauing onely this regarde, that he be large of body, bigge necked, broade, and strong ribbed, large, and braw­ [...]y brested, his thyghes full of synowes, and his legges well knitte, of colour blacke, and spotted: for Asses (though they be commonly dunne) yet that colour agreeth not well with a Moyle: some say, that what colour you would haue your Moyle to be, with that coloured cloke you must couer your Asse. The Asse so proportioned (as I haue declared) that you meane to appoynt for your Stallion, you must strayghtwayes take from his damme, & put him to some Mare that hath a Colt sucking of her: you shall easely deceiue the Mare, by setting her in a darke place, remouing her owne Colt from her, and putting to her in steede therof the Asses Colt, which she wyll nurse as her owne. Afterwards, when the Mare hath been vsed to it a tenne dayes, she wyl continually after y^• time geue it sucke. The Asse being in this order brought vp, wyll better acquaint him selfe with the Mares, sometimes though he be sucked only with his owne damme, being brought vp when he is young amongst Mares, wyl wel yenough keepe company with them (as Colu­mella sayth:) but our Asses are of themselues desyrous yenough of the Mares, that they neede not to be trayned to the matter: for it is a woonderful Coltishe beast, & vnreasonably weapned. He must not be lesse thē three yeeres olde whē he couereth your Mares, which must be in the spring time, when you may well [Page] feede him with grasse, & good store of Oates, & Barly: neyther must you put him to a young Mare, for if shee haue not been horsed before, she wil so beate her woer, y^• she wil make him like the worse as long as he liueth: for remedy wherof, you must at y^• first put to the Mare a vilder Asse, y^• may woe her before, but not suffered to Horse her, & when you perceaue y^• shee is Horsing, a­way with y^• raskall, & put to your Stalion. A place fitte for this purpose, y^e countrey people (as Columella saith) were woont to haue, which they called a frame, or a brake, with two rayles on both sides, & a little distance betwene, y^• the Mare can not striue nor turne from y^• Horse: the lower part inclosed, and the Mare standing lowe, so the Asse may the better leape her, hauing the vpper ground for his helpe, which when shee hath conceaued, & at the twelue months end brought forth, the yeere after she must be suffered to run emptie, that she may the better bring vp her Colte. The she Moyle (being a tweluemonth old) must be taken from the dam, & let run vpon mountaynes, or wylde places, for the hardning of his hoofes, & the better enduring of labour, for the Male is y^• better for burden, & the Female the quicker and liuelier: both the kindes doth trauayle wel, & tyll the ground, if the plowman be not vnreasonable, or the grounde so stiffe, as it requireth a drawght of Oxen, or Horse. They wil leaue striking and kicking, if you vse to geue them wine (as Plinie reporteth) who likewyse writeth, that a Moyle wil liue fourescore yeeres.

Since you haue begunne with trauayling beastes, what can you say of the Cammell.

Cammelles.The Camell is cheefely vsed in y^e East partes, which some suppose to be the seruisablest cattel for man that is, & as it were therevnto only framed: for he is bumbast vpon y^• backe for bearing of burdens. Also, he hath foure knees, where as y^e Horse, the Asse, & such others haue but two: for his hinder legges bowe forward as a mans knees doth, wherwith he kneeleth to receiue his burden. There are two kindes of them, y^• Bactrian, and the Arabian, the Bactrian haue two bunches vpō their backes, and the Arabian but one, & the other on their brest to leane vpō, both sortes of them lacke their teeth aboue, as y^• Bullocke doth: they al serue in those countries for burden, & to carry men in y^• wars: [Page 127] they are as swyft as Horses, but some a greate deale more then others: neyther wyll they breake their pace, nor carry more bur­dens then they are vsed to: they beare a naturall hatred to the Horse, and can forbeare drinke for foure dayes: he drinkes when he may, both for that is past, and to come, troubling the water before with his foote, otherwyse he delighteth not in it: he is fed beside his pasture, and such thinges as he gettes in the woodde, with Oates, or Barly, & Salt: he engendreth backward, as the Elephantes, Tygers, Lions, Connies, and such other, whose instrumentes grow backward, when they meane to goe to rutte, they seeke the secretest and desartest places that may be: neyther may a man at any time come neare them, without greate dan­ger. They goe with young a tweluemonth, and are meete for breede at three yeeres olde, and after a yeere they conceaue a­gaine: they beare but one at once, as Elephants, and other great beastes doo: they geue milke, tyll they be greate. Againe, (as Aristotle saith) Didymus in his bookes of husbandry writeth, that the Camell hath a regarde to his blood, as the Horse hath, and lieth neyther with mother, nor sister. And the female Camell of Bactria, feeding vpon the mountaynes amongest the wylde Boares, is often times breamed of the Boare, and con­ceaueth. Of the Boare and the shee Camell, is ingendered the Camell with two iompes vpon the backe, as the Moyle is of the Asse, and the Mare, and in diuers thinges resembleth his sire, as in bristled heares, strength, and not fainting in the myre, but going lustely through, and in carrying double so much as o­ther Cammelles, as the same aucthour sayth. The females of them are spayde, to serue the better for the warres: they liue (as Aristotle sayth) fyftie yeeres, others say a hundred yeeres, and are subiect to madnesse (as Plinie sayth) there are a kinde of them called Camelleopards, that haue the resemblance of two diuers beastes, the hoofes and hynder legges like an Oxe, his forelegges & his head like the Cammell, the necke like a Horse, being flecked white and redde. Strabo sayth, he is coloured lyke a fallowe Deare, straight necked, and hye, like an Ostryge, his head something higher then a Cammels.

I remember I haue seene the like beast for al [Page] the world in a peece of tapestry with blacke Moores, with their wyues and baggage vpon their backes, saue that they had there little hornes vppon their heades, like as some sheepe haue. I thinke Heliodorus in his Aethiopian story, did first describe this beast, but these outlandishe beastes we meddle not muche with.

Goe to EVPHORBVS, let vs nowe see you discharge your part, according to your promise, and tell vs some part of your cunnyng in keeping your cattell: for next to the Horse in woorthynesse, commeth the Oxe.

Bullockes.Since it is so appoynted, I am contended to shewe you what I can say touching my poore skill: and fyrst, I may not suffer the Horse to chalenge the cheefe place, when the old wryters and auncient people dyd alwayes geue the garland and cheefe prayse to the Oxe, as to a good plowman & faythfull seruant: for Hesiodus, a most auncient wryter, & the grauest auc­thour of our profession affyrmeth, that the famely dooth consyst of the husband, the wyfe, and the Oxe. The selfe same by his aucthoritie dooth Aristotle seeme to alleage in his Pollytickes, and in his Economickes, which beast was alwayes of that ho­nour and estimation, that he was condemned in a great penaltie, who so euer dyd kil him, being a fellow, and cheefe helper in our husbandry. By the worthinesse of this beast, many great things receiued their names of them: for of the number, beauty, and fertilitie of Heyfars, dyd Italy (as they say) fyrst take his name, because Hercules pursued the noble Bull called Italus. This is the cheefe companion of man in his labours, and the trusty seruant of the Goddesse Ceres: in many great thinges for the royaltie of the Oxe, they deriued their names from the Oxe, as in calling also the Grape Bumammam: in fyne, Iupiter him selfe thought good to conuert into this shape his sweete darling Europa. Moreouer, of a rotten Steere are engendred the sweete Bees, the mothers of H [...]ny, wherefore they were called of the Greekes (as Varro sayth) [...]. The same Varro makes foure degrees in their age: the fyrst of Calues, the seconde two Yeerynges, the third Steeres, the fourth Oxen, the Sexes: in the first, the Bulcalfe, & the Cowecalfe: in the second, the Hey­far, [Page 128] and the Steere: in the third and fourth, the Bull, and the Cowe: the barraine Cowe he calleth Tauram, the milch Cow [...] Hordam, from whence came the feasts called Hordica festa, be­cause the milchkine were then sacrifised. The goodnesse of this beast is diuers, according to the diuersitie of the country: the best were counted in the olde time to be of the breede of Alba­nia, Campania, and Toscam: at this day we take the best kinde to be in Hungary, Burgundy, Frisland, Denmarke, and in Eng­land. Of Bullockes, some are for y^e drawght, some for the staull, and some for the payle: to what purpose so euer they serue, whe­ther it be for labour, for milcking, or for feeding, it is best al­wayes to chose such as are young, of lusty age, rather then those that are olde and barraine, the woordes of couenant in the olde time (as Varro saith) in selling of Bullocks, were these: doo you warrant these Bullockes, or Steeres, that you sell to be sound, of a sound heard, and without fault? The Butchers that bye for slaughter, and such as by for sacryfises, vse no worde of war­rantise: and though some Bullocks are chosen by their strength, some by the greatnesse of their body, yet the best commonly haue these properties: large, well knit, and sounde lyms, a long, a large, and deepe sided body, blacke horned, though in the colour there be no greate matter, yet some mislike the white for their tendernesse, which when Varro consenteth, who woulde haue them broade forheaded, great eyed and blacke, his eares rough and heary, his chawes to be large and wide, his lippes blackish, his necke well brawned, and thicke, his dewlappes large, hang­ing downe from his necke to his knees, his showlders broade, his hyde not hard, or stubborne in feeling, his belly deape, his legges wel sette, full of synowes, and straight, rather short then long, the better to sustaine the weight of his body, his knees streight and great, his feete one farre from the other, not broade, nor turning in, but easely spreading, the heare of all his body thicke and short, his tayle long, and bigge heared. Palladius thincketh, the best time for bying of drawght Oxen, to be in March, when being bare, they can not easely hide their faultes, by the fraude of the seller, nor by reason of their weakenesse be to stubborne to be handled. It is best to bye them of your [Page] neighbour, least the change of ayre and soyle hurt them: for the Bullocke that is brought vp nere home, is better then the stran­ger, because he is neyther troubled with change of ayre, water, nor pasture: yf you can not haue them neare you, bye them from some like country, or rather from a harder, and be well assured that you bye them euen matched, lest in their labour, the strong­ger spoyle the weaker. Looke besides that they be gentell, skill­full in their labour, fearfull of the goade, and the driuer, not dreading any water, or bridge: great feeders, but softly, and not ouerhastyly: for such doo best digest their meate. In choosing of Bulle, or Kine, the very like signes are to be required, that the Bull differeth from the Oxe, in that he hath a more frow­ning and fierce looke, shorter hornes, greater, and thicker neck so bigge, as it seemes the greatest parte of his body, his belly something gaunter, and meeter for Bulling of Kine. The Bull before he be suffered to goe with the Kine, must be well fedde with grasse, chaffe, or hay, and kept seuerally by him selfe, ney­ther must he goe to the Cowe, till the tenth of Iune. Varro woulde not suffer him before the rising of the Lira: but Aristotle woulde haue him all the reddring time to goe in pasture with the Kine. The Cowe likewyse would be hie of stature, and long bodied, hauing greate vdders, broade forheade, fayre hornes, and smoothe, and all other tokens almost that is required in the Bull, specially to be young: for when they passe twelue yeeres olde, they are not good for breede, but they liue many times farre longer if their pasture be good, & they kept from diseases. The olde Cowe geueth more milke then the young, according to the country peoples prouerbs, olde Kine more milke, young Hennes more egges. Againe, vnder three yeeres olde, you may not suffer them to goe to Bull: yf they chaunce to be with Calfe before, you must put the Calfe from them, and milke them for three dayes after, least their vdders be sore, afterwardes for­beare milking. Plinie writeth, that at a yeere olde they be fruitefull, but the breede wyll be little, as it happeneth in al too timely ingendringes. You must euery yeere in these beastes (as in all other) sort your stocke, that the olde that be barraine, or vnmeete for breeding, may be put away, solde, or remoued to [Page 127] the Plowe: for when they be barraine (as Columella sayth) they wyll labour as well as Oxen, by reason they are dryed vp, but we vse commonly to fatte them: their age is knowen by the knottes and circles of their hornes, which Plinie marketh like­wyse in Goates. The time for going to Bull, some take to be best in the midst of the spring: Palladius would haue it in Iuly, for so in the twelfth moneth she shal Calue, for so long she goeth with Calfe (as the common people say) a Cowe and a Quene haue both one time. In many places they desire to haue their Cowes goe to Bull a thirtie or fourtie dayes after the tenth of Iune, that they may Calue in March, or Aprill: they that would haue muche milke, so order the matter, as their Kine goe to Bull from the spring, to winter, whereby they alwayes milke some: at once bulling she conceaueth, yf the chaunce to fayle, she goeth to Bull againe within twentie dayes after: some say, yf so be the Bull come downe on the left side of y^e Cowe, it wyll be a Cowe Calfe, yf on the right side, a Bull Calfe. The Greekes affirme, that yf you wyll haue a Bull Calfe, you must knitte the right stone of the Bull, and for a Cowe Calfe, the left: Varro saith, that yf you put the Cowe to the Bull immediatly after gelding, she conceaueth: Columella affirmeth fiftene Kine to be yenough for one Bull. I thinke he wyll well yenough serue twentie Kine, yf he be such a Bull as I described: yf you haue good store of pasture, you may let them goe to Bull euery yeere, but you must beware your Kine be not too fatte, for that wyll hinder their being with Calfe. The Cowe should when she is reddring, haue but short pasture, and the Bull his belly full: so shall neyther she be too fat, nor he vnlusty. If the Cowe wyl not take the Bull, you must stampe sea Onyons in water, and rubbe her vnder the tayle with it: yf the Bull be not lusty yenough about his businesse, take y^e peezell of a Stagge, burne it, and make it in pouder, and with a little wine and the pouder, bathe his stones, and his pezell withall, which wyll serue for the like purpose in all other beastes (as Quintillian sayth) his cou­rage is also stirred vp by the like odours that you speake of for your Horse. A Bul ought not to leape the Cowe aboue twyse in a day as some thinke, but we finde by experience, that he may [Page] oftner. In some places they haue common Bulles, and common Boares to euery towne: a Bull wyll waxe furious at the sight of any redde thing, as the Elephant, and the Lion, whiche can not in no wyse abide the syght of any white thing. A Cowe wyll geue sucke to a straunge Calfe, but let not the Calues lye with them in the night, for feare of ouerlaying them. Some weane them at the first, and suckleth them with Milke, or Whaye, hauing a little Branne in it, or Flowre, wherewith they bring them vp, till they be able to feede. Whether you meane to reare them for breede, labour, or fee­ding, you must let them want no store of good pasture: for though they be of neuer so great a breede, yet yf their pasture be scantie, they wyll neuer come to their full growth: for pasture makes the beast (as the countrey people say.) Mago, and the olde husbandes, woulde haue you to gelde them whyle they be very young, whiche order we likewyse obserue in cutting of them: and in the Spring, or at the fall of the leafe, when they be three monethes olde, or there about, we vse to gelde the Bull Calues, and spay the Cowe Calues, sowing vp the wounde, and annoyting it with freshe Batter. Columella woulde not haue them cutte, but their stones broken by little and little with an instrument, whiche kinde of gelding he best liketh, because in the little young ones, it is donne with­out bleeding: for when they be something growen vp, it is bet­ter to cut them at two yeere olde, then at a yeere olde, which must be donne in the spring, or at the fall of the leafe, the Moone being in the wane: you must tye vp the Calfe to a frame, and before you cut him, you must fasten about the synowes, whereby the stones hang, a coople of smal stickes like a payne of tonges, and taking holde therewith, cut away the stones, so as a little of the vpper parts of them may remayne with y^e foresaid synows: for by this meanes you shal: not haz [...]rd the beast by ouermuch bleeding, neyther is his stomacke quite taken away, but hath something of the f [...]her remayning, and yet looseth his abilitie [...] rendring. Notwithstanding, yf you suffer him imme [...]diatly vppon this newe cutting to goe to the Cowe, it is certaine he may geat a Calfe, but let him not so doo, for [Page 128] feare of bleeding to death. The wounde must be annoynted with the Asshes of Uines, and Lytharge, and he must not be suffered the first day to drinke, but nourished with a little meate: three dayes after he must be d [...]eted, according to his seeblenes, with greene bowes, and sweete grasse cut for him, and looked to, that he drinke not too much: and yf you wyll, you may an­noynt the sore for three dayes with Tarre, and a little Asshes, and Oyle, to heale him the sooner, and to keepe the place from flyes. You must vse them whyle they be yet young, to suffer to be handled, and stroked, and tyed vp to the Manger, that when they should come to be broken, they may be handled with more ease, and lesse daunger: but Columella forbiddes you to meddle with the breaking, or labouring of them, before three yeere old, and after fiue: for the one is too soone, the other too late. Those that you haue taken vp wylde, and be well framed, and propor­cioned, accordyng to my paterne, you shall handle and breake in this sort. Fyrst of all, see that you haue a large roome, where the breaker may easily goe vp and downe, and out at his plea­sure, without any daunger. Before the stable, you must haue a fayre feelde, that the Steeres may haue libertie yenough, and not be feard, or haltred, with trees, or busshes. In the stable, you must haue certayne stalles, or boordes, yokewyse set vp, a seuen foote from the ground, to which the Steeres may be tyed: this done, choose you a fayre day for the purpose, and taking them vp, bring them into the stable: and yf they be vnreasonable wylde and curst, let them stand tyed a day and a night without any meate, to tame them withall: afterwardes let him that keepes them, offer them a little meate, not sidewayes, or be­hinde, but before, coyng them all the whyle, and speaking gent­ly to them, stroking their backes, and their moosels, sprinckling them with a little sweete wine, taking good heede, that they strike him neyther with head, nor with heele: for yf he once get that tricke, he wyll neuer leaue it. Thus being a little ac­quainted with him, you shall rubbe his mouth with Salt, and let downe into his throte certayne lumpes of salt tallowe, and powring after a quart of good wine, whiche wyll make him in three dayes, as good a fellowe as you woulde wishe him to be. [Page] Some vse to yoke them togeather, & let them drawe some light thing, or plowe in a light plowed ground, that their labour hurt not their neckes. The redyer way of breaking them, is to yoke them with an olde Oxe, that may easely in [...]truct them: yf he happen to lye downe in the furrowe, doo neyther beate him, nor feare him, but binde his feete togeather, and let him lye, that he may neyther sturre, nor feede: which being well punished with hunger, and thyrst, wyll teache him to leaue that sullen tricke. The feeding of this kind of cattel is diuers, according to the di­uersitie of Countreys: yf there be store of good pasture in the countrey, there is no foode to that: in countreys where wan­teth pasture, and specially in Winter, he must be kept in the Stal, and fed with such fodder as the countrey yeeldes. Where there are Tares to be had, it is the best feeding for them: and Hay is very good, Chaffe, and Coolestalkes with Chaffe and Hay, and chopt strawe sodde togeather in water, is very good feeding for Winter. In some places, they feede altogeather with newe threasshed strawe: in many places they geue them Lupines steeped in water, or Chiches, or Peson, mingled with Chaffe: besides, the branches, and leaues of Uines, the greene branches of Elme, Ashe, Poplar, and Holme: in Winter, when other greene bowes fayle, the Figge tree wyll serue, or the brousing of Okes, and Holly. Oxen are soone fatte in good pa­sture, and with Wheate, Rapes, Apples, and Radishe: Oxen, or Kine, wyll be passing fatte where there wanteth pasture, by geuing them Meale mixt with Wheate, Chaffe, and Rapes, or Graynes. They wyll waxe the sooner fatte, in wasshing them with warme water, or (as Plinie sayth) by cutting their skinnes, and blowing in winde to their bellies with a Reede. Sotion tea­cheth, that they wyll be fatte, yf when they are taken from pa­sture, you geue them the fyrst day Colwoortes chopt and stee­ped in sharpe Uinegar, and afterwardes Chaffe, being well cleaned, and mingled with Wheate branne, for the space of fiue or sixe dayes, feeding them after with good store of fodder: in Winter you must feede them at the first Cockcrowing, and a­gayne when the day begins to breake: in Sommer first at the breaking of the day, then at noone, and at night: in Sommer [Page 129] you must water them twyse a day, three houres afore noone, and three houres after: in winter, once aday with warme water, which is also thought to be good for fruitefulnesse: and there­fore the Lakes that are filled with Rayne water, are good for them. This kind of cattell desireth not cleane, or fayre water, but foule and pudled: yet it were better to geue them fayre wa­ter. Also, you must prouide them of warme pasturs for the win­ter, and in sommer, very coole: chiefely Mountaines where they may browse vpon the bushes, and picke vp a good liuing a­mong the Woods: but in lowe groundes and neare the Riuer, Oxen are sooner fatted, and Kine geue a greater quantitie of Milke. In Sommer, they lye abroade all the nightes in many places: yea, in England you shall haue them fodred abrode all the Winter. Though they be able to abide cold, yet must you prouide them of large stalles, for the succouring of such as be great with Calfe. Your stables, or Oxstals, must stand dry, and be well floored, eyther with stone, grauaile, or sand: the stone will suffer no water to abide vpon it, the other will soone drinke it vp and dry it: both sortes must be layed slope, that the water may runne away, for rotting the groundsels, and marring their houses. Let them open toward the South, so shall they be the dryer, and the warmer: notwithstanding, let your windowes o­pen North and East, which being shutte in Winter, and open in Sommer, may geue a healthful ayre. In fine, as neare as can be, let the houses be neyther to hotte, nor to colde, and as dry as may be: Columella would haue two Oxhouses, one for the win­ter, the other for the sommer both vncouered, but well and high walled, for keeping out of wyld beastes. The stalls would be eyght foote wyde, that they may haue roome yenough to lye in, that the Kine great with Calfe hurt not one the other, nor the stronger Oxe wrong the weaker: and that there may be roome for theyr keepers to come about them, and for yoking them. Vitrunius would haue the Oxehouse open towardes the East, and to be neare the fyre: for fyre is naturally beneficiall to cat­tell, both for the drying vp of the infectiue dampes, and the kee­ping of the cattel warme. Besides, by seeing of the fire, they are made gentler, and by the heate thereof, what cold they haue ta­ken in the pastures, is expelled, and diuers inward diseases cu­red. [Page] The houses must be seuered with diuers roomes, enclosed and racked, the racke must stand no higher then the Oxe may easely reach, and must haue such particions, as one beast begile not the other, whereto they must be well haltred and tyed, for hurting one the other: Cato would haue the particions lettised. Moreouer, it is to no purpose to feede them wel, except you also looke to the keeping of them in health, and sound, and therefore whether they be in house, or abroade, you must alwayes haue a speciall regard vnto them, and to ouerlooke them in the night, specially, yf there be any Kine amongest them with Calfe. And though it be needefull at all times to ouersee them, both mor­ning and euening, yet most needefull is it of all other times, to see to them in the spring, when you first put them to pasture: for at that time, by reason of their change of diet, both Oxen, Kine, and Hayfarres, are most in danger of sicknesse: in Winter a­gaine to looke to them, that they be not, for sparing of charges, kept so poore, as they be vtterly spoyled. And therefore you must spare no litter, specially when they come from labour, to rubbe them, and drye them, stroking them with your handes, and raysing the hyde from the fleshe, which wyll do them great good. In comming from worke, or out of the pasture, you must wash their feete wel with water, before you bring them into the house, that the durt and filth cleaning to them, breede no disea­ses, nor soften their hoofes. Beware of too much cold, or heate, for too much of either, filleth them with diseases. You must take heede they be not chaste, nor chafed vp and downe, specially in hotte weather, for that bringeth them to a Feauer, or causeth them to haue a Flixe. Take heede also, that there come ney­ther Swyne, nor Poultry neare their stalles, for both of them with theyr dounging poysoneth the beast. The dounging of a sicke Swine doth breede the Pestilence, or Murraine amongest cattell. You must away with all manner of carryons, and bury them wel for infecting your cattell. If so be y^e Murraine chance to come amongst them, you must presently change the ayre, and seuer your cattell farre a sunder in diuers pastures, kee­ping the sound from the sicke, that they be not infected, not suf­fering them eyther to feede togeather,The Mur [...]in and his di­uers kindes. or drinke togeather. The Pestilence, or Murraine, is a common name, but there are [Page 130] diuers kindes of it: in some Murraines, the cattell driuell and runne both at the nose and mouth, in others againe they be dry, and fall away more & more: sometimes it comes in the ioyntes, and causeth them to halt before, or behind, sometime in theyr kidnes, and appeareth by the weakenesse of their hinder parts, wherein they seeme to haue great paine in theyr loynes. An o­ther kind there is, that ryseth like a Farcine, with Pimples o­uer all the body, now appearing, and presently vanishing, and comming out in a newe place. An other sort, betwyxt the hyde and the fleshe, wherein the humor sweateth out in diuers parts of the body. Sometime it is like a Leprosie, when al the skinne is full of little pimples, and sometime a kind of madnesse, wherein they neyther heare, nor see so well as they were woont, though they looke fayre and fatte and lusty yenough. Euery one of these kindes, are contagious and infectiue, and therefore as soone as you perceaue them infected, you must presently put them a sunder for infecting the whole stocke, least you impute that to the wrath of GOD (as many fooles doo) which hap­peneth through your owne beastlynesse, and necligence. The common remedy (as Columella saith) is the rootes of Angellica, and sea Thistell mingled with Fenel seede, and with newe boy­led Wine, Wheate flowre, and hotte water to be sprinckled vp­on them. The common people, when they perceane eyther their Horse, or Bullocke sick, or any other cattell els, they vse to take the roote of blacke Ellebor, [...] called of some Consiligo, of others Bearefoote, and for a Bullocke, to thrust it in the Dewlappe, for a Horse, in the brest, for Swyne, or Sheepe, through the eare, making a hole with a bodkin, and thrusting the roote pre­sently through, which the newe wound holdeth fast that it can not fall out, whereunto all the whole force of the poyson dooth strayghtwayes geather, and runneth out in filthy water. Per­fumes in this case (as Vegetius teacheth) doo much good, as Brymstone, vnslecked Lime, Garlicke, wyld Mariorum, and Coryander seede, layed vpon the coles, and the Oxen so held, as they may receaue the smoke by theyr mouth and nose, that i [...] may fil their braine, and theyr whole body with a healthful ayre. It is good also thus to perfume y^e whole body, both for y^e health of the sicke, and preseruing of the whole. Before I proceede any farther, I wyll set you downe what kind of Spices, and what [Page] quantitie you ought alwayes to haue in a redinesse for your cattel. You must haue one pound of Fenicricke, halfe a pound of Liquerisse, one pound of Graynes, Turmericke, halfe a pound, or a quarterne of Bay berries, one pound of long Pepper, halfe a pound of Treacle of Gean, a pound of Amsseede, half a pound of Comin, half a pound of Madder, Ortment, half a poun. The hearbe, whose roote you must vse (as I said before) groweth in many places in the woods:

it was once brought vnto me by chaunce from Darn­dal in Sussex, by one Ri­chard Androwes, a good painful searcher out of such things: the picture wherof, I haue here set before you, for your better knowledge. For beside his present re­medying of cattell, he ser­ueth agaynst diuers disea­ses in man, specially for the Quartane, as the learned Mathiolus hath in his de­scription of plantes menci­oned. To returne to my cat­tell: [...] Crudity. yf they want their di­gestion, or chawe not Cud, which diseases is perceiued by often belching, and noyse in the belly, with forbearing of their meate, dulnesse of their eyes, and not licking of them selues. Take a handful of Pelito­rie of Spaine, as much of Hearbgrase, as much of Fetherfew, Sage, Horehound, and Baysalt, three pintes of very strong newe drinke: seethe them togeather three or foure wallops, and geue it him bludwarme in the mornyng, not suffering him to drinke, till the afternoone: yf you neglect this disease, so that he be pa [...]ned in the belly, and full of greefe, he wyll grone and neuer stand still in one place. For remedy wherof, you shal bind his tayle close by the Rumpe, as str [...]yte as may be, and geue hym a quarte of Wine, with a pinte of the purest Oyle: [Page 131] and after driue him a pace for the space of a myle and a halfe: annoynt your hand with grease, and rake him, afterwardes, make him runne againe: some vse to let him blood in the tayle, within a handfull of the rumpe. There is a disease which they call the Woolfe, others, the Tayle,The Tayle. which is perceaued by the loosenesse or softnesse betwyxt the ioyntes: take the Tayle, and feele betwyxt euery ioynt, and where the ioynt seemeth to be a sunder, or is soft and not close as the other ioyntes, there take and slytte him the longest way vnder the Tayle, about two in­ches long, and lay in the wound Salt, Soole, and Garlike, and bind it fast with a cloute about it. The Collick, or paine in the belly, is put away in the beholding of Geese in the water, speci­ally Duckes (as you said before) of Horses: for the sight of the Ducke, as Vegetius and Columella say, is a present remedy to this beast. For the Flix,The Flixe. or the Laske, which in some places they call the Ray, take Sloes and dry them in powder, and geue it them to drinke: yf it be the blooddy Flixe, the old fellowes were wont to cure it in this sort. They suffred not the beast to drinke in three dayes, and kept him fasting the first day, and gaue him the stoanes of Reazins or Grapes, dryed and made in powder two poundes, with a quart of sharpe tarte Wine, and suffered them to drinke no other drinke, and made them eate the brow­sing of wyld Olyue trees, and Mastyxe trees: and yf they men­ded not with this, they burnt them in the forehead to the very brayne pan, and cut of theyr eares. The woundes, tyll they were whole,Laske i [...] Calues. they washed with Oxpisse: but the cut partes were to be healed with Oyle and Pytch. If your Calues haue the Ray or Laske, take sweete Milke, and put therein the Rennet of a Calfe, make it no thicker but as the Calfe may well drinke it, and geue it him luke warme. If your Bullocke haue the Cough,The Cough. and yf it be but beginning, geue him a pint of Barly­meal with the yolke of an Egge, the Reazins boyled in sweete Wine and strained, a pint: mingle them togeather and geue it him fasting. Also Graines beaten and mingled with Floure, fryed Beanes, and meale of Lentylls, all stirred togeather, and geuen him in a mash. Columella would haue you geue them Grasse chopt, and mingled with Beanes that are but a little broken in the Myll, and Lentylls small ground, and mingled with water. The old Cough they cured with two pound of Hy­sope, [Page] steeped in three pintes of water, and mingled with Floure, which they made him to swallowe, and afterwardes powred into him the water wherein Hysope had been sodden, also Peason, with Barly water and sodden Hony, when they had the Cough, and Consumption of the Loonges. To keepe them aliue, they vsed to burne the roote of a Hasell, and to thrust it through their [...]ares, geuing them to drinke, a pint of the iuyce of Leekes, with the like measure of Oyle and Wine. For the Cough of the Loonges, I vse to geue them long Pepper, Graines, Fenegreke, Bays, Anysseede, Ortment balles, Tur­mericke, and Madder, beating them all togeather, and seething them in good Ale grounes. If your Calues haue the Cough, take Sentury, and beate it to powder, and geue it them. If they haue the Feauer,The Feauer. or Ague, you shall perceaue it by the watring of theyr eyes, the heauinesse of their head, the driueling at the mouth, beating of the vaines, and heate of the whole body: let them fast one day, the next day let them blood a little betimes in the morning in the tayle, after an houre geue them a thirtie little stalkes of Colwoortes sodde in Oyle, Water, and Salt, which must be powred fasting into them, fiue dayes togeather. Beside, you may geue them the toppes of Olyue trees, Len­tylls, or any tender brutinges, or branches of Uines, and wype theyr mouthes with a Spunge, geuing them cold water thrise a day. The blood faling downe into the legges, causeth them (as Vegetius sayth) to halt,Haltyng. which as soone as you perceaue, you must straightwayes looke vpon his hoofes, the heate whereof wyll declare his greefe, beside, he wyl scarse suffer you to touch it. But yf so be the blood be yet aboue the hoofe in the legges, you shall dissolue it with good rubbing, or yf not with that, with Scarif [...]ng, or Pouncing the skinne. If it be in the foote, open it a little with a knife betwene the two clawes, and laye to the sore, cloutes dipped in Uineger and Salt, making him a shooe of Broome, and be well ware he come not into any water, but stand dry. This blood, yf it be not let out, wyll breede to matter, which wil be long eare it heale: yf it be opened at the first with a knife, and made cleane, and after cloutes dipped in Water, Salt, and Oyle layd to it, and at the last annoynted with olde Swynes grease, and Goates suet boyled togeather, it wyll quickly be whole. This disease, as I take it, the countrey people [Page 132] call the Fowle, or the Wyspe, which they sometime cure with drawing a rope of strawe, or heare, through the Cleese, tyll it bleede, or by searing of it with a hotte iron. If the blood be in the lower part of the Hoofe, the vttermost part of the Clee is pared to the quicke, and so the blood let out, and after, the foote wrapped with clowtes and shooed with Brome, you must open the Hoofe in the middest, except the matter be ripe. If he halte by reason of the Crampe, or payne of the sinowes, you shal rub his knees, thighes, and legges, with Salt and Oyle, till he be whole. If his knees, or ioyntes be swolen, they must be bathed with warme Uineger and Linseede, or Mylet beaten and layd to it, with water and Hony. Also Spunges wette in hotte wa­ter, and dryed againe, and annoynted with Hony, are very good to be layd to the knees: yf vnder the swelling there be any hu­mor, Leauen, or Barly meale sodde in water and Hony, or sweete Wine, must be layd to it: and when it is ripe, it must be opened with a knife, and healed as before. All greefes general­ly, yf they be not broken, must be dissolued whylst they are new, with bathes and fomentations: and yf they be old, they must be burned, and the burning annoynted with Butter, or Goates suet. If he haue hurt his heele, or his Hoofe, stone Pitch, Brim­stone, and greasie Wooll, must be burnt vpon the sore with a hot iron. The like must be done when he is hurt with a Stub, a Thorne, or a Nayle, being first plucked out, or yf it be very deepe, it must be opened wyde with a knife, and so handled: for ki [...]ed heeles, take and cast him, and bind his legges fast togea­ther, then take your knife, and cut it out as nie as you can, and let him bleede well: then take a peniworth of Uerdegrease, and the yolke of an Egge, and temper them well togeather, and bind them close to the place, and he shall heale. If the Udder of your Kine do swell, you shall bathe them with Iuie sodden in stale Beere, or Ale, and smoke them with Hony Coames, and Camomell. If the Bullockes feete be neare worne, and surba­ted, washe them in Oxe pysse warmed, and kindling a fewe twygges or spraps, when y^e flame is doone, cause him to stand vpon the hotte imbers, and annoynt his hornes with Tarre, and Oyle, or Hogges grease. They wyll neuer lightly halt, yf after they haue ben laboured, their feete be washed wel with cold wa­ter, and afterwards their Pastorns, and the places betwene the [Page] Clees be rubbed with old Swynes grease. The skabs or man­ginesse,Skabbes. is gotten away with rubbing them with stamped Gar­licke, which also cureth the biting of a madde Dogge: besides, Peniriall and Brimstone, beaten and boyled with Oyle, Uine­ger, and water, and after whilst it is warme, a little Alom made in powder and cast into it, doth cure the skabbe, being annoyn­ted in the sunshine. Other vse to annoynt them with Butter and Bullockes pisse: and some againe take Rozen, Tarre, & Wine, and vse it as a Pultesse. Hydebound, is when the skin so stickes to his backe, that you can not take it vp from the ribbes, which happeneth by suffering him to take cold after his swette,Hidebound. or yf after his labour he be wette with rayne, or brought lowe with sicknesse: which, because it is very dangerous, you must looke, that when they come from their labour, and are hot, you sprin­kle them with Wine, and geue them some peeces of fatte or su­et. But yf they be alredy Hydebound, it is good you seeth some Bay leaues, and with the warme decoction thereof, to bath his backe, and to rubbe him all ouer with Wine and Oyle ming­led togeather, and to lyft and plucke vp the skinne round about, and that abroade, while y^e sunne shineth. If his bleeding stench not after the cutting of the vaine, the remedy is to lay his owne doung to the place. A common medecine for all diseases, as Ve­getius reporteth is this: the roote of a sea Onion, the roote of the Popler, and the common Salte, of eache a sufficient quanti­tie, lay them in water, and geue it your cattell to drinke tyl they be whole: which also being geuen in the beginning of the spring, for the space of fourteene dayes, preserueth them from all sick­nesse. Nowe that you haue heard in what sort the old husbands did remedy the diseases in their cattell, I shall breefely declare vnto you the remedies that are obserued in sundry diseases at this day, wherof I haue chopt in some amongst the medecines before. First for y^e Murraine:For the Mureyne. it beginneth at the first in y^e throte, and swelleth in the head, and rotleth with much noyse in the throte, whereby it is perceaued: take a quart of newe Milke, half a peniworth of Butter, a peniworth of Garlicke, two peni­worth of English Saffron, two peniworth of Cinamon, two peniworth of Turmericke, a quantitie of Hearbegrace, a quan­titie of Bittony, mingle them altogether, & geue it him warme: [Page 133] then take an Alle, and thrust the top of his nose vpwarde, take but the very top to thrust through, and not to the headwarde, then let him blood in the necke almost a pottell, yf he be able: saue the blood and let it stand, yf it change, he may liue, yf not, he dieth. An other for y^e same. Where he swelleth about y^e iawes and vp to the eares, open him vnder the iawes to the roote of the tongue, & get in your finger, and open it a good wydenesse, then take a good peece of ru [...]tie Bacon, & a handfull of Ragge­wort, stampe them well togeather, and fyll the hole full with it: then let him blood at the nose, and the tongue. A drinke for the same. Take Tansie, Hearbegrace, Longwort, Hisope, Time, of eache a like quantitie, halfe a handfull, stampe them, and take a quarte of good Alegroundes, and seethe them a wallope, or two: take and straine it, and put the licour into a vessell, put therunto a peniworth of Graines,For the loonge [...]. a peniworth of long Pepper, a peni­worth of Ortment, & a peniworth of Fenegreke geue it the beast luke warme. The sicknesse of the Loonges is perceiued, yf the Dewlappe be hard closed togeather very farre vp: also in hard feeling the Hyde vpon the backe, it cracketh or snappeth much: also a short husking, and thrusting out the tongue withall: yf it be much perished on the left side, he is vncurable, whiche you shall perceiue by the Hyde, which wyll sticke fast on that side, and likewyse the Dewlappe, yf he be farre gone, he wyll grone much. The remedie for this disease, is to take long Pepper a peniworth, round Pepper asmuch, of Graines two peniworth, of Turmericke two peniworth, of Fenegreke two peniworth, of Mace asmuch, Cloues a peniworth, of Anisseedes a peni­worth, of Madder two peniworth, of Tryacle of Geane, the vtter rine of Wallnuts dryed, and made in pouder, Iuniper berries poudred, Oxe Loongworth, Fetherfewe, Hearbgrace, Tansie, Horse Mintes, Bay berries poudred, a peniworth of Garlicke, a quarte of Chamberly, a pinte of Salte, a quantitie of Butter: Setter him before, or immediatly after this medcine geuen.Settring of cattell. The order of Settring a Bullocke is this, take Setter­wort, otherwyse called Bearfoote, and Garlicke like quantitie, peele and stampe the Garlicke, & pare the Setterwort cleane, and wrappe them wll in Butter, then cut the Dewlappe two [Page] inches behinde the sticking place, to the brestwarde, and cut it alongstwyse about two or three inches, and pull the Dewlappe with thy finger, or with a sticke, rounde about one side from the other, as much as you can possible. Then put the Setterwort, Garlike, and Butter, as much as thou canst well put in, and thus doo on both sides the Dewlappe, then rowle him so that the string may goe through both holes on both sides the Dewlappe, alwayes remembring to cut the Dewlappe a hand­broade, or aboue the bottome, and in any wyse to rent him to the bottome, before you put in the medecine. The third day after the Settring looke to them, open the wounde, and let out the corrupcion (yf it be come downe) if not, put in more of the medi­cine, and turne the rowle: and yf it be much swolen and hard, and wyll not rotte, take a hotte iron, and take vp parte of the soare, the skim [...], and the fleshe, in such place as thou seest most conuenient, so as it come not to the bone, and thrust the iron through on the one side, and on the other, or once right vnder, yf the swelling be right beneath, and tarre him well yf the flyes be busie. Which flyes yf they chaunce to get into the soare, take a cloth or towell, and lappe it about a sticke, and put it into skalding hotte Tarre, and so among the Maggottes, searching euery corner wel. After you haue pearsed him with the hot iron, remember to take a little sticke, and Towe, and dipping it in Sallet Oyle, or Wooll Oyle, to rubbe the hole where the iron passed. The sicknesse of the Gall,The Galle, or Yellovvs. is knowen by the running eyes, yf he haue much yellowe earewaxe, it is also discerned by the browne yellowes vnder the vpper lippe: the cure is this. Take Chamberly, good Ale groundes, or Beere groundes, hard Soote in pouder, Gallwort, beastes Loongwort, Planten leaues, Hearbgrace, Hempleede, or Hemp toppes, Garlicke stamped, a peniworth of Aqua vite, for a great Bullocke, take almost a quarte of this medecine, for a small Bullocke, lesse: when he hath drunke, take Salt, Lome of the wall, and leaue­ned bread, and rubbe well his tongue, and all the roofe of his mouth: then washe his backe, and chafe it wel with Chamber­lye lukewarme: geather all these hearbes in Sommer, and keepe them, and make them in pouder. This medecine serueth [Page 134] likewyse for the Loonges. If a Bullocke be diseased in the Ly­uer,For the Liuer. he complayneth fyrst in the legges, whiche wyl so greeue him, that he shal not be well able to stand, though he be in good liking: the remedy is this. Take a quart of good Ale (yf it may be gotten) yf not, take Beere put therein Lyuerwort, a good handfull, Woormewood as much, a peniworth of Garlicke, halfe a peniworth of Madder, a peniworth of round Pepper, as much long Pepper, a peniworth of Cloues and Mace, a peni­worth of Tryacle, mingle them togeather, the hearbes being poudred,The Blaine. and geue the beast a drinke lukewarme. The signes of the Blaine, are these: swelling about the face, and the eye, and somewhat in the body: yf it be in the body, it swelleth muche there, the only remedy is. Take and searche him in the mouth, yf you perceiue blisters vnder the rootes of his tongue, or other place there abouts, then cut them to the bottome, and let them out, and rubbe the place with Salt: searche him also for the bo­dy at the fundament, by the arme or hand of some young strip­ling: and when his arme is in as farre as he can, let him turne his hand vpward, and feele for the blaines, or blisters, & breake them with his nayles, pulling them quite out: see that he an­noynt his hand well with Grease, or Sope. There is a disease called the Sprenges,The Spren­ge [...]. wherein he wyl smite his head backward to his belly, and stampe with his legges: you must put your hand into his fundament, as farre as you can pul out the doung, then shall you finde blood, pull the blood quite out, and take a good handful of Bay sal [...], and put it in at twyse, as farre as you can: yf he haue this disease, he wyl swel in the body, and couete much to doung. If he haue the Staggers,The Stag­gers. he wyl looke very red about the eyes, & cast his head backward: take the fourth part of an ounce of Pepper, broose it, and take halfe a pint of sharpe Uineger warmed blood warme, and powre it into his Nose­thrils, and hold his head well vpward, and let him blood at the Nose. If your Bullocke turne round, and haue the Dasye,The Das [...]e. you shal take him by the head, and feele vpon his forehead, and you shall feele it with your thumbe: cut the skinne crossewyse right in the place, and wype away the blood as it dooth encrease with a cloute, and bind a cloth ouer his head, and keepe it warme. [Page] If your Oxen pisse blood,Pissing of blood. keepe them foure & twentie houres from water, & then geue to euery one a little dyshefull of rennet curdes in a quarte of milke, let them not drinke in foure houres after. There somtime runneth a blood vpon the backe of a Bul­locke, which wyll make him drawe his legges after him, & goe as yf he were swayde in the Chyne: cut of a ioynt, or two of his tayle, and let him bleede: yf he bleede too much, knit his tayle, or feare it. If he haue the Panteys,Panteys. he wyll pant much, and shake in the Flanke, & sometime shake downe: geue him a little Ren­net with Soo [...]e and Chamberly. If he swell of the Taint,Taynt. or S [...]ingworme geue him Urine, Salt, & Tryacle to drinke: yf he be Hydebound,Hydebound [...]ampe the leaues of Floredelise, straine them, and geue the beast to drinke: yf he chaunce to haue a stroke in the eye, take the iuyce of Smallege, Fenel, and the white of an Egge. The Gargyse,Gargyse is a swelling beside the eye vppon the bone, l [...]ke a botch, or a byle: yf your Bullocke haue it, cut of rounde about it peeces of skinne as broade, then cut also rounde about those pecces, one narrowe lap of the skinne, which wyll keepe the disease from his lippes, for yf it come to his lippes, it is vncurable. Then take Chamberly, and Salte, and seeth them togeather, and washe the places where the skinne is cut of, and washe it therewith euening and morning, tyll the swelling be gone, skraping of the skabbes, and other filth at euery dressing to the quicke, tyll the swelling be gone, not sparing it, so long as it watreth, and runneth: when the swelling is cleane gone, take Nerualle and Hony, boyled togeather blood warme, and annoynt al the sayde places, which wyl both heale it, and cause the heare to come againe. We haue certaine medicines besides, that we vse generally for all diseases,For al disea­ses. as this, which is very so­ueraine: take a handfull of beastes Loongwort, a handfull of o­ther Loongwort that serueth for the pot, a handfull of inwarde ryne of Elder, a handfull of Rewe, choppe them small, and put them into a pottell of good Ale, let them seethe tyll they be soft, then styrre them, and put into the licour a peniworth of long Pepper, a peniworth of Graines, a peniworth of Liqueryse, a peniworth or Anisseede, a halfe peniworth of Comen, a peni­worth of Turmericke, all well beaten, and put into the licour, [Page 137] with a quarter of a pound of Madder: and whylst all these doo seeth, take a greate bowledishe, and put therein a handfull of Bay salt, halfe a handfull of Garlicke, foure new layd Egges, shelles and all, two balles of Ortment, grinde all these thinges with a Pestell in the bowle: then take the licour aforesayde from the fyre, tyll it be halfe colde, and put the warme licour in­to the bowle, with the Garlicke, Salt, Egges, and Ortment, brewe it well togeather, and geue the beast to drinke blood warme, or a little more. An other of the same sorte is this, two peniworth of Comen, a peniworth of Graines, two peniworth of Anisseedes, a peniworth of Bay berries, a peniworth of Fe­necrycke, a peniworth of Turmericke, one ball of Ortment, a peniworth of Tryacle, or rather for the Loonges, three or foure spoonefulles of Madder, beate them all to geather, and put them in three quartes of drinke, set them on the fyre, tyll they be blood warme, geue the beast no drinke in y^e morning before, nor tyll noone after in the Sommer, and in the Winter tyll night: or yf you wyll, you may geue them this medecine folo­wing: take Flint soote, that is hard dryed vpon a post or roofe, and beate it into powder with Salt, then take running water, and seethe it, ranke Iuie, with the Soote and Salt, and when the Iuie is soft, take and wring out the iuyce, and straine all to­geather through a lynnen cloth, & geue it your cattell to drinke blood warme, in the spring, and at the fall of the leafe. Bubale called of the common people Buffes,The Buffes. of Plinie Bisonte, are common in Itally, beyonde the Apenin: a wylde and sauage beast, that for their fearsenesse, are handled with ringes of iron in their noses, of colour blacke, their bodyes large, and mighty, their legges well set, and knit very strong, and in respect of their body short, their hornes large cranyed, and blacke, their heare small and short, their tayles littel, they are in those partes vsed for carriage, drawght, and like vses, as the Oxe. Of the milke of this beast are made Cheese, that about Rome, and other places are greatly esteemed: Columella countes them to be strong meate, and heauie of digestion. Loe here is all that for my share I haue to say, touching my cattell: nowe HEDIO holde you the candell an other whyle.

Next vnto the greater sort of cattell, the cheefest place is to be assigned to Sheepe: yea yf you consider the great commoditie and profite, they are to be prefered before them: for as Oxen serue for the tylling of ground,Sheepe. & necessary vse of men, so is to this poore beast ascribed y^e safegard of the body, for the Sheepe dooth both with his fleese apparayle vs, & with his milke, & holesome fleshe, nourish vs (as the Poet witnesseth.)

Of Sheepe there are sundry breedes. The ritch & the champi­on countrey, breedeth a large, and a great Sheepe: the barraine and the clyffy, a resonable stature: the wylde and the mountaine grounde, a small and a weerysh Sheepe. The olde husbandes, did greatly commend the breede of Milet, Appulia, and Cala­bria, and most of all the breede of [...]aranto, next of Parma, and Modena. At this day for the finenesse of their fleese, are most in price the Sheepe of England, of Germanie about the Rhine, and of France. Varro councelleth all such as would bye Ewes, to haue their cheefe consideration of their age, that they be ney­ther to old nor to young, the one of them not yet come to it, the other already past proffite: but better is that age, wherof there is some hope, then where there followeth nothing but a dead carcasse. Your best is therfore to bye them at two yeeres olde, and not to meddle with such as are past three: their age is to be knowen by their teeth,The choyse of Evves. for the teeth of the olde ones are worne away: next must you looke, that your Ewe haue a large body, deepe woolled, and thicke ouer all the body, specially about the necke, and the head, and good store vppon the belly: for such as were bare necked and bellied, the olde husbandes alwayes refu­sed. The necke must be long, the belly large, the legges short, though y^e Sheepe of England be long legged, the tayle in some countrey short, in others very long: for in Arabia some haue tayles a cubite long, but woonderfull broade: others, (as both Herodotus, & Aelianus affirme) three cubites long, so that the shepheardes are forced to tye them vp, for being hurt with [Page 138] trayling vpon the ground. In Egypt, a Rammes tayle hath ben found to waye twentie pound, & more. The Ramme must haue his hornes great, wyneding inward, and bending to the face, though in some place they haue no hornes at all,Rammes. & yet not better Rammes: the hornes must rather crookle inward, then growe straight vp. In some countrys, that are wet, & stormie, Goates and Rammes are to be chosen, that haue the greatest & largest hornes, whereby they may defend their heads from storme and tempest: and therfore in colde & stormie countreys, the horned Rammes are best: in milde & gentle climets, the pold. Beside, there is this inconuenience, when he knowes him selfe to be ar­med, he wil alwayes be fighting, and vnruly among his Ewes: and though he be not able to serue the turne him self, yet wyll he suffer no other Ramme in the flocke, tyll he be euen cloyed, & lamed with lechery. The Pollarde on the otherside, finding him selfe vnarmed, is milder and quieter by much: wherefore the Shepheards, to restraine the rage of the vnruely, do vse to hang before his hornes, a little boorde with sharpe prickes inwarde, which keepes him from his madnesse, whyle he perceiueth him selfe to be hurt with his owne blood: others say, that yf you pearce his hornes with a Wymble next to the eares where they winde inwarde, he wyll leaue his brauling. In some places also the Ewes are horned: but to the Ramme his eyes must be browne, his eares great, his brest, shoulder, & buttockes broade, his stones great, his tayle broade, and long: you must looke be­side, that his tongue be not blacke, nor pecled, for comonly such wyll geat blacke & pied Lambes, as Virgil noteth.

Bye not your Sheepe but washed & vnshorne, that the colour may plainlier appeare: the white colour, as it is y^e beautifullest, so is it y^e profitablest. In March is your best bying of Sheepe:VVhen to bye sheepe. for shepheardes lyke suche as haue well worne out the winter. Whosoeuer wyl be a sheepemaister, must regarde the abilitie of his ground: for it is not yenough to haue pasture in sommer, [Page] But they must be well prouided for in winter: in any wyse, you must haue store of pasture, and better it is, and more proffitable to the Master, to keepe a fewe Sheepe well, then a great num­ber with scarsitie of pasture. Florentinus is of that fancie, that he woulde your number should rather be odde then euen, think­ing that number more fortunate, for the healthynesse, and long continuance of the cattell: but these are superstitious toyes, as are a great number of others imagined by the faithlesse. Be sure euery yeere once, to make your muster, and supply the pla­ces of such as are dead, or sicke, with a newe and a sounde num­ber, so that the Master be not deceiued with an olde vnproffita­ble flocke. The hardnesse and crueltie of the colde Winter, dooth oftentimes beguile the shepheard, and destroyeth many of his flocke: whereof (presuming of their strengh in the ende of the Sommer) he had made no supply, and therfore Columella is of oppinion, that the age for breede ought not to be lesse then three yeere, nor aboue eyght, both because that neyther of the ages is meete to be kept: and also that whatsoeuer commeth of an olde stocke, hath lightly a smack of his olde parentes imper­fection, and proueth eyther to be barraine, or weake. The selfe same Columella woulde haue y^e Ewes to be put to the Ramme, after they had passed two yeere olde, & the Ramme to be of fiue yeere olde, and after seuen, to decay. In many places at this day, they suffer both the kindes to breede, from two yeere olde, tyll niene: but before two yeeres, it is not good to put ey­ther the Ramme, or y^e Ewe to breede, although in most places they suffer the Ewes at a yeere old. The Ramme is put by his purpose, by the Wyckers, or Bulryshes, tyed to the Ewes tayle, but more commodiously, by going in seuerall pastures: howbeit, they are not commonly seuered, but sufferd to goe to­geather. The Rammes that you would haue to serue your Ewes, must afore the blossoming, be kept in good pasture. for two monethes, whereby they may the better be able to doo their businesse: but in our countrey, we commonly suffer them to feede togeather. To encrease their lust, you shall geue them in their pasture, the blades of Onyons, or Knotte grasse: they rather couette the olde Ewes, then the young, because [Page 139] they be easiyer to be intreated, and the Rammes them selues in age be the better. By knitting of the right stone, you shall haue Ewe Lambes, and of the leaft, Ramme Lambes: also their blossoming in y^e Northwind, ge [...]tteth Ramme Lambes, and in a Southwind, Ewe Lambes. One Ramme (as Dydimus affirmeth) suffiseth for fiftie Ewes: when they haue all concea­ued, the Rammes must againe be banished, for dangering and harming the Ewes. During the time of their blossoming, they are to be watered in one place (as both Varro, & Plinie affirme) because the change of water both discoloureth the wooll, & dan­gereth the Lambe. The pollicie of Iacob the Patry [...]rche, in procuring of partie coloured Lambes, is wel yenough knowen. The best time for blossoming, is from the setting of the Bear­warde, to the setting of the Egle: (as Varro and Columella haue written) which is (as Plinie interprettes it) from the third Ides of May, tyll the thirteene Kalendes of August, other thinke it good all the yeere long, many prefer the Winter Lambe before those that fall in the spring, as a creature that of all others, best brooketh his Winter byrth. The thunder, yf the Ewes goe a­lone, makes them cast their Lambes, and therefore it is good to let them goe with company, for auoyding that perrill: they goe with Lambe .150. dayes, or fiue monethes: such as are after­warde dammed, are feeble and weake, and such were of the old wrighters called Cordi: for the most part they bring but one Lambe a peece, yet oftentimes two, and yf they be well fedde, sixe at a time. It hath been seene in Gelderland, that fiue Ewes haue had in one yeere, fiue and twenty Lambes: it may seeme paraduenture to many vncredible, & yet not greate marueyle, since they haue twyse a yere most times two, and sometime sixe at a time. The shepheard must be as careful as a midwyfe in the yeaning time, for this poore creature (though she be but a Sheepe) is as much tormented in her deliuery, as a shrew, and is oftentimes the more dangerously vexed, and payned in her lobour, in that she is altogeather without reason: and therfore it behoueth the shepheard to be skilfull in medcening of his cat­tell, and so cunning a midwyfe withall, as yf neede require, he may helpe his Ewe, what danger soeuer happen. The Lambe [Page] as soone as he is fallen, must be set on foote, and put to the dammes vdder, and oftentimes his mouth held open, the milke must be milked in, that he may learne to sucke: but before you doo this, you must be sure to milke out the fyrst milke called Colostra, whereof I wyll speake hereafter: for this, except some quantitie be drawen out, doth hurt y^e Lambe: if the damme dye, you must suckle it with a horne: yf the Lambe wyll not of him selfe sucke, he must be put to it, and his lippes noynted with sweete Butter, and Swynes grease, and seasoned a little with sweete milke. As soone as they are lambed, they must be shutte vp togeather with their dammes, whereby both y^e damme may cheerishe them, and they learne to know their dammes. After­warde, when they begin to waxe wanton, they must be seuered with Hardelles: or (as Varro wryteth) after tenne dayes they must be tyed to little stakes with some gentle stay, for hurting of their ioyntes, and waxing leane with to much play. The wea­ker must be seuered from the stronger, for hurting of them. And in the morning betimes, before the [...]locke goe to pasture, and in the euening when they be full, the Lambes must be put to their dammes: and when they waxe strong, they must be fedde in the house, with Clouer, and sweete grasse, or else with Branne, and Flowre. And when they haue gotten greatter strength, they must be let out wit [...] their dammes about noone, in some sunny and warme close neare adioyning. In the meane time, you must not deale with milking of the Ewes, so shall you haue them to beare the more wooll, and bring the more Lambes. When the Lambes are taken from the dammes, good heede mu [...]t be had, that they pine not away: and therefore they must be well cherished in thei [...] weaning time with good pasture, and well [...], both from cold, and extreame heate. Now after that t [...]ey haue forgotten the vdder, that they care not for their dams, then shall you let them feed [...] with the flocke: howbeit in most [...]ces the Lambes are su [...]ered to feede in the flocke togeather with t [...]eir dammes, & to sucke tyl haruest time, tyl the dammes them selues doo weane them. Varro woulde haue you not to g [...]ld your Lambes vnder fiue monethes old, & that in a season ney­ther too hot, nor too colde: but experience teacheth vs, that the [Page 140] best gelding is vnder the damme when they be youngest: for in the older (as in al other beastes) it is dangerous. Those that you wil keepe for Rammes, you must take from such Ewes as vse to haue two at one time. The best pasture for Sheepe, is the grasse that is turned vp with the Plowe, and groweth vppon f [...]llowes: the next is that, that groweth in drye Meddowes: the marshy grounde is to be refused, and that whiche groweth neare vnto Lakes, and Fennes: the playne and the champi­on Feeldes and Downes, are best for the delicatest and so­nest woolled Sheepe. To be short, the shorter and fyner the grasse is, the meeter is it for Sheepe: and yet is there no pasture so good, or so fine, but with continuall vse, your Sheepe wyll be weery of, except y^e shepheard remedy th [...]s fault with geuing of them Salt, which (as a sauce to their foode) [...]e must sette redy in Sommer when they come from pa [...]ture, in little Troughes of wood, by licking whereof they ge [...]t them an appetite both to their meate, and their drinke. For where as Sheepe waxe soonest fat with watring (as Aristotle affirmeth) you must in sommer euery fifth day let them haue Salt, a pecke to euery hundred: so shall your Sheepe be alwayes healthy, waxe fatte, and yeelde you plentie of milke. Moreouer, agaynst the winter rotte, or hunger rotte, you must prouide to feede them at home in Cratches. They are best fedde in the warmer countreys, with the leaues and bro [...]singes of Elme, and Ashe, and the Haye that is made after haruest in the end of sommer, because it is softest, & therefore sweeter then the other. With what heede and carefulnesse this cattell is to be sed, Virgil de­clares, who wyls a regard to be had of the times, both of theyr watring, and feeding.

[Page] But in the noone time, and the heate of the day, you must driue them to the vallyes, and shades (as he sayth) a little after.

After, when the heate is past, you must driue them agayne to the water, and so bring them agayne to feelde.

Varro affirmeth, that they deuided their pasturing times in Puglia, after this maner. First they put them out to pasture be­times in the morning, when as the deawy grasse doth farre ex­ceede in pleasantnesse, and sweetenesse: the grasse that being burnt with the heate of the Sunne, is ouer dry. About noone a­gaine, tyl it waxe cooler, they are to be driuen vnder some colde or watry Rockes, and broade shadowed trees, and towarde the euenyng be suffered to feede tyll sunne set, alwayes hauing re­gard, that in their driuing, their heads be from the sunne: for no beast is so tender headed. Within a little after the settyng of the sunne, they must be driuen to water, and after, suffered to feede agayne, tyll it be darke: for then is the pasture sweetest. This order is to be obserued from y^e rysing of the seuen starres, and the lesser Dogge, tyl the latter Aequinoctial. The like dooth Columella, and Plinie teache, that after the rysing of the Dogge, the flocke must afore noone be driuen Westwarde, and feede with their face toward the West, and after noone they must be brought agayne Eastward. The feeldes whence the Corne is newely had of, is good to past [...]re them for two causes, both for that they are well fedde with the leauinges of the sheaues, and that with the trampling of the strawe, and dounging, they make the ground richer against the next sowing: but our coun­trey men doo not well like, that Sheepe should feede vppon the eares of Wheate. The p [...]sturing of them in the other seasons, as winter, and the spring, differs in this poynt, that they put them not abroade, tyll the sunne haue drawen vp the deawe, and hurtf [...]ll vapours of the grounde, and so feede them all the day long, thinking it sufficient to let them drinke at noone: but our [Page 141] husbandes vse not to suffer their Sheepe to feede abroade in the sommer time, neyther before the sunne rysyng, nor after the settyng, by reason of the deawe being more hurtful in sommer, then in winter. In winter, and the spring time, they keepe them in the folde, tyll suche time as the sunne haue drawen vp the rymes and hoare frostes from the feeldes: for the frosty grasse at this time of yeere, doo stoppe their heades with rhume, and fylles their bellyes full of water: and therefore in the colde and wette seasons of the yeere, it is yenough to let them drinke once a day. Moreouer the shepheard, as also the keeper of all cattel, must deale gently, and louingly with their flocke, and comfor­ting, and cheering them with synging, and whystling: for the Arabians (as Alianus wryteth) doo fynde, that this kind of cat­tell taketh great delight in musicke, and that it dooeth them as much good, as their pasture. Beside, they must be well ware in the driuing of them, and rulyng of them, that they guide them with theyr voyce, and shaking of theyr staffe, not hurting, nor hurlyng any thing at them, nor that they be any time farre of from them, and that they neyther lye [...] nor sitte: for yf they goe not forwarde, they must stand: for it is the shepheards office to stand alwayes as hie as he can, that he may plaine and easely discerne, that neyther the slowe, nor the great bellyed in lanyng tyme, nor the quicke, nor the liuely, whyle they roame, be seuered from theyr felowes: and least some theefe, or wylde beast, beg [...]ile the ne [...]ligent shepheard of his cattell. Of theyr pasturing, I thinke I haue spoken sufficiently, and therfore I meane nowe to shewe you of their houses, or sheepecots,Sheepecots. where­of there ought to be a special regard, that they be conueniently placed, not subiect to windes, nor stormes, and that they rather stand toward the East, then toward y^e South. Columella would haue them built lowe, and rather long, then b [...]ode, that they may be warme in the winter, and that the straightnesse of the roome hurt no [...] the young. And beside, he would haue them stand to­ward the South: for this beast (though his garmentes be warme) can not away with colde weather, ney [...]her ye [...] with the gre [...]t heate of the sommer. I haue seene some sheepe houses so framed, as they haue had theyr gates toward the South, and [Page] towarde the East, that they might aunswere to the seasons of the yeere. Columella woulde haue the house sette towarde the South, and on the Backside a close Posterne, where they may safely take the ayre. You must looke besides, that where they stande, the grounde be made fayre and euen, some thing hanging, that it may be cleane kept, and that the vrine may be well voyded away: for the wettenesse hereof doth not onely hurt, and corrupt their feete, but also spoyleth their coates, and maketh them rowfe, and ilfauoured. Let there therefore be no moysture, but alwayes well strawed with dry Fearne, or strawe, that the Ewes that be with young, may lye the softer, and cleaner. Let their beddes be very cleane, for the cleaner they lye, the better they feede: let them in any wyse be well sedde: for a small number (as I sayd before) well fed, yeeld more profite to their Maister, then a great flocke barely kept. You must also haue seuerall partisions to keepe the weaker and the sicke, from the strong and vnruly. And thus much of housed Sheepe, that are euery day brought home, but in some places they are kept a [...]o [...]de, far from eyther towne, or house. In Forestes, & vpon [...] feeldes and downes, in these places the shepheard carri [...]th with him his Hard [...]lles, and his Nettes, and other necessaries, to solde his flocke withall. In the desarte feeldes, when as the winter pastures, and the sommer pastures, are distant certaine miles asunder (as Varro sayth) he woulde haue the flockes that haue wintred in Apu [...]ia, to be kept in som­mer vppon the mountaines of [...]e [...]e, and Virgil thus writeth of the shepheardes of Ly [...]ia.

[Page 142] The like haue I my selfe seene in Swycherland, and other places of Germany, where the shephearde, lying styll abrode with his flocke, foldes his Sheepe in the night with Hardels, tying their dogges about them for watchmen: the shephearde him selfe in a little house vppon wheeles, sleepes hard by his charge. The Sheepe of Greece, Asia, an Toranto, and those which they call couered Sheepe, are commonly vsed to be kept in houses, rather then abroade, for the excellencie and sinesse of their wooll.

What times doo you appoynt for the shea­ring of your Sheepe?

The times of shearing,Shearing of Sheepe. are not in all places one, but varry, according to the disposition of the ayre, the cattell, and the countrey: the best way is to haue good regarde to the weather, as the Sheepe be not hurt by shearing in the colde, nor harmed by forbearing in the heate. In some places they haue two seasons in the yeere for shearing of their Sheepe: the fyrst season for their shearing, is eyther with the beginning of May, or els with the ending of April: the seconde season of theyr shearing, is about the beginning of September. Such as doo vse to sheare theyr Sheepe but once in the yeere, doo commonly appoynt for their season, the tenth of the moneth of Iune, about which time also such as do sheare twyse a yeere, doo sheare their Lambes. Three dayes before you sheare them, you must washe them well, and when they be full dry, you may sheare them: they doo not in all places sheare their Sheepe, but in some places (as Plinie sayth) pull them. The old hus­bandes did account for the best wooll, the wooll of Puglia, and that which in Italy was called the Greeke fleese: the next in goodnesse they tooke to be the wooll of Italy: in the third place they esteemed the Milesian fleese: the wooll of Pullia is but short, and meete to be worne onely in ryding clokes. The wooll about Toranto, and Canas, is thought to be passing good: but the best at this day, is the wooll of Englande. The fy­ner your pasture is, the fyner (as it is thought) you shall haue your wooll. The wooll of suche sheepe as are slayne by the Woolfe, & the garmentes made thereof (as Aristotle saith) [Page] is aptest to breede Lyse. If you happen in the shearing to clip the skinne, you must foorthwith annoynt it with Tarre: when you haue shorne them, some thinke it good you annoynt them with the iuyce of sodden Lupines, Lees of olde Wine, and the dragges of Oyle made in an oyntment, and after three dayes to wash them (if it be neare you) in the sea, or yf the sea be farre of, with rayne water sodden with Salt. And being thus ordred, you shall not haue them to lose their wooll all the yeere, but to be healthy, and to carry a deepe and a fine fleese, and therfore Virgil biddes you,

There be some agayne, that woulde haue you to annoynt them three dayes in the yeere, the da [...]es being soone after you haue washed them, with Oyle, and Wine mingled togeather. A­gainst Serpents, that many times lie hid vnder their Cribbes, you must burne Cedar, Galbanum, or womans heare, or Hartes horne: in the ende of Sommer is your time for draw­ing and seuering of them (as I tolde you before) when you must sell your Sheepe, that through feeblenesse, they fayle not in the Winter. Beside, killing one or two of them, you must looke well vpon their Liuers, and yf the Liuer be not sounde (for hereby is foreseene the daunger) then eyther sell them, or fatte them, and kill them: for ve [...]y hard is it to saue them, their Li­uers being perished. Infected Sheepe, are more subiect to skabbes and manginesse, then any other cattel, which commeth (as the Poete witnesseth.)

Or yf you washe not of the sweate of the Sommer with Salte water, or otherwyse. If when they be shorne, you suffer them to be hurt with brambles or thornes: or yf you put them into hou­ses, where either Horses, Mules, or Asses haue stand, but speci­ally lacke of good feeding, whereof procedeth poorenesse, and of poorenesse, skabbes and manginesse. The sheepe that is in­fected, is thus knowen: yf he eyther scratch, stampe with his foote, or beate him self with his horne, or rubbe him self against a tree: whiche perceiuing him so to doo, you shal take him, and [Page 143] opening his wool, you shal finde the skinne ruffe, and as it were itchy: diuers men haue diuers remedies for this malady, but such as are not at hand to be had, Virgil thinkes there is no presenter remedy,

Constantine out of Dydimus affirmeth, that y^e skabbes of Sheepe are healed by washing them with Urine, and after annoynting them with Brimstone, and Oyle. The common shepheardes, when they perceiue a Sheepe to fall a rubbing, they strayght­wayes take him, and shedding the heare, doo seare the place with Tarre: others doo teache other remedies more hard to be come by, which are not for euery sheephard, nor euery countrey to vse. And yf the hole flocke be infected, it dooth many times so continew, as it shall be needfull to change houses, and (which in all other diseases) behoueth both countrey, and ayre. This on alonely medecine haue I alwayes proued, for the keeping in health of this cattell, to be most present, and soueraine: take the berries of Iuniper, beate them small, and sprincle them with Oates, and Salte, mingle them all togeather, and geue it your Sheepe, three or foure times in the yeere: for though they refuse to eate the Iuniper berries of them selues, yet for the desire of the Salt, and the Oates, they wyl easely take them altogether. If they be lowsie, or full of tickels, they vse to beate the rootes of Maple, and seething them in water, and opening the wooll with their fingers, they pouer the licour, so as from the ridge of the backe, it runne all ouer the body. Others vse the roote of Mandracke, being wel ware that they suffer them not to tast it. If they haue the feuer, you must let them blood in the heele, be­twixt the two Clees, whiche the Poete teacheth, saying:

Some let them blood vnder the eyes, & some behind the eares. The Fowle, a disease betwixt the Clees, is taken away with Tarre, Alome, Brimstone, and Uineger mingled togeather: or pouder of Uerdegrese put vppon it. The swelling betwixt the two Clawes, must be cut with great warinesse, lest you hap to [Page] cut the woorme that lieth in it, for yf you doo, there commeth from her a hurtfull mattring, that poysoneth the wound, and maketh it vncurable.Maister [...] for [...]. Maister Fytzherbert, a Gentleman of Northamptonshyre, who was the fyrst that attempted to wrighte of husbandry in England, appoynteth this cure: his woordes be these. There be some Sheepe that haue a woorme in his foote, that maketh him to halte, take that Sheepe, and looke betwixt his Cleese, and there shall you finde a little ho [...]e, as much as a greate pinnes head, wherein groweth fiue or sixe blacke heares, like an inche long, or more: take a sharpe poyn­ted knife, & slytte the skinne a quarter of an inche long aboue the hole, and as much beneathe, and put thy one hande in the hollowe of the foote, vnder the hinder Clee, and set thy thumbe aboue, almost at the slytte, and thrust thy finger vnderneath for­warde, and with your other hande, take the blacke heares by the ende, or with thy kniues poynt, and pulling the heares a little & a little, thrust after thy other hand, with thy finger and thy thumbe, and there wyll come out a woorme, like a peece of fleshe, neare as bigge as a little finger: when it is out, put a lit­tle Tarre in the hole, and it wyll shortly mende. If they happen by the extreame heate of the sunne to fall downe, and to forsake their meate, geue them the iuyce of the wylde Beete, and cause them beside to eate the Beetes. If they hardly drawe their brethe, slytte their eares, and let them bleede. If they be trou­bled with the cough, Almondes beaten with wine, and powred a prettie quantitie into their nostrylles, remedieth them. A Sheepe, or Swyne, that hath the murreyne of the Loonges,The m [...]r­reyne of the Loong [...]s. you shall helpe by thrusting through their eare, the roote of Setterwor [...]: this sicknesse dooth commonly spring of want and skarsetie of water, and therefore (in Sommer time specially) you must suffer no kinde of cattell to want water. Their legges yf they happen to be broken, are to be cured in like sort as mens be, being wrapped fyrst in wooll, dipped in Oyle and Wine, and afterward splented.L [...]mbes. The young Lambes, & other Sheepe also whyle they goe a broade, are troubled with skabbes, and manginesse about their lippes, which they geat by feeding vp­on deawy grasse: the remmedie, is Hysope, and Salt, of eache a [Page 144] like quantitie beaten togeather, and their mouthes, their pal­lattes, and their lippes rubbed withall: the vlcerous places, must be noynted with Uineger, Tarre, and Swynes grease. Yf they chaunce to swell with eating of any woorme,Eating vvoormes, or venem­ous grasse. or vene­mous grasse, you shall let them blood in the vaines about the lippes, and vnder the tayle, and after power into them chamber­ly. If they happen to swallowe a Horsleache, power into them strong and tarte Uineger warme, or Oyle. Agaynst the murri­on, or the rotte, I haue seene geuen them, certaine spoonefulles of Brine, and after a little Tarre: this medecine was vsed by Maister Ihon Franklin of Chart in Rent,Master Ihon Franklin. who was in his life time a skilfull husband, and a good housekeeper [...] In like sorte haue I seene this medecine. Take for euery fore, one peniworth of Treacle, and likewyse one little handfull of Hempseede, ground Iuie, Elder leaues, and Fetherfewe, as much as a Te­nisballe of Lome, and asmuch Bay salte, put thereto Chamber­ly, and alittle Soote, make it all luke warme, and geue to euery one three spoonefulles good, and after euery one a little Tarre, before they goe out of hand. In some places they vse to take the dryed flowers of Woormewood, & mingling them with Salte [...]they geue them to their Sheepe, as a general medecine against all diseases. This medecine is commended by Hierominus Tra­gus both for aswaging of any paine, and driuing away any hurt­full diseases from cattell.

Good HEDIO forgeat not to speake some­thing of your Goates.

Goates haue many thinges common with Sheepe,Goates. for they goe to Buck at one time, & goe as long with young as the Sheepe doo: they yeelde commoditie with their fleshe, theyr milke, theyr cheese, their skinnes, and their heare: the heare is profitable to make ropes of, and packes, and diuers like instrumentes belonging to sea men, by reason that it ney­ther rottes with moysture, nor is easely burnt with fyre. Varro maketh mention of two sortes of them, a heary sort, and a smoothe. Suche as haue Wennes, or Wartes vnder theyr Chynnes, are taken to be most fruitefull: theyr Ud­ders would be great, theyr mylke thicke, & the quantitie much. [Page] The hee Goate would be softer heared, and longer, his Necke short, his Throte Boll deeper, his Legges flesshy, his Eares great, and hanging: it is thought better to bye the whole flocke togeather, then to bye them seuerally. At the Chinne of euery one of them hangeth a long beard, which Plinie calleth Aruncū, by which, yf any man drawe one of them out of the flocke, the whole flocke (as amased) stand gazing vppon him. The hee Goate, because of his beard, and (as Alianus sayth) by a cer­tayne instinct of nature, preferring the male before the female, goeth alwayes before his woman. The bargayning for this cattell, is not after the maner of bargayning for Sheepe: for no wyse man wil promise that they be free from sicknesse, being as they be, neuer without the Agewe: but he assures them that they be well to day, and can drinke. One thing is to be woon­dred at in this beast, that he draweth not his winde as all other beastes doo at his Nose, but at his eares. The best kindes of them, are those that bring foorth twyse a yeere, and suche you must seeke for your breede. The Goate is able to engender at seuen monethes olde, being euen as lecherous as a Goate: for whyle he is yet sucking, he wyl be vpon y^• backe of his damme: and therefore he wa [...]eth feeble, and vnable, before he be sixe yeeres olde, being nowe soked and consumed with his ouertime­ly lustinesse of his youth: and therefore after he come to be fyue yeere olde, he is no longer to serue your turne for breede. The tyme when you shall suffer them to goe to rutte, is in Au­tume, a little before December, that at the comming of the spring, and blossoming of the trees, the young may be brought foorth. The Goate goeth with young (as I sayde) fyue mo­nethes, as the Sheepe dooth: she bringes foorth commonly two, and sometime sixe (as Plinie witnesseth) Suche as beare twyse, you must keepe for your stocke, for the renuing thereof, and the encrease. As touching their breeding, you must in the ende of Autume seuer your hee Goates. The young Goates of a yeere olde, and two yeeres, bring foorth Kiddes: but (as Co­lumella sayth) they are not to be suffered to bring them vp, ex­cept they be three yeeres olde: and therefore you must away with the young, that the Goates of the fyrst yeere may breede: [Page 145] and suffer the Kydde of a two yeere damme, to sucke no long­ger then it is meete to be solde. When the Kyddes are brought foorth, they must be brought vp in like sorte as I tolde you of the Lambes: sauing that the wantonnesse of the Kydde, is more to be restrained and heedelyer to be kept in, and must be fed be­side theyr milke, with young bowes. Plinie affirmeth, that they be skarse good for breede at three yeere olde, but yf they passe foure, they be starke nought, & that they begin at seuen moneths euen whyle they be vnder the mothers brest. The fyrst ryding prospereth not, the second is somewhat to the purpose, the third spredth, shee bringes foorth, tyll shee be eyght yeeres olde, and therefore the she Goates, when they be aboue eyght yeeres, is not to be kept: for shee then becometh barraine. Those which want hornes (as in the male kindes of all others be the best) for the horned, by reason of theyr weapons, are hurtful, and vn­ruely. Besides, the female of such as lacke hornes, doo geue al­wayes greater plentie of milke: but Columella (as he commen­ [...]eth the Pollardes in a temperate and milde countrey) so in a boysterous and a stormie region, he would haue them horned. Such as haue hornes, doo shewe their age by the cirkels of their hornes: it is thought, that they see as well by night, as by day, and that they alwayes lay theyr faces turned one from the other, and in that order also feede. Cold (as it is sayde) is very hurtfull to this kinde of cattell, specially to those that be with young, as likewyse the extreame heate. The witte of this beast Nutianus reporteth, he once had experience of, wheras a couple of them chaunced to meete vppon a very long and narrow brydge, and the straightnesse woulde not suffer them to turne, and to goe backwarde blindfolde in suche a strayght, conside­ring the swyftnesse of the streame vnder them, was more vn­possible, the one of them lying downe, the other passed ouer his body. Varro doth commend sundry little flockes kept seue­rall, then greate flockes togeather, vsing for example one Ga [...]erijus, because a great flocke is sooner subiect to the mur­rine, thinking fyfty to be yenough for one flocke. Columella also affirmeth, that there ought not to goe aboue one hundred of them togeather, whereas of Sheepe he alloweth a thousand [Page] in one flocke. The byting or brusing of them, is poyson to all kinde of trees: and therefore were they in olde time sacrifysed to Bacchus, because they were so hurtfull to Uines. Theyr sta­bles Columella would haue to stand vpon a stony ground, or els to be paued, for this beast needeth nothing vnder him but a fewe bowes: when he lyeth abroade, the shepheard must often sweepe and make cleane their houses, not suffering any doung, or moysture, to remayne in them, that may be hurtfull to the flocke: for as I sayde before, they are seeldome without feuers, and much subiect to the pestilence. And whereas other cattel, when they haue the Murrayne amongst them, as soone as they be infected, beginne to languishe, and pine away: onely these Goates as soone as they be taken, though they be neuer so lusty to looke vpon, suddenly fall downe togeather, and dye as thicke as hayse: whiche disease dooth cheefely happen, by too muche ranknesse of pasture. And therefore as soone as you perceaue one or two of them fall downe, let the whole flocke blood with as much speede as you may, and suffer them not to feede all the day, but shutte them vp the foure middle houres of the day. Yf they be diseased with any other sicknesse, you must geue them the rootes of Reedes, and of the great white Thystle, stam­ping them with iron Pestels, and strayned with rayne water let them drinke it: and yf so be this medecine heale them not, your best wyl be to sell them, or to kyll them, and pouder them: and when you bye newe, bring them not home too hast [...]ly, tyll the disposition of the ayre be altered. If they fall seuerally sicke, cure them in such sort as you do your Sheepe. Florentinus saith, yf you stampe with water the Guysard of the Storke, and geue them to drinke a spoonefull a peece, it preserueth both Sheepe and Goate from al murrayne and pestilence. If their bellyes be swelled with water, which the Grecians call [...], the Drop­sey, yf the sk [...]nne be la [...]m [...]ed a little vnder the shoulder, it lets out the hurtfull matter, and you may heale the sore with Tarre.

You haue for your part very well satisfyed vs, touchyng the good ord [...]yng of your cattel: there remaynes yet one thyng for you, whiche we all forgate to speake of, and [Page 146] that is the orderyng of Mylke, our cheefest foode and suste­naunce.

Seeing that of this cattell whereof I haue en [...]treated,Milke. the profyte of the Milke is not small, it is no great rea­son we shoulde ouerpasse the orderi [...]g of the same: [...]or Milke (as Varro sayth) of all liquid thinges wherewith we seede, is the greatest nourisher. Milke differeth in goodnesse, [...]ecording to the nature of the beastes that geue it: as the Milke of Wo­men, of Kine, Sheepe, Goates, Asses, Mares, and Camme [...]s: the greatest nourisher is Womans milke, the next Goates milke, whereby the Poets faine, that their god Iupiter him selfe, was nursed with Goates milke: the sweetest next to Wo­mans milke, is the Cammels milke: the holesomest, is Asses milke: the Asse as soone as she is with Colt, geueth milke: the Cowe, neuer tyll she haue Calued: most comfortable to the sto­macke, is Goates milke, because he rather feedeth on bruttes and bowes, then vpon grasse. Cowe milke is most mede [...]mable, and most of al looseth the belly. Sheepes milke is sweeter, and nourisheth more, but is not so good for the stomacke, by reason it is fatter and grosser. All milke that is milked in springtime, is watrisher then the milke of sommer, as likewise is the milke of young cattell: it is holsomest being sodden, specially with the Prebbles of the Sea. The Sheepe about Poncus, neare to the Ryuer Astace, doo geue (as Plinie sayth) blacke milke.Black milke. All milke generally (as Dioscorides wryteth) is of good nourish­ment,Error in the vnderstan­ding of Di­oscorides. but fylleth the stomacke and the belly with winde: that whiche is milked in the spring, is thinnest, but looseth the belly most. The difference of milke, is taken (as Varro sayth) of the pastures, the nature of the cattell, and the milking. Of the pa­sture, when the ca [...]tell is fedde with Barlye, Strawe, and all other hard and drye meates, and this greatly nourisheth. For purging of the belly, the grasse pastures, specially where the cattell feede of purging hearbes, as Cardamus in his booke de plantis teacheth, that yf you wyll purge Melancholy, you must feede your mylche Goa [...]e, or Asse, with Polipodi, and for all other humours Sene, for the Dropsie with Spurge, or Agarick: for cleansyng of the blood, with Fumitorie, or Hoppes: [Page] and yf you wyll but only loose the belly with Mercury, or Mal­lowes: so farre Cordanus. Our countreymen doo cheefly com­mend for milke, the pastures where groweth Spery, and Cla­uergrasse, and that is all bedeckt with yellowe flowres. For the cattel, the difference is betwixt the sicke and the healthy, the young, and the olde: and for the milking, that is best, that is not long kept after the milking, nor that is milked immediatly vpon the Caluing, a grosse vnholsome kinde of milke. To trye whether milke be mingled or not, you shall take a sharp Rushe, and putting it into the milke, let it droppe from thence vppon your nayle, and yf the droppe runne abroade, it is a signe there is water in it: yf it keepe togeather, it shewes it to be pure and good. Of milke is made Butter,Butter. whose vse (though it be cheefely at this day among the Fleminges) is yet a good and a profitable foode in other countreys, and much vsed of our olde fathers, yea euen of the very Patryarches (as the Scrip­tures witnesseth) the commoditie therof, besides many others, is the aswaging of hunger, and the preseruing of strength: it is made in this sort. The milke, assoone as it is milked, is put out of the payle into bowles, or pannes, the best are earthen pans, and those rather broade then deepe: this doone the second, or the third day, the Creame that swyms aloft, is fleeted of [...]and put into a vessell rather deepe, then bigge, round and Cylinder fashion: although in some places they haue other kinde of Charmes lowe and flatte, wherin with often beating and moo­uing vp and downe, they so shake the milke, as they seuer the thinnest part of from the thicke, which at the fyrst gather toge­ther in little crombles, and after with the continuance of the vi­olent moouing, commeth to a whole wedge, or cake: thus it is taken out, and eyther eaten freshe, or barrailed with Salt. The Buttermilke that remayneth of the Butter, is eyther kept for the famely, or geuen to Calues and Hogges, as a daintie foode. Cheese is also made of the milke of cattell,Cheese. the milke being powred into a vessell of earth, putting into it a little Rennet, the quantitie of a Walnutte, in a great vessell of milke, where­by it turneth into curd. Varro dooth better like the Rennet of the Leuret, or the Kydde, then the Lambes: howbeit, we com­monly [Page 147] vse the Calues Rennet: others vse sundry other meanes only with heate, warming it in Tinne vessells, and after dip­ping these vessels in cold water, which is the sweetest and cleanliest manner: others put in the seede of wylde Saffron, and being so turned, the Whay doeth greatly purge fleame: others againe vse the milke of the Figge tree, and then doth the Whay purge both choler and fleame: some turne it with Oxy­mell, or syrope of Uineger, which is of all other wayes the hol­somest: some besides, vse the little skinne of Birdes guysards, and others, the flowres of wylde Thystels, or Har [...]chockes. The newer and better the milke is, the better wyll be the Cheese: for made of two sorts of milke, or milke that is to neare fleeted, it soone sowreth, and waxeth hard and nought, and is not to endure any whyle. Agayne, being made of fatte and [...]we milke, it wyll very long endure, and long continueth in his fat­nesse and softnesse: about a two or three houres after you haue put in your Rennet, the milke commeth to a curd, which is straightwayes put into Formes, or Cheesefattes, and pressed: or yf they be but small, they are only pressed with the hand. If they be of any quantitie, they haue great weyght vpon them: it is very needefull you presse out the Whay with as muche speede as you can, and to seuer it from the curd, and not to let it lye slowly drayning of it selfe. Those that make great Cheeses, haue mouldes for the purpose, and weyghtes and presses an­swerable. After this, they take them out of the presse, and saye them vpon Hardelles, or fayre smoothe tables, in a shadowy and cold place, and close from all windes, springsing them all ouer with Salt, that they may sweate out all theyr sowrenesse, laying them so, as they touch not one the other. When they be nowe well hardned and thickned, they are taken vp, and pressed agayne with greater weyghtes, and rubbed ouer with parched Salt, and after layed in presse againe, whereby it is thought they wyll neyther haue ey [...]s, nor be ouer dry: which faltes hap­neth to come when they be eyther not well pressed, or too much salted. Some vse to put into the bottome of theyr p [...]yles, the greene kernelles of the Pine apple, and milking into them, doo cause it so to turne. You may also cause your Cheese to relish [...] of [Page] what soeuer you wyll, as Pepper, or any other spyce: but Colu­mella countes that for best Cheese, that hath least mixture in it. The strongest Cheese, and hardest of digest on, are those that are made of Buffes Milke, the next are such as are made of the Milke of Ewes, but the myldest, and lightest of digestion, are those that are made of Goates Milke: the Cheese that is made of Mares Milke, is of the same quantitie that the Buffe Cheese is. There is Cheese also made of Cammels Milke, and of Asse Milke: the Cheeses that are made of Buffes Milke, are at Rome in great estimation of all other cattell. Such as are tou­ched both aboue and beneath, and haue more then foure pappes, you can make no Cheese of theyr Milke, for it wyll neuer curd. In our dayes, the best Cheeses are counted the Parmasines, made about the Ryuer of Po, esteemed for theyr greatnesse, and daynetinesse, of which you shall haue brought into other coun­treys that way aboue threescore pounde. Next are commended the Holland Cheese, the Cheese of Normandy, and the Eng­lishe Cheese. In England, the best Cheese is the Chesshyre, and the Shropshyre, then the Banbury Cheese, next the Suffolke, and the Essex Cheese, and the very worst the Kentish Cheese. The places where the best Cheese is made, appeareth by this olde englishe Distichon, better sensed, then footed: Banbury, Langtony, Suffolke good Cheese, Essex go thou by, Shropshyre, cum Cheshyre, Hertford may well with the best peere.

Of the discommoditie of Essex Cheese, our Englishe Martial Iohn Heywood, thus meeryly wryteth:

Cheese they say wyll best endure, and is longest preserued, yf you keepe them in heapes of Pulse, or Wheate, and yf you steepe your Renuce in the iuyce of Byrch, you shalbe sure to haue neyther Myte, nor Creeper in your Cheese. The Cheese that is soft and newe, doth more nourish then the dry, & be more comfortable to y^e stomacke, not long in digesting: the old is con­trary, according to the prouerbe, No Cheese good but the new. [Page 148] Old Cheese wyl become new in taste, yf you lay them in Time, Uineger, or in Wine: yf through age it be hard and bitter, let it be rubbed ouer with Meale of vndryed Barley, and then dipt in water, and after, the outer rynde scraped of. We haue oft times proued, that hard Cheese wrapped in cloutes wet in Ui­neger, or Wine, and oftentimes sprinckled with wine, and so layde vp, returne to a softnesse, and a very pleasant taste. Some lay it in leauen, couering it close therewith, and therby make it soft. It is reported, that Zoroastes [...]ued twentie yeeres in wyl­dernesse with Cheese so ordered, as it neuer waxed olde.

Of the Whay that commeth from the Cheese,VVellcurds. being sodde with a soft fyre, tyl the fatnesse of the Cheese swym aloft, are made Welcurdes.

You were woont to loue them well.

I doo in deede, specially yf there be good store of newe milke put into the Whay. The olde wryters doo teache the making of a kinde of white meate, not much vnlike to Wel­curdes, which they called Melcan, Melca. & made it in this sort. They put into a newe earthen vessell Uineger, and suffered it to boyle softly vpon the fyre, tyll the vessell had drunke vp the Uineger, and into that vessel they powred in milke, & set it where it might stand stedfast, whereby they had within a whyle theyr desyre. But mee thinketh I haue for my part done yenough, it cōmeth nowe to your turne EVMEVS to goe forward with the rest.

That the keeping of Swyne belongeth to hus­bandry,Svvyne. dooth euidently appeare by the saying of the auncient husbandes, counting him asseuthful and an vnthristie husband, that hath his Bacon rather from the Bu [...]cher, then from his owne roofe: for there aryseth as great profite many times to vs of our owne Swyne, as doth to you that be keepers of grea­ter cattell of your flockes: for yf Bacon be away, the cheefest supporter of the husbandmans Ritchin is wanting. And wheras Swynes flesh seemeth abominable to y^e [...]oolish Iewes, I beleeue veryly they neuer tasted the G [...]monds of Fraunce, so highly commended by Varro, Strabo, Athenens, and other learned wryters: which I suppose were no other but the fly­ches of Westphaly, so greatly esteemed at this day, not onely [Page] in Germany, but in Rome, and that they were called by the names of Celtyck Gamonds, because the old wryters, specially the Greekes, called all the countreys on this side the Alpes, both French and Dutch, by the name of Celtyck. Surely there is no beast besides, that makes more daynty dishes, there is in him neare fifty different tastes, where euery other beast hath but one: and hereof came at fyrst the sharp law of the Censores, forbidding it to be vsed at suppers, the vdders, the stones, the trypes, and the forepart of the heads of Swyne, (as Plinie wit­nesseth). And most apparant is it, that not onely the French, and the Dutch in those dayes, but also the Italians, and the Greekes, nourished great heardes of Swane. Among the Greekes, Ham [...] maketh mention of one of my name, that had twelue Hogsties, euery stye conteyning [...]ifty Porklinges, and Polybius wryteth, of more then a thousand to be rered at a time, among the auncient Italians, Tuskans, and French, Varro accounteth a hundred but a small heard. Who so wyll nourishe Hogges, must haue regard both to the fayrenesse, and the age: Varro addeth beside, the nature of the kinde, and the country. And because the young doo commonly resemble theyr parents, he would haue you choose such as are fayre, and large bodyed, and which makes most to the matter, as fruitefull as may be: which Varro, dooth cheesely commend those that be of one co­lour, their bristelles would be thicke, hard, and blacke, yf it be in a cold country: if in a temperate, you may nourish the smooth. Theyr proportion would be long, large syded and bellyed, wide buttocked, short legged & footed, bigge necked, and well braw­ned, short groyned, and turning vpwarde, his tayle wrynckled. The kinde is most commended, that bringeth many Pigges, the country that breedeth large and greate: the best age for the Boare, is a yeere old [...] though at half a yeere old they are able to serue a Sowe: one Boare is yenough for tenae Sowes and m [...]e. The Sowe is sufficient to bring Pigges at a yeere old, and so for seuen yeeres after, the fruitfuller she is, the sooner she w [...]reth old: at her fyrst farrowing, you shall easely see what number shee wyll bring foorth: for shee wyll not much differ in the other. The best kind of Sowes haue twelue pappes, the [Page 149] common sort tenne, or not so many. Euery Pigge doth knowe his owne pappe that he was borne to, & sucketh onely that, and none other: yf you take away the Pigge, the pappe dryeth, as both Plinie, and experience sheweth. They were woont to be bought & bargained for in this sort. Doo you warrant that these Swyne are sound, that I shall well enioy them, that you wyll answere the faultes, and that they be of a healthy breede? A wet moorish ground, is meetest for this cattell, for he delighteth not in water, but in durt and myre, so much (as Varro wryteth) that the Woolfe, as soone as he hath caught a Sowe, draggeth her to the water, because his teeth is not able to abide the heate of her fleshe. And although this beast wil away with any ground, (for he seedeth both in mountaynes, champion, and marish) yet his cheese delight is in the Woods that is full of Quagmires, where there groweth store of Oke, Corke, Beech, Mastholme, wyld Olyues, wyld Dates, Haselnuttes, Crabbe trees, Plome trees, and Chery trees: for these doo fruite diuers times, and feede the heards almost al the whole yeere. Where there wan­teth Woods, they must be fedde from the ground, wherin a marrishes to be preferred before a dry ground, that they may mousell in the marsh, digge vp woormes, wallowe in the myre, and toomble in the puddels of water, which in sommer is most needefull. They also hunt after rootes, specially Fearne rootes, and the rootes of Bullrushes, Rushes, and Sedges, beside good grasse well feedeth a Swyne, and Orchardes of Cheryes, Plomes, Apples, and Nuttes. And notwithstanding all this, the Barne, for you must feede them often by hand, when meate fayles abroade, and therfore you must preserue store of Acorns, in Cestornes in the water, or dryed vppon smoky Floores, also Beanes, Pease, and Tares must be geuen them, and not so much as Barly spared: for this kinde of feeding dooth make them fayre, and not onely fattes them, but geueth the fleshe a pleasant tast. When they are yet young and sucke, both they, and theyr dammes must be well fedde, they must be put to feede early in the mornyng afore the heate of the sunne, & after kept in shadowy places, where there is good store of water. Afore they goe to pasture, they must be medecined, least the grasse [Page] skarre them to much, by which they wylbe greatly weakened. In winter they must not be put abroade, tyll the frost be of the ground, and the yse thawed. And though the Swyne wil roame at the knowen voyce of theyr swyneheard, yet Varro will haue them be brought both to pasture, and homeward, with the sound of a horne: theyr meate must be geuen them (kattred thinne, so shall both lesse suffise, and the greater shall not harme the smal­ler: as soone as they heare the horne, though they be neuer so farre of in the Woods, they come running with all haste. Poly­bius telleth, that the Italians vse not to follow their heardes, as the Greekes and others doo, but going a pretie way before them, they blowe theyr hornes, theyr heardes being aquainted with the blast, doo follow them in great order. They doo so well know and obay the call of the swyneheard, yf we may beleeue Alianus, A vvonder­full knovv­ledge in Svvyne. that when certayne Rouers landing vppon the coast of Tuskan, and taking great numbers of them out of theyr styes, caried them aboord, the theeues hauing wayed vp their anker, and being vnder sayle, y^• Swine vpon the hearing of theyr kee­pers voyce, suddenly ran to y^e one side of the ship, & ouerturned her, wherby (the Pirates drowned) y^e Swyne came safe to land to theyr maisters. As I haue here told you of the condicions of the Boare and the Sowe, and of theyr keeping, so wyll I nowe shewe you the maner of theyr breeding. The breming time is reckoned to be from winter, tyll the twelfth of March, so shall you haue them to farrowe in sommer: for the Sowe going foure monethes with pigge, farroweth in the fyfth. Shee is with pigge at the fyrst breming, but they vse to let them goe of­ten to Boare, because they soone miscarry. And if you wyl haue two farrowes in one yeere, you must put your Sowe to Boare in February, or Ianuary, that she may farrowe by April, or May, when as there is good pasture abroade, and milke is in his cheefe strength: and when they be weaned, they may well feede vpon strawe, and grottens, and after, the Sowe may far­rowe agayne in the end of Autum: for Varro sayth, her farro­wing times are so diuided for the nonce, as she may farrowe twyse a yeere, whyle she hath foure moneths to beare them, and two to feede them. As soone as they be with pigge, you must [Page 150] keepe the Boare from them: for with his vnrulinesse, he ma­keth them to cast. Young Swyne for breede, must not be lesse then a yeere old, as Varro would haue it: howbeit, they begin at eyght moneths, & continue seuen yeeres. The Boare beginneth at eyght moneths, or sixe, and continueth wel foure yeeres, and after at three or foure yeeres old you may geld them, and fa [...]te them. Some would not haue you keepe vp aboue eyght, others not aboue sixe: not that the Sowe is able to keepe no more, but that she that keepeth more, sooner faileth. Varro reporteth, that the Sowe of Aeneas Lauinus, farrowed at one time thirtie white Pigges: but it is monstrous when she farroweth more then she hath pappes. Euery Sowe must haue her stye by her selfe when she hath farrowed, and not suffered to goe with the whole heard, as other cattel are, but little Cotes to be made for them, wherein they may be kept eyther farrowing, or with farrowe: for Swyne, yf they lye togeather in any number, being com­monly yll manered, doo lye one vppon the other, whereby they hurt such as are with pigge. And therefore you must haue seue­rall styes where they may farrowe, and made hye, that y^e Sowe can not geat out: for couered they must not be by no meanes, that the swyneheard may looke that the Sowe ouerlay none of them, & to see what they want, that he may make it cleane, and as oft as he cleanseth it, he must straw sand, or such like, to drye vp the moysture: for though she be but a swynishe creature, yet loueth she to haue her chamber cleane. When she hath farro­wed, she requireth greater quantitie of meate, whereby she may geue the more milke, specially Barley steeped in water, or ground & tempered with water. And yf you haue not good store of meate, your best is to sell the Pigges: so shall the damme be­ing deliuered of her burden, be sooner with farrowe agayne. Such as are farrowed in winter, are commonly poore & wret­ched, both because of the cold, & that their dammes doo not lyke them for wanting of milke, & biting their pappes. If the Sowe eate her pigs,A childe ea­ten by a Sovve. it is no wonder, for swyne of all other beastes, can worst away with hunger, whiche when it prouoketh, they eate not onely their owne, but young children, which not long since happened in Sussex, to the pitifull discomfort of the parent. [Page] They suffer not the Sowe to goe abroade in tenne dayes after her farrowing, except it be to drinke: after, they suffer her to go about the house, that she may the better geue milke. When the Pigges ware great, they desire to goe abroade with theyr dammes, at which time they are fedde by them selues aparte, to the e [...]de they may the sooner forgeat their mother: which they wyll doo in tenne dayes. It behooueth the swyneheard to be carefull and diligent about his charge, that he haue in me­mory euery one of them, both old and young, that he consider euery farrow, and shute vp those that be great with Pigge, that they may farrowe in theyr Stye. He must haue special re­garde of euery young Pig, that euery one of them be brought vp vnder theyr owne damme: for yf they geat out of the Stye, they strayghtwayes mingle one company with an other, wher­by the poore Sow is forced to giue milke many times, to more Pigges then her owne: and therfore the swyneheard must sh [...]tte vp euery dam [...]e with her owne Pigges. And yf his mem [...]ry serue no [...] to knowe them al, let him pitch euery Sowe and her Pigs with a seuerall marke: for in a great number it shall behooue him so to doo, for confounding his memory. The old husbands obserued alwayes two times in the yeere for cut­ting of them, the spring, and the fall of the leafe, whereby they auoyded the danger, both of the heate, and the colde. The Bore pigges they [...]utte when they were sixe monethes old, and a­gaine at [...]oure yere old, to make them fat, making two wounds, and taking out the stone of euery side: or els when you haue ta­ken out one stone, you mu [...]t thrust your knife agayne into the wound, & cutting asunder the skin betwixt both y^e stones, drawe out with your fingers y^e other, so shal you make but one skarre, but this kind of cutting is somewhat more dangerous. The Sowes are sayd by burning y^• Matrixe with an iron, and the skarre healed vp, whereby they wil both haue no more Pigs, and be y^• fatter. Aristotle, & following him Plinie, would haue the Sowe after two dayes fasting, hanged vp by y^e fore legs, & so cut, wherby she wil be y^• sooner fat: but I iudge it better to cut th [...]m when they be young, at two monethes olde, or younger, for so are they in least ieopardy. After they be cut, you must [Page 151] keepe them from drinke, and geue them but little meate: the wound must be annoynted with freshe butter, and sowed vp. As the wrystlyng and turnyng vp of the tayle, is a signe of a sound Hogge, so be there certayne & assured signes of their sicknesse: for yf you plucke of the bristles from the backe, and finde that theyr rootes haue blood in them, it shewes the Swyne is not well.Of diseases in Svvyne, and the cure. Besides, yf your Hogges be sicke, or taken with a feuer, they hang theyr heades a toneside, and suddenly as they runne abroade, they stay, and being taken with a turning giddinesse, they fall downe: and therfore you must marke wel on which side they hang their heades, that you may cutte the eare of the con­trary side to let them blood: and vnder the tayle beside, two in­ches from the roompe, you shall strike the vaine, which there is easely to be seene: for the bignesse of it, you must fyrst beate it with a little sticke, and after it swelleth with the beating, open it with your knife, and hauing bledde sufficiently, binde it vp with the rinde of Wyllowe, or Elme: after this, keepe them vp in the house a day or two, and geue them warme water, with a good quantitie of Barly flowre.Quin­sey. If the Quynsey or Vnula, (to which desease this beast is wonderous subiect) chaunce to take them, Dydimus woulde haue you let them blood behinde aboue the shoulders, others vnder the toug [...]e, some agayne cure them with settering. If the kernells swell in the throate, you must let them blood vnder the tongue, and when they haue bledde, rubbe their mouthes within with salte, finely beaten, & Wheate floure. Democritus woulde haue you geue to euery Sowe, three pound weyght of the beaten roote of Daffadyll. If they vomite and lothe their meate, it is good to geue them before they goe a­broade, the shauinges of Iuory, with fryed salte, and ground Beanes: Swyne whyle they feede abroade, by reason of their great deuouring (for it is an vnsatiable beast) do wounderously labour with the abundance of the Splen: for remedy wherof, you shall geue them water as oft as they thyrst, in Troughes made of [...]amaryce, the iuyce of whiche wood, is very holsome for them. Democritus teacheth to geue vnto Hogges that haue the Splen, the water wherein the Coles of Heath haue been quenched. This beast hath somtime a sicknesse wherin he pines [Page] away, and forsaketh his m [...]ate: and yf you bring him to the feelde, he suddenly fall [...]th downe, and lyeth as it were in a bead sleep [...]: which as [...] as you p [...]rc [...]iue, you shall shu [...]e vp the h [...]ly heard in so [...]e house, and make them to fast one day, both from water and meate: the n [...]xt day, the roote of the wyld Cou­cumber [...] and [...] with water, is geuen them to drinke: w [...]ch a [...] soone as they haue taken, they fall a vomit­ting, and so purge themselues. When they haue thus expelled they [...] c [...]ller, you shall geue them hard Beanes, strained with brine. An ex [...]elle [...]t [...] against all pestilence of Swyne, doth Hiero [...]mus [...]ra [...]us teach, which is when you see them in­fect [...]d, [...]o geue them the rootes of Polipodi, or Oke Ferne boyled in wine, whereby they shall purge what so euer is euyll from them, and most of all choller, wherewith Swyne are most troubled: t [...] same Hie [...]n (as I remember) teacheth for a Horse [...] though it be without my commission to meddle with them [...] If he be sicke, and suddenly fall downe of a disease that you know not, to put vnder his tongue a peece of a Ferne roote, wherevpon you shall see him immediatly voyde vpward and downeward what so euer is in his body, and presently amende: this he sayth (and truely I dare beleeue him) that he prooued with a Horse of his owne. But to my Swyne, whereas thyrst in sommer, is hurtfull and daungerous to all kind of cattell, to this beast it is most hurtfull, and therefore you must not water them as you doo Sheepe & Goates, but twyse, or thryse a day: but yf you can you must keepe them by the water side, that they may go thereto at pleasure: for the Swyne is not content with drinking, but he must often coole and plong his filthy panch in the water: neither delighteth he in any thing so muche, as to wallowe in the durt. And yf you haue no suche places neare, you must draw some water from the Well, and geue it them in Troughes abundantly: for except they drinke their fyll, they wyll fall sicke of the Loonges, which disease is cured (as Colu­mella wryteth) by thrusting the roote of Setterwort through their eares: Plinie affirmeth the Tode to be a present remedie for the sicknesse of Swyne. Some say, that yf a Sowe lose one of her eyes, she dyeth soone after: otherwyse she liueth fyfteene [Page 152] yeeres. There is a kinde of disease amongst Swyne (though otherwyse they be healthy and fatte) wherin their fleshe is all infected with little graines as bigge as Peason: the Greekes call them Chalazos, and we at this day measled Swyne,Measled Svvyne. which you shal soone perceiue by the sight of the tongue, and the horse­nesse of their voyce: this disease they say, is naturall vnto them, from which you shal preserue them, yf you nayle certaine places of lead in the bottome of their Trough. You shall also keepe them from this disease, yf you geue them to drinke, the roote of Briony: the general and common remedy, is Allome, Brim­stone, and Bay berries, of eache alike: adde therevnto a handful of Soote, beate them all togeather, and put them in a bagge, which bagge you shall cast into their water when they drinke, and renue it twyse in the yeere.

I pray you EVMEVS doo not dissemble, but tell vs truely how you doo to haue your Hogges so fatte. I beleeue you are in the Barne sometime when you should not be.

What meanes soeuer I vse in ordring my flocke, is not to my mauters losse, no more then is your diligence, wherby you bring your cattell to be so fayre. I told you before, that he was an vnthrifty husband that had his Bacon from the shambles, and not of his owne prouision: and besides, my mai­sters the Phisitions geue great commendations to Hogs flesh, in that it hath such a nearenesse & agreement with our bodyes, neither is there (as I sayde before) a beast that makes more dishes. And therfore it is greatly for profite, to haue the hus­bandmans kytchen well stored with Bacon, wherwith he may sustaine his houshold al y^e whole yeere. You shal easely (though woods be wan [...]ing) [...]ind Barnes, Marshes, & Corne feeldes to feede them with. They wyll be fatte (as Plinie supposeth) in threescore dayes, specially yf they be kept from meate three dayes before you feede them: they are fatted with Barley, Otes, or other Corne, or Pulse, eyther geuen whole, or ground: but of all others, best w [...]th Mast: and that flesh is better, and of more substance that is fed with Acorns, then that which is fat­ted with eyther B [...] [...] mast, or Chestnutte. This beast wyll in time be so fatte, as he wyl be able neyther to goe, nor stan [...]: [Page] Yea Varro telles, that there was seene in Arcadia a Sowe so fatte, that she was not only vnable to ryse, but suffered a Mouse to make her nest in her body, and to lay her young there. The same Varro reporteth, that there was sent to Volumius a Sena­tour of Rome, a peece of Porke of two ribs, that wayed three & twentie pound: the thicknesse of which Sowe from the skinne to the ribbe, was one foote and three ynches. Your best is to put to fatting your Swyne of two or three yeeres olde: for yf they be younger, their growing wyll hynder their seedyng. To keepe your Bacon any long time, you must vse great diligence in the saltyng and drying of it, whereby you shall haue it both holsomer and sweeter, and besides to continue diuers yeeres to serue the turne, yf scarsitte happen. Your Hogge being in this sort fatted, you must shut vp, and not suffer him to drinke the day before you kyll him, whereby the fleshe wyl be the dryer. When you haue thus after his thyrst killed him, you shal eyther skalde hym with water, or with a flame made with strawe, or stickes, syng him: for the maner of such as flea him. I lyke not. After that, hangyng him vp by the heeles, you shall plucke out his bowels, and put them to dressing: his fleshe being cold & hard, you shall lay vppon a table, and cutting out the head, the gam­mon, and the fleetches, pouder them with salt, thrusting greate store thereof in euery place, specially where the bones be: that donne, put it into your pouldring tubbe, strowing salt yenough vnder it: some would haue you salt in the wane of the Moone. Before you pouder it, you must presse and drye out al the blood and the water. Some before they salt it, doo plucke out the bones, thinking it the best way for preseruing it, and to keepe it longest sweete. Others agayne doo not strayghtwayes put it into the pouldering tubbe, but doo leaue it vppon a table for ten dayes after, and then hang it vp in a pure ayre, to drye in the larde. And when it hath ben dryed in the winde certaine dayes, by little and little they let the smoke come to it, and afterwards more abundantly. The Bacon wyll be the sweeter, yf beside the smoke, the winde may come to it: yf you hang it in grea [...]e smoke at the fyrst, it wyl be rustie. Dydimus sayth, that the Ba­con wyl long continue sweete, yf after the dressing, cooling, and [Page 153] drying, it be hanged vp in shaddowy and moyst places, rather toward the North, then toward the South, and that it wyll be sweeter, yf it be couered with Snowe, and Chaffe: the tubb [...]s that you poulder in, must be such as haue had Oyle in, rather then those that haue had Uineger. Although I haue before spo­ken of the woorthynesse and antiquitie of shepheardes, and heardsmen,Of [...]hep­h [...]ard [...]s. yet must I here say, that it is in vayne to meddle with the ordering and keeping of cattell, except you haue hand­some, and skilful men that may take the charge. For the know­ledge of keeping of cattell hath a discipline, wherin a man must from his very Chyldehood be brought vp: and surely it is meete that y^e husband, or Bayliffe, haue ben brought vp, or trayned in all these trades, and to come by degrees to his maisters pryze: As from a swyneheard, to a shepheard, from a shepheard, to a netheard, &c. And most true it proueth in this that commeth to passe in all other gouernmentes, that such are best able to take charge of gouernment, that passing by degrees and offices, haue from being vnder gouernment, come to gouerne them selues: for though (where the flocke is but small, and feeding not farre of, is brought home euery day) Chyldren, and young folkes, are able to serue the turne: yet where the flockes be great, and must be kept night and day in Forestes, and wylde feeldes (as I sayd before) of the flockes that wintred in Appu­lia, and sommered in the mountaynes of Kiete, here I say the shepheards must both be men of lusty age, strengh, and dili­gence, as also skilfull in that belongeth to theyr office: for ney­ther old men, nor chyldren, are able to endure the hardnesse of clyming the hilles, nor the sharpnesse of the cold mountaynes, which they must alwayes doo that follow theyr flockes, speci­ally they that keepe Bullockes and Goates, that delight to feede vpon Rockes, and Clyues. You shal se on the mountaines of Swycherland, great & goodly fellowes furnished in warlike maner to followe their heardes and flockes, and to lodge in the wylde desartes, farre from the company of men, and there also to make both Butter and Cheese; wherfore such as are meete to take charge in these places, must be light, swyft, & well limmed, and not only wel able to followe their flockes, but if neede be, to [Page] defend them from wyld and rauening beastes, to lyft great bur­dens, to followe the chase, and to be good archers: in fine, such a one as Homer doth make his EVMEVS to be. And therefore the olde husbandes in hyring of a shepheard, did alwayes coue­nant among others, that he should be sound of body and limme, and free from filching and theft. In Slauony, the heardsmen doo vse to haue theyr wyues abrode with them, as companions of theyr iourney to dresse their meate, & such things as they neede: suche thinges as are for the health of his beastes, the shepheard must alwayes haue in a redynesse. Varro would haue him both for this purpose, & for the better order of his reckoninges with his maister, to wryte and reade. Of the number of the heards men, how many euery flocke ought to haue, is to be measured by the countrey, and kinde of the cattell. The same Varro al­loweth for euery foure score Goates one shepheard, which At­ticus alloweth to a hundred, to euery fyftie Mares two men: in our countrey one shepheard suffiseth for a hundred, or two hun­dred Sheepe, yea many times for three hundred, and aboue, specially where they be euery day brought home. One swyne­heard wil keepe twentie, or thirtie Hogges, or more, if y^e ground be thereafter, the lyke for Bullockes and Kine. For Horses we seeldome haue heardsmen, but euery man keepeth them at home eyther in stables, or pastures, not commonly exceedyng the number of twentie. In what order you shall feede your cat­tel, eyther in Sommer, or in Winter, and when towardes the South,Dogges. and when to the West, I haue tolde you before. The Dogge (though the Lawyer alloweth him not in the number of cattel) and though he yeeldes of him selfe no profyte, yet is he as the shepheard (for his trustinesse, & watching of y^e flocke) to be esteemed, and set by: for they haue been seene to fight in the defence & quarell of their maister. Yea diuers of them haue been knowen after their maisters death, vppon great affection and loue, to famishe themselues, wherevpon the price of good Dogges grewe to be very great. It is written, that Alcibiades gaue for one Dogge, eyght score poundes. There is not a more necessary creature, then the Dogge about husbandry: for be­side his singuler faythfulnesse and watching in the night time, [Page 154] he is also a quarter maister in keeping of the cattell, and very needefull for the defence of them: specially Sheepe & Goates, whiche would be soone destroyed by Woolfes, Foxes, Grayes, and other vermine, yf Dogges were not set to be their keepers. Swyne feeding in heardes, yf the wylde beastes inuade them, making as it were a larum with their gruntyng and crying, as­semble them selues in their owne defence. The greater cattell defende them selues some with their heeles, some with their hornes, onely the poore Sheepe hath no souldier but the Dogge. Of Dogges that serue for profite, there are but three sortes: for of the fourth (which are but for pleasure) I make no account. One of the sortes, is such as by sent, or swiftnesse serue for the chase, and killing of wyld beastes: these, what maner of ones they should be, and how they should be ordred, Xenophon and Oppianus, in theyr Cynigetickes haue taught, and I in my last booke, where I shall speake of hunting, wyll declare. But now I wyll only speake of Dogges for the husband, and kee­pers both of the house and the cattell: and first of the Mastie that keepeth the house:The Bandog for the hous. for this purpose you must prouide you such a one, as hath a large and a mighty body, a great and a shryll voyce, that both with his barking he may discouer, and with his sight dismay the theefe, yea being not seene, with the horror of his voyce put him to flyght. His stature must ney­ther be long, nor short, but well set, his head great, his eyes sharpe, and fierie, eyther browne, or gray, his lippes blackishe, neyther turning vp, nor hanging too much downe, his mouth blacke and wyde, his neather iawe fatte, and comming out of it of eyther side a fang, appearing more outward then his other teeth, his vpper teeth euen with his neather, not hanging too m [...]ch ouer, sharpe and hidden with his lippes, his countenance like a Lions, his brest great, and shaghard, his shoulders brode, his legges bigge, his tayle short, his feete very great, his disposition must neyther be too gentle, nor too curst, that he nei­ther fawne vpon a theefe, nor fle vpon his frends, very waking, no gadder abroade, not lauishe of his mouth, barking without cause, neither maketh it any matter though he be not swyft: for he is but to fight at home, & to geue warning of the enimie. [Page] The Dogge that is for the folde, must neyther be so gaunt nor swyft as the Grayhound,The shep­heardes Mastie. nor so fatte nor heauy as the Masty of the house, but very strong, and able to fight and followe the chase, that he may be able to beate away the Woolfe, or other beastes, and to followe the theefe, and recouer the praye, and therfore his body would rather be long, then short and thicke: in all other poyntes he must agree with the Bandogge. Tou­ching the kind, the Dogge is thought better then the Bitch, because of the trouble she bringeth when shee is sawte: howbe­it, the spayde Bitches doo byte sorest, and are more waking. For theyr age, they must neyther be Whelpes, nor too old: for the Whelpe can neyther defend him selfe, nor the flocke, where as yet the olde hath some vse about a house. If you haue a Whelpe (which age is better to be trayned, eyther for the house or the folde) you shall perceaue by his foote whether he wyll be great or no. His head must be great, smoothe, and ful of vaines, his eares great, and hanging, his ioyntes long, his forelegges shorter then his hinder, but very strayght and great, his clawes wyde, his nayles hard, his heele neyther fleshy nor to hard, the ridge of his backe not to much appearing, nor crooked, his ribs round and well knitte, his shoulder poyntes well distant, his buttockes fatte, and broade, and in all other parts (as I sayd) of the Bandogge before. For his colour it maketh no great matter, though Varro would haue him white, and so would Co­lumella, the Dogge for the feelde, as he would haue the house Dogge to be blacke: but the pyed colour is iudged nought in them both. The wh [...]te they commend, because he may be discer­ned from the Woolfe in the night, wherby they shall not strike the Dogge in steede of the Woolfe. The blacke agayne for the house, is best commended, because of his terrour to the theefe in the day, and the hurt that he may doo by night, by reason of his not being seene: the dunne, the branded, and the redde, doo not mislike me, so they be well marked beside. Thus must you iudging him as a Lyon by the clawe, eyther buye one, or bring vp one for your purpose. Howe much teaching, or bringing vp preuayleth, appeareth by Lycurgus, his example in Xenophon. To make them fyerce and curst, you must plucke them by the [Page 155] eares, set them togeather with your handes, and keepe them from being hurt: so shall you haue them the bolder, and the fier­cer, and such as wyll neuer geue it ouer. You must vse him first to the cheyne, by ty [...]ng him to a clogge, setting him drawe it a whyle by his necke, and when you haue a little space vsed him in this sort, then may you eyther leade him, or tye him: it is best to keepe them tyed in the day time, to make them the cur [...]ter, and to let them loose in the night time: so shall they in the night time watch, and in the day sleepe. To arme them aga [...]nst the Woolfe, or other wyld beastes, you may put brode c [...]llers a­bout theyr ne [...]kes full of nayles, and iron studdes, lyning it with soft leather within. You must looke that your Dogges be of a good kind, and (yf you can) all of one kinde, so shall they sticke the better togeather: choose them that haue the curstest dammes, and suche as haue theyr pappes euen. They begin to litter at a yeere olde, and continue mene yeeres, after tenne they be woorth nothing. The Dogge (as Columella sayth) gets whelpes lu [...]yly, tyll he be tenne yeeres old: the whelpes of old Curres, are slowe, and nought. Homer seemeth to make the life of a Dogge, aboue twentie yeeres, where he speaketh of the comming home of Vlisses, and the knowledge of his Dogge: and I mee selfe haue seene Dogges that were saide to be so much, but altogeather vnprofitable. Their age may be knowen by their t [...]eth, the young hauing (as Aristotle sayth) white teeth and sharpe: the olde, blacke and blunt. In the spring they be­gin to be sawte, and goe with whelpe (as Aristotle and Xeno­phon sayth) threescore dayes, or at the most threescore and three. Varro wryteth, that they goe three moneths with young: the Dogges of Lacedemon ingender at eyght moneths olde, and all other Dogges also at half a yeere: they are with whelpe at once liming: they lytter about Iune: when they be lyttred, they are blind, and the more milke they haue, the longer it is be­fore they see, but neuer longer then one and twentie dayes, nor sooner then seuen dayes. Some holde opinion, that yf there be but one at a lytter it wyll see the nienth day, yf two, the tenth day, and so a day added for as many as be, and that those that be of the fyrst lytter doo soonest see: the best of the lytter, is that [Page] which last seeth, or which the Bitch first carryeth to her ken­nell. As soone as they be Whelped, cast away such as you mis­like: of seuen, keepe three or foure: of three, two: whyle they be young, at the first they must be suffered to play with the dame, that they may growe the better, afterward, let them be taught, and tyed (as I tolde you) tying them in the day, and letting them loose in the night, and such as you knowe to be of a good kinde, and would haue them proue well, suffer them not to sucke a strang damme: for the milke and blood of the mother, is of great force to the goodnesse and growth of the Whelpe. And yf so be the Bitch lacke milke, suckle them with the milke of a Goate, tyll they be foure moneths old. Lay vnderneath them in theyr kennels strawe and Chaffe, that they may lye warme: for they can not well away with cold. You must cut the tayles of the Whelpes, when they be sixe weekes old, in this maner, there is a sinnowe that runnes from the ridge of the backe, to the tippe of the tayle, which being held fast with a pyncer, and a little drawen out, you shall cut a sunder, wherby neyther the tayle shall growe to any foule length, nor the Dogge shall at a­ny time after (as they say) be madde. They are thought to lift vp the legge when they pisse, at sixe moneths old, which is a signe of the perfectnesse of theyr strength. The feeding of both kindes is all one, they may be fedde with bones, porredge, and such like: in any wyse let them want no meate, for yf they doo, they wyll for hunger rauen abrode, and forsake both the house, and the flocke. Xenophon would haue you geue them Milke all the yeere long, and such foode as they shall feede with all theyr lyfe time, and no other thing: yf you feede them too full, it will breede (as he sayth) diseases in theyr legges, and rotte them within. Bread is theyr common meate, but Varro would haue it geuen eyther with Milke, or Whay, by vse wherof, they wyll neuer forsake their cattell. You may geue them beside, bread, with the broth of sodden bones, and the bones them selues broosed, which wyll make theyr teeth the sounder, and theyr mouthes and iawes wyder, and they wylbe the keener, by reason of the sweetenesse of the Marowe. You must beware they eate no dead Sheepe, least by reason of the tast, they fall to [Page 156] the liue ones. Whyle the Bitch hath Whelpes, you must feede her rather with Barly bread, then Wheaten bread: for they prosper better with it, and makes them geue more milke. You must feede them thryse a day, in the mornyng when you tye them vp, at noone, and agaynt at night, when you set them loose. Their names that you geue them, must be short, that they may sooner heare when they be called. The Greekes, and the Latines, gaue them names of two syllables, the Germanes lightly but one syllable, [...] as Ball, Slut, Patch, Grym &c. al though Columella would not haue their names vnder two sylla­bles, shewing for example the names of Dogges among the Greekes, and the Latines, as [...], and Lupa, Tigr [...], Cerua: Xenophon reckoneth vp thousandes al for the most part of two syllables. The diseases and greeuances of Dogges, are the byting of Flyes, Tycks, and Manginesse. Against this, you must washe them, when they be Whelpes, with bitter Almondes stamped and strayned with water, was­shing them both about their eares, and betwixt their clawes, that neyther Flyes sticke to them and blister them, nor Tycks or Lyce molest them: and yf they be alredy mangy, you must annoynt them with Tarre, and Hogges grease: the Tycks also, yf you touche them with this medeci [...]e, wyll presently fall of, for you must not plucke them of by force. If your Dogge be full of Fleas, the remedy is Cummin beaten with a like quan­titie of Neesing pouder, & mingled with water, rubbe him ouer with it, or the olde dregges of Oyle rubbed ouer all his body. If he be skabby, take Cyt [...]isus and S [...]samum, beat them togea­ther, & mingling them with Tarre annoynt the sore: this me­decine wyl also remedy a christian creature. They say also, that yf you thrust the skinne through with an iron, it wyll heale the manginesse, or yf you smeare them ouer with Gunne pouder, or cast them into a Tanners Fat. Aristotle wryteth, that Dog [...]es are cheefely troubled with three diseases, madnesse, Qui [...]s [...]y, and the Goute, and wha [...]soeuer he byteth in his m [...]dnesse, be­commeth also mad [...] and dyeth thereof: the madnesse is must ex­treame in the [...]: what so euer is bitten by them, fai [...]th stra [...]ghtwayes into a lo [...]hyng, and feare of water. [Page] To preserue them from it, you must mingle with their meate for thirtie dayes togeather, or yf they be already infected, geue them Neesing pouder to eate. Plinie wryteth, that there is in the tongues of Dogges a little woorme, called of the Greekes [...]yrta, which yf it be taken out whyle they be whelpes, they wyl neyther be madde, nor greedy, or rauenous. If the Dogge be madde,Madde Dogges. he refuseth both meate, and drinke, and driueleth ylfa­uoured fomie matter, both from his nose, and mouth, he looketh with a lothsome countenaunce, his body his leane, and more clong togeather then it was woont to be, he beareth his tayle betwyxt his legges, and biteth without any barking what soe­uer he meetes, falling as well vpon men, as beastes, making no difference betwyxt his freendes, and strangers. As the Dogge is a watchman and keeper of the house and the flocke, so the Catte is also a household seruant to be cheryshed.Cattes. The Egypti­ans for theyr profitablenesse, did woorship for theyr God a gol­den Catte: for whereas Rattes and Mise, as well in Cities, as in Granges, are greatly hurtfull, we keepe vp Cattes for the auoyding of the m [...]schiefe, neither is there a speedier remedy. The Catte is a beast of nature enimie to the Mouse, watching in the night, and sleeping in the day, stealing suddenly and swift­ly vpon the Mouse: shee seeth better by night, then by day (as Alexander Aphrodiseus wryteth) her eyes shine and glister in the darke. They goe a Catterwalling about February, and o­ther times in the yeere (for they often ingender) and bring forth their young ones blind, as y^e Bitch doth. Herodotus saith, that after the Catte hath kitned, she commeth no more at the Bucke, which when he perceaueth, & can not haue his purpose, he killeth y^e young, wherof when she seeth her selfe bereft, for ve­ry desire of young (wherof this kind is most desirous) she com­meth straight to the Bucke. For my part I would rather coun­sell you to destroy your Rattes and Mise with Traps, Banes, or Weesels: for besides the sluttishnesse & lothsomenesse of the Catte you know what she layes in the Malt heape) she is most d [...]ungerous and pernicious among children, as I mee self haue had good experience.

AS keeping and breeding of cattell, dooth yeeld no small commoditie and gaynes to the hus­band, so the nourishing, and maintenaunce of Poultry, Foule, Bees, and Fishe (yf the countrey be for it) dooth commonly aryse to his great aduauntage, whereby both the reue­nue is greatly encreased, and the table dayly with dayntie, and no chargeable dysshes furnished. Cages, and houses for Birds, wherein were kept al maner and sortes of Foule, were fyrst de­uised by M. Lelius Strabo at Brundisium, from whiche time it was fyrst put in vse, to penne vp suche creatures, as naturally were accustomed to flee at their libertie in the ayre. At whiche time also began to be brought in strange & outlandish Foules, the keeping and breeding whereof, yeeldeth to the husband both pleasure, and profite. We haue here brought in PVL­LARIVS, CHENOBOSCVS, MELISSEVS, and PISSINARIVS, euery one of them seuerally entrea­ting of such thinges, as belongeth to his charge.

I see you haue here (PVLLARIVS) great store of Foule, and Poultry, and I beleeue veryly, the profyte and commoditie of them, wyll not quite halfe the char­ges they put you to.

Yes veryly they quite your cost, whe­ther you sell them, or keepe them for the Kitchin. It is sayde, that Auidius Lurco made yeerely of his Poultry and Foule fiue hundred pound.

But I doo a great deale better like the common Poultry, that we keepe about our houses.

We haue also of the same here at home with vs.

Then let me vnderstand (I pray) in what order you keepe them, for herein you seeme to be most skilfull.

It is meete that euery one be skilfull in the trade that he professeth. If you wyl I wil not refuse to shew you that little cunning that I haue: so you on the other side vouchsafe to shewe me the ordring of your Bees.

I wyll not sticke with you for that, to tell you the best that I can.

Well then with a good wyll I declare vnto you my knowledge, beginning first with those kindes that are most in vse: for amongst all other housholde Poultry, the cheefe place is due to the Corke and the Henne, that are beside so common, as the poorest wyddowe in the countrey is able to keepe them. In this Byrd there are three poyntes of naturall affection cheefely to be woondred at. The first, the great care­fulnesse that they haue during the time of theyr sitting, wherin for the desire of hatching theyr young, they seeme to be carlesse of eyther meate or drinke. Secondly, that they beare such loue to them, as they sticke not to hazard theyr owne liues in the defence of them. And thirdly, that in the storme, great cold, or sicknesse, they preserue and nourish them vnder theyr winges, not making for the whyle any account of theyr owne selues. There is hereof a most sweete comparison in the Gospel, wher­in our Sauiour CHRIST compareth him self to the Henne that gathereth her Chickins vnder her winges. And therefore, since these are common for euery man to haue, and that they al­wayes feede about the house, I thinke it best to beginne with them, and to tell you which are best to be liked, which to be brought vp, and which to be fatted. First, the bell to be bought for broode [...] The [...]or [...]e [...] b [...]oode. are the dunne, the redde, the yellowe, and the blacke, the white are not to be medled with, because they are common­ly tender, and prosper not, neyther are they besides fruitefull, and are alwayes the fayrest marke in a Hawke, or a Bussardes eye. Let therfore your Henne be of a good colour, hauing a large body and brest, a great head, with a straight redde and duble comme, white [...] and great, her tallons euen. The best kind (as Columella sayth) are such as haue [...]iue clawes, so that [Page 158] they be free from spurres: for such as weare those Cockish wea­pons, are not good for broode, and disdayne the company of the Cocke, and lay but seeldome, and when they sitte, with theyr vnruly spurres they breake theyr Egges. The little Pullets, or Hennes, though the old age, both for theyr vnfruitfulnesse, and other causes disalowed them, yet in many places they proue to be good, and lay many Egges. In England at this day, they are vsed as a daynty dishe at mens tables.The choise of the Cock. In the choyse of your Cockes, you must prouide such as wyll treade lustyly, of co­lours, as I tolde you for the Hennes, and the like number of tallons, and like in many other pointes, but of stature they must be hyer, carr [...]yng theyr heads straight vp, theyr commes must be ruddy and hye, not hanging, nor falling downe, theyr eyes blacke and sharpe, theyr bylles short and crooked, theyr eares great and white, theyr wattelles oryent, hauing vnder them as it were a kind of grayish beard, the necke feathers of colour di­uers, eyther a pale, golden, or a gylstering greene, which must hang rufl [...]ng from his necke, to his shoulders, theyr brestes must be large, and well brawned, theyr wynges well feathered and large [...] theyr tayles dubled and flagging, theyr rumpes and thyes ful of scathers, theyr legges strong, wel armed with sharp and deadly spurres: Theyr disposition (for you shall not neede to haue them great fighters) would be gentle, quick, and liuely, and specially good wakers, and crowers: for it is a Byrd that well aporcioneth both the night and the day, and (as Pruden­tius witnesseth) exhorteth to repentance. Neyther must you on the other side, haue him a Craddon, for he must sometime stand in the defence of his wyfe & his chyloren, and haue stomake to kill, or beate away a Snake, or any such hurtfull vermine: but yf he be to quarrellus, you shall haue no rule with him, for fight­ting and beating his fellowes, not suffering them to treade, though he haue more then his handes full him selfe. This mis­chi [...]fe you may easely preuent, with shackling him with a shooe sole: for although such lusty fighters are bredde vp and chery­shed for the game, yet are they not to serue the husbands turne at home. A Cocke framed and proporcioned after this sort, shal haue [...]iue or sixe Hennes going with him.

I pray you let me vnderstand what time of the yeere is best for bringing foorth of Chickins?

In some places, specially the hottest countreys, the Hennes beginne to lay in Ianuary in colder countreys, e [...] ­ther in February, or at the latter end of Ianuary: you must al­so further their laying, be geuing them meates for the purpose, as Barly halfe sodde, whiche maketh both the Egges the fay­rer, and causeth them to lay the oftner. Some thinke it good to mingle therewith the leaues or the seedes of Cytisus, which both are thought to be greatly of force in making them fruite­ful. If this be not to be had, you may supply the want with Spe­ry, or (as Ca [...]dan [...] sa [...]th) with Hempseede, which wyll cause them to lay all the W [...]n [...]r. When they lay, you must see that theyr nestes be very cleane, and kept styll with freshe cleane strawe: for otherwyse they wyll be full of Flease, and other ver­mine, which wyll not suffer the Henne to be quiet, wherby the Egges doo not hatch euen togeather, or many times waxe adle and rotten. The Egges that you sette vnder them, must be newe layd, howebeit, so they be not aboue tenne dayes old, it maketh no great matter: yf you l [...]oke not to them, they wyll straightwayes sitte after their first laying, which you must not suffer, for the young Pulle [...]s, are better for laying, then sitting: the desire of sitting is restrained, by the thrusting a feather through theyr nose. The old Hennes must rather be suffered to sitte, then the younger, because of their experience. Herein must you ha [...]e a speciall regard to knowe which be best to sitte, for some be better to bring vp Chickins, then to sitte. Others agayne wyll eyther breake, or eate vp both their owne Egges, and their fellowes Egges: such you must put aside, and yf theyr nayles and bylles be sharpe, rather employ them in brooding, then in sitting. Democritus telleth, that Chickins may be brought foorth without setting vnder the Henne, yf so be the doung of Hennes, syfted very fyne, be put in little bagges, basted about with soft feathers, vppon which the Egges must be layd strayght vpright, with the sharpe ende vpward: vpon these agayne must the like quantitie of Hennes doung be layd, so that they be of euery side closely couered. [Page 159] This done, you must suffer them to lye for the two or three first dayes, and after, e [...]ery day turne them, taking good heede, that you knocke them not one against the other in the turnyng. After twentie dayes, you shall finde the Egges broken: and therefore the twentieth day, plucking away the shelles, and ta­king out the Chickin, you may commit them to the Henne. It is written, that Chickins haue been hatched by the continuall warmth of a womans bosome: beside, it hath been seene, that Egges being laide in an Ouen, or warme place, couered well with Strawe and Chaffe, hauing a little fire beside, and one to turne them continually, haue disclosed and broken at their ac­customed time. Aristotle wryteth, that Egges put in warme vesselles, or couered with doung, wyl hatch of them selues. The number of the Egges that your Henne shall sitte vppon, some would haue to be odde, and not alwayes alike, but in Ianuarie and Februarie fifteene, and no more, in March nieneteene, and no lesse: which number you shall continue all the sommer, tyll September, or October, after which time it is to no purpose to breede any longer: for the Chickin, by reason of the colde wea­ther and diseases, neuer prosper. Yea some be of opinion, that after the tenth, or twelfth of Iune, you shall neuer haue fayre broode, and that the best season for sitting, beginneth at the tenth of March. And herein you must alwayes be sure to haue the Moone encreasyng, from that she be tenne dayes olde, tyll fyfteene: for that is the best time to sitte in. And so must you a­gayne dispose the time, as the hatching may fall out in the en­crease of the Moone: for the iust time of hatching, there are sun­dry opinions. Aristotle wryteth, that they are hatched in niene­teene dayes, Varro (for Chickins) one and twentie dayes, or twentie dayes, for Peacocks and Geese, seuen and twentie dayes, and sometimes more: Ducks, in the like space to the Henne, specially yf they sitte night and day, allowing them on­ly the mornyng, and the euenyng to feede: whiche times they must of necessitie haue. If so be you wyll set vnder your Henne Peacocks Egges with her owne, you must set her vppon the Peacocks Egges, ten dayes before she haue her owne egges, whereby they shall be hatched all at once, neyther must you set [Page] aboue fiue Peacocks or Goose Egges vnder a Henne. If you would haue al Cocke Chickins,To haue Cock chic­kins, or Hen Chickins. you must choose such Egges as be longest and sharpest, as againe (for Hennes) the roundest, (as both Plinie and Columella wryte) though Aristotle seeme not of that opinion. To vnderstand which be good egges, which not, you must (as Varro teacheth) put them in water, and such as be nought, wyl swyme aloft, and the good, goe straight to the bottome. Others doo hold them vp against a candle, and yf they see through them, they iudge them light and nought. You must in no wise shake them, or shoggle them, leste you breake the stringes of lyfe, that are but newely begun: it hath ben seene, that by shaking of the egges, the Chickins haue been hatched lame. We may beside perceiue whether the Egges will proue wel or no, yf foure dayes after the Henne haue sitten, you holde them vp in the sunne, or other light, and yf you see that they be cleere, cast them away, and put other in theyr places. Agaynst thunder,Against hurt of thunder. that many times marreth the Egges, some doo sette about them the leaues or branches of Bayes, or Bentes, or Grasse, others (agayne) the heades of Garlicke, and nayles of iron. In the great heate of the Sommer, you must nowe and then sprinckle the Egges a little with water, and wet them, least by the extreame heate they waxe dry and adle, specially the Egges of Turkies and Hennes. When so euer you meane to make cleane theyr nestes, you must take vp the Egges, and laye them tenderly in some l [...]ttle basket, and so lay them speedy­ly againe in the cleane nest, neare to the place where the Henne sittes: you must set water, and meate, that they may better keepe theyr nestes, and that by theyr long absence the Egges waxe not cold. And although the Henne dooth alwayes turne her Egges, yet it behooueth you when shee is from the nest to turne them softly with your handes, that by receauing a like warmth, they may the sooner be redy. And yf shee haue hap­pened to brust any of them with her feete, you must presently remoue them. At the nienetenth day, you must looke diligently whether the Chickins doo iobbe the shell with theyr bylles, and hearken whether they peepe: for many times by reason of the hardnesse of the shel they can not com foorth, & therfore you [Page 160] must helpe them out with your handes, and put them to the Henne, and this you must doo no longer then three dayes: for the egges that after one and twenty dayes make no noyse, haue nothing in them, and therfore you must cast them away, that the Henne loose not her labour. Upon the twentieth day, yf you sturre the egges, you shal heare the Chickin, from that time be­ginne the feathers, the Chickin lying so, as the head resteth vp­on the right toote, and the right wing lieth vppon the head, the yolke vanishing by little and little away. You must not take the Chickin away as they hatcht, but suffer them to remaine one whole day with the Henne in the nest without meate or drinke, tyll such time as they be all hatched. It is wonderfull, and yet the experience seene, that before they be suffered to eate they take no harme, though they fall from a great heygth. The next day, when all the flocke is come foorth, Columella woulde haue you to put them vnder a siue, and to perfume them with the smoke of Peniryal, or to hang them in a basket in y^t smoke, which preserueth them (as it is thought) from the Pippe, which many times distroyeth the poore Chickin: then must you put them into a Coope with the Henne, and feede them at the first with Barly meale, sodden in water, and sprinckled with a lit­tle Wine. Afterwardes, when they goe abroade, you must feele euery one of them, whether there remayne any of y^e meate they receaued the day before: for yf theyr Croppes be not emp­ty, it betokeneth want of digestion, and therfore you must keepe them fasting tyl al be digested. You must not suffer them to goe farre from the Henne, but to keepe them about the Coope, and to feede them tyl they waxe strong with brused Barly, & Barly meale: you must also take good heede, that they be not breathed vpon by eyther Toade, Snake, or Euet, for the ayre of such is so pestilent, as it by & by distroyeth them al: which mischiefe is auoyded by burning of Harts horne, Galbanum, or Womans heare, y^e smoke of al which preuenteth this pestilence. You must see beside that they lye warme: for they neyther can suffer cold, nor to much heate, y^e feathers about theyr tayles must be pulled away, lest with the hardning of their doung, their passages be stopped, whiche yf it be, you must open softly with a little quill: [Page] you must keepe them with the Henne for a moneths space, and after suffer them to goe at libertie. Both the old and the young, are of all other diseases most troubled with the Pippe,Agaynst the Pippe. special­ly about haruest time, which is a little white skinne, couering the tippe of theyr tongue, which is to be plucked away with the nayles, and the place to be pouldred with Asshes, or Garlike pouldred and sprinckled vppon it. From this plague you shall preserue them, by feeding them in cleane vesselles, and geuing them alwayes the purest and cleanest water, and keeping their houses alwayes cleane and smoked, or by smoking them as they sitte, with the smoke cheefely of Bayes and Sauyn. The wiues of the countrey do commonly cure them, by thrusting a feather through their nose, and stirring it euery day: theyr diet must be Hearbgrace wrapt in Butter or Garlike, mingled with meale or water, or Cloues of Garlike wette in warme sallet Oyle, and put into theyr mouthes. Some (sayth Columella) doo vse to washe theyr mouthes with pisse, and keepe theyr billes so long close, as the salt and bitter taste force them to cast at their nose the spring of the disease. Others agayne doo cut Garlike in gobbettes, and putting them in skallding Oyle, after it is cold, doo washe their mouthes. If they happen to eate Lupines, they wyll strayght swell vnder the eyes, whiche yf you doo not gently open, and take out the Core, to presently killeth them. And yf so be the Pippe haue nowe closed vp the eyes, and that they forsake their meate, you must lanch their Cheekes with a sharpe knife, and thrust out the water that lyeth vnder the eyes, and put in the wound sal [...]e sinely beaten: this happeneth cheefe­ly when in the sommer time they drinke foule water, and also when they want meate, or take cold. If theyr eyes be sore, you may heale them with the iuyce of Purcelane, and Womans milke, annoynting on the out side, or with Cummin, Hony, and salt Armoniacke. You shall ridde them of Lyse, with parched Cummin, and Stauesacre, a like quantitie of eache beaten togeather, and powred on with Wine: also the water wherein wylde Lupines haue been sodden. If your Henne fall to ea [...]ing of her egges, taking out the white, you must powre in playster or some liquid thing, that may come to a hardnesse in the shell [Page 161] To keepe them from eating of Grapes, you shall geue them the berry of the wood called the wyld Uine, gathered from the Hedge before it be ripe, and sodden with Wheate floure, the euill cast wherof wyll cause them to lothe Grapes.Choyse of Pou [...]y. Plinie affir­meth, that yf you geue them the flowers of the Uine with theyr meate, they wyll not touche the Grape. As in all other cattell of the countrey, so in these kindes the best are to be kept, and the worst eyther to be sold, or to be killed in the house. And therfore euery yeere about the f [...] of the lease, when they cease to breede, you shall lessen theyr number and put [...] the old ones. S [...]ch as are aboue three [...] e [...]res, and such as are eyther vnfruiteful, or not good bringers vp of Chickins, but specially those that eate vp eyther theyr owne Egges, or theyr fellowes, or such as after the Cockishe manner eyther crowe, or trende: to the which number you shall also adde, such as were hatched after the ten [...]h of Iune, which neuer proue to be fayre, but the Cocke as long as he is able to treade you may keepe: for you shall seldome meete with a good Cocke. For fatting, the best are those that haue the skinnes of theyr neckes thicke and fattysh. The place where you meane to fatte them, [...] of [...]. must be very warme, and of little light, because as both Varro, and our owne experience sheweth, the light, and theyr often sturring, keepeth them from being fatte: thus must they be kept for fiue and twenty dayes, wherein they wyl be fat. Let them hang euery on [...] in his Bas­ket or Cage by him selfe, whiche must haue in it two holes, one to thrust out his necke at, the other to cast out his doung, that he may discharge him self, and let them be strawed eyther with strawe, or course heye: for the harder they lye, the sooner they fatte. Pull away besides their feathers from their heads, theyr winges, and their tayles, the one for auoyding of [...]e, the o­ther for binding their bodyes. The meate that you giue the [...], must be Bar [...]y mea [...]e, whiche mingled with water, be made in lit [...]le pellets, wherewith they wylbe fatte (as some thinke [...] in foureteene dayes: but see that you geue it them but moderate­ly at the fyrst, tyll they well digest it, after geue it them in quantitie, according as they digest it: [...] them no newe, tyll you perceaue, by feeling of their croppes, [Page] that the olde be endewed. Others doo sprinckle theyr meale with Hony sodden in water, putting to three partes of water, one of Hony, and one of Wine, and wetting herein Wheaten bread, they therewithall doo cramme them. Others say, that yf you put herevnto a little Mylke, they wylbe woonderfull fatte. The Cockrelles are gelded (as Aristotle sayth) in the hinder part,Making of Capons. which when they tread, falleth out: this part, yf you burne two or three times, they wyll be Capons. And yf they be right Capons, theyr coames becommeth pale, neyther crowing, nor treading any more. Our wyues of the countrey, cutting them betwyxt the legges, take out theyr stones, and sowing vp the wound, annoynt it with Butter, which donne they shutte them vp in a Coope, not suffering them to drinke in a day or two. From the beginning of haruest, and all Winter long, the offal of the Corne, and the Barnes doore doth feede them sufficient­ly: where they plant Uines, sparing others more costly foodes, they feede them with the kernelles o [...] the Grapes: and where there is neyther the offall of Corne, nor Grapes, they must be fedde with Oates, Spery, or such like. To cause them to laye in Winter,Of Egges. you must geue them (as I tolde you) Hempseede. If you would haue great Egges, Leoncus teacheth to beate in powder Bricke, or Flaunders Tyle, and mingling it with Chesyll and Wine to make it in Dowe, and geue it to your Henne, or to put a Saucerful of the powder of the Brycke, to a gallon of Branne, and to feede them with it. The Egges of Pigions, Geese, Peacockes, and Turkies, be all white, the Egges of water Foules be greenish, & pale, the Ginny Hennes Egges, be like to the Pehennes in al thinges, sauing that they be speckled as the Turky Hennes. Th [...] Phesants, and the Rastryls Egges, are reddish. The Egges of all Foules (as Plinie sayth) are of two colours, wherein the water Foules Egges, hauing a great deale more yolke then white, and that more blacke then others. The Egges of Fishes, are all of one colour, hauing no white in them. The Egges of Byrds, are by reason of their heate, brittel: and Serpents Egges, by reason of theyr coldnesse, tough: Fishes, by meanes of their moysture, soft in laying, the round part of the Egge commeth first out, [Page 162] the shell being soft, and presently after hard: what forme soeuer they haue the long are most commended [...] as witnesseth the Po­ete. The Egge in fashion framed long, no of them (as I sayde before) is brought foorth the Co [...]ke Chickin, as of the rounde ones the Henne, though Aristotle be against it. Some Hennes doo lay very great Egges, and those most times with two yelkes, hauing the shell d [...]uided as it were with a circle, which both Aristotle wryteth, and our experience approoueth. Some both lay double, and hatch double: some are so fruitefull, as they lay great numbers at ones, some euery day, some twyse a day: some are so fruitefull, as they kil them selues with laying. In the middest of al Egges, there lyeth as it were a drop of blood, which is suppos [...]d to be the hart of the Bird, which is first in all the body framed: the body it selfe is wrought of the white. The sustenance is the yelke, the head whyle it is in y^t shell, is bigger then all the body, the eyes shut vp more then the head. Whyle the Chickin increaseth, the whyte goeth to the middest, and the yelke compasseth it round about. The twentieth day (as I said before) yf you stirre the Egge, you shal heare the Chickin, from which time y^e feathers come foorth, lying so, as the head resteth vpon the right foote, and the right wing couereth the head. The adell Egges are thought to come of the vaine lust and treading of the Hennes togeather: some suppose them to be bredde of the wind, and therefore call them winde Egges, as Aristotle before Plinie hath written. Egges are preserued in Winter, yf you keepe them in Chaffe, Straw, or Leuen, and in sommer, yf you couer them with Branne, or Wheate. Some doo couer them before in fine beaten salt for the space of sixe houres, and after wash them, & so lay them in Chaffe, Straw, or Branne. Others agayne couer them in Beanes, and some in Beane floure, and some in heapes of salt: but salte, as it suffereth not the Egges to corrupt, so it greatly deminisheth the substance of them. Your Henne houses must be made in that part of your house, as lyeth in the Winter towardes the rysing of the sunne, and ioy­ning as neare as may be to some Rylle, Ouen, or Chymney, or to the Kitchin, so as the smoke may come amongest them: for smoke is very holsome for this kynde of Foule. [Page] And that was (I thinke) the cause that the olde people made choyse in their quitrentes of smoke Hennes, as of the best, as it appeareth by olde rentalles. Let the front of your Henne house stand alwayes towards the East, and to that coast let the doore open. Let the inner roo [...]es be well furnished with Loftes and Lathers, and small wyndowes opening Eastward, at whiche your Poultry may flee out in the morning, and come in to roust at night. Looke that you make them close at night, and let the wyndowes be wel lettysed for feare of vermine. Let your nestes and lodginges, both for laying and brooding, be orderly cast, and agaynst euery ne [...]t and rousting place, place steppes and boordes to come vp by, making them as rough as may be, that the Hennes may take good hold when the [...] flee vp to them, and not by their ouer [...]ind [...]t [...]enesse, be forced to flutter and hurt their Egges. I [...] shal not be amisse, if you [...]arget the house both within and without with good [...] by n [...]i [...]her Wee­sel, nor other hurtfull vermine may enter in. Boorded floore are not for Foule to roust vpon, which almost all kind of Birds r [...]se, because of the hurt that they receaue by their doung, which if it cleaue to their feete, breedeth the G [...]u [...]e. And there­fore to roust [...], you must make them Perches, whiche Colu­mella woulde, shoulde be made fouresquare: but it is better to haue them round, so that they be not too smoothe for them to take holde by. Let the Perches reache from one side of the wall to the other, so as they stand from the floore a foote in height, and two foote [...] one from the other: and thus haue you the fai [...]on of your Henne house. The court where they goe [...] must be cleane from doung and durtinesse, not hauing water in it, sa [...]ing in one place, and that must be very fayre and cle [...]: for if it be pudled, or durty, it b [...]eedeth (as I sayde be­fore the Pippe. To keepe their water cleane, you may haue faire e [...]rthen, or stone vessell, or trowghes of wood, couered in the coppe, in the which there must be seuerall holes so bigge, as the head of the Foule may easely enter: for yf you shoulde not keepe them thus couered, the Poultry would in their drinking [...] and poyson it with their doung. Their meate must be ge­uen them betimes in the mornyng for straying abroade, and a [Page 163] little before night, that they may come the timelier to their rest. Those that be in the Coope, must (as Columella sayth) be fedde thryse in the day: the others must be vsed to an acquaynted voyce, that they may come at the calling. The number must be well marked: for they soone deceaue their keeper. Beside, you must haue rounde about by the walles, good plentie of dust, wherein they may bathe and proyne them selues: for as the Swyne delighteth to wallowe in durt, so dooth this kinde to bathe and tumble in the dust. And this is (I thinke) almost all that is to be said of Pulleyne.

Yea, but we must heare something also touching the other sortes of Foule that are kept about y^e house, which peraduenture CHENOBOSCVS can instruct vs of.

And yf you wyll needes haue me [...] I wyll not refuse to shewe you somewhat also of my feathered cattell.

I pray you doo so.

Amongst the Foule that we keepe about our houses in the countrey, [...] the second place of right, is due to the Goose and the Ducke, whiche are of the number of those that they call Amphibia, because they liue as well vppon the lande, as the water. And because the keeping of Geese re­quires no great labour, it is a thing not vnmeete for the hus­bandman, for that (yf he haue place commodious for it) it is doone without any charges, and yeeldeth good aduantage hath with their broode, and feathers, for beside the profite of theyr Egges, you may twyse in the yeere, at the spring, and the fall of the leafe pull them. Moreouer, they are a very good dishe for the [...]able, yea being more watchfull then the Dogges, they geue warning when they sleepe. And therfore they w [...]re with the Romanes had in great honor, because they with their gag­ling bewrayed the enimie, that otherwyse in the night time had taken the Towne: Plinie wryteth of a Goose, that would neuer be from the Philosopher Lacydes. Your choyse must be of those that be of the fairest kinde: Varro liketh best the white ones, which colour was most esteemed in the olde time, as appeareth by the presentes that were geuen: the same Varro accounteth [Page] the gray for a wyld kind. They are kept in Marshes, Fennes, Lakes, & Moorish commons: for to Corne ground, Medowes, and Pastures, it is a very hartful Foule: she biteth whatsoeuer young spring she may reache, & what she once hath bitten, doth neuer lightly prosper againe. Besides, she stencheth the ground with her vnprofitable, or rather most hurtfull dounging: where­fore (as I sayde) it is best to keepe them in Fennes, Lakes, and Marshes. If you haue store of such ground, you shall doo well to keepe them: for you can not well keepe them without good store of water and pasture. The Goose delighteth in such meate as is naturally moyst and colde, and shunneth naturally such thinges as are hurtfull for her, as the leafe of the Bay, and (as Alianus wryteth) the Oleander: the best and meetest time for them to breede in, is from the Kalends of March, to the tenth of Iune. They tread most commonly in the water, whyle they swymme in the Ryuers, or Fishponds. Columella would haue you keepe for euery Gander, three Geese, thinking by reason of theyr vnweldynesse, this number to suffise: within your courte, you must make them for theyr better safety, seuerall, and secrete pennes, in sundry partes thereof, where they may sitte & breede. Some would haue the Goose roome framed in such order, as euery Goose may haue her place to her selfe: which, yf any man thinke too troublesome, he may make one sufficient wyde roome to serue them all. The places where they shall lay, must be dry, and well strawed with strawe, or such soft matter, and well defended from vermine. The Goose must not be suffered to lay out of her nest, but when you shall perceaue they seeke it, you must gr [...]pe them, and yf they be with Egge, which you sh [...]ll easely feele, shut them vp in theyr nestes, which you shall not neede to doo aboue once, or twyse: for where she hath once layde shee wyll alwayes of her selfe se [...]ke to be. They wyl laye (as some hold opinion) thryse in the yeere, yf they be not suf­fered to sitte, as it is best you doo not: for theyr Egges are bet­t [...]r to be hatched vnder a Henne, then of them selues, and wyll [...]etter a great deale prosper. The Egges of Geese, & Swans, were vsed (as Alianus witnesseth) as a most daynty dyshe at [...]nkettes, among the Kinges and Princes of the Indies. [Page 164] Aristotle affirmeth, that the Goose alwayes vseth to sitte, and neuer the Gander, contrary to the order of many other Foule [...], continuing alwayes tyll shee haue hatched. After the last lay­ing, you shal suffer them to sitte, and marke euery ones Egges with a seuerall marke, that they may be sette vnder theyr owne Goose, for it is thought they wyll neuer hatch a strangers Egges, without she haue her owne vnder her. Of Goose Egs, as of Pehennes Egges, you shall (as I sayd before) neuer sette vnder a Henne aboue fiue, nor vnder three: but vnder the Goose you shall set at the least seuen, and at the most fifteene. You must keepe to lay vnder your Egges, the rootes of Nettles, which they say, preserueth them against the stinging of Nettels, which otherwyse many times killeth the Gosling, yf they sling them. The Egges wyll not be hatched yf the weather be cold, before the thyrtieth day, yf it be warme, in lesser time: howbe­it for the most part, the Gosling is hatched the thirtieth day af­ter the sitting. Some doo vse to set by the nestes, Barly steeped in water, or Malte, whereby the Goose shall not be forced to be any whyle absent from her Egges. When your Goslinges are come foorth, you shall for the fyrst tenne dayes feede them with the Goose in the nest. Afterwardes, when the weather is faire, you may suffer them to goe abrode, taking good heede that they be not stinged with Nettles, nor that you let them goe a hun­gerd into the pastures: but to geue them afore they goe abrode the leaues of Endiue, or Lettuse chopt, to asswage their hun­ger: for yf you put them a hungerd into the feelde, they straine and breake their owne neckes, with pulling at the tough and stubburne weedes, by reason of y^e sudden starting backe againe of the weede. The Goslings of diuers broodes must not goe to­geather, nor be shutte vp togeather, for hurting one another. When they be foure monethes olde,Fatting of Geese. or somewhat before, is the best time for fatting them: the young ones are soonest & easeli­est fatted. If you geue thē ground Malt, & wheate floure, you neede to geue thē nothing, so you let them haue drinke yenough, and keepe them from going abrode. The Grekes did vse to put to two partes of ground Malt, foure partes of Bran, tempring it with water, letting them drinke thrise a day, & at midnight. [Page] If you would haue theyr Lyuers soft and tender, you shall mingle dry Figges well beaten with water, and making pel­lets thereof, cram them with it for the space of seuenteene, or twentie dayes. The Iewes at this day, being the skilfullest fee­ders that be, doo vse a strange order in the fatting of them, wrapping the Goose in a linen Aporne, they hang her vp in a darke place, stopping her eares with Peason, or some other thing, that by neyther hearing, nor seeing of any thing, shee be not forced to stroggel, or crye: after, they geue her pellets of ground Malt, or Barly steeped in water thryse a day, setting by them water and grauell, by which maner of feeding, they make them so fatte, as the Lyuer many times commeth to be fiue pound in weyght. Whylest I was at the councell of Wormes, there was a Lyuer of a Goose brought me by a Iewe, that wayed foure pound. Plinie is also a witnesse, of the great­nesse of the Lyuers of fatte Geese, affirming, that they wyll growe after they be out of the bodyes, being sprinckled with milke. The common order of fatting with our countrey people, is to shutte them vp in a darke, and a narrowe place, and to set before them Barly, or Beech wheate, geuing them water with a little Sand, or Grauel in theyr Troughes: and with this or­der they haue them fatte in fourteene dayes. After haruest, they wylbe fatte with the Grotten, or Stubble. They are plucked (as I sayd before) twyse in the yeere, in the spring, and in the fall of the leafe. Some vse to clippe them, but then theyr fea­thers neuer growe so well: but yf you pull them, you shall haue them to come very fayre agayne: and this is yenough for a Goose. Duckes and Teales,Duckes. are to be ordered in like maner almost as the Goose, sauing that they delight more in waters, and marshes: and therefore you must force some Waters, Lakes, or Pooles, for them, wherevnto they may easely goe and swymme, and dyue at theyr pleasure. Columella would haue you haue a court for the nonce for them, where no cattell vse, and neare to the house, round about the which you shall buyld for them little handsome [...]oomes, three foote square, with prety doores to euery one of them: whiche when they breede, you shall keepe shutte. Hard by, you must haue eyther some [Page 165] Pond, or Riuer, wherein (as I said) they may swym: for with­out the helpe of the water they can as euyll liue, as without the land. It is good also to haue neare vnto them, some good pa­sture, or meddowe, or to set about the Ponds or Riuers, such hearbes as they best like, as Clauer, Fenegreeke, Endyue, Lettise, and such other as they most delight in, and wherewith theyr young doo well feede: beside, you must geue them Otes, Barly, and other corne in water. There is nothing that they more loue then Acornes, nor that better fatteth them. They de­light wonderfully to be amongst Reedes and Sedges, wherin they may lye safe from rauenous Byrdes, but so, as there grow no great stalked weedes, that may hinder theyr swymming: for they delight greatly to play them selues in the water, and to striue who can swym fastest, when the weather is fayre and warme: for as they loue suche places where they may best pray vpon the creatures of y^e water, so are they much offended, if they be restrayned of their libertie in swymming. In Winter, when the waters be frozen, you must ply them sometimes with meate. They delight to make theyr nestes in some secrete Couert, but therein you must preuent them, and make their nestes in their owne lodging, or abrode, wel couered and closed with weedes: to which nest you must haue some litle sluce, or gut [...]er, by which you may euery day powre in water and meate. Theyr foode must be (as I sayd) Otes, Barly, Pease, Panicle, Millet, and Spery, yf you haue any store. They lay great store of Egges, wherewith as with Goose Egges, you may well feede your fa­milie. The Egges of Duckes and Geese, are kept in like sort as I told you of Hennes Egges: and beside in Bran, Wheate, or Ashes. They breede in the same season that Geese and other Foule doo, about March and April. And therefore where you keepe them, you must strawe stickes and strawes for them to make their nestes withal. Their Egges must be suffered to be hatched by themselues, or els remoued & set vnder some Henne: for the Ducklinges that the Henne hatcheth, are thought to be gentler and tamer. You must take good heede, that the Egges whiche they laye, be not eaten and spoyled by Crowes and Pyes, whyle the damme is seeking abroade for meate. If so be [Page] you haue Riuers, and Lakes for the purpose. It is best to let the dammes bring them vp, for when they be hatched, they wil liue very well vpon the water with theyr dammes, without a­ny charge at all: only taking good heede, that they be defended from Buzards, Rites, Crowes, and other like vermine: but so you vse them, as they wyl euery night come home to the house, for it is not good to let them be abrode in the night, for danger of losing them, and making them wylde. Yet hath it ben seene, that such as haue hatched abroade, haue afterwardes come home, and brought with them a great number at theyr tayles. When I was Embassador in England, it was told me by men of good credite, that there was in Scotland neare to the Sea, certayne trees, that yeerely brought foorth a fruite, that fal­ling into the Sea, became a kind of wylde Duckes, or rather Barnacles, which though it seemed strange vnto me, yet found I Aristotle a witnesse of the like, who wryteth, that the Riuer Hypanus in Scythia, bringeth foorth trees, whose leaues being somewhat larger then Maple leaues, whereof commeth a kind of foure footed Byrds. But nowe to Peacocks,Peacocks. which Byrdes being more for pleasure then profite, are meeter to be kept of noble men, then of poore husbands of the countrey, though Varro wryteth, that M. Aufidius Lurco, who fyrst began the fatting of this Foule, made yeerely of his Peacocks foure hun­dred pound, whose example numbers following, the pryce of Peacockes grewe to be great, so much, as theyr Egges were solde for halfe a crowne a peece, the Peacocks them selues, at foure nobles a peece. The fleshe is very good and delicate, meete for noble mens tables, and wyll be long kept without corrupting, the Egges also be very pleasant, and good to be ea­ten. Hortensus they saye, was the fyrst that euer killed Pea­cocke for the table in Rome, as a newe dyshe at the Priestes feast. To this Byrd, is ascribed both vnderstanding and glory: for being praysed, he settes vp strayght his tayle, and (as Pli­nie eloquently discrybes it) chefely agaynst the Sunne, wher­by the beauty may more be seene. His tayle falling euery yeere with the fall of the leafe, he mourneth, and creepeth in corners tyll it be sprong againe. They goe abroade, as [Page 166] Hennes and Chickins doo, without a keeper, and get their owne liuinges. They be best kept in little Ilandes: for they flee neither hye, nor farre of. Some thinke it to be a spite­full and an enuious Bird, as the Goose to be shamefast, and that he deuoureth his owne doung, because he woulde haue no man receyue benefite by him. He liueth (as Aristotle sayth) fiue and twentie yeeres: he breedeth at three yeeres olde, the Cocke hauing his feathers diuers coloured: he hatcheth in thirtie dayes, as the Goose dooth, & layeth three times a yeere, yf his Egges be taken away and set vnder a Henne. You must looke, that those that you set vnder a Henne, be newe layd, and that the Henne from the first of the Moone, be set vppon niene Egges, fiue of the Peacocks, and foure of her owne. The tenth day after she hath sitte, take away the Hennes Egges, and put vnder the like number of freshe Hennes Egges. They must be turned, and therefore marked vppon one side. And see that you choose the greatest Hennes: for yf the Henne be little, you must take the lesser number of Egges, as three Pehennes Egges, and sixe Henne Egges. When they be hatched, you must as you doo with y^e Henne, let them alone: the first day afterwardes bring them out, and put them with the damme into a Pen, and feede them at the first with Barly floure sprinckled with wa­ter, or pappe made of any other corne, and cooled. A few dayes after, geue them beside this, chopped Le [...]kes, and Curdes, or freshe Cheese, the Whay wel wrong out: for Whay is thought to be very hurtful for the Chickins. After they be a moneth old, you may let them goe into the feeld and followe the Henne, ty­ing the Henne with a long line, that she goe not to far abroade, but that the Chickin may come home in time. After the sixth moneth, you may geue them Barly, and bread: and after the se­uenth moneth, you may put them to roust in the house with the other Peacocks, not suffering them to sit vpon the ground, but vpon Pearches for taking of colde. And although when they waxe greate, they cheefely delight to sitte vppon the toppes of houses, and be as the Goose is, which are the best watch­men, and also the best warnyng geuers in the nyght tyme: yet is it best for you to vse them to sitte vpon Pearches, in hou­ses [Page] made purposely for them. Columella thinkes it not good to suffer sundry Hennes with theyr Chyckins to feede togeather, because the Henne after she seeth a bigger then her owne, ma­keth the lesse accompt of her owne Chickins, and many tymes by that occasion forsaketh them. The Cocke, for the great lust that he hath of treade, breakes a sunder the Egges that be vn­der the Henne, and therefore it is best to haue the Hennes to sit as secretly as may be: they also vse to beate and chase their owne Chickins, tyll they see them cressed vppon the head, taking them tyll then, to be none of their owne. One Cocke suf­fiseth for fiue Hennes, who by two oft treading, dooth many times cause that the Egges neuer come to good. In warme countreys they beginne to treade in Februarie, when setting v [...] his tayle round about him, taking him selfe for no small per­son, he beginneth to wooe, and therefore at this time both the Cocke and the Henne, are to be cherished with meates for the purpose to encrease their lust, as Beanes tosted a little by the fyre, and geuen them warme euery fiue dayes in the mornyng. The quarellous & troublesome Cockes, must be seuered from their fellowes, for hurting the weaker, and keeping others from t [...]eading. The Hennes must be kept so, as they may laye onely in their houses, and euery day groped for their Egges, and hee­dely looked to, with soft st [...]awe layd vnder their Pearches: for many times they say as they sitte vpon the Pearch.Dise [...]ses. The disea­ses of this Foule, and the remedies, are almost one with the di­seases of the house Cocke and the Henne spoken of before, that is the Pipp [...], and yll digestion. Their greatest danger is, when their Coames come fyrst out, for then are they payned, as chil­dren are in breeding of teeth.

Turkie Cockes.I would faine learne the right ordring of their outlandish Birds, called Ginny Cocks, & Turky Cocks.

This kind of Poultry we haue not long had amongst vs: for before the yeere of our Lord. 1530. they were not seene with vs, nor I beleeue knowen to the olde wryters. Some haue supposed them to be a kind of the Birdes called in the olde times Meleagrides [...] because of their blewishe Coames: but these kindes haue no Coames, but only Wattles. [Page 167] Others agayne reckon them for a kind of Peacockes, because they doo in treading time after the same sort, spread and sette vp theyr tayles, bragging and vaunting them selues: howbeit, they neyther resemble these in all poyntes. But because this kinde of Foule, both for the rarenesse, and also the greatnesse of theyr body, is at this day kept in great flockes, it shall not be much amisse to speake of them: for in dayntinesse and goodnesse of meate, the Hennes may compare with eyther the Goose, or the P [...]henne, and the Cocke farre excell them. The colour of theyr feathers, is for the most part white, blacke, or p [...]ed white and blacke, some blewe and blacke. Theyr feete are like vnto the Peacockes, theyr tayles short, but spread, and borne vp after the Peacockes guyse, specially when they tread. The heades and the neckes of them, are naked without feathers, couered with a wrinckled skinne, in maner of a cowle, or a hood, which hanging ouer theyr bylles, they drawe vp, or let fall at theyr pleasures. The Corke hath the greater Wattles vnder his c [...]inne, and on his brest a [...]uf [...] of heare. The colour of that wrinckled skinne about his head (which hangeth ouer his byll and about his necke, al swelling as it were with little blathers) he changeth from time to time like the Cham [...]leon to al colours of the Rainebowe, sometimes white, sometimes red, sometimes blewe, sometimes yellowe, which colours euer altring, the byrd appeareth as it were a myracle of nature. The dieting and kee­ping of them, is almost all one with the Peacocke, sauing that this Byrd can worse away with colde, and wette. It is a Byrd woonderfully geuen to breeding, euery Cocke must as the Pea­cocke, haue foure or fiue Hennes with him: they are more for­ward in breeding then the Peacocke, beginning eyther the fyrst yeere, or at the farthest at two yeere old: they beginne to lay in Marche, or soone [...]. In hotte countr [...]s they lay great numbers of Egges, yf they be continually taken from them and set vnder Hennes, and yf so be you take them not away, they begin [...]o sit at the first: for they be of all others most geuen to sitting, and [...]o much, that yf you take away al theyr Egges, they wyl sitte vp­on a stone [...] or many times the b [...]re nest. You must therfore re­straine them of this desire, eyther by thrusting a [...]eather through [Page] theyr nose (as I before told you) or by wetting theyr bellies with cold water. You must set vnder theyr Egges (as I taught you before) in the Peacocke: for they haue both one time of hat­ching. The keeper must marke y^e one side of the Egges, and al­wayes turne them, sprinckling them nowe and then gently with fayre water, and take heede the Cocke come not at them, for he wyl breake them as wel as the Peacocke: for the Cocke of this kind, is a froward and a mischiuous Byrd. The Chic­kines being hatched vnder a Henne, may be kept with the Hennes Chickins, or els very well alone with the Henne, growing faster a great deale then the Peachicke. You shall feede them in like sort as you doo the Peacoke, or other Poul­try: for they wyll eate any thing, and delight in grasse, weedes, grauell, and sande. And because they can not away with colde, nor wette, you must keepe them in Winter, in the warmest and dryest places you haue. The Pearches whereon they vse to sit, must not be hye, but an eyght or tenne foote from the grounde, neyther [...]e they able to flee any great height, and therefore must be holpen with lathers, or steppes. The greatest disease that they are subiect vnto, is the Pippe and the Squecke, which must be hol [...]en in like sort as the Hennes, and the Egges kept after the same maner. In some places they vse to make Ca­pons of them when they be young, which are serued as a dayn­ty dishe to the table, as was much vsed in y^e house of that godly and vertuous Semproma, y^e Lady Hales of Kent,Lady Hales a m [...]ro [...] of Gentilvvo­men. who was first the wyfe of syr Walter Maun [...]yll of Northamtonshyre, a wo­man in whom all vertues & bounties in her life time florished.

I well remember that Lady, and haue heard her highly commended of such as in her life time best knewe her, for a number of gracious and goodly gyftes that were in her, as her special loue and delight in God, and in his seruice, her helpful hand and comfort to such as were poore and distressed, [...]s well in releeuing them with meate and money, as with healing diseases, and curing a number of lothsome, and al­most incurable vlcers and woundes, her milde and sweete dis­position, her great humilitie, & carelesnesse of the vaine worlde, and other such vertues. I would to Christ that al other Gentle­women, [Page 168] that professe Christ outwardly, were as well geuen to followe him in deede, as shee was vnfaynedly.

Shee was the very Phaenix and Pa­rageon of al the Gentlewomen that I euer knewe, neither am I sure I shal euer see the like: but shee happily resteth with him, whom in her life time she so earnestly serued. If you be not wee­rie, I wyl returne to my Foule, and shew you the best order for keeping and mainteyning of Pigions.

I thinke both MELISSEVS and PISSINARIVS would gladly heare you to tell vs some thing of this, as I mee selfe most wyllingly also would.

Though you PVLLARIVS are better able to speake hereof then I am, yet because of my profes­sion, I wyl not refuse to take it vpon me.Pigions. What so euer he be, that geue [...] him selfe to the trade of husbandry, it behoueth speci­ally to haue a care for breeding of Pigions, as wel for the great commoditie they yeeld to the Kitchin, as to the profite & yeere­ly reuenue that they yeelde (yf there be good store of Corne feeldes) in the market. Varro wryteth, that in his time a payre of Pigions were sold for .1000. HS. And that Lucius Axius, a knight of Rome, before the ciuill warres betwixt Caesar and Pompey, sold his Pigions at .x. li. the payre: so much was that time geuen to wantonnesse and gluttony, yea at this day in our time, hath been seene geuen for a payre of Pigions .x. li. Flem­mish. And therefore the Douehouses are commonly built with great cost and beautie in the toppes of Turrettes and Houses, from whence by narrowe grated wyndowes, they flee abrode to theyr feeding. Pigions (yf the countrey be for them) are fedde and maynteyned with little cost, feeding them selues all the yeere long with such meate as they finde abrode, except at such time as the ground is couered with Snowe, when as you must of necessitie helpe them with a little meate. There is two sortes of them, one wyld kind, that is brought vp in D [...]uehouses, & is of colour eyther blewish, white, speckled, or dunne: howbeit, the white is not good to be kept, because they be soonest destroy­ed with vermine. In Italy, there are of this sort, as bigge agayne as ours, and are nowe common in Flaunders. [Page] An other sort is more familiar and tame, and something more large of body, with rough feete, and commonly of colour white, and sometime speckled and yellowysh: this kind is commonly kept in Cities and Townes, where the others can not be kept, and is fedde with meate at home, and because they are euer in danger of vermine, and rauening Byrdes, they are styll kept within doores, and alwayes fedde at home. This kind the com­mon people cal tame Pigions, or month Pigions, because they breede every moonth, saue in the dead of Winter. Both these sortes are wonderous fruiteful, breeding commonly eight times a yeere (yf the kind be good) yea sometimes tenne, and [...]leuen times: for in Egypt [...] as Aristotle telleth) they breede al y^e Win­ter long. And though Hennes are more fruitefull in laying of Egges, yet Pigions are more profitable by often bringing foorth young: and therefore you must prouide you such bree­ders, whose bodyes be great & fayre, not too olde, nor to young, o [...] a good and perfect colour, and a fruiteful kinde. It behooueth him that wyll begin a Douehouse, not to begin with the young and li [...]tle ones, but with the breeders, and to bye so many Cockes, as he doth Hennes, and to keepe them yf he can, mat­ched togeather of [...] ne [...]t: for yf they be so matched, they wyll breede a gre [...]t deale better. They bring foorth commonly a Cocke and a Henne togeather (as Aristotle wryteth) and our experience sheweth it: in March they begin to breede, yf the weather be w [...]me, before. There is no Byrd fruitefuller then the [...]ion, for in fourty dayes shee conceaueth, layeth, sitteth, and bringes vp [...] that for the most part all the yeere, except (as I sayd before [...] Shee layeth two Egges, and when she hath [...] is a Cocke, the next she layeth, which is a Henne, the [...] neuer [...]htly commeth to g [...]od. Both the kind [...] doo alwayes [...], the Cocke in the day, the Henne in the night, they hatch in twentie dayes, they laye after fyue t [...]e [...]inges. In [...] they sometimes bring foorth in two [...] for vpon the nienetenth day they hatch, [...] agayne. And therfore you shal often [...]nd among the young Pigions, Egges some ready to hatch, and some flying: yf there be no Cocke [...], the Hennes wyl treade one [Page 169] the others, but theyr Egges neuer come to good, but are wind Egges: Aristotle, and Theodorus calleth them water Egges, whereof there neuer commeth any thing, and because the young ones wyll breede at fiue monethes olde, we suffer the first flight to flye, to increase the breede: as being hatched in March, wyll breede againe in Iuly, or August. Those that we meane to t [...]ke for the Kitchin, or the Markette, are best to be drawen at the latter time of the yeere, when they are worst able to de [...]end them selues from the colde, and from Buzards, and Crowes: the best for broode among all Foules, is the March broode. They that meane to fatte Pigions to sell them the dearer, doo seuer them when they be newely feathered, and feede them with chawed white bread twyse a day in Winter, and thryse in Sommer: and suche as be nowe hard pend, they leaue in the nest, plucking the feathers of theyr wyng, and breaking theyr legges, that they remooue not from theyr places, geuing the dammes good plenty of meate, that they may better feede them selues, and theyr young. Some (as Gelius wryteth) doo softly tye theyr legges: for yf they should breake them, they thinke the paine would keepe them from fatting: but this tying dooth lit­tle good, for whyle they struggle to geat them selues loose, the labour wyll keepe them from being fatte: but theyr legges be­ing broken, the payne wyll not remaine aboue two dayes, or three at the vttermost, and wyll keepe them that they shal neuer stray from theyr places. Some vse onely to p [...]on them, but so fall they many times out, and become a pray to [...] therefore it is good to bring them to the Kitchin before th [...]y [...]e full rype. The vnfruitefull and noughty coloured, and the other­wyse faulty, ought cheefely to be fattes, and must be crammed in such sort as you cram Capons. Douehouses, or places for Pigions to buyld in, are made a [...]e [...] di [...]ers manners: for the tame Pigions, and such as are fedde at home, they make in the highest partes of theyr houses lying toward the South, cer­tayne hollowe roomes, and celles for them, such as [...]RIVS hath described for his Pullen: and yf the pla [...] [...] not so serue, dryuing in certayne pin [...]es into the wall, they [...]ay v [...] on them frames of boords, with par [...]ions in them, or [...]art [...]en pottes to breede in, letting certayne ledges runne from [...] to [Page] hole, that they may the better come to theyr nestes, and walke vp and downe in the Sunne. But the houses for the other wyl­der kind, because they conteyne great numbers, are buylt after a more handsome order, although vnder the eues of houses, and in steepels of Churches, you shall haue thousands breeding. Varro appoyntes the Douehouse to be buyld in this sort: a tow­rie adioyning to the house, and well lofted and seeled aboue, with one little doore in it, and foure windowes, aunswering the foure quarters of the Heauen, which windowes must be well grated, so as they may geue light yenough, and keepe out ver­mine. Al the walles within must be fayre white limed, for with this colour is the Pigion woonderfully delighted: besides, it must be well pargetted and playstered without, specially about the windowes, so as neyther Mouse, Weesel, nor other vermine may enter: the windowes must be so placed, as they may let in the Sunne all the Winter, hauing a hole of sufficient wyde­nesse ouer agaynst them, well netted and tunnelled, in such sort, as the Pigions may easely flee out and in at, and yet not suffer any hurtfull byrd to enter: for the Pigion taketh great delight in flying nowe and then abroade, where after shee hath recrea­ted her selfe, shee commeth with ioy to her nest agayne: as on the otherside shee mourneth, yf shee be restrained of her liberty. Round about the walles within, you must haue little round holes, from the toppe to the bottome, wherein they may breede: Varro would haue them three handfulles in length, and ledged from hole to hole for them to walke vpon. Some thinke it best to make your holes of Lome, or Lime, and not of Bricke and Stone, as many doo, because of the warmth. There be some that buyld theyr Douehouses vppon pillers, in the midest of some Pond, or great Water, both because they delight in wa­ter, and because they wyll haue them safe from vermine. The meate that they most delight in, is Tares, wylde Fytch, Pease, Wheate, Myllet: where these be not, you may geue them Spe­ry, specially in winter Rape seede, and Cocle: for by gathering and pecking vp these little seedes, they geat them selues a heate in cold weather. When you geue them meate, you must throwe it hard by the walles: for that part is commonly clea­nest [Page 170] from doung. And though Varro biddes you to sweepe and make cleane your Douehouses continually, and that the doung is good & profitable for the feelde, yet seeing this kind of Foule dooth delight in places sprinckled with theyr owne doung, you shall not neede to be carefull in cleansing of it. Looke well that they be not frayde, or disquieted with Gunnes, or noyse of peo­ple, or other like, specially when they sitte: and yf you haue oc­casion to goe into the house, see that you do it about noone time, when they be abroad a feeding, and be sure to knocke well be­fore you come in. Some say, that it wyll cause them to loue the house, and alure others to come thyther, yf you sprinckle them with Commyn, before they goe to feeding, or perfume the house with Sage, and Francensence. Some haue an other experi­ence for this purpose, and that is Potshards beaten small and searced, mingled with the hearbe Coast, and good old wine, and geuen vnto them. Others take Barly floure, sodden with drye Figges, and a part of Hony. Cardan teacheth this, as the best for this purpose, of Barly, or Myllet, of Comyn, of Cost, of Agnus Castus, of Hony, of old Lome, or Morter, of good Mus­kadell, boyle them al togeather, and make a stone of them to be set in the middest of a house. Tragus teacheth to take the rootes of the Thystel, and to boyle them with the pickle of Hearings. Constantine out of Didymus, wryteth of diuers other thinges for this purpose, which who so wyll, may trye. Looke well that they be not destroyed by the Hauke, or Buzard: the Hauke is a speciall enimie to this Bird, whose taking, Varro teacheth you in this maner: to lay a Pigion vppon the ground, and to sticke, bending closely ouer her, a couple of Lyme rods. There is a kinde of Hauke, that naturally is terrible to other Haukes, and preserueth the Pigion: the common people call it Castrel. Columella affirmeth, that yf you take the young Castrels, and preserue them euery one in earthen vesselles well couered and plastred all ouer, and hang them in the corners of the Douehouse, it makes the Pigions haue such a loue to the house, as they wyll neuer forsake it. They haue many other aduersaries, Crowes, Dawes, and Owles, which all destroy the Pigions, specially when they breede. I founde of late in myne owne [Page] Douehouse, an Owle sitting solemely in the nest vppon her Egges in the middest of all the Pigions, and hard by the house in an olde hollowe tree, I found peeces of young Pigions, that the Owles had brought to feede their young with: and though the Owle seeme to be greater then the Pigion, by reason of the thicknesse of her feathers, yet wyll they creepe in at as little a place as the Pigion wyll: so small and little is their bodyes, though they be bombased with feathers. Agaynst Weesels, Stoates, and suche like, Palladius woulde haue you hedge the Douehouse about with sharpe prickly branches voyd of leaues, as Gorse bryers, and such like, as they dare not passe through for pricking. Didymus and others, doo bidde you hang great branches of Rue all about the house, specially at the entrance of the doore, or to put wyld Rue vnder their wynges, or to sprinc­kle them with Rue: for this hearbe (as they say) hath a speci­all force against suche hurtfull vermine. Some say, that yf a Wolues head be hanged in the Douehouse, it wyll driue away all hurtfull vermine.

We haue heard yenough of Pigions, I pray you proceede with suche other Birdes as you keepe in the countrey. Keepe you any Fesantes here?

Phesantes.This kind of Birdes (though they be very seeldome keept among the countrey people) yet of ma­ny curious and fine fellowes, for their rarenesse & dayntinesse, they are brought vp, and kept. And because they benefite the keeper, and profite the husband, (yf the soyle and countrey be for them) the olde wryters haue placed the keeping of them, within the compasse of husbandry. Palladius teacheth, that you must prouide such as be young and lusty, that were of the last yeeres bringing foorth: for the olde ones be neuer fruiteful. One Cocke is sufficient for two Hennes: they breede once a yeere, and lay to the number of twentie Egges, beginning in April, and somewhere in March, but they are better to be brought vp vnder a Henne: so as you set vnder one Henne fif­teene Egges, obseruing the time of the Moone, and the num­ber of the dayes, as I tolde you before of the Henne. The thir­tieth day they come foorth: for the first fifteene dayes you must [Page 171] feede them with Barly floure tenderly sodde, and cooled, vpon which you must sprinckle a little Wine. After, you shall geue them Wheate, Grashoppers, and Antes Egges: let them not come neare the water for catching the Pippe, whiche yf they chaunce to haue, you shall rubbe their billes with Garlicke stamped togeather with Tarre. They are fatted in thirtie dayes with Wheate floure, or Barly floure made in pellettes, the pellettes must be sprinckled a little with Oyle, and so put into their throtes, you must take heede you put it not vnder their tongues, for yf you doo, you kill them: neyther must you geue them any meate, tyll you perceaue the first be digested.

What say you to Turtle Doues,Turtles. these are also brought vp and kept in some countreys.

Columella affirmeth, that Turtles wyll neyther laye, nor bring foorth in the house, nor Partred­ges: and therefore they vsed to take them wylde when they were full ripe, and to feede and fat them in little darke roomes like Pigion holes: the olde ones be not so good, as neither the Pigion is. In Winter you shall hardly haue them fatte, in Sommer, they wyl fatte of them selues, so they may haue plen­tie of Wheate and Corne: the water must be very cleare and freshe that you geue them. They holde opinion, that the Tur­tle after he hath lost his mate, continueth euer after solitary. But because there is greater store of Thrushes & Blackbirds, we care the lesse for keping of Turtles.Thrushes, and Black­byrdes. Though Thrushes and Blackbirdes be kept in diuers places: yet as Plinie sayth, there is in no place greater company, then is taken in the Winter time in Germanie: that they were vsed for great daynties, ap­peare by Horrace.

They are commonly dressed whole and not drawen, for theyr inward partes may well be eaten, so they be new: theyr Crops are commonly full of Iuniper berryes, M. Varro wryteth, that Thrushes were in his time at twelue pence a peece. [Page] Where they vse to keepe them, they also put as many as they take wyld among the others, that they brought vp before, by whose company and fellowshyp, they passe away the sorrowe of theyr prisonment, and fall to theyr feeding: for you must al­wayes haue old fellowes for the purpose, by whose example they may learne both to eate and drink. They must haue houses warme, as your Pigions haue, crossed through w [...]th small Pearches: for a [...]ter they haue flowen about, or haue fedde, they desire to rest. The Pearches must be no higher then a mans heygth, so as you may easely reache them standing vppon your feete. The meate must be cast in such places of the house, as lye not vnder the Pearches, for filing of it. Columella, and Pal­ladius wryte, that vnripe Figges beaten and mingled with Wheate flowre must be geuen them, that they may eate thereof theyr filles. Aristotle maketh many kindes of them, among which he also putteth the Colmons, that feedeth vppon Grapes. Our Thrushes doo feede for the most part vppon Iuniper ber­ryes, which theyr Crops being opened (as I sayd) doo shewe. They vse also in many places to kepe Quailes,Quayles. which is rather a Byrde of the earth, then of the ayre, (as Plinie sayth) but be­cause they feede vppon Elebor, and venemous seedes, and be­side are vexed with the falling sicknesse, many doo marueile (as Athenaeus wryteth) why they be so greatly esteemed. They say, their young must be fedde with Ants, and Emets Egges, as the Partryge. It is thought, that he flyeth ouer into other countreys in the Winter time, as the Crane, and the Storke doth, following for theyr guyde the oldest Quaile, called the mother Quaile.

You haue forgotten one noble and good­ly Foule, that is vsed to be brought vp in the husbandmans Ponds, Lakes, and Riuers, I meane the Swanne.

The [...].You say trewe: for this Byrde is commonly brought vp in the lowe countreys, and kept in great numbers in Linconshyre, a countrey replenished with Gen­tlemen of good houses, and good house keepers. And Athenaeus aledging the aucthoritie of Aristotle, accounteth this Foule to be very fruitefull, and of great stomacke, so much, as it is [Page 172] thought they dare geue battayle to the Egle. They are bredde and kept (as you well sayd) in Lakes, Riuers, and Fishponds, without any charge at all, and doo great good in the Riuers by plucking vp the weedes, and other annoiances: for the excel­lencie of his downe, and dayntinesse of his fleshe, he is greatly esteemed. There is one excellent kind of them, that taketh his name of the goo [...] watch that he keepeth, and is alwayes che­rished and kept in the Ditches of Citties, and Fortresses, for his great faithfulnesse in geuing warning. They be kept al­most in like manner as Geese are, but that they vse to sitte lon­ger, sitting a whole moneth, or there aboutes: they bring foorth seeldome aboue eyght, and so many did my Swannes bring me, and sometime fiue. They make theyr nestes hard by the water of Sedges, Weedes, and like stuffe: theyr young ones they carry streyght into the Riuers. If the Lakes and streames be frozen in winter, you must house them. This Byrd is coun­ted among such as liue longest, foreshewing her owne death, as Plato and Martiall witnesse, with a sweete and lamentable song. Thus much concerning my profession I haue told, I trust you that be my freendes, wyll take it in good part, and nowe PISSINARIVS I resigne my place to you, to whose turne it is come.

It falleth out in good order,Of Fishe­ponds. that from talking of water Foules, we should come to entreate of Fisheponds, and Fishe: although I doo meane to entreate larg­lyer both of keeping and taking of Fishe in my Halientycks, but because the husbands house, both for watering of cattell, and other vses can not be without Ponds, and Lakes, and that euery house is not so seated, as it hath earable ground about it, it is lawfull for the husband to make his best aduantage of his Ponds, and Waters. The Noble men and Gentlemen of Rome, were woont to buyld about theyr houses fayre Fyshe­ponds, and many times satisfied herein theyr pleasure, with ex­ceeding cost and expences, as M. Varro wryteth, of the sump­tuous and costly Fyshponds of Hortensius, Hircius, and Lucul­lus. M. Cato, when he had the wardship of Lucullus, made foure hundred pound of the Fyshe in his Pond. The same [Page] Varro maketh mencion of two sorts of Fishponds, the one of sweete water, the other salt, the one amongst the common peo­ple, where the springes feede them, and of great profite, the other neare to the Sea, where Neptune doth yeelde them both store of water and Fishe: for examples, may serue the Fish­ponds of Hortensius, whiche rather pleased the eye, then the purse. The best making of Pondes, is eyther by the sea, as Lucullus, who to let in the Sea into his ponds, made a pas­sage through the midest of a great hill, whereby he thought him selfe as great a Lorde of Fishe, as Neptune him selfe: or els to haue them feede from some great streame, or Riuer, that may bring in both water and Fish, which by Fludde or Sluse, may let in alwayes freshe water, not suffering the old to cor­rupt, but alway refreshing it, and bringing more Fishe. The next in goodnesse, are those that are fedde with Pipes, or secrete passages vnder the ground, & may be let out agayne by Sluse, which Sluses must so be made, as whē you lift, you may let the water into your Meddowes, to make them more fruitefull, as is to be scene in the countreys of the Swytches, and Heluetians, and in many other places. And therefore the waters (as I said) must be well enclosed with good Bayes, Bankes, and Wales, that they may be able to abide the rage of the fluddes and the water. The worst and last kind, is such as are made in Lakes, standing Pooles, and Rayne waters. These kind of pondes, though they be the worst, by reason of theyr vncleane stinking and corrupt water, yet where there is no better, are to be made account of: for though they be not the holsomest for keeping of Fishe, yet they yeelde some commoditie, and are most necessary about the house, eyther for watering of Cattell, keeping of Beefe and Duckes, and washing, and other like vses: but yf so be you can make them eyther by the Sea, or neare s [...]me great Riuer, so as the water may be let in and out at your pleasure: and when so euer you open the Sluses to let out the w [...]ter. Be sure that you haue them well grated, that the Fishe can by no meanes passe through, and let the passages, yf the place wyll suffer it, be made on euery side the Pond: for the old water wyll best voyde, when so euer the streame bendes, the [Page 173] currant lye agaynst it. These Sluses or passages, you must make at the bottome of y^e Ponds, yf the place wyll so serue, that laying your leuell with the bottome of the Pond, you may dis­cerne the Sea, or Riuer, to lye seuen foote higher: for this Colu­mella thinkes, wyll be a sufficient leuell for your Pond, and wa­ter yenough for your Fishe. Howbeit, there is no doubt, the dee­per the water comes from the Sea, the cooler it is, wherein the Fishes most delight. And yf so be the place where you meane to make your Pond lye leuell with the brym of the Sea, or the Riuer, you must dygge it nine foote deepe, and lay your currant within two foote of the toppe, and so order it as the water come in abundantly: for the olde water lying vnder the leuell of the Sea, wyll not out agayne, except a greater rage come in: but for the Pond that is subiect to the fludde and the ebbe, it is ye­nough yf it be but two foote deepe. In the bankes and sides of these Ponds, you must haue Busshes and Creeke holes, for the Fishe to hide them in from the heate of the Sunne: besides, old hollowe trees, and rootes of trees, are pleasant and delightfull harbours for Fishe. And yf you can hansomely conuay them, it is best to bring from the Sea, little Rockes with the weedes and all vppon them, and to place them in the middest of your Ponds, and to make a young Sea of them, that the Fishe may skarsly knowe of theyr imprisonment. About Turwan in Fraunce, and in other places, you shall finde in Loughes and Rayne waters, euen in the wyldernesse and Heathes, great a­bundance of Fishe. In diuers places of the lowe countreys, where they haue theyr Ponds fedde with the Riuer, which they may shutte out at theyr pleasure, they so order them, as they be eyther enuironed, or deuided with deeper Ditches, wherein the Fishe doth liue in the Sommer time: and the rest of the ground betwyxt the Ditches, the water being voyded and kept out by Sluses and Bankes, is sowed with sommer corne, and after haruest, the water let in agayne, whereby the ground being wonderously enritched, dooth yeelde great croppes of Barly, and Sommer corne, and (as the Poet sayth) for the land, so may be sayde for the water, Not euery ground for euery seede [...] but re­garde must be had, what for euery one meete. The Romanes [Page] keepe in theyr Ponds Lampryes, Oysters, Luces, Mullettes, Lamporns, Guyltheddes, and all other Fishe besides, that are vsed to be kept in freshe waters. Ponds for Oysters, were fyrst deuised by Sergius Orata, at the Baynes, about the time of L. Crastus the Oratour, before the battayl of Marsie, not so much for delicasie, but for his commoditie and gayne. Cocles, and Musles, were kept in Ponds by Fuluius Hirpinus. Moreouer, diuers Fishes delight in diuers places. The best Pykes and Luces, were thought to be in the Ryuer of Tyber, betwyxt the two brydges: the Turbottes, at Rauenna: the Lampreys, in Sicylli so Riuers, Lakes, Pooles, and Seas, in some places haue better Fishe, then in others. Whereto to returne to my Fishponds from whence I came, neyther may all sortes of Fishes be kept in euery one, for some sortes are Grauellers, de­lighting only in Grauelly, Stony, and Sandy waters, as Menowes, Gudgi [...]s, Bullheddes, Ruffes, Trowtes, Perches, Lamporns, Creuisses, Barbylls, and Cheuins. Others delight agayne in Muddy places, seeking euer to lye hyd in the Mud, as the Tench, the Ele, the Breame, the Carpe, and such others. Some agayne delight in both, as the Pyke, the Luce, the Carpe, the Breame, the Bleake, and the Roach. The Grauelly Fishes, specially the Menowes, are ingendred of Sheepes doung, layed in small baskettes in the bottome of a grauelly Riuer. The Luce, or Pyke, groweth (as likewyse dooth the Carpe) to be great in a short time, as in three or foure yeeres, and therefore in such Ponds as haue neyther the Sea, nor Ri­uer comming to them, we vse euery fourth, or thyrd yeere, to drawe the ol [...], and to store them with young. And in these parts we cheefely store them with Carpe, hauing small Ponds, and Stewes for the purpose to keepe them in, so as you may come by them at your pleasure. Thus much I thought good to de­clare vnto you touching my profession, let vs now see what you (MELISSEVS) can say for your Bees, and your Ho­ny.

Bees.Because I wyll not haue our discourse of husbandry depriued and maymed of such a profitable mem­ber, whose vse may in al places, be they neuer so desart, or bar­ren [Page 174] be had, I thinke it good as a conclusion to the whole, to shewe you for my part, the manner of keeping and ordering of Bees: for the good husband by cherishing of them, picketh out many times a good peece of his liuing, yea the poo [...]e soule of the countrey that hath no ground to occupy, may rayse hereof, and that without charges a great commoditie. Merula reports, that Varro had yeerely for the rent of his Bees, a thousand gal­lons of Hony: and that in a house in Spayne, hauing not pas­sing one Aker of ground to it, hath yeerely beene made of the Bees, fourescore poundes woorth of Waxe and Hony. This little poore creature the Bee, dooth not only with her labour yeelde vnto vs her delicate and most healthy Honey, but also with the good example of theyr painfull diligence and trauaile, encorageth man to labour and take paines,Industry of Bees. according to his calling; in such sort, as it seemeth the almightie and most excel­lent maiestie, hath of all other specially created this little poore creature, for the benefite and commodity of man: by whom, be­sides the commodity of the Hony and Waxe that they make, we might both take example to spend our life in vertuous and commendable exersises, and also to honour and reuerence the wonderfull bounty & goodnesse of the most gratious LORD shewed towardes vs, in the creation of this small and profitable worme. They are continually busied in labouring, they shewe great cunning and workmanshyp in theyr trauayles, they haue alwayes amongst them the liuely image of a perfite common wealth,Bees, theyr common vveales. they yeelde obedience to theyr Prince, not liking the gouernment of sundry heads, but loue to be ruled by one: eache one of them laboureth and trauayleth in his charge, in so much, as the wysest Gouernours and Councellours in common weales, haue taken the Bees for theyr patterne in choosing of Princes, distributing of offices, rewarding of vertues, and punishing malefactors. Varro did alwayes call them the byrdes of the Muses,The birds of the Muses. and Virgil with woonderfull colours, dooth elo­quently set foorth the Bees, theyr common weale, Pallaces, buyldinges, citties, lawes, manners, warres, and trauayles, supposing them to be partakers of reason, and that they haue some instinct from aboue, in that they so neare resemble the [Page] mindes of men, yea many times excell them, touching theyr obedience to theyr Prince.

If the King be taken, the whole swarme is had: yf he be gone, they dispers them selues abroad, for they can not liue without a King, hating as well the hedlesse gouernment, as the subiec­tion to many heads. If the King, or (as we terme him) the mai­ster Bee dye, the whole swarme droupeth and mourneth, they strayghtwayes cease from gathering of Hony, they stur not a­broade, but only with a heauy and sorowfull humming, they swarme and cluster togeather about his body. The nature sure­ly of this poore creature is greatly to be wondred at.

Theyr Princes Pallace is sumptuously buylt, in some seuerall part of theyr Hyues, being mounted aboue the rest, whiche yf you happen to broose, you destroy the broode. They liue all as it were in a campe, and duely keepe theyr watch and warde, working togeather, and oftentimes sending abroad theyr Colo­nyes: they are warned at theyr Captaynes appoyntment, as it were with the sound of a Trumpet, by which they knowe both theyr times of warres, and truce: they ward all the day time at [Page 175] theyr gates in warlike manner, and haue great scilence in the night, tyll one of them in the mornyng humming out the dis­charge of the watch: they get them abrode to their businesse, as the Poete hath eloquently expressed.

For when the sleepie time of the night comes in, they make lesse and lesse noyse, tyll one of them goeth about with the lyke sound that he gaue in the morning, setting as it were the watch, and geuing them warnyng to goe to rest: at which time they al suddenly hold their peace. In the mornyng (as I saide) at the discharge of the watch, they roame straight to the gates, but flye not abroade, except they see the weather wyll be faire: whereof by nature they haue perfect vnderstanding.

Being loded, they flye with the winde: yf any tempest sudden­ly aryse, they counterpayse them selues with little stones, fly­ing in the winde as neare the ground as may be: their labour, [Page] both at home, and abroade, is certaynely appoynted. They la­bour at the fyrst, within the compasse of threescore pase about the Hyues: and when the flowres there haue been sufficiently wrought, they send abroade their discouerers to finde out more foode. And when they fall all togeather to their businesse, some worke the flowers with theyr feete, others carry water with theyr mouthes, and droppes in theyr little fleeses: the young lusty fellowes labour abroade, the elder at home. Those that goe abroade, doo with theyr forelegges lade all theyr thighes, which nature for the nonce hath made roffe: thus being loaded, legges, head, backe and all, as much as they may beare, they returne home, where there wayghteth commonly three or four at the doore to vnloade them. Within all this whyle are some laying in order, some buylding, some making cleane, and some making ready theyr meate: for they feede not seuerally, for feare of veguiling one the other. They frame theyr houses arch­wyse within the Hyues, with two passages, so as they may en­ter one way, and go out an other. Theyr coames that they make are wrought full of holes, whiche holes (as Varro sayth) are theyr celles, or lodgings, made euery one sixe square, according to the number of theyr feete: these celles they doo all fyll with Hony, filling euery one in a day or two. These coames are fast­ned to the vpper part of the Hyue, and hang a little vpon the sides, not cleauing to the Hyue, being nowe cornered, nowe round, according to the fashion of the Hyue, as both Plinie re­porteth, and I shall hereafter shewe you, when I speake of the framing of the coames. The coames are kept vp from falling, with small pyllers and proppes belowe, so buylt as they may goe rounde about to repayre them. The three first loftes of theyr celles beneath, are left empty for feare of the Hyue: the vpper­most are as full as may be. Such as are loyterers and idell va­gabonds amongst them,The puni [...] ­ment of loy­terers. are noted, and punished with death.

And a little after.

Of the worthinesse, trauayle, work­manship, and good order of this little creature, you haue suffici­ently spoken, it nowe remaines that you declare vnto vs theyr sundry kindes, theyr keeping, and theyr ordering.

Aristotle maketh many sortes and kindes of them,The kyndes of Bees. whereof he counteth the short speckled and wel knitte, to be best: and next to them, the long ones like Waspes: the thyrd, the kind that they call the Theefe,The theefe. with a very large body: the fourth, the Drone,The drane. being bigger then all the reste, wanting both his sting, and courage to labour: and therefore they vse to make at the entry of theyr Hyues small grates, wherein the Bee may enter, but not the Drone. And the same Aristotle in the Chapter before sayth, that there are two kindes of kinges, or maister Bees, the one of a golden colour, which is counted the best, the other blacke, & more partie coloured: they be twyse as bygge as the other Bees, the tayles of them as long as one and a halfe of the other, they are called of some, the mother Bees, as the cheefe breeders,Breeders. because the young of the Drones are bredde without a king, but the other Bees neuer. [Page] Virgil following herein Aristotle, The best sort of Bees. dooth most commend the lit­tle, long, smoothe, and fayre Bee, and making mencion of two sortes of kinges, the worser whereby he shall doo no harme.

And as there is two sortes of kinges, so is there of the other Bees.

Being mylde and gentle: for the Bee the greater he is, the woorse he is, and yf he be angry, and fyerce, and round, he is worst of all. And because (as I sayde before) the best are only to be medled with, sithe the good and the badde are alike charge­ble, and require like tendance, and speciall heede to be had that you meddle not the badde with the good: for lesse wyll the en­crease of your Hony be. yf some of your swarmes be ill matched. You may store your selfe with Bees three manner of wayes, eyther by bying them, taking the wyld swarmes, or making them by art. Such as you bye,VVhat to be consydered in buying of Bees. let them be of the kind and shape that I told you of, and be sure before you bye them, that the swarmes be whole and greate, which you may iudge by loo­king into the Hyues, or yf you can not be suffered so to doo, you may gesse it by other tokens: as yf so be you see great numbers clustring at the doore of the Hyue, and yf you heare a great huzzing and humming within: or (yf they be all at rest) put­ting your lippes to the mouth of the Hyue, and blowing there­in, you shall casely perceaue by theyr aunswering sound, whea­ther theyr number be greate or no. In bying of them beside, you must looke whether they be sound, or sicke: the signes of [Page 177] theyr being in health (as shall be shewed when I speake of their diseases) is, yf theyr swarmes be great, them selues fayre, and well coloured, and worke lustely. Agayne, a token of theyr not being well, is yf they be heary, looke lothsomely, and dustely, except at such time as they labour: for then they waxe leane and roffe with extreame trauayle. You must make your coniecture likewyse by theyr age: such as are not aboue a yeere old, looke fayre and smoothe, and shine, as yf they were oyled: the old ones are both in sight and feeling, roffe and rugged, and by reason of age, wrinkled: which neuerthelesse for cunning in making theyr coames, experience, industry, and skilfullnesse in the weather, doo farre passe the others. In any wyse see that you bye them rather from your next neyghbour, then from a strange country, or farre of:Transpor­ting of Bees. for they many times perish by change of ayre, or sha­king in the carriage. And yf you be driuen to carry them farre, take heede you neyther iogge, nor iumble them: the best way to carry them, is vpon a mans shoulders, and that in the night time, suffering them to rest in the day, and pouring into them such sweete thinges as they delight in, and keeping them cloose. It is better remouing them in the spring, then in winter: for they doo not so well agree with winter. If you carry them from a good place to a barrayne, they wyll strayght wayes byd you farwell, and forsake theyr Hyues. When you haue brought them to the place where you meane they shall stand, yf it be day time, you must neyther open them, nor place them, tyll it be night, to the end they may after the quiet rest of the night, goe cheerefully to theyr worke the next morning. Be sure to marke them well besides for two or three dayes after, whether they goe all out or no: for yf they doo, it is a shrewde signe they wyll away. Sometime, if y^e place be good, you shal assay to store your selfe with wylde Bees:The taking of vvild Bees. for although that Bees (as Plinie saith) can not be rightly termed either wild, or tame, yet Varro calleth them wylde, that breede in wylde places, and tame, such as we keepe at home: and affirmeth the manner of keeping them to be diuers. There is great store of these wylde sort in Sarmatia.

They say, that in Liuonia, & Sarmatia, (from whence is brought hyther great store of Waxe, and [Page] Hony) the country people doo geather it in great abundance in hollowe trees, and desart places.

The greatest token of Bees, and Hony neare, is where they be in great numbers about the waters: for yf you see the number but small, it is a signe it is no good place for Bees: and yf so be you see they come in great numbers, you may soone learne where theyr stockes be in this sort, as Colu­mella and others haue taught.To find out the Bees. You shall carry with you in a saucer, or such like thing, some redde colour, or paynting, and standing neare to the springes, or waters there aboutes, as fast as they come, touche them vpon the backes whyle they are a drinking, with some little strawe dipped in the colour: and car­ry you there, tyl such time as you see them returne. If the Bees that you marked doo quickly returne, it is a token theyr houses be not farre of, yf it be long eare they come, it shewes they dwel farther of: wherfore you may iudge by y^e time. If they be neare, you may easely finde them, yf they be farre of, you shall come to finde them in this sort: take a peece of a Reede, or a Kex, with his knottes and ioyntes, and making a small hole in the syde, powre into it eyther Hony, or some sweete thing, and lay it by the water: and when you see the Bees haue found it, and ente­red the hole for the sauour of the Hony, stoppe you the hole with your thome, and let but one goe out at once, whose course you shall followe, as farre as you can see him: and this shall bring you part of the way. When you can no longer see him, let out an other, and followe him, and so an other, one after an other, til you come to the place. Others vse to set some little vessells with Hony by the water: which, when some one Bee or other hath happened to tast, she geueth straight knowledge to her felowes, whereby by theyr flying in number, they come to fynde out their dwellinges. If you finde the swarme to be in some such hole as you can not come at them, you shal driue them out wich smoake, and when they be out bring them downe with the ringing of a lattin bason, so as they may settle vpon some tree, from whence you may shake them into your Hiue. If the swarme be in some hole aboue in the branches, you may sawe of the branche hand­somely, and couering it with a white cloth, place it amongest [Page 178] your Hiues. If they be in the body of the tree, then may you softly sawe of the tree aboue the Bees, and afterward, close vn­derneath them: and being couered as before, carry them home, stopping well the chinkes, and ryftes, yf there be any. He that seeketh the Bees, must beginne in the morning, that he may haue the hole day before him to marke theyr labouring. Thus farre of the kindes of Bees, and getting to them: nowe wyll I shewe you of the placing of them,Standing for Bees. ordring, and keeping of them. The place for your Bees and your Hiues must be so chosen, as they may stand quietly, and secrete, standing specially in such place, as they may haue the Sunne in winter, and in the spring time alway at the rising, and such as is neyther to hotte, nor too cold: (for the excesse of eyther, doth hurt them) but rather tem­perate, that both in sommer and winter, they may haue mode­rate warmth, and holsome ayre, being farre remoued from the company of either man, or beast.

For they most of all delight in quietnesse: beware beside, that there be no hurtfull creatures neare them,VVhat vo [...] ­mine annoyeth the Bees. as the Tode, that with his breath doth both poyson y^e Bee, and also draweth them to him: the Woodpecker, the Swallowe, the Sparro, the Storke, Spydars, Harnettes, Butterflyes, Serpents, and Mothes.

Of such thinges as hurt your Bees, I wyll hereafter speake more, where I shall shewe you of their diseases and harmes: in [Page] the meane time I wyll goe forward with the placing of them. The place where they should stand, would rather be in the val­ley,The valley better for the Bee, then the hyll. then very hie: but so, as the rebound of no Ecco doo hurt them, whiche sound is very noysome vnto them: so shall they flee with more case and speede to the higher places, and come laden downe againe with lesse trauayle. If the seate of the house wyll so suffer, it is good to haue your Bees stand neare your house, and to be enclosed with a hedge, or a pale: but on such side as they be not annoyed with the sent of sinke, priuie, or doung­hill. The best standing, is within the sight of the maister, by whose presence they are safest kept. For their better safetie (yf you feare them) you may set them a yarde or more from the ground, enclosing them with little grates left open against eue­ry Hiue, or so lettysed with stone, as the Bee may easely come out and in, and scape both birdes and water: or yf you list, you may make a little house by for the keeper, wherein you may lay your Hiues for your swarmes, and other necessaries meete for your Bees, setting neare to the Hiues some shadowing trees for them to swarme vpon, according to the Poets aduise.

If it may be,Fa [...]re vvater [...] for Bees. let them haue some fayre spring neare them, or els some water conueyed in pipe: for without water they can ney­ther make Hony, Waxe, nor breede vp their young: and there­fore sayth the Poete.

And straightwayes after:

[Page 179] Round about the Beeyard, and neare to the Hiues, set hearbes, plantes, and flowres, both for their health, and profite: specially such as are of the sweetest and delicatest sauour:Hearbs that Bees delight in. as Cithysus, Thyme, Cassia, Rosemary, Sauery, Smallage, Uiolettes, Sage, Lauender, Myrrhe, wylde Marierum, wylde Thyme, Balme, sweete Marierum, Saffron, Beanes, Mustardseede, Poppey, Mellilot, and Roses. And yf there lye ground neare it for the purpose, sowe it with Rapeseede, and Beechwheate: for they woonderfull delight in the flowres hereof. Plinie wri­teth, that Bees delight greatly to haue Broome flowres neare them: of trees, they most delight in these. The Pine, the Wyl­lowe, the Fyrre tree, the Almond, the Peache, the Peare tree, and the Apple, and such as the flowres thereof be not bitter. Of the wylde sortes, the Terebinth, the Lentise, the Lyndtree, the Cedar, and the Mastholme. The best Hony (as Palladius saith) is made of Tyme: the next, of wylde Tyme: the third, of Rose­mary. You must remooue from your trees, Yew tree, the Box, and the Cornel: Plinie would also haue the Olyue away. Ba­nishe also all the kindes of Sporge: for with that, as also with the flowres of the Cornel, they fall into a Flixe and dye. Be­sides, you must suffer no Woormewood, nor wylde Cocomber to growe neare them:Hearbs noy­some to Bees. for they both destroy the Bees, & spoyle the Hony. And because the flowre, or fruite of Elmes dooth spe­cially hurt them, therefore in such partes of Italy where plenty of Elmes growe, the Bees doo not long continue. Touching your Hiues,Of the Hiues. they are made of diuers fashions, according to the maner of the countrey. Some are made rounde, some square, some three foote in height, & one in bredth, made very narrowe toward the top, least the Bees should ouerlabour them selues in filling of them. Some make their Hiues of Lanterne horne, or Glasse, to the end (as Plinie sayth) that they may viewe the ma­ner of their woorking. Varro maketh mention of earthen Hiues well plaistred within and without with good Oxe doung, so as the roffenesse and ruggednesse can not displease them: but for all that, the earthen Hiues be the woorst that may be, because in Sommer they be too hotte, and in Winter too colde. The best Hiues, are those that are made of Corke wicker, or ryndes of trees, because they keepe out both cold and heate: the next [Page] are suche as are made of Strawe and Bentes matted togea­ther, two foote in bredth, and so much, or more, according to the number of your Bees in heigth. In som places they make them of one peece of wood, cutte and hollowed for the nonce, or of ioyned boordes, fiue or sixe foote in heigth, and these neyther are to hotte in Sommer, nor to cold in Winter. Of these woodden Hiues, the best are those that are made of Figge tree, Pine, Ashe, and Walnutte, of suche length (as I tolde you) and a cubitte in bredth. Besides, they would be couered with eyther Lyme, or Oxe doung: for so (saith Florentine) you shall keepe them long without rotting. You must also boare them through slopewyse, whereby the winde gently entring, may dry vp all cobwebbes, or such like noyances. You must alwayes haue good store of Hiues lying by you, that may be remoued and ea­sely carryed where you list: for the fixed, or standing Hyues, be discommodious, as which you can neyther sell, nor remoue: though Celsus seeme to commend the standing Hiues, because they are neyther subiect to stealing nor burning, being made of Brycke,Hovv you must place your Hiues. or Loame. Your Hiues (as Columella out of Celsus dooth teache) must stand vpon some table of stone, a yarde from the ground, and so much in bredth, so smothed and playstered, as neyther Toade, Euette, or Snake may creepe vp: and in such order they must be placed, as there may be betwyxt euery one a little wal, or particion, being open both before and behind. If you haue no such particions, then place them so, as they be a pretty way distant one from the other, that in dressing and loo­king to any one of them, you shake not, nor hurt the other: for a little [...]ling dooth soone marre all theyr houses, and ma­ny times spoile the Bees. It is yenough to haue three rankes of them, one aboue the other: for the keeper shall haue yenough to doo, to ouer looke the vppermost. The part where the Bee doth enter, must stand a little lower then the hinder part, so as the rayne can not run in, and the water (yf there be any) may ease­ly voyde. And because colde dooth more annoy the Bee, then heate, you must arme your Hiues well behind, agaynst the hurt and bitternesse of the North wind, and let the sunne come bountifully to them in the Front. And therefore it is best for you, to make the holes where they come in and out, as small as [Page 180] you may, that they suffice only for the bignesse of the Bee, part­ly for auoyding of cold, & partely to keepe out Euets, Beetels, Butterflyes, Battes, Mothes, and such other hurtfull vermine, that would otherwyse destroy the Coames: wherefore it is good you haue two or three such small holes togeather in euery Hyue, for the commodity of the Bee, and restraynt of the eni­my.

Well, I pray you let vs know when the Bee beginneth to labour, and when he ceaseth.

Because I haue declared vnto you be­fore theyr toyle,VVhen the Bee resteth. The begin­ning and or­der of his trauaile. theyr diligence, and order of theyr trauayle, I wyll now likewyse shewe you what time they begin to labour. In the winter time, from the setting of the seuen starres, tyll the beginning of the spring, they keepe theyr houses, and come not abroade, by reason of the cold: in the spring, they come strayght abroade, and from that time forward (yf the weather let them not) they neuer rest day. First of all, they frame theyr Coames, and Wax, that is, they make theyr houses and chambers, where­of they make so many, as they thinke them selues able to fyll: then fall they to breeding, and last of all, to making of Hony. Theyr Wax, they make of the flowres of trees and plantes: theyr Hony, of the gummes and clamminesse of trees that are glewy, as Wyllowe, Elmes, Reede, Iuyce, Gumme, and Ro­zen: Aristotle sayth, they make theyr Coames, of flowres, theyr Wax, of Gummes, and theyr Hony, of the dewe of the ayre, that falleth cheefely at the rysing of the starres, and that there is no Hony made before the rysing of the seuen starres, and theyr Coames of flowres, and that the Bees doo not of them selues make the Hony, but only geather the honyed dewe that falleth, because the keepers finde the celles to be filled in some one, or two dayes: and that the Hony being taken away in the ende of Sommer, the Hyues are not found to be furnished agayne: though there be flowres yenough at that time. This, and much more hereof (sayth Aristotle) whom Plinie following him, affir [...]meth Hony to be made of the ayre, most of all, at the rysing of the starres, cheefely the Dogge shining out early in the mor­ning: therefore you shal find in the morning betimes, the leaues of the trees bedewed with Hony, as you shall likewyse haue the [Page] Apparayle, Heare, and Beardes, of such as haue been early abroade. In the morning, our common people call it Manna,Manna. or Hony dewe, cleauing to the leaues before the rising of the sunne as it were snowe, or rather candied Suger. Whether it be the sweat or excrement of the heauens, or a certayne spittell of the starres, or a iuyce that the ayre purgeth from him selfe, how so­euer it be, I would to GOD it were such as it first came from aboue, and not corrupted with the vapours and dampes of the earth. Besides, being sucked vp from the leaues by the Bees, and digested in theyr mawes (for they cast it vp at theyr mouthes) and also distempred with the sent of the flowres, ill seasoned in the Hyues, and so often altred and transfourmed, loosing much of his heauenish Uertue, hath yet a pleasant and a speciall celestial sweetenesse in it. The best Hony is of Time,The best Hony of Time. (as I haue sayde before) and good likewyse of Cithisus, of the Figge tree very pleasant: Varro sayth, they take not their suste­nance, and theyr Hony both from one. A great part of theyr foode is water, which must not be farre from them, and must be very cleane: which is greatly to purpose in making of good Hony. And when euery season suffereth them not to be abroad, they must at such times be fedde, least they should then be for­ced to liue all vppon the Hony, or to leaue the Hyues empty. Some geue vnto them, water and Hony sodden togeather in little vessells,Bees [...] theyr vvinter foode. putting into it Purple wooll, through the whiche they sucke it, for feare of drinking to much, or drowning them selues: others, dry Figges, eyther stamped by them selues, or mingled with water, or the drosse of Grapes, or Reasons ming­led with sweete Wine, and tostes made therewith, or with Ho­ny: yea I haue seene some vse (but in my fancie without reason) to geue them Bay salt. Moreouer, as Bees require great loo­king to continually, and their Hyues dayly attendance, so most of all they craue diligent regarde, when they are about to swarme,Going a­vvay of Bees, and the tokens thereof. whereunto yf you haue not a great good eye, they will b idde you farewell, and seeke a newe maister. For such is the nature of Bees, that with euery Prince, is bredde a common wealth, which as soone as they are able to trauaile, doo as it were disdayne y^e gouernment & fellowship of the old Bee, which most happeneth when the swarmes be great and lusty, and that [Page 181] the old stagers are disposed to send abroade their Colonies, and therefore you shall by two tokens specially know, when the newe Princes with their people will abroade. The first, when as a day or two before they cluster and hang (specially in the euening) about the mouth of the Hiue, and seeme to shewe by their comming out, a great desire to be gone, and to haue a kingdome and countrey by them selues: which, if you prepare them at home, they content them selues very well with it. And if the keeper prouide not for them, taking them selues to be greatly iniured, they depart, and seeke a newe dwelling. To preuent this mischiefe, Columella wylles you to looke diligent­ly to them in the spring time about eyght of the clocke, or at noone: after which houres, they commonly goe not a way, and to marke wel their going out, and comming in. The other signe is, that when they are reddy to flye, or going, they make a great humming and noyse, as souldiers redy to remoue theyr campe. At theyr first comming out, they lye aloft playing vp & downe, as it were tarryng for their fellowes, tyll all theyr company come. Yea, many times the olde inhabitantes, being weery of theyr dwellinges, doo leaue theyr Hiues, which is perceyued when they come so out, as none remaine behind, and presently mount into the ayre, then must you fall to ringing of pannes and basons, to feare, or bring downe the runnawayes, who be­ing amased with the greate and suddaine noise, doo eyther presently repaire to theyr olde Hiue, or els knitte them selues in swarme vpon the branch of some tree neare to the place: then must the keeper out of hand be reddy with a newe Hiue pre­pared for the purpose, and rubbed with such hearbes, as the Bee delightes in, or sprinckled with little droppes of Hony, (I haue seene in some places vsed Creame) and so shaking them into the Hiue, and couering them with a sheete: let him leaue them tyll the morning, and then set them in their place. He must (as I tolde you before) haue diuers newe Hiues in a redinesse to serue the turne withall. And yf so be you haue no trees nor bushes growing neare the Hiues, you must thrust into the ground certaine bowes and branches for the purpose, whereup­pon they may knit and settle them selues, and rubbe ouer the bowes with Balme, or such pleasant hearbes, that when they [Page] (as I say knitte and settle,Bees delight in nevve Hiues. putting vnder the Hiue, and com­passing them with some little smoake, you ma [...] cause them to fall into a newe countrey: for they will rather goe into a newe Hiue, then into an old: yea, yf you offer them the Hiue that they came from, they wil forsake it for a newe. Some of them wil so­denly leaue y^e Hiue without any tarrying, which y^e keeper may perceaue, [...] of [...] and [...]. yf he vse to lay his eare in the night time to y^e Hiues: for about three dayes before they goe, they make a great noyse, like souldiers ready to raise their campe: whiche Virgil noteth.

And therefore when such noyse is heard, they must be very wel watched, whether they come out to fight, or to flee, the keeper must be at hand: their fightes, whither it be among them selues, or one Hiue with an other, are easely stickled.

Or Honied water, sweete Wine, broth of Reasons, or any plea­sant licour, wherein they delight, cast and sprinckled amongst them, doth straightwayes part them. The selfe same remedies makes two Princes of them, being fallen out, to be quickly good freendes againe:Diuers [...]nges in [...] Hiue. for when there happeneth many times to be in one Hiue sundry kings, by whose dissention y^t whole num­ber of the subiects in the Princes quarrells, goe togeather by the eares, you must by all meanes seeke to remedy it, least by ciuel dissention, the poore people be destroyed. And therefore, yf you perceaue them often to fight, your best is to kill the heddest of the dissention, and to appease the fury of the fighters, by those meanes that I told you before. And when the Marciall swarme is setled vpon some branch of a tree, looke yf they hang al togea­ther like a cluster of Grapes, which is a signe, that there is ey­ther but one king, or yf there be moe, they be agreed: and then you shall not trouble them, but take them into the Hiue, but yf so be they hang in two or three clusters, like y^e pappes, or vdders of a beast, it is a signe there are diuers maister Bees that agree not togeather: for which you shall search, where you see y^e Bees [Page 182] to cluster most. Therefore annoynting your handes with the iuyce of Balme, or Beewort, that they may abide you, thrust in your fingers softly amongst them, & shedding y^e Bees, searche well, till you haue found the ringleader of the dissention, whom you must take away. What the proporcion & shape of the king is, I haue told you a little before, that is, something longer then the other Bees,The shape of the king. and lesser wingged, of a faire & glistring colour, smooth, & without sting. Howbeit, some of them be shagheard, and ill coloured, which are nought, & to be killed. Let the best (as he sayth) were the Crowne, who must him selfe also be depriued of his winges, if he be to busie headded, & wil alwayes be carry­ing his people abroade. So shal you with the losse of his sailes, kepe him at home spitte of his teeth, while he dare not for want of his winges venture out of the doores,To keepe the king at home. and so shall he kepe his people at home. Dydimus wryteth, that your Bees wil ne­uer goe away, if you rubbe the mouth of your Hiue with the doung of a new calued Calfe. To the same end serueth it, yf you stampe the leaues of wilde Oliues, & garden Oliues togeather, and annoint y^e Hiues in the euening therewithall, or yf you wash y^e Hiues & the walles with Hony sodden in water. When an olde stocke is come to a small number, & that there be not Bees yenough to furnish y^e Hiue, you must supply the want with a newe swarme, destroying the king of the first swarme in the spring, so shall both the swarmes dwell togeather in ami­tie with theyr old parentes, as shall be shewed you hereafter, where I meane to speake of repairing the stocke. The sommer being past, ensueth the time for taking of Hony: to which har­uest, the trauaile of the whole tendeth.G [...]l [...]ing, o [...] [...] the Hiues. The time for gathering thereof, Columella teacheth to be then, when we perceaue the Drones to be driuen out and banished by the Bees: for, thence they Dryue the drousie Drone away. This Drone is an vntimely birth,The Drone. and an vnperfet Bee, but very like vnto the Bee, saue that he is bigger bodyed, lying alwayes idle in the Hiue, not labour­ing him selfe, but feeding like a lubber of the sweat of his fel­lowes, yet serueth he for the breeding and bringing vp of the young: which when he hath doone, they thrust him out of the Hiue.Time for [...]. Varro apointeth three seasons for taking out the Hony: the first, at the rising of the seuen starres [...] the second, in sommer: the [Page] third, at the setting of the seuen starres: this signe is when the Hiues be heauy, & that they be double furnished. You may make your coniecture by the Bees, when they make great noise with­in, & when you see them stand daunsing and playing at theyr doores, as also yf looking into the Hiue, you perceiue the mou­thes of the Coa [...]es to be couered with a Hony filme. Dydimus thinketh it to be the best time for the first haruest, the rising of the seuen starres, or the beginning of May: the second, the begin­ning of Autum: the third, the setting of the seuen starres, which is about October. Howbeit, these times be not alwayes precise­ly to be obserued, but according to the forwardnesse of the sea­son: for yf so be you take the Hony before theyr Coames be rea­dy, they take it ill, & presently leaue woorking. The time for gelding, or driuing your Bees, is early in the morning: for you must not at noone trouble your Hiues. For this kinde of gel­ding of your Hiues, you must haue two instrumentes for the non [...]e, a foote & a halfe long, and more: the one of them must be a long knife of a good breadth, hauing at the ende a bending crooke to scrape withall: the other must be plaine, and very sharpe, that with the one you may cutte the Coames, & with the other scrape them, and drawe out what so euer dregges or filth you [...]inde in them. And yf your Hiues be not open behind, you shall make a smoake with Galbanum, or dry doung, being put into an earthen panne made for the purpose, small at the one end, from whence the smoake shall come, & broade at the other, from which you shall blowe vp the smoke from the fire, in suche sort, as Colum [...]lla sheweth you. This pot you must suffer at the first, to smoke into the Hiue, and afterward round about with­out, and so shall you driue them. He that medleth in this case with the Bees, [...] must speciall [...] keepe him selfe from lechery, and drunkennesse, and washe him selfe cleane: for they loue to haue suche as come about them to be as pure and cleane as may be. They delight in cleanlinesse so muche, as they them selues doo remoue from them all filthinesse, suffering no filth to remayne amongst their labours, raking vp in heape togeather the excre­ment of their owne bodyes, whiche in rayny dayes, when they worke not abrode, they remoue and throwe out of the Hiue If you set Garlicke by them, they wyl sting al y^t come neare them. [Page 183] Their anger is cheefely asswaged by the presence of those that vse to tend them, at whose comming they waxe wylder, being well acquainted with those that are their keepers. If there be two swarmes in one Hiue, and agreed togeather, they haue two sortes & maner of Coames, euery swarme obseruing his owne order: but all the Coames so hang by the roffes of the Hyues and sides, as they touche not the ground where the Bees vse cheefely to walke, as I sayde before in theyr buylding of theyr Coames. The fashion of theyr Coames, is alwayes according to the fashion of theyr Hyues,Fashionyng of the Coa­mes. sometimes square, sometime round, sometime long as the Hyues are, in which they are fa­shioned as in a moulde. Plinie wryteth, that there were Hony Coames found in Germany, of eyght foote in length, but how­soeuer they be, you must not take them all out, but must vse dis­cretion in taking of them. Amongst our people in the first, be haruest (yf I may so terme it) they vse with theyr crooked knife, to pare away no more but the empty celles, tyll they come to those that be full, taking good heede that they hurt them not: and this they doo in the spring. In the latter haruest, that is, at the end of Sommer, they take the Coames full of Hony, in such sort (as I tolde you) burning the old Bees, and alway kee­ping and preseruing the young swarmes. In the first taking, when the Meddowes are full of flowres, they leaue the fift part of the Coames behind: in y^e latter haruest, when winter appro­cheth, they leaue a thyrd of the Coames for the sustenance of the Bee. But this quantitie can not certaynely be prescribed for all countreys, but must be measured according to the abun­dance, or want of flowres. Dionysius Thaseus, thinketh good to leaue them a tenth of theyr Coames in the Sommer time, yf the Hyues be very full, otherwyse, according to the proportion: and yf they be empty, not to meddle with them. Plinie woulde not haue the Hony of the spring time (whiche he calleth flowre Hony) to be medled with all, but to be spared. Others leaue no Hony at all for them, because of the abundance of flowres that are then springing, which is the cheefe fundation of their Coames. Such as be skilfullest, doo leaue the Bees a twelfth part of theyr labour: and this they doo about a thirtie dayes [Page] after the swarme, which they make an end of commonly in May. The olde and the corrupt Coames, are for the most part at this time taken away, and the sound, and such as are filled with Hony, left: in taking of the Hony at the latter time of the yeere, they vse to destroy the oldest stockes, to saue the charges of feeding of them. This driuing and gelding of Hyues, is not commonly vsed in the countrey, but they rather according to theyr custome, at the end of the yeere burne them, alleging for theyr aucthoritie an olde englishe prouerbe of theyr owne. Dryue Bees, and loose Bees: burne Bees, and haue Bees: and in some places they drowne them. When you haue thus spoyled your Hyues, you shall carry all your Coames into some handsome place, where you meane to make your Hony, and stoppe vp all the holes and creuisses of the walles and wyndowes, as close as you may: for the Bees wylbe very busie to recouer the pray. Your Hyues being thus driuen, yf there be any ill placed Coames at the entry, you shall alter them, and place them in good order, so as the toppes stand downeward, so when you next geld them, you shall easlyer take out the olde Coames, and leaue the newe, and the Wax shalbe the newer: which the older it is, the worse it is. When so euer you take out your Coames, looke that you strayne out the Hony the same day, whyle they are hotte and newe. The Hony that you take at the full of the Moone (as Plinie sayth) yeeldeth most, and the fayrer the day is, the thicker it is. The Coames being taken out, let them ra­ther be warmed then heated, least by ouer heating them, you strayne out the Wax with the Hony: afterward, put them into a good strong bagge, and with a presse, or other instrument made for the purpose, or with a wycker baskette, presse out the Hony, but see that before you presse it, you seuer from it suche Coames, as haue in them young Bees, called with some Grubbes, or any redde or rusty drosse: for these with theyr euill iuyce corrupt the Hony. When the Hony is this strayned out, it is put into earthen vessels, and suffered to stand vncouered a fewe dayes tyll it haue wrought, and cast vp a loft all his drags, which you must often skim of with a little sticke: but in many places they are not so curious, but iumble alltogeather, and so [Page 184] sell it grose as it is. The best Hony is alwayes in the bottome, as the best Oyle aloft, and the best Wine in the middest.

What countreys yeeldes the best Hony, and which count you the best?

The best Hony was in the olde time thought to be in Athens, The best Hony. and in Sicil: it is nowe thought very good that commeth from Moscouia, and the Northeast regi­ons. The Hony at the beginning is thinne as water, and after the strayning, it worketh like newe Wine, and spurgeth: at the twentieth day, it waxeth thicke, and afterwardes, is couered with a thinne rine, or filme, where the froth of y^e purging is gea­thered togeather. The best Hony, and least infected, the Bees doo geather from the leaues of the Oke, the Lindtree, and the Reede. There is three sortes of Hony,Three sortes of Hony. the best kinde is that which is called Authim, or flowre Hony, made in the spring­time: the next, is Sommer Hony, or hasty Hony, made in thirty dayes after the tenth of Iune, when the Dogge beginnes to come in, the thyrd is Heath Hony, a wyld kind of Hony, and not allowed, being geathered after the first shewers of Autum, whyle the Heath is in flowre: and therefore like the Sandy Hony. The best Hony (as Diophanes sayth) is cleare, yellowish, smoth in touching, and fine, roping, yf it be drawen in length, and long, sticking togeather, clammy, and hard to be got asun­der: the Hony that is of the worst making, is to be boyled. Bread,Bread cor­rupteth Hony. yf it be dipped in it, doth strayght corrupt it, and there­fore take heede you put it not where Bread hath been. The fragments of the Coame that haue once been pressed, being ta­ken out, heated, and strayned agayne, doo make a second Hony, which you must put vp, and keepe by it selfe, for spoyling of the other. Noughty, & counterfet Hony, is diserned by the burning, for the ill Hony burneth not cleare, as the sayd Diophanes wit­nesseth. The drosse that remaineth after the pressing, after that you haue diligently washed it in sweete water,The Making of VVax. must be put in a brasse Caldron, and putting a little water thereto, melted vpon the fyre, which when you haue done, you must straine the Wax through a Siue, or such like thing made of Strawe, or Rushes: and after seethe it againe, and powring it into some vessel with [Page] water, from whence you may eassy take it, make it vp in cakes, or what fashion you like. Plinie wryteth, that the Coames must fyrst be washed well, and afterward dryed in the darke, for the space of three dayes, and the fourth day set vppon the fyre in a newe earthen vessell, so as the Coames be couered with water, and then strayned through a Ciue: last of all, boyled againe in the same vessell, and the same water, and so poured into vessells with colde water, hauing theyr sides noynted with Hony. The Waxe wyl be very white after it hath stand in the Sunne, and beene twyse sodden: you shall make it blacke with the asshes of Paper, and being mingled with Uermillon, it wylbe redde, and so otherwyse coloured as you lyst.

If in the making of your Hony your Bees be almost consumed, what wayes haue you to re­payre them?

Bees decay­ed.When as an olde stocke is come to be small, and that you are to furnish out the number, you must de­stroy (as I sayd) the newe king in the spring time,The repa [...] ­ring of them when there is a newe broode in the Hyue, that the newe people without discord, may dwell with theyr olde parentes. And yf so be the Coames haue not yeelded a newe broode, you must take the dwellers of two or three other Hyues, and put them into one, but so (as you remember before) to sprinckle them with some sweete lycour, and so shutte them vp with foode conuenient for them, tyll they be fully acquainted, leauing but little breathing holes about the Hyue, and keepe them thus enclosed three dayes. Others doo vse to kill the eldest king, but that Columella alloweth not: but yf the king be very old, (the age of Bees shall shortly be shewed vnto you) and the people alwayes geuen to sedition, then shall you choose a king from the Hyues, that haue most number of kinges. I tolde you before howe you shoulde make them agree, when you put to swarmes togeather, least they should destroy one an other, [...]hat is, to take away the kings of the newe swarmes.

What yf the whole stocke be decai­ed by taking the Hony, or by sicknesse and diseases, wyll they breede agayne, or may they be repayred by art?

By bo [...]h,Breeding of Bees. though the breeding and in­gendring of Bees, is very doubtfull with Aristotle, neither dare he after his long disputacions, affirme any certaintie thereof: sometime he resiteth the opinions of others, some thinking that they are ingendred by coppulation, the Drone being the male, and the Bee the feemale: Other saying, that they bring foorth young, but doo not ingender, but that they geather their young ones, but from whence, they knowe not. Some say, from the flowres of Marioram: some, from the flowres of the Reede: o­thers, from the Olyue flowres, because when soeuer there is great plenty of Olyues, there is also great swarmes of Bees. There are againe, that thinke the Drones to be so geathered, and the Bees to be bredde only of the kinges: and a little after, he sayth, The young are best bredde, when the Hony is made, they labour with theyr legges the Wax, and with their mouth they cast out the Hony into the celles, and hauing layd theyr young, they sitte vpon them as byrdes doo. The little Worme, or Grubbe, being thus hatched while he is small, lyeth crump­led vp in the Coame: afterward, sprawleth abroade by his owne force, and falleth to feeding, cleauing so to the Coame, as he seemeth to be tyed. The broode of the Bee, and the Drone, is white, of which commeth little Woormes, that after growe to Bees, and Drones: thus much, and more, saith Aristotle. In o­ther places he would seeme to gather, that the Bees are ingen­dred of the kinges, saying, that yf this were not, there were no reason for such thinges as are committed in theyr gouernm [...]nt, and that the kinges by good reason remaine still in the Hiue without any trauaile, as onely borne for breeding. Beside, they be greater, as though their bodies were purposely framed for generation: and they punishe the Drones. It is not very like­ly, that the children shoulde punishe the parentes, therefore the Bees are not ingendred of Drones. Besides, it is a great ar­gument, that Bees are ingendred without copulatiō, that their broode lyeth very small at the first, wrapped vp in the holes, or celles of their Coames, whereas al other Flies and Wormes, that are bredde by copulation, doo long ingender, and quickly lay, in greatnesse, according to the kind of the Worme. P [...]inie [Page] folowing herein Aristotle, affirmeth, that Bees doo sitte as Hennes doo vpon their Egges: and that which is hatched, is at the first a small white worme lying crosse the hole, and clea­uing in such sort, as it seemeth to feede. The king is at the first, of a yellowish colour, as a chosen flowre, framed of the finest substance, neither is he bredde a worme, but with winges at the very first. The other common sort, when they begin to haue fashion, are called Nimphes, as the Drones, the Sireus, and the Cepheus, whose heads, yf any man chaunce to pull of, they serue as a delicate foode to the breeders. After a little time, they powre into them foode, and sitte vppon them (making a great noyse as it is thought, to procure a heate necessarie for their hat­ching) till breaking a sunder the filmes that encloseth euery one of them like an Egge, the whole broode commeth foorth. Plinie addeth, that this was seene and obserued at Rome, in a Hiue made of latterne hornes: the whole broode is finished in fiue and fourtie dayes. As soone as they are brought out, they are taught to trauaile straightwayes with their dames, the young people wayting presently vppon their young king. There are sundry kinges bredde for failing, and when they come to age, by common consent, the foulest and vntowardest of them are destroyed. That there is two sortes, and what fashion they be of, I tolde you before.

Let vs nowe heare something of their age.

Their age (they say) may thus be kno­wen. Such as are not aboue a yeere olde, [...] doo shine, and looke as they were newly oyled: the olde ones be rooffe, shagheard, wrinckled, lothsome, and yllfauoured to looke vppon, howbeit, for making of Coames, these are the best. Aristotle in his booke before mencioned affirmeth, that Bees liue sixe or seuen yeeres, and that yf a stocke continue niene or tenne yeeres, the keeper of them hath good lucke. [...]linie wryteth, that one stocke was neuer seene to continue aboue ten yeeres, not though you sup­plie the places of the dead euery yeere with newe: for common­ly in the tenth y [...]ere [...] their first [...]ng, the whole stocke dy­eth. And therefore to auoide the mischiefe of being vtterly de­stitute, [Page 186] it is good to encrease the number of your Hiues, with newe swarmes euery yeere. And if so be your Bees, through sudden storme, tempest, or colde, lye dead vpon the ground, you must geather them togeather into a platter,To reuyue Bees that b [...] dead. or a brode bason, and lay them in your house toward the South, specially yf the weather be good, after, cast amongst them ashes of Figge tree wood, being something more hotte, then warme, shake them gently vp and downe, so as you touche them not with your handes, and so setting them into the Sunne, they wyl (as Var­ro sayth) quicken againe. To whom Columella subscribing, ad­deth, that suche Bees as you finde dead vnder your Hiues, yf you lay them vp in a drye place all the Winter, and bring them out into the Sunne in the Spring, when the weather is fayre, and sprinckle them with the foresaide asshes, they wyll recouer within a fewe houres. They that list, may prooue it: I haue not hitherto tryed it. Marcus Varro holdeth opinion, that Bees are ingendred sometime of other Bees,Making of Bees. and sometimes of the body of a young Bullocke putrified, resiting this Epigrame of Ar­chelaus.

For a young Oxe, or Steere, being strangled, corrupted, and cast into some suche place, where the putrified vapour can not breath out, and store of hearbes and flowres agreeing with the nature of the Bees thrust into the body, as Tyme, Caslia, and such like, wherewith the vapour may be tempered, you shall hereof quickly haue Bees, euen as you may of the body of a Horse likewyse ordered, haue Waspes and Hornettes. Virgil hath described both the maners of ingendring of Bees, and the fyrst sort, in these woordes.

The other maners,Bees made of a Steere. or repairing Bees by art, the same Po­ete eloquently this touched.

The maner how Bees are ingendred of a Bullocke, Virgil doth largely discourse out of Mago, and Demberitus. You must frame a little house fouresquare, about tenne cubites in bredth, and as much in heighth, with foure wyndowes on euery side, one. A young fatte Steere being brought hither, his Nose, his Eares, and al other open ventes stopped, and filled with linnen, dipped in Pitche, must be beaten with numbers of Clubbes to death, so as both the bones and the fleshe, may be broken without any blood: for of the blood, commeth the Bee. Afterward, the house beeing deepe strawed with Tyme, and the Bullocke laide vp­pon his backe, the doores and the wyndowes must be close shut vp, and so plaistred, as there can no ayre enter. Three weekes after, the wyndowes must be opened on euery side, saue where the winde bloweth strongest, and the light and the ayre let in: when it hath been wel cooled and refreshed, the windowes must be shut vp againe, and made as close as before: and being ope­ned the eleuenth day after, you shall finde the house ful of Bees, and nothing left of the Oxe, saue the hornes, the heare, and the bones: they holde opinion besides, that the kinges are ingen­dred of the braine, and the other Bees, of the body.

I like not so costly comming by Bees.

Of the same opinion is Columella: I tell you but the order of the olde skilfull fellowes, you may choos [...] whether you wyll trye it.

I had rather you would tell vs what siicknesses and diseases they are subiect to, and howe we may knowe the sicknesses, and in what sort to helpe them.

I wyl wyllingly shew you.Signes of sicknesse in Bees. The signes and tokens of their health, is yf they be liuely, quicke, and ma­ny in number: yf their woorkemanship be neately, and equal­ly wrought: yf they goe about their businesse cheerefully, and yf they looke taire and smoothe. Their signes of their not be­ing in health, is yf they looke lothsomely, be roffe and heary, ex­cept in the time of their labour, when they commonly looke like labourers, or be drousie, or yf you see them carrying out of dead carkasses, and folowing the Corses, after the manner of mourners, or that you heare no noyse, nor sturring amongst them. These signes when you see, Columella wylleth you to geue them meate in little troughes of Reedes, specially Hony sodden, and ground with Galles, or Roses. You must also to heale them, perfume them with Galbanum, Reazins, or olde strigges of Grapes. If the king happen to dye, the common people wayle and mourne with great heauinesse, neither wyll they make any prouision for their owne sustenance: and there­fore yf you feede them not, they wyll famishe them selues.

With what diseases are they most vexed?

They are many times infected with the pestilence,The diseases of Bees, and the remedies against which you haue no other remedy, then to se­uer the Hiues farre a sunder. Theyr cheefest and early sick­nesse, is in the beginning of the spring, when the Spurge and the Elme doo both flowre: for as vpon newe fruites, so at their first comming abroade, entysed with these newe flowres, being almost hungerstaruen with the winter passed, they feede so greedily, as they fall into a Flix, whereof yf they be not quickly remedied, they dye. For Spurge dooth loose the bellies of all o­ther creatures, but the flowres of Elme, bringeth only the Flix to the Bee. And therefore in such countreys, where there is great plenties of these trees, the Bees continue but a while. Columella teacheth you against this disease, to geue them Rose­mary sodden with water and Hony: some againe vse to geue [Page] them the stale of man, or Bullocke: as also the graines of the Pom [...]g [...]a [...]te beaten, and sprinckled with Wine, or Rezins, with the like quantitie of Manna kneded togeather, and geuen them [...] sharpe Wine, boyled in an earthen vessell, and powred [...] Reedes. Virgil discribeth an hearbe called Aumellus, with a yellowe stalke, and a Purple flowre, the iuyce of whose roo [...]e, being sodden in old Wine, and strained out, is very good to be geuen them. Columella out of Higimus, teacheth to remedy them in this sort. First, to take out all the rotten and corrupt Coames, and to geue them freshe meate, and after, to perfume them with smoke. It is good also to put to a decayed Hiue, a newe swarme, as I saide before. Many times, they dye of a di­sease that they call the great deuouring, which happeneth when they haue made so much Wax, as they thinke they shal be able to fill, and afterwardes, by storme and tempest, many of them be destroyed, so that y^e remaine suffiseth not to fill the Coames, whereby the empty partes of the Coames becommeth rotten, and so by little and little infecteth both the Hony, and the Bees. For which the only remedy is, eyther to put in a newe swarme to fill vp the celles, or yf you haue no such swarmes, to cut away part of the Coames before they come to be nought, which you must doo with a very sharpe knife, for feare of displacing the rest of the Coames. A cause beside many times of the death of the Bees, is theyr too much prosperitie, as when there are diuers yeeres great abundance of flowres, and the Bees so busie in theyr feeding, that they forget theyr breeding, who ouerwee­rying themselues with trauaile, they dye, not leauing any brood behind them. It is called Blapsig [...]nia, when eyther by sicknesse, slouthfulnesse, or barramesse, they leaue no fruitte behind them. To remedy this, it is good euery third day, to shutte vp the Hiues close, leauing but very small holes, out of which they can not creepe: so shall they be forced to looke to their broode, when as they can not otherwyse range abroade.VVhat hurts Be [...]s. Many times besides they are the cause of theyr owne deathes, when percea­uing their Hony to goe away, they feede to greedily. Their owne Hony dooth also many times destroy them: for being tou­ched with it on the backe, they are so limed, as they can not stur: [Page 188] and Oyle doth not only kill Bees, but also all other like crea­tures, Flies and Woormes. They hate all filthy fauours, and sting such as smell of oyntmentes: they are often beseeged with Waspes, Hornettes, and great Gnattes: the Swallow doth oftentimes spoyle them: the Woodpecker doth with his long tongue, thrust into the Hiue, licke vp their Hony, and diuers o­ther Birdes (as I haue sayd before) annoy them. The Toade bloweth them, and sucketh them vp at their owne doores, who sustaines no hurt by their stinging. Sheepe are also hurtfull and troublesome to Bees, in whose fleeses, they so tangle them selues, as they can hardly geat out. In the waste woods of Sar­matia, where they make their Coames in the hollow Fyrre trees, the Beare for the desire of the Hony, climeth vp to them, and robbeth them. Against these Beares, the Beekeepers vse to hang before their Hiues,To keepe Bees from Beares. great Maules and Beetles, which the more angerly the Beare shoueth aside, with the greater sway they come vpon his head againe, whereby the Bees are well de [...]ended. The sauour of Creuisses, yf any man boyle them neare to them, doth kill the Bees: the Ecco is also a great eni­my to them, that with her resounding, doth shake and feare them, and hurtfull to them is also the mist. The Spyder is also their deadly foe, and where they can preuaile, make hauocke of the Hiues, setting their webbes and nettes in euery corner, to ouerthrow the poore Bee. The night Butterflye, that flyeth a­bout the candell, is hurtfull to them two wayes: for they both consume the Coames, and of their excrementes left behind them, is ingendered Mothes, in the very wood beside, breedeth a Woorme that consumeth the War. These hurtfull vermine, the carefull keeper must diligently labour to destroy, and pre­uent, and looke that he pluck vp all such bushes and plantes, as offendeth them, not suffering any such to growe neare them: and to keepe all hurtfull cattell from them, letting them alwayes haue such thinges at hand, as they most delight in. For the kee­per hath woorke yenough to turne him to all the yeere long: for after the twelfth of March,Hiues pur­ [...]ed in the s [...]ng. their Hiues must be opened and loo­ked vnto, that all the rubbish and filth of winter, may be swept away, and the Spyders that spoyle the Coames, plucked out, [Page] and that they may be smoked with smoke made of Oxe doung,Smoke good for Bees. or linnen, (as I spake of before): for smoke is of nature profita­ble to the Bees. And though it be troublesome for the time to them, yet is it certainly very holsome for them. The Wormes, besides Mothes, and Butterflies, must be killed, which cleauing like a pestilence to the Coames, doo fall away yf you mingle with your doung the marow of the Oxe, and laying it vpon the coales, make your smoke: with this order shall your swarmes be kept still in health, and shall be better able to abide their la­bour: this kind of purging them must be often vsed, from the Calends of Aprill, till the fall of the leafe. The keeper must keepe him selfe (as I sayd before) cleane from dronkennesse, le­chery, and all vncleane and strong sauering sents: for they loue to be purely and faithfully looked vnto, (as hath ben often said) About an eight and fourty dayes after the entring of the sunne into Aries, they begin to swarme, and at the same time do ma­ny stockes perish, that haue fewe and diseased Bees. About the same time, are bredde in the vttermost partes of the Coames a broode of a greater biggnesse, whiche some count to be the kinges:O [...]stri. others call them Brees, because they course and chase the Bees, and therefore thinke it good to distroy them. From the rising of y^e seuen starres, that is, from the fifth Ides of May, till the tenth, or y^e twelfth of Iune, they vse to cast their swarms, at which season, they must be carefully looked vnto for going a­way: from that time,Tymes for s [...]m [...]ng. tyll the rising of the Dogge, or the com­ming in of the Dogge dayes, which is almost thirtie dayes (as Columella saith) the haruest is both for Hony, and Corne. In what sort the Hiues are to be driuen and gelded, is shewed be­fore: but at this time, and till the twelfth of September, the Hiues must be opened euery tenth day, & smoked. The Hiues being thus smoked, you must refreshe the Bees, with sprinck­ling and casting into the empty partes of their Hiues, very freshe and cold water: and yf any thing remaine, not washed a­way, you must sweepe it of with a Goose wyng. Besides, the Mothes, yf they appeare, must be sweeped away, and the But­terflies killed, which dwelling in the Hiues, are commonly a bane to the Bees: for they both eate vp the Wax, and with [Page 189] theyr doung, doo breede a kind of woorme that they call Hiue Mothes.To destroy Butterflyes. These Butterflies, as Columella teacheth, you may when the Mallow flowreth (at which time there is greatest number of them) destroy in this sort. You must haue a vessell of Brasse very high and straight, narrow necked and mouthed, in the bottome whereof, you must haue a light, and set it in the euening neare vnto your Hiues, and you shall see all the But­terflies straightwayes fall to the light, and while they play a­bout the flame, they burne them selues, while they can neyther geat vp, by reason of the straightnesse, nor shun y^e fire, by meanes of the brasen walles. Betwixt the risinges of the Dogge, and of the Bearward, which are almost fifty dayes, you must take good heede your Bees be not spoyled by Hornettes, which at that time lye in wayte for them, euen at their owne doores. After the rising of the Bearward, about y^e twelfth, or fourteenth of September, is the second haruest of your Hony: from that time, till the setting of the seuen starres, which is about fourty dayes, the Bees do prouide for their winter store, of y^e flowres of Heath, Tamariske, and other bushes and shrubbes, of which prouision you must take nothing, least you discourage them, and driue them away: from the setting of the seuen starres (which is about the entrance of Nouember) the beginning (yf we may beleeue Plinie) of winter. The Bees liue all the winter long, vpon such store of Hony, as they haue layd vp: at this time, the Hiues must be opened and cleansed of what so euer filth is in them, and diligently ordred, for during the winter time, your Hiues must neyther be opened nor stirred, and therefore in the ende of the Sommer,No stuning of Bees in VVinter. while the weather is yet mild and tem­perate, your Hiues being made cleane in some Sunny day, see that you thrust vnder them, certaine close couers that may reach to the very bottome of the Coames, not leauing any voyde space, whereby the Hiue shall be the warmer. When you haue this doone, close vp euery rift and open place with Clay, and Bullockes doung mingled togeather, dawbing it all ouer with­out, leauing only a little hole to come in and out at. You must arme them also against the cold and tempest, with good couer­turs of strawe and bowes. Some vse to put into the Hiues, [Page] small Byrds being drawen, which with theyr feathers keepe the Bees warme all the Winter, and wherewith, yf they happen to lacke foode, they feede them selues sufficiently. Yea, it hath been seene they haue so fedde vppon them, as they haue left nothing but the bare bones: howbeit, as long as their Hony suffiseth, they neuer meddle with the Birdes. It is very good and necessarie (as I tolde you before) to set them meate in little Troughes of Reedes, to defend them selues against fa­mine. When Winter is past, in the space of fourty dayes, they make an ende of all their Hony, except their keeper deale the more liberally with them. It hath often also been seene, that their Coames being emptie, they haue continued fasting, till the Ides of Februarie, and cleauing to the Coames, as yf they were dead, haue yet retayned their life: but least they shoulde lose it altogeather, it is good to powre them in some sweete li­cours by little pipes, whereby they may sustaine their liues, till the Swallow with her appearing, promise a welcomer season. After which time, when the weather wyll suffer them, they be­gin to seeke abrode for them selues: for, after the Sunne is in the Aeq [...]inoctial, they neuer rest, but trauaile painefully euery day, and geather flowres, and necessaries for their breeding. Besides, because fewe places are so fruitefull, as they yeelde flowres both Sommer and Winter: therefore in suche places, where after the Spring and Sommer (at whiche times, both Beanes, Rapes, Wyllowes, and other plantes and hearbes, in euery place doo flowre) the flowres doo faile, they are carried of diuers (and that in the night, as I tolde you before) into such places, wheras there is good store of late flowring hearbs, as Tyme, wylde Marierum, and Sauery, wherwith they may be fedde, geather foode at their pleasure, and, as Columella wry­teth, that Bees in the olde time, were brought from the feeldes of A [...]aia, to the pastures of Athen [...], and so transported in di­uers other places. So may we with vs carry them, from pla­ces where the flowres be consumed in the Spring, to the som­mer flowres, as Clouer, and suche other: and after that, about the end of the Sommer, to places furnished with Heathe, Ta­mariske, & such other late bearing flowre. For the auoyding of [Page 190] this inconuenience of carrying from place to place, I wyl shew you in what sort I haue ordered my Beeyard at home. And be­cause maister Hers [...]ach hath shewed you before in his Garden many good hearbes, and yet not whereto they serue, I wyll shewe you a fewe plantes that I haue set about my Bees, ser­uing both for their commoditie, and the health of my houshold. I haue chosen of a great number, suche as be most necessarie, and of greatest vertue: whose speciall vertues, and woonderfull woorkinges, geuen onely by the most gratious and bountifull framer of the Worlde, and being as it were sucked and drawen out by the carefull toyle and diligence of the Bee, must needes adde a greater perfection to their Hony, and their Wax. I haue first enclosed the yarde, where my Bees stand, with a quickset hedge made of Blacke thorne, and Honysoc [...]e the one of them seruing the Bee with his flowres at the beginning of the spring,Black thorne and the other at the latter end of sommer. The first, the Blacke thorne beareth a pleasant white flowre, so much the welcomer to the Bee, as it is the very farewell of the Winter: for he commonly flowreth not till the Winter be past. These flowres newly geathered and steeped all a night in the best and strongest Wine, and afterwards destilled in Balneo Marie, be­ing drunke, helpeth any paine in the sides, as hath been cer­tainely prooued. Tragus the Germane confesseth, that with this onely water, he hath cured all manner of paines about the stomacke, hart, or sides. Wine made of the Sloe, and preserued vntill Iuly, or August, when the blooddy flixe most raigneth, is a soueraine medecine against it.VVoodbine The other, the Honysocle, or Woodbine, beginneth to flowre in Iune, and continueth with a passing sweete sauour, till the very latter end of the sommer. The water thereof destilled and drunke, two or three dayes to­geather at times, asswageth the heate of the stomacke, helpeth the Cough, and shortnesse of breath. Ragges of linnen dipped therein, and applied, doo heale any heate of the eyes, or lyuer. Next vnto my Hiues, I haue planted the sweete hearbe Me­lissa, or Apiastrum, called in English, Balme,Balme. with a square stalke, a leafe like a smoothe Nettle, and a yellow flowre, and groweth almost in euery Hedge, an hearbe well knowen to the [Page] olde women in the countrey, and greatly desyred of the Bee. This Melissa, or Balme, sodden in white wine, and drunke two or three morninges togeather, purgeth the brest, helpes the shortwinded, comforteth the hart, driueth away the dumpishe heauinesse, that proceedeth of Melancholy, helpeth the falling sicknesse and almost all other diseases: being chopped small, and steeped a night in good white wine, and afterwards destil­led, is greatly commended, not only in deliuering women from their panges and greefes of the mother, being drunke to the quantitie of three or foure spoonefulles, but also cureth the paines or fainting of the hart, called commonly the passion of the hart. Cardamus greatly commendeth this hearbe, for the comforting and renewing of a decayed memory, and affirmeth, that it is a causer of sweete & pleasant sleepes. Next vnto this, haue I growing that sweete and precious hearbe Angellica, Angellica. whose seedes I first receyued from that vertuous and godly Lady, the Lady Golding in Kent, a Gentlwoman that setteth her whole felicity in the feare and seruice of the Almighty: this hearbe is in flowre, seede, leafe, stalke, and sauour, so like vnto Louage, as they may hardly be discerned y^e one from the other, the leafe doth in a manner resemble the Figge leafe, sauing that it is more iagged, and indented round about. If any man be suddainly infected with the pestilence, feauer, imoderate sweat, let him take of the roote of this Angellica in powder,For vvant of Treacle, you may take the vvhole dram halfe a dramme, and putting to it a dramme of Treacle, mingle them togeather with three or foure spoonefulles of the water destilled of the said roote, and after he hath drunke it, let him lie & sweate fasting, for the space of three houres at the least: thus dooing, by the helpe of God, he shall escape the danger: the roote steeped in Uineger and smelt vnto, and the same Uineger sometimes drunke fasting, doth preserue a man from the pestilence: to be short, the roote and the water thereof, is soueraine against all inward diseases, it scowreth away the collections of a Plurisie beginning, helpeth vlcered and corrupted Loonges, and is good against the Collicke, Strangury, & restraint of womens purgacions, and for any inward swelling, or inflamacion, the iuyce thrust into a hollow tooth, aswageth the paine, the water [Page 191] dropped into the eare, doth the like: the said iuyce & water put into the eye, quickeneth y^e sight, & taketh away the thinne skins and rines that couereth the eye. Besides, a most present remedy in all deepe and rotten sores, is the iuyce, the water, or the pow­der: for it clenseth them, and couereth the bone with good flesh. It was called in the olde time Panacea, or Heal [...]al. Next vnto this Angellica, haue I growing in great plenty, Cardus Bene­dictus, Cardus Benedictus. or blessed Thistell, whiche the Empirickes, or common Proalisers, doo commend for sundry and great Uertues, affir­ming, that it was first sent out of India, to Frederyck the Em­prour, for the great Uertue it had against the headache, or me­grime, being eaten, or drunken. Likewyse they say, it helpeth a­gainst the dasing, or giddinesse of the head, maketh a good me­mory, and restoreth the hearing. For the proofe of his greate force against poyson, they bring foorth a young mayden of Pa­uy, that hauing vnwares eaten of a poysoned Apple, and there­withall so swolen, as no Treacle, nor medcine could cure her, was at the last restored to health, by the destilled water of this Thistell: and likewyse that a boy, into whose mouth as he slept in the feelde, happened an Adder to creepe, was saued by the drinking of this water, the Adder creeping out behind, without any hurt to the childe. In fine they affirme, that y^e leaues, iuyce, seede, and water, healeth all kind of poysons, and that the water hath healed a woman, whose brest was eaten with a canker to the very ribbes. I haue also set in this little peece of ground, great store of the hearbe called Numularia, or Penigrasse,Penygrasse. which creepeth close by the ground, hauing vpon a long string little round leaues, standing directly one against the other, and a yellow flowre, like the Crowfoote. It is a soueraine hearb for healing of woundes, not only outward & greene woundes, but also inward sores and vlcers, specially of the Loonges, wherof there hath ben good profe. Tragus affirmeth, that he hath seene dangerous, & desperat woundes cured with this hearbe, being boyled with Hony and Wine, and drunke. It healeth exulcera­tions of the brest and Loonges, and may be well geuen to those that cough, and are short breathed, and to little children disea­sed with the dry cough, who by reason of theyr tender age, may [Page] take no stronger medicine: I haue seene good plenty of it grow­ing by the shadowy Ditches, about great Peckam in Kent. I haue beside there, growing Scabious, Scabious. an hearbe that groweth commonly in Corne, with a iagged leafe, lying round vpon the ground, and thrusting out in Sommer a long stalke, with sun­dry branches, the flowres growing in blewe knoppes or tuftes, like Honycomes. This hearbe being sodden with white wine, and drinke, doth helpe the Plurisie, against which diseases, the women of the countrey, that many times take vpon them to be great D [...]ct [...]esses in Phisicke, doo stil the water thereof in May, and geue it to be drunken at eache time, two or three sponefuls, not only against the Plurisie, but against inward imposternes, coughes, and all diseases of the brest. Against imposternes, di­uers (as Tra [...]us wryteth) doo make this composition, they take a handfull of Scabious, the hearbe dryed, of Liquerisse cut small an ounce, twelue Figges, Fenell seede an ounce, Aniseede as much, Or as halfe an ounce, these they lay al a night in water: the next day they boyle them, tyl a third part be consumed, and after making it sweete with Suger, or Hony of Roses, they geue it wa [...]me in the morning and the euening, wherewith they say, the imposterne is ripened, made soft, and cought out.

I remember, that passing by the house of that honorable Baron, the Lorde Cobham (whose house you shall seeldome see without great resort, by reason of his no­ble disposition, and honourable intertainement that he geueth to all commers) I chanced to see in his Parke at Cobbam, a cer­taine hearbe called Veronica, Veronica. whereof I haue heard vertues.

That can I also shewe you amongest the hearbes that I haue about my Bees: it is called of some Feueriuum, and Veronica, as it is supposed of a certaine French King, who was thought by the iuyce thereof, to be cured of a great Leprosie, it is called in english Fluellin: it creepeth lowe by the ground, as Penigrasse doth, and beareth a leafe like the Blackthorne, with a blewish spe [...]kled flowre, with a seede in­closed in little powches, like a shepeheards purse, and groweth commonly vnder Okes. D Hieron wryteth, that the force thereof, is marueylous against the pestilence, and contagious [Page 192] ayres, and that he him self hath often times proued. The water of the hearbe steeped in white Wine, and destilled therewithal, he hath cured sundry times, hotte burning and pestilent feuers, as well in young men, as in old. Hieron Transchweyg, commen­deth it to be singuler good for all diseases of the Spleen: the shepheardes of Germany, geue it with great profite made in powder and mingled with salt, to theyr cattell diseased with the cough, being steeped in Wine and destilled, it is a most present remedy in all pestilent feuers: being geuen two ounces there­of with a little Treacle, and after layed warme in bedde, and well couered, it expelleth the poyson by sweate, and driueth it from the hart. The water of this hearbe taken certaine dayes togeather, two ounces at a time, helpeth the turnesicke giddi­nesse of the head, voydeth fleame, purgeth blood, warmeth the stomacke, openeth the stopping of the Liuer, healeth the disea­ses of the Loonges, and the Spleen, purgeth the Uaines, the Matrice, and the Bladder, it driueth out sweat and venome, hel­peth the Iandise, the stone of the Reygnes, and other gree­uous diseases. You shall also haue amongest these plantes of myne, the good sweete hearbe Cariphilata, or of some, Benedicta, of others, Sanamanda, called in English Aueus, Aueus. whose roote whether it be greene, or olde, resembleth the Cloue in sauour: the leafe is iagged, rooffe, of a darkish greene, and not much vn­like to Agrimony: the flowre is yellow, and after the falling thereof, leaueth a prycly knoppe like a Hedgehogge: the roote, the longer it hath growen, the sweeter it is: the speciall vse of this roote in some countreys, is to be put in Wine in y^e spring time: for it maketh the Wine to tast and sauour very pleasant­ly: which Wine, as many hold oppinion, doth glad the harte, o­peneth the obstruxion of the Liuer, and healeth the stomacke, that is ouer burdened with cold and grosse humors: this roote boyled in Wine and geuen warme, doth ease the greefe of the stomacke, or y^e belly, proceading of eyther cold, or winde. Hard by this hearb, haue I planted the great water Betony, called of some, Ocimastrum, of Mathiolus, Scrophularia Maior: it hath a great square stalke, and bigge leafe indented round about: the the flowre is in colour Purple, and in fashion like the shell of a [Page] Snayle, it flowreth in Iune and Iuly, and groweth most by waters in shadowy places. Tragus teacheth to make a speci­all oyntment thereof, seruing against all scabbes and sores, wherewith he saith, he hath seene people so mangy, as they haue seemed euen Lepers to be cured: his oyntment is this. Take the hearbe, rootes and all, gathered in May, washed and well clensed from all filth, stampe it, and strayne out the iuyce, and keepe it in a narrowe mouthed glasse well stopped, wherein you may keepe it a whole yeere, and when so euer you list to make your oyntment, take of the same iuyce, of Wax and Oyl, of eache a like quantitie, and boyle them together vpon a Cha­fingdish of coles, stirring them well, tyll they be incorporated, and so vse it. Mathiolus teacheth to make a singuler oyntment thereof against Kernells, the Kinges euil, and the Hemrodes: his order is this. You must gather the rootes in the end of som­mer, and after that you haue made them very cleane, stampe them togeather with freshe Butter, and putting them into an earthen vessell close couered, set them vp in some moyst & dam­pishe place, suffering it there to remaine for the space of fifteene dayes: afterwardes, let the same Butter be melted with a soft fire, and being well strained, lay it vp for your vse. There haue I also an other excellent hearbe, called in Latine Cardiaca, Cardiaca. I know no name for it in English, except you will call it Mother­wort, and in deede it is the very true Motherwort: it groweth by high wayes, and neare to stone walles, it hath a leafe some­thing like a Nettell, but more indented, the leaues next to the roote being iagged like the Crowfoote: it groweth bushing with many stalkes, I haue seene it plentifully in Surry, and some store of it about Maydstone in Kent: it is of great force a­gainst any sicknesse of the hart, whereof it taketh his name: it helpeth Crampes, & Palseys, it clenseth the brest from fleame, it killeth Woormes in the body, openeth cold obstructions, pro­uoketh Urine, and womens Courses: being made in powder, and a sponefull of it geuen in Wine, it wonderfully helpeth the hard labours of women.

I maruayle you haue no store of Be­tony also:Betony. for I haue seene the Bees labour diligenttly vpon it, [Page 193] and haue heard, that it is of great vertue.

I have great store in deede of it, but that I forgat to tell you of it, it is knowen so commonly, as I neede not to discribe it vnto you: whosoeuer is troubled with breaking of wind, and weakenesse of stomacke, and those whose stomackes retaine not their meate, or whosoeuer feeles a sowre belching from his stomacke, and is therewith often troubled, let them continually vse Betony, eyther the hearbe and flowre boy­led in Wine, or the water distilled, or the Conserue (as they cal it) of the flowres. And yf so be you lacke the Conserue, or the water you may vse the dry hearbe in powder, eyther by it selfe, or with Hony: women that are troubled with the mother, may vse this hearbe for their remedie. To be short, the flowre, leafe, and roote of Betony sodden & drunke, or howsoeuer you wyll, in Electuarie, Conserue, Sirope, Potion, or Pouder, as you list to take it, is singuler good in y^• diseases of y^• stomacke, liuer, spleen, kydneyes, and bladder, it freeth the Matrice from obstruction, and draweth from thence all hurtful moystures. For consump­tions of the Loonges, Coughes, Dropsies, continuall and pu­trifyed Feuars, proceeding from the stomacke, boyle the leaues and flowres of Betony in Honyed water, and you shal haue pre­sent helpe. Thus haue I shewed you what kind of hearbes I haue planted about my Bees, to the ende they should haue foode at hand of the sweetest, and the holsomest: I haue shewed you also the vertues of the hearbe, the flowre, and the water, that you may vse for your owne commoditie: only this warning I geue you, that you doo not distill them, as the vnskilful doo, in stilles of Lead, Tinne, and Brasse, which poysoneth and spoyleth the water, but in Glasse Stils, set in some vessel of water vpon the fyre, wherby your water shalbe most perfect and holsome. The difference of these two distillinges, appeareth plaine: for exam­ple, in Wormewood, which yf you distil in your common Styl­latories, y^e water commeth out sweete, hauing gotten a corrupt qualitie by the nature & corruption of the mettal: whereas, yf you do it in Stils made of Glasse, looking that the Glasses be wel closed round about, your water shal haue the very taste, sa­uour, and propertie of the hearbe. With these Glasse Stils you [Page] may so order your fire, as you may draw out of euery hearbe, the water, spirit, oyle, and salt, to the great comfort of sicke and diseased persons. I set besides, great plentie of Sauery, Heath, Tamariske, & without the Beeyard, Broome, in whose flowres the Bee much delighteth. I keepe you here peraduenture too long in so small a matter.

As the heathen Poet wryteth: but I wyll here make an end of my talke, that hath perhapes been thought too long.