THe calamities and encombran­ces, the miseries and sorrowes, whiche proceede of the insolen­cie, into the which the people of this time is plonged in this age of Irō (of Irō I maie saie, har­dened to misfortune) hath well witnessed vnto vs, how true is the auncient Prouerbe, whiche saith: That Iupiter is slowe to visite the skinne of the Gote: Yet that in fine, he permitteth not an euill facte vnpunished. Wee haue seen with our eyes, and felte by effecte in our Fraunce, at the risyng of these Iaste troubles, fallyng vpon vs like tempest of Haile vnlooked for. The whiche, as com­myng out of the Boxe of Pandora, or out of the brosten in­fected prison, was so spred emong men, and hath made such ouerture of vice and mischeef, that all sortes of euill are sette at libertie. Mars the Executor of the wrathe of the goddes hath vomited his Eholour without measure, that the bur­nyng thereof hath chafed them, not onely to sociall warres, but to all Deuilishe attemptes, more then Megariqu, to Robberies and Murthers, and (as saieth Cicero) to Pha­larismes and moste cruell inhumanities. Vulcan leauyng his proper Region, hath followed these miseries, and sear­ched these habitations, to exercise these operations: In suche sorte that it is easie to Iudge, that these mishappes are fal­len [Page]emong menne, to put them in memorie of their synnes, founde in the saied Goates skinne, of the whiche you haue paied your lotte: as I haue knowne by the complaintes, whiche you haue made for your greate losses of money, and menage spoiled and destroied by sackcage, and pillage also of your Nobles. In the whiche I lament your fortune, as a common Shipwracke: but pacience must surmount. And to help you, I haue none other meane then by aduise and coun­saile: you knowe that all my life, I haue spent little tyme in hourdyng of richesse, and thynges caduke. And that rather I tooke pleasure to contente my Spirites, in readyng and searchyng of sutche thinges, as fewe men haue founde. Yet not to refuse the help of a freend in necessitie: and vnderstan­dyng that there yet remaineth vnto you, fiue or sixe hundred Frankes, whiche you haue hidden, forseyng so greate a mis­chance, it seemeth vnto me, to the ende that you in nothyng diminishe your state of liuyng, so to redresse the same, that you maie easely in shorte tyme, reenter into as greate and ample reuenewes, as you had before the saied troubles.

Your reuenewe doubtlesse, consisteth in Housbandrie of all sortes of cattell, as Beeues, Kine, Mares, Shepe, foule, and sutche other thinges as reioyseth them, whiche are giuē to the countrey life. I can be a witnesse how your table was euer readie for your familiar freendes: And your wife and daughter were of worshipfull estimatiō, and of carefull pro­uision for your familie, entertained by honeste sparyng and frugalitie, requisite in due tyme and season. At whiche time also you were well estemed, for your liberalitie toward your neighbours and freendes. But seeyng that Fortune hath courned her visage (as she is accustomed to dooe, when the tyme agreeth with her) you must needes retire, and not suf­fer her to remaine with you in like regarde as before. And therefore you must forget those losses, and thinke of a gaine to come: to the whiche you shall attaine easely, with this lit­tle [Page]somme remainyng, if you will emploie it, as I will ad­uertise you. And this without spott of villanie, or filthie and excessiue gaines. Furthermore, your Housebandrie shall florishe, and your name shalbee more knowne in Fraunce, then was emong the Greekes, the name of hym that burnte the Temple of Diana in Ephesus.

And to make no longer discourse: aduise your self to be­stowe your somme of money in buiyng of Hennes: not Me­leagrides, the whiche Bellonius in his Peregrination affir­meth, to be our Hennes of the Indies (beyng the true Gra­niers of Otes) but common Hennes of our Countrie: and Housebande or employe them in suche sort, as I will shewe hereafter. And be not impacient to attende the conclusion.

Firste of all, it is necessarie to haue them, neare vnto the Citée of Paris, famous and of greate renoume throughout all the worlde, to bee the marte and seate of all good Artes, and Sciences, and populous of all sortes of men, if there be any other vnder the Sunne. There consider the situation of some commodious place well builded, hauyng good roomes and Stabies, with a Court or yarde inclosed of twoo Acres of grounde, more or lesse, and walled of sufficiente height. With also twoo other Acres inclosed, for an other purpose, whereof we will speake hereafter. Of these are enow to be founde, in the old rurall buildynges about the Citie of Paris. So then can you not saie, that you are straightly lod­ged. For Quintus Cincinnatus Citezine of Rome (so na­med for wearyng his heire combed and breaded) possessed no more when he was called to the dignitie of Dictator, as writeth Valerius Maximus in his fowerth booke.

The aforesaid Mannour place or Ferme, with Yard or Courte inclosed, you shall take by Lease for certaine yeres, paiyng yerely rent for the dwelling of you and your familie. You shall dispose your Stables commodiouslie, for your Hennes and Chickins, with the vewe or prospecte toward [Page]the Winter Driente, that the Sunne maie giue the good morrowe to your Hēnes, whiche greatly delite at the Mor­nyng Sunne, as noteth Columella in his nineth booke of Housebandrie: also Varro in his third booke.

The Henne houses, shalbe commodious and profitable, if thei bee alone or solitarie, and the Plankes well couered with claye, because the Hennes delite to pruine and toum­ble them selues in duste, and to bee kept warme. And there­fore bodrdes or plaister, are not conuenient to this purpose.

The Lathers, or Perches must be from the ground two foote high. Also flat, and not round, because the Hennes doe not bende, or crooke their clawes or Talantes, as doe other graspelyng foules.

The said Henne houses also, in the daie tyme must be o­pen, that thei maie bee euented with winde and Aire. And that the night aire maie more easely trāspire and breath out, that it maie cause no disease by close ayre, whiche in shorte time causeth putrefaction, and diseases thereof procedyng.

Vnder the Henne houses, and all about the stables shall he hanged many Panyers of conuement bignesse, stuft with Haye, to receiue the Hennes when thei laye. For Haye in this case, is mutche better then Strawe, because it is softer and warmer, and is not so apt to engender Lice or Woor­mes. I doe not meane that it should be so deare as was that whiche was sold for fower Attiques the handfull, for men to eate, at the tyme of the greate Famine in Ierusalem, as writeth Iosephus in his seuenth booke of the warre of the Iewes, the fower Attiques amountyng to xiiij. Frenche Souses, after three Souses and sixe Frenche pence for a Souse, as muche as the Romaine penie, as writeth lear­ned Budaeus in his booke De Asse.

When you haue thus disposed your Henne houses, and made them sure and saffe againste all hurtfull beastes and vermine, that maie enter by Daie or Night, and haue well [Page]placed the Panyars, to receiue and harbour theim, you shall bestowe the somme of three hundreth Frankes, in buiyng of good Hennes, whiche maie coste you after the rate of fiue Souses (whiche is sixe pence and twoo thirdes) the peece, by reason of the dearth whiche is now,xxv. Frāks iv. s̄. vj. d. & ij. thirdes of j. d. by occasion of war­res. Whiche shalbe twelue hundreth Hennes, after fiue and twentic Frankes the hundred.

The Countries of Angeou, Touraine, and Lodunoys, haue been the countries with Britaigne, lesse troubled with the said Ciuill warres: and therefore Hennes are there bet­ter cheape: Also verie good, strong, well membred, and of the beste race to make your emploite.

You shall choose the yongest, whiche are apter to laye then the old: And the cammō, more then thei of kinde: or the Blacke, Redde, and Taunie, whiche are more fruitfull then the Graie or White, as Aristotle affirmeth in his Histo­rie of beastes in the first booke, the firste Chapiter. And also thei whiche haue their creaste or combe double and vpright, as witnesseth Plinie in his naturall Historie. Also Palladius and Petrus Crescencis in his booke of Housebandrie. Like­wise Carolus Stephanus a man of our tyme, and a diligent gatherer of thynges Economike, parteinyng to Housholde and Housebandrie.

Thei of a meane bignesse, are the beste, hauyng their breast large, their bodie well fleshed, not with long spurres like vnto Cockes, for thei commonly breake their Egges. Take heede also that thei be not to fatte. Witnesse the good wife, whiche beyng in loue with her Henne, fed her so well, and made her so fat, that she left laiyng, as rehearseth Esope in his Fables.

You ought to thinke, that the good woman loued her Henne no lesse, then the Emperour Honorius, Soonne of Theodosius loued his, named Rome. Who vnderstandyng that Alaricus kyng of the Gothes had takē Rome (whiche [Page]was the auncient Citie of Rome) was verie sad, supposyng that Alaricus had taken his Henne, whiche he so mutche loued, as Zonar the Greeke Historiographer hath written, in the life of Honorius. I saie the aunciente Rome, because the Emperours of the East partes, called Constantinople, newe Roome.

In like maner you shall buye Cockes, to sort or matche them: sixe score Cockes shall suffice for the twelue hundreth Hennes.v. li. vi. s̄. viij. d. For one Cocke, maie suffice for ten Hennes. Thei maie coste you tenne Souses the peece, ouer and aboue the price of the Hennes: whiche amounteth to xlviij. Frankes. Thei of the age from a yere and a halfe, vnto twoo yeres, are the beste.

To knowe them well, you shall consider the Plumage, or Feathers. The Blacke, Red, and Taunie, are the beste. Also thei that haue their Combe or Creaste vpright, and double, or diuided. Their eyes redde and glisteryng: Their becke, shorte and hooked: well spurred: their goyng, hautie and proude: Their voice strong and soundyng: and sutche as crowe mutche, representyng sutche a Maiestie, as did the Cocke of the Persians, whiche emong them was reueren­ced, and honoured for a kyng, as reciteth Aristophanes. At the least, that thei shewe a certaine hardinesse, as thei which the Carians, people of the lesse Asia, bore vppon their Mo­rion or Helmet, goyng to battaill: as Alexander de Ale­xandro hath written in the xx. Chapiter of his first booke.

And if you will take pleasure in Diuination of thynges to come by Cockes,Alectoro­mantia, (whiche Diuination is named Ale­ctoromantia) as did Iamblicus maister of Proclus, as Liba­nius his companion, great and learned Philosophers, in the tyme of the Emperour Valens, you maie make experimente of sutche predictions, and therewith dooe pleasure to your freendes.

And to the ende that you shall not bee ignoraunte in the [Page]Theorike, or Speculation of the saied Diuination, I will shewe you a certaine practise and Prognostication thereof. Certaine greate lordes were curious to knowe, who should bee successour to the Empire, after Valens, fauourer of the damnable sect of the Arrians: praiyng thesaid Philosophers to giue aunswere, accordyng to their Arte and experience, whiche thei had of sutche thinges. Who were verie diligent to sa [...]i [...]fie their request, as commonly men of letters are not ingrate to cōmunicate to others, the fruites of their garden.

Therefore Iamblicus, and Libanius, chose a place verie plaine and equall, of conueniente largenesse: and caused fine pouder, or ashes to bee sifted therein. In the whiche pouder, thei wrote the xxiiij. letters of the Alphabet equally distante the one from the other, one little cubite a so [...]der, whiche is a foote and a halfe.

The xxiiij. Letters so written and ordered, made a Fi­gure pentagon, or of fiue angles, hauyng fiue equall distances: Vpon euery of the whiche letters, thei laied tenne graines, one of Wheate, and an other of Barley.

The Figure beyng set in order, thei tooke a Cocke, and saied to hym these woordes: Cocke enuious, Cocke ielous, Cocke proude: Eate the graine, and leaue the letter. Then makyng a greate whisperyng, in maner of a Charme, thei lett the Cocke so Charmed, eate certaine of the graines liyng vpō the letters. The which letters thē ioyned together, and sette in order, accordyng to the graines whiche laye on them, these letters were founde. T, H, E, O, D. Theod. And were thereby contented to searche no further.

And by this Diuination by the Cocke, the saied Philo­sophers gaue aunswere, that the successour of the Empire, should be one Theodosius, or Theodorus, or Theodotus, wher of Valens beyng aduertised, was greatly displeased, fearyng least his children should bee depriued of the Empire. And therefore putte to death all the greate Lordes, whiche were [Page]so named. Iamblicus had euill fortune, and shortly after was poisoned. Vopiscus, Lampridius, and Zonare, whiche haue written the liues of the Emperours of the East and West, will make you wise in this Prognostication.

Not without reason I haue rehearsed vnto you this lit­tle Cubite. For if your figure Pentagon, were directed by the greate Cubite (whiche is of nine foote, accordyng to the whiche, the Arke of Noe was measured, as some Specu­latours haue affirmed) you might faile in your Diuination, and shall not come to the knowledge of that your desire.

Neuerthelesse, for asmuche as sutche Diuinations, bee deceiptes, and enchauntmentes of the eyes and senses, hauyng in them no substaunce of truthe, but rather of lyes, you shall giue no faithe thereto. For falshoode is euer ouercome by truthe: as by example allegorike, Iosephus in his Historie of the Antiquitie of the Iewes, in the second booke and fifte Chapiter declareth: As also is written in Exodus, Chapi­ter seuen. Where the rodde of Moises, was by the finger of God tourned into a very Serpent, and deuoured the phan­tastike Serpentes of the Magicians of Pharaa. And the Aucthours of the saied Magique, finally receiued their re­warde as did Iamblicus: and as did Arphaxat the Magi­cian of Persia, who was striken with a Thunderbolte: As was also the Bailife of Mascon, whom the Deuill carried awaie, as our Chronicles witnesseth. And also as wer Ma­thetin and Hollere, Magicians of the Gothes, whiche were ouerwhelmed, as writeth Olaus Magnus in his Historie of the North Regions, in the third booke. Likewise Oddo a Magician of Demnarke, who was drouned. And infinite o­thers came to the like euill ende.

But now to retourne to our Hēnes: To entreate thē and gouerne them well, you must haue fower seruaūtes or mai­des, with large eares, well to cōceiue, and vnderstande your commaundementes: and the feete of Hartes, with diligente [Page]expeditiō to execute the same: and a trustie right hande to be faithfull, loiall, obedient, and of fewe wordes. For (as saieth the Terentian Parmenio) it is a greate faulte in seruauntes to bee babbelers, and not to keepe their Maisters counsaill.

Their office shalbe to bryng the Hennes into their hou­ses euery daie, at fiue of the clocke in the Euenyng in Som­mer: and at three of the clocke in Winter. Also that thei bee diligent to close the entries, and windowes of the Hen hou­ses, that in the night the Foxe (naturall enemie to Hennes) Weaselles, or Polecattes, maie haue no accesse. And in the mornyng, to open the entries and windowes, that thei may come forthe. And then to make cleane the Pearches and la­thers. Also to refreashe their Pottes and Troughes with cleane water. For filthie and corrupt water, engendreth the pippe, and other sicknesses.

In the daie also, the saied seruauntes must be myndfull to visite the Panyers, if thei be furnishe with Haye, and to refreshe them if neede bee. The whiche must be doen euery weeke, for engenderyng of Lise, Wormes, and Vermine, whiche make the Hennes leane, and cause them to scratche.

In like maner thei must hee diligente, in gatheryng the Egges. And by accompt to deliuer thē to a woman, whiche shall lay them in order vpon faire wheate strawe, in a place of large and free ayre, to be kept freashe and cold. The same seruantes, after that in the Mornyng, thei haue giuen them their feedyng of Barly and Otes, and sometymes also Fet­ches, or Tares, shall caste emong them some drie Horse­dounge, to the ende that the Hennes maie labour the more, to searche their meate with scrapyng. For sutche exercise, is wholsome for them. Then aboute Noone, thei shall feede them againe, callyng them with loude voice, that thei maie be acquainted with the call of their keepers, whom thei will sone knowe, as did the Sparrowe of Lesbia Catullma: The Parrat of Corinna Ouidiana: The Thrustle of Agrippina [Page]the wife of the Emperoure Claudius: The Rauen of the Shoomaker of Romme, whiche gaue the good morowe to the Emperours Liberius, Germanicus, and Drusus. And was bought for twentie Sesterns, amounting to the somme of fiue hundred crounes of our money, by the supputation of Budaeus, after the rate of fiue and twentie Crounes one Se­sterne. And in like maner shall thei dooe a little before thei bryng them to rouste.

If your yarde containe twoo Acres inclosed, you maye thereof Plowe halfe an Acre in some corner, where the Hē ­nes maie sometymes in the daie scrape the ground, and tō ­ble them selues in the duste or sande, wherein thei take great pleasure. You shall Plowe or hardell the saied lande, once in the Moneth, that it become not too harde, that the Hennes maie easily raise it, without hurtyng their clawes.

You maie also caste certaine seedes vppon the Plowed ground, and couer it with the hardell, that the Hennes maie take bothe more pleasure and labour, in discoueryng it. For the Hennes through idelnesse, become grosse and heauie, and will cease from laiyng.

When your Housbandrie shalbe thus well ordered, you must practise in the Citie of Paris, with ten or twelue Phi­sitions, dwellyng in sondrie places of the saied Citie. Not of the beardlesse and delicate Apollinaries, whiche care for nothyng but glorie, and ciuill flatterie, to gett riche wiues. But of the bearded Aesculapians, suche as was the famous Florentine, a man of singuler knowledge, and experience in his art, and famous for the wise counsaill whiche he gaue to his daughter, pursued by the vnchaste loue of Ladislaus kyng of Naples and Hungarie.

Sutche auncient Phisitions, will easily permitt the ne­cessitie of Nature, and confirme the wholesome Edicte of the Emperour Claudius: who (as witnesseth Suetonius) permitted in banquettes and companies, freely and with­out [Page]shame, to let scape the winde of the beallie, knowyng that certaine shamefaste persones, subiecte to the Collicke, haue died for holdyng the saied ventositie: As also Cicero in the xxij. booke of his Epistles, saith that fartyng ought to be as free as belchyng, after the opinion of the Stoikes.

You shall giue theim to vnderstande, that you can daiely furnishe their Pacientes with newe laied Egges, euery mornyng without faile. You shall also aduertise theim, of theim that haue the sellyng, and distribution of them.

You shall also take heede, that you haue not to deale with suche Phisitions, whiche haue nought els to doe theim to walke their Mules, as thei were whiche were obserued by Maister Francis Rables Pentagruell, to departe out of their lodgyng at sixe of the clocke in the mornyng, and to returne at Noone without strikyng of stroke. For suche are the ve­rie pacientes of impaciētes, by the vnderstandyng of Epop­tiques and Acromatiques of Aristotle and Alexander his Disciple, whiche thei thought onely worthie to bee read, as writeth Quintus Curtius.

In like maner you must bee acquainted with xv. or xx. Gainsellers, or Regraters, suche as can chatte and babble beste, and walke aboute all the streates, and the fower cor­ners of the Citée, and the moste famous places of the same: as the Burse, the Pallaice, the greate Haules, the Portes, and other places of greate resorte: Assuryng theim to fur­nishe them daiely of a number of newe laied Egges, which thei shall sell and distribute to your profite, agreeyng with theim for reasonable price and wages, as shalbe saied here­after.

Hauyng kepe this order, you shall bee carefull and dili­gent, to cause your Egges daiely to bee caried to the Gain­sesters, or women that shall sell them againe in the morning of the daie followyng. You maie carie thē beste vpon Asses. For whiche purpose, that Beaste is very proper, because of [Page]his slowe goyng, that he breake not the Egges. But take heede that thei eate no Figges, leaste you bruste for laugh­yng, as did the Philosopher Chrysippus, as writeth Dioge­nes Laertius, in his booke of the liues of Philosophers. The like also chaunced to Philomenes, as writeth Valerius Ma­ximus, in his Chapiter of rare kyndes of Death.

Now it resteth to make you vnderstande the profite, that shall come vnto you daiely of your summe: all charges and expenses deducted: the rent of your house paied, the wa­ges of your seruauntes, the Gainsellers contēted, the char­ges of the Asse, his keeper compted, and also the graine or corne wherewith your Hennes are fedde. For of the sale of Egges, is taken no custome, or imposition, as was in the tyme of Ihon Ducas Emperour of Constantinople, and successour of Theodosius Lascaris, who was so excessiue, that in a few daies, the Croune of Irene the Empresse, was thereby marueilously enriched in precious stones and ie­welles, as Nephorius hath left in writing, in the third booke of the Historie Bizantine, in the chapiter, of the famine of the Turkes.

You shall sell, or cause to be solde, euery new laied egge easely for sixe Frenche pence the peece. For I assure you, that within the Citee of Paris, are a thousande, yea rather twoo thousande, that will gladly giue a Carolus (whiche is nyne Frenche pence) for euery newe laied Egge, beyng thereof assured: wherein see you faile not.

Howe many Gentlemen and Gentlewomen are there, whiche greatly desire in the Mornyng, to eate a newe laied Egge? How many are there of Citezins, and their wiues, touched with the like desire: How many olde folkes wearie of Fleshe, could for their Dinner bee contente, with a newe laied Egge or twoo? For you must knowe that an Egge, is naturally of good nourishemente, wholsome, delicate, of ea­sie digestion, and maketh good bloud, as writeth Alexan­der [Page]Aphrodiseus in his seconde booke, and xxviij. question of his Problemes. Likewise Albertus Magnus writeth, that an Egge engendereth in a man, as muche good blood, as is the bignesse of the yolke, whiche tourneth almoste all into bloud.

I haue yet made no memorie of sicke folkes, whiche of necessitie haue nede of new laied Egges, by the ordinaunce of the Phisitions, whose freendship you shall entertaine for the same purpose. The number of the whiche sicke folkes, I am sure in the saied Citee, will daiely surmounte a thou­sande persones without speakyng of them that keepe a cer­tain diet, as well to encrease the lustes of their pleasures in Venerie, as also to restore that which somtyme by excessiue wantonnesse, thei haue diminished of their strengthe and health. For these also shall haue neede of your marchandize.

You maie therefore by this deduction, be assured of the vent and sale, and deliueraunce of your Egges daie by daie as muche as your Hennes shall doe their endeuour, orderly to furnishe your Customers.

Now lette vs retourne to our accompt. You can gather no lesse euery daie of your xij. hundreth Hennes, then eight hundreth Egges: whiche are twoo terces or thirde partes of the number: Leauyng the other terce or thirde parte of your Hennes, in the meane tyme to reste and repose theim selues. For the season is not euery daie agreable for all Hē ­nes to laye: Specially in the middest of Winter, and other tymes neare vnto that. But you shall then helpe them in gi­uyng them Fenegreke, commōly called the dredge of Hor­ses. And also Barly halfe sodde. For these thinges keepe thē in naturall heate, and cause them to laye.L. Souses v. s̄. vi. d. and ii. third par­tes of a peny xliiij. s̄. v. d. ij. thirdes.

Eight hundreth Egges, by supputation Arithemeticall, at sixe Frenche pence the peece, will yeld. L. Souses for the hundreth. Which in number producte, maketh xx. Frankes or Frenche poundes a daie. Whiche is, for the saied eight [Page]hundreth, seuen score Frankes the weeke, and seuen thou­sande three hundreth Frankes the yeare, of honest profite.

Let vs diuise the charges. And that whiche then remai­neth, wee will call the gaines and profite. For the Lawiers saie, that wee call nothyng profite, sauyug what remaineth after the charges deducted: as the famous Lawier Papiniā hath well defined in the xxiiij. booke of the Pandectes, vnder the title of repetition of dowrie after the mariage dissolued.

Firste for the pension of the woorke man,ij. s̄. ii. d. and ii. thirdes. and his House for euery daie twentie Souse: whiche by the yere commeth to three hundreth, three score and fiue Frankes. I here vn­derstande yeres of the Sunne consisting of three hundreth, three score and fiue daies.

For fower Seruauntes or maides, twentie Souses the daie, which is for eche of them for wages, meate and drinke, fiue Souses to finde them selues:xl. li. xi. s̄. i. d. & i. third amountyng in the yere to the like summe of three hundreth three score and fiue Fran­kes. You knowe how greately sobrietie is to bee commen­ded in seruauntes, both men and women: which kicke when thei bee fatte (as doe Monkes in the mewe) and murmure when thei be full. Emong the whiche, wee meane not suche as with pure conscience, exercise them selues in their vowe of contemplation of Diuine thynges, in whose soules, con­templation taketh perfection, as saieth the Diuines. For in all sortes of men, the beste ought to bee respected, and the worst noted. Neither yet doe I meane, that you should bee sparyng for the meate of your seruauntes, as was the Ab­bot of Poson in Hungarie, who was wont to saie that of all the workes of his seruauntes, the mouyng of their Iawes greeued him moste: he was so filthis coueteous, that he dis­dained to see his seruauntes eate, as writeth Aeneas Sylui­us in the xlij. Chapiter of his Historie of Boheme.

For the charges of the twoo Asses (although Thistles growe euery where aboundantly) we will allowe fiue Sou­ses [Page]a daie: amountyng to fower score and tweltie Frankes,vi. d. and ij. thirdes. x. li. v. s̄. and fiue Souses in the yere. And for the Asse keper (whom you maie also applie too other seruice, after that hee hath brought his Egges to the place appointed (who can haue no lesse then one maide to accōpanie hym, whose allowance beyng after the rate of fiue Souses the daie, commeth to fower score and twelue Franks, and fiue Souses the yere. Whō you shall aduertise, that he ouercharge not his Asses least thei murmure as doe the Monkes vnreformed.

The Emperour Augustus Caesar after the victorie Actium against Antonius, iniured by the loue of Cleopatrae Queene of Egipte, goyng to see the shippes captiue, found sodainly an Asse-keper, and asked him what was his name: Who aunswered that his name was Fortunatus: and the names of his Asses, Victorious. Thereby gratulatyng the victorie of the Emperor. You maie feele the profite of your Asses with like congratulation, and hope of good Fortune and victorie, against them that woulde haue throwen you into miserable pouertie: if you followe your businesse with requisite diligence as did the saied Emperour Augustus his warres: Auoidyng suche delices and pleasures, as An­tonius vsed with Cleopatra.

For meate or feedyng for the Hennes, shall suffice for the daie twoo quarters of Paris measure, as well in Barly as in Otes, Fitches, or Tares: and in Winter,Septier is y^• Quarter of Paris v. s̄. vi. d. and ij. thirdes. bearde or horned Wheate, (whiche in Champaigne is called Sara­sine Wheate) after xxv. Souses the Septier or quarter, whiche by the daie amounteth to L. Souses: and in the yere seuen hundreth, fower score and seuen Frankes, and tenne Souses, whiche is fower score and vij. li. x. s̄.

As touchyng the Phisitians, some of theim selues shall haue neede of your marchandise: as thei that haue a Fame­ly, and many little children: whom you must visite weekely with certaine quarterons of newe laied Egges, brought on [Page]Thursdaie for Fridaie and Saterdaie. At Easter also with certaine Red Egges to present to their neighbours, as the reuenue of their practike. But suche as haue no familie, and seke for wife and house, followyng the precepte of Xenophon in his Oeconomiques, you maie to (gratifie them) shewe thē the increase of your Housebandry, and recite vnto them the pleasure whiche you receiue therein, to hasten them to caste theim selues into the nette of happie Mishap, and yet in the meane tyme honour them with some pretie Presentes.

And if you haue the meanes to recouer Pullettes, or Chickens of the race of the Hēne, which engendereth them perfectly formed, scrapyng and pepyng, and followyng the Henne, as sone as thei bee out of the Egge (as rehearseth Apuleius in his booke of the golden Asse) you maie thereby giue argument of high Philosophie of noueltees, vpon the doubte whiche thei make, if the round Egges bryng forthe Cockes, and the long Egges Hennes. Wherein Albertus Magnus the Ape of Aristotle, doeth contrary his Maister, in the sixth booke of Beastes.

But in the resolution of this question, you shall finde thē no lesse troubled,A pretie question. then in this: whiche is, why there are moe Sheepe then Wolues: Seyng that one Sheepe common­ly engendereth not but one, or seldome tymes two, where­as the Wolfe bryngeth forthe eight or nyne. Againe, in cō ­sideration that for one Wolfe that is killed, a thousande or twoo thousande Sheepe goe to the slaughter. For the rea­son whiche Herodotus bryngeth in his thirde booke of his Muse of Thalia, (where he saieth, that Nature hath made fierce and cruell Beastes more fruitfull, speakyng of the multitude of Serpentes and Vipers, whiche in Arabia keepe the Trees of Frankensence (can not bee applied to Wolues, whiche are fierce and rauenyng. But to retourne to our charges.

For the entertainemente of the saied Phisitians, I giue [Page]you estate of twoo hundred and three score Frankes by the yere.xxviij. li. xvii. s̄. ix d. one thirde. So shall your Phisitians haue no occasion to com­plaine, that thei haue the pension of Pulters. Of other fide­litie neuerthelesse, that he that is founde culpable of false reporte, shall abide the Iudgement of the Senatour Papi­rius, at the siege of Aquilon, a Toune of the Samnites, of the whiche Ʋalerius Maximus maketh mention in his seuenth booke.

To the Gainsellers,vi. d. and ij. thirdes. xv. s̄. vi. d. ij. thirdes. xl. li. xi. s̄. i. d. and i. thirde. you shall giue fiue Souses for a hū ­dred. Giuing thē charge, that thei sell not in your name, any Egges but yours. Whiche in summe, shalbe by the weeke seuen Frankes: and by the yere, three hundred, three score and fiue Frankes. In the whiche you shall doe nothyng cō ­trarie to the opinion of Socrates, who blamed theim that bought Marchaundize by grosse, to sell theim againe to o­thers by retaile, as hurtfull to the common wealthe.

Then the supputation or compte beyng made vppon xx. Frankes of the sale of your Egges by the daie,x. li. iiij. s̄. v. d. one thirde. viij. hundred vi. li. ij. s̄. ij. d. ij. thirdes. three hūdred li. vij. s̄. ij. d. ij. thirdes. amountyng to seuen thousande and three hundred Frankes by the yere, wee muste rebate the summe of twoo thousande, seuen hun­dreth and three Frankes, and fiue Souses Tournois, (of currante money) for the expenses here before compted. So remaineth vnto you the profite by the yere, the summe of fower thousande, fiue hundreth, fower score and xvj. Fran­kes, and fiue Souses, whiche is fiue hundreth and xj. li. xiij. s̄. x. d. and ij. thirdes.

And when your laiyng Hennes shalbe no more then sixe C. a daie, leauyng the other sixe C. in rest to abide their sea­son, yet shall remaine vnto you xv. Frankes by the daie: and by the yere, iii. M. iiii. C. xlvii. Frankes, three Souses,xxxiij. s̄. iiii. d. and ix. pence, all charges deducted, whiche amounteth to three hundreth fower score and three li. v. d.

Which seemeth to me an honest gaine and profite, vpon the emploiyng of so little a summe, and that, without all fil­thie [Page]Vsurie: By the meanes also whereof, your maie feaste your freendes, and leade a ioyfull life: I saie not prodigall, as of Asope the Tragike, with his platter of small birdes, whereof Plinie maketh mention in the tenth booke of his Naturall Historie. Neither so daintie or gluttonous as of Apitius, that was in the tyme of the Emperour Tiberius. Neither yet so sumptuous and magnificent, as that of Lu­cullus noted of Plutarche (in his booke of the liues of fa­mous men) for the banket whiche he made vpon the sodain, for Pompeius and Cicero: the expense whereof was no lesse then twelue hundred and fiftie Crounes, commyng to fiftie Sesternes Romaine. Or that of Pomponius Atticus. A­gain on the other parte, I meane not that your liuyng shal­bee so streight, in frugalitie or sparyng, as was that of Cu­rius Dentatus, who liued with Radishe rootes. Or of Per­tinax, who would bee serued tenne tymes with one Salet. Neither so vile or sparyng, as was Epaminondas a greate Lorde of Thebes, who kept his chamber while his apparell was amendyng, because he would haue no chaunge.

But temperate and modeste, as that of the Kynges of Egipte, who before thei fell too their meate, disputed of modestie and sobrietie, takyng pleasure in bankettes, more ioyfull, then sumptuous or exquisite. And so shall you not fall into the penaltie of the Lawe Numerall of Iulius, who prefined a Taxe to bee paied of the charges, made in greate feastes and bankettes.

And for as muche as it maie seme a thyng vndecente, that a man should make profession of an Arte, or trafique of Marchandize, whereof he hath no knowledge, beyng igno­rant of the natures and temperatures of the thinges, which he hath in hande: I will not faile to aduertise you of the dis­eases, whiche come to Hennes and Cockes, and of their re­medies, and when it shalbee needefull to chaunge them, and put others in their places, to the ende that your number doe [Page]not diminishe: as you knowe that by surrogation, the kindes of all thynges are preserued in their beyng, and so remaine perpetually, as diuine Diotimus taught Socrates in the se­cond booke of the feast of Plato.

Their common disease is the pippe, whiche is a disease of the tongue, the ende whereof is thereby hardened, in ma­ner of a gristle. And thereby also the Henne loseth her tast, bothe in eatyng and drinkyng: and infecteth also the other Hennes, specially within the house, and the place of their feedyng.

This disease proceedeth, either of beeyng long without drinckyng of cleane and freashe water, or by drinckyng of foule and stinckyng water. And to heale it, you muste take the Henne, and take awaie the superfluitie, whiche groweth on the tong hardened at the ende. And then washe the tong and beake with oyle, in the whiche shalbe tempered a hedde of Garlike. And put emong their meate Staphesacre: and to rubbe the tong well with Spettle or Vineger, first tem­pered in the mouthe of the seruaunt.

An other disease, is the Catare or Rheume, whiche is a fluxion of cold humours in the hed of the Heaues, making them to hang their winges, and their Creastes or combes. The remedie is, to trauerse or ouerthwart their nosethrells with a Feather putte through them, to open the Fluxion or Rheume that is stopped, and maketh them blinde. It shall also be good to warme their drinke in Winter: because such diseases proceede of cold, or drinkyng of Frosen water, or liyng vnder the Moone, the mother of all moistuesse.

Against the Lice and Vermine, whiche maketh them leane, feeble, and vnfruitfull, I haue shewed you the reme­die. But when the disease is now come, the remedie is too bathe them with a little wine, or drinke, in the whiche shall be sodden some Comine, or Staphisacre, commonly called the death of Lice, appliyng it to the heddes of little children, [Page]with ointmentes.

If you doubte, how I knowe this, not alledgyng any Authour for the proofe: you shall vnderstande that I haue learned it, by practize of the common people, in like maner as the wisemen emong the Hebrues, named Cabalistae, and the like emong the Gaules named Druydes, learned their Sciences by Tradition, from mouthe to mouthe, and from hande to hande without letters. Wherby is come to passe, y^t in our Fraunce, the gouernment is more by customes not written, then by written lawes: as Iulius Caesar hath writ­ten in his Commentaries, of the conquest of the Gaules or Frenchemen, in his sixt Booke.

The auncientes haue written certaine remeadies, to keepe the Hennes from the Foxe, as Palladius in his booke of Housebandrie, teacheth how to rubbe the walles of the Henne house, with the gaule of a Foxe, and to cutte in little peeces the fleshe of a Foxe, and to mingle it with the Hen­nes meate, to cause the Foxe to abhorre to come neare it, by feelyng the death of his proper kinde, whiche nature can not abide, as Plinie writeth in his nine and twentie booke of his Naturall Historie. But the moste soueraigne remeadie, is to keepe fast and close the dores and windowes in the night. And that in the daie, your seruauntes often tymes come, and go in all places and corners of your close. And that nere vnto it, or the Henne house, bee no heapes of wood, bushes, or stones, where suche beastes maie be hidde or harboured. For, the beastes whiche liue by rapte, haue euer a certaine feare ioyned with their craftinesse, and desire of rauenyng.

About the tyme of Autumne, you shall euery yere draw a hundred or twoo hundred of the eldest of your Hēnes, and suche as haue their clawes longest, and grossest. In place of the whiche, you shall put yonger of suche sort or qualitie, As I haue before described.

If peraduenture you bee of opinion, to keepe your Eg­ges [Page]of one season for an other, you must laye them in order vpon sheaues of strawe verie freashe, with the sharpe ende vpwarde, or to laye theim in Panyers in like maner. And that thei be well couered with strawe, that thei be not tour­ned by too muche heate, or colde. And if you will choose the best for your frendes, take Candida, Longa, Noua (that is) white, long, and new, followyng the opinion of the schoole of Salerne.

The other twoo Acres whiche remaine aboute youre Yarde, Courte, or place enclosed, shall bee commodious to sowe Barlie, whiche is a graine verie proper for the nouri­ture of Hennes. And if you can recouer Barlie of the seede of Aethiope, whereas dwell the Iewes of the ligne of Dan, Nepthalin, Gad, and Asser, nere to the riuer of Sabbatique (whiche Moises affirmeth to be the riuer in the holy scrip­ture called Gosan) it shalbe singuler good, because one graūt thereof bryngeth foorthe an hundred, as Eldad Damus the Hebrue hath written in his breef Historie of the Empire of the Iewes, inclosed in Aethiope.

I will write vnto you more ample of the other profites, whiche concerne the nouriture of Hennes, as of what pro­perties thei are, and what one maie drawe of their substan­ces. But my ende hath been none other then to giue aduise, how for a little somme of money and little trauaile, you maie get greate profite: to the ende that you maie the more easily forgette your losses, and accustome your self to the noyse and cluckyng of your Hennes: and not to seeme more delicate, then was the good Philosopher Socrates, who bore it easily because thei laied hym Egges: as he bore paciently the murmuryng and scoldyng of his wife Xantippe, because she bore hym children.

You maie euery daie se your menage or housebandrie. And (as did the Peripatici) walke aboute the closes, and o­ther places: and consider the endeuour of your seruauntes. [Page]Whom also by this meanes you shall make more carefull and diligent: and your Hennes better entreated, accordyng to the Apophthegme whiche saieth: That the eye of the Maister maketh the seruaunt prompter, and the Horse fat­ter: as also Aristotle maketh mention in his first booke of Oeconomikes. But how so euer it bee, directe your House­bandrie in suche order, that bones be not giuen to Asses, and Thistles to Dogges.

The Maid seruaunt or Chamberlaine, of Promotheus (named Experience) who serued hym, after that he had brought from Heauen the liberall Sciences, and to whom when he drue nere to death he gaue them by Testament, maie in short tyme assure you, either to continue this Mar­chandize and traffique, or to leaue it. For she (Experience I meane) is one of the cheef seruauntes whiche you muste haue, with other diligent companie.

You ought not to take it greeuousstie to leaue youre dwellyng place, and accustomed pleasaunte Aire, or your neighbours, cousins, or freendes. For you knowe well the incommodities whiche Ciuill warre bryngeth, the whiche (as writeth Cicero to Marcus Marcellus, in the fourthe booke of his familier Epistles) is no lesse lamentable, then the victorie gotten by sheadyng of domesticall blood. And therefore not without reason saieth the Prouerbe: That warre is pleasaunte to suche as hath no experience thereof. The whiche saiyng Erasmus, a rare manne in all kinde of learnyng hath in his Chiliades, dilated by many examples: as you maie also easily iudge at this present. You knowe al­so that the Marchaunte to flie pouertie, hazardeth hym self by lande and sea, and leaueth his natiue aire and countrey.

And for the doubt that you maie haue, not to be assured in peaceable possession of your inclosed ground, against the violence of Theeues and soldiours: I would wishe you for the gard thereof, either the wakyng Serpent whiche kept [Page]the gardēs of Hespides (famous for the golden apples) slain by Hercules of Thebes, or the furious Bulles whiche kept the golden fleese in the Ile of Colchos, vnder the king Aoe­tas the father of Meda, whiche wer ouercome and taken by [...]a [...]o [...] of Thessalia, at the voiage of the Argonautae. Haue recourse to the Metamorphoses of Ouid in the fowerth and seuenth Booke. But better then all this shall serue for your securitie, a tablet of three or fower flower de Lice (the kyn­ges Seale) authorized by the kyng: whiche shalbe of grea­ter efficacie then any other sauegard that you can desire.

For finall counsaill, I praie you continewe in the loue and feare of God, obeisaunce to your Prince and his Magi­strates, reuerence to all superiours, with pacience of youre losses, to occupie your trade without fraude, and you shall finde multiplication of all your gooddes. And then (as saith Iuuenall in his thirde Satyre) you maie saie that you are sonne of a white Henne.

But when you shalbe knowne to doe seruice to so excel­lent a Common wealthe as is the Citee of Paris (whiche surmounteth all those that haue been famous emong the Greekes) and that you haue giuen the firste entrie, and (as saieth the Prouerbe) broken the Ice to others, I suppose your enemies shalbe repulsed, as were thei of Furius Cressi­nus Citezin of Roome enueighed of his neighbours, be­cause that of a little he raised more gaine, then thei did of muche tillage. For the whiche thei imputed vnto hym, that he vsed Witchcrafte, and Enchauntment. Who bryngyng for the his instrumentes of Housebandrie, his diligente ser­uauntes: was discharged of all sutche suspicions, and of all menne greatly commended, as writeth Titus Liuius. And furthermore your felicitie and prosperitie, shalbee a passion to your enemies, as chaunceth to all enuious persones.

I knowe other experiences verie prompte. But of no greater gain then sixe frankes the daie, all charges deducted [Page]Therefore, if my first instructions seme not agreable vnto your Nature, aduertise me thereof, that I maie directe vn­to you an other waie more easie, and no lesse delectable, though of lesse profite.

Peraduenture some will thinke this Counsaile verie straunge and ridiculous, and perhaps of difficult execution. To thinke it straunge, there is no greater reason, conside­ryng the nourishyng of Hennes for honeste gaines, is no newe or straunge thyng, if we beleue that whiche Celius Rhodoginus, a worthie Authour, hath written in his fower­tene booke of Antiquities: That in the Ile of Delos (other­wise called Ortygia for the boundance of Quailes) beeyng one of the moste famous of the Cyclades in the sea Aegaeum were found many that made estate and traffike in the nou­rishement of Hennes, for gaine and profite. Who were so well exercised herein, and in the knowledge of their Hēnes, that onely vpō the sight of an Egge, thei could easily iudge what Henne it came from. Therefore, that sellyng of Eg­ges hath euer been a thyng commonly vsed: haue recourse to the Impost, whiche was in the tyme of the Emperour Honorius, as is saied heretofore.

As touching mockers, no man can establishe any thing so good or well ordered, that the mocker shall not bite, whē Enuie hath made impression in his foolishe brain, and hath there taken vp his lodgyng, to torment his hoste.

And to resolue you of suche difficulties, let vs take hold of the saiyng of Agathon a yonge gentle man, in the Ora­tion whiche he made of Loue, in the feaste of Plato, saiyng: that we ought more to feare the iudgement of a fewe wise­men, then of many ignorant fooles and mockers. For wise­menne slowlie giue the loose bridle to their congues, but vse their wordes with iudgement: as also writeth Cicero in his Oration for Plancius, saiyng: That the iudgement of tenne wise and graue men in one Citee, importeth more then the [Page]iudgemente of all the common people, who for the moste part iudge without counsaile or reason.

If any man shall saie that the inuention of this counsell is olde: I confesse vnto you that I am not the firste teacher hereof, as was Carbilius of the firste letters at Rome, or the firste Schoolemaister: yet hath it not been practized in our tyme. And as writeth the Poet Horatius. Many thyn­ges are renued whiche tyme hath deuoured, and buried as dedde, the whiche againe in tyme shalbe drouned in the Ri­uer of Obliuion, and shall againe retourne to their estate by course, as doo [...] in maner all worldly thynges, as wise Sa­lomon also witnesseth.

Assure your self my deare freede, that Magnifico Me­gret, or any other Alchemiste, haue not with their For­naces and Alembikes, drawne more profite by the Philo­sophers stone, then you shall drawe out of the beally of your Hennes, if you will ioyne pleasure with paine. And so shall you bee out of daunger, [...] whiche sutche Alchemistes fall, who oftentymes consume their Patrimonie, and blowe it awaie with bellowes. But euer beware the Foxe. In the meane tyme you shall receiue of your freend this little gift, suche as it is, in hope hereafter to recouer of hym some bet­ter thyng when occasion doeth serue, whiche (occasion) you must take by the he [...]e before, that it scape not from you.

Now therefore for the ende of this accompte, you must arme your self with patience when affliction is sent, and a­noide pouertie (the enemie of all good maners) by exercise of honeste and profitable frugalitie in [...]yng the thynges, whiche you haue gotten by your labour: and therewith also a reputation not bulgare, whiche shalbe bruted through all Fraunce, for the noueltie of your enterprise. Whereof some will take suche pleasure, as [...] moue the seuere Catoes to laughyng, and raise the Melancholike Mi [...] of weepyng Democrites.

[Page]And finally, you shall herewith receiue the contentation of your louyng freende with this pleasaunt present, to mi­tigate the forrowes of these cloudie tymes, and to putt you in good comfort of better hope in tyme to come.