Of the diverse manner of Ploughs.

THere are several makings of Ploughs, according to the diverse manner of Countries; there are Ploughs of Iron of diverse fashions, which is occasioned [Page 2] from the diversity of Grounds and Soyls: Some are white Clay, some red, some gravel chilturn, some sand, some barren Earth, some marled, and in many places Heath-ground; so that one sort of Plough will not serve in all places, therefore it is necessary to have diverse manner of Ploughs. In Sommerset-shire about Cicester, the Sharre-beam that in many places is called the Plough-head, is 4 or 5 foot long, and it is broad and thin. And that is because the Land is very tough, so as to soak the Plough into the Earth, if the Sharre-beam were not large, broad, and thin. In Kent they have o­ther manner of Ploughs; some go with wheels, as they do in diverse other manner of places, and some will turn the Shell-bred at every Lands end, and plough all one way. In Buckingham-shire are Ploughs made of another manner, and also other manner of Plough-Irons, the which generally are good and likely to serve in many places, and especially if the Plough-beam and Sharre-beam were four inches longer between the Sheath and Plough-tayl, that the Shell-bred might come more slope; for those Ploughs give out too sudden­ly, and therefore they are the worse to draw. In Leicester-shire, Lanca-shire, York-shire, Cam­bridge-shire, Lincoln-shire, Norfolk, and many other Countries, the Ploughs are of divers makings. But howsoever they are made, they are well tempered, and go well.

To know the Names of all parts of the Plough.

To inform those young Husbandmen that are ignorant of the several names of ploughs, I shall express them as followeth: The Plough-beam is the longer Tree, above which is a little bend. The Share-beam is the Tree underneath; whereupon the Share is set. The plough-sheth is a thin piece of dry wood made of Oak, that is set fast in a Mortes to the ploughs beam, and also into the Share-beam, the which is the Kere or chief band of the plough. The plough-tayl is that the Husband­man holdeth in his hand, and in the hinder end of the plough-beam is put a long slit made in the same tayl, and not set fast, out that it may rise up and go down, and it is pinned be­hind, and the same plough-tayl is set fast in a Mortes in the hinder end of the Share-beam. The plough-stilt is on the right side of the plough, whereupon the Rest is set: the Rest is a little piece of wood pinned fast upon the ne­ther end of the stilt, and to the Share-beam into the further end. The Shelbred is a broad piece of wood fast pinned to the right side of the Sheth in the farther end, and to the utter side of the stilt in the hinder end: And the said Shelbred should come over the said Sheth [Page 4] and Senbred an inch, and to go past the midst of the Share with a sharp edge to receive and turn the Earth when the Culter hath cut it. There are two long stands in every plough in the hinder end, set a slope between the plough-tayl and the stilt, to hold out and keep the plough abroad in the hinder end, the one is longer then the other. The plough-foot is a little piece of wood which is crooked and set before in a Mortes in the plough-beam, set fast with Wedges to drive up and down, and it is a stay to order of what deepness the plough shall go▪ The plough-ear is made of three pieces of Iron, nailed fast to the right side of the plough-beam. The meaner sort have a crooked sort of wood pinned fast to the plough beam. The Share is a piece of Iron, sharp before, and broad behind, a foot long, made with a Socket to be set on the further end of the Share beam, the Culter is a bent piece of Iron set in a Mortes in the midst of the plough-beam fastned with Wedges on every side, and the back thereof is half an inch thick, and more then three inches broad, made sharp before to cut the Earth clean, it must be well steeled, which will cause the easier draught, and the Irons for to last the longer. The plough-wall is a piece of hard wood, with a pin put through, set in the plough-beam in an Augure hole.

Of the tempering of the Ploughs.

THe knowledge of the tempering of the Plough is very expedient and necessary for a Husbandman, that he may plough and turn clean, and make no Rest-balks. A Rest-balk is where the Plough biteth at the point of the Culter or Share, and cutteth not the ground clean to the Furrow that was lately ploughed, but leaveth a little Ridge standing between, the which breeds Thistles and other Weeds. All these Ploughs should have all a like manner of tempering in the Irons: How­soever one may temper for one thing in two or three places, as for deepness; the foot is one, the setting of the Culter is another, and the third is at the Plough-tayl, where are two Wedges that are called Slote-wedges; the one is in the Slote above the Beam, and the other is in the said Slote under the Plough-beam; sometimes the Husbandman will set both above, or both underneath; but always let him take good heed, and keep one general Rule, That the hinder end of the Share-beam always touch the Earth, that it may kill the Worms, or else it goeth not truly. The tempering to go broad or narrow, is in the setting of the Culter, and with the driving of the same Wedges, fore-wedge and hind-wedge, which should be [Page 6] made of dry wood, & also the setting on of his share helpeth well, and is a cunning point of Husbandry, which mendeth and pareth much ploughing; it must lean much into the Furrow, and the point must not stand too much up nor down, nor too much into the Land, nor into the Furrow. Some Ploughs have a Band of Iron triangle-wise, set there as the Plough-ear should be, that hath three nickes on the fur­ther side: and if the Husbandman will have his Plough to go a narrow Furrow, as a side Furrow should be, then he must set his Foot-team in the nick next to the Plough-beam; and he will go an ordinary breadth, he setteth it in the middle nick that is best for stirring, and if he would go a broad Furrow he setteth it in the uttermost nick, that is the best for following, the which is a good way to keep the Brede sound tempered, but it serveth not the deepness: and some men have instead of the Plough-foot a piece of Iron set upright in the further end of the Plough-beam, they call it a Cock, made with two or three nicks, and and that serveth for deepness. The Ploughs that go with Wheels have all a straight Beam, and may be tempered in the Iron, as the other are for the breadth; but their most special tem­per is at the Bolster, where the P [...]ough-beam lyeth, and that serveth for deepness and for breadth. They are good on even Ground [Page 7] that lyeth light, but they are far more costly then the other Ploughs. And though these Ploughs be well tempered for one manner of Ground, that temper will not serve for ano­ther manner of Ground, but it must rest in the discretion of the Husbandman to know when it goeth well.

Necessary things that belong to a Plough, Cart, or Wain.

BEfore the Husbandman begins to plough, he must have his Plough well ordered, and his Plough-Iron, his Oxen, or Horses, and all the Gere that belongeth to them, that is to say, Bows, Yokes, Lades, Stickings, Wrethyne Teams. And before he doth lade his Corn, he must have a Wain, a Capiock, or pair of Sleths, Wain rope, a Pitchfork. This Wain is made of divers pieces, that will require great repa­ration, that is to say, the Wheels, which are made of Nathes, Spokes, Tresses, and Dowles, they must be well fettered with wood or Iron, and if they are Iron-bound, they are much the better; although they are the dearer at the first, yet at length the Husbandman shall find them better cheap; for a pair of Wheels Iron-bound will wear out seven or eight pair of Wheels, and go round and light after the Oxen or Horses to draw. Howsoever on Moor­ish [Page 8] Grounds and soft, the other Wheels are better, because they are broader on the sole, and will not go so deep. They must have an Axletree clout with eight Wain clouts of Iron, two Limpins of Iron in the Axletree end, two Axle pins of Iron, or else of tough hard wood. The body of the Wain of Oak, the Staves, the nether Rathes, the over Rathes, Cross-somner, the Keys and Py-staves. And if he go with a Horse or a Mare to plough, then must he have his Hombers, or Collers, Holmes, whited Traises, Swingleters, and Tog. Also a Cart made of Ash, because it is light and like stuff to the Wain, and also a Cart-Saddle, Back-bands and Belly-bands, and a Cart-ladder behind when the Husbandman shall carry any Corn, or other Provision. In many Countries there are Wains that have Cart-ladders both behind and before. Also the Husbandman must have an Ax, a Hatchet, a Hedging-bill, a Pin-auger, a Rest-auger, a Hail, Spade, and a Shovel: many other things are belonging to Husband­men which will be very costly, therefore it will be necessary for him to make his Yokes, Ox-bows, Stoles, and as many other things as he can of his Plough-gere.

Whether is better a Plough of Horses, or a Plough of Oxen.

IN some places a Horse-plough is better then an Ox-plough, that is to say, in every place where the Husbandman hath several pastures; for the Horses may be teddered or tyed upon their Leys, Balks, or Hades, whereas Oxen may not be kept, and it is but in few places that they are used to be teddered. And Horses will go faster then Oxen on even or light Ground, and quicker in Carriages, but they are far more costly to keep in Winter; for they must have both Hay and Corn to eat, and Straw for Litter: they must be well shod on all four feet, and the Gear that they draw with is more costly then that of Oxen, and will last but for a short time. The Oxen will eat straw and a little Hay, the which is not half the cost that is required for Horses, neither are they shod. Therefore where the Husbandman hath several pastures to put his Oxen in when they come from their work, there the Ox-plough is the better. For an Ox must not endure his work to labour all day, and then to be put to the Commons, or else before the Herdmen, all night without meat, and to go to his labour in the morning: But if he be put in good pasture all night, he will labour [Page 10] lustily all the day. Moreover Oxen will plough in tough Clay and hilly Ground where Horses will stand still. If any Disease come to the Horse, or the Horse grows old, bruised or blind, then he will be little worth; and if any Disease come to an Ox, that he grows old, bruised, or blind, for a small matter he may be fatted, and then he is mans meat, and as good or better then ever he was; whereas when the Horse dyes, he is but Carrion.

Of Horses and Mares to draw.

A Husbandman cannot be without Horses or Mares, or both, and that more espe­cially if he go with a Horse plough, he must have both his Horses to draw, and his Mares to bring Colts to uphold his stock; the Mares must not bear Sacks, or be ridden upon, or go Journeys when they are with Fole, and espe­cially when they have gone with Fole twenty or twenty three weeks, for then then there is great danger; for if she be then ridden upon and set up hot, she will cast her Fole, which will prove a great loss to him that ownes her▪ For she will labour and bear when she hath foaled, and draw when she is with Foal as well as the Horse. It is convenient for the Husbandman to know when his Mare should be horsed. It is the common saying, that she [Page 11] will take Horse within nine or ten days next after she hath foaled, but I am not altogether of that opinion; and if she so do, she will not hold thereto, for that Horse doth force and drive her to it: but twenty days after is time enough to bring her to a Horse, for otherwise she will not hold to it, except she be very eager of horsing: and that may be known by her shap, for that will twirl about and close again many times in an hour. And then bring her to a Horse, and let her be with him a day or a night, and that is sufficient; for it is better to keep the Horse from the Mares, then to go with them, for divers causes, and that more especi­ally for that the Horse shall be more lusty, and more Foals may be got. But that Husband­man that hath many Mares will have too little leisure to attend them, but let them go toge­ther, and happy be lucky. Some men do hold an opinion, that put a Horse to a Mare in the beginning of the Moon, after it be prime, that he shall get a Horse-foal; others hold the contrary, that if a Horse be put to a Mare in the old of the Moon, he should get Horse-foals. I hold that it maketh no matter whether, for I have proved it, that a Mare is most able to bear the Horse from May-day to St. Bartholo­mews day; for I have had Horses that have gone into my Mares both day and night, and at the foaling time. I have had upon one day [Page 12] a Horse-foal, and on the next day and second a Mare-foal, and on the third and fourth day next after a Horse-foal, and on the next day or second a Mare-foal, and on the third or fourth day next after a Horse again, and so every week of both sorts; whereas by their opinion or reason, I should have fourteen days toge­ther Horse-foals, and other fourteen days to­gether Mare-foals. But of one thing I am cer­tain, that some one Horse will get more Horse-foals then some other Horse will do; and likewise a Mare will bear more Mare-colts then some other Mares will do, though they are horsed both with one Horse; neither can I give any reason why, except the lustiness of the Natures of both of them are put to it, whether of them should have the domination. But if the Husbandman have Mares of divers colours, let him sever them in divers parcels, and let him put to his white Mare a gray Horse, and his gray Mare a white Horse, so that he be not all white-skinned about the mouth; and to a Mare of colour that hath no white upon her, a coloured Horse that hath much more white on him, and to his coloured Mare a mean white Horse of colour main white. And thus shall the Colts be well co­loured. And if a white Horse be put to a coloured Mare, she shall have most commonly sandy Colt like to an Iron gray, neither like [Page 13] Sire nor Dam. Howsoever, I have known many Mares that will have their Colts like the Horse that got it, the which is against the kind of Mares; for a man had rather get one good Horse then many Mares that are not so likely to prove well.

To carry Wood and other Necessaries.

IN May when the Husbandman hath fallow­ed the Ground, and set out his sheep-fold, and carried away the Dung and Muck, if he have any Wood, Coal, or Timber to carry, or such other Necessaries, that must needs be done with the Cart or Wain, then is the time to do it. For then the way is like to be fair and dry, and the days long, and at that time the Husbandman hath least to do in Husband­ry.

To carry out Dung or Muck, and spread it.

IN the latter end of April, and the beginning of May, is the time for the Husbandman to carry out his Dung or Muck, and to lay it upon his Barley-ground. And where he hath Barley this year, let him sow it with Wheat or Rye, and the next time that it is fallowed, he shall mow all his Lands over at every second fallow. But that Husbandman that can find the means to carry out his Dung, and doth lay it upon [Page 14] his Land after it be once stirred, it is much better for him then to lay it upon his fallow, for divers causes: One is, that if it be laid up­on his fallow, all that falleth upon the hollow ridge shall do little good; for when it is ridg­ed again, it lyeth so deep in the Earth, that it will not be easily ploughed up again, except that when he hath spread it, he will with a Shovel or a Spade cast out all that is fallen in the ridge. And if it be laid upon the stirring, at every ploughing it shall meddle the Dung and the Earth together; the which shall cause the Corn to grow and increase much the bet­ter. In some places they load not their Dung till Harvest be done: this hath been a custom on the furthest side of Darbyshire called Sca­resdale, Halonshire, and so Northwards to­wards York and Rippon, and that I call better then upon the fallow, and especially for Barley. But upon the first stirring it is best for Wheat or Rye, and that the Husbandmans Dung be laid upon small heaps nigh together, and to spread it even, and to leave no Dung there as the Muck-heap stood; for the moistness of the Dung shall cause the Ground to be rank e­nough: And if it be meddled with Earth, it will last the longer, and better for Barley then for Wheat or Rye, because of Weeds, Horse-dung is the worst Dung that is. The Dung of all manner of Cattell that chew their Cud, is [Page 15] very good, and the Dung of Doves is best, but it must be laid upon the Ground very thin.

The first Stirring.

IN June is the time to rigge up the fallow, the which is caused the first stirring; and then let the Husbandman plough it as deep as he can for to turn the Roots of the Weeds upwards, that the Sun and the dry Weather may kill them; for he cannot conveniently plough his Land, and load out his Dung both upon one day with one draught of beasts, but he may well enough load out his Dung before Noon, and he may load Hay or Corn in the After­noon with the same draught, with no hurt to his Cattel, because in loading of Hay or Corn the Cattel are always currying or biting, which they cannot do in loading of Dung or ploughing.

The second Stirring.

IN August, or the beginning of September, is the time for the Husbandman to make his second stirring, and most commonly it is cast down and ploughed a main furrow not too deep and so he turns it clean. But if it be cast, it should be water-furrowed between the Lands there where the Raine uses to be, that it may be dryer when the Land shall be sown, [Page 16] and if the Lands lye high in the Rigge, and high at the Raine, and low in the midst of the side, that the water may not run easily into the Raine, as I have observed from time to time in many places, then let the Husbandman set his Plough three or four foot from the Rigge, and cast all the Rigge on both sides, and when the Rigge is cast, let him set his Plough there as he began up to the remainder of the Land, and so will the Land both be cast and rigged, and all at one ploughing: And this shall cause the Land to lye round when it is sown at the next time, and thus shall the Corn be saved from drowning.

To Harrow all manner of Corn.

WHen the Lands are ploughed, and the Corn sown, it will be convenient that they should be well harrowed, or else Crows, Pigeons, will eat, devour, and bear away the Corns. It is the custom in many Countries to have all an Ox-harrow, the which is made of six small pieces of Timber called Harrow-bulls, made either of Ash or Oak; they are of two yards long, and as much as the small of a mans leg, they have shots of wood put thorow them, like Laths, and in every bull are six sharp pieces of Iron called Harrow-tyndes, set somewhat aslope forward, and the forma [Page 17] slope must be bigger then the other, because the fore-beam must be fastned to the same with shackle or with a Wyth to draw by. This Harrow is good to break the great Clots, and to make much mould, and then the Horse-harrows to come after to make the Clots smaller, and to lay the Ground even. It is a great labour and pains for the Ox to go to harrow, it is more easie and better for them to go to plough two days, then to harrow one day. It is an old saying:

And the reason is, because the Harrow goeth by twitches, and not always after one draught. The Horse-harrow is made of five bulls, not above an Ell of length, and not so much shot­ted & tinded. And when that the Corn is well covered, then it is harrowed enough: There are Horse-harrows that have tindes of wood, and those are used much about Rippon, and some other places where he may border stones; for those stones would wear the Iron too soon. And those tindes are most commonly of the Ground-end of a young Ash; they are more then a foot long in the beginning, and stand as much above the Harrow as beneath. And as they wear or break, they drive them down lower; they should be made long be­fore [Page 18] that they are used, that they may be dry; for then they will indure and last much better, and stick the faster. The Horses that shall draw these Harrows, must be well kept, and shod well, or else they will be soon tired, and sore beaten, that they will not be able to draw; they must have Hombers or Collers, Holmes writhed about their Necks, Tresses to draw by, and a Swingle-tree for to hold the Tresses, and a Togewith betwixt the Swingle-tree and the Harrow. And if the Barley-ground will not break with Harrows, but be clotty, it should be beaten with Mauls, and not straight down; for then the Corn will be beaten into the Earth. And if they beat the Clot on the side, it will the better break, and the Clot will be the lighter, that the Corn may come by the lighter. Some use to roll their Barley-ground after a showre of Rain, to make the Ground to be the evener to mow.

To Fallow.

WHen the Husbandmen have sown their Pease, Beans, Barley, and Oats, and harrowed them, it will be their best time to fallow in the latter end of March or April, for Wheat, Rye, and Barley, and let them do the best that they can to plough a broad Furrow, and deep, so that they turn it clean, and lay it [Page 19] flat, that it rear not an edge, the which will destroy all the Thistles and Weeds: For the deeper and the broarder that it goeth, the more new mould, and the greater clots shall they have, and the greater clots, the better Wheat; for the clots keep the Wheat warm all the Winter, but at March they will melt and break, and fall into many small pieces, the which is a new dunging and refreshing the Corn, and likewise there shall be but few weeds grow upon the fallows that are fallow­ed, for the Plough goeth underneath the roots of all manner of weeds, and turneth the root upwards, that they may not grow. And if the Land be fallowed in Winter time, it will be far the worse, for these three causes: One is, all the Rain that falleth, shall wast the Land, and drive away the Dung, and the good Mould, that the Land shall be much the worse. Another cause is, the rain shall beat the Land so flat, and bake it so hard toge­ther, that a dry May coming, it will be too hard to stir in the month of June. The third cause is, the weeds shall take such root in the stirring time, that they will not be clean turn­ed underneath, the which shall be a greater hurt to the Corn, when it shall be sown, and especially in the time of weeding of the same, and for any other thing, make a deep hollow furrow in the ridge of the Land, and let the [Page 20] Husbandmen look well that the Rest balk it not; for if they do, there will be many thi­stles, and then they shall not make a clean ridge at the first stirring, and therefore it must be deep ploughed, or else it will not turn the weeds clean.

How to plough all manner of times of the year.

THe Ploughs being made & tempered, as I have already expressed, it will be conve­nient to inform the young Husbandman how he should plough all times of the year. In the beginning of the year, after the Feast of the Epiphany, it will be time for the Husbandman to go to the plough; and if he have any Leys to fallow or sow Oats upon, first plough them, that the Grass and the Moss may rot, and plough them a deep square furrow, and in all manner of ploughings, let him look that his eye, and his hand, and his feet do agree, and that they are always ready the one to serve the other, to turn up much mould, and lay it flat, that it rear not up an edge; for if it rear an edge, the Grass and Moss will not rot, and if he sow it with Winter-corn, as Wheat or Rye, as much Corn as toucheth the Moss, will be drowned; for that the Moss doth keep such a wet and moisture in it self. In some Coun­tries, [Page 21] if a man plough deep, he shall pass the good Ground, and have but little Corn, but that Country is not fit for men to keep Hus­bandry upon, but to rear and bring up Cattel and Sheep; for otherwise they must go beat their Grounds with Mattocks, as they do in several places in Cornwall, and in some parts of Devon-shire.

How to plough for Pease and Beans.

FIrst the Husbandman must take notice, which is the most clayie Ground, let him plough that first; but let it lye a good space before that he sow it, because the Frost, the Rain, the Wind, and the Sun may soon cause it to break small, to make much mould, and to ridge it, and to plough a square furrow the breadth and the deepness all one, and to lay it close to its fellow: For the more furrows, the more Corn serves, as hath been said, for a general Rule for all manner of Corns, which may be proved at the coming up of all man­ner of Corns, if the Husbandman do but stand at the Lands end, and look towards the other, end, and he shall easily perceive how the Corn groweth.

How all manner of Corn should be sown, and how much most commonly on an Acre.

FIrst of Pease and Beans. An Acre of Ground by the Statute, that is to say, six­teen foot and an half to the Perch or Pole, four Perches to an Acre in breadth, and eleven Perches to an Acre in length, may be very well sown with two London Bushels of Pease, that is but two Strikes in other places; and if there be the fourth part Beans, then will it require half a London Bushel more; and if it be half Beans, it will have three London Bushels, and more; if it be of Beans, it will have four London Bushels fully, and that is half a Quar­ter, because the Beans are great, and grow up straight, and do not spread and grow abroad as Pease do. An Acre of good Beans is worth an Acre and a half of good Pease, because there will be more Bushels: And the best property that belongeth to a good Husbandman, is to sow all manner of Corn thick enough, and especially Beans and Barley; for commonly they are sown upon rank Grounds, and good Ground will have the burden of Corn and of Wood: And as much ploughing and harrow­ing hath an Acre of Ground, and sow thereupon but one Bushel, and another soweth four Bu­shels: And undoubtedly one Bushel will not [Page 23] give so much Corn again as the four Bushels, though the three Bushels that be sowed more be allowed and set apart. And one Bushel and a half of white Pease or green Pease, will sow as much ground as two Bushels of gray Pease, and that is, because they are so small, that the Husbandman need not to take so great a handful. In some Countries they begin for to sow Pease soon after Christmas, and in some places they sow both Pease and Beans under-furrow, and those of reason must be sowed be­times; but generally to sow after Candlemas, is found to be a good season, so that they are sown towards the beginning of March, or thereabouts. But especially let them be sown in the old of the Moon: For the opinion of the most expert Husbandmen is, that they will cod the better, and ripen the sooner. But I speak not of Hastings, for those are to be sown before Christmas.

How to sow Wheat and Rye.

ABout Michaelmas is the time to sow both Wheat and Rye. Wheat is most com­monly sown under the Furrow, that is to say, cast it upon the fallow, and then plough it under: and in some places they sow their Wheat upon their Pease-stubble, the which is never so good as that which is sown upon the [Page 24] fallow; and that is used where they make fallow in a Field every fourth year. In Essex they use to have a Youth to go in the furrow before the Horses or Oxen, with a Bag or a Hopper full of Corn, and he taketh his hand full of Corn, by little and little casteth it in the same furrow. This Boy, as I suppose, ought to have somewhat more then ordinary dis­cretion: howsoever there is much good Corn and Rye most commonly sown above and har­rowed, two London Bushels of Wheat and Rye will sow an Acre. Some Ground is good for Wheat, and some for Rye, and some for both, and upon that good Ground sow blend Corn, that is, both Wheat and Rye, which is the surest Corn of growing good for the Husband­mans Houshold. And this Wheat that shall be medled with Rye, must be such Wheat as will soon be ripe, and that is flaxen Wheat, pole-ear'd Wheat, or white Wheat. There are divers kinds of Wheats: Flaxen Wheat hath a yellow Ear, and bare, without Anys, and is the brightest Wheat in the Bushel, and will make the whitest Bread. This Corn will wear the ground very much; the straw of it is small, but it grows very thick, and is but small Corn. Pole-ear'd Wheat hath no Anys, 'tis thick set in the Ear, and it will soon fall out; 'tis greater Corn, and it will make white Bread. White Wheat is like pole-ear'd Wheat [Page 25] in the Bushel, but it hath Anys, and the Ear is four-square, and it will make white Bread. In Essex they call flaxen Wheat, white Wheat. Red Wheat hath a flat Ear, an inch broad, full of Anys, it is the greatest Corn, the broad­est Blade, and the greatest Straw, it will make white bread, though it be the ruddiest of co­lour in the bushel. English Wheat hath a dun Ear, it hath few or no Anys, and it is the worst Wheat, except Peck-wheat. Peck-wheat hath a red Ear, full of Anys, thin set, and oft-times it is flintered, that is to say, small Corn wringeled and dryed; it will not make white bread, but it will grow upon cold ground.

To sow Barley.

EVery good Husbandman hath his Barley-fallow well dunged, lying ridged all the deep and cold of the Winter; the which ridg­ing makes the Land to lye dry, and the dung­ing maketh it to be mellow and rank. And if a dry season comes before Candlemas, or soon after, it should be cast down, and water furrowed between the Lands, and in the be­ginning of March ridge it up again; sow in every Acre five London bushels, or four at the least: some years it may so happen that there is no seasonable weather before March to plow the Barley-earth. The Husbandman as soon [Page 26] as he hath sowed his Pease and Beans, then let him cast his Barley-earth, and shortly after ridge it again, so that it be soon before April: And if the time of the year be past, then sow it upon the casting. There are three kinds of Barleys, that is to say, Sprot Barley, long Ear, and Bear Barley: Sprot Barley hath most com­monly a flat Ear, three quarters of an inch broad, and three inches long, the corners are very great and white, it is the best Barley. Long Ear hath a flat Ear, half an inch broad, and four inches and more of length: But the Corn is not so great, nor so white, it will soon turn and grow to the Oats▪ Bear Barley or big, should be sown upon light and dry Ground; it hath an Ear four inches long, or more, set four-square, like Peck-wheat, it hath small corns and little flour, and that is the worst Barley, four London bushels are sufficient for an Acre: and in some Countries they do not sow their Barley till May, and then most commonly upon gravelly or sandy ground: But that Barley generally is never so good as that which is sown in March. For if it be ve­ry dry weather after it is sown, that Corn that lyeth above, lyeth dry, and hath no moi­sture, and that little underneath cometh up, and when Rain falls, then that spreads that lyeth above, and oftentimes it is green when the other is ripe, and when it is threshed, there is much light Corn in it.

To sow Oats.

IN March is the time to sow Oats, and es­pecially upon light Ground and dry, how­soever they will grow on wetter ground then any Corn else; for wet ground is good for no manner of Corn. Three London bushels will sow an Acre. There are three sorts of Oats, that is to say, red Oats, black Oats, and rough Oats. Red Oats are the best, when they are threshed they will be yellow in the bushel; they are very good to make Oatmeal of. Black Oats are as great as they are, but they have not so much flour in them, for they have a thicker Husk, nor do they make so good Oatmeal. The rough Oats are the worst Oats, and it quitteth not the cost to sow them. They are very light, and have long tayls, whereby they will hang each on the other. These several kinds of Oats wear the ground very much, and maketh it as it were quick. A young Husbandman had need to be careful how thick he soweth all manner of Corn for two or three years, and to observe how it cometh up, whether it be thick enough or not; and if it be too thin, let him sow thicker the next year; but if it prove well, let him hold his hands for three or four years; but if it be thin, let him recollect with himself, [Page 28] whether it proceeds from the unseasonableness of the Weather, or through his thin sowing.

How to sever Pease, Beans, and Fitches.

WHen the Husbandman hath threshed his Pease and Beans, after they be win­nowed, if he sow them or set them, let them be well reed with Sieves, and let him sever in three parts the great from the small, by which means he shall get in every Quarter a London bushel, or thereabouts: For the small Corn lyeth in the hollow and void places of the great Beans, and yet shall the great Beans be sold as dear. And therefore he that buyeth by whole sale, and retaileth, must needs be a great gainer, and he must needs be a loser, that sets his Pease, Beans, and Fitches together, for then he loseth his whole sale▪ but sever into three parts, there is the more gain.

How all manner of Corn should be covered.

THe Corns being shorn and bound, and the Tythes cast out, it will be time to co­ver them, stock them, or half throve them; but covering is the best way of all manner of white Corn: And that is to set four sheaves on one side, and four sheaves on the other side, and two sheaves above of the greatest, bound [Page 29] hard nigh to the nether end, the which must be set upwards, and the top downwards, spread abroad for to cover all the other sheaves. They will stand best in wind, and save themselves best in rain; they should be set on the ridge of the Land, and the side-sheaves to lean together in the tops, and wide at the bottom, that the wind may go thorow to dry them. Pease and Beans should be set on the ridge of the Land, four sheaves together, the tops upwards, and writhen together, and wide beneath, that they may the better wi­ther.

To load Corn, and mow it.

WHen all the several Corns are dry and withered enough, then let the Hus­bandman load them into the Barn, and lay every several sort of Corn by it self: And if it be a wet Harvest, let him make many Mows, and if he have not housing enough, then it is better for him to lay the Pease and the Beans without upon a Reke, rather then other Corn, and it will be better upon a Scaffold then on the ground, but then it must be well hedged for Swine and other Cattel. Besides, the ground will rot the bottom, whereas the Scaffold saveth both hedging and rotting, but they must both be well covered. And the Husbandman may set Sheep or Cattel under [Page 30] the same Scaffold, for it will serve him instead of a house, if it be well and strongly made.

How to know divers manner of Weeds.

IN the latter end of May, and the beginning of June, is the time for the Husbandman to weed his Corn. There are divers man­ner of Weeds, as Thistles, Kedlocks, Docks, Cockle, Drake, Darnel, Gu [...]des, Hadods, Dog-fennel, Mathes, Tare, and divers other small Weeds; but these already named, are those that are most troublesom. The Thistle is an ill weed, rough and sharp to handle, which fretteth away the Corns nigh it, and causeth the Shears not to shear clean. Ked­locks have a leaf like Rapes, it beareth a yel­low flower, and is an ill weed; it groweth in all manner of Corn, and hath small cods, and groweth like Mustard-seed. Docks have a broad leaf, and divers high spires, and very small seed in the top. Cockle hath a long small leaf, and it will bear five or six flowers, purple colour, as broad as a Groat; the seed is round and black, and may well be suffered in bread-corn, but not in seed, for therein is much flour. Drake is like Rye till it begin to seed; it hath many seeds like to Fennel-seeds, and hangeth downwards, and it may well be suffered in bread, for there is much [Page 31] flour in the seed, and it is an opinion, that it proceedeth from Rye. Darnel groweth up straight like to a high grass; it hath long seeds on either side, there is much flour in the seed; it groweth much amongst Barley, and it is said to come from small Barley. Guldes or Goldes hath a short jagged leaf that groweth half a yard high, it hath a yellow flower as broad as a Groat; it is an ill weed, that groweth most commonly amongst Barley and Pease. Hau­ [...]od hath a blew flower, and a few little leaves, it hath five or six branches flowered in the top; it groweth commonly in the Rye upon lean ground, it doth little hurt. Dog-fennel and Mathes are both one, and in the coming up, is like Fennel; it beareth many white flowers, with a yellow seed, and it is the worst weed that is, except Tare: it riseth most commonly when great wet falleth shortly after the Corn is sown. Tare is the worst weed, and it doth never appear till the month of June, after a great wet, or a little before; it groweth most in Rye: It is somewhat like Fitches, but that it is much smaller; it will grow as high as the Corn, and with the weight thereof, pull it down flat to the Earth, fretting the Ears of it away: Wherefore I have seen Husbandmen mow down the Corn and it to­gether; and also with sharp hooks to reap it, as they do Pease, and make it dry, and then it [Page 32] will be good Fodder. There are many other Weeds which do much harm, which here for brevity sake I shall omit to mention.

How to weed Corn.

THe chief instrument to weed Corn, is a pair of Tongs made of wood, the further end of them being nicked to hold the weed the faster. After a shower of Rain it is best weeding, for then they may be pulled up by the roots, so as never for to grow again. If it be dry Weather, then must the Weeder have a Hook with a Socket upon a little staff a yard long; and this Hook should be well steeled, and ground sharp both behind and before; and in his other hand he should have a forked stick of about a yard long, and with his fork­ed stick he must put the weed from him, and he putteth the Hook beyond the root of the weed, and he pulleth it to him, and cutteth the weed close to the Earth, and with his Hook he taketh up the weed, and casteth it in the Raine, and if the Raine be full of Corn, it is better to stand still when it is cut and withered; but let him beware that he do not tread too much upon the Corn, and especially after that it be shot, and when that he cutteth the weed, that he cutteth not the Corn; and therefore the Hook should not exceed to be [Page 33] above an inch wide. And when the weed is so short, that he cannot with his forked stick put it from him, and with the Hook put it to him, then must he set his Hook upon the weed close to the Earth, and put it from him, and so he shall cut it clean. With these two in­struments he shall never need to stoop to his work. Dog-fennel, Goldes, Mathes, and Ked­locks are bad to weed after this manner, they grow upon so many branches, and are so close to the Earth, and therefore they use for the most part to pull them up with their hands: but let them look well, that they pull not up the Corn therewithal. As for Tare, no weed­ing will serve turn.

How to mow and shear Barley and Oats.

BArley and Oats most commonly are mown, a man or a woman following the Mower with a Hand-rake half a yard long, with seven or eight teeth, in his left hand, and a Sickle in the right hand; with the Rake he gathereth as much as will make a sheaf: And then he raketh the Barley or Oats by the top [...], and and pulleth out as much as will make a band, and casteth the band from him on the Land, and with his Rake and his Sickle taketh up the Barley or Oats, and layeth them upon the band, and so the Barley lyeth unbound three [Page 34] or four days until it be dry weather, and then he binds it. And when that the Barley is led away, the Land must be raked, or else there will be much Corn lost, and if the Barley or Oats lye, they must needs be shorn.

To reap or mow Pease or Beans.

PEase or Beans are reaped most commonly last, or else mown after divers manners; some with Sickles, some with Hooks, and some with Staff-hooks. In some places they lay them on Repes, and when that they are dry, they lay them together on heaps like Hay-cocks, and never bind them; but the best way is when the Repes be dry to bind them, and to set them on the ridge of the Lands three sheaves together. Mowers geld not your Beans, that is to say, to cut the Beans so high, that the nether Cod grow still in the stalk, and when they are bound, they are the readier to load or unload, to make a Reke, or to take from the Mow to thresh, and so are not the Repes.

How Rye should be shorn.

AT the latter end of June, or the begin­ning of August, is the time to shear Rye, which should be shorn clean, and fast bound. In some places they mow it, the which is not [Page 35] so profitable a way for the Husbandman, but it is the sooner done. For when it is mown, it will not be so fast bound, and the Husband­man cannot gather it up so clean, but that there will be much lost; it also taketh up more room in the Barn then shorn Corn doth: Nor will it keep or save it self from rain or ill weather, when it standeth in the cover, as the shorn Corn will do.

How to shear Wheat.

WHeat should be shorn clean, and bound hard; but for a general Rule, let the Shearer take heed, that the shearers of all manner of Wheat-corn, cast not up their hands hastily, for then all the loose Corns, and the straws that he holdeth not in his hand, flyeth over his head, and are lost, and also it will pull off the Ears, and that more especially of the Corns that are very ripe. In some places they will shear their Corns high, to the intent to mow their stubble, either to thatch or to burn; if they so do, they have great cause to take good heed of the shearers: For if the Ears of the Corn crook down, or bend to the Earth, if the shearer be not very wary, and put up the Ear, or he cut the straw, as many Ears as be under his Hook or Sickle, fall to the Earth, and are lost: And when they mow the stub­ble, [Page 36] it is a great hinderance to the profit of the ground. In Sommerset-shire about Zelchester or Martock, they shear their Wheat very low, and all the Wheat-straw that they purpose to make thatch of, they do not thresh it, but cut off the Ears, and bind it in sheaves, and call it Rede, and therewith they thatch their Houses. And if it be a new House, they thatch it under their foot, the which is the best and surest thatching that can be of straw; for Crows, Pigeons, and the like, shall never be able to hurt it.

How to sow both Pease and Beans.

LEt the Husbandman sow his Pease upon clayie ground, and the Beans upon the Barley ground, for they require ranker ground then the Pease. Howsoever some Husband­men are of opinion, that the big and stiff ground, as Clay, should be sown with big ware, as Beans: but I am of another mind; for if a dry Summer come, his Beans will fall short. And if the ground be very good, put the more Beans to the Pease, and they will yield the better, when they are threshed. And if it be very rank ground, as it is much at eve­ry Town-side, where Cattel do resort, that plough not the Land, until it be sown; for if he do, there will come up Kedlocks and other weeds. But let him sow it with Beans; for [Page 37] if he sow it with Pease, the Kedlocks will hurt them. And when he finds a seasonable time, let him sow both Pease and Beans, so that they are sown in the beginning of March. To know a seasonable time to sow, go upon the Land that is ploughed, and if it sing or cry, or make any noise under thy feet, then 'tis too wet to sow; but if it make no noise, and will bear the Horses, then sow in the Name of God. For the manner of his sowing, let him put the Pease into the Hopper, and cast a broad thong of Leather or Garth-web of an Ell long; let him fasten it to both the ends of the Hopper, and put it over his head like a Belt, and stand in the midst of the Land where the Sack lyeth, the which is most conveniently for the filling of the Hopper, and let him set his left foot before, and take a handful of Pease. And when he hath taken up his right foot, then let him cast the Pease from him all abroad, and when his left foot riseth, let him take another handful, and when his right foot, then cast them from him, and so at every two paces, he shall sow a hand­ful of Pease; let his foot and his hand agree, and then he shall be sure for to sow even. In his casting, he must open as well his fingers as his hand: And the higher and the further that he cast his Corn, the better shall it spread, ex­cept it be a great wind▪ And if the Land be very good, and will break small in the plough­ing, [Page 38] it is better to sow, and after the Plough, then to delay and lose time.

To make a Ditch.

IF the Husbandman will make his Ditch four foot broad, then it should be two foot and a half deep: And if it be five foot broad, then it must be three foot deep, and so accordingly; and if it be but five foot broad, then it must be double set, and the rather it should be fenced, and the lower Hedge will serve.

To get Sets, and set them.

IF the Husbandman have pastures, he cannot want for quick-setting, ditching, or plash­ing: When it is green, and cometh to be of age, let him get his quick-sets out of some woody parts, and let them be of white Thorn and Crab-tree, for they are best: Holly and Hasel are good. If he dwells in the plain Country, then he may get both Ash, Oak, and Elm, for those will increase much wood in a short space. Let him set Oak-sets and Ash ten or twelve foot asunder, and cut them as he doth his other Sets, and cover them over a little with Thorns, that Sheep and other Cat­tel eat them not. And also weed them clean in the Midsummer Moon, or soon after, for the [Page 39] weeds, if they over-grow, will kill the Sets. But get no black Thorn for this use, for it will grow outward into the pasture, and do much hurt to the Grass, besides the tearing of the Wooll off the sheep. It is a good time to set Quick-sets, from the time the leaves are fallen, until our Lady-day in Lent. The Husbandmans sandy or gravelly ground should be first set, for it will soon dry, and then the Quick-set will take no root, except it meet with great wet; for the Moulds will tye it, if it be ditch­ed in February or March, and likewise clayie ground, &c. Let the Husbandman make his Sets long enough, that may be set deep enough in the Earth, for then they will grow the bet­ter: Let them stand half a foot and more a­bove the Earth, that they may spring out of many branches; and then let him take a Line and set it where he will have his Hedge, and let him make a Trench after his Line, and pare away the grass, there let the Quick-sets be set, and let him cast it by Line, where the Earth of the Ditch shall lye, and dig up the Moulds, and spade graff deep, and put in the Sets, and dig up more Mould and lay upon that Set, and so to go through with it till he have set up his Sets, and let them lean towards the Ditch, and a foot from that, let him make his Ditch; for if he make it too nigh his Sets, the water may happen to cause the Sets to fall down.

To make a Hedge.

THe Husbandman must get his stakes of heart of Oak, for those are best; Crab-tree, black Thorn, and Elder are good. Red Wethy is best in moorish ground; Ash, Maple, Hasel, and white Thorn will do well for a time. Let him set his stakes within two foot and a half together, except that he have very good hedging, and lodge to bind with. And if it be double endered, it is much the better, and of greater strength to the Hedge, and it will last much the longer; let him lay his small Trouse or Thorns that he hedgeth withal, over the Quick-sets, that sheep do not eat his Spring or Buds of the Sets; let his stakes be well driven that the point take the hard Earth, and when that he hath made his Hedge, and endered it well, then let him take his Mall again, and drive down the endering, and also his stakes immediately: For with the winding of eddrings, he shall lose his stakes, and therefore they must needs be driven new, and hardned, and that stake shall be driven the better when it is well bound.

To plash or plet [...]e a Hedge.

IF the Hedge be ten or twelve years grow­ing since it was first set, then let the Hus­bandman [Page 41] take a sharp Hatchet or Hand-bill, and cut the Sets in a plain place close unto the Earth the more half asunder, and bend it downwards towards the Earth, and wrap and winde them together; but always let him be sure that the top lye higher then the root a good quantity, for else the sap will not run into the top kindly, but in process of time the top will dye; and then let him set a little Hedge on the back-side, and it shall need no more mending for many years after; and if the Hedge be of 20. 24. 30. years of age since it was first set, then let him winde it at the nethermost boughs, and winde them together, and then cut the Sets in a plain place a little from the Earth the more half asunder, and let him suffer it to hang downwards rather then upwards, and that for divers causes; then let him winde the boughs and branches thereof into the Hedge, and at every two foot or three foot to leave one Set growing not plethed. Let the tops be growing of five foot high, or there­abouts, to stand as a stake, if there be any such, or else to set another, and to winde another that is plethed about them: And if the boughs will not lye plain in the Hedge, then cut it the more then half asunder, and bind it unto the Hedge, then shall not the Husbandman need for to mend that Hedge but in few places, twenty years after or more: and if the Hedge [Page 42] be old, and be great Stubs or Trees, and they in the bottom, that beasts may go under or between the Trees, let him take a sharp Ax, and cut the trees or stubs that grow a foot from the Earth, or thereabouts, in a plain place, within an inch or two inches of the side: And let him again shave downwards, and let the top of one Tree lye over the root of ano­ther Tree, to plethe down the boughs of the same Tree to stop the hollow places. And if all the hollow and void places will not be fil­led and stopped, then let him scour the old Ditch, and cast it up new, and fill with earth all the void places; and if so be these Trees will not reach in every place to make a further defence, then let him double quick-set it, and ditch it new in every place that is needful, and set a Hedge thereupon, and let him over-lay the Sets to keep the sheep and Cattel from eat­ing them.

To mend a High-way.

FIrst and principally let the Husbandman look that there be no water standing in the High-way, but that it be always current and running, nor that it have no more a stop in one place then in another. And in Summer when the water is dryed up, then to get gravel, and to fill up every low place, and to make the even somewhat descending or current one [Page 43] way or other; and if there be no Gravel or stones to get, yet fill it up with earth in the beginning of Summer, that it may be well hardned with carriage and treading upon, and it will be well mended, if the water may pass from it: The which should be well consider­ed of, and that more especially about London, whereas they are at much more cost then needs. For there they ditch High-ways on both sides, and fill up the hollow and low place with earth, and then they cast and lay Gravel aloft: And when a great rain or water cometh, and sinketh through the Gravel, and sinketh into the Earth, the Earth swelleth and waxeth soft, and with treading, and especially with car­riage, the Gravel sinketh, and falleth down­wards, as its nature and kind requireth, and then it is in a manner as a Quick-sand, that is difficult for any thing to go over it. But if he would make more Ditches in Summer-time when the water is dryed up, that the Work­man may see all the hollow and low places, and then to carry Gravel, and fill it up as high as the other knoles are, then would it not swell or be turned into a Quick-sand, and every Traveller might go besides the High­way with his Carriage at his pleasure: if this course were followed, it would be both good and necessary for that purpose.

How Forkes and Rakes should be made.

THe good Husbandman hath his Forkes and his Rakes in a readiness the Winter before, and they should be got betwixt Mi­chaelmas and Martlemas, beyked, and set even to be upright in his hand, that they may be hard, stiff and dry. And when that the Hus­bandman sitteth by the fire, and hath nothing to do, then may he make them ready, and teeth the Rakes with dry wethy wood, and bore the holes with his Wimble both above and under, and drive the teeth upward fast, and hard, and afterwards wedge them about with dry wood of Oak, for that is hard, and will dry, and never come out. And if the Husbandman get them in sap-time, all the baking and drying that can be, shall not make them hard and stiff, but they will always be plying; for they are most commonly made of Hasel and Wethy, and those are the first Trees that bloom, and especially Hasel; for it be­ginneth to bloom as soon as the leaf is fallen: and if the Rake be made of green wood, the head will not abide upon the steale, and the teeth will fall out when the Husbandman hath most use of them, to the hinderance of his work, and the loss of his Hay. Let him be sure that his Rake and his Fork are upright in [Page 45] his hand; for if one end of the Rake, or the side of the Fork hangs downwards, they will neither be handsom, nor easie to work withal.

How to mow Grass.

AT the latter end of June it will be time for the Husbandman to begin to mow his Meadows, for then they will be well grown: but howsoever they are grown, in July they must be mown, for divers causes: One is, that it is not convenient to have Hay and Corn both at work at one time. Ano­ther is, that the younger and greener the Grass is, the softer and the sweeter it will be when it is Hay, but it will require the more wid­dring; and the elder the Grass is, the harder and dryer it is; and the harder and dryer it is, the worse it is for all manner of Cattel; for the seeds will be fallen, which are in a manner a kind of Provender, and it will be the harder to eat and chew. And another cause is, that if dry weather come, it will dry and burn upon the ground, and waste it self away. Let the Husbandman have a care that his Mower mow clean, and hold down the hin­der hand of his Sythe, that he do not indent the Grass, and mow his swayth clean thorow to that that was last mown before, that he leave not a man between, and especially in the [Page 46] common Meadow; but in the several Meadow it maketh the less charge, and that the moul­dy Warpes-hills be spread, and the sticks clean picked out of the Meadow in April, or the beginning of May.

To redde and make Hay.

WHen the Meadows are mowed, then they should be redded, and laid upon the even ground; and if the Grass be very thick, it should be shaken with hands, or with a short Pitchfork; for good redding is the chief point to make good Hay, for then it shall be widdered all alike, or else not: and when it is well widdered on the over-side and dry, then let the Husbandman turn it clean before Noon, as soon as the Dew is gone. And if he dare trust the weather, then let him let it lye so all night, and on the next day let him turn it again before Noon, and towards the night make it windrows, & then in small Hay-cocks, and so to stand one night at the least and sweat, and the next fair day cast it abroad again, and turn it once or twice, and then make it into greater Hay-cocks: and to stand so one night or more, that it may unjoyn and sweat; for if it sweat not in the Hay-cocks, it will sweat in the Mow, and then it will be dusty, and not wholesom for the Cattel. And [Page 47] when it standeth in the Cocks, it is better for to load, and more Hay may be loaded at a loading, and the faster it will lye; which Hay cometh of a Grass called Crow-foot, and groweth flat above the Earth, and beareth a yellow flower half a yard high and more; and hath many knots towards the coat, and it is the best Hay for Horses and Beasts, but it re­quires much more widdering then any other Hay, for else it will bepiss it self, and wax hot, and afterwards dusty. For to know when it is widdered enough, make a little Rope of the same, that you think should be most green, and twine it as hard together between your hands as you can, and so being hard twined, let one take a sharp Knife, and cut it close by your hand, and the knots will be moist, if it be not dry enough. Short Hay and Ley-Hay are good for Sheep and other Cattel.

To remove and set Trees.

IF the Husbandman will remove and set Trees, let him get as many Roots with them as he can, let him be careful that he neither break nor bruise them. If there be any Root broken or much bruised, let him cut it off hard by the Root, as it is bruised with a sharp Hatchet, otherwise the Root will dye. And if it be Ash, Elm, or Oak, let him cut off all [Page 48] the boughs clean, and save the top whole. For if he make himself rich of boughs, he makes himself poor of thrift, for two causes. The boughs cause them to shake with wind, and to loose the Roots; also he cannot get them so cleanly, but that some of the Roots must needs be cut, and then there will not come so much sap and moisture to the boughs as there did before: and if the Tree be long, cut off the top two or three yards. And if it be an Apple-tree or a Pear-tree, or such other as beareth fruit, then let him cut away all the water-boughs, and the small boughs, that the princi­pal of them may have the more sap; and if he make a mark which side of the Tree stands to­wards the Sun, he may set it so again, which is so much the better.

How to set Trees without Roots, and yet for them to grow.

THere are Trees that will spring Roots themselves, and those are certain Apple-trees that have knots in the Boughs, or Caffes, or Wides, and such other that will grow on slavelings; and likewise Poplars and Wethies they must be cut clean, and beside the Tree that they grow on, and the top cut clean off eight or ten foot in length, and all the boughs between, and be set a foot deep or more in the [Page 49] Earth in good ground: There are four man­ner of Wethies, that is to say, white Wethy, black, red, and o [...]iered Wethy. White We­thy will grow on dry ground, if it be set in the beginning of Winter, and will not grow on moorish ground. Black Wethy will grow better on moorish then on dry ground; and red Wethy in like manner. Osiered Wethy will grow best in watery and moist ground▪ And they are Trees that will soon be nourish­ed, and they will bear much wood, and they should be cropped every seven or eight years, or else they will dye, but they must not be cropped in sap-time, nor no Trees else▪ In many places both the Lords, Freeholders, and Tenants will set such Wethies and Poplars in moorish grounds for to increase Wood.

Necessary things belonging to Grafting.

IT is no less necessary then profitable and pleasant for a Husbandman to be furnished with most sorts of Fruit, and therefore it will be convenient for him to know how to Graft. Therefore he is to be acquainted with what things he must have to graft withal. He must have a Grafting-saw, the which should be very thin and thick toothed; because it is thin, it will cut the narrower Kirfe, and the cleaner from bruising the Bark. And there­fore [Page 50] it is set in a Coppice piece of Iron six inches, for to make it stiff and big. He must also have a Grafting-knife of an inch broad, with a thick back to cleave the stocks withal. And also a Mallet to drive his Knife and his Wedge into the Tree, and a sharp Knife to pare the stock-head; and another sharp Knife to cut the Graft clean. And also he must have two Wedges of hard Wood or Iron; a long small one for a small stock, and a broader for a big­ger stock to open the stock when it is cloven and pared; and also good tough Clay and Moss, and Bastes, and peeling of Wethy or Elm for to bind them with.

How to Graft.

HE must get Grafts of the fairest Lanses he can find on the Tree, and let him be sure that it have a good knot or joynt, and an even; then let him take his Saw, and saw in­to his Crab-tree in a fair plain place, pare it even with his Knife, and then let him cleave the stock with a great Knife and his Mallet, and set in a Wedge, and open the stock ac­cording to the thickness of his Graft; then let him take his small sharp Knife, and cut the Graft on both sides in the joynt, but let him not pass the midst thereof; and let the inner side that shall be set into the stock, be a little [Page 51] thinner then the outer-side, then let him prof­fer his Graft into the stock, till that they close so clean, that they cannot put the edge of his Knife on the other side betwixt the stock and the Graft, and let him set them so that the tops of the Graft bend a little outward, and let him look that the wood of the Graft be set fit with the wood of the stock; and there­fore he may not set the Barks meet in the inner side: then let him pull away his Wedge, and it will stand much faster. Let him after­wards take tough Clay like Marle, and lay it upon the stock-head, and with his finger lay it close to the Graft, and a little under the head to keep it moist, and that no wind come into the head at the cleaving; then let him take Moss, and lay thereupon for chinning of the Clay, and take a baist of white Wethy or Elm, on half a Brere, and bind the Moss, the Clay, and the Graft together; but let him be very careful that he break not the Graft, neither in the cleaving nor in the binding, and he must set something by the Graft, that Crows, and such ravenous and unruly birds do not light upon the Graft; for if they do, they will quickly break them.

What should be first Grafted.

PEars and Wardens should be grafted be­fore any manner of Apples, because the [Page 52] sap cometh sooner and rather into the Pear and Warden, then into the Apple-tree; and after St. Valentines Day it is time to graft both Pears and Wardens till March be come, and then to graft Apples to our Lady-day; and then let him graft that he hath got of an old Apple-tree first, for that will bud before the Graft got of a young Apple-tree lately graft­ed, and a Pear or Warden should be grafted in a Pear-stock: and if he have got none, then let him graft it in a Crab-tree-stock, and it will do well. Some men graft them in white Thorn, and then it will be the harder and more stony. For all manner of Apples, the Crab-tree-stock is best.

How to graft betwixt the Bark and the Tree.

THere is another manner of Grafting, and sooner done, and of sooner growth, but it stands in great danger of the wind when it begins to grow. Therefore the Husbandman must spare his stock, and save the head there­of as he did before, but let him not cleave it; then let him take his Graft, and cut it on the joynt to the middle, and make the tenaunt thereof half an inch long, and a little more, all of one side, and part the bark away a little at the point on the other side; then he must have made ready a punch of hard wood with [Page 53] a slope and a tenaunt on the other side like to the tenaunt of the Graft: Then let him put the tenaunt of the Ponche betwixt the bark and the wood of the stock, and pull it out a­gain, and put it in the Graft, and let him be sure that it joyn close, or else let him mend it. And this course so taken, cannot fail; for then the sap will rise on every side, and it will spring so fast, that if it stand on plain ground, the wind may possibly blow it besides the head, for it hath no fixation in the wood. And this is the best remedy for the blowing off, to cut or crop away some of the nethermost leaves as they grow, and this is the best way to graft, and especially a great Tree: and then let him clay it, and bind it as he did the other.

To nourish all manner of Stone-Fruits, and Nuts.

AS for Cherries, Damsons, Bullas, Plums, and the like, they may be set on the Stones, and also of the Siens growing about the Tree of the same, for they will soonest bear. Filberts and Walnuts may be set on the Nuts in the Garden, and afterwards removed and set where he will. But when they are removed, they should be set upon as good ground or better, or else they will not like.

To fell Timber.

IF the Husbandman have Wood to sell, I advise him for to retail it himself, that he may have an eye to his Market; and if not, if he have a Baily or some other discreet Servant, to do it for him; and if it be small Wood, to kidde it, and sell it by the hundreds or by the thousands; and if there be Ashes in it, to sell the small Ashes to Coopers for Garches, and the great Ashes to Wheel-wrights, and the more mean and ordinary Trees to Plough-Wrights, the Crab-trees to Millers to make Coggs and Tongs. And if there be any Oaks, either great or small, to fell them, and peel them, and sell the Bark by it self, and after­wards to sort the Trees, the Poles by them­selves, the middle sort by themselves, and the greatest by themselves, and then to sell them by scores and half scores, or hundreds, as he can, and to fell it hard by the Earth; for one foot next to the Earth is worth two foot on the top. Let him cut his Timber long enough, that he may leave none on the top; & let them sell the tops as they are at the great, or else dress them, and sell the great Wood by it self, and the Kid-wood by it self, and to fell the under-wood first at any time between Martle­mas and Holy-rood Day. And all the Ashes [Page 55] between Martlemas and Candlemas; and all Oaks as soon as they will peel, until May be done, and not after.

To fell Wood for the House, or to sell.

IF the Husbandman have any Woods to sell for his Houshold to burn, or to sell, then let him fell the under-wood Sire in Winter, that his Cattel and Beasts may feed and brouse the tops, and let him fell no more on a day then the Beasts will eat the same day or on the mor­row after. And as soon as it is well eaten and broused, then let him kid them, and set them on their ends, and that will save the bands from rotting, and they will be the lighter to carry, and they will burn the better, and lye in less room▪ And when that he shall bring them home to make a stack of them, let him set the nethermost course upon the ends, and the second course flat upon the sides and the ends, the sides and the ends outward, and for the third course, let him fall on the side over­thwart the other, and so to go them over until that he have laid all up. And when that he shall have occasion for to burn them, to take the uppermost first.

To keep Spring Wood.

IN the Winter before the Husbandman will sell his Wood, let him make a good sure Hedge, that no manner of Cattel may get in. And immediately after it is fallen, let it be car­ried away before the Spring rise up; for else the Cattel that carry the Wood, will devour the Spring, and when the top is eaten or broken, it is a great hinderance to the growth and good­ness of the Spring; for there where it is eaten, buds and issues out of many branches, and that not so far as the first would have been. A Park is best kept when there is neither Man, Dog, nor four-footed Beast therein, except Deer. And so a Spring is best kept, when there is neither man nor four-footed Beast within the Hedge: but if there be much grass, and the Husbandman is unwilling to lose it, then let him put in Calves newly weaned, and taken from their Dams, and also weaning Colts, and Horses not past a year of age. Let him take his Calves away at May, the Colts may go longer for their eating of any wood, but its dangerous both for the Calves, Foals, and Colts for ticks or for being lousie, the which will kill them, if they be not well look­ed to. In seven years it will requite the greatest part of the cost, but at ten years it is at the [Page 57] best, and then the under-boughs should be cut away, and made kid of, and the other will grow much the better and faster: But if the under-boughs are not cut away, they will die, and then they are lost, and will prove very hurtful to the Spring; for they will take away the sap that should make the Spring to grow the better.

How to shred, lop, and crop Trees.

IF the Husbandman hath any Trees to shred, lop, or crop for his Fire-wood, let him crop them in Winter (as hath been said) that the Beasts may eat the brouse and the moss of the boughs. And also the Yves, and when that they are broused and eaten, let him dress the wood, bow it clean, and cut it at every height, and rear the great wood to the top, and kid the small boughs, and set them an end; and if he shall not have sufficient wood, except that he head the Trees, and cut off the tops, then let him head them three or four foot above any Timber: and if it be no Timber, but a shaken Tree, or a Hedge-root full of knots, then let him head it thirty foot high, or twenty at the least; for so far it will bear plenty of wood and boughs, and much more then if it were not headed. For a Tree hath a property to grow to a certain height, and [Page 58] when it arriveth to that height, it is at a stand, and groweth no higher; but in bredth and in conclusion, the top will dye or decrease, and the body thrive; and if a Tree be headed and used to be cropped and lopped at every twelve or sixteen years end, or thereabouts, it will bear much more wood in process of time, then if it were not cropped, and be more profitable to the Owner.

It is the common Custom with some to be­gin at the top of the Tree when it is to be shred or cropped, because each bough should lie upon the other, when that they shall fall, so that the weight of the boughs shall cause them to be the rather cut down; but that is not the best way, for that causeth the bough to shave down the nether part, and pulleth away the bark from the body of the Tree, the which for the future will cause the Tree to be hollow in that place, to the hurt of it. And therefore let the Husbandman begin at the ne [...]hermost bough first, with a light Ax for a hand to cut the bough, or both sides a foot or two foot from the body of the Tree, and especially to cut it more in the nether side, then the upper side, so that the bough fall not straight down, but fall on the side, and then shall it not slave nor break any bark, and every bough will have a new head, and bear much more wood; and let the Husbandman, except he must needs [Page 59] do it, avoid to crop the Tree, and that more especially when the wind standeth in the North, or in the East, and let him beware that he crop it not in sap-time, for then it will dry within few days after, though it were an Oak.

Particular Secrets and choice Rules for Setting, Watering, and Ordering of several choice Plants, Roots, delecta­ble Flowers and Herbs for Gardens. The ordering of the Summer-Garden for pleasure and delight, as also for the more profitable increase of the Kit­chin Garden: Together with Dire­ctions how to sow and order for the Season whatsoever belongeth to the Summer or Kitchin-Gardens; for Plants, Herbs, Roots, Seeds, &c. As also for the aptest time to gather, dry, and preserve them.

THe Husbandman or Gardiner, who would have Plants to grow to a greater bigness then ordinary, ought to remove them after four or five Leaves are come up, and to set them again, as out of one [Page 60] bed bestowed into another, and the like from one border into another, prepared at a certain distance asunder, when showers of rain have well moistned and softned the same, being such Plants (that before the setting) require to have tops of the Leaves, and ends of the Roots cut off, whereby they may the freelier grow up broad or big in the Roots.

The young Sets in the Garden (of pleasant delight and smell) may the Owner of the Gar­den also bestow in Borders in all seasons (al­though more commendably in the Spring time) in breaking of the slips or branches of one years growth, for the bodies of the old stock, and in wreathing the ends about, so to set them a good depth in the Earth, the Moon at that time drawing near to the Change, which will much further the Sets in their sooner taking of root.

The Marigold, Daisie, Columbines, Prim­rose, Cowslip, Sweet John, Gilliflowers, Car­nations, Pinks, and sundry other delectable Flowers, if the Gardiner do change those into Beds, they will increase the bigger, fairer, and doubler, the Moon at this time being con­sidered to be increased of light, there must be a diligence to be bestowed in the often water­ing of them.

The Plants (which are certain Leaves sprung up) need not to be removed into other Beds, [Page 61] are Spinnage, Arach, Dill, Sperage, Sorrel, Chervil, Parsley, and divers others of the like sort.

The Gardiner having digged and prepared his Garden into Beds and Borders, I will now shew him, as briefly as I can, the best order and manner for setting and sowing of the chiefest Plants, Herbs, Flowers that are now most in request.

When he sets any Herbs, Flowers, or Plants, he must the next day a little moisten the ground in the morning, and so keep it moist until they be well rooted by watering.

The best watering which is certain (except his Ground be new made with half Dung) is to make a hole with the Dibble a little for the Herb or Plant aslope to the Root, and so to water the Root under the ground; for water rotteth and killeth above ground, and what­soever he sows, let him cover it with Earth, but as thin as he can; for if they be too deep set or sown, most Seeds, Kernels, and such like, will never come up.

When he sets any thing, let him be sure to make the Earth very wet, then let him over­lay half a foot on dry Mould, making it so close (with beating it with the Spade) as he can, then let him set in his Herbs or Plants, thrusting the Earth very hard to the Root.

Herbs for works may be watered; but Plants [Page 62] must not be wet above ground, for fear of rot­ting.

Let him never water but in the morning, except in June or July, and then he may water about four of the clock in the afternoon.

For setting, sowing, or planting, it is best when the weather is warm, nor the ground neither too wet nor too dry at the top, but so moist as that it will not stick to his shoe, as after a Frost. And for the time of the Moon, I hold the second day before the New Moon to be the best for most things but for Flowers, and that a little after the Change or New Moon.

The Ground which is to sow at the Spring, must be digged at Michaelmas, with good Dung, and then let him trench the digging.

The best time for sowing is February, March, April; but for the setting of Herbs, March, and the beginning of April is best: and those Herbs which spring out of the ground in Fe­bruary, must be set in the month.

In the middle of April, or in the beginning of May (as the Moon shall happen to be in the Wane) let him dig a Ditch about a yard deep, and lay some three quarters of a Load of Horse-dung therein, then let him cover the Dung over a foot thick with good Earth, lay­ing his Seeds along on the Earth dry, and let him cover them an inch thick with light [Page 63] Earth, and every night (until May be past) let him cover them with a wet Cloth or straw, to keep away the Frost, and uncover them in the day time: And let him take notice, that when the Cucumber hath three leaves, he may then remove them to their other places. The Pompion seeds should be set a finger deeper in the Earth; and the Cabbages should be re­moved when they are a handful high.

Parsnep seeds may be sown in October (in the Wane of the Moon) but if they prove not, let him sow more seeds in February following.

Carrots should be sown at the latter end of April, or the beginning of May.

Turneps grow best in sandy Earth, and should be sown at that time that Carrots are: but if they are required in Lent, let him sow them in August, at the Wane of the Moon.

Onions require a rank fat Ground, half dung; he must sow them in February: He may also sow Onion and Lettice seeds, and Radish seeds mingled together in one plot for Sallets, at the same time in a hot Ground: Let him set Onions for Scallions to seed in October.

Garlick requireth a temperate Ground, not too rank; and it is good setting of it in Fe­bruary and in October.

Leeks are for a rank Ground, and should be sown in October.

Radishes require such a Ground as the O­nion [Page 64] doth; sow it in February, and it will last all the Summer, every month before Woodseer, in the Wane of the Moon for fear of seeding, and he shall always have them fresh and young: but after Woodseer he may sow them at any time of the Moon.

Skerrots must be set in the Wane, about the latter end of September or beginning of Octo­ber. For the most part all Roots should be sown in the Wane of the Moon.

Lettice sown in August, will live all Winter; but if they are sown in March, they will be so bitter, that they cannot be eaten.

Parsley should be sown after the beginning of August, and it will be fresh in the spring all the year; it loveth the shade: The seeds of Parsley and Marjoram will lye six weeks in the ground before they come up.

Hop may be sown in seeds in April, but they will not last: The Roots that are young are good to set, but the slips are best.

Marigolds may be sown in August for the Spring; he may remove the Plants about two inches long, and they will grow the bigger.

Alexander is sown in March or April; he may remove the Roots, and they will grow the next year.

Borrage and Bugloss are sowed in the Spring, and dye that year.

Succory or Endive are sown in March or [Page 65] April, remove them before the spindle, and they will be the better.

Pennyroyal, the Roots parted, or the bran­ches set in the ground, will grow.

Mints, either the Roots set, or the branches being cut in divers places, and set in the Earth, being wet, will thrive.

Savory sowed in the Spring, commonly dy­eth: but being removed, it will live in Win­ter.

Time is sown or set in the Spring, both the seeds, slips, and roots of it will grow: keep it from seeding, and it will last three or four years.

Tansie may be sowed in March or April; the Roots being removed, will prosper.

Bloodwort may be sowed in the Spring; its Roots being new-set, will last long.

Dandelyon may be sowed in March or April; and may be ordered as the former.

Carduus Benedictus must be sowed in the Spring, for it will dye in the Winter.

Wormwood is best to be set in the slips; it will last three or four years.

Clary is sown in the Spring; it seeds the second year, and then dyes.

Fennel may be known in the Spring and Fall; he may set the Roots, and it will con­tinue many years.

Sweet Marjoram may be sown in April, but [Page 66] it will dye in the Winter; but if it be set, the slips will prosper.

Artichokes proceed of young Plants taken from the old stock: The best time to plant them is in March or April, two days before the Full of the Moon (yet some plant them in August) let him set no Plants, if he may have choice, but those that have the bottom-knobs whole, neither let him pluck any plant from the stock, till it be strong; and if the bottom-knobs are pulled off, and broken, it will hard­ly grow. And when that he would take the plants from the stock, let him dig the Earth half a foot deep round about the stock, then let him thrust his Thumbes betwixt the stock and the plant, keeping the bottom whole and unbroken, &c.

Pease and Beans for the Garden must have the seed changed every year; if not, the in­crease will be very small, and grow less and less; for in three years the great Rounseval and great Bean will be no bigger then the wild ones, let him do what he can to his Ground, if he set or sow them which grew there before; and so likewise it is with Corn, if the seed be not changed.

If his Pease be in February, let him set them an inch and an half deep; but if he sow them in March or April, let him set them but an inch deep, but let him be sure that he set them in [Page 67] the Wane of the Moon, some six or seven days before the Change, or else he will have a great God, and but small Pease; and let him set them down eight inches asunder, and he shall have Pease long, and have them often: Let him set them in several plots, some in Februa­ry, some in March, and others in April: A Quart of Pease will serve to set a good plot of Ground. Pease and Beans will prosper well, being set under Trees; and being sown in tem­perate wet weather, it will be a month or lon­ger, before they will appear.

We shall now proceed to give other expert and certain Rules for sowing, planting, and setting of the most delectable Flowers and Herbs in use, for the adorning of a Summer-Garden, or a Garden of pleasure and delight.

Roses are of several sorts and colours, as White, Red, Damask, Province, Musk, and sweet Bryar, &c. Of all the Flowers in the Garden, this is the chief for beauty and sweet­ness: Rose-trees are commonly planted in a plot by themselves (if the Gardine shave room enough) leaving a pretty space between them for gathering. Now for him to get and set his plants, he must do thus: In the latter end of January, February, or the beginning of March (at the Increase of the Moon) go to some old Rose-trees (but not too old) and the Gardiner shall find long young suckers or [Page 68] branches, which sprang up from the Root of the Tree the last year, let him dig the hole deep, that he may cut off those suckers close to the Root (but let him take heed of wounding the Tree) then let him fill up the hole again with Earth very close and hard; these suckers must be young plants for young Trees: If the suckers have too many branches, let him cut them away, also the tops of them, they will take Root the better: Then where he intends to set them, let him dig holes in good ground, at the least a foot deep, and set them a good depth, treading in the Earth hard about them, having a little Trench near them for watering, till they have taken Root. The Provost Roses will bear Root the same year that they are set in, he may, if he please, plant Strawberries, Primroses, and Violets amongst his Rose-trees, and they will prosper very well.

Gilliflowers, Carnations, or July-flower [...], so called, because in July they are in their prime and glory; these for beauty and scent are next to the Rose, they are of several cu­rious colours, and smell like to Cloves, and therefore of some are termed Clove-July-flowers: These are to be set of young slips without shanks, taken from the old Body or Root; and when that the Gardiner sets them, let him leave one joynt (next to the leaf) at the top of the Ground, so that the Ground be [Page 69] above the top of the middle joynt; for if he set any part of the Leaves within the Ground, the Gilliflowers heads will never prove. Earthen pots are good, which have holes in or near the bottom, in which pots let him plant his Gilliflowers, and in dry weather, twice a week in the Summer-time set them in a Tub of water, for three hours or more. But let no water come to the top of the pot, but the Rain, the pot will suck up a sufficient moisture at the bottom-holes: The Gardiner shall ne­ver need to take in his pots but in frosty wea­ther.

Wall-July-flowers usually growing on Walls; for they delight to grow in Lime and Mortar: they will sometimes seem dead in the Summer, and be green, and bear flowers in the Winter; they bear store of seed, which he may sow, and set the slips: If he will have them grow upon a Wall, let him dig little holes betwixt the Bricks and Stones with an old Knife, and put in the seed.

Tulips are very beautiful Flowers, but have no scent; they adorn a Garden well or a House, their Roots are all like Onions, which the Gardiner must set in January, if there be no Frost; and after they have done bearing, about Michaelmas let him take up the Roots out of the Ground, which will be double, and keep them dry in a Box against the next year.

[Page 70] Primroses, so called, as they are the first Flowers in the Spring; they are very sweet, growing both single and double: when the Roots grow too great, part them in two or three quarters, and set them again, though they be flowered, they will grow.

Cowslips are dainty sweet Flowers, they also grow both single and double; and if the Roots grow broad, you may sever them as you did the Primrose.

Harts-ease or Pansies, they are in shape al­most like a Violet; they shed their seeds, and dye, but come thick up the next Spring.

Lavender is wondrous sweet, both Leaf and Flower, good for shew; their Roots will grow double like a Tulip, which being parted must be new set.

Marigolds shew pleasant, and are of a rea­sonable scent; you may sow them of seeds, or set young plants.

Daisies are white, red, or mingled colours, they make a pretty shew in a Garden in the Spring; their Roots growing too thick and too broad, are to be parted and new set.

Flower-de-luces also make a great shew in a Garden; the Roots are to be severed and new set, which being dryed, smell sweet.

Lillies that are red make a pleasant shew, but have no scent; their Roots grow like Gar­lick double, but bigger, which being parted and new set, will grow again.

[Page 71] White Lillies, their Roots are not like the red; their Roots also are to be parted, and set as the red Lilly.

Crocasses must be used and set as the Tulip; if the Gardiner set them in his Borders, they will make a pretty shew in the Spring.

Lupines proceed from a seed sown in April and March; they bear a delicate flower, and the green leaves are of a strange shape; they bear Cods like small Beans, in which are seed.

Holy-hocks are white and red; he may sow them of seeds, or plant the Root.

Piony must have the Roots parted and set, the green leaves spread very broad; it beareth a great beautiful red flower: The seed of it must be sown in the Spring.

French Mallows make a handsom shew; they are also to be sowed in the Spring

Saffron flowereth about Michaelmas; when the flowers fade, it is to be set of Roots, which ought to be removed every third year about Midsummer.

Poppy hath a very fair flower, and of a pretty colour; the seed of it must be sowed in the Spring.

Batchelers buttons are sowed in the Spring-time, or the Roots may be planted.

Sweet Sisely hath a pleasant scent; he may sow the seeds, or part the Roots and set them.

[Page 72] Rose-Campions may likewise be sowed of seed, or the Roots planted.

Flower of the Sun groweth very high, and beareth a great yellow flower, as big as the crown of a Hat▪ is openeth and shutteth with the Sun (like the Marigold) the seeds must be set in February or March, about a finger deep.

Strawberries are white, red, and green; but the best Strawberries are gathered out of the Woods, which have Roots well bearded: Let him set them in January, February, or in August, three inches one from the other, in the beginning of the last Quarter of the Moon.

I shall next follow the order of the growing and setting of green sweet Herbs for the Sum­mer-Garden.

Angelica groweth big and broad, and last­eth long; you may sow it of seeds in the Spring, and the Roots may be removed after the first year. Lonage groweth much like to Angelica, and it is to be ordered in the like manner.

Anniseeds are produced of seeds sowed; they dye the first year, and so doth Coriander.

Coast-Mary may be sowed of seeds, or the Roots parted and set in March, are best.

Featherfew is to be sowed in March or April.

Oculus Christi is best to be sowed of seeds, [Page 73] or upon any remove of the young plants, and new set them.

Herb of Grace, or Rue, the best way to set it is of slips; it is green most part of the year, and thrives best in the shade: Southernwood is to be ordered like Rue.

Dutch-box grows green most part of the year, it is very handsom for Works and Bor­ders; he may part the Roots and set them.

Rosemary is a tender Herb, the best setting of it is in April, or in the end of March, the Gardiner must set such as have no Blossoms, and as he takes it from the branch; but by no means let him slive it, or tear the slips, but cut them off a little from the body, leaving some few leaves behind on the piece, and then it will grow again, otherwise the body being hurt, it will never grow.

Bay-roots will proceed from the Bay-berry, being set in the Spring, or he may plant the young suckers which spring from the Root.

Hony suckles or Wood-bine, the Gardiner must get them in Woods or Hedges in the Fields, but let him dig enough to have their Roots; prune them, and plant them against the side of a House, or a Wall, or Pole, and they will yield a most pleasant shade or a comfortable scent: They must be taken up in January, February, or the beginning of the Spring.

[Page 74] Hedges or Quick-sets in his Gardens, may be made either with suckers of Goosberry-trees, Currants, Privet, or Hauthanethorn, planted in January and February, at the In­crease of the Moon.

Eglantine or Sweet-Bryar is to be set on suckers also, and in those months also, as the former; they will grow from the red Hips, which they bear, but it will be long before they come to any bigness.

In August, four days after the Change, or three days before the full Moon, let the Gar­diner cut all his Winter-herbs within an handful of the ground, then will they get head against the Winter, and it will preserve them the better from hard weather; and in the end of September, let him sift the Earth or a good mould upon them, to cover the Roots well, otherwise the Frost and Rain will bear the Earth from the Roots, that the Herbs will be in danger of being killed. And such Herbs as the Gardiner intends to keep against Win­ter, let him cut them often, to keep them from seeding (for seeding doth kill most Herbs) by this means they will live the better in Winter; but let him have a care that he do but seldom cut his Herbs in the Wane of the Moon.

To have Flowers great, let him remove them once a year, the second or third day be­fore [Page 75] the full Moon, and so plant them in Au­gust, as in March the weather being warm, and the ground wet, they will grow.

To dry Herbs for Broths or for Chests, he must make use of set Plats in the Sun in Au­gust in their Flowers, as Winter-savory, Time, Marjoram, Pennyroyal, Mints, Balm, Rose­mary tops, Marigolds, Lavender, Rose-leaves, &c. Let him gather them as he dryes them, when he sees the morning fair and hot, and the Herbs dry.

The best and worthiest Roots of Herbs, for the most part are to be gathered in apt and fit seasons and places, when that the leaves are beginning to fall off, and the fruits and seeds already shed, so that the season be fair: for done in a nainy day, the Roots will be render­ed the weaker, when they are filled with un­necessary moisture.

The flowers in like manner are to be ga­thered, as the Borrage, Bugloss, and all others of like sort, when they are wholly opened, and before they are feeble, except the flowers of the Rose and Jesamine, which ought to be gathered for the better and longer keeping, before that they are much, or rather but a lit­tle opened.

The Leaves and whole Herbs are to be ga­thered, when that they are come to their growth and perfection.

[Page 76] The Fruits, and Melons, Cucumbers, Ci­trons, and Gourds, when they appear yellow, and are come to their perfect growth and perfection.

The seeds in like condition are to be ga­thered when they are well ripened, and be­fore they shed on the Earth; but those that do remain on the Earth, after the Herbs are throughly dryed, ought to be rubbed forth with the hands, and kept unto the time of sowing.

Let the Gardiner remember that seeds ought to be gathered in a clear season, and in the Wane of the Moon.

And let the Gardiner take this for a general Rule to be observed, That always all those things that are to be gathered, as the Herbs, Flowers, Roots, Fruits, and Seeds, that they are to be gathered in a fair and dry season, and in the decrease of the Moon.

The Herbs which the Owner intends to keep, are to be pickt, and to be preserved by cleansing; let them be dryed in the shade, the place being open towards the South, not moist, and free from smoak and dust.

These are to be put in Leather-bags rather then Canvass, the mouths at the hanging up fast tyed, or into wooden Boxes of the Box-tree, to the end that the Herbs may not lose their proper virtues.

[Page 77] The Flowers ought to be dryed no other­wise then by the Sun at Noon, but more espe­cially through the sharp heat of the same, to­gether with the heat of the Air, unless it be our Rose of the Garden, which is to be pre­served for a longer time, and it is to be longer dryed, and more moderately in a high place, standing open to the Sun at Noon, or so that the Sun-beams enter into, but yet touch not the Rose-leaves.

The best way for drying of Flowers, is to lay them in a temperate place, free from moi­sture, dust, and smoak, and to stir them to and fro, that they corrupt not in the drying, so as to lose neither their colour nor their natural savour.

The finer seeds are to be preserved in Lea­ther-bags, or in earthen Vessels, having very narrow mouths, or else in Glass-bottles, or Gally-glasses very well stopped.

But the seeds of Onions, Chibols, and Leeks, as also of Poppy, are to be preserved in husks and heads.

For the preserving of Roots, the Gardiner ought to learn and exercise two means; the one for keeping of them fresh, and the other for the round Roots, as the Navew, Radish, Carrot, and other like sorts, for to preserve them dry.

The way and means to preserve Roots [Page 78] fresh, is to bury them in a Cellar, in Gravel or Sand well turned upon them, or in a Garden-ground reasonably deep digged, even as he doth for the Radish and Navew in the earth, that he may enjoy the commodity of them for the greater part of the Winter: to preserve Roots dry, the Gardiner (after the plucking of the Roots out of the Earth) ought to wash them very clean with Conduit or Spring-water, afterwards to cut away all the small and hairy Roots; which done, to dry them in a shadowy place, free from the beams of the Sun, if so be that they are slender or thin Rind, as the Roots of the Fennel, Succory, Parsley, Endive, Borrage, Bugloss, Sperage, and sundry such like: but if the Roots are thick of Rind, of a gross Essence, and big, then must the Gardiner lay them dry in the Sun at Noon-day, as the Roots of Gentian, the Earth▪ Apple, Briony, Rapontick, Aristo­locia, or any others like them.

All the Field-plants, Flowers, and Roots, are longer in Nature, but in substance inferior to the Garden-plants, &c.

Among wild Plants, those growing on the Mountains do excel the others in property.

Amongst all Plants, those are of a stronger Nature, more especially those that are of a livelier colour, better taste and savour.

The Herbs which one would use for the [Page 79] Kitchin, ought rather to be gathered with a Knife, somewhat above the Earth, when they are shot up to their perfect growth, as the Beets, Succory, Arach, Borrage, Marigold, Colewort, Endive, Clary, Rocket, Basil, Marjoram, Mercury, Lettice, Parsley, and many others.

Thus I have, as briefly as I could, discoursed of Fruits, sundry Herbs, and Flowers, how they are properly to be gathered, and accord­ing to their diversity to be preserved; all which Instructions and rare Secrets I have in part borrowed out of the Treasures of the best and most experienced Professors of Husband­ry; together with what I have got through my earnest importunity from some of my most intimate Friends. I beseech God to vouch­safe his Blessing to these my poor Endeavours.

Of Bees.

IN the keeping of Bees there is little charge, but they require good attendance to the time that they shall cast the Swarm. To which purpose it will be convenient that the Hive be set in a Garden or an Orchard, where as they may be kept from the North-wind, and the mouth of the Hive towards the Sun. In June and July they do most commonly cast, and they should have some low Trees nigh to them [Page 80] before the Hive, that the Swarm may light upon; and when the Swarm is knit, take a Hive, and splent it within with three or four splents, that the Bees may knit their Combs unto it, and anoint the splents and sides of the Hive with a little Honey; and if he have no Honey, let him take sweet Cream, and then set a stool or a form nigh to the swarm, and lay a clean washed sheet upon the stool, and then let him hold the small end of the Hive down­wards, and shake the Bees into the Hive, and then presently set it upon the stool, and turn the corners of the sheet over the Hive: Let him leave one place open, that the Bees may go in and out; but let him do this quietly; for he must not in any wise fight or strive with them: and let him lay Nettles on the boughs where they were knit, to drive them from the place; and then let him watch them all that day, that they go not away; and at night, when all are gone up to the Hive, let him take it away, and set it where it shall stand, and take away the sheet, and let him have Clay ready tempered, to lay about it upon the board or stone where it shall stand, that no wind come in; but the board is better and warmer. Let him leave a hole open on the South-side of three inches broad, and an inch of height, for the Bees to enter in and out. And then let him make a covering of Wheat [Page 81] or Rye-straw to cover, and house the Hive above, and let him set the Hive two foot or more above the Earth upon the stakes, so that a Mouse nor any other Beasts or Vermin may come near it. But if a swarm be cast late in the year, they should be fed with Honey in the Winter, and laid upon a thin narrow board or Slate or Lead put into the Hive, and ano­ther thin board should be set before every Hives mouth, that no wind come in, and to have four or five little nicks made in the nether­side, that a Bee may come out or go in, and so fastned, that the wind blow it not down; and so ordered, that he may take it up when he will. That Hive that is fed, let the mouth of it be stopt clean, that other Bees come not in; for if they do, they will fight and kill one another. And let him beware, that no Wasps come into the Hive; for they will kill the Bees, and eat the Honey. There is also a Bee called a Drone, which is greater then another Bee: This Drone will eat the Honey, and ga­ther nothing, and therefore they should be killed; it is a common saying, that she hath lost her sting, and that therefore she will not labour as the others do.

How to keep Beasts and other Cattel.

IF a Husbandman would keep Cattel well to his profit, he must have several Closes and [Page 82] Pastures to put them in, the which should be well quick-setted, ditched, or hedged, that at his pleasure, he may sever his biggest and strong­est Cattel from the weakest, and especially in Winter time, when they shall be foddered. And though a man be but a Farmer, and shall have his Farm twenty years, it is less cost for him, and more profit for him to quick-set, ditch, or hedge, then to have his Cattel go before the Herdsmen; for let the Husbandman spend in three years as much money as the keeping of his Beasts, Swine, and Sheep do cost him in the years. Then always after he shall have all manner of Cattel with the tenth part of the cost, and the beasts shall like much the better, and by this means the Herdsman shall have for every beast two pence a Quar­ter, or thereabouts. And the Swine-herd will have for every Swine at least a penny. Then he must have a Shepherd of his own, or else he shall never thrive: Then reckon Meat, Drink, and Wages for his Shepherd, the Herds­mans, and the Swine-herds Hire: these char­ges will double his Rent, or arise nigh to do so, except his Farm be above forty pounds per Annum▪ Now let us compute what these Charges will come to in three years; but let him lay out as much money in Quick-setting, ditching, and hedging, and in three years he shall be discharged for ever, and much of his [Page 83] labour, he and his Servants may do with their own hands, and save much money. And then hath he every field in severality, and by the assent of the Lord and the Tenants, every Neighbour may exchange his Lands with the other. And then shall his Farm be twice as good in profit to the Tenant as it was before, and as much Land kept in tillage; by this means the rich man shall not over-eat the poor man with his Cattel, and the fourth part of the Hay and Straw shall serve his Cattel better in a Pasture, then four times so much will do in a House, and less attendance, and the Cat­tel shall like the better.

To buy fat Cattel.

IF the Grasier shall buy fat Oxen or Kine, let him handle them, and see that they are soft on the fore-crop behind the shoulder, and up­on the hindermost Rib, and upon the Huckle­bone, and the Nache by the Tayl: Let him see that the Ox have a great God, and the Cow a great Navel; for then it is very likely that they are well tallowed. And let him take heed where he buys any lean Cattel or fat, and of whom, and where it was bred: For if he buy out of a better ground then he hath of his own, that Cattel will not like with his. Also let him look, that there be no man­ner [Page 84] of sickness amongst the Cattel: whether there be any Murren or Long-saught amongst them, which may prove very dangerous; for a beast may take a sickness ten or twelve days or more before it appears on them.

To buy lean Cattel.

THat Husbandman that will thrive, must be well furnished with Cattel, he must rear and breed some Calves and Foals, or else he must be a Buyer. If he buy Oxen for the Plough, let him look that they are young and not goutty, neither broken of Hair, of Tayl, or of Pizzle. If he buys Kine for the Pail, let him see that they are young, and likely to give good Milk; and let him be sure that he feed her Calves well. And if he buy lean Oxen, let him feed and fat them, the younger they are, the better they will feed, and sooner gain flesh: but (as we have said) let him look well to the Hair, that it stare not, and that the Beast lick himself, be whole mouthed, and want no teeth. And though he have the Gout, and be broken both of Tayl and Pizzle, yet will he feed. But the goutty Ox will not be driven far. Let him also be sure, that he have a broad Rib and a thick Hide, that he be loose-skin­ned, that it stick not hard nor strait to his Ribs, for then he will not feed.

To rear Calves.

IT is convenient for a Husbandman to rear Calves, and especially those that come be­twixt Candlemas and May; for at that season he may best spare Milk, and by that time the Calf shall be weaned, there will be Grass enough to put him into, and at Winter he will be big enough to save himself amongst other beasts, with a little favour. The Dam of the Calf shall bull again, and bring another by the same time of the year: but if he shall tarry till after May, the Calf will be weak in Winter, and the Dam will not bull again, but oftentimes go barren. And if he shall rear a Calf that cometh after Michaelmas, it will be costly to keep the Calf all the Winter­season at Hay, and the Dam at hard meat in the House, as they use in the plain Champion Countries. And a Cow shall give more Milk with a little grass and straw, lying without in a Close, then she shall do with Hay and Straw, lying in a House, for the hard meat dryeth up the Milk. But he that hath no Pasture must do as he may: but yet it is better for the Husbandman to sell those Calves, then to rear them, because of the cost, and also for the pro­fit of the Milk to his House, and the rather the Cow will take the Bull. If the Husbandman [Page 86] go with an Ox-plough, it is convenient that he rear two Ox-calves, and two Cow-calves at the least to uphold his stock; and if he rear more, it will be the more profitable for him. It is better for the Husbandman to wean his Calves at Grass, then at hard meat, if they went to Grass before. And that man that may have a Pasture for his Kine, and another for his Calves, and water in them both, may rear and breed good Beasts with little cost. And if the Husbandman wean his Calves with Hay, it will make them big-bellied, and they are the likelier to rot when they go to grass. In Winter they should be put in a House by themselves, and given Hay over night, and put in a good pasture in the day time, which will render them much the better to handle when they shall be Kine or Oxen.

To geld Calves.

IT will be a fit time to geld Calves in the old of the Moon, when they are ten or twenty days old; for then is least danger, and the Ox shall be the higher, and the longer of body, and the longer horned. And that may be thus proved: Take two Ox-calves, both of them of one kind, one making, and both of one age, geld one of them, and let the other go forth, and be a Bull. And put them both [Page 87] in one pasture until they are four or five years old, and then shall you see the Ox-calf far greater every way then the Bull. There is no other cause of this but the gelding. And if he geld them not till they are a year old, there will be the more danger, and he will be less of body, and shorter horned.

Of which is the greatest loss, a Lamb, a Calf, or Foal.

IT is less damage to a Husbandman to have his Cow to cast her Calf, then an Ew to cast her Lamb; for the Calf will suck as much milk ere it be fit to be killed, as it is worth, and of the Ew cometh no profit of the milk, but the Lamb. Howsoever they use in some places to milk their Ews when they have weaned their Lambs; but that is a great hurt to the Ews, insomuch that it will cause them that they will not take the Ram at the time of the year, because of their leanness, but grow barren. And if a Mare cast her Foal, that is thrice so much loss. For if the Foal come of a good Breed, the loss is so much the greater, and in a short time the Foal may be sold for as much money as would buy many Calves and Lambs.

What Cattel should go together in one Pasture.

BEasts alone, nor Horses alone, nor Sheep alone, except it be Sheep upon a very high Ground, will not eat pasture even, but leave many in Fees and high Grass in divers places, except it be over-laid with Cattel. Therefore we may the better take notice, that Horses and Beasts will agree well in one Pasture; for there is some manner of Grass that a Horse will eat, that a Beast will not, as the Fitches, Flashes, and low places, and all the hollow Bundes and Pipes grow therein. But Horses and Sheep will not so well agree, except it be Sheep to feed; for a Sheep will go on a bare Pasture, and will eat the sweetest Grass, and so will a Horse, but he would have it longer. Howsoever he will eat as close to the Earth as a Sheep, but he cannot so soon fill his belly. To a hundred Beasts the Husbandman or Gra­sier may put in twenty Horses. If it be low ground, and if there be grass enough, he may put in an hundred Sheep, and so after the rate the pasture more or less: and after this man­ner they may feed or eat the Close even, and leave but few tufts. But if it be high ground, let him put in more Sheep, and less Beasts, and Horses. Milch Kine and draught Oxen will eat a Close much barer then as many fat Kine [Page 89] and Oxen. A Milch Cow may have too much meat; for if she grow fat, she will the rather take Bull, and give less milk: for the fatness stoppeth the Pores and the Veins that should bring the milk to the Paps. And therefore mean Grass is best to keep her in a low estate. And if a Cow be fat when she should calf, then is there great hazard of her, and the Calf shall be the less; but the Hus­bandman cannot allow his Draught-Ox too much meat, except it be the after-mathe of a low-mown Meadow, for that will cause him to have the Girte, and then he is not so fit to labour. And if there be too much Grass in a Close, the Cattel shall feed so much the worse, for a good bite to the Earth is sufficient; for if it be long, the Beasts will bite off the top and no more, for that is sweet, and the other lyeth still upon the ground, and rotteth, and no Beasts will eat it but Horses in Winter: But these Beasts, Horse, and Sheep may not be foddered together in Winter; for then they should be severed, for else the Beasts with their horns will gore both the Horses and the Sheep in their bellies. It will be necessary to make standing Cratches to cast their Fodder in, and the staves set right enough together for pulling their Fodder out too hastily for shedding. And if it be laid upon the Earth, the fourth part thereof will be lost: but if he [Page 90] is forced to lay it on the Earth, let him lay it every time in a new place, for the old will spoil the new.

Of Swine.

THe Husbandman that is well furnished with other Cattel, it will also be very profitable for him that he have Swine: It is a common saying, That he that hath Sheep, Swine, and Bees, sleep he or wake he, may thrive; and the saying is, because that from these things the greatest profit ariseth with the least cost. Therefore let the Husbandman consider with himself how many Swine he can conveniently keep: let them be Boars and Sows all, and no Hogs. And if he be able to rear six Pigs a year, then let two of them be Boars, and two of them Sows, and so to con­tinue after that rate: For a Boar will require as little keeping as a Hog, and is much better then a Hog, and hath more meat on him, and is ready at all times to cut in the Winter sea­son, and to be laid in Souse. And a Sow be­fore she be fit to be killed, shall bring forth as many Pigs and more, as she is worth, and her body is not the worse, but will be as good Bacon as a Hog, and asketh as little keeping, but at such a time as she hath Pigs. And if his Sow hath more Pigs then he intends to rear, let him sell them, or dispose of them for [Page 91] his Family; but let him rear those Pigs that come about Lent, especially at the beginning of Summer; for they cannot be reared in win­ter for cold, without great cost.

Of the Properties of Horses.

A Good Horse hath several properties, two of a Man, two of a Bauson or Badger, four of a Lyon, nine of an Ox, nine of a Hare, nine of a Fox, nine of an Ass, ten of a Wo­man.

The two properties that a Horse hath of a Man, is to have a proud heart; the second is to be bold and hardy.

The two properties that a Horse hath of a Bauson or Badger, is first to have a white Rase or Ball in the Forehead; the second to have a white Foot.

The four properties that a Horse hath of a Lyon, is first to have a broad Breast, the se­cond to be stiff-docked, the third to be wild of Countenance, the fourth to have good Legs.

The nine properties that a Horse hath of an Ox, is first to be broad-ribbed, the second to be low-brawned, the third to beshort-pasturn­ed, the fourth to have great sinews, the fifth to be wide betwixt the Challes, the sixth to have a great Nose, the seventh to be big on [Page 92] the Chine, the eighth to be fat well fed, the ninth to be upright standing and

The nine properties that a Horse hath of a Hare, is first to be stiff-eared, the second to have great Eyes, the third to have round Eyes, the fourth to have a lean Head, the fifth to have lean Knees, the sixth to be light of Foot, the seventh to turn upon a light Ground, the eighth to have short Buttocks, the ninth to have two good Fillets.

The nine properties that a Horse hath of a Fox, is first to be prick-eared, the second is to be little-eared, the third is to be round-sided, the fourth is to be side-tayled, the fifth is to be short-legged, the sixth is to be black-legged, the seventh is to be short-trotting, the eighth is to be well-coloured, the ninth is to have a little Head.

The nine properties that a Horse hath of an Ass, the first is to be small-mouthed, the se­cond is to be long-reined, the third is to be thin-crested, the fourth is to be strait-backed, the fifth is to have small Stones, the sixth is to have Lath-legs, the seventh is to be round-footed, the eighth is to be hollow-footed, the ninth is to have a rough Foot.

The ten properties a Horse hath of a Wo­man, the first is to be merry at meat, the se­cond is to be well-paced, the third is to have a broad Forehead, the fourth is to have broad [Page 93] Buttocks, the fifth is to be hard of Ward, the sixth is to be easie to be leapt upon, the seventh is to be good at a long Journey, the eighth is to be ever busie with the Tongue, the ninth is to be chewing the Bridle, the tenth is to be active and stirring under a man.

Of the divers Diseases of Cattel, and the Reme­dies thereof, and first of the Murrain.

THe Murrain proceeds from a rankness of Blood, it appeareth first most commonly in the Head; for the Head will swell, and the Eyes wax great, and run with water, and froth at the Mouth, which are certain signs that the Beast is past Remedy; for he will not eat after he hath fallen sick. The best way is to tye him, and to make a deep pit hard by the place where he dyeth, and so to cast him in, and cover him close with Earth, that no Dogs may come to the Carrion. For as many beasts as smell of that Carrion, are very likely to be in­fected. And then let him take the skin, and carry it to the Tanners, and sell it. It hath been a common charitable Custom, to take the bare head of the same beast, and put it upon a long Pole, and set it on a Hedge fast bound to a stake by the High-way side, that every man that rideth or goeth by that way, may see and know by that sign, that there is sickness of [Page 94] Cattel in that Township. And the good ho­nest Husbandmen in those parts are of opinion, that this may be a means that the Murrain may the sooner cease: when the beast is flay'd, the Murrain will appear betwixt the flesh and the skin, and it will rise up like a Jelly or Froth an inch deep or more; and the best Re­medy for the Murrain, is to take a small Cur­tain-rod, and bind it hard about the Beasts Neck, and that will cause the blood to come into the Neck; and on the other side of the Neck, there is a Vein that a man may feel with his finger, then let him take a Blood-Iron, and set it straight upon the Vein, and blood him on both sides, and let him bleed the quantity of a pint, or nigh it, and then let him take a­way the Cord, and it will stanch bleeding. And thus let him serve all his Cattel in that Close or Pasture, and by Gods Blessing there shall no more of them be sick.

Of the Long-saught, with the Remedy.

THis sickness will endure long, it is per­ceived by its hoissing, the Beast will stand much, and eat but little, and grow very hol­low and thin, and he will hoist twenty times in an hour, but few such do mend. The best Remedy is to keep the Cattel in sundry places, and as many as were in company with that [Page 95] Beast that first fell sick, to let them blood a little. There are many Farriers that can se­ver them, that is, to cut the Dew-lap before; there is a Grass called Fetter-grass, take that Grass, and bruise it a little in a Mortar, and put thereof as much as a Hens Egg into the same Dew-lap, and be careful that it fall not out.

Of Dewholm, and the hard Remedy thereof.

THis Disease comes when a hungry Beast is put into a Pasture full of rank Grass, where he will eat so much, that his sides will stand as high as his Back-bone, and at other times the one side more then the other. When the beast hath this disease with the swelling, he must not be driven hastily nor laboured. The substance of this distemper is but a wind, and therefore he should be softly driven, but not suffered to lye down. I have seen a Farrier take a Knife, and thrust the beast thorow the skin and the flesh two inches deep or more, six inches or more thorow the Rigge-bone, that the wind may come out; for the wind lyeth betwixt the flesh and the great Paunch.

Of the Rysen upon, and the Remedy thereof.

FEw or no men know from whence this Disease proceedeth; but you may per­ceive [Page 96] it by swelling in the Head, and more es­pecially by the Eyes; for they will run on water, and close the beasts sight, which many times causes them to dye within an hour or two, if they are not suddenly taken in hand. The cause of this disease is, that there is a Blister risen under the Tongue, the which Blister must be slit with a Knife across: when he hath pulled out the Tongue, let him rub the Blister well with Salt, and take a Hens Egg, and break it in the beasts mouth, shell and all, and cast Salt with it, and hold up the beasts head, that all may be swallowed down into the body. But the breaking of the Blister is the great help; let him drive the beast a little about, and this shall cure him by the help of God.

Of the Turn, and the Remedy thereof.

THere are beasts that will turn about when they eat their meat, and will not feed: 'tis a dangerous disease for them, by reason that they are subject to fall in Pits, Ditches, or Waters. The cause of this distemper pro­ceeds from a Bladder in the Forehead, be­tween the Brain-pan and the Brains, the which must be taken out, or else the beast shall never mend, but it will kill him. This is the Remedy and the greatest Cure that can be on a beast: Take the beast, and throw him [Page 97] down, and bind his four feet together, and with his Thumb let him thrust the Beast in the Forehead, and where he finds the softest place, there let him take a Knife, and cut the skin three or four inches on both sides between the Horns, and as much beneath towards the Nose, and flay it, and turn it up and down, and pin it fast with a pin. And with a Knife cut the Brain-pan two inches broad, and three inches long; but let him look that the Knife go no deeper then the thickness of the bone, for pe­rishing of the Brain: Let him take away the bone, and then he shall see a Bladder full of water two inches long and more. Let him take that out, and be sure that he hurt not the Brain; and then let him lay down the skin, and sew it fast as it was before, and bind a cloth two or threefold upon his Forehead, to keep it from cold and wet, for ten or twelve days together: thus have I seen many cured. But if the Beast be fat, and have good substan­tial meat upon him, it will be safer to kill him, for there will be but little loss. If the Bladder be under the Horn, it is past cure. A Sheep will be troubled with the same di­stemper; but I never saw any of them cured.

Of the Warry-breed, and the Remedy.

THere are Beasts that have this Disease in divers parts of their Body and Legs. [Page 98] This is the Remedy; cast the beast down, and bind his four Legs together, and let the Far­rier take a Culter or pair of Tongs, or such other Iron, and make it glowing hot; and if it be a long Warry-breed, let him fear it close to the body; and if it be in the beginning, and but flat, then let him lay the hot Iron up­on it, and fear it to the bare skin, and it will prove a perfect Cure.

Of the Foul, and the Remedy.

THis Disease is for the most part between the Clees, sometimes before, and some­times behind; it will smell, and cause the Beast to halt. This is the Remedy; cast him down, and bind his four feet together, and take a Rope hard writhen and twisted toge­ther, and put it between his Clees, and let him draw the Rope to and fro for a good space, till that he bleed well; and then let him lay to it soft-made Tar, and bind a cloth about it, that no Mire or Gravel get between the Clees; then put him into pasture, or let him stand still in the House, and he will suddenly mend.

Of the Gout without Remedy.

THere are Beasts that will have the Gout, and that for the most part in the hinder-feet, [Page 99] which will cause him to go stifly and halt. I never knew any man that could find such a Remedy as to cure this distemper: the only way to be taken that I know of, is to put him into good Grass, and let him feed well.

To help a Beast that pisseth Blood.

Take of Bloodwort, of Shepherds-purse, or Knotgrass, of each a like quantity, and stamp them together, then strain them with a quart of Milk of one coloured Cow, and put there­into a little Runnet made of the same Milk, and mix therewith the Leaven of brown Bread; then strain them all together, and give it with a Horn: use this morning and even­ing, and it will cure him.

A Remedy for the Blain in the Tongue.

IT is a certain Bladder growing above the Root of the Tongue against the Pipe, which grief at length with swelling, will choak and stop the wind: You may perceive this distem­per by his gaping, and holding forth of his Tongue, and foaming at the mouth; without a speedy Remedy, it will suddenly kill him. The Cure is, to cast him, and to take forth his Tongue, and slit the Bladder, or break it thereon; then wash it with a little Vinegar and Salt, and he will recover.

To help a Beast that is goared.

Take Ashes finely sifted, and mix them with the grounds of Ale and Beer, and make it as thick as Butter, and so lay it thereon, and it will heal it.

A Remedy for the Pantasie in a Beast.

THis Disease will shake him much, and make him quiver in the Flanks, and pant extreamly. For the Cure, you shall give him some Runnet, Soot, and Chamber-lye mixed together.

To kill Lice and Ticks in Cattel.

Take the Decoction of wild Olives mixed with Soot, then rub and chafe the beast all over therewith. Another: Take Bearfoot-herb, stamp it, and then strain it with Vine­gar mixt with it, and so apply it.

A sovereign Remedy for the Plague in Cattel.

THis Disease proceeds from an infection of blood: it appears first commonly in the Head; for the beasts Head will swell, and his Eyes grow great, and run with water. When he doth once forth at the mouth, he is past Re­medy. For the Cure, take of the wild Car­rot, called in Latine Daucus or wild Parsnep, of Groundsil, of Angelica-roots, or the Root [Page 101] of Sea-Holm, named Eringion, with Fennel-seed, and sprinkle it with sod Wine, and fine wheaten Meal, with hot Water, mix them so together, and give your sick Cattel to drink thereof: then soon after you shall make a Drink of Cassia-Mirrh, and Frankincense, in like manner mixt with as much blood of the Sea-Tortoise, if you can get it; then put alto­gether in a quart of good old Wine, and squire it into their Nostrils. You must administer this Medicine three days together, every day a third part. Other Preservatives are these: You must change their Lays, and divide them into many parts, far off from thence, and also separate the whole from the sick; for one beast infected will infect all the rest in a short time: Thus when you have changed them in­to other parts, you must put them where you may be sure that no other beast do feed with them.

An approved Remedy for the Tetter in Cattel.

THis Distemper is an ill-favoured Scurf or Scab growing on the skin or outward part of the beast. Some Tetters are broad, and some will grow long, and hang like a Cluster of Grapes, somewhat hard. It is supposed that they are increased through lean­ness and wet; or it may proceed from some [Page 102] venomed Humour, or by some prick or bruise. The running or broad Tetter is cured by fear­ing it round about with a hot Iron, then lay Tar on it, and it will take it away. Some also say, that when the beast begins to be in good case, and lusty with eating of grass, that it will wear away of it self by degrees; for he hath it for the most part in the Winter, and not in the Summer.

An excellent Cure for an Ox or Cow that hath a Fever.

THis Disease is sometimes got by cold or other distempers: The signs thereof are▪ when his Eyes are hollow, and seem as if they were heavy, dropping from his head, his mouth lathering and foaming, drawing his breath very long and hard, with much pain, which occasions him sometimes to sigh. For the Cure, you must keep him a day and a night without meat or drink, then the next morning fasting you may draw a little blood from him under his Tayl; about an hour after give him thirty small Truncheons of Cole­worts sod in Sallet-Oyl and salt Fish-water, or Brine, and force him to swallow it. Do thus to him for five mornings fasting; cast be­fore him the tender branches of Olive-trees, or the tender buds of the Vine; rub and [Page 103] cleanse his Lips thrice a day, and give him cold water to drink, and keep him up till he be well. The Ox also is troubled with this disease, which proceeds from his too much la­bour: You must let him blood on the Vein of the Forehead, or on the Vein of his Ear. Then give him green Herbs, as Lettice, and such like, that are cold; bathe all his body with white Wine, give him cold water to drink, and he will recover.

An excellent Remedy for the Lungs of Cattel infected.

THe Cure is; you must pierce one of his Ears with a little Bodkin, and being so pierced, put into the holes the burnt Roots of Hazel-trees, then take a quantity of the Juyce of Leeks, with so much Sallet-Oyl, and mix it with a pint and an half of Wine, and give it him fasting. Use this nine days toge­ther, and he shall recover. This distemper proceeds from the Lights and Lungs of a beast infected, which will cause him to grow lean; till at length a common Cough will so dry his body, that it will kill him, if a sudden Re­medy be not applyed.

To help an Ox or any other Beast that have lost their Quide.

THe Quide by some accident or other may fall from the beast, which will cause him to mourn, and have no stomach to eat; for that the meat which he hath already eaten, he cannot digest. To cure this distemper, take part of the Quide out of another beasts mouth, and give it to the sick beast to swallow down, and by that means he will recover: But if he hath been long distempered, that he is much wasted and spent, then you must pull forth his Tongue, and prick the under-vein with an Awle in two or three places, till it bleed: this will cure him. Probatum est.

A Remedy that fails not to cure a Beast that cannot piss.

Take and bruise Carduus Benedictus steep­ed in white Wine, and so give it to him. Give an Ox that cannot piss warm Water mixed with Bran; also take and stamp Sow-thistle, and heat it with Ale and Beer, and it will help him.

To cure a Cow of the Whethered.

THis distemper falls upon her when she hath but newly calved, and hath not cast [Page 105] her cleaning, which without voiding will sud­denly kill her. To cure her, take a good quantity of the Juyce of Mallows, mixed with Ale and white Wine, which is excellently good to repulse the latter birth after the Cow hath calved.

A Remedy for the faintness of a labour­ing Ox.

That Ox that hath laboured hard all the Winter at Plough, and at the approach of the Spring will be very lean and faint, and lousie, insomuch that with little or no labour they will lye down. To recover and make him lusty, before his watering you must give him a good handful of Barley in the straw, and af­terwards let him drink: which will preserve him in a strong and good case.

To recover the Leanness of a Cow.

You must make a Drink, and give it her fasting, which is: take of long Pepper, of Madder, of the Bark of Walnut-tree, and Turmerick, with some Bays, of each a like portion: beat them into fine powders, and put them into a pint of Ale luke-warm, and she will be in a good liking, and far better plight.

Remedies against the Worms in Cattel.

Take and stamp Garlick, and mix it with Milk or Ale, and give it to the beast. Take a handful of Wood-Sage or wild Sage, bruise [Page 106] it, and strain it with Ale, and give it: They are approved Medicines.

Against the Milting of an Ox, or any other Beast.

This distemper is so called from the beasts sudden lying down, if there be but the least stop, though at Plough or Cart, which for the most part may proceed from some blow, stripe, or other mischance. When the beast lyes down, do not disturb him, so as immediately to raise him; but gently turn him, and lay him on the other side, and he will by degrees recover himself: For the Remedy, bruise the Bark of an Ash, strain it with Ale, and so give it him, and he will do well.

An excellent Remedy for the dropping Nostrils and watery Eyes of Cattel.

Take Salt and Savory mixed together, and rub his Throat with it, as also his Jaws; also you may rub and chafe the said parts with Brine and Garlick mixed together, or squirt in his Nostrils the Juyce of Pimpernel mixed with a little white Wine: These things are excellently good for the dropping Nostrils and watery Eyes of Cattel.

To cure the Garget in the Maw.

This dangerous distemper proceeds from the beasts over-eating of Crabs or Acorns that they find under Trees, which for the most part they swallow whole without breaking or [Page 107] chewing, so that they lye so in lumps in the Maw, that they cannot digest it; so that in time it will grow and sprout in the Maw (as some fancy) till it brings them into a dying condition. The Cure is, take a good quan­tity of whole Mustard-seed, and mix it with Wine and strong Ale, and give it to the beast, and it will set him right.

A Remedy against the crying and fretting of the Guts in Cattel, by some called, the Crowling.

The Cure is, when the beast shall suddenly see any thing swim, especially (as some will have it) a Drake on the water, that he shall presently be cured.

To cure Impostumes in Beasts.

Open the place with an Iron, and when it is cut, then you may crush out all the evil hu­mour and matter in it, then stir and wash it with the warm Brine of an Ox. Afterwards take Chirpi (so named of the French) mixed with Tar and white Oyl of Olive, plaister­wise close the sore therewith: If you cannot wash the sore clean inwardly, you must melt the Tallow of an Ox or Goat, and so infuse it into the wound, and let it run down all about the bottom thereof. Probatum est.

To cure a Beast that is goared.

If it be by some of his fellow-cattel, to pre­vent some Gargel or some Impostume that [Page 108] may proceed from it, you must take Ashes fine­ly sifted, mix them with the grounds of Ale or Beer, and make them as thick as Butter, and so lay it on the Goar, and this will certainly cure it.

The best times to be observed to stop Laxes.

You must observe when the Moon, or sign of Taurus is in Virgo or Capricorn, that will be the best time for to give your beast drink to stop it. Also it is not good to purge, or to let blood (without a great necessity) in the change of the Moon, nor when there is an evil Aspect in one Planet to another, nor in the signs of Capricorn or Aquarius; for they are the two Houses of Saturn and Mars.

A sudden and approved Remedy against a Sprain or Stroke.

Take Butter, black Sope, and Hemlock­herb, with a quantity of Salt and Oyl propor­tionable, then mix them altogether, bathe the Sprain and Stroke therewith, as hot as he can endure it, and it will cure him. But if it be in the Legs, you must put unto them the things aforesaid, either with grounds of Beer or Ale, wash them therewith, and then wrap it about them with a hair-rope dipt in Cham­ber-lye, and the beast shall do well.

To cure Calves that have the Worms in their Bellies.

These Worms will annoy them much, and [Page 109] at length prove dangerous; they will take a­way their stomachs to their meat. The best Remedy is to take Lumpin-pease half raw, bruise them, and divide them into small pie­ces, make them to swallow them: do this in the morning, and it will kill them.

An approved Remedy for the Costiveness in Cattel.

A Swelling in Ox and Kine is procured through heat, so that they cannot dung. The Cure is to chafe and drive them apace up and down: If they do not then dung, anoint your hand with Oyl or Grease, then rake them, and take forth their dung.

An excellent Cure for a Beast that is Hide­bound.

This disease happens to an Ox when he hath been over-laboured. For this Cure, sethe Bay­leaves in Ale, and so bathe him therewith, and immediately chafe and rub him with Oyl and Wine mixed together, and so pluck and draw the skin on both his sides, till you have by de­grees loosed it from his Ribs: do this in a Sun-shiny-day, that it may the better dry and soak it.

An excellent Cure for the Garget in the throat of a Beast

This distemper will grievously afflict him; it commonly seizes on him through some great drought for want of water. The Cure is, you [Page 110] must cast him, then cut and flay his skin on both sides, as far as any swelling doth appear, then take the whitest sifted Ashes that you can procure, and mix them with the grounds of Stale and Piss, and stir them well together, and wash the flesh sore therewith, and it will heal it.

A certain Remedy against the Worm in a Beasts tayl.

This Worm will breed like to an eating Canker, which will make the beast of ill liking, very poor in flesh: when you offer to feel, you shall find this place somewhat soft; a little above the place on the sides of his Tayl, you must slit the skin down-right with a sharp Knife, two inches long; then take a quantity of bruised Garlick and Salt mixed together, bind it fast to the place, and let it so remain till it do fall off it self, and the beast will do well.

An approved Remedy to cure Galls and Scabs in Cattel.

Take Garlick, and bruise it, and with it chafe and rub all the Sores. If it grow to any great Sore, then rub the place with bruised Mallows mixed with white Wine, and bind them to the place.

A Remedy for the Galling of the Neck or Throat with the Yoke.

If it swell but of one side, you must let him [Page 111] blood on the Ear on that side; but if it be chafed in the midst of the Neck, then let him blood in both his Ears, and lay unto it a Plai­ster made with the Marrow of an Ox, mixed with the Suet of a Buck, and then melt them together with some Pitch and Tar, and you shall heal him.

A Cure for the Itch in Cattel.

It may proceed from bad dressing, he may take it from his Fellows, or it may come from ill water, and Choler in the Veins. The Re­medy is to wash and chafe him with his own Urine made warm, and mixt with old salt Butter.

A Cure for the flowing of the Gall.

This distemper proceeds from the abun­dance of Choler, increased by hard travelling in hot seasons; the Gall being filled with Cho­ler, it overflows the whole body, causing the Yellows or the Jaundice. For the Cure, take Gallwort herb, which is bitter, and stamp a handful thereof, and then strain it with a quart of Ale, and so give it the beast to drink three mornings, and he will recover.

An approved Remedy against the Colick in Cattel.

This distemper causeth a gurting or rum­bling of the belly, with a noise in the Guts, you shall see the diseased beast lye down, and rise presently, because his pain will not suffer [Page 112] him to take any ease or rest. If it be an Ox, bruise Garlick, or bruised Leeks with a pint of Wine. The general Medicine to help Cat­tel, is to put into their drink the Oyl of Nuts, or Onions boiled in sweet Wine.

An excellent Remedy against the Haw in the Eye.

This disease is soon perceived by the beasts holding of his head on one side, and his wink­ing with his Eye, which will run of water. The Cure is, you must hold him fast by the head, with a strong double thred, put therewith a Needle in the midst of the upper Eye-lid, and tye it to the Horn, then take your Needle a­gain with a long thred, and put it through the Gristle of the Haw, and with a sharp Knife cut the skin exactly round, and so pluck out the Haw; then lay a fine Linnen-cloth about the top of your finger, and put your finger in­wardly round about his Eye, and take out the blood, then wash it with Beer or Ale, and cast in a good quantity of Salt, wash it again, and stroke it down with your hand: Let him go, and he will do very well.

A Remedy for the Kibes in the Heel.

Cut them forth as nigh as you can, and let them bleed well; then take Herb-Grace, and the Yolk of a new-laid Egg well beaten and stampt, and so bind it to the grief, and it will help and heal it.

An excellent Remedy for the sickness of the Lungs.

This disease is perceived by the rising and shaking of the Dew-lap. For the Cure, take Bearfoot and beaten Garlick, wrap it in But­ter, then cut his Dew-lap two inches beneath his sticking place, open it round with your finger, or with a stick on both sides and be­heath, then put in your stuff: You must cut your Dew-lap four fingers above the bottom thereof; then must you tye a strong thred to your stuff, to pluck it up and down as you shall see cause to every third day, and it will rot the sooner. If the humour do not rot, then change your stuff, and put in new, and he shall do well.

Excellent Remedies for the Cough in Cattel.

This distemper proceeds from cold or over­travelling of the beast, or by eating of some unwholesom thing. For the Cure, take Stitch­wort chopt small, with husked Beans bruised together: you may also take of Lentil-pease cut out of their Husks, bruise them small, and mix them with three pints of warm Water, and give it him with a Horn. If an Ox hath but of late got a Cough, you may cure it by a drink made with water mixed with Barley­meal.

For the Navel-gall, with the Remedy.

THis distemper proceeds from a hurt with a Saddle, or with the Buckle of a Crup­per, or from some other cause that hath hurt the midst of the Back: The Cures whereof are divers, and so they ought to be; for Medicine is to be administred according to the hurt, as it may be more or less. If it be but only gall­ed, take the Soot of a Chimney and Yest mix­ed together, and plaister it once or twice a day. Another Cure for it is, that if it be so hurt, that it swell, and is impostumed, then lance it on the nethermost part of the Ulcer, so that the matter may have issue downward; for if you should lance it at the top, then the corruption that remaineth will fistulate: if you find the concavity deep, then make a Tent of Flax, and dip it in this Salve: Take of Deers Suet, of Wax, of Tar, and of Turpentine, of each three ounces, and one ounce of Rosin, mingle them together, and tent the Wound; and if you see any dead flesh grow in it, then sprinkle the powder of Verdigrease upon it; lay upon the head of the Tent the plaister of the Yolk of an Egg, Honey, and Wheat-flour, and thus dress it morning and evening, and it will quickly be whole.

Of the Worms, with the Remedy.

THe Worms lye in the great Paunch of the Belly of the Horse; they are engendred of raw and bad humours: There are three kinds of them; the Worm, the Bot, the Trun­cheon: some of them are of a shining colour, like a Snake, six inches in length, great in the midst, and sharp at both ends. The Horse when he is troubled with them, will lye down and wallow, which is when they feed on him, his breath will stink, & his mouth be clammy. The present Remedy is to give him a quart of Milk, and half a pint of Honey in it blood-warm; this will keep them from gnawing of him, because they will suck thereof until they are ready to burst: then the next day give him this Drink, Take a quart of Wort, or Ale that is very strong, then take a quarter of a pound of Fern, half a pound of Savin, half a pound of Stone-corp, stamp them, and mix them together with two spoonfuls of Brim­stone, and as much Chimney-foot, beaten to powder. Let them lye in steep two hours, then strain them, and give the Horse a little warm, bridle him, and let him stand six hours without meat, and question not but your Horse will be quiet and do well.

Of the Farcy, with the Remedy.

THis is a very bad disease, but may be cu­red, if it be taken in time; it will ap­pear in divers parts of the body, where there will rise Pimples, and as much as half a Wal­nut shell; they will follow a Vein, and will break of themselves, and as many Horses as do play with him that is sore, and gnap off the matter that runneth out of the sore, will have the same disease within a month after; and therefore let the Grasier keep his sick Horses from the whole. This distemper proceeds from an Ulcer which is not unknown to any that have for a long time been Masters of Hor­ses, and yet unknown to all, I mean as to the true cause of this disease: Some say it is a cor­ruption of the blood, some an outward hurt, as of Spur-galling, biting of Ticks, Hogs Lice, or such like; some say an infirmity bred in the Breast near the Heart, in the Side-vessels near the Stones, with many evil humours con­gealed together, which afterwards disperse themselves into the Thighs, and sometimes into the Head, and doth send forth watery humours into the Nostrils, and then 'tis called [...]he running Farcy. Indeed if the true cause [...]f a disease be known, the disease it self is ea­ [...]ly cured. The Mange, the Leprosie, and [Page 117] this disease of the Farcy, are most pernicious to a Horse; for oftentimes it falleth out, that many Horses infected therewith, though they live, and the disease seemeth to be healed; yet they are rendred of small or of no use. For my own part, I conjecture the cause of this disease grows either from abundance of bad blood, or by a great distemper thereof, through a violent heat changed into a sudden cold. To cure this distemper, first let him blood on both sides of the Neck three quarters at least; for it is most certain, that the Liver which is the fountain of blood, is corrupted, and so sendeth the same into every part of the body, so as to become lothsom to behold; then give the Horse this Drink. Take a Gal­lon of fair Water, put into it a good handful of Rue, and a good spoonful of Hemp-seed, and a handful of the inner Rind of green El­der, bruise them in a Mortar together, and let them sethe until they are half consumed, and being cold, give it to him to drink: still con­tinue to let him blood a great quantity in that Vein which is nighest to the sore place, as you see occasion. Let his diet be thin, but very clean and sweet, then take this following ap­proved Medicine. Of Herb-Grace a handful, of Featherfew a handful, of Chickweed of the House a handful, of Kikweed a handful, of Herb-Robert a handful, keep the residue there­of [Page 118] in a Pipkin close covered with the Earth, stop the mouth thereof close with Herb-Grace and Dock-leaves, and a green Turfe laid upon it, no Air to come in, and every third day untye his Ears and dress it, and so continue till all the Farcy be dead; for undoubtedly at three or four dressings it will kill it.

Of a Courb, with the Remedy.

THis disease makes a Horse to halt very sore; it appeareth most upon the hinder­legs straight under the Cambrel place and a little beneath the Spaven: it will be swelled, and hard to cure, if it grow upon the Horse. The Cure is, take a pint of Wine-lees, a Por­ringer of Wheat-flour, of Cummin half an ounce, and stir them well together, which be­ing warmed, charge the sore place therewith, renewing it once every day, for the space of three or four days; and when that the swel­ling is almost gone, then let them draw it with a hot Iron, and cover the burning with Pitch and Rosin melted together, and laid on warm, clap on a Flocks of his own Collar, and let him rest, and come in no water for the space of twelve days. Another for the same: Take an Iron, and make it red hot, and hold it a­gainst the sore as nigh as you may, but touch not the sore, and when it is warm, then take [Page 119] a Fleam, and wet it in six or seven places full of Nervil, then take a handful of Salt, and a penny weight of Verdigrease, and the White of an Egg, and put all these together, and take a little Flax, and wet it therein, and lay it to the sore.

Of Wind-galls in Horses, with the Remedy.

WInd-galls are a disease which proceeds from too much labour; they appear above the Fet-locks, as well before as behind: they consist of a little swelling with wind. This is a Grief many are acquainted withal. The Cure is, wash the places with warm wa­ter, and shave the hair, then draw it with a hot Iron, in this manner ♐; that done, slit the middle Line which passeth down-right through the Wind-gall with a sharp Knife, beginning beneath, and so upwards half an inch, thrust the Jelly out, then take Pitch and Rosin molten together laid on hot, with Flocks upon it.

Of the Pains and Cratches of a Horse, with the Remedy.

THis disease causeth a Horse to halt; it proceeds chiefly from ill keeping: it ap­pears in the pasterns, as if the skin were cut [Page 120] over-thwart, that a man may lay in a Wheat-straw. This distemper proceeds from a fret­tish waterish matter bred in the pasterns of the hinder Legs, liquid and thin humours resort­ing to the Joynts, whereby the Legs will be swollen, hot, and scabby. The Cure is to wash the pasterns with Beer and Butter, which being dry, clip away all the hair, saving the Fetlock; then take of Turpentine, Hogs-grease, and Honey, of all a like quantity, mingle them in a Pot, and put into them a little Bole of Armony, the Yolks of two Eggs, and as much Wheat-flour as will thicken them, then with a slice lay it on a cloth, make it fast to go round the pastern, and bind it fast, re­newing it every day. Let him not come into any wet, but stand still: some will wash it only with Gun-powder and Vinegar, which cannot but serve very well to the purpose.

Of the Ringbone, a Disease in Horses, with the Remedy.

THis is a dangerous disease; it appears be­fore on the foot above the Hoof, as also behind: it gets into a Gristle growing about the Crouts of the feet; it will swell three inches broad, and a quarter of an inch or more of height, the hair of the beast will stare and wax thin, it will make him halt; it is hard [Page 121] to cure, if it be of any long growth. The Cure is to fire the sore with right lines from the Pastern to the Coffin of the Hoof, in this manner III. and let the edge of the drawing Iron be as thick as the back of a big Knife, burn it so deep, that the skin may look yel­low, then cover it with Pitch and Rosin mol­ten together, and lay thereon Flocks of the Horses collar: some will eat it away with Corrosives, as the Splent.

Of the Spaven, with the Remedy thereof.

IT is a very bad distemper, which will occa­sion the Horse to halt, and that more espe­cially in the beginning of it; it appeareth on the hinder Legs within and against the Joynt, it will be a little swelled and hard. Some Horses have a thorow Spaven, as it appeareth both within and without: such a kind of Spaven is hard to be cured. Our most expert Farriers will have a Spaven to be of two kinds, either dry or wet; this latter they call the Blood-Spaven. The dry Spaven is cured in the manner following. First wash it with warm water, and shave off the hair as far as the swelling is, then scarifie the place, that it bleed, take of Cantharides a dozen, and of Euphorbium half a spoonful, break them into a Powder, and boil them together, with a lit­tle [Page 122] Oyl de Bay, and when they are boiling hot, with feathers anoint the sore, and tye his Tayl, so that he may not wipe it, and within an hour after set him in the Stable, and tye him so that he lye not down that night (for rubbing off the Medicine) and within a day after, anoint it with Butter, and so continue for six days; then draw the sore place with an hot Iron, take a sharp one like a Bodkin, somewhat bowing at the point, and so up­ward betwixt the skin and the flesh, and thrust it in the nether end of the middle Line, then tent it with Turpentine and Hogs-grease molten together, and made warm, renewing it once every day, for the space of nine days; but remember that after this burning, you take up the Master-vein, which must be done in this manner: Cast the Horse upon some straw, then having found the Vein, mark well that part of the skin that covereth it, and pull that aside from the Vein with your left thumb, to the intent that you may slit it with a Razor without touching the Vein, and cut no deeper then through the skin, and that longest-wise that the Vein goeth, & not above an inch, then will the skin return again to the place over the Vein: with a Cornet under-cover the Vein, and make it bare, thrust the Cornet under­neath it, and raise it up, and put a Shomakers thred underneath somewhat higher then the [Page 123] Cornet standing, slit the Vein long-ways, that it may bleed, and having bled somewhat from above, then knit it with a sure knot somewhat above the slit, suffering it to bleed only from beneath a great quantity; then knit up the Vein also beneath the slit with a sure knot, then betwixt these two knots cut the Vein asunder where it was slit, and fill the hole with Salt, then lay on this following Charge: Take half a pound of Pitch, a quarter of a pound of Rosin, a quarter of a pint of Tar, boil them together, and being warm, anoint all the inside of the Joynt, and clap on the Flocks of the Horses collar, and turn him to Grass, if it may be till he be prefectly whole, and the hair grown again.

Of the wet or blood Spaven, with the Remedy.

SOme call this, as hath been said, the Tho­row Spaven; it is fed by a thin flexible humour by the Master-vein. The Cure is to shave off the hair, and to take up the Vein on every part, and then cut the Vein asunder, and draw it with a hot Iron, charge it and put on the Flocks, and it will perfectly heal it, as I have certainly experimented.

For any dangerous Bots or Maw-worms, the Remedy.

THis is a very evil distemper, the Bots ly­ing for the most part in the Horses Maw, where they will remain an inch long, white-coloured, and red-headed, and as much as a fingers end; they will grow quick and stick fast on the Maw-sides. This disease appeareth by the stamping or trembling of the Horse; taken at the beginning, there are Remedies enow for them; but let alone too long, they will eat through the Horses Maw and kill him. For Cure, take as much Precipitate (which is Mercury calcined) as will lye gently upon a silver Two-pence, and lay it on a piece of sweet Butter almost as big as a Hens Egg, in the manner of a Pill, then chase him a little up and down, and afterwards set him up warm, making him fast for full two hours after, and it will kill all manner of Worms whatsoever; yet in the administration, you must be very careful; for in the Precipitate there is a strong poysonous quality, therefore mix the same pre­scribed quantity with a little sweet Butter, as much as Hazel-nut: Before that you lap it up in the great lump of Butter, it will be the better to allay much of the evil quality. But this I leave to your own discretion, assuring you, that there is not any thing comparable to it for the same infirmity.

Of the Serew or Serow, with the Remedy of it.

THis disease is like to the Splent, in man­ner of a Gristle, but it is a little longer and more, about the bigness of an Almond; it groweth on the fore-leg, and lyeth upon the knee on the inner-side: Some Horses have a Thorow-Serew on both sides of the Legs, that Horse must needs stumble and fall, and it will be very hard to cure him. The best Reme­dy is, to take an Onion and to cut out the Core, and put there in a spoonful of Honey, a quarter of a pound of unslackt Lime, three penny worth of Verdigrease, and roast the Onion, and bruise it, and lay it to hot, having first cut the skin. Probatum est.

Of a Malender, with the Remedy.

THis is a disease that may be cured for a time, but with ill keeping it will come again; it appeareth on the foremost Leg on the bending of the knee behind: it is like a Scab or Scald growing in the form of lines or streaks. Some Horses will have two of them on a Leg within an inch together; they will make a Horse to stumble, and sometimes to fall. The Cure is, to wash it with warm wa­ter, and to shave the Scab clean away, then [Page 126] take a spoonful of Sope, as much Lime, and make it into a Paste, and spread as much on a clout as will cover the Sore, bind it fast, re­newing every day for three days together, then anoint the same with Oyl of Roses, to cause the crust to fall away, then wash it with Urine, and strew upon it the powder of Oyster shells. Another for the same: Take a bar­relled Herring with a soft Row, and two spoonfuls of black Sope, half an ounce of Al­lum, and bruise them together, and lay it on the Sore three days.

Of the Splent, with the Remedy.

THis is the least disease that is, except it be the Lampas, and many undertake to cure it, of which very few fail. The Cure of it is, to wash it with warm water, and shave off the hair, and lightly to scarifie all the sore places with the point of a Razor, so as that the blood may issue forth: then take of Can­tharides half a spoonful, and of Euphorbium as much, beaten into a fine powder, and mingle them together with a spoonful of Oyl de Bay, and then melt them in a little Pan, stirring them well together, so that they may boil over; and being so boiled hot, take two or three feathers, and anoint all the sore places therewith, and let not the Horse remove from [Page 127] the place for two hours after. Afterwards carry him away, and tye him, so that he may not touch the Medicine with his lips; and also let him stand without Litter that day and night, and within two or three days after a­noint the Sore with Butter for nine days, and it will cure him.

Of the Glanders, with the Remedy.

THe original cause of this disease is the Rheum, which being an abundant moi­sture, and naturally very cold, at length con­gealeth according to the nature of cold, and then proceedeth to Kernels, and so to Inflam­mations, which become so great in the end, that they seem to strangle the breath of the Horse, from whence it is said to have the Strangles, which by continuance of time either perish the Liver or the Lungs, by a continual distilling of putrefied and corrupt matter: the signs are apparent to any man that hath any discerning, and the diversity of Medicines in­finite. The beginning always of this disease, is taking of cold, after too much heat, the which cannot be avoided from a Horse that hath had too much feeding, and too great rest, more especially if his diet be naught: or by the use of continual Travel upon a full sto­mach, or before his body be made clean after long rest; for the standing Pool is ever mud­dy. [Page 128] The Cure is, you must take one ounce of Fennel Greek, boil it in Water till it split and open in two, and after that mingle it with the Decoction, and two pound of Wheat-meal, and give it the Horse to drink twice a day, keep him fasting. Probatum est.

An excellent Remedy for the Haw in the Eye.

THis disease in the Horses Eye is like a Gristle; the way to cure it, is to take up the Haw with a little Ivory Needle or Pen­knife, and then to cut it all away with your Sissers; for the only way to cure it, is to cut it out.

Of the Barbes, Barbels, with the Remedy.

THey are little Paps in a Horses mouth that hinder him from eating. The Cure is, to clip them away, and to wash them in Vinegar and Salt.

Of the Vives, with the Remedy of it.

THis disease is in a Horses Ear between the upper end and the Chall-bones & the Neck; it proceeds from the corruption of the blood: they are round knots between the skin and the flesh, like Tennis-balls, and if they are not timely killed, they will grow quick, eat the roots of the Horses Ears, and kill him. The Cure is, to draw them with a hot Iron right [Page 129] down in the midst, from the root of the Ear so far as the tip of the Ear will reach, being pulled down, and again under the root of the Ear, with a hot Iron draw two streaks on each side, then in the midst of the first line, lance them with a Lancelet or Razor, taking hold of the Kernels with a pair of Pinsers, so as that you may cut the Kernels out without hurting the Vein, then fill the hole full of Salt. Ano­ther Cure for the same: Take Agrimony, Ho­ney, and Violet-leaves, stamp them together, and slit the Sinew under the Ear, and lay a Plaister thereunto for two or three days.

Of the Mourning Chine, with the Remedy.

THe cause hereof is great heat, and after­wards taking of cold; it first beginneth with a Rheum, which proceedeth to the In­flammation of the Liver and the Lungs, by the continual distilling upon them, then to the Glanders, which is the Impostumation there­of, and lastly to an Exulceration, which ab­ruptly and untruly is called the Mourning of the Chine: The signs to know this disease are these. 1. The continual distilling of Rheum in the Head. 2. The continual Knobs be­tween the Jaws. 3. The keeping of the hair without casting. 4. A continual running of a thick stinking matter at the Nose, like O [...]k-water. [Page 130] 5. The fastning and growing of a Knob as big as a Walnut, to the inside of one of the Jaws; which if so, commit the Horses Carcass to the Crows, for he is past all help. The Cure for such a Horse, if he be not past Cure. For the first, which is the Rheum, the Cure is what I have mentioned for the Cold in the Head. For the second Cure, I refer you to that of the Glanders. For the third, let him blood till you see that he have fine and pure blood, and give him good Mashes. For the fourth, for the running of his Nose, you may add some ordinary purging Drinks that are used for the purging of the Head. For the fifth, if you find no amendment but a knob grown to his Jaw, then you must give him a Purge with Pills; and if these means will not help him (though he were the best Horse in the world) he is remediless.

Of the Broken Wind, with the Remedy.

THe cause of this dangerous disease, hath been but guessed at, not truly discovered by any, as not being well understood, & there­fore accounted of most Horse-men incurable. I do intend to use my best endeavours to un­fold and explain it: to which purpose, I will divide the same into three kinds, every one of which may be truly termed a Broken Wind, [Page 131] because the breath being drawn very short and thick, contrary to the original Institution or Creation, the which is long, cold, and quiet, for so every Creature is by Nature; but when any accident of violence of the body is used in any of them to a distemper, the signs thereof will quickly be visible, and then every mans experience telleth him evidently, that he pant­eth and fetcheth breath very short and thick; I therefore will begin with the Cause thereof, the which rightly understood, the Effects can­not be hid. Now the causes why a Horse draws his breath very short, are these; as sickness, great fulness, violent exercise: but the reason of the cause is, for that the Heart being the only hottest part of the body, from whence the Arteries and Veins do carry the heat thereof to every part of the body (and therefore it is truly said to be the Chariot of Life) when the same by sickness, or violence of exercise is choaked, or as it were smothered with too great heat, then do the Lights, being the Bellows to draw breath, according to that Office that Nature ordained them unto, pre­sently labour with all violence to draw it, and cool and comfort the Heart, and so consequent­ly all the members and parts of the body, to fill all the empty corners with Air, which na­turally and in predominant qualities is moist; and when they have drawn sufficient breath, [Page 132] the driness and heat by the moistness of the Air is quenched, which being so, then doth the Creature draw breath leisurely and cold­ly, and not before: but so long as the Heart is oppressed by the violent heat of sickness, or by great fulness, or violent exercise, the Caves, Pipes, and passages for the breath, are almost stopped and choaked up; then do the Lungs labour extream thick to preserve the life of the Creature, which is the Heart, and there­fore it is said to be the first thing that liveth, and the last that dyeth: So that all things which hinder and stop the passages of the breath, breaking the natural course thereof, are the only causes of a Broken Wind. So likewise the Cure of the Broken Wind must be by removing of the stoppings of the Air, and then the Lungs will perfectly perform their Office, and the Creature will be freed from the disease. The differences of Broken Winds both in cause and effect, are divers, and yet may be termed Broken; namely, the shortness of breath, the Pursick, and Broken-winded. 1. As touching the shortness of breath, it may proceed from some gross and tough humours, cleaving to the hollow places of the Lungs, stopping the Wind-pipes, so that the Horse cannot easily draw his breath; and the sign thereof is his coughing often, daily, and vehe­mently, without voiding at the Nose or the [Page 133] Mouth. 2. It may come by hasty running after drinking, or upon a full stomach, or dis­solution of humours, descending into his Throat or Lungs, by reason of some violent heat dissolving the same. And the signs there­of are, continually panting, sending the same forth very hot at his Nose, in a wheasing man­ner, his Flanks beating so thick, that he cannot fetch breath, but by holding his Neck right­out and straight: and this may be truly called a Broken Wind. The Cure is, to take a close earthen Pot, and put thereinto three pints of strong Wine-vinegar, and some new-laid Eggs, with the shells unbroken, and four Gar­lick-heads, clean peeled and bruised; then co­ver the Pot close, and set it in some warm Dunghil, and there let it stand a whole night, and the next morning take out the Eggs, but break them not, then strain the Garlick and Vinegar through a clean cloth, put thereunto a quarter of Honey, half a quarter of Sugar­candy, two ounces of Liquorish, two ounces of Aniseeds beaten into a fine powder. The Horse having fasted all night, in the morning open his mouth, and put out his Tongue, and put one Egg into his Throat, and then let go his Tongue, so that he may swallow it down, then pour after it a Horn of the said Drink, being luke-warm, and so all the Eggs in that manner, and all the Drink being spent, bridle [Page 134] him, and stop him, and cloath him very warm, and let him stand four hours, then unbit him; and if it be in Winter, give him Wheat-straw but no Hay; and if in the Summer time, give him Grass, and for some days together Mashes to drink, with some Sallet-Oyl or Hogs grease in them, and the Horse will do well, and in few days be fit for Exercise.

Of the Gravelling of the Horse, with the Remedy.

IT is a hurt will make the Horse to halt; it proceeds from Gravel and little stones that get in between the Slough and the Heart of the Foot: The Cure is, to pare his Hoof, and get out the Gravel, and then stop him with Tur­pentine and Hogs-grease molten hot, and stopt with Tow: have a care that he come not out of the Stable till he be well.

Of the Lampas, with the Remedy.

THis disease is in the Mouth; it is the ea­siest to be cured of all those that disturb the Horse: as it is only but a thick skin full of blood that hangs over his Teeth, that he can­not eat; so there needs no more to be done, but to let out the blood, and then take away the skin, and the Horse will be cured.

Of the Accloyed, or Cloying the Foot with the prick of a Nail, with the Remedy.

IT is a hurt that cometh from ill shoeing, when a Smith drives a Nail into the quick, the which will make the Horse to halt: The Cure is, to take Turpentine, Wax, and Sheeps Suet molten together, and poured into it.

Of the Colts Evil, with the Remedy.

THis is a very bad disease, which proceed­eth from the rankness of water and blood: it appeareth in his Scote, for they will swell great, and will not be hard. This distemper taken at the first, is thus cured; wash the Sheath clean with luke-warm Vinegar, draw out his Yard, and wash it also, then ride him to some running stream up to the belly, to al­lay the heat: do this lustily for a quarter of an hour, and so after for three or four days, and it will cure him.

Of the Pains in the Head, with the Remedy.

THis is an evil distemper that befals the Head. The Cure is: Take a pint of Malmsey, five new-laid Eggs, a head of brui­sed Garlick, small Pepper, Cinnamon, and Nutmegs beaten fine; give it him to drink three days together, and let him fast six hours after.

Of a Horse that stumbleth, which is called the Cordes, with the Remedy.

THis distemper appeareth in the further Legs of the Body of the Horse; it is cal­led the Cordes, because the Corde is a Sinew that breedeth amongst the Sinews, the one end cometh down towards the Shackle-vein, and so up through the Leg, and goeth over the in­ward side of the Knee, and so over the Shoul­der, and so along the Neck by the Weasant, and it goeth over the Temples under his Eye, and down over the Snout, betwixt both the Nostrils and the Gristle, there knit the length of an Almond. The Remedy is, to take a sharp Knife, and cut a slit even at the top of his Nose just with the point of the Gristles, open the slit, and you shall perceive a white string, take it up with a Boars Tooth, or a Bucks Horn, that is crooked, or some Bodkin made so, and twine it about the strait, and cut it asunder; you may twine it so much, as that you may rear his foot from the ground, then stitch up the slit, and anoint it with Butter, and the Horse will undoubtedly be cured.

Of the Morefound, with the Remedy.

THis is an evil disease, which proceeds from riding fast till the Horse sweat, and [Page 137] then being set up presently in a cold place without Litter that he takes cold on his feet, and that more especially before that it appear­eth in the hole under the heart of the foot, for it will grow down, wax white, and cromly like a Pumice; and also will appear in process of time on the wrinkling of the Hoof, and the Hoof before will be thicker and more brittle, then if he had not been morefound: nor will he tread so boldly upon the hard stones as he did before. The Remedy is, paring and good shooing, which being carefully done, he will do good service.

Of the Enterfere, with the Remedy.

THis distemper proceeds from the ill shooing of the Horse; it appeareth oftentimes both behind and before, between the feet against the Fetlocks. There is no other Remedy for it but good shooing.

Of the Scelander, with the appointed Remedy.

THis distemper is in the bending of the Leg before; it is somewhat like a Malander, and may be cured in the same manner.

Of the Scab, with the Remedies.

THere is a disease amongst Horses, which is called the Scab; it is a Scurfe in divers parts [Page 138] of the body; it chiefly proceedeth from lean­ness and ill keeping. It is commonly amongst Horses. There is a filthy stinking Scab, which is called the Crown Scab, growing about the Coronets of the Horns: the hair will stare like Hogs bristles, and be always mattering. When the hair is shaven away, you are to take a little Frankincense, Nitre, Tartar, and the Bark of Ash, Vitriol, Verdigrease, and Hellebore white and black, round Birthwort, and stamp them together with Yolks of Eggs and ordi­nary Ale, then after that boil them, and anoint the sore place. This Oyntment will also serve for the Scab and the sore Crupper.

A Remedy for cut and bruised Sinews.

Take of Tar and Bean flour, and Oyl of Roses, and lay it hot to the place: of the same effect are Worms and Sallet Oyl fryed toge­ther: to the same purpose also serves the Oyntment of Worms, which you may have at the Apothecaries.

For a Horse that cannot piss.

Take a pint of white Wine Vinegar, half a pound of Simgreen, bruise it small, and wring out the Juyce, take a handful of Fennel, and a handful of Fox-Gloves, the Leaves of the Flowers, two ounces of Gromwel-seed, and half a pint of sweet Honey, stamp them well together, and strain them into Vinegar. Let him stand without meat and drink 24 hours. Probatum est.

To bring Hair again.

Take the Dung of Goats, and some Honey and Allum, and the Blood of a Hog, boil them together, and being hot, rub the place there­with.

For the Stone and Colick in a Horse, the Remedy.

Take a pint of white Wine, half a pint of Bur-seed, and beat them small, two ounces of Parsley-seed, half a handful of Hop, half a handful of unset Leeks, and half a handful of Water-cresses, half an ounce of black Sope, and mingle them together, stamp and strain them, but put the Bur-seed and Parsley-seed together to it after it is strained, and then warm it, and give it him to drink.

Of a present Remedy to kill the Fire either in Burning or Shot.

Take Varnish, or Oyl and Water beaten to­gether, and anoint the place with a feather.

To ripen an Impostume.

Take Mallow-roots and Lilly-roots, and bruise them and put them into Hogs Grease, and Linseed-meal, plaister-wise, lay it to.

For a Wrench in the Fetlocks, or any other Joynt that is suddenly done.

Take of Narvil, and black Sope, and boil them together a little on the fire, and anoint with it.

For the dangerous Galling of a Horse, an excellent Remedy.

Take a pottle of Verjuice, two penny worth of green Coperas, boil it in a pint and a half, and wash and search the hole therewith, and fill it with red Lead, and let it remain three days untouched, then wash it with the same, and fill it again with red Lead. This will heal it, though it be galled to the body.

Of Warts in general, and of the spongy Wart, with the Remedy.

THere is a distemper that some Horse-men will neither allow to be either a disease or hurt, and that is, if a Horse want Warts behind, beneath the Spaven place; for then he is no Chapmans Ware, if he be wild: but if he be tame, and have been ridden upon, then caveat Emptor: Let the Buyer beware that he hath both his eyes to see, and his hands to handle; there is a Saying, That such a Horse should dye suddenly when he hath lived as many years as the Moon was days old, or such time as he was foaled. But to pass over this light digression, there is a Wart which is called Spongy. The Cure is, if it be long enough, to tye a thred about it, and it will eat off, or else to take it off with a hot Iron.

To help the Surbaiting or Soreness of a Horses Feet.

WHen you find your Horse to be sur­baited, presently clap on each of his fore-feet two new-laid Eggs, and crush them therein, then upon the top of them lay good Cow-dung: Thus stop him for four hours, and he will recover.

For a Wrench or Strain in the Pastern.

Take a quart of Brine, and sethe it till it be ready to boil over, and then strain it, and put into it a handful of Tansie, a handful of Mal­lows, a Saucer full of Honey, a quarter of a pound of Sheeps Tallow, beat them together, and set them on the fire until they are well sodden, and then lay it hot to the Tent, and sew a cloth fast about it, and so let it rest five days, and it shall cure him.

For a Back Sinew-strain, or any other Strain.

Take an ounce of Turpentine, and two or three spoonfuls of Aqua vitae, and beat them together, till they come to a perfect Salve, then anoint the strain very well therewith, and heat it either with a hot Brick, or Bar of Iron; and thus doing three or four times, it will take away the strain.

For a frothy Hoof.

First with an Instrument make hollow the [Page 142] extremities of the Hoof on the outside, till the principal Vein break; let all the blood come forth, then fill up the hole with fine Salt and Hurds steeped in Vinegar, and then bind them, so that they shall not fall off. This is a sure way to make a hard and sound Hoof.

Of the Atteint.

It is a distemper that proceeds from an over-reaching before; and if it be behind, it is the treading of another Horse, which every ordinary Farrier knows how to cure, and therefore we shall wave it.

Of the Mourning of the Tongue.

I shall pass over this distemper as 'tis held incurable.

A Remedy for a Pinch or a Gall in the Withers.

First cut out the dead flesh, and make a Tent with the White of an Egg, and then wash the part with warm white Wine, and afterwards anoint the sore place with white sweet Suet.

A present Remedy for the Staggers.

When you find your Horse distempered in his Head, then take a piece of woollen Cloth, and bind it fast to the end of a stick, being well rubbed with good Barbary Sope, and then put in into both his Nostrils with as much ease as you, and it will draw it forth very gently again: This is a perfect Remedy.

An excellent Remedy for the Strangles.

When you first see the Strangles growing, prick them under the Throat in the morning, and after cover the Horses head with a Linnen cloth, and then rub him often under the Throat with fresh Butter on the sore place, and it will cure him.

A Remedy for the Swelling of the Cods.

Take strong Vinegar, white Chalk well powdered, stir it well, and make a Paste, a­noint the Cods of the Horse three or four times a day, and in few days it will cure him.

A Remedy for the Mattering of the Yard.

Take a pint of white Wine, boil therein a quart of Roche-Allum, and with a Squirt thrust it very far into his Yard; squirt the same some three or four times to pierce and cleanse the bottom from the filth, and thus continue until he be whole.

An excellent Cure for the Tetter.

Before you meddle with the place, first draw blood from his Legs, and then strike the Veins of the Legs on the outside, and on the inside, but not on the place where the Hoof comes forth, then wash the place with white Wine, and mingle the Juyce of Prunella with powder of Galls and clear Water, and with this Liquor beat the Hogs Grease and liquid Pitch, that all become like Honey, and having so done, anoint the Tetter, and in six times dressing it will be cured.

A rare Medicine for a sore Back, be it never so wrung with a Saddle.

Take of Sheeps Dung to the quantity of three parts of your Plaister, and the fourth part of dry Wheat and Rye-flour, and mingle them well together, and let them boil a quarter of an hour in good fair water, and then lay it on warm, and at two or three times applying, it will cure the Back: This is a tryed and ap­proved Plaister.

For the Botch in the Groyns of the Horse.

The Cure is, to take of Wheat-flour, Tur­pentine, and Honey, of aech a like quantity, stir­ring it to make a stiff Plaister, and to lay it to the Sore to break it, and then lance it: tent it with Turpentine and Hogs Crease.

A Remedy for the Lax.

Take of Bean-flour and Bole Armony, of each a quartern, mingled in a quart of red Wine, give it him luke warm, and after it, let him drink warm water, with Bean-flour; but if that will not stay him, then give him half a penny-worth of Allum beaten into powder, and Bole Armony beaten small, in a quart of Milk, stirring them till all the Milk be of a Curd and this will stop him.

A Remedy for the Costiveness or Belly-bound.

Take of the Decoction of Mallows a quart, put to it half a pint of Oyl, or so much Butter, an ounce of Benedict Laxative, and pour it in­to [Page 145] his Fundament with a little Horn, and hold his Tayl close to his Fundament, whilst ano­ther doth lead him, and so keep it in him as long as you can, and after keep him warm, and give him warm water to drink.

An excellent Remedy for the Yellows.

The cause thereof is the abundance of bad humours; the Cure is plain: Let him blood, if you see it yellow, a pottle, then give him a quart of white Wine, of Saffron and Tamerisk of each half an ounce, and the Juyce that is wrung out of two handfuls of Selandine; let him take it blood-warm, and keep him warm, and with good Mashes, wherein put two spoonfuls of the powder of Brimstone. Some will give him in this Drink the green Ordure of Geese strained.

A Remedy for the Swelling of the Gums.

The Cure is, to make him to bleed well in the Palate of the Mouth, and also to scarifie the rank Gums, that the blood may come out, then rub them soundly with Vinegar and Salt.

A Remedy for the Rifts and Corruption in the Palate of the Mouth.

Take sharp Vinegar and Salt, and wash the same, and then anoint it with Honey. For the Lampas and Bladders in the Mouth (as we have said) every Smith can cure it.

A certain Remedy for the Camey in the Mouth.

This distemper proceeds from the eating of [Page 146] filthy Hay, that Cats, Dogs, and other Ver­mine have pissed upon, which will cause the Horses mouth to be clammy and furred, so that he will not eat. The Cure is, to let him blood in two great Veins under the Tongue, and to wash his mouth with Vinegar and Salt, and to give him new Bread that is not hot.

A Remedy for the Heat in the Mouth.

Turn up the upper Lip, and jag it with a Lancet, that it may bleed, and wash it with Vinegar and Salt.

A Remedy for a Cold in the Head.

The cause proceeds from some heat, or standing too much still, or from having some Air piercing his head when he is hot, or by some humours congealed after long rest, and full feeding, and through the want of exer­cise to expel the same. The signs are a conti­nual distilling Rheum, waterish Eyes, or his short drawing of breath at the Nostrils, when the caves and passages of the breath are ill stopt. The Cure is, put upon his head a dou­ble hood, and every morning ride him when he is fasting, take two Goose-feathers dipt in Oyl of Bay, and thrust them up into his No­strils, through the ends whereof with a Nee­dle put two threds to fasten the same to the head-stall, so as that the feathers may not fall out, and to the Snaffle and Bit that he is rid [Page 147] with, fasten a Root or two of Polypodium of the Oak, which hath been steeped all night in Spike Oyl, and every time you ride him, anoint the same with the same Oyl, and when he cometh home, put on his head the double Hood, and perfume him hot with Frankin­cense, casting a cloth over his head: Use him thus nine days together, and give him warm water or good Mashes, during the said nine days; for all Rheums of continuance are very dangerous, and many times remediless, lea­ving behind them a worse disease then them­selves.

An excellent Remedy for the Canker in the Mouth.

Wash the Mouth with strong Vinegar, made thick with the powder of Allum, two or three days together, to destroy the exulcerate mat­ter; then take a quart of fair water, of Allum four ounces, of Honey four or five spoonfuls, of Maudlin-leaves, of Sage-leaves, and Co­lumbine-leaves, of each a handful; boil all these together till half be consumed, and then every time being warmed, wash the same two or three days, and it will heal it.

Of the Lousie.

There are Horses that will be lousie; this distemper of theirs proceeds from too much leanness, cold, and ill keeping: it is most com­monly amongst young Horses. We shall not [Page 148] insist upon the Remedy of it, as it is so fami­liarly practised by every Smith.

Of the Repairing of a broken Hoof, that it may grow.

Take of Garlick-heads seven ounces, of Herb Grace, three handfuls of Allum beaten and sifted, of Barrows Grease that is old two pound; mingle all these with Asses Dung, boil them together, and anoint the Hoof therewith.

A certain Remedy for the Fretting of the Guts.

Take in the morning a quart of good Ale, four ounces of Fenugreek, seven ounces of Bay­berries, as much long Pepper, an ounce of Ginger, two ounces of Watercresses, an hand­ful of Sage, another of Mints; beat them to­gether in Ale, then strain it, and give it him blood-warm, rope all his Legs, and tye him so, that he lye not down; put him into a sweat, keep him hot, give him no cold water for three days after, feed him with dry Beans and Oats, and the Horse will recover.

Of pulling out of Shivers or Throns, and of Swelling.

The Cure is, to pull them out, if they may be seen; but if there be such a Swelling, that they cannot be seen, then take Wormwood, Paretory, Bearsfoot, Hogs-grease, and Honey, boil them together, and being hot, make a [Page 149] Plaister. It is an excellent Remedy for any Swelling, so also is Wine-lees, Wheat-flour, and Cummin boiled together, and when it is at a head, lance it.

Of the Strangullion.

It is an easie disease to cure, but the Horse will be sore sick with it; it proceedeth from a chafing heat, that will make him sweat, and afterwards it will rise and swell in divers parts of his body, as big as a mans fist: It will break of it self, if it be kept warm.

Of Blindness.

A Horse will be blind with too much la­bour: This distemper, if it be young and ta­ken betimes, is best cured by giving of him ease.

Of the Foaling of the Yard, with the Remedy.

The Cure is, to wash the same with warm white Wine, and anoint it with Oyl of Roses and Honey mingled together, then put it up with a Cod-piece of Truss, keep it up still, and dress him every day once till he be whole.

Of the Millets, without Remedy.

This distemper appeareth in the Fetlocks behind; it causeth the hair to shed three or four inches in length, and a quarter of an inch in bredth, like as if it were bare. It is seldom or never cured, but a Horse may live, being purged with ordinary Purges, for a long time with this distemper.

An excellent Remedy for the String hault, or any old Strain or Lameness in the sinewy Joynts.

Take Boars Grease, Bole Armoniack, black Sope, and Nerve-Oyl, of each a like quanti­ty, boil them all together, and then apply it hot to the Grief, rubbing and chafing it, and also heating it very well, either with a hot Brick, Brick-bat, or hot Fire-shovel: Thus do once every day until the pain be gone. The String hault is a distemper which maketh the Horse to twitch up his Leg; it proceeds for the most part from a cold: it seldom appears outwardly.

A Remedy approved for the Hide-bound, by some improperly called the Affreyde.

The cause thereof is a sudden cold after a great heat; when the Pores are open, the cold entreth, and maketh an attraction of the Si­news, so as that the Horse seemeth to go or travel with great grief, his skin being as it were starched, shrunk, and clinging to his Ribs. The Cure is, to let him blood in both the Flank-veins, being next the girding place and the Flanks; then take a quart of white Wine, and put thereinto three ounces of Sallet-Oyl, and of Cummin one ounce, of Aniseeds two ounces, Liquoris two ounces beaten into a powder, and give it him warm, then let him be rubbed half an hour together; cover all his Back with a Sack throughly soakt in a [Page 151] Tub of water, and the water wrung out of it, and upon that cast many cloaths, and gird them fast unto him to bring him to a sweat, which is the only and chief thing to recover him; then keep him with good Mashes, and every day let him be so used for seven or eight days together, give him much sodden Barley and Beans for his diet, and green Mault on the floor, and after the eight days, let him blood in the two Breast-veins, about a pint, then give him to the quantity of a pint and a half of Sack, and a quarter of a pint of Sallet-Oyl, four penny worth of the best Treacle; ride him until he sweat, then presently set him in a warm Stable, and keep him hot: at night give him a good Mash of Mault, with the pow­der of Brimstone, to the quantity of two spoonfuls.

A Remedy for the Hurt of the Tongue with a Bit.

The Cure is, to wash it with Allum-water, then take black Bramble-leaves, and chop them with Jard, and put them within a clout, and make them as round as a Ball, then dip the same in Honey, and anoint the Tongue therewith until it be whole.

A Remedy for the Giggs in the Mouth.

They are swellings with black heads grow­ing on the inside of the Lips. The Cure is, to slit them, and thrust out the corruption, [Page 152] and to wash the same with Vinegar and Salt.

An excellent Receipt to fatten a Horse.

This way I have experienced, and found it to be good and certain: Take of Elicampane, of Cummin-seeds, of Tamerisk, of Aniseeds, of each two ounces; of Grounsel a handful: boil all these very well w [...]h three heads of Garlick, cleansed and stamped in a Gallon of strong Ale, then strain it well, and give the Horse a quart luke-warm in the morning fast­ing, then ride him till that he be warm, set him up hot. Thus do for four or five morn­ings, then turn the Horse to Grass (if it be a fit and suitable time of the year) and he will feed heartily. But if the time of the year serve not for Grass, then you must keep him in the House, and over and besides the Drink be­fore prescribed, you must take fine powder of Elicampane, and the fine powder of Cummin­seeds, of each a like quantity; mix them well together, then every time that you give your Horses Provender, which should be thrice a day, in the morning, noon, and night, take half an ounce of this powder, and sprinkle it by little and little, and a little into his Pro­vender, for fear he should nauseate it, until it be all eaten up. And thus do for fourteen days together at the least, and you shall see the Horse prosper in a wonderful and strange man­ner.

An excellent Remedy against a Horses surfeiting with Provender.

When a Horse hath eaten more then his sto­mach can well digest, he is in much pain, so as that he is not able to stand, but lyeth and wal­loweth as if he had the Bots. The Cure is, to let him blood, and to draw his Yard and wash it, put a piece of a Clove of Garlick into it, to make him piss: give him also a Clyster with the water of sodden Mallows, fresh Butter, and Sallet-Oyl; keep him warm, and let him eat very little for four or five days.

These following things are most excellent to put into a Horses Provender, to preserve him from Diseases.

The powder of Wolfes Liver, the powder of Enula Campana, the powder of Polypo­dium of the Oak, fine cut pieces of Rhubarb, the powder of Brimstone made fine, the pow­der of Liquoris, Aniseeds, Fenugreek, Turme­rick, Bay-berries, long Pepper, Agrimony, Chamomil, Wormwood, Savin, Linseed, Smallage, Parsley, Rue, Hysop, Coltsfoot, Horehound, and such like.

Of the Catarrh in Hogs, with the Remedy.

It is a Rheum which makes their Eyes to water, and a moisture to ascend up into the Head, which breedeth a corrupt matter, some­what of affinity with the Plague. It seiseth [Page 154] upon them for the most part from their eating of too much fruit that lyes rotten under the Trees. For this distemper Marsh-mallows are excellently good mixt amongst their meat.

Approved Cures for a Hog bitten by a mad, or by other Dogs.

If he be bitten by a mad Dog, take of strong Chamber-lye, and mix it with Bay-Salt and Soot, and put therein an Addle Egg or two, then beat them all together, and make it boil a little, then rub the place as hot as he may well endure it without scalding, with a stick, and a clout tyed to the end of it. Use this twice or thrice, and he shall do well. But if he be bitten by other Dogs, that he is like to come by an Impostume, to avoid the danger thereof, you must wash his Wound betimes with Stale, Salt, and Nettles bruised, or Vi­negar and Mallow boiled together, and some Hogs Grease put thereunto, and therewith bathe the Sore; then anoint with Tar and fresh Grease mixed together, and he shall do well.

An approved Remedy for the Staggers or stirring Disease in Hogs.

The Cure is, to put Sea-bur Knob in the roof of their mouths; cut it, and let it bleed, and take the powder of Lemmon and Salt, and rub it therewith, then let them have a lit­tle Stale, and they will recover.

To make a Hog to scour.

Give him smoaked Barley in the straw, as it is also stewed for the wethering of a Cow to help her.

Of the Lethargy in Hogs, with the Remedy.

If this disease come, the Hog-herds shut up all their Hogs together in one House, and let them there remain a day and a night together without any meat or drink. The next day after give them water in which is stamped the Roots of wild Cucumbers. And as many as have drunk thereof, will begin to vomit, and afterwards by vomiting are purged and clear­ed from the distemper.

A Remedy for the Lask in Hogs.

Give them dryed Beans, beaten Savil, mix­ed with Broom.

To kill Maggots in Hogs.

If they breed in the Ear or otherwise, in any hollow place under the skin, you must take the Juyce of Hemlock, and pour it into the hole, and it will kill them, or else they will immediately void them of a great bigness.

An approved Remedy for the Disease in Hogs, called the Milt.

The Remedy is, by making them Troughs to feed out, of a Wood in Latine called Ta­merix, which in English is called Quick Bean­wood, out of which will come such a moisture, that it will heal the inflammation of the dis­ease; [Page 156] for sometimes there proceeds such an in­flammation from the Milt, that it breeds a Pe­stilence.

To cure Hogs that have eaten of poysonous Herbs.

Such as Henbane and Hemlock; to cure them, you must give them the Juyce of Cu­cumbers warmed, the which being drunk, will cause them to vomit, by which they cleanse their stomachs, and recover their healths again. There are two other Herbs, the Cameleon Thistle and the Goose-foot, which are death for them to eat.

To cure the Impostumes under the Hogs Throats.

When they have Impostumes and Kernels under their Throats, they ought to be let blood under the Tongue, and when that you have drawn blood sufficiently, you must rub and chafe all his Throat and Groyn.

An approved Cure of the Garget in Hogs.

This is a dangerous disease, that many of them dye of; it is a Swelling and Inflam­mation of the Throat, behind the Jaws of a Hog. I cannot be acquainted with any other Remedy; for it is but this, that they use to slit it in the midst, as long as the Inflammation or Sore is, and then to flay up the skin on both sides of the slits, and so far as the Sore is, rub it with Nettles and Salt, and lay Tar upon it, and he shall recover.

A Remedy, together with a Bath for a Swine that hath the Swine-Pox.

For the Cure, give them the powder of Brimstone with some Stale. A Bath to wash them, is as follows: Take Yarrow, Plantane, Primrose-leaves, Bryar-leaves, old Oaken-leaves of a year, of watry Bet [...]ony, of each two handfuls: boil them in two Gallons of running Water, till that they are tender, and then wash your Hogs and Pigs therewith, and use this once or twice, and it will dry it up.

A Remedy for lousie Hogs.

This disease comes to them from Leanness, and want of good keeping in Winter; for so long as they are lousie, they will not thrive. The Remedy is, take Quick-silver, and kill it with Sallet-Oyl and fasting Spittle, then mix therewith afresh Grease, or Neats-foot Oyl, and so anoint them all over.

Preservatives against the Meazles, with the most approved Cures of them in Hogs.

To keep and save your Hogs from being measled, take this course: You shall use in the Summer, especially in the Dog-days (which last from the midst of July to the middle of August) to give them amongst their Wash and other meat, chopped cold Herbs, of Lettice, Endive, Succory, Violet-leaves, of Dandelion, Sow-thistle, or Sumitors, and such like, chop a [Page 158] quantity of these amongst their meat to keep them cool. Another is, to take a quart of stale Piss or mens Urine, that hath been kept very long, and therein put a good handful of a pound of black Sope, stir and mix it well to­gether with the Piss, then put therein a quan­tity of Whey, force the Hog, if he be nice, to drink it. Let him rest two or three hours after it, and then give him some other meat, not much: and so let him rest without any other sustenance until the next morning, for a weeks space or more, as you shall have cause, and you shall see this Experiment made good.

To fat Sheep.

All things will fatten Sheep, which are mingled with salt water, as Vetches, Bran, Chaff, and such like.

To make the Wool to come again.

If the Wool of the Sheep after they have been scabby, do fall off, as in some places the Wool will go clear off: to make it grow a­gain, and supply the same places, grease them with Butter mixed with Tar, Oyl, Goose-grease, or fresh Grease; for Tar alone is too sharp, a fretter and a whealer, without it be mixed with some of the aforesaid Ingredients.

Of the Red Water, with the Remedy.

This is a certain Bladder with water under the tip of the Heart, which scalds and con­sumes the Heart, and at length will kill the [Page 159] Sheep. The best help is for some nights to chase them with a Dog, which will preserve them from the mischief of this distemper.

An excellent Remedy for the Cough of a Sheep.

You must give him in the morning with a Horn, a little of sweet Almonds, mixed with a little white Wine. Let him take it warm; let him have new straw, and make him to eat of the Colt-herb growing on Lands: some call it Horse-hoof.

Of the cloven Pesil.

There is no other Remedy, when he is a Lamb, but to keep it clean till it be bigger; anoint him with Tar, and when he is in reaso­nable case, kill him, for there is no cure for it.

A Remedy for the Flegm.

Put the tender tops or branches of Savory into their Nostrils, or Basil into their Noses, which will cause them to sneeze, but you must close their Eyes. You may also take of the Juyce of Briony with honyed Water.

To kill Maggots.

Take Oyl of Olive, and the powder of Brimstone, and so anoint therewith; or of the powder of Brimstone and Tar mixed toge­ther, and warmed over a soft fire.

A Remedy for the Water in the Belly or Head.

Stamp and strain of two-penny Grass, and give it him in boiled Wine. Against any water in the Head, boil Purslane in honyed water strained, and so give it him.

For the Worms in the Cuts, the Remedy.

Take a quantity of the Juyce of Horebound, with some Leek-blades, and bruise them, and so give it to him, and it will help him.

Of the Tin-worm.

It is a small red Worm with many Legs, much like to a Hogs Louse, they creep in the Grass: if Sheep, or any other Cattel do eat one, they will swell, and within a day or two dye, if they are not cured. To effect which, take a quantity of Stale and Salt, and stir them together, and give it him so, chafe him a while after: or give him the Juyce of the Herb Ro­bert, and it will recover him.

A Remedy for the Loosness of the Teeth.

For the Cure, take the tender Crops of Bryars, called the Black Bryar, and put it amongst his meat, and his Teeth will fasten again in the eating thereof.

A Remedy for the Flowing of the Gall.

Give him half a spoonful of Aqua vitae, mixed with so much Vinegar, and let him blood under the Tayl, and he will mend.

A Remedy for the Choler in Sheep.

'Tis cured by giving the stale Urine of men.

A Cure for the Lousie in Sheep.

Take Quick-silver killed in Oyl Olive or Spittle, and therewith anoint him.

Of the Wild-fire.

This is a disease counted incurable, the Shepherds have no other way but to keep the Sheep warm, and to nourish him with Goats milk, the which will mitigate the distemper of the violence of the fire.

A Remedy for a Sheep that hath lost her Quide.

If a Sheep hath lost her Quide, notwith­standing she will eat all the day, and cast it up in the night again (which casting will be like to the Paunch of a Beast) for she cannot digest it, but pine away by little and little. For the Cure, you must take Quide-wort that groweth amongst Corn like to Groundsel, bruise a quan­tity thereof, and then mark when you do see another Sheep chew the Quide, and take part of her Quide out of her mouth, and mix it with the bruised Quide-wort, and roll it toge­ther, and so give it, make her swallow it, and she will do well.

An excellent Cure for the Staggers in Sheep.

Take of long Pepper, of Liquorish, of Ani­seeds, of Hemp-seeds, and of Honey, of each a [Page 162] penny-worth; heat all these together, and put therein a pottle of new Milk, and stir the Honey and it with the rest altogether, and thereof give to each Lamb or Sheep two spoon­fuls, or somewhat more luke-warm, and this will cure them.

Ʋseful Preservatives when the Pestilence rageth amongst Sheep.

If it please God that all your Cattel are sick, first you must change your pasture, and your watering places, and drive your Cattel further off into other pastures. If the Pestilence or Murrain rush violently on them with great heats, you must have them to coverts, shades, and cold places. If it proceed from cold, you must have them into open places against the Sun, you must drive them very softly, keeping them in a kind of gentle exercise, yet not to let them rest and lye too much. And when that you have brought them to the appointed place, you must part them into many Troops and Bands, and there let them be carefully lookt to.

A Remedy for the short Breath and Pursie.

You must cut their Ears, and change their pasture, also slit their Nostrils: Some hold it necessary to give them Aniseeds, Liquoris, and Sugar-candy; all finely beaten together, and mixed with old Grease, or of the powder of Juniper-berries, administred to them with the Juyce of Angelica, with a Horn in Wine or Water, is excellently good.

To help the Wethering of a Sheep.

Stamp the Leaves of Mallows with strong Ale, and give it to the Ew, and she shall do well; the Juyce of Mugwort will do the like.

A Remedy for the turning Disease in the Sheep.

This distemper causes them to hold their heads on one side; if she hold her head on the right side, you must strike off the Horn on the left side; for under the Horn there is a Worm which you must anoint with Tar, then bind a cloth on it, and the Sheep will recover.

For the Jaundice.

The stale Urine of men is accounted the best Remedy.

A Remedy for the Water in the Belly of a Sheep.

You must cut a hole in the Belly of the Sheep, put in a feather, and let out the water, and stitch it up again.

A Remedy for the Water-bladder under the Chin.

If you feel it, you shall find it soft; there is no other way but to lance it a little, and then to tar it.

A Remedy for the Lung-sick or Pursiness.

Stamp Lungwort, and strain it with a little Honey-water, and give them of the Juyce of Carduus Benedictus, called by some Sow-Thistle mixt with warm Ale, and it will by Gods Blessing cure them.

To cure the Glanders or Snivel.

If this disease continue upon the Sheep two days, the best way will be either to separate him from the rest, or to kill him. Some use for the Remedy to take a stick, and therewith to take out all they can get out, and so to make the sheep clean, when any occasion is, upon which he will somewhat recover. Others give them the Juyce of Bettony with honyed wa­ter, and the Herb called Bucks-beard, which groweth higher then that which in Latine is called Pi [...]nomenon. This Herb stamped and given with Wine, is marvellous good against cold or [...]legm in any parts of their bodies.

To cure the Itch or Scab in Sheep.

Anoint with Goose-grease and Tar mixed together with the tender Crops of Broom in May, stamp and boil them with Goose-grease, put Tar to them with a like proportion, then make two shends on both sides of his Back­bone, from his head to his tayl, and anoint with the aforesaid Grease, and you shall need no more anointing. There is a scabbiness also amongst Lambs, being half a year old, to­wards Winter, or the next Fall of the Leaf; (the Shepherds say) the cause is, for that the Rams at that time are scabby that get them, and that then all the Lambs shall be scabby at the next Fall. To heal this distemper, you must grease them with Tar mixt with fresh [Page 165] Grease, or Neats-foot Oyl, or Goose-grease. There is another scabbiness which happens sometimes on the Mousel of the sheep, and that proceeds from the place where there is great plenty of Furs and Gorse, they by the eating of the tops and flowers thereof, do prick their Lips and Mousels, from whence come scabs, which you must heal by anointing them with fresh Butter. There is another scab which they have, which comes through the negligence of the Shepherds, when they suffer them to feed on the Grass covered with Dew. To re­medy this, take Salt and Hysop a little quan­tity beaten together, and therewith fret and chafe the Palate of the Mouth, the Tongue, and all over the Mousel, and they will be cured.

An excellent Remedy for the Giddiness in Sheep.

This distemper proceeds from a Bladder in their heads, you shall find it soft under your finger, and there you must cut it▪ For any other pains or Giddiness of the head, these fol­lowing Remedies are special good: Take the Juyce of Ivy-leaves, and put thereof into his Ear, and bind or close it, so that it may not be cast out, or the Juyce of wild Thyme, stamp­ed with Ale strained and given him.

Approved Remedies for the Haw in the Eye, and other Distempers of the Eyes.

Drop into the Eye Juyce of Chamomil, or [Page 166] Crows-foot Herb, stampt and laid to. Against any hot cause or pain of the Eyes, to let the Juyce of Dragon Herb, or the Juyce of Let­tice lye to it plaister-wise. For a cold cause, take the Juyce of Clary mixed with Honey, and drop it in. Also the Juyce of Pimpernel put into the Eyes, and laid to, will break and kill every Haw or other Impostumes in the Eyes.

Of a stop in the Teats.

There is sometimes on Ews Teats a certain small Mote or Scab with a black head, hanging unto it a hard watry string like flegm, which is within the Teat, which will stop her Milk: Therefore the Shepherd must have a preventive Cure in lambing time.

How to set and see over the Sheepfold.

THe best time to set over the Sheepfold is in May. Let it be set upon Rye-ground, if the Husbandman or Shepherd have any, and to flit it every morning or night; and in the morning when he cometh to the Fold, let him not take out the sheep presently, but raise them up by degrees, and afterwards let them stand still a good while, that they may dung and piss. And let him go amongst them, to see whether any of them have the Mathes, or be scabbed, and let him see and peruse them three [Page 167] or four times upon the one side, as often as up­on the other side. And when that the Kells are gone beside the Ground, then may they be let out of the Fold, and then let him drive them to the soundest place of the Field. But he that hath a fallow Field separate to him­self, let him occupy and possess no Fold; for folding of sheep maketh them scabbed, and breedeth Mathes: and when a storm of ill wea­ther comes, they cannot flye nor go away, which must very much abate them of their flesh. But let that Husbandman that hath se­veral fallow Fields, drive twenty, thirty, or forty stakes, according to the num­ber of his sheep, upon his fallow where he would set his Fold, and that more especially in the furthest East part of the Field, from thence as they came in, for their going upon the Ground doth much good: and let the Shepherd bring his sheep to the stakes, and the sheep will rub themselves on the stakes. And let the Shepherd walk about them till they are set, and so order them for two or three nights, and they will follow those stakes as he flitteth them, and set by them. And if any ill weather comes, they will rise up, and go to the Hedge: This manner of folding shall keep them from breeding of Mathes and Scabs, nor in the least manner abate of their flesh; it will also preserve them from rotting. In the morning let the [Page 168] Shepherd put them out of their Pastures, he shall not need to have any Hurd [...]es or Sheep­flecks.

What time of the year the Rams should be put to the Ews.

A Husbandman (as I have already said) cannot so well thrive of his Corn, ex­cept he have other Cattel, nor by his Cattel without Corn; for otherwise he shall be a Buyer, a Borrower, or a Begger: and because that sheep, in my opinion, are the profitablest Cattel that a Husbandman can have, I shall discourse the more at large of them. It will therefore first be a necessary thing for the Hus­bandman or Shepherd to know what time he shall put the Ram to the Ews. In this parti­cular I must make a distinction; for all times are not alike to put to the Rams, for upon the mistake of time, there may be a great damage or loss; for that man that hath the best Sheep-pasture for winter, and some springing in the beginning of the year, he may suffer his Rams to go with his Ews all times of the year, to blissom or ride them when he will: but for the common Pasture, it is time to put to his Rams at the Exaltation of the Holy Cross; for then the Buck goeth to the rut, and so would the Ram. But for the ordinary Husbandman [Page 169] that hath no Pasture but the common Fields, it is time enough at the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. And so for the poor Husbandman of the Peek, and such others, that dwell in hilly or high Ground, that have no Pasture nor common Fields, for them Simon and Judes Day will be a very good time; and the reason is this: An Ew goeth with Lamb twenty weeks, and uses to yean her Lamb in the twen­ty first week; and if she have not convenient new Grass to eat, she will want Milk for her Lamb, for want of which there are many Lambs that perish and are lost, that through the leanness of the Dams, and their want of Milk, are forced to forsake their Lambs, so that in some hard Countries oftentimes they both dye.

To make an Ew to love her Lamb.

IF the Ew have Milk, and will not love her Lamb, put her into a narrow place made of Hordes or of smooth Trouse, a yard wide, and put the Lamb to her to suck it; and if the Ew strike or smite the Lamb with her head, bind her head with a Hay-rope or Cord to the side of the Pen, and if the Lamb will not stand side-long, call the Ew, and give her a little Hay, and tye a Dog by her, that she may see him; and this fright will in a short space cause [Page 170] her to love her Lamb: and if he have a Lamb dead, whereof the Dam hath much milk, flay the Lamb, and tye that skin upon another Lambs back that hath a weak Dam with little milk, and put the good Ew and that Lamb to­gether in the Pen, and in one hour she will love the Lamb; and then he may take the weak Ew away, and put her in another place, and by this means he may save both hers and the Lambs life.

At what time Lambs should be weaned.

IN some places they never sever the Lambs from the Dams, which is for two causes; one is in the best pasture, where the Rams go away with their Ew, there it needeth not; for the Dams will grow dry, and wean the Lambs themselves. Another cause is, he that hath no sound pasture to put his Lambs into when they should be weaned, he must either sell them, or let them suck as long as the Dams will suffer them. It is a common Saying, That the Lamb shall not rot as long as it sucketh, ex­cept the Dam want meat. But he that hath several and sound pastures, it is time for such a one to wean his Lambs when they are sixteen or eighteen weeks old at the farthest, and the Ew shall again the better take the Ram. And the poor man of the Peek Country, and such other places where they use to milk their Ews five or six weeks, &c. spoil their Lambs, so as [Page 171] that they are never so good as those that suck long, and have meat enough.

To draw Sheep, and to sever them in divers parts.

WHen the Grasier hath many Sheep in his Pastures, it will be convenient for him to have a Sheepfold made with a good Hedge or a Pale, the which will easily receive all his sheep that go in one pasture in a dry place, and adjoyning to the end of the same, let him make another little Fold that will con­tain ninty sheep or more, and both these Folds must have either of them a Gate into either pasture, and at the end of that Fold let him make another little Fold that will re­ceive forty sheep or more, and between every Fold a Gate. And when the sheep are in the great Fold, let forty of them or thereabouts, come into the middle-fold, and stake the gate, and then let the Shepherd turn them, and look on every side; and if he find any sheep that needeth any help or cure for any cause, take that sheep with his Hook, and put him into the little Fold. And when that he hath taken all that need any curing, then let him put the other into whether pasture he pleases, and let as many in of the great Fold, and take as ma­ny in as need any handling, and put them into the little Fold. And thus go them all over, till that he have done, and then let him melt [Page 172] Grease, and handle all those that he hath drawn, and then shall not the great Flock be tarried and kept from their meat; and when he hath cured them, let him put them into their pasture.

To meddel Tar.

LEt the Shepherds Tar be medled with Oyl, Goose-grease, or Capons grease; these three are the best: For they will make the Tar to run and spread abroad. Butter and Swines grease, when they are melted, are good, so that they are not salt, for Tar of it self is too sharp, it is a fretter and no healer, without it be medled with some of these.

To make Broom-Salve.

A Medicine to salve poor mens sheep that think Tar too costly, the worth of which, if some of the richer sort knew, they would make use of it.

Let the Shepherd take a shere full of Broom, Crops, Leaves, Blossoms, and all, chop them very small, and then sethe them in a Pan of twenty Gallons with running Water, till it begin to grow thick like a Jelly, then let him take two pound of Sheep-suet melted, and a pottle of old Piss, and as much Brine made with Salt: Let him put all into the said Pan, and [Page 173] stir it about, and then strain it thorow an old Cloth, and put it into what Vessel he will. And if his sheep be new clipped, then let him make it luke-warm, and then wash them therewith with a Sponge, or a piece of an old Mantle, or of a folding of such soft Cloth or Wool, for spending too much of his Salve. And at all times of the year he may use it as he shall have occasion. Let him make wide sheds in the wool of the sheep, and anoint them with it, and it will heal the scab, and kill the sheeps Lice, neither will it hurt the Wool in the sale thereof. And those that are washed, will not be scabby again, if they are well fed; for that is the best Grease that the Shepherd can grease the sheep withal, to grease him in the mouth with good meat, which is a great preservation of sheep from rotting, except there come Mil­dews; for a sheep will chuse the best, if he have plenty.

To grease Sheep.

IF any Sheep be leabed, the Shepherd may perceive it by the biting, rubbing, or scratching with his Horn, and most commonly the Wool will rise, and be thin or bare in that place. Then let the Shepherd take him, and shed the Wool with his fingers there where the scab is, and with his finger let him lay a little Tar thereupon, and stroke it in length at [Page 174] the bottom of the Wool, that it be not seen above, and so let him shew the Wool, and lay a little Tar thereupon, till he have passed the sore, and then it will go no further.

To belt Sheep.

IF any Sheep ray, or be filled with Dung a­bove the Tayl, let the Shepherd take a pair of Shears, and clip it away, and let him cast dry Moulds thereupon; and if it be in the heat of Summer, it should be rubbed over with a little Tar, to keep away the Flies. It is neces­sary that a Shepherd have a Board set fast to the side of his little Fold, to lay his sheep upon when he handleth them, and a hole bored in the Board with an Augur, and therein a grain­ed stake of two foot long, to be set fast, to hang his Tar-box upon, that it may not fall. A Shepherd also should not go without his Dog, his Sheep-hook, and a pair of Shears, and his Tar-box, either with him, or ready at his Sheepfold, and he must teach his Dog to bark when he would have him; to run, and to leave running when he would have him, or else he is no right Shepherd. His Dog must he taught when he is a Whelp, otherwise it will be hard to make an old Dog stoop or to be plyant.

To wash Sheep.

IN June is the time to shear Sheep, and be­fore that they are shorn, they must be very well washed, which as to the Owners sale of the Wool, is a very profitable help, and so to the Cloth-maker: but let the Shepherd be­ware that he put not too many sheep into a Pen at one time, neither at washing, nor at shearing, for fear of murthering or over-pres­sing of their fellow, and that not any of them go away till that they are clean washed. Let the Shepherd hold the sheep by the head in the water, and let him hold it high enough to pre­serve from drowning.

To shear Sheep.

LEt the Owner give his Shearers a special charge to take heed of their shears, lest they twitch the sheep, and especially for prick­ing with the point of the shears, and that the Shepherd be always ready with his Tar-box to salve them. And let him be sure that they are well marked, both Ear-mark and Pitch-mark, and Robel-mark, and let the Wool be well folded or wond with a Wool-wind, by one that hath good skill therein, the which shall very much advance the sale thereof.

How to draw out and separaete the bad Sheep from the good.

WHen the Shepherd hath shorn his sheep, it will then be his best time to draw and separate them in divers manners, the sheep that he will have fed by themselves, the Ews by themselves, and the Share-hogs and Theves by themselves, the Lambs by themselves, the Weathers and the Rams by themselves, if he have so many pastures for them; for the big­gest will beat the weakest with his head. And of every sort of sheep, it may happen that there are some that like not, but are weak; those should be put in the fresh Grass by themselves, and when that they are a little cured, as he sees occasion, he may sell them. The often change of Grass is very wholesom and health­ful for all manner of Cattel.

If a Sheep have the Mathes.

THe Shepherd may perceive this disease by the sheeps biting, or frisking, or shaking of the Tayl: This distemper is most common­ly moist and wet; and if it be nigh unto the Tayl, it is oftentimes green, and filled with the sheeps dung, and then the Shepherd must take a pair of shears, and clip away the Wool bare [Page 177] to the skin, let him take a handful of dry Moulds, and cast them upon the wet to dry it, and then wi [...]e the Moulds away, and lay Tar there where the Mathes were, and a little fur­ther. Let the Shepherd thus look to them every day, and cure them, if there be occasion.

Of the Blindness of Sheep.

THere are some Sheep that will be blind for a season, and yet mend again. Let the Shepherd put a little Tar in his Eye: this is the common Medicine that the Shepherds use.

Of the Worm in the Sheeps Foot, and Help thereof.

THere are some Sheeps Feet that have Worms in them, which makes them to halt. Let the Shepherd take the sheep, and look betwixt his Cleft, and there is a little hole as much as a great Pins head, wherein groweth five or six black hairs, an inch long, or more. Let the Shepherd take a sharp-pointed Knife, and slit the skin a quarter of an inch long about the hole, and as much be­neath, and put his one hand in the hollow of the foot under the hinder Cleft; let him set his Thumb above almost at the slit, and thrust his finger underneath forward, and with his [Page 178] other hand take the black hairs by the end, or with the Knifes point, and pull all the hairs by little and little, and thrust after his other hand with his finger and his Thumb, and there will come out a Worm like a piece of flesh, nigh as much as a little finger. And when it is out, let him put a little Tar into the hole, and it will quickly be cured.

Of the Blood, and the timely Remedy of it.

THere is a sickness amongst Sheep, which is called the Blood, of which they often­times dye suddenly: The signs of his death are, that he will stand still, and hang down his head, and sometimes quake. The Shepherds Remedy for this Disease is, to take the sheep, and rub him about the head, and especially about his Ears, and under his Eyes, and with his Knife let him cut off his Ears in the midst; and also let him bleed in a Vein under his Eyes; if he bleed well, he is like to live; if he bleed not, then kill him, and save his flesh; for if he dye by himself, the flesh is lost, and the skin will be far ruddier, liker to blood then any other skin shall be.

Of the Pocks, and the Remedy thereof.

THis Disease appears upon the skin in the likeness of red Purples, as broad as a Far­thing. [Page 179] This distemper destroys many sheep. To remedy this, the Shepherd is to handle all his sheep, and to survey and look on every part of their bodies, and as many as he finds taken therewith, let him put them into fresh new Grass, an [...] keep them from their fellows, and let him often have an Eye over his Flock, and draw [...] he hath need. And if it be in Summer-time, that there be no Frost, then let him wash them.

Of the Wood-Evil, and the Remedy thereof.

THere is a sickness amongst Sheep, that is called the Wood-Evil. It taketh them in the Spring of the year, and taketh them most commonly in their Legs, or in their Neck, and maketh them to halt, and hold their Necks awry: For the most part those that have this sickness, dye within a day or two. The best Remedy is to wash them a little, and to change their ground, to bring them to a low ground and fresh Grass; for this sickness is most commonly in Hilly, Ley, and Ferny Grounds. Some for this sickness let their sheep blood in a Vein under the Eye.

What are the things that chiefly rot Sheep.

IT is necessary that a Shepherd should know what things chiefly rot the sheep, that he [Page 180] may the better preserve them. There is a Grass called Spearwort, it hath a long narrow Leaf, like a Spears head, it will grow a foot high, and it beareth a yellow flower as broad as a Penny. It groweth always in low places, where the water useth to stand in Winter. Another Grass is called Penny-grass, it groweth low, close to the Earth in Moorish Grounds, it hath a Leaf as broad as Two-pence, but never beareth flower. All manner of Grass that the Land-flood runs over, is bad for sheep, be­cause of the sand and the filth that sticketh upon it. All Moorish Ground and Marsh-ground is bad for sheep. The Grass that grow­eth upon Fallows is not good for sheep; for there is much of it weedy, and oftentimes it cometh up by the root, and that bringeth earth with it: and the sheep eat both. Mildew-grass is very bad for sheep, and that we may find out by the Leaves of the Trees in the morning, and especially of Oaks, take the Leaves, and put thy tongue to them, and thou shalt taste like Honey upon them. Therefore the sheep should not be let out of the Fold till the Sun hath the power to dry up the Mildew. Want of food will cause a great Rot amongst sheep; for then they will have neither good flesh nor good skins. White Sincles are very bad for sheep in Pastures and in Fallows. There is another Rot that is called the Pellet, [Page 181] which proceeds from great wet, especially in woody Countries, where they find a want of driness.

To know rotten Sheep divers manner of ways, whereof some of them never fail.

LEt the Shepherd use both his hands, and twirl upon the Sheeps Eye, and if it be ruddy, and have red strings in the White of the Eye, then the sheep is sound; but if the Eye be white like Tallow, and the strings dark-colour'd, then he is rotten. Let him also take the sheep upon the Wool of the side, and if his skin be ruddy-colour'd and dry, then he is sound; but if it be pale-colour'd and watry, then he is rotten. Also when the Shepherd hath opened the Wool of the side, let him take a little of it betwixt his finger and his Thumb, and pull it a little, if it stick fast, he is sound; if it come lightly off, he is rotten. When a sheep is killed, if his body be full of water, he is rotten, and also the fat of the flesh will be yellow, if the Liver be cut, wherein will be little quicknesses and live things like flocks, and also the Liver will be full of knots, and white Blisters; if it be rotten, it will also break and crumble in pieces; but if the sheep be sound, it will hold firm together.

The Nature, Use, and Benefit of Marle.

MArle is a very useful thing; the Na­ture of it is cold, which is the reason that it saddens the Land exceeding­ly; for it is very heavy, and will go down­wards. Some Countries yield Marle of seve­ral colours, as 'tis affirmed of Kent, wherein is found both yellow and gray: the blew and red are counted best. To marle together, I hold not proper; but when you are resolved to lay down your Land to graze, be sure at the last Crop you intend to take (which may be two or three more after marling) then manure your Land, for the less binding, and the more light, loose and open, the more fruitful it is, so that it will produce a gallant Clovery. The first year after you have laid it down upon the Wheat or mixed Corn-stubble, you must run it over again with Dung, and it will pay tre­ble. Now the Lands upon which Marle is most natural for increase, is upon your higher sandy Land, mixed of gravelly or any sound Land whatsoever, though never so barren, to which it is natural and nourishing, as Bread to a mans Life.

The best way of planting of Trefoyl or Clover-grass.

THere are several sorts of Clover, I shall only speak of the great Clover that we fetch from Flanders, called Trefoyl, named by Clusius Trefolio majus tertium, which bears the great red Honey-suckle, whose root and bran­ches far exceed our natural Meadow-Clover, and bears a very small seed like Mustard-seed, not so round, but longer like a Bean; the best is of a greenish yellow colour, some a little reddish; the black, I suppose, will not do well. Your Dutch or Low-Country seed, or from the lower parts of Germany, is very much of it, but very hazardous that comes over hither; but being well chose there (for the choice is the Master-piece of the work) the transporting of it by Sea is no considerable prejudice to it; but much of it that was sold in the Seedsmens Shops in London, was either corrupted by the Dutch before it came thence, or else parched by our drying, or else by the Shop-keepers either mingled with old or new, or keeping it another year, and then selling it for new. The best way of sowing of this Dutch Seed, must be by mixture of it with Ashes of Wood, or Coals coursly sifted, or with some Dust, or good Sand, or fine Mould, or any thing else [Page 199] that will help to fill the Land, or spread well forth of the Land: and after this I must press as the weightiest thing of this Husbandry, to have a most special care of the even sowing of it, because the wind, though very small, hath power over this, and therefore you must chuse as calm a time as possibly you can. You may sow it upon any Land you intend to graze up­on, any fair places in a Meadow, or High­ways trodden and poached, it will soard them: but the usual way is thus advised; when that you have fitted your Land by Tillage and good Husbandry, then sow your Barley or Oats, and harrow them in, and after your Clo­ver upon the same Land, covered over with small Harrow or Bush, but sow not the Corn as you usually did; but if you will lose this Crop, you may sow it of it self. The season of it is in the beginning of April, or in the end of March, if it be likely to be a dry season. I have heard of three Crops, and some affirm that it will bear, two to cut, and one for to graze; the first Crop may be at mid-May rea­dy to cut, and this Crop is best always to be cut green, and before the stalk begin to grow too big, and begin to dry and wither, unless it be for Seed; therefore as Experience will teach, it will be best to cut it green and young, and give it to Cattel or Horse in the Stable; for if you cut it to keep, it will go so near to­gether, [Page 200] as that it will do but little service dry; yet if being cut young, it will be very good and sweet, and either seed or give Milk abundant­ly; and then after the first cut, let it grow for Seed, and herein you must be careful, that you let it grow till it be full ripe, for it will not be very apt to shed; and if it grow to seed, I cannot conceive of what use those stalks that are so hard and dry can be, unless it be for firing in a dear Country, so that the seed must be the advance of that Crop only, and so it may well enough, and you may have a good after-pasture, and may graze it until January, and then preserve it. But if you would know when your Seed is ripe, observe these two Par­ticulars. First, observe the Husk when the Seed appears in it, then about one month after it may be ripe. Secondly, try the Seed after it begins to turn the colour, and the stalk be­gins to dye and turn brown, it begins to ri­pen, and being turned to a yellowish colour, in a dry time mow it, and preserve it till it be perfectly dry any manner of way, and then about the midst of March thrash it, and cleanse it from the straw as much as you can; foulter and beat the Husk again, being exceeding well dryed in the Sun after the first thrashing, and then get out what seed you can, and after try what a Mill will do at the rest, as aforesaid more at la [...]ge: But I will give way to any that [Page 201] can make a better discovery. I need not pre­scribe a time in July or August as best to cut for seed, because some years and Lands will ripen it sooner then others will; therefore have respect to thy seed and straw according to the former directions: but when you are to go into good seed, you must graze it upon the Land, and then be sure not to let it grow too rank and high; but if the stalk grow big, Cattel will balk it, and stain it more, and it will not eat up so kindly at first, nor graze so even afterwards, but exceeding much Milk it will yield, and feed and nourish very well. But to affirm, as some have done, and do con­fidently to this day, that it will grow on the barrennest Ground that is, as on Windsor For­rest, I dare not; I have known that it hath failed, and I am confident must, without ex­ceeding great cost on Husbandry; yet that very Land well manured and tilled, dunged, limed, marled, or chalkt, or otherwise made fat and warm, will bring forth good Clover, and other rich Commodities, as they do in Flanders: the Nature of the Land is good, but the Spirit of it is too low to raise it of it self. And this is all that is held forth in the Dis­course of Brabant Husbandry, exceeding bar­ren Lands, but well dunged and tilled, and then clovered, not that it is the barren Land, but the good and costly Husbandry; only the [Page 202] oldness of the Land, and the restiness thereof, yields more spirit to the Grain or Clover by far, then the tillable Land well husbanded, and laid down with Clover, will do very well also. The quantity of seed for an Acre, as I conceive, will be a Gallon, or nine or ten pound, though some are of opinion less will serve turn. Therefore, as I said before, I say your old Land, be it course or rich, as it is, or hath been disused from Tillage long, is best for Corn, so also it is the best and most certain Land for Clover; and when you have corned your Land as much as you intend, then to al­ter it to Clover, is the properest season. This I shall lay down for a general Rule, That whatsoever Land is neither too rank or fat for any sort of Corn, is not too good to clover, and you shall always find it to be the best Husbandry, unless you recover the barren Lands up to a good and rich condition, which is also the far better Husbandry, then to let it lye pelting and moiling upon poor mean Land unfatned by some soils or other; therefore I ad­vise every man to plow up no more then he can well overcome by his Purse and Husbandry, and let the rest lye till he have brought up the other, and then as he hath raised one part, take up another, and lay down that to graze, either with Clover or otherwise: and let him take heed that flatters himself to raise [Page 203] good Clover upon barren Heathy Land, o­therwise then aforesaid. Let him take notice, he will pull down his Plumes after two or three years Experience, unless he devise a new way of Husbandary: as to the annual profit that may accrue thereby, I shall a little differ from the Flanders Husbandry, but shall affirm, that one Acre, after the Corn is cut, the very next year if it be well husbanded, and kind thick Clover, may be worth twenty Marks, or twenty pounds, and so downwards, as it degenerates weaker, less worth. In Brabant they speak of keeping four Cows Winter and Summer, some cut and laid up for Fodder, others cut and eaten green; but I have credibly heard of some in England, that about one Acre have kept four Coach-horses, and more all Summer long; but if he keep but two Cows, it is ad­vantage enough upon such Lands as never kept one: But I conceive best for us, until we come into a stock of Seed, to mow the first Crop in the midst or end of May, and to lay that up for Hay, although it will go very near toge­ther; yet if it grow not too strong, it will be exceeding good and rich, and feed any thing, and reserve the next for Seed; and if we can bring it up to perfect Seed, if it but yield four Bushels upon an Acre, it will amount to more then I speak of by far, every Bushel being worth three or four pound a Bushel; and then [Page 204] after the Math or Eadish, that year may be put up three midling Runts upon an Acre, and feed them up: all which laid together, will make up an Improvement sufficient; and yet this property it hath also, that after the three first years of cloving, it will so frame the Earth, that it will be very sit to corn again, which wil be a very great advantage. First to corn the Land, which usually yields a far better profit then grasing, and sometimes a double profit, and sometimes more, near a treble profit, and then to clover it again, will afford a wondrous strange advance. And if you consider one Acre with the Clover and Husbandry thereof, may stand you the first year in twenty Shil­lings, the Land being worth no more, which may produce you yearly (if it thrive well) ea­sily five, six, or eight pounds per Acre, nay some will affirm, ten or twelve pounds, or more.

Of the Plantation of Hops, and how Land is improved thereby.

HOps is grown a National Commodity: But it was not many years since the fa­mous City of London petitioned the Parlia­ment of England against two Anusancies or of­fensive Commodities were likely to come into great use and esteem, that was Newcastle Coal [Page 205] in regard of their stench, &c. and Hops in re­gard that they would spoil the taste of Drink, and endanger the peoples healths, and for some other reasons I do not well remember▪ but petition they did to suppress them, and had the Parliament been no wiser then they, we had been in a measure pined, and in a greater measure starved. This Hop-plantation will require a large Discourse; but I shall contract my self to the briefest discovery thereof I can possibly. 1. Chuse the Land that is best for them, and best Sets to plant withal. 2. The best manner of planting them and husbanding of them, until they are fit for sale. 3. The profit and advantage that will accrue there­by, I shall afterwards, as plainly as I can, ex­press. 4. Describe the manner of its growth thus; it comes up with several sprouts like Asparagus, runs up and climbs upon any thing it meets withal, bears a long stalk, hairy, and rugged Leaves, broad like the Vine, the flow­ers hang down by clusters, set as it were with scales yellowish, called in High Dutch Lupullus, in Low Dutch Hopssem, and in English Hop. It is offensive upon this account, hot in the first degree, stuffs the head with the smell, there­fore use it not too much; yet the Leaves open and cleanse. The best Land is your richest Land, it must be a deep Mould, that which ly­eth near the Rock, the Poles cannot be set [Page 206] deep enough to stand firm; it should be a mixt Earth that is compounded of Sand and a little Clay, but much solid Earth, a strongish Land laid dry and warm, will bear the weightiest Hops. A barren Moorish wet Soil is not natural to Hops; but if this be laid very dry, and made very rich with Dung and Soil, it may do reasonable well. The Hop-Garden should stand warm, that it may be preserved from North and East winds, rather by Hills then Trees, as near your House as may be, and that Land you determine for your Hop-Gar­den, lay as level and as square as you can; and if it be rough and stiff, it will do well to be sowed with Hemp, Beans, or Turneps before; but in what state soever it be, till in the begin­ning of Winter, make use of the Plough or Spade, and this not only the year before, but every year as long as you use it; and the more pains and cost you bestow, the more profit, and is the nearer to you, resemble the Flemming in his Hopping. And for your Sets and good Roots, to procure them, you must go to a Gar­den orderly kept, where the Hops are of a good kind, all yearly cut, and where the Hills are raised very high, for the Roots will be greatest, be sure to buy choice Sets; they may cost six a hundred in some places, and some­times you may have them for the taking up: leave your Husbandry orderly, their Hills well [Page 207] drest. You must chuse the biggest Roots you can find, such as are three or four inches about, and the Set nine or ten inches long, and have three joynts in a Root. Take heed of wild Hops, they are only discerned by the Root and stalk. The unkindly Hop that likes not his ground, soil, or keeping, comes up green and small in the stalk, thick and rough in the leaves like Nettles, much bitten with a black Fly, but it destroys not the Hop, but somewhat in­jures it. The manner of planting as soon as your Roots are got, is either to set them spee­dily, or lay them in some Puddle, or bury them in Earth; but leave them not in Water above twenty four hours: Then begin to di­rect your Hills with a Line, tyed with knors and threads thereto; the due distance had need to be eight foot betwixt, because then you make the fewer and bigger Hills, the Sun comes about them. Let the Poles reach not one another, that so it may be plowed yearly the more easily, otherwise it must be digged, some say seven foot, and others say six foot, as one lately accustomed manner is. And I am confident there is most advantage by thin planting: but that I leave to each mans Ex­perience. Your hole under the knot of your Line, had need be a foot square and deep, then if you can have the wind South or West it is best; if not, go on, having made many [Page 208] holes; but be sure to take the month of April for the work, and take two or three of your Roots, as a great old Gardiner affirmed to me, by which they will yield green Sciens or white Buds, and will have small beards grow­ing out. Joyn your Sets together even in the tops, and set them altogether bolt upright, and there hold them in their place, till you have filled the hole with good Mould, and set low, but just as the tops may be level with the ground, and then after they must be covered thick with fine Mould; be careful you set not that end downwards which before grew up­wards, which you may know by the bad grow­ing upwards, and let no part of the dead stalk remain upon the uppermost joynt thereof; then press down the Earth hard to the Roots. Some will set them every one at a corner of the foot of the Line, which I rather incline to, because they have room, and stand round: But if you plant late, and have green springs upon them, then be careful of not covering the spring; but to set more Plants, lest some should fail, and in a bigger hole, round about the same set eight, some say ten or more, which is thought tedious. Now at this time you need make no Hills at all there, as aforesaid. Poultry must be kept from thence for scratching, the Goose more especially, or any things that are mischievous. Now for poling, if your distance be three [Page 209] yards, or eight foot, then four Poles are re­quired, else three will serve, but I incline to six or seven foot distance, and four Poles, and as many this year as any. Elder Poles are very good, taper, and rough, and suitable to the Hops desire. The time of cutting your Poles is in December or in November, and then dress them, and pile them up dry; if you leave some Twigs, it will not do amiss. For length fifteen foot is well, except your Ground be very rich, or your Hills exceedingly height­n [...]d; or if they grow too thick, your Poles need to be the longer. The Hop never stock­eth kindly, until it reach higher then the Pole, and returneth a yard or two; for whilst it is climbing, the branches that grow out of the principal stalk, grow little or nothing. Let your Poles be strong nine inches above the bot­tom, they will stand the faster: 150 Poles make a Load, which may be worth a little more then ordinary Wood, a few will supply the standing stock. In setting your Poles, lay all to each Hill you intend to set, which speeds the work When your Hops appear, as you discern where your principal Root stands, then set to poling, having a Crow of Iron to make entrance for the Pole: but if you stay longer, then you will be more subject, either by run­ning or making holes, to bruise the Root, or else they will not so easily catch the Pole with­out [Page 210] flying. Your foot of the Pole must be set a foot and a half deep, and within two or three inches of the principal Root: but if your Land be rocky, then you must help your self by making your hill higher to strengthen your Poles, for which you stay the longer; lest that you bury your Sciens, your Poles of each hill, leave them rather outward one from another, and then with a Rammer ram them outward, and not inward. If a Pole should break, take away the broken Pole, the [...] [...]ye the top of those Hops to a new Pole, then winding it with the Sun a turn or two, set it in the hole; but if you take a stake, and tye it to without wresting the Wyers of it, you may do well to piece it; but if it be broken at the nether end, shove the Pole in again; and if your Poles break in the pulling, or will not be drawn, by reason of the drought or hardness, you may make a pair of Pinsors of four five foot long, with an Iron running Hook upon them, and with a Block laid under upon the top of the hill, and so coleweigh up your Poles, the mouth thereof made hollow. And for laying up your Poles, the usual way is to tye two and two together in the top, being set in six op­posite hills, and lay some Hop-bands upon the three hills under your Hop-poles, and so draw your tops near together, or farther off, as you see cause. When your Hops are grown two [Page 211] foot high, bind up with a Rush or grass your binds to the Poles, winding them about the Poles as often as you can, and winde them according to the course of the Sun, but not when the dew is upon them: your Rushes ly­ing in the Sun will grow tough. Now you must begin to make your hills, and for that purpose get a good strong Ho, of a good broad bit, and cut or ho up all the grass, in the Bow­lers betwixt your hills, and therewith make your hills with a little of your Mould, but not with strong Weeds, and the more your hills are raised, the better, the larger and the stronger grows the Root, and the bigger will be your Fruit, and from this time you must be painful in raising your hills, and clearing your Ground from Weeds. In the first year sup­press not one Scien, but suffer them all to climb up the Poles, and should you bury the Springs of any one of your Roots, it would dye, so that the more Poles are required to nourish the Spring. But after the first year, you must not suffer above two or three stalks to grow up to one Pole, but pull down and bury all the rest; yet you may let them grow four or five foot long, and then chuse out the best for use. As soon as your Pole is set, you may make a Circle how broad your hill shall be, and then hollow it, that it may receive the moisture; and not long after proceed to the [Page 212] building of your hills. Where you begin, and where your Hops are highest, there begin a­gain, and pare again, and lay them to your Hops, but lay the out-circle highest to receive moisture, and be always paring up, and lay­ing to the heap, and with some Mould until the heap comes to be near a yard high; but the first year make it not too high, and as you pass through your Garden, have a forked Wand in your hand to help the Hops that hang not right. Now these hills must the next year be pulled down, and dressed again every year. Some, when their Hop is eleven or twelve foot, break off the tops, which are better then they which have their Pole so long as the Hop runs: But if that your Hop by the midst of July at­tain not to the top of the Pole, then break off the top of the same Hop; for then the rest of the time will nourish the branches, which otherwise will lose all, it being no advantage in running up to the stock, or increase of the Hop. Now we come to the gathering of them; about St. Margarets Day Hops blow, and at Lammas they bell: But when your Hops begin to change colour, it is a little be­fore Michaelmas, but long before some will turn, change, and grow ripe, which howsoever the best way will be to pull them, and not suf­fer them to shed; they are called Midsummer-Hops. Let them not grow till the other be [Page 213] ripe, and as soon as the seed of the rest begins to change, then get Pullers amain, and as many as you can, taking a fair season; and note, you were better to gather them too early then too late. Therefore for neatness sake, pull down four hills standing together in the midst of your Garden, cut the Roots, pare the same Plot level, throw water on it, tread it, sweep it, and make it fat, wherein the Hops must lye to be pickt. Then begin and cut the stalks close by the tops of the Hills, and cut them asunder that grow one into another, with a long sharp Hook, and with a Fork take them down; you may make them Fork and Hook, one apt Instrument with which you may shove off all from the Pole, and carry it to the place, and pick them off from the Pole. Straight fine Poles are best for this way, but cut no more stalks then you can carry away in the space of one hour afore-hand; for either the Sun or Rain will offend them when they are off of the Pole, they must all stand round the floor, and speedily strip them in Baskets; for it is not unwholesom, though some smaller Leaves fall amongst them. Clear your floor twice a day, and sweep it, and if the weather be unlike to be fair, they may be carried into the house in Blankets, but use no Linnen, it will be stained to the purpose. And if you pull them upon Poles, then lay them upon forked stakes, and [Page 214] dispatch them, be careful of wet, lest they shed their seed, which is the marrow of them, and carry out your straw, and so depart your Gar­den till March, unless it be to bring in Dung. Lay on some in the Winter to comfort and warm the Roots, your old Dung is best, ra­ther none then not rotten. And in April help every hill with a handful or two of good Earth when the Hop is wond upon the Pole; but in March you will find, unless it hath been tilled, all Weeds. But if you have pulled down your hills, and laid your Ground as it were level, it will serve to maintain your hills for a long time: but if you have not pulled down your hills, your shall with your Ho as it were undermine them round, till that you come near to the principal, and take the upper or younger Roots in your hand, discerning where the new Roots grow out of the old Sets, but cut no Roots before the beginning of March or end of April. The first year of dressing your Roots, you must cut away all such as grew the year before within an inch of the same, and every year after cut them as close to the old Roots. Those that grow downward are not to be cut, they are those that grow outward, which will incumber your Garden. The difference betwixt old and new easily appears: You will find your old Sets not increased in length, but a little in big­ness, [Page 215] and in few years all your Sets will be grown into one, and by the colour also, the main Root being red, the other white: But if this be not yearly done, then they will not be perceived; and if your Sets be small, and pla­ced in good Ground, and the hill well main­tained, the new Roots will be greater then the old; if they grow to wild Hops, the stalk will wax red, pull them down, and plant new in their places. As for the annual charge of the Hop-Garden after it is planted, the dressing the Hills, the Allies, the hoing them, the po­ling them, and tying to the Poles, and order­ing the Hops, is usually done for forty shillings an Acre, together with pulling, drying, and bagging by the day. And so I proceed to the drying of them, which may be upon any ordi­nary Kilne, with any Wood that is dry, but not too old, or else good sweet Rye-straw will do well, but Charcoal best of all. They must be laid about nine or ten inches thick, and dryed a good while on that side, and then turned upside down, and dryed as much on the other side: about twelve hours will dry a Kilne full, which must be followed night and day, then laid up in a close Room upon a heap together for a month, if your Markets will give you way to frume and forgive again: when the stalk begins to be brittle, and the leaf also begins to rub, then the Hop is dryed [Page 216] sufficiently, but tread them not while they are hot, it will tread them to dust, and then either against Sturbridge-Fair, or what other Mar­kets you provide for, you may bag them up close and hard, either to 200 a Quarter. And so I come to my next Particular, to shew you the profit of them: One Acre of good Hops may possibly be worth at a good Market forty, fifty, sixty pounds; an Acre may bear eleven or twelve hundred weight, possibly some have done more, many ten, but grant but eight hun­dred, they may sometimes be worth not above one pound four shillings the hundred, and some other times they have been worth twelve or fourteen pound a hundred, and usually once in three years they bring money enough. It is usually a very good Commodity, and many times extraordinary, and our Nation may ascribe unto it self, to raise the best Hops of any other Nation. There's an old Saying:

Of the Mystery of Saffron, and the way of planting of it.

THere is another very rich Commodity wherein our Nation hath the Glory, and yet it is a very Mystery to many Parts of it; they know not whether such a thing grows in [Page 217] England; and yet none such so good grows in the World beside that I have ever heard or read of, and that is Saffron. It is a most sove­raign and wholesom thing, and if it take right, it is very advantagious and costly for price: It hath its ebbings and its flowings, as all other things have. I shall briefly give you the story of it: Good Land that is of the value of 20 l. an Acre, being well husbanded, tilled, and fit­ted, or worser Land being well manured, and brought to perfect Tillage, will serve the turn; but the better, the better for the work. The season is about Midsummer, when it is to be set, that being the season when they usually take up, or draw their Sets or Roots, and old store, when they may be had, and no time else. The Land being brought into perfect Tillage, the best way is to make a Tool like a Ho in operation, but as broad as six of them, and with that they draw their Land into ran­ges, open as it were a Furrow about two or three inches deep, and there place their Sets or Roots of Saffron about two or three inches asunder (which Roots are to be bought by the Strike, sometimes dearer, and sometimes cheap­er, and are very like to Onions, an Onion a­bout an inch and a half over) and as soon as they have made one Furrow all along their Land from one end to another, then they, af­ter that it is set, begin in another, and draw [Page 218] that which they raise next to cover this, and so they make their Trench, and cover the other; they keep one depth as near as may be, which Ranges or Furrows are not above three or four inches distance, that so a Ho of two or three inches distance may go betwixt them to draw up the Weed, which being set and co­vered, it may come up that Summer, but it dies again; yet it lives all Winter, and grows green like Chives or small Leeks. And in the beginning of Summer it dyeth wholly, as by the blade of it is as to appearance; let one come and take a Ho, and draw all over it, and cleanse it very well, and then will come up the Flower without the Leaf. In September the Flower of it appears like Crocus that is blew, and in the middle of it come up two or three Chives which grow upright together, and the rest of the Flower spreads broad, which Chives is the very Saffron, which you may take be­twixt your fingers and hold it, and cast away all the rest of the Flower, and reserve that on­ly, and so they pick it, and they must pick it every morning early, or else it returns back into the body of it, to the Earth again, until the next morning, and so from one to ano­ther, for a months space it will bear Saffron. You must get as many Pickers as may over­come it before it strike in at the very nick in the morning. It will grow to bear a Crop, [Page 219] and then it must be taken up, and planted new again, and then it will yield good store of Sets to spare, which cannot be had any other way. It must be taken up at Midsummer, and then set as aforesaid. And when that you have got your Saffron, then you must set it a drying, and that you must do, make a Kilne of Clay, not half so big as a Bee-hive, and very like it will be made with a few little sticks and Clay, and serve excellently well for this service. A lit­tle fire of Charcoal will serve to dry it, but it must be very carefully tended. Three pound of wet Saffron will make one of dry. An Acre of Land may bear fourteen or fifteen pounds of Saffron, if very good: but if seven or eight pounds, it will do the work, and one Acre of it will be managed with no great charge. I do not believe it can come to 4 l. an Acre, it hath been sold from 20 s. a pound to 5 l. a pound. It is an excellent advantage, and brings in at worst a saving bargain, but it may possibly be worth 30 or 40 l. an Acre; but if it come to 7 or 8 l. it loseth not. The Saffron-Country is on one side and Nook of Essex, and some part of Suffolk, at Saffron-Walden, and betwixt that and Cambridge hath very much of it in their Common-fields: And truly these Lands are but of a middle worth. I have seen as rich Lands again in many Parts of England; but it is, as I believe, [Page 220] Loamy Ground, and of a little saddest Na­ture. It will require to be laid dry and sound, and the Land it self must be very sound and wholesom.

Of the Plantation of Liquorish at large.

I Proceed to another National Commodity, in the Plantation whereof we exceed all other Nations, and that is Liquorish, our Eng­lish Liquorish, as we call it, being far be­yond the Spanish Liquorish, or any other. The planting of it few understand, and fewer pra­ctise. That I may be open and full in the dis­covery of it, I shall under two or three Heads formalize what I intend to express. 1. To discover the best Land to bear it. 2. The best way I can find practised to plant it. 3. The profits and advantages of it. The best Land to raise your Liquorish upon, is your richest you can get or make, your warmest you can find out, the soundest and the dryest that is possibly to be had, of a very deep soil; you must dig and prepare your Land before you set, and it must be digged three Spades deep, and two or three shovelings at the least, laid as hollow and as light as may be: You must have it digg'd out of natural Land, if it be ve­ry rich Land indeed, that it will feed an Ox in a Summer; it is the best for eight pence a [Page 221] Rod at London, forty Rods make a Rood, which is a quarter of an Acre, which comes to about 4 or 5 l. an Acre, and this is the main charge of all for three years, there is no more, unless it be a little hoing, which rids off of the hands very fast; I believe it will not cost above 20 s. an Acre more in all the three years, both in setting, and all the dressings of it, besides the Sets and Land: the Sets being doubly tre­bly worth your money. Sets have been sold for 2 s. the hundred; but if your Land be not fresh old Land, or extraordinary rich, and as rich as your best Gardens are, it must be made so with Soils and warm Manures. Horse­dung is excellent to be intrenched into the Earth, it both warms and lightens it, and makes it fit for this service. About London are very serviceable Lands for it, and so is any dry Soil whatsoever, where it is rich enough and deep; that which bears this well, will also bear your Moulder Weed, that rich Com­modity. Having digged and prepared your Land, you may proceed to the planting of it, and therein you must endeavour to get the best Sets you can, and from the best and largest sorts of Liquorish. The best Sets are your Crown-sets or heads got from the very top of the Root a little shived down; be careful of this, of very sound Land; for how soon so­ever you come to water, your Liquorish will [Page 222] check and run not one inch further: and having procured your Sets, your Ground being cast into Beds of four foot broad, all along your Plantation, from one end to another with a long Line, you may lay down a Set at every foot along the Line, which Line may have knots and threds at every foot, if you will be so exact, and then a man may come with a Tool made a little flattish, or roundish, of the bredth or bigness of a good Pickforks-tayl, about half a yard long, with a Crutch at the over-end, and sharp at the nether, and that thrust into the ground, it being made of Wood or Itch: but if flat, an Iron will do best, and open the hole well, and put in the Set, and close a little Mould to it, and so you may over­run an Acre very quickly in the setting of it, and if it should prove a very dry time, you must water your Sets two or three days at the first, until that you see that they have recover­ed their withered waneness, and then the first year you may plant your Garden with Onions, Radishes, or any Sallet-herb, or any thing that roots not downward; and I am confi­dent it would be better too, because it will prevent some weeding, and for the second, it must be hoed and kept from Weeds too, and a little the third; but one thing be very cu­rious of, in the taking up, and sudden setting of thy Sets, as soon as took up, set again: but [Page 223] if you fetch from far, then as soon as taken up, put a little Mould, and poste them away by Horse-back, and get them into the ground as soon as possibly; the delay of setting spoils many thousand Sets. The seasons of planting is in the months of February and March: you may the second year take some Sets from your own stock, but be very curious thereof: but the third year you may take what you please, and in the taking of the Liquorish up, the best seasons for which is November and December, there will run from every Master-root a Run­ner which runs along the over-part of the ground, which hath little Sprouts and Roots, or Sciens, which will yield excellent Sets, if they be cut three or four of them in every Set, which may be about four or five inches long, which is also to be planted, and is as good as the Crown-set; also if it be any thing a moist time, you may take slips from the leaf or bran­ches, and set them, and then some of them will grow; but they may be set betwixt the other to thicken, lest they should fall. The third Particular, is the profit and advantage that may be made thereby, which is very con­siderable; but it is also subject to the ebbings and flowings of the Market. It must be taken up in Winter, and must be sold as soon as taken up, lest it lose the weight, which it must needs do: You may make of an Acre of in­different [Page 224] Liquorish 50 or 60, Land of excellent good, 80, 90, or a 100 l. It is not of so great use as other Commodities are, and so will not vent off in great parcels, as others will, neither will it endure the keeping for a good Market, because it will be so soon dry.

How good a Commodity Hemp is, with the manner of Planting of it.

HEmp is an excellent Commodity, and would be far better, but that it is not made so National. This Staple-commodity in the product would bring a constant profit for the stock, and would maintain the Poor at work, so as to get a competent livelihood. Why should we run to France, to Flande [...]s, and to the Low Countries for Thred a [...]d Cloth of so many sorts, and fine Linnen, when we have Hemp and Flax enough of our own? I shall now proceed to a brief Description of the way of raising it. As for the Seed of it, that is familiarly bought and sold in all places in the season; but the best Seed is your bright­est, which you may try by rubbing of it in your hand; if it crumble with rubbing, it is bad; but if it still retains its substance and co­lour, it is good. The best Land for it, is that which is sandy, or a little gravelly, so it be very rich, and of a deep soil: As for your cold [Page 225] Clays, they are not fit for it, the very best Land can be pickt for it is but good enough. The quantity that is to be sowed upon our Statute Acre, is three Strikes or Bushels, and harrowed with small Harrows, the which after the Land is made exceeding fine, as the finest Garden; then in the beginning or middle of April, is the time they sow it: some sow it not till the end of April: But if it be any thing a kindly year, the earlier the better, and so preserved exceeding choicely at first, for fear of Birds destroying of it, as you see in many Countries. Be careful that Cattel never bite it, nor lye upon it, for they will destroy it. The season of getting it, is first about Lammas, when a great part of it will be ripe, it may be about one half, that is, a lighter Summer-Hemp that bears no seed, and the stalk grows white and ripe, and most easily discernable, which is about that season to be pulled forth and dryed, and laid up for use, or watered and wrought up as all good Housewives know, which you must pull as neatly as you can from amongst all the rest, lest you break it; for what you break, you utterly destroy, and then you must let the other grow for seed until it be ripe, which will be about Michaelmas, or a little before: when seed and stalk are both full ripe, and you come to pull them, you bind up in bundles as much as a yard-hand will [Page 226] hold, which is the Legal measure; but for your simple or Summer-Hemp, that is bound in lesser bundles, as much as may be grasped in both your hands; and when your Winter-Hemp is pulled, you may stock it up, or barn it, any way to keep it dry, and then in the sea­son of the year, thrash it, and get out the seed, but still preserve your Hemp till you set to the working of it, which instead of breaking and tawing of it, as they do in most parts, there they altogether peel it, and no more, and so sell it in the rough: But I leave all at liberty for that, whether you peel or dress it up by Brake or Tewtaw. As for the Seed an Acre will bear, is two or three Quarters, and it is usually sold for about a Mark a Quarter, sometimes ten shillings. If good Hemp, then store of seed, else not; but in many and most Parts of the Nation, it is sold for about four shillings a Bushel: Your fimbled-Hemp is not worth above half so much as the other; sometimes it is subject to Weeds, to Carlock, and Muckle-weed, which must be weeded; but the best way to destroy them, is to let your Hemp-Land lye one year fallow: I only speak of Holland, the cheapest place for it, and the first fountain of it: But generally throughout the Nation, it is of far more worth and value. The richer your Land is, the thinner; the poor­er, the thicker you must sow. One Acre of [Page 227] good Hemp may be worth 5, 6, 7, or 8 l. an Acre, and sold as soon as pulled or gathered; but if it be wrought up, it may come to 8, 9, 10, or 12 l. or more: it is a common thing in use, every one knows the manner of working it to Cloth.

The Husbanding of Flax so as to make it come up as much of the Improvement as we can.

FLax, as I may call it, is a Root, or roun­dation of advantage, upon the prosperity whereof, thousands of people in good, honest, and laborious Callings, are maintained; for the profit accruing thereof, i both general and particular. For the Land capable of raising good Flax, is any sound Land, be it in what Country soever it will, if the Land be good, either earthy, or mixed of Sand or Gravel, and old Land; it is best, that hath lain long un­plowed, it had need come up to the value of a Mark, or near twenty shillings an Acre to sow Flax upon, within a mile of London; and yet in most Counties of England, I know as good and as kind Land for that Husbandry, as any other, and at London they have Workmen dearer too, and yet can raise (though they give so dear) a very considerable profit. There is excellent Flax about Maidstone in Kent, 'tis said the best Thred in England is made of it; [Page 228] one Acre of good Flax may maintain divers persons to the compleating of it to perfect Cloth; consider how many Trades are sup­plied thereby. 1. The Flax-Land must have the same Husbandry of plowing and sowing, as Lands have for Corn; there's the Husband­mans business, sometimes, yea many times weeding too, then pulling, stitching, and dry­ing, then repelling, and laying up, and pre­serving the seed, then watering is either on the ground or in the water, then drying of it up, howing of it, then breaking and towtawing of it, then better helling and dressing it up, then spinning of it to Yarn or Thred, then weaving it, and bleaching, and then it returns again to the good Houswives use, or Sempster, and then to the weaving and usage; and all these a dozen good Callings. 2. For the carrying on of this design, and making the best of this Im­provement, I will here give you the best and most profitable way of planting of it, that is discovered. As for the Land, let it be good, and well ploughed, both straight and even, without balks, and in due season, about the beginning of March, or latter end of February: and as for the Seed, the true East Country-seed is the best, although it cost very dear, one Bushel of it to sow, is worth ten Bushels of our own Country-seed; but the second Crop of our own, of this Country-seed, is very good, [Page 229] and the third indifferent, but then no more; but again to your best Seed: the quantity of it is about two Bushels of it upon an Acre at least, some sow a Peck more; but I conceive two may be enough, but of our Seed it will re­quire half a Strike more then of the East Country-seed: Our Flax-men in former days did not sow above half so much, or little more; but now Experience hath brought us to this pitch. The season of sowing it, is a warm season, in the latter end of March; but in the warmer parts, as Essex and Kent, I con­ceive mid-March may do well; but in colder parts, as down towards Warwick-shire and Worcester-shire, the beginning of April may be early enough; and if there should come a very wet season, you must take care of weeding it also, that it grow not till it be over-ripe, lest the stalk should blacken or mildew; yet to its full ripeness you must let it grow, the which you may perceive, both by the hurle, and by the seed. Some will ripen earlier, and some later; but against it be ripe, be sure to have your Pluckers to fall in hand with plucking of it, and then tye up every handful, and set them upright one against another, like a Tent, till they be perfectly dry, then get it all into the Barn. It is indifferent whether you rip­ple it, or take off the boles of it, as soon as you bring it home, or when you intend to use it. [Page 230] As for your watering of it, whether in the Water or upon the Land, that I shall not pe­remptorily determine; but thus much I say, that both may do well, and he that gets store, will find use of both, because of the one you make use as soon as your Flax is pulled, and then you need not stand so curiously upon the drying of it; but after you have got your seed, you may water it, and the watering of it opens and breaks the hurle the best; but then you must be careful of laying up your seed, that it heat not, nor mould, and that which you wa­ter then, get it forth upon your Grass-land, and spread it thin, and turn it to preserve it from mildewing, and keep it so until you find the hurle be ready, and willing to part from the Core, and then dry it up, and get it in for use. And for the drying of it, a Kilne made on purpose is best, so that you be careful of scorching it, this will make a greater riddance of the same, and to them that have great store, Sun-drying will never do the feat, though it may do well for a small quantity, or the Flax of a private Family. As to the working of it, you must provide your Brakes and Tewtaws both, the one, that is, the Brake which bruises and toughens, the Hurle and the Tewtaw that cuts and divides out the Core; if you use the Tewtaw first, it may cut your well-dryed Flax to pieces; yet both do well, but use the Brake [Page 231] first. It will cost the Workmanship of it be­twixt three or four pounds an Acre, to bring it up to Sale: It lyeth much upon the Work­mans hand, and therefore far more to be ad­vanced, by how much the more it raiseth im­ployment for so many people to live by. Where Wages are great, it comes off the hardest; yet where it is carried on to the purpose, people stock hard that want Work, and because of constancy, will work on easie terms, or else how could they possibly do good of it at London, or near about it, where they work at double Rates? but there I have seen the best Flax I ever saw. Lastly, the benefit that may be made thereby, an Acre of good Flax may be worth upon the ground, if it be the East-Country-seed, seven or eight, yea, possibly ten or twelve pounds, yea, far more, the charge whereof, besides the seed until it be ripe, may not be above ten shillings an Acre, which if you work up to be fit to sell in the Market, it may rise up to 15 or 16, or near 20 l. in the Market; but to bring it so high as 30 l. as in Flanders, I dare not say. But an Acre of our Country-seed, will hardly come up to above three pounds or four, unless very good indeed, to which if it amount unto, and no more upon the Land, it will make a good advancement of it, which it may be, Land, and Seed, and all Charges, may come to about fifteen or sixteen [Page 232] pounds an Acre, the seed not being worth above two shillings a Strike.

A Discovery of Rape and Coal-seeds Hus­bandry.

THe planting of Coal-seed, or Rape-seed, is another excellent good means for the Improvement of Land: this Coal-seed hath been of late days in good esteem. And it is most especially useful upon your Marsh-land, Fen-land, or upon your new recovered Sea-land, or any Lands that are very rank and fat, whether Arable or Pasture. The best seed is the biggest, the fairest seed you can get, it be­ing dry, and of a pure clear colour, of the co­lour of the best Onion-seed. It is to be had in many Parts of this Nation; but Holland is the Center of it, from thence usually comes your good seed. The season of sowing it, is about Midsummer, you must have your Land plow­ed well, and laid even and fine, then you may sow it, about a Gallon of seed will sow an Acre, the which seed must be mingled, as afore was directed about the Clover, with some­thing, that you may sow it even, and not upon heaps. The even sowing of it is very difficult; it grows up exceedingly to great Leaves, but the benefit is made out of the seed especially. You may sow it either upon the Lay, Turfe, [Page 233] or Arable, and both may do well; but your Arable must be very rich and fat, having made your Ground fine and fit to sow it. The time to cut it, is when half the seed begins to look brown, you must reap it as you do Wheat, and lay it upon little Yelms, two or three handfuls together till it be dry, and that very dry too, about a fortnight will dry it, it must not be turned or touched, if it be possible, for fear of shedding the seed, that being the chief profit of it: It must be gathered in sheets, or rather a great Ship sail Cloth, as big as four or six sheets, and so carried into the Barn ere­cted on purpose, or that place on purpose de­signed to thrash it that day; you may have sixteen or eighteen men at a Floor, four men will thrash abundance in a day. I have heard that four men have thrashed thirty Coume in a day. The seed is usually worth 16 s. a Coume, that is, four shillings a Bushel, sometimes more, and sometimes less. It will, if exceeding good, bear ten Coume upon one Acre, and raise a good advance upon your Lands. It is a Commodity will not want of Sale, the greater the Parcel is, the better price you will have. It is used to make the Rape-Oyl, as we call it. The Turnep-seed will grow a­mongst it, and it will make good Oyl also, you may sell a thousand pounds worth together to one Chapman: It is best to be planted by [Page 234] the Water, or near it. It cannot be too rank, the Eadish and Stubble will exceedingly nou­rish Sheep in Winter. It hath another excel­lent property, it will fit the Land so for corn­ing, for Wheat it may produce a Crop as good, or better then it self, and for Barley after it. The charge of the whole Crop, I conceive may come to betwixt 20 or 30 s. an Acre, and a good Crop may be worth 5, 6, 7, or 8 l. an Acre; the least is a very good Im­provement, because it will do excellently well, if well ordered, and a kind season upon the Land the very first year after recovery, when it will do nothing else, if it can be but plow­ed, when other things, as Corn and Grain may be hazarded.

Of Weld or Would, as some call it, or more properly Dyers-Weed.

IT is a rich Dyers Commodity, it beareth a long, narrow, greenish, yellow Flower, which runs to a small Seed, far smaller then a Mustard seed, very thick set with seed. Pliny calls it Lutea, but Virgil calls it Lutum, and in our English, Weld, Would, or Dyers-Weed. It flourisheth in June and July. In many places it groweth of it self, in and about Villages and Towns, and is of a very great use, and consi­dering the easie charge of the raising of it, and [Page 235] the hardness of the Land upon which it grows, is of incomparable advantage. For first it will grow upon very indifferent Land, not worth above ten Groats or half a Crown per Acre; yea, as some affirm, the veriest hilly, barren, chalky, light Land, not worth twelve pence per Acre will carry it, and bear it to ve­ry good purpose; but unto so barren Lands, I will not give encouragement, unless where there is little or none better; but in any in­different Land, so it be of a very dry, warm nature, it will do very well. And secondly, it will cost but a little the managing, it requires no tillage at all, no harrowing, it being to be sowed where you sow your Barley or Oats up­on that Husbandry, without any other addi­tion, unless you draw a Bush over it, or a Roul, either of which is sufficient to cover it after you have sowed it. The difficult piece in the managing hereof, is the very sowing of it, that is, that it may be sowed even; for the seed being so very small, will require both skill and an even hand to scatter it: Some sow it by taking it with one finger and the thumb; others with the two fore-fingers, but neither of these do I affect as the best way, because they cannot spread so well as they may with their whole hand: I therefore prescribe a mix­ture with Ashes, Lime, fine Earth, or some such thing as will best suit with the weight of [Page 236] the seed; for could you find out that which agreed both in weight and bigness, then out of all question, none like to that to sow it withal. A Gallon of this seed will sow an Acre, which had need to every quart of seed to have two Gallons of some of the afore­said. It must be often stirred together, lest that the seed sink to the bottom, and sow that part thicker then the other, and then cast it out at Arms-end at as good an even a compass as you possibly can. This seed thus sowed, may grow up amongst the Corn, and yet be no prejudice, because it groweth not fast the first Summer; but after the Corn is cut, it must be preserved. And the next Summer you shall receive through Gods Blessing a com­fortable Crop: you must be exceedingly cu­rious in the ripening of it; if you let it grow too long, your seed will fall out; if not long enough, your seed will not be perfect, nor your stalk neither, and therefore observe both the turning of the seed, and the ripening of the stalk; for I cannot tell you which of either will admit of a dispensation, and as soon as ever you perceive it to grow up to perfect ripe­ness, you must down with it, that is, pull it as you do your Flax up by the Roots, and bind it in little handfuls, and set it up to dry in little filches or stitch, until both seed and stalk be dry, and then carry it away carefully, as that [Page 237] seed be not lost, lay it up dry, and so keep it as you see cause for a good Market; for it is to be sold for the Dyers use, who sometimes will give a very good price, but at all times sufficient profit, and go far to buy it, from for­ty shillings an Acre, to twelve pounds an Acre, some say more; you may barn it up, and keep it, and the seed together until March, and then you may get out the seed by lashing and whipping of it forth upon a Board or Door, which reserve for seed: the seed is sometimes ten shillings a Bushel, and some­times more or less, as the Market rises or falls, it coloureth the bright yellow, and the Lem­mon-colour. The Stalk and Root are both useful, and must go together to the Dyer. The charges of sowing, and all things till you come to pulling, is not above one shilling, whipping and banning may come to four shil­lings more; the seed may be worth half a Crown, so that all Charges and Rent of the Land may amount to less, but I will say fifteen shillings, then the Improvement will be four­fold; if worth four pound ten shillings an Acre, sixfold; if worth six pound per Acre, eight­fold, and much more, as some affirm to six­teenfold Improvement. It begins well, and spreads and thrives very much in Kent in many parts thereof; the best place to get the seed is in Kent clean down to Canterbury and Wye, where [Page 238] you may see both the Land and the growth, and discover the Mystery thereof. It is sold by weight, so much a hundred, and so much a Tun weight.

Of Woad or Wade, the Land best for it, the Ʋ ­sage of it, and the Advantages thereby.

WOad is also a great Commodity, it lays the foundation for the solidity of ma­ny Colours more: A Woaded colour is free from staining, excellent for holding its colour, nay, sad-holding colour must be woaded. It hath been one of the greatest Inrichments to the Masters thereof, until our late Wars, of any Fruit the Land did bear. It is called Glastum or Garden-Woad, by the Italians cal­led Guedo, in Spanish and in French Pastel, in Dutch Wert, and in English Woad or Wade. It hath flat long Leaves like Reben Rubrum; the stalk is small and tender, the Leaves are of a blewish green colour. The seed is like an Ash-key or seed, but not so long, little blackish Tongues. The Root is white and simple. It is a very choice seed to grow and thrive well; it beareth a yellow Flower, and requires very rich Land, and very sound and warm, so that very warm Earth, either a little gravelly, or else sandish will do exceeding well; but the purer, warmer, solid Earth is best, and ex­ceeding [Page 239] rich Land, and though it should be mixed with a little Clay, it will do well, but it must be very warm. There is not much Land fit for this design in many Countries, especially your hardest Wood-land parts, you have in many of your great, deep, rich Pa­sture many Hills and Hills-sides good Woad-Land, when the bottom-ground will do no service; but your chiefest is your home Corse, or lesser Ground lying near, and bordering about the Towns. Your best and naturallest Parts in England for Woad, are some Parts of Worcester-shire, Warwick-shire, Southward, Oxford-shire, Glocester-shire, Northampton-shire, Leicester-shire, some Parts of Rutland, Redford-shire, and Buckingham-shire, and some other places here and there: All these Parts have some admirable Woad-land in them. The Land must be sound, and at above twenty shillings an Acre to graze in at least, or else it will not be worth the woading. And to plow and sow Woad, it may be worth as much more as to graze, yea, sometimes more, if it be extraordinary rich Soil, and Trading good. And whereas some write, that it undoeth the Land, I answer as I judge in my own Breast, that in regard it is so often cut, and groweth so thick, and is so often weeding, that it must needs do so, as I believe all Corn doth draw out some of the Spirit thereof; but no more [Page 240] then other Grain, if it could be so oft cut to grow again. Thus much I can say of it, that it prepares the Land exceedingly for Corn, and doth abate of the strength and super-richness, or rankness therof, which Corn would not well endure; for I am ready to maintain, that the richest Land is not best for Corn: For though the one may overburden, and be so rank; yet the other may bear as much to the Strike, and for goodness your middle-land beareth the Bell away for Corn, in my opinion. To ac­quaint you with the use of Woad, I must do these three things. 1. Shew you how the Land must be prepared and sowed. 2. Shew you how it must be ordered, when that the leaf must be cut, and how ordered after the cutting of it. 3. And lastly, how it must be tempered and seasoned to make the best Woad for use and profit: But before I proceed, I must inform you, that this Commodity is not to be played withal, as you may do with Li­quorish and Saffron, &c. to make Experiments of a little parcel, but a man must of necessity set forth and forward so much stock, and land, and seed, as may keep one Mill or two at work to make it into perfect Woad. It is the do­ing of a great quantity, and carrying on a great stock that makes this work, and will car­ry it on to profit and credit: Some have as much under hand, as will work six or eight [Page 241] Mills. The charge of it is exceeding great in the management of it, and as well it payeth for all charges, as any Commodity I know of. The Ground must be of old Land, as aforesaid, and a tender Turse, and must be exceeding choicely plowed; if very hilly, they must be cast, and well cast, that you cast forth, lye not high to raise the Furrow: they usually plow outward, or cast all their Lands at the first plowing, and having broke the Ground with a Harrow, then they sow it, and sow a­bout four Bushels or Strikes of an Acre, which done, then cover it, and harrow it very well and fine, and pick out the Clots, Turfes, and Stones, and lay it on the hollow places of the Ridge in heaps, as is the usual custom: But now I should rather chuse to take a little Cart with one Horse, and as the Boys and Children pick them up, cast them into the Cart, and carry them into some flank and hollow place, and lay them down to rot, or else mend some barren place, because they lose a good conside­rable part of Land, and so of Wood too, which otherwise might be as good as the rest, and is now, by reason of the times, not worth so much. The Land that is lost is very conside­rable, in regard it is so good of it self, and the stock so good and rich that is sowed upon it, that all even Ground had need be regained, that possibly may be. 2. I am to shew you [Page 242] how it is to be husbanded, and when the Leaf must be cut, and how used, and how oft, &c. After the Land is sowed, and that it begins to come up, as soon as any Weed appears, it must be weeded, yea, it may be twice weeded, or more, if it requires before it be ready to cut; but if it be special good, and come thick, and cover the Ground well, it will ask the less weeding: to them that are exercised in this same Service, and have their Work and Work-folks at command, they will have it weeded for eight pence an Acre, and sometimes less: as soon as the Leaf is come to its full growth, which will be sometimes sooner, sometimes later, as the year is dryer or moister, more fruitful or less, which when you perceive at the full ripeness, set to cutting of it off. As soon as ever it is cut, your Mills being prepared, and great broad Fleaks, so many as may re­ceive the Crop prepared, and planted upon Galleries or Stories made with Poles, Fir, Al­der, or other Wood; your Mill is usually known, a large Wheel both in height, and bredth, and weight doth best, it is a double Wheel, and the Tooth or Ribs that cut the Wood, are placed from one side of the Wheel to the other, very thick, wrought sharp and keen at the edge, and as soon as the Woad is cut, and comes out of the field, it is to be put into the Mill, and ground one Kilne full after [Page 243] another as fast as may be; the juyce of the Leaf must be preserved in it, and not lost by any means, and when it is ground, it is to be made in balls round, about the bigness of a Ball, without any composition at all, and then presently laid one by one upon the Fleaks to dry, and as soon as dried, which will be sooner or later, as the season is, they are to be taken down, and laid together, [...]and more put in their places: But because all the circumstances will be too tedious to discourse, and the work is no common work, and very many not well versed therein, I will rather advise you to get a Workman from the Woad-works, which can carry it on artifically, rather then to ven­ture the experimenting of so great Work up­on Words and Rules. Good Woad may yield in a plentiful year five, or possibly six Crops, yea, ordinarily four, and yet sometimes but three: but the Winter Crop is of good worth, excellent for Sheep, conceived good against the Rot, and also it will maintain them well, and it will contain them in good heart, and strengthen them till sowing time again. The time of sowing is in the beginning and end of March. And thus when you have cut all your Crops one after another till Autumn, the de­clining season will not ripen it again, and your Mill is at leisure, then you must proceed to the third Particular, which is to the ordering and [Page 244] seasoning of it, and working it up to use, which must be done in the manner following: You must set your Mills to work again, to grind it all over, and then season it up, and so you may make it stronger or weaker, as you shall see occasion. There is so much difference betwixt Woad and Woad, that the Dyers, though so experimental, will hardly buy you any parcel till they have experimented it in colouring; and therefore for me to prescribe a Rule upon such uncertainties, I hold it not safe, the Woad-man that uses to make up three or four sorts of Woad, will make it up as he intends to friend a Customer. The first years tryal will put you into sufficient Experience: As the Woad yields many Crops, so each Crop is worse then the other; the first Crop is best, the second next, the third much worse, the fourth far worse then that, and the fifth worst of all; if you get a fifth, but that is not usual, four Crops is sufficient, and sometimes you must be content with three, and as the first Crop is usually (in a good year) ripe by the midst of June, so will the second be usually ripe in one month after that, and so every month, or thereabouts, each Crop will be ready, and if the latter end of the year prove kind, then you must expect a Crop the more. Now to know when the Woad is ripe, and to take it in the very season, is a fundamental [Page 245] piece, which is when the Leaf is come to a full growth, and retains its perfect colour and lively greenness, then with all your might set so many hands to cutting of it, as that it do not fade, or wax pale or wan, before you have cut your Crop; for then it will begin to be over-ripe, and the less sap and marrow of it drinks in again, and will not yield store of juyce, which is the spirit of it, and best of the Woad. The Woad-man seasons the two first Crops together, and some season the third by it self, and the fourth by it self, some put the three first Crops together, which makes the worser Woad, but the very Virgin-Woad is the first and second, and the better they desire to make it, the more in­tire they compound it, not confounding it with divers sorts. The manner of seasoning is thus; after every Crop is cut, grinded, bal­led, and dryed, as dry as possibly it can be, and laid up in the Ball every Crop by it self, then you must take the first and second Crops, and grind them all over again together, or a­part, as you please, but they must be then wrought as dust, as it were, in the Mill, and ground very well the first and second Crop, or so much as you will make of your best sort of Woad, and so laid upon the floor in a heat or Couch, and then you must mix it with water, and turn it over, and mix it again, and turn it [Page 246] over, and give it so much water as that it will be soakt throughly, however you may over-soak and drown it, and that will be very pre­judicial to it: It must be turned in the Couch once for three or four weeks together, and then every other day once for about a fort­night, and then twice a week, till it comes to a right colour. At the first many men must be imployed, carrying water as hard as they can, till it be wet and well soaked, and that you may know the better how to temper it aright, you shall find it heat exceedingly in the Couch, which you must look to keep in a moderate condition, which over-heating you may pre­vent with turning, that it over-heat not by any means; it may grow so hot, as you can pos­sibly abide your hand in it, but not to exceed that heat: and how to know its seasons kind­ly, and so will in time come to perfect rich Woad; you must observe that it will alter and change divers times: first it will hoar, mould, and frost, and smell exceeding strong, and then it will in a little time abate thereof, and grow towards a black colour, and then it will hoar and mould again, and change a little whitish, and after this second change, it will come to a perfect black, which the brighter and clearer colour, the better. This must be the Winters work, and it will be good for cold weather, and when it is thus wrought, [Page 247] and comes to its colour, then you may lay it up, or heap it up, to lye for a Sale, putting divers Poles into each heap to the bottom, to open and keep it cool, and you must be sure it take not heat again; and thus all your sorts of Woad must be seasoned one after another, and especially all such that you can dry that Sum­mer: but to tell you how to chuse the best Woad, is scarce in the power of the Woad­man, who can but guess at it from that Expe­rience he hath in the mixing of it; but it must be tryed by the Dyers, who, as we said, usual­ly do so before they buy it. I shall end with the advantages thereof, which are very great. And first it is National, in that it sets many poor on work. It is the staple and chief of the Dyers Trade, layeth a foundation for all enduring and holding Colours, and much ad­vantages Land in the Rent, it doubles or more, and in the usage of it upon this Husbandry, trebleth or quadrupleth it, and many times more: And then secondly, it is personally ad­vantagious, the best Estates that have been got in all our rich upland Countries, have been got by it: at some seasons, and when they have a right Crop and good Markets, it will amount to as much more; it hath been sold from 20 to 30 l. the best Woad, and back again down to 6 l. a Tun.

The Nature, Ʋse, and Advantage of Madder.

ANd so I descend to my third Dyers Com­modity, in relation to Dying or Co­louring, and that is to the story of Madder, that colours the rich and best solid red. It is now very rarely planted in Gardens, and in some small Plots of Ground, and it amounts to the very great advantage of the Planters that set and sell forth by the Roots they draw to vent to the Apothecaries, and medicinably to o­thers; they make a most exceeding value of the Lands beyond all credence: some have made, as I have been informed, after the Rate of three hundred pounds an Acre in three years, for so long as it grows before it come unto perfection; and others that have sold it by whole Sale a parcel together at the worst ad­vantage, to a hundred and sixty pounds an Acre, and some have out of small Plots of Gardens, made more then I have or will here affirm; and however this being a fundamen­tal Fruit, and such a one as that the plenty thereof will not much abate the Market, or dy­ing Trade being supplyed herewith from be­yond the Seas, that the Erection of such a Plantation as may bring it forth wrought up and fitted to the Dyers use, and so to be a sup­ply to our selves within our selves. It would [Page 249] be a good design to the Nation, as it imploys so many hands to bring it to perfection. It turns Land to as great an advantage as any Seed or Root that is capable to receive it, and needs no more fear want of Markets for the venting of it, than we need for Wool that Staple-Commodity of the Nation. I shall proceed to the Description of it. There is but one kind of Madder which is manured and set for use; but there are many things like there­to, as Goose-grass, soft Cliver, Ladies-Bed­shaw, Woodroof, and Crosswort: all which are like to Madder-leaves, and are thought to be wild kinds thereof. It hath long stalks or trailing branches dispersed upon the ground, rough, and full of joynts, and every joynt set with green and rough Leaves, in manner of a Star; the flowers grow at the top of the bran­ches, of a faint yellow colour, after which comes the seed round and green: the Root creepeth far abroad within the upper Crust of the Earth, intangling one Root into another, and when it is green and fresh, the Root is of a reddish colour, it is small and tender, but ga­thers and runs into the ground, just like an Ivy along a House or Tree. It is a Commo­dity of much value, Patentees strove hard for it, and Patents were gained about it in the late Kings days. For the making out of a good Plantation, I must observe these three things. [Page 250] 1. Shew you what it comes of, how to plant it and preserve it. 2. How to get it and use it, to bring it to saleable Madder. 3. The benefit and advantage of it will be National and Personal. Although it bear a seed, yet that seed comes not to perfection, it is there­fore to be planted from the Sets that are to be got from the Madder it self, and they are to be bought in many Gardens in London, who keep up that Plantation for the advantage of selling their Sets, and Roots Physically to the Apo­thecaries only; all the skill is to distinguish of the goodness thereof: And for the discovery thereof, first know the season of getting or rather drawing them, which is in March and April, yea, as soon as they are sprung forth of the ground two or three inches long, then you must be careful to get Sets rooted; every Set having some suckers, or spinies of Root going out of them: they must be slipped from the main Root, and these Sets as soon as ever took up, put into some Basket with a little Mould, and posted to the place where they are to be set, the sooner, the better; and then your Ground being very rich, it cannot be too rich for this Commodity, however it must be of a warm and a very deep Soil, and digged two or three Spades graft depth, and two shovel­lings also, raked and laid even and level, and then by straight Lines trod out into long Beds [Page 251] about one foot broad from one end of your Work unto the other, and set about one foot asunder every way; and if it be a dry Spring, they must be kept with watering, until they recover their fading wane condition. You may begin to dig your Ground in the begin­ning, and along all Winter, till the very day of setting, and then you must keep it with weed and hoing, until it have got the master­ship of the Weeds, and then it being a Weed it self, will destroy all others. One Rod of Ground is worth seven pence a Rod digging; or if very dry strong Ground, eight pence, but six pence the best. You may sow some early Sallet-herbs, as Radish or Onions, of such things as will be ripe betimes, among it. The first year good weeding is the best preser­vative unto it, and in your setting them by a little Line, one goeth before, and layeth every Set in his place, and another comes, and with a broad Dibble made for the purpose, thrusts down a deep and open hole, and puts in the Set, and for the nourishing of it, in case any dye, you must plant new in the room of it, for the time of the growing of it, until that it come to perfection, is three years: The first year you may take off some few Sets here and there, but that is somewhat dangerous; for that year, it must be kept with hoing a while also, then the second year you may take up [Page 252] Sets as fast as you will, and almost as many as you will, leaving but as you do in the crop­ping of an Oak, the bough for the drawing up of the sap out of the Root, being so thick and strong in the ground, that nothing will almost decay it. If then you can get it for the use of the Drugsters and the Apothecaries, and the Sets to plant again; in the taking up of every Root, there will be one runner which hath little buds on it, which may be divided and cut into a fingers length, each planted with one bud out of the ground set upright, which makes very excellent good Sets, one Runner will make many Sets; but these Sets cannot be got up until the Madder be taken away: And having thus preserved it until it come to a good Crop, having curiously dryed it as you do your Hops, to a just and perfect gage of drought. There is a Mystery, that is, so pare off the husks, that it may, if it be possible, as the Wheat is ground, be flaked, or flayed, that it may go all one way, which sort they call the Mull-Madder, is little worth, not above nine or ten shillings a hundred; and then you must take out the second sort, called the number O, which is the middle Rind, and is not worth so much as the third sort called the Crop-Mad­der, by one sixth part, and this Crop-Madder is the very heart and pith of it inclining to yellow; this is lesser in quantity, but little, [Page 253] better in quality by far. Sometimes the best Madder is worth 8 or 9 l. a hundred, and the number O is worth 6 l. 6 s. 8 d. sometimes it is not worth above 4 or 5 l. a hundred. Some Dyers use of this Commodity above an hun­dred pound a week a man. Now as it is planted in Gardens, unspeakable advantages are made thereby, and should it hold a proportion when it comes to be made up, and compleated to the Dyers, it would prove the richest Com­modity that I know sowed in England.