as hit is hard for a weake sowe to gyue sucke and sustinaÌ„ce to many pigges and kepe them fatte and in good plite whan they waxe great So. Ye sey good Ischomacus that ye muste sowe lesse seede on a weker grounde Ischo So I do in dede good Socrates and ye also dyd graunte hit vnto me a littel afore whan ye sayd that ye thought that the weakest shuld be left charged So. But for what reason good Ischomachus do ye make dyches in the corne feldes Ischo Ye wotte wel that in wynter are many showers So. what therof Ischo Mary therof chaunce many hurtes for a great parte of the felde is surrounded with water and the corne coueredde in mudde and the rootes of moche of the corne are worne and wasshed awaye with the water and further often tymes by reason of the greate abundaunce of water there cometh moche wides and other harlotry that suppresseth distroyeth the corne So. It is lyke inough that all this shulde be Isc And thynke ye than that the corne beinge in that takinge hath not nede to be holpe So. Yes mary Isch Than if the corne be couered with mudde what shal we do to helpe it So. Mary ease the grounde and make it lighter Ischo But what if the root is be waxed thynne and almoste worne away So. ThaÌ„ ye must cast to more erthe that it maye take roote and growe agayne Isch But what if the wides and other harlotry sucke vp the moysture from the corne lyke as the drone bees the whiche beinge them selfes vnprofitable do robbe awaye eate vp the bees vitayles that they had set vp for to worke with So. Mary the wides and harlotry must be pluckte and cut away lyke wise as the drone bees are voyded our of the hyues Ischo Thynke yon than that we do not make the dyches and sloughes in the feldes for a good cause So. Forsothe so it is but I thiÌ„ke nowe in my mynde good Ischomacus what a thynge it is to brynge in similitudes likenessis For ye haue moued me more a greate deale and made me more displeased ageynst these wides whan ye spake of the drone bees than whan ye spake of the wides them selfes But nowe after this sayd I haruest season wyl come wherfore I pray you tell me if ye haue any thinge to teche me in this matter Ischo So I wyl if ye do not shewe your selfe that ye knowe it as wel as I. This ones ye knowe that the corne muste alway be reaped Soc. What els Isch Whether than must ye staÌ„de to reape it with the wynde or agaynste the wynde So. Not agaynst the wynde for it wolde be a great peyne as I thynke bothe for the eies and also for the haÌ„des to reape agaynste the eares blowen downe with the wynde Ischo And how wyl ye cutte it at the very toppe or euen by the grouÌ„de So. If the stalke be short I wyl cutte it a lowe that there maye be strawe inough But if it be very hie I thynke better to cutte it in the myddell to th entent that nother the thresshere nor the fanners shal take more peyne in vayne than nedeth and that that remayneth I thynke if it be burned hit wyll do the grounde very moche good and if it be layde with the donge it wyl fyl and encrese it Ischomacus Do ye se nowe frende Socrates howe ye be taken in the very dede doinge that ye knowe as well as I what longeth to reapynge So. In faythe I am aferde lest it be so in dede And nowe wyll I se like wise whether I can thresshe or not Ischo This ye knowe well that horses do thresshe corne Socra why shulde I not and not onely horses but also moyles and oxen lyke wise Ischo But howe can these beastis stampe well and thresshe the corne euen as they shâ—â—de good Socrates Soc. It is clere tha◠〈◊〉 is by the reason of them whiche haue thechaâ—ge of the thresshynge For they do euermore turne and styrre and put vnder theyr feeâ— that that is vnthresshed and so they must nedes make hit euen and make an ende of hit as quickely as may be Ischo Thâ—h as for this busynes ye knowe it as wel as I. Socra Nowe after this good Ischomachus lette vs clense the corne and wynnowe hit Ischo Telle me thaÌ„ good Socrates do ye knowe this that if ye begynne to winnowe it in that parte of the wynowynge place where the wynde is ageynst you that the chaffe wyl be scatered abrode through al the winnowynge place So. It muste nedes Ischo Than it muste nedes as wel fal vpon the corne So Verily it is no smal poynte to make the chaffe to go beyonde the corne in a voyde rowme of the wynowynge place But if a man begyn to wynowe vnder the winde or a syde halfe of hit than it is clere that al the chaffe wyl voyde to the place that is ordeyned for hit Ischo But whan ye haue clensed the corne euen to the myddyf of the wynowing place whether than the corne beinge thus scatered abrode wyl ye wynowe the remanant or wyl ye put fyrste to gether on a heape as narowly as can be al that euer is clene So. Forsoth I wyl first put to geder on a heape all that is clene left parauenture the chaffe be caried about the wynowinge place wher by I shulde be fayne to wynowe twyse one thynge Ischo Nowe than gentyl Socrates ye may teche an other man if ye wyll how he shal soonest gette his corne clensed So. In good fayth I had almost forgotte that I coude all this a greate while ago And nowe I caste in my mynde whether I haue forgotteÌ„ my selfe that I can playe on a harpe play vpon recorders peynte and carue and other scieÌ„ces For there was neuer man that taught me these no more thaÌ„ to be a husbande man And I se as well other men worke in theyr scieÌ„ces as husbaÌ„de men laboure the grounde Ischo And dyd not I tel you but a littel afore that this science of husbandry is wonders pleasant and very easy to lerne So. I knowe very wel good Ischomacus that I vnderstode and coude al maner of thynges that do loÌ„ge to sowinge but I haue forgotteÌ„ my selfe that I coude them But the settynge of trees sayde I is that any poynte of husbandry Isch Yes mary So. How happeneth than that I knewe wel al suche thynges as loÌ„ge to earynge and sowyng and am ignoraunt in that that longeth to plantynge of trees Ischo Be ye ignorant in dede So. I must nedis be seinge I know not in what grouÌ„de a man shulde set a tree nor howe depe nor of what length nor what breade it be sette in nor whan it is in the grouÌ„de how it shal best growe and come vp Ischo Wel than lerne that that ye knowe not I am sure ye haue seen what pyttes they make for trees that do sette them So. That I haue very many
require But as for your frendes al though they haue more to kepe them in their degree than ye haue for yours yet they loke that ye shulde helpe them Than sayde Critobulus I haue nothynge to say agaynst you in this matter But it is time for you to instructe me with some good preceptes to thintente that I be not so miserable in dede that ye may haue cōpassion on me with a good cause Than sayde Socrates Do not ye thynke your selfe that ye do a very strange and a maruailous thynge that but a pratye whyle ago whan I sayde that I was riche ye lough at me as though I knewe not what riches mened and neuer stynted til ye had put me to a rebuke and made me to cōfesse that I had not the hundreth parte of that that ye haue and nowe ye byd me to instructe you and set my diligence that ye be not poure in very dede For I se wel good Socrates said Critobulus that ye haue in you the caste to make a man ryche in dede that is to make him haue plentie and abundance And I truste he that of a litell thynge can make plentie and abundance shal do hit moche more lightlier of many great thynges Be ye not remembred of our cōmunyng a pratye whyle ago whan I coude in no case contrarie your sayinge that to him that can not vse horses horses be no goodes vnto hym nor lande nor shepe nor money nor nothing els and yet of suche thinges a man may get great profite and vantage But as for me howe do ye thinke that I can vse or order suche thinges that hadde neuer none But me thought that all though a man had nother money nor no goodis yet there was a certaine science of gydyng and ordryng of an house And what letteth you that ye may not haue the same science Loke what doth let a man to playe vpon recorders if nother he had neuer none hym selfe nor borowed none of no body the selfe same impediment haue I in the ordring of an house For I nother neuer had instrumentes that is goodes and money of myn owne to lerne by hit nor there was neuer no bodye that charged me with his goodes to ouer se thē or to order them excepte ye parauenture be disposed so to do But ye knowe wel that they that lerne firste to play vpon an harpe they spille the harpe So if I shulde nowe lerne on your householde howe to kepe an house I am aferde lest I shulde destroye your house Ha ye go about very busily and redily to auoyde that ye wol not helpe me to beare and susteyne with me parte of my busines By my fay that do I not I woll be glad with all myne harte to shewe you al that euer I can But I thinke this that if ye came to my house for some fyre and I had none if I brought you to an other place where ye myghte haue some ye wolde not be displeased with me And if ye came and asked me water and I hadde none if I brought you in to a place where ye myghte drawe some ye coude not blame me And if ye wolde that I shulde teache you musicke if I dyd shewe you other men more experte in it than I am my selfe and that wolde be gladde and fayne to teache you what coude ye blame me if I dyd so I coude not do it with a good cause Therfore I wyll shewe you that these thynges which ye desire so instantly of me that there be other men more counnyng and more experte in them than I am And this I grāt you that I haue hadde a greatte mynde to knowe whiche were the moste counnynge and the mooste experte in all the citie For whan I dyd some tyme considre that in one worke one busines and one thynge doinge some waxed verye poure and some verye riche I marueiled and me thought it was a thynge to be well consydered howe that shuld be And thus consideryng I founde that this happened none other wyse than the thynge it selfe and reason wolde For I sawe that they that behaued them selfes rasshely in their busines had domage and losse by it and they that with discretion witte and good aduisement applied theyr busynes broughte theyr matters to passe more quickely more easily and with more auantage Of the whiche I thynke that ye may lerne and so by the grace of god come to be a very riche man with moche winning and lucre Nowe by my faith I wyl neuer let you be in reste vntyll the tyme ye shewe afore these frendes of yours that ye speake of that that ye haue promysed me But what wolde ye saye if I dyd shewe you some men the whiche haue builded for verye moche money vnprofitable houses without any good caste or any good cōmoditie and other that for lesse coste a great dele haue made houses lackynge nothyng that longeth to an house wyll ye not saye that I do shewe you a poynt of a good ordrer of an house Yes veryly said Crito What if I shewe you nexte and according to the same that some men haue moche householde stouffe and of all sortes and whan they haue nede of it they can not vse it but it is to seche and they can not tell whether hit be luste or saue leyde vp And for this cause they be wonderslye greued in theyr myndes and vexe trouble their seruātes and nothinge els And also other men the whiche haue no more but rather lesse haue euery thyng redy at hande whan they haue nede of it What shulde be the cause of it gentil Socrates but that the tone doth cast asyde euery thynge folisshelye without any order and the tother layth vp euery thinge in his place There ye saide well sayde Socrates And he not only setteth euerye thynge in his place but also in suche a place as is mete and conuenient to set hit in Me semeth sayd Cri. that ye say that this also is a poynt of a good order of an house And what if I shewe you that in one place al the bounde men seruantes be tyed faste yet they runne awaye often tymes and in an other place they be losed wyllyng to abyde labour with al theyr hartes wyll ye not thynke this a good poynt of a house keper worthy to be loked vpon Yes mary said Critobulus very worthy to be loked vpon And what if I shewe you housbande men of the whiche some complayne and saye that they dye for hunger for all theyr husbandry and some that haue plentie of al maner of thynges necessary by the reason of their husbandry Ye mary sayd Critobulus parauenture they bestowe their money and theyr goodes not where they shulde but in suche thynges as be hurtefull bothe to them and to theyr houses In dede there be some suche sayde Socrates but I do not speke of them but of those the which cal them selfe husbande men and
of great power substance Ischo It must nedes be thus For there be some men the whiche can not lyue but they muste be holpen of other men And there be many agayne that reken hit sufficient if they can gette that that is necessarie for them But those that wyll not onely order and gyde theyr houses but also haue so great abundance that they do bothe honour to the citie and also helpe and ease theyr frendes why shuld not they be called and taken for men of profounde wisedome of great power and of stoute stomacke Socra Surely there be many of vs sayde I that may wel praise suche maner of men But for goddis sake telle me euen from the place where ye beganne howe ye go aboute to mainteine your helth and also the streÌ„gth of your body howe it may be laufull to retourne honorably home agayne safe fro the warre For as touching the encreasinge of goodes we shal here of it afterwarde sufficiently But me thinketh saide Ischo that these thiÌ„ges be linked to gether come one after an other For when a man hath meate drinke sufficiently if he do labour wel he shal haue his helth the better and the loÌ„ger And he that is well exercised in warre he shall returne home safe agayne and with more honour And he that is diligent and doth not coker hym selfe nor gyue him selfe to slouthe and idelnes he is the more likely to encreace his house So. Forsothe good Ischomachus I graunte you all this euen hitherto where ye say that he that laboureth taketh peyne vseth diligence and exerciseth him selfe cometh the rather to goodes But what labour ye vse to meinteine a good complection and to get you strength and howe also ye exercise your selfe for the warre and howe ye studie to get so moche substance and goodes that ye maye bothe helpe your frendes and make the citie more honorable and stronger by it that wolde I very fayne here Verily good Socrates saide Ischomachus I ryse in the mornynge out of my bedde so yerly that if I wol speke with any man I shall be sure to fynde hym yet within And if I haue any thynge ado in the citie I go aboute it and take hit for a walke And if I haue no matter of great importance to do within the citie my page bryngethe my horse afore in to the feldes and so I take the way to my grounde for a walke better parauenture than if I dyd walke in the galeries and walkynge places of the cite And whaÌ„ I come to my grouÌ„d if my tenantes be eyther settynge of trees or tyllynge or renewynge the grounde or sowyng or carienge in the frute I beholde howe euery thynge is done and caste in my mynde howe I myghte do hit better And afterwarde for the moste parte I get me a horsebacke and ryde as nere as I can as though I were in warre constrayned to do the same wherfore I do nat spare nother croked wayes nor no shrowde goinges vp no ditches waters hedges nor trenches takynge hede for all that as nere as can be possible that in this doinge I do not maime my horse And whan I haue thus done the page leadeth the horse trottynge home againe and carieth home with hym in to the citie out of the countre that that we haue nede of And so than I get me home again some tymes walking and some tymes runnynge Than I wasshe my handes and so go to diner good Socrates the whiche is ordeyned betwene bothe so that I abyde al the day nother voyde nor yet to full So. By my trouth good Ischomachê° ye do these thynges wonders pleasantly For in dede to vse occupie at ones al maner of thiÌ„ges that be ordeined for helthe for strength for exercise of warre for study and conueiance howe to get goodes and all in one tyme me thinketh a maruailous thynge For ye do shewe euident tokens that ye applie your minde wel truly to al this For we se you coÌ„monly thanked be god for the most parte helthful stronge and lusty More ouer we know that ye be called one of the best horse men and one of the richest men of the citie Ischo And though I thus do as ye haue hard yet can not I eschewe detraction ye thoughte parauenture that I wolde haue sayde I am therfore called a good honeste man So. And forsothe so I was aboute to say good Ischomachê° But this I thought first to enquere of you whether ye do studie and set your mynde howe to answere these detractours and speake in a cause whether it be your owne or an other mans or to iuge it if nede be Ischo Thinke yon that I do not sufficiently my parte in this matter if I thiÌ„ke by my good dedes to defeÌ„de my selfe and do no wronge and as moche as I may helpe and do pleasure to many men And more ouer thinke ye that it is not well done to accuse suche men that do wronge both to priuate men and also to the citie and that wyll do no man good So. But yet if ye set your mynde to suche thynges I praye you shewe it me Ischo Forsoth I neuer stint but am alway exercising my selfe in retoricke eloquence For whan I here one of my seruantes compleyne on an other or answere in his owne cause I seke to knowe the trouthe Agayne I either blame some man to my frendes or els praise him or els I go aboute to brynge at one some men of min acqueintance that be at variaÌ„ce endeuorynge my selfe to shewe them howe hit is more for their profette to be frendes than yl wyllers and enmies And before the high rulers I vse both to commeÌ„de and defende hym that is oppressed by wronge and iniurie and before the lordes of the cost seile I accuse hym that I se promoted vnworthily I preise that that is done by couÌ„saile deliberation the contrary I discoÌ„mende But I am nowe broughte to this point that either it behoueth me to suffre or to punishe So. Of whom I prey the Isch For that do not I yet knowe Isch Mary of my wyfe So. But in what maner do ye stryue in your quarel Isch Whan she happeth to say trouth it is very gentylly done But whan she lieth erreth in her wordes forsoth Socrates I can not refourme her So. May chance that that is false ye can not make hit trewe But parauenture ye wold begone Ischmachus and I do let you Truly I wolde be lothe to tarye you if hit please you to go heÌ„ce Ischo No in good fayth good Socrates I wyl not go hence tyl the courte breake vp Socra By my faythe ye be righte circumspecte and take good hede that ye lose not that honorable name to be called a good honeste man For where paraueÌ„ture ye haue many great businessis and thinges to take hede to that require great diligence yet bicause ye promysed those straÌ„gers to tary for
his wages and be apoynted to be redye in harneis at any tyme and so bryngeth them all together those reserued that be in garisons in to a place that they call the place of congregation And suche as be nighe his manour and his dwellyng place he ouerloketh them hym selfe But they that dwelle in farre countrees he sendethe thyther some that he trusteth beste to haue the ouer syghte of them And those heedes rulers and capitaines whether they haue many or fewe vnder them if they brynge forthe theyr full nombre that is apoynted vnto them well harneised and well horsed and wel furnisshed of al maner of thinges he gyueth very great prayse and honour to the lieutenantes and to the lordes and gyuethe them many great gyftes and rewardes so that they be riche for euer But whan he fyndeth that his lordes his lieutenauntes and deputies haue no regarde to the capitaynes of his soudiours but catche and polle and care but onely for their owne vantage he punissheth them sore he putteth theÌ„ out of their officis and setteth other in their stede In doinge those thiÌ„ges there is no man that doubteth but that he applieth his mynde and his studie very sore to warre But beside this al the countrey that is therby where he dwelleth he rydeth aboute hym selfe takynge hede and markynge howe hit is tylled and laboured But whan a countrey is so farre of that he can not come to se it hym selfe he sendeth them that he trustethe beste to ouer se it And whan he fyndeth that his lieutenantes and deputies do kepe the countrey wel inhabited the grounde wel plowed and laboured full of suche trees as the countre wyll beare he promoteth them to the rule of more couÌ„tres he gyueth them great presentes and dothe them great honour But whan he findeth the countre deserte and vnhabited the grounde vntilled and vnlaboured by cause of their negligence wronges doinge extorsions cruelties he punissheth them he putteth them out of theyr offices and setteth other in theyr rowmes In doinge these thinges do ye thynke that he setteth lesse his mynde to haue his countre wel replenysshed of dwellers and well tylled and laboured than that the soudiours shuld defende hit well Moreouer of the lieutenantes and deputies that he hath One man hath not the charge of two thynges at ones For some of them be apoynted to haue the ouersyghte of the husbande men and labourers and to gether the tithes and tributes of them And there be other that haue the ouersighte of the soudiours and of the garisons And if the lieutenant of the garison do not his duetie in kepynge and defendynge the countree he that is the lieutenaunt of the housbande men and labourers accuseth the tother lieutenaunt that they can not plie theyr worke for lacke of good defence But if the lieutenaunt of the garyson dothe his deutye and kepethe the countre in peace so that they may worke at theyr pleasure and the lieutenant of the husbande men dothe not se to the countrey that hit be well inhabited and that the housbande men applie theyr worke as they shulde than the lieutenant of the garyson accuseth him agayne For whan the housbande men do not labour well the soudiours can scante gette vitayles nor the kyng can haue his tribute And in some countres of Persia a great lorde that they call Satrapa occupiethe the rowme of bothe lieutenantes Than spake Critobulus and sayde If the kynge dothe as ye say he taketh as moche hede to husbandrye as he doth to warre So. More ouer in what so euer countre he liethe and where so euer he makethe his abydynge he settethe his mynde to haue goodlye fayre gardeynes that they calle in theyr tonge Paradise fulle of all maner of thynges that the erthe bryngeth forthe And there he bydethe for the moste parte as longe as the tyme of the yere dothe not lette hym Than by my faythe sayde Critobulus seinge that he bydeth there hym selfe he must nedes do his diligence that these gardeynes maye be as fayre and as goodly as can be well replenisshed with trees and all maner of thynges that the erthe can brynge forthe And also some say good Critobulus sayde Socrates that whan the kynge gyueth any rewardes that he calleth them fyrste that haue behaued them selfes manly in the warres bicause it were to none effecte to tylle and labour the grounde excepte there were some that shuld defende it And nexte to them he callethe those that haue prouided that the countre shulde not be ydell but well occupied and laboured saying that the valiant men of warre coude not lyue if the good labourers were not And they say that Cyrus the whiche hath ben a very famous and an excellent kynge saide vpon a tyme vnto them that he called vnto hym to gyue them rewardes that he hym selfe was well worthy to haue the rewardes of them bothe For he saide that he was verye good bothe to se the countrey wel laboured and also to kepe defende it Forsothe saide Critobulus if Cirus dyd say so he dyd shewe plainly that he had as greatte pleasure that the countre shulde be wel occupied as to haue good meÌ„ of warre So. By my faithe if Cirus had lyued he wold haue proued a very noble prince and of that he shewed many great and euident tokens at diuers tymes and amonge the tother whan he came forthe agaynste his brother to trie by batayle who shulde be kynge For they say that from Cirus no man fled to the kyng but many thousandes lefte the kynge to come and serue Cirus And me thynketh this is a great argument of a princis vertue whan men do obey hym with their owne good wyll and be glad to abyde with hym in tyme of ieopardie For Cirus frendes stode fightynge aboute hym whiles he was yet alyue and whan he was slayne they fightyng moste valiantly were slayne all beside hym excepte Arieus the whiche was set in the lefte wynge This gentyll Cirus whan Lysander came to hym to brynge hym presentes from the cities of Grece confederated vnto him they say as LysaÌ„der shewed hym selfe to a freÌ„de of his in the towne of Megara that he receiued him with moche humanite amonge other thynges he shewed hym a gardeyne that was called the Paradis of Sardis But whan Lysander beganne to maruayle at it by cause the trees were so faire and so egally sette and the orders of the trees lay streyghte one agaynst an other and made goodly angles corners well ê“porcioned and many swete and pleasant sauours came to theyr noses whan they were walkynge he wondrynge therupon sayde thus Forsothe Cirus the great beautifulnes of these thinges is a greatte maruayle to me but I wonder moche more of him that hath measured and sette them thus in order Than Cirus whan he herde this dyd reioyce and saye All these that ye se I haue measured them and sette them in order and I can shewe you some trees that I haue
set with myne owne handes And Lysander whan he had loked vpon hym and beholden his goodly apparell and felte the good fauour that came from it and the estimable fayrenes of his golden chayne 's his rynges and his precious stones sayde What saye ye Cirus haue ye sette any of these with your owne handes Than Cirus answered Do ye maruayle of this Lysander By the faythe that I owe to god whan I am well at ease I neuer go to dyner vnto the time I haue done somwhat outher in feates of armes or in some poynte of husbandrye tyl I swete Than whan Lysander herde this he toke hym by the hande and sayde Me thynkethe Cirus ye be fortunate not without a cause For ye be fortunate beinge a good man And this I reherse vnto you myne owne Critobulus sayd Socrates for this cause that ye maye se that they that be ryche and fortunate can not well kepe them frome husbandrye For hit is suche an exercise and suche a busynes that a man maye haue pleasure in hit bothe to encreace and multiplie his goodes and also to exercise the bodye so that hit shall be able to do all maner of thynges that longethe for an honest man to do For fyrste of all the grounde bryngeth forthe all suche maner of thynges that a man is fedde and nourysshed with and hit bryngeth forthe also suche thynges that a man may haue pleasure by hit Moreouer hit gyuethe vs all suche thynges as we nede to trymme and dresse the auters and ymages withall and that with mooste pleasaunt syghtes and sauours Furthermore of meates necessarye for mannes vse some hit bryngethe by hit selfe and some hit nourysshethe For the crafte of kepynge of sheepe is annexed to husbandrye so that we maye vse them at our owne pleasure And though hit gyuethe vs plentye of all maner of thynges yet hit dothe nat suffre vs together them with softenes and tendernes but vsethe vs to be harde and stronge in wynter by the reason of the colde and in somer by the reason of the heate And as for them the which do labour with theyr owne handes hit maketh them bygge and myghtye and they that occupie husbandrye but onely with ouer lokynge takinge hede to other mennes warkes it quickeneth and maketh them lyke men makynge them to ryse yarely in the mornynge and causyng them to walke a great waye For bothe in the feldes and also in the cities euery thyng that a man doth to any purpose muste nedes be done in tyme and in season Moreouer if he wyll be a horse man and defende his countre on horsebacke a horse may no wher be better fedde than in the countre And if he wyll be a footeman housbandry maketh a man stronge bodied and causethe hym to exercise hym selfe goinge a huntyng whan it gyueth lyghtly meate to the dogges and the grounde bryngeth vppe and nourissheth wylde beastis And the horses and lyke wyse the dogges thus holpen by the waye of husbandry do agayne some seruice to the grounde For the horse beareth hym yerly in the mornynge that wyll se the grounde be nat let alone vntylled vntrymmed and at nyghte beareth hym home agayne if he tarye neuer so late And the dogges kepe away wylde beastis that they spille not the frute and kylle the shepe and make a man to be sure in a wyldernes More ouer it comforteth and styrreth husbande men to be bolde and to stande manly to defende theyr countre seinge it leaueth the frutes abrode in the playne to be vsurped of hym that is stronger And what facultie wyll make a man more apte to runne to shote and also to leape than husbandrye What science yeldeth more againe to thē that do labour What science receiueth him that is studious with greatter pleasure seinge whan he cometh it gyueth hym leaue to take what he wyll Where shall a straunger be better welcomed to make hym good chere Wher shall a man haue better commoditie to kepe his wynter with fire inoughe and hotte bathes And where is more pleasant dwellynge for goodly waters gentyll wyndes and shadowe than in the feldes Where may a man make better feastis and more triumphant bankettes What other place do seruātes loue better What other place doth a wyfe lyke more Where do childrē desire more to be Where be frendes better receyued and gladder to be Forsoth me thynketh it a maruaylous thynge if any honest man can fynde any substance that he deliteth more in or if he can fynde any occupation outher more pleasant than this is or more profitable for his lyuynge And moreouer the grounde techeth men Iustice if they haue the witte to lerne it For they that do for it and haue care for it it rewardeth them with farre moche more And if they that haue bene brought vppe in husbandrye by some sodayne chance of enmyes they that be lordes of the countre can not tyll the grounde they may go in to their enmies countres seinge they haue ben well and hardly broughte vp and gette there as moche if god be not agaynst them as wyll suffice them to lyue with And hit is often tymes more sure to seke for his lyuynge in tyme of warre with weapons of warre than with instrumentes of husbandry Husbandry also teacheth men to helpe one an other If we wyl go to warre we must haue men nor the grounde can not be laboured without men And therfore he that wyll be a good husbande man he must get hym good lustye worke men and wyllynge to do after hym and obeye hym And the selfe same thyng he must go about to bringe to passe that leadeth an armie to fyghte agaynst his enmies gyuyng great rewardes vnto them that behaue thē selfes like good valiant men and punisshe them that be stoburne and wyll not be ordred And he that is a good husbāde must as often times cal vpon his labourers and comfort them as the capitayne doth his soudiours And bounde men haue as great nede to be comforted and meynteyned with good hope as other fre men yea and rather more to th ēde they runne not away but be gladde to byde stylle And surely he sayde verye well that called husbandrye the mother and the nource of all other sciences For if husbandrye dothe stande well all other sciences faculties do the better But if the groūde be barayne and can beare no frute al other sciences be all moste spilled both by see and by lande Whan Critobulus hadde harde this he spake after this maner Me thinketh good Socrates ye speke very wel in this matter But ye knowe very wel that the most parte of suche thinges as longe to husbandrye a man can not caste them afore hande For often tymes hayle stones drought or continuall rayne myste or vermyne that eate vp the sede that is in the grounde do put vs beside our intēt and purpose if it were neuer so good And shepe lyke wyse if they be in
neuer so good pasture there comethe a sickenes that destroyeth thē al. Socrates whan he harde that said agayne I thought that ye knewe well that god is aboue all as well in husbandry as he is in warre We se that they that wyll make warre that afore they begynne they make their vowes prayers and sacrifices desyryng to knowe what is best to do and what is not beste And thynke ye that in those thynges that longe to husbandry we shulde haue lesse recourse to god Be ye sure of this that good and honest men do worshyp almighty god with oblations and prayers for all theyr frutes theyr oxen theyr shepe and theyr horses and generally for al that they haue Me thynketh good Socrates said Critobulus that ye speke very well in this matter whan ye byd to begyn euery thinge with the trust of the helpe and of the grace of god seinge that god is aboue al thinges as well in warre as in peace And therfore we wyll endeuour vs to do so But seinge your purpose was to speake here of the ordryng of an house the whiche ye haue lefte and be entred in to an other tale endeuour your selfe to shewe vs a littell more what foloweth nexte to that that ye lefte For nowe that I haue harde you saye that that ye haue spokē me semeth I se moche better than afore what a man must do for to lyue Wherfore Socrates sayde But wyll ye that we reherse all that we haue spoken afore and agreed in to thintent that we may if we can go forth in this matter bringyng suche thīg as we shal like wise agree vpō Me thynketh that lyke wyse as hit wolde be a great pleasure whan two men haue lente money one to an other to agree vpon the rekeninge So nowe in our cōmunication vttrynge our myndes one to an other if we myght gree in one tale Well than sayd Socrates we agreed vpon this that the ordrynge of an house is the name of a science and that semeth to be the science to order and increace the house And we toke the house for all a mans possessions and goodes And we sayde that was truely the possession and goodes of a man the whiche was profitable vnto hym for his lyuynge and we founde al that profitable that a man coude vse and order And therfore we thoughte impossible for a man to lerne all maner of sciences And as for all the handye craftes we thoughte beste to expelle them from vs lyke wyse as many cities and common welthes dyd For they seme bothe to distroye a mannes body and to breke a mannes harte and stomacke And herof we sayde that this myghte be an euident token For if the enmyes dyd inuade the countres and one dyd sette the husbande men and the artificers a syde diuided in two partes and asked them whether they had leuer to come forthe and pitche the felde to fighte with their enmyes or els to gyue vp the feldes and kepe and defende the cities They that haue bene vsed in the feldes and husbandrye wolde be gladde to fighte to delyuer the countre But on the tother side the artificers wolde do that that they haue bene broughte vp in that is to sytte stylle neuer labourynge nor neuer puttynge them selfes in preace nor in ieopardie More ouer we commended housbandrye for a good exercise and a good occupation for a good and an honest man by the whiche mē may haue al that is necessarie for them For it is an occupation very sone lerned and very pleasant to be occupied in it the whiche also maketh a mannes bodye myghty stronge well complexioned and well fauoured his stomacke and his spirite to be alwaye lustye and redye to do for his frendes and for his countre More ouer we iugged that hit gaue men harte and courage to be valiant and hardy seinge the frutes that the grounde brought forthe laye abrode in the playne without trenches boulwarkes or fortresses And therfore that kynde of lyuynge semed to be moste honorable and beste estemed in cities and common welthes bicause hit makethe good men well disposed and well mynded to do good for the common welthe Than sayde Critobulus I am after my mynde sufficiently perswaded that a man may haue a very good an honest and a pleasant lyuynge in occupienge husbandry But where ye sayd that ye knewe the cause that some dyd so vse and occupie husbandrye that they had by hit plentie of all maner of thinges that they neded and some agayne that so ordred them selfes in hit that hit auayled them nothynge these two thynges wolde I gladly here of you to th entent we may do that that is good and eschewe that that is contrarye But what if I do tel you swete Critobulus sayde Socrates euen from the begynnyng what cōmunication I had ones with a man the whiche might be called truely in dede a good honest man That wolde I here verye fayne sayde Critobulus For I my selfe do greatly desyre that I may be worthy of that goodly name Than wyll I tell you howe I came fyrste to the consideration of this For as touchynge good carpenters good ioyners good peynters good ymagers me thought that I myghte in a littel tyme se and beholde their warkes moste allowed and best accepted that made them to be so called But to th ēde I might se and beholde howe they that hadde that goodly and honorable name of a good and an honest man dyd behaue them selfes to be worthy of it my mynde dyd coueyte greatly to talke with one of them And firste of all for bicause Good and Honest wente to gether whan so euer I sawe any goodly man I drewe to hym and wente aboute to knowe of hym if I myghte se Good and Honest in a goodly man But it wold nat be For me thoughte that I founde that there were many with goodlye bodies and fayre visages that hadde but yuell disposed and vngratious soules Than me thought it best to enquere no further of goodly bodies but to get me to one of them that were called good and honest men And for bicause I harde that Ischomachus was generally bothe of men women citezins and straungers called and taken for a good honeste man me thoughte I coude do no better than to proue howe I myghte cōmune with hym And vpon a tyme whan I sawe hym sittyng in a porche of a churche for bicause me thought he was at leyser I came to hym and set me downe by hym and saide What is the cause good Ischomachus that ye whiche be wonte to be euer more occupied syt here nowe after this maner for I haue sene you for the most parte euermore doinge some what lightly neuer ydell excepte hit were very littell Nor ye shulde not nowe haue seene me good Socrates said he sytting after this maner if I had not apoynted with certaine straungers to tarye here for them And if ye were not here where wolde ye haue bene
or howe wolde ye haue ben occupied sayde I to hym For I wolde knowe of you very fayne what thyng ye do that maketh you to be called a good and an honest man The good cōplection of your body sheweth well ynough that ye byde not alway slougginge at home And than Ischomachus laughynge at that that I sayde what do ye that makethe you to be called a good and an honeste man and reioysynge in his harte as me thoughte by hym sayde I can not telle if any man callethe me so whan you and he talke of me but whan I muste paye money or for taxes preastis or subsidies they calle me playnelye by my name Ischomachus And in dede good Socrates I do nat alwaye byde at home for my wyfe can order well inoughe suche thynges as I haue there Yea but this wolde I knowe of you very fayne Dyd ye your selfe brynge your wyfe to this or els had her father and her mother brought her vppe sufficiently to order an house afore she came to you Ischo Howe coude she haue bene so whan she was but fyftene yere olde whan I maryed her and afore she had ben so negligētly brought vppe that she had but very littell seene very littell harde and very littell spoken of the worlde And I trowe ye wolde not thynke it sufficient in her if she coude do nothynge but spynne and carde and sette the hande maydens to worke As for suche thynges as concerne the lower partes of the bely good Socrates sayde he she had bene very well broughte vp the whiche is no smalle poynte of good bryngynge vppe bothe in a man and in a woman And dyd ye teache your wyfe all the remenant saide I so that she is able to take hede to all maner of thynges Yes sayde he but not afore I had made my prayers to all myghty god desirynge hym that he wolde gyue me the grace to teache her so and her to lerne that of me that shulde be good profitable to vs bothe And dyd your wyfe make the selfe same prayer with you sayde I Yes mary saide Ischomachus and it semed in a maner that god dyd promise euidently and she like wise shewed with clere and manifeste tokens that she wolde very well regarde and take hede to that that she shulde be taught For goddis sake good Ischomachus sayde I what dyd ye begynne to teache hir firste for I had leauer here you tell me suche a thynge than if ye shulde discriue me a iustynge or a turnament though it had bene neuer so triumphant Mary I wyl tell you Socrates saide he Whan we were ones so wel acqueinted so familiar that we talked to gether I examined her after this maner Tell me good bedfelowe did ye euer cast in your mīde for what cause I haue taken you and your father and your mother deliuered you vnto me I trowe ye knowe well inoughe that I toke you not for nede that I had of a bedfelowe to lye with me for I myghte haue had inowe at my commandment But whan I had considered in my mynde and your father and your mother lyke wyse that hit were well done to fynde out a good one to be parte taker both of our house and of our children̄ I chose you afore all other and your father and mother like wise chose me Wherfore if here after god gyue vs the grace that we may haue children to gether we shall take counsayle howe to brynge them vp and instructe them in vertue For it shall be for bothe our profettes to haue them bothe to defende vs and to helpe and nourisshe vs in our olde age Now the house that we haue is common to vs bothe For all that euer I haue I haue shewed you and delyuered it vnto you to kepe for both our behoues and ye lyke wyse haue done the same And ye may not caste in your mynde whiche of vs bothe broughte more But this ye muste knowe for a suertie that loke whiche of vs twayne doth behaue him selfe and doth best in this felowshyp that he bryngeth more and his parte is the better Than my wyfe good Socrates answered here vnto after this maner Wherin can I helpe you saide she or wherin maye my littell power do you any good For truly my mother tolde me that all to gether laye in your handes and that hit belonged vnto me to be sobre and lyue in chastite Mary so it is good wyfe sayde I and so my father tolde me to But hit is the poynt of a sobre husbande and of a sobre wyfe to do so that that the whiche they haue may be well ordred and guyded to encreace and get more to it by some good rightful way And what do ye se in me sayde my wyfe that I may encreace our house if I do applie it Mary sayd I if ye endeuoir your selfe to do those thinges to the beste of your power the whiche bothe god wylleth that ye shulde do the lawe exhorteth you to it And what thynges be those sayde she Verily saide I no smalle thynges excepte ye thynke that that Bee dothe but a littell good the whiche remaineth styl in the hyue to ouer se the warkes whan the other go abrode to gether floures And forsothe me thynketh that god almyghty hath sette to gether for many good causes and consyderations that goodlye couple that is the husbande and the wyfe to thentente that they shulde be moste profitable one to an other in that good felawshyp Fyrst of all to th entent that mankynd do not decaye and faile this ioly couple lieth to gether and ingendreth children Than againe by reason herof they bringe forth chyldren to helpe soccour thē in theyr olde age More ouer the maner and lyuyng of men doth greatly differ from the lyfe of wylde beastis the whiche be alway abrode in the feldes For it is mete for men to haue houses Wherfore it is conuenient that they whiche wyll haue somwhat to brynge in to their houses haue mē with them to do those warkes that muste be done abrode in the feldes For tyllynge of the grounde sowynge of the corne settyng of trees kepynge of beastis at grasse and pasture be all done abrode But agayne it is nedeful whan those frutes be conueyed in to the house to ouerse saue them and to do all suche thynges as muste be done at home Babis and yonge chyldren muste nedes be broughte vppe within the house Breadde muste be baked and the meate sodde dressed within the house Also spynnynge cardynge and weauynge muste be done within the house And where that bothe those thynges that muste be done abrode and those that be done within the house do require care and diligence me thynkethe that god hathe caused nature to shewe playnlye that a woman is borne to take hede of all suche thinges as muste be done at home For he hath made man of bodye harte and stomacke
place so well in his mynde that thoughe he were not there he wolde telle you redilye where euerye thynge laye none other wyse than he that is lerned can telle howe many letters go to this worde Socrates and in what place euery letter is sette More ouer I sawe hym whan he was serchynge and castynge in his mynde howe many thynges a shyppe hath nede of Than I maruaylynge wheron he mused and studied asked hym what he meaned I considre and cast afore hande good man quod he if any thing shulde chaunce howe and in what redynes euery thynge lyeth in the shyppe whether any thynge lieth out of his place or if euery thynge be not trymmed to the purpose For hit is no tyme whan god sendeth vs a storme on the see to be sekyng that that we nede of nor to brynge forth that that is not hansome well trymmed For god thretneth punissheth them that boydel negligent And we may be glad if he do not destroy vs whaÌ„ we do our deutie And if he saueth them that vse great labour and diligence they oughte to thanke hym greatly Wherfore whan I perceyued and sawe that goodly and perfecte order I saide vnto my wyfe that hit shulde be great slouthe and negligence vnto vs if they whiche be but in littell shyppes and smalle vessels fynde feete places to stowe euery thynge in that they carye with them And thoughe they be sore shaken and troubled and continuallye in great feare yet they kepe a good order And we that haue so goodly places and a house standynge stedfastlye on the lande coude not fynde places mete and coÌ„uenient for to sette euery thynge in howe moche oughte we to be blamed of lewdnes and smalle wysedome We haue sufficiently spoken howe profitable it is to sette all the implimentes of the house in good order and to sette euery thing in suche a redines in places mete therfore that hit may be easye to fynde and come by whan nede requireth But howe goodly a thynge is it to se sewtis of all a mannes apparel lienge by it selfe keuerlettes counterpoyntes by them selfes shetes towels and al naprye ware by them selfes pottes pannes caudrous and other garnitures of the ketchyn by them selfe al that longeth to the table by it selfe and so lyke wyse of all other thinges that longe to an house wher at he that is vnwyse and knoweth not good order wyll laugh And whether it be so or not my swete wife we may lightly proue without great cost and with small labour And ye muste not trouble your selfe as though it were an harde thyng to fynde one that coude lerne the places and remembre where to sette euery thing For we knowe well that in the citie there is a thousande tymes more wave than we haue but yeâ— what so euer seruant ye wyll commande to go and bye you somwhat in the market he wyll not stande styl as though he coude not tel what to do but by the reason that he remembreth where he hath sene of it he goth thither streighte waye and fetcheth hit And surely ther is none other cause of this said I but that there is a place determined where one shall haue hit But if one seketh a man the whiche seketh hym to may fortune he wyll often tymes be soner werye than he can fynde hym And of this lyke wyse there is none other cause but that ther is no place appointed where the tone shulde tary for the tother As for settyng in order of the householde stouffe and of the vse of hit I remembre I spake vnto her after this maner And howe thoughte ye by your wyfe good Ischomachus sayde I Whether dyd she obeye you in that thynge that ye taught her so busily Isch What shuld I say but that she promised to applie her mynde vnto it And me thought verily by her countinaunce she was very gladde that where afore she was in a great doubte and perplexitie she had founde a good way in it and besoughte me that I wolde make an order of euery thing as I had saide vnto her as soone as was possible And what order did you shewe hir good Ischomachus said I Ischo What order shuld I shewe her but this Fyrste me thought best to shewe her what a house properly was ordeyned fore For hit is not ordeyned to be gorgiouslye peynted with diuers faire pictures but it is builded for this purpose coÌ„sideration that it shulde be a ê“fitable vessel for those thiÌ„ges that shuld be in it Wherfore in a maner it byddeth the dwellers to lay vp euery thyng where it is most mete to put it The inner priuey chaÌ„bre bicause it standeth strongest of all loketh for to haue the iewels plate and all suche thynges as be moste precious The drye places loke for the wheate The colde for the wyne And bryght places do desyre suche workes and thynges as require lightsomnes More ouer I shewed her howe parlers dynyng places wel trymmed dressed for men to eate drynke in in sommer shuld be colde in winter hotte And I shewed her howe al the situation of the house was very moche southward wherby it may be clerely vnderstaÌ„de that in winter the sonne lighteth welfauourdly vpon it and in somer there is goodly shadowe in it Further I shewed her the nourcerie the womens lodgynge diuided from the mens lodgynge left there came out any thyng amisse our seruantes shulde get them children without our consentement For they that be good if they haue children throughe our permission they woll loue vs the better And they that be noughte if they come ones to couple with a womaÌ„ they wil finde the more wayes the better shyfte to fulfyl their vngratiousnes And after we had spoken thus saide he we wente and deuided the household stouffe by sewtes and sortes after this maner First we dyd put to gether all maner of thynges longynge to sacrifices Nexte to that the good wyues apparell both for holy dayes and workynge dayes and afterwarde the good mannes apparayle bothe for the holy dayes also for warre Clothes for mens chambres and for the nourcerie mennes showes and womens showes Than we appoynted out the instrumentes that belonge to spinning cardyng and suche as perteine to the bake house to the kechin to the bathe to the boulting house We dyd seperate a sonder those thinges that shuld be occupied alwaye from those that be occupied but at diner souper And we dyd seperate that that we shulde spende in a monthes space and that that was appoynted to serue vs a twelue monthe For so it is the better knoweÌ„ in what maner it is brought to an ende And after we had seperated all the householde stouffe in sewtis and sortis we dyd set euery thynge in a place conuenient Afterwarde all the instrumentes that our seruaÌ„tes must occupie dayly as for the bake house for the ketchyn for spynnynge and cardyng and other