or bygge wolde be sowen vppon lyghte and drye grounde and hathe an eare thre ynches of lengthe or more sette foure square lyke pecke whete small cornes and lyttel floure and that is the worste barley and foure London bushels are suffycient for an acre And in some countreyes they do not sowe theyr barley tyll Maye and that is mooste commonly vpon grauel or sandy grounde But that barley generally is neuer soo good as that that is sowen in Marche For if it be verye drie wether after it be sowen that corne that lyeth aboue lyeth drie and hath noo moysture and that that lyeth vndernethe commeth vp and whan rayne cometh than sprutteth that that lyeth aboue and oftentymes it is grene whan the other is rype and whan it is thresshen there is moche lyght corne c. ☞ To sowe otes ANd in Marche is tyme to sowe otes and specially vpon lyght grounde and drie howe be it they wylle growe on weter grounde than any corne els for wete grounde is good for no maner of corne and thre London bushels wyl sowe an acre And it is to be knowen that there be iii. maner of otes that is to saye redde otes blacke otes and roughe otes Red otes are the beste otes and whan they be thresshed they be yelowe in the busshell and verye good to make otemele of Blacke otes are as great as they be but they haue not so moche floure in them for they haue a thycker huske and also they be not so good to make otemele The roughe otes be the worste and it quiteth not the coste to sowe them they be very lyghte and haue longe tayles wherby they wyll hange eche one to other All these maner of otes weare the grounde very sore and maketh it to beare quyche A yonge housbande oughte to take hede howe thycke he sowethe all maner of corne two or three yeres and to se howe it cometh vp and whether it be thycke ynoughe or not and if it be thynne sowe thycker the nexte yere and if it be well holde his hande there other yeres and if it be to thynne let hym remember hym selfe whether it be for the vnseasonablenes of the wether or for thyn sowynge And so his wysedome and discretion muste discerne it ¶ To harowe all maner of cornes NOwe these landes be plowed and the cornes sowen it is conuenient that they be well harowed or els crowes doues and other byrdes wyll eate and beare awaye the cornes It is vsed in many countreys the husbandes to haue an oxe harowe the whiche is made of sixe smal peces of timbre called harowe bulles made eyther of asshe or oke they be two yardes longe and as moche as the small of a mannes legge and haue shotes of wode put through theym lyke lathes and in euery bull are syxe sharpe peces of yren called harowe tyndes set some what a slope forwarde and the formes flote muste be bygger than the other bycause the fote teame shall be fastened to the same with a shakyll or a withe to drawe by This harrowe is good to breake the greatte clottes and to make moche molde and than the horse harowes to come after to make the clottes smaller and to laye the grounde euen It is a great labour and payne to the oxen to goo to harowe for they were better to goo to the plowe two dayes thanne to harowe one daye It is an olde sayinge The oxe is neuer wo ▪ tyll he to the harowe goo And it is bycause it goeth by twytches and not alwaye after one draughte The horse harrowe is made of fyue bulles and passe not an elne of lengthe and not soo moche as the other but they be lyke sloted and tinded And whā the corne is well couered than it is harowed ynough There be horse harowes that haue tyndes of wodde and those be vsed moche about Ryppon and suche other places where be many bulder stones for these stones wold weare the yren to soone and those tyndes be mooste commonly made of the grounde ende of a yonge asshe and they be more thanne a fote longe in the begynnyuge and stande as moche aboue the harowe as benethe And as they weare or breake they dryue them downe lower and they wolde be made longe before ere they be occupied that they maye be drye for than they shall endure and last moche better and stycke the faster The horses that shall drawe these harowes muste be well kepte and shodde or elles they wyll soone be tyred and sore beate that they may not drawe They must haue hombers or collers holmes withed about theyr neckes tresses to drawe by and a swyngletre to holde the tresses abrode and a togewith to be bytwene the swyngletre and the harowe And if the barleye grounde wyll not breake with harrowes but be clotty it wolde be beaten with malles and not not streyght downe for than they beate the corne in to the erthe And if they beate the clot on the syde it wyll the better breake And the clot wyll lye lyghte that the corne maye lyghtely come vp And they vse to role theyr barley grounde after a shoure of rayne to make the grounde euen to mowe c. ¶ To falowe NOwe these housbandes haue sowen theyr pees beanes barley and otes and harowed them it is the beste tyme to falowe in the later ende of Marche and Apryll for whete rye and barley And lette the husbande do the beste he can to plowe a brode forowe and a depe soo that he turne it cleane and lay it flat that it rere not on the edge the whiche shall destroy all the thistils and wedes For the deper and the broder that he gothe the more newe molde and the greatter clottes shall he haue and the greatter clottes the better wheate for the clottes kepe the wheate warme all wynter and at Marche they wyll melte and breake and fal in manye small peces the whiche is a newe dongynge and refresshynge of the corne And also there shall but lyttell wedes growe vpon the falowes that are so falowed For the plough goth vndernethe the rootes of all maner of wedes and tourneth the roote vpwarde that it maye not growe And yf the lande be falowed in wynter tyme it is farre the worse for three principall causes One is all the rayne that commeth shal washe the lande and dryue awaye the dounge and the good moulde that the lande shall be moche the worse An other cause is the rayne shall beate the lande so flat and bake it so hard togyther that if a drye May come it wyll be to harde to stere in the moneth of Iune And the thyrde cause is the wiedes shall take suche roote er sterynge tyme comme that they wylle not be cleane tourned vndernethe the whiche shal be great hurte to the corne whan it shall be sowen and specially in the weding tyme of the same and for any other thynge make a depe holowe forowe in the rydge of the
truely thou shalte not all onely receyue the profite and the abundaunce of goodes but also helthe of bodye and soule shall folowe Wolde to god that euerye man knewe the harde worde of our lorde by his prophete Malachias and also the comfortable wordes of the holy saynte Austyn For than wolde I truste verely that tythes shulde be truely gyuen ¶ Howe all maner of corne shulde be couered NOwe these cornes be shorne and bounden and the tithes cast out it is tyme to couer theym shoke theym or halfe throue them but couerynge is the beste waye of all maner of whyte corne And that is to set foure sheues one one syde and. iiii sheues on the other syde and two sheues aboue of the greatteste bounden harde nyghe to the nether ende the whiche must be set vpwarde and the top downewarde spredde abrode to couer all the other sheues And they wyll stād beste in wynde and saue theym selfe beste in rayne and they wolde be set on the rydge of the lande and the sayde sheues to leane together in the toppes and wyde at the grounde that the winde may go through to drye them Pees and beanes wolde be set on the rydge of the lande thre sheues together the toppes vpwarde and wrythen together and wyde benethe that they maye the better wyddre ¶ To lode corne and mowe it VVhanne all these cornes be drye and wyddred ynoughe than lode theym in to the barne and laye euerye corne by it selfe And if it be a wete haruest make many mowes and if thou haue not housynge ynoughe thanne it is better to laye thy pees and benes without vppon a reke than other corne and it is better vppon a scaffolde than vppon the grounde for than it muste be well hedged for swyne and catel and the grounde wyll rotte the bottom and the scaffolde saueth both hedgynge and rottynge but they must be well couered bothe And the husband may set shepe or catel vnder the same scaffold and wyll serue hym in stede of an house if it be well and surely made c. ¶ The fyrst sturrynge IN August and in the begynning of September is tyme to make his seconde sturrynge and most commonly it is cast downe and plowed a meane forowe not to depe nor to ebbe so he turne it clene And if it be caste it wolde be water forowed bytwene the landes there as the reane shulde be and it wyll be the dryer whan the lande shall be sowen And if the landes lie high in the ridge highe at the reane lowe in the myddes of the side that the water may not ronne easely in to the reane as I se dayly in many places than let the husband set his plough iii. or iiii fote frō the rydge and cast all the rydge on bothe sydes and whan the rydge is cast set his plough there as he began and rydge vp the remenant of the lande and so is the land bothe cast and rydged and all at one plowynge And this shall cause the lande to lye rounde whan it is sowen at the nexte tyme and than shall it not drowne the corne ☞ To sowe wheat and rye ABoute Myghelmasse it is tyme to sowe bothe wheate and rye Wheate is mooste commonlye sowen vnder the forowe that is to saye caste it vppon the falowe and than plowe it vnder And in some places they sowe theyr wheate vppon theyr pees stubble the whiche is neuer soo good as that that is sowen vppon the falowe and that is vsed where they make falowe in a fyelde euery fourthe yere And in Essex they vse to haue a chylde to go in the forowe before the horses or oxen with a bagge or a hopper full of corne and he taketh his hande full of corne and by lyttel and lytel casteth it in the sayde forowe Me semeth that chylde oughte to haue moche dyscretion Howe be it there is moche good corne and rye is mooste commonlye sowen aboue and harrowed and two London busshelles of wheate and rye wyll sowe an acre Some grounde is good for wheate some for rye and some is good for bothe and vppon that ground sowe blend corne that is both wheate and rye the whiche is the surest corne of growyng and good for the husbandes houshold And the wheate that shall be medled with rye muste be suche as wyll soone be rype and that is flaxen wheate polerd wheate or whyte wheate And ye shall vnderstande that there be dyuers maners of wheates Flaxen wheate hath a yelowe eare and bare without anis and is the bryghtest wheate in the busshell and wyll make the whytest breed and it wyll weare the grounde sore and is small strawe and wyll growe very thycke and is but small corne Polerde wheate hath noo anis thycke sette in the eare and wyll soone fall out and is greatter corne and wyll make whyte breed whyte wheate is lyke polerde wheate in the busshell but it hath anis and the eare is foure square and wyll make white breed and in Essex they call flaxen wheate whyte wheate Red wheate hath a flat eare an inche brode full of anis and is the greatteste corne and the brodeste blades and the greattest strawe and wyl make whyte breed and is the rudeste of colour in the busshell Englysshe wheate hath a dunne eare fewe anis or none and is the worste wheate saue peeke wheate Peeke wheate hath a red eare ful of anis thyn set and oft tymes it is flyntered that is to saye small corne wrynkeled and dryed and wyll not make whyte breade but it wyl growe vpon colde grounde ¶ To thresshe and wynowe corne THis wheate and rye that thou shalte sowe ought to be very cleane of wede and therfore er thou thresshe thy corne open thy sheues and pyke oute all maner of wedes and than thresshe it and wynowe it cleane and so shalt thou haue good clene corne an other yere And in some countreys aboute London specyallye and in Essex and kente they do fan theyr corne the whiche is a verye good gise and a great sauegarde for shedinge of the corne And whan thou shalte sell it if it be well wynowed or fande it wyll be solde the derer and the lyghte corne wyll serue the husbande in his house ¶ To seuer pees beanes and fytches VVhan thou haste thresshed thy pees and beanes after they be wynowed and er thou shalte sowe or selle them let theym be well reed with syues and seuered in thre partes the great from the small and thou shalte gette in euerye quarter a London busshell or there about For the smalle corne lyeth in the holowe and voyde places of the greate beanes and yet shall the greate beanes be solde as dere as if they were all together or derer as a man maye proue by a famylier ensample Let a man bye C. hearynges two hearynges for a penye and an other C. hearynges thre for a peny and let hym sell these CC. hearinges agayne v. herynges for ii
commonly in the legges or in the necke and maketh them to halt and to holde theyr necke awry And the mooste parte that haue that sicknes wyl dye shortely in a day or two The best remedy is to wasshe theym a lyttell and to chaunge theyr grounde and to bryng them to lowe ground and freshe grasse And that sycknes is moste commonly on hylly grounde ley grounde and ferny grounde And some men vse to let them bloudde vnder the eye in a vaine for the same cause ¶ To washe shepe IN Iune is tyme to shere shepe and er they be shorne they muste be verye well wasshen the whiche shall be to the owner great profyte in the sale of his woll and also to the clothe maker but yet beware that thou put not to many shepe in a penne at one tyme neyther at the washing nor at the sheryng for feare of murtheryng or ouer pressyng of their felowes and that none go awaye tyll he be cleane washen and se that they that hold the shepe by the heed in the water holde his heed hye ynoughe for drownynge ¶ To shere shepe TAke hede of the sherers for touchynge the shepe with the sheres and specially for pryckyng with the poynte of the sheres and that the shepeherde be alway redy with his tarboxe to salue them And se that they be well marked both eare marke pitche marke and radel marke and let the wol be well folden or wounden with a woll wynder that can good skyll therof the whiche shal do moche good in the sale of the same ¶ To drawe and seuer the badde shepe from the good VVhan thou haste all shorne thy shepe it is than best tyme to drawe them and soo seuer theym in dyuers sortes the shepe that thou wylte fede by them selfe the ewes by theym selfe the share hogges and theyues by them selfe the lambes by theym selfe wedders and the rammes by them self if thou haue soo many pastures for them for the byggest wyll beate the weikeste with his heed And of euery sorte of shepe it may fortune there be some that like not and be weike those wolde be put in freshe grasse by theym selfe and whan they be a lyttel mended than sel them and ofte chaunge of grasse shal mend all maner of cattell ☞ What thynges rotteth shepe IT is necessary that a shepeherde shoulde knowe what thynge rotteth shepe that he myghte kepe theym the better There is a grasse called sperewort and hath a longe narowe leafe lyke a spere heed and it wyll growe a fote hyghe and beareth a yelowe floure as brode as a peny and it growethe alwaye in lowe places where the water is vsed to stande in wynter An other grasse is called peny grasse and groweth lowe by the erthe in a marsshe grounde and hath a leafe as brode as a peny of two pens and neuer beareth floure All maner of grasse that the lande floudde renneth ouer is verye ylle for shepe bycause of the sande and fylthe that stycketh vppon it All marreys grounde and marsche grounde is yll for shepe the grasse that groweth vppon falowes is not good for shepe for there is moche of it wede and ofte tymes it commeth vppe by the rote and that bryngeth erthe with it and they eate both c. Myldewe grasse is not good for shepe and that ye shall knowe two wayes One is by the leaues on the trees in the mornynge and specyally of okes take the leaues and putte thy tonge to them and thou shalt fele like hony vppon them And also there wyll be many kelles vppon the grasse and that causeth the myldewe Wherfore they may not well be let out of the folde tyll the sonne haue domynation to drye them awaye Also hunger rotte is the worst rotte that can be for there is neither good flesshe nor good skynne and that cometh for lacke of meate and so for hunger they eate suche as they can fynde and so will not pasture shepe for they selden rot but with myldewes and than wyll they haue moch talowe and fleshe and a good skyn Also white snailes be yll for shepe in pastures and in falowes There is an other rotte whiche is called pelte rotte and that commeth of greatte wete specyally in woode countreyes where they can not drye ¶ To knowe a rotten shepe dyuers manâ—r wayes wherof some of them wyll not fayle TAke bothe your handes and twyrle vpon his eye and if he be ruddy and haue reed stryndes in the white of the eye than he is sounde and if the eye be white lyke talowe and the stryndes darke celoured thanne he is rotten And also take the shepe and open the wolle on the syde and yf the skynne be of ruddy colour and drye than is he sounde and if it be pale coloured and watrye thanne is he rotten Also whanne ye haue opened the woll on the syde take a lyttell of the woll bytwene thy fynger and thy thombe and pull it a lyttel and if it sticke faste he is sounde and if it comme lyghtely of he is rotten Also whan thou haste kylde a shepe his belly wyll be full of water if he be sore rotten and also the fatte of the fleshe wyll be yelowe if he be rotten And also if thou cut the lyuer therin wyll be lyttell quikens lyke flokes and also the lyuer wyll be full of knottes and whyte blysters yf he be rotten and also sethe the lyuer if he be rotten it wyll breke in peces and if he be sounde it wyll holde together ¶ To bye leane cattell THese housbandes if they shall well thryue they muste haue bothe kye oxen horses mares and yonge cattell and to rere and brede euery yere some calues and fools or els shall he be a byer And yf thou shalte by oxen for the ploughe se that they be yonge and not gowty nor broken of heare neyther of tayle nor of pysell And yf thou bye kye to the payle se that they be yonge and good to mylke and fede her calues wel And if thou bye kye or oxen to feede the yonger they be the rather they wyll fede but loke well that the heare stare not and that he lycke hym selfe and be hoole mouthed and want no tethe And though he haue the goute and be broken bothe of tayle and pysell yet wyll he fede But the gouty oxe wyll not be dryuen ferre and se that he haue a brode ryb and a thycke hyde â–ª and to be lose skinned that it stycke not harde nor streyte to his rybbes for than he wyll not fede ¶ To bye fatte cattell IF thou shalte bye fatte oxen or kye handel them and se that they be soft on the forecroppe behynde the shulder and vpon the hindermost rybbe and vpon the hucbone and the nache by the tayle And se the oxe haue a greate codde and the cowe great nauyll for than it shulde seme that they shuld be wel talowed And take hede where thon byeste any leane cattel or
it synge or crye or make any noyse vnder thy fete than it is to wete to sowe and if it make no noyse and wyll beare thy horses thanne sowe in the name of god but howe to sowe Put thy pees in to thy hopper and take a brode thonge of ledder or of garthe webbe of an elle longe and fasten it to bothe endes of the hopper and put it ouer thy heed lyke a leysshe and stande in the myddes of the lande where the sacke lyethe the whiche is mooste conueniente for the fyllynge of thy hopper and set thy lefte foote before and take an handefull of pees and whan thou takeste vp thy ryghte foote than caste thy pees fro the all abrode and whan thy lefte fote ryseth take an other handeful and whan the ryght fote ryseth thā cast them fro the. And so at euery ii paces thou shalte an handful of pees and so se that the fote and the hande agree and than ye shal sowe euen And in your castynge ye muste open as well your fyngers as your hande and the hyer and farther that ye caste your corne the better shall it sprede excepte it be a greatte wynde And if the lande be verye good and wyll breke small in the plowynge it is better to sowe after the ploughe thanne tarye any lenger ¶ Sede of discretion THere is a sede that is called Discretiō and if a husband haue of that sede and myngle it amonge his other cornes they wyll growe moche the better for that sede wyll tell hym how many castes of corne euery lande ought to haue And a yonge husbande and may fortune some olde husbande hath not sufficyente of that sede and he that lackethe let hym borowe of his neyghbours that haue And his neyghbours be vnkynde if they wyll not lende this yonge housbande parte of this sede For this sede of Discretion hath a wonders property for the more that it is taken of or lente the more it is And therfore me semeth it shoulde be more spyspirituall than temporall wherin is a greate dyuersitie For a temporall thynge the more it is deuyded the lesse it is and a spirytuall thynge the more it is deuided the more it is Verbi gratia For ensaumple I put case a wyfe brynge a lofe of breade to the churche to make holy breade of whan it is cut in many smal peces and holy breade made therof there may be so many men women and children in the churche that by that tyme the priest hath delte to euery one of them a lyttell pece there shall neuer a crume be lefte in the hamper And a spiritualle thynge as a Pater noster or a prayer that any man can say let hym teache it to xx a. C. or to a. M. yet is the prayer neuer the lesse but moche more And so this sede of Discreciō is but wisdome and reason and he that hath wysedome reason and discretion may teche it and enforme other men as he is bounde to do wherein he shall haue thanke of god and he doth but as god hath commaunded hym in his gospell Quod gratis accepistis gratis date That thynge that ye toke frely gyue it frely again and yet shall ye haue neuer the lesse ¶ Howe all maner corne shoulde be sowen BVt yet me thynkethe it is necessarye to declare howe all maner of corne shuld be sowen and howe moch vpon an acre most comonly and fyrst of pease and beanes An acre of grounde by the statute that is to say xvi fote and a halfe to the perche or pole foure perches to an acre in bredth and fortye perches to an acre in lengthe may be metelye well sowen with two London busshelles of pease the whyche is but two strykes in other places And if there be the. iiii parte beanes than wylle it haue halfe a London bushelle more and yf it be halfe beanes it wyll haue thre London bushels and if it be all beanes it wyll haue foure London busshelles fullye and that is half a quarter bycause the beanes be gret and grow vp streight do not sprede and go abrode as pease do An acre of good beanes is worth an acre a half of good pees bycause there wylle be more busshelles And the beste propertie that belongeth to a good husband is to sowe all maner of corne thycke ynough and specially beanes and barley ▪ for commonly they be sowen vpon ranke ground and good grounde wylle haue the burthen of corne or of wede And as moche plowynge and harowynge hath an acre of grounde and sowe thervppon but oone busshelle as yf he sowed iiii busshelles And vndoutedly i. busshell may not gyue so moche corne agayne as the. iiii busshels though the. iii. bushels that he sowed more be alowed and set aparte And i. busshel and an halfe of white or grene pees wyll sowe as moche grounde as two busshels of gray pees and that is bycause they be so smal and the husband nedeth not to take so great an handful In some countreys they begyn to sowe pees soone after Christmasse and in some places they sowe bothe pees and beanes vnderforowe and those of reson must be sowen betyme But moste generally to begyn sone after Candelmasse is good season so that they be sowen ere the begynnynge of Marche or sone vpon And specially let them be sowen in the olde of the mone For thopinion of olde husbandes is that they shoulde the better codde and the sooner be rype But I speke not of hasty pees for they be sowen before Christmasse c. ¶ To sowe barley EVery good housbande hath his barleye falowe well dounged and lyenge rygged all the depe and colde of wynter the whiche ryggynge maketh the lande to be drye and the dongynge maketh it to be melowe and ranke And if a drye season come before Candelmasse or sone after it wolde be caste downe and waterforowed bytwene the landes that the wete rest not in the raine and in the begynnynge of Marche rydge it vppe agayne and to sowe in euery acre fyue London bushelles or foure at the leaste and some yeres it maye so fortune that there cometh no seasonabe wether before Marche to plowe his barley erthe And as soone as he hath sowen his pees and beanes than let hym caste his barley erthe and shortly after rygge it agayne soo that it be sowen before Apryll And if the yere tyme be paste than sowe it vpon the castynge ¶ It is to be knowen that there be thre maner of barleys that is to say sprot barleye longe eare and bere barley that some menne call bigge Sprot barley hath a flat eare most comonly thre quarters of an inche brode and thre inches long and the cornes be very great and white and it is the best barley Long eare hath a flatte eare halfe an inche brode and foure inches and more of length but the corne is not so greate nor soo whyte and sooner it wyll turne and growe to otes Bere barleye
lande and loke wel thou rest balke it nat for if thou do there wyll be many thystels and than thou shalte not make a cleane rydge at the fyrste sterynge and therfore it muste nedes be depe plowed or elles thou shalt nat tourne the wiedes cle ane ¶ To cary out donge or mucke and to sprede it ANd in the later ende of Apryll and the begynnynge of Maye is tyme to cary out his dounge or mucke and to lay it vppon his barley grounde And where he hath barley this yere sowe it with whete or rye the next tyme it is falowed and so shal he mucke all his landes ouer at euerye seconde falowe But that husbande that can fynde the meanes to cary oute his donge and to laye it vpon his lande after it be ones sturred it is moche better than to laye it vppon his falowe for dyuers causes One is if it be layde vpon his fallowe all that fallethe in the holowe rygge shall do lyttell good for whan it is rygged agayne it lyeth soo depe in the erthe thut it wyll not be plowed vp agayne excepte that whan he hath sprede it he wyll with a shouell or a spade caste out all that is fallen in the rygge And if it be layde vpon the sturrynge at euery plowynge it shall medle the donge and the erthe togyder the whiche shall cause the corne moche better to growe and encreace And in somme places they lode not theyr donge tyll haruest be done that is vsed in the farther syde of Darbyshyre called Scaresdale Halomshyre and so northewarde towarde Yorke and Ryppon and that I calle better thanne vppon the falowe and specyally for barley but vppon the fyrste sturrynge is beste for wheate and rye and that his dunge be layde vpon smal hepes nygh together and to sprede it euenly and to leue no dounge there as the mucke hepe stode for the moystnes of the dounge shall cause the grounde to be ranke ynoughe And if it be medled with erthe as sholynges and suche other it wyll laste the longer and better for barley than for whete or rye bycause of wedes Horse donge is the worste donge that is The donge of all maner catell that chewe theyr cudde is verye good And the dounge of douues is best but it muste be layde vppon the grounde verye thynne ¶ To set out the shepe folde ALso it is tyme to set out the shepefolde in May and to sette it vppou the rye grounde if he haue any and to flyte it euery mornynge or nyght and in the mornynge whan he cometh to his folde let not his shepe out anone but reyse theym vp and let them stande stylle a good season that they maye donge and pysse And go amonge them to se whether any of them haue any mathes or be scabbed and se them thre or foure tymes on the oone syde and as ofte on the other syde And whan the kelles begonne besyde the grounde than lette theym out of the folde and dryue theym to the soundeste place of the felde But he that hath a falowe felde seueral to hym selfe let hym occupie no folde For foldynge of shepe maketh them scabbed and bredeth mathes and whanne a storme of yll wether commeth in the night they can nat flee nor go awaye and that appeyreth them sore of their flesshe But lette that man that hath such a seueral falowe felde driue twentie thyrty or forty stakes accordynge to the nombre of his shepe vpon his falowe where he wolde sette his folde and specially in the farthest parte of the fyelde frome thense as they comme in for the goynge vppon dothe moche good And lette the sheparde brynge his shepe to the stakes and the sheepe wylle rubbe them on the stakes And lette the sheparde goo aboute them tyll they be sette and thus serue theym two or three nyghtes and they wyll folowe those stakes as he flytteth them and syt by them And if any yll wether come they wyll ryse vp and go to the hedge And this maner of foldynge shall brede noo mathes nor scabbe nor appeyre theym of theyr flesshe and shall be a greate sauegarde to the shepe for rottynge and in the mornynge put them out of theyr pasture and thou shalte not nede to bye any hurdels nor shepe flekes but howe ye shall salue them or dresse them ye shall vnderstande in the chapyter of shepe after ¶ To cary wodde and other necessaryes ANd in May whan thou hast falowed thy grounde and set oute thy shepefolde and caryed oute thy dounge or mucke if thou haue any wodde cole or tymbre to cary or suche other busynes that must nedes be doone with thy charte or wayne than is it tyme to do it For than the waye is lyke to be fayre and drye and the days longe and that tyme the husbande hath leeste to doo in husbandry Perauenture I set one thynge to be done at one tyme of the yere and if the husbande shulde do it it shulde be a greatter losse to hym in an other thynge Wherfore it is moste conuenient to do that thynge fyrst that is moste profytable to hym and as soone as he can do the other labour ¶ To knowe dyuers maner of wedes IN the later ende of Maye and the begynninge of Iune is tyme to wede thy corne There be diuers maner of wedes as thistyls kedlokes dockes cocledrake darnolde gouldes haudoddes dogfenell mathes ter and dyuers other small wedes But these be they that greue mooste The thistyll is an yll wede roughe and sharpe to handell and freteth away the cornes nygh it and causeth the sherers or reapers not to shere cleane Kedlokes hath a leafe lyke rapes and beareth a yelowe floure and is an yll wede groweth in al maner corne and hath small coddes and groweth lyke mustard sede Dockes haue a brode lefe and diuers high spyres and very small sede in the toppe Cockole hath a longe small lefe and wyl beare fyue or vi floures of purple colour as brode as a grote and the sede is rounde and blacke and maye well be suffred in breade corne but not in sede for therin is moch floure Drake is lyke vnto rye till it begynne to sede and it hath many sedes lyke fenell sedes and hangeth downewarde and it maye wel be suffred in breade for there is moche floure in the sede and it is an opinion that it commeth of rye c. Dernolde groweth vp streyght lyke an hye grasse and hath longe sedes on eyther syde the stert and there is moche floure in that sede and growethe moche amonge barley and it is sayde that it cometh of small barley Golds hath a shorte iagged lefe and groweth halfe a yarde hygh and hath a yelowe floure as brode as a grote and is an yll wede and groweth commonlye in barleye and pees Hawdod hath a blewe floure and a fewe lyttell leues and hath v. or syxe braunches floured in the toppe and groweth comonly in rye vpon
leane grounde and dothe lyttel hurte Doggefenell and mathes is bothe one and in the commynge vp is lyke fenell and beareth many white floures with a yelowe sede and it is the worste wede that is excepte terre and it commeth mooste commonly whan great wete commeth shortly after the corne is sowen Terre is the worste wede and it neuer dothe appere tyll the moneth of Iune and specyallye whanne there is great wete in that mone or a lyttell before and groweth mooste in rye and it groweth lyke fytches but it is moche smaller and it wyll growe as hyghe as the corne and with the weyght therof it pulleth the corne flatte to the erth and freteth the eares away Wherfore I haue seene housbandes mowe downe the corne and it together And also with sharp hokes to repe it as they doo pees and made it drye and than it wyll be good fodder There be other wedes not spoken of as dee nettylles dodder and suche other that doo moche harme ¶ Howe to wede corne NOwe it wolde be knowen howe these cornes shulde be weded The chyefe instrument to wede with is a paire of tonges made of wode and in the farther ende it is nycked to holde the wed faster and after a shoure of raine it is beste wedynge for than they maye be pulled vp by the rotes and than it cometh neuer agayne And if it be drye wether than muste ye haue a wedynge hoke with a socket set vpon a lyttel staffe of a yarde longe and this hoke wolde be well steeled and grounde sharpe bothe behynde and before And in his other hande he hath a forked stycke a yarde longe and with his forked stycke he putteth the wede from hym and he putteth the hoke beyond the rote of the wede and pulleth it to hym and cutteth the wede fast by the erthe and with his hoke he taketh vp the wede and casteth it in the reane and if the reane be full of corne it is better it stande styll whan it is cut and wyddre but let hym beware that he trede not to moche vppon the corne and specyallye after it is shotte and whan he cutteth the wede that he cut not the corne and therfore the hoke wolde not passe an inche wyde And whanne the wede is soo shorte that he can not with his forked stycke put it from hym and with the hoke pull it to hym thanne muste he set his hoke vppon the wede fast by the erthe and put it from hym and so shall he cutte it cleane And with these two instrumentes he shall neuer stoupe to his warke Dogfenell goldes mathes and kedlokes are yll to wede after this maner they growe vppon so many braunches harde by the erthe and therfore they vse most to pul them vppe with theyr handes but loke well that they pull not vppe the corne with all but as for terre there wyll noo wedynge serue ¶ The fyrst sturrynge ALso in Iune is tyme to rygge vppe the falowe the whiche is called the fyrst sturrynge and to plowe it as depe as thou canste for to tourne the rotes of the wedes vpwarde that the sonne and the drye wether maye kyll them And an housbande can not conuenyentelye plowe his lande and lode out his dounge bothe vppon a daye with one draughte of beastes but he maye well lode oute his dounge before none and lode heye or corne at after none or he maye plowe before none and lode hey or corne at after none with the same draughte and noo hurte to the cattell bycause in lodynge of hey or corne the cattel is alwaye eatynge or beytynge and soo they can not doo in lodynge of dounge and plowynge ¶ To mowe grasse ALlso in the later ende of Iune is tyme to begyn to mowe if thy medowe be well growen but howe so euer they be growen in Iuly they muste nedes mowe for diuers causes One is it is not conueniēt to haue hey and corne bothe in occupation at one tyme. Another is the yonger and the grener that the grasse is the softer and the sweter it wyll be whan it is hey but it wyll haue the more wyddrynge and the elder the grasse is the harder and dryer it is and the worse for al maner of cattell for the sedes be fallen the whiche is in maner of prouander and it is the harder to eate and chowe And an other cause is if drye wether come it wyll drye and burne vpon the grounde and waste away Take hede that thy mower mow clene and holde downe the hynder hand of his sith that he do not endent the grasse and to mowe his swathe cleane thorowe to that that was laste mowen before that he leaue not a mane bytwene and specyallye in the common medowe for in the seuerall medowe it maketh the lesse charge and that the moldywarpe hilles be spredde and the styckes cleane pycked out of the medowe in Apryll or in the beginnynge of Maye ¶ Howe forkes and rakes shulde be made A Good husbande hath his forkes and rakes made redye in the wynter before and they wolde be gotte bytwene Mighelmasse and Martylmasse and beyked and sette euen to lye vpryght in thy hande and than they wyll be harde styffe and drye And whan the housbande sytteth by the fyre and hath nothynge to do than maye he make theym redye and tothe the rakes with drye wethy wode and bore the holes with his wymble bothe aboue and vnder and driue the tethe vpwarde faste and harde and than wedge them aboue with drye woode of oke for that is hard and wil driue and neuer come out And if he get them in sappe tyme all the beykyng and drienge that can be had shal not make them harde and styffe but they woll alwaye be plyenge for they be moste comonly made of hasell and withee and these be the trees that blome and specially hasell for it begynneth to blome as sone as the lefe is fallen And if the rake be made of grene woode the heed wyll not abyde vppon the stele and the tethe wyll fall out whan he hath mooste nede to them and let his warke and lose moche heye And se that thy rake and forke lye vpryghte in thy hand for and the one ende of thy rake or the syde of thy forke hang downe warde than they be not handsome nor easy to worke with ¶ To tedde and make hey VVhan thy medowes be mowed they wolde be well tedded and layde euen vppon the grounde and if the grasse be very thycke it wolde be shaken with handes or with a shorte pykforke for good teddynge is the chiefe poynte to make good hey and than shall it be wyddred all in lyke orelles not and whan it is wel wyddred on the ouer syde and dry than turne it cleane before noone as soone as the dewe is gone And yf thou dare truste the wether lette it lye so all nyghte and on the nexte daye tourne it agayne before none and towarde nyght make it in