fortie poles nor yet be lesse than thirtie or fiue and twentie and if the inconuenientnesse of the place vvill not suffer you to cast them into squares then make them somewhat more long but yet not exceeding the foresaid fortie poles in length for besides infinite other commodities and pleasures accompanying short fields and such as are not of large reach this is one verie speciall profit namely that oxen and horses doe labour there vvith lesse trauell and vvearisomnesse in as much as they do not onely cheere vp themselues and take their breath being at the end of the furrow but also for that the plow-man cleanseth and freeth his plow of the earth vvherewith it is woont to be laden as then also carrying them about to enter vpon a new furrow cause your ground if possibly it may be to lie leuell and euen for besides the pleasure of seeing from the one end to the other they vvill also be the more easie to be plowed dunged and sowne let them be ditched round about or at the least on the sides as well to draine away raine-vvater or other if any should stand there as for to cut off the trade-waies of passengers Plant not within not about your Corne-grounds any trees for feare of the shadow knowing assuredly that the more that corne is shadowed the further off it is from being comforted and rejoyced by the Sunne as also from hauing the dust which is vvoont to lye much vpon it blowne off by the vvinds and likewise from being deliuered from snow fogges and tempests oâ—tentimes a heauie burthen vpon the backe thereof And yet put case that for your pleasure you vvould plant some trees thereabout then let them be no other but Willowes or such like that may beare no great head to make shadow and therefore let neuer come nie thereto either the poplar or aspe or aller vvhose shadow is not onely daungerous and huâ—tfull vnto the corne ground but vvhich is more vvith their great thicke and great store of roots they draw vnto them the best juice they sucke vp the fat of the earth and so steale away the best from the seed that is sowne And no lesse than these the Ashe is most poysonous vnto Corne-grounds for how farre soeuer his shadow extendeth so farre you shall see the ground euer forbeare to prosper and yet it is not vtterly vnnecessarie to haue trees grow about your Corne-fields for if you plant Fruit trees about them as the Apple Peare Ceruise and such like you shall find the profit many times double the injuries that are reaped from them neither is it forcibly necessarie that your fields should be cast into these small square grounds seeing you may haue them as large as you please according to the quantitie of your Farme or the nature thereof vvhich may as well lye publique and in common amongst your neighbours as priuate and seuerall to your selfe in either of vvhich you may make your lands of what length or bredth you please vvhether acres halfe acres or roods and herein is specially to be noted that you must cast your lands according to the natures of your ground not the prospect of your eye for if your ground be a gentle earth either mixt or vnmixt and lye drie and free all Winter from vvater neither by any meanes is subiect from it owne nature or casualtie to any superfluitie of moisture this ground you may lay leuell smooth and plaine and make it appeare as an entire garden or one land but if it be within any daunger of vvater or subject to a spewing and moist qualitie then you shall lay your lands high raising vp ridges in the middest and â—urrowes of one side and according as the moisture is more or lesse so you shall make the ridges high or low and the descent greater or lesse but if your ground besides the moisture oâ— by meanes of the too much moisture be subject to much binding then you shall make the lands a great deale lesse laying euerie foure or fiue furrowes round like a land and making a hollownesse betweene them so that the earth may be light and drie and this you must doe either vpon leuells or vpon descending and hanging grounds and to conclude the larger your fields are and the drier they are kept the better they will be and the better your corne vvill prosper vpon them CHAP. V. How often your Corne-ground must be â—ared or plowed ouer THat I may therefore briefly declare vnto you the tilling of grounds for graine and pulse vnderstand in generall that the earings of arable grounds are diuers according to the places and situations of the said grounds as vve haue alreadie alledged But howsoeuer the case stand in that poynt and in vvhat plat or peece of ground soeuer you can name them to be it behooueth that at the first earing vvhich is giuen them after they haue rested and laine fallow that you cleanse them vvell from stones all ouer with â—akes and that at the paines or trauell of some young boyes and girles that can doe little or nothing else or otherwise by others for the earth of it owne nature lying vntilled begettâ—h nothing but stones and strong and vnprofitable vveeds as those which are the reliques of the dung now throughly digested and chaunged by a heat exalted vnto the fiâ—th degree And we need not make any doubt of it but that euen good and kind ground when it should not bring forth any thing but mustard-seed couch-grasse pimpernell mercurie thistles of all sorts danewort vvild-fetch red poppie vvild oats veruaine blew bottles ax-fetch or such other like vnprofitable vveeds without forgetting of cockle and darnell and that which is called rest-harrow or at the least some fumitorie and henbane yet it will be doing of some thing more as namely those which grow out of it of themselues as stinking mathweed kexes rupture-wort these be reclaimed grounds and the herbe called Chamepytis as I haue sometimes seene in those countries which properly and truely containe France For the distinguishing of these herbes the thistles shew the heat of the ground as their aromaticall and odoriferous roots may testifie the hemlocke vvild smallage and fumitorie grow of putrefaction the bind-weed both great and small do proceed partly of drinesse partly of the alteration of the humour night-shade the great and small doe spring vp of the cold part of the earth vvhich they draw from the humour thereof mercurie of both sorts eye-bright also of two or three differing flowers the small sorrell red vnderneath and the three sorts of plantaine do hold of cold or temperate ground but the garden and vvater cresses rockets wild mustard-seed as also the two sorts of vvater-parsley haue differing natures and are more hot according to the humoâ—r vvhich chey confesse to participate in respect of their propertie To be short these are certaine dalliances and sports of nature vvhich though she should neuer be
indifferently serued with vvater not such a one as hath any fresh springs or fountaines either breaking out euen with the vppermost face of the earth neither yet carried along within in the depth of the earth below but only in such sort as that neere vnto them there may be water to moisten their rootes withall and the same moisture must not be either bitter or salt to the end that the tast and â—auor of the wine may not be spoiled So that by this it appeareth that it is not meet to plant Vines in deepe and low valleyes albeit they might and would bring forth grapes in great abundance and that because they would not ripen in due time and so there would be made of them no better than a green vvine of small value adde hereunto that Vines seated in low valleyes are very much endangered by the Frosts of the Winter and Spring time and are also subiect to haue their grapes to burst and to runne out their iuice and to rot vvhich vvould cause a musâ—ie and foughtie taste in the vvine and therewithall vvhen the yeare is rainie the kernels cleaue and burst out through the abundance of moisture by reason vvhereof the grape being in this sort too much moistened and nothing at all dried the vvine becommeth vnsauorie and apt to grow sowre and fall into many other faults And if you happen to light on such a place then chuse to plant there such plants and yong shootes as may beare clusters not too thicke set but growing somewhat thin that so the Sunne may pierce through them much lesse may you plant those Vines vvhich haue their pith taken out and bring forth a firme and solid grape in cold and moist grounds as neither yet in a hote and drie ground such Vines as haue substance enough in them and beare a grape somevvhat soft But chiefly if your place be so well appointed by nature as that it consist of and containe grounds that are fit and meet vpon the tops of great hills together vvith some low and small hills then make choice of them to plant your Vines thereupon It is true that it vvill hardly grow there at the first but hauing once taken roote it vvill yeeld a verie pleasant and noble vvine such as the vvines of Ay Hadre Argentueil Meudon and Seurre be In generall if you vvould plant a Vine vvhich may profite you in bringing forth abundant store of good fruit you must see that the ground be gentle easie fine and indifferent light to be stirred not as though such a ground onely vvere good for Vines but for that it is most kind naturall and best agreeing for Vines to be planted in sandie stonie grauelly and flintie ground as also such as consisteth of a Potters clay in the bottome and couered ouer with earth is good prouided that they be intermingled with some fat earth and that they be often refreshed by being digged euen to the veine of stones or rocke In a sandie clayie and churlish stubborne ground the first digging and casting of it must be good deepe and such grounds also would be thrise digged or cast at the least Such grounds bring forth strong and delicate vvines but such grounds as haue of stones or flints great store vpon the vppermost face of the earth are not fit for Vines because in Summer they stand at a stay by reason of the great heat of the Sunne being beat back vpon them by the said stones and they doe no better in Winter because of the excessiue cold which in like manner then troubleth them True it is that if a Vine be planted in a grauelly rockie and stonie ground that then it will not be needfull to cast so deepe because the roote is not so farre downe into the earth as is the new planted Vineyard which is made in a sandie â—oile and it is contented with twise digging for the most part A soile standing vpon Walkers clay or marle as loegâ—y vpon Yonne is verie good for Vines but the ground standing vpon a Potters clay is not good In like sort the grauelly ground is not altogether fit for though it yeeld a daintie good wine yet it yeeldeth but a veâ—ie little and there also the new planted Vineyard is very subiect vnto the hauing of his grapes washed away The drie and burning earth doth yeeld leane Vines if it be not helped by the dunghill As concerning the power of the Sunne and disposition of the ayre the Vine delighteth not to be planted vpon the tops of mountains and much lesse in places lying open vnto the Northeast winde but it delighteth in an ayre that is rather hote than colde and faire rather than rainie it cannot abide tempests and stormes it reioiceeth in a small gentle and friendly winde and would bee turned toward the East or South It is true that generally in cold places vines must stand vpon the South and in hot places vpon the North or East prouided that they be sheltred at such time from the winds as well of the South as of the East if the place be subiect to Winds it will be better that it should be to the Northerne or Westerne Windes than otherwise in temperate places either vpon the East or West but the best is towards the East Furthermore in as much as it is a very difficult thing to find all these commodities and good properties of ground and aire in euery countrie the good workeman shall fit the plants of his vines vnto the nature of the places and countries wherefore in a fat and â—ertile ground he shall set the young plant of a small vine and such a one as beareth but little as the Morillion the Melier and the Aubeine and in a leane ground the plant that is very fruitfull as that of Samoureau Tresseau Lombard Ouch Muscadet Beauuois and Pulceau in a thicke and close ground the plant that is strong and putteth forth great store of wood and leaues as that of Morillion Morlou Tresseau and Pulceau in a small mould and reasonable fat ground the plant which putteth forth but a little wood as that of Samoureau Lombard and Beaulnois and by this meanes the defect and want or the excesse and superfluitie of any qualitie in the young plant of the vine shall be supplied or corrected by the nature of the ground and that in such sort and manner as that of two excesses shall spring one meane and well tempered thing which is a point to be wished and requisite in the growing of all sorts of plants Furthermore he may not plant in moist places the young plant which is giuen to beare tender and grosse grapes as that of Samoureau Gouet Mourlous Pulceau Cinquaine and Tresseau In places â—ossed with winds and stormes he must prouide to plant such a kind of vine as is woont to bring forth hard grapes and sticking fast and close vnto the stalke but on the contrarie that which shall haue accustomed to beare tender
others who like children are of a hot and moist temperature and constitution because that by his vaporousnesse it filleth the braine and doth infinite hurt and mischiefe Plato in his precepts of ordering a Commonwealth commaundeth children to be kept from vvine till they be fifteene yeares old and his reason is for that fire must not be added vnto fire from fifteene vnto fortie he permitteth the moderate vse thereof and after this age he aduiseth to drinke much and that very good for the mitigating and qualifying of the discommodious troublesome and noysome occurrences which may happen in the life of man And this his opinion is not altogether to be reiected for as vvine is altogether enemie vnto children so it maketh recompence in the good it doth vnto old persons Plinie saith That vvine hindereth those which prepare themselues to doe speake or enterprise any good thing and this was the cause why Plato forbad the vse of vvine to sage and learned men except it were in their feasts or sacrifices The Romans for sundry reasons did likewise forbid the vse of vvine to women and seruants We reade in histories That the vertues of many famous and great personages haue beene obscured and eclipsed by the vse of vvine Of this wee haue Lysander Captaine of the Lacedemonians for a vvitnesse who was a prudent wise and good disposer of all his matters and affaires saue that of the vse of vvine Antiochâ—â— the great Demetrius lying for a pledge and hostage at Rome Alexander of Macedonie Dionysius the younger the tyrant Zenocrates the Philosopher Anacreon and Alcaeus the Lyricke Poets and Aristophanes the Comedian Ennius Marcus Antonius Triumuir Cato Vticensis and such others For this cause the Locri inhabiting the Promontorie Zephirium in Greece as Athenaeus recordeth thought it to be an offence worthie death for to drinke vvine Of the same opinion at this day are the Sarazins moued thereto as well by Mahomets law as also by the imitating of the ancient custome of the Gentils and Arabians Let vs then conclude that vvine not onely in excessiue quantitie and by reason of his vaporousnesse doth cause all the annoyances alreadie set downe but that also in respect of his heat and drinesse it is most pernicious vnto hot and drie natures as also vnto hot and moist ones if it be not well dilayed especially if it be continually vsed though it be taken in neuer so moderate a quantitie And yet notwithstanding more or lesse according to age custome and manner of liuing the season of the yeare and constitution of the ayre because that in old folke and all such as in vvhom crude flegme and melancholike iuice doth abound his heat and drinesse is in such sort rebated that for the most part it is vsed of them very safely and securely both as a well nourishing and likewise as a good Physicall helpe especially in Winter and cold Countries You must therefore in all sorts of natures so temper all his noysome qualities by the mingling of water as that it may be taken with the least hurt that possibly may be When as therefore the vvine is mixt with the water the parts both of the one and the other are broken and parted as it were into small inuisible portions vvhereupon there ariseth betwixt them both a mutuall doing and suffering and their qualities so confounded and becomming one notwithstanding their former contrarietie as that into how much the lesse parts the diuision is made by so much the more apt and easie they proue to be mingled and made one Whosoeuer therefore shall mingle vvine vvith vvater or vvater vvith vvine must first stirre them a long time and then before he drink them let them settle and rest a while because for certainetie the contrarie qualities of the wine and water will be so much the more repressed corrected rebated and vnited by how much they are the longer time and the more exactly mingled together Although that if we will examine the things a little neere we shall â—ind that euen wine delayed ceaseth noâ— to offend and do harm if it be taken in ouer great quantitie or at vnseasonable times especially of such as are of a hot and drie disposition as we shall declare hereafter But this is enough which hath beene said of wine in generall now let vs examine all the particular differences of the same The differences of Wine IN wine wee are to consider the colour relish smell facultie and consistence for from these are taken and gathered the principall differences of Wine As concerning the colour some is white some of a light some of a sad yellow some betwixt red and white like to the colour of honie other some of a deep red and others of a pleasanter red blacke or darke shadowed White wine generally is of a thinner sâ—bstance than the red it is easily concocted and digested it pierseth speedily through the whole bodie worketh more vpon the veines but noâ—risheth lesse That sort of white Wine which is thinne hot and full of Wine is concocted and distributed more speedily than any of the rest purging the bloud by vrine but it offendeth the head most of all especially French white Wine Water by reason of its coldnesses and red or darke shadowed Wine by reason of its thicknesse doe slowly passe away by vrine The contrarie is found in white Wine especially such as is of a thin substance and which is hot That which is of a deepe yellow or somewhat inclining to a yellow hath his vertues approching very neere to those of the white Wine Red Wine is woont to be more slow of concoction than all the rest as also to bee distributed throughout the whole bodie or carried away by vrine because it is of a grosser substance than any of the rest but yet to recompence these discommodities withall it nourisheth more and offendeth the head lesse The lighter red Wine holdeth the meane and middle catch of all the rest White Wine which is of a thin and waterie substance without any verdure or sharpnes of tast such as we haue great store of here in our countrie is likewise of an easie digestion and quickly passing and distributed through the body and yet notwithstanding hurteth not the head neither increaseth any great store of heate in so much as that this kind of white Wine is more wholesome and safe both for the sound and sicke than the white Wine which is thinne and full of Wine in taste especially in persons that are fat and full bodied because it nourisheth lesse than all the rest Galen is of iudgement that red and thick Wines are turned without any great paine into bloud and so next vnto them the blacke or deepe red and grosse wines if so be they be accompainied with some small smatch of sweetnesse and next vnto these which are of a light red those which are of a deepe red thicke substance and astringent facultie nor for that they can be digested
more easily or distributed more speedily than white or yellow Wines but because that being once concocted in the stomach and sent vnto the liuer they are easily changed and turned into bloud notwithstanding they seeme not the least remoued and differing from the nature of the same for white and yellow Wines of all other are woont to be the speediliest concocted in the stomach and to bee conueied vnto the liuer but they yeeld lesse store of bloud then those which are thick and red and so doe fat lesse Wherefore yellow Wine or the redlike Wine being of a thinne and pearsing substance by how much it approcheth the neerer vnto the faculties of thinne white Wine by so much it begetteth the thinner and more fluent bloud and therewithall hot if it be hot or temperate if it bee waterish and weake such as the Grecians vse to call Oligophorum which signifieth a Wine admitting but small quantitie of water to be mixed therewith yea a reasonable cold bloud if it be yet somewhat greene and vnripe But the deepe red Wine which is harsh and rough whereas for its thickenesse it is profitable to comfort the loose and wearish stomach but nourisheth not much so in like manner it increaseth and redoubleth the obstructions of the liuer spleene and reines as also it maketh a thicke 〈◊〉 and melancholike blood so withal begetteth many melancholike diseases The red wine that is somewhat cleere and thin seemeth to hold of both and so standeth as a meane betwixt them both Wherefore Dioscorides following the opinion of Hippocrates hath rightly said that deepe red wines were thicke and of hard concoction and digestion for all thicke wines whether they be of a deepe or light red do nourish to speake the trueth aboundantly and fat the bodie but they put the stomach to more paine in concocting of them than those which are somewhat cleere and of a thinne substance Furthermore they being of hard digestion and distribution and not easily passing away by vrine through the long and continuall vse of them they ingender flatuous swelling and windieneffe in the bellie and bowels Wherefore yellow and white wines that are of a subtile substance and very ripe are to bee better accounted of and esteemed as more wholesome for all such as haue need or desire to bee heated as old folkes flegmaticke and melancholike persons that be cold of nature as also for them that lead their liues in idlenesse in cold coâ—â—tries and cold seasons as in Winter heapinging vp great store of supâ—rfluities and raw humours in the veines for they are likewise more profitable for the furtâ—â—rance of concoction to bee made in the stomach liuer and veines than those which are waterish and sweete but very many times they offend and hurt the head and sinewes and make a full braine for this cause they are enemies and contrarie to such as are hot by nature or haue a moist braine or their sinewes and ioinâ—â— weake and subiect to distillations for vnto such bodies the wines that are a littlered and somewhat astringent are farre more meete and conuenient because they bee not so fuming and therefore doe not charge the head so heauily But as for deepe red wines they are most fit and conuenient for diggers and deluers husbandmen dressers of vines and others which liue a toilesome and painefull life Wherefore white wines yellow red or claret and of those onely such as are of a subtile substance delicate and watâ—ie called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to say admitting but small store of water to be mingled with them are harmelesse to all and to be vsed with all safetie and securitie The white and yellow or redlike wines which are of a thin and subtile substance together with the claret weake waterie rawe and greenish being of a cold and moist temperature such as are very vsuall and common in the grounds about Paris do nourish the bodie very little and are harder to be digested than those which will beare but a little water but they coole and moisten more than the â—est and where as they nourish but a little they are said on the other side to make the body leane They bring not any detriment or harme vnto the head liuer reines or bladder but being long vsed they hurt the stomach bowels matrix and spleene very much and which is more are professed enemies to all such as are cold and moist by nature and especially vnto old folkes Contrariwise they are somewhat profitable for hot and drie natures and if naturall heat be strong they passe away and are euacuated easily by vrine and this is a thing that is common to all greene wines which are of a subtile substance The like iudgement is to bee had of diseases for as they are tolerated with all securitie in hot natures so in like manner they prolong and increase cold diseases And thus sufficiently as it seemeth vnto me concerning the nature qualitie and vse of wine gathered from the colour thereof As concerning the relish some wines are sweet some sharp some bitter some rough and harsh some sower and tart and both of them astringent others of a mixt nature betwixt sweet and rough others greene or greenish and these are very common and vsuall in the grounds about and belonging to Paris In generall all sweete wines whether they be white or red do nourish more than other heat indifferently prouoke thirst swell and stop through the much vse thereof the prnicipall parts but the liuer and the spleene more than all the rest especially if they be grosse and thicke for looke how much the thicker they bee so much the more vnwholesome they are Sweet wine saieth Hippocrates doth lesse burthen and charge the head then that which is strong and full of wine it lesse offendeth the vnderstanding also yea it looseth the bellie but it is not good for such as abound with colericke humours for that it prouoketh thirst and windinesse True it is that it is good for such as are much troubled with the cough because it raiseth vp flegme the more easily in all such except they be subiect to thirst and drinesse Sweet white wine is of a thinner substance than sweet red wine It helpeth spitting more than any other so that it bee not too grosse and thicke for it concocteth raw flegme in the brest it smootheth and maketh plaine the roughnesse of the inward parts and in that respect is profitable for the lâ—ngs reines or bladder being rugged or rough but in the meane time it hurteth the liuer because that as I haue here while said it swelleth and puffeth it vp and causeth obstructions therein It causeth thirst likewise in hot and drie natures because it maketh obstructions and is easily turned into choleticke matter as all other things are which are sweete Notwithstanding it procureth drunkennesse lesse than any other in as much as it offendeth the head but a little Dioscorides hath spoken
very rightly thereof saying that such sweet wine is of thicke substance that it passeth not so easily through the bodie and that therefore it nourishetâ— more than that which is of a thinne consistence and substance Hee saieth further that it swelleth vp the stomach and like the liquor of grapes before it hath wrought it looseth and troubleth the bellie and inward parts And this must bee vnderstood of sweet wine which is not come yet to his full ripenesse and not of that which is thinne cleare ripe and alreadie throughly concocted Which kind of sweete white wines are sent hither in great aboundance from the countrie of Aniou and they hold their sweetnesse two or three yeares Such sweet white wines are not so hurtfull as those which are not ripe or which are thicke they prouoke vrine sufficiently loosen the bellie and moisten Wherefore you must diligently and wisely discerne and distinguish the sweet wine which is crud and vnconcted from that which is already ripe and fit for to be vsed All sweet white wines do nourish aboundantly but yet more or lesse according to the proportion of their thicknesse and grosnesse and for this cause such as haue need of restoratiues must vse sweet wines especially if their reines liuer and spleene stand sound and free from all infermitie for when the principall parts be obstructed and the veines full of grosse bloud then wine that is of subtile substance is most needfull and profitable When the veins are replete with cold and grosse bloud then sharpe strong and mightie wines are more conuenient If the veines be full of hot and thicke bloud the wine that is sharpe and old is not good but rather a claret or white wine that is very watrie yea and somewhat greenish if the stomach wil beare it and the soile of the countrie permit it Galen affirmeth that no white wine heateth greatly and that such as heateth much cannot bee sweete And yet notwithstanding there are brought vnto vs out of hot countries many white wines that are very hot And we haue likewise sweet vvines partly growing in our owne countrie of France as at Longiumeau and Tonnerrois called vvhite beaten vvine partly brought from the countrie of Anjou excellent good and very hot which in taste resemble the sauour and relish of a Hippocras made of vvhite vvine and will hold and continue sound and perfect good three foure yea sixe yeares In Greece their vvhite vvines are not found to bee very pleasant and sweet as in this our countrie there are not to be found any red wines very pleasant except vpon their new pressing out Notwithstanding the countrie of Bordelois doth furnish vs with sufficient quantitie of red wines that are very sweet but they are all of them of a thicke substance and their iuice or liquor breedeth very many obstructions Harsh and course vvines do procure vrine more than the sweet but lesse than such as are of a middle kind betwixt both and yet againe those which are tart and sower doe also prouoke vrine more weakely than those vvhich are of a middle temper The rough and course wine doth corroborate the stomacke and principall parts by his astringent facultie prouided that the stomack be furnished with sufficient strength and force of heat for otherwise in a cold and weake stomack it proueth for the most part to be hardly concocted and digested Of all other vvines it least hurteth the head but therewithall it proueth to be the slowest in distributing it selfe abroad into the veines and substance of the bodie for which reasons it falleth out to be vnfit to be vsed in swownings sodaine faintings and all other feeblenesse loosenesse and languishing of the strength as also where there are any notorious obstructions in the principall parts But which more is it bindeth the bellie or else looseth it not sufficiently We haue spoken of greenish white wines whereunto the reddish greene wine hath like qualities especially if it be of a thinne substance and waterie and yet more if it be thinne waterie and pale Generally the greene or raspe wine in as much as it containeth more water than wine nourisheth the bodie but a little is of hard digestion and so it moueth windinesse and wringings in the belly because it is of a cold temperature Hence it commeth that old folkes cold and moist natures and such as haue weake stomackes receiue damage by it and next vnto these such women as haue not their termes aright and are subiect to pale and swarth colours Notwithstanding it passeth away speedily by vrine because it is thinne and annoyeth not the head and for this reason it is very profitable for all hot and moist natures as for young folkes vvhich haue a boyling and burning bloud in them if their stomacke be in good state especially in Summer time for which respect being dilayed with a sufficient quantitie of vvater it will serue very fitly in like manner as the vvine called of the Greekes Oligophorum in all such agues as wherein wine may be permitted saue onely that it is somewhat hard of digestion and causeth many obstructions Such greene vvines as together with their greenenesse are astringent or sowre are without comparison more hurtfull than any other euery way and in all respects because they hardly ripen and concoct ingender obstructions and passe very slowly either by vrine or stoole Notwithstanding they become ripe in time if they be let alone in cellars till the raw and crude parts thereof be ouercome by their owne proper and naturall heat But it shall not seeme to exceed the bounds of reason if wee discourse somewhat more freely of the verdure of our vvines to the end wee may be able to discerne and find out that which is in vvines by way of purchase from that which is naturally in them Galen writeth That the astringent qualitie in vvines is separated and remaining apart from their verdure as their goodnesse is from their badnesse besides it is very likely that in hot and drie Countries there are not any greene vvines growing naturally but in this our Countrie of France there are many greenish vvines pressed out from grapes that are not yet ripe but especially in cold and moist yeares some which are verie thinne and waterie others more thicke and grosse and by that meanes either astringent or else rough and harsh strong and mightie vvines if they be neuer so little tainted with greenenesse presently they become sowre and altogether vnmeet to be drunke But such as being pressed out from grapes scarce halfe ripe differ not much from the greenenesse or sharpenesse of common veriuice if they be not concocted by little and little through a strong and forcible heat contained in their crude and raw matter and so in the end become ripe their greenenesse being by little and little diminished and such are not passing of a yeares continuance seruing rather for the rude and homely people than for daintie and delicate personages
For certaine all greenenesse in vvine is a fault in those vvines vvherein it is but yet that is the worst of all the rest which happeneth vnto vvines sometimes good and commendable either by being kept too long or else by hauing beene ill kept or otherwise by some other occasion lesse dispraiseable and hurtfull vvithout comparison is that which happeneth in our French wines which by the weakenesse of the heat of the Sunne comming short of their sufficient concoction become greene from their first originall and growth as they which are greene by reason of the greene and vnripe grapes from whence they are pressed For such greenenesse as happeneth vnto vvines once good and commendable is hurtfull vnto all men and cannot be redressed thereby making such vvines vnfit to be employed about any other vse than either for medicine or sawces vvhereas that which is borne and ingrafted into such greene vvines if it be not suppressed and digested by naturall heat becommeth onely hurtfull to cold and moist constitutions and old folkes but not vnto strong Iustie and hot natures neither vnto them which are accustomed to trauaile and to auoid idlenesse You shall find many harsh rough and sowre vvines vvhich are also greene and in like manner you shall find some that are greene and yet not rough and course Such as are rough and greene through their vehement astringencie doe close shut vp drie and dull the throat tongue and other parts of the mouth whereas such as are simply greene doe not the like but coole them onely The rough and harsh vvines in as much as they are raw and crude and cannot be concocted and digested of their naturall heat that is but weake yet they close and bind the stomack and by such occasion stay the â—lux of the bellie Wines that are simply greene doe not the like if they be not harsh rough and astringent withall and they doe rather annoy the stomacke and all the membranous and neruous parts by reason of their cooling propertie and qualitie vvhich being situate in a thinne and subtile matter and therefore apt to pierce deepely into the parts and by their qualities prouoking and disquieting the substance of the said parts doth corrupt and dissolue the laudable temperature force and constitution of the said stomacke and of the said membranous and sinewie parts Whereupon it ensueth that such greene vvines doe for the most part cause crudities wringings and the flux of the belly manifold obstructions of the liuer and spleene besides the disease called the Hypochondriake melancholie Galen denieth that vvines which are hard and greene doe heat at all and that the sowre rough and harsh rellish doth actually consist in a meane matter participating both of the waterie and earthie elements but that the hard greene and sowre relish doth consist in an earthie and drie substance vvhich doth not manifestly participate of the water or any moisture Whereby it may manifestly appeare that neither the one nor the other relish hath any heat ruling in it but cold and that in the tart harsh and rough relish accompanied with moisture but in the sowre with drinesse But for as much as vvines are seldome consisting of one onely simple and pure relish and that all vvines of what tast or relish soeuer they be are in temperature hot and drie you must vnderstand that sowre and harsh vvines are accounted cold or else not hot not simply but by comparison because indeed they heat lesse than other vvines and that not quickly and so soone as they be drunk but in the end and aftersome continuance of time for otherwise the opinion of Galen were not to be receiued seeing that we obserue and see euerie day that all sorts of vvines of what tast or relish soeuer they be be they hard or harsh doe heat manifestly and make men drunke sooner or later if they be receiued into a hot and strong stomacke for their heat as a thing buried in crude and raw matter although it be a long time first and with great difficultie breaketh forth at the last manifesting it selfe in the end and bringing forth the fruits of his maturitie and this wee may finde in our French vvines which nourish maintaine recreate yea and make drunke the Husbandmen Vine-dressers and other persons of poore handicrafts vsing to drinke the same But let this suffice which hath beene said of the naturall tast and relish of vvines and now let vs search out the causes of the sowrenesse or tartnesse incident to good and commendable vvines Some thinke that vvines grow sowre through heat because that daintie weake and feeble vvines are changed and turne sowre in the Spring time and Summer and in Winter retaine their naturall qualities entire and sound This opinion is confirmed because that weake vvines being stirred and tumbled in forcible sort or carried farre or laid in cellars that are open vpon the South or Easterne quarter doe quickly become sowre And contrarily such as are not tossed to and fro or remoued but kept in cellars lying vpon the North doe not sowre at all as if it were by the cold that their vertues and good qualities were preserued and by the heat that they were changed and corrupted So as the like in all points doth befall vvines which are weake and waterish to that which happeneth vnto a burning candle and to small and weake sparkes of fire vvhich if you lay open in the hot Sunne or before any great and vehement flame you shall see them languish yea waxe darke and altogether to fade away and goe out It is then through heat that all the weakest vvines turne sowre and that by hauing their weake heat spent and ouercome by an outward and accidentall heat which is more strong causing the same to fade and for the most part vanish quite away For a weake nature cannot endure either any strong heat or vehement motion but fainting vnder them it becommeth wasted and spent and in fine perisheth But contrariwise wines which haue their heat strong and consist of such matter as is not easie or apt to be wasted and spent being remoued rolled transported or else laid open to the South Sunne or kept in any hot place doe not onely not sowre quickly and in a short time but rather become a great deale the more ripe and are made more readie and better to be drunke For that which befalleth through long continuance of time to strong mightie and noble vvines vvhich are shut vp and layd in cold caâ—es vnder the earth by the meanes power vertue and â—fficacie of their owne and naturall heat which concocteth digesteth and ripeneth by little and little their crude and raw matter the same is effected and wrought in a short time in vvines which are heated by art that is to say by stirring and rowling and by the heat of the Sunne or of some fine subtill fire vvhich doth concoct and digest the most crude and raw matter that they can be found to
for thereby is hindered the growing of the graft vnto the parts which are vnder the barke I adde yet further that as men and women which are verie fat doe not beget or beare children because that spending the greatest part of their nourishment in the grosâ—enesse of their bodie they leaue no profitable superfluirie to make seed of in like sort trees which drop Pitch and Rosin spending all their substance and nourishment about the making of themselues great and thick they accordingly grow tall and thicke but they beare no fruit at all or else but a verie little and that late in the yeare before it come to his full ripenesse wherefore it is no 〈◊〉 for a stranger not to be able to liue there where the home-bred is scarce able to feed and maintaine himselfe Trees that haue a verie hard and solide wood as Box and such other or which haue a verie tender barke are not fit for grafting for the one by reason of their great tendernesse cannot hold the graft fast and close ynough 〈◊〉 the other through their great hardnesse doe wring and choake the same It is good to graft about the beginning of December or somewhat later 〈…〉 Ianuarie according as the weather is enclining vnto coldnesse or otherwise especially Hart-Cherrie-trees Peare-trees and such as beare early fruit As for Apple 〈◊〉 and Medlar-trees it is better to stay till from the end of Ianuarie vnto the beginning of March at such time as they begin to bud for they are not so forward as the other And at the same time also it will be good to graft the thicke-growne young 〈◊〉 betwixt the barke and the wood with late grafts or such as haue beene 〈◊〉 â—o the ground All moneths are good and â—it to graft in whether it be by graft 〈…〉 moneths of October and Nouember excepted but the graft is commonly 〈◊〉 in Winter as hath beene said at such time as the sappe riseth vp into the 〈…〉 they begin to bud for then the grafts doe grow and take a great deale 〈…〉 may graft likewise in Aprill and May if the graâ—â—s be full of little eyeleâ—s and that they haue beene kept buried and their tops out of the ground in cold and 〈◊〉 places It is true that the time of grafting must be measured and iudged of according to the countrey and qualitie of the Region for in a cold Countrey it must be later and earlier in a hot notwithstanding to speake generally of all 〈◊〉 the fittest time to graft is from the first day of Februarie vnto the first 〈…〉 May taking regard to the nature of the plants for such as haue most iuice 〈…〉 grafted and those later which are the drier the Pomegranate and 〈…〉 which alâ—hough they be drie will notwithstanding be grafted 〈…〉 in the yeare It is certaiâ—e that grafts must be gathered in the decrease of the Moone to be grafted at the same time of the old of the Moone or else in the new or when you shall thinke good alwaies foreseene that the grafts be gathered in the old of the Moone euen all the grafts that may be It is true that the graft and the bud doe take better in the new than in the old of the Moone for the Moone is the 〈◊〉 of sappes as of all other iuices marrowes and humours or moist things which sappes runne betwixt the plant and the graft and bind the one to the other being of more force and power in the new of the Moone than in the old by the like reason there is a precept to be obserued and kept in the matter of grafting forbidding to graft the wind blowing at South because such winds are sharpe and drying On the 〈◊〉 shoots must be cut in the end of the Moone if so be you will haue them to bring forth much more fruit for being cut at this time they haue their sappe drunk◠〈◊〉 with setled abode and by being notched onely they do not spend themselâ—â—â— so much as when they be cut off their sap then being in his full course and 〈◊〉 Notwithstanding we trie it daily by experience that the gathering and grafting of grafts may be done at any time of the Moone as we will declare hereafter Some hold them for the best daies to graft in which are the next three or fourâ— daies before and after the increase of the new Moone but their reason taken from the sap binding and ioyning together of the grafts with the plants and from the dominion and rule of the Moone ouer the said saps doth shut out the first part of that opinion it being certaine and true that the weaker the Moone is so much the 〈◊〉 also are those inferior bodies which she hath power and gouernment of To graft vpon the wild stocke hath more hold and is more durable than that which is 〈◊〉 vpon the reclaimed tree but the fruit of the reclaimed tree is of a better taste as likewise the fruit of the graft will be which is grafted vpon a tree which blossometh and flowreth at the same time and hath a liuing and moist barke and the reason thereof is verie apparant It is vsed to graft in the barke from mid-August vnto the beginning of Winter and also at such time as the Westerne wind beginneth to blow being from the seuenth day of Februarie vnto the eleuenth of Iune but there must care be had not 〈◊〉 graft in the barke in a rainie season because it would wash away the matter of ioyning together of the one to the other and so hinder it It is vsuall to graft in the bud in the Summer time from about the end of May vntill August as being the time when the trees are strong and lustie and full of sappe and leaues as in Iune and Iuly that is to say in a hot Countrey from the middest of Iune vnto the middest of Iuly but in cold Countries vnto the middest of August after some small showers of rane And if the Summer be so exceedingly drie as that some trees doe detaine and keepe backe their sappe then you must wait till that it be returned and then to graft thereupon so soone as the grafts are gathered without hauing anie regard either vnto the new Moone or to the old whether it be in grafting in the stocke or vnto the stocke It is true that is spoken that we can neuer haue hope of much fruit by grafting in the new of the Moone but in the old beginning the first day of the full of the Moone You may graft in the Cleft without hauing regard vnto raine when the time is good and coole as from mid August vnto the beginning of Nouember for the cap and warming stuffe which is laid vnto those grafts doe put away the wast and spoyle which the raine and blasting would otherwise bring vpon them It must likewise be considered whether the tree vse to beare timely fruit or not and so to fit it with a graft of
of Barley a sort of meale vvhich vvas called Polenta that is to say of Barley newly dried then fried and afterward ground and this vvas vsed to make pappe-meate of or else to put in meate brothes to thicken them Some doe the like vvith mundified Barley The Meale of Rie is likewise full of branne but that of Oates is yet more full notvvithstanding that Oatmeale vvhich is made of Oates husked is a vvelcome dish to the tables of great Lords The Meale of Rice is vvhiter than any of the rest As for the Meale of Pulse it is oftner made by being braied in the mortar than by grinding howsoeuer it may more commodiously and a great deale better bee made vvith the Mill. Leauen LEauen called in Latine Fermentum because it puffeth vp and swelleth in continuance of time is a lump of paste left of the last masse of dough couered and hidden in the meale vvhich is kneaded to take away the clamminesse and cleauing propertie vvhich is in the meale that is purposed to bee made into bread This Leauen becommeth sowre by continuance of time and thereby maketh the bread more delightsome and of a more pleasant taste Againe vve see that bread by how much the more Leauen it hath by so much the more vvholsome and vvell relishing it is ouer and aboue that vvhich hath lesse store of Leauen in it It is indifferently hote and a little cold hot by reason of the putrifaction vvhich it is cast into and cold by the nature of the meale This Leauen is made diuers sorts of vvayes according to the manners and fashions of countries wee make it of Wheat paste to make Wheat bread and of Rie paste to make Rie bread some put vnto it Salt some Vineger and many Verjuice made of Crabbes The workers in Pastrie do vse the rising of Beere to make their Wigges vvithal as vve shal haue further occasion to speak of it in laying open the vvay to make Beere People of old and auncient times did make it diuers vvayes as Plinie reporteth The Flemings do mightily boile their Wheate and take off the scumme that riseth thereof in boiling which they let grow thick and vse the same in stead of Leauen and that is the cause vvhy their bread is a great deale lighter than ours Howsoeuer it is the Leauen vvhich men-bakers and vvomen-bakers doe vse to make their bread vvithall may bee kept fifteene daies and not any more because after such time it corrupteth and decayeth But to be sure it is not good to keepe it so long for to keepe it you must vvorke it vp into a round paste couer and hide it ouer in meale and besides in vvinter it must be couered ouer withgood store of clothes in the kneading trough When the good vvife of the house is purposed to bake her paste she must two or three dayes before or vvhich is better ouer night kneade in her said Leauens vvith hote vvater or else with cold according to the time and diuersitie of the corne vvhereof she meaneth to make her bread as we will speake further of by and by The vvorkers in paste-meates doe vse but verie little Leauen in their crusts or none at all either because it vvould make so small a quantitie of paste as they vse to make their crusts of too sowre or else because the Leauen vvould draw vnto it all the Butter or such other fat as they should mingle amongst their paste for as much as Leauen hath the power to draw moisture vnto it as vvee may easily proue by Apostumes vvhich vvhen we vvould haue to ripen and swell vp higher vvee vse to applie a paister of Leauen to them Furthermoâ—e if it should happen that the Baker or good vvife of the house should finde her Leauen too sowre and that she cannot come by any other the remedie must be to knead her Leauen with hotter water than she would if it vvere in its proper nature and kinde that so by the heate of the vvater the Leauen may recouer some strength and somewhat renew its naturall force hauing lost its naturall heat vvhereas on the contrarie vvhen the Leauen is in its kind and as it should be there is not any thing but cold water to be vsed about it The making of bread according to the diuersitie of corne whereof it is made THe house-wife must bee ruled and aduised in the making of her bread by the natuâ—e and condition of the meale whereof she maketh it wherefore if shee dwell in Beauce or dwelling out of Beauce do make her bread of the corne growing in Beauce the meale of which corne for certaintie holdeth the chiefe and principall place of account amongst all the sorts of meale of France she shall be carefull in any case to make her leuens at certaine and well appointed houres In Sommer she shall refresh her leuen vvith cold vvater at noone day and renew it againe at fiue a clocke and lastly at nine without failing of keeping these houres in very precise manner This water thus vsed in Sommer must be drawne fresh out of the Well or from the fountaine and riuer because that Well vvater as it is more heauy than the other so it maketh the bread more heauy and on the contrarie spring vvater or vvater from the riuer as it is lighter so it maketh lighter bread In Winter she must renew her leuen with fresh vvater vvarmed or made hot and with this water both Winter and Sommer she shall vvet her armes and knead her paste throughly turning it ouer and ouer hither and thither on euerie side for a long space and many times that so all the parts thereof may shew that she hath been there and that all the clamminesse and cleauing qualitie of the same may be throughly broken and dried vp that so the bread may be the more short and finer in chawing and not eating like paste in the teeth mouth and stomach After such handling of it she shall take the pains to turne her paste oftentimes that so it become not leuen for otherwise it would not eate so well It is true that when the leuen is faultie the meale of the corne of Beauce hath such a band and list as that she might easily couer and hide such fault prouided that the baker whether man or woman at the kneading therof would but help it a little with some fresh vvater If the farmers wife do dwell in France or make bread of the corne growing sometime in France she shall not vse so much leuen thereunto as she did vnto the meale made of the corn growne in Beauce both because the corne commeth short in yeelding like quantitie of paste for like quantitie of corne as also because the meale hath not so good a band neither yet is it altogether so clammie and therefore you must vse a meane and reasonable measure in your leuen and withall let your water be lesse hot than in the kneading of Beauce
encrease great masses of melancholike humors especially those which are sweet they must not be vsed but of them which liue in toile and trauaile Those which are of a thinne and subtle substance whether they be white claret or of a light yellow for as much as they haue a very pleasant tast and are easily concocted and quickly distributed they are desired and much required at the Tables of great men Lâ—t vs conclude then that amongst all the vvines vvhich we vse at Paris as concerning the red the best are those of Cousâ—y Seuâ—e Vanues and Meudon and as concerning the white those of Argenteâ—ell and then those of Ay Isancy Beaune in Bourgongnie being wel ripened next those of Orleance As concerning white the wines of Longiumeau Palesiau Massy Pont d' Anthony then those of Barâ—urabe Aniou and others which are brought vs from Arbois Gascoigny Languedoc The wines of the grounds neere vnto Paris as of Villeiuiâ—ue Vitry and Iury which are white of Fontenay and Montreuill which are reddish are not to be much set by because they are greenish and of an vnpleasant tast The vvines of Gascoignie are vvithout comparison more hot and drie than the vvines of Orleance and yet they be not so vaporous neither yet assaile the head so mightily as I haue proued that the vvines of Orleance doe The vvines vvhich Greece Languedoc and Spaine doe send vs or rather vvhich the delicacie and voluptuousnesse of our French throats cause to be feâ—ched from beyond the Sea such as are Sacks Muscadels of Frontignan Malmesies Bastards which seeme to me to be so called because they are oftentimes adulterated and falsified with honey as we see vvine Hydromell to be prepared and Corsick vvines so much vsed of the Romanes are very pernicious vnto vs if we vse them as our common drinke Notwithstanding we proue them very singular good in cold diseases caused of cold humours without the hot distâ—mperature of the liuer or of any other noble part but chiefely and principally Malmeâ—ey vvhich we daily note and obserue to be very soueraigne in the crudities of the stomacke and collickes by reason of the singular force and vertue it hath in concocting of crude and raw matter and in dissoluing of vvinde and flatuousnesse But howsoeuer â—orraine vvines vvhich are fetched from farre Countries may seeme pleasant vnto our taste yet indeede the truth is that we are not to vse them except it be with as great aduise and iudgement as may be because that besides their manifest outward qualities they haue also close and hidden ones vvhich indeed may become familiar and well agreeing through some sympathie vvith the inhabitants of those Countries vvhere the said vvines grow but vnto vs they are enemies by an antipathie or contrarieâ—ie vvhich is betwixt them and vs which are of a soyle and countrey farre vnlike Which point if we regard not we cannot but for the most part offend against the rules of art and commit infinite faults in prescribing and laying downe such diet and order of gouernment as shall be for the direction of other mens liues Some do make and compound spiced wines which somewhat resemble the foresaid forraine wines and that not so much for the necessitie of life or health as for pleasure and the deligthing of the swallow of which sort are the claret the preparing whereof we haue set downe before and hipocras so called not that Hipocrates did euer inuent it or vse it but of the mixture and temperature according whereunto the said wine is compounded and made it is so called of the Greeke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to temper Men ought seldome to temper these wines because that by their vnwoonted heate and great vaporousnesse they procure many troublesome diseases as the squinancie strangurie apoplexie pallie and other such like notwithstanding such as feele a certaine coldenesse and weakenes in their stomake may vse them not as their common drinke but sometimes only as remedie or medicine And thus in briefe you haue what I thought good to deliuer concerning the qualities and vertues aswell of such wines as grow in France as also of them which are brought vs from strange countries By the reading of this slight discourse the Reader which is carefull of his health may learne to make choice of such wine as is fittest for his owne drinking as he shall perceiue to be agreeable and profitable not onely for his nature and disposition but also for his health As for example he that hath a very hot and drie liuer his lungs subiect to inflammation and readie to receiue sharp distillations from the braine and his braine very moist shall not vse hot and drie wines such as are those of Languedoc Gascoignie and Orleance but he shall content himselfe with some small French wine somewhat greenish and which beareth but small store of water He likewise which hath a cold stomake and is subiect to cold and windie diseases shall vse the wine that is good and haue nothing to doe with the small and greene wines and for this purpose shall make his aduantage of this our discourse which will instruct and teach him the diuersitie and qualities of wines The end of the sixth Booke THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE FARME The Warren CHAP. I. Of the situation of the Warren HItherto we haue as briefely as possibly we could run through whatsoeuer thing belonging to the tilling and dressing of the earth as gardens meadowes arable grounds and vines now it is requisite that following the order before propounded we speake of the Warren of wood timber trees parks for wild beasts breeding of herons and of hunting We will begin therefore to describe the Warren the profit whereof is not inferiour to that of the pullaine pigeons and other small cattell which are bred and fed about our countrie farme but chiefely in respect of the selling of conies which the good housholder may doe yearely and that some yeares betwixt foure score a hundred dosen beside all those which the Lord of the farme shall stand in neede dayly to vse either for eating in his house or for to giue away and gratifie his friends withall Againe the indeauour care and paine about a Warren is nothing so great as that which is required in the ordering of other small cattell for conies stand not in to haue a speciall and set gouernour to take care continually of house handle make cleane heale them when they are sicke or to dresse them their meate because that of of themselues they build earthes and little holes to hide and repose themselues in and feeding they looke not for any thing but that which the earth of its own accord without any tilling doth beare and bring forth for them Wherefore for the most profit of your countrie farme you must prouide and prepare a Warren in such a place as hath before beene spoken of that is to say betwixt your corne fields vineyards and grounds bearing
man could desire in a ground of speciall and principall praise and commendation It is true that besides that Necessitie doth beget skill and prouoke and stirre vp men to take all possible paine industrie and care it doth also procure that there should not that discommoditie be found to offer it selfe which shall not be recompenced and counteruailed either by one or other commoditie as for example in hot places there are growne good Wines and Fruits of long continuance in cold places great store of sweet waters and sometimes sea-water which greatly encreaseth their profit in others for the most part when the Earth is barren in the vpper part it containeth some good things vnderneath as it falleth in Stone-pits Mynes and such other things which make the change for the better So then wee are to hold our selues content with such estate and condition as the place shall affoord where we must dwell and settle our habitation and if it be not such as some curious man in his desire or one that is hard to please might require and looke for then wee shall straine our selues to mend it by the meanes see downe hereafter There are verie few Farmes to be found so seated as that there is not something to be supplyed as want of Water in high and ascending places such as are the Countries of Beaux and Campaigne notwithstanding that their grounds there be strong as it happeneth in rising and mountainous places too great store of water in falling grounds and long valleyes such as are to be found in some places of Sauoy Daulphine Auuergne and Gascoigne in which places there is more pasture than tillage other quarters are giuen by nature to be sandie as towards the Towne of Estamps Saint Marturin de l'Archaut in Solongue and in the Countrey of Lands which notwithstanding cease not to be moist and waterish other quarters are chalkie and clayie as towards Rheims Troy and Chalons in Campaigne othersome are stonie as towards Saint Lou de Sâ—rans Tonnerre Vezelay in Daulphine and in the Pyrene Mountaines where is to be found great store of excellent Marble and some are rockie which are most fit for the Countries abounding with Vines Howsoeuer the case stand the building cannot happen in so inconuenient and strange a place but that a man may make choice to take the best quarter for the Sunne-shine as that which is most for the health and wholesomenesse of the inhabitants and apply it euerie way for his vse and ease If therefore a high and flat place as Beaux or high France doe want Water you must for a supply make Pooles right ouer against your Courts and Cesternes in your Gardens and as for your grounds you must draw furrowes therein in such sort as that the earth cast vp by the way may retaine moisture a long time and if the ground proue it selfe strong you shall not need to manure and dung it so oft neither yet to let it lye fallow more than euerie fourth yeare If you cast Pits you must digge them of a conuenient widenesse and length that is to say fouresquare but somewhat more long than wide after the fashion of the Pits Aranques which are in vse in the gardens of Prouence and Languedoc with their trough laid to the brinkes of the Pits to receiue such water as is drawne but if the water be so low in the ground that such kind of Pits cannot be made then there must Pits be made to go with a wheele and those so large as that at euerie draught you may draw vp halfe a pipe of water at the least which you shall emptie into particular troughes and keepe them for the vse of your People and Cattell but aboue all other things you must haue a speciall care to gather and keepe well all Raine water either in Câ—sterne or otherwise The Cesterne shall be set in such a place as that it may receiue all that commeth from such spouts as are belonging to roofes or lower lofts of the house It must be firmely and closely paued with clay and mortar and after drawne ouer and floored with the same mortar to the end that the water be not made muddie or â—ast of the earth and if there happen any clift or chinke you must stop it with Cement made of cleane Haire Tallow vnquencht Lime and yolkes of Egges well beat and made into powder and then all of them well mixed together The throat or passage for the water out of it shall be such as that appointed for the Pits or Wells Some cast into their Cesternes Eâ—les and other fresh water fish for to be fed and kept there to the end that the water may become the lighter by reason of their mouing and stirring of it and that so it may the more resemble the nature of running water but indeed such water is nothing wholesome for men as neither yet for beasts it were farre better to straw with greene hearbes all the bottome of the said Cesterne and cast in little pebbles of the Riuer vpon them for by this meanes rather the water would be made better Moreouer for the discommoditie of Wood you shall make leane the earth in certaine places neere vnto your lodging with grosse Sand Fullers earth and ashes from off the Earth after that you shall either sow or set there such Trees as you shall thinke that may serue you although indeed it were good to proue what kind of Trees would best prosper there before you wholly sow or set it If your place extend and reach vnto some running streame your medowes shall not be so farre off from it as your house which to be too neere a neighbour vnto Riuers would be a cause of procuring Rheumes and the falling down of some Roomes and yet it is not good to haue it too farre off as well in respect of watering of the Cattell as for the washing of Buckes Skinnes Line and Hâ—mpe for the whiting of Webs of Cloth if so be that you intend or purpose any such thing for the grinding of your Corne as also if onely the Riuer neere vnto you be nauigable to send that which you reape from your Fields vnto the Towne but you must chuse the highest peece of ground to build your dwelling house vpon I leaue out the pleasures of Princes and great noble Personages who for their delight sake doe dwell in Summer in wattie places excellently trimmed and beautified with waters and furnished with all delights for our householder may not in any case charge himselfe with further costs than this his state may well beare for Princes haue wherewith they may be at their change and varietie of lodgings according to the changes and alterations of the seasons of the yeare and to turne at their pleasure the square into the round and contrariwise In a drie place as Beaux and Champaigne and the mountainous Countries learnâ— to set your building so well as
and also by the Stones lying vpon the vpper part thereof which otherwise might haue fallen and beene cast there in manner as sometimes it falleth out that men find vpon vntilled grounds the liuely shapes of Fruits and Corne gathered together and growne vnto the Stone which is to bee seene neere to Mommirall in Brie where Wood is growne vnto the Stone besides that the Hearth will make quicke and speedie triall hereof This will doe you seruice in the enclosing either of your Parke or of your Vineyards and other such like commodities besides the profit you may make of it by the selling of Milstones and Stones to build withall But looke well to your selfe and take good heed of Quarries and casting of Stone-pits and of their deceits which oftentimes rewards vs with our paines for our labour And as for the Earth taken and vnderstood generally it beareth all manner of Corne Fruits Hearbes Timber-trees Mettals Stones and other things and this hath beene giuen vnto it euen since it was first made and hereupon old Writers haue iustly giuen vnto it the due name of Mother But although in respect of the cold and drie substance and nature whereof it consisteth it may be called all of one temperature yet it purchaseth and getteth contrarie qualities according to the seuerall situations it hath in diuers places as also vpon occasion of affinitie intercourse and participation it hath with things of repugnant qualitie and hence doe rise the diuers sorts of the same and so diuers as that euerie ground will not beare euerie thing but one or two at the most For this cause to auoid both cost and labour see aboue all things that you proue either by your owne triall and experience or else by such enquirie as you can make of your neighbors what kind of Fruits what kind of Corne and what sorts of Trees doe prosper best thereon Some places in Trance and the free Countrey of Beaux beareth no other graine than Rye which is contrarie to the nature of the ground new broken vp another loueth nothing but Wheat Solonge loueth March corne and sometime Mesling Touraine worthily called the Garden of France is found most plentifull in Gardens and Fruit-trees as that part called Brie or Braye because it is situate betwixt the Riuers of Marne and Seine doth bring forth Fruits and Corne for sustenance and that quarter which lyeth betwixt Marne and the Riuer of Aube bringeth forth an infinite deale of Hay Notwithstanding the diligence of the Farmer may by his industrie ouercome the weaknesse of a ground euen as well as all sorts of wild Beasts may be tamed by the painefulnesse of man In watrie and marish places it will stand vs vpon to make our profit of the water which you shall oftentimes by sluces turne from his naturall courses into your pasture grounds and ponds of running and standing water for the profiting and helping of the same About the brinkes and edges of the most commodious ones you shall set rankes of such Trees and profitable Plants as you know to like and prosper in the water And you must especially obserue and marke the diuersitie of the bottome and vndermost part of the ground which in watrie places is often found to differ much and to be somewhat strange and according to the nature thereof to set such Trees as may best agree therewith Your House being â—eated in such places will be most strong and pleasant in Summer but of greatest maintenance preseruation and safetie if you enuiron it round about with water after the manner of an Islet as it is practised in manie places of Flanders who make the vse thereof familiar among them to reape thereby the benefit of Fish in his season the flesh of wild Fowle Trees as well for Fruit as for Fire and Building besides the helpes of their excellent pasture grounds but indeed your owne health as also the health of those of your familie is impaired hereby especially in Winter Wherefore it will be better to build vpon high ground as the auncient Romans did and to leaue the waters below for the comforting of your â—ight if so be you haue not the meanes of closing in all the same round about for your breed of young Colts and other Cattell all which will like verie well vpon such grounds except it be your Cattell seruing to furnish you with Wooll If your Farme doe for the most part consist of wild Grounds and Desarts you shall make them arable by labour and paines and recouer them deluing them diligently and raking them often for the Bull-rush Bâ—akes and such other hearbes will soone be killed when the earth is often turned But and if you desire with more hast and certainetie to destroy them you shall burne the ground 〈◊〉 two first yeares and sow therein Lupines or Beanes to the end that together with the curing of the disease of your fields you may reape some profit and comâ—oditie Stonie grounds are mended by taking away the stones and if the quantitie be â—reat it will be best to cast them together in manner of some small hillock in certaine places of the ground and so by that meanes the rest will be cleansed and freed or â—â—ther when the daies of handie-workes shall be got good cheape it will be best to digge the earth verie deepe and there burying the stones before-hand afterward to â—uer them with the earth If the Farme consist most of Forrests and Woods you shall make thereof arable ground by plucking vp the Trees altogether as also their rootes but and if there be but small store it will be ynough to cut them downe and burne them and then to till the ground And such grounds are wont the first yeare to bring forth much because that the moisture and substance which before was spent in the bringing forth and nourishing of Trees Bushes and Heaâ—bes doth prepare it selfe wholly for the good of the Corne that is sowne vpon it or for that it hauing beene fatted and growne better by the leaues and hearbes of manie yeares which of it owne accord it brought forth before it was tilled becommeth afterward sufficient to nourish and bring forth great abundance of fruits and so it commeth to passe also that being robbed of her former nourishment in time it groweth leane loosing the freshnesse and moisture which was maintained by the couert and therefore continueth not so fruitfull as it was at the beginning Sandie places may be made better by Dung and Marle which yet notwithstanding euen without such Husbanding by meanes of some currant of water running vâ—der the Earth in some Countries ceaseth not to yeeld good profit to their owners but these craue rest which is the principall remedie to helpe their weake and feeble estate and also to be sowne with varietie of graine as after Rye some kind of pulse The way to know such grounds is common when the
the flesh and another for the Fell The Cheese will either serue you at your Table or else the Marchant But and if you be not disposed thus to retaile the seuerall commodities of this beast you shall find chapmen to buy them in grosse Which is yet more if you be not able to abide vntill they be full growne and in their ripest season to be made mony of yet then may you find to content your selfe and procure pence by selling away such of the Lambes as may be culled out of the whole flocke Let it not then seeme strange if we teach the good Husbandman that he attend and haue a speciall care ouer his Sheepefold and that in a higher measure than ouer anie other of his Cattell Wherefore he shall set his Sheepe-house in the highest part of his Court right in the face of the South Sun to the end it may be the lesse annoyed with moisture and more open to a wholesome aire which shall be of such length as that his slocke may haue roome therein without treading one vpon another setting it round about with Mangers or Sheep-racks of a low pitch for to fodder them in There shall be a floore of sawed boords betwixt the Sheepe roome and the Roofe to the end that they may be the warmer in the Winter and that the Snow which may beat in at the tile doe not fall downe vpon their fleeces and so melting with their heat pierce downe vnto the skin and make them cold He shall haue a Shepheard for to guide them which shall be gentle louing his flocke nimble of a loud voice and able to whoop well giuen to take pains able to reckon and by nature enclined to good and honest things for there are but few of this profession now adaies especially neere to Townes and Cities but that by their slouthfulnesse and great leysure doe giue themselues to some euill deuises practises and malice rather than to the good and profit of their masters so that of them ill disposed we daily see to ensue and grow manie thefts filching and pilfering prankes out-rodes witchcrafts and infinite other mischiefes On the contrarie the first Shepheards of Egypt and other places were the bringers to light of Astrologie Physick Musick and manie other liberall Sciences and I know not whether I may father the worthie art of Warfare vpon them or no as also Policie Principalitie and the Gouernment and welding of Kingdomes for sure I am that they did intrench themselues in the Field and there liued vnder Cotages and Cabines made of boughâ— manie yeares obseruing at leysure the courses of the Starres the dispositions of the Seasons and by long vse and obseruation marking the goodnesse and prosperousnesse as also the inconueniences and hard successes of Times in such sort as that of the Shepheards of those times came and sprung the men of deepe knowledge and vnderstanding The Hieroglyphicks may witnesse the same To conclude therefore there is great care to be had in the chusing of a good Shepheard But I vnderstand and set downe with my selfe that a good Farmer to the end he may haue a faire flocke of Sheepe doth buy them vnshorne not hauing a gray or spotted Wooll partie-coloured because of the vncertainetie of the colour He shall reiect as barren all such as haue teeth of moe than three yeares and he shall make choise of them of two yeares hauing great bodies long neckes long deepe Wooll silken small and bright shining great bellies and couered with Wooll great papâ— great eyes long legges and a long taile He shall much esteeme the Ramme which is tall of bodie and long which hath a great bellie and couered with Wooll a long taile and a thicke fleece a broad forehead and thicke set with haire blacke eyes and beset with strong Wooll grosse stones large loynes great cares and couered with Wooll of one colour not diuersly coloured in anie part of his bodie well horned and notwithstanding but small hornes wrythen and turned backe rather than strait and open his tongue and palate white to the end that the Lambes which he shall beget may haue their â—leeces all white for if he should haue it all blacke or else bespotted with blacke vnder the tongue howsoeuer he may be of a white Wooll notwithstanding the Lambs which he shall ingender will haue mingled and spotted coats either with blacke or gray and so by this meanes will become of lesse account and profit Although the horned Ramme hath this discommoditie that finding himselfe armed by nature he seeketh to doe nothing more than to fight and is so much the more earnest with the Sheepe vrging them mightily thereunto notwithstanding he is much better than one without hornes for he knowing himselfe without hornes is not so readie to fight and is also lesse hot by nature according to the traditions of France but according to the experience of other Countries the Ramme without hornes is the best for breed being best shaped best woolled and best mettalled hauing beene often seene to haue slaine with his bare head him that hath beene more than extraordinarily armed with great spacious and round twyned hornes Besides the Ramme without hornes begetteth his young without anie danger to the Ewe in her yeaning whereas the Ramme which hath hornes begetteth his Lambes with such hornes that the damme dieth oft before she be able to yeane it Now the Shepheards are wont to bridle and correct the heat and furiâ— oâ— a Ramme that is too headie and disposed to fight by binding to his head a good strong boord stricken full of naile points on the side toward his forehead for such a one will keepe them from pushing one at another seeing they cannot iurre but that they must hurt themselues or else they bore their hornes through neere vnto the eares for so are some Shepheards accustomed to doe The Sheepe-cote as well as the Swine-cote shall be paued with pauing stones and made to hang ouer the Court towards the dunghill pit where must be set some Roâ—emarie of Beaux in respect of the smell of the sinke conueying their pisse It must be situated as hath been said before vpon the South for these Cattell howsoeuer they be well couered by Natures worke are notwithstanding such as cannot endure or away with Cold and as badly can they abide the heat of Summer and therefore they must haue made for them a long house verie low and sufficient wide The situation of the Mangers shall be about a foot and a halfe from the floore and there shall be high straight poles and set thick made fast vnto the said Mangers that so the Sheepe may be kept from going on the other side of their racks The Shepheard shall keepe his racks and hurdles for void roomes and making of separation betweene roome and roome verie cleane and he shall also make them so fast as that they may not in anie case fall and
notwithstanding the flowers of Roses and Capers must be gathered to be kept while they be 〈◊〉 likewise the leaues and whole hearbes are gathered when they are growne to the full fruits as Melons Cucumbers Citruls and Gourds when they turne yellow and are growne to their perfection If they be purposed to be made serue for seed then they must be let alone longer and afterward kept in conuenient place 〈◊〉 be time to sow them and they must be gathered in a bright weather and in the â—â—crease of the Moone Seeds are gathered when the hearbe is all layd and drie 〈◊〉 it must generally be obserued in all manner of gathering as well of hearbes 〈◊〉 roots as of fruits and seeds that it be done in a faire and cleare weather and in the â—â—crase of the Moone Such hearbes as are to be kept must first be made verie cleane and dried 〈◊〉 shadow which is the best meanes to keepe them the strongest in their vertues 〈◊〉 qualities or else in the Sunne and after to put them vp in bagges of Leather vvollen stuffe nor in vvoodden boxes that so they may not loose their 〈…〉 see it put in practise by sine hearbes which are kept to be vsed in Winter 〈◊〉 me thinkes that the Apothecaries faile much in their doings which hang their phâ—sicke hearbes in the roofe of their house for by this meanes they doe not onely 〈◊〉 their force but become laden with dust cobwebs the dung of flies and a thousand â—â—ther filthie things Flowers must not be dried in the Sunne not in the shadow that is made by 〈◊〉 South-Sunne nor yet in any high roome because of their tendernesse and 〈◊〉 which would cause their force to vanish away either in the burning heat of 〈◊〉 Sunne or in the more moderne heat of the verie ayre If it be not the Prouenâ—e 〈◊〉 which that it may be kept long requireth to be dried in an high place open to 〈◊〉 South-Sunne where the beames of the Sunne doe enter but touch not the 〈◊〉 The best way to drie flowers will be in a temperate place and to turne them 〈…〉 the end that they may not corrupt hauing also this continuall care that they 〈◊〉 neither loose their colour nor their smell And when they are dried they must 〈◊〉 put into an earthen vessell Seeds must be kept in bagges or vessells of earth which haue narrow moutheâ— or in boxes or else in bottles of the rindes of gouâ—ds well stopt and set in 〈◊〉 drie places and where there is no water shed for seeds doe mightily spoyle 〈◊〉 moisture The seeds of Chibols Onions and Leekes as also of Poppie are kept 〈◊〉 their rindes or heads For to keepe Roots you must obserue two waies for either they are to be 〈◊〉 new and as they are yet greene as Nauets Turneps Carets and such like or 〈◊〉 they are to be kept drie For to keepe them new you must lay them vpon sand 〈◊〉 grauell verie thin in some place vnder the earth and a little couered or else to 〈◊〉 them vnder the earth in the garden as we see it done in Turneps and Nauets to 〈◊〉 them the greatest part of Winter To keepe roots drie after they be gathered 〈◊〉 must wash them diligently with cleare water and after take from them all the 〈◊〉 â—ibres or hairie threeds that hang about them and then to drie them either in 〈◊〉 shadow of the Sunne-rising if they be but small and thin as are the roots of 〈◊〉 Succorie Parsley Sperage and such like or in the South-Sunne if they be 〈◊〉 and thicke at those of Daffodils Gentian Sowbread Water-lilly Brionie and such like After that they are dried and thus prepared you must hang them in some 〈◊〉 and vpper roome open vpon the Sun when it is in the South or else vpon the 〈◊〉 quarter and in which notwithstanding neither the smoake nor dust nor 〈◊〉 beames may any thing hurt them notwithstanding that the counsell of 〈◊〉 the prince of Physitians is that hearbes flowers and roots as well greene as 〈◊〉 should not be put to keepe in any place where the wind should come but rather 〈◊〉 vp in vessells or some other such like meanes of keeping of them to the end that they should not loose their force which indeed they might most easily loose being 〈◊〉 open and subiect to the wind CHAP. XI Pâ—t-hearbes and particularly of Coleworts FIrst of all we are to speake of Coleworts both because they are most common and also most aboundant of all other sorts of hearbs all kinds of Coleworts doe loue a cleane ground fat and well tilled not consisting of clay or sand And although they grow indifferently in any ayre but â—pecially in a temperate yet they become greater and more massie sound and safe 〈◊〉 vermine in cold places as are those in Germanie than in hot places and for 〈◊〉 cause they delight a great deale more in the tops of hills than in plaine grounds 〈◊〉 yet in those plaine grounds more in the raised parts of borders than in the flat 〈◊〉 middle parts thereof and they be more pleasant more wholesome for the 〈◊〉 and better in Autumne Spring-time and during great frosts than they be in â—ommer They craue much dung and that especially which is of Asses as being the 〈◊〉 of all for other men and to be raked in couered ouer with good earth not to 〈◊〉 watered in any case notwithstanding that water doth make them looke faire and â—â—ourishing but then not so sweet to the tast nor so wholesome for the stomach When they haue got sixe leaues vpon their stalkes you must remoue them but let it 〈◊〉 in a mild and calme time whether Winter or Sommer And to speake particuâ—arly the common Coleworts called long or greene Coleworts must be sowen in 〈◊〉 August or September if you desire to haue the leaues in Lent and in Winter Some plant them in October and remoue them in December to haue the leaues in Winter and the seed in Iune and Iulie and that to make them the more tuffed â—hough there may be as much accomplished that way at other times of the yeare â—ut not so commodiously And looke well to it that your seed be not too old for if it be three yeares old it will bring forth Radishes And that is the cause why some say Sow Coleworts and â—here will grow vp Radishes or Nauets notwithstanding it continueth sixe yeares 〈◊〉 his nature if it be well kept Cabage-colewort which are called white or apple Coleworts are sowen vpon 〈◊〉 and remoued to stand a foot one from another well couered at the root with a 〈◊〉 and enriched earth when they begin to rise vp into a great stemme and loue â—â—e cold ayre for in a hot aire they cannot liue and you must couer them with straw 〈◊〉 make them cabage the better and become the whiter The curled and Romane Coleworts being more tender
Sunne If you desire that it should haue great leaues when as 〈◊〉 beginneth to put forth a stalke cut off the same in the halfe then put vpon it a clod 〈◊〉 earth or some small tyle If you couet to haue it faire and vvhite bind together the 〈◊〉 of it two daies before you take it from the first bed and set it in another place 〈◊〉 sprinkle it ouer with sand The cabbaged Lettuce being leaued and curled and not growing higher than a 〈◊〉 for the most part is made by being troden downe After that it is planted 〈◊〉 second time put vnto the root some cowes dung that is verie new afterward tread 〈◊〉 downe againe and vvater it and vvhen it beginneth to gather strength and grow 〈◊〉 the branch vvhich it putteth forth and couer it with a new earthen pot in such 〈◊〉 as that the top thereof by it may be beaten and kept downe and by this meanes 〈◊〉 vvill become tufted cabbaged and vvhite or else if you vvould haue beautifull 〈◊〉 faire lettuces two daies before you take them vp by the roots you must tie togeâ—â—er the tops of them and then couer them with eaâ—th vp to the very â—aid tops so tied 〈◊〉 so they will become white and faire In like manner sand cast vpon them maâ—â—th them to become white If you feare that it will not grow hard ynough by reaâ—â—â— of some fault in the place or in the time or seed take it vp and set it in some 〈◊〉 place To cause Lettuces to haue a sweet smell more than ordinarie sow them with the 〈◊〉 of Citrons or else steepe the seeds in Damaske or other sweet water three 〈◊〉 daies together To mingle Lettuce with other Salad hearbes as Rocket Sorrell and such like and 〈◊〉 in such sort as that they may all grow vp together from one and the same root 〈◊〉 all your sorts of Seeds into a Sheepes trottle made good and hollow for the 〈◊〉 afterward set it verie deepe as namely about the depth of eighteene ynches in 〈◊〉 ground and water it oft and by little and little and haue great care and regard 〈◊〉 it when it putteth forth of the earth Others do crumble breake three or foure â—â—ottles of a Goat or Sheepe and put their seeds in the middest thereof and then 〈◊〉 them with a linnen cloth fast bound in manner of a knot and doe plant them 〈…〉 were in the vppermost part of the earth verie diligently regarding and looking 〈◊〉 them when they come vp Some plucke away the leaues of the Lettuse which 〈◊〉 next vnto the roots and in stead of the leaues so pluckt away they put one 〈◊〉 seed of rocket cresses or sorrell and other such like by which meanes there grow 〈◊〉 and diuers sorts of branches The Lettuce is not without good physicke helpes for it cooleth the 〈…〉 the bellie causeth aboundance of good bloud The juice thereof mixt 〈…〉 Roses asâ—wageth the paine of the head and causeth the sickâ— of agues 〈…〉 rubbed vpon the brows and temples it serueth for a Gargarisme with 〈…〉 of Pomegranats for the Inflammation of the throat being rubbed vpon 〈…〉 it staieth the night pollutions or Gonorrhaea especially if thereunto be added 〈…〉 Camphire the seed thereof beaten with the seed of white Poppie in forme of 〈…〉 or extract doth effect the same and also cureth the scalding and burning of the 〈◊〉 the seed thereof steept in water wherein hath beene quenched steele with 〈…〉 quantitie of Iourie powdred is verie soueraigne against the white flowres of 〈◊〉 The leaues of Lettuce boyled and moystned in broth or salades of them in like 〈◊〉 after supper doth prouoke sleepe the seed thereof powdred and mixt 〈…〉 milke of a woman that hath brought forth a daughter and the white of an 〈…〉 to make frontale for the verie same purpose The decoction of the 〈…〉 boyled in Barley water and drunke causeth great quantitie of milke in 〈◊〉 if afterwards the dugges be well rubbed with the hand such as haue a short 〈◊〉 spit bloud or haue weake lungs as also such as desire to haue children must 〈…〉 Lettuces CHAP. XIII Of Endiue Sowthistle and Succorie ENdiue hauing narrow leaues otherwise called Scariole or 〈…〉 wild Lettuce and of the Latines Intybus or Seris is more 〈…〉 Physicke than any other wayes and is not planted in Garden◠〈◊〉 it is alwaies bitter notwithstanding that it be of the sorts of 〈…〉 rather of Succorie It is true that in often planting and transplanting of it and 〈…〉 mouing it from one place to another and by binding and couering it with 〈…〉 ring the Winter time the nature thereof may be changed and become tender 〈◊〉 white and without any great paines to the Gardiner may be kept all 〈…〉 thing our Gardiners haue practised seeing by experience that wild 〈…〉 commeth faire and flourishing after it hath beene ouerflowen with water and 〈◊〉 with sand or earth Sowthistle called in Latine Sonchus or Ciâ—erbita was of old time in 〈…〉 salades but now there is no such account made thereof saue onely that it is vsed 〈…〉 to teed Conies and Hares in like sort it is not planted in gardens because it 〈◊〉 plentifully amongst the vines notwithstanding the Italians doe vse the 〈…〉 it in Salades in Winter finding them sweet and of a pleasant tast his stalke is 〈◊〉 milke sometimes drawing neere vnto a yellow this milke taken in drinke is 〈◊〉 for them which haue a short breath and are stopt in their lungs 〈…〉 paines of the eares if you drop certaine drops thereof into them especially if 〈◊〉 cause it to boyle with some Oyle in the riâ—d of a Pomegranat it healeth 〈◊〉 the strangurie and paines in making water if it be drunke to the quantitie of 〈…〉 The leaues of Sowthistle chewed doe take away the stinking of the mouth Succorie is of the nature of Endiue hauing large leaues and without 〈◊〉 and good handling doth alwaies continue bitter It loueth a moist place and 〈◊〉 laboured ground When it hath put forth foure leaues you must translate it to â—ell dunged soyle And to the end it may haue faire large and well-spread leaues 〈◊〉 it beginneth once to come to any growth in the middest of his leaues you must 〈◊〉 some prettie little tyle for by this meanes it will spread forth his leaues and 〈◊〉 haue them a great deale thicker standing and tufted By this good husbanding 〈◊〉 his bitternesse and then there is vse to be had of it in sallades in Winter 〈◊〉 it is called white Succorie and to this end it is wont to be planted againe in the 〈◊〉 of August after that in the beginning of September to the end that the leaues 〈◊〉 may be the greater it must be taken vp without the breaking of any thing 〈◊〉 with a smal blade of a straw haue the leaues tied together very easily and gently 〈◊〉 wringing or brusing of them afterward it must be
Toâ—d-stooles and to preserue from drunkennesse or else to driâ—e 〈◊〉 away being alreadie possessed If you boyle Leekes with Earth-wormes in Oyle vnto the consumption of the third part and afterward straine out this Oyle it will be singular good for the vlcers and noise in the eares Small Leekes must be sowne in the Spring at such time as other hearbs are sowneâ— they make a faire shew because of their thinne and little leaues and because also they keepe greene all the yeare long they may seeme to be the same with Chibols and Cyues which are wont to be vsed in Salads to helpe to temper the coolenesse of other hearbes vsed in Salads because the Chibols and Cyues haue no head but onely a long stalke like vnto Leekes CHAP. XXII Of Purcelane PVrcelane loueth to be sowne in Februarie March Aprill May and Iune but not at anie other time for it cannot abide the cold It commeth in great aboundance vpon Beds mixt well with old dung or in a ground that is verie fat of it selfe especially if it be sowne amongst Colewoâ—â— Onions and Leekes and after it hath once taken with the ground it will not faile anie yeare afterward though you take no paines with the sowing of it notwithstanding it craueth to be oft watered that it rise not vpright like the stocke of a tree It must be placed in the shadowes of trees and amongst clods full of hearbes but not thicke for then it could not well spread it selfe abroad Purcelane eaten doth cure the roughnesse and astonishment of the teeth stayeth spitting of bloud and quencheth the heat of the reines notwithstanding that this hearbe is hard to digest and nourisheth but a little being applyed vnto the browes is appeaseth the head-ach and being layd vpon the nauell it killeth the wormes 〈◊〉 children The decoction of the leaues thereof or the seed or the water distilled is â— soueraigne remedie against the Bloudie flux and the Wormes in children A leaâ—e of Purcelane put vpon the tongue assuageth thirst A Cataplasme made of Purcelane and Barly mâ—ale applyed vnto the liuer and â—lanke worketh a maruellous effect against burning Agues A Liniment made with Honey and the powder of the root of Purcelane dried healeth the chaps of the lips and hands This Purcelane is an excellent Salad and by a cooling operation which it hath keepeth the bloud in a most excellent temper You preserue it all the yeare by boyling it first in faire water then drayning the water from it spread it vpon a faire table and cast good store of salt amongst it then when it is throughly cold pot it vp in cleane sweet pots of Earth and poure vpon it either a good strong Brine or Vineger and Salt mixt together till the Purcelane be cleane couered or if you feare the ouer-saltnesse of it then you need but onely make a well-tasted pickle such as you put to Oliues and with it couer the Purcelane then close the pot vp close till you haue cause to vse it And if at anie time you find the pickle or brine to 〈◊〉 away from the hearbes and leaue them drie you must immediately renew it and couer it all ouer againe for it is apt to putrifie and nothing bringeth it more sooner thereunto than the want of moisture Therefore you must haue care euer once in three of foure dayes to open your pots and to mend what you shall find amisse in them and if you find anie hoâ—rinesse cleauing vnto the pots sides you must cleanse that away also CHAP. XXIII Of Onions Chibols and Chyâ—es FOr the most part Onions so called of the French because they haue but onely one white root like to a pearle which the Latines call Vnio whether they be white red or round would be sowne in Ianuarie Februarie and March in a fat ground well dunged blacke well turned as also well cleansed from stones and enriched or else in a red earth which is short and murlie for in it they grow excellently They would be remoued in Aprill all along well weeded and often laboured to cause them to grow great and thicke and they must be kept from cold and freezing winds In them we must obserue a nature contrarie vnto that of other Hearbes and Plants being of greatâ—â— force and vertue in the encrease of the Moone than in the decrease quite conrarie to that of Onions which in the wane of the Moone is more effectuall and in the growth of the Moone more drie and weake Such as are intended to be kept for seed when they begin to put forth their stalke and to rise aloft must haue small sâ—ickes or poles to set by them and keepe them vpright that the wind doe not bow or breake them downe They must be gathered in the old of the Moone in faire and drie weather when the leaues begin to drie and the seed to grow blacke 〈◊〉 then you must pull vp the whole stalkes and drie them in the Sunne And it is said that if they be sowne and planted when the Moone is vnder the earth they tast the stronger but are smaller and lesse Furthermore they must be ordered as Leekes But iâ— must be obserued that they loue and delight in a red earth and to be sowne in faire weather in the decrease of the Moone to be taken vp againe and by and by watered and for to make them grow great they must haue their top taken away when they are planted and their heads vncouered and their earth must be digged twentie daies before they be remoued againe that so it may drie and not haue anie moisture in it And to keepe Onions from rotting you must cast them into warme water and drie them in the Sunne and after that they are drie to lay them vpon Barly straw so as they may not touch one another Who so would make choice of Onions must know that the round and white ones are a great deale better than those of a rusâ—etish or reddish colour and not to be so hot and sharpe as the other The best in France are those which grow at Fertlonion a small village neere vnâ—â— Estamps for it hath his name vpon that occasion The Onion though it be the Countrey mans meat is better to vse than to 〈◊〉 for he that eateth euerie day tender Onions with Honey to his breakfast shall liue the more healthfull so that they be not too new for the drie are more healthfull 〈◊〉 the greene the boyled than the raws the preserued than the drie wherefore the drie must be chosen to vse in Salads fried Meats Gallymawfries baked Meats Sawces Beane pottage and other vses The iuice of Onions causeth haire to grow againe cleanseth filthie â—ares and such as runne with mattar taketh away white spots as well out of the face as from the rest of the bodie It cureth the Dropsie with the iuice of Fennell if it be but beginning it purgeth the braine through
gladly accepteth the watering of hiâ— roots with the lees of old red Wine strained Note likewise that seeing of one Date stone alone there will hardly grow vp any Date-tree bearing sufficient bignesse in the bole and bodie to carrie and 〈◊〉 the weight of the head it will be good to put and ioyne together two or three 〈◊〉 stones sowed vp in a Linnen cloth in such sort as that the sharpe sides may behold one another and so to set them for by this ioyning of two or three together your tree may come by a bodie sufficient big to beare the head Not further that if you would haue the female Date tree to beare fruit that then you must plant it neere vnto a male Date tree and not one onely but manie if it be possible because the neere standing of the one vnto the other causeth that the vertue of the male is conueyed and imparted vnto the female and that by the commixtion made by the wind from 〈◊〉 ariseth aboundance of fruit But and if you haue not the meanes to plant manie 〈◊〉 Date trees neere vnto the female it will be sufficient if you doe but touch the male oftentimes with your hand and then afterward lay the same hand vpon the femaleâ— or you must gather oâ— the flowers of the top oâ— the male or of the mosâ—e of the male and sprinkle the same vpon the female Eat but as â—ew Dates as you can for they make obstructions in the liuer and spleene and are also of hard digestion and 〈◊〉 the head-ach The Pine-tree groweth chiefely of a kernell which must be planted in October or Nouember in warme places or in cold places in Februarie or in March or about the fall of the apple or a little after and that in pits well digged and which haâ—e lyen vntilled and vnoccupied a gâ—od time the apple must not be broken by force of an yron thing to get out the kernels which must lie in steepe three dayes before hand and seuen of them set together and that fiue fingers deepe onely when they are growne vp you must not be too hastie to remoue them because they take 〈…〉 but in long time and verie hardly nay they cannot abide at all to be transplanted without their great hurt and hinderance but yet when time may serue to transplant them in any câ—se beware that you doe not hurt their roots especially the principall and thickest ones The Pine-tree groweth chiefely and thrâ—ueth best vpon high mountaines and places that are open vnto the wind still regard being had that the place where they shall be planted be as carefully husbanded and tilled as if it 〈◊〉 for to beare and bring forth wheat It will continue the longer time if the barke 〈◊〉 oft taken from it because that vnder the barke certaine little wormes do breed whiâ—â— fret and destroy the wood The distilled water of new Pine-kernells â—â—ake away the wrinckles of the face and diminish the breasts that are too great and swagging if there be laid vnto 〈…〉 clothes dipped â—n this water as oft as you can this water also is singular good to draw narrower the secret parts of women being too much distended and enlarged and to cure them of all manner of rheumes and distillations but yet their juice â—s more effectuall for these matters than the distilled water Pineapples are a meat of verie easie nourishment â—nd for that cause are verie good for such as arâ—troubled with the cough for them which are in a consumption and such as are sicke of an hectâ—cke â—euer but they must haue beene sâ—â—â—pt sometime in Rosewater to take away their acrimonie sharpnesse and oylie substance it is true that they be hard to digest and therefore to such as are cold of nature you must giue them with home and to those which are hot with sugar to helpe out with the hardneâ—â—e of their digestion They are good for such as haue the palsey for ach in the sinews and backe for heat of the vrine and gnawing of the stomach taken with the juice of Purslaine Figges being one of the best fruits we haue according to the ground and plant whereof they come are either more or lesâ—e sweet and sauorie and this commeth of the ayre as it is tempered with heat cold or a milder temper or else in respect of the moisture and drinesse of the grounds their fatnesse and leannesse their roughnesâ—e or smoothnesâ—e their sâ—â—ngth or gentlenesse and easinesse their stoâ—â—nesse or being without stones or their scituation amongst some old ruines and rotten stone walls for in respect of all these it falleth out that there are great diuersitie of figges as hauing some great some small some round some sharpe pointed some white some blacke some greene and some gray So that this tree loueth to be in places standing open vpon the Sunne and therewithall rockie or clayie stonie or mixt much with lyme neere vnto walls or old ruines yea within the verie walls being 〈◊〉 or halfe fallen downe especially that which beareth little figges verie sweet and white ones such as are those of Marâ—â—â—llis for such a figge-tree delighteth in a drie and grauelly place as on the contrarie the figge-tree that bringeth forth great lesse sweet and reddish figs desireth a fat and well manured ground It thriueth and prosperâ—th in a hot and tâ—mperate aire so that the ground be somewhat moist for this tree is verie daintie and quickly wronged and injured by frosts broken downe by winds and made thin and leane by drought by the which the fig will sooner be ouerthâ—owne and spoyled than the Mulberrie They are easily hurt by Frosts Mists and great Cold wherefore they must be planted in the Spring when Frosts are past vpon the South or East quarter in great deepe and well-digged pits of shootes and boughes of two yeares growth being faire and round ones and full of knots for these are most fruitfull And to cause them the better to take root you shall take away their barke at the nether end of the stemme about halfe a foot and yet leauing it notwithstanding fastened thereunto that so the said barke may turne into â—ootes It may in like manner be sowne of figges layd in steepe and bound about with small lines and then afterward planted in that manner and watered often and diligently but it would suâ—e better if it were grafted vpon a Plumme tree or Almond tree for so it continueth a great deale longer But whether it be planted or grafted it must not be much watred for aboundance of water corrupteth the naturall beautie of the figge-tree and maketh them verie subiect to rot It would be a great deale better to make them grow faire and become fruitfull to thrust the plant into a wild Garlick called in Latine Squilla and better in English Sea-Onion or else to steepe it in Brine or to set it round about with Oxe dung or with vnquencht Lime And to keepe and guard them
colour pleasant smell pure neat and shining in euerie part sweet and verie pleasant to the tast and yet notwithstanding this hauing a certaine kind of acrimonie or sharpenesâ—e of an indifferent consistence betwixt thicke and thinne hanging together in it selfe in such sort as that being lifted vp with the fingers end it keepeth together in â—aner of a direct line without any breaking asunder for it should argue it selfe to be either too thick or too thinne if it should not hang together but breake or else to haue some other vnequall mixture It must not be long in boyling and yeelding but small store of scum when it doth boyle aboue all it may not exceedingly smell of Thyme though some as I my selfe doe know doe greatly esteeme of such And that which is gathered in the Spring or Summer is much better than that which is gathered in Winter White Honey is not of lesse goodnesse than that which is of a golden yellow so that there accompanie it the other marks of goodnes such as that is which the Spaniards and men about Narbona doâ— send vnto vs being verie white and 〈◊〉 firme and hard and therefore better without all comparison than anie other 〈◊〉 of Honey Honey the newer it is the better it is cleane contrarie to Wine which is more commended when it is old than when it is new This also is to be marked in Honey 〈◊〉 as Wine is best at the mid-Caske and Oyle in the â—op so Honey is best towards the bottome for by how much Honey is more firme and heauie so much it is the 〈◊〉 as being the sweeter The vse of Honey serueth for manie things it prolongeth life in old folkâ—s and in them which are of cold complexion that it is so we see that the Bee which is 〈◊〉 little creature â—eeble and weake liueth nine or tenne yeares by herâ—eeding vpon Honey The nature of Honey is to resist corruption and puâ—â—ifaction and this is the cause why Gargarismes to cleanse and mundifie the vlcers of the mouth are 〈◊〉 therewith Some make a distilled water of Honey which causeth the 〈◊〉 is fallen away to grow againe in what part of the bodie soeuer it be CHAP. LXX The manner of preparing diuers sorts and diuers compositions of Honey THere is such excellent vertue in Honey as that is preserueth and defendeth things from puâ—â—ifaction and corruption which is the cause that when anie are disposed to keepe Rootes Fruits Hearbes and especially Iuices it is ordinarily accustomed to conserue them is Honey whereupon it commeth that wee vse these names Honey of 〈◊〉 Roses Rosemarie-slowers Damaske-Raiâ—â—â—â— Myrtles Anacardâ—â— Buglosse and such like which are made with iuice and Honey of which onely we will 〈◊〉 in this place The Honey of Violets Roses Buglosse Mercurie and Rosemariâ—â—flowers 〈◊〉 all prepared after one sort Take of the iuice of new Roses a pound of pure 〈◊〉 Honey first boyled and 〈◊〉 tenne pounds boyle them all together in a Caldron vpon a cleere fire when these boyle adde vnto them of new Roses yet 〈◊〉 cut in sunder with Scizars of Sheares foure pound boyle them all vntill the iuice be wasted stirring them often with a sticke this being done straine them and put 〈◊〉 in an earthen vessell for to be kept for it is better and better after some time Otherwise and better and ofter vsed Stampe in a Mortar new Roses adde like 〈◊〉 of Honey and set them in the Sunne the space of three moneths afterward straine them and boyle the liquor strained out to the thicknesse of Honey Otherwise 〈◊〉 equall parts of Honey and of the manifold infusion of new Roses boyle them all 〈◊〉 the consistence of a Syrrup looke how manie times the more double the inâ—usion of the Roses is by so much the Honey of Roses will be the better and this same is 〈◊〉 most fit to be taken at the mouth as the first and second are for Clysters Or 〈◊〉 take new raw Honey before it euer boyle or hauing but lightly boyled and 〈◊〉 thereto some quantitiâ— of sweet water red Roses that are new and newly 〈◊〉 in the shadow their white taken away and a third part of Honey put them all together in a glasse-vessell or earthen one well glassed which being close stopped shall be set in the Sunne and stirred euerie third day and thus you may fitly prepare Honey of Roses and Rosemarie-flowers a great deale better than after anie of the 〈◊〉 waies Honey of Myrtles is made with a pound of the iuice of Myrtle-tree and 〈◊〉 pound of Honey all boyled together vpon a small fire The honie of damaskes raisons is thus made Take damaske raisons cleansed from their stones steepe them foure and twentie houres in warme water and after boyle them to perfection when they haue thus boyled straine them through a strainer verie strongly and after that boyle them againe to the thicknesse of 〈◊〉 Mel Anacardinum is thus made Stampe a certaine number of the fruit Anacardia and after let them lye to steepe for the space of seuen daies in vinegar but on the eight boile them to the consumption of the one halfe afterward straine them through a linnen cloth the juice that is strained out must be boyled with like quantitie of honie The manner of making honied water Take one part of honie and sixe parts of raine water put all together in a little barrell well pitcht and sâ—opt aboue that 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 at all may enter in at it afterward set it out in the hottest weather that is as in Iulie but out of all raine and leaue it so about 〈◊〉 daies but with such prouâ—â—o as that you turne the barrell euerie eight daies to the end that the Sunne may worke on all sides of it To make it more effectuall and of greater vertue it will be good in quincetime to mixe therewith the juice of quinces in such quantitie as that there may be for eâ—erie pound of honie a quarter of a pound of juice of quinces Some before they put the honie and water together into the barrell boyle them together vpon a cleare fire or vpon coales without smoake they scum the honâ—e and boyle it to perfection which they gather by casting an egge into it which if it swim aboue then the honie is sufficiently boyled but and if it sinke then it is not boyled ynough The Polonians Muscoâ—â—es and Englishmen doe make a drinke hauing the 〈◊〉 of a honied water which is farre more pleasant and more wholesome than many mightie wines and it is called Mede They take one part of honie and six parts of raine riuer or fountaine water they boyle them together and in boyling them take off the seum very diligently and continue the boyling till the halfe of the whole be consumed being cooled they put it vp in a wine vessell and after adde vnto it â—ix ounces of the barme of ale or beere to
vve make readie and trim vp a greene plot for fruit trees containing in it as much ground as both the other gardens and that without any manner of other aâ—â—eys of 〈◊〉 beewixt it and the gardens or in the middest of it selfe than such distance and spare as must of necessitie be betwixt the trees and whereof we will speake more 〈◊〉 and without also whatsoeuer other husbandriâ— grasse or other things whereof you might hope to make some proâ—it vnderneath whether of hay or any such other thing which would grow there for the fruit tree would not haue his sustenance purâ—oyned or kept from it by the â—â—lling of other plants which might be â—eared about it neither doth it craue to be kept vvaâ—me in Winter time but onely tilled and ordered according to his seasons because that otherwise it would yeeld no profit vnto the owner thereof The situation of the orchard would be vpon some hill top or some little hill rather than in a plaine ground for besides that such seats haue better ayre more pleâ—sant and delightsome for contentment of contemplation and view and diuers other allâ—rements which will there offer themselues the tops of hills are yet more apt to containe greater number of fruit trees to be planted therein than the plaine groâ—â—â— possibly can for such as stand in plaines if they be planted any whitneere do annoy one another vvith their shade the other on the contrarie side according as it 〈◊〉 more and more from the foot causing euerie tree to ouer-looke his fellow taketh away the discommoditie or inconuenience of such ouershadowing one of another It must also be planted somewhat more vpon the North than vpon the South quarter that so it may minister matter of rejoycing to such as shall behold it out at the windowes in his beautie and jolitie Indeed if it be planted vpon the South it 〈◊〉 more open vpon the Sunne whose heat is verie requisite for fruit trees but then 〈◊〉 would not stand so faire for prospect besides that it vvould be offended and 〈◊〉 of the dust and filth of the threshing fâ—oore vvhen the corne is threshâ— if in case it should stand neere vnto it In any case let it not stand vpon the North-West quarter because it is a moâ—â— deadly enemie vnto all sorts of plants but principally of flowers which it singeth as if a fire had passed that vvay and the cause is for that it commeth from the 〈◊〉 side and taketh part with the North vvhich is verie rough and sharpe but yet not so dangerous as that North-West vvind vvhich bloweth once a yeare chiâ—â—ly 〈◊〉 the Spring and spoyleth the cherâ—â—e-tree-flowers and the vine more than any of the 〈◊〉 Whereupon there arose this Latine verse Vae tibi galerna per quâ—m sit clausa 〈◊〉 In any case let not the ground vvhereon you plant your orchard be marshie or 〈◊〉 terish for the fruits growing vpon such grounds are not vvell relished neither 〈◊〉 vvill they last long it must likewise be inriched one yeare before that it be cast and digged to make any nurceriâ— there either of seeds or steckes and after it hath 〈◊〉 the second time digged and dâ—â—ged or marled you must let it rest digest his dung and marle and in like manner pick out the stones that are in it most carefully And as concerning the naturall disposition and goodnesse thereof it must be â—at in handling blacke in colour and vvhich murleth easily in breaking and stirring it vvith your fingers not being hard clayie chalkie or sandie Yet if it be so that the situation of your Farme lyeth in such a soyle as is marshie and vvaterish for 〈◊〉 man cannot make choice of his abiding and it is a brauer reputation to the Husbandman to make a barren earth fruitfull than to make a fruitfull ground pleasant therefore as â— said if your ground lye low and be much subâ—ect to wet and rottenneâ—â—e you shall trench it diuers waies almost in the manner of a Labyrâ—th cutting one â—rench into another in such wiâ—e that the water may haue a descent of falling away into some Brooke Riuer or other Dike which as a Sewer may carrie away the wet and keepâ— the Orchard drâ—â— and also you shall bring from some other Grounds Lakes or Ponds great store of earth mudde and other compas wherewith you shall raise and heighten the bankes betweene the trenches in such â—ort that they may remaine and be farre from the danger of washing or ouerflowing of anie water and these bankes you shall stake well with strong Oaken stakes on euerie side and plant great store of Oziers also about them to maintain and hold vp the earth from falling Then as soone as you see these bankes firme and beginning to grow to haue a greene swarâ—h vpon them you shall plant your fruit-stocks of euerie seuerall kind vpon the same and without all doubt they wil prosper and grow there as well as in any ground whatsoeuer as may be seene in diuers places both of this and other Kingdomes The inclosure or defence vnto the Orchard shall be either a hedge of Quickset which is in truth the most pleasant and conuenient though yet the wall be more profitable as being more strong and built in lesse time which also being planted and handsomely dressed affoordeth not much lesse pleasure than the hedge or else if you like it better a ditch cast about it with a Quickset hedge set vpon the raised side thereof but in this according as the sufficiencie and reuenues of the Farme will beare it 〈◊〉 yet alwaies prouided that it be out of the way of the cattell and where no man 〈…〉 except he enter in at the gareâ—â— and graunted that the wall is the surest kind 〈◊〉 defence as also the strongest most profitable and perfected in least time Besides the wall of all other â—ences is most needfull for the Orchard as well for the strength indurâ—ance and safe keeping of the same as also for the great profit which commeth thereby to all maner of fruit which is planted and plashit vp against the same chiefly in those cold countries where the Sunne is not altogether so violent nor so readie to 〈◊〉 as in these our 〈◊〉 â—oyles of France for it is most certaine that by planting any daintie or render fruit close to a wall and spreading his braunches open against the same which with loopes of leather or felt together with small nailes may easily be done â—aâ—â—ning euerie principall braunch and materiall twig to the wall it will doubtlesse put â—orth as early flower knit and ripen being in a cold and hard â—oyle as if it were in the warâ—nest and fertillest earth which doth best of all agree with its nature as may be seene daily both in the cold and barren countries of Fraunce as also in other kingdomes much more Northerly and lesse beholden to the Suns warmenesse And herein you shall vnderstand that the principall fruit trees which delight
vp with the small slips of broome or straw hath infused three whole daies in Maries-bath that is to say in caldron full of water somewhat boyling or which is better the vessell not infused or standing in the water but rather receiuing onely the vapour of the boyling vvateâ— that is in the caldron those three daies being spent you may presse out the things which you shall haue infused strayning and forcing them through some strong strainer and thicke linnen and afterward to put in other new ingredients if it be needfull that is to say vntill the liquors which you haue mingled with the oyle or the humiditie and moisture which may rise of the ingredâ—ents be consumed and that the oyle may seeme to haue gotten out all the strength and vertue of the ingredients and then to straine and force them as before This is the way that is to be taken for to prepare oyles well by impression It is true that with lesse cost and a great deale sooner they may be prepared in putting the â—atter into some great brasse pan vpon a coale fire causing it to boyle with a small fire vntill the liquor put vnto the oyle or the moisture of the ingredients be consumed and after strayning of them after the manner that hath beene sayde before Furthermore it vvill be discerned that the oyle hath exactly drawne out the vertues of the ingredients and that the liquor mingled with the oyle or moisture of the ingredients is consumed if with a spatule or sticke of vvood you cast some few drops of the said oyle into the fire for if they be all on a flame by and by it is a signe that it is pure and near but and if it spatter there is yet some waterish moisture remaining in it furthermore as it is boyling in the caldron it will be spatering and casting vp bubbles so long as there remayneth any of the liquor or moisture but after that it is spent and boyled away it will be quiet and peaceable likewise a drop of oyle dropped vpon your hand if there be any moisture in it of waterishnesse it will shew it sufficiently for it will swim and ride aloft vpon the same As concerning the qualitie of the ingredients it consisteth principally in this that the ingredients are either hot or cold or tender or tough and hard Iâ— they be cold there is need that they should be often shifted and changed in the oyle for the better imprinting of their cold qualitie in the oyle for although that oyle oliue be temperate notwithstanding it inclineth more vnto heat and a firie nature than otherwise so that it is requisite to change the ingredients often and to put new in their places for that cause yea and in regard thereof to wash the oyle in some common water as we will further declare in speaking of oyle of roses if the ingredients be hot it is sufficient once onely to change them for the composition of hot oyles and that by reason of the affinitie and agreement betwixt the Oyle and the hot things If the ingredients be hard and not easily digested and imparting their properties vnto the oyle they must be infused before they be boyled and also there must be put unto their decoction some liquor as Wine or some conuenient iuice or other liquor as well to helpe their digestion as to keepe them from burning or getting some loathsome smell but and if they be tender they craue sometimes a simple infusion in the heat of the Sunne or vpon a slow fire without any boyling and this way fitteth flowers sometime a light boyling without any infusion as many aromaticall things And as concerning the qualitie of the ingredients you must obserue that oyles by impression are made not onely of the parts of plants but of liuing things their parts and excrement vvherein there must not be any shifting changing or renewing and besides these there is no other thing to be obserued except that if the beasts be small that then they be killed in the oyle as it vsed in oyle of scorpions serpents frogs and pismires but and if they be great they must be first killed them bowelled and lastly boyled in the oyle as is done in the oyle of Foxes Touching the quantitie of the ingredients by which the oyles made by impression are called simple or compound you must haue regard to see that when the oyle is compound that this order be followed that is to take the ingredients of greatest and hardest substance and to infuse them three daies afterward those of lesse substance two daies and those which are the most tender subtile and aromaticall one day and one night and then afterward to boyle them in order strayning them but once and reseruing your Gums to mixe and dissolue with the said strayned oyle according as it shall be requisit if so be that any gums doe goe into any such oyles CHAP. LIIII A description of the Oyles made by impression AS for Oyle of Roses it is thus prepared Take of oyle of new oliues so much as you shall thinke needfull that is to say sufficiently to infuse your roses in vvash it diligently as well to coole it and make it more temperate as also for to make it the more pure if in case it should be any vvhit salt or feculent and thicke of the Lees. Such vvashing it made with an equall portion of water and oyle stirring them together in a vessell vntill such time as they be mingled and incorporated and then so leauing them till they seperate themselues one from another againe vvhich being come to passe there shall be a hole made in the bottome of the vessell vvhere they are to let the vvater runne out after there must other vvater be put in to beate with the oyle as before and this shall thus be gone ouer three or foure times but and if there be any hast to be made in this vvashing of the oyle then the vessell shall be kept in some warme place to the end that the oyle and water may be the sooner seuered and you must note that the oyle is not to be washed on this fashion except it be for cooling oyles as oyle of Roses Violets and such like it is verie true that there will be no need to wash any oyle at all if you haue the oyle of greene oliues called Omphacâ—â—e This washing of oyle being finished haue in readinesse a sufficient quantitie of blowne Roses put them to infuse in this washed oyle in a vessel hauing a narrow mouth like a pitcher or a glasse bottle or some one of Tin and filled vp within a quarter of the top and afterward well closed and stopt set them in this sort in the Sunne or some warme place for the space of seuen daies boyle them afterward in a double vessell in boyling water as we haue said or else boyle them in a brasse kettle vpon a small fire without any flame for
abounding in grasse and fertile The Ozier then which old Writers call Sea-willow or Wicker-tree that is to say apt to bend desireth not to come verie neere to the water but loueth rather to stand vpon the descending side of the valley and the Ozier-plot would end at the sides of the Willow-plot the Ozier-plot must be prickt with a line and prettie small ditches drawne out in it betwixt two lines and euerie slip must be set one from another about fiue foore and a halfe to giue them their spreading It vvill not abide the shadow of any tree but loueth much to haue the fruition of the South-Sunne The tame red Ozier requireth great husbanding and is afraid of frosts and the showres of raine that fall in March and verie cold vvater the vvhite and the greene Ozier vvhich neither bend nor yet defend themselues so well are of a harder nature and grow higher It vvill be good to pricke downe moe of the tame ones than of the other and alwaies to set them out of the shadow and there must be but a little water at their foot the most part of the time vvherefore you must make furrowes by the vvay to keepe and reserue water It must be dressed twice in a yeare to make it grow vvell that is to say about mid-May and towards the end of Nouember presently after that it is gathered being also the time of planting of it It is verie delightsome vnto it to haue the earth raised vvith the spade and stirred and to cast in again the clods vnto the foot some fifteen daies after S. Michael which is the time of gathering them and making of them vp into bottles You must keepe your bottles made of the thicknesse of a fadome fresh coole in some cellar or 〈◊〉 and if the season be drie to vvater them throughout now and then some slip off the leaues in gathering of them thereof to make good ashes others let the leaues fall of themselues and after gather them for the houshold and in Winter-nights by the fire side make the slaues spend their time in cleauing them for to make baskets of some doe not cut the oziers all from the head but such slips as are about the edges of it and leaue the maister-twig to stand vvhole for fiue or sixe yeares when it must be renewed and pricked downe againe for this is the terme of the plant for in all the time following the plant doth nothing but drie and the twig harden CHAP. VIII Of the Willow-plot SOme say that the Willow-plot craueth the like husbandrie that the Oier-plot because the Willow differeth onely from the Ozier in vse bignesse and barke for the Willow-tree is for poles the Ozier as hath beene said for bindings about the vine and caske the Willow is thicke and growing taller the Ozier is smaller and lower the Willow-tree hath a barke of a darke purple colour the Ozier of a yellow straw colour But vvhatsoeuer it is the Willow loueth vvaterie places and is planted of the tops cut off or else of poles the poles are taken from aboue of a good thicknesse but notwithstanding not thicker than the arme and they must be planted and pricked downe in the earth so deepe as they should stand before they touch the firme ground the cut of the top may be of the length of a foot and a halfe and be set in the earth being couered a little That which you shall plant must be cut from the tree verie drie because it will not thriue if it be vvet when it is cut therefore you must shun rainie daâ—es in the cutting of your Willowes The best time of planting the Willow is in Februarie in the beginning or in the end of Ianuarie vvhen as the heart of the great cold is broken vvhich oftentimes hurteth this plant when it is newlie planted It is true that it may be planted at any time after the beginning of Nouember yea it may be then both planted and gathered The plants shall euerie one stand from another sixe foot square and they must be carefully husbanded for the first three yeres as if they were yong vines You shall find a larger discourse of the Willow-tree in the sixth Booke The distilled vvater of Willowes is good to be drunke for the staying of all sorts of fluxes of bloud the decoction of the leaues or the lee made of the ashes of the vvood beeing drunke doth kill bloud-suckers vvhich hang in the throat CHAP. IX Of the Elme MEn of old time did much esteeme the Elme for the vine sake because they married the vine vnto the Elme as also it is yet practised of some vnto this day in Italie but now the Elme is applied to another manner of vse by the husbandman and for that cause vve haue giuen in charge to euery housholder to plant a plot of elmes at the end of his orchard as vvell to make fagots of as to make vvheeles and axle-trees of for his carts and ploughes as also for fire-wood and other easements besides the pleasure that the Elme-tree affordeth all the Sommer long For the planting then of your Elme-plot make choyce of a fat peece of ground and vvithall somewhat moist although this Tree be easie to grow in any kind of ground vvhich you shall digge and cast breaking the clods afterward verie small in so much as that you shall make all the earth as it were dust and in the Spring you shall harrow it and lay it euen afterward you shall sow it verie thicke vvith the seed of elmes vvhich shall by this time become little red hauing beene a long time in the Sunne and yet notwithstanding retayning his naturall substance and moisture and you shall sow it so thicke as that all the earth shall be couered vvith it then cast of fine mould vpon it good two fingers thicke and vvater it a little and couer the earth vvith straw or broken boughes and braunches to the end that vvhat shall come out of the earth may not be deuoured of birds And vvhen the siences shall begin to shew take away the straw and boughes and pull vp the bad vveeds verie carefully vvith your hands in such sort as that the small rootes of the elmes vvhich as yet are tender be not pluckt vp therewithall The waies and squares must be so discreetly cast as that he which is to weed them may easily reach to the middest of them euerie vvay Fâ—r if they vvere too broad then he should be constrained in pulling vp the vveeds to tread the earth vvith his feet by which meanes the shoots might be hurt After vvhen the branches are put vp some three foot high to take them vp from their nurserie and to plant them in another ground and after that to transplant them againe The Elme-tree also may be planted of small branches taken from great etmes and that a great deale better in Autumne than in the Spring time after three yeares passed they must be transplanted
with end If the ground be fashioned like vnto a Wedge that is to say equally long on both sides but hauing one end broader than another as for example twentie pole long and seuen pole broad at the one end and but three at the other then you must gather the two breadths together which will make tenne pole to take the halfe of them will be fiue to multiplie the length withall in the doing whereof you must count fiue times twentie and the summe will rise in all to a hundred pole which make one arpent after the rate of a hundred pole to an arpent and eighteene foot to euerie pole This is your direct course to measure ground fashioned like vnto a vvedge But if the ground should be triangled hauing three sides equall then it is your best vvay to follow this course vvhich is first of all to learne out how manie poles there are in euerie side and then carefully to multiplie the number of the one side by the halfe of the number on the same or another side and that which ariâ—â—â—h of such multiplication vvill be the vvhole contents of the poles of that field as for instance suppose an equall triangled field hauing ten pole on each side I will multiplie the number of the one side by the halfe number of one of the other sides that is to say ten by fiue vvhich is fiftie pole and containe halfe an arpent at a hundred poles an arpent and â—ighteene foot to euerie pole and twelue inches euerie foot If the ground haue the fashion of an Oxe head that is to say be cast into two triangles equally joyned together and that euerie side for example sake containe twentie poles I will multiplie the number of the one side by the number of the other side that is to say twentie by twentie and I vvill say that twentie times twentie poles are foure hundred poles and that foure hundred poles are foure arpents at a hundred poles to an arpent eighteene foot to a pole and twentie inches to a foot If the ground should proue round like a circle you must diuide the same round into two diameters vvhich make foure equall quarters then you must know the number of the poles of euerie quarter afterward to multiplie them vvill be the summe of the whole round compasse of the ground for example euerie quarter of the round doth containe twentie poles vve will multiplie twentie by twentie and so we shall find foure hundred poles vvhich make foure arpents vvhich this round shall containe at a hundred pole to an arpent eighteene foot to a pole and twelue inches to a foot If the ground be of a mixt sort hauing many formes and shapes the best vvill be by the meanes of the squire to reduce them all into squares and then to find out the number of poles in them and to put the said numbers together And if in reducing and bringing of them into foure squared formes you borrow something you must restore the number vvhich you haue borrowed in the totall number vvhich you haue gathered and by this meanes you shall hauâ— the perfect number of yoâ—â— ground And last of all if so be that your ground be intangled vvithin some other peece of ground you must measure all together and afterward taking away the inclosed part and putting the one asunder from the other you must measure your owne by it selfe Thus haue we briefly set downe that vvhich is to be knowne of the Hâ—â—bandman concerning the skill of measuring of lands and whatsoeuer ground if hâ— happen vpon any peece of measuring vvorke which is of greater importance than this which I haue mentioned he must haue recourse vnto the professed skillfull in measuring CHAP. II. What manner of tilling of arable grounds shall be intreated of in this Booke AS it is ordinarily seene that the complexions of people dwelling in the seuerall Prouinces of one great region and countrie doe differ one from another according to the aire or aspect of the Sunne which is called the climat that they dwell in so in like manner one may see the nature and fertilnesse of arable grounds to ingender and bring forth diuers complexions and sorts of ordering of the same more in one place than in another according as the ground shall be moist and glib grauelly consisting of fullers clay brickie stonie or free and well natured vvhich thing did necessarily compell our predecessors inhabitants of this countrie to alter and change the manner of â—illing as also the fashion of the ploughs in France and the conâ—ines of the same as the high and base countrie of Beaun the countrie of Normandie and the confines thereof Sangterre Berrie and Picardie in like manner high and base Brie Champagne Burgoâ—gne Niuernois Bourbonnois Rotelois Forest Lyonois Bresâ—e Sauoye and againe in the countrie of Auuergne Languedoc Solongne where there groweth no corne but Riâ— Bordelais Rothelais Vaudomois Baâ—adois and generally throughout all the countrie of â—anguedoc euen vnto Gascoâ—gne Biscay and Bearne and not to leaue out Prouencâ— and Bretaigne vvhich some call Gallo and Tonnant To be short beyond the countrie of Mayne Touraine Poictou Le Perche and Conte d' Anjou which are as it were the lands of promise in our Countries of France And as it is thus with our Countrie of France so it is likewise with our neighbour countries as both in great Brittaine and the Neatherlands where according to the attration of the soyles so there is found an alteration in their tilling the East part much differing from the West and the North from the South nay euen in one and the selfe same countrie is found much alteration in tillage as shall be said hereafter Of all these sorts of tilling of arable ground vve haue purposed to intreat hereafter in short and easie manner and that in regard onely of the husbandrie of the true and naturall France vvhich vve vnderstand to containe all whatsoeuer is inclosed within the bounds and circuits of the riuers of Oyse Marne and Seyne and our purpose is notwithstanding this to make the husbandrie thereof as a patterno for all other fashions and sorts of tillage vsed in all other countries as well neere as those which are furthest off CHAP. III. Of the nature and conditions of the arable ground in France NOw as concerning the husbandrie of France which comprehendeth and containeth the confines called also French and reacheth vnto the countrie of Sangterre and to be briefe which compasseth all whatsoeuer Seyne doth ouerflow euen to the riuer Oyse both of the one side and of the other coasting along the riuers of Marne and Aube it is certaine that it is veâ—ie strong and toilesome as also the earth is found to be well natured easie to stir blacke deepe lying high when the fallowes come to be ploughed vp hauing few stones and by consequent bearing great store of fruit Againe it beaâ—eth pure Wheat that noble graine for
at such time as it is sowne onely neither is it euer sowne vpon the fallowes but vpon the Pease-earth being euer vvell and carefully harrowed if you find the sayle whereon you sow it to be weake or out of heart the best meanes to giue it strength is to fold it with sheepe immediately before you sow it so that as soone as you take your fold from the land you may put your plow into the land by which meanes the seed and the manure as it were meeting together the manure keepeth the seed so warme and giues it such comfort that forthwith it takes root and brings sorth the increase most aboundantly Now for the cropping or gathering of this Maslin or blend corne you shall euer doe it so soone as you see the Rie begins to open or turne his eare downeward towards the earth albeit the Wheat seeme a little greenish at the root and be nothing neere ripe the corne being soft and milkie for the Wheat will ripen and grow hard in the sheafe which no other corne will doe and the Rie being suffered but to grow a day beyond his full time will shed his graine vpon the earth and you shall loose more than one halfe of your profit againe you shall not lead your blend-corne so soone as you doe your cleane Wheat or your cleane Rie but making it into good bigge safe stouckes vvhich will shed the raine from the eares and containing some sixteene or twentie sheaues in a stoucke you shall suffer is so to stand in the field to ripen as well for the hardning of the Wheat as for withering of the greene weeds vvhich growing amongst the Corne will be shorne vp therewith and bound in the sheaues altogether Secourgion SEcourgion is a kind of Corne that is verie leane vvrinckled and starued somewhat like vnto Barley and it is not vsed to be sowne in France except in the time of famine and dearth and then also but in some countries as are barren and verie leane and that to stay the vrgent necessitie of hunger rather than to feed and nourish It hath his name from the Latine vvords Succursus gentium The greatest part of Perigord and Lymosin doe vse this sort of Corne it may seeme to be a degenerate kind of Corne and may be called bad or wild corne It must be sowne in the thickest and fattest ground that may be chosen howsoeuer some say otherwise as that it delighteth in a light ground in as much as it sprouteth out of the earth the seuenth day after that it is sowne the thicker end running into rootes and the smaller putting forth the greene grassie blade vvhich flourisheth and groweth out of the earth The fittest time for the sowing of it is about the moneth of March in cold places or about the eight or tenth of Ianuarie if it be a mild Winter and not sharpe and pinching This is that kind of graine of three moneths growth whereof Theophrastus speaketh in his Booke of Plants howsoeuer Columella doe not acknowledge any kind of graine of that age Theophrastus in like manner maketh mention of a kind of graine of threescore dayes or two moneths growth and of another of fortie daies growth I heare say that in the West-Indies about Florida there grow sorts of corne some of two some of three moneths and some of fortie daies vve see it verie ordinarie in France to haue corne in three moneths namely in the countries of Beauce Touraine Lyonnoise Sauoy Auuergne Forest Prouence Chartrain and others in which the corne being sowne in March is ripe and readie to be cut downe in the third moneth The occasion of sowing it so late is either the vvaters or excessiue cold or snow or some such other hard vveather vvhich kept and hirdered it from being sowne any sooner Such graines and sorts of corne as are of three or two moneths or of fortie daies and amongst them especially the Secourgeon doe yeeld a verie vvhite and light flowre because it hath but verie little bran and the graine hauing drawne verie small store of substance for his nourishment but such as is of the lightest part of the earth and therefore small store of Bran by reason of the small space of time that it stayed in the earth The bread made of this Corne is verie white but withall verie light and of small substance more fit for Countrie-people and seruants in Families than for Maisters and vvealthie persons Againe in countries vvhere it is of account they vse to mixe Wheat vvith it to make houshold-bread Blanche BLanche is a kind of Wheat which the Latines call Far clusinum and old Writers Far adoreum as a Corne or Graine worthie to be highly thought and made of for his excellencie and goodnesse sake it is verie hard and thicke and requireth a strong and tough ground though it be not all of the best husbanded It groweth also verie wel in places and Countries that are verie cold as not fearing any cold be it neuer so outragious Neither doth it mislike and refuse drie and parched grounds and such as lye open to the excessiue heat of Sommer the Corne cannot be driuen from his huske except it be fried or parched againe for to grind and make bread of it they vse to frie or parch it but vvhen they vse to sow it they let it alone vvith the huske and in it they keepe it for seed It is verie massie and vveightie but not altogether so much as Wheat but yet more cleane and pure than Wheat and also yeeldeth more flowre and branne than any one sort of Wheat besides This kind of Wheat is verie rare in France but verie common in Italie vvhere it is called Sacidate Fine Wheat or Winter-wheat THere is a kind of small Corne that is verie vvhite vvhich the Latines call Siligâ— vvhereof is made White-bread called therefore of the Latines Siliginitis The French cannot as yet sit it with a name It must be sowne in verie open places and such as are hot and throughly warmed by the Sunne although it doe not vtterly refuse an earth that is thicke moist slymie and of the nature of Walkers-earth seeing that good husbandmen doe likewise report of it that there needeth no such great care to be taken about the making of this graine to grow and vvithall that if a man vse to sow Wheat in a moist and muddie ground that after the third sowing it will degenerate into this kind of Wheat It is that kind of Wheat which amongst the English is called Flaxen-wheat being as vvhite or vvhiter than the finest Flax it is of all sorts of Wheat the hardest and vvill indure a more barren and hard ground than any other Wheat vvill as the grauellie the flintie stonie and rough hils against which by the reflection of the Sunne onely vvhose beames it loueth exceedingly it will grow verie aboundantly neither will it prosper vpon and rich soyle but being as it were ouercome vvith the strength thereof
haue For as the enduring of the heat of the Sunne and the vnder-going of vehement exercises maketh stronger and more able the bodies of men that are hot and lustie but on the contrarie doth ouerthrow weaken dissolue and coole weake bodies euen so hot vvines are sooner ripe concocted and digested by heat or mouing either of the Sunne or of some hot fire made neere vnto them but those which are more weake and waterie if you heat them ouer-much doe take great dammage and harme and are weakened more by the working of such vehement heat either of the Sunne stirring or fire vvhich corrupteth and spendeth at once and in a moment some part and portion of their weake and feeble heat vvhich afterward in like manner by little and little will be ouercome and wasted and thereupon such vvines weakened and made vnsauourie It is the meane and middle heat therefore that all things receiue profit by seeing the immoderate and extreame is no lesse harmefull than cold Wherefore after that the weake heat of vvine shall for the most part become wasted and spent by the outward heat of the ayre compassing it round about it groweth sowre and so likewise it is wont to fall out by the maliciousnesse of strong and piercing cold breaking the heart of the weake heat in the vvine and thereby killing the same For when the said heat is quite ouercome and banished so as that the vvine looseth his fragrant odour and pleasant sent of vvine it is not said to sowre and therefore not called vineger but indeed is called by the name not of vvine but of decayed and spent vvine which the Latines call Vappa Furthermore vvhereas amongst waterie weake and feeble vvines there are some raw and greenish ones vvhich wee haue declared alreadie to be enemies vnto cold and moist natures and other which are neither raw not greenish but delicate ones and throughly ripe but therewithall of a thinne and subtile substance and which for their easinesse to be concocted and speedinesse in being distributed become very good and profitable both for sound and sicke and are called of the Greekes Oligophora because they will not admit the mingling of any great quantitie of water with them The first may without any iniurie offered vnto their strength abide to be stirred and carried to and fro especially if with this naturall greenenesse there be ioined some harshnesse and roughnesse But the second cannot endure to be remoued or carried to and fro the reason is the heat of the first is hid and lyeth in a crude and raw matter whereof it standeth it vpon as much as lyeth in it to acquite and rid it selfe a readie helpe whereunto is the moouing and stirring of the same because hereby it is enabled the sooner to shew forth it selfe and to manifest his force in more powerfull and chearefull manner than before because the crude and raw matter wherein it lay as it were couered and hid is become refiâ—ed and concocted in processe of time Contrariwise the weake heat of the second sort which consisteth in a thinne matter or substance and that alreadie concocted is spent and ouerthrowne with the least motion and heaâ— and therefore doth very easily euaporate and breath out all his force and strength It seemeth that the opinion of Galen and other auncient Writers affirming that no greene wine doth heat must be vnderstood of this second sort of vvine called of the Grecians Oligophora for that it is possible that the old Writers neuer knew neither euer heard tell that any greenish vvines were naturally growing in places and countries that are hot and scorching Certainely there is great difference betwixt that tartnesse or sowrenesse which is an accidentall vice or fault in vvines and that greenenesse or sharpenesse which is a naturall tast and relish in them pressed out either from grapes naturally greene or else from grapes which haue not as yet growne to their full maturitie and ripenesse For the tartnesse of vvines besides the great sharpenesse and acrimonie therein being such as is in vineger whereby it disquieâ—eth and offendeth the stomacke membranes and all the sinewes is likewise of that nature as that it cannot by any skill or cunning be subdued and corrected in such manner as that the vvine once tainted therewith can at any time be restored vnto his former goodnesse and made such as may be drunke without the preiudice and hazard of mans health But on the contrarie the greenenesse which continueth in vvines as bred in them besides that it is alwaies free from the foresaid sharpenesse and acrimonie is found not to continue any long time in as much as the raw and cold matter vvherein the heat of greene vvine consisteth is concocted by little and little and thereupon this heat thus as it were buried in this crude matter doth by little and little grow strong and sheweth â—orth his force more effectually so that the said greenenesse is by degrees diminished and wrought out and the vvine made a conuenient and profitable drinke for the vse of men yea and that also euen where this greenenesse through the weakenesse and imbecilitie of heat cannot any whit be wrought out and taken away for so wee finde it seeing that greene vvines are not refrained but ordinarily drunke and vsed Dioscorides was of iudgement That sowre and rough vvines caused headach and drunkennesse vvhereas our harsh and rough vvines the rougher they are doe offend and annoy the head so much the lesse And for a certaintie all manner of drinke by how much it is the more odoriferous and of a thinne and subtle substance so much the more it disquieteth and disturbeth the braine with his vapours and ministreth larger matter for the nourishment of rhewmes and distillations Notwithstanding if sowre and rough vvines doe happen once to cause drunkennesse then such drunkennesse fallâ—th out to be of the worst sort and most rebellious and hard to be ouercome So then all our sowrish harsh and rough vvines such as are those of Burgundie as they are nothing so odoriferous so neither doe they cause any whit like so many exhalations and vapours and therefore also doe they lesse offend the head and procure drunkennesse than any others And so as that Galen hath therefore restified of them that they ought to be well accounted of and esteemed profitable and fit to be vsed of such as haue the gowt as also of all others which are subiect to the distillations of the braine Such vvines are called mungrell or bastard vvines vvhich betwixt the sweet and astringent ones haue neither manifest sweetnesse nor manifest astriction but indeed participate and containe in them both the qualities Of the consistence of Wine AS concerning the consistence of vvine some is of a thinne subtle and cleere substance and othersome of a thicke and grosse and some of a meane and middle consistence betwixt both Of those which are of a thinne and subtle substance some are weake
they delight most in SEeing it hath beene deliuered and laid downe here aboue what time and manner is to be obserued in the planting of all wild trees and in giuing them such tillage as may easily and in short time procure their growth it hath seemed good vnto me to write some little thing of the nature and sorts of trees which are planted and found ordinarily in the vvoods and forrests of France and to declare briefely what manner of ground they delight in and in what soile they proue greatest and most profitable to the end that the planters of them be not frustrated of their paines and purpose and that that which requireth a drie and hot soyle be not planted in a moist and low soyle as also that the trees vvhich delight in a moist and low countrey be not planted in mountaines and drie countries for this falleth out oftentimes to be the cause that such as bestow their cost in planting doe misse of their intent and that the plant being in a ground cleane contrarie vnto it doth not come to any profit For which cause I will here in a word expresse my mind concerning that point not with any purpose to describe or comprise all the natures vertues and properties of trees neither yet to speake of all kinds of trees but onely to describe and declare the places and grounds wherein they prosper and grow most as also to make knowne the diuersitie that is amongst trees of one and the same sort and of one and the same name as which are most fit to be planted and best for to make shadowes to walke or sit in I know that there are diuers sorts of trees that grow both in the Easterne Northerne and Southerne parts of the vvorld vvhereof we are almost altogether ignorant and which in respect of the diuersitie of the regions doe not grow at all in this climate and of these I mind not to speake at all because my purpose is only in briefe to lay downe that which is necessarie to be knowne about the planting of common trees such as are ordinarily to be found in our owne forrests and not of strange and forraine ones the trouble about which would be more than the pleasure And as for such as are desirous to attaine the perfect knowledge of all manner of trees growing in any part of the world and their vertues properties natures and seeds they may see the same at large in Theophrastus in his fourth booke of the historie of Plants and in the third booke vvhere hee particularly entreateth of the kinds of wild and sauage trees for he particularly runneth through the nature force vertue seed and manner of planting of euery wild tree as well those of the East North and South as those of the West but it shall be sufficient for vs at this time to declare the nature of fiue or six sorts of trees which commonly grow in the countries hereby and of their kinds and what ground euery one delighteth in Now therefore to begin there are two sorts of trees in generall the one is called vvater-trees or trees delighting to grow in or neere vnto the brinkes of vvaters in medowes and in low and watrie places the other land trees or trees delighting to grow vpon the firme and solid land and vvhere the waters by inundations or ouerflowings vse not to come But first we will speake of the trees liuing in or about vvater CHAP. XV. Of the Aller Poplar Birch Willow and other trees haunting the water YOu shall vnderstand that there are foure or fiue sorts of trees vvhich of their owne nature grow neere vnto vvaters and which except they haue great store of moisture doe hardly prosper or grow at all of vvhich amongst the rest the Aller is one that most coueteth the vvater for the Aller is of that nature as that it would be halfe couered in vvater and at the least the most part of the rootes must of necessitie be within and stand lower than the vvater for otherwise they would not take insomuch as that trees of such nature ought to be planted in moist medowes and neere vnto the brookes running along by the said medowes or in marshes for in such grounds they take and grow exceeding vvell This tree is apt to take in moist places because it is a vvhite vvood containing much pith and putting forth great store of boughes in a short time by reason of the moistnesse of the vvaters vvherewith it is nourished and fed The said Aller trees may be planted two manner of wayes as namely either of branches gathered from great Allers or of liue roots digged vp in most places together with the earth and set againe in the like ground and that in such sort as that the halfe of the said roots be lower than the water and the vpper part couered with earth the depth of one finger and in the meane time before they be planted they must haue all their branches cut off too within a fingers length of the root and it will put forth againe many young shoots after the manner of Hasel trees You may read more of the Aller tree in the fourth booke There is another sort of vvater-wood which hereabout is commonly called white wood of this kind are the Poplar Birch and other sorts of wood which grow close by the water side and vpon the banks of ditches springs and little brookes and it is a common practise in Italie to lay their conueyances and pipes to carrie their vvater from riuers throughout their grounds of those woods And these kinds of trees may be easily planted of young roots along by the vvater and riuer side both most conueniently and profitably especially the white Poplar otherwise called the Aspe tree whose leaues are apt to shake with euerie small winde Where rootes cannot be got there may in their stead be taken faire and strong plants such as are vsed in the planting of Willowes The Birch doth somewhat resemble the white Poplar in his barke and the Beech tree in his leafe but it craueth a colder and moister soile than the Poplar And this is the cause why it groweth so plentifully in cold countries The other sort of vvater-wood is the Willow vvhich as wee finde by proofe groweth nothing well except it be in a moist and warrie countrie and neere ioyning to vvaters The manner of planting of Willowes is commonly by setting of Willow plants and those such as are of a good thicknesse and strength as namely as great as one may gripe for looke how much the stronger and thicker they be so much the moe shoots will they put forth and so much the stronger This tree differeth much from the Aller for the Aller will haue his rootes all within water but the Willow would stand higher and spread his roots along into the ground that is wet and moist and neere vnto water vvithout hauing his roots altogether in the water according whereunto it is
continually seene that Willowes planted vpon causeyes banks hauing some ditch of water ioyning thereunto that in such sort as that their roots may reach but to the brinks and edges of the water proue fairer taller and more plentifull than those which grow in waterish medows because that for the â—â—st part their roots stand moist in water You may read of the Holme tree in the fourth booke I say not that Willowes Allers Poplars such white wood will not grow in high places notwithstanding that it is their nature to grow neere to water and doe prosper best in such places and if they be planted in high places and farre from vvater they are hardly nourished and put forth very little in growth insomuch as that a hundred such trees as are planted in waterie countries vvill yeeld more vvood than a thousand planted in a drie countrey notwithstanding all the indeuor and husbandrie that can be vsed yea and they will perish and die a great deale sooner This I say because it is easie to make them grow and to husband them in a high or hillie place by watering and dressing of them in conuenient sort vvhich labours as they are not performed without great cost so if they happen to be neglected it proueth to be the losse and spoile of the trees vvhereas if they be planted in some place that is fit for them and neere vnto vvater according as their nature requireth they vvill prosper vvithout the toile or industrie of man vsed therein Notwithstanding for as much as the first yeares after they be planted they haue much to doe to shoot and nourish their roots and such branches as are alreadie put forth it wil be best to free them of all such twigs as they shall put forth the first yeare to the end they may more easily seed their roots as also that thereby the force of winds which would take such hold of offall may not shake and loosen those which are alreadie fast for vpon such causes trees doe many times die be they neuer so well planted I know that it is not alwaies required that such paines should be taken especially about those which are orderly and conueniently planted in planting or pâ—uning of them notwithstanding I say thus much for them vvhich goe about the making of close alleyes for walkes and shades that they may cause them to grow much in a short time for this they shall effect by planting of them in furrowes and not one of them perish and as for their paine and labour they shall haue the pleasure thereof in shorter time and larger manner Herewithall it must be noted that whensoeuer you set or plant any such trees you must so doe it as that it need not a second doing for if any of them should die it would be the harder to set others in their places so as that they would thriue because the shadow of the other which liue would cause the same to die seeing it is vsually seene that the elder and stronger ones doe oppresse the weaker keeping them vnder and causing them to miscarrie Wherefore the greater care is to be vsed in the first planting of them and the more paine to be taken with them seeing the sequele is a thinâ— that is so hard to be redressed The time to plant Willowes Allers Poplars and other such vvoods is alwaies found best in the beginning of Februarie or at the later end of Ianuarie vvhen the great cold is past being otherwise apt to hurt such plants as are new set as hath alreadie beene said As concerning the properties of these trees thus delighting in watrie grounds the leaues and flowers of the white Poplar although they be a little hot doe notwithstanding make a very cooling ointment called Populeum good to take away the heat of inflamations as also the milke out of womens breasts that are newly deliuered Birch-tree yeeldeth twigs which serue to make rods for the punishing of theeues withall as also to make baskets little maunds beesomes and couerings for earthen bottles Of the stocke is made charcoale seruing for the melting of mettall And of the rinde are made links to giue light in the night season for to such end doe country people vse them The iuice of the leaues mixt amongst the runnet of a Calfe doth keepe cheese from wormes and rottennesse If you pierce the stock of the Birch-tree there will come forth a water which being drunke a long time is of power to breake the stone of the reines and bladder being taken in a gargarisme it drieth the vlcers of the mouth and being vsed in lotions it cleanseth and taketh away the filthinesse and infections of the skin CHAP. XVI Of Ashes Elmes and Maple-trees THe Ash doth naturally craue a low and waterish countrey and therefore doth grow more plentifully in such places than in high grounds and therefore for the most part they must be planted in such low and waterie grounds though not altogether so low and waterie as the Willow Poplar and Aller doe craue howbeit notwithstanding they may be planted in indifferent grounds and Elmes will grow well therein Their proper nature is to delight in moist valleyes for therein they prosper well and grow vp to a great height with straitnesse and beautifulnesse of Timber Notwithstanding this is a common vvood vvhich may be planted in all sorts of grounds howsoeuer that it like better in fat and moist grounds than in those which are but indifferent but they much dislike the drie rough stiffe and grauellie grounds if they be not mingled with moisture The auncient Woodwards vsed to plant them most in hedge-rowes and on the tops of great bankes or ditches where they might haue drie standing yet be continually fed at the root with a little moisture vvhich sure was a very good and husbandly manner of planting the Ash neither shall you at any time see it prosper better than when it is planted in such places It is naturally of it selfe â— little more tender than other wild trees and desireth a more gentle and loose mould which maketh them prosper the best in mixt hasell grounds or in moist sandie ground yet if they doe take in clay grounds as doubtlesse with a verie little care they will doe one Ash so growing is better tougher and more seruiceable than any three which are taken from the sandie or mixed earths It is a timber of no lesse precious vse than any other whatsoeuer for of it are made all your best Pykes Byll-shafts Halberd-shafts and diuers other engines for the vvarres of it also is made all manner of Plow and Cart-timber vvhatsoeuer as Beames Heads Skeathes Hales Spyndles Shelboords Cart or Wayne bodies rings for Wheeles Naues Harrow-buls Harrow-teeth Axle-trees and any other instrument or engine vvhich desireth a firme gentle yet a verie tough vvood a timber that must bend before it breake and not by any meanes be too extreame portable or heauie in the carriage but both
light for the hand of him that shall vse it and also strong ynough to endure the stresse or labour it shall be put vnto also it must be gentle and soft to cut all which the Ash is more than any other tree whatsoeuer There are three sorts of Elmes The one is of those vvhich haue a small little leafe and a blacke stalke The second hath a large leafe and a reasonable vvhite stalke The third of them hath a verie large leafe and the stalke as it vvere all vvhite Those vvhich are to be chosen for planting are those two later for they are of greater growth and are vvoont to prosper better besides that they are fairer and put foorth moe boughes making thereby a greater shadow Of these three sorts there are both males and females vvee call those females vvhich beare most fruit and the thicker seede and the males vvee call those vvhich are lesser and beare their fruit of seede in the middest of the leaues and that in such sort as that they seeme to beare neyther fruit nor seede And for this cause there are manie that vvrite of Husbandrie affirming the said tree to beare no fruit or seede and that it groweth either of a plant or shoot And of this opinion vvas Tremâ—lius Notwithstanding it is certaine that euerie leafe beareth his fruit contained within the middest thereof and thereof vvill Elmes grow being sowne in due time And of this opinion is Columella and experience it selfe doth shew the same hee making two differing sorts of Elmes calling the one sort the fairest and tallest Elmes of Fraunce and the other sort Italian Elmes And as concerning those fairest Elmes if they be to be found they must be planted because they grow vp the sooner that way and put forth much larger boughes Theophrastus and some other vvriters doe make them lesse differing according to the countrey wherein they grow I haue beene the more willing to describe them according to their kind of leafe and vvood that you may the more easily know them I would haue you to looke backe into the fourth booke and there you shall find their natures and vertues more at large described The soiles in which they most of all delight is a verie stiffe clay and the principall vse of them ouer and aboue the making of Bow-staues formerly mentioned is the making of naues for vvaggons or cart-vvheeles for vvhich they are more excellent than any other vvood vvhatsoeuer and the more knottie and twound they are a great deale the â—itter they are for that purpose so that as the cleane growne smooth and euen Elme serues for other purposes so the knottie vneuen and most crooked Elme will serue for this Amongst these sorts of trees wee may place the Maple-trees called of the Latines Acâ—res because in their nature they somewhat resemble the Elme They craue the like ground namely a fat and moist ground they grow as the Elmes doe in all arable grounds they put forth in a short time great branches and but little greenenesâ—e This tree hath a verie white bodie beareth small leaues like the leaues of three-leaued grasse and doth not breed or gather any great store of vermine It naturally groweth shortâ— crooked rugged and beareth seldome any great length of timber yet where it groweth otherwise the timber is verie firme white close and durable It serueth for diners excellent and good purposes as namely it is the best of all other by reason of the wonderfull whitenesse thereof for all manner of inlaid works vvhich Ioyners vse also it is excellent for all manner of Turners vvare as for the making of trenchers dishes bowles sewing kniues and other implements for the Table prouided it be euermore of at least a yeare or more seasoning for if it be wrought greene it will warpe ryue and be indeed for no purpose Many vse to season it in a drie house but then it asketh a longer time and the sappe will be much longer in consuming but the best way is to let it lye abroad all the first Winter and take all wet which falls for that will driue the naturall wet of the sappe soonest out of it and then house it the Summer following and then after you may safely worke it at your pleasure The Ash is contrarily inclined for thereon breedeth oftentimes such aboundance of vermine as that thereby all their leaues are eaten and bored verie full of little holes Of this sort of Trees as well Elmes as Ashes and Maples the best are those vvhich grow the soonest and spread out the largest boughes in a short time As concerning the properties of these three kinds of Trees wee haue spoken in the third booke in the Chapter of Balmes how there is made a singular balme of the little fruit that is found inclosed in the leaues of one of the sorts of Elmes Furthermore the vvater vvhich is found inclosed in this little fruit maketh the face neat and shining if it be vvashed therewith againe double linnen clothes being vvet in this iuice or vvater and applyed vnto children vvhich are bursten becommeth a singular remedie for them The same iuice also put into a glasse-bottle and buried in the earth or dung for the space of fiue and twentie daies being well stopped and hauing the boâ—tome set vpon a heape of salt proueth singular good to cure greene vvounds if they be dressed vvith tents steeped in the said iuice The Maple-tree in this countrey amongst other things is had in request because of the boughes thereof there are made Bowes and that because they are stiffe and hard to bend The Ash-tree hath a singular vertue against the venime of Serpents for it is such an enemie and so contrarie vnto them as that they dare not draw neere or approach vnto the shadow thereof and againe as hath beene proued of many if you make as it were a circle of the leaues or boughes of the Ash-tree and put within the same a Serpent by the one side thereof and a burning fire on the other side the Adder will rather aduenture to passe through the fire than ouer the Ash-tree leaues For this cause Nature as one carefull of the good of mankind hath prouided that the Ash should flourish before that Adders and Vipers doe vse to come out of their holes in the Spring time as also that it should not fall his leaues in Autumne till they haue taken vp their Winter resting place Wherefore if it happen that any Horse Cow or other beasts of the Farmers should be bitten by some serpent or other venimous beasts there cannot be found a more soueraigne remedie than to stampe the tenderest leaues that are to be found vpon the Ash straining out the iuice to giue it the beast to drink and afterward to lay vpon the grieued part the drâ—sse of the stamped leaues this is likewise a good remedie for men that are bitten of any Adder or Viper The decoction of
at that instant in as much as therein hee shewed a vvillingnesse to haue done the contrarie vpon any occasion if mischance had not beene his hinderance Now for the food vvhich is best for spanyels it is that vvhich is before prescribed for greyhounds as chippings bones and broken crusts of bread scalded in vvater and milke or the heads plucks and entrailes of sheepe boyled with oatmeale yet the setting spanyell vvould for the most part be fedde from the trencher vvith scraps of meat bones bread and such like for by reason that he must be kept much fasting since he cannot hunt but vvhen he is exceeding emptie it is verie fit that he be kept vvith as good as nourishing meat as can be gotten Now to conclude this discourse of hunting dogges you shall vnderstand that there is one other sort of spanyels and they be called vvater-spanyels because they delight onely naturally in the vvater and are imployed for the hunting of Duckes Mallards and all sorts of vvater-fowle they are much larger and bigger bodied than the land-spanyels are and a great deale more strong and Lyon-like made their haire is also verie long rough and thicke curled vvhich sheweth their hard constitution and abilitie to endure the vvater albeit the vveather be neuer so fiercely and bitterly cold They receiue all their vertues from nature and not from instruction and therefore to make any large discourse of them vvere friâ—olous onely for as much as they are verie necessarie to attend the fowler for the fetching of his fowle out of the vvater vvhen they are either lymed or strucken vvith the piece it is meet that they be brought to great obedience that is to say to fetch carrie runne couch and creepe vvhensoeuer a man pleaseth least otherwise out of the franticknesse of their owne natures they scarre away the game vvhilest the fowler is the most busily imployed These dogges are lesse tender than any of the other and therefore any meat vvill serue them neither would they be vsed to any nicenesse because their most imployment is in the Winter season And thus much touching hunting dogges and their gouernments CHAP. XXIII How young hounds are to be trained vp and made fit for the game IT is not yâ—oâ—gh to haue a number of good and faire dogges vvell marked vvith markes declaring both the said qualities for they must ouer and aboue be taught and trained vp for the game Wherefore the huntsman must first bring them to vnderstand the sound of the horne to swim and haunt the vvater that so they may be the more readie and forward to pursue the beast if so be that he should seeke to saue himselfe by any running riuer or standing lake Hee must lead them also once a weeke into the fields but not before the age of sixteene or eighteene moneths for before such age they are not throughly growne and well knit in all their members But especially hee must well aduise to what kind of game he is purposed to vse them as vvhether to course the Hart or the Hinde the wild Bore or the Hare for looke vvhat beasts you first runne them at those will they best remember alwaies especially if there be care had to looke any thing well vnto them You must not course with them in the morning if possibly you can auoid it for hauing beene accustomed to the coolenesse of the morning and comming afterward to the height of the day and feeling therein the heat of the Sunne they will not runne any more You must not put on young dogges the first time within a toile because the beast running altogether round and therefore alwaies in the sight of the dogges so when afterwards they should be brought to runne out of the toile and by that meanes become cast any great distance behind the beast it would be the cause of their giuing ouer and forsaking of the game It shall be for the better to the end they may be the better trained and fitted to put all the young ones together with foure or fiue old ones at such time as you purpose to hunt with them Neither shall you compell your young hounds to make more hast than their owne natures leads them vnto but encouraging them to trust to their owne noses let them take what leysure they please and picke out the sent of themselues that comming truely to vnderstand what they hunt they may be moâ—e perfect and readie in the same vvhereas on the contrarie part being compelled to hunt vp close with the older and swifter hounds they hunt as it were by rote catching the sent here and there and goe away with it both vncertainely and ignorantly and so seldome or neuer prooue staâ—â—che or good hounds It is also verie meete to enter all young hounds at the Hare first because it is the sweetest and coolest of all sents vvhatsoeuer and the hound which will hunt it must necessarily hunt any other hoter sent vvith much more violence for it is a rule That vvhosoeuer can doe the hardest things must forcibly doe things easier with lesse difficultie Therefore first enter your hound as before is said at the Hare least finding a sweetnesse and easinesse of hunting in the hoter sents hee neuer after lay his nose to the cooler CHAP. XXIIII How that the Hart and the place where he haunteth and vseth to lie would be knowne before yee course or hunt him KIngs Princes and great Lords to whom and no others belongeth the coursing of the Hart haue not vsed to course the Hart before they haue learned of their hunts-man vvhat manner of Hart he is young or old and whether he be a faire and great one and such a one as deserueth to be coursed and then afterward where his haunt and lodging is The hunts-man shall know the age and fairenesse of the Hart in respect of others by iudgement of the forme of his foot the largenesse of his tines his dung gate beatings breakings and rubbings The sole of the foot being great and large the heele also being thicke and large the little cleft which is in the middest of the foot being large and open a large legge a thick bone being also short but nothing sharpe and the tippes of his clawes round and thicke are signes of an old Hart. The elder Harts in their gate doe neuer ouer-reach the former foot with the hinder for they tread short of it at the least foure â—ingers but it is not so in young Harts for they in their gate doe ouer-reach and set the hinder foot more forward than the fore-foot after the manner of the ambling Mule The Hinde hath commonly a long foot narrow and hollow with small cutting bones The excrement and dung of Harts is not alike at all times for some is printed othersome vvrythen round and othersome flat and broad and if it be large grosse and thicke it is a signe that they are Harts of tenne tynes that is to say such 〈◊〉 haue
282 Clapper or Warren storing thereof 645 646 To Clod the earth 541 Câ—mpound water of trees 461 Clâ—uds darke and thicke a great signe of raine 26 The nature of the Lark called Cochenis 727. and her feeding ibid. To cut Cocâ—rels or to make them Capons 77. to fat Capons ibid. with speede 590. to make them lead Chickens 515. to make their stones good to make leane men fat 74. Capons of Mans and Bretaigne 73 Cocks and Capons must not haue their wings broken 67. one Cocke to a dozen Hennes ibid. notes of a good Cock and his colour 68. Cocks crowing at all houres a signe of raine 〈◊〉 How to order and breake Colts 1â—8 the marks of a good Colt 135. Colts how they must be looked to 1â—6 and to burne them and slit their noâ—â—â—â—ils ibid. to geld them 127. the means to make them seruiceable ibid Colutea 291 Rocke Comsâ—ey 202 Great Comâ—rey ibid. Compositions of honey 230 Conâ—es are a kind of Hares 697. those of the Warren how they must be cared for and fedde 646. the diffeâ—ence betweene those of the Warren and those of the Clapper 648 Conserue of the root of Elicampane 428 Conserue of Quinces wherefore good 376. laxatiue conserue of Quinees iâ—id Constraint is neuer good 12 Sale Cookes their vse of great deceit 117 Corke trees what ground they delight in 667 Red Corant tree 342 Coriander 245 Corne of all sorts and the manner of growing them 548. Seed-Corne how it must be chosen 543. to sow â—anne riddle lay vp corne vpon the end of the Moone 31. such diuers sorts thereof as are fit to make bread 571 Corne of diuers Countries of France and which are the best 571. the grinding of them 572 Tuâ—kie Corne and how it must be husbanded 553 Saracâ—ns Corne or Wheat ibid. Aduertisements concerning all manner of Corne and Pulse 569 570 Corne-flagge 239. distilled 462 Costmarie and his properties 182 The Court next the dwelling house and the scituation thereof 15. how it must be walled 16 Cowcumbers without water 195. how they may be kept 281. enemies to oyle 190. their huâ—tful qualities ibid. obseruations to be knowne concerning the same 194 Creame of milke and how it must be prepared 65 Crâ—spinet a singular hearbe against the Stone 〈◊〉 Cresses and their faculties 184 Crowes bathing themselues and braying at night are a signe of raine 25 Crowfoot 210 Cummin 249 Curiositie the ouerthrow of good wits 1 Curlew 78 Cuttlâ—-fishes and the manner of taking of them 515 D ADaies worke how much ground it containeth 518 Criticall Daies concerning the Moone 3â— The 12. Daies of the feast of the Natiuiâ—itie do prognosticate the disposition of the whole yeare 28 The Huswiues Dairie-house 16 The Dairie-woman and her office 38. what medicines she is to know for the diseases of the familie 39 Daisies 237 Daâ—es how planted 338 Date-trees how planted 390. male and female and their nature 292. what earth they craue 390 Dates how to be kept 409 Dâ—â—â—-wort 206. distilled 453 â—earth and the signes fore-shewing the same 29 〈…〉 grounds how they may be prepared to beare fruit 10 〈◊〉 â—iâ—phâ—â—nicon distilled 462 〈◊〉 Diligence of the householder doth ouercome the weakenesse of the ground 10 〈◊〉 249 〈◊〉 good kind of Dissembling 21 〈◊〉 by whom it was inuented and the kinds therof 439 440 〈◊〉 of many sorts of waters with a briefe discourse therâ—upon ibid. 〈◊〉 what it is ibid. 〈◊〉 of Oyles and Quintessences with a discourse theâ—eupon 469 〈…〉 Herbes Flowers Baâ—kes and Roots euery one by themselues 45â— c. 〈…〉 of Distilling 440 〈◊〉 matter must be prepared before it be Distilled 448 〈◊〉 Distill by Coldnesse 440 with the heat of Sand. 450 oftentimes one and the same water 451 what maner of heat is requisite thereto ibid. licours and the maner of ordering all things therein 454 compound waters three manner of wayes 460. c. per descensum 464 468. and without heat ibid. with a filtre ibid. liuing things 458 wood 480 481 â—â—sâ—ruments and vessels for Distillation 441 〈◊〉 forme of Furnaces to Distill chymicall oylâ—â— 471 472. â—â— itches for fishes 508 â—â— ittanie and his properties 210 〈◊〉 203 â—â—â—ogges three sorts belonging to a Farme-house 120. to preuent their going madde and how to handle them 221 â—â—â—â—oggeâ— their names ibid. â—â—unting Doggâ—s are of three sorts in generall 685. their keâ—nelâ— and feedings 676. their diseases and cures 677. c. 〈◊〉 Doggeâ— how to traine them vp to fit them to hunting to swimming and diuers other pretie qualities 68â— their tumbling vpon the ground a signe of raine 25 〈◊〉 Madde Dogges 678 〈◊〉 madde Dogge hauing bitten an Horse â—47 〈◊〉 Dogges-tooth a signe that water will 〈◊〉 found if there be pits cast 7 〈◊〉 Dogge-tree 395. and how to keepe the fruit thereof ibid. â—â—he backe Dâ—re of the house 18 〈◊〉 ground Dung-house how and where it must be made and â—eated 17 〈◊〉 Doue-houses 86 〈◊〉 Dragons great and small 268. distilled 465 〈◊〉 Dreames ioyfull in the new of the Moone 32 â—â— Drinkes made of fruits and a discourse of the making of them 410 â—â— â—rinâ—e of Sloeâ— 419. of Ceruises 395. the making of the Drinkes of Cerâ—ises 419 〈◊〉 haue a barren seed 626 〈◊〉 Drunkennesse how hurtfull a thing it is to man 625 〈◊〉 and Drakes how they must be kept and handled 〈…〉 where they must â—it on nights ibid. 〈◊〉 â—ild Ducks made drunke are easie to take â—8 〈◊〉 â—lesh pleasant to eate ibid. Ducks bloud good against all manner of venime â—bid Young Ducks ibid. Dung of the Stables where to be laid 15 What manner of Dung is to be laid vpon the ground 534 Than Dunâ— nothing more deare 535 Dunâ— of diuerse sorts and how and when it must bee spread 536 Dung of Pigeons for what ground it is good 89 Duâ—g what is good or euill for the Vine 599 602 603 Dung of Oxen Kine and Sheepe is good for manie diseases 104 116 of Men Kine and Pigeons diâ—tilled and their vertues 557 of Hares hindeâ—eth conception in Women 698 of Hens swallowed of an Horse causeth winging in the bellie 147. and causeth haâ—re to grow againe 74 of Hogges stayeth the spitting of bloud 111 of Goats cureth the Parotides Bubo Sciatica and other Apostemes 120 of â—urtle Dâ—ues for the spots of the eyes 84 of the Goose for the Iaundise 77 of Dogges excellent for the Squinancie 122 To Dung the ground and what manner of dung it must be 535 To Dung the ground in the encrease of the Moone 32 To lay any Dung to Vines is a damnable thing 595 There must 〈◊〉 two Dungâ—â—â— made and why 15 E EAgle the king of Birds 707. and the nature of Eagles ibid. The Earth of a cold and drie nature 10. of contrarie qualities according to her particular plots ibid. Diuers sorts of Earth and their diuers manner of tilling and encrease 11 Blackish and yellowish Earth good and fruitfull 11 12 Eâ—â—on borne the sixt day
SAcres hawks so called 713 Saffron how it must be husbanded â—11 a venome to the heart ibidem Sage 158 245. good against the trembling of the members 56 Compound water of Sage 460 Salmâ—â— a very delicate fish 507 and how to take him 575 Salomons seale 208 Salt turning moist a signe of raine 25 Samuel boâ—ne the 11. of the Moone a fauourable day 33 Sandie grounds what fruit they beare and how they must be tilled â—1 Sanicle and the great vertues thereof 202 Sapa or boiled wine 622 Saps of grafted trees must ioine one with another 32 Saâ—iâ— tree 285 Saul borne the 21. day of the Moone a happie day 34 Sauâ—rie 245. being sowne it putteth not forth till thirtie daies after 161 Saxiâ—rage 200 Scabious 201 Scallions and their faculties 180 〈…〉 to plant and the manner to doe them 343. and to propagate them ibid. 〈◊〉 swallowed by an Horse 147 〈◊〉 their biting of Neat. 10◠〈…〉 and the maruellous faculties thereof 203 〈…〉 distilled 468 〈◊〉 what kind of corne and the husbanding thereof 550 〈…〉 to choose 543 〈◊〉 Seeder 159. and the time to sowe them 160. how old and what manner of ones they must be ibid. and in what time they must put out of the earth 161 〈…〉 distilled 468 〈…〉 wheat how it must be chosen 543 â—gainst Serpents 315 â—â—bandmenâ— Sâ—ruants how they would be entreated 23 〈…〉 559. oile and cakes thereof ibid. 〈…〉 109 〈…〉 how they must be watred and how oft a day 112 where they must â—eed ibid. when they must be shorne 113 they are cold of nature 111 their going to rutte and what forrage is best for them ibid. how they are kept from the Wolfe 116 their diseases and cures ibid. 〈…〉 of a good Sheepe 110 〈◊〉 â—epheards their manner in times past 111 they must be gentle ibid. what 〈◊〉 they haue inuented 110 their folds in Summer 113 he fashion of the Sheepe fold and how and whereof it most be made 110. and where it must be seated 18 〈◊〉 that spoile Vines 607. biting Neat 10â— biting a Hoâ—â—e 147 〈◊〉 what kind of corne 551 â—â—â—â—wormes and the profit of them 486. how to order them 489. their diseases ibid. 〈◊〉 grasse good for medicine 201 〈…〉 552 〈◊〉 2â—0 〈…〉 to plant Gardens 263 〈…〉 â—69 〈…〉 his planting and vertues ibid. 〈…〉 495 〈…〉 swallowed by Neat 102. and how to kill them 314 〈◊〉 â—noiles spoyling Bees 405 〈…〉 distilled 458 〈…〉 and the tokens fore-shewing the same 25 〈◊〉 â—â—dome and Gomoâ—â—ha sunke the 17. of the Moone a bâ—d day 33 〈◊〉 â—â—mmer and the presage of the constitution thereof 22 〈◊〉 â—â—rell and his properties 171 〈◊〉 â—o Soâ—e corne in the end of the Moone 31 〈◊〉 â—o Sowe Wheat in myâ—e and in the encrease of the Moone 541 â—â—wes farrowing 106 pigges ibid. eating their pigges ibid. 〈◊〉 â—he place for the Swine-coat â—8 〈…〉 bread 209 〈…〉 247 〈…〉 thistle 168 〈◊〉 â—parrowes male and female 86. crying early a signe of raine 25 〈…〉 Sparrowes and their nature 725 Sparrowhawkes of all sorts 〈◊〉 wherin they differ from Buzzards 〈◊〉 the manner of taking and keeping them ibid. their diseases and remedies ibid. Speech vnprofitable maketh a man contemptible 〈◊〉 Simple and true Speech causeth a man to be much esteemed 23 A Spence to keepe victuals in 17 Spelt-corne and how it must be husbanded 552 Spices distilled 478 Spiders falling without any violent cause a signe of raine 25 A Spider swallowed by a Horse 146 Spinach male and female and why so called 274. the great profit comming thereof ibid. When Spinach must be sowne 161. it groweth vp three daies after ibid. The Spinke a very beautifull and liuely bird her feeding 721. All Spinkes haue not like volces ibid. The Square an Instrument for measuring 521 Stables for Horses 16 A round Staires 17 Cow Stalls must be kept cleane 62 All manner of beasts Stalls how they must be seated 15 Stallions to couer Mares 81 Stallions to begeâ— Mules and Mulets 151 Starres sparkling are signes of great flouds of water 241 Starthistiâ—e 200 The Steâ—le-glâ—sse is the bewraier of the countenance 624 Young Stocks and wild plants must be remoued 339. and how they must be husbanded 340. young or wilde â—â—ocks to graft vpon and how they must be prepared 344 Stomacke weake 219 A Stone in the gisserne of a Capon that maketh men apt to carnall lust 74 In what place Stones doe ordinarily grow 9 Cherrie Stones distilled 453 Storks and their maruellous nature 79 Storks distilled 458 Fresh Straw and the benefit thereof 205 Strawberries 195. their maruellous harmelesnesse and other properties ibid. distilled 45â— Succorie 168 Suits and matters in law how and by whom to be ordered 21 Sunne and Moone two great and admirable lights of the world 30 when and how it betokeneth faire weather 26. when and how it betokeneth raine tempest 25. when it betokeneth Snow in Winter 25 The South 〈◊〉 vnwholesome 5 The 〈◊〉 of the seuen Bookes 2â—3 Swallowes distilled 453 Swannes and how many are requisite to be together 78 79. their nature ibid they foresee their owne death and mans 79 Swine cannot abide hunger 106 more greedie than any other beasts 104 how to feed them and their natures ibidâ—â— subiect to the plague and many other diseases 107 their cures ibideâ— to fat them 291 in what quarter of the Moone the would be â—illed 10â— how to salt them 109 their playing and running hither and thither a signe of raine 25 honoured of the Egipâ—yans for shewing them the tilling of the earth 108 T TAbacco 215 Tale 〈◊〉 are not to be harkened vnto 38 Tamaritke 290 Tansay 251 Great wild Tareâ— 564 Tarts 587 The Teeth of horses declare their age 136 Signes of Tempest and Thunder 26 Terragon is made of Lineseed and how 18â— What Things are requisite in building of the farme 3 White Thistle 203 Euery Thing at his height doth decrease in the â—nd 4 Ladies Thistle â—00 Blessed Thistle and the maruellous vertues thereof 199 The hundred headed Thistle and his maruellous 〈◊〉 203 The Tazell his late giuen names and his properties 310 311 The Tazell closing and shutting together presageth raine 2â— To Thresh corne and the flower of the same 5â—6 Throstles what manner of birds they be 726 sold verie deere amongst them of old timâ— 85 they are of two sorts 727 their nature and food ibidem leauing the valleâ—â— they foreshew raine 25 Thyme 244. mountaine Thyme 248 Tiâ—â—ing of the ground with diuers sorts of beastes according to the countrie 539 Tillage diuers according to the diueâ—sitie of the soile and countrie 527 The Tilling of the ground and precepts touching the same 531 The Tune and presages of the entrances of the â—oure quarters of the yeare 26 Wâ—at manner of hawke the 〈◊〉 is 711 Tormâ—ntill 50â— and why so called ibidem Tâ—â—â—eises and how to bant to them 5â—5 The heat be 〈◊〉 bona 252 Tourtaine the garden of France 10. 40â— the people
vnto wine Of the boyling ouer of the new wine while it is in working How new Wine is pâ—rged To haue new Wine all the yeare long To know if there be any Water in the Wine The way to correctiâ—e ouermuch waâ—rishhesse of Wine To recouer the new Wine which beginneth to sowre To cause new winâ— to sâ—ttle quickly To separate water from wine To make an odâ—riferous Wine To make white wine red and red wine white To make claret wine Wine beâ—ring great store of water Wine that flowreth not Boiled wine To continuâ— wine sweet all the yere long Greekish wine Good houshold wine To cause troubled wine to settle The taking away of the strength of the wine To drinke much wine and yet not to be drunke To hate wine To make them which are drunke sober To cause wine that it shall not become strong To make old wine of nâ—w Wine that will keepe long The keeping of wine To make medicinable wines Rose-wine Wormewood-wine Wine of Horehound Wine of Annise Dill Peares Bayes Asarum bacchar and Sage Wine of Thyme Betonie wine Hysope wine Wine of pomegranats quintes mulberries and seruices How Wines must be ordered in cellers or roomes vnder ground Against the eagernesse or sowrenesse of Wines At what time Wine is most apt to turne and corrupt To helpe the â—ine that is turned For troubled Wine To helpe Wine the beginneth to wax away and diâ— To take away the fustie smel of Wine To helpe the sowrenesse of Wine To keepe the Wine from sowring Oyle oliue a preuenter of the the sowrenesse of Wine For wattrish Wine Against venime or venimous beasts falling into Wine Vineger is a â—ault of wine Radâ—sh and beete roots maâ—e vineger The roots of cale-words make Vineger to â—uâ—ne againe into wine Strong Vineger To make Vineger oâ— marrâ—d wine Driâ— Vineger Rose Vineger To make vineger without wine Sweet vineger Mightie strong vineger Pepper vineger Water in vineger Vineger of sea onions The necessitie of drinke Sapa Defrutum Passum Noe. Why wine is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke Icarus Why it is called Vinum Why Temetum The definition of wine Olde wines are hotes than the new New wine 〈…〉 in France The iuice of the grapes not 〈…〉 wrought New wines or the iuice of grapes which haue â—ately wrought vp The benefit of wine The hurts and inconueniencies that wine worketh Drunkennesse Wine goeth bare-foot 〈◊〉 filleth the dâ—spositions of the dâ—â—nkers That drunkards their seed and nature is not apt for generation That vndelaied wine is not wholesome for such as be in health What quâ—ntitie of water is to be put to â—â—ine For what ages wine is mâ—st fit That wine is hurtfull vnto hat and drie natures and good vnto moist ones The differences of Wine Red Wine or darke coloured Sweet wines Sweet white wine Galens iudgement of white wine Rough and harsh wines Greene wines The cause of sowrenesse in wines That there is great difference betwixt sowrenesse and greennesse in wines What wines are to be called bastards The consistence of wine The 〈◊〉 or smell of wine The vertues of wine Wâ—ake wines Wines of Coussy Wines of Prepaton Wines of Dijâ—n The diuersities of the wines of Orleance Wines of Sainctay S. Hillaries Chappel S. Mesmain and S. de Bouc Wines of Messay of Orleance Orleance wines of the grounds of the Abbey of Neighbours White wines of Orleance Wines of high Normandie Wines of Compeigne Wines of Nerac The profit of the Warren A good conie dieth alwaies in her earth The vertues and speciall properties of conies The aller The oake The chesnut tree The elme Eâ—meâ— are barren anâ— bâ—are no fruit Chesnut trees Locusts euery three yeares Alleyes Fruit-trees The time to plant trees That dressing of the earth is necessarâ—â— for yong plants Such dressing of the earth in dâ—y weather in not good To pull vp weedes by the roote The third dressing of trees The growth of plants commeth by heate and moisture The experience of dressing trees and of letting of them go vndresse Wood of Solonge Whereof wild trees 〈◊〉 grow Nine things requâ—site for the maâ—ing of a beautifull place Woods haue in tâ—â—m three commodities The pleasures and pastâ—mes that the wild woods aâ—â—ord The profit of woods The profit of ground imploied about the bearing of wood Trees louing to liue neere the water White wood Trees must be well and surely planted at the first The time to plant Willowes Allers c. Ash 〈◊〉 Elmes of three sorts Male and female Elmes Columella Theophrâ—stus The Ash. The vertues of the Elme Shooting â—owes The different names of the okes are Robur Quercus Ilex The male and female of oakes Theophrastus The barren is called the male and the fruitfull the female That the life of an Oake containeth 100 yeares of growth 100. yeares of standing in a sâ—ay and 100. to perâ—sh and die in The horse at his full growth at fiue and a man aâ— fiue and twentie Horne-beame Beech The linden tree The corke-tree The yew-tree Tâ—e stone The whites oâ— womâ—n presages Falling sicknes Chaps of the lips The stone The grauell The profit of the parke The situation of the parke Prouision of â—ood â—or wild beastes What place is fittest â—o a Hâ—ronrie Two things giuing occasion to make choise of some certaine place for a heronrie 〈…〉 What place is best to 〈◊〉 at the 〈…〉 The properties oâ— the heronshew To prâ—câ—re rest and sleepe The profit of 〈◊〉 â—oure footed beasts Grey-hounds and Hounds Two sorts of Grey-hounds 〈…〉 To breed a good wâ—â—lpe The bayâ—â—â—alâ—ow 〈◊〉 dogs The gray dogs Blacke dogs The marâ—eâ— of a good hunting dog The reason of these markes of a good hunting dog The kennell for hunting dogs The feeding and keeping of hunting dogs Flesh-meate Pâ—â—â—age The diseases of hunting dogs For 〈◊〉 and vermâ—â—e Wormes The â—iâ—ing 〈◊〉 Serpents 〈…〉 Signes of madnesse 〈…〉 Wormes Hurts giuen by wild bores Wounds 〈◊〉 of cold 〈…〉 Knocks of thrushes Against the 〈◊〉 of making water The disease of the eares How to teach a Spaniell to 〈◊〉 well Hunting is for great states The marks of distinction betwixt Hart and Hart as also of their ago The Hinde The cariages or largenesse of his tines The time when Harts cast their 〈◊〉 To iudge of the age of the Hart by his hornes The hornes of an old Hart. The gate or going of the Hart. The beatings and 〈◊〉 of the Hart. The rubbing of the Hart. The knowledge of the Hart his priuie haunt and place of retraâ—â—â— The Hart hath a seueral haunt euerie moneth The rut of the Hart. The meanes of finding out the particular place and lodging of the Hart. The report of the hunts-man vnto the king Three sorts of dogs as bloud-hounds coursers and for easements The mâ—â—e dog is 〈◊〉 which openeth not but followeth the trace of the Hart. How to place the greyhounds for Teâ—sers Reset Bacâ—â—â—t Directions how to hunt the Deere with hounds onely Dogges
by nature are sowen in March and are planted farre â—ithin the yeare and couet to be oft watered When you see the leaues of Coleworts waxe bleake and pale or yellow it is a â—igne that it needeth water and you must oftentimes take from them their yellow â—â—aues as also those which are eaten thorough or rotten or dried for this would make them die If you would haue Coleworts of a good tast and pleasant take away their first â—eaues for those which come after will haue a better tast and more pleasant sauour than the first Red Coleworts grow naturally of the aboundance of dung or for that they are watered with the Lees of Wine or by being planted in a place where they are heaâ—ed continually with the heat and burning of the Sunne Doe not at any time gather or at the least vse the tops and edges of the curled Romane Colewort neither yet of any other but the rest of the leafe downe toward the stalke All sorts of Coleworts may be planted at any times prouided it be not too hot or too cold and when you plant them breake their root for feare it be not doubled againe or turned vpside-downe in the earth and that you put it not so farre in as 〈◊〉 there be nothing of the top left aboue Some men vse to water Coleworts with Salt-water to make them the more 〈◊〉 and some doe cast and sow Salt-peter amongst them vpon the vpper face of the earth or else small ashes sifted to keepe them from Locusts Palmar-vvoâ—mes 〈◊〉 and other vermine Aboue all things the Colewort may not be 〈◊〉 neere vnto the Vâ—ne nor the Vine neere vnto the Colewort for there is such 〈…〉 betwixt these two plants that being both of them planted in one ground 〈◊〉 they become to some growth they turne and grow one from another 〈…〉 will they prosper and beare fruit so well And admit it to be true which is 〈◊〉 namely that if a man doe mingle vvine be it neuer so little in the pot where Coleworts are boyling that then the Coleworts will leaue boyling by and by and 〈◊〉 boyle any more but loose their colour Likewise such as are disposed to drink 〈◊〉 wine and not to be drunke with it must eat some raw Coleworts aforehand as 〈◊〉 Almaâ—gnes are wont to doe when they meane to quaffe you off a whole pot 〈◊〉 and to ouercome â—uch as with whom they striue in drinking The 〈◊〉 also may not be planted neere vnto Organy Rue and Sow-bread for being 〈…〉 sowen neere vnto these hearbes it thriueth not at all and againe it infecteth his neighbours with some of his ill qualities The carefull Gardener must neuer abide to haue in his Garden so much as 〈◊〉 rotten cole not yet water his hearbes with the water wherein Coleworts haue 〈◊〉 steept or boyled for both the one and the other doth cause his neighbour hearbs 〈◊〉 haue an ill tast and sauour A good huswife will haue Coleworts in her garden at all times for the reliefe 〈◊〉 her familie for besides food she may comfort her people with them in the time 〈◊〉 sicknesse As thus the first decoction especially of red Coleworts with Butter of Oyle without Salt doth loosen the bellie ripen the cough and maketh the voice beâ—â—ter and if vnto this broath you put some Sugar it will be singular for such as arâ— short winded the juice also of Coleworts is good for these diseases if you put Sugaâ— to it the seed of Coleworts in broath or in powder is good against the Woâ—men 〈◊〉 liâ—â—le children Coleworts boyled in two or three waters doe stay the laske Coleworts boyled and sprinkled with Long-pepper and eaten with the broth 〈◊〉 great store of milke in nurses the juice of Coleworts drunke doth expell and kill 〈◊〉 poyson of Toad-stooles the pith of the Colewort boyled with fat and 〈◊〉 honie is singular for such as are short breathed to vse in manner of a lotion To 〈…〉 the Colewort is good for all things whereof the Romans when time was 〈◊〉 such account as that hauing expelled all other physicke out of Româ— for the space 〈◊〉 an hundred and fiftie yeares they vsed no other physicke but Coleworts in all manner of diseases The Lee made with the ashes of Coleworts is good to wash the head The breasts fomented with the decoction of Coleworts increaseth the milke of nâ—â—ses The ashes of Coleworts mixt with the white of an egge doth heale burningâ— Cataplasines made of boyled Coleworts and mingled with the lees of vinegar 〈◊〉 yolkes of raw egges and a little cleere vinegar of Roses all well beaten and 〈◊〉 together is a singular medicine presently to take away the paines comming 〈◊〉 rheume There is nothing better to make cleane a pot all ouergrowne with 〈◊〉 wherein â—lesh hath been accustomed to be boyled and water to be heated as 〈◊〉 pot brasse pot or such like and which cannot by any other meanes be 〈◊〉 scoured than to boyle Coleworts in it CHAP. XII Of Lettuce SOw your Lettuce as thicke as the Colewort in a moist ground well dunged â—at light and easie to turne ouer it must be specially in March for it cannot well endure much heat or much cold Notwithstanding if you will sow it in September yea at all times make choyce of sunâ—e 〈◊〉 warme places and such as are well stored of dung well rotted notwithstanding 〈◊〉 it will wax hard with Winter and may continue some time being planted again 〈◊〉 must be watered once in euerie two or three daies if the weather be not dropping 〈◊〉 moist And in the sowing of it you must water it for feare that the heat of the 〈◊〉 should cast out the seed it putteth forth of the earth the fiftieth day after it is 〈◊〉 Being growne aboue the bed the height of foure or fiue leaues you must 〈◊〉 it with your hand but neuer with any rake and set it againe in a fat ground and â—â—ood distance one from another and couer the roots and shankes with cows goats 〈◊〉 sheepes dung for so they will be of a better tast and water them at the foot but it 〈◊〉 not be when it is either verie hot or verie cold Some doe nourish foure sorts of Lettuces here vvith vs in France not differing 〈◊〉 from another in vertue but in tast somewhat more or lesse pleasant that is to say 〈◊〉 curled the headed cabbaged or vvhite the common and the little and small 〈◊〉 Men vse not to plant the small or common lettuce but the great one which 〈◊〉 be curled and that which will cabbage otherwise called the Romane Lettuce â—hich hath a vvhite seed and a greater than the other and is of a sweeter relish espeâ—â—ally if his first stalke be cut away which it putteth forth after it hath beene planted 〈◊〉 second time for the first stalke hauing in it verie much milke doth easily become 〈◊〉 by the heat of the