and in the fall of the leafe Some vse to clippe them but then theyr feathers neuer growe so well but yf you pull them you shall haue them to come very fayre agayne and this is yenough for a Goose. Duckes and Teales are to be ordered in like maner almost as the Goose sauing that they delight more in waters and marshes and therefore you must force some Waters Lakes or Pooles for them wherevnto they may easely goe and swymme and dyue at theyr pleasure Columella would haue you haue a court for the nonce for them where no cattell vse and neare to the house round about the which you shall buyld for them little handsome â—oomes three foote square with prety doores to euery one of them whiche when they breede you shall keepe shutte Hard by you must haue eyther some Pond or Riuer wherein as I said they may swym for without the helpe of the water they can as euyll liue as without the land It is good also to haue neare vnto them some good pasture or meddowe or to set about the Ponds or Riuers such hearbes as they best like as Clauer Fenegreeke Endyue Lettise and such other as they most delight in and wherewith theyr young doo well feede beside you must geue them Otes Barly and other corne in water There is nothing that they more loue then Acornes nor that better fatteth them They delight wonderfully to be amongst Reedes and Sedges wherin they may lye safe from rauenous Byrdes but so as there grow no great stalked weedes that may hinder theyr swymming for they delight greatly to play them selues in the water and to striue who can swym fastest when the weather is fayre and warme for as they loue suche places where they may best pray vpon the creatures of the water so are they much offended if they be restrayned of their libertie in swymming In Winter when the waters be frozen you must ply them sometimes with meate They delight to make theyr nestes in some secrete Couert but therein you must preuent them and make their nestes in their owne lodging or abrode wel couered and closed with weedes to which nest you must haue some litle sluce or gutâ—er by which you may euery day powre in water and meate Theyr foode must be as I sayd Otes Barly Pease Panicle Millet and Spery yf you haue any store They lay great store of Egges wherewith as with Goose Egges you may well feede your familie The Egges of Duckes and Geese are kept in like sort as I told you of Hennes Egges and beside in Bran Wheate or Ashes They breede in the same season that Geese and other Foule doo about March and April And therefore where you keepe them you must strawe stickes and strawes for them to make their nestes withal Their Egges must be suffered to be hatched by themselues or els remoued set vnder some Henne for the Ducklinges that the Henne hatcheth are thought to be gentler and tamer You must take good heede that the Egges whiche they laye be not eaten and spoyled by Crowes and Pyes whyle the damme is seeking abroade for meate If so be you haue Riuers and Lakes for the purpose It is best to let the dammes bring them vp for when they be hatched they wil liue very well vpon the water with theyr dammes without any charge at all only taking good heede that they be defended from Buzards Rites Crowes and other like vermine but so you vse them as they wyl euery night come home to the house for it is not good to let them be abrode in the night for danger of losing them and making them wylde Yet hath it ben seene that such as haue hatched abroade haue afterwardes come home and brought with them a great number at theyr tayles When I was Embassador in England it was told me by men of good credite that there was in Scotland neare to the Sea certayne trees that yeerely brought foorth a fruite that falling into the Sea became a kind of wylde Duckes or rather Barnacles which though it seemed strange vnto me yet found I Aristotle a witnesse of the like who wryteth that the Riuer Hypanus in Scythia bringeth foorth trees whose leaues being somewhat larger then Maple leaues whereof commeth a kind of foure footed Byrds But nowe to Peacocks which Byrdes being more for pleasure then profite are meeter to be kept of noble men then of poore husbands of the countrey though Varro wryteth that M. Aufidius Lurco who fyrst began the fatting of this Foule made yeerely of his Peacocks foure hundred pound whose example numbers following the pryce of Peacockes grewe to be great so much as theyr Egges were solde for halfe a crowne a peece the Peacocks them selues at foure nobles a peece The fleshe is very good and delicate meete for noble mens tables and wyll be long kept without corrupting the Egges also be very pleasant and good to be eaten Hortensus they saye was the fyrst that euer killed Peacocke for the table in Rome as a newe dyshe at the Priestes feast To this Byrd is ascribed both vnderstanding and glory for being praysed he settes vp strayght his tayle and as Plinie eloquently discrybes it chefely agaynst the Sunne wherby the beauty may more be seene His tayle falling euery yeere with the fall of the leafe he mourneth and creepeth in corners tyll it be sprong againe They goe abroade as Hennes and Chickins doo without a keeper and get their owne liuinges They be best kept in little Ilandes for they flee neither hye nor farre of Some thinke it to be a spitefull and an enuious Bird as the Goose to be shamefast and that he deuoureth his owne doung because he woulde haue no man receyue benefite by him He liueth as Aristotle sayth fiue and twentie yeeres he breedeth at three yeeres olde the Cocke hauing his feathers diuers coloured he hatcheth in thirtie dayes as the Goose dooth layeth three times a yeere yf his Egges be taken away and set vnder a Henne You must looke that those that you set vnder a Henne be newe layd and that the Henne from the first of the Moone be set vppon niene Egges fiue of the Peacocks and foure of her owne The tenth day after she hath sitte take away the Hennes Egges and put vnder the like number of freshe Hennes Egges They must be turned and therefore marked vppon one side And see that you choose the greatest Hennes for yf the Henne be little you must take the lesser number of Egges as three Pehennes Egges and sixe Henne Egges When they be hatched you must as you doo with the Henne let them alone the first day afterwardes bring them out and put them with the damme into a Pen and feede them at the first with Barly floure sprinckled with water or pappe made of any other corne and cooled A few dayes after geue them beside this chopped Leâ—kes and Curdes or freshe Cheese the Whay wel wrong out for
these wylde sort in Sarmatia PVLLARIVS They say that in Liuonia Sarmatia from whence is brought hyther great store of Waxe and Hony the country people doo geather it in great abundance in hollowe trees and desart places MELISSEVS The greatest token of Bees and Hony neare is where they be in great numbers about the waters for yf you see the number but small it is a signe it is no good place for Bees and yf so be you see they come in great numbers you may soone learne where theyr stockes be in this sort as Columella and others haue taught You shall carry with you in a saucer or such like thing some redde colour or paynting and standing neare to the springes or waters there aboutes as fast as they come touche them vpon the backes whyle they are a drinking with some little strawe dipped in the colour and carry you there tyl such time as you see them returne If the Bees that you marked doo quickly returne it is a token theyr houses be not farre of yf it be long eare they come it shewes they dwel farther of wherfore you may iudge by the time If they be neare you may easely finde them yf they be farre of you shall come to finde them in this sort take a peece of a Reede or a Kex with his knottes and ioyntes and making a small hole in the syde powre into it eyther Hony or some sweete thing and lay it by the water and when you see the Bees haue found it and entered the hole for the sauour of the Hony stoppe you the hole with your thome and let but one goe out at once whose course you shall followe as farre as you can see him and this shall bring you part of the way When you can no longer see him let out an other and followe him and so an other one after an other til you come to the place Others vse to set some little vessells with Hony by the water which when some one Bee or other hath happened to tast she geueth straight knowledge to her felowes whereby by theyr flying in number they come to fynde out their dwellinges If you finde the swarme to be in some such hole as you can not come at them you shal driue them out wich smoake and when they be out bring them downe with the ringing of a lattin bason so as they may settle vpon some tree from whence you may shake them into your Hiue If the swarme be in some hole aboue in the branches you may sawe of the branche handsomely and couering it with a white cloth place it amongest your Hiues If they be in the body of the tree then may you softly sawe of the tree aboue the Bees and afterward close vnderneath them and being couered as before carry them home stopping well the chinkes and ryftes yf there be any He that seeketh the Bees must beginne in the morning that he may haue the hole day before him to marke theyr labouring Thus farre of the kindes of Bees and getting to them nowe wyll I shewe you of the placing of them ordring and keeping of them The place for your Bees and your Hiues must be so chosen as they may stand quietly and secrete standing specially in such place as they may haue the Sunne in winter and in the spring time alway at the rising and such as is neyther to hotte nor too cold for the excesse of eyther doth hurt them but rather temperate that both in sommer and winter they may haue moderate warmth and holsome ayre being farre remoued from the company of either man or beast Where neyther wind may come whose blastes forbyds Them bringing home theyr loades nor Sheepe nor wanton Kids To spring among the flowers nor wandring best Shake of the dew and trampling spoyle the rest For they most of all delight in quietnesse beware beside that there be no hurtfull creatures neare them as the Tode that with his breath doth both poyson the Bee and also draweth them to him the Woodpecker the Swallowe the Sparro the Storke Spydars Harnettes Butterflyes Serpents and Mothes Dryue from thy Hyues the hurtfull Lysart greene Keepe Throstells Hennes and other byrdes vntreweâ— And Progne on whose brest as yet is seene The blooddy marke of hands that I t ys slewe All these destroy thy Bees and to their nestes doo beare Such as they take in flight to make their young once cheare Of such thinges as hurt your Bees I wyll hereafter speake more where I shall shewe you of their diseases and harmes in the meane time I wyll goe forward with the placing of them The place where they should stand would rather be in the valley then very hie but so as the rebound of no Ecco doo hurt them whiche sound is very noysome vnto them so shall they flee with more case and speede to the higher places and come laden downe againe with lesse trauayle If the seate of the house wyll so suffer it is good to haue your Bees stand neare your house and to be enclosed with a hedge or a pale but on such side as they be not annoyed with the sent of sinke priuie or dounghill The best standing is within the sight of the maister by whose presence they are safest kept For their better safetie yf you feare them you may set them a yarde or more from the ground enclosing them with little grates left open against euery Hiue or so lettysed with stone as the Bee may easely come out and in and scape both birdes and water or yf you list you may make a little house by for the keeper wherein you may lay your Hiues for your swarmes and other necessaries meete for your Bees setting neare to the Hiues some shadowing trees for them to swarme vpon according to the Poets aduise And plant the Date tree neare or pleasant Olyue tree That with their floury branches sweete thy Hiues may shadowed be That when the captaines young leade out their lusty swarmes The pleasant shade may them allure to shun the greater harmes Not needing for their ease in places farre to roame When as they may more safely syt and better speede at home If it may be let them haue some fayre spring neare them or els some water conueyed in pipe for without water they can neyther make Hony Waxe nor breede vp their young and therefore sayth the Poete Haue sâ—unt aynes sweete at band or mossy waters greene Or pleasant brooke that passing through the Meades is sweetely seene And straightwayes after If eyther standyng poole be neither to them ny Or â—â—rning streame with hasly course their dwellings passeth by Cast â—owâ—â— of Wyllowe crosse and mighty stones withall That may preserue the faynting Bee that in the fludde doth fal Round about the Beeyard and neare to the Hiues set hearbes plantes and flowres both for their health and profite specially such as are of the sweetest and delicatest sauour as Cithysus
and after that you haue made them very cleane stampe them togeather with freshe Butter and putting them into an earthen vessell close couered set them vp in some moyst dampishe place suffering it there to remaine for the space of fifteene dayes afterwardes let the same Butter be melted with a soft fire and being well strained lay it vp for your vse There haue I also an other excellent hearbe called in Latine Cardiaca I know no name for it in English except you will call it Motherwort and in deede it is the very true Motherwort it groweth by high wayes and neare to stone walles it hath a leafe something like a Nettell but more indented the leaues next to the roote being iagged like the Crowfoote it groweth bushing with many stalkes I haue seene it plentifully in Surry and some store of it about Maydstone in Kent it is of great force against any sicknesse of the hart whereof it taketh his name it helpeth Crampes Palseys it clenseth the brest from fleame it killeth Woormes in the body openeth cold obstructions prouoketh Urine and womens Courses being made in powder and a sponefull of it geuen in Wine it wonderfully helpeth the hard labours of women CHENOBOSCVS I maruayle you haue no store of Betony also for I haue seene the Bees labour diligenttly vpon it and haue heard that it is of great vertue MELISSEVS I have great store in deede of it but that I forgat to tell you of it it is knowen so commonly as I neede not to discribe it vnto you whosoeuer is troubled with breaking of wind and weakenesse of stomacke and those whose stomackes retaine not their meate or whosoeuer feeles a sowre belching from his stomacke and is therewith often troubled let them continually vse Betony eyther the hearbe and flowre boyled in Wine or the water distilled or the Conserue as they cal it of the flowres And yf so be you lacke the Conserue or the water you may vse the dry hearbe in powder eyther by it selfe or with Hony women that are troubled with the mother may vse this hearbe for their remedie To be short the flowre leafe and roote of Betony sodden drunke or howsoeuer you wyll in Electuarie Conserue Sirope Potion or Pouder as you list to take it is singuler good in y diseases of y stomacke liuer spleen kydneyes and bladder it freeth the Matrice from obstruction and draweth from thence all hurtful moystures For consumptions of the Loonges Coughes Dropsies continuall and putrifyed Feuars proceeding from the stomacke boyle the leaues and flowres of Betony in Honyed water and you shal haue present helpe Thus haue I shewed you what kind of hearbes I haue planted about my Bees to the ende they should haue foode at hand of the sweetest and the holsomest I haue shewed you also the vertues of the hearbe the flowre and the water that you may vse for your owne commoditie only this warning I geue you that you doo not distill them as the vnskilful doo in stilles of Lead Tinne and Brasse which poysoneth and spoyleth the water but in Glasse Stils set in some vessel of water vpon the fyre wherby your water shal be most perfect and holsome The difference of these two distillinges appeareth plaine for example in Wormewood which yf you distil in your common Styllatories the water commeth out sweete hauing gotten a corrupt qualitie by the nature corruption of the mettal whereas yf you do it in Stils made of Glasse looking that the Glasses be wel closed round about your water shal haue the very taste sauour and propertie of the hearbe With these Glasse Stils you may so order your fire as you may draw out of euery hearbe the water spirit oyle and salt to the great comfort of sicke and diseased persons I set besides great plentie of Sauery Heath Tamariske without the Beeyard Broome in whose flowres the Bee much delighteth I keepe you here peraduenture too long in so small a matter Small is the thing yet small is not the gaine If gratious gods permytte and Phebus not disdaine As the heathen Poet wryteth but I wyll here make an end of my talke that hath perhapes been thought too long FINIS Soli Deo. Lucullus Scipio Ciâ—ero Nestor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrateâ— The vse of a solitaâ—â—â— lyfe The best doung 〈◊〉 grounâ— is the maâ—â—ters foote Aâ—adem â—uâ—stâ—o lib. 1. Psalm 104. A good husband must râ—ther be a sellâ—r thâ—n a byer The saying of saint Anthonie Homelie 56 â—pon the. 16 of Matth. and in other places The commendation of husbandry Emperourâ— and kinges professouâ—s of husbandry Serranus Cincinatus HusbandmeÌ„ come to be Emperours The antiquitie of husbandry The fyrst planter of Vines Husbandry the mother and nurse of all other artes The woorthynesse of husbandmeÌ„ Gene. 3. Husbandry pleasyng to God. Leuit. 26. Geor. â— Who is happy Horacâ— VVho â—s riche The order of building of a house for the Countrey The seate of a house Neighbourhood The Kitchin Larder Corneloft Appleloft Barnes Stableâ— The choâ—se of a â—â—â—â—iffe oâ—â—uâ—bandry What thinges oughâ—â—o be in a Bayliffe oâ— husbandry The traynyng of a Bayliffe The Bayliffes vvyfe Of the tyllyng and husbanding of the ground The good nature of the husbandman The degrees and sortes of ground Of Cornâ— ground Hovve to knovve the goodnese of the grounde Signes of the goodnesse of the ground Grounde vvyl change The disposition of the heauens to be obseruâ—d Italy the garden of the vvorlde The fruitefulnesse of Germanie The fruitefulnesse of Barbary Of dounging of grouÌ„d The sortes of doung Vryne Olde doung best for Corne and nevve doung for Meddovve The obseruing of the VVinde and the Moone in mending of the grouÌ„d VVet doung hurtes the feelde Marle a fat kinde of earth vsed commonly at this day in diuers partes of Sussex and â—enâ— for the enriching of lande Chalke vsed for mending of ground Dounging vvith asshes The mâ—ner of plovving The partes of the plow. This dravving vvith the head is vsed in the vpper partes of Fraunce and Spayne The like is vsed vvith vs in Norfolke and I inconshyâ—d Dead mould Tryall of good plovving The plovving of a hill The best time of plovving Plowyng in the nyght Diuers Latine vvoords belong to husbandry interpreted Agri Voâ—a Of seede their diuersitie Olde seede not to be sovven The order of sovvyng Harrowing Rakyng Rovvlyng The tyme for sovvyng Late sovveing alvvayes â—ayleth Sommer grayne A generall rule VVheate The tyme for VVheate sovvyng Barley Zea. Far. Adâ—â—reum Rape Oateâ— Buck. Sommer Barley Myllet Panicle Ryse Sesamum Of Pulse Beanesâ— Pease Frenche Beanes Lyntels â—hyche Cicâ—rcula Tares and fodder for Cattel Lupines Fenugreeke Fodder for Câ—ttell Medica Cytisus Sperie Flaxe Hempe VVoade Haruest Rape harâ—est Haruest for VVinter Barley Hâ—mpe hâ—ruâ—â—t Rye and VVheate haruest The haruest of all oâ—her Corne and Pulâ—e Diuers sorts of reapyng Plovving after Haruest The Barne Garners Agaynst breedyng of VVyuels Of pasture medovve
man So I with Virgil doo commend great possessions but had rather occupie litle Therefore looke not to see here the house of Lucullus or Hyrcius which is reported to be solde for 4000000. HS. Suche stately dwellinges and marble floores as Cicero sayth I despise RIGO Notwithstandyng here is all thinges faire and as it appeareth commodiously buylt CONO For my part I build my house as they say according to my purse agreeable to my calling and to my liuing I wyl shewe you in order howe I haue cast it folowyng the aduise of Iscomachus in Xenophon whom Cicero doth greatly commend And fyrst the seate of my house hath mooued me to builde it after this sort Cato would haue a man long in determination to builde but to plant and sowe out of hand Our fathers herebefore obserued the same and seemed to folowe the counsell of Cato and Columella with whom agreeth also Plinie that the owner build his house in good order so as neither the house be to great for the lande nor the lande to muche for the house And herein it is written that L. Lucullus and Qu. Scaeuola were both to blame for one of them had a greater house then was answearable to his liuing the other which was Scaeuola built a smaller house then his liuyng required where both are vnprofitable to the maister For the great ruinous house not onely is more chargeable in buildyng but also asketh greater cost in the maintayning Againe if the house be to litle it wyl be a destruction and losse of your Corne fruite therefore is it greatly to purpose in what sort we build and ordeyne our house Cato would haue the house so seated as the ayre be good about it and yf it may be placed at the bottome of a hill looking directly South and in a holsome corner Varros mind is to haue it placed towarde the East that it may haue the shadowe in Sommer and the Sunne in Winter with whom Columella agreeth saying that yf habilitie serue the seate is to be wyshed in a holsome place for Cato as shal hereafter be shewed would haue healthy standing cheefely regarded with a fruitefull moulde some part of it champion some hilly lying East or South well watred and woodded and standing not farre of from some hauen or nauigable riuer to the end he may cary and transport such thinges as him listeth Cornelius Tacitus writeth that the Germanes were woont to build their houses as the Hyll the Riuer the Wood or the Lake would best suffer them RIGO Hereof I thinke sprang at the fyrst so many surnames as are at this day deriued from Mountaynes Riuers Lakes and Wooddes CONO It may be yet others doo counsayle in no case to set your house neere a Marshe or a great Riuer for the Fennes and Marshes in the heate of the yeere doo send foorth pestilent and deadly dampes and a great number of venemous Creatures which dying for lacke of their olde moystoure infecteth the ayre and breedeth sundry and strange diseases Homer affyrmeth very truely that the ayre whiche in the mornyng commeth from the Riuer is very vnholsome and daungerous and therefore yf the house must needes be built neere a Riuer they would haue suche heede taken as the Riuer rather stande on the backside of the house then before it and that the frunt of the house be turned from the hurtfull and vnholsome wyndes and placed towardes the healthiest quarters Sins all waters commonly with dampishe vapours in Sommer and stincking colde mystes in Winter except they be well purged with holsome Windes doo infect both man and beast with pestilence best is it therefore in good and healthy places to set the house toward the East or the South and in suspected ayres to place them agaynst the North. From the Sea it is good to be as farre as may be because the windes that blowe from the Sea are vnholsome and the space lying betwixt you and it yeeldes alwayes a lothsome ayre You must beware besides that you see not your house by any great hie way least you be molested with passingers and troubled often tymes with more ghestes then you would haue RIGO As farre as I remember the olde felowes dyd measure the goodnesse of their dwelling by the qualities of their neyghbours CONO You say very well in deede I had almost forgotten it a frowarde knaue to a mans neyghbour is not one of the least mischiefes as shal be sayde in the end of this booke I haue knowen sundry good men desyrous of quietnesse that haue forsaken good dwellinges rather then they would abyde the iniuries and troubles of suche companions wherfore Hesiodus had some reason in saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As great a mischeefe is a frovvard knaue As is the ioy a neighbour good to haue But you maruayle what I meane by suche a long preamble surely I am the longer in this matter because you should vnderstand the reason of building of my house For whereas there are sundry purposes of building and some build for pleasure some for wantonnesse and some for necessitie I thought it good to resyte the mindes of the olde wryters concerning the building of a house And when as euerie one will not suffer suche curiositie as they require in the placing of a house some building vpon Riuers some without or within the Marshe walles who can not shunne the neighbourhood of the Riuer or the Sea some in Lakes some in Wooddes and some building vpon mountaynes are driuen to supply the defect of nature with arte industrie I mee selfe syth I can by no meanes auoyde the neerenesse of the Riuer do seeke as much as in mee lyes to turne away the discomodities and because I feele the discomoditie of the rysing of the flooddes I haue set my house in this place without the bankes and mounted it as hie as I could and least the rage of the water and force of the yce should beare it away I haue planted round about it great trees and that I might shun the dampes of the ground and the blastes of vnholsome windes I haue turned my doores and my windowes to the holsomest quarters RIGO Surely eyther you or your auncestours haue both commodiously handsomely placed this house for the front is double one part looking towards the East the other towards the South and so built with Galeries and Gables as it both receiueth the Sunne in Winter and the shadowe in Sommer besides you haue a fayre Porche as you enter in that keepeth away the wind and the rayne from the doore CONO All the one side if you marke it where the front is lyeth South receyuyng from the fyrst corner the rising of the Sunne in Winter declining somewhat from the West wherby it is warme in Winter and not troubled with ouer great heate in Sommer for this kinde of building hath an equall medlie of the Winter windes and Sommer windes so that it receiueth the coole windes
in Sommer and is not subiect to the bitter blastes in Winter though there be something in it that might be amended and that dooth not well please me RIGO Some part of the building mee thinketh is after the Italian maner CONO Some part of it being ruinous I built after my fancie and suche as I found sounde I thought yenough for me to keepe the reparations RIGO I pray you proceede with the describing of the rest This base court seemeth also to me to be after the Italian fashion with two gates CONO This Court I thus deuised mee selfe Here was a kinde of Court before but not so commodious therefore I made a square wall here with a great gate for the bringing in of my cariages and a lesser for people to passe in and out In the voyde place here besides the porche I haue made a litle walke couered with a Uine with diuers seates in it for shadowe where I many times walke and talke with suche suters as I haue I haue in it a table of stone to suppe vpon when I am disposed Oueragaynst the gate as you see at the South side of the Court there is a Backhouse and a Cornemill with Ouens for bread and other baked meates there is also a Brewehouse with an Oast for drying of Malt to make Beere with RIGO Surely all very handsome and in very good order CONO These offices for feare of fyre you see are all seuered from the house there is hereunto adioyning a very fayre well which besides the seruice heere dooth also serue my Kitchin and other houses of office for within the house I haue neyther well nor fountayne which is a great discommoditie suche as I would geue a great deale of money to remedie both for health coolenesse in Sommer and for watring my Gardens and my Orchardes Water is one of the principalest things to be cared for as the greatest cause of health both in man beast but this want is supplied partly by a good well without partly by Sesternes receauing the rayne water that falles in certayne Conduites and pipes which water is most holsome for the body and beside the Riuer is not farre of RIGO Come on I pray you let vs see this Backhouse I heare that you haue a newe and a strange fashioned Mill of your owne deuiseâ— CONO You shall see it When as in a great house there is great neede of Corne Mylles and the common Milles being faire of the way foule and I at myne owne libertie to grinde at home or where I lyst thinking to make a mill here at home when neyther place nor aucthoritie wyll serue me to builde eyther a water mill or a wind mill and a querne or a hand mill dooth but a litle good and to build a horse mill were more troublesome When I sawe the wheeles that they vse to draw water with turned with Asses or men I thought in the like sort the wheele of a mill myght be turned and after this sort deuised I this engine whiche a couple of Asses guided by a boy doo easilye turne and make very fine meale sufficient for myne owne house and most times for my neighbours whom I suffer to grinde tolle free RIGO Surely I like well your deuise What wyll not the diligence of man bring to passe CONO I fynde it profitable vnto me but because it is not the speediest way of grinding I haue beside a horse mill whiche yf neede require is turned about with a Iade or two RIGO Lo here is a great leade placed handsomely in a Bricke furnace in the corner whiche I thinke serueth to brewe with all CONO In deede to that ende is it most occupied but it serueth other turnes beside RIGO There is a Hopper mee thinketh ouer the toppe of the Oast whereto serueth it CONO It serueth to conuey downe the Malt after it is watred vnto the heare cloth where it is dryed RIGO Wherefore serueth that great Tonne CONO To water the Barly in when neede is otherwyse it serueth for a Mashfatte Hereby is a Backhouse and a Pastrie with two Ouens one seruing for householde bread the other for manchet for myne owne table and for Tartes and fine baake-meates Here are also troughes to keepe meale in and troughes to lay leauen in and there is a fayre table to mould vpon RIGO All is handsome but what meanes this building about your Court CONO These buildinges seuered from the rest doo serue for gheste chambers with a chamber for my hotte house this syde you see lyeth agaynst the settyng of the sunne in Sommer where the sunne may lye from noone tyll nyght RIGO But that litle Ile moated about and seuered from the court with a Bridge seemeth to be more gorgeously and sumptuously built I take it to be your owne lodging where you your wyfe and your seruantes meane to lye safely CONO It is euen so and therefore it is built vpon a higher ground both for the safegard of the fundation and for the better ayre fayrer prospect beside my Garden and my Orchard are adâ—oyning to it whiche with the sweete smell of the â—loures and the fayre beautie of the trees bringeth both health and pleasure The wyndowes for the most part open al East and some of them North very fewe West except from suche Chambers or Galleries Southward where I dyne and suppe to receiue the sunne in Winter abundantly and in Sommer very litle the Tower that you see serueth for my Douehouse RIGO The great flyghtes of this house must needes fyll the maisters purse and serue the Kitchin well CONO In deede yf as that noble and passing well learned Varro affyrmeth they might be solde as in some ages they haue been at eyght pound a payre or that a man might meete with suche fooles as Columella writeth of that haue geuen 40. pound for a payre I graunt I coulde make a good handsome gayne of them but as they be they hardly serue myne owne table RIGO What dooth not the madde desyre of delicasie procure euen in our dayes of late I haue heard there was threescore Florens geuen for a payre CONO I wyl keepe you no longer here about mine owne lodging you haue seene a great number of better houses and paraduenture had rather ouer looke my outhouses RIGO I had so in deede you haue I see deuided your house into three partes CONO So I thought it best one for mee selfe an other for my husbandmen and the thirde for graine and fruitâ— RIGO What meaneth this Cell here so handsomely built at the entrance CONO This is syr my Bayliffes lodging I lay him by the Gate that he may see who goeth in and out and what is brought and goeth foorth from thence he may also looke inâ—o the Kitchin and see and heare what is there doone for beside the meate that is dressed there are other thinges doone there in the Winter morninges Ouer my Gate I haue laide my Steward from whence he
wâ—ter or running water in maner of a Fishepond and there he would haue Horse and Oxen comming from the Feelde or stable to be watred and washed and to serue likewyse for Sheepe Swyne and Geese In the vtter court would he haue a Lake to cart in wheeles staues and peeces of timber for instrumentes of husbandry that they might there be seasoned This court he woulde haue often strawed with strawe and Chaffe that being trampled with cattell it may serue to laye vpon the grounde You see in this court a double dounghil one of them newely throwen out of the stables an other olde one seruing for the Feelde for new doung is nothing so good as the olde for manuring of the ground RIGO What meanes these twigges bowes and strawes cast vpon the doung CONO This preserues the doung that the iuyce that the ground requires be not sucked out of the sunne and hyther also runnes the water from the Laundry to moist it the better Varro woulde haue here also a lodging for seruantes But lest we tarry to long among the dounghilles let vs goe see the other buildinges about the court These great roomes that you see be Barnes to laâ—â— Corne in In some places they vse houses in others agayne stackes set vpon proppes which they call mowes but the houses are a great deale better Next to the Barnes are the stables standing arowe round about the court And because Virgil woulde haue the stable stande towarde the south and Vitrunius neere the fyre I haue folowed their order in building my stables And first haue I set here my stable for my Cart horse I haue an other stable neere myne owne lodging for my Horses of seruice and Hackneyes RIGO That seemeth to be very handsomely built CONO The next are houses for my sheepe and next them for Kine Calues Heyfers There is a Hogstie with two roomes one for my farrowyng sowes the other for Hogges and Bores There is also a thirde stie not farre from the washouse for the fatting of my Porkes euery kinde hath their keepers lying neere them that they may be at hand whatsoeuer chaunceth Last of all there stands my Heybarne which hath in the vpper roomes my Hey and beneath Waynes Cartes Carres Waggons Coaches Harrowes Sledes Plowes Rowlers Wheeles Naues Cartshooes Yokes Rakes Plowbeames and suche other like which are there safe from wet and from pilferers RIGO I pray you who dooth looke to all this geare and keepeth euery man to his woorke CONO My Bayliffe as I tolde you before ouerseeth both my woorke and my woorkemen besides I haue â— Stewarde that looketh to the receauing of my reuenues and commodities RIGO Your Bayliffe had neede to be a skilfull and a trustie man. CONO You say true for as Xenophon sayth the choyse of a Bayliffe and a Phisition ought to be one you must choose suche a one as being a very expert husbandman may well be able to take the charge and not to be ignorant of those things him selfe that he commaundeth others to doo for nothing is well taught or learned without example For as Cato sayth of a husbande of the olde stampe it goeth ill with that maister whom the Bayliffe must teache As Iscomachus being demaunded of Socrates whether he would buye a Bayly as he woulde hire a Smith or rather teache him him selfe at home He answeared he would haue him of his owne teaching RIGO But this is after the olde world wherein no man was vnskilfull but it is a woonder how you that haue alwayes been brought vp in Princes affayres could in these dayes when very fewe except Plowmen and such as haue no other trade of lyfe haue any skill in it apply your mind so vnto it as a man would thinke you had neuer minded any other profession CONO Surely I thinke he shall neuer haue a good Baylye that is not able him selfe to iudge skilfully of him nor let hym euer thinke to haue his woorke wel doone that knoweth not how nor which way thinges ought to be doone but must be faine to learne of his man for theâ—e is none can iudge of a woorke but a woorkeman Therefore in the choyse of a Bayliffe I woulde haue foure thinges cheefely considered that he be louing diligent meete to rule and trustie and yf you wyll adde a fyft I am well contented that is that he be not geuen to drunkennesse for a drunkenman looseth with his memorie the regarde of his duetie I doo not enquire whether he haue been brought vp ciuilly or deyntely but I woulde haue him a hard fellowe brought vp from his childehood to labour and one that were throughly well skilled of a meane age that he be not vnwylling to woorke for youth nor vnable to crauayle for age I woulde haue him haue some skil in Carpentrie that if there happened to be any thing broken about his Stables his Cartes or any other his instrumentes he might speedely mend them and that he coulde mend Walles and Hedges I woulde haue him also not vnskilful in y diseases of cattell such a one as hath been brought vp with skilful husbandes wyll prooue meetest to haue charge For there be a great number that though they be skilfull yenough in their profession yet haue they not gouernment in them but eyther vsing to much sharpnesse or to muche gentlenesse towardes suche as be vnder them doo hinder the profite of their maister and therefore I woulde haue a Bayliffe well tryed before he be taken neither is it onely to be sought whether he be skilfull in this craft but whether he be trustie and louing to his maister without whiche he is not woorth a rushe though his skill be neuer so great And cheefely he must be skilfull in this to know what worke is meetest for euery man for some woorkes require strength more then skill and others otherwyse And therefore in appointing of these he ought to haue great iudgement and good discretion which he can not haue except he haue good skill Therefore a Bayliffe is as well to be taught as a Smith or a Carpenter and the knowledge of husbandry is greater and of more difficultie Wherefore I marueyle that in this so necessarie an occupation there are found so fewe maisters and prentices RIGO Perhaps the tediousnesse and hardnesse thereof driueth them away CONO Why haue not Orators been likewyse driuen away for hitherto as Cicero sayth there hath been no perfect Orator found RIGO Of whom would you haue your Bayliffe to be taught CONO Your question is good I wyll shewe you though very few haue taught what belongeth to a husband in all things neither shall you finde many skilfull in euery point Therefore he that shall be a Baylie must be taught by degrees he must fyrst begin when he is a childe with keeping of Sheepe or Swyne and when he is elder with droues of cattell and keeping of horse he must learne next to digge to threashe to set to
sowe to hedge to build to mend such thinges as are broken to play the butcher to geue drinkes and medicines to sicke cattell and such other like thinges And thus must he proceede from one to an other tyll hauing passed them all he come to be a maister euen as Gregory Nazianzen teacheth of a Byshop and as Tully would haue a generall after he hath borne all other offices of the feelde RIGO You shewe me woonderfull Philosophie CONO As I saide at the fyrst his best age is betwixt thirtie and threescore for the flames of lustie youth beginning to abate he wyll not be so hotte in his wooing for whyle he folowes that game he wyll haue no minde but of his minion neither shal any reward be so welcome vnto him as the fruite of his fancie nor any greefe so great to him as the fayling of his desire If he once passe threescore he waxeth slouthfull and vnable to labour For I had rather haue the woorke of a painefull and diligent Bayliffe then the seruice of a great number of slouthful lubbers as he that had rather haue a Lion captaine ouer Hartes then a Hart captaine ouer Lions This must cheefely be looked vnto sins early going to woorke is a great matter that the Bailiffe be a good riser and that supplying his maisters place he may be the fyrst vp in the mornyng and the last that goeth to bedde and that he see the doores fast locked and euery man in bedde that the cattel haue meate yenough and be well littured that he set forward according to the time of the yeere suche as doo loyter in their labour that he him selfe goe lustely before that he suffer no man after it is day to lagge behinde but that they folowe the Bayliffe lustely with a courage as yf he were their captaine in a skirmishe and that he vse sundry deuises to cheare them vp in their labour sometime as it were to helpe him that fainteth to take his toole out of his hand and labour lustely before him And as a carefull shepheard earlie carying out his sheepe and bringyng them home late looketh that he leaue none of his flocke behinde him so likewyse ought a good Bailiffe to carrie out his men and to haue good regard ouer them If any of them happen to be hurt or sicke let him looke to the dressing of them and yf they be very sicke to carrie them to the sicke folkes lodging and to see that they be well ordered and to that vse haue I built yonder house that you see remooued from the other buildinges that the sicke may be had thyther and looked vnto specially yf their diseases be contagious lest other should be infected It is the maisters duetie to haue such regarde of the health of his seruauntes and to haue such care of them that their sicknesse may be preuented by good medicines and good looking to as to see that theyr meate and drinke be wholsome and good and geuen in due season beside that the Bailiffe eate his meate with them and not by him selfe whereby it shal be the better ordered And because Phisitians are not alwayes at hand in the Countrey it behoueth to vse such remedies as experience hath taught and such as haue holpen others of like diseases Those that labour in the Sunne because the Sunne hurteth the body and the vaynes theyr diet must be the thinner that they make not to great meales but eate litle and often this order keepeth them in health and helpeth digestion Some doo vse to geue Woormewood wine or potage made of Woormewood It is very necessarie for them sometimes to reâ—reate them selues so that in the meane whyle they geue not them selues to noughtinesse There must be heede taken that they drinke not when they be hotte nor lye vppon the colde ground yf their water be not good it must be wel purified It is very good also to let them drinke Barly water We must remember that seruantes be men besides such good looking to wyll breede a greater good wyll and duetie and lightly they wyl serue the faythfuller and better when they haue their health whiche haue had good cherishing in their sicknesse and besides which is not so well obserued in greater gouernours the Bayliffe must beware that he deale not to cruelly nor to gently with them that he alwayes make much of those that be diligent and painefull that he be not to hastie with the woorser sort that they may rather reuerence him for his seueritie then hate him for his crueltie whiche he shall easely bring to passe yf he rather beware that they offende not then after their offence to late to punishe them For there is none so good a bridle for an euil disposed person as to let him alwayes be occupied So that Catoes saying herein is most true that men in dooing nothing learne to doo euyll Let them haue their allowance and their meate in due season let them alwayes feede togeather in one place and the Bayliffe with them that he may be an example to them of all thriftinesse If he â—inde any of them to haue labourâ—d painefully and tâ—uely let him geue them a good countenance encourage them with rewardes to make them the wyllinger to doo their dueties beside let him looke that they be rather well clothed then curioâ—â—â—â— apparelled that their garmentes may keepe them from the colde aâ—d the rayne let their wages be well paide them that the wâ—at thereof be no excuse for them to loâ—â—er in their labour And as meate and apparell is necessarie for them so likewyse is correctâ—on For the wyse man sayth Geue a Horse the whip an Asse the snâ—â—â—ell and a Foole the rodde And agayne He that deales to gently with his seruauntes shal make them in the ende stubborne and froward Aboue all thinges let hym see that they feare God let him in no wyse suffer them to sweare or to blaspheme nor to vse filthy or vngodly speache but let him prouide that they be instructed in the Catechisme that they vse prayer that they go to Sermons vpon the holy dayes and receaue the Sacraments at times appoynted that they be not hunters of Alehouses or euill company For as the Poet sayth It is lawfull to be well occupied euen on the Festiuall dayes When they haue serued GOD and dyned let them walke abrode in the ground let them looke there be no cattell in the Corne and stoppe suche Gappes as they fynde open and looke that their cattell be in safetie abrode To be short the Bayliffe must in all these matters be as it were a Byshop or a maister of the woorkes so shall euery man the better doo the woorke that belongeth vnto him The Bailyffe must neuer be from their heeles least in his absence they fall to loytering neither must he suffer them any time to be idel he hym selfe must not be geuen to drinking or gaming nor to huntyng or fysshing except for his maisters profyte let him
feelde that hath lyen a yeere and that whiche is broken vp the first Spring for thus faith Varro There is great difference wheâ—her you sowe in vntilled ground or in that whiche is yeerely sowen and is called Restibilis or in that whiche hath lyen a while and is broken vp in the Spring Moreouer both Coâ—imella and Plinie doo vse not seeldome Veruactâ—â— for ground newe broken vp in the Spring taking their reason of the time wherby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be interpreted by the name of Veruactum or Nouale The Feelde is saide to be plowed to be stirred with the Plowe when it is turned vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hesiodus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is broken vp when it is first plowed lying in great Cloddes the seconde plowing is called Offringere Agrum or Iterare to plowe againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertiare to thry allowe itâ— Ageriteratus and tertiatus be vsuall woordes with Columella and Plinie Nouare is to chaunge the grounde wâ—ll husbanded before and to plowe it and prepare it for the sowing season Occare to harrowe it as Varro sayth is so to breake it as there remaine no Clodde The Harrowe is an instrument crosse lettused to breake the Cloddes withall and to couer the seedes Crâ—tire is likewyse vsed in the same signification Aâ—rare is when that which is sowen and come to some grouth is turned in with the Plowe Plinie calleth Ararare as it were Aratrare to plow often that which is sowen Sarrire is to purge with the Rake Runcare is to weede out of the grounde noisome weedes for whiche is also vsed Auerruncare and deruncare and of Columellá Exherbareâ— Pasâ—â—nare and Repâ—stinare is to digge about the Uines Pastinum is a forked instrument vsed in planting of Uines Lirare and Occare are almost one where we plowe so as we leaue betwixt two Furrowes a Ridge for the drie keeping of the graine like a Garden bedde And hereof is that space called Lira a Ridge whiche the husbandmen call â—orcas because the place being raysed hye defendeth the Corne from the water Lira Hortensis a bed in a Garden Scammâ—n a Balke is the grosse earth that hath scaped the Plowâ— Plinie wylleth that there be no Balkes made nor great Cloddes remayning meaning the great Turffe that is turned vp at the fyrst plowing Scamnatus Ager is called of Vibius Vrbicus that lande which runneth all in length from West to East whiche yf it be more of length then breadth and lyeth vpon the North is called Strigatus The land it selfe is also called grosse and rawe that is not well mellowed whiche hath neede to be seasoned with the heate of the Sommer and the colde of Winter and to be plowed in the Spring It is also called riche fruitefull fertyll and that which is nought and yeeldes not his fruite is called leane barren hungry or brynishe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also salt bitter sennishe where the water still continues wette that some time lyes drye Carbunckled that is burnt with the sonne rotten and mossie It is also called pleasaunt ground sweete blacke rotten and mellowed which are the signes of good ground but hereof I thinke I haue nowe spoken sufficiently RIGO That you may continue your speache I pray you goe to your former matter agayne CONO When you haue broken vp your ground yf it be Noualis as I sayde and not tylled before you may sowe it presently and harrowe it and yf neede be rake it The ground that is yeerely sowen that hath lyne spare is to be plowed thryse according to the nature of the soyle and the seede that you meane to sowe RIGO Nowe you haue tolde me howe to order my lande for seede I pray you let me vnderstande the sortes of seede and in what sort they must be sowed CONO That must I doo The seede that commeth of that whiche the Latines call Fruges as Pulse and Corne we here doo call Fruges all sortes of haruest grayne which the Germanes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are geathered in their beautie and their ripenesse Iulian the Lawyer calleth Fruges all thinges wherewith a man is fedde The auncient writers doo vnderstand it more largely for all the fruites of the earth Plinie deuides it into two kindes into Corne that growes on Eare as Gallus the Lawyer defines it the other that beareth Coddes as all kinde of Pulse or pedware Of the first kinde is Wheate Rye Barley Bigge Otes Beechewheate or Bucke or if you wyll in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ryse Lenten Wheate though all kindes growe not in all places nor haue in euery place all one name In some places you haue not Lenten Wheate cheefely where there is plentie of Bigge In other places they vse neither Otes nor Bucke Of the kindes of Pulse are theseâ— Beanes Peason Lentiles Chiches Tares Lintels Lupines and suche lyke And though there be sundry sortes of seede and euery Countrâ—y hath his kinde and sowes such as best agrees with their nature yet generally this is to be regarded that you sowe none that are olde and dryed but the newest for olde seede dooth oftentymes as they wryte change their nature as the seede of Colwoortes that being sowen turneth to Rapes and Rape seede likewyse into Colwoortes The seede of the fyrst yeere is best of two yeere olde woorse and of three woorst of all the rest is barren and nought The best seede also is that which is waightiest and lyeth in the bottome and such as is full and being broken hath a good colour such as is wrinckled and thinne in the â—are is to be throwen away There is also another necessarie note to haue the seede from strange grounde from the woorse to the better and not the contrary nor from colde Countreys into hotte nor from the forward to the slowe and to beware that it be not bitten with Birdes Mise or Antes and to prosper the better sprinckle them before they be sowen with the yuice of Houseleeke If you mingle with your grayne the seede of Bearfoote and sowe it about your grounde you shal saue it from the anoyance of Birdes You must sowe your Ridges with an equall hande 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all alike in euery place letting your foote specially the right foote your hand go togeather Wheate Rye Barly Otes and other cheefely such as beare Coddes as Milium and Panicum must be sowen with a ful hand but Rape seede only with three fingers RIGO A man must vse his hande I perceaue as the Harper dooth to make it perfite CONO He must in deede And as we put more water to stronger wine then we doo to small and laye the greater burden vpon the stronger man and some stomacke requires the stronger foode so some grounde may beare muche seede and some away with lesse neither can it be certaynely appoynted howe muche seede is
drye a delightfull foode to Swyne it may be mooued sundry times in the yeere to the great commoditie of the husband a little whereof dooth soone fatte vp cattell neither is there any other grasse that yeeldeth eyther more abundance or better mylke the most soueraine medicine for the sicknesâ—e oâ— cattell that may be bâ—side the Philosophers promise that Bees wyll neuer fayle that haue this grasse growyng neare them therefore it is necessarie to haue your grounde stored with it as the thing that best serueth foâ— Poultrie and Cattell the leaues and seedes are to be geuen to leane and drouping Pullen some call it Telinen some Trefoyle some great Melilot the Romanes call it Trifolu maius great Trasâ—e it is a plant al hearie and whytishe as Rhamnus is hauing branches halfe a yarde long and more wherevpon groweth leaues lyke vnto Fenygreeke or Clauer but something lesse hauyng a ryâ—yng crest in the middest of them This plant was fyrst founde in the Ilande Cythno and from thence spread throughout the Cyclads and so to Greece wherby the store of Cheese came to be great neyther is there any Countrey at this day where they may not haue great plentie as Columella sayth of this shrubbe In Italy it groweth about the enclâ—syars of Uineyardes it shrâ—nketh neyther for heate colde frost nor snowe it requireth good groude yf the weather be very drye it must be watred and when it fyrst springes well harrowed after three yeeres you may cut it downe and geue it your cattell Vaâ—ro woulde haue it sowen in well ordred ground as the seede of Colwoortes should be and after remooued and set a foote and a halfe a sunder or els to be set of the slippes The tyme of sowyng of Cytisus is eyther in Autume or in the spryng in ground well plowed and layde out in beâ—des yf you want the seede you may take the slippe so that you set them foure foote a sunder and a bancke cast about them with earth well dounged you may also set them before September when they wyll very well growe and abyde the colde in Winter it lasteth but three yeere Columella hath two kindes of Cytisus one wylde the other of the Garden The wylde dooth with his claspers feede very well it wyndeth about and killes his neighbours as the Iuie dooth it is founde in Cornefeeldes specially amongst Barley the flowre thereof is lyke the flowre of Pease the leafe yf it be bruysed smelleth like Rockeâ— and being champâ—d in the mouth it tasteth like Chyche or Pease There is an other kinde of fodder among the plantes vnknowen to the old wryters very good to feede both cattel Poultrye I know not whether it be knowen in other Countreys beside Germanie the common people call it Spury or Sperie it hâ—th a stalke a foote in height or more busshed foorth in mans branches it hath a whyte flowre without any leafe the flowre endeth in little knoppes as Flaxe hath conteynyng in them a very little seede like Rape seede They are much deceiued that take it for Cytisus when that as Dioscorides sayth hath leaues like Fenugreeke and this is altogeather without leaues neither is the seede any thing like though the vse be almost one The best Milke and Butter in Germanie commeth of this feeding wherefore it is esteemed almost as good as Barley or other grayne the strawe is better then any Heye the Chaffe feedeth as well as any Graynes the seede feedeth Pigeons and Poultrie in Winter passing well it is sowed in sandie and light groundes all the Sommer long and some sowe it in Spring time with Oates for the seede sake in Autume and Haruest time it is sowed to feede Cattell it is profitable for husbandes that dwell in sandy and grauelly Countreys wherefore they shoulde neuer be without good store of it for Hennes Bees Goates Sheepe Oxen and all kinde of Cattell delight very muche in it nowe remayneth the sowyng of Flaxe and Hempe RIGO I looke for it CONO These although they be not to be receiued in the number of Corne nor Pulse Fodder nor Hearbes yet is there great account to be made of them with the husbandmans thinges without whiche no house can be furnished nor man wel apparelled whiche being beaten to a sofâ—nesse serueth for webbes of Linnen and twysting of Cordes and more of tâ—is so little a seede dooth spring that which as Plinie sayth carrieth the whole worlde hether and thether that bryngeth Egypt to Italy and carryeth vs from Cales of Ostia in seuen dayes Linum in Latine in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian and Sâ—â—nishe Lino in French Dulin in Dutch almost like â—auing that they call the seede Lyn and the plant Flaxe is a very common hearbe wherewith women are set a woorke it hath a sclender stalke not muche vnlike to Sperie but that it groweth higher a litle bigger with narrow leaues long blewe flowres in the top which falling away leaueth behinde them little round knoppes as bigge as a Pease wherin are enclosed yellowe seedes it delighteth in rich ground and somewhat moyst some sowe it in barrayne grounde after once plowyng it is sowed in the Spring and geathered in sommer In Gelderland and Gulicke where there is great store of it they sowe it about the beginnyng of May there are agayne that obserue three seasons for the sowyng of it as the weather shall fall out for it requireth rayne and moysture the ripenesse of it is perceiued by the waxing yellowe and swelling of the knoppes that holde the seede being then plucked vp and made in little bundels it is dryed in the Sunne the rootes standyng vpwarde that the seede may fall out Some vse agayne to carde of the knoppes with an iron Combe and drying them in the Sunne to geather the seede The bundels afterwardes are layde in water heated with the Sunne with some wayght vppon them to keepe them downe the rynde waxing loose sheweth when they haue been steeped yenough Then the bundels vnloosed and dryed in the Sunne are beaten with beetelles when as the vtter rynde is pilled of and combed and hacked vpon an iron combe the more wrong it suffereth the better doth it prooue the Towe is seuered from the Flaxe and appoynted for his vse so are they seuerally spon vpon the Distaffe made vp in bottomes and sent to the Weauers whereof are wouen webbes to the great commoditie of al men Last of all the webbe is layde out in the hotte Sunne and sprinckled with water whereby it is brought to a passing whitenesse It may be remembred that not long since the women of Germanie knewe no costlyer attyre The best Flaxe that is at this day is brought from Moscouia Liuonia and those Countreys farre excelling ours in heyght and goodnesse Except there be great encrease of it price in the Countrey where you dwel Columella would not haue you meddle with the sowing of it for it is most hurtfull to the ground as Virgil
nor are in danger of storme or tempestes as other kinde of grounde is except suche parcels as lye neare Riuers and Ilandes whiche are sometimes ouerflowed and that discommoditie is sufficiently recompenced with the fatnesse that the water leaues behinde it whiche enricheth the grounde and makes it the better yeerely to yeelde his gayne eyther in Pasture or Meddowe The Pastures wiâ—h vs doo commonly serue both for Pasture or Meddowe when we list specially in suche places where the grounde is ritche and drye whiche they had ratired to employ to Pasture because with dounging of Cattell it waxeth â—â—wayes the better whereas with continuall bearing of Heâ— in hath growen to be mossie and nought but where the grounde is alwayes wette and watrishe there it is better to let it lye for Meddowe Columella maketh two kindes of Pasture grounde whereof one is alwayes drye the other ouerflowen The good and the riche grounde hath no neede of ouerflowyng the Hay being muche better that groweth of the selfe goodnesse of the grounde then that whiche is forced by waters whiche sometime notwithstandyng is needefull yf the barrennesse of the grounde requireth it for in badde and noughtie grounde good Meddowe may be made if it lye to be ouerflowen but then must the grounde neither lye hollowe nor in hilles lest the one of them keepe the waters vppon it to long and the other presently let it soorth agayne Therefyre lyeth the grounde best that lyeth leuelest which suffereth not the water to remayne very long nor auoydeth it too soone If in suche grounde it chaunce to stand ouerlong it may be auorded with water streame at your pleasure for both ouerplus and the want of water are alike hurtfull vnto Meddowes It is very handsome where drye and barrayne grounde lyeth so by the Riuer as the water may be let in by Trenches when you lyst in fine the occupying of Pasture groundes require more care then trauayle First that we suffer not Busshes Thornes nor great Weedes to ouergrowe them but to destroy some of them as Brembles Bryers Bulrusshes and Sedges in the ende of Sommer and the other that be Sommer Weedes as Sowthystell and all other Thystels in the Spring You must take heede of Swyne that spoyle and turne vp the grounde ilfauouredly and all other Cattell except it be in hard and drye weather for otherwyse they gult and maâ—re the grounde with the deepe sincking of their feete treading in the Grasse and breaking the Rootes The badde and barrayne groundes are to be helped with doung in Winter specially in Februarie the Moone encreasing and the stones stickes and suche baggage as lye scattered abrode are to be throwen out sooner or later as the grounde is There are some Meddowes that with long lying are ouer growen with Mosse whiche the old husbands were woout to remedie with casting of certaine seedes abrode or with laying on of doung specially Pigeons doung but nothing is so good for this purpose as often to cast asshes vppon it for that destroyeth Mosse out of hand Notwithstanding these are but troublesome remedies The best and certainest is to plowe it for the grounde after his long rest will beare goodly Corne. But after you haue plowed it it wyll scarse recouer his olde estate againe for Pasture or Meddowe in three or foure yeeres When you meane to let your ground lye againe for Meddowe or Pasture your best is to sowe it with Oates and to harrowe the grounde euen and leuell and to hurle out all the stones and suche thinges as may hurt the Sythe for Oates is a great breeder of Grasse Some doo cast Hey seede geathered from the Heyloaft or the racks ouer the grounde before they harrowe it Others agayne when their Meddowes haue lyen long sowe Beanes vpon them or Rape seede or Millet and the yeere after Wheate and the thirde yeere they let them lye againe for Meddowe or Pasture You must beware that whyle the ground is loose and soft you let not in the water for the force of the water wyll washe away the earth from the rootes of the Grasse and wyll not suffer them to growe togeather neither must you for the like daunger suffer Cattell to come vppon it except in the seconde yeere Goates or Sheepe or suche like after you haue mowed it and that yf the season be very drye The thirde yeere you may put on your greater sort of Cattell againe and yf the grounde be hilly and barrayne you may doung the highest part of it in Februarie as I saide before casting on it some Hey seede for the higher part being mended the rayne or water that comes to it wyll carry downe some part of the richenesse to the hottome as I saide before when I spake of the manuring of earable grounde But yf you wyl lay in newe grounde for Meddowe and that you may haue your choyse take such as is ritche dewye leuell or a little hanging or choose suche as valley where the water can neither lye long nor runne away to fast neither is the rancke Grasse alwayes a signe of good grounde for what goodlyer Grasse is there saith Plinie then is in Germanie and yet you shall there haue sand within a little of the vpper part Neither is it alway a watrie grounde where the Grasse growes hie for the very Mountaines in Sycherland yeeld great and hie Grasse for Cattell The Pastures that lyes by the Lakes of Dumone in Austri and Hungry are but selender nor about the Rhine specially at his falling into the Sea about Holland as likewyse in Frislande and Flaunders Caesar Vopiscus the Feeldes of Roscius were the principal of Italie where the Grasse would so soone growe as it woulde hide a staffe in a day You may make good Meddowe of any grounde so it may be watred Your Meddowes are to be purged in September and October and to be ridde of all Busshes Brambles and great foule Weedes and al thinges els that annoy them then after that it hath often been stirred and with many times plowing made fine the stones cast away and the cloddes in euery place broken you must doung it well with freshe doung the Moone encreasing Let them be kept from gulling and trampling of Cattel The Mouldhilles dounging of Horse and Bullockes must with your Spade be cast abroade whiche yf they remaine would eyther be harberours of Antes and suche like Uermine or els breeders of hurtful and vnprofitable weedes your Meddowes must be laide in towardes Marche and kept from Cattell and made very cleane yf they be not ritche they must be mended with doung whiche must be laide on the Moone encreasing and the newer the doung be the better it is and the more Grasse it makes whiche must be laide vpon the toppe of the highest of the grounde that the goodnesse may runne to the bottome The best hearbe for Pasture or Meddowe is the Trefoyle or Clauer the next is sweete Grasse the woorst as Plinie saith is Russhes
Fearne and Horsetayle RIGO Howe shall I knowe when the Grasse is ripe and ready to be cutte CONO The time of cutting of it is when the Bent beginneth to fade and to waxe stiffe and before it wyther Cato biddes not to mowe your Grasse with the latest but before the seede be ripe It is best cut downe before it wyther whereby you shall haue botâ— more and better Hey of it Some where they may ouerflowe it doo water it a day before they cut it it cutteth better after a dewye Euening RIGO Doo you cut Grasse in the like sort as you doo Corne CONO Almost in the like same sort some do vse short Sythes mowing it with one hand but we here doo vse the common great Sythe mowing with both our handes as I saide before that Oates and Barley and suche other like Corne was mowed whiche Sythes we vse to sharpe with Whetstones or instrumentes of Wood dressed with Sande The Grasse being cutte must be well tedded and turned in the Sommer and not cocked till it be drye and yf it chaunce to be wette with rayne it must not be turned till the vpper part be dryed There is a measure to be vsed in making of it that it be not had in too drie nor to greene The one sort yf the iuyce be dryed vp serueth only for litter the other too greene and moyst yf it be carryed into the Loft rotteth and the vapour being ouerheated falleth on fyre and burneth And yf so be the rayne chaunce to fall vpon the Grasse that is newe cut downe yf it be not stirred it takes not so muche harme but yf it be once turned you must still be stirring of it otherwyse it will rotte Therefore the vppermost part before it be turned must be well dryed with the Sunne and the Winde when it is dryed we lay it in windrowes and then make it vp in Cockes and after that in Moowes which must be sharpe and piked in the toppe the better to defend it from the rayne whiche yf it doo not fall yet is it good so to doo that they may sweate in the saide Moowes and digest what so euer moysture is in it And therefore good husbandes doo not lay it vp in their Loftes till suche time as it hath sweat in the Feelde Grasse is commonly mowed twyse a yeere in May or Iune and againe after Haruest the first mowing is counted the best As soone as the Hey is of after the first mowing it woulde be ouerflowed yf you may conueniently to the ende the after swath may be mowed in Autume whiche they call in Latine Cordum In the Dukedome of Spolâ—to it is saide they mowe foure times a yeere being drye grounde and diuers other places thryse a yeere Medica may be rutte sixe times a yeere yf it be ordered as it ought to be It is best mowed when it beginneth to flowre for it must not growe to seede being dryed it is made vp in bundels and kept good three yeeres to the great comfort of poore Cattell but because I haue tolde you of Medica before it is but vayne to rehearse it agayne RIGO You haue spoken of a very large and great knowledge of husbandry whiche out of doubt requireth in a man great trauayle and diligence CONO It requireth in deede great diligence and trauayle howebeit it recompenceth the paines and the charges not without great gaynes whereof Plinie bringeth for example Caius Cresinus who when vppon a little peece of grounde he reaped more fruite and graynes a great deale then his neighbours did vppon their great occupiers grâ—we into great hatred amongst them as though they had bewitched their feeldes whereof being accused by Spurius Albinus and fearing to be condemned when the Quest should passe vppon him he bringes all his instrumentes of husbandry into the common place and brought in there with all his daughter a iolly great royle his iron tooles perfectly wel made great Spades mightie Coulters and lustie Cattell loe here quoth he myne echauntments neither can I bring before you my great and painefull labours watchinges and sweat wherevppon he was presently quitte by the voyces of them all But I keepe you to long about my husbandry it is good time we leaue and goe home RIGO With a good wyll If I may obtayne one thing at your handes whiche when you haue made an ende with I wyll trouble you no longer CONO What is that RIGO If a man woulde bye a Farme or a Mannour in what sort shall he best doo it for I dout not but you haue good skill in suche matters CONO Iscomachus in Xenophon telleth that his father taught him that he shoulde neuer buye a peece of grounde that had been skilfully or curiously husbanded before but rather suche ground as by the slouthfulnesse and pouertie of the maister had lyen vntilled and neglected and yet seeme to be very good grounde as it is better to bye a leane Horse so that he be not olde and that he haue the tokens of a good Horse then a fatte Horse and one that is curiously kept A well ordered peeece of lande is helde deare and yeeldes no great encrease and therefore is neither so pleasant nor so profitable as that which by good husbandry may be made better Cato woulde haue two thinges to be obserued in bying of lande the goodnesse of the ground and the holsomenesse of the ayre of whiche two yf eyther be lacking whosoeuer dooth bye it he iudgeth him mad and meete to be sent to Bedlem for none that is well in his wittes wyll bestowe cost vppon barraine grounde nor hazarde him selfe for a little riche grounde to be alwayes subiect to pestilentiall diseases for where a man must deale with the Deuil there is not onely his commoditie but his life doubtfull and rather his death then his gayne certaine After these two principall notes as Columella sayth Cato added of like weyght these three that folowe to be regarded the Way the Water the Neighbour The goodnesse of the waye is a great matter for it both makes the maister haue a delight to goe about it and it is commodious for carriage whiche bringeth great gayne and litleth charges Of the commoditie of water who doubteth without whose vse no man is able to liue Of a mans neighbour he woulde haue a man haue speciall regarde Hesiodus sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an euill neighbour is a great mischiefe I haue knowen diuers that for the troublesomenesse of theyr neighbour haue forsaken good dwellings and changed golde for copper because they haue had false knaues to their neighbours and quarellers that suffering their cattel to runne at large in euery mans ground to spoyle their Corne and their Uines would also cutte downe wood and take what so euer they finde alwayes brabling about the boundes of their grounde that a man coulde neuer be in quiet for them or els haue dwelt by some Caterpiller Ruffian or Swashbuckler that would leaue
poore people as not able to beare the charges were banished from the costlier eates and driuen to content them selues with the basest foode And hereof sprang at the fyrst the planting of Orchardes and making of Gardens wherewith the poorest creature that was might store his Kitchin and haue his victuals alwayes at hand the Orchard and Garden seruing for his Shambles with a great deale more commendable hurtlesse dyet Herein were the olde husbandes very careful and vsed alwayes to iudge that where they founde the Garden out of order the wyfe of the house for vnto her belonged the charge thereof was no good huswyfe for they shoulde be forced to haue their victuals from the Shambles or the Market not making so great account of Colwoortes then as they doo nowe condemning them for the charges that were about them As for fleshe it was rather lothed then vsed amongst them Only Orchardes and Gardens did chiefely please them because the fruites that they yeelde needed no fyre for the dressing of them but spared wood being alwayes of them selues redy dressed easie of digestion and nothing burdensome to the stomacke and some of them seruing also to pouder or preserue withal as good marchandize at home as Plinie sayth not driuing men to seeke Pepper as farre as Indie Of Lucrin I the Oysters not regarde as the Poet sayth And therefore to make them of more woorthynesse and that for their common profyte they shoulde not be the lesse regarded there were diuers noble men of the house of Valerius that tooke their surnames of Lettuse and were not ashamed to be named Lettismen The olde people had in great estimation the Gardens of the daughters of Altas and of the kinges Adonis and Alcinoi of whom Homer so muche speaketh as also the great vaulted Gardens eyther built by Semiramis or by Cyrus the king of Assyria Epicure is reported to be the fyrst that euer deuised Garden in Athens before his time it was not seene that the pleasures of the Countrey were had in the Citie Now when Thrasybulus trauayling in the affayres of his Prince chaunced to come to the house of Marius and carryed by him into a Garden that he had whiche was very beautifull being ledde about among the sweete smelling flowres and vnder the pleasaunt Hearbers what a goodly sight quoth Thrasybulus is here howe excellently haue you garnished this paradise of yours with all kinde of pleasures Your Parlers your banketting houses both within and without as all bedecked with pictures of beautifull Flowres and Trees that you may not onely feede your eyes with the behâ—lding of the true and liuely flowre but also delight your selfe with the counterfaite in the middest of Winter seeing in the one the painted flowre to contende in beautie with the very flowre in the other the woonderfull woorke of nature and in both the passing goodnesse of god Moreouer your pleasaunt Herbers to walke in whose shaddowes keepe of the heate of the Sunne and yf it fortune to rayne the Cloysters are hard by But specially this little Riuer with most cleare water encompassing the Garden dooth woonderfully set it foorth and here withall the greene and goodly quickset Hedges in chargeble kinde of enclosures differeth it both from Man and Beast I speake nothing of the well ordered quarters whereas the Hearbes and Trees are seuered euery sort in their due place the Pot hearbes by them selues the Flowres in an other place the Trees and the Impes in an other quarter all in iust square and proportion with Alleys and Walkes amongst them Among these goodly sightes I pray you remember according to your promise for so the time requireth to shewe me some part of your great knowledge in Garden matters syth you haue vppon this condition heard me heretofore garbring or rather weerying you with the declaiming of my poore skill in the tilling of the Feeld MARIVS Your memorie is herein a littel to quicke but what shal I doo promise must be kept and since you wyl needes force me you shall heare me babble as well as I can of my knowledge in gardning but not with the like pleasure that I heard you talking of your grasyng and your ground THRA Yes truely with as great pleasure and desire as may be MARIVS Come on then let vs here sitte downe in this Herber and we wyll nowe and then ryse and walke resting vs as oft as you wyl in the meane time IVLIA shal make redy our supper And fyrst euen as you began with the choosing of a place meete to set your house vpon so must I with the choise of a Plot meete for a Garden The ordring of Gardens is diuers for some are made by the Manour houses some in the Suburbes some in the Citie where so euer they be yf the place wyll suffer they must be made as neare to the house as may be but so as they be as farre from the Barnes as you can for the chaffe or dust blowing into them and eyther subiect to the Doung heape whereby it may be made riche or els in some very good grounde that hath some small Brooke runnyng by it or yf it haue none suche some Well or Condite whereby it may be watred An excellent plotte for the purpose is that which declineth a little and hath certaine gutters of water running through diuers partes therof for Gardens must alwayes be to be easily watred yf not with some runnyng streame some Pompe is to be made or Kettell Myll or suche like as may serue the turne of a naturall streame Columella would haue you make your searche for water when the Sunne is in the latter part of Virgo which is in September before his entrance into the Winter Aequinoctial for then may you best vnderstand the strength or goodnesse of the springes when after the great burnyng heate of the Sommer the grounde hath a long whyle continued without rayne If you can not thus haue water you must make some standing Pond at the vpper part of the ground that may receyue and conteyne such water as falles from aboue wherewith ye may water your Garden in the extreame heate of the Sommer but where neither the nature of the soyle nor conueiance by Conduite or Pompe or running streame is to be had you haue no other helpe but the rayne water of Winter which yf you also haue not then must you delue lay your Garden three or foure foote deepe which being so ordered wyll well be able to abide what so euer droughth doo happen This is also to be regarded that in Gardens that are destitute of water you so order them into seuerall partes that what part you wyll occupie in Winter may lye toward the South and that which shal serue you for Sommer may lye towardes the North. In a Garden as in the choyse of Corne grounde you must looke whether the goodnesse of the ground be not hindered by the vnskilfulnesse of hym that hath
seasons and yet doo very well All Garden hearbes are commonly sowen before the tenth of Iune suche thinges as you would not haue seede you may sowe after this time Some thinges are sowed onely two times a yeere in the spring and in the ende of Sommer Others agayne at sundry tymes as Lettuse Colwoortes Rocket Radishe Cresses Corriander Cheruil and Dyll These are sowed about March or about September and as Columella sayth doo come eyther of the seede or of the slippe some of the Roote some of the Stalke some of the Leafe some of the Clot some of the Head some of both others of the Barke others of the Pith some both of the seede and the slippe as Rue wylde Marierum and Basyl this they cutte of when it comes to be a handfull hye others growe both of the Seede and the Roote as Onyons Garlyke and suche lyke And although al thing wyll growe of their seedes yet this they say Rue wyll not doo for it very seeldome springes therefore they rather set the slippes These that are set of the Roote doo commonly last longer and branche better putting foorth young slippes from his sides as the Onyon and Gith The stalke being cut they all doo spring agayne for the most part except such as haue speciall stalkes called of Theophrastus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is suche as when the stalke is cutte growe no more Gasa interprets it Secaulia The Rape and the Radysh their leaues being pulled away couered with earth doo growe and continue tyll Sommer The fruites of some is in the earth some without and some both within without some lye grow as the Cucumber and the Gourd sometimes hang though of greater weyght by much then the fruites of Trees some require stayes helpes to clime by as Hoppes Lupines Pease some seede groweth better The newer they be as Leekes Nigella Romana Cucumbers Gourdes therefore some vse to steepe their Cucumber-seede in Mylke or Water to cause them to grow the speedelyer On the other side of olde seede better groweth the Beete Garden Cresses Peniryal great Marierum Corriander In the Beete this is onely obserued that the seede commeth not al vp in one yeere but part the second yeere some the third and therefore of a great deale of seede springeth but a little Touchyng seede this is to be well seene to that they be not to olde and drye that they be not mingled or taken one for an other olde seede in some is of such force as it chaungeth the nature for of olde Colwoort seede springeth the Rape and likewyse of Rape seede Colwoortes Also that ye geather not your seedes to soone nor to late The very time as Theophrastus wryteth is at the spring the fall of the leafe and the rysyng of the Dogge but not in all places and kindes alike Of Seedes the soonest that spring are these Basyl Arach Nauen Rocket that commeth vp the third day after the sowing Lettuse the fourth day the Cucumber and the Gourde the fyfth day Parslin longer eare it come Dyl the fourth day Cresses and Mâ—stardseede the fifth day Beetes in Sommer the â—ixth day in Winter the tenth or the twelfth Leekes the nienetienth day sometime the twentieth Corryander later which if it be new except it be thrust togeather it groweth not at all Peneryall and great Marierom come vp after thyrtie dayes Parsley of all other the longest before it come vp appearing the fourtieth day after or many times the fiftieth You must also consyder that the weather in sowyng is of great force for the season being fayre warme they come vp the sooner Some sortes seede one yeere and neuer after come vp some agayne continue as Persley Smalledge Leekes Nigella that beyng once sowed come vp euery yeere Suche as continue but a yeere presently vpon their seeding dye other spring agayne after the losse of their stalke as Leekes Nigella Onyons and Garlyke and commonly all suche as put out from the side and all these require dounging and watring In sowyng beside some thinke you must haue regard to the Moone and to sowe and set in the encrease and not in the wane Some agayne thinke it best from that she is foure dayes olde tyll she be eyghteene some after the thirde others from the tenth tyl the twentieth and best as they all suppose the Moone being aloft and not sette THRA But nowe I pray you tell vs something of the ordering of the best Garden hearbes you haue MARIVS Some deuide their gardnyng time by the monethes as they doo their other husbandry THRA I care not whether by monethes or other wayes but I would faine knowe the orderyng of your Garden here for I knowe in hotte Countreys they garden all the Winter long but I am altogeather for our Countrey whose order we must here folowe MARIVS In these partes they commonly begyn theyr gardnyng yf the weather be fayre and seasonable in the ende of Februarie At this time therefore the Garden being dounged digged raked and cleansed they vse to plant Sperage and Rue THRA I pray you begin with Asparagus or Sperageâ— and the other potte hearbes euery one in his order and afterward with flowres and Phisicke hearbes MARIVS Asparagus was woont to growe wylde but now is brought into the Garden it is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Spanishe and Frenche it is almost all one the one calling it Asparago the other Asperge the Dutche men call it Sparages and Spiritus because it comes vp of it selfe for the Garden Sperage they were not acquainted with It is planted in two sortes eyther of the Seede or the Roote They take of the Seede as much as you may take vp with three fyngers and bestowing it in little hoâ—ls euery two or three seedes halfe a foote a sunder they set them in ritche ground in Februarie and couer the ground with doung The weedes that growe must be well plucked away after the fourtieth day they come vp as it were to one roote and tangled togeather the rootes haue sundry long threedes which they call the Sponge In ground that is drye the seedes are to be set deepe and well tempered with doung In wette groundes on the other side they are to be set shallowe in toppe of the borders lest the moysture destroy them The fyrst yeere you must breake of the stalkes that growe for yf you plucke them vp by the rootes the whole settes wyll folowe which are to be preserued for two yeere with dounging and weeding All the yeeres after you must not geather them in the stalke but pull them from the roote that the rootes being opened may the better spring which except you doo you hurt the spring Him that you meane to keepe for feede you must in no wyse meddle withall after burne vp the busshes and in Winter doung well the rootes with doung and ashes they are planted also
would haue to serue you in Winter in October in warme stonie places for sallets in Winter they vse at this day when his leaues be out to fold them vp together tye them round in the toppe with some small thing couering them with some little earthen vessell the rootes still remayning to nourishe them withall thus dooing they wyll growe to be white and tender and to loose a great part of their bitternesse It is said that they wyll be whyte yf they be sprinckled a fewe dayes abroade and lying vpon sand be wasshed with the rayne and thus is Endiue with his encrease preserued all Winter Some there be that contentyng them selues with lesse charges and labour doo onely couer them with earth others agayne with strawe this order of wintering of it is nowe in euery place growen to be common THRA I see also in this pleasaunt Garden Colwoortes that we Countrey folkes be so well acquainted with MARIVS Is it meete my Garden shoulde want that whiche as you knowe Cato preferreth before all other hearbes in describing the woonderful properties and vses thereof and this place I onely appoynt for suche common potte hearbes as Colwoortes Beeâ—es Endiue Onyans Rapes Nauenes Leekes Carrettes Raddishe Garleeke and Parsneppes the woorthyer sort I place by them selues and as the nature of euery one requireth Colwoortes is commonly called in Latine Brassica or Caulis in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Frenche Choux in Italian Caule in Spanishe l'erza in Dutche Koil The olde wryters made diuers sortes of it as at this day there be One sort with great and broade leaues a bigge stalke and very fruitefull This sort is commonly knowen whiche being the pleasaunter in Winter when it is bitten with the frostes is sodde with Baken and vsed in porredge The tender part of the toppe being a little boyled is serued for sallettes dressed with oyle and salt The second sort with the croombled leafe of that resemblance that it hath to Smallage is called Selinocis or Apiaria of the common people crompled Col or wrinckled Col. The thirde sort whiche is properly called Crambe hath a smaller stalke and leafe smoothe tender and not very ful of iuyce The fourth sort is the great Cabbedge with brode leaues and a great head called in Dutche Kappes in Frenche Cheux Cabuz of the olde wryters Tritiana Brassica and this kind is only most set by In Germanie there is one kind of them that they call Lumbardy Colwoort or Sauoy Colwoort sweeter then the other and not able to endure the Winter and an other with very brode leaues croompled and full of wrinckles but a great deâ—le blacker whiche the Italians call Neâ—â—â—caules and the Latines Nigra Brassica of the number of thâ—se that they call commonly redde Col of the olde wryters Marucina Brassica There are besides other sortes takyng their names of they Countrey where they growe as Aricina and Cumana The best time for setting and sowyng of Colwoortes is after the Ides of April In colde and raynie Countreys the oftner it is dounged and raked the better a great deale wyl the Colwoortes be some vse to sowe them about the Kalends of March but then the cheefest of it goeth out in leafe and when it is once cut maketh no good stalke for the Winter after yet may you twyse remooue your greatest Col and if you so doo you shal haue both more seedeâ— and greater yeelde for it so aboundeth with seede as it is sowed with no lesse aduauntage then Rape seede For the making of oyle Colwoortes may be sowen all the yeere long but chiefly in March after it is sowed it appeareth within ten dayes except your seedes be olde and drye for olde seede wyl growe to Rapes as olde Rape seede wyl to Colwoortes Some say it prospereth best in salt ground therfore they vse to cast vpon the ground Saltpeter or Ashes which also destroyeth the Caterpiller it is remooued in Iune chiefely when it hath put foorth sire leaues and that when the weather is rayny so that you couer the roote before with a little freshe doung and wrappe it in sea-weede and so set it More diligence is to be vsed about the Cabbedge it must be sowen in March in the full of the Moone that it may remayne in the grounde two Moones and in May you must take them vp and set them agayne two foote asunder The ground must be well digged where you set them and as fast as they growe the earth must be raysed about them so that there appeare no more then the very toppes of them for to cause them to growe sayre and great you must as oft as you remooue them banke them vp with earth about them that nothing but the leaues appeare And this you must often doo to all the kindes of them the hoare frostes make them haue the greater sweetenesse The Uineyardes they say where Colwoortes growe doo yeelde the woâ—â—ser Uines and the Col corrupteth the wine THRA I pray you proceede with the rest of these pot hearbes MARIVS You see hereby Spinage so tearmed as you knowe of the prickly seedes called in Latine Spinacia and euen so in Italian Spanishe Frenche and Datche it is sowen as those before in March Apryll and so tyll September yf it may be well watred it commeth vp in seuen dayes after the sowing you shall not neede to remooue it The seede must presently after the sowing be couered and afterward well weeded it refuseth no kinde of grounde but prospereth in euery place you must often cut it for it continually groweth it is to be boyled without any water where in the boyling it doth yeeld great store of iuyce and contenting it selfe with his owne licquour it requireth none other Afterwarde being beaten and stirred with the ladell tyll the clamminesse be gone it is made vp in little balles the iuyce strayned out and boyled vppon a Chafyndishe with Ole or Butter some adde therevnto Uergius or the iuyce of soure Grapes to make the taste more tarte I shewe you in order as you see all my Kitchin hearbes nowe followeth Sorel called in Latine Acetosa in Italian likewyse in Spanishe Romaza in Frenche Oxella in Dutch Surick of the sowrer therof There are sundry sortes of it we haue at this day two kinde the Garden Sorel and the wylde whiche are pleasant both in broth and sallettes and of this hearbe the wyld sortes are both sowrer in taste and smaller in leafe it is sowed as all other potte hearbes are and it groweth of it selfe in Meddowes and Gardens Cummin and Corriander require well ordered ground they are sowed in the Spring and must be wel weeded Cummin is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Cuminum and almost like in all other languages it is sowed best as they thinke with curfyng and execration that it may prosper the better Corriander called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Coriandrum and in almost by the
because the Nurse sometimes ought to be kineder and tenderer then the Mother a meete ground must be chosen for the purpose that is a ground drye fatte and well laboured with the Mattocke wherein the stranger may be well cherished and very lyke vnto the soyle into whiche you meane to remoue them The kernels or stones must not be altogether naked but a little couered with some part of the fruite so shall they afterwarde endure the longer They must be sette a foote or there aboutes a sunder after two yeeres they must be remoued And because theyr rootes doo runne very deepe into the ground they must be somewhat bent or turned in to the end they may spreade abroade and not runne downeward Aboue all thynges you must see it be free from stones and rubbishe well fenced against Poultry and not full of chinckes or cleftes that the sunne burne not the tender rootes they must be sette a foote a halfe a sunder that they hurt not one y other with their neare growing Among other euils they wyl be ful of wormes and therefore must be well raked and weeded beside growyng ranke they must be trymmed and proyned Cato woulde haue them couered ouer with Lattuses vppon forkes to let in the sunne and to keepe out the colde Thus are the kernelles of Peares Pineapples Nuttes Cypresse and such others cherished They must be gently watred for the fyrst three dayes at the going downe of the sunne that they equally receyuyng the water may open the sooner Zizipha or Turky Plomes Nuts Wallnuttes and Chestnuttes Bayes Cheryes Pistaces Apples Dates Peares Maples Fyrres Plomes and diuers others are sette of the stone or kernels In remouyng of them haue speciall regarde that they be sette in the lyke soyle or in better not from hotte and forwarde groundes into colde and backward nor contrary from these to the other You must make your furrowes so long before yf you can that they be ouergrowen with good mould Mago would haue them made a yere before that they may be well seasoned with the Sunne and the weather or yf you can not so you must kindle fyres in the middest of them two monethes afore and not to set them but after a shewre The deapth of their setting must be in stiffe claye or hard ground three cubites and for Plome trees a handfull more The furrowe must be made Furnase like strayght aboue and broade in the bottome and in blacke moulde two cubites and a hand broade being square cornered neuer deeper then two foote and a halfe nor broader then two foote broade and neuer of lesse deapth then a foote and a halfe whiche in a wette ground wyl drawe neare the water Suche as delight in the deapth of the ground are to be set the deeper as the Ashe and the Olyue these such like must be set foure foote deepe the others it suffiseth yf they stand three foote deepe Some vse to set vnder their rootes rounde little stones both to conteyne and conuey away the water others lay grauell vnderneath them The greater trees are to be set towarde the North and the West the smaller toward the South and the East Some wyl haue no tree remoued vnder two yeere olde or aboue three and others when they be of a yeeres growth Cato resisteth Virgils aucthoritie that it is to great purpose to marke the standing of the tree as it grew at the fyrst and to place it towardes the lame quarters of the heauen agayne Others obserue the contrary in the Uine and the Figge tree being of opinion that the leaues shall thereby be the thicker and better defend the fruite and not so soone fall beside the Figge tree wyll be the better to be climbed vpon Moreouer you must beware that by long tarying the rootes be not wythered nor the winde in the North when ye remoue them whereby many times they dye the husband not knowyng the cause Cato condemneth vtterly all maner of windes and stormes in the remouing of trees and therefore it is to great good purpose to take them vp with the earth about them and to couer the rootes with a 〈◊〉 and for this cause Cato woulde haue them to be carryed in basaet◠fylled with earth vp to the toppe the tree must so be sette as it may stande in the middest of the trenche and so great heede must be taken of the rootes that they may not be broken nor mangled THRA Let vs nowe goe forward with euery tree in his order MARIVS Among all trees and plantes the Uine by good ryght chalengeth the soueraignetie seeing there is no plant vsed in husbandry more fruitefull and more commodious then it not alonely for the beautifulnesse and goodlynesse of the fruite but also for the easinesse he hath in growyng whereby he refuseth not almost any kinde of Countrey in the whole worlde except suche as are too extremely skorched with the burnyng heate of the Sunne or els to extremely frozen with the vehement colde prosperyng also aswell in the playne and champion countrey as it dooth vppon the hilly and mountayne Countrey lykewyse as well in the stiffe and fast grounde as in the soft and meilowe ground and oftentymes in the loamie and leane grounde as in the fatte and foggie and in the drye as in the moyst and myrie yea and in many places in the very rockes it groweth most aboundantly and most fruitefully as is to be seene and prooued at this day about the ryuer of Rhyne in Germany and the ryuer of Mosel in Fraunce and aboue all this it best abideth and beareth the contrary disposition of the heauens THRA No doubt it is the most excellent plant but whom doo you suppose to be the fyrst aucthour of the plantyng of it the common sort doo attribute the fyrst inuention of it to Bachus MARIVS We that are taught by Gods holy woord doo knowe that it was fyrst founde out by the Patryarke Noe immediatly after the drownyng of the worlde it may be the Uine was before that tyme though the plantyng and the vse thereof was not then knowen The Heathen both most falsely and very fondly as in many other thinges doo geue the inuention of the same vnto the god Bachus But Noah liued many yeeres before either Bacchus Saturnus or Vranius were borne THRA It is most likely so but I woulde faine knowe whether the planting of Uines doth more enriche the husband then other husbandries doo MARIVS About this question there is no little adoo among the wryters of olde where there are some that preferre grasing tyllyng and woodsales farre aboue the Uines and yet agayne there wantes not great and learned men that affyrme the Uine to be most gainefull as declareth that olde fruitefulnesse of the Uines mentioned by Cato Varro and Columella which vpon euery acre yeelded .700 gallondes of Wine and the Uineyardes of Seneca wherein he had yeerely vppon one acre .1000 gallondes when as in Corne ground Pasture or Woodland
riche and liuely dooth very well agree with this tree Chalkie ground is vtterly to be refused and watry and maryshe ground woorst of all The â—yke is a barrayne sand and a hungry sand but you may see it well in corne ground where eyther the Wylding or the â—asthelme hath growen but betwixt the Oke and it there â—â— great hatred for yf the Oke groweth neare it flyeth away and â—â—â—inâ—eth towardes the earth and though you cut downe the Oke yet the very rootes poysoneth and kylleth the poore Olyue The lyke some affyrme of the trees called Cerrus and Esculus for where they be pulled vp yf you set the Olyue he dyeth so dooth it as Plinie sayth yf it chaunce to be brused of the Goate On the other side betwixt the Olyue and the Uine there is great freendship and loue and it is sayde that yf you graffe the Olyue vpon the Uine it wyll beare a fruite that shal be halfe Grape and halfe Olyue called Vuolea in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Olyue grape There are sundry wayes of plantyng of Olyues some take the biggest branches from the trees and saweing of the youngest plantes of two â—ubites in length they set them orderly in the ground some set the whole tree togeather Some agayne cuttyng of the toppes and all the branches set the stocke about the rysing of the starre Arcturus Many make them Impe Gardens in good grounde and mellowe suche as is commonly the blacke mould herein they set the young branches the lowest and the fayrest two or three inches in thicknesse and very fertill whiche they geather noâ— from the body of the tree but from the newest and latest bowes These they cut into prety settes of a foote and a halfe in length takyng good heede that they hurt not the rynde and paring the endes very smoothe with a sharpe knife and markyng them with redde Oâ—re that they may knowe whiche way they stoode afore and so settyng the lowest part into the grounde and the hyghest towardes the Heauen they put them in the grounde and so they growe the faster and beare the better for yf you should set them with the lower end vpward they would eyther hardly growe and prooue vnfruitefull and therefore they haue a regard of the setting of them You must beside before you set them rubbe ouer both the toppe the foote with doung mingled with ashes and so set them deepe in the ground coueryng them foure fyngers thicke with rotten mould You may choose whether you wyll set them all vnder the grounde or sette some part within the grounde and suffer the rest to appeare aboue the grounde those that be set all within the ground neede not to be marked but suche as shall stand with one part aboue the ground Didymus would haue them so set as they may appeare foure fingers aboue the ground and then to make a little trench for the receauing of the water and this maner of planting with the bowes is of Didymus best liked Where you meane to plant you must purge the ground of all other plantes busshes and weedes and the trenches must so be made as with the winde the sunne and rayne it may be mellowed made crombling that the plantes may the sooner take roote If your businesse require haste you must a moneth or two before burne in the trenches eyther stickes or reede or suche thinges as wyll easily take fyre and this you must doo diuers dayes togeather Your trenches must be three cubites or there about in deapth fourtie cubites a sunder wherby the trees may haue ayre yenough the first yeere second the third the earth must be trimmed with ofteÌ„â—aking the first two yeres you must not meddle with proppingâ— the third yeere you must leaue vpon euery one a couple of branches and often rake your Impe Garden the fourth yeere you shall of the two branches cut away the weaker being thus ordered in the fyfth yeere they wyll be meete to be remooued the stocke that is as bigge as a mans arme is best to be remooued let it stand but a little aboue the grounde so shall it prosper the better Before you remoue it marke the part that stood South with a peece of Oker that you may set it in like maner againe You must fyrst digge the trenched grounde with Mattockes and after turne in stone plowed earth and sowe it with Barley yf there be any water standyng in them you must let it out and cast in a fewe small stones and so settyng your settes cast in a little doung After the tenth of Iune when the ground gapes with the heate of the Sunne you must take heede that the sunne pearce not through the cleftes to the roote From the entryng of the Sunne into Libra you must ridde the rootes of all superfluous springes and yf the tree growe vpon the edge of a hill you must with little gutters drawe away the muddy water The doung must be cast on at the fall of the leafe that being mingled in Winter with the mould it may keepe the rootes of the trees warme The mother of oyle must be powred vpon the great ones the mosse must be cut of with an iron instrument or els it wyll yeeld you no fruite Also after certayne yeeres you must cut and loppe your Olyue trees for it is an old prouerbe that who so ploweth his Olyue Garden craueth fruite who doungeth it moweth fruite who cutteth the trees forceth fruite In the Olyue tree you shall sometime haue one branche more gallant then his fellowes whiche yf you cut not away you discourage all the rest The Olyue is also graffed in the wyld Olyue specially betwixt the rynde and the wood and by emplastring others graffe it in the roote and when it hath taken they pull vp a parcell of the roote withall and remooue it as they doo other plantes Those Olyues that haue the thickest barkes are graffed in the barke The time of graffing them is from the entryng of the Sunne into Aries and with some from the .xxii. of May tyll the fyrst of Iune The tyme of geathering of Olyues is when the greater part of half the fruite waxeth blacke and in fayre weather the riper the Olyue is the fatter wyll be the oyle In geathering of Olyues there is more cunnyng in making oyle then in making wine the lesser Olyues serue for oyle the greater for meate There is sundry sortes of oyle made of an Olyue the fyrst of all is rawe and pleasantest in taste the fyrst streame that comes from the presse is best and so in order The best oyle is about Venafri in Italy and Licinia in Spaine The next in goodnesse is in Prouence except in the fruitfull partes of 〈◊〉 The Olyues that you may come by with your handes you must eyther vpon the ground or with ladders geather and not beate them downe for those that are beaten downe doo wyther and yeelâ—e not so much oyle as the other
euen it is a signe of some fault in the foote the Horse halteth eyther by reason of the spoyling of his hoofe in iourney or by yll showing or by vnholsome humours fallen downe by long standing in the stable or by windgalles If the fault be in the showing strike vpon the head of euery nayle with the hammer and when you perceiue him to shrinke plucke out that nayle or powre vpon the hoofe colde water and that nayle that is fyrst dry plucke out yf it matter squeese it out and powre in Pitch well sodden with olde Swynes grease you must also speedely open his hoofe belowe that the matter yf it be full of corruption may descend least it breake out aboue the hoofe and so cause a longer time of healing The signes of it be yf he holde vp his foote which yf you doo pare him to the quicke and where you perceiue it to looke blacke open it and let out the matter if he be hurt inward and standeth but on his toe it sheweth the fault to be in his hoofe but yf he treade equally with his foote it declares the greefe to be some other where then in his hoofe yf in his haulting he bowe not his ioyntes it is a signe the sore is in the ioyntes For al halting generally mingle Hemp with the white of an egge and stop the foote withall and after clap on the showe yf it be a wound put herein the pouder of Oystershelles and Uerdegrease to drye it vp or the white of an egge with Soote and Uineger The Cratches as they commonly call them is a malady that happeneth betwixt the Pastornes and the Hoofe in the manner of a skabbe and is ingendred of the dampes of the stable whyle he standeth wette legged the remedy whereof is all one with the paines which is likewyse a sâ—raunce breeding about the ioyntes breaking the skinne and mâ—ttring taking away the heare washe the sore with warme Bâ—ece or with the broth wherein is sodden Mallowes Brimstone and Sheepes suet which must be bounde about the sore place morning and euening or else Sheepe suet Goates suet Swines grease Uerdegrease and quicke Brimstone Bolearmeniacke and Sope boyled and made in oyntment wherewith you shal anoynt y sore twyse a day washing it first with warme wine after it is dried annoynt it in the meane time kepe him out of the water the lees of wine is also sometime vsed in the curing of the Cratches Windgalles which are swellinges and risinges in the legges are cured with cutting and burning some thinke they may be restrayned and cured by rideing the Horse oftentimes vp and downe in some colde and swyft streame also by washing his legges with Salt Uineger Swynes grease and Oyle wrapping them vp certayne dayes or by launcing or skarrifiyng they are cured the outward sores are healed by burning If the backe be wrong with the saddell or otherwise hurt that it swell Vegetius would haue you to seeth Onyons in water and when they be so hotte as the Horse may suffer to lay them vppon the sore and binde them fast which wyll asswage the swelling in one night Item salt beaten and medled with Uineger putting to it the yoke of an Egge layed vppon the swelling wyll heale it besides Arssmart stamped and layd to dooth presently asswage the swelling If the backe be galled washe it with Beere and Butter or cast vpon it the pouder of a Lome wall There is a disâ—ase that is common in Horses called the Uynes which yf he haue turne downe his eare and launce the sore at the roote of the eare take out the matter but take good heede you cut not the vaine that lieth a little aboue If a Horse haue been set vp hot after his iourney and in his heate hath been watred or taken colde whiche the Germanes call Verfaugen in Englishe foundred or in some places fraide the remedie is the skinne of a Weesel cut in smal peeces fresh butter a rotten egge and vineger mingled together and powred into the Horse with a horne after whiche let him stand couered with a wet cloth tyll he waxe hot A present and assured cure for this disease I learned not long agone of that honest wyse and valiaunt Gentleman captaine Nicholas Malbee in whom there wanteth nothing belonging to a woorthi souldier his medecine was this Garter each legge immediatly one handfull aboue the knee with a liste good and hard and then walke him to chafe him and put him in a heate and being somewhat warmed let him blood in both the brest vaines and in the vaines of the hinder legges betwene the hoofe and the Pastorne reseruing the blood to make a charge withal in this maner Take of that blood two quartes and of Wheate meale as it commeth from the Myll halfe a pecke and sixe egges shelles and all of Bolearmeniacke halfe a pound of Sanguis Draconis halfe a quarterne and a quarte of strong vineger mingle them all togâ—â—â—her and charge all his shoulders brest backe loynes and forelegges therwith walke him vpon some hard ground three houres after leade him into the stable and let him stande tyed two houres to the racke without meate or drinke walke him then two or three houres more and then geue him a little warme water with ground Malt in it and after a little Hay and prouender then walke him againe vpon the hardest ground you can geat you shal ryde him the next day a myle or two softly and so from day to day vntyll he be wel which wyl be within three or foure dayes Rememember to let him stand y first day after his first walking two houres in water vp to the belly this medecine is infallible The collicke or paine in the belly is thought wyl be eased in a Horse or Mule onely with the syght of a Ducke or any water foule To keepe your Horse froÌ„ flyes it is good to washe him ouer with the iuyce of the leaues of the Gourde in the middes of Sommer Many times Horses are troubled with wormes or bots which you shal perceiue yf they cast their looke vpon their belly yf they wallow oftentimes and strike their belly with their foote the remedy is Harts horne Sauine beaten and geuen him with a little vineger in a horne Columella would haue you rake the Horse with your hand and after that you haue plucked out the doung to washe his fundament with sea water or brine Bâ—asanolus in his Commentary vpon Hippocrates declareth howe he cured the Duke of Ferars Horse being in great daunger with woormes by geuing them quicke siluer and Scordium or water Germander when no other medâ—ines would helpe The Rhewine or distillation maketh a Horse slothful dull and faint yet wyl he be ledde rydden and moderate labour is not amisse for him let him drinke warme water with Wheate branne the moâ—e fylth he voydes at the mouth the better wyll it be for him There are some diseases thought to be
vncurable which yf the Horse had and was sold by the old lawes he was to be turned backe agayne except the bargaine were otherwyse of which number are the broken wineded the lunaticke and the manginesse called the farcine which disease yf it come once to y stones is thought vncurable to this they adde the through Splenâ— some thinke that broken winded is not to be cured because it is like to the consumption of the longs in a man yet some hope of recouery there is if it be taken in time for letting of blood in dry diseases is against reason But you may annoynt the hole body with Wine Oyle mingled togeather warmed and curry him against the heare till he sweate and geue him this drinke inward from the first day the iuâ—ce of Pisan Swines grease clarified Amylum in new sweete wine which being boyled together you may geue it him with a horne to open his pipes set him so as he stand warme The lunaticke eyes are cured by letting him blood in the temple vaines bathing the eyes on the outside with some warme bath putting into them some strong water certaine dayes till they be hole For the manginesse take the woormes called Cantharides beaâ—ing them mingle with them a little Uerdegrease and so annoynt them with it warming the body of the Horse with a fyrepan Others vse to washe him with warme water twyse a day and after to rubbe him with Salt sodden in water tyll the matter come out Aboue al other they say it excelleth in the beginning to anoynt him with the fat of a Seale yf it haue runne long you must vse stronger medicines as Lime Brimstone Tarre olde Swynes grease of eache a like quantitie boyled togeather and with a little oyle made in an oyntment they vse to rubbe it also with the Soote of a Caldron Against many diseases both of Horses and Bullockes they vse the roote of the hearbe called black Ellebor of some Bearfoote of others Setterwort which they thrust in the brest of the beast betwixt the fleshe and the skinne making a hole before with a Bookine Against all diseases of Horses Vegetius commendeth this medecine as the cheefest Centory Woormewood Dogge Fenell wyld Time Saâ—apen Betony Saxifrage Aristolochia Rotunda take of eache alike beate them small and sift them and yf the Horse haue an ache geue it him with water yf he be ferme with good strong Wine The olde husbands would not suffer their Horses to be let blood but vpon great necessitie least being vsed to it yf it should at any time be omitted it should breede some disease and therefore in very young Horses and suche as be healthy it is best not to let them blood but in the roofe of the mouth For those that be come to their full age you may let them blood before you put them to pasture but beware you beare a steddy hand and strike them not too deepe Geldinges you shall not neede to let blood the Horses of Barbary as they say neuer neede any medecine EVPHOR You haue spoken yenough of Horses it is time you say something of Asses HIPPO It is greatly out of order but since you wyll needes haue me so to doo I wil not sticke with you to say what I can therin that eache of you may doo the like in his charge Asses are commonly kept yet not to be little set by because of their sundry commodities and the hardnesse of their feedyng for this poore beast contentes him self with what meate so euer you geue him Thystels Bryers Stalkes Chaffe wherefore euery countrey hath store is good meate with him besides he may best abide the yll looking to of a necligent keeper able to susteyne blowes labour hunger and thyrst being seldome or neuer sicke and therefore of al other cattel longest endureth for being a beast nothing chargeable he serueth for a number of necessary vses in carrying of burdens he is comparable to the Horse he draweth the Cart so the lode be not vnreasonable for grinding in the Mill he passeth all others therefore in the countrey the Asse is most needeful for carrying of things to the market and Corne to the Myll In Egypt and Barbary where the ground is very light they haue also their vse in plowing and the fine Ladyes of the countrey doo ryde vpon Asses richely furnished yea they be very apt to be taught so as at this day in Alcayre you shall haue them daunce very manerly and keepe measure with their Musitian Varro maketh mention of two sortes one wylde whereof in Phrigia and Lycaonia there are great store the wylde Asses that are tamed are passing good specially for breede they are easely broken the other is tame of which I meane to speake The best are brought out of Arcadia although Varro seemes to commend the breede of Italy for goodnesse He that wyll haue a breede of Asses must haue the male the female both of reasonable age large bodyed sounde and of a good kind the male must be at the least three yere old for from three tyll they be tenne they be fyt for breeding they bring foorth their Coltes sometimes at two yeeres and a halfe but three yeeres is the best age the female goeth as long with her burden as the Mare and dischargeth in all respectes as she dooth but she wyll not very well reteyne except she be forced immediatly after the horsyng to runne about she seldome bringeth forth two When she foaleth she gets her into some darke place and keepes her selfe from being seene They wyll beare all their life time whiche as Aristotle sayth is thirtie yeeres they are put to the Horse a little before the tenth of Iune and beare euery other yeere they bring foorth their Fole at the twelfth moneth Whyle they be with Fole they must not be greatly laboured for hazarding their Fole the male must neuer be idle for he is as lecherous as the deuyll and by rest wyl waxe nought The Colt is suffered to run with the damme the first yere the next is gently tyed vp with her only in the night times the third yeere they are broken according to their vse The damme doth woonderfully loue her young so much as she wil not sticke to come through the fire to it but the water shee dare in no wise come neare no not to touche it with her foote neyther wil she drinke in any strange water but where she is vsed to be watred so as she may goe stand dry foote They delight to be lodged in wyde roomes are troubled with fearfull dreames in their sleepes whereat they so pawe with their legges that yf they lye neare any hard thing they hurt their feete in drinking they scarsely touche the water with their lippes as it is thought for feare of wetting their goodly eares whose shadowes they see in their drinking no beast can worse away with colde then this If your Asses halt
desartest places that may be neyther may a man at any time come neare them without greate danger They goe with young a tweluemonth and are meete for breede at three yeeres olde and after a yeere they conceaue againe they beare but one at once as Elephants and other great beastes doo they geue milke tyll they be greate Againe as Aristotle saith Didymus in his bookes of husbandry writeth that the Camell hath a regarde to his blood as the Horse hath and lieth neyther with mother nor sister And the female Camell of Bactria feeding vpon the mountaynes amongest the wylde Boares is often times breamed of the Boare and conceaueth Of the Boare and the shee Camell is ingendered the Camell with two iompes vpon the backe as the Moyle is of the Asse and the Mare and in diuers thinges resembleth his sire as in bristled heares strength and not fainting in the myre but going lustely through and in carrying double so much as other Cammelles as the same aucthour sayth The females of them are spayde to serue the better for the warres they liue as Aristotle sayth fyftie yeeres others say a hundred yeeres and are subiect to madnesse as Plinie sayth there are a kinde of them called Camelleopards that haue the resemblance of two diuers beastes the hoofes and hynder legges like an Oxe his forelegges his head like the Cammell the necke like a Horse being flecked white and redde Strabo sayth he is coloured lyke a fallowe Deare straight necked and hye like an Ostryge his head something higher then a Cammels EVPHOR I remember I haue seene the like beast for al the world in a peece of tapestry with blacke Moores with their wyues and baggage vpon their backes saue that they had there little hornes vppon their heades like as some sheepe haue I thinke Heliodorus in his Aethiopian story did first describe this beast but these outlandishe beastes we meddle not muche with HIPPO Goe to EVPHORBVS let vs nowe see you discharge your part according to your promise and tell vs some part of your cunnyng in keeping your cattell for next to the Horse in woorthynesse commeth the Oxe EVPHOR Since it is so appoynted I am contended to shewe you what I can say touching my poore skill and fyrst I may not suffer the Horse to chalenge the cheefe place when the old wryters and auncient people dyd alwayes geue the garland and cheefe prayse to the Oxe as to a good plowman faythfull seruant for Hesiodus a most auncient wryter the grauest aucthour of our profession affyrmeth that the famely dooth consyst of the husband the wyfe and the Oxe The selfe same by his aucthoritie dooth Aristotle seeme to alleage in his Pollytickes and in his Economickes which beast was alwayes of that honour and estimation that he was condemned in a great penaltie who so euer dyd kil him being a fellow and cheefe helper in our husbandry By the worthinesse of this beast many great things receiued their names of them for of the number beauty and fertilitie of Heyfars dyd Italy as they say fyrst take his name because Hercules pursued the noble Bull called Italus This is the cheefe companion of man in his labours and the trusty seruant of the Goddesse Ceres in many great thinges for the royaltie of the Oxe they deriued their names from the Oxe as in calling also the Grape Bumammam in fyne Iupiter him selfe thought good to conuert into this shape his sweete darling Europa Moreouer of a rotten Steere are engendred the sweete Bees the mothers of Hâ—ny wherefore they were called of the Greekes as Varro sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Varro makes foure degrees in their age the fyrst of Calues the seconde two Yeerynges the third Steeres the fourth Oxen the Sexes in the first the Bulcalfe the Cowecalfe in the second the Heyfar and the Steere in the third and fourth the Bull and the Cowe the barraine Cowe he calleth Tauram the milch Cowâ— Hordam from whence came the feasts called Hordica festa because the milchkine were then sacrifised The goodnesse of this beast is diuers according to the diuersitie of the country the best were counted in the olde time to be of the breede of Albania Campania and Toscam at this day we take the best kinde to be in Hungary Burgundy Frisland Denmarke and in England Of Bullockes some are for the drawght some for the staull and some for the payle to what purpose so euer they serue whether it be for labour for milcking or for feeding it is best alwayes to chose such as are young of lusty age rather then those that are olde and barraine the woordes of couenant in the olde time as Varro saith in selling of Bullocks were these doo you warrant these Bullockes or Steeres that you sell to be sound of a sound heard and without fault The Butchers that bye for slaughter and such as by for sacryfises vse no worde of warrantise and though some Bullocks are chosen by their strength some by the greatnesse of their body yet the best commonly haue these properties large well knit and sounde lyms a long a large and deepe sided body blacke horned though in the colour there be no greate matter yet some mislike the white for their tendernesse which when Varro consenteth who woulde haue them broade forheaded great eyed and blacke his eares rough and heary his chawes to be large and wide his lippes blackish his necke well brawned and thicke his dewlappes large hanging downe from his necke to his knees his showlders broade his hyde not hard or stubborne in feeling his belly deape his legges wel sette full of synowes and straight rather short then long the better to sustaine the weight of his body his knees streight and great his feete one farre from the other not broade nor turning in but easely spreading the heare of all his body thicke and short his tayle long and bigge heared Palladius thincketh the best time for bying of drawght Oxen to be in March when being bare they can not easely hide their faultes by the fraude of the seller nor by reason of their weakenesse be to stubborne to be handled It is best to bye them of your neighbour least the change of ayre and soyle hurt them for the Bullocke that is brought vp nere home is better then the stranger because he is neyther troubled with change of ayre water nor pasture yf you can not haue them neare you bye them from some like country or rather from a harder and be well assured that you bye them euen matched lest in their labour the strongger spoyle the weaker Looke besides that they be gentell skillfull in their labour fearfull of the goade and the driuer not dreading any water or bridge great feeders but softly and not ouerhastyly for such doo best digest their meate In choosing of Bulle or Kine the very like signes are to be required that the Bull differeth from the Oxe in that he
whyle they be yet young to suffer to be handled and stroked and tyed vp to the Manger that when they should come to be broken they may be handled with more ease and lesse daunger but Columella forbiddes you to meddle with the breaking or labouring of them before three yeere old and after fiue for the one is too soone the other too late Those that you haue taken vp wylde and be well framed and proporcioned accordyng to my paterne you shall handle and breake in this sort Fyrst of all see that you haue a large roome where the breaker may easily goe vp and downe and out at his pleasure without any daunger Before the stable you must haue a fayre feelde that the Steeres may haue libertie yenough and not be feard or haltred with trees or busshes In the stable you must haue certayne stalles or boordes yokewyse set vp a seuen foote from the ground to which the Steeres may be tyed this done choose you a fayre day for the purpose and taking them vp bring them into the stable and yf they be vnreasonable wylde and curst let them stand tyed a day and a night without any meate to tame them withall afterwardes let him that keepes them offer them a little meate not sidewayes or behinde but before coyng them all the whyle and speaking gently to them stroking their backes and their moosels sprinckling them with a little sweete wine taking good heede that they strike him neyther with head nor with heele for yf he once get that tricke he wyll neuer leaue it Thus being a little acquainted with him you shall rubbe his mouth with Salt and let downe into his throte certayne lumpes of salt tallowe and powring after a quart of good wine whiche wyll make him in three dayes as good a fellowe as you woulde wishe him to be Some vse to yoke them togeather let them drawe some light thing or plowe in a light plowed ground that their labour hurt not their neckes The redyer way of breaking them is to yoke them with an olde Oxe that may easely inâ—truct them yf he happen to lye downe in the furrowe doo neyther beate him nor feare him but binde his feete togeather and let him lye that he may neyther sturre nor feede which being well punished with hunger and thyrst wyll teache him to leaue that sullen tricke The feeding of this kind of cattel is diuers according to the diuersitie of Countreys yf there be store of good pasture in the countrey there is no foode to that in countreys where wanteth pasture and specially in Winter he must be kept in the Stal and fed with such fodder as the countrey yeeldes Where there are Tares to be had it is the best feeding for them and Hay is very good Chaffe and Coolestalkes with Chaffe and Hay and chopt strawe sodde togeather in water is very good feeding for Winter In some places they feede altogeather with newe threasshed strawe in many places they geue them Lupines steeped in water or Chiches or Peson mingled with Chaffe besides the branches and leaues of Uines the greene branches of Elme Ashe Poplar and Holme in Winter when other greene bowes fayle the Figge tree wyll serue or the brousing of Okes and Holly Oxen are soone fatte in good pasture and with Wheate Rapes Apples and Radishe Oxen or Kine wyll be passing fatte where there wanteth pasture by geuing them Meale mixt with Wheate Chaffe and Rapes or Graynes They wyll waxe the sooner fatte in wasshing them with warme water or as Plinie sayth by cutting their skinnes and blowing in winde to their bellies with a Reede Sotion teacheth that they wyll be fatte yf when they are taken from pasture you geue them the fyrst day Colwoortes chopt and steeped in sharpe Uinegar and afterwardes Chaffe being well cleaned and mingled with Wheate branne for the space of fiue or sixe dayes feeding them after with good store of fodder in Winter you must feede them at the first Cockcrowing and agayne when the day begins to breake in Sommer first at the breaking of the day then at noone and at night in Sommer you must water them twyse a day three houres afore noone and three houres after in winter once aday with warme water which is also thought to be good for fruitefulnesse and therefore the Lakes that are filled with Rayne water are good for them This kind of cattell desireth not cleane or fayre water but foule and pudled yet it were better to geue them fayre water Also you must prouide them of warme pasturs for the winter and in sommer very coole chiefely Mountaines where they may browse vpon the bushes and picke vp a good liuing among the Woods but in lowe groundes and neare the Riuer Oxen are sooner fatted and Kine geue a greater quantitie of Milke In Sommer they lye abroade all the nightes in many places yea in England you shall haue them fodred abrode all the Winter Though they be able to abide cold yet must you prouide them of large stalles for the succouring of such as be great with Calfe Your stables or Oxstals must stand dry and be well floored eyther with stone grauaile or sand the stone will suffer no water to abide vpon it the other will soone drinke it vp and dry it both sortes must be layed slope that the water may runne away for rotting the groundsels and marring their houses Let them open toward the South so shall they be the dryer and the warmer notwithstanding let your windowes open North and East which being shutte in Winter and open in Sommer may geue a healthful ayre In fine as neare as can be let the houses be neyther to hotte nor to colde and as dry as may be Columella would haue two Oxhouses one for the winter the other for the sommer both vncouered but well and high walled for keeping out of wyld beastes The stalls would be eyght foote wyde that they may haue roome yenough to lye in that the Kine great with Calfe hurt not one the other nor the stronger Oxe wrong the weaker and that there may be roome for theyr keepers to come about them and for yoking them Vitrunius would haue the Oxehouse open towardes the East and to be neare the fyre for fyre is naturally beneficiall to cattell both for the drying vp of the infectiue dampes and the keeping of the cattel warme Besides by seeing of the fire they are made gentler and by the heate thereof what cold they haue taken in the pastures is expelled and diuers inward diseases cured The houses must be seuered with diuers roomes enclosed and racked the racke must stand no higher then the Oxe may easely reach and must haue such particions as one beast begile not the other whereto they must be well haltred and tyed for hurting one the other Cato would haue the particions lettised Moreouer it is to no purpose to feede them wel except you also looke to the keeping of them in health and sound
the powder of the Brycke to a gallon of Branne and to feede them with it The Egges of Pigions Geese Peacockes and Turkies be all white the Egges of water Foules be greenish pale the Ginny Hennes Egges be like to the Pehennes in al thinges sauing that they be speckled as the Turky Hennes Thâ— Phesants and the Rastryls Egges are reddish The Egges of all Foules as Plinie sayth are of two colours wherein the water Foules Egges hauing a great deale more yolke then white and that more blacke then others The Egges of Fishes are all of one colour hauing no white in them The Egges of Byrds are by reason of their heate brittel and Serpents Egges by reason of theyr coldnesse tough Fishes by meanes of their moysture soft in laying the round part of the Egge commeth first out the shell being soft and presently after hard what forme soeuer they haue the long are most commendedâ— as witnesseth the Poete The Egge in fashion framed long no of them as I sayde before is brought foorth the Coâ—ke Chickin as of the rounde ones the Henne though Aristotle be against it Some Hennes doo lay very great Egges and those most times with two yelkes hauing the shell dâ—uided as it were with a circle which both Aristotle wryteth and our experience approoueth Some both lay double and hatch double some are so fruitefull as they lay great numbers at ones some euery day some twyse a day some are so fruitefull as they kil them selues with laying In the middest of al Egges there lyeth as it were a drop of blood which is supposâ—d to be the hart of the Bird which is first in all the body framed the body it selfe is wrought of the white The sustenance is the yelke the head whyle it is in that shell is bigger then all the body the eyes shut vp more then the head Whyle the Chickin increaseth the whyte goeth to the middest and the yelke compasseth it round about The twentieth day as I said before yf you stirre the Egge you shal heare the Chickin from which time the feathers come foorth lying so as the head resteth vpon the right foote and the right wing couereth the head The adell Egges are thought to come of the vaine lust and treading of the Hennes togeather some suppose them to be bredde of the wind and therefore call them winde Egges as Aristotle before Plinie hath written Egges are preserued in Winter yf you keepe them in Chaffe Straw or Leuen and in sommer yf you couer them with Branne or Wheate Some doo couer them before in fine beaten salt for the space of sixe houres and after wash them so lay them in Chaffe Straw or Branne Others agayne couer them in Beanes and some in Beane floure and some in heapes of salt but salte as it suffereth not the Egges to corrupt so it greatly deminisheth the substance of them Your Henne houses must be made in that part of your house as lyeth in the Winter towardes the rysing of the sunne and ioyning as neare as may be to some Rylle Ouen or Chymney or to the Kitchin so as the smoke may come amongest them for smoke is very holsome for this kynde of Foule And that was I thinke the cause that the olde people made choyse in their quitrentes of smoke Hennes as of the best as it appeareth by olde rentalles Let the front of your Henne house stand alwayes towards the East and to that coast let the doore open Let the inner rooâ—es be well furnished with Loftes and Lathers and small wyndowes opening Eastward at whiche your Poultry may flee out in the morning and come in to roust at night Looke that you make them close at night and let the wyndowes be wel lettysed for feare of vermine Let your nestes and lodginges both for laying and brooding be orderly cast and agaynst euery neâ—t and rousting place place steppes and boordes to come vp by making them as rough as may be that the Hennes may take good hold when theâ— flee vp to them and not by their ouer â—indâ—tâ—enesse be forced to flutter and hurt their Egges Iâ— shal not be amisse if you â—arget the house both within and without with good 〈…〉 by nâ—iâ—her Weesel nor other hurtfull vermine may enter in Boorded floore are not for Foule to roust vpon which almost all kind of Birds râ—â—â—se because of the hurt that they receaue by their doung which if it cleaue to their feete breedeth the Gâ—uâ—e And therefore to roust 〈◊〉 you must make them Perches whiche Columella woulde shoulde be made fouresquare but it is better to haue them round so that they be not too smoothe for them to take holde by Let the Perches reache from one side of the wall to the other so as they stand from the floore a foote in height and two foote 〈…〉 one from the other and thus haue you the faiâ—on of your Henne house The court where they goeâ— must be cleane from doung and durtinesse not hauing water in it saâ—ing in one place and that must be very fayre and cleâ—â—â— for if it be pudled or durty it bâ—eedeth as I sayde before the Pippe To keepe their water cleane you may haue faire eâ—rthen or stone vessell or trowghes of wood couered in the coppe in the which there must be seuerall holes so bigge as the head of the Foule may easely enter for yf you shoulde not keepe them thus couered the Poultry would in their drinking 〈◊〉 and poyson it with their doung Their meate must be geuen them betimes in the mornyng for straying abroade and a little before night that they may come the timelier to their rest Those that be in the Coope must as Columella sayth be fedde thryse in the day the others must be vsed to an acquaynted voyce that they may come at the calling The number must be well marked for they soone deceaue their keeper Beside you must haue rounde about by the walles good plentie of dust wherein they may bathe and proyne them selues for as the Swyne delighteth to wallowe in durt so dooth this kinde to bathe and tumble in the dust And this is I thinke almost all that is to be said of Pulleyne MELISSEVS Yea but we must heare something also touching the other sortes of Foule that are kept about the house which peraduenture CHENOBOSCVS can instruct vs of CHENOBOSCVS And yf you wyll needes haue meâ— I wyll not refuse to shewe you somewhat also of my feathered cattell MELISSEVS I pray you doo so CHENOBOSCVS Amongst the Foule that we keepe about our houses in the countrey the second place of right is due to the Goose and the Ducke whiche are of the number of those that they call Amphibia because they liue as well vppon the lande as the water And because the keeping of Geese requires no great labour it is a thing not vnmeete for the husbandman for that yf he haue place commodious for it it is doone without any charges
the last yeeres bringing foorth for the olde ones be neuer fruiteful One Cocke is sufficient for two Hennes they breede once a yeere and lay to the number of twentie Egges beginning in April and somewhere in March but they are better to be brought vp vnder a Henne so as you set vnder one Henne fifteene Egges obseruing the time of the Moone and the number of the dayes as I tolde you before of the Henne The thirtieth day they come foorth for the first fifteene dayes you must feede them with Barly floure tenderly sodde and cooled vpon which you must sprinckle a little Wine After you shall geue them Wheate Grashoppers and Antes Egges let them not come neare the water for catching the Pippe whiche yf they chaunce to haue you shall rubbe their billes with Garlicke stamped togeather with Tarre They are fatted in thirtie dayes with Wheate floure or Barly floure made in pellettes the pellettes must be sprinckled a little with Oyle and so put into their throtes you must take heede you put it not vnder their tongues for yf you doo you kill them neyther must you geue them any meate tyll you perceaue the first be digested PVLLARIVS What say you to Turtle Doues these are also brought vp and kept in some countreys CHENOBOSCVS Columella affirmeth that Turtles wyll neyther laye nor bring foorth in the house nor Partredges and therefore they vsed to take them wylde when they were full ripe and to feede and fat them in little darke roomes like Pigion holes the olde ones be not so good as neither the Pigion is In Winter you shall hardly haue them fatte in Sommer they wyl fatte of them selues so they may haue plentie of Wheate and Corne the water must be very cleare and freshe that you geue them They holde opinion that the Turtle after he hath lost his mate continueth euer after solitary But because there is greater store of Thrushes Blackbirds we care the lesse for keping of Turtles Though Thrushes and Blackbirdes be kept in diuers places yet as Plinie sayth there is in no place greater company then is taken in the Winter time in Germanie that they were vsed for great daynties appeare by Horrace No dayntier dishe then is the Thrush Nor sweeter then the Trype They are commonly dressed whole and not drawen for theyr inward partes may well be eaten so they be new theyr Crops are commonly full of Iuniper berryes M. Varro wryteth that Thrushes were in his time at twelue pence a peece Where they vse to keepe them they also put as many as they take wyld among the others that they brought vp before by whose company and fellowshyp they passe away the sorrowe of theyr prisonment and fall to theyr feeding for you must alwayes haue old fellowes for the purpose by whose example they may learne both to eate and drink They must haue houses warme as your Pigions haue crossed through wâ—th small Pearches for aâ—ter they haue flowen about or haue fedde they desire to rest The Pearches must be no higher then a mans heygth so as you may easely reache them standing vppon your feete The meate must be cast in such places of the house as lye not vnder the Pearches for filing of it Columella and Palladius wryte that vnripe Figges beaten and mingled with Wheate flowre must be geuen them that they may eate thereof theyr filles Aristotle maketh many kindes of them among which he also putteth the Colmons that feedeth vppon Grapes Our Thrushes doo feede for the most part vppon Iuniper berryes which theyr Crops being opened as I sayd doo shewe They vse also in many places to kepe Quailes which is rather a Byrde of the earth then of the ayre as Plinie sayth but because they feede vppon Elebor and venemous seedes and beside are vexed with the falling sicknesse many doo marueile as Athenaeus wryteth why they be so greatly esteemed They say their young must be fedde with Ants and Emets Egges as the Partryge It is thought that he flyeth ouer into other countreys in the Winter time as the Crane and the Storke doth following for theyr guyde the oldest Quaile called the mother Quaile PVLLARIVS You haue forgotten one noble and goodly Foule that is vsed to be brought vp in the husbandmans Ponds Lakes and Riuers I meane the Swanne CHENOBOSCVS You say trewe for this Byrde is commonly brought vp in the lowe countreys and kept in great numbers in Linconshyre a countrey replenished with Gentlemen of good houses and good house keepers And Athenaeus aledging the aucthoritie of Aristotle accounteth this Foule to be very fruitefull and of great stomacke so much as it is thought they dare geue battayle to the Egle. They are bredde and kept as you well sayd in Lakes Riuers and Fishponds without any charge at all and doo great good in the Riuers by plucking vp the weedes and other annoiances for the excellencie of his downe and dayntinesse of his fleshe he is greatly esteemed There is one excellent kind of them that taketh his name of the gooâ— watch that he keepeth and is alwayes cherished and kept in the Ditches of Citties and Fortresses for his great faithfulnesse in geuing warning They be kept almost in like manner as Geese are but that they vse to sitte longer sitting a whole moneth or there aboutes they bring foorth seeldome aboue eyght and so many did my Swannes bring me and sometime fiue They make theyr nestes hard by the water of Sedges Weedes and like stuffe theyr young ones they carry streyght into the Riuers If the Lakes and streames be frozen in winter you must house them This Byrd is counted among such as liue longest foreshewing her owne death as Plato and Martiall witnesse with a sweete and lamentable song Thus much concerning my profession I haue told I trust you that be my freendes wyll take it in good part and nowe PISSINARIVS I resigne my place to you to whose turne it is come PISSINARIVS It falleth out in good order that from talking of water Foules we should come to entreate of Fisheponds and Fishe although I doo meane to entreate larglyer both of keeping and taking of Fishe in my Halientycks but because the husbands house both for watering of cattell and other vses can not be without Ponds and Lakes and that euery house is not so seated as it hath earable ground about it it is lawfull for the husband to make his best aduantage of his Ponds and Waters The Noble men and Gentlemen of Rome were woont to buyld about theyr houses fayre Fysheponds and many times satisfied herein theyr pleasure with exceeding cost and expences as M. Varro wryteth of the sumptuous and costly Fyshponds of Hortensius Hircius and Lucullus M. Cato when he had the wardship of Lucullus made foure hundred pound of the Fyshe in his Pond The same Varro maketh mencion of two sorts of Fishponds the one of sweete water the other salt the one amongst the common people
where the springes feede them and of great profite the other neare to the Sea where Neptune doth yeelde them both store of water and Fishe for examples may serue the Fish-ponds of Hortensius whiche rather pleased the eye then the purse The best making of Pondes is eyther by the sea as Lucullus who to let in the Sea into his ponds made a passage through the midest of a great hill whereby he thought him selfe as great a Lorde of Fishe as Neptune him selfe or els to haue them feede from some great streame or Riuer that may bring in both water and Fish which by Fludde or Sluse may let in alwayes freshe water not suffering the old to corrupt but alway refreshing it and bringing more Fishe The next in goodnesse are those that are fedde with Pipes or secrete passages vnder the ground may be let out agayne by Sluse which Sluses must so be made as wheÌ„ you lift you may let the water into your Meddowes to make them more fruitefull as is to be scene in the countreys of the Swytches and Heluetians and in many other places And therefore the waters as I said must be well enclosed with good Bayes Bankes and Wales that they may be able to abide the rage of the fluddes and the water The worst and last kind is such as are made in Lakes standing Pooles and Rayne waters These kind of pondes though they be the worst by reason of theyr vncleane stinking and corrupt water yet where there is no better are to be made account of for though they be not the holsomest for keeping of Fishe yet they yeelde some commoditie and are most necessary about the house eyther for watering of Cattell keeping of Beefe and Duckes and washing and other like vses but yf so be you can make them eyther by the Sea or neare sâ—me great Riuer so as the water may be let in and out at your pleasure and when so euer you open the Sluses to let out the wâ—ter Be sure that you haue them well grated that the Fishe can by no meanes passe through and let the passages yf the place wyll suffer it be made on euery side the Pond for the old water wyll best voyde when so euer the streame bendes the currant lye agaynst it These Sluses or passages you must make at the bottome of the Ponds yf the place wyll so serue that laying your leuell with the bottome of the Pond you may discerne the Sea or Riuer to lye seuen foote higher for this Columella thinkes wyll be a sufficient leuell for your Pond and water yenough for your Fishe Howbeit there is no doubt the deeper the water comes from the Sea the cooler it is wherein the Fishes most delight And yf so be the place where you meane to make your Pond lye leuell with the brym of the Sea or the Riuer you must dygge it nine foote deepe and lay your currant within two foote of the toppe and so order it as the water come in abundantly for the olde water lying vnder the leuell of the Sea wyll not out agayne except a greater rage come in but for the Pond that is subiect to the fludde and the ebbe it is yenough yf it be but two foote deepe In the bankes and sides of these Ponds you must haue Busshes and Creeke holes for the Fishe to hide them in from the heate of the Sunne besides old hollowe trees and rootes of trees are pleasant and delightfull harbours for Fishe And yf you can hansomely conuay them it is best to bring from the Sea little Rockes with the weedes and all vppon them and to place them in the middest of your Ponds and to make a young Sea of them that the Fishe may skarsly knowe of theyr imprisonment About Turwan in Fraunce and in other places you shall finde in Loughes and Rayne waters euen in the wyldernesse and Heathes great abundance of Fishe In diuers places of the lowe countreys where they haue theyr Ponds fedde with the Riuer which they may shutte out at theyr pleasure they so order them as they be eyther enuironed or deuided with deeper Ditches wherein the Fishe doth liue in the Sommer time and the rest of the ground betwyxt the Ditches the water being voyded and kept out by Sluses and Bankes is sowed with sommer corne and after haruest the water let in agayne whereby the ground being wonderously enritched dooth yeelde great croppes of Barly and Sommer corne and as the Poet sayth for the land so may be sayde for the water Not euery ground for euery seede â— but regarde must be had what for euery one meete The Romanes keepe in theyr Ponds Lampryes Oysters Luces Mullettes Lamporns Guyltheddes and all other Fishe besides that are vsed to be kept in freshe waters Ponds for Oysters were fyrst deuised by Sergius Orata at the Baynes about the time of L. Crastus the Oratour before the battayl of Marsie not so much for delicasie but for his commoditie and gayne Cocles and Musles were kept in Ponds by Fuluius Hirpinus Moreouer diuers Fishes delight in diuers places The best Pykes and Luces were thought to be in the Ryuer of Tyber betwyxt the two brydges the Turbottes at Rauenna the Lampreys in Sicylli so Riuers Lakes Pooles and Seas in some places haue better Fishe then in others Whereto to returne to my Fishponds from whence I came neyther may all sortes of Fishes be kept in euery one for some sortes are Grauellers delighting only in Grauelly Stony and Sandy waters as Menowes Gudgiâ—s Bullheddes Ruffes Trowtes Perches Lamporns Creuisses Barbylls and Cheuins Others delight agayne in Muddy places seeking euer to lye hyd in the Mud as the Tench the Ele the Breame the Carpe and such others Some agayne delight in both as the Pyke the Luce the Carpe the Breame the Bleake and the Roach The Grauelly Fishes specially the Menowes are ingendred of Sheepes doung layed in small baskettes in the bottome of a grauelly Riuer The Luce or Pyke groweth as likewyse dooth the Carpe to be great in a short time as in three or foure yeeres and therefore in such Ponds as haue neyther the Sea nor Riuer comming to them we vse euery fourth or thyrd yeere to drawe the olâ— and to store them with young And in these parts we cheefely store them with Carpe hauing small Ponds and Stewes for the purpose to keepe them in so as you may come by them at your pleasure Thus much I thought good to declare vnto you touching my profession let vs now see what you MELISSEVS can say for your Bees and your Hony MELISSEVS Because I wyll not haue our discourse of husbandry depriued and maymed of such a profitable member whose vse may in al places be they neuer so desart or barren be had I thinke it good as a conclusion to the whole to shewe you for my part the manner of keeping and ordering of Bees for the good husband by cherishing of them picketh out many times
Manna or Hony dewe cleauing to the leaues before the rising of the sunne as it were snowe or rather candied Suger Whether it be the sweat or excrement of the heauens or a certayne spittell of the starres or a iuyce that the ayre purgeth from him selfe how soeuer it be I would to GOD it were such as it first came from aboue and not corrupted with the vapours and dampes of the earth Besides being sucked vp from the leaues by the Bees and digested in theyr mawes for they cast it vp at theyr mouthes and also distempred with the sent of the flowres ill seasoned in the Hyues and so often altred and transfourmed loosing much of his heauenish Uertue hath yet a pleasant and a speciall celestial sweetenesse in it The best Hony is of Time as I haue sayde before and good likewyse of Cithisus of the Figge tree very pleasant Varro sayth they take not their sustenance and theyr Hony both from one A great part of theyr foode is water which must not be farre from them and must be very cleane which is greatly to purpose in making of good Hony. And when euery season suffereth them not to be abroad they must at such times be fedde least they should then be forced to liue all vppon the Hony or to leaue the Hyues empty Some geue vnto them water and Hony sodden togeather in little vessells putting into it Purple wooll through the whiche they sucke it for feare of drinking to much or drowning them selues others dry Figges eyther stamped by them selues or mingled with water or the drosse of Grapes or Reasons mingled with sweete Wine and tostes made therewith or with Hony yea I haue seene some vse but in my fancie without reason to geue them Bay salt Moreouer as Bees require great looking to continually and their Hyues dayly attendance so most of all they craue diligent regarde when they are about to swarme whereunto yf you haue not a great good eye they will b idde you farewell and seeke a newe maister For such is the nature of Bees that with euery Prince is bredde a common wealth which as soone as they are able to trauaile doo as it were disdayne the gouernment fellowship of the old Bee which most happeneth when the swarmes be great and lusty and that the old stagers are disposed to send abroade their Colonies and therefore you shall by two tokens specially know when the newe Princes with their people will abroade The first when as a day or two before they cluster and hang specially in the euening about the mouth of the Hiue and seeme to shewe by their comming out a great desire to be gone and to haue a kingdome and countrey by them selues which if you prepare them at home they content them selues very well with it And if the keeper prouide not for them taking them selues to be greatly iniured they depart and seeke a newe dwelling To preuent this mischiefe Columella wylles you to looke diligently to them in the spring time about eyght of the clocke or at noone after which houres they commonly goe not a way and to marke wel their going out and comming in The other signe is that when they are reddy to flye or going they make a great humming and noyse as souldiers redy to remoue theyr campe At theyr first comming out they lye aloft playing vp downe as it were tarryng for their fellowes tyll all theyr company come Yea many times the olde inhabitantes being weery of theyr dwellinges doo leaue theyr Hiues which is perceyued when they come so out as none remaine behind and presently mount into the ayre then must you fall to ringing of pannes and basons to feare or bring downe the runnawayes who being amased with the greate and suddaine noise doo eyther presently repaire to theyr olde Hiue or els knitte them selues in swarme vpon the branch of some tree neare to the place then must the keeper out of hand be reddy with a newe Hiue prepared for the purpose and rubbed with such hearbes as the Bee delightes in or sprinckled with little droppes of Hony I haue seene in some places vsed Creame and so shaking them into the Hiue and couering them with a sheete let him leaue them tyll the morning and then set them in their place He must as I tolde you before haue diuers newe Hiues in a redinesse to serue the turne withall And yf so be you haue no trees nor bushes growing neare the Hiues you must thrust into the ground certaine bowes and branches for the purpose whereuppon they may knit and settle them selues and rubbe ouer the bowes with Balme or such pleasant hearbes that when they as I say knitte and settle putting vnder the Hiue and compassing them with some little smoake you maâ— cause them to fall into a newe countrey for they will rather goe into a newe Hiue then into an old yea yf you offer them the Hiue that they came from they wil forsake it for a newe Some of them wil sodenly leaue the Hiue without any tarrying which the keeper may perceaue yf he vse to lay his eare in the night time to the Hiues for about three dayes before they goe they make a great noyse like souldiers ready to raise their campe whiche Virgil noteth Theyr mindes are easely knowen for such as stray The brasen sound commandes to come away When through them all a warning voyce is sent That doth the warlike Trumpet represent And therefore when such noyse is heard they must be very wel watched whether they come out to fight or to flee the keeper must be at hand their fightes whither it be among them selues or one Hiue with an other are easely stickled A little dust cast vp on hye Doth end the quarrell presently Or Honied water sweete Wine broth of Reasons or any pleasant licour wherein they delight cast and sprinckled amongst them doth straightwayes part them The selfe same remedies makes two Princes of them being fallen out to be quickly good freendes againe for when there happeneth many times to be in one Hiue sundry kings by whose dissention that whole number of the subiects in the Princes quarrells goe togeather by the eares you must by all meanes seeke to remedy it least by ciuel dissention the poore people be destroyed And therefore yf you perceaue them often to fight your best is to kill the heddest of the dissention and to appease the fury of the fighters by those meanes that I told you before And when the Marciall swarme is setled vpon some branch of a tree looke yf they hang al togeather like a cluster of Grapes which is a signe that there is eyther but one king or yf there be moe they be agreed and then you shall not trouble them but take them into the Hiue but yf so be they hang in two or three clusters like the pappes or vdders of a beast it is a signe there are diuers maister
hath often also been seene that their Coames being emptie they haue continued fasting till the Ides of Februarie and cleauing to the Coames as yf they were dead haue yet retayned their life but least they shoulde lose it altogeather it is good to powre them in some sweete licours by little pipes whereby they may sustaine their liues till the Swallow with her appearing promise a welcomer season After which time when the weather wyll suffer them they begin to seeke abrode for them selues for after the Sunne is in the Aeqâ—inoctial they neuer rest but trauaile painefully euery day and geather flowres and necessaries for their breeding Besides because fewe places are so fruitefull as they yeelde flowres both Sommer and Winter therefore in suche places where after the Spring and Sommer at whiche times both Beanes Rapes Wyllowes and other plantes and hearbes in euery place doo flowre the flowres doo faile they are carried of diuers and that in the night as I tolde you before into such places wheras there is good store of late flowring hearbs as Tyme wylde Marierum and Sauery wherwith they may be fedde geather foode at their pleasure and as Columella wryteth that Bees in the olde time were brought from the feeldes of Aâ—â—aia to the pastures of Athenâ— and so transported in diuers other places So may we with vs carry them from places where the flowres be consumed in the Spring to the sommer flowres as Clouer and suche other and after that about the end of the Sommer to places furnished with Heathe Tamariske such other late bearing flowre For the auoyding of this inconuenience of carrying from place to place I wyl shew you in what sort I haue ordered my Beeyard at home And because maister Hersâ—ach hath shewed you before in his Garden many good hearbes and yet not whereto they serue I wyll shewe you a fewe plantes that I haue set about my Bees seruing both for their commoditie and the health of my houshold I haue chosen of a great number suche as be most necessarie and of greatest vertue whose speciall vertues and woonderfull woorkinges geuen onely by the most gratious and bountifull framer of the Worlde and being as it were sucked and drawen out by the carefull toyle and diligence of the Bee must needes adde a greater perfection to their Hony and their Wax I haue first enclosed the yarde where my Bees stand with a quickset hedge made of Blacke thorne and Honysocâ—e the one of them seruing the Bee with his flowres at the beginning of the spring and the other at the latter end of sommer The first the Blacke thorne beareth a pleasant white flowre so much the welcomer to the Bee as it is the very farewell of the Winter for he commonly flowreth not till the Winter be past These flowres newly geathered and steeped all a night in the best and strongest Wine and afterwards destilled in Balneo Marie being drunke helpeth any paine in the sides as hath been certainely prooued Tragus the Germane confesseth that with this onely water he hath cured all manner of paines about the stomacke hart or sides Wine made of the Sloe and preserued vntill Iuly or August when the blooddy flixe most raigneth is a soueraine medecine against it The other the Honysocle or Woodbine beginneth to flowre in Iune and continueth with a passing sweete sauour till the very latter end of the sommer The water thereof destilled and drunke two or three dayes togeather at times asswageth the heate of the stomacke helpeth the Cough and shortnesse of breath Ragges of linnen dipped therein and applied doo heale any heate of the eyes or lyuer Next vnto my Hiues I haue planted the sweete hearbe Melissa or Apiastrum called in English Balme with a square stalke a leafe like a smoothe Nettle and a yellow flowre and groweth almost in euery Hedge an hearbe well knowen to the olde women in the countrey and greatly desyred of the Bee. This Melissa or Balme sodden in white wine and drunke two or three morninges togeather purgeth the brest helpes the shortwinded comforteth the hart driueth away the dumpishe heauinesse that proceedeth of Melancholy helpeth the falling sicknesse and almost all other diseases being chopped small and steeped a night in good white wine and afterwards destilled is greatly commended not only in deliuering women from their panges and greefes of the mother being drunke to the quantitie of three or foure spoonefulles but also cureth the paines or fainting of the hart called commonly the passion of the hart Cardamus greatly commendeth this hearbe for the comforting and renewing of a decayed memory and affirmeth that it is a causer of sweete pleasant sleepes Next vnto this haue I growing that sweete and precious hearbe Angellica whose seedes I first receyued from that vertuous and godly Lady the Lady Golding in Kent a Gentlwoman that setteth her whole felicity in the feare and seruice of the Almighty this hearbe is in flowre seede leafe stalke and sauour so like vnto Louage as they may hardly be discerned the one from the other the leafe doth in a manner resemble the Figge leafe sauing that it is more iagged and indented round about If any man be suddainly infected with the pestilence feauer imoderate sweat let him take of the roote of this Angellica in powder halfe a dramme and putting to it a dramme of Treacle mingle them togeather with three or foure spoonefulles of the water destilled of the said roote and after he hath drunke it let him lie sweate fasting for the space of three houres at the least thus dooing by the helpe of God he shall escape the danger the roote steeped in Uineger and smelt vnto and the same Uineger sometimes drunke fasting doth preserue a man from the pestilence to be short the roote and the water thereof is soueraine against all inward diseases it scowreth away the collections of a Plurisie beginning helpeth vlcered and corrupted Loonges and is good against the Collicke Strangury restraint of womens purgacions and for any inward swelling or inflamacion the iuyce thrust into a hollow tooth aswageth the paine the water dropped into the eare doth the like the said iuyce water put into the eye quickeneth the sight taketh away the thinne skins and rines that couereth the eye Besides a most present remedy in all deepe and rotten sores is the iuyce the water or the powder for it clenseth them and couereth the bone with good flesh It was called in the olde time Panacea or Healâ—al Next vnto this Angellica haue I growing in great plenty Cardus Benedictus or blessed Thistell whiche the Empirickes or common Proalisers doo commend for sundry and great Uertues affirming that it was first sent out of India to Frederyck the Emprour for the great Uertue it had against the headache or megrime being eaten or drunken Likewyse they say it helpeth against the dasing or giddinesse of the head maketh a good memory
and restoreth the hearing For the proofe of his greate force against poyson they bring foorth a young mayden of Pauy that hauing vnwares eaten of a poysoned Apple and therewithall so swolen as no Treacle nor medcine could cure her was at the last restored to health by the destilled water of this Thistell and likewyse that a boy into whose mouth as he slept in the feelde happened an Adder to creepe was saued by the drinking of this water the Adder creeping out behind without any hurt to the childe In fine they affirme that the leaues iuyce seede and water healeth all kind of poysons and that the water hath healed a woman whose brest was eaten with a canker to the very ribbes I haue also set in this little peece of ground great store of the hearbe called Numularia or Penigrasse which creepeth close by the ground hauing vpon a long string little round leaues standing directly one against the other and a yellow flowre like the Crowfoote It is a soueraine hearb for healing of woundes not only outward greene woundes but also inward sores and vlcers specially of the Loonges wherof there hath ben good profe Tragus affirmeth that he hath seene dangerous desperat woundes cured with this hearbe being boyled with Hony and Wine and drunke It healeth exulcerations of the brest and Loonges and may be well geuen to those that cough and are short breathed and to little children diseased with the dry cough who by reason of theyr tender age may take no stronger medicine I haue seene good plenty of it growing by the shadowy Ditches about great Peckam in Kent I haue beside there growing Scabious an hearbe that groweth commonly in Corne with a iagged leafe lying round vpon the ground and thrusting out in Sommer a long stalke with sundry branches the flowres growing in blewe knoppes or tuftes like Honycomes This hearbe being sodden with white wine and drinke doth helpe the Plurisie against which diseases the women of the countrey that many times take vpon them to be great Dâ—ctâ—esses in Phisicke doo stil the water thereof in May and geue it to be drunken at eache time two or three sponefuls not only against the Plurisie but against inward imposternes coughes and all diseases of the brest Against imposternes diuers as Traâ—us wryteth doo make this composition they take a handfull of Scabious the hearbe dryed of Liquerisse cut small an ounce twelue Figges Fenell seede an ounce Aniseede as much Or as halfe an ounce these they lay al a night in water the next day they boyle them tyl a third part be consumed and after making it sweete with Suger or Hony of Roses they geue it waâ—me in the morning and the euening wherewith they say the imposterne is ripened made soft and cought out â—VLLARIVS I remember that passing by the house of that honorable Baron the Lorde Cobham whose house you shall seeldome see without great resort by reason of his noble disposition and honourable intertainement that he geueth to all commers I chanced to see in his Parke at Cobbam a certaine hearbe called Veronica whereof I haue heard vertues MELISSEVS That can I also shewe you amongest the hearbes that I haue about my Bees it is called of some Feueriuum and Veronica as it is supposed of a certaine French King who was thought by the iuyce thereof to be cured of a great Leprosie it is called in english Fluellin it creepeth lowe by the ground as Penigrasse doth and beareth a leafe like the Blackthorne with a blewish speâ—kled flowre with a seede inclosed in little powches like a shepeheards purse and groweth commonly vnder Okes. D Hieron wryteth that the force thereof is marueylous against the pestilence and contagious ayres and that he him self hath often times proued The water of the hearbe steeped in white Wine and destilled therewithal he hath cured sundry times hotte burning and pestilent feuers as well in young men as in old Hieron Transchweyg commendeth it to be singuler good for all diseases of the Spleen the shepheardes of Germany geue it with great profite made in powder and mingled with salt to theyr cattell diseased with the cough being steeped in Wine and destilled it is a most present remedy in all pestilent feuers being geuen two ounces thereof with a little Treacle and after layed warme in bedde and well couered it expelleth the poyson by sweate and driueth it from the hart The water of this hearbe taken certaine dayes togeather two ounces at a time helpeth the turnesicke giddinesse of the head voydeth fleame purgeth blood warmeth the stomacke openeth the stopping of the Liuer healeth the diseases of the Loonges and the Spleen purgeth the Uaines the Matrice and the Bladder it driueth out sweat and venome helpeth the Iandise the stone of the Reygnes and other greeuous diseases You shall also haue amongest these plantes of myne the good sweete hearbe Cariphilata or of some Benedicta of others Sanamanda called in English Aueus whose roote whether it be greene or olde resembleth the Cloue in sauour the leafe is iagged rooffe of a darkish greene and not much vnlike to Agrimony the flowre is yellow and after the falling thereof leaueth a prycly knoppe like a Hedgehogge the roote the longer it hath growen the sweeter it is the speciall vse of this roote in some countreys is to be put in Wine in the spring time for it maketh the Wine to tast and sauour very pleasantly which Wine as many hold oppinion doth glad the harte openeth the obstruxion of the Liuer and healeth the stomacke that is ouer burdened with cold and grosse humors this roote boyled in Wine and geuen warme doth ease the greefe of the stomacke or the belly proceading of eyther cold or winde Hard by this hearb haue I planted the great water Betony called of some Ocimastrum of Mathiolus Scrophularia Maior it hath a great square stalke and bigge leafe indented round about the the flowre is in colour Purple and in fashion like the shell of a Snayle it flowreth in Iune and Iuly and groweth most by waters in shadowy places Tragus teacheth to make a speciall oyntment thereof seruing against all scabbes and sores wherewith he saith he hath seene people so mangy as they haue seemed euen Lepers to be cured his oyntment is this Take the hearbe rootes and all gathered in May washed and well clensed from all filth stampe it and strayne out the iuyce and keepe it in a narrowe mouthed glasse well stopped wherein you may keepe it a whole yeere and when so euer you list to make your oyntment take of the same iuyce of Wax and Oyl of eache a like quantitie and boyle them together vpon a Chafingdish of coles stirring them well tyll they be incorporated and so vse it Mathiolus teacheth to make a singuler oyntment thereof against Kernells the Kinges euil and the Hemrodes his order is this You must gather the rootes in the end of sommer