troughes with some wine and water mixte and so let them haue it daylye for a space or to giue them of Barlye halfe sodde and mixt with tares or the grayne calde millet Wheate Hennes doe commonlye seace laying about the third of Nouember whē the colde beginnes to come and then feeding on blackbriers elder other fruite but for being troubled ye might choose of the fairest hennes for to lay egges all the Winter as well as at other times which order is ye must nourish them with tosted bread and then soked ale or small Wine mixte with some water Some doe take of Water and milke and sokes the tostes therein from the euening to the morning and so giues it them on the morrowe to their breakefast and at night they giue them some otes or barlye and for the tyme ye must not let them be troden of the cock and after the firste laying also lette them be kepte from the Cocke and so they will long continue good and when your hens are past three yeres it shall be best to sell or to eate them for after those yeres they will hardly lay but waxe barren therefore it shall be good to change them for youger hennes if ye can againe some do marke the places of those hennes which are giuē to lay mute or make no noyse those hens must not bee lette go abrode to seeke their neastes for else ye shall haue small profite of them but only to bath them in the sun when the day is faire and thē to fee them had in againe If a henne be troden of a crow as some be she either dieth or waxeth barren or prospereth not after ¶ Chickens of a later broode Cap. 11. THose Chickens that come of a later brood some good huswiues doth hold opynion that they will be better layers then those that come in the spring the other saith they are best for that purpose if they may bee norished and well fed in the first wynter but yet by your leaue they wil be more tender in cold times then the other that are bred in the spring because they are all winter brought vppe in the house wherefore they are calde house chickens but those hennes that brings vppe their chickens abroad and neuer comes in the house all sommer are the best and they will bee muche fayrer and harder to lyue then the other brought vp in the house also more profitable if she can keepe them from spoyling till they be great How to feed Chickens from the damme Cap. 12. TO feed nourishe Chickens from the damme ye must vse to giue them meat thrise a day in the morning noone and at night and also to giue fresh water and alwaies sette by their meate so shall yee alwaies keepe them fayre and from the pippe for when they haue eaten any meat they will desire to drinke therevnto and if they haue not alwayes freshe water by them they will seeke drinke of the next puddle and foule water they find and that will soone breed in them the pippe by the which it causeth a mortall poysō in them and it will make them droope and hang their wings at length dye thereof And yee must clense out all the tares and darnell from the barley and other meate ye giue them and so feed them with the foresaide meate till they waxe more stronger ye must also perfume them with penneriall and rosemary and to perfume your other poultrie ye shall take Isope Linseed or flaxe and burne it and hold the heads of your poultrie with their mouths open ouer the said fume this will preserue them also from the pippe ¶ The pippe and the cause to helpe also Cap. 13. AL Poultrie are subiect to the pyppe on the tongue which will grow on the end thereof like a thin scale and it will let them to feed One occasion there is when they lacke drinke or else when they haue dronke trobled or filthy water or haue eaten of filthy and stinking meate out of the chanell donghill or other durtye place whereas lyes the garbage of some filthy fleshe or such like or any euyll sauoure will breed the pippe Therefore if ye fume your poultrie sometimes with Sauine Bayes Rosemarye or Gynnsper it wyll saue them from the pippe Also they saye the pippe will be a hard scale on the tip of their tongues to helpe the same some takes it of with his naile and some do steepe a cloue of Garlicke in oile oliue wherwith they chafe rub his bill they do make thē to eate of stauesaker among their meat also Dioscorides saith the beries leaues of Priuet to bee giuen them will preserue both Cockes and capons from the pippe againe some doe vse to giue them Garlike cut in peeces with butter and giuen them when the pippe is take of then with your mouth to spurt a little Ale Wine or Beare into their mouthes Againe other some doe raise the pippe softely with their nayle or the point of a Knife so takes it off gently and wash it then with ale or beare and so let him go or to rubbe it with salte and Vinigere or laye thereto of beaten Garlic whiche is counted good agaynste the pippe agayne others doe keepe the pippe whē it is taken off giues it him to drink with ale or beare and they saye it will helpe wherof they haue a prouerbe which sayth if he eate not the pippe the pip will eate him and also to saue them from the piype some doe put into their throtes the blades of Garlick stieped in warme oyle and doe sprinckle their billes with mens brine warme and then holdes them close together along time after so that by the bitternesse of the vrine makes thē to caste the pippe and fleame at their nose Wilde grapes mixte with other meate is good for them or beaten and stampte and so giuen to drinke with water These are good remedies for poultrie that are sieldome sicke if fleame haue already take their eyes they will not then eate then must ye slit their iawes to cause the matter to come forth that is gathered vnder their eyes then rubbe it with a little beaton salt and parcelie this greefe breedes commonlye when they abyde much colde weate and hunger or in sommer when they drinke of a standing puddle or foule water as is before sayde agayne Chickins when they waxe olde are subiect to haue the Rie in their heade and eyes catarres rumes and distillations at their nostrils thorowe the colde and numnesse of their feete and to drinke the water of yse or frosen water or too much colde taken thorow the faulte of the henhouse being to open in the night or sitting abrode on Trees or vnder the eaues of houses when it raynes and suche extreame colde causes them to be more founded in their feete which in some poultrie breedes the goute specially in tender byrdes as yong Turquies and suche and
also the goute may come by the drinking of ice water all these doe breede the like diseases aforesaide whereby many dyes thereof ¶ To helpe the Catarre or rewme in poultrie Cap. 14. THey teache to put a penne crosse thorow their nostrils and then they doe bathe them with luke warme water and some tyme they do warme their feete specially of such as are yet yong and tender and some doe vse to lappe them in woollen clothes wool and in feathers so keepes them in a vessel by the fyre side or in some warme ouen or such like place then if the Catarre doe still continue on the eyes and towardes the beake ye must then gentlye cut it and launce the impostume and put that matter forth that is conieiled therin and so put thereon a little beaten salt ¶ How many hens to a Cock Cap. 15. COlumella sayth xii hennes shall bee sufficient for one good cock which will cause them the rather to be of one coloure and yet sayth he our auncestors did vse to giue but fiue hennes to one cocke whiche caused thē rather to be of diuers coloures some white some gray some reddish and some taunye some blacke and some of a speckled colour whiche are not thoughte to be so good as the red graye speckled and to haue hens all of one colour is best and the hennes all of one colour saue the white are counted the best laiers Again Stephanus saith that twelue hens to one good Cock is sufficient and yet sayth he our auncetours did giue but fiue Hens to a Cocke whiche being so fewe as some iudge it did cause thē to be neyther white nor gray but part reddish tawnye and blacke which are among the rest not counted the beste Hennes to lay or breede ¶ Of Hennes that hatches abroad as in bushes Cap. 16. HEnnes that sit abroad or other poultrye yee shall take hir and blindfilde hir softly in the euening take vp all hir egs with so much of the nest as ye can then set her where ye shall seeme good lay therein hir egs as they were before and then set the henne softly thereon and decke the nest with greene boughes like the place she came from and so shut hyr in all that night on the next daye giue hyr meate and water but let hir not forth the space of three dayes but giue her meate and water in the place so she will sone forget the other place Thus ye may haue hir hir chickens in more safty then to let hir sit abroad ye must not rashly set all sort of hens but first learne knowe their natures for some will sit wel sone forget hir chickens others wil bring vp nourish chickens better then sit some in sitting will breake their egs as aforesaide which are better to sel thē sit also assoone as a henne haue ended her fyrste laye shee will then couet to sitte wherein you must haue reason and see that ye sette her with no more egs then she maye well couer the number of egges that ye ought to sette a henne may not be aboue twentie three and they ought to be all of one sorte as of one henne and yet not always of one hens laying for ye must giue thē according to the time in Ianuarie they giue vnto a hen xv egges in March xix and in Aprill xxi and so all the sommer vnto the fyrste daye of October xxi and after that time no more for if ye breede Chickins in the cold winter they are like to dye ¶ Cause of Fluxe in poultrie Cap. 17. ALso the flux of the bellye in Poultry which thing doth make them weake it commeth oft times to poultry by eating of moyste meate or else they haue eaten of some laxatiue hearbes or if their henhouse haue bene left open all nighte or taken some colde sitting vpon trees abrode or in open places a nights or else by eating of some fruite these and such like wil cause them to haue the fluxe whiche doth much weaken them whereby they will not lay so soone nor desire the Cock ¶ Remedies against the fluxe Cap. 18 THe Remedies are these ye shall take and make powder of the huskes of Acornes then mixe it with barlye meale with redde wine so make a paste thereof and giue it them or cast it vnto them cut in smale pieces or giue vnto them the whites of egges hard rosted then beatē with two partes of the curnels of great reysons beate to fine powder and so made in paste as the other and cast vnto them Another they make paste of beaten barly with chalk mixt with the water wherein Poungarnets or Quinces haue heene sod in and so do ye giue it vnto them ¶ Against stopping of the belly in Poultrie Cap. 19. YF your Poultrie be stopt in the vent closed vp specially oft times in young chickens They do take and open the vent with a strawe or such like and then clippe awaye all the fethers about the vent or tuell and also on the insides of both their thies to the end their dung thereby bee not holden or kept long which oft times is the cause of the stopping of the tuell or vent and for the stopping of the greater poultrie they vse to put a quantitie of hony among their water also their meate and that will helpe them againe ¶ Against lice and vermine in Poultrie Cap. 20. WHereas lyce fleas hoggelice sowe wormes suche like do trouble and hurt poultry so that they cannot quietly feede nor rest a nights whereby they will wexe poore whiche increaseth when they cannot bathe in dust Sand or ashes they get them also in scraping abroad among foule strawe or on dunghils or gotten when they fit in nests not made cleane or in the henhouse by their dung lying long there which corruptes their vodyes and breedes lice and fleas the remedy ye shall take the pouder of pepper mixt with warme water and therewith bathe them or take fine pouder of stauesaker and mixe it with lye and so washe them therewith or to bathe them in sope water whiche is good to kill lyce or the fine pouder of pryuer mixte with viniger and so washe them therewith againe some doe washe them with Wyne wherein Commen is sodde and Stauesaker or with the Water that wilde fetches or tares hath bene sodde in all these are good to kill lice and Fleas in poultrie ¶ Of Vermine that bytes and stinges poultrie Cap. 21. YE muste also from tyme to tyme looke vnto your poultrie for stinging or byting with venemous worms by haunting their houses and breeding in the dongue or olde walles as spyders Eftes snakes shroue mice which is venemous of nature and house mice or fielde mice whiche will trouble poultrie or Todes which will couet to sit on warme egges also agaynste byting ye shal annoint the venomed place with oyle of Scorpyon or put thereon of Methridate
hennes to laye breed in Also ye must put in each nest a nest egge which will cause the hennes to laye therin the sooner ye must so place your perches acrosse that your hennes may come and flye easily vnto their nests from tyme to tyme and ye muste alwayes see that your henhouse be kept cleane for when it lyeth foule it will cause the poulâ—ry to forsake the house to seeke abroad some other cleaner place to roost in for it it not good for them to roost where muche of their dung is because it will cleaue vnto their feete whiche will cause them to haue the goute in their feet for this cause they cutte theyr perches square for them 〈◊〉 roost on for if they be round they canâ—ot so well sit thereon These perches being made square they make two holes in â—he walles of each side of the henne house and puts the perches therein so that they â—e not in height from the floure two foot and the one to bee set as farre from the other so that the poultrye shall not stryue one with the other for theyr places and after this sâ—rte is the best waye to make a â—heune house for your poultry to rooste in Also ye shall make some place in they re corte to haue alwaies redy water for theÌ„ when they haue sedde It is not good to haue water for them but in one place to drinke in and that the water be kept alwaies cleane for if the water be foule and salt it wil make theÌ„ haue the rye or rume and it will increase also the pippe on their tungs Therefore ye must not keepe them from water whiche water would be sette in vessels after this manner Some prepare troughes of leade to put their water meat in but it is most certain those that are made of wood or burnt earth are most wholesome and best for them the whiche vessels for water ought to bee couered aboue the one halfe of the vessell whereas the water is therein to haue holes halfe a foote asunder wherein the poultry may put their heads drinke when they haue eaten for if ye couer not their water they will sone marre it with theyr feet Some do make vessels with holes in the couer aboue whiche waye is not so good for the poultry when they are aboue theron they will dung into it whiche will defile and marre theyr water And see that no lathes or holes be broken and that theyr perches be straight and euen set for them to sit on Also in some places assoone as the poultry is gone forth in the morning they do clense the henhouse once or twyse aweeke and puts theire dung aparte for to helpe the garden and also medowes theyr pennes â— nests must be often refreshed with cleane strawe and the henne house windowes or dore ought to bee shut vppe assoone as the sunne is downe and opened againe in the morning with the rising of the sun Their troughes also in winter twise a day to be â—lensed thrise a day in sommer so that alwayes theire water maye be freshe and â—leane It shall be good also to caste some â—â—esh straw often beside the Dunghill and also before the henhouse whereas the pullets do vse to scrape and to mixe it with some sand ashes or duste to giue them a pleasure to scrape to baske them in the sunne which they will doo to clense their fethers and looke ye cast farre from your bouse your pomes of fruite or wyne when as ye streyne them for the eating thereof doth coole your hennes do let them from laying Also let there be no bright yron set vp in the henhouse for the brightnesse thereof will make them to gaze thereat so feare them that they will go nye to forsake the house ye must see also to auoyde the danger of Owles Cats Foxes Wesils and Polecats with such lyke which will nightly deuoure all that they maye come by and likewyse on the daye wyth Buzardes and Puttockes Kites Pyes Crowes whiche often destroyeth theire egges abroad and also in their henhouses if places therin be open they will also deuoure yong Chickens Duclings Goslinges vnder theire dammes or if theire dammes be not nigh them or for lacke of good tendaunce Also whereas the henne oft times wil depart from hir chickens sodaine loseth one as to fly on walles or pales or such like ye shal therfore clippe the endes of her great fethers of one of her wings and not once to suffer them to enter into your garden for if they catche once your Garden when they are yong by long custome being there brought vp they will commonly after loue the same place where they are so brought vp in by that meanes ye shall haue your Garden spilt it will hinder them from laying as for the Cockes and Capons it is thought good not to shorteÌ„ or clippe their wings therefore yee must vse to binde or sette thornes or lay bushes of thorne on your walles toppes of pales or lowe hedges or else with lath nailde to the toppes of your pale postes and then put thorow your laths pacthred brest high of a Cock from the toppes of your pales that will let theÌ„ from comming in for the pacthred will hit them on the brestes when they would light on the toppe of the pale and so it will put them downe againe And see also to other of your poultry if they vse to fly or mount on walles or houses to cutte their wings for feare of loosing of them and to vse for their meate and drinke as is fore mentioned ¶ Signes in a good Cocke Cap. 3. STephanus Saith the signes in a good Cocke are these his body large deepe withall well and right irested his combe iagged and redde his eyes round great gray or whitishe his byll crooked wyth some red and yellow or after an azure colour his beard or chekes of the colour of roses drawing towardes a white and red his necke fethers faire and long of a golden colour somwhat changing his legges blacke and well stalled great and shorte his clawes short strong his hinder claw wrincled and sharpe his taile fayre and straight great and heauy Also Columella sayth it is not good to keepe a cocke if he be not stout hot and knauishe and to be of the same coloure as the hennes are in hauing as many clawes But in his body to be more hier raised his combe to be hye and red as blood and straight withall his eyes blacke or azure colour his beke short and crooked with a gray crest shyning like red on white and all his fethers from the head to the brest to be of a changeable colour varying like gold or yellow his brest large and bigge his muskels on his wings bigge like ones armes with long wings his taile faire long with two rankes of crooked rising fethers and to be oft crowing
for ye shall hardly find a good cock til ye haue seene their proofe then to chuse and take those ye lyke amōg other the red cocke is counted one of the best and when your hennes doe seace laying by eating fruite in Autumue some do keepe so many hennes in the house as bee layers all the time of Autumne and there giues them meate and water for a season and thereby they haue had plentie of egs so that you kepe their house cleane and for them that goeth abrode in Autumne to geue them Corne it is but lost but let them shift for themselues for that time and those ye kepe in the house make their pearches and neastes so that one sitte not ouer another for filing those vnder nor their pearches set nigh together for byting or fighting one with another of them whiche will cause them to haue lesse loue to the house and when yee haue boughte straunge poultrie and yong put them first in your henne house at nighte straude afore with some meate which will make them after to loue the house and so vse them with meate two or three eueninges after till they be acquainted with the henhouse Thus muche necessarye so knowe of the nature and gouernmente of poultrie Also if ye set Geese together in pennes if one hatch before an other those that since will rise from their egges and let them coole and go with the other that hatched therefore let not one Goose see an other hatch before hen own be come forth Barlye halfe so◠and fedde will make henne or ducke to laye greate Egges if ye mixe it with the seede of Citisus so called in frenche ¶ The nature and gouernmente of Geese Cap. 33. GEese among other foule are most profitable for husbandmen and also for others because their bodyes is a common meate they doe pleasure to the Geutlemā and yeoman and the greace profitable other wayes and among other water fowle those which the Greekes doe call Amphibia fowles of two kinde of liues because they feede as muche on the water as on the lande Among all other the Goose is most profitable for the buier and also the seller and to the husbandman because they neede not haue to great a charge and care for their meat as other must haue for they do keepe as good a watche alwaye as the Crane or Dogge all water Fowle muste haue water wherefore the Goose cannot liue or be kepte long withoute water and Grasse it shall not be good to keepe them where there is low brousing hearbes for they will croppe kneble and eate so farre and so hye as they may reache but if yee haue any boyde grounde or place by some poude or lake where they may haue gresse or corne to feede them there it shal be best for thē to be I am of this opinyon not by any great proofe but because I see they are kepte with small payne and trauell wherefore we may with smal charge haue both the Geese and their feathers whiche feathers in some places they take not as ye take Corne in the fielde once a yeare but fethers som takes twise a yere which is they elippe in Aprill and pluck in August for then they will come off lightlye Geese where as they come they will stain the ground and for that cause if the countrey or place will not beare them they ought to haue but certayne as euery husband man to haue one Gander and three geese because they are a poison to groūds but to keepe in your seuerall Courte or houses and yeardes ye may haue so many as ye shall seeme good ¶ Of places and houses for ordering of Geese Cap. 34. Columella sayth those whiche hath a desire to haue a number of Geese or other water Foule they oughte to make places and houses for them to breede or fatte and to bee vsed after this sorte it would doe well which is ye must haue a large courte close palde or walde of nyne foote hye that no Vermine may enter into them and all about within the same to make allies and galleries with partitiōs and such chambers for one alone to sleepe in and ouer the same to set your house for them made strong with Stone or Bricke 4. foote square plaste about your courte and to eche house a close dore for them to come in and out to lay and also to shutte them in when yee shall haue cause then if there be not a ponde or riuer nye vnto thē and to the house yee must then make one else to seeke their water farre off whiche is not good for Geese that sitte must haue water to bathe them when they rise from their neast or else as some say their egs will not prosper if there be no water you must make a ponde and clay it in the bottome for the water to remayne and made somewhat deepe that they maye plunge therein for a saying is a Goose will not like withoute bathing and washing her often no more then a Beast withoute Pasture ¶ A ground and pasture best Cap. 35. THe grounde and pasture to nourishe Geese best is that which is like a marishe or moyste grounde replenished with grasse and other hearbes also ye must sow other kinde of feeding for them as Fetches mellilot the three leaued grasse and fenigreke and specially of Citory which the Greekes call Cerys also it shall bee good to sow of Lettise for that is a tender hearbe for the Goslings and Geese doeth loue them well al other poulse is meate for them ¶ To choose Ganders and Geese with all white Feathers Cap. 36. STephanus sayeth yee must prouide to haue of the greatest Ganders Geese that ye can get and those which are white feathered yet ye shal haue many do breede blacke Geese and haue them as tame as the other but they come of the wild kinde and are skant so fruiteful as the other nor so good to haue wherfore nourishe as few of the black Geese as ye may because their fleshe is not so good for it is more dryer nor their feathers so holesome for beds as the other The goose is very profitable for the husbandman and others and also they are great marrers of groundes of profite because there is no greate charge or care in breeding them and they yielde mauye Egges and bring forth manye yong to greate profite for their Feathers serues many wayes for beds for Arrowes and quils for writers and they are also hurtfull vnto groundes in stayning and marring Medowes and Fieldes with theire dongue if they be not kepte oute they bruse hearbes in gardens and spoile corne in Fields their dongue stayne al grounds where they come so that no Beast will scant feede after them the wylde hurte common fieldes a number of them in half a day will destroy a great peece of wheat if it be but lowe and the house Geese is more hurtfull for they in feeding will pluck vp the rootes of Corne
the husband and keeper of house as anye other fowle and they require a small tending but when they are yong for the space of 3 weekes or a moneth and so long to haue a keeper till they be oute of daunger of the Crow and Rite and to keepe them from eating euill weedes as henbane which is calde the death of Geese and Hemlocke which is not good for them to eate muche thereof for it will make them sleepe so much that they may be soone taken and are in daunger as some say to dye thereof to haue manye in a flocke is not good they vse not aboue thirtie Geese in one flocke and our Aunceters did vse but xx in a flocke for the bigger will beate and be mayster alwayes of the lesser both abrode and in houses therefore it shall bee good to part eche breeding houses by thēselues whiche houses muste be alwayes kept dry for they loue to sit drie a nights and to be strewd with fresh and soft straw or with softe hay and oft to be clensed for breeding of Vermine because that Geese are more subiect therevnto then the hens are the rest of their gouernement meate is like vnto other fowle and take heede of bryers nettles Snakes and other venemous wormes while they are yong for a small thing killes them soone after their hatching ¶ Of the feathers of Geese whiche are best and what time to pluck them Cap. 40. THe profite that manye good huswittes doe finde by Geese feathers and others is this they vse in many places yearely to take a fleece of their Geese as men doe of their sheepe whiche feathers commonlye they take in Iuly and August and in some places they take their Geese feathers twise a yeare in marche they clip all saue their bellies to couer their yong they plucke in August and some doe plucke in Marche and sayeth their feathers will come the sooner or rather then when they are clipte for in clipping the quilles remayne still till melting time wherefore plucking them is rather counted better then clipping to haue two fleeses a yere Thus yee maye vse them as ye shall see cause to haue their fethers for a more profite to furnish yearely your beddes which are occupied dayly as in Innes and such but whereas there are greate pondes or riuers nye your house it is great danger to pluck the feathers of their bellies for whereas such cold waters are it is a danger to kill them as experience hath shewed in some places of this realme therfore if ye plucke their bellies to keepe them from such places for a time it shal do best Of all feathers the swanne is the cheefest and the feathers of the white Goose next the black or gray Goose feather next him and the Capon and pullet next likewise al other lande fowle then Ducke Wegin Teale and such water fowle are next and are best to be rather put in cushions then in beds because they are more hotter and a greater soker of men in beds then the other and the Pigion worste feather of all for they soke too muche to be put in beds and are vnwholesome for they say if a sick persō lye on a pillow of pigions feathers he shall long continue so without departing which thing I hardly beleeue and likewise all sick feathers or bloodye Feathers are not good to be put in beds nor Coshions because they doe commonlye breede wormes therefore it is not good to put any in beds or coshions thus much concearning the nature and goodnesse of the Gose feather and others ¶ Of Duckes Teales Sheldrakes and such like Cap. 41. Columella TAme Duckes among the rest of water fowle is moste profitable for the husband mans house and for once a yeere they are layers of many egges and breeders also of many young with a small attendaunce as the goose saue in the time while they are young and to haue the like places conuenient to nourishe them in as the goose but somwhat more chargeable because they are great feeders and for all other sorts of water foule as wilde ducks sheldrakes wigions morehennes cootes and such fowle of the ponds ye shal hardlye make them tame being olde and lykewise all other byrdes that vseth to feede in waters and marreshes which are calde of our auncientes byrdes of double liuing or nourishment to nourish and keepe such which are accustomed so to feed and keepe them in house ye must chuse a playn place closed about with hye walles of xv foote and couered aboue with railes wyar or nets of big corde to the end they flye not out nor eagles Rites bozards or crowes shall come in and all the walles without and within ought to be polished smooth to the end that cattes or other venemous wormes may not catch hold and climbe to come in and in the midst of the same court yee must make a ponde of two foote deepe So long wyde as the place will serue and that the water there may run ful continually to the brinime thereof that the bankes may not be marde and also made with plaister and cimmond in the bottom and all about the sides paued with smooth stone that no weeds do grow therein but that the fowle may haue cleere water still run thorow and in the midst ye shal make a mount of earth thereon sowe beanes of Egip and such other greene herbes as cōmonly comes in waters to couer hide those fowle therin for some of them loues to be hid in tuftes of grasse roses sedge and such notwithanding ye muste not couer their holes for as I haue saide the water must be all the day without weeds to this end that in the heate of the daye when they would come forth to bathe and picke them they maye then swimme and plunge in the cleere water at pleasure for so it is best agreing to their nature wheras they may enter into water at their wil to take pleasure and watch for small fishe therein or flies vppon the water Therefore ye shall do them great wrong to put them where they cannot come to the water when they woulde and all about beneath at the bottom of the walles ye shall make holes xx foote from the water and all the sides couered with berbes and by the wall sides to make holes of stone a foote square then couer thē to make their nestes therein and garnished all aboute with boughes and braunches which they will like the better and yee must make a channell for to conuay the running water vse to feed your fowle in the saide water as other fowle to giue them myll wheat or pannicke wheat or other grayne and feed them in the saide water or with barly ground cornes and pomes of reasons which is also good for fishe which ye shall put in the water to feede them of Creuis shrimpes loches Menues bansticles and such riuer or brooke fishe whiche will neuer waxe bigge all these they
Wyne and like with other thinges and they do not entreate them like other Pegions in holes but stones sette in the walles not with partitions but as stayes for them to sit on they must be closed with nettes rounde that they flie not forth and thus they vse to fat them with mil wheate and other wheate which must be giuen drye halfe a bushell a daye is ynough for sixe score Turtles and alwayes they must haue freshe water in clean vessels and see that their dongue marre not their feete which donge is good to keepe for the fatting of trees as all other byrdes â—aue those that swim and to fatte these ye must chuse the yongest rather then the olâ—est also about haruest the yong Turtles â—re big ynough to fat then they vse to fat â—hem Stephanus sayth those fowle are rather to be nourished then to breede They are vsed as Fezantes with braunches applyed to the wales and fastned wiar with doores hard by also in the corners ye shal make places for them to pearche on and set braunches of Genoper and Bayes about your trees set agaynste the walles also yee shall fasten small pannyers to the walles to tyce them to laye if they haue any desire thereto And yee shall place your couer for your cage the height of a man and places made rounde for them to rooste vnder strawde with fresh straw renewing it often and make places for theÌ„ to eat with troughes for them to drinke in and chaunge it ofteâ— They loue the hote ayre in colde tymes they passe the Seas in flockes from onâ— countrey to another they are made tamâ— as our house poultrie which is very harâ— to doe for they are not to be fedde but foâ— the delicatenesse of them in feastes banquets The Turtle is more easie to makâ— tame then other Quayles or Partrichâ— and to fat also if they be taken yong anâ— by giuing them wine they make theÌ„ forget their libertie for they will bee very angry when they are firste take and they neuer laye inclosed nor fat scantly in winter they are contrary to other foule as Geues and such their nourishment is fetches barly and moste of other grayne ye shall giue freshe water in a vessell so they may bathe therein and lay by of grauilye sende to scower and heale them wheÌ„ they are sicke and looke to their billes for the pippe and take it away if there be anye also looke to their feet for troubling with their dongue and also vnder their wings if they haue any vermine yee must helpe them as you doe your poultrie ¶ The ordering and fatting of hearnes Cap. 71. STephanus sayth I haue afore resited of the great curiositie of diuerse kinds of fowles to nourish and here agayne I must faye the like of the hearne for shee is but expense without profite to any True it is for princes and great Lords to tame to flye for pleasure otherwise the Hearne alone it is but the daintie mouth to eate the flesh as the saying of some is the hearne is a royall meate but this pleasure costs double charge for shee is a greate spoyler and deuourer of fishe we may think them the father of a familye in housholde be it Prince or great Lord will sometyme take pleasure in the flight of the hearne or for his mouth there is no other reason to bee made then for to make a place to keepe them in noc onelye for pleasure but also profice for his Lorde or mayster nowe to make this place to fatte them and keepe them in bondage which loues dayly to be abrode alone and solitarye in their mynd and yet not rest long in a place excepte it please them well for shee is waywarde fearefull and delights to builde on hyghe Trees a place for them may well be made for two occasions one to nourishe them in for the pleasure of the Prince and agayne to haue them ready at neede for anye banquet and those that are so closed will call others that flie by and cause theÌ„ to breede there abouts Also ye must consider of the place meete for them to keepe them in for if it rayne not there sometime she wil take no pleasure therein nor yet breede but mourne and so pyne and die also ye must houe a running water thorowe the midst of your courte or place for the Hearn is a watrish Fowle and hath pleasure for to looke for fishe in waters to take Eeles and other small fishe The place for them oughte to be couered all ouer with lathes set nye together and walde or boorded rounde sixe foote hye so that other Hearnes if they will may make their neastes thereon and their feeding shall be liue Eeles or cutte and cast in water and to giue other small fishe sometimes the entrailes and liuers of beastes cutte small or dogges fleshe cut and giuen them to fatte for flighte or banquet they will not lightly breede beeing in bondage they be a pleasure for flying but not to let flye nie their Court for the rest will be afrayde and those that come there to breede they will forsake the place and build there no more ¶ The ordering and nourishing of Partridges Cap. 72. THe Partridge is a dayntie Byrd and liues in fleldes among bushes and hedges the Cockes are stoute and hote of nature and the hennes also and will laye aboue twentie egges at a time and bring foorth their yong they breede but once a yeare which is in the spring the Cockes will fight for their hennes and he whiche hath the victory will constrayne the other Cocke to follow him and run after him as doth the henne their feeding is very dainty with millet wheat or of pannick wheat or other wheate also if ye take the Partridge egges and set them vnder a henne that sitteth she will hatch them and bring them forth and nourishe them like house chickens they must bee fedde with antes egges till they be of a more strength and of a good bignesse then ye may feede them as ye doe house chickens and those which ye so nourishe and feede yee maye easilye keepe them tame in your Courtes and they will breede from tyme to tyme and nourishe their yong if ye helpe them with antes egges whyle they are young and ye must make pretye places on the ground for them to breede in and couered with boughes for they loue commonlye not to be seene or haue any to looke and beholde them ye must gyue them of freshe water shorning and euening keepe their court cleane ¶ Quayles feeding and their nature Cap. 73. Quayles are a dayntie fleshe vsed for banquets they are of nature furious fighters and currishe therefore they that keepe them let not them haue so much libertye as other Fowles haue nor yet so muche light therefore they couer theire cages with canuas or leather for mounting and busiyng their wings agaynst the sides of the Cage they put their meat and drinke in
Water like the other fowle aforesayde the yong greene Plouer is easter to make tame and they vse to kepe theÌ„ in gardens to kill worines and giues them wormes and water but then beware the Rite and the Catte thus muche for the Plouers ¶ Of the Bitter and Curlew Cap. 80. THe Bitter is a strange kinde of fowle and liues commonlye in Fennes and in morish heathes they are euill to bee made tame Their fleshe is pleasaunte to eate and are kept for banquets they are fed with raw liuers of beasts such lyke they are yrefull and will strike sodaynlye at a mans face and stand lurking in a corner like the hearn they feare the sight oâ— a mans face and those that doe fat them they doe cram them with raw fleshe cutt in small peeces which they will cast it vâ— agayne Therfore when ye cramme then ye must put a double threede ouer his bilâ— to posse his nostrils and thorow his nostrils put a small sticke or quill and that will keepe the threed vp and let him from casting vppe his meate agayne if that were not he woulde cast it vppe incontinent The Curlew is a fowle that feeds commonlye in moyste groundes and heathes their flesh is plesant to eat they feed commonly on wormes and such and they fat them with wheate and fayre water other feeding I know not what is best for them Thus much for the Bitter the Curlew ¶ Of Blackburdes and Thrustles Ca. 81. THe Blackbyrde is a dayntie fleshe to eate they are more charable to keepe then many others they that shall keepe them in cages being taken old brought from other countreies they are hardly saued to be transported also if ye put the old to be fed in cages some therof wil sodainâ—y die of enuy and feare when they are taken of the Fowler and put to fatte therefore the best remedye is ye shall take of came Blackbyrds and put vnto the wild and wheÌ„ they are accustomed to be serust the wylde in seeing the tame feede they will feede also and so forget their anger and libertie and thus ye may best bring the wilde to be tame and to receiue theyr meate with the other Also their cages must be made toward the South with pearches of woode set in the walles to sit and proyne when they haue eaten and ye must not set their pearches aboue a mans heighth that in standing on the ground they may touch them ye shall not feede them where their Pearches are for keeping their meat more clener without their dongue and for their meate some do vse to feede them with dry figges and barlye Flowar beaten togeather and giue them thereof so they may leaue some also sometimes they chewe it in their mouthes and so giues it vnto theÌ„ but where as many are it is not quite cost to feede them and other some are of opinion to feede and giue them of diuers kinds of meate is good for feare if they should be weary of one meate as sometimes tâ— giue them wormes antes wheate hard egges and soked breade in water and thâ— seedes of wylde tares or Charuel seedes or wylde Oliues or yuie berryes and wylde Apples for when they are in the Woodes they eate of all these but in their Cages it will trouble them and yet cause them to prouoke appetite whiche is necessarye for the more they eate the sooner they will be fatte and ye shall fill also their vessels with mill wheate whiche is the cheefest meate for their delight the other doe serue but as sauce of pleasure their drinke ought to be cleare water and often chaunged and thus ye may fatte the blackebyrde so may ye nourishe and fatte the Thrustle and Fieldfare other byrdes there is whiche are not so necessarye to be fed nor yet so profitable Thus I leaue for the gouerning and fatting of Blackbyrdes and Thrustles with all the gouernment of poultrie and Fowle aforesayde ¶ To make white byrdes come of anye egges Cap. 82. TAke your egges of what byrd ye wil and lay them two dayes long in honye and then put them agayn in the neast and let them be sat on and ye shall haue them whyte ¶ To make hens of the colour of your egges ye set her Cap. 83. YE shall take some Egges of a broode henne and coloure them with what colour ye will and put them to the henne and ye shall see the Chickens to be of the same colour ye coloured the egges ¶ For Geese Cap. 84. IF yee sette a Goose where as shee caâ— come by no water to bathe her wheâ— she riseth her egges then will not prospeâ— nor come to any perfection Also when goose haue satte her time and cannot wâ— breake and vnclose her egges yee shaâ— burne the stalkes and leaues dride of colewortes before her neast and perfume her neast therewith and soone after they shall vnclose and hatche likewise if ye haue diuers broode Geese and but one Gander some Ganders will loue but one or two Geese and hate the rest therefore it shall be good to haue mo Ganders then one to serue their Goslings for when the Goose leades and goes afore her yong the crowe will take some behynde hir and therefore ye shall see the Gander come behynde his goslinges and thereby saues manye from the Crowes and Rites ¶ To make hennes lay TO cause hennes to laye al the winter take the croppes of nettles when they are readye to seede then drie them and mix them with bran and hempeseede and so giue it your hennes a morninges and they will lay yee may also giue them the seedes of Cowmake a weede amongest â—orne so calde in Turnars Herball whiche will also cause them to lay ¶ For breeding Capons ANd those that woulde breede manye Capons ye must not then haue anye Cock that is vsed to fighte for then hee will alway beate your Capons and not suffer them to be at rest but hunt kill them at length Finis The table of all the principall matters in this Booke following by Alphabet A. AGaynste the pippe Cap. 13 B. Bytters how to make fat 80. Blackbyrdes how to nourish 81. Bozardes that haunt douehouses 67. C. Capons how to fat 25. Catarre or rewme in poultrie 14. Caruing of poultrie 31. Caruing yong chickens 23. Chickens newly hatched 7. Chickens of a later broode 11. Chickens fed from the Dam. 12. Cocking of a Douehouse 68. Culuers and their nature 64 Curlewes how to feede 80. D. Dongue of Pegions profitable 69 Ducks profitable for the husband 41 Ducks vvild to nourish 42 Ducks and their nature 42. E. Egges to keepe long 8. Egges how to gather and saue 9 Egges vvithout a Cock 9. Egs to make vvhite byrdes 82. Egs to haue all the vvinter 10. Eyes enflamed of poultrie 24. F. Fatting of Capons 25. Feeding great Chickens 28. Feeding yong poullets 29. Feeding of poultrie 26 Fieldfares how to feede 82 Fethers of geese vvhich are best 40. Fezants how to fat 77 Fezantes and their nature 76. â—luxe in poultrie to helpe 18. G. Ganders vvhite are the best 36. Geese and their gouernment 33. Geese and places fit for them 34 Geese vvhat pasture best 35. Geese al white are the best 36. Geese yong how to fat 37. Geese yong to fat 38. Geese how many to one gander 39. Goslinges how to feede 37. Godwits how to nourish 78. Goulles how to nourish and fat 74. H. Haw in the eyes of poultrie 24 Henhouse to order and make 1. Hens with their good properties 4. Hens vvhen best to set them 5. Hens yong to set 6. Hens how many meete for a cock 15 Hens that vse to hatche abrode 16. Hennes that sit and rise in weate vveather 22. Heunes of the colour of the egges yâ— set her 63. Hens how to make fat 27. Hearns to nourish and to fat 71. K. Knots how to feede 78. L. Lice varmine in poultrie 20 Letting forth poultry a mornings 30 M. Meete when to feede poultrie 2â— O. Ordring Poultrie a mornings 3â— Owles that haunt a Douehouse 6â— P. Partridge how to nourish 7â— Perfuming the douehouse 6â— Pegions to draw to the douehous â—â— PegioÌ„s with profit place for theÌ„ â—â— Pegions to replenish your house 58 Pegeons and best breeders 58 Pegions to feede and maintaine 59 Pegions that fly abroad to feede 60 Pegions that seeke their meate farre 62. Pegions and their nature 64. Peacockes and the goodnes of theire fleshe 52. Pehens their nature in laying 52. Pechickes hatching and feeding 53. Pehens and their sicknes 54. Pegins dong good for trees 69. Pippe the cause and remedy 13. Plouers how to nourishe 79. Polecats that haunt doue houses 66. Puets how to fatte 75. Q. Quailes how to nourishe 73. R. Rough footed doues to kepe 64. S. Sheldrakes to nourishe 41. â—â—gnes in a good Cock â—â— Stares that molest doues in their noses 6â— Stynts how to nourish 78. Stopping the flux in poultrie 1â— Swans nature and feeding 5â— Swans how to nourish and feede 5â— T. Teales how to nourish 4â— Threstles to fat 8â— Things good in keeping poultry 32. Turquie hens and their profite 4â— Turquies to nourish 45. Turquie cocks best treaders 46. Turquy heÌ„s in hatchiÌ„g their yoÌ„g 47. Turquy hens the order feding 48. Turquie chickeÌ„s how to nourish 48. Turquies the common feeding 49. Turtle doues to nourishe 70. W. VVezels that haunt a douehouse 66. FINIS