the Uineyard or the Feeldiâ— whereas the Gouernours of Rome so deuided the yeere as they assigned only the nienth day for businesse of the Citie and the rest of tâ—e tune for the tyllage of the Countrey whereby being hardened with labour in peace they might the better be able to abyde the trauayle of warres Whiche Countrey people were alwayes preferred before the people of the Citie and more Nobilitie thought to be in them that tyld the ground abrode then in those that liuing idely within the walles spent their time vnder the shadowe of the Penâ—house except a man wyll with the common sort thinke it more honest to get his liuing with the blood and calamitie of poore soules or not daring to deale with the swoorde to make his gayne of marchandize and being a creature of the land contrary to his kind geue him selfe to the rage of the Seas and the pleasure of the Windes wandring like a Birde from shore to shore and countrey to countrey or to folowe this goodly profession of bawling at a barre and for gaine to open his iawes at euery benche Surely as I saide before this onely hath been euer counted the innocentest trade of life of al men in all ages By husbandry were made riche the godly Fathers Abram Loth Iacob and Ioab and most certaine it is that this profession and this gayne is most acceptable to GOD when he commaunded Adam to tyll the grounde and to get his liuing with the sweat of his browes Thus is husbandry of suche aucthoritie as GOD with his open witnesse hath alowed it and afterwardes by his seruant Moses hath added his blessing vnto it saying I wyl geue the ground my blessing in the sixth yeere and it shal bring foorth the fruites of three yeeres And againe If you wyl keepe my commaundementes I wyll send you raine in due season and the Earth shall yeelde her increase and your trees shal be loden with fruite the threasshing time shall last tyll the vintage and the vintage shall endure tyll the sowing time and you shall eate your bread with plenteousnesse What can there be nowe more pleasant to a Christian man then to get his liuing by suche meanes as he knoweth dooth please GOD and to play the Philosopher in the most sweete contemplation of the benefites of GOD and to acknowledge and reuerence the wysedome and power of the diuine Maiestie and his bounteousnesse to mankinde to geue him thankes and prayse for his goodnesse the very hearbes and Creatures in the Feelde in the meane time preaching vnto vs. RIGO You frame me here of a husbandman a diuine and almost bring me in minde to become a husbandman who alwayes hitherto with the common sort accounted this husbandry to be a beastly and a beggerly occupation CONO What diuinitie there is in it and what a feeld of the acknowledged benifites of God you haue heard That the common sort doo thinke it a beastly and a beggerly kinde of lyfe it is no maruelye syth the common people doo neuer iudge aryght The common people doo woonder at the pompe of the Court and iudge them for the happiest men that deckt with golde and purple are in greatest fauour with Princes and Officers and Councellours to them litle knowing in the meane time what heapes of sorowes lyes hyd vnder that braue and glittering miâ—erie The common sort preferreth shamefull and beastly delicasie before honest and vertuous labour ioyning to consume the nyght in drunkennesse leacherie villanie and the day in sleepe and pastime thinking suche happy as neither behold the rysing nor setting of the Sunne But those that are of sounder iudgement account the husbandmen most happy yf they knewe their owne felicitie to whom the Earth in a farre quieter maner dooth minister a sufficient liuyng And thou with gorgeous gates the buyldynges hye With early greetinges alvvayes doo not flovve Nor seelyng garnisht gaye vvith Imagrye Nor ritche attyre vve see nor costly shovve Yet stedfast state and lyfe vnskild of guyle VVith vvealth yenough and pastures vvyde at vvyll And people strong traynde vp to payne and toyle And youth vvith dyet small contented styll Where godly zeale and vertues all dyd dvvell VVhen Iustice last dyd bidde the vvorlde farevvell As the Poete hath most grauely written in the prayse of the husband Aglaus Sophidus was iudged happy by the Oracle of Apollo because he occupied a smal corner of Arcadia but yet sufficient for his liuelode where he spent his life without euer comming abrode whose order of lyfe sheweth that he was neither vexed with greedie desyre neither with any other trouble of minde as Plinie witnesseth But I holde you to long with commendation of that which of it selfe is sufficiently commended Hawe wyfe I pray you let vs goe to dinner METELLA You shall syr by and by God morowe maister RIGO I thought Xenoplutus had been here who vseth to fetch my husband away he hath by chaunce been nowe at home a weeke or twayne which some mislikyng preferre him to most paineful and troublesome businesse procuring him to be sent in embassage beyond the pyllers of Hercules and which they would be lothe to beare them selues they cast all vppon his backe as a common packhorse who being nowe olde reason would he shoulde be spared and suffered to be in quiet that being at the last free from the turmoyles of the world he myght geue him selfe to his prayers and prepare him selfe for heauen RIGO It were more for the benefite of his Countrey that maister CONO came oftner to the Court but he is the seeldomeâ— there because he taketh such pleasure in his husbandry howbeit I came for no such purpose but only to visite him beyng my olde freend CONO You must beare with a womans bablyng RIGO I pray you sins it is not yet dinner tyme let vs walke about that I may viewe your house tyll dinner be redy CONO If it please you I wyll shewe you my house where I haue appoynted my kyngdome RIGO Nowe surely you haue as happy as pleasant a kingdome as may be CONO In deede I confesse mee selfe happy in this that contentyng mee selfe with my poore estate I desyre no more for as he sayth The man that most dooth here possesse Thou canst not iustly happy name But he vvhom GOD vvith giftes dooth blesse And vvell dooth knovve to vse the same Hym mayest thou rather rightly call A happy man aboue them all Surely I in this my kingdome or rather poore cottage am more happy then a great sort of Kinges and Princes of the world that are lordes of so many and so large dominions Riches are not to be measured by their multitude but by the minde of the possessor And as Dauid sayth a litle is better with the godly then the great richesse of the wicked Cincinatus occupied onely foure acres of grounde Socrates hauyng but twentie markes in all the worlde was counted a riche
Harrowe Moreouer the good husband must trie whether it be wel plowed or no and not onely trust your eyes which the Balkes being couered with mould may easely be deceyued but trie it with your hand which is a certainer proofe by thrusting downe a rodde into the Furrowe which yf it pearce a like in euery place it sheweth that the ground is wel plowed If it be shallowe in one place and deepe in an other it declares the grounde to be euill handled in the plowing If you are to plowe vpon a Hill you must plowe ouerthwart and not vp and downe for therby the inconuenience of the steepenesse is met with and the labour of both Man and Cattell is lightened but herein you must beware that you plow not alwayes one way but sometime higher sometime lower woorking a slope as you shall see cause Touching the season of your plowing it must be cheefely in the spring as the Poete well teacheth VVhen as the pleasaunt spryng c. For in Sommer the ground is to hard and churlishe and in Winter to fowle and durtie but in the Spring the ground being mellowe is easely to be wrought and the weedes are then best turned in whiche both doo good for the enriching of the grounde plucked vp by the rootes before they haue seeded wyll neuer spring agayne And therefore with vs we vse to begin to plowe about the middest of Marche but in sandy and light grounde they vse to plowe in the middest of Winter yf the season wyll suffer Plinie is of opinion that stiffe ground also should then be stirred A slendar and leuell ground subiect to the water would be fyrst plowed in the ende of August and stirred againe in September and prepared for sowyng about the twelfth of Marche The light hilly ground is not to be broken vp in Sommer but about the Ralendes of September for yf it be broken vp afore being barren and without iuyce it is burnt vp with the Sunne and hath no goodnesse remayning in it Wette ground some would haue broken vp after the Ides of April whiche being plowed at that time shoulde be stirred agayne about the tenth of Iune and after againe about the Ralendes of September according to Columellaes minde But those that are skilfull in husbandry agree that after the tenth of Iune without great store of rayne you shall not plowe for yf the yeere be wette there is nothing to the contrary but you may plowe in Iuly In the meane time beware that you deale not with ground ouerwette as I gaue you warnyng before RIGO May I plowe in the night yf I lyst CONO Yea very well in Sommer time and in hotte Countreys you may begin in the Euening and continue til the Sunne ryse that the moisture and fatnesse of the grounde may remayne shadowed vnder the Clodde and that the Cattell through ouermuch heate of the Sunne be not diseased nor hurt Howe oft you shall plowe the ground that you meane to sowe partly the nature of the soyle and partly the condition of the seede wyl teache you as when we come to it I wyl tel you for it is not needeful to stirre a grauelly and a light ground so often as the stiffe ground yet we finde that land the oftner it is stirred the better it beares So that for some seede you must not only twyfallowe threefallowe your ground but also fourefallow it as they vse in the fruitefullest places of Italy and Germanie In Misnia and Austria they plowe but twyse Stiffe ground as they commonly doo in Italy is best to be sowed vpon the fifth stirring in Tuscan vpon the nienth Thus hath euery Countrey both in this and other matters his fashion according to the nature of the grounde RIGO But may I not sowe one peece of grounde euery yeere without resting CONO There are some groundes you may sowe yeerely as in Italy and Austria and likewyse in some partes here about the Riuer that are fruiteful eyther by nature or by ouerflowyng In other places you must obserue the olde saying of the husbande Take not too muche of your grounde Virgil would haue grounde rest euery other yeere which if you haue store of ground out of al doubt is best Hereof had the ground that is sowed euery yeere his name in the olde tyme but commonly euen the best grounde requireth rest the third the fourth or at the farthest the fifth yeere Varro wryteth that in Olynthia the lande beareth euery yeere and euery thirde yeere most plentifully But yf you wyll doo well you must let it lye euery other yeere according to the nature of the soyle or els sowe it with lighter seede that soketh out lesse the substance of the ground as Lupines and others that we wyl shortly entreate of It is also muche to be considered whether the ground that you plowe be laye ground yeerely sowen or fallowe If you breake vp newe ground yf it be riche heauie and prepared for seede it suffiseth to plowe it once and to sowe it immediatly and harrowe it If it be lighâ— and grauelly ground you muâ—â— thryfallowe it specially at the first breaking vp RIGO Here you speake of diuers tearmes belonging to this trade I pray you make me to vnderstand them before you proceede any farther CONO This arte as likewyse al other hath certaine woordes peculiar and belonging to it selfe and because sundry men of good learning haue herein been deceiued least my matter shoulde be marred with darke and strange tearmes I wyl declare the woordes as plaine as I can digressing a whyle from my farther â—peache RIGO I beseeche you hartely CONO We take Agrum a Feelde in out speache not for a iurisdiction a Diocesse or a Shire as the olde Lawiers take it but with Iabolenus and Florentinus we count it a parcell of grounde eyther earable or pasture Ager Aruus or Aruum we call earable grounde that is to be plowed and sowen Varro would rather haue it called Aratum and not Satum The Feelde that is called Restibilis is that which is renewed euery yeere sowen called of the Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because his fruietfulnesse continueth to the next yeereâ— yeeldeth his Crop euery yeere Ager Noualis is called of Varro the grounde that hath been sowed fallowed of Plinie counted to be sowen euery other yeere with the Lawiers it is counted ground newe plowed that hath lyen a yeere we according to the vulgar speache for we must speake with the most iudge with the fewest doo call Nouale Agrum that which is new broken vp and hath not before been plowed whereof commeth Noualium Decimae the cythes of new broken vp land yet I know there are some learned that count it that which after his Crop lyes lay Veruactum is of Varro taken for the grounde that in the Spring time is turned vp and hath been for a whyle spared Oftentimes is this also called Nouale both the
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
very seeldome enterteyne any ghestes except they be of his maisters reâ—inewe let him not bestowe his maisters money about his owne marchandize for such kinde of bargainyng makes him the slacker in his duetie and maketh his accomptes seeldome fall out iust Aboue all thinges this is to be wisshed in the Bayliffe that he doo not thinke him selfe wyser then his maister or suppose him selfe to haue more skill then he hath and that he alwayes seeke to learne suche thinges as he is ignorant of For as it is very profitable to doo any thing skilfully so is it more hurtfull to doo it vntowardly Columella had rather haue a Bailiffe that could neither reade nor write so that his memorie be good for such a Bailiffe sayth he wyll oftner bring his maister money then a booke because not able to wryte he can not so easely frame a false accompt The Bailiffes wyfe must alwayes be with him that she may keepe him from running at rouers and may helpe him in his labours her age must be such also as we required in the Bailiffe before she must be painefull healthy carefull and honest she must not be to ylfauoured lest she be lothsome vnto him nor to beautifull least he doate to muche vppon her and keepe home when he shoulde be abrode She must in the meane time looke to the â—itchin and to other woorkes at home gouerne the maides and keepe them at their woorke looke to their necessaries and geue them their allowance RIGO You seeme to me here to make the Bailiffe a maister and the maister a Bailiffe CONO This age of ours quite corrupted with delicacie and deyntinesse litle regardeth the honest and profitable orders of our forefathers for in those dayes the maisters them selues plaide the husbandes and thought it not to goe well with that maister that must be taught by his Bailiffe as Cato witnesseth and Varro also complaineth that the husbandes in his dayes had forsaken the Plowe and the Sithe and gotten them selues within the walles and spent their time rather in Maygames and Midsommer sightes then with tylling the ground or planting of Uines Therefore Cato and the olde wryters doo attribute many thinges to the maister that we assigne to the Bailiffe And I though I seeme to put the charge of the household in the handes of my Bailiffe yet wyll I mee selfe be ouerseer and haue euery thing doone as I appoynt entreating gently as I taught the Bailiffe afore both the Bailiffe and my labourers regardyng more their labour then my gaynes But I carrie you about to long being fasting I pray you let vs goe to dinner you shall not dyne at the Court to day neither meant I to shew you as you see the pallace of Lucullus but the poore cottage of Cincinatus Abdolominus or Laertes Here you see the roomes for my husbandmen seuered from myne owne house but yet so as I may easely see whatsoeuer they doo Here I and my wyfe with our householde seruantes doo lye RIGO All very excellently well as may be there is nothing wanting that is to be wished for Maistresse METELLA you trouble your selfe to muche like Martha about the prouiding of your dinner METELLA Not a whit syr you must be contented with Countrey fare you shall neither haue redde Deere Marchpane nor Sturgian nor any Courtiers fare but an Egge and a Sallet a Pullet or a peece of Lambe RIGO This diete contenteth me aboue all other CONO Fal to it then tel me how you like our countrey wine RIGO Surely it passeth eyther wine of Orleans or Aniow I did not thinke to haue founde so good a cuppe of wine in these quarters CONO The husbandry and good season of the yere doth yeeld the same RIGO Well we sit to long at dinner The weather being so fayre and so pleasant abrode it is ashame to sitte any longer but to walke out and looke vpon your ground CONO The weather being faire you bring a Horse to the Feelde as they say when you speake to me of going abrode for I mee selfe yf the weather or businesse doo not let me am euery day according to Catoes counsell abrode in my ground and yf it please you I wyll carie you abrode and shewe you my grounde You must not looke to see the great Countreys of Metellus or Lucullus but the possessions of a poore Countrey man that contented with his state would be as he is and would not change liues with the Emperour RIGO I pray you let me here your opinion of the Feeld and the tilture thereof for I see you are a perfect husbande and nothing vnskilfull I haue a great desyre to heare some rules and such as serue our turne best CONO If it be a shame for an apprentice at the lawe and a pleadar of causes to be ignorant of the lawe wherein he dealeth a greater shame is it for a professor of husbandry to be vnskilful in the ground whereon his whole trade lyeth Howe is he able to iudge vprightly in husbandry that knoweth not whiche way to tyll his lande The professours of all other artes do commonly keepe to them selues suche thinges as be the chiefe mysteries of their knowledge Contrariwyâ—e the husband reioyceth to haue euery body made prime to his skill being demaunded in what sort he dooth this and that he gladly declareth his whole dealing in euery poynt suche good natured men dooth this knowledge make I haue ordered my ground here according to the diligence of the olde fathers rather then for the wantonnesse of these times Therefore I wyl fyrst shewe you their opinions and afterwards myne owne fancie First Cato appointeth niene degrees of the land in Italie The fyrst the Uineyard that yeeldeth muche and good wine the next the well watred Garden the thirde the Wyllowe Groue the fourth for Oliue trees the fifth for Meddowe the sixth Corne ground the seuenth for Coppie grounde the eyght for Timber trees the last for Mast. But these degrees as Varro saith are not generally allowed of neither haue we the vse of them all in these Countreys but make most accompt of such land as serueth for Garden or Orchard grounde Corne or Fishpondes Of Corne ground I wyll fyrst entreate and afterwardes of Pasture Meddowe Wood Lande and Wyllowe Groues RIGO I pray you then take the paines to shewe the nature of it and which way the best ground may be knowen CONO Cato counteth that the best grounde that lyeth at the foote of a mountayne being leuell and lying toward the Sunne as the whole Countrey of Italie lyeth In colde and Northerâ—ye Countreys it is good to haue the lande lying East and South least these two quarters being bard of by any hil the land be frozen with colde but in hotte Countreyes it is better to haue the ground lye North both for pleasure and health RIGO They say it is needeful to knowe the conditions of euery ground CONO It is so and sooner shall
you doo it then the conditions of a man for being well tylled it wyll not deceaue you but deale iustly with you To knowe the nature of euery grounde Iscomachus in Xenophon dooth wyll you to marke wel the plantes and the yeeld of the Countrey except you wyll loose your labour or fyght with god Varro counsels you to looke whether there be in the land eyther Stone Marble Sande Grauell Raddell Chalke Claye Preble or Carbuncle that is ground ouer heated and parched with the Sunne whiche wyll burne the rootes of what so euer commeth in it Also yf it be wette or weepyng ground or subiect vnto other inconueniences and suche grounde also according to the nature of the soyle is good or euyl In some Countreys stonie grounde is altogeather barren specially for Corne and Fruite In other places agayne they vse stones in the manuring and bettring of their lande as in certayne places of Arden is to be seene Theophrascus wryteth that the Corynths dyd cast away all the stones out of the Feeldes of Sarragosa and thereby made the ground the woorse when the stones being away and the Countrey hot there was no succour left to defend the ground from the extreame heate of the Sunne In other places in stonie and hilly groundes Otes doo prosper well In lyke sort in all Countreys we must regarde the layre of the Countrey and the nature of the seede that we sowe for Grauell in some places is cast vppon the ground in steade of doung and some thinges prosper best in grauelie groundes In Barbarie as Columella dooth wâ—tnesse the very rotten sandes exceede any other grounde in fruitefulnesse It is also something to the purpose whether the grauell be white redde or yellowe besides some grounde dooth deceaue both with colour and qualitie In some Countreys the blacke mould is onely esteemed in others the fat redde mould is thought best In Englande the chalkie grounde beareth good corne and pastures very well In some places the thicke and the clammie ground is most fruitefull In al these it is to be learned what is best for the hill ground what for the valley what for the tylled what for the leye grounde what the moyst seggie grounde requires and what the drye and barraine Also in planting what ground is best for Uines what for other trees what delightes in drie ground what in moyst ground Virgil commendeth a mellowe ground that is fatte and wyll soone be resolued for such ground is tylled with smalest charge and labour the next is that whiche is faâ—â—e and stiffe which greatly recompenceth the husbande his trauaile and charges the woorst is that which is dry leane and stiffe for both it is tylled with great labour and beside neither answeareth in his croppe the husbandes trauayle neither serueth it for good meddowe or pasture any time after and therfore such ground is not to be medled withall Also the goodnesse of the ground is easely perceaued by perfect tokens for a clod sprinckled with a litle water if in working with the hand it be clammie and cleauing and sticketh to the fyngers like Pitche when it is handled as the Poete sayth and breaketh not in falling to the grounde this sheweth a naturall fatnesse and richenesse to be in it besides you may knowe the mould that is good for Corne yf it beare Bulrusshes Thistels Threeleaued grasse Danewoort Brambles Blackthorne and such like as neuer growe but in good grounde as on the other syde lothsome and illfauoured weedes declare a leane and a bitter ground Ferne and withered plantes a colde grounde sadde and heauy coloured a moyst and a wette ground a raddell and a stony ground is discerned by the eye a stiffe and tough clay by the labour and toyle of the Oxen A good token is it also of good ground where the Crowes and the Pyes folowe in great number the Plowe scraping in the steppes of the Plowman The goodnesse is likewyse knowen yf at the Sunne setting after a Raynebowe and in a shewre of rayne folowyng a great drouthe it yeeldeth a pleasaunt sauour also in taste it wyl appeare yf tasting a clodde that hath been watred in an earthen vessell you finde it sweete it is a signe of riche grounde yf bitter a great token of barren grounde yf it be saltishe it is to be shunned and not to be vsed vppon the dounghill You must remember also that ground wyll some times change and of fruitefull become barren whiche hath been seene as Plinie reporteth in the olde time in Thessali and in our time in sundry places of our Countrey Beside one kind of ground though it be neuer so fertill wyll not beare all thinges as the Poete wysely noteâ—h Ne serues one ground for euery Croppe Moreouer the disposition of the Heauens is a great matter all Countreys haue not the weather and ayre alike wherfore it is the part of a good husband to knowe the nature and propertie of his ground and to marke the disposition of it for euery part of the yeere he must also consider what Croppe is best for euery layer Some ground serueth for Corne some for Uines some for Oliues some for Meddowe some for Pasture neither may all thinges well be sowen in riche grounde nor nothing in barren ground Suche thinges as neede not muche moysture are best sowed in lyght ground as the great Elauer Sperie Chich and the other pulses that are pulled and not cut Those that require more sustenaunce are sowen in richer ground as Potte hearbes Wheate Rye Barley Linseede Some of them doo good to the grounde the yeere folowyng as Lupines that are vsed to be sowen for the beâ—tering of the grounde There is difference also to be put betwixt fruites for pleasure and such as be for profite as fruite trees and flowres and suche thinges as yeeld both pleasure and sustenancâ— and are also profitable to the grounde You must choose for Wyllowes Osyres and Reedes a wette and a marrish ground and contrary where you wyll haue Come Pulse that delightes in drye ground Sperage such like must be sowen in shaddowy places and other ground for Quicksets Tymber Mast Fewel yea such ground as is very grauely and barren hath his vse where you may plant Birche suche like and waterie groundes where you may set Alders Broome and Bullrusshes RIGO Surely the temperature of the ayre dooth very muche in the fruitefulnesse of the grounde for I haue oftentimes marked that one kinde of ground is more fruiteful in one Countrey then in an other CONO In Venefri the Grauell grounde beares Oliues best where as about Granado they require the richest ground that may be When in other places the Uine dooth not prosper very well in stonie groundes about the Rhine the very ragged rockes doo yeelde as fruitefull Uines as may be seene Plinie dooth witnesse that in some places the Uines do grow euen in the Fennes and Marshes suche a secrete force is there in
Nature About Châ—lâ—ia an Ilande about the Rodes it is saide there is a peece of ground so fruitefull that they mowe their Barley being sowen in his season and their Croppe sowe it agayne and geather it with their other grayne The Albanoyses receaue the friuite of theyr lande 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vntylled and vnsowen and beyng once sowen it yeeldeth his Croppe three yeeres togeather Homer calleth Phrigea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Argos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodotus wryteth that Babylon is so fruitefull as the grounde yeeldeth encrease two hundred and three hundred folde Plinie affyrmeth the encrease in his time to be fiftie and to good husbandes an hundred folde About Monte Gibello it is reported by credible persons to be an hundred folde Italy is so fruitefull that Varro calleth it the Garden of the worlde because it is so fertill and well planted in euery place Campania being full of Corne Apulia plenteous with Wine and Venafri aboundyng with oyle RIGO I haue heard say that Germanie and Fraunce haue not been in times past very fertyll and that they haue been altogeather without Uines and nowe we see no Countrey more fruitefull that yeeldeth greater aboundance of all thinges Where can you finde better wines then about Bauaer and the Rhine I speake not of their great store of Grayne Mines of Golde Siluer Iron and Leade In the Countrey of Thuryn in Germanie it is sayde that after Wheate once sowen the ground wyll yeelde Rye of it selfe two yeeres togeather CONO Yea and in our Countrey here we haue ground that wyll beare Wheate euery yeere Rape seede being once sowen with vs dooth often yeeld his Crop two yeeres togeather without sowyng or labouring RIGO Under the Northren Pole it is reported the grounde is so fertyll as they sowe in the Mornyng and reape at Noone In Barbarye where the ground is lowe they plant vnder the Date tree the Oliue vnder the Oliue the Figge tree vnder the Figge the Pomegranate vnder it the Uine vnder the Uine they sowe Wheate and vnder Wheate Pulse all prospering one vnder the others shadowe and yeelding their fruite the same yeere CONO That made me to say that the grounde folowes the disposition of the Heauens RIGO But syth in all places the ground is not of lyke goodnesse what yf we chaunce vppon a leane and a barren ground as Heathy Brushy Grauelly ground may these be made fruitefull and mended by arte CONO Uery well there is no Countrey that the most gratious Lorde hath left without sufficient yeelde yf labour and trauayle bee not refused RIGO That skill I would gladly vnderstand CONO It is brought to passe diuers wayes principally by dounging and diligent labour and to this end serue those heapes of doung that I lately shewed you RIGO I pray you let me knowe what doung dooth most enriche the ground CONO Varro and Columella his folower appoynt three sortes of dounges the fyrst of Poultrie the next of Men the thirde of Cattell Of the fyrst sort the best is that whiche is had out of Douehouses the next is of Pulleyne and al other foule except Geese and Duckes which is hurtfull The people in the old age had such store of Poultrie and Foule as the doung of them suffised for the manuring of theyr ground The next to this is man â— ordure if it be mixed with other rubbishe of the house for of it selfe it is to hot and burâ—es the grounde Mans vrine beyng sixe monethes kept and powred vppon the rootes of Apple trees and Uines bringeth great fruâ—tefulnesse to the trees and geueth a pleasant taste to the fruite In the thirde place is the doung of Cattell whereof the best is the doung of Asses because this beast dooth chawe with most leysure whereby his meate being wel digested is made the profitabler doung Next to this is the doung of Sheepe next of Goates then of Oxen and Horses the woorst of all of Swyne very hurtfull to Corne but vsed in some places for Gardens for lacke of other doung but is a great breeder of noysome weedes yet Plinie seemeth to allowe it as the fylth of a filthy creature The doung of Horses likewyse where the Horses are fedde with Barley dooth breede great store of weedes The Lupine before he beare his Codde is most commended being turned vp with the Plowe or Mattocke and layd in bundels about the rootes of Trees or Uines Where they haue no store of Cattel they vse to mend their ground with Straw and Ferne and with the stalkes of Lupines and the branches layde togeather in some Ditch herevnto you may cast Asshes the fylth of Synckes and Priuies and strawe with dust and other thinges raked togeather but in the middest you must lay some sounde matter against the breeding of Adders and Snakes also Humlockes Walwoort and the weedes growyng about Wyllowe trees and Ferne with other such rotten weedes you may geather and lay vnder your Sheepe They that dwell in Grauelie and Heathie groundes doo take the Turues of the Earth and the Heath laying them in heapes powdred with a litle doung suffer them to lye rotte and after lay it vpon barren ground but specially where they keepe great store of Sheepe they cast into their Foldes suche Turues pared from the grounde Columella countes them but euyll huâ—bandes that haue of euery one of the lesser kind of cattell lesse then a cart lode of doung in 300. dayes and of eache of the greater sort tenne loade beside the fylth and durt of the yarde This is also to be noted that the doung that hath lyen a yeere is best for Corne for it hath is of sufficient strength and breedeth lesse weedes but vppon Meddowe and Pasture you must lay the newest because it bringes most grasse and this must be doone in Februarie the Moone encreasing for this is the best time to cause encrease of grasse In the manuring of your ground looke that you lay most doung vpon the toppe of the Hill for the rayne wyll beare it to the lower partes fast yenough He that mindes to haue his grounde beare Corne yf he meane to sowe in the ende of Sommer must turne in his doung in September yf in the spring he may lay it on at any time all the Winter What time so euer it be doone you must looke that the winde be Westerly and the Moone in the wane This obseruation helpeth greatly to the bettering of the grounde Besyde you must not forget to let the doung be drye before it be layd vppon the ground For though Columella doo bidde the contrary our owne experience wylles vs not to folowe him for doung whyle it is moyst dooth more harme to the ground then good as dayly experience teacheth Nowe as your lande wyll waxe colde yf it be not dounged so wil it be dryed or burnt if it be manured yeerely or to much The watrie ground requireth more store of
best prouender for Horses and foode for Cattell Plinie also witnesseth that the Germanes vsed to make pottage of Oates And Dioscorides maketh mention of Oaten poâ—tage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pottage or gruell is made of Oates it is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Vena in Spanishe Auena in Frenche Auoyne in Dutche Hauer whiche though it growe not commonly in Italy yet vpon monte Ficâ—lâ—o and in the kyngdome of Naples about Siponto it is founde We haue amongst vs two kyndes of them one full and weyghty seruing in deere yeeres to make bread and drynke of specially yf it be medled wiâ—h a little Barley and this kind prospereth in riche and newe broken vp ground exceedingly The other kinde is lyghter whiche the common people call Gwen and Brumhauer it is very lyght and yeeldeth but little flowre nor foode it groweth vpon sandy and barrayne groundes and serueth well for Cattell and for Horse both the kyndes haue busshy toppes from whence hangeth the seede in lykewyse resemblyng the Grassehopper the flowre of it is white and from one grayne there springeth diuers stalkes With Dioscorides Bromos is a kynd of Oates that resembleth Wheate in the stalke and the blade and groweth like wylde Wheate Theophrastus calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Oate is not daungerous in the choyse of his grounde but groweth lyke a good fellowe in euery placeâ— where no seede els wyll growe Of the lyke disposition almost is Buck or Beechewheate vnknowen to our olde fathers It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beechewheate or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blackwheate though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an other grayne I had rather call it Beechwheate because the grayne thereof is threecorned not vnlyke the Beechemast both in colour and fourme differing onely in the smalenesse The stalke is very great and straked like to the greater Fearne It hath many branches with a bushy toppe a great sort of white flowres in a knop lyke the flowres of Elder it flowreth long togeather and after appeareth the grayne fyrst white and greenishe in shape threecornerd after they be ripe the colour chaungeth to blacke or brownishe like a Chestnutte This grayne hath not long since ben brought from Russia the Northerne partes into Germanie nowe is it become common and vsed for fatting of Hogges and serueth the common people in deare seasons to make bread drâ—nke withal it may be sowed in any ground how â—adde so euer it be howebeit it dooth best in good grounde and is sowen in April and May and in Iune after the reaping of Rape seede You must sowe lesse of it vppon an acre by a fourth part then of Wheate or Rye it is much vsed to be sowed vpon the ground where Rapes growe wherby the ground dooth yeeld a double Croppe in one yeere When it is sowen it commeth vn yf it be moyst weather within foure or fiue dayes after hauyng two leaues at â— fyrst appearing not much vnlike to Purcelaine Amongst the Sommer seedes is also receiued Sommer Barley whiche from the Sonnes entring into the Aequinoctiall till the end of Marche and April is sowen and is reaped againe for the most part in three monethes or at the vttermost foure It requireth as Winter Barley dooth a riche and a mellowe grounde and to be sowed after twyse plowing though sometime for necessitie it is sowed after the fyrst plowyng And though it yeelde noâ— so good nor so perfect a grayne as the Winter Corne dooth whose grayne as Theophrastus wryteth is farre more perfect and of stronger substaunce bringing greater strawe and weightier Eares yet because it is harder husked and the Sommer seede more fyne and gentle is therefore of most men desired and counted to yeelde more flowre then the Winter grayne some agayne preferre the other Millet called in Latine Millium in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Milio or Miglio hauing as it were a thousand graynes in a Eare as Festus seemeth to auowe in Spanishe Mijo in Frenche Millet and in Dutche Hyers where they make pottage of it and bread The Russians and Moscouians are chiefely nourished with this kind of pottage which they make with the flowre mingled with milke and the blood that they let from their Horses The men of Ind as Plinie sayth knowe no other grayne buâ— Barley and Millet which grew in his time plentifullest in Campania it is the best leauen that may be made neither is there any grayne comparable to it for weyght that more increaseth in bakyng for of one busshell hath been drawen threescore pounde of bread and a busshell of sodden meate made of three quarters wet and vnsodde It is sowed at this day in euery place though very litâ—le in the lowe Countrey it groweth with a stalke full of ioyntes a cubite high a leafe like a Reede a round and a small seede hanging downe in long ruinnes with many toppes it groweth sometime seuen foote hie it delighteth in a watrishe moorie grounde and in grauel so it be nowe and then ouerflowen it hateth drye and chalkie groundes Some geue counsell to sowe it fyrst in a colde and a wette ground and then in a hotte ground before the Spring you must not sowe it for it delighteth muche in warmth A little seede of it is sufficient for a great deale of ground yf it be sowed thicke it comes to nought a great handfull wyll serue a whole acre wherefore in raking you must rake out what is more then needefull an acre beareth fourtie busshels yf it be wel sowed euery seede yeeldeth about a pottell It is forbidden to be sowen among Uines or fruite trees and must continually be weeded and raked When the eare is full growen it must be geathered with the hande and dryed in the Sunne least the whâ—t weather shatter the seedes This grayne may very long be preserued for being well layde vp where the winde can not come it wyll well laste an hundred yeere There is an other like grayne that they call Indian Millet with a great grayne and a blacke and bigge reedy stalke whiche was fyrst brought into Italy in the raigne of Nero which as Plinie sayth was called Loba wheâ—e as Lobae are rather the Coddes of all Pulse and Phobae the manes and â—oppes of Millet as it appeareth by Theophrastus Panicum is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Dutch Psennich or Heidengreâ—ss of the Italiansâ— Pannacho the Spaniardes Panizo the Frenchemen Paniâ— so called of the little Pannicles wherein the seede lyeth It commeth vp like Millet with many leaues and slippes glittering with a reddishe busshy toppe full of seedes lyke Mustard seede some yellowe purple blacke and white it must be ordered in all thinges almost as Millet being sowed in Sommer it is ripe in fourtie dayes after in other places sowed in May in wette grounde it is to be geathered in September The haruest and the vse of
seuerally shewe you of euery seede by him selfe and so declare vnto you the order of their sowyng And fyrst amongest all the fruites and grayne that the Earth dooth yeeld for our sustenance the cheefest place is rightly geuen vnto Wheate called in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Grano in Spanishe Trigo in Dutch VVeyss in Frenche Fourment as a grayne most needefull for man and therefore most fruitefull because God hath ordayned it to nourishe man withall It is woonderfull what yeeld it hath been of in some Countreys Augustus his deputie sent hym from Bisaice in Africa of one grayne of Wheate foure hundred branches And Plinie witnesseth that in the same place one bushel hath yeelded a hundred and fyftie bushels RIGO There are that holde opinion that this which the common people call Wheate the Germanes VVeyss and the Hollanders Terue is not the true Wheate but a kinde of Rye and that the true Wheate whiche the Italians call Grano groweth onely in Italy and in Spayne CONO That whiche growes in Italy and Cicil at this day differeth not from ours in fashion colour nor flowre though the grayne there be somewhat great and the flowre more clammey whiche maketh it that it can not be long kept specially about Rome And whereas our Wheate is eyther bearded or pollarde theirs is altogeather pold we call it pold or pollard that hath no Aanes vpon the eares And that we call the Aane which groweth out of the eare like a long pricke or a darte whereby the eare is defended from the daunger of Birdes With Virgil the Aane is vsed for the Corne as the parke for the Wheate Gluma is the husks of the Corne whose top is the Aane Fâ—it is the small grayne lesser then the corne that growes in the top of the ripe eare To returne to the Wheate I graunt there are some that doubt of this Wheate of ours suche hath been the iniurie of the tyme as all thinges almost forgotten we scarsely knowe howe to name the foode that we daylâ— feede of For my part I wyl followe common vse as a maistresse in speache The olde writers haue written of sundry sortes of Wheate whereof they haue thought that most needefull to be sowen whiche they called Robus as the fayrest and wayghtiest The second called Siligo they vsed in their fynest Cheate The thirde they called Trimestre because it woulde be ripe in three monethes after the sowing Though Columella alowe no suche kinde yet was it most auncient with the Grekes and called Trimâ—non growyng onely in the colde countreys In Thâ—â—cia they haue a kinde that is ripe in two monethes and is couered with a number of huskes against the extreme colde of the Countrey In our Countreys also we haue Wheate and Rye that we sowe with our Sommer grayne as we likewyse doo Rape seede but to no great commodititie for the Winter seedes too farre exceede them and being nourished in the earth al Winter they prooue as Theophrastus sayth of more substance and profyte Amongest all these sortes Plinie recounteth the Wheate of Italy to be the best both for beautie and weyght We vse with vs only two sortes differing in this that the one hath smoothe eares without any beardes the other with long beardes or Aanes very ruffe and sharpe not much vnlike to Winter Bailey in al other properties they are both alike It is sowen in September the season being fayre the grounde thryse plowed and well raked or harrowed although you may sowe it very well after once plowing vpon grounde where Pease Tares or Buck hath been newly had of in a good soyle Plinie and Columella woulde haue you sowe of Wheate and Rye fyue busshels vpon an acre but as I haue saide before this meaâ—ure is to be measured by reason We at this day sowe not so much Wheate vpon an acre as Rye nor so much Rye as Barley It is best yf the Winter be like to be colde to sowe the sooner yf warme the later Wheate delighteth in a leuell riche warme and a drye ground a shaddowy weedy and a hilly ground it loueth not though Plinie say the hil yeeldeth harder Wheate but no great store After it is sowen it putteth out a great company of small rootes and appeareth at the fyrst wy or blade it hath sundry stalkes but suche as can not branche all the Winter as other Winter Corne is it is nourished in blade when the Spring draweth on it beginneth to spindle vppon the thirde or fourth ioynt thereof commeth out the eare which fyrst appeareth enclosed in the blade it flowreth the fourth or fyfth day after yf it growe to rancke at the fyrst it is eaten downe with cattel or in some place mowed it is after weeded it flowres about the tenth of Iune sooner or later as the yeere falles out euen at one time almost with the Uine two noble floures with comfortable sauour flourishing at once Varro affyrmeth that the Whâ—ate lyeth fyfteene dayes in the blade flourisheth fyfteene and ripeth fyfteene after it hath flowred it waxeth greater and as Theophrastus sayth is within fourtie dayes after ful ripe where with the latest they reape in the eyght moneth Other say in sixe and thirtie dayes reaped in the nienth moneth It neuer eares tyll al his ioyntes or knottes he growen There are foure iointes in Wheate as Plinie sayth and eyght in Barley but in our countrey and our dayes both Wheate Rye Barley and Oates haue but foure and that not alwayes Before the full number of the ioyntes there is no appearing of the eare whiche when it commeth beginneth to flowre within foure or fyue dayes and so many or little more it fadeth When the flowre is gone the grayne begins to swel and in foure or fyue dayes after to ripe The blade of the Wheate is something like a Sedge but narrower then the Barley the Spindel Stalke or Strawe thereof is smoother and gentler and not so brittle as of Barley It is closed in many coates The stalke that beareth the eare is higher then that of Barley the eare groweth more vpryghe and farther from the blade the chaffe is softer sweeter and more full of iuyce the eare of Wheate is out of order and vneuen as well of the Pollard as of the hearded where as Barley hath his eare of iust number and in perfect order In Bactâ—iâ— it is sayde a grayne of Wheate is equall in quantitie to an eare of our Wheate In Babylon the blades both of Wheate and Barley as Herodotus reporteth are foure inches brode Wheate as Columella wryteth after the third sowing chaungeth to Rye which hath been knowen in Germanie as I sayde before in many places Of Wheate is made Amyl the making whereof Cato and Dioscorides teacheth After Wheate we sowe with vs Rye There are that thinke it to be that whiche the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though Homer take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a kinde of foode for Horses some others
take it for a kinde of Wheate Herodotus sayth Bread was made of it Of Laurentius it is called Far of Gasa Siligo Diuers learned men call it Secale and take it for Plinies farragoâ— the Frenchemen cal it Segle the Dutchemen Rock the Italians almost as the Latines Saegala the grayne is something blacke and maketh blackishe bread But to passe ouer all controuersies I folowe the Countrey speache and take Siligo for our common Rye whiche is sowed immediatly after Wheate about the ende of September or in the beginning of October in good ground in sandy and grauelly ground it is sowed in Februarie and called Sommer Wheate it requireth the best grounde warme and fast and refuseth not light grounde and grauelly so it be helped with doung it loueth wette grounde as ill as Wheate they both require to be sowen in a deepe moulde and a plaine soyle but Rye is sowed a litle after Wheate in the sowyng whereof you must occupie a thirde part more then of Wheate it prospereth lightly in any grounde and many times with the yeeld of a hundred for one It must be sowed after the third plowing as Wheate harrowed much after the same sort the stalke or steale thereof is smaller then the Wheate stalke taller and stronger his care hanging downewardes and therefore more subiect to blasting because it receiueth and keepeth the water that falles whyle it flowreth and suffereth the violence of mystes and frostes the strawe thereof is gentle and flaxible seruing for Uines and coueringes of houses Nowe foloweth Barâ—ley accounted in the olde generations among the woorthyest sort of grayne and not of small estimation at this day The Italians call it Beade or Beaue or Orze the Spaniards Ceuada the Dutch men Gerst the Frenchemen Orge the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and though it be vsed in Greece and Italie and suche warme and fruitefull Countreys for cattelles foode as Homer also witnesseth yet in the Northerne Countreyes it supplies the place both of Bread and Wine There are of it two sortes Hexâ—stichon and Polystichum whose eares are three foure sometimes sixe square and diuers eares springing from one grayne euery eare conteynyng aboue fourescore graynes so woonderfull are the gyftes and blessinges of god The other sort is called Distichon hauing in the eare but two rankes or orders only Agayne there is one kinde of it to be sowed in Winter an other for Sommer The Winter Barley is of better yeeld but it is soone hurt specially with much wette and frostes folowyng There is nothyng more hurtfull to Winter Corne specially Barley Rape seede and Rye then the wette of Winter nipped with often frostes and after a warme thawe to be presently frozen agayne both the sortes of Barley require grounde that is very riche Winter Barley after two or three plowinges is to be sowed in September Sommer Barley in March or April after twyse plowing and many times necessitie forcing after once plowing in the sowing you must occupie more seede by halfe then in sowyng of Wheate it requires a mellowe and a fatte ground and therfore is best sowed where the grounde is most manured The Winter seede flowreth in May and is ripe in Iune at the furthest This kinde was not woont to be sowed in these partes but great numbers nowe mooued by my example doo vse and receiue great gaynes by it The Sommer Barley in many Countreys is ripe and redy in three monethes afâ—er the sowyng In Aragon as Plinie wryteth it maketh double haruestes euery yeere The seuenth day after it is sowen it commeth vp and one end of the seede runneth downe in roote the other that â—ooner springeth commeth vp in blade the greater ende of the grayne maketh the roote and the slenderer the flowre In other grayne the roote and the blade spring both from one part the blades of both kindes are ruffe It must be geathered with more speede then other graynes for the strawe of it is very brittell Of Barley is made as Dioscorides wryteth both Beere and Ale. RIGO I lyke your Beere you haue excellently wel I pray you tell me in what sorâ— you make it CONO I wyll not hyde my cunnyng in this matter My Barley is fyrst steeped in a Sestorne of water a day or two yf it be Winter seede it is harder hulled and requireth the longer watering The Sommer grayne is thinner and requireth a lesser tyme When it is watred I drye it vpon a floore or a keel tyll it swel and breake putting out as it were litle beardes or threds yf it be layde thinne it wyll in Sommer specially in March drye and breake of it selfe without any fyre You must take good heede that in sprowting it open not to much and loose his flowre This being doone I grinde it and put the meale into a Mash Fatte wherevnto I put my licour sodden and after let it seethe three or foure times adding vnto it both for holsomenesse and taste the flowre of the Hoppe after this I put on Yeest and set it a woorkyng and then cleanse it The more it is cleansed the holsomer and cleerer it is that whiche commeth of the spurging is kept both for brewing and baking the drinke wyll be the better yf you put to it a fourth part or sixth part of Wheate the more Corne you laâ— on the pleasaunter and better coloured wyll your Beere be Your greatest care must be to see it well sodden well cleanseâ— and well hopped otherwyse Malt of it selfe wyll soone corrupt Obseruing this order your drinke shal be both holsome and pleasant that endureth best and longest that is brewed in march There is made of Barley Alica a reasonable good meate and Ptisan How they must be made you may reade in Plinie Next to Wheate and Barley foloweth Zea which the common people both in Italy Spaine and Flaunders call Spelta the Frenche call it Espeltra with Homer is greatly commended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the feel des that beareth the Zeam being as Galen sayth the meane betwixt Wheate and Barley for he hath the qualities of eache of them is of two sortes the one in stalke ioynt and care like to Wheate and carieth in euery huske two seedes and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other hauing both stalke and eare shorter and but one grayne in euery huske growing in two rankes and in the toppe resembling Barley with his sharpe Aaâ—es In Italy specially about Mirandula and Concordia it is vsed in prouender for Horses it is not in these Countreys in vse I woulde sowe it here syth the ground wyll well serue for it and that both bread and drinke might be made of it very well but that it is something troublesome to grinde because of the double huskes It desyreth a moyst ground riche and good it is sowed after the same maner that Wheate is sowed in September or October it flowreth in Iune and is ripe in Iuly very meete for
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
no kinde of mischeefe vndoone Amongst all which commonly there is not so ill a neighbour as the newe vpstart that takes vpon him the name of a gentleman who though you vse him neuer so well wyll at one time or other geue you to vnderstand from whence he comes and make you syng with Claudian ASPERIVS NIHIL EST HV MILI CVM SVRGIT IN ALTVM A leudar vvretche there lyues not vnder skye Then Clovvne that climes from base estate to hye As the Prouerbe in Englande is Set a Knaue on horsebacke and you shall see him shoulder a Knight for an Ape wyll be an Ape though you clothe him in Purple Surely M. Portius would haue a man shunne the neighbourhood of suche as the pestilence I for my part am happie in this point that I haue no neighbour that I neede to feare RIGO Perhaps they dare not for your aucthoritie doo as otherwyse they woulde CONO But since death and other casualties riddes a man of them the dwelling is not to be left yf it haue other good commodities except it be placed in the borders of sundry Countreys that be subiect to great sicknesses Some commend the dwelling that hath faire wayes about it is neare some Riuer or good market wherby a man may carrie his marchaÌ„dize with lesse charges The olde fellowes would neuer haue a man place him selfe neare the hie way for pilffering of such as passe by and troublesomenesse of ghestes as I saide before in speaking of the placing of an house In the letting of a Farme those thinges are to be obserued that I spake of before in describing of a Bayliffe of husbandry and his labour that you let it to suche whose trauayle and good behauiour you may be assured of and that you regard more their good ordering of the lande then the rent which is least hurtfull and most gaynefull For where as the grounde is well husbanded you shall commonly haue gayne and neuer losse except by vnreasonablenesse of the weather whiche the Ciuil Lawyer sayth shoulde not be any damage to the Tenaunt or the inuasion of the enimie where the Tenaunt can not helpe it Besides the Lorde must not deale with his Tenaunt so straightly in euery poynt as by lawe he might for his rent dayes bargaynes of wood quit rentes or suche the rigour wherein is more troublesome then beneficial neither ought we to take euery aduantage for lawe many times is right plaine wrong neither must ye be to slacke on the other side for too muche gentelnesse many times makes a man the woorst And therefore it is good yf the Farmer be slacke in his paimentes to make him to knowe it but in no wyse to be a rayser or enhaunser of rentes for that discomfortes and many times vndooeth the Tenaunt Moreouer you must not lightly change the olde Farmer both because of his desertes and that he is better acquainted with the grounde then a newe L. Volusius would alwayes say that he was in best case for his landes that had alwayes his Tenauntes borne and bread vp in them whereby the long familiaritie shoulde make them more louingly to vse them selues for sure it is an euill vse often to change Tenauntes and therefore I doo like well that order where the land is let for the liues of the Tenaunt his Wyfe and his Chylde paying a yeerely rent so that as long as he payes his rent and keepes the reparations it shall not be lawfull to deceiue him for hereby the Tenaunt shall be prouoked to order the grounde with more diligenâ—e to repayre the house to looke to it in al pointes as to his owne bestowyng many times as muche as he hath vppon it This way of letting lande mee seeâ—es is best where the ground is subiect to the Sea or the Riuer or other daunger that the Tenaunt be charged with the maintenaunce of it And here be sure that you let it rather to one of habilitie then to a an vnthriftie man that is not able to beare it whereby you may loose both your land your rent In suche place as lyes neare the lord he may occupie it by his Bayliffe or to hawues but where it is farre of it is better to let it out for a yeerely rent vpon the foresayd couenantes For yf you occupie it with your seruauntes they wyl eyther looke yll to your cattel or your ground or suffer thinges to be stolen or steale them selues or make you be at more charges then needeth be carelesse in euery thing In letting of ground commonly it is couenaunted that the Tenaunt shall not let nor sell without leaue of the lorde and that he shall not breake any Pasture or Medowe lande and what and howe muche he shall sowe of eueâ—y kinde of grayne howe much he shall haue for Pasture howe muche he shall let lye and howe muche he shal mend Here haue you almost as muche as I am able to say in husbandyng of the grounde RIGO I thanke you you haue greatly delighted me with the describing of your Pasture grounde and Earable ¶ The ende of the fyrst Booke The seconde Booke of Gardens Orchardes and Wooddes Thrasybulus Marius Iulia. BEcause of the Aliance betwixt Hearbes Trees and Corne and because their husbandry is almost one it is reason that next to the first booke written of earable grounde and tyllage shoulde folowe the description of Orchardes Gardens and their fruites Virgil in wryting of husbandry left this part vnwritten of howe be it diuers others both olde and newe wryters haue not without some diligence written of this part but yet by snatches as it were and not throughly whose opinions ioyned with myne owne experience it seemeth good to me in this booke to declare And since the vse of Orchardes and Gardens is great and auncient and that Homer wryteth howe Laertes the olde man was woont with his trauayle in his Orchardes to driue from his minde the sorowe he tooke for the absence of his sonne And Xenophon reporteth that king Cyrus as great a prince as he was woulde plant with his owne handes and sette Trees in his Orchardes in suche order as it seemed an earthly paradise Qu. Curtius writeth of Abdolominus that for his great vertue of a poore Gardner came to be king of the Sidonians And surely not vnwoorthyly is this part of husbandry esteemed seeing it doth not alonely bring great pleasure but also is greatly profitable for the maintenaunce of household and the sparing of charges ministring to the husband dayly foode and sufficient sustenaunce without cost For when as Columella sayth in the olde time the people liued more temperately and the poore at more libertie fedde of fleshe and milke and suche thinges as the ground and foldes yeelded but in the latter age when ryotte and daintinesse began to come in and the wealthyer sort to esteeme no fare but costly and farre fetched not content with meane dyet but coueting such thinges as were of greatest price the
before when they be growen to some greatnesse they cut the Thorne neare to the grounde and being halfe cut and broken a sunder they bowe it along the Hedge and plashe it From these cuttes spring vp newe plantes which still as they growe to any highnesse they cut them and plashe them againe so dooing continually tyll the Hedge be come to his full height This way the Hedge is made woonderfull strong that neither Hogge nor other Beast is able to breake through it but the other is a great deale more pleasant to the eye But yf I haue not settes yenowe to serue may I make an Impe Garden of their seede MARIVS Yea very wel Make your Thorne Garden or store plotte in this sort Take your Berries or Stones and mingle them with earth lay them vp for the fyrst yeere in some place meete for them the next yeere sowe them as thicke as you canne and ye shall within a little time haue a whole wood of Thornes THRA You haue nowe spoken of water and enclosure two principall poyntes in a Garden it nowe remayneth for you to speake of the ground meete for a Garden and of the order of dressyng of it MARIVS Of the sundry sortes of ground and of the discerning of them because you in your describing of Corne ground before haue sufficiently spoken I doo not thinke it needefull for me to repeate it Againe it is yenough to me to adde onely this that the ground ought not to be too riche nor too leane but fatte and mellowe which bringeth foorth a small kinde of Grasse lyke heares such ground requires least labour the stiffe and the riche ground asketh greater paines about it but dooth recompence it agayne with his fruitefulnesse The stiffe leane and cold ground is not to be medled with as Columella wryteth in appoynting good ground for Gardens The ground that geues the ripe and mellowed moulde And dooth in woorking croomble like the sandes That of his owne good nature yeeldeth manifolde Where Walwoort with his purple berrie standes For neither dooth the ground that still is drye Content my minde nor yet the watry soyle Whereas the Frogge continually dooth crye Whyle in the stincking Lakes he still dooth moyle I like the land that of it selfe dooth yeelde The mightie Elme that branches broade dooth beare And rounde about with trees bedeckes the feelde With trees that wylde beares Apple Plome and Peare But wyll no Berâ—oote breede nor stincking Gumme Nor Yewe nor Plantes whence deadly poysons come And this much of the Garden ground which as I sayde is watred or may be watred and is enclosed eyther with a Wall a Hedge or some other safe enclosure After this it is needefull it lye well to the Sunne and warme for in grounde that is very colde the warmth of the Sunne wyll not muche auayle it And contrary yf it be a hette burnyng Sand the benefite of the heauens can little helpe it You must yet looke that it lye not subiect to ill windes that are drye and â—â—â—â—ching and bring frostes and mystes But nowe to the ordeâ—ing of your Garden Fyrst you must be sure that the grounde whiche you meane to sowe in the Spring be well digged in the fall of the leafe about the kalendes of October and that whiche you garden in the fall of the leafe must be digged in May that eyther by the colde of Winter or the heate of Sommer both the clodde may be mellowed and the rootes of the weedes destroyed nor muche before this time must you doung it And when the time of sowing is at hand a fiue dayes before the weedes must be got out and the doung layde on and so often and diligently must it be digged as the ground may be throughly medled with the mould Therefore the partes of the Gardens must be so ordered as that which you meane to sowe in the ende of Sommer may be digged in the spring the part that you wyll sowe in the spring must be digged in the end of Sommer so shal both your fâ—llowes be seasoned by the benefite of the colde and the Sunne The beddes are to be made narrowe and long as twelue foote in length and sixe in breadth that they may be the easyer weeded they must lye in wette and watrye ground two foote hie in drye grounde a foote is sufficient If your beddes lye so drye as they wyll suffer no water to tarry vpon them you must make the spaces betwixt hyer that the water may be forced to lye and auoyde when you wil. Of the kindes and sortes of dounging being sufficiently entreated of by you I wyll say nothing onely adding this that the doung of Asses is the best because it breedeth fewest weedes the next is Cattels doung and Sheepes doung yf it haue lyen a yeere The grounde as I sayde whiche we meane to sowe in the Spring we must after the ende of Sommer let lye fallowe to be seasoned with the frost and the colde for as the heate of Sommer so dooth the colde of the Winter bake season the ground When Winter is doone then must we begyn to doung it and about the fourteenth or fifteenth of Ianuarie we must digge it agayne deuiding it into quarters and beddes Fyrst must the weedes be plucked vp and turffes of barrayne grounde must be layde in the Alleyes which being well beaten with Beetles and so trode vpon that the Grasse be worne away so that it scarse appeare it wyll after spring vp as fyne as littleheare and yeelde a pleasaunt sight to the eye which wyll be very beautiful When you haue seuered your flowres by them selues your Phisicke hearbes by them selues and your potte hearbes and sallettes in an other place the beddes and the borders must be so cast as the weeders handes may reache to the middest of them so shall they not neede in their labour to treade vppon the beddes nor to hurt the hearbes And this I thinke sufficient for the preparing of your ground before the sowing Nowe wyl I speake of sowing and what shal be sowed in euery season To speake of all sortes of hearbes and flowres were an endlesse labour onely of those that are most needeful I meane to entreate And first of hearbes some are for the potte some for the sight some for pleasure and sweete sauour and some for phisicke And agayne some are for Winter some for Sommer and some betwixt both The first time of sowing after Winter is the moneth of March April and May wherein we vse to sowe Colwoortes Radishe Rape and after Beetes Lettuse Sorel Mustardseede Corrâ—ander Dyll and Garden Cresses The second season for sowing is in the beginnyng of October wherein they set Beetes and sowe Smallage in Gellaci and Arreche The third season which they call the Sommer season in some places the Gardners begin in Ianuarie wherein they set Cucumbers Gourdes Spinnache Basyl Pursline and Sauery Many thinges may be sowed betwixt these
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
the mileder and the sweeter is the roote colde as some say dooth further the goodnesse of them They say they wyll be very pleasant yf the seede be steeped in meedth or in the iuyce of reyzyus they waxe sweete with colde as the Rape dooth and their bitternesse is taken away with brine and therefore some woulde haue Radishes watred and nourished with salt waters being sodden they come to be very sweete and serue the turne of Rapes geâ—ing fasting they prouoke vomite they are hurtfull to the Uines and to the Teethe Radishe eaten at first is a good preseruatiue agaynst poyson eaten before meate it breaketh winde and prouoketh vryne and after meate it looseth the belly it is called in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Raphanus in Italian Raphaâ— in Spanishe Rauano in French Raue in Dutch Retich THRA There is an other kinde of them that the Dutch men call Merrettich I take it to be that whiche the Romanes called Armaracia called commonly in Italie Ramaracta the first letter misplaced MARIVS You say well but this is more full of branches greater in leaues thinne in body the leaues are not vnlike to the former Radishe but that they are a little sharper and longer and the roote sâ—lenderer and therefore there are some that deny it to be Armaracia but here let the Phisitions contend Theophrastus maketh mention of sundry sortes of Radish This kinde of Radishe hath a woonderfull bityng taste a great deale more then Mustard seede and fetcheth teares from the eyes of them that eate it it is set and planted in this sort The roote is cutte in a great number of peeces whereof euery peece prospereth for yf you plucke vp this kinde of Radishe by the rootes you may cut of a good quantitie of the roote and diuiding them into small peeces set them setting the olde roote agayne by him selfe and they wyl all growe prosper very wel THRA Yea haue you gotten the Rape hytherto I thought he hadde onely belonged vnto vs for we vse to sowe them after the Sunne hath been at the highest and immediatlye after ouer other Corne for the sustenaunce both of man and beast MARIVS You doo well and we sowe it nowe in May and in watry ground sooner and in some places in Iuly There are diuers sortes of them some of them rounde some growe all in length and are most pleasant in tast as at Binge and in the Countrey of Bauar Some agayne of the quantitie of a mans head and of a hundred pounde weyght but the smallest sort is the sweetest There is an other kinde of Rape that they vse to sowe whiche carryeth his seede in little coddes and is cheefely planted in Germanie for to make Oyle of the whiche you the other day spake of it is called in Greeke Goloules in French Raue in Italian Rapo in Spanishe Nabo in Dutche Ruben There is also an other wyld kind called Rapunculus that groweth halfe a yarde hie ful of seede and tender topped This they geather in the spring time before the stalke be sprong vp and pulling it vp by the rootes doo vse it in sallettes supposyng it to be a wylde kynde of Rape The Nauens also called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Napus in Frenche Nauet in Italian Napo in Spanishe Nabicas in Dutch Stockruben may be counted in the number of Rapes for Rapes in some grounde change into Nauens and in some grounde Nauens into Rapes These also loue to growe in a well watred mellowe and a ritche ground though such as growe in sandy and barraine ground prooue often the sweetest in eating They vse to sowe them in March and in some places before as also in August Parsneppe in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Pastinaca in other tongues almost as in Latine is very pleasant to be eatenâ— and requireth a fatte and a ritche grounde and deepe dygged whereby the roote may haue roome yenough to growe in it is sowed and set in the spring and in the end of sommer THRA You haue here also in this Garden red Carrets MARIVS I haue so Yellowe Carrettes is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Siser in Frenche Cheruille in Italian Sisero in Spanishe Chiriuias in Dutche Querlin I thinke you knowe it Plinie wryteth that Tiberius was so in loue with this roote that he caused Carrettes to be yeerely brought hym out of Germanie from the Castle of Gelâ—uba standyng vpon the Rhine It delighteth in colde places and is sowed before the kalendes of Marche and of some in September but the third and the best kind of sowing as some thinke is in August There is also wylde Carret a kinde of Parsnep in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— in Latine Daueus in Italian Dauco in Frenche Carote sauage in Dutche Woortzel there are that suppose it to be the yellowe roâ—te that is so common in Germanie they are to be sowed in march It is general to Rapes Radisheâ— Parsneps Carrets Onyons and Leekes that they be well troden vppon or kept cutte to the end the rootes may growe the greater Of Leekes there are two sortes the one called Capiâ—atum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the other Sectiuum whiche they vse alwayes to cutte close by the ground The headded or set Leeke in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Capitatum in Italian Porro capitato in Spanâ—she Puerro con Cabeza in Dutch Lauch in French Porreau the other Leeke in Latine Sectile in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Dutche Schnitlauch beside the often raking and dounging must be watred as oft as you cut it downe The seedes in colde hotte Countreys is sowed in Ianuarie or Februarie and in colder places in March to cause it to growe the fayrer and the better They vse to knitte vp a good deale of seede togeather in thinne lynnen clothes and so to lay them in the grounde but to make them greater headed when it hath wel taken roote they vse to plucke it vp by the blades and rayse it so that as it were hangyng and borne vp by the earth it is forced to fyll the emptie place that lyes vnder it the blades and the rootes cut of they vse to set the heades vnderlaying them with a Tyleshard that when as they are not able to runne downe in length they should be driuen to growe in bignesse and breadth The Leeke delyghteth in good ground and hateth watry ground sowed in the spryng it must be remooued or set agayne after haruest that they may be the greater the earth must be continually loosed about it and they must be pulted and rayled vp as I sayde before yf when you remooue them you make in the heades of euery one a little hole with a peece of a Reede or any thyng except Iron and thruste therein a Cucumber seede they wyll growe to a woonderfull greatnesse some vse in steade of Cucumber seede to put in Rape
yf a man doo geat vpon one acre .xx. s. a yeere it is thought a great matter THRA But the Uine asketh great charges and great trauayle about it and it is subiect to many mishaps as the cold frostes of Winter the blastes burning of Sommer and from the fyrst appearing til the third of May which is the last decretorie day of the Uine the hurt of the colde and frost is feared When it hath scaped this daunger then commeth a greater mischiefe which lightly euery yeere dooth great harme for eyther with blastes in the Dogge dayes or for lacke of rayne the Grapes are wythered and spoyled or els with ouermuch rayne they waxe sowre and not ripe Sundry other mishappes there happen that the Uine is subiect to MARIVS I graunt so is your Corne likewyse for both it asketh great charges and such casualties oft times vndooeth the poore husband For in all kinde of husbandry yf there be not great diligence and good skill imployed there wyl be but small commoditie reaped And especially the Uine requireth great husbandry about it for it is tender and soone harmed and therfore in choyse of the Uineyard there must be good heede and both the nature of the countrey and the disposition of the Heauens to be well consydered Most men plant theyr Uines without any great care or heede of them and when they growe vp vse little diligence in the trimming of them by whiche negligence many times they wyther before they be ripe Others agayne thinke it makes no great matter what grounde they bestowe about it most times lay out for this purpose the worst ground they haue as though it would serue for this plant that wyll serue for no other thyng Some agayne reape all the commoditie they can the fyrst yeeres not prouidyng for farther time and so complaine that their gaynes dooth neyther answeare their trauayle nor their charges whereas in deede their owne folly and negligence is the cause for yf there be diligence and paynes bestowed vpon it as Columella prooueth by many reasons there is no husbandry so profytable as the plantyng of Uines THRA I doo not deny but that there is great profyte in it where the grounde is meete for Uines and not so fitte for Corne otherwyse I thinke the sowing of Corne to be an easier matter and speedyer way to enriche the husband MARIVS Surely as touchyng the easinesse of the husbandry and the greatnesse of the gayne the olde wryters haue euer preferred the Uineyard afore the Corne feelde for as Columella reporteth Siserna wryteth that the labour of one man is sufficient for eyght acres of Uines or at the least for seuen of the encrease I haue spoken before THRA Mary syr at this day one man thinkes three acres too much for him but not to trouble your talke I pray you goe forward with the husbandry of your Uines MARIVS The ordering of the wine bearyng Uines as the sortes of Uines are sundry neyther can they be conteyned in certayne numbers for there is as many sortes as there is of ground Homer geueth the cheefest prayse to the wine of Maronia and Pramnium Virgil most commendeth Rhenishe wine others the wine of Aminea Lamentana Candy and Corsega but I meane to speake of those that are common in our dayes In Italy at this day they make most account of wine of Corsega Romani and Mesina In Spayne they cheefest esteeme wine of S. Martin of Ribodaui and Giberaltar In Fraunce the greatest prayse is geuen to the wine of Orleans Anjou and Greues Germany began but of late to meddle with planting of Uines for Varro wryteth that the Frenchemen and the Germanes had in his tyme both Uines and Olyues but at this day the Rhine the Necker the Mene Mosel and Danow may compare with any Countreys for goodnesse of theyr Uines THRA I see that the Uines are diuersly dressed otherwyse in Italy then in Fraunce and otherwyse in Fraunce then in Germany euery Countrey vsyng his seuerall fasshion MARIVS True for as Plinie after Columella teacheth the Uine may be planted fiue sundry wayes for eyther his branches are suffered to runne in safetie vpon the ground or els without any stay growe vpryght or hauyng a stay or a proppe set for them they climbe vp by it or els runne vp by a couple of suche proppes called of Liuy a yoke or els susteyned with foure of those yokes whiche of the resemblance that they haue with the hollowe gutters of a house are sayde to be guttered others agayne suffered to runne vpon frames lyke Arbers seruyng to sitte vnder and are called Arber vines others runne vp by the walles of houses Moreouer the yoked Uines called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are tyed togeather and ioyned with three or foure proppes as yf they were yoked some doo let them runne vpon trees as commonly in Lumbardy they are suffered to climbe vppon Elmes Wyllowes and Ashes where they greatly prosper neyther doo they like all maner of trees for they hate the Nuttree the Bay the Radishe and the Coll as agayne they loue the Poplar the Elme the Wyllowe the Figge and the Olyue tree The Uines that are yoked or stayed vp with proppes receiue more ayre and beare their fruite the hygher and ryp◠the better but aske more trouble in the lookyng to and these are so ordered that they may be plowed wherby they are the more fruitefull because they may the oftner and with the lesse charge be tylled The Uines that creepe vppon the ground make much wine but not as Columella sayth so good THRA Nowe to your orderyng of them MARIVS Fyrst I wyll speake of the ground and of the diggyng of it and after of the plantyng and cuttyng of them And fyrst you must take for a speciall note that euery Uine wyl not agree with euery place nor yeelde his wine in like goodnesse of suche force is the qualitie of the ayre neyther wyll all kynde of ground serue for Columella dooth counsell to sette the Uine in a wylde ground rather then where Corne or Busshes haue growen for as for olde Uineyardes it is most certayne they are the woorst places of all other to sette newe in because the ground is matted and as it were netted with the remaynes of the olde rootes neyther hath it lost the poyson of the rotten and olde stinkyng rootes wherewith the soyle glutted as it were with venime is benommed And therefore the wylde and vntyld ground is cheefely to be chosen which though it be ouer growen with shrubbes and trees may yet easily be ridde If such wylde ground be not to be had the best is the plaine champion lande without trees yf neyther suche a grounde then the lyght and thinne busshie grounde or Olyue grounde The last and woorst as I sayde is the olde rotten Uineyard which yf necessitie compell you to take you must fyrst ridde the grounde of all the olde rotten rootes and then couer it eyther
with olde doung or with the newest of any other kynde of manuryng the rootes beyng thus digged vp must be layde vp togeather and burned After must the ground be consydered whether it be mellowe and gentle it is thought to be good that is somethyng greety and grauelly and full of smal peebles so that it be mingled with fatte mould withall whiche yf it be not is vtterly disalowed Dame Ceres ioyes in heauy ground and Bacchus in the light You shall perceiue it to be massy and thicke yf beyng digged and cast into the hole agayne it ryseth ouer yf it scarsely fyll the hole it is a signe that it is lyght and thinne The Flynt by the generall consent of husbandmen is counted a freend to the Uine specially where it is well couered with good mould for beyng cold and a keeper of moysture it suffereth not the rootes to be skalded with the heate of Sommer so muche that Columella dooth wyll men to lay certayne stones about the sides of the Uinetrees so that they exceede not the weyght of fiue pound a peece which as Virgil hath noted keepes away the water in Winter and the heate in Sommer Hurle in the thyrstie stone or therein throwe the nasty shelles So doo wee see the bankes of the Rhine being full of these stones to yeelde an excellent good wine but the stones that lye aboue ground are to be cast away for in the Sommer beyng heated with the sunne they burne the Uine and in the Winter they hurt them with their coldnesse contrary to those that lye in the bottome But the best of all is the foote of an hill which receiueth the fallyng moulde from the toppe or the valley that with ouerflowyng of Ryuers hath been made riche Neyther is chalkie ground to be reâ—used though the chalke of it selfe that Potters vse is hurtfull to the Uine The hungry sandy ground the salt bitter and thyrstie grounde is not meete for the Uine yet the blacke and the reddishe sande medled with some moyst earth is of some alowed well yenough Moreouer neyther grounde too hotte or too colde too drye nor too moyst too sclender nor too stiffe that wyll not suffer the rayne to sincke is meete to be vsed for Uines for it wyll easily gape and open whereby the sunne comming in at the crayuesses dooth burne the rootes that agayne whiche is ouer thinne lettyng in as it were by ventes the rayne the sunne and the winde dooth drye vp the moysture of the rootes the thicke and stiffe grounde is hardly to be laboured the fatte grounde subiect to too muche rancknesse the leane grounde to barrennesse wherefore there must be an euen temperature amongst these extreamities as is required in our bodyes whose health is preserued by the equall medley of heate and colde dryth and moysture fulnesse and emptinesse or thicknesse and thinnesse neyther yet is this temperature in ground for Uines so iustly to be euened but that there is required a more enclining to the one part as that the earth be more hotte then colde more drye then moyst more sâ—â—htyll then grosse specially yf the state of the heauens agreeâ— agayne what quarter whereof the Uineyard ought to lye it is an olde controuersie some like best the rysing of the sunne some the West some the North Virgil misliketh the West others agayne thinke the best lying to be vpon the South But in generall it is thought best in colde countreys to haue it lye toward the South in warme countreys vpon the East in hotte burnyng Countreys as Egypt and Barbary vpon the North. Plinie would haue the Uine him selfe stand towards the North and his spring or shoutes towards the South A fytte grounde and wâ—ll lying being found out must be diligently digged dounged weeded all vnprofitable weedes must be pulled vp and throwen away lest they shoulde spring agayne and eyther corrupt the young plantes or hinder the labourer THRA Before you come to trenchyng I woulde gladly heare in what sort you plant your Uine and what season is fittest for it MARIVS I wyll fyrst speake of the season and afterwardes of the plantyng The Uine is planted accordyng to Virgils rule in the fall of the leafe but better in the spring yf the weather be rayny or colde or the ground be fatte champion or a watrishe valley and best in the fall of the leafe yf the weather be drye and warme the ground dry and lyght a barrayne or a rugged hill The time of plantyng in the spring as Columella sayth endureth fourtie dayes from the Ides of Februarie vntyll the Aequinoclial and in the fall of the leafe from the Ides of October to the Kalendes of December Cassian in Constantine being taught by experience wyls in watrye groundes you should rather plant in Autumne when the leaues are fallen and the plantes after the vintage deliuered of the burden of theyr clusters sound strong before they be nipped with the frostes for then they best agree with the ground nature applying her selfe wholly to the nourishing of the roote The time of graffing Columella sayth is of some extended from the fyrst of Nouember to the fyrst of Iune tyl which time the shoote or graffe may be preserued but it is not well liked of him who rather woulde haue it to be done in warmer weather when Winter is past when both budde and rynde is naturally mooued and safe from colde that myght annoy eyther the graffe or the stocke yet he graunteth when hast requireth it may be done in the fall of the leafe when as the temperature of the ayre is not much vnlyke to the spring for which purpose you must choose a warme day and no wind stirryng The graffe must be round and sound not full of pith but full of buddes and thicke of ioyntes the tenant whereof must not exceede three inches and smoothe and euen cut the stocke and the cleft must be well closed with clay and mosse Those that growe toward the South must be marked whiche Virgil obseruyng sayth But on the barke they also note the quarter of the skieâ— The order how it stoode and grew and where the South dyd lye The lyke is to be done with all other trees Of plantyng of Uines there is two wayes the one of the roote the other of the branche or spray the roote is counted a great deale better then the branche or set by reason of the forwardnesse and vauntage that it hath in that it hath alredy taken roote The roote is set in stiffe ground well digged and laboured in a trenche of three foote the set or spray in a gentle and mellowe ground in drye ground it is neyther good to set the roote nor the branche in a drye season it is best to plant in the fall of the leafe in a hotte season and in a colde and moyst in the spring in much wet you must set them thinner in great dryeth thicker in what sort you shall make a
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
the berries be white It is graffed also in the Figge and the Elme which in olde time they would not suffer for feare of corrupting Of the Mulbery is made a very noble medicine for the stomake and for the goute they wyll longest endure as it is saide kept in glasses The leaues doo serue to feede Sylkewoormes withall whereof some make a very great gayne and set them rather for that purpose then for the fruite THRA What tree is that with the ruddy coloured fruite like a Chery MARIVS It is a Cornell tree called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Cornus in Italian Corneolo in Spanishe Zereko seluestro in French Cornâ—er in Dutch Cornelbaum the tree is thought neuer to exceede twelue cubites in heyght the body is sounde and thicke like horne the leafe is like the Almond leafe but fatter the flowre and â—he fruite is like the Olyue with many beryes hangâ—ng vpon one stalke first white and after redde the iuyce of the ripe beries is of a blooddy colour it loueth both mountaynes and vâ—lleys and prospereth both in moyst gound and dry it groweth both of the sâ—â—ppe and of the seede You must beware you plant it not neare to your Bees for the flowre dooth kill as many of them as â—asâ—eth it THRA What tree is tâ—e same that groweth next vs MARIVS That tree is called Ziziphus in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Giuggiâ—le in Spanishe Azâ—feâ—fo in French Imubae in Dutch 〈◊〉 the beries whereof are like the Cornel beries the lowâ—e like the Olyue flowre but more sweeter Columella speaketh of two kindes thereoâ— the one redde the other white they are set of the stones in hotte countreys in Aprill and in colde places in May or els in Iune you may set both the stone and the brancâ—e it is very slowe in grâ—wing yf you set the plant you mâ—st doo it in March in soft grounde but yf you set the stone you must set them in a little trenche of a hand broade three stones togeather with their poyntes downeward it loueth not to riche a ground but rather a lâ—ght groâ—nd and a warme place in winter as Palladius sâ—yth it is good to lay stones about the body of the tree The next are Italian Fylbertes in Latine Pistaâ—ea in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Paâ—â—inachi in Spanish Alhoziâ—o in French Pistaches in Dutch Welsâ—e piniâ—ernus the leafe is narrowe and browne for vpon the branches hang the Nuttes lyke the Nattes of the Pine. Of this tree it is thought there â—s both male and female and therefore they growe commonly togeather the male hauing vnderneath his shell as it were long stâ—nes it is graffed about the first of April but vpon his owne stock and vpon the Terebâ—â—th and the Almond tree They are also set as Palladius witnesseth in the fall of the leafe in Ocâ—ober both of the sâ—ippes â—nd the Nutte it delightâ—th in a hot and a moyst countrey and ioyes in often watring THRA Because I remember you tolde me bâ—fore that of plantes and trees some doo growe of the seede or fruite and some are graffed and becâ—use I haue heard the graffing of most of them I would nowe fayne heare you speake of suche trees as growe only oâ— the stone or berry MARIVS Your remembrance is good for thoâ—gh they commonly growe bâ—tter when they be graffes yet some therebe that prosper the better being sowen and wyâ—â— scarse growe aâ—y other way And thâ—ugh same of the foresayde trees being set doo well pâ—osper as the Midlâ—r the Cornell and diuers other yet sometimes they waxe wyldeâ— and are long before they come to perfection which Virgill also affâ—rmeth For that same tree that of the seede the stone or berry growes Doth slowly spryng and â—long it is ear any fruite â—e shewes And when it comes it proueth wyld and dooth degeneraâ—e And loseth that same relishe sweeâ—e that longeâ—h to bâ—â—state but by graffing it is restored agayne Some of them agayne howe so euer they be sowen or set doo not degenerate or grow out of kinde as the Bay the Date the Cypresse the Peache the Abricoct the Danison the Pistace the Fyrre tree and the Chery and because they be not all of one order I wyll tell you seuerally of the chefest of them To plant trees of the seede nature as I saide before taught men at the fyrst the seede being deuoured of birdes and with the doung let fall in the cleftes of trees where they after sprong and grewe The Bay in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Laurus in all other tongues almost as in Latine The berry is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Lauri â—aâ—â—s in Italian Bacche de lauro in Spanishe Vaya de laurel in Dutch Lorbâ—ren a most gratefull tree to the house a porter to Emperours and Byshops whiche cheefely garnisheth the house and standeth alwayes at the entry Cato maketh two kindes thereof the Delphick and the Cypresse the Delphick equally coloured and greener with great berries in colour betwixt greene and redde wherewith the Conquerers at Delphus were woont to be crowned The Cypresse Bay hath a shorter leafe and a darker greene guttered as it were rounde about by the edges which some as â—linie sayth suppose to be a wylde kinde it groweth alwayes greene and beareth berries he shooteth out his branches from the sides and therefore waxeth soone olde and rotten it dooth not very well away with colde grounde being hot of nature it is planted dâ—uers wayes the berries being dryed with the North winde are geathered and layd abrâ—ade very thinne lâ—â—t they cluster togeather afâ—erward being wet with vrine they are set in furrowes a handfull deepe and very neare togeather in March they be also planted of the slippe and the sâ—yens If you set them of the sliâ—pe you must set them not pâ—sâ—ing â—â—ene foote a sunder but so they grow out of kinde Some thinke that they may be graffed one in an other as also vpon the Seruiâ—se and the Ashe the berries are to be geathered about the beginning of December and to be set in the beginning of March. Nutte trees are most commonly planted of the Nutte as all other shell fruites are Of all Nuttes the Almond is counted to be the worthyest called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Mandorle in Spanishe Almeidras in French Amandes in Dutch Mandelen they are set in Februarie and prosper in a cleare and a hotte ground in a fat and a moyst ground they wyll grow barraine they cheefely set suche as are crooked and the young plantes they are set both of the slipes the roote and the kernell The Nuttes that you intend to set must be layd a day before in soft doung others steepe them in water sodde with hony letting them lye therein but only one night least the sharpnesse of the hony spoyle the plant and being thus ordered Columella sayth they wyl be both
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
a good peece of his liuing yea the pooâ—e soule of the countrey that hath no ground to occupy may rayse hereof and that without charges a great commoditie Merula reports that Varro had yeerely for the rent of his Bees a thousand gallons of Hony and that in a house in Spayne hauing not passing one Aker of ground to it hath yeerely beene made of the Bees fourescore poundes woorth of Waxe and Hony. This little poore creature the Bee dooth not only with her labour yeelde vnto vs her delicate and most healthy Honey but also with the good example of theyr painfull diligence and trauaile encorageth man to labour and take paines according to his calling in such sort as it seemeth the almightie and most excellent maiestie hath of all other specially created this little poore creature for the benefite and commodity of man by whom besides the commodity of the Hony and Waxe that they make we might both take example to spend our life in vertuous and commendable exersises and also to honour and reuerence the wonderfull bounty goodnesse of the most gratious LORD shewed towardes vs in the creation of this small and profitable worme They are continually busied in labouring they shewe great cunning and workmanshyp in theyr trauayles they haue alwayes amongst them the liuely image of a perfite common wealth they yeelde obedience to theyr Prince not liking the gouernment of sundry heads but loue to be ruled by one eache one of them laboureth and trauayleth in his charge in so much as the wysest Gouernours and Councellours in common weales haue taken the Bees for theyr patterne in choosing of Princes distributing of offices rewarding of vertues and punishing malefactors Varro did alwayes call them the byrdes of the Muses and Virgil with woonderfull colours dooth eloquently set foorth the Bees theyr common weale Pallaces buyldinges citties lawes manners warres and trauayles supposing them to be partakers of reason and that they haue some instinct from aboue in that they so neare resemble the mindes of men yea many times excell them touching theyr obedience to theyr Prince Not Egypt in his prime nor Lydia large and wyde Ne yet the Parthian people great nor all the Medes beside Doo so their King obey who being safe and well Theyr mindes are all togeather one he only beares the bell On him they cast theyr eyes and gard him day and night And oft they beare him on theyr backes in his defence they fight But yf he chaunce to dye then all is dasht and donne Theyr coames asunder downe they teare and all to ruine runne If the King be taken the whole swarme is had yf he be gone they dispers them selues abroad for they can not liue without a King hating as well the hedlesse gouernment as the subiection to many heads If the King or as we terme him the maister Bee dye the whole swarme droupeth and mourneth they strayghtwayes cease from gathering of Hony they stur not abroade but only with a heauy and sorowfull humming they swarme and cluster togeather about his body The nature surely of this poore creature is greatly to be wondred at They only of theyr broode haue common care And neyghbour like theyr houses nearely stand And ruled are by lawes that none doo spare Alone they knowe theyr home and natiue land And mindfull of the stormy Winter neereâ— In Sommer geat to liue by all the yeere Theyr Princes Pallace is sumptuously buylt in some seuerall part of theyr Hyues being mounted aboue the rest whiche yf you happen to broose you destroy the broode They liue all as it were in a campe and duely keepe theyr watch and warde working togeather and oftentimes sending abroad theyr Colonyes they are warned at theyr Captaynes appoyntment as it were with the sound of a Trumpet by which they knowe both theyr times of warres and truce they ward all the day time at theyr gates in warlike manner and haue great scilence in the night tyll one of them in the mornyng humming out the discharge of the watch they get them abrode to their businesse as the Poete hath eloquently expressed Togeather all they quietly doo lye Togeather all they toyll with equall might And in the mornyng foorth togeather flye And home as fast they come agayne at night Where as they lay their weery lims to rest And trimme their wynges and set their legges in frame Tyll euery one him selfe hath throughly drest Then synging at their doores a whyle they game Tyll one geues warnyng for to goe to bedde Then downe they lay to rest theyr sleepie head For when the sleepie time of the night comes in they make lesse and lesse noyse tyll one of them goeth about with the lyke sound that he gaue in the morning setting as it were the watch and geuing them warnyng to goe to rest at which time they al suddenly hold their peace In the mornyng as I saide at the discharge of the watch they roame straight to the gates but flye not abroade except they see the weather wyll be faire whereof by nature they haue perfect vnderstanding Nor from the Hiues yf likely it be to rayne They farre doo stray nor trust they wyll the skie If that the Southwynd blowe but still remayne At home or busyed be with waters nie Short flytes they make and when such stormes they see They beare about the smalest stones they finde And as the Botes in fluddes that balast be So with the same they counterpayse the winde Being loded they flye with the winde yf any tempest suddenly aryse they counterpayse them selues with little stones flying in the winde as neare the ground as may be their labour both at home and abroade is certaynely appoynted They labour at the fyrst within the compasse of threescore pase about the Hyues and when the flowres there haue been sufficiently wrought they send abroade their discouerers to finde out more foode And when they fall all togeather to their businesse some worke the flowers with theyr feete others carry water with theyr mouthes and droppes in theyr little fleeses the young lusty fellowes labour abroade the elder at home Those that goe abroade doo with theyr forelegges lade all theyr thighes which nature for the nonce hath made roffe thus being loaded legges head backe and all as much as they may beare they returne home where there wayghteth commonly three or four at the doore to vnloade them Within all this whyle are some laying in order some buylding some making cleane and some making ready theyr meate for they feede not seuerally for feare of veguiling one the other They frame theyr houses archwyse within the Hyues with two passages so as they may enter one way and go out an other Theyr coames that they make are wrought full of holes whiche holes as Varro sayth are theyr celles or lodgings made euery one sixe square according to the number of theyr feete these celles they doo all fyll
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
hath noted Flaxe vvhere he grovves dooth burne the feelde The lyke dooth Oates and Poppey yeelde And therefore but that women must haue something to occupie theyr handes withall it were more profite to sowe the grounde with corne and to bye linnen abrode especially yf you way the hart of your grounde and the charges of the makyng Hempe in Latine Canubis in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Canabe in Spanishe Cannamo in Frenche Chamura and in Dutch Haueph is a plant of the Reedishe kinde hauing a very strong sauour it groweth with a single stalke and many times to suche a heyght that it matcheth with indifferent Trees it is of great necessitie for the vse of man and serueth both for makyng of Canuisse and framing of Ropes the stalke hath many knottes out of whiche proceedeth branches with narrowe leaues indented and sharpe Dioscorides describeth both the wylde Hempe and the Garden Hempe to haue leaues lyke the Ashe hollowe stalkes a stinkyng sauour and rounde seede There are two kindes of it the Male that is without floure and beareth a seede of sundry colours and the Female that to recompence her barrennesse dooth yeelde a white flowre it is sowed in Gardens Orchardes or other gooâ— grounde as Plinie would haue it after a Southwest wind with vs it is sowen in the ende of April for it can not away with cold some sowe it at the rysing of the starre called the Berward which is at the ende of Februarie or the beginning of March it loueth riâ—che grounde well dounged and watred and deepe plowed it is noughty sowing of it in raynie weather the thicker you sowe it the tenderer it wyll be and therefore many times it is sowen thryse though some there be that appoynt to euery foote square sixe seedes The Female or fyrble Hempe is fyrst pulled vp afterward the Male or the Carle when his seede is ripe is plucked vp and made vp in bundels layde in the Sunne for three or foure dayes and after is cast into the water with weyght layd vpon him for eyght or tenne dayes tyll he be sufficiently watred and as Flaxe tyll the Rynde waxe loose then taken out it is dryed with the Sunne and after broken in the Brake and then combed and hacked for Yarne and Ropes Of Hempe are made Cables Cordes Nettes and Sayles for Shippes garmentes for Labourers Shertes and Sheetes the Shales or Stalkes serue for the heating of Ouens or kyndeling of Fyres RIGO In the Countrey of Gulicke and some partes of Fraunce I remember I haue seene an hearbe planted of the common people with great diligence that serueth as they sayd for Dyars CONO You say true that hearbe Cesar in his Comentaries of the warres of Fraunce calleth Glastum in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Gnado in Spanishe Pastel in Frenche with the common sort Guadum and Guesde in Dutch VVeyt the Dyars doo vse it and with them it is greatly esteemed and great gayne aryseth thereof vnto the people of Gelderland Iulyes and Turyn and diuers Countreys els the leaues as Plinie wryteth are lyke vnto Dock leaues Dioscorides wryteth of two kindes the wyld and the Garden Woade saying that the Garden Woade whiche Dyars vse hath leaues lyke Plantayne but something thicker and the wylde leaues lyke Lentyll with yellowe flowres with this hearbe Cesar sayth the people of Englande were woont to paynt theyr faces and bodyes to seeme more terrible to theyr enimies it requireth lyke sowyng and soyle as Wheate dooth but it is a great soker of the grounde and muche hurteth it it woulde haue a very riche and a fatte grounde and well dygged for the grounde were better to be turned vp with Spades then with Plowes for the sowyng of this Plant and it must be very well weeded It is sowed in Gelderland in April and after the common peoples rule in Easter wecke at the first fâ—llowing they marle the grounde after sowe it you must be very heedefull in the weedyng of it When it is growen a handfull hye and more they suffer it not to flowre but with an instrument for the purpose they cut it close by the roote washe it and carry it to the Myll and suffering it to growe agayne they cut it three or foure times and so leaue it to seede The greene hearbe they grinde in Milles like Apple Milles pressing it til they get out al the iuyce thereof then roule they it vp with their handes in rounde balles and so laye it vpon boorded floores to be dryed RIGO You haue greatly delighted me in describing vnto me the order of sowyng of seedes without whiche not onely the people of the Countrey but also the Courtiar and Citizen are not able to liue my desyre is nowe to vnderstande the order of Haruest the Countrey mans long looked for tyme and the reward of all his toyle CONO I wyl proceede in the accomplishing of your request When the Corne is ripe before it be scorched with the great heate of the Sunne whiche is most extreame at the rysyng of the lesser Dogge it is to be cut downe out of hande for delay herein is daungerous Fyrst because that birdes and other vermine wyll deuoure it and agayne both the Grayne and the Eare the toppe and the strawe being brittell and ouer drye wyl soone fall to the ground yf storme or tempest chaunce to aryse the greatest part thereof wyll to the grounde and therefore it must not be lingred but when it dooth looke yellowe in euery place and before that the Grayne be thorowe hard when they come to looke reddishe you must then haue it in that it may rather waxe in the Barne then in the Feelde Experience teacheth that yf it be cutte downe in due time the seede wyll growe in fulnesse as it lyeth in the Barne for the Moone encreasyng the Corne growes greater at the chaunge you must geather such seede as you woulde should be least fautie Varro sayth that the best tyme for Haruest is betwixt the Sunnestay and the Dogge dayes for the Corne they say dooth lye in the blade .xv. dayes flowreth .xv. dayes and ripeth in .xv. dayes Amongst Grayne Pulse the fyrst that is to be geathered is Rape seede And because the seede when the cod beginneth to waxe yellowe declareth ripenesse it must be geathered out of hand and sythe the seede wyll easyly skatter it must be layde eyther in playne smoothe places in the Feelde or vpon Canuasse and yf it be presently to be carryed the Wayne or Cart must be lyned with sheetes lest with iogging and tottring of the carryage the seede fall thorowe You must take good heede as well here as in all other Pulse that you preuent the rayne for the rayne falling the coddes doo open As soone as your Rape seede is of yf the grounde be plowed you may sowe Bucke or Branke as they call it so that of one peece of ground in one yeere you may make