by the improvements of their Tithes both which hitherto have gained little or nothing and the poore will gaine by their imployments in the said improvements which imployments they now want yet I could wish that in every Parish where Commons are inclosed a corner might be laid to the poore mens houses that every one might keep a Cow or for the maintenance of his familie and the rather for that they are the best servants to the Common-wealth for how could the fields be reaped or the corne thrashed or other works of like nature be done if these were wanting Now it is requisite to shew some invention for the improvement of the hay grounds which will be much advantage for the fertilizing of the high barren grounds by foddering the Cattell there in the Winter time And for this purpose there cannot be a better way then that used in Persia and Spaine by water wheeles of thirty or fortie foote high with wooden bottels which doe fill in the river and empty themselves above into a trough of wood and so is carried to those grounds where the Land floods never come to flatten them and by this meanes the Meadow grounds for Hay may be doubled in many places not onely in quantitie but also in qualitie For I have knowne in England where Hay ground worth but ten shillings an Acre yearely hath been improved by meanes of this nature that it hath borne Hay in such plentie that it together with the latter crop hath raised ten pounds upon an Acre but this was in a dry Summer when Hay was very deare and scarce and therefore is not perpetuall but yet a sufficient gaine may be alwayes hereby gotten I know a man not farre from London that by laying out three hundred shillings improved his Land three hundred pounds per Annum by watering it onely by raising the water with dammes of earth so that it might at his pleasure over-flow his barren grounds which profit might still be doubled by this invention of the Persian wheeles whereby the water might be raised so high that it would overflow the barren grounds higher and broader then before by the halfe and this water if it come from Chalkie or Limestone grounds or be coloured with Land-stouds doth fatten the ground wonderfully Of these Wheeles there is to be seene in Persia two or three hundred in a River whereby their grounds are improved extraordinarily and I see no reason but that good use may be made of them here in England And though this increase of fodder will be very conducible for the manuring of the high grounds whereby they may gather fertilitie by having the Sheepe and Cattle foddered upon them in the Winter time whereby they shall not onely receive the benefit of the dung bred upon them but also of this new Meadow-ground yet my meaning is not totally to take away the use of the Sheep-fold upon the arable land for in the great Corne Countries where the Sheepe are kept in the fields there they doe good in keeping the fields bare although they be folded in the night and in the other Countries where there is not much Tillage I would have all men to endeavour to make as much use of my insuing experiments as they can possibly with convenience which will raise manure enough in most places to serve their turne so that they will not need to use the Sheepe-fold whereby by one ground is so much impoverished to in rich the other and where there is no remedy there they may drive the Sheepe to the fold out of the new inclosures as well as now out of the Commons in the Summer time but then the fertility of their new inclosures will increase much more slowly then otherwayes if the Sheepe and Cattle shall manure them both in Summer and Winter I must needs confesse that the dung of Sheepe is a very temperate manure for much Corne ground and is not so hot as Lime Pigeons dung or Poultrey dung nor on the other side so cold as Cow dung or Oxe dung and therefore to supply the place of it there is required a composition of lime and dung together which the proportion being found and being laid interchangeably in leeres in a dunghill and so let lie a certaine space to putrifie and rot together will supply the roome of the Sheepes manure most excellently Also in places convenient I would have Ponds made to receive the water of Land-flouds which once a yeare will yeeld great store of good manure but the best will be where the Land-flouds come from fertile fields and from Townes but especially from Market Townes whose streets are paved Also within the Tide worke I would have sluces in all your ditches that fence in your grounds where the water may be let in swiftly and after it hath settled cleere then let it out very slowly and it will leave a fat residence behinde it for it is certain that al the fat veines of Marle were left by the water in former times by its slow departure from such places for it is manifest that all these varieties of earths have bin caused in former times by the various motion of the water as may be seene by the difference betweene the earths fatnesse in severall places upon the Sea coast for in Devonshire the Sea leaveth a sand so fat that they carry it many miles on Horsebacke to manure land withall and where it is laid the fertilitie is increased wonderfully but how these fat veines of Marle came to be laid in their places is much controverted some thinke by Noahs Flood others hold that all Land hath once bin Sea and will be Sea againe by turnes in length of time which opinion is not so frivolous as it seemeth at the first shew for we see that the Sea doth continually get Land in one place and loose Land in another and of that earth which the Sea carrieth in his belly it leaveth the fattest part thereof in such places where it goeth out with the slowest motion which may be seene by experience in Rivers for where the water runneth swiftly it carrieth with it the whole body of the earth and as the motion groweth slower it leaveth it againe first the heavie gravell is left next the plaine earth is left and lastly when it commeth to an exceeding slow motion or still standing there it leaveth his fatnesse But whether all the Land hath been Sea I make some question but it is certaine that a great part thereof hath been Sea for peeces of Ships and Anchors have bin found in Germany two hundred miles from the Sea being covered with earth by the motion of the water also divers Shells and other things have been found in England farre distant from the Sea also the Hills and Dales upon the Land doe shew plainely the worke of the water even as the Claw of a Bear or a Lion doth shew by his print that a Bear or a Lion hath been in such a
prospereth where the congruent fatnesse doth predominate which by its Magnetique vertue it is prone to draw to it to increase his like according to the great Magna Charta or Grand-law of nature whereas divers other Seeds or Plants would not prosper at all in such ground Whereby it is plaine that as the various temperament of earths doe require various Seeds and Plants so they doe require various compositions of Manure to bring them to a temperament which compositions can never be found out but by practise and triall of sundry conclusions upon small quantities of Land at the first with sundry compositions as to mixe Lime with dung in severall proportions with 2 3 4 5 6. or more to one as occasion shall require and when the true proportion is found then to proceed in greater works And I hold it good that no Lime be laid upon the high ground before it be quenched with some small quantitie of Oxe or Cowe dung for by this meanes the Land-floods are not so apt to wash it away for the Lime of it selfe is very apt to turne into Mussilage with water and so to be carried away Now to shew how these inventions and improvements are able to change the former practises in Husbandry in such manner that the fertilitie may now perpetually increase contrary to the former practise whereby it yearely and hourely decreased I will contract my experiments into a lesser roome whereby the memory of the Readers shall be lesse charged And first it is manifest that the Hay comming by the fatning and watering of the barren Land adjoyning to the Meadowes by the Persian wheeles produceth dung to fatten the high barren grounds by foddering the Sheep and cattell therewith in the Winter time whereby one barren ground is made so fertile that it fatneth another Also the Mussilage of water now gotten by Land-floods which before was lost and carried into the Sea doth helpe much for the same purpose Also the benefit of Moats and standing Ponds more then before whereof great quantitie may be by industry produced doth much helpe likewise for the said purpose Also the new increase of Wood will make better provision of Lime then heretofore which will be infinitely conducible to the said purpose Also the Art of putrifying of Water not as yet brought to full perfection the best and most expeditious way will doe much good for the said purpose for though it be as yet a thing not fully perfected yet it is not totally in the aire for I can doe it already but not in such exquisite manner for expedition in great quantitie as I meane to do before I publish it And for present satisfaction let all men know that the fatnesse which is loathest to sinke in water is the most noble fatnesse of all other and not inferiour to Pigeons dung for the reason why it is so loath to sinke is because of its excellent temperament being compounded of both the contrary fatnesses formerly spoken of so that the combustible fatnesse in it being joyned with the incombustible causeth it to be so loath to sinke Now if all these new Inventions for the provision of manure shall double the former quantitie as by indifferent industry it is very possible they may then will the fertilitie be likewise doubled and so consequently the same quantitie of land being thus improved will mainteine double the number of people For it is a strange thing to see how little a quantitie of land will mainteine a family of people being industriously improved Of which experience none can better beare witnesse then my selfe whose Predecessors though generously descended lived well upon a small Farme and by their industry mainteined and educated their children in manner not much inferiour to the sons of the best Knights and Gentlemen in the Countrey And it is certaine that there is sufficient fatnesse of both kindes in every Countrey to bring all the Land to a good temperament and fertilitie though it is discretion at the first in such places where it may be done with the least labour and charges for though the water carry the fatnesse from the Land into the Sea in never so great quantitie yet the Sea casteth it forth againe in some place or other whereby it may by industry be recovered covered in such places and new mixed by the found judgement of the Husbandmen For though I can scarcely beleeve that all Land hath bin Sea viz. the great East and West Countries yet it appeareth evidently that the greatest part of those great Countries have bin Sea and also that these insulary Countries have bin Sea totally For it is impossible that the water in the Deluge should in so short a time make so great an alteration upon the Terrestriall Globe as is manifest it hath by these ensuing demonstrations First it appeareth in the West-part of England that though the waters in the Deluge might bring that multitude of Firre-trees which are there found in the earth yet it could not possibly cover them so deepe with earth in so short a time it being found by experience that where the water casteth out earth and heightneth the earth to get it selfe a Concave there it doth that worke by litle and litle in long time Secondly it appeareth in the East-part of England in the Fennes by shels Anchors and other things frequently found that that ground hath bin Sea in former time and the multitude of earth laid upon those things could not be done in so short a time Thirdly it appeareth that all England hath bin Sea by the hills and dales and unevennesse of the ground being evidently graven by the water whose propertie is to weare the ground deepest in such places where the earth is most loose as it is in all vallies and to spare it most in all rockie and firme grounds of which sort the Mountaines are And this is more manifest by the Rivers which grind themselves a passage into the Sea through the loosest earth which is cause that they runne so crooked And this all Fishers and watermen can tell for that they finde the water deepest in the loosest earth and ebbest where it is most compacted and firme for Mountaines and Vallies at land are depths and shallowes at Sea Which thing considered together with the speciall compasse of the Sea acquiring his deepenesse by its elevation more then by graving it selfe an hollow concavitie to abide in doth shew that there is no such impossibilitie for the Sea to alter his place according to the motion of the fixed coelestiall Orbs which some thinke to be chiefely through the slow motion of the fixed starres and that it will make his revolution upon the earth in such time as the fixed starres make their revolution in the Heavens both which motions are so slow that they are not taken notice of by men of vulgar capacitie and though this thing be not generally received for truth yet it accordeth with reason and possibilitie as well
matter as Oile Grease Rosen Pitch Tallow Sulphure c. and in another place you say also that Gold is made of the said fatnesse of the earth which is a substance altogether free from burning and is not diminished in the fire we would be resolved how these seeming contrarieties can be true Answer I said that there is a double fatnesse in every compounded body the one combustible and the other incombustible which may be seene in the burning of the highest twigges of any Tree for first there riseth a sharpe vapour in the burning which is the universall spirit of the world and the vehiculum which by the helpe of the Sunnes heate lifteth up the former fatnesse then the combustible part consumeth into aire by the fire then the ashes remaining being laid upon land fatneth it whereby a fatnesse incombustible is discovered and these two fatnesses are in mineralls as well as vegetables and of the incombustible and fixed fatnesse minerall is Gold made by nature and also by art imitating Nature and if any man doubt it let him hazzard a good wager upon it which shall be equalized and the question shall be determined by the greatest viz. experience which admitteth no imposture yet I could advise my best friends that love to trie experience to spend their money time and studie upon Improvements in Husbandrie being workes more certaine and more profitable Objection III. We must needs confesse that barrennesse increaseth by the usuall practise in Husbandry at this day and by the two wayes alledged by you in your Booke viz. first by the carrying of the sheepe from the Commons with their full bellies into the Folds whereby the one ground is impoverished to inrich the other and this we conceive may be cured by your new Inventions for providing of manure which was neglected before secondly the Land is much impoverished by great Land-flouds which carry a wonderfull quantitie of fatnesse yearely into the Sea but how this should be remedied we know not we must needs confesse that your Inventions for the providing of manure more then before are excellent good and profitable for the generall good and will withstand the barrennesse much so that it will not increase so fast as it did before yet we conceive that barrennesse will still increase though more slowly for all your multiplications of manure will not equalize much lesse overmatch the fatnesse carried yearely by Land-flouds into the Sea Answer It is certaine that the new provision of manure by Lime ashes Marle Mussilage and residence of water and by the rest of the Inventions will equalize and overmatch the great quantitie of fatnesse carried yearely into the Sea if the same shall be industriously put in practise the subterraneall vapours yearely elevate a great quantitie of fatnesse though in some places more abundantly then in others for I have knowne arable land borne good corne time out of minde with every third yeares rest and fallowing without any manure at all but onely by this subterraneall vapour arising from some subterraneall fat substance but though this be but in some speciall places yet there is no question but that it helpeth well in all places though of it selfe it be not sufficient without addition of manure but if all men would be ruled by me we would not onely put these workes in practise very industriously for the generall good thereby to testifie our love to all men both living and yet to come but also we would make use of my first Invention mentioned in my first Chapter viz. to bow the knee of the heart instead of the usual and complementall bowing of the knee of the body to the Donor of all goodnesse then might we have firme confidence having formerly testified our love to God by the generall love of all his creatures especially those of our own kind that he would send the former and the latter raine in due season without scanting us at any time and pouring downe too much at other times whereof we had experience this last yeere wherein both these events have caused losse to this Kingdome above the value of 20. subsidies in one yeere if this new invention were well put in practice then would the heart-maker take away these our stony and hard hearts and give us hearts of flesh and all mourning and lamentation for want of food would be done away for then would our labours be seconded by the chiefe master in Husbandry so that we should no more bee frustrated of our expected Harvest Objection IIII. Wee finde your answers so satisfactory that wee will make no more objections but this one which we will almost answer our selves which is this wee must needs confesse that your discourse concerning the preservation of Corne from blasting is very rationall and argueth much skill in Husbandry yet whether the practise thereof will be answerable though we see no cause to doubt thereof yet being schooled by your selfe wee will suspend our full beleefe thereof till experience testifie and manifest the truth and wee desire to be excused herein because it is your own counsell to us wherein wee see not but that howsoever it proveth you your selfe are out of blame for that every man may try the truth thereof by your owne direction without any materiall prejudice in small quantitie at the first Therefore if it may please you to shew us your new invented Engines and the use of them how the tedious labour of your new workes may be eased then we will declare our opinions to all posterity and so take our leaves Answer Well goe with me and you shall receive as much satisfaction by demonstration as formerly by discourse You see here the experiment of my Persian wheele you see that it is 40. foot high you see that the bottles doe fill in the River and empty themselves into a Trough 36. foot high and the water is conveyed into yonder Ditch which is a mile long you see divers stops in the Ditch whereby the water is caused to flow over yonder barren ground whereby it is become good medow you see it is of no great cost nor subject to be out of order nor doth require any great repaire you see the motion is perpetuall day and night without looking to if you were in Persia you might see two or three hundred of these in one River if the water come from chalky or lime-stone ground or be mixed with land-flouds then it doth fatten the ground wonderfull Now looke upon my Engine for the cleansing of Thorny and rough grounds you see the nether part is like a three grayned dung-forke onely it is 40. times greater and stronger you see the upper part is like a leaver but ten times stronger and very much longer you see here a great bush of Thornes and Briers together which to eradicate the common way would spend a good part of a mans dayes worke Now thus I set my Instrument halfe a foot from the root of it slopewise then
place I have tried to putrifie water by it selfe and also with helps and doe finde that it may be done even as milke by helpe of rennet is curded into cheese a thing that no man would beleeve but that experience shewes it to be true but as yet I have not brought the experiment to full perfection and therefore as yet I will respit the publishing thereof some experience hereof may be seene in the Moats and standing Pooles which yeeld great store of good Manure and I wish that they were more made use of For I have seene much over-sight committed by many Husbandmen in letting out the putrified and coloured water from their Moats and dunghill Pooles to the intent that the Manure in the bottome might be the sooner dried in Summer and fit for carriage to their Land whereas all the water that was high coloured might have been improved in such frugall manner by a little industry that it would have produced such an increase of so much Barley as would have made as much good drinke for the Husband mans provision as the coloured water which was lost And in this manner I would have it ordered in the heate of Summer when the Sunne hath exhaled a great part of it and that it groweth thickish and fat then reserve a good pit full thereof well bottomed with Clay that will hold water and at Seed time steepe your Seed Corne in it but put the fat water to it by little and little as it drinketh it up that at the last it may be almost dry of it selfe but before it be full dry sift a small quantitie of Lime amongst it that so it may grow dry with the Lime and be like Comfits then with this Seed Sow or Set your most remote ground from your Dung-hills and by this meanes you will save ten times as much labour in carriage of your dung so farre as this labour cometh too and as for your crop though you shall not have so much increase as some have Mountebanklike reported of it yet you shall have a good materiall increase for one crop onely and corne thus ordered is not subject to be devoured of fowles when it is new sowne The like infusion may be made with Lees of Wine Ale Beere Perry Sider also with Beefe-Broth and the Brine of powdring Tubbs and all such liquors as conteine any fatnesse and these liquors are best mixed divers sorts together where they may be had And I have sometimes spritted the Corne a little as they use to do for Malt and then have sowne it and it came up speedily and got the predomination of the weedes at first and so kept the same whereby I had farre greater increase then ordinary Also I found sometimes when a dry season came upon the sowing that my Corne thus ordered took root far better then other mens Corn who would not take this small paines to steep it and sprit it Now for the residue of your coloured fat water it may be carried in great Tuns as the Salt-peter-men carry their liquors and therein having divers holes you may water your arable Land that lyeth next to your houses also you may get good quantitie of old Thatch or Straw and spread it on the ground by the Pondside in the heate of Summer and ever at spare times as you see it dry water it with a Scoope but not so much as that any shall run away and continue this worke till all the fat water be dried upon it then lay it on round heapes and let it rot into dust this dust is little inferiour to Pidgeons dung for the manuring of Land especially if you have dried great quantitie of the fat water upon it And I would have your Moats and standing Pooles so placed that all the Urine and fat moisture of your Stables beast-houses Kitchins and other houses of Office may descend unto it By these severall meanes aforesaid you may double your quantitie of manure every yeare and so consequently the increase of your crops if good heed be taken that none of your coloured fat water passe away for there is a wonderfull fatning vertue in that part of the Manure which is the most apt to dissolve and to colour the water And this fat Musselage being so apt to be carried in the belly of the Water at Land-floods hath caused the valleys to be so fat and fertile and the high ground to be so barren Yet we see by manifest experience that there is a remedy by industry to cure the barrennesse of the high grounds for if we observe it well we shall finde that the Farmers dwelling in barren soiles are generally richer by their industry then those that dwell in the fatter soiles Now for so much as there is so great a difference of the nature of Land and also there is so great varietie of the weather in these insulary Countryes there can be no absolute rule prescribed to hit the bird in the eye in the composition of Manure for all sorts of grounds and weathers Therefore every one is to make use of his owne experience sometimes in small quantities whereby many excellent and profitable experiments may be discovered And for his better furtherance to hit the marke I will here set downe as plainly as I can the causes of barrennesse in this kinde which I finde to be these when the combustible fatnesse doth much predominate in any earth as it doth usually in the higher grounds and the reason is because that the water is prone to carry the incombustible fatnesse in his belly from the higher grounds and to leave the same upon the lower and more levell grounds and therefore that ground requireth Cowe or Oxe dung which is combustible to bring it to a good temperament likewise the higher grounds require Lime Ashes Chalk Pigeonsdung and Poultry dung to bring them to a good temperament for these two fatnesses are of different nature yet nothing increaseth without them both mixed for it is the nature of the combustible fatnesse to grow soft to rarifie and turne into a vapour by the heate of the Sunne and of the incombustible fatnesse to harden and coagulate by the heate of the Sunne and by these two contrary qualities all riches are engendred Wherefore as Actuarius the Physician summeth up all his Art in one line in these words In omni affectione morhosa conâ—rarâ—s est pugnandum So I summe my Art as briefely viz. that every cure in Husbandry is to be performed by mixing the Land with a composition of Manure contrary to that which causeth its barrennesse And oftentimes this labour may be saved by choosing apt Seeds and Plants for some soiles which will not beare one thing at all yet are very fertile in bearing another And this is the reason that the old saying is true Non omnis fert omniatellus For where the Seed or Plant requireth a greater part of the one of the fatnesses more then the other there that Seed or Plant
as any opinion hitherto broched And the reason of this my relation is to good purpose for by this meanes men may more easily finde out the fat veines of Marle and know how to mixe their ground in such sort that it may be brought to a fertile temperament where the water hath left it in an evill temperament and for their furtherance they may make balls of earth of severall sorts and burne them in the fire and by their lightning in their weight in the burning they may get some light how to mixe them to bring them to a good temperament And I see no reason why Landlords should be remisse in these trialls for where a Lordship is discovered to have severall earths the one able to bring the other to a fertile temperament there the rents will be wonderfully advanced Neither doe I see that men should be remisse in this worke because that in length of time all their land thus improved will become Sea for the motion is so slow that all estates are changed before there can be any materiall alteration it being found by Mathematicians that the fixed starres make not their revolutions in lesse time then thirty sixe thousand yeares And the reason why the earth is more compact and firme in one place then in another can be no other then this for that the subterraneall vapours doe impregnate it and tie it together more firmely in one place then in another whereof some of them are so strong as to turne it into rockes of stone some able to glue it together like firme earth some so weake that the water is able to dig it and carry it in its belly to such places where the slow motion thereof giveth it leave to sinke And these are all the reasons that ever I could conceive why the Sea is so various in its deepenesse and also why the Land is so uneven with Mountaines and Vallies being so wrought to that unevennesse by the water in former times and I could wish that men should not thinke their labour over-much in these workes for that the riches this way gotten are more durable then other riches for that they are not gotten by the prejudice of others which is manifested by divers examples wherein the one is found to continue to many posterities the other to rust and grangrene in short time into nothing CHAP. VIII Wherein is shewed how to prevent the blasting of Corne and that the cause thereof doth not come through thunder and lightning according to the common opinion but through the deficiencie of the Husbandmens knowledge IT is found by a generall practise in the Vale of Belvoire commonly called Beaver where the best and purest Wheate in Europe usually groweth that if the Farmers sow their Wheate upon the fallowes then it is usually blasted by reason of the fatnesse of the ground which this graine cannot endure but if they sow it with Barley first and Peason next to abate the fertilitie and overmuch fatnesse thereof then it is not subject to blasting by this it appeareth at the first shew that the fatnesse of the soile is the onely cause of blasting but upon better consideration I have found two other causes concurring to produce this effect whereof neither of them are thunder and lightning according to the vulgar opinion for that would blast one eare as well as his next fellow growing so neare it for what should defend the one more then the other or what should defend the Wheate sowne after the two crops of Barley and Peason but the leannesse of the land which the former practitioners this way not considering spoiled their project by over-fatning the ground thinking thereby to regaine in the greatnesse of the increase the great charge and labour which they were at in setting it the rude way with a board with holes in it And as for the other two causes of their failing they were these First in a moist yeare the immoderate raines joyned with the fatnesse and glutted the rootes overmuch with fatnesse and moisture together which this graine will not suffer Secondly when the ground was not over-fat yet the great raines carried downe the fatnesse into the lower places of the land and so blasted that Wheate which grew there letting the other escape unblasted that grew upon the ridges and on the top of the little furrowes where the wet and fatnesse descended from them speedily and did not overcharge them with fatnesse and moisture together I have pulled up a thousand eares both blasted and unblasted and have searched into the causes as farre as my capacitie would extend and can finde no other cause but these And it is certaine that neither of these causes alone doth produce this effect but both joyned together viz. too much fatnesse and moisture both at once for the practitioners of this worke in some dry and hot yeares had extraordinary great increase which animated them to follow it so fiercely divers yeares there being no question but that else one yeares practise would have satisfied them for they knew the great charge and labour in one yeare as well as in many and had increase when the drinesse of the yeare served to recompence all or else they would have instantly ceased And it is as certaine that moisture without too much fatnesse doth not produce this effect for then it would doe it upon Wheate sowne the third Crop as well as upon the first which sometimes in immoderate rainy yeares it doth upon some eares growing in the hollower places of the land in the third Croppe the reason is as I said before because the raine carrieth thither the fatnesse of the higher ridges and so overchargeth it in those places with fatnesse and moisture together for Wheate and Hops are both of a nature they will not prosper but in moist ground yet they are easily overcharged with moisture therefore as Hops must be hilled that they may draw moisture at pleasure and not have it forced upon them so must Wheate or else the Husbandman will be often frustrated of his expected increase which our former setters of Wheate not knowing or at least not observing had their Croppe so often blasted that at length their project was blasted for want of judgement and experience Also their tedious manner of going to worke by diging their ground and setting the Wheate with such a number of workemen for want of invention did make the losse more intolerable for they hoped for a wonderfull increase which some drie yeares they observed but in moist yeares their Corne was much more blasted then that sowne the common way upon leane ground whereby we see how easily a good cause may be spoiled Now to remedy all these inconveniences there is no way but my two new Inventions or Engines the first remedieth the great charge and labour of workemen for by this invention two men or boyes may set an Acre upon a day whereas before fourtie persons were little enough to doe it and
kinde of module thereof by hanging a bullet of iron covered with clay in the middle of a Speare beset about with Loadstones of equall vertue attractive but I conceive time may be better spent in admiring the wonderfull power wisdome and exquisite artifice of the mightie Creator and also in letting this glorious Fabricke of the universe be to us all the universall Preacher of Divinitie to teach us to adore and love the Creator thereof in which divine worship I could desire that there might be a new invention or improvement in two respects First as the common way used is to bow the knee of the body so the new way should be to bow the knee of the heart and as the common way now used is to be every one for himselfe so the new way should be to be for the generall good of every one if the last of these be not performed the first cannot for it is unpossible that he can honour and love God aright which doth not love all his brethren whom God hath created upon the face of the earth and if he love them he will worke for the generall good of them all which if he doe not then his love is fained and his Religion is vanitie And had I eloquence or learning I would presse this point with all my force for that all the inventions and improvements in this booke are not to be compared to this one for excellencie neither is there any great hope that the rest will succeed well if this doe not precede for suppose that men for meere lucre should be industrious in this new husbandry yet if they omit these two first new inventions they may well feare the successe for that they have left the prime Workman out of the field to wit God Almightie without whose blessing all is vanitie and lost labour whereas on the other side if they shall first learne these two new inventions in the service of God and love to men by which and by no other way then by working for the generall good the sinceritie thereof can possibly be discerned then will they all with one consent worke cheerefully in this new husbandry and the chiefest happinesse of all will be that then God Almightie will blesse their labours by sending the former and the latter raine in due season whereby their harvest shall be doubled in quantity for moderate raine fatneth the earth but too much or too little causeth barrennesse as may be seene by this last yeares successe where the want of a little raine presently after the Spring seed time hindred this kingdome above the value of an hundred Subsidies and also one flood comming by immoderate raine did as all floods usually doe viz. carry in the belly of the water into the Sea as much fatnesse as would produce here in England the value of one hundred Subsidies more By which passages we may see how little it is to purpose to strive against the streame viz. to thinke by our owne industry alone without the heavenly benediction to prosper in our labours Therefore let us having the pith and substance of Religion practise the same sincerely and so addresse our selves to our worke leaving the particular differences in Religion to the disputations and determinations of Schooles and in so doing both we and the Schooles shall fare the better for it And for the more powerfull cheering up of all men to these two duties let us consider well of the wonderfull power of God accompanied with his admirable wisdome and exquisite Artifice in the establishing of the Sea in his place which is not by vertue of the Sea banks as it is in fresh rivers as vulgar people doe imagine though the Sea banks doe somewhat restraine the great libertie that the Sea would have yet is the sea heaped up into a sphericall forme round like a Ball by the attractive and expulsive vertues of both the celestiall orbes and the terrestriall orbe wherein the one vertue doth not over-match the other at all save onely that the Moon chief governesse thereof doth a little oversway the rest cooperating with her but withall giving her the predominancy whereby she causeth the tides to ebbe and flow as we see which worke though it seeme great in the narrow Seas yet in the maine Ocean it is scarse perceptible but even as it were the rowling of a Bullet so very little that the spectators perceive it not to be rowled at all Which heaping up of the Sea is manifestly seene by this demonstration let a Ship goe out from the Shore and about ten miles distance the sphericall forme of the Sea will hide from your sight standing on the Shore all the while about fiftie foot of her and also he that in the Ship taketh notice of this thing will finde that as he departeth from the Shore so if he will be still desirous to see the Shore he will be forced to climbe up the Mast higher and higher as the Ship goeth further from the Shore untill at length he cannot see the Land at all by reason of the sphericall Compasse of the water though he climbe up to the top of the Mast Whereby it appeareth plainly that the Sea acquireth his deepnesse as well by this heaping of it selfe together above the earth as by concaving it selfe in the earth For if a streight line should be drawne from the Sea banks at Mexico to the Sea banks in the Easterne coasts and the measure of the depth of the water in the middle of the Ocean to that line should likewise be taken it would be found that if the Guider and Preserver of this Universe should be remisse never so little and suffer the water to sinke flat like the fresh rivers we should be all drowned in an instant Which wonder produceth to me another wonder almost as great which is that rationall men should be so stupid as not to stand in awe of God the mightie Creator who with one frowne is able to destroy them all so easily or should goe about to dissemble so with him who knoweth all things with their complementall service and honour to him for either they must needs goe about to cosen him or else they must according to his will love all creatures which he hath created which love must needs be fained unlesse it be manifested by working for the generall good of them all and not onely of all that are created but of those which shall come afterwards And if any shall be found remisse or refractory in wishing well to these proceedings appearing so evidently to be for the generall good of all the inhabitants upon this terrestriall Globe or shall use any indirect meanes by depopulating townes or dwelling houses or by unjust making warres whereby the people shall be decreased it being so manifestly shewed that there is no such need but that there is sufficient maintenance to be had for them though they shall increase and grow never so numerous These men of which sort
industrious when as the benefit of their labours is to fall into other mens purses unlesse there be a Contract betweene the Landlord and Teuant whereby a just share may redound to both parties answerable to their merit which it this were done then would the Husbandmen be much stirred up to trie experiments and if they should but spend their spare times in these workes there is no question but that many fat veines of marle chalke lime-stone and other earth would be discovered in many places which now lie hidden and doe no good at all Also the Common wealth would be furnished with Timber trees in such manner that the wealth thereof would not be so exhausted as it is and is more like to be in future time by importation of Timber from other Countries Also it would be furnished with fruit trees which is a wonderfull commoditie in time of dearth and scarcitie for before this last yeare it hath never happened that Corne and Fruits have both failed in one yeare but even when Corne was scarce and deare then fruits were plentifull which produced Perry and Cider in great plentie so that the Countrey received great reliefe not onely for their drinke but also for their food and this I can witnesse for the space of threescore and fourteene yeares partly by mine owne experiences and partly by my book of fiftie yeares observations CHAP. V. Wherein is shewed that the common way in Husbandrie at this time used will produce in length of time nothing but povertie and beggerie AS for the Common way and practise in Husbandrie used at this day all men of good understanding doe know that it produceth every yeare barrennesse more and more and in the end will produce nothing but povertie and beggerie but whether the same may be redressed by new Inventions and Improvements is a thing much doubted and indeed the question cannot be determined by any other way then by experience which admitteth no imposture for every Husbandman knoweth that sheepe being fed upon the Commons and carried with their full bellies into the Folds upon the arable land doe impoverish the one ground to fatten the other whereby it commeth to passe that one Acre of land inclosed is better then foure Acres of the same in Common whereby it is plaine that three parts of foure of all Commons are utterly lost also the destruction of Timber and the neglect of the increase thereof also the neglect of severall other workes plainely declared in this booke Also they know that the Land flouds doe carry away the fatnesse from the arable land and all high grounds in huge quantitie into the Sea which is further manifested by the leaving of some small part thereof in the meadowes whereby they are inriched also the further manifestation of this truth is seene by Nilus in Egypt the Granarie of the World where they have no more fertilitie then the water bringeth yearely in his belly in certaine moneths during its overflowing of the ground in whose residence left behinde they use to sow their seed and have incredible increase and the greater the overflowing is the greater is their plentie which they can discerne by certaine pillars marked with severall marks which the height of the water touching higher or lower doth demonstrate afore-hand the quantitie of the ensuing plentie Which residence of the water if it had hapned in a Countrey where it had not beene taken notice of nor the nutrimentall vertue thereof bin extracted yearely by sowing of Corne or other things there is no question but that it would have become a fat veine of marle able to have fertilized other land for I could never apprehend any other reason of the veines of marle but that the water left that fat mussilage in former times whose fatnesse hath not bin exhausted since by any industrie and the same reason I conceive is the cause why limestone and chalke doth fatten ground onely here is the difference that the limestone and chalke are covered with more common earth and are placed so that the subterraneall vapours doe more impregnate them and indurate them into an hard masse so that they doe stand in need of fire to unlose their firme compaction whereby they may yeeld their nutrimentall vertue and where any of these substances shall be discovered there they are to be accounted as hidden Treasure found for that they are farre more worth then a-any Gold or Silver mine being not onely infinite and not to be exhausted by time but also the profit thereof not to be diminished through the multitude of Sharers which inconvenience all other Treasures are subject unto which is the reason that Husbandry is holden the most honest and conscionable life in the world and the supporter of all the rest which being compared with it are nothing but toyes and trifles neither considerable almost at all in respect of Husbandry which supporteth the World whereby it appeareth that any new Invention or Improvement in Husbandry is inestimable for that so many lives are thereby susteined CHAP. VI. Wherein is shewed that the new inventions and improvements contained in this Booke will produce maintenance for all though they shall grow never so numerous whereby the Frontispice of this Booke is cleared from imposture in that it proclaimeth the treasure to be infinite AS for the remedy for the avoiding of the encrease of barrennesse and decrease of fertilitie caused by the accustomed manner of Husbandry now used the whole tenour of this Book doth manifestly shew as by these particulars here under written doth more plainely appeare wherein I submit my self to the Readers judgement not onely for the annuall profit which will accrue to the Common-wealth when the said new inventions and improvemens shall be brought to full perfection but also in the meane time for the setting of poore people to worke in the most apt places to receive the benefit of these new inventions for I know a thousand places in England where an hundred pounds laid out will bring in an hundred pounds per annum with convenient industry perpetually to the worlds end In such places as these I would have my new inventions and improvements put in practise at the first and afterward according to the old saying Let him that commeth last fetch his water the furthest The annuall profit of the timber trees after one age will amount to The annuall profit of the fruit trees after halfe an age will be The annuall profit of the wooddy and thornie grounds being turned into fruitfull fields and pastures will be The annuall profit of the new meadow ground caused by the watering and fatting thereof by the Persian wheeles will be The annuall profit of the Mossie and Ant hilly grounds being made double of value by these new improvements will be The annuall profit of the third part of all the arable ground in England which may be turned into pasture and hey ground in regard that the two third parts are sufficient to
investigate the cause thereby gaining facilitie to acquire the remedie and for that the losse of the goods is not all but that there is as great a losse in the fertilitie of the Corne ground which should be manured by these cattle I will use the more diligence It is certaine that Sheepe of all other Cattle are of cold and moist constitution which is evident in regard they can live without drinking of water though when they see it they will sometimes drinke yet is it then but a fancie in regard it is well knowne they can live well without it and prosper as well as with it this sheweth that their livers are cold and moist of their owne nature and cannot abide surplusage of moisture like other cattle and therefore in a moist Summer they are troubled with this disease in the same ground where in a dry yeare they are not thereunto subject the reason is that in certaine grounds the qualitie of the grasse is changed with much moisture and aboundeth with the laxative or rarifying sort of fatnesse which is subject to dissolve their livers being the fountaine of liquor which should moisten their bodies with good juice and through this dissolution nature is not able to make due separation of the nutrimentall part but suffereth it to goe to the parts desiring nourishment unseparated whereby their bodies are repleat with noxious and waterish humours thereby causing death and destruction to the bodies thus distempered as for the cure it is difficult unlesse it be done betime before the dissolution of the liver be too far out of frame the best way for their cure is to remoove them to the salt Marshes or to the dry forrest whose nutriment is astringent and fastning by reason of the incombustible and binding fatnesse there predominating but because this remedy is not every where to be had let us thinke of some universall remedy of which sort I know none but vigilant providence in due time to prevent it and where I have had an intent to water Hay with salt water so long as the saltnesse would not cause them to forbeare to eate it yet in regard I have not had oportunitie to trie the experiment fully I will onely commend it as a probable but not an approved medicine But to proceede to the preventions of this disease the best part of Physicke let every Harvest a certaine quantitie of the best Hay be laid apart for this cattle you shall know which is best for this purpose by the constitution of it for that which is hard and of a drie nature is best and that which is of a silkish softuesse is worse for the first strengthneth the liver and the other looseneth and dissolveth it and the more their livers are strengthned in the Winter time by foddering them with the most astringent fodder the better they will beare out a wet Summer which is evident to be seene in a whole flocke wherein some of the Sheepe having a more hot and drie liver doe escape through their strong constitution differing as men doe one from another in nature but that this prevention may not seeme frivolous let us Philosophize a little about the nutriment and the thing nourished which nutriment though it be not able to change the forme of the thing nourished yet it is able to change its constitution as may be feene by Birds feeding on Juniper berries whose flesh tasteth plainely of the nutriment also Bees in the Forrest yeeld a sort of Honey farre different from that in the plaine Countrey and to make it more plaine Sheepe that feede upon such grounds as yeeld silkish soft grasse are sooner rotted then those that feede upon a drier and a hard grasse whose nature is astringent and not apt to dissolve their livers like the other therefore for a second remedy I would have all such hurtfull ground inclosed and kept for other cattle and in the meane time let the Sheepe be kept from it in moist weather and fed upon grounds which yeeld a more firme nourishment so shall they be preserved and yeeld both food and clothing for men which are the substance of all riches in comparison whereof all the rest are but complements and trifles for they yeeld a double nourishment one way by their flesh another way by their manuring of land thereby causing the increase of Corne the staffe of life Whereby it appeareth of how great consequence good Husbandry is in a Common-wealth viz. the very legges and pillars thereof without which it cannot stand nor by any other device or policie whatsoever And therefore I would wish every well-willer to the publike weale to be diligent in the furtherance of it and to reade Master Markham Master Googe Master Tusser Sir Hugh Platt and others who have manifested their good will by publishing their knowledge in this behalfe And I desire every one not to thinke much of his labour to try experiments of this nature whose effect if they prove good are beneficiall to all present and future and not to be slacke nor hard hearted to publish the same for that they are thereby recorded to be well-willers to that which every man is bound to by the great Law of Nature And if any man be negligent in this dutie he doth manifest his unworthinesse to all posteritie shewing plainely that he doth preferre his private gaine before the generall which is a thing odious to all men of understanding And admit he be accounted a conceited fellow or one that runneth not the common way yet in regard the common way leadeth to perdition let him not desist for frivolous aspersions for when light and truth shall appeare in the World his worth shall shine and not be eclipsed by the tongues of conceited fooles and coxcombes whose disputations and reasons seeme to be concluded when the tune thereof fitteth the fancies of the hearers then they desire no other dance to be plaide upon those tinckling instruments but had rather heare the same plaide over and over a thing tedious to wisemen though it were never so true for Nature delighteth in vanities and when truth shall appeare and shine in the world then these bables will be found as they are nothing but the tinckling of the Aire and element soft and pliable and such a thing which men can bowe and bend to their purpose like waxe at the fire and make good every thing they say at pleasure be it so or not But then by their favours they must have shallow brained Judges of their argumentations and conclusions who are like themselves deluded with their owne fancies and have their reasons obscured by their passions and these differ from madmen no otherwayes but as the greater differeth from the lesser thing of the same kinde for though in mad men it is a privation of reason and in fooles an obscuration yet folly preceded and caused the other for though perhaps some have had injuries enough to make them mad yet it was their