Chapter II: Introduction (2)

=52.= To shere shepe. fol. eod. 50

=53.= To drawe and seuer the bad shepe frome the good. fol. eod. 50

=54.= What thynge rotteth shepe. fol. xxxiii. 50

=55.= To knowe a rotten shepe dyuerse maner ways, wherof some of
them wyll not fayle. fol. xxxiiii. 51

=56.= To by leane cattell. fol. eod. 52

=57.= To bye fatte cattell. fol. xxxv. 53

=58.= Dyuerse sickenesses of cattell, and remedies therfore, and
fyrste of murren. fol. eod. 53

=59.= Long sought, and remedy therfore. fo. xxxvi. 54

=60.= Dewbolue,[20] and the harde remedye therfore. fol. eod. 55

=61.= Ryson vppon, and the remedye therfore. fol. xxxvii. 55

=62.= The turne, and remedy therfore. fol. eod. 56

=63.= The warribred, & remedy therfore. fol. xxxviii. 56

=64.= The foule, and remedy therfore. fol. eod. 57

=65.= The goute without remedy. fol. eod. 57

=66.= To rere calues. fol. eod. 57

=67.= To gelde calues. fol. xxxix. 58

=68.= Horses and mares to drawe. fol. xl. 59

=69.= ¶ The losse of a lambe, a calfe, or a foole. fol. xli. 61

=70.= What cattell shulde go together in oone pasture. fol. xlii. 62

=71.= The properties of horses. fol. xliii. 63

=72.= The two propertyes that a horse hath of a man. fol. eod. 63

=73.= The ii. propertyes of a bauson. fol. eod. 64

=74.= The iiii. properties of a lyon. fol. eod. 64

=75.= The ix. properties of an oxe. fol. xliiii. 64

=76.= The ix. properties of an hare. fol. eod. 64

=77.= The ix. properties of a foxe. fol. eod. 64

=78.= The ix. properties of an asse. fol. eod. 65

=79.= The x. properties of a woman. fol. eod. 65

=80.= The diseases and soraunce of horses. fol. xlv. 65

=81.= The lampas. fol. eod. 65

=82.= The barbes. fo. eod. 66

=83.= Mournynge on the tonge. fol. eod. 66

=84.= Pursye. fo. eod. 66

=85.= Broken wynded. fol. eod. 66

=86.= Glaunders. fo. eod. 66

=87.= Mournynge on the chynne. fol. eod. 66

=88.= Stranguelyon. fol. eod. 67

=89.= The hawe. fol. eod. 67

=90.= Blyndnesse. fol. xlvi. 67

=91.= Uyues. fol. eod. 67

=92.= The cordes. fol. eod. 67

=93.= ¶ The farcyon. fol. eod. 67

=94.= ¶ A malander. fol. eod. 68

=95.= ¶ A salander. fol. eod. 68

=96.= ¶ A serewe. fol. eod. 68

=97.= ¶ A splent. fo. eod. 68

=98.= ¶ A ryngebone. fol. xlvii. 69

=99.= ¶ Wyndgall. fol. eod. 69

=100.= ¶ Morfounde. fol. eod. 69

=101.= ¶ The coltes euyll. fol. eod. 69

=102.= ¶ The bottes. fo. eod. 70

=103.= ¶ The wormes. fol. eod. 70

=104.= ¶ Affrayd. fo. eod. 70

=105.= ¶ Nauylgall. fo. eod. 70

=106.= ¶ A spauen. fol. eod. 70

=107.= ¶ A curbe. fol. eod. 71

=108.= ¶ The strynge-halte. fol. eod. 71

=109.= ¶ Enterfyre. fo. eod. 71

=110.= ¶ Myllettes. fol. eod. 71

=111.= ¶ The paynes. fol. eod. 71

=112.= ¶ Cratches. fol. eod. 72

=113.= ¶ Attaynt. fol. xlix. 72

=114.= ¶ Grauelynge. fol. eod. 72

=115.= ¶ Acloyd. fol. eod. 72

=116.= ¶ The scabbe. fol. eod. 72

=117.= ¶ Lowsy. fol. eod. 72

=118.= ¶ Wartes. fol. eod. 73

=119.= ¶ The sayenge of the frenche man. fo. eod. 73

=120.= ¶ The dyuersitie bytwene a horse mayster, a corser, and a
horse leche. fol. l. 74

=121.= ¶ Of swyne. fo. eod. 74

=122.= ¶ Of bees. fol. li. 75

=123.= ¶ How to kepe beastes & other catel. fol. lii. 76

=124.= ¶ To get settes and set them. fol. liii. 78

=125.= ¶ To make a dyche. fol. liiii. 79

=126.= ¶ To make a hedge. fol. eod. 79

=127.= ¶ To plasshe and pleche a hedge. fol. eod. 80

=128.= ¶ To mende a hye waye. fo. lv. 81

=129.= ¶ To remoue and sette trees. fo. lvi. 82

=130.= ¶ Trees to be sette without rootes and growe. fol. lvii. 83

=131.= ¶ To fell woode for houssholde or to sell. fol. eodem. 83

=132.= ¶ To shrede, lop, or crop trees. fol. lviii. 84

=133.= Howe a man shoulde shrede loppe or croppe trees. fol. eod. 85

=134.= To sell woode or tymbre. fol. lix. 85

=135.= To kepe sprynge woode. fo. lx. 86

=136.= Necessary thynges belongynge to graffynge. fol. eod. 87

=137.= What fruyte shulde be first graffed. fol. lxi. 88

=138.= Howe to graffe. fol. eod. 88

=139.= To graffe bytwene the barke and the tree. fol. lxii. 89

=140.= To nourysshe all maner of stone fruyte and nuttes. fol.
lxiii. 90

=141.= A shorte information for a yonge gentyllman that entendeth
to thryue. fol. eod. 90

=142.= A lesson made in Englysshe verses, that a gentylmans
seruaunte shall forget none of his gere in his inne
behynde hym. fo. lxv. 93

=143.= A prologe for the wyues occupation. fo. eod. 93

=144.= A lesson for the wyfe. fol. eod. 94

=145.= What thynges the wyfe of ryghte is bounde to do. fol. lxvi. 94

=146.= What warkes the wyfe oughte to doo generally. fo. eod. 95

=147.= To kepe measure in spendynge. fo. lxvii. 98

=148.= To eate within thy tedure. fo. lxviii. 99

=149.= A shorte lesson vnto the husbande. fol. lxix. 101

=150.= Howe menne of hye degree do kepe measure. fol. eodem 101

=151.= Prodygalytie in outragyous and costelye araye. fol. lxx. 102

=152.= Of delycyous meates and drynkes. fol. eod. 103

=153.= Of outragious playe and game. fo. lxxi. 104

=154.= A prologue of the thyrde sayinge of the philosopher. fo.
lxxii. 105

=155.= A dyuersytie bytwene predycation and doctryne. fol. eodem 105

=156.= What is rychesse. fo. lxxiii. 106

=157.= What is the propertie of a rych man. fo. lxxiiii. 108

=158.= What ioyes & pleasures are in heuen. fo. lxxv. 109

=159.= What thynge pleaseth god most. fol. lxxvi. 109

=160.= What be goddes commaundementes. fo. eod. 110

=161.= Howe a man shulde loue god and please hym. fol. eodem 110

=162.= Howe a man shoulde loue his neyghbour. fol. lxxvii. 111

=163.= Of prayer that pleaseth god verye moche. folio lxxviii. 112

=164.= What thynge letteth prayer. fol. eod. 112

=165.= Howe a man shulde praye. fo. lxxix. 113

=166.= A mean to put away ydle thoughtes in prayenge. fol. lxxx. 115

=167.= A meane to auoyde temptation. fol. lxxxi. 116

=168.= Almes-dedes pleaseth god moche. fo. lxxxii. 118

=169.= The fyrst maner of almes dede. fo. lxxxiii. 119

=170.= The ii. maner of almes dede. fo. lxxxiiii. 120

=171.= The iii. maner of almes dede. fol. lxxxv. 121

=172.= What is the greattest offence that a man maye doo and
offende god in. fo. lxxxvi. 122

Thus endeth the table.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 1.]]
1. ¶ Here begynneth the boke of husbandry, and fyrste
where-by husbande-men do lyue.

[Sidenote: Husbandmen live by the plough and by cattle.]
The mooste generall lyuynge that husbandes can haue,
is by plowynge and sowyng of theyr cornes, and rerynge
or bredynge of theyr cattel, and not the one withoute
the other. Than is the ploughe the moste necessaryest 4
instrumente that an husbande can occupy. Wherfore
it is conuenyent to be knowen, howe a plough shulde
be made.

2. ¶ Dyuers maners of plowes.

[Sidenote: Different kinds of ploughs.]
There be plowes of dyuers makynges in dyuers
countreys, and in lyke wyse there be plowes of yren
of dyuers facyons. And that is bycause there be many
maner of groundes and soyles. Some whyte cley, some 4
redde cley, some grauell or chylturne, some sande, some
meane erthe, some medled with marle, and in many
places heeth-grounde, and one ploughe wyll not serue
in all places. Wherfore it is necessarye, to haue dyuers 8
[Sidenote: [Fol. 1_b_.]]
[Sidenote: Somersetshire.]
maners of plowes. In Sommersetshyre, about Zelcester,
the sharbeame, that in many places is called the ploughe-hedde,
is foure or fyue foote longe, and it is brode and
thynne. And that is bycause the lande is verye toughe, 12
and wolde soke the ploughe into the erthe, yf the sharbeame
[Sidenote: Kent.]
were not long, brode, and thynne. In Kente
they haue other maner of plowes, somme goo with
wheles, as they doo in many other places, and some wyll 16
tourne the sheldbredth at euery landes ende, and plowe
[Sidenote: Buckinghamshire.]
all one waye. In Buckynghamshyre, are plowes made
of an nother maner, and also other maner of ploughe-yrons,
the whyche me semeth generally good, and lykely 20
to serue in many places, and specially if the ploughbeame
and sharbeame be foure ynches longer, betwene the
shethe and the ploughe-tayle, that the sheldbrede myght
come more a-slope: for those plowes gyue out to sodeinly, 24
and therfore they be the worse to drawe, and for noo
[Sidenote: Leicestershire, &c.]
cause elles. In Leycestershyre, Lankesshyre, Yorkeshyre,
Lyncoln, Norfolke, Cambrydge-shyre, and manye other
countreyes, the plowes be of dyuers makinges, the whyche 28
were to longe processe to declare howe, &c. But how
so euer they be made, yf they be well tempered, and
goo well, they maye be the better suffred.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 2.]]
3. ¶ To knowe the names of all the partes of the plowe.

[Sidenote: Parts of the plough.]
Men that be no husbandes maye fortune to rede this
boke, that knowe not whiche is the ploughe-beame, the
sharebeame, the ploughe-shethe, the ploughe-tayle, the
stilte, the rest, the sheldbrede, the fenbrede, the roughe 4
staues, the ploughe-fote, the ploughe-eare or coke, the
share, the culture, and ploughe-mal. Perauenture I gyue
them these names here, as is vsed in my countre, and yet
in other countreyes they haue other names: wherfore ye 8
[Sidenote: Plough-beam.]
shall knowe, that the ploughe-beame is the longe tree
[Sidenote: Share-beam.]
aboue, the whiche is a lytel bente. The sharbeame is the
[Sidenote: Plough-sheath.]
tre vnderneth, where-vpon the share is set; the ploughe-sheth
1is a thyn pece of drye woode, made of oke, that is 12
set fast in a morteys in the plough-beame, and also in to
the share-beame, the whiche is the keye and the chiefe
[Sidenote: Plough-tail.]
bande of all the plough. The plough-tayle is that the
husbande holdeth in his hande, and the hynder ende of 16
the ploughebeame is put in a longe slyt, made in the same
tayle, and not set faste, but it maye ryse vp and go
dow[n]e, and is pynned behynde, and the same ploughe-tayle
is set faste in a morteys, in the hynder ende of the 20
[Sidenote: [Fol. 2_b_.]]
[Sidenote: Plough-stilt.]
sharebeame. The plough-stylte is on the ryghte syde of
[Sidenote: Rest.]
the ploughe, whervpon the rest is set; the rest is a lyttell
pece of woode, pynned fast vpon the nether ende of the
stylt, and to the sharebeame in the ferther ende. The 24
[Sidenote: Shield-board.]
sheldbrede is a brode pece of wodde, fast pinned to the
ryghte side of the shethe in the ferther ende, and to the
[Sidenote: Fen-board.]
vtter syde of the stylte in the hynder ende. The fenbrede
is a thyn borde, pynned or nayled moste commonly 28
to the lyft syde of the shethe in the ferther ende, and to
the ploughe-tayle in the hynder ende. And the sayde
sheldbrede wolde come ouer the sayde shethe and fenbrede
an inche, and to come past the myddes of the 32
share, made with a sharpe edge, to receyue and turne the
[Sidenote: Rough staves.]
erthe whan the culture hath cut it. There be two roughe
staues in euery ploughe in the hynder ende, set a-slope
betwene the ploughe-tayle and the stilt, to holde out 36
and kepe the plough abrode in the hynder ende, and the
[Sidenote: Plough-foot.]
one lenger than the other. The plough-fote is a lyttell
pece of wodde, with a croked ende set before in a morteys
in the ploughe-beame, sette fast with wedges, to 40
dryue vppe and downe, and it is a staye to order of
[Sidenote: Plough-ear.]
what depenes the ploughe shall go. The ploughe-eare
is made of thre peces of yren, nayled faste vnto the ryght
[Sidenote: [Fol. 3.]]
syde of the plough-beame. And poore men haue a 44
croked pece of wode pynned faste to the ploughbeame.
[Sidenote: Share.]
The share is a pece of yren, sharpe before and brode
behynde, a fote longe, made with a socket to be set on
[Sidenote: Coulter.]
the ferther ende of the share-beame. The culture is a 48
bende pece of yren sette in a morteys in the myddes of
the plough-beame, fastened with wedges on euery syde,
and the backe therof is halfe an inche thycke and more,
and three inches brode, and made kene before to cutte 52
the erthe clene, and it must be wel steeled, and that
shall cause the easyer draughte, and the yrens to laste
[Sidenote: Plough-mall.]
moche lenger. The plough-mal[21] is a pece of harde
woode, with a pynne put throughe, set in the plough-beame, 56
in an augurs bore.

4. ¶ The temprynge of plowes.

[Sidenote: Tempering of ploughs.]
Nowe the plowes be made of dyuers maners; it is necessarye
for an housbande, to knowe howe these plowes
shulde be tempered, to plowe and turne clene, and to
[Sidenote: Rest-baulk.]
make no reste-balkes. A reste-balke is where the plough 4
byteth at the poynte of the culture and share, and cutteth
not the ground cleane to the forowe, that was plowed laste
[Sidenote: [Fol. 3_b_.]]
before, but leaueth a lyttell rydge standynge betwene,
the whiche dothe brede thistyls, and other wedes. All 8
these maner of plowes shulde haue all lyke one maner
of temperyng in the yrens. Howe-be-it a man maye
temper for one thynge in two or thre places, as for
depnes. The fote is one: the setting of the culture of 12
a depnes, is a-nother: and the thyrde is at the ploughe-tayle,
[Sidenote: Slot wedges.]
where be two wedges, that be called slote-wedges:
the one is in the slote above the beame, the other in
the saide slote, vnder the plough-beame; and other whyle 16
he wyll set bothe aboue, or bothe vndernethe, but alway
let hym take good hede, and kepe one generall rule, that
the hynder ende of the sharebeme alway touche the erthe,
that it may kyll a worde,[22] or elles it goth not truly. The 20
[Sidenote: Narrow and broad tempering.]
temperynge to go brode and narowe is in the settyng of
the culture: and with the dryuinge of his syde-wedges,
forewedge, and helewedge, whiche wolde be made of
[Sidenote: Setting on of the share.]
drye woode, and also the settynge on of his share helpeth 24
well, and is a connynge poynte of husbandry, and
mendeth and payreth moch plowyng: but it is so narowe
a point to know, that it is harde to make a man to vnderstande
it by wrytynge, without he were at the operation 28
[Sidenote: [Fol. 4.]]
therof, to teache the practyue: for it muste leane moche
in-to the forowe, and the poynt may not stande to moch
vp nor downe, nor to moche in-to the lande, nor in-to
[Sidenote: Setting of the coulter.]
the forowe. Howe-be-it, the settynge of the culture 32
helpeth moche. Somme plowes haue a bende of yron
tryanglewise, sette there as the plough-eare shulde be,
that hath thre nyckes on the farther syde. And yf he
[Sidenote: Seed-furrow.]
wyll haue his plough to go a narowe forowe, as a sede-forowe 36
shulde be, than he setteth his fote-teame in the
[Sidenote: Mean furrow.]
nycke nexte to the ploughe-beame; and yf he wyll go
a meane bredth, he setteth it in the myddell nycke,
[Sidenote: Broad furrow.]
that is beste for sturrynge; and if he wolde go a brode 40
forowe, he setteth it in the vttermoste nycke, that is beste
for falowynge: The whyche is a good waye to kepe the
bredthe, and soone tempered, but it serueth not the
depenesse. And some men haue in stede of the plough-fote, 44
a piece of yron set vpryghte in the farther ende
[Sidenote: ‘A coke.’]
of the ploughe-beame, and they calle it a coke, made
with ii. or thre nyckes, and that serueth for depenes.
[Sidenote: Wheel-ploughs.]
The plowes that goo with wheles, haue a streyghte 48
beame, and maye be tempred in the yron, as the other be,
for the bredth; but their most speciall temper is at the
bolster, where-as the plough-beame lyeth, and that
serueth both for depnes and for bredth. And they be 52
[Sidenote: [Fol. 4_b_.]]
good on euen grounde that lyeth lyghte, but me semeth
they be farre more costly than the other plowes. And
thoughe these plowes be well tempred for one maner
grounde, that tempre wyll not serue in an other maner 56
of grounde; but it muste reste in the dyscretion of the
housbande, to knowe whanne it gothe well.

5. ¶ The necessary thynges that belonge to a ploughe,
carte, and wayne.

[Sidenote: Bows, yokes, &c.]
Bvt or he begyn to plowe, he muste haue his ploughe
and his ploughe-yren, his oxen or horses, and the geare
that belongeth to them; that is to say, bowes, yokes,
landes, stylkynges, wrethynge-temes. And or he shall 4
lode his corne, he muste haue a wayne, a copyoke, a
payre of sleues, a wayne-rope, and a pykforke. This
[Sidenote: The wain.]
wayne is made of dyuers peces, that wyll haue a greate
reparation, that is to saye, the wheles, and those be made 8
of nathes, spokes, fellyes, and dowles, and they muste
be well fettred with wood or yren. And if they be yren
bounden, they are moche the better, and thoughe they
[Sidenote: [Fol. 5.]]
be the derer at the fyrst, yet at lengthe they be better 12
[Sidenote: Iron-bound wheels.]
cheape; for a payre of wheles yren bounde wyl weare vii.
or viii. payre of other wheles, and they go rounde and
lyght after oxen or horses to draw. Howbeit on marreis
ground and soft ground the other wheles be better, 16
bycause they be broder on the soule, and will not go so
[Sidenote: Axle-tree, linch-pins, and axle-pins.]
depe. They must haue an axiltre, clout with .viii.
waincloutes of yren, ii. lyn-pinnes of yren in the axiltre-endes,
ii. axil-pynnes of yren or els of tough harde 20
wodde. The bodye of the wayne of oke, the staues, the
nether rathes, the ouer rathes, the crosse somer, the keys
and pikstaues. And if he go with a hors-ploughe, than
muste he haue his horses or mares, or both his hombers or 24
collers, holmes whyted, tresses, swyngletrees, and togwith.
[Sidenote: The cart.]
Alsoo a carte made of asshe, bycause it is lyghte, and
lyke stuffe to it as is to a wayne, and also a cart-sadel,
bakbandes, and belybandes, and a carte-ladder behinde, 28
whan he shall carye eyther corne or kyddes, or suche
[Sidenote: Cart-ladders.]
other. And in many countreys theyr waynes haue carte-ladders
bothe behynde and before. Also an husbande
[Sidenote: Axe, hatchet, &c.]
muste haue an axe, a hachet, a hedgyngebyll, a pyn-awgur, 32
a rest-awgur, a flayle, a spade, and a shouell. And howe-be-it
that I gyue theym these names, as is most comonly
[Sidenote: [Fol. 5_b_.]]
vsed in my contrey, I knowe they haue other names in
other contreyes. But hereby a manne maye perceyue 36
[Sidenote: Expense of husbandry.]
many thynges that belonge to husbandry, to theyr greate
costes and charges, for the mayntenance and vpholdyng
of the same. And many moo thynges are belongynge to
husbandes than these, as ye shall well perceyue, er I 40
haue made an ende of this treatyse. And if a yonge
husbande shulde bye all these thynges, it wolde be
[Sidenote: It is better to make than buy.]
costely for hym: wherfore it is necessarye for hym to
lerne to make his yokes, oxe-bowes, stooles, and all 44
maner of plough-geare.

6. ¶ Whether is better, a plough of horses or a plough of
oxen.

[Sidenote: Ox-plough and horse-plough.]
It is to be knowen, whether is better, a plough of
horses, or a plough of oxen, and therin me semeth
oughte to be made a distinction. For in some places an
oxe-ploughe is better than a horse-plough, and in somme 4
places a horse-ploughe is better: that is to say, in euery
place where-as the husband hath seueral pastures to put
his oxen in whan they come fro theyr warke, there the oxe-ploughe
[Sidenote: The ox.]
is better. For an oxe maye nat endure his 8
[Sidenote: [Fol. 6.]]
warke, to labour all daye, and than to be put to the
commons, or before the herdman, and to be set in a folde
all nyghte without meate, and go to his labour in
the mornynge. But and he be put in a good pasture all 12
nyghte, he wyll labour moche of all the daye dayely.

And oxen wyl plowe in tough cley, and vpon hylly
grounde, where-as horses wyll stande st[i]ll. And where-as
[Sidenote: The horse.]
is noo seuerall pastures, there the horse-plowe is better, 16
for the horses may be teddered or tyed vpon leys, balkes,
or hades, where as oxen maye not be kept: and it is not
vsed to tedder them, but in fewe places.

And horses wyl goo faster than oxen on euen grounde 20
or lyght grounde, & be quicker for cariage: but they be
ferre more costly to kepe in winter, for they must haue both
hey and corne to eate, and strawe for lytter; they must
be well shodde on all foure fete, and the gere that they 24
shal drawe with is more costely than for the oxen, and
[Sidenote: Oxen are cheap,]
shorter whyle it wyll last. And oxen wyll eate but straw,
and a lyttell hey, the whiche is not halfe the coste that
horsis must haue, and they haue no shoes, as horses haue. 28
And if any sorance come to the horse, or [he] waxe olde,
broysed, or blynde, than he is lyttell worthe. And if any
sorance come to an oxe, [and he] waxe olde, broysed, or
[Sidenote: [Fol. 6_b_.]]
blinde, for ii._s._ he maye be fedde, and thanne he is mannes 32
[Sidenote: and they can be eaten.]
meate, and as good or better than euer he was. And the
horse, whan he dyethe, is but caryen. And therfore me
semeth, all thynges consydered, the ploughe of oxen is
moche more profytable than the ploughe of horses. 36

7. ¶ The dylygence and attendaunce that a husbande shulde
gyue to his warke, in maner of an other prologue, and
the speciall grounde of all this treatyse.

[Sidenote: Take pains, keep measure, and be rich.]
Thou husbande, that intendeste to gette thy lyuynge
by husbandry, take hede to the sayenge of the wyse
phylosopher, the which sayth, _Adhibe curam, tene mensuram,
et eris diues_. That is to saye, Take hede to thy charge, 4
kepe measure, and thou shalt be ryche. And nowe to
speke of the fyrste artycle of these .iii. s[cilicet] _Adhibe
curam_. He that wyll take vpon hym to do any thinge,
and be slouthefull, recheles, and not diligent to execute 8
and to performe that thynge that he taketh vpon hym,
he shall neuer thryue by his occupation. And to the
same entente saythe our lorde in his gospell, by a parable.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 7.]]
_Nemo mittens manum suam ad aratrum respiciens retro, aptus 12
[Sidenote: Luke ix. 62.]
est regno dei._ The spirytuall constructyon of this texte, I
remytte to the doctours of dyuynitie, and to the greate
clarkes; but to reduce and brynge the same texte to my
[Sidenote: No man, putting his hand to the plough, &c.]
purpose, I take it thus. There is noo man, puttynge his 16
hande to the plough, lokyng backewarde, is worthy to
haue that thynge that he oughte to haue. For if he
goo to the ploughe, and loke backewarde, he seeth not
whether the plough go in rydge or rayne, make a balke, 20
or go ouerthwarte. And if it do so, there wyll be lyttell
[Sidenote: Be not idle.]
corne. And so if a man attende not his husbandrye, but
goo to sporte or playe, tauerne or ale-house, or slepynge
at home, and suche other ydle warkes, he is not than 24
[Sidenote: Do what you came to do.]
worthy to haue any corne. And therfore, _Fac quod venisti_,
Do that thou comest fore, and thou shalte fynde that thou
sekest fore, &c.

8. ¶ Howe a man shulde plowe all maner of landes all tymes
of the yere.

[Sidenote: Times of the year.]
Nowe these plowes be made and tempered, it is to
be knowen howe a man shoulde plowe all tymes of
the yere. In the begynnynge of the yere, after the
[Sidenote: [Fol. 7_b_.]]
feast of the Epiphany, it is tyme for a husbande to 4
[Sidenote: Plough leas early.]
go to the ploughe. And if thou haue any leys, to
falowe or to sowe otes vpon, fyrste plowe them, that
the grasse and the mosse may rotte, and plowe them
a depe square forowe. And in all maner of plowynge, 8
se that thy eye, thy hande, and thy fote do agree,
and be alwaye redy one to serue a-nother, and to turne
[Sidenote: Lay the mould flat.]
vp moche molde, and to lay it flat, that it rere not
on edge. For if it rere on edge, the grasse and mosse 12
wyll not rotte. And if thou sowe it with winter-corne,
as whete or ry, as moche corne as toucheth the mosse
wyll be drowned, the mosse dothe kepe such wete in
it self. And in some countreys, if a man plowe depe, 16
he shall passe the good grounde, and haue but lyttel
corne: but that countrey is not for men to kepe husbandry
vppon, but for to rere and brede catell or shepe, for
[Sidenote: Beeting land with mattocks.]
elles they muste go beate theyr landes with mattockes, 20
as they do in many places of Cornewayle, and in som
places of Deuonshyre.

9. ¶ To plowe for pease and beanes.

[Sidenote: Peas and beans.]
Howe to plowe for pees and beanes, were necessarye
to knowe. Fyrst thou muste remember, whiche is
[Sidenote: [Fol. 8.]]
mooste cley-grounde, and that plowe fyrste, and lette
it lye a good space, er thou sowe it: bycause the 4
froste, the rayne, the wynde, and the sonne may cause
it to breake smalle, to make moche molde, and to
[Sidenote: Plough a square furrow.]
rygge it. And to plow a square forowe, the bredthe
and the depenes all one, and to laye it close to his 8
felow. For the more forowes, the more corne, for a
generall rule of all maner of cornes. And that may
be proued at the comynge vp of all maner of corne,
to stande at the landes ende and loke toward the other 12
ende; And than may ye se, howe the corne groweth.

10. ==> Howe to sowe bothe pease and beanes.

[Sidenote: Sowing of peas and beans.]
Thou shalt sowe thy peas vpon the cley-grounde,
and thy beanes vpon the barley-grounde: for they
wolde haue ranker grounde than pease. How-be-it
some husbandes holde opynion, that bigge and styffe 4
grounde, as cley, wolde be sowen with bigge stuffe,
as beanes; but me thynke the contrary. For if a dry
sommer come, his beanes wil be shorte. And if the
grounde be good, putte the more beanes to the pease, 8
and the better shall they yelde, whan they be thresshed.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 8_b_.]]
And if it be very ranke grounde, as is moche at euery
towne-syde, where catel doth resort, plowe not that
lande, tyll ye wyll sowe it; for if ye do, there wyll 12
[Sidenote: In rank ground sow beans.]
come vppe kedlokes and other wedes. And than sowe
it with beanes; for if ye sowe pees, the kedlokes wyll
hurte them; and wha_n_ ye se seasonable time, sow
both pees and beanes, so that they be sowen in the 16
begynnynge of Marche. Howe shall ye knowe seasonable
[Sidenote: If the land sing, it is too wet to sow.]
tyme? go vppon the lande, that is plowed, and if it
synge or crye, or make any noyse vnder thy fete, than
it is to wete to sowe: and if it make no noyse, and 20
wyll beare thy horses, thanne sowe in the name of god.
[Sidenote: How to sow peas.]
But howe to sowe? Put thy pees in-to thy hopper, and
take a brode thonge, of ledder, or of garthe-webbe of
an elle longe, and fasten it to bothe endes of the 24
hopper, and put it ouer thy heed, lyke a leysshe; and
stande in the myddes of the lande, where the sacke
lyethe, the whiche is mooste conueniente for the fyllynge
of thy hopper, and set thy lefte foote before, and take 28
an handefull of pees: and whan thou takeste vp thy
ryghte foote, than caste thy pees fro the all abrode; and
whan thy lefte fote ryseth, take an other handeful, and
whan the ryght fote ryseth, tha_n_ cast them fro the. 32
[Sidenote: [Fol. 9.]]
And so at euery ii. paces, thou shalte sowe an handful
of pees: and so se that the fote and the hande
[Sidenote: Cast them wide.]
agree, and than ye shal sowe euen. And in your
castynge, ye muste open as well your fyngers as your hande, 36
and the hyer and farther that ye caste your corne, the
better shall it sprede, excepte it be a greatte wynde.
And if the lande be verye good, and wyll breke small
in the plowynge, it is better to sowe after the ploughe 40
thanne tarye any lenger.

11. ¶ Sede of discretion.

[Sidenote: Seed of Discretion.]
There is a sede, that is called Discretio_n_, and if
a husband haue of that sede, and myngle it amonge
his other cornes, they wyll growe moche the better;
for that sede wyll tell hym, how many castes of corne 4
euery lande ought to haue. And a yonge husbande, and
may fortune some olde husbande, hath not sufficyente
[Sidenote: Borrow discretion, if you have it not.]
of that sede: and he that lackethe, let hym borowe
of his neyghbours that haue. And his neyghbours 8
be vnkynde, if they wyll not lende this yonge housbande
parte of this sede. For this sede of Discretion
hath a wonders property: for the more that it is taken
of or lente, the more it is. And therfore me semeth, 12
[Sidenote: [Fol. 9_b_.]]
it shoulde be more spyrituall than temporall, wherin
[Sidenote: Temporal things, when divided, wane.]
is a greate dyuersitie. For a temporall thynge, the
more it is deuyded, the lesse it is: and a spirytuall
thynge, the more it is deuided, the more it is. _Verbi 16
gratia._ For ensaumple, I put case a wyfe brynge a
lofe of breade to the churche, to make holy breade
of; whan it is cut in many smal peces, and holy
breade made therof, there may be so many men, women, 20
and children in the churche, that by that tyme the priest
hath delte to euery one of them a lyttell pece, there
shall neuer a crume be lefte in the hamper. And a
[Sidenote: Spiritual things, when divided, wax.]
spiritualle thynge as a _Pater-noster_, or a prayer, that any 24
man can say, let hym teache it to .xx., a .C., or to a .M.,
yet is the prayer neuer the lesse, but moche more. And
so this sede of Discrecio_n_ is but wisdome and reason: and
he that hath wysedome, reason, and discretion may teche 28
it, and enforme other men as he is bounde to do. Wherein
he shall haue thanke of god: and he doth but as god hath
[Sidenote: Matt. x. 8.]
commaunded hym in his gospell, _Quod gratis accepistis,
gratis date_: That thynge that ye toke frely, gyue it frely 32
again, and yet shall ye haue neuer the lesse.

12. ¶ Howe all maner corne shoulde be sowen.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 10.]]
Bvt yet me thynkethe it is necessarye to declare, howe
all maner of corne shuld be sowen, and howe moch
vpon an acre most comonly, and fyrste of pease and
[Sidenote: An acre of ground.]
beanes. An acre of grounde, by the statute, that is to say 4
xvi. fote and a half to the perche or pole, foure perches
to an acre in bredth, and fortye perches to an acre in
[Sidenote: London bushels.]
lengthe, may be metelye well sowen with two London
busshelles of pease, the whyche is but two strykes in 8
other places. And if there be the .iiii. parte beanes, than
wylle it haue halfe a London bushelle more: and yf it be
halfe beanes, it wyll haue thre London bushels: and if it
be all beanes, it wyll haue foure London busshelles fullye, 12
and that is half a quarter; bycause the beanes be gret, and
grow vp streight, & do not sprede and go abrode as
[Sidenote: Beans worth more than peas.]
pease do. An acre of good beanes is worth an acre & a
half of good pees, bycause there wylle be more busshelles. 16
And the beste propertie that belongeth to a good
husband is, to sowe all maner of corne thycke ynough,
and specially beanes and barley. For commonly they be
sowen vpon ranke ground, and good grounde wylle haue 20
the burthen of corne or of wede. And as moche
plowynge and harowynge hath an acre of grounde, and
[Sidenote: [Fol. 10_b_.]]
sowe thervppon but oone busshelle, as yf he sowed .iiii.
busshelles. And vndoutedly .i. busshell may not gyue so 24
moche corne agayne, as the .iiii. busshels, though the .iii.
bushels, that he sowed more, be alowed and set aparte.
[Sidenote: White, green, and grey peas.]
And i. busshel and an halfe of white or grene pees, wyll
sowe as moche grounde, as two busshels of gray pees: 28
and that is bycause they be so smal, and the husband
nedeth not to take so great an handful. In some
countreys they begyn to sowe pees soone after Christmasse:
and in some places they sowe bothe pees and 32
beanes vnder forowe: and those of reson must be sowen
[Sidenote: Feb. 2.]
betyme. But moste generally, to begyn sone after Candelmasse
is good season, so that they be sowen ere the
begynnynge of Marche, or sone vpon. And specially let 36
them be sowen in the olde of the mone. For thopinion of
olde husbandes is, that they shoulde the better codde,
and the sooner be rype. But I speke not of hasty pees,
for they be sowen before Christmasse, &c. 40

13. ¶ To sowe barley.

[Sidenote: Barley.]
Every good housbande hath his barleye-falowe well
dounged, and lyenge rygged all the depe and colde of
wynter; the whiche ryggynge maketh the lande to be
[Sidenote: [Fol. 11.]]
drye, and the dongynge maketh it to be melowe and 4
ranke. And if a drye season come before Candelmasse,
or sone after, it wolde be caste downe and waterforowed
bytwene the landes, that the wete rest not in the raine:
and in the begynnynge of Marche, rydge it vppe agayne, 8
[Sidenote: Sow five bushels to the acre.]
and to sowe in euery acre fyue London bushelles, or
foure at the leaste. And some yeres it maye so fortune,
that there cometh no seasonable wether before Marche,
to plowe his barley-erthe. And as soone as he hath 12
sowen his pees and beanes, than let hym caste his barley-erthe,
and shortly after rygge it agayne: soo that it be
sowen before Apryll. And if the yere-tyme be paste,
than sowe it vpon the castynge. 16

¶ It is to be knowen that there be thre maner of barleys,
that is to say, sprot-barleye, longe-eare, and beare-barley,
[Sidenote: Sprot-barley.]
that some menne call bigge. Sprot-barley hath a flat
eare most comonly, thre quarters of an inche brode, 20
and thre inches long, and the cornes be very great
[Sidenote: Long-ear.]
and white, and it is the best barley. Long-eare hath
a flatte eare, halfe an inche brode, and foure inches
and more of length: but the corne is not so greate 24
nor soo whyte, and sooner it wyll turne and growe
[Sidenote: Bear-barley.]
to otes. Bere-barleye or bygge wolde be sowen vppon
[Sidenote: [Fol. 11_b_.]]
lyghte and drye grounde, and hathe an eare thre ynches of
lengthe or more, sette foure-square, lyke pecke-whete, 28
small cornes, and lyttel floure, and that is the worste
barley, and foure London bushels are suffycient for an
acre. And in some countreyes, they do not sowe theyr
barley tyll Maye, and that is mooste commonly vpon 32
grauel or sandy grounde. But that barley generally is
[Sidenote: Sow in March.]
neuer soo good as that that is sowen in Marche. For if it
be verye drie wether after it be sowen, that corne that
lyeth aboue, lyeth drie, and hath noo moysture, and that 36
that lyeth vndernethe, commeth vp: and whan rayne
cometh, than sprutteth that that lyeth aboue, and often-tymes
it is grene whan the other is rype: and whan it is
thresshen, there is moche lyghte corne, &c. 40

14. ==> To sowe otes.

[Sidenote: Oats.]
And in Marche is tyme to sowe otes, and specially vpon
lyght grounde & drie, howe-be-it they wylle grow on
weter grounde than any corne els: for wete grounde
is good for no maner of corne; and thre London bushels 4
wyl sowe an acre.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 12.]]
And it is to be knowen, that there be .iii. maner of otes,
[Sidenote: Red oats.]
that is to saye, redde otes, blacke otes, and roughe otes.
Red otes are the beste otes, and whan they be thresshed, 8
they be yelowe in the busshell, and verye good to make
[Sidenote: Black oats.]
otemele of. Blacke otes are as great as they be, but they
haue not so moche floure in them, for they haue a thycker
huske, and also they be not so good to make otemele. 12
[Sidenote: Rough oats.]
The roughe otes be the worste, and it quiteth not the
coste to sowe them: they be very lyghte, and haue longe
tayles, wherby they wyll hange eche one to other. All
these maner of otes weare the grounde very sore, and 16
[Sidenote: Observe how thick to sow.]
maketh it to beare quyche. A yonge housbande ought to
take hede, howe thycke he sowethe all maner of corne,
two or three yeres: and to se, howe it cometh vp, and
whether it be thycke ynoughe or not: and if it be thynne, 20
sowe thycker the nexte yere: and if it be well, holde his
hande there other yeres: and if it be to thynne, let hym
remember hym selfe, whether it be for the vnseasonablenes
of the wether, or for thyn sowynge. And so 24
his wysedome and discretion muste discerne it.

15. ¶ To harowe all maner of cornes.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 12_b_.]]
Nowe these landes be plowed, and the corne sowen, it
[Sidenote: Harrowing.]
is conuenient, that they be well harowed; or els crowes,
doues, and other byrdes wyll eate and beare awaye the
cornes. It is vsed in many countreys, the husbandes to 4
[Sidenote: The ox-harrow.]
haue an oxe-harowe, the whiche is made of sixe smal
[Sidenote: Harrow-bulls.]
peces of timbre, called harowe-bulles, made eyther of
asshe or oke; they be two yardes longe, and as moche as
the small of a mannes legge, and haue shotes[23] of wode 8
put through theym lyke lathes, and in euery bull are syxe
sharpe peces of yren called harowe-tyndes, set some-what
a-slope forwarde, and the formes[t] slote[24] must be bygger
than the other, bycause the fote-teame shall be fastened 12
to the same with a shakyll, or a withe to drawe by. This
[Sidenote: The horse-harrow.]
harrowe is good to breake the greatte clottes, and to make
moche molde, and than the horse-harowes to come after,
to make the clottes smaller, and to laye the grounde euen. 16
It is a greate labour and payne to the oxen, to goo to
[Sidenote: ‘The ox is never woe, Till he to the harrow go.’]
harowe: for they were better to goo to the plowe two
dayes, thanne to harowe one daye. It is an olde saying,
‘The oxe is neuer wo, tyll he to the harowe goo.’ And 20
it is bycause it goeth by twytches, and not alwaye
[Sidenote: [Fol. 13.]]
after one draughte. The horse-harrowe is made of fyue
bulles, and passe not an elne of lengthe, and not soo
moche as the other, but they be lyke sloted and tinded. 24
And wha_n_ the corne is well couered, than it is harowed
ynough. There be horse-harowes, that have tyndes of
wodde: and those be vsed moche about Ryppon, and
[Sidenote: Boulder-stones.]
suche other places, where be many bulder-stones. For 28
these stones wold weare the yren to soone, and those
[Sidenote: Tines of the harrow made of ash.]
tyndes be mooste commonly made of the grounde ende of
a yonge asshe, and they be more thanne a fote longe in
the begynnynge, and stande as moche aboue the harowe 32
as benethe.

And as they weare, or breake, they dryue them downe
lower; and they wolde be made longe before, ere they be
occupied, that they maye be drye; for than they shall 36
endure and last moche better, and stycke the faster.
[Sidenote: Horses for harrows.]
The horses that shall drawe these harowes, muste be well
kepte and shodde, or elles they wyll soone be tyred, and
sore beate, that they may not drawe. They must haue 40
hombers or collers, holmes withed about theyr neckes,
[Sidenote: Swingle-tree.]
tresses to drawe by, and a swyngletre to holde the tresses
abrode, and a togewith to be bytwene the swyngletre and
the harowe. And if the barleye-grounde wyll not breake 44
with harrowes, but be clotty, it wolde be beaten with
[Sidenote: [Fol. 13_b_.]]
malles, and not streyght downe; for than they beate the
corne in-to the erthe. And if they beate the clot on
the syde, it wyll the better breake. And the clot wyll lye 48
lyghte, that the corne maye lyghtely come vp. And they
[Sidenote: Rolling the ground.]
vse to role theyr barley-grounde after a shoure of rayne,
to make the grounde euen to mowe, &c.

16. ¶ To falowe.

Nowe these housbandes haue sowen theyr pees, beanes,
barley, and otes, and harowed them, it is the beste tyme,
[Sidenote: Fallow in April.]
to falowe, in the later ende of Marche and Apryll, for
whete, rye, and barley. And lette the husbande do the 4
[Sidenote: Plough broad and deep.]
beste he can, to plowe a brode forowe and a depe,
soo that he turne it cleane, and lay it flat, that it rere
not on the edge: the whiche shall destroy all the thistils
and wedes. For the deper and the broder that he gothe, 8
the more newe molde, and the greatter clottes shall he
haue, and the greatter clottes, the better wheate. For
the clottes kepe the wheate warme all wynter, and at
Marche they wyll melte and breake, and fal in manye 12
small peces, the whiche is a newe dongynge, and refresshynge
[Sidenote: [Fol. 14, _misprinted_ 16.]]
of the corne. And also there shall but lyttell
wedes growe vpon the falowes, that are so falowed. For
the plough goth vndernethe the rootes of all maner of 16
[Sidenote: Never fallow in winter; else]
wedes, and tourneth the roote vpwarde, that it maye not
growe. And yf the lande be falowed in wynter tyme, it is
farre the worse, for three principall causes. One is, all the
[Sidenote: (1) rain will wash the land;]
rayne that commeth, shal washe the lande, and dryue 20
awaye the dounge and the good moulde, that the lande
[Sidenote: (2) rain will beat it flat;]
shall be moche the worse. An other cause is, the rayne
shall beate the lande so flat, and bake it so hard to-gyther,
that if a drye Maye come, it wyll be to harde to stere in 24
[Sidenote: (3) the weeds will take deep root.]
the moneth of June. And the thyrde cause is, the wiedes
shall take suche roote, er sterynge-tyme comme, that they
wylle not be cleane tourned vndernethe, the whiche shal
be great hurte to the corne, whan it shall be sowen, and 28
specially in the weding-tyme of the same; and for any
other thynge, make a depe holowe forowe in the rydge of
[Sidenote: Do not rest-baulk.]
the lande, and loke wel, thou rest-balke it nat; for if
thou do, there wyll be many thystels: and than thou 32
shalte not make a cleane rydge at the fyrste sterynge,
and therfore it muste nedes be depe plowed, or elles
thou shalt nat tourne the wiedes cleane.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 14_b_.]]
17. ¶ To cary out donge or mucke and to sprede it.

And in the later ende of Apryll, and the begynnynge of
[Sidenote: Carry out dung.]
Maye, is tyme to cary out his dounge or mucke, and
to lay it vppon his barley-grounde. And where he hath
barley this yere, sowe it with whete or rye the next 4
tyme it is falowed, and so shal he mucke all his landes
ouer at euerye seconde falowe. But that husbande that
can fynd the meanes to cary oute his donge, and to laye
[Sidenote: Lay dung on the land after the first stirring,]
it vpon his lande after it be ones sturred: it is moche 8
better than to laye it vppon his falowe, for dyuer causes.
One is, if it be layde vpon his fallowe, all that fallethe
in the holowe rygge shall do lyttell good; for whan
it is rygged agayne, it lyeth soo depe in the erthe, that 12
it wyll not be plowed vp agayne, excepte that whan he
hath sprede it, he wyll with a shouell, or a spade, caste
out all that is fallen in the rygge. And if it be layde
[Sidenote: and soon after stirring.]
vpon the sturrynge, at euery plowynge it shall medle 16
the donge and the erthe togyder, the whiche shall
cause the corne moche better to growe and encreace.
And in somme places, they lode not theyr donge,
tyll harvest be done, & that is vsed in the farther 20
[Sidenote: [Fol. 15.]]
syde of Darbyshyre, called Scaresdale, Halomshyre,
and so northewarde towarde Yorke and Ryppon: and
that I calle better thanne vppon the falowe, and specyally
for barley: but vppon the fyrste sturrynge, is beste 24
for wheate and rye, and that his dunge be layde vpon
[Sidenote: Spread it evenly.]
smal hepes nygh together, and to sprede it euenly, and
to leue no dounge there-as the mucke-hepe stode, for
the moystnes of the dounge shall cause the grounde to 28
[Sidenote: Mix it with earth.]
be ranke ynoughe. And if it be medled with erthe,
as sholynges and suche other, it wyll laste the longer,
and better for barley than for whete or rye, bycause of
wedes. Horse-donge is the worste donge that is. The 32
donge of all maner catell, that chewe theyr cudde,
[Sidenote: Doves’ dung.]
is verye good. And the dounge of douues is best,
but it must be layde vppon the grounde verye thynne.

18. ¶ To set out the shepe-folde.

[Sidenote: The sheep-fold.]
Also it is tyme to set out the shepefolde in May,
and to sette it vppon the rye-grounde, if he haue any,
and to flyte it euery mornynge or nyght: and in the
mornynge, whan he cometh to his folde, let not his 4
[Sidenote: [Fol. 15_b_.]]
shepe out anone, but reyse theym vp, and let them
stande stylle good season, that they may donge and
[Sidenote: See if the sheep have maggots.]
pysse. And go amonge them to se whether any of
them haue any mathes, or be scabbed: and se them 8
thre or foure tymes on the oone syde, and as ofte on
the other syde. And whan the kelles begonne besyde
the grounde, than lette theym out of the folde, and
dryue theym to the soundest place of the felde. But 12
[Sidenote: Folding sheep is not a good plan.]
he that hath a falowe felde, seueral to hym-selfe, let
hym occupie no folde. For foldynge of shepe maketh
them scabbed, and bredeth mathes; and whanne a
storme of yll wether commeth in the night, they can 16
nat flee nor go awaye, and that appeyreth them sore
of their flesshe. But lette that man that hath such a
[Sidenote: Drive stakes in the field.]
seueral falowe-felde, driue twentie, thyrty, or forty stakes,
accordynge to the nombre of his shepe, vpon his falowe, 20
where he wolde sette his folde, and specially in the
farthest parte of the fyelde frome thense as they comme
in, for the goynge vppon dothe moche good. And
lette the sheparde brynge his shepe to the stakes, and 24
[Sidenote: The sheep will rub against them.]
the sheepe wylle rubbe them on the stakes. And lette
the sheparde goo aboute them, tyll they be sette, and
thus serue theym two or three nyghtes, and they wyll
folowe those stakes, as he flytteth them, and syt by 28
[Sidenote: [Fol. 16, _misprinted_ 14.]]
them. And if any yll wether come, they will ryse vp,
and go to the hedge. And this maner of foldynge
shall brede noo mathes nor scabbe, nor appeyre theym
of theyr flesshe, and shall be a greate sauegarde to the 32
shepe for rottynge: and in the mornynge put them out
of theyr pasture, and thou shalte not nede to bye any
[Sidenote: Use no hurdles.]
hurdels nor shepe-flekes; but howe ye shall salue them
or dresse them, ye shall vnderstande in the chaypter of 36
shepe after.

19. ¶ To cary wodde and other necessaryes.

[Sidenote: In May carry wood.]
And in May, whan thou hast falowed thy grounde, and
set oute thy shepefolde, and caryed oute thy dounge or
mucke, if thou haue any wodde, cole, or tymbre to
cary, or suche other busynes, that muste nedes be doone, 4
with thy charte or wayne, than is it tyme to do it. For
[Sidenote: The days are then long.]
than the waye is lyke to be fayre and drye, and the days
longe, and that tyme the husbande hath leeste to doo in
husbandry. Perauenture I set one thynge to be done at 8
one tyme of the yere, and if the husbande shulde do it,
it shulde be a greatter losse to hym in an other thynge.
Wherefore it is moste conuenient to do that thynge fyrst,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 16_b_.]]
that is moste profytable to hym, and as soone as he 12
can, do the other labour.

20. ¶ To knowe dyuers maner of wedes.