at his remouing; and this hole you shall make spacious and easie; and
that the mould be soft and loose both vnderneath and round about the
roote of the Elme, which done, you shall place your Elme in the same,
straight and vpright, without either swaruing one way or other, which
for your better certaintie, you may proue either with plumbe, leuell,
or other instrument, which being perfected, you shall with rich fresh
mould well mixt with olde meanure, couer and ram the same fast in the
earth, in such sort, that no reasonable strength may moue or shake it:
and all this worke must be done in the encrease of the Moone, either in
the moneth of October, or at the latter end of Ianuary: but the latter
end of Ianuarie is euer helde the best and safest, for there is no
question but you shall sée flourishing Trées the next Summer after: and
in this sort you may likewise remoue either Béech, Witcher, or Popler,
bestowing them either in Groues, Walkes, Hedge-rowes, or other places
of shadow, as shall séeme best to your contentment: for their natures
being alike, their growthes and flourishings haue little difference.

[Sidenote: Of Planting the Ash.]

[Sidenote: Obiection.]

[Sidenote: Answere.]

Now for the replanting or remouing the Ash, though not much, yet there
is some difference, for it is not at the first so spéedie a putter
forth, and flourisher, as the others be: but for the first yeare
laboureth more to bestow and fixe his roote in the earth, then to
spread forth his vpper branches, and although some Woodwards are of
opinion, that so much as the Ash is aboue the ground, so much hée will
be vnder before he begin to flourish outwardly, yet experience doth
find it erronious, for though it be for the first yéere a little slower
then other Trées, yet when it beginneth to flourish, it will ouer-take
the spéediest grower. Therefore when you do intend to plant Ashes for a
spéedy profit, you shall not according to the olde custome chuse the
smooth, small, long Plants, which are hardly thrée inches in compasse,
and haue put out hardly any branches, and are such as grow from the
rootes of elder Ashes cut downe before, which our auncient Woodwards
haue vsed to slip or cleaue from those rootes, no, these are the
worst sorts of Plants: but you shall take the true ground-Ash, which
springeth from his owne proper roote, being smooth, euen, sound, and
straight without bruise, canker, or other impediment. This you shall
digge vp by the root, being as is before said almost twenty inches in
compasse, and hauing cleansed the roote, you shall leaue each spray
not aboue halfe a foote, or eight inches in length; but for the small
thréeds or tassels of the roote, those you shall cut cleane away close
by the wood, and so plant it in euery point, as was shewed you for the
planting of the Elme, onely the top thereof you shall by no meanes cut
off, because it is a trée of pith, which to deuide or lay bare, were
very dangerous; and the best season for the planting of this Trée, is
euer in the encrease of the Moone, at the fall of the leafe, which is
from the beginning of October till midde Nouember, and at no other
time, for it would euer haue a whole Winter to fasten his roote, and to
gather strength, that it may bud forth his leafe the Summer following.
Thus you sée how you may plant Groues or Copses at your pleasure, and
make vnto your selfe high Woods according to your owne pleasure. But
you will obiect vnto me, that you liue in such a champaine Countrey,
that albe these Plantations might bréede vnto you infinite pleasure,
yet the pouerty thereof in wood is such that these Plants are not
there to be found for any money. To which I thus answere, That in this
Kingdome there is not any Country so barraine, or farre off remote from
wood, being a soyle fit to receiue wood: But his next neighbour-Country
is able to furnish him, especially with these Plants at an easie
reckoning: as for example, I hold _Northampton_ shire one of the
barrennest for Wood, yet best able to beare wood, and hath not he his
neighbour _Huntington_ shire and _Leicester_ shire about him, where
nurceries of these Plants are bred and preserued for the sale onely:
Nay, euen in _Holland_, in _Lincolne_ shire, which is the lowest of all
Countries, and most vnlikely to holde such a commodity, I haue séene
as goodly Timber as in any Forrest or Chase of this Kingdome: and thus
much for the planting of high Woods.

CHAP. IIII.

_Of the preseruation, and sale of high Woods._

[Sidenote: Of Trees which take wet inwardly.]

It is not sufficient for the Husbandman to sowe, plant, and encrease
wood about his grounds, conuerting his earth to the vttermost and
extreamest profit that may spring from the same: but he must also
be diligent to preserue and nourish his timber trées from all
inconueniences that may any way annoy or afflict them: and to this
end hée shall daily walke into his Woods, and with a searching eye
suruay euery Trée which is of any account, and sée if he can finde any
fault or annoyance about the same, and if casting his eye vp to the
top, where the maine armes shoote forth themselues, he perceiue that
by the breaking off of some arme or other riuen boughes, the wet and
droppings of the leaues is sunke and fretted into the Timber, which in
time will corrupt the heart, and make the Trée hollow. In this case he
shall presently mount the Trée, and with his Bill, either cut the place
so smooth that the wet may not rest thereon, or else hauing smoothed
it so much as he may with conuenience, mixe stiffe clay and fine hay
together, and with the same couer the place, in such manner, that it
may put off the wet till it haue recouered new barke.

[Sidenote: Of Barke-bound.]

If hée shall perceiue any of his younger Trées to be Barke-bound, that
is, so stiffe and straitly tied within their owne ryndes, that they
cannot encrease or prosper: in this case he shall with a sharpe drawing
knife, made in the proportion of a narrow _C_ draw and open the barke
euen from the top of the bole of the Trée downe to the roote, and then
clap Oxe dung into those slits, let the Trée rest, and in short space
you shall sée it mightily encrease.

[Sidenote: Of Hornets and Dores.]

If he shall perceiue that _Hornets_, and _Dores_, or such like, haue
found some little hollownesse in one of his Trées, and séeketh there
to shelter and hide themselues, which in little space they will soone
make larger, he shall forth-with besmeare all the place with Tarre and
Goose-dung, and it will driue them thence.

[Sidenote: Of the Canker.]

If he shall finde that by the droppings of other Trées, some of his
Trées shall grow cankerous, and loose their barke, which is an accident
very vsuall, and the Trées whose barkes are so lost, will with great
difficulty after prosper. In this case he shall annoynt the place with
Tarre and Oyle mixt together, and then couer the place with clay, where
the barke is wanting.

[Sidenote: Of Pismyers.]

If he shall perceiue any _Pismyer_ hilles or beds to be made against
any of his Trées, which is very noysome, for they are great destroyers
of the barks of Trées: he shall then with hot scalding water kill them,
and throw the hill downe leuell and plaine with the earth.

[Sidenote: Of Iuy, Woodbine, and Misseltoe.]

If he shall find any _Iuy_, _Woodbine_, or _Mysteltoe_ to grow in or
about any of his principall Trées, which doe strangle, suffocate, and
kéepe them from encreasing, he shall forth-with digge vp the roots
thereof, and then cut it away or loosen it from about the barks of the
Trées.

[Sidenote: Of Thunder and Lightning.]

Lastly, if he shall perceiue that by _Thunder_, _Lightning_, or other
plantarie stroakes, any of the armes of his well growne Trées be
blasted or slaine, he shall forth-with cut them away, euen close to the
quicke Wood, and make the place smooth and euen where they were ioyned:
thus shall the carefull Husbandman with a vigilant eye, regard euery
enormous and hurtfull thing that may offend his Timber, and by that
meanes possesse more benefit from a fewe Roodes, then others doe from
many Acres.

[Sidenote: Of the sale of tall Woods.]

Now when either necessity or the vrgent occasions of any néedfull vse,
enforceth the Husbandman to make sale of any part of his tall Wood,
in which Marchandise there is many prety and obscure secrets, such as
are hard to be shewed by any Verball demonstration, for truly there
is not any trucking or marting whatsoeuer, in which a man may sooner
deceiue, or be deceiued, men buying and selling in a manner hood-winkt:
for it is most certaine that no man can certainely tell either what
peny-woorth hée selleth, or the other buyeth, so long as the Trée is
standing, there be in Trées so many secret faults, and likewise when
they are downe, and come to the breaking or burkning (as the Wood-man
tearmes it) so many vnexpected vertues, as for mine owne part I haue
often séene a Trée whose out-side hath promised all good hope, the
barke being smooth and euen, the body large and great, and the armes
high set on, and spaciously extended; yet when this Trée hath béene
felled, and came to burkning, there hath béene found a hole in the
top, which hath runne cleane though the heart, and vtterly spoyled the
whole Timber: so likewise on the contrary part I haue séene a Trée very
foule at the top, which is suspitious for rottennesse, whose armes haue
growne so close and narrow together, that they haue promised little
burthen, yet being cut downe, I haue séene that Trée passing sound, the
armes double the loades in valuation, and the price being lesse then
any, the proofe and goodnesse to excéede all; so that I must conclude
it all together impossible to set downe any fixed or certaine rules
either for the buyer or seller: but for as much as there are diuers
worthie obseruances for both parts, and that it is as necessary to buy
well as sell well, I will runne through euery particular obseruation,
which doth belong both to the one and the other partie, with which
when a mans minde is perfectly acquainted, he may with much bolder
confidence aduenture to buy or sell in the open Market.

[Sidenote: How to chuse Timbers.]

[Sidenote: Of Mill Timber.]

[Sidenote: Timber to beare burthen.]

The first thing therefore that either buyer or seller should be
skilfull in, is the choyse of all sorts of Timbers, and to know which
is fit for euery seuerall purpose, the crooked and vneyely being for
some vses of much higher price and reckoning then that which is plaine,
straight, and euen growne, as thus for example. If you would buy Timber
for Mill-whéeles, the heads of round Turrets, or any kinde of any worke
whatsoeuer, you shall chuse that which is crooked and some-what bent,
being sound, firme, and vnshaken. If you will chuse Timber for Summer
Trées, Baulks, Iawnies, or Tracens, you shall chuse that which is most
hartie, sound, and much twound, or as it were wrythen about, which you
shall with great ease perceiue by the twinding or crooked going about
of the barke, the graine whereof will as it were circle and lay round
about the Trée. This Timber which is thus twound or wrythen, will by no
meanes ryue or cleaue asunder, and therefore is estéemed the best to
support and beare burthen, and the heart thereof will endure and last
the longest.

[Sidenote: Timber for Pales, Wainscote, &c.]

If you will chuse Timber for Pales, Singles, Coopers-ware, Wainscote,
or such like, then you shall euer chuse that which is smooth, euen, and
straight growne, without any manner of twynding or shaking, which you
shall perceiue by the straight and euen growing vp of the barke, whose
crests will ascend straight and vpright, euen from the roote to the
bottome, which is an assured token that all such Timber will shiuer and
ryue into as thinne parts as a man would desire.

[Sidenote: Timber for Pyles or Water-workes.]

Lastly, if you would chuse Timber to make Pyles of, to driue into the
earth, for the framing of Weares within the water, the heads of Ponds,
or any other worke within the water then you shall chuse that which is
most knottie (so it be sound) for that will driue without splitting,
and continue in the earth the longest: and of all Timbers the Elme
is accounted the best for this purpose, for it will continue almost
euerlastingly in the earth without rotting; yet notwithstanding, the
Oake is excellent good also: and thus much for the generall choise of
Oakes.

[Sidenote: Vse of the Elme.]

Now if you would chuse Timber for weather-boards, or to be vsed in
water-workes, or to make Planks for low moyst Vaults, then you shall
chuse the biggest, soundest and smoothest growne _Elme_, it is also
excellent good to make Kitchen tables of, or for boards, for the vse
of Butchers. If you will chuse the most principallest Timber, for
Cart or Waine Axel trées, for the naues of whéeles, or for any other
vse of toughnesse, you shall chuse the _Elme_ onely, for it excéedeth
all other Timbers, and though some Husbandmen are of opinion, that
the _Elme_ Axel-trée when it is throughly heated, is then most apt to
breake, they are much deceiued, for it will endure farre beyond Ash or
any other Timber, except Yewgh, which for the scarsity is now of little
vse in such a purpose. And herein you must obserue, that the _Elme_
which you chuse for Axel-trées must be straite, smooth, and without
knots, but that which you chuse for naues, must be most knotty, twound,
and the hardest to be broken or hewed asunder.

[Sidenote: Vse of the Ash.]

If you will chuse Timber for Ploughes, ordinary Axel-trées (for
those of _Elme_ are speciall) the rings of whéeles harrow bulls, and
such like, then you shall chuse the fairest, straightest, biggest,
and smoothest growne Ash that you can finde, and from the roote end
vpward, you shall cut out a length of Axel-trées, aboue it a length of
shelbordes, and aboue it (if the Trée be so large) a length for heads
and Skeathes, the largest armes which are somewhat bending, you shall
elect for rings for whéeles, and so according to the bignesse of the
Ash, and as your eye can proportion out what will be made of the same,
you shall make valuation thereof.

[Sidenote: Vse of the Wall-nut tree.]

If you would chuse Timber for ioyned Tables, Cupbords, or Bedsteds,
you shall then make choise of the fairest Walnut-trée you can finde,
being olde, straight, vnknotted, and of a high boale: and although
either Oake, or Ash will reasonably well serue for this purpose, yet
the Walnut-trée is by many degrées the best of all other, for it is
of smoothest graine, and to the eye most beautifull, prouided that by
no meanes you put it into any worke, before it be excéedingly well
seasoned.

[Sidenote: Vse of the Peare-tree.]

If you would chuse Timber for Ioynt-stooles, Chaires, or Chests, you
shall then chuse the oldest Peare-trée so it be sound, for it is both
smooth, swéet, and delicate, and though it be a very soft Wood, yet
in any of these frames it is an excéeding long laster, and the heart
thereof will neuer bréede worme, nor will it in any time loose the
colour.

[Sidenote: Vse of the Maple, Beech, and Poplar.]

If you would chuse Timber for Trenchers, Dishes, or any Tourners ware,
or for any in-laying worke, you shall then make choise of the fairest
and soundest Maple, being smooth and vnknotted, for it is the plainest
graine, and the whitest Wood of all other: and although either the
Béech or Poplar will reasonably well serue for these purposes, yet is
neither the colours so good, nor the Timber so long lasting. Many other
Trées there are which may serue for many other purposes: but these are
of most vse for our English Husbandman, and will sufficiently serue to
passe through all his businesses.

[Sidenote: Of Char-coale.]

Touching Char-coale, you shall vnderstand, that Oake, Elme, and Ash,
make your longest and best enduring Coale: the Birtch the finest and
brightest Coale, and the Béech or Sallow the swiftest Coale. Now for
your small Coale, the twigges of the Birtch makes that which kindles
the soonest, and the White-thorne that which endures the longest.

[Sidenote: How to value Timber.]

Thus when you know how to chuse euery seuerall Trée, and the true vse
and profit which can any way be made of the same, and by a practised
experience can cast by the suruay and view of a standing Wood, the
almost entire profit that may arise from the same, deuiding in your
memory how many are for euery seuerall purpose, and to what reckoning
they may amount one with the other, and blemishing (if you buy) the
good with the bad, or making good (if you sell) the bad with those
good ones which grow néere them, you may then boldly venture into any
sale either as a buyer or seller at your pleasure, and sure if you
know (as it is fit you should doe) the Market-able prices of all sorts
of Timbers in those places, where you are either to buy or sell, as
what a Mill-post is worth, what so many inches of well squared Timber,
contayning so many foote in length, what a dozen of boards of such a
size, what so many naues, spoakes, rings, sparres, or tracens, or what
so much sound and good Plough-timber is worth, and then looking vpon a
Trée, and computing what may euery way be made of the same, allowing
the wast which will hardly sometimes defray the charge of breaking vp
the Trée, you cannot but with great ease draw into your minde the true
value of euery Trée, and the vttermost profit or losse may any way rise
from the same.

[Sidenote: How to measure Timber by gesse.]

And in this worke I would haue you to obserue this rule very carefully,
that is, when you come to any great Timber-trée, to fathome or embrace
it about with both your armes, and then knowing what quantity your
fathome is, and how many fathome girdleth the Trée round about, you may
from former experience giue a certaine gesse what inches of squared
Timber that Trée will beare, for if you haue found in former trials
that twice your fathome in the rough barke hath borne twenty, or two
and twenty inches squared, and now finde that the present Trée on which
you looke, is no lesse, but rather with the bigger, you may boldly
presume, that being sound, this trée can carrie no lesse square of good
Timber: and thus much for the knowledge and choise of tall Woods.

[Sidenote: Best seasons for the sale.]

[Sidenote: The time for Chap-men.]

Now to come to the seasons & fittest times for sale of these high
Woods: you shall vnderstand that it is méete for euery good husband
which intendeth to sell any of his high Woods, to walke into the same
immediately after Christmas, & whether they be in woods, Groues,
hedge-rowes, or other places, to marke with a special marke all those
Trées which he intendeth to sell, as well for the wéeding and cleansing
out of all such as are decayed and wasted, as also to know the true
number of both the good and bad, and thereby in some measure to compute
the profit which will arise from the same, for to make sale of them
otherwise confusedly, might bring much losse to a man happily, selling
away those that would encrease their valewes, and kéepeing them which
daily would decrease their goodnesse, or so vnorderly vnmixing his
Wood, that where one faire and good Trée would draw a mans eye from
beholding diuers which are doated, now that onely taken away, the rest
will remaine, and neuer be sale-able, and therefore euer as néere as
you can so suite and match your Trées together, that in your sales
you may neuer passe away an absolute worthie Trée: but you may euer
couple some which haue defects to goe with it, as in these dayes we sée
Warriners and Poulters sell Rabbets, a fat and a leane euer coupled
together. When you haue thus marked out what you meane to sell, and
disposed your sale according to your best profit, after notice giuen
vnto the Country in the Market Townes néere adioyning, you shall begin
your sale the Candlemasse following, which sale you may continue all
the Spring, according to the greatnesse thereof, or the quicknesse of
buyers. Now for any rules or orders to be obserued in these sales, I
can prescribe you none certaine, because it is méete that euery one
binde himselfe to the customes of the Country in which he liueth,
whose variations are diuers, for almost euery one is seuerall, onely
in the maine they holde together, which is that they seldome make
publike sales for money downe vpon the head, but for a certaine payment
some fewe moneths after, which makes the Marchandise more lookt to,
and the sales goe away the faster; and in this the Sales-man must be
circumspect in the choise of his Chap-men, and where hée findeth any
doubt there to make one neighbour stand bound for another, as for
the earnest penny it is euer ouer and aboue the price, and must be
laide downe at the binding vp of the bargaine, which earnest is in
some Countries foure pence in the pound, in some eight pence, and in
some twelue pence, according to the goodnesse of the Timber, and hath
euer béene taken for a fée due to the Sales-man for his paines and
attendance: and sure if he be carefully honest, it is a merrit well
bestowed: if otherwise, it is much too much for falshood, for in him
consists the owners losse or profit, and therefore it may become any
man, of what place so euer, to take a strickt account from such an
officer: or if he haue any doubt euer to ioyne with him in commission,
another of contrary faction.

[Sidenote: When to cut downe Timber.]

When you haue made sale of your Timber, you shall by no meanes let it
be cut downe till the end of Aprill, at which time the sap ascending
vpward, will loosen the bark, and make it come from the body of the
Trée easily. You shall cut your Timber downe close by the earth, not
digge it vp by the rootes, vnlesse you meane vtterly to destroy it, for
from the spurnes of the roote will arise new Spiers, which in processe
of time, will come to another Trée. As soone as you haue felled your
Oakes, you shall with your Axe immediatly whilst the sap is wet, take
all the barke from the body and the armes, and setting it end-wayes
as vp one by another, so place it, that the winde may passe through
it, and dry it, and then sell it to the Tanners, which will giue you a
good price therefore, according to the worth and scarsity thereof. When
your Trées are barkt, you shall then sawe the body into such lengthes
of Timber, as shall be méete for the purpose for which it is bought,
or in such sort as it may be best portable: the armes also you shall
hewe from the body, and so burken or breake them vp, as they may be fit
to be loaded: all which done, and the Timber caried away, you shall,
if you intend to haue the Wood renew, fence in the sale, and kéepe it
safe from Cattell: and thus much for the preseruation and sale of high
Woods.

CHAP. V.

_Of the breeding of Wood in rich champaine soyles._

Nature which is the most perfect worke-mistresse of all things (as all
the Philosophers say) but I say our good God out of his most diuine
wisedome, hath allotted to euery soyle, if we will note it, through
the whole course of this Kingdome, particular profit to sustaine and
maintaine it, as to some Mines, to some Timber, and to some fertility
of grasse and corne, and where any one of these are, there commonly
some of the other is euer wanting, as we sée daily in our experience;
and for as much as in the fruitfull and fertill soyles of this
land, of which wée estéeme the wealthie vales, as that of _Essam_,
_White-horse_, _Beluoire_, and many others the best, there is euer
great scarsitie of Wood, the very wealthinesse of the soyle it selfe
almost denying to beare such burden, because for the most part the
stifnesse of those clayes is contrary to their growth, yet for as much
as the necessitie and vse of Wood is so great and valuable, I would
perswade euery good and worthy Husbandman, to endeauour himselfe with
all his vtmost power and strength, to plant wood in euery conuenient
place round about him, and not to take the rules of the ignorant for
his lesson, that sith neuer any did grow there, therefore neuer any
will grow there: for it is absurd and foolish: nor to say because my
auncestors haue neuer done it why should I attempt it? These arguments
are made from a false figure, and the Husbandman must remember that
his dutie is industrie, and encrease not altogether imitation and
president, and he must as seriously finde out new and néerer profits,
as hold those he hath learned: and therefore he shall endeauour by all
commendable labour to haue euer about him whatsoeuer is necessarie for
his vse: but you will peraduenture aunswere me, that to plant Woods
in these rich soyles, were very much losse, because the fertilitie
thereof will yéeld a much better profit. To this I reply, that I
would not haue you plant any spacious piece of ground with wood, but
onely your ditches, hedges, and such wast earthes, as almost denie
any other profit, and that the want of wood in those places may not
discourage you, to imagine that wood will not grow there. Doe but
view the cytes of euery Towne in those rich Countries, the seates
of Noblemen & Gentlemens houses, and the Parks which commonly are
adioyning there-vnto, and you shall hardly sée any of them without the
fellowship & acquaintance of some wood, which in times past hath béene
planted either for defence or pleasure, and from thence collect that if
wood will grow with my next neighbour, then why not with me, so long
as the soyle doth not alter. But _Labor vincit omnia improbus_, True
industrie was neuer fruitlesse. Then for the generall good both of your
selfe & your neighbours, looke that you replenish all your ditches &
ring fences, with good store of Quick-set, that is to say, all that lye
high, & out of the danger of water, with White-thorne, Black-thorne,
and Bryer, and those which are low & subiect to washing, with Willowes,
Sallowes, and Ozyers.

[Sidenote: How to set all sorts of Quick-set.]

Now for as much as it is not enough to say vnto the Husbandman do
this, but that I must also shew the manner of doing thereof: I will
shew you briefly how to set all manner of Quick-sets, and first
for the white-thorne, black-thorne, bryer or such like, which must
stand frée from inundation, you shal when you enclose any piece of
ground, after you haue markt out the true breadth of your dyke vpon
the in-side thereof, and close by the verdge of the dyke, cut with
your spade a little trough, halfe a foote or there-abouts in breadth
& depth, in which trough or small gutter, you shall lay the rootes
of the first rowe of your Quick-sets, so as the top ends may looke
vpward, & a little bend in towards the ditch, & these quick-sets you
shall place within lesse then a foot one of another: then with your
spade beginning to make your ditch, you shall with the first cleane
mould, couer all the rootes close and fast, so as they will not shake
nor stirre with your hand, then hauing raised the banke of your Dyke,
and couered the lowest rowe of Quick-set more then halfe a foote, and
broken the earth so, as it may lye close and handsome together & you
shall then after the same manner lay another rowe of Quick-set ouer the
first, I meane not one Quick-set directly ouer another, but the second
rowe placed as it were in the midst betwéene two of the first, though
at least halfe a foote higher: then you shall couer that row like the
former, and ouer it place a third, which shall stand directly opposite,
and ouer the first, so that in their growth the middle rowe shall as
it were grow betwéene two of the lowest, and two of the highest: and
then vpon this vppermost rowe lay the remainder of your earth, and
make your banke perfect, and in this sort finishing one yard of the
Ditch after another, you shall at length bring your labour to the end
of your desire. Now in this labour you are to obserue some speciall
things, as first to looke well vpon your Sets before you put them into
the ground, and be sure that they be gréene, young and vntainted, then
that the rootes be cleane, and no small thréeds or iagges hanging about
them. And lastly, that they stand vpright, and not aboue foure or fiue
inches without the earth at the most, then shall you looke well to the
making of your banke, and lay the earth so as it may not slip or fall
backe into the Dyke, so as the raine may wash away the mould, and leaue
the rootes bare: but let all things be done strongly and artificially.
The best seasons for this worke is the moneths of February, March,
and Aprill, or September, October, and some part of Nouember: if the
weather be dry aboue head, when you haue set your Quick-set, you
shall make a dead hedge vpon the top of the new banke, to kéepe those
Cattell which are within your ground, from breaking forth or hurting
the Quick-set: and another small fence on the lowe verdge of the Dyke
which is outward, to kéepe those cattell which graze without from
running into the dyke, and hurting the quick-set. Now after a spring
and fall is past, you shall suruay all your quick-set and wéede it
cleane from all manner of filthinesse that doth choake or stifle it,
and scratching the fresh mould about it giue comfort to the roote: then
if you perceiue that any of your Sets be dead, you shall plucke them
vp, and place new in the roome, and if any be blasted in part, and not
clean killed, you shall cut away so much as is blasted, and let the
rest remaine, you shall looke well to the Caterpiller and other wormes,
which mightily deuoure Quick-sets, especially in these fat Countries,
and if you finde any taint of them, destroy them as is shewed you in a
former Chapter.

[Sidenote: Planting of greater Trees.]

After your Quick-set is come to the age of thrée yéeres, and that the
banke is setled and swarth growne thereon, you shall then within the
body of your hedges plant all manner of great Trées, as Ash, Béech,
Maple, and such like, and also all manner of fruit Trées, as Aples,
Peares, Plums, Wardens, and such like, and in the first thrée yéeres
be very carefull to preserue each in his true proper nature, and doe
to them all the rights which is due to their growth, and in that time
obserue which kinde of Trées in the generality prospereth best, and
agréeth most naturally with the soyle. And of those Trées sée that
you flourish your grounds most plentifully, the particular manner of
planting whereof is already formerly declared. And hence doth _Kent_
and _Worcester_ shire boast of their fruit, _Windsor_, _Sherwood_
and _Hollam_ shire their Oakes, and other particular Countries their
particular commodities.

[Sidenote: Of the setting of Willowes, &c.]

Now for the setting of Willow, Sallow and Oziers, it is a thing so
vsuall and common, that it néedeth no great Art in the relation,
yet because I would be loath that any omission should be taken for
negligence, you shall vnderstand that in setting them you must first
respect the place, which would euer be lowe and moyst, the water
sometimes washing them, sometimes cooling them, and euer giuing them
comfort. Now to speake first of the Willow it would be euer planted
vpon bankes, where it may stand more dry then wet, for such prosper
best, and endure longest, as for proofe some will continue, twelue,
fiftéene nay one and twentie yéeres, where as those which are set close
by the water, will hardly endure seueral, but not aboue nine yéeres at
the most. Touching their planting, they be set two manner of wayes,
but which is the best, is not yet agréed on amongst Husbandmen. The
first is to take an Augure full as large in compasse (although much
shorter) as that where-with you boare Pumps and with it boare a hole
in the earth two-foote, and a halfe déepe, then hauing headed some of
the choysest Willowes you haue, take the fairest and straightest of
those lops, and then cutting the sloape-wise at both ends and leauing
no superfluous twigs cleauing there-vnto, put the bigger end downe very
hard into the earth, and then with the mould which came forth, with the
Augure ram the earth close and hard about the Set, so as no reasonable
strength may shake it. Now there be other Husbandmen which in stéed
of the Augure take onely an Oaken or Ash stake, of the bignesse of an
vsuall set, and with a Béetell driue it into the ground two foot and a
halfe, and then by shaking and opening the earth, pull it out againe &
then put in the Set as is before shewed, and beate and tread the earth
close there-vnto, and there is no doubt of the well prospering thereof.
Now for the defects which Husbandmen finde in these two seuerall
plantings. Some say, that the Augure taketh out so much earth, that the
Set cannot but stand loose at the roote, and so wanting full hold of
the earth, either takes not at all, or continues but a little space.
Others say that the driuing in of the stake beates the earth so hard
together, that it withstandeth the passage of the tender sprouts, & so
killeth the set, but both are deceiued: for these are but suppositions,
and experience daily shewes vs, that these are the best and spéediest
wayes of setting of all sorts of Willowes that euer any time brought
forth, and I haue knowne one man set this way two hundreth Sets in a
day, of which not one hath failed, but all prospered. Now for your
Sallowes, you shall set them, and chuse the Sets in all poynts as you
doe the Willow, onely they would be placed a little néerer the water,
for they delight some-what more in moysture, as for the Ozier it would
be set like other Quick-set in the side of bankes, so as it may almost
touch the water, and as your Willowes or Sallowes would be set a little
remote one from another, as namely tenne foote asunder: so these must
be set close together, and in thicke rowes one against another: and
these Ozier Plants you must cut from their head, being the principall
spiers which grow thereon, and then cut off their tops, leauing them
not aboue two foote long at the most, and of all other they are the
quickest in growing.

[Sidenote: The vse of Willowes, Sallowes, and Oziers.]

And although Willow, Sallow, and Ozyer, are in our lawes estéemed but
as wéedes and no Woods, yet they be so profitable, that the Husbandman
can hardly misse them, the Willow and Sallow seruing for fence and
fewell, to make Harrowes, Cart-saddles, & horse Hames, and the Ozyers,
for fish Leapes, or Wéeles for Baskets, Scuttels, Fans to winnow with,
and many other things full as necessary: therefore if you haue any
marish grounds that are vselesse, bogge-myers, or Ilands in great
riuers, let them be imployed to the nourishing of these profitable
wéedes, and by making draynes through them to giue the water passage,
you shall in small time bring them to earthes of great profit, which
consideration were it rightly wayed, there would not be halfe so much
wast ground as is in this Kingdome.

[Sidenote: Ordering of the Willow.]

But to my purpose, when you haue planted these Willowes, you shall
after euery floud, sée if the water haue driuen any of them away, or
displease them, and immediately mend them, and set them vp straight
againe. If any Cattell shall pyll or barke them, you shall pull vp
such Settes, and place new in their roome. Your Willow set would by
no meanes be too long at the first setting, for then will neuer beare
a good head, and too short is likewise as vnprofitable, therefore it
is held to be fiue foote aboue the earth, is a length sufficient: you
may head your Willowes once in thrée yéeres, or fiue at the furthest,
and when you sée the bodies waxe hollow, you may cut them downe for the
fire, and fixe new Sets in their places.

[Sidenote: Ordering of Ozier.]

The Ozier to come to his true profit and season asketh much pruning
and trimming, as namely you must kéepe the stocke lowe, and neuer
aboue halfe a foote aboue the earth, you must picke them cleane from
Mosse, and from the slime and filth, which the ouer-flow of the water
will leaue vpon them: you shall prune the small spiers, and make them
grow single one by another, and if any shoote out a double stalke, you
shall cut it away, you may head them euery second yéere at the fall
onely, and though some head them once a yéere, yet it is not so good
husbandry, nor will the Ozier be so tough or long lasting. The best
seasons for the setting of the Willow, Sallow, or Ozier is, either
any part of the Spring or Fall, and the best time to loppe the Willow
or Sallow, is in the Spring for fence, and in the Fall for timber or
fewell; but the Ozier would be cut at the fall of the leafe onely. And
thus much for the bréeding of Wood in the rich champaine Countries.

CHAP. VI.

_Of Plashing of Hedges, and Lopping of Timber._

[Sidenote: What plashing is.]

Hauing alreadie sufficiently in the former Chapter spoken of the
planting of all sorts of quick-sets, it is méete now that I shew you
how to order the hedges being growne and come to perfection. Know then
that if after your hedge is come to sixe or seauen yéeres of age, you
shall let it grow on without cutting or pruning, that then although it
grow thicke at the top, yet it will decay and grow so thinne at the
bottome, that not onely beasts but men may runne through it, and in
the end it will dye and come to nothing, which to preuent, it shall
be good once in seauen or eight yéeres to plash and lay all your
Quick-set hedges, in which there is much fine Art and cunning to be
vsed. For this plashing is a halfe cutting or deuiding of the quicke
growth, almost to the outward barke, and then laying it orderly in a
sloape manner, as you sée a cunning hedger lay a dead hedge, and then
with the smaller and more plyant branches, to wreathe and binde in
the tops, making a fence as strong as a wall, for the roote which is
more then halfe cut in sunder, putting forth new branches, which runne
and entangle themselues amongst the olde stockes, doe so thicken and
fortifie the hedge, that it is against the force of beasts impregnable.

[Sidenote: How to plash:]

[Sidenote: The time of yeare.]

Now to giue you some light how you shall plash a hedge, though diuers
Countries differ diuersly in these workes, yet as néere as I can I will
shew you that which of the best Husbandmen is the best estéemed. First,
for the time of yéere either February or October, is passing good, and
the encrease of the Moone would likewise be obserued.

[Sidenote: The Tooles.]

For the tooles which you shall imploy, they would be a very sharpe
nimble Hatchet, a good Bill, and a fine pruning knife. Now for the
worke you shall enter into it, first with your Bill you shall cut
away all the superfluous boughes and branches which are of no vse, or
hinder your worke, and then finding the principall stemmes which issue
from the maine roote, you shall within a foote or lesse of the ground
with your Hatchet, cut the same more then thrée quarters through, so
as they may hang together by nothing but the outward barke, and some
part of the outward sap, and this stroke must euer be sloape-wise and
downeward: then take those mayne bodies of the quick-set, so cut, and
lay them sloape-wise from you, as you would lay a dead hedge, and
all the branches which extend from those bodies, and would spread
outwardly, you shall likewise cut as before said, and fould them
artificially into your head, and euer within a yard or two distance,
where a pretie Plant growes straight vp, you shall onely cut off the
top equall with the height of your hedge, and so let it stand as a
stake, about which you shall folde and twind all your other branches.
Now when you come to the top of the hedge, which would commonly not be
aboue fiue foote high, you shall take the longest, youngest, and most
plyant boughes, and cutting them as afore-said, gently binde in the
tops of all the rest, and so make your hedge strong and perfect: and
herein is to be noted, that the closer and thicker you lay your hedge
(so there be nothing in it superfluous) the stronger and better lasting
it will be. Many vse not to binde in the tops of their plasht hedges,
but onely to lay the Quick-set and no more: but it is not so husbandly,
neither is the hedge of any indurance: many other curiosities there be
in the plashing of hedges, but this which I haue alreadie shewed, is
sufficient both for the Husbandmans benefit and vnderstanding.

[Sidenote: The profit of Plashing.]

The profit which ariseth from this labour, is the maintenance and
defence of fencing, the preseruing and encrease of Quick-set, and a
continuance of amitie amongst neighbours, when one liues frée from
offending another. It yéeldeth a good Mast for Swine, and with the
ouer-plus thereof at these times of plashings, repaireth all a mans
dead hedges, and brings good store of fewell both to the Brewhouse,
Kitchin, and Backhouse.

[Sidenote: The lopping of Timber.]

Next to the plashing, is the lopping of Timber-Trées, which in those
Countries which are bare and naked of wood, is of much vse, and though
I cannot much commend it, because it oft marreth the bodies of Trées,
yet I must allow it for necessary, because it is a néedfull rate, which
the Trées pay to their Planters.

[Sidenote: What Lopping is.]

[Sidenote: The season for Lopping.]

This lopping or heading of Trées, is the cutting off of the armes and
vppermost branches of Trées, and suffering the body to grow still, and
it may very well be done once in eight or tenne yéeres, either at the
beginning of the Spring, or at the end of the Fall, as you shall haue
occasion to vse the wood, and immediately after the Moone hath new
changed.

[Sidenote: How you shall lop Timber.]

Now for the manner of the worke, there is small curiositie to be vsed
therein, if your Axe be good and sharpe, for you shall but cut off the
armes and boughes, smooth and cleane without nickes, rifts, or gutters,
or any thing which may receiue wet, whereby the Trée may be cankred
and spoyled. Also in cutting away of the armes, you shall haue a great
care rather to cut them away (if it be possible) vpward then downeward,
least when you cut them downeward, the waight of the arme sodainly
falling downe, riue and teare the barke of the body of the Trée, which
is dangerous, and hath béene the spoyle of much Timber: which to
preuent, you shall euer before you strike any blowe aboue, make a good
large nicke vnderneath, and then after cut it downe from aboue, and so
the Trée shall receiue no hurt. Also you shall obserue to cut the armes
close by the body of the Trée, and neuer to desist till you haue made
the place as playne and smooth as may be, for to doe the contrarie,
is neyther workmanly, nor the part of any good husband. And thus much
touching the plashing of Hedges, and lopping of Trées.

CHAP. VII.

_Of Pasture grounds, their order, profit, and generall vse._

[Sidenote: Diuersities and vse of Pastures.]

Hauing alreadie sufficiently entreated of errable Grounds, Gardens,
Orchards, and Woods of all kindes, I thinke it most méete (as falling
in his due place) here to write of Pasture grounds, which are of two
kindes: the first, such Pastures as lye in wood land, mountainous,
or colde climes, and are enclined to hardnesse and barrennesse, and
therefore onely imployed to the bréeding and bringing forth of Cattell:
the other such as lye in lowe, warme, and fruitfull soyles, and are
most fertile and aboundant in encrease, onely imployed to the fatting
and féeding of Cattell.

[Sidenote: Of barraine Pastures.]

[Sidenote: Signes of barrainnesse.]

And now to speake of the first sort of Pasture, which being somewhat
barraine, is preserued for bréeding, you shall vnderstand that it is
generally dispierced ouer all this Kingdome, and particularly into
euery Countrey, for according to the veanes and mixture of the earth,
such is either the richnesse or pouerty of the same, and of those
seuerall mixtures I haue spoken sufficiently before in that part of
this Booke, which entreateth of errable ground. Then to procéede to
my purpose, it is the first office of the Husbandman when he séeth
and knoweth the true nature of his earth, and perceiueth from perfect
iudgement that it is of very hard encrease, which as the temper and
mixture of the soyle assures him, so also he shall better confirme by
these fewe signes and Charracters, which I will deliuer: as first, if
he sée grasse slow of growth, and that no Spring will appeare before
May. If in stead of Clouer-grasse, Dandylion, and Honisuckle, you sée
your ground furnished with Penigrasse, Bents, and Burnet. If you sée
much Knot-grasse or Speare-grasse, or if you perceiue the scorching of
the Sunne burne away the grasse as fast as the raine had brought it
forth: or if you finde quarries of stone néere vnto the vpper swarth of
grasse; or if your ground bring forth Lyng, Bracken, Gorse, Whynnes,
Broome, Bilburie, or Strawburie: or if your ground be morish, full of
quick-myers, mossie or full of blacke Flint, any of these signes make
it to be most apparant that the soyle is barraine and of hard encrease.

[Sidenote: Bettering of soyles.]

[Sidenote: Sowing of good seedes.]

[Sidenote: For abundance of grasse.]

And then as before I said it is the Husbandmans first office to prouide
for the bettering and perfecting of his earth, which he shall doe in
this sort. First, if he perceiue that the barrainnesse of his ground
procéedes from want of good Plants, as from want of Clouer-grasse,
Dandylion, Honisuckle, Cowslop, and other swéet flowers, then he shall
repaire into the fruitfull Countries, and there buy the hay séedes
and swéepings of hay-barne-flowers, which he shall euery Spring and
fall of the leafe sowe, as thin as may be, vpon such Pastures, as he
shall either lay for meddow, or preserue for the latter Spring after
Michaelmas. But if he respect not the goodnesse of grasse, but the
abundance of grasse, as those husbands doe which liue in or about
great Cities, then he shall dung those grounds which he will lay for
meddow at Candlemasse; or those which he will graze or eate in the
first beginning of the Spring, at Michaelmasse before, with the oldest
and rottennest meanure he can get, of which the best is the rotten
staddell or bottomes of Hay-stackes, or for want of it the meanure of
horse-stables, swéepings, and scowrings of yards and barnes, the mudde
of olde ditches, or else good Oxe or Cow meanure, any of which will
bring forth abundance of grasse.

[Sidenote: The imperfection of meanure.]

Yet thus much I must aduertise the Husbandman, that this meanuring of
Pasture grounds carries with it diuers imperfections, for though it
occasion abundance of grasse to growe, yet the meddow or hay which
comes thereof, is so ranke, loggie, and fulsome in tast, that a beast
taketh no ioy to eate thereof, more then to holde very life and soule
together. Also the grasse thus meanured which you intend to graze or
eate with your Cattell, is by meanes of the meanure so loose at the
roote, that Cattell as they bite plucke vp both the grasse, roote, and
all, which being of strong & ranke sent in the mouth of a beast, maketh
him loathe and cast it out againe, and so not striue to eate to be fat,
but onely to maintaine life.

[Sidenote: To helpe a slow Spring.]

Now if your Spring be slow, and late in the yéere before your grasse
will appeare aboue ground, it is méete then that you enclose your
ground, and not only maintaine the fences with high and thicke
Quick-sets, but also with tall Timber-trées, whose shade and strength
may defend many colde blasts from the earth, and adde vnto it a more
naturall warmenesse then it had before, for it is onely the coldnesse
of the soyle which makes the grasse long before it grow. Also in this
case it is méete that you lay (as the husbandman tearmes it) all such
Pasture as you intend to graze at the spring following, in Nouember
before, & so not being bitten from that time till Aprill following, no
doubt but your spring will be both good and forward. There be others
which helpe their slow springing grounds by stocking them in the latter
end of the yéere with great abundance of shéepe, who although they bite
néere to the ground, and leaue little grasse behinde them, yet they
so tread and meanure it with their hot meanure, that it will spring
after it commeth to rest, much more early and faster then it was wont.
So that to conclude in a word, to make a barren ground spring earely,
is to kéepe it warme, let it haue long rest, and meanure it well with
Shéepe.

[Sidenote: To help Knot-grasse and Speare-grasse.]

If your ground be troubled with Knot-grasse or Speare-grasse, it is a
signe of too much colde moysture in the earth, and in this case you
shall with a great common Plough, made for such a purpose, turne vp
great furrowes through your ground, and make them so descend and fall
one into another, that not onely the moysture bred in the earth, but
that which falls vpon the earth, may haue a swift passage from the
same, and so your soyle being drayned and kept dry, all those wéedy
kindes of grasse will soone perish.

[Sidenote: To helpe Sun-burning.]

[Sidenote: To helpe quarries of stone.]

If your ground be subiect to the scorching or burning of the Sunne,
then you shall vnderstand that it is directly contrary to the last
soyle we spake of: for as that by too much moysture is made barraine
by colde, so this by too much want of moysture is made barraine with
heate: wherefore the Husbandman shall in this case draw all his
draynes, to bring moysture into his ground, which sometimes watring
and sometimes ouer-flowing the same, will in the end bring it to a
reasonable fertility, for it is a rule, that where there may be
ouerflowes, there can seldome be any hurt by Sunne-burning, vnlesse
that such soyles be vpon Limestone ground, or néere vnto other
quarries of hard stone, which lying néere vnto the vpper swarth of
the grasse, doth so burne the roote, that the vpper branches cannot
prosper. In this case the bringing in of water doth rather hurt then
good, wherefore your best course is partly by your owne industry, and
partly by the labours of others, who are traded in such commodities,
to let forth your ground to Stone-diggers or Lime-makers, who digging
the quarries out of the earth, and then filling vp the emptie places
with rubbish and other earth, the soyle will in short space become as
fruitfull as any other, for it is onely the want of taking roote; or
the burning vp of the roote, which makes this kinde of earth barraine.

[Sidenote: To help Ling, Braken, &c.]

Now if your ground bring forth Ling, Braken, Gorse, Whinnes, or such
like: you shall pare off the vpper swarth of the earth, and lay it in
the Sunne to dry, in the height or heate of Sommer, and being throughly
dried, you shall lay them in round hollow heapes one sod ouer another,
then putting fire vnto them, burne them into ashes, which done, spread
the ashes, like a meanure, ouer all the ground, and you shall sée those
wéedes will no more spring or grow in that ground.

[Sidenote: To helpe morishnesse or quick-myers.]

If your ground be morish or full of quicke myers, you shall then by
small draynes or trenches draw away the water, and turne it into some
lower ditch or current, and so bringing the ground to a stability or
firmenesse, there is no doubt but fruitfulnesse, will presently follow
after.

[Sidenote: To helpe mossinesse.]

Lastly, if your ground be mossie, and bring forth in stead of grasse
onely a soft fussie and vnwholsome mosse, your onely best way to cure
the fault, is in the Winter time to tread it much with the féete of
Cattell, as by making of Hay-stacks in diuers parts of such ground, and
so fodring your Cattell about the same, and so yéerely altering the
places of your Stackes or Réekes to goe ouer all your ground, & without
doubt the treading of the ground will kill the mosse, and the meanuring
of the Cattell, and the expence of Hay-séeds vpon the ground, will
soone bring the earth to much fruitfulnesse and goodnesse.

[Sidenote: The generall vse of barraine grounds.]

Now for the generall vse of these barraine grounds, it is to be
vnderstood, that albe by the meanes before shewed, they may be helpt
or bettered, yet they are but onely for bréede or encrease of Cattell.
Whether the grounds be seuerall and enclosed, or vniuersall and
common: whether they be Woods, Parkes, or Pastures, or Heathes, Mores,
Downes, or other wilde and vnlimitted places, and these grounds shall
be deuided into thrée parts, the first and most fruitfullest lying
lowest, lying néerest to the riuer or some running streame, you shall
preserue for meddow, and not suffer any beast to bite vpon the same
from Candlemasse, vntill the hay be taken from the ground. The second
part, you shall graze or eate from Candlemasse till Lammas, which would
be that which lieth most plaine and bleake, and most subiect to all
weathers. And the third part, which is the warmest and safest, you
shall graze from all-Hollantide till Candlemasse, and betwixt Lammas
and all-Hollantide you shall eate vp your eddish or after-crop of your
meddowes.

[Sidenote: What Cattell are to be bred.]

Now whereas I speake generally, that these barraine grounds are for
the bréede of Cattell, yet you shall vnderstand me particularly, as
namely, what Cattell for what soyle, for euery barraine earth will not
bring forth Cattell alike, as some will beare a faire Cowe or Oxe, yet
but a little Horse: and some will bring forth a very goodly Horse, yet
but a very little horned beast, therefore you shall obserue that if
your ground lye any thing lowe, or be subiect to much moysture, and so
not extreamely barraine, but although the Spring be late, yet after
it springeth, it yéeldeth a reasonable bit, this ground is fittest to
bréede Cattell vpon, as Cowe, Oxe, and such like: but if it lye high
and dry, if it be stonie or mountainous, haue much reflection of the
Sunne: or though it be some-what more barraine then the former earth,
and in the best part of the Spring yéeld but a short, yet swéet bit,
this ground is fittest to bréede a faire and large horse vpon: but if
it be extreamely barraine colde and moyst, stonie or mossie, so it
be replenished with any good store of Vnderwood, then it is fit to
bréede small hard Nags vpon, or Geldings of a meaner size, Goates,
wilde-Swine, or such like. And lastly, if it be extreame barraine,
colde, and dry, and altogether without any kinde of shelter, but
subiect to euery blast whatsoeuer, this ground is fit onely to bréede
Shéepe vpon, as we sée by daily experience in the seuerall parts of
this Kingdome: so that to conclude, you shall beare in your memorie,
that where you bréede your beast, would be reasonable bit: where you
bréede your Horse good ayre and warmth, and where you bréede your
Shéepe, there much spaciousnesse of ground. And thus much briefly for
the nature and vse of your barraine grounds.

[Sidenote: Of fertill grounds.]

Now to procéede to your fruitfull and rich grounds, whose very encrease
and abundance of grasse, without any other curious relation shewes
their fertility, there is little obseruation to be held in the ordering
& disposing of them, for being naturally good of themselues, there
néedeth little Art to the maintainance of the same, onely to haue an
especiall care to the fencing and safe kéeping of them, to the due time
of eating them with your Cattell, and to obserue a fit proportion
of rest for them, in which they may grow and gather head for the
maintainance of such beasts as shall féede vpon them. And to these, as
an especiall rule aboue the rest, must be added a carefull diligence
not to ouer-stocke or loade your ground with more Cattell then it may
conueniently beare, for if your ground be neuer so fruitfull, if it be
ouer-prest with multitudes of Cattell, it cannot by any meanes yéeld
you the profit of your expectation, but returne you losse and dammage.

[Sidenote: The deuision of rich grounds.]

These fruitfull and rich grounds would be deuided into two parts,
the one pastures, or grounds for continuall féeding or nourishing of
Cattell all the yéere, the other meddowes, from whence you shall gather
your Winters prouision of Hay, for the preseruation of your Cattell,
which are either for labour or sale in the Market, and of these two
parts I will speake seuerally.

[Sidenote: The generall vse of rich grounds.]

Yet before I begin to speake largely of them, it is méete you know the
generall vse of these rich and fruitfull grounds, which is indéede
the féeding or fatting vp of Cattell, either for foode in your owne
house, or for sale in the Market, to the Butcher, Drouer, or men
of such like place or profession. For indéede to bréede much vpon
these rich grounds, is neither profitable to the Husbandman, nor is
the beaste so bred, either so comely or Market-able, as those bred
in the harder soyles, as wée may note in our experience, if we will
suruay the bréedes of Cattell in _Gloster_-shire, _Sommerset_-shire,
and _Lincoln_-shire, which for the most part are bred vpon excéeding
rich and fertile ground: yet if we take view of them, we shall finde
that albe they are tall and large, yet they are of slender shape,
leane-thighed, crumple-horned, and oft tender and dry skinned, which
is a fault very note-worthie amongst Graziers, and indéede are nothing
so eyely and Market-able, as those beasts are which are bred in
_Yorke_-shire, _Darby_-shire, _Lancashire_, and such like, all which
are bred vpon hard and barraine grounds, yet haue goodly, large, and
round bodies, close trust, thicke, and well coupled together, faire
heads, veluet skinnes, and as the Prouerbe is, are so beautifull in
horne and haire, that they are euery mans money, in euery Market. So
that I conclude, that albe vpon the rich ground you may bréede good
Cattell, and it is necessary also so to doe for the maintaynance of
stocke, yet the generall vse, and that which is the greatest profit to
the English husbandman, is to graze and féede the same.

[Sidenote: Of Pastures and ordering them.]

Now to procéede to my former purpose, touching that part of rich ground
which I call Pasture, because it is onely for féeding, you shall first
prouide that they be very well fenced, according to the nature of the
Country, either with ditch, pale, rayle, dead hedge, or quicke-growth:
you shall also sée that they be well stored with water, that is swéet
and wholesome, for putrified water bréedeth many mortall and infectious
diseases amongst Cattell. These Pastures must euer be your highest
ground, and such as lye safest from inundations. Those Pastures which
you lay or giue rest to from the beginning of Nouember, you may féede
at Candlemasse following with heilding beasts, or such as are but
beginning to féede, but with your fat beasts not till our Ladies day
after: those Pastures which you lay or giue rest to at Candlemasse, you
may very well féede at May following: those which you giue rest to at
May-day, you may féede at Midsommer, for then the spring is swift and
plentifull: those you lay at Midsommer, you may féede at Lammas, those
you lay at Lammas, you may féede in October, and generally all the
Winter following: onely you shall obserue, that those Pastures which
lye most in danger of water, or any other casualtie, be first eaten,
least by too long delaying an vnseasonable time come, and so you be
both preuented of your hope and profit.

[Sidenote: Manner of feeding of cattell.]

In the eating of your Pasture grounds, are many things to be obserued,
as first for the féeding of your fat Cattell, you must by all meanes
be sure that they haue full bite, which is to say, length of grasse:
for cattell, whose tongues are the principall gatherers vp of their
foode, neither can nor will bite néere vnto the ground, except it be
extreame hunger which compels them, and then they take little ioy in
their foode. Next you shall oft (as any fit occasion will giue you
leaue) remoue and shift them into fresh grounds, and not expect that
they should eate your grasse downe to the bottome, but onely as it were
scumme and take the vppermost and choisest part thereof, and so they
will féede both swiftly and throughly: and for that grasse which they
shall leaue behinde them, you shall eate it vp after them with your
labouring or worke-cattell, and lastly with your shéepe. It is very
good also amongst your fat beasts euer to haue a leane horse or two:
for your fat beasts taketh delight to féede with them, and sometimes
to bite after them, there being as it were a kinde of sympathie or
liking of each others tastes. After your grasse is fully knit, and
hath receiued his whole strength, which wil be at Midsommer, then you
may suffer your fat beast to eate a little néerer vnto the ground
till after Lammas, because there is an extraordinarie swéetnesse
therein, springing from the heate of the Sunnes beames onely. These few
obseruations well kept, there is no doubt but your Cattell will féede
well to your contentment, then when you sée that they are sufficiently
fed, according to the ayme of your purpose, whether it be for the vse
of your houshold, or the vse of the Market, you shall forth-with imploy
them accordingly, for it is both the losse of time and money, not to
put them off by sale or otherwise, so soone as they are come to the
end of your desire. For those rich grounds will sometimes make two
returnes in the yéere, sometimes thrée, which is a great profit. And I
haue heard sometimes of foure, but it is very rare, and the Cattell so
returned must be very well stricken with flesh before they be put vnto
féeding, but if your ground will returne leane beasts fat twice through
the yéere, it is commodity sufficient.

[Sidenote: How to know a fat Beast.]

Now because it is not sufficient to say sell or kill your Cattell
when they are fat, except you haue the Art and skill to know the
same, you shall obserue these few rules following, and they will
sufficiently instruct you in the same. First, when you sée your beast
in the generall shape and composure of his body shew most faire and
beautifull, each member being comely, and each bone couered, in such
sort as a perfect shape requireth, as no eye is so stupid as cannot
tell when a beast looketh well or ill-fauouredly, you shall then guesse
the beast to be well fed, especially when you sée his huckle-bones
round and not sharpe, his ribs smooth, not rough, his flankes full, his
natch thick, and his cod round. This when you shall perceiue, you shall
handle him, and griping him vpon the neathermost ribs, if you féele
the skinne loose, and the substance soft vnder your hand, you may be
well assured that the beast is very well fed outwardly, that is vpon
the bones. You shall then lay your hand vpon his round huckle-bones,
and if that féele, vnder your hand, soft, round and plumpe, you shall
be assured that the beast is well fed both outwardly and inwardly,
that is, both in flesh and tallow: then you shall handle him at the
setting on of his taile, and if that handle bigge, thicke, full, and
soft, it is a true signe that the beast is very well fed outwardly:
then handle his natch-bones which are on both sides the setting on of
his taile, and if they féele soft and loose, it is a signe that he is
well fed, both outwardly and inwardly. Lastly, you shall handle his cod
and nauell, if it be of an Oxe, and the nauell onely if it be a Cowe,
and if they handle thicke, round, soft, great, and plumpe, it is a most
assured signe that the beast is very well tallowed within. And thus
when any of these parts or members shall handle in contrary manner,
you shall iudge of the contrary effects. And thus much touching the
knowledge of a fat beast.

[Sidenote: Of Meddowes and their ordering.]

Now for the second part of these rich grounds, which are meddowes,
they ought to be the most fruitfullest and richest of all other, lying
low and leuell, and being now and then in the Winter season washt with
inundations, yet not too too much drencht or washt with the same: for
as the moderate ouerflowing of waters enricheth and fertiles the soyle,
to the too much soking or long resting of the water rotteth the earth,
& bringeth it to barrainnesse, neither is it altogether necessary that
euery meddowe should lye so low that it might be ouerflowed, for there
be some high grounds which are frée from those floods which will beare
meddow in very sufficient manner, & although the lower meddowes doe
abound in the plenty of grasse, yet the higher grounds euer beareth
the swéeter grasse, and it is a rule amongst Husbandmen, that the low
meddowes do fill, but the high meddowes do féede, the low are for the
Stable, but the high are for the Cratch, and that which is long will
maintaine life, but that which is short will bréede milke.

[Sidenote: Preseruation of Meddowes.]

The chiefest respect you shall haue to your meddowes, is to defend and
preserue them from Moales, and such like vermine, which roote vp the
earth, and destroy the swéet and tender roots of the grasse. Next, that
you note in what places of the meddow the water standeth longest, &
from thence, by small furrowes or draynes, to giue it a frée passage,
so that the meddow may as it were cleanse & be dry in one instant.
Lastly, you shall maintaine the banks of all such ditches & other
fences bordring about your meddowes in good and sufficient manner, both
for kéeping out of water after your meddowes begin to grow, as also for
kéeping Cattell from eating them in the night or other times, which is
a great depriuation and losse of the profit you expect to come from
them: for you shall vnderstand, that if any ouerflow shall come vnto
your meddowes after May, it will leaue such a sandy filthinesse in the
grasse, that except very moderate showers fall swiftly, and sodainly,
to wash it out againe, the Hay which shall be got of that crop, will
both be vnsauorie and vnwholsome, and bréed in your Cattell many
dangerous and mortall sicknesses.

[Sidenote: When to lay Meddowes.]

The best times for laying of meddowes to rest, is, if the meddow
lye high, as in vp-land Countries, or if the soyle be cold, or the
springing thereof slow, at Candlemasse: but if the ground be more
warme, temperate, & of some more fertility, then you may lay it at
our Ladies day in March: but if the ground be most fruitfull, then if
you lay it at May-day, it will be early enough. Also in the laying of
your meddowes to rest, you shall consider the state of the ground, as
whether it be eaten néere and bare, and with what Cattell, as Horse,
Oxen, or Shéepe: if it haue béene eaten bare with Oxen or Horse, then
you shall lay it earlier in the yéere, for it will aske a longer time
to grow againe: but if it haue béene eaten with Shéepe (although they
bite néerest to the ground) yet you may lay it so much later, because
the meanure which they bestow vpon such good ground, will quickly
hasten on the Spring: but if your meddowes haue not béene eaten bare,
but haue a good déepe fogge vpon them still, then you may lay them the
latest. Also in the laying of meddowes, you shall consider whether
they be common or priuate, if they be common meddowes, and that no
olde custome binde you to the contrary, you shall lay them to rest
earely in the yéere, that recouering a forward Spring, you may cut
them so much the sooner, and so haue the better after-crop, and the
longer time to eate it: but if your meddow be priuate, and at your owne
particular disposing, then you shall lay it according to your owne
necessitie, and the goodnes of the soyle, obseruing euer to giue it
full time of growth, and not to cut it till the grasse be full ripe,
for it is better to let it grow a wéeke too long (so the weather be
seasonable for the withering of it) then to cut it two dayes too soone,
because when it is too earely cut, it not onely looseth the strength
and goodnesse, but also the substance and waight, and in the drying
shrinketh and wasteth to nothing.

[Sidenote: When to mow Meddowes.]

Touching the fittest time to cut or mowe your meddowes: If they be
laid in a due season, it is held of all the best English husbandmen
generally to be a wéeke or a fortnight after Midsommer day, as namely
about the translation of Thomas, which is euer the seauentéenth day of
Iuly, and without question it is a very good time for all men to begin
that labour, if their grounds be fruitfull and of earely growth: but
in as much as diuers grounds are diuers in their growth, some being
much more hastie then other some: and for as much as some meddow may
as well grow too long as too little a time, as in high land Countries,
where the heate and reflection of the Sunne will burne and consume away
the grasse, if it be not gathered in a due season, I would therefore
wish euery good Husbandman about a wéeke before Midsommer, and a wéeke
after, to view his meddowes well, and if he sée them turne browne, if
the Cock-heads turne downeward and stand not vpright, if the Bels and
other vessels of séede open and shed their séedes, if your Honisuckles
haue lost their flowers, and the Penigrasse be hard, dry, and withered,
then you shall truly vnderstand that your meddow is ripe and ready
to be mowne, and the longer it standeth, the more it will loose of
the substance, and when any of the contrary signes appeare, as when
the meddow lookes gréene and fresh, the Cock-heads looke vpright, the
Bels are close and hard, the Honisuckles flowing and purple, and the
Penigrasse soft and moyst, then is your meddow not readie to cut, nor
will the Hay that is so gotten be other then soft, fuzzie, and most
vnwholsome, no beast taking delight to eate of the same.

[Sidenote: The inclination of the weather.]

Now to these considerations, you shall adde a carefull obseruation
of the state and inclination of the weather, and if you finde that
the weather is disposed to much wet or incertaintie, then you shall
forbeare to mowe, because that moysture will still maintaine and hold
the grasse in his perfect strength so long as it groweth: but if it be
once cut downe, then the wet will soone rot and spoile it: but if you
find the weather enclined to drought and fairenesse, then you shall
with all spéede cut downe your Hay, for one loade got and brought into
the barne without raine, is worth two that hath béene washt, though
but with the smallest shower. There be some Husbandmen that in the
mowing of their meddowes, will obserue the state of the Moone, and
other planetarie coniectures, but they are fitter for those which
séeke curiosities more then profit, for mine owne part I would wish
euery good husband but to know truly when his crop is ripe, and then
to gather it in the most constant and fairest seasons, which the rules
already set downe will most amply shew him.

[Sidenote: The manner how to mowe Meddowes.]

Now for the manner of mowing your meddowes, although the generall act
resteth in the hands of the mower, and that it is hard and impossible,
in words, to expresse the Art of the action, nor is it néedfull that
euery Husbandman be a mower, yet for those rules which the English
Husbandman should know and obserue, I will in no sort omit them. You
shall then know that in the mowing of your meddowes you shall mowe them
smooth, plaine, and leuell, and as the Husbandman tearmes it, with such
an euen board, that a man may no more but discerne the going in and
comming forth of the Sythe: and this shall be done so close and néere
vnto the ground, as is possible for the worke-man to get, especially if
it be in publique and common meddowes, because the swap and first crop
is all the maine profit you can challenge your owne: nay, you shall
doe it also in your owne priuate and seuerall meddowes: for although
an ignorant custome haue drawne some of our Husbandmen, to say and
beléeue that there is no losse in the sleight and insufficient mowing
of priuate meddowes, because say they, what I loose in the Barne,
my Cattell findes on the ground, yet they are much deceiued in that
opinion, for what they so leaue on the ground halfe cut halfe vncut, is
no good foode, neither pleasant nor sauorie, but dry, hard, and bitter,
and indéede no better then sower fogge, which may fill, but cannot
nourish, and who then will be so simple, as not to preferre swéet Hay
before such vnsauorie grasse? therefore be carefull to mowe your grasse
euen, and close by the ground, for it will make the fresh grasse spring
vp with more ease, and be much pleasanter in taste.

[Sidenote: How to make Hay.]

Next after the mowing of your meddowes, followeth the making of your
Hay, which is a labour that must be followed with great care and
diligence, for it is an old saying, that dearth beginneth at the
Hay-barne dore, and he that is negligent in that, can hardly be good
husband in any thing else, then to shew you how you shall make your
hay, you shall first vnderstand that no one particular forme can stand
for a generall rule, because Hay must be made according to the nature
of the grasse, and the soyle where it groweth, some being apt to wither
and make soone, as that grasse which is finest, and hath in it least
wéedes, others will be long in making, as that which is full of thicke,
strong, and sower grasses, many wéedes, bunnes, and such like hard
stalkes, which are not easily dried, therefore it is the part of euery
good Husbandman, either by his eye and knowledge to iudge of the nature
of his grasse, or else to follow the customes of the Country and soyle
wherein he liueth, but the first, Knowledge, is the better Science.
But to procéede to my purpose, I will in the natures of two sorts of
grasse, the one fine, the other course, shew you the generall making of
all sorts of Hay.

[Sidenote: To make fine Hay.]

First, then for the making of your fine rich grass into Hay, if it grow
in great abundance, thicke and close, and so lieth in the swathe, you
shall haue one with a Pitch-forke to follow the Mowers, and to spread
and throw the grasse thinne abroad, that the ayre and sunne-beames may
passe through it: and this is called in most Countries tedding of Hay.
The next day, after the Sunne hath taken the dewe from the ground, you
shall turne that which the day before you tedded, and then if you haue
any more new mowen, you shall ted it also. The next day following,
as before, when the dewe is from the earth, you shall turne your Hay
againe, and so letting it lye till the Sunne be at his height, begin
to stir it againe, at which time if you finde it is reasonably well
withered, you shal then draw it into windrowes, that is, you shall
marke which way the winde standeth, and the same way that it bloweth,
the same way with Forks & Rakes one after another, gather in the Hay
into long, great, thicke rowes: then you shall make those windrowes
into large Cockes, of which the biggest is euer the best, for they will
defend themselues from raine, if happily any shall fall, whereas the
little small Cocke lying light together, taketh in the raine like a
spunge, and so makes the Hay a great deale much worse then otherwise
it would be; when your Hay is thus set in safe Cocke, you shall let
it rest a day or two, that it may take a little sweat therein, which
will make the Hay wondrous pleasant and swéet, then when the Sunne is
got vp to a pretie height, you shall open those Cockes, and after the
sunne and winde hath passed through them, you may if the grasse be
clean & fine of it selfe, without ranke grasse, load it, and carrie
it either into the Barne, or such other place, as you haue appointed
for the receit thereof: but if it haue any ranke grasse, which you
sée vnwithered amongst it, then you shall make it vp againe into safe
cockes, and so let it rest a day or two more before you leade it away.
And thus much for the making vp of fine Hay.

[Sidenote: To make course Hay.]

Now for the making of course grasse into Hay, which you must suppose to
be grasse growing, in colde, moyst, woodie, and barraine grounds, full
of wéedie, rough, and stumpie hearbage, long in growing, late ere it
can be gathered, and therefore depriued of much of the Sunnes strength,
to swéeten and wither it. This grasse as soone as it hath béene mowne
and tedded, as is before said: the next day you shall make it into
little grasse Cockes, as bigge as little Moale-hilles, and so hauing
layne a day or better, then breake them open, and let them receiue the
sunne and winde, for they will heat and sweat a little in the grasse,
which make it Hay the sooner & better: then after the Sunne hath spent
all his power vpon it, you shall make it vp into little Cockes againe,
putting two of the first Cockes into one, then hauing so layne another
day, breake them open againe, and giue them the Sunne: then make them
vp againe, and put thrée or foure of those Cockes into one, and so let
them lye another day, then breake them open as before, if the Sunne
shine faire, and at euening make them vp againe, putting thrée or foure
of those Cockes into one, and so euery morning after the Sunne is vp
breake them open, and at euening make them vp againe, till you finde
that the Hay is sufficiently well dried, and sweateth no more in the
Cocke: but in the morning when you breake it open it is dry, without
stemme, smoake, or vapour arising from it, which both your hand and
eye may perceiue in the first stirring or mouing, and then you may at
your pleasure leade it home, and house or stacke it as you shall haue
occasion.

[Sidenote: Vse of Hay for cattell to breed or labour with.]

Now for the vse of Hay, it is two-folde, that is, either for the
maintainance of bréeding Cattell, or Cattell for labour, or else for
the féeding of Cattell for the Market, or for slaughter: for the
maintainance of bréeding Cattell, or the Cattell which are imployed in
your Plough or other labours, whether it be draught or trauell, you
shall make choise of the swéet, and well-dried Hay, which is of fresh
and gréene colour, well withered, sound, and perfect Hay, though it be
long, loggie, and not excéeding much swéet, it matters not; for being
well Inned and dried, it will serue sufficiently for those purposes:
and with this Hay to mingle sometimes Wheat-straw, Rye-straw, Barly,
or Oate-straw will not be amisse for heilding, or bréede Cattell: but
for worke-beasts, except necessitie constraine, let them haue Hay
simple of it selfe, during the busie time of their worke, but when
they rest, you may vse your discretion. For the times of giuing Hay
or foddering to such Cattell as are in the house, the best is in the
morning before they goe to labour, in the euening when they come from
labour, presently after their drinke, and at night when you goe to bed.
But for those Cattell which goe abroad, as Shéepe, heilding Beasts, and
such like, to fodder them morning and euening, is out and out fully
sufficient.

Now for the vse of Hay for fat cattell, you shall make choyse of the
fruitfullest, swéetest, finest, and shortest Hay you haue, being full
of flowers, pleasant and odoriferous to smell on: and although this
Hay be mixt with some roughnesse, yet it is not the worse, for though
your fat beast make thereof great orts, yet is the losse not great,
for those orts may be giuen to other heilding and hungrie cattell,
which will eate them with great eagernesse. This Hay would in the first
gathering not be withered too sore but so stackt-vp with a little
hartie gréennesse that it may a little mow-burne, and alter the colour
to a Redish brounnesse, but by no meanes so moyst that it may mould,
rot, or putrifie, for that is fulsome and bade, but onely alter the
colour, and therby make the smell swéeter and stronger. This Hay will
entice a beast to eate, and will strengthen and inable his stomacke,
and withall will bréed in him such a drought or thirst, that hardly any
water will quench him, and the Grazier takes it euer for an infallible
signe, that when his beast drinkes much he féeds fast and his tallow
wonderfully increaseth. For the ordinarie times of foddring your fat
cattell, if they be in the stall, and as we say, tyed vp by the head,
the best is in the morning before and after water, at noone; in the
euening before & after water, and late in the night, when you goe
to bed, but if they féede abroad, and take the benefit of Fogge and
after-grasse, then to fodder them Morning, Euening, and high-noone is
fully sufficient.

Here I could speake of Pease-féeding of Shéep, Swine, and other cattel,
eyther at the Trough, Reeke, Stacke, or such like, the seuerall
manner of cratches, fashions of stals, and many other necessary rules
appertaining to this mysterie; but I am against my will confined,
and therefore must referre it to some other occasion, being loath to
spoyle an excellent discourse, with a tale halfe tould, and imperfectly
spoken: And thus much therefore of Meddowes, and these seuerall vses.

CHAP. VIII.

_A new method for the husbandly curing of all manner of Cattels
diseases._

[Sidenote: The reason for this Chapter.]

Of this Theame I haue written a whole (or as some will suppose many)
Histories, yet doubtlesse nothing too much, the cause is so necessary
and commodious: yet this I must let euery Reader vnderstand, that what
I haue herein formerly done, I did for a general and vncontrollable
satisfaction to the whole Kingdome, both the learned and vnlearned, and
as well to satisfie the nicest and most curious opinion, as the simple
and playne dealing creature: whence it came that I waded Artfully
and profoundly into the vttermost secrets of this knowledge, leauing
nothing vnsearcht, or vnset downe, that might any way tend to the
satisfaction of any iudiciall Reader, and therefore tooke liberty to
make a large progresse, without sparing any paynes, to make my worke
absolutely most perfect. But now, hauing onely to doe with our honest
playne English Husbandman, who eyther cannot much read, or else hath
little leasure to read, at most but a little memorie to bestow vpon
his readings; I haue here for his ease both of memory, readings, and
other verations, drawne him such a method for the curing of all the
diseases in cattell, as was neuer yet found out by any man or Authour
whatsoeuer: and is worthy to be preserued to all posterities for euer
and euer.

[Sidenote: Horses diseases to be cured with twelue Medicines.]

To beginne then first with the Horse, which is the Husbandmans
principallest creature, you shal vnderstand that he hath, of my
knowledge, one hundred and odde diseases or infirmities, besides other
hurts and blemishes, for all which, I haue seuerally shewed seuerall
cures, as may appeare by the volumes which are much too great for any
Husbandman to carry in his braynes, and therefore for his ease I haue
drawne all those hundred and odde sicknesses or sorrances, into twelue,
and will assure euery Husbandman that with these twelue medicines
following, hée shall perfectly cure all the diseases in a Horse,
whatsoeuer.

[Sidenote: Of inward sicknesse.]

[Sidenote: The first Medicine.]

To procéede then in an orderly manner to the cures: Euery husbandman
must know that all diseases in a horse are inward or outward: inward
as offending the vitall parts, or outward as troubling the members:
to speake then first of inward sicknesse, I will diuide so into two
branches, that is, eyther it offends the heart, or the brayne: If
it offend the heart, we call them, Feauers, Yellowes, _Anticor_,
consumption of lungs, Liuer, Splene, Gall or other intrals, Wormes,
Fluxes, Belly-bound, and diuers other of like nature: For any or all
which, you shall first let your Horse bloud in the neck-veine, and
then giue him, during his sicknesse, to drinke, eyther in swéete Wine
or strong Ale or Béere, if Wine a pinte, if Ale or Béere a quart, two
spoonefull of the powder called _Diapente_, made of _Aristolochia_
root, _Gentiana_, _Myrrhe_, _Eboni_ and _Bachi lauri_, of each equall
quantitie, and let it be well brewed together, and doe thus euery
Morning fasting, and let the Horse fast two houres after it.

[Sidenote: The second Medicine.]

If it offend the brayne we call them Appoplexies, Palsies, Staggers,
Colds, Glaunder, Coughes, mourning of the chyne, Migrims, dizzinesse,
and a world of such like: and the cure is to take _Assafeteda_, and
dissoluing it in Vinegar dip hurds therein, and stop it hard into his
eares for two Mornings together after you haue taken from him great
store of bloud at his necke-veine, and then giue him to drinke, during
his sicknesse, euery Morning a quart of Milke, wherein the white and
rough cankerrous Mosse of an old Oake pale hath béene sodden till
the Milke grow thicke, then strayned & so giuen luke warme, and if
you finde that no heauinesse or dizzinesse appeare in his head, then
you may forbeare the bloud-letting, and the _Assafeteda_, but not
otherwise, in any case; and thus assuredly these two medicines alreadie
declared will cure all the inward diseases in a Horse, whatsoeuer.

[Sidenote: Of outward diseases.]

[Sidenote: The third medicine.]

Now for outward diseases, they are eyther naturall or accidentall: If
they be naturall, they eyther grow from the generation, or bréede, from
whence a Horse is descended, or else from corruption of foode, or other
vnwholesome kéeping; If they grow from the bréede and generation of
the Horse, we call them the Viues, Wens, Knots, or Swellings about the
throat: and for the cure thereof, take a peny-worth of Pepper, beaten
into powder; a spoonefull of swines-grease, the iuyce of one handfull
of Rew, two spoonefuls of Vineger, and mixe them together, and put this
equally into both the Horses eares, and so tye them vp and shake the
eares, that the medicine may sinke downe, and take good store of bloud
from the Horses neck-veine, and temple veines, and vse this medicine
two or thrée mornings together.

[Sidenote: The fourth Medicine.]

If they procéede from corruption of foode, or any other vnwholesome
kéeping which corrupteth the bloud, then we call them Impostumations,
Byles, Botches, Fistulaes, Polemill, and such like: and the cure is, to
take the loame of an old mudde wall, strawes and all, but let there be
no Lime amongst it, and boyle this loame with strong Vineger, till it
be like a Pultus, and as hot as the Horse can abide it, apply it to the
sore place, and it will not onely draw it to a head, and breake it, but
also draw it, search it, and heale it.

[Sidenote: The fift Medicine.]

There be also other diseases which procéed from naughtie foode, and
the corruption of blood, and we call them Farcies, Scabs, Mangie,
Scratches, Paynes, Mallanders, Sellanders, and all of such like nature,
and the cure is first to slit the hard knots, or rubbe off the scurfe,
and make the sore places raw: then take yellow _Arsnicke_ beaten to
powder, and mixe it well with fresh grease, and then therewith annoynt
the sore places all ouer, which done, tye vp the Horses head, so as he
may not knappe or bite himselfe, and so let him stand an houre or two:
then take strong old Pisse warmde, and therewith bathe and wash the
Horse all ouer, and so put him to his meat: and in this manner dresse
the Horse or beast thrée or foure mornings, and it will be sufficient;
onely you must not fayle to take from him good store of bloud at his
necke vaine.

[Sidenote: The sixt Medicine.]

Now if his diseases procéed from accidentall causes, as from wounds,
Bruises, Straynes, Galles, hurts in the Eyes, excretions, or broken
bones, then you shall to euery one of these take these seueral
medicines which follow: as first, if they be wounds, in what sort
soeuer taken or receiued, you shall take _Turpentine_, Waxe, and
hogs-grease, of each a like quantity, and melting them together into a
salue, dresse the wound therewith, and it will heale it, how great or
little soeuer.

[Sidenote: The seuenth Medicine.]

If they be bruises, whether gotten by stroake, naughtie Saddles, or
other rushes, from whence procéedeth many times old, putrified & most
ranckorous vlcers, you shall first if the tumor be onely swelled and
not broken, apply vnto it the fourth medicine of Loame and Vingar, but
if it be an open old ranckorous vlcer, you shall take Hogs-grease,
Turpentine, Waxe, and Verdigrease, of each a like quantitie, and being
well mixt, and incorporated together, dresse the sore therewith, till
it be whole, for this medicine will abate and kéepe downe any spungie
or naughtie dead flesh which arises and kéepes the sore from healing,
and may therefore alwayes be vsed in such like cases, whether the sore
be new or old.

[Sidenote: The eight Medicines.]

If they be straynes eyther of ioynts or sinewes in what part or member
soeuer it be, old or new, take strong Vinegar, Patch-grease, and
Wheat-branne, and boyle them together till they be thick like a Pultus,
and then apply it very hot to the strayne, Morning and Euening, and it
is a most certayne cure, and will kéepe the member from growing foule,
knotted, or gourded, and will also take away all swellings or paynes of
the limbes whatsoeuer.

[Sidenote: The ninth Medicine.]

If they be Galles, of what kinde or nature soeuer, whether on the
backe, limbes, or any other outward part of the bodie, you shal take
first fresh Butter scalding hot, and with it first bathe and wash the
sore, then take thicke Creame, & mixing it with the Soote of a Chimney
till it be thicke, like a salue, with the same annoynt the sore place
Morning and Euening, and it will cure it without any feare of dead
flesh: if you doe strow vpon the sore the powder of Rossen it will be
good also.

[Sidenote: The tenth Medicine.]

If they be any hurts in the eyes, as strokes, inflamations,
Pinne-webbe, Canker, or any other mischiefe whatsoeuer, you shall then
take true ground-Iuie, which otherwise is called of some Ale-hoofe, and
beating a good handfull thereof in a morter, with a spoonefull or two
of white Rosewater, or the water of Eye-bright, then strain it through
a cleane wet cloath, and with that water dresse the sore eye Morning
and Euening: or if you can conueniently thrée or foure times a day,
for the oftner is the better, and it will without all fayle cure any
sore eye in the world whatsoeuer, eyther of man or beast, or any other
creature.

[Sidenote: The eleuenth Medicine.]

If they be excretions of bones, as Splents, Spauens, Curbs, Ringbones,
or such like, in what part or member soeuer they be, you shall then
take white _Arsnicke_, beaten or ground to fine powder, and making
a little slit vpon the head of the excretion, the length of a Barly
corne, or very little more, yet in any waies downe déepe to the
excretion, & then with the poynt of your knife put the _Arsnicke_ vpon
the excretion, and so let the Horse stand with his head tied vp for two
houres at least, for in that time the greatest anguish will be gone,
and then put him vnto his meate, and in thrée or foure dayes after the
excretion will fall away of it selfe; and then with a little swéet
Butter you may cure the sore, which will not be great.

[Sidenote: The twelfth Medicine.]

If they be broken bones, or bones out of ioynt, you shall after you
haue placed them in their due place, first annoynt them with the Oyle
of Mallowes, or for want of it with warme Patch-grease, and then clap
about them a plaster made of Pitch, Rossen, and Masticke, and so with
soft and flat splents, so splent the member, as it may not moue, and
so let it rest nine dayes ere you dresse it againe, and in any case
so sling the Horse or Beast that he may not during that time, put his
member to the ground, which a little diligence and payne will easily
doe.

[Sidenote: Diseases in the feete.]

If your Horse haue any infirmitie in his hooues as quitter-bone,
ouer-reach, pricke, crowne scabbe, rotten frush, or any such vlcerous
disease, you shall first lay it open, and then heale it with the
seuenth Medicine. But if it be foundring, fretteshing, or such like,
then you shall first pare all his hooues cleane ouer, so thinne that
you may discerne the quicke all ouer, then let him bloud at the toes,
and take great store of bloud from him, but in any case cut not the
veine in sunder: then take the sixt medicine and, being boyling hot
(after hollow shoes haue béene tackt on his féete) with Flaxe hurds
dipt therein, stoppe all the soales of his féete vp hard, and thus
doe twice in sixe dayes, and it will bring his féete to their full
perfection againe, without any great losse or trouble.

[Sidenote: Diseases in the priuie parts, or for stifling.]

As for the common infirmities in a Horses priuy parts, which are
swellings, inflammations, incording, & such like, you shall but only
swimme your horse in cold water Morning and Euening, and it is a
present helpe, both for them, or the stifling of a horse in his hinder
ioynt: Thus you sée these twelue medicines will sufficiently cure all
the diseases in Horse or Beast whatsoeuer, which who so will not carry
in his memory, he is worthy now and then to be punisht for his sloath,
and sometimes to suffer losse, which may make him more industrious to
studie for his owne good and profit. And thus much for the cure of
diseases.

_FINIS._