11_Fiue hundred pointes of good husbandrie

Make Martilmas béefe,

déere meate is a théefe.

Set garlike and pease,

saint Edmond to please.

When raine takes place,

to threshing apace.

Mad braine, too rough,

marres all at plough.

With flaile and whips,

fat hen short skips.

Some threshing by taske,

will steale and not aske:

Such thresher at night

walkes seldom home light.

Some corne away lag

in bottle and bag.

Some steales, for a iest,

egges out of the nest.

Lay stouer[E119] vp drie

in order to lie.

Poore bullock[5] doth craue

fresh straw to haue.

Make wéekly vp flower,

though threshers do lower:

Lay graine in loft

and turne it oft.

For muck, regard,

make cleane foule yard.

Lay straw to rot,

in watrie plot.

Hedlond vp plow,

for compas ynow.

For herbes good store,

trench garden more.

At midnight trie

foule priuies to fie.

Rid chimney of soot,

from top to the foot.

In stable, put now

thy horses for plow.

Good horsekeeper will

laie muck vpon hill.

25[6]

Cut molehils that stand

so thick vpon land.

Thus endeth Novembers abstract, agréeing with Nouembers husbandrie.

¶ Other short remembrances.

Get pole, boy mine,

beate hawes to swine.

Driue hog to the wood,

brake rootes be good.

For mischiefe that falles,

looke well to marsh walles.

Drie laier get neate,

and plentie of meate.

Curst cattel that nurteth,

poore wennel soon hurteth.

Good neighbour mine,

ring well thy swine.

Such winter may serue,

hog ringled[7] will sterue.

In frost kéepe dog

from hunting of hog.

Here ends Nouembers short remembrances.

[1] resty. 1577

[2] 1577 reads--

Let husbandly man

make clene as he can.

[3] Not in 1577.

[4] Stanzas 7-10 are not in 1577.

[5] kow.

[6] St. 25 is not in 1577.

[7] ringd. 1577.

21.

¶ _Nouembers husbandrie.

Chap._ 19.

Nouember take flaile,

Let ship no more saile.

Forgotten month past,

Doe now at the last.

[Sidenote: Slaughter time.]

At Hallontide, slaughter time entereth in,

and then doth the husbandmans feasting begin

From thence vnto shroftide kill now and then some,

their offal for houshold the better wil come.[E120]

[Sidenote: Dredge is otes and barlie.]

Thy dredge and thy barley go thresh out to malt,

let malster be cunning, else lose it thou shalt:

Thencrease of a seame is a bushel for store,

bad else is the barley, or huswife much more.

[Sidenote: Winnowing, fanning, and casting.]

Some vseth to winnow,[1] some vseth to fan,

some vseth to cast it as cleane as they can:

For seede goe and cast it, for malting not so,

but get out the cockle,[2] and then let it go.[E121]

[Sidenote: Threshing of barlie.]

Thresh barlie as yet but as neede shal require,

fresh threshed for stoouer thy cattel desire:

And therefore that threshing forbeare as ye may,

till Candelmas comming, for sparing of hay.

Such wheat as ye keepe for the baker to buie,

vnthreshed till March in the sheafe let it lie,

Least foistnes take it if sooner yee thresh it,

although by oft turning ye seeme to refresh it.[E122]

[Sidenote: Chaffe of corne.]

Saue chaffe of the barlie, of wheate, and of rie,

from feathers and foistines, where it doth lie,

Which mixed with corne, being sifted of dust,

go giue to thy cattel, when serue them ye must.

7[3]

Greene peason or hastings at Hallontide sowe,

in hartie good soile he requireth to growe:

Graie peason or runciuals cheerely to stand,

at Candlemas sowe, with a plentifull hand.

Leaue latewardly rering, keepe now no more swine,

but such as thou maist, with the offal of thine:

Except ye haue wherewith to fat them away,

the fewer thou keepest, keepe better yee may.

To rere vp much pultrie, and want the barne doore,

is naught for the pulter and woorse for the poore.

So, now to keepe hogs and to sterue them for meate,

is as to keepe dogs for to bawle in the streate.

As cat a good mouser is needfull in house,

because for hir commons she killeth the mouse,

So rauening curres, as a meany doo keepe,

makes master want meat, and his dog to kill sheepe.[E123]

[Sidenote: Martilmas beefe.]

(For Easter) at Martilmas hang vp a beefe,

for stalfed and pease fed plaie pickpurse the theefe:

With that and the like, er an grasse biefe come in,

thy folke shal looke cheerelie when others looke thin.

[Sidenote: ¶ Set garlike and beanes.]

Set garlike and beanes, at S. Edmond[4] the king,

the moone in the wane, thereon hangeth a thing:[E124]

Thencrease of a pottle (well prooued of some)

shal pleasure thy houshold er peskod time come.

[Sidenote: Threshing.]

When raine is a let to thy dooings abrode,

set threshers a threshing to laie on good lode:

Thresh cleane ye must bid them, though lesser they yarn,

and looking to thriue, haue an eie to thy barne.

[Sidenote: Cattle beaters.]

Take heede to thy man in his furie and heate,

with ploughstaff and whipstock, for maiming thy neate:

To thresher for hurting of cow with his flaile,

or making thy hen to plaie tapple vp taile.[E125]

[Sidenote: Corne stealers.]

Some pilfering thresher will walke with a staffe,

will carrie home corne as it is in the chaffe,

And some in his bottle of leather so great[E126]

will carry home daily both barlie and wheat.

[Sidenote: Kéepe dry thy straw.]

If houseroome will serue thee, lay stouer vp drie,

and euerie sort by it selfe for to lie.

Or stack it for litter, if roome be too poore,

and thatch out the residue noieng thy doore.[5]

[Sidenote: Euery wéeke rid thy barne flower.]

Cause weekly thy thresher to make vp his flower,

though slothfull and pilferer thereat doo lower:

Take tub for a season, take sack for a shift,

yet garner for graine is the better for thrift.

All maner of strawe that is scattered in yard,

good husbandlie husbands haue daily regard,

In pit full of water the same to bestowe,

where lieng to rot, thereof profit may growe.

[Sidenote: Digging of hedlonds.]

Now plough vp thy hedlond,[6] or delue it with spade,

where otherwise profit but little is made:

And cast it vp high, vpon hillocks to stand,

that winter may rot it, to compas thy land.

[Sidenote: Trenching of garden.]

If garden requier it, now trench it ye may,

one trench not a yard from another go lay:

Which being well filled with muck by and by,

go couer with mould for a season to ly.

[Sidenote: Clensing of priuies.]

Foule priuies are now to be clensed and fide,

let night be appointed such baggage to hide:

Which buried in garden, in trenches alowe,

shall make very many things better to growe.

[Sidenote: Sootie chimneyes.]

The chimney all sootie would now be made cleene,

for feare of mischances, too oftentimes seene:

Old chimney and sootie, if fier once take,

by burning and breaking, soone mischeefe may make.[E127]

[Sidenote: Put horse into stable.]

When ploughing is ended, and pasture not great,

then stable thy horses, and tend them with meat:

Let season be drie when ye take them to house,

for danger of nittes, or for feare of a louse.[E128]

[Sidenote: Sauing of doong.]

Lay compas vp handsomly, round on a hill,

to walke in thy yard at thy pleasure and will,

More compas it maketh and handsom the plot,

if horsekeeper daily forgetteth it not.

25[7]

Make hillocks of molehils, in field thorough out,

and so to remaine, till the yeere go about.

Make also the like whereas plots be too hie,

all winter a rotting for compas to lie.

Thus endeth Nouembers husbandrie.

[1] winnew. 1557.

[2] "If the Cockle be left in, it will work, and some say make the

Drink the stronger."--T.R.

[3] Stanzas 7-10 are not in 1577.

[4] 20th November.

[5] "The rest may lie in the open Yard, for the Cattle to tread into

Dung, which is the practice now a days, so that our Farmers are not so

afraid of noying their Doors it seems as formerly, and that not without

good reason."--T.R.

[6] T.R. thinks that here is meant "such Ground in Common Field-land,

which the whole Shot (or parcel of Land belonging to many Men against

which it lies) turn upon."

[7] St. 25 is not in 1577.

22.

¶ _Decembers abstract.

Chap._ 20.

No season to hedge,

get béetle and wedge.

Cleaue logs now all,

for kitchen and hall.

Dull working tooles

soone courage cooles.

Leaue off tittle tattle,

and looke to thy cattle.

Serue yoong poore elues

alone by themselues.

Warme barth for neate,

woorth halfe their meate.

The elder that nurteth

the yonger soone hurteth.

Howse cow that is old,

while winter doth hold.

Out once in a day,

to drinke and to play.

Get trustie to serue,

least cattle doo sterue.

And such as in déede

may helpe at a néede.

Obserue this law,

in seruing out straw.

In walking about,

good forke spie out.

At full and at change,

spring tides are strange.

If doubt ye fray,

driue cattle away.

Dank ling forgot

will quickly rot.

Here learne and trie

to turne it and drie.

Now stocks remooue,

that Orchards looue.

Set stock to growe

too thick nor too lowe.

Set now, as they com,

both cherie[1] and plom.

Shéepe, hog, and ill beast,

bids stock to ill feast.[2]

At Christmas is good

to let thy horse blood.

Mark here what rable

of euils in stable.

Mixe well (old gaffe)

horse corne with chaffe.

Let Jack nor Gill

fetch corne at will.

19[3]

Some countries gift

to make hard shift.

Some cattle well fare

with fitches and tare.

Fitches and tares

be Norfolke wares.

Tares threshed with skill

bestowe as yée will.

Hide strawberies, wife,

to saue their life.

Knot, border, and all,

now couer ye shall.

Helpe bées, sweet conie,

with licour and honie.

Get campers a ball,

to campe therewithall.

Thus endeth Decembers abstract, agréeing with Decembers husbandrie.

¶ Other short remembrances.

[25]

Let Christmas spie

yard cleane to lie.

No labour, no sweate,

go labour for heate.

Féede dooues, but kill not,

if stroy them ye will not.

Fat hog or ye kill it,

or else ye doo spill it.

[26]

Put oxe in stall,

er oxe doo fall.

Who séetheth hir graines,

hath profit for paines.

Rid garden of mallow,

plant willow and sallow.

[27]

Let bore life render,

sée brawne sod tender,

For wife, fruit bie,

for Christmas pie.

Ill bread and ill drinke,

makes many ill thinke.

Both meate and cost

ill dressed halfe lost.

[28]

Who hath wherewithall,

may chéere when he shall:

But charged man,

must chéere as he can.

Here ends Decembers short remembrances.

[1] chearrey. 1577.

[2] St. 15.

Wind north, north east

bids stock to il feast. 1577.

[3] Sts. 19 and 20 are not in 1573 (M.); sts. 19, 20, and 24 are not in

1577.

23.

¶ _Decembers husbandrie.

Chap._ 21.

O dirtie December

For Christmas remember.

Forgotten month past,

Doe now at the last.

[Sidenote: Béetle and wedges.]

When frost will not suffer to dike and to hedge,

then get thee a heat with thy beetle and wedge

Once Hallomas come, and a fire in the hall,

such sliuers doo well for to lie by the wall.

[Sidenote: Grinding stone and whetston.]

Get grindstone and whetstone, for toole that is dull,

or often be letted and freat bellie full.

A wheele barrow also be readie to haue

at hand of thy seruant, thy compas to saue.

[Sidenote: Seruing of cattle.]

Giue cattle their fodder in plot drie and warme,

and count them for miring or other like harme.

Yoong colts with thy wennels together go serue,

least lurched by others they happen to sterue.[1]

[Sidenote: Woodland countrie.]

The rack is commended for sauing of doong,

so set as the old cannot mischiefe the yoong:[E129]

In tempest (the wind being northly or east)

warme barth[E130] vnder hedge is a sucker[2] to beast.

[Sidenote: Housing of cattel.]

[Sidenote: Champion.]

The housing of cattel while winter doth hold,

is good for all such as are feeble and old:

It saueth much compas, and many a sleepe,

and spareth the pasture for walke of thy sheepe.[3]

[Sidenote: Champion.]

For charges so little much quiet is won,

if strongly and handsomly al thing be don:

But vse to vntackle them once in a day,

to rub and to lick them, to drink and to play.

[Sidenote: Ordering of cattel.]

Get trustie to tend them, not lubberlie squire,

that all the day long hath his nose at the fire.[E131]

Nor trust vnto children poore cattel to feede,

but such as be able to helpe at a neede.

Serue riestraw out first, then wheatstraw and pease,

then otestraw and barlie, then hay if ye please:

But serue them with hay while the straw stouer last,

then loue they no straw, they had rather to fast.

[Sidenote: Forkes and yokes.]

Yokes, forks, and such other, let bailie spie out,

and gather the same as he walketh about.

And after at leasure let this be his hier,

to beath[E132] them and trim them at home by the fier.

[Sidenote: Going of cattel in marshes.]

As well at the full of the moone as the change,

sea rages in winter be sodainly strange.

Then looke to thy marshes, if doubt be to fray,

for feare of (_ne forte_) haue cattel away.

[Sidenote: Looke to thy ling and saltfish.]

Both saltfish and lingfish (if any ye haue)

through shifting and drieng from rotting go saue:

Least winter with moistnes doo make it relent,

and put it in hazard before[4] it be spent.

[Sidenote: How to vse ling and haberden.]

Broome fagot is best to drie haberden on,

lay boord vpon ladder if fagots be gon.

For breaking (in turning) haue verie good eie,

and blame not the wind, so the weather be drie.

[Sidenote: Remoouing of trées.]

Good fruit and good plentie doth well in the loft,

then make thee an orchard and cherish it oft:

For plant or for stock laie aforehand to cast,

but set or remooue it er Christmas be past.

[Sidenote: An orchard point.]

Set one fro other full fortie foote wide,

to stand as he stood is a part of his pride.

More faier, more woorthie, of cost to remooue,

more steadie ye set it, more likely to prooue.

[Sidenote: Orchard and hopyard.]

To teach and vnteach in a schoole is vnmeete,

to doe and vndoe to the purse is vnsweete.

Then orchard or hopyard, so trimmed with cost,

should not through follie be spoiled and lost.

[Sidenote: Letting horse blood.]

Er Christmas be passed let horse be let blood,

for many a purpose it doth them much good.

The daie of S. Stephen old fathers did vse:

if that doe mislike thee some other daie chuse.

[Sidenote: Bréeding of the bots.]

Looke wel to thy horses in stable thou must,

that haie be not foistie, nor chaffe ful of dust:

Nor stone in their prouender, feather, nor clots,

nor fed with greene peason, for breeding of bots.

[Sidenote: Hog and hennes meate.]

Some horsekeeper lasheth out prouender so,

some Gillian spendal so often doth go.

For hogs meat and hens meat, for that and for this,

that corne loft is empted er chapman hath his.

19[5]

Some countries are pinched of medow for hay,

yet ease it with fitchis as well as they may.

Which inned and threshed and husbandlie dight,

keepes laboring cattle in verie good plight.

In threshing out fitchis one point I will shew,

first thresh out for seede of the fitchis a few:

Thresh few fro thy plowhorse, thresh cleane for the cow,

this order in Norfolke good husbands alow.

[Sidenote: ¶ Strawberies.]

If frost doe continue, take this for a lawe,

the strawberies looke to be couered with strawe.

Laid ouerly trim vpon crotchis and bows,

and after vncouered as weather allows.

[Sidenote: ¶ Gilleflowers.]

The gilleflower also, the skilful doe knowe,

doe looke to be couered, in frost and in snowe.

The knot, and the border, and rosemarie gaie,

do craue the like succour for dieng awaie.

[Sidenote: ¶ How to preserue bees.]

Go looke to thy bees, if the hiue be too light,

set water and honie, with rosemarie dight.

Which set in a dish ful of sticks in the hiue,

from danger of famine[6] yee saue them aliue.

24[7]

In medow or pasture (to growe the more fine)

let campers be camping[8][E133] in any of thine:

Which if ye doe suffer when lowe is the spring,

you gaine to your selfe a commodious thing.

Thus endeth Decembers husbandrie.

[1] "The old will be apt to hunge or gore the younger."--T.R.

[2] succor. 1620.

[3] and trimly refresheth the walk of the sheepe. 1577.

[4] er ere. 1577.

[5] Sts. 19 and 20 are not in 1577.

[6] from famen and daunger. 1577.

[7] St. 24 is not in 1577.

[8] "Football playing, at which they are very dextrous in

Norfolk."--T.R.

24.

¶ _A digression to hospitalitie.

Chap._ 22.[1]

Leaue husbandrie sleeping a while ye must doo,

to learne of housekeeping a lesson or twoo.

What euer is sent thee by trauell and paine,

a time there is lent thee to rendrit againe.

Although ye defend it, vnspent for to bee,

another shall spend it, no thanke vnto thee.

How euer we clime, to accomplish the mind,

we haue but a time thereof profit to find.

[1] Chap. 22 is wanting in 1573 (M). In 1577 it is printed in twice the

number of lines.

25.

¶ _A description of time, and the yeare.

Chap._ 23.

Of God to thy dooings a time there is sent,

which endeth with time that in dooing is spent.

For time is it selfe but a time for a time,

forgotten ful soone, as the tune of a chime.

[Sidenote: Spring.]

[Sidenote: Sommer.]

[Sidenote: Haruest.]

[Sidenote: Winter.]

In Spring time we reare, we doo sowe, and we plant,

in Sommer get vittels, least after we want.

In Haruest we carie in corne and the fruit,

in Winter to spend as we neede of ech suit.

[Sidenote: Childhood.]

[Sidenote: Youth.]

[Sidenote: Manhood.]

[Sidenote: Age.]

The yeere I compare, as I find for a truth,

the Spring vnto childhood, the Sommer to youth,

The Haruest to manhood, the Winter to age:

all quickly forgot as a play on a stage.[E134]

Time past is forgotten, er men be aware,

time present is thought on with woonderfull care,

Time comming is feared, and therefore we saue,

yet oft er it come, we be gone to the graue.

26.

¶ _A description of life and riches.

Chap._ 24.

Who liuing but daily discerne it he may,

how life as a shadow doth vanish away;

And nothing to count on so suer to trust

as suer of death and to turne into dust.[E135]

The lands and the riches that here we possesse

be none of our owne, if a God we professe,

But lent vs of him, as his talent of gold,

which being demanded, who can it withhold?

[Sidenote: Atrop, or death.]

God maketh no writing that iustly doth say

how long we shall haue it, a yeere or a day;

But leaue it we must (how soeuer we leeue)

when Atrop[E136] shall pluck vs from hence by the sleeue.

To death we must stoupe, be we high, be we lowe,

but how and how sodenly, few be that knowe:

What carie we then, but a sheete to the graue,

to couer this carkas, of all that we haue?

27.

¶ _A description of housekeeping.

Chap._ 25.

What then of this talent, while here we remaine,

to studie to yeeld it to God with a gaine?

And that shall we doo, if we doo it not hid,

but vse and bestow it, as Christ doth vs bid.

What good to get riches by breaking of sleepe,

but (hauing the same) a good house for to keepe?

Not onely to bring a good fame to thy doore,

but also the praier to win of the poore.

Of all other dooings house keeping is cheefe,

for daily it helpeth the poore with releefe;

The neighbour, the stranger, and all that haue neede,

which causeth thy dooings the better to speede.

Though harken[1] to this we should euer among,[E137]

yet cheefly at Christmas, of all the yeare long.

Good cause of that vse may appeare by the name,

though niggerly niggards doo kick at the same.

[1] hardnes. 1577

28.

¶ _A description of the feast of the birth of Christ, commonly called

Christmas.[1]

Chap._ 26.

Of Christ cometh Christmas, the name with the feast,

a time full of ioie to the greatest and least:

At Christmas was Christ (our Sauiour) borne,

the world through sinne altogether forlorne.

At Christmas the daies doo[2] begin to take length,

of Christ doth religion cheefly[3] take strength.

As Christmas is onely a figure or trope,

so onely in Christ is the strength of our hope.

At Christmas we banket, the rich with the poore,

who then (but the miser) but openeth [h]is doore?

At Christmas of Christ many Carols we sing,

and giue many gifts in the ioy of that King.

At Christmas in Christ we reioice and be glad,

as onely of whom our comfort is had;[E138]

At Christmas we ioy altogether with mirth,

for his sake that ioyed vs all with his birth.

[1] A description of Christmas. 1577.

[2] the day doth. 1577.

[3] Of Christ our faith doth begin, etc. 1577.

29.

¶ _A description of apt time to spend.

Chap._ 27.

Let such (so fantasticall) liking not this,

nor any thing honest that ancient is,

Giue place to the time that so meete we doo see

appointed of God as it seemeth to bee.

At Christmas good husbands[E139] haue corne on the ground,

in barne, and in soller, woorth many a pound,

With plentie of other things,[1] cattle and sheepe,

all sent them (no doubt on) good houses to keepe.

At Christmas the hardnes of Winter doth rage,

a griper of all things and specially age:

Then lightly[E140] poore people, the yoong with the old,

be sorest oppressed with hunger and cold.

At Christmas by labour is little to get,

that wanting, the poorest in danger are set.

What season then better, of all the whole yeere,

thy needie poore neighbour to comfort and cheere?

[1] Things plentie in house. 1577.

30.

¶ _Against fantasticall scruplenes.

Chap._ 28.

At this time and that time[1] some make a great matter,

som help not but hinder the poore with their clatter.

Take custome from feasting, what commeth then last,

where one hath a dinner, a hundred shall fast.

To dog in the manger some liken I could,

that hay will eate none, nor let other that would;

Some scarce in a yeere giue a dinner or twoo,

nor well can abide any other to doo.

Play thou the good fellow, seeke none to misdeeme,

disdaine not the honest, though merie they seeme:

For oftentimes seene, no more verie a knaue

than he that doth counterfait most to be graue.

[1] this thing and that thing. 1577.

31.

¶ _Christmas husbandlie fare.

Chap._ 29.

Good husband and huswife now cheefly be glad,

things handsom to haue, as they ought to be had;

They both doo prouide against Christmas doo come,

to welcome good neighbour, good cheere to haue some.

[Sidenote: Christmas cuntrie fare.]

Good bread and good drinke, a good fier in the hall,

brawne, pudding and souse, and good mustard withall.

Beefe, mutton, and porke, shred pies of the best,

pig, veale, goose and capon,[E141] and turkey well drest;

Cheese, apples and nuts, ioly Carols to heare,

as then in the countrie is counted good cheare.

What cost to good husband is any of this?

good houshold prouision onely it is.

Of other the like, I doo leaue out a menie,

that costeth the husbandman neuer a penie.

32.

¶ _A Christmas Caroll of the birth of Christ vpon the tune of King

Salomon.[E142]

Chap._ 30.

Was not Christ our Sauiour

sent to vs fro God aboue?

not for our good behauiour,

but onely of his mercie and loue.

If this be true, as true it is,

truely in deede,

great thanks to God to yeeld for this,

then had we neede.

This did our God for very troth,

to traine to him the soule of man,

and iustly to performe his oth

to Sara and to Abram than,

That through his seed all nations should

most blessed bee:

As in due time performe he would,

as now wee see.[1]

Which woonderously is brought to pas,

and in our sight alredie donne,

by sending as his promise was

(to comfort vs) his onely sonne,

Euen Christ (I meane) that virgins child,

in Bethlem[2] borne,

that Lambe of God, that Prophet mild,

with crowned thorne.

Such was his loue to saue vs all,

from dangers of the curse of God,

that we stood in by Adams fall,

and by our owne deserued rod,

That through his blood and holie name

who so beleeues,[3]

and flie from sinne and abhors the same,[E143]

free mercie he geeues.

For these glad newes this feast doth bring:

to God the Sonne and holy Ghost

let man giue thanks, reioice, and sing,

from world to world, from cost to cost:

for all good gifts so many waies

that God doth send,

let vs in Christ giue God the praies,

till life shall end.

_T. Tusser._

[6]

At Christmas be merie and thankfull withall,

And feast thy poore neighbors, the great with the small,

Yea, all the yeere long, to the poore let vs giue,

Gods blessing to folow vs while wee doo liue.

[1] all flesh should see. 1577.

[2] Bethelem. 1577.

[3] to such as beleues. 1577.

33.

¶ _Januaries abstract.

Chap._ 31.

Bid Christmas adew,

thy stock now renew.

Who killeth a neat,

hath cheaper his meat.

Fat home fed souse,

is good in a house.

Who dainties loue,

a begger shall proue.

Who alway selles,

in hunger dwelles.

Who nothing saue,

shall nothing haue.

Lay durt vpon heapes,

some profit it reapes.

When weather is hard,

get muck out of yard.

A fallow bestowe,

where pease shall growe.

Good peason and white,

a fallow will quite.

Go gather quickset,

the yongest go get.

Dig garden, stroy mallow,

set willow and sallow.

Gréene willow for stake

in bank will take.[1]