[Sidenote: The aire of Britaine.]
The aire (for the most part) throughout the Iland is such, as by
reason in maner of continuall clouds, is reputed to be grosse, and
nothing so pleasant as that is of the maine. Howbeit, as they which
affirme these things, haue onelie respect to the impediment or
hinderance of the sunne beames, by the interposition of the clouds and
oft ingrossed aire: so experience teacheth vs, that it is no lesse
pure, wholesome, and commodious, than is that of other countries, and
(as Cæsar himselfe hereto addeth) much more temperate in summer than
that of the Galles, from whom he aduentured hither. Neither is there
anie thing found in the aire of our region, that is not vsuallie séene
amongst other nations lieng beyond the seas. Wherefore, we must néeds
confesse, that the situation of our Iland (for benefit of the heauens)
is nothing inferiour to that of anie countrie of the maine, where so
euer it lie vnder the open firmament. And this Plutarch knew full
well, who affirmeth a part of the Elisian fields to be found in
Britaine, and the Iles that are situate about it in the Ocean.
[Sidenote: The soile.]
The soile of Britaine is such, as by the testimonies and reports both
of the old and new writers, and experience also of such as now inhabit
the same, is verie fruitfull; and such in deed as bringeth foorth
manie commodities, whereof other countries haue néed, and yet it selfe
(if fond nicenesse were abolished) néedlesse of those that are dailie
brought from other places. Neuerthelesse it is more inclined to
féeding and grasing, than profitable for tillage, and bearing of
corne; by reason whereof the countrie is wonderfullie replenished with
neat, and all kind of cattell: and such store is there also of the
same in euerie place, that the fourth part of the land is scarselie
manured for the prouision and maintenance of graine. Certes this
fruitfulnesse was not vnknowne vnto the Britons long before Cæsars
time, which was the cause wherefore our predecessors liuing in those
daies in maner neglected tillage, and liued by féeding and grasing
onelie. The grasiers themselues also then dwelled in mooueable
villages by companies, whose custome was to diuide the ground amongst
them, and each one not to depart from the place where his lot laie (a
[Sidenote: Criacht.]
thing much like to the Irish Criacht) till by eating vp of the
countrie about him, he was inforced to remooue further, and séeke for
better pasture. And this was the British custome (as I learne) at
first. It hath béene commonlie reported, that the ground of Wales is
neither so fruitfull as that of England, neither the soile of Scotland
so bountifull as that of Wales: which is true, for corne and for the
most part: otherwise, there is so good ground in some parts of Wales,
as is in England, albeit the best of Scotland be scarselie comparable
to the meane of either of both. Howbeit, as the bountie of the Scotish
dooth faile in some respect, so dooth it surmount in other; God and
nature hauing not appointed all countries to yéeld foorth like
commodities.
But where our ground is not so good as we would wish, we haue (if néed
be) sufficient help to cherish our ground withall, and to make it more
fruitfull. For beside the compest that is carried out of the
husbandmens yards, ditches, ponds, doouehouses, or cities and great
townes: we haue with vs a kind of white marle, which is of so great
force, that if it be cast ouer a péece of land but once in thrée score
years, it shall not need of anie further compesting. Hereof also dooth
Plinie speake, lib. 17, cap. 6, 7, 8, where he affirmeth that our
[Sidenote: Marle.]
marle indureth vpon the earth by the space of fourescore yeares:
insomuch that it is laid vpon the same but once in a mans life,
whereby the owner shall not need to trauell twise in procuring to
commend and better his soile. He calleth it Marga, and making diuerse
kinds thereof, he finallie commendeth ours, and that of France, aboue
all other, which lieth sometime a hundred foot déepe, and farre better
than the scattering of chalke vpon the same, as the Hedni and Pictones
did in his time, or as some of our daies also doo practise: albeit
diuerse doo like better to cast on lime, but it will not so long
indure, as I haue heard reported.
[Sidenote: Plentie of riuers.]
There are also in this Iland great plentie of fresh riuers and
streams, as you haue heard alreadie, and these throughlie fraught with
all kinds of delicate fish accustomed to be found in riuers. The whole
[Sidenote: Hilles.]
Ile likewise is verie full of hilles, of which some (though not verie
manie) are of exceeding heigth, and diuerse extending themselues verie
far from the beginning; as we may see by Shooters hill, which rising
east of London, and not farre from the Thames, runneth along the south
side of the Iland westward, vntill it come to Cornewall. Like vnto
these also are the Crowdon hils, which though vnder diuers names (as
also the other from the Peke) doo run into the borders of Scotland.
What should I speake of the Cheuiot hilles, which reach twentie miles
[Sidenote: (*) Here lacks.]
in length? of the blacke mounteines in Wales, which go from (*) to (*)
miles at the least in length? of the Cle hilles in Shropshire, which
come within foure miles of Ludlow, and are diuided from some part of
Worcester by the Teme? of the Grames in Scotland, and of our Chiltren,
which are eightéene miles at the least from one end of them, which
reach from Henlie in Oxfordshire to Dunstable in Bedfordshire, and are
verie well replenished with wood and corne? notwithstanding that the
most part yéeld a sweet short grasse, profitable for shéepe. Wherein
albeit they of Scotland doo somewhat come behind vs, yet their outward
defect is inwardlie recompensed, not onelie with plentie of quarries
(and those of sundrie kinds of marble, hard stone, and fine alabaster)
but also rich mines of mettall, as shall be shewed hereafter.
[Sidenote: Winds.]
In this Iland likewise the winds are commonlie more strong and fierce,
than in anie other places of the maine, which Cardane also espied: and
that is often séene vpon the naked hilles, not garded with trées to
beare and kéepe it off. That grieuous inconuenience also inforceth our
[Sidenote: Building.]
nobilitie, gentrie, and communaltie, to build their houses in the
vallies, leauing the high grounds vnto their corne and cattell, least
the cold and stormie blasts of winter should bréed them greater
annoiance: whereas in other regions each one desireth to set his house
aloft on the hill, not onlie to be seene a farre off, and cast forth
his beames of statelie and curious workemanship into euerie quarter of
the countrie; but also (in hot habitations) for coldnesse sake of the
aire, sith the heat is neuer so vehement on the hill top as in the
vallie, because the reuerberation of the sunne beames either reacheth
not so farre as the highest, or else becommeth not so strong as when
it is reflected upon the lower soile.
[Sidenote: Husbandrie amended.]
But to leaue our buildings vnto the purposed place (which
notwithstanding haue verie much increased, I meane for curiositie and
cost, in England, Wales, and Scotland, within these few yeares) and to
returne to the soile againe. Certeinelie it is euen now in these our
daies growne to be much more fruitfull, than it hath béene in times
past. The cause is for that our countriemen are growne to be more
painefull, skilfull, and carefull through recompense of gaine, than
heretofore they haue béene: insomuch that my Synchroni or time fellows
can reape at this present great commoditie in a little roome; whereas
of late yeares, a great compasse hath yéelded but small profit, and
this onelie through the idle and negligent occupation of such, as
dailie manured and had the same in occupieng. I might set downe
examples of these things out of all the parts of this Iland, that is
to saie, manie of England, more out of Scotland, but most of all out
of Wales: in which two last rehearsed, verie little other food and
liuelihood was wont to be looked for (beside flesh) more than the
soile of it selfe, and the cow gaue; the people in the meane time
liuing idelie, dissolutelie, and by picking and stealing one from
another. All which vices are now (for the most part) relinquished, so
that each nation manureth hir owne with triple commoditie, to that it
was before time.
[Sidenote: Pasture.]
The pasture of this Iland is according to the nature and bountie of
the soile, whereby in most places it is plentifull, verie fine,
batable, and such as either fatteth our cattell with speed, or
yéeldeth great abundance of milke and creame: whereof the yellowest
butter and finest chéese are made. But where the blue claie aboundeth
(which hardlie drinketh vp the winters water in long season) there the
grasse is spearie, rough, and verie apt for brushes: by which occasion
it commeth nothing so profitable vnto the owner as the other. The best
pasture ground of all England is in Wales, & of all the pasture in
Wales that of Cardigan is the cheefe. I speake of the same which is to
be found in the mounteines there, where the hundred part of the grasse
growing is not eaten, but suffered to rot on the ground, whereby the
soile becommeth matted, and diuerse bogges and quicke moores made
withall in long continuance: because all the cattell in the countrie
are not able to eat it downe. If it be to be accompted good soile, on
which a man may laie a wand ouer night, and on the morrow find it
hidden and ouergrowen with grasse: it is not hard to find plentie
thereof in manie places of this land. Neuertheless, such is the
fruitfulnes of the aforsaid countie that it farre surmounteth this
proportion, whereby it may be compared for batablenesse with Italie,
which in my time is called the paradise of the world, although by
reason of the wickednesse of such as dwell therein it may be called
the sinke and draine of hell: so that whereas they were woont to saie
of vs that our land is good but our people euill, they did but onlie
speake it; whereas we know by experience that the soile of Italie is a
noble soile, but the dwellers therein farre off from anie vertue or
goodnesse.
[Sidenote: Medowes.]
Our medowes, are either bottomes (whereof we haue great store, and
those verie large, bicause our soile is hillie) or else such as we
call land meads, and borowed from the best & fattest pasturages. The
first of them are yearelie & often ouerflowen by the rising of such
streames as passe through the same, or violent falles of land-waters,
that descend from the hils about them. The other are seldome or neuer
ouerflowen, and that is the cause wherefore their grasse is shorter
than that of the bottomes, and yet is it farre more fine, wholesome,
and batable, sith the haie of our low medowes is not onelie full of
sandie cinder, which breedeth sundrie diseases in our cattell, but
also more rowtie, foggie, and full of flags, and therefore not so
profitable for stouer and forrage as the higher meads be. The
difference furthermore in their commodities is great, for whereas in
our land meadowes we haue not often aboue one good load of haie, or
peraduenture a little more in an acre of ground (I vse the word
Carrucata or Carruca which is a waine load, and, as I remember, vsed
by Plinie lib. 33. cap. 11.) in low meadowes we haue sometimes thrée,
but commonlie two or vpward, as experience hath oft confirmed.
Of such as are twise mowed I speake not, sith their later math is not
so wholesome for cattell as the first; although in the mouth more
pleasant for the time: for thereby they become oftentimes to be
rotten, or to increase so fast in bloud, that the garget and other
diseases doo consume manie of them before the owners can séeke out any
remedie, by Phlebotomie or otherwise. Some superstitious fooles
suppose that they which die of the garget are ridden with the night
mare, and therefore they hang vp stones which naturallie haue holes in
them, and must be found vnlooked for; as if such a stone were an apt
cockeshot for the diuell to run through and solace himselfe withall,
whilest the cattell go scot free and are not molested by him. But if I
should set downe but halfe the toies that superstition hath brought
into our husbandmens heads in this and other behalfes, it would aske a
greater volume than is conuenient for such a purpose, wherefore it
shall suffice to haue said thus much of these things.
[Sidenote: Corne.]
The yéeld of our corne-ground is also much after this rate folowing.
Through out the land (if you please to make an estimat thereof by the
acre) in meane and indifferent yeares, wherein each acre of rie or
wheat, well tilled and dressed, will yeeld commonlie sixtéene or
twentie bushels, an acre of barlie six and thirtie bushels, of otes
and such like foure or fiue quarters, which proportion is
notwithstanding oft abated toward the north, as it is oftentimes
surmounted in the south. Of mixed corne, as peason and beanes, sowen
togither, tares and otes (which they call bulmong) rie and wheat named
miscelin here is no place to speake, yet their yéeld is neuerthelesse
much after this proportion, as I haue often marked. And yet is not
this our great foison comparable to that of hoter countries of the
maine. But of all that euer I read, the increase which Eldred Danus
writeth of in his De imperio Iudæorum in Aethiopia surmounteth, where
he saith that in the field néere to the Sabbatike riuer, called in old
time Gosan, the ground is so fertile, that euerie graine of barleie
growing dooth yéeld an hundred kernels at the least vnto the owner.
Of late yeares also we haue found and taken vp a great trade in
planting of hops, whereof our moorie hitherto and vnprofitable grounds
doo yeeld such plentie & increase, that their are few farmers or
occupiers in the countrie, which haue not gardens and hops growing of
their owne, and those farre better than doo come from Flanders vnto
us. Certes the corruptions vsed by the Flemings, and forgerie dailie
practised in this kind of ware, gaue vs occasion to plant them here at
home: so that now we may spare and send manie ouer vnto them. And this
I know by experience, that some one man by conuersion of his moorie
grounds into hopyards, wherof before he had no commoditie, dooth raise
yearelie by so little as twelue acres in compasse two hundred markes;
all charges borne toward the maintenance of his familie. Which
industrie God continue! though some secret fréends of Flemings let not
to exclaime against this commoditie, as a spoile of wood, by reason of
the poles, which neuerthelesse after three yeares doo also come to the
fire, and spare their other fewell.
[Sidenote: Cattell.]
The cattell which we breed are commonlie such, as for greatnesse of
bone, swéetnesse of flesh, and other benefits to be reaped by the
same, giue place vnto none other: as may appeare first by our oxen,
whose largenesse, height, weight, tallow, hides, and hornes are such,
as none of anie other nation doo commonlie or may easilie excéed them.
Our shéepe likewise for good tast of flesh, quantitie of lims, finesse
of fléece caused by their hardnesse of pasturage, and abundance of
increase (for in manie places they bring foorth two or thrée at an
eaning) giue no place vnto anie, more than doo our goates, who in like
sort doo follow the same order, and our déere come not behind. As for
our conies, I haue séene them so fat in some soiles, especiallie about
[Sidenote: Meall and Disnege.]
Meall and Disnege, that the grease of one being weighed, hath peised
verie néere six or seuen ounces. All which benefits we first refer to
the grace and goodnesse of God, and next of all vnto the bountie of
our soile, which he hath indued with so notable and commodious
fruitfulnesse.
But as I meane to intreat of these things more largelie hereafter, so
will I touch in this place one benefit which our nation wanteth, and
[Sidenote: Wine.]
that is wine; the fault whereof is not in our soile, but the
negligence of our countriemen (especiallie of the south partes) who
doo not inure the same to this commoditie, and which by reason of long
discontinuance, is now become vnapt to beare anie grapes almost for
pleasure & shadow, much lesse then the plaine fields or seuerall
vineyards for aduantage and commoditie. Yet of late time some haue
assaied to deale for wine, as to your lordship also is right well
knowen. But sith that liquor when it commeth to the drinking hath bin
found more hard, than that which is brought from beyond the sea, and
the cost of planting and keeping thereof so chargeable, that they may
buie it far better cheape from other countries: they haue giuen ouer
their enterprises without anie consideration, that as in all other
things, so neither the ground it selfe in the beginning, nor successe
of their trauell can answer their expectation at the first, vntill
such time as the soile be brought as it were into acquaintance with
this commoditie, and that prouision may be made for the more easinesse
of charge, to be imploied vpon the same.
If it be true, that where wine dooth last and indure well, there it
will grow no worse: I muse not a little wherefore the planting of
vines should be neglected in England. That this liquor might haue
growne in this Iland heretofore, first the charter that Probus the
emperour gaue equallie to vs, the Galles, and Spaniards, is one
sufficient testimonie. And that it did grow here, beside the
testimonie of Beda lib. 1. cap. 1. the old notes of tithes for wine
that yet remaine in the accompts of some parsons and vicars in Kent, &
elsewhere, besides the records of sundrie sutes, commensed in diuerse
ecclesiasticall courts, both in Kent, Surrie, &c: also the inclosed
parcels almost in euerie abbeie yet called the vineyardes, may be a
notable witnesse, as also the plot which we now call east Smithfield
in London giuen by Canutus sometime king of this land, with other
soile there about vnto certeine of his knights, with the libertie of a
Guild which therof was called Knighten Guild. The truth is (saith Iohn
Stow our countrie man, and diligent traueller in the old estate of
this my natiue citie) that it is now named Port soken ward, and giuen
in time past to the religious house within Algate. Howbeit first
Otwell, the Archouell, Otto, & finallie Geffrie erle of Essex
constables of the Tower of London, withheld that portion fr[=o] the
said house, vntill the reigne of king Stephan, and thereof made a
vineyard to their great commoditie and lucre. The Ile of Elie also was
in the first times of the Normans called Le Ile des vignes. And good
record appéereth, that the bishop there had yearelie thrée or foure
tunne at the least giuen him Nomine decimæ, beside whatsoeuer
ouer-summe of the liquor did accrue to him by leases and other
excheats, whereof also I haue seene mention. Wherefore our soile is
not to be blamed, as though our nights were so exceeding short, that
in August and September the moone which is ladie of moisture, & chiefe
ripener of this liquor, cannot in anie wise shine long inough vpon the
same: a verie méere toie and fable right worthie to be suppressed,
because experience conuinceth the vpholders thereof euen in the
Rhenish wines.
[Sidenote: Wad.]
The time hath béene also that wad, wherwith our countrie men died
their faces (as Cæsar saith) that they might séeme terrible to their
enimies in the field, and also women & their daughters in law did
staine their bodies & go naked, in that pickle to the sacrifices of
their gods, coueting to resemble therin the Ethiopians, as Plinie
[Sidenote: Madder.]
saith li. 22. cap. 1. and also madder haue béene (next vnto our tin
and woolles) the chiefe commodities, and merchandize of this realme. I
[Sidenote: Rape.]
find also that rape oile hath beene made within this land. But now our
soile either will not or at the leastwise may not beare either wad or
madder: I saie not that the ground is not able so to doo, but that we
are negligent, afraid of the pilling of our grounds, and carelesse of
our owne profit, as men rather willing to buie the same of others than
take anie paine to plant them here at home. The like I may saie of
[Sidenote: Flax.]
flax, which by law ought to be sowen in euerie countrie-towne in
England, more or lesse: but I sée no successe of that good and
wholesome law, sith it is rather contemptuouslie reiected than
otherwise dutifullie kept in anie place of England.
Some saie that our great number of lawes doo bréed a generall
negligence and contempt of all good order; bicause we haue so manie,
that no subiect can liue without the transgression of some of them,
and that the often alteration of our ordinances dooth much harme in
this respect, which (after Aristotle) doth séeme to carie some reason
withall, for (as Cornelius Gallus hath:)
[Sidenote: Eleg. 2.]
Euentus varios res noua semper habet.
But verie manie let not to affirme, that the gréedie corruption of the
promoters on the one side, facilitie in dispensing with good lawes,
and first breach of the same in the lawmakers & superiors, & priuat
respects of their establishment on the other, are the greatest causes
whie the inferiours regard no good order, being alwaies so redie to
offend without anie facultie one waie, as they are otherwise to
presume, vpon the examples of their betters when anie hold is to be
[Sidenote: Principis longè magis exemplo quion culpa peccare solent.]
taken. But as in these things I haue no skill, so I wish that fewer
licences for the priuat commoditie but of a few were granted (not that
thereby I denie the maintenance of the prerogatiue roiall, but rather
would with all my hart that it might be yet more honorablie increased)
& that euerie one which by féeed friendship (or otherwise) dooth
attempt to procure oughts from the prince, that may profit but few and
proue hurtfull to manie, might be at open assizes and sessions
denounced enimie to his countrie and commonwealth of the land.
Glasse also hath beene made here in great plentie before, and in the
time of the Romans; and the said stuffe also, beside fine scissers,
shéeres, collars of gold and siluer for womens necks, cruses and cups
of amber, were a parcell of the tribute which Augustus in his daies
laid vpon this Iland. In like sort he charged the Britons with
certeine implements and vessels of iuorie (as Strabo saith.) Wherby it
appéereth that in old time our countriemen were farre more industrious
and painefull in the vse and application of the benefits of their
countrie, than either after the comming of the Saxons or Normans, in
which they gaue themselues more to idlenesse and following of the
warres.
[Sidenote: Earth.]
If it were requisit that I should speake of the sundrie kinds of
moold, as the cledgie or claie, whereof are diuerse sorts (red, blue,
blacke and white) also the red or white sandie, the lomie, rosellie,
grauellie, chalkie or blacke, I could saie that there are so manie
diuerse veines in Britaine, as else where in anie quarter of like
quantitie in the world. Howbeit this I must néeds confesse, that the
sandie and cledgie doo beare great swaie: but the claie most of all,
as hath beene, and yet is alwaies séene & felt through plentie and
dearth of corne. For if this latter (I meane the claie) doo yeeld hir
full increase (which it dooth commonlie in drie yeares for wheat) then
is there generall plentie: wheras if it faile, then haue we scarsitie,
according to the old rude verse set downe of England, but to be
vnderstood of the whole Iland, as experience dooth confirme:
When the sand dooth serue the claie,
Then may we sing well awaie,
But when the claie dooth serue the sand,
Then is it merie with England.
[Sidenote: Vallies.]
I might here intreat of the famous vallies in England, of which one is
called the vale of White horsse, another of Eouesham, commonlie taken
for the granarie of Worcestershire, the third of Ailesbirie that goeth
by Tame, the rootes of Chilterne hils, to Donstable, Newport panell,
Stonie Stratford, Buckhingham, Birstane parke, &c. Likewise of the
fourth of Whitehart or Blackemoore in Dorsetshire. The fift of
Ringdale or Renidale, corruptlie called Ringtaile, that lieth (as mine
author saith) vpon the edge of Essex and Cambridgeshire, and also the
Marshwood vale: but for somuch as I know not well their seuerall
limits, I giue ouer to go anie further in their description. In like
[Sidenote: Fennes.]
sort it should not be amisse to speake of our fennes, although our
countrie be not so full of this kind of soile as the parties beyond
the seas, to wit, Narbon, &c: and thereto of other pleasant botoms,
the which are not onelie indued with excellent riuers and great store
of corne and fine fodder for neat and horsses in time of the yeare
(whereby they are excéeding beneficiall vnto their owners) but also of
no small compasse and quantitie in ground. For some of our fens are
well knowen to be either of ten, twelue, sixtéene, twentie, or thirtie
miles in length, that of the Girwies yet passing all the rest, which
is full 60 (as I haue often read.) Wherein also Elie the famous Ile
standeth, which is seuen miles euerie waie, and wherevnto there is no
accesse but by thrée causies, whose inhabitants in like sort by an old
priuilege may take wood, sedge, turfe, &c; to burne: likewise haie for
their cattell, and thatch for their houses of custome, and each
occupier in his appointed quantitie through out the Ile; albeit that
couetousnesse hath now begun somewhat to abridge this large
beneuolence and commoditie, aswell in the said Ile as most other
places of this land.
[Sidenote: Commons.]
Finallie, I might discourse in like order of the large commons, laid
out heretofore by the lords of the soiles for the benefit of such
poore, as inhabit within the compasse of their manors. But as the true
intent of the giuers is now in most places defrauded, in so much that
not the poore tenants inhabiting vpon the same, but their landlords
haue all the commoditie and gaine, so the tractation of them belongeth
rather to the second booke. Wherfore I meane not at this present to
deale withall, but reserue the same wholie vnto the due place whilest
I go forward with the rest; setting downe neuerthelesse by the waie a
generall commendation of the whole Iland, which I find in an ancient
monument, much vnto this effect.
Illa quidem longè celebris splendore, beata,
Glebis, lacte, fauis, supereminet insula cunctis,
Quas regit ille Deus, spumanti cuius ab ore
Profluit oceanus, &c.
_And a little after_: Testis Lundonia ratibus, Wintonia Baccho,
Herefordia grege, Worcestria fruge redundans,
Batha lacu, Salabyra feris, Cantuaria pisce,
Eboraca syluis, Excestria clara metallis,
Norwicum Dacis hybernis, Cestria Gallis,
Cicestrum Norwagenis, Dunelmia præpinguis,
Testis Lincolnia gens infinita decore,
Testis Eli formosa situ, Doncastria visu, &c.
OF THE FOURE HIGH WAIES SOMETIME MADE IN BRITAINE BY THE PRINCES OF
THIS ILAND.