There is no kind of tame cattell vsually to be séene in these parts of
the world, wherof we haue not some, and that great store in England;
as horsses, oxen, shéepe, goats, swine, and far surmounting the like
in other countries, as may be prooued with ease. For where are oxen
commonlie more large of bone, horsses more decent and pleasant in
pase, kine more commodious for the pale, shéepe more profitable for
wooll, swine more wholesome of flesh, and goates more gainefull to
their kéepers, than here with vs in England? But to speke of them
peculiarlie, I suppose that our kine are so abundant in yéeld of
milke, wherof we make our butter & chéese, as the like anie where
else, and so apt for the plough in diuerse places as either our
horsses or oxen. And albeit they now and then twin, yet herein they
séeme to come short of that commoditie which is looked for in other
countries, to wit, in that they bring foorth most commonlie but one
calfe at once. The gaines also gotten by a cow (all charges borne)
hath beene valued at twentie shillings yearelie: but now as land is
inhanced, this proportion of gaine is much abated, and likelie to
decaie more and more, if ground arise to be yet déerer, which God
forbid, if it be his will and pleasure. I heard of late of a cow in
Warwikshire, belonging to Thomas Bruer of Studleie, which in six
yéeres had sixtéene calfes, that is, foure at once in thrée caluings
and twise twins, which vnto manie may séeme a thing incredible. In
[Sidenote: Oxen.]
like maner our oxen are such as the like are not to be found in anie
countrie of Europe, both for greatnesse of bodie and swéetnesse of
flesh: or else would not the Romane writers haue preferred them before
those of Liguria. In most places our grasiers are now growen to be so
cunning, that if they doo but sée an ox or bullocke, and come to the
féeling of him, they will giue a ghesse at his weight, and how manie
score or stone of flesh and tallow he beareth, how the butcher may
liue by the sale, and what he may haue for the skin and tallow; which
is a point of skill not commonlie practised heretofore. Some such
grasiers also are reported to ride with veluet coats, and chaines of
gold about them: and in their absence their wiues will not let to
supplie those turnes with no lesse skill than their husbands: which is
an hard worke for the poore butcher, sith he through this means can
seldome be rich or wealthie by his trade. In like sort the flesh of
our oxen and kine is sold both by hand and by weight as the buier
will: but in yoong ware rather by weight, especiallie for the stéere
and heighfer, sith the finer béefe is the lightest, wheras the flesh
of buls and old kine, &c: is of sadder substance and therefore much
heauier as it lieth in the scale. Their hornes also are knowne to be
more faire and large in England than in anie other places, except
those which are to be séene among the Pæones, which quantitie albeit
that it be giuen to our bréed generallie by nature, yet it is now and
then helped also by art.
[Sidenote: _Athenæus bib._ 10. _cap._ 8.]
For when they be verie yoong, manie grasiers will oftentimes annoint
their budding hornes, or tender tips with honie, which mollifieth the
naturall hardnesse of that substance, and thereby maketh them to grow
vnto a notable greatnesse. Certes, it is not strange in England, to
sée oxen whose hornes haue the length of a yard or thrée foot betweene
the tips, and they themselues thereto so tall, as the heigth of a man
of meane and indifferent stature is scarse equall vnto them.
Neuerthelesse it is much to be lamented that our generall bréed of
cattell is not better looked vnto: for the greatest occupiers weane
least store, bicause they can buie them (as they saie) far better
cheape than to raise and bring them vp. In my time a cow hath risen
from foure nobles to foure marks by this means, which notwithstanding
were no great price if they did yearelie bring foorth more than one
calfe a péece, as I heare they doo in other countries.
[Sidenote: Horsses.]
Our horsses moreouer are high, and although not commonlie of such huge
greatnesse as in other places of the maine: yet if you respect the
easinesse of their pase, it is hard to saie where their like are to be
had. Our land dooth yéeld no asses, and therefore we want the
generation also of mules and somers; and therefore the most part of
our cariage is made by these, which remaining stoned, are either
reserued for the cart, or appointed to beare such burdens as are
conuenient for them. Our cart or plough horsses (for we vse them
indifferentlie) are commonlie so strong that fiue or six of them (at
the most) will draw thrée thousand weight of the greatest tale with
ease for a long iourneie, although it be not a load of common vsage,
which consisteth onelie of two thousand, or fiftie foot of timber,
fortie bushels of white salt, or six and thirtie of baie, or fiue
quarters of wheat, experience dailie teacheth, and I haue elsewhere
remembred. Such as are kept also for burden, will carie foure hundred
weight commonlie, without anie hurt or hinderance. This furthermore is
to be noted, that our princes and the nobilitie haue their cariage
commonlie made by carts, wherby it commeth to passe, that when the
quéenes maiestie dooth remooue from anie one place to another, there
are vsuallie 400 carewares, which amount to the summe of 2400 horsses,
appointed out of the countries adioining, whereby hir cariage is
conueied safelie vnto the appointed place. Hereby also the ancient vse
of somers and sumpter horsses is in maner vtterlie relinquished, which
causeth the traines of our princes in their progresses to shew far
lesse than those of the kings of other nations.
[Sidenote: Geldings.]
Such as serue for the saddle are commonlie gelded, and now growne to
be verie déere among vs, especiallie if they be well coloured, iustlie
limmed, and haue thereto an easie ambling pase. For our countriemen,
séeking their ease in euerie corner where it is to be had, delight
verie much in these qualities, but chieflie in their excellent pases,
which besides that it is in maner peculiar vnto horsses of our soile,
and not hurtfull to the rider or owner sitting on their backes: it is
moreouer verie pleasant and delectable in his eares, in that the noise
of their well proportioned pase dooth yéeld comfortable sound as he
trauelleth by the waie. Yet is there no greater deceipt vsed anie
where than among our horssekeepers, horssecorsers, and hostelers: for
such is the subtill knauerie of a great sort of them (without
exception of anie of them be it spoken which deale for priuat gaine)
that an honest meaning man shall haue verie good lucke among them, if
he be not deceiued by some false tricke or other. There are certeine
notable markets, wherein great plentie of horsses and colts is bought
and sold, and wherevnto such as haue néed resort yearelie to buie and
make their necessarie prouision of them, as Rippon, Newport pond,
Wolfpit, Harborow, and diuerse other. But as most drouers are verie
diligent to bring great store of these vnto those places; so manie of
them are too too lewd in abusing such as buie them. For they haue a
custome to make them looke faire to the eie, when they come within two
daies iourneie of the market, to driue them till they sweat, & for the
space of eight or twelue houres, which being doone they turne them all
ouer the backs into some water, where they stand for a season, and
then go forward with them to the place appointed, where they make sale
of their infected ware, and such as by this meanes doo fall into manie
diseases and maladies. Of such outlandish horsses as are dailie
brought ouer vnto vs I speake not, as the genet of Spaine, the courser
of Naples, the hobbie of Ireland, the Flemish roile, and Scotish nag,
bicause that further spéech of them commeth not within the compasse of
this treatise, and for whose breed and maintenance (especiallie of the
greatest sort) king Henrie the eight erected a noble studderie and for
a time had verie good successe with them, till the officers waxing
wearie, procured a mixed brood of bastard races, whereby his good
purpose came to little effect. Sir Nicholas Arnold of late hath bred
the best horsses in England, and written of the maner of their
production: would to God his compasse of ground were like to that of
Pella in Syria, wherin the king of that nation had vsuallie a
studderie of 30000 mares and 300 stallions, as Strabo dooth remember
Lib. 16. But to leaue this, let vs sée what may be said of sheepe.
[Sidenote: Shéepe.]
Our shéepe are verie excellent, sith for sweetnesse of flesh they
passe all other. And so much are our woolles to be preferred before
those of Milesia and other places, that if Iason had knowne the value
of them that are bred, and to be had in Britaine, he would neuer haue
gone to Colchis to looke for anie there. For as Dionysius Alexandrinus
saith in his De situ orbis, it may by spinning be made comparable to
the spiders web. What fooles then are our countrimen, in that they
séeke to bereue themselues of this commoditie, by practising dailie
how to transfer the same to other nations, in carieng ouer their rams
& ewes to bréed & increase among them? The first example hereof was
giuen vnder Edward the fourth, who not vnderstanding the botome of the
sute of sundrie traitorous merchants, that sought a present gaine with
the perpetuall hinderance of their countrie, licenced them to carie
ouer certeine numbers of them into Spaine, who hauing licence but for
a few shipped verie manie: a thing commonlie practised in other
commodities also, whereby the prince and hir land are not seldome
times defrauded. But such is our nature, and so blind are we in déed,
that we sée no inconuenience before we féele it: and for a present
gaine we regard not what damage may insue to our posteritie. Hereto
some other man would ad also the desire that we haue to benefit other
countries, and to impech our owne. And it is so sure as God liueth,
that euerie trifle which commeth from beyond the sea, though it be not
woorth thrée pence, is more estéemed than a continuall commoditie at
home with vs, which far excéedeth that value. In time past the vse of
this commoditie consisted (for the most part) in cloth and woolsteds:
but now by meanes of strangers succoured here from domesticall
persecution, the same hath béene imploied vnto sundrie other vses, as
mockados, baies, vellures, grograines, &c: whereby the makers haue
reaped no small commoditie. It is furthermore to be noted, for the low
countries of Belgie know it, and dailie experience (notwithstanding
the sharpenesse of our lawes to the contrarie) dooth yet confirme it:
that although our rams & weathers doo go thither from vs neuer so well
headed according to their kind: yet after they haue remained there a
while, they cast there their heads, and from thencefoorth they remaine
[Sidenote: Shéepe without hornes.]
polled without any hornes at all. Certes this kind of cattell is more
cherished in England, than standeth well with the commoditie of the
commons, or prosperitie of diuerse townes, whereof some are wholie
conuerted to their féeding: yet such a profitable sweetnesse is their
fléece, such necessitie in their flesh, and so great a benefit in the
manuring of barren soile with their doong and pisse, that their
superfluous numbers are the better borne withall. And there is neuer
an husbandman (for now I speake not of our great shéepemasters of whom
some one man hath 20000) but hath more or lesse of this cattell
féeding on his fallowes and short grounds, which yéeld the finer
fléece, as Virgil (following Varro) well espied Georg. 3. where he
saith:
"Si tibi lanicium curæ, primum aspera sylua,
Lappæque tribulíque absint, fuge pabula læta."
Neuerthelesse the shéepe of our countrie are often troubled with the
rot (as are our swine with the measels though neuer so generallie) and
manie men are now and then great losers by the same: but after the
calamitie is ouer, if they can recouer and kéepe their new stocks
sound for seauen yeares togither, the former losse will easilie be
recompensed with double commoditie. Cardan writeth that our waters are
hurtfull to our shéepe, howbeit this is but his coniecture: for we
know that our shéepe are infected by going to the water, and take the
same as a sure and certeine token that a rot hath gotten hold of them,
their liuers and lights being alredie distempered through excessiue
heat, which inforceth them the rather to séeke vnto the water. Certes
there is no parcell of the maine, wherin a man shall generallie find
more fine and wholesome water than in England; and therefore it is
impossible that our shéepe should decaie by tasting of the same.
Wherfore the hinderance by rot is rather to be ascribed to the
vnseasonablenes & moisture of the weather in summer, also their
licking in of mildewes, gossamire, rowtie fogs, & ranke grasse, full
of superfluous iuice: but speciallie (I saie) to ouer moist wether,
whereby the continuall raine pearsing into their hollow felles, soketh
foorthwith into their flesh, which bringeth them to their baines.
Being also infected their first shew of sickenesse is their desire to
drinke, so that our waters are not vnto them "Causa ægritudinis," but
"Signum morbi," what so euer Cardan doo mainteine to the contrarie.
There are (& peraduenture no small babes) which are growne to be so
good husbands, that they can make account of euerie ten kine to be
cléerelie woorth twentie pounds in c[=o]mon and indifferent yeares, if
the milke of fiue shéepe be dailie added to the same. But as I wote
not how true this surmise is, bicause it is no part of my trade, so I
am sure hereof, that some housewiues can and doo ad dailie a lesse
proportion of ewes milke vnto the chéese of so manie kine, whereby
their cheese dooth the longer abide moist, and eateth more brickle and
mellow than otherwise it would.
[Sidenote: Goats.]
Goats we haue plentie, and of sundrie colours in the west parts of
England; especiallie in and towards Wales, and amongst the rockie
hilles, by whome the owners doo reape no small aduantage: some also
are cherished elsewhere in diuerse stéeds for the benefit of such as
are diseased with sundrie maladies, vnto whom (as I heare) their
milke, chéese, and bodies of their yoong kids are iudged verie
profitable, and therefore inquired for of manie farre and néere.
Certes I find among the writers, that the milke of a goat is next in
estimation to that of the woman; for that it helpeth the stomach,
remooueth oppilations and stoppings of the liuer, and looseth the
bellie. Some place also next vnto it the milke of the ew: and thirdlie
that of the cow. But hereof I can shew no reason; onelie this I know,
that ewes milke is fulsome, sweet, and such in tast, as except such as
are vsed vnto it no man will gladlie yéeld to liue and féed withall.
[Sidenote: Swine.]
As for swine, there is no place that hath greater store, nor more
wholesome in eating, than are these here in England, which
neuerthelesse doo neuer anie good till they come to the table. Of
these some we eat greene for porke, and other dried vp into bakon to
haue it of more continuance. Lard we make some though verie little,
because it is chargeable: neither haue we such vse thereof as is to be
séene in France and other countries, sith we doo either bake our meat
with swéet suet of beefe or mutton, and bast all our meat with sweet
or salt butter, or suffer the fattest to bast it selfe by leisure. In
champaine countries they are kept by herds, and an hogherd appointed
to attend and wait vpon them, who commonlie gathereth them togither by
his noise and crie, and leadeth them foorth to féed abroad in the
fields. In some places also women doo scowre and wet their cloths with
their doong, as other doo with hemlocks and netles: but such is the
sauor of the cloths touched withall, that I cannot abide to weare them
on my bodie, more than such as are scowred with the reffuse sope, than
the which (in mine opinion) there is none more vnkindlie sauor.
[Sidenote: Bores.]
Of our tame bores we make brawne, which is a kind of meat not vsuallie
knowne to strangers (as I take it) otherwise would not the swart
Rutters and French cookes, at the losse of Calis (where they found
great store of this prouision almost in euerie house) haue attempted
with ridiculous successe to rost, bake, broile, & frie the same for
their masters, till they were better informed. I haue heard moreouer,
how a noble man of England, not long since, did send ouer an hogshead
of brawne readie sowsed to a catholike gentleman of France, who
supposing it to be fish, reserued it till Lent, at which time he did
eat thereof with verie great frugalitie. Thereto he so well liked of
the prouision it selfe, that he wrote ouer verie earnestlie & with
offer of great recompense for more of the same fish against the yeare
insuing: whereas if he had knowne it to haue beene flesh, he would not
haue touched it (I dare saie) for a thousand crownes without the popes
dispensation. A fréend of mine also dwelling sometime in Spaine,
hauing certeine Iewes at his table, did set brawne before them,
whereof they did eat verie earnestlie, supposing it to be a kind of
fish not common in those parties: but when the goodman of the house
brought in the head in pastime among them, to shew what they had
eaten, they rose from the table, hied them home in hast, ech of them
procuring himselfe to vomit, some by oile, and some by other meanes,
till (as they supposed) they had clensed their stomachs of that
prohibited food. With vs it is accounted a great péece of seruice at
the table, from Nouember vntill Februarie be ended; but chéeflie in
the Christmasse time. With the same also we begin our dinners ech daie
after other: and because it is somewhat hard of digestion, a draught
of malueseie, bastard, or muscadell, is vsuallie droonke after it,
where either of them are conuenientlie to be had: otherwise the meaner
sort content themselues with their owne drinke, which at that season
is generallie verie strong, and stronger indéed than in all the yeare
[Sidenote: Brawne of the bore.]
beside. It is made commonlie of the fore part of a tame bore, set vp
for the purpose by the space of a whole yere or two, especiallie in
gentlemens houses (for the husbandmen and farmers neuer franke them
for their owne vse aboue thrée or foure moneths, or halfe a yéere at
the most) in which time he is dieted with otes and peason, and lodged
on the bare planks of an vneasie coat, till his fat be hardened
sufficientlie for their purpose: afterward he is killed, scalded, and
cut out, and then of his former parts is our brawne made, the rest is
nothing so fat, and therefore it beareth the name of sowse onelie, and
is commonlie reserued for the seruing man and hind, except it please
[Sidenote: Baked hog.]
the owner to haue anie part therof baked, which are then handled of
custome after this manner. The hinder parts being cut off, they are
first drawne with lard, and then sodden; being sodden they are sowsed
in claret wine and vineger a certeine space, and afterward baked in
pasties, and eaten of manie in stéed of the wild bore, and trulie it
is verie good meat: the pestles may be hanged vp a while to drie
before they be drawne with lard if you will, and thereby prooue the
better. But hereof inough, and therefore to come againe vnto our
brawne. The necke peeces being cut off round, are called collars of
brawne, the shoulders are named shilds, onelie the ribs reteine the
former denomination, so that these aforesaid péeces deserue the name
of brawne: the bowels of the beast are commonlie cast awaie because of
their ranknesse, and so were likewise his stones; till a foolish
fantasie got hold of late amongst some delicate dames, who haue now
found the meanes to dresse them also with great cost for a deintie
dish, and bring them to the boord as a seruice among other of like
sort, though not without note of their desire to the prouocation of
fleshlie lust, which by this their fond curiositie is not a little
reuealed. When the bore is thus cut out, ech peece is wrapped vp,
either with bulrushes, ozier péeles, tape, inkle, or such like, and
then sodden in a lead or caldron togither, till they be so tender that
a man may thrust a brused rush or soft straw cleane through the fat:
which being doone, they take it vp, and laie it abroad to coole:
afterward putting it into close vessels, they powre either good small
ale or béere mingled with veriuice and salt thereto till it be
couered, and so let it lie (now and then altering and changing the
sowsing drinke least it should wax sowre) till occasion serue to spend
it out of the waie. Some vse to make brawne of great barrow hogs, and
séeth them, and sowse the whole, as they doo that of the bore; and in
my iudgement it is the better of both, and more easie of digestion.
But of brawne thus much; and so much may seeme sufficient.