_Of the situation of the Husbandmans house; the necessaries there to
belonging, together with the modell thereof._
Since couerture is the most necessariest thing belonging vnto mans life,
and that it was the first thing that euer man inuented, I thinke it not
amisse first to beginne, before I enter into any other part of
Husbandry, with the Husbandmans house, without which no Husbandry can be
maintained or preserued. And albeit the generall Husbandman must take
such a house as hee can conueniently get, and according to the custome
and abillitie of the soyle wherein he liueth, for many countries are
very much vnprouided of generall matter for well building: some wanting
timber, some stone, some lime, some one thing, some another: yet to that
Husbandman whom God hath enabled with power both of riches and euery
other necessary fit to haue all things in a comely conuenientnesse about
him, if he desire to plant himselfe decently and profitable, I would
then aduise him to chuse for his situation no high hill, or great
promontary (the seate of Princes Courts) where hee may be gazed vpon by
the eye of euery traueller, but some pretty hard knole of constant and
firme earth, rather assending then descending, free from the danger of
water, and being inuironed either with some pretty groues, of tall
young spiers, or else with rowes of greater timber, which besids the
pleasure and profit thereof (hauing wode so neare a mans dore) the
shelter will be most excellent to keepe off the bleaknesse of the sharpe
stormes and tempests in winter, and be an excellent wormestall for
cattell in the summer. This house would be planted, if possible, neare
to some riuer, or fresh running brooke, but by no meanes vpon the verge
of the riuer, nor within the danger of the ouerflow thereof: for the one
is subiect to too much coldnesse and moisture, the other to danger. You
shall plant the face, or forefront, of your house vpon the rising of the
Sunne, that the vigor of his warmth may at no time depart from some part
thereof, but that as he riseth on the oneside so he may set on the
other. You shall place the vpper or best end of your house, as namely,
where your dining Parlor and cheifest roomes are, which euer would haue
their prospect into your garden, to the South, that your buttery,
kitching and other inferiour offices may stand to the North, coldnesse
bringing vnto them a manifold benefit. Now touching the forme, fashion,
or modell of the house, it is impossible almost for any man to prescribe
a certaine forme, the world is so plentifull in inuention and euery mans
minde so much adicted to nouelty and curiouity, yet for as much as it is
most commended by the generall consent of all the auntients, and that
from the modell of that proportion may be contracted and drawne the most
curious formes that are almost at this day extant, I will commend vnto
you that modell which beareth the proportion of the Roman _H._ which as
it is most plaine of all other, and most easie for conuaiance, so if a
man vpon that plaine song, (hauing a great purse) will make descant,
there is no proportion in which he may with best ease show more
curiositie, and therefore for the plaine Husbandmans better
vnderstanding I will here shew him a _facsimile_ (for to adde a scale
were needlesse in this generall worke, all men not being desirous to
build of one bignesse) & this it is:
{Illustration}
Here you behould the modell of a plaine country mans house, without
plaster or imbosture, because it is to be intended that it is as well to
be built of studde and plaster, as of lime and stone, or if timber be
not plentifull it may be built of courser woode, and couered with lime
and haire, yet if a man would bestow cost in this modell, the foure
inward corners of the hall would be conuenient for foure turrets, and
the foure gauell ends, being thrust out with bay windowes might be
formed in any curious manner: and where I place a gate and a plaine
pale, might be either a tarrisse, or a gatehouse: of any fashion
whatsoeuer, besides all those windowes which I make plaine might be made
bay windowes, either with battlements, or without, but the scope of my
booke tendeth onely to the vse of the honest Husbandman, and not to
instruct men of dignitie, who in Architecture are able wonderfully to
controle me; therefore that the Husbandman may know the vse of this
_facsimile_, he shall vnderstand it by this which followeth.
_A._ Signifieth the great hall.
_B._ The dining Parlor for entertainment of strangers.
_C._ An inward closset within the Parlor for the Mistrisses vse, for
necessaries.
_D._ A strangers lodging within the Parlor.
_E._ A staire-case into the roomes ouer the Parlor.
_F._ A staire-case into the Good-mans roomes ouer the Kitchin and
Buttery.
_G._ The Skreene in the hall.
_H._ An inward cellar within the buttery, which may serue for a Larder.
_I._ The Buttery.
_K._ The Kitchin, in whose range may be placed a bruing lead, and
conuenient Ouens, the bruing vessels adioyning.
_L._ The Dairy house for necessary businesse.
_M._ The Milke house.
_N._ A faire sawne pale before the formost court.
_O._ The great gate to ride in at to the hall dore.
_P._ A place where a Pumpe would be placed to serue the offices of the
house.
{Illustration: This figure signifieth the dores of the house.}
{Illustration: This figure signifieth the windowes of the house.}
{Illustration: This figure signifieth the Chimnies of the house.}
Now you shall further vnderstand that on the South side of your house,
you shall plant your Garden and Orchard, as wel for the prospect thereof
to al your best roomes, as also because your house will be a defence
against the Northerne coldnesse, whereby your fruits will much better
prosper. You shall on the West side of your house, within your inward
dairy and kitchin court, fence in a large base court, in the midst
whereof would be a faire large Pond, well ston'd and grauelled in the
bottome, in which your Cattell may drinke, and horses when necessitie
shall vrge be washt: for I doe by no meanes alow washing of horses after
instant labour. Neere to this Pond you shall build your Doue-coate, for
Pigions delight much in the water: and you shall by no meanes make your
Doue-house too high, for Pigions cannot endure a high mount, but you
shall build it moderately, cleane, neate, and close, with water
pentisses to keepe away vermine. On the North side of your base-court
you shall build your Stables, Oxe-house, Cow-house, and Swine-coates,
the dores and windowes opening all to the South. On the South side of
the base-court, you shall builde your Hay-barnes, Corne-barnes,
pullen-houses for Hennes, Capons, Duckes, and Geese, your french Kilne,
and Malting flowres, with such like necessaries: and ouer crosse betwixt
both these sides, you shall build your bound houels, to cary your Pease,
of good and sufficient timber, vnder which you shall place when they are
out of vse your Cartes, Waynes, Tumbrels, Ploughs, Harrowes, and such
like, together with Plough timber, and axletrees: all which would very
carefully be kept from wet, which of all things doth soonest rot and
consume them. And thus much of the Husbandmans house, and the
necessaries there to belonging.