_Of the seuerall parts and members of an ordinarie Plough, and of the
ioyning of them together._
If a workeman of any trade, or mistery, cannot giue directions how, and
in what manner, the tooles where with he worketh should be made or
fashioned, doubtlesse hee shall neuer worke well with them, nor know
when they are in temper and when out. And so it fareth with the
Husbandman, for if hee know not how his Plough should be made, nor the
seuerall members of which it consisteth, with the vertue and vse of
euery member, it is impossible that euer hee should make a good furrow,
or turne ouer his ground in Husbandly manner: Therefore that euery
Husbandman may know how a well shaped Plough is made, he shall
vnderstand that the first member thereof, as being the strongest and
most principallest peece of timber belonging to the same, is called the
Plough-beame, being a large long peece of timber much bending, according
to the forme of this figure.
{Illustration}
This beame hath no certaine length nor thicknesse, but is proportioned
according to the ground, for if it be for a clay ground the length is
almost seauen foote, if for any other mixt or lighter earth, then fiue
or sixe foote is long inough.
The second member or part of the Plough, is called the skeath, and is a
peece of woode of two foote and a halfe in length, and of eight inches
in breadth, and two inches in thicknesse: it is driuen extreamly hard
into the Plough-beame, slopewise, so that ioyned they present this
figure.
{Illustration}
The third part is called the Ploughes principall hale, and doth belong
to the left hand being a long bent peece of woode, some what strong in
the midst, and so slender at the vpper end that a man may easily gripe
it, which being fixed with the rest presenteth this figure.
{Illustration}
The fourth part is the Plough head, which must be fixed with the sheath
& the head all at one instant in two seuerall mortisse holes: it is a
flat peece of timber, almost three foote in length if it be for clay
ground, otherwise shorter, of breadth seauen inches, and of thicknesse
too inches and a halfe, which being ioyned to the rest presenteth this
figure.
{Illustration}
The fift part is the Plough spindels, which are two small round pieces
of woode, which coupleth together the hales, as in this figure.
{Illustration}
The sixt part is the right hand hale, through which the other end of the
spindels runne, and is much slenderer then the left hand hale, for it is
put to no force, but is onely a stay and aide to the Plough houlder when
hee cometh to heauy, stiffe, and strong worke, and being ioyned with the
rest presenteth this figure.
{Illustration}
The seauenth part is the Plough-rest, which is a small peece of woode,
which is fixt at one end in the further nicke of the Plough head, and
the other end to the Ploughs right-hand hale, as you may see by this
figure.
{Illustration}
The eight part is called the shelboard, and is a broad board of more
then an inche thicknesse, which couereth all the right side of the
Plough, and is fastned with two strong pinnes of woode through the
sheath, and the right-hand hale, according to this figure.
{Illustration}
The ninth part is the coulture, which is a long peece of Iron, made
sharpe at the neather end, and also sharpe on one side and being for a
stiffe clay it must be straight without bending, which passeth by a
mortisse-hole through the beame, and to this coulture belongeth an Iron
ring, which windeth about the beame and keepeth it in strength from
breaking as may appeare by this figure.
{Illustration}
The tenth part of a compleate Plough, is the share; which is fixed to
the Plough head, and is that which cutteth and turneth vp the earth: if
it be for a mixt earth then it is made without a wing, or with a very
small one, but if it be for a deepe, or stiffe clay, then it is made
with a large wing, or an outward point, like the figure following.
{Illustration}
The eleuenth part of a perfect Plough is called the Plough foote, and is
through a mortisse-hole fastned at the farre end of all the beame with a
wedge or two, so as the Husbandman may at his discretion set it higher
or lower, at his pleasure: the vse of it is to giue the Plough earth, or
put it from the earth, as you please, for the more you driue it
downeward, the more it raiseth the beame from the ground, and maketh the
Irons forsake the earth, and the more you driue it vpward the more it
letteth downe the beame, and so maketh the Irons bite the sorer; the
figure whereof is this.
{Illustration}
Thus haue you all the parts and members of a Plough, and how they be
knit and ioyned together, wherein I would wish you to obserue to make
your Plough-wright euer rather giue your Plough land then put her from
the land, that is, rather leaning towards the earth and biting sore,
then euer slipping out of the ground: for if it haue two much earth the
Husbandman may help it in the houlding, but if it haue too little, then
of necessitie it must make foule worke: but for as much as the error and
amends lye both in the office of the Plough-wright, I will not trouble
the Husbandman with the reformation thereof.
Now you shall vnderstand that there is one other thing belonging to the
Plough, which albe it be no member thereof, yet is it so necessary that
the Husbandman which liueth in durty and stiffe clayes can neuer goe to
Plough without it, and it is called the Aker-staffe, being a pretty
bigge cudgell, of about a yarde in length, with an Iron spud at the end,
according to this figure:
{Illustration}
This Akerstaffe the Husbandman is euer to carry within his Plough, and
when at any time the Irons, shelboard, or Plough, are choaked with durt,
clay, or filth, which will cling about the ould stubble, then with this
Akerstaffe you shall put the same off (your Plough still going) and so
keepe her cleane and smooth that your worke may lye the handsomer; and
this you must euer doe with your right hand: for the Plough choaketh
euer on the shelboard side, and betweene the Irons. And thus much
touching the perfect Plough, and the members thereof.