The Middle-English translation of Palladius De Re Rustica
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VI. MAY.
De panico & milio & feno recidendo. Primum ca m. [fol. 88.]
At May in placis that ben colde & wete, *. [1 Initial embraces 5 verses.]
Panyk & mylde in their maner is sowe. *. [2 In right margin: 54; h.]
Now euery grayne almeest hath floures swete:
Vntouched now the tilman let hem growe.
Barly & whete & sengul seedes owe [ 5]
Viij dayes floure & xl dayes grete 1. [grandescere.]
Withouten flour, ripnesse 2. [maturitate.] vntil they gete.
Al doubil seed, as benes 3. [fabe.], peses 4. [pisa.] be,
And other puls 5. [ligumina (sic).], a xl dayes floure,
And greteth with. In places nygh the see, [ 10]
In places drie & colde, now tyme and houre
Is hey to mowe. And yf the rayn bishoure,
Wende hit not til hit be parfit drie.
Now to the vyne is efte to haue an eye.
De nouelle sarmentis reliquendis. ij ca m.
Consider now sarmentes 6. [scions.] tender, yonge, [ 15]
And leue a fewe of hem that saddest be,
And holde her armes vp til they be stronge.
A yong vyne hath ynowe on ij or iij
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Armes; and swethed hem to geder se,
Lest wyndes rude hem breke & ouerthrowe, [ 20]
And no mater be lefte on hem to growe.
This mone is ek for pampinacioun
Conuenient—void leves puld to be;
But sette vppon this occupacioun
Whil that me may with no difficulte [ 25]
With fyngres lightly twyk hem from the tre.
This craft wol fede vp grapes fatte & grete
And Phebus wol go ripe hem with his hete.
De proscindendis et aperiendis nouis agris. iij ca m. [fol. 88a.]
Now feeldes fatte in herbes ouergrowe
Is good to plowe, and leyes vp to breke. [ 30]
Se whether drie or weet, or playn or rowe
Hit be, or ful of bosh or stones steke.
Let diche hit deep that humour out may leke,
If hit be weet. A comyn diche in kynde
To make is lighter then the diches blynde. [ 35]
A forgh 1. [sulcum.] iij footes deep thy londes thorgh,
With grauel or with litel pibbul stonys
Vnto the mydward fild ayeyn this forgh,
And euen therthe aboue ascaunz her noon is,
And thus do efte as ofte as good to doon is. [ 40]
But hede hit that the hedes of hem alle,
Into sum gret diche picchelonges falle;
Thumour 2. [humor.] shal passe and thus thi lond be saued. *. [43 Ms. T. thus shal, B omits thus. ‖ Ms. and lond, B and thus thi lande.]
And stones yf thee lacketh, this is boote:
Sarment, or stre, or loppe in hit be graued. [ 45]
If ther be treen, vpstocke hem by the roote;
Her oon, ther oon, to leue afer remote
I holde hit good. If hit be ful of stonys,
ffor closure of thy feeld, better stuf noon is.
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Haue up this stones; storne vnto the wallis, [ 50]
They may thy feeld vnkomber & defende.
If risshes, gresse, or fern inwith this wal is,
With eryng ofte her lyues wol be spende.
Lupyne or benes sowen ofte, anende
Of hem wol make, yf euer as they springe [ 55] *. [55 Ms. euery, B euer.]
Her hedes with a sikel of thou flynge.
De ablaqueatis arboribus occandis et cetera. iiij ca m.
Now vyne and tre that were ablaqueate, [fol. 89.]
To couer hem hit is conuenient.
Now as the treen beth cladde in her estate
ffor gutteryng 1. [ruderibus.] to hewe is and to hent. [ 60]
A comyn busshel gret circumferent,
Or litel lesse, oon of thi workers falle
That kunyngest is of his felous alle.
The semynair is doluen in this mone
Al bisily. In places ouer colde [ 65]
And pluuyous, olyues is to done
To kitte, and mosse 2. [muscus.] awey be rased wolde. *. [67 awey] e altered from a.]
The feeld ek now, ther as me sowe shulde
Lupyn for dongyng lond, to plowe hit nede is.
Now turne ayeyn to gardeyn sowyng seedys: [ 70] *. [70 seedys] d like a in ycalde III 891.]
De spacijs ortorum pastinandis & seminibus serendis. v ca m.
The spaces that in heruest sowe or sede
Me wol, may best ha now their pastynynge.
Now ache is sowe, and how, biforn take heede. *. [73 In right margin: 72. h.]
Melouns & coriaunder sowen, sprynge.
Of gourdes 3. [cucurbite.], tasyl 4. [cardui.], radish, now sowyng [ 75]
Is good. Now rue is sette, and now transplaunte
A leek, so drynk vpbolde hym forto avaunte.
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De pomis florentibus et cetera. vj capitulum.
In places hoot now pomgarnates 1. [mala punica.] floure 2. [florere.],
That Marcial a meruayl doth of telle. *. [79 Right margin: The same afore: 60, d.]
Into a potte of erthe enduce a floure 3. [florem.] [ 80]
Vppon his bough doun bounden ther to dwelle.
To fillyng of this pott the fruyt wol swelle
By heruest tyme; and than his magnitude
By brekyng of this pot me may disclude.
In londes hoot the peches 4. [persicus.] in this mone [fol. 89a.] [ 85]
Emplastred are, and now in londes colde
The citurtre 5. [citrum.] to tile is good to done
In diuers wise, as is tofore ytolde. *. [88 Left margin: 61, d & cetera, per tota.]
Now zizifus & figtre forto holde,
Men sette or graffe in colde or chillyng londe. [ 90]
The palme ek now men setteth forth to stonde.
De castrandis vitulis & cetera. vij capitulum.
Now Mago seith is good castracioun *. [92 Mago] glossed pro nomen (for praenomen?) or perhaps pro nota.]
Of litel veles 6. [vitulorum.] whil their age is tender.
fferul 7. [ferulam.] to cleve an occupacioun
Be first, and presse in hit their stones slender; [ 95]
So wole they dwyne away that shulde engender.
In veer and heruest ek spryngyng the mone,
Is best, as seith this Mago, this to done.
Other with tynnen tonges 8. [stagneis forcipibus.] take her strynges,
ffirst bounden lest they nold not graunte hem leve 9. [licenciam.]. [ 100]
And feire of with a knyf they cutte her thinges 10. [s. testiculos.].
But sumdel on the strynges heed they leue 11. [dimittunt.];
This stauncheth blood and al wol not bireue
Her stordy myght. Her woundes let enlyne
With aske of wyne, and with spume argentyne 12. [spuma argenti.]. [ 105]
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With abstynence of drynk and litel mete,
After this feest, as fede hem daies thre
Grene herbes; croppes swettest let hem ete,
And bowes softe and toppe of tender tre *. [109 Ms. toppes, B toppe.]
Bidewed or biwet whether hit be. [ 110]
Tar mixt with aske and oil after iij dayes
Ennoynte his wounde, & saaf thi beest for ay is.
Castracioun in better wise is founde [fol. 90.]
In dayes late: as first a beest to bynde,
And, bounden so, to holde hym fast to grounde, [ 115]
And streyne in tre the witnes of his kynde,
And with a brennyng ax away bihynde
To hewe hem bothe. Or haue a thing therfore
Maad like a swerd this folk away to score.
This yron maad, thi rewle of tre ley to [ 120]
This thingis streit, and with this brennyng yre
So smyte hem of, quycly that hit be do:
So wol the wo be short of litel yre.
Ek skyn and strynges seryng so tenfire
Vpstauncheth blood, and closith so the wounde [ 125]
That, saue a cicatrice, is nought yfounde.
De tonsuris ouium. viij capitulum.
Now sheep beth shorn in placis temporate.
[ffor] sheep yshorn make vncture of lupynys. *. [128 Ms. omits for, B for. ‖ vncture] cture over erasure.]
The Iuce of hit decoct le[y] first therate *. [129 Ms. le, B omits ley.]
With dreggis bothe of oyie and aged wynys, [ 130]
Of iche yliche; a thing for sheep this fyn is.
Herwith ennoynte hem alle, and aftir thre
Dayes let ouer wasshe hem in the see.
And yf the see be fer, licour of heuen
With litil salt decoct, this beest ennoynte. [ 135]
Out wasshe of hit, but do this long er euen,
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And ouer yeer they wol been in good poynte
Withouten scorf or scalle in cors or ioynte.
Also they shal ha softe encrisped wolle
And wondirly prolonged at the fulle. [ 140]
De casio faciendo. Nonum capitulum. [fol. 90a.]
Alfresh the mylk is crodded now to chese 1. [caseum.]
With crudde of kyde, or lambe, other of calf,
Or flour of tasul 2. [cardui.] wilde. Oon of hem chese 3. [elige.],
Or that pellet 4. [pelliculam.] that closith eueryhalf 5. [vndique.]
The chike or pyiounerawe, hool either half. [ 145]
With figtre mylk 6. [lacte ficulneo.], fresh mylk also wol turne.
Then wringe hit, presse hit, vndir poundes storne;
And, sumdel sadde, vpdo hit in a colde
Place other derk; and aftir vnder presse
Constreyne hit efte, and salt aboute hit folde: [ 150]
So sadder yet, let saddest hit compresse. *. [151 let] added above in different (?) hand, B omits.]
When hit is wel confourmed to sadnesse,
On fleykes logge hem, vche oon so from other
That nere a sistir touche nere a brother.
But ther the place is cloos, is hem tenclude, [ 155]
And holde out wynde, although he rowne or crie:
So wol their fatnesse and teneritude
With hem be stille. And yf a chese is drie,
Hit is a uice, and so is many an iye *. [159 Ms. auice, B avyce.]
If hit see with—that comth yf sonnyng brendde, [ 160]
Or mych of salt or lite of presse hit shende.
Another in fresh mylk to make of chese
Pynuttis 7. [nucleos pincos, wrongly placed over Another in 162.] grene ystamped wol be do;
Another wol ha tyme a man to brese, *. [164 Ms. aman to presse, B a m. to brese.]
And clensed often, Iuce of hit do to [ 165]
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To turne hit with. To sauour so or so
Hit may be maad with puttyng to pygment,
Or pepur, or sum other condyment.
De examinibus apum augmentatis. x capitulum. [fol. 91.]
Of been the swarmys now bigynne encrese, *. [169 Ms. of b. now the s. bigynne, B of b. the s. nowe b.]
Now in the honycombe is bred the bee, [ 170]
The grete bridde—and kynges douteless *. [171 Ms. doutless, B doutelees.]
Men sayn they been, but Grekis sayn they be
Clept oestros—and good is hem to sle,
ffor they the swarm vnrestith, so they crie.
Now as is taught [yit] sle the buttirflye. [ 175] *. [175 Ms. omits yit, B yit slee. ‖ Right margin: 75, e]
De pauimentis in solarijs faciendis. xj ca m.
At Mayes eende a solar is to paue,
And rather not, lest frostis hit enfeete.
A double cours of boording first hit haue,
Oon transuersal, another cours directe.
With chaf or fern this boordis do be tecte, [ 180]
And therupon do stonys hondful grete,
And wel foottempred morter theron trete.
Then with a barre 1. [vecte.] inbete hit, batte hit ofte,
And playne hit rough; but er hit fully drie,
Brik bipedal chaneled 2. [canaculatum (canaliculatum).] bringe on lofte, [ 185]
This floor that be suffising forto wrie.
The chanels fynger gret thou most espie
On eueryhalf this brik too feet of brede,
That lyme and oil the ioynt to gidre lede.
This scyment, brik, stoon, cley, togeder drie [ 190]
And knytte into oon, til [n]oon humour be thrynne. *. [191 noon] Ms. oon, B noon.]
Now yote on that scyment clept testacye 3. [testacium.]
Six fynger thikke, and yerdis is no synne
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To alto flappe hit with. Now brode & thynne
Tilette 1. [tesellas.] or tabulette 2. [tabulas.] of marbul stoon [ 195]
Empresse, and neuer shal this werk agoon. *. [196 Right margin: yperbole.]
De lateribus faciendis. Duodecimum capitulum. [fol. 91a.]
Now brik is maad of white erthe or rubrike
Or cley 3. [creta.], for that is maad in somer heete *. [198 Ms. ffor.]
To sone is drie, and forto chyne is like.
Thus make hem: sifted 4. [cribratum.] erthe and chaf 5. [paleas.] to trete [ 200]
And tempre longe, and, fourmed, sonne outswete
Thumour; turne hem; too feet long euery brik
Be and oon foote brood, iiij vnches thik.
De rosato. xiij ca m. De oleo liliacio. xiiij ca m.
In sestres sixe of oold wyn, purged rose,
Thre dayes first, v pound is forto do; [ 205]
The xxxth day x pound hony dispose
In hit, wel scomed 6. [despumati.] first, and vse hit so.
Take x pound oyl; x lilies therto
Be do, and xl daies sette hit throute 7. [sub diuo.]
In glaas 8. [vitro.], & maad hit is, no lenger doute. [ 210]
De oleo roseo. xv ca m. De rodomelle. xvj ca m.
In euery pound of oil an vnce of rose
Ypurged putte, and hange hit dayes seuen
In sonne and mone, and after Oilderose 9. [oleum roseum.]
Me may baptize and name hit cording euen. *. [214 Ms. acording, B cording.]
And xl dayes to biholde on heuen, [ 215]
In Iuce of rose a sester that wel smelle,
A pound hony, and name hit rodomelle.
De rosis viridibus seruandis. xvij ca m.
Take roses that bigynneth forto vnclose. *. [218 Rubric] Ms. seruendis, B servandis.]
And cleue a reed that stont & growith grene;
Do theym theryn and let hit on hem close; [ 220]
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Thus til thee list, hem wol this reed sustene.
Other condite hem kepe in pottes clene
With pyk munyte & couching throute 1. [sub diuo.] alway.
August in houris cordyng is with May.
De horis Maij et Augusti. xviij capitulum. [fol. 92.]
Half pryme hath xxiij feet, and pryme [ 225]
Hath xiiij, and half vndron hath but ix; *. [226 Lat. Hora II et X, pedes XIII.]
High vndron vj, and iiij hath mydday tyme,
And noon hath iij. Now Phebus wol declyne
Tort Occident, and lenger lemys 2. [vel lemys (? for bemys as in B).] shyne. *. [229 Left margin: sincopa.]
Thyn afternoon to thy fornoon confourme [ 230]
In feet from hour tyl hour, as is the fourme.
Deo gracias.
Lo May is ronne away in litil space—
The tonge is short, and longe is his sentence.
fforride y se my gide and hym y trace,
As he as swyft to be yit y dispence. [ 235]
O Sone o[f] God allone, o Sapience, *. [236 Ms. o, B of.]
O Hope, of synys drope or fraude immuyn,
Louynge y to The synge as my science
Kan do, and forth y go to werk At Iuyn.
