Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following

CHAP. II.

A briefe shew of that which shall more largely ••e described in that which followeth.

THe better to helpe the memorie, and as it were by the way of pointing out of our French Husbandrie, I will propound and set before you a champion place seated in such a coast or corner as you may find, not as you could chuse, and there wee will prepare, without extraordinarie costs or charges, a House with all such appurtenances (or verie neere such) as are fit and requisite for our time, as good Cato hath drawne and described for his, in that Treatise of Husbandrie set downe by him for the Commonwealth of the Romans: And in the same place we will entreat of the state and dutie of the Farmer, his Wife, his People, Cattell, flying Fowles, and such other things.

At the one side of this House, euen iust in the place whereupon the Sunne riseth, and in one part thereof wee will place the household garden, which neere vnto the borders of his quicke-set hedge shall containe a frame of Railes in forme of an Ar∣bor for Vines to runne vpon, for the furnishing of our household store with Veriuice, and other necessarie hearbes for the house: and we shall not altogether neglect or for∣get to prouide and plant in the same place hearbes sit for medicine. And yet fur∣thermore in this garden also you shall plant things to make your profit vpon, as Saf∣fron, Teazill, Woad, red Madder, Hempe, and Flaxe, if it seeme not better to re∣serue this part of Husbandrie for fields that are full of Fennes or waterish Places. In the other part wee shall make a garden for flowers and sweet smels, with his orna∣ments and quarters, garnished with many strange Trees. About the Hedge we shall set, for to make pottage withall, Pease, Beanes, and other sorts of Pulse, as also Me∣lons, Citrons, Cucumbers, Artichokes, and such like: in which place wee shall en∣treat of Bees.

Next to our gardens were must dresse some well-defenced piece of ground or greene plot for fruits, and there place our nurcerie for kernels and feeds, and there plant such stocks as whereon we intend to graft. After, or next hereto, our square of old growne trees, and such as haue beene transplanted, taken vp, and remoued: and together with these things we will write of Silkewormes, and prescribe the waies to distill Waters and Oyles, as also to make Cyders.

Next in order to our foresaid Greene plot, lying neere some one or other little Brooke, we are to lay our Medow Grounds, or Pastures for feeding, compassed a∣bout with Osier, Elme, Aller-tree, and Withie; and by the borders of such Hedge we will prouide some Poole of standing water or running Spring: and next in or∣der to these, the great and large Medowes for the prouision and reuenues of the Lord.

Betwixt the South and the North we will appoint▪ and set downe Corne-grounds, and teach how to measure them, and describe their fashion and manner of ••illing▪ in which place wee will speake of making and baking of Bread; and ouer and a∣boue the moitie or halfe part of a hanging thing, and the moitie of a Butt or little Hill.

In the place which is neerest vnto the South, we will plant the Vine, and withall declare the ordering of the same: Wee will speake of Vintage, and the making of common and medicinable Wines. And thereto wee will adde the diuers sorts of Wines which grow in our Countrey of France.

Betwixt the North and the East we will place our Warren, either vpon some Hill, or in some other place fit to hunt in, and in the higher grounds wee will plant small Wood and great Timber-trees: not forgetting, in the meane time, any thing which may appertaine to the ordering and gouerning of Wood, or concerning Carpentrie. We will also make mention of Parkes for wild Beasts, of the hunting of them, but that in a few words (for there is no need that a good Householder should trouble his braine with much hunting) and of the breeding of Herons. Finally, we will briefe∣ly describe the order and manner of taking of Birds. So that after all these things, there shall not much remaine further to be added hereunto, either concerning the pleasure or prof••t of a Countrey Farme, especially such a one as a man ought to de∣sire, which would liue carefully, and within the compasse of reason, vpon the labou∣ring of his Land.

Notes

• The Summe of the first Booke.
• The S••mme of the second Booke
• The Summe of the third Booke.
• The Summe of the fourth Book.
• The Summe of the fi•••• Booke.
• The Summe of the sixt Booke.
• The Summe of the seventh Booke.