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

THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE. (Book 4)

That there are two sorts of Medowes.

CHAP. I.

Of Medowes: and their difference.

IN our former Treatise wee haue runne through those things which belong vnto the husbanding and ordering of Gar∣dens and Orchards, and now it requireth, that wee speake of Medow Grounds, vvhereupon consisteth the greatest meanes of feeding and bringing vp of Cattell, to the end wee may perfect and accomplish our fore-appointed pur∣pose. The thing therefore, called in our French tongue Pr••, may seeme to be borrowed from the old word Prat, and both of them to signifie and point out a thing that is readie and prest to doe the Master of the Farme and Farmer seruice, without putting him to anie paines, in respect of the labouring or husbanding of them: but this must be vnderstood of Medowes hauing their prey and maintenance about them; namely, such as are those which are fed and watered with the Marne on the one side, and the Riuer Aube on the other, which is about some hundred and fiftie leagues of square Countrey: as also those about the Riuer called Veselle, which of all others doth most abound in Medowes. It is in like manner in the free and reclaimed grounds from Barle-du•• to Vitrye in Partois, and from Louemont to Vassie in Thierache, all along the little Blondelle, as also a∣long the great and small Morin, in our Country of Beauuoisis. Such medow grounds doe not ••eare stormes and tempests, as Gardens and other arable grounds doe: but with little cost and charges they yeeld their double reuenue and profit euerie yeare; the one of Hay, the other of Pasture. Medowes are of two sorts: the one drie, the other ••oist. The drie craueth not the helpe of anie water to be watered withall, ex∣cept the raine, because it is in a fat place, and where it hath full store of refreshing ••uice: and in such places Hay doth grow of his owne accord, and that a great deale better than where it is forced by casting of water vpon it. The moist medowes haue also seldome anie need of watering, because, most commonly, they lye alongst the bankes of some great or small Riuers, which feedeth and nourisheth them: as those which lye here in France, by the Riuers of Marne, Aube, Blondile, and Morin: and in England, by the Riuers of Thames, Trent, Seauerne, Auon, Teame, Ouze, Wye, and such like: and these medowes are, for the most part, plaine and leuell grounds,

because the inundations of these Riuers washing them ouer at least once or twice euerie Winter, the Moal••s, and other silthie vermine, which hurt the earth, are de∣stroyed, and these Medowes are euer more fruitfull and more aboundant in their en∣crease than the higher Medowes are, but the grasse is nothing neere so sweet and so pleasant, neither feedeth so soundly, nor so suddenly: Whence it commeth, that the husbandman keepeth his high-land hay for his cattell which are to be sed, and his low-ground hay for those which worke.

CHAP. II.

What grounds are good for Medowes: and how to make new Medowes.

THe ground that is fat and full of iuice, although it be nothing at all hel∣ped either by small Riuer or Brooke, is good to bring forth hay, so that▪ such place be not exceeding farre from some small Brooke, standing water, or little Riuer: or, at the least, that it be moist at the bottome, and such, as wherein, if that one make a reasonable deepe ditch, he may find good store of water: for moisture is one of the nurses of hay. Where such ••at and iuice∣ground is not, there may Medow ground be made, of what manner of earth soeuer it be, whether it be a strong, slight, or leane earth, so that you haue close by it but this one commoditie of a little Brooke to water it, and that the field lye somewhat sloping or descending, not verie low, nor verie flat, as wherein the raine water, or other of anie small Riuer, taking sometimes ouer the same, doe not vse to dwell and stand anie long time, but passeth and runneth away faire and softly, without anie ••arrying. Wherefore I agree and must needs confesse, that some grounds are not so sit and profitable as othersome for the receiuing of Hay-seed, as those which through the neerenesse of some great Flouds, and Pooles, Lakes, and great large Waters, are oftentimes ouerflowne and couered with aboundance of water, which in Winter drowneth the grounds: Whereupon it commeth to passe, that the hay is nothing fine or delightsome vnto beasts, but great, and full of stumpie stalk: a broad grasse also, and nothing pleasing their taste. But howsoeuer it is, the hay of stan∣ding waters, ill husbanded and corrupted, as also the hay which naturally grow••th thereabout, and by the large borders of Lakes, is not such as the fine mouthed beast can delight in, as neither that which is gathered in grounds bordering vpon the Sea, as with the salt and nitrous rellish whereof the appetites of Cattell are ouer∣throwne, not being accustomed thereunto: besides that, the verie grasse it selfe is more ranke and vnsauourie than the common sort of grasse is, and in taste verie vnlike it.

Yet this holdeth not generally: for these low Medowes,* 1.1 and those which border on the Sea, are oftentimes the best of all other, and feed with greater expedition than any other hay whatsoeuer: as witnesseth manie of those salt marishes, which are the most chiefe nurceries and bringers forth of fat cattell that are knowne, and especially Sheepe, which neuer are knowne to rot vpon the same. And of all cattell which ••eed vpon hay, none is so daintie and choice in its taste, as the Sheepe is: for hee must haue it both sweet, short, and soft: So that by that beast onely it may be seene, that those low Medowes are not euer vnprofitable. And indeed to conclude, there is not any ground which will beare grasse, but by industrie, manure, and much rest, may be brought to beare reasonable good hay, if not to feede, yet to keepe cattell in good p••••ght, and make them goe through with their labours soundly: which is as great a profit to the husbandman as the office of grazing, and more properly belon∣ging to his profession.

Wherefore if you would make new Medowes,* 1.2 make choice of the best ground you can: this ground you shall lay fallow, and let lye idle a whole Summer: then in Autumne after you shall turne vp and plow the same ground, often sowing therein, for the first yeare, Turneps or Nauets, Millet, Beanes, or Oats, and the yeare following with Wheat: then the third yeare you shall labour it diligently, and sow it with Fet∣ches mixt with Hay-seeds: and after this, you shall mow and order it as other old Me∣dowes, as we will declare by and by.

Yet for the sowing of these manie Graines so manie yeares one after another, it is not altogether so necessarie: for though it may be vsed in some barren Countries, be∣cause Turneps, Nauers, and Fetches are enrichers, and (as it were) manurings of the ground, and the Oates a great breeder of grasse; yet if you onely,* 1.3 when you intend to lay a ground of grasse, doe but the last yeare cast downe the furrowes, and lay the lands as flat as you can, and then onely sow cleane Oates vpon the same, it will be as fully sufficient as all the former labour, and altogether as fruitfull, if the husband∣man slacke not his labour herein, but giue it such needfull seconds as the soyle shall require.

CHAP. III.

What manner of Husbandrie is required about Medowes.

SVch as obstinately defend and maintaine,* 1.4 that there is not anie paines or labour to be vsed about Medowes, seeme vnto me (vnder correction) void of all sound iudgement: for euerie where, in processe of time, the earth becommeth wearie, and standeth in need to be refreshed in some parts of it, yea, to be sowne againe, and fashioned, if need be, especially in feeding grounds, and Medowes, appointed for pasture for horned beasts: for such cattell as beare Wooll, doe not desire wa••••ie places (as Medowes would be) but being con∣tented with Shepheards, graze along by the wayes, and vpon the plowed grounds. And as for your heards of young Horses and Asses, they feed naturally and commo∣diously with your other cattell. Yea furthermore, I haue seene in Campaine, as it should be about Pont vpon Seine, a Medow countrey, the Geese and Turkies daily and ordinarily driuen to the pasture, for the sauing of charges at home: which thing would not agree well about the places of Monfort l'Amaurye, where is kept some part of the Kings breed of Horses and Mares; for the downe, and other feathers of those fowles, as also their dung, would make these sorts of beasts sicke, euen Horse, Mare, Mule, or Asse.

Besides, according to the opinion of all good husbandmen,* 1.5 these fowles are of all creatures the most preiudiciall that may be, not onely to Medow grounds, but also to all manner of Pas••ure grounds whatsoeuer: for besides the annoyance which their feathers and downe make, their dung is so poysonous vnto the earth, that it makes it barren, and forceth it to bring forth nothing but Goose-grasse, which is such a sowre and vnwholesome weed, that no beast will touch it, and which, in short space, will ouer-runne a great deale of ground, and make it vtterly vselesse: there∣fore euerie husband must be carefull to keepe these fowles both from his Medowes and his feeding Pastures.

But whatsoeuer others say or doe,* 1.6 sure I am, that a good Farmer must not neglect his Medow ground, seeing the husbanding of them is a matter more of care than of paine and labour: For the first care must be to keepe it that it grow not with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and thornes, or great high stalkes of other hearbes, all which would be pul∣led vp by the roots in Autumne, or before Winter, as bushes, brambles, and rushes: some other of them in the Spring, as Succories, Hemlocke, and such other weeds,

which are vnprofitable for the feeding of the heards of Horses and Mares. Likewise there must not be left in them anie stones,* 1.7 nor yet anie other thing, that may hinder the digging of them, when the earth is to be stirred. The ground being freed of stones, shall be made euen and smooth verie handsomely in the Winter time, and af∣ter that, tilled and turned ouer verie diligently and ••inely with the plough, and after harrowed,* 1.8 especially that which is leane, and lying with some descent, but not watred otherwise than the raine vseth to water it. It must be dunged also in Ianua••ie and Fe∣bruarie, when the Moone is in the encrease, that so it may be fatted, and store of iuice brought into it for the growing of grasse. The best manuring that can be bestowed vpon it,* 1.9 is fine crumbling earth mixt with dung, which will doe it more good than the best and purest dung that you can find in your Neat-house. For the making here∣of, you must gather in Summer the dust that is by the high wayes most haunted, and mingle the same with the dung of cattell, the ••ilth and sweepings of the house, the dyrt of the streets, the parings of the house, and the great and little Court, the dung of Hennes and Pigeons, Oxe-dung, Horse-dung, and all other such excrements, which must be let incorporate and mingle together the whole Winter, vntill such time as this matter, watered with water, and throughly pierced with the frost, be sufficiently ripened. This mixture when it is spread, entreth better below into the earth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dung alone, and also incorporateth it selfe better with the earth. But aboue all, there is no dung more excellent for Medow grounds, than the rotten staddell or bottomes of Hay-mowes,* 1.10 or Hay-stackes, which, putrified with the moisture of the earth, lookes mouldie blacke, and most filthie; and with this, if you mixe the sweepings of the Hay-barne floore, and the scattered seedes which fall from the Hay when it is shaked vp or bound into bottles, it will be a great deale the better, and the earth will put forth his encrease in much more plentie. These Medow grounds must also be verie well drained from water, if they be subiect thereunto, and sluces and draines* 1.11 made either by plough, spade, or other instrument, which may conuey it from one sluce to another, till it fall into some ditch or riuer: for as the sudden washing of the earth fatteneth and enricheth the same, by reason of the mud, slime, and other fat sub∣stances which it leaueth behind it; so the long abiding of the water vpon it, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the soyle, rots the roots of the grasse, and either makes it vtterly barren, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it to a bogge-myre: Nay, where the water lyes long vpon the ground, there it will ••ome the grasse to reed, rushes, or other vnprofitable weeds: therefore by all meanes preuent the continuance of flouds, and onely esteeme of a gentle washing, and no more. A∣gaine, in your Medow grounds you must be exceeding carefull to know the good∣nesse or badnesse of the same: as, which is fruitfull, which barren, which quicke of growth, which slow, which will beare but one entire crop, and which two, and accor∣dingly you must lay them, that is giue them time of rest for growth; as thus: If your ground be verie fruitfull and rich, yet through the coldnesse of the clyme will not beare aboue one crop, it shall not be needfull for you to lay it before May day: but if it be but of a reasonable fruitfulnesse, then you may lay it at the Annuntiation of our Ladie: but if it be verie hard and barren, then it is best to lay it at Candle••••ss, that it may haue the vttermost of the Spring & Summer to grow in: also, if it be exceeding fertile, and so warme and close couched, that it will beare two croppes, then you shall lay it at Candlemas, that you may cut it at the end of May and the midst of Septem∣ber; for to cut it after that time, is both ill husbandrie, and profitlesse: for howsoeuer men may be opinioned, either through custome, or the imitation of their neighbors, yet they shall find it most certaine, that the hay, how good soeuer the growth be, yet if it want the Sunne and kindly withering, it can neuer be good either to feed or su∣staine nature with: but hauing the iuice rotting and not dried within it, becommeth black, vnpleasant, and unwholesome, insomuch, that the worst straw is better than the best of such hay: therefore let euerie husbandman haue a great care to the good and kindly withering of his hay, and esteeme euer the qualitie before the quantitie. After Medowes are laid, then the husbandman shall haue a great care to his ••ences, least ei∣ther his owne, or other mens cattell, by day or night breake into the same, for they may

doe him more iniurie in an houre than they can doe him profit in a moneth: for the young and tender grasse, if it be nipt or bitten at the first springing, hardly after pros∣pereth, till the sythe haue cut it: for it is with grasse as with stronger plants, which if they be nipt or bitten, forthwith loose the beautie of their flourishing, and groweth not straight or vpright, but low, crooked, and ill-fauoredly, neither to fast as before it did, but verie slowly, and manie times without seed: therefore by all meanes pre∣uent the cropping of your Medowes, by cattell at their first springing. Also, if you haue anie riuers, ditches, or small rundles, which butt vpon your Medowes, you shall at such time as you lay your Medowes, be sure to cleanse and scoure them both of weeds, madde, and other filth, that shall anie way cloy or fill them, that the water may thereby haue a more free passage and a larger receit to receiue and conuey away anie floud which shall happen: for after your Medowes begin to grow, if anie floud shall come vpon them, the sand and other filth will fasten to the rootes, and lye vpon the grasse in such manner, that not being able to be cleansed by anie husbandrie, it will make the hay vtterly vnwholesome, so that lying in the stomacks of the beasts, it will engender manie mortall and pestilent diseases. And herein is also to be noted, that the mudde and other compasse which you shall take out of these riuers or ditches, would be spread vpon the Medowes, and when it is drie, with small clotting maules be bea∣ten as small as dust; for this is also an excellent maner of manuring your Medowes.

CHAP. IIII.

What must be sowne in the Medowes.

THe way then to reforme the old and drie consumed places of your Me∣dow,* 1.12 if they be become hoarie & rotten, must be by sowing them in the Spring with good Hay-seed, which is the Medow Clauer, which is cal∣led in some places Sops in wine, by reason of the flower,* 1.13 which is an hearb which men in times past made great account of, sowing it by it selfe as the Fetch is wont to be sowne, and they did sow it in Ianuarie, as Cato and Palladius* 1.14 doe report. The maner of sowing it shal be set downe in the fifth Booke, in the handling of Pulse. Likewise the seed of Gallion or petty Mugguet, wild Fetch, and Hauer-grasse, which the Latine Poet calleth properly barren Oates. Againe, the small wild Mallow is not amisse, neither the little Crowfoot, foreseene it be not that with the bulbous root, that is to say, the Crowfoot hauing a round root like an Onions, because that is venimous for the beast, but it must be that Crowfoot which hath a hairie and threadie root. The two-fold Satyrion is good in some place where it groweth naturally: so likewise is the Hyacinth, the one of them being of a blew flower, the other of a purple, herein diffe∣ring from the Satyrion, which is more cut & diuided into small buds, as likewise more fragrant. It is not good that there should be any great store of Plantaine,* 1.15 except it be that of the least sort, called Birds-toong. The wild Carret,* 1.16 especially that, which in the midst of the white flower, in the round broad tuft, beareth a sweet smelling seed; being rubd in the hand, like vnto graines of Paradise, & of the same colour: as likewise wild Wound-wort (which Dioscorides calleth Hercules his wound-wort* 1.17) is very good, fore∣seene that it grow not too great. Germander* 1.18 likewise is good, being called of the Gre∣cians small Oake, by reason of the figure of the lease. Little Rampions* 1.19 likewise is very good, because of the root, which helpeth forth Lent sallads as wel as the Cresses: wild Saffron* 1.20 is not good, because of his flower, seeing both the root and it doe kill beasts, euen as Hemlock doth, which is called Birds-bane: neither yet water Pepper, as being venimous through his heat, and vsing to grow only in standing & stinking waters, as laughing Smallage doth,* 1.21 called Herba Sardonica, because it maketh men and beasts to seeme to laugh when it killeth them: in like maner, wild Woad, Bucks-beard, Harts∣tong, wild & low growing All-good, both sorts of Violets, the lesse Centaurie, all the three sorts of Daisies, and especially those which are called Gold-cups, or little Crow-foot,

and the three-leaued grasse of the Medowes, are all of them singular good hearbes for the fruitfulnesse of the Medow ground. The Garlicke, which is called Serpentina,* 1.22 and which a man would iudge to be a little small rush, of a reasonable length, doth not amisse, no more than the true and small water Germander, which is often found in the Medowes of Cheles, and elsewhere: but great store of it ma∣keth the hay to smell ill: as on the contrarie, Penyryall maketh it smell sweet, and so likewise, Organi•• of both sorts, the three sorts of Balme, and Costmarie: but Mints, and that Hore-hound, which is wild Camomile, are nothing worth. Great quantitie and store of wild Fetch causeth the hay to be verie full of nourishment for cattell: the lesse Plantaine, Siluer-grasse of both sorts, Peachwort (so called, because it carrieth a flower like a Peach-tree) and Burnet: the three sorts of Shepheards nee∣dles, called of the ancient Writers Storks-bills (by reason of the fashion of the peake that followeth in place after the Hower) whereof hearbe Robert is one, doe verie well for cattell, and cure them of the grauell, causing them to make their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in aboun∣dance. Millefoile and Prunell (called the Carpenters hearbe,* 1.23 because it is good for cuts) are also good, and verie sweet of smell; but Quitch-grasse (called Dogs-grasse) doth destroy the Medow as much as Balme doth mend it, and encreaseth milke in Kine, as great Hares-foot doth in Goats, and in like manner as Veruaine and Groundswell are good hearbes for Conies. Looke well, that Thistles set not their foot within your Medow,* 1.24 except it be the blessed Thistle, with the yellow flower, or else the little Thistle, and that but about the borders or edges of the Medow, and that it haue the leaues of Sow-thistle, though it be smaller, and spotted (as it were) with drops of milke, and therefore it is called Maries Thistle. The red and blew Pimpernell,* 1.25 because of their flowers, as also the white, are as good there, as either the male or female Mercurie, though these hearbes delight rather to grow in the wayes, and amongst Vines, as doe also the Bindweed and Nightshade. Flax-weed, which differeth from Esula, in as much as it hath no milke, and groweth high as Line doth (saue that it hath a yellow flower) is good: but Esula or Spurge is naught, as is also Hypericum, for these two are both of them verie hot and shrewd fellowes. Melilot the small and the great, Myrrhis, which hath leaues like Fennell, and diuers diuided white flowers, is of great vertue, and sweet, after the smell of Myrrhe. To be short, the Carret and Cheruile doe serue greatly for the nourishing and goodnesse of the hay. But aboue all, there is no hearbe nor seed more excellent to be nourished or sowne in the Medowes, than Saxifrage is:* 1.26 for amongst all huswiues it is held an in∣fallible rule, That where Saxifrage growes, there you shall neuer haue ill Cheese or Butter, especially Cheese. Whence it commeth, that the Netherlands abound much in that commoditie, and only (as is supposed) through the plentie of that hearb only. And for the better affirmation or proofe thereof, you shall vnderstand, that all good huswiues, which will carrie any reputation for good Cheese-making, doe euer dresse their cheslep-bags and earning with Saxifrage, as the only hearbe that giueth a most perfit season to the same.

Now albeit I haue here deliuered you a particular collection of the seeds of all those hearbs which are most necessarie to be sowne in Medows, yet I would not aduise you to be so curious as to bestow your labour in culling these seeds from the rest, or to sow them in your Medows with that care and respect that you sow seeds in your Garden; for lesse paines will serue: only I would with you, when you intend to sow your Me∣dowes (which would be either in the Spring, or in Autumne) to goe (if you be vnpro∣uided) to such a neighbor or Farmer neere vnto you, as is owner of some fine and deli∣cate piece of Medow, void of grosse & filthie weeds, stump-grasse, knot-grasse, peny-grasse,* 1.27 speare-grasse, or Burnet, and from him you shal buy the sweepings or sc••••trings of his Hay-barne floore, as also those sweepings which shall be vnder those windows or holes, in at which the husbandman putteth hay when he vnloads it, and these swee∣pings you shal sow vpon your Medows as thick as you can strew them, for the thicker is euer the better: and you must foresee, that when you thus sow your Medowes, you cause your ground to be as bare eaten before as is possible, especially with Sheepe,

because as they bite the neerest of all cattell to the ground, so they bestow vpon it their manure, or dung, which is the fattest and most fruitfullest of all other, and ma∣keth the seeds instantly to sprout after the first shower. You shall also obserue when you sow your Medowes (whether it be at the Spring, or at the fall) to see and if the dung of the cattell which last grazed vpon the same, lye upon it still in heapes, as when it fell from their bodies: and this dung you shall raise from the ground, and with beetles made for the purpose, beat them into verie small pieces, and so spread them generally ouer the whole Medow, and then sow your seeds amongst them, for by this meanes your seeds will quickly take root.

There is also another way of enriching of Medowes, especially such as lye high, and out of the dangers of flouds, which for the most part are euer the barrennest; and that is by the foddering or feeding of cattell* 1.28 vpon the same in the Winter season, as thus: The husbandman shall in the barrennest part of his Medow ground, which is safest from waters or flouds, make vp his hay in a large and handsome Stacke, or Reeke, either round or square, according to his pleasure, or the quantitie of the hay: and this Stacke thus made, he shall fence about with thorne, or other hedge-ware, to keepe cattell from tearing or spoyling the same, till such time as the Farmer himselfe shall thinke it meet to cut downe the same: Then when the extremitie of Winter shall come, as either when the grasse is cleane consumed, or that by reason of long Frosts or Snowes your cattell cannot come by anie food, then is the time to cut downe your Hay-reekes, and to fodder your cattell therewith morning and euening, cutting no more downe at a time than shall conueniently serue to fodder your cattell; for spoyle herein is the vildest husbandrie that can be. This hay thus cut downe, you shall not lay in one place, but in diuers places of your ground, in little tufts or hillockes, scattering an armefull thereof in manie places: because, if you should lay it in one place, or in a verie small circuit neere together, your cattell would disagree and offer to gore one another, at least, the stronger cattell would euer beat away the weaker, and so rob them of their food: whereas being scattered into diuers remote places, those which are beaten away from one place, will goe to another, and so take their food without trouble: in which, you shall euer obserue to lay more tufts or heapes of hay than you haue cattell. Neither yet doe I meane, that this manner of foddering shall ouer-spread anie great piece of ground at one time, but according to the number of your cattell, be close packed together, both for the ease of the fod∣derer, and for the well husbanding of the hay, which to be carried vp and downe too 〈◊〉〈◊〉, would make much wast by scattering; so that to lay one foddering within two or three yards of another, is sufficient. And this I speake of great cattell, as Oxen, Kyne, Steeres, Horses, or such like: for if you fodder Sheepe,* 1.29 then you must lay your hay in long rowes, one row three or foure yards from another, vpon the driest and cleanest ground you can find, because the trampling and treading of the cattell will else 〈◊〉〈◊〉 much spoyle of the hay. And herein is also to be noted, that you must not by any meanes lay your fodder aboue twice in one place, but change and alter your ground, finding out still a drie and vntrodden place to fodder in, as well for keeping the ground from two much foyling and tearing vp with the feet of cattell, as also for the ••a••ing of the hay, which would be halfe lost, if it should be layd in wet and my∣rie places. And thus you may in one Winter runne ouer a great piece of ground, and not onely sow it plenteously with the Hay-seedes which will fall from the Hay in the carrying, but also manure the ground excellently, by this drawing together of your beasts into one place, making their l••are, and dunging most thereupon. Now some will say, that this manner of enriching of grounds carrieth with it a discommoditie which equalleth the goodnesse which is reaped from it, and there∣fore not so much to be esteemed; alledging, that the trampling of the cattell teareth vp the greene-swarth, and (as it were) ploweth vp the ground in such sort, that it will hardly beare any good croppe of grasse a yeare or two after. To which I answere,* 1.30 that if it doe (as happily it will) teare vp or digge the ground so, that you loose the next yeares croppe in some part: yet, after the first yeare is past, the

second will double, and the third will treble anie encrease formerly receiued from the same ground; neither will the goodnesse euer after be abated from the same: besides, if your ground be subiect to anie filthie soft mosse, or fuzzie grasse, which is both vnsauourie and vnwholesome for beasts, and also choaketh and deuoureth vp all better herbage; this treading of the cattels feet will vtterly kill it, and make the ground fruitfull for euer after. Nay, if the ground haue beene much subiect to small whynnes, or prick-grasse, which is a most venimous weed in anie ground, according to the opinion of the best husbands, this course onely will destroy it. To conclude, ••he Medow well kept and maintained, doth alwaies bring double commoditie, to that which is ill gouerned and husbanded.

CHAP. V.

Of the harrowing, watering, and keeping close and well defensed the Medow ground.

BEsides the seedes of good hearbes, which is verie requisite for the Me∣dowes, yet there are other workes needfull for the goodnesse of Hay: for the Medowes must be harrowed and raked presently after they be sowne, to breake the clods into small earth, or dust, that so the mow∣ers may not thereby hurt their Sythes. If the ground of the Medow be withered, and drie, it will be a maruellous commoditie vnto it, to draw into it, all the winter long, at the least, some small Brooke, for the watering and moistening of it, seeing that moisture is the naturall nourishment of Hay; and this would be done especial∣ly during the moneths of Nouember, December, Ianuarie, and Februarie: after∣ward, when the earth hath drunke her fill, then stop the way whereby the water of the Brooke runneth. It is true, that if the Medow-plot lye vpon the side of some hill, or vpon some high ground, there shall be no need to water it: for the first raine that falleth, will descend and water such Medowes verie sufficiently, being ioyned with the iuice and goodnesse of the dung which you shall haue bestowed in the higher places. Neither shall it be needfull to water the ground much, where there is great quantitie of three-leaued grasse, because then it would die by and by. A∣gaine, you must not cause anie water to ouerflow anie old Medow grounds, in the time of great and excessiue cold, except it should be that they should continue a long time: because that the water fayling, the ground thus boyled againe, and drenched, would be verie much annoyed by the vehemence of the frost and yce. Likewise, if there be anie marish or dead water in anie part of your Medow, you must cause the same to runne and drayne out by some Conduits or Trenches: for without all peraduenture, the super-aboundance of water doth as much harme, as the want, scarcitie, or lacke of the same. You must be sure also to keepe Swine out of your Medowes, because they are alwaies turning it ouer with their snouts, and ••aying great soddes of earth: Neither must you admit anie great Cattell into them, saue when they be verie drie, because the hornie hoofe doth sinke into the earth, and either breake off the grasse, or cut in sunder the rootes, whereupon they cannot spring or multiplie anie more.

CHAP. VI.

To mowe your Meadowes againe and againe, to gather the Hay and refresh your Meadowes, and to bring your barren Meadowes into Tillage.

NOw for the mowing of your Meadowes,* 1.31 it must be according to their growth or ripenesse, for some ripen soone, and some late, and sure there cannot fall to the Husbandman greater losse than to cut his Meadow before it be ripe, for then the sap or moisture not being come fully out of the roote, the grasse in the vvithering shrinketh away, and falls to nothing but a soft fuzzie and vnwholesome substance which no cattell will eat; and also to let it stand till it be ripe, or that it haue shed it seed, is as ill husbandrie, for then vvill the juice be too much dried out of the stalke, and that substance which should giue nou∣rishment to your cattell, will be lost. Therefore to know when your grasse is truely fit to be cut, you shall looke carefully vpon it, and vvhen you see the tops thereof looke browne, and the cocke heads, bells, or bottells which beare the seeds, not stand vpright, or looke direct into the heauens, but bend their heads downeward as loo∣king backe into the earth, then you may be certainely assured it is a fit and good time to cut it, for the earth hath giuen it all the due it ought to haue, and this will be (if it be in a most fertile and verie rich soyle, such as may be cut twice in the yeare) at the beginning of Iune, or about a vveeke before Midsommer: But if it be in a reasonable ground, which hath the title of a good earth onely, then it will be about the translation of S. Thomas, which is the third of Iulie:* 1.32 but if the ground be ex∣treame cold, moist, and barren, then it vvill be after Lammasse, and sometimes in the middest of September. Now for the generall cutting or mowing of Haye, it would euer be done in the new of the Moone, and at such time as the vveather by all conje∣cstures is cleare, constant, and likely to continue faire. As soone as your Haye is mowne, if there be plentie of grasse, and that you see it lye thicke in the swathes, so as the Ayre or Sunne cannot passe freely through it, then you shall cause certaine with forkes to follow the ••ythes, and as they mow it, so to cast it abroad thin, where∣by the Sunne may vvither it, and this is called tedding of hay: The next day after the dew is taken from the ground, you shall turne it, and let it vvither on the other side; then handling it, and finding it to your feeling fully drie, the next day you shall with ••orkes and rakes draw it together in great quantitie into long rows, which rows you must draw in that way which the wind blowes most, least drawing it in the con∣trarie way, the vvind scatter it abroad, and loose both your labour and profit, for these rowes are called Wind-rowes; and as soone as it is thus gathered together, you shall forthwith thrust the haye close vp together, and make those Wind-rowes* 1.33 into good bigge handsome cockes sharpe at the top, and broad at the bottome, such as six or seuen of them may make a Waine-load; for howsoeuer sloth or weakenesse may say that little cockes, because they aske little labour, are best, yet it is certaine that the great cockes are much better,* 1.34 and keepe the haye safer from vvet, if any shal fall, and also makes it sweat, and haye a great deale more kindly: in these cockes you shal let your haye stand a day at least, if more it is not amisse, and then breake them open againe, and let them ley in the Sunne till it haue dried vp all the sweat and moisture that was in them; vvhich done, you shall load it according to the maner of the soyle wherein you liue, and so carrie it to the barne, or elswhere according to your plea∣sure. Now this manner of making of haye you must vnderstand is for such as is most fine, cleane, and the purest grasse, without vveeds, stumpes, thicke leaues, or other grosse substances, for if you find your grasse to be of that rough nature (as for the most part all your vvood-land-grasse is) or that it is much intermixt with burnet, peny-grasse,

and other thicke leafed weeds, then you shall giue it double withering, and af∣ter you haue mowed it, and tedded it, you shall turne it twice or thrice ere you cocke it, then being put into drie cocke, you shall breake it open in the morning, and make it vp into drie cocke againe at night, three or foure daies together before you load it, and be sure that in the cocke it take a verie good sweat, and then carrie it home and stacke it vp as shall please you best. But if your ground be extreame barren, cold, moist, and full of verie sowre and stubborne grasse, and of that also but little plentie being thin, short, and hard in the cutting, then you shall not need to ted that hay at all, but in steed of that labour, you shall (as it is mowne) with your forke make it in∣to thicke little grasse-cockes, as bigge as prettie little moale-hills: the reason whereof is this, That such sowre and harsh grasse* 1.35 being exceeding slow of growth, must ne∣cessarilie be verie late in the yeare before it can be ripe, or readie to be cut, whereby wanting the kindlie heat and strength of the Sunne, ••t cannot but with great difficul∣tie vvither vvell: vvherefore you must adde vnto it all the art which you may to bring it to good haye, which this casting it into little heapes and cockes will doe, for the grasse so layed together will heat of it selfe, and then being often turned and tost that the ayre may goe through it and drie it, and then made into cockes againe euerie day bigger and bigger, vvill in the end by it owne heat come to as kindly hay as if it had the full benefit of the Sunne. And herein you shall obserue, that as at first you make them into small cockes, so the second day you shall make them into bigger by putting two or three of those cockes into one, and the next day you shall put two or three of those bigger cockes into one, euerie day increasing the bignesse of the cockes as you find them to vvither, till you bring them to so great cockes that three or foure of them will make a Waine-load, and in that estate you shall let them stand foure or fiue daies before you load them: but vvhilest they are in the little cockes, you shall breake them open once or twice a day at least, according to the fairenesse of the vveather; for you must vnderstand, that whilest they are in grasse or vnwithe∣red cockes, if you let them lie too long, the grasse will turne yellow, and begin to pu∣trifie, vvhich often stirring vvill preuent. Lastly, touching the making of hay, you must vnderstand that the greatest enemie it hath, is wet, or raine, and therefore you must be carefull to make it vp in the driest and fairest weather you can; and if any raine shall happen to fall on it, not to turne it till the vpper side be drie; for to turne the wet grasse to the wet earth, is the readie way to make it rot.

Now to speake a little touching the choyce and vse of your haye,* 1.36 you shall vnder∣stand, that the haye which is most long, loggie, and of greatest burthen, is best for horses, being verie drie, sweet, and got in a good season: that vvhich is not verie long of growth, but verie pleasant and cleane grasse, without weeds, hard stumpes, pricks, or such like, is best for milch-kine, or stall-fed-oxen; onely that which you preserue for your Kine, would be got verie drie, and haue all the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse that may be: but that you keepe for your feeding-cattell would not be altogether throughly vvithered, but got a little greenish, so as it may take such a heat in the mowe, as may onely discolour it and turne it red, but no more; for that will bring a thirst vnto the cattell, and make them drinke vvell: and the Grasier is of this opini∣on, that cattell neuer feed well till they drinke well, and that haye which is the finest and shortest, growing vpon high and drie grounds full of flowers and sweet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is best for your sheepe, or young calues, and this must be got verie drie, and (as neere as you can) vtterly without any raine; for when it is so drie that it will hardly lye vpon the Waine, then is it the best of all: for when the husbandman saith that moist haye is profitable for the increase of milke, he doth not meane that you shall get in your haye greene, or any part vnwithered, for that brings it to a rottennesse or ouer-drinesse, which is verie ill for milke; but you shall get it into the barne as drie as you can, without scorching, scalding, or such vnnaturall extremities, and this hay taking his kindly sweat in the mowe, is that which is called the Moist-hay,* 1.37 and that which taketh a little too much heat in the mowe, and altereth colour, is the Drie-hay,* 1.38 and keepeth your fat cattell from gripings and other painefull griefes in their bellies,

to which they are euermore verie much subject. It is an vse with some husbandmen (as well in our France as in other countries) after they haue brought their haye into drie cocke, to put it into great stoukes or pettie stackes without doores, and so to let ••t remaine a fortnight or more that it may take the full sweat before it be brought to the barne, or hay-loft: but it is a needlesse and a double labour, and may verie well be spared, if the orders be obserued before prescribed; for this much curiositie* 1.39 did but spring from a fearefulnesse of ouer-heating, or mow-burning, which to preuent, the Ancients spared not any labour. Nay they were so curious in the first times, that they would not suffer their haye by any meanes to lye neere to the sinke or smell of the beast-house, or vvhere any other noysome sauours were, supposing that the haye would naturally of it owne inclination draw all such corruptions vnto it; but it was a feare might haue verie vvell beene spared. Now touching the later crop of haye which is euer to be m••••ne in the moneth of September, you shall in all respects vse it like the hay of these barren grounds last written of, for the yere time being so much shot on, it can haue no other kindly withering, neither is it to be vsed for the feeding of fat cattell, or for milch Kine, but onely for drie beasts, or such as onely labor, as the oxe, horse, mule, or asse.

If by the gathering of your hay you perceiue your meadowes to become barren, vvhether it happen by your negligence in not hauing beene carefull ynough in hus∣banding of them: or by reason of age, seeing the earth will sometime rest it selfe as being vvearie, for the recouering of the strength againe, as it is onely seene in barren soyles, and no other; for that which is truely fertile and good ground, will neuer be wearie of bearing, especially if it lie low, and be gentlie washt with waters; but that which lies high or violently against the heat of the Sun, will many times decay in his aboundance, which when you shall at any time perceiue, it shall be good to forbeare the cutting of it the next yeare, and onely graze it with cattell,* 1.40 especially sheepe, which vvill be as good as a manuring vnto it, and make it beare grasse in as good plentie as euer it did afore: for often cutting occasioneth barrennesse, and often fee∣ding breedes increase. But if it be through the naturall fertilitie and hardnesse of the ground that it waxeth barren, then you shall vse the like meanes, that you vvould in making of new meadows; set downe before in the second chapter of this booke: or else if you see that you loose your labour in renewing of your barren meadows, set downe with your selfe to reduce them into arable ground, especially those which are drie, parched, bringing forth verie small store of grasse, growne ouer with a hard ••••st, and fraught rather with naughtie weeds, than good and profitable grasse. For the doing whereof, you must cut the vpper face and crust of the earth in Aprill, with a shallow delfe, in turfes some fadome and a halfe long, and halfe as broad, and to the thicknesse of two fingers: drie these turfes in the Sunne, and being concocted by the heat of the Sunne, fit them one to another, and lay one vpon another, in manner of a furnace: afterward, set fire to them with good store of straw: when they are burned, let them coole sixe or seuen daies: after spead the ashes thereof equally all ouer the field: then looke for a good raine in May, to incorporate this ashie earth, and when it is accordingly performed, then plow it vp in Iune, and presently after sow it vvith millet, afterward with rie, and in the end with mastling and wheat.

CHAP. VII.

Of the Ozier-plot.

REmember this, that three things carefully kept and increased by the dili∣gence of the vvorkeman, doe make rich vvithout any great trauell, that is to say, the meadow-grounds, the Ozier-plot, and the Willow-plot, vvhich by the meanes of vvater lightly slyding through the veines of the earth in the fat and vvell liking places that are vpon the sides of hills, and by the vvatering of manifold streames round about, doe naturally grow eu••rie yeare, and yeeld great profit vnto their maister, for the feeding of hi•• cattell, the making of hoopes for vessell, and binding of them, as also for fewell, the benefit of poles, wood∣den vessells, arbours, stakes for hedges, and supporters for vines. We will there∣fore speake first of the ordering and husbanding of the Ozier-plot, and after it of the Willow-plot, vvhich vve do not dreame to haue any other assigned place, than about the meadows, and far remoued from the arable ground; in as much as their shadow is so hurtfull to wheat, line, pulse, and other graine, as that they neuer grow vvell where they are ouershadowed by these: but on the contrarie, meadow grounds re∣ceiue great profit thereby: as well because that grasse doth grow the fairer and more pleasantly in the shadow, than vvhere it is not shadowed, as also for that the leaues of Ozier, Willow, Aller, and such other Trees, falling vpon the meadowes, and there rotting, maketh them the more fat, abounding in grasse, and fertile. The Ozier then (which old Writers call Sea-willow, or Wicker-tree, that is to say, apt to bend) desireth not to come verie neere to the water, but loueth rather to stand vpon the des∣cending side of the valley, and the Ozier-plot would end at the sides of the Willow-plot: the Ozier-plot must be prickt with a line, and prettie small ditches drawne out in it betwixt two lines, and euerie slip must be set one from another about fiue foore and a halfe, to giue them their spreading. It vvill not abide the shadow of any tree, but loueth much to haue the fruition of the South-Sunne. The tame red Ozier re∣quireth great husbanding, and is afraid of frosts, and the showres of raine that fall in March, and verie cold vvater: the vvhite and the greene Ozier, vvhich neither bend nor yet defend themselues so well, are of a harder nature, and grow higher. It vvill be good to pricke downe moe of the tame ones than of the other, and alwaies to set them out of the shadow, and there must be but a little water at their foot, the most part of the time: vvherefore you must make furrowes by the vvay, to keepe and reserue wa∣ter. It must be dressed twice in a yeare to make it grow vvell, that is to say, about mid-May, and towards the end of Nouember, presently after that it is gathered, being also the time of planting of it.

It is verie delightsome vnto it to haue the earth raised vvith the spade and stirred, and to cast in again the clods vnto the foot some fifteen daies after S. Michael, which is the time of gathering them, and making of them vp into bottles. You must keepe your bottles made of the thicknesse of a fadome, fresh & coole in some cellar or 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and if the season be drie, to vvater them throughout now and then: some slip off the leaues in gathering of them, thereof to make good ashes: others let the leaues fall of themselues, and after gather them for the houshold, and in Winter-nights by the fire side make the slaues spend their time in cleauing them, for to make baskets of. some doe not cut the oziers all from the head, but such slips as are about the edges of it, and leaue the maister-twig to stand vvhole for fiue or sixe yeares, when it must be renew∣ed and pricked downe againe: for this is the terme of the plant: for in all the time following the plant doth nothing but drie, and the twig harden.

CHAP. VIII.

Of the Willow-plot.

SOme say, that the Willow-plot craueth the like husbandrie that the Oi∣er-plot, because the Willow differeth onely from the Ozier in vse, big∣nesse, and barke: for the Willow-tree is for poles, the Ozier (as hath beene said) for bindings about the vine and caske: the Willow is thicke and growing taller, the Ozier is smaller and lower: the Willow-tree hath a barke of a darke purple colour, the Ozier of a yellow straw colour. But vvhatsoeuer it is, the Willow loueth vvaterie places, and is planted of the tops cut off, or else of poles: the poles are taken from aboue, of a good thicknesse, but notwithstanding not thick∣er than the arme, and they must be planted and pricked downe in the earth so deepe as they should stand before they touch the firme ground: the cut of the top may be of the length of a foot and a halfe, and be set in the earth, being couered a little. That which you shall plant, must be cut from the tree verie drie, because it will not thriue if it be vvet when it is cut: therefore you must shun rainie da••es in the cutting of your Willowes. The best time of planting the Willow is in Februarie in the beginning, or in the end of Ianuarie, vvhen as the heart of the great cold is broken, vvhich of∣tentimes hurteth this plant when it is newlie planted: It is true that it may be plan∣ted at any time after the beginning of Nouember, yea it may be then both planted and gathered. The plants shall euerie one stand from another sixe foot square, and they must be carefully husbanded for the first three yeres, as if they were yong vines. You shall find a larger discourse of the Willow-tree in the sixth Booke. The distil∣led vvater of Willowes is good to be drunke for the staying of all sorts of fluxes of bloud: the decoction of the leaues or the lee made of the ashes of the vvood beeing drunke, doth kill bloud-suckers vvhich hang in the throat.

CHAP. IX.

Of the Elme.

MEn of old time did much esteeme the Elme for the vine sake, because they married the vine vnto the Elme,* 1.41 as also, it is yet practised of some vnto this day in Italie, but now the Elme is applied to another manner of vse by the husbandman: and for that cause vve haue giuen in charge to euery housholder to plant a plot of elmes, at the end of his orchard, as vvell to make fagots of, as to make vvheeles and axle-trees of for his carts and ploughes, as also for fire-wood and other easements, besides the pleasure that the Elme-tree affordeth all the Sommer long. For the planting then of your Elme-plot, make choyce of a fat peece of ground, and vvithall somewhat moist (although this Tree be easie to grow in any kind of ground) vvhich you shall digge and cast, breaking the clods afterward verie small, in so much as that you shall make all the earth as it were dust, and in the Spring you shall harrow it and lay it euen: afterward, you shall sow it verie thicke vvith the seed of elmes, vvhich shall by this time become little red, hauing beene a long time in the Sunne, and yet notwithstanding retayning his naturall substance and moi∣sture: and you shall sow it so thicke as that all the earth shall be couered vvith it, then cast of fine mould vpon it, good two fingers thicke, and vvater it a little, and couer the earth vvith straw or broken boughes and braunches, to the end that vvhat shall come out of the earth may not be deuoured of birds. And vvhen the siences shall begin to shew, take away the straw and boughes, and pull vp the bad vveeds verie

carefully vvith your hands, in such sort as that the small rootes of the elmes vvhich as yet are tender, be not pluckt vp therewithall. The waies and squares must be so dis∣creetly cast, as that he which is to weed them may easily reach to the middest of them euerie vvay. F••r if they vvere too broad, then he should be constrained in pulling vp the vveeds to tread the earth vvith his feet, by which meanes the shoots might be hurt. After vvhen the branches are put vp some three foot high to take them vp from their nurserie, and to plant them in another ground, and after that to transplant them againe. The Elme-tree also may be planted of small branches taken from great etmes, and that a great deale better in Autumne than in the Spring time: after three yeares passed, they must be transplanted and that after Autumne, vvhen as the earth begin∣neth to be moist vntill the beginning of the Spring, as being the time when the roote may be drawne without leauing of the barke behind: you may plant an elme at eue∣rie fortie foots end, and not touch them at all for two yeares after: vvhich being pas∣sed, you must dig the earth all about the bodie of the Tree, pruning and picking it with a small handbill, euerie two yeares. We will not make any longer description of the elme: but send you to the sixth booke, where you shall find particularly and amply declared, how this tree is to be planted, and in what soyle it doth principally delight to grow.

CHAP. X.

Of the Aller.

WE see that the Aller or Alder-tree is no lesse profitable for the Husband∣man, than the Elme, in as much as the wood of Aller doth serue to make many implements & working tooles, as ladders, ••ailes for the cart, poles, handles for tooles, rackes for horse-meat, and such other things, to lay the foundations of buildings vpon, which are laid in the riuers, fens, or other standing vvaters, because it neuer rotteth in the vvater, but lasteth as it vvere for euer, and bea∣reth vp maruailous strange and huge masses.

The Aller therefore shall be planted neere some little brooke, in some moist and vvaterish meadowes: for the Aller-tree naturally delighteth in vvater more than any other tree doth, and it looketh that the most part of his roots should be in and lower than the vvater, for else it will not come to any growth. The aller is not sown because it beareth no seed, fruit, or flowers: yet it may be planted two vvaies, either of braun∣ches taken from the great trees, or else of liue rootes drawne out of moist places their earth vvith them, and so set in another moist place, and that in such sort, as that at the least the one halfe of the roots may be lower than the vvater, and couered aboue with earth a fingers thicknesse: and vvithall, before it be planted, you must cut the small branches away till within a finger of the maine root, vvhich afterward will shoot vp many small siences. This tree is easie to take and grow againe in moist places, because it hath much pith in it, and putteth forth much wood in a short time. You may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 your aller to grow high in any place without any great labour, and to small profit be∣cause it would need continuall watering. It is better then that your aller stand in wa∣terie ground (as we haue said) that so it may both please and profit you. See further of the aller-tree in the sixth booke. The fresh leaues doe stay inflammations: being put vnder the naked soles of the feet, they greatly take away their wearisomenesse, which by far walking haue wearied themselues: full and all moist with the morning dew, being spred in Sommer all ouer a chamber, they kill fleas. The barke serueth to make inke, and to die leather blacke.

The Poole, Fish-pond, and Ditch for Fish.

CHAP. XI.

Of the manner of making Stewes and Pooles for keeping of Fishes.

THe chiefe and principall point of a good Countrey Farme, is to want nothing, either needfull for the prouision of the chiefe Lord, or auaile∣able for the profit that may come thereof. The good householder then shall not esteeme a little of Fish, seeing that of them he may make both prouision for his table, and great gaine vnto his purse: but rather shall prouide some place neere vnto his house, for to cast Pooles or Stewes in, to the end, that when need is, he may find victuals therein both for himselfe and his familie, and that as readie, as if it were alreadie in the Kitchin: besides what he may yearely sell of that his store to make money into his purse.

Therefore for the appointing out of ground for these his Pooles* 1.42 or Stewes to breed or feed his fish in, he shall chuse it ioyning vnto his Medowes, in some leane place, and such as he could otherwise make no profit of, and yet it must be in a firme ground, that is grauellie or sandie, for such places doe feed fishes excellent well: not∣withstanding, that the muddie and dyrtie Poole be best for the Tench, Burbet, Cod, E••le, and such other slipperie and slimie fishes: but he that loueth his health, must not furnish his Pooles or Stewes with such manner of fish. The Poole shall be maruel∣lously well seated, if the commodiousnesse of the place will affoord it continuall re∣freshment from some flowing Fountaine, or some Brooke, or little Riuer falling into it, whereby continually the first water may be remoued, and new supplyed in place thereof, not suffering the other to stand too long impounded: and therefore, if it be possible, the Poole is to haue conuenient issue in one part or other, for so by this meanes the water is renewed the more easily, and the fish therein made the more chearefull and better thri••ing to euerie bodies ••ight▪ whereas on the contrarie, the standing and corrupted water affoordeth them nothing but bad nourishment, ma∣king the slesh thereof of an ill tast, and vnpleasant in eating. In the meane time you must not ••orget to set grates of Brasse or yron close fastened, and pierced but with small holes in the conduits, that so by them the water may find one passage in, and another out, and yet to stay the fish for getting forth. It will be good that the Poole be large and great, to the end, that the ••ish which is kept therein may find room•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sport themselues, without perceiuing of anie impediment or imprisonment that they sustaine. It will be good also to make in these Pooles some corners, or starting holes, like little lodging roomes, in the wall thereof, to the end, that thereby the fish may find place for to hide it selfe, and to auoid the great heat of the Summer: pro∣uided notwithstanding, that they be so made, as that the water which is in them may easily get out againe.

These Fish-ponds also may be made in anie low Valley, which the hills enuiro∣ning on euerie side, send downe their waters into the same, making it continually wet: so that (in truth) without it be applyed to this purpose, it will serue for no o∣ther good purpose. In this place, aboue all other, you shall make your Fish-pond,* 1.43 drayning it at the dryest time of the yeare, and digging it of such depth as you shall thinke most conuenient for the receit of such water as shall fall into it: then noting how the water descendeth, you shall iust against that descent make the head of your Pond, mounting it of such a height, that no land-water whatsoeuer may

ouerflow it, and this head you shall make in this wise: first, so soone as you haue drained the ground, and made the earth firme where the head must be, you shall driue in foure or fiue rowes of piles made of Elme, and some of Oake halfe burn•• or scortcht, and then the earth which you digge out of the pond, together with fa∣gots and bundells of wood, you shall ram in hard betweene the pile, till you haue co∣uered them, then you shall driue in more piles, and ram them likewise as before, hea∣ping thus pile vpon pile, and earth vpon earth, till you haue made the head of that conuenient height which you did desire, and if in the middest of this head you pre∣serue a conuenient place for a sluce or floud-gate, which you may draw vp and sh•••• at your pleasure, it will be a great deale the better: and on the top of the head you shall make a small sluce or two vvith fiue grates in them, to stay the Fish from pas∣sing through the same, vvhich sluces shall conuay the vvast vvater, vvhich shall at any time rise aboue the height or leuell of the bankes: the bottome and sides of this pond you shall paue all ouer with fine greene-grasse-turfe which vvill be a great nou∣rishment to the Fish, and aboue the water you shall plant Oziers, and on the top of the head diuers rowes of Willow, because all fish take great delight in the shadows and if you intend the pond for Carpe or Breame, you shall all along one side of the pond, stake and bind downe diuers fagots made of brush-wood in which the fish shall cast their young or spawne, and so haue them preserued, which otherwise would be destroyed.

CHAP. XII.

What manner of wild flesh is to be prouided for the furnishing of the Fish-poole.

NOw one great commendation belonging to inheritances, is to haue wild flesh and fish in the fields thereto belonging. As concerning the wild flesh, the walkes thereof are partly in the woods, and partly in the war∣rens, of which we will speak in their place: partly in the ••rable grounds and fallowes, as the great and little Hare, the Partridge, Quaile, and Larke: and part in the vvood, at the Hart, the Hind, the Doe, and the vvild-Bore: and as con∣cerning birds, the Stock-doue, Turtle, Small-henne, Plouer, and others: but to re∣turne to our fish-poole,* 1.44 the vvild flesh thereof (especially of birds) is the Swan, the Heron, the Woodcocke, Snite, Mallarde, Teale, young wild Duckes, the wild Goose, and the Bittor.* 1.45 Besides, there are belonging thereto as concerning beasts, such as auncient Writers haue called double-liued beasts, that is to say, such as liue ei∣ther in or out of the water, the Otter, the Badger (vvhich verily hath a scalie tayle like Fishes) the Beauer, and the Dormouse, vnto vvhich vve will adde the Tor∣teise, that daintie dish for Princes and great Lords: albeit the most commendable of them, and which hath the best relish, and in most request, is that which is called the wood Torteise, and maketh her borough in the woods, the wealth of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Languedoc.

CHAP. XIII.

Of the sorts of Fishes wherewith Pooles, Ponds, and Ditches, are to be furnished.

IF you desire to furnish your fish-pooles, and feeding stewes, it is needfull that you carefully consider the nature of the place wherein you haue made them: for all sorts of fishes doe not feed alike in all manner of pla∣ces: the stonie and rockie places do like well the fishes called thereupon Saxatiles, or fishes liuing in stonie places, as the Tront, Pearch, Loach, Lumpe, Mul∣let, and Gudgeons: In muckie and slimie places, the Tench, Bourbet, Codfish, and Eele doe delight to liue: In grauelly and sandie grounds, the Salmon, the Pike, and the Barbel, doe not much dislike to liue. Wherefore, to the end that vve may speake generally, in regard of the fish of pooles, ponds, or ditches (things common amongst the inhabitants of Beaux, though they haue no such store of vvater as the people of Salongne, Percheron, Tutraine, Anjou, or Mantz) the most common, and which best ••••ore and furnish the s••me, are the Carpe, and the Barbell,* 1.46 It is true that the Pike is a good meat, especially if he be kept in springing vvaters, and into vvhich there run∣neth some riuer (as the poole of Nau, or Nouï, as also that of Gouuieux, the two most naturall and greatest pooles that are in all France, and such as neuer drie vp) but in keeping of him there is this daunger, namely, that he is a verie tyrant amongst all fresh-water-fish, eating and deuouring the small thereof, in such sort as that in fish∣ing there is not a little one of that kind cast into the pooles againe, after they be once drawne out, vvhich yet is vsed in the little ones of all other kinds besides. The small fish, vvhich is called vvhite, are the Pearch,* 1.47 the Mullet, the Millers-thombe, the Cheuin, Gudgeon, Loach, Menuise, and the Trout, albeit that the foremost are those which are the most daintie, and chiefest in request for sicke and delicate folkes, but the Trout is the princeliest and most delicate dish of all the rest, which is neuer sound but in running vvaters, or in great springs. The Salmon-trout is a verie daintie thing, and so likewise the flesh thereof is more fast and red, euen after the manner of the Salmon, after whom he had his name giuen. The Tench,* 1.48 Bourbet, and Cod, are of a courser and more slimie mear, as is also the Eele, which yet proueth singular good in great pooles, and greatly commended being taken in that of Nouë, and at the mills of Gouuieux:* 1.49 witnesse hereof, are the Eele-ponds which haue beene caused to be made there by Princes, and therefore that of Nouë seemeth to me to be of greater ac∣count, because of the causey belonging thereunto: but ther•• are some which disdaine the eating of eele, in respect of the vn••auorinesse of her flesh, and also because (as some say) she coupleth with the snake. But whatsoeuer the matter is, I find her as good in a swift running vvater,* 1.50 as either the lampreie or lamperne, a venimous fish in the Sea, though when she is scoured and come vp into the great riuers, as Loire, she become a firme same nourishment, saue that it is somewhat slimie, and of a hard digestion, how well soeuer it be dressed or handled.

The excrements of the poole (which are eaten after the manner of fish) are the frogge and the creuisse,* 1.51 the first whereof being taken in his season, as when she is not ingendring, but well flesht and liking, doth taste like a little chicken: the other doth more load the stomacke than nourish; and yet vnto the husbandman and farmer this i•• as a second manna for his familie, which on festiuall daies delight themselues with the taking of them with the long-bow-net, or with a little maund of bulrushes, as also the little 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the shoue-net,* 1.52 small-net, called a truble and line; for the fire, the tunnell and bait are forbidden by all right. The net and the hooke are chiefe and principall of all the rest.

And of nets there are diuers sorts and kinds,* 1.53 as first the long draw-net, vvhich contayning many fadomes in length is as it were diuided into two parts, and in

the middest a long rod or pole drawne close together at the furthest end with a hea∣uie stone hanging at the same, and into which the fish flie when they are taken, then is this net plumbed with lead all along the lower side, and floated aboue with bigge round floats of Sallow-wood to keepe the net from sinking, it is but onely poled at the two outmost ends the just bredth of the net: this net is to draw ponds, riuers, or meares withall; then is there the flew, and stand net, vvhich are without rods, plaine single nets onely, as it were farced or lined before with another strong net, euerie mash being sixe or eight inches square, these nets are to fish vvithin narrow brookes, blind dikes, and other small rundles, the stand net being prickt downe first, and the flew drawing along vnto it; then is there the leape net, which is made square with many rods running one into another, and this is fastened vnto a leape made of Oziers, and are onely to take Eeles or other fish in mill-dames, or other such lake strait places: for the shoue net, spade net, or casting net, they are only to fish in holes, so is also the augure, which is a sharpe instrument of yron made thinne with many sharpe teeth, and so striken into holes or mudd••e banks, vvhere they vvill many times catch a verie great aboundance of Eeles: Besides these, there are diuers other en∣gines, as hookes, lines, the angle, and such like, but none of more vse than these al∣readie spoken of.

CHAP. XIIII.

That Fish-pooles must be looked vnto, and the sides thereof repayred.

BVt and if you mind to reap any profit by your fish-pooles or fish ditches, you must haue care to lay them drie euerie sixe yeare at the least, and to dresse them euerie three yeare taking away the reedes, bulrushes, and broad leaues of vvater-lillies, and other vvater-flowers, for these hinder the Fish that they cannot sport themselues, and maketh them eat muddily, and of a bad taste.* 1.54 You must likewise chase and driue away vvater-rats, or else take them vvith some engine: as also the Otter and Beauer, as mightie spoylers of the fish-pooles: These two tyrants are found in greater number in Loraine, than in our true and naturall Countrie of France.* 1.55 Furthermore, you must haue care that there be not much shooting in Gunnes at the vvild-fowle which is found to haunt there∣in, because such shooting astonisheth the fish, and killeth it oftentimes. Againe, there are other meanes for the taking of such wild flesh:* 1.56 neither is the crosse-bow so daungerous, vvhether it be the tiller, or the bullet. It is true, that the long-bow is the most singular of all, and performeth the action of killing as wel as the Turkish bow, vvhen it is drawne lustely, and by one vvhich hath a good sight.

The greatest charges of the fish-poole is the keeping of the bankes and causey, the vvater-stops,* 1.57 sl••ces, and ditch ouer against the poole, made for the receiuing of th•• vvater during the time of the fishing, as also to rid it of mud and vnprofitable weeds, as being the cause that the water when it is not of any strong current, becommeth co∣uered as it were with earth: yea and though it be of a good fresh Spring, yet they are the meanes of the stopping and drying vp of those Springs, and to cause them to di∣uert and turne their courses another way: wherefore all good housholders must be furnished with yron to repaire the grates, and flints, and hard stones for the mainte∣nance of the causey.

As concerning the pondes and ditches for fishes,* 1.58 they must be often dressed, re∣ple••shed vvith new stores, and also refreshed with small ware: for to be alwaies taken away, and neuer adding any thing to, doth pull downe the greatest heapes of store. Againe, the good farmer is carefull and diligent alwaies in his taking of fish,

〈◊〉〈◊〉 cast the small backe againe into the water, and not to kill them out-right if he can auoid it: It is true, that for further profit and thrift, he vseth to pricke about such ditch or pond great plentie of Willowes, and some also doe plant the Aller and Elme in the same place, for to gather fire-wood of for the houshold: others againe doe plant the Aspe and Poplar-tree, and euerie one of these, according as they find their ground best disposed to beare the one or the other.

CHAP. XV.

Of the feeding of Fishes in their Pooles, Ponds, and Ditches.

IT is most certaine, that the Fishes abiding in the Sea, or streames, and running riuers, haue greater store of vitaile, then those vvhich are shut vp in pooles, ponds, ditches, and stewes▪ for such as haue their full scope of libertie in the Sea and streames, doe alwaies meete vvith one reliefe or other brought vnto them by the course of the vvater, besides the small fishes which are the food and ••ustenance of the greater: but the other shut vp and inclosed in safe∣gard, cannot goe forth a hunting a••ter any prey. It vvill be good therefore some∣••imes to cast them in of all sorts of small Fishes, the bowells and entrailes of great Fish, tender figges cut downe, crackt Walnuts, soft ceruises boyled, fresh cheese, lumpes of white bread, certaine fruits chopt small, all sorts of salt ••ish, and such other like victuall: for and if the fish be not fed and made fat vvith meat vvhich the hou∣sholder or farmer shall giue vnto them, vvhen they shall be carried either to hall or market (for my meaning is that the good farmer should make his profit of all things) the leannesse thereof vvill manifest, that they vvere not taken in any full Sea at their libertie, but in some place of gard and restraynt, and so they vvill not sell so deere by much. And sometimes it vvill be good to cast vpon the pooles and ponds the fresh leaues of parsley, for those leaues doe rejoyce and refresh the Fishes that are sicke.

Besides,* 1.59 to keepe your Fish-ponds well tur••t as vvas before said, so as they may haue store of greene grasse in them, is an excellent reliefe for fish, and food which they vvill desire as much as any other, for they vvill sucke and feed vpon grasse ex∣ceedingly: therefore when grasse is in the prime, and hath full bit vpon it, if you ga∣ther large turfes thereof, and pin them fast downe vnder the water, they will feed and ••atten the Fish wonderfully: the chippins of bread, or other crusts which come from the farmers table, although they be greasie and foule, yet are they a verie good feed for fish; so is also the clotted bloud of beasts, as sheepe, oxen, or any other kind, be∣ing cast into the pond morning and euening; the young brood of Waspes when you find their neasts, being cast into the water, is a food that fish will delight in before any other.

CHAP. XVI.

Other more certaine and approued wayes to take all man∣ner of Fish, especially with the angle, and o∣ther instruments.

AS for that vvhich hath beene before written, being onely the secrets and ex∣periments of the French practise, I doe not hold it sufficient for the sati••∣faction of euerie judiciall Reader, and therefore I vvill wade a little fur∣ther in this art, and shew you the maner of taking of all sorts of fish by the angle, which is the most generous and best kind of all other, and may truely be cal∣led the Emperor of all exercises.* 1.60 To speake them first of this art of angling or taking of fish with the angle, you shall vnderstand that it consisteth in three especiall things, that is to say, in the instrument which is the angle, in the intisement vvhich is the bait, and in the true vse of them both together, vvhich is the seasons and times of the yeare fittest for the sport. To speake then first of the angle-rod, it must be generally of two peeces, but particularly, as for the pike, or other greater fish, it may be made of one entire peece; the substance of the stock would be a vvel grown ground Wi••ch••n, an elme, or an Ewe, or a hasel, and the top would be of hasel, or Whale-bone••some an∣glers vse to compound their rods of many peeces, as those which are made of cane, wherein one joynt is applied into another, but they are more for pleasure than any generall profit. To these rods doe belong lines made of the strongest and longest horse-haire which can be got, nor are th••y to be gotten of leane, poore, and diseased j••des, but such as are faire, fat, and in ••ul strength, and if conueniently you can, it is best euer to gather them from stoned horses, and not from mares or geldings: of haire, the blacke is the vvorst, the vvhite and gray best, and other colours indifferent: your smallest lines vvould consist of three haires, and your bigger of seuen: if amongst your haire you mixe a silke-threed or two, the line vvill be the better and stronger: you shall twist your haires neither too hard nor too soft, but hold a mediocritie, so as they may twine and couch close together, and the ends you shall fasten together vvith a fishers-knot, vvhich is your ordinarie fast knot, foulded foure or fiue times abou••, both vnder and aboue, to make it from loosening in the vvater: for the length of your lines, they must answer to the places in which you angle, some being foure fa∣dome, some sixe, and some more, according to the length of your rod, or the depth of the vvater: your lines (though their naturall colours, as being vvhite or gray, is not amisse) vvould yet sometimes be coloured of other colours, according to the sea∣sons of the yeare, for so the shadow of them (vvhich is most daungerous) will least scarre the fish, and soonest in••ice them to bite; and of these colours the Water-green•• is the best, yellow next, then russet, darke browne, or tawnie.

To die your lines of a Water-greene,* 1.61 you shall take a pottle of Allome-vvater, and put thereinto a handfull of Marigolds, and let them boyle vvell till a yellow 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rise on the top of the vvater, then take the quantitie of halfe a pound of greene cope∣ras, and as much of Verdigrea••e beaten to fine powder, and put it vvith the haire into the vvater, and so let it boyle againe a little space, and then set it in some 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to coole for the space of halfe a day, then take ••ut your haire, and lay it vvhere it may drie. This colour of Water-greene is good to angle with in all clayie vvaters, from the Spring till the beginning of Winter. If you vvill haue your haires yel∣low, you shall take Allome-water (as beforesaid) and Marigolds, and boyle them therein, adding thereto a handfull of turmerick, or for want thereof, so much of green Walnut-leaues, and mixing it with the vvater, steepe your haires therein a day and a night, then take them from them, and drie them: these yellow coloured lines are good also to angle with in cleare water, if they be full of weeds, ••edge, and other water

flowers, for it is not vnlike to the stalkes thereof, and the time best from Michaelmas till Christmas. To make your lines russet, you shall take a quart of Allome water, and as much strong lee, then put thereunto a handfull of soot, and as much Browne of Spaine: then when it hath boyled well an houre or two, set it by to coole, and being cooled, steepe the haires therein a full day and a night, and then lay the haires to dry. This colour is good to angle within deepe waters, whether they be riuers or standing pooles, and are best to be vsed from Christmas till after Easter. But if you will haue them of a darke browne colour, then you shall take a pound of Vmber, and halfe so much soot, and seeth it in a pottle of Ale a good space: then being coole, steepe your haires therein the space of foure and twentie houres, and then hang them vp to drie, and if the colour be not darke ynough, you may adde a little more of the Vmber, and it will darken it. These lines are best to angle with in blacke and muddie waters, whe∣ther they be standing pooles or running streames, and will endure all seasons of the yeare. Lastly, to make your lines of a ••awnie colour, you shall take lime and water, and mixe it together▪ and steepe your haires therein halfe a day: then take them forth and steepe them double so long time in Tanners ouze, and then hang them vp to dry. These lines are best to angle with in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and heathie waters, which are of a red∣dish or browne colour, and wil serue for that purpose all the seasons of the yeare. Now if with this colour, or the greene, you mix a siluer thred, it wil not be amisse, and with anie of the other colours a gold thred they will be much better to angle withall. Also you must remember to make at each end of your lines good bigge loopes, the one, to fasten to the top of your rod, the other, to the hooke-line, which commonly is not ••boue a foot long at the most.

To these lines there doth also belong Corkes,* 1.62 or Floats, which you shall make in this manner: Take of the best and thickest Corke you can get, and with a fine rape ••••••ing pared it cleane, cut it into the fashion of a Peare, bigge and round at the one end, and small and sharpe at the other, euer obseruing, according to the bignesse of your line, to make the bignesse of your corke: as, for a line of three haires, a corke of an ynch, or little more, long, and to the bigger lines, bigger corks: through this corke you shall thrust a quill, and through the quill the line. The corke serueth onely to let you know when the fish biteth, therefore the lesse it is, the better it is, for it onely giues the lesse shadow, prouided that it be euer in your eye: for though some An∣glers will fish without corkes, yet it is not so good, nor so certaine. In placing your corke vpon your line, you must put the small end downeward, and the bigge end to the topward. Now there be some Anglers which make their corkes of the fashion of Nutmegs, small at both ends, and bigge in the middest: and it is not much to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉, onely it is a little sooner apt to sinke, and you may thereby strike before the fish haue fully bitten: others shape their corkes in the fashion of a Whirle, or of a little Apple, round and flat on both sides: and this corke is not amisse to angle with at great fish, because it being not so apt to sinke, will flote till the hooke be faste∣ned, and that the fish beginneth to shoot away with the bait: so that the Angler then striking, can seldome or neuer loose his labour.

The next instrument to these which belongeth to the Angle, is your Hooks,* 1.63 which are of diuers shapes, some being bigge, and some little, and some of a meane betweene both, according to the fish at which you angle. The best thing to make your hooks of, is either old Spanish needles, or strong wyar drawne as neere as can be to that hard∣nesse of temper, which being nayled and allayed in the fire, you may bend anie way. Now the best way to soften your wyar before you worke it, is to hold it in the blaze of a candle till it be red hot, and then let it coole softly and gently of it selfe: or if not thus, then roule your wyar vp, & put it into a charcoale fire till it be red hot, and then let it coole at leisure. As touching the making of your hookes, you shall onely with a paire of plyars bend them to what proportion you please, and then with a sharpe file make the point and ••eard as sharpe as may be, and batter the lower end flat to which you must warpe your line. But because the trouble of making is a little noysome, it shall be best to buy them from such as make a liuing or trade thereof, and to buy of all

sorts, euen from the least to the biggest, as well double hookes as single: the double, which is for the Pike or bigger fish; and the single, which is for the Pearch, Trout, or middle sort. Your double hooks are (as it were) two hooks of one piece of wyar, tur∣ned contrarie waies one from the other. This double hooke must not be fastened like the single to the line, but to a strong wyar ioyned vnto it, of a handfull long, or more, being well wound about and warped with a smaller wyar: then to it another wyar of the same length, warped as aforesaid, and by linkes ioyned together, and then the line fastened to the last linke:* 1.64 and these are called armed hookes, because they desend the hooke from shearing or biting in pieces with the teeth of the greater fish. Now for your single hookes, you shall thus fixe them vnto their lines: Take a length of your twisted haires, containing that number which is fit for your hooke, and hauing made a loope at one end, lay the other end vpon the inside of your hooke: then with a silke thred, of the colour of your line, whip and warpe the hooke round about, as thicke, close, and strait as may be, and then running the last end through the whole warpe, draw it as fast as you can, then cut it away close by the warpe. After your ••ooke i•• thus fastened,* 1.65 you shall plumbe your line: which is, to fasten certaine pieces of lead according to the bignesse of your line, about it, some being in length about a quar••er of an ynch, some halfe an ynch, and some more, according to the bignesse of your corke, and the weight of the hooke: for these plummets are but to carrie downe the hooke to the bottome, neither being so heauie to make the corke sinke, nor so light, as not with the smallest touch to make the corke dip into the water. You shall vnder∣stand, that your first plummet would be a foot from the hooke, the rest not aboue an ynch one distant from another, & not being aboue fiue or seuen at the most: yet some Anglers vse nine; but it is not much materiall. There is in the plumbing of lines three seuerall fashions of plummets vsed:* 1.66 as, one long, another square, and the third in a diamond forme, yet all to one purpose, and the long ones euer the best, being smooth∣ly and well fastened to the line, for feare of catching hold vpon weeds or other things in the bottome of the water. Besides these instruments before spoke of, you must hau•• a Musket bullet,* 1.67 which fastened to a line, shall serue to sound the depth of the water where you angle, that thereby you may plumbe your lines the righter, and set your corke in his due place: then you shall haue a large ring of lead, six ynches at least in compasse, and made fast to a small long line, through which thrusting your rod, and letting the ring fall into the water, it will helpe to vnloose your hooke, if it be at ani•• time fastened about weeds or stones which lye in the bottome of the water: then you shall haue a smooth board, six or seuen ynches square, and cut battlement-wise at each end, vpon which you shall lap your lines: you shall haue a boxe for your hookes, a bagge or horne for your baits, and another boxe for your flies, both aliue, or dead: you shall haue needles, silke thred, wax, and loose haires: then a roule of pitch•• thred to mend anie cracke in the angle-rod: also a ••ile, a knife, a powch with manie purses: and lastly, a fine basket of small wands, which shall hang by his side, to put the fish in which the Angler takes, and a small round net fastened to a poles end, wherewith you may land a Pike or anie other great fish. Againe, an Angler must be verie carefull in his apparrell, by no meanes wearing light or gaudie sutes, which may giue affright to the fish,* 1.68 but of the darkest colour you can prouide, as russet, tawnie, or such like, and of the plainest fashion, without hanging sleeues, or any other wauering thing, because they are blinks or scarres which afright fish: it would be warme for your owne health sake: you must also keepe your head and feet drie, for the contrarie breeds feuer•• and other ill sicknesses.

Touching the seasons best to angle in:* 1.69 they are from Aprill till the end of Octo∣ber: and the best houres, from foure in the morning till nine, and from three in the af∣ternoone till fiue in the euening, the wind blowing from the North, South, or West, and the ayre temperate, as inclined to warmenesse: but to speake a little more parti∣cularly, you shall vnderstand, that if the day be darke, close, and lowring, or haue a gentle whistling wind playing vpon the water, it is good to angle in: or if a fine mi••∣zeling dew of raine fall gently without violence, the fish will bite the faster: also after

flouds are gone away, and the riuers are come within their owne bankes, and the wa∣ter clearest,* 1.70 it is good to angle in. Againe, for your Summers angling, you shall chuse the coolest time of the day, for the heat is not good: but for the winter angling, you shall not make anie difference of times, if the day be calme, for all houres of the Sunne are al••ke, onely the noone-tide is esteemed best. If the water where you angle, ebbe and ••low, the best time of angling is at an ebbing water; but in those places where the ••yde is not great, there the time of flowing is preferred also: lastly, when∣soeuer you see the T••out play or leape aboue water, and the Pike shute in the pursuit of other ••i••hes, it is then a verie good time to angle in: and all times and seasons con∣trarie to these before rehearsed, are vild and naught to angle in.

After the knowledge of seasons,* 1.71 you shall know the best manner how to stand and place your bodie whilest you angle: for if you angle in anie pond or standing water, then you shall chuse that place which is deepest, blackest, and least transparent, sha∣dowing your selfe vnder the banke, or so, as your shadow may be carried from the water; for it euer breeds a fright vnto the fishes: but if you angle in anie riuer, you shall chuse that place which is deepest and clearest; and here also you shall striue to conceale your selfe as much as is possible, by standing behind trees or bushes, or anie thing else that may couer you.

Next to this,* 1.72 you shall know the haunts of fishes: as thus, the Carpe, Eele, and Tench doe euer haunt muddie places; the Carpe lying in the bottome thereof, the Tench amongst the weeds, and the Eeles vnder stones, or other couert: the Breame, the Cheuine, and the Pike haunt euer the cleare and sandie bottome; the Pike, where you see great store of small frie▪ the Cheuine, where the streame runneth swiftest, and the shade is greatest; and the Breame, where the water is bro••dest, and the depth gi∣ueth greatest libertie: also these three delight more in ponds than in riuers. The Sal∣mon hath his haunt in the swiftest and broadest riuers, whose channell falls into the sea: The Trout loueth smaller brookes, the current being cleare and grauellie, and lodgeth most in deepe holes: so doth the Pearch also, onely he abideth most in the creekes or hollow places which are about the bankes. The Gudgin, the Loach, and the Bulhead haunt shallow waters: The Barbel, Roche, Dace, and Ruffe, haunt the deepe shadie places of those waters which are mixt with more ••and than grauell, or where the clay is firme, and not ••••imie, and loue to lye vnder the shadowes of trees or bushes that grow on the banke. The Luce or Lucerne haunteth the broad and large meares, being deepe and still, and euer lodgeth in the bottome thereof. The Shad and Tweat haunt those waters which are brackish, deepe, and accustomed to ebbe and flow: and where they haunt, there commonly is found both the Muller and the Su∣ant, all which loue to lodge close and flat at the bottome, so it be rather clay than grauell.

Next to the knowledge of the haunts of fishes,* 1.73 you shall learne to know the seue∣rall baits, which, besides those formerly described (which are indeed French secrets) there are manie other, and may be reduced to two kinds, Liue-baits, and Dead-baits: your Liue-baits are wormes of all kinds, especially the Red-worme, the Maggot, the Bob, the Dore, browne Flyes, Frogges, Grashoppers, Hornets, Wasps, Bees, Snailes, small Roches, Bleakes, Gudgins, or else Loaches: your dead-baits are pastes of all kinds, of which we haue exprest diuers before, and their vse; yong brood of Waspes, dried or vndried, clottered Bloud, Chee••e, Bramble-berries, Corne-seedes, Cherries, and all sorts of flies made of silke and feathers so liuely, that they will many times de∣ceiue a good iudgement, of which there are diuers, as the dunne flie, the stone flie, the red flie, the yellow flie, the blacke flie, the darke yellow flie, the moorish flie, the tawnie flie,* 1.74 the Waspe flie, the shell-flie, and the cloudie darke flie. Now for the sea∣sons in which all these seuerall baites are to be vsed, you shall know, that the Red-worme will serue for small fish all the yeare long; the Maggot is good in Iulie, the Bob and Dore in May, the browne flies in Iune, Frogges in March, Grashoppers in September, Hornets, Waspes, and Bees in Iuly, Snailes in August: all pastes are good in May, Iune, and Iuly, dried Waspes in May, Sheepes bloud and Cheese in Aprill,

and for Bramble-berries, or Corne-seeds, they are good at the fall of the lease onely. Lastly, for your dead flies; the dunne flie is good in March and Februarie▪ the stone flie is for Aprill; the red flie and the yellow flie are for May; the black flie, the darke yellow flie, and the moorish flie, are for Iune; the tawnie flie for part of May and part of Iune; the Waspe flie and the shell flie are for Iuly; and the cloudie darke flie for August.

Now for the preseruation of all baits,* 1.75 especially the liuing ones, for the dead doe not so soone perish; you shall vnderstand, that they must not be kept all together, but euerie kind seuerall by it selfe, and nourished with such things as they delight in: and first, for the Red-worme, you shall put them into a bagge of red cloth, and chopping a handfull of Fennell, mix it with halfe so much fine mould, and put it to the wormes, and they will not onely liue long therein, but also scoure and seed. Some put mosse amongst them; others put Pa••sley, or sweet Marierome; neither is it amisse: but the first is best, and will keepe them full two moneths in perfection: For the Maggot, you shall mix with them Sheepes ••allow, or little bits of a beasts liuer. The best way to scoure them, is to put them into a bagge of blanketting with sand, and hang them where they may haue the ayre of the fire for an houre or two. For Frogges and Gr••s∣hoppers, you shall keepe them in wet mosse and long grasse, moistened euerie night with water. As for the Bob, Cadys worme, the Canker, and such like, you shall keepe them with the same things that you find them vpon: and for all sorts of liue flies, you shall vse them as you take them; onely the Waspe, the Hornet, and the Bumble-bee, you shall fi••st drie them a little in a warme Ouen after the bread is drawne, and then dippe all their heads into Sheepes bloud, and then drie them a∣gaine, and so keepe them in a close boxe, and they will keepe two or three moneths in verie good perfection.

Now, for the seuerall fishes, and how they delight in euerie seuerall bait,* 1.76 you shall know, that the Gudgin, Roch, and Dace, loue the Red-worme, Cod-worme, Mag∣got, clottered bloud, or the young brood of Wasps; the Carpe loues paste, the Mosse-worme, the Red-worme, the Menow, the Cadys worme, or Grashopper; the Chub, Cheuine, or Trout, loue all sorts of dead flies, Cadys worme, Bob, Frogges, Do••es, or Hornets; the Eele loues the Red-worme, or Sheepes guts; the Flounder or Suant loues the Red-worme, or brood of Waspes; the Grayling, or the Barbel, loue all that the Trout loues; the Breame loues Butterflies, greene flies, paste, or brood of Wasps; the Tench loues paste, the Red-worme, Maggots, & dried Wasps; the Bleake, Ruffe, and Pearch, loue the Red-worme, the house-flie, fat Bacon, Bob, Maggot, or Canker; the Pyke loues the small Roch, Dace, or Menow, Frogges, or Bulheads: Lastly, the Salmon loues all those baits which the Trout loues; as paste or flies in Summer, and all sorts of Wormes, or the Cankers or water-Dockes in the Winter. And thus much for the generall satisfaction of all Readers, which desire knowledge in this art of An∣gling, and which indeed is verie proper and fit for our Husbandman.

CHAP. XVII.

The fishing of all sorts of Fish.

THe fishing or taking of fish is diuers, according to the Riuers and Waters wherein they keep, as also in respect of the diuersitie of the fishes them∣selues: for the fishing in the sea, and that in fresh water, is not all one, but seuerall, and diuers: the great fishes one way, the Eele another way, the Pike another way, and the Carpe is taken another way. But whereas it might fall out, that such variable manner of fishing might be verie difficult and long to describe, we will leaue this knowledge to such as make account to sell and buy fish, and will onely declare, for the benefit of the householder, that the chiefest and most principall waies to take fish, are either in the Maund, or with the Casting-net, or with the Line, or with

Nets, or with the Hooke. The Nets do heape together greatest store of fish, but they are chargeable to maintaine: the Casting-net is of the same condition: the Line and hooke are the most ingenious and wittie, but least profitable, and of slendrest reward.

The fittest time to goe a fishing in Autumne,* 1.77 is after Sunne-set, and then principally when it is betwixt night and day, for then fishes are slumbring, and that so deepely, as that they may be taken at their rest with light and flaming torches. In Winter, the fittest time to fish in, is about noone: in the Spring time all the day long, but chiefely before the Sunne rise: which Spring time is the most fit of all other times for fishing; in as much as then the water being warme, and the fish stirred vp to engender, they rise from the bottome of the depths to the vppermost part of the waters, yea, often∣times to the verie edges thereof. The worst and most vnfit time of all other is the Summer, especially whiles the Dogge-daies last, the heat whereof causeth the fish to die, and constraineth it to betake it selfe to the bottome of the depths: so that if you would fish in Summer, it must be in the night season. In fishing you are to haue re∣gard vnto the wind: so that when the North wind bloweth, you must turne your Nets toward the South wind, and the South wind blowing toward the North wind. In like manner, when the Westerne wind bloweth, your Nets must be turned toward the East, and contrarily: but before all things, fishing must be gone about in a calme time, when there is not anie tempest abroad.

For to gather fish together into one place:* 1.78 Take Penyryall, Sauorie, Organie, and Marierome, of euerie one the weight of three French crownes, of the barke of the Frankincense and Myrrhe-tree, of each one ounce, of sweet Cherries dried and infu∣sed in good wine, halfe a pound, of a Hogges liuer rosted, of Goats grease and Gar∣like, of each a pound: stampe euerie one by it selfe, and after put thereunto some sine grauell; with this, mixt together, you shall feed the fish for some houre or two before you cast in your Net, which when at such time you haue cast in, you shall therewith compasse the place about.

To catch all sorts of fish:* 1.79 Take Sheepes sewet, of burnt Sesamum, Garlike, Orga∣nie, Thyme, and dried Marierome, of euerie one a sufficient competent quantitie, stampe them with the crummes of bread and wine, and giue of this composition to the fish to eat: Or else take sweet Cherries dried, and braying them, make pills there∣of to giue vnto fishes: Or make a meat with vnquencht Lime, old Cheese, and Rams sewet: cast this into the water, and presently you shall see the fish flote and lye still vpon the water. Fishermen, to catch small fish with the Line, doe bait hookes with small earth-wormes, whereof the fish are verie desirous and greedie. Otherwise: take the Indian shell, Cummin, old Cheese, flower of Wheat, knead them all together with Wine, make pills thereof as great as small Peason: cast them into the Riuer when the water shall be quiet and calme, all the fish that shall tast of this confection, as though they were drunke and besotted, will run to the brinke of the Riuer, and so, as that you may take them vp with your hand: Or else make a confection with the round root of Birthwort bruised, or Sowes bread, and vnquencht Lime: cast vpon the water some portion of this consection, the fishes will hasten vnto it presently, and hauing tasted thereof, will die suddenly.

To take small fishes:* 1.80 Take the flesh of a Snaile without a taile, and thereof make a bait, and put not on anie more than one little Snaile at a time: Or else take the flesh and bloud of a Calfe well powned, put it into a vessell, and so leaue it by the space of ••enne daies; afterward vse it to make baits of. Otherwise: take sweet Cherries dried, and bray them, making pills thereof, which you shall cast vnto the fishes.

Take Sal ammoniake an ounce,* 1.81 Onions, the weight of a French crowne, of the fat of a calfe the weight of sixe crownes: make pills thereof after the fashion of beanes, and offering them to Torteises, they vvill come to the smell, and so be taken.

For the Cuttle-fishes:* 1.82 Take the lees of strong Wine, and mixe them vvith oyle, and casting it into a place, vvhere you know that the Cuttle hath cast her blacke and shadowing humor, she will come to the place where the oyle is, and so you may take her. Or else take Sal ammoniack two ounces, Goats butter an ounce: stampe them all

and make little soft loaues thereof, wherewith annoint some kind of corne, or little clothes that are not fringed: for so it will come to passe, that the Cuttle will ••eed round about them, and not stirre away, so that you may take them presently.

To take Loaches:* 1.83 Take the bran of Wheat two pound, of whole Lintiles halfe a pound, mingle them together, and bray them with a sufficient quantitie of salt bri••e: after, put thereto halfe a pound o•• Se••amum, of which you must cast about you some heere and some there, for as soone as you haue cast it from you, all the small fish will hasten vnto it, and (which is more) they will flock together into one place, though they be sixe hundred paces off. Or ••lse take Neats bloud, Goats bloud, Sheepes bloud, & Swines bloud, and the dung which is in the small guts of an Hog, Thyme, Organie, Penyriall, Sauorie▪ Marierome, Garlick, and the lees of wine, of ech alike, of the greases of the same beasts so much as you shall see to be enough: stampe euerie thing by it selfe, after mixe them together, and make pills thereof to cast into the place whither you would haue the fish to ••locke, and that an houre before you cast in your net. Otherwise, take the bloud of a blacke Goat, and Barly flower, of each a∣like, bray them both with the lungs of the Goat cut very small, and make pill•• thereof to vse after the manner aforesaid. Otherwise, take Garlicke halfe a pound, burnt Se∣samum as much, Penyryall, Organie, Thyme, Marierome, Sauorie, and wild 〈◊〉〈◊〉, of each foure ounces, of Barly flower a pound, of the dough thereof as much, and of the barke of Frankincense-tree two ounces; mingle all together with Bran, and giue it vnto the fishes.

To catch Pearches:* 1.84 The Pearch is not easily taken with Nets, neither yet at the Weyres, but rather with a proper bait, and that in a puddlie and troubled water: wherefore you must make a bait with the liuer of a Goat, and bait your hooke there∣with. Or else take yellow Butterflies, and Cheese of Goats milke, of each halfe an ounce, of Opopanax the weight of two French crownes, of Swines bloud hal••e an ounce, and of Galbanum as much▪ then powne them all verie well, and ••••••∣gle them together, powring vpon them near red Wine, and make thereof such little loaues as you vse to make perfumes into, and afterward drie them in the shadow.

For to take Salmons,* 1.85 as well of the Riuer as of the Sea: Take of the testicles, or stones of a Cocke, one ounce, of Pine-apple kernels burned two ounces, bray them both together till they come to the forme of a powder. Otherwise: Take wild Ru•• seed, and the fat of a Cal••e, of each an ounce, of Sesamum two ounces, stampe them all, and make little loa••es; which you shall vse.

The Trouts,* 1.86 which are a kind of Salmon, are taken with the hand, hauing betaken themselues into their holes: or with Nets, or at Weyres: and sometimes with the light of a candle.

The Gudgeon* 1.87 is taken with a hooke, or the little Net, called a Truble.

The Carpe* 1.88 is taken with the Net, hooke, or engines laid at Weyres: but shee of∣tentimes deceiueth the Net, shoouing her head downe into the mud or myre, where∣in shee delighteth.

The end of the fourth Booke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Salt Marshes.
• * 1.2

  To make new medow grounds.
• * 1.3

  Oates a great breeder of grasse.
• * 1.4

  To sow Me∣dowes.
• * 1.5

  Geese a greas enemie to good grounds.
• * 1.6

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.7

  To gather out the stones.
• * 1.8

  To horrow it.
• * 1.9

  The manuring of it.
• * 1.10

  Bottomes of Hay-mowes.
• * 1.11

  Sluces and Draines.
• * 1.12

  To sow me∣dowes.
• * 1.13

  Sops in wine, or Snaile-clauer.
• * 1.14

  Cato. Palladius.
• * 1.15

  Plantaine.
• * 1.16

  Wild Carret.
• * 1.17

  Wound-wort.
• * 1.18

  Germander.
• * 1.19

  Small Ram∣pions.
• * 1.20

  Wild Saffron••
• * 1.21

  Laughing Smal∣lage.
• * 1.22

  Great and small water German∣der in the Me∣dowes of Cheles.
• * 1.23

  Carpenters w••rt-••alme.
• * 1.24

  Blessed thistle.
• * 1.25

  Pimpernell.
• * 1.26

  Saxifrage a great friend to Medowes.
• * 1.27

  Sweepings of Hay-barne floores.
• * 1.28

  Foddering of great cattell.
• * 1.29

  Foddering of Sheepe.
• * 1.30

  Commoditie of foddering.
• * 1.31

  Mowing of meadowes.
• * 1.32

  Best time to cut grasse.
• * 1.33

  Wind-rowes.
• * 1.34

  Great hay-cockes.
• * 1.35

  Sowre and harsh-grasse.
• * 1.36

  Choyce and vse of haye.
• * 1.37

  Moist-hay.
• * 1.38

  Drie-hay.
• * 1.39

  Curiositie.
• * 1.40

  Grazing with cattell.
• * 1.41

  The vine mari∣ed vnto the Elme.
• * 1.42

  The situation of the Pooles.
• * 1.43

  To make a Fish-pond.
• * 1.44

  The wild flesh of the fish-poole.
• * 1.45

  Beasts of a two fold lif••▪
• * 1.46

  Carpe, Barbell. Famous pooles▪ The pooles of Nouë and Gou∣uieux.
• * 1.47

  White fish. The Trout.
• * 1.48

  Tench. Eele.
• * 1.49

  Eele ponds.
• * 1.50

  The lamprey a venimous fish in the Sea.
• * 1.51

  The excrements of the poole are the frog and the creuise.
• * 1.52

  Sorts of fishing forbidden.
• * 1.53

  Diuerse kindes of nets.
• * 1.54

  To banish water rats.
• * 1.55

  Not to shoot at wild••owle a∣bout fishpoo••es.
• * 1.56

  Gunnes cause fish to ••ie.
• * 1.57

  The raising of the sides or bankes of the fish-poole.
• * 1.58

  Fish-ponds and fish 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.59

  Food for Fish.
• * 1.60

  Art of Angling
• * 1.61

  To 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fishing line••.
• * 1.62

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.63

  Hookes.
• * 1.64

  To fasten the ••ookes.
• * 1.65

  To plumbe the lin••.
• * 1.66

  Three seuerall fashion•• of plummets.
• * 1.67

  A musket bullet to sound the depth.
• * 1.68

  Apparr••ll for an Angler.
• * 1.69

  Best seasons for fishing.
• * 1.70

  Winter and Summer fishing
• * 1.71

  The best maner of fishing.
• * 1.72

  The haunts of fishes.
• * 1.73

  Baites.
• * 1.74

  The fit times for euerie bait.
• * 1.75

  To preserue 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.76

  To fit fish with the baits they delight in.
• * 1.77

  The time to take fish.
• * 1.78

  To gather the fish together in∣to one place.
• * 1.79

  To catch all sorts of fishes.
• * 1.80

  To take small fishes.
• * 1.81

  To intrap and take Torteises with bait.
• * 1.82

  To catch the Cuttle fish.
• * 1.83

  To fish for and to take Loaches.
• * 1.84

  To fish for Pearches.
• * 1.85

  To take Sal∣mons.
• * 1.86

  To take Trouts.
• * 1.87

  The Gudgeon.
• * 1.88

  The Carpe.