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

CHAP. I.

Of the common Measures whereby things are measured.

NOtwithstanding, that the Art of measuring Grounds doth more properly belong vnto the Geometrician, than vnto the Husbandman; and euen as chiefe Masons and Master∣builders, who ought to haue the skill of Measuring, doe not vouchsafe, at anie time, to measure the Workes and Buildings which they haue set vp and finished, but leaue the same for such as make profession of Measuring: So likewise it may seeme, that this is no dutie of the Husband∣mans, to measure out his grounds, but rather appertaining, and therefore to be expected of them which practise such art and skill. Notwithstanding, being de∣sirous that the Master of this our Countrey Farme should not be ignorant of anie thing which may serue for the enriching of his house, and encrease of his wealth, I haue thought it meete and reasonable, before I passe anie further vnto my pur∣posed discourse of the husbanding and tilling of Corne-ground, familiarly to vn∣fold certaine rules of Measuring, which are verie common with vs here in Franc••, and wherewith the Farmer, in case of necessitie, and for his commoditie, may helpe himselfe.

To begin therefore with the matter, all Grounds and Lands, whether they be Medowes, Vineyards, Woods, Isles of Water, Courts, Gardens, Corne-ground, places, fields, and others whatsoeuer, are measured in France by the foot, fadome,

and pole. The foot, according to the Kings measure, containeth throughout all France twelue ynches: the ynch twelue-lines, and ••uerie-line must be of equall length to the thicknesse of a barly corne that is full and well fedde. A ••i••rce or third part of a foot, is called a Dour: and the fourth part is called a Quarter. The fadome and the pole are measured by the foot, but how manie ••oot the one and the other should containe, there is not anie so sure and certaine a rule which hol∣deth through all France, as there is for the foot, by reason of the vari••tie of Mea∣sures, and those not in diuers Countries of France onely, as in Britaine, Norman∣die, Gascoine, Poictou, and others, but also euen in places situate within some one Isle of France, and standing hard together; as may easily be seene neere vnto Paris: in such sort, as that the fadome of some Countries containeth sixe foot and eight ynches; and the pole, twentie foot: elsewhere, the fadome containeth seuen foot and foure ynches, and the pole two and twentie foot: In manie places the fadome containeth sixe foot, and the pole eighteene foot: In others againe the fadome con∣taineth sixe foot fiue ynches and halfe an ynch, or there about, and the pole nineteene foot and one dour, which is foure ynches.

True it is, that as the rule is certaine through all France, that a foot containeth twelue ynches, so it is as sure and inu••olable, that a pole containeth three fadome. Wherefore, without standing much vpon the fadome (which in truth is a mea∣sure more fit for Masons and Carpenters, than for measurers of ground) for the well measuring of all sorts of grounds, you must content your selfe with two prin∣cipall measures, the foot and the pole, not forgetting or omitting your ynche••, quarters, and thirds, which are parts of a foot. Which more is, in as much as feet, fadomes, and poles are but small measures, and such as whereof might rise (as it were) an infinite number, or (at the least) a verie troublesome number, and such a one, as the reckoning whereof could hardly be kept, especially when there is need of measuring a Wood, Medowes, Places, Isles, arable ground, and other places of great compasse; besides the foot, fadome, and pole, there is vsed another measure, which the Frenchmen call an Arpent, but of the people of Burgundie and Cha••∣paigne, and manie others, it is called Iournax, deriued from the Latine word I••∣gerum, which containeth as much ground as two Oxen or Horse coupled or yoa∣ked together can tyll in one day. The Normans call it an Acre, taken from the Romane word Actus. This measure ariseth of manie poles being put one vn∣to another, or else multiplied together, as the poles doe rise of manie feet mul∣tiplied.

It is verie true, that euen as the pole doth not hold throughout all Fraunce one measure of feet, so neither doth the Arpent consist infallibly of one number of poles: but looke (almost) how manie Countries there are, euen so manie dif∣ferences of sorts of Arpents there are likewise: And that it is so, there are to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉, amongst manie other, foure ••orts of this meas••re, called the Arpent, as be∣ing most accustomed to be vsed. The first of them is called the Kings Arpent, and it is vsed of men ordinarily about the measuring of Woods, and it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of two and twentie foot to the pole, twelue ynches to the foot, and a hundred poles to the Arpent. The second is more common, consisting of twentie foot for a pole, twelue ynches for a foot, and a hundred poles for an Arpent. The third is the least vsuall of all, it consisteth of nineteene foot and a third, which are foure yn∣ches in euerie pole, twelue ynches to a foot, and a hundred poles to an Arpent. The fourth is most common of them all, consisting of eighteene foot for eueri•• pole, twelue ynches for euerie foot, and a hundred poles for euerie Arpen••. Be∣cause therefore of such great diuersities of measures of the Arpent, the Measure•• shall not of necessitie bee put beside the right performing of his worke; before he begin to measure, he shall diligently and wisely enquire of the measure that is holden by the custome of the Countrey, in the place where he is called fo•• to measure.

Furthermore, you must know, that the arpent may be diuided into manie parts, as the halfe arpent, a tierce, a fourth, a halfe fourth, a halfe tierce: all which con∣taine, euerie one according vnto his proportion, so much as the whole arpent containeth.

The instrument and persons required as necessarie to helpe to make measure.

THe Measurer must be prouided of tenne or twelue arrowes, otherwise called little broches, or prickes, because they are prickt downe in the earth, to guide the chayne: they are made of wood, but harnessed at the nether end with a sharpe pointed end of yron, of the length of two foot, or thereabout, being of such thicknesse, all the tenne or twelue together, as that a boy of fifteene yeares old may easily hold them in his fist. Wee haue said, that hee must haue some tenne or twelue of these arrowes, that is to say, tenne of them, when the Measurer doth vse his Geometricall staffe in stead of one sticke, or eleuen, when he doth not vse his staffe.

The second instrument verie necessarily required for the Measurer to measure assuredly withall (that is to say, not to faile in his feet and poles, and in the num∣ber of them) is the Richards chayne, which is made of yron rather than of coard, (because that coard being apt to stretch, it will not keepe his exact length con∣stantly at all times) and also sufficient strong and thicke, and distinguished and diuided by round buckles or mayles at the end of euerie foot, to the end it may be folded vp together the more easily into one: It must be of the length of a pole, according vnto the custome of measuring in Fraunce; or of two or three poles, more or lesse, according vnto the aduise of the Measurer, and custome of the coun∣••rey: and it must likewise haue in the end of euerie length thereof a ring, or round hoope, so wide and great, as that the middle finger either of the Measurer or of his assistant may freely goe through it, without anie manner of force or violence vsed. Besides, the said chayne must also (if a man be so disposed) be marked by the way, that is to say, into tierces and fourthes, with some mayles differing from the mayles of the chayne, that by them the tierces and fourthes may be the better knowne. And as for the Measurer, hee must haue three or foure foot length of chayne to reserue vnto himselfe about his Spade, or in some little bagge of Leather, that so vpon occasion (if need be) he may lengthen the chayne, or else helpe to make it againe, if in case it should breake. In this figure or picture following you may ••ee the shafts in a bundle by themselues, and the chayne gathered vp together by it selfe.

[illustration]

The principall instrument for the Measurer well and assuredly to find out the forme of the earth which he must measure (whether it be square, or somewhat long, or of anie such other forme; for to iudge of and discerne the length and breadth thereof; for to reduce all sorts of earth, and of whatsoeuer forme they be, into a square; and to order and begin his measuring well) is the Squire, which is an instru∣ment made of yron, or molten mettall, or of common wood, or of Bra••ill, squared or round, diuided iustly and equally into eight portions, hauing the forme of direct lines, and those such fine and small ones, as possibly may be▪ for the thinner and finer that they are, so much the surer they will be. This Squire must haue in the middest a round, in manner of a ring, reasonably thicke, bored in the length thereof cle•••••• through with eight holes, without which the said instrument would be altogether vnprofitable. By those lights or holes the Measurer shall make his sight, by winking on the one eye, to discerne the length and bredth, and all other forme of the grounds which he must measure. There must also be on high, iust in the middest of the round of this Squire, a hole, ••or to receiue the Measurers staffe, whereof wee will speake by and by, that so it may beare vp the said Squire, and raise it on such a height as shall be needfull for the Measurer to take the view and sight of the ground 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and con∣ueniently.

It will be good also, though not much necessarie, that there were a dyall set vpon this round, to discerne the houres of the day, if need be, and to know in what part the South standeth.

The staffe that beareth vp the Squire, is called the Geometricall staffe, which must be of wood, verie straight, six foot long, or thereabout, and reasonably thicke, so as it may well be carried and held in your hand, hauing the end downeward sharpe and shod with a sharpe point of yron, made verie hard and thicke, or else of Copper, and hauing a little hindge after the fashion of a vice aboue, and in the end thereof a little hoope to receiue and hold fast the Squire set thereupon, that so it may not moue, tremble, or shake with the wind, yea, though it be a great and vio∣lent wind that bloweth, whiles the Geometrician is in performing his businesse. The staffe must be marked out all along with lengths of feet, halfe feet, fourthes, and tierces of poles.

In this present figure you may see the Squire and the Staffe, each of them by themselues.

[illustration]

The Geometrician must likewise haue in readinesse two sorts of writing-Tables: The one of Slate, reasonably thicke, with a penne fastened to the same, at the end of a little string; and it must be likewise of Slate, that so it may not cut the said Ta∣bles too deepe in, when he writeth vp his accounts therein with it. The other little

paire of Tables shall be of Boxe, or other such like matter, like vnto those which are brought out of Germanie, hauing a Copper penne, which the said Geomet••ician shall vse for the setting downe in writing the lying, buttings, and contents of the said peece of ground which he hath measured.

He must also haue two men: that is to say, one his assistant to goe before him, and to carrie the end of the chayne, and to thrust downe into the earth the tenne or twelue shafts: and the partie whose ground is measured, or some one for him, that can lay and point out vnto the Geometrician the bounds and limits of the said peece of ground, whether it be arable, wood, medow, or ani•• other such like place.

How and in what manner the Measurer of these grounds is to accom∣plish and performe his worke.

THis Measurer of grounds (being thus suted with all the foresaid instruments ser∣uing for the measuring of ground, and hauing likewise the directions and assi∣stance of others, as hath beene said, to helpe him about his worke) must diligen••ly enquire of the manner, fashion, and custome of measuring in that place, and of what length his chayne must be, how manie poles are contained in an arpent in that coun∣trey, and how manie foot are to goe to euerie pole, seeing (as wee haue said before) almost euerie countrey hath his seuerall measure: besides this, hee being well instru∣cted and taught in the boundings and limits of the peece of ground which hee would measure, he must lay aside, or else (at the least) trusse vp his cloake verie close, and place himselfe at one of the ends of the plot of ground, wood, or medow, ha∣uing his shafts, all of them, vnder his girdle on the left side, and his Squire hanging by a little crooke at his girdle on the right ••ide: there pitch downe his Geometri∣call staffe, making fit and fast his Squire vnto the end thereof, and to assigne, for his more ease, the tenne shafts which hee had made fast vnto the left side at his girdle, vnto that place whereas is fixed the little hindge: afterward stouping with his head, to take his sight and view, by shutting the one eye, ouerthwart and within the holes or lights of the said Squire, the forme; and first the length, by one side of the Squire; afterward the breadth, by the other side of the said Squire (without stirring or mo∣uing of the Squire at all from out of his place from aboue the staffe) of the peece of ground that hee would measure. It is true, that hee shall need neither staffe nor Squire, if the peece of ground be square, or of a small compasse, because that with∣out any such Squire he shall be able to discerne the forme of the ground: and in such cases hee shall onely vse the helpe of his shafts, which hee shall giue vnto his assistant, and of the chayne, the one end whereof he shall hold himselfe, and giue the other vnto his assistant, which shall goe before to sticke downe the shaf••s at each end of the chayne, both of them herein applying themselues to the same purpose alike. The assistant shall goe before, and first he shall hold in his left hand the tenne shafts alto∣gether, leauing the eleuenth with the Master-measurer, to fasten downe in the place where he shall begin his measuring (if so be that the measurer doe not chuse rather, in stead thereof, to vse his staffe:) the said assistant shall hold one of the ends of the chayne by the ring with the great finger of his right hand, and that without ani•• want of roome for his finger to goe in, he shall fasten downe in the earth one of his shafts (which his left hand shall haue reached him) with his right hand, at the end of the chayne, as it is stretched forth at length: the said Master-measurer shall ful∣low him, and shall take vp the shaft which his assistant hath set downe into the earth: then the assistant shall proceed and goe on, alwaies carrying the chayne with him, and fastening the end of the chayne which hee carrieth with one of his shafts thrust downe into the earth, and this shaft the Master-measurer alwaies comming after, shall take vp, and both of them shall continue and hold on this course, the one to put downe the shafts, and the other to take them vp, vntill such time as the chiefe measurer haue gathered to himselfe all the tenne or twelue shafts, which will be so

manie or so manie poles. This done, both of them shall goe vnto two other ends of the said peece of ground, and shall doe in like manner as they did at the first: where when as the measurer hath measured the length of one side, he shall measure the one breadth, leauing the length of the other side, and the other breadth, hauing found out by his Squire, that the peece of ground is square, if rather, for his owne assurance, and contentment of the owner, he thinke it not meet to measure the two lengths by themselues, and the two widenesses by themselues. Whereupon it will come to passe, that if the peece of ground or wood (for an example) conta••ne from the one end to the other, on all sides, tenne poles, multiplying the one side by the other, that is to say, tenne by tenne, they shall haue the totall summe of the poles of the Square, which will be a hundred poles, which is one a••pent: and so hereupon the measurer shall conclude, that the place doth containe an arpent. Againe, if in case that the place were of greater breadth and length than tenne poles square, they shall hold on their measuring, and passe from one end to the other, accounting that which shall be more, still reducing all that they measure into hundreds of poles, and so into arpents. See here the easie way for the measuring of Land, Woods, and other places of small compasse and square, wherein there is no great need of anie Squire: but and if the pe••ce of Land, Wood, or other such place be of great compasse and contents, and yet notwithstanding lying straight on euerie side, as of fiue or sixe hundred ar∣pents, or more, it will stand the measurer vpon to vse the helpe of his Squire: where∣fore hee shall pitch downe his Geometricall staffe at one of the ends of the said peece, and shall set his Squire to the top of the end of his staffe, and shall view the other end of the ground through the holes or lights of the said Squire, if his sight and largenesse of the place will permit him: which if it will not, then onely so farre at that time as his sight may bee con••••ied: vnto which place directly, whi∣ther the direct line of the squire doth looke, hee shall send his assistant, or some other man, to pitch downe a diameter, that is to say, a stake or pole, or some other certaine marke, so farre off, as that the said measurer may see it at that end of the peece where he is taking his sight: or else many diameters in many places, alwaies directly behol∣ding the first diameter, if in case the peece of ground should be of longer distance, so as that one, two, or three diameters alone would not be sufficient, as those which the said measurer should not be able easily to see and discerne. The diameters, one or many, being thus pight, they will serue to helpe the measurer better and more easi∣ly to measure the peece, being thereby as it were diuided into many equall portions. If it be a peece of vnderwood that one would measure, the measurer and two or three stoppers doe cut downe so much of the said vnderwood as may make a way of such widenes, as that the measurer and his assistant may easily pas••e. But if this be a wood of great timber trees, and of a great compasse and reach, the great trees shall s••rue for diameters. Then the direct draught being taken, and the diameters pight▪ and the o∣ther end of the peece of ground attained, the measurer shall giue his assistant tenne shafts, and shall keepe still the eleuenth, or in place thereof vse his Geometrical staffe (as we haue said before) and shall hold one of the ends of the chaine with the great finger of his right hand, as his assistant shall hold the other end in his right hand, and the ten shafts all together in the left, to pitch downe one at the end of euerie chaines length, as we haue said before. In this figure you may perceiue how this measurer and his assistant doe performe the thing.

[illustration]

How to reduce all sorts of grounds into a square for the better measuring of it.

BVt as all grounds are not of one forme and fashion; so is it not possible that one manner of measuring should serue to find out the quantitie of euerie peece: and therefore to speake generally, all places and grounds are either square or longer than they be broad, and then they are called somewhat longer than broad: but stretching right out, or vnequall both in length and bredth, and then they be called somewhat long, and ending like a horne, or in the forme of a vvedge, that is to say, alike long, but of an vnequall bredth; or of an equall triangle, or of an vnequall triangle; or round, or halfe round, or of the fashion of a bow, or consisting of many corners, or of many fashions mixt together, or they are inclosed one within another: for the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 measuring of all which places, you must reduce them into a square, vvhich is as Polycl••tus his rule for the vvell measuring of all grounds and places: the mea∣sure of square is verie easie as vve haue said, that is to say, like number of poles on e∣uerie side, which consisteth of tenne poles to a French arpent, which number being multiplied vvith it selfe, which is ten by ten, make the whole summe of poles, where∣of an arpent consisteth, vvhich are a hundred poles, and euerie pole consisting of eighteene foot.

If then the earth be found by the measuring of the Geometrician, to be more long than broad, and yet hauing each long side equall, and each side of bredth likewise equall, which is called Balongue droit, for the bringing of this forme into a square, you must remember (or else hauing it set downe in writing table•• for the better re∣membrance) what number of poles are in the length, and how many likewise in the bredth, and to multiplie the length by the bredth, that is, the poles of the leng••h, by the poles of the bredth: as for example, if the measurer haue found in ••he ••quall length of a ground fiue and twenty poles, and in the equal bredth of the same ground foure poles, he shall multiplie fiue and twentie by foure, and shall ••ay foure times fiue and twentie are a hundred: this ground then by this multiplication is found to con∣taine a hundred poles, and so by consequent an arpent, at a hundred poles to an ar∣pent, and eighteene foot to a pole, and so in like manner as the length is more or lesse. Likewise the bredth being lesse or greater, that the number of the length and bredth be multiplied together, whether it be lesse or amount to more than an arpent, he shall make his accounts and reckoning to fall proportionably, according to the greater or lesse number of poles, as well of the length as of the bredth: as for example, if the measurer haue found in the length of a ground seuen and thirtie poles and a halfe, and in bredth one pole, he shall multiplie thirtie seuen poles and a halfe by one, and shall say that this ground containeth thirtie seuen poles and a halfe, which is a quarter and a halfe of an arpent, at a hundred poles to an arpent, and eighteene foot to euerie pole: by the same meanes, if the ground be seuenteene pole long, and two pole and sixe foot broad, in multiplying seuenteene pole by two pole and sixe foot, he shal find a quarter and a halfe, two pole, three foot of an arpent: after a hundred pole to an ar∣pent, and eighteene foot to a pole.

If the ground be found by measuring to be vnequall and vnlike, as well in the length of the one side to the other, as in the bredth of the one end to the other; you must remember, or for your better remembrance set downe in writing tables, the vne∣quall numbers of the two sides, as also those of the two ends, and afterward to reduce the two vnequall lengths, as also the bredths, into an equalitie, in the end multiply∣ing the equall length by the bredth likewise made equall: as for example, if one of the broad ends of the said ground doe containe foure poles, and the other two poles onely, and the one of the sides of length containe sixteene poles, and the other tenne poles, to bring and reduce the thing into a square, you must take of the two poles by vvhich one of the broad ends is broader than the other, the halfe, that is to say, one pole, and put it to the two poles of the other end, and thus each end will contain his three poles a peece equally. And of the sixe poles wherein the one of the sides doth exceed the other in length, to take also the halfe which is three pole, and to put them to the tenne, so each of the sides vvill be thirteene pole a peec••: then af∣terward to take the number of one bredth (made equall vvith the other, as vve haue said) vvhich is three pole, for to multiplie one length (made equall likewise with the other as we haue said) which is thirteene pole, and to account that three times thirteene are thirtie nine: so there will be thirtie nine pole, which make a quar∣ter and a halfe, one pole and a halfe, of an arpent, according to a hundred pole to an arpent, and eighteene foot to euerie pole: so then you must follow this rule in euerie thing that is Bal••ngue cornue, that is, fashioned after the manner of a horne, that is, that the side and end which are of greatest contents, doe helpe and succour the other which are the lesser, in yeelding of their owne so much vnto them, as may make side equall with side, and end with end.

If the ground be fashioned like vnto a Wedge, that is to say, equally long on both sides, but hauing one end broader than another; as for example, twentie pole long, and seuen pole broad at the one end, and but three at the other: then you must gather the two breadths together, which will make tenne pole: to take the halfe of them, will be fiue, to multiplie the length withall, in the doing whereof you must count fiue times twentie, and the summe will rise in all to a hundred pole, which

make one arpent, after the rate of a hundred pole to an arpent, and eighteene foot to euerie pole. This is your direct course to measure ground fashioned like vnto a vvedge.

But if the ground should be triangled, hauing three sides equall, then it is your best vvay to follow this course, vvhich is, first of all to learne out how manie poles there are in euerie side, and then carefully to multiplie the number of the one side by the halfe of the number on the same, or another side: and that which ari••••••h of such multiplication, vvill be the vvhole contents of the poles of that field▪ as for in∣stance, suppose an equall triangled field, hauing ten pole on each side, I will mul∣tiplie the number of the one side by the halfe number of one of the other sides, that is to say, ten by fiue, vvhich is fiftie pole, and containe halfe an arpent, at a hundred poles an arpent, and ••ighteene foot to euerie pole, and twelue inches e∣uerie foot.

If the ground haue the fashion of an Oxe head, that is to say, be cast into two triangles equally joyned together, and that euerie side (for example sake) containe twentie poles, I will multiplie the number of the one side by the number of the o∣ther side, that is to say, twentie by twentie, and I vvill say that twentie times twen∣tie poles are foure hundred poles, and that foure hundred poles are foure ar∣pents: at a hundred poles to an arpent, eighteene foot to a pole, and twentie in∣ches to a foot.

If the ground should proue round like a circle, you must diuide the same round into two diameters; vvhich make foure equall quarters: then you must know the number of the poles of euerie quarter: afterward, to multiplie them vvill be the summe of the whole round compasse of the ground: for example, euerie quarter of the round doth containe twentie poles: vve will multiplie twentie by twentie, and so we shall find foure hundred poles, vvhich make foure arpents vvhich this round shall containe: at a hundred pole to an arpent, eighteene foot to a pole, and twelue inches to a foot.

If the ground be of a mixt sort, hauing many formes and shapes, the best vvill be by the meanes of the squire to reduce them all into squares, and then to find out the number of poles in them, and to put the said numbers together. And, if in redu∣cing and bringing of them into foure squared formes, you borrow something, you must restore the number vvhich you haue borrowed in the totall number vvhich you haue gathered, and by this meanes you shall hau•• the perfect number of yo•••• ground.

And last of all, if so be that your ground be intangled vvithin some other peece of ground, you must measure all together, and afterward taking away the inclo∣sed part, and putting the one asunder from the other, you must measure your owne: by it selfe.

Thus haue we briefly set downe that vvhich is to be knowne of the H••••band∣man, concerning the skill of measuring of lands, and whatsoeuer ground▪ if h•• happen vpon any peece of measuring vvorke which is of greater importance than this which I haue mentioned, he must haue recourse vnto the professed skillfull in measuring.

Notes

• The Measures in France called the Kings mea∣sures.
• The Kings 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• The 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• The dour.
• The quarter.
• The fadome.
• The pole.
• The Geometri∣call staffe.
• Ground•• that are 〈…〉〈…〉 yet of an ••quall length 〈◊〉〈◊〉 equall 〈…〉〈…〉.
• A ground vne∣quall and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••n all 〈…〉〈…〉.
• Ground 〈◊〉〈◊〉 like 〈…〉〈…〉 wedge.
• A ground lying 〈…〉〈…〉.
• A ground con∣sis••••ing of two triangles.
• A ground that is circular or round.
• A ground con∣sis••ing of many formes and ••••∣••••ions mixt to∣gether.
• An inclos••d or intangled ground.