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. XVII.

Of Rie.

RIe (called in Latine Secale, and of the Auncient Writers Farrago) cra∣ueth not such an industrious & carefull ordering, nor yet so fat a ground, and so well inriched, as doth the wheat, for it so increaseth in all grounds in such aboundance, that of one bare corne there will corne an hundred, be it neuer so badly plowed and dunged. Witnesses hereof are the people of Au∣uergne, Lymosin, Perigord, and Forest, but chiefely those of Beauce, Solong••ois, which is abounding in this kind of corne; notwithstanding that the ground thereof for the most part be leane, grauelly, and verie slenderly husbanded and tilled by the inhabitants, as those which imploy themselues a great deale more busily in keeping of Sheepe, than in growing of Corne: and hereby we may learne and take out a new lesson, namely, that negligence is good for something, and now and then bringeth his commoditie home with it. It is but a verie small and starued graine in respect of Wheat, and the bread vvhich is made thereof is vnpleasant, fattie, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, hea∣uie, like paste, blacke, and more profitable in the time of dearth to slay and kill the sharpenesse of hunger, in the base and rusticall people, than to feed wholesomely, and make good nourishment of: againe, such as be wealthie, and men liuing at ease, make no reckoning of it. It is true that many doe mingle it with wheat, to the end that the

bread made thereof may continue a longer time moist and tender: yea, and which is more, the physitians of the Court doe giue directions for the making of bread of this kind of Corne for Kings and Princes to feed vpon in the beginning of their meales (especially in Summer) to procure them a loose bellie: but they that are care∣full of their health, especially such as doe not exercise and toyle their bodies, and stu∣dents in generall, the Monkes and such like, must auoyd to eat the bread made of the meale of this Corne alone, howsoeuer the plow-Swaine haue this opinion of it, name∣ly, that it maketh the bodie strong; and for certaine it is found by manifest and daily experience that the vvomen of Lyons, Auuergne, and Forest, by the vse of this bread doe become verie faire, and to haue more solide bodies, and more abounding in good and laudable juice or humours, than others commonly haue. Some likewise are of judgement, that the vvater of Rie-bread is more pleasant, and farre better than that of Wheat-bread be it neuer so vvhite. Cookes, vsed to vvorke in pastrie, doe make such crusts as they would haue to endure long, of Rie-flower. This bread is made to feed dogges, and to fat swine: all other kinds of cattell, especially hens and horse, do abhorre and loath it altogether: This Corne is verie subject to rust, because it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vvater in the huske or bagge wherein it groweth, the remedie vvhereof consist∣eth in such meanes vsed, as we haue alreadie set downe: The straw thereof serueth for much vse in binding of Vines, because it is flexible and pliant, hauing beene first sleept in vvater, as likewise the meale thereof, to make cataplasmes of, for the suppu∣rating and ripening of impostumes: the decoction of the Corne killeth vvormes, if there be some Coriander-seed put thereto: in like manner horse-leache doe giue it to horses which are pained in their bellies.

And thus much for the opinion and custome of the French, whose soyle is so fre∣quent vvith Wheat, that they little respect the vse of other graines. But to resort to the better-knowing husbands, and to whose opinions Seres and diuers other later Writers agree, you shall vnderstand that Rie* 1.1 is a most excellent graine, pleasant, and sauourie in taste, and verie wholesome to be eaten, in as much as it keepeth the bodie open, and breedeth not that costiuenes••e which other graines doe: and although the bread which it maketh, being made of the meale as it commeth from the mill vnsif∣ted and vncleansed, be blacke, and vnlouely to looke on, yet it is verie wholesome, and more sauourie, and better to eat than any bread made of any other graine, except Wheat; nay if it be sifted and cleansed through a fine raunge, scarce, or boulter, it makes bread as vvhite, as comely, and much more pleasant to eat than any course or leuened Wheat whatsoeuer. This Rie naturally desireth a warme and drie ground, as especially the red sand, or any clay that is much mingled therewith: it will grow in any clay, and the richer the better, and the corne the larger, prouided, that the mould be loose and gentle: it asketh as many earings as Wheat doth, and must euer be sowne in one and the selfesame time; yet if the ground be any thing good of it selfe, it vvill grow well ynough after one earing, prouided that it be sowne on such ground as Pease were reaped from the same yeare: for Pease (by reason of their running on the ground, and smothering of the weed) is as good as a sleight manuring of the land: Rie is verie quicke of growth, and will sprout in three nights at the furthest; it hath no enemie so much as wet, or extreame raine, so that you must sow it in as drie a time as is possible: for it is a common saying amongst Husbandmen, That Rie vvill be drownd in the hopper, that is, if a showre of raine should but fall in the hopper or seed-basket whilest you were sowing it, that showre would drowne it, and the Rie would hardly grow after: therefore your greatest care must be a faire season, and a drie mould; for the contrarie kills it.

Maslin.

MAslin (called of the Latines Metellum) is not one kind of Corne, but a mix∣ture of Wheat and Rie, or of White corne (vvhich the Latines call Far ado∣reum, euen as we shall further declare by and by) and of Rie, in such sort as that thes••

two kinds of corne mingled, are sowne, gathered in, and threshed together: the ma∣slin delighteth in a mixt kind of earth and tillage, but for the most consisting of that which is fit for Wheat. The bread made of maslin, is one of the best sorts of bread, and easie to digest. It seldome or neuer requireth any more than one earing, which is at such time as it is sowne onely, neither is it euer sowne vpon the fallowes, but vpon the Pease-earth, being euer vvell and carefully harrowed: if you find the sayle whereon you sow it to be weake or out of heart, the best meanes to giue it strength is to fold it with sheepe immediately before you sow it, so that as soone as you take your fold from the land, you may put your plow into the land, by which meanes the seed and the manure as it were meeting together, the manure keepeth the seed so warme, and giues it such comfort, that forthwith it takes root, and brings sorth the increase most aboundantly. Now for the cropping or gathering of this Maslin,* 1.2 or blend; corne, you shall euer doe it so soone as you see the Rie begins to open or turne his eare downeward towards the earth, albeit the Wheat seeme a little greenish at the root, and be nothing neere ripe, the corne being soft and milkie; for the Wheat will ri∣pen, and grow hard in the sheafe, which no other corne will doe: and the Rie being suffered but to grow a day beyond his full time, will shed his graine vpon the earth, and you shall loose more than one halfe of your profit: againe, you shall not lead your blend-corne so soone as you doe your cleane Wheat, or your cleane, Rie, but ma∣king it into good bigge safe stouckes vvhich will shed the raine from the eares, and containing some sixteene or twentie sheaues in a stoucke, you shall suffer is so to stand in the field to ripen, as well for the hardning of the Wheat, as for withering of the greene weeds vvhich growing amongst the Corne will be shorne vp therewith, and bound in the sheaues altogether.

Secourgion.

SEcourgion is a kind of Corne that is verie leane, vvrinckled, and starued, some∣what like vnto Barley, and it is not vsed to be sowne in France, except in the time of famine and dearth, and then also but in some countries as are barren and verie leane, and that to stay the vrgent necessitie of hunger rather than to feed and nou∣rish. It hath his name from the Latine vvords Succursus gentium: The greatest part of Perigord and Lymosin doe vse this sort of Corne: it may seeme to be a degene∣rate kind of Corne, and may be called bad or wild corne. It must be sowne in the thickest and fattest ground that may be chosen: howsoeuer some say otherwise, as that it delighteth in a light ground, in as much as it sprouteth out of the earth, the seuenth day after that it is sowne, the thicker end running into rootes, and the smal∣ler putting forth the greene grassie blade vvhich flourisheth and groweth out of the earth. The fittest time for the sowing of it, is about the moneth of March in cold places, or about the eight or tenth of Ianuarie, if it be a mild Winter, and not sharpe and pinching. This is that kind of graine of three moneths growth, whereof Theo∣phrastus speaketh in his Booke of Plants, howsoeuer Columella doe not acknowledge any kind of graine of that age. Theophrastus in like manner maketh mention of a kind of graine of threescore dayes or two moneths growth, and of another of fortie daies growth. I heare say that in the West-Indies about Florida there grow sorts of corne, some of two, some of three moneths, and some of fortie daies: vve see it verie ordinarie in France to haue corne in three moneths, namely, in the countries of Beauce, Touraine, Lyonnoise, Sauoy, Auuergne, Forest, Prouence, Chartrain, and others, in which the corne being sowne in March is ripe and readie to be cut downe in the third moneth. The occasion of sowing it so late is either the vvaters or exces∣siue cold, or snow, or some such other hard vveather, vvhich kept and hirdered it from being sowne any sooner. Such graines and sorts of corne as are of three or two moneths, or of fortie daies, and amongst them especially the Secourgeon, doe yeeld a verie vvhite and light flowre, because it hath but verie little bran, and the graine hauing drawne verie small store of substance for his nourishment, but such as is of the

lightest part of the earth (and therefore small store of Bran) by reason of the small space of time that it stayed in the earth: The bread made of this Corne is verie white, but withall verie light, and of small substance, more fit for Countrie-people and seruants in Families than for Maisters and vvealthie persons: Againe, in coun∣tries vvhere it is of account, they vse to mixe Wheat vvith it, to make houshold-bread.

Blanche.

BLanche is a kind of Wheat which the Latines call Far clusinum, and old Wri∣ters Far adoreum, as a Corne or Graine worthie to be highly thought and made of for his excellencie and goodnesse sake: it is verie hard and thicke, and requireth a strong and tough ground, though it be not all of the best husbanded. It groweth also verie wel in places and Countries that are verie cold, as not fearing any cold be it neuer so outragious: Neither doth it mislike and refuse drie and parched grounds, and such as lye open to the excessiue heat of Sommer; the Corne cannot be driuen from his huske, except it be fried or parched: againe, for to grind and make bread of it, they vse to frie or parch it, but vvhen they vse to sow it, they let it alone vvith the huske, and in it they keepe it for seed. It is verie massie and vveightie, but not altogether so much as Wheat, but yet more cleane and pure than Wheat, and also yeeldeth more flowre and branne than any one sort of Wheat besides. This kind of Wheat is verie rare in France, but verie common in Italie, vvhere it is called Sacidate.

Fine Wheat, or Winter-wheat.

THere is a kind of small Corne that is verie vvhite, vvhich the Latines call Silig••, vvhereof is made White-bread, called therefore of the Latines Siliginitis. The French cannot as yet sit it with a name. It must be sowne in verie open places, and such as are hot and throughly warmed by the Sunne; although it doe not vtterly re∣fuse an earth that is thicke, moist, slymie, and of the nature of Walkers-earth, seeing that good husbandmen doe likewise report of it, that there needeth no such great care to be taken about the making of this graine to grow, and vvithall, that if a man vse to sow Wheat in a moist and muddie ground, that after the third sowing it will dege∣nerate into this kind of Wheat. It is that kind of Wheat which amongst the English is called Flaxen-wheat, being as vvhite or vvhiter than the finest Flax: it is of all sorts of Wheat the hardest, and vvill indure a more barren and hard ground than a∣ny other Wheat vvill, as the grauellie, the flintie, stonie, and rough hils against which by the reflection of the Sunne onely (vvhose beames it loueth exceedingly) it will grow verie aboundantly, neither will it prosper vpon and rich soyle, but being as it were ouercome vvith the strength thereof, it will vvither, or not grow at all, or else mil-dew, turne blacke, and become altogether vselesse.

Amel-corne.

THere is yet another kind of Corne, vvhich the Grecians and Latines call Olyra, of a middle size betwixt Wheat and Barlie, vnlike altogether vnto Winter-vvheat vvhereof we last spake, but of a sort and facultie like vnto spelt, whereof vve vvill speake next in order. Of this graine Dioscorides maketh mention, and Mat∣thiolus calleth it in French Seigle-blanche: the tilling and ordering of it is like vnto that of spelt. There is verie vvhite bread made thereof: there is but small store there∣of in France.

Spelt-corne.

SPelt-corne is that vvhich the Latines call Zea, and hereof the auncient ••••∣mans did make great account, and gaue it to name Semen, by the way of excel∣lencie, as the Italians in such places as vvhere the said Spelt groweth in great a∣boundance, doe call it Biada. The Graine is lesse, and blacker than Wheat. It is found sometime single, sometime double in an eare set with a long beard. It must be sowne in a verie strong and hard ground, for otherwise it will not thriue, neither is there any sort of Wheat which so troubleth and weakeneth a ground as this, but the bread that is made thereof is excellent: and of it likewise the Italians vse to make a singular kind of Furmentie.

Course Wheat-flowre: or fine Wheat-meale.

COurse Wheat-flowre is that which of the Latines is called Similage, and is made of Wheat that is excellent good, hauing the greatest Bran onely sifted from it, but being ground of the best Mill th•••• may be gotten, howsoeuer the French name Semole vvhich seemeth to be deriued from these Latine ones Sine mola, may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to argue the contrarie. We haue not any of the Corne in this Countrie vvhereof the Semole is made: but in Prouence it is sowne in great quantitie: as also in Champa∣nie, and in the Countrie of Naples, and from thence there is great store of this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 meale brought, vvhich Physiti••ns doe prescribe to their sicke patients to make Pa∣nade or pap-meat of, vvith the broth of a Capon, notwithstanding that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and the greatest part of Physicions doe affirme, that the fine meale called of the French Semole, is of a gros••e and slimie iuice, and not digested without difficultie, and there∣upon injurious to such as haue need of a fine and attenuating nourishment. It is cer∣taine that it is of great nourishment, as is also the bread that is made thereof. In steed of Semole vve vse Maslin; and as concerning the Wheat vvhereof the course flowre Semole is made, it craueth such ground and manner of husbanding as Ma∣slin doth.

Furmentie.

FVrmentie is that vvhich the Latines call Alica or Chondrus, and it is a kind of Wheat, whereof (after that it hath been steeped for some time in vvater, and af∣terward brayed and husked, and then in the end dried againe in the Sunne and ground somewhat grosly) is made a kind of grosse meale, re••embling 〈◊〉〈◊〉 verie much, vvhereof sometimes is vvoont to be made pap-meat, sometimes it is mixt in meat-broth, and sometimes panade vvithall: all which meats, to say the truth, doe nourish a great deale more than they profit the health of the bodie, in as much as they ingender a thicke, clammie, and gros••e juice, verie hurtfull for them that are subject vnto obstructions, or vnto the stone and grauell.

Turkie-Wheat.

TVrkie-wheat (so called, or rather Indian wheat, because it came first from the West-Indies into Turkie, and from thence into France, not that it is sowed there any otherwise than for pleasure, or for to cause some admiration at the strange things which Frenchmen themselues doe admire and make much account of) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be sowne verie carefully after this manner: the field must be diligently tilled accor∣ding to all the sorts of earings vvhich are woont to be bestowed vpon any 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ground, afterward toward the end of March, at such time as the Sunne beginneth to affoord his hot and comfortable beames in franker and freer sort, the said wheat must be steeped in water two whole daies, and when this is done, to keepe it till the earth

receiue some prettie showres: vvhich happening, then presently to open the earth vvith some sharpe stake, and that all along as streight as a line, but with equall and sufficient distances: and to cast into euerie one of these holes foure or fiue graines of this vvheat, and by and by to close in the earth againe vvith your foot, and so in this sort to fill and set a vvhole field with this Corne. If the earth be fat, and the seed full and well ••ed, it will not faile to sprout within seuen daies, and to be ready to mow within fortie daies, two moneths, three moneths, or at the furthest foure moneths, soo∣ner or later according to the goodnesse of the ground, and power of the Sunne, that is to say, earlier in a hot place and good ground that lyeth open vpon the Sunne, but more late in a cold ground, and a leane place. It hath the like temperature that our vvheat hath, but somewhat more hot, as may easily be gathered by the sweetnesse of the bread that is made thereof: the meale thereof is vvhiter than that which is made of our wheat, but the bread made thereof is more grosse, thicke, or close, and of a more ••lymie substance, in such sort as that the nourishment made thereof is likewise more grosse, and apter to ingender obstructions: vvher••••ore if the dearth of vvheat and famine doe force and compel you to sow of this Turkish-wheat, to make bread there∣of, it will doe better if you mingle it with the flower of our vvheat, than and if you should vse it by it selfe all alone. The meale of this vvheat in as much as it is thicke and clammie, will be good to make cataplasmes of, to ripen impostumes withall: for being apt to stop the pores of the skin by his clamminesse, it cannot chuse but worke such effect.

Sarasins-wheat.

SArasins-wheat is a graine verie ordinarie and common throughout all France, and more abounding vvithout comparison than the foresaid Turkie-wheat: it must be sowne in all manner of grounds, because it refuseth not to grow in any, vvhe∣ther it be grauelly, or of any other qualities vvhatsoeuer, and that especially in Aprill in hot places, or somewhat later in those that are cold, and it is so forward and hastie, at that it will ripen twice, and yeeld you two crops in a yeare, in one and the same ground, being in a hot ground, as is to be seene in Italie. It may be mowne at the end of three moneths after it is sown: in this countrie it is most vsed in the fatting of hogs, pigeons, and other fowles, and in the time of dearth and famine to make bread, which will be a great deale better, if with this corne be mingled the corne of our countrie vvheat. It may be made into grosse meale, euen as the grain called furmentie, but bet∣ter without comparison than that of millet to be imployed in meat-broths, in panades and pap-meats, as also to make 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with cheese and butter. This is a meat that is pleasant ynough, and not much loading or charging the stomacke, notwithstanding that it be windie, for therein it is not so excessiue as the pease or beanes.

Goats wheat, and Typh wheat.

THere are yet remaining two other sorts of Wheat, which the Latines call Trag•••• Cerealis, and Typha Cerealis, whereof Dioscorides and Galen doe make mention. Typh wheat is verie like to our Rie, and doth make a verie blacke bread, and verie vnpleasant also when it is old, though it be otherwise verie pleasant when it is new baked, after the manner of Rie. The Goats wheat is not verie much vnlike vnto th•• graine called Furmentie, saue onely that his meale yeeldeth more bran without com∣parison, and so maketh a fitter bread to loosen the bellie than to feed or nourish it. These wheats are not so much as to be seene in France, and therefore I meane not to make any longer discourse thereof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rie.
• * 1.2

  To crop or ga∣ther Maslin.