Feudigraphia The synopsis or epitome of surueying methodized. Anatomizing the whole corps of the facultie; viz. The materiall, mathematicall, mechanicall and legall parts, intimating all the incidents to fees and possessions, and whatsoeuer may be comprized vnder their matter, forme, proprietie, and valuation. Very pertinent to be perused of all those, whom the right, reuenewe, estimation, farming, occupation, manurance, subduing, preparing and imploying of arable, medow, pasture, and all other plots doe concerne. And no lesse remarkable for all vnder-takers in the plantation of Ireland or Virginia ... Composed in a compendious digest by W. Folkingham. G.

To the Beneuolent and iudicious READER.

SHould I insist vpon tedious Appologies for due ap∣prouement of the Faculty of Surueying impugned by the vulgar and shallow Disputes of refractorie Oppo∣sites, which absurdly transferring their hard Imputa∣tions against it, from the faulty and defectiue Abuse, to the iust and lawfull Vse of the same, doe most iniuriously, and vniustly traduce and scandalize this vnblameable Arte & all her Agents, 'tis hazard but I should heare of Mindaes Cynical Memento, if I incurred no harder a Censure. It is a World to see the sot∣tish pressures vrged against the admeasuring of land, yet the Vse of Ponderous and Concaue Measures (both Dry and Liquid) are no lesse commendable than Common in venting of Wares and Merchandize, and what greater iniquity in the vsing admeasure∣ments in Grounds than in Graine? Cloath and Stuffes were re∣tailed by the yard, when a sumptuous Potentate might be ho∣sed for 3 shillings, which now will scarce hose a frugall Peasant. Bilanx est arbiter aequus; the Hand may faile in certaintie of Poize, and the Eye in Randon sans Rule, but the Beame and Chaine balke no Truthes, nor blaunch Vn-truthes; the Empi∣rick or the Methodist, which is the better Phisician? Take away Number, Weight, Measure, you exile Iustice, and reduce and haile-vp from Hell the olde and odious Chaos of Confusion. Priuate Intelligencers, intimating (by their roaued Aymes at Quantities and Qualities) vnder-hand and sinister informations, abuse the Lessor & wrong the Lessee, where the iust and iudici∣ous Feudigrapher (who aymes at competent Improuements sans pressure of the Feudatarie, or oppressure of the Fermor) duly and discreetly obseruing all particulars incident to the Plot, cer∣tifies a true Relation, by the Leuel-draught of whose impartiall Parallels, may be produced that Meane in Rating of Estimates, which the due Port of men of Place and Eminence (no way sup∣portable (Rebus sic stantibus) with Reuenewes of former Ages) doth most iustly challenge. What should I speake of scanted Estimates of Acres exacted from ouer-awed Tenants, or rated

by positiue Will? of the Ouertures of scandall raised against Surueyors by the Owners concealing of failing Contents, or vouching of Validities and Extents aboue the a 1.1 Record? of let∣ting by Port-saile aduanced by prepared out-bidding Compe∣titors? of parcelling forth engrossed lands to Vnder-tenants at intollerable Termes? of Riot, Pride, Plenty of People & Coyne (though confined to a few Cofers) with high-enhaunced Rates of all Commodities? who is so Owle-eyed that sees not, that the extending of Rents doth necessarily dimaine from these and the like causes? Yet Tenancies (I cannot gaine-say) are too oft tendered to too-Racking Valuations, the Reciprocall Regard (in some) is Choyse to take by Racke, or leaue a Packe, and it is so ordinary with too many Land-lords (like absolute Lords and Allodists of their Lands (within the Verge at least) á superis ad inferos) Fundum hastae subijcere, the frequencie of the practize growes familiar. And for Feudataries, who sees not how much they faile of true agnizing their due dependance vpon Mesne Lords,* 1.2 sith Feudum (comprehending Fealty (at least) which ob∣liges Per sacramentū sub pena foris facturae Feodi) is Res Clientela∣ris, & neuer deuolues to the Successor sans original Burthens im∣posed by him which had Nouel Fee, howsoeuer they now slight their Lords and amoundre their Obligence. Sed haec parerga; and to Rectifie such irregularities, the Field requires a better Champion, in the meane time let euery one for his owne parti∣cular propose vnto himselfe the entertainment of a good con∣science. For this Tractate, I am not so arrogant to magnifie, nor so vnnatural to vilifie my own issue, though I could retriue Cen∣turies of Defects, but leaue it to thy fauourable Censure, crauing (withall) thy courteous tolleration of my new-coyning of some Words, with the Reuiuing of the obsolete and Endenizing of Forraine, sith without such priuiledge, an indigested Chaos of Principles and Conclusions cannot (ex nouo & ex facili) be con∣cisely contriued into a Methodicall Arte. For any vaine-glori∣ous Geodetor, which makes base Detraction the Trumpet to ru∣mour, and emblason his selfe-boasted perfections, so with faci∣lity to purchase (or rather fore-stall) the Palme of Repute,

Ore & Dente petat, & naso suspenso huiusmodi effundat Scom∣mata:

Quam lepidè lexeis compostae vt tesserulae, omnes Arte pauimento at{que} Emblemate vermiculato? What curious-quaint Emellishments diffuse? Musaick-Mazes-Marquetrizing Muse?

Sus{que} de{que} fero; who can be secured from base carping Bla∣tancie? But wherevnto tendes this precise particularizing of Plots, Layers, Pregnances, Productions, &c. when an Arte-lesse Agent can (by famed Name, and absolute power to dispose) with the bare vouch of the generall goodnesse of the Ground (sans ground of Reason or Possibility) haile on the poore Pesant to Farme and Fine according to the braue boast of his roauing E∣steemes & absurd Ostentations, which he daignes not (nor dare they vrge) by any rationall instances to make probable? I ayme not at the Racke nor the Slack, the qualified Meane is the Maine of my Marke; and to extunde and beat-out this true Proporti∣on, I obserue the Circumstances proiected: let peremptorie A∣gents balke instance, barre Reply, and Racke sans Rule and Rea∣son, it behoues an honest and faithfull Feudigrapher, by infalli∣ble Principles & warrantable Demonstrations, to approue him∣selfe, an intelligent and diligent-Improuer, not a senselesse and arrogant Impostor; and what warrant more current than Know∣ledge founded vpon the industrious search and serious obserua∣tions intimated (or rather glaunced at) in this Epitome? But least too large Gates should promise a faire Plat-forme of a spatious Towne, hauing thus borrowed leaue to wade into the shallow Foordes of the Faculty, I will leaue the Profundities to be soun∣ded with a Plumbe-line of more Poize and Fadomes.

Helpringham neere to Folkingham the second of Fe∣bruarie, 1609.

Velle pro Posse. Thine W. F.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Feudi∣graphia imposturà fit Pseu∣dogra∣phia.
• * 1.2

  Dware∣nus.