The compleat husband-man: or, A discourse of the whole art of husbandry; both forraign and domestick. Wherein many rare and most hidden secrets, and experiments are laid open to the view of all, for the enriching of these nations. Unto which is added A particular discourse of the naturall history and hubandry [sic] of Ireland. By Samuel Hartlib, Esq.

Sir RICHARD WESTON late of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, his Legacie to his Sons, &c. Anno Dom. 1645.

My Sonnes,

I Have left this short ensuing Treatise to you as a Legacy; if I shall not live my self, to shew you (what therein is written) by examples, which I know instruct far more then precepts; yet precepts from a dying Father, instruct∣ing of his Children what he hath seen and known, and re∣ceived information of from witnesses free from all excepti∣ons, should make such an impression on them, as at least to be∣lieve their Father writ what he thought was true; And ther∣fore suppose those things worthy to be put in practise by them, which he himselfe would have done, if it had pleased God to have granted him life and liberty; especially seeing the mat∣ter it self, which is required by him to be done, is in shew so profitable, and so easie to be effected, & with so little charge, considering the great gain that is proposed by it, that not any thing can restrain a rational man from triall thereof, but not giving credit to the Relator.

The whole Discourse shews you, how to improve barren & heathy land, & how to raise more then ordinary profit there∣of, by such wayes and means as are not practised in England, but as commonly in some parts of Brabant & Flaunders, as the Husbandry of Wheat & Rie is here. By that means you may nobly augment your estates, and will receive so much the more profit & praise, by how with more industry & diligence you govern your affairs: and wil not only be imitated, but al∣so honoured by your Neighbours, when they shal see your la∣bours prosper so far, as to convert barren & heathy ground left un-husbanded for many ages, into as commodious a∣rable land, with Pastures and Meadows, as any be in this Kingdome. And certainly, that man is worthy of praise and honour, who being possessed of a large & barren Demeasne, constrains it by his labour and industry to produce extraordi∣nary fruits; which redounds not only to his own particular

profit, but also to the Publique benefit. Cato saith, It is a great shame to a man, not to leave his Inheritance greater to his Suc∣cessors then he received it from his Predecessors, and that he de∣spiseth the liberality of God, who by slothfulnesse loseth that which his land may bring forth, as not seeming willing to reap the fruits which God hath offered him. Nay, he threatens the crime of high treason; to those that do not augment their Patri∣mony so much as the Increase surmounts the Principall. It is a thing much celebrated by Antiquity, & thought the noblest way to gather Wealth, for to employ ones Wit & Money upon his Land, and by that means to augment his estate. If you observe the cōmon course of things, you will find that Husbandry is the End, which Men of all estates in the world do point at. For to what purpose do Souldiers, Scholars, Lawyers, Merchants, and men of all Occu∣pations and Trades, toyl and labour with great affection, but to get Money? and with that money, when they have gotten it, but to purchase Land? and to what end doe they buy that land, but to re∣ceive the fruits of it to live? and how shall one receive the fruits of it, but by his own Husbandry or a Farmers? so that it appears by degrees; that what course soever a man taketh in this world, at last he commeth to Husbandry, which is the most common Occu∣pation amongst men, the most naturall and Holy, being comman∣ded by the mouth of God to our First Fathers. There is care & di∣ligence requisite in Husbandry, as there is in all the Actions of the World; and therefore as a Captain hath a Lieutenant to com∣mand his Souldiers in his absence, or for his ease: So must you provide some able honest man to whom you will commit the exe∣cution of such things, as you your selves cannot do without too much labour: whereof you must often take an account, and confer with him (as occasion shall require) about your businesse, that no∣thing may be left undone for want of providence. To such a man you must give good wages, with intent to advance your own gain, and take the more ease, by reason of his honesty and knowledge.

You will finde this Husbandry (after you have once had expe∣rience of it) to be very pleasing to you, and so exceeding profitable,

that it will make you diligent: For no man of any Art or Science (except an Alchymist) ever pretēded so much gain any other way, as you shall see demonstrated in this ensuing Treatise. The Usurer doubles but his principall, with Interest upon Interest in 7 years; but by this little Treatise, you shall learn now to doe more then treble your principle in one years compass And you shall see how an Industrious man in Brabant & Flaunders would bring 500 acres of barren & heathy land, that was not worth at the most above 5. l a year, to be worth 700. l a year in lesse time then 7 years. I know no reason why the like may not be done in England, for we are under as good a Climate as they are; Our heathy Land, that is neither Sand nor Loam, is as good a soile as their barren ground is. We have not only Dung to enrich our Land, but also Lime and Marle, of which they know not the use, where they sowe their gainfullest Commodities mentioned in this ensuing Treatise, nor of any other Manure but only Dung. In fine, I am certain there is none of their Commodities but grow in England, as they doe in Brabant and Flaunders, but ours are not of the same kinde, as theirs, nor put to the same use. What cannot be vented at home, may as well be vented from hence into Holland, as the like commodities are from Flaunders thither. I will say no more of this Subject in the Pre∣face: only it remains to tell you, that you must not expect either Eloquence or Method in this ensuing Treatise; but a true Story plainly set forth in the Last Will & Testament of your Father; which he would have you execute: but before all things, to be sure you lay the Foundation of your Husbandry upon the Blessing of Almighty God, continually imploring his divine aid & assistance in all your labours: for it is God that gives the increase: and belie∣ving this as the Quintessence and soul of Husbandry, Primum quaerite Regnum Dei; & postea haec omnia adjicientur vobis. These things being briefly promised, I will leave the rest to this short ensuing Treatise, and commit you all with a Fathers Bles∣sing to the Protection and Providence of Almighty God.

Thus far Sir RICHARD VVESTONS Introduction to the discou••se of BRABANT HUSBANDRY; which is shortly to be published in a S••∣cond Edition corrected and enlarged.