AGRICULTURE [HISTORICAL larly forks. The author then points out the great advantages of in closure ; recommends " quyekscttyngc, dychynge, and Ecdgeyng ;" and gives particular directions about scttcs, and the method of training a hedge, as well as concerning the planting and management of trees. We have then a short information "for a yongo gentylman that intendeth to thryue," and "a prolouge for the wiues occu pation," in some instances rather too homely for the present time. Among other things, she is to "make her husband and herself sommo clothes ;" and " she maye haue the lockes of the shepe eyther to make blankettes and courlcttus, or bothe." This is not so much amiss ; but what follows will bring the learned judge into disrepute even with our most industrious housewives. " It is a wyues occu pation," he says, "to wynowe all manor of cornes, to make malte, to washe and wrynge, to make hcye, sliere corne, and, in time of node, to helpe her husbande to fyll the mucke wayue or dounge carte, diyue the ploughe, to loode heye, corne, and suche other ; and to go or ride to the market to sel butter, chese, mylke, egges, chckyns, capons, hennes, pygges, gese, and all maner of cornes." The rest of the book contains some useful advices about diligence and economy ; and concludes, after the manner of the age, with many pious exhortations. Such, is Fitzherbert s Boole of Husbandry, and such was the state of agriculture in England in the early part of the 16th century, and probably for a long time before; for he nowhere speaks of the practices which he describes or recommends as of recent introduction. took of The Book of Surveying adds considerably to our knowledge lurveying. Q ^ e rura j economy of that age. " Four maner of com- mens" are described; several kinds of mills for corn and other purposes, and also " quernes that goo with hand ;" different orders of tenants, down to the " bouudmen," who " in some places contynue as yet ;" " and many tymes, by colour thereof, there be many freemen taken as boundmen, and their lands and goods is taken from them." Lime and marl are mentioned as common manures; and the former was sometimes spread on the surface to destroy heath. Both draining and irrigation are noticed, though the latter but slightly. And the work concludes with an inquiry " how to make a township that is worth XX. marke a yere, worth XX. li. a year;" from which we shall give a specimen of the author s manner, as well as of the economy of the age. "It is undoubted, that to every townshyppe that standeth in tyllage in the playne countrey, there be erratic landes to plowe and sowe, and Icyse to tye or tedder theyr horses and mares upon, and common pasture to kepe and pasture their catell, beestes, and shepe upon ; and also they have medowe grounde to get theyr hey upon. Than to let it be known how many acres of errable lande euery man hath in tyllage, and of the same acres in euery felde to chaunge with his neyghbours, and to leye them toguyther, and to make hym one seuerall close in euery felde for his errable lands ; and his leyse in euery felde to leve them togyther in one felde, and to make one seuerall close for them all. And also another seuerall close for his portion of his common pasture, and also his porcion of Ids medowe in a seuerall close by itselfe, and al kept in seuerall both in wynter and somer ; and euery cottage shall haue his portion assigned hym accordynge to his rent, and than shall nat the ryche man ouerpresse the poore man with his cattell ; and euery man may eate his oun close at his pleasure. And vndoubted, that hay and strawe that will find one beest in the house wyll finde two beestes in the close, and better they shall lyke. For those heestis in the house have short heare and thynne, and towards March they will pylle and be bare ; and therefore they may nat abyde in the fylde before the heerdmen in winter tyme for colde. And those that lye in a close under a hedge haue longe heare and thyck, and they will neuer pylle nor be bare ; and by this reason the husbande maye kepe twyse so many catell as he did before. "This is the cause of this approwment. Nowe euery husbande hath sixe seuerall closes, whereof iii. be for corne, the fourthe for his leyse, the fyfte for his commen pastures, and the sixte for his haye ; and in wynter time there is but one occupied with corne, and than hath the husbande other fyue to occupy tyll lento come, and that he hath his falowe felde, his ley felde, and his pasture felde al sommer. And when he hath mowen his medowe, then he hath his medowo grounde, soo that if he hath any weyke catell that wold be amended, or dyvers maner of catell, he may put them in any close he wyll, the which is a great advantage ; and if all shulde lye commen, than wolde the edyche of the corne feldes and the aftermath of all the medowes be eaten in X. or XII. dayes. And the rych men that hath moche catell wold have the advantage, and the poore man can have no helpe nor relefe in wyntcr when ne Lath moste ncde ; and if an acre of lande be worthe sixe pens, or it be enclosed, it will be worth VIII. pens, when it is enclosed by reason of the compostying and dongyng of the catell that -shall go and lye upon it both day and nighte ; and if any of his thre closes that he hath for his come be worne or ware bare, than he may breke and plowo up his close that he hadde for his layse, or the close that he haddo for his commen pasture, or bothe, and sowe them with corne, and let the other lyo for a time, and so shall he have alway rcist grounde, the which will bear moche corne with lytel douge ; and also he shall have a great profyto of the wod in the hedges whan it is growen ; and not only these profytes and advantages beforesuid, but he shall save moche more than a I these, for by reason of these closes he shall save mcate, drinke, and wages of a shepherde, the wages of the heerdmen, and the wages of the swine herde, the which may fortune to be as chargeable as all his holle rent ; and also his corne shall be better saved from eatinge or destroyeng with catel. For dout ye nat but hcerdemeu with their catell, shepeherdes with their shepe, and tieng of horses and mares, destroyeth moch corne, the which the hedges wold save. Paraduenture some men would say, that this shuld be against the common weale, bicause the shepeherdes, heerdmen, and swyne- herdcs, shuld than be put out of wages. To that it may be answered, though these occupations be not used, there be as many ncwe occupations that were not used before ; as getting of quicke- settes, diching, hedging, and plashing, the which the same men may use and occupye." The next author who writes professedly on agriculture Tufser, is Tusser, whose Five Hundred Points of Husbandry, 1562. published in 1562, was formerly in such high repute as to be recommended by Lord Molesworth to be taught in schools. 1 The edition of 1604 is the one we make use of here. In it the book of husbandry consists of 118 pages, and then follows the Points of Housewifrie, occupying 42 pages more. It is written in verse. Amidst a vast heap of rubbish, there are some useful notices concerning the state of agriculture at the time in different parts of England. Hops, which had been introduced in the early part of the 16th century, and on the culture of which a treatise was published in 1574 by Reynolde Scott, are mentioned as a well-known crop. Buckwheat was sown after barley. Hemp and flax are mentioned as common crops. Inclosures must have been numerous in several counties ; and there is a very good comparison between "champion (open fields) country, and several," which Blythe afterwards transcribed into his Improver Improved. Carrots, cabbages, turnips, and rape, are mentioned among the herbs and roots for the kitchen. There is nothing to be found in Tusser about serfs or bondmen, as in Fitzherbert s works. This author s division of the crop is rather curious, though probably quite inaccurate, if he means that the whole rent might be paid by a tenth of the corn. " One part cast forth for rent due out of hand. One other part for seed to sow thy land. Another part leave parson for his tith. Another part for harvest, sickle and sith. One part for ploughwrite, cartwrite, knacker, and smith. One part to uphold thy teenies that draw therewith. Another part for servant and workman s wages laie. One part likewise for filbellie daie by daie. One part thy wife for needful things doth crave. Thyself and thy child the last part would have. " The next writer is Barnaby Googe, whose Whole Art of Googe, Ihisbandry was printed in 1578, and again by Markham 1578. in 1614. The first edition is merely a translation of a German work ; and very little is said of English Imsbandry in the second, though Markham made some trifling inter polations, in order, as it is alleged, to adapt the German husbandry to the English climate. It is for the most part made up of gleanings from the ancient writers of Greece and Rome, whose errors are faithfully retained, with here and there some description of the practices of the age, in which there is little of novelty or importance. Googe mentions a number of English writers who lived about the time of Fitzherbert, whose works have not been preserved. 1 Some Considerations for the promoting of Agriculture and employ
ing the, Poor. Dublin, 1723.
