| AUGUSTS
ABSTRACT
THRY
fallowing won, Reape
corne by the day,
get
compassing done least
corne doo decay.
By
great is the cheaper,
In
June and in Awe if
trustie were reaper.
swinge
brakes (for a lawe)
Blowe
horne for sleapers,
Pure
saffron plot and
cheere up thy reapers.
forget
it not.
His
dewlling make trim, Well
doings who loveth,
looke
shortly for him: thes
harvest points proveth.
When
harvest is gon,
then
saffron comes on. Paie
Gods part furst,
and
not of the wurst.
A
little of ground
brings
saffron a pound, Now
Parson (I say),
The
pleasure is fine, tith
carrie away.
the
profit is thine,
Keepe
colour in drieng, Keepe
cart gap wheele.
well
used woorth buieng, scare
hog from wheele.
Mowe
hawme to burne,
Maids,
mustard seed reape, to
serve thy turne:
and
laie on a heap. To
bake thy bread,
to
burne under lead.
Goode
neighbours in deede,
change
seede for seede. Mowne
hawme being dry,
no
longer let ly.
Now
strike up drum, Get
home thy hawme,
cum
harvest man cum. whilst
weather is cawme.
Take
paine for a gaine,
one
knave mars twaine.
Mowne
barlie lesse cost, Seed
barlie cast,
ill
mowne much lost. to
thresh out last.
Reape
barlie with sickle, Lay
pease upon stack,
that
lies in ill pickle. if
hovell ye lack.
Let
greenest stand, And
cover it straight,
for
making of band. from
doves that waight.
Bands
made withour dew,
will
hold but a few. Let
gleaners gleane,
(the
poore I meane).
Laie
bind to find her, Which
ever ye sowe,
two
rakes to a binder. that
first eat lowe.
The
other forbare,
Rake
after sieth, for
rowen to spare.
and
pay thy tithe,
Corne
carried all, Come
home lord singing,
then
rake it ye shall. com
home corne bringing.
Tis
merie in hall,
Let
shock take sweate, when
beards wag all.
least
gofe take heate.
Yet
it is best reason, Once
had thy desire,
to
take it in season. pay
workman his hire.
Let
none be beguilde,
More
often ye turne, man,
woman, nor childe.
more
pease ye out spurne.
Yet
winnow them in, Thanke
God ye shall,
er
carrege begin. and
adue for all.
Thy
carting plie, WORKS
AFTER HARVEST
while
weather is drie.
Get
tumbrell in hand,
Bid
going (clim) for
barlie land.
gove
just and trim.
Laie
wheat for seede, The
better the muck,
to
come by at neede. the
better good luck.
Still
carrege is good, Commoditie
knowne,
for
timber and wood. abrode
is blowne.
No
longer delaies, At
first hand bie,
to
mend the high waies. at
third let lie.
Some
love as a jewell, Have
monie prest,
well
placing of fewell. to
buie at the best.
In
piling of logs, Some
cattle home bring,
make
hovell for hogs. for
Mihelmas spring.
By
hauke amd hound,
Wife,
plow doth crie, small
profit is found.
to
picking of rie.
Dispatch,
looke home,
Such
seede as ye sowe, to
loitering mome.
such
reape or else mowe. Provide
or repent,
milch
cow for Lent.
Take
shipping or ride,
Lent
stuff to provide. Now
crone your sheepe,
fat
those ye keepe.
Let
haberden lie, Leave
milking old cow,
in
peasestraw drie. fat
aged up now.
When
out ye ride, Sell
butter and cheese,
leave
a good guide. good
Faries, few leese.
At
faires go bie,
Some
profit spie out, home
wants to supplie.
by
riding about.
Marke
now, thorow yeere, If
hops looke browne,
what
cheape, what deere. go
gather them downe.
But
not in the deaw,
Some
skill doth well for
piddling with few.
to
buie and to sell.
Of
theefe who bieth,
in
danger lieth.
Of
hops this knack, Hops
dried in loft,
a
meanie doo lack. aske
tendence oft.
Once
had thy will, And
shed their seedes,
go
cover his hill. much
more than needes.
Take
hop to thy dole, Hops
dride, small cost,
but
breake not his pole. ill
kept, halfe lost.
Hops
quickly be spilt,
Learne
here (thou stranger) take
heede if thou wilt.
to
frame hop manger.
Some
come, some go,
Hop
poles preserve, This
life is so.
againe
to serve.
Hop
poles by and by,
long
safe up to dry.
Least
poles wax scant,
new
pole go plant.
The
hop kell dride,
will
best abide.
AUGUSTS
HUSBANDRIE
THRY
fallow once ended, go strike by and by, Thry
fallowing
both
wheat land and barlie go let it ly.
And
as ye have leisure, go compas the same,
when
ye doo lay it, more fruitfull to frame.
Get
downe with thy brakes, er an showers doo come, Mowing
of brakes.
that
cattle the better may pasture have some.
In
June and in August, as well doth appeere,
is
best to mowe brakes, of all times of the yeere.
Pare
saffron betweene the two S.Maries daies, Paring
of saffron.
or
set or go shift it, that knowest the waies.
What
yeere shall I doo it (more profit to yeeld?)
the
forth in garden the third in feeld.
In
having but fortie foote workmanly dight,
take
saffron ynough for a Lord and a knight.
All
winter time alter as practise doth teach,
what
polt have ye better for linnen to bleach.
Maides,
mustard seede gather for being too ripe,
and
weather it weel, er ye give it a stripe:
Then
dresse it and laie it in a soller up sweete,
least
foistines make it for table unmeete.
Good
huswifes in sommer will save their owne seedes,
against
the nest yeere, as occasion needes.
One
seede for another, to make an exchange,
with
fellowlie neighbourhood seemeth not strange.
Make
sure of reapers, get harvest in hand Corne
harvest.
the
corne that is ripe doo but shed as it stand.
Be
thankdull to God, for his benefits sent,
and
willing to save it with earnest intent.
To
let out thy harvest, by great or by day, Champion
by great,
let
this experience leade thee a way. the
other by day.
By
great will deceive thee, with lingring it our,
by
day will dispatch, and pu out of all doubt.
Grant
harvest lord more by a penie of twoo,
to
call on his fellowes the better to doo:
Give
gloves to thy reapers, a larges to crie,
and
dailie to loiterers have a good eie.
Reape
well, scatter not, gather cleane that is shorne, Good
harvest points.
binde
fast, shock apace, have an eie to thy corne.
Lode
safe, carrie home, follow time being faire,
gove
just in the barne, it is out of dispaire.
Tithe
dulie and trulie, with hartie good will,
that
God with his blessing may dwell with thee still.
Though
Parson neglecteth his dutie for this,
thanke
thou thy Lord God, and give erie man his.
Corne
tithed, (sir Parson) to gather go get, Parson
looke to tithe.
and
cause it on shocks to be by and by set:
Not
leaving it scattering abrode on thr ground,
nor
long in the field, but away with it round.
To
cart gap and barne, set a guide to looke weele, Keep
hog from cart wheele.
and
hoy out (sir carter) the hog fro thy wheele.
Least
grredie of feeding, in following cart,
it
noieth or perish spite of thy hart.
In
champion countrie a pleasure they take,
to
mowe up their hawme, for to brew and to bake.
And
also it stands them in steade of their thack,
which
being well inned, they cannot well lack.
The
hawme is the straw of the wheat or the rie,
which
once being reaped, they mowe by and bie.
For
feare of destroieng with cattle or raine,
the
sooner ye lode it, more profit ye gaine.
The
mowing of barlie, if barlie doo stand, Mowing
of barlie.
is
cheapest ans best, for to rid out of hand.
Some
mowe it and rake it, and sets it on cocks,
some
owe it and bind it, and sets it on shocks.
Of
barlie the longest and greenest ye find, Binding
of barlie.
leave
standing by dallops, till time ye doo bind:
Then
early in morning (while deaw is thereon),
to
making of bands till deaw is all gone.
One
spreadeth those bands, so in order to ly, Spreading
of bands.
as
barlie (in swatches) may fill it thereby:
Which
gathered up with the rake and the hand,
the
follower after them bindeth in band.
Where
barlie is raked (if dealing be true), Tithe
of rakings.
the
tenth of such raking to Parson is due:
Where
scatring of barlie is seene to be much,
there
custome of concience tithing should gruch.
Corne
being had down (any way ye alow),
should
with as needeth, for burning in mow:
Such
skill appertaineth to harvest mans art,
and
taken in time is a husbandly part.
No
turning of peason till carrege ye make, Usage
of peason
nor
turne in no more than you mind for to take:
Least
beaten with showersso turned to drie,
by
turning and tossing they shed as they lie.
If
weather be faire, and tidie thy graine, Lingring
lubbers
make
speedily carrege, for feare of a raine:
For
tempest ans showers deceiveth a menie,
and
ligering lubbers loose many a penie.
In
goving at harvest, learne skilfully how Best
maner of goving
ech
graine for to laie, by itself in a mow: corne
in the barne.
Seede
barlie the purest, gove out of the way,
all
other now hand gove as just as ye may.
Stack
pease upon hovell abrode in the yeard,
to
cover it quicklie, let owner regard:
Least
Dove and the cadow, there finding a smack,
with
ill stormie weather doo perish thy stack.
Corne
carried, let such as be poore go and gleane, Leave
gleaning for poore.
and
after, thy cattle to mowth it up cleane.
Then
spare it for rowen, till Mihel be past,
to
lengthen thy darie no better thou hast.
In
harvest time, harvest folke, servants and all,
should
make all togither good cheere in the hall:
And
fill out the black boule of bleith to their song,
and
let them be merie all harvest time long.
Once
ended thy harvest let none be beguiled, Pay
trulie harvest folke.
please
such as did helpe thee, man, woman and child.
Thus
dooing, with alway such helpe as they can,
thou
winnest the praise of the labouring man.
Now
look up ro Godward, let tong never cease, Thanke
God for all.
in
thanking of him for his mighty encrease:
Accept
my goo will, for a proofe go and trie:
the
better thou thrivest, the gladder am I.
WORKS
AFTER HARVEST
Now
carie out compas, when harvest is donne,
where
barlie thou sowest, my champion sonne:
Or
laie it on heape, in the field as ye may,
till
carriage be faire, to have it away.
Whose
compas is rotten and carried in time,
and
spred as ir should be, thrifts ladder may clime.
Whose
compas is paltrie and carried too late,
such
husbandrie useth that many doo hate.
Er
winter preventeth, while weather is good, Carriage
of fewell.
for
galling of pasture get home with thy wood.
And
carrie out gravell to fill up a hole:
both
timber and furzen, the turfe and the cole.
Howse
charcoal and sedge, chip and cole of the land, Well
placing of fewell,
pile
tall wood and billet, stacke all that hath band.
Blocks,
rootes, pole and bough, set upridgt to the thetch:
the
neerer more handsome in winter to fetch.
In
stacking of baven and piling of logs, Hovell
for hogs
make
under the baven a hovell for hogs,
And
warmlie enclose it, all saving the mouth,
and
that to stand open and full to the south.
Once
harvest despatched get wenches and boies,
and
into the barne, afore all other toies,
Choised
seede to be picked and trimlie well fide,
for
seede may no longer from threshing abide.
Get
seede aforehand, in a readiness had,
or
better provide, if thine own be too bad.
Be
careful of seede, or else such as ye sowe,
be
sure at harvest, to reape of to mowe.
When
harvest is ended, take shipping or ride, Provision
for Lent.
Ling,
Saltfish and Herring, for Lent to provide.
To
buie it at first, as it cometh to rode,
shall
paie for thy charges thou spendest abrode.
Choose
skilfullie Saltfish, not burnt at the stone,
buie
such as be good, or else let it alone.
Get
home that is bought, and goe stack it up drie,
with
peasestraw between it the better to lie.
Er
ever ye jornie, cause servant with speede, Compassing
of barlie land
to
compas thy barlie land where it is neede.
One
aker well compassed, passeth some three,
thy
barne shall at harvest declare it to thee.
This
lesson is learned by riding about,
the
prices of vittels, the yeere thorough out.
Both
what to be selling and what to refraine,
and
what to be buieng, to bring in againe.
Though
buieng and selling doth wonderfull well,
to
such as have skill how to buie and to sell:
Yet
chopping and changing I cannot commend,
with
theefe and his marrow, for feare of ill end.
The
rich in his bargaining needes not be tought,
of
buier and seller full far is he sought.
Yet
herin consisteth a part of my text,
who
buieth at first hand, and who at the next.
At
first hand he buieth that paieth all downe, Buieng
at first hand.
at
second, that hath not so much in the towne,
At
third hand he buieth that buieth of trust,
at
his hand who buieth shall paie for his lust.
As
often as ye bargaine, for better or wurse, Readie
money buieth
to
buie it the cheaper, have chinks in thy purse: best
cheape
Touch
kept is commended, yet credit to keepe,
is
paie and despatch him, er ever ye sleepe.
Be
mindful abrode of Mihelmas spring Hauking
for
theoeon dependeth a husbandlie thing:
Though
some have a pleasure, with hauke upon hand,
godd
husbands get treasure, to purchase their land.
Thy
market dispatched, turne home againe round,
least
gaping for penie, thou loosest a pound:
Provide
for thy wife, or else look to be shent,
good
milchcow for winter, another for Lent.
In
traveling homeward, buie fortie good crones, Old
ewes.
and
fat up the bodies of those seelie bones.
Leave
milking and drie up old mulley thy cow,
the
crooked and aged, to fattening put now.
At
Bartilmewtide, or at Sturbridge faire, Buieng
or selling
buie
that is needfull, thy house to repaire: of
butter or cheese.
Then
sell to thy profit, both butter and cheese,
who
buieth it sooner, the more he shall leese.
If
hops doo looke brownish, then are ye too slowe, Hops
gathering.
if
longer ye suffer those hops for to growe,
Now
sooner ye gather, more profit is found,
if
weather be faire and deaw of a ground.
Not
break off, but cut off, from hop the hop string, Increasing
of hops.
leave
growing a little againe for to spring.
Whose
hill about pared, and therewith new clad,
shall
nourish more sets against March to be had.
Hop
hillock discharged of everie let, The
order of hops
se
then without breaking, ech pole ye out get .
gathering.
Which
being untangled above in the tops,
go
carrie to such as are plucking of hops.
Take
soutage or haier (that covers the kell), Hop
manger.
set
like to a manger and fastened well:
With
poles upon crotchis as high as thy brest,
for
saving and riddance is husbandrie best..
Hops
had, the hop poles that are likely preserve, Save
hop poles.
(from
breaking and rotting) againe for to serve:
And
plant ye with alders or willowes a plot,
where
yearlie as needeth mo poles may be got.
Some
skillfullie drieth their hops on a kell, Drieng
of hops.
and
some on a soller, oft turning them well.
Kell
dried well abide, foule weather or faire,
where
drieng and lieng in loft doo dispaire.
Some
close them up drie in a hogshed or fat, Keeping
of hops.
yet
canvas or soutage is better than that:
By
drieng and lieng they quickly be spilt:
thus
much I have shewed, doo now as thou wilt.
Old
fermer is forced long August to make,
his
goodes at more leisure away for to take.
New
fermer he thinketh ech houre a day,
untill
the old fermer be packing away.
CORNE
HARVEST
Equally
divided into ten partes.
One
par cast forth, for rent due out of hand,
One
other part, for seede ro sowe thy land.
Another
part, leave Parson for his tieth,
Another
part for harvest, sickle and sieth.
One
part for ploughwrite, cartwright, knacker, smith. For
naperie
One
par to uphold thy teemes that drawe therewith, sope
and candle,
On
part for servant and workmans wage lay salt
and sauce,
One
part likewise for filbellie day by day, tunker
and
One
part for thy wife for needful things doth crave, cooper,
brasse
Thy
selfe and childe, the last one part would have. and
pewter.
Mihelmas
Michaelmas. 29th Septemer, on of the English
quarter days
Hallontide
the first week of November
Shroftide
just before lent
Candelmas
February - the purification of the Virgin
Martlimas
S.Edmund
the king
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