Thomas Tusser

500 good points of Husbandrie

NOVEMBERS ABSTRACT

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NOVEMBERS ABSTRACT

 

At Hallontide, slaughter time entereth in,         Slaughter time

and then doth the husbandmans feasting beging:

From thence until shroftide kill now and then some,

their offal for household the better will come.

 

Thy dredge and thy barley go thresh out to malt,       Dredge is otes and barlie

let maltser be cunning, else lose it thou shalt:

Thencrease of a seame is a bushel for store,

bad else is the barley, or huswif much more.

 

Some useth to winnow, some useth to fan         Winnowing fanning and

some useth to cast it, for malting not so,         casting

For seede goe and cast it, for malting not so,

but get out the cockle, and then let it go.

 

Thresh barlie as yet but as neede shal require,       Threshing of barlie

fresh threshed for stoover thy cattel desire:

And therefore that threshing forbeare as ye may,

til Candlemas comming, for sparing of hay.

 

Such wheat as ye keepe for the baker to buie,

unthreshed til March in the sheafe let it lie,

Least foistnes take it if sooner yee thresh it,

although by oft turning ye seeme to refresh it.

 

Save chaffe of the barlie, of wheat and of rie,         Chaffe of corn

from feathers and foistines, where it doth lie,

Which mixed with corne, being sifted of dust,

go give to thy cattel, when serve them ye must.

 

Greene peason or hastings at Hallontide sowe,

in hartie good soile he requireth to growe:

Graie peason or runcivals cherrly to stand,

at Candlemas sowe, with plentiful hand.

 

Leave latewardly rering, keepe now no more swine,

but such as thou maist, with the offal of thine:

Except ye have wherewith to fat them away,

the fewer thou keepest, keepe better ye may.

 

Th rere uo much pultrie, and want the barn doore,

is naught for the pulter and woorse for the poore.

So, now to keep hogs and to sterve them for meate,

is as to keepe dogs for to brawle in the street.

 

As cat a good mouser is needful in house,

because for her commons she killeth the mouse,

So ravening curres, as a meany doo keepe,

makes master want meat, and his dog to kill sheep.

 

Foe Easter at Martilmas hang up a beefe,         Martilmas beefe

for stalfed and pease fed plaie pickpurse the theefe:

With that and the like, er an grass biefe come in,

thy folk shall look cheerelie when others looke thin.

 

Set garlicke and beanes, at S.Edmund the king,       Set garlicke and beanes

the moone in the wane thereon hangeth a thing:

Thencrease of a pottle (wel proved of some)

shal pleasure thy household er peskod time come.

 

When rain is a let to thy dooings abrode,         Threshing

set threshers an threshing to laie on good lode:

Thresh cleane ye must bid them, though lesser they yarn,

and looking to thrive have an eie to thy barne.

 

Take heede to thy man in his furie and heate,         Cattle beaters

with ploughstaff and whipstock, for maiming thy neate:

To thresher for hurting of cow with his flaile,

or making thy hen to plaie tapple up taile.

 

Some pilfering thresher will walke with a staffe,       Corne stealers

will carrie home corne as it it in the chaffe,

And some in his bottle of leather so great,

will carry home daily both barlie and wheat.

 

If houseroom will serve thee, lay stover up drie,       Keep dry thy straw

and everoe sort by itself for to lie.

Or stack up for litter if room be but poore,

and thatch out the residue noieng thy door.

 

Cause weekly thy thresher to make up his flower,       Everie weeke rid thy

though slothful and pilferer thereat do lower:         barne of flower

Take tub for a season, take sack for a shift,

yet garner for graine is the better for thrift.

 

All maner of straw that is scattered in yard,

good husbandlie husbands have daily regard,

In pit full of water the same to bestowe,

where lieng to rot, thereof profit may growe,

 

Now plough up thy hedlond, or delve it with spade       Digging of hedlonds

where otherwise profit but little is made,

And cast it up high, upon hillocks to stand,

that winter may rot it to compas thy land

 

If garden requirer it , now trench it ye may,         Trenching of garden

one trench not a yard from another go lay:

Which being well filled with much by and by,

go cover with mould for a season to ly.

 

Foule privies are now to be clensed and fide,         Clensing of privies

let night be appointed such baggage to hide,:

Which buried in garden in trenches alowe,

shall make very many things better to growe.

 

The chimney all sootie would now be made cleene,       Sootie chimenyes

for feare of mischances , too oftimes seen:

Old chimney and sootie, if fier once take,

by burning and breaking, soone mischeefe may make.

 

When ploughing is ended, and pasture not great,       Put horse in stable

then stable thy horses, and tend them with meat:

Let season be drie when you take them to house,

for danger of nittes, or for feare of a louse.

 

Lay compas up handsomly, round on a hill,

to walke in thy yard at thy pleasure and will,

More compas it maketh and handsom the plot,

if horsekeeper daily forgetteth it not.

 

Make hillocks of molehills, in field thorough out,

and so to remaine, till the yeare go about,

Make also the lik whereas plots be too hie,

all winter a rotting for compas to lie.