Read Ebook: The Book of Husbandry by Fitzherbert Anthony Skeat Walter W Walter William Editor

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Thus endeth the table.

The mooste generall lyuynge that husbandes can haue, is by plowynge and sowyng of theyr cornes, and rerynge or bredynge of theyr cattel, and not the one withoute the other. Than is the ploughe the moste necessaryest 4 instrumente that an husbande can occupy. Wherfore it is conuenyent to be knowen, howe a plough shulde be made.

And oxen wyl plowe in tough cley, and vpon hylly grounde, where-as horses wyll stande stll. And where-as is noo seuerall pastures, there the horse-plowe is better, 16 for the horses may be teddered or tyed vpon leys, balkes, or hades, where as oxen maye not be kept: and it is not vsed to tedder them, but in fewe places.

And in Marche is tyme to sowe otes, and specially vpon lyght grounde & drie, howe-be-it they wylle grow on weter grounde than any corne els: for wete grounde is good for no maner of corne; and thre London bushels 4 wyl sowe an acre.

There be other wedes not spoken of, as dee-nettylles, dodder, and suche other, that doo moche harme. 48

Wheate wolde be shorne cleane, and harde bounden in lyke maner; but for a generall rule, take good hede, that the sherers of all maner of whyte corne cast not vppe theyr handes hastely, for thanne all the lose corne, 4 and the strawes, that he holdeth not fast in his hande, flieth ouer his heed, and are loste: and also it wyll pull of the eares, and specyallye of the cornes that be verye rype. In somme places they wyll shere theyr cornes 8 hyghe, to the entente to mowe theyr stubble, eyther to thacke or to bren: if they so do, they haue greate cause to take good hede of the sherers. For if the eares of corne croke downe to the erthe, and the sherer take 12 not good hede, and put up the eare er he cut the strawe: as many eares as be vnder his hoke or sicle fall to the erthe, and be loste; and whan they mowe the stubble, it is great hyndraunce to the profytte of 16 the grounde. And in Sommersetshire, about Zelcestre and Martok, they doo shere theyr wheate very lowe, and all the wheate-strawe that they pourpose to make thacke of, they do not thresshe it, but cutte of the 20 eares, and bynde it in sheues, and call it rede: and therwith they thacke theyr houses. And if it be a newe house, they thacke it vnder theyr fote: the whiche is the beste and the surest thacking that can 24 be of strawe, for crowes and douues shall neuer hurte it.

Pees and benes be moste commonly laste reped or mowen, of diuers maners, some with sickles, some with hokes, and some with staffe-hokes. And in some places they lay them on repes, and whan they be dry, 4 they laye them to-gether on heapes, lyke hey-cockes, and neuer bynde them. But the beste way is, whan the repes be dry, to bynde them, and to set theym on the rydge of the landes three sheues to-gether; and 8 loke that your sherers, repers, or mowers geld not your beanes, that is to saye, to cutte the beanes so hye, that the nethermoste codde growe styll on the stalke; and whan they be bounden, they are the more redyer 12 to lode and vnlode, to make a reke, and to take fro the mowe to thresshe. And soo be not the repes.

Aboute Myghelmasse it is tyme to sowe bothe wheate and rye. Wheate is mooste commonlye sowen vnder the forowe, that is to saye, caste it vppon the falowe, and than plowe it vnder. And in some places they sowe theyr 4 wheate vppon theyr pees-stubble, the whiche is neuer soo good, as that that is sowen vppon the falowe: and that is vsed, where they make falowe in a fyelde euery fourthe yere. And in Essex they vse to haue a chylde, 8 to go in the forowe before the horses or oxen, with a bagge or a hopper full of corne: and he taketh his hande full of corne, and by lyttel and lytel casteth it in the sayde forowe. Me semeth, that chylde oughte to haue 12 moche dyscretion.

This wheate and rye, that thou shalte sowe, ought to be very cleane of wede, and therfore, er thou thresshe thy corne, open thy sheues, and pyke oute all maner of wedes, and than thresshe it, and wynowe it cleane, 4 and so shalt thou haue good clene corne an other yere. And in some countreys, aboute London specyallye, and in Essex and Kente, they do fan theyr corne, the whiche is a verye good gise, and a great saueguarde for 8 shedynge of the corne. And whan thou shalte sell it, if it be well wynowed or fande, it wyll be solde the derer, and the lyghte corne wyll seme the husbande in his house. 12

Let thy terre be medled with oyle, gose-grease, or capons grease, these three be the beste, for these wyll make the terre to ronne abrode: butter and swynes grease, whan they be molten, are good, soo they be not salte; for 4 terre of hym-selfe is to kene, and is a fretter, and no healer, without it be medled with some of these.

If a shepe haue mathes, ye shall perceyue it by her bytynge, or fyskynge, or shakyng of her tayle, and mooste commonlye it is moyst and wete: and if it be nyghe vnto the tayle, it is ofte tymes grene, and fyled with his 4 dounge: and than the shepeherde muste take a payre of sheres, and clyppe awaye the woll bare to the skynne, and take a handfull of drye moldes, and cast the moldes thervpon to drye vp the wete, and then wype the muldes 8 away, and lay terre there as the mathes were, and a lyttell farther. And thus loke theym euery daye, and mende theym, if they haue nede.

There be some shepe, that hath a worme in his foote, that maketh hym halte. Take that shepe, and loke betwene his clese, and there is a lyttell hole, as moche as a greatte pynnes heed, and therin groweth fyue or syxe 4 blacke heares, lyke an inche long and more; take a sharpe poynted knyfe, and slytte the skynne a quarter of an inche long aboue the hole and as moche benethe, and put thy one hande in the holowe of the fote, vnder the hinder 8 clese, and set thy thombe aboue almooste at the slytte, and thruste thy fyngers vnderneth forward, and with thy other hand take the blacke heares by the ende, or with thy knyues poynte, and pull the heares a lyttell and a 12 lyttell, and thruste after thy other hande, with thy fynger and thy thombe, and there wyll come oute a worme lyke a pece of fleshe, nygh as moche as a lyttel fynger. And whan it is out, put a lyttel tarre into the hole, and it wyll 16 be shortely hole.

There is a sickenes among shepe, and is called the wode euyll, and that cometh in the sprynge of the yere, and takethe them moste commonly in the legges, or in the necke, and maketh them to halt, and to holde theyr 4 necke awry. And the mooste parte that haue that sicknes, wyl dye shortely in a day or two. The best remedy is, to wasshe theym a lyttell, and to chaunge theyr grounde, and to bryng them to lowe grounde and freshe grasse. 8 And that sycknes is moste commonly on hylly grounde, ley grounde, and ferny grounde, And some men vse to let them bloudde vnder the eye in a vaine for the same cause.

Take hede of the sherers, for touchynge the shepe with the sheres, and specially for pryckyng with the poynte of the sheres, and that the shepeherde be alway redy with his tarboxe to salue them. And se that they be well 4 marked, bothe eare-marke, pitche-marke, and radel-marke, and let the wol be well folden or wounden with a woll-wynder, that can good skyll therof, the whiche shal do moche good in the sale of the same. 8

These housbandes, if they shall well thryue, they muste haue bothe kye, oxen, horses, mares, and yonge cattell, and to rere and brede euery yere some calues, and fools, or els shall he be a byer. And yf thou shalte 4 by oxen for the ploughe, se that they be yonge, and not gowty, nor broken of heare, neyther of tayle, nor of pysell. And yf thou bye kye to the payle, se that they be yonge and good to mylke, and fede her calues 8 wel. And if thou bye kye or oxen to feede, the yonger they be, the rather they wyll fede; but loke well, that the heare stare not, and that he lycke hym-selfe, and be hoole-mouthed, and want no tethe. And thoughe he 12 haue the goute and be broken, bothe of tayle and pysell, yet wyll he fede. But the gouty oxe wyll not be dryuen ferre; and se that he haue a brode ryb, and a thycke hyde, and to be lose-skinned, that it stycke not 16 harde nor streyte to his rybbes, for than he wyll not fede.

An other dysease is called rysen vppon, and no man can tell howe, nor wherof it cometh: but ye shall perceyue that by swellynge in the heed, and specyallye by the eyen, for they wyll ronne on water, and close his 4 syght; and wyll dye shortly within an houre or two, if he be not holpen. This is the cause of his dysease. There is a blyster rysen vnder the tounge, the whiche blyster must be slytte with a knyfe a-crosse. Whan ye 8 haue pulled out the tongue, rubbe the blyster well with salte, and take an hennes egge, and breake it in the beastes mouthe shell and all, and cast salte to it, and holde vp the bestes heed, that all maye be swalowed 12 downe into the body. But the breakynge of the blyster is the greate helpe, and dryue the beaste a lyttell aboute, and this shall saue hym, by the helpe of Jesu.

There be beastes that wyll haue warrybredes in dyuers partes of theyr body and legges, and this is the remedy. Cast hym downe, and bynde his foure fete together, and take a culture, or a payre of tonges, or such an other 4 yren, and take it glowing hote: and if it be a longe warrybrede, sere it of harde by the body, and if it be in the beginninge, and be but flatte, than lay the hot yren vpon it, and sere it to the bare skyn, and it will be 8 hole for euer, be it horse or beast.

There be beastes, that wyll haue the goute, and moste commonly in the hynder fete, and it wyll cause them to halt, and go starkely. And I knewe neuer manne that coulde helpe it, or fynde remedye therfore, but all-onely 4 to put hym in good grasse, and fede hym.

The fyrste is, to haue a proude harte; and the seconde is, to be bolde and hardy.

? The fyrste is, to haue a whyte rase or a ball in the foreheed; the seconde, to haue a whyte fote.

? The fyrste is, to haue a brode breste; the seconde, to be styffe-docked; the thyrde, to be wylde in countenaunce; the fourthe, to haue foure good legges.

? The fyrste is styffe-eared; the seconde, to haue greate eyen; the thyrde, round eyen; the fourthe, to haue a leane heed; the .v. to haue leane knees; the syxte, to be wyght on foote; the .vii. to turne vpon a lyttell grounde; 4 the .viii. to haue shorte buttockes; the .ix. to haue two good fyllettes.

? The fyrste is, to be prycke-eared, the seconde, to be lyttell-eared; the thyrde, to be rounde-syded; the fourthe, to be syde-tayled; the fyfte, to be shorte-legged; the syxte, to be blacke-legged; the .vii. to be 4 shorte-trottynge; the .viii. to be well coloured; the .ix. to have a lyttell heed.

? The fyrst is, to be mery of chere; the seconde, to be well paced; the thyrde, to haue a brode foreheed; the fourth, to haue brode buttockes; the fyfthe, to be harde of warde; the syxte, to be easye to lepe vppon; the .vii. 4 to be good at a longe iourneye; the .viii. to be well sturrynge vnder a man; the .ix. to be alwaye besye with the mouthe; the tenth, euer to be chowynge on the brydell. ? It myght fortune I coude shewe as many 8 defautes of horses, as here be good propertyes, but than I shulde breake my promyse, that I made at Grombalde brydge, the first tyme I wente to Ryppon for to bye coltes. But it is to suppose, that if a horse want any of these 12 good propertyes, that he shulde haue a defaute in the same place. And this is suffycient for this time.

Nowe it is to be knowen, the soraunce and dyseases of horses, & in what partes of theyr bodyes they be; that a man maye the rather perceyue them. And howe be it that it may be against my profyt, yet I wil shewe you 4 suche as cometh to my mynde.

? In the mouthe is the lampas, & is a thycke skyn full of bloude, hangynge ouer his tethe aboue, that he may not eate.

? The barbes be lyttell pappes in a horse mouth, and lette hym to byte: these two be sone holpen.

? Mournynge of the tonge is an yll dysease, and harde to be cured.

? Pursy is a dysease in an horses bodye, and maketh hym to blowe shorte, and appereth at his nosethrilles, and commeth of colde, and may be well mended.

? Glaunders is a disease, that may be mended, and commeth of a heate, and a sodeyne colde, and appereth at his nosethrylles, and betwene his chall-bones.

? Mournynge on the chyne is a dysease incurable, and it appereth at his nosethryll lyke oke-water. A glaunder whan it breaketh, is lyke matter. Broken-wynded, and pursynes, is but shorte blowynge. 4

? Stranguelyon is a lyght dysease to cure, and a horse wyl be very sore sycke therof, and cometh of a chafynge hote, that he swete, and after he wyll ryse and swell in dyuers places of his body, as moche as a mannes fyste; 4 and wyll breake by it selfe, if it be kepte warme, or els is there ieoperdy.

? A horse wyll waxe blynde with laboure, and that maye be cured betyme.

? The viues is a sorance vnder a horse ere, bytwene the ouer ende of the chall-bones and the necke, and are rounde knottes bytwene the skyn and the fleshe lyke tennes-balles; and if they be not kilde, they wyl waxe 4 quicke, and eate the rotes of the horse eares, and kil hym.

? The cordes is a thynge that wyll make a horse to stumble, and ofte to fall, and appereth before the forther legges of the body of the horse, and may well be cured in .ii. places, and there be but fewe horses but they 4 haue parte therof.

? A malander is an yl sorance, and may wel be cured for a tyme, but with yl keping it wyl comme agayne, and appereth on the forther legges, in the bendynge of the knee behynde, and is lyke a scabbe or a skal: and 4 some horses wyll haue two vpon a legge, within an inche together, and they wyl make a horse to stumble, and other whyle to fall.

? A selander is in the bendynge of the legge behynde, lyke as the malander is in the bendynge of the legge before, and is lyke a malander, and may be well cured.

? A serewe is an yll soraunce, and is lyke a splent, but it is a lyttell longer and more, and lyeth vppe to the knee on the inner syde. And some horses haue a throughe serewe on bothe sydes of the legge, and that horse must 4 nedes stumble and fall, and harde it is to be cured.

? A ryngbone is an yll soraunce, and appereth before on the foote, aboue the houe, as well before as behynde, and wyll be swollen three inches brode, and a quarter of an inche or more of heyghte, and the heare wyll stare 4 and waxe thyn, and wyll make hym to halte, and is yll to cure, if it growe longe.

? Wyndgalles is a lyghte sorance, and commeth of great labour, and appereth on eyther syde of the ioynte aboue the fetelockes, as wel before as behynde, and is a lyttell swollen with wynde. 4

? Coltes euyll is an yll disease, and commeth of ranknes of nature and bloudde, and appereth in his scote, for there wyl he swel great, and wyll not be harde, and soone cured in the begynnynge. 4

? The bottes is an yll dysease, and they lye in a horse mawe, and they be an inche long, white-coloured, and a reed heed, and as moche as a fyngers ende, & they be quycke, and stycke faste in the mawe-syde; it apperethe 4 by stampynge of the horse, or tomblynge, and in the beginninge there is remedy ynoughe, and if they be not cured betyme, they wyll eate thorowe his mawe, and kyll hym. 8

? The wormes is a lyght dysease, and they lye in the greatte paunche, in the belye of the horse, and they are shynynge, of colour lyke a snake, syxe inches in lengthe, greate in the myddes, and sharpe at bothe 4 endes, and as moche as a spyndel, and wyll sone be kylde.

? Affreyd is an yll disease, and commethe of great labour and rydynge faste with a contynuall sweate, and thanne sodeynly to take a great colde, his legges wyll be styffe, and his skyn wyll stycke fast to his sydes, and 4 may be well cured.

? Nauylgall is a soraunce, hurte with a saddle, or with a buckle of a croper, or suche other, in the myddes of the backe, and maye be lyghtely cured.

? A spauen is an yll sorance, whervppon he wyll halte, and specyally in the begynnynge, and appereth on the hynder legges within, and agaynste the ioynte, and it wyll be a lyttell swolen and harde. And some horses haue 4 throughe spauen, and appereth bothe within and without, and those be yll to be cured.

? A courbe is an yll sorance, and maketh a horse to halte sore, and appereth vppon the hynder legges streyght behynde, vnder the camborell place, and a lyttell benethe the spauen, and wyll be swollen, and yll to cure, if it growe 4 longe vpon hym.

? The stryng-halte is an yl disease, and maketh hym to twyche vp his legge sodeynly, and maketh hym to halte, and cometh ofte with a colde, and doth not appere outwarde. 4

? Enterfyre is a sorance, and cometh of yll shoynge, and appereth ofte both behynde and before, betwene the fete agaynst the fetelockes; there is no remedy but good showynge. 4

? Myllettes is an yll sorance, and appereth in the fetelockes behynde, & causeth the heare to sheede thre or foure inches of length, and a quarter of an inche in brede, lyke as it were bare; and yll to cure but it maye be perceiued, 4 and specially in wynter tyme.

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