Part 2

Againe, if Christmas day shall fall vpon the Sunday, the yéere shall be good, seasonable and abounding with all store and plenty: if it fall vpon Munday the yéere shall be reasonable temperate and fruitfull, onely something subiect to inundation of waters, losse by shipwracke, and some mortality of people, especially women in childbearing: if it fall vpon Tuesday, the yéere will proue very barraine and vnfruitfull, much dearth will raigne, and amongst people great plague and mortallitie: if it fall vpon Wednesday, the yéere shall be reasonably seasonable, though a little inconstant: there shall be plenty of all things, onely much sickenesse, and great likelyhood of warres: if it fall vpon the Thursday, the yéere shall be generally very temperate and wholesome, onely the Sommer subiect to moistnesse, much deuision is like to fall amongst the Clergie, and women shall be giuen to more laciuiousnesse then at other seasons: if it fall on the Friday, the yéere shall be barraine and vnwholesome, for sickenesse shall rage with great violence, much mortallitie shall fall amongst yong Children, and both Corne and Cattell shall be scarce, and of a déere reckoning: if it fall on the Saturday, the yéere shall be reasonably good and plentifull, onely the people of the world shall be excéeding peruerse, & much giuen to mutinie & dissention one against another.

[Sidenote: Signes from the Sunne rising.]

Againe, if the Sunne rise without impediment, and shine bright and cléere vpon Christmas day, the yéere will be very plentifull: if it rise likewise cléere the second day in Christmas, then Corne will fall in price: if it rise cléere the third day in Christmas, there will onely be dissention in the Church: if on the fourth day, it foreshewes trouble vnto yong persons: if on the fift day, it shewes that many good things will increase: if on the sixt, doubtlesse euery Garden will bring forth great plenty: if on the seauenth, then is much dearth and scarcitie to be feared: if it shine cléere on the eyght day in Christmas, then there is likely to be great store of Fish: if on the ninth, it will doubtles proue a good yéere for all manner of Cattell: if on the tenth, the yéere is likely to yéeld much cause of mourning: if on the eleauenth, there will fall much fogges, thicke mistes, and great infection will follow after. Lastly, if the Sunne shine cléere the twelfth day after Christmas, it fore-shewes much warre and troubles, with great losse and bloudshed.

[Sidenote: Signes from the twelue dayes in Christmas.]

Againe, according to these former obseruations, you shall vnderstand, that what weather shall fall or be on the sixe and twentieth day of December, the like weather shall be all the moneth of Ianuary after, what shall be on the seauen and twentieth of December, the like shall be all the moneth of February following: what weather shall be on the eight and twentieth day of December, the like weather shall be all March following: what weather shall be the nine and twentieth day of December, the same shall be all Aprill after: what on the thirtieth, the same all May: what on the one and thirtieth the like all Iune following: what weather shall fall on the first of Ianuary, the same shall be all Iuly after: what on the second of Ianuary, the same all August after: what on the third, the same all September after: what on the fourth, the same all October following: what on the fift, the same all Nouember after, and what weather shall fall on the sixt of Ianuary, which is Twelft-day, the same weather shall fall all December following.

[Sidenote: Signes from Saint _Pauls_ day.]

Againe, if Saint _Pauls_ day proue fayre, dry and bright, it foresheweth plenty of all things the yéere following: but if it be misty then it shewes great dearth of Cattell. If there fall vpon that day Snow or Raine, then it shewes Famine and Want of Corne, but if it be windy, tempestuous, or if it thunder, then it sheweth that great warres will follow.

[Sidenote: Signes from _Maudlin_, and Saint _Swythens_ day.]

Againe, looke what quantitie of raine falleth eyther on _Mary Maudlins_ day, or on Saint _Swithens_ day, be it more or lesse, the same proportion will fall for the space of forty dayes after: but if these two dayes be fayre and dry all the time of Haruest will be so also.

[Sidenote: If Corne shall be cheape or deare.]

Now if you will know whether Corne shall be cheape or déere, take twelue principall graynes of Wheate out of the strength of the eare, vpon the first day of Ianuary, and when the harth of your Chimney is most hot, swéepe it cleane, then make a stranger lay one of those Graynes on the hot hearth, then marke it well, and if it leape a little, Corne shall be reasonably cheape, but if it leape much then Corne shall be excéeding cheape, but if it lye still and moue not, then the price of Corne shall stand, and continue still for that Moneth: and thus you shall vse your twelue Graines, the first day of euery Moneth one after another, that is to say, euery Moneth one Graine, and you shall know the rising and falling of Corne in euery Moneth, all the yéere following.

[Sidenote: Signes from Thunder.]

If it shall thunder much the first Sunday of the New-yéere, it shewes great death and mortallitie amongst learned men: if it thunder the first Munday, it shewes great death of women, and many Eclipses of the Sunne: if it thunder on the first Tuesday, it shewes plenty of Corne, but much Warre and dissention: if it thunder on the first Wednesday, it shewes mortallitie and death amongst the worst sort of people, both Male and Female, besides much Warre and bloudshed: if it thunder on the first Thursday in the New-yéere, it sheweth much plenty of Corne that will follow: if it thunder on the first Friday, it betokeneth the losse of great personages, and men of authoritie, many affrayes and murthers, with much perill and danger. Lastly, if it thunder vpon the first Saturday in the New-yéere, it foresheweth onely a generall plague and infection, which shall raigne with strong violence.

[Sidenote: Signes of sicknes or health.]

If you shall perceiue the Summer and Spring time to fall out very moyst and rainy, without winde, yet in their owne natures very hot & scortching, or if the Southerne or Southwest-winde blow much without raine: if many fogs and mists fall in the Morning, and ouercome the Sunnes beames at noone also: if the Sunne suffer any large Eclipse: if Autumne and Winter be more foggy then moyst or cold: if the Dowe or Leauen, of which you mould your bread, doe quickely mould and cleaue together without labour: if Dogs runne madde, if Birds forsake their nests: if Shéepe rot: if Fennes, Marrish-grounds, and muddy places abound with Frogges: if Mud-wals bréede Swine lice or Sowes: if Moales forsake the earth: if the small Pocks or Meazels be rife and abound in the Spring time, or if women generally doe miscarry in childe-bedde, any of these are most certaine signes of much sickenesse and mortallitie that will follow the yéere after: and all such signes as are directly contrarie to any of these, as if the Summer and Spring doe fall out drye and windy: if the South or Southwest-winde bring with it euer rayne: if no fogs or mists oppresse the ayre, and so forth of all the rest which are before shewed, are most certaine and infallible tokens of a very wholesome and healthfull yéere, which will euer follow after.

[Sidenote: The preseruation of health.]

Now for the preseruation of your health, and to preuent all such sickenesses as are incident to follow in these casuall and daungerous yéeres: through euery seuerall moneth in the yéere you shall obserue these few precepts.

First, in the month of Ianuary you shall forbeare to let bloud, vnlesse vpon violent extreamitie, & that the signes be excéeding good for the same, you shall drinke white wine in the morning fasting, & rub your head with a course Towell very hard, but yet cleane, for it is a most wholesom friction.

In the month of February, you shall not let bloud for wantonnesse, but néede: you shall forbeare Hearbe-pottage, for at that time onely they are least wholesome: you shall kéepe the soles of your féete from wet, and vse euery morning your former friction.

In the moneth of March, the signe being good, you may let bloud according to your youth, strength, and necessitie: you may take hot and swéet meats and drinkes, especially Almonds, Figs & Reyzins, & vse also your former friction.

In the month of Aprill, you may bléed as in the month of March: in it also you may purge, by the order of a learned directer: let your dyet be hot and fresh meats, and your drinke temperate: also in this moneth your former friction is excéeding wholesome.

In the month of May be no sluggard, for the bed is vnwholesome, cléerified Way is this moneth a most soueraigne drinke, and Sage with swéet Butter is a most excellent breakefast: yong Lettuce is an approued good Sallet, and the inthrals or offall of Beasts would by all meanes be refused, it is also good to let bloud in this month onely for necessitie, and not for pleasure, and beware by all means, not to go wetshooed in the dew of the morning.

In the month of Iune obserue the dyet of May, or if you be of youthfull bloud it is not amisse if it be a little cooler, and for bléeding let it be for vrgent necessitie.

In the month of Iuly eschew all wanton bed-sport: and if each morning you take of draught of clarified Butter-Milke it is very wholesome: vse coole Iulyps, and meats that are fresh, and not stirring: now forbeare Lettice, and bléede not, except it be in cause of great extreamitie.

In the month of August forbeare all manner of Worts, and Cabadges, and generally all meats and Spices which are hot and inflaming: but by any meanes bléed not at all, except by the direction of most approued learning.

In the month of September you may eate any sort of ripe Fruits: you may bathe in hot bathes, for colde causes, at your pleasure, and you may let bloud according to your necessitie: those foods are best which are of lightest disgestion, and those drinkes most wholesome which are rather strong then scouring.

In the moneth of October, spare not any bloud, except great extreamitie compell you, and for your dyet, let it be of such foods as are most strong and nourishing, and your drinke Béere or Ale, of indifferent strength, and now and then at the midst, and end of meales, a draught or two of such Wines as are pleasant, strong, and wholesome: Sallets of Flowers, preserued in Vinegar & Sugar, as either Violets, Broome-flowers, or Gelly-flowers of all kindes, or Sampyre, Purslan, or Beane-rods, preserued in pickell, are of excellent vse, both in this moneth, and the other two which follow.

In the Moneth of Nouember open also no vaine, but for great néed, because the blood is then gathered together into the principall vessels: Bathing in this Moneth is vtterly to be refused, onely let your body be kept warme, and euery colde humour or obstruction, rather dissolued by moderate frictions, as is shewed in the moneth of Ianuary and February, then by the violence of any other inward medicine. Shell-Fish in this moneth is very wholesome, and so are all other sorts of Fish, which are not too rawe or slymie.

In the Moneth of December blood-letting should be also forborne, except vpon some especiall dayes, as after the fiue and twentieth day at the soonest: and for your diet let it be meate which is hot and nourishing, but by no meanes that which bréedeth melancholie bloud. Vse strong Wine and sharpe Sauces: as for the warmth of your body, next vnto good cloathing, let it euer procéed from exercise that is moderate, then from toasting, or broiling your selfe against the fire, for in this Month that body can hardly be sound whose shinnes are made pyde and motley with the fiers scortching.

And thus much touching the experience of the English Husbandman in these fore-knowledges, and ayming after the times to come, being drawne from the obseruations and rules left vs by succession of times of those learned Fathers, and other best knowne and approued in these knowledges: yet I doe not binde euery Husbandman to make as it were new Créeds of these Principles, but onely to giue them to his memory, as things that will neither oppresse nor hurt it, and if in any seldome-séene particularitie, any shall vary from the purpose of the relation, to remember that there is aboue vs a God of all Truth and Knowledge, who will dispose and gouerne all things, according to his good Will and Pleasure: to which let euery Creature submit, in as much as hee onely knoweth what is for mankinde most best and most conuenient.

CHAP. II.

The choyce of ground for the Kitchin-garden, and the ordering thereof.

A Promise honest and profitable, being seriously made, I holde a sinne capitall to neglect, especially where the goodnesse stretcheth it selfe ouer a whole Kingdome: and hence I haue assumed to perfect both my promise and my labour in building vp that weake foundation which I formerly laid, of the English Husbandman: wherein, contrary to all other Authors, I am neither beholden to _Pliny, Virgil, Columella, Varo, Rutillius, Libault_, nor any other Forrainer, but onely to our owne best experienst Countreymen, whose daily knowledge hath made them most perfect in their professions: and what better instruction can be had then that which we receiue from the professors, being men of our owne neighbourhood, acquainted with our Climate and Soile, and the necessary things agréeing with the bettering of the same: and not resort, as our Translators haue done, to strangers helpe, who tels you that you must meanure your ground with Asses dung, when our Kingdome hath not so many foure-footed Asses as wil meanure one Acre, and many such like things which our Kingdome affordeth not: therefore according to the plaine true English fashion, thus I pursue my purpose.

[Sidenote: The choyce of Ground.]

Touching the choyse of Ground, I haue in the former part of this Booke shewed you the true nature and goodnesse of euery seuerall Soyle: and you are to vnderstand that the best Soyle is best for this purpose, because it is least laborsome, and most profitable: yet notwithstanding that some of our translated Authors doth vtterly disalow for Gardens many Soyles, as namely, all Sands, all Chawkie earths, all Grauell, all Earths like dust, and any Earth which chappeth or openeth in the heat of Summer, by that meanes depriuing almost halfe our kingdome of the benefit of Gardens, yet I assure you there is no Soyle whatsoeuer (if it lye from the inundation of water, or be not absolutely boggy) but with industry will beare any Fruit, Hearbe, or Flower, plentifully, and without any casualtie procéeding from the barraines therof: witnes a most worthy Garden in the barren Peake of _Darbyshire_, where there is no curious Trée or Plant wanting, nor doe they flourish in any place more brauely.

[Sidenote: The bettering of Grounds.]

[Sidenote: The trenching of Grounds.]

Now for mine owne part, I write generally to all Husbandmen, not to those onely which liue in fertile and fat Soyles, and therefore I would haue no man say, the Soyle where I liue is so barraine, that I cannot haue a Garden: for if the Soyle wherein you liue, be barraine, then shall you in the latter end of September breake vp your earth more then a Spade-graft déepe, and be well assured that at euery Spade-graft you breake the mould well, and leaue not the rootes of any wéeds within it, then let it rest till the midst of October, at which time if any wéeds appeare vpon it, by all meanes let them be pluckt vp by the roots, which done, you shall trench your ground at least a yarde and a halfe déepe, and then bury in those trenches, if it be a Sand or grauell earth, great store of Oxe or Cow meanure, if it be a colde Chalkie Clay, or a moyst ground, then great store of Horse meanure, of both which meanures the oldest and rottenest is the best: but if you liue in such a Soyle as there is neyther of these meanures bred therein, then take straw of any kinde whatsoeuer, and spread it in the high-way where there is much trauell, & when it is rotten with the beating of Horse féet, then cause it to be shoueld vp, & with it fill your trenches, but if Straw be wanting, then if you haue any muddy ditches or ponds, scowre the mud out of them, & with it fill vp your trenches: & although these are not so long lasting as the two first sorts of meanures, yet they are sufficient to bring forth increase, & must supply where necessity inforceth, alwayes hauing discretion when you sée your ground abate in fruitfulnes, to replenish it with fresh meanure.

Now as you fill your trenches with meanure, let one mixe the earth therewithall, and as it were blend and incorporate them together: thus hauing gone ouer so much ground as you intend to plant or sowe vpon, you shall let it rest till the midst of Ianuary, at which time you shall breake it vp in trenches againe, but not aboue thrée quarters of a yarde déepe, and then fill vp those trenches with meanure as before, and lay your earth as leuell as is possible, & so let it rest till the beginning of March (if the weather be seasonable for sowing or planting) otherwise let it stay till mid-March, and as soone as the Moone is changed you shall then dig it vp the fourth time, and make it fit to receyue your séede, but in this fourth time of turning ouer your earth, you shall dig it but a little better then a Spade-graft depth, and euer as you dig it, mixe it with fresh meanure: if your ground be subiect to much chapping or rining, then you shall at this last digging mixe the earth with ashes and Horse meanure mixt together, which will binde and holde the earth from chapping.

[Sidenote: Of breaking the Garden moulde.]

[Sidenote: Ordering of Garden-beds.]

After you haue digd your ground in this order, and made it leuell, you shal with an Iron Rake breake the great clods of earth, and bring it to as fine a mould as is possible, euer obseruing that if in the breaking of the clods or otherwise, you perceiue the roots or stalks of any wéeds to arise, you shall presently with your hand pull them out, and cast them on heaps, that they may serue eyther for the fire or the dunghill: which done, you shall tread out your beds in such orderly sort, that you may passe from one to the other without eyther treading vpon the beds, or striding ouer them: & thus much for the barraine & sterrill ground, which although all ancient & late writers reiect, as not worthy to be imployed to this vse, yet beléeue it, being husbanded as is said before, it will equall in fruitfulnes the best ground.

[Sidenote: Of the fruitfull Soyle.]

Touching your rich and perfect grounds, which of themselues are apt to put forth with little labour, you shall onely at the latter end of September breake vp the Earth, and making greater Trenches, fill them well with Oxe meanure, and then turning the Earth vpon the meanure, leuell your ground very carefully, breake the clots and rake it very painefully, and then treade out your beds, as is before sayd, artificially; but if the ground which you breake vp, be eyther gréene-swarth, or much ouergrowne with wéeds (as these rich soyles must euer be the one or the other) (for they will not be idle, but continually bringing forth) then at this first digging and dunging you shall haue diuers which shall follow the Spade, who shall take away all manner of roots, gréenes, grasse-tufts, stones, or whatsoeuer may bréede anoyance to the ground: which worke being perfected, you shall let the ground rest all winter till the beginning of March, that the frost may mellow and ripen the mould, and also kill the roots of such wéeds as the Spade hath turned vp, and haue béene omitted to be pulled away.

Now so soone as March is come, vpon the first change of the Moone, you shall digge vp this Earth againe, leuell it, and order it in all points as was sayd of the barraine Earth, onely there will néede no more vse of meanure, but as soone as it is digged, raked, leuelled, and brought into a fine mould, you may then tread out your Beds, as aforesayd, euer proportioning the quantitie of them according to the quantitie of your séedes, hauing the most of that which is most in vse, and the least of the contrary.

Now as touching the fencing and inclosing of your Garden, I haue in the former Booke shewed you the same at large, and giuen seuerall instructions, according to mens seuerall abilities, with this caution, that whether your fence be wall, pale, dead-hedge, ditch, or quickset, yet it must be so high that it may with assurance kéepe all manner of Pullen from flying ouer the same, who are the greatest enemies to a Garden that may be.

[Sidenote: The necessariest Ornament in a Garden.]

There would be also in this Kitchin-Garden, if with conueniency it may be brought to passe, eyther a Pumpe, Well, or Cesterne, which might flow continually with water all the Summer time, for the watering of Hearbs, as shall be héereafter declared. And thus much touching the choyce of ground for a Kitchin-garden, and the ordering of the same.

CHAP. III.

_Of the sowing and ordering of all manner of Pot-hearbs._

When you haue prepared your ground, and cast your beds in an orderly fashion, as is before spoken, you shall then take your Séeds which Séeds would by no meanes be aboue a yéere olde: and hauing sorted them seuerally, euery one by it selfe, and appointed the beds which shall seuerally receiue them: you shall in this manner sowe your Pot-hearbs, which craue not much roote, because their onely benefit is in the leafe: take your séeds and put them into a wooden Tray, then take your Garden moulde, the finest that may be, being made almost as fine as ashes, and mixe your Séeds, and that mould very well together, then goe to the bedde where you meane to bestow them, and hauing newly rackt it (to stirre vp the fresh mould) with your hand sprinkle and sowe them all ouer the bed, so thicke as may be: which done, with a fine Rake, rake the bed gently ouer, then taking spare fine mould, put it into a ridling Siue, and sift it ouer the bed better then two fingers thickenesse, and so let it rest: thus you shall doe seuerally with euery séede one after another, bestowing euery one vpon a seuerall bed.

[Sidenote: Of all sorts of Pot-hearbs.]

[Sidenote: Of _Endiue_ and _Succorie_.]

Now for your Pot-hearbs, which are most generally in vse, they be these: _Endiue_ and _Succorie_, which delight in moyst ground, and will endure the winter. _Bleete_ of which there be two kindes, Red and White: this Hearbe neuer néedeth wéeding, and if he be suffered to shed his séed it will hardly euer to be got out of a Garden.

[Sidenote: Of Beets.]

Then _Beets_, which must be much wéeded, for they loue to liue by themselues, and if they grow too thicke you may take them vp when they are a finger long in their owne earth, and set them in another bed, and they will prosper much better.

[Sidenote: Land-Cresses.]

Then land _Cresses_, which is both a good Pot-hearbe and a good Sallet-Hearbe: it loueth shadowie places, where the Sunne shineth least, and standeth in néed of little dung.

[Sidenote: Parcely.]

Then _Parcely_, which of all Hearbs is of most vse, it is longest in appearing aboue ground, and the elder séed is the quicker in growth, but not the surer; but eyther being once come vp increase naturally, and doe hardly euer decay: it cannot grow too thicke, but as you vse it you must cut off the toppes with your knife, and by no meanes pull vp the rootes: if it be put into a little pursse, and beaten against the ground, to bruise it a little before it be sowne, it will make it haue a large crisped leafe.

[Sidenote: Of Sauory.]

Then _Sauory_, of which are two kindes, the Winter-_Sauory_, and Summer, both delight in leane ground, and are quicke of growth, and long lasting.

[Sidenote: Of Time.]