Part 9

In the eating of your Pasture grounds, are many things to be obserued, as first for the féeding of your fat Cattell, you must by all meanes be sure that they haue full bite, which is to say, length of grasse: for cattell, whose tongues are the principall gatherers vp of their foode, neither can nor will bite néere vnto the ground, except it be extreame hunger which compels them, and then they take little ioy in their foode. Next you shall oft (as any fit occasion will giue you leaue) remoue and shift them into fresh grounds, and not expect that they should eate your grasse downe to the bottome, but onely as it were scumme and take the vppermost and choisest part thereof, and so they will féede both swiftly and throughly: and for that grasse which they shall leaue behinde them, you shall eate it vp after them with your labouring or worke-cattell, and lastly with your shéepe. It is very good also amongst your fat beasts euer to haue a leane horse or two: for your fat beasts taketh delight to féede with them, and sometimes to bite after them, there being as it were a kinde of sympathie or liking of each others tastes. After your grasse is fully knit, and hath receiued his whole strength, which wil be at Midsommer, then you may suffer your fat beast to eate a little néerer vnto the ground till after Lammas, because there is an extraordinarie swéetnesse therein, springing from the heate of the Sunnes beames onely. These few obseruations well kept, there is no doubt but your Cattell will féede well to your contentment, then when you sée that they are sufficiently fed, according to the ayme of your purpose, whether it be for the vse of your houshold, or the vse of the Market, you shall forth-with imploy them accordingly, for it is both the losse of time and money, not to put them off by sale or otherwise, so soone as they are come to the end of your desire. For those rich grounds will sometimes make two returnes in the yéere, sometimes thrée, which is a great profit. And I haue heard sometimes of foure, but it is very rare, and the Cattell so returned must be very well stricken with flesh before they be put vnto féeding, but if your ground will returne leane beasts fat twice through the yéere, it is commodity sufficient.

[Sidenote: How to know a fat Beast.]

Now because it is not sufficient to say sell or kill your Cattell when they are fat, except you haue the Art and skill to know the same, you shall obserue these few rules following, and they will sufficiently instruct you in the same. First, when you sée your beast in the generall shape and composure of his body shew most faire and beautifull, each member being comely, and each bone couered, in such sort as a perfect shape requireth, as no eye is so stupid as cannot tell when a beast looketh well or ill-fauouredly, you shall then guesse the beast to be well fed, especially when you sée his huckle-bones round and not sharpe, his ribs smooth, not rough, his flankes full, his natch thick, and his cod round. This when you shall perceiue, you shall handle him, and griping him vpon the neathermost ribs, if you féele the skinne loose, and the substance soft vnder your hand, you may be well assured that the beast is very well fed outwardly, that is vpon the bones. You shall then lay your hand vpon his round huckle-bones, and if that féele, vnder your hand, soft, round and plumpe, you shall be assured that the beast is well fed both outwardly and inwardly, that is, both in flesh and tallow: then you shall handle him at the setting on of his taile, and if that handle bigge, thicke, full, and soft, it is a true signe that the beast is very well fed outwardly: then handle his natch-bones which are on both sides the setting on of his taile, and if they féele soft and loose, it is a signe that he is well fed, both outwardly and inwardly. Lastly, you shall handle his cod and nauell, if it be of an Oxe, and the nauell onely if it be a Cowe, and if they handle thicke, round, soft, great, and plumpe, it is a most assured signe that the beast is very well tallowed within. And thus when any of these parts or members shall handle in contrary manner, you shall iudge of the contrary effects. And thus much touching the knowledge of a fat beast.

[Sidenote: Of Meddowes and their ordering.]

Now for the second part of these rich grounds, which are meddowes, they ought to be the most fruitfullest and richest of all other, lying low and leuell, and being now and then in the Winter season washt with inundations, yet not too too much drencht or washt with the same: for as the moderate ouerflowing of waters enricheth and fertiles the soyle, to the too much soking or long resting of the water rotteth the earth, & bringeth it to barrainnesse, neither is it altogether necessary that euery meddowe should lye so low that it might be ouerflowed, for there be some high grounds which are frée from those floods which will beare meddow in very sufficient manner, & although the lower meddowes doe abound in the plenty of grasse, yet the higher grounds euer beareth the swéeter grasse, and it is a rule amongst Husbandmen, that the low meddowes do fill, but the high meddowes do féede, the low are for the Stable, but the high are for the Cratch, and that which is long will maintaine life, but that which is short will bréede milke.

[Sidenote: Preseruation of Meddowes.]

The chiefest respect you shall haue to your meddowes, is to defend and preserue them from Moales, and such like vermine, which roote vp the earth, and destroy the swéet and tender roots of the grasse. Next, that you note in what places of the meddow the water standeth longest, & from thence, by small furrowes or draynes, to giue it a frée passage, so that the meddow may as it were cleanse & be dry in one instant. Lastly, you shall maintaine the banks of all such ditches & other fences bordring about your meddowes in good and sufficient manner, both for kéeping out of water after your meddowes begin to grow, as also for kéeping Cattell from eating them in the night or other times, which is a great depriuation and losse of the profit you expect to come from them: for you shall vnderstand, that if any ouerflow shall come vnto your meddowes after May, it will leaue such a sandy filthinesse in the grasse, that except very moderate showers fall swiftly, and sodainly, to wash it out againe, the Hay which shall be got of that crop, will both be vnsauorie and vnwholsome, and bréed in your Cattell many dangerous and mortall sicknesses.

[Sidenote: When to lay Meddowes.]

The best times for laying of meddowes to rest, is, if the meddow lye high, as in vp-land Countries, or if the soyle be cold, or the springing thereof slow, at Candlemasse: but if the ground be more warme, temperate, & of some more fertility, then you may lay it at our Ladies day in March: but if the ground be most fruitfull, then if you lay it at May-day, it will be early enough. Also in the laying of your meddowes to rest, you shall consider the state of the ground, as whether it be eaten néere and bare, and with what Cattell, as Horse, Oxen, or Shéepe: if it haue béene eaten bare with Oxen or Horse, then you shall lay it earlier in the yéere, for it will aske a longer time to grow againe: but if it haue béene eaten with Shéepe (although they bite néerest to the ground) yet you may lay it so much later, because the meanure which they bestow vpon such good ground, will quickly hasten on the Spring: but if your meddowes haue not béene eaten bare, but haue a good déepe fogge vpon them still, then you may lay them the latest. Also in the laying of meddowes, you shall consider whether they be common or priuate, if they be common meddowes, and that no olde custome binde you to the contrary, you shall lay them to rest earely in the yéere, that recouering a forward Spring, you may cut them so much the sooner, and so haue the better after-crop, and the longer time to eate it: but if your meddow be priuate, and at your owne particular disposing, then you shall lay it according to your owne necessitie, and the goodnes of the soyle, obseruing euer to giue it full time of growth, and not to cut it till the grasse be full ripe, for it is better to let it grow a wéeke too long (so the weather be seasonable for the withering of it) then to cut it two dayes too soone, because when it is too earely cut, it not onely looseth the strength and goodnesse, but also the substance and waight, and in the drying shrinketh and wasteth to nothing.

[Sidenote: When to mow Meddowes.]

Touching the fittest time to cut or mowe your meddowes: If they be laid in a due season, it is held of all the best English husbandmen generally to be a wéeke or a fortnight after Midsommer day, as namely about the translation of Thomas, which is euer the seauentéenth day of Iuly, and without question it is a very good time for all men to begin that labour, if their grounds be fruitfull and of earely growth: but in as much as diuers grounds are diuers in their growth, some being much more hastie then other some: and for as much as some meddow may as well grow too long as too little a time, as in high land Countries, where the heate and reflection of the Sunne will burne and consume away the grasse, if it be not gathered in a due season, I would therefore wish euery good Husbandman about a wéeke before Midsommer, and a wéeke after, to view his meddowes well, and if he sée them turne browne, if the Cock-heads turne downeward and stand not vpright, if the Bels and other vessels of séede open and shed their séedes, if your Honisuckles haue lost their flowers, and the Penigrasse be hard, dry, and withered, then you shall truly vnderstand that your meddow is ripe and ready to be mowne, and the longer it standeth, the more it will loose of the substance, and when any of the contrary signes appeare, as when the meddow lookes gréene and fresh, the Cock-heads looke vpright, the Bels are close and hard, the Honisuckles flowing and purple, and the Penigrasse soft and moyst, then is your meddow not readie to cut, nor will the Hay that is so gotten be other then soft, fuzzie, and most vnwholsome, no beast taking delight to eate of the same.

[Sidenote: The inclination of the weather.]

Now to these considerations, you shall adde a carefull obseruation of the state and inclination of the weather, and if you finde that the weather is disposed to much wet or incertaintie, then you shall forbeare to mowe, because that moysture will still maintaine and hold the grasse in his perfect strength so long as it groweth: but if it be once cut downe, then the wet will soone rot and spoile it: but if you find the weather enclined to drought and fairenesse, then you shall with all spéede cut downe your Hay, for one loade got and brought into the barne without raine, is worth two that hath béene washt, though but with the smallest shower. There be some Husbandmen that in the mowing of their meddowes, will obserue the state of the Moone, and other planetarie coniectures, but they are fitter for those which séeke curiosities more then profit, for mine owne part I would wish euery good husband but to know truly when his crop is ripe, and then to gather it in the most constant and fairest seasons, which the rules already set downe will most amply shew him.

[Sidenote: The manner how to mowe Meddowes.]

Now for the manner of mowing your meddowes, although the generall act resteth in the hands of the mower, and that it is hard and impossible, in words, to expresse the Art of the action, nor is it néedfull that euery Husbandman be a mower, yet for those rules which the English Husbandman should know and obserue, I will in no sort omit them. You shall then know that in the mowing of your meddowes you shall mowe them smooth, plaine, and leuell, and as the Husbandman tearmes it, with such an euen board, that a man may no more but discerne the going in and comming forth of the Sythe: and this shall be done so close and néere vnto the ground, as is possible for the worke-man to get, especially if it be in publique and common meddowes, because the swap and first crop is all the maine profit you can challenge your owne: nay, you shall doe it also in your owne priuate and seuerall meddowes: for although an ignorant custome haue drawne some of our Husbandmen, to say and beléeue that there is no losse in the sleight and insufficient mowing of priuate meddowes, because say they, what I loose in the Barne, my Cattell findes on the ground, yet they are much deceiued in that opinion, for what they so leaue on the ground halfe cut halfe vncut, is no good foode, neither pleasant nor sauorie, but dry, hard, and bitter, and indéede no better then sower fogge, which may fill, but cannot nourish, and who then will be so simple, as not to preferre swéet Hay before such vnsauorie grasse? therefore be carefull to mowe your grasse euen, and close by the ground, for it will make the fresh grasse spring vp with more ease, and be much pleasanter in taste.

[Sidenote: How to make Hay.]

Next after the mowing of your meddowes, followeth the making of your Hay, which is a labour that must be followed with great care and diligence, for it is an old saying, that dearth beginneth at the Hay-barne dore, and he that is negligent in that, can hardly be good husband in any thing else, then to shew you how you shall make your hay, you shall first vnderstand that no one particular forme can stand for a generall rule, because Hay must be made according to the nature of the grasse, and the soyle where it groweth, some being apt to wither and make soone, as that grasse which is finest, and hath in it least wéedes, others will be long in making, as that which is full of thicke, strong, and sower grasses, many wéedes, bunnes, and such like hard stalkes, which are not easily dried, therefore it is the part of euery good Husbandman, either by his eye and knowledge to iudge of the nature of his grasse, or else to follow the customes of the Country and soyle wherein he liueth, but the first, Knowledge, is the better Science. But to procéede to my purpose, I will in the natures of two sorts of grasse, the one fine, the other course, shew you the generall making of all sorts of Hay.

[Sidenote: To make fine Hay.]

First, then for the making of your fine rich grass into Hay, if it grow in great abundance, thicke and close, and so lieth in the swathe, you shall haue one with a Pitch-forke to follow the Mowers, and to spread and throw the grasse thinne abroad, that the ayre and sunne-beames may passe through it: and this is called in most Countries tedding of Hay. The next day, after the Sunne hath taken the dewe from the ground, you shall turne that which the day before you tedded, and then if you haue any more new mowen, you shall ted it also. The next day following, as before, when the dewe is from the earth, you shall turne your Hay againe, and so letting it lye till the Sunne be at his height, begin to stir it againe, at which time if you finde it is reasonably well withered, you shal then draw it into windrowes, that is, you shall marke which way the winde standeth, and the same way that it bloweth, the same way with Forks & Rakes one after another, gather in the Hay into long, great, thicke rowes: then you shall make those windrowes into large Cockes, of which the biggest is euer the best, for they will defend themselues from raine, if happily any shall fall, whereas the little small Cocke lying light together, taketh in the raine like a spunge, and so makes the Hay a great deale much worse then otherwise it would be; when your Hay is thus set in safe Cocke, you shall let it rest a day or two, that it may take a little sweat therein, which will make the Hay wondrous pleasant and swéet, then when the Sunne is got vp to a pretie height, you shall open those Cockes, and after the sunne and winde hath passed through them, you may if the grasse be clean & fine of it selfe, without ranke grasse, load it, and carrie it either into the Barne, or such other place, as you haue appointed for the receit thereof: but if it haue any ranke grasse, which you sée vnwithered amongst it, then you shall make it vp againe into safe cockes, and so let it rest a day or two more before you leade it away. And thus much for the making vp of fine Hay.

[Sidenote: To make course Hay.]

Now for the making of course grasse into Hay, which you must suppose to be grasse growing, in colde, moyst, woodie, and barraine grounds, full of wéedie, rough, and stumpie hearbage, long in growing, late ere it can be gathered, and therefore depriued of much of the Sunnes strength, to swéeten and wither it. This grasse as soone as it hath béene mowne and tedded, as is before said: the next day you shall make it into little grasse Cockes, as bigge as little Moale-hilles, and so hauing layne a day or better, then breake them open, and let them receiue the sunne and winde, for they will heat and sweat a little in the grasse, which make it Hay the sooner & better: then after the Sunne hath spent all his power vpon it, you shall make it vp into little Cockes againe, putting two of the first Cockes into one, then hauing so layne another day, breake them open againe, and giue them the Sunne: then make them vp againe, and put thrée or foure of those Cockes into one, and so let them lye another day, then breake them open as before, if the Sunne shine faire, and at euening make them vp againe, putting thrée or foure of those Cockes into one, and so euery morning after the Sunne is vp breake them open, and at euening make them vp againe, till you finde that the Hay is sufficiently well dried, and sweateth no more in the Cocke: but in the morning when you breake it open it is dry, without stemme, smoake, or vapour arising from it, which both your hand and eye may perceiue in the first stirring or mouing, and then you may at your pleasure leade it home, and house or stacke it as you shall haue occasion.

[Sidenote: Vse of Hay for cattell to breed or labour with.]

Now for the vse of Hay, it is two-folde, that is, either for the maintainance of bréeding Cattell, or Cattell for labour, or else for the féeding of Cattell for the Market, or for slaughter: for the maintainance of bréeding Cattell, or the Cattell which are imployed in your Plough or other labours, whether it be draught or trauell, you shall make choise of the swéet, and well-dried Hay, which is of fresh and gréene colour, well withered, sound, and perfect Hay, though it be long, loggie, and not excéeding much swéet, it matters not; for being well Inned and dried, it will serue sufficiently for those purposes: and with this Hay to mingle sometimes Wheat-straw, Rye-straw, Barly, or Oate-straw will not be amisse for heilding, or bréede Cattell: but for worke-beasts, except necessitie constraine, let them haue Hay simple of it selfe, during the busie time of their worke, but when they rest, you may vse your discretion. For the times of giuing Hay or foddering to such Cattell as are in the house, the best is in the morning before they goe to labour, in the euening when they come from labour, presently after their drinke, and at night when you goe to bed. But for those Cattell which goe abroad, as Shéepe, heilding Beasts, and such like, to fodder them morning and euening, is out and out fully sufficient.

Now for the vse of Hay for fat cattell, you shall make choyse of the fruitfullest, swéetest, finest, and shortest Hay you haue, being full of flowers, pleasant and odoriferous to smell on: and although this Hay be mixt with some roughnesse, yet it is not the worse, for though your fat beast make thereof great orts, yet is the losse not great, for those orts may be giuen to other heilding and hungrie cattell, which will eate them with great eagernesse. This Hay would in the first gathering not be withered too sore but so stackt-vp with a little hartie gréennesse that it may a little mow-burne, and alter the colour to a Redish brounnesse, but by no meanes so moyst that it may mould, rot, or putrifie, for that is fulsome and bade, but onely alter the colour, and therby make the smell swéeter and stronger. This Hay will entice a beast to eate, and will strengthen and inable his stomacke, and withall will bréed in him such a drought or thirst, that hardly any water will quench him, and the Grazier takes it euer for an infallible signe, that when his beast drinkes much he féeds fast and his tallow wonderfully increaseth. For the ordinarie times of foddring your fat cattell, if they be in the stall, and as we say, tyed vp by the head, the best is in the morning before and after water, at noone; in the euening before & after water, and late in the night, when you goe to bed, but if they féede abroad, and take the benefit of Fogge and after-grasse, then to fodder them Morning, Euening, and high-noone is fully sufficient.

Here I could speake of Pease-féeding of Shéep, Swine, and other cattel, eyther at the Trough, Reeke, Stacke, or such like, the seuerall manner of cratches, fashions of stals, and many other necessary rules appertaining to this mysterie; but I am against my will confined, and therefore must referre it to some other occasion, being loath to spoyle an excellent discourse, with a tale halfe tould, and imperfectly spoken: And thus much therefore of Meddowes, and these seuerall vses.

CHAP. VIII.

_A new method for the husbandly curing of all manner of Cattels diseases._

[Sidenote: The reason for this Chapter.]

Of this Theame I haue written a whole (or as some will suppose many) Histories, yet doubtlesse nothing too much, the cause is so necessary and commodious: yet this I must let euery Reader vnderstand, that what I haue herein formerly done, I did for a general and vncontrollable satisfaction to the whole Kingdome, both the learned and vnlearned, and as well to satisfie the nicest and most curious opinion, as the simple and playne dealing creature: whence it came that I waded Artfully and profoundly into the vttermost secrets of this knowledge, leauing nothing vnsearcht, or vnset downe, that might any way tend to the satisfaction of any iudiciall Reader, and therefore tooke liberty to make a large progresse, without sparing any paynes, to make my worke absolutely most perfect. But now, hauing onely to doe with our honest playne English Husbandman, who eyther cannot much read, or else hath little leasure to read, at most but a little memorie to bestow vpon his readings; I haue here for his ease both of memory, readings, and other verations, drawne him such a method for the curing of all the diseases in cattell, as was neuer yet found out by any man or Authour whatsoeuer: and is worthy to be preserued to all posterities for euer and euer.

[Sidenote: Horses diseases to be cured with twelue Medicines.]

To beginne then first with the Horse, which is the Husbandmans principallest creature, you shal vnderstand that he hath, of my knowledge, one hundred and odde diseases or infirmities, besides other hurts and blemishes, for all which, I haue seuerally shewed seuerall cures, as may appeare by the volumes which are much too great for any Husbandman to carry in his braynes, and therefore for his ease I haue drawne all those hundred and odde sicknesses or sorrances, into twelue, and will assure euery Husbandman that with these twelue medicines following, hée shall perfectly cure all the diseases in a Horse, whatsoeuer.

[Sidenote: Of inward sicknesse.]

[Sidenote: The first Medicine.]