Fiue hundred pointes of good husbandrie
that wanting, the poorest in danger are set.
What season then better, of all the whole yeere,
thy needie poore neighbour to comfort and cheere?
[1] Things plentie in house. 1577.
30.
¶ _Against fantasticall scruplenes.
Chap._ 28.
1
At this time and that time[1] some make a great matter,
som help not but hinder the poore with their clatter.
Take custome from feasting, what commeth then last,
where one hath a dinner, a hundred shall fast.
2
To dog in the manger some liken I could,
that hay will eate none, nor let other that would;
Some scarce in a yeere giue a dinner or twoo,
nor well can abide any other to doo.
3
Play thou the good fellow, seeke none to misdeeme,
disdaine not the honest, though merie they seeme:
For oftentimes seene, no more verie a knaue
than he that doth counterfait most to be graue.
[1] this thing and that thing. 1577.
31.
¶ _Christmas husbandlie fare.
Chap._ 29.
1
Good husband and huswife now cheefly be glad,
things handsom to haue, as they ought to be had;
They both doo prouide against Christmas doo come,
to welcome good neighbour, good cheere to haue some.
[Sidenote: Christmas cuntrie fare.]
2
Good bread and good drinke, a good fier in the hall,
brawne, pudding and souse, and good mustard withall.
3
Beefe, mutton, and porke, shred pies of the best,
pig, veale, goose and capon,[E141] and turkey well drest;
Cheese, apples and nuts, ioly Carols to heare,
as then in the countrie is counted good cheare.
4.
What cost to good husband is any of this?
good houshold prouision onely it is.
Of other the like, I doo leaue out a menie,
that costeth the husbandman neuer a penie.
32.
¶ _A Christmas Caroll of the birth of Christ vpon the tune of King
Salomon.[E142]
Chap._ 30.
1
Was not Christ our Sauiour
sent to vs fro God aboue?
not for our good behauiour,
but onely of his mercie and loue.
If this be true, as true it is,
truely in deede,
great thanks to God to yeeld for this,
then had we neede.
2
This did our God for very troth,
to traine to him the soule of man,
and iustly to performe his oth
to Sara and to Abram than,
That through his seed all nations should
most blessed bee:
As in due time performe he would,
as now wee see.[1]
3
Which woonderously is brought to pas,
and in our sight alredie donne,
by sending as his promise was
(to comfort vs) his onely sonne,
Euen Christ (I meane) that virgins child,
in Bethlem[2] borne,
that Lambe of God, that Prophet mild,
with crowned thorne.
4
Such was his loue to saue vs all,
from dangers of the curse of God,
that we stood in by Adams fall,
and by our owne deserued rod,
That through his blood and holie name
who so beleeues,[3]
and flie from sinne and abhors the same,[E143]
free mercie he geeues.
5
For these glad newes this feast doth bring:
to God the Sonne and holy Ghost
let man giue thanks, reioice, and sing,
from world to world, from cost to cost:
for all good gifts so many waies
that God doth send,
let vs in Christ giue God the praies,
till life shall end.
_T. Tusser._
[6]
At Christmas be merie and thankfull withall,
And feast thy poore neighbors, the great with the small,
Yea, all the yeere long, to the poore let vs giue,
Gods blessing to folow vs while wee doo liue.
[1] all flesh should see. 1577.
[2] Bethelem. 1577.
[3] to such as beleues. 1577.
33.
¶ _Januaries abstract.
Chap._ 31.
1
Bid Christmas adew,
thy stock now renew.
2
Who killeth a neat,
hath cheaper his meat.
Fat home fed souse,
is good in a house.
3
Who dainties loue,
a begger shall proue.
Who alway selles,
in hunger dwelles.
4
Who nothing saue,
shall nothing haue.
5
Lay durt vpon heapes,
some profit it reapes.
When weather is hard,
get muck out of yard.
A fallow bestowe,
where pease shall growe.
Good peason and white,
a fallow will quite.
6
Go gather quickset,
the yongest go get.
Dig garden, stroy mallow,
set willow and sallow.
Gréene willow for stake
in bank will take.[1]
7
Let Doe go to buck,
with Conie[2] good luck.
Spare labour nor monie,
store borough with conie.
Get warrener bound
to vermin thy ground.
Féed Doues, but kill not,
if loose them ye will not.
Doue house repaire,
make Douehole faire.
For hop ground cold,
Doue doong woorth gold.
8
Good gardiner mine,
make garden fine.
Set garden pease,
and beanes if ye please.
Set Respis and Rose,
yoong rootes of those.
9
The timelie buier
hath cheaper his fier.
10
Some burns without wit,
some fierles sit.
11
Now season is good
to lop or fell wood.
Prune trées some allows
for cattle to brows.
12
Giue shéepe to their fées
the mistle of trées.
13
Let lop be shorne
that hindreth corne.
Saue edder and stake,
strong hedge to make.
14
For sap as ye knowe,
let one bough growe.
Next yéere ye may
that bough cut away.
15
A lesson good
to encrease more wood.
16[3]
Saue crotchis of wud,
saue spars and stud.
Saue hop for his dole,
the strong long pole.
17
How euer ye scotch,
saue pole and crotch.
18
From Christmas to May,
weake cattle decay.
19
With vergis acquaint
poore bullock so faint;
This medcin approoued
is for to be looued.
20
Let plaister lie
thrée daies to trie:
too long if ye stay,
taile rots away.
21
Eawes readie to yeane
craues ground rid cleane.
Kéepe shéepe out of briers,
Kéepe beast out of miers.
22
Kéepe bushes from bill,
till hedge ye will:
Best had for thy turne,
their rootes go and burne.
23
No bushes of mine,
if fence be thine.
24
In stubbed plot,
fill hole with clot.[4]
25
Rid grasse of bones,
of sticks and stones.
26
Warme barth giue lams,
good food to their dams,
Look daily well to them,
least dogs vndoo them.
27
Yoong lamb well sold,
fat lamb woorth goold.
28
Kéepe twinnes for bréed,
as eawes haue néed.[5]
29
One calfe if it please ye,
now reared shall ease ye.
Calues likely reare,
at rising of yeare.
Calfe large and leane
is best to weane.
30
Calfe lickt take away,
and howse it[6] ye may.
This point I allow
for seruant and cow.
31
Calues yonger than other
learne one of another.
32
No danger at all
to geld as they fall.
Yet Michel cries[E144]
please butchers eies.
33
Sow ready to fare,
craues huswiues[7] care.
34
Leaue sow but fiue,
the better to thriue.
35
Weane such for store
as sucks before.
Weane onely but thrée
large bréeders to bée.
36
Lamb, bulchin,[E145] and pig,
geld vnder the big.
37
Learne wit, sir dolt,
in gelding of colt.
38
Geld yoong thy filly,
else perish will ginny.
Let gelding alone,
so large of bone.
By breathely tits
few profit hits.
39
Bréede euer the best,
and doo of the rest,
Of long and large,
take huswife a charge.
40
Good cow & good ground[8]
yéelds yéerely a pound.
Good faring sow
holds profit with cow.
41
Who kéepes but[9] twaine,
the more may gaine.
42[10]
Tith iustly, good garson,
else driue will the parson.
43
Thy garden twifallow,
stroy hemlock and mallow.
44
Like practise they prooue,
that hops doe looue.
45
Now make and wand in
trim bower to stand in.
Leaue wadling about,
till arbor be out.
46
Who now sowes otes,
gets gold and grotes.
Who sowes in May
gets little that way.
47
Go breake vp land,
get mattock in hand,
Stub roote so tough,
for breaking of plough.
48
What greater crime
then losse of time?
49[11]
Lay land or[12] lease
breake vp if ye please.
But fallow not yet,
that hast any wit.
50
Where drink ye sowe,
good tilth bestowe.
51
Small profit is found,
by péeling of ground.
52
Land past the best
cast vp to[13] rest.
Thus endeth Januaries abstract, agréeing with Januaries husbandrie.
¶ Other short remembrances.
53
Get pulling hooke (sirs),
for broome and firs.
Pluck broome, broome still,
cut broome, broome kill.
54
Broome pluckt by and by,
breake vp for rie.
Friend ringle thy hog,
or looke for a dog.
55
In casting prouide,
for séede lay aside.
Get doong, friend mine,
for stock and vine.
56
If earth be not soft,
go dig it aloft.
For quamier get bootes,
stub alders and rootes.
57
Hop poles waxe scant,
for poles mo plant.
Set chestnut and walnut,
set filbeard and smalnut.
58
Peach, plumtrée, & cherie,
yoong bay and his berie.
Or set their stone,
vnset leaue out none.
59
Sowe kirnels to beare,
of apple and peare.
All trées that beare goom
set now as they coom.
60
Now set or remooue
such stocks as ye looue.[14]
Here ends Januaries short remembrances.
[1]
Green set as a stake
in banke they wil take. 1577.
[2] conney. 1577.
[3] St. 16 and the second couplets in sts. 21 and 22 are not here in
1577.
[4] Here follows in 1577,
Take for thy turne,
their roots go burne.
[5] feede. 1577.
[6] if. 1577.
[7] huswifes. 1577.
[8] Good milch kow and sound. 1577.
[9] both. 1577.
[10] St. 42 is not in 1577.
[11] Sts. 49 and 50 are not in 1577.
[12] for. M.
[13] the. 1577.
[14]
And set or remoue
what fruite ye loue. 1577.
34.
_Of trees or fruites to be set or remooued._
1 Apple trées of all sorts.
2 Apricocks.[E146]
3 Barberies.
4 Boollesse,[E147] black & white.
5 Cheries,[E148] red and black.
6 Chestnuts.[E149]
7 Cornet plums.[E150]
8 Damsens,[1][E151] white & black.
9 Filbeards,[E152] red and white.
10 Goose beries.[E153]
11 Grapes,[E154] white and red.
12 Gréene or grasse plums.[E155]
13 Hurtillberies.[E156]
14 Medlars[E157] or marles.
15 Mulberie.[E158]
16 Peaches,[E159] white and red.
17 Peares of all sorts.
18 Perareplums,[2][E160] black & yelow.
19 Quince[E161] trées.
20 Respis.[E162]
21 Reisons.[E163]
22 Small nuts.
23 Strawberies, red and white.
24 Seruice trées.[E164]
25 Walnuts.[E165]
26 Wardens,[E166] white and red.
27 Wheat plums.
[28]
Now set ye may
the box and bay,
Haithorne and prim,
for clothes trim.
[1] Damisens. 1577.
[2] _sic_ also in 1577.
35.
¶ _Januaries husbandrie.
Chap._ 32.
A kindly good Janiuéere,
Fréeseth pot by the féere.
Forgotten month past,
Doe now at the last.
[Sidenote: Husbandly lessons.]
1
When Christmas is ended, bid feasting adue,
goe play the good husband, thy stock to renue.
Be mindfull of rearing, in hope of a gaine,
dame profit shall giue thee reward for thy paine.
2
Who both by his calfe and his lamb will be knowne,
may well kill a neate and a sheepe of his owne.
And he that can reare vp a pig in his house,
hath cheaper his bacon and sweeter his souse.
3
Who eateth his veale, pig and lamb being froth,[E167]
shall twise in a weeke go to bed without broth.[1]
Vnskilfull that passe not, but sell away sell,
shall neuer haue plentie where euer they dwell.
4
Be greedie in spending, and careles to saue,
and shortly be needie and readie to craue.
Be wilfull to kill and vnskilfull to store,
and looke for no foison,[2] I tell thee before.[E168]
5
Lay dirt vpon heapes, faire yard to be seene,
if frost will abide it, to feeld with it cleene.[E169]
In winter a fallow some loue to bestowe,
where pease for the pot[3] they intend for to sowe.
[Sidenote: Quick set now.]
6
In making or mending as needeth thy ditch,
get set to quick set it, learne cunningly whitch.[4]
In hedging (where clay is) get stake as ye knowe,
of popler and willow, for fewell to growe.
[Sidenote: Kéepe cleane thy douehous.]
7
Leaue killing of conie,[5] let Doe go to buck,
and vermine thy burrow, for feare of ill luck.
Feed Doue (no more killing), old Doue house[E170] repaire,
saue doue dong for hopyard, when house ye make faire.