xii Introduction. 



The author of the Book of Husbandry was also author of 

 the Book of Surveying, as has always been seen and acknow- 

 ledged.i The first piece of distinct evidence on the subject 

 is the statement of Thomas Berthelet. He prefixed some 

 verses to Pynson's edition of the Book of Surveying (1523), 

 addressing the reader as follows : 



" This worthy man / nobly hath done his payne 



I meane hym / that these sayde bokes- dyd deuyse. 



He sheweth to husbandes / in right fruteful wyse 



The manyfolde good thynges / in brefe sentence 



Whiche he hath well proued / by long experyence. 

 IT And this ^ I leaue hym / in his good wyll and mynde 



That he beareth / vnto the publyke weale. 



Wolde god noblemen / coude in their hertes fynde 



After such forme I for the comons helth to deale ; 



It is a true token / of hyghe loue and zeale 



Whan he so delyteth / and taketh pleasure 



By his busy labour / 7nens welth to procure. " 



This cannot well be mistaken. It is obvious that Berthelet 

 believed the author to be a nobleutan, one who "shewed 

 things to husbands " which he had gained by his own " long 

 experience ; " one who wrote out of the " good will and mind 

 that he bare unto the public weal," thereby proving his 

 "high love and zeal," in that he delighted "to procure men's 

 wealth," i.e. the welfare of others, not his own riches, by 

 means of his " busy labour." We hence conclude that Ber- 

 thelet knew perfectly well who the author was ; and indeed 

 it would have been strange if he did not, since he was 

 writing in 1523 (while the author was still alive), and subse- 

 quently printed both the books of which he is here speaking. 

 He plainly tells us that the author was a nobleman, and 

 merely wrote to benefit others out of pure love and zeal. 



^ " Of late by experience I contriued, compyled, and made a Treatyse, . . . and 

 callyd it the booke of husbandrye ; " Prol. to Book of Surveying. 

 * I.e. the Books on Husbandry and Surveying. 

 ^ Read thus. 



