FARMERS' REGISTER- BUCKWHEAT. 



371 



ury of the times — these are three. * The Jyrst is 

 ' prodigality in outragius and array far above me- 

 ' sure ; the seconde thynge is costly charge of deli- 



* cious meates and drinkes ; the thyrde is outragius 



* play and game far above mesure.' 



' Prodigalitie in outrageous and costly aray. 



' I have sene bokes of accompt of the yomd of the 

 ' wardropes of noble nu, and also invitories made 

 ' after theyr decease, of theyr aparell, and I doubt 



* not but at this day it is XX. times more in value 

 ' than it was to such a ma in degree as he was C. yeres 

 ' agone, and many times is geuen away or it be 

 ' halfe worne, to a symple man, the which causeth 

 ' him to were the same, and another symple man, 

 ' or lytell better, scynge him to were suche ra\^- 

 ' ment, and thinking in his minde that he may 

 ' were as good rayment as he, causeth him to l)ye 

 ' suche other to his great cost and charge, and abo\ c 

 ' measure, and an yl ensample to al other, and also 

 ' to se meimes servauntes so abused in their array, 



* their cotes be so side that they be taine to tucke 

 ' the up when they ryde, as women do theyr curtles 



* when they go to market or other places, the which 

 ' is an inconvenient sight. And furthermore, they 

 ' have such playtes upon theyr brestes and ruftes 

 ' upon theyr sieves above theyr elbowes, that and 

 ' theyr master or theyr selfe had never so greate 

 ' neede, they cold not shote one shute to hurt theyr 

 ' enemyes till he have caste of hys cote or cut of 

 ' his sieves : thys is far above measure, or comon 

 ' weale of the realme.' 



The increase of extravagance in ' delicious meate 

 anddrynke' is not less curiosly stated. 



' I have seen bokes of accompt of houseliolde and 

 ' brumentes upon the same, and I dout not but in 

 ' delicious meates, drynkes, and spices, ther is at 

 ' thys day foure tyme so much spente as was at 

 ' these dayes to a like man in degree ; and yet at 

 ' that time there was as much byetfe and nmtton 

 ' spent as is now, and as many good householdes 

 ' kepte, and as many j^omen wayters therein as bee 



* now. This began wyth love and charitie, when 



* a lord, a gentylman or yoman desyreth or pray- 

 ' eth another to come to dyner or supper, and by- 

 ' cause of his cxnuyng he wold have a dysh or two 

 ' mo then he wolde have had yf he had byn away. 



* Then of very love he remembrynge howe lov- 

 ' ingely he was biden to diner, and howe well he 

 ' fared, he thinketh of very kindness he muste nedes 

 ' bid him to dyner agayne, and so ordeyneth as 

 ' many maner of such dyshes and meates as the 

 ' other man dyd, and two or thre mo, and thus by 

 ' litle and litle it cometh far above measure. And 

 ' began of love and charity, and endeth in pride and 

 ' glottony, whereof S. Jerome sayth,' &.c. Etc. 



The latter part of this singular publication is 

 chiefly occupied by instructions on moral and reli- 

 gious points. Having, however, already taken up 

 so much of your time, I will only give a part ol' 

 his concluding section. 



' What is the greatest offence that a man may 

 ' do and offende God in :' ' In myne opinion it is 

 ' to be in dyspayre of the mercy of God. And 



* therefor, whatsoever that thou hath done or of- 

 ' fended God, in worde, worke, thoughte, or dede, 



* be never in despayre for it: for Isodorous saith, 



* " He that despayreth to have forgivenesse of his 



* synnes, he synneth more in the desjiayringe than 

 ' he dyd in the synn doing." ' 



With the followiuf^ ' protestacion,' at once ex- 

 pressive of his simplicity and sincerity of inten- 

 tion, the author concludes his labours : 



' Be it knowen to al men, spiritual and temporal, 

 ' that I make protestacion, before God and man, 

 ' that I intende not to write any thyng that is, or 

 ' may be, contrary to the fayth of Christe and al 

 ' holy churche. But I am ready to revoke my say- 

 ' ing, if any thing haue passed my mouth for want 

 ' of learning. And to submitte myselfe to correc- 

 ' cion, and my boke to reformacyon. x\nd, as 

 ' touching the poyntes of husbandrye, and of other 

 ' articles conteyned in this present boke, I wil not 

 ' say that it is the best way, and wil serve best in 

 'all places; but I saye, it is the best waye that 

 ' ever I couldc prove by experyence, the whiche 

 ' haue bene a householder thys XL. years, and 

 ' more. And haue assayed many and divers waies, 

 ' and done my diligence to prove, by experience, 

 ' which should be tiie best way. 



THE AUCTOR. 



' Go, litlel quere, and recoinmende me 



' To ai that ihj-s treatyse shall se, here, or rede, 



' Piayina; them therwyth contented to be, 



' And to amende it in places, where as is nede. 



' Of eloquence they may perceyue I v.ant ye sede, 



' And rethoryko in me dotii not abouiide. 



' Wlierefore I have sowen such sedc as I found. 



If you think the above worthy a place in your 

 intelligent publication, it is much at your service ; 

 and should you feel disposed to know, and to make 

 known, a little more of the farming of our forefa- 

 thers, I will, as I observed in the former part of my 

 letter, give you a similar analysis of Barnaby 

 Googe's Book, which, though of a later date than 

 the work before us, was printed 75 years previous 

 to that of Blyth. I am, &c. 



S. TAYLOR, jr. 



Ditchingham, Norfolk, j^pril 12, 1817. 



BUCKWHEAT. 



From the Complete Grazier, 5th Loudon edition, 1830. 



Buckwheat, (Polygonum fagopyrum, h.,) ve- 

 getates with great luxuriance in dry, loose, and 

 sandy soils, that are open to the effects of the sun ; 

 though the variety known by the name of Siberian 

 buckwheat, which is nmch heavier and more pala- 

 table in the grain, will thrive in the poorest soil, 

 and is not at all affected by cold. The best, and 

 indeed the proper season for sowing it is towards 

 the end of May, or the commencement of June; 

 and, in the course of a week, it generally appears 

 above the ground : the quantity is from one to three 

 bushels per acre. Buckwheat requires little or no 

 manure, and affords an excellent food, either for 

 soiling or for winter store. Given to horses em- 

 ployed in slow draught, in conjunction with bran or 

 chaff, whether the seeds be in a whole state or 

 bruised in a mill, it will put them into fine condi- 

 tion; and, if given to cows, in a recent or green 

 state, it greatly increases the quantity of milk. 

 The seeds of the buckwheat are excellent for fat- 

 tening poultry and swine; but the last mentioned 

 animals should, if possible, be kept from eating 

 the whole vegetable, as it is as.serted, not only 

 to intoxicate them, but also to cover them with 

 scabby eruptions. The peculiarly fine flavor 

 of the poultry in the south of France is said to be 

 derived from this grain; but its fattening proper- 

 ties are not equal to those of the corn in common use. 



