104 AUBREY'S NATURAL HISTORY OF WILTSHIRE. 



script, which it has not been thought desirable to print Among the rest are several pages from 

 John Norden's " Surveyor's Dialogue," containing advice and directions respecting agriculture, of 

 which Aubrey says, " though they are not of Wiltshire, they will do no hurt here ; and, if my coun- 

 trymen know it not, I wish they might learn." J. B.] 



The wheate and bread of this county, especially South Wilts, is but indifferent ; that of the Vale 

 of White Horse is excellent King Charles II. when he lay at Salisbury, in Ms progresse, com- 

 plained that he found there neither good bread nor good beer. But for the latter, 'twas the fault of 

 the brewer not to boil it well ; for the water and the mault there are as good as any in England. 



The improvement by cinque-foile, which now spreads much in the stone-brash lands, was first 

 used at North Wraxhall by Nicholas Hall, who came from Dundery in Somersetshire, about the 

 yeare 1650. 



George Jolinson, Esq. counsellour-at-law, did improve some of his estate at Bowdon-parke, by 

 marling, from Qd. an acre to 25sh, He did lay three hundred loades of blew marie upon an acre. 



Sir William Basset, of Claverdoun, hath made the best vinyard that I have heard of in England. 

 He sayes that the Navarre grape is the best for our climate, and that the eastern sunn does most 

 comfort the vine, by putting off the cold. Mr. Jo. Ash, of Teffont Ewyas, has a pretty vineyard of 

 about six acres, made anno 1665. Sir Walter Erneley, Baronet, told me, a little before he died, 

 that he was making one at Stert, I tliinkc, neer the Devizes. 



The improvement of watering meadows began at Wyley, about 1635, about which time, I remem- 

 ber, we began to use them at Chalke. Watering of meadows about Marleburgh and so to Hunger- 

 ford was, I remember, about 1646, and Mr. John Bayly, of Bishop's Down, near Salisbury, about 

 the same time made his great improvements by watering there by St. Thomas's Bridge. This is as 

 old as the Romans ; e. g. Virgil, " Claudite jam rivos, pueri, sat prata biberunt." Mr. Jo. Evelyn 

 told me that out of Varro, Cato, and Columella are to be extracted all good rules of husbandry ; and 

 he wishes that a good collection or extraction were made out of them. 



IXCLOSING. Anciently, in the hundreds of Malmesbury and Cliippenham were but few enclo- 

 sures, and that near houses. The north part of Wiltsliire was in those dayes admirable for field- 

 sports. All vast champian fields, as now about Sherston and Marsfield. King Henry the 7 brought 

 in depopulations, and that inclosures ; and after the dissolution of the abbeys in Hen. 8 time more 

 inclosing. About 1695 all between Easton Piers and Castle Comb was a campania, like Coteswold, 

 upon wliich it borders ; and then Yatton and Castle Combe did intercommon together. Between 

 these two parishes much hath been enclosed in my remembrance, and every day more and more. 

 I doe remember about 1633 but one enclosure to Chipnam-field, which was at the north end, and by 

 this time I thinke it is all inclosed. So all between Kington St. Michael and Dracot Cerne was 

 common field, and the west field of Kington St Michael between Easton Piers and Haywood was 

 inclosed in 1664. Then were a world of labouring people maintained by the plough, as they were 

 likewise in Northamptonshire. 'Tis observed that the inclosures of Northamptonshire have been 

 unfortunate since, and not one of them have prospered. 



Mr. Toogood, of Harcot, has fenced his grounds with crab-tree hedges, which are so thick that 



