TlieeigfiteenthBooke of 



Ghap. nu Q 



^ Oflttg&umyind Alius, of the ancient lams ordainedforcmell in oldtimeiHcw often and 

 Ai what times corn and vi&ttals were exceeding chea^e at Rome. Whatnoble andfa^ 

 mom perfons addilled themfelves wholly to Husbandrie AndTdlage^ 



AN Acre or Arpcn of ground^callcd irt Laiine Iugerum,was as much as might be cared ii^ 

 or ploughed in one day with a yoke of Oxen^ And AteinLatinCjisalandjOr fo much 

 juft as two Oxen arc driven and occupied in, whiles they plough in one trad without any 

 reft. This contained by the old timc^a hundred and twentie foot in length ;and being doubled 

 in length, made the Acre or lugerum abovefaid. 



In auncient time of the old Romanes,t he greateft prcfent that could be given to captaincs j* 

 and fouldiors who had borne themfelves valiantly In the fervice of their countrey, was as much 

 groiind as they could have eared or broken up in one day. And it was thought a great reward to 

 receive at the hands of the people of Rome halfc a pint (or a pint at the utmoft) of corne.Moreo^ 

 vcr,in fo great requeft was Corne and Husbandrie^ihat the firft and cheefe houfes in Rome took 

 their furnames from thence: and namely, the Pikmm, who devifed firft the peftill to bray corne 

 withall in their mils and back-houfes : alfo^thefamilie of the FifoneSj who tooke their name^^ 

 fendoy [/.of ftamping or pounding corne in a morter.] The Fabij in like mannerjihe Lentulj^mdi 

 the Ciceroesy each one according to thefeverall pulfe that they skilled beft to fet or fow . More- 

 over^to the houfe of the Imij^xhz^ gave the furname of Bubulcmjby occafion of one of their an- 

 ccftorsjwho knew paffing well how to ufc and order Oxen.O vcr and befides all thisjthat you may 

 know what regard was had of Corn^among other facred and holy ceremonies/there was nothing I 

 reputed more religious than the bond of Confarration^in knitting up of mariages^and alfurance 

 making of the cheefe priefts : yea, the manner of the new wedded brides was to carie openly be- 

 fore them a wheaten cake. In times paft^the Magiftrates called Cenfors judged it a trefpafle wor^ 

 ihie of a great rebuke,to bee an ill husband,that is to fay^to bee careleffe and negligent in tilling 

 the ground. And as Cato repotteth,if men called one by the name of a good Husbandman jihey 

 were thought to have prailcd & commended him in the highett degree. Hereupon alfo it came, 

 that rich and fubftantiall men were tearmed in LatinCjLocupletes, as one would fayjLoci-pleni, 

 [?,wcil landed.] And as for the very word,Pecunia in Latine, which fignifieth money jit tooke the 

 nameof PecuSjihatistofay^cattell. Andevenatthisday(asitappearethintheRegifters of the 

 Cenfbrsjand the accounts of the citie chamber) all their rents, revenues, and cuftomes growing K 

 unto the people of Rome, are called Palcua ; for that a long time the whole domaine ot Rome, 

 flood upon pafturage and nothing elfc. The penalties and tinesalfo, which ofFendants were put 

 to pay, wereraifcdofnodiingelic butof Kine, Oxen, and Sheepe : wherCjby the way ,1 cannot 

 conceale from you the favourable regard that the auncient lawes and ordirjances of Rome had ; 

 whereby it was expreilely forbidden, Thatnoludge whohadpowerto enjoine orimpofeany 

 paine and amerccment,fhould name the fine of an Oxc,unlefIe hee had palled that of a Sheepe 

 firft. The fblemne games and plaies alfo in the honour of Kine and Oxen, they who frequented 

 them,callcd Bubetij.Moreover,king 5'f'r'y//^ at the firft when he made brazen coine,ftampcd the 

 peeces with thcportraiture of Sheepe,Kinc,and Oxen.By the lawes of the twelve Tables,all pet- £ 

 ions whatfbevcr above foureteene yeares of age,were forbidden under paine of death,either by 

 ftealthjto feedthcircattaileinihe nighttime upon any corne-field of another mans, plowed 

 and fowen: or to cut the fame downe by fyih or fickle atluch a time,and in that manner . By the 

 fame lawes alfo ordained it was. That whofoever was attaint or convicted thereupon , fhould 

 be hanged by the head and ftrangled for fatisfadion of the goddefTcC^m .• and in oneword,to 

 bemoregreevouflypunifhedthanincafeofmanflaughter. But if the offender were under that 

 age beforefaidjthe fame lawproyidedjthat he fhould be whipped at the difcretion of the Pretor 

 or lord cheefe lufticc for the time being: or, if this punifhmeni were remitted by the partie 

 whofuftainedthe domage, then he fhould fa tisfie unto him fof thetrefpaffe asa flavc,andpay 

 double for the lofle, according as honeftandindifferentmen valued it. Furthermore, in aun- ^ 

 cicnt time, the diftindion of States and degrees in the cictie of Rome(both for wealth and wor- 

 fhip) was according totheir lands, and not othcrwife. Infomuehjasthoiecittizens were repu- 

 ted for cheefe and principall, who were pofieffed of land and livinginthecountrey : and thefc 

 ina,dc the State,caHcd thcRuftick Tribcs^n Rorae: wheras eontrariwife the other eftate^reputed 



