' TheeiditeenchBooke of 



o 



doth that lipdnwork-daies which lliould have been done on play dak^ holidaicsibiitthc G 

 worftofall other is hc^whowhen the weather is faire, will chufc to work rather widiinclofchQufe 

 than ab road in the open field. And here I cannot hold and rule my relfe,bi!t I niuft needs alledge 

 one example out of auncient hiftories, v^hereby it may bee iindcrftoodjHow it was an ordmane 

 matter to commcnfe anions and to maintaine pleas in open court before the bodie of the peo- 

 ple in thecafcof Husbandrie: asalfoinwhat fort thole good Husbandmen oteld time were 

 wont to defend their ownecaufe when they were brought into queftion. And this was the cafe. 

 There was one CJurim Crefmm^ late a bondflave^ and newly enfraunchifed, who after that hec 

 was fet at Iibertie,purchafed a very little peecc of gtound,out of which hee gathered much more 

 commoditie than all his neighbors about him out of their great and large pofTeffions : whereup- 

 on he grew to be greatly envied and hated^infomuchjas they charged him with indired rneans^ 

 as if he had ufed (orceric^and by charmes and witch-craft drawne into his owne ground that en- 

 creafeof fruics,whichfliouidotherwifehavegrownein his neighbours fields. Thus upon com-, 

 plaint and information givcn^hc was prefented and endited^ by Sfunm Alhinm^Oin ^dile Cu- 

 rule for the time being: and a day was fet him downe peremptorily for his perfonall appearance 

 to anfwere the matter.He therefore fearing the worll:,and doubting that he fhould be caft to pay 

 fome greevous fine^at what time as the Tribes were readie to give their voices, either to acquis 

 orcondemne him,brought into the common place his plough, with other inftruments ind iilr- 

 nitiire bslonging to husbandrie: hee prefented iikewife in the open face of the court, his owne 

 daughter, a luftie ftronglafife and big of bone 5 yea, and (as Fifo telkth the talc) wellfcd,and as 

 well clad ; helliewed thcre(Ifay)h'istoolesand plough yrons of the beft making, and kept in as 

 good order; maine and heavie coulters, ftrong and tough fpades, malfie and weightie plough- ^ 

 lharesjand withall his draught Oxcn,full and fairc. Now, when his courfe came to plead his own 

 3' caufe before the people,and to anfwere for himfelfe^thus he began and faid : My Maillcrs(quorh 

 ^3 he)you that are citizens of RomCjbehold^thefe are the forceries, charmes, and all the inchaunt- 

 " ments thati ufe(pointing to his daughter,liisOxen,and furniture abovenamcd:)! mightbefides 

 5J (quoth he)allcdge mine owne travcll and toile that I take, the earely rifing and late fitdng up fo 

 55 ordinarie with niee, the careful! watching that 1 ufually abide, and the painefullfweats which I 

 33 daily endure 5 but I am not able to reprelent thefeto your view, nor to bring them hither mih 

 ^ mc into this aflemblie.Thepeoplenofbonerheard this plea of his, but with one voice they all 

 acquit him and declared him unguiltie, without any contradi<5tion. By whichexample verily, a 

 man may foone fee,that goodHusbandrie goeth nor all by much expence : but it is painstaking K 

 and careful! diligence that doth the deed. And hereupon came the old faid faw/o rife in everie 

 mans mouth,that The only thing to make ground moii fertile and fruitful!, is the Maif^ers^ye. 

 As for ail other rules and precepts of Agriculture, refpedive to this or that peculiar point of hus- 

 bandries will deliver them in their proper places accordingly. And in the meane time I will not 

 omii: luch as be more general!, as they iTial! come into my mind and remembrance. Firft & for- 

 tnoft,there offereth it lelte unto me one above the reft,whcrcof Cato is the Author,and which of 

 rdl others I hold to be moi!; profitable and founding to civilitie, to wit, that in all our doings we 

 ^3 aime at this, To have the loveandgood will of our neighbors: and that for inany and fulficienc 

 " reafons by hiiii ai]cadged,which 1 fuppofe no man will make any doubt oLlmprtmu^Ute giveth £ 

 3' a good caveatjThat our fervitours and people about us be not flirewdjbut well orderedjand that 

 3^ noneof our familiebe ill difpofed to offer any wrong. Item ^ AW ^ood husbands agree in this, 

 33 That noth ing would be done too late & when the time is overhipt. An^ againc,That every work 

 33 fliould have the due & convenient feafon : To the fame effedl there is a third admonition, name- 

 '3 Jy5Thatwhen theopportunitieisoncepafljin vainwefeeke to recall and recover it. As toiichii^g 

 a rotten and putrified ground, we have at large fhewed alreadie how much CatoAoth abhor and 

 curfe it. And yet he ceafeth not to forewarne us of it, and befides,to give us thefe rules fol!b\t- 

 ing. What worke focver may bee performed by a poore Affe^is thought to coft little or nothing,- 

 and to be done very cheape. Fearne or Brake will die at the root in two yeares^if you will not fiif-^ ^ • 

 fer it to braunch and grow above ground : and this fhall you hinder mofi cfFed:uaIly, in cafe yoii k| 

 knap o'ff the head of the firflfpring with a wand or walking flaffe rfor the liquid juice dropping 

 downe from them,doth kilhhe root. Itis'commonly faidalfo,thatif they be pulled up aboutthe 

 Summer Sunneflead, tliey will notcomeagainebutdierasalfbjif they bee topt, or their hcads^ 

 Vfhipt off with a reed :or if they be eared up with the plougli, fa as there be areed f af^ened to the 



, ' ihare* 



