403 
the several kinds of vegetables proper for the field recommends the turnep , 
because, says he, such roots as are not wanted for the table, will serve cattle. 
The famous Jethro Tull, who wrote in 1/33 on Husbandry, in “ Chap. X. 
of Turneps,” commences, “ as far as I have been informed, it is but of late 
years that Turneps have been introduced as an improvement in the field . 
By sowing them at convenient distances, not one,” says this great improver 
of Husbandry, “ weighed so little as six pounds, and most of them thir¬ 
teen, or even fourteen pounds.” Tull complains, that his example did not 
induce his neighbours to follow his practice. Thus we are able to trace the 
introduction nearly of all the great improvements in Husbandry and Garden¬ 
ing, and with pleasure notice step by step the progress of society.* 
* The Duke of Northumberland has an household book of an Earl of that family who lived in 
the reign of Henry VII, which shews how little vegetables were used, or even fresh meat in those 
days. The book states, “ Two hundred and fifty quarters of malt are allowed, at four shillings a 
quarter: two hogsheads are to be made of a quarter; which amounts to about a bottle and a third 
of beer a day to each person, p. 4. and the beer will not be very strong. One hundred and nine fat 
beeves are to be bought at Allhallow-tide, at thirteen shillings and four-pence apiece: and twenty- 
four lean beeves to be bought at St. Helens at eight shillings apiece: these are to be put into the 
pastures to feed; and are to serve from Midsummer to Michaelmas; which is consequently the only 
time that the family eats fresh beef: during all the rest of the year they live on salted meat, p. 5. 
One hundred and sixty gallons of mustard are allowed in a year; which seems indeed requisite for 
the salt beef, p. 18. Six hundred and forty-seven sheep are allowed, at twenty pence apiece; and 
these seem also to be all eat salted, except between Lammas and Michaelmas, p. 5. Only twenty- 
hogs are allowed at two shillings apiece; twenty-eight veals at twenty-pence ; forty lambs at ten- 
pence or a shilling, p. 7- These seem to be reserved for my lord’s table, or that of the upper servants, 
called the knights’ table. The other servants, as they eat salted meat almost through the whole year, 
and with few or no vegetables, had a very bad and unhealthy diet: so that there cannot be any thing 
more erroneous than the magnificent ideas formed of the Roast Beef of Old England. We must 
entertain as mean an idea of its cleanliness : only seventy ells of linen at eight-pence an ell are annu¬ 
ally allowed for this great family: no sheets were used: this linen was made into eight table cloths 
for my lord’s table; and one table cloth for the knights, p. if). This last, I suppose, was washed 
only once a month. Only forty shillings are allowed for washing throughout the whole year; and 
most of it seems expended on the linen belonging to the chapel. The drinking, however, was tolera¬ 
ble, namely, ten tuns and two hogsheads of Gascogny wine, at the rate of four pounds thirteen shil¬ 
lings and four-pence a tun, p. 6 . Only ninety-one dozen of candles for the whole year, p. 14. The 
family rose at six in the morning, dined at ten, and supped at four in the afternoon : the gates were 
all shut at nine, and no farther ingress or egress permitted, p. 314. 318. My lord and lady have set 
on their table, for breakfast at seven o’clock in the morning, a quart of beer; as much wine; two 
pieces of salt fish, six red herrings, four white ones, or a dish of sprats. In flesh days half a chine of 
mutton, or a chine of beef boiled, p. 73. 75. Mass is ordered to be said at six o’clock, in order, says 
the household-book, that all my lord’s servants may rise early, p. 170 . Only twenty-four fires are 
allowed, beside the kitchen and hall, and most of these have only a peck of coals a day allowed them, 
p. gg. After Lady-day, no fires permitted in the rooms, except half fires in my lord’s and lady’s, and 
lord Piercy’s and the nursery, p. 101 . It is to be observed that my lord kept house in Yorkshire, 
where there is certainly much cold weather after Lady-day. Eighty chalders of coals at four shil¬ 
lings and two-pence a chalder, suffices throughout the whole year; and because coal will not burn 
without wood, says the household book, sixty-four loads of great wood are also allowed, at twelve- 
