Fiue hundred pointes of good Husbandrie as well for the Champion, or open countrie, as also for the woodland, or Seuerall, mixed in euerie Month with Huswiferie, ouer and besides the booke of Huswiferie, corrected, better ordered, and newly augmented to a fourth part more, with diuers other lessons, as a diet for the fermer, of the properties of winds, planets, hops, herbes, bees, and approoued remedies for sheepe and cattle, with many other matters both profitable and not vnpleasant for the Reader. Also a table of husbandrie at the beginning of this booke: and another of huswiferie at the end: for the better and easier finding of any matter conteined in the same. Newly set foorth by Thomas Tusser |
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Decembers husbandrie.
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 | Fiue hundred pointes of good Husbandrie |  |
Decembers husbandrie.
Chap. 21.
O dirtie December,
For Christmas remember.
Forgotten month past,
Doe now at the last.
For Christmas remember.
Forgotten month past,
Doe now at the last.
1
When frost will not suffer, to dike and to hedge,then get thee a heat, with thy beetle & wedge.
Once Hallomas come, and a fire in the hall:
such sliuers doo well, for to lie by the wall.
2
Get grindstone and whetstone, for toole that is dull,or often be letted, and freat bellie full.
A wheele barrow also, be readie to haue:
at hand of thy seruant, thy compas to saue.
3
Giue cattle their fodder, in plot drie and warme,and count them for miring, or other like harme.
Yoong colts with thy wennels, together go serue:
least lurched by others, they happen to sterue.
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4
The rack is commended, for sauing of doong,so set, as the old, cannot mischiefe the yoong.
In tempest (the wind being northly or east)
warme barth vnder hedge, is a sucker to beast.
5
The housing of cattel, while winter doth hold,is good for all such, as are feeble and old.
In saueth much compas, and many a sleepe:
and spareth the pasture, for walke of thy sheepe.
6
For charges so little, much quiet is won,if strongly and handsomly, al thing be don.
But vse to vntackle them, once in a day:
to rub and to lick them, to drink and to play.
7
Get trustie to tend them, not lubberlie squire,that all the day long, hath his nose at the fire.
Nor trust vnto children, poore cattel to feede:
but such as be able, to helpe at a neede.
8
Serue riestraw out first, then wheatstraw and pease,then otestraw and barlie, then hay if ye please.
But serue them with hay, while the straw stouer last:
then loue they no straw, they had rather to fast.
9
Yokes, forks, and such other, let bailie spie out,and gather the same, as he walketh about.
And after at leasure, let this be his hier:
to beath them, and trim them, at home by the fier.
10
As well at the full of the moone, as the change,sea rages in winter, be sodainly strange.
Then looke to thy marshes, if doubt be to fray:
for feare of (ne forte) haue cattel away.
11
Both saltfish and lingfish (if any ye haue)through shifting and drieng, from rotting go saue.
Least winter with moistnes, doo make it relent:
and put it in hazard, before it be spent.
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12
Broome fagot is best, to drie haberden on,lay boord vpon ladder, if fagots be gon.
For breaking (in turning) haue verie good eie:
and blame not the wind, so the weather be drie.
13
Good fruit, and good plentie, doth well in the loft,then make thee an orchard, and cherish it oft.
For plant or for stock, laie aforehand to cast:
but set or remooue it, er Christmas be past.
14
Set one fro other, full fortie foote wide,to stand as he stood, is a part of his pride.
More faier, more woorthie, of cost to remooue:
more steadie ye set it, more likely to prooue.
15
To teach and vnteach, in a schoole is vnmeete,to doe and vndoe, to the purse is vnsweete.
Then orchard or hopyard, so trimmed with cost:
should not through follie, be spoiled and lost.
16
Er Christmas be passed, let horse be let blood,for many a purpose, it doth them much good.
The daie of S. Stephen, old fathers did vse:
if that doe mislike thee, some other daie chuse.
17
Looke wel to thy horses, in stable thou must,that haie be not foistie, nor chaffe ful of dust.
Nor stone in their prouender, feather, nor clots:
nor fed with greene peason, for breeding of bots.
18
Some horsekeeper, lasheth out prouender so,some Gillian spendal, so often doth go
For hogs meat and hens meat, for that and for this,
that corne loft is empted, er chapman hath his.
19
Some countries are pinched, of medow for hay,yet ease it with fitchis, as well as they may.
Which inned, and threshed, and husbandlie dight:
keepes laboring cattle, in verie good plight.
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20
In threshing out fitchis, one point I will shew,first thresh out for seede, of the fitchis a few.
Thresh few fro thy plowhorse, thresh cleane for the cow:
this order in Norfolke, good husbands alow.
21
If frost doe continue, take this for a lawe,the strawberies looke, to be couered with strawe.
Laid ouerly trim, vpon crotchis and bows:
and after vncouered, as weather allows.
22
The gilleflower also, the skilful doe knowe,doe looke to be couered, in frost and in snowe.
The knot and the border, and rosemarie gaie:
do craue the like succour, for dieng awaie.
23
Go looke to thy bees, if the hiue be too light,set water and honie, with rosemarie dight.
Which set in a dish, ful of sticks in the hiue:
from danger of famine, yee saue them aliue.
24
In medow or pasture (to growe the more fine)let campers be camping, in any of thine.
Which if ye doe suffer, when lowe is the spring:
you gaine to your selfe, a commodious thing.
Thus endeth Decembers husbandrie.
| Fiue hundred pointes of good Husbandrie | |