18 — ¶ Octobers Abstract
Chap. 16
1
Lay drie vp and round,
for barlie thy ground.
2
Too late doth kill,
too soone is as ill.
3
Maides little and great,
pick cleane séede wheat.
Good ground doth craue
choice séede to haue.
FlaiesE101 lustily thwack,
least plough séede lack.
41
Séede first go fetch,
for edish or etch,
Soile perfectly knowe,
er edish ye sowe.
5
White wheat, if ye please,
sowe now vpon pease.
Sowe first the best,
and then the rest.
62
Who soweth in raine,
hath wéed to his paine.
But worse shall he spéed,
that soweth ill séed.
7
Now, better than later,
draw furrow for water.
Kéepe crowes, good sonne,
sée fencing3 be donne.
84
Each soile no vaine
for euerie graine.
Though soile be but bad,
some corne may be had.
9
Naught proue, naught craue,
naught venter, naught haue.
10
One crop and away,
some countrie may say.
11
All grauell and sand,
is not the best land.
A rottenly mould
is land woorth gould.
12
Why wheat is smitten
good lesson is written.
13
The iudgement of some
how thistles doe come.
14
A iudgement right,
of land in plight.
Land, all forlorne,
not good for corne.
15
Land barren doth beare
small strawe, short eare.
16
Here maist thou réede
for soile what séede.
17
Tis tride ery hower,
best graine most flower.
18
Grosse corne much bran
the baker doth ban.
195
What croppers bée
here learne to sée.
20
Few after crop much,
but noddies and such.
21
Som woodland may crake,
thrée crops he may take.
22
First barlie, then pease,
then wheat, if ye please.
23
Two crops and away,
must champion say.
246
Where barlie did growe,
Laie7 wheat to sowe.
Yet better I thinke,
sowe pease after drinke.
And then, if ye please,
sowe wheat after pease.
25
What champion knowes
that custome showes.
26
First barlie er rie,
then pease by and by.
Then fallow for wheat,
is husbandrie great.
27
A remedie sent,
where pease lack vent.
Fat peasefed swine
for drouer is fine.
28
Each diuers soile
hath diuers toile.
29
Some countries vse
that some refuse.
30
For wheat ill land,
where water doth stand.
Sowe pease or dredge
belowe in that redge.
31
Sowe acornes to prooue
that timber doe looue.
32
Sowe hastingsE102 now,
if land8 it alow.
33
Learne soone to get
a good quickset.
34
For feare of the wurst
make fat away furst.
35
Fat that no more
ye kéepe for store.
36
Hide carren in graue,
lesse noiance to haue.
37
Hog measeled kill,
for flemming that will.
389
With peasebolt and brake
some brew and bake.
39
Old corne10 worth gold,
so kept as it shold.
40
Much profit is rept,
by sloes well kept.
41
Kéepe sloes vpon bow,
for flixe of thy cow.
42
Of vergis be sure,
poore cattel to cure.
Thus Endeth Octobers Abstract, Agréeing With Octobers Husbandrie
¶ Other Short Remembrances11
[43]
Cisse, haue an eie
to bore in the stie.
By malt ill kept,
small profit is rept.
[44]
Friend, ringle thy hog,
for feare of a dog.
Rie straw up stack,
least Thacker doe lack.
[45]
Wheat straw drie saue,
for cattell to haue.
Wheat chaffe lay vp drie,
in safetie to lie.
[46]
Make handsome a bin,
for chaffe to lie in.
[47]
(Séede thresht) thou shalt
thresh barlie to malt.
Cut bushes to hedge,
fence medow and redge.
[48]
Stamp crabs that may,
for rotting away.
Make vergis and perie,E103
sowe kirnell and berie.
[49]
Now gather vp fruite,
of euerie suite.
Marsh wall too slight,
strength now, or god night.
[50]12
Mend wals of mud,
for now it is good.
Where soile is of sand,
quick set out of hand.
[51]
To plots not full
ad bremble and hull.
For set no bar
whilst month hath an R.E104
Like note thou shalt
for making of malt.
Brew now to last
till winter be past.
Here Ends Octobers Short Remembrances
Notes13
1 1577 inserts—
Plie sowing a pace,
in euery place.
2 St. 6 is not in 1577.
3 furrowing. 1577.
4 Sts. 8-30 do not occur here in 1577; but sts. 32-37 follow.
5 Sts. 19 and 20 are in Septembers Abstract in 1577.
6 In Septembers Abstract in 1577.
7 strike. 1577.
8 ground. 1577.
9 In 1577, sts. 38 to the end are much transposed.
10 graine. 1577.
11 Cf. note 12, p. 33.
12 First couplet of st. 50 not in 1577.
13 Cf. note 12, p. 33.