38 — ¶ Marches Abstract
Chap. 35
1
White peason sowe,
scare hungry crow.
2
Spare meadow for hay,
spare marshes at May.
31
Kéepe shéepe from dog,
kéepe lambes from hog.
If foxes mowse2 them,
then watch or howse them.
4
March drie or wet,
hop ground go set.
Yoong rootes well drest
prooue euer3 best.
Grant hop great hill
to growe at will.
From hop long gut
away go cut.
5
Here learne the way
hop rootes to lay.
6
Rootes best to prooue,
thus set I looue.
7
Leaue space and roome,
to hillock to coome.
8
Of hedge and willow
hop makes his4 pillow.
Good bearing hop
climes vp to the top.
Kéepe hop from sunne,
and hop is vndunne.
9
Hop tooles procure
that may endure.
Iron crowe like a stake,
déepe hole to make.
A scraper to pare
the earth about bare.
A hone to raise roote,
like sole of a boote.
Sharpe knife to cut
superfluous gut.
10
Who graffing looues,
now graffing prooues.
Of euerie suite,
graffe daintie fruite.
Graffe good fruite all,
or graffe not at all.
11
Graffe soone may be lost,
both grafting and cost.
Learne here5 take héed
what counsell doth béed.6
12
Sowe barlie that can,
too soone ye shall ban.
Let horse kéepe his owne,
till barlie be sowne.
Sowe euen thy land,
with plentifull hand.
Sowe ouer and vnder,
in claie is no woonder.
137
By sowing in wet,
is little to get.
14
Straight folow the plough,
and harrow inough.
With sling go throwe,8
to scare away crowe.
15
Rowle after a deaw,
when barlie doth sheaw.
More handsom to make it,
to mowe and to rake it.
16
Learne here ye may
best harrowing way.
179
Now rowle thy wheat,
where clods be too great.
18
Make readie a plot,
for séeds for the pot.
19
Best searching minds
the best waie finds.
20
For garden best
is south southwest.
21
Good tilth brings séedes,
euill tilture, wéedes.
22
For sommer sowe now,
for winter sée how.
23
Learne time to knowe,
to set or sowe.10
24
Yoong plants soone die,
that growes too drie.
25
In countrie doth rest,
what season is best.
26
Good peason and léekes
makes pottage for créekes.
27
Haue spoone meat inough,
for cart and the plough.
Good poore mans fare,
is poore mans care.
And not to boast,
of sod and roast.
28
Cause rooke and rauen
to séeke a new hauen.
Thus Endeth Marches Abstract, Agréeing With Marches Husbandrie
¶ Other Short Remembrances
[29]
Geld lambes now all,
straight as they fall.
Looke twise a day,
least lambes decay.
[30]
Where horse did harrow,
put stones in barrow,
And11 laie them by,
in heapes on by.
[31]
Let oxe once fat
lose nothing of that.
Now hunt with dog,
vnyoked hog.
[32]
With Doues good luck,
reare12 goose and duck.
To spare aright
spare March his flight.
[33]
The following additional couplets are in 1577.
Saue chikins poore buttocks
from pye, crowe, & puttocks.
Some loue now best
yong rabbets nest.
Now knaues will steale
pig, lamb, and veale.
Here learne to knowe
what seedes to sowe.
And such to plant
whose seedes do want.
Notes
1 St. 3, first couplet,
What champion useth
woodland refuseth. 1577.
2 mouth them. 1573 (M.); mowse. 1577.
3 the. 1573, 1577.
4 her. 1577.
5 to. 1577.
6 bid, 1577; beed, 1585; breed, 1614.
7 St. 13 is not in 1577.
8 sling or bowe. 1577.
9 Stanzas 17, 26, and first couplet of 27 are not in 1577.
10 Lines transposed in 1577.
11 or. 1577.
12 hen. 1577.