56 — ¶ Augusts Abstract
Chap. 45
1
Thry fallowing won,
get compassing don.
2
In June and in Awe
swinge brakes (for a lawe).
3
Pare saffron plot,
forget it not.
His dwelling made trim,
looke shortly for him:
When haruest is gon,
then saffron comes on.
4
A little of ground
brings saffron a pound.
The pleasure is fine,
the profit is thine.
Kéepe colour in drieng,
well vsed woorth buieng.
51
Maids, mustard séed reape,
and laie on a heape.
6
Good neighbors in déede,
change séede for séede.
7
Now strike vp drum,2
cum haruest man cum.
Take paine for a gaine,
one knaue mars twaine.E348
8
Reape corne by the day,3
least corne doo decay.
By great is the cheaper,
if trustie were reaper.
9
Blowe horne for sleapers,
and chéere vp thy reapers.4
10
Well dooings who loueth,
thes haruest points proueth.
11
Paie Gods part furst,
and not of the wurst.E349
12
Now Parson (I say),5
tith carrie away.
13
Kéepe cart gap wéele,
scare hog from whéele.
146
Mowe hawme to burne,
to serue thy turne:
To bake thy bread,
to burne vnder lead.
15
Mowne hawme being dry,
no longer let ly.
Get home thy hawme,
whilst weather is cawme.
16
Mowne barlie lesse cost,
ill mowne much lost.
17
Reape barlie with sickle,
that lies in ill pickle.7
Let gréenest stand,
for making of band.
Bands made without dew,
will hold but a few.
18
Laie band8 to find her,
two rakes9 to a binder.
19
Rake after sieth,
and pay thy tieth.
Corne carried all,
then rake it ye shall.
20
Let shock take sweate,
least gofe take heate.
Yet it is best reason,
to take it in season.E350
21
More often ye turne,
more pease ye out spurne.
Yet winnow them in,
er carrege begin.
22
Thy carting plie,
while weather is drie.
23
Bid gouing (clim)10
goue iust and trim.
Laie wheat for séede,
to come by at néede.
Séede barelie cast,
to thresh out last.
24
Lay pease vpon stacke,
if houell ye lack.
And couer it straight,
from doues that waight.
25
Let gleaners gleane,
(the poore I meane).
Which euer ye sowe,
that first eate lowe.
The other forbare,
for rowen11 to spare.
26
Come home lord singing,
com home12 corne bringing.E351
Tis merie in hall,
when13 beards wag all.E352
27
Once had thy desire,
pay workman his hire.
Let none be beguilde,
man, woman, nor childe.
28
Thanke God14 ye shall,
and adue for all.
Works After Haruest15
29
Get tumbrell in hand,
for barlie land.
30
The better the muck,
the better good luck.
31
Still carrege is good,
for timber and wood.
No longer delaies,
to mend the high waies.
32
Some loue as a iewell,
well placing of fewell.
33
In piling of logs,
make houell for hogs.
34
Wife, plow doth crie,
to picking of rie.
35
Such séede as ye sowe,
such reape or else mowe.
36
Take shipping or ride,
Lent stuffe to prouide.
37
Let haberden lie,
in peasestraw drie.
38
When out ye ride,
leaue a good guide.
39
Some profit spie out,
by riding about.
Marke now, thorow yéere,
what cheape, what déere.
40
Some skill doth well
to buie and to sell.
Of théefe who bieth,
in danger lieth.
41
Commoditie knowne,
abrode is blowne.
42
At first hand bie,
at third let lie.
43
Haue monie prest,
to buie at the best.
44
Some cattle home bring,
for Mihelmas spring.E353
By hauke and hound,
small profit is found.
45
Dispatch, looke home,
to loitring mome.
Prouide or repent,
milch cow for Lent.
46
Now crone16 your sheepe,
fat those ye kéepe.
Leaue milking old cow,
fat aged vp now.
47
Sell butter and chéese,
good Faires few léese.
At Faires go bie,
home wants to supplie.
48
If hops looke browne,
go gather them downe.
But not in the deaw,
for piddling with feaw.
49
Of hops this knack,
a meanie doo lack.17
Once had thy will,18
go couer his hill.
50
Take hop to thy dole,
but breake not his pole.
51
Learne here (thou stranger)
to frame hop manger.
52
Hop poles preserue,
againe to serue.
Hop poles by and by,
long safe vp to dry.
Least poles wax scant,
new poles go plant.19
53
The hop kell dride,
will best abide.
Hops dried in loft,
aske tendance oft.
And shed their séedes,
much more than néedes.20
54
Hops dride small cost,
ill kept halfe lost.
Hops quickly21 be spilt,
take héede if thou wilt.
55
Some come, some go,
This life is so.
Thus Endeth Augusts Abstract, Agréeing With Augusts Husbandrie
* * * Stanza 47 is st. 49 in Septembers Abstract in 1577; st. 48 is 50, second couplet reads—
But not in a deawe,
nor pidling with feawe. 1577.
7
Reape barley with hand,
that will not stand. 1577.
Notes
1 Sts. 5, 6 are wanting in 1577.
2 droom. 1577.
3 Get reapers by day. 1577.
4 giue gloues to, etc. 1573 (M.) and 1577.
5 That parson may. 1577.
6 Sts. 14, 15, are wanting in 1577.
8 hand. 1577.
9 rakers. 1577.
10 In 1577, Bid goeuing clim. Query, abbreviation for Clement.
11 rewen. 1577.
12 cart. 1573 (M.), 1577.
13 let. 1577.
14 so. 1577.
15 The Works after Haruest are not in editions previous to 1580 (M.). But stanzas 47 and 48 are in Septembers Abstract. 1577.—Ed.
16 i.e. pick out the crones.—T.R., but cf. Glossary (Crone).
17 put in thy pack. 1577.
18 fyll. 1577.
19 ley new to plant. 1577.
20 The third couplet is omitted in 1577.
21 soone. 1577.