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1

CHAP. IIII.

2
3

OF HORSES FOR TRAUELL; AND HOW TO MAKE THEM AMBLE.

4
5    The Husbandman whose occupation is the
6generall affaires of the common wealth,
7as some to the Markets, some to the Citie,
8and some to the seates of Iustice; must
9necessarilie be imploied almost in continuall
10trauell: And therefore it is meet that he be prouided
11euer of a good and easie trauelling Horse .
12    The markes whereby he shall chuse a good trauelling
13Horse , are these; he shall be of good colour and shape,
14leane headed, and round foreheaded, a full eie, open nostrell,
15wide iawed, loose thropld, deepe neckt, thin crested,
16broad breast, flat chind, out ribd, cleane limbd, short
17iointed, strong hooued, well mettald, neither fiery nor
18crauing, strong in euerie member and easie to mount and
19get vp vpon; he shall follow without haling, and stand stil
20when he is restrained.
21    Now for as much as there are a world of good Horses ,
22which are not easie, and a world of easie Horses which
23are not good; you shall by these directions following,

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24make anie Horse amble whatsoeuer: first then you shall
25vnderstand that practise hath made diuers men beleeue
26that diuers waies they can make a Horse amble, as by gagging
27them in the mouthes, by toiling them in deepe
28earth, by the helpe of shooes, by galloping and tiring or
29such like, all which are ill and imperfect: yet the truth
30is, there is but one certaine and true way to compasse it;
31and that is to make of strong garthwebbe, flat and well
32quilted with cotton, foure pastornes for the smals of his
33fore legs, vnder his knees, and for the smals of his hinder
34legs somewhat below the spauen ioints, to these pasterns,
35you shall fixe strong straps of leather, with good iron
36buckles, to make shorter or longer at pleasure; and hauing
37plac't them about his foure legs, you shall take two
38seuerall round roapes, of an easie twist made with strong
39loopes at either end, and not aboue eight handfuls in
40length: And these the Horse standing in a true proportion,
41you shall fasten to the foure straps of leather; to
42wit one of them to his neere forelegs, and his nere hinder
43leg, and the other to his farre fore leg, and his far hinder
44leg; which is cald amongst horsemen trauelling: with these
45you shall let him walke in some inclosed peece of ground
46till he can so perfectlie goe in the same, that when at anie
47time you offer to chase him, you may see him amble trulie
48and swiftlie: Then you shall take his backe and ride
49him with the same tramels, at least three or foure times
50a day, till you find that he is so perfect that no way can
51be so rough and vneuen, as to compell him to alter his
52stroke of goe vnnimblie: This done, you may first take
53away one tramell, then after the other, and onelie wreath
54about vnder his foure fet lockes, thicke and heauie, great
55rolds of hey or straw ropes, and so ride him with the same
56a good space after, for it will make him amble easie: then
57cut them away, and ride and exercise him without anie

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58thing, bur the ordinary helpe of the bridles, and there is
59no doubt but he will keep his pace to your full contentment
60and pleasure.
61    Now during this time of your teaching, if your horse
62strike not a large stroak and ouer-reach enough, then you
63shall make the trauell the straiter; but if he ouer-reach
64too much, then you shall giue it more libertie, and herein
65you shall finde that an inch straightning, or an inch inlarging,
66will adde or abate at least halfe a foote in his full
67and direct stroake. And thus much touching the teaching
68of anie horse to amble of what naure or qualitie
69so euer hee be, or how vnapt or vntowarde soeuer to
70learne.
71
72

CHAP. V.

73
74

OF THE ORDERING AND DYETTING OF THE HUNTING HORSE.

75
76    Some loue hunting for the exercise of their
77owne bodies, some for the chase they hunt,
78some for the running of the hounds, and
79some for the training of their horses , wherby
80they may finde the excellencies of their
81goodnes aud indurant: to him therefore which placeth
82his delight in the goodnesse of his horse , I would wish
83him thus to order and diet him, and hee shall most assuredly
84come to the true knowledge of the best worth
85which is within him; and if in these rules which I now
86shewe I bee lesse curious then formerly I haue beene;
87let no man wonder thereat, but know, that Time (which
88is the mother of experience) doth, in our labours, shewe
89vs more newe and more neerer waies to our ends, then at
90the first wee conceiued; and though when I first practiced

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91this art I knew not how to bring a very fat horse from
92Michaelmas till Christmas to shewe his vtmost perfection,
93knowe now in one first moneth (though neuer so fowle)
94how to make him fit for any wager, daring now boldly
95to aduenture on that with which before I thought almost
96present death to offer: thus doth obseruation and
97labour finde out the darkest secrets in art.
98    To begin then with the first ordering of a hunting
99horse , you shall know that the best time to take him from
100grasse is about Bartholmew tide, the day being faire drie
101and pleasant; and as soone as he is taken vp, to let him
102stand all that night in anie vaste house to empty his body,
103the next day stable him, and giue him wheate strawe
104if you please, but no longer in any wise; for though the
105olde rule is to take vp horses bellies with strawe; yet it
106straightneth the guts, heates the liuer, and hurteth the
107winde: therefore let onely moderate exercise, as riding
108him forth to water morning and euening, and other airings
109do what you expect strawe should, and for his food
110let it be hey that is sweet though rough, and either old or
111at least well sweat it the mowe.
112    After his belly is emptied you shall cloath him first
113with a single cloath, whilest the heat indureth, and after
114with more as you shall see occasion require, and when
115you begin to cloath the horse , then you shall dresse, curry
116and rubbe him also; now forasmuch as it is a rule with
117ignorant horse-men , that if they haue but the name of
118keeping a hunting-horse, they will with all care (without
119anie reason) lay many cloathes vpon him, as if it were a
120speciall phisiche, you shall knowe they are much deceiued
121therein, and may sooner doe hurt then good with
122multiplicitie of cloathes; therefore to cloath a horse
123right, cloath him according to the weather, and the temper
124of his bodie: as thus, if you see your horse be slight,

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125smooth and well coloured, then cloath him temperately
126as with a single cloth, of canuase or sackcloath at the
127most; and if then, as the yeere growes colder, you finde
128his haire rise or stare about his necke, flanks, or outward
129parts; then you shall adde to a woollen cloath, or more
130if neede require till his haire fall smooth againe, holding
131it for your rule that a rough coat shews want of cloathes,
132and a smooth coate, cloathing enough: yet if your horse
133haue bin cleane fedde, taken exercise sufficient and hath
134not much glut within him, if then you find that in the
135night he sweateth in his cloathes, then it is a signe hee is
136ouer-fedde, but if hee be fowle inwardly, or hath out
137sweat formerly, and now sweats coming to good feeding
138then you shall augment rather then diminish anie cloathing,
139for his fowlenesse but then breaketh out, and being
140euacuated he will come to drienesse of bodie againe,
141and so continue all the yeere after; and surely for an ordinarie
142proportion of cloathes, I hold a canuasse cloath,
143and a cloath of Houswiues woollen to be at full sufficient
144for a hunting horse .
145    A hunting horse would bee drest in his daies of rest
146twice a day, that is, before hee goe to his morning
147watring, and before hee goe to his euening watering;
148for the manner of his dressing after he is vncloathed, you
149shall first currie him from the tips of the eare to the setling
150on of his taile, all his whole bodie most entirely ouer
151with an iron combe, his legges vnder the knees and
152cambrels only excepted, then you shall dust him, then
153currie him againe all ouer with a round brush of bristels,
154then dust him the second time, then rubbe all the loose
155haires awaie with your hands wet in cleane water, and so
156rubbe till the horse be as drie as at the first, then rubbe all
157his bodie and limbes ouer with an haire-cloath . Lastly,
158rubbe him ouer with a fine white linnen rubber, then

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159picke his eyes, nostrels, sheath, coddes, tuell an
160feete very cleane, and so cloath him and stop him round
161with wispes, if you water within the house, otherwise saddle
162him after his body is wrapt about in a wollen cloath,
163and so ride him forth to the water.
164    The best water for a hunting Horse is, either a running
165riuer, or a cleere spring, remote from the stable a mile, or
166a mile and a halfe at most, and neere vnto some plaine
167peece of ground, where you may scope and gallop after
168he hath drunke, and as soone as you bring your Horse
169to the water let him take his full draught without trouble
170or interruption: then gallop and scope him vp and
171downe a little, and so bring him to the water againe, and
172let him drinke what he please: and then gallop him againe;
173and thus doe till you find he will drinke no more,
174then hauing scop't him a little, walke him with all gentlenesse
175home and there cloath him vp, stop him round
176with great soft wispes, and so let him stand an houre vpon
177his bridle and then feed him.
178    To speake first of the food for hunting Horses , the
179most ordinary is good sweet found oates, either throughly
180dried with age, or els on the kilne, and if your Horse be
181either low of flesh, or not of perfect stomacke, if to two
182parts of those oates you adde a third part of cleane old
183beanes, it shall be very good and wholsome, and if your
184Horse be in diet for a match and haue lost his stomake, if
185then you cause those beanes to be spelted vpon a milne,
186and so mixt with oats it will recouer him. The next
187food which is somewhat stronger, and better, is bread
188thus made: Take two bushels of good cleane beanes, and
189one bushell of wheat and grind them together, then
190through a fine raunge bolt out the quantity of two pecks
191of pure meale, and bake it in two or three loues by it
192selfe, and the rest sift through a meale siue, and kneade

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193it with water and good store of barme, and so bake it in
194great loues, and with the courser bread feed your Horse
195in his rest, and with the finer against the daies of sore labor.
196Now for the houres of his feeding it shall be in the
197morning after his comming from water, an houre after
198hie noone, after his comming from his euening water,
199and at nine or ten of the clocke at night vpon the daies
200of his rest, but vpon the daies of his exercise, two howers
201after he is thorowly colde inwardly, and outwardlie,
202and then after according to the houres before mentioned.
203Lastly for the proportion of food, you shall keepe
204no certaine quantity, but according to the Horses stomacke:
205that is to say, you shall feede him by a little at
206once, so long as hee eates with a good appetite, but
207when hee beginnes to trifle or stumble with his meat,
208then to giue him no more. Now for his hey you shall
209see that it be hie short vplandish hey, and so it be sweet,
210respect not how course or rough it is; sith it is more to
211scower his teeth and coole his stomacke: then for any
212nourishment expected from him.
213    Touching the Horses exercise, which is onely in the
214following of the hounds , you shall be sure to traine him
215after those which are most swift and speedy, for so you
216shall know the truth, and not be deceiued in your opinion:
217Touching the daies it shall be twice a weeke at least,
218but most commonly thrice: As for the quantity of his
219exercise it must be according to his foulenes or cleannes;
220for if he be very foule you must then exercise moderatelie
221to breake his grease, if halfe foule, halfe cleane, then
222somewhat more to melt his grease, and if altogether
223cleane; then you may take what you please of him (prouided
224that you doe nothing to discourage his sprits) to
225abate his mettall, or to lame his limbes, and after euery
226daies exercise be assured to giue him either the same night

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227or the next day following, something by way of scowring
228or otherwise to take away the grease formerly melted,
229by meanes whereof you shall be euer sure to keepe
230your Horse in all good health and perfection.
231    The best and most excellentest way to scower or purge
232your Horse from all grease, glut or filthinesse, within his
233body which is a secret hitherto was neuer either sufficiently
234taught or perfectly learned; is to take of Anyseeds
235three ounces, of Cumming seeds sixe drammes, of
236Carthamus a dramme and a halfe, of Fenegreeke-seede
237one ounce two drammes, of Brimstone one ounce and a
238halfe, beate all these to a fine powder and searse them;
239then take of sallet oyle a pinte and two ounces, of honie
240a pound and a halfe, and of white wine iiij. pints, then
241with as much fine white meale as will suffice, make all into
242a strong stiffe paste and kneade and worke it well: this
243paste keepe in a cleane cloth for it will last long, and after
244your horse hath been hunted and is at night, or in the
245morning exceeding thirstie, take a ball thereof as much
246as a mans fist and wash and dissolue it in a gallond or two
247of colde water, and it will make the water looke white
248like milke, then offer it the horse to drinke in the darke,
249least the colour displease him; if he drinke it then feede
250him, but if he refuse to drinke it, yet care not but let him
251fast without drinke till he take it, which assuredly he will
252doe in twice or thrice offering, and after once he hath taken
253it be then assured he will forsake any other drink for
254it: of this drinke your Horse can neuer take too much,
255nor too oft if hee haue exercise, otherwise it feedes too
256sore, and from all inward infirmities whatsoeuer it is a
257present remedio: therefore I would not wish any Horse-man
258of vertue at any time to be without it, and being
259once made it will last three or fowre moneths at least.
260    After your horse hath beene exercised, either with

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261hunting, running traine-sents or otherwise, you shall euer
262coole him well in the fielde before you bring him
263home, but being come to the stable, you shall neither
264washe nor walke but instantly house him, giue him store
265of fresh litter and rubbe him therewith and with drie
266cloathes till there bee not a wet haire about him, then
267cloath him with his ordinarie cloathes and wispe him
268round, then cast another spare cloath ouer him, which
269you may bate at your pleasure, and so let him stand till it
270be time to feede him. And thus you may keep any hunting
271horse either for match or otherwise, in as good state
272and strength as any Horse man in this kingdome, though
273he exceede you farre both in reputation and experience.

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274

CHAP. IIII.

275
276

OF DAIRIES, BUTTER, CHEESE, AND THE NECESSARIE THINGS BELONGING
277TO THAT OFFICE.

278
279    There followeth now in his place after these
280knowledges alreadie rehearsed, the ordering
281and gouernment of Dairies, with the profits
282and commodities belonging to the same;
283and first touching the stocke wherewith to
284furnish Dairies: it is to be vnderstood that they must bee
285Kine of the best choice and breed that our English hous-wife
286can possibly attaine vnto; as of bigge bone, faire
287shape, right bredde, and deepe of Milke, gentle, and
288kindely.
289    Touching the bignesse of bone, the larger that euerie
290cow is, the better she is: for when either age, or mischance
291shall disable her for the payle, being of large bone she may
292be fed, and made fit for the shambles; and so no losse, but

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293profit, and ay other to the payle as good and sufficient as
294her selfe.
295    For her shape it must a little differ from the Butchers
296rules; for being chose for the Dairie, she must haue all the
297signes of plenty of milke, as a crumpl'd horne, a thinne
298necke, a hayrie dewlappe, and a verie large vdder, with
299foure teats, long, thicke, and sharpe at the ends, for the
300most part either all white of what colour soeuer the cow
301be, or at least the fore part thereof, and if it bee well haird
302before and behinde, and smooth in the bottome, it it is a
303good signe also.
304    As touching the right breed of Kine through our nation
305generally affoordeth verie good ones, yet some countries
306doe farre exceed other countries; as Che shire, Lanca-shire,
307Yorke-shire , and Darbie-shire for black Kine; Glocester-shire,
308Somerset shire , and some part of Wilt-shire for red
309Kine, and Lincolne-shire pide kine: and from the breeds of
310these Countries generally doe proceed the breeds of all
311other, howsoeuer dispersed ouer the whole Kingdome.
312Now for our hus-wifes direction, shee shall choose her dairie
313from any of their best breeds before named, according
314as her opinion and delight shall gouerne her, onely obseruing,
315not to mix her breeds of diuerse kindes, but to haue
316all of one intire choice without variation, because it is
317vnprofitable; neither must you by any meanes haue your
318Bull a forrener from your Kine, but absolutely either of
319one Countrie, or of one shape and colour: Againe in the
320choice of your Kine you must looke diligently to the
321goodnesse and fertility of the soile wherein you liue, and
322by al meanes buy no Kine from a place that is more fruitful
323then your owne, but rather harder; for the later will
324prosper and come on, the other will decay and fall into
325disease; as the pissing of blood, and such like, for which disease
326and all other you may finde assured cures in a little

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327booke I published, called Cheape and good .
328    For the depth of milke in Kine (which is the giuing of
329most milke) being the maine of a Hus-wifes profit, shee
330shall bee verie carefull to haue that quality in her beasts.
331Now those Kine are said to be deepest of milke, which are
332new bare; that is, which haue but lately calued, and haue
333their milke deepe springing in their vdders, for at that
334time she giueth the most milke; and if the quantity then
335be not conuenient, doutlesse the cow cannot be said to be
336of deep milch: and for the quantity of milke, for a Cow
337to giue two gallons at a meale, is rare, and extraordinarie;
338to giue a gallon and a halfe is much, and conuenient, and
339to giue but a gallon certaine is much, and not to be found
340fault with: againe, those Kine are said to be deep of milke
341which though they giue not so exceeding much milke as
342others, yet they giue a reasonable quantity, and giue it
343long as al the yeere through, whereas other Kine that giue
344more in quantity, wil goe drie, being with calfe some three
345moneths, some two, and some one, but these wil giue
346their vsuall measure euen the night before they calue; and
347therefore are said to be Kine deep of milke. Now for the
348retained opinion, that the Cow which goeth not drie at
349all, or very little, bringeth not foorth so good a Calfe as
350the other, because it wanteth much of the nourishment it
351should enioy it is vaine and friuolous; for should the substance
352from whence the milke proceedeth conuert to the
353other intended nourishment, it would bee so superabundant,
354that it would conuert either to disease, or putrifaction:
355but letting these secret reasons passe, there bee
356some kine which are so exceedingly ful of milk, that they
357must bee milkt at least thrice a daie, at morning, noone, &
358euening, or else they will shed their milke, but it is a fault
359rather then a vertue, & proceedeth more from a laxatiuenesse
360or loosenesse of milke, then from any abundance

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361for I neuer saw those three meales, yet equall the two
362meales of a good Cow, and therefore they are not truely
363called deepe of milke.
364    Touching the gentlenesse of kine, it is a vertue as fit to
365be expected as any other; for if she bee not affable to the
366maide, gentle, and willing to come to the paile and patient
367to haue her dugges drawne without skittishnesse,
368striking, or wildnesse, shee is vtterly vnfitte for the Dayrie.
369    As a Cow must be gentle to her milker, so she must bee
370kindly in her owne nature; that is apt to conceiue, and
371bring foorth, fruitfull to nourish, and louing to that which
372springs from her; for so she bringeth foorth a double profit;
373the one for the time present which is in the dairie; the
374other for the time to come; which is in the maintenance
375of the stocke, and vpholding of breede.
376    The best time for a Cow to calue in for the Dairie, is in
377the later ende of March , and all Aprill ; for then grasse beginning
378to spring to its perfect goodnesse will occasion
379the greatest increase of milke that may be: and one good
380early Cow will counteruaile two later; yet the calues thus
381calued are not to be reared, but suffered to feed vpon their
382Dammes best milke, and then to be sould to the Butchers,
383and surely the profit will equall charge; but those Calues
384which fall in October, Nouember , or any time of the depth
385of winter may well be reared vp for breed, because the
386maine profit of the dayrie is then spent, and such breede
387will holde vp and continue the stocke, prouided that you
388reare not vp any calues which are calued in the prime
389daies, for they generally are subiect to the disease of the
390sturdie, which is dangerous and mortall.
391    The Housewife which only hath respect to her Dayry,
392and for whose knowledge this discourse is written (for
393we haue shewed the Grasier his office in the English Hus-bandman )

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394must reare her Calues vpon the finger with
395floten milke, and not suffer them to run with the dammes;
396the generall manner whereof, and the cure of all the diseases
397incident to them and all other cattell is fully declared
398in the booke called Cheape and good .
399    To proceed then to the generall vse of Dairies it consisteth
400first in the cattell (of which we haue spoken sufficiently)
401then in the howers of milking, the ordering of the
402milke and the profits arising from the same.
403    The best and most commended howers for milking
404are indeede but two in the day, that is in the spring and
405summer time which is the best season, for the dairie is betwixt
406fiue and sixe in the morning, and sixe and seauen a
407clocke in the euening: and although nice and curious
408Hus-wiues will haue a third howre betwixt them, as betweene
409twelue and one in the after-noone, yet the better
410experienst doe not allowe it and say as I beleeue, that two
411good meales of milk are better euer then three bad ones:
412also, in the milking of a Cowe the woman must sit on the
413neare side of the Cowe, she must gently at first handle and
414stretch her dugges, and moisten them with milke that
415they may yeeld out the milke the better and with lesse
416paine; shee shall not settle her selfe to milke, nor fixe her
417paile firme to the ground till she see the Cowe stand sure
418and firme, but be ready vpon any motion of the Cowe to
419saue her paile from ouer-turning; when she seeth all things
420answerable to her desire she shall then milke the Cowe
421boldly, and not leaue stretching and straining of her teats
422til not one drop of milke more wil come from them, for
423the worst point of Hus-wifery that can bee is to leaue a
424Cowe halfe milkt, for besides the losse of the milke it is
425the only way to make a Cowe drie and vtterly vnprofitable
426for the Dairy: the Milke-mayd whilst she is in milking
427shal do nothing rashly or sodainly about the Cowe, which

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428may affright or amase her, but as she came gently so withall
429gentlenes she shall depart.
430    Touching the well ordering of milke after it is come
431home to the Dairie, the maine point belonging therunto
432is the Hus-wiues cleanlinesse in the sweet and neate keeping
433of the Dairy house, where not the least moat of any
434filth may by any meanes appeare, but all things either to
435the eye or nose so voide of sowernesse or sluttishnesse, that
436a Princes bed-chamber must not exceed it; to this must
437be added the sweet and delicate keeping of her milke vessels,
438whether they be of wood, earth or lead, the best of
439which is yet disputable with the best Hus-wiues; only this
440opinion is generally receiued, that the woodden vessell
441which is round and shallow is best in colde vaults, the earthen
442vessels principall for long keeping, and the leaden
443vessell for yeelding of much creame: but howsoeuer, any
444and all these must be carefully scalded once a day, and set
445in the open aire to sweeten, least getting any taint of sowernesse
446into them, they corrupt the milk that shall be put
447therein.
448    But to proceed to my purpose, after your milk is come
449home, you shall as it were straine it from all vncleane
450things through a neate and sweet kept syle the form wherof
451euery Hus-wife knowes, and the bottome of this sile,
452through which the milke must passe shall be couered with
453a very cleane washt fine linnen cloth, such an one as will
454not suffer the least mote or haire to goe through it: you
455shall into euery vessell sile a pretty quantitie of milk, according
456to the proportion of the vessell, which the broader
457it is and the shallower it is, the better it is, and yeeldeth
458euer the best creame, and keepeth the milke longest from
459sowring.
460    Now for the profits arising from milke, they are three
461of especiall account, as Butter, Cheese, and Milke, to be

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462eaten either simple or compounded: as for Curds, sowre
463Milke, or Whigge, they come from secondary meanes,
464and therefore may not bee numbred with these.
465    For your Butter which onely proceedeth from the
466Creame, which is the verie heart and strength of Milke,
467it must be gathered very carefullie, diligentlie, and painefullie:
468And though cleanlinesse be such an ornament to a
469Huswife, that if shee want anie part thereof, shee looseth
470both that and all good names else: yet in this action it
471must be more seriouslie imploid then in anie other.
472    To beginne then with the fleeting or gathering of
473your Creame from the Milke, you shall doe it in this manner:
474The Milke which you did milke in the morning you
475shall with a fine thinne shallow dish made for the purpose,
476take of the Creame about fiue of the clocke in the euening
477and the Milke which you did milke in the euening
478you shall fleete and take of the Creame about fiue of the
479clocke the next morning, and the creame so taken off,
480you shall put into a cleane sweet and well leaded earthen
481pot close couered and set in a coole place: And this creame
482so gathered you shall not keepe aboue two daies in the
483Summer, and not aboue foure in the Winter, if you will
484haue the sweetest and best butter: and that your Dairie
485containe fiue Kine or more; but how many or few soeuer
486you keepe, you shall not by any meanes preserue your
487Creame aboue 3. daies in summer, and not aboue sixe in
488the Winter.
489    Your Creame being neately and sweet kept, you shall
490churme or churne it on those vsuall daies which are fittest
491either for your vse in the house or the markets adioining
492neere vnto you, according to the purpose for which you
493keepe your Dayrie. Now the daies most accustomablie
494held amongst ordinary Huswiues, are Tuesday and Friday:
495Tuesday in the after noone, to serue Wednesday morning

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496market, and Fryday morning to serue Saturday market;
497for Wensday and Saturday are the most generall market
498daies of this Kingdome, and Wenseday, Friday, and
499Saturday, the vsual fasting daies of the weeke; and so meetest
500for the vse of butter. Now for churming take your
501creame and through a strong and cleane cloth straine it
502into the churne; and then couering the churne close; and
503setting it in a place fit for the action in which you are imploid
504as in the summer in the coolest place of your dairy,
505and exceeding early in the morning, or very late in the
506euening, and in the Winter in the warmest place of your
507dairie, and in the most temperate howres, as about noone,
508or a little before, or after, and so churne it with swift
509strokes marking the noise of the same which will be solid,
510heauy and intyre vntill you heare it alter, and the sound
511is light, sharp, and more spirity: and then you shal say that
512your butter breakes, which perceiued both by this sound,
513the lightnesse of the churne-staffe, and the sparkes and
514drops, which will appeare yellow about the lippe of the
515churne, and clense with your hand both the lidde and inward
516sides of the churne, and hauing put all together,
517you shall couer the churne againe, and then with easie
518stroakes round, and not to the bottome, gather the butter
519together into one intire lumpe and body, leauing no
520peeces thereof seuerall or vnioyned.
521    Now for as much as there bee manie mischiefes and inconueniences
522which may happen to butter in the churning,
523because it is a bodie of much tendernesse, and neither
524will endure much heate, nor much colde: for if it be
525ouer heated, it will looke white, crumble, and be bitter in
526tast; and if it be ouer cold it will not come at all, but make
527you wast much labour in vaine, which faults to helpe if
528you churne your butter in the heate of Sommer it shall
529not be amisse, if during the time of your churning you

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530place your Churn in a paile of cold water as deep as your
531Creame riseth in the Churne; and in the churning thereof
532let your stroakes goe slow, and be sure that your churne
533be cold when you put in your creame: but if you churne
534in the coldest time of Winter, you shall then put in
535your kreame before the churne be cold after it hath been
536scalded; and you shall place it within the aire of the fire,
537and churne it with as swift stroakes, and as fast as may be,
538for the much labouring thereof will keepe it in a continuall
539warmth, and thus you shall haue your butter good,
540sweete, and according to your wish. After your butter is
541churnd, or churnd and gathered well together in your
542churne, you shall then open your churne, and with both
543your hands gather it well together, and take it from the
544buttermilke, and put it into a very cleane boule of wood,
545or panshion of earth sweetned for the purpose, and if you
546intend to spend the butter sweet and fresh, you shal haue
547your boule or panshion filled with very cleane water, and
548therein with your hand you shall worke the butter, turning,
549and tossing it to and fro till you haue by that labor
550beaten and washt out all the buttermilke, and brought the
551butter to a firme substance of it selfe without any other
552moisture, which done, you shall take the butter from the
553water, and with the point of a knife scorch and slash the
554butter ouer and ouer euerie waie so thick as is possible,
555leauing no part through which your knife must not passe;
556for this will clense and fetch out the smallest haire or
557mote, or ragge of strainer, and any other thing which by
558casuall meanes may happen to fall into it.
559    After this you shall shreade the butter in boule thin,
560and take so much salt as you shal think conuenient, which
561must by no meanes be much for sweet butter, and sprinkle
562it thereupon, then with your hands worke the butter
563and the salt exceedingly well together, and then make it

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564vp either into dishes, pounds, or halfe pounds at your
565pleasure.
566    If during the month of May before you salt your butter
567you saue a lumpe thereof and put it into a vessell, and
568so set it into the sunne the space of that moneth, you shall
569finde it exceeding soueraigne & medicinable for wounds,
570straines, aches, and such like grieuances.
571    Touching the poudring vp or potting of butter, you
572shall by no meanes as in fresh butter wash the butter-milke
573out with water, but onely worke it cleere out with
574your hands: for water will make the butter rusty, or reesse;
575this done you shall weigh your butter, and know how many
576pounds there is thereof: for should you weigh it after
577it were salted, you would be deceiued in the weight, which
578done you shall open the butter, and salt it verie well and
579throughly, beating it in with your hand till it be generally
580disperst through the whole butter; then take cleane earthen
581pots, exceedingly well leaded, least the brine should
582leake through the same, and cast salt into the bottome
583of it: then lay in your butter, and presse it downe hard
584within the same, and when your pot is filled, then couer
585the top thereof with salt so as no butter be seene: then closing
586vp the pot let it stand where it may be cold and safe.
587but if your Dairy be so little that you cannot at first fil vp
588the pot, you shall then when you haue potted vp so much
589as you haue, couer it all ouer with salt.
590    Now there be hus-wiues whose dairies being great, can
591by no meanes conueniently haue their butter contained
592in pots; as in Holland, Suffolke, Norfolke , and such like, and
593therefore are first to take barrels very close and wel made,
594and after they haue salted it well, they fill their barrels
595therewith, then they take a small stick, cleane, and sweete,
596and therewith make diuerse holes downe through the

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597butter euen to the bottome of the larraill: and then make
598a strong brine of water and salt which will beare an egge,
599and after it is boil'd, well skimm'd and cool'd; then poure
600it vpon the toppe of the butter till it swimme aboue the
601same, and so let it settle. Some vse to boile in this brine a
602braunch or two of Rosemarie, and it is not amisse, but
603pleasant and wholsome.
604    Now although you may at anie time betwixt May and
605September pot vp butter, obseruing to doe it in the coolest
606time of the morning: yet the most principall season of all
607is in the Month of May onelie; for then the aire is most
608temperat, and the butter will take salt the best, and the lest
609subiect to reesing.