16. ¶ Septembers husbandrie. Chap. 15

September blowe soft,
Till fruite be in loft.

Forgotten, month past,
Doe now at the last.

1
At Mihelmas lightly new fermer comes in,
new husbandrie forceth him new to begin:
Old fermer, still taking the time to him giuen,
makes August to last vntill Mihelmas euen.

2
New fermer may enter (as champions say)
on all that is fallow, at Lent ladie day:
In woodland, old fermer to that will not yeeld,
for loosing of pasture, and feede of his feeld.

3
Prouide against Mihelmas, bargaine to make,
for ferme to giue ouer, to keepe or to take:
In dooing of either, let wit beare a stroke,
for buieng or selling of pig in a poke.

4
Good ferme and well stored, good housing and drie,
good corne and good dairie, good market and nie:
Good shepheard, good tilman, good Jack and good Gil,
makes husband and huswife their cofers to fil.

5
Let pasture be stored, and fenced about,
and tillage set forward, as needeth without:
Before ye doe open your purse to begin,
with anything dooing for fancie within.

6
No storing of pasture with baggedglie tit,
with ragged, with aged, and euil athit:
Let carren and barren be shifted awaie,
for best is the best, whatsoeuer ye paie.

7
Horse, Oxen, plough, tumbrel, cart, waggon, & waine,
the lighter and stronger, the greater thy gaine.
The soile and the seede, with the sheafe and the purse,
the lighter in substance, for profite the wurse.

8
To borow to daie and to-morrow to mis,
for lender and borower, noiance it is:
Then haue of thine owne, without lending vnspilt,
what followeth needfull, here learne if thou wilt.

* * * The stanzas of No. 16 are continued after the following Digression.