THOMAS TUSSER

Was born (says Mr Warton) at Rivenhall, in Essex, about the year 1523, and died in London, 1580. He was of an ancient family: was first placed as a chorister in the collegiate chapel of the castle of Wallingford; then impressed into the king's chapel, from whence he was admitted into the choir of St Paul's cathedral, and completed his education at Eton, and Trinity-college, Cambridge. From hence he was called up to court by his patron, William Lord Paget; but, at the end of about ten years, exchanged the life of a courtier for the profession of a farmer, which he successively practised at Ratwood in Sussex, Ipswich, Fairstead, Norwich, and many other places. He was also, for some time, a singing-man in Norwich cathedral: but he prospered no where; and every period of his singular life seems to have been marked by the ceaseless persecutions of Fortune. At Ratwood he composed his "Hundreth Good Points of "Husbandrie," which was first printed in 1557, and passed through many subsequent editions (with improvements) which are diligently enumerated in Ritson's Bibliographia. That by Denham, in 1580, took the title of "the Five hundreth pointes of good husbandrie, as well for "champion or open countrie, as also for the woodland, " or severall, mixed in everie month, with huswiferie, "over and besides the booke of huswiferie. Corrected, "better ordered, and newlie augmented to a fourth part 66 more," " &c.

It was finally reprinted (says the London Review for May, 1800) in 1710, with notes and observations by Mr Daniel Hilman, a surveyor, of Epsom, in Surrey.

This work is a sensible and lively, though not an elegant didactic poem, being solely intended for the use of the practical farmer. The preface" to the buier of this "book" begins with the following lines, in a metre afwards adopted by Shenstone :

What lookest thou herein to have?

Fine verses, thy fancy to please?
Of many, my betters, that crave:

Look nothing but rudeness in these.

In general, as Mr Warton has justly observed, the work is "valuable as a genuine picture of the agriculture, the "rural arts, and the domestic economy and customs of 66 our industrious ancestors." The following specimens will sufficiently exemplify the style of this author.

Moral Reflections on the Wind.

THOUGH winds do rage, as winds were wood,1
And cause spring-tides to raise great flood;
And lofty ships leave anchor in mud,
Bereaving many of life and of blood;

Yet, true it is, as cow chews cud,
And trees, at spring, doth yield forth bud,
Except wind stands as never it stood,
It is an ill wind turns none to good.

'Mad with rage.

A SONNET

Upon the Author's first seven Years Service.

[Perhaps addressed to his Wife.]

SEVEN times hath Janus ta'en new year by hand,
Seven times hath blustering March blown forth

To drive out April's buds, by sea and land,

For minion May to deck most trim with flower: Seven times hath temperate Ver like pageant plaid; And pleasant Estas eke her flowers told; Seven times Autumnus' heat hath been delay'd,

With Hyems' boisterous blasts and bitter cold: Seven times the thirteen moons have changed hue;

Seven times the sun his course hath gone about; Seven times each bird his nest hath built anew ;— Since first time you to serve I choosed out: Still yours am I, though thus the time hath past, And trust to be, as long as life shall last.

Good Huswifely Physick.

GOOD huswife provides, ere a sickness do come,
Of sundry good things in her house to have some.
Good aqua composita, and vinegar tart,

Rose-water, and treacle, to comfort thine heart.

Cold herbs in her garden, for agues that burn, That over-strong heat to good temper may turn. White endive, and succory, with spinach enow; All such with good pot-herbs, should follow the plough.

1

Get water of fumitory, liver to cool,

And others the like, or else lie like a fool.
Conserves of barbary, quinces, and such,
With sirops, that easeth the sickly so much.
Ask Medicus' counsel, ere medicine ye take,
And honour that man for necessity's sake.
Though thousands hate physic, because of the cost,
Yet thousands it helpeth, that else should be lost.
Good broth, and good keeping, do much now and
than:

Good diet, with wisdom, best comforteth man.
In health, to be stirring shall profit thee best;
In sickness, hate trouble; seek quiet and rest.
Remember thy soul; let no fancy prevail;
Make ready to God-ward; let faith never quail :
The sooner thyself thou submittest to God,
The sooner he ceaseth to scourge with his rod.

THERE

HERE were three ravens sat on a tree,
Down a down, hey down, hey down,

There were three ravens sat on a tree,
With a down;

There were three ravens sat on a tree,

They were as black as they might be,

With a down, derry, derry, derry, down, down,

II.

The one of them said to his make, I

Where shall we our breakfast take?

Down in yonder greene field:

There lies a knight slain under his shield.

IV.

His hounds they lie down at his feet,

So well they their master keep.

I Mate: