March

IN March sow thy barley, thy land not too cold,

The drier the better, a hundreth times told.

That tilth harrow'd finely, set seed-time an end,

And praise and pray God a good harvest to send.

Sow wheat in a mean, sow thy rye not too thin;

Let peason and beans, here and there, take therein.

Sow barley and oats good and thick, do not spare;

Give land leave her seed or her weed for to bear.

For barley and peas, harrow after thou sow;

For rye harrow first, seldom after, I trow*.            [swear]

Let wheat have a clod for to cover the head

That after a frost it may out and go spread.

Thomas Tusser

September

THRESH seed and go fan, for the plow may not lie;

September doth bid to be sowing of rye.

The ridges well-harrow'd, or ever thou strike,

Is one point of husbandry rye land do like.

Give winter corn* leave for to have full his lust;            [grain]

Sow wheat as thou mayst, but sow rye in the dust.

Be careful for seed, for such seed as thou sow,

As true as thou livest, look justly to mow.

The seed being sown, water-furrow thy ground

That rain, when it cometh, may run away round.

The ditches keep scour'd, the hedge clad with thorn,

Doth well to drain water and saveth thy corn.

Then forth with thy slings and thine arrows and bows,

Till ridges be green, keep corn from the crows.

A good boy abroad, by the day-star appear,

Shall scare Goodman Crow that he dare not come near.

At Michaelmas, mast* would be looked upon,            [nuts of beech and oak]

And lay to get some, or the mast-time be gone.

It saveth thy corn well; it fatteth thy swine;

In frost it doth help them where else they should pine.

Thomas Tusser

Upon The Author's First Seven Years' Service

SEVEN times hath Janus ta'en new year by hand,

Seven times hath blust'ring March blown forth his power

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 play'd,            [Spring]

And pleasant Aestas* eke her flowers told;            [Summer]

Seven times Autumnes' heat hath been delayed

With Hyem's boist'rous 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 her nest hath built anew,

Since first time you to serve I chosed out.

  Still yours am I, though thus the time hath pass'd,

  And trust to be so long as life shall last.

Thomas Tusser

A Description Of The Properties Of Winds All The Times Of The Year

NORTH winds send hail, south winds bring rain,

East winds we bewail, west winds blow amain;

Northeast is too cold, southeast not too warm,

Northwest is too bold, southwest doth no harm.

The north is a noyer* to grass of all suits,            [annoyer]

The east a destroyer to herb and all fruits;

The south with his showers refresheth the corn,

The west to all flowers may not be forborne.

The west, as a father, all goodness doth bring;

The east, a forbearer no manner of thing;

The south, as unkind, draweth sickness too near;

The north, as a friend, maketh all again clear.

With temperate wind we be blessed of God;

With tempest, we find, we are beat with His rod;

All power we know to remain in His hand

However wind blow, by sea or by land.

Though winds do rage as winds were wood*,            [mad]

And cause great tides to raise spring flood,

And lofty ships leave anchor in mud,

Bereafing* many of life and of blood,            [tearing away]

Yet true it is, as cow chews cud

And trees at spring do yield forth bud,

Except wind stands* as never it stood,            [blows from a direction]

It is an ill wind turns none to good.

Thomas Tusser

The End Of Harvest

[Ed. Note: The last cartload of grain to reach the barn was celebrated with singing; its arrival was the signal for the Harvest Home supper to begin. --Nelson]

COME home, lord*, singing,            ["Harvest Lord," or foreman]

Come home, corn bringing.

'Tis merry in hall,

Where beards wag all.

Once had thy desire,

Pay workman his hire:

Let none be beguil'd,

Man, woman, nor child.

Thank God ye shall,

And adieu for all.

Thomas Tusser

Christmas Cheer

GOOD husband and huswife, now chiefly be glad,

Things handsome to have, as they ought to be had.

They both do provide, against Christmas do come,

To welcome their neighbors, good cheer to have some.

Good bread and good drink, a good fire in the hall,

Brawn, pudding, and souse, and good mustard withal.

Beef, mutton, and pork, and good pies of the best,

Pig, veal, goose, and capon, and turkey well drest,

Cheese, apples and nuts, and good carols to hear,

As then in the country is counted good cheer.

What cost to good husband, is any of this?

Good household provision only it is:

Of other the like, I do leave out a many,

That costeth the husband never a penny.

Thomas Tusser