not a fair lass betwixt St. Paul's and Stratford, that day, we will bestow a new suit of sattin upon you, so you will bear all the charges.

60. But, as for your dear friends and scholars, thus much we favour you, for you shall dine upon wit by authority; and, if you pay your hostess well, it is no matter, though you score it up till it come to a good round sum.

61. In like manner, it shall be lawful for maid's milk to be good physick for kibed heals; and a cup of sack to bed-ward, a present remedy for the rheum.

62. Such as are sick, in the spring, may take physick by the statute; and those that are cold may wear more clothes without offence.

63. It is best to ride in long journeys, lest a man be weary with going a-foot; and more comely to go in broken stockings than barelegged.

64. Further, it shall be lawful for some to be lean, because they

cannot be fat.

65. Some, by statute, shall love beef passing well, because they can come by no other meat; and other some simper it with an egg at dinner, that dare manfully set upon a shoulder of veal in the

afternoon.

66. Some shall be sad when they want money, and in love with widows rather for their wealth than their honesty.

67. It is also thought necessary, that some shall suspect their wives at home, because they themselves play false abroad.

68. And some love bowling-allies* better than a sermon.

69. But, above all other things, spirits with aprons shall much disturb your sleep about midnight.

70. Furthermore, it shall be lawful for him that marries without money, to find four bare legs in his bed; and he, that is too prodigal in spending, shall die a beggar by the statute.

71. In like manner we think it necessary, that he, that is plagued with a cursed wife, have his pate broke quarterly, as he pays his rent. 72. Likewise, he, who delights in subtlety, may play the knave by custom; and he, who hath his complexion and courage spent, may cat mutton on fasting-days by the law.

73. And to conclude, since there are ten precepts to be observed in the art of scolding, we humbly take our leave of Duke Humphry's ordinary, and betake us to the chapel of ill counsel, where a quart or two of fine Trimdado shall arm us against the gun-shot of tongue-metal, and keep us safe from the assaults of Sir John Find-fault. Vale, my dear friends, till my next return.

Nine-pins, or skittles, at ale-houses.

VOX REGIS, March 21, 1609. See Vol. I. p. 13.

INSTRVCTIONS

FOR THE

INCREASING AND PLANTING OF MULBERRIE-TREES,

AND

THE BREEDING OF SILK-WORMES,

For the making of Silke in this Kingdome.

Whereunto is annexed his Maiesties Letters to the Lords Lieftenants of the seuerall Shiers of England, tending to that Purpose.

Newly printed, MDCIX. Quarto, containing two Sheets.

It is more than probable, that the fine mulberry trees, which abound in some parts of England, and grow as high and extensive as any in France or Italy, are the monuments of this laudable scheme, and royal encouragement to promote the growth and making of silk, within ourselves: But how so advantageous and profitable an undertaking should be now dwindled to nothing, in a nation, of all others, the most industrious, and able to inprove every branch of trade, is a matter of the greatest speculation and amazement; for by experience both the animal and its food propagate and thrive in our soil and climate, and both the rich and poor must have found their advantage in conducting so large a manu facture: Besides the national interest, which must have not only saved immense sums of money sent abroad to purchase silks, but have been able to draw the riches of more northern nations into its own bank, by this new mart of silken goods. This certainly was the intention of those times, in which those instructions were written, and was so explained in his Majesty's letters-patent hereunto annexed.

To the Reader.

AS one desirous of nothing more then the publike good, I here most willingly impart vnto thee, gentle reader, that which by my owne experience I finde, in regard of the benefit it affoards, worthy thy paines and obseruation. It hath pleased his Maiestie, out of his deepe discerning iudgement, to giue my purpose a speciall approbation, and withall to expresse a willingnesse in himselfe to further so good a businesse, as by his gratious letters hereunto annexed most manifestly appeares. Accept therefore of these my briefe directions, and approoue of them as they prooue: I could haue extended them to a farther length, but oratorie needes not where the thing itselfe perswades: Yet some peraduenture, that haue laboured in the like before, will take occasion to countenance themselues, and make my

breuitie an argument of vnsufficiencie, although I hope, they will consider that a king's picture may be as perfect in a pennie, as in the largest coine. And whatsoeuer hath beene by them published, interpreting other mens workes, according to the practise thereof in forraigne parts, where the same as yet is generally better vnderstood, I doubt not but future triall will verifie this my booke to be euery way here more correspondent to the creature whereof it treates: And for such I commend it to each vnpartial vnderstanding. Remaining alwaies

Thine for the publike weale.

IT

JAMES Rex.

Right trustie and welbeloued, we greete you well.

T is a principall part of that Christian care which appertaineth to souereigntie, to endeauour, by all meanes possible, as well to beget as to increase, among their people, the knowledge and practise of all artes and trades, whereby they may be both wained from idlenesse and the enormities thereof, which are infinite, and exercised in such industries and labours, as are accompanied with euident hopes, not only of preserving people from the shame and griefe of penury, but also of raysing and encreasing them in wealth and abundance, the scope which euery free-borne spirit aimeth at, not in regard of himselfe onely and the case which a plentifull estate bringeth to euery one in his particular, but also in regard of the honour of their natiue countrey, whose commendation is no way more set forth then in the peoples actiuenes and industry. The consideration whereof hauing of late occupied our minde, who always esteeme our peoples good our necessary contemplations, we haue conceiued as well by the discourse of our owne reason, as by information gathered from others, that the making of silke might as well be effected here, as it is in the kingdome of France, where the same hath of late years been put in practise: For neither is the clymate of this isle so far distinct or different in condition from that countrey, especially from the hither parts therof, but that it is to be hoped that those things, which by industrie prosper there, may, by like industrie used here, have like successe; and many private persons, who, for their pleasure, haue bred of those worms, haue found no experience to the contrarie, but that they may be nourished and maintained here, if prouision were made for planting mulberrie trees, whose leaues are the food of the wormes. And, therefore, we haue thought good hereby to let you vnderstand, that although, in suffering this inuention to take place, we doe shew our selues somewhat an aduersarie to our profit, which, in the matter of our customes for silke brought from beyond the seas, will receiue deminution: Neuerthelesse, when there is question of so great and publique vtilitie to come to our kingdome and subiectes in generall, and whereby (besides multitudes of people of both sexes.

and all ages) such, as in regard of impotencie are vnfit for other labour, may be set on worke, comforted, and releeued, we are content that our priuate benefit shall giue way to our publique; and therefore beeing perswaded that no well-affected subiect will refuse to put his helping hand to such a worke, as can haue no other priuate ende in vs, but the desire of the wel-fare of our people, we haue thought good in this forme onely to require you (as a person of greatest authoritie within that countie) and from whome the generalitie may receiue notice of our pleasure, with more conueniencie then otherwise, to take occasion either at the quarter-sessions, or at some other publique place of meeting, to perswade and require such as are of abilitie (without descending to trouble the poore, for whom we seeke to provide) to buie and distribute, in that countie, the number of ten thousand mulberrie plants, which shall be deliuered vnto them at our citie of, &c. at the rate of three farthings the plant, or at six shillings the hundred, containing five score plants. And because the buying of the said plants, at this rate, may at first seem chargeable to our said subiectes, whom we would be loath to burthen, we have taken order, that, in March or April next, there shall be deliuered at the said place a good quantitie of mulberrie seedes, there to be sold to such as will buie them, by meanes whereof the said plants will be deliuered at a smaller rate then they can be afforded beeing carried from hence; hauing resolued also in the meane time, that there shall be published, in print, a plaine instruction and direction, both for the increasing of the said mulberrie trees, the breeding of the silk wormes, and all other thinges needfull to be vnderstood, for the perfecting of a worke euery way so commendable and profitable, as well to the planter as to those that shall vse the trade. Hauing now made knowne vnto you the motiues as they stand, with the publique good, wherein euery man is interested, because, we know, how much the example of our owne deputie-lieftenants and iustices will further this cause, if you, and other your neighbours, will be content to take some good quantities hereof, to distribute vpon your own lands; we are content to acknowledge thus much more in this direction of ours, that all things of this nature tending to plantations, increase of science, and workes of industrie, are things so naturally pleasing to our owne disposition, as we shall take it for an argument of extraordinarie affection towards our person; besides, the iudgement we shall make of the good dispositions in all those that shall expresse in any kinde their readie minds, to further the same, and shall esteeme that, in furthering the same, they seeke to further our honour and contentment, who hauing seene in few yeares space past, that our brother, the French King, hath, since his coming to that crowne, both begunne and brought to perfection the making of silkes in his country, whereby he hath wonne to himself honour, and to his subiectes a meruailous increase of wealth, would account it no little happinesse to vs, if the same worke, which we begun among our peope with no lesse zeale to their good, than any prince can haue to the good of theirs, might, in our time, produce the fruits which there it hath done; whereof we nothing doubt, if ours will be found as

• The Lord Lieutenant of the county.

tractable and apt to further their own good, now the way is shewed them by vs their Souereigne, as these of France haue beene to conforme themselues to the directions of their King.

Giuen vnder our signet at our pallace of Westminster, the nineteenth of January, in the sixth yeare of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the two and fortieth.

What Ground is fit for the Mulberrie Seedes, how the same is to be ordered, and in what Sort the Seedes are to be sowed therein.

THE

HE ground which ought to be appointed for this purpose, besides the naturall goodnesse of it, must be reasonably well dunged, and withall so scituated, as that the heate of the sunne may cherish it, and the nipping blasts of either the North winde, or the East, may not annoy it: The choise thereof thus made, that the seedes may the better prosper, and come vp after they be sowne, you shall digge it two feete deepe, breaking the clods as small as may be, and afterward you shall deuide the same into seuerall beds of not aboue fiue feete in breadth; so that you shall not neede to indanger the plants by treading vpon them, when either you water or weede them.

The mulberrie seedes you shall lay in water for the space of twentytwo hours, and after that you shall drie them againe halfe drie, or somewhat more, that when you sowe them they may not cleaue together: Thus done, you must cast them vpon the foresaid beds, not altogether so thicke as you vse to doe other garden secdes, and then couer them with some fine earth (past through a sieue) about halfe an inch thicke: In dry weather you shall water them euery two dayes at the farthest, as likewise the plants that shall come of them; and keepe them as cleane from weedes as possibly you can.

The time, in which you ought to sowe them for your best aduantage, is either in March, Aprill, or May, when frostes are either altogether past, or at the least not so sharpe, or of so long continuance, as to indanger their vpspring.

There is yet another way to sowe them, and that is as followeth : You shall (beeing directed by a straite line) make certaine furrowes in the beds aboue mentioned of some foure fingers deepe, and about a foote in distance the one from the other: after this, you shall open the earth with your hands, on either side of the aforesaid furrowes, some two fingers from the bottome, and, where you haue so opened it, shall you sowe your seedes; and then couer them halfe a finger thicke with the earth which before you opened.