Diuers of our English Gardiners, and those of the best and most approued'st iudgements, haue béene very industrious to bring Grapes, in our kingdome, to their true nature and perfection: and some great persons I know, that with infinit cost, and I hope prosperous successe, hath planted a Vineyard of many Acres, in which the hands of the best experienced french-men hath béene imploied: but for those great workes they are onely for great men, and not for the plaine English Husbandman, neither will such workes by any meanes prosper in many parts of our kingdome, especially in the North parts: and I that write for the generall vse, must treate of vniuersall Maximes: therefore if you desire to haue Grapes in their true and best kinde, most earely and longest lasting, you shall in the most conuenient part of your garden, which is euer the center or middle point thereof, build a round house, in the fashion of a round Doue-coate, but many degrées lower, the ground worke whereof shalbe aboue the ground two or thrée brickes thickenesse, vpon this ground-plot you shall place a groundsell, and thereon, fine, yet strong studs, which may reach to the roofe: these studs shalbe placed better then foure foote one from another, with little square bars of woode, such as you vse in glasse windowes, two betwixt euery two studs, the roofe you may make in what proportion you will, for this house may serue for a delicate banqueting house, and you may either couer it with Leade, Slate or Tile, which you please. Now, from the ground to the top, betwéene the studs, you shall glase it, with very strong glasse, made in an excéeding large square pane, well leaded and cimented. This house thus made, you shall obserue that through the bricke worke there be made, betwéene euery two studs, square holes, cleane through into the house; then on the out-side, opposite against those holes, you shall plant the roote of your Vine, hauing béene very carefull in the election and choise thereof: which done, as your Vine groweth you shall draw it through those holes, and as you vse to plash a Vine against a wall, so you shall plash this against the glasse window, on the in-side, and so soone as it shall beginne to beare Grapes you shall be sure to turne euery bunch, so that it may lye close to the glasse, that the reflection of the Sunne heating the glasse, that heate may hasten on the ripening, & increase the groath of your Grapes: as also the house defending off all manner of euill weather, these Grapes will hang ripe, vnrotted or withered, euen till Christmas. Thus haue I giuen you a tast of some of the first parts of English Husbandry, which if I shall finde thankefully accepted, if it please God to grant mée life, I will in my next Volumne, shew you the choise of all manner of Garden Hearbes and Flowers, both of this and other kingdomes, the seasons of their plantings, their florishings and orderings: I will also shew you the true ordering of Woodes, both high and low, as also the bréeding and féeding of all manner of Cattell, with the cure of all diseases incident vnto them, together with other parts of Husbandry, neuer before published by any Author: this I promise, if God be pleased: to whom be onely ascribed the glory of all our actions, and whose name be praised for euer. Amen.
FINIS.
Transcriber's notes
The following changes have been made and anomalies noted.
A Former Part
Chap. II.
'adicted to nouelty and [curiouity]' changed to 'adicted to nouelty and curiousity' on signature [A4r].
Chap. III.