Chronicle and Romance: Froissart, Malory, Holinshed: (The Harvard Classics Series)
History
Chronicle and Romance: Froissart, Malory, Holinshed: (The Harvard Classics Series)
England -- Social life and customs -- 16th century; Great Britain -- History -- Edward III, 1327-1377
Of late years also we have found and taken up a great trade in
planting of hops, whereof our moory hitherto and unprofitable grounds
do yield such plenty and increase that there are few farmers or
occupiers in the country which have not gardens and hops growing of
their own, and those far better than do come from Flanders unto us.
Certes the corruptions used by the Flemings, and forgery daily
practised in this kind of ware, gave us occasion to plant them here
at home; so that now we may spare and send many over unto them. And
this I know by experience, that some one man by conversion of his
moory grounds into hopyards, whereof before he had no commodity, doth
raise yearly by so little as twelve acres in compass two hundred
marks--all charges borne towards the maintenance of his family. Which
industry God continue! though some secret friends of Flemings let not
to exclaim against this commodity, as a spoil of wood, by reason of
the poles, which nevertheless after three years do also come to the
fire, and spare their other fuel.
The cattle which we breed are commonly such as for greatness of bone,
sweetness of flesh, and other benefits to be reaped by the same, give
place unto none other; as may appear first by our oxen, whose
largeness, height, weight, tallow, hides, and horns are such as none
of any other nation do commonly or may easily exceed them. Our sheep
likewise, for good taste of flesh, quantity of limbs, fineness of
fleece, caused by their hardness of pasturage and abundance of
increase (for in many places they bring forth two or three at an
caning), give no place unto any, more than do our goats, who in like
sort do follow the same order, and our deer come not behind. As for
our conies, I have seen them so fat in some soils, especially about
Meall and Disnege, that the grease of one being weighed hath peised
very near six or seven ounces. All which benefits we first refer to
the grace and goodness of God, and next of all unto the bounty of our
soil, which he hath endued with so notable and commodious
fruitfulness.
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