[Sidenote: Get a copy of this book, and read it from beginning to end.] I auyse hym to gette a copy of this presente boke, and to rede it frome the begynnynge to the endynge, wherby he maye perceyue the chapyters and contentes of the same, and by reason of ofte redyng, he maye 4 waxe perfyte, what shulde be doone at all seasons. For [Sidenote: [Fol. 57_b_.]] I lerned two verses at grammar-scole, and they be these: [Sidenote: Cf. Ovid, ex Ponto Epist. IV. x. 5.] _Gutta cauat lapidem non vi, sed sæpe cadendo: Sic homo fit sapiens non vi, sed sæpe legendo_: A droppe of water perseth 8 a stoone, not al-onely by his owne strengthe, but by his often fallynge. Ryghte so a man shall be made wyse, not all-onely by hym-selfe, but by his ofte redynge. And soo maye this yonge gentyllman, accordynge to the 12 [Sidenote: Read a chapter to your servants now and then.] season of the yere, rede to his seruauntes what chapyter he wyll. And also for any other maner of profyte conteyned in the same, the whiche is necessary for a yonge husbande, that hath not the experyence of housbandrye, 16 nor other thynges conteyned in this presente boke, to take a good remembraunce and credence thervnto, for there is an olde sayinge, but of what auctorytie I cannot tell: _Quod melior est practica rusticoru_m, _q_uam _scie_n_tia 20 [Sidenote: Practice is better than theory.] philosophorum._ It is better the practiue or knowlege of an husband-man well proued, than the science or connynge of a philosopher not proued, for there is nothynge touchyng husbandry, and other profytes conteyned in 24 this presente booke, but I haue hadde the experyence therof, and proued the same. And ouer and beside al this boke, I wil aduise him to ryse betime in the morning, [Sidenote: [Fol. 58.]] according to the verse before spoke of, _Sanat, sanctificat, 28 et ditat surgere mane_: And go about his closes, pastures, fieldes, and specially by the hedges, & to haue in his [Sidenote: Keep a pair of tables, and make notes of all that seems amiss.] purse a payre of tables, and whan he seeth any-thing, that wolde be amended, to wryte it in his tables: as if he 32 fynde any horses, mares, beastes, shepe, swyne, or geese in his pastures, that be not his owne: And perauenture thoughe they be his owne, he wolde not haue them to goo there, or to fynde a gap, or a sherde in his hedge, 36 or any water standynge in his pastures vppon his grasse, wherby he maye take double hurte, bothe losse of his grasse, and rotting of his shepe and calues. And also of standynge-water in his corne-fieldes at the landes 40 endes, or sydes, and howe he wolde haue his landes [Sidenote: Look to the corn, cattle, ditches, etc.] plowed, donged, sturred, or sowen. And his corne weded