¶ In Husbandry matters, where Pilcrow' ye find,
That Verse appertaineth to Huswif'ry kind;

So have ye more lessons, if there ye look well,
Than Huswifery Book doth utter or tell.

2

Of Champion Husbandry now do I write,
Which heretofore never this book did recite ;
With lessons approved, by practise and skill,
To profit the ignorant, buy it that will.

The Champion differs from Severall much,
For want of partition, closier, and such :
One name to them both do I give now and than,
For Champion country, and Champion man.

1 The Pilcrow or paragraph, wherever it appears in the margin, indicates, as we are plainly told, that something relative to Huswifery is introduced.

2 In the edition of 1573 and the following ones, it is said in the titlepage, "Corrected, better ordered,

and newly augmented to a fourth part more," &c. See TITLE at length in the preliminary dissertation. The preceding editions of course wanted Champion Husbandry, and many other particulars, which the author has taken care to enumerate.

The Author's Epistle to the late Lord William Paget', wherein he doth discourse of his own bringing up, and of the goodness of the said Lord his Master unto him, and the occasion of this his Book, thus set forth of

his own long Practise.

CHAP. I.

A TIME tries the troth in every thing;
Herewith let men content their mind,
Of works which best may (a) profit bring,
Most rash to judge, most often blind.
As therefore troth in time shall crave,
So let this book just favor have.

To the Right Honorable and my speciall good Lord and Master, the Lord Thomas Paget of Beaudesert,

Son and Heir to his late Father deceased.

CHAP. 11.

My Lord, your father loved me
And you, my Lord, have proved me,
And both your loves have moved me,
To write, as here is done.
Since God hath hence your father,
Such flowers as I gather

I dedicate now rather

To you, my Lord, his son.

Your father was my founder,
Till death became his wounder,
No subject ever sounder,

Whom prince advancement gave:

As God did here defend him,
And honor here did send him,

So will I here commend him,
As long as life 1 have.

His neighbours then did bless him,
His servants now do miss him,
The poor would gladly kiss him,

Alive again to be;

But God hath wrought his pleasure,

And blest him out of measure,

With heaven and earthly treasure,

So good a God is he.