The English Husbandman | Page 4

time depart from some part thereof, but that as he riseth on the oneside so he may set on the other. You shall place the vpper or best end of your house, as namely, where your dining Parlor and cheifest roomes are, which euer would haue their prospect into your garden, to the South, that your buttery, kitching and other inferiour offices may stand to the North, coldnesse bringing vnto them a manifold benefit. Now touching the forme, fashion, or modell of the house, it is impossible almost for any man to prescribe a certaine forme, the world is so plentifull in inuention and euery mans minde so much adicted to nouelty and curiouity, yet for as much as it is most commended by the generall consent of all the auntients, and that from the modell of that proportion may be contracted and drawne the most curious formes that are almost at this day extant, I will commend vnto you that modell which beareth the proportion of the Roman H. which as it is most plaine of all other, and most easie for conuaiance, so if a man vpon that plaine song, (hauing a great purse) will make descant, there is no proportion in which he may with best ease show more curiositie, and therefore for the plaine Husbandmans better vnderstanding I will here shew him a facsimile (for to adde a scale were néedlesse in this generall worke, all men not being desirous to build of one bignesse) & this it is:
{Illustration}
Here you behould the modell of a plaine country mans house, without plaster or imbosture, because it is to be intended that it is as well to be built of studde and plaster, as of lime and stone, or if timber be not plentifull it may be built of courser woode, and couered with lime and haire, yet if a man would bestow cost in this modell, the foure inward corners of the hall would be conuenient for foure turrets, and the foure gauell ends, being thrust out with bay windowes might be formed in any curious manner: and where I place a gate and a plaine pale, might be either a tarrisse, or a gatehouse: of any fashion whatsoeuer, besides all those windowes which I make plaine might be made bay windowes, either with battlements, or without, but the scope of my booke tendeth onely to the vse of the honest Husbandman, and not to instruct men of dignitie, who in Architecture are able wonderfully to controle me; therefore that the Husbandman may know the vse of this facsimile, he shall vnderstand it by this which followeth.
A. Signifieth the great hall.
B. The dining Parlor for entertainment of strangers.
C. An inward closset within the Parlor for the Mistrisses vse, for necessaries.
D. A strangers lodging within the Parlor.
E. A staire-case into the roomes ouer the Parlor.
F. A staire-case into the Good-mans roomes ouer the Kitchin and Buttery.
G. The Skréene in the hall.
H. An inward cellar within the buttery, which may serue for a Larder.
I. The Buttery.
K. The Kitchin, in whose range may be placed a bruing lead, and conuenient Ouens, the bruing vessels adioyning.
L. The Dairy house for necessary businesse.
M. The Milke house.
N. A faire sawne pale before the formost court.
O. The great gate to ride in at to the hall dore.
P. A place where a Pumpe would be placed to serue the offices of the house.
{Illustration: This figure signifieth the dores of the house.}
{Illustration: This figure signifieth the windowes of the house.}
{Illustration: This figure signifieth the Chimnies of the house.}
Now you shall further vnderstand that on the South side of your house, you shall plant your Garden and Orchard, as wel for the prospect thereof to al your best roomes, as also because your house will be a defence against the Northerne coldnesse, whereby your fruits will much better prosper. You shall on the West side of your house, within your inward dairy and kitchin court, fence in a large base court, in the midst whereof would be a faire large Pond, well ston'd and grauelled in the bottome, in which your Cattell may drinke, and horses when necessitie shall vrge be washt: for I doe by no meanes alow washing of horses after instant labour. Néere to this Pond you shall build your Doue-coate, for Pigions delight much in the water: and you shall by no meanes make your Doue-house too high, for Pigions cannot endure a high mount, but you shall build it moderately, cleane, neate, and close, with water pentisses to kéepe away vermine. On the North side of your base-court you shall build your Stables, Oxe-house, Cow-house, and Swine-coates, the dores and windowes opening all to the South. On the South side of the base-court, you shall builde your Hay-barnes, Corne-barnes, pullen-houses for Hennes,