Thomas Tusser
Thomas Tusser
Thomas Tusserwas an English poet and farmer, best known for his instructional poem Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry, an expanded version of his original title, A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie, first published in 1557...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
agriculture debt prison
Ill husbandry lieth In prison for debt: Good husbandry spieth Where profit get.
loss innovation stones
The stone that is rolling can gather no moss;For master and servant oft changing is loss.
looks leap foresight
Look ere thou leap, see ere thou go.
gay pay credit
Who quick be to borrow and slow be to pay, their credit is naught, go they ever so gay.
order errors quiet
As order is heavenly, where quiet is had, so error is hell, or a mischief as bad.
morning night delight
In March and in April from morning till night In sowing and seeding good housewives delight.
running sheep hands
Provide of thine own, to have all things at hand; Less work and the workman, unoccupied, stand. Make dry over-head both hovel and shack. Wash sheep (for the better) where water doth run; Let him go cleanly, and dry in the sun. Thy houses and and barns would be looked upon; And all things a[...]ed, ere harvest come on. At midsummer, down with the brambles and brakes; And after, abroad, with thy forks and thy rakes; Set movers a mowing, where meadow is grown; The longer now standing, the worse to be mown.
time trying
Time tries the troth in everything.
peace integrity patriotic
Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man.
years shining age
For the first fourteen years for a rod they do while for the next as a pearl in the world they do shine. For the next trim beauty beginneth to swerve. For the next matrons or drudges they serve. For the next doth crave a staff for a stay. For the next a bier to fetch them away.
sadness misery borrowing
Who goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing.
cheer merry-christmas winter
Sing hey! Sing hey! For Christmas Day; Twine mistletoe and holly. For a friendship glows In winter snows, And so let's all be jolly! At Christmas play and make good cheer, For Christmas comes but once a year
fool debate
A fool and his money be soon at debate
loss crime greater
What a greater crime. Than loss of time.