The Hartlib Papers

Honored Sir

The other day I remember Mr Corceileis seem'd to take more serious notice of the proposition of 5 per cent to bee obteyned by planting of corne, or sutch lyke husbandly meanes, and was pleased to aske mee some questions about itt, wherein that hee may receaue satisfaction, I take leaue to trouble you with a word or two to that purpose which I desire you will please to discourse a little with Mr Corceileis, that soe I may once make itt appeare that there may bee some rationall propositions that admitt not of any blind man

To this purpose I shall onely render -4 examples (I thinke I could shew fourscore) how -5 per Cent may bee most honestly and clearely made And first by the way of a Dayrey, one acre requires

1    For rent------------------------------------------- 1- 0- 0

     the price of a good new milk milch cow & her calfe- 7-10- 0

     for two store pigs to breed vnder those her-------- 0-13- 4

     for changing that cow for another new milch-------- 1-10- 0

     for -2 loads of hey to winter her with------------- 2-00- 0

     to harden the flesh of the two hogs when a yeare }- 1-10- 0

     olde 6 bushells of pease att 5s a bushell------- }

     for the milking & making the whittmeat------------- 2-00- 0

                                                         16-03- 4

               The returne will bee

     for the first cowe's calfe att a yeare olde-------- 3-00- 0

     for the second cowes calfe to the buttcher--------- 1-10- 0

     for the two pigs when yeare olds & fatt------------ 5-00- 0

     for the last bought cow to the graisier to fatt---- 5-10- 0

     Supposing these cowes to giue one day with another }

     but 10 quarts or two gallons & ´ that is 3650      }

     quarts or 912 gallons & ´ out which deduct 85 dayes}

     which amounts to about 212 & ´ gallons this for the}

     suckling of the two calues & tyth though itt bee   }11-13- 4

     seldome payde in kind ther remaines: 700 gallons   }

     which att 4d a gallon winter & somer is----------- }

       here is aboue 5 per cent      returne           26-13- 4

       without any blind man         charge -------- 16-03- 4

                                     remainder or gained 10-10- 0

2

     rent for one acre---------------------------------- 1-00- 0

     manure 24 loades att 12d one---------------------- 1-04- 0

     tillage sowing & harrowing ------------------------ 1-00- 0

     seed wheat 9 peckes att the present rates --------- 1-05- 0

     weeding reaping binding carring thrashing etc------ 1-00- 0

                    the returne will bee                  5-09- 0

     att least 4 quarter (beeing well husbanded) which}

     att the vndervallue of 5s a bushell is---------- }   8-00- 0

                                 remainder or gained---- 2-11- 0

          here againe is aboue 5 percent

            without any blind man

3     rent for one acre---------------------------------- 1-00- 0

     tillage-------------------------------------------- 1-13- 4

     Manure 24 loades att 1s for one-------------------- 1-04- 0

     6 bushells of garden beanes att 8s one------------- 2-08- 0

     setting-------------------------------------------- 0-12- 0

     twice howing--------------------------------------- 0-10- 0

     reaping thrashing etc------------------------------ 1-02- 8

               The returne can hardly bee                 8-10- 0

               less the 10 for one that is

     6 bushells, which solde att the vnder vallue }

     of 5s a bushell is-------------------------- }      15-00- 0

                              remainder or gained----     6-10- 0

        here againe is aboue

     5 per cent without any blind man

4    rent for one acre---------------------------------- 1-00- 0

     ploughing, burning, ploughing & sowing------------- 1-00- 0

     ´ pecke of Rape or Cole seed----------------------- 0-01-00

     cutting thrashing etc------------------------------ 0-19-00

                    The returne hath verry often          -------

                    beene a last or terme quarter         3-00-00

                    on an acre but to avoyde the

                    blind man say but 5 quarters

     40 bushells att the vnder vallue of 4s one--------- 8-00-00

                    the remainder or gained------------- 5-00-00

       here againe is 5 per cent:

     double & trebble without

     any blind man att all

Lett these few examples serue to make the blind-man see, or proue certaintye & clearenesse of the proposition

If itt bee said these cattle may bee stolne or dye, or the crops may fayle or bee spoyled I answere there is the lyke contingency in all humaine affayres & I thinke mutch more in Merchandizing finally there is not the least splinter of the blind man's staffe in this proposition An vnless itt bee suspected the party entrusted should meerly runne away with the thing comitted to his trust

Where this worst of suspitions is ther can bee noe confidence And where noe confidence noe correspondencye

Waue this & I dare boldly challenge not the blind man onely but any man that can see to discover the least possibillity of errour or fallacye either in the verrity of the assertion or in the reallity (though not formallity) of the security which I offer, (viz^t) The land to bee wrought vpon to bee neither Iohn's, not Thomas his, but by Iohn & Thomas Ioyntly indifferently taken of Richard or Robert. The money to bee by Iohn dispursed not to come into Thomas his hands by aboue :50^£: att a tyme in ready money, & Thomas to receaue noe more till that bee accompted for according to a settled rule And both partys to seale [catchword: Articles]

This one is a generall observation that the greater the stocke is engaged the more infallible will the returne bee

Sir If by this or any thing I can iustly say or doe I can open the blind man's eyes, & make him see without a miracle Itt will mutch reioyce

Sir

Sand-end this 6^xt                your most faythfull freind

  of October                            and

       1649                          humblest & most thankefull

                                           servant

                                        Dymock

          To his mutch honored freind

          Mr Sammuell Hartlib

          att his house in Dukes place

               London

          present

                    these

[above, in another hand:]      Dymock's Improvements