CHAP. VIII.
Amongst all the Tools or Instruments used in Mechanical or Illiberal Arts or Trades, those of Agriculture should have precedency, it being the chief Nurse of Mans Life. For Husbandry was in the time of the Ancient Jews and Romans, an Estate not unbefitting their greatest Kings, Princes and Dictators, as may appear by Holy and Prophane Writ. Tillage and Husbandry consists not only in Plowing, Sowing, Mucking or Dunging, Reaping and Threshing and such like; but also in Pasturage, Vintage, Planting, Pruning, and all other Terms for the increase of Cattel, or Fruit for Food: As for example, Abel was a Keeper of Sheep, and Cain a Tiller of the ground, and Noah a Planter of Vinyards, all which went under the Title of Husbandmen, Gen.4.2. and 9.20. Therefore Husbandry as it is the Ancient, so it is the most Noble, and Honorable Profession; seing it is the very life and support of all other Arts, and Misteries, with out which they could not subsist. For where the increase of the field is wanting, there all other occupations cease.
Husbandry Book III, Chapter 8, Section 1a
1. Now many are the Instruments belonging to Husbandry, and many thereof are found in frequent use in Coats of Arms, which take as followeth.
Spade
I. He beareth a Spade, shod.
With the Spade the ground is Digged and Delved,
whose parts are these.
The Head, or Handle, or Raspe.
The Shank or Staile.
The Sole, or broad part on which the Iron is fixed.
The Shooe, or Spade Iron.
Spade Iron
II. He beareth a Spade Iron, (some
call it a shooe for a Spade)...
Shovel
III. He beareth a Shovel, or a Corn Shovel, or Malt Shovel.
The Handles of these kind of Shovels used about Corne, have them ever three square, or cornered, and are without Iron shooing. There is an other kinde of Shovel used for Gardening which hath the Handle crosseways like a Spade and is shod square with Iron.
Round foot shovel
IV. He beareth a Round foot Shovel;
between a Midle bottom Measure, &
a Reeving Sieve.
There is an other kind of Shovel that is Square at the bottom, rounded off at the Shank, with an Head like a Spade.
Measure
Image from proof plateThe Measure is also termed in diverse places an Hoop, a Strike, a Bushel. This being Blazoned a middle Bottom Measure, or a double Measure, is to distinguish it from the single; this having in the Hoop, the middle Division, to shew that by it Corn may be measured either in the top part for a full Measure, or with the bottom part, for halfe a Measure.
Half spade
V. He beareth a Half Spade.
Vine hook
Image from published plateIn this quarter being disappointed of other Room, I have Engraven a Vine Hook, or a Vine Dressers hook, this is another kind of Pruning Hook, different to that mentioned after numb.14.
Half spade with a whole handle
VI. He beareth a Half Spade
with a whole Handle.
Spade sole
Image from published plateIn the dexter side, is a Spade Sole, the shank broken away.
Half round footed shovel
VII. He beareth an half round footed Shovel, and on the dexter side, a Pickfork (or a Pikel,
or Pitchfork).
Pitchfork
For the Pitchfork (or Pikel, which we vulgarly
call it) it is an Instrument much used in Husbandry for
their Loading and Stacking of Hay and Corn; and is
much used also in Coats of Armour, because in former
times I suppose used in War, being an excellent thing
for the Defence of a Wall: Some are made with a
Socket for the Staff to go into; but the general way
of making them is with a Tang and a Shoulder, to
go into a hole made in the Staff hooped about with
Iron.
Pitchfork without handle
Image from published plate[Pitchfork without handle. No original text.]
Wheel nave
VIII. He beareth a Wheel Nave;
Demy Wheel
Image from proof plateIn chief a demy Wheel
Scythe blade
IX. He beareth a Sythe Blade
and a Cart Wheel.
Cart wheel
The Wheel hath the Rim or Felloes of it plain
with 6 or 8 spokes as numb.8.
The Cart Wheel, hath the Rim set with round
Nails.
The Catherine Wheel hath it set with Hooks. n10.
The Clock Wheel is set with square Notches, called Teeth, and but 4 Spokes;
see numb.57.
The Water Mill Wheel, set with square Ladles,
and many Spokes.
Related text(s) Wheel parts
Catherine wheel
X. He beareth a Katherine Wheel.
This is a kinde of Wheel used to rent and tear to peeces grand Malefactors, and upon such an one it is said that St. Katherine dyed for the Faith of Iesus Christ, in memory of whose death it hath ever since been termed St. Katherins Wheel.
Pitchfork
In the chief of this square is a kinde of Pitch fork
the Grains whereof are bent outward Pometted at
the end, Which is termed, the Grains contrary
Bowed, or Bowed and Dorsed.
Hay rake
XI. He beareth a Rake, or a Hay Rak, ...
Scythe blade
Image from proof plate... surmounted of a Sythe blade.
Scythe blade
XII. He beareth a Sythe blade with the
Point erected.
The Sythe is an ancient beareing, and is not only used to cut own Grass and Corn; but hath been used in the Warrs. For Alexander Magnus had such Engines for his Souldiers to defend themselves against the force and fury of Elephants.
Scythe
XIII. He beareth a Sythe.
Thus you se the Sythe complately fited and furnished for the worke of Moing, or
cutting down of Grass. Whose several parts or members
are thus nominated as followeth under
Related text(s) Scythe parts
Hedging hook
XIV. He beareth an Hedging Hook, (or a
Pruning Hook,) [with] the Handle.
Goad
Image from published plateIn the Sinister side hereof is another Instrument of Husbandry used by them who use Oxe Wains; it is called a Goad; and is nothing else but an Iron pin put into the end of a long Stick, and made sharp at the end, whose use is to prick forward the Oxen in the draught. The Philistines when they would not suffer a Smith to live amongst the Hebrews, lest they should make them Swords and Spears, yet permitted them to have a File for to sharpen their Goads, which was strange (knowing that Shangar not many Ages before had slain 600 of them with an Oxe Goad) that they would suffer it, I Sam.13.21. and Judg.3.32.
Skimming dish
Image from proof plateIn the dexter side between the bending of the Hook is a little broad flat Dish made of Wood, called by Dairy Women a a Scimming Dish, it is to scum the Cream of the Lew Milk to Churn for Butter.
Scythes
XV. He beareth two Sythes counterposed and Braced.
Sickle
XVI. He beareth a Sickle, and a
Flail. These are two Instruments used by Husbandmen, the first to Reap or cut down Corn when it
is ripe; the users whereof are termed Reapers, vulgarly Shearers: ...
Flail
... The second is to Thrash or Thresh
the Corn, or beat it out of its Chaffy Husk. the worker therewith is called a Thrasher; To these Instruments Scripture doth alude, when the Angel cryeth
aloud, that the Harvest of the World was ripe, thrust
therefore in the Sickle, Rev.14.15.16. and Reap: And
the Sickle was thrust in, and the Earth was Reaped;
meaning thereby the end of the World, and last Judgment, where the Flail shall not only make a separation
between the Chaff and the Corn, but is said to be the
Judgment and Punishment of all Wicked persons,
Isa. 41.15.16. Jer.5.33.
Hab.3.12.
Related text(s) Flail parts
Sickles
XVII. He beareth two Sickles Imbraced,
[with] the Handles.
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