), or else through the
covetousness of such as, in preferring of pasture for their sheep and
greater cattle, do make small account of firebote and timber, or, finally,
by the cruelty of the enemies, whereof we have sundry examples declared in
our histories. Howbeit where the rocks and quarry grounds are I take the
swart of the earth to be so thin that no tree of any greatness, other than
shrubs and bushes, is able to grow or prosper long therein for want of
sufficient moisture wherewith to feed them with fresh humour, or at the
leastwise of mould to shroud, stay upright, and cherish the same in the
blustering winter's weather, till they may grow into any greatness, and
spread or yield their roots down right into the soil about them: and this
either is or may be one other cause, wherefore some places are naturally
void of wood. But to proceed. Although I must needs confess that there is
good store of great wood or timber here and there even now in some places
of England, yet in our days it is far unlike to that plenty which our
ancestors have seen heretofore when stately building was less in use. For,
albeit that there were then greater number of messuages and mansions
almost in every place, yet were their frames so slight and slender that
one mean dwelling-house in our time is able to countervail very many of
them, if you consider the present charge with the plenty of timber that we
bestow upon them. In times past men were contented to dwell in houses
built of sallow, willow, plum tree, hardbeam, and elm, so that the use of
oak was in manner dedicated wholly unto churches, religious houses,
princes' palaces, noblemen's lodgings, and navigation; but now all these
are rejected, and nothing but oak any whit regarded. And yet see the
change! For, when our houses were built of willow, then had we oaken men;
but, now that our houses are come to be made of oak, our men are not only
become willow, but a great many through Persian delicacy crept in among us
altogether of straw: which is a sore alteration. In those, the courage of
the owner was a sufficient defence to keep the house in safety; but now
the assurance of the timber, double doors, locks, and bolts, must defend
the man from robbing. Now have we many chimneys; and yet our tenderlings
complain of rheums, catarrhs, and poses. Then had we none but reredosses;
and our heads did never ache. For, as the smoke in those days was supposed
to be a sufficient hardening for the timbe