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C[HURCHE], R[ooke].
An Olde Thrift newly revived.
Wherein is declared The Manner of Planting, Preserving, and Husbanding yong Trees of divers kindes for Timber and Fuell. And of sowing Acornes, Chesnuts, Beech-mast, The Seedes of Elmes, Ashen-keyes, &c. With the Commodities and Discommodities of Inclosing decayed Forrests, Commons, and waste Grounds. And also the use of a small portable Instrument for measuring of Board, and the solid content and height of any Tree standing. Discoursed in Dialogue betweene a Surveyour, Woodward, Gentleman, and a Farmer. Divided into foure parts, by R.C.
Publisher: London: Printed by W[illiam] S[tansby] for Richard Moore, 1612
Stock code: 46678
Price: £3,500 Currency Conversion
First and only edition, by Rooke Churche, King's Surveyor, though often erroneously attributed to R. Chambers or Robert Churton. A classic early work of early 17th-century husbandry, with similar aims and views to, but long predating, Evelyn's Sylva (1664). In his preface Churche praises Henry Howard, earl of Northampton, as an exemplary manager of forestry. The book is fairly well-held institutionally, ESTC locating seven copies in Britain and four in North America, but scarce in commerce.
Small quarto (184 × 139 mm), pp. [6], 108, [4] index; with initial blank [A1]. Old sheep boards, double blind rules, rebacked to style, corners restored. Folding plate depicting the measuring instrument, woodcut illustrations in text, tables and mathematical equations. Some paper restoration, mostly trivial, 6 leaves (B2, B3, D2, D3, K1, K2) extended at fore-margin, spill-burn in L2 costing a couple of letters either side but not the sense, later (probably 19th-century) marginal note to N4v; withal a very good copy.
