Poem by Thomas Tusser

A Description of the Properties

North winds send hail, south winds bring rain,
East winds we bewail, west winds blow amain;
Northeast is too cold, southeast not too warm,
Northwest is too bold, southwest doth no harm.

The north is a noyer to grass of all suits, [annoyer]
The east a destroyer to herb and all fruits;
The south with his showers refresheth the corn,
The west to all flowers may not be forborne.

The west, as a father, all goodness doth bring;
The east, a forbearer no manner of thing;
The south, as unkind, draweth sickness too near;
The north, as a friend, maketh all again clear.

With temperate wind we be blessed of God;
With tempest, we find, we are beat with His rod;
All power we know to remain in His hand
However wind blow, by sea or by land.

Though winds do rage as winds were wood, [mad]
And cause great tides to raise spring flood,
And lofty ships leave anchor in mud,
Bereafing many of life and of blood, [tearing away]
Yet true it is, as cow chews cud
And trees at spring do yield forth bud,
Except wind stands as never it stood, [blows from a direction]
It is an ill wind turns none to good. 

1. The End of Harvest
2. On Thriftiness
3. Iulies Abstract
4. September
5. Directions for Cultivating a Hop-Garden

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