The second Boke of the communication of Raphael Hythlodaye, concernyng the best state of a common wealthe: cō

THe Ilande of Vtopia, conteyneth in breadthe in the myddell part of it (for there it is brodest) CC. miles. Whiche bredthe continueth through the moste parte of the lande. Sauyng that by lytle and lytle it commeth in, and waxeth narrower towardes both the endes. Whiche fetchynge about a circuite or compasse of.v c. myles, do fassion the hole Ilande lyke to the newe mone. Betwene thys two corners the sea runneth in, diuydyng them a sonder by the distaūce of.xi. miles or there aboutes, and there surmou[…]teth into a large & wyde sea, which by reason that the lande of euery fyde compasseth it about, and shiltreth it frō the windes, is not rough, nor mountith not with great waues, but almost […]loweth quiclye not muche vnlike a great standing powle: and maketh almoste al the space within the bellye of the lande in maner of a hauen: and to the great commoditie of the Inhabitauntes receaueth in shyppes towardes euery parte of the […]ande. The forefrontes or frontiers of the.ij. corners, what wythe fordys & shelues, & what with rockes be […]ery ieoperdous & daungerous. In the middel distaunce betwene thē both stā deth vp aboue the water a great rocke, which therfore is nothing perillous bicause it is in […]ight. Vpō the top of this rocke is afaire & a strōg towre builded, which thei holde with a garison of mē. Other roc[…]es ther be, that ly[…] hidde vnder the water, and therefore be daungerous. The cha[…]elles be knowen one […]y to thēselfes. And therfore it seldome cha[…]nceth that any straunger onele[…] he be guided by a Vtopian can come i[…] to this hauen. In so muche that they thēselfes could s[…]aselie entre without ieoperdie, but that their way i[…] directed & ruled by certaine lande marke[…] stāding on the shore. By tur[…]ing translatynge & remouinge this markes into other places they maye destroye thei[…] enemies nauies be thei neu[…]r so many. The out side of the lande is also full of hauens, but the landing is so suerly defenced, what by nature and what by workmanshyp of mans hande, that a fewe defenders maye dryue backe many armies Howebeit as they saye, and as the fassion of the place it selfe doth partely shewe, it was not euer compassed about with the sea. But kyng Vtopus whose name as cōquerour y• Ilād beereth. (For before that tyme it was called Abra[…]a) which also brought the rude & wild people to that excellēt perfection, in al good fassions, humanitie, & ciuile gētilnes, wherin they now go beyond al y• people of the world: euē at his first arriuinge and enteringe vpon the lande, furth with obteynynge the victory, caused.xv. myles space of vplandyshe grounde, where the sea had […]o passage, to be cut and dygged vp. And so brought the sea rounde aboute the lande. He set to thys worke not only the inhabitauntes of the Ilande (because they should not thynke it done in cont[…]melye and despyte) but also all hys owne soldiours. Thus the worke beyng diuyded into so great a numbre of workemen was with exceding maruelous spede dyspatched. In so muche that the borderers, whiche at the fyrst began to mocke and to gieste at thys vayne enterpryse, then turned theyr laughter to marueyle at the successe, & to feare. There be in the Ilande.liiij. large and faire cities or shiere townes, agreyng all together in one tonge, in lyke maners, institucions, and lawes. They be all set and situate a lyke, and in all poyntes fashioned a lyke, as farfurth as the place or plotte suffereth.

Of thies cyties they that be nighest to gether be.xxiiij. myles a sonder. Again there is none of them distaunt from the next aboue one dayes iorneye a fote.

There cum yearly to Amaurote out of euery cytie.iij. olde men wyse and well experienced, there to entreate and debate, of the cōmon matters of the lāde. For thys cytie (because it standeth iust in the myddes of the Ilande, and is therfore moste mete for the embassadours of all partes of the realme) is taken for the chiefe and head cytie. The precin[…]tes and boundes of the shieres be so commodiously appoynted out, & set furth for the cyties, that neuer a one of them all hath of anye syde lesse then xx. myles of grounde, and of som syde also muche more, as of that part where the cyties be of farther distaunce a son […]er. None of the cities desire to enlarge the boundes & lymites of thei[…] shieres. For they count them selfes rather the good husbandes, then the owners of their landes. They haue in the countrey in all partes of the shiere howses or fermes buylded, wel appointed and furnyshed with all sortes of instrumē tes and tooles belongyng to husbandrie. Thies houses be inhabited of the cytezens, whiche cum thyther to dwel by course. No howsholde or […]erme i[…] the countrey hath fewer then.xl. perso […]es men and women, besydes two bō […]en men, whiche be all vnder the rule and order of the good man, and the good wyfe of the house, beynge bothe very sage and discrete persones. And euery.xxx. fermes or famelies haue one heade ruler, whiche is called a Phy […]arche, being as it were a hed baylyffe. Out of euery one of thies famelies or fermes cummeth euery yeare into the cytie.xx. persones whiche haue conty […]ewed.ij. yeres before in the countrey. In their place so manye freshe be sent thither o[…]t of the citie, whiche of them that haue bene there a yeare all ready, a[…]d be therfore expert and conninge in husbandry, shalbe instr[…]cted & taught. And they the next yeare shall teache other. This order is vsed for feare that other skarsenes of victualles or some other like incommoditie shuld chaūce, through lacke of knowledge: yf they should be al together newe and fresh & vnexperte in husbandrie. This maner and fassion of yearlye chaunginge and […]enewinge the occupiers of husbandrie, though it be solempne & customablie vsed, to thin[…]ent that no man shall be constrayned against his wil to contynewe longe in that harde and sharpe kynde of lyfe▪ yet manye of them haue suche a pleasure and delete in husbandrye, that they obteyne a longer sp[…]ce of yeares. Thies husbandmen plow[…] and till the grounde, and bryde vp cat[…]tell, and make readye woode, whiche they carrye to the cytie other by lande, or by water, as they maye moste co[…] […]e[…]yently. They brynge vp a greate multytude of pulleyne, and that by a meruelous policie. For the hennes doo not syt vpon the egges: but by kepynge them in a certayne equall heate, they brynge lyfe into them, and hatche them. The chykens, assone as they be come owte of the shell, followe men and women in steade of the hennes. They bryng vp very fewe horses: nor non, but very fearce ones: & for none other vse or purpose, but only to exercyse their youthe in rydynge, and fea[…]es of armes. For oxen be put to all the labour of plowynge and drawyng. Whiche they graunte to be not so good as horses as sodeyne brunt, and (as we saye) a[…] a dead lifte, but yet they holde opinion, that oxen wyll abyde and suffre muche more laboure and payne, then horses wyl. And they thinke that they be not in daunger and subiecte vnto so manye dysseases, and that they bee kepte and maynteyned wyth muche lesse coste and charge: and fynally that they be good for meate whē they be past labour. They sowe corne onlye for bread▪ For their drynke is other wyne made of grapes, or els of apples, or peares: or els it is cleane water. And many tymes methe made of honey or liqueresse sodde in water, for therof they haue great store. And though they knowe certeynlye (for they knowe it perfectly in dede) how much victayles the cytie with the hole countrey or shiere rounde a […]oute it dothe spēde▪ yet they sowe much more corne, and bryed vp muche more cattell, then serueth for their own vse, And the ouer plus they parte amonge their borderers. What soeuer necessary thynges be lackynge in the countrey, all suche stuffe they fetche out of the citie: where without anye exchaunge they easelye obteyne it of the magistrates of the citie. For euerye moneth manye of them goo into the cytie on the hollye daye.

When theyr haruest daye draweth nere, and is at hande, then the Philarches, whiche be the hed officers and bayliffes of husbandrye sende woorde to the magistrates of the citie what nū bre of haruest men is nedefull to bee sente to them out of the cytie. The whiche companye of haruest men beyng there readye at the daye appoynted, almoste in one fayre daye dispatcheth all the haruest woorke.