Gervase Markham

author

Gervase Markham

d. 1637

A prolific English writer of the late Elizabethan and early Stuart years, this author turned practical knowledge of horses, farming, household management, and country life into lively, widely read books. Best known today for The English Huswife, he wrote for readers who wanted useful advice as much as entertainment.

2 Audiobooks

The English Husbandman The First Part: Contayning the Knowledge of the true Nature of euery Soyle within this Kingdome: how to Plow it; and the manner of the Plough, and other Instruments

The English Husbandman The First Part: Contayning the Knowledge of the true Nature of euery Soyle within this Kingdome: how to Plow it; and the manner of the Plough, and other Instruments

by Gervase Markham

The English Husbandman (The Second Booke) Contayning the Ordering of the Kitchin-Garden, and the Planting of strange flowers: the breeding of all manner of Cattell.

The English Husbandman (The Second Booke) Contayning the Ordering of the Kitchin-Garden, and the Planting of strange flowers: the breeding of all manner of Cattell.

by Gervase Markham

About the author

Born around 1568 and dying on February 3, 1637, Gervase Markham was an English poet and miscellaneous writer remembered for the sheer range of his work. Reliable reference sources describe him as a notably prolific author whose books covered poetry, country sports, agriculture, horsemanship, and practical household subjects.

He is especially associated with The English Huswife (first published in 1615), a work that helped secure his lasting reputation. Britannica also notes his popular treatises on country and sporting pursuits, while other reputable sources emphasize how strongly his writing drew on rural life and everyday skills.

Markham's appeal seems to come from that mix of literary energy and practical instruction. Even when his books reflect the attitudes of his own century, they still offer a vivid window into early modern English life, showing what readers wanted to know about work, home, animals, and the management of the countryside.