89 - How King Fernando ordered that the lands of his kingdom should be cultivated and improved

Summary

Although the king saw at this time that there was sufficient cause for the kingdom to be lacking in provisions and other necessities because of what we have related, nonetheless the shortages seemed strange to him, in view of the abundance that was usual in the land. With a keen determination, he began to concern himself with how such a shortage of provisions could be made up, so that no such dearth should ever come about again. Although such a thing seemed to him very fitting, and he resolved firmly to carry it out, nonetheless he realized that it behoved him to seek counsel regarding how to bring the project to a good conclusion. Since it was a matter that pertained to the whole kingdom, he summoned counts, prelates, masters and other nobles and citizens of his country.

One day, when a gathering was convened for them to hear why they had been called, a man spoke in the name of the king, saying that, among all the works involved in ruling and governing over the world, no better or more beneficial art had ever been discovered for the support and sustenance of men than agriculture. ‘Not only for men and for the animals that the Lord God created for their service,’ he said, ‘but also in order to gain some wealth and good reputation without sin, this is the safest way. Now it happens that the king our liege lord, who is here present, is aware that throughout the whole of his kingdom there is a great shortage of wheat, barley and other provisions, whereas out of all the countries in the world this one was customarily the best supplied. The small amount of available provisions has become so expensive that items cannot be obtained by those who must maintain a household and estate without greatly disbursing what they possess.