MEDIEVAL AGRICULTURE. Ij 



for it is frequently the case that the stubble is mown after 

 the crop is gathered. The wages paid for reaping will be 

 adverted to below. It will be seen that the money payments 

 made to the hired servants of the farm were considerably 

 higher in the harvest term or quarter than at other times. 

 The labourers were generally allowed beer, were frequently 

 fed, and on some manors feasted at the termination of the 

 harvest. A pig for the farm labourers invariably figures in 

 the charges incurred for autumn on the Wolrichston estate. 

 The same estate supplies the labourers in the same time with 

 two red herrings a day. 



After the harvest was over pigs and geese were turned 

 into the stubble. For a certain payment the swine belonging 

 to the villagers were permitted the run of the fields. In the 

 Cuxham account, vol. ii. p. 618, the charge on this head is 

 found among the receipts. It is one of yearly recurrence, 

 but never of any important amount. 



As might be expected, in the absence of artificial grasses 

 and winter roots, natural meadow was exceedingly valuable, 

 and bore, comparatively speaking, a high rental. A record 

 of the rates at which the acre of grass was sold will be found 

 in vol. ii. pp. 179, 180. The greater part of the area from 

 which this grass was procured is still occupied as meadow. 

 The second crop of grass, or aftermath, is called rewannum, 

 and was, of course, of far Jess value than the spring crop. 

 Perhaps the rate paid for an acre of grass in Holy well, Oxford, 

 was enhanced beyond its customary amount in consequence 

 of its nearness to the town. 



The manor-house possessed a garden and orchard. But the 

 former was very deficient in vegetables. The householder of 

 the thirteenth and fourteenth century grew onions and leeks, 

 mustard, and garden or green peas. He probably also possessed 

 cabbage, though I have never found either seed or plants 

 quoted. Apples, and sometimes pears, are mentioned as part 

 of the orchard produce, but we read of no plums, except once 

 of damsons. A regular part of the produce of the orchard was 



c 



