CASKS. ECONOMY OF THE BARN. 549 



may be seen in voL ii. p. 570. ii., millstones were bought for 

 this purpose. The expressed juice was suffered to ferment, 

 probably in the cask- being poured into the tun by means of 

 a funnel, if this be the meaning of the word < gata.' This 

 term, which is not found in the Glossaries or in Ducange, is 

 explained in the Cuxham roll of 1332, (jn una gata empta fro 

 cisera imponenda in dictis dolels). Five such articles are bought 

 between 1285 and 1347 at a little more than id. each, 



ECONOMY OF THE BARN. During the winter months, and 

 while the weather was unsuitable for out-door work, the regular 

 or occasional labourers engaged on the farm were occupied in 

 threshing. The flail was either provided by the labourer or 

 manufactured by the bailiff; for I have only seen one entry 

 of this instrument through the whole of my accounts the 

 Holy well bailiff buying three flails in 1321 at \d. each. But 

 the barn was regularly supplied with three other implements 

 winnowing-fans, sacks, and measures. 



Besides the evidence given under the head of Canvas (vol. ii. 

 p. 511 sqq.), and which will be commented on hereafter, a few 

 entries of fans will be found in the table of Sundry Articles. 

 The price of a fan must have depended entirely on the charge 

 made for the frame and the cost of the sacking by which the 

 winnowing was effected. But with one exception, the rate of 

 which is exceptionally low, a fan was purchased, as a rule, for 

 about 35-. 



Sacks generally held five bushels. In one of the entries 

 given among the Sundry Articles, the sack is said to have 

 held a quarter, in another six bushels. The average taken 

 from all that have been given is a little more than 6\d. the 

 sack, before the Plague ; the single entry after that event being 

 is. ^d. More precise information, however, as to the value of 

 these articles will be discoverable in the chapters which treat 

 on textile fabrics. 



Measures seem to have been kept by every dealer. They 

 were subjected to jealous supervision, in the case of the persons 

 inhabiting and regularly engaged in any trade within the 



