AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS AND TOOLS. 413 



1411 and 1521, with prices varying from id. to nd., give an 

 average of $\d. Later on they are worth, under the name of 

 spades, from 6d. to is., and are comparatively frequent. 



Sickles are found in fourteen years. They cost about $d. in 

 the earlier period, but are bought at 6d. in 1568. 



The scythe was a more expensive tool. Scythes are found in 

 twenty- two years, and cost generally about 2s. In 1501 Sion 

 Abbey supplies its mowers with scythe-rubbers at id. each. 

 Whetstones (' cotes ') are also entered under 1502 and 1508 at 

 6d. and lod. Grindstones are more numerous. One is bought in 

 1445 at 2s.\ others in 1472 at 5^., in 1495 at 3 s - ^-> m I 5 I 4 

 at 5^. 8df., in 1518 at 4^-. 8<^., in 1534 at 3.$-. Sd. and zs. 8d. 

 In 1536" a grindstone, spindle, and winch are purchased at 5.$-., 

 two in 1540 at 3.$-. Sd. and 4^., one in 1542 at is. id., one in 

 1561 at 3y. 4d., three, said to be three feet in diameter, at 

 zs. Sd., two of the same dimensions at 35-., and six more of 

 the same size at 4^. 6d., while two, five feet in diameter and 

 described as great grindstones, are purchased at 14^-. Sd. in 

 1562. One in 1569 is bought for 5.?., and one in 1574 at 4^. 

 There is no traceable rise in the value of these articles, though 

 it may be that those priced at the same rate in the earlier 

 accounts were larger or better. Omitting the five-feet grind- 

 stones of 1562, the average of the others is 3^. io\d. 



Pea-hackers are found in 1423 at lod. 



There are entries of sieves (cribra) for twenty-two years. 

 They naturally vary in price as they varied in size. But those 

 employed for farm purposes cost from ^d. to z\d. In 1567 the 

 same article costs Sd. In 1568, those which are bought at 

 is. Sd. are certainly large and probably wire sieves employed on 

 the queen's works at Eltham. 



I cannot discover what the shelda is. It appears on one 

 estate, Lullington, five times, generally with sieves, and costs 

 from i\d. to $\d. 



Three chicken 'rips' are bought by Sion for is. 2d. in 1521, 

 and three more for the same price in 1524. 



I do not know what a Brynesceppe is, bought at Ormesby in 



