426 AGRICULTURE. 



together with the cattle in their plows, and the seed which they 

 carry into the field, shall enjoy perfect security, and that all 

 who molest or interrupt them, if they do not desist when they 

 have been admonished, shall be excommunicated." 



The implements of husbandry, in this period, were of the 

 same kind with those that are employed at present, though all 

 of them, no doubt, much less perfect in their construction. 

 One sort of plow, for example, had but one stilt or handle, 

 which the plowman guided with one hand, having in his other 

 an instrument which served both for cleaning and mending his 

 plow and breaking the clods. This implement was probably 

 intended for breaking up strong lands. For such a purpose the 

 wheels would contribute much to its steadiness, which would 

 render two handles unnecessary, and thus leave the holder with 

 one hand at liberty to use his axe-like instrument, in tearing 

 away roots and clods, and otherwise aiding the operations .of 

 the plow. Another plow seems to have been without wheels, 

 and was probably intended for light soil. The Norman plow 

 had two wheels, and in the light soil of Normandy was com- 

 monly drawn by one or two oxen ; but in England a greater 

 number, according to the nature of the soil, was often necessary. 



In Wales the person who conducted the plow walked back- 

 wards. Their harrows, sickles, scythes, and flails, from the 

 figures still remaining, appear to have been nearly of the same 

 construction as those that are now used. In Wales they did not 

 use the sickle in reaping their grain, but an instrument like the 

 blade of a knife, with a wooden handle at each end. 



Water mills for grinding grain were very common, but they 

 had also a kind of mill turned by horses, which were chiefly 

 used in their armies and at sieges, or in places where running 

 water .was scarce. The various operations of husbandry, as 

 manuring, plowing, sowing, harrowing, reaping, threshing, win- 

 nowing, etc., are incidentally mentioned by the writers of this 

 period ; but it is impossible to collect from them a distinct 

 account of the manner in which these operations were performed. 

 Marl seems to have been the chief manure, next to dung, em- 

 ployed by the Anglo-Normans, as it had been by the Anglo- 

 Saxons and the British husbandry. Summer fallowing of lands 

 designed for wheat, and plowing them several times, appear to 



