82 MINUTES JAN'. 



47. There is another evil confequence, in Nor- 



KEXT-DAYS. folk, of receiving rents at Chriftmas : it is full 

 as much as the poor farmer can do, with all his 

 mifchief, to raife mpney for his landlord : he 

 dare not lay out a fhilling on bullocks to feed 

 off his turneps j which he is of courfe obliged 

 to fell at fuch a price as he can get, and have 

 them eaten off when and in what manner beft 

 fuits the purchafer ; whereas, had he time to 

 thrafh out his corn deliberately, he would find 

 money to buy bullocks, and to pay his landlord. 

 Suppofing the farmer to have paid his laft 

 fhilling to his harveft-men (which God knows 

 is at prefent the cafe with farmers in general) 

 his only refource is confequently his crop. He 

 firft begins upon his wheat, in order to raife 

 money for his fervants wages, and the parifli- 

 rates, at Michaelmas. His feed-wheat muft 

 next be tbrafhed out, or purchafed : a few bul- 

 locks is probably wanted; and the next quarter's 

 rates, tithe, and tradefmen's bills muft be paid 

 at Chriftmas. Thus without opening one Iheaf 

 for his landlord, he muft do confiderable in- 

 jury to his ftover. What then muft be the con- 

 fequence, if, in the fame time, he thrafh one 

 in addition thereto more than his halt-year's 

 rent ? 



How 



