10 The Early Years of British Agriculture 



in wood, leather, and metal were, in early times, only 

 of secondary consideration. 



In a book written by Aelfric, in Saxon times, there 

 is an interesting passage illustrating the prominence of 

 agriculture in his day. The ploughman, in answer to 

 questions, says, "Oh! my lord, I labour much, I go 

 out at daybreak, drive the oxen in the field and join 

 them to the plough; there is not so fierce a winter 

 that I should dare to lurk at home, for fear of my lord, 

 but, yoking the oxen and fastening the ploughshare 

 and coulter, all day must I plough a full acre. 

 Assuredly I do more ; I must fill the ox-bins with 

 hay and water, and bear out the hay and manure." 

 On hearing this, the wise man in the book considers 

 that agriculture must come first because the plough- 

 man feeds them all. 



On hearing this the smith says : "Where would the 

 ploughman get his share or coulter or goad, the fisher 

 his hook, the shoemaker his awl, or the seamer his 

 needle except for my craft?" "Very true," says the 

 wise man, "but the ploughman gives us food and drink. 

 What do you give us in your smithy except iron fire- 

 sparks and the noise of sledge-hammers arid of blowing 

 bellows?" 



The wood-worker now interrupts and says, "Who 

 does not use my art when I work for you houses and 

 many vessels and ships ? " To which the smith replies : 

 "Oh! wood-worker why do you say so when you 

 would not be able to make one hole without my craft ? " 

 And so the dialogue goes on, but all in favour of the 

 agriculturist, whose work was then of prime importance. 



Each village in those early days was self-contained 

 or self-sufficing, that is to say the villagers lived on 



