RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 17 



Fower barres each of them 7 foote in length will just reach 

 over a broade lande ; whearefore the custome of most places is 

 to have their folde 8 barres in breadth, takinge alonge with 

 them two broade lands at a time ; and in leng-th, as farre as the 

 ban-es that are sent to them will reach ; for it is alleways good 

 to give sheepe compasse enough in the folde, for feare of tread- 

 inge and smarringe of the least and weakest sorte of the lambes. 



They neaver use to drive in theire stakes and sette their 

 barres just alonge the furres, but either a Httle shorte or a Httle 

 over. 



Theire usuall way for lettinge sheepe into the folde is to 

 sette open two barres, viz. : one comer barre, and one ende 

 barre next unto it. The sheapheards are to have charge given 

 that they remoove theire folde every night and neaver slippe 

 the same. 



The folde shoulde allwayes bee sette on such lands where 

 wee intende to sowe either rye or massledine the next yeare 

 foUowinge. 



Wee can neaver gette above one Demaine-flatte fold-mucked 

 in a whole summer ; nor scarce that ; for although that our 

 barres be sette 14- barres in length, and each of them 7 or 8 

 foote longe, yett weare they more then a fortnight in goinge 

 from one ende of the flatte to the other, although they missed 

 aUmost a whole sette, or howsoever halfe a fold-length, att 

 either ende of the lands in the Demaine-flatte in the West- 

 fielde lyinge betwixt Garton-gate and Keldie-gate. 



If harvest chance to bee backward, then lambes are not to 

 be folded altogeather soe longe as olde sheepe, but to bee drawne 

 out, and layd aparte in some little close by themselves. 



When yow see tuppe lambes that are weU putte forth, buy 

 such ; for well happed sheepe are the best for an hard faugh. 

 Wee beganne to folde this yeare the 7th of June. 



For Washinge of Sheepe. 



The usuaU and best time for washinge of sheepe is betwixt 

 the begimiinge and middle of Jmie ; for if sheepe chance to 

 bee lowe in the Springe, and then rise and amende on a sud- 

 daine, then theire woU will beginne to loosen on theire backes, 

 and sHppe of hke haire that is scalded, for that yow shall bee 

 forced to wash and sheare either in the latter ende of M&y, or 

 else in the beginninge of June ; but if they recover by degrees, 

 soe that theire woU keepe fast and rise not from the skinne, 

 then your best way is to lette them alone tiU mid-June bee 

 past ; yette the usual time is aboute the 10th or 12th of June. 



When 3''ow intende to wash sheepe, yow are to give waminge 

 D 



