RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 27 



and Wakefield ; they bringe (with them) packe-horses, and 

 carry it away in greate packes ; these wool-men come and goe 

 continually from cHppinge time till Michaellmasse. Those that 

 have pastm-e wooll, sell usually for 10s. and lis. a stone ; and 

 oftentimes, when woll is very deare, for 12s. a stone ; but our 

 faugh sheepe doe not afforde soe fine a wooll, whearefore wee 

 seldome sell for above 8s. or 9s. a stone, milesse it bee by chance 

 when wooll is very deare that wee reach to 1 Os. a stone, or very 

 neare. Woolmen disHke and finde greate fait with woll that 

 hath much salve or tarre in it, and hkemse with that which is 

 eyther blacke for wante of goode washinge, or else not tho- 

 roughly dry ; they alsoe finde fault with wooll that is hairy, 

 and with such fleeces as have many lockes thrust into them. 



For puttinge of Ewes to the Tuppes. 



The usuall sayinge is, " ATT St. Luke," lette ewe goe to 

 TUPPE •" which is aboute the eighteenth of October ; but wee, 

 that have succom- for om- lambes, finde the most ease and pro- 

 fitte in forward and timely lambes, and thearefore doe wee 

 putte our tuppes to om' ewes aboute Michaellmasse, or howeso- 

 ever within a weeke after, and att that time aUsoe doe wee 

 give om- sheepe fresh stubbles ;'' as if they have not gotten the 

 haver stubbles, then wee give them the haver stubbles, and if 

 the haver stubbles bee allmost done, then wee give them the 

 barley stubbles ; and this is a meanes to make them ride faster, 

 and allsoe to prevent a tedious and longe laminge time. It is 

 and ought to bee the care of shepheards (att this time of 

 the yeare) that, when theire sheepe have had theire will on the 

 stubbles three weekes or a moneth, then to have an eye to the 



sold 20 packs on a Saturday and got a pound a pack clear gains : that he got mony 

 as fast as he laid it out in Wilding, while in building. He had 2 sons and a daugh- 

 ter, John, Micacl, Mary. Those three chUcken died and left 3 daughters, every one 

 one. Martha Best, now Mrs. Bauson, was John's daughter. Mary Best, now 

 Nicolas Bayley's wife, was Micael's daughter. Mary HemmingM'ay was his daugh- 

 ter Mary's daughter by Daniel Henimingway, now Jonathan Lacock's wife. To 

 these their grandfather Eichard Best gave portions, above 400^, a piece. His old 

 wife died, he married again; he married one Martha Wood, his maid servant, a 

 little before I came thither, by whom he had three children, John, Micacl, and Mary 

 Best. His wife married one Samuel Wardman, after Eichard Best's death. John 

 Best before he was 20 years of age maiTied one Mr. Maithew Whitley's daughter, 

 and lives at Landimer at this time, which is Jan. 4, 1674-5 John Best had a son 

 bom on July 6, baptised by Dr. Hoole at Landimer July 7, 1675. His name is 

 Charles." Diary of Rev. Oliver Heywood. Ed. Joseph Himter, Esq., F.S.A. 

 » Another form of this proverb in the North of England is — 



" On St. Luke's day 



Let the tup have his play.'' 



b It is said that an increase of 30 per cent, may be procured by keeping the ewes 

 upon rape, thi-ee weeks previously. 



