RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 29 



Wee usually sell the skinnes of those sheepe that wee kill 

 betwixt Lammas and MichaeUmasse for lOd. a peece, and some- 

 times for 12d. a peece. The skinnes of fatte sheepe are all- 

 wayes better then the skimies of leane ones ; both for that they 

 putte forth more woll, and allsoe the pelts are better, for that 

 there is more substance to worke upon when they are well 

 growne. 



For Greasinge* of Lambes. 

 Soe soone as harvest is done and past, wee beginne to looke 

 after greasinge of our hogges ; the reason whearof is because 

 that by this meanes they are preserved free from both scabbe 

 and filth, which otherwise woulde cause them to plucke and 

 loose theke woll : for oftentimes those that are necklected in 

 this kinde (besides beinge in dainger of the scabbe) will soe 

 swarme and abounde with hce that they neaver Hke nor thrive 

 of theire carkasses, but oftentimes (after a longe dechninge and 

 goinge backe) tume up theire heeles. This kinde of salvinge 

 of lambes is allsoe sayd to cause them to putte forth more woll, 

 and the salve, beinge made partly of molten tallowe, is thought 

 to resist and beare out wette, after that it is once risen from the 

 skinne. Wee buy oui' molten tallowe att Malton of the huck- 

 sters and tripe-wives ; it is usually att 5d. the poimd ; wee 

 bought this yeare eight powndes which weare tryed up and all 

 in a lumpe togeather. Yow ought not to defeiTe greasinge of 

 your hogges any longer then the middle of October, because 

 then the grounde decayes, and colde weather and raines come 

 on ; and besides aboute this time wee usually leave foldinge, 

 and fetche hoame our barres and stakes ; before which time 

 wee cannot conveniently grease om* lambes, both because that 

 wee are to use the barres att hoame for the lambes, and allsoe 

 without the lambes the sheepe woulde lye thinne in the folde ; 

 and besides the lambes woulde not be folded after that they are 



Yow are to see the weather sette att a certane before yow 

 beginne to grease, for if raines come, before that the salve bee 

 risen from the skinne, it will goe hard with the lambes ; but 

 in three or fower dayes the salve will rise from the skinne, and 

 then is all dainger past, and the lambes armed against ill 

 weather. Our usuall custome is to putte our hogges into the 



* Marshall in his " Riiral Economy of Yorkshire," 1788, Vol. II., p. 225, says 

 he is ignorant at what time the practice of greasing was introduced into the adjacent 

 vale of Pickering ; hut it was certainly not earHer than 1740, and a practice derived 

 from the north. Y'et here we find it in use, due south, in 1641. On the Cheviots, 

 and aU other mountainous and hUly districts, it stiU prevails. Virgil, in his third 

 Georgic, and Columella give excellent receipts for the making of salve. 



