RUEAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 31 



packed it up, and payd for it on Thursday the 14th of Aprill, 

 and the next day was it fetched away. There was of it twenty- 

 nine stone, which came to 111. 12s. It was weighed in the hall, 

 the packe-cloath beinge layd against the skreene ; it was weighed 

 all in single stones, because the scale would holde noe more but 

 a stone ; the weights which wee then had ready weare, a two 

 stone weight with a ringe, beinge of leade, rounde and sealed ; 

 a rounde halfe-stone or 71b. weight ringed ; two flatte halfe- 

 stone weights, sealed, and marked with the flower de lyce and 

 crowne ; a fower pownde weight, flatte, and marked with E L 

 and a crowne havinge a figure of 4 ; a two pownde and a single 

 pownde, three square and sealed ; and two rownde halfe 

 powndes : the weights which wee used weare the two flatte 

 seaven powndes or halfe-stones ; and ever as wee weighed wee 

 putte in the halfe pownde, pownde, or other weights, to try 

 what was over, or what wanted ; and looke howe much was 

 more, and weight, and the same weight, was putte into the 

 woll-scale next time ; and allsoe such weights as were layd upon 

 the woU to make up the stone weare, att the weighinge of the 

 next stone, putte into the contrary scale, to the other weights, 

 to make that good which before was wantinge. 



See more to this purpose in the seccond booke'' before the 

 treatise of agricultui'e. See more of this subjeckt after the trea- 

 tise of bees. 



Directions for Cuttinge of Grasse and Tiftinge of Hay. 



The cuttinge of grasse falleth not out allwayes alike, but 

 sometimes sooner and sometimes later, accordingly as men can 

 perceive it to beginne to turne and dye ; for soe soone as the 

 pennie-grasse beginne to welke and seeme dry, then is it time 

 to beginne to mowe ; and in those closes first that are the most 

 barren ; for if they bee over longe forborne, they will burne 

 and drye away, and proove very hard and stumpie when they 

 come to be mowne ; but such places as are fatte earth, have 

 have beene longe inclosed, and are lately layen, should allwayes 

 bee left till the last of all. Wee beganne to mowe this 7th of 

 July, 1641, beinge Wensday ; for indeede it is most usuall to be- 



* Seyeral references to this second book will be found, and one to " this third 

 book." I hoped for some time that both were divisions of the present volume, the 

 order being book the first, third, and second. But the reference to matters not 

 touched on herein makes it certain that a second book was formerh' in existence ; 

 I have found a leaf or two, which probably belonged to it, among some old papers. 

 It seems to have been a small folio, and to have been written in parallel columns, 

 two on a page. This fragment, which owes its preservation to its being evidence 

 as to a right of stray (now commuted for the freehold of about 80 acres of land), Avill 

 be given hereafter. 



