RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 35 



any fui'ther if they chance but to hitte on one of them ; 

 fowerthly, grasse that is layde, either by reason of cattle which 

 have layen on it, or if it bee but hennes and such Uke fowles 

 that haunte a close, they will make it extreame troublesome 

 and tedious to the mowers ; grasse will oftentimes bee beaten 

 downe and layed with greate showers of raine. To these wee 

 may adde a fifth hinderance, which is, the woode hath beene 

 cutte and not cleane gathered up ; for these will oftentimes 

 breake a sythe, and are so hidden and covered with the grasse 

 that they cannot bee espyed. The most usuall and best way 

 for tythinge of hey is when it is in small cocke or grasse cocke ; 

 and to make use of reade-weedes for wikes, stickinge downe 

 att every cocke two, viz. : on eyther side of the cocke one ; and 

 neaver to sette the wikes on the toppe of the cockes, beinge 

 neaver soe well to bee discearned, for the redde-weedes or wykes 

 beinge blowne a httle aside with the winde may bee thought 

 to have beene some weede cutte up with the grasse. When 

 hey-makers rake hey, they goe alltogeather, unlesse it bee when 

 two are appointed to goe on the other side of the winderowe 

 and to hemme in ; but when they cocke they goe two and two 

 togeather, the one -goinge afore with a forke and makinge the 

 staddle, and the other comming behinde with a rake, to cor- 

 reckt, toppe up, and finish the cocke. When diverse men have 

 landes Ij^nge togeather, hee that beginneth first to mowe ought 

 to have an especiall care, that his sweathes bee raked away 

 from liis neighboiu-'s standinge grasse. Grasse shoulde allsoe 

 bee troden out, least that, wantinge a guide, they either cutte 

 away theire neighbour's or leave theire owne uncutte. 



For Leadinge of Hey. 

 Aboute the time that wee begimie to cutte grasse, or howso- 

 ever the weeke afore wee intende to leade hey, wee sende worde 

 to the wiight to come and see that the axle-trees and felfes of 

 the waines bee sownde and firme, and to putte on theire shelv- 

 inges, and likewise to putte in stowers, wheare any are want- 

 inge. Wee leade, constantly, in hey-time with two or three 

 waines, and sometimes with fower ; if occasion soe require, and 

 if wee have force sufficient which may conveniently bee spared 

 without hinderance to our other occasions. The usuall manner 

 is to sende out with everie waine three folkes, viz. : two men 

 and a wooman ; wheareof the one of the men is a loader, the 

 other a forker, and the woman to rake after the waine ; the 

 strongest and ablest men shoi.dde allwayes bee forkers, and the 

 weakest loaders ; they are usually either of our owne servants, 

 or else day-taile-men. whoe have for that labour 6d. a day ; the 



