4 RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 



but the ewes will beginne to tuppe whoUily about MichaeUmas, 

 and theyre lambes most of them come aboute the middle of 

 February ; but those that take up thejTe tuppes, putt them not 

 to the ewes till St. Luke diiy,* and then thejTe forwardest 

 lambes will fall aboute the middle of March. The reason why 

 they take up thejrre tuppes is want of succour for theire 

 lambs, and theirfore they woidde not have them to conie, till 

 the Springe beginne to shewe itselfe on the grownd- 



A tuppe, if hee bee kept loftily and in lust, is sayd to be 

 sufficient for fortie, or fiftie ewes, yett the usuall and best 

 course is to allowe foure tuppes to an hundreth ewes, i. e. to 

 everie tliirtie ewes, a tuppe. The most judicious sheepe-men 

 endeavom- by nii meanes possible to provide goode tuppes for 

 then- ewes ; for they say, a bad ewe may hrlnge a had lamhe, 

 yett she spoyles hut one, hutt an ill tuppe is likely to spoyle 

 many. 



Howe to choose a Good Tuppe. 



Lett him bee large and well quartered, of a snoode and 

 goode stapple, ^vith a longe and bushie tayle, withoute homes, 

 and havinge both the stones in the codde ; and lastly, neaver 

 under two sheare, nor seldome above five ; for beinge over 

 younge, their bloode is hotte and the scabbe procured, and 

 beinge over olde their radicall moisture'' is wasted. 



Lowe, moist, and springy groundes, are the best to increase 

 milke in an ewe ; yett husbandmen (that want such kinde of 

 succour) will oftentimes give them i>ease or oates in the strawe, 

 morninge and eveninge, and drive them to the water soe soone 

 as they have done ; and sometimes also they will give them 

 oates threshed and feyed, puttinge them in troughs, and ser- 

 vinge them like swine ; many also will endeavour (about a 

 fortnight or three weekes before they lambe) to keej)e them on 

 lands that are newe plowed, wheare tliey may gett the rooter 

 of gi-asse and weedes, which are a gieat furtherance to milke. 



It is a goode way to earemarke lambes as they fall, for feare 

 that some exchange a deade lambe for a quicke. 



It is a goode way to geld lambes wlien they are aboute a 

 fortnight olde, the season beinge warme, and tlie moone de- 

 crejiwinge ; ami by this meanes may yon have them sound and 

 whole againe before they goo to the field. 



A lambe will faU to tiie growndo, or to eatinge of gi-asse, 

 when it is aboute a moneth or five weekes olde ; yett if it have 



' Old rhyme in the north — 



" On St. Luke'« Jay lee llio ram have IiIr plajr." 

 »" This expression seems to be ileiived from Lord Baton, in whose Si/ha Si/ltui iiitt 

 it occurs. 



