46 RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1C41. 



come, and a wlieate that will sell as well amongst rye as the 

 other. 



For Leadinge of Winter Corne. 

 Wee leade in our winter corne usually with three waines, 

 aUowinge to each waine two tblkes, viz., a forker and a loader ; 

 and theire implements which they are to carry to field with 

 them is a waine-forke and a wainerake ; theire waineforke 

 should bee in length aboute two yardes and a quarter, and 

 theire wainerakes have (for the most parte) theire shaftes made 

 of saugh, theire heade of seasoned ashe, and theire teeth of 

 iron ; theire teeth are aboute fower ynches in length, and in 

 number allwayes either 9 or 10, but waine raikes have, for the 

 most parte, 10 teeth a peece ; some wainerakes there are that 

 have theire teeth made of woode, and yett this is not soe usualL 

 If two of an equall strength goe with a waine, the leader ought 

 then to teame the waine ; but if theire bee dift'erence in theire 

 strength, then the stronger shoulde both forke and teame. 

 Those that are forkers are to bee forewarned that they i-ake 

 cleane such places wheare the rakins are layd togeather, and 

 likewise the staddles of the stookes, after that they have given 

 up the stookes. It is an errom* in many husbandmen to srake 

 winter come that is shorne ; for that which is thus gathered 

 togeather will hardly suffice to pay him his wages that trayleth 

 the sweath-rake, and, besides, a fewe of those rakins will serve 

 to blacken and s])oyle a greate deale of better come ; for the 

 sweathrake rubbeth the rakins soe against the grownde that 

 they are allwayes dirty, dusty, and foule ; yette in oates and 

 barley it is a thinge most necessary to see that landes bee well 

 raked, by reason of the greate quantity of corne that is scat- 

 tered, either through the naughtiness of the mowers cradle, or 

 else through the sluggishnesse and carelessnesse of those that 

 gather after. Duringe the time of our loadinge of come we 

 have allwayes one abidinge on the mowe, which is usually the 

 foreman, whose office is to mowe" and place the sheaves aright, 

 and ullsoe to treade when the waines are absent. It is a good 

 way to speak to the foreman, afore you beginne to leade, to 

 see that the waines bee well greased, and alsoe to have five 

 waines made ready, that yow may allwayes have one in reatli- 

 nesse, for feare that some chance to miscarry or bee defecktive, 



' It may be unnecessary to draw attention to the fact tliat the word "mowe," 

 which in still used in this sense, does not lure mean "to cut with a scythe," but to 

 "adjust, arrange." A good many hints as to the vexed question of the priority of 

 invention oi atti ibiites (verbal words), or sttbstancea (nouns), may bo gathered from 

 the language of this treatise. 



