RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 55 



seede once in fower or five croppes ; as for three croppes yow 

 may venture your owne barley well enough, because of your 

 three severall fields whearin it is to bee sowne ; but it is ob- 

 served in wheate, that if the seed bee not chainged once in 

 fower or five croppes, it will slay extreamely ; whearefore those 

 that are experienced husbandmen will allwayes chainge theire 

 wheate and barley every foui-th, or, howsoever, for every 

 fifth croppe ; allwayes observinge, hke\vise, to sowe theire best 

 wolde-baiiey on theire clay-lande, and theire clay-barley on 

 theire wolde-lande. 



For Traylinge of the Sweathrake. 



Those that traile the Sweathrake have usually 6d. a day, 

 if they meate themselfes ; and if wee hire any boyes out of the 

 Moores for that purpose which are of a good abihty and strength, 

 they have usually 22d. a weeke, and theii'e meate, and some- 

 times two shilhngs. In rakinge of oates wee have usually but 

 two constant rakers, but in rakinge of barley, wee have allwayes 

 fower constant rakers, and oftentimes eight, when neede soe 

 reqvdreth. It is usuall sometimes to have odde rakers, as 5, 6, 

 or 7, but the best way is to have e}i:her 4 or eight, because 4 

 wiU take jiLst a broade lande alonge with them. In rakinge of 

 oates, 4 rakers will dispatch a broade lande att once, goinge up ; 

 but in rakinge of barley, 4 rakers goe twice to a lande, viz. ; up 

 and downe againe. When wee intende to leade our barley 

 rakins with the sheaves, then doe wee sette on our rakers within 

 a day or two after wee are begmme to mowe, and give them 

 charge to leave theire rakins att the sides of tlie stookes, as they 

 doe in rakinge of oates ; soe that wee may take up the sheaves 

 and rakins togeather ; but when wee intende to lye the 

 sheaves by themselfes, and the rakins by themselfes, then doe 

 wee first leade away the stookes, and then sette on the rakers, 

 and give them charge to leave theire rakins all on eaven rowes, 

 quite crosse over the landes, from one side of the flatte to the 

 other ; and then doe wee usually sende fower women with 

 waine-rakes to cocke them, and theii-e mamier is to cocke the 

 rakins of three lands all on one, viz. ; to sette theu-e cockes on 

 the middle lande, and soe to bringe the rakinges of the lands on 

 either side to theire cockes on the middle lande, puttinge also 

 two rowes into every cocke. 



When sweath-rake teeth are slioiie and wome, they must 

 shift often, \iz. ; take out theire rake and make the teeth take 

 holde in a newe place, wliich is nothinge else but to hft up the 

 rake, and lette it faU downe againe. Rakers are alsoe to bee 

 forewarned to have a care that they neaver crosse the fiiiTe 



