RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 69 



of this subjeckt. See more of this subjeckt towards the latter 

 ende of the second booke. 



For Greasinge of Lavibes. 



On Wensday the 27th of October wee beganne to grease 

 lambes ; wee had five greasers, whoe did some of them 6, some 

 of them 7, and some of them 8 lambes on a day ; they had one 

 pennie for everie lambe, and they made an ende of gTeasinge on 

 Thursday night the 28th of October, and on Fryday moi-ninge 

 wee putte all onr lambes into the Carre ; and there was then of 

 our owne lambes that weare greased and putte into the CaiTe 

 threescore and fifteene lambes. The same day that wee beganne 

 to' grease, wee yoaked fower oxen in a waine, and sente three 

 folkes to fetch hoame our folde, and there was then -i4- barres, 

 40 stakes, and 48 folde hankes, and three newe baiTes besides ; 

 wee layd up our barres and stakes over the Calf howse. On 

 Satturday the 30th of October, wee devided the 14 riggons that 

 weare brought hoame when the ewes beganne to ride ; seaven 

 of them wee putte to the fatte sheepe into the Becke close, 

 which made them up eighteene ; and the other seaven, which 

 weare but shearinges and two sheare sheepe, wee putte to the 

 fielde againe, because ridinge time was nowe past. In makinge 

 of the salve, the shepheard putte to a quarterne of wheate 

 meale to make the salve thicker, and the two gallons of tarre 

 and eight powndes of tallowe did noe more but just serve the 

 75 lambes of our owne and two besides. In greasinge they be- 

 ginne usually on the belly, and soe goe rownde aboute by 

 sheddes, and greasinge tayle and breeke last. Wlien salve is 

 made on one day, it will not bee harde and fitte for greasinge 

 till the next morninge, and if [it] chance to stande in the raine, 

 the raine cannot doe it much harme, yett it wiU sattle into it 

 and take away the force of it as farre as it goeth. If sheepe 

 breake out, they usually breake out aboute MichaeUmasse time 

 or soone after, and if theire come but any raines aboute that 

 time, it wiU cause the scabbe to appeare and shewe itselfe ; or 

 if it doe not, you neede not gi-eately feare yom- sheepe for 

 breakinge out that yeare. There was (this yeare) noe signe of 

 the scabbe amongst our lambes ; noe not soe much as a knotte 

 founde amongst them all. Greasers are every of them to have 

 eyther a broad fom-me whearon to sitte themselfes and alsoe to 

 lay theire lambes, or else a broade board whearon to lay theire 

 lambes, and a bottle of strawe sette at the ende of it for them- 

 selfes to sette on. Wee greased (this yeare) att the stacke side 

 in the West haU East close, and (the weather beinge seasonable) 



