RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 81 



much to holdinge up of the ewes legges, but to putte them 

 under, and make them seeke for it ; otlierwise they will looke 

 for sucklinge, and bee allwaves comminge to your feete, mind- 

 inge yow more than the ewe. As oiu- lambes fall wee putte 

 them into some dry and close place wheare they may bee out of 

 dainger of drowninge, neaver puttinge above tenne or a dozen 

 togeather, and ha\-inge an especiall eye to them till they bee 

 three or fower dayes olde, that they bee out of dainger of pind- 

 inge ; yett lette them bee there till they bee a weeke olde, and 

 then may yow venture to putte them into a larger grownde, and 

 more of them togeather ; for by that time they will bee able to 

 master the ewes, keepe company with them, and knowe theire 

 blares ; and then have yow nothinge to do but to goe with a 

 dogge mominge and eveninge, and sometimes att noones, and 

 call them togeather and everie one will call on her lambe ; the 

 most easie, if yow have a dogge that tvtU fetch, to cany with 

 yow a staiFe and thi'owe it fii-st one way and then another, and 

 the dogge goinge to fetch it will cause the sheepe to come to- 

 geather towards yow : after that the lambes goe to field they 

 woulde bee called togeather fower times a day. 



In most places they will fother theu'e sheepe constantly mom- 

 inge and eveninge till Lady-day, for they say that a fortnight 

 before Candlemasse, and a fortnight after, is the deadest time in 

 the yeare, and a very parlous time e}~ther for sheepe, or other 

 goods that are abroade, to bee putte wholly to Hve on the 

 grownde without fotheringe, being (as they say) betwixt winter 

 and the springe : besides, they say that hard-meate keepeth 

 them in stomacke, enableth them to labour on the gi'ownde ; it 

 is sayd allsoe to fasten theire woll on them, and to cause them 

 to putte forth more woll : and whosoever seeketh att this time 

 to save his fother will be ia dainger of loosinge his sheepe : and 

 such sheepe as have beene fonnerly the best succoured, if they 

 bee taken out of theire hard-meate will bee in the most dain- 

 ger ; as wee had (this yeare) experience by our owne ; nowe 

 such as are scante of fother will serve them constantly on nights, 

 because then they will eate it best, and not on mornings, unlesse 

 it bee when there is a white-rime, and then if they bee not 

 called up with a little fother, they will lye still, and not labour 

 till such time as the rime goe of the gi'ownde. The usuall 

 coiu-se which wee take with om' owne, is to fother them con- 

 stantly, mominge and eveninge, till the 10th or middle of Feb- 

 ruary, although the weather bee neaver soe seasonable and 

 fe,ire ; and then aboute the middle of Februaiy to briage om- 

 gelde sheepe, hogges, and as many ewes as wee cannot perceive 

 to bee with lambe, and putte them into the Can-e, because this 



