RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN I64I. 95 



ter way then damminge of water, for nowe the scudde and 

 scumme passed away, and the dyke was as cleare and fresh att 

 the last as att the first ; whearefore in my opinion this is a 

 farre better way, viz ; to wash sheepe in such a place wheare 

 the water is deepe enough of it selfe, without any demminge ; 

 for besides the labour of settinge downe and takinge up, the 

 water is in dainger of canyinge away the bankes soe soone as 

 they lette it goe ; oiu- fatte sheepe, beinge washed on Munday 

 the 9th of May, weare clipped on Wensday the 11th of May ; 

 wee had onely one clipper, viz ; William Simpson of Little 

 DrifSeld, whoe threshinge heare the day afore, wee spoke to 

 him att night when he wente hoame that hee should the nexte 

 morninge bringe his sheares with him ; then in the morninge 

 he fell to threshinge till such time as wee had gotte the sheepe 

 up and all thinges ready. Wee imployed onely the clipper and 

 our foreman aboute this businesse ; the foreman first brought 

 sixe barres which he sette two in length and double on one 

 side, for the lime leare ende (?) fenced in one side, the hedge 

 another, the foresayd fower barres the third side, and for the 

 ende that was next the markinge potte, wee made choise of two 

 of the straitest and strongest barres, which stood single, and 

 weare not sette downe nor made fast till such time as the 

 sheepe weare putte into the penne : when he had thus done hee 

 fetched the markinge-potte and sette it over the hole, and made 

 a fii'e under, and then wee sente for the clipper, whoe came 

 and made a cleane place whearon to lay his sheepe, pickinge all 

 stickes, strawes and other dirte of the grasse ; hee allsoe tooke 

 a doore of the hinges, and fetched a creele for the doore to lye 

 upon, on which they weare to winde the wo 11 ; hee allsoe looked 

 to the fire till our foreman gatte his breakfast ; hee beganne 

 not to cKppe tiU after om- plough folkes had gotten theire 

 breakefasts, and hee had done the aforesayd thirty two soone 

 after twelve of the clocke : the foreman trayled the sheepe from 

 the penne to the shearer, wounde up the woll, and helde them 

 till they weare marked ; wee all way es marke them ourselves, 

 wee gave our fatte sheepe and fatte lambes onely the botte. 

 Ever when the foreman sawe that the clipper had allmost done, 

 hee left and went and fetched him another, and cast it for him, 

 and then tooke the sheepe that was shorne and brought it to 

 the markinge-panne, and nowe and then, when hee had any 

 time, fetched a lambe to marke. Wheare the coates weare 

 whole wee made fleeces of them, but wheare woll was lackinge 

 there wee putte those coates into two fleeces ; wee gave him 

 charge that hee should winde them very fast, for there is greate 

 losse by loose windinge, and with all that hee should not double 



