RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 109' 



For Breedinge of Partridges. 

 Partridges sitte oftentimes on fifteene or seaventeene egges, 

 and seldome have above one or two rotten egges att the most ; 

 and very fewe of them that bringe forth fewer then nine or 

 tenne younge ones att a time ; which are not called a brood but 

 a covy of partridges, and that is the terme of arte. Wlien par- 

 tridges are putte to an henne and tm-ned abroad, yow must 

 have a speciall eye to the henne, to cutte the one of her winges 

 as shorte as possibly yow can ; or else, soone after the par- 

 tridges are fortnights old, shee will beginne to fly up and sitte 

 in trees, and leave them belowe, and soe perish them for wante 

 of broodinge. 



For Bringing e up of Partridges. 

 If one chance to find a nest, when they cutte gi-asse or other- 

 wise, that hath younge ones newe hatched or egges, take them 

 and cany and putte under a henne that hath sitten a fortnight 

 or more, and take but away her owne egges, and if they bee 

 hatched shee will take to them presently. Partridges hatch 

 usually aboute the 10th of Auguist ; after that the henne hath 

 taken to them, yow must take the henne and them and putte 

 them togeather into some close howse, where the partrido-es 

 cannot gette away ; and for the space of two or three dayes yow 

 must take a spade and a pecke, or some such like thinge, and 

 goe twice a day to the amit-hills, and there di gge on the south 

 side of the hill for pismire egges, and those pismires which have 

 winges like unto flyes, both which partridges love exceedingly ; 

 in the forenoone yow shall finde the pismire egges towards the 

 south-east corner of the hill, and in the afternoone towards the 

 south-west corner ; where yow see them, there take up the 

 monies and alltogeather and putte into the pecke ; but as for 

 the httle pismires, take as few up as yow can, for they will 

 gette to the head and feete of the partridges, and make them 

 soe smarte till the partridges bee allmost madde, and fitte to 

 leape out ; yow must take up the partridges and sette them into 

 the pecke, and soe feede them three or fower times a day. Att 

 the ende of two or three dayes wee used to cany the henne and 

 them into the Fore Orchard, and sette them dowe amongst the 

 nutte trees, and neaver gave the henne noe meate, because that 

 seekinge aboute for her owne livinge shee provided better for 

 them. When they are aboute fortnights olde (for they must 

 bee driven noe longer) yow must watch where the henne useth 

 to sitte on nights, and come when it beginneth to bee darke and 

 thro we somethinge over the henne, as shee broodeth them ; then 



