J 38 RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 



eize, then they doe [make it thinne] upwards ; whereas, on the 

 contrary, they shoulde give it a good thieke coat up towards 

 the toppe, and lye on noe more att the eize but just to turne 

 raine, and by this meanes will it shoote of wette better by faiTe, 

 when it is full and not (as it weare) sattled aboute the mid-side 

 of the howse. 



For Thatchinge. 

 Thatchers have (in most places) Gd. a day and theire meate, 

 in summer time, and in the shortest dayes of winter 4<:/. a day 

 and theire meate ; yett wee neaver use to give them above 4d 

 a day and theire meate, in summer, because theire dyett is not 

 as in other places ; for they are to have three raeales a day, viz. ; 

 theire breakefast att eight of the clocke, or betwixt eight and 

 nine, theire dinner aboute twelve, and theire supper aboute 

 seaven or after when they leave worke ; and att each meale 

 fower services, viz. ; butter, milke, clieese and either egges, pyes, 

 or bacon, and sometimes poiridge insteade of milke : if they 

 meate themselfes they have usually lOd. a day. Wee usually 

 provide two women for helpes in this kinde, viz. ; one to drawe 

 thacke, and the other to serve the t hatcher ; shee that draweth 

 thacke hath Sd. a day, and shee that serveth the thatcher ^d. a 

 day, because shee alsoe is to temper the morter, and to carry it 

 up to the toppe of the howse. Our usuall manner is (the same 

 day that the thatcher cometh) to make ready two coupes be- 

 times in the mominge, and to sende them into the faugh feilds 

 for two loades of clottes, thereon to make morter, which clottes 

 wee throwe downe neare unto some water, providinge two or 

 three men with clottinge melles to breake them small, ever as 

 they are throwne out of the coupe ; and then doe wee water it, 

 and tewe it well att the first, and soe leave it for her that 

 serveth to temper. Tlie best strawe for thatchinge is wheate 

 strawe and rye strawe ;' barley strawe is good alsoe, if it bee 

 without weedes and not over shorte ; haver-strawe is accounted 

 the worst, because birdes meddle most with this kinde of 

 strawe ; but the coui*se which many use to prevent this is to 

 mingle water and hme, and not to temper it too thieke, but to 

 make it thinne like unto puttie, and soe the thatcher (whoe all- 

 wayes beginneth att the bottome or ease, and soe goeth up to 



• " 1663. March. Twenty thrave of ling is thought by good workmen to be 

 enouf^li for a roine pro three yards and halfe. 



" 1606. Sept. 13 and 15. Ling led for ridging yc byar and bnme 2C"* thrave. 



" 1672. Aug. 30. Whcutley of Saiston ye theaker is to thcake Leonords' bam 

 and conipleato for 2G«. ; it is 18 yards long; he hath 12</. for earnest, and I to be at 

 no loss either with watling, ridging, or serving for ling." — T. Whittingham's 

 Diary. 



