RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 139 



the toppe or ridge of the howse) is to bee forewarned that hee 

 call for this (when hee hath finished his cowrse or layer), and 

 soe take his trowell and anoynte it aU the way, as hee cometh 

 downe againe. The usuall way for dessinge of strawe is to 

 appoynte three folkes, viz. ; two with forkes to take the strawe 

 as it is throwne out of the barne, and to carry it to some water 

 side, wheare it may stande most convenient for the place that is 

 to bee thatched, and free from swine, if it bee possible ; they 

 are to shake it lightly on, and to leave noe lumpes nor wreaths ; 

 then the third man is to stande ready with a scoupe, and after 

 every two or three forkefuUs that is layd on, hee is to water it 

 sowndly all over, and after that the desse is finished, yow are to 

 water it every night, or everie other night, after the fellowes 

 come from plowe, till such time as it bee drawne ; others againe 

 will wette it onely once after it is dessed, and then drawe it out 

 and make it up in bottles, and soe sette the bottles up an ende, 

 and water it in the bottles, and soe lay it on. The best time of 

 the yeare for layinge on of thatche is aboute three weekes or a 

 moneth afore yow beginne to cutte grasse, for then the dayes 

 are longe, and the weather seasonable, that a workeman may 

 goe forwarde with what they take in hande ; b-esides att this 

 time of the yeare winter corne is usually thrashed, and barnes 

 empty for sowinge wheare neede soe requireth. A thatchers 

 tooles are two needles for sowinge with, an eize-knife for cut- 

 tinge the eize, a switchinge knife for cuttinge it eaven and all 

 alike as hee cometh downe from the ridge, a slise whearewith 

 hee diggeth a way or passage and alsoe striketh in the thatch, a 

 little iron rake with three or fower teeth, for scratchinge of 

 dirte and olde morter, and a trowell for layinge of morter on. 

 Thatchers allwayes beginne att the eize, and soe thake upwards 

 till they come to the ridge, and theire manner is to sticke downe 

 theire needles, one a little distance from another, and thereon to 

 lay theire bottles when the server bringeth them up. They 

 usually make theire sowinge bandes of staddle-hay, and soe 

 fasten the bottles to the sparres. Shee that draweth thatch 

 shoulde allwayes have dry wheate strawe, or rye strawe, lyinge 

 by her, whearewith to make her bandes for her bottles. Shee 

 that serveth will usually carry up fower bottles att a time, and 

 sometimes but three, if the thatch bee longe and very wette. 

 When the thatch groweth thinne all over, the best way is to 

 give it a newe coate all through, or (as wee say) a whole thatch, 

 but when [it] decayeth but in some places, the best way is 

 onely to amende the holes and gutters, for too much thacke is a 

 meanes to make the sparres yeelde, and oftentimes to breake. 

 If thatchinge worke come in hande in haytime, then wee make 



