RURAL ECONOMY IN YORKSHIRE IN 1641. 141 



all the olde moles they catch, and ad. & dozen for younge ones ; 

 but wee, whoe have much imployment and worke for them, pay 

 (for the most parte) but lOd. a dozen for olde ones, and 4c?. for 

 younge ones ; no we as for those that sende purposely for a mole- 

 catcher to gette a single mole in an howse, garden or the Hke, 

 they will seldome take any lesse then 2d. and sometimes Sd. 

 for her, if they gette her, because they have have payment 

 onely for those they catch, and if they misse, the losse is theires ; 

 theire manner is neaver to fall in hands with mole catchinge 

 till St. Marke day bee past, because theire breedinge time is 

 allwayes aboute a weeke afore St. Marke day, and if they 

 should kill them afore they have younge, theire profitte woulde 

 bee soe much the lesse. These creatures have usually five 

 yovmge ones att a time, and neaver above ; sometimes they can 

 finde but one, two, three, or fower in a nest ; and as for theyre 

 nests, they are usually in hedge rootes, or tree rootes, and some- 

 times in the hills, or plaine grownde ; they are seldome above a 

 foote deepe ; they doe the most harme in moist or rainy wea- 

 ther, when the grownd is softe, doinge indeed very much harme 

 to inclosures all winter longe, soe longe as the weather is open, 

 and till such time as they bee by frostes prevented. Thatchers 

 have usually 4cZ. a day and theire meate, in summertime, theire 

 wages beinge allwayes more by 2d. a day then ordinary day- 

 tailemen ; and in some places (id. a day and theire meate. John 

 Pearson had usually, after Lady-day, for weedinge and dressinge 

 of the garden, 7d. when hee meated liimselfe, but when hee was 

 here att meate and wage, hee had 4d!. a day and his meate. 

 Libbers have for libbinge of pigges, pennies a peece for the 

 giltes, and halfe pence a peece for the gowtes or bore pigges ; 

 they usually libbe them when they are aboute moneths olde, 

 and then may the}^ venture to drive them to field aboute three 

 or fower dayes after, or howesoever within a weeke : yet wee 

 have oftentimes libbed them, and that without dainger, when 

 they have not altogeather been fortnightes olde ; libbers have 

 for libbinge of a colte of a yeare olde 4(;Z., yett they will aske 

 att the first Is., and some there ai-e who will give them 6d. ; 

 they have hkewise for geldinge of a bull, and makinge a bull 



powder of ye moldwarpe and put a new tilk- i ye fyre til it be rede hette and ya put 

 thesi iij thyngs on ye tyle and make ya al in powea' and aspy whar yer way is and 

 putt soni partte of yis pouder yar and he wyl not com y*^' forth ne by no way bi th 

 coste. 



"Also a noyr. take ye powder of the moldwarpe yt is takyn xiiij nyghtys byfor 

 mydson."" or after midsonier xiiij nyghtys and take a wessel and frye these powd" with 

 pyke fiankynsens and wyrgyn waxe and put it I the way upon a tyle whar ony is 

 wont to go and he will eome yer to anon and put it at the utmoste hende of ye way 

 and lat ye trenshe be long enewght and ye shall have him anon ryght." 



