Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

We sold our wool this year to a Beverley man the 1st of April, and had for it 8s. a stone, besides 12d. in earnest; and if we had kept it a fortnight longer, might have had 9s. 6d., if not 10s. a stone; and it was reported by some that they would sell that wool for 12s. in the West [Riding], if not for 13s. 4d. or 14s. a stone. The man that bought it came and weighed it, packed it up, and payd for it on Thursday the 14th of April, and the next day was it fetched away. There was of it twenty-nine stone, which came to 11l. 12s. It was weighed in the hall, the pack-cloth being laid against the screen. It was weighed all in single stones, because the scale would hold no more but a stone. The weights which we then had ready were: a two stone weight with a ring, being of lead, round and sealed; a round half-stone or 7lb. weight, ringed; two flat half-stone weights, sealed, and marked with the flower de lyce and crown; a four pound weight, flat, and marked with E L and a crown having a figure of 4; a two pound and a single pound, three square and sealed; and two round half pounds the weights which we used were the two flat seven pounds or half-stones; and ever as we weighed we put in the half pound, pound, or other weights, to try what was over, or what wanted; and look how much was more, and weight, and the same weight, was put into the wool-scale next time; and also such weights as were laid upon the wool to make up the stone were, at the weighing of the next stone, put into the contrary scale, to the other weights, to make that good which before was wanting.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations:

• ER: East Riding
• GM: Greater Manchester
• NR: North Riding
• NY: North Yorkshire
• SY: South Yorkshire
• WR: West Riding
• WY: West Yorkshire

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Original

FOR SELLINGE OF WOLL.

Wee solde our woll (this yeare) to a Beverley-man the 1st of Aprill, and had for it 8s. a stone, besides 12d. in earnest; and if wee had kept it a fortnight longer, might have had 9s. 6d., if not 10s. a stone; and it was reported by some that they woulde sell that woll for 12s. in the West, if not for 13s. 4d. or 14s. a stone. The man that bought it came and weighed it, packed it up, and payd for it on Thursday the 14th of Aprill, and the next day was it fetched away. There was of it twenty-nine stone, which came to 11l. 12s. It was weighed in the hall, the packe-cloath beinge layd against the skreene; it was weighed all in single stones, because the scale would holde noe more but a stone; the weights which wee then had ready weare, a two stone weight with a ringe, beinge of leade, rounde and sealed; a rounde halfe-stone or 7lb. weight ringed; two flatte halfe-stone weights, sealed, and marked with the flower de lyce and crowne; a fower pownde weight, flatte, and marked with E L and a crowne havinge a figure of 4; a two pownde and a single pownde, three square and sealed; and two rownde halfe powndes the weights which wee used weare the two flatte seaven powndes or halfe-stones; and ever as wee weighed wee putte in the halfe pownde, pownde, or other weights, to try what was over, or what wanted; and looke howe much was more, and weight, and the same weight, was putte into the woll-scale next time; and allsoe such weights as were layd upon the woll to make up the stone weare, att the weighinge of the next stone, putte into the contrary scale, to the other weights, to make that good which before was wantinge.

340 words.

Tags

Tags are assigned inclusively on the basis of an entry’s original text and any comment. You may find this confusing if you only read an entry excerpt.

• Best, Henry (approx. 1592-1645) (16) ·
• Beverley (21) ·
• East Riding of Yorkshire (66) ·
• Easter Monday (4) ·
• 📌Elmswell, East Riding of Yorkshire (19) ·
• Fleur-de-lis (1) ·
• Sheep (27) ·
• Textile manufacturing (59) ·
• Weighing scale (1) ·
• Weight (1) ·
• West Riding of Yorkshire (147) ·
• Wool (28) ·
• Yorkshire Wolds (23) ·

All tags.

Similar

• 11 May 1641: William Simpson of Little Driffield takes a break from threshing to shear Henry Best’s sheep at Elmswell
• 4 November 1641: Henry Best of Elmswell (Driffield) boils tar and pitch to mark his sheep
• 1 April 1641: Tips on bringing ewes and lambs to market in the East Riding today, Easter Monday
• 21 May 1641: Six corn-wains from villages east of Driffield pass slowly through Elmswell on their way to Malton
• 6 June 1641: Under a waning gibbous moon, armed with a penknife and sticky-willy unguent, a shepherd castrates Henry Best’s lambs at Elmswell (Driffield)
• 20 February 1582: Part of the household inventory made on the death of farmer Richard Best of Elmswell, including his homebrew kit
• 22 November 1641: Snow falls at Elmswell (Driffield), and sheep farmers jostle for low ground and feed
• 7 July 1641: Henry Best of Elmswell (Driffield) starts haymaking
• 18 November 1641: How Henry Best of Elmswell (Wolds) got his straw into optimal condition for the arrival today of the thatcher
• 16 September 1641: Henry Best of Elmswell (Driffield) begins to harvest peas, and describes the technique required