Now! Then! Six corn-wains from villages east of Driffield pass slowly through Elmswell on their way to Malton

21 May 1641: Six corn-wains from villages east of Driffield pass slowly through Elmswell on their way to Malton

Henry Best. 1857. Rural Economy in Yorkshire, in 1641. Ed. Charles Best Robinson. Durham: Surtees Society. Get it:

Excerpt

The first time that wains were seen this year to go to Malton with corn was Saturday the 30th of April. On Saturday the 21st of May, there were six that came from Agnes Burton, Lowthorpe and Harpham. They went all night, set down their corn, and took in such things as were bought the Saturday before and left for them, and were met out of Malton before seven of the clock. It is ill going to Malton with draughts, when the fields adjoining to the highway are most of them fough [foul?]. When our draughts went either to Malton or Hiddisley-quarry, look how many went, and they had each of them victuals put up for three meals; for they went forth usually on Friday about four or five of the clock, and went usually as far as Duggleby field, and there loosed and tethered their cattle; and when the pinder had come they would have given him victuals, and he would have been well pleased.

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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

Comment

Where were Duggleby field and Hiddisley quarry?

If Elmswell-Malton was 20-25 miles, then the wagons would have travelled at well below walking pace. During the railway boom, the Malton and Driffield Railway set out to solve forever such problems:

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Original

The first time that waines were seen (this yeare) to goe to Malton with corne was Satterday the 30th of Aprill. On Satterday the 21st of May, there weare sixe that came from Agnes Burton, Lowthorpe and Harpham; they wente all night, sette downe theire corne, and tooke in such thinges as weare bought the Satterday before and left for them, and weare mette out of Malton before seaven of the clocke. It is ill going to Malton with draughts, when the fields adjoyninge to the high-way are most of them fough; when our draughts wente eyther to Malton or Hiddisley-quarrey, looke howe many wente, and they had each of them victualls putte up for three meales; for they wente forth usually on Fryday aboute fower or five of the clocke, and wente usually as farre as Duggleby field, and there loosed and teathered theire cattle; and when the pinder had come they would have given him victualls, and hee would have been well pleased.

167 words.