working life of women seventeenth century - School of Economics ...

AGRICULTUREmaintain completely the shepherd, his boy and a dog,not to speak of a wife and other children. Thus,while the shepherd tended his sheep, we mayimagine his wife and children were cultivating theirallotment.The wages for the harvest work of women as well asmen, were fixed by the Quarter Sessions.' Referencesto their work may be found in account books anddiaries. Thus Dame Nicholson notes : " Aug. 13,1690, I began to sher ye barin croft about 11 o'clock,ther was Gordi Bar and his wife-also Miler's sonJames and his sister Margit also a wife called Nietontheysher 17 threv and 7 ~hivis."~Best gives a detailed account of the division of workbetween men and women on a Yorkshire farm : " Weehave allwayes one man, or else one of the ablest of thewomen, to abide on the mowe, besides those that goewith the waine~.~ The best sort of men-shearershave usually 8d. a day and are to meate themselves ;the best sorte of women shearers have (most commonly)6d. a day.' It is usuall in some places (whearethe furres of the landes are deepe worne with raines)lA comparison of the assessments which have been preserved, in the di5erentcounties shows that men's earnings varied in the hay harvest from :-qd. and meat and drink, or %d. without, toSd.,, ,, ,, ,, ,, IS.4d. ,,and in the cam harvest from :-~ d and . meat and drink, or ~od. without, to1. 7, ,, ., ,, ,, 2s. 9,Women'* wages varied in the hay harvest from :-~d. and meat and drink, or qd. without, to6d. 9, 7, 1, 1 8 7,and in the corn harvest from :-zd. and meat and drink, or 6d. without, to6d.,, ,, ,, ,, ,, 18. :,The variations in these wages correspond with the price of corn in different partrof England and muct not be regarded as necessarily representing differences in thereal value of wages.%Society of Antiquarians of Scotland, vol. uxix, p. 125.Nicbolson's Account Book.a Best, Rural Emnamy, p. 36.Dame MargaretAGRICULTUREto imploy women, with wain-rakes, to gather the corneout of the said hollow furres after that the sweathrakeshave done.'. . We use meanes allwayes to getteyther 18 or else 24 pease pullers, which wee setteallways sixe on a lande, viz., a woman and a man, awoman and a man, a woman or boy and a man, etc.,the weakest couple in the fore furre. . , it is usuallin most places after they gette all pease pulled, or thelast graine downe, to invite all the worke-folkes andwives (that helped them that harvest) to supper, andthen have they puddinges, bacon, or boyled beefe,flesh or apple pyes, and then creame brought in platters,and every one a spoone ; then after all they havehotte cakes and ale ; some will cutte theire cakeand putte into the creame and this feaste is called thecreame-potte or creame-kitte . . . wee sendallwayes, the daye before wee leade, [pease] two of ourboys, or a boy and one of our mayds with each of them ashorte mowe forke to turn them."'For thatching, Best continues :" Wee usually providetwo women for helpes in this kinde, viz, one to drawethacke, and the other to serve the thatcher ; she thatdraweth thacke hath gd. a day, and shee that serveththe thatcher qd. a day, because shee also is to temperthe morter, and to carry it up to the toppe of thehowse . . . Shee that draweth thatch shouldealways have dry wheate strawe . . . whearewithto make her bandes for her bottles. She that servethwill usually carry up q bottles at a time, and sometimesbut 3 if the thatch bee longe and very ~ette."~' Be*\ Ri~ral Economy, p. jg.Ibid, pp. 93-4.Ibid, pp. 13s-g.l' The thatchers," Best says, " bare in most places 6d. a day& theire meate In Summer time, . . . yett we neaver use to give them above 4d . . .- . because their dyett is not as in other places ; for they are to have three mealeaday, vrz. theire breakfaste att eight of the clocke, . . . theire dinner about twelve andtheire supper about seaven or after when they leave worke; and att each meale.fowcr service,, viz. butter, milke, cheese, and either egges, ppes, or bacon, and sometimesporridge insteade of milke : if they meate themselves they have usua!ly ~od.a day."