modities, but let them
goe soberly and constantly, and sheare the Rye at least fourteene inches
aboue the ground. Then he must looke that the gatherers which follow the
Reapers doe also gather cleane, & the binders binde the Sheafes fast
from breaking, then if you finde that the bottomes of the Sheafes be
full of greenes, or weedes, it shall not be amisse to let the Sheafes
lye one from another for a day, that those greenes may wither, but if
you feare any Raine or foule weather, which is the onely thing which
maketh Rye shale, then you shall set it vp in Shockes, each Shocke
containing at least seauen Sheafes, in this manner: first, you shall
place foure Sheafes vpright close together, and the eares vpwards, then
you shall take other three Sheafes and opening them and turning the
eares downeward couer the other foure Sheafes that stoode vpwards, and
so let them stand, vntill you may with good conueniencie lead them home,
which would be done without any protraction. Next after your cleane Rye,
you shall in the selfe-same sort reape your blend-Corne, or Masline: and
albeit your Wheate will not be fully so ripe as your Rye, yet you shall
not stay your labour, being well assured that your Rye is ready, because
Wheate will harden of it selfe after it is shorne, with lying onely.
After you haue got in your Rye and blend-Corne, you shall then looke
vnto your cleane Wheate, and taking heare and there an eare thereof,
rubbe them in your hand, and if you finde that the Corne hath all
perfection saue a little hardning onely, you shall then forthwith set
your Reapers vnto it, who shall sheare it in all things as they did
sheare your Rye, onely they shall not put it in Shockes for a day or
more, but let the Sheafes lye single, that the winde and Sunne may both
wither the greenes, and harden the Corne: which done, you shall put the
Sheafes into great Shockes, that is to say, at least twelue or
foureteene Sheafes in a Shocke, the one halfe standing close together
with the eares vpward, the other halfe lying crosse ouerthwart those
eares, and their eares downeward, and in this sort you shall let your
Wheate stand for at least two dayes before you lead it.

Now it is a custome in many Countries of this kingdome, not to sheare
their Wheate, but to mow it, but in my conceit and in generall
experience, it is not so good: for it both maketh the Wheate foule, and
full of weede, and filleth vp a great place with little commoditie, as
for the