mingled with the hoppes’.  In wet weather the hops were to be stripped in the house.  The fire for drying hops was of wood, and some dried their hops in the sun, both processes to us appearing very risky; as the first would be too quick, and the latter next to impossible in September in England.  They were sometimes packed in barrels, as Tusser tells us, ’Some close them up drie in a hogshead or vat, yet canvas or sontage (coarse cloth) is better than that.’

By this time England had largely changed from a corn-growing to a stock-raising country; Harrison, writing in the middle of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, says, ’the soile of Britaine is more inclined to feeding and grazing than profitable for tillage and bearing of corne ... and such store is there of cattle in everie place that the fourth part of the land is scarcely manured for the provision of graine.’  But this statement seems exaggerated.  We know that by Harrison’s time enclosures had affected but a small area, and the greater part of the cultivated land was in open arable fields.  The yield of corn was now much greater than in the Middle Ages; rye or wheat well tilled and dressed now produced 15 to 20 bushels to the acre instead of 6 or 8, barley 36 bushels, oats 4 or 5 quarters[218], though in the north, which was still greatly behind the rest of England, crops were smaller.  No doubt this was partly due to the much-abused enclosures:  the industrious farmer could now do what he liked with his own, without hindrance from his lazy or unskilful neighbour.  Tusser’s preference for the ‘several’ field is very decided; comparing it with the ‘champion’ or common field he says:—­

The countrie inclosed I praise the tother delighteth me not, There swineherd that keepeth the hog there neetherd with cur and his horne, There shepherd with whistle and dog be fence to the medowe and corne, There horse being tide on a balke is readie with theefe for to walke, Where all things in common doth reste corne field with the pasture and meade, Tho’ common ye do for the best yet what doth it stand ye in steade?  More plentie of mutton and beefe corne butter and cheese of the best More wealth any where (to be briefe) more people, more handsome and prest (neat.) Where find ye? (go search any coaste) than there where enclosure is most.  More work for the labouring man as well in the towne as the fielde.  For commons these commoners crie inclosing they may not abide, Yet some be not able to bie a cow with her calf by her side.  Nor laie (intend) not to live by their wurke, But thievishly loiter and lurke.  What footpaths are made and how brode Annoiance too much to be borne, With horse and with cattle what rode is made thorowe erie man’s come.

But the rich graziers boasted that they did not grow corn because they could buy it cheaper in the market; and they are said to have traded on the necessity of the poor farmer to sell at Michaelmas in order to pay his rent, and when they had got the corn into