[E89] "Sealed and true," i.e. certified and stamped as correct. In Liber Albus, ed. Riley, p. 233, we read: "No brewster or taverner shall sell from henceforth by any measure but the gallon, pottle, and quart; and that these shall be sealed with the seal of the Alderman," etc. See also the Statute of Sealed Measures, id. p. 290.
[E90] Striking is the last ploughing before the seed is committed to the ground; previously to which the ridges are to be harrowed.
[E91] "Sowe barlie and dredge." In the 13th century the grain crops chiefly cultivated in England were wheat, "berecorn," dragg, or a mixture of vetches and oats, beans and pease. The regulations for the brewers of Paris in 1254 prescribe that they shall brew only "de grains, c'est à savoir d'orge de mestuel, et de dragèe." "Dredge mault, malt made of oats, mixed with barley malt, of which they make an excellent quick sort of drink."—Bp. Kennett's Gloss. "A mixture of oates and barley; and at present used very seldom in malting."—T.R. "Dragée aux chevaux, provender of divers sorts of pulse mixed together."—Cotgrave. From Way's Notes in Prompt. Parv. s. v. Dragge.
[E92] Forby (Vocab. 1830) says: "Crow-keeper, a boy employed to scare crows from new sown land. Lear, in his madness, says: 'That fellow handles his bow like a crow-keeper.' Besides lustily whooping, he carries an old gun, from which he cracks a little powder, and sometimes puts in a few stones, but seldom hits, and still seldomer kills a crow." Cf. Romeo and Juliet, Act i. sc. 4: "Scaring the ladies like a crow-keeper."
[E93] A Marsh Wall is a Sea bank, made with considerable slope to sea-ward, which is called a Break or Breck; it is faced with Turf which sometimes is worn by the sea, or Holes made in it by Crabs, etc. The Foreland is a piece of Land that lies from the foot of the Bank to Sea-ward, and must be well look'd after, that it wear not away or come too near the Bank (as the Workmen term it).—T.R.
[E94] A brawner should be kept cool and hard, which encreaseth his shield, as the skin of the shoulder is called.—M.
[E95] Measles in hogs are small round globules or pustules that lie along the muscles; and are occasioned by uncleanness and want of water.—M.
[E96] The retting of hemp, as it is called, should be done with care. It should be taken out of the water as soon as it begins to swim. The smell left by hemp and flax is extremely unpleasant, as travellers in the flax districts of the North of Ireland well know.
[E97] "In time of plenty of mast, our red and fallow deere will not let to participat thereof with our hogs, more than our nete: yea, our common pultrie also, if they may come vnto them. But as this abundance dooth prooue verie pernicious vnto the first, so the egs which these latter doo bring foorth (beside blackenesse in color and bitternesse of tast,) haue not seldome beene found to breed diuerse diseases vnto such persons as haue eaten of the same."—Harrison, Descrip. of Eng. part i. p. 339.
[E98] If your dog sets chaunting (crying) these lawless hogs, haunting (or frequenting) your fields so often, he does you a benefit.