In some places they neuer seuer their lambes from theyr dammes, and that is for two causes: One is, in the beste pasture where the rammes goo alwaye with [Sidenote: In the best pastures, lambs wean themselves.] theyr ewes, there it nedeth not, for the dammes wil 4 waxe drye, and wayne theyr lambes theym-selfe. An other cause is, he that hath noo seuerall and sounde [Sidenote: [Fol. 28.]] pasture, to put his lambes vnto whan they shoulde be wayned, he muste eyther sell them, or let them sucke 8 as longe as the dammes wyll suffre theym; and it is a common sayinge, that the lambe shall not rotte, as longe as it souketh, excepte the damme wante meate. [Sidenote: Lambs to be weaned at 16 weeks, or 18.] But he that hath seueral and sounde pasture, it is tyme 12 to wayne theyr lambes, whanne they be .xvi. wekes old, or .xviii. at the farthest, and the better shall the ewe take the ramme agayne. And the poore man of the peeke countreye, and suche other places, where as 16 they vse to mylke theyr ewes, they vse to wayne theyr [Sidenote: In the Peak, lambs are weaned at 12 weeks.] lambes at xii. wekes olde, and to mylke theyr ewes fiue or syxe wekes, &c. But those lambes be neuer soo good as the other that sucke longe, and haue 20 meate ynoughe.
40. ¶ To drawe shepe, and seuer them in dyuers places.
Than thou grasier, that hast many shepe in thy [Sidenote: Have a large sheep-fold;] pastures, it is conuenient for the to haue a shepefolde made with a good hedge or a pale, the whiche wyll receyue all thy shepe easyly that goo in one pasture, 4 sette betwene two of thy pastures, in a drye place; [Sidenote: [Fol. 28_b_.]] and adioynynge to the ende of the same, make an [Sidenote: another to hold 90 sheep;] other lyttell folde, that wyll receyue lxxxx. shepe or moo, and bothe those foldes muste haue eyther of 8 theym a gate in-to eyther pasture, and at the ende of that folde make an other lyttell folde, that wyll [Sidenote: and another for 40 sheep.] receyue .xl. shepe or mo, and betwene euery folde a gate. And whan the shepe are in the greate folde, 12 let .xl. of them, or there about, come into the myddle [Sidenote: Let the shepherd examine them in the middle fold.] folde, and steke the gate. And than let the shepeherde turne them, and loke them on euery syde, and if he se or fynde any shepe, that nedeth any helpynge or mending 16 for any cause, lette the shepeherde take that shepe with his hoke, and put hym in the lyttell folde. And whan he hath taken all that nedeth any mendyng, than put the other in-to whether pasture he wyll, and let in as 20 [Sidenote: Put the sick ones in the little fold.] many out of the greate folde, and take those that nede any handling, and put them into the lyttell folde. And thus peruse them all tyll he haue doone, and than let the shepeherde go belte, grese, and handel all those that he 24 hath drawen, and than shall not the great flocke be taryed nor kepte from theyr meate: and as he hath mended them, to put them into theyr pasture.