The wages for the harvest work of women as well as men, were fixed by the Quarter Sessions.[103] References to their work may be found in account books and diaries. 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 son James and his sister Margit also a wife called Nieton—they sher 17 threv and 7 chivis.”[104] Footnote 103: A comparison of the assessments which have been preserved, in the different counties shows that men’s earnings varied in the hay harvest from:— 4d. and meat and drink, or 8d. without, to 8d. and meat and drink, or 1s. 4d. without and in the corn harvest from:— 5d. and meat and drink, or 10d. without, to 1s. and meat and drink, or 2s. without Women’s wages varied in the hay harvest from:— 1d. and meat and drink, or 4d. without, to 6d. and meat and drink, or 1s. without and in the corn harvest from:— 2d. and meat and drink, or 6d. without, to 6d. and meat and drink, or 1s. without The variations in these wages correspond with the price of corn in different parts of England and must not be regarded as necessarily representing differences in the real value of wages. Footnote 104: Society of Antiquarians of Scotland, vol. xxxix, p. 125. _Dame Margaret Nicholson’s Account Book._ Best gives a detailed account of the division of work between men and women on a Yorkshire farm: “Wee have allwayes one man, or else one of the ablest of the women, to abide on the mowe, besides those that goe with the waines.[105] The best sort of men-shearers have usually 8d. a day and are to meate themselves; the best sorte of women shearers have (most commonly) 6d. a day.[106] It is usuall in some places (wheare the furres of the landes are deepe worne with raines) to imploy women, with wain-rakes, to gather the corne out of the said hollow furres after that the sweath-rakes have done.[107] ... We use meanes allwayes to gett eyther 18 or else 24 pease pullers, which wee sette allways sixe on a lande, viz., a woman and a man, a woman and a man, a woman or boy and a man, etc., the weakest couple in the fore furre ... it is usuall in most places after they gette all pease pulled, or the last graine downe, to invite all the worke-folkes and wives (that helped them that harvest) to supper, and then 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 have hotte cakes and ale; some will cutte theire cake and putte into the creame and this feaste is called the creame-potte or creame-kitte ... wee send allwayes, the daye before wee leade, [pease] two of our boys, or a boy and one of our mayds with each of them a shorte mowe forke to turn them.”[108] Footnote 105: Best, _Rural Economy_, p. 36. Footnote 106: _Ibid._ p. 42. Footnote 107: Best, _Rural Economy_, p. 59. Footnote 108: _Ibid._ pp. 93-4.