The Farming and Memorandum Books of Henry Best of Elmswell, 1642: With a Glossary and Linguistic Commentary by Peter McClure
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Author Description
In the early 1640s Henry Best, a gentleman farmer of Elmswell in the East Riding of Yorkshire, composed an account of his farming practices. The resulting Farming Book provides a unique account of seventeenth-century farming, of the marketing of agricultural produce, and of rural customs. It is here published in a new transcription by Donald Woodward. In addition, a complete transcript of Henry Best's Memorandum Book is published for the first time; this volume gives details of a wide range of day-to-day transactions mainly during the period 1617 to 1645. The editor adds greatly to our knowledge of Henry Best, his family and estate in a substantial introduction, and much ancillary documentary evidence is provided in a series of appendices. The volume is rounded off by an extensive new glossary prepared by Peter McClure.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the agricultural practices, economic transactions, and rural social customs of seventeenth-century England through the primary source documents of Henry Best. Donald Woodward, an expert in agrarian history, provides a meticulous transcription of Best's original manuscripts, contextualizing them within the broader socio-economic landscape of the East Riding of Yorkshire. By presenting these records alongside a comprehensive introduction and linguistic commentary, the work establishes a framework for understanding the daily operations of a gentleman farmer during the mid-1600s.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Detailed accounts of seventeenth-century farming techniques and crop management.
- Comprehensive transcripts of day-to-day financial and agricultural transactions from 1617 to 1645.
- Extensive appendices providing ancillary documentary evidence regarding the Best family and their estate.
- A specialized glossary and linguistic analysis of period-specific terminology prepared by Peter McClure.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Historians and researchers frequently cite this volume as a foundational primary source for the study of early modern English rural life. Experts highlight the academic rigor of the transcription and the utility of the glossary for interpreting archaic agricultural vocabulary.
Page Count:
422
Publication Date:
1984-11-29
Publisher:
British Academy
ISBN-10:
0197260292
ISBN-13:
9780197260296
History
Biography
Agriculture
Economic History
Social History
Primary Sources
Great Britain
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