The farming of this period, except on the Church lands, was of the
rudest description. Grain was ground by the women and slaves in stone
hand mills. Late, the mills were driven by wind or water power. The
pricipal commerce was in wool, lead, tin, and slaves. A writer of
that time says he used to see long trains of young men and women tied
together, offered for sale, "for men were not ashamed," he adds, "to
sell their nearest relatives, and even their own children."