WHITE CATTLE: AN INQUIRY INTO THEIR ORIGIN, ETC. 42 1 



writes, it is evident that Italian cattle and the cattle of "other 

 forraine countries" were known in England, and their virtues 

 extolled by "other authors." Markham writes: — "You shall 

 understand, then, that of our English cattell (for I w^ill not speake 

 of those in Italy and other forraine countries, as other authors 

 doe, and forget mine owne) the best are bred in York-shire, Darby- 

 shire, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Lincolne-shire, Gloster-shire, and 

 Somerset-shire, though they which are bread in York-shire, Darby- 

 shire, Lancashire, and Stafford-shire are generally all blacke of 

 colour ; and though they whose blacknesse is purest and their 

 haires like veluet are esteemed best; they haue exceeding large 

 homes, and very white, with black typpes; they are of stately 

 shape, bigge, round, and well-buckled together in euery member, 

 short-ioynted, and most comely to the eye, so that they are 

 esteemed excellent in the market, those in Lincolne-shire are the 

 most part pyde, with more white then the other colours ; their 

 homes little and crooked ; of bodies exceeding tall, long and large, 

 leane, and thin thighed, strong hooued, not apt to surbaite, and 

 are indeed fittest for labour and draught. Those in Somerset-shire 

 and Glocester-shire are generally of a bloud-red colour, in all shapes 

 like unto those in Lincolne-shire, and fittest for their uses." 



if * * -iJ- -^ -55- Tf 



"The use of the Cow is two fold — either for the Darie or for 

 breed. The red Cow giueth the best milke, and the blacke Cow 

 bringeth forth the goodliest Calves." 



The use of the term "cattell" is rather misleading, if we 

 restrict it to the sense now common among us. I have shown 

 that it included other animals besides the bovines. When w^e 

 read, under date 1605, of a place " replenished with cattell both 

 tame and wild," we are apt to think that bovine animals are 

 alone meant, when really " cattell," in this instance, should be 

 read as "animals." But in the 17th century cattle that were 

 called "wild" did exist, and were exported. In the Calendar of 

 State Papers (Domestic Series), time of Charles I., there are the 

 two following entries. The first, dated 1632, February 11th, is 

 as follows : — 



[Officers of the Navy to the Lords 

 of the Admiralty.] 



" The Earl of Rutland, to prevent the trouble of shifting the beasts, in 

 another passage described as 'wild cattle,' into a 'shouler' vessel in 



