123. Of keeping cattle. 77 



in, the which wolde be wel quickesetted, diched, . & 

 4 hedged, that he maye seuer the byggeste cattell frome 



the weykeste at his pleasure, and specyallye in wynter- [Foi.sa^.] 

 tyme, whan they shall be fodered. And thoughe a man 

 be but a farmer, and shall haue his farme xx yeres, it 

 8 is lesse coste for hym, and more profyte, to quyckeset, ^'J^j^^^^* *° 

 dyche, and hedge, than to haue his cattell goo before the ^^g^ cattle 

 herdeman. For let the housbande spende in thre yeres "■• 

 as moche money as the kepynge of his beastes, swyne, 

 12 and shepe doth cost him in iii yeres, than alwaye after, 

 he shal haue all maner of cattell with the tenthe parte of 

 the coste, and the beastes shal lyke moche better. And 

 by this reason. The herdeman wyll haue for euery beast A herdman 



expects 2d, 



16 .ii.d. a quarter, or there aboute : And the swyneherde per beast; 



and a swine- 



wyll haue for euery swyne .i.d. at the leaste. Than he terd id. 

 must haue a shepeherde of his owne, or elles he shal 

 neuer thryue. Than reken meate, drinke, and wages 

 20 for his shepeherde, the herdmans hyre, and the swyne- 

 herdes hyre, these charges wyll double his rent or nyghe 

 it, excepte his farme be aboue .xl. s. by yere. Nowe see 

 what his charges be in .iii. yeres, lette hym ware as moche it is better 



to spend the 



24 money in quickesettynge, dychynge, and hedgynge, and money on 

 in thre yeres he shall be discharged for euermore, and 

 moche of this labour he and his seruauntes maye do with 

 theyr owne handes, and saue moche money. And than 



28 hath he euery fyelde in seueraltye. And by the assente [F0I.53.] 

 of the lordes and tenauntes, euery neyghbour may ex- 

 chaunge landes with other. And than shall his farme be 

 twyse so good in profytte to the tenaunte as it was before, 



32 and as moche lande kepte in tyllage ; and than shall not 

 the ryche man ouer-eate the poore man with his cattell, 

 and the fourth parte of heye and strawe shall serue his You win 



..,,,.. ..... , save in hay 



cattell better m a pasture, than 1111. tymes soo moche wyll and straw. 

 36 do in a house, and lesse attendaunce, and better the 

 cattel shall lyke, and the chiefe sauegarde for come bothe 

 daye and nyghte that can be. 



