212 Histoiy of A nimal Plagues. 



' 2. That the houses in which those sick cows have stood be 

 washed very clean, and then smoked by the burning of pitch tar 

 and wormwood, and be kept three months at least before any 

 other cows are put therein, 



' 3. That the fields where those sick cows have grazed be 

 kept two months before any other cows are suffered to stand or 

 graze thereon. 



'4. That the persons looking after such as are ill should 

 have no communication with those that are well. 



' 5. That the same methods be observed if any other of the 

 cow-keepers should get this distemper among them ; and that 

 they be all summoned and told, that as soon as they perceive 

 any of their cows to refuse their meat, or have any other symp- 

 toms of this distemper, that they immediately separate them 

 from their others, and give notice to such persons as your Excel- 

 lencies shall appoint, that they may be burnt ; and the places 

 where they have stood or grazed to be ordered as before. 



' 6. That the cow-keepers be required to divide their cows 

 into small parcels, not more than ten or twelve in a field to- 

 gether; and that they be allowed such satisfaction for complying 

 with these proposals as your Excellencies shall think fit ; all 

 which is most humbly submitted, &c. 



^The next day their Excellencies consulted the four gentlemen 

 before-named, and gave them orders to comply with the preced- 

 ing proposals, and to allow forty shillings for every sick cow 

 which they burnt, that belonged to Mr RatclifF, Rufford, and 

 Pullen; but the free intercourse which both masters and servants 

 had had with each other's cows (before we were appointed) had 

 spread the contagion ; and the disease began soon to appear in 

 several other neighbouring places. 



' The gentlemen then summoned all the cow-keepers in the 

 county, and acquainted them with the above-named proposals 

 (to most of which they readily complied, as being visibly their 

 interest), and offered them forty shillings for every cow which 

 they burnt, that had not been sick above twenty-four hours ; but 

 for such as had been longer ill, or were dead, they would allow 

 them only the value of their skins and horns.^ 



^ In a book of poems published in 171 7, by John Morphew of London, refer- 



