8a HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE 



' Chill tell the what, good vellowe, 

 Before the friers went hence, 

 A bushel of the best wheate 

 Was zold vor vorteen pence, 

 And vorty eggs a penny 

 That were both good and newe.' 



Note.— If any further proof were needed of the constant attention 

 given by Parliament to agricultural matters, it would be furnished by the 

 Acts for the destruction of vermin.^ Our forefathers had no doubt that 

 rooks did more harm than good, yearly destroying a ' wonderfull and 

 marvelous greate quantitie of corne and graine ' ; and destroying the 

 ' covertures of thatched housery, hemes, rekes, stakkes, and other such 

 like' ; so that all persons were to do their best to kill them, ' on pain of 

 a grevous amerciament '. 



^ 24 Hen. VIII, c. 10; 8 Eliz. c. 15 ; 14 Eliz. c. ll ; 39 Eliz. c. 18. 



