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Foot and mouth
The outbreaks of animal murrains and crop failures that had blighted the second decade of the 14th century continued at regular intervals as the century progressed. These records taken from the court rolls of Heachem near Kings Lynn in Norfolk show just how destructive these outbreaks of animal disease could be. Norfolk was an important centre for wool and cloth and the death toll among the sheep kept at this small Norfolk Manor in just a few months is a graphic illustration of the impact not just on the wealth of the manor but on its ability to feed those who depended upon it for their livelihoods.
Extracts from the court rolls of Heachem (called Hechem in this manuscript),
Anno Regni Regis Edwardii Tercii post conquestum xxi, curia ibidem tenta die lune proxima post festum Invencionis S Crucis anno supradicta. De Murina. Jurati presentant quod unas bos, iii boviculi, i stottus, unus hurtadus, iii multones, iiii oves matrices & v hoggastri moriebantur intra Gulam Augusti & diem huius curie casualiter & non ob defectum alicuius custodie. Item quod vi porculi similiter moriebantur in yeme non ob defectum. Item quod vii porcelli in yeme similiter.
Year 21 of the reign of King Edward III (post conquest). The court held in that place the Monday next after the feast of discovery of the Holy Cross, year as aforesaid. Of the murrain. Witness the fact that 1 bull, 3 small bulls, 1 horse, 1 ram, 3 sheep, 4 female sheep and 5 hoggetts (a two year old sheep) died between Gulam August (a medieval name for the 1st August, the feast of St Peter ad vincula) and the day of this court, accidentally and not on account of any lack of guarding. Also that 6 piglets died in winter also not related to similar failure. Also that 7 suckling pigs similarly in winter.
Curia die jovis proxima post festum Sancti Barnabe Apostoli anno xxi. De murina. Jurati presentant quod i vacca, post vitulacionem circa festum Sancta Trinitatis moriebatur, i vitulus similiter moriebatur, vii multones ante tonsionem, ix oves matrices ante tonsionem & agnelacionem, ix hoggastri ante tonsionem & xxxvi agni & viii porculi similiter non ob defectum.
Court held Thursday next after the feast of St Barnabas the apostle, year 21. Of the murrain. Witness the fact that 1 cow after calving around the feast of the Holy Trinity died, 1 calf similarly died, 7 sheep before shearing, 9 female sheep before shearing and lambing, 9 hoggetts before shearing and 36 lambs and 8 piglets similarly not relating to carelessness.
Curia die jovis proxima post festum Sancti Martini Episcopi anno supradicto. Murina. Coronatores presentant quod i vacca in murina in autumpno ante vitulacionem. Item iii juvencule in autumpno. Item ii hurtardi ante festum Sancti Martini. Item vi porci ante festum Omnium Sanctorum. Item xii porculi ante festum Sancte Fidei Virginis, non ob defectum custodie sed de fortuna.
Court held Thursday next after the feast of