There will be three gates to London of imprisoned men for Cowsters.
Then, if you have three cows, at the first gate sell one, and keep
thee at home. At the second gate sell the other two, and keep thee at
home. At the last gate all shall be done.
_Old Mab’s Curse_ is directed against any one of the Minshull family
who shall sell the family acres--
Mabel’s dole, of pious fame
From royal blood they say she came;
Poor and needy folks do tell
That Mynshull’s land no one dare sell,
For Old Mab’s curse on him would light
That ere should sell land, stone, or bight.
The belief that bees must be told of their master’s death is widely
spread, also that a winter crop of primroses betokens a death in the
house. Powdered alabaster is considered a good remedy for the ailments
of sheep, and the beautiful tomb of Sir Hugh Calveley in Bunbury Church
has, in consequence, it is said, suffered much mutilation.
We find Trowle, the shepherd boy in the Chester play, making much of
his tar-box as a specific, for the diseases of sheep and cattle were
serious matters for an agricultural people, as the following show:--