sometimes these hunts were turned into conferences and conspiracies,' for to rise and disobey their allegiance', such as preceded the Peasants' Revolt of 1381; and accordingly no one who did not own lands worth 40s. a year was to keep a dog to hunt, or ferrets other 'engines': the first game law on the English statute book. FOOTNOTES: [127] Smyth, _Lives of the Berkeleys_, i. 302. No doubt the riches of the Berkeleys were considerably greater than those of many of the barons. [128] _Lives of the Berkeleys_, i. 166. There is no reason to doubt Smyth, as he wrote with the original accounts before him. [129] _Lives of the Berkeleys_, i. 156. [130] The yeoman is said to have made his appearance in the fifteenth century, but the small freeholders of the manor before that date were to all intents and purposes yeomen. No doubt, as trade grew in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries successful tradesmen bought small freeholds in the country and swelled the numbers of yeomen. [131] Harrison, _Description of Britain_, F.J. Furnivall edn., p. 337. [132] _Domesday of S. Paul_, Camden Society, p. 129. [133] Turner, _Domestic Architecture_, i. 59. [134] _Domesday of S. Paul_, p. 123. [135] _Historical MSS. Commission Report_, v. 444. [136] Ormerod, _History of Cheshire_, i. 129. [137] _Domesday of S. Paul_, p. xcvii. [138] Denton, _England in the Fifteenth Century_. [139] Eden, _State of the Poor_, i. 21. [140] See Cullum, _History of Hawsted_. [141] Harrison, _Description of Britain_, Appendix ii, lxxxi. In some manors, however, there were careful regulations for public health. According to the Durham _Halmote Rolls_, published by the Surtees Society, village officials watched over the water supply, prevented the fouling of streams; bye-laws were enacted as to the regulation of the common place for clothes washing, and the times for emptying and cleansing ponds and mill-dams. [142] Ballard, _Domesday_, Antiquary Series, p. 209. [143] Walter of Henley, Royal Historical Society, p. 75. [144] Cullum, _Hawsted_, 1784 ed., p. 182. [145] _State of the Poor_, i. 15. [146] Thorold Rogers, _History of Agriculture and Prices_, i. 32. [147] See _Knights Hospitallers in England_, Camden Society, Introduction. [148] Thorold Rogers, _op. cit._ i. 66. CHAPTER V THE BREAK-UP OF THE MANOR.--SPREAD OF LEASES.--THE PEASANTS' REVOLT.--FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO REGULATE WAGES.--A HARVEST HOME.-- BEGINNING OF THE CORN LAWS.--SOME SURREY MANORS