Strange thing in inventory

[MythicalMarian]

Could any of our experts shed any light at all on what was meant by 'A Bull Segge' - the value of which was £2 15s 1d?

I swear this is what it says. It is in an inventory from 1655. I'm fine with the rest of the livestock - but this eludes me. Googling only brings up more inventories with more Bull segges!

[MarkJ]

Googling the term "segge" brings up a definition, but not one which would seem to fit!
The definition is a house sparrow! A £2 15s house sparrow would have to be pretty impressive in 1655

Other thoughts - could it be one of those wonderful old spellings for sedge? i.e grasses for feeding cattle?

Mark

[keith9351]

Could be this

Seg, n. [Probably from the root of L. secare to cut.] A castrated bull. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Halliwell.

Keith

[MarkJ]

That sounds pretty promising Keith! (sounds pretty nasty too!)

Mark

[keith9351]

That would make your eyes water

[MarkJ]

It certainly wouldn't have me dancing for joy

I have been pondering this a little more. Why would someone value what is essentially a bullock at such high value? A prize breeding bull I can see being worth a good deal of money, but a castrated bull is just going to be meat surely?

All very interesting anyway...

Mark

[MythicalMarian]

Wow - good research Keith, and it sounds plausible. He lists two bullocks separately at £4 13s 1d the pair (why do they keep adding a damned penny?) - which may be younger stock. He does have a lot of calves though and he owes money to a chap 'for felling the cows' - so he is clearly providing meat for local markets or whatever. Perhaps he is keeping the old chopped bull for drawing ploughs or something, although it does seem to be quite a price.

I'll keep digging - farming pages here I come!

ETA: I've just found a 'farming glossary' site. It didn't have the term but there is a facility to 'ask a farmer'. I have e-mailed. Fingers crossed.

[keith9351]

There's a really funny joke doing the rounds at the moment re castration

I will post it in the jokes section under Headaches.

[keith9351]

I must go and get my glasses I'm starting to read thing in this thread thats not there.

"He lists two bullocks separately at £4 13s 1d the pair"

LOL

[Peter_uk_can]

I can see Cow's eggs, but Bull's eggs ?? Something not quite right here.