Conynger

A statute of 13 Rich. II. sets forth that "divers artificers, labourers, servants, and grooms, keep greyhounds and other dogs, and on the feast days, when good Christians are at church hearing Divine Service, go hunting in parks, warrens, and conyngers (rabbit warrens) of lords and others, to the very great destruction of the game, and at times (a la foitz), under such colour, make their assemblies, conferences, and conspiracies to rise and disobey their allegiance;"

In the following year the same oflicial spent 12d. on 200 large nails (gross spikengcs) bought for the doors (lzosmla) of the conynger (and several other doors), and 6d. for two hinges (vertinella) for the conynger gate (portus).

Moreover, local enterprise seems not always to have met with the encouragement it deserved, for in 1378 there was a presentment before the Sheriff of Norfolk that the common road between the conynger of Caister and the sea was from time immemorial a common passage for carts, horses, and men between Yarmouth and Winterton, ...

In 1316 an account of Kenfig town and castle furnishes the earliest evidence found for rabbit-farming in the country. This records the receipt of 2s. 6d. for 'a certain pasture which is called conynger,' its value having been reduced since its greater part had been submerged by the sea, damage undoubtedly caused by destruction or neglect of the sea defences during the uprising of Llywelyn Bren (1314-16). This rabbit warren, founded no doubt in the coastal dunes that were later to engulf the borough, was perhaps the same as that which figures in a grant of 1344 as the cuniculary of 'Berwes' (or Burrows).

If ony man being unlettred, wold bable and strive agaynst suche a philosopher, as was Aristotele or Pythagoras, or if there have ben ony other conynger than either of them both, whan he did dispute de materia prima, of the principles and causes of thinges, de infinito, or of the largenes, the movynge: and the vertue of the hevenly fperes, and wolde dowte of every thyng, that hymfelfe could not by his one witte attayne unto, and perceyve : shold he not be called an arrogante and madde foole?

Madam, ere I had taught these merchauntes enie while, Thei were conynger then I all men to beeguile ; And Veritee fawe myne were small purses and baggs, Tottering loose abought me like windshaken rags, But he that shoulde have bagged that Insolence dyd winne, Muste have made a poke to putt five or six shiers in ; He muste have made wide sacks for castells, townes, and woodes: The canvesse to make them of were woorth ten tymes my goodes.

The pridde braunche of pride is arrogaunce or presumption, that is overboldenesse, that is whan a man weneth or tristeth more to hymself than he scholde: that is to seye. whan he weneth or troweth hymself be more worth than he is. or that he may more do than he may, or that he weneth hymself conynger than he is . . .