Wel wiste he by the droghte and by the reyn
The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn.
His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye,
His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye
Was hoolly in this Reves governynge.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Reeve is presented as an estate manager who is in complete control and reports directly to his lord. Among the matters the lord leaves in his exclusive “governynge” are the estate sheep, cattle, dairy here of dairy cows, swine, horses, livestock and poultry. In fact just about everything.