neatherdn.

1301 in B. Thuresson Middle Eng. Occup. Terms (1950) 57 (MED) Will. Nethirde.

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) Amos vii. 14 Y am not a prophete..but a neet heerde [L. armentarius] Y am.

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. 1006 (MED) The loresman of the Schepherdes, And..netherdes..hihte Pan.

Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 354 Neet byrde [read Neet hyrde; v.r. nethirde], Bubulcus.

a1540 R. Barnes Wks. (1573) 190/1 Hee..went to the kinges Nete~herdes house, and there desired lodginge.

1581 J. Marbeck Bk. Notes & Common Places 842 The Pope, who is his Neatheard heere vpon earth.

1603 R. Johnson tr. G. Botero Hist. Descr. Worlde 233 Vpon the mountains dwell neat-herds and sheapheards.

1668 H. More Divine Dialogues (1713) iii. xxix. 253 More like to the blowing of a Neatherd's or Swineherd's Horn than to the sound of a Trumpet.

1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at Scabbed heels If the Disease returns,..apply the Neatherds Ointment.

1761 D. Hume Hist. Eng. I. ii. 44 A neatherd, who had been entrusted with the care of some of his cows.

1823 W. Scott Quentin Durward III. xii. 300 A bull..compelled by the neat-herd from the road which he wishes to go.

1878 S. O. Addy Hist. Mem. Beauchief Abbey 53 (note) These may have been..huts for the neatherds.

1937 D. L. Sayers Zeal of thy House i. 11 I have an entry against one Tom Hogg, neatherd, who neglected to clean his chimney and so had his thatch set on fire.

1960 P. Anderson High Crusade xvi. 136 They saw our neatherds, riders on horseback, women cooking over wood fires.

1992 Renaissance Q. 45 209 The shift in the early middle ages from the classical triad of neatherd-shepherd-goatherd to the shepherd as the bucolic's dominant character.