The Hutton Conyers Pie Court

The lord of the manor of Hutton Conyers held his court on the first day of the year, when the shepherds of six townships around the moor came to keep their right of sheep-walk. Each shepherd did fealty with a great apple pie and a twopenny cake, and the bailiff measured every pie with a rule and threatened to send back and fine any that was too small. Frumenty mixed with mustard was set in a pot sunk level with the ground, and all present had to eat from it with their own wooden spoons or be thought disloyal to the lord.