Shepherds are frequently depicted with a sort of waist-pouch or satchel which are sometimes referred to as a "budgets" (from the French word bougette , meaning a sack); sometimes these seem to be referred to as "scrips" or "wallets."
The budget is used to carry newly-shorn wool (newly-shorn locks can be seen poking out of a shepherd's budget in Bronzino's Adoration of the Shepherds ) or other goods; sometimes a flute appears tucked between a shepherd's hip and the budget.
In some cases, it appears that the budget appears to be a sort of net bag; in others, leather.
Following are budgets as they appear in period illustrations and artwork.
Samuel and Jesse in The Maciejowski Bible , 13th century
The Adoration of Jesus by the Master of the Trebon Altarpiece, before 1380
The Epirote shepherd and the Roman army , Ab urbe condita (BNF Fr. 263, fol. 369v), beginning of the 15th century
Ozias kills Amos , Bible Historiale (BNF Fr. 4, fol. 123v), beginning of the 15th century
Jacob increases his herd , Bible Historiale (BNF Fr. 9, fol. 32v), beginning of the 15th century
Shepherd keeping his sheep in Breviary of Martin of Aragon , 15th century (BNF ROTH 2529, fol. 145)
Tristan and the shepherds , Tristan de Léonois (BNF Fr. 97, fol. 136v), first quarter of the 15th century
A shepherdess with dog, sheep and goats from "Le Dit de la Pastoure" in a copy of the collected works of Christine de Pisan dating to 1410-1411
Pan (fol. 108) and a shepherdess (fol. 221), Collected Works of Christine de Pisan (British Library MS Harley 4431), 1410-1411
July in The Tres Riches Heures of the Duke of Berry , 1410s
Oedipus exposed , De casibus (BNF Fr. 232, fol. 11v), second quarter of the 15th century
Annunciation to the Shepherds , book of hours (Bibl. Sainte-Geneviève, MS 1277, fol. 053), c. 1433-1465
The Birth of Christ by Hans Multscher, 1437
Jacob increasing his herd , Bible historiale , 15th century
Virgil's Opera Omnia , ca. 1450-1475 (KB 76 E 21 I)
Flute-playing contest between Menalcas and Dametas with Palemon as judge (fol. 20r)
Mopsus and Menalcas about to play a song eulogizing Daphnis (fol. 25r)
Flute-playing contest between Corydon and Thyrsis with Daphnis as judge (fol 30r)
Tullus Hostilius , Facta et dicta memorabilia (BNF Fr. 288, fol. 174), second half of the 15th century
Joseph is sold by his brothers (fol. 21) and Cyrus II the Great is given to a shepherd (fol. 172v), Fleur des histoires (BNF Fr. 55), second half of the 15th century
Asclepios contemplates the basilisk , The History of Troy (BNF Fr. 59, fol. 31v), second half of the 15th century
A shepherdess in the Rohan Hours (BNF Lat. 9471, fol. 85v)
The story of David , Speculum historiale (BNF Fr. 50, fol. 74v), 1463
St. Laumer gives alms to pilgrims , Speculum Historiale (BNF Fr. 51, fol. 437v), 1463
fol. 63v detail in the Book of Hours of Paul Overtvelt , c. 1475
The Portinari Triptych (see detail ) by Hugo van der Goes, 1476-1479
In a 15th century edition of Jean Mansel's Fleur des histoires : Cyrus II is given to a shepherd and the shepherd saves Cyrus II .
Adoration of the Magi by Gerard David, c. 1500
Tapestry: The labors of wool , c. 1500
A shepherd and shepherdess in Pierre Sala's Petit Livre d'Amour (British Library MS Stowe 955, fol. 9), c. 1500
The Paumgartner Altar (see detail ) by Albrecht Dürer, 1503
The Annunciation to the Shepherds in the Great Book of Hours of Anne of Brittany (BNF Latin 9474, fol. 58v), c. 1503-1508
Life of the Virgin: The Adoration of the Shepherds by Albrecht Dürer, 1504-1505
Shepherd dancing from a book of hours, first quarter of the 16th century (MMW, 10 E 3 fol. 85v)
April in a book of hours (British Library MS Egerton 1147, fol. 9v), 1500-1515
Triptych by Jan de Beer, 1510s
Fols. 4v and 5r of the Hennessy Book of Hours , c. 1530-1540
Adoration of the Shepherds by Agnolo Bronzino, 1535-40
Adoration of the Shepherds by Pieter Pourbus, 1574