THE HUNT-SEKV ANTS- -ANNUAL COST OF THE PACK. 59 



It is evident that the hunting establishment of the king 

 and queen was fairly well kept up, as we find the following 

 additional facts relating; to it in the accounts of the Treasurer 

 and Chamberlain of the Exchequer of the Household above 

 mentioned — viz., seventeen officers of the hawks and falcons* 

 and one keeper of the spaniels, received 172^. lis. 8fcL Three 

 takers and keepers of pheasants and partridges received 

 2Sl. 8s. 9d. ; six officers of the leach received 10^. 8s. 4<d. ; two 

 officers of the toils received 15^. 7s. 6d. ; eight keepers of 

 Waltham Forest received 94Z. 15s. ; the officer of the crossbows 

 Randolph Churchill, Esq., received 91. 2s. Qd. ; three keepers 

 of the beares and mastives received 35Z. 15s., and John Pierce, 

 " keeper of the warren of hares at Everley," obtained for his 

 wages, for one year and nine months, ended in September 

 1557, 6/. 14s. It will thus be seen that the entire cost of 

 the Royal hunting establishment for the year 1557 amounted 

 to 463^. 12s. lOfcZ. This is the first account extant of the 

 Treasurer of the Chamber of the Household in the Audit 

 Office series. The account of Sir John Mason, Knight, " one 

 of the Queen's Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, 

 Treasurer of the Chamber, and Master of the Posts," from 

 Michaelmas 5 and 6 Philip and Mary (a.d. 1558) to 2 Elizabeth 

 (a.d. 1560), is somewhat similar to the preceding. With the 

 exception of Walter Godson, then deceased, all the officers of 

 the Buckhounds were in receipt of the same salaries before- 

 mentioned, except the grooms, who received for their hounds' 

 meat "after the rate of 13L 6s. 8d. per annum." 



The account for the year ended at Michaelmas 1561, is the 

 first clear annual audit of the Treasurer of the Chamber of 

 Queen Elizabeth's Household. The entire cost of the Queen's 

 " Hunts " is set down at 100?. Is., comprising the following 

 payments — viz., to George Nodes, Sergeant of the Buckhounds, 

 for his wages at 221. 16s. a year ; James Mapley and Henry 

 Sell at 6d. each per day ; Humphrey Rainesford at 51. a year ; 

 Ralph Mundy at 151. a year; John Lynde, Thomas Dodsworth, 

 and Christopher Duck, each at Ql. 13s. 4<d. a year; and the 

 Grooms of the Buckhounds, for hounds' meat ISl. 6s. 8d. 



