RURAL Economy in Yorkshire in i641. 123 



to goe to the owner of the cobbe : and they in whose grownd 

 they breed are to have one, which is called the nest-bird, and 

 are to bee first served ; for if there bee but one they are to have 

 it, although the owners of the swannes gette nothinge ; but 

 then they are to pay T'2d. for eveiy such nest-bird to the kinges 

 s wanner. The kinges s wanner hayth all the markes,' both 

 nebbe-markes and foote-markes, sette downe in his booke, 

 which belonge to all manners and gentlemans places. The 

 swanners gette up the younge swannes about Midsummer, and 

 footemarke them for the owners ; and then doe they allsoe pin- 

 nion them, cuttinge a joynte of theire right Avinges ; and then 

 att Michaelmasse doe they bringe them hoanie, or else bringe 

 hoame some, and leave the rest att some of the mills, and wee 

 sende for them : theire fee is tenne shiUinges per annum, which 

 is to bee paid att Michaehnasse, and wee allwayes use to give 

 them theire dinner when they come. Our marke is three holes 

 boared with an hotte-swipple in the right side of the nebbe, and 

 a gagge cutte betwixt the two uppermost holes, viz. ; that next 

 the head and the other ; and our footemarke is to cutte or slitte 

 them on both the in-webbes, and to cutte rownde holes 

 in the out-webbes. If wee doe not intende to nebbe-marke 

 them and putte them forth, then wee putte them up to 

 feedinge soe soone as they come hoame ; and the course which 

 wee take is, to fill a trough with water, and to putte the corne 

 into the water ; eyther haver or barley, but barley is the best 

 by farre ; for if they bee neaver neckleckted, they will bee very 

 fatte in a moneth or five weekes. Wee can sell them when they 

 are fedde, readily, for 10s. a payi'e ; and Carre-swannes, that are 

 unfedde, are usually at 2s. Gd. a peece. Swannes have usually 

 att a broode, five, sixe, or seaven ; I have knowne nine ; and I 

 have knowne a payre of swamies bringe but two of the nest : 

 they beginne to strive for the mastershippe aboute Ladye day, 

 sitte five weekes, and hatch aboute the latter ende of May. 

 Swannes hatch (for the most part) aboute the 20tli of May. 



•'' On the subject of s'svan-marks, and ordinances respecting swans on the river 

 Witham, sec Archseologia, xvi., p. 153. For the ordinances of the swan-mote court of 

 the manor of Hatfield, see Hunter's Deanery of Doncaster, vol. i., page 157. 



For the ordei-s and paynes of the coua-t of the manor of Hempholm, to be observed 

 by swanners, see Poulson's Holderness, vol. I., p- 355. By will dated March 16 

 1493-4, John Bernard, Esq., of Norwich, leaves his swan mark in Norwich river to 

 his wife for her life, to be sold after her death. The Bishop of Durham allowed to 

 the bailiff of Northallerton twenty shillings yearly, to buy oats for the swans kept 

 on the moat of the old castle. The Prior and Convent of Durham had swans on the 

 low swampy ground at Ferry HiU ; a shed that overbooks it is still called the Swan- 

 house, and the estates of Mainsforth and Ferry Hill are stiU liable to an annual pay- 

 ment called swan-oats. The pair of swans described in 1598 as " now going or being 

 upon the beck called HemsweU Beck and Driffield Beck," have theii- representatives 

 in a pair now owned by one of the millers. 



