VOL. XV.] BREEDING-PLACES IN SUSSEX. 7 



commeinge over his lands at Winchelsea, and takeinge away the 

 Ohues and Puetts that frequently every yeare doe breed uppon his 

 Beachlands and grounds there. And that they did likewise beate a 

 Tennante of his one Springett with a Servante of his Tennants 

 there ; only for forbiddinge those to offer such wrongs and abuses, 

 whose misdemean =* of theirs are certified to Sr Henry Gilford, by 

 the person of the Towne of Winchelsea, which letter was likewise 

 showed unto me with the names of diverse of those that did trespasse 

 him in such manner. I therefore uppon Sir Henryes mocon and 

 request thought good to pray and require you to call before you 

 such persons, as shall concerve this matter, and to examyn the 

 trueth thereof, and if you shall finde them faulty in any such mannor 

 as is complayned of that you inflict such condigne punishment uppon 

 them, as there niisdemean'- shall in any wayes deserve ; And if any 

 of the fowle soe taken away bee yett remayninge in the Custodye of 

 any of them ; I hold it very fittinge that you take course that the 

 same bee restored backe ; being (as informacon is given) to the value 

 of five or six pounds ; And, not doubtinge but you will doe heerin, 

 what shall appertayne to right and. Justice I bidd you hartely 

 farewell ; ffrom Suffolke house the 21th of June 1638. 

 Yo' very loveinge freinde 



Theo. Suffolke." 



Theophilus Howard, Earl of Suffolk, was Lord Warden of 

 the Cinque Ports, and any request of his would doubtless 

 meet with due consideration from his " loveinge freinde," 

 the Mayor. 



For a poaching raid to have produced five or six pounds' 

 worth of birds, argues that one or other or both species must 

 have been present in good numbers ; most probably the 

 majority of them would have been " Puetts," at that time 

 about half grown, and the more easily caught by being driven 

 into a net. The value of the colony to its owner, in that he 

 felt constrained to invoke the powerful influence of the Lord 

 Warden for its protection, is also evidence that it must have 

 been of considerable size. The sentence about restoring 

 them back evidently has reference to the common practice 

 at this period of keeping the young birds in pens, and feeding 

 them until required for the table or sale. 



Contemporary maps show a considerable tract of shingle 

 stretching past the seaward side of Winchelsea to Rye Harbour, 

 as at the present time, the country to the landward side, 

 which is now grass marsh and arable, being then of an 

 estuarine character, probably rough marsh and slob-land, 

 traversed by the streams from the Pett and Brede valleys 

 flowing into Rye Harbour. There was therefore plenty of 

 room for a good many pairs of " Olives " on the " Beachlands " 

 and there were no doubt suitable ponds for the " Puetts " 

 on the landward side of these, since one or two of quite 

 insignificant area are to be found there to this day. 



