1G8 HUITISH J3IRDS. [vol. xv. 



or osspraccs" head, fourc pence ; for the head of every woodwall' pie, 

 jay, raven or kite, a pcnnic ; for the head of every bird, which is called 

 the kings fisher, a pennie : for the head of every bullfinch, or other 

 bird that devoureth the blouth* of fruit, a pennie : for the head of 

 everie fore® or grey^" twelve pence : and for the heade of every fitchew" 

 polcat, wesell, stote, faire^^, badge, and wildecat, a penny ; for the 

 heades of every otter, or hedgehogge two pence : for the heades of 

 everie three kattes,^* or twelve mice, one penny : for the heades of 

 everie moldwarpe,^*or want, ^'' an halfe pennie : for the heades of everie 

 which birdes and vermine last mentioned the last Distributers shall 

 likewise pay and give to the bringer of them, for everie head killed 

 and taken within their severall parish, as before is limited, and shall 

 keepe the same to be shewed foorth upon their account in manner and 

 fourme as is aforesaid. All which said heades and egges shall bee 

 foorthwith after such account made in the presence of the saide 

 Churchwardeins and Tarors^^, or of three of them, burned, consumed, 

 or cut in sunder. And if upon any account to be made in the end 

 and determination of the office of any such Distributers, it shall appeare 

 that anie summe of money is remaining in the hands of the said 

 Distributers, or anie of them, then the same shall be by Bill indented 

 as is aforesaid, delivered over to such persons as be or shall be elected 

 to the same Office for the yeere next following, by them to be dis- 

 tributed as is aforesaid. This shall not in any wise extend to give 

 anie libertie or authoritie to any person or persons, to use or exercise any 

 meanes or engin, for the destruction of crowes, or rookes, choughs, or 

 other the vermine aforesaid in any place or places, to the disturbance, 

 let, or destruction of the building or breeding of any kind of hawkes, 

 herons, egrittes.^^ paupers,^' swannes, or shovelers" : or to the hurt and 

 destruction of any doves, dove houses, deere, or warren of conies, nor 

 extend to give or appoint any summe or summes of money to be given, 

 payed or distributed, to any person or persons for the head or heads 

 of any buzzards, ringtails, herne,^* polcat, fitchew, or stote, taken in 

 anie Parke, Warren, or ground, imployed to the maintenance of anie 

 game of conies or to anie stares taken in dove houses, nor to the killing 

 or bringing the head of anie kite or raven, killed in anie citie or towne 

 corporate, or within two miles of the same." 



For further information on this subject, Cox's Church- 

 ivardens' Accounts, London, 1913, may be consulted. 



•"' Osspraees, in the Act " Ospraycs," i.e., (3spreys. 



' Woodwall = Wood pecker. 



" Blouth = blossom, 



" Fore = Foxe, of. Cox. 



'" Grey = Badger. 



'' Fitchew = Polecat. 



1- Faire, badge. Cox in his transcript has " Faj'rc bade or Wilde 

 Catte." 



'^ Kattes=in the Act " Rattes." 



^^ Moldwarpe or want = Mole, this duplication of names is a legal 

 precaution. 



" Tarors = Taxours (Cox). 



^^ Egrittes = possibly a repetition of Heron. 



1' Paupers — possibly popelers, i.e., Shovelers or Shovelards = Spoon- 

 bills, but see The Annals, p. 179, for possible meanings. 



^* Heme = Erne or Eagle as in Note 5. 



