52 



BIRDS, ETC., USED FOR FOOD IN THE 

 SIXTEENTH CENTURY. 



The ' Northumberland Household Book ' (the Regulations 

 and Establishment of the Household of Henry Alg^ernon Percy, 

 the fifth Earl of Northumberland, at his Castles of Wressle and 

 Leconfield in Yorkshire, beg^un Anno Domini 151 2) has just 

 been issued by Messrs. A. Brown & Sons.* It is full of quaint 

 and interesting- entries relating- to that period. Under 

 " Direccions taken by my Lorde and his Conseill at Wresill 

 upon Sonday the xxviij'^ day of Septembre ... in the iij"^ 

 yere of the reig-ne of our Sovereigne Lorde Kynge Henry 

 the viij'h concerynge the Provision of the Cator Parcells 

 as well as of Flesch as of Fj'sch which shall be pro- 

 vyded througheout the Yere," &c., we find several items, 

 with prices to be paid, &c. Generally " yt is thought 

 goode that [Pygges, Geysse, Chekyns, Capons, 7 Hennys, 

 Pegions etc.] be bought for my Lordes Mees [Mess]. 

 Other delicacies purchased were Cunys [rabbits], Swannys, 

 Pluvers [jd. a pece = one penny each !] Cranys ( = cranes,) xvjr/. 

 a pece ; Hearonsewys (Herons) xijr/. (one shilling) a pace ; 

 Mallardes ijd. (2d.) a pece. Evidently Teal was not thought 

 much of, as we find that "Item it is thought good that no Teylles 

 be bought bot if so be that other Wyldefowl cannot be gottyn 

 and to be at jc/. a pece." Also we find that " Item it is thought 

 good that Woodcokes [woodcocks] be hade for my Lordes owne 

 Mees and non other and to be at jd. a pece or jd. ob. [three half- 

 pence] at the moste. The same applies to " Wypes" [Peewits], 

 and " Seegulles" "so they be good and in season." These were 

 to be bought at the same rate. Styntes (stints) "so they be 

 after vj a ]d. " = six a penny. "Quaylles [Quails] " at Pryncipall 

 Feestes and at ijV/. [2d.] a pece at moste." "Snypes. . . iijajV." 

 [Snipe at 3 a penny] " Pertryges [Partridges] at \jd. a pece 

 yff they be goode." Redeshankes [Redshanks], three half- 

 pence each. Bytters [Bitterns] x\jd. [one shilling] a pece so 

 they be good. Fesauntes [Pheasants] were also to be a shilling 

 each. " Reys " [Ruffs and Reeves] 2d. each; " Sholardes " 

 [Shovellers] 6d. each; " Kyrlews " [Curlews] a shilling each. 

 From the following entry it seems that peacocks could be 

 obtained at a shilling each, but no pea-hens were to be 

 bouoht : — " Item Pacokes to be h:idde for mv Lordes owne 



* 452 pag-es, 1905, 8/6 net. f A variety of the farmyard fowl. 



Naturalist,. 



