THE KING'S CORMORANTS. 263 



tried, and as we hear so little about it afterwards, there 

 can be no doubt but that it proved a failure, which, 

 indeed, might have been expected, as the bird is what 

 falconers would call an habitual ' carrier.' Neither do 

 the otters seem to have answered. Vines were grown in 

 Surrey for wine in ancient times, and I wonder if this 

 vine-garden was for that purpose."] 



" No. 4, February 28th, 1619. — To John Wood, whom 

 His Majesty heretofore appointed to attend the French 

 ambassadors, with the cormorants sent by His Majesty's 

 good brother, the French King, the sum of £215, for so 

 much by him disbursed and laid out for his charges 

 incident to the performance of the said service, over and 

 above the sum of £50, impressed unto him, for and 

 towards the said charges, appearing by his bill, of the 

 particulars thereof, delivered in upon oath, and allowed 

 by us and the rest of the Commissioners of the Treasury. 

 By writ dated the 18th July, 1609, and by confirmation 

 dated the last of July, 161 8. 



" 14th October, 1619. — To Robert Wood, whom His 

 Majesty intendeth to send, with divers cormorants, to 

 his good cousin, the Duke of Lorraine, the sum of ^60, 

 by way of an imprest towards defraying the expenses in 

 that journey. By writ, dated 7th October, 1619. 



" 28th August, 1624. — To Robert Wood, the sum of 

 £98 8s. 6d., in full satisfaction of the charge and loss 

 sustained by Luke Wood, in his late travels, with three 



