1 86 RECREATIONS OF A NATURALIST 



a Statute of 22 Edw. IV., the swans or cygnets of 

 any person not so qualified might be seized, and 

 became forfeited to the king. Every owner of 

 swans, however, had to pay 6s. 8d. for a license to 

 keep them, although this license did not require 

 renewing, for it was available for the life of the 

 holder. That being settled, the next point was to 

 denote the ownership of every bird by causing a 

 mark to be made upon its bill, and this had to be 

 arranged with the royal swanherd, or, as he was 

 then called, the " Master of the Swans," who kept 

 a book or roll for the purpose, in which the mark 

 of every private owner was entered, and could be 

 referred to at any time in case of dispute. From 

 time to time commissions were issued for holding 

 " Swanherds' Courts " or " Swan-mootes," at which 

 Orders were made "where and when they were fitand 

 necessary for the preservation of swans." These 

 Orders were copied out and made known by pro- 

 clamation in market towns. Two such copies are 

 now before me ; one, of Elizabeth's time, in MS., 

 dated 1598, the other of Charles I.'s time, printed, 

 and dated 1632. The later, a small quarto tract 

 of considerable rarity, is entitled, " The Orders, 

 Lawes, and Ancient Customes of Swanns, Caused 

 to be printed by John Witherings, Esquire, Master 

 and Governour of the Royal game of Swans and 

 Signets throughout England. Published by August 

 Mathewes, 1632." 



The Orders of Elizabeth's day contain twenty- 

 seven sections ; those of Charles's time contain 

 thirty-five, and they purport to provide for every 



