MEDIEVAL HISTORY OF PHEASANTS. 29 



furnished by the ' Privy Purse Expenses of King Henry VIII.' 

 For example, under date xvj"' Nov. 1532, we have: 



" ' Itm the same daye paied to the fesaunt 



breder iu rewarde ... ... ... ixg. iiiid. 



" ' Itm the XXV daye paied to the presto the 

 fesaunt breder at Elthm in rewarde ij 

 corons ix|. iiijd.' 



" And in December of the same year : 



" ' Itm the xxijd. daye paied to the french 

 Preste the fesaunt breder for to bye 

 him a gowne and other necesarys ... xls.' 



" From these entries it would appear that even at this 

 date some trouble and expense was incurred in rearing 

 pheasants. No allusion, however, is made to their being shot. 

 They must have been taken in a net or snare, or killed with 

 a hawk. The last-named mode is indicated from another 

 source : * 



" ' Item, a Pesant kyUed with the Groshawke. 

 " ' A notice, two Fesants and two Partridges killed with the 

 hawks.' 



" As a rule they are only referred to as being ' brought 

 in,' the bearer receiving a gratuity for his trouble. 



'"Jan?- 1536-7. Itm. geuen to Hunte 

 yeoman of the pultiy, bringing to hir 

 gee two qwicke (i.e. hve) phesants ... vijs. vjd. 



"'Ap'- 1537. Itm. geuen to Grene the 

 ptrich taker bringing a cowple of 

 Phesaunts to my lady's grace .. . ... iijs. ixd. 



"'Jan. 1537-8. Itm. geuen to my lady 

 Carow's s'unt bringing a quick 

 Phesaunt ... ... ... ... ijs. 



" ' Jan. 1543-4. Itm. geuen to Hawkyn, 

 s'unte of Hertford bringing a phesant 

 and ptrichesf ... ... ... ... ii.is. iiijd.' 



♦"'Extracts from the Household and Privy Purse Accounts of the 

 L'estranges of Hunstanton, 1519—1578.' (Trans. Eoy. Soc. Antiq. 1833.) 



f "'The Privy Purse Expenses of the Princess Mary, 1536 — 1544.' 

 (Edited by Sir P. Madden, 1831.) " 



