Ch. II. SINCE THE NORMAN CONQUEST. 43 



unpleasing practice of the Huntsman presenting the ' fewmets ' or ordure ! 

 of the Hart to the Queen Majesty herself! as represented in the accom- 

 panying woodcut from Gascoigne's Book. Here the Queen is seen in a 

 ' standing,' surrounded by her Court, the Huntsman on his knee before her : 

 his business is thus described in verse : — 



Before the Queene, I come report to make 



Then hushe and peace, for noble Trystrams sake. 



From out my home, my fewmets fyrst I drawe. 



And theas present, on leaves, by hunters lawe : 



And thus I say : my liege, behold and see 



An Hart of tenne, I hope he harbor'd bee. 



For if you marke, his fewmets every poynt. 



You shall them finde, long, round, and well annoynt, 



Knottie and g^eat, withouten prickes or eares, 



The moystness shewes, what venysone he beares.' 



Afterwards other huntsmen made their several reports, and presented 

 their fewmeshings, and after this curious inspection, it was for the ' Prince 

 to choose which of the Harts he will hunt, and which he thinks most 

 likely to make him best sport.' 



The queen sometimes, and as an especial mark of favour, honoured 

 some of her favourites with the deer killed by her own royal hand. Thus 

 on one occasion we are told in a letter from Robert Duddley to Arch- 

 bishop Parker, that he had sent him by the queen's command, ' a great 

 and fat stag, killed with the Queen's own hand, biit which, because the 

 weather was hot, and the dere somewhat chafed,- and dangerous to be 

 carried so farr without some help, he had caused to be parboyled in this 

 sort, for the best preservation of him.' * 



The taste of King James I. for hunting, and in particular the interest 

 which he took in his deer, has been already alluded to.^ History gives us 

 numerous proofs. The following in point of date should have precedence, 

 and is a characteristic example of the royal taste : — 



' Gascoigne, p. 96. ^ Ant. Rep. ii. p. 166. ' P. 9. 



