THE BRITISH MARTEN. 405 



salmon, pike, eels, and sturgeon. These were followed by a 

 " young lamb whole roasted," a whole roe, and " venison baken, 

 red and fallow." These in turn were succeeded by a great variety 

 of game and wildfowl, such as " pheasants, 4 of a dish," "par- 

 tridges, 8 of a dish," " cranes, 2 of a dish," " heronsues and bit- 

 terns, 3 of a dish," besides plovers, stints, and curlews. For sweets 

 they had " stoke fritters," " baken orange," tarts, marchpain, 

 and gingerbread.* So that if Marten pottage proved un- 

 palatable to any guest, there was plenty of other cheer to fall 

 back upon. 



But in Elizabeth's time the Marten was considered by the 

 chroniclers to be getting scarce, presumably because its fur was 

 so much sought after, or because it was killed as vermin.f 

 Harrison in his 'Description of England,' prefixed to Holinshed's 

 1 Chronicle ' in 1577, referring to this animal as a beast of chace, 

 remarks that " for number I worthilie doubt whether that of 

 our Bevers or Marterns may be thought to be the lesse." 



"Hunting the Mart" was a recognised field sport, and was 

 formerly much in vogue in parts of the country where this 

 animal was then sufficiently common. It was also regarded by 

 masters of hounds as a good animal to enter young hounds to, 

 for, having a good scent, it taught them to hunt well and draw 

 together. Beckford, in his 'Thoughts on Hunting,' says: "If 

 you have Marten-cats within your reach, as all hounds are fond 

 of their scent, you will do well to enter your young hounds in 

 coverts which they frequent." " The Marten when hunted," says 

 Scott in his ' Field Sports,' "will sometimes run miles in large 

 coverts, and will engage the hounds a considerable time, showing 

 great sport, and taking many opportunities to climb trees and 

 recover his wind, the hounds baying him, until frightened or 

 cudgelled down, when he shows an almost miraculous agility ; for 

 although he frequently alights in the midst of the pack and each 

 hound is mad to catch him, he is very seldom so caught, and his 

 escape is greeted with a loud general halloo." Here is an extract, 

 from the diary of an old sportsman, furnished by Mr. Cordeaux : — 



* Pegge, * Forme of Cury,a roll of ancient English Cookery,' &c, pp. 174, 

 177. Printed in 1780. 



f As at Pitchley, in Northamptonshire, temp., Edw. III., cf. Blount's 

 ■ Ancient Tenures,' 4to, 1815, p. 231. 



