70 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



leave home in search of sport, for in one season they killed 1 20 

 bucks out of their father's parks. The younger animals required 

 some attention in several winters. In 1619 there is entered, on 

 January 25th, 'ij boyes getting y vie for the deer, iiij d.' The Deer- 

 house was littered with bracken. Thus in 1620 was paid on 

 Aug. 28th, ' For getting xl thrave of brackins for the dear house, 

 vis. viijd.' Another requisition for the comfort of these animals 

 is mentioned in 1621 : ' Janu. 9. To Wm. Ridley, for iij dayes 

 making vij troughes for deer at Gelt, iiij s.' Another duty is 

 mentioned in 1612: 'May ... 8. To Ch. Eliot, for watching 

 the orchard for deare iij nights, xviii d. . . . Junij ... 5. 

 Watching the orchard for deare, vi d. . . . Nov. 4. Watching 

 the deer in the orchard one night, vid.' Sir Daniel Fleming 

 records that his family seat of Rydal Park ' was replenished 

 with deer, until the great-grandfather of the present owner 

 thereof [Sir Daniel himself] caused all the Deer to be killed.' 1 



This park, like so many, owed its title to Edward I. Sir 

 Daniel Fleming often enters payments made to the servant-men 

 who brought ' a fouch,' or ' a side of venison ' from his relatives 

 and acquaintances. Occasionally this applies to live animals, as 

 in 1659 : ' Aug. 18. Given unto my cosen, Andrew Hudleston's 

 man, for bringing a young fawne, £00, 02s. 00d.' 



Busy public man as he was, Sir Daniel was no cynic, but 

 found time to share the pleasures of the chase with his neigh- 

 bours : 



' [1657] July 25. Spent and given att Hutton when I 

 was a-hunting with my Lord Howard there betwixt the 20th 

 and the 25th of July, £00, 16s. 00d.' 



Nor did he forget the duty of attending to the creature- 

 comforts of humbler sportsmen : 



'[1668] Sept. 17. Given to my brother Roger for the buck- 

 killers to drink, £00, 05s. 00d.' 



'[1661] Sept. 11. Given amongst the tenants to drink 

 att the hunting att Conistone with Sir George Fletcher, 

 £00, 10s. 00d.' 



' Sept. 12. More to the hunters to drink, £00, 02s. 00d.' 



Such an event as a christening was an excellent excuse for a 

 1 A Description of Westmorland, p. 17. \ 



