84 
They all travelled abroad at different times either to bring home 
hawks, or in charge of cormorants as presents from the King. 
Robert Wood took some of these birds over to the Duke of 
Lorraine. Luke Wood was sent with three to Venice, but was 
stopped on the way, and had liis cormorants taken from him by 
the Duke of Savoy “ to his great loss and hindrance.” 
John Wood, however, was reputed the best falconer of the three. 
On the accession of Charles I., when he found himself out of 
office, he had a friend at Court in Lord Cottington, who took 
occasion to speak of his qualifications to the King. As a report of 
the conversation which then passed has been preserved, I venture 
to give the story here, and with the less hesitation, because I do 
not remember to have seen it in any work on Falconry. 
“There was a pleasant story of old Lord Cottington” (writes Leigh Hunt 
in his novel of Sir Ralph Esher) “ which Hyde has been heard to 
relate, and the particulars of which were told me by a gentleman 
who was on the spot. The king during his stay abroad was going to 
make Mr. Wyndham Secretary of State, for no better reason than 
that his mother had been the royal nurse. Cottington went to his 
majesty and begged his attention for a few moments to the merits of 
a worthy person of his acquaintance, for whom he had to solicit a 
favour. ‘ Let us have ’em my lord,’ said the king, ‘ and you know if 
I can oblige the man I will. It is not money, I hope ? ’ ‘ Nay, Sir, 
had it been money,’ answered the Lord Treasurer, ‘ I should have 
begged a little for myself, to give some colour to my title ; not to 
mention other reasons, which (God be praised) occasionally make 
everybody merry but the baker. It is a much lighter matter on 
which I come to your majesty, though of great importance to the 
poor man.’ ‘ Who is he, Cottington ? ’ returned the king ; ‘ a poor 
man not wanting money, is a marvel I would fain be acquainted 
with. He is the only wildfowl of his .species, and must partake of 
oyseau qui, i>ar signe que le maistre qui les adressez leur donne, se plongent 
soul I’eaux et prennent des anguilles et aultre poisson lequel aussy par signe 
Ton le faict rendir et vomir tons vifs, chose bien merveilleuse a voir.” 
The birds used were nestlings, taken and trained by John Wood. The Pell 
Records furnish the following item of expenditure on this account : — “ To 
John Wood the sum of £30 in respect he hath been at extraordinary charge 
in the bringing up and training of certain fowls called cormorants, & 
making of them lit for the use of fishing, to be taken to him of his majesty’s 
free gift and reward. By writ dated the 5‘'‘ day of April l(il l.” 
