Fir and Beech Martens. 
67 
lett with a hood to the same furred with white lettis, with the hinges 
great seale borne before him;... the king following in a robe of crimson 
velvet furred with poudre ermyns, with a hood of the same. Then 
after the king followed the Duke of Suffolke, and all erles, marques, 
and lordes, all in their perliament robes of scarlett furred with white, 
and their hoodes about their neckes, which were fortie in number; 
everie duke having fower barres of white furre alongest the right side 
of their robes, and everie earle having three barres of white furre 
alongest the right side of their robes, and everie lord two barres in 
likewise.” (Ed. Hakluyt Society, 1875, p. 45.) 
The Marten, martern, martron, or marten-cat, was 
hunted for the sake of its skin, which in 
good specimens is little inferior to that of 
the sable. Topsell divides martens into two varieties 
—the “beech-martin” and the “fir-martin.” He writes 
(p. 496):— 
“ Princes and great nobles are clothed therewith, every skinne being 
woorthe a French crowne, or foure shillings at the least. And they are 
so much the better when there are more whit haires aspersed among 
the yellowe. By inspection of the foines , that is, the martins of the 
beech, for the Frenchmen called a beech fan, from whence cometh the 
word foines , you may see that their skins are more dusky, having a 
tail both greater and blacker then the martins of the firres. And 
therefore you must understand that they of the firs, are by way 
of excellency called martins and the other of the woods called foines. 
In France there are no martins of the wall; but these martins live in 
hollow beaches. There are also woods full of these beastes in Brussia, 
which the people there call gayns. There are also store of martins 
near Bragansa, and generally in all parts of Europe except in England.” 
We learn from tbe account of a Lord Mayor’s pageant 
(Percy Society , vol. ix. p. 14) that when Sir William 
Draper served the office of Lord Mayor, in 1566-1567, the 
Ironmongers exerted themselves to their utmost ability 
in honouring the procession, as he was what is termed 
“free of the company.” Forty-six persons, bachelors, 
were nominated, whose drapery was composed of satin 
cassocks, gowns furred with foynes, and crimson satin 
hoods. 
