GAME-PRESERVING. 
213 
In the year 1536, Henry VIII. issued a proclamation 
in order to preserve the partridges, pheasants, and herons 
“ from his palace at Westminster to St. Giles-in-the- 
Fields, and from thence to Islington, Hampstead, 
Highgate, and Hornsey Park.” Any person, of whatever 
rank, who should presume to kill, or in any wise molest 
these birds, was to be thrown into prison, and visited by 
such other punishments as to the King should seem 
meet. 
Some interesting particulars in regard to pheasants are 
furnished by the “ Privy Purse Expenses of King Henry 
VIII.” For example, under date xvj th Nov. 1532, we 
have:— 
“ Itm the same daye paied to the 
fesaunt breder in rewarde 
“ Itm the xxv daye paied to the preste 
the fesaunt breder at Elthm in 
rewarde ij corons .... 
And in December of the same year:— 
“ Itm the xxijd. daye paied to the french 
Preste the fesaunt breder for to bye 
him a gowne and other necesarys . 
ixs. iiijd. 
ixs. iiijd. 
xls. 
)) 
From these entries it would appear that even at this 
date some trouble and expense was incurred in rearing 
pheasants. No allusion, however, is made to their being 
shot. They must have been taken in a net or snare, or 
