208
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
the sport of falconry. Mr. Fitch read an extract from the late Miss Fry's account
of "Robert Gernon and his Successors, the Barons Montfichet" (Trans : Essex
Arch : Soc : v, (1st ser.) p. 186), which showed that, in 1157, Gilbert de Mont-
fichet owed the King two hundred marcs of silver for two hawks and two gyr-
falcons, a comparatively enormous sum (£200 then), which led Miss Fry to
remark that "the birds must have been equal in value to a modern race horse."
Mr. Chancellor mentioned Dame Juliana Berners' "Book of St. Albans" as
being a treatise on sports by a lady who was a native of Essex [she is supposed to
have been the daughter of Sir James Berners, of Berners Roothing ; born about
1388, being afterwards Prioress of Sopewell Nunnery, in Hertfordshire].
Mr. Christy called attention to Daniel's "Rural Sports," the author having been,
for some time, rector of Great Waltham, Essex, as a book containing many
references to Essex sports.
Mr. Harting said that he did not quote from the "Book of St. Albans," as it
was now known that it was not the work of Dame Berners, but had been merely
compiled by her from existing material, and he was sorry to say that she had com-
piled so unskilfully that the practical value of her treatise was very small.
A vote of thanks to Mr. Christy and Mr. Chancellor, for their services as
"Conductors," concluded the meeting, and, after taking leave of their kind enter-
tainers, the members made their way in cabs, or on foot, to Ingatestone. The
rain still came down, and some of the streams by the road were so seriously swollen
that the roads were flooded, and the pedestrians had considerable difficulty in get-
ting back to the village. However, a warm cup of tea at Ingatestone revived the
party, and none were the worse for having braved the terrors of certainly the most
persistently wet Field-day ever experienced by the Club.
Field Meeting at Brentwood, South Weald, &c.,
Saturday, May 25th, 1889.
This meeting was held in conjunction with the Geologists' Association, under the
geological leadership of Mr. H. W. Monckton, F.G.S., Mr. R. S. Herries, M.A.,
F.G.S., and Mr. H. B. Woodward, F.G.S. (of the Geological Survey).
The large party assembled at Brentwood Station about three o'clock. The weather
was all that could be desired for a pleasant country ramble, and the rain, which
seemed to be brooding around the horizon, held off until late in the evening.
Leaving Brentwood, way was made southwards to Warley Common, and by a
private road to the barracks.1 In the course of this walk, as remarked by Mr.
Monckton, the party had passed from the London Clay at Brentwood Station over
the "passage-beds" connecting that formation with the Bagshot Sands, and on
to the Bagshot Beds. With these Bagshot Beds there had been included by the
Geological Survey certain pebble beds to which attention was now especially
directed.
The party was first conducted by Mr. Monckton to a pit west of Warley Scrubs,
where gravel had been dug to a depth of 8 or 9 feet. On the Geological Survey
map this was coloured as "Pebble-gravel" distinct from the "Bagshot Pebble-
beds." The gravel consists mainly of flint-pebbles, but contains also a number of
pebbles of quartz, some as much as 11/2 inch diameter, as well as angular flints. Mr.
Monckton explained that he did not believe this gravel was part of a marine
1 The Editor is indebted to the kindness of Mr. Monckton and Mr. H. B. Woodward for the
geological portions of this report.