ESSEX PRE-ORNITHOLOGY. 13
17TH CENTURY.
This is a fruitful period, which provides many interesting
items. The first is an abstract from the household expenses
of Sir Thomas Barrington of Hatfield Regis, from the Steward's
Books from 1628-1638:
ffor a doz. Pidgeons for the Hawkes .. .. 1 - 10
Pd Pointer for goeing to Berden for Partridges
for the Hawkes .. .. .. .. 1 - 0
ffor a basket that the Pewitts were brought in 9
ffor meat for the Pewitts .. .. .. 2
ffor six nests for the Pidgeons .. .. .. 1-6
ffor 2 baskets for the Pidgeons to breed in 5
Pd for II pints of seeds for the Bullfinch .. 3-8
ffor rape seed for the Canary Bird .. .. 1 - 0
Pd Wall for looking after the Partridges .. 1-2
ffor nutte for the Parratt .. .. .. 7
ffor a Kestrell for fonde Alice .. .. .. 3-0
To mending the Blackbird's cage .. .. 5
Pd for a Lapwing for the garden .. .. 2-0
Pd to yr Ladyship for Mr. Wood that brought
the Cormorant to fish (1632) . . .. .. £1
Pd Mr Wood for the Cormorant (1637) .. £1 - 10
From that interesting book, which we have already mentioned,
The History of the Worthies of England, published in 1662, we
derive a very early account of a gullery. I pass on this contri-
bution in the language of the author: "There is an island of
"some two hundred acres, near Harwich, in the Parish of
"Little-Okeley, in the Mannour of Matthew Gilly Esquire,
"called the Puit Island, from Puits in effect, the sole inhabitants
"thereof. Some affirm them called in Latine tipulae, whilst
"others maintain that the Roman Language doth not reach
"the Name, nor Land afford the bird. On Saint1 George his
"day precisely they pitch on the Island, seldome laying fewer
"than four, or more than six eggs. Great their love to their
"Young ones. For although against foul weather they make to
"the main land (a certain Prognosticks of Tempests), yet they
"always weather it out in the Island, when hatching their
"young ones, seldome sleeping whilst they sit on their eggs
1 "So I am informed by Capt. Farmer of Newgate-Market, Copyholder of the Island."