Order requireth that I speake somewhat of the foules also of England,
which I may easilie diuide into the wild & tame: but alas such is my
small skill in foules, that to say the truth, I can neither recite
their numbers, nor well distinguish one kind of them from another. Yet
this I haue by generall knowledge, that there is no nation vnder the
sunne, which hath alreadie in the time of the yere more plentie of
wild foule than we, for so manie kinds as our Iland dooth bring
foorth, and much more would haue, if those of the higher soile might
be spared but one yeare or two, from the greedie engins of couetous
foulers, which set onlie for the pot & purse. Certes this enormitie
bred great trouble in K. Iohns daies, insomuch that going in progresse
about the tenth of his reigne, he found little or no game wherewith to
solace himself, or exercise his falcons. Wherfore being at Bristow in
the Christmas insuing, he restreined all maner of hawking or taking of
wild-foule throughout England for a season, whereby the land within
few yeares was throughlie replenished againe. But what stand I vpon
this impertinent discourse? Of such therefore as are bred in our land,
we haue the crane, the bitter, the wild & tame swan, the bustard, the
herron, curlew, snite, wildgoose, wind or doterell, brant, larke,
plouer of both sorts, lapwing, teele, wigeon, mallard, sheldrake,
shoueler, pewet, seamew, barnacle, quaile (who onelie with man are
subiect to the falling sickenesse) the notte, the oliet or olife, the
dunbird, woodcocke, partrich and feasant, besides diuerse other, whose
names to me are vtterlie vnknowne, and much more the taste of their
flesh, wherewith I was neuer acquainted. But as these serue not at all
seasons, so in their seuerall turnes there is no plentie of them
wanting, whereby the tables of the nobilitie and gentrie should séeme
at anie time furnisht. But of all these the production of none is more
maruellous in my mind, than that of the barnacle, whose place of
generation we haue sought oft times so farre as the Orchades, whereas
peraduenture we might haue found the same neerer home, and not onelie
vpon the coasts of Ireland, but euen in our owne riuers. If I should
say how either these or some such other foule not much vnlike vnto
them haue bred of late times (for their place of generation is not
perpetuall, but as opportunitie serueth, and the circumstances doo
minister occasion) in the Thames mouth, I doo not thinke that manie
will beleeue me: yet such a thing hath there béene scene, where a kind
of foule had his beginning vpon a short tender shrub standing néere
vnto the shore, from whence when their time came, they fell downe,
either into the salt water and liued, or vpon the drie land and
perished, as Pena the French herbarian hath also noted in the verie
end of his herball. What I for mine owne part haue séene here by
experience, I haue alreadie so touched in the chapter of Ilands, that
it should be but time spent in vaine to repeat it here againe. Looke
therefore in the description of Man or Manaw for more of these
barnacles, as also in the eleuenth chapter of the description of
Scotland, & I doo not doubt but you shall in some respect be satisfied
in the generation of these foules. As for egrets, pawpers, and such
like, they are dailie brought vnto vs from beyond the sea, as if all
the foule of our countrie could not suffice to satisfie our delicate
appetites.
Our tame foule are such (for the most part) as are common both to vs
and to other countries, as cocks, hens, géese, duckes, peacocks of
Inde, pigeons, now an hurtfull foule by reason of their multitudes,
and number of houses dailie erected for their increase (which the
bowres of the countrie call in scorne almes houses, and dens of
theeues, and such like) wherof there is great plentie in euerie
farmers yard. They are kept there also to be sold either for readie
monie in the open markets, or else to be spent at home in good
companie amongst their neighbors without reprehension or fines.
Neither are we so miserable in England (a thing onelie granted vnto vs
by the especiall grace of God, and libertie of our princes) as to dine
or sup with a quarter of a hen, or to make so great a repast with a
cocks combe, as they doo in some other countries: but if occasion
serue, the whole carcasses of manie capons, hens, pigeons, and such
like doo oft go to wracke, beside béefe, mutton, veale, and lambe: all
which at euerie feast are taken for necessarie dishes amongest the
communaltie of England.
The gelding of cocks, whereby capons are made, is an ancient practise
brought in of old time by the Romans when they dwelt here in this
land: but the gelding of turkies or Indish peacocks is a newer deuise:
and certeinlie not vsed amisse, sith the rankenesse of that bird is
verie much abated thereby, and the strong taste of the flesh in
sundrie wise amended. If I should say that ganders grow also to be
gelded, I suppose that some will laugh me to scorne, neither haue I
tasted at anie time of such a foule so serued, yet haue I heard it
more than once to be vsed in the countrie, where their géese are
driuen to the field like heards of cattell by a gooseheard, a toie
also no lesse to be maruelled at than the other. For as it is rare to
heare of a gelded gander, so is it strange to me to sée or heare of
géese to be led to the field like shéepe: yet so it is, & their
gooseheard carieth a rattle of paper or parchment with him, when he
goeth about in the morning to gather his goslings togither, the noise
whereof commeth no sooner to their eares, than they fall to gagling,
and hasten to go with him. If it happen that the gates be not yet
open, or that none of the house be stirring, it is ridiculous to sée
how they will peepe vnder the doores, and neuer leaue creaking and
gagling till they be let out vnto him to ouertake their fellowes. With
vs where I dwell they are not kept in this sort, nor in manie other
places, neither are they kept so much for their bodies as their
feathers. Some hold furthermore an opinion, that in ouer ranke soiles
their doong dooth so qualifie the batablenesse of the soile, that
their cattell is thereby kept from the garget, and sundrie other
diseases, although some of them come to their ends now and then, by
licking vp of their feathers. I might here make mention of other
foules producted by the industrie of man, as betwéene the fesant cocke
and doonghill hen, or betwéene the fesant and the ringdooue, the
peacocke and the turkie hen, the partrich and the pigeon: but sith I
haue no more knowledge of these, than what I haue gotten by mine eare,
I will not meddle with them. Yet Cardan speaking of the second sort,
dooth affirme it to be a foule of excellent beautie. I would likewise
intreat of other foules which we repute vncleane, as rauens, crowes,
pies, choughes, rookes, kites, iaies, ringtailes, starlings,
woodspikes, woodnawes, rauens, &c: but sith they abound in all
countries, though peraduenture most of all in England (by reason of
our negligence) I shall not néed to spend anie time in the rehearsall
of them. Neither are our crowes and choughs cherished of purpose to
catch vp the woormes that bréed in our soiles (as Polydor supposeth)
sith there are no vplandish townes but haue (or should haue) nets of
their owne in store to catch them withall. Sundrie acts of parlement
are likewise made for their vtter destruction, as also the spoile of
other rauenous fouls hurtfull to pultrie, conies, lambs, and kids,
whose valuation of reward to him that killeth them is after the head:
a deuise brought from the Goths, who had the like ordinance for the
destruction of their white crowes, and tale made by the becke, which
killed both lambs and pigs. The like order is taken with vs for our
vermines, as with them also for the rootage out of their wild beasts,
sauing that they spared their greatest beares, especiallie the white,
whose skins are by custome & priuilege reserued to couer those
planchers wherevpon their priests doo stand at Masse, least he should
take some vnkind cold in such a long péece of worke: and happie is the
man that may prouide them for him, for he shall haue pardon inough for
that so religious an act, to last if he will till doomes day doo
approch; and manie thousands after. Nothing therefore can be more
vnlikelie to be true, than that these noisome creatures are nourished
amongst vs to deuoure our wormes, which doo not abound much more in
England than elsewhere in other countries of the maine. It may be that
some looke for a discourse also of our other foules in this place at
my hand, as nightingales, thrushes, blackebirds, mauises, ruddocks,
redstarts or dunocks, larkes, tiuits, kingsfishers, buntings, turtles
white or graie, linets, bulfinshes, goldfinshes, washtailes,
cheriecrackers, yellowhamers, felfares, &c: but I should then spend
more time vpon them than is conuenient. Neither will I speake of our
costlie and curious auiaries dailie made for the better hearing of
their melodie, and obseruation of their natures: but I cease also to
go anie further in these things, hauing (as I thinke) said inough
alreadie of these that I haue named.