History of the Fife Pitcairns

ANDREW PITCAIRN. 153
Bedchamber according to his Office of Master Surveyor and Keeper
of Our Hawkes, shall from tyme to tyme by himself or his Deputie,
with other our Falconers and Servants, attend Us with Hawkes
for our Disport and Recreation, Knowe yee that Wee, of Our special
Grace, certain Knowledge and meere Motion, and in Consideration
of the Chardge and Service incident to the said Attendance, have
given & granted, and by theis Presents for Us, Our Heirs and
Successors, doe give and graunte unto the said Andrew Pitcairne,
as well an Allowance of Thirty Pounds by the Moneth, accounting
Eight and Twenty Days to the Moneth, for the Entertainment of
him and such as shall necessarilie attend that Service, as also
another Allowance of Ten Shillings by the Day, for the Provision
of Pigeons, Hens and other Meates for Our Hawkes ;
To have, hold and enjoy and receive both the said Allowances,
unto him the said Andrewe Pitcairne or his Assignes, from the
Feast Day of the Annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Mary last past
before the Date hereof, for and during Our Pleasure and the same
to be paid monthley as aforesaid to the said Andrewe Pitcairne
or his Assignes, out of Our Treasure from tyme to tyme remaining
in the Receipt of our Exchequer, by the handes of the Treasurer,
Commissioners for the Treasurie, Undertreasurer and Chamberlaines
there for the tyme being.
In Witnes, &c.
Witnes Our Self at Westminster, the Twelveth Day of May.
Per Breve de Privato Sigillo.
In 1611, on July 6, there is an interesting item in a
letter to the Earl of Nottingham to Carleton, to give
warrants to keepers of divers parks, to serve the Lady
Elizabeth, daughter of the King, the Lord Mayor and
Aldermen of London, the Farmers of the Customs, the
Tellers of the Exchequer, the Merchant Taylors and
Cloth Workers Company, the King's Falconers and Foreign
Ambassadors, with bucks, according to the King's direc-
tion. It will be seen that the King's Falconers were those
honoured with the King's bounty ; for hawking and every-
thing connected with falconry was very highly esteemed in
the olden days, and a hawking-pouch was considered an
honourable distinction — often worn by the nobility and
gentry. One of the Somervilles of Camnethan was called
Sir John with the Red Bag, because it was his wont to
have his hawking-pouch made with satin of that colour.