SWANS AND SWAN-UPPING [TRUSCOTT (Henry Dexter, 1861-1950, Swan Warden of the Vintners' Company, Master, 1922-1923)]

Amusing Reprints by him of three historical passages about Swans, (1) 'Proclamation of Queen Elizabeth', ordaining "every Swanherde" to keep "any swannes or signettes ... in a pen or pit within xx foote of the common stremes ... or ... the Queenes highway ... so that the Quenes subiects ... may have syght of the said swannes, upon payne of xx s", (from the Bodleian Library) (2) 'The Case of Swans', a judgment about the ownership of swans and cygnets, remarking that "the cock swan is an emblem ... of an affectionate and true husband to his wife", and talking learnedly about the swan singing as death approaches, (from Coke's Reports, in the case of The Queen v. Lady Jane Young), and (3) 'Ye Swan Warden to ye Father of ye Vintners' Company', 20 lines of verse, beginning 'If you're anxious to retain my fond affection, Father dear', begging him to rise early for the Swan-Upping next morning, 'from a Sixteenth Century Broadsheet' but clearly a spoof, and saying the Vintners' Swans, if dying, have the King's permission to sing, but not the Dyers', 2 single sides 10½" x 8½", no place, 24th July

At the annual Swan-Upping on the Thames, the cygnets are assigned to the Vintners' Company or the Dyers' Company and so marked according to their parentage, half to the cob's (cock's) owner and half to the pen's (hen's), as explained in (2), while all unmarked swans and their cygnets belong to the Crown. Truscott's father, Sir Francis, brother Sir George, and son Sir Denis, were all Lord Mayors of London.

Item Date:  1919

Stock No:  56041      £95

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