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stirred from the place where they uncoupled their dogges, and (having another budget or pocket full of delicates and dogges deputies) shall beginne to hallow on their side, and to blow their homes to make the dogges come unto them: then he which made the first hallow shall threaten them, and a little beate them with a wande cring agayne, byst hallow, hyke hallow, lyst, lyst, lyst. And when the hounds (albe come unto them, they mustewarde them with their delicates as the other did, and then after let them couple them vp agayne fayre and gently: for if one do roughly handle a young hound at the firste coupling, he will not easily come agayne to the coupling another time. When they are coupled vp agayne, they must leave them to their Kennell, and giue them meat, leaving always some bread in their baskettes, for luche as (albe of faynt appetite, their ftraue must be chaunged three or four times in a weeke at the least, and the Hunte must weath wishes upon little sticks, and pricke them in the grounde to make them pille. It is a thing certayne, that if you rubbe out a wilpe or luche like thing with Galbanum, all your hounds will not fayle to come and pille agaynst it: and if perchance there be no fountayne, no2 broke within the courte of your Kennell, then must you put their water in troughes of stone or woodde as I haue rehearsed before, the whiche mulle be changed and rechrested every day twicee. Also in erfreenie beate, Hounds are oftentimes combined with lice, fleas, and other vermine and filthie things, and for remedie thereof you muste wath them once a weeke in a bath made with heatbes, as followeth.

To make a hound to pille at one certain place.

First you must have a great keffle holding tenne great pots or small buckettes full of water, then take tenne good stalkes of an hearbe called Veruyne, and wilde Cresseyes, and alnuch of the leues of Sorell, Marioram, Sage, Rafemarie, and Réwe, and lette them boyle well alfogether, calling amongst them two handfull of Salte: then when all is well boyled togethers, and that the hearbes be well consumed therein, you shall take them from the fire, and let them cole untill the water be no more than luke warme, and therewith wath and bathe your dogges one after another

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another rubbing them softly with your wipes. And all these things are best to be done in great heates, thysle in a weeke at the least: also sometimes when whelpes are lately brought from their nourres out of the villages, they will dieade the waters and bare not adventure to paille through rypers, poles, etc. To helpe this the Hunte muste choose out warime and hote days, in the whiche aboute none, he shall couple vp all his hounds, and leade them to the side of some river or pole, and put of all his clothes: then shall he take them one after another, and carie them a good way into the rypet to learne them to swimme and abode the water: when he bath done this two or three times, he shall see that his hounds will not fear the water, nor will make any difficultie to paille or swimme through the rivers and ponpes. And in this manner good Hounds shall be their hounds, for if they obftrue all these things aboute rehearsed, it is not possible but that they2 hounds (albe wel entred and ordered. And often times it happeneth that hounds do hunte and chafe in the rayne and frost and other greuous weather, or its do enfoize themselves to paille and swimme through rivers and poles, where they do so, the Hunt ought to make them a good fire, and to rubbe and due them, and when they be die he should frotte and rubbe their bellies, to take of the dyfte and clape whiche map hang thereupon, for if they go to kennell wette and mopled with dyft, they should be in baunger to markounder and to become mangie: oft times also in running through the hard champapne, or stonic grounde, they surbate and deblister their feete, and to helpe that, the Hunt must first wath they2 feete with water and Salte, then take the polkes of egges to beate them wel with vinegar and the iuyce of an hearbe grownyng upon the rockes, and called Montsare, then take pitch buked to powder and mingle it with twise alnuche flete, and after put your fayde powder amongst the egges and iuyce of hearbs also fayd, making them all hote togither and always plying them, and you must take good heate that you orderbeate it not, because the mopyture might be consumed and the livillance of the egges would be wared barde, which would marre all, but i. Halbe sufficient to heate it untill it be some-

C.

what

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34

what more than luke warme, and herewithall shall you rubbe every night the feete and foldes betweene the clawses of your hounds with a linen cloute. If you stand no longer upon this poynt,hoping to speake thereof more amply in the treatie of reteixtes.

How a man should enter his yong hounds
to hunte the Harte, and of the quaries
and rewardes that he shall give
them. Chap. 14.

Whom

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When the hunte hath caught his hounds to know and beleve the hallow, and the found of his home, then the gallopbers, prickers, and huntsmen on horsebackeleying their hounds strong enough and aboute feuentene or eightene moneths olde, shall then beginne to enter and to teach them, and they shall have them a fielde but once a weeke at the molte, for feare leaft they should marre them, for hounds are never sufficiently knit in their toypes and members unfill they be two yeares old at the leaft: and aboute all things whofoever would hunte the Harte at force, must understand three secretes. The first is that he neuer accultome his hounds to runne a Hinde, nor give them any quarrie or rewarde thereof, because there is difference betweene the sent of a Harte and a Hynde, as you may see by experience that hounds do oftentimes single that one from that other, and yet hounds are of such nature that the first beaft which a man doth enter them at, and that they first take pleasure in, and have bene therewith rewarded, they do always remember it most, and thereby you may be sure that if you give them rewards or bringing them to the quarrie of a Hynde, they would desire it more than the Harte. The second secrete is, that it is not good to enter yong hounds within a toile, for there a Harte doth nothing but turne and call aboute, since he cannot runne endlong, when the hounds are in manner always in light of him, and if afterwards you should runne a Harte (with dogges so entred) at force, and out of a toyle, and that the Harte toke endlong, elopingly him self from the hounds, they would be quickly given him one: and yet there is another thing which dothe more hurte vnto suche hounds as are entred into a toyle, for if a Harte do turne two or three times before them, they take aswell the country, as the right tracke, breaking their course, & putting themselves out of breath, and neither learne to hunte nor to quell, nor to do any other thing but rapely vp their heads still to see the Harte. The third secrete is that you enter not your hounds, nor beginne to teach them in the mornyng if you can chuse, for if a man do firste accultome them to the frethe of the mornyng, if afterwards they chaunce to hunte in the heat of the day, they will quickly

C. ii.

give

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give ouer, but you may enter them and rewarde them in this
manner. Firſte you ought to haue regarde that the Harte be in
pyne of greace, bycauſe then he cannot to easily conuey himſelf
noz elopgne himſelf before the hounds, as he would do in May
oſ in Aprill, bicauſe they are heauier then, and cannot ſtand vp so
long, then may you chowle out a Fozell wherein the Relaies be of
equall proportion, and ſo your purpove, after place at your pong
hounds togither with ſoure oſ ſiue old hounds to enter them.
And then leade them to the kurdeſt and last Relaye, and cauſe the
Harte to be hunted into them, with ſome good kenell of hounds
whiche may keepe ſpm from reſling oſ slaying by the way, to
the ende that when he chalbe aruied and come into them, and
warcth now wearie and almoſte spent, you may then vncouple
your olde Hounds firſte, and when they haue well beaſen and
kounde the tracke oſ ſent of the Harte, beyng well entred in crie,
you may alio vncouple your poyg hounds, and hallow them in
to the olde hounds, and you muſſe haue three good prickers, oſ
Hunteſemen on hozſebacke at the leaſt, to the ende that if there be
any pong hounde whiche wouſle carie oſ hang behind, beyng
opinionate oſ musing and plodding by himſelſe, the Hozſemen
may beate him well and make him come in to the reſt: and you
chall underſtand that in what place ſoener you kyll the Harte,
you ought to flea his necke, and to rewarde your hounds ther-
with upon the gralle all hote as it is, ſo ſo it chalbe muche bet-
ter and more delicate and profitable ſo your hounds, than
when it is colde : you may also rewarde them in another man-
ner. Take a Harte in nettes oſ kalles, and cleaue oſ split one of
his koſkekeete from the twitte of the cleas, into the ioynte of the
kowe, oſ els cut off one of his keſte oſ cleas altogether, afterwards
unfangle him out of the net oſ ſtall and let him go, a quarter of
an houre after, you may bying all your pong hounds and al-
ſkittle them togither, then take your Bloudhounds and with
them finde out the view oſ Slotte of the Harte oſ Bucke,
and followe them with your pong Hounds, and when you
haue followed them a Crossebowe wote, you maye then
hallowe and blowe ſo your pong Hounds: that done you may

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may vncouple your pong hounds from the old, that the olde
hounds may firſt leade them; and you muſſe haue good prickers
and hunteſemen on hozſebacke in the taple of them to make them
holde in and cloſe. Yet another way to bying your hounds to
quarrie and to rewarde them, you muſſe haue ſoure oſ fire hunte-
men that be good and twitte of kowe, ſo els they may rather
hinder than ſurder the hounds, and to every one of these you
may giue two couple of hounds to leade in liames, and when
the hounds haue unloſsed the Harte, they may go kape and
ſoftely, and not wearp theyr pong hounds before the crie : then
when they shall percieue that the Harte hafh runne two good
boures, and that he beginneth to ſinke before the hounds, they
may caile of theyr pong hounds, but they ought to have good
regard that they caile them not of when he is at Baye : eſpecial-
ly when his head is full ſommed, ſo in that ſurie he wouſle en-
danger them oſ kill them. Mine opinion is that the best entrying
of hounds is at the Harte, ſo that is their very best beginning,
co alnuch as thereby they chall learne all doubles, and turnes,
as lykewife to knowe and to come to the hallowe, and also they
become very tende noſed and perſeſt of ſent by accuſoming
the beaſen wayes and champaygne Countries, and afterwards
when a man wouſle enter oſ ſeache them to the Harte, they
will quicklye forget and abandone the Harte. Here muſſe be no-
ted that all hounds ought to be well acquaynted with their
prickers oſ Hunteſemen on Hozſebacke which chall follow them,
and thereforo it is reſequile that when the Hunteſemen chall
give them rewarde, and that they make the Duart-
rie, the prickers and Hunteſemen on hozſebacke
be there preſent to make much of them, and
to ſkeake to them, to the end that they
map the better underſtand and
know them.
(··)

(··)

C.ij.

The

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The Preface pronounced by
the Hart.

Am the Harte, by Greekes furnamed so,
Bicause my heade, doth with their tearmes agree,
For stately shape, fives such an earth to go,
So that by right, they have so termed knee.
For Kings delight, it seemes I was ordreyned
To hose Hunte men yet, pursue me day by daye,
In Forest, chace, and Parke, I am constrayned
Before their Houndes, to wander many away.

W hereof

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Wherefore who lysse, to learne the perfect trade,
of Venerie: and therewisballe would knowe,
What properties, and vertues nature made,
In me (poore Hart, oh harmelesse Hart) to growe,
Let him gieue eare, to skilfull Try strams lore,
To Phœbus, Fowylloux and many more.

Of the vertue and properties of the
Harte. Chap. 15.

There is a bone founde in the heart of an Harte, the which is
very medecinable against the trembling of the heart, and
especially for women great with childe.

2. Againe take the piffell of an Harte and temper it in vinay-
GRE the place of foure and twentie hours, and afterwards drie
it, then beate it into powder, and drinke the weight of a frenche
crowne thereof in Plantine water, and it shall heale eyther man
or woman of the blondie flure.

3. Likewise take a Hartes head when it is halfe shotte out, or
is yet blondie, or cut it in small moyselles, and put it in a great
bioll or glasse, then take the iuyce of an hearbe called Tussome,
and the iuyce of another hearbe called Spanyshe peper or other-
wistle Capon, afterwards you shall put the iuyce of all these
hearbes to the gobbets of the Hartes head, and lute and sloppe
very close your bioll or glasse, suffring all these drugges to
stand togither the place of two dapes: that done, you shall distill
them in a Lymbecke of glasse, and the water that commeth ther-
of wilbe excellent agaynst all venimes or popions, as well of the
bitings of Serpents as others.

4. Also the Hartes home burste and beaten into powder
will kyll wormes bothe within the bodie and without, and wil
dryue Serpentes out of their holes and dennes: the gather-
bagge, or mugwet of a yong Harte when it is in the Hyndes
bellie, is very medicinable also agaynst the byting of Ser-
pentes.

C.iiiij.

s The

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The marowe or greace of an hart is very good for the
Goute proceeding of a colde caufe, melting it and rubbyng the
place (where the payne is) therewith. Also the hart firlke taught
his to finde the herbe called Dyckamus, for when he is frickè with
an arrow or darte, he seeketh out that hearbe and eateth thereof,
the which maketh the darte or arrowe to fall out, and healeth
him immediatelp.

Of the Nature and Subtilties of
Hartes. Chap. 16.

Ifidore

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Ifidore fayeth that the hart is right contrarie to the Serpent,
and that when he is olde, decrepoye, and fice, that hee
goeth to the dennes and caues of Serpentes, and with his no-
freis he puffereth and foizeth his breath into their holes, in fuche
loft, that by vertue and foize thereof he contrepeth the Serpent
to come forth, and being come forth, he kylleth them with his
foize, and afterwards tafeth and duoueth them. Afterward he
goeth to drinke, and so the venine breatheth through all the
beynes of his body, and when he feeleth the venine worke, he
runneth to chafe and heate him ſelke, immediately he beginneth
to boyde and purge himselfe, in fuch loft that nothing remayneth
in his belly, coming forth by all the conduites and pozes that
nature bath made in him. And by this mean he retueth his force,
and healeth him ſelke, calling his haire.

When the hartes palle the great ryners or some arme of the
Sea, to go to Rut in some Ale or Fozeit, they affemble them
selves in great heardes, and knowing which of them is krom-
gelt and best dwimmer, they make him go formol: and then he
which comineth nert him, stayeth vp his head upon the backe of
the firſt, and the third upon the backe of the feonde, and conse-
quently al the reſt do in like maner, euen vnto the laſt, to the end
that the one may relieve the other, and when the firſt is wearie,
another tafeth his place.

Phynie fayeth, that they can endure to dwynne thirtie myles
endwayes, and that he hath seene experience thereof in the Ale of
Cyprie, from whence they go commonly vnto the Ale of Cy-
lice, the which is thirtie myles diſtant. Pea and he fayeth, that
they have the bent and tent of the Rut from the one Ale to the
other. To heake a truth, I have seene some hunted in Fozeſſes
abioyning to the Sea, which have bene so foze hunted, that they
lauched vnto the Sea, and have bene kylled by fythermen ſenne
myles from the Choye.

The hart doth maruelt and is affonped when he heareth one call or whittle in his ſill. And for prowe, when you fee an hart turne before you in the day time, and that he be in the playne, call after him taping, ware warr, or, fake heede, and you shall

C.V.

ſee

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See him turne backe for doubt of the boye which he heard. He
loueth to heare Instruments, and assureth him selfe when hee
heareth a Flute or any other sweete noyle. He heareth herie per-
fectly when his heade and his eares are set upright, but when he
holdeth them downe, he heareth not so well. When he is on kore
and is not afrayde, he marynelleth at all things which he teeth,
and taketh pleasure to gaze at them, as a Carter and his Carte, or
any beak loden with any thing. *Plynie layth*, that an Harte's age
is knowne by his teeth, by his feete, and by his heade, as I will
declare hereafter in the treatise of Judgement of the Hart. Fur-
thermore he layth, that the Antler and croches of a Harte doe
multiply from the first heade that he beareth, untill he be leauen
yeares olde, and that afterwardes they multiply not but only in
greatneſſe, and that also according to the reſt and good feeding,
or the ſkyring that they shall haue. They beare sometimes moſe
and sometimes fewer croches, and that is the reaſon that menne
haue iudged a Hart of ſenne, as ſometimes haue bene ſene. Fur-
thermore he layth that the firſt heade which an Hart beareth, is
dedicated and giuen to Nature, and that the ſoure Elements do
euerie of them take therein a poſition. *Ifodore* is of an other opi-
nion laying, that the Hart doth burie and hyde his firſt heade in
the earth, in luche loſt that a man shall hardly finde it. And to
heake a truth, I could neuer finde any that were mewed or caſt
by their owne accorde, neuertheleſſe I haue ſene one that layde
he had ſene them, but therein I report me to that which may be
thought. The Hart hath a propertie, that if he goe to feede in a
yong hring or Coppes, he goeth firſt to feede the winde, that he
may finde if there be any person in the Coppes which may inſer-
rupt him. And if any man take a little bough, branch, or leake,
and pyſſe or pittie upon it, if he leaueth it in the hring or Coppes
where the Harte should feede, he will not fayle to finde it out,
and then he will feede no more in that place. *Plynie layth*, that
when the Hart is forced with hounds, his last refuge is to come
about houſes unto a man, unto whom he had rather yeelde him
ſelſe than unto the hounds, having knowledge of understanding
what things be moſſe contrarie and hatefull unto him, the
which

The booke of Hunting.

which I haue ſene by experience, that an Hynd being readie to
calue, hath rather auoied and eluied the way and place where
dogs did reſort, that whereas me were accustomed to be, as also
when the would conceue, he attendeth untill the Starre called
*Architecture* he raysed, and caryeth his calfe eight or nine monethes,
the which are calued in May commonly, although I haue ſene
some fall later, according to the nouriture and age of the Hind.
There are some Hyndes which haue two Calues at once, and
before the calueth, the purgeth his hit with the hearbe called Tra-
gonce, and after that he hath calued, he eateſt vp the Kyne
wherein the Calfe did lye. *Plynie layth* mozeouer, that if a man
take the Hynde immediately after the haue calued, he ſhouſe
finde a ſtone in his hit body the which he hath eaten or swallowed
to make his calue with moſe eafe, the which ſtone ſhouſe be
trie requisite and profitable for women that are with chylde.
When the Hyndes calfe is great, he teacheth it to runne, and to
leape, and the coaſt that it muſt keepe to defende it ſelſe from the
hounds. The Harte and Hyndes may liue an hundreth yeres,
according to Phæbus laying. And wee finde in auncient hyslo-
riographers, that an Harte was taken, a having coller about his
necke full three hundreth yeares after the death of Celar, in
which coller *Cefars* armes were engraued, and a mot
witten, laying, *Cefarne me fecit*. Whereupon
the Latin Proverb came, which faith,
*Ceruinos annos vireuere*.

Of

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Of the Rut and vault of Hartes. Chap. 17.

Arts do commonly beginne to Tault about the middell of September, and their Rut doth continue about two monethes, and the older that they be, the hotter they are, and the better beloved of the Hyndes. The olde Harts go londer to Tault than the pong, and they are so fierce and so proude, that until they have accomplyed their luff, the yong Harts dare not come neare them, for if they do, they beate them and diuye them away. The yong Weere have a marvellous crack and malice, for

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for when they perceive that the olde Harts are wearie of the Rut and weakened in force, they runne vppon them, and epther hurt or kyll them, causing them to abandon the Rut, and then they remayne maillers in their places. Hartes doe muche suffer each other when there is scarcitie of Hyndes, for if there be Hyndes plentis, then they separate them kelues one from another, and hyde them kelues in one place or other. It is a pleasure, to beholde them when they goe to Rutte and make their baute. For when they smell the Hynde, they layse their nose vp into the ayre, and loke aloft, as though they gaue thanks to nature which gaue them so great delight. And if it be a great Hart, he will turne his heade, and will loke if there be none other neare to anoy or interrupt him. Then the yong deare being not able to abyde them, and being them make such countenances, will withdaw them kelues from them and runne away. But if there be any of equall begneffe, they beginne then both of them to vault, and to scrape the grounde with their keete, threating and butting one against another, in such force, that you shall beare their blowes of their heades a good halfe myle of, so long, til he which is master do chace away the other. The hind beholding this paſſime, doth neuer remoue his place, then he which hath the maſſtrie, will begin to vault, and to bellow, calling him kelfe with a full leape upon the Hynde to cover his, and that quickly. They are very eale to be kylled at such times, for they follow the pathes in ways where the Hyndes haue gone, putting their nose to the grounde to followe by the sent, and neuer loke no longer whether any man be there aboutes which may annoye them or not. During the time of their Rut they lyne with small suſtenance, for they feede only of luche things as they fee before them, for rather regard the tracke of the Hindes. Their chief meate is the red Muffhome or Todeklowe which helpeth well to make them paffe their greace, they are then in so bevement heate, that euerie where as they paffe and finde waters, they tumble and lye therein, and sometimes for diſlight, they thraust their heades into the earth, a man may easily know the olde Hart from the yong, by hearing him when he belloweth. For the elder they be, the greater

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greater and moze roaring their boycet is. Also thereby you may know if they haue bene chaled and hunted or not, for if they haue bene hunted or be afayde of any thing, they put their mouthy a-gainst the ground and bellow soffly, and yet with a great voice, the which the hartes which are at rell neuer do. For they tayle by their heads bellowing and braying aloud without dicate.

In what season the Hartes mewe and take them to the thickets. Chap. 18.

In February and Marche, the hart meweeth and cafteth his head, and commonly the olde hart much loner than the yong. But if there be any which haue bene hurt at Rut or by any other meane, then nature is not so strong in him to helpe him. For all his sublance and nouriture can not suffise to heale him, and to diine out his head, by reason of the hurt which he hath. So are there some which leesing their stones or pyffels at Rut or other-wil, do neuer mewe. For you must underland that if you geld an hart before he haue an head, he will neuer beare head. And on that other side, if you geld him when he hath his head or an- lie, he will neuer caft or mewe it: In lyke maner, if you gelde him when he hath a beluet head, for it will remayne so always, and neyther fraye no burniche. This giueth vs to underland, that there is great vertue in the stones, for through their occasion oftentimes many men which beare heades of a goodly beame, do yet neuer mewe no caft them. When the hartes haue mewed or caft their heades, they beginne then to withdrawe themselves, and to betake them to the thicket, hyding them felues in some faire place where there is some good keede and water, upon the border of some fielde, to the ende they may goe to some peace of wheat, peale, or luche like lullie keede. And you shall note, that yong hartes doe neuer betake them felues unto the thickets, but till they haue boze their thirde heade, which is in their fourth yeare, and then they may be judged hartes of tene, but derie yongly. As also the Bores do neuer forsake their routes, but till their

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their thirde yeare, because they haue not the courage, nor their tussles and armes are not yet sufficient to defend them.

After the hartes haue mewed, they beginne in the monethes of Marche and April to throult out their buttons, and as the Sunne doth rysle in his circle or course, and that their keede doth increase and ware harde, their heades in like manner and their bessone do growe and augment, and by the middell of June, their heades will be lomed of as much as they will beare all that peare, at least if they be in a good come countrey or where good keede is, and haue no hinderance nor disquiet, and accordingly as the season of the yeare doth increase the croppe of the earth, even so will their heades increase in all respecks.

What is the cause that Hartes do hyde themselves when they haue mewed. Chap. 19.

Artes doe hyde them felues when they haue mewed for divers reasons. First because they are leane and weake, by reason of the wynder palf, having no force to defende their felues. And also because they beginne then to finde feeding, as they take their ease to refloze their flech and force. Another reason is, that they haue lost their weapons of defence, the which be their heades, and dare not have them felues as well for feare of other bealls, as also for shame that they haue, to haue lost their strength and beautie. And also you that see by experience, if in a come fielde or palfure where an hart keedeeth after he haue mewed, there be any dyes or fayres, or luche bydyes which chatter at them and discouer them, they will streight way returne unto their thicket, to hyde themselves for the shame and feare that they haue. And you shall underland they will not leane their thicket (unlesse men do lyre and remoue them) until the ende of August, when they begin to war hote, and to hunt after the hynnds. When the hartes that are in couert, do perceale that their heades do begin to dry, (which is about the end of July) then they discouer themselves, going unto the trees to catch their heads, and to rub of the beluet. And

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And when they haue fraped their heades, they then do burnish their heads, some against cole heapes, some other against mettall places, some in clay and other commodious things and places to do it in. Some beare red heads, some blacke, and some whyte, all which colourings proceede of nature and of none other thing: for it should be verie hard for the dust or ponder of coles, or any such like thing to give them colour. The red heades are commonly greater and fayzer than the red, for they are commonly fuller of marrowe and lighter: the blacke heades are heauier, and haue not so much marrowe in them: the white are the very work of the world, and the worst nourished. All this I haue knowne by experience it

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of Croseboowe makers and makers of Harquebusses, which put it often in their workes, who haue tolde me that the least blacke heades which come from the Scottes or wylde Fristhe (whereof men bring great number to Wochell to sell) are much heauier than those which we haue here in Fraunce, for they have not so much marowe in them; although there is a Fozeff in Poison called the Fozeff of Mereuant, in which the Harts beare small blacke heades, which haue but little marowe in them, and are almost like to them of Irelande. There is another Fozeff about foure leagues from thence called Chiffay, in the which the Harts beare heades cleane contrarie, for they are great, red, and ful of marow, and are verie light when they are drie. All these things I haue thought good here to alledge, to let you knowe that Harts beare their heades according to the pafture and feede of the countrey where they are born, for the Fozeff of Mereuant is altogether in Mountaynes, bales and Caues, whereas they feede is drie, leane, and of small substance. On that other side, the Fozeff of Chiffay, is in a playne countrey, enuironed with all good pafture and come groundes, as wheat, pealon, and luche, whereupon they take good nouriture: which is the cause that their heades become so fayre and well preade.

D. Of

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Of the coates and colour of Harts, Chap. 20.

Hartes are of three sundye coxtes of cokes, that is to saye,
browne,fallowe,and red. And of euerie of these coates
there proceede two coxtes of Hartes. The one are great,
and the other little. First of the browne Hartes there be some
great long, and fide haired, which beare a verie high heade,redde
of colour, kaye, and well beamed, which stand vp long before
hounds. For all long Chaped Hartes have longer breath, and are
swykter of bodye, than the choct proportioned are. The other
kinde

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kinde of browne Hartes are little, thickc let, and choct. We hiche
beare commonly a blacke mayne, and become katter benifont
and more delicate than the others, because they doe more com-
monly keepe in yong fprings & Coppiles, than in the high woods.
These kynors of Hartes are craftie, hyding them selues, because
when they are in greace, they doubt to be founde. For as muche
as their bodie will not endure to stande long before the hounds:
So make they their feede verie choct, and beare their heades low
and wyde in funder. And if they be old and feed in good ground,
then are their heades blacke, kaye, and well bzaunched, and com-
monly paumed at the toppe. The other Hartes which are of a
fallowe coafe, do beare their heades high, and whyte of colour:
Whereof the beames are verie small, and the Antliers long,
flender, and yll growne, principally of that soft of fallow which
drawe upon the whypfully dunne haire. So also haue they neither
heart, courage, nor force. But that which are of a lively redde
fallowe, which haue lightly a little blacke or browne little upon
the rydge of their backe, and their legges of the same colour, be-
ing long, and fide, that be verie strong, bearing kaye and high
heads, well furnished and beamed, having all the other marks
of tokens which I will hereafter declare. Then the Hartes which
are of a lively redde haire, are commonly yong Hartes.

That soft of coated Hartes, should not great-
ly reioyce the huntmen on horsebacke,
because they stand vp long,
and are of verie good
heath.

D.ij.

Of

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Of the heades and braunches of Harts, and
of their diversities. Chap. 21.

Harts beare their heads in diuers sorts and maners, some well growne, some other well growne and wozzle lyed, some other againe counterfeit, and al this according to the age, contrep, keede and reft that they have, and you must note, that they beare not their first head which we call boches (in a fallow Deare picks) until they enter the second yere of their age. In the third yere of their age, they ought to beare four, fire, or eight small braunches, at their fourth yeare they beare eight or tenne, at five, tenne or zwelue,

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zwelue, at fire, zwelue, fourtene, or lurtene : and at their seuenth yeare, they beare their heades beamed, branched, and lomed with as muche as euer they will beare, and do neuer multiplye therein but onely in greatnesse, and according to the keede and reft that they shall have. After they have once accomplished their seuenth yeare, they will beare marks on their heades, sometimes more, and sometimes lesse, although men shall always knowe the olde Harts by these tokens which follow.

1. First when the compalle of the Burre is large and greate, well pearled, and neare unto the mopylure of the head.

2. Secondly, when the beame is great, burnished, and well pearled, being streight and not made crooked by the Antlyers.

3. Thirdly, when the gutters therein are great and deep.

4. Also if the firste Antlier (which Phæbus calleth and termeth Antoiller) is great, long, and neare to the Burre, the Suranlier neare unto the Antlier the which ought a little to enlarge it selfe some what more from the beame than the firste, and yet it should not be to long, and they ought to be both well pearled, all these things betoken an olde Harte.

5. Also the reft of the branches or homes which are higher, being well ordered and set, and wel growne according to the bignesse and proportion of the head, and the croches, palme, or crown being great and large according to the hygnesse of the beame, are tokens of an olde Hart : and if the croches which are lomed aloft, do double together in the crowne or palme, it is a ligne of a great olde Hart.

6. Also when Harts have their heads large and open, it signifieseth that they are olde, rather than when they are crooked and close bowed. And because many men can not understande the names, and diversities of heades according to the fermes of hunting, I have thought good heere to call them to be postrayed and set forth with little explycations, to specifice the name of euerie branch or part, as here under is declared.

The thing that beareth the Antliers, Royals, and toppes, ought to be called the beame, and the little clyffes or ftyerein are called gutters.

D. 11.

That

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The Blazon pronounced by the
Huntsman.

Am the Hunte, whiche rathe and earely ryfe,
(My bottrell filde, with wine in any wife)
Twoo draughts I drinke, to stay my steppes withhall,
For eche foote one, bicaufe I would not fall.
Then take my Hownde, in liam me behinde,
The stately Harte, in fryth or fell to finde.
And whiles I seeke his slotte where he hath fedde,
The sweete byrdes sing, to cheare my drowsie hedde.

And

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And when my Hounds, doth flyne upon good vent,
I must confess, the same doth me content,
But when I have, my courts walkt aboute,
And harbred fast, the Harte for commyng out:
Then I returne, to make a graue reporte,
Whereas I finde, th' assembly doth reorte.
And lowe I crouche, before the Lordings all,
Out of my Horne, the fewmets lette I fall,
And other signes, and tokens do I tell,
To make them hope, the Harte may like them well.
Then they commande, that I the wine should rafte,
So biddes mine Arte: and so my throte I baste.
The dinner done, I go freight wayes agayne,
Unto my markes, and (hewe my Master playne)
Then put my Hounde, upon the view to drawe,
And rowse the Harte, out of his layre by lasse.
O gamsters all, a little by your leaue,
Can you suche ioyes in trifying games conceaue?

Of the knovvledge and iudgement which
the Huntsman may take, to know
an old Harte.

The iudgement of the Slot.
The iudgement of the poztes
and entrees.
The iudgement of the Aba-
tures and koylles.

The iudgement by þ fewmets.
The iudgement by his gate
and walkes.
The iudgement by an Harts
frayingstocks.

The which I will declare in Chapiters fol-
lowyng, beginning firſt with the iud-
gement of the Slot or view.

The

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The Iudgement and knowledge by the
Slot of an Harte. Chap. 22.

Old Hartes leane commonly the blemishes & tokens which follow. First you must loke upon the treading of his kowe which must be great & long, and marke that if you find together the kowing of two flagges, of the whiche that one hath a long Slot, that other a round, and that they be both in iudgement of one lignelle, yet the long Slot Malbe iudged for the greater Harte than the rounde, for without all doubt his bodie will shewe it self bigger than the other : then must you loke to the

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the heele whiche must be great & large, and the little cliffe or lit which is in themidst therof and separately the two clawes, must be large & wide open, the legge great, the bones short, thick, not large, the toes round and great : commonly the great olde Hartes be low iopnfed, and do neuer tarede double or fallly, because the Sinewes whiche hold the iopntes of their feete and clawes, are well renfoiced, and do better holde tacke with the weight of their bodie, than the yong Hartes do, for their iopnnes and iopntes are weake, and are not yet come to their force : and therefore they are not able to fullayne the weight of their bodies, in suche kowe that sometimes the kowe and the clawes are forced to tread away and to double, and thereby you may ludge them yong Hartes. Furthermore the old Hartes when they walke, do neuer ouerreache the kofekowe with the hinderkowe, but tarede kowe of it by foure fingers breadth at the leaf, the whiche the yong Hartes do not, for in their gate the hinder kowe ouerreached the kofekowe, lyke unto a Mule or Hackney whiche ambled : hollow kofed Hartes (if other lignes be not contrarie) may be iudged olde Hartes : they whiche have an highe and kofte pace, in places where there are not mank bones, are iudged thereby to bee strong, and that they have not bene much runne nor chafed. And here you must understand, that there is greate difference betweene the iudgementes of an hartes Slot, and of an Hynde : Neuerthelesse when the Hyndes be with Calfe, a yong bunter might kowe be begupled, because they open their clawes wide lyke unto an Harte, by reason of the weightinelle of their bodies, and yet the differences are apparant. For if you marke the heele of an Hynde you shall percepeue that there is no Harte of the second heade to yong, which leaneth not a greater and wyder clotte than the vorth, and therewithall the bones will appeare greater also : herewithall, Hyndes have commonly theyr kowe long, freight, and hollowe, with little charpe cuttyng bones, otherwys also you may iudge the Hynde by hyr feede, because thee croppe the hings rounde lyke an Dre and feedeth greedily : and contrarily the Harte of tenne dothe take it delicately, breaking it of

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It of endayes to have the liquoſ as weekly and tenderly as
he may. And here let the harte marke one ferret porut, which
is: when he is in the wode and shall finde the Slotte of an
Harte, let him kille marke what manner of Slotted or cutting it
is, whether it be a woune cutting or a thame cutting kore, then
let him marke the Countrie and Fozeſt, whereof he is, for he
may tudge in himselfe whether it be by occasion of the Coun-
trie or not, for almuſe as commonly the Harts hede be an the
mountaynes and ſtonie places, have their toes and edges or ſlides
of their feete muche woune: the reason is, because in clyming of
the Mountaynes, they stay oneely upon their toes and edges or
lides of theyr feete, and not upon the heele, the whiche toes the
Rockes and ſlones do weare continually: and so preadventure
the Slotte might make it seeme an older Harte than it is. Now
in landie countries it is contrarie, for there the Harts do stay
more upon their heele than upon the toes, the reason is, that lea-
ning or staying their feete upon the lande, it flieth and flip-
peth away from under the toes because of the weight: for the
clawe which is harde, maketh it slide, and then the Harte is
dostraynd to staye himselfe upon his heele, which maketh it
sometimes to grow the hode and greater. All these tokens are
the true significations and markes whereby the Huntsman may
know and percyue the age of the Harte. I woulde also
have declared willingly to luche as are but learners,
what the heele, the foe, the bone, and other things
do micane. But I see now adayes so many
which understand all those things,
that I holde my peace for
bienuitie.

(••)

Of

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Of the iudgement and knowledge by the few
mishing of a deare, and of the tenne in the
top, and of old harts. Cap. 23.

In the months of May and Apriſt, men may begin to iudge
an olde harte by the ſunſiſting, the which they make in hode
croctys: and if they be great, large, and thicke, it is a ligne that
they are harts of tenne.

E.

38

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In the month of June, ¤ July they will commonly make their kumillying in great croteps very softe, ¤ yet neverthelesse there are some will make them byde until it be midde June.

And from midde July until the ende of August they make their kewmillying altogether sojnie, great, long, knottie, well knodde, anopnied, and gilded, letting fall but fewe of them, the which they should let fall scattered without cleauping one to another, and without little prickes at the one ende, and you muste marke whether they be very katte and whether the Harte have bene in the come or not.

And these be the markes or tokens by the kewmillying of an Harte of tenne, ¤ of old Hartes, although men may be deceyued oftentimes: for if the Hartes have had any disturbaunce, or have bene hurte, then they make their kewmet oftentimes orie, bur ned and charge at that one ende, especially at such time as they frap their heads: but after they have fraped and burnisht, their kewmet will tightly returne to the naturall course: in such case the Huntefman ought well to marke because the markes to judge by are doubtfull. In September and October there is no longer iudgement to be had because of the Rut, and you muste underland that there is difference betweene the kewmet of the morning ¤ that of the euening, because the fewmilthings which an Harte maketh when he goeth to relief at night, are better disgelled and mopyffer, than those which he maketh in the morning, because the Harte hath taken his rest all the day, and hath had time and ease to make perfect disgestion and kewmet, whereas contrarily it is keene in the kewmillying whiche is made in the morning, because of the exercise without rest whiche he made in the night to go feeke his keede.

Of the iudgement of the breache or bezring downe of the Spring or Boughes. Chap. 24.

The Huntefman may take knowledge and iudge of the head of the Harte by the breach or bearyng downe of the boughes and

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and branches, all the yeare long, excepting foure monehys, which are Harte, Aprill, May, and June, in which time they meve their heads, and beare their belue and bloudy heads: and it eves in that keaton there is no great iudgement to be had: but when their heads beginne to harden, you may iudge by the bracing downe or breaking of the branches or boughes, until they have mewed agayne, for almyche as when they enter into the thickets, they lift up their heads and keare not to breake or beare downe the branches, ¤ thereby the Huntefman may take knowledge: but when the Hartes have softe heads or in bloud, you can take small iudgement because they couche their heads lowe and flat upon their backe: for keare least they should knocke them agaynst the boughes, and so burfe them. When the Huntefman shall fee that the Harte hath his heade harde and soomed, and that iudgement may be giuen by the entries where they go into the tickets, let him then looke well thereunto, and especially in great prings, whiche have not bene felled in eight or ten yeares before, and he shall fee therein by the pafhes whiche the Hartes do make, that the branches and boughes are bowed and broken or boorne downe on bothe sides, and by marking the birth of the fayd entry, he may iudge whether it were a boade open head or not: and if there be any place of thicke where the Harte hath rapped his head upright altogether, or that he slayed to harken (for lightly when they harken, they rapped their heads and let up their eares) then may the Huntefman find percase some harken branches, or some brused boughes, whereby he may iudge the length and height of the beame, ¤ the height of the Hartes head.

Of the iudgement of the gate and goyng of an Harte. Chap. 25.

By the gate ¤ goyng of an Harte the Huntefman may know if he be great and long ¤ whether he will stande long by befores his hounds or not: for all Hartes which have a long step or pace, will longer stand up than they which have a chorte kreppe, ¤ also they are swifter, lighter, ¤ better breathed: also a hart which

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Leaeth a great Slotte of his foefkowe, dothe neuer slande long
up when he is chafed. By these tokens the Huntman may
knowe the force of the Harte, and take the aduantage for his
hounds: and agayne a Harte whiche hath a long kowe hath a
greater bodie than they whiche are round kowe.

Of the iudgement of the Abatures and bea-
ting downe of the lowe twigges and
the foyles. Chap.26.

If you will know whether an Harte be high or not, and like-
wife the greatenlle and thicknelle of his bodie, you muft looke
where he eureth into a thicket amongest the fearnes and small
twigges the whiche he hath ouerfridden, and marke thereby the
heigth of his belly from the ground, whiche you shall percepye
by the heigth of the brakes or twigges whiche he hath boorne
downe. His greatenlle is knowne by the lides of the
brakes or twigges where his bodie hath paſ-
led for it is harde if you finde not some
die brokenlickes or luche like
whereby you may meaſure
his greatenlle.

(...)

The

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The iudgement to be taken by the places
where he frayeth. Cap.27.

Commonly the old Harts do fray their heads upon the yong
trees which me leane growing in hryings: and the elder that
an Hart is, the sower he goeth to fray, and the greater tree he lee-
ketb to fray upon, and luche as he may not bende with his head:
and when the Huntman hath konnde his frayingſlocke, he muſt
marke the heygbt where the ende of his croches or paulme hath
reached, and where the braunches shall be broken or hruſed: and
E.iiij.
therby

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thereby he shall know and judge the height of the hartes heade,
and if he do perrepue that at the highest of his fraying there be
fourre markes hjaufd at ones and of one height, it is likely that
the lame harte beareth a crowned toppe, or crobed at the leaft.
In like maner if you see that three antliers haue touched three
hjaunches of one heigth, and two other that haue left their
markes somewhat lower, it is a token that he beareth a paul-
med head. Although these tokens be very obscure and a man must
haue a good epe that will take judgement by the little small
twigges and leaves, neuerthelesse you shall see sometimes that
the olde hartes do fray upon small trees, as blacke Sallowe
and such like, as wel as the yong hartes, but yong hartes
do neuer frape upon great trees, unless they be
hartes of tenne. I will stand no longer here-
upon because there be other more certaine
tokens and judgements hereun-
der mencioned.

(••)

How

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How the Huntefman ought to seeke the Hartes
in his feeding places according to the
monethes and seaſons. Chap. 23.

71

Here will I give precepts to all Hunteſmen leading their
bloudhounds with them in the Forreſts, how they shall go-
erne themſelves according to the moneths & seaſons, for Hartes
do change their manner of feeding every moneth, and as the
Summe riketh in altitude, & that thereby good pasturage and feede
increaseth, so make they change of their feede. I will begin
at the end of their Rutte which is in the end of October, follow-
ing orderly from moneth to moneth until I returne about ½ mo-
ueth of September.
E. iiiij.
Ana

E. iiiij.

Ana

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And therfore in the moneth of November you shall keke the hart in heaths and bzoomie places, wherof they then delight to crop the flowers and d toppes lycante hole are hote and of great substance, the which dothe reffore they nature and recomfoit their members, which are fize ouerwearpyed with Rutte, and sometimes also they remapne and lye in liche heathe and brome, ehecially when the lunne is hote.

In decenibers they heard together and withdrowne themelues to the strengthe of the forrefts to haue harboure from the colde windes, snowes, and frostles, and do feede on the Holme fres, Elder trees, blambles, and dyvers, and fuch other things as they can then fynde greene : and if it snow, they feede on the tops of

the

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the moſſe, and pill the trees euens as a Goate will doe.

In Januarie they keane hearding with rafcal, & accoppany the ſelues thée or koure hartes togither, withdrawing the ſelues in to the corners of the forrefts, and go to the good winter palfure & kogge, or to the coin then prong, as wheat, rie, & fuch other like.

In February and Marche they go to the plumpes and tuftes of Coleworks, or of Hasill nuts or grene come, and in medows to pigwot, wodbynd, birche, and fuch like, wherof they croppe the toppes. And in thole two moneths they mewe and caſt their heads, beginning to marke what coaſt may be moſt commodious to them to take holde, and to harbour in, undill their heads be growen againe, and then they parte eche from other.

In Aprill and May they reſt in their thickets and holds, in the whiche they remayn all that keason, and stirre not much until the beginning of rutte, unlesse they be stirred againſt their wills, taking their harbour neare unto some pretty prings and couerts, wherein there is muche yong kryſes, and therin they will feede, as lykewife also in peale, beane, tares, thetches, lypelles, and fuche other Sommer come as they can fynde neare hanbe : toſt they will not krape karre if they fynde anye feede nere to theſt laye. Some hartes there be which will venture karre to fuch kere, and will goe out therefoſe but once in two daies. And note you well, that some hartes be so craftie, that they haue two layes wherein they harboure : and when they haue bene three daies on that one hyde of the forreſt, they will take an other harbo rough as long on that other hyde of the forreſt. And theſe be olde hartes which haue bene ſoſe stirred and put from their feed, whiche chaunge their laire, as the wynd chaungeth to haue perſeekt vent as they come out of their thickets what kaulte may perhappes be in their feede.

And you shall also note, that in theſe Moneths of Aprill and Maye, they goe not to the ſoyle, by keason of the mospſure of the pring, and of the draw which giueth liquors ſufficient.

In June, July, and Auguſt they go to the prings and copples, asde ſoſe, and unto com, as wheat, ofes, rie, barley, and fuche like as they may find (but seldom to rye or barly) and theſe are they in their pride of greace. And let me lay what they wil, they go to

C.b.

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the water, and I haue seene them drinke, but that is more commonly at this time than at any other time of the yeare, because of their dispoision, and also by reason of the great beheiment heates which take the dewe from the hryings, when they nowe beginne also to growe harde. In September and Dicover they leave their thickets and goe to Rut, and at that time they haue neپther certaine feede, nor layre, as I haue befoze declared in the chapter of Rut.

Howe the huntefman should go drawing with
his hound in the Springs. Chap. 29.

Immedi-

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Immediately after Supper the Huntseman should go to his ma-
kers chamber, and if he serve a king, then let him go to the mai-
ster of the games chamber, to knowe his pleasure in what quar-
ter he determineth to hunt the day following, that he may know
his owne quartet: that done, he may go to bedde, to the ende he
may rife the earlper in the mornning, according to the tyme and
keafon, and according to the place where he must hunte: then when
he is by and readie, let him drinke a good dianghtte, and let his
hound to make him breake his salt a little: And let him not foz-
get to fill his hoppel with good wine, that done, let him take a lit-
tle vineyger in the palme of his hand, and put it in the nostrilts
of his hounde, for to make him snuffe, to the ende his tent may be
the perfeet, then let him go to the wood. And if he chaunce by
the way to finde any hare, partridge, or any other beak or bird that
is scarefull, living upon feedes or pasturage, it is an ill hyghe
or prefage that he shall haue but ill time that day. But if he
finde any beak of ramine, living upon playe, as Molte, Fore,
Kanen, and such like, that is a token of good lucke. He muste
take good herde that he come not too early into the Springs and
hewes where he thinketh that the Harte doth feede and is at re-
lief. For harts do go to their laye commonly in the Springs,
pea, and though they were drawne into some strong holde or
thicket, yet if they be olde craftie Deare, they will returne some-
times to the bourdure of the Coppes, to hearken or lye if there be
any thing to annoy them. And if they chaunce once to vent the
huntefman or his hounde, they will straight way di llodge from
thence and goe some other where, especially in the heate of the
yeare. But when the huntefman perceyueneth that it is time to be-
ginne to beare, let him put his hounde before him, and beate the
out doors of the Springs or thickets: and if he finde of an Harte
or Deare that like him, let him marke well whether it be frellie
or not, and he may knowe as well by the maner of his houndes
drawyng, as also by the eye. For if he marke the pathes and
trackes where the Harte hath gone, he shall see oftentimes
the deade beaten of, or the koyle frellie, or else the grounde
somet-

The booke of Hunting.

somewhat broken or painted a kreshe, and kuche other tokens, as he may judge that the Harte hath gone that way lately, and lette hym neuer marke the Sapings of a many of dreamers, whyche fay, that when a man spindeth copwebbes within the pinte of the Slotte, it is a ligne that the Harte is gone long before. Suche people shall soone be deceyued: for many tymes the cobwebbes fall from the Kaye, and are not kuche as Spyders mak't, but a kind of kell, which as I haue seene of experience of an Hart passing by me within one hundreth paces, and I haue gone to see the clotte streight wayes, and before I coulde come at it, the webbes or kelles were fallen upon it. So is there also another kynde of men whiche marke when the clotte is full of cleere water in soff groundes, where an Harte hath palled, and Kaye that he is gone long before: but they neuer mark whether the ground be subiect unto moyskure or not, and yet they may well knowe, that being subiect unto moyskure, then the little sources whiche palle by chansels insene in the earth will soone eill the Slotte with cleare water: whiche may cause a Huntesman to be deceyued, and therfore let him looke well to it: and also let hym not altogether trust unto his hounde. For some hounds will also beguile their maister, and especially those hounds that are quicke of fente: whiche are not best for the mornings, bicaufe of the ryndes and dewes, and then they draw but slowly, making small accompt on they quelt, as though the game were gone farre before them: but when the Sunne is well up, and that the draw is cleared, and the fent of the earth is perfeet, then haue they good fent, and doe their dutie well. Then to returne to our purples, if the Huntesman fylde of an Harte which liketh him, that hath palled that way lately, and if his hound flicke well upon it, then let him holde his hound short, for keare leaft he lapp't: and again, in a morning, a hounde shall drawe better beeing helde shorte, than if he were lette at length of the Lyam: And yet some Hunters will give them all the Lyam, but they do not wel. When he hath well considered what maner of Hart it may be, and hath marked every thing to judge by, then let him drawe well he come to the couert where he is gone to: and lette him harboure him if he

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If he can, still marking all his tokens as well by the Slot, as by the entries, foyelles, and such like. That done let him palle or buse downe small twigges, some alofte, and some bylowe as the arte requireth, and therewithall whileft his hounde is hote, let him beate the outsides, and make his ryngwalkes twyce or thrice about the wode, one whyle by the great and open wayes, that he may helpe him selfe by his eye: another whyle through the thicke and couert, for keare leaft his hounde should ouerlowe it, for he shall haue better fent alwayes in the couert, than abroad in the high wayes. And if he finde that the Hart be not gone out of the ryngwalke, or do doubt that he haue drawne ample, then let him goe to his markes which he plached or thred, and drawe counter till he maye take byp the fewmet, as well made in the euenings reliefe as in the morning: and let him marke the place where he hath fed, and whereon also to marke his subfleties and craftes, for thereby the huntesmen shall knowe what he will doe when he is before the hounds. For if in the morning he haue made any doublings forwardes the water, or else in his waye, then when he beginneth to be spent before the hounds, all the faults, doublings, or subfleties that he will be, shall be in the same places, and like unto those which he hath bled in the morning, and thereby the huntesman may take aduantage both for his hounds, and for the huntesmen on hozefacke.

And if it chaunce that the huntesmen finde two or three places where the Deare hath entred, and as many where he hath comen out, then must he marke well which entrie seemeth to be frechest, and whether the places where he came forth agayne, were not beaten the same night. For an Harte both oftentrines goe in and out of his harsbrough in the night, especially if it be a craftie olde Deare, he will be great subfleties, beating one place diuers times to and fro. Then if the huntesman can not finde all his goings out, or commings in, nor can well tell which of them he were best to trust unto, he must then take his compasse and ryngwalke the greater about the couert, so as he may therein entice all his subfleties, entries, and commings out. And when he teeth that all is compassed within his ryngwalke, excepting only

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only one comming in, whereby he might be come from the
lryings or feedes, then must he let his hounds draw hardly, and
if it be possible, let him drawe even to the hartes laye or bar-
bour, for he maye well thinke that those pathes or trackes will
bring him to it. And in this manner huntsmen should harbour
their Deare, but not as many huntsmen do now adayes. For if
they can not quickly come to the harbour of an hart, they then
will foyle the gappes, so to make him harbour, which is often-
times a caule that they finde nothing in their circuities or walks.
And some againe do trust altogether in their hound. And when
they finde the Slotte of an hart, they will onely plasshe or brust
some bough at entrie of the thicket, and then go under the wind,
and if their hounds do winde any thing, then they neuer cast a-
bout, but trust so into their hounds winding of it. Such men
trust moze in their hounde, than to their owne eyes. And me
thinkes a good huntsman should neuer greatly ekeeme a
hounde which hangeth altogether wyon windnig
aloft: for he neuer putreth his nose to the
grounde, and therfore doth of-
tentimes begile his
maister.

How

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How the huntsman should seeke in the springs, or
feede, to finde an hart by the eye. Chap.30.

The Huntsman ought to loke ouer night in what coasle the
Deare go to feede: and if it be in a lying, then let him mark
which way he may best come in the morning vpō a cleare wind.
And also let him chose some standing in some tree on the border
of the lying, from the which he may behold easily all things that
feed therin. In the morning let him rife two hours before day,
and go to the couert, and when he is come neare to the Deares
harboughes, he should leave his hound in some house, or if he
hauſe

80

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haue a bope with him, he may leaue his hounde with the bope,
and place him somewher that he may quickly finde him againe
if he haue neede of him : then let him go to his tree whiche he
marked ouer night, and let him get vp into it, lowkyng into the
hing, and if he epe an Harte whiche like him, then lette him
marke what head he beareth, and let him not kurre from thence
untill he see him go to herbough. Afterwards when he keeth
that he is in the thicke, he must marke the place where aboutes he
entred, by some little pretie tree or luche like thing, that bering
done he shall come downe and go kretche his hounde: but here he
wall marke one secrete : that he go not aboute to herboz an
Harte an houre at least after he see him go to laye, by caulk som-
times an Harte goeth to laye, at the boz dure of the thicket, or
els will come backe thither to harken or see if any thing there be
whiche might anop them, as I haue fayde before : and therefore
the Huntsman should not go so sone. And kurdermozc if in ca-
sting aboute the couerl, he heare epyther Pies, Jayes, or such birds
wondering, then let him withdray him and stand close, for that
is a token that the Harte is yet on fowe, and then let him stay
halfe an houre longer before he make his ring walke. And when
he hath wel and surel herbozed him, he may go backe to
the assembly and make reporte thereof, and deskyfer
the Hartes head which he hath seene, with all o-
ther good markes and tokens. And if he haue
taken vp any of the fewmet, he shoulde
put them in his home and bryng
them also to the ac-
embly.

(··)

How

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81

How the Huntsman should go to seeke an Harte
in small groues or hews, beyng priuily en-
closed within the greater Springs in the
Forests and strong couerts. Cha. 31.

O fentimes the craftie Deare whiche haue bene in times palt
rume and chafed with houndes, do keepe long time close &
come not out of the strong holdes & thickettes, and fede in small
priuie groues and hews, whiche haue bene lately felled within
the greater couerts; and thus they do most commonly in May &

F.

June,

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92

June rathcr than in any other season of the year: for as much as
in thole monethes they go not much to the water, but content
thefelues with the mopyture of the dewe and the earth, the which
suffizeth them: but in July and August when the wood harde-
neth, and the heate is beheement, then they mufte needes discover
themselues and come out of their holdes to go into the water,
Nenerthelelle, in what season focuer it be, they cannot hide them-
selfes aboue kour dayes, but that they muſte come out of the
thickes, and that for fundie caules: whereof one is, that they will
go to the water where other Deare do lie, by whom they hope to finde
ſafegarde: for if they should be hunteſt they woule kee among
them for change, that so the houndes might be decyued: or els
sometimes they come kowth to go to their feede. Nenerthelelle
when they do so, they retire into their holdes two or three houres
before day. To prevent ſuch craftie and subtilde Deare, the Huntſ-
man muſt use this manner: First when he is in a fayze thicke or
couert at the ende of a Foxeſt, and chanceth to finde the Slotte of
an Harte, beeing old trodden, as a day or two before, and that the
grounde is much broken with ſuch old trackes, then he muſt caſt
and beate all the outſides: and if perchance he neither finde him
to have gone out no ſin, either lately, or of old, then may he well
thinke that he goeth not out, and that he hideth and concealeth
himſelf within the thickes: then let him get him under a wind,
and let him go into the thickes, holding his hounde thorſe, cree-
ping as secretly as he can: and if he perceyue that his hounde
have any thing in winde, and that by his countenance a geſture
it ſhould be like that he is not farre from the Harte, then let him
 withdrawe and retye himſelf for feare leaſt he rowze him, and
let him go in at some other ſide of the woodde where it is not lo
thicke: then if he chance to finde any little kewtes or hringes
prinely coupled within the thicke, where the Harte may feede by
night, he may katch it fayze and well, and take by the fewmiſh-
yings which he findeth. But here muſt you note one thing, that
is, that he may not go into ſuche places, untill it be nine of the
clocke in the morning, bicaufe such Hartes do sometimes take
herbzough or layze within thole little Copilles, to enjoy the co-
loſſ

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83

korte of the Sunne, and about nine of the clocke they withdraw
thefelues to the chadove for two principal reafons, whereof
that one is for feare of the Flies and Hockeflies, whiche woude
torment him, if he were abode: the other, for to auoyd the behe-
ment beate of the Sunne whiche would be at none bayes. And
the Hunteiman muſt take good heede that he enter not ouer ſaſt
into the thicke, for that such Hartes do sometimes take layze be-
ty neare thole private copples, bicaufe they are neuer feared nor
kyred. But it ſuffizeth for the ſe that they be only in court. And alſo
in ſuch hryings, they come out to feede immediately after fire of
the clocke in the euening: and therefore let the Hunteiman be
content to haue seene the Slotte free the and to haue taken up the
fewmiſhing: and afterwards let him retye himſelf as secretly
as he can, and neuer tarie to fee or marke the entries, but carrie
his hounde in his armes with him. And when he is farre enough
from hence, lette him counterſayte the Shepherd, or whittle in
some pipe, leaſt the Harte hane gotten him in the winde and lo
rowze, for if he sing or whittle, he wall embolden him againe.
Afterwards he may rest half an houre or more in some place by,
to the ende that the Harte may be the better affuſed, and then let
him caſle about and make his ring. And if perchance he cannot
finde any fewmiſhing, and that the place be so thicke of graſſe
that he cannot well fee the Slotte, then let him kneele downe,
hauing his hounde behinde him, lookyng upon the koyles and
trackes in the leanes and graſſe, and if they be well kreyneo

lette him clappe his hande upon the Slotte, and if he
finde that it be foure fingers broade, then may he
udge him an Harte of ſenne by the koyles :

but if it be but three fingers broade, he

Hail! Indge it a yong

Harte.

(.*)

F.ij.

How

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It happeneth very often that men kayle of killyng the Harte at force divers kindes of wayes: sometimes by occasion of y great heart, or that they be ouertaken with night, and many other kindes of wayes which should be tedious to rehearse : when such chance happeneth, you shall thus do. First they which follow the hounds shall caste a marke at the last pathe or way where they shall fortune to leave the chale : that they may hit either returne to feeke him on the mornow by the drieke of the day with the bloud-bounde and the hounds of the kenell behind them: for when there is occasion to feeke an Harte agayne, you must not tarie for re-poke no2 assemblie : because it is uncertaine if the chace will long continue, no2 into what coall he should be gone: and there-withall that Hartes which haue bene hunted, do most commonly runne end wayes as farre as they haue force: and then if they caste any water or doyle, they do stay long time therein: and do so stiffen they2 toyntes there with that at they2 comping out, they cannot go farre no2 stande up long, and then also they are con-strapped to take harbour in any place that they may caste, so as they may be in court, and keede as they lie, of such things as they may caste about them. When the Huntefmen shall be come unto the place where they kefte markes ouer night, they should parte in funder: and he whiche hath the best hounde and molfe tender noted, should undertake to drieke with him end wayes in the trackes and wayes where he seeth molfe lykelyhowe, holding his hounde chorte, and yet neuer fearyng to make him lappise or call on: the other Huntefmen ought to take them to the outfides of the couertes alongst by the molfe commodious places for them to marke, and for they2 hounds to vent in: and if any of them chance to caste where he hath lept or gone, he shall put his hounde to it whoupyng twyce, or blowyng two motts with his home, to call in his fellowes and to cause the rest of the kenell to ap-proche. The rest haupng heard him, shall llreight wayes go to him, and keke altogether whether it be the Hart which they feeke: and if it be, then shall they put thereunto the hounde whiche belse desireth to drieke or to sticke there, and the rest shall parte every man a sundrie waye to the outfides and skirres of the couert: and

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and if they caste where he hath gone into some likely couerf or grove, then shall they drieke they2 hounds neare unto them, and keate crolle through it: And if there they renew their Slotte or view, let them first well consider it whether it be the right or not: but if they whiche drieke they do percyue that it is right, let him blow two motes to call his companions, and to aduertise the houfemen that they take heede, because his hounde dothe make it out better and better: and if he chaunce to rowze him, or that he finde fine or faire layes together one after another, let him not thinke it strange: for Hartes whiche haue bene runne and spent, do often-times make many layes together: because they cannot well stand on fowe to keede, but keede lying: and many yong Hunters whiche understand not the cause are oftentimes beguiled: for when they caste so many layes, they thinke it should be some hearde of deare, that haue lyen there: and therefore they ought to keke well aboute them. (..)

F.iiij.

How

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How a Hunterman may seeke in the
highe vvoodes. Chap.34.

When a Hunterman shall seeke for a Harte in an highe wode, let him first haue respect to two things, that is, the season and the thickes of other couerres of the Fozrelle. For if it be in the heate of the year, these horseflies, gnattes, and suche lyke, will drive the Deare out of the high wode : and then they disperse themselves into little tickets or groves which are neare unto good keede. There are Fozrelles of fundrie fortes : some be strong

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82

Strong of holts of Holme trees. Some other haue thickc tuftes of white thorne. And some are enupioned with Springs and copples. Wherefore the hunterman must be governed according to the couerres which he findeth. For somewhat Harte does eye in the tuftes of white Thorne, under some little tree in manner wide open. Sometimes under the great trees in the high wodes. And sometimes in the borders ofkytes of the Fozrelle, in some little groves of Copples. And therefore in such great couerres of highe wodes, a hunterman must make his ring walke great or little, according to the holdes. For if a man drive an Harte into the high wod, it will be hard to harbo him or to come neare him. And therefore if the hunterman do well, he shall neuer make re-port of a Stagge or Hart harboed in such places. But I will heake no more of high wodes, for me thinks men take such order for high wodes nowe adayes, that before ma-ny peres palle, a hunterman shall not be com-bered with seeking or harboring an Hart in highe wodes.

F.v.

Of

The booke of Hunting.

Of the place where and howe an assembly should be made,
in the prefence of a Prince, or some honorable person.

The booke of Hunting.

WVho lift (by me)to learne, As assembly for to make,
for Krytar, Kyng, o: comely Queene, for Lord o: Ladies fake:
D: where, and in what lift it should prepared be,

Harke well my wordes, and thanke me then, for thankes I craue in fee.

The place should first be pight, on pleasant gladome Greene,

Yet under hade of flately trees, where little funne is ferne:

And neare some fountaine fpring, whose chypstall running freames,

May helpe to colde the parching heate, ycaught by Phæbus beames.

The place appointed thys, it neyther shall be clad,

With Arras no: with Tappyltry, such paltrie were two bad :

He yet those hote perfumies, whereof proude Courtes do smell,

May once presume in such a place, or Paradise to dwell.

A way with kayned fresh, as broken boughes or leaves,

A way, away, with forced flowers, ygatfied from their greaves :

This place must of it selfe, affoord such sweete delight,

And eke such chewe, as better may content the greedic light:

Where sundry lofts of hewes, which growe upon the ground,

May seeme (indeede) such Tappyltry, as we (by arte) have found.

Where fresh and fragrant flowers, may koyne the courtiers colt,

Which daubes himselfe with Spuet, Mulke, and many an oypintment loff.

Where sweetest singing bydes, may make such melodye,

As Pan, no: yet Apollos arte, can founde such harmonye.

Where breath of wefferne windes, may calmly yeld content,

Where calements neede not opened be, where ayre is neuer pent,

Where Ihave may serve for Thyme, and yet the Sunne at hande,

Where beautie neede not quake for colde, ne yet with Sunne be tande.

In fine and to conclude, where pleasure dwels at large,

Which Princes keeke in Pallaces, with payne and costly charge.

Then such a place once founde, the Butler kyll appears,

He shall be fozmost docour there, and stande before his paires:

And with him shall he bring, (if company be great)

Some wagons, cartes, some Hules or iades pladen till they sweate,

With many a medicine made for common queynt diseases,

As thirtie thnoates, and typpling tongs, whome Bacchus pye appeales.

These little pinching pots, which Pothecaries vfe,

Are all too fine, eye ke on such, they make men but to muse.

My

The booke of Hunting.

My Doock brings his dzugs, to counterpase all quarrels,
In Kilderkins and Fykins full, in Bottles and in Barrels.
And yet therein he brings, I would you wift if well,
No rotten diainnes, but noble wine, which makes mens hearts to swell,
And downe he doth dismount, his things for to addresse,
His flagons in the fountaine faire, are plac'd more and lelle.
Diz if such fountaines kayle, my Doock hath the skyll,
With lande and Campber for to cole, his potions at his will.
That done: he spread his cloth, upon the graffe banke,
And lets to thewe his deintie dzinkes, to winne his Princes thanke.
Then comes the captaine Coke, with many a warlike wight,
Which arnoz bring and weapons both, with hunger for to fight.
Pea some also let forth, upon a manly mynde,
To make some meanes, a quarrell with, my Doock, for to fynde.
For whiles colde lopnes of Teale, colde Capon, Beeke and Cwke,
With Pygeon pyes, and Mutton colde, are let on hunger louse,
And make the fozlorne hope, in doubt to kape full hard,
Then come to give a charge in flanke (elle all the marte were marde.)
First Feates tongs poudred well, and Gambones of the Hogge,
Then Saulflages and lanery knackes, to let mens myndes on gogge.
And whiles they skynith thus, with fierce and furious fight,
My Doock! clearkly turnes the Tappe, and goeth beyond them quite.
For when they be lo trapft, enclosed round about,
No bore pleyayles, but dinke like men, for that must helpe them out.
Then King or comely Queene, then Lorde and Lady woke,
To fee which fide will beare the bell, the Butler or the Coke.
At last the Coke takes flight, but Butlers still abyde,
And found their Dzummes and make retreate, with bottles by their hyde.
Here with to skint all kryke, the huntmen come in half,
They lycence craue of King or Queene, to fee their battell plaft.
Which grannted and obraynde, they let on such as lyue,
And fiercely fight, till both be forl, all armour vp to giue.
And home they go disployde, like simple lakelesse men,
No remedy but trudge apace, they have no weapons then.
The field thus fought and done, the huntmen come agayne,
Of whome some one upon his knee, shall tell the Prince full playne,

This

The booke of Hunting.

This little lesson here, which followeth next in place,
Forgive me (Queene) which am to bold, to speak unto you grace.

MP
Liege forgiue the boldnesse of your man,
Which comes to speake before your grace him call:
My skyll is small, yet must I as I can,
Presume to preach, before the Barons all,
And tell a tale, which may such mynds appall
As pase their dayes in flouthfull idlenesse,
The fyrst foule nourse to worldly wickednesse.

Since golden time, (my liege) doth neuer stay,
But fleeth still about with restleſſe wyngs,
Why doth your grace, let time then kkeale away,
Which is moze worth, than all your worldly things?
Believe me (liege) believe me Queenees and Kyngs,
One only houre (once loſt) yelde's moze anoy,
Than twentie dayes can cure with myth and ioy.

And since your grace determin'd by decree,
To hunt this day, and recreate your mynde,
Why lyt you thus and lose the game and glee,
Which you might heare ? why ringerh not the winde,
With hornes and hounds, according to their kynde ?
Why lyt you thus (my liege) and neuer call,
Our houndses no vs, to make you lopt withall ?

Perchance the fight, which sodenly you saw,
Crewhyles betweene, theft ouerhagging bluddes,
Amade your mynde, and for a whyle did draw
Pour noble eyes, toettle on such luddes.
But peercleſſe Prince, the moſt ſure of such muddes,
Is much too grolle and homely for your grace,
Behold them not, their pleasures be but bale.

Behold vs here, your true and trueſt men,

You

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Pour huntes, your hyndes, your swaynes at all allayes,
Which quethow them, (being thre to tenne)
And now are preest, with bloudhounds and relayes,
With houndes of crye, and houndes well worthy prayle,
To rowe, to runne, to hunt and hale to death,
As great a hart as ever yet bare breath.

This may be scene, (a Princes poort in deede)
And this your grace, shall see when pleaseeth you:
So that voutfale, (D noble Queene) with weede,
To mount on hoyle, that others may enfue,
Untill this hart be rowede and brought to view.
Then if you finde, that I haue spoke amylle,
Coxeit me Queene: (till then) forgiue me this.

Afterwards when all the huntmen be come together, they
shall make their sundry reports, and present their fewmylings
unto the Prince or matter of the game in field, one after another,
every man rehearsing what he hath scene. And when the Prince
or other chiefe hath hard them and scene their fewmylings, he or
she may then choose which of the Hartes he will hunt, and which
he or she thinkes most likely to make him or bit best poort. And
telling his or bit minde to him that harbozed the Hart, the same
huntman shall go backe to his blemishes immediately. But for
the better declaration and lively expelling of all these things, I
haue here set in poztrapture as well an affenibly, as also the pee-
senting of a report made by a huntman to a Prince upon light
of Slot, view, entrie, poztes, abatures, fewmylings, and such o-
ther tokens. For the better encouraging of suche huntesmen as
painefully do rive easely and late, to make their Loode and Ma-
ster pastime, I haue set it downe in suche terms as I can, deli-
ring all Matters of Tlenoric and olde huntesmen, to beare with
my boldnesse in bittering of my simple knowledge.

The

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The report of a Huntesman vpon the fight of
an Hart, in pride of greace. Chap.36.

The booke of Hunting.

96

By Eke the Queene, I come report to make
Then hufft and peace, for noble Trystrams sake.
From out my home, my fewmets yfist I drawe,
And them present, on leanes, by hunters lawe:
And thus I lay: my liege, behold and see
An hart of tenne, I hope he harbozd bee.
For if you marke, his fewmets euery poypnt,
Pou shall them finde, long, round, and well anoynt,
Knottie and great, withouten pickes or eares,
The moystnesse thewes, what venpone he beares.

Then if my Prince, demaund what head he beare,
I answere thus, with sober words and cheare:
My liege I went, this morning on my quell,
My hound did sticke, and seeme to vent some beak.
I held him thort, and drawing after him,
I might behold, the hart was feeding trym.
His head was high, and large in each degree,
Well palmed eke, and seemd full found to be.
Of colour broune, he beareth eight and tenne,
Of stately heigth, and long he seemd then.

His beame seemd great, in good proportion led,
Well burde and round, well pearled, neare his head.
He seemd kayle, tweene blacke and berrie brounde
He seemes well fed, by all the signes I found.
For when I had, well marked him with eye,
I kept aside, to watch where he would lye.
And when I so had wayted full an houre,
That he might be, at laye and in his boure,
I cast about, to harbour him full sure.
My hound (by lent) did me thereof affure.
Entring the thicke, these fewmets did I py,
Which I tooke vp, and layd my markes thereby.
In prinie pathes I walkt, and (creeping throw)
I found the Slot, of other Harts ynow.

Both

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97

Both yong and olde, I founde of euery lyfe,
But as for him, I hope that still he lyes:
So that your grace (by likely hode) may him finde,
the harbozd is, according to my mynde.

Then if the alke, what Slot or view I found,
I lay, the Slot, or view, was long on ground,
The toes were great, the ioyntbones round and thort,
The thinne bones large, the dewrlaws close in poort:
Shor ioynted was he, hollow keeked eke,
An hart to hunt, as any man can keeke.

Of the vwords and termes of hunting, vwhich
the huntsman ought to vnderstand when he
shall make his reportes, and when he
shal speake before good masters
of Venerie, Chap. 37.

Hae thought good heere * declare the termes
and words of Venerie, and how a yong hunt-
man shoulde speake before the maillers of the
game. First it is convenient that an huntelman
be wel staped and temperate in his speech: for al
hunters whiche hae regarde to the pleasure of

their Venerie, ought to be sober and modest in falke. But at these dayes they take more delight in emptying of the bottles, than they haue regarde to their fongs. But if a yong huntman chaunce to light in company with elder maillers, and that they alke him howe he calleth the ourdure of an Harte, Rayndare, Cote, or fallow Deare, he shall answere that they are to be called the fewmet or fewmynthings, and that all beasses which line of hounde, that haue the same terme in that respect. But in beasts of rauyne or pray, as the Boze, the Beare, and such like, they shall be called the Leffes. And of Hares and Coneys, they are called Croteys. Of other bernyne or stunking chales, as Foxes, Badgers,

G.gers,

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gers and such like, they are called the keance, of the Ofer they are called the Sprayntes. Afterwardes if one alke him howe he will terme the feeding of an hart or such like, in terms ofCLEBERC, he shall say that it is called the keede of a Deare. As to lay: Lo here you may see where a Deare hath taken his feede. Of Bozes and such like, you shall lay the feeding, as to lay, lo, here he hath fed. etc. So is there great difference betweene the keete of praying beafts, and the keet of a Deare. For in beafts of pray and rauine, as Beare, and Boze. etc. they are called traces. But the koring of tracke of a Deare, as Harte, Bucke, Rayndeare, and Goate, they are called the viewe, and the Slot. Also there is difference betweene the Fryth and the Fell. The Felles are underflowe the Mountaines, Valleys, and pastures with corne, and such like. The Frythes betoken the Springs and Coppyles. And if a Deare do keede abpade out of the words, you shall say that he keed in the Felles, otherwife in the Frythes. A yong hunter hath also to consider the difference betweene these words Mayes and Trenches. For by the first is ment the high and beaten ways on the outflide of a wood or foyeff, and such also as lye through such words being commonly beaten and trauelled. And by this word Trench, is underflowe every small way, not so commonly vded. And therfore if the huntlinen do lay, the Hart is gone downe the way, it is to be underflowe that he ment the high beaten waye: But when he hath taken some other by path or wape into the wood or foyeff, then a huntlinau will lay he is gone downe that trench. etc. So is there also difference betweene a Trench and a path. For trenches as I lay, be wayes and walkes in a wode of foyeff. But pathes are any place where a Deare hath gone and left viewe or Slot either long before or frell and newe. As touching blemilhes, they are the markes which are left to knowe where a Deare hath gone in or out. And they are little bowes plaffed or broken, so that they hang downward. For any thing that is hung vp, is called a Sewel. And thole are vded most commonly to amaze a Deare, and to make him REFUSE to paffe where they are hanged vp. When a huntlinan goeth to rowse a deare, as to beharboz a Hart or so, he shall lay to his hound when he cansteth him off, There be y there, so him, to him, so him. But if it were

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115

to a Boze or such like, he shall beake in the plural number of lay, To them, to them. &c. Where a Hart hath fed in the Feis, he is commonly wet with dew, & will not go to his laye, but till he be died in the Sunne or otherwise, and then commonly he lyeth downe upon his belly in some opf place, & roweth him when he rypeth. That place hath with us no proper name, but only to lay: here a Hart hath died & rowzed himself. The places where an Hart or any other Deare lyeth by day, are called layges. But the lying places of Bozes and such like, are called dennes, and of a For the kennell. Afterwardes, when a huntlinan commeth to make his report, he shall lay altogether what he hath seene and found. And if he found nothing but view of slot, & be demaunded what manner of view or slot it was, he shall by rehearseall tell and describe what manner of Slot or view it was, as to lay, a short or a long fote, with such and such markes. The like report shall he make of his points & entries: but if his hap were to beane seeine the Harte or Deare, & had leylure to marke him, then if he be demaunded what manner of Deare it was, and what head he beareth, he may answerre first: He was of such, or such a coate, as fallow, bdowne, blacke, or dunne, and consequently of such and such a body, bearing a high or lowe head, according as he hath keene. And if the Deare be false marked, as bearing fire Antliers or crodrys on the one side, and keurn on the other, then shall the huntlinanape: he beareth fourtene false marked, for the more doth always in clude the lelle. And if he perceiu that the Deare baere a kape high head big beamed, the Antliers neare and close to his head, & well hied according to the heigth, then may he lay, that he beareth a kape head, well hied, & well marked in all points, & palmed, crowned, or crodred according as he fawe it. And likewise he may name how many it was in the top, as an Hart of ten, fourtene, firtene, or so forth. And if any demaund him if he inged by the heade whether the Hart were an old Hart or not, and howe he knoweth, he maye answer, that he inged by the burte which was great and well pearled, let close to the head of the Deare. And also by the Antliers which were great, long, and neare to the burte, and accordingly by the tokens heretofore rehearsed.

G.n.

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The claws which hang behinde of a Deare oz of a Goate,
and such like, are called de w claws. As to lay when you finde
the clot oz view deepe, so as the print of them may be seen, behold
here he hath left viewe of his dewclawes. Of a Boze they are
called the gardes. If a huntsman find view oz Slot whereby he
judgeth not h it is a great oz an old deare, he may lay it is likely
to be of an Hart of ten oz an Hart of h first head. But if he find
Slot that seem of a great Deare, he may lay, a Hart of ten, with
out any addition of words. And if he judge him to be a very old
deare, he may then say an Hart of ten, and so he was long since.
And the greatest playse that he can give a Deare, shall be to lay,
A great old Hart oz Deare.

And of a Boze, when he forfaleth the Sounder & feedeth alone, he shall be called a Sanglier going into the third yere. The next yere he shall be called a Sanglier of three yeres olde. The next yere after that, he is called a Sanglier chaleable : the greatest playse that can be given him, is to lay, A great Boze not to be refused. Of fallow beaks the company is called an heard, and of blacke beaks it is called a rout, oz a Sounder.

A Hart belloweth, a Bucke groneth, and a Robucke belleth
when they go to Rut. A Hart goeth to the keepe at none in the
hate of the day to keepe him from the flye. An Harte breaketh
where he leaueth Slot oz view. When he leaueth into the water
and commeth out againe the same way, then he proffereth. If he
passe through the water, he taketh toyle, and where he commeth
out, you shall say that he breaketh water. And after that you may
call him an Hart defowlant the water.

An Hart oz a Bucke is slayed, a Hare krypped, and a Fox oz
such like dermyne are raysed. An Hart and a Bucke likewife
reared, rowzed, and vnharbozed. An Hart started, and a Fox vn-
kennelled.

How to set Relayes. Chap. 38.

Relayes must be set according to the season and growth of
springs. For in winter when the hartes heade is hard, they

keepe

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keepe the krong couerts and thickets. And in spring time when
their heads are tender, they keepe inpong frythes and coppibles,
and in the weakelt couerts that they can finde, for they fear leall they
would knocke and hurt their heads against the boughes. And
therefore it is requisite to let men abroad which are brought vp
in hunting, and underkande well their aduaintages, and with
them a good pricker oz huntsman on hozefacke, mounted upon a
good curtall, which should be lightly clad, having good bores
and high, with an home about his necke. Phæbus layth, that they
ought to be clad in greene when they hunt the Hart oz Bucke,
and in ruffet when they hunt the Boze, but that is of no great
importance, for I remitte the colours to the fantasies of men.
These hozfemen should go ouer night to their mailters chamber,
or if they serve a Prince, to the mailters of the games oz his Lie-
uenantenantes, to knowe which of them shall followe the kennell,
and which shall be for the Relayes, and in which Relayes and
where they shall belowe them felues, and what hounds they
shall leade with them, what helps and varlets shall goe with
them. And thole of the relayes shall do well to have curie man
a little bulet to remember the names of their Relayes: and then
let them go to their lodging, and get them a guide which may
conduet them in the morning. Afterwards they must looke that
their hozfles be well fed and in good plight, giving them otes
sufficient: That done, they shall go to bed, that they may lie in
the morning two hours before day. If it be in Sommer, they
must water their hozfles, but not in Winter, and then they shall
bayte them well untill the varlets shall bring the hounds for
their relayes. Their guide being come, they shall breake their
falls altogether. And in keepe of Dyllolets, they shall have each
of them a bottle full of good wyne at the pomell of their saddles.
And when dape shall beginne to peepe, then must they gette
on hozefacke, having with them their guide, their relayes, and
all their equipage. If they would kende a curtail to another of
the relayes, then shall they lay to one of their varlets, that he goe
with one of their companions to such a Relay. When they are
come to the place appoynted for their Relaye, they shall place

G.in.

their

The booke of Hunting.

their hounds in some faire place at the kowe of some tree, foode
ding the varlet that he uncouple them not without their know-
ledge and commandement, and that he flir not from thence noz
make any noyke. Then that they go threue oz foure húdeth paces
from thence, on that side that the hunting is ordeined, and shall
hearke if they heare any thing, oz can discover the hart, for seing
him a farre ol, they shall better iudge whether he be spent oz not,
then if they marke him when he is hallowed oz cried at. For an
hart when he is spent, doth beare his head low if he see no man,
the wing thereby howe wearie he is. But when he feeth a man,
he rayseth by his heade, and maketh great boundes, as though he
would haue men thinke that he is strong and stout. As also the
horfeman that withholds him selfe alide for another reason. And
that is, bicaufe the pages and the p which holde the hounds do co-
monly make such a noyke, that he can not heare the crye. And also
when the hart doth heare noyke, oz hath the dogs in the winde,
they will either turne backe againe, oz wheele alide from the re-
laye: for which cause the hozfman that hold him selfe alide to chole
the hart at lepful. And if he palle by his relaye, he shall
marke diligently whether he linke oz be spent, and also whether
he heare the hounds in chace comming after him oz not. And me
thinkes that in hunting an hart at force, if were not beft to cail
off your relapes, unfill you see the hounds of the kennell which
beganne the crye. So should you see who hunteth best, and also
the twiftnesse of your hounds. But nowe ayades I see kewe
hunt the harte as he ought to be hunted: for men gine not their
hounds lepful to hunt, neither is there palling two oz threue that
can hunt: for there are so many hunters on horsebacke which can
neither blow, hallow, nor picate perfectly, which mingle themselves
amongst the hounds, croufling them, and breaking their course, in
such sort, that it is not possible they should hunt truly: for therefore
I say, that it is the hounds which hunt, and not the hounds. I will
now therefore teach the Clarlet how to follow the Relaye when
the hart is paff by. First he must lead his hounds coupled oz ty-
ed into the tracke, and let them follow so threue oz foure paces right,
then let him cail of one, and if he take it right, then may he un-
couple

couple

The booke of Hunting.

couple the reff, and blowe to them. For if he would cail off his
Relaye a farre off, the hounds might hunt counter, which would
be a great fault. And also if the hart be accompanied with any
other Deare, then the pricker on horsebacke must be full in the
face of him, to tie if he can part them oz not, and if he can parte
them, then may he uncouple the hounds upon the viewe. And if
a pricker on horsebacke chaunce to be at relaye on the side of a
pole oz water, and see the harte make towards it, he should be
suffer him to goe to soyle therein his fill, and neuer blowe noz
make noyke: then when he commeth out, he may let the Clarlet
goe with the hounds unto the place where he came out, and un-
couple the hounds upon the viewe as before faide. And he must
neuer abandon them, blowing after them to call in ayde, and
bushing the grounde oz making making marks at the way as
he goeth. Bicaufe if the hounds should hunt change, or scatter
and fly away from the right wapes, then may they returne to the last
marke, and so seeke againe the first chace.

Thæbus layeth, that you must rate the hounds which come
farre behynde when the harte is paff the Relaye. But for my
parte, I am of a contrarie mynde. For as much as the hounds
of the Crye which have alreadye hunted long time, do better kepe
their true tracke and do not so some change, as the fresh hounds
which are newly cail off at the Relayes. True it is, that if there
be any olde hounds which come behynde plodding after the
Crye, then the prickers on horsebacke, or the Clarlets which farie
behinde, maye call them after them, and lead them before the
crye againe. Or else if you have neede of more Relayes, and
that you perceive the hart bendeth towardes a coast where there
is not much change, and that he should be cail ed to turne backe
againe the same way: and also that there be good hounds now
before to mainteine the chase, then may you take vp the binder-
mott hounds and keepe them fresh for his returne, and if perad-
venture it happen that the pricker on horsebacke being at his re-
laye, should see an hart of tenne palle by him, and yet heare not
the other huntmen, nor their horns, then let him looke well whe-
ther the hart be emboff oz not, and what hounds they were that

G.iii.

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104 The booke of Hunting.

came with him. And if he perceiue that they were chopke hounds
and such as will not hunt chaunge, then ought he to blowe as
loude as he can for other hounds, and to call in helpe. And if one
come in, then let him followe the hounds which mainteined the
chace, and uncouple his hounds of relay, blowing and hallow-
ing all the way as he goeth, and blemishing against one over the
Slot of viewe of the Deare.

A huntefman on houſebacke should be circumſpeſte in these
things, for sometimes some krefſhe Deare may rowſe before the
hounds upon a ſodeine, by reaſon of the noyle of the hounds
and hunteſmen, the which may be a great húrt; and peraduenture
thall keeme to be embuſt alſo, eſpecially when Deare are in pride
of greace: But if he perceiue that the kure hounds of the kennell
hunt it not, and that he heare not them come after in ful cry, then
ought he not to caſt of his relapes, but only to marke which way
he fleeth, to blemiſh at the laſt thicket where he kawe him enter,
or at the laſt place where he had him in viewe, to the ende that if
he heare the hounds at default, he may go and tell them that the
Hart which palled by his relay, was kallowe, droune, or accoſ-
ſing as he kawe him, and that he bare such and such a heade. etc.

And thereby they may iudge and gelle, whether it were
the caſſt Deare or not, and may goe to keeke him
againe, beginning then at the blemiſhes
which he made upon his
last viewe.

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105

Howe a hunteſman should rowze an Harte, and
caſt off his hounds to him. Chap.39.

When the Prince or Lord which hunteſh shall hane heard
all reports, and that the relapes are well set and placed,
and that the hunteſmen and hounds hane broken their fall or re-
freshed them ſelues, then he which seemed to hane harbored the
greatest and oldest Deare, and him which lyeth in the kayelt
court, upon whole report the Prince or Loode would goe to
hunt
G.V.

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hunte, shall take his bloudhounde and go before to the blemilh-
ings with his companions, and with all the prickers of hun-
ters on Horsebacke whiche hunte with the kennell, who Thoulde
haue every one of them a good cudgell in his hand, which is cal-
led a *Hunting* *cudgell* of a Troncheon to turne the boughs
and beare them from his face as he followeth the houndes in
the words of thickes: and this cudgell Thoulde not be bea-
chd of pilled untill suche leason as the Harte haue frayed his
head, but when the Harte hath frayed, then may a Hunfel-
man beare a cudgell beached of pilled lawfully: beyng come
to the blemilhes, lette them alight to behold the Slot and such
other markes as may be taken by the view of one of a Deare, to
the end they may the better know whether their houndes hunte
change or not. Then when the Prince of Mafter of the game is
come, and the houndes for the crie, all the houlemen must quickly
cast aboute about the court, to discover a Harte who he rowzeth
& goeth out of his hold, þ they may the better know him after-
wards by the cote, & by his head. And when the huntefma which
harbozed him, Thal see all the rest of his copaniós about him with
the houndes for the crie, he shall then go before them & rowse the
Deare, for the honour is due to him: and then the rest shall cast
of their houndes, he & al they crying, *To him, To him, Thars he, Thars
he, & such other words of encouragemet*. And here I will teach
you two secretes: the one is that the huntefmen should not be to
haffie with their houndes at the first rowzing of unharbozing of
the Deare, for alnuch as they heate may pethaunce make them
ouerall) cke & hunt amiffe: the other is, that the houndes of the crie
should alwayes come behinde the huntefman which hath harbo-
red, and behinde his hounde by threecoze paces at the leaft, untill
he haue unharbozed, for keare least the Harte haue crosled & dou-
bled within the thicket, and they might koyle or bzeake the Slot,
so that the bloudhound should not be able to dawe and hunte so
truly as els he would: for often times old beaten Deare, when
they go to laye, do wle all pollicies and subtilties in crossing,
doubling & such like. And therfore if the houndes of the crie come
ouer neare after a bloudhound, they shall bzeake the Slot, view,

10

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so that he which harbozed Thal keare make his houde to hunte it:
and if the bloudhounde as he draweth do chaunce to ouerthowe
& draw wrong of counter, then must he the huntefman drawe him
backe and say, *Backe, backe, ofre, ofre, untill he haue let him right
againe. And if he perceue that the hounde do amend his fault,
hunte right againe, let him knele downe vpó one knee to marke
þ Slot of the poſtes well & aduisedly: and if he perceue that his
hounde draw right, let him clappe him on the side & cherifl him,
laying, *Thars my boy, that he, that he, To him, knaue, and let him
blemilh there alwell for Th that come after him, as alio to thew
them that come with the kennell that the Harte pafled there, and
if the kennell be to farre from him, he should crie, *Come neare, come
neare with the houndes, of the els let him blowe two moſes, leaving
blemilhes both aloſſe & by lowe, all the way as he goeth, that if
his hounde ouerthowe of drawe amiffe, he may yet come back to
his laſt blemilh. Then if he perceue þ his hounde do renew his
drawing, & that he drawe likſe, so that if he kremeth he be neare the
Harte, he must hold him then (hoffer & (hoffer, least if the Harte
should rowze for keare a farre of, his hounde (hunting upon the
winde) might carie him amiffe, so that he would not finde the
laye. Whereby (& by the poyles about it) he might haue certaine
judgement: and if he rowze of unharboz the Deare & finde the
laye, let him not blow ouer haffely for þ houndes, but only crie,
*Looke Ware, looke Ware, ware, ware, and let him drawe on with his
houde unbit* þ Deare be deſcribed, & rightly marked before he hal-
low. And if he finde any fewmets as he draweth, let him marke
well whether they be lyke to those which he found before or not,
I meane those which he brought to the asſembly: & yet sometimes
he might so be deceyued, but that is not often, but only when the
deare hath changed his feete. True it is þ the fewnifling which
a Deare maketh ouer night, he not like those which he maketh in
the morning, when he draweth into þ thicket to go to his laye,
for those which he maketh at his feede in þ night of evening, be
flatter, (offer, & better diſgelled, than those which he maketh in a
morning: & a reaſon is bicaufe he hath flept & raffed al day, which
maketh perſect diſegllion: & coftrarily those which he maketh in
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the running, are neither so well disgested nor so soft. For as much
as at this moment a Deare goeth through, and neither had he any feele,
neither had he any leysure to disgest his keede, but he
neither had left nor leysure to disgest his keede so well. And yet
they will be like of forme and proportion, unless the chaunge of
feeding be the cause of it. Or if the猎men finde the laye of
the Deare, he shall lay his cheeke on his backe of his hande upon
it, to keele if it be warme or not. Or he may know by his hound,
that he will strepne and lappyle, or whymper, or sometime call
on plainely. All these tokens give a猎man to understande,
that the Hart is rowzed and on kote. Some Harts be so subtle
and craftie, that when they rowze and go from their laye, they
coast round about, to keeke some other Deare whereby the hounds
which followe them, might finde change to hunt. Or else per-
chance they have some pong blocket with them in company al-
wayes, whereby the hunte man may be beguiled. And therefore
he shall not blowe to cast off moze hounds when he rowzeth
him, but only crye, ware, ware, ware, come neare with the houn-
des. And let him drawe after him still that way that he went
kayting or threecore paces: And where he that perceiveth that the Hart
prepareth to flee, if he keene to be sure thereof, let him blowe for
the hounds, and crye to them, that's he, that's he, to him, to him.
And let him drawe still upon the slot or viewe, blowing and
hallowing, until the hounds be come in and beginne to take
it right, and therewithall he must goe amongst them, with his
hounde in the lyam to encourage them, and so make them take
it the moze hotely. Afterwards when he keeth that they are in
full crye, and take it right, he may go out of the thicke, and give
his hounde to his boy or servant, and get vp on horsebacke, kee-
ping still under the winde, and coasting to crossle the hounds
which are in chase, to helpe them at default if neede require. But
if it should happen that the Harte turning counter upon the
hounds in the thicket, had come amongst chaunge, then let all
the猎men menace and rate their hounds, and couple them
by againe, until they have gone backe euther to the laye, or to
last blemish made upon any slotte or viewe, and so hunt on a-
gaine until they may finde the Harte. For some beaten Deare
will

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will fall flat upon his belly, and neuer moue until the hounds
be even upon him.

Certaine obseruations and futleties to be
vſed by Hunteſmen in hunting an
Harte at force. Chap.40.

Now that I haue treated of suche judgements and marks as
the猎men may take of an Harte, and how they should
behaue themselves in harbing of a Deare, I thinke meete like-
wise to inſtruct (according to my ſimple skill) the猎men on
housbacke

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hosebacke how to chase and hunte an harte at force: and that as well by auchozitie of good as ancient hunters, as also by experience of mine owne hunting. And by cause at these dayes there are many men which beate hounds and bewgles, and yet cannot tell how to bie them, neyther how to encourage and helpe they? hounds therwith, but rather do hinder than further them, hauing neyther skill no? delight to bie true measure in blowying: and therewithal seyng that Princes and Noble men take no delight in hütyng, hauing their eyes muffled with the Starke of worldly wealth, and thinking thereby to make they? names immortall, which in derde doth often leade them to defrausion of thee of bodie and soule, and oftener is cause of the chorfening of they? lyke (which is their principall treasure best on earth) since a man shall hardly see any of them reygne or line so long as they did in those dayes that every hourestong with hounds and hounds, and when plentie of flagon bottels were carried in every quarter to refreche them temperately. Therefore I shoulde thinke it labour loft to set downe these things in any perfect order, were it not that I hane good hope to see the nobilitie of youth of England ercite themselves as well in that as also in fundrie other noble palfiues of refection, according to the fleppes of they? Honorable Juncellos and Progenitours. And therefore I adventure this trauayle, to set downe inarticles and particularities, the secretes and preceptes of Henerie as you see.

First then the pickers and hunterslinen on hoxlebacke, mulke underland, that there is diuerstie betweene the terms and words whiche they shall be of Buckhounds, and the terms and words which they shall be in hunting of the Boze. For an harte klieth and elyneth himselfe when he is soe hunted, truelling to nothing els but unto his hecles, no? neuer standeth in his defence unlesse he be forced: and therefore you shall comfofte such hounds with lowde and courageous cries and noplees, as well of your boye as of your boze also. But when you hunte a wilde Boare or any such beaull, you shall do the contrarie, because they are beaells which are flower, and cannot flee no? elyne themselves from the hounds: but truill in their tuckes & defence:

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and therefore in such chales, you shall comfort your hounds with furious terrible foundes and nople, as well of the boye as also of your boze, to the ende you may make the chase flee endwayes. And you should always be neare at hande, and holde in with your hounds, ¤ make great noyle kealt the Boze, should hunte or kill them. As touching the hartes and such other light chales or beaells of Menerie, the hunterslinen on hoxlebacke may followe they? hounds always by þ fame wayes that theyfam palle ouer, ¤ neuer shall neede to croule no? coast so much for keare kealt they should rowze some change: and likewife bicaufe in hunting so, they shall always be best able to helpe at defaultes: and let the neuer come neater the hounds in crie, thâ fittie or threefkoze paces, especially at þ first vincouping, or at calling of their relayes. For if an harte do make doublings, or where about, or croule before your hounds, if then you come in to haftily, you shall flye and marre the Slok or view, in such forte as the hounds should not be able to sent it so well, but should ouerflowe the chase, and that would marre the hoxze: but if the pickers and hunterslinen on hoxlebacke perceiue that an harte (beying rüne an houre or more) make out endwayes before the hounds in chase, ¤ therewithall perceyue that the hounds follow in ful crie taking it right, then they may come in neater towards the hounds, ¤ blowe a Rechafe to their hounds to cofoze them. You shall understand here with that when a harte keeles that þ hounds hold in after him, he fleeth ¤ keeeth to beguyle the: with change in foundayes, for he wil keeke other Harfes ¤ Deare at laye, ¤ rowzeth them before the hounds to make them hunte change: therewithall he wil lie flat downe upon his bellie in some of their layes, ¤ so let the hounds ouerflowe him: and bicaufe they should have no sent of him, no? bent him, he wil truille al his. iiiii. keete under his bellie ¤ wil blow ¤ breath bpð þ grounde in some moyle place: in such forte þ I hane keene the hounds palle by such an harte within a yeard of him ¤ neuer bet him: ¤ this subvilitie doth nature endow him with, þ he knoweth his breath ¤ his ferte to give greater lent unto þ hounds thâ al the rest of his bodie. And therefore at such a time he wil abide þ hoxlem to ride ful bpð him, before he wil beared,

wared,

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creared, and this is one especially reason wherefore the houndsmen & huntmen should blemish it at such places as they see the Harte entre into a thicket or couert to the ende that if the hounds fall to change, they may returne to those blemishes, and put their hounds to the right slot and view, until they have rowzed or founde him againe with their bloudhound, or with some other stanche old hounde of the kenell, in the which they may affie theselues. For old stanche hounds which will not bunt change, when they see an Harte rowzed or before them, they neuer call on nor once open: but if they be yong ralle hounds they wil runne with full crye and so take change. Wherefore in such respects the huntemen on houlebacke must have great consideration, & let the neuer affie themselues in yong hounds, unless they see some old stanche hounds amongst them: and if there be two pickers or huntemen on houlebacke together, that one shall run to the hounds & rate them, that other shall hallow, and call them into the place where they made the default, & let there be beate well with their hounds, cõfosting them until they may finde the Harte againe. And if he heare any old sure hounde bay or open, let him make in to him & looke on the slot whether he hunt right or not: and if he find that it be right let him blow with his houze, and afterwards halow unto that hounde naming him, as to say, Hyke a Talbot, or Hyke a Basvont Hyke Hyke, to him, to him, &c. The other huntemen shall beate in their hounds to him, & by that means they shall renewe the chase and finde him agayne. Againe a Hart bringeth the hounds to change in an other manner: for as some as he percepeth that the hounds runne him, and that he cannot eschew them, he will breake into one thicket after another to finde other Deare, and rowseth them, and heardeth himselfe with them. So that he holdeth herd with the sometimes an houre or more before he will parte from them or breake heard: then if he feele himselfe bent, he will breake heard, and fall a doubling & crousing in some harde high way that is much beaten, or els in some river or broke the which he will keepe as long as his breath will suffer him: and when he percepeth that he is farre before the hounds, he will be like subtilties as before to beguile them, lying

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lying flat upon his belly in some harde way or drie place, and crousing all his foure feete underneath him, breathing and blowing against the grounde as before said, or against the water if he haue taken the foylein luch soft, that of all his body you shall see nothing but his nose: and if he have seene diuers lye so, and yetll the hounds haue bene upon them before they would wyse. In these cases the huntemen must have especially regard to their olde sure hounds, when they percepue a Deare to keeke the hearde so, for the olde sure hounds will hunt leyselure and carefully, when the ralle young hounds will ouerchore it. And therefore neuer regard the yong hounds but the olde stanche hounds: and trust in the olde hounds giving them leysure, and being neate therein to helpe and comfort them, euermoe blenpying as you percepue and fynde any slot or view of the Deare that is hunted.

And if so chance that the hounds be at default, or that they diffuse and hunt in two or three sundry companies, then may they gelle thereby that the Hart hath broken heard from the fresh Deare, and that the fayd fresh Deare do separate them selues alio. And they must not then trust to a yong hounde (as before fayde) how good so ever he make it, but they must regard which way the old stanch hounds make it, and make in to them looking upon the Slot, view, or flyle. And when they have found the right, & per- ceive that the Hart hath broken heard from the other Deare, let the blemish there, and blow, and cry, There he goeth, that he, that he, to him, to him, naming the hound that goth away with the baut- chace, and hallowing the rest unto him. You wall also have re- gard that hounds can not so well make it good in the hard high ways, as in other places, because they can not there have so per- kest lent, and that for diuers causes. For in those high ways there are the tracke and footing of diuers sundry ways of cattell which beate them continually, and breake the ground to dust with their fecte in suche soft, that when the hounds put their noles to the ground to lent, the poudre and dust snuffeth up into their noles, & marres their lent. And againe, the beament heat of the Sun doth dip by the moisture of the earth, so that the dust couereth the

H.

Slot

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slot or view or the Deare as he runneth, that is the sent wher-
by the hounds hunte principally, whereas vpò the greene ground
the Harte leaveth sent upon the graffe or houghes where he pas-
keth or toucheth with his bodie. Many other reasons there are to
pione that in high wayes a hounde cannot haue so good sent as
in other places, the whiche palle ouer so heuitie. And in such
place an Harte wil subtilly make crosse and doublings, or hold
the same long together to make the hounds give it ouer: such is
the benefite of nature to give the dube beaft vnderlåding which
way to help himself, as it gineth also vnderlåding to al liuing
creatures to elchew and auoyde their contrarie, and their aduer-
sarie, and to laue it selfe by all meanes possible. But when the
huntefmen that finde their hounds at defaulte upon such an high
way, then let them loke narrowly whether the Harte haue dou-
bled, or crossted: and if they finde that he haue, as to runne right
end wayes, so come backe againe counter upon the same, then let
them crie to their hounds to encourage them, To him boyes, coun-
ter, To him, to him. And let them tread out the counter clottes in
fight of their hounds, helping to comforting the alwayes, butfill
they haue brought them where he entred into some thicket or co-
wert, and there let them clay the hounds butill they make it
good vpò the lides of the high wayes, or thickets, and not within
the couerets: so when they are once entred into the couerets, they
shall haue much better sent, and that not soone ouerthoife it, as
they should haue done in the high wayes. For there the graffe,
the leanes, such other things do keepe the sent kresher, and also
the ground being moystler, an Harte cannot so alone touch it with
his feete or bodie, but he shall leane sent for the hounds: and let
the huntefmen make blemifhes all the way as they palle, and beate
the places wel with their hounds, comforting and helping them in
belf that they can: and if any one hounde cal on alone, the hunfe-
men must make in to him, a loke by a slot or other tokens what
it should be that he hunteth : and if they finde that he hunteth the
chaffed Drare, they shall rechate in for the rest of the hounds, as
name that hounde to them, as to lay Talbor, à Talbor, à Talbor, as
befoze layd. As hayneth oft times also an Harte palleth by count
coleharthes

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n5

coleharthes or place where things haue bene buried: and then the hounds cannot haue so good sent, bicaufe the hote sent of the fire smorzheth the hounds, that makes the forget the sent of the harte. In such case the huntefne may marke which way the Harte held head, and coast by the coleharthes with their hounds quickly, until they come on the farlide thereof: there let the beate well untill theyz hounds make it good againe by the slot or other tokens, or by the sent which they must nerdes finde in the kresch apre palling thus by and staying not. But if an Harte beate out before the hounds into the champaigne countrie, and that it be in the beate of the day, before none of three of the clocke: then if the huntefmen perceive that theyz hounds be out of breath, they must not goe them much, but coofot them the belt in they can, and though they beare not theyz belt hounds cal or upon the Slot or view, yet if they wagge theyz kayles it is enough: so peradventure the hounds are so spent with the bechement beate, that it is painefull to them to call on, or that they be out of breath: and therefore in such case the huntefne that do well to follow afarre off without overlaping or overriding of the as I haue before layd. And if they hounds give ouer and be tyed, then let the huntefmen blemifhe upon the last Slot or view, and go with their hounds into the next village, where they shall give the bead and water, and keepe the about them under some tree or made butill the beate of a day be ouer, and let them sometimes blowe to call in the theyz boyes or feruants which follow on kowe, and their other copanions, about three of the clocke, they may go backe to their last blemifhe, and put their hounds to the Slot or view: and if any of theyz barlettes or Boyes had a bloudhounde there, let him put his bloudhounde to the Slot or view, and drawe before the hounds with him, cherifhing and comforting him, and neuer fearing to make him open in the string: so the other hounds hearing him open, will come in and take it right, leauing their defaultes. Thus houlde the huntefmen holde on beating and following untill they haue reared and found the Harte againe. You shall understand that when a Harte is spent and beare rime, his last euge is to the water whiche hunters call the soyle, and he will commonly

H.ij.

commonly

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commonly therefore rather descend downe the streame, than swim
against it, especially if the hounds run him well. And it seemeth
he hath naturally this understanding, that he knoweth if he should
not or swimme against the streame when he goeth to the toyle, the
hounds would haue greater sent of him, than when he descend-
ded downe the streame. For the wynde would always beare
the sent upon them, and also it were moe painefull and greater
stranell to him selfe, to swymme against the streame, than to
swypinne downe the streame. Understanding then that if a Harte
be soze runne, and come to a Ryuer or water, he will common-
ly take it, and swypinne in the verie middlest thereof, so he will
take as good heede as he can, to touch no bonghes or twygges
that grow upon the sides of the Ryuer, so keare least the hounds
thoulde thereby take sent of him. And he will swypinne along
the ryuer long time before he come out, unless he light upon
some blocke or other luche thing which stop him in the streame,
and then he is forced to come out. In such places the huntefinesn
must haue good regard to blemish) at the place where he first toke
toyle; and let them marke there wet which way he maketh head,
the which they may perceive either by their hounds, or by mar-
king which way he fled when he came thether. Let them make
their hounds take the water and swypinne therein: so they may
finde sent upon the bulrushes or wdes which growe in the ry-
uer. Or otherwise, the huntefinesn them selfes may keeke to finde
where the Harte hath foraken the toyle ( which huntefinesn call
breaking of the water) and there they shall finde by the grasse or
hearbes which he hath borne downe before him, which way he
maketh heade. When they finde assuredly which way he maketh
heade, then let them call their hounds out of the water, so keare
least they founder them with too much colde after their heade.
And if there be three huntefinesn of them together, let two of the
get one of the one side of the river, and another on that other side,
and let the third get him before that waye that the Harte hath
made heade, to see if he can elope him swypinning or lying in the
water: the two huntefinesn which shall be on each side of the river,
that haue with their hounds each of the two his sides, are enough

from

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from the bankes. For they that haue better sent. rr. 02. rrr. paces
off, than they should haue at the verie side or banke of the river.
And the reason is, that when the Hart commeth out of the water
he is at wet and moyled with water, which patureth downe his
legs in such abundance, that it downes the Slot or view. But
commonly he rouseth and chaketh the water off him at his coming
out therof, so that by that time he haue gone. rr. 02. rrr. paces, the
Slot is better, and the hounds shall sent him much better. Pe-
uertheleſse the hunteſmen them ſelues should kepe alwayses neare
to the river: for sometimes the Hart will lye under the water all
but his very nose, as I haue before rehearſed: Di may perſale lye
in some bed of bulrushes, or in some ſuſt of fallopes, so that they
might leane him behind them: and then affone as they were paff,
he might goe counter backe againe the fame way that he came.
For commonly a Harte hath that craftie pollicie to suffer the
hounds to ouerlie with him, and the hunteſmen to palle by him. And
affone as they be paff, he will ſteale back a go couter right back-
wards in that fame track of path that he came. This hapneth not off,
unless the river be full of fallopes or such bulrushes, and neare unto
some fozeſt. But let some one of the hunteſmen haue alwayses an
eye to the River, as let the rest beate with the hounds. rr. paces
from the bankes, and so let them keepe on altogether until they
finde where he breaketh water: and if they finde any blocke or
beame, or such thing that lieth crosſe ouerthwarte the streame, let
them loke there whether he haue broken water or not, for unless
it be at such a place, or at luche a let, a Harte will keepe the wa-
ter long, especially when he breaketh from the hounds ouer a
champaigne country: so at such times they will holde the wa-
ter as long as they can, and also at such times they truſt no lon-
ger neyther in their thickets, nor in their swiftnesse, but are con-
trapyned to seeke the toyle as their last refuge. And here I
thinke it not amſible to aduertise you, that an Harte deadeth the
Notherne windes, and the Southerne windes much more than
he doth the Fallerly or Weſſerly windes, in such ſoſe that if at
his breakyng out of a courſet, when he seeketh to breake from the
hounds endwates ouer the champaigne, he keele either a North-

H. ij.

winde.

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118

winde of a Southwinde blow, he will neuer runne into it, but
turnes his backe and takes it in his tayle, and this he dothe for
divers re specks. The first is bycaule the Northwinde is colde
and charpe, and dzith exceedingly, and the Southwinde is hote
and corrupt, bycaule it commeth under the circle of the Sunne,
the whiche ouercommeth him and lettes him vp quickly by the
be hement dweltrie heate thereof. And if he should runne into a
way of those two windes, it would quickly enter his throte when
he is embosk and beginneth to be spent, and would die his throte
and his tongue sole, and would alter and chafe him much with
the be hement heate thereof. Also those windes are commonly
great and tempestuous, and if he should runne against them, his
head and hones would be as a faple to holde him backe, the
which might much let him in his running. Agayne, he know-
eth that if he runne into the winde, the hounds shall haue the
better sent of him, and neede not so much to lay theyr no les to
the ground but may hunte upon the winde. Also he himself doth
souet always both to see and heare the hounds whiche follow
him. And although Phæbus layeth that all Hartes do commonly
runne downe the winde how so ever it little, yet have I found it
otherwize by experience : and especially when it bloweth fro the
Seawardes, which is a mayst winde, and then a Harte will co-
net to rüne against the winde: but doubtinge a Harte doth keare
the Northely winde and the Southwinde, as I haue layd be-
fore: and so do all other beafts, as Spaniels of hounds, the which
wil not hunte so wel in those windes, as they do at other times.
Also you that understand, that a Harte doth fozelopne and hzeake
out before the hounds for divers reasons, especially in April of
May, when his head is blondie and soft: for then if he be hunted
he darth not holde in the thickets or couerts for hurtyng of his
head: but is conftreyned to come forth of the strong holdes, and
then he hzeaketh ouer the champaigne Countries, and keeth to
fozlopne or to hzeake from the hounds, and then he doubleth,
frolleth, etc. Or it may be that a harte forzaketh the couert for an
other reason: bycaule in the thickets he tranaylth more, that he at
himself sofer in bearing downe the houghes before him: that cannot
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make way so wel before the hounds: for they beyng much lester
than he, do runne with greater cfast in the hollow of the woodes
below, and in like manner he cannot crouse not double so well in
the couert as he may do in the playne champaigne. And for these
causes he is conftreyned (as it were) to go out either into the hol-
low woodes, or into the champaigne. And there let the Huntel-
men haue good regarde, for a hounde may much fomer be at de-
fault in the hollow woodes than in the strong couerts, having
more scope to cast about as to råge furder out when they are hote
as maddzayned, as they may ouerthowre the clofte, if the Huntel-
men be any thing hafle with them, as ouerley them, as ouercyde
them and hunte change: the which they cannot so lightly do in as
strong couerts, for there they runne directly upon the kowe of the
Deare: and cannot cast out neither one way nor other so redily,
for they keare enermose to leefe the right tracke where the Harte
went. And therfore a Huntsmã chal take greater heede to charge
in the hollow high woodes, than in yonger Springs: for a hounde
will fomer ouerthowre and hunte out in the hollowes, than in the
strong holdes. Also in hollow high woodes a Harte dothe foze-
lopne more as hzeaketh furder from the hounds, and hath more
leyfure to crofte as double, and to keeke the change amongst other
Deare that he hath in stronger couerts: also an Hart doth fozlopne
or hzeake out from the hounds for an other cause: that is when he
keeleth himself so layed to by the hounds, as keeth it no subtiltie
helpeth him, then becometh he amased and losteth his courage,
and knoweth not whiche way to take, but palfeth at all adven-
ture ouer the kieltes, and through the villages as such other places.
Then should the Huntefmen dæwe neare to their hounds, and
if they perceiue them at any default, they shall neuer go backe to
any Slot or viewe, but go on still, and hunte forwarde: for a
Deare that is spent or toze hunted, and that keeke to fozlopne
or hzeake from the hounds, will neuer farie to crouse or double,
but holdeth head onwarde still as long as breath serueth him,
belesse he haue some foyle in the winde, then he may chaunce go
aside to take the Soyle, but els not. True it is that if he hzeake
out into the champaigne for any cause before mentioned, as he not
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Soe spent, noz beginne to kinke before the hounds, then he maye
chance to double, crosse, and use other subtleties: but if he be spent,
he will uldome use any subtletie, but onely to lye flat upon his
bellye abowle, and that not long neither. Furthermore you shall
nowe vnderstande that there is great difference in finding out
the subtleties of a Deare in the Kozelles or strong holdes, and
thole which he beeth in the playina chpaigne. For in the flego con-
verts you must call about neare unto the last Slot that you find,
and you must hold in as neare as you can. For if the huntefmen
call wide out in beating for it, they maye chaunce to light upon
change, which will carie out your hounds to your great dilad-
vantage. But in the champaigne you maye call about at large
without dead of chaunce: and that in the freffest and moft co-
modious places, where they might konest finde viewe, and so
make it out, and whereas also the hounds maye haue beeth spent.
For in the landhils and dize places, a hounde can not make it
out so well, by reason of the duft and fande which will strike up
into his nose, and by reason that the Sunne doth lower dize bp
the mospflure from the ground in those places. Again, bicaufe in
such heathy places, and barreyne grounds, there is neyther graffe
noz any thing whereon the Deare may leaue lent so well: and
that is the cause that Huntefmen maye caule aboute in the mofte
conuenient mospk places, and in the krefthe under some bulle oz
made where the earth is not so much dried and parched with the
Sumne: and if they cannot make it out at the firke calling a-
boute, they may then caule about the second time a larger com-
paffe: and if by that means they make it not out, then may
they preflume that he is within that compaffe and pziecince which
they haue so caule about, or else that the Harte hath made some
crossing or some doublyng, or used some subtillie: then let them
leade backe they2 hounds to the place where they firft fell at de-
fault, and put their hounds to it upon the Slotte, or where the
earth is broken as they went before, and lette them beate it well
with their hounds, speaking to them and cherishing them all
that they ca deuile, as well with their boyce as with their homes:
and let them looke well to the grounde so helpe their hounds.

And

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And it chal not be poffible (thus doyng) but that you chal trowse
the Deare againe within the circuite and compaffe that you had
carst call about: and at the least if you do not, you shall yet finde
where he is gone on, and so make it out, unlesse the extremitie of
the heate do altogether marre your hounds Hunting. Further-
more you shall remember, that when an Harte breaketh out fro
the hounds, by the two firſke places where you lay upon any
crossing or doublyng that he hath made, you shall perceyue all
the subtildies and pollicies which he will use all that day after.
For if his two firſt doublings or other subtilties be in an high
waye, or in a water, then all the reſſ that he will use all the day
after will be in the fame manner. And then let the Huntefmen
marke well on whiche hand he turneth when he parteth: for on
whiche hand heuer he turne the two firſte times, on the fame
hand he will turne (at his parting) all the day after, whether it
be on the right hand or on the left hand: And therefore remem-
ber ever when you come at any default to beate firſt on that had
which he took at the two firſt defaults. Also an Harte doth of-
tentimes use grate pollicies in the pathes within the grate
wores and strong couerts, or els will follow such a pate un-
fill he come to the outside of the wode, as though he woulde
come out into the playne, and will immediately fall to dou-
ble and crosſe, returning flat counter, sometimes two bowelsnot
fogethers: then the Huntefmen to make it out at such a default
muſſe take good heed that they2 hounds take not the counter,
bicaufe the Harte is fiedle backwardes therewith so farre: and
also they chal fine the Slotte or view, (or at least the foyles of
the view) freſher in the court, than they should do abroade in the
ſelde, the which may carrie them farre backe upon the counter.
Wherefore at such defaults the Huntefmen shall not be to haſſie
with their hounds, but rather give them lepflure, and let them
hunte in dead and doubt undtill they haue made it out perſectly.
Also there be some Hartes, whiche when they rife out of their
layes will haſſe, or fall downe upon their bellie before the
Huntefmen, and ferme to reele and ropple before the hounds, as
if they were spent and soe hunted not long before: by such sub-
tildies

H.Y.

kleties

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filties you may judge easily that they are olde beaten Deare,
& wel beathed, & wil stand long vp before your hounds, tru-
ling much in their force & swiftnesse: for a huntlinan may easily
know when a Harte is spent in deede, and when he beginneth to
linke and will not long holde vp, by diuers tokens. First if he
neþther regard, heare noz see any man or any thing before him
when the hounds runne him: or if he beare his head lowe, put-
ting his nose downe to the grounde, and reele or folter with his
legges, the wyng how feeble he is in deede, or if he eþpie a man
before him, he rapsteth vp his head, and maketh great boundes and
leapes on heigth as though he were luftle and kresche (as I haue
fayde heretofore) but such krikkes will not last long: for when he
is a little paft by, he will stretche out his necke agayne and hold
downe his head and will reele and wallow as before layde. Or
els likewise you may know when a Deare is spent, if his mouth
and throte be blacke and drie without any froth or fome upon it,
and his tongue hangyng out: likewise by his Slot or vieso
where you finde it, for oftentimes he will close his clawses to-
gethers as if he went at leyfure, and streight way agayne will
open them and strap them wyde, making great gyldings, and
hitting his dewclawes upon the grounde, or his chanke bones
fomtimes, and will commonly followe the beafen pathes and
wayes, and neuer double nor crosse but verie little. And if he
come to a hedge or a dytch, he will goe all alongst to seeke some
black or beafen leape, bicause he hath not force to leape it round-
ly of him selfe. By all these tokens you may know when a deare
is spent and readie to fall. Thus will I ende this chapter, pray-
ing all expert huntlinmen and masters of Tenerie to hold me ex-
cused, if I haue onerskipped, or left out any thing meete to be
set downe, for as much as it is hard for any man to set down to
wel in writing, as he might put it in execution. But always re-
member that the Arte it selfe requireth great skyl, wit, and pol-
licie, in a huntlinan: and that he gourne him selfe according to
the varitie of occasions, and according to the plesumptions that
he shall see in the Deares wyles and subtleties: therewithall that
he haue respect to the goodnesse or imperfection of the hounds,
and

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and to the crosslings and doublings of the Deare together with
the places where the same are made. And thereupon he mape
make his ring, and cast about little or much, according to the co-
moditie of the place, time, & season. For hounds will mokeouer
shout in the heat, and in the time that there is most lent upon the
herbes, flowres, and graffe, than at any other season of the year.
And thereforo at such times and places, you shall do well to cast
about a greater compasse or circuit, and ofttner also, seeking
moyff and frell places for the better lent and aduaintage of the
hounds. Thus doing, you haue verie euill lucke if you lose a
hart by default: so that you will take paynes and giue not ouer
for a little discomfort. Pea when you are ouertaken with the
night, or that your hounds are furbayted and wearie, yet
a good huntlinan should not thereat be abashed,
no, discomforted, but blenliche upon the last
Slot or viese, and to him agayne
in the morning.

How

The booke of Hunting.

Howe to kill an Hart when he is at bay,
and what is then to be doone.

Chap. 41.

When a Hart is at Baye, it is dangerous to go in to him,
especially in rutting time. For at that time their heads
are venomous, and most perillous, and therupon came this prouerbe.
If thou be hurt with Hart, it brings thee to thy Beare,
But Bayes hand wil Bores hurt heale, therof thou needst not feare.

The which hath not bin sayd for nothing, as hath bin proued
by many examples. For we read of an Emperor named Befall,

which

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which had overcome his enemies in many battels, and had done
great deeds of Chivalrie in his Countrie, and was yet neuerthe-
lelle flayne with an Harte in breaking of a Bay. Behold gentle
Reader the unconfancie of variable fortune. A Prince whiche
had done so many deeds of prouesselike anoint men: which had
both comforted his friends, and discomforted his enemies: which
had peaceably defended his people, and courageously assaulted
suche as sought to subvert his dominion, was at the last in the
pynde of his pleasure, in the purfute of his pastime, and in the
uncreped day of his defenacie, vanquished, flayne, and goed with
the homes of a brute Beale: yea (that moze is) by a fearefull
beale, and such an one as durst not many dayes noz houres before
haue beheld the couitenance of the weakest man in his kingdome:
A Beale that fledde from him, and a beale whom he contreyned
(in his owne defence) to do this detestable murder. This ex-
ample may serve as a mirrour to all Princes and Potefates, yea
and generally to all eillates, that they flydle their mindes from
profaning of undeserned inuries, and do not contrayne the
simple fakelles man to stand in his owne defence, nor to do (like
the worme) turne agayne when it is troden on. I woulde not
haue my words wested to this construction, that it were un-
lawfull to kill a Deare or such beales of venerie: for so should
I both speake against the purpose which I haue taken in hande,
and agayne I should seeme to argue against Gods ordinances,
since it seemeth that suche beales haue bene created to the vse of
man and for his recreation: but as by all Fables some good mo-
ralitie may be gathered, so by all Hiftories and examples, some
good allegoric and comparison may be made. And to returne to
the matter, I might recite many other ſtories and examples, but
this may suffize to admonish all Hunteflemen that they go wifely
and warily to a Harte when he is at Baye: as hereafter I will
noce largely declare. You shall understand then, that there are
Bayes in the water and Bayes on the lande, and if an Harte
be in a deepe water, where the Huntefman cannot come at him,
the best thing that he can do, that he to couple up his hounds,
and that for many causes: for if they should long continue in
the

126

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the wafer, it would put them in great daunger to founder and
marre them, or if the wafer be bread & deepe, they might chaunce
(through eagernesse of their game) to drop. If a hart which
is spent, will not willingly leaue a great water, when he teeth
the hounds and the huntmen come in to him, but will swimme
up and downe in the middell of the streame, and neuer come
teare the bankes. And therefoe I say the hunteman shall doe
well to take up his hounds, and to stand close upon a cleare wind
untill the Harte may come out of his owne free will, the while
peraduenture he will quickly do, when he heareth no longer noise
after him. And if the hunteman stande close and upon a cleare
winde, he may chance to haue a blowe at him with his swoode
as he commeth out. But if he kayle thereof, and that the hart be
once past him, let him suffer him to palle karre inough before he
bncouple his hounds, for if a hart heare any sodine noyle com-
ming after him, he may chance to returne unto the lople. But if
he perceiue that the Harte will not come out of the water, then
let him get a boate, or if he can swinme, let him put off his
clothes, and swinme to him with a Dagger readie drawne to
kpyll him, and yet let him well beware howe he affayle him, un-
lesse the water be vertie deepe. For if it be so Thallowe that an
Hart may stande upon the bottome, he may chaunce to give the
hunteman a swetode blowe, if he take not heede at the first en-
counter : marie where it is deepe he hath leaft koyce. It hath
brene my happe oftentimes to kpyll in this koyte verie great
Hartes, and that in light and presence of diuers witneskes, and
afterwards I haue guided their deade bodies to the banke
swynning. As touching the baye on the lande, if the Harte be
frayed and burnished, then the hunteman ought well to regarde
and consider the place. For if it be in a playne and open place,
where there is no wood nor court, it is daungerous and harde
to come in to him : but if it be by an hedge fide, or in a strong
thicke or quacke, then whyles the Harte doth stande and looke vp-
on the hounds, the hunteman may come couerthly amongst the
bulles behynde him, and so maye easily kpyll him : and if the
Harte turne heade upon him, let him runne behynde some tree,

or

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or cover him felle in the thynke quickly, or make some boughs
rudely and doylekrouously before him. Or else when you see an
Hart at Baye, take up the hounds, and when the Harte turneth
heade to flee, galloppe roundely in, and before he haue leyture
to turne upon you, it is a thing eale enough to kpyll him with
your swoode.

## Howe to breake vp an Harte after the French manner, and to rewarde the houndses. Chap. 42.

When the Harte is kylled, then all the huntemen whiche
be at fall of him, shall blowe a note, and whope also a
deade note, to the ende that the rest of the companies with all
the hounds may come in. Being assembled, and the Prince or
chiche hunter come also, they shall bring the hounds to the
Deare, and let them all to byte and teare him about the necke,
then couple them up untill their rewarde be prepared. Then the
chiche hunte shall take his knyfe, and cut off the Diares right
foute before, and present it to the Knyng as you fee it here po-
fayed. And before they proceede any further, they must cut down
god fioze of greene branches and boughes, and whope them vp-
on the grounde. Then shall they lay the Hart thereupon, laying
him upon his backe, with his fourte feete vpwardes, and his head
under his two shoulders, as you maye likewise see here po-
fрайed.

That being done, make a little foize with one tyne longer
than any other (as you may see also) upon the which foize you
maye hang all the dayntic morfelles which appertayne to the
Prince or chiche personage on field. And before that you go about
to take off his knyne, the kpyll thing that must be taken from
him, are his fones which hunters call his doulcettes, and hang
them on the foize by a little of their knyne: then let them begin
to take of his kninne in this manner.

First you must beginne to flyt it at the th岳ate, and so all
along his bellye, unto the place where you foke awaye his
doulcets,

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doulcets, then take him by the right kote before, and cut the skin
rounde aboute underneath the iopnt of the dewclawes, and then
lit it from thence into the toppe of his hest, and do almuch ta
the other fozelegge: then lit and cut the skinne in like maner of
the binder legges unto the toppe of the banche, leauing at the
place where you toke away the doulcets: then beginne at every
legge, one after another to take of the skinne: when you come
at his sides you must let cleane to the skinne, a thinne kinde of
redve fleche which hunters call the apparel of an hart, the which
groweth above the venison and bet weene it and the skinne on
both sides of his bodie. Thus when the skinne is cleane taken of
sauing only at the head, ears, skut, and the Tewell (at all which
places the skin must still have hold,) before you go about to do
any more, the chiefe huntefman must call for a bolle of wine,
and drinke a good harty draught: for if he should have break up the
Deare before he drinke, the Venison would skinke and put rfrise.
You shall also present before the Prince or chiefe personage in
field, some fine sauce made with wine and spices in a kayze dihe
vpon a chafyng dihe and coles, to the end that as he or the both
behold the huntefman breaking up of the Deare, they may take
theyr pleasure of the sweete deintie moſtels, and diſſelle some of
them on the coles, makyng them Carbonadies, and eating them
with their sauce, reioycing and recreating their noble minde
with reherſall whiche hounde hunted best, and which hunteſnan
hunted moſte like a woodman: calling theyr best fanoured
hounds and hunteſmen before them, and rewarding them fa-
nozably, as hath bene the cultome of all noble personages to do.
Then shall the hunteſnan take his knife in hande agayne and
bake up the Deare in this forſte: spicadyng the skinne on both
lides upon the greene leaves firewed for that purpose. Firſte he
shall take out the tongue, and put it upon the Foſke, for it ap-
pertayneth to the Prince or to the chieſe personage: likewise two
knottes or nuttes which are to be taken betwene the necke and
the shoulders, and two others which are in the flankes of the
Deare, and are called flankardes, and hang them vp of the Foſke:
this being done, he shall first take out the right shoulder with
his

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his houldernyke, the which perteineth to the hunteſnan which
harbozed him. Then next that other houlderneth to the
rest of the hunteſnen. Then must he take the Bypket bone and
the flappes which hang with it unto the necke, and that perteay-
neth also to him that harbozed and rowzed him. Then shall he
make his arbour and take out the panch, and cut off the Deares
Pyrſell, which is medicinable. Afterwards he shall take the
sweete pudding (which is the fat gut that goeth to the Deares
tewell) and the uppermoſt gut next the ſomacke, and turne and
clenze them both whiles they be hote, and put them on the foſke,
for they appertayne to the belt personage.

All these being done, you shall take the Harſs heart, and flyt
it in tunder, taking out a bone which is therein, and rayle the
Nambles from his fillets, and betweene his handes, and so up
to the mydypſke betweene the bloudboulke and the lides, leauing
the tauens moſſell (which is the gryſſell at the home of the hriſ-
ket) and give two gables on each side of the bryſket, to them the
gowneſle of the fleche. And you shall take from the Nambles
three knots or nuts, which are betweene them and the lides, and
are called cyng and quatre. Thoſe pertayne to the chieſe hunteſ-
man, the Nambles, handes and tenderlings (which are the soft
toppes of his houſes when they are in bloud) doe pertayne to the
Prince or chieſe personage. The necke and the chyne being
taken from the lides, referue the lides for the Prince,
the necke for the Clarlet of the kennell, and
the chyne for the Clarlet that keeſes
the bloude hounde.

I. How

The booke of Hunting.

Howe to rewarde the hounds, and fyrst
the bloud hound. Chap. 43.

He hounds shall be rewarded in this manner. First let the bloude hounds be present when you breake up the Deare, that they may see him broken up, and let them be tyed or made fast to some tree or bough, so farre one from another that they fight not. Then the huntsman which harboed the Harte, shall take the cabaging of the head, and the heart of the Deare to reward his bloud hound first, for that honor pertainteth to

The booke of Hunting.

to him: when he hath done, he shall deliver it to the reft, that they
may likewise rewarde theirs: that done they shall get downe and
dinke, whiles the Clarlets of the kennell prepare the rewarde for
their hounds, and that may be made in two sortes. Firste
some be immediately allone as the Hart is deade, (the huntman
having blowne to assemble the reft into his fall) to alight from
their horses, and take off the Deare skinne from his necke whilet
it is hot, and when they have well skoldrd it with their wood-
knives, that the hounds may the more easily teare off the fleche,
they rewarde the hounds with that and the baynes all hote and
bleeding: and surely those rewards are much better than others
which are given afterwards colde when they come home, and
will much better felle and encourage the hounds. But the re-
wards which are made at home (which are called cold rewards)
are thus given. The barlets of the kennell take bread, and cut it
into gobbets into a pan, cutting cheese likewise in gobbets with
it: then take they the blud of þe deare, and sprinkle it upon the bread
and cheese, until the breade and cheese be all bloude: and then
they take a great bolle of mylke warme, and mingle it altogether.
Afterwards they shall spread the kynne upon the ground
in some faire place, and put out this reward upon it. Remember
that you let it not abye long in the pan, for then the milke
will turne and be slowe. When it is thus prepared, put the cabaging of the head in the midst amongst it, and have a paple or
tub of fresh water in a readinesse neare to the reward, to let your
hounds lappe in when they are rewarded. Then you shall let
the head upon a staffe (which must be smothered and cleane for huring of the hounds) and let one of the Clarlets carie it an hundoeth paces from you. Then the Prince or chiefe shall begin to
blow and to hallow for the hounds, because that honor with all
others apperfaine vnto þe Prince or chief personage. And if he or
the ca not or will not do it the felues, let the appoint who shall do
it as for their honor. Afterwards all the huntsmen that take their
homes and blowe, and hallowe to the hounds to rejoyce them.
In this meane while the Clarlet of the kennell shall stande
at the rewarde, with two wandes (in cache stande one)

Lij.

to

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132

to keepe the houndses backe vntill they be all come about him.
And when they are all baying and calling on about him, let him
stand from the rewarde, and suffer the hounds to eat it. And
when they have almost eaten it vp, let him which holdeth the
Deares heade, hallowe and crye, Heere againe bo Yes, heere a-
gaine, haw, haw. &c. Then the Clarlets of the kennel which stand
about the reward, must tafe away the hounds, and make them
go to him that halloweth. Then he shall the we them the heade
of the Deare, lifting it vp and downe before them to make them
bape it: and when he hath drawne them al about him baying, he
shall cast downe the heade amongst them that they maye take
their pleasure thereon. Then shall he leade them backe agayne
to the Kynne, and turne the Kynne upon them being colde and
then kennell them vp. Consider that it shall be best to kennell
them immediately, for else if they should turne about and tra-
uell, it would make them cast vp their rewarde againe. The re-
ward be being thus gluen and kynched, the Clarlet and the rest
may go to drinke.

An aduertisement by the Tranflatour,
of the Englishe manner, in breaking
vp of the Deare.

I have beschriuing this order howe to breake vp a Deare, I haue
obferued the duetic of a taphtfull tranflatour, nothing at all
chaunging the words of myne Authoure, but suffering him to
prouceede in the kende maner. But because I finde it differente
from our order in some poyntes, therefore I haue thought good
here to set downe such obferuations of difference as I haue no-
ted therein, least the reader mighte be drawne in opinion, that
the error of him proceeded only in my default.

If left where he appoynteth the Deares kote to be cutte off,
and to bee prelentet to the Prince or chiche, oure order is,
that

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133

that the Prince or chiche (if so please them) doe alight and take
all away of the Deare with a Sharpe knyfe, the whiche is done

I.in.

it

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230

in this maner. The deare being layd upon his backe, the Prince,
chicke, or, such as they shall appoint, comes to it. And the chiche
huntsman (kneeling, if it be to a Prince) doth holde the Deare by
the foze-kote, whiles the Prince or chief, cut a lypt drawn alongst
the brylket of the deare, somewhat lower than the brylket to-
wards the belly. This is done to see the godness of the felle, and
howe thicke it is.

This being done, we vse to cut off the Deares heade. And that
is commonly done also by the chiche personage. For they take
delight to cut off his heade with their wodknypes, kaynes, or
woodes, to crepe their edge, and the godnaelle or strength of their
arme. If it be cut off to rewarde the hounds withall, then the
whole necke (or very neare) is cut off with it: otherwise it is cut
off neare to the head. And then the heade is cabaged (which is to
tayp) it is cut close by the hones through the braine pan, untill you
come underneath the eyes, and ther it is cut off. The piece which
is cut from the hones (together with the braines) are to rewarde
the hounds. That other piece is to naple vp the hones by, for a
memoriall, if he were a great Deare of heade.

As for the deintie morsels which mine Author speaketh off for
Princes, our vse (as farre as ever I could see) is to take the caule,
the tong, the eares, the doulcets, the fenderlings (if his heade be
tender) and the sweete gut, which some call the Inchpinne, in a
faire handkercher altogether, for the Prince or chiche.

It must be remembered (which he leaveth out) that the keete be
all foure left on. The hynder keete must be to fasten (or hardle as
some hunters call it) the hanches to the lydes, and the two kore-
keete are left to hang vp the shoulders by.

We vse some ceremonie in taking out the shoulder. For first
he which taketh it out, cuts the thinne skin of the felle (when the
Deares kinne is taken off) round about the legge, a little above
the elbowe iopnt. And there he rayſeth out the lyne of an muſcule
with his knife, and putteth his foze-finger of his left hand, through
under the layd muſcule to hold the legge by. If afterward he
touch the shoulder or any part of the legge, with any other thing
than his knyſe, untill he haue taken it out, it is a toſkayture, and
he is

The booke of Hunting.

he is thought to be no handsome woodman. Then with his
shoulder knyſe he cuts an hole betweene the legge and the bryl-
ket, and there puts in his knife, and loſteneth the shoulder from
the hyde, going about with his knyſe, neare to the outside of the
skynne, untill he haue qupt e taken out the shoulder, and yet leſſe
the skynne of the lyde kayſe and whole. And if he doe it not at
thee boutes, it is also a forſeiture.

We vſe not to take away the bryſket bone, as farre as ever I
coule see, but clyne the lydes one from another, directly from
the place of allayp, into the thoate. There is a little gristle which
is upon the home of the bryſket, which we eat the Rauens bone,
bycauſe it is call'd vp to the Crowes or Rauens whiche affewe
hunters. And I haue keene in some places, a Rauen to want and
accuſomed to it, that we would neuer kayle to croake and crye
for it, all the while you were in breaking vp of the Deare, and
would not depart untill he had it. Furthermoſt, we vſe not to
take the heart from the nambles, but account it a principall part
thereof. And about the winding vp of the nambles, there is also
some arte to be chewed: But by all likelyhode, they vſe it not in
Fraunce as we do.

Also I can not perceiue by myne Author's words that they
make any Adoute, which if they doe not, they may chaunce to
breake vp their Deare but homely ſomtimes. But if they cut a-
way the bryſket bone, the it is the leſſe requisite, bicauſe they may
come at the weaſond, and conuey it away easily. We vſe to re-
warde our hounds with the paunche, being emptied first.

These things of my ſelke I haue thought good
to adde, deſiring the reader to take
them in good partes.

I.iiij.

The

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The wofull wordes of the Hart to the Hunter.

Since I in deepeſt dead, do yelde my ſelke to Man,
And land full still betwene his legs, which earſt full wildly ran:
Since I to him appeal, when hounds purſue me ſoze,
As who should lay (Now faue me man, for eſe I may no more.)
Why doſt thou then (ô Man) (ô Hunter) me purſue,
With cry of hounds, with blaſt of home, with hallow, and with hue ?
Or why doſt thou deuise, ſuch nets and instruments,
Such toyles & toyes, as hunters vſe, to bring me to their bents ?

Since

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Since I (as earſt was layde) do so with humble cheare,
Holde downe my head (as who ſhould lay, to Man I yeelde me here.)

Why arte thou not content, (ô murdzying cruell minde)

Thy ſelke alone to hunte me so, which arte my foe by kynde,
But that thou muſt enſtrua, with wordes in skilſull wittc,
All other men to hunte me eke: D wicked wypie wittc.

Thou here haſt let to them, within this buſie boke,

A looking Glasse of leſsons iewde, wherein all Hunteſ may Iwke:
And so whyles world doth fall, theſp may be taught to bying,

The harmeleſſe Hart unto his bane, with many a wilde thing.

Is it because thy minde, doth keeke thereby ſome gapeſ ?

Canſt thou in death take luche delight ? brieſes pleasure so in paynes?

Oh cruell, be content, to ſake in worth my teares,

Whiche growe to gumme, and fall from me: content thee with my heares,
Content thee with my houſes, which every yeare I mew,

Since all theſe thée make medicines, ſome lickneſſe to eſchew.

My teares congealde to gumme, by peeces from me fall,

And theſe prieſerue from Pessilence, in Pomander 02 Ball.

Such wholesome teares ſhewde J, when thou purſwell me so,
Thou (not content) doſt keeke my death, and then thou getſt no moe.

My heare is medicine burnt, all venemous worms to kill,

The ſnake firſelke will yeeld thereto, ſuch was my makers will.

My houſes (whiche aye renew) as many medicines make

As there be Troches on their Toppes, and all (Man) for thy ſake.

As firſt theſp heale the head, from turning of the brayne,

A diamme thereof in powder dzunke, doth quickly eafe the payne:

Theye kime a kybed heele, theye fret an anguayle off,

Lo thus I ſkippe from tope to toe, yet neyther ſcoine no ſkoffe.
Theye comfort ſeeuers kaynte, and lingryng long diſeale,

Distill'd when they be tender buddes, theye ſundry greeues appeaſe :

Theye mayſter and coqreſſ, both humours, hove and colde,

Which ſtrine to conquere cloud : and brieſe, diſeales manyfold.

Theye bying downe womens ſermes, and ſloppe them to, for neede,

Theye keepe the meane tweene both eſtrecemes, & ſerue boſe turnes in deede:

Theye cleare the dimmee ſight, theye kill both webbe and pinne,

Theye ſone reſtoze the milt of lyeene, which puſtrifies within.

I. V.

Theſp

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They eale an akying Twof, they heake the rumblyng winde,
Which greppes the wounde with colliques panges, such is their noble kinde:
They quenche the kalyng fire, which kozched with his heate,
And skinne the skalt full cleane agayne, and heale it trimen and neate.
They poyson do expell, from Keyfar, King, or Queene,
When it by chaunce or deepe deceypt, is swallowed up vnkeene.
But wherefoe hend I time in bayne at large to playse,
The vertues of my harmeleſſe homes, which heape my harme always?
And yet ſuch homes, ſuch heare, ſuch teares as I haue tolde,
I mew and caſt for mans auayle, more worth to him than golde.
But he to quote the fame, (o Murdring Man therewhyles)
Purſewes me till and trappes me ofte, with ſundzie snares and guples.
Alas lo now I keſſe colde keare within my bones,

Whiche hangs by wings upon my heeles, to haffen for the nones
My twiflſt starting steppes, me thinkes the biddes me byde,
In thickett Tukſes of couerts cloſe, and ſo my ſelke to hyde.
Ah rerefuſt remedie, ſo ſhall I (as it were)

Euen teare my lyſe out of the teeth of houndes whiche make me keare.
And from those cruell curres, and bayneſicke bauling Tikes,
Which vowe kute hote to followe me, bothe ouer hedge and dykes.

We thinkes I heare the Home, whiche rendes the reſſelle ayſe,
With chyſleſt founde of blondie blaſſ, and makes me to deſhayre.

We thinkes I fee the Toyle, the tanglings and the stall,

Which are piepared and let full ſure, ſo compaſſe me withall :

We thinkes the Foller ſlandes full cloſe in buſe or Tree,

And takes his lenell (krepight and true, me thinkes he chowtes at me.

And hittes the harmeleſſe Harte, of me unhappie Harte,

Which muſt needes pleafe him by my death, I may it not allartee.

Alas and well away, me thinkes I fee the hunte,

Which takes the meaſure of my Slottes, where I to tredue was wont :

Because I wall not miſſe, at laſt to pleafe his minde,

Alas I fee him where he keekes my lateſt laye to finde.

He takes my fewmets vp, and puts them in his home,

Alas me thinkes he leapes for ioy, and laugheth me to ſoone.

Harke, harke, alas gine care, This geare goeth well (layeth he)

This Harte beares deyntie venifon, in Princes diſhe to be.

Lo

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137

Lo now he blowes his home, euen at the kennell doze,

Alas, alas, he blowes a feeke, alas yet blowes he moje:

He iopardes and rechates, alas he blowes the Fall,

And foundes that deadly doleſtull Hote, whiche I muſe die withhall.

What would the cruell meane ? perhaps he hopes to finde,

As many medicines me within to latilſe his minde.

May be) he keekes to haue my Sewet for himſelſe,

Whiche ſoner heales a merrypgalo, then Potheccaries pelfe.

(May be) his ioyntes be numme, as Spnewes ſhonke with colde,
And that he knowes my Sewet will, the ſeme full ſone vnſolde.

(May be) his wife doth keare to come before him time,

And in my mawe he hopes to finde, (amongst the slutte and clime)

A stone to help his wife, that the map bryng to light,

A blondie dabe lyke blondie Syre, to put pone Hartes to flight:

Perchance with fickneſſe he bath, troubled bene of late,

And with my marow thinketh to reſſore his ſoſner ſlade.

(May be) his hart doth quake, and thereſore keekes the bone,

Whiche Hunteſmen finde within my heart, when I pone Hart) am gone.

(It may be) that he meanes my keſſe for to preſent,

Unto his Prince for delicates, ſuch may be his entent.

Pea more than this (may be), he thinkes ſuch nouriture,

Will kill prolong mens dayes on earth, ſince mine ſo long endure.

But oh miſchieuons man, although I thee outlive,

By due degrees of age vnkeene, whiche Nature doth me giue :

Mull thou thereſore procure my death for to prolong

Thy ungryng life in luffie wife : alas thou doell me wrong.

Mull I with mine owne keſſe, his hatefull keſſe to keede,

Whiche me diddaynes one bitte of graſſe, or come in tyme of neede ?

Alas (Man) do not so, some other beaſtes go kill,

Whiche woſke thy harme by ſundie meanes : and so content thy will.

Which yeelde thee no ſuch gaynes, (in lyſe) as I renew,

When from my head my ſlately hoznes, (to thy behoſe) I mew.

But ſince thou arte vnkunde, ungracious and unniuſt,

Lo here I craue of mightie Gods, whiche are bothe god and iuſt :

That Mars may terygne with Man, that ſtrpfe and cruell warre,

May let mans murdyping minde on woſke, with many a blondy Jarre.

That

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That dummes with deadly dub, may counternayle the blaff,
Which they with hones haue blowne full lowde, to make my minde agall,
That chof as thicke as hayle, may stande for Crossebowe Chokes,
That Cuyffes, Greues, and suche may serve, in steade of hunters dotres.
That gyfte with liege full fure, they may thet to ples repent,
That Embuskadoes stand for nettes, which they agaynif me beut.
That when they see a spie, which watcheth them to trappe,
They may remember ringwalkes made, in herbo: me to happe.

That when they bule braynes, are errociled so,
Hartes may lie safe within they laye, and neuer keare they koe.

But if so chaunce there be, some daffard deadfull mome,
Whome Trumpettes cannot well entyle, no: call him once from home:
And yet will play the man, in killyng harmelelle Deare,
I craue of God that such a ghosle, and such a fearfull pheare,

May see Dyana nake: and the (to venge birk hoznes)
May kone transforne his harmekull head, into my harmelelle hones:

Untill his houndes may teare, that hart of his in twayne,
Which thus torments vs harmelelle Harts, and puttes our hartes to payne.

Thus haue you an end of so much as I find meete to be tran-
flated out of mine Author for the hunting of an Harte:
Wherein I haue dealt faithfully for so much as I translated,
neither takny any thing from him, nor adding any thing but
that whiche I haue plainly crprzelled, together with the reasons
that moued me thereto. And that which I haue left out is no-
thing else but certayne unekeemely verles, which by cause they are
more apt for laeticious mindes, than to be entertained amongst
the noble termes of Tenerie, I thought meete to leave them at
large, for such as will reade them in French.

An ende of the Hunting and Termes which are
used in hunting the Harte.

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141

Of the hunting of the Bucke. Chap.44.

Al though mine Author were a frenchman, in France
the bunting of the Bucke is nothing so common as the
hunting of the Harte is, yet somewhat he hath written
thereof, the which (together with some experience of mine owne)
I haue thought good here to place next unto the hunting of the
Harte.

It is needelelle to write what difference of heare, head, and
other propoitions, there are betweene the Harte and the Bucke,
since bothe kindes of Tenerie are common enough in this our
noble Countrie. The Bucke is fawned in the end of May, and
hath all properties common with an Harte, but that the Harte
goeth lower to the Rut, and is soner in greace: for when a Hart
hath bene, xiiij. dayes at Rut, then the Bucke doth but scarcely
beginne: there is not so muche skill to be used in lodging of a
Bucke, as in harbozing of a Harte, no: needeth to be so much
drawing after him: but onely to judge by the view and marke
what grove or couert he goeth into, for he will not wander no:
trople so farre aboute as a Harte, no: change laye so often: and
yet we be so here in England to lodge the Bucke as we be to
harbo: the Harte, for the Bucke is much commoner with us than
the Harte. He maketh his fewmishing in landzie maners and
formes as the Harte dothe, according to the season of the keede
that he findeth, but most commonly they are round: when they are
hunted they lie into such strong couertes as they haue bene most
accustomed unto, and neuer see so farre before the houndes, no:
double, croake, no: be so suche and so many subtle policies as an
Harte doth. For he turneth backe upon the houndes oftentimes,
and escheweth the high wapes as muche as he may, especially in
the open playnes: he is sometimes killed at Doyle as an Harte
doth, and will beate a Broke or Riuer, but not so craftely nor
can so long endure therein, nor dare take suche great rivers and
waters as the Harte will, he leapeth lightlier at the Rut than an
Harte, and groyneth as an Harte belloweth, but with a bater
boyce raflyng in the thote: the Harte is he loue not one another,

but

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142

but do one of them eschewe anothers layre : they are sweeter of
Sent unto the hounds than the Harte or the Rowdare, and yet
some thinke that the Rowe is the sweetest chace that is, but at
least they flest is more delicate : and therefore if a hounde haue
once fedde thereon, he will loue it abone all other chales. The
beynson of a Bucke is very dantie, god meate, it is to be def-
fed (in manner) lyke to the beynson of an Harte: but the Hartes
felle wilbe longer preferued : the Bucke will hearde more than
the Harte, and lieth in the dryell places : but if he be at large
out of a Parke, he will heard but little from the moneth of May,
bntill the end of Augull, or very neare, bycause the chie troueth
him : they loue the hilly places well, but they mulle haue dales
and bottomes to feede in : woe hunte the Bucke euen as woe
hunte the Harte : faupng that it is not needefull to lay so many
relayes, noz to lay out so farre. Bycause he fleeth not so farre
out, but wheeleth and keepeth the couert as is before declared.
The greatest subtiltie that a huntresman hath neede to beware
of in hunting the Bucke, is to keepe his houndes from hunting
counter or chaunge, bycause we haue plentie of fallow deare,
and they come oftener directly bakc upon the houndes than a
redde deare doth: the breaking bp and rewarde are all one with
the breaking bp and reward of an Harte.

Of the hunting of a Rowe. Chap.45.

The Rowe is a beast well knowen and caule to hunte, and
yet fewe huntlesmen know his nature: he goeth to Rut in
Dikober: and remayneth therein siktene dayes, he neuer co-
paniceth but with one make, and they neuer part until the Row-
doe haue fawned. Then the Doe parteth from the Bucke & faw-
neth as farre from him as the can, for if he fnde it, he will kill
the fawne : but when the fawne is great that he can runne and
feede, then the Doe returneth to the bucke & accompanieth with
him againe louingly. Pea and they will make alnuch halle to
returne togethers as may be, the cause whereof is it a Row doe
doth most commonly fawne two at once : as they be commonly also
bucke & Doe, so that being accustomed togethers in youth, they

do

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143

do loue to keepe company euer after. Some Row doe bath bin
killed with fine fawnes in hye hounde at once, which is a strange
thing in so final a beast. And here I thought good to note vnto
you that a fawne of a Rowe, is called the first yeare a Kidre: the
second a Cykle: the third yeare an Hemufe: the fourth a Rowe
bucke of the first head: and the fifth yeare a Rowebucke and no
more. Allone as a Rowebucke cometh from Rut he calleth his
homes, and few of them after they be paste two yearez olde, do
kaple to mew at Alhollantide: their heads grow out againe be-
ry quickly for they tray them commonly in March: you may hunt
him at all times alike, for his beynson is neuer fat, noz neuer out
of leason: they hide their heads in mosse, when they haue call and
mewed them: all the favour that thoulde be shewed vnto the
Rowe deare, is vnto the Does when they are with fawne, and
until their fawnes be able to live without the. They make mar-
velous good chace and stand vp long, and flee farre enduyes,
and their felle is good meate: you shall hardly know them epe-
ther by their kote or fewmettes : they see not very perfeely, noz
beare any great venison : that is to say, they be not very fat, un-
llelle it be inwards: their kidneyes will sometimes be hidde with
fat, and then are they in great payde of greace. When they are
hunted they turne much and come often directly bakc upon the
dogges, and wher they may no more endure, they flee to the wa-
ter, and beate the water like an Harte, wherein they will hang
by some bough all vnder the water but their very knowfte, it wil
neuer stirre until a man or a hounde come euen upon them : he
keepeth in the strong thickets, and commonly in the highest
groundes: sometimes also in the playnes but that very seldome.
The Rut of a Rowe deare is properly (amongst hunters) cal-
led his turne, as to lay the Rowe goeth in his Tourne. His crot-
lings and doublings before the houndes are called Trafo-
nings. He is not called a greate Rowebucke, but a fayle Row-
bucke: the heard of them is called a Beanie : if he haue Beanie
greace upon his taple when you hzeake him vp, then is he veni-
fon: otherwise he is meeter for to be given whole to the houndes
than to be dressed for your diſhe: the hounds mulle be rewarded
with

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with the bowels, the bloud, and the keete slit in lunder and boy-
led alfogether, it is not called a rewarde but a dole: of all other
things necessarie to be underwode for the hunting of a Row-
deare, I haue sufficiently hoken in the hunting of an Harte, and
the hunting of a Bucke.

Of the Raynedeare. Chap.46.

The Raynedeare is a beast like unto an Harte, but great di-
uerstic in their heads: for a Raynedeare's head, is fuller of
antlyers and much bigger and wyder in compasse: he beareth
fourie and twentie haunches of more, according to his age: he
hath a great pawne on the Toppe like a Harte: and his antliers
before are pawned also: he fleeth endwages when he is hunted
by reason of the great weight of his head: but whé he hath stode
by a great whyle and hath crosled, doubled, and vred all his pol-
licies, then he settes his backe and haunches agapnst some Tree
that nothing may allayle him but onely before, and holdes his
head lowe to the grounde: and then fewe date come neare him,
and his head couereth all his bodie. If any man come in to helpe
the hounds behinde him, then whereas a Harte will strike with
his antlyer, he striketh with his keete, but not so great a blowe,
yet he wilbe sure neuer to turne his head, for that is his chiche de-
fence: He is terrible to see borthe for hounde and greghounde by
reason of his great huge head, he is not much higher than a bucke,
but he is greater and thicker: when he rayfeth by his head, it is
much wider and hoder than his bodie is: he feedeth lyke a Hart,
and maketh his fewmets, sometimes round and sometimes flat,
he lueteth very long, and is killed with hounds, bowes, nettes,
and other such engines: he beareth fatter benison when he is in
pynde of greace than any other Deare doth: he goeth to Rut af-
ter the Harte lyke a fallow Deare, and kawneth like as other
deare kawne: he is seldome hunted at force, nor with hounds,
but onely drawen after with a bloudhound and fozeffalled with
nettes and engines, and that in the thicke and greatest holdes if
you can, for so shall you soneft ouercome him by reason of his

great

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great head whiche combreth him. I will trefe no more of him,
bicause I do not remember that I euer heard of any in this our
Realme of England: it may be that there be some in Ireland:
And therefore I thought not anille thus to place him amongst
the braffes of Tenerie, although he be not here in vse.

The hunting of the wild Goate.Chap.47.

There are two sortes of wilde Goates, the one are called euert so, wild Goates : and that other softe is called Tarus or Satur. And although I haue not heard of redde that there be any of them in England, or at least any that be hunted, yet because it may be well ynough that there are some in Wales or in other Mountaynes, I haue thought good to let downe the nature of him, and the manner of hunting of him, as I founde it in mine Aucthor, placing him amongst the beasts of Tenerie, since it appeareth by the holy Scriptures that his fleche is benison. The wilde Goate is as bigge as an Harte, but he is not so long, nor so long legged, but they haue as much fleche as the Harte hath, they haue wreathes and wrinkles on their hones whereby their age is knowe: for so many yeares old as he is, so many wreathes you shall finde about his hore: and as a Harte neweth and cleeth his head, so doth the wilde Goate new his wreathes as neweth them, but he neweth not the beame, the whiche is as bigge as a mans legge if he be an old Goate. They haue a great long beard, and are brownlyll grey of colour like unto a Wolf, and very yellow, having a blacke liff all alongst the chynne of their backe, and downe to they bellie is fallow, their legges blacke, and their tayle fallowe: their keete are like the keete of a tame Goate : the print and tracke wherof is great hroade and rounde, rather bigger than the Slot of an Harte: they bones be according to the bigessel of a tame Goate, but somewhat greater: they are fawned in May, and kawne as a Hinde of Doe, but they haue but one kawne at once, the which they suckle and bying vp as the tame Goate bringeth vp his kidde. Their keede is of come and graffe as other Deare keede: but they will eate Juie, mose and suche like keede

K.

that

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that is harde, better than any other Deare. In pring they
make their fewmets rounde, but afterward they make them
bioder and flatte, as a Harte doth when he comes to good feede.
There is indgemet to takske by their fewmets, either round or
flatte, euen as there is of an Harte: they go to Rut about Alhal-
lantide, and abide therein a moneth: when their Rut is past they
put thylkes in heards and come downe fro the mountaynes
rockes, where they abide al the Sömer: and that adwel to eichew
the Snow, as also bicaufe they find no knde on the mountaynes
any longer: and yet they come not very lowe into the playnes,
but keepe about the knde of the mountaynes, and there keeke knde
vtil it be towards Easter: then they returne to the mountaines,
and euery one of them takes him to his holde or strongest couert
upon the rockes cr tragges, euen as the Harte keepe the thickes.
Then the he Goates part fro the female (which are called Geats,
and the buckes Goates) and the Geats dawne neare to some little
hooke or water to favne, or to abide there at the sommer. When
the Goates he so parted fro the Geats, affending vtil the time
of their Rut returne, they ruime vp5 either man or beafts whiche
palle by them, and fight one with another as Harte do, but not
alto gether a like: for these make an unpleasant noyse, or they hurt
foze with their blowes, not with the endes of their hones, but
with the middell or Butte of their head: in such forthe that they do
oftentimes breake a más legge or his arme at a blowe: or though
he woundeth not with his blowe, yet if he beare a man agapunst a
free or a banke, he will surely kill him: and suche force hath he
also in the chynie of his backe, that though a man how strong so-
ener he be) should strike him with a barre of yon ouerthwarte
the revines, he will go on and neuer thinke at it. When he go-
eth to Rut, his throte and necke is maruelous great: he hath such
a propertie that although he fall tenne poles length downe from
an high, he will take no hurte thereby: and he goeth as surely
upon the foppe of a rocke, as a horse will go in an high way.
They clime maruelously for they keede, and sometimes they fal,
then can they not hold with their feete, but thrust out their heads
against the rockes and hang by their hones vntill they have re-
couered

couered

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couered themelues bp againe. That kind of the which is called
Jarmes or Sarjes, is of like proportion to this which I have already
described, and is not much bigger than the fame Goate. His na-
ture and properties are (in manner) all one with the wilde Goate.
Sometimes he would skrat his thygches with his knde, and thyn-
kleth his hokes in so farre, that he cannot draw the backe againe,
but falleth and breaketh his necke, for his hokes of his keete are
craked, and he thynkleth them farre into the skinne, and then they
will not come out againe. When they come fro their keede, they
go to the rockes or lie upon the hardeft places that they can finde.
The Gawle both of this forthe and that other, is very good for,
linewes that be as unke vp, when they are great or old, they are but
two two fat benyslon, especially within the bodie. The Geates have
hones like the Goates in all respeces, but not so great: bothe
forthe of them have their season or greace time, like unto the Hart
goyng to Rut at Alhallantide: then you may hunte them vntill
they Rutting time come, for in winter they are very leane, kee-
ding vp6 nothing but pynes or fypretrees, or such other vowds
as are always greene, howe little. Nouritue focuer they yeelde.
Their leather is warme when it is carried in calon, for neuer
cold no2 rayne will pearce it, if the hearie fide be outwards: their
felle is not very holesonie, but breedeth the keuer though the a-
bundant beate that is in it: neuer thelesse when they are in calon,
the benison of them is reasonable delicate to eate.

How to hunte the wilde Goates. Chap. 48.

The best time to hunt the wilde Goate, is at Alhallontide, and
the huntefman muft lie by night in the high mountaynes in
fome thepeheardes cabane, or such cottage: and it were good that
he lap so euen or eight dapes before he meane to hunte, to kee the
advantages of the coallles, the Rockes, or places where the Goates
do lie, or all such other circustances: let him let nettes or toyls,
or foyefallings, towards the riuers or bottomes, euen as he would
do for an Harte: for he may not looke or his hounds will folow the
Goate downe euery place of the mountaines, if he have not hewers

K. ij.

no2

143

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no? hunteſt men yno w to let rounde aboute: then let him place
his cónpanions on the toppes of the Rockes, that they may throw
downe stones, and thowe with Crollebowes at the Goates: a
Hunteſtman (all keeke the ſt and draw after them with his bloud-
hounde, euen as he doth after an Harte, and then call off foure or
ſue couple of hounds to mayneſyne the crie, & all make three
or four relayes to refrefh that hounds which are firſt call off:
for when his hounds haue once or twice climated by the Moun-
taynes & cliffes, they wil be so hote and so ſoße p[er]ſt, that they can
hunte no longer: then the Goate goeth downe to the small
browkes or wafers in the bottomes, and therfore at ſuch places it
halve belt fetting of relayes, and let the relayes neuer farie un-
till the hounds come in, whiche were firſt call off, for it wilbe
long Sometimes before they come in: and yet there are ſome lu-
ſtie yong hounds which will neuer give ouer a Goate no? ſuſi-
ſer him to take Soyle. This chale requireth no great Arte no?
following, nepther can a m[as] follow on ſoße no? on hóſebacke.
The belt help is in the Relayes which chalve let in the bottomes,
and for the reward, it may be done at pleasure and deuise of the
Hunteſtman, always provided that he rewarde not the hounds
with the belt moſſelles.

Of the wilde Bore, his properties, and
the maner of hunting at
him. Chap. 49.

Yet our Try-
ſtram recke-
mesch the Bore
for one of the
fourne beaſts of
Venerie.

Having described the hunting of an Harte, and al other deare
according to my ſimple ſkill, I haue thought good to let
downe here a little treaty of the hunteſing at the wilde Boze,
and of his properties: although he ought not to be compted a-
mongst the Beaſts of Venerie which are chafable with houſes,
for he is the proper pray of a Maffik and ſuch like dogges, for at-
much as he is a heauie beaſt, and of greate force, truſting & affy-
ing himself in his Túſkes & his ſtrength, and therefore will not
ſo lightly ſee no? make chale before hounds, ſo that you cannot
(by hunting of the Boze) know ſi goodneſſe or twiſtneſſe of the,
and

The booke of Hunting.

149

and therewithall to confelle a truth, I thinke it greate p[itie] to
hunte (with a good kenell of hounds) at ſuch chales: and that for
ſuch reaons and considerations as followe.

First he is the only beaſt which can dispatch a hounde at one
blow, for though other beaſſes do bite, snatch, t[ear]e, or rende your
hounds, yet there is hope of remedie if they be well attended:
but if a Boze do once strike your hounde and light bet weene
the foure quarters of him, you shall hardly see him eſcape: and
therewithall this subtiltie he hath, that if he be runne with a good
kenell of hounds, which he perceueth holde in rounde and fol-
lowe him harde, he will flee into the ſtrongest thicket that he
can find, to the ende he may kill them at lepure one after an-
other, the whiche I haue keene by experience oftentimes. And a-
mongst others I sawe once a Boze chafed and hunted with ſk-
tie good hounds at the leaſt, and when he sawe that they were
all in full crie, and helde in rounde together, he turned heade
upon them, and thynſt amiddeſt the thicket of them. In ſuche
ſoſte that he ſlewe sometimes fire or ſeuen (in manner) with
twinkling of an eye: and of the ſkittle hounds there went not
twelve founde and alive to their Maffers houſes. Agapne if a
kennell of hounds be once vled to hunte a Boze, they will be-
come lyther, and will neuer willingly hunte fleing chales a-
gayne. For almuſe as they are (by him) accustomed to hunte
with moſſe eafe, and to find great Sent. For a Boze is a beaſt of
a very hote Sent, and that is contrarie to light fleing chales,
which are hunted with moſſe payne to the hounde, and yet there-
with do not leane ſo greate Sent. And for the cauſes who lo-
euer meaneth to haue good houſes for an Harte, Hare, or Row-
dear, let him not vſe them to hunte the Boze: but since men are
of fundzie opinions, and loue to hunte ſuche chales as lie moſſe
commodiously aboute their dwelling places, I will here de-
scribe the propertie of the Boze, and how they may hunte him.
And the manner of killing him either with the twoode or Boze-
where, as you shall also fee it let out in poſtrapture hereafter in
his place.

K.ij.

Of

150

The booke of Hunting.

Of the nature and subtiltie of the
Bore. Chap. 50.

The Boze is of this nature, that when his Dame dothe pigge
him, he hath as many teeth, as euer he will haue whyles he
liueth, neuer will their teeth any way multiplye or encreale
but onely in greatnesse and length. Amongst the restle they
haue fourre, whiche (with the Frenchmen) are called Defences :
and we call them Tuffes or Tulsches, whereof the two highest
do not hurte when he striketh, but serve onely to whet the other
two lowell : but with those lower Tuffes, they tryke mar-
urlously and kill offenkymes : if a Boze happen to haue his eyes
blemieth, or to hurte them daungerously, he will haue agayne
very sone. A Boze may liue five and twentie, or thirtie yeares:
it is easier to byng them into a Soyle in Apill or in Maye,
than in any other season : and that is because they sleepe found-
lyer in those two moneths than at any other time of the yeare :
for as much as they feede then vppon strong hearbes and buddes
of trees, which do so moillen their baynes that they become very
sleepy. Againe the lying time reneweth their bloud, which ma-
keth them sleepe the more foundly. They go to Rut aboute the
monefh of December, and their great heateth endureth neare about
threec weekes. And although their Sowes become colde agayne
and couct not the Boze, yet do not the Bozes parte from them
untill it be Januarie, then they withdraw themelues unto their
holdes, wherein they keepe close sometimes threec or foure dayes
together and neuer come out, especially when they haue founds
the Feame, and do finde sweetenesse in the route of the Feame.
Sometimes a Boze will wander farre out of the Fozrelles or
thicke couerts to seeke fecding: especially in time of the vintage
in suche Countiés as wine is made : and wherefore not they be-
come when day appeareth, there will they abyde without respect
of the place. If fuffiketh if they finde but some tuffe of thornes
or brambles, and there will they lie untill it be night agayne:
they

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151

they hassen earnefully and will heare a man very farre off, ehe-
cially when they be under the winde, but if they be vp the winde,
heare not greatly. They lyue and feede vpon all kinde of Coyne
and Fruites, as Apples, Peares, Plunmes, Akehones, Chest-
nuttes, Beechmaffe, and suche lyke, and of all footes of routes al-
so, unless it be Rapes and Paute routes. Also in Appill and
May they feede on the buddes of Plumtrees, or Chestnut trees,
and all other sweete buddes that they can finde, especially vpon
the buddes of houme and Juniper, they will feede on no carion
hulelle it be of a deade Hoyle : they neuer become fowle or are-
fled (as weeterme it) lyke vnto our fame Swypne. When they
are in the marilhes, they feede and lyue vppon water Tresleys,
wilde Carlyke, and suche hearbes as they can finde. Byng
neare to the Sea coasle, they will feede vppon all kinde of feli-
filhes, as Cockles, Mulkles, Dyfters, and suche lyke. Their kea-
son beginneth in the middell of Septembcr, and endeth aboute
the beginnyng of December when they go to the Rutte : com-
monly a Boze wyll abyde the bape before he go out of his
denne, and they lie molle commonly in the strongest holdes
of Thomes, and thicke Buches : and when they are hunted
they flicke also in the strongest couertes, and will feldome leaue
them vntill it be darke night. And if it chaunce that there be a
Sownder of them together, then if any one breake Sownder,
the restle will followe the fame way. The Boze dothe lower
fozlake the hollow Fozrelles to seeke strong couerts, than the
Harte dothe : therevpon it hath bene choken in Prouerbe, that
a Boze is but a geſt : and if a Boze be in a thicke or strong
couert, byng come thyther from a hollow wode of Fozrell,
then if you hunte him, he will not kayle to go backe by the
fame way that he came thether: and when fener they are once
trared, they flee continually neuer stay untill they come to the
place where they were farrowed and brought vp, for there they
thinke theſtelues in safegarde. This haue I ſene by experience by a
Boze, whiche hath come from his accustomed denne to seeke
keede, and byng hunted he went immediately directly backe
againe.
K. iiiij.

The booke of Hunting.

agayne the same way that he came unto a forest which was fe-
en Frenche leagues from the place where he was reared: and
all the way I might finde the olde tracke of his feete whiche he
made as he came thether. True it is, that if he chaunce to bee
hunted in a forest or holde where he was dzed, then he will
hardly parte out of it for any force. Sometimes he will seeme to
take head as though he would go out, and will dawne to the
outside of the wode: but there he will stande and harken on
euer side: and if he heare the hounds folow him or any noyfe,
then will he quickly turne backe, and for any force that the
hounds or hunteomen can make, he will not be diuinen that
way agayne untill it be night: but beyng once broken out of a
Forest, and hauing taken head once endwayes, he will not be
put out of his waye neyther with Dogge, Man, boyor, blow-
yng, nor any thing. A Boze will not crie when you kill him;
epecially a great Boze: but the Sowes and yong Swine will
crie sometimes : in fleyng before the hounds, he neyther dou-
blely nor crofseth, nor bleth suche subttilties nor policies, as o-
ther chales do, for he is heauie and flowe, and therefore the
hounds are still in with him. I finde written in an auncient
Aucthor, that a man may knowe the age of a Boze by his legge,
on the whiche there be many little pleyttes or wincles : and so
many of those wypnicles as he hath, so many yeares olde he is.
But for mine owne opinion I judge by the head, by the tuckes,
and by the koefe. The wilde Swine farrowe but one litter in
a yeare : a Boze is moste fierce and hardie, and will konell
runne upon a man to krepke at him, when he feedeth upon
Fearne, and Bechenalte, muche koner than when they keede
upon Akoynes or some other moste. A yong Boze when he

is but three yeares olde, should not be hunted at

force, for he is light and will stand by longer

before your hounds, than a yong Deare

woulde do when he is little an

Harte of tenne.

(..)

Of

The booke of Hunting.

Of the termes and wordes which are to be vfed
in hunting of the Bore. Chap. 51.

Although in rehearsal of the hunting of an Harte, I haue
somewhat touch'd and rehear'd also the termes of Teneerie,
which are to be vfed in hunting of the Boze: yet haue I thought
good hertre to write them moze at large, for the better understan-
ding of all such as loue hunting.

First if a man should be demaunded by an olde hunteomen,
what he would call a young Boze when he commeth into the
thirde yeare of his age, he shall say that he is a yong Boze which
hath lately left the Sounder: for a Boze will neuer leave the
Sounder, until he be three yeares olde at the least. The nerte
yeare he shall call him a Boze. The nert pere after a Sanglier,
which we (by corruption) haue called a Spnguler in Tryslams
precepts. And so forewardes, even as you lay an Harte of tenne
chaleable or to be runne: you mape likewise lay a Boze of foure
yeares olde without refuse. If you would name a great olde
kwyne, you may call him a Boze, or a Sanglier, which lefte the
Sounder foure or five yeares since: or a kwyne Royall. In a ma-
king of a report, if you be demaunded where the Boze hath bene
to feede the night before, you may and were he fed in the fieldes or
in the meades, or in the corne. But if you perceiue that he haue
bin in any medow, or corne close, then shall you say that he hath
bene rowting or worming in ludy a fielde or medowe. And if
peraduenture he haue bene by night in some Parke, or in some
tuft of Fearne, then shall you lay, he hath rowted the Fearne, or
he hathe broken into the Parke: for you must understande, that
what so ever he feede on (but fearne and rotes) is called feeding:
but when he feedeth on fearne or rotes, then is it called rowting
or kearning, or (as some call it) worming: by cause when he doth
but a little turne vp the grounde with his nofe, he keeketh for
wormes. So may you lay that he hath bene nowling. When
he hath broken into any Barne, or Grayner of a Barne to feeke
come, or Akoynes, Peale, or such like. And when he feedeth in a

K.Y.

close

The booke of Hunting.

154

close and rowteth not, then shall you lay be grafithe: these kennes
you may use in making report of a Boze.

The iudgement vvherby you may knovv a great
Bore, and firſt by the foote. Chap. 52.

Commonly a man maye knowe an olde Boze or a great
swyne, by the kote where he hath gone, whereof the print or
koyne ought to be great and large, the toes rounde and thicke,
the edge of his hoge woyne and blunt, without cutting or paring
the grounde, so much as a younger swyne doth : the heele great,
the gardes (which are his binder clawes or dewclawes) should
be great and open one from another, upon the which he beareth
and stayeth him all the waye when he goeth upon harde
ground : his footing behynde should be troden sidewardes, and
more outwardes than his forefeet, to thewye the thicknelfe be-
twene his thyges. The pleptes or wincles which are be-
twene his heele and dewclawes, should leane print or koyne on
the ground, chewing the skinfelle and thicknelfe of his haire : his
kleppes great and long, the treading of his kote should be deepe
and great, to thewye the weightinelle of his body.

The iudgement by his rowtings. Chap. 53.

When a Boze rowteth in a hedge, for a kote (which some
fall the Parke) then may you perceiue the greatnelfe and
length of his head, by the depth and largenelfe of his rowting.
So may you also knowe in soft places where he wozmeth, or in
such other places.

The iudgement by the loyle. Chap. 54.

When he koyeth and walloweth him in the myrie, then is
it safe to know his greatnelfe, by the length of his largenelfe
of the loyle. Or else at his departure from the koyl, you may per-
ceive it where he hath gone into some thicke, by the leanes and
blandys which he shall touch : for he goeth out of the koyle all

myeris

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155

myerie and dytie, the which will leane markes upon the leanes
and blandys, of his heigth, thicknelfe, etc. Sometimes when he
commeth out of the loyle, he will rub him againſt a tree, by the
which you may fee his heigth: and also he will commonly give
two or three blowes with his tulkis upon the tree, as it were the
slabs of a dagger, whereby the huntman may take iudgement
and knowledge as well of his heigth, as also of the greatnelfe of
his tulkes. You may knowe and judge also by his duene : for a
great Boze when he is at pynne of his greace, will make his den
derpe : and at his going out thereof, will make his leſſes (which
is his oſdure) and by the greatnelfe and length thereof you may
judge the Boze. These leſſes (al neuer be brought to an alſom-
bly, but let the huntman content himselfe with the fight of them
in places where he findeth them.

The difference betwene wilde Svvyne, and
our hogges. Chap. 55.

The difference betwene wylde swyne and our hogs is great,
and that in ſundry reſpectes. First they are commonly blacke,
or grilſed and ſteakèd with blacke : whereas oures are whyte,
sandred, and of all coloures. There withall the wylde swyne in
their gate, doe alwayse ſet the binderkowe within the forekowe, or
very neare, and slay them kelues more upon the toe than upon the
heele, hutting their clawes before close: and commonly they strike
their gardes (which are their dewclawes) upon the grounde, the
which sway outwards: as the ſides of their hocks do cut as pare the
ground, the which our swyne do not, for they spreade and open
their foreclawes, leaning ground betwene them: and they be com-
monly round and woyne, leaning as slaying more upon the heele
than upon the toe. Againe, they ſet not their binderkowe within
their forekowe, and their gardes fall straight upon the ground and
neuer choyle or leane outwards: as they do break down a tople ſ
ground, and cut it not. Also the ſale of their feete is felly, and
maketh no plaine print upon the ground as the wilde swine do.
There is likewife great difference in their rowtings: for a wild
swine doth rowt deeper, bicaufe his snowſt is longer : and when

thryp

156

The booke of Hunting.

they come into come fieldes they follow a furrow, rowting and
woming all alongst by some balke, onfill they come to the end.
But tame swyne rowte here and there all about the fielde, and
neuer followe their rowting as the wilde swyne do. Likewise
you may knowe them by the difference of their feedings in come
growne : for the wilde swyne beare downe the come rounde a-
bout them in one certaine place, and tame swyne ferde scatte-
ring here and there.

The difference betweene the male, and
the female. Chap. 56.

20 Although some hunters holde opinion, that there is small
judgement to be taken of the difference betweene male
and female, being yong swyne that yet do keepe the foun-
der: Yet have I observed diuers differences in my time, where-
by you may knowe the male from the female, yea were they but
pigges of a yeare olde following the dammes, whereof I will
the we myne opinion in this sort. The male pigges following
the damme, doe commonly scatter further abzoade than the fe-
males doe, and will nouse and turne vp the grounde tenne or
twelve paces further of from their dammes than the females do,
and that ( thinke I) is because they are hardier than the females
are, for they followe the damme as close as they can, and dare
not scatter abzoade as the males do. You may judge them also
by their gate, for euerie male pigge or hogge, goeth hoder with
his hinder legges than the female do: and commonly they let the
tracke or print of the hinder foote, upon the outer side of the print
of the foze fore, by reason of the thicknelle that he beares betwene
the thyghes more than the female, for the female is leaner be-
twene the legges, and goeth closer in his gate. You may also
knowe them by their gardes, for the male hath them commonly
greater, and nearer to his heele than the female, whiche beareth
them high, short, and loose, one being neare unto an other, and
therefore the friketh not his gardes on the grounde so often as
the male doth, yea though the dot, the print of them is but small

and

157

The booke of Hunting.

and leight, and hopyleth not outwards like the male. Also com-
monly the female hath not so great an heele as the male, and
hath his claws longer and charper before, and opening wyder
than the male. Also the soales of his hinder keete, are leller and
draighter than the males be.

Howe to hunt the Bore with houndes
at force. Chap. 57.

You shall not by your wil hunt a yong Boze of three yeares
at force. For he will stand vp as long or longer than a light
yong Deare, which beareth but three in the toppe. But when he
is in his fourth yeare, then maye you hunt him at force, even as
well as an hart of tenne: and yet he will stande vp rather loger.
Wherfore if a huntman do goe to reare a Boze of foure yeares
olde, he shall do well to marke well whether he went timely to
his den or not. For commonly these Bozes which tarie till it be
day light before they go into their condes or dennes, following
their pathes or ways long time, especially where they find ferne
or bechemail, whereupon they feede, are great murtherers of dogs,
and verle hardy. The huntman shall not neede to be akrapde to
come ouer neare into such a Boze for rearing of him, for he will
not likely be reared for him. But if he find of a Boze which top-
leth affentimes, and which routeth now here, it now there, neuer
slaying long upon one place, then is it a token that he hath bene
scarred, and withdaweth himself to some ressing place at al ad-
ventures. And such bozes molte commonly come to their dens, cou-
des, or holds, two or three houres before day. Then let the hunt-
man beare for comming ouer neare to them, for if they once
finde him in the winde, or have the wynde of his hounde, they
will be gone, and he shall hardeiy come neare them agayne, no:
finde them. If a Boze meane to tarie and abyde in his denne,
coude, or forst, then maketh he some doubling, or crosing at the
entrie thereof upon some highe way or beaten pathe, and then
goeth into his holde, to lap him downe in his coude or denne:
and by such meanes a huntman being early in the woods, may
judge the subflete or craft of the Boze, and according to that

which

The booke of Hunting.

which he shall perceiue, he maye prepare to hunt with hounds
which are hote or temperate. For if it be a great Boze, and one
that hath lyne long at rest, he shall do well to hunte him with
hounds that will lice to him: and let the huntmen on hozle-
backe be euer amongst them, charging the Boze, and forcing
him as much as they maye to discourage him: for if you hunte
ludy a Boze with foure or kyue couple of hounds, he will make
small account of them, and when they have a little chafed
him, he will take courage, and keepe them skyl at Bayes, tun-
ning upon any thing that he seeth before him: but if he perceiue
him selfe charged and hard layd vnto with hounds and huntel-
men, then he will become a lonyed, and lole courage, and then
he is enforc'd to flee and to seeke the country abroad. You must
let Relayes also, but that must be of the skaunderst and best olde
hounds of the kennell: for if you thould make your Relayes
with young hounds, and ludy as are cwyke and rale, then
when a Boze is any thing before the rest of the hounds in chase,
he might easily kyl them in their furie, at their first comming
in to him. But if he be a Boze which is accustomed to flee end-
wayes before the hounds, and to take the champayne country,
then you shall call of but foure or kyue couple of hounds at the
first, and let all the rest at Relayes, about the entrye of the fieldes
where you thinke likely that he will flee. For ludy a Boze will
lildome keepe hounds at a Baye, onlesse he be forced: and if
he do stande at Baye, the huntmen must ryde in vnto him as
secrecfely as they can without muche noyse, and when they be
near him, let them call rounde about the place where he stand
eth, and runne upon him all at once, and it shall be hard if they
give him not one skotch with a swoode, or some woune with
a Boze: and let them not kryke lowe, for then they shall
commonly hit him on the nose, because he watcheth to take all
blowes upon his Tukes or there aboutes. But let them lift vp
their hands bygh, and kryke right downe: and let them beware
that they kryke not towardes their hozes, but that other waye:
For on that side that a Boze feeleth him selfe hurte, he turneth
heade crayght wayes, whereby he might the lower hurt or kyl
their

The booke of Hunting.

their hozes, if they kroke towardes them. And if they be in the
playne, then let call a cloake about their hozes, and they maye
the better ryde about the Boze, and kryke at hym as they paffe:
but kape not long in a place. It is a certayne thing I experi-
mented and founde true, that if you hang belles upon collers
about your hounds neckes, a Boze will not so lome kryke at
them, but flee endwayes before them, and lildome stand at Bay.

An end of the Hunting of the Bore.

Of the hunting of an Hare.

I am an Hare, a beak of little strength,
Pet making hort, of lome and gentle gesstes,

for

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For running swift, and holding out at length,
I beare the bell, above all other bealles.

Of the properties of an Hare, and howe
to knowe the male, from the
female. Chap. 53.

I will begin with the vertues & properties of an Hare, the which be verie great & many, hauing consideration to the greatneſt and littleneſse of Hir. First the bloud of an Hare, is a ſoie dyer, and if you do annoynt therewith any ytching place, or a ring-worme, it will die it vp and heale it. The Hare hath a little bone in a toyp of Hir hinder legge called the ſkyling bone, which is verie good for the Collike and the Crampe. Hir skynne burnt to powder, is a loueraine medicine to ſkend bloud. The Hare first taught vs the ble of the hearbe called wilde Succorye, which is verie excellent for those which are diſpoled to be melancholiket the Hir ſelſe is one of the moſt melancholike bealles that is: and to heale Hir own inſirmities, the goeth commonly to ſit under that hearbe: whereupon it hath beue called in times palt Palarinus leporis, that is to ſay, *Hares pallayſe*. The Hare doth naturally know the change of weather from. xiiiij. houres, to. xiiiij. houres. When the goeth to Hir ſoime, the will not let the dewe or wet touch Hir as neare as thee can, but followeth the hyghe wayes and beaten pathes, and breaketh the highe ſtaikes as the goeth with Hir teeth. And bycauſe some Hares by haunting the lowe watrie places, do become foule and melled, ſuch Hares doe neuer follow ſi hard wayes, nor make ſuch pathes to their ſoimeſ, but ble all their subtleties & pellicies by the ſides of the Ryuers, hokes, and other waters. And you shall underland, that the ſemales are not ſo commonly foule or melled, as the males are, & therfore a huntelin man may judge by the relieſe and feede of the Hare what the is, and which way the ſoimeth. They got to Bucke commonly in Januarie, Februarie, and Marche. Sometimes they keke the Bucke ſeven or eight myles diſtant from the place where they ble to hyt, following the beaten high wayes, as they.

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be hereafter declared. A Bucke hare wil abyde the hounds neare him when he litteth, than the female will, bicaue he feeleth him ſelſe quicker, and his body better diſpoled and hardier. If when a hare ryeth out of the ſoime, the ſet vp Hir eares, and run not verie fast at the firſle, and caſt vp Hir Skut upon Hir backe, it is a token that it is an olde and crartie hare. Although ſome ſay that there is no undgemint of difference betweene the male and the female Hares, yet haue I founde the contrarie. For the male hare or bucke maketh his crote, s always ſmaller or dayer, and moſe warped towards the end. The female maketh them greater and rounder, and not so dny. And the cauſe is, that the female relieeth not so farre out a nights, and is greater of bodye, which caueth Hir to make the greater Croteys alſo. You shall knowe a bucke as you hunt him to the ſoime: for you shall find he hath moſe beaten the hard high wayes, and feedeth further out into the plapnes, and maketh his doublings and crosſings much wpper, and of greater compasſe than the female doth. For he will keepe close by ſome couerts ſide, turning and winding in the bushes like a Coney. And if the goe to relieſe in the come fields, the will not lightly crosſe ouer the furrowes, but followeth them al along, and stayeth much upon the thickett tufts of come to feede: Neither is the ſatified by feeding Hir bellye full, but threds the come, and scarteth it as the goeth. Likewise you may knowe a Bucke at riling out of the ſoime, for he hath his hinder parts much more whitely, as if he were grey or downy: Do you shall knowe him if you marke his shoulders well bekoſe he ryle, for they are redder than a female Hares be, and will haue some lose long haires growing on them. Againe, you may know him by his heade, the which is hoſter and better truſſed than the females is. The hairs about his lips and dreks, are longer, & commonly his eares hoſter, greater, and moſe whitely. The female hath a long and leane head, Hir eares long, the haire upon y diine of Hir backe, blackiſh grepe. And commonly when hounds hunt a female Hare, the will ble more crosſing, doubling, & turning before the, paſſing ſeuen or eight times one way, & neuer maketh out endwayes before the hounds. The male doth contrary: for if the

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For running twitt, and holding out at length,
I beare the veil, above all other beastes.

Of the properties of an Hare, and howe
to knowe the male, from the
female. Chap. 58.

I will begin with the vertues & properties of an Hare, the which be verie great & many, having consideration to the greatnesse and littlenesse of hit. First the bloud of an Hare, is a sole dyer, and if you do annoynt therewith any ytching place, or a ring-worme, it will die it up and heale it. The Hare hath a little bone in a toynt of hit hinder legge called the flying bone, whiche is verie good for the Collike and the Cranpe. Hit skynne burnt to powder, is a loueraine medicine to lrende bloud. The Hare kirst taught vs the vle of the hearbe called wilde Succorye, which is verie excellent for that whiche are dispoied to be melancholiker the hit selfe is one of the moste melancholike beastes that is: and to heale hit own infirmities, the goeth commonly to sit vnder that hearbe: whereupon it hath bene called in times paft PALLATIUS leporis, that is to say, Hares pallasye. The Hare doth naturally know the change of weather from, xiiij. houres, to, xiiij. houres. When the goeth to hit forme, he will not let the dewe oz wet touch hit as neare as thee can, but followeth the highe wayes and beaten pathes, and breaketh the highe stalkes as the goeth with hit teeth. And by cause some Hares by haunting the lowe watrie places, do become foule and melled, such Hares doe neuer follow y hard wayes, no: make such pathes to their formes, but vle all their subtleties & pollicies by the sides of the Ryuers, brookes, and other waters. And you shall understand, that the females are not so commonly foule or melled, as the males are, & therfore a huntesman may judge by the reliefe and feede of the Hare what the is, and which way the formeth. They goe to Bucke commonly in Januarie, February, and March. Sometimes they kee the Bucke feuen oz eight myles diffant from the place where they vle to fly, following the beaten high wayes, as shall

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be hereafter declared. A Bucke Hare will abyde the hounds neare him when he fitteth, than the female will, because he feleth him selfe quicker, and his body better dispoied and hardier. If when a Hare ryeth out of the forme, he set up his eares, and run not verie fast at the firle, and cast up his skut upon hit backe, it is a token that it is an olde and craftie Hare. Although some say that there is no udgemint of difference betweene the male and the female Hares, yet have I founde the contrarie. For the male Hare oz bucke maketh his crote, s always smaller oz dyer, and more harped towards the end. The female maketh them greater and rounder, and not so dry. And the caufe is, that the female relieves not so farre out a nights, and is greater of bodye, which cause hit to make the greater Croteps also. You shall knowe a bucke as you hunt him to the forme: for you shall find y he hath more beaten the hard high wayes, and feedeth further out into the playnes, and maketh his doublings and croffings much wyder, and of greater compasse than the female doth. For he will keepe close by some couerts fide, turning and winding in the buffes like a Coney. And if the goe to reliefe in the forme fields, he will not lightly crosse ouer the furrowes, but followeth them al along, and stayeth much upon the hickeft tufts of forme to feede: Neither is the fatified by feeding hit bellye full, but threds the forme, and satteth it as the goeth. Likewise you may knowe a Bucke at rifting out of the forme, for he hath his hinder parts much more whitely, as if he were grey oz downy: On you shall knowe him if you marke his shoulders well before he ryeth, for they are redder than a female Hare's, and will have some lole long haires growing on them. Againe, you may know him by his heade, the which is horter and better trufled than the females is. The hairs about his lips and drecks, are longer, & commonly his eares horter, greater, and more whitely. The female hath a long and leane head, hit eares long, the haire upon y chine of hit backe, blackish grepe. And commonly when hounds hunt a female Hare, the will vle more croffing, doubling, & turning before the, paffing feuen oz eight times one way, & never maketh out endwayes before the hounds. The male doth contrary: for if the

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the hounds runne him, and that he haue once made a turne of
two aboute his foome, then farewell hounds: for he will leade
them sometimes three or foure myles endwayes before he turne
the head, and that lightly into some coast where he hath bene in
times past, and from whence he hath bene chaled and histed. For
an hare wil goe seven or eight myles endwayes at once; as you
may know when a hare is so come from farre by this meanes.

Whe you lee Æ your hounds find where an hare hath past at re-
lief, upon Æ highwayes fides, as hath much doubled Æ crossed bpó
dzie places, and neuer much broken out no: relied in the come,
it is a token that he is but lately come into those quarters: and
then iscommonly he wil stay bpó some high place, to loke about
hir, as to chuse out a place to come in, as also Æ better to faue hir-
kelf, if the percieue either hounds or any thing els that followes or
meetes hir. Or you may also know, by cause commonly hares
which stray so, doe make their come close, by cause they are in
dont and dzead. And when the hounds finde them and put them
bp, they breake and double, turning backe towards their come:
becaufe it grieueth them to part from it, knowing not the coun-
trep. But when they percieue that the hounds holde in to them,
then they returne by the same wayes that they came. By these
tokens you may knowe an hare that is a pallenger, which may
chance to leade your hounds a lustric daunce after hir.

Of the Subtilties of an Hare, when she is
runne and hunted. Chap. 59.

Might well mainteine that of all chales, the hare maketh
 greatest paftime and pleasure, and the cheth most cunning
 in hunting, and is meetest for gentlemen of all other hun-
tings, for that they may find them at all times, and hunt them
 at most seafons of the yeare, and that with small charges. And a-
gaine, bicaufe their paftime shall be always in sight, whereby
 they may induce the goodnesse of their hounds, without great
 paines or travail. Also it is great pleasure to beholde the subtil-
tie of the little poze beaule, and what lift he can make for hit
 selke. Wherefore the huntmen must be wary and wile to marke

hír

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hit subtilties, the which I haue practised much, and therefore I
am the holder to let downe in wytting such exercise as I
haue seene, knowne, and made. First the hunteiman which shall
be nerte the hounds, shall loke and marke many thinges when
the hare richeth out of hit come. As first what weather it is. For
if it be rayne weather, then the hare will holde the high wayes
more than at any other time. And if she come to the side of any
ong (spring of grove, she will not lightly goe in, but will con-
pany her selke, and squat under the side thereof, until the hounds
have ouerflot hit; and then she will returne the selke same waye
that she came, into the place where she was skart or put uppe,
for she will not willingly goe into any court, by cause of the
dewe and wet that hangeth upon the lowe twigges. In such a
cafe, the hunteiman shall doe well, to farie and iswaye an hun-
dreth paces before he come to the woodes fides, and then he shall
see hit if she come right backe as before layde. Then may he
ballowe in bis hounds and call them backe: for else it woulde
be harde to make it out. Where a hare doth so as before layd, by-
caufe an hound will scarcely believe that the hare were gone
directly backwardes, therefore the hunteiman shall doe well
to ballowe them in before they go any further: for else they will
tafer her iudge it to be the counter as the came first.

Herte to this, a hunteiman muste marke in what place the
hare sitteth, and upon what wynde she made hit come. For
if she come cyther upon the North wynde, or upon the South
winde, she will not willingly runne into the winde, but will
runne upon a hyde wynde, or else downe the wynde. Also if an
hare doe come in the water, if it is a token that she is foule and
melled. In hunting of such an hare, lette the hunteiman take
good heed all the daye unto the Biokes fides, for such an hare
will make all his crosdings, doublings, etc. upon Biokes
fides and plaashes. Agayne, a hunteiman muste marke wher-
ther it be a bucke hare or a female, and whether she be wonten
to the place where she laf, or a pallenger: The which he may
t knowe by such obseruations as I haue before rehearde: for
doubtlesse, a hare which is hied and wonten to a certaine place,

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and especially a female hare, (if a huntsman does make the first waye that he bethed, or the first compasse that he bethed when he parteth first from the foyne) will all the daye long holde the same wayes, and cast about the same coalkes, and palle through the same mules undill he death or escape : untille it be as if he dyde, some Bucke which he come from some other place, or that the houndes runne him so harde, that he be enfozd to make out end wayes before the houndes, and so to goe out of his haunt, the which they will all do commonly, by that time that they be well runne two hours without default. But at the first they will doe (in manner) nothing else but turne, crosse, and double, pafling fyue or fire tymes one waye, and in one felle fame path. And you must understand, that if you keepe an hare at any time, let the huntsmen yet remember and make white pathes the better, and what way the coasted : for another time if you find the fame hare, the will doublele keepe the fame places, and make the like doublings, crosfings. etc. And by that means you shall puentir hir subtletie, and much help the hounds in knowing which way he will bend.

If have keene a hare so craftie, that as one as the heard the hounde of an houze, he would eyle out of his foyne, yea, had the beene formed a quarter of a myle dyftant from the huntsman that blewe, and would kryghit wayes goe swymme in some pole, and abyde in the middelt thereof upon some ruffhed, before the houndes came at hit, or hunted hit at all. But at the last I discovered his subtleties, for I went close alongest by the pole, to see what might become of hit, and uncoupled my hounds there aboutes where I suspected the should be : and as one as ever he hearde the houze, the karte, and leapt before my face into the pole, and swomme to another bed in the middelt thereof, and nepther with stone noz clodde that I could thowe at hit, would e the ryle noz flyre : until I was fayne to stryppe off my clothes, and swymme to hit : yea, and the taryed me almoſſe, until I layde my hande upon hit, before he would e flyre. But at the last, the swomme out and came by the houndes, and stode vppe afterwards three hours before

before

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before we could keel hit, swymming and flying all hit crosſiſ and subtleties in the water. If have also keene an hare runne and lande vp two hours before a kennell of houndes, and then the bath started and rayled an other krefthe hare out of hit foyne, and let hit felde downe therein. If have keene other agayne, swymme ouer two or three waters, the least whereof hath beene fourteſcoze Taylors yardes ouer. If have keene some agayne, which being runne well by the fpace of two hours or more, hath crepte under the dore of a Sheepecote, and hyd hit felde amongst the Cheepe. And if have keene hares oftentimes runne into a flocke of Cheepe in the keldve when they were hunted, and would never leave the flocke, undill I was forzd to couple vp my houndes, and folde vp the Cheepe, or sometimes drue them to the Cote : and then the hare would forſake them, and I uncoupled my houndes at hit agayne and kylled hit.

If have keene that would take the grounde like a Coney, (which is called going to the vault) when they have bene hunted. If have keene a hare goe vp by one fide of an hedge, and come downe by that other fide, in fuche cost, that there was no more but the chickneſſe of the hedge betweene them. If have keene an hare being ſo runne, get vp upon an olde wall fire kowe heighth from the grounde, and quat or hyde hit ſelke in the hole that was made for a Scaſſolde. If have keene some swymme ouer a brooke eyght yardes broade, more than twentie times within the length of an bundzeth paces, and that in my lighte. For thele causes the huntsman muſt be warne and circumſpect in hunting of the hare. For a hounde whiche is a perfect good Harper, may be bolde to hunte any chace : for the hare is the verie proper beaſte to enter houndes well, and to make them tender noled. But afterwardes when you would make your houndes to the Harte, they will quickly forſake the hare, bycauſe the benyſon of an Harte is much more delicate and deſpite than the Hares is : and houndes do much more deſire it, bycauſe the Harte is also of greater ſent than the Hare. An hare lyueth not aboute leuen yeares at the molſe, especially the Bucke. They are of this property, that if there be a Bucke

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and a female which keepe one quarter commonly together, they
will never suffer any strange Hare to lapt by them, nor to abyde
neare them, vnlelle it be their owne yong ones. And thereforo
hath it beene an olde laying, that the more you hunt, the more
Hares you shall have, bycause when an Hare is killed, there will
some come other from some other quarter.

Howe to enter yong hounds to the
Hare. Chap.60.

First in hunting of the Hare, I would not have you to
have aboue two or three huntesmen at the molle, where-
of one shall take charge to rate and beate on such hounds as hide
plodding behinde: and the other shall make them ferke and call
about. For if there be many huntesmen, they shall fople the tra-
ces and forring of the Hare, or at the least will amaze the hounds
(with the batrifle of their boyces) when they are at default. For
an Hare makes sometimes so many doubles, crosslings, etc. that
an hounde can not well tell where he is, nor which way to make
it out, nor will doe any thing else (in manner) but holde up their
heades, and loke to the huntesmen for helpe and comfort. Then
let the huntesman call about a compalle, where they came felle
at defaulte, and encourage them, the whiche he can not so well
doe, if the other huntesmen have beaten and fopled the trace with
their feete, or the keete of their hounds. And he which hunteth for-
mott, should carie with him a good bigge wallet of lynnen cloth
full of depintie moystels, to give his hounds, to the ende that they
may knowe him. For aboue all things it is meete, that an hound
should knowe his maikler and huntesman, his boyce, and his
home: and then when it commeth to the hallowe, they will tw-
ner come in to his boyce, than to an other man, and will leaue
all others to come vnto him: thereforo he should neuer hallowe
them anysle, nor without good cause. And if he would have his
hounds come in to him, to make them goe into some grove or
couert, let him hallowe thus, crying, Heere haw, heere haw, haw,
And

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And when the hounds are come in to him, let him keeke some
kapie muse or gappe to palle in at, and there let him cast a cruiste
of breade, or somewhat to make them go in the more willingly,
crping, *Couert, couert, hyke in hyke. &c.*

Here I will discover unto you two secretes. Whereof that
one is, that he which hath a kennell of yong hounds to enter,
he must make well the countrey where he will make them their
fille quarrey, and whereof he will make it. For according to
the places where they shall be entered at the beginning, and ac-
cording to the quartrey which you shall give them, they will al-
ways afterwards proue. And therefore if at first where you enter
pong hounds, you accultome them to be uncoupled in the plaine
champayne, and that they hunt there an Hare to the kozine, and
starte hit, they will remember it all their life after. And then
when so ever you uncouple them in a quartrey, they will make no
great halt to hunte there, but will keeke to hunte out into the
playnes, and fude places as they have beene accultomed to in
hunting of the Hare. Even so will they best love the couertes,
if they be fille entered there, and have founde game therein.
And therefore it is requisite to enter your hounds in the coun-
trey, where you meane to abyde and to hunt most commonly:
for hounds once accultomed to a place or kynde of chace, will
not willingly hunt otherwise. Another secrete is, that you ne-
uer enter nor accultome your hounds at felle to hunte in the
mornings, bycause of the dewe and mospiture of the earth. For
if you once enter and accultome them to hunt in the krefthe mo-
nings, if afterwardes you byng them on keld in the heate of
the day, and that they once keete the heat of the Sun, or some dry
wynd which hath drawne up the moyst dewe from the ground,
they will neuer hunte, nor fall on willingly, but will runne to
keeke the shadowe, and there to rest them and sleepe. Therefore
I holde it best to accultome your hounds to be entred and hun-
ted withall, in the heigthe and heate of the day, rather than in the
insoming. And the best season to beginne to enter your yong
hounds, is in Oktober and November, for then the time is tem-
perafe, and the heates are not vehement: and then also young
Hares

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Hares which haue not bene hunted, are kolfish, and are neither of force nor capacitie to use such subtleties and policies, but hold on endways before the hounds most commonly: and doquat and flart againe oftentimes, the whiche doth much encourage the hounds, and doth much better enter them, than if they should flee into another quarter far before them. True it is and a thing oftre piqued, that an Hare hath greater sent, and is moze eagerly hunted by the houndes, when the feedeth and reliueth upon Greeneorne, than at any other time of the yere. And yet also you haue some Hares, which naturally giue some of them greater sent than some others, and are much more eagerly hunted and chafed by their hounds. As these great wod Hares, and such as are foule and meled, kepe neare to the waters. But the little red Hare, which is (in maner) like a Coney of bigne ffe, is neither of so strong a sent nor yet are so eagerly hunted by the houndes as other Hares be. Such as feede upon the small brandes of wilde time, or such like herbes, are commonly very twiſt, and wil stand long vp before the hounds. So haue you some Hares more subtle and crafty, than some others are, eſpecially the females, for they double and turne (haster than the Bucks do, and that pleaseth the hounds but a little. For it is grieuous to hounds which are lullie and eager, to turn so offe bicaufe they like better a chafe which fleeth before the endways, they may run with al their force. And for such Hares as double and crotſe often, it is requisite at default to raff the greater copalje about, when you beate to make it out. For so may you find al hit subtleties, and yet need toſticke upon none of them, but only where the went onwarde: for is doing, you may abate the Hares force, and costrein hit to leaue doubling and crolling. Some Hares will holde the high beaten wayes onely, where the houndes can haue no sente, bicaufe there is nepther bought, leake, nor any mopyſe place wherewith a Hare might leaue sent of hit body. The which the muſt needs leaue if it were in wodes, come, high grange, or such other mopyſt and cole places. And therefore when a juntiſa Thall find such an Hare, as may fee his hounds at default upon an high way, let him hunt on with his houndes ſkill all along with the way, undill he finde where the Hare hath broken from the way,

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or undill he finde some small dale, or krefthe place by the waye where the houndes may finde sent. And he himselfe also muste loke narrowly upon the grounde, as he goeth if he can finde the footing of the Hare (which we call pricking) the whiche he shall easily know: for the fashion of an Hares kote is fharpe, as made like a kniues popnt, and hyr little naples do alwayes fallen bp the grounde, so that he shall fee the prickes of them in any mopyſt place, or where the grounde is kofte: for an Hare when the fleeth before the houndes, doth neuer open hyr kofte nor naples in ſunder, as kinking chales and vermine do, but keepeth his kofte alwayes close lyke the popnt of a knife. So is there also certaine places and sealons, in the whiche an hounde can haue no sent of an Hare, as in the winter ſealon, in the playne champaigne countries, where the grounde is kaffe and roffen: and the Hare (bathing an hearie kofte) when the fleeth, the uppermost of the earth and groundelicketh upon the sole of his kofte, so that the carieth it away with hyr, and that couereth and taketh away all the sent from the houndes: and agayne in suche playnes there are commonly no bzaunches nor twigges which the might touche with hyr body and so leaue sent thereby. Agayne there are certaine moneths in the which a hounde shall haue no sent (or very little) of an Hare: as in the Spring time by reafon of the behument smell of theweete flowers and hearbes, which doth erceede the sent of an Hare. Likewise you muste take heede that you hunte not in a harde kroſte, for so your houndes shall furbayte their feete and lose their claws, and yet at that ſealon an Hare runneth better than at any other, bicaufe of ſoale of hyr feete is heaſtie. You shall be in maner the fame terms and words to encourage your hariers, that you be to encourage your Buckehoundes, and suche as you hunte any Deare withall: Sauing onely at the hallowe to an Hare you ſay, Haw, Haw, Haw, here, Haw, here, &c. Wheras in hallowing of a Deare you ſay when the hounds come in, That he, That he, To him, to him, to him, &c. Againe remeber that when ſoever you entre your pong hounds, you neuer helpe them to kill the Hare with your Greypoundes, for if you accultome to course the Hare with your Greypoundes before

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before the hounds, then when feuer you should hallowe, the
hounds would do nothing but like vp their heades, and loke
always to see the Hare before the Cregraphtes, and will ne-
uer put nose to the grounde, no: beate fo: it, no: hunte. But your
best entrying of yong hounds, is by the helpe of old lycke
hounds, which may best learne to call fo: it at a doublying of
default.

At what time of the yeare it is best hunting of
the Hare, and how to seeke hir, starte
hir, and chace hir. Chap. 61.

The best keason to hunte the Hare with hounds, is to beginne
in the middelt of September, and to leane at miode Appyll:
and that, bycause of the flowers and beheement heafes whiche
beginne akfer Appyll, and take away the fente of the Hare
from the hounds. Then in September the Huntelman shall
beginne to gyue rewards vnto his Haryers, and to renew their
hunting of that chace. Fo: ( as I haue layde ) at that tyme,
Hares be yong and feeble, and as the keason palleth, so they:
force encraeth: euen so your hounds the more that they hunte,
and the more quareps that they haue, the better, stronger, and
perkeffer they become. And agayne when the winter appo-
cheth, the mopfneulle and colenefle of the earth encraeth, the
which hounds do delight in rather than in great heate. When
your hounds are twoo yeares olde and upwardes, you may
hunte with them thysle in a wecke, and they will be the better.
When a Lorde of Gentleman will go on hunting, the huntef-
man muste regarde the tyme and place where he shall be, to the
ende he may go seeke the Hare where molle lykely hunting is:
as in the Pastures, Meadows, or Greene fieldes, and suche lyke:
and there be shall vncouple his hounds: and if there be any
hounde whiche light vpon the trayle of an Hare, where thee
hath relieved that might, lette the Hunteman laye and be not
oner halle, butfill the hounds make it out of themflues, and
when he perceyuenh that they beginne to drowe in together and

to

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171

to call on kresely, then lette him comforite them with words,
and name that hounde whiche hunteth best, as to lay: Hyke a
Fyndall, Hyke, &c. It is molle certayne that hounds will haue
better fente of an Hare when thee goeth towardes the reliefe,
than when thee goeth towardes hy: Fomme, yea although thee
go londer to the one than to that other: and the reason is, that
when a Hare is in the fielde and relieuenh, thee coucheth lowe
vpon the grounde with hy: bodie, and palleth oftentyines o-
uer one plotte of grounde to seeke good feede, whereby thee lea-
uenh greate Sente of hy: vpon the graffe or blades, and cro-
teyeth also sometimés: and therefo: the hounds hane greater
fente of hir, than they haue when the goeth out of the field (or out
of the cone or high graffe at least) to go to hit Fomme: Fo: wht:
the goeth to hit Fomme, the doth comonly beate the high ways
(as before laid) doubling, crolling, & leaping, as lightly as we ca.
Therfoje when a huntema seeth his hounds croule where a Hare
hath relieved, that they begin also to make it on unto hit going
out towardes hir Fomme, let him sufer his hounds to hunt kaye
and sokely, and haften them not ouermuch fo: ouerflwing of it:
and if his hounds fall at default, then is it a token that the Hare
hath made some double or some croule, or that the hath gons and
come backe agayne by one selfe same way: then shall he crie,
Haw agayne, agayne here, Haw, and shall not lyre any furder
forwardes, fo: if he come too neare the hounds, it woulde rather
make them to ouerflowe it: but let him so lay them and make
them beate fo: it, coinfozing and chearving them with words
and with his boce, and beholding how they hunte & beate fo: it.
But if they cannot make it out vpon the high ways, then let him
call rounde about in the freshest and greenest places, and such as
are most commodious for the hounds to take fente upon, fo: by
that meanes at last he shall make it out whiche way the Hare is
gone into some grove or pzyng: and then his hounds may al-
so beate the groves, and he h himself must likewitsh beate the tuffes
and buffes with his hunting sticke, to helpe the hounds to starte
hy: And if he chaunce to finde an olde Fomme, he muste take
some rewarde out of his wallet and calle it in the layde olde
fomme,

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forme, and call in the hounds into it, crying: Here, Haw, here
she fat, here she fat, To hyr agayne. The猎man shall do well
also to have a piece of the latte of Bacon or such like thing in his
wallet, wherewith he may anopnt the end of his hunting Skaffe,
and then when soever he would be poynt his hounds to a Muse,
or to any place, he shall neede to do nomozc but flyke on the
grounde with the end of his Skaffe, and his hounds will go
though the muse, or come into any place where he shall poynt
them, and hunt it much the better. But if the猎man when
he bath caft aboute, do not finde that the Hare is gone out be-
gonde the compaffe that he cafteth, then lette him call backe his
hounds to the place where they first came at default, and let him
consider which way it seemeth that the Hare bent hyr head when
he came into that way or place, and if the helde on head, then
let him beate with his hounds still onwards on bothe sides of
the way: for oftentimes the Hare followeth the high wapes be-
ry farre, to double, crosse and vse policies, and will neuer steppc
from the way in a myle together. And in such places the hounds
can haue no sent, by reason of the duſe and other ſuche things as
I haue befoze alledged, and yet they will squaffe upon the out-
ides of the wapes or very neare to them: and therefore let the
hunteſman beate the sides of the high wapes well. But if al theſe
policies cannot helpe the hounds to make it out, then may the
Hunteſman well iudge that the Hare hath turned backewards
upon the hounds: and then let him take his compaffe greater
and beate backe with his hounds, and it shall hardly be possible
but at the last he muſt make it out. And yet some Hares there be
that will fit untill you tade upon them before they will tyle,
and some wilbe taken in the forme. How although I haue so
much poken in playſe of trailing of an Hare from the relief to
the forme, yet me thinks it is moſe payne than needeth, and leſſe
pleasure than might be desired: bycauſe the hounds while they
trayle, do call on but coldly one after another: and that it ſhould
be much chopter and better paſſime to seeke and finde hyr as fol-
lowely.

When three god hunteſmen are met, and percepue that they
hounds

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hounds do find where an hare hath releued in some fayle come-
fieſe or paſſure. Then muſt they consider the season of the yeare
and what weather it is: for if it be in the Springtime or in the
Sommer, then a hare will not fit in the bushes, bycauſe these
Pillemyers, Tikes, and sometimes Snakes and Adders will
dine them out: then they are costrepned to fit in the comeſieltres,
or fallow fields and open places. In winter they loue to fit
nere the townesides in some tuffe of brambles or thornes:
especially when the winde is eſther Southerly or Notherly,
for they keare both those winpes also exceedingly. Then accor-
ding to the season and place where the Hare shall want to ſitte,
they shall beate with their hounds to starte hit at the first : and
bſing that meanes, they shall finde moſe Hares, and haue cho-
ter hóſte than in trailing after them as before taye: and they
may do enter their hounds accuſome to them, that allwne as they
beginne to beate the bushes with the y hunting slickes, the
hounds will in and strike who may first gette in, like Spani-
els at reſtcke of a Partriche. And when the Hare is starte and on
fote, then let the hunteſman go where he faſe hyr paffe, and
hallowe in all the hounds untill they haue al undertaken it, and
go on with it in full crie: Then let him rechate to them with
his home, and comfoſe them euery way that he can best deuile :
and when he percepeth that they are in full crie, let him follow
faye and easily, not making our much haſſe at firſt, nor ma-
king to much noyſe eſther with home or boyce: for at the firſt
the hounds will easily ouerhóſte a chafe through too much heate:
and therefore if the hunteſman overlay them, he should but chaffe
them more, which might cauſe them both to ouerhóſte it and to
leefe it. But when they haue run the space of an hour, and that
they are well in with it, and kicke well upon it, then may the
hunteſman come in nearer to his hounds, bicauſe by that time
their heate will be wel coled and they will hunte soberly. Above
all things let him marke the first doublyng that the Hare ma-
keth as I haue before taye, and ſhereby he may gourne himself
all the day: for all the rest that he will make will be lyke unto
it; and according to the policies that he shall see hit vſe, and the

place

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place where he hunteſt, he muſſe made his compasses create or little, long or wort, to helpe the defaultes, alwayes seeking the mopyſt and mofte commodious places for the houndes to ſente in. There are two manner of huntinges at the Hare, for some follow and neuer hallowe before an Hare, nor after hye, nor neuer helpe houndes at defaulte: and me thinkes that this is a notable kynde of hunting, and doth belle the we þrone the goodneſſe of the houndes: other agains do marke which way an Hare beth in the firſt, and coasſ before him to meete hye, and there hallow amayne, and helpe the houndes also at defaultes almuſe as they can. When houndes are hunted with in this kynſe, they become ſo light of belieſe that many tymes they leaue the right tracke to go in to the hallowe, and by that meanes the Hares can stande up but a whyle before them. And ſurely he that woulde hunte to kill many Hares, should do belle to hunte this kynde of way: but to trie the good hunting of houndes, I do more playſe that other way, whiche hunteſt only upon the kynſe and ſente: but this latter way is ſperſie, and belle counterwayt let the ſubtilties of an Hare. I coulde haue ſlode longer in defecſing the meanes howe to breathe and enter harpers. But because I haue both hoken ſuſciently in the hunting of an Hare, and also in these chapters before, whiche treate of the polliſes and ſubtilties that Hares be, whereby a hunteſman may ſinde preceptſs ſuſcient to gouverne himſelſe, therefore I will nove lay no more of that poynt.

How you shall rewarde your houndes when they haue killed an Hare, which the Frenchman calleth the reward, and ſometimes the quarey, but our old Triftram calleth it the hallow. Chap. 62.

When your houndes haue killed the Hare, let the barlet of your kennell, cut downe some prieſe bending wandes of an Hafeil or some such tree, then let him take the Hare and lay him in some kaye place upon the gralle: then let the hunteſman alight

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alight from his hoſſe, and blowe the death to call in all the houndes: that done, the barlet of the kennell shall keepe off the houndes with those little wandes, and let them all baye aboute him. The hunteſman shall blowe till a good while, and after wardes shall clappe and broke his best houndes on the sides, and then let them the Hare, laying: Dead boyes, dead: Then lette him hulke him (which is to open him and take out his garbage) and afterwards keepp off his skinne before the houndes, taking away the Gall, the lightes, and the skinne, the which he shall hang up in some tree, where the houndes may not eat them, for they will make them ſicke. When the Hare is thus bulked and kripte out of him his skinne, lette the hunteſman take out of his wallet some bread, cheeſe, and other finall mopyſes, as put them into the bulke of the Hare, to wet and mopyſen them with his blow: then shall he cutte off the foſeparte of the Hare, head and all: and yet if he haue any yong hounde which is careſull, let him giue him the Hares heade by himſelſe for to encourage him the better. Then muſſe the barlet of the kennell eye a coſde to the foſequarters of the Hare in fine or fire places, that one dogge may not teare away all at a mouthfull, and so beguile all his fellowes. Afterwards let him hide it, and take his staffe and go an hundred paces from the reſt: in meane while the hunteſman shall powre out the rewarde of bread and cheeſe upon the cleanest place of graſſe that he can finde, and shall yet keepe off the houndes with his hunting wande. This beyng done, he shall blow that all the houndes may come in together, as heal suffer them to eate this rewarde, clapping them upon the sides, comfoſing of them, and blowing with his home. In meane while who they haue almost done, he shall make ſigne to the barlet of the kennell which he shall hallow and blow for the houndes: then the hunteſman shall rate them as beate them to him, laying: Lysſt Hallow, Hike Hallow, hike. Then the barlet shall then the Hare holding it as high as he can, as holding his coſde alwayes kall by end: as when all the houndes be about him, he shall call it amongst the, as suffer the to teare it by perceemeale out of the coſde: and then carie them to the water before he couple them by agayne: or rather lette him carie

175 The booke of Hunting.

carie them home uncoupled, that they may skoure at large and
skommer : for a hounde will be enclined to be sickly when he
hath eaten of a hartes fleche. And therefore let him give them
bread after they have eat the rewarde, to close vp they stomacks
withall, and leaft they should cast it vp againe.

The Hare, to the Hunter.

21
Re mindes of men, become so boyde of sense,
That they can ioye to hurfe a harmeleffe thing ?
A fillie beaft, whiche cannot make defence ?
A wretche : a woime that can not bite, no stling :
If that be so, I thanke my Maker than,
For making me a Beaft and not a Man.

The

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177

The Lyon lickes the Bozes of wounded Sheepe,
He spares to pray, whiche yelves and craveth grace :
The dead mans corps hath made some Serpentes weepe,
Such rewidth may ryse in beafts of bloudie race:
And yet can man, (whiche bragges aboute the rest)
Tale wracke for rewidth ? can murder like him belt ?

This song I sing, in moane and mourneful notes,
(Which layne would blake, the bloudie minde of Man)
Who not cotent with Hartes, Hindes, Buckes, Rowes, Gotes,
Bozes, Beares, and all, that hunting conquere can,
Muff yet leeke out, me fillly harmeleffe Hare,
To hunte with houndses, and course sometimes with care.

The Harte doth hurfe (I must a trueth confelle)
He spoyleth Cone, and beares the hedge adowne:
So doth the Bucke, and though the Rowe keene lesse,
Yet doth he harme in many a field and Towne:
The clyming Gote doth pill both plant and vine,
The pleasant meades are rowted vp with Swine.

But I poyse Beaft, whose feeding is not keene,
Who hzeake no hedge, who pill no pleasant plant,
Who Irope no kruite, who can turne vp no greene :
Who Ipolye no cone, to make the Plowman want,
Am yet pursewed with hounde, hozle, might and mayne
By murdzing men, vntill they haue me slayne.

Sa how layeth one, as sone as he me spies,
Another cries Now, Now, that kees me starte,
The hounds call on, with hydeous noyle and cryes,
The spurgalde Jade must gallop out his parte:
The home is blowen, and many a boyce full thylle,
Do whoup and crie, me wretched Beaft to kyll.

M.

What

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What meanest thou man, me so for to purlew ?
Ko? first my skinne is scarcely worth a placke,
My fleche is die, and harde so? to endew,
My greace (God knoweth) not great upon my backe,
My leife, and all, that is within me founde,
Is neyther good, great, ritche, katte, sweete, nor founde.

So that thou cheweft thy dauntes to be but bayne,
That bragst of witte, aboue all other beafts,
And yet by me, thou neyther getteth gayne
Nor indelt keode, to ferue thy gluttons keafts :
Some spoite perhaps : yet Greuous is the glee
Which endes in Blond, that lesson leare of me.

Of the nature and property of the
Conie. Chap.63.

The Conie is a common beaft and well knowne unto all men.
The Conie beareth by Rabettes, xxx. dayes, and then kinde-
leth, and then the muft be bucked againe, ko? els he will eate by
hit Rabets. She wil hane kue, kire, and seuen at a litter. He that
would hane a warrayne well replenished with Conies, thoude
hunt them ¤ beate them in twice or thrice in a weeke with some
Spanell or curre for the purpose: ko? otherwize they will strap ¤
keede out into the wodes and comefeldes neare adiopning, and
you shall neuer make the come in to their burrowes or clappers
againe. Some hold opinio that they will follow a hare to knott
¤ engedre with hit; but ko? the realon before alledged, beate them
in twice or thrice in a weeke. When a Bucke Conie will go to
the Dae, he will beate vpon the ground with his koefeote mar-
nelously, and by that means he heafeth hindelese : when he hath
bact it, then falleth he backwards ¤ lieth in a traunce as he were
half dead : and then may a man easily take him. The fleche of a
Conie is much better than the fleche of an hare, ko? the hares
flech is much drier and noze melancholike : so is the skinne of a
Conie (if it be blacke) a very good furre, where as the hares skin
is little or nothing worth.

How

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How to hunte and take Conies. Chap.64.

HE that would take Conies must hunte with two or three
Spanells or currens made ko? the purpote, amost the hedges
¤ buches where he knoweth that the Conies do lie: he may also
have final Greyhounds ko? the purpote to coarfe at them: but in
their dekault, the Spanells or currens will drive them into they?
Burrowes: then let purfenettes upon al the holes, or as many of
them as you can finde, and put in a Ferret close muleeled, and
the will make the Conies bolte out againe into your purfenets,
and so you shall take them. Remember that your Ferret be close
muleeled, ko? els he will kill the Conie in the ground, and perab-
venture will not come out againe of three or foure dayes after.
Ko? default of a Ferret, you may make Conies come out of their
Burrowes with the poudre of Dppyne and Brimstone, ¤ make
a minother with them, and it will make the Conies bolte out of
the earth, and so you shall take them in your purfenets. Mine
Auchor telleth furthermore of making final low hedgerowes al
alongst downe by y side of some hedge which is wel replenished
with Conies: and that the layde lowe hedges should be made o-
nerthwart contrarie to the standing of the quicke hedge: ¤ that
fundite holes should be made in them, at the whiche he would
let purfenets or other neftes, and so take the Conies, hunting
them vp ¤ downe with a Spanell or curre. But he flemeth not
to have seene our English Warreyns, nor our manner of taking
of our Conies. Ko? (thanked be God) there are fundy Lodyts ¤
Gentlemen in England, which have their groundes so well re-
plenished, as they would runne a man but small thanks whiche
hulde so minother they? burrowes with Brimstone or Dipin: ko?
in derde that will marre a Burrow, ¤ diue the Conies cleane
from it. But wee take them principally with hyes: next with
purfenets ¤ Ferrets: thirdly with a drawing Ferret when they
be yong: and againe we have a kind of dogges called tumblers,
which will kill Conies abundantly, ¤ after a marvellous fahilit.
Of all these fortes of taking Conies, together with the order to
keepe a Warreyn from bermin, I wil hold no longer discourse:
ko? in derde it is somewhat befares my purpose, since I
accoust
M.ij.

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accoumpte ferrettyng one of the coldest and wilpleafankell chaces
that can be followed. Pet thus muche I haue thought meete to
write of it, following mine Auckho: and bicaufe in deede if fee-
meth to be a kinde of Clenerie, at the leakt he that hath a good
warreyne of Conies, a good Douehoule, and good fildepondes,
shall neede the lesse to go into the Fozest or Chale for Beeke of
Bacon, for these thyee are good neighbours.

Of the hunting of the Foxe and
Badgerd. Chap.65.

N
Dw to heake of For hounds & Terrpers, and how you
should enter them to take the Fore, the Badgerd, and luche
like vermine, you muste understand that there are fundrie loztes
of Terriers: whereof wee hold opinion that one lozte came out
of Flaunders of the low Countries, as Artoys and thereabouts,
and they haue crooked legges, and are more heared molte com-
monly. Another lozte there is whiche are ragged and streight
legged: those with the crooked legges will take earth better
than the other, and are better for the Badgerd, because they
will lye longer at a vermine: but the others with streight
legges do ferue for two purposes, for they will hunte a-
boue the grounde as well as other hounds, and enter the
earthe with more furie than the others: but they will not
abide

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abide so long, because they are two two eagre in fight, and there-
fore are contreyned to come out to take the ayre: there are both
good and badde of bothe loztes. And because it is good paffime,
and because fight, without great payne of tranayle to the huntel-
man, therefore I haue thought good to let downe here some pre-
ceptes for the entryng of Terriers, and for the better fleshyng
and encouragying of them.

You shall beginne to enter them allone as they be eyght or
tenne Moneths old: For if you enter not a Terrier before he be
a peare old, you shall hardly enter him take the earth. And
you must take good heede that you encourage them, and rebuke
them not at the firste: not that the Fore or Badgerd do hurte
them within the earth, for then they will neuer loue the earth a-
gayne. And therefore neuer enter a yong Terrer in an earth
where there is an olde Fore or Badgerd: But firle lette them
be well entred, and be a peare olde full of more. You shall do
well also to put in an old Terrer before them whiche may a-
bide and endure the furie of the For or Badgerd. You may en-
ter them and fleche them fundrie wayes. First when Foxes and
Badgerds haue yong cubbes, take all your olde Terrpers and
put them into the grounde: and when they beginne to baye,
(whiche in the earth is called Pearnying) you muste holde your
yong Terrpers every one of them at a fundrie hole of some an-
gle of mouth of the earth, that they may herken and heare they
fellowes yeare. And when you haue taken the old Foxes or
Badgerds, and that there is nothing left in the earth but the
yog Cubbes, take out then all your old Terrpers, couple them
up: then put in your yong Terrpers & encourage them, crying,
To him, To him, To him: and if they take any yong Cubbe, lette
them take they pleasure of him, & kill him within the grounde:
and beare that the earth fall not downe upon them and lim-
ther them. That done, take all the rest of the Cubbes and Bad-
gerds pigges home with you, and krie they liuers and they
bloud with cheek, and some of they owne greace, and thereof
make your Terrpers a rewarde, if they wyng them always the
heads and skinnes to encourage them. When they haue bene re-
warded

M.ij.

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182

warded or rather before, walle them with Sope and warme
water to get out the clay whiche shall be clodded in they? heare:
for els they will come become mangie: and that would be harde
to be cured. You may enter them also thus: you must take old
Fores and Badgerdes alike with your olde Terrpers and the
helpe of such clampes and holdfalfes as you shall see here por-
trayed: Take them and cut away their neither Jawe wherein
there Wang teeth be let, and neuer touche the upper Jawe, but
let it kande to the we the kurie of the Beast, although it can do
no hurfe therwith: then make an earth in some of your clothes,
and make it large enough, bycause that the Terrpers may fight
and turne therein the better, and that they may go in two to-
gether: then couer the bozowe or earth with bozdes and furues,
and put the Fore or Badgerd therein: then put in al your Ter-
rypers both yong and old, and encourage them with words, as
hath bene before declared, and as the Arte requyeth: and when
they have learned sufficiently, then beginne to digge with spades
and mattockes to encoage them agaynst such tyme as you must
be to digge ouer them: then take out the Fore or Badgerde
with the clampes or pinchers, killyng it before them, or lette a
Greyhounde kill it in their fight, and make them reward there-
of. It shall be well to call them some bzeade or cheese upon
the vermin allwne as it is dead, for the better boldnyng
and encouraging of the. If you will not cut the
Jawe of the Fore or Badgerd, then bzeake
out al his teeth that he bite not the Ter-
rypers, and it shall suffyze
as well.

(..)

Of

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183

Of the nature and properties of a Foxe
and a Badgerd. Chap. 66.

As you have two kyndes or more of every other chace by di-
versitie of names: lo of these vermyne there are Fores and
they? Cubbes, and Badgerdes and they? Pigges: the female
of a Foxe is called a Bitche, and he himselfe a Doggefox:
the Female of a Badgerde is called a Sowe, and the male
a Badgerde or a Bozepygge of a Badgerde. Put some will
not allowe this difference: but I can prove it by good rea-
son and by the diversities of colour, nature, and proportion.

M.iiiij.

The

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the Badgerd pigges at comming out of the earth do commonly make and call their hawits : and they neuer do it untill they haue made a hole in the earth with theyr snowe or with their fowe: and then they fyaunt within it and hide it : this the Fore cubbes do not. Also the Badgerd makereth his hole commonly in Sande or light earth whiche is eable to digge,and in open plances, to haue the comfort of the Sunne:fot they sleepe vncerantely, and are muche fatter than For cubbes be. As touchying their heare, they haue a grey coat, and are somewhat whiter than the olde , waryng greyer and greyer the elder that they bee: some say that there is twoo fortes of these yong Badgerdes (and I beleene it ) whereof that other forte goeth further out for their piay than these do : and that they caule their fyants longer somewhat lyke a Fore, and keepe commonly in strong holdes or in rockes, and make their earth or their Burrowe deeper than these doo. But yet there be not so many chambers no angles in their Burrowes as there are in these : for it were vnpossible for them to worke so well in Rockes or in harde earth,as those others do in Sande. These twoo sundry fortes do not keepe one another companie : neyther shall you lightly finde one of them where that other is. Terryers do keare the one more than the other, bycaufe they are muche curfier, and a gayne they linke muche worke. For the better vnderfanding of the diuerſitie,let vs coyne a worke,and call the one Badgerd pigges, and the other Badgerd whelpes, and say that the Badgerd whelpes haue they nose, their throte, and their eares yellowe, lyke unto a Marternes throte, and are muche blaker than the pigges, and higher legged : Bothe fortes lie upon all fchcke, and will hunte after carrion : they do greate hurte in Marternes and Connigres, especially when they be full of little rabbets, for they make a hole right aboue the neaſt, and go kreygt to them : Whereas the Fore followeth the holes mouth the vntill he come at the neaſt. I haue keene a Badgerde take a suckyng Pigge in my preſence, and cauqed him cleane away vnto his earth. It is sure that they desire Hogges fleche more than any other : For if you trayne

we thinke
that the Foxe
makereth a hole
aboue as well
as a Badgerd.

a

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a peee of Pojke or Hogges fleche vppon their burrowe, they will fure come out unto it. They piay also vppon all Pullen, as Geele, Duckee, Hennes, and Inche like. I can feake by experience, for I haue brought up some tame, vntill they were foure years olde, and being so brought up, they are verie genetle, and will plape with yong whelpes, and neuer hurt them, and the rest of the day that they neither feede nor plape, they be slow in sleeping. Thoſe which I haue brought up, would come to me at a call, and followe me like whelpes of hounds. They are verie chyll of colde, and if you lette them lye in a chambee where there is any fire, they will creepe so neare it, that they will burne their coates and their kete also many times, and then are they betie harde to be healed. They will be fed with any thing, breade, dresſe, kruifes, hydes, or any thing that you will give them. When it snoweth or is harde weather, then they come not out of their holes sometimes in twoo or three dayes together, the which I haue obſerued at their holes mouth, when it hath snowed and lyen there so thicke, that they could not haue thyred out, but that I might haue perceived them : As I haue keene that after three dayes they haue come out for pure hunger, and gone to pape for meate. It is a pleasure to be yolde them when they gather cluffe for their neſt or their couch, as krawo, leaues, moſſe, and such other things: and with their fozekeete and their heade, they will wrappe up as muche together, as a man would carie under one arme, and will make chiffe to get it into their holes and coudes. This subdletie they haue, that when they perceive the Terryers beginne to yeare them, and to lye at the, they will stoppe the hole betweene the Terryers and them, leaſt the Terryers should followe them any further : and then if the Terryers baye still, they will remoue their baggage with them, and go into another chamber or angle of their Burrowe. They line long, and when they ware old, then some of them fall blind, and can not come forth of their holes. Then if they be the Badgers, the Sowes feede them, and if it be the Sowe, the Badger feedeth hir like wife. They dye also of certaine wormses, and maunges, which they haue all ouer their skynne: euen as you fee

M.V.

that

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that houndes haue the maunge and cankerwormes sometimes.
And therefore it is that I councelled to walke your Terrpers,
as one as they came out of the earth. All these things I haue
seene by experience: they are long liued, and harde to kyll. For
I haue seene a well byting Greyhounde, take a Badger and
tcare his guttes out of his bellye, and yet the Badger haue
kought kill, and would not yeelde to death. True it is that they
are verie tender upon the snowt, and you can not give them so
little a blowe upon the snowte with a liceke, but that they wil
dye immediatly.

As touching Foxes, I account small pallime in hunting of
them, especially within the grounde. For as low as they per-
ceue the Terrpers, if they yearne harde, and lye neare unto
them, they will holfe and come out streight wayes, vnlelle it
be when the bytch hath young Cubbes: then they will not for-
sake their young ones to dye for it. They make their earthes
and Burrowes as neare as they can, in grounde that is harde to
dygge, as in galte, clay, and lonye grounde, or amongst the
trees of trees: and their earthes haue commonly but one hole,
the whide is verie straight, and goeth verie farre in, befoze it
come at their coude. But sometimes they take a Badgers old
Burrowe, whide hath moe chambers, holes, and angles. When
a good Terryer doth once reach a Fox, they defende themselves
shewdly, but yet nothing like the Badger, nepther is their by-
ting so daungerous. If you take a bytch Fox in the time that
the goeth on clycketing, and cut out hit gutte whidc holdeth
hit lyeame or nature, together with the kydneys whide
Selders take awaye from a bytch whidc when they laye bir,
and then cut all into small gobbets, and put them into a potte
hote as they be, then take some of Mafficke and mingle it
therewith, and courer the potte close, it will keepe all the yeare,
and will serve to make a trayne for a Fox, when you would,
on this wife: Take a kynne of Bacon, and lap it on a Eyp-
zon, and when it is well bzoled and hote, then dippe it and
puddle it in this sawce that is within the pot, and make a trapn
therewith, and you shall see that if there be a Fox neare to any
place

place

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place where the trayne is drawne, he will followe it. But he
which maketh the trayne, must rubbe the foales of his hoes with
Cows dung, leaft the Fox vent his footing. And thus you
may trayne a Foxe to a standing, and kyll him in an cuening
with a Crotlebowe.

It is also a thing experimented, that if you rubbe a Ter-
ryer with Byrumstone, or with the ople of Cade, and then put
the Terryer into an earth where Foxes be, or Badgeres, they
will leane that earth, and come no more at it in two or three
moneths at least.

Of the nature and properties of a Foxe, out
of another Author. Chap. 67.

That haue needlelle to speake of his shape or proportion, since he
is so common a beaft. His conditions are in many rehearses like
unto a Wolf. For a kill a bitch for bringing forth as many cubs
at a lytter, as the Wolf doth, sometimes more, and sometimes
lelle, as the Wolf doth also. But indeed the doth lytter them
deepe under the ground, so the Wolf doth not. She venometh
with hit byting when she is faul, as the Wolf doth. The life
of a Foxe is of a Wolf continue both like time. You that hardely
take

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take a hytchfore when he is ragged and with cubbe, for then
the lyeth close about his burrowe, and if the heare neuer so little
noyle, the whippeth in quickly before the hounds or any thing
can come neare hit: he is a false and craftie beaule like unto the
Wolke. The hunting of the fore is pleasant, for he maketh an
excellent crpe, because his sent is verie hot, and he neuer fleeth
karre before the hounds, but holdeth the strongest coverts, and
fleeth from the field, as a beaft which trufleth not in his legges,
noz yet in his strength. And if the fore stande in his defence, it
is by force, and yet always he will as neare as he can keepe the
couert: yea though he finde none other couert but a bulle, yet he
will flee to it. And when he perceiuet that he mape no longer
enquire no stande vp before the hounds, then will he take the
earth, and will trust to his Calfles there, which he knoweth per-
fectly: yet there is he taken also, but then must it be digged, and
that in a lotte or light grounde. If Greyhounds course hym,
then his last remedie (if he be in the playne) is to bepple or to be-
thye the Greyhounds, that they may giue him ouer for the skinde
and filthineſſe thereof, yea, and Greyhounds are more aſpaye
of a Fore, than of a greater beaſt. For I have seene Greyhounds
which would runne hardly at an hart, yea, would not refute the
wilde Boze, nor the Wolke, and yet they would krepne curſele
at a Fore. When a hytch Fore goeth on clycqueting, and leſeth
a dogge, the crpeſt with a hollowe bovce, like unto the howling
of a madde dogge: i likewise if the mpſle any of his cubbes, we
maketh i ſelk fame noyle: but when they are killed, they will ne-
uer crpe, but defend theſelues till the laſt gaspe. A Fore will play
upon any thing i he can ouercome, yea, were it a verme, i will
feede upon all fortes of carpon: but the meate which they molte
delight in, is poultrie, as Hennes, Capons, Geese, Duckes, ſinall
birdes, or any thing that they finde. And in default thereof, gen-
kle matter Raynard will be content with butter, drieſe, creame,
flaunes, and cullardes. They do much hurt in Marcens and co-
tey burrowes. And they kill Hares also by kraude, but not by
force of running. Some Fores do playe abroade in the woodes
and fields, like unto Wolues. And come there be which playe no
where

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189

where but in the Villages and countrey Townes: and therein
they are so subtle and craftie, that neyther dog nor man can de-
fende them. They lye lurking at day in ditches neare unto hou-
les, to see howe theye Pertlot the husbandmans himselfe doth,
and to see his chickens vertuouly brought vp. The skypine of
the fore is a very good furre and a warme, but it is not verie
faire, and it kinketh always, unless it be verie exceedingly well
dieſt. The greace and marrowe of a Fore are verie good to rub
the newes that are chionke. Of the rest of his subtleties and pro-
perties I will heake more at large in the bunting of him. He
is taken with Hounds, Greyhounds, Terrpers, Pettes and
ginnes. But if the Pettes and ginnes be not strong, he will
lone dispatch them like a Wolke.

Of the nature of a Badger, out of the
fame Author. Chap. 68.

The Badgerd (layth he) maketh but flow speede before the
hounds, and cannot long stand vp. So that commonly
he fighteth it out at the Baye, or else taketh the earth, i-
there is killed with Terrpers. For if you finde a Badgerde a-
broad, it shall not be from his burrow lightly. A Badger pray-
eth upon any verme or other thing, and will feede upon any
caryon or fruit like unto the Fore. The Badgerd battles much
with flepe, i is a verie fat beaſt. Once in a yeare they engeder as
the Fox, and they litter them in their holes, even as the Fox doth.
Their biting is venemous, as the Fox is, but they make better
defence for themselves, and fight more louely, i are much frono-
ger. The blond and greace of a Badgerd, is medicinable as the
Fores blond is also. Some hold a blinde opinion, that if a pong
childe should weare his firſte shoes of a Badgerde rather, he
should ever afterwards heale a hoke of the Farine, if he did but
once get vp upon him. The fleeth of a Badger is as much worth
as that of a Fore, which is to rewarde the hounds withall, and
yet that but of i greace, i certaine parts of him neither. For few
hounds will eate of a Forces cleche, but a Badgerdes is wallo-
with

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with his sweetest rammich. If my selfe have eat of it, and diſſeſled
it well, and without any maner of annoyance. The skipune of a
Badgerd, is not so good as the Forcres, for it is cerueth for no ble,
but little it be to make my ſteng, or to diſelle houſcollers with all.

The hunting of the Badgerd, out of the
fame Author. Chap.69.

He that would hunte a Badgerde, must feeke the earthes and burrowes where they lie, and in a kayre mownelyne night, let him go vnto them vpon a cleare winde, and stoppe all the holes but one or two, in those let him let lacks or pokes fastned with some

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191

some drawing string which may shut him in as one as he frei-
neth the bag. Some ofle no more but to let an hope in þ mouth
of the facke or poke, and so put it into the hole: and affone as the
Badgerd is in the poke and kreyneth it, the poke clippeth off the
hope and followeth him into the earth, and so he lieth tumbling
therein untill he be taken, and the ſele men are of opinion, that af-
some as þ Badgerds head is once within the Sacke or hole, hee
will lie still and wil not turne backe againe for any thing. The
bagges or Sacks being thus let, let your hunte man call off his
Hounds, and beate all the groves, hedges, and tufts, within a
mile or halke a mile about, whiche are moſt likely: and when the
Badgerd heareth any hunting, hee will straightwayes home to
his earth, and there is taken as beforeelayd. Euer remember that
he which landeth to watch the pokes, do stand close and vpon a
cleare wind, for else the Badgerd will come find him there then will
follow that earth to feeke some other, or else to escape some other
way: but if þ hounds chance to encounter him, or to undertake þ
chace before he be gotte into his earth, or recovered neare unto it,
the wil he stand at bay like a Boze, and make you good pastime.

Of the hunting of a Foxe aboue the ground
out of the fame Author. Chap.70.

He that would hunt a bore aboue the ground, shall do well to beate with his hounds in the thickelt queaches, or tufts or groves neare unto Villages, and in thicke hedgerowes and such other places. If or commonly a boze will lurke in such, to play or elope his aduantage vpon dame Pertelot, or such other damfels that kepe in those Courts, and to fee yong pigges well ringled who they are, or keare leaſt they should learne to turne vp Gentlemes pastures, or to marre their meadowes in rowting, for surely M. Raynerd is a very well diſpoſed man, and would be loth to fee youth kal into such ſollie in any common wealth where he may strike a stroke. Also in þ countries where wine is made, he will lie much in the Vineyards, as (as some hold opinion) will eate of þ Grapes. Dnes he lieth always in court or obscure places, like an honest plainmening creature, which careth not greety for to come at þ Court. Wel, the hunte man which would haue good

The booke of Hunting.

good paſttime at this vermine, shall do well to stop up his earthes
if he can finde them, and let him stoppe them vp the might be-
fore he meaneth to hunte. About midnight when he may be sure
that the Fore is gone abroade to feeke his playe, let the earthes
then be stopped with boughs and earth well and strongly ram-
med, that matter Raynard get not in again ouer hafely. Some
be to let vp bleinchers, or lewels (which are white papers) or to
lap two whitelickes a crosse before the hole: and holde opin-
on, that when a Fore elppeth holelickes or lewels, he will mi-
strust that it is some engin to take him, and will turne backe a-
againe: but I thinke not that so cure as to stoppe the earthes. If
the huntsman know not where the earthes be, let him feeke them
out two or three days before he meaneth to hunt, a stopp the. But
bicaufe sometimes a huntsiná can not find al the blinde earthes ?
are in couerts and greate woods then: if a Fore finde out some
of them, and so beguile the huntsman, he may yet get him out
eyther quicke or deade, without Terryers, in this manner. If
there be any more holes than one in the earth, let him let pur-
nets or bagges in one of the holes under the winde, even as he
would let for a Badgerd, let him stopp up all the holes besides,
but one, and let that one be abone the wynde as neare as he can.
Then let him take a piece of parchment or leather, and lape it in
the hole, laying fyre upon it, and putting brynnbone,Mypre, and
such sinothering greace upon the fire: there withall let him stoppe
bp the hole, suffer the sinother to go into the earth. This done,
the Fore will not long abide in the earth, but will either starte
into the pursnet or bagge, or else will found dead the next day at
some other of the holes mouthes which were stopped. The bell
hunting of the Fore about the ground is in Januarie, Febru-
ary, and March. Pet you may hunt him from Alhollantide, until
Caffer. When þe leanes are falne, you shall best see your hounzes
hunting, as best finde his earths. And also at þi time the Fores þyn
(which is the best part of him) is best in season. Againe, the houn-
des do best hunt a Fore in the coldest weather, bicaufe the leauneth
a verie strong sent after him. Alwayse let your Greyhounds on
the outflides of the couertres underneath the windi, and let them
stand

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stand close, cast of at the fiefl but the thirde part of your kennell to finde him: The reft you shall cause to be led vp and downe the couertres, in pathes and high wayes, to cast off into their fellowes whé he is found. It is not good to cast off too many hounds at once, bicaufe woods and couertres are full of sundry chales, and so you should have your kennell undertake sundry beakles, and let your paſttime. Let those which you cast off like, be olde, flanch, and cure hounds. And if you have such a hounde call on merily, you may cast off some other to him, and when they run it with ful cry, cast off the reft, and you shall have good paſttime. For a Fore will not willingly depart out of the couertre, where he hath bin accustomed to ly, but will seele about in the chicks, and thereby make you much the better paſttime. The woods of confozing þounds, the hallowing, and all such like ceremonies, are even the fame which you be in hunting of other chales and vermine. When he is dead, you shall hang him bp on the end of a strong pyked staffe, and hallow in al your hounds to bay him, then make them reward with such things as you can get, for the fiefl of a For is not to reward the ball, for they will not eat it.

Howe to digge for a Foxe or a Badgerde,
and what instruments are meete
for the fame. Chap.7.

They which will have good paſttime at a Fore, or a Bad-
gerd within the grounde, must be furnished with suche
toles and appertinances as followe, and as are here be-
fore this preſent chapter poſtrayed. First let there be in the com-
pany, five or six strong fellowes which can well endure to dyg
and delue. Next you must have as many good and arrant Ter-
riers, garniſhed with collers full of belles, to make the Fore or
Badgerd start the ſouer, and also their collers will be some deſſce
to have them from hurting. But when your Terriers are out of
beath, or that the Belles are stopped and glutted vp with earth,
they are but for the † purpose of † needful† to † have † a †
that you perceive the vermine is angled (whiche is to say,
gone to the furdeſt parte of his chamber to stand at defence) then
you may take off the collers : but at the ſieſt they Kerue to create
N. purpose,

They are but
Spades and
Mattockes
which are not
fo neeſtful to

N. purpose,

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purpok, to make the vermine cyther skart or angle. Then to re-
tourne unto my matter, a Lord or Gentleman whiche will fol-
low this paſtline, should haue halfe a dozen Hattes to lie vppon
the ground on, as they bearken to the Terriers: come to car-
tie a windbed whiche is made of leather strongly sowed on all
the foure sides, and hauing a Poppe at one of the corners to blow
it as you woulde blowe a Baggeppye, and when it is blowen
full of wind, to sloppe it up and lie upon it on the ground: but
this were two great curiolić: ¤ yet a Lord or Gentleman can-
not take two great heede of the colde and moyplore of the earthe,
for he may thereby take fundie dikeafes and infirmities. The in-
ſtrumſts to digge withal muſt be thele, charpe poynted Spades,
round hollowed Spades, and flatte broade Spades, Howes, or
Mattocks, and Pickaxes, a Colerake and a payze of Clampes or
Holofaſts, ſhouelſs both hodde and bare, an Are and a charpe
paring Spade, the Harp poynted Spade ſerueth to begin y tréch
ſiſt, where the ground is hardeſt and broader toles would not
ſo well enter: the round hollowed Spade ſerueth to digge amogſt
Rowtes, and may be ſo made with ſuch Charpe edges, that it will
cut the rowtes alſo: the flat broade Spade, to digge withall when
the trenche is better opened and the grounde ſofter: the Howes,
Mattocks, ¤ Pickaſts to digge with in harder grounde where a
Spade will make no riddance of the woſke : the Colerake to
clenſe the hole and to keepe it from slopping vp: the clampes or
holdſaſts to take a Fore or Bagerd out alive, wherewith you
may make paſtline afterwards, or to help the terriers when they
are aſerd to bite a vermine: y ſhouelſs both hod and bare, ſerue
to caſt out y earth which the Spades or Mattocks haue digged,
according to y hardnesſe or ſoknnesſe of y grounde wherein you
digge: the parying Spade to keepe the trenche in fashion: and the
Are to cut the rowtes or any other thing withall. You shall alſo
haue a Payle to let water into your Terriers at ſuche times as
they come out to take breath. All theſe instruments I haue caused
to be poſtrayed y you may the better percepue them. And to theſe
inſtruments ¤ uſch like neceſſary implements a Lord or Gentle-
may fill a prettie little Cart or Wagon made for y purpok,
y which he may cause to be caried on field with him, alwaſt pia-
uided

N.ij.

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uided that when the layd cariage is loded, he forget not to cauſe
his Coke and Butler to hang good ilove of bags and bottels a-
bout the ranes and pinnes thereof, for it will be both comely and
comfoſtable. In this order of baſſell, a noble man or gentlem-
may march to beſlege the Fore and Badgerd, in their ſtrongest
holes and caitles. And may heake their Caſnats, Platfournes,
Parapetz, and woike to them with Hynes, and countermines,
untill they get their ſkynnes, to make ſutres and myſtens.

Howe to enter your Terriers according to the
ground, & how to trench & dig. Cha. 72.

B. Eloze you put your Terriers unto the ground, you muſt haue
consideration what kynd of mould it is, and marke well the
situation thereof, and as neare as you can, judge where abouſt
the chieſe angles or chambers would be, for eſſe you may woſke
cleane contrarie, and rather hinder the Terriers than further toſ.
As if the earth or burrowe, be hanging on a ſide of a banke, you
ſhall do belſe to put in your Terriers bylowe, towards the
baſe, to the end that you may make the vermine chamber on the
top of the banke, where the earth is not deepe, ¤ where you may
digge to him with muſt caſe. Againe, if the earth be on the top
of a banke, and the banke ſlamberth in a playne plot of grounde,
then you ſhall doe deſt to put in your Terriers, in those holes
which are highest on the toſpe of the banke : and strike with a
ſtaffe upon the banke, to make the vermine fee downe into the
loweſt parts, ¤ there to chamber or angle theſſeulnes. It shall not
be amſſe, to put in a Terrier or twaine at the firſt without any
noſle, to make the vermin diſſeuer, ¤ to chamber theſſeulnes. For
es ¤ Badgerds which haue bin beaten, haue this subtletie, to drawe
unto the largeſt part of the burrow, where three or foure angles
meene together, and there to kande at bay with the Terriers, to
the ende they may afterwards shift, and goe to which chamber
they liff. In ſuch a caſe, strike harde upon the ground right ouer
them: and if you fee that they will not remove to, then take your
round hollowed Spade, and digge into them right upon them.
But when they are chambred, then you shall not digge right vp
them, but right upon the Terrier. For if you dig right upon the

ver-

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vermyne, it might make them to bolt into some other angle, and to enforce the Terrer to give them place. Therefore you shall dig right over the Terrers with a round hollowed spade, the which will connue the earth with it, and is made principally for kiche a purpose. And when you have digged so long that you be come to the angle, then thrust your spade betweene the vermine and the Terrer, so that the vermine can not by any means come out upon your Terrier. For in some chamber you may chace to find kive or fire vermin together, which might hurt your pore terrier, and discourage him. When you have stopped them in thus, then work with your broad spades and other toiles, and make a large trench if you will have good port, and put in your Terrers to the vermine, and you shall see bold fight of all kailions. You must take heede to the subtleties of the vermine, especially of Badgerds. For sometimes they will stop up the trench betweene them and the Terriers, and work them selfes further in, so that your Terriers shall not be able to find them, nor to know what is become of them. Sometimes when you have found their Cawmat and chiefe strength, you may take them out alive with your hold-falls or clampes, and therein use this policie and foresight. Take them with your tongs or clampes by the lower chappe, the one clampie in the mouth, and the other under the throat, and so draw them out. For if you should take them out by the body or necke, they should have libertie to byte and snatch at the Terrers, which will be doing with them as you take them out. Being thus taken, put them into a sacke or poke, to hunt with your Terrers in your gardens or close courtes, at your pleasure. He that will be present at such pastimes, may do well to be drest:

For I have lent a fore or a Badgerd ere nowe, a piece of my hole, and the skyn and fleche for companye, which he never restored againe. Let these fewe piecets luffie for the hunting of foxes and Badgerds.

Of

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Of the Foxe.

Raynerd the fore am I, a craftie childe well knowne, PEA better known than credited, to more than is mine own: A bastard kind of curre, mine eares declare the fame, And yet my wit and policie have purchase me great fame.

The Foxe to the Huntsman.

If dogs had tong at will to take in their defence, The butth beast might be so bold, to plead at barre for pence, If pore Tom troth might speake, of all that is amisse, Then might weare no right a down: then I would pardon this, Which I must here declare. Then quickly would be known, That he which deales with strangers faults, should first amend his owne. Thus much my selfe may say, thus much my selfe can pone, Yet whiles I prieche beware the Ceele, for so it shall be done. I fight (yet little) to see, that man (pea) matter man). Can play his part in policie, as well as Raynard can. And yet forsooth the fore is he that beares the blame, But two legg'd foxes cate the ducks, when foure legs beare the name. A wonder is to see, how people choute and crye, With hallowee, who pounds, and witfull words, when I pone for go by.

N.iii.

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Lay on him cryes the wife, downt with him layes the childe,
Some strike, some chide, some throw a slone, some fal & be defilde:
As Maidens, when they turne, with both their feete attones,
lie on the For & forst the so, luch falles might brule their bones.
But Raynard doth luch deeds, and therfore strike him down,
His caſe will ſerve to ſur the cape of maſter hunteſmans gowne.
His Lungs full holsome be, in poulder beaten ſine,
For luch as cough & draw their wind, with paine & mickle pime.
His pypell ſerues to ſkoure, the grauelt of the slone,
His greace is good for synews ſhlonk, or adx & griecues the bone.
His Tong will draw a thame, his teeth will burnish golde,
And by his death a hunteſman may haue profits manyfold.
The Henne hall roull at reſt, which he was wont to rowze,
The duck & geese may bring good biswds, þ pigs may sucke their
And at the Farmers welth, may thine & come to good, (lowes.
Which craftie Raynard steales sometimes, to kepe his brats in
Pea soft, but who layes thus who did þ A ion paint? (blwd.
Forboth a man; but if a For might tell his rate as quinnt,
Then would he lay againe, that men as craftie be,
As ever Raynard was for theft: euen men which flicle a fee,
From euerie widowes flocke: a capon or a chicke,
A pyg, a gole, a dunghill ducke, or ought that salt will lice:
Untill the widowe ſerue, and can no longer gine,
This was þ for, lie down with him, why should luch forces line?
Some Forces lie in waite, and marke the Farmers croppe,
What loads of haye, what graſſe for die, what kroſe of wod for
What quantitie of graine he raiſeth on his rent, (loppes,
And take a new leaſe of his bed, before the olde be spent.
Fye on these Forces fye, what farmer can do well,
Where min bile vermin lie in wait, their primp gaiues to smell?
Pea some can play their part, in fandring neigghbors name,
To lay þ wolf did kil the Lamb, when Raynerds eate þ fame.
These faults with many inoe, can wicked men commit,
And yet they lay that Forces paffe, for subſletie and wit.
But shall I lay my minde? I neuer yet saw day, (splay.
But euery town had two or three, which Raynard's parts could

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So that men baunt in baine, which lay they hunt the fore,
To kepe their neighbors poultrp free, & to defende their flockes,
When they them ſelues can spoyle, moſt profit in an hour,
Than Raynard rifles in a pere, when he doth moſt denoure.
No, no, the minds of men, which still be bainely bent,
Must haue their change of Wenerie, as first the Hare in Lent,
The Hart in Sommers heate, and me pove Fore in cold:
But wherto ſerue these Sunday Works, these chales manyfold?
Forboth to kepe their thoughts, with drags of baine delight,
Whereon moſt men do mule by day, wheron they dæan by night.
They must haue cosſily clothes, they must haue deintie fare,
They must haue coude's ſluft with doune, they must haue all in square.
They must haue newfound games, to make the laugh their fill,
The must haue foules, they must haue beaſts, to bayſt, to hunt, to kyll.
And all (when all is done) is nothing else but bayne,
So Salomon the wiceman layd, and so layes Raynerd playne.

An adverſiment of the Translator.

I funde in myne Author nothing written either of the wild Cat
or of the Marterne, and yet both those are vermine whiche we
beſt here in England comonly to hunt, and in my iudgement as
neceslarie to be hunted as any vermine can be. For the quellion
may be doubtfull, whether eyther Fore or Badgerd doe more
hurt than the wild Cat doth: Since there are ſew gentlemen in
England but haue commoditie by Conies, either great or ſinal:
and I am ſare that there is no vermine which doth more hurt in
a Warren of Conies, than a wild Cat doth. And therewithal I
haue heard some hunters lay, that the leaeth as great ſent, as ma-
keth as good a cry for the time, as any vermin that is hunted, ef-
pecially the Marterne paffeth all other vermine for sweetnelle of
ſent, and his caſe is a noble ſurre. The wild Cat's caſe is nothing
lo good ſurre, but it is verie warme, and medicinable for lundyp
achs and paines in the bones and ioynts. Also his greace is very
good for ſnowes that be ſhlonke. These two chales are not to be
lought of purpose, unless the hunteſman doe see them where they

N. iiiij.

pial.

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play, and can go readily to him. But if a hound chance to crossle them, he wil hunt it alone as any chale, ¤ they make a noble crye, for the time that they stand by. At last when they may no more, they wil take a tree, and therein keeke to begile the hounds. But if the hounds hold in to them, ¤ wil not so give if ouer, then they will leape from one tree to another, ¤ make great chiche for their liues, with no lesse paltime to the huntmen. When they are killed, you must hold them vp upon a pyked flaffe, ¤ halowne in all your hounds, ¤ then reward the with some meate. For the flesh of thet vermin is not good for a houd. Thus much I haue thought good of my self, to write according to my country hunting.

Of the hunting of the Otter. Chap.75.

The Otter is a beak well knowne. Shee feedeth on filche, and lyeth neare unto Rypers, Brokes, Poles, and fillye-pondes, or Meares: he lying commonly is under the trees of trees, and sometimes I haue seene them lying in a hollowe tree, foure or fivee kote above the grounde: even as a Foore, Polcat, wildcat, or Badgerd will destroie a Warren, so will the Otter destroyle all the filche in your pondes, if the once haue founde the wape to them. Shee dyeth and hunteth under the water, after a wonderfull manner, so that no filche can escape him, unless they be verie great and swift. A litter of Ditters, will destroyle you all the filche in a rypers (or at least, the greatest kote of them) in two myles length. They goe fault at luche times as firrets go fault, which time every man may ealely know. And they kindle ¤ lying fortheir yong Ditters, even as firrets do, sometimes more, ¤ sometimes lesse. To speak a truth, they seem to be a kind of water firrets. There is great cunning in the hunting of the, as that be faide in the next chapter, ¤ also it is possible to take the under the water, ¤ by the rypers lide, both in traps ¤ in snares, as you may take a hare with harepypes, or such like gymnese. They byte kote and enormously, and defende them selues konkly. And if they be taken in snares, if they abyde long, they will some theare themselves out with their freeth. I will not cheake much more of their nature, but only that they are koted

lyke

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like a Coke: I meane they haue a webbe betweene theyr claws, and haue no heele but only a rounde ball under their soale of their kote: ¤ their tracke is called the marke of an Otter, as we lay, the lot of an Hart: and their fewmets are called Spraynts, as hath bene layde before. An Otter abideth not much not long in one place, but if the be krayed or finde any fault (as they are very perfectly of knellyng and hearing) they will forake their couche ¤ chiche a mile or two vp or downe a riuer: the like wil the do if the haue once destroied the kote of filche, and finde no plentie of feeding. From a pondgarden or good kote of fillypondes the wil not lightly be remoued, as long as there is kote of filh in them: for therein filches are taken with more ease, than in the Riuers or greater waters: but enough of their naturts.

How to hunte and take an Otter. Chap.74.

When a huntesman would hunte the Otter, he should first send foure seruants or varlets with bloudhounds or such hounds as will dawne in the lyane, ¤ let him sende them, two by the Riuer, and two downe the riuer, the one couple of the that one five, ¤ the other on that other side of the water. And so you shall be sure to funde if there be an Otter in þ quarter: for an Otter cannot long abide in þ water, but must come forth in the night to make his spraynts, ¤ sometimes to feede on graffe and hearbes by the waters lide. If any of the? I pambounds finde of an Otter, let þ huntesman looke in the softe groundes and mayst places to see which way he bent the head, vp or downe the riuer: or if he cannot perceyue it by the markes, he may partly perceyue it by þ sprayntes ¤ then he may follow his hounde, ¤ lodge if euen as you would do a Meare, or a Boze. And if he finde not the Otter quickly, he may then iudge that he is gone to couche some where further off from the water: for an Otter will sometimes keeke his keede a myle (or little lesse) from his couche and place of rest: and commonly he will rather go vp the Riuer than downe: for goying vp the streame, the streame bringing him sent of the filches that are above him: and bearing his nose into the winde, he shall the lower finde any faulte that is above him.

N,v.

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also you should make an assemblie for the Otter as you do for a Harte, and it is a note to be obserued that all such chaces as you draw after before you hunte them, lodge them, or herbo them, you would make a solempine assemblie to heare all reports before you undertake to hunte them, and then he which hath sound of an Otter, or so drawn toward his couche that he can undertake to bryng you into him, shall cause his hounds to be uncoupled a bowlhotte or twayne before he come at the place where he thinketh that the Otter lieth: because they may know more and call for about a while until they have cooled their bawling and bawnyeflicke toges, which all hounds do lightly bfe at the first uncoupling: then the barlets of the kennell shall seeke by the rivers side, and beate the bankers with their hounds until some one of them chaunce up to the Otter: remember always to let out some upwards and some downe the streames, and every man his Otter speare or foaked ftaffe in his hande, to watche his ventes, for that is the chiefe aduantage: and if they percieue, where the Otter cometh under the water (as they may percieue if they marke it well) then shall they watche to see if they can get to land before him at some place where he would vent, or tryke him with their speare or ftaffe: and if they nuffe, then shall they runne up or downe the streame as they see the Otter bend, until they may at last give him a Blowe: for if the hounds be good Otter hounds and perfeckly entred, they will come chaunfting and trapping alongst by the rivers side, or will beate every tree root, every holme, every Ofer bedde, and tuffet of bulrushes: yea sometimes also they will take the ryuer and beate it like a water spauniell: so that it shall not be possible for the Otter to escape, but that either the hounds shall light upon him, or else some of the buntefmen shall strike him, and thus may you have excellent pozte and pastime in hunting of the Otter, if the hounds be good, and that the Rivers be not out of great: where the Rivers be great, some be to have a lyne thrown ouerthwart the River, the which be two of the buntefmen shall have by the ende, one on the one side of the River, and the other on that other: and let them have the line so flacke that it may always be under-

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359

neath the water, so go on with it: and if the Otter come diuing under the water, he shall of necessitie touche their line, so they shall keele to know which way he is palled, the which shall make him be taken the koner. An Otters skinne is very good furre, and his grease will make a medicine to make filhes turn up their bellies as if they were wade. A good Otter hounde may prove an excellent good buckhoud, if he be not old before he be entred.

Thus have you now almost as I have presently set down for him butting of such chaces as I thinke likely or possible to be hit in this our country: yea some also percieve which you will lay are not in the us at these daies. But because I have sufficiently declared mine infence in myne Epistle in the beginning of this book, therefore I will spede no more time in excusing of myself: but will palle ouer him as Woulke, as the Bear, which are as strange as a tranger than any other that I pitherto named.

The Otters oration.

Why we beakles abasht, or spare to speake
Why make we not a vertue of our neede?

We know how pious, in witte we are so weake,
And weaker much, because all Adams feede,
(Whiche beare away the weight of witte in d:ede)

a.

Do

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Do daylp meeke our names for to diſtayne,
With ſlandous bloſſe, for whiche we Beaſſes be clayne.
Firſte of my ſelke, before the rest to treate,
Moffe men crye out, that ſilke I do deuoure,
Pea ſome will ſap, that Lambes (with mee) be meate:
I graunte to bothe, and he that hath the powre,
To keede on ſilke that sweeter were than lowre,
And had yong ſilke to banquet at his fill,
Where ſonde to kraunde on garbage, graynes, or dwyll.

But maſter Man, which findeth all this fault,
And ſtreynes deuise for many a dayntie diſhe,
Whiche ſuffreth not that hunger him affault,
But feedes his fill on euery ſilke and ſilhe,
Whiche muſte haue all, as muche as withe can withe,
Us ſeely Beaſſes, denouring Beaſſes do call,
And he himſelſe, moſſe blondie beaſſe of all.

Well yet mee thinkes, I heare him piteahe this Texte.
Hove all that is, was made for vſe of man:

So was it ſure, but therewith followes next,
This heauie place, expounde it who so can:

The very Scovrge and Plague of God his Ban,

Wilt lyght on ſuche as queyntly can deuise

To eate moſſe meate, than may their mouthes ſuffike.

Powe maſter Man, ſande fewſt and here declare,
Who ever yet coulde ſee an Otter eate
Mooſe meate at once, than ſerued for his share?
Who ſees vs beaſſes ſitte bybbing in our leate,
With ſundiy wynes, and ſundiy kindes of meate :
Whiche beede diſeale, yfoſtred in ſuche beaſſes,
If men do so, be they not worſe than beaſſes?

The beaſſly man, muſſe ſitte all day and quaffe,
The Beaſſe indeede, doth drincke but twice a day,
The beaſſly man, muſſe ſuſſe his monſtrous malle
With ſecrete cauſe of ſurſetting alwaye:
Where beaſſs be glad to fee when they get play,

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And neuer eate moſſe than may do them good,
Where men be ſicke, and ſurſet thorough kwde.

Who ſees a Beaſſ, for ſavzie Sawres long?

Who ſees a Beaſſ, or chicke or Capon crammpe?

Who ſees a Beaſſ, once lυd on sleepe with ſong?

Who ſees a Beaſſ make venſone of a Ramme?

Who ſees a Beaſſ derkroy both whelpe and danume?

Who ſees a Beaſſ vſe beaſſly Gluttonie?

Which man doth vſe, for great Cuiuilitie.

I know not J, if dying be my kault,
He thinks moſſe men can diue as well as I:
Some men can diue in Seller and in kault,
In Parlo, Hall, Kichen and Buttery,
To smell the roſſe, whereof the kume doth ſlee:
And as for gaine, men diue in euery ſtreame,
All frawdes be ſilke, their ſomacks neuer ſqueame.

So to conclude, when men their ſaults can mend,
And ſunne the ſhame, wherewith they beaſſs do blot,
When men their tine and treasure not milpende,
But follow grace, which is with paines ygot,
When men can vice rebuke and vſe it not:
Then shall they chine, like men of worthy fame,
And else they be but Beaſſs well worthy blame.

Of the hunting of the Wolfe : and firſt of
their nature and properties. Chap. 75.

The Wolfe is a beaſſ sufficiently knowne in Kraunce and
other Countries where he is hzed: but here in Englad they
be not to be found in any place. In Ireland (as I haue heard)
there are great ſtoze of them : and bycauſe many Noble men
and Gentlemen, haue a ſelke to bring that Countrie to be in-
habited and civilly governed (and would God ther were moe
of the fame mind) therefore I haue thought good to let dwne
the nature and manner of hunting at the Wolfe according to
mine Authoz. The Wolfe (fayth he) goeth on clicking in
February, in such sort as a Dogge lineth a bitch wher the goeth
a, li.,
aulte,

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362

Saulte, wherin they abide ten or twelue dayes: many Wolues (where sfoze be) do follow one the Wolke, eué as Dogges fol- low a Bitd: but he will neuer be lined but onely with one. She will suffer many to follow hir, and will carrie them after hir sometimes eight or tenne dayes without meate, drinke, or rell: and when they are ouerwearied, then the suffreth them all to take their meate, butill they route and be fast on Sleepe: then will the awake ò Wolke which feemeth most to haue followed hir, and that oftentimes is the kouleſt ò woſt fauourd, bycaufe he is ouerwearied and lankeſt : him will the awake and ſye him away with hir karre fro the rell, and suffer him to line hir. There is a common Prouerbe, which faith that: Neuer P V olſe yes ſawe his ſyre: fo: indeed it hapneth moſt comonly that whé all the rell of the Wolues do awake and mille the female, they follow them by the lent, and finding them oftentimes togym- ther, they fall upon that Wolke and kill him fo: delpith. But if there bee no greater sfoze than one Dogge Wolke and one bitd in a place, then this Prouerbe kayleth: yea or sometimes also the rell of the Wolues are so long ere they do awake and follow, that they cannot so quickly dispath or kill him acco:—ding to their delire, and then also it faileth. Their whelpes are able to engeder within twelue months: ò whé their whelpes be a yere old, then they part ko: their ſyre ò fro their Dam: yea sometimes ſowner, but not before their teeth be calſ ò not out againe, fo: they calſ teeth firſt when they are halfe yere old, ò whé they are come vp again, they neuer calſ moſt at their like time. The: they depart fro their dam whé thole teeth are come out again ò grown hard, ò they leke their aduſture, ò play ko: the: ſelf: ò if they chance to meete their ſyre or dam at any time after, they wil fawne vpò the, ò licke them, ò ſeme in their kind greatly to reioyce. A good example for ſundry euil dispoſed chil- d: ò, which become ungrateful to their parents, which bring the: by carefully: Since the brute beaſt ca: teach the: their butie, only by ò inſkinck ò moriös of nature. Also when a dog ò a bitch of the: do company once togithers, they will not lightly part in ſu- der: ko: though they play in diners places, yet at night they will meet.

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mecte againe, or at the least once in two dayes if it be possible: and they beare meate vnto their whelpes togethers: but the dog will first eate his fill, and then carie the rell vnto his whelpes: But the byte beareth the pray vnto hir whelpes before the eate any thereof hir self, and if the dogge like it, and haue not fatified his hunger before, he will take it both from hir and the whelpes, and feede his fill thereon firſt. After he will leane the rell fo: that to feede on, if there be any, and if there be not, let them ferue fo: him if they will, so that he maketh not account of any thing, but- till his belly be full, but the byte doth oftentimes beguile him. She leaneth the pray farre from their denne, and if the percepue that the dogge be gone, then hungeſt the it to hir whelpes: but if the dogge be there ò percepue that the baſh brought nothing, he smelleth to hir mouth ò hir lippes: if the haue nothing in deere then he beareth by: but if he smell by hir that he had prayed, he conſtreyneth by: to them it vnto him, or els hungeth backe him- ſelke by the counter of hir footing, and so findeth it out. Some hold opinion that the byte beareth hir ſelke all ouer, bycaufe the dogge should not knell whether the haue prayed or not: but ò I dare not weare on a boke. Some heavy Wolues will neuer helpe their bitches to feede they: whelpes, but if it be in a place where there are no sfoze of Wolues, as no moſt but he and his make, then he knoweth by the smell that the whelpes are his, and helpeth the Bitch to pray fo: them, and to feede them, but uncurtiously as I layde before. Wolues are fattel when they haue small whelpes: fo: they feede not only vpò their owne prouision, but also upon that whiche their make ò their whelpes should eate also: they go nine weekes with whelpe, and some- times three or foure dayes longer, ò go fault but once in a yere. Some hold opinion that a Bitebe will not haue yong whelpes nor engender as long as hir owne Dane is aline. They haue whelpes in all respects like vnto our dogges, sometimes moſt ò sometime leſſe: ko: doubtlesse both the Fore a the Wolke are but a kind of wild Wathkyes and wild curres: they be of great force especially in their ko: parts: they bite sfoze and dangerously, fo: sometimes they will kill a Cowe or a Bullocke: and they will roundly

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roundely carie a chrepe, a Gote, or a good pozkine in their mouth
& neuer touch the ground with it, & wil runne so fall away with
it, that vnlelle hozemen or Hastele dogs do stay them, they will
hardly be ouerfaken, epther by the heardman or by an other crea-
ture. They pray upon al kinde of things, and wil feede upon any
carion (or any vermine: they line not log noz above, ri. or. riij.
yeares at moft. When he hath fedde upon any vermine or krepèt
(as he doth often) then runneth he wonderfully fast. In such forze
that J haue keene a Wolke (being emptied) outrunne foure or five
brace of the best Greybounds that might be founde : for there is
no beast whiche runneth fatter than he, and he holdeth marneu-
lously allo: when he is hunted with hounds, he fleeth not farre
befoize them: and vnlelle he be courfed with Greybounds or Ma-
stines, he keepeth the couert like a Boze or a Deare, & chereially
the beaten waies therein: most commonly he prayeth by night, but
sometimes also by day when he is hungry. Soine Wolues will
praye upon Deare, Gotes, and kwyne, and lent as freshly and as
tenderly as an bounde : some also wil eate a dogge if they catch
him : and some of them kill children and men sometimes: as then
they neuer feede noz pray upon any other thing afterwards, whé
they haue once bene fleethed & noufled therein, but die sometimes
foz hunger. Such Wolues are called VV arvolues, bicause a man
had neede to beware of them, they be so craftie that when they al-
kayle a man, they flee upon him & lay hold on him before he per-
cepue them: but if he perceype them first, then they assayle him so
subtillie & he chal hardly escape their teeth, and can marvelously
defend themselues from any weapon that a man hath so his de-
fence. There are two causes which make them let upò mankind:
one is, that when they be old & feeble, & that their teeth begin to
kayle them, then can they not carrie their pray as they were wot:
so that they learne with more ease to pray firle upon children
which they meete or espie, which pray can neyther make refiſtace,
noz is needefull to carie it farre: as therwithall the ſkinne & flethe
is much more tender and delicate than the ſkinne & flethe of any
other pray. Another reaſon is, that in countries where warre is
made, & where baſſayles & kirmilhes are giuen, there they feede
upon

upon

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upon the dead carkasses of men whiche lie layne in the field, as
also in other places upon suche as hang on the gibbets and trees
being executed by Juitice. And the fleeth of man is so delicate and
torblome, & when they haue once raffed of it, they care for none
other meate. J haue keene a Wolke forake the folo, and kill the
hearede man. They are more craftie (if more may be) than the for-
or any other beaſt: when they are hunted they will take al their
advantages, at other times they will neuer runne ouer hastely,
but keepe themselues in breath & force always : they haue al-
wayes neede thereof, for there paffe few dayes but that they are
courfed or cried at by as many as kee the, in the countries where
they haue. A Wolke wil ståd by a whole day before a good ken-
tell of hounds vnlelle of Greybounds cource him : most com-
monly he is taken in some village or hammet: he willfeldome
stand at Baye, vnleſe it be when he cannot longer endure : and
then he becomes mad: the bitting of a Wolke wil hardly be bea-
led as J haue before ſayde, for their biting is venemous & ranc-
letth soſe. And againe, bicaufe they are often times madde, & then
there is no care for their biting: whé they haue outreſed theſt
or are ſicke in their body, they eate graſſe as a dogge doth: they ca-
well abide hunger at some times, for a Wolke may bide without
meate for one day: but then wo be to þ pray that he next
meeteth. The bitche Wolke will neuer lightly parte farre fro hit
whelpes whé they be pong, for keare least (he should leefe them.
When a Wolke findeth a litter of pigges, or a flocke of Werp, he
will (by his wil) kill them all before he feede upon any of them.
They are hunted at force, taken of greybounds or malkytes, and
hanged in ginnes and snares. But it had neede to be a strong
ſnare & should holde them vnleſse hepe come in the ſowner: they
are also killed in ditches where they paffe, of needels, venemous
pouders, & diuerſe ſuch other things which men lap in baytes for
them. When þ heardes & Werp come downe fro the Montaines
to graſſe & keve in þ valleys, then they descend also to keeke their
pray. They follow a cæpe comoly, to feede on þ carion of oſſes
& such other beaſtes as me leaue behind the. They barke & bowl:
like vno dogs, & if there be two of them together they make such

a fer-

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a terrible noyse that you woulde thinke there were,rr. of them:
this do : they mol commonely when it is fayle weather, or when
they are yong and not past a yeare old, or that they be trapned to
any place for to hunte afterwards : and surel when they be so
trayned, they will hardly abide where they feede, and especially
old Wolues, if it be at y first time that they haue bene trapned:
but if they once haue bene accuflomed to it, then they will abide
the better. Some of them be so craftie, that when they pray by
night, they will flic a myle or two from thence before day, elp-
tially if it be in a place where they haue bene hunted or swirred, or
that they finde some trayne of fleche made for them. They crye
not at all when they are killed, as our dogges do, but in duerle
other properties they resemble a dogge. It is harde or almoste
impossible to keepe or bying vp a Wolke so yong, or so fast tied
in subjeckion, or so correcued and kept in awe, but that it will do
some milchieke at any time that it get libertie and finde meane
to do so: and the tamest that euer was yet, woulde (if it were
ledde abode) looke this way and that way, to elpie somewhat
that it might be doyng withall. For both a Wolke is doubtfull
that men meane harme vnto him: and agayne he knoweth well
in his owne conscience that he dothe many chydwde turnes, and
that therefore men hunte and purue him: but for all that he wil
neuer leaue his malicious nature : it is witten that the right
fozekfte of a Wolke is medecinable for the swelling in the
thyzoate, and for the inflamacion of the liuer: their skinnes are ex-
cellent furre and durable.

How to hunte them. Chap.76.

When a huntesman woulde hunte the Wolke, he muske
trayne them by these meanes. Firſke lette him looke out
ſome fayle place a myle or more from the greate wodes where
there be ſome cloſe ſſading to place a brace of good Grepbounds
in, if neede be, the whiche Moulde be cloſe enuironed, and ſome
ponde or water by it : there ſhall he kill a hozſe or ſome other
great beaſt, and take the koure legges thereof and carie them
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into the wodes and Foxeſſs adioyning. Then let koure goodfel-
lowes take every man a legge of the beaſt, and dawe it at his
hoſſe tayle all alongſt the pathes and wayes in the wodes until
they come backe agayne vnto the place where the dead beaſt li-
eth: there lette them lay downe their traynes. And when the
Wolues go out in the night to pray and to feede, they wil crosſe
upon the trayne and follow it, until they come at the dead ca-
rion : there they will feede theys fill. And then let the huntesman
aboute the breake of day go thether, and leaue his hoſſe a good
way of underneath the winde, and come fayle and softrely to the
place to elpie if there be any Wolues feedyng. If there be, he
may retire ſlyre them not, and neuer looke how much or how
little they haue fedde: for it is ſufficient if the hűſeman fee them,
ſince they are so craftie ſubtle as I haue beſokelayd. Then let
him clime into ſome tree there by, ſloke which way the Wolke
goeth, and where it is likely that he will lie. For as I haue layd,
they will not lightly tarie whereas they feede, but rather will be
gone very earely in the grey mornyng : for whether they came
late or early, or whether they would lie in the Sunne rather thá
in the couert, or that they would doyſe and empty their bellies,
or whether it be so that they haue bene lately ſlyred and hun-
ted, I councell the huntesman to be gone befymes, and so shall
he be fure to fee certainly : and if he cannot fee them, then lette
him looke upon the carion whether they haue bene at it or not :
and how many he gefſeth hane bene at it, according to the pla-
ces that he shall fee gnawen or fedde upon : and then lette him
retume to his Loode or Mafter, and make reporſte accordingly.
And let him marke and looke in the wayes which are about the
nerte couert or the couert which they are gone into, whether
they be there enfred or palle on ſurder. And if his hounde will
ſicke willingly upon the tracke of a Wolke, and will challenge
it, then he may caille aboute the couert and come not within a-
ny parte thereof, and so shall he be beſt affuſed whether they be
there layed or not : for his hounde will vent it out ſlyll as he
goeth. And there withall let him marke and judge whether they
do all keepe companie still together or not, for many times some

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one will be gone, and all the rest will abide, or els some one will abide, and all the rest will be gone: but those whiche be full, do most willingly tarie always: and when they fedde not they fill the day before, then they tarie longer than luche as fedde their fill ouer night, or yong Wolues, or luche other: for an olde Wolfe is so doubtfull and so full of misfrust, that he will fel- dome abide where he feedeth. And therefore it were no badde policie, to leane but little meate at the place whereunto you trapne, and to leane harde by the place, some weake beaft tyed, so that it can neptier trap away no make defence. And when the Wolues come and finde but little carion at the place, then to satisfie their hunger, they will fall upon that beaft and de- uoure it: Whiche if they do not the fiele night, they will fure- ly do it the erte night if you obferue that order: and by that meanes they will feede they fill, and the rather abyde and tarie by it or neare unto it: for they are gluttons, and delirious to keepe the remnant of their piaye, when they have killed a beaft and leane any of it. And when the Hunteman shall by these meanes have bene allured of they feeding two nightes tog- ther, then may he make preparacion to hunte them on the thirde day: or if they kayle to come unto the trapne the fiele or fe- conde dave, then lette him sende out Tarlettes to trapne from aboute all the coueris adiopning unto the same place: and so doyng, he cannot mille but diawe Wolues thither once within two or three nightes, vntelle it be in February. In that mo- neth they make small accoutpt of any trapne, by reason of their heate in following the Saule bitches. And sometimes also a Wolfe will followe the trapne euem vntill they come at the ca- rion, and yet when they come there will go their wayes and not feede upon it. In luche a caufe the Hunteman shall change his trapne and carion, as if it were of Houschelthe, or beeke, lette him make it of Sherpes or Goates felle, or the felle of an Aſſe (whiche Wolues do lome exceedingly, or of Hogges felle: for other wyse he shoulde not be able to knowe whether there be any Wolues neare unto the place where he trayned or not: and

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and if he doubte thereof, then shall he kayne a boyce, and call or barke, and howle lyke a Wolfe: and it there be any Wolues in the whole court within the hearyng they will anſwere him. Agayn, if they come to the carion, and feede not in two or three nightes one after another, or that they feede and go their wayes and tarie not in any court neare adiopning, then lette him ou- uernight hang vp the carion in some trees, so highe that they cannot come by it: and yet leane some bones vpon the ground, to the ende they may gnawe vpon them. And lette him tarie in the woode vntill it be as it were an houre before day: and lette him leane by the car von the garments of some Shepherd or Bearde man, that the Wolues may have no misfrust of hym where he standeth: then when it is not palling halfe an houre or little more before dave, lette hym put downe the car von and go his wayes, and then the Wolues comming to it, and ha- ving not fedde all the night before, will feede hungerly, and though their gluttonie will forſette them, theye vntill it be farre fewth dayes, and so go to kennell in the coueris adiopning: for they will be so hungry to feede, and they shall have so small kyme to satisfie their hunger, that they will be con- strayned to abyde. But bicaufe commonly Loydes and Mo- blemen do not ryse so early as to see the ſele palling and politi- cies, therefore I thinke meete that when he hath beaten downe the ſelle as before dave, he canne some good fellowes to go and to make fires betweene them and the laſſe coueris that the Wolues fledde unto: and lette the fires be not palling a bow- thotte or not so much one from another: and at every fire lette some one or two of the company stand talking and laughing one with another: when the Wolues shall have that, they shall be conſtreyned (by reason that the day light is now come vpon the) to abyde there in the court harde by the carion. In meane whyle, the Lord or Gentleman shall be come and may hunte them at his pleasure: and that shall he order thus: firſſe lette him regard which way will be the kayſel course for Grephouds, and place them accordingly: and as neare as he can lette him forſeall with his Grephoundes the same way as the Wolues did

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flic the nightes before, if the grounde serve to courte in, vunlese the winde be contrarie, so then it were but follie to let them that waye: other wayes the Molke will rather come that way than any other way. If the winde serve not that waye, then lette him let his Grephoundes in the kapele place to courte in uppon a good wynde: and lette him let his Grephoundes in rankes as neare one to another as the number of his Grephoundes will permitte: alwayse regardyng the wynde, and causing them whiche holde the Grephoundes to stande close. That be-yng so appoynted, lette him let hewers all rounde aboute the Couert where the Molues do lye, to hewe and make noyse on every side but only that where the Grephoundes do stande. If his owne seruauantes and companie be not sufficient, he may do well to assemble the neighbours whiche dwell neare by: who will be gladde to helpe him because the Molues do them luche great harmes and domages. And lette all those people stande as thicke as they can all aboute the couert, but only on that side where the Grephoundes are let, talking and walking one to another, and makyng all the noyse that they can deuise to force them vnto the Grephoundes. Then lette the Huntes-man go with his Lyamehounde and drawe from the carrion vnto the thickes sides where the Molues haue gone in: and there the Huntes shall calle off the thynge parte of their beste houndes, for a Molke will sometimes holde a court long tyne before he come out. The Huntesmen mullte holde neare in to theyz houndes, blowyng harde and encourayng them with the boyce: for many houndes will streyne curtesie at this chace, although they bee luffie and arrant at all other chaces. When the Molke commeth to the Grephoundes, they whiche holde them shall do well to suffer the Molke to palle by the first ranke, vntill he be come vnto the seconde ranke or kurder: and let the last ranke let slippe their Grephoundes full in the face of the Molke: at the same instant let at the other rankes let slippe alfo. So that the firste ranke staping him neuer so little, he may be affayled on all sides at once: and by that means they shall the more easily take him. It is beste entryng of Houndes at

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at yong Molues whiche are not yet pallyng halfe a yeare or a yeare olde, for a hounde will bunte luche noye willingly and with lesse dead than they will bunte an olde Molke. And likewise the yong Molues can neytter make so good defence, no yet vle luche policies and subtilties as the olde Molke will: or it shall be good to take Molues alpine in engines, and then breake theyr teeth and enter your houndes at them: when the Molke is deade, you shall make the rewarde thys. Firle lette the houndes and Grephoundes, but especially the houndes runne in and all to byte and mullte the dead Molke: then let the bunte open his belly all alongst and take out all his bowels: then lette him take a Sreepe or a Dorkine and kill it, and Sluppe of the skinne quickly and cut it all to gobbets, putting it into the bo-dye of the Molke, and there lette the houndes and Grephoundes eate it out. For deaulte of a Sreepe or luche hote neare, let him take breade cheese and luche lyke scrappes and broken mozzelles and put them into the Molke for the houndes rewarde as before layde. Note that bothe houndes and Grephoundes will re-quyse greater fleelyng and encouragement to a Molke than to any other chace, and therefoe all the cheare that you can be vnto them, will be little enough: And if a Molke chance to breake uppon the hewers, and so escape the course, yet bee not thereat discouraged, but breate the same court on the next day. For a Molke bath this propertie, that when he hath once so eſtab- ped, he betbinketh him thereof, & returneth therupon the next day to see what ? matter was which flyed him so, or to see what is become of his companions if he had any, or to see if there be any carrion. And agayne he is so craftie that he thinketh surely men will not bunte in the layde place agayne so quickly: but if he finde faulte and perceue that any of his companions be killed, then will he be gone from thence the next night and come no-more there of a greate whyle: yea though you trapte him he may chance to come vnto the trayne, but surely he will not ta-rie in any court neare that place. A man may knowe a doggewolke, from a bitche by the trackes of theyr keete: for the

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dogge hath a greater heele, a greater toe, greater naples, and a rounder kowe : and the Bitche caleteth hyr fiants commonly in the middell of an high way, whereas the dogge caleteth them on the one or other side of the paye. And now let these kewe things suffille koy the hunting of the Molke.

Of the Hunting of the Beare, and firſt of hir nature and properties.

Chap. 77.

There be Beares of two ſoſts, that one much greater than that other naturally: although they be of equal age, or how long ſouer they lie, but their properties and conditions are all one, lauing that the greater be much ſtronger, the which I accoupt no difference of nature. They are naturally very cruell & harme-kuſt into all tame beaſſes, and are very ſtrong in all partes of their bodies but onely the head. A small blow on the head killeth them: they go to make in December, some ſinner ſome later, according to their reſt and good keeding : their heate endureth ſiſterne dayes and not paſſe. When the Shebeare doth keele hir yong within hir, then doth the withdiawne hit ſelke into some caue of rocke, and their abideth until the hing ſoſth hir whelpes : therefore you shall ſeldome heare of a Beare taken when the is with whelpe. ſomtimes a Beare, especially a Male, will keepe close in his derme ſoſtie dayes and nightes without anyther meate of dzinke, hauing none other nouriſhment but onely sleepe and fucking on his Toes : at ſoſtie dayes ende they will come out, and though it be a fayze day, yet will they enclose themſelues agayne for ſoſtie dayes longer, always doubting that the winter will yet còtine: and lightly as long as any harde wea-ther laſſeth, they will not come out of their dennes. They are whelped moſt commonly in Marche: the moſt parte of them are dead one whole day after they be whelped : but the Dâme doth to lice them, warme them, and cheriſe them, that the reuinieth them at last. Their heare at firſt is moze whitilh than like black:

the

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they glue them fucke a moneth and not much moze, and that is bicaule their whelpes are curſt and haue cruell pawes & harpe naples, and byte hyeωdely : if they finde not their fill of milke in the Damines teates, or that the remoue when they sucke, they thep will byte the teate, & teare their Dâme with their pawes, wherupon many of them kill their whelpes, and byte them ſoſe ſomtimes. At least allone as the Damine perceineth that they beginne to ware ſtrong, they giueth them sucke no longer, but goeth abode, and prayeth or fedeth upon any thing that the ca finde, and then caſtes it up agayne bekoze hir whelpes, by that means the feedeth them untill they can praye for themſelues. When they ingender, they lye face to face. They keede uppon Hearbes, Krutes, Honie, Kſelthe, Milke, Maſſe, Beancs, Deaſt, and of all manner of carion and vermine. They will clyme a tree for þrute : and ſomtimes in the winter or hard weather, when all theſe things faile them, they kill Kyné and other cat-tell to keede on: and yet kewe of them do so, unlesse it be heech, Cokes, or ſuche little beaſſes. If they be in good plygbte (and especially the greater ſoſt) they continew in their ſtrength and ſoſce ſenne or twelue yeares. They lue ſometimes. rr. yeares, but they doe okentymes become blinde, and then they cannot pray. They go very far for their prayes, considering the great-nelle and weight of their bodies, & that is bicaule they would not be founde: but yet loke where they praye, they remaine and continue harde by their praye. If they be hunted, they followe a man, and yet neuer runne upon him unlesse they be hurt: but if they be hurte, then they runne uppon any thing that standes bekoze them. They are maruelous ſtrong in their pawes, wher-with they coll in a Man or a Dogge, in ſuche ſoſte, that many kimes they kill and smother them, or brieake their bulckes with the ſoſce. Their naples haue great ſoſce, but not ſuch as would kill a beaſt: but with their whole pawe they pull a dogge into their mouth, and then they teare him maruelouſly, for they byte ſoſe, infomuch that if they get holde of a man's heade, they will byte him into þraines: as for an arme or a leg, they would

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cruche it in peces like glasse. If you strike at them with a sword, they will break and beare off a great blow with their paws: they are so heaute, that when they be hunted they can make no lypete, but are always within fight of the Dogges: they stand not at a Baye like to the Boze, but flee flyll wallowing as they can untill helpe of men come in: and then if the houndes kicke in and fight with them, they fight very valiantly in their own re-kence. Sometimes they stand upon their hinder keete as upright as a man: but that is a token of dread and cowardlynesse, but being upon all foure they fight bothe the moze strongly and the moze outlyely: for then they declare that they will be reuenged, and flee no longer: they haue very perfeck lent, as Imel furder off thä any other beaft, vnlesse it be the Boze. For in a whole foize they will Imel out a tree loden with mail: when they be ouerweried, they flee to some brooke or water, as they be ouer-thothen: they may be hunted with Hallykes, Greyhounds, or hounds: as they are killed as chaced with bove, boze, or speare, darts, or words: so are they also take in shares, causes or pits, as in other engines. If two men on foote hauing boze, or speare, or Jaulins, or short pitchfozkes, would kicke wel one to an others keefe, or reuenge, they may kill a great beare: for the Beare is of this nature, that at every blowe he will be reuenged on what soever come nert to hands. So that when one hath striken the Beare, he will runne upon him: as then if the other strike quickly, he will returne to him againe. So that the one may alwaies help and succour the other: they do naturally abide in the great Moun-taines, but when it snoweth or is very hard weather, then they need to feeke kwe in y balleies as Fozells, they cast their lesse fomtimes in round Croteys, as fomtimes flat like a Bullocke, according to the keede that they find: they are able to engender when they be but one yeare old, as then they departe from their dammes, they go fomtimes a gallope, as fomtimes an amble: but when they wallow then they go at moste ease. When they are chazed they flee into the couerts and Fozrefles, their season beginneth in Maye, and endureth untill such tyme as they go to ingender agayne: but at all seasons they bee very fatte both

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both within and without. And by that meanes their season lasteth longer than any other beafts. When a Beare is hurt boze, and escapeth the hunte, she will open and stretch her wound, yea, sometimes she will drawe out her owne guts and bowels to search them whether they be pierced or not: and by that means many of them dpe, when they might well escape. When they come from their feeding, they beate comonly the highways and beafe pathes: and where so ever they goe out of the byghe way, there you may be sure they are gone to their denne, for they be no doublings no subtleties. They tumble and wallowe in water and myte like vnto swyne, and they keede like a dogge. Their flech is delicate to some mens tooth: but in mine opinion, it is rammithe and vnfaerie, at leekwike it can not be holome. Their greace is good for the gowt and thinking of the linews, and the better, if it be mingled with other oyniments. Their keete are the best mosse of them, for they be delicate meate. Their kynne is a furre, but very course: meeter to tape vpon a bed, than to weare otherwise. I haue termed their fatte, greace, as so is it to be called of all beaولات which playe: and of all Deare as other fallow beafts, it is to be called Sewet. As also their keede is called feeding, and a Deares is called keede, as I haue befoze declared.

The manner of hunting the Beare.

Chap. 78.

The best finding of the Beare is with a lyamhounde, and yet he which hath no lyamhounde, maye trayle after the Beare, as they doe after a Rowe, or a Bucke: but you may drawe after the Beare in the vineyards, in the hollow ma-flie woods, and such like places, according to the season: as so you may lodge them, and runne and hunte them, as you do a Boze. For the moze weedy execution, you shall do well to mingle ma-flies amongst your houndes: for they will pinch the Beare, and make her angrie, untill at last they bring them to the bay, or else they drie them cleane out of the playne, into the court, and neuer let them be in quiet, untill they come to fight for defence: and

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and infesteth him sodainely. And as lone as the hnapne keeleth it
selle bered with the fume thereof, the dog tomenteth him selle
continually, and becommeth desperate, as hath often bene leene
by experience, the dogges which haue this madnesse, are knowne
fundy wayes. Firile when they runne, they rayle their wayles
tight vp, the which other dogges doe not, that be fiche of other
kyndes of madnesse. A gayne, they -runne upon any thing that
Ifandeth before them: as well beassles, as other thinges, and have
no reyseff, where no? which way they run, whether it be through
Ryuers, pondes, or waters. Also their mouth will be very black,
and will have no fome no? troth in it. They endure not in this
kynde of madnesse, above three or foure dayes at the moft, by
reason of the untolerable payne and trauell thereof. When they
maye no longer endure, they howle a kynde of howling in the
thzoate, and hoarely, but not like the howling of a dogge that
were founde. All beassles which they shall byte, as well dogges
as other, if they have bloude on them, will doubtlesse runne
madde also.

The second kinde of madnesse, is called running madnesse,
and is likewise uncureable. But the byting thereof is not so be-
nemous, no: so dangerous for other beassles, as the first is, for it
bereth not continually without intermission. And when a dog
is madde of this kynde of madnesse, the first dogge which he by-
feth in the fozenwone, dothe beare with him all his benome, and will
be in great daunger to runne madde: but as many as he byteth
afterwards, may escape from running madde thereof. When
dogges haue this madnesse, they runne not upon beassles, nor
upon men, but onely upon dogges, and harken as they goe to
heare the barking of other dogges, to the end they may go aske
them and byte them. They runne in the high wayes, and cast
their wayles before their legges, trotting like a foxe, and may
continue thus nyne monethes, but not past. These two kyndes
of madnesse are more daungerous than all the rest, and when a
dogge will become madde, of any of these two wayles of mad-
nesse, you may knowe by these tokens.

First they eate verie little, they will smell upon other dogs,
and

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and when they haue smelt on them, will shake and byte them,
yet wagging their wayles, and seeming to cherish them. They
ligh toze, and sincke with their noles, and looke hydwayes over-
thwarts. They are lad and heauie, yet running after butterflyes
and other flies. There are many other apparent tokens which I
leane for venuities sake. Where you perceive them by such tokens,
they lift them out of the company of other dogs, and flyt them vp,
for their breath is inkeffine, and may make other dogges madde:
for such dilleates are taken amongst dogs, as the peitlence is a-
mongst men. The other five wayts of madnesse, are nothing like
so dangerous: for dogs which are fiche of them, do neither runne
no: byte. So that I alleeme them rather ficknesse, than mad-
nelles, although sundive huntsmen haue hold opinion, that al the
fuen waytes of madnesse were uncurable. But if my selfe haue
healed sundy dogs, which have bin fiche of these other five kinds
of madnesse hereafter mentioned, with the Receiptes which I
meane (God willing) to let downe here in wyting. And the laid
five fundy wayts of madnesse are thus named.

The first is called the dumme madnesse, the which lieth within
the bloude, and is to be known by this noke or ligne: The dogges
which are mad therof, will not feed, but hold their mouth wide o-
pè, putting their feet into their mouth, as if they had some bone in
their thzoat, and hide themselves commonly in moft and kresfelt places.

The seconde is called the falling madnesse, for the dogs which
haue it, fal as they go, as if they had the falling eill, or the Saint
Johns lycknesse. And the dilleafe lyeth in their heads.

The thirde kynde of madnesse, is called the Lanke madnesse.
For the dilleafe is within their bodies, and maketh them skinner
so much, that they become so lanke, leane, and thynne, that a man
may thust them through with his finger.

The fourth is called the sleeping madnesse. The which com-
meth with a kinde of little worms, that lye in the mouth of a
dogges (lomacke, being there engendered through corruption
of humours, the vapors and fumes whereof, doe mount vp into
the hnapnes of a dog, and make him sleepe vncelesantly, so that
commonly they die sleeping.

The

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The fifth and last kynde of madnell, is called the Rewma-
tike or flauering madnell. For when a dogge hath it, his heade
welletteth, and his eyes become yellowe as a Kyghes wote, and he
drueleth and flauereth at the mouth commonly.

When a dogge hath any of these kyndes of madnell, he will
haue no luff to eate, but lyuth eight or nyne dayes in this forxe,
doing no hurte to any thing, and in the ende deth for hunger :
wherewith you must understande, that dogs are of this pro-
pertie generally: When soever they keele any dichease within their
bodies (without any occasion of hurtes, or such accidents) they
wil neuer feede lightly, untill they be healed therof. For, puke,
when a dogge is sicke, he will not eate the deyntypef mozeil that
you can proffer him, but fill he haue eaten grasse, and cast up all
that was within him, and then he will eafe. Some are of opini-
on, þ the worme under a dogs Tong, is the cause of madnell: but
I thinke not so. Although it may be, that fuche as haue brene
wormed, doc not so commonly fall madde: yet sometimes they
do, as may haply be seene.

These diftales are taken amongst dogs, by breathing and co-
pawing one with another. And therfore it shall be best to slut up
such as haue the, from al the rest of your hounds, as is before layd.

The receipt to heale the dumme madnell.

Take the weight of foure French crownes, of the iuyce of an
herbe called Spathula putrida, which hath a leake muche like
unto the herbe called Iress, or Flosser de luce (but it is a little blac-
ker) and put this iuyce into a little pewter pot. Then take as much
of the iuyce of an herb, called Helleborus niger, in English Bear-
wort, as much of the iuyce of Rewe. And if it be in such season
that thele herbes haue no iuyce in them, you must make a decoc-
tion of them. And when you haue all thes e iuyces together, take
as much white wine as there was iuyce of Rewe. Then freine
them all through a kayce lynnen cloth, and set them in a glasse.
Then take Scamony two drammes, and let the Scamony be un-
preparafe, the which you shall mingle amongst all these iuyces.
The fake the dog, as put a table napkin rowled in his mouth for
byting,

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223

byting, and put downe this medicinie into his chaste, with some
home or tunnell, holding up his heade alofte, cast he rait if up a-
gaine. When you haue given him this receipt, you shall let him
bleed with a knife in the mouth, as you puke a hoxle, in þ gums
of the upper jaw, as the rooke of his mouth, as cut him two or three
baines in his gums, that he may bleede the better. Then kennell
him with fayle fresh fraw, and he will amend. Note here that
the herbe commonly called Harts home, or Dogs twth, is excel-
lent good to cure any kynde of madnell, being dionke eight
drammes of the iuyce thereof, with a little salt.

A receipt for the falling or reeling madnell, pro-
ceeding of wormes.

Take the weight of foure french crownes, of the iuyce of seede
of an herbe called Pyonye, (that forxe of Pyonye which beareth
seede) as the weight of foure Frenche crownes, of the iuyce of an
herbes roke called Bryonie, or Vitis alba, which groweth in the
hedges, and bath a roke as byg as a mans legge. Then take as
much of þ iuyce of an herbe called Cruciaras, otherwise Truffome,
and foure mams of Stauelfaker, well blayed and beaten to pou-
der. Mingle them all well together, and giue it your bounde or
dogge, as afore layde. Then llyt his eares to make him bleede,
or else let him bloude on the two baines which come downe his
houlders, (which in an hoxle are called the Arches, or the Arch-
baines) and if it help him not at the first, giue it him once again,
or twice if neecht require.

A receipt for the sleeping madnell, proceed-
ing of wormes.

Take the weight of six crownes, of þ iuyce of the Mornwood
called Abfynthium Sautoniciæ, or French Mornwood, and
the weight of two crowns of the powder of Harts home burned,
and two drammes of Agarick. Mingle them all together, and
if they be two thickc or two dip, then put white wine into them, the
weight of foure or fire crownes, and giue it your dog to drinke
downe as before layde.

A

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A receipt for the Rewmatique or sluering mad-
nesse, comming like the Laundysse.

Take the weight of fire crownes, of the iuyce or decoction of the rotes of Fenell, the weight of fivee frenche crownes of the iuyce or decoction of an herbe, called (by the Frenchmen) Guy, whiche groweth in the white thornes (I take it to be that which we call Muffeldine, or Muffeltoe) the weight of foure crownes of the iuyce or decoitió of ground Juy, the weight of iiiij. crownes of the poudre oیرdegs of the rote of Pelypody, which groweth on an Oke or Chestnut free: put them al together in a portenger or skillet, and let them boyle together in white wine. And when it is coled a little, put it downe your dogs thioate as before layd, euen as hote as he may suffer it.

A receipt, for the lanke madnesse.

As touching the Lanke madnesse, which keepeth within the bowels, and diners other diseales, as Gouts, Coldes, Stoppings, and all other proceeding of colde caufes, they are to be healed with Batbes and Stuoles, as euethueth.

Take two great kettles, that will hold each of them fire pailes full, wherein you shall put (in each of them) ten handfuls of theke herbs hereafter named. That is to say: of an herbe called Artemisia or Bugwort, of Rolermarie, of red Sage, of the rotes or leaes of an herbe called Guymanne, or French Mallowe (or in English, Marly Mallowes,) of the rotes or leaes of Malwort or Danewort, of the rotes or stalkes of Fenell, of the leaes or stalkes of Bawme, of Rewe, of Enula campana, (thereof both rotes and leaes) of Sozel, of Buglosse, and of Mellilot, &c. put them al into the faide kettles. Then fill them with wine and water, two parts water, and the third white, and let them boyle together, until the third part of quantitie be consumed. And when they be so sodden, take the kettles and poure out all these herbes into a Tunne or pype, wherein you shall put foure payles full of god and strong lyes of wine. Then take the kettles, &c. hang the on the fire againe, filling them two parts with water, &c. the third with wine, as before layd. Then take a newe lacke, and go seeke out

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out some Molehill, or anthil, and take the greatest red Ants with their eggs and all, and let them boyle in the faide kettles, with threee or foure pyntes or great handfuls of salt, until they be consumed. And when it is boyled unto the third part, &c. that the water is very thick, poure them out into the Tun or Pype unto the rest, and so let them stand altogether, until they be little better than luke warme. Then put your sicke dogge into it, and bathe him therein a long hour before you let him come out, having god regard how you hold him, for fear of drouning, or smothering him in y' tun. Afterwards, put him in some wanne place or couch, where he may take no apy, for fear of founding or marking. This order of bathing you may be with the same water, foure or fivee dayes together, warming it alwayse againe: and it will serve for many dogs, one after another. But before you do thus bathe your dogs that are sicke, purge them in this order.

Take an ounce and a halfe of Castia fistularis with clemens, two drams and a half of Staveclaker in poudre, two drams and a halfe of Scamony preparat in white vineger, and four ounces of oile Dyke, temper them all together, and warme them alittle ouer the fire, and give it your dog towards night, and let him eat no meate after it. The next day put him into the bathe falling.

A Bath to bathe dogs, when they haue bene bitten with others, to prevent that they runne not madde.

If your dog be bytten or shaken with a mad dog, immediately fill a barrell or tun with water, and take a bushell, or a bushell and a halfe of Salte, and cast it therein: Hingle and flyre the Salte well about with a slaffe to make it melt. And then take your dog and plunge him therein ouer head and eares, eight or nine times. When he is well washed, then let him goe, and it will helpe and prevent the diseale.

A charme of wordes, to preferue dogs from madnesse.

A Gentleman of Brittainne taught the Author (for the Tranflavour will learne no suche deuilkes) to make two little volles where-

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wherein were witten but two lynes, and thole he put in an ege
well, and to put them downe a dogge tyoat, whiche was bit-
ten with a madde dogge. And the wipting contayned but this :
T
Ran лии Rain, of am caſation caſation. This he layde
would pizeverue a dogge fro being madde: believeue it he that lift,
for I do not.

Of the Maunge, Tettarres, Ringwormes,
and Icabbes in a dogge.

There are foure kindes of Mange, viz, the red Mange, which
maketh a dogges legges to swell. The skaly Mange, which
groweth in patches, as broad as the palme of a mans hande, and
taketh off the skinne where it goeth. The common Mange, and
the blacke Mange, which lyeth under the skinne, and maketh the
haire to thied. Of these manges the red Mange is the worst, and
most dangerous to heale. For it engendeth and bizeeth after a
founding or overheating of a dog, which he taketh in the win-
ter, paſsing ouer brows or poles, when he is hote and chafed. Or
with lying in colde and moyll places, before he be well dyed or
rubbed. Or it may come by being brought vp in the chambl. ſ,
or butcheries, with the bloud of Dren or luche like, which ouer-
heareth the bloud in a dog. And thole kindes of Mange are thus
to be healed. First purge your dogge with the receipt which I
haue before preſcribed to be minillied before bathing, and on the
morrow let him bloud two ounces or moze, upon a baine which
is betwene the hough string, and the bone of his leg. And withinin
two dapes next following, you shall anoynt him with this
oyntment which followeth.

Take three pound weight of the oyle of Puffes (I thinke he
meaneth Walnuts) a pounde and halfe of the ople of Cade, two
pound of the ople of Mوزines, three pound of Honny, a pound
a half of Tlyneger, boyle them al together, until they be halfe
walled. Then put to it Rolen and Pytch, or Tar, of each two
pounds a half, a half a pound of new ware unwrought, melt
the altogether, and let them with a reede or a palme wand. When
they are well melted and mingled, put therein (from off the fire) a
pound

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pound a half of Brymstone, two pound of Coppolas wel tri-
ed,rij. ounces of Uerdigreace, æ spæt the into it until it be cold.
This oyntment will kill æ heale all maner of manges æ itches,
how strong or vehement soever they be. And before you anoynt
your dogs therewith, wash them æ rub them all ouer with wa-
ter æ salt to clene their skins. Afterwards leade them to a good
fire, æ tye them there koll, until they may sweate a good houre æ a
half, giving them water to drinke æ lap their belly full. When
they are thus dressed æ warmed, feede the with good dzothes mate
with Hutton, boyled with a little brimstone to warme the win,
æ with good holsome hearbes, continuing that dyet eight dayes.

Another medicine for the Tettar.

The Tettar commeth into many dogs naturally, or by kind,
or by age, and it may be thus healed:

Take away the haire in the places where the Tettarres are, æ
then rub the dog with lye, salt, and vineger, until the ring worz-
tes do bleed. And afterwards anoynt them with this oyniment.

Take a pound of an oynment called Vnguensum enulatum,
half a pound of another ointment called Pomphiligos, two pounds
of the ople of Puts, Tar a pounde, a pound of the ople of Cade,
half a pound of Brimstone, half a pound of Swte, half a pound
of Vytrioll or Copperolle, foure ounces of the lytarge of Gold,
foure ounces of white leade, foure ounces of Uerdigreace, æ fire
ounces of Roch Alume. Beate them all to poudr, æ boyle and
incorporate them together, with half a pound of vineger. This
oyntment is most excellent for the Tettar, vling it as before layd.

For the common Mange.

The common Mange commeth oftentimes by reason that the
dogs lacke fresh water to drinke, when they desire it. Or else
by foule æ filthy lodging æ kennelling. As in twineflies, or upon
the straw whereupon other mangie dogs have line. And it may
also come by founding æ melting of their greace. Thus mange
may be easily healed, without the drugs and dzams before re-
hearko, but only with decoction of these herbs following.

P.ij.

Take

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Take two handfull of wild Cressyes, otherwise called Berne, two handfull of Enula campana, of the leanes or rotes of wylde Sorell, and the rote of Reerb as much, and the weight of two pounds of rotes of Fredyls, make them al boyle wel in lye a vi-neger. When they are all well boled, you must freine the de-coction, take the juice therof, mingling it with two pounds of grep Sope, and when the Sope is well melted and mingled in it, the rub your dogs with it foure or five days together, it will heale the. This receipt is at best I have proved and found medicinable.

A Receipt to heale the disease called the Wolfe, which is a kernell or round bunch of flesh, which groweth and increaseth, until it kill the dogge.

This disease or botch haineth often unto dogs. And to heale it you must have good regard in what place it is. For if it be in any part of the body, where many baynes be, or arteries, then will it be verie hard to take it away. But this is the meane to take a Wolfe away in places where you maye conveniently. There are two maners of curing of it. The one is by Incision, and that other by Receipt. He that will make incision, must first lave howe many baynes and arteries doe come from any parte of the bodye, into the place where the Wolfe is. Then must he have a sharpe foursquare needle, that must be a little bended or crooked. That being threeden with a good strong threed, let him throust his needle underneath the bayne, and drawe it through, and so let him with both ends of the threed, tie the bayne as hard and close as he can, and cut off the ends. Thus that he do with all the baines which have recourse into the disease, for bleeding for marring his incision. Then let him take a razor, and cut rounde about the botch (within the knots that are tyed about the baines) and so take away and cut out the botch or lump. Then shall he immediately take a horse Iron, as near the little ends and ppyes of the baynes and arteries. Afterwardes he shall first apply on to it a playffer made of Sangnis draconis, yolkes of eggs, powder of burnt

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burnt lynnen, and good byneger, brused and tempted together. And he muste unfeell vp his dogge, soke keare least he byte the thyeads, which the ends of the baines and arteries, and djeke him every day, with Larder melted in warme water, and mingled and drayed together with Pompiligos. Above all things take heede, that the baynes bleede not at any time, till the dogge be hole. I take this Wolfe to be that which we call a Menne.

Another approued receipt for the fame,

Take three great blacke thorns, when they be grene and fresh gathered, lay the. rriity. houres in steepe in a womans fermes: being wet and melped therwith, pricke them into three wolke or men, as far as they will go. And if the Wolfe or Men be so hard that they will not enter, then make holes before with some bodkin or great pinne, and thust the thornes fall in: and never take them out, until they fall out of themselves. This done, the Wolf will die, and fall away by little and little. Remember that the dog be fall mulled, for plucking out the thornes.

A receipt to kill Fleas, Lice, Tykes, and other vermin on dogs, and to keepe them cleane.

Take two handfull of the leanes of Berne or wilde Cressyes, as much of wilde Sorell, as much of Myuts, and bole the in lye made with bine leanes, and put amongst them, two ounces of Stavelesaker. When it is well boled, strepne them cleane, and take the decoction, and mingle there in two ounces of Sope, and one ounce of Safron, with a handfull of Salte. Mingle all this together, and wolle your dogs therewith.

A receipt to kill wormes and cankers in a dogges eares, or vpon any part of his bodie.

Take the buskes of Walnuts, and bruse them well, then put them in a pot with a quart of Tyneger, and let them stande so two hours. That being done, let them bole two or three

P. in.

whalmes

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whalmes upon the fire. Then frein them in a kaire lynne cloth,
& put vnto the decoffion thele ponders, one ounce of Aloe eupa-
tique, called with vs Aloes cubellina, one ounce of a Hartes
borne burned, an ounce of Rosyne. Binze all these into powder,
& put the vnto the decoffion in some pot. When they have slowe
so together an houre or two, zoppe a little of it vpon the place
where the worms & tankers are, & it will kill them immediatly.

Another for the fame.

Take an Dre gall, Rofine in powder, Aloes in powder, un-
sleakt Lyme in powder, Brimstone in powder, mingle them
altogether with the Dre gall, & it will kill the worms, & make
them fall away. Some hane vled in times past, to put a dogges
hartes bode into an Ash or Ceruletree, but it is but a mockerie.

A receipt for dogges that are bytten
with Vypers or Serpents..

Take a handfull of Tuttome, a handfull of Repe, a handfull of the leaves of a free called Caffy or Spanishe Pepper, a handfull of the herb called Boyllon or Bloud, a handfull of Juniper, a handfull of Mynts, and bruse & stampe them al together, until they be wel beaten and stamped. Then put a glatte full of white wine to them, and let them boyle therein, a whalme or a wallop in a pewter pot. Then take the decoffion with the weight of a crown of Tryacle, & give your dog a glatteful of it warm, & wail the bitten place therewith, tying a teale of Boyllon with a pyll of a Juniper branch upon it, and it will heale.

A receipt to heale dogges bitten or stricken
with a Bore, Beare, Wolfe, or rich like.

According to the place where a dog is hurt, you must apply and direct your medicines and playsters. If he be hurt in the belly, so that his guts fall out, and yet the guts not broken nor pearted

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pearted, let the barlets of the kennell take the dogge quickly, and put up his guts shortly into his bellie with the ends of his fingers, in such sort as a gelder doth when he spayeth a brytch. Then let him cut a lyce or thin piece of Lard, and put it within the belly, right against the hole that is made. And he must have a lyngell in readineſſe to sow up the skin, and at every flitch that he taketh, let him knit his threed or lyngell. For else as one as the threed should rot or breaſe in one place, all the rest would slippe, and so the wounde would open againe, before it be throughly healed. And in all places that a dog is hurt, if it be needfull to stitch him vp, put alwayes a piece of Lard in the wounde or againe it, and alwayes annoynt the wound with fresh butter, for that will make a dog be alwayes lycking of it. And his owne tong is a good Chyzurgion where he may reach the wound. The needle wherewith a dog should be sowed, should be four square at the point. And the barlet of the kennell should neuer go on field to hunt any other Bore, Beare, or Wolfe, without such a needle, lypugelles, and Lard, in a readineſſe.

A receipt to heale dogs which be brused, or
haue any thing broken within them.

Thapneth ofſtentimes, that a Bore bruseth a dogge with the
force of his heade, and yet maweth no blonde on him, wyther
upon the lides of the dogges bulke, or upon his thighes, or luche
ſinewye places. Then if any thing be broken or put out of point,
it must first be put vp again. But if it be no more but brused, the
make a playſter of the route of the herbe called Symphiton (with
bs in English) the playſter of Mellyplot, Pytche or
Tarre, and oyle of Rokes, as muche of the one as of the other.
The whiche you shall mingle altogether, and make thereof a
great playſter upon a cloth, and cut it as bygge as mape ferue to
couer the brused place, and laye it therevonto as hote as the dogge
may suffer it, and it will heale him.

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A receipt to kill wormes within a dogge,
and to make him voyde them.

Take the iuyce of Mowme wode two drammes, as much of Alloes Cabellina, as much of Stavefaker, and a diamme of a Harts houne burnt, with a diam of Brymstone: Buke and beate a together, and incorpozate them with the Dile of Walnuts, make (as it were) halfe a glasse full of it. And put it down your dogs th岳ate, and it will heale him..

A playster to heale a dogge, when he is
furbayted on his feete.

Take twelve yolkes of egges, and beate them with foure oun-
ces of the iuyce or decoction of an herb, that groweth vpon the
tockes, and is called Pylo zelle (in English, Moutereare) or with the
iuyce of Pomegranats, bopled with vyneger. And for default of
the herbs before named, take vyneger only, and when the yolks
of the egges are well beaten therin, then put Sut therunto small
brayed to powder, and mingle them all together, rubbing the loa-
les of your dogs feete therewith, and bynding it upon a lynnen
cloth vnto the dogges foote. Then give the dog reft in his ken-
nell, a night and a day, or more, and it will heale him.

A receipt to kill the Canker in a dogs eares.

Take Sope, Dyle of Tartre, Sal armoniacke, Brymstone and
Herbigreace, of each the weight of a crowne, and inco-
porate them altogether with white vineger, and Aqua Fortis,
and rubbe the Canker herewith nyne mornings.

A receipt to kepe Bytches from going proud.

Bake a Bytche haue had whelpes, give her every morning
nyne dayes together, nyne grapnes of Pepper in her meat,
and she shall not become proude. Put them in to hit, in some
cheese, or brieade, or hard meat.

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233

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A receipt for dogges that cannot piffe.

Take a handfull of French Mallowes (or Marshmallows)
afmuch of the leanes or seedes of Archangell, which groweth
commonly by vines, the tores of Fenill, the tores of blackeber-
ties or brambles, afmuch of the one as of the other, and let them
boyle together with white wine untill the thirde parte be wa-
flued : put this downe your dogges th岳ate to dinke, and it will
make him piffe.

A receypt for a forenesſe within the
eares of a Dogge.

Take beriuyce, and put it in a ladell or a pottenger or warne
it : then put to it the water of the leake or floure of an hearbe
or little buche called Pryuet or Prymprynt, or of the water of the
floures of Woodbindes, and afmuch Honie as the end of a mans
finger, the which you shall mingle with them : and put them all
together into the dogges eare, and mowe his head one way and
another to make it linke in : then let him holde downe his head
that it may dloppe out againe. Then take the ople of Bayes
and warne it, and dloppe it into his eare, stopping it up with
some cotton or woll dipped in the came ople : and continuing
this fine or fire dayes it will heale him : but beware that he skrat
not out the woll or Cotton.

An approued medicine to kill all Tettars,
Cankers, and Ringwormes.

Take a diamme of Mercurye sublimace in powder, and beate
it well in a stone Moſter, with the iuyce and inward sub-
ſtance of a Cyphon without the barke: put it then in a little wa-
ter and Winegre mingled together : and take the weight of a
crowne of Alum, and afmuch Sope, the which you shall baye
and mingle with the things before named, and let them boyle al
together in a little pot untill the thirde parte be consumed : then

P.v.

lay

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234

lay the decoction thereof upon the Teffers or Cankers. But if the Canker be in a dogges piſſell, or in the quicke fleche, then Doyle your Sublimate, and caſt waſer first upon the place, that it be not ouer ſharpe and corrosive for the dogge to abide : afterwards do as before layde.

A receipt for to heale woundes on a dogge.

The iuice of a redde Coleworte is a ſouerayne medecine for woundes on a Dogge, for it will of it ſelfe heale any wound and consolidate the muiſkels, bicaufe the flech of a dogge is hote and drie, and the Coleworte is naturally hote and mopyſte. I could hane preſcribed many other receyts and medecines, but I trust that these (being principall and well approued) shall ſuffice.

Of the Termes of Venerie.

Håne thought meete to write a hicie note of abſtraſe of ſuch termes as proper words as I hane obſerned in Venerie, either by reading or by experience : as well bicaufe mine Author hath done the like, as also bicaufe I finde it very pertinent to the purpose. But bicaufe I find that his termes in the Frenche are in many places much different from ours (as yet many holde opinion that we borrowed all our termes of Hunting, Hawking, and such like out of the Frenche) therfore I håne thought my parte to let downe ſuche as I my ſelke håne eyther herd pronounced by olde Hunteſinen, or founde approued in olde Tryſtrams booke. And if the Reader do finde that in any parte of the disſourſts in this booke, I håne termed any of them otherwife, then let him also, consider that in handling of an Artie, or in fitting downe rules, and precepts of any thing, a man must be ſuche words as may be moſt eſtie, perſicious and inſtellichible. But here (as neare as I can) I will let them downe in ſuche termes as were ought, by lawe of Tjenſerie, to name them : as followeth:

The

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235

The proper termes for the companies of all beaſts, when they are more than one together.

To beginne with the termes that are proper for the companies of beaſts : you shall understand that Hunteſinen die to taype, An Heard of Harts and Hindes, Buckes and Does: and A Trippe of Gotes and Geates. A Beauie of Rowes. A Sounder of Swyne, And a Rowre of P[ro]volues. I håne not readde any thing of the Raynedeare in this ſpeec, and I could not heare any thing bycauſe in deede they are not in this Realme as farre as euer I could beare. But in my indigement it shoulde also be called An Heard of Raynedeare. Tryſtra addeth, A Richeſſe of Marternes, and a Sloverth of Beares. As for Hares, if they be two togethers, we lay, a hale of Hares, and a Leade when there are three : as also a hale of Harts or Hindes, Buckes or Does, is very properly ſoken: but more than two or three Hares, you shall seldom fee together at once. Two Conies are called a couple, and there are called a couple as a hale of Conies. If they be many feeding but fofether, we lay it is a Kayne game of Conies. As for For, Badger and other ſuche bermine, you ſall feldome fee more than one of them at once, vnleſſe it be when they engendie : and then their encreafe is called A lyter. This is almuſe as I thinke requisite to lay of the termes for the companies of Beaſtes: Sauing that, it is the leaſt number which maketh an hearede of any Deare ſauing the Rowe : but fire. Rowes make an hearde. And of Swyne twelue is the leaſt number, which may be called a Sounder: as also the fame number kerucht for a route of Molues.

Companies
of Beasts.

The termes of the Ages of all beaſts of Venerie and Chace: and firſt of the Harte.

The hart is called the kiſſe yeare a Calfe, the leconde a Brocket, the thirde a Spayde, the fourth a Staggerd, the fifth a Stagge, and (as Tryſtrams booke teacheth) the sixth yeare he ſhulde be called an hart. But I am rather of opinion he is

Age.

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is not to be called a Harte unlesse he be hunted or killed by a Prince. A Bucke is called the first yeare a Fawne, the second a Picket, the third a Sozell, the fourth a Soze, the fifth a Bucke of the first head, and the sixth a Bucke. Of the Raynedeare I haue neyetht heard no redde any termes. The Gote hath no difference (that euer I heard) after he passe the firste yeare, and then is called a Kidde. The Hare and the Conie, are called in their first yeare, Leuerets, and Rabets, and afterwards they haue no difference, but to lay, A great Hare, and an old Conie. Also you shall lay by any Deare, A great Deare, not A fayre Deare, unlesse it be a Rowe. The which is called the first yeare a Kidde, the second a Gyrle, the third an Hemuse, the fourth a Rowbucke of the first heade, and the fifth yeare a kayre Rowebucke. A Bore is the first yeare a Pigge, the second an Hogge, the third a Hogsleare, the fourth a Bore, and the fifth yeare a Singuler, or (as I would thinke more properly spoken) a Sanglier, according to the French wode. Fores are called the first yeare Cubbes, and afterwards (Fores) without any other difference than an olde Foxe, or such like. Also the Badger is the first yeare a whelpe or a Pigge (for I haue herd huntefmen use both those termes) and euer after a Badger great or old, etc. As for Wolfe, Beare, and such like we haue them not here. The Otter is called the firste yeare a whelpe, and euer afterwards an Otter, etc.

The termes of a Deares head, and such like beaſtes of Venerie.

Hed.

The rounde roll of pyzled home that is next to the head of an Harte is called the Burre, the mayne home is called the Beame, the lowest Antliere is called The Brow Antliere, or Beas antlier, the next Royall, the nexte aboue that Surryall, and then the Toppe. In a Bucke we lay, Burre, Beame, Branche, Aduauncers, Pawlme, and Spelers. A Gotes hornes are not termed by any difference, lauing that there are certaine weathes and winkles about them, whereby his age is knownen, as hath bene layde before. The Bozes teeth are to be called his Tuskes or his gartes and

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and that is all the proper words or termes that euer I heard or redde thereof. Note that when you speake of a Harts homes, you must terme them the Head and not the Hornes of a Harte. And lykewife of a Bucke : but a Rowes Hornes, and a Gotes Hornes are tollerable termes in Venerie.

The termes of the treading or footing of all beaſtes of chace and Venerie.

The footyng or printe of an Hartes kote is called the slot. Of a Bucke and all other Sallow Deare, it is to be called the View. Of a Gote, the Breaking (and that is also a good terme for an Hartes footing). Of a Bore, the Tracke, or the Treading. Of an Hare diuerly, for when a Hare is in playne fieldes, the Sozeth: when the beaſeth aboute to deceyue the houndses, then the Doubleth: and when the beaſeth a hinde highe way, where you may yet finde a perceyue hit footing, there the Picketh : also in time of Snowe we lay the Trace of an Hare. Of a Fore and al such vermine I neuer heard any other word but onely the Footing or the foote, &c. Of an Otter it is to be called the Markes, or the Marches. And we call it the footling of a Deare if it be on gralle where the print of the kote cannot well be seene.

Footing.

The termes proper for the ordure and natural excrements of chaces.

It is a king highly obferued and not here to be omitted, that the ordure of every beaſte of chace is Venerie hath his proper terme. The reason is, because theye ordure and excrements are one principall marke whereby we know the place of their feede, and their eſtate. So that a hunteſman in talke or making of his reportes shall be often confuſedly to rehearſe the fame. Of an Harte the which, and of all Deare the ordure is called Fewmets or Fewſmihing: Of a Gote, and of an Hare the Crotſing or Crossels: Of a Bore the Lesſes: Of a Fore, and all other vermine, The Eyants: Of an Otter the Sprayts. And I haue neyetht readde

noz

Ordure & Excremets.