The contentes of this Booke.

Firste the Antiquitie of houndses togither vvith the
fundry fortes of houndses, and theyr feuerall na-
tures and properties.

The best order hovv to breede, enter, and make perfect
euery one of the fame.

The vertues, nature, and properties of an Harte, togi-
ther vvith the perfect order hovv to hunte him in his
feason.

The nature and hunting of the Bucke.

The nature and hunting of the Raynedeare.

The nature and hunting of the Rovve.

The nature and hunting of the vvilde Goate

The nature and hunting of the vvilde Bore.

The nature and hunting of the Hare.

The nature and hunting of Conies.

The nature and hunting of the Foxe

The nature and hunting of the Badgerd.

The nature and hunting of the Marterne and vvildcat.

The nature and hunting of the Otter

The nature and hunting of the VVolfe.

The nature and hunting of the Beare.

The cures and medicines for all diseases in Hounds.

The proper termes of Venerie.

A treatise of courting vvith Greyhounds.

The measures of Blovving.

To the righte noble Sir

Henry Clinton Knight Lord

Clinton and Saye, Maister of the
Hart Hounds to the Queenes

most excellent Maiestie, long life,
with encreafe of honor to the
pleasure of the Al-
mightie

Light Noble, myne eſpe-
ciall trust is that your ho-
nor will pardon my bold-
neſſe in dedicating this
Booke to your honorable
name. For when I had with ſome charge
cauſed the fame to be collected and tran-
flated out of ſundry good authorities, and
thought that it could not but generally de-
light all Noblemen and Gentlemen of
this Realm. I made also diligent ſearche
to knowe what particular perſonage were
meetest to be preſented with the fame: and
being enſormed by my friend (the Tran-
flator)

Dedicatory.

flator) that the office of the Hart Houds
perteyned vnto youre Lordship, I thought
it my duetie, and was glad that I fhoulde
thereby haue iust occasion to dedicate so
noble an Arte vnto your honorable name,
most humbly be seeching your honor to ac-
cept it in good part, and to be affured that
what soeuer I coulde procure to be written
of this excellent Arte of Venerie or Hun-
ting, either out of ftraunge Authors, or by
conference of our countrey Hunt men, is
here in this Booke diligently and sensibly
declared. I ca no more but pre sent it with
humble intente, and be seeche the fa-
ther of Heauë euermore to bleffe
your good Lordship with the
fpirite of his grace.
Amen.

Your honors most
humble. C.B.

THE TRANSLATOR

to the Reader.

Might well haue taken occasion
(gentle Reader) to commend
unto thee, both mine own paines
in træflating and gathering this
worke, the Printers charge and diligence in
procuring and publishing the fame, and the
perfection of the thing it self, according to the
subiect and theame whereupon it treateth.
But as touching mine own trauaile, I will no-
thing speake: fithence I did undertake the
fame at request of my friend (the Printer)
who hath so throughly deferued my paynes,
as I fand fully contented: his diligence, and
charge, I thinke not meete to be ouerpass'd
with filèce: who to his great cofts hath sought
out a smuche as is written and extant in any
language, concerning the noble Artes of Ve-
nerie & Falconrie: and to gratifie the No-
bilitie and Gentlemen of this land, hath dif-
bursed

A.ij.
burfed

bursed great summes for the Copies, translations, pictures, and impressions of the same. I will not say that he hath spared neither English, Frenche, Latine, Italian, nor Dutche. Author to search (as it were in the bowels of the same) an exquisite tradition & methode of those two Artes. But to conclude mine opinion in few words, he hath shewed himselfe more desirous (a rare example) to pleasure others, that to profit himself by this enterprise. And therewithal in his behalf, I must alledge, that as the studies of Diuinitie, & graue diss courses are (without all comparison) most comendable, even so yet could he haue trauayled in no one Arte or Science (them excepted) which might haue bene more comendable or necessary for al Noblemen & Gentlemen: not only for the delightfulness therof, but also bicause it is both profitable and godly. For if (as Salomon fayeth) all earthly things be vanities, then are those moste to be esteemed which may continew the life of Man in most comfort

comfort and godly quiet of mynd, with honest recreatió. And if it be true (as it is doubtlesse) that pride (which is roote of all vices,) doth increase by idlenes, the is that exercise highly to be comended, which doth maintaine the body in health, the mynd in honest meditations, & yet the substance not greatly decayed. For these causes I haue always allowed and confirmed their opinions, which do more esteeme Huting that Hawking. Sithens we do plain-ly perceiue, that Huting is maintained with much lesser charge. And to return to my first begon purpose, I comend to thy curteous consideration (gentle reader) both my trauel, and the Printers charge: assuring thee, that as much as could conveniently be found out either in authoritie, or conference, is here expressed, for thy better knowledge in Venerie. Take it in gree, & be as thankful unto the Printer for his good will & honest mening, as he hath bin unto me for my study and trauell herein. And so farewell.

From my chamber this vii. of June. i 575.

George Gafcoigne, in the commen-
dation of the noble Arte
of Venerie.

AS God himselfe declares, the life of man was lent, (fent.
Bicaufe it should ( with feare of him) in gladsome wife be
And Salement doth say, that all the reft is vaine,
Vnlelle that myrth and merie cheere, may follow toile and paine,
If that be so in deede, what booteth then to buylde
High towers & halles of stately port, to leaue an vnknown child?
Or wherefore hoord we heapes of coyne and worldly wealth,
VWhiles therwithall that caytif care, comes creeping in by stelthe
The needie neighbors grudge to see the rychman thrive,
Such malice worldly mucke doth breede in euery man Alye.
Contention commes by coyne, and care doth contecke few,
And fodeine death by care is caught, all this you know is true.
Since death is then the end, which all men feeke to flye,
And yet are all men well aware, that Man is borne to dye,
VWhy leade not men such liues, in quiet comely wife,
As might with honest ſport & game, their worldly minds suffife?
Amongst the reſt, that game, which in this booke is taught,
Doth feeme to yeld as much content, as may on earth be lought.
And but my ſimple Muze, both myrth and meane mistake,
It is a meane of as much mirth, as any ſport can make.
It occupies the mynde, which elle might chaunce to mufe
On miſchione, malice, filth, and fraudes, that mortall men do vſe.
And as for exercife, it ſeemes to beare the bell,
Since by the fame, mens bodies be, in health mainteyned well,
It exercyſeth ſtrength, it exercyſeth wit,
And all the poars and sprites of Man, are exerciſe by it.
It shaketh off all flouch, it preſſeth downe all pryde,
It cheres the hart, it glads the eye, & through the ears doth glyde,
I might at large expreſſe how earely huntſmen ryſe,
And leaue the fluggish fleepe for ſuch, as leachers luſt deuyſe,
How true they tread their ſteps, in exerciſes traine, (ſtaine,
VWhich frisking flings & lichtbraint leaps, may ſeeme always to
Howe

Howe appetite is bred (with health) in homely cates,
VWhile Surfer fits in vaine exceſſe, & Banquet breeds debates.
How cries of well mouthd hounds, do counteruaile the coſt,
VWhich many a man (beyond his reach) on instruments lath loft.
How fetting of Relayes, may repreſent the skyl,
VWhich ſouldiours vſe in Embушes, their ſurious foes to kyll.
How Foxe and Badger both, make patterns (in their denne)
Of Plotformes, Loopes, and Cafamats, deuilſe by warlike men.
How fighting out at Bay, of Hart, Bucke, Goate, or Bore,
Declares the valiant Romans death, when might may do no more.
How fight of ſuch delights, doth ſcome all common ſhowes,
Of Enterludes, of Tumblers tricks, of antikes, mocks, & mowes,
And how the nimble Hare, by turning in hir courſe,
Doth plainly proue that Pollicie, sometime ſurpaffeth force.
The Venſon not forgot, moſt meete for Princes dyſhe:
All theſe with more could I rehearſe, as much as wit could wyſhe,
But let theſe few ſuffice, it is a Noble ſport,
To recreate the mindeſs of Men, in good and godly ſort.
A ſport for Noble peeres, a ſport for gentle bloods,
The paine I leaue for ſeruants ſuch, as beate the buſhie woods,
To make their maſters ſport. Then let the Lords reioyce,
Let gentlemen bekolde the glee, and take thereof the choyce.
For my part (being one) I muſt neede ſay my minde,
That Hunting was ordeyned firſt, for Men of Noble kinde.
And vnto them therefore, I recommend the fame,
A ſexerciſe that beſt becomes, their worthy noble name.

Tam Marti quam Mercurie.

T.M.

T. M. : Q. in prayſe of this booke.

Ho lift to learne, the properties of hounds,
To breede them first, and then to make them good,
To teach them know, both voice and horne, by ſounds,
To cure them eke, from all that hurts their blood ;
Ler hin but buye this booke: So ſhall he finde,
As much as may, (for hounds) content his minde.

VWho lift to viewe, what vertues do remaine,
In euery beaſt, which Man doth hunt and chafe,
VWhat cures they beare, for many an ache and paine,
VWhat seaſons ſerue, to finde them beſt in caſe;
VWithin this booke he may the ſame finde out,
And so be well reſolyde of euerie doubt.

And to be ſhort, as much as Latine, Greeke,
Italyns, French, High Dutch, or English ſkill,
Can teach, to Hunt, to Herbor, Jſuge, or ſeeke,
To ſorce, to take, to conquer, or to kill,
All games of chafe : So much this booke deſcries,
In proper termes, as w it can (well) deuife.

VVherefore my Mule, must recommend the ſame,
As worthy prayſe, and better worth the price,
A pleafant booke, for peereſ of noble name,
An honest booke to recreate the wife;
A Booke well bought, God graunt it to be ſolde,
For ſure ſuch Bookeſ, are better worth than golde.

Latet, quod non patet.

Of the race and Antiquitie of
Hovvnds, and vwho firſt brought
them into Fraunce.
Chapt. 1.

Haue thought god diligently to looke (as well
in the woſkes of antiquitie, as alſo in the ſtoke
of our ſtyme) from whence the firſte Race of
hownds did come into France, & I neuer found
Chronicle nor Hiftorie that ſeemeth to ſpeake
of greater continuauce, than one which I
ſawe in Bypſtaine, wypſten by one whole name was tohn
of Monmouth an englilh man, the which doth treate, how after
ſpiteous & dreadefull deſtruction of Troy, Aeneas arrived in
Italie with his ſonne Aſcanius, (which was afterwards king
of the Latines) and begatte a ſonne named Silinius, of whomome
Brutus deſcended, which loued hunting exceedingly.

Powe it came to paffe, that Silinius and Brutus bryng one
daye in a Forett hunting a Harte, they were ouertaken with
night, and ſeeing the Harte paffe before them almoſt ſpente
by the Hownds, they went towards him to kill him. But
fortune was ſud to Brutus, (as God woulde) that whileſt he
meant to kill the Harte, by glaunting of his arrowe he killed
his father Silinius. W hich thing caused the people to bee mo-
ued, and to mutine against him, thinking that he had done it
of malice and desire to reſyne, and to haue the gouvernement
of the Realme. In ſudx ſoſte, that to auoſre their great ſurie
and indignation, Bruteus was conſtrayned to go out of the
countrie, and undertoke a boypage into Greece, to deſpuer
certayne Tropans, his companions and alpes, which were
yet there reſeyned in captivitie ſince the deſtruction of Troye.
Which boypage he accomplished by ſorce of armes, and when
he had deliuered them, hce assembled a great number of the
ſame Tropans, whome he caused to take an othe, that aswell

A.

foz

The booke of Hunting.

for the dishonor which they had received, as also for the irre-
cuparable loffer and damage of their goods, and for the lamen-
tations and dole which they had cause to make for their kin-
folkes and friendes, which had din flaine in the cruell warres
of Troye, they should never returne into their country. Then
did hee cause to be revyged and trimmed a great number of
hippes, wherein he embarked himselfe and all his men, and
toke with him a great number of Hounds and Greyhounds.
Afterwards he layed so long till he palled þ' streights of Gr-
braltare, entring into the Ocean Seas, and defended in the
Ifles of Armorie, which at this present is called Bretaigne in
Fraunce, by reason of his name which was Brutus. Which
Iflandes he conquered without resistance, and was therein,
peafably by the pace of foure years, and afterwards toke
ship again, so landed at Totney, in þ' west of this noble realme,
whereupon after his coquefls made here ouer certaine giantes,
one of his captaines called Corinnes, did buyld the chiche town
of Cornwall. But to returne unto his deceds in Armory, where
they were setled, so had inhabited the lapd country, Brutus & his
sonne Turnus, (which had as before layd he brought greate store
of hounds with them) went daply on hunting in the greate
Forrest, which contapned then in length from Tuffauge unto
Poytiers, whereupon one parte of the country is called to this
present Gafline. Now at that same time there revynged in Poy-
Hou and Aquitaine, a king named Groffarius Pictus, who made
his continuall residence in Poytiers, and was one day aduer-
tised that the Troyans did greatly exercise themselves in hüs-
ting, and that they hunted in his Forestes with fude a kind of
dogges, as after they had once founde a Harte, they never
lefte him till they brought him to death. Whereupon King
Groffarius, hauing hearde fude newes, was moved and ex-
ceeding angrie, in fude forze, that hee determined to make
warres with them, and assembled all his forces. The Troy-
ans bring advertised of fude an assemblie, marched all along
the rypp of Loyre with all their puyffaunce, and mette their e-
nimies

The booke of Hunting.

trimies at a place where the citie of Tours is presently situate,
and there they gaue battaile, in the which Turmis Cosline to
Brutus, or as some Chzonicles laye, Turnus the eldest sonne
of Brutus was clayne, and in remembraunce of him the laye
Citie was buylte, and by the name of Turnus was called
Tours.

I haue thought good to recoumpte this hilfie, that men
may thereby bnoersande, that it is long since hounds have
bin vsed in Bretaigne, and I thinke certainly, that these Troi-
ans were the firft which brought the race of hounds into this
countrie. For I finde no hilfie which maketh mention of
longer continuaunce than that doth, and it is a thing molle
certaine, that the greatest parte of the races of hounds which
are in Fraunce, and other countries adiopning, did come from
the countrie of Bretaigne, excepting the race of white hounds,
the white I thinke to be come from Barbary. For being some-
tymes at Rochell, I haue enquired of manye Pylottes and
mariners, and amongst others I enquired of an olde man
named Alfonce, who had often fymes bene in the Courfe of
a Barbarian King called the Doncherib, which vsed muche
hunting, and principallie in hunting the Raynedeare at
koze: and this olde man tolde mee, that all the hounds of
his kennell were whyte, and that all the dogges of that coun-
trie were luch also. And surel I thinke in deede that þ' white
dogges are comme out of the whotte countries, for almuche
as they gyue not ouer their chace howe hotte so ever it
bee, whereas other dogges doe not holde out so in heate.
Phæbus doeth also agree with this opinion, taping, that hee
hath bene in Mairranye, otherwise called Barbarie, where-
as hee hathe keene the Raynedeare kylled at koze with
dogges which they call Baux, which gyue not ouer their chace
for any heate that is. Whereupon myne opinion is, that
the Race of whyte dogges is come of those dogges called
Baux of Barbary, of the which Phæbus doeth speake, I
will take downe none other thing of the Antiquitte of

A.n.

hounds,

The booke of Hunting.

hounds, but I will write heereafter of the nature and com-
plexions, as well of white hounds, as of fallowe, dunne,
and blacke, white szortes are moste commodious for Princes
and Gentlemen.

Of the nature and complexions of whyte
dogges, called Baux, and furnamed
Greffiers. Chap. 2.

The booke of Hunting.

The white Howndes haue bene brought in ellimation in France, by the Lord great Seneschal of Normandie that was, and before him they were in small ellimation, principally amongst Gentlemen, for almuche as they true not generally for all chaces, but onely for the Harte. The first of the race was called Souyllard, the which was given by a poore Gentleman to the King Lewes deceassed, who made no great accoumt of him, bycause he loued the Dnum hounds above all other, of the whiche all his kennell was, and he made none accoumt of others, unless it were to make Blowhounds. The Seneschall Gasston being present with the Gentleman, whiche offred this Dogge, knowing well that the King loued not the hounde, did begge him of the King to make a present unto the w itselft Ladie of his Realme, and the Kyng asked him who that was, that is (quod he). Anne of Bourbon your daughter, I agree not with you (quoth the King) in that you haue named him the w itselft, but you may lay lesse kowlish than others, whereas there is fewe wife women in the world. Then the King gave the Dogge unto the Seneschall Gasston, who ledde him not farre before he was begged of him, for the Lord great Seneschall of Normandie did so inaprotunately creue him, that he was conſtrayned to graunt him, afterwards the Lord great Seneschall gave the Hounde in keeping to a hunter called James of Bresé, and from that time forwards they beganne to haue bitches lined by that dogge, and so to haue a race of them : the next peare following, the Ladie Anne of Bourbon which loued hunting excedingly, understanding of the beautitie and goodnesse of this Dogge, lent a bitche to be lyned by him two or three times, wherupon they engendred kiltene or lirtene dogges, and amongst the selfe fire that were excellent, called Clerault, Ioubard, Miwand, Meigrett, Marteau, and Hoyse the good bitche. Sithens the race did dayly encrease, as it is at this present, although at the beginning the dogges of that race were not so strong as they be at this present time. For the mightie King Frances did renforce them by a fallow dogge called Myrauld, the whiche Monseur Anybauld the Admyzall did give him, & afterwards A.inj.
the

6 The booke of Hunting.

the Ducne of Scottes gaue the King a white dogge called Barrande, from the which Marconnay Lieutenant of the Chace, did get his race of dogges, whiche are excellent, and much stronger than the rest were, and to speake truly, such dogges are most propie for Princes, and with such they ought to be terved, so much as they are fayre, gallant hunters, lustie rangers, and good of lent, whiche gine not ouer their chace so any heate that is, and are not easily ouerlaide or broken with thong of the riders, nor with the noyle and crie of many men whiche dayly attende Princes on Hunting. For keepe their chace better without chaunge than any other kinde of Dogges, and are better to truft vnto, neuerthelesse they must be accompanied with the hozlemen, and do keare the water a little, especially in the winter when it is cold. I will not forget to let downe what dogges of that race are belles, so alnough as in every litter that one halfe dothe not prove good, understand then that those whiche are all of one colour, (as all white) are the best hounds, in lyke manner those whiche are spotted with redbe, the others whiche are marked or spotted with blacke or dunne, or a colour like unto fryle, are of small vallout, of the whiche some of them are subiect to haue their feete great, fatte and tendre: sometimes nature dothe so, wozke that it maketh some to come out all blacke, the whiche happeneth not often, but when it doth happen they are commonly seene to be good: and you must note that the Dogges of that sort, are not in their chiefe goodnesse vntill they be three yeares olde.

or thereabouts, and they are much enclined to runne at fame be akes.

(••)

Of

7 The booke of Hunting.

7

Of Fallow hounds and their
nature. Chap. 3.

Haue redbe none other thing of the antiquitie of fallow
hounds, but onely that I haue seene in an olde written
Booke made by an Hunter, the which maketh mention of
a Lord of Brytayne called Huett of Nantes, and the Juthour
of that booke did much eſterne hunting, the which amogst other
things gaue this blazon to the hounds of that Lords kennell.

Huett, thy Fallow hounds in forrestes hunte apace,
And kill at force, hart, hind, buck, doe, foxe, grey, and every chace,

A.iiiij.

AS

The booke of Hunting.

As thou thyselfe hast eke, abouse all others prouſe,
To fallow well in hollow woodes, vnto thy houndes always.

Also I haue ſene in a Chronicle in the towne of Lambale,
a chapter which maketh mention that a Lord of the Kayde place
with a kennel of fallow and redde houndes, did rowle a ſlagge
in a foarfet of the countie of Poiuſtieur, and did hunte and pur-
ſue him by the place of foure dayes, in ſuch ſorte that the fourth
day he tooke him neare to the citie of Paris. And it is to be preſu-
med that the fallow houndes are the ancient houndes of the
Dukes and Lordes of Bypainte, of the which the lord Admi-
rall d'Anybauld and his predeceſſours haue always kept and
mainteyned the race, the whiche came first to be common in the
time of the great King Frances father of Huters. These fallow
houndes be hardie and of good ſent, keeping very well their chace
without chaunge, and are almoſt of the fame complexion that
the white houndes are, ſauing that they endure not heat so well,
no[?] yet the pleaſe or throng of the prickers and gallopbers, but
they are Swifter, more univerſal for all chaces, and hotter in hu-
ting: and if it chance that a beaſt do ſtray out in the champaigne
or the fieldes, they yet do neuer lightly koyſake the chace, their
complexion is ſtrong, for they keare nepther the colde nor the
waters, and they runne ſurely, and are very hardie, they are Kayde
hunters, louing commonly the Harte better than any other kind
of chace, and they are more opinionate and harder to be taught
than the whyte, houndes, and so are they able to endure grea-
ter payne and fraudaple. The belle that you shall finde of the race
of these fallow houndes, are those whiche haue their heare moſt
lively redde, and ſuche as haue a white Kayte in their ſothehead,
or a ring aboute their necke, and likewife thole whiche are all
altogether fallow: but thole that be lighter yellow, beyng mar-
ked or Kayted with blacke or dunne, are not greatly to be after-
med: those whiche are well iopnted and deklawed are belt to
make bloudhoundes, there are some whiche haue their taples
flagged like ears of Corne, thole are commonly good as Swiſt:
since Princes at these dayes haue mingled the races of fallow
houndes one with an other, therfore they are become much ſtröger
and

The booke of Hunting.

and heffer for the hart, the which is the right chace to yeeld plea-
fure unto Knygs and Princes. But ſuch houndes are not meete
for meane Gentlemen, bycause they are commonly but for one
chace: and they palle not greatly for the Hare and other ſmall
chaces: and agayne, they are muche enclyned to runne at tame
beaſtes.

Of the complexion and nature of dunne
Houndes. Chap. 4.

A.v.

Dut

10

The booke of Hunting.

Or
dunne hounds are luche as anciently our Kynge of
Fraunce, and Dukes of Alencon did most ekeeme. They be
common, because they are little most chaces, and therefore they
are littlest for Gentlemen, for their nature and complexion is
luche, that they hunt all kynne of chaces which you would have
them to hunt. The best of the race are such as be dunne on the
backe, having their foure quarters redde or tanned, and the
legs of the same coloure, as it were the coloure of a Hares legs.
Sometimes you shall see some that have their hayre on the top
of their backes, dunne or almost blacke, and their legges grea-
ted and flecked with redde and blacke, the which doe commonly
pione excellent, and although there are not many badde dunne
hounds to be seen, yet neuerthelesse, the light dunne, having
their legges fallowe after a wh yatilhe coloure, are seldom so
strong nor so swifte as the other are, and Princes can not so
much delight in them for sundry causes. One cause is, for that
they doe muche keare the throng of the huntefines on horsebacke,
and they are troubled with their nope, for as much as they are
hote and of a great courage, and put them felues quickly out of
breathe hearing the Crye and nope of the hunters. Another
cause is, that they keare heate, and doe not greatly ekeeme a
chace whiche doubleth or turneth before them, but if the chace
holde endlong, you shall hardly find better or swifter hounds,
although they be verie opinionate harde to believe their huntef-
man, and verie easily inclined to change, because of their
heate and follye, and because of the great compasses which they
cake when they are at defaulte. And aboute all thinges, they
flicke muche upon knowledge of their mailler, and especially
his boyce and his home, and will do for him more than for any
other huntefman. They have luche emulation amongst them
felues, that they knowe the boyce of their fellowes, and whe-
ther they be sure or not, for if they be babblers and lyers, they
will not lightly followe them. They are hounds of great tru-
well, kearing neither colde nor water, and if they keele a chace to
knike once before them, and that if beginne to be spent once,
then will they neuer forake it until they have killed it. They
which

11

The booke of Hunting.

which will take pleasure in them, must be them in this case.
At the first uncoupling of them, they must followe and encoun-
rage them as temperately as maye be, and with verie little
nope, for that they are hote, and doe quickly overhote the
tracke or path of the chace which they undertake, and there-
fore the huntefines on horsebacke ought not over hastily to
followe them until they undertake it endlong: nor likewise
ought they not to come over hastily into them at a de-
faulte, and they must likewise beware that they crosse
them not, for they keare least they make them
turne backe upon them, and
so in this manner they
may take plea-
sure in the.

Of

12

The booke of Hunting.

Of blacke hounds aunciently come from
Sainct Huberts abbay in Ar-
dene. Chap. 5.

The hounds which we call Sainct Huberts hounds, are commonly all blacke, yet neuerthelesse, their race is so mingled at these dayes, that we finde them of all colours. These are the hounds which the Abbots of Sainct Hubert haue always kept some of their race or kynde, in honour and remembrance of the Sainct which was a hunter with Sainct Cullace. Wherebpon we

13

The booke of Hunting.

We may conieature that (by the grace of God) all good huntmen shall follow them into Paradise. To returne unto my Comer purpose, this kind of Dogges hath bin dispersed through the Countries of Hennault, Lorayne, Flanders, and Burgoyne, they are mighty of body, neuerthelesse, their legges are lowe and short, likewise they are not swift, although they be very good of sent, hunting chaces whiche are farreraggled, kearing neyther water nor colde, and do more comet the chaces that smell, as Fores, Bore, and luche like, than other, because they find themselves neyther of swiftnesse nor courage to hunte and kill the chaces that are lighter and swifter. The Bloudhounds of this colour pizeone good, especially those that are cole blacke, but I make no greate accompte to hzeede on them, or to keepe the kinde, and yet I founde once a Booke whiche a Hunter did dedicate to a Prince of Lorayne, whiche seemed to love hunting much, wherein was a blasone which the same Hunter gaue to his Bloudhound called Sonyllard, which was white.

My name came first from holy Huberts Race,
Sonyllard my Sire, a hound of singular grace.

Wherebpon we may prefume that some of the kind pizeone white sometimes, but they are not of the kind of the Greffiers or Bauixes which we have at these dayes.

The

The booke of Hunting.

The tokens vvhereby a man may knovve
a good and fayre Hounde.
Chapt. 6.

Hound whide should be good and fayre ought to haue
these marks following. First I wil begin at the head,
the whiche ought to be of a meane proportion, and
as more to bee esseemed when it is long, than when it is
shorte howted, the noſtrelles ought to be greate and wite
opened, the eares large, ſide, and of a meane thickenſe, the
chine of the backe compaſſe bowed like a Roch, the fillettes
great,

The booke of Hunting.

great, also the haunches great and large, the thigh well frus-
ted, and the hamme freight and well compaſſed, the tayle
bigge neare the reypnes, and the rest llenter unto the dry end,
the heare underneath the belly hard, the legge bigge, the foale
of the foute drie and formed like a ſores fowe, the clawes
greate : and you shall note, that feldome shall you see fude
dogges as are short truſſed, (hauing their hinder parts high-
er than their foeparts) to pionee (ſwift. Novo to declare) vnto
you the ſignification of these marks, you shall understand ? the
open nostralls do betoken a dogge of perſect ſent, the ridge of
chine of the backe rochbent, and the hamme freight, betoken
ſwiftnſe, the tayle great neare the reypnes and log and loose
towardes the ende, betokeneth good and greate force in the
reypnes, and that the dogge is long breathed, the hard heare
underneath the belly doeth ſignifie that he is paynefull, and
seareth neyther water nor colde, the bigge legge, the ſores
fowe and the great clawes, do betoken that the fowe
of such an hound is not katte, and that
he is strong in all his members,
and able to endure long
without turbaiting
of himselfe.

How

16

The booke of Hunting.

Howe a man maye choose a faire Bitche to beare
whelpes; and the meane to make hir goe proude:
also the lignes vnder the which the may be be
be lined to bring foorth dogge whelpes
which shall not be subiect vnto
diseales. Chap.7.

If you would have faire hounds, you must first have a koye.
Bitch, which is of a good kind, strong and well proportioned
in all parts, having his ribbes and his knacks great and
large,

The booke of Hunting.

17

large, the whiche you may make to goe proude in this wyse.
Take two heads of Carlike, half a stone of a braest which is cal-
ed Caslor, with the tupe of Cresleys, & a dozen of the flies called
Cantharides, boyle all theke together (in a potte holding a pynte)
with Mutton, and glue the pottage two or three tymes vnto
the bytche to dymke, and the will not kayle to go proude. And
in like maner shall you make your dogges delirious of the
bytche. &c.

Afterwards, when you see that your bytche goeth proude,
attende the full of the Mone vntill it be paſſed, and then cause
hit to be lyned (if it may be, under the Sygnes of Gemini and
Aquarius) for the dogges whiche shall be engendered under
those lignes, shall not be subiect vnto madneſſe, and shall com-
monly be more dogges than bytche.

Also some day that there is a Starre named Arclure, and
that luche dogges as are whelped or engendered under that
Starre, that be muche subieſſe vnto madneſſe. In lyke maner
you muſt understand dyuers secretes, whereof the firſt is : that of
what dogge so ever a bytche shall be lyned, the firſt time that
the goeth proude, and at his firſt litter, whether it be by Malliffe,
Grephounde, or Hounde, in all his other lytters whiche the shall
have afterwardes, the wyll alwayes have one whelpe whiche
that reſemble the dogge that firſt lyned hit. And for that cause
you ought to have good regarde that the firſt time the goeth
proude, you cause hit to be lyned with some koye dogge of a
good kynde, for in all the lytters which the shall have after-
wardes, there will be some one which will reſemble the firſt.
And although now adayes men make small account of the firſt
litter, keyng they are of opinio, that the firſt litter is much giuen
to become madde, and are commonly weake and small, yet muſt
you not faile to lyne your bitche at the firſt with a koye hounde,
and of a good kynde, for if the ſhould be lyned with a Malliffe
or a curre, the other litters wil hold the fame race, and yet if you
should ſuffer hit to flypp without lyning, the wil pyne away, and
with great payne shall you recouer hit or make his fatte again.

An other secrete is, that if yee will have lyght and hote

B.

hounds

18

The booke of Hunting.

hounds, then lyné your bytch with a yong dogge: for if the be li-
ned with an olde dogge, the whelpes will become more heauie,
and lefte gallant. And herewithall understand that it is not god
to coile a bytch when the is proude in the water, for the water
doth congeale the bloude within the beynes and Arteries,
which may cause hir to become maungit, or else that the shall
haue beynes, tozmentes, and gropes in hir bellye, and infinite
other dissales which followe thereupon. When the bytches are
lyned, and that they beginne to be fydebellyed, you must not
leade them on hunting for diuers causes. One is bycause the foz-
tes which they shall use in hunting, do marre and keepe fro proſ-
pering the little whelpes which are in their bellyes. Also that in
leaping ouer the hedges, and running through the woores, euery
least ruch or knocke may make them cast their whelpes, where-
upon might ensue diuers other euill happes which should be
long to recycle. Then the belt is to let them only palle vp and
downe the houle or court, and neuer locke them vp in their ken-
nell, bycause they be impotunate and longing, and therefore
you must make them pottage once a day at the least. Further-
more, if you would paye a bitch, it must be done before the haue
euer had litter of whelpes: in paying of hit, it shall not be god
to take away all the rones or strings of the beynes, for it is hard
to take them away without hurting of the beynes, and so shall
you hynder hit dwyktnesse ever after : but when some rones of
those beynes remayne, the bytche shall be much the stronger, and
more hardie, and shall the better endure payne and trauell. Also
you must take god heede that ye pay hit not when the is proude,
for then shall you put hit in great daunger of death, but
fyttene dayes after the hath lefte goyng proude.

And when the little whelpes beginne
to take shape within hir bel-
lye, then is best paying
of a bytche.

Of

19

The booke of Hunting.

Of the seasons in which it is best to haue
yong whelpes, and howe you
may best gouverne them.
Chap. 8.

There are certaine seasons in the which little whelpes are hard to escape, or to be brought bype, especially if they be whelped.

20

The booke of Hunting.

ped in the ende of Dkober, bycause of the Wynter and coldes
whiche then begintne to reygne, and for that mylke and other
nouritures which are most meete for them, doe then begintne to
kayle, and thereforre it is then verie harde (if they be whelped in
such season) that they shoulde escape death, for as muche as the
Winter hath ouertaken them before they haue force to endure
the colde, and though they doe escape, yet will they be small and
weake. Another vnmeete season for whelpes is in July and Au-
gust, by cause of the vechement heates, and the flyes, fleas, and o-
ther vermyne which then will torment them. But the best season
to haue whelpes is in March, Apriyl, and Maye, when the
time is temperate and the heate not ouer greate. Also it is
the right time which nature hath appoynted for the bleeding of
all lyuing creatures, as Kyne, Goatcs, Shreepe, and suche lyke,
for that is the season most kytte for their nouriture. And leering
that whelpes mape be hedde in all seasons, and that many de-
lyght to berde their kynde, and to nourishie them in what season
for euier they come, I haue thereforre thought good according to my
kantalie, to gyue understanding of meanes howe to prieferue
them.

Fyfst if they be whelped in Wynter, you shall take a Barr-
rell of a Pyffe well dyed, and knocke out the heade at the one
ende thereof, afterwardes put strawe therein, and let it by a
place where there is ordinarily a good fyre, then turne the open
ende towardes the fyre, to the ende the whelpes may haue the
ayre thereof, and you shall feede the damme with good pottage
of both made with Beeke of Mutton.

Then when the whelpes begynne to lappe, you shall accu-
kome them also vnto pottage, but such as haue no salte therein,
bycause salte doth make them drie, and causeth them to become
maungie, vnto the which disease they are subiect when they are
whelped in winter.

Also you shall put in their pottage much Sage & other hote
hearbes: And if praduenture you see that their haire do fall, you
shall then annoynt the with oyle of Walnuts & honny mingled
together, & kepe them in their tun of pyffe as cleane as you can,

and

21

The booke of Hunting.

and change their strawe euery day: and when you perceue that
they beginne to goe, you shall haue a net made of strong thread,
laced with a thong, and fastned about the Tun of a Pyffe, even as
they couer a Swyffers duine, so that you may kepe them from
going out, and that other dogs do not byte them, or that they be
froden upon marred with mens feete. And you must make
this pyffe or tunne in such sort that it may be opened when you
will. And as touching other whelpes which are bred in Som-
mer, they must be put in some kreshe place whether other dogges
come not ordinarily, and you should lay under them some har-
dle or wafling with strawe thereupon, least the colde or moysl-
nelle of the earth doe annoy them: and that strawe must also be
often changed. They ought also to be in some darke place, by-
cause the flyes shall so least annoy them, and therewithall it
shall be also good to annoynt them twice a weeke with ople
of Muffes myngled and beaten with Saffron huzed to pou-
der, for that opuntment doth kyll all sortes of wozmes, and re-
comfortes the kynne and the synewes of dogges, and keepe
them from byring of flyes and Punayles. And some time you
must also annoynt the Bytch in like manner, and put there to
the iuyce of Berue or Wynde Cresleys, for keare least the flyl
hit whelpes full of Kleas: and forget not to nourishie hit
with pottage as is before rehearled. When the whelpes shall
be fyktene dapes olde, you muste wozne them, and epyht
dapes after you may cut off one ioynte of they taples, in such
fourme and manner as I will prescribe hereafter in the treatie
of Receiptes. Afterwards when they shall begynne to see and
to eate, you muste gyue them good mylke always hot, whe-
ther it be Cowes mylke, Gotes mylke, or Ewes mylke: and
note, that it shall not be good to wayne them, and put them to
keeping abroade, vntill they be two monethes olde, and that
for dyuers causes. One: bycause the longer they last of theyz
dammes teate, the more they shall take of hit complecion and
nature, the which we may see by experience. For when a Bytch
hath whelpes, let a malkyke bytch gyue sucke to that one halfe,
and you shall kynde that they will never be so good as those

B.ij.

which

The booke of Hunting.

which the damme dyd bring vppe. Another cause is: that if you separate them one from another before they be two monethes olde at the least, they will be chyl and tender, and it will be ifraunge unto them by want of their damme which was wont to keepe them warme.

The lignes and tokens which a man ought to regarde, in judging whether the whelpes will be good or not.

Chap. 9.

The booke of Hunting.

The ancient Authours would lay, that a man maye knowe the best whelpes by the dammes teates, and that such as commonly sucked the teates which are nearer the heart of the damme, are the best and the strongest, because the blonde about that place is most lyvely and delicate. Others haue layde, that they might be knowne by a token which they haue under the thnoate, whereas there are certaine haires lyke unto Hogges hynftles, and that if there be odde haires, it is a token of goodnesse, and that if there be even, it is an evill token. Some other haue taken marke by the hynder legges, by the dewclawes, for if there be none (laye they) it is a good token, and if there be but one, it is also good, but if there be two, it is an evill likelyhode.

Some agayne wyll loke within the mouth of the whelpe, thinking that suche as haue the rwoke of their mouthe blacke should be good, and suche as are redde there, should not be muche worth. And if they haue theyr noffrelles wyde and open, it is a lygne that they shall be of perfect lent. As to the consideration of other partes of the bodye, there is no great indgement, unchyl they be thjee or koure monethes olde. Neuerthelesse, I take them whiche haue long, large, and thicke eares, and the hayre under their belly hard and great, to be the best, and those markes I haue proued and founde true. Now because I haue threof hoken a little before, I will speake none other thing thereupon at this present.

That it is best bringing vp of whelpes in villages in the countrey, and not in shambles. Chap. 10.

When your whelpes be brought vp two monethes under the damme, and that you see they can feede well, then shall it be good to feede them abroad into the Cyllops to keepe in some fayre place whiche is neare unto some water, and farre from any Warren of Coneys, for as much as if they haue

B. iiiij.

scarcitie

The booke of Hunting.

24

scarcetie of water, and when they come to be of force, they maye chaunce to be subieſte vnto madneſſe, bycauſe they? blonde will become hote and dzye, whereas the water woulde haue made it colder and moyleſt, and yet would also nouriſhe them better: also if they should be neare vnto warennes, they might brieke out and be diawne to hunting amyple after Coneys.

Therefore it shall be belſe to bryng them vppe abroade wyth mylke, breade, and all coſtes of pottages, and you shall underſande that to bring them vppe in Villages of the countrey, is muche better than to bryng them vppe in a Butcherie, for as muche as they are not cloſed vppe, and that they maye goe out when they will to keede, and to leane the tracke of a chace. Also bycauſe they are accuſomed vnto the colde, the rayne, and all euill weather, and are not so one subieſte to runningg after fame beaſſes, when they are ordinarily bred amongſt them, on that othersſide, if they be bred in butcheries or Shambles, the fleſſe and blonde they should eate, would heate their bodies in such ſoſte, that when they should become great, and that they should runne in chace two or three rayne dayeres, they would markounder their ſelues, and would not kayle to become maunſgie, and to be subieſte vnto madneſſe, and to runne after fame beaſſes, bycauſe in the Shambles they keede ordinarily on blonde, and neuer leane to queſt nor to hunte any thing at all. To conclude, I neuer sawe dogge come to good perſection ( eſpecially to become a good harper ) which was fed and brought vp in the Shambles.

In what time men ought to vvithdravve their VVhelpes from their Nurſe, and what kynd of bread and flesh is best to give vnto them. Chap. 11.

A

The booke of Hunting.

25

It may be good to withdraw the whelpes from his nourse when he is tenne moneths olde, and to keepe them all together in kennell, so thende they may underſand and know one an other. There is great difference to fee a kennell of hounds nouriſhed toghether, and all of one age: and another of hounds gathered here and there: bicauſe those whiche are brought vp toghether, do better underſand eche other, and keepe clorer toghether in Erie, than thole whiche are gathered from ſundrie places. When you haue brought your whelpes to kennell, you muſt hang clogges or billets of woodde aboute they? neckes, to teache them to go coupled, the bread which should be giuen them, should be a third parte of wheat, a thirde of Barley or Ores, and a thirde of Rie, bicauſe beyng so mixed, it keepeth them fresh and fatte, and heaſeth or prefereth them from ſundrie diſeales, whereas if it were all Rie it might make them ſkoure too much, and if it were all wheate, it would binde them too much, the whiche would cauſe many diſeales, and therefore it is best so to mixe one with an other. Men muſt give fleſſe to their houndses in winter, eſpecially those whiche are leane, and hunte the Harte: but you should not keede harpers with fleſſe for diuers considerations: for if you do, they will become fleſſly, and gpyen to hunte great beaſſes of chace, and will make none accompt of the Harte and the Hare also doth often conueye hy? leſſe amongſt the heardes of fame beaſſes, to be thereby ridde of the dogges, and by that means the hounds might chaunce to leane they? chace, and to runne after the tamer beaſſes. But Buckhounds and such as hunt the Harte will not so easily do it, bicauſe the Bucke or Harte is of greater ſent than the Hare, in such ſoſte that his fleſſe is vnto them more delicate and more greedely desired than any other. The best fleſſ that you can give Hounds, and that will beſſe set up a weake hounde, are horseſeſſ, asſe and muſles fleſſe, as for beede (eyther ore or cowes fleſſe) and luche like, the fleſſe is vnto them of a more soure subſtance. You should neuer suffer your hounds to keede upon any fleſſ unſtill it be fleyed, to the ende they may haue no knowledge neither of the beaſſ, nor of his beare. I allow and playe pottage made of Mutton, Goates fleſſe, and the heaves of B. V.

26 The booke of Hunting.

of beanes, for such leane hounds as are hariers. And it shall not be amisse sometime to mingle therewith some himbone, the whiche may warme them. Hereof I will more amply devise in the treatie of receptes.

How a Kennell ought to be Situate and trimmed for Hounds. Chap. 12.

A
Kennell ought to be placed in some orientall parte of a
house, where there may be a large courte well playne, being
kouretoze paces square, according to the commoditie and abilitie of the Lorde whiche oweth it, but the greater and larger that
it

The booke of Hunting.

it is, the better it will be for the Hounds, because they shall have the greater pleasure to play themselves, and to skinner, through the middlest of it, were meet and good to have a little chanell of good kouretayne water, near unto the whiche you shall lay a great trough of stone to receive the course of the kayde water, the whiche trough shall be a fowe and a halfe high, to the end the hounds may drink thereat the more easity, and that trough must be peared at the one end, to let out the water, and to make it clear when you would. In the highest place of the Courte that be good to buylde the kennell or lodging for the Hounds, in the whiche you must have two chambers, whereof the one shall be larger than the other, and in the same should be a chimney, great as large, to make a fire when neede shall require. The gates and windows of the chaber, must be fit and situate against the rising of the Sunne, and the South: the chamber should be raped three fowe higher than the leuell of the ground, and in the fowe you should make two gutters and holes to the end the filthinelle and byyne of the Hounds may thereby auoyd, the walles ought to be well whited, and the plankes well mortified and iopned, and so shall hyders, fleas, punayles and such like, the lefte brieede and remaine therein. You must always have them some little doze of wicket to go out into the courte when they would skinner or eale themselves, then must you have in the chamber little bedsteads which shall be raped a good fowe from the ground, and therewith let every bedstead have under it a roller so remove it where you will when you would make the place clear: and againe that when they come from the chace, and that it were needefull to warme them, you may take the as neare as fire as you will: also those bedsteads must be covered with burdels or plankes peared, to the end as when the hounds do pille, the brie may flye to the ground. You must also have another chaber wherein the hinde may withdraw himselfe to keepe his hones, couples, and other things necessarie. I thought not needefull to speake of sumpfuous chabzes as which Princes cause to be made for their hounds, wherein there be clorets, stoues, & other magnificences, for alway as he hath seemed unto me, to be more anoyance.

The booke of Hunting.

23

anoyance than profitable for the hounds, for when they are accustomed to such heates, they go tenderly and delicately handled, and after they brought to some place where they shall euill lodged, or if they hunte in the rayne weather, then they should be readie to markoundr thesels, and so to become maumgie: wherefore I haue always bene of opinion, that when they come from the field, and that they be moyled, it is sufficient if they be well chaffed and laped drie, without accustomed them to such magnificence. And because sometimes men haue not comoditie to haue fourtaynes or brokenes in every place, it is requisite to make little tubbes of wodde or some troughes to put their water in. You must take heed that you give them no drink in a vessel of copper or brass, for those two kinds of metals are venomous of their nature, and cause the water which they come in to turne and to slinke, which would greatly annoy the hounds. You must also have pretty little binges or baskettes of wodde to put them in, the which you must be broken and cut by small gobbets in the same, because some Dogges are sometimes liche and of euill appetite.

Also there are certaine howzes and times that hounds will not feede, and therefore the basketts should not be emptied at any time, as we have set in postrayture before.

(3)

Of

The booke of Hunting.

29

Of the Hunte, and how he ought to dresse,
gouerne, and attend his dogges.
Chap. 13.

A good keeper of Hounds should be gratiou, curteous, and gentle, louing his dogges of a naturall disposition, and he ought to be both well foofed and well winded, as well to fill his home as his bottell : the first thing which he ought to do when he rifeth, is to go see his Hounds, to make their lodging cleane, and to dresse them as the case shall require: after he hath so cleared them, he ought to take his home and founde three or foure times

The booke of Hunting.

tymes the call, to the ende he may comforthe them and call them to him: and when he shall see them all aboute hym, then shall he couple them, and in coupling them he muste take good heede that he couple not the Dogges together, for feare least they fight one with another, and if there be any yong hounds, it shall be good to couple them with the olde bitches, to teache them to followe: when they are all well coupled, the keeper muſſe fill two great bagges or pockets with small bones, and other good moſtels, as fide, or boze feete fried, fatte roſe meates, and such like, then he shall breake all into small gobbets into his bagges, and hang one bagge about his owne necke, and giue another unto one of his companions, that done, he muſt take two wifhes of cleane fraw and put them under his girdell, with a little brush or duſter to rubbe and duſſe his hounds when they shall come into the fielde: the other Hunteſmen or varlettes whiche shall be with him ought to do alinuch. Afterwards every man that take a kayle wande in his hande, and let one go before to call the hounds into him, another shall come behind which shall iewe them forwarde, and if there be two others, they shall go on the side, and so all koure together ſhall go leade the hounds through the Greene Come fieldes and through the medowes, as well to feede them, as for to teach them to knowe they may boyce, making them to paffe through the heardes of Cheepe and other ſuche like beaſtes, to accuſome them, and to make them to know the: and if there be any dogge that is so il taught as he would runne at a Cheepe or any ſuch tame beaſt, you muſt couple him with a rame or a floute Cheepe, and with your wande you muſſe all to pay him and beate him a good while, crying and threatening to the ende that another time he may know the rate of ſuche as he is. So muſſe you also vſe to leade your hounds through the wardenſ, and if they comet to runne after the Conies, you muſſe threaten and chaffice them, because yong hounds do naturally lone them. When you haue thus walked them in the morning, and that the Sinne beginneth now to be high, the Hunte muſt go into some kayle medow, and call all his dogges about him, and then muſſe they take their wifhes and brushes, to brush and duſſe

A Ramme.

duſſe

The booke of Hunting.

31

duſſe their hounds as lokely as may be: for sometimes the hounds whiche hunte in the woodes and foſſels do prieke theſelues, and catche thornes or haue some scabbes or blisters, so that the keepers of hounds having a heavy hande in rubbing and trimming them, might galde of the skinne, and rather do hurfe them good. And furthermore it were very cuill for the hounde to leefe his haire or his lockes, for alinuche as he is vnc efficiently trained into in Woodes and Foſſels, whereas the rynches, the water doppes, and other coldenlasse doth fall upon him continually, and therefore it may suſſize to rubbe and courrie the hounde three times in a weeke, but Greyhounds ought to be rubbed ones every day. After all these things done, their keepers and Hunteſmen muſt teach them to know the Hallowe as well by the houne, as by the mouth, in this wife.

First one of the Hunteſmen muſſe take one of the budgettes full of delicates as beforelayde, and go a crolbow thate or further, according as the hounds are yong or well entred: for if they be yong, and haue yet neuer bene entred, then the Hallowe muſſe be made the nearer, and they muſſe not be uncoupled bicaufe the old hounds may leade them to the Hallow, but if they haue bene begonne to be entred, then may they go further off and uncouple them, and then when the Hunte shall be two good Crolbow thate from his Hounds (the whiche his compaignions muſt in meane whyle holde together) he shall beginne to Hallowe, and to founde his Houne, and he shall otherwhyles crie: How, How, How, that he, that he, How, to a Deare. And How, How, that that, or there, there, to an Hare, and he shall neuer cease to crye, to hallowe, and to blowe, to fill his hounds be come into him: when his compaignions shall heare him beginne to hallowe, they shall uncouple their hounds, & crie, lyst hallow, hyke hallow, lyst, lyst, lyst, then when they are come to the hallow, the Hunte muſſe take his bagge of bicaualles, and caſe into them all the delicates, crying and comforting them as the Arte requires: then when he shall see that they haue almoſt done eating of their rewarde, bee shall gyue signe or token to his companions that they beginne to hallowe, the whiche ( having not

hired