a heauie beast and of greate force trusting affying himself in his Tuskes his strength and therefore will not so lightly flee nor make chase before houndes so that you cannot by hunting of the Bore know the goodnesse or swiftnesse of theÌ„ and therewithall to confesse a truth I thinke it greate pitie to hunte with a good kenell of houndes at such chasâ—…â—…d that for such reasons and considerations as followe First he is the only beast which can dispatch a hounde at one blow for though other beastes do bite snatch teare or rende your houndes yet there is hope of remedie if they be well attended but if a Bore do once strike your hounde and light betweene the foure quarters of him you shall hardely see him escape and therewithall this subtiltie he hath that if he be runne with a good kenell of houndes which he perceyneth holde in rounde and followe him harde he will flee into the strongest thicket that he can finde to the ende he may kill them at leysure one after another the whiche I haue seene by experience oftentimes And amongst others I sawe once a Bore chased and hunted with fiftie good houndes at the least and when he sawe that they were all in full crie and helde in rounde togethers he turned heade vpon them and thrust amiddest the thickest of them In suche sorte that he slewe sometimes fire or seuen in manner with twinklyng of an eye and of the fiftie houndes there went not twelue sounde and aliue to their Masters houses I gayne if a kennell of houndes be once vsed to hunte a Bore they will become lyther and will neuer willingly hunte fleing chases agayne For asmuche as they are by him accustomed to hunte with more ease and to find great Sent. For a Bore is a beast of a very hote Sent and that is contrarie to light fleing chases which are hunted with more payne to the hounde and yet therewith do not leaue so greate Sent. And for these causes who so euer meaneth to haue good houÌ„des for an Harte Hare or Rowdeare let him not vse them to hunte the Bore but since men are of sundrie opinions and loue to hunte suche chases as lie moste commodiously aboute their dwelling places I will here describe the propertie of the Bore and how they may hunte him And the manner of killing him either with the sworde or Bore-speare as you shall also see it set out in portrayture hereafter in his place Of the nature and subtiltie of the Bore Chap. 50. THe Bore is of this nature that when his Dame dothe pigge him he hath as many teeth as euer he will haue whyles he liueth neyther will their teeth any way multiplie or encrease but onely in greatnesse and length Amongst the reste they haue foure whiche with the Frenchmen are called Defences and we call them Tuskes or Tusches whereof the two highest do not hurte when he striketh but serue onely to whet the other two lowest but with those lower Tuskes they stryke marnelously and kill oftentymes if a Bore happen to haue his eyes blemished or to hurte them daungerously he will heale agayne very soone A Bore may liue fiue and twentie or thirtie yeares it is easier to bryng them into a Soyle in Aprill or in Maye than in any other season and that is bycause they sleepe soundlyer in those two moneths than at any other tyme of the yeare for asmuch as they feede then vppon strong hearbes and buddes of trees which do so moisten their braynes that they become very sleepy Againe the spring time reneweth their bloud which maketh them sleepe the more soundly They go to Rut aboute the moneth of December and their great heate endureth neare about three weekes And although their Sowes become colde agayne and couet not the Bore yet do not the Bores parte from them vntill it be Ianuarie then they withdraw themselues vnto their holdes wherein they keepe close sometimes three or foure dayes together and neuer come out especially when they haue foundâ—… the 〈◊〉 and do finde sweetenesse in the roote of the Fearne Sometimes a Bore will wander farre out of the Forrestes or thicke couerts to seeke feedyng especially in time of the vintage in suche Countries as wine is made and wheresoeuer they become when day appeareth there will they abyde without respect of the place It suffiseth if they finde but some tuffte of thornes or brambles and there will they lie vntill it be night agayne they harken earnestly and will heare a man very farre off especially when they be vnder the winde but if they be vp the winde heare not greatly They lyue and feede vpon all kinde of Corne and Frutes as Apples Peares Plummes Akehornes Chestnuttes Beechmaste and suche lyke and of all sortes of rootâ—…s also vnlesse it be Rapes and Nauie rootes Also in Apryll and May they feede on the buddes of Plumtrees Chestnut trees and all other sweete buddes that they can finde especially vpon the buddes of broome and Iuniper they will feede on no carion vnlesse it be of a deade Horse they neuer become sowle or mesled as wee terme it lyke vnto our tame Swyne When they are in the marishes they feede and lyue vppon water Cresseys wilde Garlyke and suche hearbes as they can finde Beyng neare to the Sea coaste they will feede vppon all kinde of shel-fishes as Cockles Muskles Oysters and suche lyke Their season beginneth in the middest of September and endeth aboute the beginnyng of December when they go to the Rutte commonly a Bore wyll abyde the baye before he go out of his denne and they lie moste commonly in the strongest holdes of Thornes and thicke Bushes and when they are hunted they sticke also in the strongest couertes and will seldome leaue them vntill it be darke night And if it chaunee that there be a Sownder of them together then if any one breake Sownder the reste will followe the same way The Bore dothe sooner forsake the hollow Forestes to seeke strong couerts than the Harte dothe therevpon it hath bene spoken in Prouerbe that a Bore is but a gest and if a Bore be in a thicke or strong couert beyng come thyther from a hollow woode or Forrest then if you hunte him he will not fayle to go backe by the same way that he came thether and when soeuer they are once reared they flee continually neuer stay vntill they come to the place where they were farrowed and brought vp for there they thinke theÌ„selues in saâ—…egarde This haue I seene by experieÌ„ce by a Bore whiche hath come froâ—… his accustomed denne to seeke feede and beyng hunted he went immediately directly backe close and rowteth not then shall you say he graseth these termes you maye vse in making report of a Bore The iudgement vvherby you may knovv a great Bore and first by the foote Chap. 52. COmmonly a man maye knowe an olde Bore or a great swyne by the foote where he hath gone
HuntsmaÌ„ shal take greater heede to chaÌ„ge in the hollow high woodes than in yonger springs for a hounde will sooner ouershoote and hunte out in the hollowes than in the strong holdes Also in hollow high woodes a Harte dothe foreloyne more breaketh furder from the houndes and hath more leysure to crosse double and to seeke the change amongst other Deare thaÌ„ he hath in stroÌ„ger couerts also an Hart doth forloyne or breake out froÌ„ the houndes for an other cause that is when he feeleth himself sore layed to by the houndes seeth that no subtiltie helpeth him then becoÌ„meth he amased and looseth his courage and knoweth not whiche way to take but passeth at al aduenture ouer the fieldes and through the villages such other places Then should the Huntesmen drawe neare to their houndes and if they perceiue them at any default they shall neuer go backe to any Slot or viewe but go on still and hunte forwardes for a Deare that is spent or sore hunted and that seeketh to foreloyne or breake from the houndes will neuer tarie to crosse or double but holdeth head onwardes still as long as breath serueth him vnlesse he haue some soyle in the winde then he may chaunce go aside to take the Soyle but els not True it is that if he breake out into the chaÌ„paigne for any cause before mentioned be not sore spent nor beginne to sinke before the houndes then he maye chance to double crosse and vse other subtleties but if he be spent he will sildome vse any subtletie but onely to lye flat vpon his belly awhyle 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 Forestes or strong holdes and those which he vseth in the playinaÌ„ chpaigne For in the stroÌ„g couerts you must cast about neare vnto the last Slot that you find and you must hold in as neare as you can For if the huntesmen cast wide out in beating for it they maye chaunce to light vpon change which will carie out your hounds to your great disaduantage But in the champaigne you maye cast about at large without dread of chaunge and that in the freshest and most coÌ„modious places where they might soonest finde viewe and so make it out and whereas also the houndes maye haue best sent For in the sandhils and drye places a hounde can not make it out so well by reason of the dust and sande which will strike vp into his nose and by reason that the Sunne doth sooner drye vp the moysture from the ground in those places Again bicause in such heathy places and barreyne grounds there is neyther grasse nor any thing whereon the Deare may leaue sent so well and that is the cause that Huntesmen may caste aboute in the moste conuenient moyst places and in the freshe vnder some bushe or shade where the earth is not so much dried and parched with the Sunne and if they cannot make it out at the firste casting aboute they may then caste about the second time a larger compasse and if by that meanes they make it not out then may they presume that he is within that compasse and precincte which they haue so caste about or else that the Harte hath made some crossyng or some doublyng or vsed some subtiltie then let them leade backe theyr houndes to the place where they first fell at default and put their houndes to it vpon the Slotte or where the earth is broken as they went before and lette them beate it well with their houndes speaking to them and cherishyng them all that they caÌ„ deuise aswell with their voyce as with their hornes and let them looke well to the grounde to helpe their houndes And it shal not be possible thus doyng but that you shal rowze the Deare againe within the circuite and compasse that you had earst cast about and at the least if you do not you shall yet finde where he is gone on and so make it out vnlesse the extremitie of the heate do altogether marre your houâ—…des Hunting Furthermore you shall remember that when an Harte breaketh out froÌ„ the houndes by the two firste places where you stay vpon any crossyng or doublyng that he hath made you shall perceyue all the subtilties and pollicies which he will vse all that day after For if his tâ—…oo first doublings or other subtilties be in an high waye or in á water then all the rest that he will vse all the day after will be in the same manner And then let the Huntesmen marke well on whiche hand he turneth when he parteth for on whiche hand soeuer he turne the two firste times on the same 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 remember euer when you come at any default to beate first on that haÌ„d which he tooke at the two first defaults Also an Harte doth oftentimes vse greate pollicies in the pathes within the greate woodes and strong couerts or els will follow such a pathe vntill he come to the outside of the woode as though he woulde come out into the playne and will immediately fall to double and crosse returnyng flat counter sometimes two boweshot togethers then the Huntesmen to make it out at such a default muste take good heede that theyr houndes take not the counter bycause the Harte is 〈◊〉 backwardes therewith so farre and also they shall finde the Slotte or view or at least the foyles of the view fresher in the couert than they should do abroade in the fielde the which may carrie them farre backe vpon the counter Wherefore at such defaults the Huntesmen shall not be to hastie with their houndes but rather giue them leysure and let them hunte in dread and doubt vntill they haue made it out perfectly Also there be some Hartes whiche when they rise out of their layres will halte or fall downe vpon their bellie before the Huntesmen and seeme to reele and royle before the houndes as if they were spent and sore hunted not long before by such subtleties you may iudge â—…asily that they are olde beaten Deare wel breathed wil stand long vp before your houndes trusting much in their force swiftnese for a huntsman may easily know when a Harte is spent in deede and when he beginneth to sinke and will not long holde vp by diuers tokens First if he neyther regard heare nor see any man or any thing before hinâ—… when the houndes runne him or if he beare his head lowe putting his nose downe to the grounde and reele or folter with his legges shewyng how feeble he is in deede or if he espie a man before him he rayseth vp his head and maketh great boundes and leapes on heigth as though he were lustie and freshe as I haue sayde heretofore but such friskes will not last long for when
occupies the mynde which else might chaunce to muse On mischiefe malice filth and fraudes that mortall men do vse And as for exercise it seemes to beare the bell Since by the same mens bodies be in health mainteyned well It exercyseth strength it exercyseth wit And all the poars and sprites of Man are exercisde by it It shaketh off all slouth 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 sluggish sleepe for such as leachers lust deuyse How true they tread their steps in exercises traine VVhich frisking flings lightbraind leaps may seeme always to staine Howe appetite is bred with health in homely cates VVhile Surfet sits in vaine excesse Banquet breeds debates How cries of well mouthd hounds do counteruaile the cost VVhich many a man beyond his reach on instruments â—…ath lost How setting of Relayes may represent the skyll VVhich souldiours vse in Embushes their furious foes to kyll How Foxe and Badgerd both make patterns in their denne Of Plotformes Loopes and Casamats deuisde by warlike men How fighting out at Bay of Hart Bucke Goate or Bore Declares the valiant Romains death when might may do no more How sight of such delights doth scorne 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 surpasseth 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 mindes 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 masterÅ› sport Then let the Lords reioyce Let gentlemen beholde the glee and take thereof the choyce For my part being one I must needes say my minde That Hunting was ordeyned first for Men of Noble kinde And vnto them therefore I recommend the same As exercise that best becoÌ„mes their worthy noble name Tam Marti quà m Mercurio T. M. Q. in prayse of this booke WHo list 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 Let him but buye this booke So shall he finde As much as may for hounds content his minde VVho list to viewe what vertues do remaine In euery beast which Man doth hunt and chase VVhat cures they beare for many an ache and paine VVhat seasons serue to finde them best in case VVithin this booke he may the same finde out And so be well resolvde of euerie doubt And to be short as much as Latine Greeke Italyans Frencb High Dutch or English skill Can teach to Hunt to Herbor lodge or seeke To force to take to conquer or to kill All games of chase So much this booke descries In proper termes as wit can well deuise VVherefore my Muse must recommend the same As worthy prayse and better worth the price A pleasant booke for peeres of noble name An honest booke to recreate the wise A Booke well bought God graunt it so be solde For sure such Bookes are better worth than golde Lâ—…tet quod non patet Of the race and Antiquitie of Hovvnds and vvho first brought them into Fraunce Chapt. 1. I Haue thought good diligently to looke aswell in the workes of antiquitie as also in those of our tyme from whence the firste Race of hownds did come into FraÌ„ce I neuer fouÌ„d Chronicle nor Historie that seemeth to speake of greater continuaunce than one whiche I sawe in Bryttaine wrytten by one whose name was iohn of Monmouth an english man the which doth treate how after the piteous dreadefull destruction of Troy Aeneas arriued in Italie with his sonne Ascanius which was afterwards king â—…f the Latines and begatte a sonne named Siluius of whome Brutus descended whiche loued hunting exceedingly Nowe it came to passe that Siluius and Brutus beyng one daye in a Forrest hunting a Harte they were ouertaken with night and seeing the Harte passe before them almoste spente by the Howndes they went towardes him to kill him But fortune was suche to Brutus as God woulde that whilest he meant to kill the Harte by glauncing of his arrowe he killed his father Siluius Whiche thing caused the people to bee moued and to mutine agaynst him thinking that he had done it of malice and desire to reygne and to haue the gouernement of the Realme In suche sorte that to auoyde their great furie and indignation Brutus was constrayned to go out of the countrie and vndertooke a voyage into Greece to delyuer certayne Troyans his companions and allyes whiche were yet there deteyned in captiuitie since the destruction of Troye Whiche voyage he accomplished by force of armes and when he had deliuered them hee assembled a greate number of the same Troyans whome he caused to take an othe that aswell for the dishonor whiche they had receyued as also for the irrecuparable losse and domage of their goods and for the lamentations and dole which they had cause to make for their kinsfolkes and friendes whiche had bin slaine in the cruell warres of Troye they should neuer returne into their country Then did hee cause to be rygged and trimmed a greate number of shippes wherein he embarked himselfe and all his men and tooke with him a great number of Houndes Greyhoundes Afterwards he sayled so long till he passed the streyghts of Gibraltare entring into the Ocean Seas and descended in the Isles of Armorie whiche at this present is called Bretaigne in Fraunce by reason of his name whiche was Brutus Whiche Ilandes he conquered without resistaunce and was therein peasably by the space of foure yeares and afterwardes tooke ship again landed at Totneys in the west of this noble realme whervpon after his coÌ„quests made here ouer certaine gianâ—…es one of his captaines called Corineus did buyld the chiefe town of Cornwall But to returne vnto his deedes in Armory wheÌ„ they were setled had inhabited the sayd country Brutus his sonne Turnus which had as before fayde brought greate store of houndes with them went dayly on hunting in the greate Forrest whiche contayned then in length from Tyffauge vnto Poytiers wherevpon one parte of the country is called to this present Gastine Now at that same time there reygned in Poyctou and Aquitaine a king named Groffarius Pictus who made his continuall residence in Poyctiers and was one day aduertised that the Troyans did greatly exercise themselues in huÌ„ting and that they hunted in his Forrestes with suche a kinde of dogges as after they had once founde a Harte they neuer lefte him tyll they brought him to death Wherevpon King Groffarius
thy selfe hast eke aboue all others prayse To hâ—…llow well in hollow woodes vnto thy houndes alwayes â—…so I haue seene in a Chronicle in the towne of Lambale a chapter which maketh mention that a Lord of the sayde place with a kennel of fallow and redde howndes did rowse a stagge in a forrest of the countie of Poiuctiâ—…ur and did hunte and pursue him by the space of foure dayes in such sorte that the fourth day he tooke him neare to the citie of Paris And it is to be presumed that the fallow howndes are the auncient howndes of the Dukes and Lordes of Brytaine of the which the lord Admirall d'Anybauld and his predecessours haue alwayes kepte and mainteyned the race the whiche came first to be common in the time of the great King Frances father of HuÌ„ters These fallow houndes be hardie and of good sent keeping very wel their chace without chaunge and are almost of the same complexion that the white houndes are sauing that they endure not heat so well nor yet the prease or throng of the prickers and galloppers but they are swifter more vniuersall for all chaces and hotter in huÌ„ting and if it chance that a beast do stray out in the champaigne or the fieldes they yet do neuer lightly forsake the chace their complexion is strong for they feare neyther the colde nor the waters and they runne surely and are very hardie they are fayre 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 howndes and so are they able to endure greater payne and trauayle The beste that you shall finde of the race of these Fallow houndes are those whiche haue their heare most liuely redde and suche as haue a white spotte in theyr forehead or a ring aboute their necke and likewise those whiche are all altogither fallow but those that be lighter yellow beyng marked or spotted with blacke or dunne are not greatly to be esteemed those whiche are well ioynted and dewclawed are best to make bloudhoundes there are some whiche haue their tayles shagged like eares of Corne those are coÌ„monly good swift since Princes at these dayes haue mingled the races of Fallow howndes one with an other therfore they are become much stroÌ„ger and better for the hart the which is the right chace to yeeld pleasure vnto Kyngs and Princes But such houndes are not meete for meane Gentlemen bycause they are commonly but for one chace and they passe 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. OUr dunne houndes are suche as aunciently our Kynges of Fraunce and Dukes of Alencon did most esteeme They be common bicause they are fitte for most chaces and therefore they are fittest for Gentlemen for their nature and complexion is suche that they hunt all kynde of chaces which you would haue them to hunt The best of the race are such as be dunne on the backe hauing their foure quarters redde or tanned and the legs of the â—…ame coloure as it were the-coloure of a Hares legs Sometimes you shall see some that haue their hayre on the top of their backes dunne or almost blacke and their legges streaked and flecked with redde and blacke the which doe commonly proue excellent and although there are not many badde dunne houndes to be seene yet neuerthelesse the light dunne hauing their legges fallowe after a whytishe coloure are seldome so stronÌ„g nor so swifte as the other are and Princes can not so much delight in them for sundrye eauses One cause is for that they doe muche feare the throng of the huntesmen on horsebacke and they are troubled with their noyse for as muche as they are hote and of a great courage and put them selues quickly out of breath hearing the Crye and noyse of the hunters Another cause is that they feare heate and doe not greatly esteeme a chace whiche doubleth or turneth before them but if the chace holde endlong you shall hardely finde better or swyfter hounds although they be verie opinionate harde to beleeue their huntesman and verie easily inclyned to chaunge bycause of theyâ—… heate and follye and bycause of the great compasses which they caste when they are at defaulte And aboue all thinges they sticke muche vpon knowledge of their maister and especially his voyce and his horne and will do for him more than for any other huntesman They haâ—…e suche emulation amongest them selues that they knowe the voyce of their fellowes and whether they be sure or not for if they be babblerâ—… and lyers they will not lightly followe them They are houndes of great trauell fearing neither colde nor water and if they feele a chace to synke once before them and that it beginne to be spent once then will they neuer forâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they haue kylled it They which will take pleasure in them muste vse them 〈◊〉 this sorte At the fyrst vncoupling of them they must followe and encourage them as temperately as maye be and with verie little noyse for that they are hote and doe quickly ouershoote the tracke or path of the chace which they vndertake and therefore the huntesmen on horsebaâ—…ke ought not ouer hastily to followe them vntill they vndertake it endlong nor likewise ought they not to come ouer hastily vnto them at a defaulte and they must likewise beware that they crosse them not for feare least they make them turne backe vpon them and so in this maner they may take pleasure in theÌ„ Of blacke hounds aunciently come from Sainct Huberts abbay in Ardene Chap. 5. THe houndes which we call Sainct Huberts houndes are coÌ„monly 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 alwayes kept some of their race or kynde in honour and remembrance of the Sainct which was a hunter with Sainct Eustace Wherevpon we may coniecture that by the grace of God all good huntsmen shall follow them into Paradise To returne vnto my former purpose this kind of Dogges hath bin dispersed thorough the Countries of Hennault Lorayne Flanders and Burgonye 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 farre straggled fearing neyther water nor colde and do more couet the chaces that smell as Foxes Bore and suche like than other bycause they â—…ince themselues neyther of swiftnesse nor courage to hunte and kill the chaces that are lighter and swifter The Bloudhoundes of this colour prooue good especially those that are cole blacke but I make no greate accompte to breede 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 loue
in the ende of October bycause of the Wynter and coldes whiche then beginne to reygne and for that mylke and other nouritures which are most meete for them doe then beginne to fayle and therefore 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 Iuly and August bycause of the vehement heates and the flyes fleas and other vermyne which then will torment them But the best season to haue whelpes is in March Apryll 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 breeding of all lyuing creatures as Kyne Goates Sheepe and suche lyke for that is the season most fytte for their nouriture And seeyng that whelpes maye be bredde in all seasons and that many delyght to breede their kynde and to nourishe them in what season to euer they come I haue therfore thought good according to my fantasie to gyue vnderstanding of meanes howe to preserue them Fyrst if they be whelped in Wynter you shall take a Barrell or a Pype well dryed and knocke out the heade at the one ende thereof afterwardes put strawe therein and set 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 or broth made with Beefe or Mutton Then when the whelpes begynne to lappe you shall accustome them also vnto pottage but such as haue no salte therein bycause salte doth make them drye 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 peraduenture you see that their haire do fall you shall then annoynt thē with oyle of Walnuts honny mingled together kepe them in their tun or which as cleane as you can and chaunge their strawe euery day and when you perceiue that they beginne to goe you shall haue a net made of strong thread laced with a thong and fasmed about the Tun or Pype euen as they couer a Swyssers drūme so that you may kepe them from going out and that other dogs do not byte them or that they be troden vpon or marred with mens feete And you must make this pype or tunne in such sorte that it may be opened when you will. And as touching other whelpes which are bred in Sommer they must be put in some freshe place whether other dogges come not ordinarily and you should lay vnder them some hardle or watlyng with strawe therevpon least the colde or moystnesse of the earth doe annoy them and that strawe must also be often changed They ought also to be in some darke place bycause the Flyes shall so least annoy them and therewithall it shall be also good to annoynte them twyce a weeke with oyle of Nuttes myngled and beaten with Saffron bruzed to pouder for that oyntment doth kyil all sortes of wormes and recomfortes the skynne and the synewes of dogges and keepeth them from byting of Flyes and Punayses And sometyme you must also annoynte the Bytch in like manner and put there to the iupce of Berue or wylde Cresseys for feare least she fyll hir whelpes full of Fleas and forget not to nourishe hir with pottage as is before rehearsed When the whelpes shall be fyfteene dayes olde you muste worme them and eyght dayes after you may cut off one ioynte of theyr tayles in suche fourme and manner as I will prescribe hereafter in the treatie of Receiptes Afterwardes when they shall begynne to see and to rate you muste gyue them good mylke alwayes hote whether 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 vntyll they be two monethes olde and that for dyuers causes One bycause the longer they taste of theyr dammes teate the more they shall take of hir complexion and nature the which we may see by experience For when a Bytch hath whelpes let a mastyffe bytch gyue sucke to that one halft and you shall fynde that they will neuer be so good as those 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 chyll and tender and it will be straunge vnto them by want of their damme which was wont to keepe them warme The signes and tokens which a man ought to regarde in iudging whether the whelpes will be good or not Chap. 9. THE auncient Authours would say 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 bycause the bloude about that place is most lyuely and delicate Others haue sayde that they might be knowne by a token which they haue vnder the throate whereas there are certayne haires lyke vnto Hogges brystles and that if there be odde haires it is a token of goodnesse and that if there be euen it is an euill token Some other haue taken marke by the hynder legges by the dewclawes for if there be none saye they it is a good token and if there be but one it is also good but if there be two it is an euill likelyhoode Some agayne wyll looke within the mouth of the whelpe thinking that suche as haue the roofe of their mouthe blacke should be good and suche as are redde there should not be muche worth And if they haue theyr nostrelles wyde and open it is a sygne that they shall be of perfect sent As to the consideration of other partes of the bodye there is no great iudgement vntyll they be three or foure monethes olde Neuerthelesse I take them whiche haue long large and thicke eares and the hayre vnder their belly hard and great to be the best and those markes I haue proued and founde true Nowe bycause I haue thereof spoken a little before I will speake none other thing therevpon 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 vnder the damme and that you see they can feede well then shall it be good to feede them abroad into the Uyllages to keepe in some fayre place whiche is neare vnto some water and farre from any Warren of Coneys for as much as if they haue scarcetie of water and when they come to be of force they maye chaunce to be subiecte vnto madnesse bycause theyr bloude wyll become hote and drye whereas the
herbor an Harte an houre at least after he see him go to layre bycause somtimes an Harte goeth to layre at the bordure of the thicket or els will come backe thither to harken or see it any thing there be whiche might anoy them as I haue sayde before and therefore the Huntesman should not go so soone And furdermore if in casting aboute the couert he heare eyther Pies Iayes or such birds wondering then let him withdraw him and stand close for that is a token that the Harte is yet on foote and then let him stay halfe an houre longer before he make his ringwalke And when he hath wel and surely herbored him he may go backe to the assembly and make reporte thereof and descyfer the Hartes head which he hath seene with all other good markes and tokens And if he haue taken vp any of the fewmet he shoulde put them in his horne and bryng them also to the assembly How the Huntsman should go to seeke an Harte in small groues or hewts beyng priuily enclosed within the greater springs in the Forests and strong couerts Cha. 31. Oftentimes the craftie Deare whiche haue bene in times past runne and chased with houndes do keepe long time close come not out of the strong holdes thickettes and feede in small priuie groues and hewts whiche haue brne lately felled within the greater couerts and thus they do most commonly in May June rather than in any other season of the yeare for asmuch as in those monethes they go not much to the water but content thēselues with the moysture of the dewe and the earth the which suffizeth them but in July and August when the wood hardeneth and the heate is vehement then they muste needes discouer themselues and come out of their holdes to go vnto the water Neuerthelesse in what season soeuer it be they cānot hide themselues abou◅ foure dayes but that they muste come out of the thickets and that for sundrie causes wherof one is that they will go to see where other Deare do lie by whom they hope to finde safegarde for if they should be hunted they woulde f◅ee among them for change that so the houndes might be deceyued or els sometimes they come foorth to go to their feede Neuerthelesse when they do so they retire into their holdes two or three houres before day To preuent such craftie and subtile Deare the Huntsman must vse this manner First when he is in a fayre thicke or couert at the ende of a Forrest and chanceth to finde the slotte of an Harte beyng 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 perchaunce he neither finde him to haue gone out nor in 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 vnder the wind and let him go into the thickes holding his hounde shorte creeping as secretely as he can and if he perceyue that ◅is hounde haue any thing in winde and that by his countenance gesture it should be like that he is not far◅e from the Harte then let him withdrawe and retyre himself for feare least he rowze him and let him go in at some other side of the woodde where it is not so thicke then if he chance to finde any little ◅ewtes or springes priuily copsed within the thicke where the Harte may feede by night he may search it fayre and well and take vp the fewmishyngs which he findeth But here muste you note one thing that is that he may not go into suche places vntill it be nine of the clocke in the mornyng bicause such Hartes do sometimes take herbrough or layre within those little Copisses to enioy the cōforte of the Sunne and about nine of the clocke they withdraw themselues to the shadowe for two principall reasons whereof that one is for feare of the Flies and Horseflies whiche woulde torment him if he were abrode the other for to auoyde the vehement heate of the Sunne whiche would be at none dayes And the Huntesman must take good heede that he enter not ouer fast into the thicke for that such Hartes do sometimes take layre very neare those priuie coppyses bicause they are neyther feared nor styrred But it suffiseth for thē if they be only in couert And also in such springs they come out to feede immediately after sixe of the clocke in the euening and therefore let the Huntesman be content to haue seene the Slotte freshe and to haue taken vp the fewmishing and afterwards let him retyre himself as secretely as he can and neuer tarie to see or marke the entries but carrie his hounde in his armes with him And when he is farre inough from thence lette him counterfayte the Shepherd or whistle in some pipe least the Harte haue gotten him in the winde and so rowze for if he sing or whistle he shall enbolden 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 assured and then let him caste 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 see the Slotte then let him kneele downe hauing his hounde behinde him lookyng vppon the foyles and trackes in the leaues and grasse and if they be well streyned lette him clappe his hande vpon the Slotte and if he finde that it be foure fingers broade then may he iudge him an Harte of tenne by the foyles but if it be but three fingers broade he shall iudge it a yong Harte How the Huntesman should seeke an Harte in his feedes Chap. 32. HEre you must vnderstand that there is difference betweene springs or coppises and other feeding places for we call all pastures fieldes or gardens wh◅rein all sortes of corne and pothcarbes do grow feedings and when an Harte doth go to feede in such we say that he hath bene at his feede then the Huntesman must be styrring carely to go seeke the Harte in suche places for asmuch as the good people of the villages whiche are aboute suche places do rise by the breake of day to turne their cattell on field And therfore the Harts withdraw thēselues betimes into theyr thickes also the Kine Gotes Sheepe suche beasts will breake the slotte or view where the Harte shall haue passed the which would be an occasiō that the Huntesman could not perceiue it neyther yet his hounde could haue sent therof and therefore let him in such place be stirryng very earely Hovv a huntesman shall go to find out an Harte againe vvhen he hath bene hunted and lost the night before Chap. 33. IT happeneth very often that men fayle of killyng the Harte at force diuers kindes of wayes sometimes by occasion of
chaunce to ouershoote draw wrong or counter then muste the huntesman drawe him backe and say Backe backe softe softe vntill he haue set him right againe And if he perceyue that the hounde do amend his fault hunte right againe let him kne◅le down vpō one knee to marke the Slot or the portes well aduisedly and if he perceiue that his hounde draw right let him clappe him on the side cherish him saying That 's my boy that 's he that 's he To him knaue and let him blemish there aswell for thē that come after him as also to shew them that come with the kennell that the Harte passed there and if the kennell be to farre frō him he should crie Come neare come neare with the houndes or els let him blowe two motes leauing blemishes both alofte by lowe all the way as he goeth that if his hounde ouershoote or drawe amisse he may yet come back to his last blemish Then if he perceyue that his hounde do renew his drawing that he drawe stiffe so that it seemeth he be neare the Harte he must hold him then shorter shorter least if the Harte should rowze for feare a farre of his hounde hunting vpon the winde might ◅arie him amisse so that he should not finde the layre Whereby by the foyles about it he might haue certaine iudgement and if he rowze or vnharbor the Deare finde the layre let him not blow ouer hastely for the houndes but only crie Looke ware looke ware ware ware and let him drawe on with his hoūde vntil y Deare be descried rightly marked before he hallow 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 chaūged his fee◅e True it is that the fewmishing which a Deare maketh ouer night be not like those which he maketh in the morning when he draweth into the thicket to go to his layre for those which he maketh at his f◅ede in the night or euening be flatter softer better disgested than those which he maketh in a morning the reason is bicause he hath slept rested al day which maketh perfect digestion cōtrarily those which he ma◅eth in the rūning are neither so well disgested nor so soft For as much as al the night a Deare goeth trauelleth to seeke his feede hath neither had rest nor leysure to disgest his feede so well And yet they will be like of forme and proportion vnlesse the chaunge of feeding be the cause of it Or if the huntesman finde the layre of the Deare he shall lay his cheeke or his backe of his hande vpon it to feele if it be warme or not Or he may know by his hound for he will streyne and lappyse or whymper or sometime call on plainely All these tokens giue a huntesman to vnderstande that the Hart is rowzed and on foote Some Harts be so subtile and craftie that when they rowze and go from their layre they coast round about to seke some other Deare wherby the hounds which follo we them might finde change to hunt Or else perchance they haue some yong Brocket with them in company alwayes whereby the hunte man may be beguyled And therefore he shall not blowe to cast off more houndes when he rowzeth him but only crye ware ware ware come neare with the houndes And let him drawe after him still that way that he went fyftie or threescore paces And whē he shal perceiue that the Hart prepareth to flee if he seeme to be sure thereof let him blowe for the houndes and crye to them that 's he that 's he to him to him And let him drawe still vpon the Slot or viewe blowing and hallowing vntill the houndes 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 to make them take it the more hotely Afterwardes when he seeth that they are in full crye and take it right he may go out of the thicke and giue his hounde to his boy or seruant and get vp on horsebacke keeping still vnder the winde and coasting to crosse the houndes which are in chace to helpe them at default if neede require But if it shoulde happen that the Harte turning counter vppon the houndes in the thicket had come amongest chaunge then let all the huntesmen menace and rate their houndes and couple them vp againe vntill they haue gone backe eyther to the layre or to last blemish made vpon any Slotte or viewe and so hunt on againe vntill they may finde the Harte For some beaten Deare will fall flat vpon his belly and neuer moue vntill the houndes be euen vpon him Certaine obseruations and suttleties to be vsed by Huntesmen in hunting an Harte at force Chap. 40. NOw that I haue treated of suche iudgements markes as the huntesmen may take of an Harte and how they should behaue themselues in harboring of a Deare I thinke meete likewise to instruct according to my simple skill the huntesmen on horsebacke how to chase and hunte an Harte at force and that aswel by aucthoritie of good auncient hunters as also by experience of mine owne hunting And bycause at these dayes there are many men which beare hornes and bewgles and yet cannot tell how to vse them neyther how to encourage and helpe theyr houndes therwith but rather do hinder than furder them hauing neyther skill nor delight to vse true measure in blowyng and therewithal seyng that Princes and Noble men take no delight in hūtyng hauing their eyes muftled with the Scarfe of worldly wealth and thinking thereby to make theyr names immortall which in deede doth often leade them to destruction bothe of bodie and soule and oftener is cause of the shortening of theyr lyfe which is their principall treasure here on earth since a man shall hardly see any of them reygne or liue so long as they did in those dayes that euery Forest rong with hou◅es and hornes and when plentie of flagon bottels were caried in euery quarter to refreshe them temperately Therefore I shoulde thinke it labour lost to set downe these things in any perfect order were it not that I haue good hope to see the nobilitie youth of England exercise themselues aswell in that as also in sundrie other noble pastimes of recreation accordyng to the steppes of theyr Honorable Iuncestors and Progenitours And therefore I aduenture this trauayle to set downe in articles and particularities the secretes and preceptes of Uenerie as you see First then the prickers and Huntesmen on horsebacke muste vnderstand that there is diuersitie betweene the termes and wordes whiche they shall vse to Buckhoundes and the termes and wordes which they shall vse in
the which they may perceiue either by their houndes or by marking which way he fled when he came thether Let them make their houndes take the water and swymme therein for they may â—…nde sent vpon the bulrushes or weedes which growe in the ryuer Or otherwise the huntesmen them selues may seeke to finde where the Harte hath forsaken the soyle which huntesmen call breaking of the water and there they shall finde by the grasse or hearbes which he hath borne downe before him which waye he maketh heade When they finde assuredly which way he maketh heade then let them call their houndes out of the water for feare least they founder them with too much colde after their heate And if there be three huntesinen of them together let two of theÌ„ get one of the one side of the riuer and another on that other side and let the thirde get him before that waye that the Harte hath made heade to see if he can espye him swymming or lying in the water the two huntsmen which shal be on each side of the ryuer shal beate with their hounds each of theÌ„ vpoÌ„ his side far inough from the bankes For they shal haue better sent xx or xxx paces off than they should haue at the verie side or banke of the ryuer And the reason is that when the Hart commeth out of the water he is al wet and moyled with water which poureth downe his legs in such abundance that it drownes the Slot or view But coÌ„monly he rouseth and shaketh the water off him at his coÌ„ming out therof so that by that time he haue gone xx or xxx paces the Slot is better and the hounds shall sent him much better Neuerthelesse the huntsmen them selues should kepe alwayes neare to the riuer for somtimes the Hart will lye vnder the water all but his very nose as I haue before rehearsed Or may percase lye in some bed of bulrushes or in some tuft of sallowes so that they might leaue him behind them and then assone as they were past he might goe counter backe againe the same way that he came For commonly a Harte hath that craftie pollicie to suffer the hounds to ouershoot him and the huntsmen to passe by him And assone as they be past he will steale back go couÌ„ter right backwards in the same track or path that he came This hapneth not ofteÌ„ vnlesse the riuer be full of sallows or such bushes and neare vnto some forest But let some one of the Huntesmen haue alwayes an eye to the Riuer let the rest beate with theyr houÌ„des xx paces from the bankes and so let them keepe on altogether vntill they finde where he brake water and if they finde any blocke or beame or such thing that lieth crosse ouerthwarte the streame let them looke there whether he haue broken water or not for vnlesse it be at such a place or at suche a let a Harte will keepe the water long especially when he breaketh from the houndes ouer a champaigne countrie for at such times they will holde the water as long as they can and also at such times they trust no longer neyther in their thickets nor in their swiftnesse but are constrayned to seeke the soyle as their last refuge And here I thinke it not amisse to aduertise you that an Harte dreadeth the Northerne windes and the Southerne windes much more than he doth the Easterly or Westerly windes in such sorte that if at his breakyng out of a couert when he seeketh to breake from the houndes endwaies ouer the champaigne he feele either a North-winde or a Southwinde blow he will neuer runne into it but turnes his backe and takes it in his tayle and this he dothe for diuers respects The first is bycause the Northwinde is colde and sharpe and drieth exceedingly and the Southwinde is hote and corrupt bycause it commeth vnder the circle of the Sunne the whiche ouercommeth him and settes him vp quickly by the vehement sweltrie heate thereof And if he should runne into any of those two windes it would quickly enter his throte when he is embost and beginneth to be spent and would drie his throte and his tongue sore and would alter and chafe him much with the vehement heate thereof Also those windes are commonly great and tempestuous and if he should runne against them his head and hornes woulde be as a sayle to holde him backe the which might much let him in his runnyng Agayne he knoweth that if he runne into the winde the houndes shall haue the better sent of him and neede not so much to lay theyr noses to the ground but may hunte vpon the winde Also he himself doth couet alwayes both to see and heare the houndes whiche follow him And although Phoebus sayeth that all Hartes do commonly runne downe the winde how so euer it sitte yet haue I found it otherwise by experience and especially when it bloweth froÌ„ the Seawardes which is a moyst winde and then a Harte will couet to ruÌ„ne agaynst the winde but doubtlesse a Harte doth feare the Northerlywinde and the Southwinde as I haue sayde before and so do all other beasts as Spaniels or houÌ„des the which wil not hunte so wel in those windes as they do at other times Also you shal vnderstaÌ„d that a Harte doth foreloyne and breake out before the houndes for diuers reasons especially in Aprill or May when his head is bloudie and soft for then if he be hunted he dareth not holde in the thickets or couerts for hurtyng of his head but is 〈◊〉 to come forth of the strong holdes and then he breaketh ouer the champaigne Countries and seeketh to forloyne or to breake from the houndes and then he doubleth crosseth c. Or it may be that a harte forsaketh the couert for an other reason bicause in the thickets he trauayleth more beateth himself sorer in bearing downe the boughes before him cannot make way so wel before the houndes for they beyng much lesser than he do runne with greater ease in the hollow of the woodes below and in like maner hâ—… cannot crosse nor double so well in the couert as he may do in the playne champaigne And for these causes he is constreyned as it were to go out either into the hollow woodes or into the champaigne And there let the Huntesmen haue good regarde for a hounde may much sooner be at default in the hollow woodes than in the strong couerts hauing more scope to cast about to raÌ„gâ—… furder out when they are hote madbrayned so they may ouershoote the slotte if the Huntesmen be any thing hastie with them ouerley them or ouereyde them and hunte change the which they cannot so lightly do in the strong couerts for there they runne directly vpon the foote of the Deare and cannot cast out neither one way nor other so redily for they feare euermore to leese the right tracke where the Harte went And therfore a
they neuer part vntil the Rowdoe haue fawned Then the Doe parteth from the Buck fawneth as farre from him as she can for if he finde 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 accompa◅ieth with him againe louingly Yea and they will make asmuch haste to returne togethers as may be the cause whereof is that a Row doe doth most cōmonly fawne two at once they be cōmonly also h◅cke Doe so that being accustomed togethers in youth they do loue to keepe company euer after Some Row doe hath bin killed with fiue fawnes in hyr bodie at once which is a strange thing in so smal a beast And here I thought good to note vnto you that a fawne of a Rowe is called the first yeare a Kidde the second a Gyrle the third yeare an Hemuse the fourth a Rowe bucke of the first head and the fifth yeare a Rowebucke and no more Assoone as a Rowebucke cōmeth from Rut he casteth his hornes and few of them after they be paste two yeares olde do fayle to mew at Alhollantide their heades grow out againe very quickly for they fray them cōmonly in March you may hunt him at all times alike for his venyson is neuer fat nor neuer out of season they hide their heads in mosse when they haue cast and mewed them all the fauour that shoulde be shewed vnto the Rowe deare is vnto the Does when they are with fawne and vntil their fawnes be able to liue without thē They make maruelous good chase and stand vp long and flee farre endwayes and their fleshe is good meate you shall hardly know them eyther by their foote or fewmettes they see not very perfectly nor beare any great venison that is to say they be not very fat vnlesse it be inwards their kidneyes will sometimes be hidde with fat and then are they in great pryde of greace When they are hunted they turne much and come often directly backe vpon the dogges and whē they may no more endure they flee to the water and beate the water like an Harte wherein they will hang by some bough all vnder the water but their very snowte wil neuer stirre vntill a man or a hounde come euen vpon 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 called his turne as to say the Rowe goeth in his Tourne His crossings and doublings before the houndes are called Trasonings He is not called a greate Rowebucke but a fayre Row-bucke the heard of them is called a Beauie if he haue Beauie greace vpon his tayle when you breake him vp then is he venison otherwise he is meeter for to be giuen whole to the hoūdes than to be dressed for your dishe the hounds muste be rewarded with the bowels the bloud and the feete slit in sunder and boyled altogether it is not called a rewarde but a dole of all other things necessarie to be vnderstoode for the huntyng of a Rowdeare I haue sufficiently spoken in the hunting of an Harte and the hunting of a Bucke Of the Raynedeare Chap. 46. THe Raynedeare is a beast like vnto an Harte but great diuersitie in their heades for a Raynedeares head is fuller of antlyers and much bigger and wyder in co◅passe he beareth foure and twentie braunches or more according to his age he hath a great pawme on the Toppe like a Harte and his antliers before are paw◅ed also he flieth endwayes when he is hunted by reason of the great weight of his head but whē he hath stoode vp a great whyle and hath crossed doubled and vsed all his pollicies then he settes his backe and haunches agaynst some Tree that nothing may assayle him but onely before and holdes his head lowe to the grounde and then fewe dare come neare him and his head couereth all his bodie If any man come in to helpe the houndes behinde him then whereas a Harte will strike with his antlyer he striketh with his feete but not so great a blowe yet he wil be sure neuer to turne his head for that is his chiefe defence He is terrible to see bothe for hounde and greyhounde by reason of his great huge head he is not much higher thā a bucke but he is greater and thicker when he rayseth vp his head it is much wider and broder then his bodie is he feedeth lyke a Hart and maketh his fewmets sometimes round and sometimes flat he liueth very long and is killed with houndes bowes nettes and other such engines he beareth fatter venison when he is in pryde of greace then any other Deare doth he goeth to Rut after the Harte lyke a fallow Deare and fawneth like as other deare fawne he is seldome hunted at force nor with houndes but onely drawen after with a bloudhound and forestalled with nettes and engines and that in the thicke and greatest holdes if you can for so shall you soonest ouercome him by reason of his great head whiche combreth him I will treate no more of him bicause I do not remember that I euer heard of any in this ou◅ Realme of England it may be that there be some in Ireland And therefore I thought not a◅isse thus to place him amongst the beastes of Uenerie 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 euen so wild Goates and that other sorte is called ◅arus or Saris And although I haue not heard or redde that there be any of them in England or at least any that be hunted yet bycause it may be well ynough that there are some in Wales or in other Mountaynes I haue thought good to set 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 Uenerie since it appeareth by the holy Scriptures that his fleshe is Uenison The wilde Goate is as bigge as an Harte but he is not so long nor so long legged but they haue as much fleshe as the Harte hath they haue wreathes and wrinkles on their hornes whereby their age is knowē for so many yeares old as he is so many wreaths you shall finde about his horne and as a Harte meweth and casteth his head so doth the wilde Goate mew his wreathes renew them but he meweth not the beame the whiche is as bigge as a mans legge if he be an old Goate They haue a great long beard are brownish grey of colour like vnto a Wolf and very shaggie hauing a blacke list all alongst the chyne of their backe downe to theyr bellie is fallow their legges blacke and their ◅ayle fallowe their feete are like the feete of a tame Goate the print and tracke wherof is great broade rounde
he will not likely be reared for him But if he find of a Bore which soyleth oftentimes and which routeth now here now there neuer staying long vpon one place then is it a token that he hath bene sâ—…arred and withdraweth himself to some resting place at al aduentures And such bores most coÌ„monly come to their dens couâ—…hes or holds two or three houres before day Then let the huntsman beware for comming ouer neare to them for if they once finde him in the winde or haue the wynde of his hounde they will be gone and he shall hardely come neare them agayne nor finde them If a Bore meane to tarie and abyde in his denne couche or fort then maketh he some doubling or crossing at the entrie thereof vppon some highe way or beaten pathe and then goeth into his holde to lay him downe in his couche or denne and by such meanes a huntsman being earely in the woods may iudge the subtletâ—…e or craft of the Bore and according to that which he shall perceiue he maye prepare to hunt with houndes which are hote or temperate For if it be a great Bore and one that hath lyne long at rest he shall do well to hunte him with houndes that will sticke to him and let the huntsmen on horsebacke be euer amongest them charging the Bore and forcing him as muche as they maye to discourage him for if you hunte suche a Bore with foure or fyue couple of houndes he will make small account of them and when they haue a little chafed him he will take courage and keepe them styll at Bayes running vpon any thing that he seeth before him but if he perceiue him selfe charged and hard layd vnto with houndes and huntesmen then he will become astonyed and lose courage and then he is enforced to flee and to seeke the cuntrey abroad You must set Relayes also but that muste be of the staunchest and best olde houndes of the kennell for if you shoulde make your Relayes with young houndes and suche as are swyfte and rashe then when a Bore is any thing before the rest of the houndes in chace he might easily kyll them in their furic at their first comming in to him But if he be a Bore whiche is accustomed to flee endwayes before the houndes and to take the champayne countrey then you shall cast of but foure or fyue couple of houndes at the â—…irst and set all the rest at Relayes about the entrie of the fieldes where you thinke likely that he will flee For suche a Bore will â—…ldome keepe houndes at a Baye vnlesse he be forced and if he do stande at Baye the huntesmen must ryde in vnto him as secretely as they can without muche noyse and when they be neare him let them cast rounde about the place where he standeth and runne vpon him all at once and it shall be harde if they giue him not one skotch with a sworde or some wounde with a Borespeare and let them not stryke lowe for then they shall commonly hit him on the snoute bycause he watcheth to take all blowes vpon his Tuskes or there aboutes But let them lift vp their handes hygh and stryke right downe and let them beware that they stryke not towardes their horses but that other waye For on that side that a Bore feeleth him selfe hurte he turneth heade strayght wayes whereby he might the sooner hurt or kyll their horses if they stroke towardes them And if they be in the playne then let â—…ast a cloake about their horses and they maye the better ryde about the Bore and stryke at hym as they passe but staye not long in a place It is a certayne thing experimented and founde true that if you hang belles vpon collers about your houndes neckes a Bore will not so soone stryke at them but flee endwayes before them and sildome stand at Bay. An end of the Hunting of the Bore Of the hunting of an Hare I am an Hare a beast of little strength Yet making sport of loue and gentle gestes For running swift and holding out at length I beare the beil aboue all other beastes Of the properties of an Hare and howe to knowe the male from the female Chap. 58. I Wil begin with the vertues properties of an Hare the which be verie great many hauing consideration to the greatnesse and littlenesse of hir First the bloud of an Hare is a sore dryer and if you do annoynt therewith any ytching place or a ringworâ—…e it will drie it vp and heale it The Hare hath a litle bone in a ioynt of hir hinder legge called the styfling bone whiche is verie good for the Collike and the Crampe Hir skynne burnt to pouder is a soueraine medicine to stenche bloud The Hare first taught vs the vse of the hearbe called wilde Succorye which is verie excellent for those whiche are disposed to be melancholike she hir selfe is one of the moste melancholike beastes that is and to heale hir own infirmities she goeth commonly to sit vnder that hearbe wherevpon it hath bene called in times past Palatius leporis that is to say Hares pallayse The Hare doth naturally know the change of weather from xxiiij houres to xxiiij houres When she goeth to hir forme she will not let the dewe or wet touch hir as nearâ—… as shee can but followeth the hyghe wayes and beaten pathes and breaketh the highe stalkes as she goeth with hir teeth And bycause some Hares by haunting the lowe watrie places do become foule and messed such Hares doe neuer follow the hard ways nor make such pathes to their formes but vse all their subtleties pollecies by the sides of the Ryâ—…ers brookes and other waters And you shall vnderstand that the females are not so commonly foule or râ—…esled as the males arâ—… therfore a huntesman may iudge by the reliefe and feede of the Hare what she is and which way she formeth They goe to Bucke commonly in Januarie Februarie and Marche Sometimes they seke the Bucke seuen or eight myles distant from the place where â—…hey vse to syt following the beaten high wayes as be hereafter declared A Bucke Hare wil abyde the hounds nearer him when he sitteth than the female will bicause be feeleth him selfe quicker and his body better disposed and haâ—…ier If when a Hare ryseth out of the forme she set vp hir eares and run not verie fast at the firste and cast vp hir Skut 〈◊〉 hir bacâ—…e it is a token that it is an olde and craftie Hare Although some say that there is no iudgemâ—…nt of difference betweene the male and the female Hares yet haue I founde the contrarie For the male Hare or bucke maketh his croleâ—…s always smaller dryer and more sharpned towards the end The female maketh them greater and rounder and not so dry And the cause is that the female relieueth not so farre out a nights and is grâ—…ater of bodye which causeth hir to make the greater Croteys
all reportes before you vndertake to hunte them and then he which hath fouÌ„d of an Otter or so drawen toward his couche that he can vndertake to bryng you vnto him shall cause his houndes to be vncoupled a vowshotte or twayne before he come at the place where he thinketh that the Otter lieth bycause they may skommer and caste about a while vntill they haue cooled their bawling and braynesicke toyes whiche all houndes do lightly vse at the first vncouplyng then the varlets of the kennell shall secke by the riuers side and beate the bankes with theyr boundes vntill some one of them chaunce vpoÌ„ the Otter remember alwayes to set out some vpwards and some downe the streames and euery man his Otter speare or forked staffe in his hande to watche his ventes for that is the chiefe aduantage and if they perceyue where the Otter coÌ„meth vnder the water as they may perceyue if they 〈◊〉 it well then shall they watche to see if they can get to stand before him at some place where he would vent stryke him with theyr speare or staffe and if they misse then shall they runne vp or downe the streame as they see the Otter bend vntil they may at last giue him a Blowe for if the houndes be good Otter houndes and perfectly entred they will come chaunting and trayling alongst by the riuers side will beate euery tree roote euery holme euery Osier bedde and tufft of bulrushes yea somtimes also they will take the ryuer and beate it like a water spaniell so that it shall not be possible for the Otter to escape but that eyther the houndes shall light vpon him or els some of the huntesmen shall strike him and thus may you haue excellent sporte and pastime in hunting of the Otter if the houndes be good and that the Riuers be not ouer great where the Riuers be greate some vse to haue a lyne throwen ouerthwart the Riuer the whiche twoo of the huntesmen shall holde by eche ende one on the one side of the Riuer and the other on that â—…her and 〈◊〉 them holde the line so slacke that it may alwayes be vnderneath the water so go on with it and if the Otter come diuing vnder that water he shall of necessitie touche their line so they shal feele know which way he is passed the which shal make him be taken the sooner An Otters skinne is very good furre his grease wil make a medicine to make fishes turn vp their bellies as if they were deade A good Otter hounde may proue an excelleÌ„t good buckhouÌ„d if he be not old before he be entred Thus haue you now asmuch as I caÌ„ presently set down for that huÌ„ting of such chaces as I thinke likely or possible to be huÌ„ted in this our cuÌ„try yea some also percase which you wil say are not in vse with vs at these daies But bicause I haue sufficiently declared mine inteÌ„t in myne Epistle in the beginning of this book therfore I wil speÌ„de no more time in excusing of my self but wil passe ouer vnto that Woulfe the Beare which are as strange stranger than any other that I hitherto named The Otters oration VVHy stande we beastes abasht or spare to speake Why make we not a vertue of our neede We know by proofe in witte we are too weake â—…nd weaker muche bicause all Adams seede Whiche beare away the weyght of witte in deede Do dayly seeke our names for to distayne With slandrous blotte for whiche we Beastes be slayne Firste of my selfe before the rest to treate Moste men crye out that fishe I do deuoure Yea some will say that Lambes with mee be meate I graunte to bothe and he that hath the powre To feede on fishe that sweeter were than sowre And had yong fleshe to banquet at his fill Were fonde to fraunche on garbage graynes or â—…wyll But master Man which findeth all this fault And streynes deuise for many a dayntie dishe Whiche suffreth not that hunger him assault But feedes his fill on euery fleshe and fishe Whiche muste haue all as muche as witte can wishe Us seely Beastes deuouring Beastes do call And he himselfe moste bloudie beaste of all Well yet mee thinkes I heare him preache this Texte Howe 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 Scourge and Plague of God his Ban Will lyght on suche as queyntly can deuise To eate more meate than may their mouthes suffise Nowe master Man stande foorth and here declare Who euer yet coulde see an Otter eate More meate at once than serued for his share Who sees vs beastes sitte-bybbing in our seate With sundry wynes and sundry kindes of meate Whiche breede disease yfostred in suche feastes If men do so be they not woorse than beastes The beastly man muste â—…itte all day and quasse The Beaste indeede doth drincke but twice a day The beastly man muste stuffe his monstrous masse With secrete cause of surfetting alwaye Where beasts be glad to feede when they get pray And neuer eate more than may do them good Where men be sicke and surfet thorough foode Who sees a Beast for savrie Sawces long Who sees a Beast or chicke or Capon cramme Who sees a Beast once luld on sleepe with song Who sees a Beast make vensone of a Ramme Who sees a Beast destroy both whelpe and damme Who sees a Beast vse beastly Gluttonie Which man doth vse for great Ciuilitie I know not I if dyuing be my fault Me thinks most men can diue as well as I Some men can diue in Seller and in vault In Parlor Hall Kitchen and Buttery To smell the roste whereof the fume doth flâ—…e And as for gaines men diue in euery streame All frawdes be fishe their stomacks neuer squeame So to conclude when men their faults can mend And shunne the shame wherewith they beasts do blot When men their time and treasure not mispende But follow grace which is with paines ygot When men can vice rebuke and vse it not Then shall they shine like men of worthy fame And else they be but Beasts well worthy blame Of the hunting of the Wolfe and first of their nature and properties Chap. 75. THe Wolfe is a beast sufficiently knowen in Fraunce and other Countries where he is bred but here in EnglaÌ„d they be not to be fouÌ„d in any place In Ireland as I haue heard there are great store of them and bycause many Noble men and Gentlemen haue a desire to bring that Countrie to be inhabited and ciuilly gouerned and would God ther were moe of the same mind therefore I haue thought good to set downe the nature and maner of hunting at the Wolfe according to mine Author The Wolfe sayeth he goeth on 〈◊〉 in February in such sort as a Dogge lineth a birth wheÌ„ she goetâ—… saulte wherin they abide ten or twelue dayes many
called running madnesse and is likewise vncureable But the vyting thereof is not so venemous nor so dangerous for other beastes as the first is for it vexeth not continually without intermission And when a dog is madde of this kynde of madnesse the first dogge which he byteth in the forenoone dothe beare with him all his venome will be in great daunger to runne madde but as many as he byteth afterwardes may escape from running madde thereof When dogges haue this madnesse they runne not vpon beastes nor vpon men but onely vppon dogges and harken as they goe to heare the barking of other dogges to the ende they may go shake them and byte them They runne in the high wayes and cast their fayles betwene 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 sortes of madnesse you may knowe by these tokens First they eate verie little they will smell vpon other dogs and when they haue smelt on them will shake and byte them yet wagging their â—…ayles and seeming to cherish them They sigh sore shuffe with their noses and looke sydewayes or ouerthwarts They are sad and heauie yet running after butterflyes and other flyes There are many other apparant tokens which I leaue for breuities sake WheÌ„ you perceiue them by such tokens shift them out of the company of other dogs and shut them vp for their breath is infectiue and mâ—…y make other dogges madde for such diseases are taken amongst dogs as the pestilence is amongst men The other fiue sorts of madnesse are nothing like so dangerous for dogs which are sicke of them do neither runne nor byte So that I esteeme them rather sicknesses than madnesses although sundrye huntsmen haue hold opinion that al the seuen sortes of madnesse were vncurable But I my selfe haue healed sundry dogs which haue biâ—… sicke of these other fiue kinds of madnesse hereafter mentioned with the Receiptes which I meane God willing to set down here in wryting And the said fiue sundry sorts of madnesse are thus named The first is called the dumme madnesse the which lieth within the bloud and is to be known by this note or signe The dogges which are mad therof wil not feed but hold their mouth wide opeÌ„ putting their feet into their mouth as if they had some bone in their throat hide theÌ„selues coÌ„monly in moist freshest places The seconde is called the falling madnesse for the dogs which haue it fal as they go as if they had the falling euill or the Saint Johns sycknesse And the disease lyeth in their heapes The thirde kynde of madnesse is called the Laâ—…ke madnesse For the disease is within their bodies and maketh them skuÌ„mer so much that they become so tanke leane and thynne that a man may thrust them through with his finger The fourth is called the sleeping madnesse The which commeth with a kinde of little wormes that lye in the mouth of a dogges stomacke being there engendered through corruption of humours the vapors and fumes whereof doe mount vp into the braynes of a dog and make him sleepe vncessantly so that commonly they die sleeping The fifth and last kynde of madnesse is called the 〈◊〉 or slauering madnesse For when a dogge hath it his heade swelleth and his eyes become yellowe as a Kyghts foote and he driueleth and slauereth at the mouth commonly When a dogge hath any of these kyndes of madnesse he will haue no lust to eate but lyueth eight or nyne dayes in this sorte doing no hurte to any thing and in the ende dyeth for hunger wherewithall you must vnderstande that dogs are of this propertie generally Whensoeuer they feele any disease within their bodies without any occasion of hurtes or such accidentes they wil neuer feede lightly vntill they be healed therof For proofe when a dogge is sicke he will not eate the deyntyest morsell that you can proffer him vntill he haue eaten grasse and cast vp all that was within him and then he will eate Some are of opinion that the worme vnder a dogs tong is the cause of madnesse but I thinke not so Although it maye be that suche as haue beene wormed doe not so commonly fall madde yet sometimes they do as may dayly be seene These diseases are taken amongst dogs by breathing and coÌ„panying one with another And therfore it shal be best to shut vp such as haue theÌ„ from al the rest of your houÌ„ds as is before sayd The receipt to heale the dumme madnesse TAke the weight of foure Frenche crownes of the iuyce of an herbe called Spathula putrida which hath a leafe muche like vnto the herbe called Ireos or Flower de luce but it is a litle blacker and put this iuyce into a litle pewter pot Then take asmuch of the iuyce of an herb called Helleborus niger in English Bearwort as much of the iuyce of Rewe And if it be in such season that these herbes haue no iuyce in them you must make a decoction of them And when you haue all these iuyces together take as much white wine as there was iuyce of Rewe Then streine them all through a fayre lynnen cloth and set them in a glasse Then take Scamony two drammes and let the Scamony be vnpreparate the which you shall mingle amongst all these iuyces TheÌ„ take the dog put a table napkin â—…owled in his mouth for byting and put downe this 〈◊〉 inâ—…o his throate with soâ—…e horne or tunnell holding vp his heade alofte least he cast it vp againe When you haue giuen him this receipt you shall let him bleed with a kniâ—…e in the mouth as you pricke a horâ—…e in y gums of the vpper iaw the â—…oofe of his mouth â—…ut him two or three vaines in his gums that he may bleede the better Then kennell him with fayre fresh straw and he will aâ—…end Note here that the herbe commonly called Harts horne or Dogs tooth is excellent good to cure any kynde of madnesse being droâ—…ke eight drammes of the iuyce thereof with a little salt A receipt for the falling or reeling madnesse which proceedeth from the braine TAke the weight of foure french crownes of the iuyce or seede of an herbe called Pyonye that sorte of Ryonye which beareth seede the weight of foure Frenche crownes of the iuyâ—… of an herbes roote called Bryonie or Vitis alba which groweth in the hedges and hath a roote as byg as a mans legge Then take as much of y iuyce of an herbe called â—…ruciata otherwise 〈◊〉 and foure drams of Stauesaker well brayed and beaten to poudâ—…r Mingle them all well together and giue it your hounde or dogge as afore sayde Then slyt his eares to make him bleede or else let him bloude on the two vaines which come downe his shoulders which in an horse are called the Arches