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
rather bigger than the Slot of an Harte theyr bones be accordyng to the bignesse of a tame Goate but somwhat greater they are fawned in May fawne as a Hinde or Doe but they haue but one fawne at once the which they suckle and bryng vp as the tame Goate bringeth vp hir kidde Their feede is of corne and grasse as other Deare feede but they will eate Iuie mosse and suche like feede that is harde better than any other Deare In spring they make their feromets rounde but afterwardes they make them broder and flatte as a Harte doth when he comes to good feede There is iudgemeÌ„t to be takeÌ„ by their feâ—…mets either round or â—…latte euen as there is of an Harte they go to Rut about Alhallantide and abide therin a moneth when their Rut is past they put theÌ„â—…lues in heards and come downe froÌ„ the mountaynes rockes where they abide al the SoÌ„mer and that aswel to eschew the Snow as also bicause they find no foode on the mountaynes any longer and yet they come not very lowe into the playnes but keepe about the foote of the mountaynes and there seeke fooâ—… vntil it be towards Easter then they returne to the mountaines and euery one of them takes him to his holde or strongest couert vpon the rockes cragges euen as the Hartes keepe the thickes Then the he Goates part froÌ„ the female which are called Geats and the buckes Goates and the Geats drawe neare to some little brooke or water to fawne to abide there al the sommer When the Goates be so parted froÌ„ the Geats attending vntill the time of their Rut returne they runne vpoÌ„ either man or beasts whiche passe by them and fight one with another as Hartes do but not altogether a like for these make an vnpleasant noyse they hurt sore with their blowes not with the endes of their hornes but with the middest Butte of their head in such sorte that they do oftentimes breaâ—…e a maÌ„s legge or his arme at a blowe though he woundeth not with his blowe yet if he beare a man agaynst a tree or a banke he will surely kill him and suche force hath he also in the chyne of his backe that though a man how strong soeuer he be should strike him with a barre of yron ouerthwarte the reynes he will go on and neuer shrinke at it When he goeth to Rut his throte and necke is maruelous great he hath such a propertie that although he fall tenne poles length downe from an high he will take no hurte thereby and he goeth as surely vpon the toppe of a rocke as a Horâ—…e will go in an high way They clime maruelously for theyr feede and sometimes they fal then can they not hold with their feete but thrust out their heads against the rockes and hang by their hornes vntill they haue recouered themselues vp againe That kinde of theÌ„ which is called 〈◊〉 or Saras is of like proportion to this which I haue already described and is not much bigger than the tame Goate His nature and properties are in maner all one with the wilde Goate Sometimes he would skrat his thyghes with his soote and thrusteth his hoofes in so farre that he cannot draw theÌ„ backe agame but falleth and breaketh his necke for his hoofes of his feete are crooked and he thrusteth them farre into the skinne and then they will not come out agayne When they come froÌ„ their feede they go to the rockes lie vpon the hardest places that they can finde The Gawle both of this sorte and that other is very good for sinewes that be shrunke vp when they are great old they are but too too fat venyson especially within the bodie The Geates haue hornes like the Goates in all respectes but not so great bothe sortes of them haue their seazon greace time like vnto the Hart goyng to Rut at Alhallantide then you may hunte them vntill theyr Rutting time come for in winter they are very leane feeding vpoÌ„ nothing but Pynes Fyrretrees or such other woodes as are alwayes greene howe little nouriture soeuer they yeelde Their leather is warme when it is carried in season for neyther cold nor rayne will pearce it if the hearie side be outwards their fleshe is not very holesome but breedeth the feuer through the abundant heate that is in it neuerthelesse when they are in season the venison of them is reasonable delicate to eate How to hunte the wilde Goates Chap. 48. THe best time to hunt the wilde Goate is at Alhallontide and the huntesman muste tic by night in the high mountaynes in some shepeheardes â—…abane or such cottage and it were good that he lay so seuâ—…n or eight dayes before he meane to hunte to see the aduantages of the coastes the Rockes places where the goates do lie all such other circuÌ„stances let him sct nettes toylcs or forestallings towards the riuers bottomes euen as he would do for an Harte for he may not looke the his houâ—…s will folow the Goate downe euery place of the mouÌ„taines if he haue not hewers nor Huntesmen ynow to set rounde aboute then let him place his copanions on the toppes of the Rockes that they may throw downe stones and shoote with Crossebowes at the Goates a Huntesman shall seeke theÌ„ and draw after them with his bloudhounde euen as he doth after an Harte and then cast off foure or siue couple of houndes to maynteyne the crie shall make three or foure relayes to refresh those houndes which are first cast off for when his houndes haue once or twice climed vp the Mountaynes cliffes they wil be so hote and so sore speÌ„t that they can hunte no longer then the Goate goeth downe to the small brookes or waters in the bottomes and therfore at such places it shal be best setting of relayes and let the relayes neuer tarie vntill the houndes come in whiche were first cast off for it wil be long sometimes before they come in and yet there are some lustie yong houndes which will neuer giue ouer a Goate nor suffer him to take Soyle This chase requireth no great Arte nor following neyther can a maÌ„ follow on foote nor on horsebacke The best help is in the Relayes which shal be set in the bottoms and for the reward it may be done at pleasure and deuise of the Huntesman alwayes prouided that he rewarde not the houndes with the best morselles Of the wilde Bore his properties and the maner of hunting at him Chap. 49. HAuing described the hunting of an Harte and al other deare according to my simple skill I haue thought good to set downe here a little treatyse of the huntyng at the wilde Bore and of his properties although he ought not to be coumpted amongst the Beasts of Uenerie which are chasable with houÌ„des for he is the proper pray of a Mastif and such like dogges for asmuch as he is
puffeth and forceth his breath into their holes in suche fort that by vertue and force therof he constreyneth the Serpents to come forth and being come forth he kylleth them with his foote and afterwards eateth and deuoureth them Afterwarde he goeth to drinke and so the venyme spreadeth through all the veynes of his body and when he feeleth the venyme worke he runneth to chafe and heate him selfe immediately he beginneth to voyde and purge himselfe in such sort that nothing remayneth in his belly comming forth by all the conduites and pores that nature hath made in him And by this mean he renueth his force and healeth him selfe casting his haire When the Hartes passe the great ryuers or some arme of the Sea to go to Rut in some I le or Forest they assemble them selues in great heardes and knowing which of them is strongest and best swimmer they make him go formost and then he which commeth next him stayeth vp his head vpon the backe of the first and the thirde vpon the backe of the seconde and consequently al the rest do in like maner euen vnto the last to the end that the one may relieue the other and when the first is wearie another taketh his place Plynie sayeth that they can endure to swymme thirtie myles endwayes and that he hath seene experience thereof in the I le of Cypres from whence they go commonly vnto the I le of Cylice the which is thirtie myles distant Yea and he sayeth that they haue the vent and sent of the Rut from the one I le to the other To speake a truth I haue seene some hunted in Forestes adioyning to the Sea which haue bene so sore hunted that they launched into the Sea and haue bene kylled by fyshermen tenne myles from the shore The Hart doth maruell and is astonyed when he heareth one call or whistle in his fist And for proofe when you see an Hart 〈◊〉 before you in the day time and that he be in the playne call after hint saying ware ware or take heede and you shall see him turne backe for doubt of the voyce which he heard He louetâ—… to heare Instrumentes and assureth him selfe when hee heareth a Flute or any other sweete noyse He heareth verie perfectly when his heade and his eares are set vpright but when he holdeth them downe he heareth not so well When he is on foote and is not afrayde he maruelleth at all things which he seeth and taketh pleasure to gaze at them as a Carter and his Carte or any beast loden with any thing Plynie sayth that an Hartes age is knowne by his teeth by his feete and by his heade as I will declare hereafter in the treatise of Iudgement of the Hart. Furthermore he sayth that the Antlier and croches of a Harte doe multiply from the fyrst heade that he beareth vntill he be seauen yeares olde and that afterwardes they multiply not but only in greatnesse and that also according to the rest and good feeding or the styrring that they shall haue They beare sometimes more and sometimes fewer croches and that is the reason that menne haue iudged a Hart of tenne as somtimes haue bene seene Furthermore he sayth that the first heade which an Hart beareth is dedicated and giuen to Nature and that the foure Elements do euerie of them take therein a portion Isodore is of an other opinion saying that the Hart doth burie and hyde his first heade in the earth in suche sort that a man shall hardly finde it And to speake a truth I could neuer finde any that were mewed or cast by their owne accorde neuerthelesse I haue seene one that sayde he had seene them but therein I report me to that which may be thought The Hart hath a propertie that if he goe to feede in a yong spring or Coppes he goeth first to seeke the winde that he may finde if there be any person in the Coppes which may interrupt him And if any man take a little bough branch or leafe and pysse or spitte vpon it if he leaue it in the spring or Coppes where the Harte should feede he will not fayle to finde it out and then he will feede no more in that place Plynie sayth that when the Hart is forced with houndes his last refuge is to come about houses vnto a man vnto whome he had rather yeelde him selfe than vnto the hounds hauing knowledge vnderstanding what things be moste contrarie and hatefull vnto him the which I haue seene by experience that an Hynd being readie to calue hath rather auoyded and eschued the way and place where dogs did resort thaÌ„ whereas meÌ„ were accustomed to be as also when she would conceyue she attendeth vntill the Starre called Arcture be raysed and caryeth hir calfe eight or nine monethes the which are calued in May commonly although I haue seene some fall later according to the nouriture and age of the Hind There are some Hyndes which haue two Calues at once and before she calueth she purgeth hir with the hearbe called Tragonce and after that she hath calued she eateth vp the skynne wherein the Calfe did lye Plynie sayth moreouer that if a man take the Hynde immediately after she haue calued he shoulde finde a stone in hir body the which she hath eaten or swallowed to make hir calue with more ease the which stone shoulde be verie requisite and profitable for women that are with chylde When the Hyndes calfe is great she teacheth it to runne and to leape and the coast that it must keepe to defende it selfe from the houndes The Hartes and Hyndes may liue an hundreth yeres according to Phoebus saying And wee finde in auncient hystoriographers that an Harte was taken a hauing coller about his necke full three hundreth yeares after the death of Cesar in which coller Caesars armes were engraued and a mot written saying 〈◊〉 me fecit Wherevpon the Latin Prouerb came which saith Ceruinâ—…s annos viuere Of the Rut and vault of Hartes Chap. 17. HArts do commonly beginne to Uault about the middest of September and their Rut doth continue about two monethes and the older that they be the hotter they are and the better beloued of the Hyndes The olde Harts go sooner to Uault than the yong and they are so fierce and so proude that vntil they haue accomplyshed their lust the yong Harts dare not come neare them for if they do they beate them and dryue them away The yong Deere haue a maruellous craft and malice for when they perceiue that the olde Harts are wearie of the Rut and weakened in force they runne vppon them and eyther hurt or kyll them causing them to abandon the Rut and then they remayne maisters in their places Hartes doe muche soner kyll each other when there is scarcitie of Hyndes for if there be Hyndes plentie then they separate them selues one from another and hyde them selues in one place or other It is a pleasure to beholde them
their worke who haue tolde me that the least blacke heades which come from the Scottes or wylde Irishe whereof men bring great number to Rochell to sell are muche heauier than those which we haue here in Fraunce for they haue not so much marowe in them although there is a Forest in Poictou called the Forest of Mereuant in which the Harts beare smal black heades which haue but little marowe in them and are almost like to them of Irelande There is another Forest about foure leagues from thence called Chyssay in the which the Harts beare heades cleane contrarie for they are great red and ful of marow and are verie light when they are drye All these things I haue thought good here to alledge to let you knowe that Harts beare their heades according to the pasture and feede of the countrey where they are bred for the Forest of Mereuant is altogether in Mountaynes vales and Caues whereas theyr feede is drie leane and of small substance On that other side the Forest of Chyssay is in a playne countrey enuyroned with all good pasture and corne groundes as wheat peason and suche wherevpon they take good nouriture which is the cause that their heades become so fayre and well spreade Of the coates and coloure of Harts Chap. 20. HArtes are of three sundrye sortes of co◅ that is to saye browne fallowe and red And of enerie of these coates there proceede two sortes of Hartes The one are great and the other little First of the browne Hartes there be some great long and side haired which beare a verie high heade redde of coloure fayre and well beamed which stand vp long before houndes For all long shaped Harts haue longer breath and are swyfter of bodye than the short proportioned are The other kinde of browne Hartes are little thicke set and short Whiche beare commonly a blacke mayne and become fatter venison and more delicate than the others bycause they doe more commōly keepe in yong springs Coppises than in the high woods These kyndes of Hartes are craftie hyding them selues bycause when they are in greace they doubt to be founde For as muche as th◅ir bodie will not indure to stande long before the hounds So make they their feede verie short and beare their heades low and wyde in sunder And if they be old and feed in good ground then are their heades blacke fayre and well braunched and commonly paumed at the toppe The other Hartes which are of a fallowe coate do beare their heades high and whyte of coloure Whereof the beames are verie small and the Antliers long slender and yll growne principally of that sort of fallow which drawe vpon the whytish dunne haire So also haue they neither heart courage nor forte But those which are of a liuely redde fallowe which haue lightly a little blacke or browne liste vpon the rydge of their backe and their legges of the same coloure being long and side those be verie strong bearing fayre and high heades well furnished and beamed hauing all the other markes or tokens which I will hereafter declare Then the Harts which are of a liuely redde haire are commonly yong Hartes That sort of coated Hartes should not greatly reioyce the huntsmen on horsebacke bycause they stande vp long and are of verie good breath Of the heades and braunches of Harts and of their diuersities Chap. 21. HArts beare their heads in diuers sorts and maners some well growne some other yll growne and worsse spred some other againe counterfet and al this according to the age coūtrey feede and rest that they haue and you must note that they beare not their first head which we call broches in a fallow Deare pricks vntil they enter the second yere of their age In the third yere of their age they ought to beare foure sixe or eight small braūches at their fourth yeare they beare eight or tenne at fiue tenne or twelue at sixe twelue fourtene or sixtene and at their seuenth yeare they beare their heades beamed branched and somed with as muche as euer they will beare and do neuer multiplye therein but onely in greatnesse and according to the feede and rest that they shall haue After they haue once accomplished their seuenth yeare they will beare markes on their heades sometimes more and sometimes lesse although men shall alwayes knowe the olde Hartes by these tokens which follow 1 First when the compasse of the Burre is large and greate well pearled and neare vnto the moysture of the head 2 Secondly when the beame is great burnished and well pearled being streight and not made crooked by the Antlyers 3 Thirdly when the gutters therein are great and deepe 4 Also if the firste Antlier which Phoebus calleth and termeth Antoiller is great long and neare to the Burre the Surantlier neare vnto the Antlier the which ought a little to enlarge it selfe some what more from the beame than the firste and yet it should not be to long and they ought to be both well pearled all these thinges betoken an olde Harte 5 Also the rest of the branches or hornes which are higher being well ordered and set and wel growne according to the bignesse and proportion of the head and the croches palme or crown being great and large according to the bygnesse of the beame are tokens of an olde Hart and if the croches which are somed aloft do double together in the crowne or palme it is a signe of a great olde Hart. 6 Also when Harts haue their heads large and open it signifieth that they are olde rather than when they are crooked and close bowed And bycause many men can not vnderstande the names and diuersities of heades according to the termes of hunting I haue thought good heere to cause them to be portrayed and set forth with little explycations to specifie the name of euerie branch or part as here vnder is declared The thing that beareth the Antliers Royals and toppes ought to be called the beame and the little clyffes or streakes therein are called gutters That which is about the crust of the beame is termed pearles and that which is about the burre it selfe in fourme of litle pearles is called pearles bigger than the rest A. This is called the Burre and that which is about the Burre is called pearles B. This fyrst is called Antlier C. The second Surantlier D. All the rest which growe afterwardes vntill you come to the crowne palme or croche are called Royals Surroyals E. These litle buddes or broches which are about the toppe are called croches This heade should be called a Crowned toppe bycause the croches which are placed and growne about the heigth thereof are ranged in forme of a Crowne although there are but fewe suche seene nowe adayes vnlesse it be in high Almaine or in Moscouie This heade should be called a palmed toppe bycause the croches which growe in the toppe are formed like vnto a mans hande and therefore it is to be
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
heale woundes on a dogge THe iuyce of a redde Coleworte is a souerayne medecine for woundes on a Dogge for it will of it self heale any wound and consollidate the muskels bicause the flesh of a dogge is hote and drie and the Coleworte is naturally hote and moyste I could haue prescribed many other receypts and medecines but I trust that these being principall and well approued shall suffise Of the Termes of Venerie I Haue thought meete to write a briefe note or abstracte of such termes proper woordes as I haue obserued in Uenerie either by reading or by experience aswell bycause mine Aucthor hath done the like as also bicause I finde it very pertinent to the purpose But bicause I find that his termes in the Frenche are in many places much different froÌ„ ours yet many holde opinion that we borowed all our termes of Hunting Hawking and such like out of the Frenche therfore I haue thought my parte to set downe suche as I my selfe haue â—…yther herd pronounced by olde Huntesmen or founde approued in olde Trystrams booke And if the Reader do finde that in any parte of the discourses in this booke I haue termed any of them otherwise then let him also consider that in handling of an Arte or in setting downe rules and precepts of any thing a man must vse suche woordes as may be most easie perspicuous and intelligible But here as neare as I can I will set them downe in suche termes as wee ought by lawe of Uenerie to name them as followeth The proper termes for the companies of all beasts when they are more than one togither TO beginne with the termes that are proper for the companies of beasts you shall vnderstand that Huntesmen vse to saye An Heard of Harts and Hindes Buckes and Does and A Trippe of Gotes and Geates A Beauie of Rowes A Sounder of Swine And a Rowte of VVolues I haue not readde any thing of the Raynedeare in this respect and I could not heare any thyng bycause in deede they are not in this Realme as farre as euer I coulde learne But in my iudgement it shoulde also be called An Heard of Raynedeare TrystraÌ„ addeth A Richesse of Marternes and a Slowth of Beares As for Hares if they be two togithers we say a brase of Hares and a Lease when there are three as also a brase of Harts or Hindes Buckes or Does is very properly spoken but more than two or three Hares you shal seldom see togither at once Twoo Conies are called a couple and three are called a couple a halfe of Conies If they be many feeding out togethers we say it is a fayre game of Conies As for Fox Badgerd other suche vermine you shall seldome see more than one of them at once vnlesse it be when they engendre and then their encrease is called A lytter This is asmuche as I thinke requisite to say of the termes for the companies of Beastes Sauing that xx is the least number which maketh an Hearde of any Deare sauing the Rowe but sixe Rowes make an hearde And of Swyne twelue is the least nuÌ„ber which may be called a Sounder as also the same nuÌ„ber serueth for a route of Wolues The termes of the Ages of all beasts of Venerie and Chace and first of the Harte AN Hart is called the firste yeare a Calfe the seconde a Brocket the thirde a Spayde the fourth a Staggerd the fifth a Stagge and as Trystrams booke teacheth the sixth yeare he shuld be called an Hart. But I am rather of opinioÌ„ that he is not to be called a Harte vnlesse he be hunted or killed by a Prince A Bucke is called the first yeare a Fawne the second a Pricket the third a Sorell the fourth a Sore the fifth a Bucke of the first head and the sixth a Bucke Of the Raynedeare I haue neyther heard nor redde any termes The Gote hath no difference that euer I heard after he passe the firste yeare and then is called a Kidde The Hare and the Conie are called in their first yeare Leuerets and Rabets and afterwards they haue no difference but to say A great Hare and an old Conie Also you shal say by any Deare A great Deare not A fayre Deare vnlesse it be a Rowe The which is called the first yeare a Kidde the second a Gyrle the third an Hemuse the fourth a Rowbucke of the first heade and the fifth yeare a fayre Rowebucke A Bore is the first yeare a Pigge the second an Hogge the third a Hogsteare the fourth a Bore and the fifth yeare a Singuler or as I would thinke more properly spoken a Sanglier according to the French worde Foxes are called the first yeare Cubbes and afterwards Foxes without any other difference than an olde Foxe or suche like Also the Badgerd is the first yeare a whelpe or a Pigge for I haue herd Huntesmen vse both those termes and euer after a Badgerd great or old c. As for Wolfe Beare and suche like we haue them not here The Otter is called the firste yeare a whelpe and euer afterwardes an Otter c. The termes of a Deares head and such like beastes of Venerie THe rounde roll of â—…led horne that is next to the head of an Harte is called the Burre the mayne horne is called the Beame the lowest Antliere is called The Brow Antliere or Beas antlier the next Royall the nexte aboue that Surryall and then the Toppe In a Bucke we say Burre Beame Branche Aduauncers Pawlme and Spelers A Gotes hornes are not termed by any difference sauing that there are certaine wreathes and wrinkles about them whereby his age is knowen as hath bene sayde before The Bores teeth are to be called his Tuskes or his garâ—…s and that is all the proper woordes or termes that euer I heard or redde thereof Note that when you speake of a Harts hornes you must terme them the Head and not the Hornes of a Harte And lykewise of a Bucke but a Rowes Hornes and a Gotes Hòrnes are tollerable termes in Uenerie The termes of the treading or footing of all beastes of chace and Venerie THe footyng or printe of an Hartes foote is called the Slot Of a Bucke and all other Fallow Deare it is to be called the View Of a Gote the Breaking and that is also a good terme for an Hartes footing Of a Bore the Tracke or the Treading Of an Hare diuersly for when a Hare is in playne fieldes she Soreth when she casteth aboute to deceyue the houndes then she Doubleth and when she beateth a harde highe way where you may yet finde perceyue hir footing there she Pricketh also in time of Snowe we say the Trace of an Hare Of a Foxe and al such vermine I neuer heard any other woord but onely the Footing or the foote c. Of an Otter it is to be called the Markes or the Marches And we cal it the foyling of a Deare if it
and then after let them couple them vp agayne fayre and gently for if one do roughly handle a young hound at the firste couplyng he will not easily come agayne to the couplyng another time When they are coupled vp agayne they must leade them to their Kennell and giue them meate leauing alwayes some bread in their baskettes for suche as shal be of faynt appetite their strawe must be chaunged three or foure times in a weeke at the least and the Hunte must wreath wispes vpon little stickes and pricke them in the grounde to make them pisse It is a thing certayne that if you rubbe ouer a wispe or suche like thing with Galbanum all your houndes will not fayle to come and pisse agaynst it and if perchance there be no fountayne nor brooke within the courte of your Kennell then must you put their water in troughes of stone or of woodde as I haue rehearsed before the whiche muste be changed and refreshed euery day twyce Also in extreeme heate Houndes are oftentimes combred with lice fleas and other vermine and filthie things and for remedie thereof you muste washe them once a weeke in a bath made with hearbes as followeth First you must haue a great kettle holding tenne great pots or small buckettes full of water then take tenne good stalkes of an hearbe called Veruyne and wilde Cresseyes and asmuch of the leaues of Sorell Marioram Sage Rosemarie and Rewe and lette them boyle well altogethers casting amongst them twoo handfull of Salte then when all is well boyled togithers and that the hearbes be well consumed therein you shall take them from the fire and let them coole vntill the water be no more than luke warme and therewith washe and bathe your dogges one after another rubbyng them softely with your wispes And all these things are best to be done in great heates thryse in a weeke at the least also sometimes when whelpes are lately brought from their nources out of the villages they will dreade the waters and dare not aduenture to passe through ryuers pooles c. To helpe this the Hunte muste choose out warme and hote dayes in the whiche aboute noone he shall couple vp all his houndes and leade them to the side of some riuer or poole and put of all his clothes then shall he take them one after another and carie them a good way into the ryuer to learne them to swimme and abyde the water when he hath done this two or three times he shall see that his houndes will not feare the water nor will make any difficultie to passe or swimme through the riuers and pondes And in this manner good Huntes shall vse their houndes for if they obserue all these things aboue rehearsed it is not possible but that theyr houÌ„des shal be wel entred and ordred And oftentimes it happeueth that houndes do hunte and chase in the rayne and frost and other greuous weather or els do enforce theÌ„selues to passe and swimme through riuers and pooles wheÌ„ they do so the Hunt ought to make them a good fire and to rubbe and drie them and when they be drie he should frotte and rubbe their bellies to take of the dyrte aud claye whiche may hang therevpon for if they go to keneâ—… wette and moyled with dyrt they should be in daunger to marfounder and to become mangie ofteÌ„times also in running through the hard champayne or stonie grounde they surbate and beblister their feete and to helpe that the Hunt must first washe theyr feete with water and Salte then take the yolkes of egges heate them wel with vinegre and the iuyce of an hearbe growyng vpon the rockes and called Mouseare then take pitch brused to powder and mingle it with twise asmuche soote and after put your sayde powder amongst the egges and â—…yce of hearbs afore sayd making them all hote togither and alwayes styrring them and you must take good heede that you ouerheate it not bicause the moysture might so be consumed and the substance of the egges woulde waxe harde which woulde marre all but 〈◊〉 shal be sufficient to heate it vntill it be somewhat more than luke warme and herewithall shall you rabbe euery night the feete and foldes betweene the clawes of your houndes with a linen cloute I will stand no longer vpon this poynt hoping to speake thereof more amply in the treatie of receiptes How a man should enter his yong houndes to hunte the Harte and of the quaries and rewardes that he shall giue them Chap. 14. WHen the Hunte hath taught his houndes to know and beleeue the hallow and the sound of his horne then the galloppers prickers and huntsmeÌ„ on horsebacke seyng their houndes strong enough and aboute seuentene or eightene moneths olde shall then beginne to enter and to teach them and they shall haue them a fielde but once a weeke at the moste for feare least they should marre them for houndes are neuer sufficiently knit in their ioyntes and members vntill they be two yeares old at the least and aboue all things whosoeuer would hunte the Harte at force must vnderstand three secretes The first is that he neuer accustome his houdes to runne a Hinde nor giue them any quarrie or rewarde thereof bycause there is difference betwene the sent of a Harte and a Hynde as you may see by experience that houndes do ofteÌ„times single that one from that other and yet houndes are of such nature that the first beast which a man doth enter them at and that they first take pleasure in and haue bene therewith rewarded they do alwaies remeÌ„ber it most and thereby you may be sure that if you giue them rewardes or bring them to the quarrie of a Hynde they would desire it more than the Harte The second secrete is that it is not good to enter yong houndes within a toile for there a Harte doth nothing but turne and cast aboute since he cannot runne endlong when the houÌ„des are in maÌ„ner alwayes in sight of him and if afterwards you should runne a Harte with dogges so entred at force and out of a toyle and that the Harte tooke endlong eloygning him self from the houndes they woulde quickly giue him ouer and yet there is another thing whiche dothe more hurte vnto suche houÌ„des as are entred into a toyle for if a Harte do turne two or three times before them they take aswell the countrie as the right tracke breakyng their course putting themselues out of breath and neither learne to hunte nor to quest nor to do any other thing but rayse vp their heads still to see the Harte The third secrete is that you enter not your houndes nor beginne to teach them in the mornâ—…ng if you can chuse for if a man do firste accustome them to the freshe of the mornyng if afterwardes they chaunce to Hunte in the heate of the day they will quickly giue ouer but you may enter them and rewarde them in this manner Firste you
ought to haue regarde that the Harte be in pryme of greace bycause then he cannot so easily conuey himself nor eloygne himself before the houndes as he would do in May or in Aprill bicause they are heauier then and cannot stand vp so long then may you choose out a Forest wherein the Relaies be of equall proportion and for your purpose after place al your yong houndes togither with foure or fiue old houndes to enter them And then leade them to the furdest and last Relaye and cause the Harte to be hunted vnto them with some good kenell of hounds whiche may keepe hym from resting or staying by the way to the ende that when he shal be ariued and come vnto them and waxeth now wearie and almoste spent you may then vncouple your olde Houndes firste and when they haue well beaten and founde the tracke or sent of the Harte beyng well entred in crie you may also vncouple your yoÌ„g houndes and hallow them in to the olde houndes and you muste haue three good prickers or Huntesinen on horsebacke at the least to the ende that if there be any yong hounde whiche woulde carie or hang behind beyng opinionate or musing and ploddyng by himselfe the Horsemen may beate him well and make him come in to the rest and you shall vnderstand that in what place soeuer you kyll the Harte you ought to flea his necke and to rewarde your houndes therwith vpon the grasse all hote as it is for so it shal be muche better and more delicate and profitable for your houndes than when it is colde you may also rewarde them in another manner Take a Harte in nettes or stalles and cleaue or split one of his forefeete from the twiste of the cleas vnto the ioynte of the foote or els cut off one of his feete or cleas altogither afterwards vntangle him out of the net or stall and let him go a quarter of an houre after you may bryng all your yong hounds and assemble them togither then take your Bloudhoundes and with them finde out the view or Slotte of the Harte or Bucke and followe them wiâ—…h your yong Houndes and when you haue followed them a Crossebowe shoote you maye then hallowe and blowe for your yong 〈◊〉 that done you may vncouple your yong houndes from the old that the olde houndes may first leade them and you muste haue good prickers and huntesmen on horsebacke in the tayle of them to make them holde in and close Yet another way to bryng your houndes to quarrie and to rewarde them you must haue foure or sixe huntsmen that be good and swifte of foote for els they may rather hinder than furder the houndes and to euery one of these you may giue two couple of houndes to leade in liames and when the houndes haue vnlodged the Harte they may go fayre and softely and not weary theyr yong houndes before the crie then when they shall perceyue that the Harte hath runne twoo good houres and that he beginneth to sinke before the houndes they may caste of theyr yong houndes but they ought to haue good regard that they caste them not of when he is at Baye especially when his head is full sommed for in that furie he woulde endanger them or kill them Mine opinion is that the best entryng of houndes is at the Hare for that is their very best beginning for asmuch as thereby they shall learne all doubles and turnes as lykewise to knowe and to come to the hallowe and also they become very tendre nosed and perfecte of sent by accustoming the beaten wayes and champaygne Countries and afterwards when a man woulde enter or teache them to the Harte they will quickely forget and abandone the Hare Here muste be noted that all houndes ought to be well acquaynted with their prickers or Huntesmen on Horsebacke which shall follow them and therefore it is requisite that when the Huntesmen shall giue them rewarde and that they make the Ouarrie the prickers and Huntesmen on horsebacke be there present to make much of them to speake to them to the end that they may the better vnderstand and know them The Preface pronounced by the Hart. I Am the Harte by Greekes surnamed so Bicause my heade doth with their tearmes agree For stately shape fewe such on earth do go So that by right they haue so termed mee For. Kings delight it seemes I was ordeyned VVhose Huntsmen yet pursu eme day by dayâ—… In Forest chace â—…nd Parke I am constrayned Before their Houndes to wander many away VVherefore who lyst to learne the perfect trade Of Venerie and therewithall would knowe VVhat properties and vertues nature made In one poore Hart oh harmelesse Hart to growe Let him giue eare to skilfull Try strams lore To Phoebus Fowylloux and many more Of the vertue and properties of the Harte Chap. 15. THere is a bone founde in the heart of an Harte the which is very medecinable against the trembling of the heart and especially for women great with childe 2 Againe take the pissell of an Harte and temper it in vinaygre the space of foure and twentie houres and afterwards drie it then beate it into pouder and drinke the weight of a Frenche crowne thereof in Plantine water and it shall heale eyther man or woman of the bloudie fluxe 3 Likewise take a Hartes head when it is halfe shotte out is yet bloudie cut it in small morselles and put it in a great violl or glasse then take the iuyce of an hearbe called Tutsome and the iuyce of another hearbe called Spanyshe peper or otherwise Cassis afterwardes you shall put the iuyce of all these hearbes to the gobbets of the Hartes head and lute and stoppe very close your violl or glasse suffring all these drugges to stand togither the space of two dayes that done you shall distill them in a Lymbecke of glasse and the water that commeth therof wil be excellent agaynst all venimes or poysons aswell of the bitings of Serpents as others 4 Also the Hartes horne burnte and beaten into powder will kyll wormes bothe within the bodie and without and wil dryue Serpentes out of their holes and dennes the gatherbagge or mugwet of a yong Harte when it is in the Hyndes bellie is very medicinable also agaynst the byting of Serpentes 5 The marowe or greace of an Harte is very good for the Goute proceeding of a colde cause melting it and rubbyng the place where the payne is therewith Also the Hart firste taught vs to finde the herbe called Dyctamus for when he is strickeÌ„ with an arrow or darte he seeketh out that hearbe and eateth thereof the which maketh the darte or arrowe to fall out and healeth him immediately Of the Nature and Subtilties of Hartes Chap. 16. ISodore sayeth that the Harte is right contrarie to the Serpent and that when he is olde decrepyte and sicke that hee goeth to the dennes and caues of Serpentes and with his nostrels he
called a palme toppe ALl heades which beare not aboue three or foure the croches beyng placed alofte all of one heyght in forme of a cluster of peares or of nuttes are to be called heades of so many croches ALl heades whiche beare 〈◊〉 in the toppe or hauing their croches doublyng in maner as these are here portrayed are to be called forked heades bycause the croches are planted on the toppe of the beames lyke vnto forkes ALl heades whiche haue double Burres or the Antlyers Royals and croches tumed downewardes contrarie to the fashion of other heades as you may see by this present portrature or suche lyke other fashions are to be called heads onely The Blazon pronounced by the Huntsman I Am the Hunte whiche rathe and earely ryse My bottell filde with wine in any wise Twoo draughts I drinke to stay my steppes withall For eche foote one bicause I would not fall Then take my Hownde in liam me behinde The stately Harte in fryth or fell to finde And whiles I seeke his slotte where he hath fedde The sweete byrdes sing to cheare my drowsie hedde And when my Hounde doth streyne vpon good vent I must confesse the same dothe me content But when I haue my couerts walkt aboute And harbred fast the Harte for commyng out Then I returne to make a graue reporte VVhereas I finde th' assembly doth resorte And lowe I crouche before the Lordings all Out of my Horne the fewmets lette I fall And other signes and tokens do I tell To make them hope the Harte may like them well Then they commaunde that I the wine should taste So biddes mine Arte and so my throte I baste The dinner done I go streightwayes agayne Vnto my markes and shewe my Master playne Then put my Hounde vpon the view to drawe And rowse the Harte out of his layre by lawe O gamsters all a little by your leaue Can you suche ioyes in triflyng games conceaue Of the knovvledge and iudgement which the Huntesman may take to know an old Harte The iudgement of the Slot The iudgement of the portes and entryes The iudgement of the Abatures and foylles The iudgemeÌ„t by the fewmets The iudgement by his gate and walkes The iudgement by an Harts frayingstocks The which I will declare in Chapiters followyng beginning first with the iudgement of the Slot or view The iudgement and knowledge by the Slot of an Harte Chap. 22. OLd Hartes leaue commonly the blemishes tokens which follow First you must looke vpon the treading of his foote which must be great long and marke that if you find together the footingâ—… of two 〈◊〉 of the whiche that one hath 〈◊〉 long Slot that other a round and that they be both in iudgement of one bignesse yet the long Slot shal be iudged for the greater Harte than the rounde for without all doubte his bodie will shewe it self bigger than the other then must you looke to 〈◊〉 heele whiche must be great large and the little cliffe or slit which is in themidst therof and separateth the two clawes must be large wide open the legge great the bones short thicke not sharpe the toes round and great commonly the great olde Hartes 〈◊〉 low ioynted and do neuer treade double or 〈◊〉 bicause the Sinewes whiche hold the ioyntes of their feete and clawes are 〈◊〉 renforced and do better holde tacke with the weyght of their bodie than the yong Hartes do for their 〈◊〉 and ioyntes are weake and are not yet come to their force and therefore they are not able to sustayne the weight of their bodies in suche sorte that sometimes the foote and the clawes are forced to tread awry and to double and thereby you may iudge them yong Hartes Furthermore the old Hartes when they walke do neuer ouerreache the forefoote with the hinderfoote but treade shorte of it by foure fingers breadth at the least the whiche the yong Hartes do not for in their gate the hinder foote ouerreacheth the forefoote lyke vnto a Mule or Hackney whiche ambleth hollow footed Hartes if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not contrarie may be iudged olde Hartes they whiche haue an highe and softe pace in places where there are not many stones are iudged thereby to bee strong and that they haue not bene much runne nor chased And here you muste vnderstand that there is greate difference betweene the iudgementesâ—… of an hartes Slot and of an Hynde Neuerthelesse when the Hyndes be with Calfe a yong hunter might soone be beguyled bycause they open their clawes wide lyke vnto an Harte by reason of the weightinesse of their bodies and yet the differences are apparant For if you marke the heele of an Hynde you shall perâ—… that there is no Harte of the second heade so yong which leaueth not a greater and wyder slotte than she doeth and therewithall the bones will appeare greater also herewithall Hyndes 〈◊〉 commonly theyr foote long streyght and hollowe with little sharpe cuttyng bones otherwyse also you may iudge the Hynde by hyr feede bycause shee croppeth the springs rounde lyke an 〈◊〉 and feedeth greedily and contrarily the Harte of tenne dothe take it delicately breaking it of endwayes to haue the liquor as sweetely and tenderly as he may And here let the Hunter marke one secrete poynt which is when he is in the woode and shall finde the Slotte of an Harte let him firste marke what manner of Slotte or footing it is whether it be a worne footing or a sharpe cuttyng foote then let him marke the Countrie and Forest wherein he is for he may iudge in himselfe whether it be by occasion of the Countrie or not for asmuche as commonly the Hartes bredde in the mountaynes and stonie places haue their toes and edges or sides of their feete muche worne the reason is bycause in clyming of the Mountaynes they stay onely vpon their toes and edges or sides of theyr feete and not vpon the heele the whiche toes the Rockes and stones do weare continually and so peraduenture the Slotte might make it seeme an older Harte than it is Now in sandie countries it is contrarie for there the Hartes do stay more vpon their heele than vpon the toes the reason is that leaning or staying their feete vppon the sande it flieth and slippeth away from vnder the toes bycause of the weight for the clawe whiche is harde maketh it slide and then the Harte is constrayned to staye himselfe vpon his heele whiche maketh it sometimes to grow the broder and greater All these tokens are the true significations and markes whereby the Huntsman may know and perceyue the age of the Harte I woulde also haue declared willingly to suche as are but learners what the heele the toe the bone and other things do meane But I see now adayes so many which vnderstand all those things that I holde my peace for breuitie Of the iudgement and knowledge by the fewmishing of a deare and of the tenne in the top
and of old harts Cap. 23. IN the moneths of May and Aprill men may begin to iudge an olde harte by the fumishing the which they make in brode croteys and if they be great large and thicke it is a signe that they are hartes of tenne In the moneth of June July they will cōmonly make their fumishyng in great croteys very softe yet neuerthelesse there are some will make them brode vntill it be midde June And from midde July vntill the ende of August they make theyr fewmishing altogither formie great long knottie well knodde anoynted aud gilded letting fall but fewe of them the which they should let fall scattered without cleauyng one to another and without little prickes at the one ende and you muste marke whether they be very fatte and whether the Harte haue bene in the corne or not And these be the markes or tokens by the fewmishing of an Harte of tenne of old Hartes although men may be deceyued oftentimes for if the Hartes haue had any disturbaunce or hau◅ bene hurte then they make theyr fewmet oftentimes drie burned aud sharpe at that one ende especially at such time as they fray theyr heades but after they haue frayed and burnished their fewmet will lightly returne to the naturall course in suche case the Huntesman ought well to marke bycause the markes to sudge by are doubtfull In September and October there is no longer iudgement to be had bycause of the Rut and you muste vnderstand that there is difference betweene the fewmet of the morning that of the euenyng bicause the fewmishings which an Harte maketh when he goeth to relief at night are better disgested and moyster than those which he maketh in the morning bycause the Harte hath taken his rest all the day and hath had time and ease to make perfect disgestion and fewmet whereas contrarily it is seene in the fewmishyng whiche is made in the morning bycause of the exercise without rest whiche he made in the night to go seeke his feede Of the iudgement of the breache or bearing downe of the Spring or Boughes Chap. 24. THe Huntesman may take knowledge and iudge of the head of the Harte by the breach or bearyng downe of the boughes and branches all the yeare long excepting foure moneths which are Marche Aprill May and June in whiche time they mewe their heades and beare their veluet and bloudy heades and therfore in that season there is no greate iudgement to be had but when their heads beginne to harden you may iudge by the bearing downe or breaking of the braunches boughes vntill they haue mewed agayne for asmuche as when they enter into the thickets they lift vp their heades and feare not to breake beare downe the braunches thereby the huntesman may take knowledge but when the Ha◅tes haue softe heades or in bloud you can take small iudgement bycause they couche their heades lowe and flat vpon their backe for feare least they should knocke them agaynst the boughes and so hurte them When the Huntesman shall see that the Harte hath his heade harde and soomed and that iudgement may be giuen by the entries where they go into the thickets let him then looke well therevnto and especially in great springs whiche haue not bene felled in eight or ten yeares before and he shall see therein by the pathes whiche the Hartes do make that the braunches and boughes are bowed and broken or borne downe on bothe sides and by marking the bredth of the sayd entrie he may iudge whether it were a broade open head or not and if there be any place of thicke where the Harte hath raysed his head vpright altogether or that he stayed to harken for lightly when they harken they rayse theyr heades and set vp theyr eares then may the Huntesman finde percase some broken branches or some brused boughes wherby he may iudge the length and height of the beame the height of the Hartes head Of the iudgement of the gate and goyng of an Harte Chap. 25. BY the gate goyng of an Harte the Huntesman may know if he be great and long whether he will stande long vp before his houndes or not for all Hartes which haue a long step or pace will longer stand vp than they which haue a shorte steppe also they are swifter lighter better breathed also y Hart which leaueth a great Slotte of his forefoote dothe neuer stande long vp when he is chased By these tokens the Huntesman may knowe the force of the Harte and take the aduantage for his houndes and agayne a Harte whiche hath a long foote hath a greater bodie than they whiche are round footed Of the iudgement of the Abatures and beating downe of the lowe twigges and the foyles Chap. 26. IF you will know whether an Harte be high or not and likewise the greatnesse and thicknesse of his bodie you must looke where he entreth into a thicket amongest the fearnes and small twigges the whiche he hath ouerstridden and marke thereby the heigth of his belly from the ground whiche you shall perceyue by the heigth of the brakes or twigges whiche he hath borne downe His greatnesse is knowen by the sides of the brakes or twigges where his bodie hath passed for it is harde if you finde not some drie broken stickes or suche like whereby you may measure his greatenesse The iudgement to be taken by the places where he frayeth Cap. 27. Commonly the old Harts do fray their heads vpon the yong trees which mē leaue growing in springs and the elder that an Hart is the sooner he goeth to fray and the greater tree he seeketh to fray vpon and suche as he may not bende with his head and when the Huntsman hath fonnde his frayingstocke he must marke the heyght where the ende of his croches or paulme hath reached and where the braunches shall be broken or brused and thereby he shall know and iudge the height of the Hartes heade and if he do perceyue that at the highest of his fraying there be foure markes brused at ones and of one height it is likely that the same Harte beareth a crowned toppe or croched at the least In like maner if you see that three antliers haue touched three braunches of one heigth and two other that haue left their markes somewhat lower it is a token that he beareth a paulmed head Although these tokens be very obscure and a mā must haue a good eye that will take iudgement by the little small twigges and leaues neuerthelesse you shall see sometimes that the olde Hartes do fray vpon small trees as blacke Sallowe and such like aswel as the yong Hartes but yong Hartes do neuer fraye vpon great trees vnlesse they be Hartes of tenne I wil stand no longer herevpon bycause there be other more certaine tokens and iudgements herevnder mencioned How the Huntesman ought to seeke the Harte in his feeding places according to the monethes and
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
at layre and in his bo◅re I cast about to harbour him full sure My hound by sent did me thereof assure Entring the thicke these fewmets did I spy Which I tooke vp and layd my markes thereby In priuie pathes I walkt and creeping throw I found the Slot of other Harts ynow Both yong and olde I founde of euery syse But as for him I hope that still he lyes So that your grace by likelyhoode may him finde He harbord is according to my mynde Then if she aske what Slot or view I found I say the Slot or view was long on ground The toes were great the ioyntbones round and short The shinne bones large the dewclawes close in port Short ioynted was he hollow footed eke An Hart to hunt as any man can seeke Of the vvords and termes of hunting vvhich the huntsman ought to vnderstand when he shall make his reportes and when he shal speake before good masters of Venerie Chap. 37. I Haue thought good heere to declare the termes and words of Uenerie and how a yong huntsman shoulde speake before the maisters of the game First it is conuenient that an huntesman be wel stayed and temperate in his speech for al hunters whiche haue regarde to the pleasure of their Uenerie ought to be sober and modest in talke But at these dayes they take more delight in emptying of the bottles than they haue regarde to their tongs But if a yong huntsman chaunce to light in company with elder maisters and that they aske him howe he calleth the ordure of an Harte Rayndeare Gote or fallow Deare he shall answere that they are to be called the fewmet or fewmyshings and that all beastes which liue of browse shal haue the same terme in that respect But in beasts of rauyne or pray as the Bore the Beare and such like they shall be called the Lesses And of Hares and Coneys they are called Croteys Of other vermyne or stinking chases as Foxes Badgers and such like they are called the feance of the Otter they are called the Sprayntes Afterwardes if one aske him howe he will terme the feeding of an Hart or such like in termes of Uenerie he shall say that it is called the feede of a Deare As to say Lo heere you may see where a Deare hath taken his feede Of Bores and such like you shall say the feeding as to say lo heere he hath fed c. So is there great difference betwene the feete of praying beasts and the feet of a Deare For in beasts of pray and rauine as Beare and Bore c. they are called traces But the footing or tracke of a Deare as Harte Bucke Rayndeare and Goate they are called the viewe and the Slot Also there is difference betweene the Fryth and the Fell. The Felles are vnderstoode the Mountaines Ualleys and pastures with corne and such like The Frythes betoken the Springs and Coppyses And if a Deare do feede abroade out of the woodes you shall say that he fed in the Felles otherwise in the Frythes A yong hunter hath also to consider the difference betwene these words Wayes and Trenches For by the first is ment the high and beaten ways on the outside of a wood or forest and such also as lye through such woods being cōmonly beaten and trauelled And by this word Trench is vnderstoode euery small way not so commonly vsed And therfore if the huntsmen do say the Hart is gone downe the way it is to be vnderstoode that he ment the high beaten waye But when he hath taken some other by path or waye into the wood or Forest then a huntsmau will say he is gone downe that trench c. So is there also difference betweene a Trench and a path For trenches as I say be wayes and walkes in a woode or Forest. But pathes are any place where a Deare hath gone and left viewe or Slot either long before or fresh and newe As touching blemishes they are the markes which are left to knowe where a Deare hath gone in or out And they are little bowes plashed or broken so that they hang downward For any thing that is hung vp is called a Sewel And those are vsed most commonly to amaze a Deare and to make him refuse to passe wher they are hanged vp When a huntsman goeth to rowze a deare as to vnharbor a Hart or so he shal say to his hound when he casteth him off There boy there to him to him to him But if it were to a Bore or such like he shal speake in the plural number say To them to them c. Whē a Hart hath fed in the Fels he is comonly wet with dew wil not go to ◅is la◅re vntill he be dried in the Sunne or otherwise and then commonly he lyeth downe vpon his belly in some opē place rowzeth him when he ryseth That place hath with vs no proper name but only to say here the Hart hath dried rowzed himself The places where an Hart or any other Deare lyeth by day are called layres But the lying places of Bores and such like are called dennes and of a Fox the kennell Afterwardes when a huntesman commeth to make his report he shal say altogether what he hath seene and found And if he found nothing but view or slot be demaunded what maner of view or slot it was he shall by rehearsall tell and describe wh◅t maner of Slot or view it was as to say a short or a long foote with such and such markes The like report shall he make of his ports entries but if his hap were to haue seene the Harte or Deare had leysure to marke him then if he be demaunded what maner of Deare it was and what head he beareth he may answere first He was of such or such a coate as fallow browne blacke or dunne and consequently of such and such a body bearing a high or lowe head according as he hath seene And if the Deare be false marked as bearing sire Antliers or croches on the one side and seuen on the other then shall the huntsman saye he beareth fourtene false marked for the more doth always include the lesse And if he perceiu that the Deare baere a fayre high head big beamed the Antliers neare and close to his head well spred according to the heigth then may he say that he beareth a fayre head well spred well marked in all points palmed crowned or cro◅d according as he sawe it And likewise he may name how many it was in the top as an Hart of ten fourtene sixtene or so forth And if any demaund him if he iudged by the heade whether the Hart were an old Hart or not and howe he knoweth he maye answere that he iudgeth by the burre which was great and well pearled set close to the head of the Deare And also by the Antliers which were great long and neare to the burre and accordingly by
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
hunting of the Bore For an Harte fliâ—…th and eloyneth himselfe when he is sore hunted trusting to nothing els but vnto his heeles nor neuer standeth in his defence vnlesse he be forced and therefore you shall comforte such hounds with lowde and courageous cries and noyses aswel of your voyce as of your horne also But when you hunte a wilde Boare or any such beast you shall do the contrarie bycause they are beasts which are slower and cannot flee nor eloyne themselues from the houndes but trust in their tuskes defence and therfore in such chases you shall comfort your houndes with furious terrible soundes and noyse aswell of the voyce as also of your horne to the ende you may make the chase flee endwayes And you should alwayes be neare at hande and holde in with your houndes make great noyse least the Bore should hurte or kill them As touching the Harte and such other light chases or beasts of Uenerie the huntesmen on horsebacke may followe theyr houndes alwayes by the same wayes that they saw him passe ouer neuer shal neede to crosse nor coast so much for feare least they should rowze some change and likewise bicause in hunting so they shal alwayes be best able to helpe at defaultes and let theÌ„ neuer come nearer the houÌ„des in crie thaÌ„ fiftie or threescore paces especially at the first vncoupling or at casting of their relayes For if an Harte do make doublings or wheele about or crosse before your houndes if then you come in to hastily you shall foyle and marre the Slot or view in such sorte as the houndes should not be able to sent it so well but should ouershoote the chase and that would marre the sporte but if the prickers and huntesmen on horsebacke perceiue that an Harte beyng ruÌ„ne an houre or more make out endwayes before the houndes in chase therewithall perceyue that the houndes follow in ful crie taking it right then they may come in nearer towardes the houndes blowe a Rechate to their houÌ„des to coÌ„forte them You shal vnderstand herewith that when a Harte feeles that the houndes hold in after him he fleeth seeketh to beguyle theÌ„ with chaunge in sundry sortes for he wil seeke other Hartes Deare at layre rowzeth them before the houndes to make them hunte chaunge therewithall he wil lie flat downe vpon his bellie in some of their layres so let the houndes ouershoote him and bicause they should haue no sent of him nor vent him he wil trusse al his iii. feete vnâ—…er his belly wil blow breath vpoÌ„ the grounde in some moyst place in such forte y I haue seene the houndes passe by such an Harte within a yeard of him neuer veÌ„t him this subtiltie doth nature endow him with that he knoweth his breath his feete to giue greater sent vnto y houndes thaÌ„ al the rest of his bodie And therfore at such a time he wil abide the horsemeÌ„ to ride ful vpoÌ„ him before he wil be reared and this is one especiall reason wherefore the horsemen huntsmen should blemish at suche places as they see the Harte entre into a thicket or couert to the ende that if the houndes fall to change they may returne to those blemishes and put their houndes to the right slot and view vntill they haue rowzed or founde him againe with their bloudhounde or with some other stanche old hounde of the kenell in the which they may affie theÌ„selues For old staunche houndes which will not hunte change when they see an Harte rowzed before them they neuer call on nor once open but if they be yong rashe houndes they wil runne with full crie and so take change Wherfore in such respectes the huntesmen on horsebacke must haue great coÌ„sideration let theÌ„ neuer affie themselues in yong houndes vnlesse they see some old stanche houndes amongst them and if there be two prickers or huntesmen on horsebacke together that one shal run to the houÌ„ds rate them that other shal hallow and call them into the place where they made the default there let theÌ„ beate well with their houndes coÌ„forting them vntil they may finde the Harte againe And if he heare any old sure hounde bay or open let him make in to him looke on the slot whether he hunt right or not and if he find that it be right let him blow with hishorne and afterwards halow vnto that hounde naming him as to say Hyke a Talbot or Hyke a Bâ—…wmont Hyke Hyke to him to him c. TheÌ„ the other huntesmen shall beate in theyr houndes to him by that meanes they shall renewe the chase and finde him agayne I gaine a Hart bringeth the houndes to change in an other manner for as soone as he perceyueth that the houndes runne him and that he cannot eschew them he will breake into one thicket after another to finde other Deare and rowseth them and heardeth himselfe with them So that he holdeth herd with theÌ„ somtimes an houre or more before he will parte from them or breake heard then if he feele himselfe spent he will breake heard and fall a doubling crossing in some harde high way that is much beaten or els in some riuer or brooke the which he wil keepe as long as his breath will suffer him and when he perceyueth that he is farre before the houndes he will vse like subtilties as before to beguyle them lying â—…lat vpon his belly in some harde way or drie place and crossing all his foure feete vnderneath him breathing and blowing against the grounde as before saide or against the water if he haue taken the soylein such sort that of all his body you shal see nothing but his nose and I haue seene diuers lye so vntyll the houndes haue bene vpon them before they would ryse In these cases the huntesmen must haue especiall regarde to their olde sure houndes when they perceyue a Deare to seeke the hearde so for the olde sure houndes will hunt leysurely and fearefully when the rashe young houndes will ouershoote it And therefore neuer regarde the yong houndes but the olde stanche houndes and trust in the olde houndes gyuing them leysure and being neare them to helpe and comfort them euermore blemyshing as you perceyue and fynde any Slot or view of the Deare that is hunted And if so chance that the houndes be at default or that they disseuer and hunt in two or three sundry coÌ„panies then may they 〈◊〉 thereby that the Hart hath broken heard froÌ„ the fresh deare and that the sayd fresh Deare do separate them selues alâ—…o And they must not then trust to a yong hounde as before sayde how good so euer he make it but they must regarde which way the old stanch hounds make it and make in to them loking vpon the Slot view or soyle And when they haue found the right perceiue that the Hart hath broken heard froÌ„ the
shrewde blowe if he take not heede at the â—…rst encounter marie where it is deepe he hath least force It hath beene my happe oftentimes to kyll in this sorte verie great Hartes and that in sight and presence of diuers witnesses and afterwardes I haue guided their deade bodyes to the banke swymming As touching the baye on the lande if the Harte be frayed and burnished then the huntsman ought well to regarde and consider the place For if it be in a playne and open place where there is no wood nor couert it is daungerous and harde to come in to him but if it be by an hedge side or in a strong thirke or queadx then whyles the Harte doth stare and looke vpon the houndes the huntesman may come couertly amongst the bushes behynde him and so maye easily kyll him and if the Harte turne heade vpon him let him runne behynde some tree or couer him selfe in the thycke quickly or shake some 〈◊〉 rudely and boysterously before him Or else when you see an Hart at Baye take vp the houndes and when the Harte turneth heade to flee galloppe roundely in and before he haue ley sure to turne vpon you it is a thing easie ynough to kyll him with your sworde Howe to breake vp an Harte after the French manner and to rewarde the houndes Chap. 42. VVHen the Harte is kylled then all the huntesmen whiche be at fall of him shall blowe a note and whoupe also a deade note to the ende that the rest of the companies with all the houndes may come in Being assembled and the Prince or chiefe hunter come also they shall bryng the houndes to the Deare and let them all to byte and teare him about the necke then couple them vp vntyll their rewarde be prepared Then the chiefe hunte shall take his knyfe and cut off the Deares ryght foote before and present it to the Kyng as you see it here portayed And before they proceede any further they must cut down good store of greene branches and boughes and strewe them vpon the grounde Then shall they lay the Hart therevpon laying him vpon his backe with his foure feete vpwardes and his head vnder his two shoulders as you maye likewise see here portrayed That being doone make a little forke with one tyne longer than any other as you may see also vpon the which forke you maye hang all the dayntie morselles whiche appertayne to the Prince or chief personage on field And before that you go about to take off his skynne the fyrst thing that must be taken from him are his stones which hunters call his doulcettes and hang them on the forke by a little of their skynne then let them begin to take of his skinne in this maner First you must beginne to slyt it at the throate and so all along his bellye vnto the place where you tooke awaye his doulcets then take him by the right foote before and cut the skin rounde aboute vnderneath the ioynt of the dewclawes and then slit it from thence vnto the toppe of his brest and do asmuch to the other forelegge then slit and cut the skinne in like maner of the hinder legges vnto the toppe of the hanche leauing at the place where you tooke away the doulcets then beginne at euery legge one after another to take of the skinne when you come at his sides you must let cleaue to the skinne a thinne kinde of redde fleshe which hunters call the apparel of an Hart the which groweth aboue the benison and betweene it and the skinne on both sides of his bodie Thus when the skinne is cleane taken of sauing only at the head eares skut and the Tewell at all which places the skin must still haue hold before you go about to do any more the chiefe Huntesman must call for a bolle of wine and drinke a good harty draught for if he shoulde breake vp the Deare before he drinke the Uenison would stinke and putrifie You shall also present before the Prince or chiefe personage in field some fine sauce made with wine and spices in a fayre dishe vpon a chafyngdishe and coles to the end that as he or she doth behold the huntesman breaking vp of the Deare they may take theyr pleasure of the sweete deintie morsels and dresse some of them on the coles makyng them Carbonadies and eating them with their sauce reioycing and recreating their noble mindes with rehersall whiche hounde hunted best and which huntesman hunted moste like a woodman callyng theyr best fauoured houndâ—…s and huntesmen before them and rewarding them fauorably as hath bene the custome of all noble personages to do Then shall the huntesman take his knife in hande agayne and breake vp the Deare in this sorte spreadyng the skinne on both sides vpon the greene leaues strewed for that purpose Firste he shall take out the tongue and put it vpon the Forke for it appertayneth to the Prince or to the chiefe personage likewise two knottes or nuttes whiche are to be taken betwene the necke and the shoulders and twoo others whiche are in the flankes of the Deare and are called flankardes and hang them vpoÌ„ the Forke this beyng done he shall first take out the right shoulder with his shoulder knyfe the which perteineth to the huntsman which harbored him Then next that other shoulder pertayneth to the rest of the huntesmen Then must he take the Brysket bone and the flappes which hang with it vnto the necke and that pertayneth also to him that harbored and rowzed him Then shall he make his arbour and take out the panch and cut off the Deares Pyssell which is medicinable Afterwardes he shall take the sweete pudding which is the fat gut that goeth to the Deares tewell and the vppermost gut next the stomacke and turne and clenze them both whiles they be hote and put them on the forke for they appertayne to the best personage All these being doone you shall take the Harts heart and slyt it in sunder taking out a bone which is therein and rayse the Noombles from his fillets and betweene his handâ—…s and so vp to the mydryffe betweene the bloudboulke and the sides leauing the rauens morsell which is the gryssell at the spoone of the brisket and giue two gashes on eadâ—… side of the brysket to shew the goodnesse of the fleshe And you shall take from the Noombles three knots or nuts which are betweene them and the sides and are called cynq and quatre Those pertayne to the chiefe huntesman ehe Noombles handâ—…s aud tenderlings which are the soft toppes of his hornes when they are in bloud doe pertayne to the Prince or chiefe personage The necke and the chyne being taken from the sides reserue the sides for the Prince the necke for the Uarlet of the kennell and the chyne for the Uarlet that keepes the bloude hounde Howe to rewarde the houndes and fyrst the bloud hound Chap. 43. THe houndes shall be rewarded in this
litle gristle which is vpon the spoone of the brysket which we cal the Rauens bone bycause it is cast vp to the Crowes or Rauens whiche attende hunters And I haue seene in some places a Rauen so wont and accustomed to it that she would neuer sayle to croake and crye for it all the while you were in breaking vp of the Deare and would not depart vntill she had it Furthermore we vse not to take the heart from the noombles but account it a principall part thereof And about the winding vp of the noombles there is also some arte to be shewed But by all likelyhoode they vse it not in Fraunce as we do Also I can not perceiue by myne Authors wordes that they make any Arboure which if they doe not they may chaunce to breake vp their Deare but homely somtimes But if they cut away the brisket bone theÌ„ it is the lesse requisite bicause they may come at the weasond and conuey it away easily We vse to rewarde our houndes with the paunche being emptied first These things of my selfe I haue thought good to adde desiring the reader to take them in good parte The wofull wordes of the Hart to the Hunter SInce I in deepest dread do yelde my selfe to Man And stand full still betwene his legs which earst full wildly ran Since I to him appeale when hounds pursue me sore As who should say Now saue me man for else I may no more Why dost thou then ô Man ô Hunter me pursue With cry of hounds with blast of horne with hallow and with hue Or why dost thou deuise such nets and instruments Such toyles toyes as hunters vse to bring me to their bents Since I as earst was sayâ—… do so with humble cheare Holde downe my head as who should say lo Man I yeelde me here Why arte thou not content ô murdryng cruell minde Thy selfe alone to hunte me so which arte my foe by kynde But that thou must enstruct with wordes in skilfull writte All other men to hunte me eke O wicked wylie witte Thou here hast set to shew within this busie booke A looking Glasse of lessons lewde wherein all Huntes may looke And so whyles world doth last they may be taught to bryng The harmelesse Hart vnto his bane with many a wilye thing Is it bycause thy minde doth seeke thereby some gaynes Canst thou in death take suche delight breedes pleasure so in paynes Oh cruell be content to take in worth my teares Whiche growe to gumme and fall from me content thee with my heares Content thee with my hornes which euery yeare I mew Since all these three make medicines some sicknesse to eschew My teares congeald to gumme by peeces from me fall And thee preserue from Pestilence in Pomander or Ball. Such wholesome teares shedde I when thou pursewest me so Thou not content doest seeke my death and then thou getst no moe My heare is medicine burnt all venemous wormes to kill The Snake hirselfe will yeeld thereto such was my makers will. My hornes whiche aye renew as many medicines make As there be Troches on their Toppes and all Man for thy sake As first they heale the head from turning of the brayne A dramme thereof in powder drunke doth quickly ease the payne They skinne a kybed heele they fret an anguayle off â—…o thus I skippe from toppe to toe yet neyther scorne nor skoffe They comfort Feeuers faynte and lingryng long disease Distilld when they be tender buddes they sundry greeues appease They mayster and correct both humours hote and colde Which striue to conquere bloud and breede diseases manyfold They bryng downe womens termes and stoppe them to for neede They keepe the meane tweene both extreemes serue bothe turnes in deede They cleare the dimmie sight they kill both webbe and pinne They soone restore the milt or spleene which putrifies within Tâ—…ey ease an akyng Tooth they breake the rumblyng winde Wâ—…ich grypes the wombe with colliqâ—…es panges such is their noble kinde They 〈◊〉 the skaldyng fire which skorched with his heate And skinne the skalt full 〈◊〉 agayne and heale it trimme and neate They poyson do expell from Keysar King or Queene When it by chaunce or deepe deceypt is swallowed vp vnseene But wherefore spend I time in vayne at large to prayse The vertues of my harmelesse horâ—…tes which heape my harme alwayes And yet such hornes such heare such teares as I haue tolde I mew and cast for mans auayle more worth to him than golde But he to quyte the same ô Murdring Man therewhyles Pursewes me still and trappes me ofte with sundrie snares and guyles Alas lo now I feele colde feare within my bones Whiche hangs hyr winges vpon my heeles to hasten for the nones My swiftest starting steppes me thinkes she biddes me byde In thickest Tuftes of couerts close and so my selfe to hyde Ah rewfull remedie so shall I as it were Euen teare my lyfe out of the teeth of houndes whiche make me feare And from those cruell curres and braynesicke bauling Tikes Which vowe foote hote to followe me bothe ouer hedge and dykes Me thinkes I heare the Horne whiche rendes the restlesse ayre With shryllest sounde of bloudie blast and makes me to despayre Me thinkes I see the Toyle the tanglings and the stall Which are prepared and set full sure to compasse me withall Me thinkes the Foster standes full close in bushe or Tree And takes his leuell streyght and true me thinkes he shootes at me And hittes the harmelesse Harte of me vnhappie Harte Which must needes please him by my death I may it not astarte â—…las and well away me thinkes I see the hunte Which takes the measure of my Slottes where I to treade was wont Bycause I shall not misse at last to please his minde Ahlas I see him where he seekes my latest layre to finde He takes my fewmers vp and puts them in his horne Alas me thinkes he leapes for ioye and laugheth me to scorne Harke harke alas giue eare This geare goeth well sayeth he This Harte beares deyntie venison in Princes dishe to be Lo now he blowes his horne euen at the kennell dore Alas alas he blowes a seeke alas yet blowes he more He ieopardes and rechates ahlas he blowes the Fall And foundes that deadly dolefull Mote whiche I muste die withall What should the cruell meane perhappes he hopes to finde As many medicines me within to satisfie his minde May be he seekes to haue my Sewet for himselfe Whiche sooner heales a merrygald then Pothecaries pelfe May be his ioyntes be numme as Synewes shronke with colde And that he knowes my Sewet wyll the same full soone vnfolde May be his wife doth feare to come before by r time And in my mawe he hopes to finde amongst the slutte and slime A Stone to help his wife that she may bryng to light A bloudie babe lyke bloudie Syre to put poore Hartes to flight Perchance with sicknesse he hath troubled bene
who may first gette in like Spaniels at retrife of a Partriche And when the Hare is starte and on foote then let the huntesman go where he sawe hyr passe and hallowe in all the houndes vntill they haue al vndertaken it and go on with it in full crie Then let him rechate to them with his horne and comforte them euery way that he can best deui◅e and when he perceyueth that they are in full crie let him follow fayre and easily not making ouer much haste at firste nor making to much noyse eyther with horne or voyce for at the firste the hoūdes will easily ouershoote a chase through too much heate and therfore if the huntesman ouerlay them he should but chaffe them more whieh might cause them both to ouershoote it and to leese it But when they haue run the space of an houre and that they are well in with it and sticke well vppon it then may the huntesman come in nearer to his houndes bicause by that time their heate will be wel cooled and they wil hunte soberly Aboue all things let him marke the first doublyng that the Hare maketh as I haue before sayde and thereby he may gouerne himself all the day for all the rest that she will make will be lyke vnto it and according to the pollicies that he shall see hir vse and the place where he hunteth he muste make his compasses greate or little long or shorte to helpe the defaults alwayes seeking the moystest and moste commodious places for the houndes to sente in There are twoo manner of huntings at the Hare for some follow and neuer hallowe before an Hare nor after hyr nor neuer helpe houndes at defaulte and me thinkes that this is a noble kynde of huntyng and doth beste shewe proue the goodnesse of the houndes other againe do marke which way an Hare bendeth at the first and coast before hir to meete ◅yr and there hallow amayne and helpe the houndes also at defaults asmuche as they can When hounds are hunted with in this sorte they become so light of beliefe that many tymes they leaue the right tracke to go in to the hallowe and by that meanes the Hares can stande vp but a whyle before them And surely he that woulde hunte to kill many Hares shoulde do beste to hunte this kynde of way but to trie the good hunting of houndes I do more prayse that other way whiche hunteth onely vpon the foote and sente but this latter way is speedie and beste counteruayleth the subtilties of an Hare I coulde haue stoode longer in descrybing the meanes how◅ to breathe and enter haryers But bycause I haue both spoken sufficiently in the hunting of an Harte and also in these chapters before whiche treate of the pollicies and subtilties that Hares vse whereby a huntesman may finde precepts sufficient to gouerne himselfe therefore I will nowe say no more of that poynt How you shall rewarde your houndes when they haue killed an Hare which the Frenchman calleth the reward and sometimes the quarey but our old Tristram calleth it the hallow Chap. 62. VVHen your houndes haue killed the Hare let the varlet of your kennell cut downe some pretie bending wandes of an Hasell or some such tree then let him take the Hare and lay hir in some fayre place vpon the grasse then let the huntesman alight from his horse and blowe the death to call in all the hoūdes that done the varlet of the kenell shal keepe off y hoūtes with those little wandes and let them all baye aboute him The huntesman shall blowe still a good while and afterwardes shall clappe and stroke his best houndes on the sides and shewe them the Hare saying Dead boyes dead Then lette him hulke hir which is to open hir and take out hyr garbage and afterwards stryp off hir skinne before the houndes takyng away the Gall the lightes and the skinne the whiche he shall hang vp in some tree where the houndes may not eate them for they will make them sicke When the Hare is thus hulked and stripte out of hyr skinne le◅te the Huntesman take out of his wallet some bread cheese and other small morsels put them into the bulke of the Hare to wet and moysten them with hir bloud then shall he cutte off the foreparte of the Hare head and all and yet if he haue any yong hounde whiche is fearefull let him giue him the Hares heade by himselfe for to encourage him the better Then muste the varlet of the kennell ty◅ a corde to the forequarters of the Hare in fiue or sixe places that one dogge may not teare away all at a mouthfull and so beguyle all his fellowes Afterwardes let him hide it and take his staffe and go an hundreth paces from the rest in meane whyle the huntesman shall powre out the rewarde of bread and cheese vpon the cleanest place of grasse that he can finde and shall yet keepe off the houndes with his hunting wande This beyng done he shal blow that all the houndes may come in together shal suffer them to eate this rewarde clapping them vppon the sides comforting of them and blowing with his horne In meane while whē they haue almost done he shal make signe to the varlet of the kennell whiche shall hallow and blow for the houndes then the huntesman shall rate them beate them to him saying Lyst Hallow Hike Hallow hike Then the varlet shall shew them the Hare holding it as high as he can holding his corde alwayes fast by y end when all the houndes be about him he shal cast it amongst thē suffer thē to ◅eare it by peecemeale out of the corde and then carie them to the water before he cou◅le them vp agayne or rather lette him carie them home vncoupled that they may skoure at large and skommer for a hounde will be enclined to be sickly when he hath eaten of a Hares fleshe And therefore let him giue them bread after they haue eatē the rewarde to close vp theyr stomacks withall and least they should cast it vp againe The Hare to the Hunter ARe mindes of men become so voyde of sense That they can ioye to hurte a harmelesse thing A sillie beast whiche cannot make defence I wretche a worme that can not bite nor sting If that be so I thanke my Ma◅er than For makyng me a Beast and not a Man. The Lyon lickes the sores of wounded Sheepe He spares to pray whiche yeeldes and craueth grace The dead mans corps hath made some Serpentes weepe Such rewth may ryse in beasts of bloudie race And yet can man whiche bragges aboue the rest Use wracke for rewth can murder like him best This song I sing in moane and mourneful notes Which fayne would blase the bloudie minde of Man Who not cotent with Hartes Hindes Buckes Rowes Gotes Bores Beares and all that hunting conquere can Must yet seeke out me filly harmelesse Hare To hunte with
yere when he doth most deuoure No no the minds of men which still be vainely bent Must haue their change of 〈◊〉 as first the Hare in Lent The Hart in Sommers heate and me poore Foxe in cold But wherto serue these sundry sports these chases manyfold Forsoth to ferde their thoughts with drags of vaine delight Whereon most men do muse by day wheron they dream by night They must haue costly clothes they must haue deintie fare They must haue coudxs stuft with doune they must haue all in square They must haue newfound games to make theÌ„ laugh their â—…iill The must haue foules they must haue beasts to bayt to hunt to kyll And all when all is done is nothing else but vayne So Salomon the wiseman sayd and so sayes Raynerd playne An aduertisment of the Translator I 〈◊〉 in mynè Author nothing written either of the wild Cat or of the Marterne and yet both those are vermine whiche we vse here in England coÌ„monly to hunt and in my iudgement as necessarie to be hunted as any vermine can be For the question may be doubtfull whether eyther Foxe or Badgerd doe more hurt than the wild Cat doth Since there are few gentlemen in England but haue commoditie by Conies either great or smal and I am sure that there is no vermine which doth more hurt in a Warren of Conies than a wild Cat doth And therewithal I haue heard some hunters say that she lâ—…aueth as great sent maketh as good a cry for the time as any vermin that is hunted especially the Marterne passeth all other 〈◊〉 for sweetnesse of sent and hir case is a noble â—…urre The wild Cats case is nothing so good furre but it is verie warme and medicinable for sundry aâ—…s and paines in the bones and ioynts Also hiâ—… greace is very good for sinewes that be shronke These two chases are not to be sought of purpose vnlesse the huntsman doe see them where they pray and can go readily to him But if a hound chance to crosse them he wil hunt it assone as any chase they make a noble crye for the time that they stand vp At last when they may no more they wil take a tree and therein seeke to begile the hounds But if the hounds hold in to them wil not so giue it ouer then they will leape from one tree to another make great shifte for their liues with no lesse pastime to the huntsmen When they are killed you must hold them vp vpon a pyked staffe hallowe in all your hounds then reward theÌ„ with some meate For the flesh of these 〈◊〉 is not good for a houÌ„d Thus much I haue thought good of my self to write according to my country hunting Of the hunting of the Otter Chap. 75. THe Otter is a beast well knowne Shee feedeth on fishe and lyeth neare vnto Ryuers Brookes Pooles and fishepondes or Meares hir lying commonly is vnder the rootes of trees and sometimes I haue seene them lying in â—… hollowe tree foure or fiue foote aboue the grounde euen as a Foxe Polcat wildecat or Badgerd will destroye a Warren so will the Otter destroy all tâ—…e fishe in your pondes if she once haue founde the waye to them She dyueth and hunteth vnder the water after a wonderfull manner so that no fishe can escape hir vnlesse they be verie great and swift A litter of Otters will destroy you all the fishe in a ryuer or at least the greatest store of them in two myles length They goe sault at suche times as firrets go sault which time euery maÌ„ may eassy know And they kindle bring forth their yong Otters euen as firrets do somtimes more somtimes lesse To speak a truth they seem to be a kind of water firrets There is great cunning in the hunting of theÌ„ as shal be saide in the next chapter also it is possible to take theÌ„ vnder the water by the ryuers side both in traps in snares as you may take a Hare with Harepypes or such like gynnes They byte sore and venomously and defende them selues stoutly And if they be taken in snares if they abyde long they will sone sheare themselues out with their teeth I will not speake much more of their nature but onely that they are footed like a Goose I meane they haue a webbe betweene theyr clawes and haue no heele but onely a rounde ball vnder their soale of their foote their tracke is called the marke of an Otter as we say the slot of an Hart and their fewmets are called spraynts as hath bene sayde before An Otter abideth not much nor long in one place but if she be frayed or finde any fault as they are very perfectly of smellyng and hearing they will forsake their couche shifte a mile or two vp or downe a riuer the like wil she do if she haue once destroyed the store of fishe and finde no plentie of feeding From a pondgarden or good store of fishpondes she wil not lightly be remoued as long as there is store of fish in them for therein fishes are taken with more ease than in the Riuers or greater waters but inough of their natures How to hunte and take an Otter Chap. 74. VVHen a huntesman would hunte the Otter he should first send foure seruants or varlets with bloudhounds or such 〈◊〉 as will drawe in the lyame let him sende them twoo vp the Riuer and two downe the riuer the one couple of theÌ„ on thâ—…t one side the other on that other side of the water And so you shal be sure to finde if there be an Otter in that quarter for an Otter cannot long abide in that water but must come forth in the night to make his 〈◊〉 sometimes to feede on grasse and heathes by the waters side If any of theyr lyamhounds finde of an Otter let that huntesman looke in the softe groundes and moyst places to see which way he bent the head vp or downe the riuer or if he cannot perceyue it by the markes he may partly perceyue it by that sprayntes then he may follow his hounde lodge it euen as you would do a Deare or a Bore And if he finde not the Otter quickly he may then iudge that he is gone to couche somewhere further off from the water for an Otter will sometimes seeke his feede a myle or little lesse from his couche and place of reste and commonly he will rather go vp the Riuer than downt for goyng vp the streame the streame bringeth him sent of the fishes that are aboue him and bearing his nose into the winde he shall the sooner finde any faulte that is aboue him also you should make an assembly for the Otter as you do for that Harte and it is a note to be obserued that all such chaces as you draw after before you 〈◊〉 them lodge them or herbor them you shoulde make a solempne assembly to heare