A booke of fishing with hooke & line, and of all other instruments thereunto belonging. Another of sundrie engines and trappes to take polcats, buzards, rattes, mice and all other kindes of vermine & beasts whatsoeuer, most profitable for all warriners, and such as delight in this kinde of sport and pastime. Made by L.M.

The manner of way to take Sea-pies.

[illustration]

The Sea-pie is a foule that vseth the seas, and bréedes much in Ilands in the sea, and liues most by fish & wormes, and where as they vse in fresh riuers, they destroy much fish, young frie, and such as swimmes nigh the toppe of the water, and will be in shallow places of the water: and there they haunt to take and féede on them. Therefore the fisher men haue inuented a way howe to take them, which is: ye shall lyme two small Oziars, and binde the ends that are next the bayte, almost crosse wise. Then take an other short sticke, and binde the one end vnto your ends of crosse twigges as ye may sée afore, and put that short sticke through the fish or bayte. Then lay it on some wa∣ter leafe, rushes, or such like in the midst of the riuer, and as soone as they shall sée it, they will take and flie away with it in their bylles, and soone they shall be lymed there∣with.

The other way of laying these lymed twigges is, ye shall put a small short sticke in the bayte, as yee may sée a fore. And at the hinder ende tye a thréed an intch long, and to that thréed tie your lymed twigges, and when she takes and flies away with it, she cannot flie farre but she will be lyined, for the twigs will turne and touch her wings, and then she will fall. Thus ye may take many Sea-pies, both in sommer and winter, and the like way ye may take both Crowes and other Pyes, to take the Kyte therewith,

he will hardly be lyined, because he takes the bayte in his féete, and the other takes it in their billes. Thus much here for the taking of the Sea-pie.