The noble arte of venerie or hunting VVherein is handled and set out the vertues, nature, and properties of fiutene sundrie chaces togither, with the order and maner how to hunte and kill euery one of them. Translated and collected for the pleasure of all noblemen and gentlemen, out of the best approued authors, which haue written any thing concerning the same: and reduced into such order and proper termes as are vsed here, in this noble realme of England. The contentes vvhereof shall more playnely appeare in the page next followyng.

Of the complexion and nature of dunne Houndes. Chap. 4. (Book 4)

[illustration]

OUr dunne houndes are suche as aunciently our Kynges of Fraunce, and Dukes of Alencon did most esteeme. They be common, bicause they are fitte for most chaces, and therefore they are fittest for Gentlemen, for their nature and complexion is suche, that they hunt all kynde of chaces which you would haue them to hunt. The best of the race are such as be dunne on the backe, hauing their foure quarters redde or tanned, and the legs of the •…•…ame coloure, as it were the-coloure of a Hares legs. Sometimes you shall see some that haue their hayre on the top of their backes, dunne or almost blacke, and their legges strea∣ked and flecked with redde and blacke, the which doe commonly proue excellent, and although there are not many badde dunne houndes to be seene, yet neuerthelesse, the light dunne, hauing their legges fallowe after a whytishe coloure, are seldome so stron̄g nor so swifte as the other are, and Princes can not so much delight in them for sundrye eauses. One cause is, for that they doe muche feare the throng of the huntesmen on horsebacke, and they are troubled with their noyse, for as muche as they are hote and of a great courage, and put them selues quickly out of breath hearing the Crye and noyse of the hunters. Another cause is, that they feare heate, and doe not greatly esteeme a chace whiche doubleth or turneth before them, but if the chace holde endlong, you shall hardely finde better or swyfter hounds, although they be verie opinionate harde to beleeue their huntes∣man, and verie easily inclyned to chaunge, bycause of they•…•… heate and follye, and bycause of the great compasses which they caste when they are at defaulte. And aboue all thinges, they sticke muche vpon knowledge of their maister, and especially his voyce and his horne, and will do for him more than for any other huntesman. They ha•…•…e suche emulation amongest them selues, that they knowe the voyce of their fellowes, and whe∣ther they be sure or not, for if they be babbler•…•… and lyers, they will not lightly followe them. They are houndes of great tra∣uell, fearing neither colde nor water, and if they feele a chace to synke once before them, and that it beginne to be spent once, then will they neuer for•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they haue kylled it. They

which will take pleasure in them, muste vse them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this sorte. At the fyrst vncoupling of them, they must followe and encou∣rage them as temperately as maye be, and with verie little noyse, for that they are hote, and doe quickly ouershoote the tracke or path of the chace which they vndertake, and there∣fore the huntesmen on horseba•…•…ke ought not ouer hastily to followe them vntill they vndertake it endlong: nor likewise ought they not to come ouer hastily vnto them at a de∣faulte, and they must likewise beware that they crosse them not, for feare least they make them turne backe vpon them, and so in this maner they may take plea∣sure in thē.