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.

In what season the Hartes mewe and take them to the thickets. Chap. 18. (Book 18)

IN Februarie and Marche, the Hart meweth and casteth his head, and commonly the olde Hart much soner than the yong. But if there be any which haue bene hurt at Rut or by any o∣ther meane, then nature is not so strong in him to helpe him. For all his substance and nouriture can not suffise to heale him, and to driue out his head, by reason of the hurt which he hath. So are there some which leesing their stones or pyssels at Rut or other∣wise, do neuer mewe. For you must vnderstand that if you geld an Hart before he haue an heade, he will neuer beare heade. And on that other side, if you geld him when he hath his head or ant∣lier, he will neuer cast or mewe it: In lyke maner, if you gelde him when he hath a veluet head, for it will remayne so alwayes, and neyther fraye nor burnishe. This giueth vs to vnderstand, that there is great vertue in the stones, for through their occasion oftentimes many men which beare heades of a goodly beame, do yet neuer mew nor cast them. When the Harts haue mewed or cast their heades, they beginne then to withdrawe themselues, and to betake them to the thicket, hyding them selues in some faire place where there is some good feede and water, vpon the border of some fielde, to the ende they may goe to some peece of wheate, pease, or suche like lustie feede. And you shall note, that yong Harts doe neuer betake them selues vnto the thickets, vn∣till they haue borne their thirde heade, which is in their fourth yeare, and then they may be iudged Hartes of tenne, but verie yongly. As also the Bores do neuer forsake their routes, vntill

their thirde yeare, bycause they haue not the courage, nor their tushes and armes are not yet sufficient to defend them.

After the Hartes haue mewed, they beginne in the monethes of Marche and Apryll to thrust out their buttones, and as the Sunne doth ryse in his circle or course, and that their feede doth increase and waxe harde, their heades in like manner and their venysone do growe and augment, and by the middest of Iune, their heades will be somed of as much as they will beare all that yeare, at least if they be in a good corne countrey or where good feede is, and haue no hinderance nor disquiet, and accordingly as the season of the yeare doth increase the croppe of the earth, euen •…•…o will their heades increase in all respectes.