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 coates and coloure of Harts. Chap. 20. (Book 20)

[illustration]

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 com∣mōly 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 com∣monly 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, be∣ing 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 great∣ly reioyce the huntsmen on horsebacke, bycause they stande vp long, and are of verie good breath.