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.

The iudgement and knowledge by the Slot of an Harte. Chap. 22.

[illustration]

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 to∣gether the footing•…•… of two 〈◊〉〈◊〉, of the whiche that one hath 〈◊〉〈◊〉 long Slot, & that other a round, and that they be both in iudge∣ment of one bignesse, yet the long Slot shalbe 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 〈◊〉〈◊〉, bi∣cause 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 bo∣dies, 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 contra∣rie) 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 iudgementes•…•… of an hartes Slot, and of an Hynde: Neuerthelesse when the Hyndes be with Calfe, a yong hunter might soone be beguyled, bycause they o∣pen their clawes wide lyke vnto an Harte, by reason of the weightinesse of their bodies, and yet the differences are appa∣rant. For if you marke the heele of an Hynde you shall per∣•…•… 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: herewith∣all, 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 crop∣peth 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 Coun∣trie 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 lea∣ning or staying their feete vppon the sande, it flieth and slip∣peth 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.