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.

How the Huntesman ought to seeke the Harte in his feeding places according to the monethes and seasons. Chap. 28. (Book 28)

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HEre will I giue precepts to all Huntesmen leadyng their bloudhoundes with them in the Forrests, how they shal go∣uerne themselues according to the moneths & seasons, for Hartes do chaunge theyr manner of feeding euery moneth, and as the Sunne riseth in altitude, & that thereby good pasturage and feede encreaseth, so make they change of their feede. I will first begin at the end of their Rutte which is in the end of October, follow∣ing orderly frō moneth to moneth vntill I returne about y^e mo∣neth of September.

And therfore in the moneth of Nouember you shal •…•…eke the hart in heaths and broomie places, wherof they then delight to crop the flowers and toppes bycause those are hotte and of greate substance, the which dothe restore theyr nature and recomfort their members, which are sore ouerwearyed with Rutte, and sometimes also they remayne and lye in suche heathe and brome, especially when the sunne is hote.

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In december they he•…•… together and withdrawe themselues to the strongthe of the forrests to haue harboure from the colde windes, snowes, and frostes, and do feede on the Holme tres, Elder trees, brambles, and bryers, and such other things as they can then fynde greene: and if it snow, they feede on the tops of

the mosse, and pill the trees euen as a Goate will doe.

In Ianuarie they leaue hearding with rascal, & accōpany thē∣selues three or foure hartes togither, withdrawing thēselues in∣to the corners of the forests, and go to the good winter pasture & fogge, or to the corn then sproong, as wheat, rie, & such other like.

In Februarie and Marche they go to the plumpes and tuftes of Coleworts, or of Hasill nuts or grene corne, and in medows to pigwort, woodbynd, birche, and such like, wherof they croppe the toppes. And in those two moneths they mewe and cast their heades, beginning to marke what coast may be most commodi∣ous for them to take holde, and to harbour in, vntill their heads be growen againe, and then they parte eche from other.

In April and May they rest in their thickets and holds, in the whiche they remayn all that season, and stirre not much vntil the beginning of rutte, vnlesse they be stirred against their wills, ta∣king their harbour neare vnto some pretie springs and couerts, wherin there is muche yong frytes, and therin they will feede, as lykewise also in pease, beanes, tares, thetches, lyntelles, and suche other Sommer corne as they can fynde neare hande: for they will not straye farre if they fynde anye feede nere to theyr layre. Some Hartes there be whiche will venture farre to such feede, and will goe out therefore but once in two dayes. And note you well, that some Harts be so craftie, that they haue two layres wherein they harboure: and when they haue bene three dayes on that one syde of the forrest, they will take an other har∣borough as long on that other syde of the forrest. And these be olde hartes which haue bene sore stirred and put from their feed, whiche chaunge their •…•…aire, as the wynd chaungeth to haue per∣fect vent as they come out of their thickets what faulte may per∣happes be in their feede.

And you shall also note, that in these Moneths of April and Maye, they goe not to the soyle, by reason of the moysture of the spring, and of the deaw which giueth liquor sufficient.

In June, July, and August they go to the springs and coppi∣ses, asbefore, and vnto corn, as wheat, otes, rie, barley, and suche like as they may find (but seldom to rye or barly) and thē are they in their pride of greace. And let mē say what they wil, they go to

the water, and I haue seene them drinke, but that is more com∣monly at this time than at any other time of the yeare, bycause of their disposition, and also by reason of the great vehement heates which take the dewe from the spryngs, when they nowe beginne also to growe harde. In September and October they leaue their thickets and goe to Rut, and at that time they haue neyther certaine feede, nor layre, as I haue before declared in the chapter of Rut.