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 Huntsman should go to seeke an Harte in small groues or hewts, beyng priuily en∣closed within the greater springs in the Forests and strong couerts. Cha. 31. (Book 31)

[illustration]

Oftentimes the craftie Deare whiche haue bene in times past runne and chased with houndes, do keepe long time close & come not out of the strong holdes & thickettes, and feede in small priuie groues and hewts, whiche haue brne lately felled within the greater couerts: and thus they do most commonly in May &

June rather than in any other season of the yeare: for asmuch as in those monethes they go not much to the water, but content thēselues with the moysture of the dewe and the earth, the which suffizeth them: but in July and August when the wood harde∣neth, and the heate is vehement, then they muste needes discouer themselues and come out of their holdes to go vnto the water. Neuerthelesse, in what season soeuer it be, they cānot hide them∣selues abou•…•… foure dayes, but that they muste come out of the thickets, and that for sundrie causes: wherof one is, that they will go to see where other Deare do lie, by whom they hope to finde safegarde: for if they should be hunted they woulde f•…•…ee among them for change, that so the houndes might be deceyued: or els sometimes they come foorth to go to their feede. Neuerthelesse when they do so, they retire into their holdes two or three houres before day. To preuent such craftie and subtile Deare, the Hunts∣man must vse this manner: First when he is in a fayre thicke or couert at the ende of a Forrest, and chanceth to finde the slotte of an Harte, beyng old trodden, as a day or two before, and that the grounde is much broken with such old trackes, then he must cast and beate all the outsides: and if perchaunce he neither finde him to haue gone out nor in, either lately, or of old, then may he well thinke that he goeth not out, and that he hideth and concealeth himself within the thickes: then let him get him vnder y^e wind, and let him go into the thickes, holding his hounde shorte, cree∣ping as secretely as he can: and if he perceyue that •…•…is hounde haue any thing in winde, and that by his countenance & gesture it should be like that he is not far•…•…e from the Harte, then let him withdrawe and retyre himself for feare least he rowze him, and let him go in at some other side of the woodde where it is not so thicke: then if he chance to finde any little •…•…ewtes or springes priuily copsed within the thicke, where the Harte may feede by night, he may search it fayre and well, and take vp the fewmish∣yngs which he findeth. But here muste you note one thing, that is, that he may not go into suche places, vntill it be nine of the clocke in the mornyng, bicause such Hartes do sometimes take herbrough or layre within those little Copisses, to enioy the cō∣forte

of the Sunne, and about nine of the clocke they withdraw themselues to the shadowe for two principall reasons, whereof that one is for feare of the Flies and Horseflies, whiche woulde torment him, if he were abrode: the other, for to auoyde the vehe∣ment heate of the Sunne whiche would be at none dayes. And the Huntesman must take good heede that he enter not ouer fast into the thicke, for that such Hartes do sometimes take layre ve∣ry neare those priuie coppyses, bicause they are neyther feared nor styrred. But it suffiseth for thē if they be only in couert. And also in such springs, they come out to feede immediately after sixe of the clocke in the euening: and therefore let the Huntesman be content to haue seene the Slotte freshe and to haue taken vp the fewmishing: and afterwards let him retyre himself as secretely as he can, and neuer tarie to see or marke the entries, but carrie his hounde in his armes with him. And when he is farre inough from thence, lette him counterfayte the Shepherd, or whistle in some pipe, least the Harte haue gotten him in the winde and so rowze, for if he sing or whistle, he shall enbolden him againe. Afterwards he may rest half an houre or more in some place by, to the ende that the Harte may be the better assured, and then let him caste about and make his ring. And if perchance he cannot finde any fewmishing, and that the place be so thicke of grasse that he cannot well see the Slotte, then let him kneele downe, hauing his hounde behinde him, lookyng vppon the foyles and trackes in the leaues and grasse, and if they be well streyned lette him clappe his hande vpon the Slotte, and if he finde that it be foure fingers broade, then may he iudge him an Harte of tenne by the foyles: but if it be but three fingers broade, he shall iudge it a yong Harte.