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 a Huntesman may seeke in the highe vvoods. Chap. 34. (Book 34)

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VVHen a Huntesman shall seeke for a Harte in an highe woode, let him first haue respect to two things, that is, the season and the thickes or other couerts of the Forrest. For if it be in the heate of the y•…•…are, these horseflies, gnattes, and suche lyke, will driue the Deare out of the high woode: and then they disper•…•…e themselues into little thickets or groues which are neare vnto good feede. There are Forrestes of sundrie sortes: some be

strong of holfs of Holme trees. Some other haue thicke tuft•…•… of white thorne. And some are enuyroned with springs and cop∣pyses. Wherefore the huntesman must be gouerned according to the couerts which he findeth. For somewhiles Hartes doe lye in the tuftes of white Thorne, vnder some litle tree in maner wide open. Sometimes vnder the great trees in the high woodes. And sometimes in the borders or skyrtes of the Forrest, in some little groues or Coppyses. And therfore in such great couertes or highe woodes, a huntesman must make his ring walke great or little, according to the holdes. For if a man driue an Harte into the high wood, it will be harde to harbor him or to come neare him. And therefore if the huntesman do well, he shall neuer make re∣port of a Stagge or Hart harbored in such places. But I will speake no more of high woodes, for me thinks men take such order for high woodes nowe adayes, that before ma∣ny yeres passe, a huntesman shall not be com∣bered with seeking or harboring an Hart in highe woodes.

Of the place where and howe an assembly should be made, in the presence of a Prince, or some honorable person.

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VVHo list (by me) to learne, Assembly for to make, For Keysar, Kyng, or comely Queene, for Lord or Ladies sake: Or where, and in what sort it should prepared be, Marke well my wordes, and thanke me then, for thankes I craue in fee. The place should first be pight, on pleasant gladsome greene, Yet vnder shade of stately trees, where little sunne is seene: And neare some fountaine spring, whose chrystall running streames, May helpe to coole the parching heate, ycaught by Phoebus beames. The place appoynted thus, it neyther shall be clad, With Arras nor with Tapystry, such paltrie were too bad: Ne yet those hote perfumes, whereof proude Courtes do smell, May once presume in such a place, or Paradise to dwell. Away with fayned fresh, as broken boughes or leaues, Away, away, with forced flowers, ygathred from their greaues: This place must of it selfe, afforde such sweete delight, And eke such shewe, as better may content the greedie sight: Where sundry sorts of hewes, which growe vpon the ground, May seeme (indeede) such Tapystry, as we (by arte) haue found. Where fresh and fragrant flowers, may skorne the courtiers cost, Which daubes himselfe with Syuet, Muske, and many an oyntment lost. Where sweetest singing byrdes, may make such melodye, As Pan, noryet Apollos arte, can sounde such harmonye. Where breath of westerne windes, may calmely yeld content, Where cafements neede not opened be, where ayre is neuer pent. Where shade may serue for shryne, and yet the Sunne at hande, Where beautie neede not quake for colde, ne yet with Sunne be tande. In fine and to conclude, where pleasure dwels at large, Which Princes seeke in Pallaces, with payne and costly charge. Then such a place once founde, the Butler first appeares, He shall be formost doctor there, and stande before his peares: And with him shall he bring, (if company be great) Some wagons, cartes, some Mules or iades yladen till they sweate, With many a medcine made for common queynt diseases, As thirstie throates, and typpling tongs, whome Bacchus pype appeas•…•…s. These little pinching pots, which Pothecaries vse, Are all too fine, fye fye on such, they make men but to muse.

My Doctor brings his drugs, to counterpaise all quarrels, In Kilderkins and Fyrkins full, in Bottles and in Barrels. And yet therein he brings, (I would you wist it well,) No rotten drammes, but noble wine, which makes mens hearts to swell. And downe he doth dismount, his things for to addresse, His flagons in the fountaine faire, are placed more and lesse. Or if such fountaines fayle, my Doctor hath the skyll, With sande and Campher for to coole, his potions at his will. That doone: he spreades his cloth, vpon the grassye banke, And sets to she•…•… his deintie drinkes, to winne his Princes thanke. Then cōmes the captaine Cooke, with many a warlike wight, Which armor bring and weapons both, with hunger for to fight. Yea some also set forth, vpon a manly mynde, To make some meanes, a quarrell with, my Doctor for to fynde. For whiles colde loynes of Ueale, colde Capon, Beefe and Goose, With Pygeon pyes, and Mutton colde, are set on hunger loose, And make the forlorne hope, in doubt to scape full hard, Then come to giue a charge in flanke (else all the marte were marde,) First Neates tongs poudred well, and Gambones of the Hogge, Then Saulsages and sauery knackes, to set mens myndes on gogge. And whiles they skyrmish thus, with fierce and furious fight, My Doctor clearkly turnes the Tappe, and goeth beyond them quite. For when they be so trapt, enclosed round about, No boote preuayles, but drinke like men, for that must helpe them out. Then King or comely Queene, then Lorde and Lady looke, To see which side will beare the bell, the Butler or the Cooke. At last the Cooke takes flight, but Butlers still abyde, And sound their Drummes and make retreate, with bottles by their syde. Herewith to stint all stryfe, the huntsmen come in hast, They lycence craue of King or Queene, to see their battell plast. Which graunted and obtaynde, they set on such as lyu•…•…, And fiercely fight, till both be forst, all armour vp to giue. And home they go dispoylde, like simple sakelesse men, No remedie but trudge apace, they haue no weapons then. The •…•…ield thus fought and done, the huntsmen come agayne, Of whome some one vpon his knee, shall tell the Prince full playne,

This little lesson here, which followeth next in place, Forgiue me (Queene) which am to bold, to speak vnto yo grace.

MY Liege forgiue the boldnesse of your man, Which comes to speake before your grace him call: My skyll is small, yet must I as I can, Presume to preach, before these Barons all, And tell a tale, which may such mynds appall As passe their dayes in slouthfull idlenesse, The fyrst foule nourse to worldly wickednesse.

Since golden time, (my liege) doth neuer stay, But fleeth still about with restlesse wyngs, Why doth your grace, let time then steale away, Which is more worth, than all your worldly things? Beleeue me (liege) beleeue me Queenes and Kyngs, One only houre (once lost) yeldes more anoy, Than twentie dayes can cure with myrth and ioy.

And since your grace determinde by decree, To hunt this day, and recreate your mynde, Why syt you thus and lose the game and glee Which you might heare? why ringeth not the winde, With hornes and houndes, according to their kynde? Why syt you thus (my liege) and neuer call, Our houndes nor vs, to make you sport withall?

Perchance the fight, which sodenly you saw, Erewhyles betweene, these ouerbragging bluddes, Amasde your mynde, and for a whyle did draw Your noble eyes, to settle on such suddes. But peerelesse Prince, the moysture of such muddes, Is much too grosse and homely for your grace, Behold them not, their pleasures be but base.

Behold vs here, your true and trustie men,

Your huntes, your hyndes, your swaynes at all assayes, Which ouerthrow them, (being three to tenne) And now are prest, with bloudhounds and relayes, With houndes of crye, and houndes well worthy prayse, To rowze, to runne, to hunt and hale to death, As great a Hart as euer yet bare breath.

This may be seene, (a Princes sport in deede) And this your grace, shall see when pleaseth you: So that voutsafe, (O noble Queene) with speede, To mount on horse, that others may ensue, Untill this Hart be rowzde and brought to view. Then if you finde, that I haue spoke amysse, Correct me Queene: (till then) forgiue me this.

Afterwardes when all the huntsmen be come together, the•…•… shall make their sundry reports, and present their few•…•…y •…•…hings vnto the Prince or master of the game in field, one after another, euery man rehearsing what he hath seene. And when the Prince or other chiefe hath hard them and seene their •…•…ewmishings, he or she may then chose which of the Hartes he will hunt, and which he or she thinkes most likely to make him or hir best sport. And telling his or hir minde to him that harbored the Hart, the same huntsman shall go backe to his blemishes immediatly. But for the better declaration and liuely exmessing of all these things, I haue here set in portrayture as well an assembly, as also the pee∣senting of a report made by a huntsman to a Prince vpon sight of Slot, view, entrie, portes, abatures, fewmishings, and such o∣ther tokens. For the better encouraging of suche huntesmen as painefully do rise easely and late, to make their Lorde and Ma∣ster pastime, I haue set it downe in suche termes as I can, desi∣ring all Masters of •…•…enerie and olde huntesmen, to beare with my boldnesse in vttering of my simple knowledge.