Howe to rewarde the houndes, and fyrst the bloud hound. Chap. 43.
THe houndes shall be rewarded in this maner. First let the bloude houndes be present when you breake vp the Deare, that they may see him broken vp, and let them be tyed or made fast to some tree or bough, so farre one from ano∣ther that they fight not. Then the huntsman which harbored the Harte, shall take the cabaging of the heade, and the heart of the Deare to reward his bloud hound first, fór that honor pertaineth Page 131 to him: when he hath done, he shall deliuer it to the rest, that they may likewise rewarde theirs: that done they shal syt downe and drinke, whiles the Uarlets of the kennell prepare the rewarde for their houndes, and that maye be made in two sortes. Firste some vse immediately assone as the Hart is deade, (the huntsi•…ē hauing blowne to assemble the rest vnto his fall) to alight from their horses, and take off the Deare skinne from his necke whilst it is hote, and when they haue well skotd•…d it with their wood∣kniues, that the houndes may the more easily teare off the fleshe, they rewarde the houndes with that and the braynes all hote and bleeding: and surely those rewardes are much better than others which are giuen afterwardes colde when they come home, and will much better flesh and encourage the hounds. But the re∣wards which are made at home (which are called cold rewards) are thus giuen. The varlets of the ken•…ell take bread, and cut it into gobbets into a pan, cutting cheese likewise in gobbets with it: then take they the blud of y• deare, and sprinkle it vpō the bread and cheese, vntill the breade and cheese be all bloudy: and then they take a great bolle of mylke warme, and mingle it altoge∣ther. Afterwardes they shall spread the skynne vpon the ground in some faire place, and put out this reward vpon it. Remem∣ber that you let it not abyde long in the pan, for then the milke will turne and be sowre. When it is thus prepared, put the caba∣ging of the heade in the midst amongst it, and haue a payle or tub of fresh water in a readinesse neare to the reward, to let your houndes lappe in when they are rewarded. Then you shall set the head vpon a staffe (which must be smothe and cleane for hur∣ting of the houndes) and let one of the Uarlets carie it an hun∣breth paces from you. Then the Prince or chiefe shall begin to blow and to hallow for the hounds, bicause that honor with all others appertaine vnto ye Prince or chief personage. And if he or •…e ca not or wil not do it thēselues, let thē appoint who shal do it as for their honor. Afterwards all the huntsmen shal take their hornes and blowe, and hallowe to the houndes to reioyce them. In this meane while the Uarlet of the kennell shall stande 〈◊〉 the rewarde with twoo wandes (in eache hande one) Page 132•…o keepe the houndes backe vntill they be all come about •…nd when they are all baying and calling on about him, l•…•…nd from the rewarde, and suffer the houndes to eate it. •…n they haue almost eaten it vp, let him whiche hold •…res heade, hallowe and crye, Heere againe boyes, h•…•…haw, haw. &c. Then the Uarlets of the kennel which stand •…he reward, must rate away the houndes, and make them •…m that halloweth. Then he shall shewe them the heade •…e Deare, lifting it vp and downe before them to make 〈◊〉 baye it: and when he hath drawne them al about him bayi•… shall cast downe the heade amongst them that they may•… their pleasure thereon. Then shall he leade them backe a•… to the skynne, and turne the skynne vpon them (being cold then kennell them vp. Consider that it shall be best to k•… them immediately, for else if they should runne about an uell, it would make them cast vp their rewarde againe. 〈◊〉 warde being thus giuen and fynished, the Uarlet and may go to drinke.
An aduertisement by the Translato•… of the Englishe manner, in breakin•… vp of the Deare.
IN describing this order howe to breake vp a Deare obserued the duetie of a faythfull translatour, nothi•… chaunging the wordes of myne Authoure, but suffering 〈◊〉 proceede in the Frenche maner. But bycause I finde it differe•… from our order in some poyntes, therefore I haue thought good here to set downe such obseruations of difference as I haue no∣ted therein, least the reader mighte be drawne in opinion, that the errour proceeded only in my default.
First where he appoynteth the Deares foote to be cutte off, and to bee presented to the Prince or chiefe, oure order is, Page 133
This being done, we vse to cut off the Deares heade. And that is commonly done also by the chiefe personage. For they take delight to cut off his heade with their woodknyues, skaynes, or swordes, to trye their edge, and the goodnesse or strength of their arme. If it be cut off to rewarde the houndes withall, then the whole necke (or very neare) is cut off with it: otherwise it is cut off neare to the head. And then the heade is cabaged (which is to say) it is cut close by the hornes through the braine pan, vntill you come vnderneath the eyes, and ther it is cut off. The piece which is cut from the hornes (together with the braines) are to rewarde the houndes. That other piece is to nayle vp the hornes by, for a memoriall, if he were a great Deare of heade.
As for the deintie morsels which mine Author speaketh off for Princes, our vse (as farre as euer I could see) is to take the caul•…, the tong, the eares, the doulcets, the tenderlings (if his heade be tender) and the sweete gut, which some call the Inchpinne, in a faire handkercher altogether, for the Prince or chiefe.
It must be remembred (which he leaueth out) that the feete be all foure left on. The hynder feete must be to fasten (or hardle as some hunters call it) the hanches to the sydes, and the two fore∣feete are left to hang vp the shoulders by.
We vse some ceremonie in taking out the shoulder. For first he which taketh it out, cuts the thinne skin of the flesh (when the Deares skinne is taken off) round about the legge, a little aboue the elbowe ioynt. And there he rayseth out the synew or muskle with his knife, and putteth his forefinger of his left hand, through vnder the sayd muskle to hold the legge by. If afterwardes he touch the shoulder or any part of the legge, with any other thing than his knyfe, vntill he haue taken it out, it is a forfayture, and Page 135 he is thought to be no handsome woodman. Then with his shoulder knyfe he cuts an hole •…etweene the legge and the brys∣ket, and there puts in his knife, and looseneth the shoulder from the syde, going about with his knyfe, near•… to the outside of the skynne, vntill he haue quyte taken out the shoulder, and yet lefte the skynne of the syde fayre and whole. And if he doe it not at three boutes, it is also a forfeyture.
We vse not to take away the brysket bone, as farre as euer I coulde see, but clyue the sydes one from another, directly from the place of assay, vnto the throate. There is a litle gristle which is vpon the spoone of the brysket, which we cal the Rauens bone, bycause it is cast vp to the Crowes or Rauens whiche attende hunters. And I haue seene in some places, a Rauen so wont and accustomed to it, that she would neuer sayle to croake and crye for it, all the while you were in breaking vp of the Deare, and would not depart vntill she had it. Furthermore, we vse not to take the heart from the noombles, but account it a principall part thereof. And about the winding vp of the noombles, there is also some arte to be shewed: But by all likelyhoode, they vse it not in Fraunce as we do.
Also I can not perceiue by myne Authors wordes that they make any Arboure, which if they doe not, they may chaunce to breake vp their Deare but homely somtimes. But if they cut a∣way the brisket bone, thē it is the lesse requisite, bicause they may come at the weasond, and conuey it away easily. We vse to re∣warde our houndes with the paunche, being emptied first. These things of my selfe I haue thought good to adde, desiring the reader to take them in good parte.
The wofull wordes of the Hart to the Hunter.
THus haue you an end of so much as I find meete to be tran∣slated out of mine Author for the Hunting of an Harte: Wherein I haue dealt faithfully for so much as I translated, neyther takyng any thing from him, nor adding any thing but that whiche I haue plainely expressed, together with the reasons that moued me therevnto. And that which I haue left out is no∣thing else but certayne vnseemely verses, which bycause they are more apt for lasciuions miudes, than to be enterlaced amongst the noble termes of Uenerie, I thought meete to leaue them at large, for such as will reade them in French.
