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.

Of the wilde Bore, his properties, and the maner of hunting at him. Chap. 49. (Book 49)

HAuing described the hunting of an Harte, and al other deare according to my simple skill, I haue thought good to set downe here a little treatyse of the huntyng at the wilde Bore, and of his properties: although he ought not to be coumpted a∣mongst* 1.1 the Beasts of Uenerie which are chasable with hoūdes, for he is the proper pray of a Mastif and such like dogges, for as∣much as he is a heauie beast, and of greate force, trusting & affy∣ing himself in his Tuskes & his strength, and therefore will not so lightly flee nor make chase before houndes, so that you cannot (by hunting of the Bore) know y^e goodnesse or swiftnesse of thē,

and therewithall to confesse a truth, I thinke it greate pitie to hunte (with a good kenell of houndes) at such chas•…•… •…•…d that for such reasons and considerations as followe.

First he is the only beast which can dispatch a hounde at one blow, for though other beastes do bite, snatch, teare, or rende your houndes, yet there is hope of remedie if they be well attended: but if a Bore do once strike your hounde and light betweene the foure quarters of him, you shall hardely see him escape: and therewithall this subtiltie he hath, that if he be runne with a good kenell of houndes, which he perceyneth holde in rounde and fol∣lowe him harde, he will flee into the strongest thicket that he can finde, to the ende he may kill them at leysure one after an∣other, the whiche I haue seene by experience oftentimes. And a∣mongst others I sawe once a Bore chased and hunted with fif∣tie good houndes at the least, and when he sawe that they were all in full crie, and helde in rounde togethers, he turned heade vpon them, and thrust amiddest the thickest of them. In suche sorte that he slewe sometimes fire or seuen (in manner) with twinklyng of an eye: and of the fiftie houndes there went not twelue sounde and aliue to their Masters houses. I gayne if a kennell of houndes be once vsed to hunte a Bore, they will be∣come lyther, and will neuer willingly hunte fleing chases a∣gayne. For asmuche as they are (by him) accustomed to hunte with more ease, and to find great Sent. For a Bore is a beast of a very hote Sent, and that is contrarie to light fleing chases, which are hunted with more payne to the hounde, and yet there∣with do not leaue so greate Sent. And for these causes who so euer meaneth to haue good hoūdes for an Harte, Hare, or Row∣deare, let him not vse them to hunte the Bore: but since men are of sundrie opinions, and loue to hunte suche chases as lie moste commodiously aboute their dwelling places, I will here de∣scribe the propertie of the Bore, and how they may hunte him. And the manner of killing him either with the sworde or Bore∣speare, as you shall also see it set out in portrayture hereafter in his place.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Yet our Try∣stram recke∣neth the Bore for one of the foure beasts of Venerie.