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 nature and subtiltie of the Bore. Chap. 50. (Book 50)

THe Bore is of this nature, that when his Dame dothe pigge him, he hath as many teeth, as euer he will haue whyles he liueth, neyther will their teeth any way multiplie or encrease but onely in greatnesse and length. Amongst the reste they haue foure, whiche (with the Frenchmen) are called Defences: and we call them Tuskes or Tusches, whereof the two highest do not hurte when he striketh, but serue onely to whet the other two lowest: but with those lower Tuskes, they stryke mar∣nelously and kill oftentymes: if a Bore happen to haue his eyes blemished, or to hurte them daungerously, he will heale agayne very soone. A Bore may liue fiue and twentie, or thirtie yeares: it is easier to bryng them into a Soyle in Aprill or in Maye, than in any other season: and that is bycause they sleepe sound∣lyer in those two moneths than at any other tyme of the yeare: for asmuch as they feede then vppon strong hearbes and buddes of trees, which do so moisten their braynes that they become very sleepy. Againe the spring time reneweth their bloud, which ma∣keth them sleepe the more soundly. They go to Rut aboute the moneth of December, and their great heate endureth neare about three weekes. And although their Sowes become colde agayne and couet not the Bore, yet do not the Bores parte from them vntill it be Ianuarie, then they withdraw themselues vnto their holdes, wherein they keepe close sometimes three or foure dayes together and neuer come out, especially when they haue found•…•… the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and do finde sweetenesse in the roote of the Fearne. Sometimes a Bore will wander farre out of the Forrestes or thicke couerts to seeke feedyng: especially in time of the vintage in suche Countries as wine is made: and wheresoeuer they be∣come when day appeareth, there will they abyde without respect of the place. It suffiseth if they finde but some tuffte of thornes or brambles, and there will they lie vntill it be night agayne:

they harken earnestly and will heare a man very farre off, espe∣cially when they be vnder the winde, but if they be vp the winde, heare not greatly. They lyue and feede vpon all kinde of Corne and Frutes, as Apples, Peares, Plummes, Akehornes, Chest∣nuttes, Beechmaste, and suche lyke, and of all sortes of root•…•…s al∣so, vnlesse it be Rapes and Nauie rootes. Also in Apryll and May they feede on the buddes of Plumtrees, & Chestnut trees, and all other sweete buddes that they can finde, especially vpon the buddes of broome and Iuniper, they will feede on no carion vnlesse it be of a deade Horse: they neuer become sowle or me∣sled (as wee terme it) lyke vnto our tame Swyne. When they are in the marishes, they feede and lyue vppon water Cresseys, wilde Garlyke, and suche hearbes as they can finde. Beyng neare to the Sea coaste, they will feede vppon all kinde of shel∣fishes, as Cockles, Muskles, Oysters, and suche lyke. Their sea∣son beginneth in the middest of September, and endeth aboute the beginnyng of December when they go to the Rutte: com∣monly a Bore wyll abyde the baye before he go out of his denne, and they lie moste commonly in the strongest holdes of Thornes, and thicke Bushes: and when they are hunted they sticke also in the strongest couertes, and will seldome leaue them vntill it be darke night. And if it chaunee that there be a Sownder of them together, then if any one breake Sownder, the reste will followe the same way. The Bore dothe sooner forsake the hollow Forestes to seeke strong couerts, than the Harte dothe: therevpon it hath bene spoken in Prouerbe, that a Bore is but a gest: and if a Bore be in a thicke or strong couert, beyng come thyther from a hollow woode or Forrest, then if you hunte him, he will not fayle to go backe by the same way that he came thether: and when soeuer they are once reared, they flee continually & neuer stay vntill they come to the place where they were farrowed and brought vp, for there they thinke thēselues in sa•…•…egarde. This haue I seene by experiēce by a Bore, whiche hath come fro•…•… his accustomed denne to seeke feede, and beyng hunted he went immediately & directly backe 〈1 page missing〉〈1 page missing〉 〈1 page missing〉〈1 page missing〉

close and rowteth not, then shall you say he graseth: these termes you maye vse in making report of a Bore.