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 you shall rewarde your houndes when they haue killed an Hare, which the Frenchman calleth the reward, and sometimes the quarey, but our old Tristram cal∣leth it the hallow. Chap. 62. (Book 62)

VVHen your houndes haue killed the Hare, let the varlet of your kennell, cut downe some pretie bending wandes of an Hasell or some such tree, & then let him take the Hare and lay hir in some fayre place vpon the grasse: then let the huntesman

alight from his horse, and blowe the death to call in all the hoūdes: that done, the varlet of the kenell shal keepe off y^• hoūtes with those little wandes, and let them all baye aboute him. The huntesman shall blowe still a good while, and afterwardes shall clappe and stroke his best houndes on the sides, and shewe them the Hare, saying: Dead boyes, dead: Then lette him hulke hir) (which is to open hir and take out hyr garbage) and afterwards stryp off hir skinne before the houndes, takyng away the Gall, the lightes, and the skinne, the whiche he shall hang vp in some tree, where the houndes may not eate them, for they will make them sicke. When the Hare is thus hulked and stripte out of hyr skinne, le•…•…te the Huntesman take out of his wallet some bread, cheese, and other small morsels, & put them into the bulke of the Hare, to wet and moysten them with hir bloud: then shall he cutte off the foreparte of the Hare, head and all: and yet if he haue any yong hounde whiche is fearefull, let him giue him the Hares heade by himselfe for to encourage him the better. Then muste the varlet of the kennell ty•…•… a corde to the forequarters of the Hare in fiue or sixe places, that one dogge may not teare a∣way all at a mouthfull, and so beguyle all his fellowes. After∣wardes let him hide it, and take his staffe and go an hundreth paces from the rest: in meane whyle the huntesman shall powre out the rewarde of bread and cheese vpon the cleanest place of grasse that he can finde, and shall yet keepe off the houndes with his hunting wande. This beyng done, he shal blow that all the houndes may come in together, & shal suffer them to eate this re∣warde, clapping them vppon the sides, comforting of them, and blowing with his horne. In meane while whē they haue almost done, he shal make signe to the varlet of the kennell whiche shall hallow and blow for the houndes: then the huntesman shall rate them & beate them to him, saying: Lyst Hallow, Hike Hallow, hike. Then the varlet shall shew them the Hare holding it as high as he can, & holding his corde alwayes fast by y^• end: & when all the houndes be about him, he shal cast it amongst thē, & suffer thē to •…•…eare it by peecemeale out of the corde: and then carie them to the water before he cou•…•…le them vp agayne: or rather lette him

carie them home vncoupled, that they may skoure at large and skommer: for a hounde will be enclined to be sickly when he hath eaten of a Hares fleshe. And therefore let him giue them bread after they haue eatē the rewarde, to close vp theyr stomacks withall, and least they should cast it vp againe.

The Hare, to the Hunter.

[illustration]

ARe mindes of men, become so voyde of sense, That they can ioye to hurte a harmelesse thing? A sillie beast, whiche cannot make defence? I wretche? a worme that can not bite, nor sting? If that be so, I thanke my Ma•…•…er than, For makyng me, a Beast and not a Man.

The Lyon lickes the sores of wounded Sheepe, He spares to pray, whiche yeeldes and craueth grace: The dead mans corps hath made some Serpentes weepe, Such rewth may ryse in beasts of bloudie race: And yet can man, (whiche bragges aboue the rest) Use wracke for rewth? can murder like him best?

This song I sing, in moane and mourneful notes, (Which fayne would blase, the bloudie minde of Man) Who not cotent with Hartes, Hindes, Buckes, Rowes, Gotes, Bores, Beares, and all, that hunting conquere can, Must yet seeke out, me filly harmelesse Hare, To hunte with houndes, and course sometimes with care.

The Harte doth hurte (I must a trueth confesse) He spoyleth Corne, and beares the hedge adowne: So doth the Bucke, and though the Rowe seeme lesse, Yet doth he harme in many a field and Towne: The clyming Gote doth pill both plant and vine, The pleasant meades are rowted vp with Swine.

But I poore Beast, whose feeding is not seene, Who breake no hedge, who pill no pleasant plant: Who stroye no fruite, who can turne vp no greene, Who spoyle no corne, to make the Plowman want: Am yet pursewed with hounde, horse, might and mayne By murdring men, vntill they haue me slayne.

Sa how sayeth one, as soone as he me spies, Another cries Now, Now, that sees me starte, The houndes call on, with hydeous noyse and cryes, The spurgalde Iade must gallop out his parte: The horne is blowen, and many a voyce full shryll, Do whoup and crie, me wretched Beast to kyll.

What meanest thou man, me so for to pursew? For first my skinne is scarcely worth a placke, My fleshe is drie, and harde for to endew, My greace (God knoweth) not great vpon my backe, My selfe, and all, that is within me founde, Is neyther, good, great, ritche, fatte, sweete, nor sounde.

So that thou shewest thy va•…•…tes to be but vayne, That bragst of witte, aboue all other beasts, And yet by me, thou neyther gettest gayne Nor findest foode, to serue thy gluttons feasts: Some sporte perhaps: yet Greuous is the glee VVhich endes in Bloud, that lesson learne of me.