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 hunting of the Foxe and Badgerd. Chap. 65. (Book 65)

[illustration]

NOw to speake of For houndes & Terryers, and how you should enter them to take the Foxe, the Badgerd, and suche like vermine: you muste vnderstand that there are sundrie sortes of Terriers, whereof wee hold opinion that one sorte came out of Flaunders or the low Countries, as Irtoys and thereabouts, and they haue crooked legges, and are shorte heared moste com∣monly. Another sorte there is whiche are shagged and streight legged: those with the crooked legges will take earth better than the other, and are better for the Badgerd, bycause they will lye longer at a vermine: but the others with streyght legges do serue for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 purposes, for they wyll Hunte a∣boue the grounde aswell as other houndes, and enter the earthe with more furie than the others: but they will not

abide so long, bycause they are too too eagre in fight, and there∣fore are constreyned to come out to take the ayre: there are both good and badde of bothe sortes. And bycause it is good pastime, and braue fight, without great payne or trauayle to the huntes∣man, therefore I haue thought good to set downe here some pre∣ceptes for the entryng of Terriers, and for the better fleshyng and encouragyng of them.

You shall beginne to enter them assoone as they be eyght or tenne Moneths old: For if you enter not a Terrier before he be a yeare old, you shall hardly euer make him take the earth. And you must take good heede that you encourage them, and rebuke them not at the firste: nor that the Foxe or Badgerd do hurte them within the earth, for then they will neuer loue the earth a∣gayne. And therefore neuer enter a yong Terryer in an earth where there is an olde Foxe or Badgerd: But firste lette them be well entred, and be a yeare olde full or more. You shall do well also to put in an old Terryer before them whiche may a∣bide and endure the furie of the Fox or Badgerd. You may en∣ter them and fleshe them sundrie wayes. First when Foxes and Badgerds haue yong cubbes, take all your olde Terryers and put them into the grounde: and when they beginne to baye, (whiche in the earth is called Yearnyng) you muste holde your yong Terryers euery one of them at a sundrie hole of some an∣gle or mouth of the earth, that they may herken and heare theyr fellowes yearne. And when you haue taken the old Foxes or Badgerdes, and that there is nothing left in the earth but the yōg Cubbes, take out then all your old Terryers, & couple them vp: then put in your yong Terryers & encourage them, crying, To him, To him, To him: and if they take any yong Cubbe, lette them take theyr pleasure of him, & kill him within the grounde: and beware that the earth fall not downe vpon them and smoo∣ther them. That done, take all the rest of the Cubbes and Bad∣gerds pigges home with you, and frie theyr liuers and theyr bloud with cheese, and some of theyr owne greace, and thereof make your Terryers a rewarde, shewyng them alwayes the heads and skinnes to encourage them. When they haue bene re∣warded

or rather before, washe them with Sope and warme water to get out the clay whiche shall be clodded in theyr heare: for els they will soone become mangie: and that would be harde to be cured. You may enter them also thus: you must take old Foxes and Badgerdes aliue with your olde Terryers and the helpe of such clampes and holdfastes as you shall see here por∣trayed: Take them and cut away their nether Iawe wherein there wang teeth be set, and neuer touche the vpper Iawe, but let it stande to shewe the furie of the Beast, although it can do no hurte therwith: then make an earth in some of your closes, and make it large inough, bycause that the Terryers may fight and turne therein the better, and that they may go in twoo to∣gether: then couer the borowe or earth with bordes and turues, and put the Fore or Badgerd therein: then put in al your Ter∣ryers both yong and old, and encourage them with wordes, as hath bene before declared, and as the Arte requyreth: and when they haue yearned sufficiētly, then beginne to digge with spades and mattockes to encorage them agaynst such tyme as you must vse to digge ouer them: then take out the Foxe or Badgerde with the clampes or pinchers, killyng it before them, or lette a Greyhounde kill it in their sight, and make them reward there∣of. It shall be well to cast them some breade or cheese vpon the vermin assoone as it is dead, for the better boldnyng and encouraging of thē. If you will not cut the Iawe of the Foxe or Badgerd, then breake out al his teeth that he bite not the Ter∣ryers, and it shall suffyze as well.