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.

Howe to digge for a Foxe or a Badgerde, and what instrumentes are meete for the same. Chap. 71. (Book 71)

THey which will heare good pastime at a Foxe, or a Bad∣gerd within the grounde, must be furnished with suche tooles and appertinances as followe, and as are heere be∣fore this present chapter portrayed. First let there be in the com∣pany, fiue or sixe strong fellowes which can well endure to dyg* 1.1 and delue. Next you must haue as many good and arrant Ter∣riers, garnished with collers full of belles, to make the Foxe or Badgerd start the soner, and also their collers wil be some defēce to saue them from hurting. But when your Terriers are out of breath, or that the Belles are stopped and glutted vp with earth, or that you perceiue the vermine is angled (whiche is to say, gone to the furdest parte of his chamber to stand at defence) then you may take off the collers: but at the first they serue to greate

purpose, to make the vermine eyther start or angle. Then to re∣tourne vnto my matter, a Lord or Gentleman whiche will fol∣low this pastune, should haue halfe a dozen Mattes to lie vppon the ground on, as they hearken to the Terriers: some vse to car∣rie a windbed whiche is made of leather strongly sowed on all the foure sides, and hauing a Pype at one of the corners, to blow it as you woulde blowe a Baggepype, and when it is blowen full of wind, to stoppe it vp and lie vpon it on the grounde: but this were too great curiositie, & yet a Lord or Gentleman can∣not take too great heede of the colde and moysture of the earthe, for he may thereby take sundrie diseases and infirmities. The in∣strumēts to digge withal must be these, sharpe poynted Spades, round hollowed Spades, and flatte broade Spades, Howes, or Mattocks, and Pickaxes, a Colerake and a payre of Clampes or Holdfasts, Shouells both shodde and bare, an Axe and a sharpe paring Spade, the sharp pointed Spade serueth to begin y^t trēch first, where the ground is hardest and broader tooles would not so wel enter: the roūd hollowed. Spade serueth to digge amōgst Rootes, and may be so made with such sharpe edges, that it will cut the rootes also: the flat broade Spade, to digge withall when the trenche is better opened and the grounde softer: the Howes, Mattocks, & Pickaxes to digge with in harder grounde where a Spade will make no riddance of the worke: the Colerake to clense the hole and to keepe it from stopping vp: the clampes or holdfasts to take a Foxe or Bagerd out aliue, wherewith you may make pastime afterwards, or to help the terriers when they are aferd to bite a vermine: y^• Shouels both shod and bare, serue to cast out y^• earth which the Spades or Mattocks haue digged, according to y^• hardnesse or softnesse of y^• grounde wherein you digge: the paring Spade to keepe the trenche in fashion: and the Axe to cut the rootes or any other thing withall. You shall also haue a Payle to set water vnto your Terriers at suche times as they come out to take breath. All these instruments I haue caused to be portrayed y^t you may the better perceyue them. And w^t these instruments & such like necessary implements a Lord or Gentle∣mā may fill a prettie little Cart or Wagon made for y^t purpose, y^t which he may cause to be caried on field with him, alwais pro∣uided

that when the sayd cariage is loded, he forget not to cause his Cooke and Butler to hang good store of bags and bottels a∣bout the raues and pinnes thereof: for it will be both comely and comfortable. In this order of battell, a noble man or gentlemā may march to besiege the Foxe and Badgerd, in their strongest holes and castles. And may breake their Casmats, Plotformes, Parapets, and worke to them with Mynes, and countermines, vntill they get their skynnes, to make furres and myttens.

Notes

• * 1.1

  They are but spades a•…•…d Mattockes which are not so needfull to be portrayed.