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.

An aduertisment of the Translator.

I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in mynè Author nothing written either of the wild Cat or of the Marterne, and yet both those are vermine whiche we vse here in England cōmonly to hunt, and in my iudgement as necessarie to be hunted as any vermine can be. For the question may be doubtfull, whether eyther Foxe or Badgerd doe more hurt than the wild Cat doth: Since there are few gentlemen in England but haue commoditie by Conies, either great or smal: and I am sure that there is no vermine which doth more hurt in a Warren of Conies, than a wild Cat doth. And therewithal I haue heard some hunters say, that she l•…•…aueth as great sent, & ma∣keth as good a cry for the time, as any vermin that is hunted, es∣pecially the Marterne passeth all other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for sweetnesse of sent, and hir case is a noble •…•…urre. The wild Cats case is nothing so good furre, but it is verie warme, and medicinable for sundry a•…•…s and paines in the bones and ioynts. Also hi•…•… greace is very good for sinewes that be shronke. These two chases are not to be sought of purpose, vnlesse the huntsman doe see them where they

pray, and can go readily to him. But if a hound chance to crosse them, he wil hunt it assone as any chase, & they make a noble crye, for the time that they stand vp. At last when they may no more, they wil take a tree, and therein seeke to begile the hounds. But if the hounds hold in to them, & wil not so giue it ouer, then they will leape from one tree to another, & make great shifte for their liues, with no lesse pastime to the huntsmen. When they are kil∣led, you must hold them vp vpon a pyked staffe, & hallowe in all your hounds, & then reward thē with some meate. For the flesh of these 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is not good for a hoūd. Thus much I haue thou∣ght good of my self, to write according to my country hunting.