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The proper termes for the companies of all beasts, when they are more than one togither.
TO beginne with the termes that are proper for the compa∣nies* 1.1 of beasts: you shall vnderstand that Huntesmen vse to saye, An Heard of Harts and Hindes, Buckes and Does: and A Trippe of Gotes and Geates. A Beauie of Rowes. A Sounder of Swine. And a Rowte of VVolues. I haue not readde any thing of the Raynedeare in this respect, and I could not heare any thyng bycause in deede they are not in this Realme as farre as euer I coulde learne. But in my iudgement it shoulde also be called An Heard of Raynedeare. Trystrā addeth, A Richesse of Mar∣ternes, and a Slowth of Beares. As for Hares, if they be two togi∣thers, we say, a brase of Hares, and a Lease when there are three: as also a brase of Harts or Hindes, Buckes or Does, is very pro∣perly spoken: but more than two or three Hares, you shal seldom see togither at once. Twoo Conies are called a couple, and three are called a couple & a halfe of Conies. If they be many feeding out togethers, we say it is a fayre game of Conies. As for Fox, Badgerd & other suche vermine, you shall seldome see more than one of them at once, vnlesse it be when they engendre: and then their encrease is called A lytter. This is asmuche as I thinke requisite to say of the termes for the companies of Beastes: Sa∣uing that. xx. is the least number which maketh an Hearde of a∣ny Deare sauing the Rowe: but sixe Rowes make an hearde. And of Swyne twelue is the least nūber, which may be called a Sounder: as also the same nūber serueth for a route of Wolues.