NOw thenne woll I dyscryue the sayd dysportes and ga¦mys to fynde the beste of theym as veryly as I can̄ / alle be it that the ryght noble and full worthy prynce the du¦ke of Yorke late callid mayster of game hath discryued the myr¦thes of huntynge lyke as I thynke to dyscryue of it and of alle the other. For huntynge as to mynentent is to laboryous / For the hunter must alwaye renne & folowe his houndes: traueyl∣lynge & swetynge full sore. He blowyth tyll his lyppes blyster And whan he wenyth it be an hare full oft it is an hegge hogge Thus he chasyth and wote not what. He comyth home at euyn rayn beten pryckyd: and his clothes torne wete shode all myry Some hounde loste: some surbat. Suche greues & many other hapyth vnto the hunter / whyche for dyspleysaunce of theym yt loue it I dare not reporte. Thus truly me semyth that this is not the beste dysporte and game of the sayd foure. The dyspor¦te and game of hawkynge is laboryous & noyouse also as me semyth. For often the fawkener leseth his hawkes as the hun∣ter Page [unnumbered] his hoūdes. Thenne is his game & his dysporte goon. Full often cryeth he & whystelyth tyll that he be ryght euyll a thur¦ste. His hawke taketh a bowe and lyste not ones on hym rewar¦de. whan he wolde haue her for to flee: thenne woll she bathe. with mys fedynge she shall haue the Fronse: the Rye: the Cray and many other syknesses that brynge theym to the Sowse. Thus by prouff this is not the beste dysporte & game of the sa¦yd foure. The dysporte & game of fowlynge me semyth moost symple For in the wynter season the fowler spedyth not but in the moost hardest and coldest weder: whyche is greuous. For whan he wolde goo to his gynnes he maye not for colde. Ma∣ny a gynne & many a snare he makyth. Yet soryly dooth he fa∣re. At morn tyde in the dewe he is weete shode vnto his taylle. Many other suche I cowde tell: but drede of magre makith me for to leue. Thus me semyth that huntynge & hawkynge & al∣so fowlynge ben so laborous and greuous that none of theym maye perfourme nor bi very meane that enduce a man to a me¦ry sp•••te: whyche is cause of his longe lyfe acordynge vnto ye sayd pr••••be of Salamon. ¶Dowteles then̄e folowyth it that it must nedes be the dysporte of fysshynge wyth an angle. For all other manere of fysshyng is also laborous & greuous: often makynge folkes ful wete & colde / whyche many tymes hath be seen cause of grece Infirmytees. But the angler maye haue no colde nor no dysease nor angre / but yf he be causer hymself. For he maye not lese at the moost but a lyne or an hoke: of whyche he maye haue store plentee of his owne makynge / as this sym¦ple treatyse shall teche hym. Soo thenne his losse is not greuo¦us. and other greyffes maye he not haue / sauynge but yf ony fisshe breke away after that he is take on the hoke / or elles that he catche nought: whyche ben not greuous. For yf he faylle of one he maye not faylle of a nother / yf he dooth as this treaty∣se techyth: but yf there be nought in the water. And yet atte the leest he hath his holsom walke and mery at his ease. a swete ay¦re of the swete sauoure of the meede floures: that makyth hym hungry. He hereth the melodyous armony of fowles. He seeth the yonge swannes: heerons: duckes: cotes and many other fou¦les wyth theyr brodes. / whyche me semyth better than alle the Page [unnumbered] noyse of houndys: the blastes of hornys and the scrye of foulis that hunters: fawkeners & foulers can make. And yf the angler take fysshe: surely thenne is there noo man merier than he is in his spyryte. ¶Also who soo woll vse the game of anglynge: he must ryse erly. whiche thyng is prouffytable to man in this wy¦te / That is to wyte: moost to the heele of his soule. For it shall cause hym to be holy. and to the heele of his body / For it shall cause hym to be hole. Also to the encrease of his goodys. For it shall make hym ryche. As the olde englysshe prouerbe sayth in this wyse. ¶who soo woll ryse erly shall be holy helthy & zely.
¶Thus haue I prouyd in myn entent that the dysporte & ga∣me of anglynge is the very meane & cause that enducith a man in to a mery spyryte: Whyche after the sayde parable of Salo∣mon & the sayd doctryne of phisyk makyth a flourynge aege & a longe. And therfore to al you that ben vertuous: gentyll: and free borne I wryte & make this symple treatyse folowynge: by whyche ye may haue the full crafte of anglynge to dysport you at your luste: to the entent that your aege maye the more flou¦re and the more lenger to endure.
