The gentlemans recreation in two parts : the first being an encyclopedy of the arts and sciences ... the second part treats of horsmanship, hawking, hunting, fowling, fishing, and agriculture : with a short treatise of cock-fighting ... : all which are collected from the most authentick authors, and the many gross errors therein corrected, with great enlargements ... : and for the better explanation thereof, great variety of useful sculptures, as nets, traps, engines, &c. are added for the taking of beasts, fowl and fish : not hitherto published by any : the whole illustrated with about an hundred ornamental and useful sculptures engraven in copper, relating to the several subjects.

T••e Death of the Stag, with the Ceremo∣nies [ 60] to be observed therein.

HE that gives the falling blow, ought of right to sound the Recheat, to assemble together the rest of the Company, as also the Dogs; also at the Death of a Stag, there are several Cere∣monies that should be observed.

When the Huntsmen come in to the Death of the Hart, they should cry Ware Haunch, that the Hounds may not break in to the Deer, which be∣ing secured, the next business is to cut his Throat, and to Reward the young Hounds with the Blood, to make them in love with a Deer, and learn to keep at the Throat; then having sounded the Mot, or Morts, he that is to break him up (that is, to take say,) first, slits the Skin from the cutting of the Throat downwards, making the Arber, so that the Ordure may not break forth; then he is to be Paunched, and the Hounds to be rewarded therewith. Another Ceremony is, the Huntsman presents the Person that took the Essay with a drawn Hanger, to have a Chop at his Head, and after him, every one hath a Chop if it is not cut off; and generally the Huntsman, or Keeper is provided with such a Hanger, that is not over Sharp, that there may be the more Chops for the gaining more Fees, every one giving him a Shilling at least: which done, the Huntsman takes up the Head, and shews it to the Hounds for their Encouragement, Rewarding the Young ones with the Blood. And the concluding Ceremo∣ny, is to blow a Treble Mot by one, and then a whole Recheat in Consort by all that have Horns Bare-headed, with a general Ho-up: Upon which they depart Home; the Hart is carried away in a Cart, together with the Head, and the Hounds coupled up, and carried Home by the Keeper.

And you must observe that the Bloodhound must be first Rewarded, for that Honour belongs to him; and when he hath done, then Reward the rest, especially the young; and as near as you can let your Rewards be given them Hot, which is much better than cold, which is the ill Custom of many Huntsmen.

But it hapneth very often, that through some accident or other the Hart escapeth; now for the recovering the Chase the next day, let there be some Marks set, where the Chase is left off; and go to that place with your Bloodhound, together with the Kennel of Hounds behind them, and let him that hath the best Hound, and most ten∣der Nosed, undertake to draw endways in the Tracts and ways that the Hart most probably went (for they do most commonly run endways, as far as they have force) and then if they find any Water or Soil, they continue sometimes therein, which doth so stiffen their Joynts at their coming out, that they can't go far, nor stand up long; so that they are constrained to take Harbour in any place they can find, that is Co∣vert where they may feed as they lye, and let some others draw to you out of the Coverts, by the most comodious places for them to mark, and for the Hounds to vent in; and if any chance to find where any hath leapt, or gone, he shall put the Hound to it, Hooping twice, or blowing two Mots with his Horn, to call in his Company, and the rest of the Kennel to come in; and if it be the Hart which they seek, let the best Hound be put thereunto, and let the Company separate them∣selves, and go several ways to the outsides of the Covert, and if they find where he hath gone into some likely Covert or Grove, then let the Hounds be drawn near unto them, and beat cross through

[illustration]

STAGG TAKEING S••Y•••• To the Right Honourable George Lord Nevill▪ Baron of Bergevenny &^tc

This Plate is Humbly Dedicated by Richard Blome

[illustration]

The Stagg at B••y

To the Right Honourable Trancis Viscount Newport of Bradford, Treasurer of his Majestyes Household, and Lord Leiutenant of the County of Salop &c.

This Plate is Humbly Dedicated by Richard Blome.

[illustration]

The Death of the Hart

To y^e R^t. Hoble Henry Duke of Beaufort, Marquess & Earle of Worcester, Baron Herbert of Chipstow, Raglan, & Gower•• L^d. President, & L^d. Leivtenant of Wales, & y^e Marches; L^d. Leivtenant of y^e Counties of Glocester, Hereford, & Monmouth, & of y^e Citty & County of Bristoll: L^d. Warden of his Maj^tys: forest of Dean, & Constable of y^e Castle of S^d. Briavells, K^t. of the most noble order of the Garter, & one of y^e L^d•. of his Maj^tys. most Hon••ble Privy Councell &^ct. This Plate is humbly dedicated by R. Blome.

[illustration]

Takeing Say of y^e Stagg

[illustration]

Stagg Hunting. Viz Choping at his head.

To the R^t. Hon^ble William Stanley Earle of Derby Lord Stanley & Strange of Knocking Vicount Kinton Bar^t of Weeton L^d. Mohun. Burnet Basset and Lacy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 L^d Leivtenant of Lancashire and Cheshire and Admi¦rall of the seas thereto belonging Chamberlaine of Chester and Lord of Man and of the I••les

This Plate is humble dedicated by R. Blome

[illustration]

The End of y^e Chase of y^e Stagg

To The Honourable S^r. Arthur Randon of Randon Hall in the West Rid••ing of York Shire Baronet.

This Plate is humbly dedicated by Richard Blome.

it; and if they renew their Slot, they must con∣sider whether it be the right or not; and if he that draweth perceiveth it to be the right, let him blow two Mots, to call in the Company; and if he chance to find five or six Layres one after ano∣ther together, do not take it for a Herd of Deer as many think; for when a Hart hath been long run and spent, he will make many Layres together, because he can't well stand up to Feed, but Feeds lying. [ 10]

For the Hunting the Hart or Stag. I shall not descend to every Particular; for 'tis an Exercise that requires both your Wit, Patience, and Po∣licy, with relation to the variations of the Ground, Situations, Woods, Rivers, and an hundred more Accidents that may intervene; this Chase seldom or never being after one and the same manner, but different according to the Weather, the condition of the Dogs, and the strength of the Hart, with many other Considerations that re∣quire [ 20] your Skill, or else you may chance to lose the Hart by default, which amongst Wood-men is a disgrace. He should be therefore wise and bold, good at both fore and after Game; neither ought he to be discouraged at every lit∣tle ilconveniency; for being put off from his Chase through any accident of violent Storm, the Nights approach, or the like, he ought to Blemish on the last View or Slot, and to it again in the Morning with the Draught or Blood∣hound, [ 30] as before directed, and fear not success; for 'tis the nature of the Hart, when he is close run and almost spent, to make forth on Head, and to descend at the first Soil, to cool and refresh himself, where he useth to continue (if not pursued) so long, that his Limbs become stiff, and almost disabled from runing, and therefore betakes himself to the next shelter he meets with, and consequently becomes an easie Chase the next Morning, if the Huntsmen under∣stand [ 40] their business, and follow the aforesaid In∣structions.