Lathams new and second booke of falconrie concerning the training vp of all hawkes that were vnmentioned in his first booke of the haggart faulcon and gerfaulcon, formerly printed; teaching approued medicines for all their diseases. / By Symon Latham, Gent.

The Epilogue, Wherein is contained the opinion of a worthy Diuine S. I. and composed by himselfe, con∣cerning this and the like subiect.

I Haue alwaies thuoght Hunting & Haw∣king, and the like exercises indifferent, with zealousa 1.1 Deering, perswading my selfe that the smelling of the Dogge, the flying of the Hawke, the Antipathie a∣mongst the Creatures, how euer it was produced by the fall of man, yet neuerthelesse that God in his mercy al∣loweth, & in his wise prouidence disposeth euen of these contrarieties and Antipathies, as well as of the Sympa∣thies of the creatures, for the good and vse of man, his Lieutenant & Vicegerent ouer the works of his hands. And for Hunting, more specially it is my opinion (if not iudgement) thatb 1.2 Isaack would not haue tollerated, much lesse commanded Esaus hunting, if it had bin sin∣full. Secondly, it is lawfull to kill the Creature in Chri∣stian liberty, Deere or Hare, or the like, for meat or me∣dicine: yea so to kill them as they may be most vsefull & behoofefull for man, which is done better by chase or course, then eyther by Gins or shooting (as experience shewes:) and (as some scrupulously obiect) this is not to tyrannize ouer the creature, in putting it by continuance of chase or course, to a more lasting paine, but rather to lessen (euen as he that dies by degrees in a consumption, or that bleeds to death, dies more easily then hee that is hewn with a sword, as Samuel didc 1.3 Agag, al at once:) wel the ground being the legitimation of this exercise, as many arguments may conuince, if it should be contradi∣cted (the circumstances of time, place, persons, dulie and truly obserued): now because these exercises are grossely and sinfully abused by many loose & licentious persons,

that obserue no circumstances (which vsually make or marre the actions) they vsing it most that stand least need; in respect of any calling or imploiment they haue, or vndertake, to wearie their spirits, or spend their bo∣die or braine, hauing their hearts so taken vp, and affe∣ctions intangled with it, as they spend and mispend their golden and pretious time, two or three whole daies in a weeke, making recreation halfe, if not all their vocati∣on, trade, and occupation, turning all their meate into sauce, yea the Sabboth it selfe, which should be dedicated to God and good duties, being prophaned and polluted by the discourses of their chases and courses with their hounds and horses, or coursers; I say, because such idle libertines doe abuse this honest and harmelesse exercise, as it hath euer beene accounted,d 1.4 may it not therefore be lawfully and conscionably vsed with moderation by a Magistrate, or Minister, or Lawyer, or Student, or any other seriously imployed, which in any function heat their braines, wast their bodies, weaken their strength, weary their spirits; that as a meanes (and blessing from God) by it their decayed strength may be restored, their vitall and animall spirits quickned, refreshed, and reui∣ued; their health preserued, and they better inabled (as a bow vnbended for shooting) to the discharging of these weighty charges imposed vpon them. Who will denie this, but eyther those that are blockishly ignorant, igno∣rantly or blindly zealous, viciously profane, splenitiuely malicious, or critically, if not hypocritically censorious? that will be taxing and condemning, and shooting their bruta fulmina, foolish Bolts as madde men their darts, against those whom they hate or emulate, whether there be cause or no.

FINIS.

Notes

• a 1.1

  In the begin∣ning of his Le∣ctures vpon the Hebrewes.
• b 1.2

  Gen. 27. ••.
• c 1.3

  1 Sam. 15.33.••••
• d 1.4

  Romanis solem∣ne viris opus, v∣tile famae, vitae{que} & membris, &c. Horace. Lege Natalem Co∣mitem de venat. in fine Mythiolog••