The Project Gutenberg eBook of The School of Recreation (1684 edition)

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Title: The School of Recreation (1684 edition)

Author: R. H.

Release date: December 9, 2007 [eBook #23776]

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Louise Hope, Jonathan Ingram and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

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The School of Recreation. Printed for Henry Rodes near Bride Lane in Fleet Street.

THE

SCHOOL

OF

RECREATION:

Or, The

Gentlemans

TUTOR,

To those

Most Ingenious Exercises

OF

Hunting.
Racing.
Hawking.
Riding.
Cock-Fighting.
Fowling.

Fishing.
Shooting.
Bowling.
Tennis.
Ringing.
Billiards.

By R. H.

London, Printed for H. Rodes, next door to the
Bear-Tavern near Bride-Lane in Fleet-Street, 1684.

TO THE

READER.

MAN, the Abridgement of the Creation, or the Compendium of all Gods Works, having divested himself by Sin of that Original Innocence and Angelical State of Life wherein his Creator had placed him, and thereby Subjected his collapsed Nature to the Malediction of God, In the sweat of thy Face thou shalt eat thy Bread, &c. It pleased however the Almighty to continue and confirm that Original grand Charter he had at first granted him, of being Lord of the Creatures: Hereby intimating, That tho man is now Born to Trouble, Labour and Cares, as the Sparks fly upward; yet God has not deprived him of any Comfort or Felicity, which the Earth or Creatures of it can afford; but has invested him with a superior Authority and Dominion over the Beast of the Feild, the Fowl of the Air, and the Fish of the Sea. Thus it comes to pass, that every Creature payes a Duty and a Subjection, (as it were) to man, as to their Master; and notwithstanding the Ferocity and Salvageness of their Natures, become tame and submissive to the Empire of Man. They court his Favour and mutely supplicate his Friendship and Confederacy, for the subduing the Enemies of their several Species: They readily obey his Precepts, and ravisht with his Service willingly execute his Commands. And thus by this prime Priviledg from God, Man is allowed the Liberty of subduing the Creature, and recreating his Mind by Hunting, Fowling, Fishing and the like; and by observing the Natural Instincts of every Species, the innate Enmity and Cunning of every Creature, may glorify the Immense Wisdom of his Creator.

And as the Liberty of Recreation in lawful Exercises is thus Naturall, so is it highly Necessary and Useful too. Recreation keeps up the strength and Alacrity of the bodily Forces, without which the Soul cannot work: I mean those brisk and violent Exercises, which the Following sheets specifie. They cause the Body to transpire plentiful sweats, and exhale those black and fuliginous Vapours which too much oppress some men, and remove the Obstructions which hinder the Circulation of Nature. Brisk Exercises render a man Active, Vigorous, Strong, and Hardy, and attenuate and disperse that Stagnation of humors, Benummedness and Dulness, which Idleness contracts: Nay, (as one excellently observes) divers bodily Infirmities, Diseases and Undecencies are hereby regulated and amended: Riding was used by the great Drusus for the Strengthening his weak and small Thighs and Legs; and by his late Majesty, especially after Dinner; and is also good for the Head: Shooting in a long Bow for the Breast and Arms; and helps Squinting: Bowling for the Reins, Stone, Gravel, &c.

Nor are the several other Games commonly practised, less Commendable, were they used with a modest and prudent Care: I recomend them as useful as the other, were a right use made of them. I would not have them made a Trade, instead of a Divertisement. But especially those that are managed by Skill, and not Fortune, may be Learned, for these acquaint a man with Numbring, and quicken the Fancy and Memory, and recreate the Mind.

And as Recreation is thus natural and necessary, so is it Commendable too, and recommended by the Practises of all Ages; as well sacred as prophane Histories plainly testifying the Truth of it. But I shall not trouble you any longer by detaining you at the Door, and enumerating the various Examples, which may Authorize a vertuous Use of Recreations, and apologize for this Work: The severest Stoick being never so cruel to himself or Nature, as not to give his mind some Relaxation, and recreate it in some more pleasant Pathes, than the miry heavy wayes of his own sullen and wilful Resolutions. Nor do our Modern Stoicks, tho of the strictest Lives, deny themselves some Mental, if not bodily Recreations; altho perhaps Infirmity, Age, Station, Degree, may render their Divertisements the more private, yet not totally denyed. Solomon had his Ittan for Recreations, as Josephus informes us, and the Heathen Sages their Olympiques, wherein were exercised, Wrestling, Running with Horses, Leaping, Coursing with Chariots, Contention of Poets, Rhetoricians, Disputations of Phylosophers, &c.

And because Velle suum cuique, every Mans Nature claimes a special Prerogative, in the electing a Recreation Suitable to it self, one thing being very pleasing and delightful to one, and offensive and troublesome to another, I have therefore like the industrious Bee gathered Honey from various Flowers, and according to your Palate taste and Eat; I have carefully Delineated and drawn to the Life the divers Figures of the several Recreations, and leave you to admire that Peice you fancy best; intreating you to put them to the best Use, not to make them your Trade instead of Recreation; in which sence I would have you to accept this: And now you may walk in and view the Structure.

OF

Hunting

H (Hunting)unting, being a Recreation that challenges the sublime Epithets of Royal, Artificial, Manly, and Warlike, for its Stateliness, Cunning, and Indurance, claims above all other Sports the Precedency; and therefore I was induced to place it at the Head to usher in the rest; and of which take this concise Definition, viz. That since Nature has equally imparted unto every Beast a wonderful Knowledge of Offence and Security, herein we may observe, The curious Search and Conquest of one Creature over another, hurried on by an innate natural Antipathy, and performed or wrought by a Distinction of Smells.

And now to come to the Purpose, and the Design of this Tract, briefly to inform the young Hunter, as yet raw in the true Knowledge of this Royal Sport, with what is meerly necessary and useful, without amusing him with superfluous Observations for his Instruction: I shall therefore observe throughout this Treatise this Method: 1. The several Chases or Games which fall under the first Denomination, Hunting. 2. The genuine or infallible Rules whereby we are to direct our selves, for the obtaining the true Pleasure in prosecuting the same, and the desired Effects of it.

Know then; There are five Beasts of Venery or Forest, viz. The Hart, Hinde, Hare, Boar, Wolf.

As likewise five Wild Beasts, or Beasts of Chace, viz. The Buck, Doe, Fox, Martern, Roe.

The Beasts of Warren, are three, viz. Hares, Coneys, Roes.

Note, The Hart and Hinde before spoken of, though they are of one kind, yet, because their Seasons are several, are esteemed distinct Beasts; and in the Hart is included the Stag, and all red Deer of Antlier.

And because I reckon it the most necessary part of the Hunter to understand the Names, Degrees, Ages, and Seasons of the aforesaid different Beasts of Forest or Venery, Chace, and Warren; I shall therefore, in the next place, present him with these following

Beasts of Forrest, &c.

The Hart, the first Year is called a Hinde-Calf, 2 A Knobber, 3 A Brock, 4 A Staggard, 5 A Stagg, 6 A Hart.

The Hinde, the first Year a Calf, 2 A Hearse, 3 A Hinde.

The Hare, the first Year a Leveret, 2 A Hare, 3 A Great Hare.

The Wild-Boar and Woolf, being no English Chace, I omit.

Beasts of Chace.

The Buck, the first Year is called a Fawn, 2 A Pricket, 3 A Sorrel, 4 A Sore, 5 A Buck of the first Head, 6 A Great Buck.

The Doe, the first Year a Fawn, 2 A Teg, 3 A Doe.

The Fox, the first Year a Cub, 2 A Fox.

The Martern, the first Year a Cub, 2 A Martern.

The Roe, the first Year a Kid, 2 A Gyrl, 3 a Hemuse, 4 A Roe-Buck of the first Head, 5 A Fair Roe-Buck.

As for the Beasts of Warren, the Hare being spoken of before, little or nothing is to be said. The Coney is first a Rabbet, and then an Old Coney.

Thus much for their Names, Degrees, and Ages: Now let us next observe their proper Seasons for Hunting.

The Hart or Buck, beginneth fifteen Days after Mid-Summer-Day, and lasteth till Holy-Rood-Day.

The Fox, from Christmass, and lasteth till the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary.

The Hinde, or Doe, from Holy-Rood-Day, till Candlemas.

The Roe-Buck, from Easter, till Michaelmas.

The Roe, from Michaelmas, till Candlemas.

The Hare, from Michaelmas, to the end of February.

Thus much I thought fit to speak briefly of the proper Names, Degrees, Ages, & Seasons of the several Chaces which we Hunt: But having almost forgot some, I shall insert here, as intending to speak somewhat of them, and they are the Badger, Otter, and Wild-Goat; the last being a Welch-Game: Many more there are which I might here enumerate, but being Forreign Chaces, I omit, as directing my Discourse to the English-Man.

As for the Terms of Art appropriated to Hunting, as the Huntsmans Dialect, they are so many and various, that should I go about to note them here, it would swell my Treatise to too big a Volume; and therefore I refer you to the Dictionaries which speak of them. And now I bring you to the second thing I proposed, viz. The Rules And Measures we are to learn and observe in the aforementioned Sports or Chaces; and in this we must begin with the Pursuers or Conquerors of these Chaces, namely;

Of Hounds.

There are several kinds of Hounds, endued with Qualities suitable to the Country where they are bred; and therefore consult his Country, and you will soon understand his Nature & Use: As for instance, The Western Counties of England, and Wood-land, Mountainous Countries, as also Cheshire, and Lancashire, breed the slow-Hound; a large great Dog, tall and heavy. Worcestershire, Bedfordshire, and many other well mixt Soyls, where the Champaign and Covert are equally large, produce the Middle-sized Dog; of a more nimble Composure than the fore-mentioned, and fitter for Chace. Yorkshire, Cumberland, Northumberland, and the North parts, breed the Light, Nimble, swift slender Dog. And our open Champaigns train up excellent Grey-Hounds, hugely admired for his Swiftness, Strength, and Sagacity. And lastly, the little Beagle bred in all Countries, is of exceeding Cunning, and curious Scent in Hunting. All these Dogs are highly set by in all remote Parts, whose Princes and Lords tenderly cherish them as Excellencies, and ambitiously sue for as Rarities.

For the Choice of Hounds we are to rely much on their Colours, and accordingly make our Election. The Best and most Beautiful of all for a general Kennel, is, The White Hound, with black Ears, and a black spot at the setting on of the Tail, and is ever found to be both of good Scent, and good Condition, and will Hunt any Chace, but especially the Hare, Stag, Buck, Roe, or Otter, not sticking at Woods or Waters. The next is, the Black, the black-tann’d, or all Liver-hew’d, or the milk White Hound, which is the true Talbot, is best for the String, or Line, as delighting in Blood; the Largest is the comliest and best. The Grizled, usually shag-hair’d, are the best Verminers, and so fittest for the Fox, Badger, or other hot Scents; a couple of which let not your Kennel be without, as being exceeding good cunning Finders.

For the Shape of your Hound, you must consult the Climate of his Breed, and the natural Composition of his Body; but by these following Characters you may know a good Hound. If you like a large, heavy, true Talbot-like Hound, See

His Head be round and thick. Nose short and uprising. Nostrils wide and large. Eares large and down-hanging. Upper-Lip-Flews lower than his Nether Chaps. Back strong and rising. Fillets thick and great. Thighs and Huckle-bones round. Hams streight. Tail long and rush-grown. The Hair of his Belly hard and stiff. Legs big and lean. Foot like a Fox’s, well clawd and round. Sole dry and hard. All these shew an able Hound.

If you would choose a swift light Hound, the Yorkshire one in the generality will please you; for that (as these have) he ought to have a slenderer Head, longer Nose, shallower Ears and Flews, broad Back, gaunt Belly, small Tayl, long Joints, round Foot; and in fine of a Gray-Hound-like Make.

Thus much to direct the Choice of Hounds; now something ought to be spoken of the Composition of Kennels, wherein I must appeal to the Affection of the Gentleman, the Lover of this Sport, and let him tell me the Reasons that induced him to take pleasure in Hounds, Whether it be he fancies Cunning in Hunting? Or Sweetness, Loudness, or Deepness of Cry? Or for the Training his Horses? Or for the Exercise of his Body only?

If for Cunning Hunting; breed your Dogs from the slowest and largest of the forementioned Northern Hounds, and the swiftest and slenderest of the West Country, of both Kinds, approved to be not given to lie off, or look for Advantages, but staunch, fair, even-running, and of perfect fine Scent. These will make a Horse gallop fast, and not run; being middle-siz’d; not too swift as to out-run, or too slow as to lose the Scent; are the best for the true Art and Use of Hunting.

If for Sweetness of Cry; compound your Kennel of some large Dogs, of deep solemn Mouths, and swift in spending, as the Base in the Consort; Then twice so many roaring, loud ringing Mouths, as the Counter-Tenor: And lastly, some hollow plain sweet Mouths, as the Mean: So shall your Cry be perfect. Observe that this Composition be of the swiftest and largest deep Mouth’d Dog, the slowest and middle-siz’d, and the shortest Legged slender Dog. For these run even together; and warble forth their musical Notes most sweetly.

If for Loudness of Mouth, choose the Loud clanging (redoubling as it were) Mouth, and to this put the roaring, spending, and Whining Mouth, which will be loud, smart, and pleasant: Such are for the most part your Shropshire, and Worcestershire Dogs.

If (Lastly) for Deepness of Cry, the largest Dogs having the greatest Mouths, and deepest Flews, are the best; such are your West-Country, Cheshire, and Lancashire Dogs.

But if you have your Kennel for Training Horses only; then compound your Kennel of the lightest, nimblest, and swiftest Dogs, such as your Northern Hounds are. For the strong and violent Exercises of their Horses, through the natural Velocity of their Hounds, in the North parts, have render’d them famous for Truth and Swiftness above all other parts of England; though they have not attained this through a better Breeding of their Horses than others, but by daily acquainting them with the Violence of such Exercises, which made it both familiar and natural to them. And He that doth not train up his Horse so, puts a Cheat upon himself.

Lastly, If for the Maintenance of your Health, by preventing Infirmities and Grossness of Humours, you compose your Kennel; consult first your own Ability for this Exercise; and if you think you are able to foot it away, then the Biggest and slowest Dogs you can get are best; which you may bring so to your Command, as to make them Hunt with no more speed than you please to lead them. And herein you are surrounded with a double Delight; to hear their Musick, and observe their ambitious and eager Striving to out-go one another, in the Pursuit of their Game, and yet restrained by a submissive Compliance to their Masters Pleasure, beyond which they dare not presume to pass. But if you would pad it away through an Unability of footing it, Then choose the slowest or middle-sized Hounds, of good Mouths and Noses, for loud Cry, and ready Scent.

Thus far for the Composing a Kennel: I come now to the Kennel it self, of which I need say little, as indeed unnecessary, leaving that to the Discretion of the Huntsman; Only I would have him observe, that it be built some pretty way distant from the Dwelling-House, in a warm dry place, free from Vermine, and near some Pond or River of fresh Water; and so placed, that the Morning Sun may shine upon it. Be sure to keep it clean, and let them not want fresh Straw every day. Feed them early in the Morning at Sun-rising, and at Sun-set in the Evening. As for their Meat, I leave to the ingenious Huntsman to get; Only this I must tell him, Three Bushels of Oates or Barley-Meal, with the half so much Bran or Mill-dust, besides the Horse-Flesh, Scraps, Bones, Crusts, &c. which the painful Huntsman can procure, is a fit weekly Proportion to keep nine or ten Couple of Hounds. When they come from Hunting, after you have fed them well, let them to their Kennel, and wash their Feet with Beer and Butter, or some such thing, and pick and search their Cleys, for Thorns, Stubs, or the like: If it is in Winter, let a fire be made, and let them beak and stretch themselves for an hour or so at the fire, and suffer them to lick, pick, and trim themselves; hereby to prevent the Diseases incident to them, upon sudden Cooling, as the Mange, Itch, Feavors, &c. of which I come now to speak.

But before I treat of the keeping your Hounds in Health by curing their diseases, I must speak a Word or two of the way to Breed good Whelps, viz. Having a Hound and a Bratch of that general Goodness in Size, Voice, Speed, Scent, and Proportion you like, put them together to ingender in January, February, or March, as the properest Months for Hounds, Bitches, and Bratches to be Limed in; because of not losing time to enter them. When you put them together, observe, as near as you can, if the Moon be in Aquarius or Gemini; because the Whelps will then never run Mad, and the Litter, will be double as many Dog, as Bitch, Whelps. When your Bitch is near her Whelping, separate her from the other Hounds, and make her a Kennel particularly by her self; and see her Kennell’d every Night, that she might be acquainted and delighted with it, and so not seek out unwholsom Places; for if you remove the Whelps after they are Whelp’d, the Bitch will carry them up and down till she come to their first Place of Littering; and that’s very dangerous. Suffer not your Whelps to Suck above two Months, and then Weane them.

When your Whelps are brought up, enter them not into Hunting till they are at least a Year and half old: That is, if whelpt in March, enter them September come Twelve-Month; if in April, in October come Twelve-months after, &c.

When you would enter them, bring them abroad, with the most Staunch and best Hunting Hounds; (all babling and flying Curs being left at home:) and a Hare being the best entering Chase, get your Hare ready before, and putting her from her Form, view which way she takes, and then lay on your Hounds, giving them all the Advantages may be; if she is caught, do not suffer them to break her, but immediately taking her, strip off her Skin, and cutting her to peices, give every part to your young Whelps; and that will beget in them a Delight in Hunting, and animate them with Courage. And now let us return to speak of

Diseases incident to Dogs, and their Cures.

Because I should think it a very odd Humor for a Person to select these Creatures (Hounds) as instruments for the procurement of his Health Satisfaction, and Delight, and should be so inhumane as to suffer them to perish in their Diseases, because they cannot communicate their Ailings, and beseech Redress; therefore I have briefly summed up the immediate Cures for their several Diseases, and by preventing his Excuse of Ignorance, desire his Application, as need require.

For Sick Dogs. Take Sheeps-heads, Wooll and all, hack, hew, and bruise them into pieces, make Pottage of it, with Oatmeal, and Penny-Royal, and give it warm.

Lice and Fleas. Boyl four or five handfuls of Rue or Herb of Grace, in a gallon of running Water, till a pottle be consumed, strain it, and put two Ounces of Staves-acre poudered, and bathe them with it warm.

Itch. Take Oyl of Flower-de-Lys, powder of Brimstone, & dry’d Elicampane Roots, of each a like quantity, and Bay-Salt powdered; mix these Powders with the Oyl, and warm it, anoint, scratch, and make it bleed, will do well.

Tetter. Take Black Ink, Juice of Mint & Vinegar, of each a like, mix them altogether with the Powder of Brimstone to a Salve, and Anoint it.

Worms. Give your Hound Brimstone and new Milk, will kill them.

Gauling. May Butter, yellow Wax, and unslackt Lime, made to a Salve, and Anoint therewith, is a present Remedy.

Mange. Take two handfuls of Wild-Cresses, of Elecampane, of the Leaves and Roots of Roerb and Sorrel, the like quantity, and two pound of the Roots of Frodels, Boyl them all well in Lye and Vinegar, strain it, and put therein two pound of Grey soap, and after ’tis melted, rub your Hound with it four or five dayes together; and ’tis an excellent Remedy.

For any Ear Disease. Mix Verjuice and Chervile Water together, and drop into his Eares a spoonful or two, morning and Evening.

Sore Eyes. Chew a Leaf or two of Ground Ivy, and spit the Juice into his Eyes.

Surbaiting. Wash his Feet with Beer and Butter, and bind young red Nettles beaten to a Salve to his Soles.

Biting by Snake, Adder, &c. Beat the herb Calaminth with Turpentine, and yellow Wax to a Salve, and apply it. To expel the inward Poyson, give the said Herb in Milk.

Biting by a Mad Dog. Wash the place with Sea-Water, or strong Brine, will Cure him. The quantity of a Hazel-Nut of Mithridate, dissolved in sweet Wine, will prevent inward Infection.

Madness. Lastly, If your Hound be Mad, which you will soon find by his separating himself from the rest, throwing his Head into the Wind, foaming and slavering at Mouth, snatching at every thing he meets, red fiery Eyes, stinking filthy Breath; then to Knock him in the Head, is a present Remedy, and you’l prevent infinite Dangers.

And now I proceed to give some brief Instructions for Hunting the several Chases used in England, for which we have chosen our Hounds; I mean the Time when? and the Manner how?

Having your Kennel of Hounds in good order and plight, and being desirous to enjoy those Pleasures, for which we have observed the aforesaid Rules; Lead them forth, and to your Game (Gentlemen:) Only take this Caution along with you; Do not forget to have in your Pack a couple of Hounds, called Hunters in the Highwayes, that will Scent upon hard Ground, where we cannot perceive Pricks or Impressions; and for your Huntsman’s and your own Ease, let a couple of Old stench Hounds accompany you, by whose sure Scent, the too great Swiftness of the young and unexperienced Ones may be restrained and regulated; and if you please, take the following Observations with you, and away.

Of Hart or Stag-Hunting.

Waving the Praises of this Creature, and the large Encomiums due to his several Excellencies, we’ll come to the Doctrinal Part, and understand the Age of this our Game, which is known by several Marks, amongst which this is the most authentick: That if you take his view in the ground, and perceive he has a large Foot, a thick Heel, a deep Print, open Cleft and long space, then be assured he is Old; as the Contrary concludes him Young.

But Where and When shall we find him? Examine the following Annual or monethly Season-Description, and you shall find him; begining at the end of Rutting-time, that is, In

November, in Heaths among Furs, Shrubs and Whines.

December, in Forrests among thick and strong Woods.

January, in Corners of the Forrests, Corn-fields, Wheat, Rye, &c.

February and March, Amongst young and thick Bushes.

April and May, in Coppices and Springs.

June and July, in Out-Woods and Purlieus nearest the Corn Fields.

September and October, After the first showers of Rain, they leave their Thickets, and go to Rut, during which time there is no certain place to find them in.

When you have found him in any of these places, be careful to go up the Wind; and the best time to find him is before Sun-rising, when he goes to feed; then watch him to his Leir, and having lodged him, go and prepare; if he is not forced, he will not budge till Evening. Approaching his Lodging, cast off your Finders, who having Hunted him a Ring or two, cast in the rest; and being in full Cry and maine Chace, Comfort and Cheer them with Horne and Voice. Be sure to take notice of him by some Mark, and if your Dogs make Default, rate them off and bring them to the Default back, and make them cast about till they have undertaken the first Deer; Then cheer them to the utmost, and so continue till they have either set up or slain him. It is the Nature of a Stag, to seek for one of his kind, when he is Imbost or weary, and beating him up, ly down in his place; therefore have a watchful eye unto Change. As likewise by taking Soil (i. e. Water) he will swim a River just in the middle down the Stream, covering himself all over, but his Nose, keeping the middle, least by touching any Boughes he leave a Scent for the Hounds; And by his Crossings and Doublings he will endeavour to baffle his Pursuers: In these Cases have regard to your Old Hounds, as I said before. When he is Imbost or weary, may be known thus: By his Creeping into holes, and often lying down, or by his running stiff, high and lumpering, slavering and foaming at Mouth, shining and blackness of his Hair, and much Sweat; And thus much for Stag or Hart Hunting. As for the Buck I shall not speak any thing, for he that can Hunt a Stag well, cannot fail Hunting a Buck well. As likewise for the Roe-Hunting, I refer you to what is spoken of the Hart or Stag.

Of Hare Hunting.

As for the Time, the most proper to begin this Game, note; That about the middle of September is best and to end towards the latter end of February, when surcease, and destroy not the young early Brood of Leverets; and this season is most agreeable likewise to the nature of Hounds; moist and cool. Now for the Place where to find her, you must examine and observe the Seasons of the Year; for in Summer or Spring time, you shall find them in Corn-fields and open places, not sitting in Bushes, for fear of Snakes, Adders, &c. In Winter they love Tuffs of Thorns and Brambles, near Houses: In these places you must regard the Oldness or Newness of her Forme or Seat, to prevent Labour in Vain: If it be plain and smooth within, and the Pad before it flat and worn, and the Prickles so new and perceptible, that the Earth seems black, and fresh broken, then assure your self the Forme is new, and from thence you may Hunt and recover the Hare; if the contrary (which narrowly observe) it is Old, and if your Hounds call upon it, rate them off; the Scent is Old. When the Hare is started and on Foot, step in where you saw her pass, and hollow in your Hounds till they have undertaken it, then go on with full Cry. Above all be sure to observe her first Doubling, which must be your direction for all that day; for all her other after Doublings will be like that. When she is thus reduced to the slights and shifts she makes by Doublings and Windings, give your Dogs Time and Place enough to cast about your Rings, for unwinding the same; and observe her leaps and skips before she squat, and beat curiously all likely places of Harbour: She is soon your Prey now.

Of Coney-Catching.

Their Seasons are alwayes, and the way of taking them thus: Set Pursenets on their Holes, and put in a Ferret close muzzled, and she will bolt them out (being a natural Enemy to them) into the Nets: Or blow on the suddain the Drone of a Bag-Pipe into the Burrows, and they will boult out: Or for want of either of these two, take powder of Orpine and Brimstone and boult them out with the Smother: But pray use this last seldom, unless you would destroy your Warren. But for this sport Hays are to be preferred above all.

Of Fox Hunting.

January, February, and March, are the best Seasons for Hunting the Fox above ground, the scent being then strong, and the coldest Weather for the Hounds, and best finding his Earthing. Cast off your sure Finders first, and as the Drag mends, more; but not too many at once, because of the Variety of Chaces in Woods and Coverts. The night before the day of Hunting, when the Fox goes to prey at midnight, find his Earths, and stop them with Black Thorns and Earth. To find him draw your Hounds about Groves, Thickets, and Bushes near Villages; Pigs and Poultrey inviting him to such Places to Lurk in. They make their Earths in hard Clay, stony ground, and amongst Roots of Trees; and have but one Hole straight and long. He is usually taken, with Hounds, Grey-Hounds, Terriers, Nets and Gins.

Of Badger-Hunting.

This Creature has several Names, as Gray, Brock, Boreson, or Bauson; and is hunted thus. First go seek the Earths and Burrows where he lieth, and in a clear Moon-shine Night, stop all the Holes but one or two, and in these fasten Sacks with drawing strings; and being thus set, cast off your Hounds and beat all the Groves, Hedges, and Tuffs within a mile or two about, and being alarum’d by the Doggs they will repair to their Burrows and Kennells, and running into the Bags are taken. Other Methods there are which are used, but the Common usage makes me omit.

Of the Martern or wild-Cat.

These two Chaces are usually hunted in England, and are as great Infesters of Warrens, as the two last mentioned Vermine, but are not purposely to be sought after; unless the Huntsman see their place of Prey, and can go to it; and if the Hound chance to cross them, sport may be had. But no Rule can be prescribed how to find or hunt them.

Of the Otter.

This Creature useth to lye near Rivers in his Lodging, which he cunningly & artificially builds with Boughs, Twiggs and Sticks. A great Devourer of Fish, and eatable in some Countries, where they have good stomacks. It is a very sagacious and exquisitely smelling Creature, and much Cunning and Craft is required to hunt him. But to take him, observe this in short: Being provided with Otter-Spears to watch his Vents, and good Otter-Hounds, beat both sides of the Rivers banks, and you’ll soon find if there is any. If you find him, and perceive where he swims under Water, get to stand before him when he Vents, (i. e. takes breath) and endeavour to strike him with the spear: If you miss him, follow him with your Hound, and if they are good for Otter, they will certainly beat every Tree-root, Bulrush-Bed, or Osier-Bed, so that he cannot escape you.

Of the Wild Goat.

This being a Welsh-Chace, I thought it not amiss to say something of it, as not altogether Forreign. The Wild-Goat is as bigg and as fleshy as a Hart, but not so long-legg’d. The best time for hunting them is, at All-hollontide; and having observed the Advantages of the Coasts, Rocks, and places where the Goats lie, set Nets and Toiles towards the Rivers and Bottoms; for ’tis not to be imagined, the Doggs can follow them down every place of the Mountaines. Stand some on the tops of the Rocks, and as Occasion offers throw down Stones; and place your Relays at the small Brooks or Waters, where the Goat comes down; but let them not tarry till the Hounds come in, that were cast off.

Thus much for Hunting.

Of Racing

As all Beasts are Subservient to Man, and he a Liberty and Power to Use them, and make them his Instruments, for the Procurement of his Profit, or Pleasure; so is there not a Creature more Serviceable to man in either of these, as the Horse. A Beast Valiant, Strong, Nimble and Hardy, the Vivacity of whose Spirits, neither Heat can scorch, or dry up, nor Cold benumb or freez; he is Valiant, Watchfull, and Laborious, naturally Cleanly, and of exquisite Scent; Gentle and Loving to man, docile, and of a retentive Memory, and Apt or Fit for the performing any Service wherein man employes him. And for the Use of which I am now speaking (Racing) he ought to be endued with these Qualifications. That he have the Finest Cleanest Shape possible, and above all, Nimble, Quick, and Fiery, apt to Fly with the least Motion; nor is a long Bodied contemptible, it assuring Speed, tho it signifies Weakness too. The Arabian, Barbary, or his Bastard, are esteemed the best for this Use, these excelling Jennets, though they are good too.

Having furnished your self with a Horse thus qualified, you are to observe his right and due Ordering, before your designed Racing. Bartholomew-tide is the most proper time to take him from Grass; the day before being Dry, Fair, and Pleasant: That Night let him stand conveniently, to empty his Body; the next day Stable him, and feed him with Wheat-straw that day, and no longer; lest you exceeding that time, it straighten his Guts, heat his Liver, and hurt his Blood; for want of Straw, Riding him Morning and Evening to Water, Airing, or other moderate Exercises will serve. Then feed him with good old sweet Hay, and according to the Season, and Temperature of his Body clothe him; for a Smooth Coat shews Cloth enough, and a Rough Coat want of it. Observe likewise where you Water your Race-Horse, that it be a Running Water, or Clear Spring, far distant (a Mile or more) from the Stable, adjoyning to some Levell; where after he has once well drunk, Gallop him, and so Water and Scope him, till that he refuse to drink more, for that time; then Walk him gently Home, (being an Hour on your way, or more) clothe, and stop him round with soft Whisps, and let him stand an Hour upon his Bridle, and after feed him with sweet sound Oats, throughly dryed either with Age, Kilne, or Sun; if he be low of Flesh, or bad Stomacht, add a third part of Clean Old Beans, to two parts of Oats, or wash his Oats in Strong Beer or Ale.

For Dressing take these Rules. Dress your Horse twice a day, before you Water him, both Morning, and Evening, thus: Curry him after he is uncloath’d, from his Ear-tips to his Tayle, and his whole Body intirely (save his Legs under the Knees, and Cambrels) with an Iron Comb; then Dust him, and Rub him with a Brush of Bristles over again. Dust him again, and wetting your hand in clean Water, rub off all the loose Hairs, and so rub him dry as at first; then with a fine Hair Cloth rub him all over; and Lastly, with a fine Linnen Cloth; and then pick his Eyes, Nostrils, Sheath, Cods, Tuel, and Feet, clean.

The best Food for your Racer, is good, sweet, well dryed, sunned, and beaten Oats: Or else Bread made of one part Beans, and two parts Wheat (i. e.) two Bushells of Wheat, to one of Beans, ground together: Boult through a fine Range half a Bushell of fine Meal, and bake that in two or three Loaves by it self, and with Water, and good store of Barme, knead up, and bake the rest in great Loaves, having sifted it through a Meal-sieve: [But to your Finer, you would do well to put the Whites of Twenty or Thirty Eggs, and with the Barme a little Ale, ’tis no matter how little Water:] With the Courser feed him on his Resting dayes, on his Labouring dayes with the Finer.

The best Time for feeding your Runner on his Resting-dayes is; After his Watering in the Morning, at One a Clock at Noon, after his VVatering in the Evening, and at Nine or Ten a Clock at Nights: On his Dayes of Labour, Two Hours after he is throughly Cold, outwardly and inwardly, as before.

As for the Proportion of Meat, I shall not confine your Love to a Quantity, only give him a little at once, as long as his Appetite is Good: When he begins to fumble and play with his Meat, hold your Hand, shut up your Sack.

As for his Exercise it ought to be Thrice a Week, as his bodily Condition requires; if he be foul, moderate Exercise will break his Grease; if clean, then as you judge best, taking heed of breaking his Mettle, or discouraging him, or laming his Limbs. Before you air him to add to his Wind, it is requisite to give him a raw Egg broken in his mouth: If your Horse be very Fat, air him before Sun-rising and after Sun-set; if Lean, deprive him not of the least strength and Comfort of the Sun you can devise. To make him Sweat sometimes by coursing him in his Cloathes is necessary, if moderate; but without his Cloaths, let it be sharp and swift. See that he be empty before you Course him; and it is wholesome to wash his Tongue and Nostrills with Vinegar, or piss in his Mouth, before you back him. And after his Exercise, cool him before you come home, house, litter and rub him well and dry; then cloath him, and give him after every Course a Scouring thus prepared.

For scouring a Race Horse.

Take 20 Raisins of the Sun stoned, 10. Figgs slit in the midst, boyle them till they be thick in a Pottle of Fair Water, mix it with Powder of Annis-Seeds, Lycoras, and Sugar-candy, till it come to a stiff Paste, make them into round Balls, roul them in Butter, and give him three or four of them the next morning after his Course, and ride him an hour after, and then set him up Warm. Or this may be preferred, being both a Purge and a Restorative, a Cleanser and a Comforter, thus prepared.

Take three Ounces of Annis-Seeds, six Drams of Cummin-Seeds, one Dram and half of Carthamus, one Ounce and two Drams of Fennugreek-Seed, one Ounce and half of Brimstone; Beat all these to a fine Powder, and searse them; then take a Pint and two Ounces of Sallet Oyl, a pint and half of Honey, and a Pottle of White-wine; then with a sufficient Quantity of fine white Meal, knead and work all well into a stiff Paste; keep it in a clean Cloath, for use. When occasion requires, dissolve a Ball of it in a Pail of Water, and after Exercise give it him to drink in the Dark, that he may not see the Colour, and refuse it: If he does refuse, let Fasting force him to be of another mind.

To conclude, those Instructions, which are enumerated by Mr. Markham, I will give you in short before you run, and then away as fast as you can.

Course not your Horse hard four or five dayes before your Match, lest you make his Limbs sore, and abate his Speed.

Muzzle him not (except a foul Feeder) above two or three Nights before the Race, and the Night before his bloody Courses.

Give him sharp, as well as gentle, Courses on the Race he is to run.

Shoe him a day before you run him.

Let him be empty on the Match Day.

Saddle him in the Stable, and fix to him the Girths and Pannel with Shoo-makers Wax.

Lead him with all Gentleness to his Course, and let him smell other Horses Dung to provoke him to stale, &c.

And Lastly, Being come to the starting place rub him well, uncloath him, then take his Back, and the Word given, with all Gentleness and Quietness possible, start and away; And God speed you well.

Of Hawking

I shall not insist on any large Encomiums of this Recreation, only that it is a most Princely and serious Pleasure; nor shall I amuse you with subtle and nice Distinctions, and things no way material; But will inform you with what is meerly necessary for the right Understanding and Use of this Noble Art. I shall begin then with Hawks, their Names and Flights.

Of Hawks there are two sorts.

The Long-Winged Hawks.

Faulcon and Tiercle-gentle.

Gerfaulcon and Jerkin.

Saker and Sakaret.

Lanner and Lanneret.

Barbary Faulcon.

Merlin and Jack.

Hobby and Jack.

The Short-Winged Hawks.

Eagle and Iron.

Goshawk and Tiercel.

Sparrow-Hawk and Musket.

There are others too of inferiour sort as,

Ring-Tail.

Raven and Buzzard.

Forked Kite.

Hen-driver, &c.

And as the Age of these Hawks is, so we name them, as

The First Year a Soarage.

The Second Year an Intermewer.

The Third Year a White Hawk.

The Fourth Year a Hawk of the First Coat.

Thus much for their Names, now we come to speak of the Flights of these Hawks; which are these

The Faulcon-Gentle, for Partridge or Mallard.

Gerfaulcon, will fly at the Herne.

Saker, at the Crane or Bittern.

Lanner, at the Partridge, Pheasant or Choofe.

Barbary-Faulcon, at the Partridge only.

Merlin and Hobby, at the Lark, or any small Bird.

Goshawk and Tiercel, at the Partridge, or Hare.

Sparrow-Hawk, at the Partridge or Black-Bird. And the

Musket, at the Bush.

Thus much for their several proper Flights, we are now come to their Manning, the Method of which being generally one and the same (though it has been the Labour of some to spend much Time, and many Words in treating of the various wayes of Manning Hawks, and yet comes all to one effect) I shall in short (according to the Design of this Epitome) lay down this Rule: That you watch, and keep them from Sleep, continually carrying them upon your Fist, familiarly stroak them with a Wing of some Dead Fowle, or the like, and play with them; Accustome to gaze, and look in their Face with a Loving, Smiling, Gentle Countenance; and that will make her acquainted, and familiar with Man.

Having made them familiar, the next thing is to Bring them to the Lure, (which the Faulconer makes of Feathers, and Leather much like a Fowle, which he casts into the Air, and calls the Hawk to) which is after this manner. Set your Hawk on the Perch, unhood her, and shew her some Meat within your Fist, call her by Chirping, Whistling or the like, till she comes, then Feed her with it; if she comes not, let her Fast, and be sharp set: Short-winged Hawks, are properly said to be Called, not Lured. Make her bold, and acquainted with Men, Dogs, and Horses, and let her be eager and sharp-set, before you shew her the Lure; knowing her Luring Hours; and let both sides of the Lure be garnished with warm, and bloody Meat; let her likewise know your Voice well; so that being well acquainted with Voice, and Lure, the Hearing of the one, or Sight of the other, makes her Obedient; which you must reward by Feeding, or punish by Fasting. But before Luring (or any Flight) it is requisite to Bathe your Hawk in some quiet and still shallow Brook, or for want of that in a Large Bason, shallow Tub, or the like, lest being at Liberty, you lose your Hawk, (whose Nature requires such Bathing) and make her rangle. Now to make her know her Lure, is thus: Give your Hawk to another, and having loosned in readiness her Hood-strings, and fastened a Pullet to the Lure, go a little distance, cast it half the length of the string about your Head, still Luring with your Voice, unhood your Hawk, and throw it a little way from her: If she stoop and seize, let her plume the Pullet, and feed on it upon the Lure: Then take her and Meat on your Fist, Hood her, and give her the Tiring of the Wing, or Foot of the said Pullet.

Having Manned and Lured your Hawk, before you bring her to her Flight, one thing is to be observed and done, called in the Faulconers Dialect, Enseaming, which is to cleanse her from Fat, Grease, & Glut, known by her round Thighs, and full Meutings; and thus you may do it: In the Morning when you feed her, give her a bit or two of Hot-meat, and at Night very little or nothing. Then feed her Morning and Evening with a Rook, wash’d twice till the Pinions be tender; then give a Casting of Feathers as her Nature will bear; and once in two or three dayes give her a Hens-neck well joynted and washt: Then a quick train Pigeon every Morning; and after by these and her own Exercise, she has broken and dissolved the Grease, give her three or Four Pellets of the Root of Sellandine, as bigg as a Garden Pease, steept in the Sirrup of Roses; and you have done this part of your Duty.

To Enter your Hawks, for Partridge or Fowle, observe this. Lay an Old Feild-Partridge in a Hole, covered with something, and fasten to it a small Creance (i. e. a Fine small long Line of strong and even-wound Packthread fastned to the Hawks Leash when first Lured,) and uncoupling your ranging Spaniels, pluck off the Covering of the Traine Partridge and let it go, and the Hawk after it; and as soon as she has slain it, reward her well with it. And thus to make her fly at Fowle, feed her well with the Traine of the Fowle you would have; doing afterwards as above.

The Faults of Hawks differ according to their Nature and Make: Long-winged Hawks faults are thus helped. If she used to take stand, flying at the River, or in Champain Feilds, shun flying near Trees or Covert; or otherwise, let several Persons have Trains, and as she offers to stand, let him that’s next her cast out his Traine, and she killing it reward her. And indeed you ought never to be without some live Bird or Fowle in your Bag, as Pigeon, Duck, Mallard, &c. If she be Froward and Coy; when she Kills, reward her not as usually, but slide some other meat under her, and let her take her pleasure on it; giving her some Feathers to make her scoure and cast. If she be Wild, look not inward, but mind Check, (i. e. other Game, as Crows, &c. that fly cross her) then lure her back, and stooping to it, reward her presently.

The faults of Short-Winged Hawks thus are helped. Sometimes the Goshawk and Sparrow-Hawks, will neither kill, nor Fly the Game to Mark, but will turn Taile to it: Then encourage your Dogs to Hunt, cast a Traine Partridge before your Hawk, make her seize it, and feed well upon it.

If a Hawk take a Tree, and will not fly at all, feed her then upon quick Birds, and make her foot them, and in the plain Champaign Feilds unhood her, and riding up and down a while let one cast out a Feild-Partridge before her, let her fly at it, and footing it feed on it. If they be too fond of Man, that after a stroke or two will not fly, be seldom familiar with her, and reward her not as she comes so improperly: Otherwise reward her well.

As for Mewing of Hawks, the best time for Long-winged Hawks is about the middle of April, and March for the Short-Winged Hawks. There are two kinds of Mewings. 1. At the stock or stone; so called from its being low upon the ground, free from Noise, Vermin or ill Air. 2. At large; so called from being in a high Room, with open Windows towards the North or North-East. The former is accounted the best Mewing. I shall not insist on the erecting or ordering of this Mew, leaving that to the Discretion of the Faulconer; only before he mews his Hawk, see if they have Lice, to pepper and scowre them too. The best time to draw the Field-Hawk from the Mew, is in June, and she will be ready to fly in August; the Hawks for the River in August, will be ready in September. And because Hawks are subject to divers Infirmities and Diseases, I shall prescribe some Remedies, and so Conclude.

Cures for Hawks Diseases.

The good Faulconer ought diligently to observe the Complexions of his Hawks Castings and Mewtings, to judge of their Maladies, and is prescribed by some as an excellent way; and is indeed so; but an assured sign of knowing whether they are sick or distempered is this. Take your Hawk, turning up her Train, if you see her Tuel or Fundiment swelleth, or looketh red; Or, if her Eyes or Eares be of a fiery Complexion, it is an infallible sign of her being not well and in good health; and then Scouring is necessary first; which is done by the most Soveraign Aloes Cicatrine, about the quantity of a Bean, wrapt up in her Meat; and this avoids Grease, and kills Wormes too.

For the Cataract: Take one Scruple of washt Aloes finely beaten, and two Scruples of Sugar-candy, mix these together, and with a Quil blow it three or four times a day into your Hawks Eye.

Pantus or Asthma: Pour the Oyl of sweet Almonds into a Chickens Gutt, well washt, and give it the Hawk: Or, scower her with Sellandine-Pellets, and Oyle of Roses, and then wash her meat in the Decoction of Coltsfoot.

Filanders or Wormes: To prevent them, seeing your Hawk low and poor, give her once a month a Clove of Garlick. To cure or kill them; take half a dozen Cloves of Garlick, boyle them very tender in Milk, then take them and dry the Milk out of them; put them into a spoonful of the best Oyle of Olives, and having steept them all Night, give them both to your Hawk, when she has cast, in the morning; feed her not til two hours after, and then with warm Meat, and keep her warm all that day.

Lice: Mail your Hawk in some Woollen Cloath, put between her Head and Hood a little Wool, and take a Pipe of Tobacco, put the little end in at the Tream, blow the smoak, and the Lice that escape Killing, will creep into the Cloth: Probatum.

Formica: Take a little of the Gall of a Bull, and beating it with Aloes, anoint the Beak of the Hawk, Morning and Evening.

Frounce: Take the Powder of Allume, reduced to a Salve with strong Wine Vinegar, and wash her mouth with it; then take the Juice of Lollium and Raddish, mixt with Salt, and anoint the Sore.

Apoplex: Gather the Herb Asterion (the Moon being in the Waine and in the Sign Virgo) wash your Hawks meat with the Juice thereof when you feed her, is Soveraign.

Wounds: Take the Juice of English Tobacco, or Mouse-eare, after you have sticht it up, with a little Lint, bathe the place is highly approved.

Many other Diseases there are, which others have largely treatad of, and to whom I refer you in case of some Diseases, which may occur; and here take leave to conclude this my discourse of Hawking:

Of Riding

This Noble Art being rightly and throughly learnt, qualifies a Gentleman for the three preceding Sports, and is for that Reason placed here, as a necessary Attendant of them. And here we must first examine the Ends & Design of our proposing this Art to our selves, & accordingly lay down as briefly as may be the necessary Rules and Lessons are to be observed and learnt, for the obtaining and prosecuting the same, and I take these to be the usual Perfections we aime at, To Ride well the great Horse, for the Warrs or Service, and the Horse for Pleasure; of both which as concisely as I can, in their Order.

As a Preface to this, we must begin with Taming a young Colt. After you have kept your Colt at home some time, and made him so Familiar with you, as to suffer Combing, Currying, Handling, and Stroaking any part, ’tis high time then to offer him the Saddle, which you must lay in the Manger first, that by its smell, he may not be afraid of it, or the Styrrups Noise. Then gently saddling him (after his dressing) take a sweet Watring Trench, anointed with Honey and Salt, and place it in his Mouth so, that it may hang directly over his Tush; then lead him abroad in your hand, and Water him; and after he has stood an hour rein’d thus, take off his Bridle and Saddle, and let him feed till Evening; Then do as in the morning; then dress and Cloath him, having Cherisht him before, i. e. By the Voice delivered smoothly and gently; or by the Hand by gently stroaking and clapping him on the neck, or buttock; or lastly by the Rod, by rubbing it on his Withers or Main.

On the next day as before; and after that, put him on a strong Musrole, or sharp Cavezan, and Martingale; which is the best guide to a Horse for setting his Head in due place, forming the Rein, and appearing Gracefull and Comely; it corrects the yerking out his Head, or Nose, and prevents his running away with his Rider. Observe therefore to place it right, that it be not buckled straight, but loose, and so low, that it rest on the tender Grissle of his Nose, to make him the more sensible of his Fault, and Correction; and so as you see you win his Head, bring him straighter by degrees; let him but gently feel it, till his Head be brought to its true Perfection.

Having observed this well, lead him forth into some soft or new Plowed Land, and to take off his wanton knavish Tricks, trot him about in your hand a good while: Then offer to Mount; if he refuse to suffer you, Trot him again; then putting your foot into the Styrrop, mount half way; if he takes it impatient, correct him, and about again; if not cherish him, and place your self a moment in the Saddle, dismount, cherish, and feed him with Grass, or Bread: All things being well, remount, even in the Saddle, keeping your Rod from his Eye; then let one lead him by the Chaff-Halter, and ever and a-non make him stand, and cherish him, till he will of his one accord go forward; then come home, alight gently, and do a good Horsemans Duty, To dress and feed him well. This Course in few dayes will bring him to Trot, by following some other Horseman, stop him now and then gently, and forward; not forgetting seasonable Cherishings and Corrections, by Voice, Bridle, Rod, Spurs.

Being thus brought to some certainty of Reine, and Trotting forth-right, then to the Treading forth of the large Rings. And here first examine your Horses Nature, before you choose your Ground, for, if his Nature be dull and sloathful, yet strong, then New-plow’d-Field is best; if Active, Quick, and Fiery, then Sandy-ground is to be preferred; in the most proper of which mark out a large Ring, of a Hundred Paces circumference. Now then walk about it on the right seven or eight times, then by a little straightning your right Rein, and laying your left Leg Calf to his side, make a half Circle within the Ring upon your right down to its Center; then by straightning a little your left Rein, and laying your right Leg Calf to his side, make a half Circle to your left hand, from the Center to the outmost Verge, and these you see contrary turned make a Roman S. Now to your first large Compass, walk him about on your left hand, as oft as before on the right, and change to your right within your Ring; then Trot him first on the right-hand, then on the left, as long as you judge fit, and as often Mornings, and Evenings as the Nature of your Horse shall require. In the same manner you may make him to Gallop the same Rings, though you must not enter it all at once, but by degrees, first a Quarter, then a Half-quarter; and the Lightness and Cheerfulness of your Body, not the Spur, must induce him to it.

The next Lesson is to Stop Fair, Comely, and without Danger. First see that the Ground be hard and firm, then having cherisht your Horse, bring him to a swift Trot, about Fifty Paces, and then straightly and suddenly draw in your Bridle hand; then ease a little your hand to make him give backward, and in so doing, give him liberty, and cherish him; then drawing in your Bridle hand, make him retire, and go back; if he strike, ease your hand; if he refuse, let some by-stander put him back, that he may learn your intention; and thus he may Learn these Two Lessons at once.

To Advance before, when he stoppeth, is thus taught: When you stop your Horse, without easing your hand, lay close and hard to his sides both the Calves of your Legs, and shaking your Rod cry, Up, Up; which he will understand by frequent Repetition, and Practice: This is a Gracefull, and Comely Motion, makes a Horse Agile, and Nimble, and ready to Turn; and therefore be carefull in it: That he take up his Legs Even together, and bending to his Body; not too high, for fear of his coming over; not sprawling, or pawing; or for his own pleasure; in these faults correct him with Spur and Rod.

To Yerk out behind is the next Lesson, thus learnt: Presently upon your making him stop, give him a good brisk jerk near his Flank, which will make him soon understand you. When he does it, cherish him; and see he does it comely, for to yerk out his hinder Legs, till his Forelegs be above ground, is not graceful; or one Leg yerk’t further out than the other; or one Leg out while the other is on the ground; in this case a single Spur on the faulty side is best. But to help him in Yerking, staying his mouth on the Bridle, striking your Rod under his belly, or touching him on the Rump with it, are reckoned necessary.

To Turn readily on both hands, thus: Bring his large Rings narrower, & therein gently walk him, till acquainted. Then carry your Bridle-hand steady and straight, the outmost rather straighter then the inmost Rein, to look from, rather than to the Ring; Trot him thus about, on one side and the other successively, as aforesaid. After some time stop, and make him advance twice or more, and retire in an even Line; then stop and cherish him. To it again, after the same manner, making him lap his outmost Leg above a foot over his inner. And thus the Terra a Terra, Incavalere & Chambletta, are all taught together. Perfect your Horse in the large Ring, and the straight Ring is easily learnt.

Your Horse being brought thus far to perfection, with the Musrole and Trench, now let a gentle Cavezan take their place; with a smooth Cannon-Bit in his Mouth, & a plain watering Chain, Cheek large, and the Kirble thick, round and big, loosely hanging on his nether Lip; and thus mount him, and perfect your Horse with the Bit in all the ’foresaid Lessons, as you did with the Snaffle; which indeed is the easier to be done of the two.

To teach your Horse To go aside, as a necessary Motion for shunning a blow from an Enemy, is thus: Draw up your Bridle-hand somewhat straight, and if you would have him go on the Right, lay your left Rein close to his Neck, and your left Calf likewise close to his side (as in the Incavalere before) making him lap his left Leg over his Right; then turning your Rod backward, jerking him on the left hinder Thigh gently, make him to bring to the right side his Hinder parts, and stand as at first in an even direct Line: Then make him remove his Fore parts more, that he may stand as it were Cross over the even Line, and then bring his hinder parts after, and stand in an even Line again. And thus you must do, if you would have him go on the Left hand, using your Corrections & Cherishings on the right. Use it, and you may be sure of Perfection.

As for the Manages, somewhat have bin spoken of them, there being but two (among many) useful call’d Terra a Terra & Incavalere before treated of; & for the Carreere, only take this: Let it not extend in length above six-score yards, give your Horse warning before you start him by the Bridle hand, and running full speed, stop him suddenly, firme and close on his Buttock.

For the Horse of Pleasure, these following Lessons are to be learnt. As first to Bound aloft, to do which: Trot him some sixteen yards, then stop, and make him twice advance; then straighten your Bridle-hand; then clap briskly both your Spurs even together to him, and he will rise, though it may at first amaze him; if he does it, cherish him, and repeat it often every day, till perfect.

Next to Corvet and Capriole are Motions of the same nature, and in short are thus taught. Hollow the ground between two joyning Walls a Horses Length, by the side of which put a strong smooth Post of the same length from the Wall, and fasten at the Wall an Iron Ring over against the Post: Thus done, ride into the hollow place, and fasten one of the Cavezan-Reins to the Post, and the other to the Ring; then cherish him, and by the help of the Calves of your Legs, make him advance two or three times; then pause, and Cherish him; make him advance again a dozen times more, and then rest; double your Advancings, and repeat them till it becomes habitual to him, to keep his Ground certain, advance of an equall height before and behind, and observe a due Time with the motions of your Leggs. The Inequality of his advancing his hinder Legs, is helpt by a Jerk on the Fillets by some body behind him with a Rod.

The laborious Motion of going sideways, being fitter for the War-Horse, than the Horse for Pleasure, usefull for the avoiding a Blow may come from an Enemy, I omit here, refering you to that.

Thus much for those material Lessons which the Rider ought to teach his Horse for War or Pleasure, and therefore I shall conclude this Head, with this Caveat, That in whatever Lesson your Horse is most imperfect, begin and end with; and remember, that Exercise makes things as it were natural; when Desuetude is the forerunner of Forgetfulness, and Ignorance the Consequent of Both.

OF

Cock-fighting

I shall not enlarge on the praises of this Recreation, its Nobleness, Delight, and Simplicity, devoyd of Cheat or Deceit, but what is most material to our purpose succinctly declare. And herein let us first observe the Choice of a Cock of the Game, directed by these four Characters following: That he be

1. Of a strong Shape, proud and upright, and for this the Middle-sized, neither too small or too large, is best, because most matchable, strong and nimble. His Head small like a Spar-Hawks; his Eye large and quick; Back strong, crook’t at the setting on, and coloured as the Plume of his Feathers; The Beam of his Leg very strong, and colour’d as his Plume; Spurs long, rough, and sharp, hooking inward.

2. Of a good Colour, and herein the Gray, Yellow, or Red Pyle, with a black Breast, are to be preferred; the Pyde rarely good, and the White and Dun never. A Scarlet Head is a demonstration of Courage, but a Pale and wan of Faintness.

3. Of Courage true, which you shall observe by his proud, stately, upright Standing and Walking, and his frequent Crowing in his Pen.

4. Of a Sharp and ready Heel, which is (in the Opinion of the best Cock-Masters,) of high Estimation; a Sharp-heel’d Cock, tho somewhat false, is better (as dispatching his business soonest) than a true Cock with a dull Heel. Enfine choose your Cock endued with all these Qualifications together above mentioned.

For Breeding good Cocks for the Game, or Battel, the best season is from the Moon’s Encrease in February, to her Encrease in March. The March Bird is best. And now first get a perfect Cock, to a perfect Hen, as the best Breeding, and see the Hen be of an excellent Complexion (i. e.) rightly plumed, as black, brown, speckt, grey, grissel, or yellowish; tufted on her Crowne, large bodied, well poked, and having Weapons, are Demonstrations of Excellency and Courage. Observe further her Comportment, if friendly to her Chickens, and revengeful of Injuries from other Hens. Fortes creantur a Fortibus.

Having placed her Nest, private from other Fowles disturbance, and warme, observe your Hen in sitting, if she be busie in turning her Eggs; if remiss, to help her. Set by her Sand, Gravel, Water and necessary food, to prevent her Straggling.

After one and twenty dayes observe her Hatching, to take the newly hatcht Chickens, and wrap them in Wool and keep them warm by the fire till all be disclosed; then put them all under her, and let her keep them warm, and let none of them straggle abroad till they are three Weeks, or a Month old; and then let them run in some Grass-plat, or green Court, to pick Wormes, Grass and Chick-weed, to feed and scour themselves; but let them not ramble near Puddles, or filthy Channels; and to prevent any malady, a few Leek-blades minc’d small amongst their Meat is good.

When they are grown so, as that their Sexes may be distinguish’t, assoon as the Comb or Wattles but appear, cut them away, and anoint the Sore with sweet Butter, till whole. This early cutting them, is highly necessary to prevent Flux of Blood, (which is dangerous in doing it later) and Gouty thick Heads.

When the Cock, and Hen-Chickens, (going till now promiscuously one with another) begin to quarrel and peck each other, part them and separate their Walks: And the best for a Fighting-Cock, are private and undisturbed Walks, as, Wind-mills, Water-mills, Grange-houses, Park-lodges, &c. and their Feeding-place on soft Ground, or Boards; and have for his Meat, White Corn, or White-bread Tosts, steept in Drink, or Urine, is good, both to Scowre, and Cool them. And do not debilitate and debauch his Courage and Strength, by having too many Hens to walk with; Three Hens are enough for one Cock.

If before they be Six Months Old any of your Chickens Crow clear and loud, and unseasonable, then to the Pot or Spit with them, they are Cowards; the true Cock is long ere he gets his Voice, and when he has gotten it, keeps good and judicious Time in Crowing.

Next observe your Roosting-Perch, for this makes or marrs a Cock; for forming of which, consult the best Cock-Masters Feeding-Pens, and the Perches there, and accordingly proportion your own, therefore I shall not propose any form here; Only pray take care that the ground underneath the Perch be soft, for if the ground be rough and hard, in leaping down he will hurt his Feet, and make them Gouty and Knotty.

For the Dieting, and Ordering of your Cock for Battle, observe these Rules. Let your Cock be full two years Old, then in the latter end of August, take up and Pen him, (it being now Cocking-time till the end of May) and see that he be sound, hard-feather’d, and full summed. As to the moving Perch, and Pen, take my foregoing Advice.

The first four dayes after Penning; Feed him with the Crumb of Old Manchet cut into square bits, thrice a day, and with the Coldest, and Sweetest Spring-water that can be had. And after you think by this time he is throughly purged of his Corne, Wormes, Gravel, and other course Feeding, take him in the Morning out of the Pen, and let him Sparr with another Cock some time to heat and chafe their Bodies, break Fat and Glut, and fit them for Purgation; first having covered their Spurs with Hots of Leather, to hinder their Wounding and drawing Blood of one another.

After they have sufficiently Sparred, that they pant again, take them up, and remove their Hots, and prepare them for a Diaphoretick or Sweating Bout thus: Take Butter, and Rosemary finely chopt, and White-Sugar-candy, mixt together; and give them the quantity of a Wallnut; which will scower, strengthen, and prolong Breath: Then having (purposely) deep Straw Baskets, fill them half way with Straw, put in your Cock, and cover him with Straw to the top; lay the lid close, and let him stove till the Evening. At Five a Clock take him out, and lick his Head and Eyes with your Tongue, then Pen him, and fill his Trough with Manchet (as above) and hot Urine.

After this, let his Diet be of Bread thus made: Take a Gallon of Wheat, and Oat-meal-flower, and with Ale, half a score Whites of Eggs, and Butter, work it into a stiff Paste; bake it into broad Cakes, and when four dayes Old, cut it into square Bits, as abovesaid.

The second day after Sparring, bring your Cock into a Green Close, and shew him in your Arms a Dung-hill-Cock, then run from him, and allure him thus to follow, suffering him now and then to strike the Dunghill-Cock, and so Chase him up and down for half an Hour, till he pants again; and thus heated, carry him home, and scower him with half a Pound of Fresh-Butter, beaten with the Leaves of the Herb of Grace, Hysop, and Rosemary, to the consistence of a Salve, and give him the quantity of a VVallnut, then Stove, and Feed him as above. And thus for the first Fortnight, Spar or Chase him every other day.

The second Fortnight, twice a Week will be enough to Chase or Spar your Cock: Observing, that you Stove and Scower him, proportionable to his Heating.

The Third and Last Fortnight (for Six Weeks is long enough) Feed him as before, but do not Spar him, but Chase him moderately twice, or thrice, as before; then roll his aforesaid scowring in Brown-Sugar-candy, to prevent his being Sick; rest him four dayes, and then to the Pit.

Now, Gentlemen, Match your Cock Carefully, or what you have hitherto done, is nothing. And here Observe the Length, and Strength of Cocks. The Length is thus known: Gripe the Cock by the Waste, and make him shoot out his Legs, and in this Posture compare, And have your Judgment about you. The Strength is known by this Maxime, The largest in the Garth, is the strongest Cock. The Dimension of the Garth, is thus known: Gripe the Cock about from the joynts of your Thumb, to the points of your Great Finger, and you will find the Disadvantage. The weak long Cock is the quickest easier Riser, and the short strong one, the surest Striker.

Thus being well Matcht, accoutre him for the Pit. Clip his Main off close to his Neck, from his head to his shoulders. Clip his Tail close to his Rump, the Redder it appears the better. His Wings sloping, with sharp Points [ware Eye Adversary:] Scrape smooth, and sharpen his Spurs; leave no feathers on his Crown; then moisten his head with Spittle; and now favour us Fortune.

The Battle done search, and suck your Cocks wounds, and wash them well with hot Urine, then give him a Roll of your best Scowring, and stove him for that Night. If he be swelled, the next morning, suck and bathe his Wounds again, and pounce them with the Powder of the Herb Robert, thro a fine Bag; give him an handfull of Bread in warm Urine, and stove him, till the swelling be down. If he be hurt in his Eye, chew a little ground Ivy, and Spit the Juice in it; which is good for Films, Haws, Warts, &c. Or if he hath veined himself in his fight, by narrow striking, or other cross blows, when you have found the hurt, bind the soft Down of Hare to it, will cure it.

When you visit your wounded Cocks, a month or two after you have put them to their Walks, if you find about their heads any swollen Bunches, hard and blackish at one end, then there are unsound Cores undoubtedly in them; therefore open them, and with your Thumb crush them out, suck out the Corruption, and fill the holes with fresh Butter; and that will infallibly cure them.

Cures for Distempers incident to the Cock or Chick of the Game.

For Lice, being most common, I begin with; proceeding from corrupt Meat, and want of Bathing, &c. Take Pepper beaten to Powder, mix it with warm Water, and wash them with it.

For the Roup; a filthy swelling on the Rump, and very contagious to the whole body, the staring and turning back of the Feathers is it Symptome. Pull away the Feathers, open and thrust out the Core, and wash the Sore with Water and Salt, or Brine.

For the Pip; visit the mouth, and examine what hinders your Cocks, Hen, or Chicks feeding, and you’ll find a white thin Scale on the Tip of the Tongue, which pull off with your Naile, and rubbing the Tongue with Salt, will cure it.

For the Flux; proceeding from eating too moist Meat, give them Pease-Bran scalded, will stop it.

For the Stoppage of the Belly, that they cannot mute; Anoint their Vents, and give them either small bits of Bread or Corn, steep’d in Urine of Man.

For the Eyes, I have spoken before, and refer you to that; and for other Infirmities, let Practise be your Directory.

And now I have one Word of Advice to him that is a Lover (or would be so) of this Royal-Sport; and then have done: Come not to the Pitt without Money in your Breeches, and a Judgment of Matches; Done and Done is Cock-Pitt Law, and if you venture beyond your Pocket, you must look well to it, or you may loose an Eye by the Battle.

Thus much for Cock-Fighting.

Of Fowling

This is a Recreation so full of Variety; that it would take up a great many Words and Time to discover it; but varying indeed from this Design, I shall not dilate on its several parts, but as succinctly as may be, give you some methodical Instructions, as may make a man capable of the Active as well as Passive part of this Pleasure, and without the one he cannot have the other.

Now then the Ingenious Fowler, like a Politick and sagacious Warrior, must first furnish and store himself with those several Stratagems and Engines, as suit with the diversities of Occasion (i. e. Time,) Place, and Game; or else he cannot expect the Conquest.

And first of Nets, which must be made of the best pack-thread, and for taking Great Fowl, the Meshes must be large, two Inches at least from point to point, the larger the better; (provided the Fowle creep not through;) two Fathom deep, and six in Length, is the best and most manageable Proportion; Verged with strong Cord on each side, and extended with long Poles at each end made on purpose. But for small Water-Fowle; Let your Nets be of the smallest and strongest Pack-thread, the Meshes so big, as for the great Fowle, about two or three foot deep: Line these on both sides with false Nets, every Mesh a foot and half Square. For the Day-Net, it must be made of fine Pack-thread, the Mesh an inch square, three Fathom long, and one broad, and extended on Poles according to its Length, as aforesaid.

Birdlime is the next, and thus made. Pill the Bark of Holly from the Tree at Midsummer, fill a Vessel, and put to it running Water; boile it over the fire till the Grey and White Bark rise from the Green; take it off the fire, draine the Water well away, and seperate the Barks; and take the Green, lay it on some moist floor and close place, and cover it with Hemblocks, Docks, Thistles, and all manner of Weeds; let it lye a fortnight, and in that time it will rot, and turn to a filthy slimy Substance: Then put it into a Morter, beat it till you perceive not what it was; take it out and wash it soundly at some running stream, till the Foulness is gone: Then put it in a close Earthen pot; let it stand four or five dayes, look to its Purging, and scum it: When clean, put it into another Earthen Pot, and keep it close for Use.

Your Setting-Dog comes next, and sayes you must Elect and Train him thus: He must be of exquisite Scent, and love naturally to hunt Feathers. The Land-Spaniel is best, being of good nimble size, and couragious mettle, which you may know by his Breed; being of a good Ranger, &c.

Having chosen your Dog, begin to instruct him at half a Year old. First make him familiar and acquainted well with your self above others, by feeding him your self, alwayes going abroad with you, and correcting him with Words not Blows. So that he will follow none but you, distinguish your Frowns from smiles, rough from smooth Words.

The first Lesson is, to make him Crouch and lie down close to the ground; and this is done by frequent laying him on the ground and crying Lye close; upon his doing well reward him with Bread; and on the contrary chastise him with Words, not Blows.

Next, To creep to you with his Body and Head close upon the ground, by saying, Come nearer, Come nearer, or the like Words; to understand and do it, entice him with shewing him Bread, or the like: Thrusting down any rising part of his Body or head, and roughly threatning him; if he slight that, a good Jerk or two with a slash of Whip-cord will reclaim his Obstinacy. Repeat his Lessons, and incourage his well doing. And this you may exercise in the Fields as you walk, calling him from his busie Ranging to his Duty. And then teach him to follow you close at the heels in a Line or string, without straining.

By this time he is a year old, now (the season fit) into the Field, and let him range, [obediently.] If he wantonly babble or causelesly open, correct him by biting soundly the Roots of his Ears, or Lashing. Assoon as you find he approaches the Haunt of the Partridge, known by his Whining, and willing, but not daring, to open, speak and bid him, Take heed: If notwithstanding this he rush in and Spring the Partridge, or opens, and so they escape, correct him severely. Then cast him off to another Haunt of a Covie, and if he mends his Error, and you take any by drawing your Net over them swiftly, reward them with the Heads, Necks, and Pinions.

As for the Water-Dog, the Instructions above for the Setter will serve; only to fetch and bring by loosing a Glove, or the like, is every mans common Observation, and therefore shall here for Brevities sake omit; only keep a strict Subjection in him, and Observance to your Commands.

I shall say something too of the Fowling-Piece and Stalking-Horse, and then to your sports. The longest Barrel is the best Fowling-Peice, five and half, or six foot long, with an indifferent Bore, under an Harquebuse; and shooting with the Wind, and side-wayes, or behind the Fowl, not in their faces, is to be observed; having your Dog in Command not to stir till you have shot.

A Stalking-Horse for shelter, to avoid being seen by the shie Fowle, is an old Jade trained on purpose; but this being rare and troublesome, have recourse to Art, to take Canvas, stuft and painted in the shape of a Horse grazing, and so light that you may carry him on one hand (not too bigg:) Others do make them in the shape of Ox, Cow, for Variety; and Stag, Trees, &c.

Thus being provided with necessary Engines for prosecuting and effecting so cunning and pleasant a work, Let’s abroad; and let not the Ale-House, Tavern, or Brothel-Houses, debauch and benumn our Spirits, but let us with the Fowler exhilerate our Minds, refresh our Bodies, & for a little Pains reap a great deal of Pleasure & Satisfaction, whet our Appetites, and get Meat too for them.

Now then according to my proposed Method, let us first examine Where to find our Game? that is, The Haunts of Fowle, whether Land or Water Fowle; by which two Characters I distinguish them, because of their Variety and Multiplicity.

The greater Fowle, or those who divide the Foot, reside by shallow Rivers sides, Brooks and Plashes of Water; and in low and boggy places, and sedgie, Marish, rotten Grounds. They also delight in the dry parts of drowned Fens, overgrown with long Reeds, Rushes and Sedges; as likewise in half-drowned Moors, hollow Vales of Downs, Heaths, &c. Where obscurely they may lurk under the Shelter of Hedges, Hills, Bushes, &c.

The Lesser, or Web-footed, Fowle, allwayes haunt drowned Fens, as likewise the main streams of Rivers not subject to Freeze, the deeper and broader, the better; (tho of these the Wild-Goose and Barnacle, if they cannot sound the depth, and reach the Ouze, change their Residence for shallow places, and delight in Green-Winter-Corn, especially if the Lands ends have Water about them:) Small Fowle also frequent hugely little Brooks, Ponds, drowned Meadows, Pastures, Moors, Plashes, Meres, Loughs, and Lakes, stored with unfrequented Islands, Shrubs, &c.

How to take all manner of Fowl or Birds.

For taking the first (I mean the greater Fowle) with Nets, observe in general this: Come two hours before their feeding hours, Morning and Evening; and spreading your Net on the Ground smooth and flat, stake the two lower ends firm, and let the upper ends be extended on the long Cord; of which the further end must be fastned to the ground, three Fathom from the Net, the stake in a direct Line with the lower Verge of the Net; the other, ten or twelve fathoms long, have in your hand at the aforesaid distance, and get some shelter of Art or Nature, to keep you from the curious and shie Eye of your Game; having your Net so ready that the least pull may do your work, Strew’d over with Grass as it lies to hide it: A live Herne, or some other Fowle lately taken, according to what you seek for, will be very requisite for a Stale. And you will have sport from the Dawning, till the Sun is about an hour high; but no longer; and from Sun-set till Twilight; these being their feeding times.

For the small (Water) Fowle. Observe the Evening is best before Sun-set. Stake down your Nets on each side the River half a foot within the Water, the lower part so plumb’d as to sink no further; the upper slantwise shoaling against, but not touching by two foot, the Water, and the Strings which bear up this upper side fastned to small yeilding sticks prickt in the Bank, that as the Fowle strike may ply to the Nets to entangle them. And thus lay your Nets (as many as you please) about twelve score one from another, as the River or Brook will afford. And doubt not your success. To expedite it however, a Gun fired three or four times in the Fens and Plashes, a good distance from your Nets, will affright and post them to your Snares; and so do at the Rivers, when you lay in the Fens. Thus much in general for Nets, I come next to Bird-Lime.

Winter time is the most proper for taking all manner of Small Birds, as flocking then promiscuously together, Larks, Lennets, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Yellow-Hammers, &c. with this Bird-lime, made as afore-spoken; only additionally thus ordered. Put to a quarter of a pound of Bird-lime, an Ounce of fresh Lard, or Capons-grease, and let it gently melt together over the Fire, but not Boyl; then take a quantity of Wheat-ears, as you think your use shall require, and cut the straw about a foot long besides the Ears, and from the Ear Lime the straw Six inches; the warmer it is, the less discernable it will be: Then to the Field adjacent, carrying a bag of Chaff, and thresh’d Ears, scatter them twenty Yards wide, and stick the lim’d Ears (declining downwards) here, and there; Then traverse the Fields, disturb their Haunts, they will repair to your Snare, and pecking at the Ears, finding they stick to them, mount; and the Lim’d straws, lapping under their Wings, dead their flight, they cannot be disengaged, but fall and be taken they must. Do not go near them, till they rise of their own accord, and let not five or six entangled lead you to spoyl your Game, and incur the loss of five or six dozen. Barn-doors, Thatcht-Houses, and such like places, are excellent too for the use of these Lime-straws. A Clap- Net, and Lanthorn, in a dark night rub’d at the Eaves of Houses, is a common practice.

Lime-Twigs, is another Expedient for taking of Great Fowle, being Rods that are long, small, straight, and pliable, the upper part (apt to play to and fro) being besmeared with Bird-lime warm. Thus to be used, Observe the Haunts of the Fowle, have a Stale, (a living Fowle of the same kind you would take) and cross pricking your Rods, one into, and another against the Wind sloping, a foot distant one from the other, pin down your Stale, some distance from them, tying some small string to him, to pull and make him flutter to allure the Fowle down. If any be caught, do not run presently upon them, their fluttering will encrease your Game. A well taught Spaniel is not amiss to retake those that are entangled, and yet flutter away. Thus likewise for the Water, consult the Rivers depth, and let your Rods be proportionable; what is Limed of them being above the Water, and a Mallard, &c. as a Stale placed here and there, as aforesaid. You need not wait on them, but three times a day visit them, and see your Game; if you miss any Rods (therefore know their Number) some Fowle entangled is got away with it, into some Hole, &c. and here your Spaniel will be serviceable to find him.

For Small-Birds, a Lime-bush is best; thus, Cut down a great Bough of a Birch, or Willow-Tree, trim it clean, and Lime it handsomely, within four fingers of the bottom: Place this Bush so ordered, in some quick-set, or dead Hedge, in Spring time: In Harvest, or Summer, in Groves, Bushes, Hedges, Fruit-Trees, Flax, and Hemp-Lands: In Winter, about Houses, Hovells, Barns, Stacks, &c. A Bird-Call is here also necessary, or your own industrious skill in the Notes of several Birds. Lime-twigs are likewise used, stuck on Hemp-cocks, which take vast Numbers of Lennets, and Green-Birds, that love that Diet. An Owle placed near your Lime-twigs, is likewise an Excellent Stale, for being persecuted by all other Birds, they flock about him, and dye with Hatred; I mean, being taken by you, in their eager, and malicious Persecution of poor Tom. Some have Natural, others Artificial Owles, and with either fear not Success. And thus you may do, in any particular Game, with your Twigs, and Stale of the same kind, as, Snipes, Felfares, Pigeons, &c.

And here I must not forget the Farmers Advantage, to destroy his Corn-destroyers, Rooks, but give him this Advice: Take some thick Brown-paper, divide a sheet into Eight parts, and make them into the fashion of Sugar-Loaves; Lime them a little in the inside, and put some Corn in them (if in Ploughing time, Wormes, and Maggots) lay Three or Four Score up and down the Land, under (if you can) some Clod, early, before feeding time: Be at some distance, and behold the ensuing Sport. Your Pigeons, Rooks, Crows, &c. comeing to pick out the Corn or Worms, the Pyramidal-snare hangs on their heads, they fly straight upright, almost out of sight, and as if some Gun in the Ayr had met with them, down they come tumbling (being spent) and become your Prey.

Thus much in general of taking all manner of Fowle, by Net, or Lime, I come next to know their best Seasons, when to use them, and the first (the Net) is from the beginning of May, to the latter end of October; and the last (the Lime) in the Winter only, beginning from November, and ending at May, in which times, there being no Leaves, your Lime-Bushes, and Branches of Trees are of one and the same Hue.

And because Gentlemen who have Fish-ponds, wonder they loose so many Fish, and are apt to Censure sometimes undeservedly their Neighbours, when it is the insatiable Hern, that is the true cause: I shall next lay down the best and most approved way of taking the great Fish-devouring Herne, whose Haunt having found, observe this Method to take him. Get three or four small Roaches, or Dace, take a strong Hook, (not too rank) with Wyre to it, and draw the Wyre just within the skin, from the side of the Gills, to the Taile of the said Fish, and he will live four or five dayes, (if dead, the Herne will not touch it.) Then having a strong Line, of a dark-Green-Silk, twisted with Wyre, about three yards long, tye a round stone of a pound to it, and lay three or four such hooks, but not too deep in the Water, out of the Herne’s wading; and two or three Nights will answer your Expectation.

And here I thought to conclude this Discourse of Fowling, but the young Tyro or Beginner in the Acquest of this Noble Art, pulls me back again, and whispers this Question in my Ear, How to take Pheasants, Partridges, &c. in particular, by either of the forementioned wayes, as, Nets, Lime, Engine, Driving, or Setting; because of all Fowl for Game, these two are esteemed as the most Gentile, and Profitable? I shall answer his Curiosity, and for his Instruction, propose these ensuing Rules, though what I have said in general of Great Fowl might suffice.

The severall wayes of taking Pheasants.

For to take Pheasants with Nets, first find their Haunts, or Coverts, which are generally in thick, young, well-grown Copses, solitary and untraced by Men or Cattle, and not in Old High Woods; and never in open Fields. Which having assured knowledge of, the next thing is to find out the Eye, or Brood of Pheasants, wich according to the best Experience is thus. You must learn and understand the several Notes of a Natural Pheasant-Call, and how usefully to apply them. In the Morning just before, or at Sun-rising, call them to feed, and so at Sun-setting: In the Forenoon, and Afternoon, your Note must be to Cluck them together to Brood, or to chide them for straggling, or to notify some danger at hand.

Thus skilled in their Notes, and by the Darkness, Solitaryness, and strong undergrowth of the place assured of their Haunts, closely lodge your self, and softly at first call; lest being near you, a loud Note affright them; and no Reply made, raise your Note gradually, to the highest; and if there be a Pheasant in hearing, he will answer you, in as loud a Note. Be sure it be Tunable. As soon as you are answered, creep nearer to it; if far off, and a single Fowl, as you call, and approach, so will the Pheasant. Having gotten sight of her, on the Ground, or Perch, cease calling, and with all silence possible, spread your Net conveniently, between the Pheasant, and you, one end of the Net fastned to the Ground, and the other end, hold by a long Line in your hand, by which you may pull it together, if strained; then call again, and as you see the Pheasant come under your Net, rise and shew your self, and affrighting her, she will mount, and so is taken. Thus if on the contrary you have divers Answers, from several Corners of the Coppice, and you keep your place and not stir, they will come to your Call, and then having a pair of Nets, spread one on each side, and do as before. Your Nets must be made of Green or Black double-twin’d Thread, the Mesh about an inch square, between Knot, and Knot, the whole Net about three Fathom long, and Seven Foot broad, verged with strong small Cord on each side and ends, to lye hollow and compass-wise.

The next way of taking Pheasant-Powts, is by Driving thus. Having found the Haunt of an Eye of Pheasants, known by the Barrenness of the place, Mutings and loose Feathers, then in the little Pads and Wayes, like Sheep-tracks, they have made, place your Nets (taking the wind with you) a-cross these Paths, hollow, loose and circularly, the nether part fixt to the ground, and the upper side hollow, &c. as aforesaid: Then to their Haunt, and there call them together, if scattered; then with a Driver, an Instrument like that of Cloath-dressers, rake gently the Bushes and Boughs about you, the Powts will run, and stop and listen; then give a nother rake, and so you will drive them like sheep into your Nets: Observe in this Secrecy, Time and Leisure, or you spoyl your sport; Secrecy in concealing your self from being seen by them; and Time and Leisure, by not being too hasty.

Lastly for taking Pheasants with the Lime-Bush, or Rods, order these, as I have before prescribed; your Rods about twelve Inches long, and your Bush containing not above eight Twigs, with a pretty long Handle, sharpned to stick in the Ground, or Bushes, Shrubs, &c. and let it be planted as near the Pheasants pearching Branch, as may be. Place your Rods on the Ground, near the Bush; which will help the Bush; for when some are taken below by the Rods, they will scare up the others to get on the Bushes to seek what’s become of their Fellows, and there become your Prey themselves. Thus provided, keep close not to be discovered; out with your Call, and use it Skilfully and well, and you need not fear Game. Number the Rods you planted, and if any be missing, some Pheasant is crept away with it, and here let your Spaniel be employed to serve you in finding out the last sanctuary of the poor Pheasant, thus shunning his inevitable Captivity and Death.

For taking Partridge.

As in all the foregoing Sports, the Place where to find them is our first Enquiry, so here (as you did of the Pheasant) you must first find the Partridges Haunt. Which is mostly in standing-Corn-Fields, where they breed; as likewise in Stubble after the Corn is cut, especially Wheat-stubble till it is trodden, and then they repair to Barley-Stubble, if fresh; and the Furrows amongst the Clots, Brambles and long Grass, are sometimes their lurking places, for Twenty and upward in a Covy. In the Winter in up-land Meadows, in the dead Grass or Fog under Hedges, among Mole-Hills; or under the Roots of Trees, &c. Various and uncertain are their Haunts. And tho some by the Eye, by distinguishing their Colour from the ground, others by the Ear, by hearing the Cock call earnestly the Hen, and the Hens answering, and chattering with Joy at meeting, do find Partridge; yet the best, easiest and safest way of finding them is (as you do the Pheasant) by the Call or Pipe; applying your Notes seasonable, as before prescribed, and they will come near to you, and you may count their Numbers, and to your sport.

Surround your Covy, prepare your Nets, and pricking a stick fast in the ground, tye the one end to it, and let your Nets fall as you walk briskly round without stopping, and cover the Partridge; then rush in upon them to frighten them, and as they rise they are taken.

For taking them with Bird-Lime, thus. Call first near the Haunt; if answered, stick about your Lime-Straws (of which I have spoken before) a-cross in ranks two or three Lands, at some distance from you; then call again, and as they approach you, they are intercepted by the Straws; and to your Prey. This way is used most successfully in Stubble-Fields, from August to September: And Rods in Woods, Pastures, &c. as for the Pheasant.

But lastly, above all (to omit all others) the most pleasant way of taking Partridge is with a Setting-Dog (of which I have spoken before and refer you thither) who having set them, (known by the already mentioned signs) use your Net, as you have heard just now: And by these Rules and Method, the Railes, Quailes, Moorpootes, &c. are to be taken; and are for Hawks flight too. And here I must make an end of the most material part of Fowling.

For as for treating of all manner of Singing Birds, their Taking, which in general hath been before observed, their Preserving and Keeping, their Natural Breeding and Feeding, is a Work of such common Observation, and so differing from the Design of this Treatise of Violent and Brisk Exercises, that omitting it altogether here, shall refer you to the Venders of them, whom you may meet with in every Street, and furnish your self at easy rates; and are indeed but Voces & præterea Nihil.

Thus much for Fowling.

Of Fishing

So Ancient, so Innocent, so Vertuous, and so Useful is this Recreation, that all the foregoing Divertisements, must needs give place to this, and however (inadvertently) it comes in here, challenges a Preference, and Acceptance before any Pleasure can by the heart of Man be desired. As for its Antiquity some attribute its Knowledge to Belus Son of Nimrod, who first invented all Vertuous Sports; others to Seth and his Sons, he having left it on brazen Pillars engraven with indelible Characters not to be obliterated by the ensuing Flood. Job makes mention of Fishing, who Lived as may be supposed before Moses; nor is it questionable, whether the illustrious Patriarchs used not this Recreation. Certain it is, there were many Fishermen before Christs Coming, whose sole Dependance was on this Innocent Art. Innocent indeed and harmless, when the Lamb of God himself recommended it (as I may say) as such, by his Divine Call of four Fishermen, to be his Disciples, and by distinguishing & dignifying them with the greatest Intimacy with himself, and chiefest place in the Apostolical Catalogue; and by the Inspiration of his Spirit ennobled their Function; he made them Eminent Fishers of men. Nay, at the expence of a Miracle, he shewed the Lawful Use of Fishing, when the mouth of Peter’s Fish he commanded him to take, was the Tribute-Money’s Purse. And why our Saviour made his first Election of Fishermen, before others, this may be the undoubted Reason: Because he knew such men were naturally of more Contemplative and Serene Minds, of more Calme, Peaceable, and sweet Dispositions; And let me add too in the next place, because it is the School of Vertue (as I may call it) wherein the Primitive Christian Vertues are learnt and exercised. Patience is the immediate Vertue wherewith the Angler is endued, without which the Pleasure doth no longer exist; and attended with her three Sisters compleat his Delight. For Justice directs him to the due Place of Sport, where he may freely exercise his Art, without Injury or Incivility to his Neighbours: Temperance prescribes a Measure to the Action, and moderates and rules the Affections. And lastly Fortitude encourages and strengthens his mind, to support the Labour and undergo with Perseverance all Disappointments, excludes Passion (incident to other Recreations,) at the loss of a Hook, or (perhaps that he never had) a Fish. It makes him not fear Wind nor Weather, nor is his delight sowered at last with Melancholy and Vexation; but tho the Anglers Reward is but a little Fish, for a great deal of Pains, the Contentment and Satisfaction is above that. Finally the Usefulness of it is apparently great; for the cherishing the Body, and cheering the Mind, for diverting Sadness, and calming unquiet Thoughts, for moderating Passions and procuring Contentedness, and begetting Peace and Patience in those that profess and practise it. It has been the Recreation of Gods Saints, and Holy Fathers; and of many Worthy and Reverend Divines, this hath been and is now their beloved Pastime. And so I shall conclude this Encomium of Fishing; Volumes may be written in its praise (in which I am something wanting in the other foregoing Sports, this claiming it as its just due above the rest) but I long to tell you How, When and Where, you may taste its Delight.

It hath been the Method of this whole Treatise, to divide the several distinct Heads of each Recreation into three Parts, to render the Observations and Rules the more plain and easy, for the prosecuting the Recreation we treat of.

1. What it is we pursue.

2. Where and When to find that we would delight our selves in.

3. With what proper Mediums or Measures we may obtain the desired Effects of our endeavours therein. And in this delightful Scene of Pastime, we now treat of, Fishing, so full of Variety and Choice, I shall observe the same Method.

First then, What we pursue is Fish, distinguished according to their sundry kinds by these following Names.

The Barbel, Breame, Bleak, Bulhead, or Millers-Thumb; Chevin, Char, Chub, Carp; Dace, Dare; Eel; Flounder; Grayling, Gudgeon, Guiniad; Loach; Minnow; Pope or Pike, Pearch; Rud, Roach; Sticklebag or Bansticle, Salmon, Shad, Suant; Tench, Torcoth, Trout, Thwait, and Umber. All these Alphabetically thus named are the different sorts of Fish, in taking which the Angler commonly exercises his Art. We come next, Where to find them.

I. To know the Haunts and Resorts of Fish, in which they are to be usually found, is the most Material thing the Angler ought to be instructed in, lest he vainly prepare how to take them, and preposterously seek where to find that he prepared for. To prevent which you are first to understand, That as the Season of the Year is, so Fish change their places: In Summer, some keep near the Top, others the bottom of the Waters. In Winter, all Fish in general resort to deep Waters. But more particularly,

The Barbel, Roach, Dace, and Ruff, covet most Sandy, Gravelly Ground, the deepest part of the River, and the Shadows of Trees.

Breame, Pike, and Chub, delight in a Clay, and Ouzie Ground: The Bream chooseth the middle of the River, in a gentle not too rapid Stream: The Pike prefereth still Waters, full of Fry, and absconding himself amongst Bull-Rushes, Water-docks, or under Bushes, that under these shelters he may more securely surprize and seize his Prey: The Chub too chooses the same Ground, large Rivers and Streams, and is rarely destitute of some Tree to cover and shade him.

Carp, Tench and Eel, frequent foul muddy still Waters. The greatest Eels lurk under Stones, or Roots; the smallest ones are found in all sorts of Rivers or Soyls: The Carp is for the deepest stillest part of Pond or River, and so is the Tench, and both delight in green Weeds.

Pearch delighteth in gentle Streams of a reasonable Depth, not too shallow; close by a Hollow Bank is their common Sanctuary.

Gudgeon covets Sandy, Gravelly, Gentle Streams, and smaller Rivers; not so much abounding in Brooks. He bites best in Spring, till they spawn, and a little after till Wasp time.

The Salmon delights in large swift Rivers, which ebb and flow; and are there plentifully to be found: As likewise Rocky and Weedy Rivers. But in the latter end of the Year he is to be found high up in the Country, in swift and violent Cataracts, coming thither to spawn.

The Trout loves small swift purling Brooks or Rivers, that run upon Stones or Gravel, and in the swiftest deepest part of them, getteth behind some Stone-Block and there feeds. He delights in a Point of a River where the Water comes Whirling like the Eddy, to catch what the Stream brings down, especially if he has the Shade of a Tree: He hugely delights to lurk under some hollow Bank or Stone; seldom among Weeds.

Shad, Thwait, Plaice, Peel, Mullet, Suant and Flownder, covet chiefly to be in or near the Salt or Brackish Waters, which ebb and flow: The last, viz. the Flownder, have been taken in fresh Rivers, as coveting Sand and Gravel, deep gentle streams, near Banks, &c.

Lastly the Umber affects Marly Clay Ground, clear and swift Streams, far from the Sea; the greatest Plenty of these Fish is found in Derbyshire and Staffordshire.

Thus much for the Haunts of Fish; I come next to know When is the most seasonable time to catch them; which before I speak to, let him that would become a compleat Angler, take this Rule. That he observe narrowly what Pond or River soever he fisheth in, whether it be slimy, muddy, stoney or gravelly; whether of a swift or slow Motion; As likewise that he know the Nature of each Fish, and what Baits are most proper for every kind: Not to let his Knowledg be circumscribed to one or two particular Rivers, whither he is invited to Angle and take his Observations by the Vicinity of his House; but to let his Knowledge be general, and consequently his Sport will be so too. His Ignorance otherwise will oblige him to be a Spectator in another River, when his Excellency is confined to that only experienced one in or near his own Parish or House. But to proceed,

II. To understand the best Time when to Angle in, We must first consider Affirmatively, when most Seasonable: Or, 2. Negatively, when Unseasonable.

1. Seasonable Angling is, When the Weather is calme, serene and clear; tho the Cool cloudy Weather in Summer is to be preferred, provided the Wind blow not too boistrously, to hinder your easy Guiding your Tools; In the hottest Months the cooler the better.

2. When a Violent shower hath disturbed the Water and mudded it, then with a Red Worm, Angle in the Stream at the ground.

3. A little before Fish spawn, when they repair to Gravely Fords to rub and loosen their full Bellies; they bite freely.

4. From Sun-rising till eight of the Clock in the Morning, and from four in the Afternoon till night for Carp and Tench. In June and July, Carps shew themselves on the very rim of the Water, then Fish with a Lob-Worm, as you would with a Natural Flye. But be sure to keep out of sight.

5. In March, April, and September, and all VVinter, when the Air is clear, serene and warm. And after a showre of Rain, which hath only beaten the Gnats, and Flies into the River, without muddying. The two first mentioned Months with May, and part of June, are most proper for the Fly; Nine in the Morning, and Three a Clock in the Afternoon, is the best time; as likewise, when the Gnats play much in a warm Evening.

6. In a Cloudy, and VVindy day, after a Moon-shine clear Night, for the brightness of the Night (through fear) making them abstain from feeding, and the Gloominess of the Day emboldening and rendering them (through Hunger) sharp, and eager upon food, they bite then freely.

7. Lastly, At the opening of Mill-dams or Sluces, you will find Trouts, &c. come forth seeking food, brought down by the Water. We come next to demonstrate the time not proper, i. e.

2. Unseasonable Angling in short is, When the Earth is parched, and scorched with Vehement Heat, and Drought; benummed and frozen with Cold, Frost, and Snow; or refrigerated with Spring Hoar-Frosts; or blasted with the sharp, bitter, nipping, North, or East Winds: Or when blustring Boreas disorders your well guiding your Tackling; or the Sheep-Shearers Washings glutted the Fish, and anticipated your Bait; when the withdrawing of your sport, foretells a Storm, and advises you to some shelter; or Lastly, when the night proves Dark, and Cloudy, you need not trouble your self the next day, ’tis to no purpose, &c.

Thus much shall suffice for the two first Parts I proposed to treat of, viz. What we seek after in this Recreation, and Where, and When to find it; I come next to speak of the several Implements, and Tackling we ought to be provided with, for the prosecuting the same; and then to our Sport.

III. For providing Stocks, the best time is the Winter Solstice, when the Sap is in the Roots of Trees, and their Leaves gone. It is improper after January, the Sap then ascending into the Trunk, and expanding it self over all the Branches. See that your Stocks be Taper-grown, and your Tops of the best Ground-Hazle, that can be had, smooth, slender, and straight, of an Ell-long, pliant, and bending; and yet of a strength, that a reasonable jerk cannot break it, but it will return to its first straightness; lest otherwise you endanger your Line. Keep them two full years, before you use them; having preserved them from Worm-eating, or Rotting, by thrice a year rubbing and chaffing them well with Butter (if sweet) or Linsed or Sallet-Oyl; and if Bored, Oyl poured into the Holes, and bathed four and twenty houres in it, and then thrown out again, will exceedingly preserve them.

But why should I further trouble my self with prescribing any Rules for the ordering the Angle-Rod, since every Cane-shop in London will furnish us at an easy rate, with Rods of Cane, that shall suit with the sport we designe; the usual Objection of their Colour and Stiffness being taken away, the first by covering it with Parchment or thin Leather, dyed as you please; and the other by the length and strength of the Top, being as before.

The next thing we come to prepare is the Line, which though easy, yet admits of some Rule; wherefore to make it neat, handsome and strong, twist the Hair you make it of even, having seen if the Hair be of an equal bigness; then steep your Line in Water, to see if the Hairs shrink, if so, you must twist them over again. The Colour of the Hair is best of Sorrel, White and Grey; Sorrel for muddy boggy Rivers, and the two last for clear Waters. Nor is the Pale watry green contemptible, dyed thus: Take a pint of strong Ale, half a pound of Soot, a little of the Juice of Walnut-Leaves and Allum; Boyle these together in a Pipkin half an hour, take it off, and when ’tis cold, put in your Hair. In making your Line of Hair mix not Silk; but either all Hair, or all Silk; as likewise distinguish the Line for the Ground Angle, and that for the Fly-Rod, the last must be stronger than the first; in that for the Artificial Fly, making the uppermost Link twenty Hairs long, less in the next, and so less till you come to the Fly. Lastly at each end of your Line make a Loop (called a Bow) the one Larger, to fasten to, and take it from the top of your Rod, and the other Lesser to hang your Hook-line on.

Your Hook comes next, and requires your Care, That it be Long in the shank, something Round in compass, the point straight and even, and bending in the shank. Set on your Hook with strong small Silk, laying your Hair on the inside of the Hook.

Your Flote challenges divers wayes of making. Some using Muscovy Duck-quills for still Waters. Others the best sound Cork without flaws or holes, bored through with a hot Iron, and a Quill of a fit proportion put into it; then pared into a pyramidal Form, or in the fashion of a small Peare, to what bigness you please, and ground smooth with a Grindstone or Pumice; this is best for strong Streams.

In fine, To plum the Ground, get a Carbine Bullet bored through, and in a strong twist hanged on your Hook or Rod. To sharpen your Hook, carry a little Whetstone. To carry your several Utensils without incommoding your Tackle, have several Partitions of Parchment. And in short the Ingenious Angler will not be unprovided of his Bob and Palmer; his Boxes of all sizes for his Hooks, Corks, Silk, Thread, Flies, Lead, &c. His Linnen and Woollen Bait-Bags; His splinted Osier light Pannier; And lastly his Landing Hook, with a Screw at the end to screw it into the socket of a Pole, & stricken into the Fish, to draw it to Land: To which socket, a Hook to cut up the Weeds, and another to pull out Wood, may be fastned.

But all those Implements I have described, serve to no purpose, if we do not observe to have the Agents and Effecters of our Pastime in store, I mean proper Baits and Inticements to take your Fish. Which branch themselves into three Kinds.

First, The Life-baits, which are all kind of Worms, Redworm, Maggot, Dors, Froggs, Bobb, Brown-Flies, Grashoppers, Hornets, Wasps, Bees, Snails, small Roaches, Bleak, Gudgeon, or Loaches.

Secondly, Artificial living Baits, of Flyes of all sorts and shapes, made about your Hooks with Silk and Feathers, at all times seasonable, especially in blustering Weather.

Lastly, Dead Baits, Pasts of all maings, Wasps dryed or undryed, clotted Sheeps-blood, Cheese, Bramble-berries, Corn, Seeds, Cherries, &c. The two first good in May, June and July, the two next in April; and the last in the Fall of the Leaf.

Of Flies.

Of Natural Flies there are innumerable, and therefore it cannot be expected I can particularize all; but some of their Names I shall nominate, viz. The Dun-Fly, Red-Fly, May-Fly, Tawny-Fly, Moor-Fly, Shell-Fly, Flag-Fly, Vine-Fly, Cloudy or Blackish-Fly, Canker-Flies, Bear-Flies, Caterpillars, and thousands more, differing according to the Soiles, Rivers or Plants.

Artificial Flies, are made by the ingenious Angler, according to Art, in shape, colour and proportion like the Natural Fly, of Fur, Wool, Silk, Feathers, &c. To delineate which I must confess my self not so accurate and skilful a Painter, nor can any Pen-drawing illustrate their Various Colours so, as to direct their Artificial Counterfeit; Nature will help him in this by Observation, curiously Flourishing their several Orient and bright Colours, after which they take their names, as before said: And therefore to furnish your self with both Natural and Artificial Flyes, repair in the morning to the River, and with a Rod beat the Bushes that hang over the Water, and take your Choice; This is a Rule whereby you may know by their Number what Fly the Fish affect most, and accordingly to use it; taking with you these following Directions.

1. Observe to Angle with the Artificial Fly in Rivers disturbed somewhat by Rain, or in a Cloudy day, the Wind blowing gently: If the Wind be not so high, but you may well guide your Tackle, in plain Deeps is to be found the best Fish, and best Sport: If small Wind breeze, in swift streams is best Angling: Be sure to keep your Fly in perpetual slow motion; and observe that the Weather suit the Colour of your Fly, as the light Colour’d in a Clear day, the Darkish in a dark, &c. As likewise according to the Waters Complexions, have your Fly suitable.

2. Let your Line be twice as long as your Rod: Keep as far as you can from the Waterside, the Sun on your back; In casting your Fly, let that fall first; your Line not touching the Water.

3. Have a nimble Eye, and active quick Hand to strike presently upon the rising of the Fish, lest finding his mistake he spew out the Hook.

4. In slow Rivers cast your Fly cross them, let it sink a little, draw it back gently, without breaking or circling the Water; let the Fly float with the Current, and you will not fail of excellent Sport.

5. Observe to let the Wings of your Salmon-Flys to be one behind another, whether two or four, and they and the Tail long, and of the finest gaudiest Colours you can choose.

Lastly, In clear Rivers a small Fly with slender Wings is best, and in muddied Rivers a Fly of a more than Ordinary large Body.

Thus much for Flies, I come next to that I called Dead-Baits, and shall begin with the several Wayes of making Pastes.

Of Pastes.

1. Beat in a Mortar the Leg of a young Coney (Vulgarly called the Almond) or of a Whelp or Catling, and a quantity of Virgins Wax and Sheeps suet, till they are incorporated, and temper them with clarified Honey into Paste.

2. Sheeps Blood, Cheese, fine Manchet and clarified Honey tempered as before.

3. Sheeps-Kidney-Suet, Cheese, fine Flower, with clarified Honey tempered.

4. Cherries, Sheeps Blood, Saffron and fine Manchet made into a Paste.

5. Beat into a Paste; the fattest Old Cheese, the strongest Rennet can be got, fine Wheat-flower and Annis-seed Water: If for a Chub you make the Paste, put a little rafty Bacon.

Lastly, Mutton-Kidney Suet, and Turmerick reduced to a fine Powder, the fattest old Cheese and strongest Rennet, wrought to a Paste, adding Turmerick, till the Paste be of a curious Yellow; and is excellent and approved for Chevin.

All which Pastes when you use them, that you may have the desired Effects of your Pains infallibly follow, anoint your Bait with this Confection: Take the Oyl of Aspray, Coculus India, and Assa Fœtida beaten, and mix with it as much Life-Honey; then dissolve them in the Oyle of Polypody, and keep it in a close Glass for your use. And that your Paste may not wash off your Hook, beat Cotten-Wool or Flax into it.

Of keeping Baits.

For the keeping and preserving all quick Baits, you must keep them separately as they are several, not altogether; and feed them with that they most delight in; as for instance, in short:

The Red-Worm, must be kept in a bag of Red Cloth, with a handful of chopt Fennel, mixt with half so much fresh, black and fertile Mould, will scoure and preserve them: All other Worms, with the Leaves of Trees they are bred on, renewing them often in a day. Only the Cad-bait, Bob and Canker, &c. must be kept in the same things you find them.

The great White Maggots, keep them in Sheeps-Tallow, or little bits of a beasts Liver; and to scoure them, hang them warm in a bag of Blanketing with Sand.

The Frogs and Grasshoppers, in wet Moss and long Grass, frequently moistned; and when used, the Legs of the first, and the Wings of the other must be cut close off.

The Flies use them as you take them. Only the Wasps, Hornets and Humble-Bee, must be dryed in an Oven, their heads dipt in Sheeps blood, and dryed again, may be kept in a Box for use.

Thus much shall suffice for the Anglers Tools and Baits, I shall now lead him to his Sport, having first Clad himself with all inward and outward Ornaments.

Inward, In having his Mind cloathed with these Qualifications, viz.

1. Learning, throughly to understand his Art, and skilfully argue and dispute its Excellency, &c.

2. Faith, to enjoy the Benefit of his Expectation.

3. Love, to his Pleasure, not thinking it irksom and tedious, to his Neighbour, in not offending him.

4. Patience, In not excruciating himself for Accidents of Losses, &c.

5. Humility, in wetting himself, lying down, kneeling, &c. as Occasion requires.

6. Liberality, in dispencing to others the Fruits of his Labour.

Outward, In cloathing his body with plain and comely Apparel, of sad dark Colours, as sad grayes, tawny, purple, hair or Musk Colour. Warm and well lined, to prevent the Evils which the Coldness of the Air, or Moistness of the Water may produce.

And now thus equipt let us walk to the Rivers side, there give me leave to direct you in the Measures you must take and observe, for the obtaining the End of what all our forementioned Preparations aime at; I mean the Catching those sundry kinds of Fish I enumerated at the begining of this Discourse; and observing that first method, I shall Alphabetically describe, what Baits are most Proper for taking them, and How to use them.

To begin then with the Barbel. The best time for Angling for this Fish is at the latter end of May, June, July, and beginning of August, in his Haunts aforementioned; and the best Bait (omiting others) is the well-scoured Lob-Worm (being of a curious cleanly Palate as well as shape) or Cheese steept an hour or two in clarified Honey. He is a subtile Fish, extraordinary strong, and dogged to be dealt with, and therefore be sure to have your Rod and Line strong and long, or you may endanger to break it.

The Breame is next in order; The most seasonable time to Angle for him is from St. James tide till Bartholomew tide. He spawneth in June or begining of July; is easily taken, as falling on his side after one or two gentle turnes, and so drawn easily to Land. The best Bait for him is that (most delightful to him) Red-Worme (found in Commons & Chalky Grounds after Rain) at the root of a great Dock, wrapt up in a round Clue. He loves also Paste, Flag-Wormes, Wasps, Green-Flies, Butter-Flies, and a Grass-hopper, without Leggs.

Bait your Ground the night before with gross-ground Malt, boiled and strained, and then in the morning with the Red-Worm, bait your Hook, and plumbing your Ground within half an Inch, Fish.

The Bleak, an eager Fish, is caught with all sorts of Worms bred on Trees or Herbs, also with Flies, Cad-bait, Bobs, Paste, Sheeps-Blood, White Snails, Wasps, Gnats, &c. In a warm clear day the small Flye at the rim of the Water is best; In a Cloudy day, Gentles or Cadis two foot under the Water.

The Bull-head or Millers-thumb, being Childrens Recreation, I shall speak little of, only being serviceable for Baits, I shall only say he is easily taken with a small Worm, being lazie and simple, and will swallow any thing; and the Minnow, Loach, and Bansticle being of the same diet, I place here too.

The Chevin, loveth all sorts of Worms, Flies, Cheese, Grain, and Black Worms, their Bellies being slit, that the White may be seen: And very much delighteth in the Pith of an Oxes back, the tough outward skin being carefully taken off, without breaking the inward tender skin. In the Morning early angle for Chevin, with a Snail; in the heat of the day, with some other Bait; in the afternoon with the Fly; the great Moth, with a great Head, yellow Body, and whiteish Wings, usually found in Gardens, about the Evening: The larger the Chevin, the sooner taken; loving his Bait large, and variety on a Hook.

The Char is a Lancashire Fish, found in a Mere, called Winander-Mere in that County, the largest in England; and being to be found no where else, I shall not lead my London Angler thither to teach him to take it.

The Chub, called by some a Cheven, by others a Villain, is a Fish of no rare Meat; however, is good for a young Angler, and is thus to be taken: Bait your hook with a Grass-hopper, find the Hole where he lies, accompanied in a hot day, with twenty or more, floating almost on the very superficies of the Water; choose which you think best, and fairest, and drop your Hook some two foot before him, and he will bite at it greedily, and cannot break hold with his Leather Mouth; let him play and tire, lest you break your Line. If you cannot get a Grass-hopper, then any Worm, or Fly you will. In cold Weather, fish for him near the Bottom, and the Humble-Bee is the best Bait. Some appropriate Baits according to the Month, but I shall Omit that; The Chub (being best and in his Prime in the Winter, and then excellent meat Baked) a Paste made of Cheese, and Turpentine, is the only Bait to take him.

The Carp is subtle, and full of Policy, will never bite in Cold Weather, but in Hot you cannot be too Early, or too Late. In March, he seldome refuseth the Red-Worme, in June the Cadice, and the three next Months the Grass-hopper: Pastes that are sweet, of which I have spoken before, are very delightfull to Carps: And especially; if you Bait your ground two or three dayes before you angle, with Pellets of course Paste, Chickens-guts, Garbage, &c. Gentles anointed, and a Piece of Scarlet dipt in Honey, put them on the Hook, is an approved way.

The Dace, Dare, Rudd, and Roach, being much of a kind, and feeding, I shall put together, and are easily taken with small Worms, Bobs, Cadbaits, Flies, sheeps-Blood, all sorts of Worms, bred on Trees or Herbs, Paste, Wasps, Gnats, Lipberries, &c. The Heads of the Wasps, being dipt in Blood, is good for Dace, and Dare; as is likewise the Ant-flie.

The Eel, takes great Red-worms, Beef, Wasps, Guts of Fowl, or Fish, Menow, small Roaches are good Bait for Night Hooks; the Hooks being in the Mouth of the Fish. Now because this is very delightfull to most, I shall prescribe three wayes of taking them, as are most full of Pleasure. The first way is called, Sniggling, or Broggling for Eels, thus: Take a strong Line and Hook, baited with a Lob, or Garden-Worm, and observing where Eels lurk in the day time, with a stick forked at the Top, gently put your Bait into the Hole, and if there be any Eels there, you will not fail of a Bite, of as large Eels as can be had, but pull not too hard lest you spoyl all. The second is called Bobbing, which is thus done: Take some large well scowred Lobs, and with a Needle, run some strong twisted Silk through them, from end to end, so many as are enough to wrap about a Board near a dozen times; tye them fast with the two ends of the Silk to hang in so many Hanks; then fasten all to a strong Cord, and a handfull above the Worms fasten a Plumb of three quarters of a pound, and your Cord to a strong Pole, and in muddy Waters, you may Fish, and find the Eels tug lustily, and when you think they have swallowed them, draw up your Line, and a-shore with them. Lastly, the Eel-Spear made with four Teeth, jagged on both sides, stricken into the Mud, on the bottom of a River, and if you chance to strike where they lye, you infallibly take.

There is likewise an assured way of taking Eels, approved to excel any other, thus done: Take some Bottles of Hay, mixt with green Osiers, or Willows, Bait them with Sheeps Guts, or other Beasts Garbage, sink them down in the middle, to the bottom of your Pond, or by the Bank-sides, having fastned a Cord to the Bottles, that you may twitch them up at your pleasure, and all the best Eels will resort to them, and you may take abundance.

The Flounder, Shad, Thwait, Suant, and Mullet, are taken with Red-Worms of all sorts, Wasps, and Gentles.

The Grayling is next; In Angling for which, you must head your Hook upon the shank, with a very slender and narrow plate of Lead, that the Bait (a large Grass-hopper) may the more easily come over it; and at the point put a Cadbait, and keep the Bait in continual motion; not forgetting to pull off the Grass-hoppers Wings.

The Gudgeon, takes the smallest Red-Worm, Wasps, Gentles, and Cadbaits. When you Fish for him, stir up the Sand or Gravel with a Pole, which will make them gather thither, and bite more eagerly.

The Guiniad, I shall remit speaking to, only mentioning it in course, being no where found, but in a place called, Pemble-Mere, in which place they abound, as the River Dee does with Salmon.

The Pope, or Ruff, is excellent for a young Angler, bites greedily, and quantities may be taken, by Baiting the Ground with Earth, and your Hook with small Red Worms.

The Pike, loveth all sorts of Baits (unless the Fly) Gudgeon, Dace, Roaches and Loaches; and young Frogs in Summer time, of which the yellowest is best.

The Pearch, taketh all sorts of Earth-worms, especially the Lob-worm, and Brandling, well scowred, Bobs, Oak-worms, Dors, Gentles, Cole-wort-worms, Wasps, Cadbaits, and Menow, or a little Frog, the Hook being fastned through the skin of his Leg, towards the upper part of it. Be sure you give the Pearch time enough to pouch his Bait, before you strike.

The Salmon, is taken best with Lob-worms, scented with the Oyl of Ivy-berries, or the Oyl of Polypody of the Oak mixt with Turpentine: Or the well-scowred Garden-worm, is an excellent Bait: The Salmon bites best in May, June, and July, at three a Clock in the Afternoon, if the Water be clear, a little Wind stirring, especially near the Sea.

The Tench, is a great lover of large Red Worms, first dipt in Tar. As also all sorts of Paste, made up with strong scented Oyls, or Tar, or a Paste made up of Brown Bread, and Honey. He will bite too at a Cad-worm, Lob-worm, Flag-worm, green Gentle, Cadbait, Marsh-worm, or soft boil’d Bread-grain.

The Torcoth, being before mentioned, I only let you know, that he is only found, in the Pool Linperis in Carnarvan-shire; and leave you to the Welch-mens description, both of him and his Bait.

The Trout, is fattest, and in his prime in May, and is caught with all sorts of Worms, especially Brandlings, commonly found in an Old Dung-hill, Cow-dung, Hors-dung, or Tanners-bark: Also with Flies, Natural and Artificial, with young Frogs, Menow, Marsh, Dock or Flag-worms; all sorts of Cad-bait, Dors, Bobs, Palmers, Gentles, Wasps, Hornets, &c. and with the Catterpiller, used according to the Rule before prescribed for the Grayling.

Lastly, The Umber, endeth our Alphabet, and Discourse of Fishing too, and gives me occasion to add no more, but that he is taken as the Trout, just now mentioned; And therefore now to your Sport: To assist your well effecting which, I have but this to add; Cast into your Haunts where you use to Fish, once in four or five dayes, soft boyled Corn (or oftner for Carp, and Tench) Also Garbage, Beasts Livers, chopt Worms, Grains steept in Blood, to attract them to the place; and to keep them together, throw in half a handfull of Grains of ground Malt: But in a stream, cast it above your Hook, that floating towards you may draw the Fish thither.

Before I conclude, I was afraid this discourse would have been imperfect, had not something been spoken of Fish-ponds, their Ordering, and Improving, that the private Gentleman may not be destitute of some appropriated place to himself, wherein he may Recreate himself in this excellent Pastime; great Rivers belonging either to the King, or to Lords of Mannours, whose Authorities and Jurisdictions must be kept inviolate, and excludes our Intrusion there.

Of Fish-ponds.

When you have a desire to dig a Fish-pond, coveting the several Advantages that do thence accrue to you, you must first of all consult, what Grounds are most fit and proper to be cast into a Pond, viz, Those which are Marrishy; or Boggy; or full of Springs, unfit for Grazing, or to be put to any profitable use besides. Of these the last, full of springs, will yield the best Water; that which is Marshy will feed Fish; and that which is Boggy is best for a Defence against Thieves.

Thus being furnished with a piece of Wast Ground, I now mentioned, let us now to work; And first draw by small Trenches all the Springs or moist Veines into one place, and so drain the rest of the Ground; then mark out the Head of your Pond, and make it the highest part of the ground in the Eye, tho it be the lowest in the true Level: Cut the Trench of your Floodgate so, that when the VVater is let out, it may have a swift Fall: On each side of which Trench drive in great Stakes of Oak, Ash or (which is best) Elme, six foot long, and six Inches square; place these in Rowes four foot distance one from another, as broad and wide from the Floodgate as you intend the Head of your Pond shall go: Now give us the Spade Tom, and fetch us the Pick-ax Jack, and to digging of our Pond; Dig it as big and large a Compass as the Ground will permit, throw your Earth amongst the said stakes, and ram it between them, hard and firm, till you have covered the stakes: Drive in as many new ones more besides the heads of the first stakes, and ram more Earth above them too: Do thus with stakes above stakes till the head-sides be of a convenient Height: Taking care, that the inside of your Banks be smooth, even, hard and strong, that you may not fear the wearing of the Earth off the stakes by any Current of the Water.

Having thus digged about eight foot deep, that so it may carry about six foot VVater, pave all the bottom and the Banks of the Pond with large Sods of Flot-Grass, laying them very close together, pin them down fast with small stakes and windings: This Grass is a great Feeder of Fish, and grows naturally under VVater. Stake down to the bottom of one side of the Pond divers Bavens and Brush-VVood-Faggots, into which the Fish may cast their spawn, and preserve it: In another place lay Sods upon Sods, the grass sides together to nourish and breed Eels.

The Pond being thus made, let in the Water, and now observe to store it thus: Put your Carp, Breame and Tench by themselves: Pike, Pearch, Eel and Tench (the Fishes Physician) by themselves; & for Food of the greater Fishes, as well as Meat for your greater Dishes, put good store of Roach, Dace, Loach and Menow; and Lastly to every one Melter put three Spawners, and in three Years the Increase will be great; and in five Years with difficulty destroyed.

At the end of three Years Sue your Pond; which you must ever continue so to do, for that the Roach, &c. will increase in such abundance, that eating up the sweetest food, will make your other Fish, as Carps, &c. be lean and hunger-starved: And therefore every Year view your Pond, and observe if any such Fry appears; and use your Discretion.

And because the Carp is a Fish of a general Acceptation, and is of a bon goust almost in every mans palate; and being by the aforesaid little Devourers and Multiplyers, very often Deceived in your expectation of a fat Carp, large and sweet; I shall insert here an excellent VVay of making Carps grow to an extraordinary Bigness in a Pond.

To make Carps grow large, &c.

About the Month of April, when you perceive your Pond grow low in VVater, rake all the sides where the VVater is fallen away with an Iron Rake, and sow Hay-seeds there, and rake it well; and at the Latter end of Summer you shall have good store of Grass: The Winter being come the VVater will encrease and over-top all the Grass, and there being VVater enough to carry them, the Carps will resort to the seeds, and feed briskly and grow as fat as Hoggs: Thus do every Summer, till you sue your pond, and no River Carp can surpass them.

Thus much of Fishing and Fish-Ponds.

Of Shooting

The Use of the Bow is of so great Antiquity, and of so important a Consequence for a defensive and offensive Armes, that I could not but a little consider, how needful the true knowledge of its Use was esteemed of Old, and how little it is accounted now. It is uncertain, as well as (almost) unknown, who was the First Inventor of the Bow; but if we examine the Probability there may be of its being derived from the Tyranical Government of Nimrod, that so Mighty Hunter before the Lord, we may Conjecture him to be the first Inventor of the Bow: For as he is called the First Founder of a Monarchick Government, by reducing and subduing a disordered People under the Government of himself; so was he likewise esteemed a Mighty Hunter in another respect, for that he Subdued likewise the Beasts of the Field; as is observed of him and his Character, by sundry Commentators on him and his Family. So that in the whole we may suppose him to be the Inventor, or first Finder out of the Bow, as a Weapon of an infallible Execution and mortal Efficacy on that account. Nor can I find any mention made of the Bow thro the whole Hystory of Genesis from Nimrod to Esau, they both being characterized with those Epithets of Mighty and Cunning Hunters, Men of the Field; who very well understood the Use of the Bow, as well for their Profit as Pleasure; the last of which is particularly hinted in the commands of Isaac to Esau, that with his Quiver and his Bow, he should Hunt and take that only Seasonable Dish, which might procure and entaile a Blessing on him and his Posterity. Nay, that Holy Patriarch Jacob himself, in his last Will and Testament to his Illustrious Family, bequeaths a singular Portion to his beloved Joseph, which the strength of his Bow had intitled him to. Gen. 48. 22.

Nor are we to doubt in what Estimation it was held to the Reign of David King of Israel, who thought it the most Necessary Qualification of his Subjects, to be very well versed in the Use of the Bow. The Bow which was the Famous Signal between his beloved Jonathan and himself, and made the private Testimonial of the undeserv’d Fury of his Maliciously & Enviously incensed Father Saul: By reason of whose eminent Skill, in the expert use of it, he chants forth his Mournful Elegy, The Bow of Jonathan returned not empty, from the Blood of the slain, &c. Nay further so useful (no doubt) he thought the Knowledge of the Bow was, and of so necessary a Consequence for a Defensive as well as Offensive Armes, that it is observable he issued out a particular Edict or Proclamation, commanding the general Learning its use throughout Judah. And the Use of it continued and still does in the East, as the only Weapon they are skilled in.

Dr. Heylin in his Cosmographical Description of the World, tells us, That the Czeremissi, a People living in great Forrests, without Houses, feeding on Honey & the Flesh of Wild Beasts & Clothed with their Skins, under the Empire of the Czar of Russia, are such excellent Archers, and so light of Foot, that they carry their Bows continually in their hands, and practise their Children so timely in it, that (after such an age) till they can hit a White that is set before them, they give them nothing to eat.

Further; it is recorded of the Parthians (and indeed all the Persians too) that their greatest Fame consisted in their skilful handling their Bows and Arrows, & were deservedly reckon’d the best Archers in the World, having the Art of Shooting backwards, and making their Retreat and Flight more pernicious and terrible, than their Charge and Onset. So that when Marcus Crassus in his expedition against them, was told by an Astrologer, that having found an ill Aspect in Scorpio, he presaged his Enterprize would prove unsuccesseful, Tush Man (quoth he) I fear not Scorpio, but Sagittarius.

And to descend to our own Countrymen the English, the frequent Victories they obtained over the French formerly, rendred them as famous and able Bow-men (next the Parthians) as were in the World.

But since the Ingenious Franciscan Fryer (Bertholdus Swart) appeared in Germany, his Sulphureous Brain has quite (or almost) blown up the Reputation of the Bow, and all other Ancient Devices and Engines of War, by his Accidental Invention of that Fatal Instrument the Gun, which he first communicated to the Venetians, Anno 1330. Who gave by these (then so called) Bombards, a notable discomfiture to the Genoys; and was next made use of by the Inhabitants of the Baltick Sea; And at the Siege of Callice Anno 1347. used by the English; who taught it the Mounsieur Frenchman, and he gratified him with the death of the Famous Leader, Thomas Mountacute Earl of Salisbury, shot at the Siege of Orleance, Anno. 1425. After which Spain learnt it, and the Jews and Moors from thence taught the Turk; and from the first Invention of large and unweildy, they were made fit for Walls and Hands; and in fine is a less expensive way of shedding blood than that of Archery is.

Thus you see how Ancient the Use of the Bow is, and how lately its Disuse began (I mean in relation to the Common-Wealth, as a defensive, or offensive Weapon) and how great the Ancient Fame of our English was in the knowledge of it: However the Glory of it is somewhat still preserved (though in a Pastime) by the Honourable City of London, whose Lord Mayor annually appears to see a Prize performed by Shooting with a Pound Arrow: And therefore all I have to say more, is, That it is deservedly placed amongst my Recreations, having Metamorphosed its Use, and become a Healthful Conserver, instead of Destroyer of mens Bodies. And is vulgarly distinguished into two sorts, the Long-bow, and the Cross or Crow-Bow.

I shall begin first with the Long-bow, whose Use is (now) thus to be understood. That it conduces much to the Health of our Body, disperses our stagnated Blood, extends our contracted Limbs, and renders the Members of our Bodies plyant, and flexible; and for the better obtaining these Effects, the following Rules are to be Observed.

Before the Archer goes to his Sport (to follow the Method of this Treatise) he must first provide himself with necessary Accoutrements, viz, The Bow which claimes his first Care, must be the best (as best is best Cheap) of Spanish or English Yew, (the VVithen, or Elme being the worst:) Next his Shaft, which must be of Birch, Sugar-Chest, or Brazeel, with Gray, or White Feathers.

Thus equipt, to the Field, and here we are to understand three sorts of Marks, viz, The But, which is a Mark that is level, and requires a strong Arrow with a broad Feather: The Prick, a Mark of some compass, of a certain distance, requires an Arrow that is strong, and nimble, with a middle Feather: The Rover, is an uncertain Mark, and Proportionable to the distance, suit your Arrows. But before you Shoot, hold a little, and hearken to your Charge.

First, The Archer must have a good Eye, to see and discern his Mark; attended with a Knowing Judgment, to Understand the distance of Ground, and in what compass his Arrow must Fly, and to take the true Advantage of a Side-Wind; and a Dexterity to give his Shaft a sharp strong and sudden Loose, and without hanging on the string, to draw his Arrow close to the Head, and in an instant deliver it.

Secondly, He must observe a Decorum in his standing Posture, that his Body be fair, comely, and upright; his left Foot a convenient stride before his right, with both his Hams stiff, his left Arm holding his Bow in the midst, stretch’d out streight; and with his three Fore-Fingers and Thumb of his right-hand, draw the string to his right Ear, the Notch of his Arrow resting between his fore and long Fingers of his Right-Hand, and the Steel of his Arrow below the Feathers upon the middle Knuckle of his fore-finger, on his Left-Hand, drawing it up close, as abovesaid.

The Cross-Bow (as I said in the Introduction to this Treatise) is of equal Benefit and Pleasure with the Long-Bow, when through an imbecillity in the Arm or Back, that will not be a suitable Recreation: This Bow must be made of the same Wood with the other, for Gafel carried upon a string, and the other end being placed in a Rest, furnish your self with strong and heavy Arrows, suitable to your Bows strength, and all the foregoing Marks, may afford you an equal Delight with the Former; but especially for Persons that have the unhappiness of looking asquint, it is an excellent Disposer of the sight, to a direct Line, and helps that Watermans quality of Looking one way, and Rowing another. Thus much shall suffice for Shooting.

Of Bowling

This is a Recreation of an Ancient Institution, the Lydians being thought to have been the first Inventors of Sphæromachia, which signifies Bowling, as well as Tennis-Playing; besides these they instituted several other Games, as the Dice, Tables, Cards, &c. Necessity, and Hunger enforcing them to that Ingenuity, as Persius well observes, Artis Magister, Ingenijque largitor Venter: For that Country being Oppressed with a great Dearth and Famine, in the time of Atis, one of the Progenitors of Omphale, they Devised these Games, that every second day playing at them, they might beguile their Hungry Bellies, and drive away the Tediousness of the Famine. And indeed, according to its Original institution, of infinite use for the diverting Melancholly, for Exercise of the Body, by runing and stirring in this Game, for helping likewise sundry Bodily Infirmities, as the Stone, Gravel, Reins, &c. For which aforesaid ends several Pious, Learned and Sober Persons have sometimes made up the Company of a Bowling-Green (tho I must confess rarely to be seen in those common Bowling-Allies and Bares, which too usually are pestered with Damming-Rooks, Cunning Betters, Crafty Matchers, and base Booty-Players:) Herein we may see the World moralized, or emblematically described, where most are short, over, wide or wrong-Byassed, and few justle in to the Mistress Fortune: On one side we find Heraclitus and his Followers fret, vex, rail, swear and cavil at every thing; on the other side Democritus, and his Company rejoice and laugh, as if they were created for that purpose. On one side you may see the Mimick screwing and twisting his Body into several Postures, which he perswades himself adds either to the Swiftness or Slowness of his Bowl; On the other side the senseless Orator, with his perswasive Intreaties of Rub, O Rub a little; Or, Flee, Flee, and the like, to hasten or retard the Speed of his Bowl; when if the stupid Bowl lend a deaf Ear to his Perswasions, then he belyes his Disobedience, by crying Short, Short, O Short, when tis gone ten yards over; and when tis bowled short of the Jack six yards, he cryes, Gone a Mile, a Mile, a Mile, &c. But not to detain you any longer in characterizing this excellent sport: (Excellent I mean if rightly used) I shall before I lead you into the Green or Bare, instruct you in some Rules, how to choose your Bowls.

The first and greatest Cunning to be observed in Bowling, is the right chusing your Bowl, which must be suitable to the Grounds you design to run on, thus: For close Alleys, your best Choice is the Flat Bowl: 2. For open Grounds of Advantage, the Round-Byassed-Bowl; 3. For Green Swarths, that are plain and level, the Bowl that is Round as a Ball.

The next thing requires your Care is, The chusing out your Ground, and preventing the Windings, Hangings, and many turning Advantages of the same, whether it be in open wide places, as Bares and Bowling-Greens, or in close Bowling-Alleys.

Lastly, Have your Judgment about you to observe and distinguish the Risings, Fallings and Advantages of the Places where you Bowl: Have your Wits about you to avoid being rookt of your Money: And have your Understanding about you, to know your best Time and Opportunity for this Recreation; and finally a studious Care of your Words and Passions, and then Bowl away, and you may deserve, Well have you Bowled indeed.

But methinks I cannot conclude here, without admiring how aptly a Bowling-Green is by the Divine Quarles characterized, in the following Verses, thus.

Brave pastime, Readers, to consume that Day,

Which without Pastime flies too swift away!

See how they Labour, as if Day and Night

Were both too short to serve their loose Delight?

See how their curved Bodies wreath, and skrue

Such Antick shapes as Proteus never knew:

One rapps an Oath, another deals a Curse,

He never better bowl’d, this never worse;

One rubs his itchless Elbow, shruggs and laughs,

The t’other bends his beetle-brows, and chafes;

Sometimes they whoop, sometimes the Stygian Cryes,

Send their black Santo’s to the blushing Skies:

Thus mingling Humours in a mad Confusion

They make bad Premisses and worse Conclusion.

Thus much for Bowling.

Of Tennis.

This Recreation is of the same Date for its Antiquity of Invention with Bowling, and for the Violence of its Exercise to be preferred before it. This sport indeed is of so universal an Acceptance, that Majesty it self is pleased to design it its Recommendation, by tracking its laborious steps; and Princes and Lords admire it too for the most proper Recreation, to suit with Innocence, and true Nobility. Here the body is briskly exercised more than ordinary, and inured in Agility and Nimbleness; this renders the Limbs flexible and mettlesom, and adapts them for the most Vigorous Enterprize: It makes the languid and slothful, brisk and sprightful; and rejects Effeminacy and Delicacy, as contemptible and unworthy so Royal and Noble a Recreation: And so General indeed is the Estimation this Exercise of Tennis amongst most meets with, that it is reckoned one of the most absolute Qualifications of a well-bred Gentleman, throughly to understand this famous Game.

But why should we wonder at the general Love Gentlemen have for this Recreation, since it must be acknowledged, it challengeth as deserving a place in the Catalogue of violent Exercises, as any that goes before it in this Treatise; indeed it may be well rankt among those great Excellencies of Exercise which rendered the Lacedemonians, Famous to all Posterity for instructing their young Gentlemen and Noblemen in: Nay for ought I know it is a derivative Vertue which descended to the true English Gentleman, from that so excellent Method of Education used amongst the Warlike Nation the Gothes: Who (as Olaus Magnus informes us) amongst the greatest Severities, as Beatings and Wounds, Change of Heat into sudden Cold, lying (not on Downe but) upon Boards, coursely clad, and Feeding on Ordinary, but strong Food, used themselves to the most tedious, wearisome and Violent Exercises, as Riding, Darting, Shooting, &c. Wearing heavy Armes, Swimming on Horse-Back and in Armour; And had they been acquainted with this Exercise of Tennis, would not have omitted that neither: But I shall not enlarge any further on its Encomium, its being the Pastime of the most knowing and greatest men, shall stop any longer Eulogies my Pen can make on its Worth and Excellence. All I have to say is, I am heartily sorry, there are no Rules which fall within the Sphere of Demonstration, to be laid down for my Readers use, for the right prosecuting this Noble Game: Practice and Experience alone must be his Information and Direction, and not any Writing may be communicated to him: Only let me say this.

Tennis and Baloon are Sports which are play’d almost with the same Instruments; and therefore may be under one and the same Head: The first is a pastime, used in close or open Courts, by striking a little Round Ball to and fro, either with the Palmes of the hands (and then is called Pila palmaria in Latin) or else a Racket, made for the purpose, round with Net or Cat-gut, with a Handle: The other a strong and moving Sport in the Open Fields with a great Ball of a double Leather filled with Wind, and so driven to and fro with the strength of a Mans Arm, armed in a Brace of Wood: And thus much shall suffice to speak of the Baloon and Tennis; only let me desire you, let not this or any other Pastime disturb your Minds; divert you from the diligent and careful Prosecution of your own lawful Business; or invite you to throw away your Time and Money too lavishly and idley; nor engage you in any Passion; that so you may not offend God, dislike your Neighbour, nor incomode your Self and Family in your Well-being and Felicity; and then you may recreate your self without Fear, and in this Recreation observe the ensuing Morality of

The The Tennis-Court

When as the Hand at Tennis Playes,

And Men to Gaming fall,

Love is the Court, Hope is the House,

And Favour serves the Ball.

This Ball it self is due Desert,

The Line that measure showes

Is Reason, whereon Judgment looks

Where Players win and lose.

The Tutties are Deceitful Shifts,

The Stoppers, Jealousy,

Which hath Sir Argus hundred Eyes,

Wherewith to watch and pry.

The Fault whereon Fifteen is lost,

Is Want of Wit and Sense,

And he that brings the Racket in

Is Double Diligence.

But now the Racket is Free-Will,

Which makes the Ball rebound,

And noble Beauty is the Choice,

And of each Game the Ground.

Then Racket strikes the Ball away,

And there is Over-sight,

A Bandy ho! the People cry,

And so the Ball takes flight.

Now at the length Good-liking proves

Content to be their Gain:

Thus in the Tennis-Court, Love is

A Pleasure mixt with Pain.

Of Ringing

Since this Recreation of Ringing is become so highly esteemed, for its excellent Harmony of Musick it affords the Ear, for its Mathematical Invention delighting the Mind, and for the Violence of its Exercise bringing Health to the Body, causing it to transpire plentifully, and by Sweats dissipate and expel those Fuliginous thick Vapours, which Idleness, Effeminacy and Delicacy subject men to; I say for these and sundry other Reasons, I was induced to bring this of Ringing into the Company of Exercises in this Treatise, that I might as well recreate you with some health-conducing Pleasure at home, as I have carryed you abroad, and there endeavoured to please you in what Pastime your Inclinations may most peculiarly select.

Whosoever would then become an accurate Master of this excellent Art and Pleasure, and is very desirous to be esteemed an Elaborate and Ingenious Ringer, and be enrolled amongst that Honoured Society of Colledge Youths; I must beg Leave to instruct him before he enters the Bell-free, in these ensuing short Rules, which he must strictly observe. viz.

1. That as all Musick consists in these six plain Notes, La Sol Fa Mi Re Ut; so in Ringing, a Peal of Bells is Tuned according to these Principles of Musick: For as each Bell takes its Denomination from the Note it Sounds, by its being flatter or deeper, as, First, or Treble, Second, Third, Fourth, &c. as they are in number to Ten or Twelve Bells, the Last being called the Tennor; So must they successively strike one after another both Fore-stroke and Back-stroke, in a due Musical Time or Equidistance, to render their Harmony the more pleasant, and to make the Young Practitioner the better informed to observe the Life of Musick, and indeed of true Ringing, Time; and therefore is called, Round-Ringing.

2. As in Musick, so in Ringing there are three Concords, so called from their Melodious Harmony and Agreement, which Principally are these; Thirds, viz. 1 3, 2 4. &c. Fifths 1 5, 2 6 &c. Eights 1 8, 2 9, 3 10 &c. and these are the more pleasant according to the Number of Bells they are struck on, and as they are struck, whether seperately or mutually. From hence Changes are made, which is only a Changing place of one Note with another, so variously, as Musick may be heard a thousand wayes of Harmony; which being so obvious to common Observation, I shall not go about to demonstrate; for that if two may be varied two wayes, surely by the Rule of Multiplication, a Man may easily learn how many times 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 12 Bells Notes may be varied, which will run almost ad infinitum.

3. For the better observing the Ringing of Changes or Rounds, these three things are to be noted.

1. The Raising true in Peal.

2. Ringing at a low Compass; And

3. Ceasing in true Peal; All which three are the most essential Parts to render a Practitioner Excellent.

1. For Raising a Peal of Bells true, the modern & best Practice recommends the swiftest and quickest possible, every one taking Assistance to raise his Bell, as its going requires: The lesser Bells as Treble, &c. being by main strength held down in their first Sway (or pull) to get time for the striking of the rest of Larger Compass; and so continued to be strong pulled till Frame-high, and then may be slackned: The Bigger, as Tenor, &c. must be pincht or checkt over head, that the Notes may be heard to strike roundly and hansomely. Observe that all the Notes strike round at one Pull: I do not mean the First; but ’tis according to the Bigness and Weightiness of your Bells: However in raising a Peal, do not let one Bell strike before the rest, or miss when the rest do; this is contrary to the Strict Rules of true Ringing: And this is called Round-Ringing. Now if you design to raise a Peal of Bells for Changes, you ought to raise them to a Set-Pull, as the most proper for commanding the Notes, and he who is not well skilled to manage his Bell at a Set-Pull, will be apt to drop or overturn it, be in a Wood, and fruitlessly toil and moil himself. Therefore in practising the Setting of a Bell, cast your Eye about the other Bell-Ropes, during your managing your own, that you may accustome your selfe to manage it according to the Change.

2. For Ringing at a Low Compass, is thus observed: By keeping a due punctum or beat of Time, in the successive striking one after another of every Bell; the best Ringer being set to the Treble, that may guide and direct the rest of the Notes in their due Measure.

3. For Ceasing a Peal of Bells; Let them fall gradually from a set Peal, checking them only at Sally, till the low Compass renders it useless; and when so low, that for want of Compass, they can scarce strike at Back-stroak; then let the Treble-Ringer stamp, as a Signal, to notify, that the next time they come to strike at the Fore-stroke, to check them down, to hinder their striking the Back-stroke; yet Fore-stroke continued, till brought to a neat and gracefull Chime, which may be the Finis to that Peal.

Thus much in short, for Raising, Round-Ringing, and Ceasing a Peal of Bells; I come next to lead you forth into that spacious Field of Variety of Changes, and present you with Instructions that may be meerly necessary, for the right Understanding the several kinds of them.

Now in Ringing Changes, two of our best Senses, are to be employed, viz. The Ear, and the Eye: The Ear, Hearing when to make a Change; and the Eye directing the Bell in making it: The Bells being the Object of the Former, and the Bell-Ropes the Object of the Latter. And to render both the Eye and Ear Usefull in Ringing Changes, these Five things are throughly to be Understood

First. Endeavour to distinguish the Notes of a Peal of Bells, one from another while Ringing.

Secondly, Learn to apprehend the Places of the Notes.

Thirdly, Understand the Precendency of Notes.

Fourthly, How to make a Change in Ringing.

Fifthly, and Lastly. How to Practise the four fore-going Notions in General.

1. To know the Notes of a Peal of Bells asunder (which is easy in Round-Ringing) in Changes is thus: Get the skill of Tuning them with your Voice, by imitating their Notes while Ringing. Or if you are acquainted, either by your self or Friend, with some Singing-master, or one who has skill in Singing, get him to instruct you in the true Pitch of any Note, and aid your distinguishing them; otherwise you may be puzzled in this, to know which is Treble, which Second, &c. as in 532641, &c.

2. To know the Places of the Notes, is no way better to be apprehended than thus: The Practitioner ought to form an Idea in his Head of the Place of each Note, whether in a direct Line, or Obliquely; and representing them by a Figure in his mind, see (as it were) by the Eye of his Understanding each stroke of the Bell, as the Treble, 1. Second 2. Third 3. &c. so that as the Ear is to direct him, when to make the Change, so a right Apprehension of the Motion and Places of the Notes, ought to be a means to guide his Ear.

3. The Precedency of Notes, is of a very Obvious Demonstration; thus: In Ringing Changes, the Fore and Back-stroke, successively following one another, are properly said to Lye behind one another, according to their places of striking. Or in short, in 12345. the Note that leads either at Fore or Back-stroak, is said to Lye before the rest, and the last to be behind. As the 2 is said to lye behind the 1, so it lyeth before the 3, as the 3 lyeth behind the 2, so it lyeth before the 4. And so of as many as are Rung.

4. The manner of making a Change, is very common, and needs no particular, but general Rule; That it is made by moving one Note into anothers place, Up and Down, as Occasion requires; but all usually made by two Notes standing one next the other, as hereafter may be Observed.

Lastly, In your Ringing Changes, these two things (in which consists the practick part of this Art) are to be rightly considered. First, Readily to know which two Bells are to make the succeeding Change. And Secondly, to consider (if you are concern’d in it) what Bell you are to follow in making it. To understand which the more perfectly, you must imprint in your memory, the Method of the Changes prick’d in Figures, and to be expert likewise in setting them down divers wayes, and making any Figure a Hunt at Pleasure; and thus without pausing or hesitating to consider the Course, you may throughly understand the Methods; the Four preceding Observations being first perfectly understood.

There are two wayes of Ringing Changes, viz. By Walking them, as the Artists stile it; or by Whole-pulls, or Half-pulls: Walking is, when in one Change the Bells go round, Four, Six, or Eight times; which is a most incomparable way to improve a young Practitioner, by giving him time to consider, which two Bells do make the next succeeding Change, and in making it, what Bell each is to follow; so that by this means (by his industry) he may be capable of Ringing at Whole-Pulls; Which is, when the Bells go round in a Change at fore and back-stroke; and a new Change is made every time they are pulled down at Sally: This an Ancient Practice, but is now laid aside, since we have learnt a more advantageous way of hanging our Bells, that we can manage a Bell with more ease at a Set-Pull than formerly: So that Ringing at Half-Pulls is now the modern general Practice; that is, When one Change is made at Fore-Stroke, another at Back-Stroke, &c.

I have one Thing more to add in these introductory Rules, and that in short is this: He that Rings the slowest Hunt, ought to notify the extreme Changes; which is, when the Leading Bell is pulling down, that he might make the Change next before the Extreme, he ought to say, Extreme. By this means, betwixt the Warning and the Extreme there will be one compleat Change.

Of Changes, &c.

There are two kinds of Changes, viz. Plain Changes, and Cross-Peals; which Terms do denote the Nature of them; for as the first is stiled Plain, so are its Methods easy; and as the second is called Cross, so are its Methods cross and intricate: The First have a general Method, in which all the Notes (except Three) have a direct Hunting-Course, moving gradually under each other, plainly and uniformly: Plain are likewise termed single Changes, because there is but one single Change made in the striking all the Notes round, either at fore or back-stroke. But the Second is various, each Peal differing in its Course from all others; and in Cross-Peals as many Changes may be made as the Notes will permit. In short, as to Plain-Changes, I shall not dilate on them here, it being so plainly understood by every one that lately have rung a Bell in peal; All therefore I shall add is this, That any two Notes that strike next together may make a Change, which may be done either single or double, as you list. The single, by changing Two Notes; and the Double, by changing Four, i. e. Two to make one Change, and two another; which is however called One double Change, and not two Changes; because tis made in striking the Notes of the Bells once round. For the rest, common Observation and Practice bids me stop here, and demands a Clearing those dark Intricacies which attend Cross-Peals.

Of Cross-Peals.

Art, being a curious Searcher and Enquirer into the hidden and abstruse Arcana’s of Difficulties, having found out that dark and remote Corner of Obscurity, wherein the nature of these Cross-Peals lay at first invelopped, has exhibited by its Proselytes the ensuing Demonstrations of that which before lay mantled up in Doubt: And to effect this, these Favourites of Art have, like ingenious Architects, made Order and Method the Basis, on which the whole Structure depends: For in these Cross-Peals we must observe the prime Movement, which sets the whole Frame a going, and that is called the Hunt, which hath One constant Uniform Motion throughout the Peal, and different from that of the other Notes; and indeed by this the whole Course of the Peal is Steered. This keeps a continual motion through the other Notes, i. e. From Leading, to strike behind, and from thence again to Lead; which is called one compleat Course.

Some Peals upon five Bells consist of single Courses, wherein are ten Changes, and twelve Courses make the Peal. Others upon Five, consist of Double Courses, wherein are twenty Changes to every Course, and six Courses in the Peal.

Upon six Bells there are likewise single and double Courses, viz. Twelve Changes in every single Course, as in Grandsire Bob, &c. and Twenty-four Changes in every Double Course, as in Colledge Bobs, that being the first Change of every Course, wherein the Hunt leaves Leading: In short, judiciously observe the first Course of any Cross-Peal, and you will soon see the general Method of the whole Peal: All Courses in Cross-Peals agreeing in these following three Respects. First, In the motion of the Hunt. Secondly, In the motion of the rest of the Notes: And Thirdly, In making the Changes. Which three things being well (to omit Instances of Demonstration) and narrowly observed, will be very helpful both in pricking and ringing Courses; the first and third for directing you in Pricking them, and the first and second in Ringing them.

There is one Difficulty to be removed e’re I can come to prick down those Peals I design to be the Subject of the Discourse of this Epitome, and that is, How to make the first Changes at the beginning of each Peal; I mean to make the Second, Third, Fourth, &c. whole Hunts; and this in short is thus directed: In any Cross-Peal the Whole Hunt may move either up or down at the beginning; and the Motion of the Whole Hunt, in the first Course of each of the following Peals, will direct the first Motion of any Cross-hunt, and by Consequence of making the first Changes in that Peal. Taking along with you this Observation.

That whensoever the first Change of any Peal happens to be single, it must be made at the back-stroke, to prevent cutting Compass; and the like when a double Change happens first in a Peal of Triples and doubles: But when it happens, that the first Change is made at the Back-stroke, then Consequently the Bells at the end of the Peal will come round at a Fore-stroke Change.

I shall omit speaking to any of the several Peals on four or five Bells; for that in my Opinion little Musick is heard, though much practical Observation is made, from them; and therefore shall begin with Grandsire-Bob, as having mentioned it but just before in my general View I made of Cross-Peals.

Grandsire Bob.

Bob Changes take their Name from this, viz. When the Treble leads in the Second and Third, and the Fifth and Sixth’s places, then they are called Bob-Changes. In Ringing which you are to observe these Rules, viz.

Whatsoever Bells you follow when you Hunt up, the same Bells in the same order you must follow in Hunting down; as in the Changes here prickt, where the Treble hunting up First follow Second, then Fourth, and then Sixth; when it comes behind, First follows Second, in hunting down Fourth; and when hunted up follows Sixth in the same Order: The like may be observed in Ringing any other Bell, with this Difference betwixt the Whole-hunt and the rest, viz. Every time the Whole-hunt leaves the Treble’s place, and hunts up, it followeth different Bells from what it did at its first hunting up.

In the ensuing Peal here prickt are Eighteen-score Changes, wanting one. It may be Rung with any Hunts, and begin the Changes Triple and Double: You may make your Extreme at the first, second, or third single Bob; or the first, second, or third time, that the half and quarter-hunts dodg behind; the single must be made behind in either of these.

123456
214365
241635
426153
462513
645231
654321
563412
536142
351624
315264
132546
135264
312546
321456
234165
243615
426351
462531
645213
654123
561432
516342
153624
156342
513624
531264
352146
325416
234561
243651
426315
462135
641253
614523
165432

bob.
156423
514632
541362
453126
435216
342561
324651
236415
263145
621354
612534
165243
162534
615243
651423
564132
546312
453621
435261
342516
324156
231465
213645
126354
123645
216354
261534
625143
652413
564231
546321
453612
435162
341526
314256
132465

134256
312465
321645
236154
263514
625341
652431
564213
546123
451632
415362
143526
bob.
134562
315426
351246
532164
523614
256341
265431
624513
642153
461235
416325
143652
bob.
134625
316452
361542
635124
653214
562341
526431
254613
245163
421536
412356
143265

142356
124536
125463
152643
156234
165324
163542
136452
bob.
163425
136245
132654
123564
125346
152436
154263
145623
bob.
154632
145362
bob.
154326
145236

142563
124653
126435
162345
163254
136524
135642
153462
bob.
135426
153246
152364
125634
126543
162453
164235
146325
bob.
164352
146532
bob.
164523
146253
142635
124365
123456

Thus much for the Grandsire-Bob; I shall next collect what London Peals I think most Harmonious, and agreeable, without troubling my self to go to Oxford, or Nottingham, or Redding, to enquire after their different Methods of Peales, as indeed needless; and my reason is this: Because I think the same Rules for Peales that are suitable to our London Genius, may challenge likewise an Acceptance amongst other Cities; provided their Steeples are furnished with as many, and as good Bells, and their Belfree’s with as ingenious and elaborate Ringers as here in London.

I shall begin then with Peales upon Six Bells, and herein in order, measure out the Delights on Peals from Six to Eight Bells, and setting out early, present you with

The Morning Exercise.

Doubles and Singles. The whole Hunt is the Treble, which Hunteth up into the Second, Third, and Fourth places, lying twice in each; and then lyeth still in the Sixth place, having dodged behind, and makes another, and then Hunts down as it Hunted up, and then leads four times. Observing the manner of its Pricking, and its Practice, may excuse any further defining it.

123456
213465
213456
231465
231456
234165
234156
243516
243561
245316
245361

254631
254613
256431
256413
265143
265134
261543
261534
216543
216534
126543
126534
162543
162534
164352

164325
bob.
163452
163425
165243
165234
156243
156234
154326
154362
bob.
153426
153462
152643

152634
125643
125634
124365
124356
142365
142356
146532
146523
bob.
145632
145623
143265

143256
134265
134256
136524
136542
bob.
135624
135642
132465
132456
123465
123456

This will go a 120 Changes, and by making Bobs, 240, 360, 720.

A Cure for Melancholy.
Doubles and Singles.

I should think it needless to explain the method of prick’d Peales, and give a large Definition of them, when their plain Demonstration might be sufficient; However, as the Old Phrase is, Because ’tis usual, something shall be said of this too.

The Treble is the whole Hunt, as in the former, and leads four times, and lyeth behind as many, and twice in every other place; the two Bells in the 3d. add 4th. places continue dodging, when the Treble moves out of the 4th. place; untill it comes down there again, and then the two hindmost dodge, till the Treble displaceth them; who maketh every double Change, except when it lieth behind, and then the double is on the four first, and on the four last when it leads. Every Single (except when the Treble lies there) is in the 5th. and 6th. places; or if possessed by the Treble, then in the 3d. and 4th. places: Every Bell (except the Treble) lies four times in the Second place: But enough; a word is enough to the Wise. See it here Deciphered.

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213465
213456
231465
231456
234165
234156
243516
245316
243561
245361
423561
425361
423516
425316
452136
452163
451236
451263
415236
415263
145236
145263

142536
142563
156423
156432
bob.
165423
165432
143652
143625
bob.
134652
134625
162345
162354
163245
163254
125634

125643
126534
126543
154263
154236
152463
152436
143526
143562
bob.
134526
134562
156423

156432
bob.
165423
165432
132654
132645
136254
136245
124365
124356
123465
123456

This will go Six-score Changes, but by making bobs, it will go 240, 360, or 720. The bob is a double Change at the leading of the Treble, in which the Bell in the 4th Place lyeth still.

London Nightingale,
Doubles and Singles.

The Whole-Hunt is the Treble, who lyeth four times before, and as many behind, and twice in every other place: The two hind bells continue dodging, when the Treble moves down out of the Fifth place, till he comes there again, the bell in the Fourth place lying still all the while: When the two hind bells aforesaid leave dodging, then the two First bells take their dodging places, till dispossessed again, by the return of the said Hind bells to their dodging; and then they Cease.

123456
213465
213456
231465
231456
234165
234156
243516
423516
243561
423561
245361
425361

245316
425316
452136
452163
451236
451263
415236
415263
145236
145263
154236
154263
126543

126534
162543
162534
153624
153642
bob.
156324
156342
134562
134526
bob.
135462
135426
142356

142365
124356
124365
136245
136254
163245
163254
125634
125643
152634
152643
164523

164532
bob.
165423
165432
143652
143625
bob.
146352
146325
132465
132456
123465
123456

This will go 120, and by making bobs, 240, 360, or 720.

Colledge Bobs.

In this bob, when the Treble leaves the two Hind bells, they dodge till it comes there again, and till the Treble gives way for the dodging again of the said two Hind bells, the two First bells dodge, but after Cease dodging, when the two Hind bells dodge.

123456
214365
124356
213465
231456
324165
321456
234165
243615
426351
246315
423651

246351
423615
243651
426315
462135
641253
642135
461253
416235
142653
412635
146253

142635
416253
146235
412653
421635
246153
241635
426153
462513
&c.

165432
bob.
156423
143526
bob.
134562
152364
153246
126543
125634
164235

162453
143652
bob.
134625
165324
bob.
156342
132546
135264
124365
123456

Another.

Here, every bell, when it comes to lead, makes a dodge before, then after one Change, it lyeth still; after it has made another dodge, it moves up into the 4th. place, where twice it lyeth still; and down again; except the Treble happens to dodge with it in the 4th. place, then it Hunts up behind. When the Treble moves down out of the 3d. place, the two bells in the 3d. and 4th. place continue there, till the Treble comes up thither again, the two hind bells dodging in the mean time.

123456
214365
124356
213465
231645
326154
231654
326145
362415
634251
364215
632451

623541
265314
625341
263514
236154
321645
236145
321654
312564
135246
315264
132546

135264
312546
132564
315246
351426
534162
351462
534126
&c.

153624
bob.
135642
153462
bob.
135426
153246
152364
125634
126543
162453

164235
146325
bob.
164352
146532
bob.
164523
146253
142635
124365
123456

Both these bobs will go One Hundred and Twenty Changes, and by making of bobs, they will go, 240, 360, or 720. And thus with little Variation, there are other bobs may be made after the same manner, and afford as Admirable Musick, as possibly can be made on bells. I shall therefore hasten to finish this dayes Work, only first present you with this one more called,

The City Delight:
Doubles and Singles.

The whole Hunt is the Treble, and lieth as before in the Nightingale: When the Treble moves out of the 3d. place, the Singles are made in the 2d. and 3d. places, till the Treble repossesses his 3d place, and then behind, till it moves up again out of the 3d. place. The two Hind bells dodge, when the Treble moves out of the 4th. place, till he returns again; the bell in the 4th. place lying still all the while.

123456
213465
213456
231465
231456
234165
234156
243156
234615
243615
246351
264351

246531
264351
265413
256413
265143
256143
251634
251643
215634
215643
125634
125643
152634
152643
154326
154362
bob.
153426
153462

156234
156243
165234
165243
164352
164325
bob.
163452
163425
162534
162543
126534
126543
124365
124356
142365
142356

145623
145632
bob.
146523
146532
143265
143256
134265
134256
135642
135624
bob.
136542
136524
132465
132456
123465
123456

This will go as many Changes as the last mentioned, by making bobs. And here I will shut up this dayes Peal, upon Six Bells with

The Evening Delight.
Doubles and Singles.

The Whole-Hunt is the Treble, and lyes as before specified, with this exception only: That it dodges in the 2d. and 3d. places, every time it Hunts up, and down. Observe when Treble goes to lead, and leaves of leading, the bells in the 3d. and 4th. places lye still, &c. Note the pricking this Peal.

123456
213465
231465
213645
231645
236154
263154
236514
263514
265314
256341
265431
256431
254613

245613
254163
245163
241536
214536
241356
214356
124365
142365
124635
142635
146253
164235
bob.
146253
164235
162453

126453
bob.
162435
126435
124653
142653
124563
142563
145236
154236
145326
154326
153462
135462
153642
135642
136524

163524
bob.
136542
163542
165324
156324
bob.
165342
156342
153624
135624
153264
135264
132546
123546
132456
123456

This Peal will go 120 Changes, and by making bobs, as many as above.

Note that in all the foregoing Peals upon Six bells, the bobs are double Changes, and made alwayes at the leadings of the Whole-Hunt. He that Rings the Half-Hunt, may best call bob in all Peales.

I come now to the Changes upon Seven bells, which though the seldom Practice of them might excuse my omitting them; yet because I promised to say somewhat of them, I shall be as good as my Word, (the Character of an Honest man) and present you with a couple of Examples, and then proceed to Peales upon Eight: But this I must crave leave to premise, That Variety of Changes may be prick’d upon Seven bells, as Triples, and Doubles, Triples Doubles, and Single Doubles, &c. and the same Methods may be prick’d upon Seven, as may be upon Five, the true difference of Proportion being observed; but to proceed.

Dodging Triples.

Triples and Doubles, and indeed all Peals upon Six, may likewise go upon Seven Bells, thus,

1234567
2143576
2415367
4251376
4523167
5432617
4523671

5432761
4523716
5432176
5341267
3514276
3152467
1325476
1352746

Plain Triples.

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2143657
2416375
4261735
4627153
6472513
6745231

7654321
7563412
5736142
5371624
3517264
3152746
1325476

In this all the Bells have a Hunting Course.

Colledge Triples, dodging before, and behind.

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2143576
2415367
4251376
2453167
4235617
2436571

4263751
2467315
4276135
2471653
4217635
4126753
1462735

1467253
4176235
4712653
7421635
4726153
7462513
4765231

This Peal thus prick’t, will go, 84 Changes, and the Treble leading, and the Half Hunt lying next it, and a parting Change (which is a Double on the four middlemost of the Six hind Bells) being made, it will go 420, and by making bobs, 5040.

Thus much shall suffice for Peales upon Seven Bells, I proceed to Changes upon Eight.

Peals of Eight Bells.

Without amusing our selves with what Notes are most Musical, to lye behind, we will come to the matter of Fact; for those Methods of Peals that are prick’t on Six, may be the same upon Eight, Observing only, that Triples and Doubles upon Six, must be Quadruples, and Triples upon Eight. Doubles upon Six, must be Triples upon Eight, &c. Now then to our purpose of Demonstration; We generally give preference to things, as they are dignified with some eminent Title, and are ready to suppose they may have something more than ordinary, that merits such Esteem, whereof the Title is but a Sign, or Token; which Custome induced me to head my Discourse upon Changes on Eight Bells, with that which carries the most Swelling Title.

The Imperial Bob:
Quadruples and Triples.

The Treble hath a dodging Course, the two first, and two last Bells always dodge, till hindred by the Treble, the two next to these, lying still one Change, dodge the next, till the Treble hinders them too. Those in the 5th. and 6th. places dodge (the Treble being behind) and those in the 3d. and 4th. places likewise dodge (the Treble being before) and so till hindered by the Treble.

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12346578
21436587
24136578
42315687
24135678
42316587
24361578
42635187
24631578
42365187
24635817
42368571
24365817
42638571

24365871
42638517
24635871
42368517
24638157
42361875
24368157
42631875
24613857
42168375
24618357
42163857
41268357
14623875
41263857
14628375

14263857
41628375
14268357
41623875
46128357
64213875
46123857
64218375
46281357
&c.

16847253
16482735
18765432
bob.
17864523
16573824
bob.
15678342
17352648
17536284
13274586
13725468
12438765
12347856
14826357

14283675
18645273
18462537
16587432
bob.
15684732
18753624
bob.
17856342
15372846
15738264
13254768
13527486
12436587
12345678

By this method, the Peal will go 224 Changes, and by making of Bobs it will go 448, 672, 1344. The Bob is a Triple Change at the Leading of the Treble, wherein the Bell in the Fourth place lies still.

The next that comes to our Observation, and answers to what we first hinted at in the beginning of this discourse of Peals upon Eight Bells I mean Precedency in Title, is the

Bob Major.
Plain Quadruples and Triples.

In this all the Bells have a direct Hunting Course, until the Treble leads, and then the six hindmost Bells dodge.

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24163857
42618375
46281735
64827153
68472513
86745231

87654321
78563412
75836142
57381624
53718264
35172846
31527486
13254768
31527486

By this method this will go 112. And by making Bobs, 224, 336, or 672. The Bob is a Triple Change, as in the foregoing Imperial is specified. By making two Extreams it will go 1344, and with four Extreams, 2688.

All Peals upon six Bells, wherein half the Changes are Triples, will go upon Eight according the method before-going, thus; If it be a Peal upon Six, consisting of 360, or 720 Changes, then there must be five Hunts in the Ringing of it upon Eight, the Treble being the first, 2 the Second, &c.

Colledge Bob Major.
Quadruples and Triples.

There is four wayes of Pricking these. The first hath single Dodging behind, and is thus Peal’d.

The First.

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21436587
24163578
42615387
46251378
64523187
65432817
56348271

53684721
35867412
38576142
83751624
87315642
78136524
71863542
17685324
16758342

The Second.

This hath Single Dodging before and behind, thus prickt.

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21436587
24163578
42615387
24651378
42563187
24536817
42358671

24385761
42837516
24873156
42781365
24718356
42173865
41237856
14328765
13482756

The Third.

This hath double Dodging behind, thus Prickt.

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24135678
42316587
43261578
34625187
36452817
63548271

65384721
56837412
58673142
85761324
87216342
78153624
71856342
17583624
15786342

The Fourth.

This hath double Dodging before and behind both thus.

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21436587
24135678
42316587
24361578
42635187
24365817
42638571

24368751
42637815
24367185
42631758
24613785
42167358
41263785
14627358
16423785

These may be prick’t several other wayes, but that I Omit here for Brevities sake; The Dodging is without Intermission, except an hinderance comes by the Treble; as likewise between two Bells, until Treble parts the Fray. The Bobs are Triple Changes, as the Treble leads; in the 1st. 2d. and 6th. the Bell in the 4th. place lies still at the Bobs, and in the 3d. 4th. and 5th. that in the 2d. place lies still.

Each of these will go 112 Changes, and by making Bobs 224, 336, or 672.

Colledge Triples Dodging both before and behind.

This Peal is the same for Bobs, as the Bob Major, and will go as many Changes by making Bobs, or otherwise, as any of the foregoing Four, and is thus Peal’d.

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21436587
24153678
42513687
24531678
42536187
24563817
42568371

24586731
42587613
24578163
42571836
24517863
42157836
41275863
14725836
17452863

The Wild-Goose Chace
Triples.

The Explanation shall follow the Peal; intending here to put an end to my Epitome of the Art of Ringing, and therefore shall first present you with this Prick’t thus.

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25163748
52613784
56231748
65327184
63572814
36758241

37625481
73265418
72356148
27531684
25713648
52173684
51237648
15327684

13572648
31752684
37125648
73215684
72351648

In this Change the 4th. Bell must first hunt up into the Sevenths place, and then the 4 and 8 alwayes dodge behind throughout the Peal, unless when obstructed by the Treble. The Bell that moves up into the 6th. place, when the Treble moves thence down, lies still there, till displaced by the Treble; during which time the two hind Bells dodge, and the five first go a perfect Hunting-Course: And when likewise the Treble moveth out the 5th. place the five first Bells go a Hunting-Course, till it comes down there again: By this method it will go 80 Changes, and by Bobs 160, 240, or 480. The Bob is made as in the foregoing Changes.

And here I thought to make an end of the Art of Ringing, but Cynthius aurem vellit, the young Practitioner, whose only Information is hereby aimed at, plucks me by the Sleeve, and tells me in the Ear, That tho Peals upon six, as Triples and Doubles, &c. make excellent Musick upon Eight Bells, 4 8, 6 8, 4 1, or 1 8 lying behind: Or, Triples and Doubles upon the six middle Bells, the Tennor lying behind; yet for him who is not arrived to such a perfection of Skill, at to Ring these compleat Peals, the most proper and easy for him are Set-Changes, which are founded on these Grounds.

First, Placing the Bells Fifths; thus: The 4 must hunt up behind the 7, the 3, behind the 6, and the 2 behind the 5; Or the one may hunt down under the other, as the 5 under the 2, the 6 under 3, and 7 under 4: Or if you will, first let a Single, next a Double, and then a Triple Change be made on the Middle Bells, all coming to the same effect; for then the Changes will lye Fifths thus, 1 5, 2 6, 3 7, 4 8. In the Peal four Concords are to be regarded, The first 1 5; the second 2 6. the third 3 7. and the fourth 4 8.

These four Concords may go the Methods of any Changes upon four Bells; 1, 5 being taken for the Treble; 2, 6 for the Second; 3, 7 for the Third; and 4, 8 for the Fourth; and the Concords may Change places with one another, as you list. In which this Observation is highly necessary, That the two Notes of every Concord must constantly attend each other in their Motion; that is, whenever one of the two Notes moves, the other must follow it.

Or Secondly, Place the Bells Thirds; thus: The 6 4 and 2 must hunt up, or else the 3 5 7 down; or otherwise on the middle most Bells let a Triple, Double or Single Change be made, they are to one effect; and then the Bells will lie Thirds thus, 1 3. 5 7. 2 4. 6 8. Herein are four Concords observable; as in the former Peal, viz, 1 3. 5 7. 2 4. 6 8. These Concords may go the Methods of any Changes upon Four Bells, 1, 3 being taken for the Treble; 5, 7 for the Second; 2, 4 for the third; and 6, 8 for the fourth; moving in the same manner as before shewed.

By these Grounds Variety of excellent & Musical Changes are to be Rung; Any Concord may be made a Hunt, and to move up and down at the begining.

In Ringing these Set-Changes, the Note will lye sometimes Fifths, sometimes Thirds, and sometimes both, and then to Clam them, is admirable Musick: Clamming is, when each Concord strike together; which being done true the 8 will strike as but four Bells, & make a Melodious Harmony. You may Clam two or three bouts, and then strike as many times Open, alternatively, one Clam one Pull, and Open the next, &c.

Thus much shall suffice for my treating of Ringing, and had not the Variety of its Theme, in which I was insensibly engaged, invited my Tast of something of every thing: I had not enlarged so much as I have; but I hope the pleasure it may produce, will attone for my dilating on so delightful a Subject; All I have therefore to add is, some Advice to the Ringer, in the Lawfull prosecuting this Recreation; and that is this.

When God in Israels Exodus out of Egypt, commanded Moses to Consecrate Aaron, and his Sons, and invest them with those Pontificial Vestments, according to the Pattern God had cut out, it is observable, that the Robe of the Ephod, was with a particular Circumstance of Beauty to be Adorned, by hanging the Hem of it with Golden Bells, and Pomegranates, each placed in an orderly Position, one by another round: This was the first institution we can read of, for the Use Bells in Sacred Offices; but the reason was this: Because in Aarons Ministration before God, when he entered into the Holy Place, and when he came out, the Sound of the Bells might be heard in the Temple, for a Memorial to the Children of his People. This Use of Bells continue in the Aaronical Order, to this day. From hence the Christian Church likewise (of which the Church under the Mosaic Dispensation was but a Type) has made Use of Bells, for the notifying the Time when the People are to Assemble, and made a Signal for convocating them together to the Temple; and herein differing from the Mahometans, in the Steeples of whose Temples, are never found any Bells, but Cryers, Persons who with a loud Voyce call them to Prayers.

Now then let us make this Use of the Institution of Bells. First, Let not only the Musick and Delight the Bells give thee, invite thee to come to the Temple, to be partaker of that Pleasure they may afford thy Body, but let their Musick invite thee to come thither when they call thee, to exercise thy Soul in Devotion; to God. Do not let thy frequent coming thither on Week-days for thy Diversion, make thee absent thy self on Sundays from thy Devotion; but let their Original Use make thee mindful of the Sanctum Sanctorum, the most Holy Place. Do not let the Sunday Mornings Peal engage thy presence then, and the Ale-House have thy company afterwards. Be as quick in hearing the Chyming for Prayers, as thou art in the Notes for Pleasure.

When ere the Old-Exchange of Profit Rings,

Her Silver Saints-Bell, of uncertain Gains,

Thy Merchant-soul can stretch both Legs & Wings,

How canst thou run, and take unwearied Pains?

And shouldst thou not be as nimble, when the Saints-bell of the Church sounds in thy Ears, and calls thee to attend the Priest, who now signifyes his entrance into the Holy-place, and invites thee to joyn with him in the Sacrifice of Prayers and Praises.

Secondly, Nor let the Bells be made thy Lullaby, to drown some Dissatisfaction, and so makes thee repair to the Belfree, (like the Nurse to her Whistle-Bells) to quiet thy disturbed mind, and thus (as the Divine Poet excellently expresses it) to silence it with

Look, Look, What’s here! A dainty Golden thing?

See how the dancing Bells turn round, and Ring

To please my Bantling! here’s a Knack will breed,

An hundred Kisses; here’s a Knack indeed, &c.

But let the Altar have thy presence in Communion with God, in Prayers for his Grace, and Patience, to support any Calamity that may fall upon thee.

Lastly, Let the Bells put you in mind to contemplate on Death, and every time you Ring, think how long it may be ere one of these may be your turn to have to sound

The Nine sad Knolls of a Dull Passing-Bell,

With the loud Language of a Nightly Knell.

This in short, is the use the Ringer ought to make of this his Recreation, which if he makes duly and rightly, he may then Lawfully enjoy all the Benefit he can desire from it. And here I shall make an end of this Observation by way of Advice to the Ringer, which perhaps coming amongst Recreations may look unseasonable; But I know (at least presume) if I meet with an ingenious Reader, I shall need no Apology, for playing the Divine, in the directing the good Use of our Pleasures, and aiming at the furtherance of Virtue in all our Actions.

Thus much for Ringing.

Of Billiards

Italy is asserted by universal Consent, to have been the Country whence this Recreation took its Birth and Original; and indeed ’tis no wonder that she who is called the Queen or Empress of the World, the Mistress of the Nations, nay the Paradise of the World, should yield such Art and Ingenuity, and gentile Cunning, as her proper Product: A Country whose Inhabitants for their Gravity, Respectiveness, and Ingenuity will ever stand Chronicled in the Books of Fame. A People that are obedient to their Superiors, Courteous to their Inferiors, full of all Civility to their Equals, Affable to Strangers, and most desirous by all fair and friendly Offices to win their Love. In their Apparel fine and modest, in their Furniture of their Houses sumptuous, and at their Tables neat, sober in Speech, Enemies of all ill Reports of others, and so tender of their own Reputation, that whosoever Slanders any one, and it reach the Parties Ear, the Slanderer certainly dies for it: Thrifty they are generally of their Money and Expence, and love no more Cost, than what they are sure to Save by, or have great Thanks for; but otherwise for civil Behaviour and Deportment, surpassing all the Gentry of the World besides. But one thing I dare not omit in this Character of them, viz. That they are extream Jealous of their Wives; and indeed not without some reason, if what is spoken proverbially of their Women, be true, That they are as Magpies at the door, Saints in the Church, Goats in the Garden, Devils in the House, Angels in the Streets, and Syrens at the Windows; if Nature does not make them appear Beautiful, Art shall, as Paintings and other sophistical Helps; whence comes this Proverb among them, If God make them tall and Fat (a goodly Woman being a Title of great Value among them) they will make themselves fair. In fine, The Gentry are very Rich, live of all Men the most careless and contented Lives, keeping the Poor as Drudges and Slaves for them; and as it is said of the Tyrant Polycrates, Have nothing to trouble them, but that they are troubled with nothing.

Thus I have given you a brief Character of the Inventors of this Recreation we are coming to treat of, and hence we may presume, how fit such a People as this is, to give Birth to such a Recreation, so Gentile, so Cleanly, and so Ingenious, that as their Persons and Manners are emulously esteemed, so are their Pastimes ambitiously pursued, by most Nations in Europe; and this Sport is hugely valued by all in general, few Noblemen’s or private Gentlemen’s Families, nor few noted Towns in England, but have Billiard Tables, and admire the Excellency of it, both for the Exercise of the Body, and the Recreation of the Mind. But to the Matter in hand.

First then, He that would rightly understand this excellent Pastime, must be very careful of the Form and Make of the Table, and the right ordering, framing, and fitting it for the Game, which is known by these ensuing Marks.

1. The Form of a Billiard Table ought to be Oblong, that is to say, somewhat longer than it is broad; Both the length and breadth being left to your Discretion to make; proportionable to the Room you design it for; It ought to be railed round, and this Rail or Ledge a little swelled or stufft with fine Flox or Cotton, that may yield to the Ball when struck against it, and expedites rather than deads the Flight of the Ball; though that happens according to the Violence of the Stroke or Push: The Superficies of the Table ought to be covered with Green fine Cloath, clean and free from Knots: The Board must be levelled as exactly as is possible for the Eye and Hand of the most curious Joyner to Level, to the end your Ball may run true upon any part of the Table, without leaning or declining to any side of it: I must confess I do believe there are few have been so careful in this last thing, as they ought, because they have not timely foreseen, if the Boards, whereof the Table is made, be well-seasoned, and not subject to Warp, and that the Floor whereon it stands be even and level; so that through the Ill-seasonedness of the one, or Unevennes of the other, as likewise in time by the weight of the Table, and the Gamesters yielding and giving way, there are very few found true. And indeed without a Table be exactly true, a good Gamester can never shew the Excellency of his Skill and Art, but a very Bungler sometimes, by being well acquainted with the Turnings and Windings of a false Table, may beat a good Gamester with great vexation and shame, who otherwise would have given him any odds whatsoever. Therefore let me tell you, it will conduce as much to the Interest of the Master of the House, where a Billiard Table is kept, to see that it be well and truly levelled and kept, as it does to the Pleasure and satisfaction of a good Gamester, whose Skill is best seen and exhibited on such Tables, and never comes unattended with Company and Profit to the House, by his Recommendation he gives abroad of it. And now let us proceed to the rest of its parts, and fit it for our Play; and then let’s to’t as you list.

2. The four Corners of the Table must be furnished with four Holes, and exactly in the middle of each side one Hole, and these Holes must be hung at the bottoms with Nets, Which Holes are named Hazards, because if either by Skill or Chance one Gamester strikes anothers Ball into these Holes, or Hazards, as we will now call them, he wins One; the Nets are made to receive the Ball, and keep them from falling to the Ground when hazarded; and indeed is a very commendable way, far better than Wooden Boxes which some use, these being apt to let a Ball to fly out again, when they are struck in by a stiff stroke, whereas the Nets keep them safe, and makes it impossible for them to rebound.

3dly. The other Utensils and Instruments belonging to this first part of our Observations of the Billiard Table, are 1. An Ivory Port, this must be placed at one end of the Table. 2. An Ivory King, which must stand at the other end. 3. Two Ivory Balls, which must be compleatly round, or no good proof of your Play can be expected. 4. and Lastly, Two Sticks made of Brasile, Lignum-Vitæ, or some other weighty Wood, to make them heavy, and at the broad end tipt with Ivory: And be sure to observe narrowly, if the Heads be tight and fast, for if they should be loose you will never strike a smart stroke; and therefore if you fear this Defect, see if your stroke be hollow and dead, and your Ball run faintly, these are infallible Tokens that your Play will come to nothing without a fresh supply of other Sticks, or the heads of these fixt.

Thus much for the Table, and all the other Implements belonging to it, which are necessary for our first Enquiry for the right understanding of this Game, I come next to those Rules and Measures which are to be observed for the rendring one a Gamester at this gentile Game.

Secondly, This Game in its Number is, according to the Place and Time, when and where it is play’d; for in Gentlemens Houses they do not oblige themselves to a certain Number, but make as many as they please to admit up without any Restriction: But in Houses where part of their Subsistence has a Dependance upon a Billiard Table, the Game is Five by Day-light or Seven, if odds be given, and Three by Candle-light, or more, as the Rule of the House is. Now then having agreed upon what number we play, let us learn next how to manage our Game skillfully and with Art, and this we may understand by these following Rules.

1. Let us know who must lead, which thus is resolved: You must stand on the one side of the Table opposite to the (so called) King, with your Ball laid near the Cushion, and your Adversary on the other placed in the like posture; and thus He of the two, that comes nearest the King, leads first.

2ly. Having gotten the Lead, have a Care how you strike your Ball, that at the first stroke you touch not with your Ball the end of the Table, leading from the King to the Port, for if you touch it you lose One, as you shall observe hereafter in the Orders. But after the first Stroke you need not fear doing it: And you Leader be sure to lead so, that you may be in a possibility of passing the Port the next Stroke; or else to lye so cunningly, that you may probably hazard your Adversaries Ball the very Stroke you play after him.

3ly. Generally the first Contest is who shall pass first the Port, and herein much Pains is taken, and all the Art and Cunning possible used to do it, and sometimes, nay frequently, an Opportunity of a Hazard ends the Controversy: Sundry and various, as well as very pleasant, are the Policies and Tricks which are here used to obstruct each others Pass, as; By turning the Port by a strong clever stroke (the Sticks turning it, it is nothing, but to set aright again is the amends, though some would have the severity of the Orders inflicted on such an Offence by the Loss of One:) Next by laying your Ball (when you see it impossible to pass) in the Port, or before your Adversaries Ball, for then let him do his utmost, he must Pass after you; if he has Past first, and you dare not venture to follow him, as fearing he should in the mean time touch the King, and so carry away the End; then you must wait upon him, and watch every Opportunity how you may hazard, or king him: Kinging of him is, when his Ball lyes in so advantageous a manner, as that if you strike his Ball, he must inevitably strike down the King, then you win, and prevent the Loss of that End: But with this Caution however, That you be careful how you strike, for if you do king him, and your Ball happens to fly over the Table, or into a Hazard, you shall lose One notwithstanding you have King’d him; and therefore a skillful Precaution must ever be had in this, and he that would prevent any such Chance, must

4ly. Have a curious Eye, and a good Judgment, to take and quarter just so much of the Ball, that when he intends either to King or Hazard his Adversaries Ball, he may with Facility & Dexterity effect either. Which Observation must be noted, in passing on your Antagonists Ball, or corner of the Port: And indeed some are curious Effectors of this part of the Recreation, who with less than a fifth part of a Ball, will rarely miss a King or Hazard; which I must confess is an excellent part of a compleat Gamester in this Sport.

5ly. Be careful that you lay not your hand on the Table when you strike, nor let your Sleeve drag upon it, if you do it is a Loss; Or if you smoke a Pipe of Spanish or Virginia, being so wedded to that Fume, that were you sure to smother all the rest of the Company you are insensible of the Indecency, be careful that the Ashes fall not on the Table, lest the Cloth be burnt, which many times falls out: In these two Cases, let the Mulcts and Forfeitures of both, but especially the Hinderance the last gives a Man in the Skillful managing his Game, deter you from the lolling slovenly Posture of the first, and the stinking Indecency of the latter; because this Pastime being of a neat and cleanly Composition, will not admit any such Irregularities and Indecorums, without an absolute Violation of its Laws, and a Punishment attending such unhandsome Offences.

6thly. As this cleanly Pastime exacts our diligent Care of keeping a Decorum, in the prosecuting the same, so does it require that we handle our Instruments with a neat and tractable hand, dislikes a Clumsey-Fist, which palms the Stick, as if he were handling a Plough-share: And therefore when you strike a long stroak, hold your stick neatly between your two fore-Fingers and your Thumb, and then strike a smart stroak; and by taking a steady and right Aim, (in this having your Eye and Judgment about you) you may when you list, either fetch back your Adversaries Ball, when he lyes fair for a Pass; or many times, when he lyes behind the King, and you at the other end of the Table, you may by a dextrous management of your stroke, King him backward: Both which ways, I must confess, require a great deal of Care, and good Play, which he that would be, or already is, a Gamester, is never wanting in. But

7thly, If you lye close, then the small end of your Stick, or the flat of the big end, raising up one end over your shoulder, is practicable and useful, and either of them to be used, as Occasion shall require, and as you judge most convenient and proper for the working the Effect you Aim at.

8thly, There is one Fault, which tho its Demerits perhaps may not reach a Forfeiture, yet I must tell you will scarce admit of an Excuse, though this I presume is regulated according to the Agreement first stipulated between the Gamesters, and this Fault is called Raking, i.e. not striking your Ball cleanly, but gliding along, as it were; But in this, if you touch your Ball twice, it is a loss; as indeed repugnant to all Rule and Method.

9thly, There is another Caution you are to take at the Port, viz. When you jobb your Ball with the great end of your stick through the Port, beware that you throw it not down, the doing of it is a loss; and therefore be careful to do it so handsomly, that at one stroke without turning the Port with your stick (which as I have mentioned before is a fault) you accomplish your Intention: But on the contrary observe

10thly, It is good play to turn the Port with your Ball, (not with your stick) and so hinder your Adversary from passing: Nor is it amiss, to make your Adversary a Fornicator if it lyes in your Power: I mean to make him a Fornicator is, having past your self a little way, and your Adversaries ball being hardly through the port, you put him back again, and it may be quite out of pass, and so you may the sooner peradventure gain the end, having the Advantage of passing, by gently thrusting the other back again.

11thly, Let Policy likewise be a guide to you, for obtaining the Conquest, and lying a-loof off, and laying a long Hazard sometimes for your Antagonist, will be an excellent way to entice and entrap him; for that he promising to himself the good fortune of Hazarding you, will be induced rashly to adventure at that distance, and supposing to strike your Ball, which cunningly lyes (to tempt him to that Venture) near the Hazard, is himself caught in that Trap he thought to throw you into, by reason that the distance, deceives his Expectation, and blows up his thoughts with fruitless Suppositions.

12thly, Let Art likewise teach you Cunning, i. e. by lying abscond, or at Bo-peep with your Adversary; this is a subtlety which perhaps may gain the Advantage of a Pass or Hazard. For I must tell you, in this Game, is required much Cunning, and subtle Contrivance, as in any Recreation whatever, and therefore when you are to Play with an Expert Player, you must muster up all the forces of your Ingenuity and Wit, for the vanquishing of your Opponent.

Lastly, Observe the Advantages may be gained, and endeavour to get them, if they fall within the sphere of your Activity. One of which I shall here insert, which is indeed the chief, viz. That if your Adversary hath not past the Port, and lies up by the King, take the Advantage of a Second Pass, endeavour to pass again, which if you dextrously perform, and after touch the King, you gain two; but if your too great Precipitancy and Inadvertency, or sometimes an unlucky Chance hurryes you on to throw down the King, then you loose.

Some instead of a King use a string and Bell, so that after you have passed, you need not doubt the end, as being a thing not so ticklish, or requiring so much Art as the King does, to be toucht finely and gently at a distance, without throwing it down: This alone is to be preferred for ingenious Persons, the other for the use only of Bunglers.

Thus much shall suffice for Rules for the right Playing at Billiards, which being a Recreation not Admitting of any further Observations and Methods to be made and shewn on it; Let Practice, and the Dictates of the ensuing Orders compleat your Perfection in this gentile Game.

ORDERS for Players at the Gentile Game of Billiards to Observe.

I.

If the Leader touch the end of the Table with his Ball, at the first stroke, he loseth One.

II.

If the Follower intend to hit his Adversaries Ball, or pass at one Stroke, he must string his Ball, that is, Lay it even with the King, or he loseth One.

III.

He that Passeth through the Port hath the Advantage of touching the King, which is One, if not thrown down.

IV.

He that passeth twice, his Adversary not having passed at all, and toucheth the King, without throwing him down, wins two Ends.

V.

He that passeth not hath no other Advantage than the Hazards.

VI.

He that is a Fornicator (that is hath past through the Back of the Port) he must pass twice thro the fore-part, or he cannot have the Advantage of passing that end.

VII.

He that hits down the Port, or King, Hazards his own Ball, or strikes either Ball over the Table, loseth One.

VIII.

He that Hazards his Adversaries Ball, or makes it hit down the King, winneth the end.

IX.

If four Play, two against two, he that mistakes his stroke loseth one to that side he is of.

X.

He that after both Balls plaid, removes the Port without consent, or strikes his Ball twice together, or that his Adversaries Ball touch his stick, hand, or Clothes, or playeth his Adversaries Balls, loseth One.

XI.

He that sets not one foot upon the Ground, when he strikes his Ball shall lose an end, or if he layes his hand or Sleeve on the Cloth.

XII.

A stander-by, tho he betts shall not instruct, or speak in the Game without Consent, or being first asked; If after he is Advertised hereof he Offend in this nature, for every fault he shall instantly forfeit Two-pence for the good of the Company, or not be suffered to stay in the Room.

XIII.

He that Playes a Ball, while the other runs, or takes up a Ball before it lies still, loseth an End.

XIV.

He that removes the Port with his stick, when he strikes his Ball, and thereby prevents his Adversaries Ball from passing, loseth an end.

XV.

All Controversies are to be decided by the standers-by, upon asking Judgment.

XVI.

Whosoever breaks the King forfeits a Shilling, for the Port ten Shillings, and each stick Five Shillings.

XVII.

Five ends make a Game by Day-light, and Three by Candle-light.

Many other Orders there are which concern the House, and thither I refer you for further Infomation; and here take leave to conclude this my School of Recreation.

Utrum horum Mavis accipe, &c.

FINIS.

Some Books Printed for Henry Rhodes, near Bride-Lane in Fleet-Street.

The Strange Religions, Customes and Manners of sundry Nations, in Twelves, price bound One Shilling.

The History of the Life and Glorious Reign of Queen Elizabeth, the 2d. Edition with Additions, by S. Clark in Twelves bound One Shilling.

The History of King Henry the eighth and Edward the sixth, Twelves, Price bound One Shilling.

Coffee-House-Jests, the third Edition, with Additions, in Twelves, Price bound One Shilling.

The present State of Turky, Twelves, Price bound One Shilling.

The London Jilt: Or, The Politick Whore, in two parts.

Witts Cabinet, Twelves, Price bound One Shilling.

Sundery Conversations, Twelves.

The great Point of Succession, in Folio. 

Text reconstructed from 1696 edition:

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