by Sir Thomas Cockaine. 125 
perfectly whether hee goe up the water or downe: which done, you must take 
your houndes to the place where he lodged the night before; and cast your 
traylors off upon the trayle you thinke best ; keeping your whelps still in the 
couples : for so must they be entred. 
Then must there be on either side of the water two men with Otter speares 
to strike him, if it bee a great water: But if it be a small water you must 
forbeare to strike him, for the better making of your houndes, 
The Otter is chiefly to be hunted with slow houndes great mouthed, which 
to a young man is a verie earnest sporte, he will vent so oft and put up ouer 
water at which time the houndes will spend their mouthes verie lustely : Thus 
may you haue good sport at an Otter two or three houres if you list. 
An Otter sometimes will be trayled a mile or two before he come to the 
holt where he lyeth, and the earnestnes of the sporte beginneth not till he bee 
found, at which time some must runne up the water, some downe to see where 
he vents, and so pursue him with great earnestnes till he bee-kild. But the 
best hunting of him is in a great water when the banke is full, for then he 
cannot haue so great succour in his holes, as when it is at an ebbe: And hee 
maketh the best sporte in a moon-shine night, for then he will runne much ouer 
the land, and not keepe the water as he will in the day. 
Flow to hunte the Marterne. 
Ow wil I make an end with the hunting of the Marterne, which is the 
sweetest vermine that is hunted: for when you cast off your houndes in 
a close that is thick of bushes where a Marterne hath been a birding at night, 
so soone as they light upon the sent, it is so sweete that you will meruaile 
what it is your hounds finde of: for they will so double their mouthes, and 
teare them together, that you would thinke there were more hounds in com- 
panie than your owne. 
And when you haue found her, the crie is meruailous strong, and great for 
halfe an houre : for she will bee alwayes neere you, and runne rounde about 
you in the thickets. When she groweth wearie she will take a tree, from 
whence you must put her, and that if possiblie you can, so secretly as none of 
your hounds espie her, and then will she make you fresh sporte againe for a 
quarter of an houre. You shall haue no such cries at any chase that is hunted : 
because your hounds stoup lowe for the sent and haue the sweete wype of her. 
A speciall note for an olde man or a lame, that loueth hunting, and 
may not wel follow the hounds. 
E must marke how the winde standeth, and euer keepe downe the same, 
or at least the side wind of the houndes. If he once loose the winde 
of the houndes, he is very like to loose the sporte for that daye if it be in the 
plaine or fielden countrey. 
