44 LITERATURE OF SEA AND RIVER FISHING. 



British Museum, In 1596 was published William Gryndall's 

 Hawking, Htmtmg; Fowling, and Fishing . . . nozv neivly 

 collected by W. G. Fanlkener ; the " W. G. " being the initials 

 of the author, and the "Faulkener" a fancy name added 

 because the volume contained some remarks on " tJie manev 

 and order in keeping of haivkesT It is little more than a 

 reproduction of the Book of St. Albans with variations. 

 Taverner followed in 1600 with Certaine Experiments con- 

 cerning Fish and Frnite " by him published for the benefit 

 of others." 



The beginning of the seventeenth century introduces us 

 to a new kind of fishing literature, which has been termed 

 " Angling Spiritualised." It is forced and unnatural from 

 a literary point of view, though in accordance with the 

 fashion of symbolism in vogue among the Caroline divines. 

 The " Old Fathers," in some instances, gave the cue to it, 

 but many " reverend " authors and preachers who affected 

 it, approached more than closely the confines of the 

 ludicrous. We cannot, however, forget the many scriptural 

 associations with fish and fishing. The first of the divines, 

 of the period of which we are speaking, to come out 

 strongly in this line, was Samuel Gardiner, D.D. He 

 published in 1606 A Booke of Angling or Fishing, "wherein 

 is showed, by conference with Scriptures, the agreement 

 between the Fishermen, Fishes, and Fishing, of both 

 Natures, Temporal and Spirituall .... Mat. iv. 19. I 

 will make you fishers of men." The author summarises 

 the contents of his book in two Latin verses, which he 

 " delivers in English thus " : — 



'The Church I gouern as a shippe, 

 Wee seae with world compare, 

 The Scriptures are the enclosing nettes, 

 And nien the fishers are." 



