THE CLUMBER SPANIEL. 



BY F. H. F. MERCER ("CLUMBER"). 



NOTHER maner of Houndes there is yat byn clepid Houndis for ye 

 hauke, and Spaynels for ye nature of him cometh from Spayn, not- 

 withstandyng yat ther ben many in other countries; and soche 

 Houndes havyn many good custumes and evel. Also a f aire Hounde 

 for ye hauke should have a greet heade and greet body, and a faire 

 hew, white or tawne, for these ben ye fairest, and of suche heve ther byn corn- 

 only best. 



A good Spaynel should not be too jough, but his taile should be rough. 

 The good custumes yat soche Houndis havyn byn theese; thei loven wel thyr 

 maistris, and folowe hym withe out losyng, thoo thei be in greet press of men, 

 and comonly yie goon biff ore hure maister rennyng and playing with hur 

 taile, and reyson or stertin foules and wilde beestis, but her ryght craft is of ye 

 perterich and of ye quail e. It is a good thing to a man yat hath a good gos- 

 hawke or tercelle, or sparhawke for ye perterich, to have soche Houndes, and 

 also when thei byn taught to be careful, thei byn good for to take perterich 

 and ye quaile with a nette. 



Also thei byn good when yei ben taught to swyme and to be good for ye 

 revere, and for fowles when thei byn dyved; but in yat other side yei hav many 

 evil condicions aftere ye cqntrere yat yei byn comon of; for a centre draweth 

 to two natures of men clepen of beestis and of fowles, and as men clepyn 

 Greihoundes in ende of Scotland of Britayn, zizth so ye Alamantez and ye 

 Houndes for ye hawke cometh out Spayn and thei dra wen after ye nature of ye 

 generation of which thei comen. Houndis for ye hawke byn fighters and grete 

 baffers, and if ye lede hem on huntyng among runnyng Houndes, what beest 

 that ye hunte to, she shal make hure come out for thei fayllen, as w T hane thei 

 goon a right, and leden ye Houndes about and makyn hem overshoot and faile. 

 Also if ye lede Greihoundes with two other Hounde for ye hawke, yat is to 

 say a Spaynel, yif he se gees, kyn, or hors, oxen or other beestis, he wil runne 

 anoon and bygynne to baffe at hem, and bycause of hem ye Greihoundes shal 

 runne therto for to take ye' beest thorgh his eggyng, for he wil make al the 

 ryot and al ye harme. 



The Houndes for ye hawke have so many other evyl totches, yat but yif I 

 had a goshawke or faucon, or hawkes for ye ryvere, or sparhawke for ye nette, 

 I wold rievyr have non namely ther as I shuld hunte. Extract from the "Mais- 

 ter of Game" by Edmund de Langley, born A. D. 1378. 



The Spaniell is so named from Spaine, whence they came. The most part 

 of their skynnes are white, and if they are marcked with any spottes, they are 



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