20 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



VEN. Sir, we are all so happy as to have a fine, fresh, 

 cool morning ; and I hope we shall each be the happier 

 in the other's company. And, gentlemen, that I may 

 not lose yours, I shall either abate or amend my pace to 

 enjoy it ; knowing that, as the Italians say, " Good 

 company in a journey makes the way to seem the 

 shorter." 



Auc. It may do so, Sir, with the help of good dis- 

 course, which methinks we may promise from you that 

 both look and speak so cheerfully ; and for my part 

 I promise you, as an invitation to it, that I will be as 

 free and open-hearted, as discretion will allow me to 

 be with strangers. 



VEN. And, Sir, I promise the like. 



Pise. I am right glad to hear your answers, and in 

 confidence you speak the truth. I shall put on a boldness 

 to ask you, Sir, whether business or pleasure caused 

 you to be so early up, and walk so fast ; for this other 

 gentleman hath declared that he is going to see a hawk 

 that a friend mews for him. 



VEN. Sir, mine is a mixture of both, a little business 

 and more pleasure ; for I intend this day to do all my 

 business, and then bestow another day or two in hunting 

 the Otter, which a friend, that I go to meet, tells me 

 is much pleasanter than any other chase whatsoever : 

 howsoever, I mean to try it ; for to-morrow morning 

 we shall meet a pack of Otter-dogs of noble Mr. Sadler's, 

 upon Amwell Hill, who .will be there so early that they 

 intend to prevent [forestall] the sun-rising. 



Pise. Sir, my fortune has answered my desires, and my 

 purpose is to bestow a day or two in helping to destroy 

 some of those villanous vermin ; for I hate them per- 

 fectly, because they love fish so well, or rather, because 

 they destroy so much ; indeed so much that, in my 

 judgment, all men that keep Otter-dogs ought to have 

 pensions from the king, to encourage them to destroy 



