The First Day 13 



VENATOR. Sir, you have almost amazed me; 

 for though I am no Scoffer, yet I have, I pray let 

 me speak it without offence, always looked upon 

 Anglers, as more patient, and more simple men, 

 than I fear I shall find you to be. 



PlSCATOR. Sir, I hope you will not judge my 

 earnestness to be impatience : and for my simplicity, 

 if by that you mean a harmlessness, or that simplicity 

 which was usually found in the primitive Christians, 

 who. were, as most Anglers are, quiet men, and 

 followers of peace ; men that were so simply wise, 

 as not to sell their consciences to buy riches, and 

 with them vexation and a fear to die ; if you mean 

 such simple men as lived in those times when there 

 were fewer lawyers ; when men might have had a 

 lordship safely conveyed to them in a piece of 

 parchment no bigger than your hand, though several 

 sheets will not do it safely in this wiser age ; I say, 

 Sir, if you take us Anglers to be such simple men 

 as I have spoke of, then myself and those of my 

 profession will be glad to be so understood : But if 

 by simplicity you meant to express a general defect 

 in those that profess and practise the excellent Art 

 of Angling, I hope in time to disabuse you, and 

 make the contrary appear so evidently, that if you 

 will but have patience to hear me, I shall remove 

 all the anticipations that discourse, or time, or pre- 

 judice, have possessed you with against that laudable 

 and ancient Art ; for I know it is worthy the know- 

 ledge and practice of a wise man. 



But, Gentlemen, though I be able to do this, I am 

 not so unmannerly as to engross all the discourse 

 to myself; and, therefore, you two having declared 

 yourselves, the one to be a lover of Hawks, the 

 other of Hounds, I shall be most glad to hear what 

 you can say in the commendation of that recreation 

 which each of you love and practise ; and having 



