The Fourth Day 143 



Bream, in any river or mere : it was given to me 

 by a most honest and excellent angler ; and hoping 

 you will prove both, I will impart it to you. 



1. Let your bait be as big a red worm as you can 

 find, without a knot : get a pint or quart of them 

 in an evening, in garden- walks, or chalky commons, 

 after a shower of rain ; and put them with clean 

 moss well washed and picked, and the water 

 squeezed out of the moss as dry as you can, into 

 an earthen pot or pipkin set dry ; and change the 

 moss fresh every three or four days, for three weeks 

 or a month together ; then your bait will be at the 

 best, for it will be clear and lively. 



2. Having thus prepared your baits, get your 

 tackling ready and fitted for this sport. Take three 

 long angling-rods; and as many and more silk, or 

 silk and hair, lines ; and as many large swan or 

 goose-quill floats. Then take a piece of lead, and 

 fasten them to the low ends of your lines: then 

 fasten your link-hook also to the lead ; and let 

 there be about a foot or ten inches between the 

 leac^and the hook: but be sure the lead be 

 heavy enough to sink the float or quill, a little 

 under the water ; and not the quill to bear up the 

 lead, for the lead must lie on the ground. Note, 

 that your link next the hook may be smaller than 

 the rest of your line, if you dare adventure, for 

 fear of taking the Pike or Perch, who will assur- 

 edly visit your hooks, till they be taken out, as 

 I will show you afterwards, before either Carp or 

 Bream will come near to bite. Note also, that 

 when the worm is well baited, it will crawl up and 

 down as far as the lead will give leave, which much 

 enticeth the fish to bite without suspicion. 



3. Having thus prepared your baits, and fitted 

 your tackling, repair to the river, where you have 

 seen them swim in skulls or shoals, in the summer* 



