THE TREATISE. 31 



towards the sport, towards his neighbour, 

 towards the poor and towards his God is 

 depicted from the loftiest standpoint, and set 

 out in language rarely equalled for dignity and 

 grace. No base action must mar the angler's 

 practice and no base motive enter his heart. 

 He must studiously respect the rights of others, 

 particularly of the poor. The fish are to be 

 protected in all ways possible, and vermin are 

 to be destroyed. The sport is to be followed 

 for its own sake, not from mercenary motives 

 or for material gain, and never to excess; but 

 as a noble recreation, which will bring you 

 solace and health of body. Nor of body alone, 

 for your sport, of necessity a solitary one, gives 

 you an opportunity of serving God devoutly, 

 repeating earnestly your customary prayer. By 

 so doing you will avoid many vices, especially 

 idleness, foundation of all evil. All they who 

 follow these rules shall have the blessing of God 

 and Saint Peter; which he them grant that 

 with his precious blood us bought. 



That concludes the Treatise. What impres- 

 sion does it leave ? How did a fisherman fish, 

 in this year 1496, when Bosworth Field was a 

 memory but eleven years old, when John Cabot 

 was sailing towards Newfoundland, when 

 Erasmus was about to visit Oxford, when 

 Luther was still a schoolboy, and when Wynkyn 

 de Worde had just succeeded to Caxton at 

 Westminster? How will his equipment, his 

 knowledge, and his practice compare with ours 



