180 Walton did not Use a Reel. 



not far from Waltham Cross ; for he says : 

 " When I had ended this composure, I 

 left this place and saw a Brother of the 

 Angle sit under that hony-suckle hedg (one 

 that will prove worth your acquaintance). 

 I sate down by him, and presently we met 

 with an accidental piece of merriment, 

 which I will relate to you; for it rains 

 still." Then follows the amusing interlude 

 of the discussions and disputes between 

 the gang of gipsies and the gang of 

 beggars, the latter deciding at last to refer 

 their squabble for settlement " to old 

 Father Clause whom Ben Johnson* in his 

 Beggars-bush created King of the Cor- 

 poration," who "was that night to lodg 

 at an Ale-house (called Catch-her-by-the- 

 way) not far from Waltham Cross, and in 

 the high-road towards London." 



Although the reel is mentioned by 

 Walton as used in salmon and pike-fishing 

 (I have already referred to what Barker 

 says about it), it is pretty clear that he did 

 not use it when trout-fishing, or fishing 

 in such a river as the Lea or Dove, or 

 he would not have replied as he did to 

 Venator, who exclaims, 



" Oh me, look you Master, a fish a fish, 

 oh las Master, I have lost her ! 



" Piscator. I marry Sir, that was a good 

 * Fletcher, not Jonson. 



