1 6 THE BELVOIR HUNT, 



in which the ancients were accustomed to 

 enjoy their pastime, would not have afforded 

 them sport without the assistance of nose. 

 As long since as the fourteenth century, 

 it is very certain that the sportsmen of 

 that time had hounds which hunted by 

 scent. A very ancient and amusing treatise 

 onvenery, entitled "The Maisterof Game," 

 contains many curious passages. I believe 

 it to have been written by Edmund de 

 Langley, one of the sons of Edward the 

 Third. The only copy I have seen was vcs. 

 MS., and the title-page was wanting. 

 Although the " ffox " is included amongst 

 the fercB naturcB^ no mention whatever is 

 made concerning the manner of hunting 

 him. The hart and the hare took prece- 

 dence of all others, the latter especially, as 

 appears from this sentence : " I speak how 

 the hare shall be hunted, it is, to wit, the 

 king of all venery ;" and the following in- 

 structions are given, supposing one to be 



