2 THE MASTER OF GAME 



mendahle, it lasteth seldom at the most more than 

 half a year. For though men find from May unto 

 Lammas (August ist) game enough to hawk at, no 

 one will find hawks to hawk with.^ But as of 

 hunting there is no season of all the year, that game 

 may not he found in every good country, also hounds 

 ready to chase it. And since this hook shall he all 

 of hunting, which is so nohle a game, and lasting 

 through all the year of divers heasts that grozu 

 according to the season for the gladdening of 

 man, I think I may well call it MASTER OF 

 GAME. 



And though it he so my dear Lord, that many 

 could hetter have meddled with this matter and also 

 more ahly than I, yet there he two things that have 

 frincifally emboldened and caused me to take this 

 work in hand. I he first is trust of your nohle cor- 

 rection, to which as before is said, I submit this 

 little and simfle book. The second is that though I 

 be unworthy, I am Master of this Game with that 

 noble f rince your Father our all dear sovereign and 

 liege Lord aforesaid. And as I would not that his 

 hunters nor yours that now be or that should come 

 hereafter did not know the -perfection of this art, I 

 shall leave for these this simple memorial, for as 

 Chaucer saith in his prologue of " The 25 ^ Good 

 Women " ; " By writing have men mind of things 



1 As the hawks would be mewing and unfit to fly. 



2 The Shirley MS. in the British Museum has "XV." 



