6o THE MASTER OF GAME 



well keep from any harness (arms) that a man 

 beareth. There are two principal causes why 

 they attack men ; one is when they are old and 

 lose their teeth and their strength, and cannot 

 carry their prey as they were wont to do, then 

 they mostly go for children, which are not diffi- 

 cult to take for they need not carry them about 

 but only eat them. And the child's flesh is more 

 tender than is the skin or flesh of a beast. The 

 other reason is that when they have been acharned 

 (blooded) in a country of war, where battles have 

 been, they eat dead men. Or if men have been 

 hanged or have been hanged so low that they 

 may reach thereto, or when they fall from the 

 gallows. And man's flesh is so savoury and so 

 pleasant that when they have taken to man's flesh 

 they will never eat the flesh of other beasts, 

 though they should die of hunger. For many 

 men have seen them leave the sheep they have 

 taken and eat the shepherd. It is a wonderfully 

 wily and gynnous (cunning) beast, and more false 

 than any other beast to take all advantage, for 

 he will never fly but a little save when he has 

 need, for he will always abide in his strength 

 (stronghold), and he hath good breath, for every 

 day it is needful to him, for every man that seeth 

 him chaseth him away and crieth after him. 

 When he is hunted he will fly all day unless he is 

 overset by greyhounds. He will gladly go to 



