THE MASTER OF GAME 5 



the fourteenth century, prior to the invention of the art 

 of printing. Many of the customs relative to the treat- 

 ment of hounds and the observances in the field, which 

 are mentioned in the work, continue in practice. The 

 numerous abbreviations, together with curiously formed 

 characters, render it difficult to decipher, especially as 

 several of the terms made use of are nearly obsolete ; 

 but as I feel assured a few extracts from such a quaint 

 and scarce work will be received with interest by the 

 lovers of research into ancient customs, I make a selec- 

 tion of the most remarkable passages, somewhat 

 modernized, to render it more easy of perusal. The 

 dedication commences thus : — 



•' Unto the wise, excellent, and Christian Prince, 

 Henry the Fourth, by the aforesaid grace King of 

 England and of France, Prince of Wales, Duke of 

 Guienne, of Lancaster, and of Cornwall, and Earl of 

 Chester, I your own in every humble wise attempt to 

 make a simple book, which I recommend and submit 

 to your noble and wise correction. The which book, if 

 it like to your aforesaid lordship, shall be called and 

 named the Maister of Game, and for this cause. For 

 the matter that this book treateth of what in every 

 season of the year is most desirable, and to my thinking 

 to every gentle heart the most honest and most disport- 

 ful of all games, that is to say hunting. For if it be so 

 that hawking with gentle hawks for the heron be noble 

 and commendable, it lasteth but seldom, at the most 

 not passing half-a-year. And if men find game enough 

 from May to Lammas to hawk at, then might they not 

 find hawks to hawk with. But of hunting there is no 

 season of all the year that game may not be m every 

 good country right well found, and eke hounds to 

 enchase it. And since this book shall be all of hunting, 

 which is so noble a game, and eke lasting through all 

 the year to divers beasts, me thinketh that I may well 

 call it Maister of Game." 



Enumerating the different beasts of venery which 

 were hunted in those days when our author wrote his 

 book, we find the following treated of : — 



" The hare, the herte, the bukke, the roo, the wild 



