ii6 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PARTI. 



PlSCATOR. Trust me, scholar, I know not what to say to it. 

 There are many country-people that believe hares change sexes 

 every year : and there be very many learned men think so too, 

 for in their dissecting them they find many reasons to incline them 

 to that belief.* And to make the wonder seem yet less, that 

 hares change sexes, note that Dr Mer. Casaubon affirms, in his 

 book " Of credible and incredible things," that Gasper Peucerus, 

 a learned physician, f tells us of a people that once a year turn 

 wolves, partly in shape, and partly in conditions. And so, 

 whether this were a Salmon when he came into fresh water, and 

 his not returning into the sea hath altered him to another colour 

 or kind, I am not able to say ; but I am certain he hath all the 

 signs of being a Trout, both for his shape, colour, and spots ; and 

 yet many think he is not. 



VENATOR. But, master, will this Trout which I had hold of 

 die ? for it is like he hath the hook in his belly. 



PlSCATOR. I will tell you, scholar, that unless the hook be 

 fast in his very gorge, 'tis more than probable he will live, and a 

 little time, with the help of the water, will rust the hook, and it will 

 in time wear away, as the gravel doth in the horse-hoof, which 

 only leaves a false quarter. 



And now, scholar, let's go to my rod. Look you, scholar, I 

 have a fish too, but it proves a logger-headed Chub : and this is 

 not much amiss, for this will pleasure some poor body, as we go 

 to our lodging to meet our brother Peter and honest Coridon. 

 Come, now bait your hook again, and lay it into the water, for it 

 rains again ; and we will even retire to the sycamore-tree, and 

 there I will give you more directions concerning fishing, for I 

 would fain make you an artist. 



VENATOR. Yes, good master, I pray let it be so. 



PISCATOR. Well, scholar, now we are sate down and are at 

 ease, I shall tell you a little more of Trout-fishing, before I speak 

 of the Salmon, which I purpose shall be next, and then of the 

 Pike or Luce. 



* This be'.ief was not confined to "country-people " or to " learned men ; " but sports- 

 men of the highest reputation entertained the same opinion : thus Twety, Master of the 

 Game to King Edward the Second, in a treatise on "The craft of venery," written for 

 that monarch's use, says, " Now we will begyne at the hare. And wherefore at the hare 

 rather then at eny other best, For why? it is the most merveylous beste that is in this 

 lond. And wherfore ? For as miche as he berithe grese and crotyth and zongith and 

 so dothe no beste in this land but he, and sume tyme he is male and sume female. And 

 for that cause a man may not blowe meene of hym, as men don of other bestes, but he 

 is enchased." MS. penes G. Baker, Esq. of Northampton. Another copy of the Treatise 

 occurs in tne Cotton MS. Vesp. f. xii. 



t And mathematician, born at Lusatia in 1525 ; he married the daughter of Melanc- 

 thon, wrote many books on various subjects, and died in 1602, aged 78. H. 



