COMPLETE ANGLER. 29* 



pleasance, without study, pensiveness, or travail, a merry occupation 

 which may rejoice his heart, and in which his spirits may have a merry 

 delight ; and if he will be dieted measurably, he must eschew all places of 

 riot, which is cause of surfeit and of sickness ; and he must draw him to 

 places of sweet air and hunger, and eat nourishable meats and defiable 

 also. 



" Now then will I describe the said disports and games, to find the best 

 of them, as verily as I can, albeit that the right noble and full worthy 

 prince, the Duke of York, late called master of game, hath described the 

 mirths of hunting, like as I think to describe of it and of all the other. 

 For hunting as to my intent is too laborious, for the hunter must always 

 run and follow his hounds, travelling and sweating full sore ; he blovveth 

 till his lips blister ; and when he weneth it be a hare, full oft it is a hedge- 

 hog. Thus he chaseth and wots not what. He cometh home at even, 

 rain-beaten, pricked, and his clothes torn, wet shod, all miry, some hound 

 lost, some surbat. Such griefs and many other happeneth unto the hunter, 

 which for displeasance of them that love it I dare not report. Thus truly 

 me seemeth that this is not the best disport and game of the said four. 

 The disport and game of hawking is laborious and noisome also as me 

 seemeth ; for often the falconer loseth his hawks, as the hunter his hounds, 

 then is his game and his disport gone ; full often crieth he and whistleth 

 till that he be right evil athirst. His hawk taketh a bow and list not once 

 on him reward ; when he would have her for to flee, then will she bathe ; 

 with misfeeding she shall have the fronce, the rye, the cray, and many 

 other sicknesses that bring them to the souse. Thus by proof this is not 

 the best disport and game of the said four. The disport and game of fowl- 

 ing me seemeth most simple, for in the winter season the fowler speedeth 

 not, but in the most hardest and coldest weather, which is grievous ; for 

 when he would go to his gins he may not for cold. Many a gin and many 

 a snare he maketh : yet sorrily doth he fare ; at morn-tide in the dew he 

 is wet shod unto his tail. Many other such I could tell, but dread of 

 meagre maketh me for to leave. Thus me seemeth that hunting and hawk- 

 ing and also fowling be so laborious and grievous, that none of them may 

 perform nor be very mean that induce a man to a merry spirit : which 

 is cause of his long life according unto the said parable of Solomon. 

 Doubtless then followeth it that it must needs be the disport of fishing with 

 an angle; for all other manner of fishing is also laborious and grievous : 

 often making folks full wet and cold, which many times hath been seen 

 cause of great infirmities. But the angler may have no cold nor no disease 

 nor anger, but if he be causer himself. For he may not lose at the most 

 but a line or a hook : of which he may have store plenty of his own making, 

 as this simple treatise shall teach him. So then his loss is not grievous, 

 and other griefs may he not have, saving but if any fish break away after 

 that he is taken on the hook, or else that he catch nought : which be not 

 grievous. For if he fail of one he may not fail of another, if he doth as 

 this treatise teacheth ; but if there be nought in the water. And yet at the 

 least he hath his wholesome walk and merry at his ease, a sweet air of the 

 sweet savour of the mead flowers : that maketh him hungry. He heareth 

 the melodious harmony of fowls. He seeth the young swans, herons, ducks, 

 coots, and many other fowls with their broods ; which me seemeth better 

 than all the noise of hounds, the blast of horns, and the cry of fowls that 

 hunters, falconers, and fowlers can make. And if the angler take fish, 



