6 THE MASTER OF GAME 



if a man notwithstanding that he were wise should 

 imagine always that he were a fool, or that he hath 

 other sickness, it would be so, for since he would 

 think steadfastly that he were a fool, he would do 

 foolish deeds as his imagination would command, 

 and he would believe it steadfastly. Wherefore 

 methinks I have proved enough of imagination, 

 notwithstanding that there be many other reasons 

 the which I leave to avoid long writing. Every 

 man that hath good sense knoweth well that this 

 is the truth. 



Now I will prove how a good hunter may not 

 be idle, and in dreaming may not have any evil 

 imaginations nor afterwards any evil works. For 

 the day before he goes out to his office, the night 

 before he shall lay him down in his bed, and shall 

 not think but for to sleep, and do his office well 

 and busily, as a good hunter should. And he 

 shall have nothing to do, but think about all 

 that which he has been ordered to do. And he 

 is not idle, for he has enough to do to think about 

 rising early and to do his office without thinking 

 of sins or of evil deeds. And early in the dawn- 

 ing of the day he must be up for to go unto his 

 quest, that in English is called searching, well and 

 busily, for as I shall say more explicitly hereafter, 

 when I shall speak of how men shall quest and 

 search to harbour the hart. And in so doing he 

 shall not be idle, for he is always busy. And 



