HOW HART SHOULD BE MOVED 179 



to say blow four motes and stynt (stop) not (for the 

 time of) half an Ave Maria and then blow other 

 four motes a little longer than the first four motes. 

 And thus should no wight stroke, but when the hart is 

 slain with strength, and when one of the aforesaid 

 hath thus blown then should the grooms confie up the 

 hounds and draw homewards fair and soft. And all 

 the rest of the hunters should stroke in this wise : 

 " Trut, trut, tro-ro-row, tro-ro-row," and four motes 

 all of one length not too long and not too short. And 

 otherwise should no hart hunter stroke from thence- 

 forth till they go to bed. And thus should the 

 Berner s on foot and the grooms lead home the hounds 

 and send in front that the kennel be clean and the 

 trough filled with clean water, and their couch re- 

 newed with fresh straw. And the Master of the 

 Game and the sergeant and the yeoman at horse 

 should come home and blow the menée at the hall door 

 or at the cellar door as I shall devise. First the 

 master, or whoso is greatest next him, shall begin and 

 blow three motes 1 alone, and at the first mote 2 the 

 remnant of the aforesaid should blow with him, and 

 beware that none blow longer than another, and after 

 the three motes even forthwith they should blow the 

 recoupling as thus : " Trut, trut, trororo rout," and 

 that they be advised that from the time they fall in 

 to blow together, that none of them begin before (the) 



1 Shirley MS. says' four notes. 



2 Should read : "at the last moot." 



