1 06 The hooke of Hunting 



hunte, fhall take his bloudhounde and go before to the blemifh- 

 ings with his companions^ and with all the prickers or hun- 

 ters on Horfebacke whiche hunte with the kennell, who fhoulde 

 haue euery one of them a good cudgell in his hand, which is 

 called a Hunting coodgell or a Troncheon to turne the boughes 

 and beare them from his face as he followeth the houndes in 

 the woodes or thickes : and this coodgell fhoulde not be bea- 

 ched or pilled vntill fuche feafon as the Harte haue frayed his 

 head : but when the Harte hath frayed, then may a Huntef- 

 man beare a coodgell beached or pilled lawfully : beyng come 

 to the blemifhes, lette them alight to behold the Slot and fuche 

 other markes as may be taken by the view or foote of a Deare, to 

 the end they may the better know whether their houndes hunte 

 change or not. Then when the Prince or Mafter of the game is 

 come, and the houndes for the crie, all the horfemen muft quickly 

 caft abrode about the couert, to difcouer y* Harte when he rowzeth 

 and goeth out of his hold, y* they may the better know him after- 

 wards bythecote,and by his head. And when the huntefman which 

 harbored him, fhal fee all the reft of his companions about him with 

 the houndes for the crie, he Hull then go before them and rowze the 

 Deare, for the honour is due to him : and then the reft fhall caft 

 of their houndes, he and al they crying, To him^ To him^ thats he^ 

 thats he, and fuch other words of encouragement. And here I will 

 teach you two fecretes: the one is that the huntefmen fhould not be 

 to haftie with their houndes at the firft rowzing or vnharboring ot 

 the deare, for afmuch as theyr heate may perchaunce make them 

 ouerfhoote and hunt amifle : the other is, that the houndes of the 

 crie fhould alwayes come behinde the huntefman which hath harbo- 

 red, and behinde his hounde by threefcore paces at the leaft, vntill 

 he haue vnharbored, for feare leaft the Harte haue crolTed and dou- 

 bled within the thicket, and they might foyle or breake the Slot, 

 fo that the bloudhound fhould not be able to drawe and hunte fo 

 truely as els he would : for oftentimes old beaten Deare, when 

 they go to layre, do vfe all pollicies and fubtilities in ciofling, 

 doubling a ndiiich like. Andtherfore if the houndes of the crie come 

 ouer neare after y® bloudhound, theyflial breake the Slot and view, 



fo 



