114 '■^^^ hoohe of Hunting 



flot or view of the Deare as he runneth, and that is the fent wher- 

 by the houndes hunte principally, whereas vpon the greene ground 

 the Harte leaueth fent vpon the grafTe or boughes where he paf- 

 feth or toucheth with his bodie. Many other reafons there are to 

 proue that in y® high wayes a hounde cannot haue fo good fent as 

 in other places, the whiche I pafTe ouer for breuitie. And in fuch 

 place an Harte wil fubtilly make crofTes and doublings, or hold 

 the fame long together to make the houndes giue it ouer : fuch is 

 the benefite of nature to giue the dumbe beaft vnderftanding which 

 way to help himfelf, as it giueth alfo vnderftanding to al lining 

 creatures to efchew and auoyde their contrarie, and their aduer- 

 farie, and to faue it felfe by all meanes poffible. But when the 

 huntefmen flial finde their houndes at default vpon fuch an high 

 way, then let them looke narowly whether the Harte haue dou- 

 bled, or crofTed : and if they finde that he haue, as to runne right 

 endwayes, and come backe againe counter vpon the fame, then let 

 themcrie to their houndes to encourage them. To him hyes^coun- 

 ter^ To htm^ to him. And let them treade out the counter flottes in 

 fight of their houndes, helping and comforting them alwayes,vntill 

 they haue brought them where he entred into fome thicket or co- 

 uert, and there let them ftay theyr houndes vntill they make it 

 good vpon the fides of the high wayes, or thickets, and not within 

 the couerts : for when they are once entred into the couerts, they 

 fhall haue much better fent, and fhal not fo foone ouerfhoote it, as 

 they fliould haue done in the high wayes. For there the grade, and 

 the leaues and fuch other things do keepe the fent freflier, and alfo 

 the ground being moyfter, an Harte cannot fo foone touch it with 

 his feete or bodie, but he fhall leaue fent for the houndes : and let 

 the huntefmen make blemiflies all the way as they paffe, and beate 

 the places wel with their houndes, comforting and helping them y® 

 beft that they can : and if any one hounde cal on alone, the huntef- 

 men muft make in to him,and looke by y« flot or other tokens what 

 it fliouId be that he hunteth : and if they finde that he hunteth the 

 chaffed Deare, they shall rechatein for the reft of the houndes, and 

 name that hounde to them, as to fay Talbot^ a Talbot^ a Talbot^ as 

 beforefayd. It hapneth oftentimes alfo y* an Harte paffeth by fome 



coleharthes 



