128 The boohe of Hunting 



doulcets, then take him by the right foote before, and cut the fkin 

 rounde aboute vnderneath the ioynt of the dewclawes, and then 

 flit it from thence vnto the toppe of his breft, and do afmuch to 

 the other forelegge : then flit and cut the ikinne in like maner of 

 the hinder legges vnto the toppe of the hanche, leauing at the 

 place where you tooke away the doulcets : then beginne at euery 

 legge, one after another to take of the fkinne : and when you come 

 at his fides you mufl: let cleaue to the fkinne, a thinne kinde of 

 redde fleflie which hunters call the apparel of an Hart, the which 

 groweth aboue the venifon and betweene it and the fkinne on 

 both fides of his bodie. Thus when the fkinne is cleane taken of 

 fauing only at the head, eares, fkut, and the Teweil (at all which 

 places the fkin mufl: ftill haue hold,) before you go about to do 

 any more, the chiefe Huntefman mufl caU for a botle of wine, 

 and drinke a good harty draught : for if he ftioulde breake vp the 

 Deare before he drinke, the Venifon would flinke and putrifie. 

 You fliafl alfo prefent before the Prince or chiefe perfonage in 

 field, fome fine fauce made with wine and fpices in a fayre diftie 

 vpon a chaiyngdiflie and coles, to the end that as he or flie doth 

 behold the huntefman breaking vp of the Deare, they may take 

 theyr pleafure of the fweete deintie morfels, and drefle fome of 

 them on the coles, makyng them Carbonadies, and eating them 

 with their fauce, reioycing and recreating their noble mindes 

 with reherfall whiche hounde hunted beft, and which huntefman 

 hunted mofte like a woodman : callyng theyr befl: fauoured 

 houndes and huntefmen before them, and rewarding them fa- 

 uorably, as hath bene the cuftome of all noble perfonages to do. 

 Then fliall the huntefman take his knife in hande agayne and 

 bjeake vp the Deare in this forte : fpreadyng the fkinne on both 

 fides vpon the greene leaues ftrewed for that purpofe. Firlte he 

 fliall take out the tongue, and put it vpon the Forke, for it ap- 

 pertayneth to the Prince or to the chiefe perfonage : likewife two 

 knottes or nuttes whiche are to be taken betwene the necke and 

 the flioulders, and twoo others whiche are in the flankes of the 

 Deare, and are called flankardes, and hang them vpon the Forke : 

 this beyng done, he fliall firfl: take out the right flioulder with 



his 



