1 (So The booke of Hunting 



For running fwift, and holding out at length, 

 I beare the bell, aboue all other beaftes. 



Of the properties of the Hare, and howe 



to knowe the male, from the 



female. Chap. 5-8 



IWil begin with the vertues and properties of an Hare, the which 

 be verie great and many, hauing confideration to the greatnefle 

 and littlenefTe of hir. Firft the bloud of an Hare, is a fore dryer, 

 and if you do annoynt therewith any ytching place, or a ring- 

 worme, it will drie it vp and heale it. The Hare hath a litle bone 

 in a ioynt of hir hinder legge called the ftyfling bone, whiche is 

 verie good for the Collike and the Crampe. Hir fkynne burnt to 

 pouder, is a foueraine medicine to ftenche bloud. The Hare firft 

 taught vs the vfe of the hearbe called wilde Succorye, which is 

 verie excellent for thofe whiche are difpofed to be melancholike : 

 llie hir felfe is one of the mofte melancholike beaftes that is : 

 and to heale hir own infirmities, flie goeth commonly to fit vn- 

 der that hearbe : wherevpon it hath bene called in times paft Fa- 

 latius leporis^ that is to fay. Hares f allay fe. The Hare doth natu- 

 rally know the change of weather from .xxiiii houres, to .xxiiii. 

 houres. When flie goeth to hir forme, fhe will not let the dewe 

 or wet touch hir as neare as fhee can, but followeth the hyghe 

 wayes and beaten pathes, and breaketh the highe ftalkes as flie 

 goeth with hir teeth. And bycaufe fome Hares by haunting the 

 lowe watrie places, do become foule and mefled, fuch Hares doe 

 neuer follow y« hard ways, nor make fuch pathes to their formes, 

 but vfe all their fubtleties and poUecies by the fides of the Ryuers, 

 brookes, and other waters. And you fliall vnderftand, that the fe- 

 males are not fo commonly foule or mefled, as the males are, 

 and therfore a huntefman may iudge by the reliefe and feede of the 

 Hare what flie is, and which way flie formeth. They goe to 

 Bucke commonly in lanuarie, Februarie, and Marche. Some- 

 times they feke the Bucke feuen or eight myles diftant from the 

 place where they vfe to fyt, following the beaten high wayes, as 



fliafl 



