The hooke of Hunting 163 



hir fubtilties, the which I haue pradifed much, and therefore I 

 am the bolder to fet downe in wry ting fuche experiences as I 

 haue feene, knowne, and made. Firft the huntefman which fhall 

 be nexte the houndes, fliall looke and marke many thinges when 

 the Hare rifeth out of his forme. As firft what weather it is. For 

 if it be raynie weather, then the Hare will holde the high wayes 

 more than at any other time. And if (he come to the fide of any 

 yong fpring or groue, flie will not lightly goe in, but will con- 

 uey hir felfe, and fquat vnder the fide thereof, vntill the houndes 

 haue ouerfhot hir : and then fhe will returne the felfe fame waye 

 that file came, vnto the place where flie was ftart or put vppe, 

 for file will not willingly goe into any couert, bycaufe of the 

 dewe and wet that hangeth vpon the lowe twigges. In fuche 

 a cafe, the huntefman fliall doe well, to tarie and ftaye an hun- 

 dreth paces before he come to the woodes fide, and then he fhall 

 fee hir if fhe come right backe as before fayde. Then may he 

 hallo we in his houndes and call them backe : for elfe it woulde 

 be harde to make it out. When a Hare doth fo as before fayd, by- 

 caufe an hound will fcarcely beleeue that the Hare were gone 

 directly backwardes, therefore the Huntefman fliall doe well 

 to hallowe them in before they go any further : for elfe they will 

 rather iudge it to be the counter as fhe came firft. 



Nexte to this, a huntefman muft marke in what place the 

 Hare fitteth, and vpon what wynde fhe made hir forme. For 

 if file forme eyther vpon the North wynde, or vpon the South 

 winde, fhe will not willingly runne into the winde, but will 

 runne vpon a fyde wynde, or elfe downe the wynde. Alfo if an 

 Hare doe forme in the water, it is a token that fhe is foule and 

 meQed. In hunting of fuche an Hare, lette the huntefmen take 

 good heede all the daye vnto the Brookes fides, for fuche an Hare 

 will make all hir croflings, doublings, &c. vppon Brookes 

 fides and plafhes. Agayne, a huntefman mufte marke whe- 

 ther it be a bucke Hare or a female, and whether fhe be wonted 

 to the place where fhe fat, or a pafTenger : The which he maye 

 knowe by fuche obferuations as I haue before rehearfed : for 

 doubtlefTe, a Hare whiche is bred and wonted to a certaine place, 



and 



