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inference which that fentence allows is, 

 that the writer had feen the treatyfe on 

 Huntynge, and that the royal author of it 

 was then deceafed, for from the great lax- 

 ity of language at that period it would be 

 very unfafe to confider that " late called 

 Mayfter of Game " meant either that the 

 Duke was then living, but no longer 

 " Mayfter of Game," or that " his name 

 and perfon were recent in memory in time 

 of the author." 



Unfortunately, there are no means by 

 which the name of the Author of the 

 Treatyfe can be afcertained ; and the 

 opinion expreffed by Sir John Hawkins, 

 that it was written by Dame Julian de 

 Berners, is not only unfupported by even 

 a fhadow of proof, but it is negatived by 

 the following circumftances : It does not 

 occur in the firft edition of the " Boke of 



