18 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



been seen. These be his baits. Fresh cheese toasted 

 in a candle. Hawthorn worm. Great red worm. 

 Cod worm. Water dock leaf worm. Hornet worm. 

 In August and for all the year take the tallow of 

 a sheep and soft cheese of each a like amount, 

 and a little honey and grind or stamp them together 

 long and temper it until it be tough and put thereto 

 flour a little and make it into small pellets. And it 

 is a good bait to angle with at the ground. And 

 loke that it sink in the water, or else it is not good 

 to this purpose. 



The Carp is a dainty fish but there be but few in 

 England and so I write the less of him. But well 

 I wot that the red worm and the minnow be good 

 bait for him at all times. 



The Chevin [Chub] is a stately fish and his head 

 is a dainty morsel. And because he is a strong biter, 

 he hath the more baits which be these. Red worms, 

 Stone flies, Red snails, Silk worms, Crickets, Cock- 

 chafers, Grass hoppers, Bumble bees, Hornets, Young 

 bees, Young frogs, Young mice, Maggots, Cherries. 



For Bream, which is a noble fish and dainty, the 

 baits are Red worm, butter-flies, Maggots. 



A Tench is a right good fish and healeth all other 

 manner of fish that be hurt if they may come to him. 

 He is for the most part of the year in the mud. He 

 is an evil biter; his baytes be these. For all the 

 year brown bread toasted with honey in likeness of 

 a buttered loaf, and the great red worm. 



The Perch is a dainty fish and passing wholesome 

 and a free biter and these be his baits : a variety 

 of worms including the dung hill worm and the Cod 

 worm, and maggots. 



The Roach is an easy fish to take and if he be fat 

 and pennyed (probably 'well finned' i.e., in good 

 condition) then he is good meat and these be his 

 baits : Red worm, Cod worm, House flies, Maggots, 

 Fat of bacon. 



