46 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



A short poem follows the dedication : " In due 

 praise of this Praise - worthy Skill and Worke," by 

 "Jo. Davies." 



The work is divided into three books : 



THE FIRST BOOKE. 



Of Angling^ and the Art thereof I sing, 

 What kinde of Tooles it doth behoue to haue 

 And with what pleasing bayt a man may bring 

 The Fish to bite within the watery waue. . . . 



You Nymphs that in the Springs and Waters sweet, 



Your dwelling haue, of euery Hill and Dale, 



And oft amidst the Meadows greene doe meet 



To sport and play, and heare the more the Nightingale; 



And in the Riuers fresh doe wash your feet, 



While Prognes sister tels her wofull tale : 



Such ayde and power vnto my verses lend, 



As may suffice this little worke to end. 



Having thus invoked the aid of the nymphs, the 

 author proceeds to state " The time for prouiding 

 Angle Rods." He prefers the hazel to the cane rod, 

 and gives his reason for the preference in the 

 following lines : 



So shalt thou haue alwayes in store the best, 

 And fittest Rods to serue thy turne aright ; 

 For not the brittle Cane, nor all the rest, 

 I like so well, though it be long and light, 

 Since that the Fish are frighted with the least 

 Aspect of any glittering thing, or white : 



Nor doth it by one halfe so well incline, 

 As doth the plyant rod to save the line. 



