92 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



his " Noble Lord," in which for the first time in 

 angling literature the so-called "Heresy of the 

 Salmon Roe " is described : 



NOBLE LORD, I have found an experience of 

 late, which you may angle with, and take great 

 store of this kind of fish : first it is the best bait for 

 a Trout that I have seen in all my time, and will 

 take great store, and not faile, if they be there. 

 Secondly, it is a speciall bait for Dace, or Dare, good 

 for Chub, or Bottlin, or Grayling. The bait is a roe 

 of a Salmon, or Trout, if it be a large Trout, that the 

 spawnes be any thing great. You must angle for the 

 Trout with this bait as you angle with the brandlin, 

 taking a paire of cisers and cut so much as a large 

 Hasel nut, and bait your hook, so fall to your sport, 

 there is no doubt of pleasure. 



If I had known it but twenty years agoe I would 

 have gained a hundred pounds onely with that bait. 

 I am bound in duty to your Honour, and not to carry 

 it to my grave with me. I do desire that men of 

 quality should have it that delight in that pleasure : 

 The greedy Angler will murmur at me, but for that 

 I care not. For the angling for the scale-fish, they 

 must angle either with cork or quill, plumming their 

 ground, and with feeding with the same bait, taking 

 them asunder that they may spread abroad that the 

 fish may feed and come to your place, there is no 

 doubt of pleasure angling with fine Tackles, as single 

 haire lines at least five or six length long, a small 

 hook with two or three spawns, the bait will hold one 

 week. If you keep it on any longer, you must hang 

 it up to dry a little : when you go for your pleasure 

 again, put the bait in a little water it will come in 

 kind again. 



Sic vale feliciter 



THOMAS BARKER. 



