The Setter. 293 



shillings of lawful English money, this day received of Henry 

 Herbert, of Ribberford, in the same county, Esq., and of thirty 

 shillings more of like money, I have promised to be hereafter paid 

 me, do hereby covenant and promise to and with the said Henry 

 Herbert, his exhors. and admors., that I will from the day of the 

 date hereof until the first day of March next, well and sufficiently 

 maintain and keep a spanill bitch named Quand this day 

 delivered into my custody by the said Henry Herbert, and 

 will, before the said first day of March next, fully and effectively 

 train up and teach the said bitch to sitt partrages, pheasants, and 

 other game, as well and exactly as the best sitting dogges usually 

 sitt the same. And the same bitch, so trained and taught, shall 

 and will deliver to the said Henry Herbert, or whom he shall 

 appoint to receive her at her home at Ribberford aforesaid, on 

 the first day of March next. And if at any time after the 

 said bitch shall, for want of use and practice, or orwise., forget 

 to sett game as aforesaid, I will at my cost and charges maynetayne 

 her for a month or longer, as often as need shall require, to 

 trayne up and teach her to sett game as aforesaid, and shall 

 and will fully and effectually teach her to sett game as well 

 and exactly as is above mentoyned. 



JOHN HARRIS, x his mark. 



The above is, doubtless, one of the earliest 

 records to be found for training a sporting dog, 

 and as such is worth reproduction here, especially as 

 it evidently applies to the setter of that time, then 

 known as the spaniel. 



The varieties, as we have them now, came to be 

 separated from each other much later, but they all, 

 some time or another, must have been descended 

 from the smaller and shorter legged dogs the 

 spaniels. I consider it unfortunate that there is so 



