AUTHORS ON SEA AND RIVER FISHING. 571 



shall put the quarell in a redde charkcole fyre tyll that it be of 

 the same colour that the fyre is. Thenne take hym out and lete 

 hym kele, and ye shall fynde hym well alayd [alloyed] for to 

 fyle. Thenne rayse the berde with your knyfe, and make the 

 poynt sharpe. Thenne alaye him agayn, for elles he woll breke 

 in the bendyng. Thenne bende hym lyke to the bende fyguryd 

 hereafter in example. Whan the hoke is bendyd bete the hynder 

 ende abrode, and fyle it smothe for fretynge of thy lyne. Thenne 

 put it in the fyre agayn, and yene it an easy redde hete. Thenne 

 sodaynly quenche it in water, and it will be harde and strong." 



"Good" anglers, who look on "trimmering" as a crime 

 second only in enormity to wilful murder, and on " live- 

 baiting " of any kind as a heinous misdemeanour, will be 

 shocked to find our piscatory Dame giving directions for 

 the latter, and adding 



" If ye lyst to have a good sporte, thenne tye the corde to a 

 gose fote, and ye shall have a gode halynge, whether the gose or 

 the pyke shall have the better." 



The "twelve manere of ympedyments whyche cause a 

 man to take noo fysshe " enumerated by the Prioress, may 

 be useful in suggesting excuses which the angler with an 

 empty creel is always supposed to produce for his want of 

 success. They are, " I, badly-made harness ; 2, bad baits ; 

 3, angling at wrong time ; 4, fish strayed away ; 5, water 

 thick ; 6, water too cold ; 7, wether too hot ; 8, if it rain ; 

 9, if hail or snow fall ; 10, if there be a tempest ; 1 1, if 

 there be a great wynd ; 12, if wind be east." 



Our authoress concludes her treatise by giving all kinds 

 of good advice. To rich anglers she says, " fish not in no 

 poor man's water," and "break no man's gins." To all, 

 " break no man's hedges," and " open no man's gates, but 

 that ye shut them again." Anglers are to " use this foresaid 

 crafty disport for no covetousness," but for " solace " and 



