426 



CHAPTER LI. 



THE SPANIEL. 



THE antiquity of the Spaniel is an undisputed fact amongst sportsmen, for references to some 

 varieties of this breed have been made in every work on canine subjects from the time of Edmund 

 De Langley< in the " Maister of Game," down to the present day. This writer states most posi- 

 tively that the Spaniel came from Spain, and gives a description of the dog's appearance, and 

 the uses to which he was put by sportsmen of his day. Dr. Caius, in the reign of Queen Eliza- 

 beth, draws attention to the Spaniel in the following words : 



" Svc/i dogges as seme for fowling, I thinke conuenient and requisite to place in this seconde 

 Section of this treatise. These are also to bee reckoned and accounted in the number of the 

 dogges which come of a gentle kind, and of those which serue for fowling. 



There be two 

 sortes 



The first findeth game on the 



land. 

 The other findeth game on I 



the water. 



" Such as delight on the land, play their partes, eyther by swiftnesse of foote, or by often 

 questing, to search out and to spying the byrdc for further hope of aduantage, or else by some 

 secrete signe and priuy token bewray the place where they fall. 



The first kind of I , ,, , 

 such serue | The Hauke ' 



The seconde, | The net, or traine. 



"The first kinde haue no peculier names assigned vnto them, saue onely that they be 

 denominated after the byrde which by naturall appointment he is slotted to take, for the 

 which consideration. 



lted and such like, 



(The Partridge j 



"The common sort of people call them by one generall word, namely Spaniells. As 

 though these kinde of Dogges came originally and first of all out of Spaine. The most 

 part of their skynnes are white, and if they be marckctl with any spottes, they are 

 commonly red, and somewhat great therewithal!, the heares not growing in such thtcknesse 

 but that the mixture of them maye easely be perceaucd. Othersome of them be reddishe 

 and blackishe, but of that sorte there be but a very few. There is also at this day 

 among vs a newe kinde of dogge brought out of Fraunce (for we Englishe men are maruai- 

 ous greedy gaping gluttons after nouelties, and couetous covrorauntes of things that be seldom, 

 rare, straunge, and hard to get.) And they bee speckled all ouer with white and black, which 



