CHAP. 1.J THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 6? 



was a shepherd, were both Anglers ; for you shall in all the 

 Old Testament find fish-hooks, I think, but twice mentioned ; 

 namely, by meek Moses, the friend of God, and by the humble 

 Prophet Amos. 



Concerning which last, namely, the Prophet Amos, I shall 

 make but this observation, that he that shall read the humble, 

 lowly, plain style of that prophet, and compare it with the 

 high, glorious, eloquent style of the Prophet Isaiah, though 

 they be both equally true, may easily believe Amos to be, not 

 only a shepherd, but a good-natured, plain fisherman. Which 

 I do the rather believe by comparing the affectionate, loving, 

 lowly, humble Epistles of St. Peter, St. James, and St. John, 

 whom we know were all Fishers, with the glorious language 

 and high metaphors of St. Paul, who we may believe was not. 



And for the lawfulness of fishing, it may very well be main- 

 tained by our Saviour's bidding St. Peter cast his hook into 

 the water and catch a fish, for money to pay tribute to Caesar. 

 And let me tell you, that Angling is of high esteem, and of 

 much use in other nations. He that reads the Voyages of Fer- 

 dinand Mendez Pinto shall find that there he declares to have 

 found a king and several priests a-fishing. 



And he that reads Plutarch shall find that Angling was not 

 contemptible in the days of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and 

 that they in the midst of their wonderful glory used Angling as 

 a principal recreation. And let me tell you, that in the Script- 

 ure Angling is always taken in the best sense ; and that, though 

 Hunting may be sometimes so taken, yet it is but seldom to be 

 so understood. And let me add this more, he that views the 

 ancient Ecclesiastical Canons shall find Hunting to be forbid- 

 den to churchmen, as being a turbulent, toilsome, perplexing 

 recreation ; and shall find Angling allowed to clergymen, as 

 being a harmless recreation, a recreation that invites them to 

 contemplation and quietness. 



I might here enlarge myself by telling you what commenda- 

 tions our learned Perkins bestows on Angkng ; and how dear a 



