222 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PART r. 



choose not only the clearest hair for it, but hairs that be of an 

 equal bigness, for such do usually stretch all together, and 

 break all together, which hairs of an unequal bigness never do, 

 but break singly, and so deceive the Angler that trusts to 

 them. 



When you have twisted your links, lay them in water for a 

 quarter of an hour at least, and then twist them over again be- 

 fore you tie them into a line ; for those that do not so, shall 

 usually find their line to have a hair or two shrink, and be 

 shorter than the rest at the first fishing with it ; which is so 

 much of the strength of the line lost for want of first watering 

 it and then re-twisting it ; and this is most visible in a seven- 

 hair line, one of those which hath always a black hair in the 

 middle. 



And for dyeing of your hairs, do it thus. Take a pint of 

 strong ale, half a pound of soot, and a little quantity of the 

 juice of walnut-tree leaves, and an equal quantity of alum ; put 

 these together into a pot, pan, or pipkin, and boil them hall 

 an hour ; and having so done, let it cool ; and being cold, put 

 your hair into it, and there let it lie : it will turn your hair to 

 be a kind of water or glass-color, or greenish ; and the longer 

 you let it lie, the deeper colored it will be. You might be 

 taught to make many other colors, but it is to little purpose ; 

 for doubtless the water-color or glass-colored hair is the most 

 choice and most useful for an Angler ; but let it not be too 

 green. 



But if you desire to color hair greener, then do it thus. 

 Take a quart of small ale, half a pound of alum ; then put 

 these into a pan or pipkin, and your hair into it with them ; then 

 put it upon a fire, and let it boil softly for half an hour ; and 

 then take out your hair, and let it dry ; and, having so done, 

 then take a pottle of water, and put into it two handfuls of 

 marigolds, and cover it with a tile, or what you think fit, and 

 set it again on the fire, where it is to boil again softly for half 

 an hour, about which time the scum will turn yellow ; thcq 



