46 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART I. 



all, Gentlemen ; and send you meet, this day, with an- 

 other Bitch-otter, and kill her merrily, and all her young 

 ones too. 



yen. Now, Piscator, where will you begin to fish? 



PMC. We are not yet come to a likely place; I must 

 walk a mile further yet before I begin. 



Fen. Well then, I pray, as we walk, tell me freely, 

 how do you like your lodging, and mine host, and the 

 company ? Is not mine host a witty man ? 



Pise. Sir, I will tell you, presently, what I think of 

 your host: but first, I will tell you, I am glad these Otters 

 were killed ; and I am sorry there are no more Otter- 

 killers ; for I know that the want of Otter-killers, and the 

 not keeping the fence-months for the preservation of fish, 

 will, in time, prove the destruction of all rivers. And 

 those very few that are left, that make conscience of the 

 laws of the nation, and of keeping days of abstinence, 

 will be forced to eat flesh, or suffer more inconveniences 

 than are yet foreseen. 



Fen. Why, Sir, what be those that you call the fence- 

 months? 



Pise. Sir, they be principally three, namely, March, 

 April, and May; for these be the usual -months that 

 Salmon come out of the sea to spawn in most fresh rivers. 

 And their fry would, about a certain time, return back to 

 the salt-water, if they were not hindered by weirs and 

 unlawful gins, which the greedy fishermen set, and so 

 destroy them by thousands; as they would, being so 

 taught by nature, change the fresh for salt water. He 

 that shall view the wise Statutes made in the 13th of 

 Edward the I. and the like in Richard the III. may see 

 several provisions made against the destruction of fish : 

 and though I profess no knowledge of the law, yet I am 

 sure the regulation of these defects might be easily 

 mended. But I remember that a wise friend of mine did 



