CHAP. X. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 153 



most excellent ore, EITHER FOR A 'CARP OR BREAM, in 

 any river or mere : it was given to me by a most honest 

 and excellent angler; and hoping you will prove both, 

 I will impart it to you. 



1. Let your bait be as big a red worm as you can find, 

 without a knot : get a pint or quart of them in an even- 

 ing in garden-walks, or chalky commons, after a shower 

 of rain; and put them with clean moss well washed and 

 picked, and the water squeezed out of the moss as dry 

 as you can, into an earthen pot or pipkin set dry; and 

 change the moss fresh every three or four days, for three 

 weeks or a month together; then your bait will be at the 

 best, for it will be clear and lively. 



2. Having thus prepared your baits, get your tackling 

 ready and fitted for this sport. Take three long angling- 

 rods; and as many and more srik, or silk and hair 

 lines; and as many large swan or goose-quill floats. 

 Then take a piece of lead made after the manner of a 

 carpenter's plummet, or the weight of a steel-yard, and 

 fasten them to the low ends of your lines: then fasten 

 your link-hook also to the lead; and let there be about 

 a foot or ten inches between the lead and the hook: but 

 be sure the lead be heavy enough to sink the float or quill 

 a little under the water ; and not the quill to bear up the 

 lead, for the lead must lie on the ground. Note, that 

 your link next the hook may be smaller than the rest of 

 your line, if you dare adventure, for fear of taking the 

 Pike or Pearch, who will assuredly visit your hooks, till 

 they be taken out, as I will shew you afterwards, before 

 either Carp or Bream will come near to bite. Note also, 

 that when the worm is well baited, it will crawl up and 

 down as far as the lead will give leave, which much enticeth 

 the fish to bite without suspicion. 



3. Having thus prepared your baits, and fitted your 

 tackling, repair to the river, where you have seen them 



