APPENDIX. 175 



you to smyt a grete fysshe with a smalle harnays, 

 thenne ye must lede hym in the water, and labour 

 hym there tyll he be drownyd and overcome. 

 Thenne take hym as well as ye can or maye, and 

 ever bewaar that ye holde not over the strengthe of 

 your lyne. And as moche as ye may, lete hym not 

 come out of your lynes ende streyghte from you, 

 soo that your lyne may susteyne and beere his 

 lepys and his plungys wyth the helpe of your 

 croppe and of your honde." In his directions in 

 what part of the water to fish, the author observes 

 that a pond, or " pole," as he calls it, " is but a 

 pryson to fysshe, and they lyve for the more parte 

 in hungre like prisoners, and therefore it is the lesse 

 maystry to take theym." He notes that it is best 

 to fish in rivers where it is deep and clear, with a 

 bottom of clay or gravel, without mud or weeds, 

 especially where there is a whirling of the water or 

 a covert, as a hollow bank, roots of trees, and long 

 floating weeds. There is also good angling in 

 " deep styffe streams" and falls ; at flood-gates, 

 weares, and " mylle pyttes, where the water restyth 

 by the bank." 



The time of fish biting, from April to Septem- 

 ber, is stated to be from four [ito eight in the 

 morning, and from four to eight in the afternoon, 

 but not so good in the afternoon as in the morning. 

 From September to April the angler may spare no 

 time of the day. Many " pole [pond] fysshes woll 

 beste in the none tyde." In summer, on a dark 

 louring day, when the wind blows softly, and also 

 when it is " brennynge hote" the angler may spare 



