1 o The booke of Hunting 



OVr dunne houndes are fuche as aunciently our Kynges of 

 Fraunce, and Dukes of Alencon did moft efteeme. Tney be 

 common, bicaufe they arefittefor moftchaces, and therefore they 

 are fittefl- for Gentlemen, for their nature and complexion is 

 fuche, that they hunt all kynde of chaces which you would haue 

 them to hunt. The belt of the race are fuch as be dunne on the 

 backe, hauing their foure quarters redde or tanned, and the 

 legs of the fame coloure, as it were the coloure of a Hares legs. 

 Sometimes you fliall fee fome that haue their hayre on the top 

 of their backes, dunne or almoll: blacke, and their legges ftreaked 

 and flecked with redde and blacke, the which doe commonly 

 proue excellent, and although there are not many badde dunne 

 houndes to be feene, yet neuerthelefife, the light dunne, hauing 

 their legges fallowe after a whytiflie coloure, are feldome fo 

 Itrong nor fo fwifte as the other are, and Princes can not fo 

 much delight in them for fundrye caufes. One caufe is, for that 

 they doe muchefeare the throng of the huntefmen on horfcbacke, 

 and they are troubled with their noyfe, for as muche as they are 

 hote and of a great courage, and put them felues quickly out of 

 breath hearing the Crye and noyfe of the hunters. Another 

 caufe is, that they feare heate, and doe not greatly efteeme a 

 chace whiche doubleth or turneth before them, but if the chace 

 holde endlong, you fliall hardely finde better or fwyfter hounds, 

 although they be verie opinionate harde to beleeue their huntef- 

 man, and verie eafily inclyned to chaunge, bycaufe of theyr 

 heate and follye, and bycaufe of the great compares which they 

 cafte when they are at defaulte. And aboue all thinges, they 

 fticke muche vpon knowledge of their maifter, and efpecially 

 his voyce and his home, and will do for him more than for any 

 other huntefman. They haue fuche emulation amongeft them 

 felues, that they knowe the voyce of their fellowes, and whether 

 they be fure or not, for if they be babblers and lyers, they 

 will not lightly followe them. They are houndes of great traucll, 

 fearing neither colde nor water, and if they feele a chace to 

 fynke once before them, and that it bcginne to be fpent once, 

 then will they neuer forfake it vntill they haue kylled it. They 



which 



