^6 The hooke of Hunting 



greater and more roaring their voyce is. Alfo thereby you may 

 know if they haue bene chafed and hunted or not, for if they haue 

 bene hunted or be afrayde of any thing, they put their mouth 

 againfl: the ground and bellow foftly, and yet with a great voice, 

 the which the Hartes which are at reft neuer do. For they rayfe 

 vp their heads bellowing and braying aloude and without dreade. 



In what feafon the Hartes me we and take them 

 to the thickets. Chap. i8 



IN Februarie and Marche, the Hart meweth and cafteth his 

 head, and commonly the olde Hart much foner than the yong. 

 But if there be any which haue bene hurt at Rut or by any other 

 meane, then nature is not fo ftrong in him to helpe him. For 

 all his fubstance and nouriture can not fuffife to heale him, and 

 to driue out his head, by reafon of the hurt which he hath. So are 

 there fome which leefmg their ftones or pyfTels at Rut or other- 

 wife, do neuer mewe. For you muft underftand that if you geld 

 an Hart before he haue an heade, he will neuer beare heade. And 

 on that other fide, if you geld him when he hath his head or ant- 

 her, he will neuer caft or mewe it : In lyke maner, if you gelde 

 him when he hath a veluet head, for it will remayne fo alwayes, 

 and neyther fraye nor burniflie. This giueth vs to vnderftand, 

 that there is great vertue in the ftones, for through their occafion 

 oftentimes many men which beare heades of a goodly beame, 

 do yet neuer mew nor caft them. When the Harts haue mewed 

 or caft their heades, they beginne then to withdrawe themfelues, 

 and to betake them to the tliicket, hyding them felues in fome 

 faire place where there is fome good feede and water, vpon the 

 border of fome fielde, to the ende they may goe to fome peece of 

 wheate, peafe, or fuche like luftie feede. And you fliall note, that 

 yong Harts doe neuer betake them felues vnto the thickets, vn- 

 till they haue borne their thirde heade, which is in their fourth 

 yeare, and then they may be iudged Hartes of tenne, but verie 

 yongly. As alfo the Bores do neuer forfake their routes, vntill 



their 



