1^6 The hoohe of Hunting 



that is harde, better than any other Deare. In fpring they 

 make their fewmets rounde, but afterwardes they make them 

 broder and flatte, as a Harte doth when he comes to good feede. 

 There is iudgement to be taken by their fewmets, either round or 

 flatte, euen as there is of an Harte : they go to Rut about Alhalr 

 lantide, and abide therin a moneth : when their Rut is paft they 

 put themfelues in heards and comedownefrom the mountaynes and 

 rockes, where they abide al the Sommer : and that afwel to efchew 

 the Snow, as alfo bicaufe they find no foode on the mountaynes 

 any longer ; and yet they come not very lowe into the playnes, 

 but keepe about the foote of the mountaynes, and there feeke foode 

 vntil it be towards Eailer : then they returne to the mountaines, 

 and euery one of them takes liim to his holde or ftrongefb couert 

 vpon the rockes and cragges, euen as the Hartes keepe the thickes. 

 Then the he Goates part from the female (which are called Geats, 

 and the buckes Goates) and the Geats drawe neare to fome little 

 brooke or water to fawne, and to abide there al the fommer. When 

 the Goates be fo parted from the Geats, attending vntill the time 

 of their Rut returne, they runne vpon cither man or beafts whiche 

 pafTe by them, and fight one with another as Hartes do, but not 

 altogether a like : for thefe make an vnpleafant noyfe, and they hurt 

 fore with their blowes, not with the endes of their homes, but 

 with the middeft and Butte of their head : in fuch forte that they do 

 oftentimes breake a mans legge or his arme at a blowe : and though 

 he woundeth not with his blowe, yet if he beare a man agaynft a 

 tree or a banke, he will furely kill him : and fuche force hath he 

 alfo in the chyne of his backc, that though a man (how flrong fo- 

 euer he be) fliould ftrike him with a barre of yron ouerthwarte 

 the reynes, he will go on and neuer flirinke at it. When he go- 

 eth to Rut, his throte and necke is maruelous great : he hath fuch 

 a propertie that although he fall tenne poles length downe from 

 an high, he will take no hurtc thereby : and he goeth as furely 

 vpon the toppe of a rocke, as a Horfe will go in an high way. 

 They clime marueloufly for theyr feede, and fometimes they fal, 

 then can they not hold with their feete, but thruft out their heads 

 againfl the rockes and hang by their horncs vntill they haue re- 



couered 



