The hoohe of Hunting iqg 



How to hunte and take Conies. Chap. 64. 



HE that would take Conies muste hunte with two or three 

 Spanels or curres made for the purpole, amongft the hedges 

 and bulhes where he knoweth that the Conies do lie : he may alio 

 haue Imal Greyhoundes for the purpofe to courfe at them : but in 

 their default, the Spanels or curres will driue them into theyr 

 Burrowes : then fet purfenettes vpon al the holes, or as many of 

 them as you can linde, and put in a Ferret clofe muffeled, and 

 file will make the Conies bolte out againe into your purfenets, 

 and fo you fhal take them. Remember that your Ferret be clofe 

 mulled, for els fhe will kill the Conie in the ground, and perad- 

 uenture will not come out againe of three or foure dayes after. 

 For default of a Ferret, you may make Conies come out of their 

 Burrowes with the pouder of Orpyne and Brimftone, and make 

 a fmother with them, and it will make the Conies bolte out of 

 the earth, and fo you fhall take them in your purfenets. Mine 

 Audthor telleth furthermore of making fmal low hedgerowes al 

 alongft downe by y^ fide of fome hedge which is wel replenifhed 

 with Conies : and that the fayde lowe hedges fliould be made o- 

 uerthwart contrarie to the ftanding of the quicke hedge : and that 

 fundrie holes fliould be made in them, at the whiche he would 

 fet purfenets or other nettes, and fo take the Conies, hunting 

 them vp and downe with a Spaniel! or curre. But he feemeth not 

 to haue feene our Englifli Warreyns, nor our maner of taking 

 of our Conies. For (thanked be God) there are fundry Lordes and 

 Gentlemen in England, which haue their groundes fo well re- 

 plenifhed, as they would cunne a man but fmall thanks whiche 

 fliuld fo fmother theyr burrowes with Brimftone or Orpin : for 

 in deede that will marre a Burrow, and driue the Conies cleane 

 from it. But wee take them principally with heyes : next with 

 pursenets and Ferrets : thirdly with a drawing Ferret when they 

 be yong : and againe we haue a kind of dogges called tumblers, 

 which will kill Conies abundantly, and after a maruelous fafliion. 

 Of all thefe fortes of taking Conies, together with the order to 

 keepe a Warreyn from vermin, 1 wil hold no longer difcourfe : 

 for in deede it is fome what belides my purpofe, fmce I 



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