The booke of Hunting ipp 



So that men vaunt in vaine, which fay they hunt the Foxe, 



To kcpe their neighbors poultry free, and to defende their flockes. 



When they them felues can fpoyle, more profit in an houre, 



Than Raynard rifles in a yere, when he doth moft deuoure. 



No, no, the minds of men, which IHII be vainely bent, 



Muft haue their change of Venerie, as firft the Hare in Lent, 



The Hart in Sommers heate, and me poore Foxe in cold : 



But wherto ferue thefe fundry fports, thefe chafes manyfold ? 



Forfoth to feede their thoughts, with drags of vaine delight, 



Whereon moft men do mufe by day, wheron they dream by night. 



They muft haue coftly clothes, they muft haue deintie fare. 



They muft haue couches ftuft with doune, they muft haue all in fquare. 



They muft haue newfound games, to make them laugh their fill. 



They muft haue foules, they muft haue beafts, to bayt, to hunt, to kyll. 



And all (when all is done) is nothing elfe but vayne. 



So Salomon the wifeman fayd, and fo fayes Ray nerd playne. 



An aduertifment of the Tranflator 



IFinde in myne Author nothing written either of the wild Cat 

 or of the Marterne, and yet both thofe are vermine whiche we 

 vie here in England commonly to hunt, and in my iudgement as 

 necelTarie to be hunted as any vermine can be. For the queftion 

 may be doubtfull, whether eyther Foxe or Badgerd doe more 

 hurt than the wild Cat doth : Since there are few gentlemen in 

 England but haue commoditie by Conies, either great or fmal : 

 and I am fure that there is no vermine which doth more hurt in 

 a Warren of Conies, than a wild Cat doth. And therewithal I 

 haue heard fome hunters fay, that flie leaueth as great fent, andma- 

 keth as good a cry for the time, as any vermin that is hunted, ef- 

 pecially the Marterne pafleth all other vermine for fweetnefte of 

 fent, and hir cafe is a noble furre. The wild Cats cafe is nothing 

 fo good furre, but it is verie warme, and medicinable for fundry 

 aches and paines in the bones and ioynts. Alfo hir greace is very 

 good for finewes that be flironke. Thefe two chafes are not to be 

 fought of purpofe, vnlefte the huntfman doe fee them where they 

 TURB. vEN. p prajTj 



