25-0 The hooke of Hunting 



there is no daunger in giuing of him head where there is plain ground, 

 for the floweft dogge y* euer ranne wil ouertake a Fox if he haue field 

 roome. Some vfe to watch a Fox when he goeth out to his feede, and to 

 ftand in y® moft likely places in a moone fhine night and fo to courfe 

 him: but that is but vncertayne vnlefTe it be in clicketting time, when 

 they go prowde: then you Ihall heare them barke and howle one after 

 another. But otherwise the fureft courfmg is when you hunte with 

 houndes, to fet your greyhounds vnderneath the winde very clofe in 

 fome bottom or little playne, and there to courfe the Fox when hecom- 

 meth out. This courfe is fhort, but it is dangerous, for oftentimes a 

 good Greyhound is marred with a Fox: and therfore few men will 

 courfe a Fox vnlefTe it be with old Greyhounds which arc brufed dogs, 

 andwhichthey make fmall accoumpt of: and you fhal fee an old bitten 

 dogge when he ouertaketh a Fox, thruft his forelegges backwardes and 

 fall vpon him with his cheft : and fo faue his legges from bytyng when 

 he takeththe Fox : and agayne as fooiie as euer he layeth hold on him, 

 he wil fliake him about his eares continually, vntill he haue broken his 

 backe or killed him : for by that meanes he giueth the Fox no leaue nor 

 tyme to byte hym. There is another kinde of courfmg whiche 1 haue 

 morevfedthan anyofthefe: and that is at a Deare in the night: wherin 

 there is more arte to be vfed than in any courfe els. But bicaufe I haue 

 promifed my betters to be a friend to al Parkes, Forrefts, and Chaces, 

 therfore I will not here exprefle the experience which hath bene dearer 

 vnto me, particularly, than it is meete to be publiflied generally. But 

 thus much I haue thought meete of my felf to adde concernyng courfmg 

 w* Greyhoundes, the which is doubt! efTe a noble paftime, and as meete 

 for Nobilitie and Gentlemen, as any of the other kyndes of Venerie 

 before declared : Efpecially the courfe at the Hare whiche is a fporte 

 continually in fight, and made without any great trauayle : fo that 

 recreation is therein to be founde without vnmeafurable toyle and 

 payne : Whereas in huntyng with houndes, although the paftyme be 

 great, yet many tymes the toyle and payne is alfo exceedyng great : 

 And then it may well be called, eyther a paynefull paftyme, 

 or a pleafant payne. 



FINIS 



