176 MANUAL FOK YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



the said Henry Herbert, or whom he shall appoint to 

 receive her, at his house in Ribbesford aforesaid, on the 

 first day of March next. And if at any time the said 

 Bitch shall for want of use and practice or o'rwise forget to 

 sett game as aforesaid, I will at my cost and charges, 

 maintain her for a month or longer as needs may require, 

 to traine up and teach her to sett game as aforesaid, and 

 shall and will fully and effectually teach her to sett game 

 as well and exactly as is above mentioned. 



" Witness my hand and seal the day and year first 

 above written. 



" JOHN HARRIS his X mark. 



" Sealed and delivered in presence of 



" H. PAYNE his x mark." 



The fowling-piece not being at that time invented, nor 

 indeed brought to any perfection a century later, the 

 object of breaking the spaniel to set was the netting of 

 birds, which is now regarded as rank poaching. The 

 training was, however, identical ; and stanchness was, if 

 possible, more necessary, inasmuch as drawing the net over 

 the covey requires longer time than merely to walk up to 

 the game, then than now. The price, as the value of 

 money then stood, is very large. At all events, the pas- 

 sage proves the antiquity of this mode of training, and 

 further shows, at that day, that the identity of the setting 

 spaniel with the other breeds of the same dog, was not 

 questioned. 



It is worthy of remark, that the term setter is very 

 recent ; the animal, when all its present habits and char- 



