158 BAT-FOWLING. 



First, there shall be one to carry the cresset of fire * (as 

 was showed for the low-bell), then a certaine number, as 

 two, three, or foure (according to the greatness of your 

 company), and these shall have poales bound with dry 

 round wispes of hay, straw, or such like stuffe, or else 

 bound with pieces of linkes or hurdes dipt in pitch, rosen, 

 grease, or any such like matter that will blaze. Then 

 another company shall be armed with long poales, very 

 rough and bushy at the vpper endes, of which the 

 willow, byrche, or long hazell are best, but indeede 

 according as the country will afford, so you must be 

 content to take. 



" Thus being prepared, and comming into the bushy or 

 rough grounde, where the haunts of byrdes are, you shall 

 then first kindle some of your fiers, as halfe or a third part, 

 according as your prouision is, and then with your other 

 bushy and rough poales you shall beat the bushes, trees, 

 and haunts of the birds, to enforce them to rise, which 

 done you shall see the birds which are raysed, to flye and 

 playe about the lights and flames of the fier, for it is their 

 nature through their amazednesse and affright at the 

 strangenes of the light and the extreame darknesse round 

 about it, not to depart from it, but, as it were, almost to 

 scorch their wings in the same : so that those whice haue 

 the rough bushye poales may (at their pleasures) beat 



* The ' ' cresset-light ' ' was .1 large lanthorn placed upon a long pole, and 

 carried upon men's shoulders. (See Strutt's "Sports and Pastimes," Introduction.) 



