Early Spaniels and Setters 89 
from which we have the poodle of to-day and clipped in a similar manner, 
not for fashion’s sake, but for work in the water on account of the heavy 
coat. Markham, however, is particularly severe on the cruelty of clipping 
in winter, or of clipping all over, saying, “You shall see an ordinary Spaniell, 
being lustily and well kept, will tyre twenty of these over shaven Curres in 
the could water.” As late as 1800 the water dogs in England were divided 
into the Great Rough Water dog (Canis aquaticus); the Large Water Spaniel 
(Canis inqutsitor), the name given in Caius; and the Small Water Spaniel or 
Poodle (Cants aquaticus minor). ‘There is no need to go into the details 
of the work of the Water-Dogge as given by Markham, at least at the present 
time, and the description of the dog will suffice: ‘‘ The Water-Dogge is a 
creature of such generall use and so frequent in use amongst us here in 
England, that it is needlesse to make any large description of him: the 
rather since not any among us so simple, that he cannot say when hee seeth 
him. This is a Water-Dogge or a dogge bred for the water; yet because in 
this (as in other creatures) there are other Characters and Formes which 
pretend more excellencie, and figure a greater height of vertue then others 
doe; I will here describe as neere as I can the best proportion of the perfect 
Water-Dogge. 
“First, for the Colour of the best Water-Dogge, allbeit some (which 
are curious in all things) will ascribe more excellency to one colour then 
to another, as the Blacke to be the best and hardest, the Lyverhued 
swiftest in swimming, and the Pyed or Spotted Dogge, quickest of scent; 
yet in truth it is nothing so, for all colours are alike, and so a dogge of any 
of the former colours, may be excellent good Dogges, and of any, may bee 
most notable Curres, according to their first ordering and trayning; for 
Instruction is the liquor wherewith they are seasoned and if they be well 
handled at the first, they will ever smell of that discression, and if they bee 
ill handled they will ever stinke of that folly. 
“To proceede, then, your Dogge may be of any colour and yet excellent, 
and his hair in generall would be long and curled, not loose and shagged; 
for the first shewes hardinesse and ability to endure water, the other much 
tendernesse and weaknesse, making his sport grievous; his head would 
be round and curled, his ears broad and hanging, his Eye full, lively and 
quicke, his nose very short, his Lippe Hound-like, side and rough bearded, 
his Chappes with a full set of strong Teeth, and the generall features of his 
whole countenance being united together would be as a Lyon like as might 
