170 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part i. 



favour with Dr Sheldon,* whose skill is above others ; and of 

 that, the poor that dwell about him have a comfortable experience. 



And now let's go and see what interest the Trouts will pay us, 

 for letting our angle-rods lie so long and so quietly in the water 

 for their use. Come, scholar, which will you take up .'' 



Venator. Which you think fit, master. 



PiSCATOR. Why, you shall take up that ; for I am certain, 

 by viewing the line, it has a fish at it. Look you, scholar ! well 

 done ! Come, now take up the other too : well ! now you may 

 tell my brother Peter, at night, that you have caught a leash of 

 Trouts this day. And now let's move towards our lodging, and 

 drink a draught of red cow's milk as we go ; and give pretty 

 Maudlin and her honest mother a brace of Trouts for their 

 supper. 



Venator. Master, I like your motion very well: and I think 

 it is now about milking-time ; and yonder they be at it. 



PiSCATOR. God speed you, good woman ! I thank you both 

 for our songs last night : I and my companion have had such 

 fortune a-fishing this day, that we resolve to give you and Maudlin 

 a brace of Trouts for supper ; and we will now taste a draught 

 of your red cow's milk. 



MiLKWOMAN. Marry, and that you shall with all my heart ; 

 and I will be still your debtor when you come this way. If you 

 will but speak the word, I will make you a good syllabub of new 

 verjuice ; and then you may sit down in a haycock and eat it ; 

 and Maudlin shall sit by and sing you the good old song of the 

 " Hunting in Chevy Chace," or some other good ballad, for she 

 hath store of them : Maudlin, my honest Maudlin, hath a not- 

 able memory, and she thinks nothing too good for you, because 

 you be such honest men. 



Venator. We thank you ; and intend, once in a month, to 

 call upon you again, and give you a little warning ; and so, 

 good-night. Good-night, Maudlin. And now, good master, let's 



In "The Art of Angling," by R. Brookes, 8vo, 1774, p. 23, it is stated that, on August 

 23. 1771, Mr Warren, a perfumer of Maryboiie Street, angled in Walton Deeps, and 

 before noon caught 280 lb. weight of large-sized Barbel. He usually had the deeps 

 baited with worms overnight, and in the morning fished from a boat with a perfumed 

 paste. In June 1772, when Mr Warren came to the usual fishing-hole, a brother angler 

 told him that a sturgeon had carried away his Hne. Mr Warren subsequently caught a 

 Barbel of eleven pounds weight, which had his friend's hook sticking in his gills: he 

 punched a hole in his tail and turned him again into the Thames, caught him twice 

 afterwards, and as often released him. 



* Dr Gilbert Sheldon^ warden of All Souls College, chaplain to King Charles the 

 First, and, after the Restoration, Archbishop of Canterbury. He founded the theatre 

 at Oxford, died in 1677, and lies buried under a stately monument at Croydon in 

 Surrey. 



