4.8 01{S\ClTH0L0gr. Book I. 



§. ii. 



Of the driving of Pheafants. 



T T is only Pheafant-Pouts that can be thus taken. Having found the eye of Phea- 

 j| fants by any the forementioned means, you muft then ( taking the wind with you 

 for they will naturally run down the wind.) In the little pads and ways, which you 

 fee they have made, (for they will make little tracks almolt like fheeps tracks) 

 and as near as you can to fbme f pedal haunt of theirs, ( which you fhall know by the 

 barrennefs of the ground, mutings, and loofe feathers you {hall find there) place 

 your Nets hollow, loofe and circular wife, their nether part being faflned to the 

 ground, and upper lying hollow, loofe, and bending, fo that when any thing rufheth 

 to it, it may fall and entangle it. Which done, you muft go where before you found 

 the haunt, and therewith your Call, if the Eye be fcattered, call them together 5 

 then taking your tnftrument called a Driver, made of good ftrong white Wands or 

 Ofiers, fet faft in a handle, and in two or three places bound with crofs Wands 5 

 of the fhape of thofe Wand-drefTers ( which Cloth-workers ufe in dreffing of Cloth) 

 therewith make a gentle noife upon the boughs and bufhes, which the Pouts hearing 

 will prefently run on a heap together from it a little way, and then ftand ftill and 

 liften. Give then another rack or two, at which they will run again as before, and 

 thus by racking and f triking you may drive them like fo many (heep which way you 

 pleafe, ( crofting them, and racking as it were in their faces, if they chance to go a 

 wrong way ) till you have.brought them all into your Nets, 



In this driving be fure, 1. To conceal your felf from the fight of the Pheafants, 

 For if they perceive you, they will inftantly fcatter and run one from another, and 

 hide themfelves in holes, and bottoms of bufhes, and not ftir from thence upon any 

 occafion as long as any day endureth. And therefore it were not amifi to wear over 

 your face a green hood, and a Wreath of green leaves about your head, and trim your 

 Garments with branches and leaves of trees. 2. To take time and leifiire, and not 

 do any thing rafhly. For any thing done fuddenly or ralhly to thefe fearful Crea- 

 tures breeds offence and amazement : And a fcare being taken, though but by one 

 bird, their fear will not fuffer them to argue or difputetheobjefr, or flay till every 

 one have beheld the thing fuddenly affrighting them 5 but away they all fly at the 

 very firft apprehenfion, in an inftant. And therefore if you find any ftaggering or dif> 

 may among them, prefently ceale and lie ftill as though you were dead, till the fear 

 be over, and they gaze no more about them, but gathering themfelves together do be- 

 gin to peep and cluck one to another, and rejoyce among themfelves, and then you 

 may fall to your work again. 



.§. nr. 



Of taking Pheafants with the Lime-bufi, or Lime-rods. 



7 Our Rods muft be twelve, or at leaft ten Inches long, well limed down to the 

 1. middle, and no further. Your Lirne-bufh muft contain not above eight twigs 

 at moft, being the top-branch of fbme young Willow, with a handle about a fhaft- 

 mentlong, fharpnedfb as either you may flick it gently into the ground, or prickit 

 into any fhrub or bum, where-through the Peafants ufually trace, or on any fmall tree 

 whpre they ufe to pearch, \_ Place two or three of thefe bufhes there.] Then make ufe 

 of your Call, and you will quickly have all the Pheafants within hearing about you 3 

 and it is a chance but fbme of them will be toucht, and if but one be limed fhe will 

 go near to lime all her fellows 5 for what by her ftrugling amongft them,and they com- 

 ing to gaze, fbme will be fmeared by her, and fbme will light on other bufhes : And 

 if fome one or two efcape by mounting, and get to the Pearch, and there (as is the 

 natural quality of them ) fit prying to fee what becomes of their fellows, it is ten to 

 one but they will be taken by the Lime-bufhes placed on the Pearch. Old Pheafants 

 when you call, oftentimes will not come on the ground, efpecially in Winter, but 

 mount and come flying from Pearch to Pearch, till they come to that next you, 

 ever prying and peeping to find him out thatcalleth, where they will probably be 

 taken. 



It 



