THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
of aim; for flighting (overhead shooting) the stock must be straighter, 
having only 2 \ inches of bend, and must be cast off slightly to the right. 
The fore -end is to extend only one -third the length of the barrel. Pear- 
wood is recommended for the stock. The setter had long been used in 
taking gamebirds with nets, and was naturally utilized for the gun, but 
retrieving dogs were also used at this time. The method of walking up 
game on open ground is described, four guns being in line with beaters 
between, and so is the beating of game out of a thicket to the guns, a gun 
being, if necessary, posted to deal with game breaking back. Bonfadini 
gives a receipt for a dressing to make boots waterproof, for much of his 
sport was with wildfowl in the marshes. It is as follows: 
Tallow, 8 ounces; hog’s lard, 4 ounces; of turpentine, fresh yellow wax, 
olive oil, each 2 ounces. Melt all together and rub into the boots before a 
fire. 
The same recipe may be found in Daniel’s “Rural Sports,” a century 
and a half later. Bonfadini is careful to warn the shooter to keep cool if he 
misses, and not to blame the gun; he also cautions him against shutting 
his eyes when he pulls the trigger, or being flurried when a pheasant 
gets up at his feet. 
That the uncertainty of guns as regards safety was at that date a pro- 
minent feature may be gathered from the author’s careful reminder to 
the reader of the desirability of regular attendance at Mass in view of 
the dangerous nature of his weapons and sport. 
The slow progress of sporting firearms in our own country was probably 
due in part to legislative restrictions. By 33 Hen. VIII it was enacted that 
no one might shoot with, or keep in his house, any cross-bow, hand -gun, 
hagbut, harquebus or demihake, who had not lands of £100 per annum. 
No one might shoot with or have a hand-gun under the length of one yard, 
nor hagbut or demihake under the length of three-quarters of a yard. 
No one might travel with a cross-bow bent or hand -gun charged (except 
in time of war) or shoot within a quarter of a mile of a city, borough, or 
market town, unless for the defence of himself or his house or at a dead 
mark. Wide exceptions, however, are made in consideration of the needs 
of national protection and of self-defence. The followers of Lords Spiritual 
and Temporal, Knights, Esquires, Gentlemen, and the inhabitants of 
cities, boroughs and market towns, may shoot at any butt or bank of 
earth, only in places convenient for the same, with guns not under the 
aforesaid length. The owner of a ship may also keep and use a gun for 
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