iS8 
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 her, 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 a large lanthorn placed upon a long pole, and 
carried upon men’s shoulders. (See Strutt’s “Sports and Pastimes,” Introduction.) 
