_Viat_. Both, upon my word Sir, and therefore lets say Grace and fall
to eating of it.
_Pisc_. Well Sir, how do you like it?
_viat_. Trust me, 'tis as good meat as ever I tasted: now let me thank
you for it, drink to you, and beg a courtesie of you; but it must not
be deny'd me.
_Pisc_. What is it, I pray Sir? You are so modest, that me thinks I may
promise to grant it before it is asked.
_viat_. Why Sir, it is that from henceforth you wil allow me to call
you Master, and that really I may be your Scholer, for you are such a
companion, and have so quickly caught, and so excellently cook'd this
fish, as makes me ambitious to be your scholer.
_Pisc_. Give me your hand: from this time forward I wil be your Master,
and teach you as much of this Art as I am able; and will, as you desire
me, tel you somewhat of the nature of some of the fish which we are to
Angle for; and I am sure I shal tel you more then every Angler yet
knows.
And first I will tel you how you shall catch such a _Chub_ as this was;
& then how to cook him as this was: I could not have begun to teach you
to catch any fish more easily then this fish is caught; but then it
must be this particular way, and this you must do:
Go to the same hole, where in most hot days you will finde floting neer
the top of the water, at least a dozen or twenty _Chubs_; get a
_Grashopper_ or two as you goe, and get secretly behinde the tree, put
it then upon your hook, and let your hook hang a quarter of a yard
short of the top of the water, and 'tis very likely that the shadow of
your rod, which you must rest on the tree, will cause the _Chubs_ to
sink down to the bottom with fear; for they be a very fearful fish, and
the shadow of a bird flying over them will make them do so; but they
will presently rise up to the top again, and there lie soaring till
some shadow affrights them again: when they lie upon the top of the
water, look out the best _Chub_, which you setting your self in a fit
place, may very easily do, and move your Rod as softly as a Snail
moves, to that _Chub_ you intend to catch; let your bait fall gently
upon the water three or four inches before him, and he will infallibly
take the bait, and you will be as sure to catch him; for he is one of
the leather-mouth'd fishes, of which a hook does scarce ever lose his
hold: and therefore give him play enough before you offer to take him
out of the water. Go your way presently, take my rod, and doe as I bid
you, and I will sit down and mend my tackling till you return back.
_viat_. Truly, my loving Master, you have offered me as fair as I could
wish: Ile go, and observe your directions.
Look you, Master, what I have done; that which joyes my heart; caught
just such another _Chub_ as yours was.
_Pisc_. Marry, and I am glad of it: I am like to have a towardly
Scholar of you. I now see, that with advice and practice you will make
an Angler in a short time.
_Viat_. But Master, What if I could not have found a _Grashopper_?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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