[Transcribers' notes: Spelling, hyphenation, punctuation, capitalization, and accentuation vary throughout the text. They are retained as published; we have not standardized them. The oe ligature is rendered: [oe]. Letters with a macron are preceded by an equals sign, both inside of square brackets, e.g. [=a]. Italics are rendered between underscores, e.g. _italics_. Underlined text is rendered between equal signs, e.g. =underlined text=. Smallcap text is rendered in all caps, e.g. SMALLCAP TEXT. Superscripts are preceded by the carat character, e.g. ov^r. Horn notes are rendered: [**white] denoting a long note, [**black] a short note, [**white][**white] a note of two long syllables, etc.] THE MASTER OF GAME [Illustration: Fox hunting "above ground" with raches or running hounds. (From MS. f. fr. 616 in the Bibliothéque Nationale, Paris.)] THE MASTER OF GAME BY EDWARD, SECOND DUKE OF YORK: THE OLDEST ENGLISH BOOK ON HUNTING: EDITED BY WM. A. AND F. BAILLIE-GROHMAN WITH A FOREWORD BY THEODORE ROOSEVELT [Illustration] LONDON CHATTO & WINDUS MCMIX _All rights reserved_ CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE INTRODUCTION xi FOREWORD TO THE FIRST EDITION xix I. THE PROLOGUE 1 II. OF THE HARE AND OF HER NATURE 14 III. OF THE HART AND HIS NATURE 23 IV. OF THE BUCK AND OF HIS NATURE 38 V. OF THE ROE AND OF HIS NATURE 41 VI. OF THE WILD BOAR AND OF HIS NATURE 46 VII. OF THE WOLF AND OF HIS NATURE 54 VIII. OF THE FOX AND OF HIS NATURE 64 IX. OF THE GREY (BADGER) AND OF HIS NATURE 68 X. OF THE (WILD) CAT AND ITS NATURE 70 XI. THE OTTER AND HIS NATURE 72 XII. OF THE MANNER AND HABITS AND CONDITIONS OF HOUNDS 75 XIII. OF SICKNESSES OF HOUNDS AND OF THEIR CORRUPTIONS 85 XIV. OF RUNNING HOUNDS AND OF THEIR NATURE 105 XV. OF GREYHOUNDS AND OF THEIR NATURE 113 XVI. OF ALAUNTES AND OF THEIR NATURE 116 XVII. OF SPANIELS AND OF THEIR NATURE 119 XVIII. OF THE MASTIFF AND OF HIS NATURE 122 XIX. WHAT MANNER AND CONDITION A GOOD HUNTER SHOULD HAVE 123 XX. HOW THE KENNEL FOR THE HOUNDS AND THE COUPLES FOR THE RACHES AND THE ROPES FOR THE LYMER SHOULD BE MADE 125 XXI. HOW THE HOUNDS SHOULD BE LED OUT TO SCOMBRE 127 XXII. HOW A HUNTER'S HORN SHOULD BE DRIVEN 128 XXIII. HOW A MAN SHOULD LEAD HIS GROOM IN QUEST FOR TO KNOW A HART BY HIS TRACE 130 XXIV. HOW A MAN SHOULD KNOW A GREAT HART BY THE FUMES 133 XXV. HOW A MAN SHOULD KNOW A GREAT HART BY THE PLACE WHERE HE HATH FRAYED HIS HEAD 135 XXVI. HOW THE ORDINANCE SHOULD BE MADE FOR THE HART HUNTING BY STRENGTH AND HOW THE HART SHOULD BE HARBOURED 148 XXVII. HOW A HUNTER SHOULD GO IN QUEST BY THE SIGHT 152 XXVIII. HOW AN HUNTER SHOULD GO IN QUEST BETWEEN THE PLAINS AND THE WOOD 154 XXIX. HOW A HUNTER SHOULD GO IN QUEST IN THE COPPICE AND THE YOUNG WOOD 155