The Master of Game: The Oldest English Book on HuntingEdward, of Norwich
History
The Master of Game: The Oldest English Book on Hunting
Edward, of Norwich
Hunting -- Early works to 1800
A good length for a horn is mentioned as being "_une paume et demie_"
(Perceval, 31,750). It is uncertain whether this length and that given
by the "Master of Game" were measured round the inside of the bend or
in a straight line between the two extremities. The famous Borstall
horn, also known as Nigel's horn, is 2 feet 4 inches long on the
convex and 23 inches on the concave bend; the inside measure of the
bell end being 3 inches in diameter. The size of another noted horn,
_i.e._ the Pusey horn, is 2 feet 1/2 inch long, the circumference at
the widest end being 12 inches. The general length of these horns
seems to have been somewhere between 18 inches and 2 feet. The
above-mentioned specimens were horns of tenure, the first being a
hunting-, the second a drinking-horn. The Borstall horn is said to
have been given by Edward the Confessor to one Nigel, in reward for
his killing an immense wild boar, and by this horn he and his
successors for generations held lands of the crown.
The curved horn remained in fashion in England till about the latter
half of the seventeenth century, then a straight one came into use
about 1 ft. 6 in. to 2 ft. long, such as we see depicted in Blome. Of
this shape, but a few inches shorter, is the hunting-horn still in
use in England. The French hunting-horn was used in England in the
eighteenth century, but did not remain long in fashion.
HUNTING CRIES. We can see that the hunting cries and the language used
in speaking to the hounds when hunting in the days of the "Master of
Game" were still those brought into Britain by the Normans, and in
most instances the words can actually still be recognised as French.
There are only a few examples given by him as to the manner a huntsman
should speak to his hounds in the stag-hunting chapters, such as:--
_Ho moy, ho moy, hole, hole, hole_: To encourage the limer when
drawing for a stag (p. 166).
_Cy va, cy va, cy va_: To call the hounds when any signs of the stag
were seen (p. 167).
_Le douce mon amy, le douce_: "Softly, my friend, softly." To the
hounds when they were uncoupled near to where the stag was supposed to
be lying.
_Sto arere, so howe, so howe_: "Hark back," if the hounds were on a
wrong scent.
_Hoo sto, ho sto, mon amy, ho sto_: To harriers drawing for a stag.
_Oyez, à Beaumont, oyez, assemble à Beaumont_: "Hark to Beaumont,
hark, get to him." To the hound of that name who picks up the right
line, and to bring the other hounds to him.
It is in the hare-hunting chapter that we have more of the "fayre
wordis of venery," and here, if the "Master of Game" does not
slavishly copy Twici, yet he employs the same cries, with a slight
difference only in orthography. The "Boke of St. Albans" has also most
of the following:--
_Hoo arere_: "Back there." When the hounds come too hastily out of the
kennel.
_So moun amy atreyt_: Until they come into the field; these two are
not given by Twici, but the following are identical in both books:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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