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
geese or kine, or horses, or hens, or oxen or other beasts, he will
run anon and begin to bark at them, and because of him all the
greyhounds will run to take the beast through his egging on, for he
will make all the riot and all the harm. The hounds for the hawk have
so many other evil habits that unless I had a goshawk or falcon or
hawks for the river, or sparrow hawk, or the net, I would never have
any, _especially there where I would hunt_.
[166] Setters, from _coucher_, to lie down. G. de F.: "chien couchant"
(p. 113).
[167] Brittany. In Shirley MS. "England" precedes "Scotland." G. de F.
says nothing about Scotland. He says "Bretainhe," meaning Brittany (p.
113).
CHAPTER XVIII
OF THE MASTIFF AND OF HIS NATURE
A mastiff is a manner of hound. The mastiff's nature and his office is
to keep his master's beasts and his master's house, and it is a good
kind of hound, for they keep and defend with all their power all their
master's goods. They be of a churlish nature and ugly shape.
Nevertheless there are some _that come to be berslettis,[168] and also
to bring well and fast and wanlace_ (range) _about_.[169] Sometimes
there be many good, especially for men who hunt for profit of the
household to get flesh. Also of mastiffs and alaunts there be (bred)
many good for the wild boar. Also from mastiffs and hounds for the
hawk (there be bred) hounds that men should not make much mention of,
therefore I will no more speak of them, for there is no great mastery
nor great readiness in the hunting that they do, _for their nature is
not to be tenderly nosed_.
[168] Bercellettis or bercelettes, hounds, most likely shooting dogs,
from _berser_, to shoot, _bercel_, an archer's butt.
[169] _Wanlasour_, one who drives game. Appendix: Wanlace.
[Illustration: THE FIVE BREEDS OF HOUNDS DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT (From
MS. f. fr. 616, _Bib. Nat_., Paris)]
CHAPTER XIX
WHAT MANNER AND CONDITION A GOOD HUNTER SHOULD HAVE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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