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
Loyer, or Beaumont, or Latimer or Bemond according to what the hound
is named, and anon as he falls in again and finds the fues or branches
as before is said he shall say loud, "Cy va" as before and rally and
so forth at every time that he findeth thereof, until that the lymer
move him. Nevertheless I have seen when a lymer sueth long and could
not so soon move him as men would, that they have taken up the lymer
and uncoupled one or two hounds, to have him sooner found, but this
truly no skilful hunter ought to do, unless the lymer cannot put it
forth, nor bring it any further, or that the deer be stirring in the
quarter, and hath not waited for the moving of the lymer. Or else that
it be so far advanced in the day, that the sun hath dried up the fues,
and that they have little day enough to run him and hunt him with
strength. But now to come again to the lymer, it is to wit that when
the lymer_ _hath moved him, if the lymerer can see him he shall blow a
mote,[209] and rechace_ (recheat),[210] _and if the deer be soule_
(alone) _the Berners shall uncouple all the finders, and if he be not
alone two hounds sufficeth till he be separated, and if the lymerer
saw him _(not) _at the moving he should go to his lair and look
thereby whether it be a hart or not, and if he see by the lair or by
the fues that it is the same deer, that he hath sued_ (hunted) _and
alone he should rechase without a long mote, for the mote should never
be blown before the rechasing,[211] unless a man seeth that which he
hunteth for. And then the Berner should do as I have said before, and
if he be not alone the Berner should do as above is said, for it is to
wit that the mote before rechasing_ (recheating) _shall never be blown
but when a man seeth what he hunteth for, as I have said. Now
furthermore, when the hart is moved and the finders cast off, then
should the lymerer take up his hounds and follow after, and foot it in
the best wise that he can. And the Berner also and every horseman go
that can go, so that they come not into the fues_ (across the line)
_nor in front of the hounds, and shape_ (their course) _as often as
they can to meet him. And as often as any man see him or meet him, he
should go to the fues and blow a mote and rechace and then holloa to
the hounds to come forth withall, and this done, speed him fast in the
manner that I have said to meet with him again. And the relay that he_
(the hart) _cometh to first should take good heed that he
vauntlay[212] not, if other relays be behind for dread of bending out
from the relay. But he should let the deer pass and go to the fues,
and there blow a mote, and rechace and rally upon the fues. And the
hunter ought to be advised that his hounds catch it _(the scent) _well
in couple, ere he relay, that they run not counter.[213] For that
might make the hounds that come therewith and the hunters to be on a
stynt _(at fault), _and peradventure not recover it all the day after.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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