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 THE LIBRARY 
 
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 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 GIFT OF 
 
 Estate of 
 Jean Howard McDuffie 
 
yr^<^^M^'/f^/. 
 
 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2007 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/completeanglerOOwaltrich 
 
THE 
 
 COMPLETE ANGLER; 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE CONTEMPLJTIFE MAN'S 
 RECREATION. 
 
 By ISA AKjW ALTON. 
 
 JacBtmtfe (Re|)rinf of f^e ISitBi (gbtfion 
 |>u6ft63eb in 1653. ^tf3 a ^preface 6^ 
 
 RICHARD LE GALLIENNE, 
 
 LONDON: 
 ELLIOT STOCK. 
 
 NEIV YORK: 
 DODD, MEAD & COMPANY. 
 
 1897. 
 
Add 
 
 iji 
 
 ,b, 
 
SNV33 
 
 A 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 ^T^HE ^"^ first edition'*^ has been a favourite theme 
 J for the scorn of those who love it not. " The 
 first edition — and the worst /" gibes a ?nodern 
 poet, and many are the true lovers of literature 
 entirely insensitive to the accessory, historical or 
 sentimental, associations of boohs. The present writer 
 possesses a copy of one of Walton^ s Lives, that of 
 Bishop Sanderson, with the author'' s donatory in- 
 scription to a friend upon the title-page. To keep 
 this in his little library he has undergone willingly 
 many privations, cheerfully faced hunger and cold 
 rather than let it pass fro7n his hand ; yet, how often 
 when, tremulously, he has unveiled this treasure to 
 his visitors, how often has it been examined with 
 un dilating eyes, ana cold, un envious hearts ! Yet so 
 he must confess himself to have looked upon a friend's 
 superb first edition of " Pickwick,^' though surely not 
 without that measure of interest which all, save the 
 quite unlettered or uriintelligent, must feel in seeing 
 the first visible shape of a book of such resounding 
 significance in English literature. 
 
 Such interest may, without fear of denial, be claimed 
 for a facsimile of the first edition of*-^ The Compleat 
 Angler,'' after " Robinson Crusoe " perhaps the most 
 popular of English classics, Thomas Westwood, whose 
 
 729 
 
vi Preface. 
 
 gentle poetry y it is to be feared^ has won but few 
 listener Sf has drawn this fancy picture of the commotion 
 in St, Dunstan^s Churchyard on a May morning of 
 the year 1653, when Richard Marriott first published 
 the fa?nous discourse ^ little dreaming that he had been 
 chosen for the godfather of so distinguished an immor- 
 tality. The lines form an epilogue to twelve beautiful 
 sonnets a propos of the bi-centenary of Walton's 
 death : 
 
 '• Whaty not a word for thee^ O little tome, 
 Brown-jerkinedy friendly faced — of all ?ny books 
 The 07te that wears the quaintest^ kindliest looks — 
 Seems most completely^ cosily at home 
 A??iongst its fellows. Ah! if thou couldst tell 
 Thy story — hmv^ ifi sixteen fifty-three. 
 Good Master Marriott, sta7iding at its door. 
 Saw Anglers hurryi^tg— fifty — nay, three score. 
 To buy thee ere noon pedled front Dunstan^s bell : — 
 And how he stared and . . . shook his sides with glee. 
 One story, this, which fact or fiction iveaves. 
 Meanwhile, adorn my shelf, beloved of all — 
 Old book I with lavender between thy leaves, 
 And twenty ballads round thee on the wall,*^ 
 
 Whether there was quite such a rush as this on 
 its publishing day we have no certain knowledge, 
 though We St wood, in his " Chronicle of the Compleat 
 Angler y^ speaks of " the almost immediate sale of the 
 entire edition^ According to Sir Harris Nicolas, 
 it was thus advertised in The Perfect Diurnal 1 : 
 from Monday, May 9th, to Monday, May i6th, 
 1653 : 
 
 " The Compleat Angler^ or the Contemplative 
 Man^s Recreation, being a discourse of Fish and 
 Fishing, not unworthy the perusal of most Anglers, of 
 18 pence price. Written by Iz. Wa, Also the 
 
Preface. vii 
 
 known Play of the Spanish Gipsee, never till now 
 published : Both printed for Richard Harriot, to 
 he sold at his shop iu Saint Dunstan's Churchyard, 
 Fleet street'' 
 
 And it was thus calmly, unexcitedly noticed in the 
 Mercurius Politicus : from Thursday, May 12, 
 to Thursday, May 19, 1653 : " There is newly 
 extant, a Book ^ i8d. price, called the Compleat 
 Angler, or the Contemplative Man's Recreation^ 
 being a discourse of Fish and Fishing, not unworthy 
 the perusal of most Anglers, Printed for Richard 
 Mar riot, to be sold at his shop in St. Dunstan's 
 Churchyard, Fleet street J' 
 
 Thus for it, as for most great births, the bare 
 announcement sufficed. One of the most beautiful of 
 the world's books had been born into the world, and 
 was still to be bought in its birthday form— for 
 eighteen-pence. 
 
 In 1 8 16, Mr. Mars ton calculates, the market 
 value was about £\ ^s. In 1847 Dr, Bethune 
 estimated it at £\z 12s, In 1883 Westwood 
 reckoned it *'*'from fjjo to £So or even more," and 
 since then copies have fetched ^^23 5 and ;^3 10, though 
 in 1894 we have a sudden drop at Sotheby's to ^^150 
 — which, however, was more likely due to the state of 
 the copy than to any diminution in the zeal of Waltonian 
 collectors, a zeal, indeed, which burns more ardently 
 from year to year. 
 
 Sufficiently out of reach of the poor collector as it 
 is at present, it is probable that it will mount still 
 higher, and consent only to belong to richer and richer 
 men. And thus, in course of time, this facsimile 
 will, in clerical language, find an increasing sphere of 
 
viii Preface. 
 
 usefulness ; for it is to those who have more instant 
 demands to satisfy with their hundred-pound notes that 
 this facsimile is designed to bring consolation. If it 
 is not the rose itself it is a photographic reflection of 
 it, and it will undoubtedly give its possessor a suffi- 
 ciently faithful idea of its original. 
 
 But, apart from the satisfaction of such curiosity, 
 the facsimile has a literary value, in that it differs 
 very materially from succeeding editions. The text 
 by which " The Compleat Angler " is generally known 
 is that of the fifth edition, published in 1676, the last 
 which Walton corrected and finally revised, seven 
 years before his death. But in the second edition 
 (1655) the book was already very near to its final 
 shape, for Walton had enlarged it by about a third, 
 and the dialogue was now sustained by three persons, 
 Piscator, Venator and Auceps, instead of two — the 
 original " Viator " also having changed his name to 
 " Venator, ^^ Those interested in tracing the changes 
 will find them all laboriously noted in Sir Harris 
 Nicolas' s great edition. Of the further additions 
 made in the fifth edition, Sir Harris Nicolas makes 
 this just criticism : " // is questionable,^^ he says, 
 " whether the additions which he then made to it have 
 increased its interest. The garrulity and sentiments 
 of an octogenarian are very apparent in some of the 
 alterations ; and the subdued colouring of religious 
 feeling which prevails throughout the former editions, 
 and forms one of the charms of the piece, is, in this 
 impression, so much heightened as to become almost 
 obtrusive.^"* 
 
 There is a third raison d'etre for this facsimile, 
 which to name with approbation will no doubt seem 
 
Preface. ix 
 
 impiety to many, but which, as a personal predilection, 
 I venture to risk — there is no Cotton ! The relation 
 between Walton and Cotton is a charming incongruity 
 to contemplate, and one stands by their little fishing- 
 house in Dove dale as before an altar of friendship. 
 Happy and pleasant in their lives, it is good to see 
 thetn still undivided in their deaths — but, to my mind, 
 their association between the boards of the same book 
 mars a charming classic. No doubt Cotton has 
 admirably caught the spirit of his master, but the 
 very cleverness with which he has done it increases 
 the sense of parody with which his portion of the book 
 always offends me. Nor can I be the only reader of 
 the book for whom it ends with that gentle benediction 
 — ''''And upon all that are lovers of virtue, and dare 
 trust in his providence, and be quiet, and go a 
 Angling " — and that sweet exhortation from i Thess, 
 iv, II — " Study to be quiet, ^^ 
 
 After the exquisite quietism of this farewell, it is 
 distracting to come precipitately upon the fine gefitle- 
 man with the great wig and the Frenchified airs. 
 This is nothing against " hearty, cheerful Mr, Cotton^ s 
 strain, ^^ of which, in Walton* s own setting and in his 
 own poetical issues, I am a sufficient admirer. Cotton 
 was a clever literary man, and a fine engaging figure 
 of a gentleman, but^ save by the accident of friendship, 
 he has little more claim to be printed along with 
 Walton than the gallant Col, Robert V enables, who, 
 in the fifth edition, contributed still a third part, 
 entitled " The Experienced Angler : or. Angling 
 Improv'*d, Being a General Discourse of Angling, ^^ 
 etc., to a book that was immortally complete in its 
 first. 
 
X Preface. 
 
 While " The Compleat Angler ** was regarded 
 mainly as a text-hook for practical anglers^ one can 
 understand its publisher wishing to make it as com- 
 plete as possible by the addition of such technical 
 appendices; but now, when it has so long been elevated 
 above such literary drudgery, there is no further 
 need for their perpetuation. For I imagine that the 
 men to-day who really catch fish, as distinguished from 
 the men who write sentimentally about angling, would 
 as soon think of consulting Izaak Walton as they would 
 Dame fuliana Berners, But anyone can catch fish 
 — can he, do you say ? — the thing is to have so written 
 about catching them that your book is a pas tor a l^ 
 the freshness of which a hundred editions have left 
 unexhausted, — a book in which the grass is for ever 
 green, and the shining brooks do indeed go on for 
 ever. 
 
 RICHARD LE GJLLIENNE. 
 
BeingaDlfcourfeof 
 
 FISH and FISHING, 
 
 Not unw^orshy the pcmfal of moft Anglers » 
 
 ISSd^ Prima by r» ikbxef (br KiCH. Marjeltqv^ 
 ijfMnpio Cbmtfysai FleedKrec^ r6j|« 
 
To theRight Worflitpfiil 
 
 JOHN OFFLEY 
 
 Of Madely Manotiathe 
 
 CooxOy dE Staford, Vfy 
 
 M/maftlbcBuniredTtiend. 
 
 Uirve nude 
 fo iU life of 
 jour former 
 fcmors^ hy 
 them to be 
 encouraged to intreat that 
 tbej may he enhrgedtothe 
 patronage and protedaon 
 of this "Boo^; and I hofoe 
 Jjut on a mode fi confidence y 
 J z thai 
 
TheEpiffile 
 
 tbaP IJhatt not he denyei^ 
 iecaufe *tis a difcourfe of 
 Fi&iand Fiflaing, Tphich 
 j^mboth^y^orpell, and 
 hve andprmicejomucb. 
 
 %u are ajjufd (though 
 there he ignoram men ofan 
 other belief ) that AngHng 
 is an Art^andyou k^ow that 
 Jn better then any that I 
 l{now:andthat this is truth, 
 is demojirated by the fruits 
 ofthatpkafant labor tpbich 
 youenjqy rmbenyou purpofe 
 to give reft to your mind, 
 and de'veJhyQurfelfof your 
 
 more 
 
Dedicatory. 
 
 more feriom bujineff and 
 (yphich'is often) dedicate a 
 d0 or two to this Recread^ 
 on. 
 
 Jtia^hicb time, if arm^ 
 mon Anglers Jbould attend 
 yoHydnd be eye^mtnejfes of 
 thefuccefs^ not of jiowr for- 
 tune yhuty our sl^ll, it 'would 
 douhtlef beget in them an 
 emulation to be liJ^you^and 
 that emulation might beget 
 mindujlrious diligence to be 
 foibutlk^cFW it is not atain^ 
 able by common caj^aci* 
 ties* 
 
 d^ Sir, 
 
TieEpiftle 
 
 Sky this pleafans cmo-* 
 fitie ofFifh and Fifhing(cf 
 v>'^ you are fo great a Ma^ 
 fler) has been thought jpot^ 
 thjtheipQnsand pradtices 
 of divers in otherj^tions, 
 vphich have been reputed 
 men ofgreatLtsrmng and 
 Wifdome; and amongst 
 thofeofthisU^(ation, Ire^ 
 member 5/r Henry Wot- 
 ton {a dear lover ofthts 
 Ari^ has told me, that his 
 intentions were to inprite ^ 
 difcourfe of the Art, and in 
 thepraife o/^ Angling, and 
 
 doiibtlefi 
 
Dedicatory. 
 douhtlefihe had donefo^ if 
 death had not frevented 
 hm^ the remembrance of 
 Tphtchhath often made m&. 
 jorry ;for^ifhe had Imdto 
 do it J then the unlearned 
 An^cvCof'ivhichlam one) 
 bad feen fame Treatifeof 
 thitArt vporthy hisferufah 
 yphich (though jome ha'vs 
 under ta^n it) 1 could ne^ 
 *verjetfeein Engli[h* 
 
 'But mine may be thought: 
 
 as\Ycakand^j unwordiy 
 
 of common view: and I do 
 
 here freely confef^ that I 
 
 A 4. Jhould 
 
TheEpiRb, Sec* 
 Jhould rather excufe Viiy 
 j elf, then cenfure others mj 
 (Wn Difcourfe being liable 
 to fo many exceptions :^ a^ 
 gainft which, jou (Sirj 
 might make thisone^ That 
 it can contribute nothing 
 toyourinowledge; and 
 lep a longer JEfiJlle may 
 diminijhyour pleafare, I 
 Jl^alnot adventure to make 
 this Epijlle longer then to 
 add this following truth. 
 That I am really. Sir, 
 
 Your moft affciflionatc Friend, 
 andmoflhuiJible Servant, 
 
 IZ. \^A. 
 
TO THE 
 
 ^ader of this T^if^trfe ; 
 
 Btt efpccially. 
 
 To the honeft An gle a# 
 
 •dr-^-^* Think fit to tell thee 
 W^% thefe following truths; 
 IS I 35 ^^^^ I did ^<^^ under- 
 i^^iiiiiA*^ ^^ke to write,or to pub- 
 ^.- 4- -^ 4- lifl, tfeis difccurfe of//. 
 and//^/>2'^,topleafe mylelf, and that 
 I wifh it may not difpleafe others ; 
 for, I have confeft there are many 
 defefts in it. And yet, I cannot 
 doubt, but that by it, fome rea- 
 ders may receive fo much profit or 
 pleafure^ as if they be not very bu- 
 fie men, may make it not unv^or- 
 thy the time of their perufall ; and 
 this is all the confidence that I can 
 
 put 
 
'/(? the "Reader. 
 
 put on concerning the merit of this 
 Book. 
 
 And I wiih the Reader alfo to 
 rake notice, that in writing of it, 
 I have made a recreation, of a re- 
 creation ; and that it might prove 
 fo to thee in the reading , and not 
 to read dull^ and tedtoufly , I have 
 \w feverall places mixt fome inno- 
 cent Mirth ; of which, if thou be 
 a fevere, fowr complexioned man , 
 then I here difallow thee to be a 
 competent Judg. For Divines fay, 
 there are offences given ; and offen-^ 
 ces takeny but not given. And I 
 am the wilHnger to juftifie this in- 
 72ocent MirthyhtC2M(t the whole dif- 
 courfe is a kind of pid:ure of my 
 owne dilpofition, at leaft of my 
 difpoiition in fuch dales and times 
 as I allow mv felf, when honeft 
 Nat. and R. R. and I go a fifhing 
 together; and let me adde this, 
 that he that likes not the difcourfe, 
 (hould like thepidures of the Trout 
 
 and 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 and other fifh, which I may com- 
 mend, becaufe they concern not 
 my felf. 
 
 And I am alfo to tel the Reader^ 
 that in that which is the more ufe- 
 full part of th is difcourfe ; that is to 
 lay, the obfervations of the nature 
 and breedings 2indifeafon.Sy and catch- 
 ingofJiJJjy I am not fo fimple as not 
 to think but that he may find ex- 
 ceptions in fome of thefe; and 
 therefore I muft intreat him to 
 know, or rather note, that feverall 
 Countreys , and feveral Rivers al- 
 ter the time and manner of fifhes 
 B reeding ; and therefore if he bring 
 not candor to the reading of this 
 Difcourfe, he fhall both injure me, 
 and poflibly himfelf tooby too ma- 
 ny Criticifms. 
 
 Now for the Art of catching fiih; 
 that is to fay, how to make a man 
 that was none, an Angler by a 
 book : he that undertakes it, fhall 
 undertake a harder task then Hales ^ 
 
 that 
 
"To the Reader. 
 
 m Called '-^^^ ^^ ^'^ printed Book * under- 
 the private took by it to teach the Art of 
 School of Pencins: » and was laucrht at for 
 
 defence. . ^ ^ . 
 
 his labour. Notbutthatfomething 
 
 ufefull might be obferved out of 
 that Book ; but that Art was not 
 to be taught by words ; nor is the 
 Art of AngUng. And yet, I think, 
 that mod that love that Game, may 
 here learn fomething that may be 
 worth their money, if they be not 
 needy: andif they be, then my ad- 
 vice is, that they forbear; for, I 
 write not to get money , but for 
 pleafure ; and this difcourfe boafts 
 of no more : for I hate to promife 
 much, and fail. 
 
 But pleafure I have found both 
 in tYitfearch and conference ^hout 
 what is here offered to thy view and 
 cenfure; I wilh thee as much in the 
 perufal of it, and fo might here take 
 my leave; but I will flay thee alittle 
 longer by telling th ee, that whereas 
 it is faid by many, that in Fly-Jljl^ing 
 
 for 
 
''To the Reader. 
 
 for a Trd?2//, the Angler muftobferv^ 
 his twelve Flyes for every Month; 
 T fay, if he obferve that, he lliall 
 De as certain to catch fifh, as they 
 that make Hay by the fairdayes in 
 Almanacks, and be no furer : for 
 doubtlefs, three or four Flyes rightly 
 n^ade, do ferve for a Trout all Sum- 
 mer; ^nd for Winter-JIksy 2X1 Aug- 
 fers know, they are as ufeful as an 
 Almanack out of date. 
 
 Of thefe (becaufe no man is born 
 an Artifi nor an Angler^ I thought 
 fit to give thee this notice. I might 
 fay more, but it is not fit for this 
 place ; but if this Difcourfe which 
 follows fhall come to a fecond im- 
 preffion,which is poflible, for flight 
 books have been in this Age obfer- 
 ved to have that fortune; Ilhallthen 
 for thy fake be glad to correct what 
 isfaulty,or by a conference with a- 
 ny to explain or enlarge what is defe- 
 dtiveibut for this time I have neither 
 
 a wil- 
 
*To the Reader. 
 
 awilllngnefsnorleafure tofay more, 
 then wifh thee zrainy evening toread 
 this book in, and that the eaji wind 
 may never blow when thou goeji ajijh- 
 ng. Farewel. 
 
 Iz. Wa. 
 
B Ecaufein this Difcourfeof7^?y2> and 
 Fijhing I have not obferved a me- 
 thod, which (though the Difcourfe be 
 notlong) may befome inconvenience to 
 the Reader, I have therefore for his eafi- 
 er finding out fome particular things 
 which are fpoken of, made this follow- 
 in or Table» 
 
 t> 
 
 ^, 
 
 The firjl Chapter is fptni in a vindication or 
 commendation of the Art ^Angling. 
 
 /// thefecoiidarefomeobfervations of the nature of 
 the Otter, and alfo fome obfervations of the Chub 
 or Cheven, with directions how and with what 
 baits to ^{hfor him. 
 
 In chapt. 3. are fome obfervations ofTrouts,botb 
 of their nature, their kinds, and their breeding. 
 
 In chap. 4. are fome direction concerning baits for 
 the Trout, with advife how to make the Fly, and 
 keep the live baits. 
 
 In chap. 5. are fome direction how to fijb for the 
 Trout by night \ and a gueftion, Whether fijh 
 hear? and taft/y, fome direction how to fiJb for the 
 Umber or Greyhng. 
 
 In chap. 6. are fome obfervations concerning the 
 Salmon, with direction how to fiihfor him. 
 
 In chdip.y .are feverat obfervations concerning the 
 Luce or Pike, with fome directions how and with 
 what baits to fijh for him. 
 
 In chdi^.Z. are feveral obfervations of ths nature 
 
The Table. 
 
 mnd breeding of Carps, with/ome ob/ervations oow 
 to angle /2>r them. 
 
 In chap. 9. are fame obfe7'vations concerning the 
 Bream, the Tench, a7i,d l^itdLXch^with fome dire^ions 
 with what baits to fifh for them. 
 
 hi chap. 10. are fever at obfervations of the na- 
 ture afid breeding of Eeles,wit/. advice how to ffh 
 for them 
 
 In chap. 1 1 arejo^ne obfervations of the nature 
 and breeding ^Barbels, withfome advice how ^ar^ 
 with what baits to fijb for them ; as alfo for the 
 Gudgion a?id Bleak. 
 
 In chap. 1 2. are gejteral diredions how and with 
 what baits to fijh for the Ruffe or Pope, the Roch, 
 the Ddice,artd other fmal fifh, with diredions tow to 
 keep Ant-fiies and Gentles in wititer^with fame o* 
 iker obfervations not unfit to be known <?/ Anglers- 
 
 In chap. 13. are objervations jor the colouring of 
 your Rod and Hair. 
 
 Thefedire6lionsthe Readermay take 
 asaneafeinhisfearchafterfome particu- 
 lar Fifh,and the baits proper for them ; 
 and he will Ihew himfelfe courteous in 
 mending or paffmg by fome errors 
 in the Printer, which are not fo many but 
 that they may be pardoned. 
 
 The 
 
(0 
 
 The Complete 
 
 ANGLER- 
 
 OR. 
 
 The contemplative Maas 
 RECREATION. 
 
 ?v 
 
 tSCATOR.7 
 
 Pifcatofi 
 
 Ou are wel over- 
 taken Sir; a good 
 morning to you; 
 I have flretch'd 
 my legs up T*^/- 
 nam Hil to over- 
 take you, hoping 
 B your 
 
^he Complete Angler . 
 
 your bulinefle may occafion you 
 towards Ware , this fine pleafant 
 frefh May day in the Morning. 
 
 Viator. Sir. Ifhallalmoftanfwer 
 your hopes : tor my purpofe is to be 
 at Hodfden (three miles fliort of that 
 Town) I wil not fay, before I drink; 
 but before I break my fail : for I 
 have appointed a friend or two to 
 meet me there at the thatcht houfe^ 
 about nine of the clock this morn- 
 ing; andthatmademefoearly up, 
 and indeed, to walk fo faft. 
 
 Fife. Sir, Iknow the t^atc^tiouje 
 very well : I often make it my re- 
 fting place, and tafte a cup of Ale 
 there, for which liquor that place is 
 very remarkable; andtothathoufe 
 I fhall by your favour accompany 
 you, and either abate of my pace, 
 or mend it, to enjoy fuch a compa- 
 nion as you feem to be, knowing 
 that (as the Italians fay) Good com- 
 pany makes the way Jeem Jhorter. 
 
 Viat. It may do fc Sir, with the 
 
 help 
 
The Complete Angler. 
 
 help of good difcourfe, which (me 
 thinks) I may promife from you, 
 that both look and fpeak fo chear- 
 fully. And to invite you to it, I do 
 here promife you, that for my part, 
 I will be as free and open-hearted, 
 as difcretion will warrant me to be 
 with a ftranger. 
 
 Pifc. Sir,I am right glad of your 
 anfwer; and in confidence that you 
 {peak the truth, I fhall (Sir) put on 
 a boldneffe to ask, whether pleafure 
 or bufineffe has occafioned your 
 Journey. 
 
 Viat. Indeed , Sir, a little bufi- 
 neffe, and more pleafure : for my 
 purpofe is to beftow a day or two 
 in hunting the Otter (which my 
 friend that I go to meet, tells me is 
 more pleafant then any hunting 
 whatfoever:) and having difpatcht 
 a little bufineffe this day, my pur- 
 pofe is to morrow to follow a pack 
 
 of dogs of honeftMr. ,wha 
 
 hath appointed me andmyfriend to 
 B 2 meet 
 
T^he Comtlete AnQ-Jer, 
 
 'ci* 
 
 meet him upon Amwe I hill to mov'^ 
 row morning by day break. 
 
 Pifc. Sir, my fortune hath an- 
 fwered my defires ; and my purpofe 
 istobeftowa day or two in helping 
 to deftroy fome of thofe villanous 
 vermin : for I hate them perfectly, 
 becaufe they love fiih fo well , or 
 rather,becaufe theydeftroyfo much: 
 indeed, fo much, that in my judg- 
 ment, all men that keep Otterdogs 
 ought to have a Penlion from the 
 Commonwealth to incouragethem 
 to deftroy the very breed of thofe 
 bafe Otters y they do fo much mif- 
 chief. 
 
 Vtat. But what fay you to the 
 Foxes of this Nation ? would not 
 you aswillinglyhavethemdeftroy- 
 ed ? for doubtleife they do as much 
 mifchief as the Otters. 
 
 Pifc. Oh Sir, if they do, it is not 
 fo much to me and my Fraternitie, 
 as that bafe Vermin the Otters do. 
 
 Viat. Why Sir, I pray, of what 
 
 Fra- 
 
"The Complete Aiigler. 
 
 Fraternity are you, that you are fo 
 angry with the poor Otter ? 
 
 Pif. I am a Brother of the Angle ^ 
 and therefore an enemy to the Ot- 
 ter, he does me and my friends fo 
 much mifchief;foryou are to know, 
 that we Anglers all love one ano- 
 ther : and therefore do I hate the 
 Otter perfectly, even for their fakes 
 that are of my Brotherhood. 
 
 Viat. Sir, to be plain with you, 
 I am forry you are an Angler : for 
 I have heard many grave , ferious 
 menpitie, and many pleafant men 
 fcojffe at Anglers. 
 
 Pifc. Sir, There are many men 
 that are by others taken to be feri- 
 ous grave men, which we contemn 
 andpitie; men of fowre complexi- 
 ons; mony-getting-men,thatipend 
 all their time firft in getting, and 
 next in anxious care to keep it: men 
 that are condemned to be rich, and 
 alwayesdifcontented,orbuiie. For 
 thefepoor-rioli-men, wee Anglers 
 B 3 piticr 
 
The Lord 
 
 ^fhe Complete Angler. 
 
 pitie them ; and ftand in no need to 
 borrow their thoughts to think our 
 felves happie : For (truft me. Sir) 
 we enjoy acontentedneffe above the 
 reach of fuch diipolitions. 
 
 And as for any fcoffer, qui moc- 
 
 kat mockabitiir. Let mee tell you, 
 
 (that you may tell him) what the 
 
 ,, ^ wittie French-man fayes in fuch a 
 
 Mountain e ^ ^ ^---, ^ ^ , ^ 
 
 in hisApoL <-aie. When my Cat and I enter- 
 for Ra-s^.' tame each other with mutuall apijh 
 bond. tricks(as playing with a garter ,J who 
 knows but that I make her morefpoj't 
 then Jhe makes me? Shall I conclude 
 herjimpky that has her time to begin 
 or refufe fportivenejfe as freely as 1 
 my felf have ? Nay^ who knows but 
 that our agreeing no better , is the de- 
 feat of my not underjianding her Ian- 
 guage ? [for doubt lejfe Cats talk and 
 reafon with one another) and that Jhe e 
 laughs aty and cenfures my folly yfor 
 making her f port ^ and pities mee for 
 underjianding her no better? To this 
 purpofe fpeaks Mountagne concer- 
 ning 
 
I'he Complete Aizgler. 7 
 
 ning Cats: And I hope I may take 
 as great a libertie to Kame any 
 Scoffer, that has never heard what 
 an Angler can fay in the ^aftiiicati- 
 on of his Art and Pleafure. 
 
 But, if this fatisfie not, I pray 
 bid the Scoffer put this Epigram 
 into his pocket, and read it every 
 morning for his breakfafl (for I wifh 
 him no better ;) Hee ihall iinde it 
 fix'd before the Dialogues oiLuci- 
 an (v^ho may be juftly accounted 
 thefatherof the Family of all Scof- 
 fers :J And though I owe none of 
 that Fraternitie fo much as good 
 will, yet I have taken a little plea- 
 fant pains to make fiir^h a conver- 
 lion of it as may make it the fitter 
 for all of that Fraternity. 
 
 Lucian well skilP din fcoffing, this has writy 
 Friend^thaf syourfolly which you thinkyourwit^ 
 T' his you vent oft, void both of wit andftzr. 
 Meaning an other/whenyourfelf you jeer. 
 
 R JL But 
 
8 The Complete Angler. 
 
 But no more of the Scoffer \ for 
 iince Soloinon fayes, he is an abo- 
 mination to men, he fh^il be fo to 
 me ; and I think, to all that love 
 Vertue and Angling. 
 
 Vwt, Sir,youhave almoftama- 
 Pro. 24. 9. zed me : for though I am no Scof- 
 fer, yet I have (I pray let me fpeak 
 it without offence) alwayes look'd 
 upon Anglers as more patient, and 
 morelimplemen,then(Ifear)Ifhall 
 finde you to be. 
 
 Pifcat. Sir, I hope you will not 
 judge my earneftneife to be impa- 
 tience ; and for myjimplicitiey if 
 by th^tyou mean a harmlefnejfe^oi: 
 that/?;;^/>//a>)/thatwasufuallyfound 
 in the Primitive Chriftians, who 
 were (as molt AngtWs are) quiet 
 men, and followed peace; men that 
 were too wife to fell their confci- 
 ences to buy riches foi vexation,and 
 a fear to die. Men that lived in 
 thofe times when there were fewer 
 Lawyers; for thenaLordfhip might 
 
 have 
 
T^be Complete Angler. 
 
 have been fafely conveyed in a 
 piece of Parchment no bigger then, 
 your hand, though fc^veral skins are 
 not fufficient to do it in this wifer 
 Age. I fay. Sir, if you take us An- 
 glers tobe fuch fimple men as 1 have 
 fpoken of, then both my felf, and 
 thofe of my profeffion vsrill be glad 
 to be fo underftood. But if by fim- 
 plicitie you meant to expreffe any 
 general defed: in the underftanding 
 of thofe that profeiTe and praftife 
 Anglings I hope to make it appear 
 to you, that there is fo much contra- 
 ry reafon (if you have but the pa- 
 tience to hear it) as may remove all 
 the anticipations that Time or Dif- 
 courfe may have poffefT'd you v^ith, 
 againft that Ancient and laudable 
 Art. 
 
 Viat. Why (Sir) is Angling of 
 Antiquitie, and an Art, and an art 
 noteaiilylearn'd? 
 
 Fife. Yes(Sir:) and I doubt not 
 but that if you and I were to con- 
 
 verfe 
 
»o T*he Complete Angler. 
 
 Vvtrfe together but ti; right, I fhould 
 leave you poffeiTd with the fame 
 happie thoughts that now pofleffe 
 me ; not cnely for the Antiquitie 
 of it, but that it deferves com- 
 mendations; and that 'tis an Art ; 
 and worthy the knowledge and 
 praftice of a wife, and a ferious 
 man. 
 
 Viat. Sir, I pray fpeak of them 
 what you Ihall think fit ; for wee 
 have yet five miles to walk before 
 wee (hall come to the T^hatchthoufe. 
 And, Sir, though my infirmities 
 are many, yet I dare promife you, 
 that both my patience and atten- 
 tion will indure to hear what you 
 will fay till wee come thither: and 
 if you pleafe to begin in order 
 with the antiquity , when that is 
 done , you lliall not want my 
 attention to the commendations 
 and accommodations of it ; and 
 laftly,if youfhall convince me that 
 'tis an Art, and an Art worth learn- 
 ing 
 
T'he Complete Angler. if 
 
 ing, I fhall beg I may become your 
 ocholer, both to wait upon you, 
 and to be inftrudied in the A^'t it 
 
 4^^ 
 
 Fife. Oh Sir, 'tis not to be que- 
 ftioned, but that it is an art, and an 
 art worth your Learning: theque- 
 ftionwil rather be, whether you be 
 capable of learning it ? For he that 
 learns it, muft not onely bring an 
 enquiring,fearching,anddifcerning 
 wit; buthe muft bring alfothat^^- 
 tience you talk of,and a love and pro- 
 penfity to the artitfelf: but having 
 once got and pradtifed it , then 
 doubt not but the Art will (both 
 for the pleafure and projfit of it) 
 prove like to Vertue^ a reward to it 
 
 felf. ^ 
 
 Vtat. Sir, I am now become fo 
 ful of expeftation, th a 1 1 long much 
 to have you proceed in your dif- 
 courfe : And jfirft,! pray Sir,let me 
 hear concerning the antiquitv of 
 it, 
 
 Fife. 
 
12 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 Pifc. Sir, I wil preface no lon- 
 ger, but proceed in order as you de- 
 fire me: And firft for the Antiquity 
 of^;2^//>2g',Iihallnotfaymuch; buf 
 onely this ; Some fay, it is as anci- 
 J. Da. entasD^z/c^/Z^^/^j-Floud: and others 
 T M (which I hke better) fay, that ^^'/z/j* 
 (who was theinventerof godly and 
 vertuous Recreations) was the In- 
 venter of it: and fome others fay, 
 (for former times have had their 
 Difquiiitions about it) that ^S^f/y^, one 
 of the fons of ^^^2:;;^, taught it to his 
 fons, and that by them it was de- 
 rived to Pofterity. Others fay, that 
 he left it engraven on thofe Pillars 
 which hee erected to preferve the 
 knovAcdLgoith^MathematickSyMw 
 Jicky and the reft of thofe precious 
 Arts, which by Gods appointment 
 or allowance, and his noble induftry 
 were thereby preferved from peri- 
 fhing in Noah's Floud. 
 
 Thefe(my worthy Friend) have 
 been the opinions of ibme men, that 
 
 pof-* 
 
I'he Complete Angler. 1 3 
 
 poflibly may have endeavoured to 
 make it more ancient then may w^ell 
 be warranted. But for my part, I 
 fhall content my felf in tellingyou. 
 That ^;^^//;?^is much more ancient 
 then the incarnation ofour Saviour: ^^ 
 For both in the Prophet Amos^zndi 
 before him in J^/^, (which laft Book ^^^P* 4^- 
 is judged to be written by MofesJ 
 mention is made of)f/Z^-/6i?<?ij-, which 
 muft imply Anglers in thofe times. 
 But (my worthy friend) as I would 
 rather prove my felf to be a Gentle- 
 man, by being learned and humble ^ 
 valiant and inoffenjive ^vertuous and 
 €0?nmunicableythtn by a fondoften- 
 tation oi riches; or (wanting thefe 
 Vertues my felf) boaft that thefe 
 were in myAnceftors; [And yet 1 
 confeife, that where a noble and an- 
 cientDefcentandfuch Meritsmeet 
 inanyman, itisadouble digniiica- 
 tion of that perfon: ] and fo, if this 
 Antiquitie of Angling (which, foe 
 my part , I have not forc'd) fhaR, 
 
 like 
 
14 T^^ Complete Angler. 
 
 like an ancient Familie, by either an 
 honour, or an ornament to thisver- 
 tuous Art which I both love and 
 pradtife, Ifhall be the gladder that 
 Imade an accidental mentionof it; 
 and fhallproceed to thej ullification, 
 or rather commendation of it. 
 
 Viat. My worthy Friend, lam 
 much pleafed with your difcourfe, 
 for that you feem to be fo ingenu- 
 ous, and fo modeft,as not to ftretch 
 arguments into Hyperbolicall ex- 
 preffions, butfuchas indeed they 
 will reafonably bear; and I pray, 
 proceed to the j uftification, or com- 
 mendationsof Angling, whichlal- 
 fo long to hear from you. 
 
 Pifc. Sir, I fhall proceed ; and 
 my next difcourie fhall be rather a 
 Commendation, then a J uftification 
 of Angling: for, in my judgment, 
 if it deferves to be commended, it 
 ismorethenjuftified; forfomepra- 
 cHces ihatmaybe juftified, deferve 
 no commendation : yet there are 
 
 none 
 
"The Complete Angler. 15 
 
 none that deferve commendation 
 but may be juftified. 
 
 And now having faid this much 
 by way of preparation, I am next 
 to tell you, that in ancient times a 
 debate hath rifen, (and itis notyet 
 refolved) Whether Contemplation 
 QvABion be the chiefeft thing wher- 
 inthehappinefs of a man doth moil 
 confift in this world ? 
 
 Concerning which, fome have 
 maintained their opinion of the iirft, 
 by faying, ^\ That the nearer we 
 "Mortals come to God by way of 
 "imitation, the more happy we 
 "are:] And that God injoyeshim- 
 felf only by Contemplation of his 
 own GoodnefsyEternityy Infinitenefsy 
 and P^'z^^^r, and the like; and upon 
 this ground many of them prefer 
 Contemplation before ASlion : and 
 indeed, manyoftheFathersfeemto 
 approve this opinion, as may ap- 
 pear in their Comments upon the -, ^ , 
 words 01 our baviour to ^Martha. 41,42. 
 
 And 
 
1 6 T'he Complete Angler 
 
 And contrary to thefe, others of 
 equal Authority and credit, have 
 preferred Affiontohe chief; as ex- 
 periments in Phyfick^ and the appli- 
 cation of it, both for the eafe and 
 prolongation of mans life, by which 
 man is enabled to ad:, and to do 
 good to others ; And they fay al- 
 fo, T\\2itA5lton is not only Doctri- 
 nal, but a maintainer of humane 
 Society ; and for thefe, and other 
 reafons, tobe preferred before Con- 
 te?nplation. 
 
 Concerning which tvvoopinions, 
 I fhall forbear to add a third, by 
 declaring my own, and reft my felf 
 contented in telling you (my wor- 
 thyfriend) that both thefe meetto- 
 gether, and do moft properly be- 
 long to the mofthoneft, iiiTenious, 
 harmlefs Art of Angling. 
 
 And firft I fhali telyou what fome 
 haveobferved , and! have found in 
 my felf. That the very fitting by 
 the Rivers fide, is not only the fitteft 
 
 place 
 
T'he Complete An^br. 1 7 
 
 place for, but will invite the Angler 
 to Contemplation: Thatitisthefit 
 teft place, feems to be witneffed by 
 the children of i/rW^, who having p^^^ 
 banifh'd all mirth and Mufick from 
 their peniive hearts, and having 
 hunguptheirthenmute Inftruments 
 upon the Willow trees, growing by 
 the Rivers of Babyloriy fate down 
 upon thofe banks bemoaning the 
 mines of Sion^ and contemplating 
 their own fad condition. 
 
 And an ingenuous Spaniard('2iytSy 
 *^ [That both Rivers, andtheinha- 
 " bitants of the watery Element, 
 ^Svere created for wife men to con- 
 " template, and fools to pafs by 
 ** without confideration. And 
 though I am too wife to rank my 
 felf in the firft number, yet give me 
 leave to free my felf from the laft, by 
 offering to theeafhortcontemplati- 
 on, firft of Rivers , and then of 
 Fifh : concerning which, I doubt 
 not but to relate to you many 
 C things 
 
1 8 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 things very confiderable. 
 
 Concerning Rivers, there be di- 
 vers w^onders reported of them by 
 Authors, of fbch credit, that we 
 need not deny them an Hiftorical 
 faith. 
 
 As of a River in EpiriiSy that 
 puts out any lighted Torch, and 
 kindles a ny Torch that w^as not light- 
 ed. Of the River Selarus^ that in a 
 few hours turns a rod or a wand in- 
 to ftone (and our Camden mentions 
 the like wonder in England: J that 
 there is a River in Arabia^ of which 
 all the Sheep that drink thereofh ave 
 theirWoolturnedintoa Vermilion 
 colour. And one of no lefs credit 
 In his Won- then Arijlctk^ tels us of a merry Ri- 
 turc, ^^'^' ver, the River Khifina, that dances 
 This is at the noife o{ Mulkk, that with 
 ITTuLs Mufick it bubbles, dances, and 
 and Soio?t growes faudy, but returns to a won- 
 Hiflory. ^^ ^ tedcalmnefsandclearnefs when the 
 Mufick ceafes. And laftly, (for I 
 would not tire your patience) Jofe- 
 
 phus 
 
Tbe Complete Angler. 19 
 
 phiis^ that learned ^ew, tells us of a 
 River in y W^^,that runs and moves 
 Iwiftly allthefixdayes of the week, 
 and ftands flill and refts upon their 
 Sabbath day. But S*r, left this 
 difcGurfemayfeem tedious , I ihall 
 giveitafweetconclufionoutof that 
 holy Poet Mr. George Herbert his 
 Divine Contemplation on Gods 
 providence. 
 
 LordyWho hath praife enough , nay, who hath any ? 
 None can exprefs thy works, but he that knows them : 
 And no7ie can kfiow thy works , they are fo many^ 
 A ndfo complete^ but only he that owes them. 
 
 We all acknowledge both thy power and love 
 To be exa^ . tranfcendenty and divine ; 
 Who doesjojirangely, and fj fweetly move, 
 Whilji all things have their endy yet none but thine. 
 
 Wherefore, mo/l Sacred Spirit, I here pre Cent 
 For me, a7td all my fellows praife to th^^e : 
 Andjufi it is that I Jhould pay the refit, 
 Becaufe the benefit accrues to me. 
 
 And as concerning Fifh, in that Pfai. 104, 
 C 2 Pfalm 
 
20 "The Complete Angler. 
 
 ?fai. 104, PfrJm,wherein,forheight of Poetry 
 and Wonders^ the Prophet David 
 feems even to exceed himfelf; how 
 doth he there exprefs himfelfe in 
 choice Metaphors, even to the a- 
 mazement of a contemplative Rea- 
 der, concerning the Sea, the Rivers, 
 and the Fifh therein contained. And 
 the great NaturaUift Pliny fayes, 
 " [That Natures great and wonder- 
 "ful pov^er is more demonfhrated in 
 "the Sea, then on the Land.] And 
 this may appear by the numerous 
 and various Creatures, inhabiting 
 both in and about that Element : as 
 to the Readers of Gefner^ Randeliti- 
 usy Pliny J Arijiotky and others is 
 demonftrated: But I w^ill fweeten 
 this difcourfe alfo out of a contem- 
 
 Dubartas platiou in Diviuc DubartaSy who 
 
 in the fifth -^ 
 
 day. iaye.% 
 
 God quickened in the Sea and in the Rivers y 
 
 So many fifhes of fo many features y 
 
 T^hat in thewaterswemayjee all Creatures; 
 
 Even 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 21 
 
 Bid en all that on the earth is to be founds 
 As if the world were in deep waters drownd. 
 Forfeas[aswellas Skies)havc Sun, Moon yStars\ 
 [As we I as air) Swallow < Rooks , arid Stares; 
 [As we I as earth)Vines ,Kof: j^Nettles , Melons , 
 MuJhroomSyPinkSyGilliJlowersandmanymilions 
 Of other plants y more rare, more f range then 
 As veryfijhes living in thefeas ; {theje\ 
 
 Andalfo Rams fiahesjiorfes glares andHogs, 
 Wolves, Urchins, Lions, Elephants and Dogs; 
 Tea, Men and Maids, and which Imoft admire, 
 T'he Mitred Bifloop, and the cowled Fryer. 
 Of which "".x ample s but a few years f nee. 
 Were jhewn //^^Norway and Polonian Prince. 
 
 Thefe feem to be wonders, but 
 have had fo many confirmations 
 from men of Learning and credit, 
 that you need not doubt them; nor 
 are the number, nor the various 
 fhapcs of fifties, more ftrange or 
 more (itiov contemplation, then their 
 different natures,hiclinationsanda- 
 dions: concerning w^hich I fhallbeg 
 your patient ear a little longer. 
 
 C 3 The 
 
22 T'foe Complete Angler. 
 
 The Cw///(f-;f/??wilcaft along gut 
 out of her throat, which (likeasan 
 Angler does his liney/ ihe fendeth 
 forth and pulleth in again at her 
 pleafure, according as fhe fees fome 
 little fifh come neer to her; and the 
 %yesl iii Cz////^-/yZ^(beingthenhidinthegra- 
 others af- ycl) lets the fmaller fifh nibble and 
 bite the end of it; at which time 
 fhee by little and little draws the 
 fmaller fifh fo neer to her, that fhe 
 may leap upon her,and then catches 
 and devours her: and for this reafon 
 fome have called this fifh the Sea^ 
 Angler. 
 
 There are alfo luftful and chafte 
 fiflies, of which I fhall alfo give 
 you examples. 
 
 And firft, what Dubartas fayes 
 of a fifh called the Sargus\ which 
 (becaufe none can exprefs it better 
 thenhedoes^ I fhall give you in his 
 own words, fuppofing it fhall not 
 have the lefs credit for being Verfe, 
 for he hath gathered this, and other 
 
 obfcrva- 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 2 1 
 
 obfervations out of Authors that 
 have been greac and induftrious 
 fearchers into the fecrets of nature. 
 
 ^he Adulterous Sargus doth not only change,^ 
 Wives everyday in the deepjlreams ^but{^Jlrangii 
 As if the honey of Sea-love delight 
 Could not ft f fie e his ranging appetite j 
 Goes courting She- Goats on the grafsie (!jm% 
 Horning their husbands that had horns before. 
 
 And the fame Author writes con- 
 cerning the C ant harus J th'^t which. 
 you fhall alfo heare in his own 
 words. 
 
 But contrary^ the confiant Cantharus, 
 Is ever cojifiant to his faithful Spoufe^ 
 In nuptial duties fpending his chafte life^ 
 Never luves any^ but his own dear wfe. 
 
 Sir, but alittle longer, andlhave 
 done. 
 
 Viat. Sir, take what liberty you 
 
 think fit, for your difcourfe feems 
 
 C 4 to 
 
24 T^J^^ Complete Angler. 
 
 to be Mufick, and charms me into 
 an attention. 
 
 Pifc. Why then Sir, I will take a 
 little libertie to tell, or rather to re- 
 member you v/hat is faid of 'Turtle 
 Doves: Firft, that they iilently 
 plight their troth and many; and 
 that then, the Survivor fcorns ^as 
 the Thracianw omtn are faid to do) 
 to out-live his or her Mate; and 
 this is taken for fuch a truth, that if 
 the Survivor ihall ever couple with 
 another, theheorfhe, not only the 
 living, but the dead, isdenyedthe 
 name and honour of a true Turtle 
 Dove. 
 
 AndtoparallelthisLandVariet}'' 
 &teachmankindmoralfaithfulnefs 
 & to condemn thofe that talk of Re- 
 ligion,andyetcomelhortofthemo- 
 ralfaithoffifhandfowl;Menthatvi 
 Rom. 2.14 olatetheLaw,affirm'dbySaintP^^/ 
 to be writ in their hearts, and which 
 hefayes fhal at the laft day condemn 
 and leave them without excufe. I 
 
 pra> 
 
The Complete Angler. 25 
 
 pray hearken to whatZ?^^^r/^i: lings ^^^^^^^ 
 (for the hearing of fuch conjugal 
 faithfulnefs, will be Muiick to all 
 chailie ears) and therefore, I fay, 
 hearken to what Diibartas ^mg^oi 
 th^ Mullet: 
 
 But for chafie love the Mullet /^^//5 no peer y 
 For, if the Fijher hath fur prifed her pheer^ 
 As mad with ivc, to fooare fhe followethy 
 Preji to confer t him both in life and death. 
 
 Onthecontran/j, what {hall I fay 
 of the Houfe- Cocky which treads a- 
 nyHen, and then (contrary to the 
 Swan.iki^Partridg, d^ndPigeon) takes 
 no care to hatch, to feed, or to che- 
 rifli his own Brood, but is fenflefs 
 though they perifh. 
 
 And'tisconfiderable,thatthej&;2 
 (which becaufe fhe alfo takes any 
 Cocky expecfls it not) who is fure 
 the Chickens be her own, hath by 
 amoral impreffionher care, andaf- 
 fedtion to her own Broode, more 
 
 then 
 
26 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 diendoubled, eventofuchaheight^ 
 Mat 23 n ^^^^^ ^^^ Saviour in expreffing his 
 love to y^T^;//^/?;;;, quotes her foran 
 example of tender affed:ion, as his 
 Fatherhaddoaey^^for apatternot 
 patience. 
 
 And to parallel this C^?^/^, there be 
 divers fifhes that caft their fpawne 
 on flags or ftones, and then leave it 
 uncovered and expofedtobecomea 
 prey, andbe devoured by Vermine 
 or other fifhes : but other fifhes (as 
 namely the Barbel) take fuch care 
 for the prefervation of their feed, 
 that(unlike to the Cock ortheCuckoe] 
 they mutually labour (both the 
 Spaw^ner, and the Melter) to cover 
 their fpawne with fand, or watch it, 
 or hide it in fome fecret place unfre- 
 quented by Vermine, orbyanyfifh 
 but themfelves. 
 
 Sir, thefe examples may, to you 
 and others, feem flrange ; but they 
 are teflified , fome by ^r^^/Zf, fome 
 by Pliny, fome by Gejher, and by 
 
 divers 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 27 
 
 divers others of credit, and are be- 
 lieved and known by divers, both of 
 wifdom and experience, to be a 
 truth; and are (as I faid at the be- 
 ginning) fit for the contemplation 
 of a moil ferious, and a moft pious 
 man. 
 
 And that they be fit for the con- 
 templation of the moft prudent and 
 pious, and peaceable men, feems 
 to be teftified by the pradlice of fo 
 many devout and contemplative 
 men ; as the Patriarks or Prophets 
 of old, and of the Apoftles of our 
 Saviour in thefe later times , of 
 which twelve he chofe four that 
 were Fifhermenxoncerning which 
 choice fome have made thefe Ob- 
 fervations. 
 
 Firft, That he never reproved 
 thefe for their Imploymentor Cal- 
 ling, as he did the Scribes and the 
 Mony- Changers. And fecondly. 
 That he found the hearts of fuch 
 men, men that by nature werefitted 
 
 for 
 
28 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 for contemplation and quietnefs; 
 men of mild, and iweet,andpeacea- 
 ble fpirits, (as indeed moil Anglers 
 are) thefe men our bleffed Saviour 
 (who is obferved to love to plant 
 grace in good natures) though no- 
 thing be too hard for him, yet thefe 
 men he chofe to call from their irre- 
 provable imployment, and gave 
 them grace to be his Difciples and 
 to follow him. 
 
 And it is obfervable, that it was 
 our Saviours will that his four Fi- 
 fliermen Apoftles fhould have a 
 prioritie of nomination irithe cata- 
 logue of his twelve Apoftles , as 
 namely firft,S./^^/^r,^ ndrew.J antes 
 Mat.io. and yohii^ and then the reft in their 
 order. 
 
 And it is yet more obfervable, 
 that when our bleffed Saviour went 
 up into the Mount, at his Transfi- 
 guration, when he left the reft of h is 
 Difciples and chofe onely three to 
 bear him company, that thefe three 
 
 were 
 
^he Complete Angler. 29 
 
 were all Fifher-men. 
 
 Andiince I have your promife to 
 hear me with patience, I will take a 
 liberty to lookback upon an obfer- 
 vation thathath been made by an in- 
 genuous and learned man, whoob- 
 ferves that God hath been pleafed to 
 allow thofe whom he himfelfe hath 
 appointed, to write his holy will in 
 holy Writ, yet to exprefs his will in 
 fuch Metaphors as their former afFe- 
 (ftions or praitife had inclined them 
 to ; and he brings Solomon for an ex- 
 ample, who before his converiion 
 was remarkably amorous, and after 
 by Gods appointment, writ that T^« ^^^^ 
 Love-Song betwixt God and his 
 Church. 
 
 And if this hold in reafon (as I 
 fee none to the contrary) then it may 
 be probably concluded, that Mofey 
 ^whom I told you before, writ the 
 book oi'Job) ai^d the Frophtt Amos 
 werebothAngle.'S.foryou (hal in all 
 the old Teflament, find fifh-hooks 
 
 but 
 
^^ The Cojnplete Angler. 
 
 but twice mentioned; namely, by 
 meek Mofesy the friend of God; 
 and by the humble Prophe: ^- 
 mos, I 
 
 Concerning which laft, nabiely, 
 the Prophet Amos, I fliall make but 
 this Obfervation, That he thatfhall 
 read the humble, lowly, plain ftile 
 of that Prophet, and compare it 
 with the high, glorious, ebquent 
 ftile of the prophet Ifaiah (though 
 they be both equally true) may ea- 
 fily believe him to be a good natu- 
 red,plaine Fifher-man. 
 
 Which I do the rather believe,by 
 comparing the affediionate, lowly, 
 humble epiftles ofS. Peter y^. Ja?nes 
 and S. Johriy whom we know were 
 Fifhers, with the gloriouslanguage 
 and high Metaphors of S. Paul^ 
 who we know was not. 
 
 Let me give you the example or 
 two men more,that have lived near- 
 er to our own times: firftofDodor 
 iV^?^^/fome times Dean of S.Paui's^ 
 
 ill 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 31 
 
 (in which Church his Monument 
 {lands yet undefaced) a man that in 
 the Reformation of Queen Eliza- 
 beth (not that of Henry the VIIL) 
 wasfo noted for his meek fpirit,deep 
 Learning, Prudence and Piety, that 
 the then Parhament and Convoca- 
 tion,bothchofe,injoyned,andtruft- 
 ed him to be the man to make a Ca- 
 techifm for pubhck ufe, fuch a one 
 as fhould ftand as a rule for faith and 
 manners to their pofteritie : And 
 the good man (though he was very 
 learned,yetknowingthatGodleads 
 us not to heaven by hard queftions) 
 made that good, plain, unperplext 
 Catechifm, that is printed with the 
 old Service Book. I fay, this good 
 man was as dear a lover, and con- 
 ftant prafticer of Angling, as any 
 Age can produce ; and his cuflome 
 was to Ipend (beiides his fixt hours 
 of prayer (thofe hours which by 
 command of the Church were en- 
 joined tlie old Clergy, and volunta- 
 rily 
 
3 2 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 rily dedicated to devotion by many 
 Primitive Chriftians;) befidesthofe 
 hours,this good man v^as cbferved 
 to fpend, or if you will, to beftow a 
 tenth part of his time in Angling; 
 and alfo (for I have converfed with 
 thofe which have converfed with 
 him) to beftow a tenth part of his 
 Revenue, and all his fifli, amongft 
 the poor that inhabitednear to thofe 
 Rivers in which it was caught, fay- 
 ing often, T!hat Charity gave life to 
 'Rdigion : and at his return would 
 praife God hehadipentthatday free 
 from worldly trouble,bothharmlef- 
 ly and in a Recreation that became a 
 Church-man. 
 
 My next and laft example fhall 
 be that undervaluer of money, the 
 late .Provoft of Eato72 Colledg^ Sir 
 Henry Wott on ^ (amanwithwhomi 
 have often fiih'd andcon\errd) a 
 man v/hofe forraign imployments 
 in the fervice of this Nation, and 
 whofe experience, learning,witand 
 
 cheer 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 33 
 
 cheerfulnefs, made his company to 
 be efteemed one of the dehghts 
 of mankind; this man, whofeveiy 
 approbation of AngUng were fuffi- 
 cient to convince any modeft Cenfu- 
 rer of it, this man was alfo a moft 
 dear lover , and a frequent pradii- 
 cer of the Art of Angling, of which 
 he would fay, ** ['Twas an imploy- 
 ** ment for his idle time, which was 
 " not idly ipent ;] for Angling was 
 after tedious ftudy '' [A reft to his 
 *'mind, acheerer of his ipirits, a di- 
 "vertionoffadnefs, a calmer of un- 
 ** quiet thoughts,aModerator of paf- 
 " fions,a procurer of contentednefs, 
 *' and that it begot habits of peace 
 " and patience in thole that profeft 
 " and pradtic'd it. 
 
 Sir, This was the faying of that 
 Learned man ; and I do eafily be- 
 lieve that peace, and patience, and a 
 calm content did cohabit in the 
 cheerful heart of Sir iiZ(f;^ry Wotto?i, 
 becaufe I know, that when he was 
 D beyond 
 
34 ^^^ Complete Angler. 
 
 beyond feventy years of age he 
 made this defcription of a part of 
 the prefent pleafure that poffeft him, 
 as he fate quietly in a Summers 
 evening on a bank a fifhing;it is a de- 
 fcription of the Spring, which be- 
 caufe it gHdes as foft and fweetly 
 from his pen,as that River does now 
 by which it was then made, I fhall 
 repeat unto you. 
 
 'This day dame Nature feem^ din love : 
 
 The lujliefap began to move ; 
 
 Frejh juice didjiir tB imbracing Vines, 
 
 And birds had drawn their Valentines. 
 
 The jealous Tvonty that low did lye y 
 
 Rofe at awell dijfembled^i^ ; 
 
 There Jiood my friend with patient skilly 
 
 Attending of his trembling quil. 
 
 Ah^eady were the eaves pojjejt 
 
 With thefwift Pilgrims dawbedneji : 
 
 The Groves already did rejoice y 
 
 In Philomels triumphing voice : 
 
 Thejljowrs were port y the weather mildy 
 
 The morning frejhy the evening fmird. 
 
 Jone 
 
^The Complete Angler. 35 
 
 Jone takes her neat rubbed patU and now 
 She trips to milk thefand-red Cow ; 
 Where yforfomejitirdy foot-ball Swainy 
 ]onQ^Jirokes a Sillibub or twaine. 
 Tl he fields and gardens were befet 
 With Tulips, Crocus, Violet, 
 And now y though late^ the modefi Rofe 
 Did more then half a blujh difclofe. 
 Thus all looks gay andfullof chear 
 To welcome the new liveried year. 
 
 Thefewere the thoughts that then 
 poffeil: the undifturbed mind of Sir 
 Henry Wotton. Will you hear the 
 wifh of another Angler, and the 
 commendation of his happy life, J^- ^^ 
 which he alfo fings in Verfe. 
 
 Let me live harmlefiy^ and near the brink 
 (y Trent or Avon have a dwelling place ^ 
 Where I may fee my quil or cork down fink. 
 With eager bit of Pearch, or Bleak, or Dace; 
 And 071 the world and my Crc at or think, {brace ; 
 Whilfifome menfinve, ill gotten goods f im- 
 
 D 2 And 
 
36 T'ke Complete Angler. 
 
 And other s fpend their time in bafe excefs 
 Of wine or worfejn war ^;z^ wantonnefs. 
 
 Let them that liji thefe pajiimesjiill purftiey 
 And onfuch pleajingfajicies feed their fill ^ 
 So I the fields and mczdows green may vieWy 
 And daily by frefh Rivers walk at willy 
 Among the Daifies and the Violets bluey 
 Red Hy^cinthyand yellow Daffadil, 
 
 Purple Narciffus,//^^ the morning rayeSy 
 Pale ganderglafs and azure Culverkayes, 
 
 I count it higher pie afure to behold 
 Thefiately compafs of the lofty Skie, 
 And in the midji thereof (like burning Gold) 
 'The flaming Chariot of the worlds great eye, 
 The watry clouds y that in the aire up roldy 
 Withfundry kinds of painted colour s fly e ; 
 And fair Aurora lifting up her heady 
 Still blufhingyrife from oldl^\.\}i\omvi%bcd. 
 
 The hils ^7?^ mountains raifedfrom the plains. 
 The ^l^ins extended level with /y6^ ground. 
 The grounds divided intofundry vains, 
 Thew2\nsinclofd with rivers running round ; 
 
 Thefe 
 
TChe Complete Angler. 37 
 
 l^hefe rivers making way through natures chains 
 With headlong courje into thefea profound \ 
 The raging fea , beneath the vallies low^ 
 Where lakes,^Wrils, andviw\x\tts>doJlow. 
 
 The loftie woods ^ the Forrejis wide and long 
 Adorn' d with leaves & branches fre/h &green, 
 In whofe cool bowres the birds with many afong 
 Do welcom with their S^ire the Siimers Queen: 
 The Meadows fair ^ where Yloi'^'s gifts among 
 Are intermixtywith verdant grafs between. 
 Theflver-fcaledfiihthat foftly fwim^ 
 Within the fweet brooks cbryftal watryftream. 
 
 All thefe^ and many more of his Creation ^ 
 That made the Heavens^tkehxi^tx oft doth fee , 
 Taking therein no little deleBation, 
 To think how f range yhow wonderful they be ; 
 Framing thereof an inward contemplation, 
 Tofet his heart from other fancies free ; 
 And whilft he looks on thefe with joyful eye^ 
 His mind is rapt above the Starry Skie. 
 
 Sir, I am glad my memory did 
 
 not lofe thefe laft Verfes, becaufe 
 
 D 3 they 
 
3 3 "The K^omplete Angler. 
 
 they are fomewhat more pleafant 
 and more fu table to May Day y then 
 my harfh Difcourfe, and I am glad 
 your patience hath held out fo long, 
 as to hear them and me ; for both 
 together have brought us within the 
 fight of the Thatcht Houfe ; and I 
 muft be your Debtor(if you think it 
 worth your attention) for the reft of 
 my promifed difcourfe. till fome o- 
 ther opportunity and a like time of 
 leifure. 
 
 Viat. Sir, You have Angled me 
 on with much pleafure to the thatcht 
 Houfe y and I now find your words 
 true. That good company makes 
 the way feemjhort; for, truft me. 
 Sir, I thought we had wanted three 
 rmXtsoixh^ thatcht Houfe , till you 
 fhewed it me; but now we are at it, 
 we'l turn into it, and refreih our 
 felves with a cup of Ale and a Httle 
 reft. 
 
 Pfc. Moft gladly (Sir) and we'l 
 drink a civil cup to all the Otter Hun- 
 ters 
 
The Complete Angler 3(| 
 
 ters that are to meet you to morrcv.v. 
 Viat. That we wil. Sir, and to all 
 the lovers of Angling too, of which 
 number, I am now one my felf, 
 for by the help of your good dif- 
 courfe and company, I have put on 
 new thoughts both of the Art of An- 
 gling, and of all that profefs it; and 
 if you will but meet me too morrow 
 at the time and place appointed, and 
 beftow one day with me and my 
 friends in hunting the Otte7\ I will 
 the next two dayes wait upon you, 
 and we two will for that time do no- 
 thing but angle, and talk of fifh and 
 fifhing. 
 
 Pifc. 'Tis a match. Sir, Tl not fail 
 you, God v/illing,tobe ^.tAmwelHil 
 o morrow morning before Sun- 
 riiing. 
 
 D 4 CHAP. 
 
40 Ti'he Complete Angler. 
 
 Fiat. 
 
 CHAP. IL 
 
 'Y friend Pi/cat or ^ 
 
 M you have kept time 
 with my thoughts, 
 for the Sun is juft rifing, and I my 
 felf juft now come to this place, and 
 the dogs have juft now put down an 
 Otter^ look down at the bottom of 
 thehil, therein that Meadow, che- 
 quered with water Lillies and Lady- 
 fmocks, there you may fee what 
 work they make : look,you fee all 
 buiie,men and dogs,dogs and men, 
 all bufie. 
 
 Pifc. Sir, I am right glad to 
 meet you, and glad to have fo fair 
 an entrance into this dayes iport,and 
 glad to fee fo many dogs, and more 
 men all in purfuit of the Otter; lets 
 complement no longer, but joine 
 unto them; come honeft/^/^/^r, lets 
 
 be 
 
T'he Complete Angler. ^% 
 
 be gone, lets make hafte, I long to 
 be doing; no reafonable hedge or 
 ditch fhall hold me. 
 
 Viat. Gentleman Huntfrnan ^ 
 where found you this Otter ? 
 
 Hunt. Marry (Sir) we found her* 
 a mile off this place a fifhing; jGie 
 has this morning eaten the greateft 
 part of this Trout ^ Ihe has only left 
 thus much of it as you fee, and was 
 fifhing for more; when we came we 
 foundherjuftatit: butwe were here 
 very early, we were here an hour 
 before Sun-rife, and have given 
 herno reft fince we came: furefhel 
 hardly efcape all thefe dogs and 
 men.I am to have the skin if we kill 
 him. 
 
 Viat. Why, Sir, whats the skin 
 ViTorth ? 
 
 Hunt. 'Tis worth ten fhillings to 
 make gloves ; the gloves of an Ot- 
 ter are the beil fortification for 
 your hands againft wet weather that 
 can be thought of. 
 
 Pifc.l 
 
^2 I'he Complete Angler. 
 
 Pifc. I pray,honeft Hun tfman, let 
 me ask you a pleafant queftion. Do 
 you hunt a Beaft or a fifh ? 
 
 H. Sir,Itisnotin my power to re- 
 folve you ; for the queft ion has been 
 debated among many great Clerks, 
 and they feem to differ about it; but 
 moft agree, that his tail is fifh: and 
 if his body be fifh too, then I may 
 fay, that a fifh will walk upon land 
 (for an Otter does fo) fometimes 
 five or fix, or ten miles in a night. 
 But (Sir) I can tell you certainly, 
 that he devours much fifh, and kils 
 and fpoils much more : And I can 
 tell you, that he can fmel a fifh ii> 
 the water one hundred yards from 
 him (G^^rfayes,much farther) and 
 that his ftones are good againfl the 
 Falliag-ficknefs : and that there is 
 znhtvh Benioney which being hung 
 in a linen cloth near a Fifh Pond,or 
 any haunt that he ufes, makes him 
 to avoid the place, which proves he 
 can fmell both by water and land. 
 
 And 
 
T^he Complete Angler. <fj 
 
 And thus much for my knowledgof 
 the Otter ^ which you may now fee 
 above water at vent, and the dogs 
 clofewith him; I now fee he will 
 not laft long, follow therefore my 
 Mafters, follow, for Sweet lips yv2iS 
 like to have him at this vent. 
 
 ma. Oh me, all the Horfe are got 
 over the river, what fhall we do 
 now ? 
 
 Hun. Marry,fi:ay alittle&follow, 
 both they and the dogs will be fud- 
 denly on this fide again, I warrant 
 you, and the Otter too it may be: 
 now have at him with Kilbucky for 
 he vents again. 
 
 i;/^.Marryfoheis,forlookhe vents 
 in that corner. Now, now Ri?2gwocd 
 has him. Come bring him to me. 
 Look, 'tis a Bitch Otter upon mv 
 word, and fho-has lately whelped , 
 lets go to the place where fhe was put 
 downy and not far from it, you will 
 find all her young ones^ I dare war- . 
 rant you : and kill them all too. 
 
 Hunt 
 
44 T'^^ Complete Angler. 
 
 Hunt. Come Gentlemen, come 
 all, lets go to the place where we 
 put downe the Otter ; look you, 
 hereabout it was that fliee ken- 
 neird ; look you, here it was 
 indeed, for here's her young ones, 
 no lefs then five; come lets kill them 
 all. 
 
 Pifc. No, I pray Sir; fave me 
 one, and Til try if I can make her 
 tame , as I know an ingenuous 
 Gentleman in Leicejier-Jhire has 
 done ; who hath not only made 
 her tame, but to catch fifh, and 
 doe many things of much plea- 
 f^jre. 
 
 Hunt. Take one with all my 
 heart; but let us kill the reft. And 
 now lets go to an honeft Alehoufe 
 and fing Old Rofe, and rejoice all of 
 us together. 
 
 Viat. Come my friend, let me 
 invite you along with us ; I'll bear 
 your charges this night, and you 
 ihall beare mine to morrow ; 
 
 for 
 
The Cojnplete Angler. 45 
 
 for my intention is to accom- 
 pany you a day or two in fifhing. 
 
 Ptfc. Sir , your requeft is 
 granted, and I ihall be right glad, 
 both to exchange fuch a coar- 
 telie, and alfo to enjoy your com- 
 pany. 
 
 Viat. Well, now lets go to your 
 Iport of Angling. 
 
 Fife. Lets be going with all my 
 heart, God keep you all,Gentlemen, 
 and fend you meet this day with 
 another bitch Otter ^ and kill her 
 merrily, and all her young ones 
 too. 
 
 Viat. NowP^<3:/<5r,where wilyou 
 Degin to iifh ? 
 
 Fife. We are not yet come to a 
 likelyplace, Imuftwalk a mile fur- 
 ther yet before I begin. 
 
 Viat. Well then, I pray, as wc 
 walk, tell me freely how you like 
 my Hofte,and the company ? is not 
 mine Hofte a witty man ? 
 
 Fife. Sir, 
 
46 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 Fife. Sir, To fpeak truly, he is 
 not to me ; for mofl: of his con- 
 ceits were either Scrip ture-j efts, or 
 lafcivious jefts ; for which I count 
 no man witty : for the Divel will 
 help a nian that way inclin'd, to the 
 iirft, and his own corrupt nature 
 (which he alwayes carries with him) 
 to the latter. But a companion that 
 feafts the company with wit and 
 mirth^2iX\di leaves out the^;2 (^ which 
 isufually mixtwith them) heisthe 
 man: and indeed, fuch a man fhould 
 have his charges born: and to fuch 
 company I hope to bring you this 
 night; for at "Trout-Hal ynot far from 
 this place,where I purpofe to lodg to 
 night, there is ufually an Angler 
 that proves good company. 
 
 But for fuch difcourfe as we 
 heard laft night , it infers o- 
 thers ; the very boyes will learn to 
 talk and fwear as they heard mine 
 Hoft, and another of the company 
 that ihall be namelefs; well, you 
 
 know 
 
'the Complete Angler. 47 
 
 know what example is able to do, 
 and I know what the Poet fayes in 
 the like cafe : 
 
 -Many a one 
 
 Owes to his Country his Religion : 
 Aiid in another would asjirongly grcWy 
 Had but his Nurfe or Mother taught himfo^ 
 
 This is realon put into Verfe, and 
 worthy the coniideration of a wife 
 man.Butof this no more/or though 
 I love civility, yet I hate feverecen- 
 fures : Til to my own Art, and I 
 doubt not but at yonder tree I fhall 
 catch a Chub^ and then we'll turn to 
 an honeft cleanly Ale houfe that I 
 know right well, reft our felves,and 
 drefs it for our dinner. 
 
 via. Oh,Sir,aCi6z//^isthe worftfiih 
 thatiwims, I hoped fora Tr^z/^for 
 my dinner. 
 
 Pz/TTruft me,Sir,thereisnotalike- 
 ly place for a trout hereabout, and 
 we ft aid fo long to take our leave of 
 
 your 
 
48 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 your Huntimen this morning, that 
 the Sun is got fo high, and ihines fo 
 clear, that I will not undertake the 
 catching of a T'rout till evening ; 
 and though a Chub be by you and 
 many others reckoned the worft of 
 allfifh, yet you fhall fee I'll make it 
 good fifh by drefling it. 
 
 Viat. Why, how will you drefs 
 him? 
 
 Pifc. ri tell you when I have 
 caught him: look you here. Sir, 
 do you fee ?(but you muft fland very 
 clofe) there lye upon the top of the 
 water twenty Chubs : Til catch on- 
 ly one, and that fhall be the biggeft 
 of them all : and that I will do fo, 
 ril hold you twenty to one. 
 
 viaf. I marry. Sir, now you 
 talk like an Artift, and Fll fay, you 
 areone,whenI fhall feeyou perform 
 what you fay you can do; but I yet 
 doubt it. 
 
 Pi/c. And that you fhall fee me do 
 prefently; look,thebiggeflof thefe 
 
 Chubs 
 
The Complete Angler. 49 
 
 Chubs has had fome bruife upon his 
 tail,and that looks like a white fpot ; 
 that very Chub I mean to catch ; fit 
 you but down in the (hade, and ftay 
 but a little while,and Fl warrant you 
 ri bring him to you. 
 
 viat. ri fit down and hope well, 
 becaufe you feem to be fo confi- 
 dent. 
 
 Pifc. Lookyo'i Sir, there he is, 
 that very Chub that I ihewed you, 
 with the white ipoton his tail; and 
 ri be as certain to make him a good 
 difh of meat, as I was to catch him, 
 ri now lead you to an honeft: Ale- 
 houfe, where we fhall find a cleanly 
 room. Lavender in the windowes, 
 and twenty Ballads ftuck about the 
 wall ; there my Hofiiis (which I 
 may tel you, is both cleanly and 
 conveniently handfome( has dreft 
 many a one for me, and fhall now 
 drefs it after my falhion, and I war- 
 rant it good meat. 
 
 viat.Come Sir, with all my heart, 
 E for 
 
50 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 for I begin to be hungry, and long 
 to be at it,and indeed to reft my felf 
 too ; for though i have walked but 
 four miles this morning, yet I be- 
 gin to be weary; yefterdayes hunt- 
 ing hangs ftil upon me. 
 
 Pifc. Wei Sir,and you ihal quick- 
 ly be at reft, for yonder is thehoufe 
 1 mean to bring you to. 
 
 Come Hoftis, how do you ? 
 wil you firft give us a cup of your 
 beft Ale, and then drefs this Chuhy 
 as you dreft my laft, when I and my 
 friend were here about eight or tea 
 dales ago.^ but you muftdo me one 
 courtefie, it muft be done inftant- 
 
 Hojl. I wil do it, Mr. Fifcator^ 
 and with all the Ipeed I can. 
 
 Pifc. Now Sir, has not my Ho- 
 ftis made hafte ? and does not the 
 fifh look lovely ? 
 
 viat. Both, upon my word Sir, 
 and therefore lets fi^y Grace and fall 
 to eating of it. 
 
 Pifc. Wei 
 
The Complete Angler. 51 
 
 Ttfc. Well Sir, how do you like 
 it? 
 
 viat. Truft me/tis as go^)d meat 
 as ever I tailed : now let me thank 
 you for it, drink to you, and beg a 
 courtefie of you; but it muft not be 
 deny'd me. 
 
 Pifc. What is it,I pray Sir? you 
 are fo modeft, that me thinks I may 
 promife to grant it before it is 
 asked. 
 
 viat. Why Sir, it is that from 
 henceforth you wil allow me to call 
 you Mafter , and that really I may 
 be your Scholer, for you are fuch a 
 companion, and have fo quickly 
 caught, and fo excellently cook'd 
 this fiili, as makes me ambitious to 
 be your fcholer. 
 
 Pifc. Give me your hand; from 
 this time forward I wil beyour Ma- 
 fter, and teach you as much of this 
 Art as I am able ; and will, as you 
 defire me, tel you fomewhat of the 
 nature of fome of the fifh which we 
 E 2 arc 
 
£2 The Complete Angler. 
 
 are to Angle for ; and I am fure 1 
 fhal tel you more then every Angler 
 yet knows. 
 
 And iirft I will tel you how you 
 fhallcatchfucha Chub as thiswas;& 
 then how to cook him as this was : 
 I could not have begun to teach 
 you to catch any fifh more eafily 
 then this fifh is caught; but then it 
 muft be this particular way, and this 
 you muft do : 
 
 Go to the fame hole, where in 
 moft hot days you will finde floting 
 neer the top of the water, at leaft a 
 dozen or twenty Chubs ; get a Graf- 
 hopper or two as you goe, and get 
 fecretlybehinde the tree, putitthen 
 upon your hook, and let your hook 
 hang a quarter of a yard fhort of the 
 top of the wat2r,and 'tis very likely 
 that the ihadow of your rod, which 
 you muft reft on the tree, will caufe 
 the Chubs to fink down to the bot- 
 tom with fear ; for they be a very 
 fearful fifti, and the fhadow of a bird 
 
 flying 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 53 
 
 flying over them will make them du 
 fo; but they will prefently rife up to 
 the top again, and there lie foaring 
 till fome fhadow affrights them a- 
 gain : when they lie upon the top 
 of the water, lookout the bell Chuby 
 which you fetting your felf in a fit 
 place, may very eafily doe , and 
 move your Rod ai' foftly as a Snail 
 moves, to that Chub you intend to 
 catch ; let your bait fall gently up- 
 on the water three or four inches be- 
 fore him, and he will infallibly take 
 the bait, and you will be as fure to 
 -^atch him ; for hee is one of the 
 leather-mouth'd fifhes, of which a 
 hook does fcarce ever lofe his hold : 
 and therefore give him play enough 
 before you offer lo take him out of 
 the water. Go your way prefentl}^, 
 take my rod, and doe as I bid you, 
 and I will fit down and mend my 
 tackling till you return back. 
 
 viat. Truly, my loving Mafl:er, 
 
 you have offered mee as fair as I 
 
 E 3 could 
 
54 ^'^^ Complete Angler. 
 
 could wifh : He goe and obferve 
 your dirediions. 
 
 Look you, Mafler, what I have 
 done ; that which joyes my heart; 
 caught jull fuch another Chub as 
 yours was. 
 
 Pifc. Marry, and I am glad of it : 
 I am like to have a towardly Scho- 
 lerofyou. I now lee, that with ad- 
 vice and practice you wil make an 
 Angler in a iTiort time. 
 
 ^/^/.ButMafter, Whatif Icould 
 not have found a Grajloopper ? 
 
 Pif. Then I may tel you, that a 
 black Snail^ with his bellj^ flit , to 
 Ihew his white ; or a piece of foft 
 cheefe wil ufually do as wel ; nay, 
 fometimes a worm^ or any kind of 
 jiy\ 2iSth.QAnt'fyy thtFleJh-Jly, or 
 iVall-fiy fix \}^^ Dor or Beetle y (which 
 you may find under a Cow-turd) or 
 a jB^/^,whichyouwilfindin the fame 
 place, and in time wil be a Beetle \ 
 it is a ihort white worm, like to, and 
 bigger then a Gentle;or a Cod-worm^ 
 
 or 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 5|: 
 
 or C/^-'Z£;^r;;^:anyof thefewildove- 
 •y wel to fifh in fuch a manner. And 
 dter this manner you may catch a 
 Trout'. inahotevening,whenasyou 
 walk by a Brook, and fhal fee or 
 hear him leap at Flies, then if you 
 get a Grajhopper , put it on your 
 hook,withyour line about twoyards 
 long, ftanding behind a bufh or tree 
 where his hole is, and make your 
 bait ftir up and down on che top of 
 the water ; you may, if you fliand 
 clofe, be fure of a bit, but notfure 
 to catch him, for he is not a leather 
 mouthed fifh: and after this manner . 
 you may fiih for him with almoft a- 
 ny kind of live Flie, but Special- 
 ly with a GraJJjopper. 
 
 Viat. But before you go further, 
 I pray good Mafter, what mean you 
 by a leather mouthed fifh. 
 
 Pifc. By a leather mouthed fifh, 
 
 I mean fuch as have their teeth in 
 
 their throat, as the Chiih or Cheven^ 
 
 and fo the Barbel^ the Gudgion and 
 
 E 4 Carp^ 
 
56 Th" Cr^*t\tkt^ Angler. 
 
 Carp, and divers others have ; and 
 the hook being ftuck into the leather 
 or skin of iuch fifh, does very fel- 
 dome or never lofe its hold; But 
 en the contrary, a PikCy a Pearchy 
 or Trout y and fc fome other fifh, 
 which have not their teeth in their 
 throats, but in their mouthes,which 
 you (hal oblerve to be very full of 
 bones, and the skin very thin, and 
 little of it : I fay, of thefe filh the 
 hook never takes fo fure hold, but 
 you often lofe the fifh unlefs he have 
 gorg'dit. 
 
 Viat. I thank you good Mafler 
 for this obfervation ; but now what 
 fhal be done with my Chub or Che- 
 ven that I have caught. 
 
 Fife. Ma-rv Sir, it fhall be given 
 away to fome poor body, for He 
 warrant you He give vou a Trout for 
 your fupper ; and irir> a good be- 
 ginning of your Art to offer your 
 firfl fruits to the poor, who will 
 both thank God and you for it. 
 
 And 
 
The Complete Angler. CJ 
 
 And now lets walk towards 
 the water again, and as I go He tel 
 you when you catch your WQX'-Chuby 
 how to dreffe it as this was. 
 
 viat. Come (good Mafter)! long 
 to be going and learn your diredti- 
 on. 
 
 Pifc. You muft drefs it, or fee 
 it dreft thus : When you have fca- 
 led him, wafh him very cleane, cut 
 off his tail and fins ; and waih him 
 not after you gut him, but chine 
 or cut him through the midc'le as a 
 fait fifh is cut, then give him four or 
 fivefcotches with your knife, broil 
 him upon wood-cole or char-cole ; 
 but as he is broiling ; bafte him of- 
 ten with butter that fhal be choice- 
 ly good; and put good ftore of fait 
 into your butter, or fait him gently 
 as you broil or bafte him ; and bruife 
 or cut veryfmal into your butter, 
 a little Time, or fome other Iweet 
 herb that is in the Garden where 
 you eat him: thus ufed, it takes a- 
 
 way 
 
58 T^he Complete Angle? . 
 
 way the watrifhtafte which the Chub 
 or Chevin has, and makes him a 
 choice difh of meat, as you your felf 
 know ; for thus was that drefs'd, 
 which you did eat of to your din- 
 ner. 
 
 Or you may (for variety) drefs a 
 Cy6z/^ another way, and you wil find 
 him ver/ good, and his tongue and 
 head almoft as good as a Carps; but 
 then you muftbe fure that no graffe 
 or weeds be left in his mouth or 
 throat. 
 
 Thus you muft drefs him ; SHt 
 him through the middle, then cut 
 him into four pieces. Chen put him 
 into a pewter difh, and cover him 
 with another, put into him as much 
 White Wine as wil cover him, or 
 Spring water and Vinegar,and ftore 
 of Salt, with fome branches of 
 Time, and other fweet herbs ; let 
 nim then be boiled gently over a 
 Chafing-difh with wood coles, and 
 when he is almoft boiled enough,put 
 
 half 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 59 
 
 half of the liquorfrom him, not the 
 top of it ; put then into him a con- 
 venient quantity of the beft butter 
 you can get, with a little Nutmeg 
 grated into it, and lippets of white 
 bread : thus ordered, you wil find 
 the Chevin and the fauce too, a 
 choice difh of meat : And I have 
 been the more careful to give you a 
 perfeft direction how to drefs him, 
 becaufe he is a fifh undervalued by 
 many, and I would gladly reftore 
 Him to fome of his credit which he 
 has loft by ill Cookery. 
 
 Viat. But Mafter, have you no 
 other way to catch a CheveUy or 
 Chub? 
 
 Pifc. Yes that I have, but I muft 
 take time to tel it you hereafter; or 
 indeed,you muft learn it byobferva- 
 tion and pradiice, though this way 
 that I have taught you was the eafi- 
 eft to catch a Chub, at this time, 
 and at this place. And now weare 
 come again to the River; I wil (as 
 
 the 
 
6o T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 the Souldier fayes) prepare forskir- 
 mifh ; that is, draw out my Tack- 
 Hng, and try to catch a Trout for 
 fupper. 
 
 Viat. Truft me Mafter, I fee now 
 it is a harder mattei to catch a Trout 
 then a Chub; for 1 have put on pa- 
 tience, and followed you this two 
 hours, and not feen afifhftir, nei- 
 ther at your Minnow nor your 
 worm. 
 
 Pifc. Wei Scholer, you muft 
 indure worfe luck fometime,or you 
 will never make a good Angler. But 
 what fay you now ? there is a Trout 
 now, and a good one too, if I can 
 but hold him; and two or three 
 turns more will tire him: Now you 
 .ee he liesftill, and the fleight is to 
 land him: Reach me that Landing 
 net : So (Sir) now he is mine own, 
 what fay you .^ is not this worth all 
 my labour? 
 
 Fiat. On my word Mafter , 
 tliis is a gallant Trout ; what fhall 
 
 we 
 
T'he Complete Ajigler. 6 1 
 
 we do with him ? 
 
 Pifc. Marry ee n eat him to fup- 
 per; We*l go to my Hoftis, from 
 whence we came ; fhe told me, as 
 I was going out of door, that my 
 brothet Peter ^ a good Angler, and 
 a cheerful companion,had fentword 
 he would lodg there to night, and 
 bring a friend with him. My Hoft- 
 is has two beds, and I know you 
 and I may have the beft : we'l re- 
 joice with my brother Peter and his 
 friend, tel tales , or iing Ballads,or 
 make aCatch,or find fome harmleis 
 iport to content us. 
 
 Viat. A match, good Mafter, 
 lets go to that houfe, for the linnen 
 looks white, andfmels of Lavender, 
 and I long to lye in a pair of fheets 
 that fmels fb : lets be going, good 
 Mafter, for I am hungry again with 
 fijGhing. 
 
 Pifc. Nay, ftay a little good 
 Scholer, I caught my laft Tr^^if with 
 a worm, now I wil put on a Minow 
 
 and 
 
€2 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 and try a quarter of ^n hour about 
 yonder trees for another , and fe 
 walk towards our lodging. Loo k 
 you Scholer, thereabout we fhall 
 have a bit prefently, or not at all : 
 Have with you ' ir'ir !) on my word I 
 have him. Oh it is a great logger- 
 headed C/^z/^ : Come,hang him up- 
 on that Willow twig, and let's be 
 going^ Bat turn out ofthewaya 
 little, good Scholer, towards yon- 
 der high hedg : We'l fit whilft this 
 Ihowr falls fo gently upon the teem- 
 ing earth, and gives a fweeter fmel 
 to the lovely flowers that adorn 
 the verdant Meadows. 
 
 Look,underthat broad Beech tree 
 I fate down when I was laft this way 
 a fifhing,and the birds in the adjoin- 
 ing Grove feemed to have a friend- 
 ly contention with an Echo, whofe 
 dead voice feemed to live in a hol- 
 low cavf* near to the brow of that 
 Primi Glehil;there I fate viewing the 
 Silver itreams glide filently towards 
 
 tlieir 
 
"The Complete Angler. 63 
 
 their center, the tempeftuous Sea, 
 yet fometimes oppofed by rugged 
 roots, and pibble ftones, which 
 broke their waves, and turned them 
 into fome : and fometimes viewing 
 the harmlefs Lambs, fome leaping 
 fecurelyin thecoolfhade, whilfto- 
 ^hers {ported themfelvs in the cheer- 
 ful Sun ; and others were craving 
 comfort from the iwolne Udders of 
 their bleating Dams. As I thus fate, 
 thefe and other fighs had fo fully 
 poiTeftmy foul,that I thought as the 
 Poet has happily exprelt it; 
 
 I was for that time lifted above earth; 
 4nd pojfeji joyes not promifd in my birth. 
 
 As I left this place, and entered 
 into the next field, afecondpleafure 
 entertained me, 'twas a handfome 
 Milk-maid, that had caft away all 
 care, ana lung like a Nightingale ; 
 her voice was gouJ, and i he Ditty 
 fitted for it; *twas that fn? 00th Song 
 
 which 
 
64 The Complete Angler. 
 
 whichwas vn^A^hy Kit Mar low ^wov^ 
 at leaft fifty years ago; and the Milk 
 maids 7>) other liing an aniwer to it, 
 which was made by Sir Walter Ra- 
 leigh in his younger dayes. 
 
 They were old fafhioned Poetry, 
 but choicely good, I think much 
 better then that now in fafhion in 
 this Critical age. Look yonder,on 
 my word, yonder they be both a 
 milking again : I wil give her the 
 Chub^ and periwade them to fing 
 thofe two fongs to us. 
 
 Fife. God fpeed,good woman, I 
 have been a fiihing, and am going 
 to Bleak Hall to my bed, and having 
 caught more fifh then wil fup my 
 felf and friend, wil beftow this 
 upon you and your daughter^ for I 
 ufe to fel none. 
 
 Milkw. Marry God requite you 
 Sir, and we'l <^at it cheerfully : wil 
 you drink a draught of red Cows 
 milk? 
 
 Pifc. No,I thank youibut I pray 
 
 do 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 65 
 
 d o us acourtefie thatfhal ftand you 
 an d your daughter in nothing, and 
 we wil think ourfelvesftilfomething 
 in your debt; it is but to fing us a 
 Song, that that was lung by you and 
 your daughter, when I laft pail over 
 this Meadow, about eight or nine 
 dayes fince. 
 
 Milk, what Song was it, I pray? 
 was it. Come Shepherds deckyour heads: 
 or. As at noon D ulcina rejied: or Phi- 
 Hdajiouts me ? 
 
 Pifc.'Noy it is none of thole : it is a 
 Song that your daughter fung the 
 firft part, and you fung the anfwer to 
 it. 
 
 Milk. O I know it now, I learned 
 the firft part in my golden age, when 
 I was about the age of my daughter; 
 and the later part, which indeed fits 
 me beft, but two or three years ago; 
 you (hai, God willing , hear them 
 both. Come Maudlin y fing the firft 
 part to the Gentlem en with a merrie 
 heart, and He fing thefecond. 
 
 F The 
 
b(i The Complete Angler. 
 
 The Milk maids Song. 
 
 Come live with me^ and be my Love^ 
 And we wil all the pleafures prove 
 That vallies , Groves ^ or hils , or fields^ 
 Or woods andjleeple mountains yeelds. 
 
 Where we will Jit upon the Rocks, 
 And fee the Shepherds feed our flocks. 
 By fhallow Rivers, to whofe falls 
 Mellodious birds fng madrigals. 
 
 And I wil make thee beds ^Rofes, 
 And then a thouf and fragrant pofies^ 
 A cap of flowers and a Kirtle^ 
 Imbroidered all with leaves of Mirtle. 
 
 A Gown inade ofthefineft wool 
 Which from our pretty Lambs we pull^ 
 Slippers lind choicely for the coldy 
 With buckles of the pur efl gold. 
 
 A belt of ft raw and ivie budsy 
 With Coral clafps, and Amber ftuds : 
 
 And 
 
The Complete Angler. 67 
 
 Andifthefe pleafures may thee move^ 
 Come live with me^ and be my Love. 
 
 The Shepherds Swains Jhal dance andfmg 
 For thy delight each May morning : 
 If thefe delights thy mind may move, 
 7 hen live with me^andbe my Love. 
 
 Via. TruftmeMafter,itisachoice 
 Song , and fweetly fung by honell 
 Maudlin : He beftow Sir Thomas O- 
 verburys Milk maids wifh upon her. 
 That fhe may dye in the Springs and 
 have goodjlore of jlowersjluck round 
 about her winding fhe et^ 
 
 The Milk maids mothers anfwer. 
 
 If all the world and love were youngs 
 And truth in every Shepherds tongue'? 
 Thefe pretty pleafures might me move. 
 To live with thee^andbe thy love. 
 
 But time drives flocks from field to fold : 
 When rivers rage and rocks grow cold^ 
 F 2 And 
 
68 ^he Complete Angler. 
 
 And Philomel becometh dumby 
 The Reji complains of cares to come. 
 
 The Flowers do fade yand wanton fields 
 TowaywardWintcr reckoning yeilds 
 A honey tongue ^a l^art of gaily 
 Is fancies fpringy but forrows fall. 
 
 Thy gowns y thyfloooeSythy beds ofRofeSy 
 Thy Cap^thyKirtky and thy Fojies , 
 Soon break foon wither yfoon f or gotteny 
 In folly ripe, in reafon rotten. 
 
 Thy belt offtraw and Ivie budsy 
 Thy Coral clafps and Amber finds y 
 Allthefe in me no means can move 
 To come to theCyand be thy Love. 
 
 But could youth lafii^and love fiilbreea. 
 Had joy es no datey nor age no need ; 
 Tien thofe delights my mind might 
 To live with thee y^ be thy love, {move 
 
 Pifc. V/el Tung, good woman, I 
 thankyou, I'l give vou another difli 
 
 of 
 
The Compute Angter. 69 
 
 of fifli one of thrfe d^yes, aud then 
 beg another Song of you. Come 
 Scholer,let Maudlin alone, do not 
 you offer to ipoil her voice. Look, 
 yonder comes my Hoftis to cal us to 
 fupper. How now? is my brother 
 Feter come f 
 
 Hofi. Yes, and a friend with 
 him, they are both glad to hear you 
 are in thefe parts, and long to fee 
 you, and are hungry,and long to be 
 at fupper. 
 
 CHAP^ 
 
Ho T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Fife at. -w- ^^ -y-EL met bro- 
 \ / \ / ther Feter.l 
 \l V heard you 
 & a friend would lodg here to night, 
 and that has made me and my friend 
 caft to lodge here too ; my friend 
 is one that would faine be a brother 
 oi\^t Angle: he has been an ^;^^/(er 
 but this day,and T have l:aught him 
 how to catch 2 Chub w'th daping a 
 Grajhopper^ ana he has caught a lufly 
 one of nineteen incheslong. ButI 
 pray you brother, who is it that is 
 your companion ? 
 
 Peter. Brother P^^/^r,myfriend 
 is an honeft Country man, and his 
 name is Coridon^ a moft downright 
 witty merry companion that met me 
 here purpofely to eat a 'Trout and be 
 pleafant, a/^d I have not yet wet my 
 
 line 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 line fincelcame from home: But I 
 wil fit him to morrow witl) a ^Trout 
 for his breakfafl, if the weather be a - 
 ny thing like. 
 
 Fife. Nay Li other, joii ihall 
 not delay h.^m fo long, for look you 
 here is a Trout W\)\ fih fix reafonable 
 bellies. Come Hoftis, drefsitpre- 
 fently, and get us whal other meat 
 the houfe wil afford, and give us 
 fome good Ale, and lets be mer- 
 rie. 
 
 8i 
 
 Tike Defcription of a Trout. 
 
 F4. 
 
 Peter 
 
72 T^he Complete Anglfr, 
 
 Peter. On my word, this Tr^^/ is 
 in perfedl feafon. Come, I thank 
 you, and here's a hearty draught to 
 you, and to all the brothers of the 
 Angle, wherefoever they be, and to 
 my young brothers good fortune to 
 morrow ; I wil furnifh him with a 
 ■:od, if you wil furnifh him with the 
 reft of the tackling, we wil fet him 
 up and make him a fiiher. 
 
 And I wil tel him one thing for 
 his encouragement, that his fortune 
 hath made him happy to be a Scho-, 
 ler to fuch a Mafter; a Mafter that 
 knowes as much both of the nature 
 and breeding of iifh, as any man ; 
 and can alfo tell him as well how to 
 catch and cook them, from the Mi- 
 now to the Sammoriy as any that I ever 
 met withall. 
 
 Pifc. Truft me, brother Peter ^ I 
 find my Scholer to be fo futable to 
 my own humcur,which is to be free 
 andpleafant, and civilly merry, that 
 my refolution is to hide nothing 
 - ' - -.- from 
 
The Complete Angler. 
 
 from him. Believe me,Scholer, this 
 is my refolution ; and fo here's to 
 you a hearty draught, and to all that 
 love us,and the honeil: Art of Ang- 
 ling. 
 
 Viat. Truft me, good Mafter^ 
 you fhall not fow your feed in bar- 
 ren ground, for I hope to return you 
 an increafe anfv^erable to your 
 hopes ; but how^ever, you fhal find 
 me obedient, and thankful , and 
 ferviceable to my beft abilitie. 
 
 Pifc. 'Tis enough, honeft Scho- 
 ler, come lets to fupper. Come my 
 friend C^r/V^/2, this Trout looks love- 
 ly, it wastw^enty two inches v^hen it 
 was taken, and the belly of it look'd 
 fome part of it as yellow as a Mary- 
 gold , and part of it as white as a Li- 
 ly, and yet me thinks it looks bet- 
 ter in this good fawce. 
 
 Coridon. Indeed, honeft friend, 
 it looks well, and taftes well, I thank 
 you for it, and fo does my friend 
 Peter ^ or elfe he is to blame. 
 
 Pet. Ye^ 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 Pet. Yes, and fo I do, we all 
 thank you, and when we have fupt, 
 I wil get my friend Ccridon to fing 
 you a Song, for requital. 
 
 Cor. I wil ling a Song if anybo- 
 dy wil fing another; elfe, to be plain 
 with you, I wil fing none : I am 
 none of thofe that fing for meat, but 
 for company ; I fay, 'Tis merry in 
 Hall when men fing all. 
 
 Pifc. ri promife you I'l fing a 
 Song that was lately made at my re- 
 quefi:by Mr. IVilliam Bajfe^ one that 
 has made the choice Songs of the 
 Hunter in his carrere^ and of 'Tom oj 
 Bedlam^ and many others of note; 
 and this that I wil fing is in praife of 
 Angling. 
 
 Cor. And then mine fhall be the 
 praife of a Country mans life .• 
 What will the refi; fing of? 
 
 Pet. I wil promife you I wil fing 
 another Song in praife of Angling, 
 to-morrow n ight, for we wil notpart 
 till then, but fifh to morrow, and 
 
 fup 
 
"The Co??2plefe Angler. 8,^ 
 
 fup together,and the next day every 
 man leave fifhing,and fall to his bu- 
 finefs. 
 
 Vtat. 'Tisamatcb, and I w^il pro- 
 vide you a Song or a Ketch againft 
 then too, that fhal give fome additi« 
 on of mirth to the company; for we 
 wil be merrie. 
 
 Pifc. 'Tisamatchmymafters:; 
 lets ev'n fay Grace,and turn to the 
 fire, drink the other cup to v^et our 
 whiffles, and fo fing away all fad 
 thoughts. 
 
 Come on my mafters, who be- 
 gins ? I think it is beft to draw cuts 
 and avoid contention. 
 
 Pet.It is a match. Look, the fhort* 
 eft Cut fals to Coridon. 
 
 Cor. Well then, I wil begin; for 
 I hate contention. 
 
 CoRiLGNs Song. 
 
 Oh thefweet contentment 
 The country man doth find! 
 
 High 
 
;6 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 high trolollie Idiloe 
 
 ' high trolollie lee^ 
 ^hat quiet contemplation 
 Pojfejeth all ?ny mind : 
 
 Then care away, 
 
 and wend along with me. 
 
 "t) 
 
 For Courts arefulloffiatt^y^ 
 As hath too oft been trtd ; 
 
 high trolollie lollie he 
 
 high trolollie lee^ 
 The City full of wantormefsy 
 and both are full of pride : 
 
 Then care away, 
 
 and wend along with me. 
 
 But oh the honejl country man 
 Speaks truly from his hearty 
 
 high trolollie lollie he 
 
 high trolollie lee^ 
 His pride is in his 'Tillage^ 
 btsHorfes and his Cart : 
 
 Then care away, 
 
 and wend along with me. 
 
 Our 
 
"The Complete Angler. JJ 
 
 Our clothing is good fheep skins 
 G'^ay rujfetfor our wives ^ 
 
 high trolollie lollie he 
 
 high trolollie lee. 
 ^Tis warmth and not gay clothing 
 that doth prolong our lives \ 
 
 Then care away, 
 
 and wend along with me. 
 
 The ploughman y though he labor hard^ 
 Tet on the Holy-day, 
 
 high trolollie lollie loe 
 
 high trolollie lee, 
 2^0 Emperor /3 merrily 
 doespafs his time away : 
 
 Then care away, 
 
 and wend along with me. 
 
 To recompence our Tillage y 
 T'/6fc'Heavens afford us Jhowrr^ 
 
 high trolollie lollie loe 
 
 high trolollie lee. 
 And for ourfweet refrefhmenti 
 the earth affords us bowers : 
 
 Then care away,&c. 
 
 T&t 
 
£S ^he Co?nplete Angler. 
 
 The Cuckoe and the Nightingale 
 full merrily dofingy 
 
 high trolollie lollte he 
 
 high trolollie lee^ 
 And with their plea fantro\xndiQ\2iytSf 
 bid welcome to the Spring : 
 
 Then care away, 
 
 and wend along: with me. 
 
 "t? 
 
 This is 72ot half the happinefs 
 the Country man injoyes ; 
 
 high trolollie lollie loe 
 
 high trolollie lee^ 
 Though others think they have as much 
 yet he that fays fo lies: 
 
 Then come away,turn 
 
 County man with me. 
 
 Pifc. Well fung Coridon^ this 
 Song was fung with mettle, and it 
 was choicely fitted to the occafion ; 
 I fhixll love you for it as long as I 
 know you : I would you were a bro- 
 ther of the Angle, for a companion 
 that is cheerful and free fromfwear- 
 
 ing 
 
T!he Complete Angler. 89 
 
 ing andlcurrilous difcourfe, is worth 
 gold. I love fuch mirth as does not 
 make friends afhamed to look upon 
 one another next morning; nor men 
 (that cannot wel bear it) to repent 
 the money they fpend when they be 
 warmed with drink ; and take this 
 for a rule, you may pick out fuch 
 times and fuch companies, that you 
 may make your felves merrier for a 
 little then a great deal of money; for 
 ^T is the company and not the charge 
 that makes t he f eaji : and fuch a com- 
 panion you prove, I thank you for 
 it. 
 
 But I will not complement you 
 out of the debt that I owe you, and 
 therefore I will begin my Song, 
 and wiih it may be as well liked. 
 
 The Anglers Song. 
 
 As inward lovt breeds outward talk. 
 The YLoxindfome praife, andfome the Hawk^ 
 
 Some 
 
So T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 Some better pleaf'd with private fporty 
 life litmSyfome a Miftris court: 
 But thefe delights I neither wijhy 
 Nor envy/while I freely fi^o. 
 
 JVho \iMnX.^4oth oft in danger ride 
 Who hauks/^^r^j- oft both jar &wide ; 
 Who ufes g2imes,may often prove 
 Alofer\ but who f ah in love ^ 
 Is fettered in fond Cupids fnare : 
 My Angle breeds me nofuch care. 
 
 Of Recreation there is none 
 
 So free as fijhing is alone ; 
 
 All other paftimes do no lefs 
 
 Then mind and body bothpoffefs ; 
 My hand alone my work can do. 
 So I can fijlo andjiudy too. 
 
 I care not^Iy tofifh infeas^ 
 Frejh rivers bef my mind do pleafcy 
 Whofe fiveet calm courfe I contemplate ; 
 And fee k in life to imitate ; 
 
 In civil bounds I fain would keep ^ 
 And for my paft offences weep. 
 
 And 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 8i 
 
 And when the t inter ous Trout I wait 
 
 To take J and he devours my baity 
 
 How poor a thing fometimes I find 
 
 Will captivate a greedy mind: 
 And when none bite^ I praife the wife , 
 IVhomvain alurements ne'refiirprife. 
 
 But yet though while Ififhy ifafi^ 
 I make good fortune my repafiy 
 And thereunto my friend invite^ 
 In whom I more then that delight : 
 
 Who is more welcome to my diflo^ 
 
 Then to my Angle was myfijh. 
 
 As well content no prize to take 
 
 As ufe of taken prize to make ; 
 
 Forfo our Lord was pleafed when 
 
 He FiJIoers made Fijhers of men; 
 Where{which is in no other game) 
 A man may fijh and praife his name. 
 
 Thefirft men that our Saviour dear 
 Didchufe to wait upon him here^ 
 Blefi Fijhers were; and fijh the lafi 
 Food wasy that he on earth didtafle • 
 G I there-' 
 
82 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 I therefore jlrive tojollow thofe^ 
 Whom hetjfollow him hath chofe. 
 W.B. 
 
 Cor. Well fung brother, you 
 have paid your debt in good coyn, 
 we Anglers are all beholding to the 
 good man that made this Song. 
 Come Hofl:is,give us more Ale and 
 lets drink to him. 
 
 And now lets everie one go to bed 
 that we may rife early; but firft lets 
 pay our Reckoning, for I wil have 
 nothing to hinder me in the morn- 
 ing, for I will prevent the Sun- 
 rifing. 
 
 Pet. A match : Come Coridon^ 
 you are to be my Bed-fellow; I 
 know brother you andyour Scholer 
 wil lie together; but where fhal we 
 meet to morrow night ? for my 
 friend Coridon and I will go up the 
 water towiirds Ware. 
 
 Pifc. And my Scholer and I 
 will go dowi> towards Waltam. 
 
 Cor. 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 83 
 
 Cor^ Then lets meet here,for here 
 are frefh Qieets that fmel of Laven- 
 der, and, I am fure, we cannot ex- 
 pedl better meat and better u- 
 fage. 
 
 Pet. 'Tis a match. Good night to 
 every body. 
 
 Fife. And fo fay I. 
 
 Viat. And fo fay I. 
 
 Fife. Good morrow good Hoftis, 
 I fee my brother Peter h in bed ftill; 
 Come,give my Scholer and me a 
 cup of Ale, and be fure you get us 
 a good difh of meat againft fupper, 
 for we fhall come hither as hungry 
 2isHawks. Come Scholer,letsbe go- 
 ing. ^ 
 
 Fiat. Good Mcifter, as we walk 
 towards the water, wil you be plea- 
 fed to make the way feeme fhorter 
 by telling me firft the nature of 
 the Trouty and then how to catch 
 him. 
 
 Pi/c. My honeft Scholer, I wil do 
 G 2 it 
 
84 The Complete Angler. 
 
 It freely : The Trout (for which I 
 love to angle above any fiifh) may 
 be juftly faid (as the ancient Poets 
 fay of Wine, and wc Engliih fay of 
 Venfon) to be a generous fi£h, be- 
 caule he has his feafons, a fifh that 
 comes in, and goes out with the 
 Stag or Buck: and you are to ob- 
 ferve, that as there be fome barren 
 Doesy that are good in Summer; fo 
 there be fome barren TroutSyth^it are 
 good in Winter ; but there are not 
 many that are fo, for ufually they 
 be in their perfe6tionin the month 
 of May, and decline with the Buck: 
 Now you are to take notice, that in 
 feveral Countries, as in Germany and 
 in other parts compared to ours, they 
 differ much in their bignefs, fhape, 
 and other wayes, andfo do Trouts; 
 'tiswel known that in the Lake Le- 
 mony the Lake of Geneva, there are 
 Trouts taken, of three Cubits long, 
 as is affirmed by Gefner, a Writer of 
 good credit : and Mercator fayes, 
 
 the 
 
The Complete Angler. S5 
 
 the Trout s that are taken in the Lake 
 ofG^;2^T'^, are a great part of the Mer- 
 chandize of thatfamous City.And 
 you are further to know, that there be 
 certaine waters that breed Trout s re- 
 markable,both for their number and 
 fmalnefs- I know a little Brook in 
 Kent that breeds them to a number 
 incredible, and you may take them 
 twentie or fortie in an hour, but none 
 greater then about the lize of a 
 Gudgion. There are alfo in divers Ri- 
 vers, eipecially that relate to, or be 
 neartotheSea,(as Winchejierfiv th.^ 
 Thames about VVindfor ) a little 
 *Jr^2//called a Samlet ox SkeggerT rout 
 (in both which places I have caught 
 twentie or fortie at a ftanding) that 
 will bite as faft and as freely z^ Min- 
 nows; thefe be by fome taken to be 
 young SalmonSy but in thofe wa- 
 ters they never grow to bee bigger 
 then a Herring. 
 
 There is alfo in Kenty neer to 
 Canterbury y a Trout (called there a 
 G 3 For^ 
 
86 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 For dig Trout) a Trout fihzt bears 
 the name of the Town where 'tis u- 
 fually caught) that is Recounted rare 
 meat, many of them nesr the big- 
 nefs of a Salmon y bui: knowne by 
 their different colour, and in their 
 beft feafon cut very white;and none 
 have been known to be caught with 
 an Angle, unlefs it were one that 
 was caught by honeft Sir George Ha- 
 JlingSy an excellent Angler ( and 
 now withGod)and hehas toldme,he 
 thought that Trout bit not for hun- 
 ger, but wantonnefs ; and 'tis the 
 rather to be believed, becaufe both 
 he then, and many olliers before 
 hiru have been curious to fearch into 
 their bellies what the food was by 
 which they lived; and have found 
 ou t nothing by which they might U • 
 tisfie their curiofitie. 
 
 Concerning which you are to 
 take notice, that it is reported, there 
 is a fifh that hath not any mouth, but 
 lives bv taking breath by the porinfs 
 
 of 
 
The Complete Angler. %^ 
 
 of her gils,and feeds and isnourifh'd 
 V)y iio man knows what; and this 
 may be believed of the For dig Trout^ 
 which (as it is faid of the Stork,th2:t 
 he knowes his feafon, fo he) know^ 
 his times (I think almoft his day) 
 of coming into that River out of the 
 Sea., where he Hves (and it is Hke 
 feedsy nine months of the year, 
 and about three in the River of 
 Fordig. 
 
 And now for fome confirmation 
 of th.Js; you are to know, that this 
 'Trout is thought to eat nothing in 
 the frefli water ; and it may be the 
 better beheved, becaufe it is well 
 known, that Swallowes^ which are 
 not feen to flye in England for 
 fix months in the year, but about 
 Michaelmas leave us for a hotter cli- 
 mate ; yet fome of them, that have 
 been left behind their fellows, have v^iew Sir- 
 been found (many thoufand at a ^''''- ^'"'"^ 
 time) m hollow trees, where they 
 have been obferved to live and fleep 
 F 4 out 
 
88 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 SccTi?^^/ out the whole winter without meat; 
 ^^^^' and fo Albertus obferves that there is 
 one kind of Frog that hath her 
 mouth naturally fhut up about the 
 end oi Auguji, and that fhe lives fo 
 all the Winter, and though it be 
 ftrange to fome, yet it is known to 
 too many amongft us to bee doub- 
 ted. 
 
 And fo much for thefe Fordidg 
 TroutSy which never afford an An- 
 gler iport, but either live their time 
 of being in the frefh water by 
 their meat formerly gotten in the 
 Sea,(not unlike the Swallow or Frog) 
 or by the vertue of the frefh water 
 onlv, as the Camelion is faid to live 
 by the air. 
 
 There is alfo in Northumberlandy 
 a Trout, called a Bull Trout, of a 
 much greater length and bigneffe 
 then any in thefe Southernparts; and 
 there is in many Rivers that relate to 
 the Sea. Sahnon Tr^/z/j* as much dif- 
 ferent Oi.e from another, both in 
 
 ^hape 
 
"The Complete Angler. 89 
 
 fliape and in their ipots, as we fee 
 Sheep differ one from another in 
 their fhape and bignefs, and in the 
 finefs of their wool : and certainly 
 as fome Paftures do breed larger 
 Sheep, fo do fome Rivers, by rea- 
 fon of the ground over which they 
 run, breed larger Trouts . 
 
 Now the next thing that I will 
 commend to your confideration is. 
 That the Tr^z// is of amore fudden 
 growth then other fi{h: concerning 
 which you are alfo to take notice, 
 that he lives not fo long as the Pearch 
 and divers other fifhes do, as Sir 
 Francis Bacon hath obferved in his 
 Hiftory of life and death. 
 
 And next,you are to take notice, 
 that after hee is come to his full 
 growth,he declines in his bodie,but 
 keeps his bignefs or thrives in his 
 head till his death. And you are to 
 know that he wil about (eipecially 
 before)the time of his Spawning, get 
 almoll miraculoully through Weires 
 
 anr^ 
 
90 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 and Floud-Gates againft the ilream, 
 even through fuch high and fwift 
 places as is almoft incredible. Next, 
 that the Trout ufually Spawns about 
 OSlober or November^ but in fome 
 Rivers a little fooncr or later; w^hich 
 is the moreobfervable,becaufe moil 
 other fiih Spawne in the Spring or 
 Summer , w^hen the Sun hath 
 warmed both the earth and water, 
 and made it fit for generation. 
 
 And next,you are to note, that till 
 the Snn gets to fuch a height as to 
 warm the earth and the water, the 
 7r(5z// is fick, and lean, andlowfie, 
 and unwholfome : for you fhall in 
 winter find him to have a big head, 
 and then to belank,andthin,&lean; 
 at which time many of them have 
 flicking on them Sugs, ovTrout lice, 
 which is a kind of a worm, in fhape 
 like a Clove or a Pin, . with a big 
 head , and flicks clofe to him and 
 fucks his moiflure ; thofe I think the 
 Trout breeds himfelfe, and never 
 
 thrives 
 
The Complete Angler. 9 1 
 
 thrives til he free himfelf from them, 
 which is till warm weather comes, 
 and then as he growes Itronger, he 
 gets from the dead, ftill water, in- 
 to the fharp ftreames and the 
 gravel, and there rubs off thefe 
 worms or lice : and then as he grows 
 fi:ronger,fo he gets him into fwifter 
 and fwifter ftreams, and there lies 
 atthe watch for anv flie or Minow 
 that comes neer to him ; and he 
 cipecially loves the May flie,which is 
 bred of \}^^Cod-wormor Caddis\2SiA. 
 thefe make the Trout bold and luftie, 
 and he is ufually fatter, and better 
 meat at the end of that month, then 
 at any time of the year. 
 
 Now you are to know, that it is 
 obierved,that ufually thebeft Trout s 
 are either red or yellow, though 
 fome be white and yet good; but 
 that is not uiual ; and it is a note ob- 
 fervable that the female Trout hath 
 ufually a lefs head and a deeper bo- 
 dv then the male Trout : and a little 
 
 head 
 
92 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 head to any fifh, cither Trout, SaU 
 monfiv other iifh, is a lign that that 
 iifli is in feafon. 
 
 But yet you are to note, that as 
 you fee fome Willows or Palm trees 
 budandbloflbmefooner then others 
 do, fo fome Trout sho, in fome Rivers 
 fooner in feafon ; and as the Holly 
 or Oak are longer before they caft 
 their Leaves, fc are fome Trouts 
 in fome Rivers longer before they go 
 out of feafon. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
^he Complete Angler. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 N D having told you thefe 
 Obfervations concerning 
 TroutSy I fhall next tell you 
 how to catch them : which is ufual- 
 ly vv^ith a Worm^oi a Minnow (which 
 fome call a Penke;J or with a Fliey 
 either a natural or an artificial Flie : 
 Concerning which three I wilgive 
 you fome Obfervations and Diredli- 
 ons. 
 
 For Worms, there be very ma- 
 ny forts ; fome bred onely in the 
 earth, as \}i\^ earth "worm ; others a- 
 mongft or of plants,as th^ dug worm; 
 and others in the bodies of living 
 creatures ; or fome of dead flefh, as 
 the Magot or Gentle, and others. 
 
 Now thefe be moft of them par- 
 ticularly good for particular fifhes: 
 but for the Trout the dew - worm^ 
 
 which 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 (which fome alfo cal X^a^Loh-wortn) 
 and the jBr^W//;?^ are the chief; and 
 eipecially the firft for a great Trout, 
 and the later for a lefle. There be 
 alfo of iob~wormsSomt cAXcdifquir el- 
 tails (a worm which has a red head, 
 a ftreakdown the back, and a broad 
 taily/ which are noted to be the beft, 
 becaufe they are the tougheft, and 
 and moft lively, and live longeft in 
 the water: for vou are to know, 
 that a dead worm is but a dead bait, 
 and like to catch nothing, compared 
 to a lively, quick, ftirring worm : 
 And for a Brandlings hee is ufually 
 found in an old dunghil, or fome 
 very rotten place neer to it ; but 
 moft ufually in cow dung, or hogs 
 dung,rather then horfe dung, which 
 isfomewhattoo hot and dry for that 
 worm. 
 
 Tliere are alfo divers other kindes 
 of worms , which foi colour and 
 ihape alter even as the ground out 
 ©fwhich they are got: ii^tht mar Jlo" 
 
T.'he Complete Angler. 
 
 worm^ the tag-tail^ t]ic Jlag-wornty 
 the dock-worm, the oake-worm , the 
 gilt-tail y and too many to name, 
 even as many forts, as fome think 
 there be of feverall kinds of birds in 
 the air : of which I fhall fay no 
 more, but tell you, that what worms 
 foever you fifh with, are the better 
 for being long kept before they be 
 ufed ; and in cafe you have not been 
 ib provident, then the way tocleanfe 
 and fcoure them quickly, is to put 
 them all night in water, if they be 
 Lob-worms, and then put them in- 
 to your bag with fennel: but you 
 muft not put your Brandling above 
 an hour in water, and then put them 
 into fennel for fudden ufe : but if 
 you have time, and purpofe to keep 
 them long, then they be beft pre- 
 ferved in an earthen pot with good 
 ilore of moffe, which is to be frefli 
 every week or eight dayes ; or at 
 kaft taken from them, and clean 
 ivafh'd, and wrung betwixt your 
 
 hands 
 
72v Complete Angler. 
 
 hands till it be dry, and then put it 
 to them again : And for Mofs you 
 are to note, that there be divers 
 kindes of it which I could name to 
 you, but wil onely tel you, that that 
 which is likeft a Bucks horn is the 
 befl; exceptitbe*z£;>6//^ Mofs, which 
 grows on fome heaths, and is hard to 
 be found. 
 
 For the Minnow or Penke^ he is 
 eafily found and caught in April , 
 for then hee appears in the Rivers : 
 but Nature hath taught him to fhel- 
 ter and hide himfelf in the Winter 
 in ditches that be neer to the River, 
 and there both to hide and keep 
 himfelf warm in the weeds, which 
 rot not fo foon as in a running Ri- 
 ver ; in which place if hee Vv^ere in 
 Winter,the diftempered Floods that 
 are ufually in that feafon, would 
 fuifer him to havenoiejft, but carry 
 him headlong to Mils and Weires 
 to his confulion. Ana of thefe 
 MinnowSy firll you are to know,that 
 
 the 
 
The Complete Angler. 97 
 
 the biggeft fize is not the befl ; and 
 next, that the middle iize and the 
 whiteft are the beft : and then you 
 are to know , that I cannot well 
 teach in words, but muffc fhew you 
 how to put it on your hook, that it 
 may turn the better : And you are 
 alfo to know, that it is impolsible it 
 fhould turn too quick ; And you are 
 yet to know, that in cafe you want 
 a Minnow, then a fmall Lochj or a 
 Sticklebagy or any other fmall Fifli 
 will ferve as wel : And you are yet 
 to know, that you may ialt, and by 
 that means keep them fit for ufe 
 three or four dayes or longer ; and 
 that of fait, bay fait is the beft. 
 
 Now for jF//^ J-, which is the third 
 bait wherewith Trozits are ufually 
 taken. You are to know, that there 
 are as many forts of Flies as there be 
 of Fruits : I will name youbutfome 
 of them : as the duiz fae, xhtjlone 
 jiie^ the red jiie^ the moor fiie^ the 
 tawny fue, th^JIjelfJe, the cloudy or 
 H black- 
 
9^ The Complete Angler. 
 
 bIackI{h;?/>; there be of Flies, Ca^ 
 tcrpillars^^ind Canker jlieSy and Bear 
 jlles ; and indeed, too many either 
 formee to name, or for you to re- 
 member : and their breeding is fo 
 various and wonderful, that I might 
 eaiily amaze my felf, and tire you in 
 a relation of them. 
 
 And yet I wil exercife your pro- 
 mifed patience by laying a little of 
 the Caterpillar^ or the Palmer jiie or 
 nvorm ; that by them you may guefs 
 what a work it were in a Difcourfe 
 but to run over thofe very many 
 iiieSy wormsy and little Hying crea- 
 tures with which the Sun and Sum- 
 mer adorn and beautifie the river 
 banks and meadows ; both for the 
 recreation and contemplation of the 
 Angler; and which (I think) I my- 
 felf enjoy more then any other man 
 that is not of my profefsion, 
 
 Pliny holds an opinion, that ma- 
 ny have their birth or being from a 
 <iew that in the Spring falls upon the 
 
 leaves 
 
T^he Complete Angler. i)^ 
 
 leaves of trees ; and that fome kinds 
 of them are from a dew left upon 
 herbs or flowers : and others from 
 a dew left upon Colworts or Cab- 
 bages : All v/hich kindes of dews 
 being thickened and condenfed, are 
 by the Suns generative heat moft of 
 them hatch'd, and in three dayes 
 made living creatures, andoffeve- 
 ral fhapes and colours ; fome being 
 hard and tough, fome fmooth and 
 loft; fome are horned in their head, 
 fome in their tail, fome have none; 
 fome have hair, fome none; fome 
 haveiixteen feet,fome lefs,and fome 
 have none: but (as our Topfel hath 
 with great diligence obferved)thofe^^/^'y^'^ 
 which have none , move upon the Serpents. 
 earth, or upon broad leaves, their 
 motionbeingnot unlike to the waves 
 of the fea. Some of them hee alfo 
 obferves to be bred of the eggs of 
 other Caterpillers : and that thofe 
 in their time turn to be Butter-Jiies; 
 and again, that their eggs turn the 
 H 2 iol- 
 
loo T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 following yeer to be Caterpilkrs. 
 
 'Tis endlefle to tell you what the 
 curious Searchers into Natures pro- 
 ductions, have obferved of thefe 
 Worms and Flies : But yet I fhall 
 tell you what our Topfelid^yts ot the 
 C anker y or Pahner-worniy or Cater - 
 piller ; That wheras others content 
 themfelves to feed on particular 
 herbs or leaves (for moft think, thofe 
 very leaves that gave them life and 
 ihape, give them a particular feed- 
 ing and nouriihment, and that up- 
 on them they ufually abide;) yet 
 he obferves, that this is called a Pil- 
 grim or Palmer-worm , for his very 
 wandering life and various food ; 
 not contenting himfelf( as others do) 
 with any certain place for his abode, 
 nor any certain kinde of herb or 
 flower for his feeding; but will 
 boldly and dilorderly wander up 
 and down, and not endure to be 
 kept to a diet, or fixt to a particular 
 place. 
 
 Nay, 
 
Ihe Complete AngW. lOi 
 
 Nay, the very colours oi Caterpil^ 
 lers are,as one has oblerved, very ele- 
 gant and beautiful:! fhal(for a taileot 
 the reft(defcribe one of them, which 
 I will fometime the next month, 
 fhew you feeding on a Willow tree, 
 and you fhal find him punftually to 
 anfwer this very defcription : "His 
 "lips and mouth fomewhat yel- 
 "low, his eyes black as Jet, his 
 "fore-head purple, his feet and 
 "hinder parts green, his tail two 
 "forked and black, the whole body 
 ^^ftain'd with a kind of red fpots 
 "which run along the neck and 
 " jfhoulder-blades, not unlike the 
 "form of a Crofs, or the letter X, 
 "made thus crofs-wife , and a 
 "white line drawn down his back 
 "to his tail; all which add much 
 "beautytohiswholebody. Anditis 
 to me obfervable,that at a fix'd age 
 this C^/^r^///?r gives over to eat, and 
 towards winter comes to be coverd 
 over with a ftrange fhell or cruft,and 
 H 3 fo 
 
102 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 fo lives a kind of dead life, without 
 
 . eating all the winter^ and (as other?, 
 
 Fra.Baconoi {^v^r2X kinds tum to be fevera! 
 
 exper. 728 ^{^^3 of flies and vermin,the Sprincr 
 
 ci 90. m . . ^ t tL* 
 
 his Natu- followingy fo this Caterpiller theu: 
 raiHiftory ^^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^ painted Butterflye. 
 
 Come, come my Scholer, you 
 fee the River ftops our morning 
 walk, and I wll alfo here ftop my 
 difcourfe, only ^s we lit down under 
 this Honey-Suckle hedge, whilft I 
 look a Line to fit the Rod that our 
 brother Peter has lent you, I ihall 
 for a little confirmation of what 1 
 have faid, repeat the obfervation of 
 the Lord Bart as. 
 
 God not contented to each kind to give^ 
 And to infufe the vertiie generative y 
 By his wife power made 7nany creatures breed 
 Oflivelefs bodies /without Venus deed. 
 
 So the cold humour breeds the Salamander, 
 IV bo {in eff'eSl) like to her birth" commander ^ 
 
 With 
 
^he Complete Angler. 103 
 
 With child with hundredwinters/ivith her touch 
 Sluencheth the fir e^though glowing ne'rfi) much 
 
 So in the fire in burning furnace fprings 
 Thefiy Peraufta with thefiaming wings ; 
 Without the fire it dieSy in it, itjoyeSy 
 Living in that which all things elfe defiroyes, 
 
 Gerb. 
 
 Sofiow^oott'^ underneath him fees Herbal 
 In tloicie Ifia72dsGoiWngs hatcht of trees ^ bden! 
 Whofe fruitful leaves falling into the water , 
 Are tuj^nditis' known^ to living fowls foon after 
 
 So rotten planks of broken flnps^ d: change 
 To Barnacles. Oh transforjnationfirange ! 
 ''Twas firfi a green tree J: hen a broken hull. 
 Lately a Mufioroom^ now a flying Gull. 
 
 Fi.Oh my good Mafter,tliis morn- 
 ing walk has been fpent to my great 
 pleafure and wonder : but I pray, 
 when {hall I have your diredtior 
 how to make Artificial flyes, like to 
 thofe that the Trout loves befh? and 
 alfo how to ufe them ? 
 
 H 4 Pffc. 
 
IC4 T^f^- Complete Angler. 
 
 Fife. My honeft Scholer, it is 
 now paftfive of the Clock, we will 
 fifh til nine,and then gotoBreakfaft; 
 Go you to yonder Sycamore tree^ 
 and hide your bottle of drink un- 
 der the hollow root of it ; for about 
 that time, and in that place, wewil 
 make a brave Breakfaft with a piece 
 of powdered Bief, and a Radifh or 
 two that I have in my Fifh-bag; we 
 fhall, I warrant you, make a good 
 honeft, wholfome, hungry Break-' 
 faft,and I will give you direftion foi 
 the making and ufing of your fly : 
 and in the mean time, there is your 
 Rod and line;and my advice is,that 
 you fifh as you fee mee do, and 
 lets try which can catch the firft 
 fifh. 
 
 Viat. Ithankyou,Mafter, I will 
 obferve and praftice your direftion 
 as far as I am able. 
 
 Pifc. Look you Scholer, you fee 
 I have hold of a good fifh : I now 
 fee it is a Trout ; I pray put that net 
 
 under 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 105 
 
 under him, and touch not my line, 
 for if you do, then wee break all. 
 Well done, Scholer, I thank you. 
 Now for an other. Truft me, I 
 have another bite : Come Scholer, 
 come lay down your Rod, and help 
 me to land this as you did the other. 
 So, now we fhall be fure to have a 
 good difh of fiih for fupper. 
 
 Viat. I am glad of that, but I 
 have no fortune ; fure Mafter yours 
 is a better Rod, and better Tack- 
 ling.^ 
 
 Pifc. Nay then, take mine and 
 1 will fifh with yours. Look you, 
 Scholer, I have another : come, do 
 as you did before. And now I have 
 a bite at another. Oh me he has 
 broke all, there's half a line and a 
 good hook loft. 
 
 Vtat. Mafter, I can neither catch 
 with the firftnor fecond Angle; I 
 have no fortune. 
 
 Pifc. Look you, Scholer, I have 
 yet another: and now having caught 
 
 three 
 
^c6 The Complete Angler. 
 
 three brace oiTrouts, I will tel you 
 a (hort Tale as we walk towards our 
 Breakfaft. A Scholer (a Preach- 
 er Ifhould fay) that was to preach 
 to procure the approbation of a Pa- 
 rifli, that he might be their Lediu- 
 rer, had got from a fellow Pupil of 
 his the Copy of a Sermon that was 
 firftpreachedwith a great commen- 
 dation by him that compofed and 
 prechtit; and though the borrower 
 of it preach't it word for word,as it 
 wasatiirft,yet it was utterly dillik'd 
 as it was preach'd by the fecond ; 
 which the Sermon Borrower com* 
 plained of to the Lender of it , and 
 was thus anfwered; I lent you indeed 
 my Fiddle J but not my Fiddlejlick ; 
 and you are to know,that every one 
 cannot make mufickwith my words 
 which are fitted for my own mouth. 
 And fo my Scholer , you are to 
 know, that as the ill pronunciation 
 or ill accenting of a word m a Ser- 
 mon fpoiles it, fo th^ ill ci^rriage oi 
 
 your 
 
The Complete Angler. lof 
 
 your Line, or not iiihing even to a 
 foot in a right place, makes you lofe 
 your labour: and you are to know^ 
 that though you have my Fiddle, 
 that is,my very Rod and Tacklings 
 with which you fee I catch fifh, yet 
 you have not my Fiddle ftick, that 
 is,skill to know how to carry your 
 hand and line ; and this mufl: be 
 taught you(for you are to remember 
 I told you Angling is an Art) either 
 by pra(3:ice,or a long obfervation,or 
 both. 
 
 But now lets fay Grace, and fall 
 to Breakfaft; what fay you Scholer, 
 to the providence of an old Angler? 
 Does not this meat tafle well. ^ and 
 was not this place well chofen to eat 
 it? for this Sycamore tree will fhade 
 us from the Suns heat. 
 
 Vtat. All excellent good,Mafler, 
 and my ftomack excellent too ; I 
 have been at many coftly Dinners 
 that have not afforded me half this 
 content : and now good Mal1:er,ta 
 
 your 
 
lo8 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 your promifed direftion for ma- 
 king and ordering my Artiliciall 
 flye. 
 
 Fife. My honeft Scholer, I will 
 do it, for it is a debt due unto you, 
 by my promife : and becaufe you 
 fhall not think your felf more enga- 
 ged to me then indeed you really 
 are, therefore I will tell you freely^ 
 I find Mr. 'Thomas Barker (a Gentle- 
 man that has fpent much time and 
 money in Angling) deal fo judicial- 
 ly and freely in a little book of his 
 ofAngling,and efpecially of making 
 and Angling with "Sijlye for a Trout y 
 that I will give you his very directi- 
 ons without much variation, which 
 fhal follow. 
 
 Let your rod be light, and very 
 gentle, I think the beft are of two 
 pieces; the line fhould not exceed, e- 
 Ipecially for three or four links to- 
 wards the hook) I fay, not ex- 
 ceed 
 
The Complete Angler. 1 09 
 
 ceed three or four haires ; but if 
 you can attain to Angle with one 
 haire, you will have more rifes, 
 and catch more fifh. Now you 
 muft bee lure not to cumber your- 
 felfe with too long a Line, as moil 
 do : and before you begin to an- 
 gle, cafttohave the v/ind on your 
 back, and the Sun (if it fhines) to 
 be before you, and to fifli down 
 the jftreame) and carry the point 
 or top of the Rod downeward; 
 by which meanes the ihadow of 
 your felfe, and Rod too will be the 
 leaft offenfive to the Fifli, for the 
 fight of any fhadow amazes the 
 fifh , and Ipoiles your fport, of 
 which you mufl take a great 
 care. 
 
 In the middle of March /^till 
 wrhich time a man fhould not in 
 honeftie catch a Trout) or in A- 
 prilyifthc weather be dark,or a lit- 
 tle windy, or cloudie,the beft fifhing 
 
 is 
 
no T!he Complete Angler. 
 
 is with the F aimer-worm^ of which I 
 laftlpoke toyou; but of thele there 
 be divers kinds, or at leaft ot divers 
 colours, thefe and the May-jly are 
 the groun d of al ] j^- Anghng,which 
 are to be thus made : 
 
 Firft you muft arm your hook, 
 with the line in the iniide of it; then 
 take your Sciffers and cut fo much 
 of a browne Malards feather as in 
 your own reafon wil make the wings 
 of it, you having withall regard to 
 the bignefs or littlenefs of your 
 hook, then lay the outmoft part of 
 your feather next to your hook,then 
 the point of your feather next the 
 Ihank of your hook; and having fo 
 done, whip it three or four times 
 about the hook with the fame Silk, 
 with which your hook was armed, 
 and having made the Silk faft, take 
 the hackel of a Cock or Capons neck, 
 or aP/(5T?d'rj-top,which is ufually bet- 
 ter ; take off the one fide of the fea- 
 ther, and then take the hackel. Silk 
 
 or 
 
The Complete Anglen 1 1 J 
 
 or Crewel, Gold or Silver thred, 
 make tliefe faft at the bent of the 
 hook, that is to fay, below your ar- 
 ming) then you muft take the hack- 
 el, the filver or gold thred, and work 
 it up to the wings, fhifting or ftil re- 
 moving your fingers as you turn the 
 Silk about the hook: and ftill look- 
 ing at every flop or turne that your 
 gold, or what materials foever you 
 make your Fly of, do lye right and 
 neatly ; and if you find they do fo, 
 then when you have made the head, 
 make all fall, and then work your 
 hackel up to the head , and make 
 that fail ; and then with a needle or 
 pin divide the wing ir.tc two, and 
 then with the arming Silk whip it a- 
 boutcrofs-w ayes betwixt the wings, 
 and then with your thumb you muft 
 turn the point of the feather toward s «. 
 the bent of the hook, and then work 
 three or four times about the Ihank 
 of the hook and then view the 
 proportion, and ifallbeneat, and 
 
112 T!he Complete Angler. 
 
 to your liking, faften. 
 
 I confefs, no dired:ion can be gi- 
 ven to make a man of a dull capaci- 
 ty able to make a flye well; and yet 
 I know,this,with a little prad;ice,wil 
 help and ingenuous Angler in a good 
 degree; but to fee a fly made by a- 
 nother, is the beft teaching to make 
 it, and then an ingenuous Angler 
 may walk by the River and mark 
 what fly falls on the water that day, 
 and catch one of them, if he fee the 
 T routs leap at a fly of that kind, and 
 having alwaies hooks ready hung 
 with him, and having a bag alfo, al- 
 waies with him with Bears hair, or 
 the hair of a brown or fad coloured 
 Heifer,hackels of a Cock or Capon, 
 feveral coloured Silk and Crewel to 
 make the body of the fly, the feathers 
 of a Drakes he ad, black or brown 
 fheeps wool,orHogs wool, or hair, 
 thred of Gold, and of filver ; filk 
 of feveral colours ( elpecially fad 
 coloured to make the head ;) and 
 
 there 
 
The Complete Angler. 113 
 
 there be alfo other colour'd feathers 
 both of birds and of peckled 
 fowl. Ifay,having thofe with him 
 in a bag, and trying to make a flie, 
 though he mifs at firft,yet fhal he at 
 laft hit it better, even to a perfeftion 
 which none can well teachhim; and 
 if he hit to make h.h>Jiie right, and 
 have the luck to hit alfo where 
 there is ftore of trouts^ and a right 
 wind, he fhall catch fuch ftore 
 of them, as will encourage him to 
 grow more and more in love with 
 the Art oijlie-making. 
 
 Viat. But my loving Mafter, if 
 any wind will notferve, then I wifh 
 I were in Lapland^ to buy a good 
 wind of one of the honeft witches, 
 that fell fo many winds, and fo 
 cheap. 
 
 Pifc. Marry Scholer, but I would 
 not be there, nor indeed from under 
 this tree ; for look how it begins to 
 rain, and by the clouds(if I miftake 
 noty/we fhall prefentJy have a fmoa- 
 I king 
 
114 T^^i^ Complete Angle? . 
 
 kingfhowre ; and therefore fit clofe, 
 this Sycamore tree will flielter us ; and 
 I will tellyou,as they fliall come into 
 my mind, more obfervations of flie- 
 fifhing for a Trout. 
 
 But firft,for the Winde ; you are 
 to take notice that of the windes the 
 South winde is faid to be beft. One 
 obferves , That 
 
 When the winde isfouth^ 
 It blows your bait into afifloes mouth. 
 
 Next to that,theT£J(?/? winde is be- 
 lieved to be the beft: and havinii; 
 told you that the Fjajl winde is the 
 worft, I need not tell you which 
 winde is beft in the third degree : 
 And yet (as Solomon obferves, that 
 Ilee that conjiders the winde JJoall ne- 
 ver fow: fo hee that bufies his head 
 too much about them, (if the wea- 
 ther be not made extreme cold by 
 an Eaft winde) fhall be a little fu- 
 perftitious : for as it is obferved by 
 iome. That there is no good horfe 
 
 of 
 
''I' he Complete Angler. 115 
 
 of a bad colour ; fo I have obfer- 
 ved, that if it be a clow dy day, and 
 not extreme cold, let the winde fit 
 in what corner it will , and do its 
 worft. And yet take this for a 
 Rule , that I would willingly iifh 
 on the Lee-fhore : and you are to 
 take notice , that the Fifh lies, or 
 fwimms neerer the bottom in Win- 
 ter then in Summer, and alfo neerer 
 the bottom in any cold day. 
 
 But I promifed to tell you more 
 of the Flie-fijfhing for a "Trout J^\\\q\i 
 I may have time enough to do, for 
 yo\x{^^\.\.r'^m^May -butter.) Firftfor 
 a May-Jliey you may make his body 
 with greenifh coloured crewel, or 
 willow colour; darkning it in moft 
 places, with waxed filk, or ribd 
 with a black hare, or fome of them 
 lib'd with lilver thred ; and fuch 
 wings for the colour as you fee the 
 flie to have at that feafon;nay at that 
 very day on the water. Or you may 
 make the Oak-jiie with an Orange- 
 I 2 tawny 
 
1 1 6 ^Tbe Complete Angler. 
 
 tawny and black ground, and the 
 brown of a Mallards feather for the 
 wings ; and you are to know, that 
 thefe two are moil excellent^/>j-,that 
 is, the May-flie and the Oak-Jlie: 
 And let me again tell you, that you 
 keep as far from the water as you can 
 pofsibly, whether you fifh with aflie 
 or worm, and fi(h down the ftream; 
 and when youfiih with a flie, if it be 
 pofsible, let no part of your line 
 touch the water, but your flie only; 
 and be flil moving your fly upon the 
 water, or cafl:ing it into the water; 
 you your felf,being alfo alwaies mo- 
 ving down the ftream. M^ Barker 
 commends feverall forts of the pal- 
 mer flies, not only thofe rib'd with 
 lilver and gold,but others that have 
 their bodies all made of black, or 
 lome with red,and a red hackel;you 
 may alfo make the hawthern-fltey 
 whichis all black and not big,but ve- 
 ry fmal,the fmaller the better ; or the 
 c?^/^-;?^', the body of which is Orange 
 
 colour 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 1 1 7 
 
 colour and black crewel, with a 
 brown wing,or a^ made with a pea- 
 cocks feather,is excellent in a bright 
 day : you muft be fure you want not 
 in your Magazin bag, the Peacocks 
 feather, and grounds of fuel: wool, 
 and crewel as will make the Grafs- 
 hopper: and note, that ufually, the 
 fmalleft flies are beft; and note alfo, 
 that, the light flie does ufually make 
 moil Iport in a dark day : and the 
 darkeft and leaft flie in a bright or 
 I cleare day ; and lafl:ly note, that you 
 I are to repaire upon any occafion to 
 your Magazin bag^ and upon any 
 occafion vary and make them ac- 
 cording to your fancy. 
 
 And now I ihall tell you, that the 
 filliing with a naturall flie is excel- 
 lent,and affords much pleafure; they 
 may be found thus, the May-jly u- 
 fually in and about that month neer 
 to the River fide, elpecially againft 
 rain ; the Oak-fly oxi the Butt or bo- 
 dy of an Oak or Aflj^ from the be- 
 I 3 ginning 
 
I I'rf T^he Coffiplete Ajtgler. 
 
 ginning oiMayX.o the end o{ Augufl 
 it is a brownilli jfly , and eaiie to be 
 fo found, and ftandsufually with his 
 head downward, that is to fay, to- 
 wards the root of the tree; the fmal 
 black fly,or hawthorn fly is to be had 
 on any Hawthorn bufh, after the 
 leaves be come forth; with thefe 
 and a fliort Line (as I fhewed to An- 
 gle for a Chub) you may dap or dop, 
 and alfo with a GraJJjoppery behind a 
 tree, or in any deep hole, ftill ma- 
 king it to move on the top of the 
 water, as if it were alive, and ftiil 
 keeping your felf out of fight, you 
 fliall certainly have Iport if there be 
 Trouts ; yea in a hot day, but e- 
 Ipecially in the evening of a hot 
 day. 
 
 And now, Scholer, my direfti- 
 on for fly-filhing is ended with this 
 fhowre, for it has done raining, and 
 now look about you, and fee how 
 pleafantly that Meadow looks, nay 
 and the earth fmels as fweetly too. 
 
 Comei 
 
The Complete Angler. i i^ 
 
 Come let me tell you what holy 
 M r. Herbert faies of fuch day es and 
 Flowers as thele, and then we will 
 thank God that we enjoy them, and 
 walk to the River and fi i down quiet- 
 ly and try to catch the other brace of 
 T^roiits. 
 
 Sweet day^fo coolyfo calm^fo bright y 
 T'he bridal of the earth and skie^ 
 Sweet dews jhal weep thy fall to. nighty 
 for thou muft die 
 
 Sweet Rofe^whofe hew angry andh ave 
 Bids the rajh gazer wipe his eye, 
 T^hy root is ever in its grave ^ 
 
 and thou muf die. 
 
 Sweet Spring ful of fweet days & rofeSy 
 A box where fweet 'j compadled lie ; 
 My Mufrkfjewesyou have your clofes^ 
 and all muf die. 
 
 Only a fweet and vertuous foul y 
 hike feaf one d timber never gives y 
 
 I 4 But 
 
I20 l^he Corny iete Angler. 
 
 But when the whole world turns to cole^ 
 then chiefly lives. 
 
 Viat. I thank you, good Mafter, 
 for your good dired:'*on for fly-fiih- 
 ing, and for the tweet enjoyment of 
 the pleafant day,which is fo far fpent 
 without offence to God or man. and 
 I thank you for the fweet clofe of 
 your difcourfe with Mr. Herbertr 
 Verfes, which 1 have heard, loved j 
 Angling;and I do the rather beheve' 
 it, becaufe he had a fpirit futable to 
 Anglers , and to thofe Primitive 
 Chrijftians that you love, and have 
 fo much commended. 
 
 Pifc. Well, my loving Scholer, 
 and I am pleafed to know that you 
 are fo well pleafed with my direction 
 and difcourfe ; and I hope you 
 will be pleafed too, if you find a 
 Trout at one of our Angles., which 
 we left in the water tofiih for it felf; 
 youfhall chufe which Ihiall be yours, 
 and it is an even lay, one catches; 
 
 And 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 12\ 
 
 And let me tell you, this kind of 
 fi{hing,and laying Night-hooks, are 
 like putting money to ufe , for 
 they both work for die Owners, 
 when they do nothing but fleep, or 
 eat,or rejoice, as you know we have 
 done this laft hour, and fate as qui- 
 etly and as free from cares under this 
 Sycamore J zs Firg^'/s Tifyrusznd his 
 MelibceusdJiA under their broadS^^T/^ 
 tree : No life, my honeft Scholer, 
 no life fo happy and fo pleafant as 
 the Anglers, unlefs it be the Beggers 
 life in Summer ; for then only 
 they take no care, but are as happy 
 as we Anglers. 
 
 Viat. Indeed Mafter, and fo they 
 be, as is witneffed by the beggers 
 Song, made long fince by Frank 
 Davifon, a good Poet, who was 
 not aBegger,thoughhe were a good 
 Poet. 
 
 Fife. Can you ling it,Scholer? 
 
 Viat. Sit down a little, good Ma- 
 fter,and I wii try. 
 
 Bright 
 
122 "The Compktt Angler. 
 
 Bright fiines the Suriyplay beggers^ play^ 
 here'sfcraps enough toferve to day : 
 
 What noife of viols isfofweet 
 
 As when our merry clappers ring ? 
 
 What mirth doth want when beggers meet ? 
 
 A beggers life is for a King : 
 
 Eat^drink and play ^fe^p when we liji^ 
 Go where we uillfojiocks be mif. 
 Bright Jhines the Sun ^ play beggers , &c 
 
 The world is ours and ours alone ^ 
 
 F(9r we alone have world at will\ 
 
 We pur chafe not, allisourown. 
 
 Both fields andfreets we beggers fill : 
 Play beggers play^ play beggers play^ 
 here's for aps enough toferve to day. 
 
 A hundred herds of black and white 
 Upon our Gowns fecurely fe'^d^ 
 And yet if any dare us bite. 
 He dies therefore as fure as Creed \ 
 Thus beggers I/jrd it as they pleafe^ 
 And only beggers live at eafe : 
 B?^ight Jhines the Sun y play beggers play, 
 here' sfcrap^ enough toferve to day. 
 
 Fife 
 
The Complete Angler. 123 
 
 Pifc. I thank you good Scholer, 
 this Song was well humor'd by the 
 maker, and well remembred and 
 lung by yuo; and I pray forget not 
 the Ketch which you promifed to 
 make againft night, for our Coun- 
 try man honelt Coridon will expecft 
 vour Ketch and my Song, which I 
 muft be forc'd to patch up, for it is 
 fo long fince I learnt it, tliat I have 
 forgot a part of it. But come, lets 
 ftretch our legs a little in a gentle 
 walk to the River,andtry what in te- 
 reft our Angles wil pay us for lend- 
 ing them fo long to be jfed by the 
 Trouts. 
 
 Viat. Oh me, lookyou Mafter, 
 afifh, afifh. 
 
 Pifc. I marry Sir, that was a good 
 fifli indeed ; if I had had the luck to 
 have taken up that Rod, 'tis twenty 
 to one he ihould not have broke my 
 line by running to the Rods end, as 
 you fuffered him ; I would have 
 held him, unlefs he had been fellow 
 
 to 
 
124 T^^ Complete Angle f. 
 
 to the great Trout that is neer an ell 
 long, which had hispid:uredrawne, 
 and now to be feen at mine Hofte 
 Rickabies at the George in Ware ; and 
 it may be, by giving that Trout the 
 Rod, that is, by caftin git to him in- 
 to the water, I might have caught 
 him at the long run, for fo I ufe al - 
 waiesto do when I meet with an o- 
 ver-grown fifh, and you will learn 
 to do fo hereafter ; for I tell you, 
 Scholer, fifhing is an Art, or at 
 leaft, it is an Art to catch fifh. 
 
 Fiat. But, Mafter, will this Tr^^/ 
 die, for it is like he has the hook in 
 his belly? 
 
 Pifc. I wil tel you, Scholer, that un- 
 lefs the hook be fait, in his vtvy 
 Gorge, he wil live, and a little time 
 with the help of the water, wil ruil; 
 the hook,& it wil in time wear away 
 as the gravel does in the horfe hoof, 
 which only leaves a falfe quarter. 
 
 And now Scholer, lets go to my 
 Rod. Look you Scholer, I have 
 
 afifh 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 125 
 
 a filh too, but it proves a logger- 
 headed Chub\ and this is not much 
 a mifs , for this wil pleafure fome 
 poor body, as we go to our lodg- 
 ing to meet our brother Peter and 
 honefl Coridon- Come, now bait 
 your hook again, and lay it into the 
 water, for it rains again, and we wil 
 ev'n retire to the Syca??iore tree, and 
 there I wil give you more directions 
 concerning fifhing ; for I would 
 fain make yon an Artift. 
 
 Viat. Yes, good Mafter, I pray 
 let it be fo. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
126 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 CHAP. V^. 
 
 Fife. ^ y^ yEL, Scholer, 
 \ / \ / now we are 
 ▼ ▼ fate downe 
 and are at eale, I fhall tel you a lit- 
 tle more of Trout fifhing before I 
 ipeak of the Salmcn (which I pur- 
 pofe fhall be next) and then of the 
 Pike or Luce. You are to know, 
 there is night as well as day-fifhing 
 for a Trout , and that then thebeft 
 are out of their holds; and the man- 
 ner of taking them is on the top of 
 the water with a great Z/?^ or Garden 
 worm^ or rather two ; which you 
 are to fifh for in a place where the 
 water runs fomewh at quietly (for in 
 a ftream it wil not befo well difcer- 
 ned.) I fdy,in a quiet or dead place 
 neer to feme fwift, there draw your 
 bait over the top of tne water to 
 
 and 
 
The Complete Angler. 127 
 
 aiid fro, and if there be a good Trout 
 in the hole, hewiltakeit, efpecia)- 
 ly if the night be dark; for then he 
 lies boldly necr the top of the water, 
 watching the motion of any Frog or 
 JVater-moufey or Rat betwixt him 
 and the skie, which he hunts for if 
 hefees thewater butwrinkle or move 
 in one of thefe dead holes, where 
 the great Trouts ufually lye neer to 
 their hold. 
 
 And you muft fiih for him with a 
 llrong line, and not a little hook, 
 and let him have time to gorge your 
 hook, for he does not ufually for- 
 fake it, as he oft will in the day- 
 fifhing: and if the night be not dark, 
 then fifh fo with an Artificialfiyoi^i 
 light colour; nay he will fometimes 
 rife at a dead Moufe cr a piece of 
 cloth, or any thing thr.t feemes to 
 fwim crofs the water,ortobe in mo- 
 tion : this is a choice way, but I 
 have not oft ufed it becaufe it i^ void 
 of the pleafj:es that fuch di-yes as 
 
 ' thele 
 
128 The Complete Angler. 
 
 thefe that we new injoy, afford an 
 Angler. 
 
 And you are to know, that in 
 Hamp-Jhire, (which I think exceeds 
 all England iov pleafant Brooks, and 
 ftore of Trouts) they ufe to catch 
 Trouts in the night by the light of a 
 Torch or jftraw, which when they 
 have difcovered, they ftrike with a 
 Trout fpear ; this kind of way they 
 catch many,but I would not believe 
 it till I was an eye-witnefs of it, nor 
 like it now I have (ttn it. 
 
 Fiat. But Mafter, do not Trouts 
 fee us in the night .^ 
 
 Pifc. Yes,and hear,and fmel too, 
 both then and in the day time, for 
 Gefner obferves,the Otter fmels a fifh 
 forty furlong oif him in the water; 
 and that it may be true, is affirmed 
 by Sir Francis Bacon (in the eighth 
 Century of his I-iiatural Hiftory) 
 who there proves, that waters may 
 be the Medium of founds, by de- 
 monftrating it thus,T'y6^/ ifyouknock 
 
 two 
 
The Complete Angler. 129 
 
 twojlones together very deep under the 
 water ythofe thatjiandon abankneerto 
 that place may hear the noife without a- 
 ny diminution of it by the water, H e al- 
 fo offers the like experiment concer- 
 ning the letting an Anchor fall by a 
 very long Cable or rope on a Rock, 
 orthefand within the Sea: and this 
 being fo wel obferved and demon- 
 ftrated, as it is by that learned man, 
 has made me to believe that Eeles 
 unbed themfelves, and ftir at the 
 noife of the Thunder, and not only 
 as fome think, by the motion or the 
 ftirring of theearth, v^hichis occafi- 
 oned by that Thunder. 
 
 And this reafon o£ Sir Frarjcis Ba- 
 cons has made me crave pardon of 
 one that I laughtat, for affirming 
 that he knew C^r/^j" come to a cer- 
 tain place in a Pond to be fed at the 
 ringing of a Bel; and itfhallbea 
 rule for me to make as little noife as 
 I can wheni am a iifhing, until Sir 
 Francis Baconhc confuted, v/hich I 
 K fliall 
 
130 T'be Complete Angler. 
 
 dial give any man leave to do,and fo 
 leave off this Philofophical difcourfe 
 for a difcourfe of fifhing. 
 
 Of which my next fhall be to tell 
 you, it is certain, that certain fields 
 neer Lemjier^ a Town in Hereford- 
 yi6/W,are obferved, that they make 
 the Sheep that graze upon them 
 more fat then the next, and alfo to 
 bear finer Wool ; that is to fay, 
 that that year in which they feed in 
 fuch a particular pafture, they {hall 
 yeeldfiner wool then theyeer before 
 they came to feed in it, and courfer 
 again if they fhall return to their for- 
 mer pafture, and again return to a 
 finer wool being fed in the fine wool 
 ground. Which I tell you, that you 
 may the better believe that I am cer- 
 tain. If I catch z!Trout in one Mea- 
 dow, he fhall be white zndjamt,^nd 
 very like to be lo'i^fe ; and as cer- 
 tainly if I catch a Trout in the next 
 Meadow, hefhalbeftrong,and red, 
 and lujiy^ and much better meat : 
 
 Truft 
 
The Complete Angler. iji 
 
 Truft me (Scholer) I have caught 
 many a Trout in a particular Mea- 
 doWjthat the very ill ape andinamel- 
 led colour of him, has joyed me to 
 look upon him, and I have with So- 
 lomon concluded , "Every thing is 
 beautifullin hisfeafon. 
 
 It is now time to tell you next, 
 (according to promife) fome obfer- 
 vations of the Salmon \ But firft, 
 I wil telyou there is a fifh, called by 
 fome an Umber ^ and by fome a 
 Greylingy a choice fifh,efteemed by 
 many to be equally good with the 
 Trout : it is a ififh that is ufually a- 
 bout eighteen inchf*£ long, he lives 
 in fuch ftreams ac the Trout does ; 
 and is indeed taken w'th the fame 
 bait as a Tror^t is, for he will bite 
 both at the Minnow, the Worm^ and 
 the Fly^ hothNatural and Artifici- 
 al: of this fifh there be many in 
 Trent^ and in the River that runs 
 by Salisbury y and in fome other lel^ 
 K 2 kr 
 
132 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 fer Brooks; but he is not fo general 
 a fiih as the Trout ^ nor to me either 
 fo good to eat, or fo pleafant to 
 fifh for as the Trout is ; of which 
 two fifhes I will now take my leave, 
 and come to my promifed Obferva- 
 tions of the Salmon^ and a little ad- 
 vice for the catching him. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
I' he Comt>kte Angler. 1 33 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 ^— CT-^HE Salmo?2 Is ever bred in 
 I the frefh Rivers ( and in 
 
 JL moft Rivers about the 
 month oiAuguJi) and never grows 
 big but in the Sea\ and there to an 
 incredible bignefs in a very /hort 
 time ; to which place they covet to 
 fwim,by the inftind: of nature,about 
 a fet time: but if they be ftopp'd by 
 Mills ^ Floud-gafes or Weirs, or be 
 by accident loft in the frefh water, 
 when the others go (which isufual- 
 ly by flocks or fholes) then they 
 thrive not. 
 
 And the old Salmon, hoth the Mel- 
 ter and Spaivfier, ftrive alfo to get 
 into the Sea before Winter; but be- 
 ing ftopt that courfe, or loft ; gro v 
 lick in frefti waters, and by degrees 
 unleaionable, and kipper, that is, 
 K 3 to 
 
134 ^^^ Complete Angler. 
 
 to have a bony griftle, to grew (not 
 unlike a Hauks beak) on one of his 
 chaps, which hinders him from 
 feeding , and then he pines and 
 dies. 
 
 But if he gets to Sea^ then that gri- 
 ftle wears away, or is caft off (as the 
 £/^^/(?isfaid tocafthis bill) and he 
 recovers his ftrength, and comes 
 next Summer to the fame River, (if 
 it be poffible) to enjoy the former 
 pleafures that there pofleft him ; for 
 (as one has wittily obferved) he has 
 (like fome perfons of Honour and 
 Riches, which have both their win- 
 ter and Summer houfes) the frefh 
 Rivers for Summer, and the fait 
 water for winter to Ipend his life in; 
 In his Hi- which is nct (as Sir Francis Bacon 
 ftoiry of hathobferv'^d)above ten years: And 
 Death, it is to be obferved,that though they 
 grow big in the Sea^ yet they grow 
 not fat but in frefti Rivers ; and it 
 is obferved, that the farther they gee 
 from the Sea^ the better they be. 
 
 And 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 135 
 
 And it is obferved, that, to the 
 end they may get far from the Sea^ 
 either to Spawne or to pofTefs the 
 pleafure that they then and there 
 find, they will force themfelves o- 
 ver the tops oi Weirs ^ or Hedges^ or 
 Jiops in the water, by taking their 
 tails into their mouthes, and leaping 
 over thofe places, even to a height 
 beyond common belief: and fome- 
 times by forcing themfelves againil: 
 the ftreame through Sluces and 
 Floud-gates, beyond common cre- 
 dit. And 'tis obferved by Gefnerj 
 that there is none bigger then in Eng- 
 land , nor none better then in 
 Thames. 
 
 And for the Salmons fudden 
 growth, it has been obferved by ty- 
 ing a Ribon in the tail of fome num- 
 ber of the young Salmoits, which 
 have been taken in IVelres, as they 
 fwimm'd towards the fait water,and 
 then by taking apartof them again 
 with the fame mark, at the fame 
 K 4 place 
 
1 36 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 place,at their returne from the Sea, 
 which is ufually about fix months 
 after; and the Hke experiment hath 
 been tried upon young Swallows, 
 who have after fix months abfence, 
 been oferved to return to the fame 
 chimney, there to make their nefts, 
 and their habitations for the Sum- 
 mer following; which hath inclined 
 many to think, that every Salmon 
 ufually returns to the fame River in 
 which it was bred, as young Pigeons 
 taken out of the fame Dove-cote ^I'SiVt 
 alfo been obferved to do. 
 
 And you are yet to obferve fur- 
 ther, that the He Salmon s ufually 
 bigger then the Spawner,and that he 
 is more kipper, & lefs able to endure 
 a winter in the freih water, then the 
 She is; yet fhe is at that time of look- 
 ing lefs kipper and better, as watry 
 and as bad meat. 
 
 And yet you are to obferve, that 
 as there is no general rule without 
 an exception, fo there is fome few 
 
 Rivers 
 
The Complete Angler. 1 37 
 
 Rivers in this Nation that have 
 7r^^//j-and Salmon in feafon in win- 
 ter. B ut for the obfervations of that 
 and many other things, I mull in 
 mannersomit/becaufetheywilprove 
 too large for our narrow compafs of 
 time, and therefore I fhall next fall 
 upon my direction how to fifh for 
 the Salmon. 
 
 And for that, firft, you fhall ob- 
 ferve, that ufually he ftaies not long 
 in a place (as Troufs wil) but (as I 
 faid) covets ftill to go neerer the 
 Spring head; and that he does not 
 (as the Trout and many other fifh) lie 
 neer the water fide or bank, or roots 
 of trees, but fwims ufually in the 
 middle, and neer the ground; and 
 that there you are to fifh for him ; 
 and that he is to be caught as the 
 Trout is, with a Worniy a Minnow^ 
 (which fome call a Penke) or with a 
 Fly. 
 
 And you are to obferve, that he is 
 very, very feldom obferved to bite 
 
 at 
 
J38 The Complete Angler. 
 
 at a Minnow (yet fometime he will) 
 and not oft at a^,but more ufually 
 at a Worm^ and then moft ufually at 
 a Lob or Garden worm^vAvioSi fhould 
 be wel fcowred, that is to fay, feven 
 or eight dayes in Mofs before you 
 fidi with them ; and if you double 
 your time of eight into iixteen, or 
 more,into twenty or more days, it is 
 fl: ill the better,for the worms will flil 
 be clearer, tougher, and more lively, 
 and continue fo longer upon your 
 hook. 
 
 And now I fhall tell you, that 
 which maybe called a fecret: I have 
 been a fifhing with old Oliver Henly 
 (now with God) a noted Fifher, 
 both for Trout and Salmon^ and have 
 obferved that he would ufually take 
 three or four worms out of his bag 
 and put them into a little box in his 
 pocket, where he would ufually let 
 them continue half an hour or more, 
 before he would bait his hook with 
 them; I have ask'd him his reafon, 
 
 and 
 
The Complete Angler. i 39 
 
 and he h^L^vt'pWtA.He did but pick the 
 beji out to be in a readinefs againjl he 
 baited his hook the next time : But he 
 has been obferved both by others, 
 and my felf,to catch more iifh then 
 I or any other body, that has ever 
 gone afifhingwith him,could do,e- 
 I'pecially Salmons; and I have been 
 told lately by one of his moft inti^ 
 mate and fecret friends, that the box 
 in which he put thofe worms was a- 
 noin ted with a drop, or two, or three 
 of the Oil of A;j)/-/^6'rr/Vj',madeby ex- 
 preffion or infufion, and that by the 
 wormes remaining in that box an 
 hour, or a like time, they had incor-- 
 porated a kindof fmelthat was irre- 
 fiftibly attrad:ive,enough to force a- 
 ny fifh, within the fmel of them, to 
 bite. This I heard not long fince 
 from a friend, but have not tryed it; 
 yet I grant it probable, and refer my 
 Reader to Sir Francis Bacons Natu- 
 ral Hiftory, where he proves fifhes 
 may hear ; and I am certain Ge/her 
 
 faye8 
 
I \.o T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 fayes, the Otter can fmell in the wa- 
 ter, and know not that but fifh may 
 do fo too : 'tis left for a lover of An- 
 gling, or any that delires to improve 
 that Art,to try this conclufion. 
 
 I ihall alfo impart another expe- 
 riment (but not tryed by my felfe) 
 which I wil deliver in the fame words 
 as it was by a friend, given me in 
 writing. 
 
 Take the Jiinking oil drawn out of 
 Polypody of the Oak, by a retort 
 mixt with Turpentine, and Hive- 
 honey ^and annointyour bait therewith^ 
 and it will doubtleffe draw the fijh to 
 it. 
 
 But in thefe things I have no 
 great faith, yet grant it probable, 
 and have had from fome chimical 
 men (namely, from Sir George Ha- 
 flings and others) an affirmation of 
 them to be very advantageous : but 
 no more of thefe, eipecially not in 
 this place. 
 
 I might here, before I take my 
 
 leave 
 
Ihe Complete Angler. 141 
 
 leave of the Salmon^ tell you, that 
 there is more then one fort of them, 
 as namely, a Tecon, and another 
 called in fome places a Samlet^ or by 
 fome,a Skegger : but thefe (and o- 
 thers which I forbear to name) may 
 be fifh of another kind, and differ, 
 as we know a Herring and a Pilcher 
 do ; but muft by me be left to the 
 difquifitions of men of more leifure 
 and of greater abilities, then I pro- 
 fefs my felf to have. 
 
 And laftly, I am to borrow fo 
 much of your promifed patience, 
 as to tell you, that the T'rout or Sal- 
 mon^ being in feafon, have at their 
 iirft taking out of the water (which 
 continues during life) their bodies 
 adorned, the one with fuch red 
 fpots, and the other with black or 
 blackiih fpots , which gives them 
 fuch an addition of natural beau- 
 tie, as I (that yet am no enemy to 
 it) think was never given to any 
 woman by the Artificial Paint or 
 
 Patch- 
 
142 The Complete Angler. 
 
 Patches in which they fo much 
 pride themfelves in this age. And 
 fo I fhall leave them and proceed 
 to fome Obfervations of the 
 Pike. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Fife. "W T is not to be doubted but 
 I that the Lz^rd', ovPikrelly 
 JL or P/i^ breeds by Spaw- 
 ning; and yet Gefncr fayes, that 
 fome of them breed, where none e- 
 verwas, out of a weed called P//'- 
 r ell-weedy and other glutinous mat- 
 ter, which with the help of the Suns 
 heat proves in fome particular ponds 
 (apted by nature for it) to become 
 Pikes. 
 In his Hi- Sir FrancisBacon cbferves th^Pike 
 ftory of to be the long-eft lived of any frelh 
 
 Li!e and ^ . ^ . . 
 
 Peaui. water fiih, and yet that his life is 
 
 not 
 
T'he Complete Angler. i ^ 3 
 
 not ulually above fortie years ; and 
 yet Gefner mentions a Pike taken in 
 Swedelandm the year 1449, with a 
 Ring about his neck, declaring he 
 was put into the Pond by Frederick 
 the fecond, more then two hundred 
 years before he was laft taken, as the 
 Infcription of that Ring , being 
 Greek, was interpreted by the then 
 Bifhop of Worms. But of this no 
 more, but that it is obferved that the 
 old or very grt?it Pikes have in them 
 more of jftate then goodnefs ; the 
 fmaller or middle liz'd Pikes being 
 by the moft and choiceft palates ob- 
 ferved to be the beft meat; but con- 
 trary, the Eeleis obferved to be the 
 better for age and bignefs. 
 
 All Pikes that live long prove 
 chargeable to their keepers, becaufe 
 their life is maintained by the death 
 of fo many other fifh, even thofe of 
 his owne kind, which has made 
 him by fome Writers to bee called 
 the Tyrant of the Rivers, or the Frefly 
 
 'Water 
 
144- "^^^ Complete Angler. 
 
 water-wolf^ by reafon of his bold, 
 greedy,devouring diipoiition; which 
 is fo keen, as Gefner relates, a man 
 going to a Pond (where it feems a 
 Pike had devoured all the fifh) to 
 water his Mule, had a Pike bit his 
 Mule by the lips, to which the Pike 
 hung fo faft, that the Mule drew him 
 out of the water, and by that acci- 
 dent the owner of the Mule got the 
 Pike ; I tell you who relates it,and 
 (hall with it tel you what a wife man 
 has obferved. It is a hard thing to 
 perfwade the belly y becaiife it hath no 
 ears. 
 
 But if this relation of Gefner s bee 
 dif-believed, it is too evident to bee 
 doubted that a Pike will devoure a 
 fifh of his own kind, that fhall be 
 bigger then this belly or throat will 
 receive; and fwallow a part of him, 
 and let the other part remaine in his 
 mouth till the fwallowed part be di- 
 gefted, and then fwallow that other 
 part that was in his mouth, and fo 
 
 put 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 145 
 
 put it over by degrees. And it is ob- 
 ferved, that the P/i^d' will eat vene- 
 mous things (as fome kind of Frogs 
 are) and yet live witnout being 
 harmed by them: for, as fome fay^, 
 he has in him a natural Balfome or 
 Antidote againft all Poifon : and 
 others ^ that he never eats a vene- 
 mous Frog till he hath firft killed 
 her, and then (as Trucks are obfer- 
 ved to do to Frogs in Spaw^ning time, 
 at w^hich time fome Frogs are ob- 
 ferved to be venemous) fo through- 
 ly wafh t her,by tumbling her up and 
 dow^n in the water, that he may de- 
 vour her without danger. And 
 Gefner affirms, that a Polonian Gen- 
 tleman did faithfully aflure him, he 
 had feen two young Geefe at one 
 time in the belly of a P//^^: andhee 
 obferves, that in Spain there is no 
 PikeSy and that the biggeft are in 
 the \j2kc'Thraci?nane in //^/)/,and the 
 next, if not equal to them, are the 
 Pikes of E?2gland. 
 
 L The 
 
146 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 The Pike is alfo oblerved to be a 
 nielancholly, and a bold nfh: Me- 
 lancholly, becaufehealwaiesfwims 
 or refts himlelfe alone, and never 
 fwims in fholes, or with company, 
 as Roach ;3Lr\^ Dace^ and moft other 
 fifli do : And bold, becaufe he fears 
 not a fliadov/, or to fee or be feen of 
 any body, as the Trout and Chiib^ 
 and all other fiih do. 
 
 And it is obferved by Gefner^^Sx^X 
 the bones,and hearts,& galsof P/y^f^j* 
 are very medicinable for feveral 
 Dileafes, as to ftop bloud, to abate 
 Fevers, to cure Agues, to oppole 
 or expel the infedlion of the Plague, 
 and to be many wayes medicinable 
 and ufeful for the good of mankind; 
 but that the biting of a Pike is vene- 
 mous and hard to be cured. 
 
 And it is obferved, that the Pike\% 
 a fifli that breeds but once ayear,and 
 that other fifh (as namely Loaches) 
 do breed oftner ; as we are certaine 
 Pigeons ^q almofl every month, and 
 
 yet 
 
T'he Complete Angler. \ 47 
 
 yet the Hawk, a bird of prey (as the 
 Fike is of fifh) breeds but once in 
 twelvemonths: andyouareto note, 
 that his time of breeding or Spawn- 
 ing is ufually about the end of iv- 
 bruary\ orfomewhatlater,inM7;r/7, 
 as theweather proves colder or war- 
 mer: and to note, that his manner 
 of breeding is thus, a He and a She 
 P//^^ will ulually go together out of a 
 River into fome ditch or creek , and 
 that theretheSpawner cafts her eggs, 
 and the Melter hovers over her all 
 that time that fhe is cafting her 
 Spawn, but touches her not. I m ight 
 fay more of this, but it might be 
 thought curiolity or worfe, and 
 fhall therefore forbear it , and take 
 up fo much of your attention as to 
 tell you that the beft of Pikes are 
 noted to be in Rivers, then thofe in 
 great Ponds or Meres, and the worft 
 in fmal Ponds. 
 
 And now I Ihall proceed to 
 L 2 give 
 
148 ^he Complete Angler. 
 
 give you fome directions how to 
 catch this Pike. 
 
 ^^U^^V^>vv^^-'v'' 
 
 which you have with fo much pati- 
 ence heard me talk of. 
 
 His feeding is ufuallyyf/Z^ oryr<:?g*j-, 
 andfometime a weed of his owne, 
 called Pikrel-weedy of which I told 
 you fome think fome Pikes are bred; 
 for they have obferved, that where 
 no Pikes have been put into a Pond, 
 yet that there they have been found, 
 and that there has been plenty of 
 
 that 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 149 
 
 that weed in that Pond, and that 
 that weed both breeds and feeds 
 them ; but whether thofe Pikes io 
 bred will ever breed by generation as 
 the others do, I Qiall leave to the 
 difquilitionsof men ofmorecurio- 
 fity and leifure then I profefs my felf 
 to have; and fhall proceed to tell 
 you, that you may fifh for a Pike^ti- 
 ther with aledger,or a walking-bait; 
 and you are to note, that I call that 
 a ledger which is fix'd, or made to 
 reft in one certaine place when you 
 fhall be abfent; and that I call that 
 a walking bait, which you take with 
 you,and have ever in motion. Con- 
 cerning which two, I fhall give you 
 this diredlion. That your ledger 
 bait is beft to be a living bait, whe- 
 ther it be a fifh or a Frog; and that 
 you may make them live the longer, 
 you may, or indeed you muft take 
 this courfe : 
 
 Firft, for your live bait of fi h, a 
 
 FochorDace is (I think) beft andmoft 
 
 L 3 tempting, 
 
i^o The Complete Angler. 
 
 tempting, and a Pearch the longeft 
 liv'd on a hook; you muft take your 
 knife, (which cannot be too iharp) 
 and betwixt the head and the fin on 
 his back, cut or make an iniition,or 
 fuch a fear as you may put the arm- 
 ing wyer of your hook into it, with 
 as little bruifing or hurting the fifh 
 as Art and diligence will enable you 
 to do, and fo carrying your arming 
 wyer along his back, unto, or neer 
 the tail of your fiih, betwixt the skin 
 and the body of it, draw out that 
 wyer or arming of your hook at an- 
 other fear neer to his tail ; then tye 
 him about it with thred,butnohard- 
 er then of neceflitieyou mufl: to pre- 
 vent hurting the fifh; and the better 
 toavoidhurting thefifh, fomehave 
 a kind of probe to open the way, for 
 the more eafie entrance and pafTage 
 ofyourwyeror arming: but as for 
 thefe, time and a little experience 
 will teach you better then I can by 
 words ; for of this I will for the pre- 
 
 fent 
 
The Cojnplete Angler. 
 
 fent fay no more, but come next tr> 
 give you fome direftions how t^ 
 bait your hook with a Frog. 
 
 Viat. But, good Mafter^ did not 
 you fay even now, that fome Frogs 
 were venemous, and is it not dange- 
 rous to touch them? 
 
 Fife. Yes,but I wil give you fome 
 Rules or Cautionsconcerningthem: 
 And firfl, you are to note, there is 
 two kinds of Frogs ; that is to fay, 
 (if I may fo exprcfs my felf ) a^(?/6 
 and 2ifiPj'frog: byflefli/r^^j-,Imean, 
 frogs that breed and Uve on the land; 
 and of thefe there be feveral forts 
 and colours, fome being peckled, 
 fome greenifh, fome blackifh, or 
 brown : the green Frog, which is a 
 fmal one, is by Topfell taken to be 
 venemous ; and fo is the Pcdock^ or 
 Frog-Padock, which ufually keeps 
 or breeds on the land, and is very 
 large and bony, and big, efpecial- 
 ly the She /r(;^ of that kind; yet thefe 
 wil fometime come into the water, 
 L 4 but 
 
 U'«» 
 
152 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 but it is not often ; and the \2siA frogs 
 are fome of them obferved by him, 
 to breed by laying eggs, and others 
 to breed of the flime and duft of the 
 earth, and that in winter they turn 
 to flime again, and that the next 
 Summer that very flime returns to 
 be aHving creature ; this is the o- 
 /«his i6th pinion oi Pliny, and* Cardanus un- 
 Book, De dertakes to give reafon for the rain- 
 ing of Frogs ; but if it were in my 
 power,it fliould rain none but water 
 FrogSy for thofe I think are not ve* 
 nemous, efpecially the right water 
 Frog , which about February or 
 ilf^r^/6 breeds in ditches by flime and 
 blackifh eggs in that flime, about 
 which time of breeding the He and 
 She frog are obferved to ufe divers 
 limber falts, and to croke and make 
 a noife,which xho^X'SLnAfrog^ovPadock 
 yr^^ never does. Now of thefe water 
 Frogs, you are to chufe the yellowefl: 
 that you can get,^ for that the Pike 
 ever Hkes beft. And thus ufe your 
 
 Frog, 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 153 
 
 Frog^ that he may continue long a- 
 live : 
 
 Put your hook Into his mouth, 
 which you may ealily do from a- 
 bout the middle oi April till Auguft, 
 and then th.^ Frogs mouth grows up 
 and he continues fo for at leaft fix 
 months without eating, but is fu- 
 flained, none,but hewhofe nameis 
 Wonderful, knows how. I fay, put 
 y ourhook, I mean the arming wire, 
 through his mouth and out at his 
 gills, and then with a fine needle 
 and Silk fow the upper part of his 
 leg with only one flitch to the arm- 
 ed wire of your hook, or tie the 
 yr^^j- leg above the upperjoint to the 
 armed wire, and in fo doing ufe him 
 as though you loved him, that is, 
 harme him as little as you maypof- 
 fibly, that he may live the longer. 
 
 And now, having given you this 
 diredlion for the baiting your ledger 
 hook with a live fifh or frog, my 
 next muft be to tell you, how your 
 
 hook 
 
154 ^^^ Complete Angler. 
 
 hook thus baited muft or may be u- 
 fed ; and it is thus : Having faftned 
 your hook to aline,which if it be not 
 fourteen yards long, ihould not be 
 lefs then twelve ; you are to fafhen 
 that line to any bow neer to a hole 
 where aPZ/J^ is,oris likely to lye,or to 
 have ahaunt,and thenwindyourline 
 on any forked fl:ick,all yonr line, ex- 
 cept a half yard of it, or rather more, 
 andiplit thatforkedftick with fuch a 
 nick or notch at one end of it, as may 
 keep the line from any more of it ra- 
 velling from about the ftick, then fo 
 much of it as you intended ; and 
 chufe your forked ftick to be of that 
 bignefs as may keep the fijl^ ovfrog 
 from pulling the forked ftick under 
 the water till the Pike bites , and 
 then the Pike having pulled the line 
 forth of the clift or nick in which it 
 was gently faftened, will have line e- 
 nough to go to his hold and powch 
 the bait: and if you would have this 
 ledger bait to keep at a fixt place,un- 
 
 diftur- 
 
The Complete Angler. 155 
 
 difturbed by wind or other acci- 
 dents, which may drive it to the 
 fhoare fide(foryou are to note that 
 it is Hkelieft to catch a Pike in the 
 midft of the water) then hang a 
 fmall Plummet of lead, a ftone, or 
 piece of tyle, or a turfe in a firing, 
 and caft it into the water, with the 
 forked ftick to hang upon the 
 ground, to be as an Anchor to keep 
 the forked ftick from moving out of 
 your intended place till the Pike 
 come. This I take to be a very 
 good way, to ufe fo many ledger 
 baits as you intend to make tryal of. 
 Or if you bait your hooks thus, 
 with Hve fifh or Frogs , and in a 
 windy day fallen them thus to a 
 bow or bundle of flraw, and by the 
 help of that wind can get them to 
 move crofs a Pond or Mere^ you 
 are Hke to fland ftill on the fhoar 
 and fee iport,if there be any ftore of 
 Pikes ; or thefe live baits may make 
 fportjbeing tied about the body or 
 
 wings 
 
156 The Complete Angler. 
 
 wings of a Goofe or Duck^ and jfhe 
 chafed over a Pond; and the like 
 may be done with turning three or 
 four live baits thus faftened to blad- 
 ders, or boughs, or bottles of hay, or 
 flags, to fwim down a River, whilft 
 you walk quietly on the ihore along 
 with them, andareftill in expecta- 
 tion of iport. The reft muft be 
 taughtyou by pradlice, for time will 
 not alow me to fay more of this 
 kind of fifhing with live baits. 
 
 And for your dead bait for a Pike, 
 for that you may be taught by one 
 dayes going a iifhing with me or a- 
 ny other body that fifhes for him , 
 for the baiting your hook with a 
 dead Gudgion or a Roch, and moving 
 it up and down the water, is too ea- 
 fie a thing to take up any time to di- 
 rect: you to do it; and yet, becaufe 
 I cut you fhort in that, I will com- 
 mute for it, by telling you that that 
 was told me for a fecret; it is 
 this : 
 
 Dijfolve 
 
The Complete Angler. i ^'J 
 
 DtJJohe Gum of Ivie 'n Oyle of 
 Spike, and therewith annoint your 
 dead bait for a Pike, and then cafl it 
 into a likely place ^andwhen it has lay en 
 a fhort time at the bottom^ draw it to- 
 wards the top of the water y andfoup 
 ^ he fir earn ^ and it is more then likely 
 that you have a Y\kt follow you with 
 more then common eagernefs. 
 
 This has not been tryed by me, 
 ')ut told me by a friend of note, that 
 pretended to do me a courtefie : but 
 if this direction to catch a Pike thus 
 do you no good, I am certaine this 
 diredtion how to rofte him when he 
 is caught, is choicely good, for I 
 have tryed it,and it is fomewhat the 
 better for not b?nng common ; but 
 with my diredlion you muft take 
 this Caution, thatyour Pikemuftnot 
 be a fmal one. 
 
 I'lrfi open your Pike at the gills y 
 and if need be^ cu^ alfo a little fiit to- 
 wards his belly \ out ofthef?^ take his 
 ^uts, and keep his livery which you 
 
 artf 
 
%i^S T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 are tofhred very Jmall with Time, 
 Sweet Margerom, and a little y^m* 
 ter-Savoury; to the fe put fome pick- 
 led Oy{icv^^and fame Anchovis, both 
 thefe lajl whole ( for the Anc\iOYi^ will 
 melty and the Oyfters JJjould not) to 
 thefe you mujl add alfo a pound of 
 
 fweet Butter ^which you are to mix with 
 the herbs that are pored^ and let them 
 all be wellfalted \ifthe Pike be more 
 then a yard long ^ then you may put in- 
 to thefe herbs more then a pounds or if 
 be be lefSy then lefs Butter willfuf- 
 
 fee :) thefe being thus mixt^ with a 
 blade or two of Mace y muf be put in- 
 to the Pikes belly ^ and then his belly 
 
 fowed up ; then you are to thruft the 
 
 fpit through his mouth out at his tail; 
 and then with four^ or five , orfx 
 
 fplit ficks or very thin laths ^ and a 
 convenient quant it ie of tape orfliting, 
 thefe laths are to be tyed roundabout 
 theVi^tsbodyfromhishead to his tail^ 
 and the tape tiedfomewhat thick to pre- 
 vent his breaking or failing off from 
 
 the 
 
The Complete Angler. 159 
 
 thefpit ; let him be rojled very leifure-' 
 ly, and often bajiedwith Claret wine^ 
 and Anchovis^ and butter mixt toge- 
 ther ^and alfo with what moijlure falls 
 from him into the pan : when you have 
 rofled him fufficientfyy you are to hold 
 under him {when you unwind or cut 
 the tape that ties him)fuch a dijh as 
 youpurpofe to eat him out of and let 
 him fall into it with the f awe e that is 
 rojled in his belly ; and by this means 
 the Pike will be kept unbroken and 
 complete \ then to the fawce^ which 
 was within him ^ andalfo in the pan ^ 
 you are to add a fit quantity of the bejl 
 butter^ and tofqueeze the juice of three 
 or four Oranges: lafly^you may ei- 
 ther put into the Pike with the Oy- 
 fters, two cloves of Garlicky and take 
 it whole out when the Pike is cut off the 
 fpity or to give the fawce a hogoe^ let 
 the diJh [into which you let the Pike 
 fall) be rubed with it ; the uftng or 
 not ujing of this Gar lick is left to your 
 difcretion. 
 
 This 
 
i6o T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 This difh of meat is too good 
 for any but Anglers or honeft 
 men; and, I truft, you wil prove 
 both, and therefore I have truft- 
 ed you w^ith this Secret. And 
 now I fhall proceed to give you 
 fome Obfervations concerning the 
 Carp. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
The Complete Angler. it>y 
 
 CPIAP. VIII. 
 
 Pifi^ ^ H - ^ H E Carp is a ftately, 
 I a good, and a fubtle 
 JL fifh, afifhthathath 
 not (as it is faid) been long in Eng- 
 landy but faid to be by one yiv.Maf- 
 call (a G ntleman then living at 
 Plumfled in Sujfex) brought into this 
 Nation ; and for the better confir- 
 mation of this, you are to remem- 
 ber I toldyou that G^^rfayes,there 
 is not a Pike in Spain^ and that ex- 
 cept the Eele, which lives longeft 
 out of the water, there is none that 
 will endure more hardnefs, or live 
 longer then a CarpW\l\ out of it, and 
 io the report of his being brought 
 out of 'a forrain Nation into this, is 
 the more probable. 
 
 Carps and Loches are obferved to 
 
 breed feveral months in one year, 
 
 M which 
 
1 62 l.be Complete Angler. 
 
 vv^hich moft other fi{h do not, and 
 it is the rather believe:?, becaufe 
 you fhall fcarce or never take a Male 
 Carp without a Melty or a Female 
 without a Roe or Spawn ; and for 
 the moft part very much, and espe- 
 cially all the Summer feafon ; and 
 itis obferved, that they breed more 
 naturally in Ponds then in running 
 waters, and that thofe that live in 
 Rivers are taken by men of the 
 beft palates to be much the better 
 meat. 
 
 And it is obferved, that in fome 
 Ponds Carps will not breed, eipe- 
 cially in cold Ponds ; but where 
 they will breed, they breed innume- 
 rably,if there be no Pikes nov Pearch 
 to devour their Spawn, when it is 
 caft upon grafs, or flags, or weeds, 
 where it lies ten or twelve dayes be- 
 fore it be enlivened. 
 
 The Carpy if he have water room 
 and good feed, will grow to a very 
 great bignefs and length : I have 
 
 heard 
 
The Complete Angler. 1 63 
 
 heard,to above a yard long; though 
 I never faw one above thirty three 
 inches, v^hich was a very great and 
 goodly fifh. 
 
 Now as the increafe of Carps is 
 wonderful for their number; fo 
 there is not a r-^afon found out, I 
 think, by any, why the fhould breed 
 in fome Ponds, and not in others of 
 the fame nature,for foil and all other 
 circumftances; and as their breed- 
 ing, fo are their decayes alfo very 
 myfterious ; I have both read it, 
 and been told by a Gentleman of 
 tryedhoneftie, that he has knowne 
 rlxtie or more large Carps put into 
 feveral Ponds neerto a hou{e,where 
 by reafon of the ftakes in the Ponds, 
 and the Owners conftant being neer 
 to them,it was impoffible they fhould 
 be ftole away from him, and that 
 when he has after three or four years 
 emptied the Pond, and expected an 
 increafe from them by breeding 
 young ones (for that they might da 
 M 2 fo 
 
164 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 fo, he had, as the rule is, put in 
 three Mel ters for one Spawner) he 
 has, I fay, after three or four years 
 found neither a young nor old Carp 
 remaining: And the like I have 
 known ofone that has almoft watch- 
 ed his Pond, and at a like diftance 
 of time at the fifliing of a Pond, 
 found of feventy or eighty large 
 C^r/^j-jUot above five or fix: and that 
 he had forborn longer to fifh the 
 faid Pond, but that he faw in a hot 
 day in Summer, a large Carp fwim 
 neer to the top of the water with a 
 Frog upon his head, and that he up- 
 on that occafion caufed his Pond to 
 be let dry: and I fay, of feventie or 
 eighty Carps ^ only found five or fix 
 in the faid Pond, and thofe very 
 fick and lean, and with every one a 
 Frog fliicking fo fafi: on the head of 
 thefaidC^r^j-, that the Frog would 
 not bee got off without extreme 
 force or killing, and the Gentle- 
 man that did affirm this to me, told 
 
 me 
 
T^he Complete Angler, \ 65 
 
 me he faw it, and did declare his be- 
 lief to be ^and I alfo believe the 
 fame ) that he thought the other 
 Carps that were fo firangely loft, 
 were fo killed by Frogs , and then 
 devoured. 
 
 But I am fain into this difcourfe 
 by accident, of which I might fay 
 more, but it has proved longer then 
 I intended, and poffibly may not to 
 you beconiiderable; I ihall there- 
 fore give you three or four more 
 fliort obfervations of the Carp^ and 
 then fall upon fome directions how 
 you hall fifh for him. 
 
 1 he age of Carps is by S. Fran 
 CIS Bacon (in his Hiftory of Life aii** 
 Death)obferved to be but ten years; 
 yet others think they live longenbut 
 moft conclude, that(contrary to the 
 Pike or Luce^ all Carps are the bet- 
 ter for age and bignefs; the tongues 
 of C^r^ J- are noted to be choice and 
 coft]y meat, efpecially to them that 
 buy^hem; but G^^/zi^er fayes. Carps 
 M 3 have 
 
1 66 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 have no tongues like other filh, but 
 a piece of flefh-like-fifh in their 
 mouth hke to a tongue, and may 
 be fo called, but it is certain it is 
 choicely good, and that the C^r/> is 
 to be reckoned amongft thofe lea- 
 ther mouthed fifh, which I told you 
 have their teeth in their throat, and 
 for that reafon he is very feldome 
 loft by breaking his hold, if your 
 hook bee once ftuck into his 
 chaps. 
 
 I told you, that Sir Francis Bacon 
 thinks that the Carp lives but ten 
 years ; h\JityanusDuhravius{z Ger- 
 7nane as I think) has writ a bookin 
 Latine of Fifh and Fifh Ponds, in 
 which he fayes, that Carps begin 
 to Spawn at the age of three yeers, 
 and continue to dofo till thirty; he 
 fayes alfo, that in the time of their 
 breeding, which is in Summer when 
 the Sun hath warmed both the earth 
 and water, and fo apted them alfo 
 for generation, that then three or 
 
 four 
 
The Complete Angler. 167 
 
 four Male (T^r^jvvillfollowaFemale, 
 and that thenfhe p^uttingonafeem- 
 ingcoynefs, theyforceher dirough 
 weeds and flags, where fhe lets fall 
 her eggs or Spawn, which fticksfaft 
 to the weeds, and then they let fall 
 their Melt upon it, and fo it be- 
 comes in a fliort time to be a living 
 fifh ; and , as I told you, it is 
 thought the Carp does this feveral 
 months in the yeer, and moft be- 
 lieve that moft fifh breed after this 
 manner, except the Eele : and it is 
 thought that all Carps are not bred 
 by generation , but that fome 
 breed otherwayes, as fome Pikes 
 do. 
 
 Much more might be faid out of 
 him, and out of Arijlotle^ which 
 jD//<^rj^/W often quotes in his Dif- 
 courfe, but it might rather perplex 
 then fatisfie you, and therefore I 
 fliall rather chufe to direftyou hov/ 
 to catch , then fpend more time in 
 M 4 dif. 
 
i68 The Complete Angler. 
 
 difcourling either of the nature or 
 the breeding of this Carp^ 
 
 or of any more circumftances con- 
 cerning him, but yet I fhall remem- 
 ber you of what I told you before, 
 that he is a very fubtle fifh and hard 
 to be caught. 
 
 And my fir ft diredlion is, that if 
 you will filh for a C^r/^joumuft put 
 on a very large meafure oi patience^ 
 efpecially to fifh for a River Carp : 
 I have knowne a very good Fifher 
 
 angle 
 
"The Complete Angler. 1 69 
 
 angle diligently four or fix hours in 
 a day, for three or four dayes toge- 
 ther for a River Carp,^nd not have a 
 bite : and you are to note, that in 
 fome Ponds it is as hard to catch a 
 Carp as in a River ; that is to fay^^ 
 w^here they have ftore of feed, & the 
 water is of a clayifh colour; butyoii 
 are to remember, that I have told you 
 there is no rule without ar- exception, 
 and therefore being pofleft with that 
 hope and patience which I wifh to 
 all Fifhers, efpecially to the Carp- 
 Angler^ I fhall tell you with what 
 bait to fifh for him; but that mufk 
 be either early or ate, and let me 
 tell you,that in hot weather (for he 
 will feldome bite in cold) you can- 
 not bee too e^rly or too late at 
 it. 
 
 The Carp b^tes either at wormes 
 or at Pafte ; and of worms I think 
 the blewifh MarlhorMe adow worm 
 IS beft; but poflibly another worm, 
 jiot too big may do as well, and (o(> 
 
 may 
 
1170 The Complete Angler. 
 
 may a Gentle : and as for Partes, 
 there are almoft as many forts as 
 there are Medicines for the Tooth- 
 i\ch, but doubtlefs fweet Paftes are 
 beft; I mean, Paftes mixtwith ho- 
 ney, or with Sugar ; which, that 
 you may the better beguile this 
 crafty fi{h,{hould be thrown into the 
 Pond or place in which youiifh for 
 him fome hours before you under- 
 take your tryal of skil by the Angle- 
 Rod: and (loubtlefs,if it be thrown 
 into the water a day or two before,at 
 feveral times, and in fmal pellets, 
 you are the likelier when you fifli 
 for the Carp^ to obtain your defired 
 fport : or in a large Pond, to draw 
 them to any certain place, that they 
 may the better and with more hope 
 be fiflhed for: you are to throw into 
 it, in fome certaine place, either 
 grains, orbloud mixt with Cow- 
 dung,or with bran; orany Garbage, 
 as Chickens guts or the like, and 
 thenlome.of yourlmal fweet pellets, 
 
 with 
 
The Complete Angler. \j^ 
 
 with which you purpofe to angle ; 
 thefe fma] pellets,being few of them 
 thrown in as you are AngUng. 
 
 And your PaiTie muft bee thus 
 made ; Take the flefh of a Rabet 
 or Cat cut fmal,and Bean-flower,or 
 (if not eafily got then) other flowre, 
 and then mix thefe together,andput 
 to them either Sugar, or Honey, 
 which I think better, and then beat 
 thefe together in a Mortar; or fome- 
 times work them in your hands, 
 (your hands being very clean) and 
 then make it into a ball, or two, or 
 three, as you like beft for your ufe: 
 but you muft work or pound it fo 
 long in the Mortar, as to make it fo 
 tough as to hang upon your hook 
 without wafhing from it,yet not too 
 hard ; or that you may the better 
 keep it on your hook , you may 
 kneade with your faltealitnei^ana 
 not much) white or yellowifh wool. 
 
 And if you would have this Palle 
 keep all the year for any other fifti , 
 
 then 
 
172 'The Complete Angler. 
 
 then mix with it Virgins-wax and 
 clarified honey ^ and work them to- 
 gether with your hands before the 
 £re; then make th?fe into balls, and 
 at will keep all th^ veer. 
 
 And if you fifh for a Carp with 
 Gentles, then put upon your hook a 
 imall piece of Scarlet about this big- 
 snefs ff , itbeing foked in, or an- 
 nointed with Oyl of Peter y called by 
 ^ome, Oylofthe Rock\ and if your 
 Oentles be put two or three dayes 
 tefore into a box or horn anointed 
 ^vith Honey, and fo put upon your 
 liook, as to nreferve them to be li- 
 ving , you are as like to kill this 
 craftie fifh this way as any other ; 
 , but ftill as yoa are fifhing, chaw a 
 little white or brown bread in your 
 mouth, and caft it into the Pond a- 
 bout the place where your flote 
 -fwims. Other baits there be, but 
 thefe with diligence , and patient 
 watchfulnefs, will do it as well as 
 any as 1 have ever pradlifed , or 
 
 heard 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 173 
 
 heard of: and yet T (hall tell you, 
 that the crumbs of white bread and 
 honey made into a Pafte, is a good 
 bait for a Carp^ and you know it is 
 more eaiily made. And having 
 fald thus much of the Carp, my 
 next difcourfe ftial be of the Bream ^ 
 which ihall not prove fo tedious, 
 and therefore I defire the continu- 
 ance of your attention. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
174 ^k^ Complete Angler. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Fife. ^ a '^HE Bream being at a 
 I full growth , is a 
 •*• large and ftately fifh, 
 he will breed both in Rivers and 
 Ponds , but loves beft to live in 
 Ponds, where, if he likes the aire, 
 he will grow not only to be very 
 large, but as fat as a Hog : he is by 
 Gefner taken to be more pleafant or 
 fweet then wholefome ; this fiih is 
 long in growing , but breeds ex- 
 ceedingly in a water that pleafes 
 him,yea,in many Ponds fo fail:,as to 
 over ftore them, andftarve the other 
 fifh. 
 
 The Baits good for to catch the 
 Bream are many ; as name]y,young 
 Waips, and a Pafte made of brown 
 bread and honey, or Gentels^ or 
 
 eipecially 
 
The Complete Angter. \ j$ 
 
 efpecially a worm, a worm that is 
 not much unlike a Magot, which 
 you will find at the roots of Docks ^or 
 of FlagSy or of Rujhes that grow in 
 the water, or watry places, and a 
 Grajhopper having his legs nip'd off, 
 or a flye that is in June and July to 
 be found amongft the green Reed, 
 growing by the water fide, thofe 
 are faid to bee excellent baits. I 
 doubt not but there be many others 
 that both the Bream and the Carp al- 
 io would bite at ; but thefe time and 
 expe rience will teach you how to 
 find out : And fo having according 
 lo my promife given you thefe fhort 
 Obfervations concerning the Bream ^ 
 I fhall alfo give you fome Obferva- 
 tions concerning thtTench^^ind thofe 
 alfo very briefly. 
 
 The Tench is obferved to love to 
 live in Ponds;butif he be in a River, 
 then in the ftill places of the River, 
 he is obferved to be a Phyfician to 
 
 other 
 
176 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 other fifhes, and is fo called by ma- 
 ny that have beenfearchers into the 
 nature of fifh; anditisfaid, that a 
 Tike will neither devour nor hurt 
 him, becaufe the Pike being fick or 
 hurt by any accident, is cured by 
 touching the Tenchy and the Tench 
 does the like to other fifhes, either 
 by touching them, or by being in 
 their company. 
 
 Randelitius fayes in his difcourfe 
 of fifhes (quoted by G^^t) that at 
 his being at Rome, he fav^ certaine 
 Jewes apply Tenches to the feet of a 
 lick man for a cure ; and it is obfer- 
 ved,that many of thofe people have 
 many Secrets unknown to Chrifti- 
 ans, fecrets which have never been 
 written, but have been fuccefsfive- 
 ly fince the dayes of Solomon (who 
 knew the nature of all things from 
 the Shrub to the Cedar) delivered 
 by tradition from the father to the 
 fon, and fo from generation to ge- 
 neration without writing, or (unlefs 
 
 it 
 
The Complete Angler. 
 
 it were cafually) without the leaft 
 communicating them to any other 
 Nation or Tribe (for to do fo, they 
 account a profanation) .• yet this 
 fiOi, that does by a natural inbred 
 Balfome, not only cure himfelfe if 
 he be wounded, but others alfo, 
 loves not to live in clear ftreams pa- 
 ved with gravel, but in ftanding wa- 
 ters, where mud and the worft of 
 weeds abound, and therefore it is, I 
 think, that this Tench 
 
 177 
 
 is by fo many accounted better for 
 N Medi- 
 
1 78 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 Medicines then for meat: but for the 
 firft,! am able to fay Httle; and for 
 the later, can fay pofitively, that 
 he eats pleafantly ; and will there- 
 fore give you a few , and but a 
 few directions how to catch him. 
 
 He will bite at a Pafte made of 
 brown bread and honey, or at a 
 Marfh-worm, or a Lob-worm; he 
 will bite alfo atafmallerworm,with 
 his head nip'd off, and a Cod- worm 
 put on the hook before the worm ; 
 and I doubt not but that he will al- 
 fo in the three hot months (for in 
 the nine colder he ftirs not much) 
 bite at a Flag-worm, or at a green 
 Gentle, but can pofitively fay no 
 more of the Trench ^ he being a fifli 
 that I have not often Angled for ; 
 but I wifh my honeft Scholer may, 
 and be ever fortunate when hee 
 fiflies. 
 
 Viat. I thank you good Mafler: 
 but I pray Sir, fince you fee it flill 
 rains May butter, give me fome ob- 
 
 lerva- 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 1 79 
 
 fervations and diredtions concerning 
 the Pearchy for they fay he is both a 
 very good and a bold biting filh, 
 and I would faine learne to fiih for 
 him. 
 
 Pifc. You fay true, Scholer, the 
 Pearch is a very good, and a very 
 bold biting fifli, he is one of the 
 fifhes ofprey, that, like the Pike and 
 Tr6?^/, carries his teeth in his mouth, 
 not in his throat, and dare venture 
 to kill and devour another fi(h ; this 
 fifh, and the Pike are (fayes Gefner) 
 the beft of frefh water fifli ; he 
 Spawns but once a year, and is by 
 Phyficians held very nutritive; yet 
 by many to be hard of digeftion : 
 They abound more in the River 
 Poe^ and in 'England^ (fayes Pande- 
 litius) then other parts, and have in 
 ^their brain a ftone, which is in for- 
 rain parts fold by Apothecaries, be- 
 ing there noted tobe very medicina- 
 ble againft the ftone in the reins : 
 Thefe be a part of the commendati- 
 N 2 ons 
 
i8o T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 ons which fome Philofophycal brain 
 havebeftowed upon the frefh-water 
 Pearchy yet they commend the Sea 
 Pearchy which is known by having 
 but one fin on his back, (of which 
 they fay, we EngliJh^QQ but a few) to 
 be a much better fifh. 
 
 The Pearch grows flowly, yet 
 will grow, as I have been credibly 
 mformed, to be almoft two foot 
 long; for my Informer told me, 
 fuch a one was not long fince taken 
 by Sir Abraham Williams ^ a Gentle- 
 man of worth, and a lover of Ang- 
 ling,thatyetlives,andl wifhhe may: 
 this was a deep bodied fiih; and 
 doubtlefs durft have devoured a P//^^ 
 of half his own length ; for I have 
 told you, he is a bold fifh, fuch a 
 one, as but for extreme hunger, the 
 Pike will not devour ; for to affright 
 the Pike^ the Pearch will fet up his 
 fins, much like as a Turkie-Cock wil 
 (bmetimes fet up his tail. 
 
 But , my Scholer, the Pearch is 
 
 not 
 
The Complete Angler. j8l 
 
 not only valiant to defend himfelf, 
 but he is (as you faid) a bold biting 
 fifh,yet he he will not bite at all fea- 
 fons of the yeer; he is very abftemi- 
 ous in Winter; and hath been ob- 
 ferved by fome, not ufually to bite 
 till the Mulberry tree buds, that is to 
 fay, till extreme Frofts be paft for 
 that Spring; for w^hen the Mulberry 
 tree bloffomes, many Gardners ob- 
 fervethei r forward fruit to be paft the 
 danger of Frofts, and fome have 
 made the like obfervation of the 
 Pearches biting. 
 
 Butbite the Pearcljwi\\,and that 
 very boldly, and as one has wittily 
 obferved, if there be twentie or for- 
 tie in a hole, they may be at one 
 ftanding all catch'd one after ano- 
 ther; theybeing,ashefaies, like the 
 wicked of the world, not afraid, 
 though their fellowes and compa- 
 nions perifh in their figh 
 
 N 7 And 
 
1 82 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 And the baits for this bold fifh 
 
 arc not many; I mean, he will bite 
 as well at fome, or at any of thefe 
 three, as at any or all others what- 
 foever; a Worm^ a ^Minnow ^ or a 
 little Frog (of which you may find 
 many in hay time) and oiworms^ the 
 Dunghill worm, called a brandling, 
 I take to be beft, be-ing well fcow- 
 red in Mofs or Fennel ; and if you 
 filh for a Pearch with a Minnow^ then 
 it is beft to be alive, you fticking 
 
 your 
 
The Complete Angler. I'Sj 
 
 your hook through his back fin, and 
 letting him fw jn i up and down about 
 mid-water, or a littJc lower, and 
 you {till keeping him to about that 
 depth, by a Cork, which ought 
 not to be a very light one;: and the 
 like way you are to fiih for the 
 Pearch with a fmall Frog , your 
 hook being faftened through the 
 skin of his leg, towards the upper 
 part of it : And laftly, I will give 
 you but this advlfe, that you give 
 the Pearch time enough when he 
 bites, for there was fcarfe ever a- 
 ny Angler that has given him too 
 much. And now I think beft to 
 reft my felfe, for I have almoft 
 fpent my ipirits with talking fo 
 long. 
 
 Viat. Nay, good Mafter, one 
 fifh more, fo^ you fee it rains ftill, 
 and you know our Angles are like 
 money put to ufury ; they may 
 thrive though we fit ftill and do no- 
 thing, but talk & enjoy one another. 
 N 4 Come, 
 
1S4 T'he Compkte Angler. 
 
 Come, come the other fiih, good 
 Mafter. 
 
 Pifc. But Scholer, have yoa 
 nothing to mix with this Difcourfe, 
 which now grows both tedious and 
 tirefome ? fhall I have nothing 
 from you that feems to have both 
 a good memorie, and a chearful 
 Spirit ? 
 
 Viat. Yes, Mafter, I will fpeak 
 you a Coppie of Verfes that 
 were made by Dodlor Donne^ and 
 . 3made to (hew the world that hee 
 could make foft and fmooth Verfes, 
 when he thought themfit and worth 
 liislabov*r; and I love them the bet- 
 ter, becaufe they allude to Rivers, 
 and fifh, and fifhing. They bee j 
 thefe : 
 
 Cojne live with me^andbe my love, 
 Jlnd we willfome new pleafures prove ^ 
 ^Of golden funds ^and Chrijlal brooks^ 
 Withjilken lines andjilver hooks. 
 
 There 
 
The Complete Angler. 185 
 
 The?^e will the River wifpering run^ 
 Warm d by thy eyes more then the Sun; 
 And there tH inameTdfiJlj wilftay^ 
 Begging themfelves they may betray. 
 
 When thou wiltjwim in that live bath^ 
 Eachjijljy which every channel hath 
 Mofi amoroujly to thee willjwimy 
 Gladder to catch thee^ then thou him. 
 
 IfthoUyto befofeen, beejl loath 
 By Sun or Moon, thou darkneji both ; 
 Andy if mine eyes have leave to fee ^ 
 Ijieednot their light Joaving thee. 
 
 Let others freeze with Angling Reeds y 
 And cut their legs withfhels & weeds. 
 Or treacheroufy poor fifh befety 
 W ith ftr angling fnares fir windowy net. 
 
 Let coarfe bold hands ^ from fimy nef. 
 The bedded fifh in banks outwrefi. 
 Let curious Traitors fieavefilkflies^ 
 To 'witch poor wandringfijhes eyes. 
 
 For 
 
l86 The Complete Ajigkt . 
 
 For thee, thou needji nofucb deceit^ 
 For thou thyfelf art thine own bait ; 
 Thafijh that is not catch' d thereby^ 
 Iswiferfar, alas ^t hen L 
 
 Fife. Well remembred, honeft 
 Scholer,! thank you for thefe choice 
 Verfes, v/hich I have heard former- 
 ly, but had quite forgot, till they 
 were recovered by your happie me- 
 morie. Well, being I have novir 
 reftedmy felf a little, I v^ill make 
 you fome requital, by telling you 
 fome obfervations of the Fele, for it 
 rains ftill, and (as you fay) our An- 
 gles are as money put to life, that 
 tiirive when w^e play. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 187 
 
 C IT A P. X- 
 
 IT is agreed by moft men, that 
 the E^ele is both a good and a 
 moft dain tie fifh; but moft men 
 differ about his breeding; fome 
 fay, they breed by generation as o- 
 ther fifh do; and others, that they 
 breed (as fome worms do) out of 
 the putrifadlion of the earth, and di- 
 vers other waies; thofe that denie 
 them to breed by generation, as o- 
 therfifh do, ask, if any man ever faw 
 an £^/ to have Spawn or Melt? and 
 tiiey are anfwered, That they may 
 be as certain of their breeding, as if 
 they had feen Spawn; for they fay, 
 that they are certain that Eeles have 
 all parts fit for generation , like o- 
 therfifh, butfofmal asnottobeea- 
 fily difcerned, by reafon of their fat- 
 nefs ; but that difcerned they may 
 
 be 
 
1 88 T^he Ccmplete Angler. 
 
 be ; and that the Hee and the She 
 Eele may be diftinguifhed by their 
 fins. 
 
 And others fay, that Eeles grow- 
 ing old, breed other Eeles out of the 
 corruption of their own age, which 
 Sir Francis Bacon fayes, exceeds 
 not ten years. And others fay,that 
 Eeles are bred of a particular dew 
 falling in the Months oi Mayor June 
 on the banks of fome particular 
 Ponds or Rivers ( apted by nature 
 for that end) which in a few dayes 
 is by the Suns heat turned into Eeles. 
 I have feenin the beginning of y^^f/^, 
 in a River not far from Canterbury^ 
 fome parts of it covered over with 
 young Eeles about the thicknefs of a 
 ftraw; and thefe Eeles did lye on the 
 top of that water, as thick as motes 
 are faid to be in the Sun ; and I have 
 heard the like of other Rivers, as 
 namely,in Severn y and in a pond or 
 Mere in Staff or d-fhirCy where about 
 a fet time in Summer, fuch fmall 
 
 Eeles 
 
The Complete Angler. 
 
 Eeles abound fo much, that many 
 of the poorer fort of people, that in- 
 habit near to it, take fuch Eeles out 
 of this Mere, with fieves or fheets^ 
 and make a kind of Eele-cake of 
 them, and eat it Hke as bread. And 
 Gefner quotes venerable Bede to fay,, 
 that in England there is an Hand cal- 
 led Efyy by reafon of the innumera- 
 ble number oi Eeles that breed in it^ 
 But that Eeles may be bred as fome 
 worms and fome kind of Bees and 
 JVafps are, either of dew, or out oF 
 the corruption of the earth, feems to 
 be made probable by the Barnacles 
 and young Gojlings bred by the Suns 
 heat and the rotten planks of an old 
 Ship, and hatched of trees, both 
 which are related for truths by Du-- 
 bartasy and our learned Cambdeny 
 and laborious Gerrard in his Her^ 
 ball. 
 
 It is faid by RandellfiuSythzt thofe 
 Ee/es that are bred in Rivers, that 
 relate to, orbeneer to the Sea, ne- 
 ver 
 
.^go The Complete Angler. 
 
 ver return to the fredi waters (as the 
 Salmon does alwaies deiire to do) 
 when they have once tailed the fait 
 water ; and I do the more eafily be- 
 liev^e this, becaufe I am certain that 
 powdered Bief is a molT: excellent 
 bait to catch an Eele : and S'*. Fran- 
 as Bacon will allow the Eeles life to 
 be but ten years ; yet he in his Hi- 
 ftory of Life and Death, mentions 
 a Lamprey^ belonging to the Roman 
 Emperor, to be made tame, and fo 
 kept for almoft three fcore yeers ; 
 and that fuch ufeful andpleafant ob- 
 fcrvations were made of this Lam- 
 prey, that Cr^^^j the Oratour (who 
 kept her) lamented her dtrath. 
 
 It is graiited by all, or moft men, 
 that Eeles yfov about fix months (that 
 is to fay, the i^x cold months of the 
 yeer) ftir not up and down, neither 
 in the Rivers nor the Pools in which 
 they arc, but get into the foft earth 
 or mud, and there many of them 
 together bed themfelves, and live 
 
 with- 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 1 9 1 
 
 without feeding upon anything (as 
 I have told you ibme Swallows have 
 been obferved to do in hollow trees 
 for thofe fix cold months); and this 
 the Eele and Swallow do, as not be- 
 ing able to endure winter weather ; 
 for Gefner quotes Albertus to fay, 
 that in the yeer 11 25 (^that years 
 winter being more cold then ufual) 
 Eeles did by natures inftind: get out 
 of the water into a ftack of hay in a 
 Meadow upon dry ground, and 
 there bedded tbemfelves, but yet at 
 laft died there. I {hall fay no more 
 of the Eele^ but that, as it is obfer- 
 ved,he is impatient of cold, fo it has 
 been obferved, that in warm wea- 
 ther an Eele has been known to live 
 five days out of the water. And lafi:- 
 ly, let me tell you,th9 1 fome curious 
 fearchers into the natures of fifh, 
 obferve that there be feveral forts or 
 kinds of Eeles , a?, the Jiher-Eele^ 
 and green ovgreeniJljEel{yv\i\i which 
 the River of Thames abounds, and 
 
 arc 
 
102 
 
 T'he Complete Angler. 
 are called Gregs)\ and a blackilh 
 Eele^ whofe head is more flat and 
 bigger then ordinary ^^/t^j- ; and al- 
 fo an Eele whofe fins are redifh, and 
 but feldome taken in this Nation 
 (and yet taken fometimes) : Thefe 
 feveral kinds oiEeles^ are (fay fome) 
 diverfly bred; as namely, out of 
 the corruption of the earth, and by 
 dew, and other wayes ^as I have 
 faid to you;) and yet it is affirmedby 
 fome, that for a certain, the Silver- 
 Eele breeds by generation, but not 
 by Spawning as other fifh do, but 
 that her Brood come alive from her 
 no bigger nor longer then a pin, 
 and I have had too many tefti- 
 monies of this to doubt the truth 
 of it. 
 
 And this ^^/^ of which I have faid 
 fo much to you, may be caught with 
 divers kinds of baits ; as namely, 
 with powdered Bief with a Lob or 
 
 JL / 
 
 Garden-worm^ with a Minnow^ or 
 gut (^i2iHen,Chicken.j or with almoft 
 
 any 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 193 
 
 any thing, for he is a greedy fifli : 
 Dut the Eele feldomeftirs in the day, 
 but then hides himfelfe, and there- 
 fore he is ufually caught by night, 
 with one of thefe baits of which I 
 have iJ3oken, and then caught by 
 laying hooks, which you are to faft- 
 en to the bank,or twigsofa tree; or 
 by throwing a firing crofs the 
 ftream, with many hooks at it, and 
 baited with the forefaid baits, and 
 a clod or plummet, or fi:one,thrown 
 into the River with this line, that fo 
 you may in the morning find it neer 
 tofome fixt place, and then take it 
 up with a drag-hook or otherwife : 
 but thefe things are indeed too com- 
 mon to be fpoken of; and an hours 
 fifhing with any Angler will teach 
 you better, both for thefe, and ma- 
 ny other common things in the pra- 
 diical part oi Anglings then a weeks 
 difcour^. I ihall therefore con- 
 clude this dirediion L^r taking the 
 l^le^ by telling you, tiiat in a warm 
 O day 
 
194 ^>^^ Complete Aftgler. 
 
 day in Summer, I have taken ma- 
 ny a good Eele by fniglmg^ and 
 have been much pleafed with that 
 fport. 
 
 And becaufe vou that are but a 
 young Angler, know not whaty?^/^- 
 ling is,I wil now teach it to you:you 
 remember I told you that Keles do 
 not ufually ftir in the day time, for 
 then they hide themfelvs under fome 
 covert, or under boards, or planks 
 about Floud-gates,orWeirs,orMils, 
 or in holes in the River banks ; and 
 you obferving your time in a warm 
 day, when the water is loweft, may 
 take a hook tied to a ftrong line, or ' 
 to a firing about a yard long, and 
 then into one of thefe holes, or be- 
 tween any boards about a Mill, or 
 under any great ftone or plank, or a- 
 ny place where you think an £ le 
 may hide or fhelter her felfe, there 
 with the help of a fhort ftick put in 
 your bait, but leifurely, and as far 
 as vou may conveniently ; and it is 
 
 fcarce 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 195 
 
 fcarce to be doubted, but that if 
 there be an E(?/ within the fight of it, 
 the Kele will bite inftantly, and as 
 certainly gorge it; and you need not 
 doubt to have him, if you pull him 
 not out of the hole too quickly, but 
 pull him out by degrees, for he ly- 
 ing folded double in his hole, will, 
 with the help of his taile, break all, 
 unlefs you give him time to be wea- 
 ried with pulling,and fo get him out 
 by degrees; not pulling too hard. 
 And thus much for this prefent time 
 concerning the Eele\ I wil next tel 
 you a little of the ^^r^^//, and hope 
 with a little difcourfe of him, to have 
 an end of this Ihowr, and fal to fifh- 
 ing, for the weather clears up a little* 
 
 O 2 CHAP. 
 
196 ^he Complete Angkr. 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 Fife. r-w-^H'E Barbell, is fo cal- 
 I led^fayes Gefner) from 
 -H- or by reafon of his 
 beard, or wattles at his mouth, his 
 mouth being under his nofe or chaps, 
 and he is one of the leather mouthed 
 fifh that has his teeth inhisthroat,he 
 loves to live in very fwift ftreams, 
 and where it is gravelly, and in the 
 gravel will root or dig with his nofe 
 like a Hog, and there neft himfelf, 
 taking fo fafthold of any weeds or 
 mofs that grows on ftones, or on 
 piles about Weirs, or Floud-gates, or 
 Bridges, that the water is not able,be 
 it never fo fv\dft, to force him from 
 the place which he feems to contend 
 for : this is his conftant cuftome in 
 Summ.er, when both he, ar.dmoft 
 living creatures joy andiport them- 
 
 felves 
 
The Complete Angler. 1 97 
 
 felves in the Sun ; but at the ap- 
 proach of Winter, then he forfakes 
 the fwift ftreams and fhallow waters, 
 and by degrees retires to thofe parts 
 of the River that are quiet and deep- 
 er; in which places, (and I think a- 
 bout that time) he Spawns ; and as 
 I have formerly told you, with the 
 help of the Melter, hides his Spawn 
 or eggs in holes, which they both 
 dig in the gravel, and then they 
 mutually labour to cover it with the 
 fame fand to prevent it from being 
 devoured by other fifii. 
 
 There be fuch ftoi c of this fifh in 
 the River D/^/^^/^/V, \\\2XRandelitius 
 fayes, they may in fome places of it, 
 and in fome months of the yeer, be 
 taken by thofe that dwel neer to the 
 River,with their hands, eight or ten 
 load at a time;he fayes, they begin to 
 be good in May^ and that they ceafe 
 to be fo in .Auguft ; but it is found 
 to be otherwife in this Nation : but 
 thus far we agree with him, that the 
 O 3 Spawn 
 
iv^S The Complete Angler. 
 
 Spawne of a BarbcU is, if be not 
 poifon, as he fayes, yet that it is 
 dangerous meat, and efpecially in 
 the month of May ; and Gefner de- 
 clares, it had an ill efFedl upon him, 
 to the indangering of his life, 
 
 Thisfifh isof afinecaftandhand- 
 fome fhape. 
 
 and may be rather faid not to be ill, 
 then to bee good meat ; the Chub 
 and he have (I think) both lofV a 
 part of their credit by ill Cookery j. 
 
 they 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 1 99 
 
 thev being reputed the worft or 
 coarfeft of frefh v/ater fifli : but the 
 Barbell affords an Angler choice 
 fport, being a luftic and a cunning 
 lifh ; fo luftie and cuiniing as to en- 
 danger the breaking of the Anglers 
 line, by running his head forcibly 
 towards any covert or hole, or bank, 
 and then ftriking atth'^^ iine,to break 
 it off with his tail (as is ohferved by 
 Flutarky in his book De Indujiria a- 
 nimalium) and alfo fo cunning to 
 nibble and fuck off your worme 
 clofe to the hook, p.nd yet avoid 
 the letting the hook com^. into his 
 mouth. 
 
 The 5^r^^//is alfo curious for his 
 baits, that is lo fay, that they be 
 clean and fweet ; that is to fay, to 
 have your woi*ms well fcowred,and 
 not kept in fowre or muftie mofs ; 
 for at a well Icowred Lob- worm, he 
 vs ill bite as boldly as at any bait, e- 
 fpecially, if the night or two before 
 you lifh for him, you fhall bait the 
 O 4 places 
 
200 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 places where you intend to fifli for 
 him v/ith big worms cut into pieces; 
 and Gentles (not being too much 
 fcowred,but green) are a choice bait 
 for him, and fo is cbeefe, which is 
 not to be too hard, but kept a day 
 or two in a wet linnen cloth to make 
 it tough ; with this you may alfo 
 bait the water a day or two before 
 you fiih for the Bar be U and be much 
 the likelier to catch ftore; and if the 
 cheefe were laid in clarified honey 
 a fhort time before (as namely, an 
 hour or two) you were ftill the like- 
 lier to catch fifh ; fome have dire- 
 d:ed to cut the cheefe into thin pie- 
 ces, and tofte it, and then tye it on 
 the hook with fine Silk ; and fome 
 advife to fifh for the Barbell with 
 Sheeps tallow and foft cheefe beaten 
 or work'd into a Pafle, and that it 
 is choicely good in Auguji ; and X 
 believe it : but doubtlefs the Lob- 
 worm w<^:ll fcoured, and the Gentle 
 not too much fccw^ed, and cheefe 
 
 ordered 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 20 e 
 
 ordered as I have diredied, are baits 
 enough, and I think will ferve in a- 
 ny Month; though I fhall commend 
 any Angler that tryes concluiions, 
 and is induftrious to improve the 
 Art. And now,my honeft Scholer, 
 the long fhowre, and my tedious 
 difcourfe are both ended together ; 
 and I fhall give you but this Obfer- 
 vation, That w^hen you fifh for a 
 Barbell^ your Rod and Line be both 
 long, and of good ftrength, for you 
 will find him £ heavy and a doged 
 fifli to be dealtwithal,yethe feldom 
 or never breaks his hold if he be once 
 ftrucken. 
 
 And now lets go and fee what in- 
 tereft the Trouts will pay us for let- 
 ting our Angle-rods lye fo long and 
 fo quietly in the water. Come , 
 Scholer; which will you take up ? 
 
 Viat. Which you think fit, Ma- 
 iler. 
 
 Pifc. Why, ^oa fhall take up 
 that ; for I am certain by viewing 
 
 the 
 
ao2 The Complete Aftgler. 
 
 the Line, it has a fifli at it. Look 
 you, Scholer, well done. Come 
 noW;; take up the other too ; well, 
 now you may tell my brother Peter 
 at night, that you have caught a 
 leafe of Trout s this day. And now 
 lets move toward our lodging, and 
 drink a draught of Red-Cows milk^ 
 as we go, and give pretty Maudlin 
 and her mother a brace oiTrouts for 
 their fupper. 
 
 Viat. Mafter, I like your moti-« 
 on very well, and I think it is now 
 about milking time, and yonder 
 they be at it. 
 
 Pifc. God ipeed you good wo- 
 man,! thank you both for our Songs 
 laft night; I and my companion had 
 fuch fortune a fifhing this day, that 
 we refolve to give you and Maudlin 
 a brace of Tr^jz/Zj-for fupper, andv/e 
 will nowtafte a draught of your i^d^^ 
 Cows 7nilk. 
 
 Milkw. Marry, and that you Hial 
 with all my heart, and I will be ftill 
 
 your 
 
The Complete Angler. 2or| 
 
 your debtor : when you come next 
 this way, if you will but fpeak the 
 word, I will make you a good Silla- 
 bub^ and then you may fit down in a 
 Hay-cock2.x\6. ^2X'Vi,7mdi Maudlin fhal 
 fit by and fing you the good old 
 Song oi\}[\^ Hunting in Chevy Chafe ^ 
 or fome other good Ballad, for fhe 
 hath good ftore of them : Maud- 
 lin hath a notabl^^ memory. 
 
 Viat. We tlj ank you, an d intend 
 once in a Month to call upon you 
 again, and giveyoualittle warning, 
 and fo good night ; good night 
 Maudlin. And now, good Mafter, 
 lets lofe no tim?, but tell me fome- 
 what more of fifhing ; and if you 
 pleafe, firftfomething of fifhing for 
 a Gudgion. 
 
 Pifc. I will, honefl: Scholer. 
 The Gudgion is an excellent fifh to 
 eat, and good alfo to enter a young 
 Angler ; he is eafie to bee taken 
 with afmalredworm at the ground 
 and is one of thofe leather mouthed 
 
 fiih 
 
204 The Complete Angler. 
 
 fifh that has his teeth in his throat 
 and will hardly be loft off from the 
 hook if he be once ftrucken : they be 
 ufually fcatteredup and down every 
 River in the fhallows, in the heat of 
 Summer ; but in Autome^ when the 
 weeds begin to grow fowre or rot, 
 and the weather colder, then they 
 gather together, and get into the 
 deeper parts of the water, and are to 
 be fifh'd for there, with your hook 
 alwaies touching the ground, if you 
 fifh for him with a flote or with a 
 cork ; but many will fifh for the 
 Gudgion by hand, with a running 
 line upon the ground without a cork 
 as a Trout is fifhedfor,and it is an ex- 
 cellent way. 
 
 There is alfo another fiHi called 
 a Fope^ and by fome a Rujj^y a fifh 
 that is not known to be in fome Ri- 
 vers ; it is much like the Pearch for 
 his fhape, bmt will not grow to be 
 bigger then a Gudgion ; he is an ex- 
 cellent fifh, no fifh that fwims is of a 
 
 pleafanter 
 
7/3^ Complete Angler. 205 
 
 pleafanter tafte; and he is alfo 
 excellent to enter a young Angler ^ 
 for he is a greedy biter, and they 
 will ufually lye abundance of them 
 together in one referved place where 
 the water is deep, and runs quietly, 
 and an eafie Angler, ifhe has found 
 where they lye, may catch fortie or 
 fiftie, or fometimes twice fo many at 
 aftanding. 
 
 There is alfo a Bleak^z fifh that is 
 ever in motion, and therefore cal- 
 led by fome the River Swallow; for 
 juft as you (hall obferve the Swallow 
 to be moft evenings in Summer ever 
 in motion, making fhort and quick 
 turns when he flies to catch flies in 
 the aire, by which he lives, fo does 
 the Bleak at the top of the water; 
 and this fi{h is beft caught with a 
 fine fmal Artificial Fly, which is to 
 be of a brown colour, and very 
 fmal, and the hook anfwerable: 
 There is no better iport then whip- 
 ping for Bleaks in a boa4: in a Sum- 
 
 *ners 
 
^c6 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 mers evening, with a hazle top about 
 five or fix foot long, and a line tw^ ice 
 the length of the Rod. I have 
 heard Sir Henry Wotton fay, that 
 there be many that in ItalyWiW. catch 
 Swallows fo, or efpecially Martins 
 (the Bird-Angler ftanding on the 
 top of a Steeple to do it, and v^ith a 
 line twice fo long, as I have fpoke 
 of) and let n\t tell you, Scholer,that 
 both Martins and Blekes be mofi: ex- 
 cellent meat. 
 
 I might now tell you how to 
 catch Roch TindDace^ and fome other 
 fifh of little note,that I have not yet 
 fpoke of; but you fee we are almofl 
 atourlodgirig,^Ldindeedifwewere 
 not, I woujid omit to give you any 
 direcfllons concerning them, or how 
 to fiih for them, not but that they 
 be both good fi(h ^being in feafon) 
 and efpecially to fome palates, and 
 they alfo make the Angler good 
 iport (and you know the Hunter 
 fayes, there is mere fport in hunting 
 
 the 
 
T'he Complete Angler. 207 
 
 the Hare,then in eating of her) but I 
 will forbear to give you any diredli- 
 on concerning them, becaufe you 
 may go a few dayes and take the 
 pleafure of the frefh aire, and bear 
 any common Angler company that 
 iiihes for them, and by that means 
 learn more then any direcflion I 
 can give you in words, can make 
 you capable of; and I will there- 
 fore end my difcourfe, for yonder 
 comes our brother Pf/^r and honeft 
 Coridon^ but I will promife you that 
 as you and I iilh, and walk to mor- 
 row towards London^ if I have now 
 forgotten any thing that I can 
 then remember, I will not keep it 
 from you. 
 
 Well met, Gent'emen, this is 
 luckie that we meet lb juft together 
 at this very door. Come Hoilis, 
 where are you ? is Supper ready } 
 come, firft give us drink, and be as 
 quick as you can, for I believe wee 
 are all very hungry. Wei, brother 
 
 Pcter^ 
 
20 8 T^he Complete Angler. 
 
 Peter and Coridon to you both ; 
 come drink, and tell me what luck 
 of fifh : we two have caught but ten 
 Trouts^ of which my Scholer caught 
 three; look here's eight, and a brace 
 we gave away : we have had a moft 
 pleafant day for fifhing, and talking, 
 and now returned home both weary 
 and hungry, and now meat and reft 
 will be pleafant. 
 
 Pet. And Coridon and I have not 
 had an unpleafant day, and yet I 
 have caught but five Trouts; for in- 
 deed we went to a good honeft Ale- 
 houfe, and there we plaid at fhovel- 
 board half the day; all the time that 
 it rained we were there, and as mer- 
 ry as they that fifh'd, and I am glad 
 we are now with a dry houfe over 
 our heads, for heark how it rains and 
 blows. Come Hoftis, give us more 
 Ale, and our Supper with what hafte 
 you may, and when we have fup'd, 
 lets have your Song, Pifcator^ and 
 the Ketch that your Scholer promi- 
 
 led 
 
The Complete Angler. 209 
 
 fed us, or elfe Coridon wil be doged. 
 
 Fife. Nay, I will not be worfe 
 then my word, you fhall not want 
 my Song, and I hope I fhall be per- 
 fed: in it. 
 
 Viat. And I hope the like for my 
 Ketch, which I have ready too,and 
 therefore lets go merrily to Supper, 
 and then have a gentle touch at iing- 
 ing and drinking; but the laft with 
 moderation. 
 
 Cor. Come,now for your Song, 
 for we have fed heartily. Come 
 Hoftis, give us a little more drink, 
 and lay a few more flicks on theiire, 
 and now fing when you will. 
 
 Pifc. Well then, here's to you 
 Coridon ; and now for my Song. 
 
 oh the bra^'je Fiflxr s Ufe^ 
 
 It is the beji of any ^ 
 
 ' T is full ofpleafure^void offtrife^ 
 
 And'tisbelovdofmany : 
 
 Other joyes 
 
 are but toyeSy 
 
 P only 
 
210 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 only this 
 lawful is ^ 
 for our skil 
 breeds no /?/, 
 hut content and pleafure. 
 
 In a morning up we ri^? 
 Ere Aurora^ peeping^ 
 Drink a cup to wajh our eyes, 
 Leave thefluggardpei)ing\ 
 
 2 hen we go 
 
 too and fro ^ 
 
 with our knacks 
 
 at our backs ^ 
 
 tofuchftreams 
 
 <^.f//7^ Thames 
 if we haie the bifure. 
 
 When wepleafe to walk abroad 
 For our recreationy 
 In the fields is our -bode, 
 Full of delegation : 
 
 Where in a Brook 
 with a hook, 
 or a Lake 
 fijh we take, 
 
 there 
 
T'he Complete Angler* 21 1 
 
 there we fit 
 for a bity 
 tillwe ffi int angle. 
 
 We have Gentles iK horn, 
 We have Pajit and worms toOy 
 We can watch both night ar^J morn^ 
 Suffer rain and ft or ms too * 
 
 None do here 
 
 ufe tofwear. 
 
 oathes do fray 
 fifh away. 
 
 weftjhi*. 
 
 watch our ouil\ 
 Fijhers muji not r/^ngh% 
 
 If the Suns excifsive hea\ 
 Makes our bodies fwelter 
 To an Ofier hedge we get 
 For ajriendly fhelter , 
 
 where in £^ dike 
 
 Pearch 07 Pike, 
 
 Roch<?r Dace 
 
 we do chafe 
 
 Bleak or Gi dgion 
 
 without grudging^ 
 we are jlill cohti nted. 
 
 P 2 Or 
 
2 i 2 T'b^ Complete Angler. 
 
 Or we fometimes pafs an hour. 
 Under a green willow^ 
 T'hat defends us from ajhowr. 
 Making earth our pillow^ 
 
 'There we may 
 
 think and pray 
 
 before death 
 
 fops our breath; 
 
 other joy es 
 
 are but toyes 
 and to be lamented. 
 
 Viat. Wellfmig, Mafter; this 
 dayes fortune and pleafure , and 
 this nights company and Song, do 
 all make me more and more in love 
 withy4;2'^//;2'^.Gentlemen,myMafter 
 left me alone for an hour this day, 
 and I verily believe he retir'd him- 
 felf from talking with me, that he 
 might be fo perfed: in this Song;w^as 
 it not Mafter ? 
 
 Pifc. Yes indeed, for it is many 
 yeers fince I learn'd it, and having 
 forgotten a part of it, I was forced 
 to patch it up by the help of my own 
 
 in- 
 
The Co77iplete Angler. 2 1 3 
 
 invention, who am not excellent at 
 Poetry,as my part of the Song may 
 teftifie ; But of that I will fay no 
 more, leaft you fhould think I mean 
 by difcommending it, to beg your 
 commendations of it. And there- 
 fore without replications, lets hear 
 your Ketch^ Scholer, which I hope 
 will be a good one, for you are both 
 Mufical, and have a good fancie to 
 boot. 
 
 Viat. Marry, andthatyoufhall, 
 and as freely as I would have my ho- 
 neft Mafter tel me fome more fecrets 
 of fifh and fifhing as we walk and 
 fifli towards Z/'5'/7^c?/2 to morrow. But 
 Mafter, iirft let me tell you,that that 
 very hour which you were abfent 
 from me, I fate down under a Wil- 
 low tree by the water fide, and confi- 
 dered what you had told me of the 
 owner of that pleafant Meadow in 
 which you then left me, thathehad 
 a plentiful eftate, and not a heart to 
 think fo ; that he had at this time 
 many Law Suites depending, and 
 P 3 that 
 
2 1 4 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 that they both damp'd his mirth ^nd 
 took up fo much of his time and 
 thoughts, that he himfelfe had not 
 leifure to take the fweet content that 
 I, who pretended no title, took in 
 his fields; for I could there fit quiet- 
 ly, and looking on the water, fee 
 fifhes leaping a^ Flies of feveral 
 fhapesand colours; looking on the 
 Hils, could behold tL'^m fpotted 
 with Woods 3nd Groves ; looking 
 down the Meadows, could fee here a 
 Boy gathering L'i'Jies and Lady-- 
 Jmocksj and there a Girle cropping 
 Cuiverkey'j and CowJlipSy all to make 
 Garlands futable to this pleafant 
 Month oi May; thefeand many o- 
 ther Field -flowers fo perfum'd the 
 air,that I thought this Meadow like 
 the field in Skiiy {o^ which Diodor us 
 fpeaks) where the perfumes arifing 
 from the phice, makes all dogs that 
 hunt in it. to fall off,and to lofe their 
 hotteft fent. I fay, as I thus fate 
 joying in mine own happy conditi- 
 on, and pittying that rich mans that 
 
 ought 
 
T*he CompL te Angler. 2 1 5 
 ought this, and many other pleafant 
 Groves and Meadows about me, I 
 did thankfully remember what my 
 Saviour faid, that the meek pojefs the 
 earth ; for indeed they are free from 
 thofe high, thofe reftlefs thoughts 
 and contentions which corrode the 
 fweets of life. For they, and they 
 only,can fay as the Poet has happily 
 expreft it. 
 
 Hail blejl eft ate of poverty I 
 
 Happy enjoyment offuch minds ^ 
 
 As rich in low contentedneCs. 
 
 Cany like the reeds in roughejt winds ^ 
 Byyeelding make that blow butfmal 
 At which proud Oaks and CedarsfaL 
 
 Genilemen,thefe were a part of the 
 thoughts that then poffeft me, and 
 I there made a converlion of a piece 
 of an old Ketch, and added more to 
 iL,fittingthem to befungby us Ang- 
 lers : Come, Malter, you can nn^ 
 well, you muft ling a part of it as it • 
 
 is in this paper. 
 
 P 4 The ^ 
 
( 2»6) 
 
 The ANGLERS Song, 
 
 m»6 Vcyca^ Tubli ani'Bap^ C^ NTVS* Mr. HemJ' Late en 
 An*iljfci$butvair^roc't»smb]c£liopairt,andforrow, 
 
 sugigiHiiiiii^ 
 
 andOiorckS^ tublcj'cisahodgc lodge ofbii(ii'C{s,andn-.onv,3nd 
 
 ^^iliiliiiiiiiiililili 
 
 " ^'" ^'_ " ' ' __ 
 
 C3rc»nndcJrc,an(i nBoov.aid trouble. Btttwc'lc^kc ^o.carc when the 
 
 ^^iiiilliiiiilliilliii 
 
 w«£hcr proves fair,nor wjII wcvexnowthoni^h it ratn*wttlba"ini 
 
 ^iiliiigltiiililSiriii 
 
VnZa siSii V Etft'JiSjivf at'MoiioB! ojiaiSog p«5aBUioj 
 
 
 
 iiSipillPiipiit^l 
 
 put^wQjJoj piis fi ti 03 ^3! qn| sp^ ao^fo «a ana Si aijil«.« Y 
 
 IgiS^iliilsil^SiiH 
 
 V^<Wl^^fl*Ji3i^ff 
 
 •iii^^miifi^ 
 
 
 (^itr> 
 
2 1 8 The Complete Angler. 
 
 Pet. I marry Sir, this is Muiick 
 indeed, this has cheered my heart, 
 and made me to remember fix Ver- 
 I'es in praife of Muiick, which I will 
 fpeak to you inftantly. 
 
 Miifick, miraculous Rhetorick, that fpeak'Ji fenfc 
 Without a tongue, ex eel ling eloquence ; 
 With zvhat eafe might thy errors be excufd 
 Wert thou as truly lov'd as th'art abuf d. 
 But though dull fouls negleSf, andfome reprove thee, 
 I camiot hate thee, 'caufe the Angels love thee. 
 
 Pifcat. Well remembred, bro- 
 tlier Peter ^ thefe Verfes came fea- 
 fonably. Come, we will all joine 
 together, mine Hofte and all, and 
 iing my Scholers Ketch over again, 
 and then each man drink the tother 
 cup and to bed, and thank God we 
 have a dry houfe over our heads. 
 
 Fife. Well now, good night to 
 everybody. 
 
 Pet. And ib fay I. 
 
 Viat. And fo fay I. 
 
 Cor. 
 
The Complete Angler. 219 
 
 Cor. Good night to you all,arid I 
 thank you. 
 
 Pifc. Good morrow brother 
 Feter, and the like to you, honeft 
 Coridon ; come, my Hoftis fayes 
 there s feven fhilHngs to pay, lets 
 each man drink a pot for his mor- 
 nings draught, and lay downe his 
 two ihillingSjthat fo my Hoftis may 
 not have occafion to repent her felf 
 of being fo diligent, and uling us fo 
 kindly. 
 
 Pet. The motion is liked by every 
 body; And fo Hoftis, here's your 
 mony, we Anglers are all behold- 
 ing to you, it wil not be long ere He 
 fee you again. And now brother 
 P//2'^/^r,I wiftiyou andmy brother 
 vour Scholer a fair day, and good 
 fortune. Come Coridon^ this is our 
 way. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
220 Tbe Co?np!efe Angler. 
 
 CH A PXII 
 
 Vtat. ^f"^ Ood Mafter, as we go 
 ■ ^ now tow ^ivdi^ London y 
 ^•^-^ be ftill fo courteous 
 as to give me more inftrud:ions, for 
 I have feveral boxes in my memory 
 in vv^hich I will keep them all very 
 fafe, there fhall not one of them be 
 loft. 
 
 Fife. Well Scholer, that I will, 
 and I will hide nothing from you 
 that I can remember. 3nd may help 
 you forward towards a perfeftion in 
 this Art ; and becaufe we have fo 
 much time, and I have fold fo little 
 of Roc/j and Dace, I will give you 
 fome direftions concerning feme fe- 
 veral kinds of baits with which they 
 be ufually taken ; they will bite al- 
 moft at any flies, but eipecially at 
 
 Ant- 
 
I'be Complete Anghr. Z2i 
 
 Ant-flies; concerning which, take 
 this direftion , fcr it is very- 
 good. 
 
 Take the blacki^i Ant-fly owt of 
 the Mole-hill, orAnt-hil, inwhich 
 place you fliall find them in the 
 Months oijune; or if that be too- 
 early in the yeer, then doubtlefs 
 you may find them in Jiifyj Auguji^ 
 zndmoii of Septeml^er; gather them 
 aUve with both their wings, and 
 then put them into a glafs, that will 
 hold a quart or a pottle ; but firft^ 
 put into the glars,a handful or more 
 of the moift earth out of which you 
 gather them, and as much of the 
 roots of the grafsof the faid Hillock; 
 and then put in the flies gently, that 
 they lofe not their wings, and fo 
 many as are put into the glafs with- 
 outbruifing, will live there a month 
 or more, and be alwaies in a readi- 
 nefs for you to filh with ; but if yout 
 would have them keep longer, then 
 get any great earthen pot or barrel 
 
 of 
 
tzz I' he Complete Angler. 
 
 of three or four gallons (which is 
 better) then wafh your barrel with 
 water and honey ; and having put 
 into it a quantitie of earth and grafs 
 roots, then put in your flies and co- 
 ver it, and they will live a quarter of 
 a year; thefe in any ftream and clear 
 water are a deadly bait for Roch or 
 Dace^ or for a Chub^ and your rule 
 is to fidi not lefs then a handful from 
 the bottom. 
 
 I fhall next tell you a winter bait 
 for a Rochy2i Dace^ov Chub, and it is 
 choicely good. About All-hol- 
 lantide (and fo till Frofi: comes) 
 when you fee men ploughing up 
 heath-ground, or fandy ground, 
 or greenfwards , then follow the 
 plough, and you iliall find a white 
 worm, as big as two Magots, and it 
 hath a red head, (you may obferve 
 in what ground moft are, for there 
 the Crows will be very watchful, 
 and follow the Plough very clofe) 
 it is all foft,andfullcf whitill)[guts;a 
 
 worm 
 
The Complete Angler. 223 
 
 worm that is in Norfolk, and fome 
 other Countries called a Grub , and 
 is bred of the fpawn or eggs of a 
 Beetle, which ihc leaves in holes 
 that {he digs in the ground under 
 CoworHorfe-dung, and there refts 
 all Winter, and in March or April 
 comes to be firft a red, and then a 
 black Beetle; gather a thoufand or 
 two of thefe, and put them with a 
 peck or two of their own earth into 
 Ibme tub or firkin, and cover and 
 keep them fo warm, that the frofh 
 or cold air, or winds kill them not, 
 and you may keep them all winter 
 and kill fifh with them at any time, 
 and if you put fome ot them into a 
 little earth and honey a day before 
 you ufe them, you will find them 
 an excellent baite for Breame or 
 Carp. 
 
 And after this manner you may 
 alfo keep Gentles all winter, which 
 is a good bait then, and much the 
 better for being lively and tuffe, or 
 
 you 
 
!4 The Complete Angler. 
 
 you may breed and keep Gentle 
 thus: Take a piece of beafts liver 
 and with a crofs flick, hang it in 
 fome corner over a pot or barrel half 
 full of dry clay, and as the Gentles 
 grow big, they wil fall into the bar- 
 rel and fcowre themfelves, and be 
 alwayes ready for ufe whenfoever 
 you incline to fifh; and thefe Gen- 
 tles may be thus made til after Mi- 
 chaehnas : But if you defire to keep 
 Gentles to filh with all the yeer, 
 then get a dead Cat or a Kite, and 
 let it be Ry-blowne, and when the 
 Gentles begin to be alive and toftir, 
 then bury it and them in moift earth, 
 but as free from froft as you can, and 
 thefe you may dig up at any time 
 when you intend to ufe them; thefe 
 wil lad till March, and about that 
 time turn to be flies. 
 
 But if you be nice to fowl your 
 fingers (which good Anglers fel- 
 dome are) then take this bait; Get 
 a handful of well made Mault, and 
 
 put 
 
^he Complete Angler. 225 
 
 put It into a difh of water, and then 
 vs^afh and rub it betwixt your hands 
 til you make in cleane, and as ir^^ 
 from husks as you can ; then put that 
 water from it, and put a fmal quan- 
 titie of frelh water to it, and fet it in 
 fomething that is fit for that 
 purpofe , over the fire , where it is 
 not to boil apace, but leifurely, and 
 very foftly, until it become fome- 
 what foft, which you may try by 
 feeling it betwixt your finger and 
 thumb; and when it is foft, then 
 putyour water from it, and then take 
 afharpknife, and '■aiming thefprout 
 end of the corn upward, with the 
 point of your knife tak^ the back 
 part of the husk off from it, and yet 
 leaving a kind of husk on the corn, 
 or elfe it is marr'd ; and then cut off 
 that fprouted end (I mean a little of 
 it) that the white may appear, and 
 fo pull offthe husk on the cloven fide 
 (as I diredled you) and then cutting 
 ofFa very little of the otherend, that 
 Q fo 
 
226 H'he Complete Angler. 
 
 (o your hook may enter, and if your 
 hook be fmall and good, you will 
 find this to be a very choice bait ei- 
 ther for Winter or Summer, you 
 fometimes calling a Httle of it into 
 the place where your flote fwims. 
 
 And to take the Koch 2ind Dace, a 
 good bait is the young brood of 
 WafpsorBees, baked or hardned in 
 their husks in an Oven, after the 
 bread is taken out of it, or on a fire- 
 fliovel ; and fo alfo is the thick blood 
 of sheep, being half dryed on a 
 trencher that you may cut it into 
 fuch pieces as may beil fit the fize of 
 your hook, and a little fait keeps it 
 from growing black, and makes it 
 not the worfe but better ; this is ta- 
 ken to be a choice bait, if rightly or- 
 dered. 
 
 There be feveral Oiles of a ftrong 
 fmel that I have been told of, and 
 to be excellent to tempt fifh to bite, 
 of which I could fay much, but I 
 remember I once carried a fmall 
 
 bottle 
 
T^he Complete Angler. 227 
 
 bottle from Sir George Hajitngs to 
 Sir Henry Wotton (they were both 
 chimical meny/ as a great prefent; 
 but upon enquiry, I found it did not 
 anfwertheexpedlation of Sir Henry ^ 
 which with the help of other cir- 
 cumftances, makes me have little 
 belief in fuch things as many men 
 talk of; not but that I think iifhes 
 both fmell and hear (as I have ex- 
 preft in my former difcourfe) but 
 there is a myfterious knack, which 
 (though it be much eafier then the 
 Philofophers-StonCj yet) is not a- 
 tainable by common capacities, or 
 elfe lies locked up in the braine or 
 breft of fome chimical men, that, 
 like the Roft-crutions^ yet will not re- 
 veal it. But I ftepped by chance in- 
 to this difcourfe of Oiles, and fifhes 
 fmelling; and though there might 
 be more faid, both of it, and of baits 
 for Roch and Dace^ and other flote 
 fifh, yet I will forbear it atthistime^ 
 and tell you in the next place how 
 Q 2 yo^^ 
 
2 28 The Complete Angler. 
 
 you are to prepare your tackling: 
 concerning which I will for Iport 
 fake give you an old Rhime out of 
 an old Fi(h-book, ^A^hich will be 
 a part of what you are to pro- 
 vide. 
 
 My rod, and my line^my flote and my lead^ 
 My hook^& 7ny plummet, my whetjione & knife y 
 My Basket, ?ny baits ^ both living and dead. 
 My net, and my me at, for that is the chief". 
 Then Imujl have thred^ hairs great &fmal^ 
 With mine Angling purfe,andloyou have all. 
 
 But you muft have all thefe tack- 
 ling, and twice fo many more, with 
 which, if you mean to be a fi{her,you 
 muft fto^'e your felfe: and to that 
 purpofe I will go with you either to 
 Charles Brandons (neer to the Swan in 
 Golding-lane) ; or to Mr. Fletchers 
 in the Courtwhich did once belong 
 to Dr. Nowel theDean oi Pauls, that 
 I told you was a good man, and a 
 good Fiflier; it is hard by the weft 
 
 end 
 
The Complete Angler. 229 
 
 end of Saint Pauls Church: they be 
 both honeft men, and will fit an 
 Angler with what tackling hee 
 wants. 
 
 Viat. Then, good Mafter, let it 
 be at Charles Brandons^ for he is 
 neereft to my dwelling, and I pray 
 lets meet there the ninth of ikf^j^next 
 about two of the Clock, andl'l want 
 nothing that a Fiiher fhould be fur- 
 nifhed with. 
 
 Pifc. Well, and He not fail you, 
 God willing, at the time and place 
 appointed. 
 
 Viat. I thank you, good Ma- 
 fter, and I will not fail you : and 
 good Mafter, tell me what baits 
 more you remember, for it wil not 
 now be long ere we ftial ht'ditToten- 
 ham jF//^/6-Cr^,andwhen wecome 
 thither, I wil make ycu feme requi- 
 tal of your pains, by repeating as 
 choice a copy of Verfes, as any 
 we have heard fince we met toge- 
 Q 3 ther; 
 
230 The Complete Angler. 
 
 ther, and that is a proud word ; 
 for wee have heard very good 
 ones. 
 
 Fife. Wei, Scholer, and I fhal 
 be right glad to hear them; and I 
 wil tel you whatfoever comes in my 
 mind, that I think may be worth 
 your hearing ; you may make ano- 
 ther choice bait thus, Takeahand- 
 ful or two of the beft and biggefl 
 Wheat you can get, boil it in a little 
 milk like as Frumitie is boiled, boil 
 it fo till it be foft, and then fry it ve- 
 ry leifurely with honey, and a little 
 beaten Saffron diiTolved in milk, 
 and you wil find this a choice bait, 
 and good I think for any fifh, efpe- 
 cially for Roch^ Dace^ Chub or Grey- 
 ling ; I know not but that it may be 
 as good for a River Carp^ and efpe- 
 cially if the ground be a little baited 
 with it. 
 
 You are alio to know, that there 
 be divers kinds of Cadis^ or Cafe^ 
 
 worms 
 
The Complete Angler. 231 
 
 worms ^ that are to bee found In this 
 Nation ir feveral diftinil Counties, 
 & in feveral little Brooks that relate 
 to biggerRivers,as namely oneC^^/V 
 called a Piper^whofe husk or cafe is 
 a piece of reed about an inch long or 
 longer,and as big about as the com- 
 pafs of a two pence; thefe worms be- 
 ing kept three orfour days in a wool- 
 len bag with fand at the bottom of 
 it,and the bag wet once a day,will in 
 three or four dayes turne to be yel- 
 low; and thefe be a choice bait for 
 the C/ju/f or Chavendery or indeed 
 for any great fifh, for it is a large 
 bait. 
 
 There is alfo a lefTer Cadis-worm^ 
 called a Cock-fptir^ being in fafhion 
 like the fpur of a Cock, (harp at one 
 end, and the cafe or houfe in which 
 this dwels is made of fmal husks and 
 gravely zxidijlime^ moft curioufly 
 made of thefe, even fo as to be won- 
 dred at, but not made by man (v\o 
 Q 4 more 
 
232 27?^ Complete Angler. 
 
 more then the neft of a bird is : thiA 
 is a choice bait for any flote fifh, it 
 ismuch lefs then thtPiper Cadis ^^nd 
 to be fo ordered; and thefe may be 
 fo preferved ten, fifteen, or twentie 
 dayes. 
 
 There is alio another Cadis cal- 
 led by fome a Straw-worm^ and by 
 fome a Rtiffe-coate^ whofe houfe or 
 cafe is made of little pieces of bents 
 and Ruflies, and ftraws, and was 
 ter weeds, and I know not wha,^ 
 which are fo knit together v^ith con- 
 denf d flime,thar they ftick up about 
 herhuskorcafejnotunliket.ie^^r^/^i" 
 oi2iHedg-hog\ thefe three Cadis are 
 commonly taken in the be/; inning of 
 Summer, and are good indeed to 
 take any kind of fifh wil n flote or 
 otherwife, I might t( 11 you of 
 many moie, which, as thefe doe 
 early , fo thofe have their time of 
 turning to be flies later in Sum- 
 mer ; but I might lofe my felfe, 
 
 and 
 
The Complete' Angler. ,233 
 
 and tire you by fuch a difcourfe, 
 I fhall therefore but rememberyou, 
 that to know thele, and their feve- 
 ral kinds, and to what flies every 
 particular Cadis turns , and then 
 how to ufe them, fifft as they bee 
 Cadis y and then as they be flies, is 
 an Art , anrJ an Art that every 
 one that profeffes Angling is not ca- 
 pable of. 
 
 But let mee tell you , I have 
 been much pleafed to walk quiet- 
 ly by a Brook with <i iittle ftick 
 in my hand, with which I might 
 eafily take thefe, and confider thf 
 curiofity of their compofure ; anc 
 if you fhall ever like to do fo, 
 then note, that your fl:ick mufl: be 
 cleft, or have a nick at one end 
 of it, by which meanes you may 
 with eafe tak<" many of them out 
 of the water, before you have a- 
 ny occafion to ufe them. Thefe, 
 
 my 
 
1J4 ^^^ Complete Angler. 
 
 my honeft Scholer, are fome ob- 
 lervations told to you as they 
 now come liiddenly into my me- 
 mory, of which you may make 
 fome ufe : but for the practical part, 
 it is that that makes an Angler ; it is 
 diligence, and obfervation, and pra- 
 d:ice that muft do it. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
T^be Compltte Angler. 23^ 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 rife. ^ "Y 7 ^^^' Scholer, I 
 \ y % / have held you 
 V V too long about 
 thefe Cadis j2indi myfpiritsare almoll 
 fpent,and fo I doubt is yourpatience; 
 but being we are now within fight 
 o^Totenham, where I firft met you, 
 and where wee are to part, I will 
 give you a little direftion how to 
 colour the hair of which you make 
 your lines, for that is very needful 
 to be known of an Angler; and alfo 
 how to paint your rod, efpecially 
 your top, for a right grown top is a 
 choice Commoditie, and fhould be 
 preferved from the water foking in- 
 to it, which makes it in wet weather 
 to be heavy, and fifli ill favouredly. 
 and alfo to rot quickly. 
 
 Take 
 
236 T'he Complete Angler. 
 
 Take a pint of ftrong Ale, half a 
 pound of foot, and a like quantity of 
 thejuice of Walnut-tree leaves, and 
 an equal quantitie of Allome, put 
 thefe together into a pot, or pan, or 
 pipkin, and boil them half an hour, 
 and having fc done, let it cool, and 
 being cold,pariyour hair into it,and 
 there let it lye;it wil turn your hair to 
 be a kind of water,or glafs colour,or 
 greeniih, and the longer you let it 
 lye,the deeper coloured it will bee ; 
 you might be taught to make many 
 other colours, but it is to little pur- 
 pofe ; for doubtleife the water or 
 glafs coloured haire is the moft 
 choice and moft ufeful for an An- 
 gler. 
 
 But if you defire to colour haire 
 green, then doe it thus : Take a 
 Quart of fmal Ale, halfe a pound of 
 Allome, then put thefe into a pan or 
 pipkin, and your haire into it with 
 them, then put it upon a fire and let 
 it boile foftly for half an hour, and 
 
 then 
 
"The Complete Angter. 237 
 
 then take out your hair, and let it 
 dry, and having fo done, then take 
 a pottle of water,and put into it two 
 handful of Mary-golds, and cover 
 it v^ith a tile or what you think fit, 
 and fet it again on the fire, where it 
 is to boil foftly for half an hour, a- 
 bout which time the fcum will turn 
 yellow, then put into ithalf a pound 
 of Copporis beaten fmal, and with 
 it the hair that you intend to colour, 
 then let the hair be boiled foftly till 
 half the liquor be wafted,& then let 
 it cool three or four hours with your 
 hair in it ; and you are to obferve, 
 that the moreCopporis you put into 
 it,thegreenerit will be,but doubtlefs 
 the pale green is beft; but if you de- 
 fire yellow hair (which is only good 
 when the weeds rot) then put in th? 
 more Mary-golds^ and abate mofi: of 
 the Copporis fix leave itout,and take 
 a little Verdigreece in ftead of it. 
 
 This for colouring your hair. And 
 as for painting your rod, which muft 
 
 he 
 
^38 The Complete Angler. 
 
 be in Oyl, you muft firft make a fize 
 with glue and water, boiled together 
 until the glue be diffolved, and the 
 fize ofa lie colour; thenftrikeyour 
 fize upon the wood with a briftle 
 brufiiorpenfil, whilftitis hot: that 
 being quite dry, take white lead, 
 and a little red lead, and a little cole 
 black, fo much as all together will 
 make an afh colour, grind thefe all 
 together with Linfeed oyle, letitbe 
 thick,and lay it thin upon the wood 
 with a brufh or penfil, this do for 
 the ground of any colour to lie up- 
 on wood. 
 
 For a Green. 
 Take Pink and Verdigreece, and 
 grind them together in Linfeed oyl, 
 as thick as you can well grind it, 
 then lay it fmoothly on with your 
 brufh, and drive it thin, once doing 
 for the moil part will ferve, if you 
 layitwel, and be fure your firfl; co- 
 lour be thoroughly dry, before you 
 lay on a fecond. 
 
 Wei] 
 
'The Co?nplete Angler. 239 
 
 Well,Scholer,you now fee Toten- 
 haniy and I am weary,and therefore 
 glad that we are (b near it; but if I 
 were to walk many more days with 
 you, I could ftil be tellingyoumore 
 and more of the myfterious Art of 
 Angling ; but I wil hope for ano- 
 ther opportunitie, and then I wil ac- 
 quaint you with many more, both 
 neceffary and true obfervations con- 
 cerning fifh and fifhing : but now 
 no more, lets turn into yonder Ar- 
 bour , for it is a cleane and cool 
 place. 
 
 Viat. *Tis a faire motion, and I 
 will requite a part of your courtefies 
 with a bottle of Sacky and Milk^zv^d 
 Ora?iges and Sugary which all put 
 together, make a drink too good for 
 any body, but us Anglers: and fo 
 Mafter, here is a full glafs to you of 
 that liquor, and when you have 
 pledged me, I wil repeat the Ver- 
 fes which I promifed you,it is a Co- 
 py printed amongft Sir Henry Wot-- 
 
 tons 
 
2 10 I'he Complete Angler. 
 
 tons Verfes, and doubtlefs made ei- 
 ther by him, or by a lover of Ang- 
 ling : Come Mafter, now drink a 
 glafs to me, and then I will pledge 
 you, and fall to my repetition; it is 
 a difcription of fuch Country recre- 
 ations as I have enjoyed fince I had 
 the happinefs to fall into your com- 
 pany. 
 
 ^iverlng fears, heart tearing cares y 
 Anxious fighesy untimely tears y 
 
 Fly^fiy to Courts^ 
 
 Fly to fond wordlings f ports ^ 
 Where Jirain'd Sardonickfmiles areglofngji'tl 
 And grief is fore d to laugh againji her will. 
 
 Where mirths but Mummery y 
 
 Andforrows only real be. 
 
 ¥lyfrom our Country pajlimesyjlvy 
 Sad troops of humane mifery^ 
 
 Co7ne ferene looks y 
 
 Clear as the Chrijlal Brooks y 
 Or the pure azur^d heaven thatfmiles to fee 
 The rich attendance on our poverty ; 
 
 Peac^ 
 
The Complete Angler. 241 
 
 Peace and afei are mind 
 Which all men fee ky we only find. 
 
 Abufed Mortals did you know 
 
 TV here joy ^ hearts eafcy and comforts grow ^ 
 
 Toudfcorn proud Towers ^ 
 
 Andfeek them in thefe Bowers^ ifJmke^ 
 
 Where winds fometimes our woods perhaps may 
 But blufering care could never tempeji make^ 
 
 No murmurs ere come nigh us. 
 
 Saving of Fountains that glide by us. 
 
 Here's nofantaftick Mask nor Dance ^ 
 But of our kids that frisk and prance ; 
 
 Nor wars arefeen 
 
 Unlefs upon the green 
 Two harmlefs Lambs are butting one the other y 
 Which doneJ)oth bleating^ run each to his mo- 
 And wounds are never found ^ [ther : 
 
 Save what the Flough-JJjaregivf r the ground. 
 
 Here are nofalfe entrapping baits 
 To hajlen too too hafy fates 
 
 tinlefs it be 
 
 the fond credulitie 
 
 R Of 
 
242 The Complete Angler, 
 
 of filly fijl:, which, worldling like, ft ill look 
 Upon the bait, but never on the hook ; 
 
 Nor envy^ 'nlefs among 
 
 The birds ^f or price of their fweet Song. 
 
 Go Jet the diving ISicgroJeek 
 
 For gems hid in fome forlorn creek. 
 
 We all Pearls [corn. 
 
 Save what the dewy morne 
 Congeals upon each little fpire ofgrafl\ 
 Which carelefsShepherds beat down as they pafje. 
 
 And Gold neWe here appears 
 
 S ave what the yellow Ceres bears. 
 
 Blejlflent Groves, oh may you be 
 For ever mirths blejl nurfery, 
 
 May pure contents 
 
 for ever pitch their tents {mountains, 
 
 Upon thefe downs, thefe Meads ^thefe rocks, thefe 
 And peace jiilflumber by thefe purling fountains 
 
 Which we may every year 
 
 find when we come a fifloing here. 
 
 Fife, Truft me, Scholer, I thank 
 you heartily for thefe Verfes,theybe 
 
 choice- 
 
Tbe Complete Angler, 243 
 
 choicely good, and double fs made 
 by a lover of Angling : Come,now 
 drinkaglafstome,and I wil requite 
 you with a very good Copy of Ver- 
 fes ; it is a farewel to the vanities 
 of the world, and fome fay written 
 by D^ X), but let them bee writ by 
 whom they will, he that writ them 
 had a brave foul, and muft needs be 
 polTeft with happy thoughts at the 
 time of their campofure. 
 
 Farwel ye gutlded follies ^pkajing troubles , 
 Farwelye honour d rag^^yi glorious bubbles ; 
 Fame's but a hollow eccho^old pure clay^ 
 Honour the darling but of one Jhort day. 
 Beauty fth' eyes idol) but a dajnaslid skin^ 
 State but a golden prifon.to live in 
 And torture free-bornminds\imbroider d trains 
 Meerly but Pageants for proud /welling vainSy 
 And blood ally d to greatnefsjs alone 
 Inherited y not purchaf'd^ nor our own. 
 
 Fameyhonor^beautyfate^train^blood & birth ^ 
 Are but the fading bloffomes of the earth. 
 
 R 2 I would 
 
244 ^'^^ Complete Angler. 
 
 I would be great^ but that the Sun doth Jl ill ^ 
 Level his rayes againjl the rijing hill: 
 I would be high^ but fee the proudejl Oak 
 MoJifubjeSl to the r eliding Thunder-Jlroke; 
 I would be rich J)ut fee men too unkind 
 Dig in the bowels of the richefl mind; 
 I would be wife^but that I often fee 
 "^hp Fox fufpeBed whilfl the Afs goes free ; 
 X would be fair ^ biitfee the fair and proud 
 hike the bright Sun, oft fet ting in a cloud; 
 I would be poorjjut know the humhle grafs 
 Still trampled on by each unworthy Affe : 
 Rich^ hated \ wife ^fufpeSled \ fcorn d^ if poor ; 
 Great fear d fair ytempted'yhighyllil envied more 
 I have wiJJfd alljbut now Iwifhfor neither y 
 Great Joigh^richywife^norf air ypoorl 'I be rather 
 
 Would the world now adopt me for her heir^ 
 Would beauties ^een entitle me the Fair, 
 Fa?nefpeak me fortunes Minion, could I vie 
 A/tgels w ^ India, w^^ afpeaking eye {dumb 
 Command bare he ads, bow d knees fir ike Jujiice 
 As we I as blind and lame, or give a tongue 
 To f ones, by Epitaphs , be call' d great Majier, 
 In the loofe Rhimes of every Poetajier ; 
 
 Could 
 
The Complete Angler. 245 
 
 Could I be more then any man that lives. 
 Great ^ f air ^richywife in all Superlatives; 
 Tet I more freely would the fe gifts refgn^ 
 ^hen everfortune would have made them mine 
 And hold one minute of this holy leafure. 
 Beyond the riches of this empty pleafure. 
 
 Welcompure thoughts yWelco me ye f lent groves^ 
 Thefeguejis^thefe Courts^ myfoulmoft dearly loves. 
 Now the wing' d people of the Skiejloallfng 
 My chereful Anthems to the gladfome Spring ; 
 A Prayer book nons)fhallbe my looking glajfe. 
 In which I will adore fweet vertues face. 
 Here dwell no hateful loch yno Vallace cares. 
 No broken vows dwell here jioj pale fac'd fears, 
 Then here rift andfgh 7ry hot loves folly. 
 And learn faffeSl an holy melancholy. 
 And if contentment be a f ranger ^ then 
 rinere look for it, but in heaven again. 
 
 Viat. WelMader, thefebeVer- 
 fes that be worthy to keep a room in 
 every mans memory. I thank you 
 for them, and I thank you for your 
 many inflrud:ions^ which I will not 
 
 forget 
 
^//j The Complete Angler. 
 
 forget; your company and difcourfe 
 liave beenfo pleafant, that I may 
 truly fay, I have only lived, fince I 
 enjoyed you and them, and turned 
 Angler. I am forry to part with you 
 here, here in this place where I firft 
 met you, but it mufl be fo ; I fliall 
 long for the ninth o^May^ for then 
 we are to meet at Churls Brandons. 
 Thisintermitted time wil feem to me 
 (as it does to men in forrow^ to pafs 
 ilowly, but I wil haften it as faft as / 
 can by mywifhes, and in the mean 
 tivntthe bkfsmgof Saint Pcttrs Ma- 
 Jler be with 7ninc. 
 
 Pifc. And the like be upon my 
 honeft Scholer. And upon all that 
 hate contentions,and Xowtquietnejif 
 and ^^r/z^^,and Angling. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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